“What Can I Do About Reducing Energy Use and Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Saving Money at the Same Time?”

Greenhouse gases (GHG) are gases that trap heat in the atmosphere. Some greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide occur naturally in the atmosphere and are emitted to the atmosphere through natural processes and human activities, while other greenhouse gases are created and emitted solely through human activities. In order to reduce our personal greenhouse gas emissions, we must understand how the gases are produced and how they enter the atmosphere. The main greenhouse gases entering the atmosphere due to human activity are Carbon Dioxide, Methane, Nitrous Oxide, and Fluorinated Gases. Carbon dioxide enters the atmosphere though the burning of fossil fuels, solid waste, and tree products, and also from chemical reactions in manufacturing processes. Methane is emitted from livestock and agricultural practices, the decay of organic waste in solid waste landfills, and during the production and transport of coal, natural gas, and oil. Nitrous Oxide is also emitted from agricultural and industrial practices, as well as from combustion of fossil fuels and solid waste. Lastly, fluorinated gases are emitted from various industrial processes and are used as substitutes for ozone-depleting substances. [1]

Many greenhouse gases are emitted by individual’s daily activities both directly and indirectly. Per person emissions will vary depending on location, habits, and personal choices; but we can all find ways to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions and save money at the same time. “Reduce, reuse, recycle”[2] are a few of the major steps in helping to conserve energy, reduce pollution and greenhouse gas emission, and to save money.

To reduce methane generation, individuals can increase their level of recycling within their home or workplace so less organic waste decays in landfills. Recycling cans and bottles may give you a refund depending on your location, and composting organic waste leaves you with free fertilizer to use in an at home garden, or to donate or sell to members of the gardening community.

Fuel efficient and electric cars are a great way to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in contrast to the use of a standard vehicle, however more money can be saved if individuals use car-pooling, mass transportation, bicycles, or walk to various locations.[3] The choice to bicycle or walk in turn emits no greenhouse gases and saves the individual a lot of money because they do not need to pay for gas, car insurance, or transport fares. With an increased level of daily exercise due to walking or bicycling, the individual may also save money by no longer needing a gym membership, dropping the use of diet pills or prepackaged diet foods, and from fewer doctor visits because of improved health. In some countries, you can also get a reduction in tax and congestion charges when using energy efficient transportation. If walking or bicycling is not a viable option, there are ways of also driving more efficiently. Observing the speed limit, moderate acceleration and braking, removing excess weight, avoiding idling, using cruise control, and using overdrive gears will also increase the fuel efficiency of your car; saving gas, reducing engine wear, and ultimately emitting less greenhouse gases and saving the user money. [4]

An individual’s change in diet and consumption habits can also greatly decrease their personal greenhouse gas emissions and save money simultaneously. It takes about 10 times as much fossil fuel to produce animal protein compared to plant protein. Switching from a meat based diet to a plant based vegetarian or vegan diet will contribute 1.5 fewer tons of carbon dioxide or its equivalent into the atmosphere than the average North American diet. [5] Studies have also consistently shown great health improvements in individuals who have adopted a plant based diet instead of the typical meat based diet. In relation to diets, it is also important that individuals buy sustainable, organic, and locally produced foods. Doing so will decrease the amount of all greenhouse gases involved with agricultural, processing, and transportation food procedures. Growing your own food is also energy efficient, decreases emissions, and saves you money by replacing items you would normally buy at the grocery store.

Buying and using energy efficient appliances require less energy to do their job, meaning lower expense bills and less fossil fuel use.[6] Running appliances when they are full, and hang drying clothing rather than putting in in the dryer will use less energy and thus save you money, and hang drying also makes your clothes last longer, so money is saved there too! Greenhouse gas emissions will also be reduced if you weather proof your home. By caulking and weather stripping doorways and windows and adding insulation can cut heating and cooling costs dramatically, meaning you save energy and money as well.[7] The same goes for unplugging unused appliances and electronics, turning off lights when not in use, replacing old light bulbs with energy saving fluorescent bulbs that last 12 times longer, and reducing use of refrigerants, air conditioners, and heaters.

Lastly, individuals should push for community involvement in recycling program and educational programs and classes focused on sustainability, energy use, and consumption. With increased awareness, individuals and small community groups can stress owners of local buildings to adopt energy efficient practices. “America’s buildings consume more than 40 percent of our total energy, which amounts to almost 10 percent of all the energy used in the world. Much of this energy is wasted due to inadequate insulation, inefficient heating and cooling systems, and poor construction techniques.” If individuals can change their personal habits and inform others about how they can do the same, hopefully larger corporations and organizations will follow. Every individual and the choices they make matter. We can reduce our greenhouse gas emissions by decreasing energy consumption, directly putting more money back into our pockets.

Works Cited

"At Home | What You Can Do | Climate Change | U.S. EPA." US Environmental Protection Agency. 20 May 2010. Web. 06 Apr. 2011. .

"Energy Efficient Buildings Would save Money, Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions - Environment Rhode Island." Home - Environment Rhode Island. The Examiner, 2 Apr. 2010. Web. 06 Apr. 2011. .

"Gas Mileage Tips - Driving More Efficiently." Fuel Economy. U.S. Department of Energy, 6 Apr. 2011. Web. 06 Apr. 2011. .

Home : ENERGY STAR. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Department of Energy, 2011. Web. 06 Apr. 2011. .

Knudsen, Elizabeth. "How to Reduce Your Greenhouse Gas Emissions - WikiHow." WikiHow - The How-to Manual That You Can Edit. 31 Mar. 2011. Web. 06 Apr. 2011. .

"On the Road | What You Can Do | Climate Change | U.S. EPA." US Environmental Protection Agency. 20 May 2010. Web. 06 Apr. 2011. .

"Reduce, Reuse, Recycle." Minnesota Pollution Control Agency. 2011. Web. 06 Apr. 2011. .

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[1] U.S. EPA

[2] Minnesota Pollution Control Agency

[3] U.S. EPA

[4] Fueleconomy.gov

[5] Wikihow

[6] Energystar

[7] U.S. EPA

Dam Project

New Melones Dam, California

Situated between Calaveras and Tuolumne County, California in the Sierra Nevada foothills sits the New Melones Dam. It is an earth and rock filled dam, containing 15,700,000 cubic yards of material.[1] It lies across the Stanislaus River, creating New Melones Lake. The Stanislaus River is a major tributary of the San Joaquin River. The Stanislaus River Basin has three major tributaries; the North, South, and Middle Forks, with an annual average flow of almost 1,000,000 acre feet.[2] When completed, the New Melones Dam was the second largest earthfill dam in California and the fourth tallest dam in the United States.

New Melones Dam is part of the Central Valley Project (CVP), a United States Bureau of Reclamation federal water project in the state of California. The CVP was established in 1933 through funds provided by the Emergency Relief Appropriation Act of 1935 in order to provide the water-poor San Joaquin Valley and its surrounding environments with irrigation and municipal water through a series of aqueducts, canals, and pump plants. The system produces several thousand megawatts of hydroelectric power, promotes flood control, and provides recreation areas. [3]

The New Melones dam is part of a project area in the lower Sierra Nevada foothills, an area underlain by metamorphic and igneous rocks. The metamorphic rocks are mainly meta-volcanics and slates, accompanied by meta-sandstone, serpentine, and marble. The igneous rocks are mostly granitic. Rocks within the dam foundation show two stages of metamorphism. [4]This project area also lays between two large fault systems- the Bear Mountain system to the west and the Melones System on the east. The dam foundation itself contains two faults, the IF-83 and the Powerhouse. The dam’s canyon is steep and narrow, trending southwestward. The southeast canyon wall forms the northern end of 1865 foot tall Peoria Mountain and the left abutment of New Melones Dam. The right abutment of the dam is formed by the northwest canyon wall and the southern end of Bostick Mountain. Both canyon sides slope towards the Stanislaus River at an average of 38 degrees from horizontal. [5]

The New Melones dam system was completed in 1979, replacing the old Melones Dam. Its primary purpose is to provide water for irrigation, with operations overseen by the United States Bureau of Reclamation. The dam stores water during dry periods and releases water downstream into the northern San Joaquin Valley according to water demand. [6]

The dam is 625 feet high and 1,560 feet long. The drainage area is about 980 square miles on the western slope of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. There are two emergency release conduits embedded within the concrete lining of a 3,774 foot long, 23 foot diameter multipurpose tunnel that branches into two 8-foot diameter pipes. The flows are controlled by ring follower gates, fixed cone valves, and sliding gates. The spillway is an uncontrolled concrete crest, with the cut 5,945 feet long and 200 feet wide. New Melones Lake, when filled to capacity, holds nearly 2,400,000 acre feet of water, with a surface area of 12,500 aces, and the water level at 1,088 feet above sea level.[7] Of this capacity, 450,000 acre feet are reserved for flood control, and the remaining is used for satisfaction of preexisting water rights, fishery enhancement, water quality improvement, and electrical generation. The New Melones Dam has three vertical Francis turbines contained within its conventional, above ground, hydroelectric plant. Operating as a peaking facility, it operates mostly during times of peak electricity demand and has a peak capacity of 300,000kW. At capacity, New Melones would satisfy the needs of 200,000 people.

Prior to the construction of the New Melones project, the area showed evidence of human inhabitants as old at 9,600 years. The Upper Sonoran Life Zone comprised mostly of oak woodlands favored year round occupancy. Prior to the arrival of early settlers, miners, and non-Indian missionaries, the people of the region were known at Me-Wuk Indians. The Me-Wuk were sophisticated hunter-gatherers, practicing advanced harvesting, management, and cultivation techniques such as digging, thinning, pruning, sowing, weeding, managed burning, transplanting, and selective harvesting. [8]

During the 1890 Gold Rush, settlers started to divert water from the rivers throughout the foothills. In 1902, the United States Congress passed the Reclamation Act, creating what is now the Bureau of Reclamation. Simultaneously, local irrigation districts were established in the foothills. The Oakdale and South San Joaquin Irrigation Districts constructed the 211 foot old Melones Dam and Power plant in 1926 for agricultural water. [9]

In 1944, Congress approved the construction of the New Melones dam and new power plant through the Flood Control Act of December to prevent injury to downstream agricultural land and the communities of Oakdale, Riverbank, and Ripon from flood damages caused by rain and snowmelt. This authorization was modified by Congress through the 1962 Flood Control Act to include irrigation, water quality, power, recreation, and wildlife and fishery enhancement as reasons for construction. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers began the construction of the New Melones Dam in 1966.

The initial work consisted of building access and haul roads, intake structure for outlet works, construction of the administration building, parking lot, visitor overlook, clearing the dam site, and excavating and grouting the foundation. The diversion tunnel was constructed between 1966 and 1973. Relocation of roads and construction of bridges were carried out by the California Department of Transportation, Roy E. Ladd, Inc., and the S. J. Groves and Sons Company as a cost of almost $28,000,000.[10] In 1972, the Corps of Engineers released the Final Environmental Statement. The Environmental Defense Fund also filed suit, EDF vs. Armstrong, in federal court in hopes to delay further dam construction.

The development of the New Melones Dam was heavily opposed by environmental groups such as the Sierra Club, and by individuals who valued the canyon of the Stanislaus River beyond its designation as a reservoir. Mark Dubois, director of Friends of the River, a group opposing the project, chained himself to a rock in the reservoir area with supporters joining him at the water’s edge.[11] Though they did not succeed in halting the fill of the lake, the Corps of Engineers were forced to make releases from the dam to prevent the protestors from being consumed by rising waters.

Major controversies about the dam encompassed the loss of a popular stretch of recreational white water, the flooding of the West’s deepest limestone canyon, and the barrage of archeological sites. Another primary controversy centered on the amount of water that would be allowed to accumulate behind the dam. The California State Water Resources Control Board issued Decision 1422 which granted Reclamation permits to store only enough water at New Melones to meet pre-existing water rights, and obligations for water quality and wildlife enhancement.[12] Problems circled for over a decade before the decision to continue construction was made, complete with provisions for irrigation water, flood control, and power generation.

The New Melones Dam was one of the last built dams in California. Met with much public disagreement, the dam was completed in 1978 and the spillway and powerhouse were finished in 1979. In 1979, the Corps transferred the dam project to the Bureau of Reclamation, which has managed the reservoir ever since. The archeological preservation work was transferred to the Park Service with a $2.2 million Corps contract and $560,000 in unexpended funds. [13]

In 1982, heavy rains filled the New Melones Lake to its full capacity and flooded areas upstream from the dam. In 1983, all restrictions on filling the lake were lifted by the Water Resources Control Board. After these wet years, California entered a drought period. The EIS had established minimum releases for meeting water quality criteria and fishery sustainability. Water released from the dam would improve water in the lower San Joaquin River by limiting total dissolved solids to 500ppm while also benefitting downstream fisheries by maintain a dissolved oxygen concentration of 5ppm.[14] These standards were not met and problems started occurring when the temperature of water began to increase. Because of habitat downstream for spawning fish, the water temperate must be kept below 57 degrees or the new hatchlings will die. The old dam still in place prevented cold water at the bottom of the lake from reaching the outlet of the new dam. While there are some solutions to this problem, oftentimes power operations must be suspended all together. In 1994, the estimated loss from power suspension was over $200,000.

In 1987, the California Department of Fish and Game (CDFG) and the United States Bureau of Reclamation made an agreement about the instream flows and fishery studies to be completed. Appropriate water flows would be provided until the habitat requirements for fish could be better defined through biological studies and long term needs. The study plan to be implemented was divided between Reclamation, CDFG, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The National Marine Fisheries Service became involved in the long term operating plan as well when the Central Valley steelhead was listed as threatened in 1997. [15]

The problems of water flow and availability for the New Melones Project stem from incorrect uses of historical data. When New Melones was studied, models used data from 1922 through 1978 which implied larger amounts of available water. When data from 1979 through 1992 were used instead, Reclamation found that previous drought and demand estimates were off significantly.[16] These issues were heightened with the passage of the Central Valley Improvement Act in 1992. This made environmental, water, and wildlife enhancement priorities equal to water use priorities, resulting in less water available to meet preexisting obligations to water users. It is now believed that New Melones does not have a sustainable water supply sufficient to meet all existing obligations for wildlife enhancement, water quality improvement, and irrigation. However, even with said problems, the New Melones Dam has been able to provide for its original function as flood control. Through its initial establishment to 1993, the dam has prevented a cumulative total of $128,500,000 in flood damage.[17] Damages avoided include agricultural damage, flood fighting, emergency repair costs, and business losses.

Since the dam was built, farmers have shifted to higher value crops downstream. In 1982, the U.S. Court of Appeals issued two orders to lower reservoir levels.[18] Supervising geologists argued that crops should be protected with flows of 1,250 cfs. This suggests benefit to commercial rafters as well who argued that flows of 1,500 cfs are excessive and unsafe for float trips.

In 1997, Reclamation issued an Interim Plan of Operation for New Melones. Precise regulatory requirements are still uncertain, but the plan will be affected by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s hydropower relicensing of the Stanislaus River, the listing of species on the Endangered Species Act, water allocation for fish and wildlife under the Central Valley Project Improvement Act, and the State Water Resources Control Board’s Water Quality Control Plan for the San Francisco Bay/ Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. A long term operating plan is also needed to extend water supply contracts with the Central San Joaquin Water Conservation District and Stockton East Water District. [19]

Recreational use of the Stanislaus River also became problematic. The filling of the New Melones Reservoir would ruin whitewater rafting stretches, but the federal government planned to develop several recreation areas for public use on the artificial lake. However, lack of development as planned and more visitors than expected caused problems of overuse. On the brighter side, today New Melones Lake offers year round camping at Glory Hole Recreation Area and Tuttletown Recreation Area. Wildlife such as deer, osprey, squirrels, ticks, rattlesnakes, and mountain lions can be seen in the area.[20] Still however, many recreation areas are undeveloped and unfunded.

Finally, with all the problems facing the New Melones dam, it seems very unlikely that it will ever reach its full intended potential as a multi-use unit. There is no current overall plan for operations that takes all the project purposes and the needs of all stakeholders into account. [21]Issues that were unresolved when the project was built are still unresolved. Discrepancies about those responsible for regulating the reservoir and flood flows and those responsible for acquiring the easements contribute to the issues.[22] New Melones is increasingly becoming a case study that shows all that can go wrong with a large water project.

Works Cited

"Bureau of Reclamation Mid-Pacific Region." Bureau of Reclamation Homepage. Web. 05 May 2011. .

.

< http://www.usbr.gov/projects/Project.jsp?proj_Name=New%20Melones%20Unit%20Project>

< http://www.usbr.gov/projects/Project.jsp?proj_Name=New Melones Unit Project&pageType=ProjectHistoryPage>

< http://www.usbr.gov/projects/Project.jsp?proj_Name=New Melones Unit Project&pageType=ProjectDataPage>

< http://www.usbr.gov/projects/Project.jsp?proj_Name=Central+Valley+Project>

"California State Water Project-Central Valley Project." California Department of Water Resources. California Government, 2011. Web. 04 May 2011. .

"Friends of the River: History." Friends of the River: Home Preserve Restore Sustain California Rivers. Web. 05 May 2011. .

"History, New Melones." Bureau of Reclamation Homepage. Web. 05 May 2011. .

McAfee, Kimra. "Post-Audit of New Melones Dam, Central Valley Project, Stanislaus River, California." San Francisco State University, May 2000. Web. May 2011. .

"Photo Gallery, New Melones, CCAO." Bureau of Reclamation Homepage. Web. 05 May 2011. .

Report to the Chairman, Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs, House of Representatives: Archeological Studies At New Melones Dam In California. Rep. no. 122392. U.S. General Accounting Office, 1983. Print.

Stanislaus Stakeholders. Undated. Stanislaus Stakeholders Website, Meeting Notes. <http://www.dcn.davis.ca.us/cgi-bin/STANLAUS/toc.pl?Dir=/background/meeting_notes.

U.S. Court of Appeals, 9^th Circuit. 1982a. United States of America v. State of California, et al. Order Nos. 81-4189 and 81-4309 filed 2 February 1982.

U.S. Court of Appeals, 9^th Circuit. 1982b. United States of America v. State of California, et al. Order Nos. 81-4189X and 81-4309X filed 10 March 1982.

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[1] USBR

[2] USBR

[3] California Department of Water Resources

[4] USBR

[5] USBR

[6] Report by the U.S. General Accounting Office

[7] USBR

[8] USBR

[9] McAfee

[10] McAfee

[11] Friends of the River

[12] McAfee

[13] Report by the U.S. General Accounting Office

[14] McAfee

[15] McAfee

[16] McAfee

[17] USBR

[18] U.S. Court of Appeals

[19] McAfee

[20] USBR

[21] Stanislaus Stakeholders

[22] McAfee

Final Yoga Journal

Journal Entry #12

Time Began: 7:08 pm

Personal Development

1. Physical aches from weekend partyingà move towards calmer, healthier, and more rewarding weekend adventures

2. Sinus congestionà yoga, especially breathing exercises, allowed me to help clear my sinuses, or in the least, forget about them.

3. Extreme worry about healthà I ended up seeing a doctor and found that I had terribly low levels of vitamin B12 and vitamin D. I now take multivitamins and B12 vitamins. Yoga made me more aware about the specific locations of aches and pains in my body as well. I am better able to identify what muscles in my back are hurting, and stretch accordingly today than I was a few months ago.

4. Increased energy- yoga definitely increased my energy. The various positions and movements get the blood flowing, released endorphins I imagine, and make me want to be wholly more active. I find myself doing a little yoga everyday just because it feels right. Now instead of aching in pain, I ache in desire to do certain yoga positions. Productive ache is definitely better than painful aches.

5. Increased lower back strength—my lower back is generally quite troublesome due to a pinched nerve in my lower back. However, the increase in my daily stretching due to yoga has definitely strengthened my lower back and assisting parts, making it stronger, less susceptible to injury, and definitely decreased pain.

6. Change in diet- because of my extreme vitamin deficiency, I also changed my diet to try and incorporate foods that would reflect my dietary needs. I started to drink more soy/almond milk, eat multigrain and vitamin enriched cereal, buy fresh rather than frozen vegetables. I also make sure to stay fed and energized all day. I do not eat heavy things before exercising, and I try to stay away from processed foods and drinks. I am also becoming more aware about what specific fruits and vegetables I should consume and why.

7. Better concentration—I can definitely focus better now that I practice yoga than I could before. I have learned to fully engulf myself in whatever I am doing, freeing my mind of any burdens and unrelated thoughts.

8. Improved balance—due to improved concentration, flexibility, and ability to sense energy flow in my body and mind.

Review and Reflect

Surprises

I am surprised by how relaxed I am able to become after doing yoga. I am usually very hyper, and my thoughts are all over the place, often causing anxiety. When I became very stressed out this semester, just doing a few yoga positions helped me regain concentration and cleanse my mind of troublesome thoughts. I am also surprised that I didn’t get bored at all. I am happy that our class routines varied each time, so there was no repetitive nature to grow tired of. I learned many more positions than I thought I would, which is also quite beneficial because I can stay occupied for longer periods of time. I am surprised with my increased flexibility and ability to balance as well. Even though I knew this would be part of the practice, I can get my body into positions I never thought to really be possible, let alone ever attempt to do. I am much more flexible, and my increased concentration has definitely helped me balance better. This balance, while outwardly physical, also resonates internally as well. Throughout the semester, writing in this journal really helped me. It was good for me to see where my downfalls were and what caused them, so I could adjust my lifestyle to a more health and rewarding one. I am definitely surprised about how much I can complain about little things, but how I generally remain unaffected. I think I will try to keep writing in a journal so I can master my thoughts in the most efficient way possible. It is nice to see a record of my own emotion.

Interest in furthering practice

I will definitely further my yoga practice after his semester. I am really happy I took this course, because it reminded me of how much I used to enjoy yoga, and how truly beneficial it is to my life. With a less buy schedule next semester, I hope to do yoga at least three times a week and also become an active member in the yoga club. Many of my roommates expressed interest in also joining the yoga club, so I look forward to continuing my studies, certainly.

I think I am most likely to follow the ethical practices of the Yama. I am working mostly on Aparigraha, or non possessiveness. I am trying to reduce my personal positions, so that I carry less baggage both physically and mentally. I am working on getting rid of some clothes through donations and planning of a garage sale. I do not want to have anything in excess; I just want to have what I need. No one needs a dozen pairs of jeans at one time. I can have a few pairs, and sew them if they tear instead of buying new ones, or I can buy new ones when it is absolutely necessary. By getting rid of some of my tangible possessions, I have declutterd my living space, and thus decluttered my mind. Without excess of things, everything I own has its own particular place, and I can value it there. I hope at some point to have close sentimental value to the few things I keep, and let go of everything that does not resonate with my soul.

Yama & Niyama

Stated just before, Aparigraha definitely became more evident and useful in my life as my yoga practices continued. Staya, or truth, was a little puzzling at first, but its benefits are very clear to me now. At first, I did not think I would be able to see an inherent good in everyone as not everyone is a good person. However, I see that everyone is useful, even if their mindsets clash with mine, because I can learn from them and that is inherently good. Learning to be silent is also learning to listen better. Because I talk too much, and oftentimes talk over people without realizing, choosing to be silent made me aware of what I might be missing out on if I don’t pause and listen more frequently. It is very rewarding to me, and definitely to others, to actively listen and learn attentively.

The last niyama, Ishvara Pranidhan, is still somewhat mysterious to me. I tend to steer away from all master, all devotional practices, and anything that resembles a structural religious sort of content. While I do understand the heightened significance of allowing a higher force to take control and hold power, I have not yet reached that point nor found a symbolic figure to devote myself to. Right now, I find self reflection, self worship, and self help to be the most rewarding. Perhaps once I find myself at my highest stage of activity, awareness, and peacefulness, I will be able to devote myself to something else.

“What I dream of is an art of balance, of purity and serenity devoid of troubling or depressing subject matter. Rather, like a good armchair that provides relaxation from physical fatigue”