Good Things

 This is part of an article that I read from the Oregon Environmental Council website/Blog:

A recent Oregonian article, “Toxics from everyday life getting into Columbia River,” made me think back to 1985: the year of “Back to the Future," New Coke, and when all of the nation's waters were expected to be swimmable, fishable and drinkable. 

When President Nixon signed the Federal Clean Water Act exactly 40 years ago, 1985 seemed like time enough to clean up our nation's waterways. Alas, we're more than a quarter century overdue, and we’re not even close. Here in Oregon for example, every one of our major rivers currently violates Clean Water Act standards. 

The Clean Water Act has made real progress in clamping down on bigger polluters; but today’s water quality problems like pesticides, nutrients, pharmaceuticals, and the myriad of toxics we unknowingly use every day can’t be fixed by pointing the finger at any one source. We need to reduce polluted runoff from cities, farms and forests, reform the laws that manage chemicals in consumer products, and get serious about reducing our use of toxics in Oregon. On a personal level, every Oregonian can help do their part with easy, low cost commitments like those found in OEC’s Love Your River program. 

Clean water shouldn’t be a dream; let’s work together to improve the Columbia and other rivers throughout our beautiful state.

Sad to think that our beautiful state remains this way today.