We were driving over the 32nd Street bridge when one of the girls commented on the orange Animas River, and how it looked mildly clearer (for why it's orange, please see post below). I turned onto E 4th, parked, and we walked down the path to the water.
Cayenne and Acacia are teenagers now so I didn't have to worry about them jumping into or swallowing any of the river. I grabbed a stick and showed them how the surface of the water was clearing up, but it still appeared yellow because of the heavier metals lying on the sand. There was a clear disconnect between the upper flowing water and the unmoving sediment, so with the stick we made waves to see how strong a current it was going to take to move this sludge downstream, through New Mexico and into Lake Powell where it will sink to the bottom. Hate to say it, but there's some truth in "the solution to pollution is dilution."
We spoke about what percentage of the city's water comes from the Animas, why we switched off our sprinkler system, were taking shorter showers, and the collective impact it will have. We talked about what was in the water, how it got there, how the best intentions can go horribly wrong, and how we have the choice to stand around blaming people, or to help. The girls asked questions about mining, minerals, the Superfund, etc.
That was when Jerry McBride of the Durango Herald snapped this photo:
Nicolas saw it on the BBC (wha??)... and then Googled it, finding out it had been published on every continent. Huh? On the front page of loads of US papers. It's not even an interesting photo, but on the Herald site, among many other threads below the photo discussing the actual situation and not my parenting, there was this line of character skewering (bearing in mind that the water was not radioactive, looking at it or breathing it was not going to harm, and neither the path to the river nor the sand bank was closed):
Chris Sickich ·
I was a little concerned about the kids in the picture that were playing with the contaminated water. Is that a good idea?
(Thank you Jill. I love you!)
So I showed the girls, and at first they laughed, because they saw how ridiculous it was. But then Cayenne said, "Wow. That's pretty mean-spirited. Did their parents teach them to be so rude?"
"I wonder if that's what they are teaching their kids. Great parenting!" Acacia added, busting out laughing again.
"I guess their parents didn't teach them never to write something about someone they wouldn't say to her face."
"Maybe their parents forgot to explain to them that that's an actual person they're talking about."
"It's just mean."
And that's when I knew I'm doing just fine.
(And so is the river.)
YOU ROCK !!! Over & Out -
ReplyDeleteMange tak!! ♥
DeleteThe water from the Animas River originates from the ancient caldera, part of which Silverton sits on. A volcano (this was actually a super-volcano, long ago) leaves a very heavily mineralized area. That's why miners go there and mine. The idea that the water flowing from a caldera-source is only affected by old mines is silly. Even with *no*old mines in the area, the waters in Silverton and Durango would still be heavily mineralized.
ReplyDeleteThe water in the spill was water that had gotten trapped in old mine tunnels, but it was water that would have ultimately wound up in the Animas anyway (that's why they only allow 'catch and release' for the fish). This has been much ado about very little folks. Yes, Sulphur Hydroxide ("Yellow Boy") looks like a nasty precipitate, but none of this, as has been shown, has been extreme. Want mineral-free water? Move away from the rivers that source in old volcanic remnants. Ecological Correctness (EC, similar to PC) isn't going to fix a lot. If they clean up all the old mines around Silverton, there will still be leached minerals that arrive in Durango. Get used to it. The fish got used to it ... the ones that survived. ;)
Absolutely agree, Mike. Thus the risible reaction to my bringing the girls to the shore.
ReplyDeleteThat said, if it weren't for mines, there would be fewer and smaller catchment areas, no collapsed mine entrances to gather the water, and therefore less time for the water to oxidize the sulfides, which accounts for the lovely yellow. The minerals would still be there and forever will be, but it was the all-at-one-time gush of yellowed yuck that flipped people out. Everything in moderation, even mineralization. :)
PS: Looking forward to next Saturday!
ReplyDeleteI am totally amazed by the comments you got. I know that internet comments are usually not worth reading, being the dregs of human mind, but I cannot understand anyway so much useless hatred disguised as common sens.
ReplyDeleteOui Cousine! Especially the "disguised as common sense" part. You're so right.
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ReplyDeleteHaters gonna hate, hate, hate, hate, hate..... and you've shaken em off, baby!
ReplyDeleteGill xox