The Potomac Green Gazette April 2024

The Potomac

Green Gazette

BROUGHT TO YOU BY STUDENTS FOR ENVIRONMENTAL ACTION

The Water Issue

Ralph Waldo Emerson astutely observed that water “elegantly destroys.” Simultaneously life-giving and deadly, the substance is a conundrum from both a scientific and a philosphical perspective It’s no wonder water captivates us on a near-spiritual level. Even if you don’t worship it, you can’t escape it: H20 covers 71% of the Earth’s surface. The human body is 60% water We’re all just bits of skin and bones and stars, bobbing around in a watery orb

Today, water is trendy. It is branded, packaged, and marketed, as if there is more to the recipe than just 2 hydrogens and an oxygen TikTok stars rattle off its cosmetic superpowers (it tightens, brightens, cleanses, and lifts!). The popular reusable water bottle brand, Stanley, is worth $750 million Liquid Death, a canned water company, has stolen the hearts of Americans with its grungy bad-boy marketing. Seemingly overnight, some skillful branding transformed the world’s blandest drink into a sexy beverage with the aesthic of a motercycle gang

Even if we don’t buy into the gimmicky branding, water consumption is at the forefront of GenZ culture. Where hydration was mostly a invisible, passive habit for past generations, it is a ritualized and ingrained part of GenZ’s social consciousness Many of us habitually lug squat metal bottles from class to class, like utilitarian security blankets. There’s something offputting about the notion that our affection for reusable bottles is mainly a social norm-the environmental benefits are just a pleasant side effect. How is it that we can be water conossoirs, attuned to the flavor nuances between the Spangler fountain and the Chester one, but unaware of the unique pollutants that threaten Virginia’s very own Shenandoah and Potomac rivers? Despite (or because of) the fact that potable water has become an American cultural phenomenon, our planet’s lakes, rivers, oceans, and icecaps are in more danger than ever before I hope this issue of the Green Gazette encourages you savor-and to save--every last drop. As the old adage goes, “You never miss the water till the well runs dry ”

--Arielle Kouyoumdjian, editor

Fish in Troubled Waters: Student Perspective

By Ben Muhlendorf, Waterways Club

Often overshadowed by regional favorites like mackerels and various trout species, the humble Menhaden is the most underappreciated keystone species found in the Chesapeake Bay They bridge the gap between producer and consumer: Menhaden eat vast quantities of algae that would otherwise starve aquatic plants of sunlight, and are also a primary food source for larger predatory fish, mammals, and birds However, corporate greed threatens this delicate balance of life; the Canadianowned Omega Protein Corporation and their bought-and-paid-for Virginia lawmakers continue to wreak havoc on the Menhaden population Every other state on the Atlantic coast has outlawed fishing for Menhaden in their state waters, but Virginia continues to support Omega, allowing them to catch 75% of all Menhaden from the Atlantic seaboard The other fourteen states on the east coast combine for the other quarter.

“Most of these fish go to practical causes such as fertilizer and animal feed, but Virginia’s lack of discipline when deciding how many to catch is starting to have disastrous consequences on the rest of the Bay Species such as Striped Bass, which brings in over 500 million dollars annually, are experiencing significant declines in local population primarily because of Menhaden overfishing in the Chesapeake Bay Virginia must step up to re-align itself with every other reasonable state on the Atlantic and outlaw or severely restrict Menhaden fishing within the Bay, which will protect not only the Menhaden species but every other animal within the aquatic food chain

An estimated 6 1 million individuals live in the Potomac River watershed The river is a drinking water source for 5 million people.

Bold by Aoife Cullinan

Sea Calm

Langston Hughes

How still, How strangely still The water is today. It is not good For water To be so still that way.

The Outlet

Emily Dickinson

My river runs to thee: Blue sea, wilt welcome me? My river waits reply. Oh sea, look graciously!

I'll fetch thee brooks From spotted nooks,— Say, sea, Take me!

Ponder by Maddy Dolan

Pimmit Run and Potomac School: Q&A with

Mr. Conroy and Mr. Pingree

Questions and answers exchanged over email

How has the Potomac community’s relationship with Pimmit Run changed over the years, in terms of curricular engagement, sustainability, general awareness, and/or service learning?

The school has always used the stream as a resource and teaching tool. Both the IS and US science classes perform stream studies here, and in the past service learning has performed extensive stream clean ups during community action days. Many teachers take their classes for walks down near Pimmit as nice getaway from a typical classroom

In the sustainability department, we have always tried to relay the importance of the stream because of its close proximity to the Potomac River and its importance to the Chesapeake Bay watershed A number of faculty and staff have been trained as stream monitors, and the school continues to partner with various agencies who study the Chesapeake Bay Watershed. Presently, the Maryland-Delaware-D C Water Science Center is performing a stream observations study on campus.

What environmental factors threaten Pimmit Run and its ecosystem? (i.e. erosion, run-off, plastic pollution, precipitation, etc.) What is the importance of Pimmit Run to the ecosystem in our campus woods?

The stream is home to many native animals, fish, reptiles and birds It is a wonderful place for experiential learning and is part of our 90+-acre outdoor classroom. In the past, we have created riparian buffers and even established reforestation areas to help filter and control erosion Although we try to be responsible stewards, it is difficult to control what happens upstream from our location. All of the factors you listed along with development and the increased impermeable surfaces that come with it, threaten the health of Pimmit Run and the surrounding ecosystem In the last few years, high flow rates during storms have caused significant erosion and pollution. One just needs to look at the downed trees in and on the banks of the stream and the amount of single use plastic consumables hung up on roots or branches as evidence. Are there any conservation projects you would like to implement or changes you would like to see regarding the protection of Pimmit Run on Potomac School property?

It is important to understand that everything on campus flows downhill towards Pimmit so any changes to the school’s footprint or maintenance practices need to be done with stewardship clearly in mind.

The two man-made ponds on campus have been part of the Chesapeake Bay Watershed since 2003 Our department would like to see these two ponds rehabilitated in the future We can also attempt to work more closely with partners such as Fairfax County, Save Our Streams, and the USGS to see what we can do to help streams like Pimmit R