turquoisemoon -- Paper mills, because of their production methods, pollute the water and air surrounding them causing environmental problems to those that live around them. Tough to live in an area where you know this is happening. thanks -- barbara
Our corporate headquarters was in Cleveland, Tennessee. I drove there once, and crossed a river whose smell was truly overpowering. I mentioned it to one of the people at our appliance factory, and he said, "Down here we say 'Smells like money to me.'" I've heard that said around feed lots, too. Money doesn't smell nearly as good a fresh air, green grass and blue skies.
Joanne -- I will remember the comment made at the appliance factory, "down here we say smells like money to me." Geez! Agree that fresh air, grass and blue skies smell 100% better. Feed lots not only smell bad but it is sad to see cattle living in such horrible conditions. I cannot imagine folks liking their jobs at a feed lot! Unfortunately, there are many folks that would support the statement made by the appliance people. Speaking of feed lots -- Michigan has plenty which cause contaminated water for folks that live within a certain parameter around them. thanks -- barbara
Of course people need jobs and small towns hope to survive -- thrive seems a dream from the past -- but this is not a pretty sight. I know trees can be managed sustainably but it's not often practiced. And I know many national forests have, in the last 15 years or so, been partly opened to the logging industry -- (thanks to VP Cheney's warmth toward many kinds of destructive big business) So these pictures make me sad.
June -- I agree that trees are managed sustainability, especially in southern states by the paper industry. Yet sustainable to who? Certainly not to the wildness of the place. What pressures does sustainability put on our wild plants, trees, animals etc that work like an interdependent village that benefits not only them but the whole of the environment which includes us. Cheney did more harm to our country that can be imagined -- his selfish tactics will be felt for years in not only our country but in the Middle East as well. And of course by the many soldiers that fought for such a silly war that he cooked up. It bothers me too about all the corporations who undermine our environment like you state -- logging our national forests -- thanks -- barbara
Birdman -- Maine is a beautiful state. Visiting years ago I recall the lumbering industry floating down their cut trees to mills. Quite a site but environmentally not good as I understand they do not do that anymore. In your comment you say that times have changed -- does that mean that Maine does not have paper mills anymore? thanks -- barbara
THough I recognize the need for these industries, there always is such a recognizable odor around them. And I've heard the folks living nearby become immune to it. I sure hope so.
Barb -- Perhaps we would not need so many industries if people just cut back on their buying - learn to live with less. With so many environmental problems today it becomes scary that people are not willing to settle for less -- I am not saying live like cave folks but just get by on less of something like gas consumption, big screen TVs, McMansions, etc. thanks -- barbara
Oh dear Barbara, I have such mixed feelings about small town paper mills. You see, my mother's family all lived in a tiny town in the middle of the East Texas piney woods. The mill did provide jobs for some. But the awful smell for miles around!! And even as a child and teenager I was aware of how many people there had cancer. Yes, many of them smoked and I thought they were old but actually most were in their 50s. We now know of all the toxins that were poured into the air and water. It has been several decades since I was there and I hope they have cleaned up the emissions.
Florence -- It seems to be a dilemma that we are faced with in this country and the world today -- avoiding toxins that industries emit. Although there seems to be mini-solutions of a sort they do not completely remedy the situation. So lots of folks live in communities that have high toxic emissions -- and for reasons they only know -- choose to continue to live there. thanks for the comment -- barbara
One solution would be to get rid of demand. People talk about the environment and then buy how many books a month when they could easily get them from the library, etc. I've always been curious as to why people stay in those polluted towns. Many know no better, but mostly it seems they have no imagination of anything better. For some reason. Fear I suppose.
Rubye -- the trail of paper use is indeed like reading a gangster novel. One paper conservation problem -- use recycling. Huh, says the owner of a transfer station in northern Michigan -- telling me the story that much of recycling materials are dumped by recycling plant owners in landfills. Many of the owners are like the gangsters of the Chicago gangs. He, himself had been threatened by some of the thugs. So your words to get rid of the paper demand is truly the answer. Our world is filling up with junk. Some time in the future archaeologists will be saying,"what were these folks thinking?" Thanks -- barbara
Too bad you can't take a picture of the awful smell! I see some others have mentioned it too..instead of "on a clear day you can see forever" the saying around here is "on a clear day, you can smell the paper mill" The nearest one is 60 miles away, but when the wind is just right - p.u.! great photos though. and thanks for your visit over to my neck o' the woods :)
Starr White -- I know the smell is awful. Didn't think it would travel as far as sixty miles on a clear day! I guess we are lucky here as we are on the west side of this mill in the photos so we don't get the smell. I think the mill is about 20 miles from me? Your description about the snow storm in Alabama and the story of your husband getting home from work was interesting. The south sure got itself in a mess with that storm.-- thanks -- barbara
Melissa -- Camas has kept its life going, until recently, through its mill. Now it appears that they have other companies that have set up shop that will contribute to their continued viability. It is fortunate as so many small towns are hanging on by a thread. I'm sure you have observed small towns with half of their stores shuttered. -- thanks -- barbara
As the residents of these towns say, it smells like money to them. I wonder if Ebooks and email have reduce some of the need for paper. I know that newspapers and magazines are all getting thinner.
Vicki -- Our forests are being shipped wholesale across the ocean to Asia. When I lived here before I could visit a particular ocean port in Oregon and see a huge commercial ship loaded from stem to stern with freshly cut huge trees getting ready to ship of to Asia. It went on practically daily. These were not harvested from commercial forests but our wild forests. It seems that online messages and ebooks would make little difference in stopping the stripping of our forests as what we don't use anymore Asia will take it off our hands. thanks --- barbara
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I like this series of pictures - all that structured metal and then raw material casually laying on the ground.
ReplyDeleteHey claggle -- thanks for the comments on the photos. Small towns are struggling to remain viable. -- barbara
DeleteReally great photos! My favorite is the Electrical Grid. Really some great captures!
ReplyDeleteturquoisemoon -- Paper mills, because of their production methods, pollute the water and air surrounding them causing environmental problems to those that live around them. Tough to live in an area where you know this is happening. thanks -- barbara
DeleteOur corporate headquarters was in Cleveland, Tennessee. I drove there once, and crossed a river whose smell was truly overpowering. I mentioned it to one of the people at our appliance factory, and he said, "Down here we say 'Smells like money to me.'"
ReplyDeleteI've heard that said around feed lots, too.
Money doesn't smell nearly as good a fresh air, green grass and blue skies.
Joanne -- I will remember the comment made at the appliance factory, "down here we say smells like money to me." Geez! Agree that fresh air, grass and blue skies smell 100% better. Feed lots not only smell bad but it is sad to see cattle living in such horrible conditions. I cannot imagine folks liking their jobs at a feed lot! Unfortunately, there are many folks that would support the statement made by the appliance people. Speaking of feed lots -- Michigan has plenty which cause contaminated water for folks that live within a certain parameter around them. thanks -- barbara
DeleteOf course people need jobs and small towns hope to survive -- thrive seems a dream from the past -- but this is not a pretty sight. I know trees can be managed sustainably but it's not often practiced. And I know many national forests have, in the last 15 years or so, been partly opened to the logging industry -- (thanks to VP Cheney's warmth toward many kinds of destructive big business) So these pictures make me sad.
ReplyDeleteJune -- I agree that trees are managed sustainability, especially in southern states by the paper industry. Yet sustainable to who? Certainly not to the wildness of the place. What pressures does sustainability put on our wild plants, trees, animals etc that work like an interdependent village that benefits not only them but the whole of the environment which includes us. Cheney did more harm to our country that can be imagined -- his selfish tactics will be felt for years in not only our country but in the Middle East as well. And of course by the many soldiers that fought for such a silly war that he cooked up. It bothers me too about all the corporations who undermine our environment like you state -- logging our national forests -- thanks -- barbara
DeleteNorthern Maine used to be all about paper mills. They brought my grandparents from Prince Edward Island. Now, times have changed.
ReplyDeleteBirdman -- Maine is a beautiful state. Visiting years ago I recall the lumbering industry floating down their cut trees to mills. Quite a site but environmentally not good as I understand they do not do that anymore. In your comment you say that times have changed -- does that mean that Maine does not have paper mills anymore? thanks -- barbara
DeleteThey still have them but few and far between
DeleteBirdman -- thanks for the information -- barbara
DeleteTHough I recognize the need for these industries, there always is such a recognizable odor around them. And I've heard the folks living nearby become immune to it. I sure hope so.
ReplyDeleteBarb -- Perhaps we would not need so many industries if people just cut back on their buying - learn to live with less. With so many environmental problems today it becomes scary that people are not willing to settle for less -- I am not saying live like cave folks but just get by on less of something like gas consumption, big screen TVs, McMansions, etc. thanks -- barbara
DeleteOh dear Barbara, I have such mixed feelings about small town paper mills. You see, my mother's family all lived in a tiny town in the middle of the East Texas piney woods. The mill did provide jobs for some. But the awful smell for miles around!! And even as a child and teenager I was aware of how many people there had cancer. Yes, many of them smoked and I thought they were old but actually most were in their 50s. We now know of all the toxins that were poured into the air and water. It has been several decades since I was there and I hope they have cleaned up the emissions.
ReplyDeleteFlorence -- It seems to be a dilemma that we are faced with in this country and the world today -- avoiding toxins that industries emit. Although there seems to be mini-solutions of a sort they do not completely remedy the situation. So lots of folks live in communities that have high toxic emissions -- and for reasons they only know -- choose to continue to live there. thanks for the comment -- barbara
DeleteOne solution would be to get rid of demand. People talk about the environment and then buy how many books a month when they could easily get them from the library, etc. I've always been curious as to why people stay in those polluted towns. Many know no better, but mostly it seems they have no imagination of anything better. For some reason. Fear I suppose.
ReplyDeleteRubye -- the trail of paper use is indeed like reading a gangster novel. One paper conservation problem -- use recycling. Huh, says the owner of a transfer station in northern Michigan -- telling me the story that much of recycling materials are dumped by recycling plant owners in landfills. Many of the owners are like the gangsters of the Chicago gangs. He, himself had been threatened by some of the thugs. So your words to get rid of the paper demand is truly the answer. Our world is filling up with junk. Some time in the future archaeologists will be saying,"what were these folks thinking?" Thanks -- barbara
DeleteToo bad you can't take a picture of the awful smell! I see some others have mentioned it too..instead of "on a clear day you can see forever" the saying around here is "on a clear day, you can smell the paper mill" The nearest one is 60 miles away, but when the wind is just right - p.u.! great photos though. and thanks for your visit over to my neck o' the woods :)
ReplyDeleteStarr White -- I know the smell is awful. Didn't think it would travel as far as sixty miles on a clear day! I guess we are lucky here as we are on the west side of this mill in the photos so we don't get the smell. I think the mill is about 20 miles from me? Your description about the snow storm in Alabama and the story of your husband getting home from work was interesting. The south sure got itself in a mess with that storm.-- thanks -- barbara
DeleteI guess Camas started out as a company town for the Oregonian. Interesting roots. They've certainly done quite well as "papermakers" though!
ReplyDeleteMelissa -- Camas has kept its life going, until recently, through its mill. Now it appears that they have other companies that have set up shop that will contribute to their continued viability. It is fortunate as so many small towns are hanging on by a thread. I'm sure you have observed small towns with half of their stores shuttered. -- thanks -- barbara
DeleteKoff koff! We used to smell it in Beaverton when the wind was right!
ReplyDeleteHattie, You could smell the Camas paper mill in Beaverton when conditions were right! I have not smelled the mill yet! Hope I never will.
DeleteAs the residents of these towns say, it smells like money to them. I wonder if Ebooks and email have reduce some of the need for paper. I know that newspapers and magazines are all getting thinner.
ReplyDeleteVicki -- Our forests are being shipped wholesale across the ocean to Asia. When I lived here before I could visit a particular ocean port in Oregon and see a huge commercial ship loaded from stem to stern with freshly cut huge trees getting ready to ship of to Asia. It went on practically daily. These were not harvested from commercial forests but our wild forests. It seems that online messages and ebooks would make little difference in stopping the stripping of our forests as what we don't use anymore Asia will take it off our hands. thanks --- barbara
ReplyDelete