Red Cross Sheltering Those Hit by Floods in Southeast

/PRNewswire/ -- As rising flood waters cover the Southeast, hundreds have looked to the American Red Cross for shelter as officials estimate the number of people needing help could rise dramatically.

Overnight more than 220 people took refuge in Red Cross shelters in Georgia, North Carolina, Alabama and Tennessee. Georgia has been hit the hardest, particularly around the city of Atlanta where as much as a foot of rain fell Monday. According to news reports, the flooding has claimed at least eight lives. Governor Sonny Purdue has declared a state of emergency in 17 counties and authorities are urging people to stay home if possible.

Red Cross is providing a safe place to stay, food to eat, and a shoulder to lean on for those affected by the flooding which has prompted evacuations, washed out bridges, caused landslides, and closed highways across the area.

"These flood waters can come up very rapidly. People should be prepared to evacuate at a moment's notice," said Joe Becker, Senior Vice President Red Cross Disaster Services, "We have shelters open which offer a safe haven for those who have been forced out of their homes."

Preliminary estimates from emergency management officials indicate that as many as 1,000 people could potentially need sheltering.

Red Cross offers the following steps people should take to be ready and stay safe:

-- Be prepared to evacuate at a moment's notice.
-- Stay away from floodwaters. If you come upon a flowing stream where
water is above your ankles, stop, turn around and go another way. Six
inches of swiftly moving water can sweep you off of your feet.
-- If you come upon a flooded road while driving, turn around and go
another way. If you are caught on a flooded road and waters are rising
rapidly around you, get out of the car quickly and move to higher
ground. Most cars can be swept away by less than two feet of moving
water.
-- Listen to area radio and television stations and a NOAA Weather Radio
for possible flood warnings and reports of flooding in progress or
other critical information from the National Weather Service (NWS).
-- When a flood or flash flood warning is issued for your area, head for
higher ground and stay there.

For more information on what to do if flood waters threaten, visit Red Cross preparedness information on www.redcross.org.

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U.S. agriculture can feed the growing world

It is crystal clear that rising population and growing nutritional demands will require food production to double by 2050. Yet, land available for food production is unlikely to increase, and, in fact, may decrease.

Where the increase in food production will occur depends upon geopolitics, climate or climate changes and environmental considerations.

Europe isn’t likely to adopt new technologies to increase food production. In the United States, agricultural patterns are changing with climate changes. Climate change will likely exacerbate drought conditions in western United States. California’s current drought may become permanent.

The Southeast has a long growing season, abundant sunlight, good soils and reasonable amounts of rainfall and groundwater. Agriculture in the region must grow to meet world food demand.

Keeping pace with population

For years, Malthusian predictions were that mass starvation was inevitable as populations grow. The evidence has been just the opposite. Food production has kept up with population and improved nutrition of less-developed societies. In fact, there is a worldwide food surplus. But there are still starving populations. Most often the situation isn’t lack of food, but an inability to move it to where it’s needed, often due to local political instability.

There is every reason to believe that rising yields and improved nutrition in agriculture will continue for many years. Most yield increases have come from new technologies from the U.S. system of agricultural research and education.

The partnership of land-grant universities, the federal government through the U.S. Department of Agriculture and private industry has allowed American farmers to maintain the technological advantage for a century. As someone who works in the area, I’m certain this system will continue to produce the discoveries that have driven this success. Yet, as other countries adopt the technologies we develop then modify them for low-cost production, we are under constant stress to push farther ahead of the curve. This issue is particularly important for labor-intensive crops.

In Georgia, farm production continues to increase and remain adaptable. Strong evidence is shown in changes from 2007 to 2008. 2007 was a terrible year for Georgia farmers. One of the worst droughts on record played havoc on nearly every aspect of agriculture. Some commodities like the green and landscape industries were decimated when watering bans assured new plants wouldn’t survive. But, despite the drought and economic downturn, 2008 was better, in terms of farm-gate value, than 2007.

This is a testament to the tenacity and creativity of farmers who can still make money in the face of so many problems. For 2008, the total value of farming and processing in Georgia was $55 billion. The industry generated 356,000 jobs for the state, a source of jobs that has remained stable. This confirms what we have known for many years: agriculture, while not immune from economic downturns, is less impacted than most sectors of our economy.

Misperceptions

There is a general perception that we have fewer farms than in the past and that farms are consolidating and getting larger. The opposite is true. We have more farms than we did 10 years ago, and farms are smaller than a decade ago. This trend is likely attributable to growing demand for locally produced food. Americans have a renewed desire to know where their food comes from.

Fortunately, our political leaders understand food production is an issue of national security. We can’t always count on other countries for food. No one wants our food production shipped overseas. It’s bad to be dependent on imported fuel. It would be disastrous to depend on other nations for food. We have only an 11-day food supply in the U.S. food chain. If that chain is broken, critical problems arise immediately. We never want to be in a position where food can be used as a political weapon against us.

Unlike other industries that can revive after prolonged inactivity, agriculture is different. It may be impossible to ever bring this knowledge back once lost. It’s not just training workers in the science and practices of agriculture. Agricultural knowledge is location-specific, learned over generations and part of the ingrained heritage of a farming community.

Water planning needs

Water is an overarching factor affecting the future of agriculture in the U.S. The western U.S. has good water policies. The Southeast, however, always assumed that water supplies were unlimited. Unprecedented drought over the past two years demonstrated water isn’t unlimited.
States need planning, development and deployment of infrastructure, policies and technologies to meet future water demands in agricultural and non-agricultural use. This is critical during drought. There’s no reason to dump millions of cubic meters of water into the Gulf of Mexico at the expense of agriculture. Water shortages in agriculture can irreversibly harm agriculture.

The U.S. needs to aggressively promote our agricultural products around the world. Foreign sales of agricultural products remain one of the bright spots for U.S. trade. Future trade agreements shouldn’t be made that hurt U.S. agriculture. In 2007, agriculture was one of the areas that alleviated our trade deficit. That year, we imported $79 billion versus $116 billion in exports. Don’t kill the golden goose.

A seldom considered issue -- but one that will have a significant impact on U.S. agriculture’s future -- is supporting economic development in poor countries. Future demand for U.S. agricultural products will come from rising incomes and consumer demand in these countries. We can help the world’s poor and U.S. agriculture at the same time.

Food and fuel

U.S. agriculture can not only feed the world, it can provide energy. The Southeast has been labeled the Saudi Arabia of bioenergy. Energy production from grains, especially corn, is a short-term solution. Cellulosic ethanol is the long-term hope for energy production from plants, especially pine trees, something Georgia has plenty of. However, technological breakthroughs must be made before this happens. Whether they come next year or 10 years from now remains to be seen.

Farmers are good stewards of the land and natural resources. Agriculture is a strong, stable segment of the nation’s economy. Given sound policy, strong support, solid investment in research and education, and stepped-up focus on food safety, security, science and trade, U.S. agriculture is poised to meet the demand to feed and nourish the growing world population.

By J. Scott Angle
University of Georgia
College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences

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When Does Spring Begin?

When does spring begin? Well, it depends on whom you ask.

Most calendar makers list the first day of spring as the day of the vernal equinox, which occurs around March 20. This is referred to as astronomical spring.

Most atmospheric scientists, meteorologists and climatologists say it begins March 1. The National Weather Service uses March 1 as the beginning of spring for climate summary purposes. Dates for the beginning of the climatological seasons are March 1 for spring, June 1 for summer, September 1 for fall and December 1 for winter.

The dates for the beginning of the astronomical seasons are the vernal equinox (around March 20) for spring, the summer solstice (around June 21) for summer, the autumnal equinox (around September 22) for fall, and the winter solstice (around December 21) for winter.

Other ways of defining the seasons have been proposed. The one that is the most logical is to define the summer solstice as the midpoint of summer since the daylight is greatest then. The midpoint of winter is defined as the winter solstice since this is when the daylight is least. By this method, summer would be the six and half weeks before and after the summer solstice. Winter would be the six and half weeks before and after the winter solstice. The midpoint of spring would be the vernal equinox. For fall, it would be the autumnal equinox.

Other designations of spring include Good Friday or the start of the baseball season. My personal favorite is the Masters Tournament week in Augusta. Once the Masters is over, spring is usually here to stay in Georgia. Of course in Georgia, we can still have a dogwood or blackberry winter cold snap in late April or early May.

Regardless of which definition of the seasons one uses, spring in the Southeast is a season of transition. Early spring is characterized by wide swings in temperature with periods of very cold and very warm weather.

Freezes are common throughout Georgia during March. Freezes in late April do happen at times, especially in the northern half of Georgia. Snow and ice storms can happen in March, too, which has included a major blizzard in 1993 and an ice storm in the early 1970s.

By David Stooksbury
University of Georgia

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Community News You Can Use

New Medical Air Transportation Program to Assist Southeast Patients

/PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Patients and families caught in a health crisis requiring distant travel can find assistance through a new program called Airlift Hope Southeast. Airlift Hope Southeast is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that offers charitable and charitably-assisted medical air transportation options in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee.

By dialing 770-320-0172, callers can receive a free consultation from resource specialists matching needs with appropriate travel programs. Patients, families, case workers, and health care professionals calling for help will be triaged and referred to one of three modes of transport, depending on the need. This includes air ambulance for non-ambulatory patients, charitable airline tickets, or transport in light aircraft flown by volunteer pilots.

Airlift Hope Southeast functions as a regional arm of Mercy Medical Airlift (MMA). This partnership ensures good stewardship and quality of services. MMA is the nation's largest and oldest national nonprofit organization facilitating charitable medical air transportation, and has received Charity Navigator's highest four-star rating for six consecutive years.

Airlift Hope Southeast's mission is, "To ensure that no patient is denied access to distant, specialized medical evaluation, diagnosis or treatment for lack of a means of long-distance medical air transportation; and to ensure that emergency air transportation needs are met in times of personal or community disaster, either natural or man-made."

In addition to helping patients, Airlift Hope Southeast serves as the conduit for coordination with HSEATS(R) (Homeland Security Emergency Air Transportation System) and its response to natural or man-made disasters on southeastern and southern U.S. coasts. HSEATS completed over 2,600 flights in support of Katrina disaster relief efforts in 2005.

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Top 10 Most Endangered Areas in the South for 2009

The population along Georgia's coast is expected to double by 2020. How will we take care of our precious salt marshes?

/PRNewswire/ -- The Southern Environmental Law Center (SELC), the largest environmental advocacy organization dedicated solely to protecting the Southeast, today announced a list of ten special places in the South that face immediate, potentially irreparable threats in 2009. These endangered areas were chosen among hundreds that are impacted by SELC's law and policy work throughout the six states of Virginia, Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Alabama.

"The South is not only the fastest growing region in the United States but in many respects, the South is also a testing ground for the nation's most pressing environmental issues, including energy, global warming, drought, land conservation, and biological diversity," said Jeff Gleason, SELC's Deputy Director.

The next 12 months will be telling for SELC's list of endangered areas as they face a series of decisions that will either raise or lower the bar nationwide on critical issues like air quality and clean water. "Our region will either protect -- or lose -- areas of our native forest, coastline, and rural countryside. How the South accommodates growth and development while preserving our precious natural heritage could set a model for the rest of the country," added Gleason.

Gleason also points out that the South disproportionately contributes to global warming. "If our six-state region were viewed as a country, we would rank 7th in the world for output of carbon dioxide. Reducing carbon emissions in the South is a critical part of any comprehensive global warming solution."

Top Ten Endangered Areas in the South for 2009:

1) Clinch and Powell Rivers (Virginia)

Issue: Construction of a new coal-fired power plant in Wise County will accelerate mountaintop removal mining in Appalachia, and further increase mercury levels in the Clinch and Powell rivers.

2) Interstate 81 Corridor (Virginia)

Issue: Virginia officials are reexamining a plan to widen all 325 miles of I-81 to perhaps eight lanes to support long-haul truck traffic -- a plan that would cost billions of dollars and cause tremendous harm to communities and historic, scenic, and environmental resources.

3) Marine Waters (Virginia)

Issue: Virginia is the first state in our region to begin the process of opening up its marine waters to offshore drilling for oil and gas. The benefit of this short-term supply of energy is dramatically outweighed by the harm to the environment and communities.

4) Globe Forest (North Carolina)

Issue: Destruction of rare, old-growth forest in the Southern Appalachians.

5) Pamlico River (North Carolina)

Issue: The single largest destruction of wetlands in North Carolina's history will occur if a phosphate mining company gets permission to expand its operations on the river's banks.

6) Great Pee Dee River (South Carolina)

Issue: Santee Cooper, a state-owned utility, is proposing to build more coal-fired power plants with outdated technology that would dump an additional 300 pounds of mercury into an already mercury-overloaded river.

7) Johns Island (South Carolina)

Issue: A $420 million highway proposal threatens to bring large-scale development to this historic community, transforming the island into a sea of condos, mega-stores, and traffic.

8) Salt Marshes (Georgia)

Issue: Large-scale development on biologically rich islands and tidal waters.

9) Weeks Bay (Alabama)

Issue: Unchecked development and weak regulation threatens an area so unique it is one of only three in Alabama to receive the designation of Outstanding Natural Resource Water.

10) Cherokee National Forest (Northeast Tennessee)

Issue: The U.S. Forest Service is moving forward with its plans to log several areas of this remarkable landscape, endangering trout, unbroken wildlife habitat and rare species.

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