Down The Jersey Shore - Awash with Waste
By Wendy
@jerzgirl (9291)
United States
July 1, 2009 11:35pm CST
So many people flock like lemmings to the shore year after year. Starting with Memorial Day weekend, every Friday is gridlock city on all the major routes to get there, including the one right near me coming out of Philly. So many from out of state come to the shore - it has become so popular and so desireable that property prices have skyrocketed. People who bought retirement homes years and years ago are having a hard time keeping up with the new tax rates on the inflated values.
But, maybe if we have enough of these events happen, the shore will lose its drawing power. It's not like it hasn't happened before or anything - but, it DOES keep happening!! Pretty much every year.
http://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/Medical-Waste-Washes-Ashore.html#BjL5yiAXpd2vP8qLjoNtpiiiqWcdA8JBs1kUNoVAvvi2ivgYJirPZgIWo1FcC2kcdTZPR0SBWrxOCz2qCh95eUPQB
We are the butt of many jokes. We are the most overpopulated state in the country; we have the highest property taxes and car insurance rates in the US. People hear New Jersey - they think Sopranos!! Crime!! Big cities!!
We don't have our own television stations - South Jersey gets its news from Philly stations and North Jersey gets its from NYC. Even our professional football teams aren't allowed to be called New Jersey teams. Many of the top EPA Superfund sites are right here (at least two in the town where I live, including where they plan to build the new middle school as well as the outskirts of the town where I grew up).
So, whattaya gonna do about it? No one owns up to the dumping, even though barges of garbage are still shuttled daily out into the Atlantic from NYC for disposal. NJ tried to keep trash from other states from being sent here (like we don't have enough of our own), but they were told by the Supreme Court they couldn't stop it (this has been years back). Now, it's coming ashore....again. It's like Russian roulette - you never know which beach will take the hit.
So, of course, it's only logical that we should be the medical waste dump of the northeastern seaboard. I can't say I LOVE living here - costs are out of control! But, I have to admit, we really don't get much respect, either. Much of our air pollution comes from other states - the wind currents move West to East, so it all settles here. And, ocean dumping follows the offshore currents - naturally, it, too, settles here. ::sigh::
Whattaya gonna do?
Is there anything in your state that just seems so out of balance, so unfair, that you'd just like to scream???
1 person likes this
3 responses
@ElicBxn (63594)
• United States
2 Jul 09
90% of El Paso's air pollution is from Mexico, actully, for El Paso the down turn has been good, the air pollution is considerably reduced...
Pretty bad over there when the Mayor of the city on the other side of the border spends his nights in the U.S. because its too dangerous...
@dawnald (85146)
• Shingle Springs, California
8 Jul 09
Then you've probably heard the joke:
Why does New Jersey have all the toxic waste dumps and California has all the lawyers?
New Jersey got first choice.
Anyway, we have our problems here too. Sewage spillovers during heavy rains that wash into the ocean, budget crises, high housing prices, crime, traffic, smog, etc.
@scarlet_woman (23463)
• United States
4 Jul 09
i don't think sopranos.
i think steak subs..mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm
don't feel bad,my state-RI-is probably neck and neck with NJ for taxes and overinflated property.this state's one big ponzi scheme as far as i'm concerned.
not to mention it's impossible to get a good job without knowing somebody.
is that freshkills barge still making rounds?
they tried here too