Nashua River Watershed - Kayaking

Nashua River and Hazardous Waste

2011-07-26T17:26:00.000-07:00

I've been collecting trash and whatever else I find on the rivers for about 6 years now. Each week I put trash by the curb, recycling every other week, and I am able to take the tires and propane tanks to my local recycling center, and they know what I'm doing so they let me get rid of those for free. But over time, I accumulate a lot of hazardous household materials.

In the past I would participate in the occasional town-wide hazardous waste days, which amounted to waiting in a long line of cars for hours then paying to dispose of whatever it was you had.

Recently, the Devens HHW (www.DevensHHW.com) opened, and having a shed full of used motor oil, anti-freeze, brake fluid, and a host of other unidentified gifts from the Nashua River, I went down there.

I had some correspondence with the director there, and fully expected an inconvenient experience. But when I arrived, I was greeted by the friendly staff, they inquired about what I had, and did all the work. I of course, asked whether they could cut me a break because a good deal of what I has was obviously from the river, but they're independently funded and had no such provisions.

I gladly paid to be rid of the materials (and have some space in my shed back) and I was off. But basically I paid someone else's disposal fee. It wasn't a fortune, my bill was $60, so about $30 would have been for the river stuff. I'd asked the Nashua River Watershed Association if they had any such programs to help volunteers, but sadly, no.

So here's a question for the readers. Would any corporations be willing to create a small fund for the disposal of waste pulled from rivers. I'm not quite sure how the whole thing would work, but perhaps the funds could be used at the discretion of the DevensHHW and other facilities. I might think a company like @CleanHarbors would be interested. Any takers?

Kayak Season Opener

2011-04-12T03:36:00.000-07:00

Well it was a long winter with everything freezing solid just after Thanksgiving and so much snow, the boat ramps were in accessible, but the season is finally here. Sure, I'd been out once in March, but I consider this past weekend the true beginning of the season.

I made 2 trips. On Saturday, I went to the Oxbow National Wildlife Refuge in Harvard, MA. I chose to go upstream from the landing to see the state of things. Overall, not too bad. There are a couple of good sized piles about a mile up, and I worked on those, but I think in general, it's less than most years.

On Sunday, I did a combination bike/kayak trip leaving my bicycle at Rte. 117 and putting in at the site of the old bridge on Rt. 70. There's a new sign saying that it will be the future site of a canoe launch. That will be great, as that's a tough spot to drag your boat through. There was plenty of materials on this stretch, but the current was really strong so a few areas would have been dangerous to try to clean up, and a lot of debris was pushed up over the banks. There was one portage, so there is one large blow-down to cut through at some point.

All in all, great start to what I hope will be a long season of paddling.

Habitat for Humanity Day with The Pedowitz Group

2011-01-26T02:42:00.000-08:00

Hi folks, Many of you know I switched jobs at the beginning of the year, I moved from Brainshark to The Pedowitz Group. I don't really use this blog to write about work, but this is a little bit of an exception.

Today, I'm joining the Pedowitz team in Atlanta, GA to work with Habitat for Humanity. It's great to work with an organization that is committed to giving back.

I'll take some pictures and hope to share those with you later.

Trash Paddler

2010-11-18T06:26:00.000-08:00

Nice to see my Assabet River counterpart, the Trash Paddler is still at it, as am I. I realized I hadn't posted anything since spring. I'll post some more photos soon, but if you have time, check out what the Trash Paddler is doing.

Earth Day

2010-04-26T17:32:00.000-07:00

I’d like to see Earth Day moved to a fixed day like the 3rd Saturday of April, for instance. I think when it falls on a weekday that leaves people to think that they missed it. Well Earth Day is pretty much every day for me so I don’t really pay it much attention.
Saturday I did one of my regular semi-annual projects. I take my wheelbarrow and walk up my street to the town forest and collect trash along the way. It’s probably only about a mile or so of road, but it’s a common littering spot.
The wheelbarrow was full and I headed back to the house by 8:30, then I took my daughter to her Earth Day fundraiser on the town common and went kayaking.
I hadn’t been to the Oxbow at Depot Rd. yet this year and wanted to check up on it. When I go there, an officer from the environmental police showed up. We chatted for a few minutes about the state of the river and what needs to be done. He said there are only about 70 officers state-wide. I was surprised, figuring it would take many more than that.
He went on to explain that they really don’t focus on the illegal dumping sort of stuff – which probably makes up a significant part of what I am dealing with. Rather, they focus on the businesses that violate the laws as there’s money to go after. They also don’t spend any time on the rivers.
Anyway, I paddled downstream toward Rt. 2 to find out what the condition of that stretch of river was. Not bad, on the whole. When I got near Rt. 2 there were 3 tires, but other than those, there were mostly just bottles and cans. I piled a tire on the stern and then tried something I hadn’t – I put another tire on the bow – a tricky maneuver, but it worked. I had to balance the laundry basket on the rear tire, so for the remainder of the trip I had to be cautious about that.
I only made the 1 trip as my shoulder’s been sore and I had a number of other things to do, but next time I know what to expect. All in all, the Oxbow’s not in bad shape – a bit of a surprise considering all the flooding we’ve had.

Nashua River - Flood Stage

2010-03-28T19:03:00.000-07:00

I went out on the Nashua River saturday - technically I guess it is at flood stage. It was very fast - when I went from Pepperell to Rt. 225, the water was doing something I'd not seen before.
Looking at the river from the downstream side of the 225 bridge, there were rapids. Not huge rapids, but waves with white water. Very strange for that part of the river. Just upstream from that the water was unusually fast - virtually impossible to paddle upstream. So, I got to hit the rapids downstream ;-)
All in all, still a good day, some new debris, and I picked up a good bit of it, but always more - especially when there is flooding like there has been.
Well, looks like more rain on the way, we'll see what that brings.

Kayak Season Opener

2010-03-07T17:06:00.001-08:00

I declare kayak season is open! Yesterday I put in on the Nashua River at the Pepperell/Groton line. The water was still pretty high from the previous week's rains, but not too bad.
I wasn't sure what to expect in terms of trash... typically after a flood, there's a ton of trash in the river, but not this time. I paddled from Pepperell up to the Boathouse and back and only collected one basket full of trash. No tires. No hazardous or nasty stuff. Just some bottles and cans and cups.
Nice day, the river's in good shape, and kayak season is here... all is right with the world.

Heavy rain means heavy trash

2009-12-07T05:18:00.000-08:00

Saturday I went out on the Nashua River to do my usual thing - not sure how long til the river's frozen, so every opportunity counts.
The recent heavy rains swelled the river and that always means more trash - or more trash shifting downstream. It was a beautiful day though - a little light mix of snow and sleet. The river's so quiet in the Winter.

New Presentation on myBrainshark

2009-09-21T10:53:00.000-07:00

Check out the new product from Brainshark - it's a free way to share your presentations online. It's kind of like slideshare or youtube, but you can combine whatever media you have and you can add your voice. Check out the one I did for the Nashua River Watershed clean-up stuff I've been doing:

Social Media and the Oxbow National Wildlife Refuge

2009-07-19T15:44:00.000-07:00

I had a very cool experience today. I was doing my usual thing, picking up trash, and a couple of guys passed by and one said "Hey, are you the guy with the website?" I said I did have a blog, and he mentioned how he'd emailed me a little while ago. Very cool!
But the story gets better - as I continued, I filled the boat, emptied the contents at the boat ramp into my truck, and continued downstream.
I saw those 2 guys again, kind of wondering why I had caught up with them, when I noticed they were in a logjam trying to get a tire onto the kayak! They asked for a tip, but figured it out anyway. They had their boats so loaded with trash!
So Steve and Dave - thanks a bunch! I really appreciate the effort, and you really made my day!
-Ed

Updated Merrimack River Scavenger Hunt Date

2009-07-10T06:06:00.001-07:00

The Scavenger Hunt has been changed to July 25th.
http://www.cleanriverproject.com/

Scavenger Hunt Date Changed to July 11

2009-06-29T08:53:00.000-07:00

Help out the Merrimack River Clean River Project on their scavenger hunt! http://www.cleanriverproject.com/

Nashua River Ecoli Count

2009-06-25T09:52:00.000-07:00

Stay in your boat! The Nashua telegraph just reported some results of ecoli testing after this long stretch of rain. Ecoli count is supposed to be below 88 for swimming - Pepperell launch tested at 1000.
http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090624/NEWS01/906249886/-1/XML07

And... if you see kids swimming or jumping off the bridge - do them a favor and tell them please!!

Nashua River - getting better

2009-06-09T19:24:00.000-07:00

Just a quick post about this year - the river is looking better than any year recently. I'm very pleased with the condition. I do need to look at where the small island is about a mile above the 2nd rt. 117 crossing and between 117 and the Oxbow, but I worked those late in the season last year so I'm hoping for good things.
Otherwise between 119 and the Oxbow in Harvard looks decent - a couple runs and we're clear.

Kayaking in the Oxbow National Wildlife Refuge

2009-05-31T18:31:00.000-07:00

Saturday was a gorgeous day so Nancy and I went for a paddle in the Oxbow in Harvard, MA. We headed downstream toward Rt. 2. It wasn't in bad shape, but I figured I'd get to the end of our paddle before filling my basket.
North of Rt. 2 I started picking up stuff - mostly a piece here or there. As we headed back, I grabbed a tire and some of the stuff that looked most hazardous - paint, motor oil, that kind of stuff.
There wasn't that much stuff overall - maybe 2 more tires and a few baskets of trash - hopefully in another week or two we can get back and clean it all up.
We ran into a group of 4 guys who do a trip down the river each year - it was their 30th year. They were very appreciative of the effort - maybe they remember what the river was like only 5 years ago, this month, when this story began.

Nashua River - 2A to the Ice House Dam

2009-05-27T18:15:00.000-07:00

Saturday I had the chance to go for a paddle so I chose a place that others generally don't prefer to put in since I was by myself. Rt. 2A at the Nashua is covered with Poison Ivy and long grass that's ideal for ticks. Aside from that, it's a good launch point to clean up below the dam in Shirley.
I paddled upstream althought the current was stiff, and made it up to just below the train bridge - then it gets to fast and shallow to keep going upstream. I collected a little less than a basket full of trash, I was a bit surprised how little there was - maybe all this is starting to pay off?
Since I wasn't fully loaded and I don't like to give up unless I collect a tire or 2, I headed downstream and up the Squannacook River. At the joining of the two in a logjam I spotted a tire, but it was a truck tire - as in a tractor-trailer sized tire.
I noticed it was not lodged in so I wiggled it free and wrestled it onto the tree I was stopped at. After draining most of the water out I then rolled it down the tree to my kayak and flopped it on the deck. I thought I was gonna swamp my poor little boat! But I managed to get it situated, balance the rest of the garbage and very gingerly slide myself in.
Wow was that tire heavy! The boat was so unstable that several times I thought I was going to swamp. I did manage to get it back to the launch, unload it and drag it back to the truck - through the poison ivy of course. But it's out of there and fortunately it was not a long distance from the launch point - I'm glad I chose that stretch to work on.

Merrimack River Clean Up

2009-05-26T06:46:00.000-07:00

I do a lot on the Nashua River, but my little kayak can't match up to what these folks are doing on the Merrimack River: http://www.cleanriverproject.com. Keep up the good work!

Kayak Season Opener

2009-03-08T18:22:00.001-07:00

Today I had the opportunity to take my first paddle of the new year. I put in at 119 in Groton and paddled up to the Groton boathouse. There was only maybe a basket of trash along that distance, but I wasn't picking up trash, it was just a survey mission.
If anyone knows folks at the row club, I think one of their orange buoys is downstream just below Fitch's bridge on the western side.

Spring Thaw

2009-02-19T18:54:00.000-08:00

The rivers look more and more open these days, as you can imagine, I'm itching to get out on the river and to get started on a new year of clean-up so I can add some new material to my Brainshark Presentation.

Although I enjoy other winter activities like snowshoeing, skiing (both downhill and nordic), and just hanging out in the snow, kayaking is what keeps me sane.

Any day now...

Trees in the River

2009-02-17T18:39:00.000-08:00

I always wonder about what to take out of the river. I only take the stuff that didn't occur naturally, but I often wonder about whether the trees that seem to be "in the way" are serving a useful purpose.
Recently, Russ Cohen of the Mass Riverways Program gave a talk at the town hall here in Townsend. I wasn't able to attend, but here are a few of the documents he made available which cover some of these important topics as well as preserving the river and the surrounding areas.
There's lots of good material here to consider for home and business owners who have property near the river and for folks who just like to spend time there. Thanks Russ!

Fact Sheet 3
Fact Sheet 4
Woody Debris

Why do I do this?

2009-02-11T17:24:00.001-08:00

I've been telling the story about cleaning up the river for a couple of years now, but I've never attempted to explain why, because primarily I want people to understand the problem, but more importantly, feel as though they can do something about it themselves. My motivations didn't seem to matter, but lately it seems like a question I ask of myself.
The exercise I get from kayaking helps me cope with the stress of work and being a single dad (nothing worthwhile is easy). But I think most importantly paddling is a very serene, almost meditative activity for me - even if I'm covered with trash. Just the sound of the paddle in the water and the sounds of nature makes me remember I'm part of a much larger picture. There are things that existed long before this lifetime and will be here long after my lifetime ends. That somehow makes my daily stress and challenges seem not so great after all. But it's more than just my favorite activity.
I've always had a deep connection to nature, it was clear even as a child. I'm not sure if it's because I'm told I have some Native American heritage or some other cause, but it's always been there. Seeing trash in a river or in a park or even along the roadside is a constant reminder to me that simply by living, especially in a western culture, I'm creating a burden on the planet every day. I feel bad about that.
In daily life, I recycle like crazy, have compact fluorescent bulbs throughout my house, and take the train to work, but I know I'm nowhere near carbon-neutral. If I could afford to switch my home over to geo and solar, I would, If I could haul the stuff away from the river in an electric car, I would, but I need a small pickup truck for that. If I had the time to grow my own food I'd even consider that. Cleaning up the river is not so much about doing something good, I'm trying to make up for the negative impact I have without even realizing it most of the time.
Don't get me wrong, it does make me feel good, and especially if I can inspire someone else to start thinking about their impact. While it gives an immediate feeling of accomplishment, the river provides a constant reminder that everything is impermanent. The constant change, the constant presence of a new problem brings awareness that what you've done is not important, what you're doing - now that's important.

New Brainshark Presentation

2009-01-25T17:15:00.000-08:00

I updated my Brainshark presentation about the Nashua River Watershed cleanup projects I've been undertaking. Take a look: http://www.brainshark.com/brainsharkinc/vu?pi=436394876

National Day of Service

2009-01-14T06:13:00.000-08:00

While everyday you should be conscious of your impact on the planet, you should also think about how you can help your country. I'm not a democrat, but the President-Elect has a good idea here. Go visit the Sierra Club's page for some eco-friendly ideas for the National Day of Service. http://www.sierraclub.org/NDOS/

As an editorial comment... How much could we shrink the size of the government if we each gave just 1 day a year? Any job in your community is tolerable for 1 day whether it's handing out dog tags at the clerk's office, filling in potholes, or collecting trash. Think about how much your taxes would drop if your town government was volunteer-based. Think how much more pride people would have in where they live...

Nashua River Clean Up - Oxbow

2008-09-22T04:57:00.000-07:00

On Saturday, my girlfriend and I went over to the Oxbow. I knew we had made great strudes toward cleaning it up this year, and really wanted to finish it up.
Until now, she hadn't really carried much in the way or trash - she's new to kayaking this year and I didn't want to have her grossed out right away;-). But Saturday I picked up a new laundry basket and bungied it to her kayak and we were off.
A couple of weeks ago we had the rain from T.S. Hanna, so generally that type of floodwater moves the debris downstream. Some of the debris found it's way back into the Oxbow, so we got to work.
I'm really proud of how she did. Especially since that was her first experience with a basket full of pungent trash. She didn't puke, so that's good!
Well we went from the Oxbow downstream to Hospital Rd. and collected just about everything! There are probably a few bottles here and there, and one large plactic thing - like a Barbie play house or something, but it's all clear of tires, propane tanks, etc. Now with that effort, we're basically all clear to Rte. 111 in Hollis, NH.
I understand there was an effort on Sunday to clean up between 117 and the Oxbow - that's a good thing because the last clean-up effort wasn't very thorough. That should make next year's cleanup a bit easier.

Nashua River Clean-Up - Rt. 117

2008-09-08T17:57:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago I went to the Oxbow and there were signs posted about a clean-up project that some volunteers had done. I say good job, thank you for the assistance! However, I went back on that stretch on labor day and discovered that perhaps their claim of "all-clear between the Oxbow and 117" was not quite what they said. I DO appreciate the effort they must have put in, and the river does regularly deposit new material, but check out this stuff - it's NOT brand new - and all of it was between Rt. 117 and the Depot. And this wasn't even all of it - I didn't even start taking pictures for more than a mile or 2.

A tire and some trash...

Big pile of trash...

Paint bucket and a fire extinguisher..

A sled...

Another tire and a propane tank (I took one with me too.)

And another big pile of trash...

Now, I want to repeat that I'm sure the volunteers put in a good effort, but don't claim to have cleaned it all up if you have not.

Still River Depot

2008-08-03T18:36:00.000-07:00

Saturday I went to the Oxbow - I've been working on getting the downstream side toward Rt. 2 cleaned up this year. I made a couple of runs and pulled out a lot of debris. We went out again Sunday and made one large run - nearly finishing it up! Once I finish that last bit - the Nashua River will be clear from The Oxbow to Rt 111 in Hollis NH. And now up to Rt. 117

There was a group of volunteers that had posted some signs stating that they'd cleaned up the stretch between Still River and 117. That's very cool, but also reminds me of a few things. Last year I had cleaned that stretch of river completely. This year I'd made several trips through. I'm sure the volunteers worked really hard to clean up the mess.

What we all need to take a way from that is this: Last year I had the river clean from past 117 all the way to Rt. 113. This year I had to start all over again. This project will never end. You can feel as though you've cleaned up the river, only to discover new trash the very next day - as was the case today.

I applaud the volunteers - thank you for your help. But I ask you to remember stewardship isn't like Earth Day, it needs to happen all year round. Keep up the good work!
-Ed

Would you believe...

2008-07-13T18:33:00.000-07:00

Today we went out on the Nashua River in Hollis, NH. It's a nice stretch of river and there's a couple of mild rapids right at the put-in point, so it's fun. We paddled upstream for a couple of miles, and I collected what I found. There wasn't that much trash, so that was encouraging.
After we came back downstream, my girlfriend was sort of sitting there staring with wonderment at the shore. I came around the weeds and there was an exercice bicycle - like the modern kind standing up right at the shoreline. Very strange.
OK, so bottles, cans, styrofoam cups, etc. all have some level of plausible deniability that they ended up in the river accidentally. Not an exercise bike! I wonder if they have serial numbers that can be traced back to the owner?
I'll go drag that out of there one of these days and see.

North Pacific Gyre

2008-06-27T07:08:00.000-07:00

If you don't know about this, you need to. The North Pacific Gyre is an enormous vortex of plastic debris roughly twice the size of the United States. Check out this article.
I do my little part to keep the debris I find from reaching the ocean, but I was horrified when I saw this. There's no way my little kayak can have an impact of this, but I think people need to seriously think about the use of plastics in our society.
Sure, plastics help with sanitary things like medicine and food, but everything from the petroleum used to the energy needed to process it, to the disposal of it is a serious ecological disaster. Think about this: A glass bottle can be recycled, melted down and made into another glass bottle, the same goes for metals. Plastic however, cannot. A plastic bottle gets re-manufactured into something like a fleece jacket or sleeping bag stuffing. And from there it certainly won't get recycled.

Here's a couple of sobering facts:
- Plastic debris kills more than 1 million seabirds and 100,000 marine animals every year
- Plastic pellets soak up chemicals and DDT they are then ingested by fish and eaten by us
- It is estimated that each square mile of ocean contains 46,000 pieces of plastic
- Degraded plastic particles resemble zooplankton and are consumed by marine life
- Plastic particles outnumber zooplankton by a factor of 6 in this area
Additional Information: from Wiser Earth

Nashua River at the Oxbow

2008-06-27T07:01:00.000-07:00

Last Sunday I went back to one of my favorite spots - the Oxbow National Wildlife Refuge. When I got there I saw a man, woman and a boy of about 13 or so pulling something up the boat ramp. It was a large rubber raft - like those you'd pull behind a boat for recreation. I had seen this thing in the river just past the firing range, but I couldn't budge it from my kayak.

They were in a canoe and a kayak and between them had managed to wrestle it free and remove it. Thanks to those folks! I very seldom see any involvement like that, but it was great to see. So I went out and made a couple of trips to clean up some of the logjams down near Rt. 2, and the whole day I felt happy knowing others shared my passion.

Nashua River - Hospital Road

2008-05-28T02:45:00.000-07:00

We went kayaking on Memorial Day from the Still River Depot at The Oxbow National Wildlife Refuge, down past the new bridge at hospital road. During construction, which appears to be nearly complete, they had a barrier strung across the river to catch debris. I had feared that when they removed the barrier, a huge pile of rubbish would be set free downstream.
I was very pleasantly surprised! I looks like when they pulled it out, they must have taken the time to clean up the trash first. Kudos to those involved with that! So for all the stuff that's newly acumulated in the Oxbow, there's very little from Rt. 2 down to Shirley.
We did pull another tire and a basket full out of the Oxbow, and there's still probably 5 or 6 more trips needed to get that back into shape, but you know, one basket at a time...

Duck Races

2008-05-15T11:35:00.000-07:00

OK, so duck races are kind of cute, but is this really necessary? I was at the Oxbow National Wildlife Refuge on May 10 for a paddle. On the bridge was a huge box of rubber ducks they were going to pour into the river.
http://www.harvardpress.com/CurrentEvents/tabid/146/Default.aspx
Thankfully they were conscientious and (We think) collected all the ducks they threw in the river (We checked). This behavior does explain why I do find so many ducks - or trash, one might say.
Now, after looking for the organizers, I found the next batch to be introduced to the river: http://www.fitchburgpride.com/news/2007/0608/Front_Page/003.html.
Somehow I doubt the city of Fitchburg is going to be that conscientious and will continue to demonstrate to their citizens that it's OK to throw trash in the river. Nice job, Lisa Wong, Mayor of Fitchburg - the "City by the River" Why not just have your citizens bring their old propane tanks and tires down to the river? Oh yeah, they do that already.

Nashua River - Oxbow National Wildlife Refuge

2008-05-04T19:13:00.000-07:00

Today was the first day of the new year I'd paddled downstream from the Still River Depot in Harvard, MA. The weather was kind of cool and damp, but otherwise a good day for a paddle.
Each spring the first trip on any stretch of river is full of surprises. I'm no rookie, I know there is going to be new trash all the time, and the high waters of spring make it easy for debris to wash in, or move downstream.
I was paddling down river, picking up a few pieces here and there, nothing too bad, but all the while, in the back of my head, I was thinking "where's the mess?" Then I found it. I really couldn't believe it. There were several very large logjams just on the south side of Rt. 2. One has 3 (more) tires, and loads of trash, another had another tire and a propane tank. I loaded up a tire and one of the tanks, along with an empty 5gal. pail of hydraulic fluid and headed back.
I know it's not that bad, certainly not compared to what it was, but finding all that new debris is discouraging at some level. Ah well, work for another day...

Earth Day 2008 Cleanup

2008-04-22T18:11:00.000-07:00

What would Earth Day be without a blog post? This weekend I had the pleasure of paddling down the Nashua River with a couple of friends. We did find a fair amount of new trash, but it wasn't that bad. I grabbed a bag of trash and a tire and my buddy Dennis also grabbed a bag of trash.
For Earth Day, I took someone special out for her first paddle. The Squannacook River makes a great first paddle, and I think she's hooked. She also got a chance to see me in my element, cleaning up what little trash there is in the Squannacook.
But the day wasn't over - on Earth Day I do tend to want to do something on terra firma, so we grabbed my wheelbarrow and cleaned up my street - well about 1/4 mile of it or so. It's kind of funny in a way... for all the drunk driving laws, virtually all the roadside trash you find is empty beer cans, nip bottles, and even small bottles of stuff like Vodka. We found about 6 Smirnoff Vodka bottles all about the same size, all on the same side of the road. So it seems someone polishes off one of these on a regular basis - possibly on their way home - and throws it out the window in the same spot. ah well.
Happy Earth Day everyone!

Westford Electronics Recycling

2008-04-02T06:47:00.000-07:00

Westford will be holding its Spring electronics recycling event at the Blanchard School, 14 West Street in Westford from 8 am to 2 pm this Saturday, April 5.
You can get directions by Googling 14 West Street in Westford or The Blanchard Middle School in Westford. There are fees involved and this is a cash only event.
The rate sheet for recycling electronic items can be found at http://www.westfordrecycles.org by clicking on Electronics Collection under Upcoming Events.

Nashua River - Pepperell

2008-03-30T19:08:00.000-07:00

Early each spring I make it a point to check out my favorite spots to see what the changes were over the winter. Typically the spring melt changes the landscape somewhat - new blowdowns, old blowdowns washed away, and of course, checking on the status of ne trash.
Today I went in at the Nashua River in Pepperell at Rt. 119. It's an easy place to get in and out of. I went upstream to just about Rt. 225. I dodn't find too much new debris - I did collect about a basket full including a 1-gallon container of Coleman Fuel - I hope it was empty when it did find the river. All-in-all though, the river was in good shape.

Squannacook River

2008-03-23T18:48:00.000-07:00

I finally got a chance to get back out on the river - it's so good for my head. I went to the Squannacook River in West Groton. The ice was up to the boat launch so I portaged through the woods a ways and threw in.
The current was strong and was a pretty good paddle after a couple of months off. There were some new blowdowns, particularly one just below the Bertozzi rapids. I might have been able to get over it, but really didn't want to risk swamping in the icy water.
There wasn't much trash either, I did a pretty good job and only came away with a basket full - and nothing too nasty either, mostly Dunkin Donuts cups and water or beer bottles.

Project or Process?

2008-02-18T11:09:00.000-08:00

When I began cleaning up the Nashua River, I pretty much considered it a project. You know... finish this, move on. But really it's become much more than that for me.
Think about your daily life. You do the laundry, take out the trash, etc. Sure some stuff seems like a project, but it's really a process built around taking care of your loved ones.
The river's kind of like that for me. Sure there are selfish reasons for doing what I do - I like to kayak in pretty places, not dumps. But the other side is that I know somehow I'm part of something bigger, and having a positive effect, not a negative one.
So it's that process of change that drives me. I know that no matter how good of a job I do, there will be more to do. So it's a process. I'm not going to be able to stop people from being careless or destructive, but I can do 2 things: 1. accept that I can't change the way other people are; and 2. Minimize the negative impact.
In that way, it's a process for me not only to improve the environment, but also for personal growth.

Nashua River - Water's up

2008-01-15T17:58:00.000-08:00

On Saturday a buddy and I went for a paddle on the Nashua River water was up, but it sure was pretty. There's some new trash, always is, but not too bad really. I probably won't get out again til March, but we'll see.

Nashua River - Open Water

2008-01-09T18:47:00.000-08:00

Hey, the warm weather is opening up the river! I'll probably go out on Saturday. Anyone been out this week?

-Ed

Ice on the Nashua River

2007-12-21T12:14:00.000-08:00

Well, I did manage to get out on Dec. 1st for what was apparently the last clean-up run of 2007. I grabbed a lot of small debris from center road, downstream past the small islands I've been working on to where there is a blow-down which requires portage.
That day was the day we had some sort of tropical storm - so it was incredibly windy. But I did manage to gather a full load of materials, so when the ice melts, not so much will wash downstream.
It was a great season, and hopefully the ice will break up early in the year.
Happy Holidays,
-Ed

Was someone else cleaning up the Nashua River?

2007-11-18T16:47:00.000-08:00

Saturday I went paddling on the Nashua at Center Rd. When I got there I saw 2 bags of kitchen trash on the path in the corn field I park in. The Nashua River Watershed Association booklet says it's private property, and apparently the owner doesn't mind kayakers parking there. So I cleaned up that trash and went to work.
Upstream there are some logjams that typically catch a lot of trash, but they were almost empty. Did someone clean up? If so, thank you!
So I collected some other stuff and went back downstream. At the big logjam I've been working on, I tried to collect some stuff out in the middle. See the before and after

Again, it's not ddone, but I've getting close.

Nashua River Brainshark Presentation

2007-11-09T18:01:00.000-08:00

Hey I updated my Brainshark Presentation to include some new progress and some new pictures. I still haven't built a "before and after" gallery, but at least I updated my Brainshark Presentation. Check it out: View My Brainshark Presentation.

Nashua River Follow-up

2007-11-03T09:58:00.000-07:00

Today, I made 3 runs down to the large logjam mentioned in the prior post. I wanted to collect everything I'd bundled up before winter or a flood, and since we were due to get a tropical storm today, I thought it might be a good idea.
It took me 3 trips to haul it all out - 2 tires, 2 coolers, 6 bags of trash and a couple of other miscellaneous items. There's still some trash there, but perhaps another weekend. At least I know this stuff won't end up downstream.

Over the edge?

2007-10-21T14:49:00.000-07:00

OK, maybe I'm going a bit over the edge - you tell me. Here's the deal, Friday I went out and bought hip-waders. I don't fish. I don't hunt. I pick up trash.

I went out Saturday morning and hit the Nashua River Watershed at Rt. 117 in Lancaster. My goal was to finally make a dent in the enormous logjam between Rt. 117 and Center Rd. I strapped on the hip-waders, grabbed a bunch of trash bags, some strong waterproof gloves and got into it.

I worked for about 3 hours on one small area. My goal wasn't to haul everything away, rather collect and bag as much as I could reach. I've been picking at this one area for a couple of years now, but nothing seems to make a dent.

I was in as deep as I could go, collecting debris. I pulled 2 tires, 2 coolers, a propane tank, and about 9 bags of rubbish out of the water and from all around the island. That was hard work, and it certainly made a dent, but it's probably less than half of what's there. Here's a before shot:

And here's an after shot:

I couldn't get everything, but I really didn't expect to. It's a good start on what is the single biggest problem area on the Nashua River now.

If you're paddling past, there are many bags of collected trash still on the island, please grab some and take it with you, I'd appreciate it.

Product Labeling

2007-10-12T19:12:00.000-07:00

I recently installed some flooring in my home which required an adhesive. So I finished the project and ended up with a little bit of the stuff left. Now, obviously this stuff isn't exactly inert.
So I looked at the packaging for instructions as to how to dispose of the product. Nothing. I believe it should be the responsibility of packaged product manufacturers - especially those which are hazardous - to include instructions as to how to properly dispose of their product.
Think about it - when you buy paint, does it include instructions for proper disposal? Not likely.

Al Gore - Nobel Peace Prize

2007-10-12T19:10:00.000-07:00

You know what - good for him! I'm not political, and he's not holding any office, but I think that's a nice use of the Peace Prize - to showcase someone's environmental advocacy.

Nashua River Lancaster

2007-10-07T16:50:00.000-07:00

Saturday was a spectacular day, so I decided to try to work on an area that's been a problem for a long time - between rt. 117 and Center Rd. There's a corn field that's private property, but apparently the owner is nice enough to let paddlers park there.

I walked down to the river and it was so low. I know it hasn't rained in weeks, but I was still surprised. So I threw in and began the first trash run with my new kayak. There were numerous items, which wasn't a big surprise since that part of the river's been a bit inaccessible this year. But I got downstream to where I hoped, the fork where the river splits around a small island and it forks off to a dead end stream.

There's a huge logjam there. I cleaned up a tire, and a basket full of trash, and headed back upstream to unload it. But the river's so shallow, it was tricky to get back, but I managed, and headed back for another load. I filled up again and went back to the truck.

I didn't make a dent in that pile. It's just so huge, and tough to get into. Honestly, if I had good tough hip-waders, I could do a lot more. After all, the water's only about 2 feet deep there right now.

Hunters Rendezvous

2007-09-16T18:17:00.000-07:00

I needed to get a new kayak. I reviewed many websites, made some phone calls, and I could not find another Dirigo 120. Bummer, so I looked at dozens of other models and manufacturers.

Obviously my clean-up efforts are no place for a kayak costing thousands, and generally the touring kayaks are narrower and more cirved on the bow and stern. That won't work. I saw the Dirigo 106, which just seems to be a bit shorter, but the length helps with tracking. So I was prepared to select another model.

I intended to go up to Amherst NH, since they had a bunch of models in stock. But then I remembered a little hunting store nearby. Right on Rte. 119, I'd never stopped in - I'm not a big fan of hunting. Nonetheless, I walked up, told the guys I was looking for a kayak, but didn't want a sit-on-top model. He said "I only have one - it's on the end of the rack."

I walked over, and lo and behold, a Dirigo 120, a model that has a couple more features, like a drain plug, and a fishing rod holder (I don't fish, but maybe I will, or I'll use it for a lock.) AND, the guy wanted to move the item, and he gave me a sweet deal. Thank you Hunters Rendezvous!

Nashua River - Unthinkable

2007-09-16T06:20:00.000-07:00

I took a nice long paddle on the Nashua River yesterday, starting and 119 to past Rt. 2A and back again. When I reached the Rte. 225 bridge near the Nashoba Paddler and the boathouse, there were about 20 or so canoes.

The first canoe had 3 girls in it, they appeared to be Indian and spoke broken English, but they asked me to show them how to paddle. I was a bit surprised that someone would put them in a canoe and not show them how to paddle, but at least they were wearing PFDs. After a quick explanation, they seemed to grasp the idea. So I moved on, seeing canoe after canoe of people who were very friendly, but thoroughly confused.

The weather continued getting better and after what is about a 12 mile round trip, I didn't even have a full basket. Thay was great! It's getting so much nicer, and now that the Oxbow and Bolton flats are clean, not much drifts downstream to that area.

But then tragedy! When I got home, I opened the garage door, which I usually do, but then I generally park outside. For an instant I forgot I had my beloved Dirigo 120 on top of my truck. WHAM! I hit the top of the garage, and tore about a 2 foot gash in the hull of my kayak! Unthinkable.

Well I'll try to repair it, and if anyone has any tips, that would be helpful, but it looks like I should consider a purchase of a new kayak.

Brand Awareness

2007-09-04T16:04:00.000-07:00

As a marketing pro, I've spent my career helping companies build awareness for their brands. Because of my marketing bretheren, companies have built products that are instantly recognizable from a great distance. Mountain Dew, Budweiser, Miller Lite, Dunkin Donuts, Coca-Cola, the list goes on. I can spot those brands in the piles of rubbish that collect in the rivers.

I'm sure those companies would say they can't control how their products are disposed of, once used, and that they're not responsible. And to a point, they're right. But when is the last time you saw any effort by a beverage manufacturer or a coffee chain to educate its customers about being responsible when disposing of the empty container. I'm not sure I've ever seen it.

I think I'll start a whole new genre of product shots. You know the ones: product alone, product in use, product in its environment, product with a hot model. Perhaps I'll call it "product defacing the planet". I'll show the gatorade trucker bombs full of piss, the Dunkin Donuts cups among the lily pads, the Bud cans drifting down the river. There's some brand awareness no one wants.

Rent a Kayak or Join a Tour

2007-08-28T14:48:00.000-07:00

I was asked where someone might rent a kayak or join a tour without having to go and purchase a kayak before finding out if they like it.

There's one place right on the Nashua River called Nashoba Paddler. They rent kayaks and offer tours for groups. You can vist them here: www.nashobapaddler.com

If you really want some more advanced instruction or want to try out some new equipment, check out the tours at REI www.rei.com. If you sign up for their calendar of events newsletter, each month they'll send you info on how to sign up and what's happening. (I love REI!)

-Ed

Still River Depot - Harvard MA

2007-08-27T17:12:00.000-07:00

When I paddle the Oxbow, I generally throw in at Still River. It's got easy access and plenty of parking. This weekend I went out on Saturday morning, wow it was hot! I paddled downstream this time, as I hadn't been downstream in a few months because of other trips and the attention I was paying to the Rt. 117 area.

I was somewhat surprised. I guess it's been since late May or early June since I'd been on that stretch. I made it about 1 mile downstream and my basket was full. I turned around, emptied my kayak, and headed back down.

I made another run, getting about 1.5 miles downstream clean. But the heat started to get to me and I hadn't eaten breakfast, so I called it quits. But I was kind of upset that I didn't even get to Rt. 2.

Sunday I had some free time, so I started out fairly early. I paddled all the way to where I had made it saturday, and started picking up. I grabbed everything from the next several logjams, and then I started to find fewer and fewer items. That was really cool - some of the places that ordinarily collect a lot of trash were empty.

I kept paddling past route 2 and down toward Hospital Rd. I stopped just short of there, but realized I hadn't seen a piece of trash for quite a long time. Hopefully further downstream is still just as clean. The construction at the bridge generally puts some trash in the water, but I'm hoping for the best.

Now that the huge trash deposits between Rt. 117 and Rte. 2 are gone, I'm optimistic that the next high water event won't cause as great a mess as they have in the past. There's still a lot upstream of 117, but that stuff should have a hard time getting downstream any time soon.

The Oxbow really is a beautiful place, now that I've got it trash-free again this year. Get out there and enjoy it folks!
-Ed

Saco River Camping and Kayaking

2007-08-27T16:14:00.000-07:00

Sorry I haven't posted in a while, but I've been busy paddling! I went up to the Saco River in Conway, NH to go camping for the weekend with my daughter and her friend. The girls had a great time and didn't want to leave when it was time to go.

The guys and I hired a shuttle to take us upstream so we could paddle back to our campsite. The shuttle mormally runs about 7 miles, but they cut the route short because the water was really low.

The water was low, but it was still passable. I love the Saco River! It's so beautiful and the water is so clear. We saw some great birds too - I think they were Turkey Vultures - huge - they look like really big hawks. Does anyone know if that's what they are?

Like any river, especially a well-traveled one, there's trash in the Saco too. It's really hard to imagine how anyone could possibly look at the Saco in all it's beauty and decide to throw thier beer cans in. I'm not against having a few beers and enjoying the great outdoors, but I never let my trash in to the water.

Maybe next year I'll plan a trip and bring the laundry basket and give the Saco a day of attention. That's one long river though... maybe a week long trip down??

Who's been cleaning the Nashua River?

2007-08-13T14:08:00.000-07:00

I went out this weekend and completed the stretch between Rt. 117 and the Still River Depot at the Oxbow. And when I say completed, I mean if I can see it, get to it, and transport it, I take it out of there. So there are no more bottles, cans, tires, propane tanks, spray paint cans, or solvents. I even removed a 5-gallon bucket of paint, and the last gallon of used motor oil. In short, no human waste except for maybe 2 very large items I cannot possibly transport on a kayak. And I intend to keep it that way.

On Sunday, I ran into a nice couple who were probably about 60 years old. They asked what I was doing, and then the man shared a nice story with me. A few years ago he used to paddle in the Oxbow area, but he was so disgusted by the trash and pollution that he stopped. When he came back a month or so ago, he was very surprised how clean it was. I shared with him how I'd been working on it for more than 2 years now, and probably have removed more than 10 tons of waste. He was very appreciative, and I believe he'll be coming back more regularly now.

The woman said "Why don't you join a group?" I told her groups might undertake some of the legal battles to protect an area from development, but when it comes right down to getting your hands dirty and cleaning up a mess, groups don't do anything.

I'm no Boy Scout

2007-08-13T14:07:00.000-07:00

A couple of months back I saw a Boy Scout troop preparing for a day on the Nashua Rivar at the Oxbow. But then I saw what seemed to be tents and overnight gear. Although they must have gotten special permission to camp, I didn't see a lot of water.

I asked one of the men accompanying the boys if they planned on staying overnight, when he replied "yes" I mentioned that he should try to keep the boys out of the water. (February had just had the report of excessive fecal matter, and I didn't want them to be sick.) He replied that he would be sure they wouldn't swim in it, but that he brought purifying tablets so they could drink it. !!!! Drink it!!!? I strongly suggested they go buy bottled water.

Has anyone heard any reports of an entire Scout Troop being dreadfully ill?

Bolton Flats - Nashua River

2007-08-05T15:26:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I paddled from the Oxbow at Still River up to Rt. 117. That's a challenging upstream paddle... especially with no portages. My goal was to get past the logjamb that's about 2/3 of the way between the 2 points, collect some materials and drop them at Rt. 117.

My goal was to work on this difficult middle section of the stretch between the two points. With so many logjambs and obstructions, it's a hard stretch of river to transport a full load of trash.

This stretch is really shaping up. I think with one more trip from Rt. 117, and maybe 1 or 2 from the Oxbow, that part of the river will be trash free, except for a few very large items I can't budge.

When that happens, I want to get together with a couple of guys and paddle from Rt. 117 down to the dam in Pepperell just to enjoy the clean river. I'm sure there will be a few items to collect, there always is, but the huge piles of trash, tires, propane tanks, and coolers are gone, at least from that part of the river. Upstream from Rt. 117 still has some big issues, but at least a 1-way trip is easier in that area.

Plastic Water Bottle Recycling

2007-08-01T19:11:00.000-07:00

In the news lately there's been a lot of stories about bottled water. Not only is the water often just filtered tap water, it's an ecological nightmare. Bottled water creates an enormous amount of plastic waste, and the energy required to manufacture and recycle that material is generated by carbon-based energy sources.

Personally, I try not to drink bottled water. But when I am out kayaking on the Nashua or Squannacook Rivers I can attest to the fact that water bottles account for probably 25% of the containers I collect. There's a lot of irony in that.

First, someone buys bottled water because the water sources are polluted, and the heavy treatment of public water supplies makes the water taste badly. Then they take the water bottle out, where it becomes litter, and eventually ends up in the river where the problem compounds itself.

Filter your water at home, put it in a re-usable bottle and don't become part of the problem.

Nashua River - Bolton Flats

2007-07-29T17:04:00.000-07:00

Generally the Bolton flats area lies between Route 117 in Bolton and the Oxbow National Wildlife Refuge. There's a significant trash problem there, and I've been working on it over recent weeks from the 117 side.

The trouble with this stretch is that there are many obstructions which create several impassable areas. If I was doing a 1-way trip downstream I wouldn't have to portage, but carrying cargo is a problem for maneuverability and being heavy in the water.

Saturday, I threw in at the Oxbow at Still River Depot and headed upstream. I hadn't traveled that stretch in about 2 months so I wasn't sure what I'd find. My goal was to paddle as far upstream as I could, collect what I could carry and survey what needed to be done. In that, I was successful.

I paddled as far as I could until I reached a logjam that must only be a mile or so from Rt. 117, it was simply impassable without portage, and portage would have also been quite difficult. So I turned around and headed back. I'd collected a lot of debris, and spotted a few more areas of concern. I'm pretty sure in a good day, with 2-3 trips I could finish that stretch. There were 3 tires, I collected one and sent the others further downstream for easier collection on another day.

Bird Watching on the Nashua River

2007-07-24T13:25:00.000-07:00

Rubber Duckies are cute, but not when they become trash in the river. How they get there is no mystery either. Some local civic group decides to have a duck race fundraiser/raffle by selling a rubber duck for a buck or so, and setting a whole pile of them adrift down the river. The first duck that gets to a particular destination wins the prize.

Do the planet a favor, pick up all the ducks you send downstream or better yet, use your imagination and come up with a better fundraiser that doesn't teach kids that it is fun to put junk in the river and watch it float away.

Earth Day

2007-07-23T14:39:00.000-07:00

Most every day is Earth Day to me, but sometimes I need to remind myself that rivers aren't the only thing that need cleaning up. Since my daughter was young we'd walk up and down our street and pick up the Dunkin Donuts cups, beer cans, and McDonalds wrappers, among other things.

This year for Earth Day, I decided to extend that reach a bit and include a nearby town forest. I filled my truck, but did a good job. The thing is, it's not very much street frontage, maybe 1/4 mile. But it was messy and I don't like to see it that way.

Yesterday, I repeated the task, but only needed my wheelbarrow. It is amazing with all the drunk driving laws that the majority of roadside trash is empty beer cans. I guess that'll never change.

What's New?

2007-07-22T16:43:00.000-07:00

I ran into a friend and they asked me what the most interesting item I'd found was. I said well, it's either the plastic yellow banana, the big wheel, or the oil cans and torch tank (like the bernsomatic you use at home for plumbing).

Sometimes it's a rubber ducky, sometimes a mudflap. Whatever it is, I tend to rember the interesting stuff. One time I even found Nemo.

How's to say I can't have some fun along the way?

Big Wheel, big deal

2007-07-22T16:14:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I went paddling on the Nashua River at the 117 put-in. We'd had some rain so the water level was a bit higher than recent weeks. I had just completed the first trip downstream and was on my way for round 2, and I ran into a couple canoeing down to the Bolton Flats area.

They questioned whether I was a member of the Nashua RIver Paddlers (apparently some group) or whether I was just doing this on my own. That kind of puzzled me a bit since I've only ever seen the presence of the Friends of the Oxbow contribute in any way to cleanup activities (and I feel like I know where the trash is). I said no, and moved on.

I did see the woman want to contribute, which was cool, but she almost went for a swim. She wanted to get a trash can out of the crotch of a tree. She stood up in the canoe and almost swamped it. She did manage to grab it and throw it in the canoe, so that's great, nice to have a little help. I think the name on their van was Bob's Carpentry or something like that. I can't say whether he's any good, but his heart's in the right place so that count's for something.

Several trips later, I had a full basket, and had managed to wrestle a big wheel out of the river. It weighted a ton. I managed to hoist it on to the rear deck and head on my way. When I reached the logjam downstream (which I barely cleared empty), I nearly swamped the kayak, bit I did lost the basket, creating a huge trash spill. I paddled frantically collecting everything for the second time.

When I'd collected everything, I turned around and realized I'd lost the big wheel. Damn. All thet work. I know at some point I'll find it again, but it must have sank like a rock.

Tanks for Nothing

2007-07-18T18:33:00.000-07:00

Over the course of the past few years, I've dragged... oh, say... 3 dozen propane tanks out of the river. Why would items like propane tanks end up in the rivers? First, the old tanks were made obsolete in 2002. You can't fill it, so you had to get a new one and get rid of the old one. Second, local landfills and recycling centers charge you to get rid of the old tank. So that costs a few bucks. I guess the only sensible thing to do is kick the old one into the river.

Now, months or years later, I find it and take it to the recycling center who, through their generosity decide to take them for no fee because it's part of an environmental clean-up project.
Kind, yes, but it's a great deal of work for what seems like no reason at all. I understand towns need to charge to dispose of problematic items, but I also think that leads to increased illegal dumping.

-Ed

Nashua River in Pepperell

2007-07-06T11:20:00.000-07:00

Last Saturday, June 30th, 2007 My friend Dennis and I went to the Nashua River for a morning paddle before our party that evening. What a spectacular day! We paddled all the way upstream to Rte. 2A where the Squannacook meets the Nashua.

I have to say I was pleasantly surprised! I hadn't paddled much past Rte. 225 this year, and to my surprise, I was able to cover that whole 8-mile-ish stretch and not even fill my basket with trash.
That was a great feeling.

Often, because the volume of trash is high, I have to choose which trash I pick up. I have to decide to pick up the motor oil containers, spray paint, solvents, or other waste before I pick up trash. My logic is that the highly toxic items need to go before the stuff that's mostly just unsightly.

Not sure if the logic really holds up, but it might.

Nashua River Oxbow

2007-06-27T18:09:00.000-07:00

A few years ago when I started paddling, I found few areas I really liked, one of them was the Oxbow National Wildlife Refuge on the Nashua River in Harvard, MA. So I started paddling there on a regular basis and collecting trash and other items which contribute to the pollution of the watershed.

Now, a couple of years later, and probably 10 tons of waste later, you can paddle from the Oxbow Stillriver Depot down to Pepperell without significant waste. In late 2006 and in early 2007, I had it pretty well cleaned up, but the big floods in April caused a lot of waste to be washed downstream and back into the area between the Oxbow and Rte. 119 in Pepperell.

Last weekend I dragged the last tires and propane tank out of the Oxbow. There may still be a few pieces of trash, but not very much. Then I went to the Nashua River at Rte 117 in Bolton. Wow, what a mess!

I spent about 4 hours collecting tires, propane tanks, and other waste, but I never got out of earshot of Rte 117! I literally filled my pickup truck, and really only cleaned about 1,000 yards of river.

That's a tough stretch to clean up. If I go downstream, there are some areas that make the return trip very challenging. A portage is always possible, but when you have a kayak filled with trash, it's not easy to get in and out.

Well it looks like I'll have to make many more trips to that area in order to get it as clean as the Oxbow is now, but hey, it's worth the effort.

Getting Started

2007-06-26T05:49:00.000-07:00

Hi, I'm Ed and I'm starting this blog to share stories about environmental issues. I'm not a lobbyist or paid by anyone to offer my particular opinions about the planet, environment, or politics. I also don't act on behalf of any organization. I'm just one person taking action to try to improve the environment near where I live.

As a starting point, I created this presentation using Brainshark. It's a brief presentation about the work I've been doing to clean up the Nashua River Watershed in Massachusetts. It's authored in my own, unpolished voice.
http://www.brainshark.com/brainshark/vu/view.asp?pi=2313458

I'll be adding images, stories, and some more multimedia presentations to this blog as I get started, and I'll try to keep up with responses and will link to others with like minds.

-Ed