The Rope Swing

It was not until the later years of my life that I developed an appreciation for my environment. I too often chose to travel through life, never fully appreciating the surroundings I was blessed to have until they were no longer there. I never thought twice about throwing a piece of trash on the ground, and never concerned myself with the consequences of my actions. Before I was fully able to come to the realization of the impact my actions had on my surroundings, I had to experience first-hand the destruction that individuals can cause.

During the stage of my life when I felt too mature to be playing with Barbies, yet still believed that boys had cooties, my favorite place to hang out was the Rope Swing. I was introduced to the Rope Swing by my older brothers, and before belonging to them it belonged to my parents and their friends, and their parents before them. As is quite evident, the Rope Swing has long since stood as a great addition to my town. Although my brothers once spent their summer days with picnics and swims by the Rope Swing, they eventually got their drivers licenses and moved onto bigger and better things. The Rope Swing then fell into the hands of me and my friends. We all anxiously awaited the summer days which followed the end of school and began the days spent lounging around the Rope Swing. When the weather finally cooperated my friends and I would walk the short distance into the woods behind my house, and accompany many of our fellow neighbors and classmates to the Rope Swing. We could hear the squeals of laughter and splashes of water as we neared the swing, and our excitement would begin to peak. The rest of my day would then be spent swinging into the always clear and refreshing water, while others climbed the surrounding trees or fished downstream. The saddest part of the day came when, one by one, we began to hear our mothers beckoning us to return home before the sun went down and the street lights came on. Although these days have long since been just a memory to me, since I too eventually got my license and the Rope Swing no longer seemed so appealing, those summers have turned out to be some of the best of my life and our never too far away in my memory.

Shortly after my graduation from high school, my friends and I were reminiscing about “the good old days” and decided to revisit our old stomping ground. As we embarked on the somewhat overgrown pathway to the Rope Swing, it felt as if we were ten years old again and nothing had changed. However, upon our arrival at our old hangout we came to the realization that everything had changed. Broken beer bottles, candy wrappers, and all sorts of litter scattered the ground. The once clear and lively river was dirty and gloomy, and the once indestructible Rope Swing was barely noticeable, hanging from a torn down branch. We all stood in silence, secretly hoping that we had made a wrong turn along the way and this was not the revered Rope Swing we once knew and loved. After a failed attempt to clean up the area, my friends and I left the Rope Swing and vowed to restore it to its former beauty. We all walked back to town in silence, pondering how human pollution and disrespect could turn something so beautiful into something some disgusting.

After a long rant to my mother about how “kids these days” do not appreciate anything, I was informed that the water by the Rope Swing was no longer safe for fishing or swimming. Due to the illegal disposal of wastewater from a local power plant and the litter that now inhabits the river, the water was dubbed temporarily unsafe for any sort of activity. When I heard this news I began to swell with rage, but my anger quickly turned into a feeling of disappointment. My community was solely responsible for the destruction of this once beautiful haven, which had been home to so many generations of our community and housed so many wonderful memories. I can remember the day that I caught my first fish in that river, right alongside my father. I was so proud of the accomplishment and could not have wished for this landmark event to have happened at a better location. After taking numerous pictures of myself with the fish, I returned the fish happily to its home in the river, not daring to remove it from its natural habitat. Now, the Rope Swing is no longer inhabitable for the animals that once called it home, and it is no longer a place where the kids of my town can relax and have fun.

Although this personal experience seems only to describe the effects of pollution on my community, this story can be related to situations all over the world. Communities around the globe are dealing with the effects of pollution, especially the effects of pollution on water sources. The experience with the Rope Swing made me realize how vital humans are in preserving the environment, and if we continue down the path we are on it may ultimately lead to our own destruction. Another bit of insight that I gained from this experience was that oftentimes we do not consider the long-term effects of our actions, as long as there are no immediate consequences. I remember the days when throwing a gum wrapper on the ground was no big deal, since it was only one gum wrapper, but little pieces of litter can accumulate and cause the destruction that I was able to witness first hand. Although our efforts to clean up the Rope Swing did make major improvements, the water is still not safe for anyone to fish in. The process of restoring the Rope Swing to its former beauty is a long one, and there is a chance that it may never be able to be what it once was. Either way, I walked away from this experience a lot more knowledgeable and aware than I once was. My actions towards this environment not only have an effect on me but everyone else on this earth as well. Either we as a race need to recognize and change our behavior, or we will end up destroying this place we call home.

The View from My Window

The view outside my front window.

Step out onto any doorstep in Homer City, Pennsylvania and the one site you are certain to see in the distance is the Homer City Generating Station. For the past eighteen years of my life the power plant has been a constant daily image. Every morning on my way to school I headed straight towards those grey smokestacks, and they were the first things I saw in the horizon as I left. However, the Homer City Generating Station is much more than just a physical landmark in this town; it is the income for many families, the future place of employment for many students, and the power provider for about two million homes (EME).

The view from Homer-Center High School

Although the generating station has always been a source of income and of economic benefit to the area, there has been a constant struggle between the power plant and the environment. The plant has been a major polluter, ranking both nationally and in the state. At one point the plant was reported to have released 8,500,000 pounds of toxic chemicals, including mercury, sulfur dioxide, and carbon dioxide. The facility has also incurred numerous fines from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection for violating the Pennsylvania Clean Streams Law. Although the Homer City Generating Station has had its historic battles with nature, the recent buzz about Global Warming and the overwhelming amount of carbon dioxide emission from the plant has brought about some recent changes. A scrubber, which is an air pollution control device used to removed unwanted, harmful particles from industrial exhaust streams, was added to one of the three cooling towers of the plant. The result was a significant decrease in the amount of toxic chemicals exiting the plant; in 2002 the plant emitted 595 pounds of toxic waste, a vast improvement compared to the 2,963 pounds emitted in 1998 (Homer). Although the benefits of preserving such a facility might be difficult to pinpoint now, the vast environmental improvements the plant has made and continues to make are beginning to make a major difference.

The Homer City Generating Station is home to the tallest chimney in the United States.

The Homer City Generating Station is a coal run power plant, which requires the transportation coal from the mines to the plant. This task was once carried out by coal trucks, but in recent years the supplies have been brought to the plant by train. This small change has already had a multitude of effects. Regular speed trains pollute much less than cars and trucks cluttering the roadways, they require less energy to move, and transport a larger amount of supplies more efficiently (Transportation). The Department of Environmental Protection recently conducted a harm/benefit analysis on the Homer City Generating Station and concluded that the benefits of this station greatly outweigh its potential environmental harms (Newsroom).
This plant provides electricity for millions of homes, including those in New York City. Electricity has come to be a resource that citizens of the United States cannot live or function effectively without. Without the electricity provided by not only the Homer City Generating Station, but also power plants across the country, no one would be able to go about his or her daily lives. The conservation and adaptation of this historical power plant has aided not only efficiency but also human survival. Without the existence of such power plants the food we consume and harvest would be much more difficult to obtain and distribute. This facility is not only providing us with the power we oftentimes take for granted in our daily lives, but it is providing a livelihood for numerous individuals across the country. The plant itself is home to approximately 260 employees, but it also provides jobs and income for the coal miners and transporters (EME). The power plant has spent a great deal of money trying to make the facility as environmentally friendly as possible, in turn making Homer City as safe as possible.

Another aspect that must be considered when discussing this facility’s role in the environment is the cost of tearing the building down. The generating station is housed on 2,400 acres and includes a 1,800 acre reservoir (EME). The cost of properly tearing down this very large facility would much greater than the money put in to preserve it. Along with the disposal of the building and the plant would in turn make over half of the residents of Homer City unemployed. There has consistently been time and effort put into researching how to make this facility as environmentally friendly as possible. The facility has come leaps and bounds in just my lifetime and is continuing to do so. Soon enough the hope of the community is that the environmental effects of the plant will no longer need to be in question.

A scrubber was added to the cooling tower to reduce pollution.

One thing is for certain, the Homer City Generating Station has become a necessity in many individuals’ lives, homes and communities. It has become a part of our town, a neighbor, and constant visual reminder of the great effort put into making it function safely and effectively every day. The view outside my window may not be ideal for everyone, but it has been a constant reminder of the necessities of having a clean and safe environment to live in and the effects of what can happen when it’s not.

Our everyday reminder.

Works Cited

Homer City Generating Station. EME Homer City Generation L.P., 2005. Web. Apr. 2010.

Homer City Generating Station. Web. Apr. 2010.

Newsroom. Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, 2009. Web. Apr. 2010.

Transportation. PolluteLess.com. Web. Apr. 2010.

The Beauty of the Beach

The sand beneath my feet is cool as I begin to walk down the shoreline of Cape May, New Jersey. There is a slight breeze from the ocean blowing my hair behind me as I continue to walk. That distinct ocean smell lingers in the air as I stop for a moment to take in my surroundings. For once, the beaches are not crowded with screaming children, impatient parents, and out-of-control boogie boarders. I am all alone, except for the vast ocean that lies crashing in front of me, the sand stretching for miles on either side of me, and the sun on the brink of rising. As I take a seat to capture the breath-taking moment unfolding before me, I begin to reflect on and admire the simplicity and beauty of it all. Most importantly I begin to fully appreciate the surroundings nature has bestowed upon me, the more important grand scheme of the world and how lucky I am to be a part of it.

Arguably, one of the main reasons individuals vacation at the beach is to relax while temporarily leaving their stressors and worries at home. However, this was the first time on this vacation where I felt completely relaxed. There were no prodding thoughts in the back of my mind, and for once I was not thinking about myself at all. The only thing that concerned me was the beautiful landscape I was so privileged to have laid out in front of me. There was not another soul around to share in this moment, as if this spellbinding movie was playing out just for me. There were no distractions, no one to ruin this moment and all the worries of work, family, and friends began to disappear. The drama and deadlines back home began to feel less important in the grand scheme of things. The only role I felt obligated to play in this moment was simply a stander by, someone who could only marvel at this beauty, because I had no part in creating it. The pink and golden streaks through the sky were not a result of me or any other human being on this earth. The scene that was unfolding before my eyes was not one that could be captured by any work of human. A picture or a painting could not encompass the smell of the sea surrounding me, the soft crash of the wave that morning, or the cool breeze coming off the ocean. Any attempt at trying to capture this moment would fall short to me, and with that realization my appreciation began to set in for this whole landscape.

We are constantly surrounded by the works of man, the houses we live in, the offices we work in, and the cars we drive to and from those places, for once it was refreshing to view what nature can do by itself. This very beach at the heart of Cape May, New Jersey, must have taken years and years to form into what it is today. The rocks had to be slowly worn by erosion over the years, but perhaps this aspect lends to the beauty and serenity of it all. So often we, as a society, choose to race through life, never taking time to stop and appreciate our surroundings. As frightening as it may sound, there may come a time when we will not be able to appreciate these surroundings at all, because they will be all gone, replaced with shopping centers and housing developments. Even at this young age in my life, I have come to notice the differences happening in my environment every day. After this week ends, my family and I will be returning to my small town home in Pennsylvania. This small town, which now has a major highway running through the middle of it transporting hundreds of drivers on a daily basis, began as a town with only one stoplight and certainly no highways. The realization of how awfully soon the day might come where my favorite getaway spot might turn into another tourist, money-making establishment served to strengthen my appreciation for the moment I was in.

While standing alone on this vast beach, hours before any vacationer will come to claim his or her spot for the day, things seem so simple. As I have been sitting in the sand mesmerized by the golden pink color painted through the sky, the seagulls and sand crabs have managed to completely ignore me and carry on with their daily routines. As important as we humans tend to find ourselves, we mean nothing to these animals. We have in no way aided in their survival, and if anything have led them on the way to extinction. Perhaps we are only pawns in this big game of life, and have no control over what will ultimately become of us. We all live and then die, but what about what is in-between? As long as we have lived our lives in such a way that makes us happy, nothing else truly matters. It all sounds so simple; just live our lives in a way that makes us happy, yet many of us struggle with this ideal everyday of our lives. This very rare time of reflection led me to think about the many religious aspects of my life. The calm that overcame me in this moment and the remarkable beauty I was witnessing made me feel at great ease with my belief in a greater being and what would become of me after my life on this earth is finished.

As I finally manage to make my way back to our shore house where the remainder of my family lays asleep oblivious to the scene just outside their windows, my mind wanders back to the days when my father and I use to walk these same beaches together when I was a little girl. I am so easily taken back to those days, just the smell of the ocean, crash of the waves, or sight of a seashell will send my mind on a wild frenzy. In my mind, I can see my father and me walking with his hand fully encasing the tiny hand of his only little girl. We walk along the shoreline, stopping to pick up any seashells that we think my mother would like. I am rambling off any question that enters my mind, and my father patiently answers every last one of them until I am satisfied. I was too young to appreciate that moment and all it was worth. I never took the time to really look at the sunrise that was happening right before me, and I certainly never took the time to appreciate this moment with my father. As my mind snaps back into reality, I am in front of our little pink shore house, taking a last glimpse at the risen sun, and in that moment vowing to never let the simple joys in life pass me by.

The realization I came to this morning is not one that I could have come upon under any other circumstances. Pictures and stories are wonderful; however, to fully understand what a moment like that can bring one has to experience it. The insight that I gained that morning will stay with me forever. I have since made vow to never let the simple pleasures pass me by, and appreciate each moment for what it is worth. I am more trusting of the path my life has taken, and am secure in the belief that there is someone else watching out for me, and things will work out in the end. No matter where my life takes me, and if I never make my way to the beaches of Cape May again, there will always be constant reminders in my life of that moment. Whenever I feel that small breeze pass by me or hear the sound of water crashing, I will automatically be taken back to that place. However simple or insignificant this moment may seem it has brought about a change in my attitude and my views upon life and nature.

"How 'Bout Them Steelers?"

The sun was shining that day and the air was humid. I had on the Hines Ward jersey that my brothers had bought me for my birthday, a terrible towel clutched in one hand and my dad’s hand in the other. I was making my way into Heinz Field for my first ever Steelers game. The anticipation and excitement of the crowd was contagious. We made our way up what seemed like a never-ending flight of stairs and into our seats in peanut heaven. We could not have been any further away from the field, but the enthusiasm of the fans made its way up to us. It was not long into the first quarter that the Steelers scored their first touchdown, and the reaction from the crowd was mind-blowing. The stadium was filled with golden towels whirling above the heads of many fans, and there was not a Steelers supporter left in their seat. The crowd kept up their momentum throughout the entire game, and although the Steelers did not walk away with a victory that day, the fans never stopped supporting the players. It was that day, my eighth birthday, as I exited the stadium hand-in-hand with my father, that the pride Pittsburgh had for their football team caught hold of me, and I vowed to always be a Steelers fan.

When walking through the streets of Pittsburgh nearly every building you pass bears the Steelers’ emblem or a terrible towel in the window. While continuing to walk down the streets you will most certainly pass a resident of Pittsburgh wearing a number seven, Ben Roethlisberger jersey. The city of Pittsburgh has great pride in its football and all of its players, which is why when anyone mentions the word Pittsburgh; the first thing that comes to mind is the Steelers. The Steelers’ Pride in Pittsburgh goes way beyond the recent success the team has achieved. The Steelers have always been a mascot for Pittsburgh, and it is nearly impossible to describe one without the other. The relationship between the two dates back to the creation of the city.

The history of the Steelers seems to mimic the history and development of Pittsburgh. The Pittsburgh Steelers are the oldest team in the AFC and have won more Super Bowl titles and AFC Championship games than any other team in the league. As any person of Pittsburgh would know, the Steelers acquired their name due to the steel industry, which once predominated Pittsburgh. The Pittsburgh Steelers thus became a representation of the working class. It was then that the Steelers’ victories became more than just simple triumphs over an opposing team, but they became small victories for the city as a whole and all the people in the city that the team represented. As the Steelers suffered through brutal losses followed by amazing successes, the city of Pittsburgh began on a rollercoaster ride of its own as it began to flourish into the city we know and love today. The Steelers’ games were something that residents could come together and bond over. As our country suffered through depressions and economic troubles, one thing was for certain, the Steelers would get on the field and play that night, leaving their hearts and souls in the stadium. Whether or not they walked away with another victory under their belts never diminished the fact that they were fighting just like everyone in Pittsburgh was fighting.

Still to this day sports commentators continue to address the similarities between Pittsburgh and the Steelers. Pittsburgh is often characterized as a hard-working, blue-collar city with many residents making a living through manual labor. The Steelers are unique in the same respect as a football team because they are often recognized as a hard nose team, who much prefers a running game to a passing one. With running backs such as Jerome Bettis, better known as “The Bus” to power through defenders the Steelers did not need any fancy trick plays. Through hard work and tough playing characteristics the Steelers quickly became a recognized football team, and associated themselves with the hard-working Pittsburgh citizens.

It clear that the Steelers are much more then a football team to Pittsburgh. Many of the players on the Steelers team have played for Pittsburgh for so long they begin to feel like close friends or family to the residents of the Pittsburgh area. Some of the players can even be seen eating at the restaurants or hanging out at the bars in the city. Not only can players be found at various locations throughout the city, many have their own restaurants or bars. For instance, Pittsburgh is the proud home of Jerome Bettis’ Grille 36, along with Southside 86, in honor of Hines Ward. Oftentimes the players can be found there interacting with the customers, just as if they were old friends.

Entertainment is not the only aspect that the Steelers bring to the community. Players, coaches, owners, and even the mascot of the Steelers are involved in numerous charitable events throughout the city. Steelers chairman Dan Rooney and president Art Rooney II are known as two of the most active NFL owners and are some of Pittsburgh’s most involved executives in civic affairs. This sort of relationship between players and their fans results in the most loyal fans a team could ask for. These fans stick with their team throughout their highs and lows, never giving up faith. The Pittsburgh citizens know that the Steelers will always be a part of their city, supporting it and helping it to flourish, and the Pittsburgh fans in return will always be there to support the Steelers.

Clearly, the Steelers have become more than just a football team in Pittsburgh; they have become a representation of the city. Whenever one goes to Pittsburgh, whether the Steelers made the play-offs or not that season, the Steelers pride can be seen throughout the city. The enthusiasm and loyalty of Pittsburgh fans is for good reason; when this city felt as if it were at its all-time low, the Steelers brought victory, triumph and, most importantly pride to a city that needed it. Not only has Pittsburgh been there for the Steelers, but the Steelers have been there for Pittsburgh, and hopefully always will be. This is why, when anyone walks down the streets of Pittsburgh and ask a passerby, “How ‘bout them Steelers?” be prepared for a more than just a few cordial remarks. The pride that Pittsburgh residents feel for the black and gold has seemed to spill out elsewhere, and it is being noticed by all. It captured the attention of an eight-year-old girl at her first Steelers’ game and is continuing to capture the attention of others as “Steelers City” turns into “Steelers Nation.”