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I rather enjoy this discussion about swamps vs. marsh. I would like to share wth you an alternative interpretation, open to discussion and to debate. Let me suggest that almost every marshy/swampy description of Washington, DC, is actually a statement about the city's environmental quality. Most of the which describe a Washington as sickly and rather unhealthy. And though this state of morass is attributed to the natural feature of a swamp or marsh, I assert that - the ill health is - in fact created by the society. There have been times in the past when this area has suffered from ecological shock. Literally reeling from the devastating impact of a rapidly concentrating population, who, from lack of knowledge and greed create periodic environmental crisis and disasters. here's a few examples--just as a starting point for the discussions--perhaps those reading this will come up with other examples. 1) This area, once teaming with wild life was devastated by the onslaught of gun totting settlers. 2) Deforestation. The original old growth forest was burned to make way for plantations, cut for firewood, construction and export trade. There is hardly any original old growth left anywhere in the region. 3) Tobacco growing, which was the regions primary cash crop up until the late 1700's, ruined the soil. 4) Slavery contributed to environmental plunder and over consumption. Rather then build modest energy efficient homes, - it was cheaper and easier to have an enslaved American of African descent, cut more wood, continually stoke the fire day and night, clear more land, build bigger, and plant more. 5) Fires for cooking and heating, especially in the city, contributed to poor air quality and illness. 6) Before plumbing, the settlers stayed close to the rivers and creeks. Early industries, used that same water for industry and power, Dams interfered with fish migration. Early industrial pollution from plaster mills, and tanneries along with human and animal waste - were dumped directly into the water. By the 1830's what had once been an abundant supply of fish were no more. Those who drank the water in some creeks and rivers became ill - many died. Eddie Becker eddie_becker@yahoo.com Matthew Gilmore H-DC list co-editor, web editor dc-edit@mail.h-net.msu.edu http://www2.h-net.msu.edu/~dclist/ [list website] http://www2.h-net.msu.edu/lists/subscribe.cgi?list=H-DC [subscribe to H-DC] Remember to check http://h-net.msu.edu/cgi-bin/logbrowse.pl?trx=lm&list=h-dc for past list messages.
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