# Ha, the fountains at the White House flowing green! **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [March 17, 2009, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ha-the-fountains-at-the-white-house-flowing-green/489806 "2009-03-17T21:40:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Equipoise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/equipoise/32/151_2.png) [@Equipoise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Equipoise)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2009, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ha-the-fountains-at-the-white-house-flowing-green/489806/1 "2009-03-17T21:40:15Z")
[White House Fountains Dyed Green For First Time At Michelle Obama’s Request](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/03/17/white-house-fountains-dye_n_175669.html) (picture at link) > [@](#): > > The White House is going green for St. Patrick’s Day. > > The water in the fountains on the north and south lawns of the White House has been dyed green to mark the national holiday of Ireland. > > First Lady Michelle Obama came up with the idea for the festive touch, said spokeswoman Katie McCormick Lelyveld. She was inspired by the St. Patrick’s Day celebrations in her hometown of Chicago, where the city marks the holiday by dyeing the river green. > > “It’s a little piece of home for our new home,” said Lelyveld, who is also from Chicago. > > Lelyveld said it’s the first time the water in the White House fountains has been dyed. The green hue will stay until the dye runs outs. I love it! It’s nice to have fun people in the White House. ---
**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2009, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ha-the-fountains-at-the-white-house-flowing-green/489806/2 "2009-03-17T21:45:03Z")
First a swingset, now they dye the fountain green, what next? Will they throw open the gates on Halloween and welcome trick-or-treaters? I agree - it is nice to see a touch of humanity at that address. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2009, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ha-the-fountains-at-the-white-house-flowing-green/489806/3 "2009-03-17T21:51:57Z")
Descended from the Galway O’Bamas, is he? ---
**Author:** ![rocking\_chair](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rocking_chair/32/2918_2.png) [@rocking\_chair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rocking_chair)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2009, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ha-the-fountains-at-the-white-house-flowing-green/489806/4 "2009-03-17T23:50:38Z")
the moneygall kearneys. ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2009, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ha-the-fountains-at-the-white-house-flowing-green/489806/5 "2009-03-18T00:06:16Z")
It’s awfully nice of Mrs. Obama to maintain the cover story that they have to **dye** the Chicago River. ---
**Author:** ![pravnik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8edcca/32.png) [@pravnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pravnik)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2009, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ha-the-fountains-at-the-white-house-flowing-green/489806/6 "2009-03-18T00:27:08Z")
Two long years I spent on campaign, Two long years doing nothing at all Two long years I spent on campaign, Learnin’ to dance for the Inaugural Ball! I stepped out and Joe stepped in it again Joe stepped out and I stepped in again I fist-bumped, Michelle fist-bumped again Learnin’ to dance for the Inaugural Ball! (with apologies to _Lanigan’s Ball_) ---
**Author:** ![An\_Gadai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@An\_Gadai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Gadai)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2009, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ha-the-fountains-at-the-white-house-flowing-green/489806/7 "2009-03-18T01:44:31Z")
Again. [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Xkw8ip43Vk](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Xkw8ip43Vk) ---
**Author:** ![Equipoise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/equipoise/32/151_2.png) [@Equipoise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Equipoise)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2009, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ha-the-fountains-at-the-white-house-flowing-green/489806/8 "2009-03-18T01:45:04Z")
> [@Ferret\_Herder](#): > > It’s awfully nice of Mrs. Obama to maintain the cover story that they have to **dye** the Chicago River. _laugh_ We’ve lived in Chicago for almost 20 years and have never been downtown to see the green river. It’s always perplexed me though because it looks green all the time anyway. I guess it’s a _lighter_ green on St. Paddy’s Day. ---
**Author:** ![An\_Gadai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@An\_Gadai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Gadai)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2009, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ha-the-fountains-at-the-white-house-flowing-green/489806/9 "2009-03-18T01:48:06Z")
I thought they dyed it blue the other 364. ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2009, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ha-the-fountains-at-the-white-house-flowing-green/489806/10 "2009-03-18T01:53:12Z")
> [@An\_Gadai](#): > > I thought they dyed it blue the other 364. They’re claiming it’s “improving water quality” that’s done the trick. (Still shouldn’t eat the fish, last I read, but it is at least a heck of a lot better looking than in the bad old days. It’s good enough to have kayak rentals and such on the river.) ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2009, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ha-the-fountains-at-the-white-house-flowing-green/489806/11 "2009-03-18T02:51:46Z")
I’m patiently waiting for tomorow’s cover story to come out that the green dye stained the bottom of the fountain. Now tax payers have to spend a 100K to fix it. Thanks Mrs. Obama…(Kidding of course) ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2009, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ha-the-fountains-at-the-white-house-flowing-green/489806/12 "2009-03-18T03:28:32Z")
> [@Ferret\_Herder](#): > > They’re claiming it’s “improving water quality” that’s done the trick. (Still shouldn’t eat the fish, last I read, but it is at least a heck of a lot better looking than in the bad old days. It’s good enough to have kayak rentals and such on the river.) In the river’s defense, it never [caught fire](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cuyahoga_River). ---
**Author:** ![Equipoise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/equipoise/32/151_2.png) [@Equipoise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Equipoise)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2009, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ha-the-fountains-at-the-white-house-flowing-green/489806/13 "2009-03-18T03:43:18Z")
> [@gaffa](#): > > In the river’s defense, it never [caught fire](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cuyahoga_River). There are no pictures of the river on fire there. That’s disappointing. [Here’s one.](http://celebrating200years.noaa.gov/events/earthday/cuyohoga_fire.html) ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2009, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ha-the-fountains-at-the-white-house-flowing-green/489806/14 "2009-03-18T04:23:37Z")
> [@Equipoise](#): > > _laugh_ We’ve lived in Chicago for almost 20 years and have never been downtown to see the green river. It’s always perplexed me though because it looks green all the time anyway. I guess it’s a _lighter_ green on St. Paddy’s Day. You might be similarly disappointed if you ever see the Danube. ---
**Author:** ![Ichini\_Sanshigo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/d9b06d/32.png) [@Ichini\_Sanshigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ichini_Sanshigo)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2009, 4:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ha-the-fountains-at-the-white-house-flowing-green/489806/15 "2009-03-18T04:48:35Z")
> [@Equipoise](#): > > There are no pictures of the river on fire there. That’s disappointing. [Here’s one.](http://celebrating200years.noaa.gov/events/earthday/cuyohoga_fire.html) From your link: > [@](#): > > Firefighters battle a fire on Ohio’s Cuyahoga River in 1952. The 1969 blaze, one of nine on the river since 1868, came at a time of increasing environmental awareness and symbolized years of environmental neglect. There were _nine_ fires burning on the river for _99 years_?! :eek: ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2009, 8:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ha-the-fountains-at-the-white-house-flowing-green/489806/16 "2009-03-18T08:14:26Z")
> [@An\_Gadai](#): > > Again. [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Xkw8ip43Vk](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Xkw8ip43Vk) Gee, I was coming in to post [this one](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HplZ_taHXLM). 😃 ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2009, 9:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ha-the-fountains-at-the-white-house-flowing-green/489806/17 "2009-03-18T09:02:11Z")
I like it, too. You just know someone’s gonna have a problem with it and go on the talk shows. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2009, 9:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ha-the-fountains-at-the-white-house-flowing-green/489806/18 "2009-03-18T09:29:03Z")
> [@Equipoise](#): > > _laugh_ We’ve lived in Chicago for almost 20 years and have never been downtown to see the green river. It’s always perplexed me though because it looks green all the time anyway. I guess it’s a _lighter_ green on St. Paddy’s Day. I’d describe it more as a brighter, more intense green. Vividly green, as opposed to the usual muddy green. Oddly enough, before they put the dye in the water the dye is _orange_. ---
**Author:** ![rocking\_chair](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rocking_chair/32/2918_2.png) [@rocking\_chair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rocking_chair)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2009, 10:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ha-the-fountains-at-the-white-house-flowing-green/489806/19 "2009-03-18T10:04:58Z")
> [@Ichini\_Sanshigo](#): > > From your link: > There were _nine_ fires burning on the river for _99 years_?! :eek: here’s a fun fact. when oil was first refined into usable products in western pa, they would pour the then considered unusable gasoline into the rivers. there were lots of river fires in western pa and ohio from this. ---
**Author:** ![rocking\_chair](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rocking_chair/32/2918_2.png) [@rocking\_chair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rocking_chair)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2009, 10:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ha-the-fountains-at-the-white-house-flowing-green/489806/20 "2009-03-18T10:06:14Z")
> [@Broomstick](#): > > I’d describe it more as a brighter, more intense green. Vividly green, as opposed to the usual muddy green. > > Oddly enough, before they put the dye in the water the dye is _orange_. there is a scene in the harrison ford movie fugitive that shows the intensely green river. it is almost lime green. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ha-the-fountains-at-the-white-house-flowing-green/489806.md?page=2)