The Daily Grist
Just getting caught up here. I've been behind but this should bring us up to date. Lot's of things happening on a lot of different fronts. Tough to keep up sometimes. Just staying informed is a full time job. No wonder "the powers that be" think that they can do wahtever they want and get away with it. No body really has the time to watchdog them. Our first line of defense here is Indy Media. Support them..........We need all the help we can get..........Scott
"GET INVOLVED........THE WORLD IS RUN BY THOSE WHO SHOW UP.........I'LL SEE YOU THERE !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
Trash Talk
Garbage Land follows trash to its final resting place
Ever wondered where your trash goes after the guys in the big truck come and take it away? Yeah, us too. Ever set out on a journey to track every bit of your trash to its respective landfill, recycling plant, and electronics-disassembling operation in a remote Chinese village? Yeah, us neither. Luckily, Elizabeth Royte did, and wrote a ripping good book about it: Garbage Land. Reviewer Jim Motavalli takes a big whiff.
new in Books Unbound: Dirty Words
Gas-Muzzler
EPA holds back negative report on U.S. auto fuel efficiency
According to a report not released Wednesday by the U.S. EPA, loopholes in U.S. fuel-economy standards let automakers produce cars and trucks much less fuel-efficient than models 20 years ago. On Tuesday, the same day the long-debated energy bill emerged from congressional negotiations, EPA opted to keep the report to itself for another week. An agency spokesflack says it's being reviewed for clarity and thoroughness, but some think the delay has a peculiar smell. Says the Sierra Club's Daniel Becker, "Something's fishy when the Bush administration delays a report showing no improvement in fuel economy until after passage of their energy bill, which fails to improve fuel economy." According to the report, the average 2004 auto sold in the U.S. got 6 percent fewer miles per gallon than one from the late 1980s, both because of the rising popularity of SUVs and because advances in engine technology have largely been used to make vehicles more powerful rather than more fuel efficient.
straight to the source: The New York Times, Danny Hakim, 28 Jul 2005
Dirty Financing
Dirty-energy tax breaks total over $8.5 billion in energy bill
Highly profitable dirty-power industries may be treated to even fatter bottom lines thanks to the energy bill that emerged this week from congressional conference committee. It would dedicate more than $8.5 billion in tax breaks over the next 10 years to oil, natural gas, coal, nuclear power, and electric utilities. Nukes alone would get $1.5 billion in direct subsidies, $2 billion in "risk insurance," and loan guarantees for future new reactor construction. Says a nuke industry spokesflack, "This is a great bill." After the bill was out of committee, Rep. Tom DeLay (R-Texas) snuck in another lump o' pork: a $1.5 billion fund designed to funnel taxpayer money to oil and gas companies, with some $1 billion of the fund to be administered by a private consortium composed largely of -- you guessed it -- oil and gas companies. Coincidentally (ahem), the likely consortium is based in DeLay's home district in Sugar Land, Texas. As for solar and wind power, plus conservation and efficiency initiatives, over the next 10 years they'd collectively see about $4.3 billion in tax breaks.
straight to the source: The Wall Street Journal, John J. Fialka, 28 Jul 2005 (access ain't free)
straight to the source: Yahoo! News, Associated Press, H. Josef Hebert, 27 Jul 2005
see also, in Gristmill: Energy bill pork from DeLay, 27 Jul 2005
Dirty Financing: Havana Nights
Environmental groups unanimous in distaste for energy bill
Yesterday, a letter signed by reps from more than a dozen environmental organizations was sent to Congress with a strong message about the energy bill that recently emerged from conference committee: it stinks. It does nothing to wean the U.S. from its dependence on foreign oil. It ladles subsidies on mature, already-profitable, heavily polluting industries. It shortchanges renewables and conservation efforts. Today, the folks from the Apollo Alliance circulated an op-ed about the energy bill saying that it does nothing to wean the U.S. from dependence on foreign oil, and it ladles ... hey, wait a minute. Stop by Gristmill to read them both.
new in Gristmill: Reaction to the energy bill from enviro groups
new in Gristmill: Reaction to the energy bill from the Apollo Alliance
Thrill Spill Cult
Water should keep pouring over Northwest dams to aid salmon, court says
Salmon will continue to find a watery way over several Northwest dams. The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals this week voted to uphold a federal judge's June order for the feds to aid migrating salmon by spilling water over five dams in the Columbia and Snake river systems in the Northwest. A three-judge panel of the appeals court specifically endorsed Judge James Redden's finding that 13 endangered species of salmon and steelhead in the region are not "evidencing signs of recovery" under the federal government's current management plan, which emphasizes barging or trucking the fish around dams so as not to disrupt hydroelectric power generation. More than half of the spring-summer run of Snake River chinook salmon are killed each year as they pass through dam turbines. The Bush administration had appealed Redden's order, arguing the spillage made this year's slower, hotter river conditions even more dangerous to tender young salmon.
straight to the source: The Oregonian, Joe Rojas-Burke, 27 Jul 2005
straight to the source: Corvallis Gazette-Times, Associated Press, David Kravets, 27 Jul 2005
Beach Blanket Politico
Green activist Donna Frye leading in race for mayor of San Diego
San Diego may soon get a jolt of green in City Hall. Veteran surfer chick and longtime environmental activist Donna Frye (D) took 43 percent of the vote in the city's mayoral election on Tuesday, far ahead of the 27 percent earned by her closest contender, but short of the majority needed to win without a runoff. Frye, who's served on the San Diego City Council since 2001, will now face former Police Chief Jerry Sanders (R) in a November runoff election. Last November, Frye ran as a write-in candidate against then-Mayor Dick Murphy (R). Although she got more votes, she didn't get the job; a judge threw out thousands of ballots as technically invalid because voters didn't fill in the bubble next to the line where they wrote in Frye's name. Since then, both Murphy and his replacement have resigned in a cloud of scandal, giving Frye another shot at the spot. Co-owner of a surf shop, she has long been active in local good-government and environmental campaigns in San Diego.
straight to the source: Los Angeles Times, Tony Perry, 28 Jul 2005
straight to the source: San Diego Union-Tribune, Gerry Braun, 28 Jul 2005
Shuffling the Deck
New nominees for top spots at EPA worry enviros
The Senate last night confirmed President Bush's pick for the No. 2 slot at EPA -- Marcus Peacock, most recently a number-cruncher at the Office of Management and Budget, responsible for determining whether the cost of environmental regulations is justified by their benefit to the U.S. economy. Some activists are queasy about him, recalling that Peacock played a role in freezing Clinton-era regulations on arsenic in drinking water and protections for roadless areas of national forests. And that's not the only personnel shuffling at EPA that's making enviros nervous. Muckraker examines the new crop of EPA higher-ups.
new in Muckraker: Shuffling the Deck
see also, in Gristmill: The lowdown on Marcus Peacock
sign up: Receive word by email each time a new Muckraker column hits the scene
Stricken of the Sea
Fish diversity declines in the deep ocean
There are fewer and fewer species of big fish in the deep sea, putting overall ocean health in danger. Scientists have known for years that overfishing diminishes species diversity in coastal areas, but in a study published today in the journal Science, researchers report a drop in diversity of deep-ocean fish as well -- in many areas about 50 percent since the 1950s. For example, in places where the tuna catch used to include several different species, including bluefin and albacore, now mostly yellowjack and skipjack remain. If these two types of tuna cannot withstand environmental challenges like global warming, "we may have very little to fall back on," says study coauthor Boris Worm. "The oceans have been drained of species, basically." But there's a hopeful finding as well: The study has revealed a few key spots where sea life congregates. Worm hopes that like coral reefs or rainforests, these areas will capture the public's imagination and focus conservation efforts for maximum future impact.
straight to the source: The New York Times, Cornelia Dean, 29 Jul 2005
straight to the source: The Globe and Mail, Mark Hume, 29 Jul 2005
Draft Picks
Green-minded architect Raphael Sperry answers readers' questions
Raphael Sperry of Architects/Designers/Planners for Social Responsibility says weather-stripping, installing double-paned windows, and adding insulation can be more important -- if less sexy -- than outfitting your home with cool new energy technologies. Answering reader questions this week, Sperry suggests resources for learning more about green building, offers advice on dealing with curmudgeonly building inspectors, chats about exploring green design careers, and more.
new in InterActivist: Draft Picks
A Slip of the Tungsten
Supposedly eco-safe ammo may actually contaminate soil
"Green bullets" created to be environmentally safe -- though not safe, presumably, for their targets -- may not be so eco after all. At Camp Edwards in Bourne, Mass., the U.S. Army switched from lead ordinance to ammo made of tungsten and nylon, aiming (ahem) not to contaminate the aquifer below. But six years and about a million rounds later, turns out the Army never actually studied the nylon-tungsten bullet combo. Data have emerged suggesting that tungsten -- thought to be insoluble -- can leach into soil in certain conditions, and can enable lead to move through soil more speedily. So now Camp Edwards is hosting the Army's first-ever field tests of tungsten's solubility. The base has a history of environmental problems: The aquifer that lies beneath it, which supplies drinking water to upper Cape Cod, has been contaminated in the past with jet fuel and other pollutants.
straight to the source: The Washington Post, Associated Press, Jay Lindsay, 29 Jul 2005
straight to the source: Boston Herald, Associated Press, 28 Jul 2005
see also, in Gristmill: Bombing Range Nat'l Park
Black and White and Studio Head All Over
Hollywood studios see greenbacks in them thar flightless waterfowl
The summer's big hit documentary isn't about the antics of political weasels, or children at spelling bees; it's a nature film about flightless Antarctic waterfowl. French-made March of the Penguins, a heartstring-yanking saga about emperor penguins, cost $7 million to make. It's already earned over $10 million in North America, after making over $12 million in France. This profit ratio thrills Hollywood execs, who have learned a lesson: not that audiences love films about the natural world, or documentaries, or just good movies -- no, that audiences love ... penguins. "They feel a lot like an adorable version of humans," says Mark Gill of Warner Bros., which plans to release an animated movie about a tap-dancing penguin in late 2006. Sony Pictures will come out with its own feature-length 'toon centering on "the high-octane world of competitive penguin surfing," while Disney has green-lighted a film described as "a Ben Affleck romantic comedy, except with penguins." Let's hope no penguins are harmed in the making.
straight to the source: The Wall Street Journal, John Lippman, 29 Jul 2005 (access ain't free)
straight to the source: The Guardian, Jeremy Kay, 29 Jul 2005
Switch Emitters
Led by U.S., five nations craft new climate-change pact
Australia, China, India, South Korea, and the U.S. have secretly negotiated a global-warming pact that could steal the spotlight from the Kyoto Protocol -- or so the U.S. hopes. According to advance word from a meeting of Asia-Pacific nations in Laos, this fledgling "Asia-Pacific Partnership for Clean Development and Climate" emphasizes the development and sharing of as-yet-unspecified new technologies to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions, rather than Kyoto-style emissions caps. South Korea, China, and Australia are all major coal exporters with much to gain from continued global reliance on fossil fuels, while both the U.S. (the world's biggest greenhouse-gas polluter) and Australia have long objected to Kyoto as unfairly giving a pass to developing nations. Reactions are just starting to emerge: The chair of the U.N.'s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change says the new deal "does not interfere with the Kyoto Protocol," and lauds plans for technology exchange. Japan has also voiced support. But the leader of Australia's Greens says the new pact would divert taxpayer money "from developing clean renewable technologies to try and make burning coal less dirty."
straight to the source: The Australian, 27 Jul 2005
straight to the source: The Australian, Dennis Shanahan, 27 Jul 2005
straight to the source: Reuters, Michelle Nichols, 27 Jul 2005
straight to the source: The New York Times, Jane Perlez, 27 Jul 2005
Let Down Your Giardia
Filtering water may not be the answer to most backcountry illnesses
Went to the backwoods and ended up with a case of the runs? You probably blamed the water. But according to some medical and wilderness professionals, it is poor personal hygiene, not unsafe water, that usually bedevils the bowels of wilderness backpackers. Medical researcher and avid outdoorsnik Bob Derlet has tested water at 100 sites in California's Sierra Nevada mountains for giardia, cryptosporidium, and other microbes that can cause intestinal illness and diarrhea. Derlet's findings suggest that water in the High Sierra is actually quite safe to drink in many areas long thought to be contaminated with the micro-critters. While most would call this good news, Derlet's position is considered controversial because it contradicts long-established health directives about treating water before drinking it -- and also because water pumps, filtration systems, and chemical treatments reap big profits for the outdoor-products industry. But making smart choices about water sources -- and avid use of soap -- may be just as effective as fancy filters at keeping regular folks, uh, regular in the wild.
straight to the source: Los Angeles Times, Linda Marsa, 26 Jul 2005
Hail the Cabs!
Hybrid taxis to hit the streets of New York City this fall
Six different hybrid models will debut in New York City's taxi fleet this fall, thanks to a recent vote by the city's Taxi and Limousine Commission. Some commissioners had previously expressed reservations about the leg room (or lack thereof) in hybrids, but after test drives, one termed Toyota's Prius and Highlander "surprisingly roomy." The commission didn't have much of a choice -- Mayor Mike Bloomberg forced its hand by signing a bill last week that gave it 90 days to approve hybrids -- but commission chair Matthew Daus seems converted to curbing gasoline use, saying, "Pardon the pun, but I think bigger cars need to take a back seat." Allowing six different models into the fleet will enable the commission to learn which hybrids stand up best to the beating they're likely to take on the streets of the Big Apple.
straight to the source: The New York Times, Sewell Chan, 27 Jul 2005
straight to the source: New York Daily News, Jonathan Lemire, 27 Jul 2005
The Snow Must Go On
Inuit fight global warming with human-rights claim against U.S.
Remember how Snow White used to moon around singing, "Some Day My Prince Will Come"? That's kind of how the world is about global warming, only not so rosy-cheeked and excited. Some day, they figure, global warming will come. Maybe. Or whatever. But up in the Arctic, that day is here -- the ice is melting and life is changing, fast. The native Inuit who call the area home are fighting back by filing a human-rights claim against the chief climate-change offender, the U.S., Emily Gertz reports. Find out if their dreams will come true.
new in Main Dish: The Snow Must Go On
A Little Dab'll Do Ya In
Micro-exposure to common chemicals may cause big health problems
Will wonders never cease? The Wall Street Journal, not typically known for its sympathy to green issues, had a blockbuster piece of environmental reporting plastered on page A1 yesterday. In the first part of an ongoing series, it describes new research on low-level exposure to common industrial chemicals. Turns out assumptions that have guided decades of public policy may be wrong: Micro-doses of some chemicals -- minute exposures most people receive just by being alive in modern times, long considered physically insignificant -- may cause serious health problems. Researchers think low-dose exposures may help explain increasing rates of autism, breast cancer, and other diseases. The implications for health and safety regulations are profound, but not all governments are reacting with equal force. Japan and the European Union have already put some notable restrictions in place, while the Bush administration is downplaying low-dose data, saying there's no solid proof of a problem.
straight to the source: The Wall Street Journal, Peter Waldman, 25 Jul 2005 (access ain't free)
The Right-Whale Stuff
Emergency steps needed to save right whale from extinction, experts say
The North Atlantic right whale could face extinction within the next century, according to marine scientists writing in the journal Science. Only about 350 right whales are alive today, and the researchers estimate that their deaths may be underreported by up to 83 percent yearly. The scientists say at least eight right whales have died in the past 16 months, almost three times the average yearly rate observed over the past quarter-century. At least half of right-whale deaths are caused by humans, as the animals are struck by ships or entangled in fishing gear. The scientists are calling on the National Marine Fisheries Service to impose emergency restrictions on ship speeds and floating fishing lines. "We can't wait to deal with a bureaucratic maze," said Amy Knowlton of the New England Aquarium, one of the article's 18 coauthors. But NMFS is resistant to calls for emergency action, saying new rules to protect the whales are in the works.
straight to the source: The Boston Globe, Jay Lindsay, Associated Press, 23 Jul 2005
straight to the source: TerraDaily, Libby Fairhurst, 25 Jul 2005
You Put Yer Superweed in There
Herbicide-resistant superweed discovered in field of GM canola
Opponents of genetically engineered crops have long warned that genetic modifications could "leak" into other plant species via interbreeding, possibly creating a new breed of hard-to-kill superweeds that would lead farmers to use more and more herbicides. Multinational biotech corporations have long said, ha ha, that's crazy. Well, lookee here: U.K. government researchers have just discovered a genetically modified weed growing in a test field for GM canola seed -- the first known case in Britain of a GM crop crossbreeding with a weed. Scientists apparently thought that the GM canola would not crossbreed with the distantly related weed, called charlock. Scientists were apparently wrong, and the new breed of charlock has now inherited the canola's resistance to herbicides. Multinational Bayer has applied to the European Commission for permission to grow GM canola seed in the U.K.; France and Greece currently ban it.
straight to the source: The Guardian, Paul Brown, 25 Jul 2005
straight to the source: The Telegraph, 25 Jul 2005
Queen of the Dammed
British royals to bolster green rep with efficient mini-hydro plant
On Friday, a local U.K. council approved Queen Elizabeth's plan to build a mini hydroelectric power plant dedicated to Windsor Castle. The energy-efficient four-turbine plant on the River Thames is expected to supply enough electricity to keep about a third of the castle juiced. It'll be the largest of its kind in the South of England, but designed to minimize ecological and visual impacts to the river. Enviros lauded Her Royal Highness for setting a good green example: "We're delighted that the queen is taking a lead in the use of green electricity to help to tackle global warming. It highlights the massive potential for small-scale micro-generation systems within the U.K.," said Friends of the Earth. This is just one of many green efforts by the British royals: Buckingham Palace uses energy-efficient light bulbs and recycles 99 percent of organic waste, while Prince Charles is a noted fan of organic agriculture and critic of genetic modification.
straight to the source: The Times, Laura Elston, 25 Jul 2005
straight to the source: BBC News, 24 Jul 2005
straight to the source: Hello Magazine, 25 Jul 2005
Shuffling the Deck
New nominees for top spots at EPA worry enviros
The Senate last night confirmed President Bush's pick for the No. 2 slot at EPA -- Marcus Peacock, most recently a number-cruncher at the Office of Management and Budget, responsible for determining whether the cost of environmental regulations is justified by their benefit to the U.S. economy. Some activists are queasy about him, recalling that Peacock played a role in freezing Clinton-era regulations on arsenic in drinking water and protections for roadless areas of national forests. And that's not the only personnel shuffling at EPA that's making enviros nervous. Muckraker examines the new crop of EPA higher-ups.
new in Muckraker: Shuffling the Deck
see also, in Gristmill: The lowdown on Marcus Peacock
sign up: Receive word by email each time a new Muckraker column hits the scene
Stricken of the Sea
Fish diversity declines in the deep ocean
There are fewer and fewer species of big fish in the deep sea, putting overall ocean health in danger. Scientists have known for years that overfishing diminishes species diversity in coastal areas, but in a study published today in the journal Science, researchers report a drop in diversity of deep-ocean fish as well -- in many areas about 50 percent since the 1950s. For example, in places where the tuna catch used to include several different species, including bluefin and albacore, now mostly yellowjack and skipjack remain. If these two types of tuna cannot withstand environmental challenges like global warming, "we may have very little to fall back on," says study coauthor Boris Worm. "The oceans have been drained of species, basically." But there's a hopeful finding as well: The study has revealed a few key spots where sea life congregates. Worm hopes that like coral reefs or rainforests, these areas will capture the public's imagination and focus conservation efforts for maximum future impact.
straight to the source: The New York Times, Cornelia Dean, 29 Jul 2005
straight to the source: The Globe and Mail, Mark Hume, 29 Jul 2005
Draft Picks
Green-minded architect Raphael Sperry answers readers' questions
Raphael Sperry of Architects/Designers/Planners for Social Responsibility says weather-stripping, installing double-paned windows, and adding insulation can be more important -- if less sexy -- than outfitting your home with cool new energy technologies. Answering reader questions this week, Sperry suggests resources for learning more about green building, offers advice on dealing with curmudgeonly building inspectors, chats about exploring green design careers, and more.
new in InterActivist: Draft Picks
A Slip of the Tungsten
Supposedly eco-safe ammo may actually contaminate soil
"Green bullets" created to be environmentally safe -- though not safe, presumably, for their targets -- may not be so eco after all. At Camp Edwards in Bourne, Mass., the U.S. Army switched from lead ordinance to ammo made of tungsten and nylon, aiming (ahem) not to contaminate the aquifer below. But six years and about a million rounds later, turns out the Army never actually studied the nylon-tungsten bullet combo. Data have emerged suggesting that tungsten -- thought to be insoluble -- can leach into soil in certain conditions, and can enable lead to move through soil more speedily. So now Camp Edwards is hosting the Army's first-ever field tests of tungsten's solubility. The base has a history of environmental problems: The aquifer that lies beneath it, which supplies drinking water to upper Cape Cod, has been contaminated in the past with jet fuel and other pollutants.
straight to the source: The Washington Post, Associated Press, Jay Lindsay, 29 Jul 2005
straight to the source: Boston Herald, Associated Press, 28 Jul 2005
see also, in Gristmill: Bombing Range Nat'l Park
Black and White and Studio Head All Over
Hollywood studios see greenbacks in them thar flightless waterfowl
The summer's big hit documentary isn't about the antics of political weasels, or children at spelling bees; it's a nature film about flightless Antarctic waterfowl. French-made March of the Penguins, a heartstring-yanking saga about emperor penguins, cost $7 million to make. It's already earned over $10 million in North America, after making over $12 million in France. This profit ratio thrills Hollywood execs, who have learned a lesson: not that audiences love films about the natural world, or documentaries, or just good movies -- no, that audiences love ... penguins. "They feel a lot like an adorable version of humans," says Mark Gill of Warner Bros., which plans to release an animated movie about a tap-dancing penguin in late 2006. Sony Pictures will come out with its own feature-length 'toon centering on "the high-octane world of competitive penguin surfing," while Disney has green-lighted a film described as "a Ben Affleck romantic comedy, except with penguins." Let's hope no penguins are harmed in the making.
straight to the source: The Wall Street Journal, John Lippman, 29 Jul 2005 (access ain't free)
straight to the source: The Guardian, Jeremy Kay, 29 Jul 2005
Switch Emitters
Led by U.S., five nations craft new climate-change pact
Australia, China, India, South Korea, and the U.S. have secretly negotiated a global-warming pact that could steal the spotlight from the Kyoto Protocol -- or so the U.S. hopes. According to advance word from a meeting of Asia-Pacific nations in Laos, this fledgling "Asia-Pacific Partnership for Clean Development and Climate" emphasizes the development and sharing of as-yet-unspecified new technologies to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions, rather than Kyoto-style emissions caps. South Korea, China, and Australia are all major coal exporters with much to gain from continued global reliance on fossil fuels, while both the U.S. (the world's biggest greenhouse-gas polluter) and Australia have long objected to Kyoto as unfairly giving a pass to developing nations. Reactions are just starting to emerge: The chair of the U.N.'s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change says the new deal "does not interfere with the Kyoto Protocol," and lauds plans for technology exchange. Japan has also voiced support. But the leader of Australia's Greens says the new pact would divert taxpayer money "from developing clean renewable technologies to try and make burning coal less dirty."
straight to the source: The Australian, 27 Jul 2005
straight to the source: The Australian, Dennis Shanahan, 27 Jul 2005
straight to the source: Reuters, Michelle Nichols, 27 Jul 2005
straight to the source: The New York Times, Jane Perlez, 27 Jul 2005
Let Down Your Giardia
Filtering water may not be the answer to most backcountry illnesses
Went to the backwoods and ended up with a case of the runs? You probably blamed the water. But according to some medical and wilderness professionals, it is poor personal hygiene, not unsafe water, that usually bedevils the bowels of wilderness backpackers. Medical researcher and avid outdoorsnik Bob Derlet has tested water at 100 sites in California's Sierra Nevada mountains for giardia, cryptosporidium, and other microbes that can cause intestinal illness and diarrhea. Derlet's findings suggest that water in the High Sierra is actually quite safe to drink in many areas long thought to be contaminated with the micro-critters. While most would call this good news, Derlet's position is considered controversial because it contradicts long-established health directives about treating water before drinking it -- and also because water pumps, filtration systems, and chemical treatments reap big profits for the outdoor-products industry. But making smart choices about water sources -- and avid use of soap -- may be just as effective as fancy filters at keeping regular folks, uh, regular in the wild.
straight to the source: Los Angeles Times, Linda Marsa, 26 Jul 2005
Hail the Cabs!
Hybrid taxis to hit the streets of New York City this fall
Six different hybrid models will debut in New York City's taxi fleet this fall, thanks to a recent vote by the city's Taxi and Limousine Commission. Some commissioners had previously expressed reservations about the leg room (or lack thereof) in hybrids, but after test drives, one termed Toyota's Prius and Highlander "surprisingly roomy." The commission didn't have much of a choice -- Mayor Mike Bloomberg forced its hand by signing a bill last week that gave it 90 days to approve hybrids -- but commission chair Matthew Daus seems converted to curbing gasoline use, saying, "Pardon the pun, but I think bigger cars need to take a back seat." Allowing six different models into the fleet will enable the commission to learn which hybrids stand up best to the beating they're likely to take on the streets of the Big Apple.
straight to the source: The New York Times, Sewell Chan, 27 Jul 2005
straight to the source: New York Daily News, Jonathan Lemire, 27 Jul 2005
The Snow Must Go On
Inuit fight global warming with human-rights claim against U.S.
Remember how Snow White used to moon around singing, "Some Day My Prince Will Come"? That's kind of how the world is about global warming, only not so rosy-cheeked and excited. Some day, they figure, global warming will come. Maybe. Or whatever. But up in the Arctic, that day is here -- the ice is melting and life is changing, fast. The native Inuit who call the area home are fighting back by filing a human-rights claim against the chief climate-change offender, the U.S., Emily Gertz reports. Find out if their dreams will come true.
new in Main Dish: The Snow Must Go On
A Little Dab'll Do Ya In
Micro-exposure to common chemicals may cause big health problems
Will wonders never cease? The Wall Street Journal, not typically known for its sympathy to green issues, had a blockbuster piece of environmental reporting plastered on page A1 yesterday. In the first part of an ongoing series, it describes new research on low-level exposure to common industrial chemicals. Turns out assumptions that have guided decades of public policy may be wrong: Micro-doses of some chemicals -- minute exposures most people receive just by being alive in modern times, long considered physically insignificant -- may cause serious health problems. Researchers think low-dose exposures may help explain increasing rates of autism, breast cancer, and other diseases. The implications for health and safety regulations are profound, but not all governments are reacting with equal force. Japan and the European Union have already put some notable restrictions in place, while the Bush administration is downplaying low-dose data, saying there's no solid proof of a problem.
straight to the source: The Wall Street Journal, Peter Waldman, 25 Jul 2005 (access ain't free)
The Right-Whale Stuff
Emergency steps needed to save right whale from extinction, experts say
The North Atlantic right whale could face extinction within the next century, according to marine scientists writing in the journal Science. Only about 350 right whales are alive today, and the researchers estimate that their deaths may be underreported by up to 83 percent yearly. The scientists say at least eight right whales have died in the past 16 months, almost three times the average yearly rate observed over the past quarter-century. At least half of right-whale deaths are caused by humans, as the animals are struck by ships or entangled in fishing gear. The scientists are calling on the National Marine Fisheries Service to impose emergency restrictions on ship speeds and floating fishing lines. "We can't wait to deal with a bureaucratic maze," said Amy Knowlton of the New England Aquarium, one of the article's 18 coauthors. But NMFS is resistant to calls for emergency action, saying new rules to protect the whales are in the works.
straight to the source: The Boston Globe, Jay Lindsay, Associated Press, 23 Jul 2005
straight to the source: TerraDaily, Libby Fairhurst, 25 Jul 2005
You Put Yer Superweed in There
Herbicide-resistant superweed discovered in field of GM canola
Opponents of genetically engineered crops have long warned that genetic modifications could "leak" into other plant species via interbreeding, possibly creating a new breed of hard-to-kill superweeds that would lead farmers to use more and more herbicides. Multinational biotech corporations have long said, ha ha, that's crazy. Well, lookee here: U.K. government researchers have just discovered a genetically modified weed growing in a test field for GM canola seed -- the first known case in Britain of a GM crop crossbreeding with a weed. Scientists apparently thought that the GM canola would not crossbreed with the distantly related weed, called charlock. Scientists were apparently wrong, and the new breed of charlock has now inherited the canola's resistance to herbicides. Multinational Bayer has applied to the European Commission for permission to grow GM canola seed in the U.K.; France and Greece currently ban it.
straight to the source: The Guardian, Paul Brown, 25 Jul 2005
straight to the source: The Telegraph, 25 Jul 2005
Queen of the Dammed
British royals to bolster green rep with efficient mini-hydro plant
On Friday, a local U.K. council approved Queen Elizabeth's plan to build a mini hydroelectric power plant dedicated to Windsor Castle. The energy-efficient four-turbine plant on the River Thames is expected to supply enough electricity to keep about a third of the castle juiced. It'll be the largest of its kind in the South of England, but designed to minimize ecological and visual impacts to the river. Enviros lauded Her Royal Highness for setting a good green example: "We're delighted that the queen is taking a lead in the use of green electricity to help to tackle global warming. It highlights the massive potential for small-scale micro-generation systems within the U.K.," said Friends of the Earth. This is just one of many green efforts by the British royals: Buckingham Palace uses energy-efficient light bulbs and recycles 99 percent of organic waste, while Prince Charles is a noted fan of organic agriculture and critic of genetic modification.
straight to the source: The Times, Laura Elston, 25 Jul 2005
straight to the source: BBC News, 24 Jul 2005
straight to the source: Hello Magazine, 25 Jul 2005
"GET INVOLVED........THE WORLD IS RUN BY THOSE WHO SHOW UP.........I'LL SEE YOU THERE !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
Trash Talk
Garbage Land follows trash to its final resting place
Ever wondered where your trash goes after the guys in the big truck come and take it away? Yeah, us too. Ever set out on a journey to track every bit of your trash to its respective landfill, recycling plant, and electronics-disassembling operation in a remote Chinese village? Yeah, us neither. Luckily, Elizabeth Royte did, and wrote a ripping good book about it: Garbage Land. Reviewer Jim Motavalli takes a big whiff.
new in Books Unbound: Dirty Words
Gas-Muzzler
EPA holds back negative report on U.S. auto fuel efficiency
According to a report not released Wednesday by the U.S. EPA, loopholes in U.S. fuel-economy standards let automakers produce cars and trucks much less fuel-efficient than models 20 years ago. On Tuesday, the same day the long-debated energy bill emerged from congressional negotiations, EPA opted to keep the report to itself for another week. An agency spokesflack says it's being reviewed for clarity and thoroughness, but some think the delay has a peculiar smell. Says the Sierra Club's Daniel Becker, "Something's fishy when the Bush administration delays a report showing no improvement in fuel economy until after passage of their energy bill, which fails to improve fuel economy." According to the report, the average 2004 auto sold in the U.S. got 6 percent fewer miles per gallon than one from the late 1980s, both because of the rising popularity of SUVs and because advances in engine technology have largely been used to make vehicles more powerful rather than more fuel efficient.
straight to the source: The New York Times, Danny Hakim, 28 Jul 2005
Dirty Financing
Dirty-energy tax breaks total over $8.5 billion in energy bill
Highly profitable dirty-power industries may be treated to even fatter bottom lines thanks to the energy bill that emerged this week from congressional conference committee. It would dedicate more than $8.5 billion in tax breaks over the next 10 years to oil, natural gas, coal, nuclear power, and electric utilities. Nukes alone would get $1.5 billion in direct subsidies, $2 billion in "risk insurance," and loan guarantees for future new reactor construction. Says a nuke industry spokesflack, "This is a great bill." After the bill was out of committee, Rep. Tom DeLay (R-Texas) snuck in another lump o' pork: a $1.5 billion fund designed to funnel taxpayer money to oil and gas companies, with some $1 billion of the fund to be administered by a private consortium composed largely of -- you guessed it -- oil and gas companies. Coincidentally (ahem), the likely consortium is based in DeLay's home district in Sugar Land, Texas. As for solar and wind power, plus conservation and efficiency initiatives, over the next 10 years they'd collectively see about $4.3 billion in tax breaks.
straight to the source: The Wall Street Journal, John J. Fialka, 28 Jul 2005 (access ain't free)
straight to the source: Yahoo! News, Associated Press, H. Josef Hebert, 27 Jul 2005
see also, in Gristmill: Energy bill pork from DeLay, 27 Jul 2005
Dirty Financing: Havana Nights
Environmental groups unanimous in distaste for energy bill
Yesterday, a letter signed by reps from more than a dozen environmental organizations was sent to Congress with a strong message about the energy bill that recently emerged from conference committee: it stinks. It does nothing to wean the U.S. from its dependence on foreign oil. It ladles subsidies on mature, already-profitable, heavily polluting industries. It shortchanges renewables and conservation efforts. Today, the folks from the Apollo Alliance circulated an op-ed about the energy bill saying that it does nothing to wean the U.S. from dependence on foreign oil, and it ladles ... hey, wait a minute. Stop by Gristmill to read them both.
new in Gristmill: Reaction to the energy bill from enviro groups
new in Gristmill: Reaction to the energy bill from the Apollo Alliance
Thrill Spill Cult
Water should keep pouring over Northwest dams to aid salmon, court says
Salmon will continue to find a watery way over several Northwest dams. The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals this week voted to uphold a federal judge's June order for the feds to aid migrating salmon by spilling water over five dams in the Columbia and Snake river systems in the Northwest. A three-judge panel of the appeals court specifically endorsed Judge James Redden's finding that 13 endangered species of salmon and steelhead in the region are not "evidencing signs of recovery" under the federal government's current management plan, which emphasizes barging or trucking the fish around dams so as not to disrupt hydroelectric power generation. More than half of the spring-summer run of Snake River chinook salmon are killed each year as they pass through dam turbines. The Bush administration had appealed Redden's order, arguing the spillage made this year's slower, hotter river conditions even more dangerous to tender young salmon.
straight to the source: The Oregonian, Joe Rojas-Burke, 27 Jul 2005
straight to the source: Corvallis Gazette-Times, Associated Press, David Kravets, 27 Jul 2005
Beach Blanket Politico
Green activist Donna Frye leading in race for mayor of San Diego
San Diego may soon get a jolt of green in City Hall. Veteran surfer chick and longtime environmental activist Donna Frye (D) took 43 percent of the vote in the city's mayoral election on Tuesday, far ahead of the 27 percent earned by her closest contender, but short of the majority needed to win without a runoff. Frye, who's served on the San Diego City Council since 2001, will now face former Police Chief Jerry Sanders (R) in a November runoff election. Last November, Frye ran as a write-in candidate against then-Mayor Dick Murphy (R). Although she got more votes, she didn't get the job; a judge threw out thousands of ballots as technically invalid because voters didn't fill in the bubble next to the line where they wrote in Frye's name. Since then, both Murphy and his replacement have resigned in a cloud of scandal, giving Frye another shot at the spot. Co-owner of a surf shop, she has long been active in local good-government and environmental campaigns in San Diego.
straight to the source: Los Angeles Times, Tony Perry, 28 Jul 2005
straight to the source: San Diego Union-Tribune, Gerry Braun, 28 Jul 2005
Shuffling the Deck
New nominees for top spots at EPA worry enviros
The Senate last night confirmed President Bush's pick for the No. 2 slot at EPA -- Marcus Peacock, most recently a number-cruncher at the Office of Management and Budget, responsible for determining whether the cost of environmental regulations is justified by their benefit to the U.S. economy. Some activists are queasy about him, recalling that Peacock played a role in freezing Clinton-era regulations on arsenic in drinking water and protections for roadless areas of national forests. And that's not the only personnel shuffling at EPA that's making enviros nervous. Muckraker examines the new crop of EPA higher-ups.
new in Muckraker: Shuffling the Deck
see also, in Gristmill: The lowdown on Marcus Peacock
sign up: Receive word by email each time a new Muckraker column hits the scene
Stricken of the Sea
Fish diversity declines in the deep ocean
There are fewer and fewer species of big fish in the deep sea, putting overall ocean health in danger. Scientists have known for years that overfishing diminishes species diversity in coastal areas, but in a study published today in the journal Science, researchers report a drop in diversity of deep-ocean fish as well -- in many areas about 50 percent since the 1950s. For example, in places where the tuna catch used to include several different species, including bluefin and albacore, now mostly yellowjack and skipjack remain. If these two types of tuna cannot withstand environmental challenges like global warming, "we may have very little to fall back on," says study coauthor Boris Worm. "The oceans have been drained of species, basically." But there's a hopeful finding as well: The study has revealed a few key spots where sea life congregates. Worm hopes that like coral reefs or rainforests, these areas will capture the public's imagination and focus conservation efforts for maximum future impact.
straight to the source: The New York Times, Cornelia Dean, 29 Jul 2005
straight to the source: The Globe and Mail, Mark Hume, 29 Jul 2005
Draft Picks
Green-minded architect Raphael Sperry answers readers' questions
Raphael Sperry of Architects/Designers/Planners for Social Responsibility says weather-stripping, installing double-paned windows, and adding insulation can be more important -- if less sexy -- than outfitting your home with cool new energy technologies. Answering reader questions this week, Sperry suggests resources for learning more about green building, offers advice on dealing with curmudgeonly building inspectors, chats about exploring green design careers, and more.
new in InterActivist: Draft Picks
A Slip of the Tungsten
Supposedly eco-safe ammo may actually contaminate soil
"Green bullets" created to be environmentally safe -- though not safe, presumably, for their targets -- may not be so eco after all. At Camp Edwards in Bourne, Mass., the U.S. Army switched from lead ordinance to ammo made of tungsten and nylon, aiming (ahem) not to contaminate the aquifer below. But six years and about a million rounds later, turns out the Army never actually studied the nylon-tungsten bullet combo. Data have emerged suggesting that tungsten -- thought to be insoluble -- can leach into soil in certain conditions, and can enable lead to move through soil more speedily. So now Camp Edwards is hosting the Army's first-ever field tests of tungsten's solubility. The base has a history of environmental problems: The aquifer that lies beneath it, which supplies drinking water to upper Cape Cod, has been contaminated in the past with jet fuel and other pollutants.
straight to the source: The Washington Post, Associated Press, Jay Lindsay, 29 Jul 2005
straight to the source: Boston Herald, Associated Press, 28 Jul 2005
see also, in Gristmill: Bombing Range Nat'l Park
Black and White and Studio Head All Over
Hollywood studios see greenbacks in them thar flightless waterfowl
The summer's big hit documentary isn't about the antics of political weasels, or children at spelling bees; it's a nature film about flightless Antarctic waterfowl. French-made March of the Penguins, a heartstring-yanking saga about emperor penguins, cost $7 million to make. It's already earned over $10 million in North America, after making over $12 million in France. This profit ratio thrills Hollywood execs, who have learned a lesson: not that audiences love films about the natural world, or documentaries, or just good movies -- no, that audiences love ... penguins. "They feel a lot like an adorable version of humans," says Mark Gill of Warner Bros., which plans to release an animated movie about a tap-dancing penguin in late 2006. Sony Pictures will come out with its own feature-length 'toon centering on "the high-octane world of competitive penguin surfing," while Disney has green-lighted a film described as "a Ben Affleck romantic comedy, except with penguins." Let's hope no penguins are harmed in the making.
straight to the source: The Wall Street Journal, John Lippman, 29 Jul 2005 (access ain't free)
straight to the source: The Guardian, Jeremy Kay, 29 Jul 2005
Switch Emitters
Led by U.S., five nations craft new climate-change pact
Australia, China, India, South Korea, and the U.S. have secretly negotiated a global-warming pact that could steal the spotlight from the Kyoto Protocol -- or so the U.S. hopes. According to advance word from a meeting of Asia-Pacific nations in Laos, this fledgling "Asia-Pacific Partnership for Clean Development and Climate" emphasizes the development and sharing of as-yet-unspecified new technologies to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions, rather than Kyoto-style emissions caps. South Korea, China, and Australia are all major coal exporters with much to gain from continued global reliance on fossil fuels, while both the U.S. (the world's biggest greenhouse-gas polluter) and Australia have long objected to Kyoto as unfairly giving a pass to developing nations. Reactions are just starting to emerge: The chair of the U.N.'s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change says the new deal "does not interfere with the Kyoto Protocol," and lauds plans for technology exchange. Japan has also voiced support. But the leader of Australia's Greens says the new pact would divert taxpayer money "from developing clean renewable technologies to try and make burning coal less dirty."
straight to the source: The Australian, 27 Jul 2005
straight to the source: The Australian, Dennis Shanahan, 27 Jul 2005
straight to the source: Reuters, Michelle Nichols, 27 Jul 2005
straight to the source: The New York Times, Jane Perlez, 27 Jul 2005
Let Down Your Giardia
Filtering water may not be the answer to most backcountry illnesses
Went to the backwoods and ended up with a case of the runs? You probably blamed the water. But according to some medical and wilderness professionals, it is poor personal hygiene, not unsafe water, that usually bedevils the bowels of wilderness backpackers. Medical researcher and avid outdoorsnik Bob Derlet has tested water at 100 sites in California's Sierra Nevada mountains for giardia, cryptosporidium, and other microbes that can cause intestinal illness and diarrhea. Derlet's findings suggest that water in the High Sierra is actually quite safe to drink in many areas long thought to be contaminated with the micro-critters. While most would call this good news, Derlet's position is considered controversial because it contradicts long-established health directives about treating water before drinking it -- and also because water pumps, filtration systems, and chemical treatments reap big profits for the outdoor-products industry. But making smart choices about water sources -- and avid use of soap -- may be just as effective as fancy filters at keeping regular folks, uh, regular in the wild.
straight to the source: Los Angeles Times, Linda Marsa, 26 Jul 2005
Hail the Cabs!
Hybrid taxis to hit the streets of New York City this fall
Six different hybrid models will debut in New York City's taxi fleet this fall, thanks to a recent vote by the city's Taxi and Limousine Commission. Some commissioners had previously expressed reservations about the leg room (or lack thereof) in hybrids, but after test drives, one termed Toyota's Prius and Highlander "surprisingly roomy." The commission didn't have much of a choice -- Mayor Mike Bloomberg forced its hand by signing a bill last week that gave it 90 days to approve hybrids -- but commission chair Matthew Daus seems converted to curbing gasoline use, saying, "Pardon the pun, but I think bigger cars need to take a back seat." Allowing six different models into the fleet will enable the commission to learn which hybrids stand up best to the beating they're likely to take on the streets of the Big Apple.
straight to the source: The New York Times, Sewell Chan, 27 Jul 2005
straight to the source: New York Daily News, Jonathan Lemire, 27 Jul 2005
The Snow Must Go On
Inuit fight global warming with human-rights claim against U.S.
Remember how Snow White used to moon around singing, "Some Day My Prince Will Come"? That's kind of how the world is about global warming, only not so rosy-cheeked and excited. Some day, they figure, global warming will come. Maybe. Or whatever. But up in the Arctic, that day is here -- the ice is melting and life is changing, fast. The native Inuit who call the area home are fighting back by filing a human-rights claim against the chief climate-change offender, the U.S., Emily Gertz reports. Find out if their dreams will come true.
new in Main Dish: The Snow Must Go On
A Little Dab'll Do Ya In
Micro-exposure to common chemicals may cause big health problems
Will wonders never cease? The Wall Street Journal, not typically known for its sympathy to green issues, had a blockbuster piece of environmental reporting plastered on page A1 yesterday. In the first part of an ongoing series, it describes new research on low-level exposure to common industrial chemicals. Turns out assumptions that have guided decades of public policy may be wrong: Micro-doses of some chemicals -- minute exposures most people receive just by being alive in modern times, long considered physically insignificant -- may cause serious health problems. Researchers think low-dose exposures may help explain increasing rates of autism, breast cancer, and other diseases. The implications for health and safety regulations are profound, but not all governments are reacting with equal force. Japan and the European Union have already put some notable restrictions in place, while the Bush administration is downplaying low-dose data, saying there's no solid proof of a problem.
straight to the source: The Wall Street Journal, Peter Waldman, 25 Jul 2005 (access ain't free)
The Right-Whale Stuff
Emergency steps needed to save right whale from extinction, experts say
The North Atlantic right whale could face extinction within the next century, according to marine scientists writing in the journal Science. Only about 350 right whales are alive today, and the researchers estimate that their deaths may be underreported by up to 83 percent yearly. The scientists say at least eight right whales have died in the past 16 months, almost three times the average yearly rate observed over the past quarter-century. At least half of right-whale deaths are caused by humans, as the animals are struck by ships or entangled in fishing gear. The scientists are calling on the National Marine Fisheries Service to impose emergency restrictions on ship speeds and floating fishing lines. "We can't wait to deal with a bureaucratic maze," said Amy Knowlton of the New England Aquarium, one of the article's 18 coauthors. But NMFS is resistant to calls for emergency action, saying new rules to protect the whales are in the works.
straight to the source: The Boston Globe, Jay Lindsay, Associated Press, 23 Jul 2005
straight to the source: TerraDaily, Libby Fairhurst, 25 Jul 2005
You Put Yer Superweed in There
Herbicide-resistant superweed discovered in field of GM canola
Opponents of genetically engineered crops have long warned that genetic modifications could "leak" into other plant species via interbreeding, possibly creating a new breed of hard-to-kill superweeds that would lead farmers to use more and more herbicides. Multinational biotech corporations have long said, ha ha, that's crazy. Well, lookee here: U.K. government researchers have just discovered a genetically modified weed growing in a test field for GM canola seed -- the first known case in Britain of a GM crop crossbreeding with a weed. Scientists apparently thought that the GM canola would not crossbreed with the distantly related weed, called charlock. Scientists were apparently wrong, and the new breed of charlock has now inherited the canola's resistance to herbicides. Multinational Bayer has applied to the European Commission for permission to grow GM canola seed in the U.K.; France and Greece currently ban it.
straight to the source: The Guardian, Paul Brown, 25 Jul 2005
straight to the source: The Telegraph, 25 Jul 2005
Queen of the Dammed
British royals to bolster green rep with efficient mini-hydro plant
On Friday, a local U.K. council approved Queen Elizabeth's plan to build a mini hydroelectric power plant dedicated to Windsor Castle. The energy-efficient four-turbine plant on the River Thames is expected to supply enough electricity to keep about a third of the castle juiced. It'll be the largest of its kind in the South of England, but designed to minimize ecological and visual impacts to the river. Enviros lauded Her Royal Highness for setting a good green example: "We're delighted that the queen is taking a lead in the use of green electricity to help to tackle global warming. It highlights the massive potential for small-scale micro-generation systems within the U.K.," said Friends of the Earth. This is just one of many green efforts by the British royals: Buckingham Palace uses energy-efficient light bulbs and recycles 99 percent of organic waste, while Prince Charles is a noted fan of organic agriculture and critic of genetic modification.
straight to the source: The Times, Laura Elston, 25 Jul 2005
straight to the source: BBC News, 24 Jul 2005
straight to the source: Hello Magazine, 25 Jul 2005
Shuffling the Deck
New nominees for top spots at EPA worry enviros
The Senate last night confirmed President Bush's pick for the No. 2 slot at EPA -- Marcus Peacock, most recently a number-cruncher at the Office of Management and Budget, responsible for determining whether the cost of environmental regulations is justified by their benefit to the U.S. economy. Some activists are queasy about him, recalling that Peacock played a role in freezing Clinton-era regulations on arsenic in drinking water and protections for roadless areas of national forests. And that's not the only personnel shuffling at EPA that's making enviros nervous. Muckraker examines the new crop of EPA higher-ups.
new in Muckraker: Shuffling the Deck
see also, in Gristmill: The lowdown on Marcus Peacock
sign up: Receive word by email each time a new Muckraker column hits the scene
Stricken of the Sea
Fish diversity declines in the deep ocean
There are fewer and fewer species of big fish in the deep sea, putting overall ocean health in danger. Scientists have known for years that overfishing diminishes species diversity in coastal areas, but in a study published today in the journal Science, researchers report a drop in diversity of deep-ocean fish as well -- in many areas about 50 percent since the 1950s. For example, in places where the tuna catch used to include several different species, including bluefin and albacore, now mostly yellowjack and skipjack remain. If these two types of tuna cannot withstand environmental challenges like global warming, "we may have very little to fall back on," says study coauthor Boris Worm. "The oceans have been drained of species, basically." But there's a hopeful finding as well: The study has revealed a few key spots where sea life congregates. Worm hopes that like coral reefs or rainforests, these areas will capture the public's imagination and focus conservation efforts for maximum future impact.
straight to the source: The New York Times, Cornelia Dean, 29 Jul 2005
straight to the source: The Globe and Mail, Mark Hume, 29 Jul 2005
Draft Picks
Green-minded architect Raphael Sperry answers readers' questions
Raphael Sperry of Architects/Designers/Planners for Social Responsibility says weather-stripping, installing double-paned windows, and adding insulation can be more important -- if less sexy -- than outfitting your home with cool new energy technologies. Answering reader questions this week, Sperry suggests resources for learning more about green building, offers advice on dealing with curmudgeonly building inspectors, chats about exploring green design careers, and more.
new in InterActivist: Draft Picks
A Slip of the Tungsten
Supposedly eco-safe ammo may actually contaminate soil
"Green bullets" created to be environmentally safe -- though not safe, presumably, for their targets -- may not be so eco after all. At Camp Edwards in Bourne, Mass., the U.S. Army switched from lead ordinance to ammo made of tungsten and nylon, aiming (ahem) not to contaminate the aquifer below. But six years and about a million rounds later, turns out the Army never actually studied the nylon-tungsten bullet combo. Data have emerged suggesting that tungsten -- thought to be insoluble -- can leach into soil in certain conditions, and can enable lead to move through soil more speedily. So now Camp Edwards is hosting the Army's first-ever field tests of tungsten's solubility. The base has a history of environmental problems: The aquifer that lies beneath it, which supplies drinking water to upper Cape Cod, has been contaminated in the past with jet fuel and other pollutants.
straight to the source: The Washington Post, Associated Press, Jay Lindsay, 29 Jul 2005
straight to the source: Boston Herald, Associated Press, 28 Jul 2005
see also, in Gristmill: Bombing Range Nat'l Park
Black and White and Studio Head All Over
Hollywood studios see greenbacks in them thar flightless waterfowl
The summer's big hit documentary isn't about the antics of political weasels, or children at spelling bees; it's a nature film about flightless Antarctic waterfowl. French-made March of the Penguins, a heartstring-yanking saga about emperor penguins, cost $7 million to make. It's already earned over $10 million in North America, after making over $12 million in France. This profit ratio thrills Hollywood execs, who have learned a lesson: not that audiences love films about the natural world, or documentaries, or just good movies -- no, that audiences love ... penguins. "They feel a lot like an adorable version of humans," says Mark Gill of Warner Bros., which plans to release an animated movie about a tap-dancing penguin in late 2006. Sony Pictures will come out with its own feature-length 'toon centering on "the high-octane world of competitive penguin surfing," while Disney has green-lighted a film described as "a Ben Affleck romantic comedy, except with penguins." Let's hope no penguins are harmed in the making.
straight to the source: The Wall Street Journal, John Lippman, 29 Jul 2005 (access ain't free)
straight to the source: The Guardian, Jeremy Kay, 29 Jul 2005
Switch Emitters
Led by U.S., five nations craft new climate-change pact
Australia, China, India, South Korea, and the U.S. have secretly negotiated a global-warming pact that could steal the spotlight from the Kyoto Protocol -- or so the U.S. hopes. According to advance word from a meeting of Asia-Pacific nations in Laos, this fledgling "Asia-Pacific Partnership for Clean Development and Climate" emphasizes the development and sharing of as-yet-unspecified new technologies to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions, rather than Kyoto-style emissions caps. South Korea, China, and Australia are all major coal exporters with much to gain from continued global reliance on fossil fuels, while both the U.S. (the world's biggest greenhouse-gas polluter) and Australia have long objected to Kyoto as unfairly giving a pass to developing nations. Reactions are just starting to emerge: The chair of the U.N.'s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change says the new deal "does not interfere with the Kyoto Protocol," and lauds plans for technology exchange. Japan has also voiced support. But the leader of Australia's Greens says the new pact would divert taxpayer money "from developing clean renewable technologies to try and make burning coal less dirty."
straight to the source: The Australian, 27 Jul 2005
straight to the source: The Australian, Dennis Shanahan, 27 Jul 2005
straight to the source: Reuters, Michelle Nichols, 27 Jul 2005
straight to the source: The New York Times, Jane Perlez, 27 Jul 2005
Let Down Your Giardia
Filtering water may not be the answer to most backcountry illnesses
Went to the backwoods and ended up with a case of the runs? You probably blamed the water. But according to some medical and wilderness professionals, it is poor personal hygiene, not unsafe water, that usually bedevils the bowels of wilderness backpackers. Medical researcher and avid outdoorsnik Bob Derlet has tested water at 100 sites in California's Sierra Nevada mountains for giardia, cryptosporidium, and other microbes that can cause intestinal illness and diarrhea. Derlet's findings suggest that water in the High Sierra is actually quite safe to drink in many areas long thought to be contaminated with the micro-critters. While most would call this good news, Derlet's position is considered controversial because it contradicts long-established health directives about treating water before drinking it -- and also because water pumps, filtration systems, and chemical treatments reap big profits for the outdoor-products industry. But making smart choices about water sources -- and avid use of soap -- may be just as effective as fancy filters at keeping regular folks, uh, regular in the wild.
straight to the source: Los Angeles Times, Linda Marsa, 26 Jul 2005
Hail the Cabs!
Hybrid taxis to hit the streets of New York City this fall
Six different hybrid models will debut in New York City's taxi fleet this fall, thanks to a recent vote by the city's Taxi and Limousine Commission. Some commissioners had previously expressed reservations about the leg room (or lack thereof) in hybrids, but after test drives, one termed Toyota's Prius and Highlander "surprisingly roomy." The commission didn't have much of a choice -- Mayor Mike Bloomberg forced its hand by signing a bill last week that gave it 90 days to approve hybrids -- but commission chair Matthew Daus seems converted to curbing gasoline use, saying, "Pardon the pun, but I think bigger cars need to take a back seat." Allowing six different models into the fleet will enable the commission to learn which hybrids stand up best to the beating they're likely to take on the streets of the Big Apple.
straight to the source: The New York Times, Sewell Chan, 27 Jul 2005
straight to the source: New York Daily News, Jonathan Lemire, 27 Jul 2005
The Snow Must Go On
Inuit fight global warming with human-rights claim against U.S.
Remember how Snow White used to moon around singing, "Some Day My Prince Will Come"? That's kind of how the world is about global warming, only not so rosy-cheeked and excited. Some day, they figure, global warming will come. Maybe. Or whatever. But up in the Arctic, that day is here -- the ice is melting and life is changing, fast. The native Inuit who call the area home are fighting back by filing a human-rights claim against the chief climate-change offender, the U.S., Emily Gertz reports. Find out if their dreams will come true.
new in Main Dish: The Snow Must Go On
A Little Dab'll Do Ya In
Micro-exposure to common chemicals may cause big health problems
Will wonders never cease? The Wall Street Journal, not typically known for its sympathy to green issues, had a blockbuster piece of environmental reporting plastered on page A1 yesterday. In the first part of an ongoing series, it describes new research on low-level exposure to common industrial chemicals. Turns out assumptions that have guided decades of public policy may be wrong: Micro-doses of some chemicals -- minute exposures most people receive just by being alive in modern times, long considered physically insignificant -- may cause serious health problems. Researchers think low-dose exposures may help explain increasing rates of autism, breast cancer, and other diseases. The implications for health and safety regulations are profound, but not all governments are reacting with equal force. Japan and the European Union have already put some notable restrictions in place, while the Bush administration is downplaying low-dose data, saying there's no solid proof of a problem.
straight to the source: The Wall Street Journal, Peter Waldman, 25 Jul 2005 (access ain't free)
The Right-Whale Stuff
Emergency steps needed to save right whale from extinction, experts say
The North Atlantic right whale could face extinction within the next century, according to marine scientists writing in the journal Science. Only about 350 right whales are alive today, and the researchers estimate that their deaths may be underreported by up to 83 percent yearly. The scientists say at least eight right whales have died in the past 16 months, almost three times the average yearly rate observed over the past quarter-century. At least half of right-whale deaths are caused by humans, as the animals are struck by ships or entangled in fishing gear. The scientists are calling on the National Marine Fisheries Service to impose emergency restrictions on ship speeds and floating fishing lines. "We can't wait to deal with a bureaucratic maze," said Amy Knowlton of the New England Aquarium, one of the article's 18 coauthors. But NMFS is resistant to calls for emergency action, saying new rules to protect the whales are in the works.
straight to the source: The Boston Globe, Jay Lindsay, Associated Press, 23 Jul 2005
straight to the source: TerraDaily, Libby Fairhurst, 25 Jul 2005
You Put Yer Superweed in There
Herbicide-resistant superweed discovered in field of GM canola
Opponents of genetically engineered crops have long warned that genetic modifications could "leak" into other plant species via interbreeding, possibly creating a new breed of hard-to-kill superweeds that would lead farmers to use more and more herbicides. Multinational biotech corporations have long said, ha ha, that's crazy. Well, lookee here: U.K. government researchers have just discovered a genetically modified weed growing in a test field for GM canola seed -- the first known case in Britain of a GM crop crossbreeding with a weed. Scientists apparently thought that the GM canola would not crossbreed with the distantly related weed, called charlock. Scientists were apparently wrong, and the new breed of charlock has now inherited the canola's resistance to herbicides. Multinational Bayer has applied to the European Commission for permission to grow GM canola seed in the U.K.; France and Greece currently ban it.
straight to the source: The Guardian, Paul Brown, 25 Jul 2005
straight to the source: The Telegraph, 25 Jul 2005
Queen of the Dammed
British royals to bolster green rep with efficient mini-hydro plant
On Friday, a local U.K. council approved Queen Elizabeth's plan to build a mini hydroelectric power plant dedicated to Windsor Castle. The energy-efficient four-turbine plant on the River Thames is expected to supply enough electricity to keep about a third of the castle juiced. It'll be the largest of its kind in the South of England, but designed to minimize ecological and visual impacts to the river. Enviros lauded Her Royal Highness for setting a good green example: "We're delighted that the queen is taking a lead in the use of green electricity to help to tackle global warming. It highlights the massive potential for small-scale micro-generation systems within the U.K.," said Friends of the Earth. This is just one of many green efforts by the British royals: Buckingham Palace uses energy-efficient light bulbs and recycles 99 percent of organic waste, while Prince Charles is a noted fan of organic agriculture and critic of genetic modification.
straight to the source: The Times, Laura Elston, 25 Jul 2005
straight to the source: BBC News, 24 Jul 2005
straight to the source: Hello Magazine, 25 Jul 2005
posted by T. Scott Brineman at 4:52 AM
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