Down on the Filthy Farm
An investigative report in Cleveland’s <I>Plain Dealer</I> November 27 makes it plain why large corporate animal farms are terrible neighbors—and why communities that welcomed them in often regret their decision.
Bush Administration Likely to Reject Ocean Reform Recommendations
Marine conservation activists were dismayed to learn last week that the Bush administration is unlikely to institute recommended policy changes regarding the way it handles ocean pollution, coastal development, fisheries management and other marine environmental issues. The White House is mandated to officially "respond" by December 20 to recommendations set forth by the U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy last year.
White House Poised to Increase Pacific Northwest Logging
Environmentalists are bracing for stepped-up efforts by a re-elected Bush administration to dramatically increase logging of old-growth trees and other forestlands in the Pacific Northwest over the next four years.
My new dishwasher has receptacles for both soap and “rinse-aid.”
If your region”s water source is rich in magnesium and calcium salts (“hard” water), adding rinse-aid to your dishwasher along with the detergent may help prevent streaks and spotting on your glassware and dishes.
With all the talk of hydrogen fueled vehicles, I can’t help but wonder if millions of cars
Climate analysts do believe that water vapor in the atmosphere—mostly due to natural evaporation from bodies of water—is already contributing significantly to climate change. According to the esteemed International Panel on Climate Change, atmospheric water vapor exacerbates warming caused by the emission of fossil fuels by as much as 50 percent.
Hondas and Hydrogen
New York’s Republican governor, George Pataki, is really tall, and he towered over the compact Honda FCX fuel-cell car he was admiring. While the busy Pataki passed up the chance to take a ride in one of the two cars that had just been presented to the state, I didn"t.
Study Links 200 or More Diseases to Pollution
Doctors from the University of California and the Boston Medical Center have released findings linking common chemical pollutants to at least 200 different human diseases. The study, which compiled data from hundreds of previous studies, shows strong correlations between various common pollutants and a wide range of diseases, including asthma, testicular atrophy, cerebral palsy, kidney disease, heart disease, hypertension, diabetes, dermatitis bronchitis, hyperactivity, deafness, sperm damage and Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases. Pollutants also were linked to 37 different types of cancers.
Reducing Cancer Risks One Step at a Time
A recently released study of commuters in Shanghai, China shows that walking or bicycling to work may do more than minimize pollution and improve cardiovascular health. Researchers from the Maryland-based National Cancer Institute found that moderate day-to-day physical activity significantly reduced Shanghai residents’ chances of getting colon cancer.
I’ve heard about mad cow disease, but what is mad deer disease?
“Mad deer disease” is a transmissible disease similar to mad cow disease, but it occurs in deer and elk instead of cattle. Called “spongiform encephalopathy,” but also known as “chronic wasting disease” (CWD), it was first discovered in 1967 on a Colorado wildlife research facility.
What environmental and health problems are associated
To achieve its pearly white color, most paper goes through a bleaching process that uses chlorine or chemicals derived from it (such as chlorine dioxide). The process also removes lignin, a component of wood fiber that can eventually turn paper yellow.