On October 16, 1997, my Eureka, California District Office was rocked by what sounded like a thunderous explosion. In fact, the sound was that of a 500-pound tree stump being dumped off a truck onto the office foyer floor. Upon responding to the horrific sound, my two female staff members were greeted by the visage of several Earth First! terrorists, one wearing a black ski mask, and another wearing dark goggles and a hood.
Environmentalists urging us to "Save the Whales" or "Save the Spotted Owl" may soon take up a new plea–"Save the Humans." After decades of decline, deaths from infectious diseases in the United States are on the rise, and many scientists are pointing their fingers at our poisoned planet.
Will The Big Dig Really Solve Boston's Daunting Traffic Problems?
As yet another snowstorm was burying Minnesota and the rest of the Midwest last winter, traders in the "futures pit" of the Minneapolis Grain Exchange were shouting and signaling bids and offers for spring wheat, white wheat, white shrimp and black tiger shrimp. The trading in shrimp was closely followed by the staff of the local Thai Trade Office.
Light Pollution is a Threat to Wildlife, Safety and the Starry Sky After hours of driving south in the pitch-black darkness of the Nevada desert, a dome of hazy gold suddenly appears on the horizon. Soon, a road sign confirms the obvious: Las Vegas 30 miles. Looking skyward, you notice that the Big Dipper is […]
Japan fights international opinion to continue hunting cetaceans.
Coffee increases alertness and performance, and even helps prevent some diseases. Coffee’s great! But not any coffee. There are both ethical and environmental issues surrounding coffee, and they get a little bit confusing.
Marine Campaigns Spotlight Wasteful Fishing Practices Thirty miles off Cape Cod, Dr. Carl Safina of the National Audubon Society’s Living Oceans Program and pilot Charlie Horton circle desert-like stretches of blue water in a single-engine Super Cub. Their object: to locate schools of bluefin tuna, 500- to 700-pound fish that are highly prized by commercial […]
Organic Foods May Be Grown with Sewage Sludge and Drugs Last December, Secretary of Agriculture Dan Glickman made a greatly anticipated announcement that at once had farmers, consumers and organic retailers across the country holding their breath, then raising their voices in astonished protest: The proposed federal organic standards for U.S. food crops included inherently […]
A Universal Studios Theme Park in Japan Sits on Top of a Toxic Waste Site There were the usual men in suits, and there were also actors dressed as Woody Woodpecker, Marilyn Monroe, Herman Munster and Groucho Marx. The place was Osaka, Japan, two years ago, and the occasion was the signing of an agreement […]
