A Crisis of Complacency
Environmentally speaking, the test of the new Clinton Administration may well lie in how it handles a crisis of both national and global proportions that, ironically, has an Arkansas connection.
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Milk a Natural? Think Again
There are 200 million cows in India today. The nation’s Hindus worship the cow as the sacred mothers of life; cow killing is punishable by life imprisonment. For the half million cow that have become too sick to roam the streets, the Indian government provides shelter, food and care. When questioned about the costs involved, the Hindus reply, "Will you then send your mother to a slaughterhouse when she gets old?"
Turning Kids Into Tree Huggers
High school junior Mary Andrews found her first camping trip both frightening and exhilarating. "It was my first time away from home," she recalled. "I was two miles into the mountains and the closest phone was about three miles away." But somehow, Andrews adjusted quickly to life without television, radio or a microwave.
Noise Annoys
The ear-shattering sounds of New York City–blaring car horns, piercing ambulance sirens, thundering subway trains, roaring pneumatic drills, and the noise generated by millions of people huddled together in limited spaces–have become legendary. Visitors are stunned by this cacophony and wonder how residents tolerate it. "We can’t and we won’t remain silent and longer," said Carmins SantaMaria, founder of Big Screechers, a New York anti-noise group credited with forcingthe City’s Transit Authority to lower its din.
Organic Wines
You’re selecting a dinner wine at your local liquor store. But when you reach for your old standby in the Chardonnay bin, you notice a new, official looking label affixed on it: "Organically Grown Wine, No Sulfites Added, California Organic Food Act of 1990." You’ve heard of organically grown produce. But an organically grown wine? Is it better healthwise? Is it more Earth-friendly? Are sulfites bad for you? If you’re thinking of turning to the government for answers think again.
Mesquite Trees Feel the Bite
The next time you’re about to bite into that sizzling mesquite-grilled burger or blackened bluefish, think twice. That smoky, outdoorsy flavor has an unpleasant history.
Solar Senator Tom Hayden Keeps Going and Going and…
There’s an American myth that radicals will eventually burn out or sell out. om Hayden has done neither. Last November, as Bill Clinton and Al Gore snatched the White House from George "chainsaw" Bush and Dan "I never met a recycling program I couln’t block" Quayle, Hayden completed his own political comeback by winning a seat in the California State Senate.
Brave New Egg Farm
According to the 1959 World Book Encyclopedia, "Chickens in the United States are raised in small flocks on farms that are raised in small flocks on farms that specialize in other crops. The farmer’s wife often cares for the chickens and uses the "egg money" as she pleases." This system, however quaint, had it’s benefits. Chickens ran, scratched and pecked in barnyards, and their waster fertilized the crops. The wholesome eggs, laid in straw nests, were sold locally.
Troubled Waters
For Norman Maclean, Montana’s Big Blackfoot River was a pristine and spiritual place where any faithful fly fisherman could enjoy a near-religious experience, partaking in the best that nature had to offer. The trout-filled waters of the Blackfoot shaped Maclean’s life and inspired him to write a book, A River Runs Through It, filled with romantic descriptions of the Blackfoot, which inspired Robert Redford to buy the screenplay rights and produce a movie about the beautiful river of Maclean’s youth. Flyfishing, brotherhood, growing up in Montana–the Hollywood production had all the wholesome goodness of homemade bread, except for one thing. By the time Redford was ready to start filming two years ago, some 16 years after the book was published, the Big Blackfoot lacked the asthetics necessary to serve as the setting for the movie.
Close Encounters of the Wild Kind
"Help, there’s a skunk in my garage!" says the voice on the other end of the phone. She’s terrified of the little creature, and has just learned that local trappers want $75.00 to remove it.