Peter Garrett: Oil on Water
Australian politician Peter Garrett, the bald-headed singer from Down Under rock band Midnight Oil, is looking to morph a highly successful music career to a position as the country’s next environment minister.
Unearthed
New York Loves Ethanol
It looks like upstate New York will be a launching pad for alternative energy in the U.S., with five traditional ethanol plants are underway in the state, and a demonstration cellulosic ethanol plant being built near Rochester.
Dupont’s Not Sticking With PFOA
A year after voluntarily agreeing with the EPA to reduce the use of PFOA in the production of Teflon, DuPont recently announced that it would phase out its production.
States Rights on Wildlife
When it comes to environmental issues, the Bush Administration is known for being friendly to the concept of “states” rights.” In practice, that phrase has meant western states have been able to make their own policy—including drilling for oil and grazing cattle on public land (see “Seeking Sanctuary,” features, March/April 2003). States are now encouraged […]
S.O.S.: Polluting Boat Ahead
With more than 17 million recreational boats trolling U.S. waterways, the more efficient four-stroke boat engines may still pose an environmental problem. The only solution, say environmental advocates, are solar and electric powered boats.
For Haitian Artisans, Recycling Is Survival
Haitian craftspeople are turning the country’s rampant garbage into vibrant art—making delicate metal sculptures from oil drums and floral pins from white plastic jugs.
Saving the Spanish Caves
Cave dwellers in Southern Spain are organizing to save their neighborhood from destruction as police conduct raids and fill the structures with dirt.
Reef Invader: The Crown of Thorns Starfish
Coral reefs are dying at an unprecedented rate, due in large part to a brightly colored predatory invader called the crown of thorns starfish.
Congress Going Solar?
The 109th Congress passed legislation extending the federal solar tax energy credits through 2008 . The current bill extends a 30 percent tax credit for the purchase of a residential solar water heater, photovoltaic equipment or a fuel cell. Businesses can get a 30 percent credit for fuel-cell power plants, solar energy and fiber-optics.
Global Warming Votes
With the popularity of An Inconvenient Truth and the news that 2006 was one of the warmest years on record, climate change is likely to be one of the major issues in the 2008 presidential debates <a href="https://emagazine.com/view/?3257">(see "Warm Planet, Cool Ideas," feature, July/August 2006).</a>