E Magazine articles from March 2004

E Magazine archives from March 2004

The real bottom line.(E Word)(corporate freedom or corporate irresponsibility?)
March 1, 2004... In our capitalist world, success in business (and, by extension, life as a whole) is measured almost solely by financial profit. Companies that make some of the most dangerous and unhealthy products, like weapons and cigarettes, are exceedingly...

Searching for Bobby Kennedy.(Advice & dissent: letters from our readers)(Letter to the Editor)
March 1, 2004... After reading "Legal Eagle: Bobby Kennedy, Jr. Fights for the Environment--and for His Kids' Future" (cover story, November/December 2003), I concluded that Kennedy is doing an excellent job fighting for the environment. This country needs more...

Global warming's hot debate.(Advice & dissent: letters from our readers)(Letter to the Editor)
March 1, 2004... Congratulations on a job well done with your article "The Reckoning' (feature, November/December 2003). The issue of global warming is one that cuts across all political and social boundaries. No one in the world can consider themselves immune...

Dispatch from the bigtop.(Advice & dissent: letters from our readers)(Letter to the Editor)
March 1, 2004... We read your November/December 2003 article "All for Show? (Currents) and appreciate your acknowledgement of our conservation efforts toward preserving the Asian elephant. Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey agrees that the state of the Asian...

Speaking for the animals.(Advice & dissent: letters from our readers)(Letter to the Editor)
March 1, 2004... "All For Show?" is an insightful article, and it is obvious the writer wasn't fooled by the circus propaganda. The circus' press representative is absolutely correct in stating Ringling is leading the world. Ringling does lead the circus world...

Can whaling be sustainable?
March 1, 2004... It's been a difficult year for opponents of whaling. In August, Iceland announced it would resume whale hunting after a 14 year hiatus. Norway--the only nation in the world that has a commercial whale hunt killed 647 minkes, the largest catch...

Wolves in Westchester.(Wolf Conservation Center, New York City)
March 1, 2004... A wolf howls in the autumn morning, and is joined by three other voices. It could be Alaska, but instead it's tony Westchester County in the suburbs of New York City, where no wolves have lived for more than a century. These wolves aren't wild;...

Trouble on the bayou.(Hypoxia, Mississippi river fishes)
March 1, 2004... Each April, the people of Terrebonne Parish convene in Chauvin, some 80 miles south of New Orleans, for the Blessing of the Fleet, heralding the ar rival of shrimp season. As spring gathers, though, a threat to this community's traditional...

Europe's green bins.(compost gas)
March 1, 2004... Suppose in addition to your blue bin for recyclables, you had a green one for kitchen scraps? And suppose that those scraps were collected and mixed with yard waste, then processed in small, low-emission factories into compost and a clean fuel...

Meet the Farm Bureau: does it Speak for the Family Farmer--or for Large-Scale Agribusiness?(Currents)
March 1, 2004... Before he goes to his job as communications director for the Missouri Rural Crisis Center, Bryce Oates has to feed his free-range chickens, who are being raised on an antibiotic- and hormone-free diet. Like most farmers in Missouri, Oates can't...

Watching the wildcrafters: overharvesting threatens the booming herbal industry.(Currents)
March 1, 2004... Officers confiscated plants with a market value of $250 to $500 per pound flora two homes in New York. In Indiana, a two-year investigation led to the issuing of search warrants, misdemeanor charges and the bust of six traffickers. Ordinary...

Michigan's makeover: Governor Jennifer Granholm champions smart growth.(Currents)
March 1, 2004... Well before she ran as a centrist Democrat and was elected handily to become the first woman to govern Michigan, Jennifer Granholm understood that joining urban Democrats with suburban Republican swing voters was her formula for victory. What...

Growing pains: recycling is maturing, and facing new challenges.(Currents)
March 1, 2004... When Ohio University recycling manager Ed Newman wants to see how the campus is recycling he goes right to the heart of the matter--into the dumpster. Though numbers show that students and faculty are recycling a decent 25 to 30 percent of...

More mercury?(Updates)(industrial emissions, Bush administration being kind)
March 1, 2004... Regulation of air pollution has been a constant battleground since the Clean Air Act was passed in 1970, with environmentalists often fighting smokestack utilities (see "Blue Skies," cover story, November/December 1999). Now, imminent victory...

Go green ... or stay home.(Updates)(tourists affecting ecology)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Green remains controversial, and the report Tourism and Biodiversity: Mapping Tourism's Global Footprint" by Conservation International (CI) and the United Nations Environment Programme paints a decidedly mixed picture (see "Taking The Natural...

Big wind on the Cape.(Updates)(offshore wind development projects)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Cape Wind Associates, the company that proposed a wind farm in Nantucket Sound, has often pointed to a similar project off the coast of Denmark as a poster child for the industry (see "Legal Eagle," features, November/December 2003). Jan...

Working capital: can socially responsible investing make a great green leap forward?
March 1, 2004... The basic premise of socially responsible investing is simple: If money makes the world go 'round, greener, more humane investments can improve the way it spins. Want sustainably managed forests? Provide loans or capital to eco-minded timber...

Mutual funds that matter.(environmentally selective investments)
March 1, 2004... Though many socially conscious mutual funds have screens for environmental issues and do shareholder activism, there are only half a dozen that make environmental issues a priority. One of those (which is also on a hot streak) is Winslow Green...

ShoreBank shows it cares--community investing.(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Although there are many socially responsible banks, credit unions and loan funds, ShoreBank Pacific (an outgrowth of Chicago's South Shore Bank) stands out for environmentalists eager to put their savings of banking dollars to work directly...

Shelley Alpern: shareholder activist.(Conversations)(Interview)
March 1, 2004... When Allied Signal held its annual meeting in 1999, Shelley Alpern, director of social research at Trillium Asset Management, was there, charging that executive compensation is "out of control" and demanding a sustainable policy of pay equity....

Making change, one share at a time.(environmental organiztions, actions taken)
March 1, 2004... The setting was something out of George Orwell's 1984. Outside, armed guards stood on the auditorium's roof watching over environmental protestors; inside, an enormous TV screen dominated the room with its Big Brother image of "The Great and...

A spoon full of sugar: what drug companies don't want you to know.(Your Health)
March 1, 2004... Several years ago, I went to the doctor feeling tired and stressed out and after a 10-minute visit came home with a prescription brupopion (brand name Wellbutrin). The doctor and I didn't discuss possible side effects, alternatives, or many...

Just like cheese? Avoiding "addiction" with dairy-free alternatives.(Eating Right)
March 1, 2004... Recently, I lost 15 pounds by eliminating cheese, sweets and alcohol from my diet. Giving up cookies and soy ice cream wasn't so hard, and switching to unsweetened soymilk was easy. Even eliminating alcohol wasn't really as big of a challenge...

New life for old floors: alternative materials add character to home designs.(House & Home)
March 1, 2004... When updating a home, one of the best things you can do for your health and your property value is to get rid of that dusty, allergen-trapping old carpet. But then what? There's a dizzying array of flooring options. But thinking ecologically...

Money-back guarantee: tax breaks for renewable energy.(Money Matters)
March 1, 2004... Consumers interested in purchasing environmentally friendly technologies--from solar panels to hybrid cars--have traditionally relied on their state governments for financial help via tax credits and rebates. But as pressure to diversify the...

The roof of the world: tourism in Nepal strikes a delicate balance.(Going Green)
March 1, 2004... To reach the best place to see Mount Everest (known locally as Sagarmatha), from Nepal s capital city of Kathmandu you first take a half-hour flight on a small plane to Lukla, then walk 31 miles to the small city of Namche. The trekking is by...

Body-care brawl: tensions mount over organic labeling of "hydrosol".(Consumer News)
March 1, 2004... In 1988, when she was just 29, Diana Kaye was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. The aggressive disease is one of the fastest-growing forms of cancer and has been linked in various studies to exposure to toxic chemicals. Kaye enrolled in an...

Tread lightly.(Tools for green living: resources for eco-awareness and action)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... It's hard to find travel-size, environmentally friendly shampoo and shaving gel, and when you finally do, what becomes of the almost-empty plastic bottles you bring back from your backpacking adventure in Ecuador or business trip in France?...

Healing for badgered bodies.(Tools for green living: resources for eco-awareness and action)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Originally formulated by a carpenter to heal his dry, chapped hands, Badger Healing Balm gave rise to a whole line of all-natural balms and oils by the W.S. Badger Company. Organic and sustainably harvested ingredients ensure the New...

Tea time in the tub.(Tools for green living: resources for eco-awareness and action)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Next time you take your tea, take it to the tub, literally. Inspired by Japanese bathing traditions discovered while they were in Tokyo, Annie Walker and Renay Arbour founded Deep Steep to offer a range of delightful natural products, including...

Groovy grooming for pets.(Tools for green living: resources for eco-awareness and action)(Groomers Stone is a new grooming tool.)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Horses, dogs, cats and other furry pets everywhere are nuzzling up to a unique new grooming tool called the Groomer's Stone. Although it may look rough and intimidating with its dark gray color and deep pores, the product gently removes...

Neither paper nor plastic.(Tools for green living: resources for eco-awareness and action)(www.ReusableBags.com)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Paper or plastic? That age-old environmental debate is made obsolete by the rising popularity of reusable bags (especially in Europe). But where do you go to find a durable bag that suits your unique needs? Vincent Cobbs, a Chicago-based...

Tantalizing tofu.(Tools for green living: resources for eco-awareness and action)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... While tofu is a great source of protein and nutrition, it can be intimidating to cook with. That's why natural foods company Pulmuone has introduced Soga Gourmet Tofu, which is pre-seasoned, pre-grilled, pre-diced and ready to eat. Each...

Eating healthy on the road.(Books)(Healthy Highways: The Road Guide to Healthy Eating)(Brief Article)(Book Review)
March 1, 2004... Being on the road typically mandates dining at fastfood joints and snacking on gas station fare--not very appealing to the health-conscious stomach. But fueling up doesn't have to consist of fatty, high-calorie food if you're equipped with the...

Aerial artwork.(Books)(Earth From Above: 366 Days)(Brief Article)(Book Review)
March 1, 2004... In his latest release, Earth From Above: 366 Days (Harry N. Abrams, $29.95), I aerial photographer Yann Arthus-Bertrand continues his epic photographic chronicle of the Earth began in earlier works. With breathtaking pictures of our planet...

Adventures in eco-journalism.(Books)(Evolution of a Columnist)(Brief Article)(Book Review)
March 1, 2004... Ed Flattau is a nationally syndicated environmental columnist who has made his mark appearing regularly in American newspapers since the 1970s. His new memoir Evolution of a Columnist (self-published by Xlibris Books, $24.99) details his...

The cost of biodiversity.(Books)(Priceless: The Vanishing Beauty of a Fragile Planet)(Brief Article)(Book Review)
March 1, 2004... Putting a face to each name of an endangered species isn't difficult anymore thanks to Bradley Trevor Greive's new book Priceless: The Vanishing Beauty of a Fragile Planet (Andrews McMeel Publishing, $18.95 paperback). This book is a testament...

Radical ideas, simple solutions.(Books)(Radical Simplicity: Small Footprints on a Finite Earth)(Brief Article)(Book Review)
March 1, 2004... Do you ever wish you could decrease your impact on the environment but aren't sure where to begin? If so, Radical Simplicity: Small Footprints on a Finite Earth (New Society Publishers, $17.95 paperback) is for you. This inspiring book by Jim...

Had enough?(Books)(Enough: Staying Human in an Engineered Age)(Brief Article)(Book Review)
March 1, 2004... Thought much about nanotechnology lately? Most people imagine the world ending with a mushroom cloud, not because of a bunch of microscopic robots. But Bill McKibben's alarming Enough (New York Times Books/Henry Holt, $25) raises the specter of...

Protecting estuaries, kid's eco-books and green yoga.(Ask E)
March 1, 2004... Is there a connection between practicing yoga and protecting the environment?--Rachelle Gould, Cambridge, MA The modern practice of yoga is rooted in the complex belief systems of ancient India. According to Yoga Journal, hatha yoga emerged...