E Magazine articles from May 2008

E Magazine archives from May 2008

Time to clear the air on immigration.(E Word)
May 1, 2008... It seems to me that if we are to have a useful debate about immigration and the environment we need parties to the discussion who have some depth of analysis--or who are willing to talk about it at all. Right now we don t seem to have either....

Winter wonderings.(ADVICE & DISSENT: Letters from our readers)(Letter to the editor)
May 1, 2008... I couldn't believe the timeliness of your piece on the warming of winter ("Losing Winter," cover story, January/February 2008). The day I pulled it out of my mailbox, here in metropolitan Detroit, it was 65 degrees outside and pouring rain--on...

A wobble theory.(ADVICE & DISSENT: Letters from our readers)(Letter to the editor)
May 1, 2008... I hear a lot about global warming and all of the theories as to why it is happening. I am sure that all of these ideas are valid, but has anyone ever thought that there could be another reason? This might sound a little farfetched. Imagine...

Berkeley's solar boost.
May 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Berkeley has long been an environmental innovator, and the city is again taking the lead with a plan to loan residents the money they need to go solar. Homeowners will be able to tack the annual loan payments onto...

Digital TV's toxic takeover.
May 1, 2008... Your old television set has a confession to make: it's toxic, with several pounds of lead in its picture tube. Unless you've already upgraded to a flat panel or liquid crystal display (LCD) model, you've got an environmental hazard on your...

Burned-out bulbs.(used compact fluorescent light disposal)
May 1, 2008... As green living goes mainstream, compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulbs burn brightly in millions of homes. And there lies the problem: CFLs require mercury to produce light. On average, 25-watt CFLs contain five milligrams (rag) of mercury, an...

Recycled recordings: the music business' higher bar.
May 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] "Independent labels are about more than just records," says Stephen Glick, en, musician, producer and co-founder of New York-based Green Owl Records. His company is committed to releasing records with as little...

Israel's big green future: stretching resources, saving habitat and mending fences.(CURRENTS)
May 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] On the Bergman campus of Ben-Gurion University (BGU), located in the city of Beer-Sheva on the northern edge of Israel's Negev Desert, researchers are doing what they can to maximize Israel's limited natural...

Greening the Capitol: the House (but not the Senate) cleans up its act.(CURRENTS)
May 1, 2008... Cafeteria stations feature flesh-made wraps and salads, hormone-free burgers and mounds of fruit arrayed on bamboo mats. Food is served on compostable sugar cane plates and beverages in cornstarch cups. Receptacles invite easy waste separation....

Wave power: the uncertain frontier of ocean-based energy development.(CURRENTS)
May 1, 2008... In the 2007 state legislative session, Oregon passed a renewable energy standard bill mandating that the state's largest utilities get 25 percent of their energy from homegrown renewable sources by 2025. To meet the requirement, Oregon is...

Who owns the tides? Alaska's fast-tracked wave permits.(CURRENTS)
May 1, 2008... Just over a century ago, the arrival of gold miners bearing shovels and mini ing claims stunned peaceful native residents along the Yukon River near the Alaska-Canada border. Now, an alternative energy rush is quietly sweeping the nation's...

Glossed over: nail salon workers and cosmetic consequences.(CURRENTS)
May 1, 2008... On winter nights the neon sign "Nail Boutique" glows on Hudson Street in New York City's West Village. The door is shut tight to keep out the cold. At closing time, the manager doles out the day's pay to her all-Chinese staff, including her...

Chemical connections.(UPDATES)(baby products; bisphernol A and phthalates detection)(Brief article)
May 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] In the span of two months, researchers found that chemicals in baby's products were both more dangerous--and more present--than was previously thought (see "The Battle to Ban Toxic Toys," sidebar, May/June 2007)....

A village protests.(UPDATES)(Kivalina in Alaska)(Brief article)
May 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The Alaskan village of Kivalina and its Inuit Eskimo tribe have filed suit against fossil fuel companies for emitting greenhouse gases that have significantly altered their traditional way of life. The village's suit...

The drugs in drinking water shocker.(UPDATES)(Brief article)
May 1, 2008... The Associated Press reported in early March that "a vast array of pharmaceuticals--including antibiotics, anti-convulsants, mood stabilizers and sex hormones--have been found in the drinking water supplies of at least 41 million Americans."...

Destination America: immigration, the environment and big population numbers.
May 1, 2008... In 2006, USA Today ran a lengthy story entitled "How Will the USA Cope with Unprecedented Growth?" The country's population had just crossed the 300 million mark, tip from 200 million in just 39 years. Writer Haya El Nasser listed the many...

Growing pains: three sprawling cities.(Atlanta, Houston and Los Angeles' immigrants)
May 1, 2008... Waving U.S. flags and chanting "We Are America!" between 30,000 and 60,000 immigrants and supporters took to the streets of Atlanta in 2006, calling for amnesty and a clear path to citizenship for millions of undocumented workers. ...

Immigration: two views.(interview with John Seager and David Durham)(Interview)
May 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] John Seager is the president of the Washington-based Population Connection (formerly Zero Population Growth), which has consistently taken the position that stopping teen pregnancy and increasing family planning aid...

Bottled water backlash: environmental concerns are sending people back to their taps.(Cover story)
May 1, 2008... Jennifer Phillips always felt guilty that her large Nashville law firm didn't recycle. So after big client meetings, she collected all the empty plastic water bottles, took them home and added them to her own curbside recycling bin. Now, she is...

Something in the air: the Beijing Olympics offer ozone lessons.(Your Health)
May 1, 2008... In recent months, all eyes have been on China and the upcoming Beijing Olympics. Will the city be able to reduce air pollution levels enough to keep the athletes healthy and safe? Or will the marathoners have to run through Beijing city streets...

Spilt milk: from fat free to flavored to fresh.(Eating Right)
May 1, 2008... Milk is our first food, and it's still one of the best sources of calcium. Milk from cows, goats, sheep, horses camels has nourished us since prehistoric times. Today, most milk comes from a carton, but supermarket milk--pasteurized and...

Raising the new roof: from plants to polymers, it's all going green.(House & Home)
May 1, 2008... Green roofs are nothing new. In their book, Planting Green Roofs and Living Walls, Nigel Dunnett and Noel Kingsbury report that the idea has "been [around] for centuries." Historically, say the authors, people in present-day Turkey, Iraq and...

A female focus: investing in companies that let women lead.(Money Matters)
May 1, 2008... One of the great things about investing in socially responsible mutual funds is that you can specifically target issues that concern you personally. The Women's Equity Fund (Ticker: PXWEX) searches for companies that excel in gender equality...

Wide open spaces: an ecotourist's guide to the Midwest.(Going Green)(Apostle Islands National Lakeshore, Wisconsin)(Travel narrative)
May 1, 2008... Maybe there's some-sins water. How else to explain the state serving as home to so many conservation leaders, including Aldo Leopold and John Muir? Gazing out at the spectacular Apostle Islands--a group of 21 islands in Lake Superior at the...

Perfecting the PC: computers are getting better, but consumer habits matter, too.(Consumer News)(personal computers)
May 1, 2008... Your personal computing habits may need a green makeover. Today's power-hungry computers are eating an ever-bigger share of the energy pie chart. With new, more energy-efficient technologies and green initiatives like the federal Energy Star...

A fresh take on flowers.(Tools for Green Living: Resources for Eco-Awareness and Action)(www.GiftsWithHumanity.org)(Brief article)
May 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Fresh flowers are a joy, but it's always a downer when they eventually droop and die. Buying organic blooms ensures one's heart (and wallet) are in the right place planet-wise, but it doesn't cure the quick lifespan...

Sensitive shoe shopping.(Tools for Green Living: Resources for Eco-Awareness and Action)(www.vegetarianshoesandbags.com)(Brief article)
May 1, 2008... What's most exciting about the footwear selection at vegetarianshoesandbags.com is not the practical hemp sneakers with recycled tire outsoles that look ready for the skate park or the mall. Instead, we're wowed by the impressive selection of...

Eat your cookies.(Tools for Green Living: Resources for Eco-Awareness and Action)(www.aricofoods.com)(Brief article)
May 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Ingredients with long, complicated, chemical-sounding names make shopping particularly painful for mindful parents. If you're avoiding gluten (proteins found in wheat) and casein (proteins found in dairy) to minimize...

Skin solutions.(Tools for Green Living: Resources for Eco-Awareness and Action)(Natralia)(Brief article)
May 1, 2008... After a recent green festival, E staff returned loaded with a selection of products from Natralia, an Australian company that's making inroads in the states with all-natural, organic treatments for eczema and psoriasis and a slew of organic...

Eat chocolate: save the world.(Tools for Green Living: Resources for Eco-Awareness and Action)(Bloomsberry & Co.)(Brief article)
May 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] New Zealand-based Bloomsberry & Co. has mostly promoted its delectable dark and milk chocolate bars through witty wrappers. These chocolatiers put irreverent bunnies humping on Easter-themed chocolate bars and have a...

Creative kitchenware.(Tools for Green Living: Resources for Eco-Awareness and Action)(Brief article)
May 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The Preserve Kitchen line from Recycline is designed by people who love to cook, love the Earth and think it's OK to have a little fun. The company with the recycled-content toothbrushes and razors has launched...

Hot pots.(Tools for Green Living: Resources for Eco-Awareness and Action)(Garden Makers, Rice Hull Gardens)(Brief article)
May 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Potting Shed Creations, Ltd. makes eco-friendly gardening easy. The company sells certified organic and heirloom products and seeds in 100 percent biodegradable Rice Hull Gardens--self-contained pots made from...

Bugs and bites be gone.(Tools for Green Living: Resources for Eco-Awareness and Action)(organic insecticide and Bitecare Gel)(Brief article)
May 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Harsh, toxic chemicals are no longer the only way to eliminate insect pests or treat bug bites and stings. Using the natural defensive oils found in plants and trees to fight insects and pathogens, EcoSMART has...

Listening to whales.(Thousand Mile Song: Whale Music in a Sea of Sound)(Brief article)(Book review)
May 1, 2008... Thousand Mile Song: Whale Music in a Sea of Sound (Basic Books, $27.50) by David Rothenberg is not so much a book about whale song as it is an exploration of the many meanings that both whales and their songs have been given by different...

On the bottle.(Bottlemania: How Water Went on Sale and Why We Bought It)(Brief article)(Book review)
May 1, 2008... Aside from being a well-told tale, Elizabeth Royte's Bottlemania: How Water Went on Sale and Why We Bought It (Bloomsbury, $24.99) provides a succinct history of bottled water and how it came to be a force in the beverage industry. She also...

To the last drop.(Gusher of Lies: The Dangerous Delusions of "Energy Independence")(Brief article)(Book review)
May 1, 2008... Robert Bryce's Gusher of Lies: The Dangerous Delusions of "Energy Independence" (PublicAffairs, $26.95) is a timely book. If you've ever wondered why we haven't abandoned our addiction to oil and simply started running our cars on ethanol from...

Dam shame.(The Last Flight of the Scarlet Macaw)(Brief article)(Book review)
May 1, 2008... Environmentalists around the world tried to stop the Three Gorges Dam in China, which displaced 1.3 million people and, according to International Rivers, had "profound" ecological effects. The protests might have slowed dam construction, but...

Get with the program.(The Complete Idiot's Guide to Green Living)(Brief article)(Book review)
May 1, 2008... No matter how many green guides and books of green tips hit the market, the message bears repeating: we need to cut down on our consumption. The Complete Idiot's Guide to Green Living by Trish Riley (Alpha, $16.95) helps readers do just that,...

Eco babies on board.(Eco Babies Wear Green)(Brief article)(Children's review)(Book review)
May 1, 2008... Board books are especially useful as active infants begin to practice "reading" on their own, delighting over their ability to turn pages and identify toes, umbrellas and balls. There are a whole series of hip little board books by author...

Stem cells and the dark side.(The Stem Cell Dilemma: Beacons of Hope or Harbingers of Doom?)(Brief article)(Book review)
May 1, 2008... The Stem Cell Dilemma: Beacons of Hope or Harbingers of Doom?, by Leo Furcht and William Hoffman (Arcade Publishing, $25), is an expert analysis of both the promise and the threat of stem cell technologies. Bone marrow (i.e., stem cell)...

Purposeful parties & better backyards.(EARTH TALK: Questions & Answers About Our Environment)
May 1, 2008... Dear EarthTalk: I've been reading about green festivals. What are some good ones and where can I find information on them?--Alex, Chicago, IL If you're a consumer searching for healthy organic foods or a leaning-green businessperson...