World Watch articles from September 1999

World Watch archives from September 1999

Oceans Apart in Precaution.
September 1, 1999... In May, a women's group in England demanded mandatory labeling of genetically engineered foods, because its more than 250,000 members "are concerned for the health of their families." Such declarations have become commonplace in Europe, where...

Specialization and Tunnel Vision.(adapted from 'God's Last Offer: Negotiating for a Sustainable Future')
September 1, 1999... The question wells up like one of those nightmares in which you call out for help, but no sound comes out: Why do our political and corporate leaders show so little interest in really mobilizing to stabilize the fast-deteriorating climate,...

Factor 10 revisited.(environmental aspects of materials consumption)(Statistical Data Included)
September 1, 1999... A new report from the Nordic Council of Ministers suggests that while technological improvements can greatly reduce materials consumption in industrial economies, changes in consumer behavior are the key to locking in those gains. The...

Globalization is rapid but unbalanced.(Statistical Data Included)
September 1, 1999... The United Nations Development Programme's new Human Development Report 1999 shows that while global integration is proceeding "at breakneck speed and with amazing reach," much of the world is not participating in its rewards. "The new rules of...

Food giants back off selling bio-engineered products.
September 1, 1999... Responding to widespread consumer aversion to genetically engineered foods, two of the world's three largest food companies - Nestle and Unilever - have agreed to phase out sales in the United Kingdom of products made with genetically...

King Coal's Weakening Grip on Power.(Statistical Data Included)
September 1, 1999... The fuel that ushered in the Industrial Revolution still burns, but a new era beckons. Revolution was literally in the air on February 28, 1998, when officials in Beijing and 32 other Chinese cities under pressure from the national...

Breaking Out or Breaking Down.(Statistical Data Included)
September 1, 1999... In some parts of the world, the historic trend toward longer life has been abruptly reversed. On October 12 of this year, the world's human population is projected to pass 6 billion. The day will be soberly observed by population and...

When the World's Wells Run Dry.(Statistical Data Included)
September 1, 1999... It may seem to defy the logic of a closed planetary system, but the supply of water available for irrigation is indeed diminishing - at an alarming rate. In 1970, farmers in rural Deaf Smith County in the Texas panhandle encountered a...