water
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National River Heroes announced
River Network is a crucial national organization working to build the capacity and effectiveness of grassroots activists and groups that work to improve water quality. This weekend at its annual River Rally in Baltimore, 6 new River Heroes will be named. Here’s your sneak peek: Dr. T. Allan CompFounder and Coordinator of the Appalachian Coal […]
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Congress reconsiders regulatory exemption for gas drilling
This story was written by ProPublica’s Abrahm Lustgarten. From left, former Vice President Dick Cheney, Rep. John Salazar, Rep. Dianna DeGette and Sen. Bob Casey are all trying to leave their mark on how natural gas is drilled in the U.S. Abrahm Lustgarten / ProPublicaFour years after Vice President Dick Cheney spearheaded a massive energy […]
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For some eco-pioneers, solving the sludge problem means getting their hands dirty
Part 3 of Grist’s special series on poop. Laura Allen, a 33-year-old teacher from Oakland, California, has a famous toilet. To be honest, it’s actually a box, covered in decorative ceramic tiles, sitting on the cement floor of her bathroom like a throne. No pipes lead to or from it; instead, a bucket full of […]
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Sludge, farmer’s friend or toxic slime?
Should what we put down our sewers ultimately wind up back on our plates?Marc Samsom via Flickr Urine, feces, menstrual blood, hair, fingernails, vomit, dead skin cells. Industrial chemicals, pharmaceuticals, soaps, shampoos, solvents, pesticides, household cleansers, hospital waste. Sewage sludge, the viscous brown gunk left over when wastewater is treated, is more than just poop: […]
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Regulating biosolids
Biosolids are regulated under what’s known colloquially (to those who speak colloquially about sewage) as the 503 Sludge Rule, which came into effect in 1993. Technically titled “40 CFR 503 — Standards for the Use and Disposal of Sewage Sludge,” it’s complicated enough that EPA came out with a “Plain English” guide to help make […]
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The band Lady Antebellum adopts green habits to last beyond Earth Day
My band — Lady Antebellum — is doing something different this year. We want to practice realistic green habits that we know we can do year-round, not just on Earth Day. We just released our latest video for a song called “I Run to You,” which is all about paying it forward. The idea of […]
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A test of green(er) dishwasher detergents
Like the thorn under the rosebud, big piles of dirty dishes symbolize the tragedy of existence: pleasure (e.g., the pleasure of eating and cooking) invites pain. But dishes are more than just a symbol; they also (unfortunately) need to be done, day in and day out. The question becomes: how to do them as painlessly […]
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The unrecognized link between water and energy
Photo: rutloOur nation is in the midst of some serious energy and water problems, but what many may not realize is that these two issues are very closely linked (see the recent Wall Street Journal article on this topic). The truth is that energy and water are related in just about every way you can […]
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On thin ice with the billionaire
[vodpod id=Video.16189242&w=425&h=350&fv=file%3Dhttp%3A%2F%2Fwww-tc.pbs.org%2Fnow%2Fvideo%2FOn-Thin-Ice-trailer.flv%26amp%3Bplugins%3Dembed-1%26amp%3Bimage%3Dhttp%3A%2F%2Fwww-tc.pbs.org%2Fnow%2Fimages%2FOn-Thin-Ice-webex.jpg] It is tough to argue with a man with a net worth that begins not with an “m” but with a “b.” The man didn’t inherit his billions, he got them by investing early in promising but not yet proven technologies. This suggested the billionaire had the power of clairvoyance and, so, when […]
