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Let My People Flow

Water privatization falling out of favor The privatization of water systems took off globally in the ’80s and ’90s; now it seems to be going the way of ankle zippers and acid-washed denim. At last week’s World Water Forum, delegates voted to issue a decree supporting government responsibility for providing safe drinking water. As if […]

Mumbai-Bye, Birdie

India’s vultures on verge of extinction thanks to cattle medication India’s once-abundant vulture population has plummeted an astonishing 97 percent in the past decade, and conservationists worldwide charge the Indian government with not acting quickly enough to save them. The culprit is diclofenac, a cheap painkiller used to treat sick cattle in South Asia; it […]

Klamath Is Hard!

Judge orders Bush admin to shift water to Klamath River salmon Endangered Klamath River coho salmon — what’s left of them anyway — scored a victory yesterday, as a federal judge ordered the Bureau of Reclamation to increase river flows in drought years and the National Marine Fisheries Service to develop a biological study that […]

Finding Nemo, seaweed, and condoms on a small tropical island

Now, I am not a veteran snorkeler, but the underwater views I had last week were truly amazing. I was diving off a tiny (11 hectare) island in the Philippines where orange Finding-Nemo clown fish danced around my hands and the table coral must have been 10 feet in diameter. Cobalt blue starfish spread their arms across the spiky coral forests.

But this is not a post on a vacation, although the hour I was in the water felt like a holiday. No, snorkeling on the edge of the Gilutongan Marine Sanctuary was the highlight of a site visit to an integrated population, health, and environment program on this tiny island. We were a group of fifty invaders visiting Cebu City, the Philippines, for the 2nd National Conference on Population, Health, and Environment.

What had been just a marine-conservation program a few years ago has become a dynamic mix of efforts: children's immunizations and pre-natal checkups, family-planning services, clean-water provision, and alternative-livelihood strategies including tourism and seaweed farming.

Blood and Gore in the WSJ

Speaking of the Wall Street Journal, the co-founders of Generation Investment Management -- Al Gore and David Blood (Blood and Gore!) -- have a commentary therein neatly summarizing the case for integrating social, moral, and environmental concerns into the market. They even use the WSJ's favored dry, technical business-speak to do it. It begins thusly:

WSJ on Canadian tar-sands oil

The Wall Street Journal is running a magisterial survey of the Canadian tar-sands issue. Sadly, I don't have time to say anything about it, and you can't read it (unless you're a subscriber).

But at least throwing this link up relieves some of the bloggy guilt.

Small town sprayed with fine mist of oil like Wolfgang Puck salad

The Houston Chronicle reported today on a recent oil spill in Texas. Residents of Baytown awoke to an eerie grey mist hanging over their town, like in a John Carpenter movie. Cars were coated with a slippery film of oil, so that locals found it difficult to open their car doors (but easier to open that front gate, which was needing a little WD40). When resident Felicia Joseph called the authorities, no one came.

For six years Felicia Joseph lived beside one of the nation's largest oil refineries -- and not once did she complain about pollution. "It's like living near a bakery," said the 34-year-old hairdresser. "You know you are going to smell baked goods. You pretty much know what you are up against."

Yes, just like living near a bakery. In which case an accident like this would have caused her neighborhood to be showered in a fine mist of cinnamon buns.

Flawed Response To Exxon Spill Exposed (Houston Chronicle)

The Daily Grist Headline Battle Royale: Match 5

Sorry folks. As I had to leave early on Friday, I didn't get a chance to post last week's nominees. I thought one of my colleagues would pick up the ball, but they are obviously completely undependable.

As usual, before we get to the current list of nominees, our first order of business is to announce the winner of battle royale número cuatro ... "Flame! I Wanna Log Forever" with 33% of 117(!) votes. Thanks to all the newbies who participated!

Now, here are this week's nominees:

1. Papua Goes After the Weasel: Indonesia to Freeport: Clean up mining operations or we'll sue
2. They Got Seoul But They're Not Eco-Soldiers: South Korean Supreme Court rules in favor of eco-damaging seawall
3. Do You CEO What I CEO?: American firms lag on addressing climate-change risks, study finds
4. Freeport Your Mine, and Unrest Will Follow: Mining companies dig up trouble in Indonesia
5. If At First You Don't Succeed, Tritium Again: Illinois nuke-plant operator sued for tritium spills it tried to hide

For those of you paying attention, you may have discovered that each Daily Grist of the previous week is represented. I bring this up as choosing one from Tuesday was particularly difficult as they were all good. Kudos to my colleagues. While you may be unreliable, you sure can be witty.

Okay, voting time!

Grist’s Poverty & the Environment on EcoTalk

Grist's own editor-at-large, Kathryn Schulz, appeared on EcoTalk to chat about our Poverty & the Environment series. Listen to the 12-minute interview.

More on the case of the lost oil-drilling royalties

Over on Daily Grist, we've given pretty extensive coverage to the story of how oil companies will manage to dodge some $7 billion worth of royalty payments over the next five years (up to $35 billion, depending on the outcome of a court challenge). What with Bush Scandal Fatigue, the story didn't get the attention it should have. Oh, another $7 billion out of taxpayer pockets to subsidize the world's wealthiest industry? Ho hum.

Anyway, there's a fantastic piece in today's New York Times that provides much-needed context.

Originally, the incentive program to persuade oil companies to drill in the Gulf of Mexico was supposed to cost taxpayers nothing. Then, you know, one thing led to another. Now it's gonna run them $7 billion. How'd that happen?