Latest Articles

Semper Filthy

Controversy Grows Over Contaminated Water on Marine Base In what could be one of the largest contaminated water cases in U.S. history, hundreds of lawsuits have been filed against the U.S. military over dirty water at Camp Lejeune, a North Carolina Marine Corps base. In 1980, tests of drinking water wells at the base revealed […]

Walk Like an Egyptian

Egyptian Agro-Business Is Socially Conscious and Green to Boot In the arid Egyptian desert — an area not typically associated with socially progressive entrepreneurship — the Sekem Group is demonstrating how home-grown business can make both profit and positive change. Founded in 1977 by Ibrahim Abouleish, the agro-business has developed a wide range of products […]

A Dam Sham

Bush Officials Stand Atop Dam to Trumpet Salmon Funding Bush administration officials announced a $10 million increase in funding for restoration of endangered Northwest salmon on Monday, drawing election-year attention to recent increases in salmon numbers. Enviros expressed measured support for the rise in funding, but pointed out that higher salmon numbers were mostly attributable […]

Fetal Detraction

Air Quality One-Two Punch Hurts Fetuses The combined effects of air pollution and secondhand smoke can hurt fetal development, says a new study conducted in New York City by the Columbia Center for Children’s Environmental Health. While previous studies have addressed the effects of both factors in isolation, this study marks the first attempt to […]

20,000 Toxins Under the Sea

Ocean Mammals Getting Pummeled by Pollution New research indicates that human-made toxins have infiltrated deep and remote parts of the ocean. The Ocean Alliance, a Massachusetts-based research organization, has found troubling levels of DDT, PCBs, and other contaminants in the blubber of sperm whales. Scientists were surprised at their initial findings, as the deep-water whales […]

Going on the Rails on a Crazy Train

Study Find Trains Best Transportation Solution for California Building a high-speed rail system that would connect California’s major cities would be more cost-effective and less environmentally destructive than expanding the state’s highways and airports, says a long-awaited government environmental study released today. The study — which considered ways of linking the Bay Area and San […]

More advice on recycling batteries

Dear Umbra, I’ve been turning in my used alkaline batteries at the local drug store’s photo department, mine being Savon here in Southern California. It appears they recycle their spent film cans and cartridges, as well as cameras and batteries. At least this is what I have surmised when I have dropped off my used […]

Umbra on tankless water heaters

Dear Umbra, While you were warning folks to plan ahead for a potential water-tank failure, I thought you should mention the natural gas heat-on-demand systems that they should use to replace their tanks. Last spring, when our 50-gallon tank decided to give our basement floor a thorough cleaning, we had to scramble to find an […]

Survey Says: Don’t Survey!

Bush Admin. to Ease Rare Species Restrictions on Old-Growth Logging Timber companies hoping to log on federal land in the Northwest will no longer be responsible for surveying and protecting some 300 rare plant and animal species, the Bush administration announced on Friday. (Yes, it’s yet another Friday rollback; they were hoping you wouldn’t notice.) […]

Umbra on wood stoves

Dear Umbra, When you suggested that someone may want wood heat because it “makes you feel like a country stud,” you made an erroneous assumption — that your audience is entirely urban. Here in Skamokawa, Wash., many a mile from the nearest natural gas line, the choices are essentially wood or electricity. In September, my […]