Latest Articles

My Old Kentucky Sewage

Kentucky Sewage System Worst in Nation Poor Kentucky. Not only does the state often find itself near the bottom of national rankings on education and income; now, it’s dead last in plumbing. Fully 40 percent of Kentucky homes are not connected to sewage treatment plants, instead relying on failing septic tanks or “straight pipes” that […]

A new GMO treaty is about to get tangled up in trade tussles

All but eclipsed by the somber anniversary of the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety will become international law today with little fanfare. Nonetheless, its entry into force could mark the beginning of a new era in international trade — with potentially sweeping consequences for the environment. Fields of grain […]

Not Just a Day in the Park

More than 11 percent of Earth is Protected, But Species Still Suffer There’s good news and bad news from the fifth World Parks Congress, being held this week in Durban, South Africa. The good news: There are now more than 100, 000 protected natural areas on the planet, including large stretches of the Amazon rainforest […]

Thai One on

Thailand Introduces Rules to Limit Pesticides In an effort to become a major international food exporter, Thailand has introduced rules that would dramatically reduce the use of pesticides and other chemicals in agriculture. The proposed rules come on the heels of reports that villagers living near tangerine orchards were suffering from dizziness, rashes, and respiratory […]

A Chilly Reception

Environmentalists Concerned About Increase in Antarctic Tourism Not that long ago, the remote, inhospitable Antarctic would have seemed like an unlikely tourist destination. Now, though, with global tourism on the rise and far-flung places all the rage, tourism to the South Pole is growing rapidly — and possibly at the expense of the region’s environment. […]

Burned

192 million — number of acres in the U.S. National Forest System1 6.9 million — number of acres of private and federal land burned by wildfires in 2002 2 2.4 million — number of acres of national forest land burned by wildfires in 20023 980,000 — average number of acres of national forest land burned […]

Hillary Clinton threatens to block Bush’s EPA nominee

As the second anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks looms, the Bush administration is facing opprobrium for having deceived the American public about possible air-quality concerns at Ground Zero. Behind the scenes, the issue has become somewhat bizarrely entwined with another hot topic: the confirmation of Republican Gov. Michael Leavitt of Utah as the […]

Going Bananas

Philippine Journalists Arrested for Reporting on Illegal Pesticide Use Four journalists working in the Philippines, including a New York Times correspondent, have been arrested on libel charges because of articles and columns they wrote in 2000 about the use of illegal pesticides at a banana plantation. Also arrested was Romeo Quijano, a professor of medicine […]

Rove V. Waders

White House Political Maneuvering Could Hurt Northwest Salmon President Bush lost in Oregon and Washington in the 2000 election, but his team is working to ensure that he fares better in the Pacific Northwest in 2004 — and that may mean trouble for salmon. Bush’s top strategy honcho, Karl Rove, has been making quiet trips […]

Take a Bite Out of Grime

New Jersey to Make Polluters Pay for Routine Contamination New Jersey is getting tough on polluters, and other states may have a lot to learn from the state’s approach. New Jersey officials say they will soon begin broadly enforcing a law that requires polluting industries to pay the cost of cleaning up their messes. Sounds […]