Latest Articles

Extermi-nation

U.S. House Republicans are threatening to exterminate a proposal that would require school districts to notify parents of pesticide use on school grounds. Senate leaders added the measure to President Bush’s education bill after consulting with educators, environmentalists, and representatives of the pesticide industry. Some pesticide manufacturers and school officials argue, however, that the measure […]

Out of the Frying Pan …

Teflon frying pans are great for eggs over easy, but their nonstick coating can release chemicals into the environment that may take centuries to break down, according to a study published today in the journal Nature. A University of Toronto research team found that Teflon emits trifluoracetate (TFA) when heated to extremely high temperatures. Once […]

Peasant Hunting

A Mexican court on Tuesday rejected the appeal of two jailed environmental activists, Rodolfo Montiel and Teodoro Cabrera. The activists, who led peasant farmers to protest against rampant logging in Mexico’s southern state of Guerrero, have been sentenced to seven and 10 years in prison, respectively, for drug and weapons charges. Supporters say the two […]

The Great Brain Robbery

Eating fish tainted with PCBs may cause memory loss and brain damage in adults, according to a study of Michigan residents. The study by the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is one of the first to suggest that PCBs in fish may have health implications for all adults; state fish advisories until now have focused […]

You Can't Hide Your Lion Eyes

At least 35 sea lions were found dead and mutilated in Ecuador’s Galapagos Islands on Sunday. Acting on an anonymous tip, officials of the Galapagos National Park discovered the bodies washed up on the beach, with their teeth and genitalia removed. Authorities suspect that the sea lions were killed to sell the body parts as […]

A Bee in Their Bonnet

The chair of the current climate change conference, Dutch Environment Minister Jan Pronk, said yesterday that his “hopes are growing day by day” that an international agreement would be reached. But others at the conference in Bonn, Germany, were far more pessimistic about a positive outcome. It’s not just environmental groups that are pulling for […]

We'll Mop the Floor With Them

The U.S. House Resources Committee voted 26-17 yesterday to open the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil and gas drilling, but Democrats believe they will be able to win enough votes from Republican moderates to defeat the measure on the House floor. Meanwhile, the full U.S. Senate passed a bill yesterday to ban drilling under […]

Top of the R&D Charts

Undercutting an argument made by the Bush administration, a study by the U.S. National Academy of Sciences has found that federal research and development efforts to improve energy conservation and efficiency have produced big environmental and economic gains. The academy released a report yesterday detailing how a $13 billion federal investment since 1978 has returned […]

Dental Damn

A coalition of health and environmental groups sued the American Dental Association last month for misleading consumers about the content and safety of dental fillings. The groups say the ADA is duping consumers into believing that amalgam fillings are made of silver, when the major component is actually mercury. A scientist from the University of […]

The Price of Whales

A week before the International Whaling Commission is due to meet in London, a Japanese official has admitted that his country is using cash to help persuade countries to vote to lift an international ban on whaling. Japan’s fisheries minister, Maseyuku Komatsu, told Australian television today that Japan must use overseas aid as one way […]