Tuesday, 23 Apr 2002

Ask and Ye Shall Receive

Is it better to throw non-compost food waste into the trash or the garbage disposal? What are the ecological impacts of the Chai tea industry? How do Fidel Castro's environmental policies stack up in a capitalist world? Some days, it seems the world is full of environmental stumpers. Grist is proud to provide the solution: Umbra Fisk, guru of everything green, unearths the answers to your eco-questions. In her debut column, she takes on the conspiracy theory about Chemtrails, the politics of corporate recycling, and the tricky business of eating fish; next month, if you're really good, maybe she'll answer your pet puzzler. Check out the new Ask Umbra column, only on the Grist Magazine website.

My Favorite Martin

Robert Martin marked Earth Day by resigning yesterday from his position as ombudsperson for the U.S. EPA. Martin, who has held the post since 1992, was well-regarded by environmentalists for his handling of complaints about cleanups conducted under the EPA's Superfund program, but less beloved by higher-ups at the agency. In November, EPA Administrator Christie Whitman announced plans to transfer Martin to the Office of Inspector General, a move she said would grant him greater independence. Martin begged to differ; he chalked up his resignation to the "untenable situation" with Whitman, but could return to his job if his legal maneuverings to block the transfer are successful.

Letting the Gene Out of the Bottle

Delegates from almost 200 countries are meeting in The Hague, Netherlands, this week to discuss the future of genetically modified organisms. Their challenge is to strike a balance between the fondest hopes of the multi-billion dollar biotech industry and the deepest fears of environmentalists, who worry that GMOs could adversely affect ecosystems and human health. During the conference, environmentalists plan to call for a moratorium on planting genetically modified crops near native species, to prevent contamination of the natural gene pool. The last major international meeting on GMOs, held in Colombia in 1999, resulted in the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety, which was designed to ensure the safe transfer, handling, and use of transgenic organisms. The protocol has been signed by more than 100 countries (not including the United States, unsurprisingly) but must be ratified by at least 50 to take effect. Those ratifications are expected to occur during the World Summit on Sustainable Development, to be held in Johannesburg, South Africa, later this year.

Let It Ride

In true gambler style, Las Vegas has upped the ante on us: In our April Fools' edition, we joked that the city was going green by requiring energy-efficient lighting on its famous Strip. Now it seems that life imitates Grist, sort of: Although Las Vegas isn't planning a mass purchase of compact fluorescent light bulbs, it is about to build the nation's largest monorail system to boost public transportation and solve the city's infamous traffic problems. The state-of-the-art elevated trains will reach speeds of 50 miles per hour and stop at the hottest spots along the Strip and elsewhere. (The trains will also be equipped with safety features specifically designed to prevent accidents among riders who've celebrated their winnings or mourned their losses with a few too many gin and tonics.) The $650 million-project is a sign of the nascent public transit revolution in the West -- the fastest-growing region of the country -- with other cities like Phoenix, Denver, and Seattle also planning rail projects.

I Believe in Yesterday!

While President Bush and former Vice President Al Gore spent Earth Day talking up the environment and taking jabs at each other, how was the rest of the world celebrating the occasion? In Indonesia, environmentalists blocked traffic and planted trees; in Thailand, some 15,000 Buddhists prayed for the Earth; in the Philippines, cyclists filled streets in the capital city; and back in the U.S. of A., Susan Sarandon, Kevin Bacon, Patrick Stewart, and others took part in an Earth Day Network event held at the U.N. in New York City to encourage world leaders to attend the World Summit on Sustainable Development in South Africa later this year. Yesterday marked the 32nd anniversary of Earth Day, pioneered by Gaylord Nelson and Denis Hayes. Earth Day Network (Grist's sponsor organization, it should be noted) now works with some 5,000 organizations in 184 countries.