Thursday, 23 Oct 2003

The Sound and the Worry

Okinawan Sea Life Likely to Suffer Under Navy Sonar Deal

Denizens of the deep got a piece of good news earlier this month, when an agreement between environmental organizations and the U.S. Navy limited the military's use of low-frequency sonar, which has been associated with the deaths of marine mammals. But the good news didn't extend to the waters off Okinawa, Japan, where, under the terms of the agreement, the Navy can still use the destructive technology. Those waters are home to the second most biologically diverse chain of coral reefs on Earth, after Australia's Great Barrier Reef. So why choose it as a sacrifice area? A combination of military expedience, colonial legacy, and racism, reports Jeff Shaw -- only on the Grist Magazine website.

Wheeze on Down the Road

Workplace Environment to Blame in 26 Percent of Adult Asthma Cases

People who work in cleaning, farming, and transportation are particularly vulnerable to asthma, according to a new study published in the American Journal of Industrial Medicine. Overall, the study found, 26 percent of all adult asthma cases in the U.S. are caused or exacerbated by the work environment; other risky fields include entertainment, protective services, mining, construction, mechanics, textiles, and fabrication. Adult asthma causes 100 million days of restricted activity, 500,000 hospitalizations, and over $14.5 billion in economic losses in the U.S. Workplace asthma is caused by exposure to solvents, pesticides, dust, oil mist, lubricants, and other chemical compounds. Study author George Delclos, a professor at the University of Texas at Houston, recommended identifying and replacing the culprits on a workplace-by-workplace basis to ease the nation's asthma problem.

Shrink Rap

Great Salt Lake Is Shrinking, and Some ATV Owners See a New Playground

If you're feeling a little low today, just consider the fate of Utah's Great Salt Lake -- which is feeling even lower, we guarantee. Following five years of drought, the famed lake is experiencing near-record lows and is dropping at a rate of about an inch per week. As a result, the surrounding wetlands -- prime insect and bird habitat -- are shrinking. Just as alarming, all-terrain vehicle enthusiasts are taking advantage of the low water levels to illegally ride right over the lake bed and onto protected Antelope Island, home to the eponymous creatures as well as bighorn sheep and buffalo. Conservationists worry that in addition to damaging the fragile ecosystem, the ATV scofflaws will frighten the animals into fleeing from the island.

The Bottle Let Me Down

Michigan Looks to Improve Its Recycling Record

When it comes to recycling, Michigan lags behind much of the nation, and state lawmakers say it's time to change that. Yesterday, a state Senate task force proposed spending $50 million to establish a recycling program and ban beverage containers from landfills. Funding for the project would come from a $3-per-ton solid waste surcharge, which, lawmakers hope, would also have the effect of discouraging neighboring states -- and particularly nearby Toronto -- from shipping trash to Michigan. The legislation would improve the state's current, unimpressive recycling rate of just 20 percent of solid waste, but it's coming under fire from some environmentalists for failing to expand the state's bottle bill to include containers for sports drinks, bottled water, tea, and juice mixtures.

Going Dutch

Dutch Car Crosses Finish Line First in Solar Stakes

A Dutch-designed solar vehicle dubbed the Nuna II crossed a finish line in Australia yesterday to win the 2003 World Solar Challenge. The race, which covers 1,870 miles from Darwin in the north of Australia to Adelaide in the far south, is seen as a proving ground for new solar technologies. Thanks to the relentless sunlight in the Australian outback, the cars can often exceed 60 miles per hour -- and indeed, the Nuna II covered the entire distance in just 30 hours, 54 minutes. The Dutch entrant, which also won the race in 2001, uses technology developed by the European Space Agency, including ultramodern solar cells, high-performance batteries, and specialized plastics. Overall, 22 teams competed in the race, with an Australian team taking second place and a U.S. team from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology coming in third.