Wednesday, 12 May 2004

Put on a Happy Face

National Park Service Employees Muzzled on Budget Problems

The National Park Service has been beset with controversies since the Bush administration took over, with budget shortfalls, smoggy air, and, according to inside reports, historically low morale. But you won't hear high-level NPS employees talking about it: They've been instructed to stick to White House talking points during this election year, referring to, say, budget cuts as "service-level adjustments." Read about this Orwellian strategy in Muckraker -- today on the Grist Magazine website.

A Rush and a Swoosh and the Land Is Ours

Nike and Other Outdoor Gear Makers Lobby for Roadless Rule

A coalition of large manufacturers of outdoor gear is lobbying in support of the so-called roadless rule, put in place by President Clinton to protect nearly 60 million acres of undeveloped national forest from road-building and other development. Organized by enviro groups, the coalition -- including Nike, Adidas, Columbia Sportswear, and others -- sent a letter to Agriculture Undersecretary Mark Rey this week urging him to preserve the rule. The Bush administration has made moves to weaken the rule. Said the letter: "The modifications to the 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule have the potential to negatively impact our nation's natural resources, our citizens' outdoor experience, and ultimately, our industry's financial health."

Heavy Heart

Driving Is Bad for You

Driving too much may not just be bad for the planet -- it may be bad for your heart as well. According to new research by the U.S. EPA, tiny particulates that pollute the air inside cars can aggravate existing heart conditions. Rolling your windows up and closing your vents won't help -- some of the particulates in question are 1/800th the width of a human hair and can squeak in past filters. The particulates come from industrial facilities, vehicles -- all the usual suspects. It's not clear exactly how they increase heart-rate variability and spawn blood-clot-promoting proteins, but they do, and it's bad news for those with existing heart or lung conditions. "I wouldn't tell a healthy person not to drive when they need to," said EPA researcher Robert Devlin, "but if someone has a heart condition, I would stay off busy roads."

Have You Spotted Owls?

Spotted-Owl Populations Declining

The northern spotted owl, a species that took on huge symbolic significance in the early '90s when activists used its protected status to sharply curtail logging in federal old-growth forests in the Pacific Northwest, is once again the center of controversy. A study released yesterday shows that spotted-owl populations in the region continue to decline -- particularly sharply in Washington state. Study author Eric Forsman did not conclusively pinpoint a cause: "It's hard to blame the decline on harvest on federal lands," he said, noting that the lower numbers may be due to the incursion of the more resilient barred owl or loss of habitat through wildfires. Enviros are expected to use the study to fight the Bush administration's planned revisions to the Northwest Forest Plan, which would allow more logging. Meanwhile, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is reviewing the owl's status as a threatened species.

Fear in a Handful of Dust

Household Dust Carries Toxic Chemicals

According to a pair of new studies, common household dust carries "unexpectedly high" levels of PBDEs -- chemicals used as fire retardants in computers, appliances, and household furnishings, which researchers suspect may cause cancer and stunt fetal brain development. "Exposure to brominated fire retardants is unavoidable," concluded a study by the Environmental Working Group. "[We] found them in the dust of every home and in the body of every participant tested." Though industry groups say the levels found through normal exposure are harmless, tests have found that the chemicals can interfere with brain development and thyroid function in laboratory animals. Of particular concern is the fact that children face higher exposure to PBDEs, through breast milk and through dust they ingest while crawling on the floor and putting their hands in their mouths. European countries have banned two of the three common PBDEs, and U.S. manufacturers have pledged to phase those two out by the end of the year.