Tuesday, 03 Aug 2004

Gimme Some Lovins

Hunter Lovins, Thinker on Sustainability, InterActivates

Hunter Lovins learned at the feet of legendary environmental activist Dave Brower, and in the years since she's become something of a legend herself. Cofounder of the Rocky Mountain Institute and coauthor of nine books and dozens of articles, she's also worked for a who's who of environmental groups, consulted for a who's who of corporations and national governments, been named a "Hero for the Planet" by Time magazine, and still found time to compete in rodeos. Her latest venture, Natural Capitalism, Inc., teaches businesses and governments how being eco-conscious can make them money. Read her answers to our questions in InterActivist -- only on the Grist Magazine website. And ask her a question of your own by noon PDT on Thursday.

Boys Won't Be Boys

Canadian Native Group Near Chemical Plant Has More Female Births

In most developed countries where such things have been studied, the ratio of girls born to boys born has been slowly and steadily rising for decades. Those unimpressed with the results of male world domination to date might find this heartening news, but the details aren't pretty. Some researchers suspect that environmental pollutants are behind the feminization of industrialized countries -- particularly chemicals, like dioxin, PCBs, and hexachlorobenzene, known to mimic female hormones. The plight of Canada's Aamjiwnaang First Nation seems to lend credence to the theory. The Aamjiwnaang live surrounded by chemical plants, smack dab in the middle of an industrial area that contains 20 percent of Canada's refineries. For the last five years, the band has produced nearly two girls for every boy; in addition, women report a higher number of miscarriages and schools report more learning disabilities. No definitive link to chemical exposure has been established, but the band is pushing for further study.

Alas, Alack, Alaska

Growing Questions About Timber Industry Subsidies in Alaska

Alaska's congressional delegation and Gov. Frank Murkowski (R) are diehard supporters of logging, but according to the state's own Department of Labor, the "economic realities of the early 21st century point toward less expensive sources" of timber than Alaska can provide to the current "glutted market." This analysis would seem to be supported by the thousands of chopped-down old-growth trees that lie rotting outside the state's forests, part of 10 timber sales the feds allowed timber companies to back out of for financial reasons. The U.S. Forest Service logging program spends $30 million to $35 million more than it makes back on timber sales, part of a program of timber-industry subsidies that's come under fire from a growing group of critics, including both enviros and fiscal conservatives. Though Bush reopened Alaska's Tongass National Forest to logging earlier this year, tourism and recreation have long since replaced logging as Alaska's economic engine, and enviros say the log-happy Bushies are fighting a rear-guard battle.

Potpourricycle

Readers Sound Off on "Sustainable" Buildings That Ain't and More

In our latest batch of letters, Grist readers get huffy about water privatization, criticize the loosey-goosey use of the word "sustainable," defend Bill Clinton's environmental record, laud our non-straight-male perspective, opine on animal testing (yet again), and more. Read a potpourri of viewpoints, in Letters to the Editor -- only on the Grist Magazine website.

Strong Enough to Kill Fish, but pH-Balanced to Slow Global Warming

Acid Rain Is Slowing Global Warming

Acid rain contains sulfates that inhibit the natural production of methane, a greenhouse gas, and thus may be slowing global warming, said scientists yesterday. While methane comprises roughly 22 percent of human-caused greenhouse gases, the largest sources of methane are natural -- of course we have to mention the cow flatulence, but the primary source is global wetlands. When scientists from the Open University distributed sulfates over several wetland areas in the U.K. and elsewhere, they observed 30 to 40 percent suppression of natural methane production. "In effect," said study leader Vincent Gauci, "acid rain is acting like a lid on the largest methane source." Ultimately, researchers said acid rain could reduce methane emissions to pre-industrial levels by 2030. Of course, acid rain kills forests and aquatic creatures, but hey, you take what you can get, right?