Friday, 12 Nov 2004

Kvetch Hetchy

Schwarzenegger admin will consider undamming Hetch Hetchy

To the surprise of, well, just about everybody, California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's (R) resources secretary announced yesterday that he will pull together a thorough assessment of a project once considered entirely fanciful: tearing down O'Shaughnessy Dam and restoring Yosemite National Park's Hetch Hetchy Valley. As attractive as the idea sounds to nature lovers -- Hetch Hetchy is considered the equal of neighboring Yosemite Valley and could potentially divert some of the tourist hordes currently trampling it -- the project faces an uphill battle. Why? Well, the Hetch Hetchy Reservoir provides drinking water to some 2.4 million Bay Area residents, and given the water shortages common in the region, assuring an equal water supply from other sources is a minimal requirement for the project to be politically viable. The idea is opposed by Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), water companies, and agencies representing water customers.

We're Not the Only Country With a Bushmeat Problem

E.U. fishing subsidies drive illegal bushmeat trade in West Africa

Heavy European Union subsidies for fishing fleets off the coast of West Africa are driving the illegal bushmeat trade in the region, to devastating effect. As Euros eat more of their fish, there's less left for West Africans, who turn to bushmeat -- or the meat of wild animals, including gorillas and other primates -- for food. This, in turn, leads to all sorts of nastiness. "Recent collapses of mammal populations in some areas of West Africa have been linked to geographic patterns of poverty and malnourishment," write researchers in a new study in the journal Science. Many local mammal species have gone extinct, and others have declined by up to 76 percent. Meanwhile, E.U. subsidies for fishing fleets have gone from $6 million in 1981 to $350 million in 2001. Researchers concluded: "Our results emphasize the urgent need to develop cheap protein alternatives to bushmeat and to improve fisheries management by foreign and domestic fleets to avert extinctions of tropical wildlife."

Bringing Shapeless Hemp Sweaters to Yuppies, at Last

Whole Foods ponders move into organic clothing

Have you ever felt chafed by the inconvenience of having to go one place for your bulk bulgur wheat and another for your Guatemalan organic cotton poncho? Well we've got good news: From here on in you can point your Lexus SUV in one direction only, to organic grocer Whole Foods. The retailer is contemplating selling organic clothing and linens in its new flagship store in Austin, Texas, and possibly other stores if the move is successful. Whole Foods is nothing if not healthy (ha ha): Its fourth-quarter profits were up 27 percent. Analysts believe that if any store can jumpstart the moribund organic clothing industry -- such clothes remain difficult to find, expensive, and, finicky fashionistas might say, less-than-hip -- the upscale food mecca can. Last year sales of organic foods and other organic products hit $42.8 billion, up 8.1 percent from the prior year.

Power in Lumbers

Small tree-harvesting operations gang up to get certified

Many small to mid-sized forestry operations are run by folks who value the health of their trees and try their best to be good stewards of the land they own. However, getting official recognition of this fact -- in the form of being certified green by the Forest Stewardship Council, a Germany-based coalition with high environmental standards -- can be prohibitively expensive. Some timber types are overcoming this obstacle by banding together in groups to be collectively certified. Not only does this reduce the cost for individual members, but it gives them market clout and a way to connect with interested consumers in a business that, while growing, is still relatively small and volatile. There are about 26 million FSC-certified acres of forest in North America, roughly evenly divided between the U.S. and Canada.

Hydrogen Girlie Man?

D.C. beats California to host first hydrogen pump at gas station

Despite California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's (R) big talk about pioneering a Hydrogen Highway, the District of Columbia has bested him on one key step: opening the first hydrogen fuel pump at a public gas station. Of course, it's not likely to kick the hydrogen revolution into high gear, considering that it will only be servicing six fuel-cell minivans owned by GM, but it's a small step forward. Is it a step that should even be taken? Enviros have widely divergent opinions on hydrogen, and we imagine Grist readers do too. Discuss in the Gristmill.