Thursday, 08 Jun 2006

Happy World Ocean Day! You, land-dweller, have pitifully limited living space: The surface of the globe you ramble on is some 71 percent saltwater, and the depths plunge down as far as seven miles. These dark and deep blue seas and their myriad critters are in jeopardy from overfishing, polluted runoff, climate change, and other land-dweller faux pas. But don't despair, says marine activist David Helvarg: we could reverse those trends with a citizen-driven movement to protect the oceans -- a "seaweed revolution." Meanwhile, Mother Jones magazine invites you to take a virtual ocean voyage, from the waters off Guinea in West Africa -- where you'll chase "fish pirates," ahoy! -- to polar-bear territory in the Arctic Ocean and beyond. Hop aboard!

Spore Losers

Climate change could make pollen rise and allergies worse

Perhaps you've heard the argument that a rise in carbon dioxide levels is a good thing, because CO2 helps plants grow. Well, says Hah-vard's Paul Epstein, "It is the opportunistic plants like poison ivy and ragweed that thrive." That's right, ye allergy-stricken: More CO2 means more pollen, according to a new study. Harvard researchers found that ragweed grown under conditions mimicking a warming globe produced about 55 percent more pollen than ragweed grown under current conditions. Climate change is already causing spring to arrive earlier in many places, but researchers wrote, "In future climates with elevated [CO2], we predict pollen production will be just as robust in years with late springs as in years with early springs." Super. Early spring does seem to have a side effect for wildlife, though: Italian scientists said yesterday that a variety of animals are coming out of hibernation early, causing them to stress out and lose weight. Good ol' global warming. Is there anything it can't do?


As GOP leaders terrify their base with apocalyptic warnings about gay marriage, flag burning, and the "death tax," Democrats are struggling to get a word in edgewise about proposals they've been drafting to address such trivial concerns as soaring gas prices, dependence on Middle East oil, and global warming. Muckraker checks out the latest Democratic bills and their calls for less oil use, more renewables, and -- of course -- ethanol.

Stick With Pickles and Ice Cream

Pregnant women shouldn't eat canned tuna, says Consumer Reports

We're all aware that pregnant women shouldn't overeat seafood because of mercury contamination, but the Consumers Union, publisher of Consumer Reports magazine, recommends that moms-to-be skip canned tuna altogether. Most canned light tuna is skipjack, a species relatively low in mercury, but a Chicago Tribune investigation late last year found that the tuna industry also uses yellowfin, which can contain mercury at a level the FDA judges unsafe for pregnant women. So while the average mercury level in canned tuna remains low, individual cans may contain dangerously high amounts. This discovery led Consumers Union to err on the side of caution. But the FDA and the tuna industry are singing a different tuna, maintaining that canned light tuna is low in mercury -- a position they took two years ago because, a top FDA official admitted, they wished to "keep the market share at a reasonable level." That's comforting.


Green building has come a long way, baby -- but has it come far enough? Auden Schendler, who's overseen numerous green-building projects for the Aspen Skiing Company, doesn't think so. Schendler wonders why, for instance, you can't buy an eco-friendly house in any average subdivision in America. He also wonders why the burgeoning green-building movement isn't trying to learn from its missteps. With buildings serving as a major contributor of climate-changing carbon dioxide emissions, Schendler says it's well past time for eco-friendly design and construction to go mainstream.