Tuesday, 03 Jul 2007

Black Coffeyville

Oil spill adds agitation to tri-state flooding

A 42,000-gallon oil spill in Kansas is complicating state and federal response to flooding that has walloped that state, Oklahoma, and Texas. Weeks of rain have forced evacuations and caused at least 11 deaths. On Sunday, workers at a Coffeyville, Kan., oil refinery began evacuation procedures, but a malfunction sent black gold into the Verdigris River. Officials are watching warily as the ooze seeps toward Oologah Lake, a popular recreation area that also provides drinking water for the city of Tulsa, Okla. "There are nine public water supplies along the Verdigris and the Oologah Lake, and none of them are currently affected," said Skylar McElhaney of the Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality yesterday. "Some of the water plant operators are increasing the level of disinfectant as an additional safety measure." With the smell of petroleum fouling the air, residents have been warned to avoid floodwaters. Which, what with the flooding and all, may be easier said than done.


Last year's Bonnaroo music festival produced more than 1 million pounds of waste (and quite a population of wasted fans), but recycling, composting, and reuse efforts kept more than half of it from reaching a landfill. It's part of an ongoing effort to address the footprint of the annual jam-band festival -- and a trend that continues to grow among music festivals all over the U.S. But a few carbon offsets does not a green festival make, so Grist's Sarah van Schagen tuned in to the eco-efforts made by seven different festivals, and evaluated what's being done and who could do better.

All Is Not Well in La-La Land

Top Schwarzenegger air-quality officials depart under protest

If Arnold Schwarzenegger were a cobbler, his children would have no shoes. Or something like that. While the Governator has been busy spreading the climate gospel around the world, his air-quality agency is coming apart at the seams. Last week, Schwarzenegger fired Robert Sawyer, chair of the California Air Resources Board -- allegedly for not being tough enough on pollution and greenhouse gases, but Sawyer says the reason was just the opposite. Yesterday, CARB Executive Director Catherine Witherspoon quit, citing interference by administration officials that hampered the board's efforts. "They were ordering us to find ways to reduce costs and satisfy lobbyists," she said. She added that the Schwarzstaff publicly accused Sawyer and her of not doing enough to battle polluters and global warming, creating "a triumph of appearances over reality." Some claim the CARB shakeup is part of a pattern of the Governator talking tough on pollution while caving to big industry. Excuse us while we weep.


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Putting the Source Before the Cart

Regional grocery chains seek "organic retailer" certification

In some mainstream grocery stores, organic options are shunted to the side, put in a sort of "Food for Freaks" section where only the bravest shoppers dare to tread. But increasingly, regional chains are getting certified as "organic retailers" and even -- gasp -- shelving organic food next to other edibles. Ohio-based Kroger, Minnesota-based Lunds, and Maine-based Hannaford Bros. have earned a government-backed seal of o-pproval; with organic food sales soaring from $6 billion in 2000 to $14 billion in 2005, such stores are eager to get in on the action. Certification requires on-site inspections and adherence to food-handling rules. "It's just an extra set of eyes out there: a reassurance that they are meeting the standards, being the last link in the chain," says David Abney, general manager of certifier Quality Assurance International. It's also, says food-marketing publisher Kevin Griffin, "an opportunity for them to go after the Whole Foods customer that is serious about organics." Food fight!

Our Flag Was Still There, Our Daily Grist Not So Much

Grist takes a break for the Fourth of July

We hold these truths to be self-evident: that tomorrow is a federal holiday, and that our hardworking headline writers need a break. Therefore, we will not be publishing Daily Grist tomorrow, but we'll be back on Thursday, refreshed and ready to go. See you then!