The mystery of the missing bees and the pet food debacle: how so-called economies of scale coupled with the corporate quest for profits continue to jeopardize food safety.
Portland City Council's Peak Oil Task Force and Ecotrust are on the right track concerning energy and climate change but the harsh realities of these issues could be even worse than most believe.
Swimming anyone? A report released by the Oregon Environmental Council reveals that the Willamette and Columbia rivers are the most polluted rivers in Oregon. The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality rules currently allow “persistent bioaccumulative toxins in amounts or concentrations that violate chronic or acute toxicity criteria” for human and aquatic life.
A new book claims that organic farming "poses the single greatest threat to natural ecosystems and biodiversity in human history" and that the organic food industry is using fear to manipulate eco-conscious consumers. The credibility of organics is in question, but so is the credibility of the book's author. Turns out he works for the Hudson Institute, a non-profit funded by the global agri-business and the biotech industry. Coincidently, a new guide for consumers rating pesticide loads on fruits and vegetables has been released. Guess which method, conventional or organic, rates best.
The times, they are a-changin': Season Creep, a new plant hardiness map and the fate of the Oregon Grape. The National Wildlife Federation publishes a new report called A GARDENER’S GUIDE TO GLOBAL WARMING: CHALLENGES AND SOLUTIONS. Find out how to get a copy. Makes a great gift, too!
The latest update on current threats to food, water, and air quality in Our Backyard and how at least one issue is being addressed by the Oregon Legislature.
Biofuel: the 'green' fuel of the future? An environmental activist group says the Biofuels for Energy Security and Transportation Act of 2007, a US Senate bill mandating increased biofuel production and on a fast track to become law, fails to address critical environmental considerations and may cause more harm than good.
Michael Pollan says: "Few pieces of legislation have as profound an impact on … the health of the American soil, the purity of its water, its biodiversity and the very look of its landscape as the Farm Bill." Oregon Congressman Earl Blumenauer agrees and says it's time to take back the Farm Bill from the special interests.
How many, do you suppose, of the nearly ½ million Oregonians dependent on Food Stamps buy organic or naturally grown food at farmer's markets? An initiative called the Oregon Farm Direct Nutrition Program (FDNP) is now available to help.
Members of Oregon's 2007 legislature are very proud of the flurry of environmental laws they passed this session. Many are applauding these accomplishments but some activists are expressing concern about a new renewable fuel standard that provides incentives for Oregon biofuel production. They fear it will put food and biofuel on a deadly collision course.
Another edition of the locally produced environmental series, Our Backyard, with KBOO's Edison Carder. This edition: Buy Nothing Day - idealistic gesture or is it something more?
Another edition of the locally produced environmental series, Our Backyard, with KBOO's Edison Carder. This edition: The latest proposal by the USDA that threatens small family organic farmers.
Another edition of the locally produced environmental series, Our Backyard, with KBOO's Edison Carder. This edition: The Forest Service buys shocking new 'tools'.
Another edition of the locally produced environmental series, Our Backyard, with KBOO's Edison Carder. This edition: DEQ releases Oregonian's waste report
Another edition of the locally produced environmental series, Our Backyard, with KBOO's Edison Carder. This edition: A couple of holiday gift book ideas. One for the "eco-geeks" and and one for the "eco-phobes". Happy Solstice!
Another edition of the locally produced environmental series, Our Backyard, with KBOO's Edison Carder. This edition: A 'cocktail' of pharmaceuticals has been detected in the water supply.
The latest edition of Our Backyard, the locally produced environmental series by Edison Carder. This addition: Owens Corning's plan to manufacture rigid foam insulation in Gresham.
The latest edition of Our Backyard, the locally produced environmental series by Edison Carder. This addition: A high tech environmental Bend company processes waste to make clean energy.
The latest edition of Our Backyard, the locally produced environmental series by Edison Carder: "Is there green substance behind the green sparkle?" A new web site, developed in coordination with the University of Oregon, helps consumers sort out advertiser 'green claims.
A special edition of Our Backyard, KBOOs locally produced environmental series. During a visit to Roosevelt HS in North Portland, Edison Carder listened to student's concerns about the environment.
Another edition of Our Backyard, KBOO's locally produced environmental series. This edition: Environmental activists split on supporting the Climate Security Act and its carbon cap-and-trade scheme.
KBOO's locally produced environmental series. This edition: Planting Monsanto's genetically engineered sugar beet seeds in the Willamette Valley has organic farmers, environmental activists, and consumers worried.
KBOO's locally produced environmental series. This edition: Cats, our cute, loveable, furry friends, are at the center of two environmental controversies.
Another edition of KBOO's locally produced environmental series: Our Backyard. This edition: There's something in the air ... and it's killing our hearts.
Another edition of KBOO's locally produced environmental series: Our Backyard. This edition: Two sides present their case on the climate change issue; both with PNW connections. Take your choice: fear and denial or hope and responsibility.
Another edition of KBOO's locally produced environmental series: Our Backyard. This edition: The City of Portland has a new recycle plan. While a majority of the public supports it, it's not without critics.
How do the 2008 Oregon election candidates stack up … environmentally, that is. Our Backyard will feature all the candidates between now and the May primary but first up, the candidates for U.S. Senate: 6 Democrats are vying for the nomination and the opportunity to unseat Republican Gordon Smith.
How do the 2008 Oregon election candidates stack up … environmentally, that is. Our Backyard will feature all the candidates between now and the May primary but first up, the candidates for Oregon Attorney General. 2 Democrats (and no Republicans, go figure ...) are seeking for the nomination in the upcoming primary: Greg MacPherson www.votemac.com/ and John Kroger www.johnkroger.com/. Each have received endorements from prominent environmental activists and organizations.
This edition: the candidates for President and some thoughts on endorsements and the traditional media. The two Democratic candidates for President, Senators Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama as well as the Republican candidate, Senator John McCain have all put forth some plan to address energy and climate change. Grist, the Seattle-based environmental online news-zine, interviewed each candidate and fact-checked their environmental platforms and records ( http://www.grist.org/candidate_chart_08.html ). The traditional media seems to be ignoring the environment as an issue important to most people (http://www.
KBOO's Edison Carder interviews John Stauber of the Center for Media and Democracy ( http://www.prwatch.org/cmd/bios.php/John_Stauber ) on Earth Day 2008. John shares his thoughts about greenwashing, the competion between environmental activist groups for your contributions and where the 2008 Presidential candidates stand on energy policy and the environment.
KBOO's locally produced series of reports and commentary about the environment in Our backyard: This edition: Murder on the Columbia. The Swiss have in their constitution a requirement that "account to be taken of the dignity of creation when handling animals, plants and other organisms". Writing in the current edition of The_Weekly_Standard , author and lawyer Wesley J.
Our Backyard: KBOO's locally produced environmental series. Our very own Congressman Earl Blumenauer and the President have ended up in the same bed over the 2008 Farm Bill, but perhaps not exactly for the same reasons.
KBOO's environmental series with Edison Carder. This edition: TriMet, Klamath River Dams, and Salmon. A victory for free speech and a solution for saving salmon that probably won't work. Friends of the River and the Karuk Tribe wanted to place ads in TriMet buses.
KBOO's locally produced environmental series. This edition: A proposal by the Bush administration will eliminate science as a factor in determining whether or not federal projects (dams, highway construction, mines, etc) might threaten protected species. Instead, federal agencies will make the determination without the benefit of wildlife scientist studies. Developers and others opposed to the Endangered Species Act are thrilled. Environmental activists are outraged.
Our Backyard - KBOO's locally produced reports and comments on the environmental. This edition: Oregon Senate Republicans have a plan to sell Columbia River water. Here are some links:
Our Backyard, KBOOs locally produced environmental series. This edition: The efforts to undam the Klamath River and Derrick Jensen comes to Oregon for a Deep Green workshop.
Our Backyard, KBOO's locally produced environmental series. This edition: The US House passes an energy bill allowing off-shore drilling .... sorta. Republicans and Democrats do kabuki politics with energy policy.
Our Backyard: KBOO's locally produced environmental series with Edison Carder. This edition: WiMAX, the newest "kid of the block" in world of wireless internet. Clearwire ( http://www.clearwire.com/ a Kirkland, WA company) is betting that Portland will fall in love with this newer, faster, system and that you'll even want it to replace your home internet connection. The only issue may be that there are those who believe it may actually be a health hazard.
