The effects of acid rain on the environment as well as historic
buildings and monuments is the focus of an outdoor advertising
campaign by the Adirondack Council. This month (September ’99) the
New York environmental group launched the campaign on the streets and
subways in Washington DC to call Congress’ attention to acid rain
damage. The Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s Todd Moe reports:
Tag: air pollution
Clean Water Act Fights Air Pollution
Public health officials say mercury is proving to be one of the most
troublesome pollutants. While mercury causes brain and reproductive
damage, it’s very difficult to capture and very difficult to clean up.
But in northern Minnesota, people are trying an innovative approach to
the mercury problem, and they’re using an obscure part of the clean
water act. The Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s Stephanie Hemphill
reports:
Summertime Smog
As summertime temperatures go up, so does our need for air conditioning.
But with much of our electricity coming from coal plants, this also
increases smog levels. As Great Lakes Radio Consortium Commentator Suzanne
Elston points out, the coming deregulation of the electricity industry may
provide us with some relief.
Nuclear Power Looks to Redefine Itself (Part 2)
More than 20 states have now approved some version of electric
deregulation and the new laws have set off a wave of changes within the
electric industry. Though this industry has always deeply affected the
natural environment, deregulation is bringing a new set of wild cards to
the table. It may provide one industry, nuclear power, the chance to
redefine itself. In the second of a two part series on deregulation,
the Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s Ley Garnett reports that conservation
groups and industry officials are just now beginning to sort out what it
all means:
The Spirituality of a S-U-V Driver
Surveys show that Sport Utility Vehicles remain a popular choice
among car buyers. But if you drive a small car, or if you are worried
about air pollution, you may not be happy with the increasing numbers of
S-U-V’s on the road. Great Lakes Radio Consortium commentator Matthew
Lawrence agrees, but he thinks S-U-V’s are, on a deeper level, a spiritual
problem:
State May Stop Testing Auto Emissions
Minnesota legislators are close to passing a bill which would eradicate
the state’s vehicle emissions testing program. The Great Lakes Radio
Consortium’s Jesse Hardman has more:
S-U-V Sales Tapering Off?
For the past several years, light trucks have been some of the biggest automotive success stories, with sales increasing steadily each year. Now, some dealers are starting to see signs that things might be tapering off. That’s music to environmentalists’ ears, who are starting to worry about the pollution those trucks cause. The Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s Julie Edelson Halpert has more:
Utilities Bear Cost of New Regulations
The Environmental Protection Agency is requiring 22 states to reduceemissions that lead to smog. The states will likely go after electricpower plants that burn fossil fuels. The Great Lakes Radio Consortium’sLester Graham reports that the power companies say they’re beingtargeted unfairly and the consumer cost will be high:
The Cost of Cheap Electricity
Concern about the environmental impacts of deregulating the electricitymarket have taken a back seat to promises of cheaper power and customerchoice on both sides of the border. But, as Great Lakes RadioConsortium Commentator Suzanne Elston has discovered, proponents ofgreen power just got a very strong ally:
Commentary – Biking to Work
The pressure to meet the climate change targets of the Kyoto agreements haseveryone advocating alternative, non-polluting modes of transport. But asGreat Lakes Radio Consortium commentator Suzanne Elston points out, gettingthere is only half the problem: