A coalition of organic farmers, natural food stores and supermarkets in three Great Lakes states is pressuring the federal government to scrap proposed standards on "organically grown food." The Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s Bud Lowell has more:
Month: March 1998
Windpower Manufacturer Gets Government Boost
Advocates of renewable energy are hoping the deregulation of electric utilities will give solar and wind energy a chance to flourish. A small company in Duluth, Minnesota thinks they have designed a new wind-power electric generating system that will work equally well on Midwestern farms and in small villages in the developing world. The Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s Stephanie Hemphill reports:
Are Airports Polluting Our Local Waterways?
For most of us, the arrival of spring means good bye to snow and ice. But not at many of the nation’s airports. Frost on the ground and low temperatures mean planes must be sprayed with de-icing fluids for months to come. But there’s growing concern that these fluids are polluting the nation’s waterways. The Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s Steve Frenkel reports:
Striking Crews May Halt Great Lakes Shipping
Great Lakes Shippers are facing a strike, in a classic transportation dispute over cutting crews. Union sailors authorized a strike against two of the six fleets on the Great Lakes, after the companies proposed cutting back crews on supercarriers. The Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s Mike Simonson reports:
EPA to Regulate Livestock Farms
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recently announced it would begin regulating large cattle, pork and poultry farms that produce huge amounts of animal waste. Manure spills from these farms have damaged ecosystems and water supplies in many states throughout the nation. The Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s Steve Frenkel reports:
Energy Efficiency Neglected in Deregulation
Laws deregulating electrical industries have been passed in many states nationwide. Last fall, the Illinois state legislature approved such a measure. But energy efficiency provisions were left out. Legislators pledged to consider them this spring. But now it seems all bets are off. The Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s Steve Frenkel reports:
Commentary – Recycling Must Pay
There is an increasing demand for recycling and other waste reduction initiatives to be cost effective, but as Great Lakes Radio Consortium commentator Suzanne Elston points out, nobody ever questions the cost of simply dumping our garbage:
Great Lakes Stories – A Scientist’s Memories
Millions of people live in the Great Lakes region…They depend on the Lakes for drinking water, for recreation and in some cases for work. As part of the Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s continuing series "Great Lakes Stories," scientist, Henry Rejier shares his memories and feelings of connection to the Lakes:
Large-Scale Factory Farms
One of the nation’s largest egg producers plans to expand its operations—and that worries some family farmers in Ohio, who say factory farms make bad neighbors. Farmland states throughout the region are currently struggling with the environmental issues that surround large-scale corporate farming. The Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s Maria Gallagher reports:
Computer Recycling
Personal computers are quickly becoming as common in American households as T.V.’s and telephones. But unlike those appliances, computers become obsolete at a much faster rate. And while many computer owners abandon their machines after just a few years of use, others think they still have a lot of value. The Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s Steve Frenkel reports: