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:
Author: Steve Frenkel
Potato Plague Resurgence
The fungus responsible for the Irish Potato Famine that claimed more than one million lives in 1840 is back and stronger than ever. Scientists are warning American potato growers to beware. The Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s Steve Frenkel has the story:
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:
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:
Cooking Methods Lower Exposure
For years, residents around the Great Lakes have been warned not to eat certain species of contaminated fish. But a new report to be published in the American Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry found that certain cooking techniques can minimize the risk of exposure to toxins like P-C-B’s. However, environmentalists say the report may missing the bigger picture. The Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s Steve Frenkel has more:
Sprawl Slows Emergency Response
Suburban communities near American cities have been expanding for decades. And as they grow, more and more farmland is being paved over to make way for new roads and subdivisions. But a study being released today (Wednesday, March 4) finds that the desire for big homes on big lots may come at the expense of personal health and safety. The Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s Steve Frenkel reports:
Napalm Disposal Plan Proceeds
Next week (week of 3/9), the U.S. Navy will begin a controversial program to ship napalm from San Diego, California to East Chicago, Indiana where it will be recycled. The Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s Steve Frenkel reports:
Public Transportation Loses Constituency
Residents of large cities have relied on public transportation for decades. And in recent years, cities like New York, Los Angeles and Washington D.C. have all seen ridership on their transit systems grow. But Chicago is an exception. And while many cities have succeeded in making public transit a priority, Chicago is still looking for the answer to its transit woes. The Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s Steve Frenkel reports:
Bright Future for Wind Power
As concern over climate change grows, so does interest in clean energy sources like wind power. Currently, windmills generate less than one percent of America’s electricity. But that’s slowly beginning to change. The Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s Steve Frenkel reports: