A Greener Way to Hit the Slopes

Each year, Purdue University sponsors a contest to find creative usesfor soybeans. The Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s David Naylor reportson how this year’s winners may have found a "greener" way to hit theslopes:

Commentary – Polluter Pays

The Federal Clean Air Act requires businesses that emit certain air pollutants to cover the costs of regulating that pollution at the state level. It’s designed to be a market-based approach which theoretically, should give polluters a fiscal incentive to reduce their emissions. But Great Lakes Radio Consortium Commentator Lana Pollack says that not all businesses are paying their fair share:

D-D-E May Degrade Naturally

The notorious pesticide D-D-T was banned in the United States in the 1970’s. But D-D-T left behind several toxic byproducts. One of those is D-D-E. However, a new study published in this month’s Science magazine suggests that D-D-E may be decaying naturally. The Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s Steve Frenkel reports:

Light Pollution – A &Quot;Glowing" Problem

We’re all familiar with water and air pollution. More recently, noisepollution became an accepted concept. And now there’s another sensorypollutant on the scene: it’s light pollution. The Great Lakes RadioConsortium’s Wendy Nelson explains:

Frog Deformity Research Continues

Scientists say they’re getting closer to finding out what’s causingfrog deformities in the Great Lakes Region. Some contend that chemicalpollution has become the prime suspect. But others say theinvestigation still needs to look elsewhere. The Great Lakes RadioConsortium’s Chuck Quirmbach reports:

New Technology Curtails Airport Runoff

Recent studies have shown that the use of ethylene glycol to ridairplanes of ice and frost is costly to both airlines and theenvironment. While efforts are underway to gather up more and more ofthis toxic liquid so that it can be recycled, another airport isimplementing an entirely new technology to drastically reduce the use ofglycol even in the most extreme conditions. The Great Lakes RadioConsortium’s Todd Witter reports:

New Corn Variety Lowers Agricultural Impact

Manure spills and overflow from large hog farms has become a problem for many local waterways. Those spills often contains high levels of nitrates and pesticides which can endanger fish populations and contaminate water supplies. But now, researchers have found a variety of corn that could make hog manure less harmful. The Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s Steve Frenkel Reports:

One Man’s Quest for a Clean Shoreline

In 1997, an Illinois man single-handedly cleaned fifty-miles of Mississippi River shoreline. This summer he’s aiming for more than four-hundred miles. The Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s Herb Trix reports:

Female Hormones Found in Waste Water

Millions of American women rely on birth control pills to prevent pregnancy. Millions more depend on replacement hormones to prevent symptoms of menopause like hot flashes and osteoporosis. Both medications contain a synthetic version of the female hormone estrogen. And now, researchers at the University of Mississippi found that some of that estrogen ends up in wastewater. The Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s Steve Frenkel has more on the potential effects:

Illinois River to Be Protected

The U.S. Department of Agriculture and the State of Illinois are teaming up to save the heavily polluted Illinois River. The project is being hailed as the nation’s "largest effort to save an ailing river." The Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s Steve Frenkel reports: