Tag: economics

Commentary – Toilet Trade

The falling Canadian dollar created an enticing market for cross-border shoppers coming in from the U.S. And as Great Lakes Radio Consortium Commentator Suzanne Elston discovered, there’s one item in particular that they are eager to flush out:

Commentary – On the Road

Summer time is travel time. The Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s Bob Lilienfeld has a few simple ways for you to enjoy your vacation without treading too heavily on the environment:

Commentary – Recycling at Risk

In recent months, the country’s solid waste companies have been engaged in what amounts to a battle of the giants. As corporations like USA Waste and Waste Management merge and gain power, small, independent waste haulers are being swallowed whole. The Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s Gayle Miller believes the frenzy in the solid waste industry spells bad news for recycling:

Downtown Residential Development on the Rise

For decades, Americans have been fleeing the grit of city life for the serenity of suburbia. And while that trend still continues, a new pattern is emerging. The long commutes that are often part of suburban life are driving many people back to the city. The Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s Steve Frenkel reports from Chicago:

Court Decision Gives Renewable Energy a Boost

Coal fired power plants produce two-thirds of the nation’s electricity. In the process, they emit millions of tons of carbon dioxide and other air pollutants. But a recent court decision in Minnesota may provide an incentive to embrace cleaner energy sources. The Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s Steve Frenkel has more:

Midwest Power Shortage

As summer approaches, utility companies are bracing for possible energy shortages throughout the Midwest. And with many of the region’s nuclear power plants shut down, this summer’s energy crunch could be especially severe. The Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s Steve Frenkel reports:

Business Waste Exchange

All around the country, efforts are being made to get businesses to take each other’s waste, and turn it into usable materials. In the past four years, material exchange organizations in Illinois, Minnesota, Ohio, and Ontario have aggressively pursued this angle in recycling. The Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s Mieke Tonn visited one of these organizations and has this report:

Global Worming

Remember when you were a kid, how you’d spend hours sitting in the yard,poking around, looking for creepy crawly things? If one woman has herway, a lot more of us will rediscover that joy…And as adults, alsoappreciate some practical benefits. The Great Lakes Radio Consortium’sWendy Nelson explains:

Commentary – The Truth About Pet Food

One California-based animal rights group is calling for aboycott of commercial pet food. The Animal Protection Institute claimsthat most consumers are unaware that they are not providing their petswith proper nutrition. The group charges that most commercial foodscontain things like slaughterhouse waste, roadkill and restaurant greaseand they’re calling on pet owners to replace commercial foods withfresher, more nutritious foods. However, not everyone is sold on theidea. Great Lakes Radio Consortium Commentator Julia King questions thewisdom of treating pets like people: