Insurance rates for earthquake coverage could be going up dramatically forbusinesses near the fault line of the nation’s most severe earthquake. It’snot in California, but in Missouri. In the winter of 1811 and 1812, aseries of severe earthquakes shook the region. The quakes changed thecourses of the Mississippi river in places. They created Reelfoot Lake inTennessee and shook to the ground the few log structures built by settlersin the southern regions of Illinois and Missouri. The Great Lakes RadioConsortium’s Lester Graham reports those historic earthquakes and newcomputer data have prompted a move to quadruple some business’ earthquakeinsurance rates:
Tag: illinois
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:
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:
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:
Guide Educates Consumers on Food Additives
Americans are eating more and more processed foods. And that means that food labels are getting longer, as manufacturers add new ingredients to their products. But labels may not tell consumers much about those additives or how much the food was processed. To help educate themselves, consumers can now turn to a new guide to food ingredients. The Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s Steve Frenkel has more:
Incinerating Chicken Waste Provides Energy
Chickens raised on U.S. poultry farms produce nearly twentymillion-tons of manure every year. That waste is difficult to disposeof and can pollute water supplies. Now one British company thinks it’sfound a profitable way to manage that manure. The Great Lakes RadioConsortium’s Steve Frenkel has more:
Algae: The Missing PCB Link?
Toxic chemicals known as P-C-B’s haven’t been used in the U.S. for morethan two decades. But dangerous levels of P-C-B’s remain in the naturalenvironment and pose a threat to human health. To address this problem,scientists are trying to understand how these chemicals get into thefood chain. Now, a scientist at Northwestern University has found alikely answer. The Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s Steve Frenkelreports:
FDA Faces Lawsuit
A national coalition of scientists, health experts and religiousleaders is suing the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The lawsuitfiled today (Wednesday, May 27th) claims that the F-D-A’s policy towardgenetically engineered food doesn’t protect consumers. The Great LakesRadio Consortium’s Steve Frenkel reports:
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: