President Clinton has said this summer’s record breaking heat is evidence of global warming, and he blasted congress for ignoring the problem. Most scientists are firmly convinced that global warming is already underway, but there is still some scientific uncertainty about what effects it might have. Around the world, scientists are looking for answers. The Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s Stephanie Hemphill reports on one research project now underway:
Tag: minnesota
Alfalfa Power
Farmers in Minnesota are growing crops for energy and constructing anew biomass power plant. It could be a big boost for rural business andrenewable energy development. But as Kathryn Herzog reports for theGreat Lakes Radio Consortium some environmental activists are concernedthe energy project may be going too far too fast:
Wolf Management Plan Stumbles
Last June, Interior Secretary Bruce Babbit announced he wanted to remove thetimber wolf from the Endangered Species list because of dramatic populationrebounds in Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan. But before that can happen,each state must come up with a plan to manage the populations. Wisconsinand Michigan already have draft plans ready for public comment. ButMinnesota is lagging behind. The Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s StephanieHemphill reports:
Commentary – Love Thy Pet
Recent challenges to the ingredients in commercial pet food have more than pet owners concerned. A whole new debate is brewing over how Americans treat their pets. But Great Lakes Radio Consortium Commentator Lisa Bartel says how we treat others—human or non-human—says more about who we are as people than we realize:
Explosive Cargo Heads for Great Lakes Ports
A new cargo heading for the Duluth-Superior port this month is calling for special precautions. As the Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s Mike Simonson reports, the potentially explosive goods must be handled with care:
Personal Watercraft Ban
As of August 1st, an unprecedented ban on personal watercraft will affect most of the Upper Saint Croix (croy) Riverway in Minnesota and Wisconsin. And as the Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s Mike Simonson reports, this action may extend to other national parks around the Great Lakes:
Greens Enter Race for Minnesota Governor
A member of the Green Party has joined the crowded field of candidates for Governor of Minnesota. Only two other states – California and New Jersey – have Green candidates on the ballot for the top job. The Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s Stephanie Hemphill profiles the Minnesota race:
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:
Great Lakes Story – Today’s Youth
This Spring, environmentalist Alden Lind received the SpecialAchievement Award from the National Wildlife Federation for a lifetimeof work protecting the Great Lakes. Born in Duluth and raised alongLake Superior’s North Shore, 63-year-old Alden Lind has spent over fortyyears as an active steward to Lake Superior. Now he faces a personalbattle with congenitive heart failure. As part of the Great Lakes RadioConsortium’s continuing series "Great Lakes Stories", Lind says thattoday’s youth need to get more involved in politics: