by Lindsay E. Brown
Susan Rockefeller Talks Ocean Conservation [Video]
Susan Rockefeller sat down with me in her NYC home and opened up about her passion for ocean preservation, her film “Mission of Mermaids,” and her jewelry line (Mission of Mermaids) in this first-ever “Heroines for the Planet” video interview.
Food and Climate: A New Warning
More carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and rising temperatures cause rice agriculture to release more of the potent greenhouse gas methane (CH4) for each kilogram of rice it produces, according to new research published recently in the online edition of Nature Climate Change.
These finding are very interesting indeed, as the impact of climate change on the world’s food supply have long been debated. Climate change deniers often cite the positive potential of rising carbon dioxide, while bypassing the risk entirely. Not so fast, climate contrarians.
Get Your Garden Soil Tested for National Lead Poisoning Prevention Week
Half a million children have blood lead levels above 5 micrograms per deciliter in the United States. This is the reference level at which the CDC recommends public health actions be initiated.
There are severals reasons why you should get your soil tested:
- Lead dust can travel in the air and accumulate in your garden. (Lead-based paint and lead contaminated dust are the main sources of exposure for lead in U.S. children.)
- Houses built prior to 1978 are likely to contain lead-based paint. This paint can chip and peel and deposit in garden soil.
- Lead from gasoline and other industrial sources is a serious concern for urban gardeners reclaiming vacant lots.
Find out if your state is offering blood-lead testing and holding education and awareness events during National Lead Poisoning Prevention Week.
Why is the FDA Inspecting So Little Imported Seafood
You may want to reconsider your affinity for sushi. The FDA tests only 2.7 percent of imported food for harmful chemicals, even though a lot of it is farmed in unsanitary conditions (particularly from Asia). Bloomberg Businessweek published a jarring article about the sanitary conditions of the farms where the U.S. sources seafood.
Why Protesting Yoga in Schools is Nonsensical
Many parents have encouraged their children to practice yoga as a way to keep active, focused and in tune with their feelings. I talked to yoga guru Kelly Wood – who has taught over 60,000 children with her Hi Yoga program — about how she has helped parents and children alike experience the transformative and life-changing powers of yoga.
But some parents in California don’t see yoga in the same light. Parents in Encinitas, California (near San Diego) say the stretching and strengthening routines of Ashtanga yoga are a kind of religious indoctrination.
Find out why protesting yoga in school makes no sense.
High Fuel Costs Spark Increased Use of Wood for Home Heating
In an attempt to combat high heating bills this winter, many families across the U.S. are turning to wood instead. Wood stove use is on the rise, and many are even turning to modern energy-saving pellet stoves. An EIA’s Residential Energy Consumption Survey (RECS) notes that wood use has grown during the past decade after 20 years of steady decline during the 1980s and 1990s.
BP’s Future Hinges on Outcome of Russian-Oil Venture Deal, Charges in Gulf Oil Spill
BP has fallen on rough times. To help make amends for the damage they did in the Gulf, the company will likely sell $26 billion in assets to a Russian corporation and now faces up to $19 billion in fines from the U.S. Justice Department. The company has already sold $35 billion in assets over the past two years.
Have a tip you’d like us to include in our next roundup? Tweet @LauraSeydel and @LindsEBrown using hashtag #EcoRoundup
Photo of Susan Rockefeller: Via SusanRockefeller.com
