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May, 2008
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Ticked Off: Climate Change and the Spread of Infectious Disease
I was discussing the diagnosis with a friend. The raised, red bull's eye led to only one conclusion: he had to have Lyme disease. Our only hesitation was that it was early March, surprisingly early for ticks.
The conversation sparked a question: is Lyme disease spreading because of global warming? A little research turned up a few reports that confirmed our fear: climate change is, in fact, spreading the geography of Lyme. Confirmation can be a poor solace when it comes to disease.
For those... -
Sunscreen Causes Coral Bleaching
Killing off an ecosystem because of the coconut-scented oils I have no choice but to slather on my body? When I read the report, I was nothing short of perplexed.
An Italian university study published in the April issue of Environmental Health Perspectives links sunscreen to coral bleaching. Coral is an aquatic, stone-like structure that has cracks and crevices inhabited by colorful symbiotic organisms called zooxanthanellae. Bleaching, induced by changing ocean temperatures, pollution, and b...
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Flying III: Would You Fly If You Had More Options?
In my last post about flying, I quoted Otto Lilienthal, the inventor whose enthusiasm for aviation carried him into both the skies and the grave, as saying, "To fly is everything."
Sitting on the tarmac of the Portland Jetport two weeks ago, it occurred to me that Lilenthal was right. And that's the problem.Many of us who have come to devote our lives to protecting the environment have done so by the grace of places we came to see through air travel. I, for one, remember flying to Norway to g...
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Country Meets City: Incompatible?
This past Tuesday I found myself driving a ten-foot box truck around Manhattan, through Times Square no less. I was accompanied on my tour by the truck's standard double decker column of sideview mirrors and the jarring clank of boxes shifting around the back storage unit. At one point, as I turned down East Twelfth street, full-on into road construction that had me maneuvering between a cement truck and the hardhats of men whose bodies were hidden beneath the pavement, all I could think was ...
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Silent springs, burning rivers... and now the Great Pacific Garbage Patch.
There's a Texas-size whorl of refuse -- mostly shreds of plastic that often have soaked up some of the nastiest pollutants imaginable -- floating in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.
Let that sink in for a minute. A patch of toxic filth, as big as Texas. Maybe your radar picked this up better than mine did -- I've seen reports of it here and there for at least a couple years, heard names like "North Pacific Trash Vortex" and "Great Pacific Garbage Patch," but it all never registered as othe...
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To the Executive, I Say: Ride On
A comment on Wired's blog about Bike to Work Day -- something I wrote about yesterday -- has sparked an interesting conversation about how appropriate it is to bike to work.
The conversation started by Bill, who said: "As an executive, I will look foolish riding up in my business suit on one of these things."
The responses have been strong, and varied. Many of them smack of derision. But I would suggest this is a comment we should pay attention to because it points to a serious barrier to envi... -
What's at the Farmer's Market? Asparagus, Rhubarb Masquerading as Fruit
Spring is a season of expectation. The hard winter gives way to a softer soil and longer days. From above, comes rain, and from below, all manner of surprise: flowers and their pomp, vegetables and their substance. Almost every week, I go to the farmer's market. And almost every week, I'm surprised by what I find.
It's Friday, and so I find myself asking: What to expect this weekend?
For those who like asparagus, the season is finally, and firmly, upon us. Here in DC, the stands are almost ov... -
Gear Up For Bike to Work Day
The weather for my commute this morning could not have been better: sunny and 70 degrees, with a slight breeze. The sun was on my face. The wind in my hair. And in front of me, nothing but open, winding road.
Sounds like the perfect commute, right? I think it is. It can be yours, too. All you need to do is trade in your four wheels for two, and ride your bike to work.
Now would be a good time to try it out -- you certainly won't be alone. The League of American Bicyclists designated May Nati... -
Data Centers Set to Outpace Airlines in GHG Emissions
A new study released last week by McKinsey & Company claims that the emissions by data centers -- the hidden banks of servers and electronic storage devices behind everything from your email, to eBay to, well, this blog -- currently account for .3% of the world's greenhouse gas emissions. By 2020, those emissions are poised to quadruple; by 2050, data centers will have outpaced the airline industry in their GHG emissions.
The growth of power consumption in this area is staggering. According t...
Behold, The Lord God Bird