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Which state is full of skinny Minnies?

This just in: last year, Oregon was the only state in the U.S. where the obesity rate didn't increase. Huzzah for the Beaver State!

Though static, Oregon's 21 percent rate is not the lowest in the nation. That honor belongs to Colorado, where a mere 16.4 percent of citizens weigh in as obese. (Those looking deeper point out that it's not quite that simple. For instance, 59 percent of Oregonians are obese or overweight. "I don't think we can rest on our laurels and say we don't have a problem," said state epidemiologist Melvin Kohn.)

In both states, careful urban planning and a looove of outdoor fun are cited as contributors to good health. While some -- including the group issuing this study, the Trust for America's Health -- are calling for government intervention in the form of nutritious school lunches, smarter urban layouts, and Medicaid subsidization of fitness programs, others disagree. "I think obesity is a very personal issue," said a policy analyst from the Cato Institute. "What you eat and how often you exercise, if that comes within the government's purview, it's difficult to think of what's left that isn't."

In other words: stuff it.

The Great White Soap

USDA will certify organic soaps and cosmetics In a victory for consumers’ all-natural kissers, the U.S. Department of Agriculture has decided it will allow worthy lip balms, lotions, and other […]

Marsh o’Potamia

Once-vast marshlands being restored in Iraq The marshlands of Iraq, drained nearly dry by Saddam Hussein, are making a surprisingly robust comeback. Seen by some as the inspiration for the […]

Vashon Island goes energy independent

From the Seattle PI: Vashon Island, located just south of Seattle, has plans to do what every environmentalist and geo-green wants to see America do: become more energy independent. But Vashon Island is shooting for 100%.

The proposal, which is receiving nearly unanimous support from the island's famously liberal residents, is centered on a report [PDF] from the Institute for Environmental Research and Education. It suggests a variety of renewables to provide power to the 10,000 island residents. On some days, the island might even be able to send power to the mainland via the already established underwater power lines. More on giving back to the grid here.

The one potential sticking point seems to be the wind turbines and the view of the island from the mainland. But even that looks like it will go smoothly, or at least more smoothly than Cape Wind.

Google map of Vashon Island.

Hooray for sky-high prices!

In light of this summer's wicked high fuel prices, CNN.com has started a daily "gas gripes" section where readers can spout off about how tough life is.

But here's a little secret -- these aren't gripes! Today's collection, especially, is a quietly inspiring list of conscious eco-choices. These reports bring a tear to the eye: I moved back to the city. I stopped driving my SUV. I vanpool. I bought a hybrid.

It's everything that Grist and a thousand other nattering environmentalists preach every day. But money is making it real -- at least for now. Hooray for capitalism! Hooray for oil! Hooray, hooray, hooray.

Houseboats: good or bad?

Anyone who has seen Sleepless in Seattle knows that we here in the Emerald City have our fair share of houseboats. But I've often wondered how they compare to your good ol' fashion house with regards to their impact on the environment.

Apparently, the fine folks over at Treehugger think that they're a good thing (re: The Houseboat Book):

Houseboats -- they inspire the imagination and, if you're fortunate enough, they can be an inexpensive, and environmentally-sound house to own.

Environmentally-sound? You Gristmillians have any thoughts on the matter?

Breed Between the Lines

World population heading rapidly toward 7 billion The global population will reach 7 billion by about 2012 and continue to rise for many decades, according to a new report from […]

WC

Y'all, Worldchanging is sporting a site redesign and several "Worldchanging retro" links to their greatest archived hits. Go check it out.

Thirst-Case Scenarios

Shortages of safe water a growing global problem About 1.1 billion people worldwide can’t get clean drinking water and 2.4 billion lack access to basic sanitation, the International Herald Tribune […]

Born to Rewild

Conservationists propose bringing elephants to U.S., bears to U.K. Imagine: lions and elephants roaming free across the same Great Plains of the U.S. that their ancestors — big cats, mastodons, […]