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Scaling Down

Another judge rules that hatchery fish don’t count when determining ESA status The federal government does not have to count hatchery fish along with wild fish when deciding whether to […]

Environmental scientist Theo Colborn warns about the chemicals all around us

This guest essay comes from Theo Colborn, an environmental health analyst, professor of zoology at the University of Florida, Gainesville, and president of The Endocrine Disruption Exchange (TEDX). She's one of the experts featured in Leonardo DiCaprio's new eco-documentary The 11th Hour, which opens in L.A. and New York on Aug. 17 and in other spots around North America on Aug. 24.

What a crazy world we live in when almost everyone knows what the acronym ED stands for. Millions of dollars have been poured into creating awareness of ED, erectile dysfunction, because it is profitable. This 21st-century sales-pitch strategy -- "disease mongering" -- has proven to be good for the bottom line. The irony of all this is that there is another ED out there into which millions have also been poured -- to keep it a secret. That ED is endocrine disruption, and if the public were to learn about it, bottom lines could shrink instead of grow.

Endocrine disruption should be right at the top of the list of most critical technological disasters facing the world today, up with climate change. With little notice, vast volumes and combinations of synthetic chemicals have settled in every environment in the world, including the womb environment. Synthetic chemicals at very low concentrations in the womb change how genes are programmed, cells develop, tissues form, and organs function, and thus undermine the potential and survival of developing animals, including humans. The chemicals threatening the integrity of future generations are derived from the processing of crude oil and natural gas, the same processes that are driving climate change. This is an integral part of the climate change story.

Twice the Grist with half the pain: Netvibes and Twitter

For all of you tech-savvy Grist readers, we've added two more methods of getting yer Grist:

Twitter is "a free social networking and micro-blogging service that allows users to send 'updates' (text-based posts, up to 140 characters long) via SMS, instant messaging, email, the Twitter website, or an application such as Twitterrific." In other words, it's Facebook statuses mashed up with RSS and IM. In nontechnical terms, it's everyone in the same room together yelling out what they're doing every so often. You can follow what Grist is shouting about here.

Netvibes, along somewhat similar lines, is "a multi-lingual Ajax-based personalized start page ... [which] includes an RSS/Atom feed reader, local weather forecasts, a calendar supporting iCal, bookmarks, notes, to-do lists, multiple searches, support for POP3, IMAP4 email as well as several webmail providers including Gmail, Yahoo Mail, Hotmail, and AOL, Box.net web storage, del.icio.us, Meebo, Flickr photos, podcast support with a built in audio player," among other features. Basically, it's the kitchen sink for the Web you always wanted, and now there's Grist-flavored water in the tap. You can access Grist via Netvibes in one of two ways: the Grist Universe, or the Grist Tab.

Peekaboo, ICU

Hospitals opt for less-toxic medical equipment As the wee tots who end up in neonatal intensive care tend to be a bit on the vulnerable side, leading medical organizations are […]

Dying For a Change

Pollution causes some 40 percent of deaths worldwide, says new research Here’s one small reason to join the save-the-environment cause: new research indicates that some 40 percent of deaths worldwide […]

I guess the headline says it all

Via Brian Beutler (The Other WunderkindTM), I notice that longtime Bush loyalist and former Bush speechwriter Michael Gerson has used his inexplicably granted space on the Washington Post op-ed page […]

Giuliani does not plan to fight the Climate’s War on Us

A frequently overlooked element of the energy/climate debate — most debates about big issues, really — is opportunity cost. That is to say, there’s a limited stock of national attention […]

But what about the economy?

According to David Pimentel and his team of researchers, water, air, and soil pollution cause 40% of all deaths worldwide. (via Hugg)

Things I learned from the L.A. Times piece on Dingell

Rep. John Dingell is Polish stock — his immigrant grandfather changed the name from Dzieglewicz. Who knew?

Aussie guitarist John Butler on nukes, dickheads, and common sense

The John Butler Trio: (L to R) Shannon Birchall, John Butler, and Michael Barker. Photo: Marty Philbey For the record, John Butler hates the word “environmentalism.” Actually, he’s sick of […]