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November, 2002

Vintner Foes Get Whiny
Angry environmentalists say California's wine industry is responsible for contributing to soil erosion, watershed loss, and pollution. Winery owners have responded by saying they will begin operating under a "green code of conduct." John DeLuca, president of the Wine Institute, which represents the 600 wineries that produce 92 percent of California's wine, says growers will be required to rethink how they use the state's natural resources. Environmentalists remain skeptical that proposed reforms will curb rapid and permanent forest conversion to vineyards.tzfeldt-Jacob Disease, which is responsible for the deaths of over 100 humans.

Crackdown on Poached Eggs
The olive ridley turtle, known as the "pawikan" in its native Philippines, is becoming extinct because its eggs are hunted by poachers. Turtle eggs are considered an aphrodisiac in the Philippines, where their sale is illegal. However, a thriving black market entices impoverished residents to search beaches at night for nesting pawikan. Thanks to a volunteer from the Philippine Rural Reconstruction Movement, a corporation has been formed to protect the endangered pawikan and to help develop income alternatives to poaching.

Moon Over Miami... and Elsewhere
Scientist Dave Williams is searching for "moon trees" grown from seeds that were carried into space by Stuart Roosa, an Apollo 14 crew member. When Roosa went into space on January 31, 1971, he took a six-inch metal cylinder containing seeds from redwood, loblolly pine, sycamore, Douglas fir and sweet gum trees. Williams says virtually all the seeds survived the journey, but no one tracked where they were sent afterward and the location of most of them is still unknown. For more information: http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/planetary/lunar/moon_tree.html.tions of the International Whaling Commission. Japanese fishery officials say they need to kill whales in order to study breeding and feeding habits.

Giving the Bird to Dangerous Pesticide
Fenthion, a dangerous pesticide known for its extreme toxicity to birds, is killing federally protected species in Florida. Three environmental groups have filed a lawsuit against the Environmental Protection Agency, charging that fenthion, which is used for mosquito control, results in indiscriminate killing of non-target wildlife, including birds, butterflies and aquatic species.

Great Teeth, Bad Joints
A study published in Rheumatology International says that high doses of fluoride can damage bones and cause osteoarthritis, "a chronic joint disorder characterized by degeneration of joint cartilage and adjacent bone that can cause joint pain and stiffness." Fluoride's maximum containment level, 4 mg/L, is set by the EPA for public water supplies to prevent bone disease. The study, however, found that arthritis symptoms in patients may come from sources other than flouridated water. "Unknowingly, Americans inhale or consume between 1.6-6.6 mg of flouride a day from sources as obscure as ocean mist and as common as French fries and cola," says lawyer Paul Beeber, president of the New York State Coalition Opposed to Flouridation. "Little do they know their flouridated tap water and food supply could be causing their arthritic ailments."

Superweed No Superstar
gone from hero to zero, as biotech firm Monsanto withdrew its proposal to commercially market the genetically engineered turfgrass. Turns out the product is resistant to the top-selling weedkiller Roundup, a brand also owned by Monsanto. The problem, according to the International Center for Technology, is that commercialization of the genetically engineered creeping bentgrass would be "an environmental nightmare." The CTA has petitioned the United States Department of Agriculture to federally prohibit the use of the grass and label it a "noxious weed."

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