On this day 45 years ago, President Richard Nixon signed the Endangered Species Act into law. The legislation is credited with aiding in the recovery of Louisiana’s iconic pelican, alligator and black bear populations. The Endangered Species Act passed as Americans grew more aware of the harm humans were causing to wildlife and the environment. […]

Earthjustice attorney says solar training impacts ‘alarming’ on whales, other marine mammals The U.S. Navy announced Wednesday that it has decided to implement a plan to conduct training and testing military readiness activities, including anti-submarine training, within Hawaiian and Southern California waters. “The Navy made its decision after carefully considering the potential impacts training and […]

ehmet Oz, M.D., is host of “The Dr. Oz Show,” and Mike Roizen, M.D., is Chief Wellness Officer and Chair of Wellness Institute at Cleveland Clinic. Email questions to [email protected]. QUESTION: I read that eating organic can lower the risk for cancer. Do I really have to spend all that money to lower my cancer risk? […]

Hula is the language of the heart, and therefore the heartbeat of the Hawaiian people.” — King David Kalakaua, last King of Hawaii Hula instructors Andrea Luchese and Leilani Kahananui teach in Ashland but have strong ties to Hawaii. Their conversations are peppered with Hawaiian words and references to support, family, lineage, the land, protocol, […]

Starbucks is topping off the holiday season by re-releasing its classy tuxedo collection of drinks from 2017. Starting Wednesday, the trio of black and white limited edition beverages will be sold at Starbucks stores in the U.S. and Canada through the new year, while supplies last. The flashback specialty drink offerings include Black and White Hot Cocoa, Black and White Mocha and Black and White Frappuccino. The hot cocoa has dark and white chocolate mocha sauce […]

Jamiel Cantrell said the after Christmas recycling rush has already started. “It’s been coming in all morning and it will continue until after the first of the year,” Cantrell said Wednesday. “Most of the recycling bins are packed.” Cantrell, operations director at Shoals Solid Waste Recycling in Tuscumbia, said it is always hectic right after […]

Island residents should consider an “ethics of place” approach to their surroundings. When Aldo Leopold developed what he called “land ethics,” he realized from his experience in the New Mexico-Arizona territory (circa 1909) the need to transform how we think about the natural environment. This involved an evolution of aesthetic and ethical consciousness devoted to […]

Another holiday season has come and gone, which means vacations, New Year’s resolutions, and holiday waste.  So, as the waste piles up, what are the most environmentally friendly means of disposal?  In this week’s “Issues of the Environment,” WEMU’s David Fair gets some trash-removing tips from Angela Porta, who is the outreach and zero waste […]

A new study links the buildup of greenhouse gas emissions to more frequent heat waves, floods and droughts in the Northern Hemisphere. Greenhouse gases are increasingly disrupting the jet stream, a powerful river of winds that steers weather systems in the Northern Hemisphere. That’s causing more frequent summer droughts, floods and wildfires, a new study […]

More Florida cities have banned plastic straws and styrofoam. Last week, the City of St. Petersburg decided to ban the products. In Southwest Florida, Fort Myers Beach, Sanibel and Marco Island have all banned plastic straws. “We take our ocean for granted,” Caroline Rusher said. “We live in a beautiful place.” Plastic garbage is not something […]