Bald eagle. Image: Karen Laubenstein, USFWS

By Kate Nolan
Green Right Now

The recovery of North American bald eagles is a triumph for the Endangered Species Act.

One of the first species proposed for listing under the Act in 1973, bald eagles in the lower 48 states grew from a failing population of just 400 breeding pairs to 8,000-9,000 before they left the ESA list in August 2007.

A ban on the insecticide DDT initially halted the deadly assault on the species, but it was the Act’s sustained defense of eagle breeding zones that allowed the birds to multiply exponentially over the 34 years of protection.

DDT (which reduces the bird’s ability to reproduce) is still banned, and breeding areas will remain protected during a monitoring period that may last 20 years.

Now, almost three years since delisting, information is emerging on the condition of the birds. Much looks promising, but concerns linger, such as the risk of lead poisoning, illegal shootings and a controversy over whether eagles in the Southwest still need ESA protection.

A comparative eagle count is expected this spring, in mid April,  when the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service releases a national population estimate. Based on a survey conducted by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers,  the report will provide detailed information on specific geographic areas that can be compared to earlier surveys to assess growth.

Some numbers have already appeared informally, showing continued expansion in Delaware, Arkansas and the Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge area, which borders four states (Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, and Illinois) and is something of a magnet for eagles.

The Refuge was expected to draw more than 5,000 migrating eagles this winter. In Minnesota alone, authorities have counted 700 nests; the state has the largest bald eagle population outside Alaska.

But beyond the numbers, some troubling details have emerged.

Lead suspicions

In Iowa, host to 2,000 to 4,000 migratory eagles every year, bird rehabilitation centers are reporting high lead levels in the eagles they are treating.

“Our database shows that in 2009, 26 eagles died in Iowa from ingesting lead. We shoot deer here with lead slugs. If animals are wounded and not retrieved, the eagles later feed off of it and absorb the lead,” said Kay Neumann of SOAR, a raptor rehabilitation group in Dedham, Iowa.

Lead damages nerves, and lead bullets have been banned in California because it was killing condors there. Few studies have focused on the effects of lead bullets on eagles.

Neumann found that 60 percent of eagles treated in Iowa had lead poisoning. Of the 78 with lead in their systems, only six could be released. She and other rehabbers are pushing for use of non-lead bullets. Wildlife authorities in Iowa and numerous other states encourage hunters to use copper and other types of ammunition.

In response to delisting, Iowa is setting up a program for monitoring the state’s 250 nests.

Image: Dave Menke, USFWS

“Eagles are doing well in Iowa; there are more than ever. But we are approaching it a little more rigorously now from a research point of view,” said Stephanie Shepherd, a state wildlife biologist. The greatest concern is agricultural run-off. Chemicals from crops get into waterways and fish, and eagles eat the toxic fish.

“Lead is on our radar screen, but there are no good studies on how prevalent the poison is in a population of eagles,” Shepherd said.

Lead has a more acute impact when it involves shooting eagles. The law on “taking” eagles has changed somewhat since delisting. Under ESA protection, eagles could be disturbed or killed under specific circumstances, with a permit. Two federal laws still prohibit hunting of eagles, but permits remain available for removing nuisance eagles. New rules decrease the radius of the area around a nest that is protected.

Wildlife officials around the country report illegal eagle takings are not rampant, but there have been incidents. In 2009, a Florida man was convicted and sent to prison for shooting an eagle. And in Iowa, an unidentified hunter illegally shot a juvenile eagle that was feeding on a deer carcass.

“Shooting eagles and hawks was a huge problem in the 1950s, but shooting these birds has decreased greatly since then,” said Greg Burcher, Director of Bird Conservation at National Audubon Society. Sometimes eagles compete with fishermen, but rarely clash violently.

According to Burcher, the biggest long-term threats to bald eagles are coastal development and water quality issues.

Arizona birds retain protection

Water is a key survival factor for eagles in Arizona, which remain the only bald eagles in the U.S. still listed. Concerns for their viability have fueled a lasting struggle between conservationists and federal officials, culminating in a lawsuit that has at least postponed delisting the birds.

The Arizona population provides a good illustration of what it takes to bring back a failing flock.

The eagles had dwindled to five pair in the 1970s, when a local Audubon group teamed with the U.S. Forest Service to start a nest-watcher program that remains a key to recovery. Twenty watchers sign up each year to camp out for months in the vicinity of the mostly remote breeding areas, record bird behavior and alert authorities about problems. From the nest-watching activities has grown a consortium of Audubon groups, state and federal authorities, Indian tribes and public utilities that work together to protect and monitor nests and coax the eagle numbers upward.

Image: USFWS

The ESA’s habitat protection ensured that the state’s burgeoning development and cattle and mining activities wouldn’t take down the trees and cliff sides needed for nests. By now, 61 nesting areas and as many as 50 breeding pairs have been identified, but state biologists say the population remains fragile because it is so small.

Resources budgeted for the bald eagle recovery have been based on their endangered species status. So, when the Fish and Wildlife Service began efforts to delist eagles nationally, conservationists feared resources would dry up.

Maricopa Audubon and the Center for Biological Diversity petitioned to have the Arizona eagles listed separately as a “distinct population segment.” A fish-eating bird in the Sonoran desert, these bald eagles have made some dramatic adaptations to the heat. They are smaller, mate earlier in the season, and their eggs have thicker shells than other eagles. Some evidence suggests that, unlike other eagles, they fare better during drought than rainy periods.

But the Fish and Wildlife Service rejected the petition in 2006, so the groups sued in federal court. Subsequently the court ordered federal authorities to reassess the eagles.  In March, government officials submitted a new assessment, with more outside input, that drew the same conclusion as the first: the Arizona eagles were significantly different, had threats to their survival – but were not important to the survival of eagles in general and therefore should be delisted.

The court has not yet ruled on whether the finding is legal, but alarm is spreading among nature-watchers.

“It’s a very serious problem. It means more water transfers away from eagle nesting areas to cities and new developments. Eagles are going to go down the tubes if they aren’t protected here,” said Dr. Bob Witzeman, conservation chair of Maricopa Audubon.

Witzeman founded the state nest watch program and hired the state’s first nest guardian. In Arizona, eagle survival requires clear abundant streams. Mining and cattle activities can cloud the water with algae and sediment so eagles can’t see the fish they need to eat. Witzeman worries that without the force of the ESA, no one will have the authority to keep waterways unspoiled for eagles.

Because the complicated eagle support committee remains in force, state wildlife biologists are optimistic for the current breeding season. Nest watchers have observed 44 babies, but some eagle pairs haven’t laid their eggs yet. In 2009, 48 babies survived.

Historic rains have stirred up waterways, but in the words of one biologist, “there’s a hell of a fish population this year.”

James Driscoll, an Arizona Game and Fish Department biologist who has worked with Arizona eagles since 1991 when the annual baby count was 18, sees no looming problems, except for the state bureaucracy.

The eagle program is supported by so-called Heritage funds derived from the state lottery. They are increasingly eyed as a solution to a worsening state budget crisis.

“If so, we’ll have to reprioritize. We can’t lose 25 percent of our funding and continue to do the same thing,” said Driscoll.

Copyright © 2010 Green Right Now | Distributed by GRN Network

The U.S. EPA announced Wednesday that it is taking several steps to increase the safety of flea and tick treatments for pets, including requiring better labeling and instructions to prevent misuse. The agency also promises to subject new and existing products to stricter testing.

The EPA found that small dogs are more likely to have an adverse reaction to spot-on flea treatments.

The move comes after hundreds of reports of pets falling ill, or even dying, nationwide after being treated with flea and tick treatments available on the consumer market. The agency reported that it logged more than 44,000 reports of bad reactions to topical flea and tick products in 2008, which was up considerably from the 28,000+ reported in 2007. The reactions included skin irritations, gastrointestinal problems that included vomiting and diarrhea and nervous system effects — trembling, seizures, depression.

Pinpointing the products targeted also is tricky, because there are dozens of flea treatments on the market. For now, the EPA’s review will focus on the “spot-on” treatments in which pet owners dab a small amount of a pesticide onto the pet’s fur to help repel fleas and ticks. While these products might fulfill their mission, they do so while leaving a poisonous coating on our furry friends, and expose people to the same chemicals.

That worries environmental advocates. Last year, the Natural Resources Defense Council reviewed the safety of treated tick and flea pet collars, finding that the level of residue on the animal was higher than what the EPA had projected when greenlighting these products.

Today’s acknowledgment by the government agency that flea and tick treatments can cause health effects “serves as a reminder that just because they’re in stores, does not mean they’re safe,” said Miriam Rotkin-Ellman, an NRDC scientist who’s been following this issue.

For more details about some of these ill effects, you can read Rotkin-Ellman’s blog, which includes tips for safer ways of dealing with pet pests. (Wash, wash, wash those dogs vigorously with soap and water; vacuum well and often if fleas are an issue in your area.)

Manufacturers, however, insist that the current line of consumer products are safe, if used correctly.

According to Georgia-based Merial Ltd., the maker of the Frontline tick and flea treatment, the vast majority of negative reactions to these products are “minor.” The Associated Press quoted the company as saying in a statement: “The number of adverse events reported for FRONTLINE has remained consistently low since the product’s introduction in 1996.”

The AP also quoted an official with the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, who said that most adverse reactions involve skin irritations and upset stomach (on pets, that is).

Expect to hear more on this issue.

In the meantime, the EPA advises pet owners to:

• Read labels carefully and follow all labeling “before exposing your pet to a pesticide.”

• Consult your veterinarian before using any pesticide on “weak, aged, medicated, sick, pregnant or nursing pets, or on pets that have previously shown signs of sensitivity to pesticide products”.

• Be sure not to use dog flea treatment on cats.

The EPA noted in its announcement that it has found that exposing cats to flea treatments intended for dogs is “a concern” and also that small dogs tend to be disproportionately negatively affected by these products. Regulators hope to find out more such useful information by improving “market surveillance” of flea treatments. The agency also will be requiring more reporting of post-sale adverse effects (presumably from veterinarians or manufacturers) so it can better evaluate the incidence of negative health effects.

You can read more on the EPA’s study of flea and tick treatments at the agency’s website.

Does knitting make you yawn, think of your grandmother or the smell of snow-soggy wool mittens drying on the kitchen radiator? Newsflash: Knitting’s gone organic, political, subversive, has even entered the realm of “High Art”. There’s knitting on buses. No, not people in buses knitting; buses that are covered with knitting. We’ll get to that.

Going organic with your knitting does take commitment

Want to go organic with your knitting? Read Ann Budd’s newest book Knitting Green: Conversations and Earth Friendly Projects, due out in April from Interweave Press. The book proved to be quite an eye-opener for me, a long-time knitter and fiber artist.  I’ve always regarded knitting, along with quilting as one of the original “green” pursuits because it’s done primarily with natural fibers which for the most part come from the earth, in the case of cotton, and from life in the case of wool and silk.

Since one of the book’s essays reminds us of “the sense of continuity inherent in practicing such an ancient art”,  it’s easy to regard this ancient art,  not to mention oneself, as pure and virtuous using these natural elements to create warm, functional, pretty things.

But other essays in the book, such as “The Gray of Green” and “The Meaning of Organic” really pulled this writer’s head out of the sand in terms of what the term “organic” actually means.  It seems that in order to process cotton there are quite a few non-earth-friendly things that must go on. The same goes for wool and silk. I never imagined how many silk worms give their lives to produce one pound of fine silk – about 2,600! PETA alert! For more on wool production, sheep farmer and knitwear designer Kristin Nicholas’ essay “Ode to Sheep”, is not to be missed.

Like so many things worth doing in this life, going organic takes a certain level of commitment (and maybe a little whining) and yet its collective and cumulative benefits are irrefutable. It really does take a village Hillary, and this book clearly embraces the concepts of our interdependence and oneness. Since timing is everything it seems important to note that going organic costs more too, which makes sense once one understands the rigor involved in rendering yarn organic, but it’s a tough sell in this economy. And don’t forget about all the tempting value-priced synthetics at the big box craft stores, and natural yarns dyed in jaw-dropping-but-not-eco-friendly colorways found in those upscale fiber shops which can entice even the most virtuous of yarn divas.

The book includes a variety of patterns for items knitted using earth-friendly fibers, such as a drop-in-the washer bag knit from hemp designed to hold “soap nuts”,  a substitute for phosphate-laden laundry detergent. Don’t miss the lovely lace tunic pattern knitted up in a yarn named “Allegoro”, after Mr. Global Warming himself, and a Kimono knitted with a silk yarn made from the ever-versatile soy, which the editors tell us is as soft as cashmere. Sign me up.

Knitting Green also suggests that those who are looking, and not finding, organic knitwear in the stores, should consider homemade.  “More and more yarn companies are rolling out 100% organic yarns…. Fashionistas who aren’t happy with the choices for organic knitwear available in stores should pick up the needles and walk into a yarn shop,” writes Budd.

Knitting as political activism

Anyone familiar with the crafts movement knows that knitting has enjoyed a colossal renaissance over the past several years among fiber aficionados, with creative souls discovering community, functionality, meditation, and even political activism. Would you like to see that bus covered in knitting, or vividly-colored scarves wrapped around the necks of Presidential statues as a way to raise money for the homeless? Then check out Yarn Bombing: Improving the urban landscape one stitch at a time by Mandy Moore and Leanne Prain to learn about the “Graffiti Knitting” phenomenon, a not-so-traditional, downright in-your-face kind of knitting practice.

Or Google Betsy Greer, who coined the term “Craftivism” and wrote her master’s thesis on knitting (why didn’t I think of that?)  According to Faythe Levine, coauthor of the book, Handmade Nation (and director of the documentary by the same name), Greer’s 2008 book Knitting for Good!: A Guide to Creating Personal, Social, and Political Change Stitch by Stitch “provides a platform for progressive, forward-thinking knitters and non-knitters alike who are interested in the idea that creativity can be a positive way to change the world we live in. It is chock-full of motivation, ideas, and inspiration to get you going or to keep you on the path you are already on.”

Suffice it to say, knitting: you’ve come a long way, baby!

Copyright © 2010 Green Right Now | Distributed by GRN Network

With all the talk about natural cosmetics, organic makeup and getting the chemicals out of personal products, you’d think that finding basic, non-toxic facial foundations would be a simple matter.

Finding a pure foundation requires good eyes -- with which to read the label. (Photo: Volkova/dreamstime.)

You’d be wrong. We took five foundations that claim to be “natural” and free of concerning chemicals and matched them against Skin Deep, the database that rates makeup for toxicity.

The results surprised us. And they remind us once again that the labels touting “organic”  and “natural” ingredients, can be deceiving in body products. A cosmetic can use those labels, and still contain compounds that raise red flags.

In many cases, the words “organic” on the label may only mean that some of the ingredients are organic. The cosmetics industry is not as tightly regulated as the food business where products must meet certain strict criteria to win the USDA’s “Certified Organic” label. In cosmetics, the wording “organic” may be more about marketing. When products are partially organic, yet use the label, the Organic Consumers Association calls them “organic cheater brands.”

Happily, our search for a non-toxic foundation was not an exercise in futility. We found pure formulations that we can slather on without being dogged by doubts about their long-term safety. We found them among five foundations we tried. We chose these five because they claim to have organic and natural pedigrees and seemed to represent a sampling of what’s out there on the market:

• Aubrey’s Organic’s Silken Earth Translucent Base mineral makeup

• Christopher Drummond’s “Beyond Mineral Makeup”

• Bare Escentuals’ Bare Minerals foundation

• Physicians Formula Organic Wear cream foundation

• Almay’s pure blends cream foundation

First a word about our method. Skin Deep, the database we used, was put together by the Environmental Working Group in Washington D.C. and is widely considered to be a responsible, public-use source of information. It is intended to help people sort out the labels — not to scare them, but to help them find out more about what that tiny type on the back of their makeup, body lotion or bath oil really means.  The database flags all sorts of ingredients, from those that may only irritate your skin to those that could alter your body chemistry enough to increase your risk of cancer, fertility problems or thyroid issues.

Dangerous compounds in cosmetics aren’t likely to sicken you overnight, but increasingly scientists worry about the accumulation of chemicals in our bodies that could make us vulnerable to diseases over time.

The EWG uses the term “body burden” to describe this threat.  As we add pile on the body products – shampoo, lotions, makeup – the chemicals in them (parabens, phthalates, nanoparticles, mercury, to name but a few) accumulate in our bodies, creating a chemical “burden” that scientists are only beginning to understand. The EWG advocates believe that we should be aware of the presence of these chemicals, and try to reduce our exposure to them with the conservative and judicious use of body products. Put another way, there’s no need to run screaming from your bathroom (unless you’ve spotted a dangerous spider in there), but you should peruse the labels and reduce your contact with the chemicals of concern. Until more is known.

We tried foundations, because they’re right there on your skin, all day long. If anything should be pure, these should be. So here is what we found:

• Aubrey’s Organic’s Silken Earth Translucent Base mineral makeup

Aubrey is a pretty big name in natural and organic products and we were pleased to find that they had a mineral foundation in large containers, making it more affordable than many comparable brands (around $25). It went on smooth and worked to cover fine imperfections.

Aubrey's Silken Earth mineral foundation

But turns out the words “organic” on the label aren’t a foolproof way to choose a foundation. The Skin Deep database gave this product a Level 3 or “Moderate Hazard” rating on its 10-point scale. The reason, mainly, was the inclusion of “silica” – which sounds and is natural – but has been linked to cancer and “organ system toxicity”, according to the database. It can be rated low, moderate or highly toxic, depending on its product usage and the risk of inhalation, and in this case EWG assigned this ingredient a high hazard rating. Still, this is a tricky matter. As with many cosmetics, there is a significant “information gap” because so little is known about cosmetics formulations — the ingredients are not well studied and U.S. laws do not require any independent reviews.

Aside from the silica, most of the remaining ingredients in the Aubrey foundation were considered in the safe range. We reached two conclusions: We were surprised this product wasn’t listed as “low hazard” and we could envision it moving into the safer category with small changes, potentially.

• Christopher Drummond’s “Beyond Mineral Makeup” Veludo Velvet Foundation

This is a new line that looks quite promising. It’s hand-crafted, all natural and based on organic ingredients. We were

Chris Drummond's new mineral make-up with non-irritating base ingredients

excited to get a small sample of this makeup, which makes an earnest effort to leave all the bad stuff out.  There’s no titanium dioxide, zinc oxide, and bismuth oxychloride — which are not chemicals of high concern, but can irritate skin, according to Drummond, a celebrity makeup artist. The coverage with this foundation was terrific, and though it felt a tad heavier than some mineral foundations, it was a smooth feeling and not drying.

The foundation of this foundation was new to us; it relies on organic cornstarch and White Kaolin clay as the base ingredients.

Skin Deep does not rate this product in total, so we looked up those two key ingredients in the database. The reports were encouraging, both the cornstarch and the Kaolin clay are listed as having “No Toxicity” (the cornstarch) or “Low Toxicity” (the clay). Based on these ingredients this makeup would receive a 0 or 1 rating, about as good as it gets on the harmful chemicals barometer.

The remaining ingredients are mainly essential oils, some of which can irritate skin in larger amounts, like Bergamot oil, which gets a 2 rating on Skin Deep. The Bergamot was not irritating in our experience. It was nice to see a new line that’s truly pure and non-toxic.  Kudos to Drummond for bringing it to market. (It’s available for now only online.)

• Bare Escentuals’ Bare Minerals

We tried this foundation in “light” (which sometimes makes a difference in the ratings) — over many years, in fact. A pioneer in mineral makeup, they seem to have gotten it right.

BareMinerals by Bare Escentuals

The foundation in light scored a 2, which is in the Low Hazard category on the Skin Deep scale. This product gets a favorable mention for providing sunscreen coverage – and the titanium dioxide and zinc oxide in this product are listed as “Non-Nano” versions, a plus because so little is known about the safety of nanoparticles, which are creeping into many sunscreens and cosmetics. Early word from activists is that nanos may not be so healthy for our skin.

As for the titanium dioxide and zinc oxide, these are additives that create color and act as sunscreens in skin products. The EWG has decided that their benefits in providing sunscreen cover outweighs any slight risks. (Though Chris Drummond will tell you they can be drying and irritating, which may be true for some users).

A concern: Bare Escentuals, even though it has achieved great success and is a mainstay at Sephora and other beauty bars, has not signed the Compact for Safe Cosmetics, which would require full disclosure of all ingredients and that the company comply with EU Cosmetics Directive, which bans certain known toxics.

• Almay pure blends

This was one of two liquid foundations we tried. Almay has branded itself as clean and pure, and the claim on the label that this product is 97.4 percent “natural” was intriguing.

Almay Pure Blends, mostly pure

In sampling it, we first had to readjust to the liquidity of it. It seemed positively watery next to the mineral products, but it was blend-able and felt light on our skin. Thankfully, it dried, leaving a little sheen, which was not unappealing, just notably different than the matte effects of the mineral makeups. It also smelled great, which raised our suspicions. What this yet another of the countless products that chase out the harmful ingredients, only to sour the deal with synthetic fragrances?
We were pleasantly surprised. Apparently, that scent is from essential oils from pansies!

We were back up at a 3 or Moderate Hazard rating, however. In this case, the offending agent was sodium borate, which was listed as being linked once again to “organ system” toxicity and reproductive effects. To see the references for this conclusion, visit the Skin Deep report on sodium borate, which is used in cosmetics as a ph balancer. The gist of it: It’s considered safe in cosmetics, depending on the concentration. Here again, we don’t know enough to judge, which seems to be reason #805 for more government regulation and better disclosure.

In the end, Almay’s pure play was OK — free of talc, free of parabens as advertised — but not as pure as pure could be.

• Physician’s Formula Organic Wear – Natural Origin Tinted Moisturizer

We felt compelled to try this one with its claim of being organic and natural and formulated by physicians, or so the labeling implies. First, it did wear well. As one would expect from a tinted moisturizer, it was not as heavy as a liquid foundation. But it did even out the skin, imperceptibly. Take that or leave it, depending on what you’re looking for.

Physicians Formula Organic Wear, only moderately toxic

Here’s the interesting part, though. For all its natural and organic claims (that it is made with non-GMO plant products and contains no parabens), this product ranked highest on the hazard scale of all those we tried, a 4 — making it a Moderate Hazard. The ingredients of concern: alcohol and aluminum hydroxide. (Get your aluminum out of your deodorant just in time for it to sneak back in in your foundation!)

It has sunscreen protection, but it uses Titanium Dioxide in nanoparticles.

In addition, Physician’s Formula is not a signer of the Compact for Safe Cosmetics.

And yet, a caveat is in order here with regard to the Aubrey, Almay and Physicians Formula products. Of all the many foundations out there, these still rate better than most. Many of the top labels have foundations ranked at the high end of the Moderate Hazard range, with some “age-defying” products hit the buzzer in the “High Hazard” category.

From our small sampling, we can say this: When you see pure and organic, it may not mean pure and organic. Think of it as  meaning “better than average”. And if you buy something, regardless of its pure and organic claims, check it out at Skin Deep.

Copyright © 2010 Green Right Now | Distributed by GRN Network

As we contemplate that vast swath of un-prepped garden turf and weedy herb pots in the backyard, the question naturally arises: Is it too late to join a CSA – where you can buy a share of a farmer’s harvest during the growing months?

CSAs provide you with local food; you support area farmers

The answer is no. While many CSAs (for Community Support Agriculture) sell out the fall before, and even encourage pre-sales so they can fine-tune the size of their gardens, the growing number of CSAs and expanding existing CSAs are making this form of local food buying more available. We sampled some metro areas on LocalHarvest.org and found that many CSAs are still offering subscriptions.

But it is March. It is time now to secure a piece of the farm.

• In New York, we found that the The Midsummer Farm in Warwick, Northwest of New York City, is selling its Vital Health Super Share ($1,195) of veggies, herbs and artisanal cooking ingredients. The farm also is selling a CSA plan of regular produce baskets for 16 weeks for $625.

• Los Angeles residents enjoy year-round CSAs. Several have memberships that are open. One, the Tierra Miguel Foundation, offers year-round full share ($2,100) and half share ($1,050) CSA memberships that come with delivery to more than 30 drop-off locations in the Greater LA region.

• In Chicago, we found Harvest Moon Farms,  which is selling 20-week shares for $695 each. The Wisconsin farm also delivers to metro Chicago drop-off spots. This multiple farm CSA also offers certified Organic eggs.

• In San Francisco, you could join the My Farm CSA,where local food gets even more local. This decentralized CSA grows fruits and veggies in “a backyard near you” with several locations for pick up in the area. A subscription is $455 for a 13-week share.

• Raleigh residents, like those in Southern California, enjoy a warmer climate with a rich supply of local produce farms and a good availability of CSAs. Taylee Farms, a newer CSA which offers full subscriptions for $600 a year,  is just one that is seeking new members. Like many other CSAs, requires some sweat equity or garden work time from members. But not all CSAs work this way; check yours to see the requirements of membership.

To find a CSA, or a farm or farmers market near you, check LocalHarvest or Rodale’s New Farm Locator.

With 3D movies popping up faster than the Cheshire cat, a bioplastic company has seen the opportunity in making bioplastic 3D glasses.

Cereplast Inc., a maker of bioplastic derived from plant materials based in the Los Angeles area, announced that it will be working with Oculus3D to debut the world’s first biodegradable/compostable 3D glasses.

Occulus 3D glasses made of PLA plastic

The eco-friendly glasses are expected to be available for distribution this summer, according to ShoWest, the motion picture distribution and exhibition industry’s annual expo.

The glasses come too late for the main runs of green blockbuster Avatar and potential blockbuster Alice in Wonderland, which together have required the use of some 10 million pairs of 3D glasses made with traditional fossil fuel-based plastic.

While those glasses were collected at movie theaters and reused – they eventually end up scratched. Many will end up in landfills, where the plastic they’re made of persists in the environment for many years.

By contrast, the Cereplast 3D specs can be expected to degrade or be composted in a landfill, depending on conditions, in about six months. The glasses will be made with Ingeo® Poly-lactic acid, otherwise known as PLA plastic. PLA plastic not only biodegrades, it generates less carbon pollution than plastics made with petroleum during production.

“By using Cereplast’s resins in our 3D biodegradable and compostable glasses we can now help the entertainment industry reduce its carbon footprint and provide movie theaters with smarter choices for both affordable 3D systems and compatible 3D eyewear,” said Marty Shindler, Co-founder and CEO of Las Vegas-based Oculus3, in a statement.

Frederic Scheer, Founder, Chairman and CEO of Cereplast, Inc., said the collaboration will offer Hollywood  “meaningful ‘green’ benefits requiring little effort and providing large impact.”

Just in time for spring planting season, Urban Harvest of Houston has organized a Food for Thought series of panel discussions set for the third Wednesday of each month at the University of Houston.

The seminars will feature experts speaking about how to grow food and eat locally. The next one, on growing gourmet vegetables, will be Wednesday, March 17, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. in the Oberholtzer Residence Hall.

Urban Harvest, a non-profit formed in 1994, focuses on supporting community gardens, education and the Urban Harvest Farmers Market, which supports a network of gardens, farms and orchards in greater Houston.

The Growing Gourmet panel will feature Ray Sher, an urban farmer with Garden of Eden; Mike Atkinson with Atkinson Farms and Jim Hanka of Hanka Farms.

The seminar is free and open to the public. Urban Harvest is pleased to announce that Chipotle, the chain of burrito restaurants that feature vegetarian options and hormone-free meats, is sponsoring the educational series. Attendees with get a Chipotle coupon and other goodies.

Ongoing sponsors include:  The University of Houston, TX AgriLife Extension Service , Grizzaffi Coffee, Fischer Schalles Associates, Katy Bomar Creative, Patterson Murphy Public Relations.

To RSVP to the seminar go to this link at the website.

Urban Harvest is expanding its reach this year by moving into space at Houston’s Discovery Green, a 12-acre park that opened in 2008. The Urban Harvest Farmers Market at Discovery Green will be inaugurated on Saturday, April 3 in conjunction with the Earth Day Houston celebration at the park.

The regular Urban Harvest Farmers Market at Discovery Green will then continue, every Sunday thereafter  from noon to 4 p.m. Urban Harvest will continue its popular Urban Harvest Farmers Market at Eastside, which is held on Saturdays from 8 a.m. to Noon, 3000 Richmond at Eastside.

Composting can be as simple or as complicated as you make it. From piling green and brown things in a corner of the yard

Compost bins need aeration, like this metal mesh enclosure. (Photo: Bureau of Environmental Services, Howard County, Md.)

to buying that perfect compost bin, you’ll generate the same end result.  Those of us who turn and nurture our piles can expect more compost in a faster time period, but regardless our gardens will benefit from a little or a lot.

There are a variety of containers and methods to composting. They include:

• Plastic bins/barrels.

• Wire mesh enclosures and loose piles.

• Worm composters.

• Indoor composters, even motorized filter composters.

Gardening experts lean toward the simpler methods of piles and outdoor enclosures. Closed systems require more turning because there isn’t as much air and water.

The enclosures and bins are mainly to prevent rodents and other animals from getting into the compost, which may be more of a concern in dense urban areas. Homeowners in the suburbs or rural areas can use compost piles without much animal interference.

If you use the pile method, experts say to add dry materials around the outside of the pile to reduce smells.

Sam Hartman, program coordinator for The Ecology Center of San Francisco, suggests a simple approach. Begin with a 3 foot by 3 foot square area in your yard. Enclose it with wood posts and wire mesh.

The University of Missouri extension service  provides illustrations and instructions this type of compost pile, and others, including using an old barrel to make a spinning composter. The churnable composter will work more quicker.

But because it may be easier to stick with a looser routine, many gardeners say stick close to the ground with this earthy process. Like Hartman, Georgia gardening expert, author and television show host Walter Reeves also advocates simplicity. He suggests homeowners pile compost in the corner of their yard where two fences intersect.

But Reeves cautions gardeners not to rely solely on compost to create a bountiful harvest. Make sure to add soil conditioners to your garden beds.

“(Compost) is a component of your garden, but it will not produce the volume to satisfy all your needs. Adding compost to the soil is gonna really jump start the flower bed or vegetable process,” he added.

Getting Started

After you’ve secured a container, you’ll need a pitchfork or large stick and a pail to collect kitchen scraps.

A bamboo scraps collector that could pass muster in the neatest kitchen.

Once you start collecting food scraps, you may want to make a small investment in a composting pail. These pails, which include carbon filters to destroy any smells, are pretty enough to sit on your kitchen counter and start around $20. Some choices can be found at Gardeners.com, or any of a dozen gardening supply stores online.

Clean Air Gardening offers a bamboo scrap pail with a place for charcoal filters in the lid, a nice combination of design and sustainable materials.

New research by U.S. environmental and geo-science academicians shows a distinct warming trend in the nation’s breadbasket over the last two centuries.

The scientists drew that conclusion after examining 65,987 weather records, recording the daily mean temperatures since 1828. Those weather observations, made by doctors in pioneer forts and later Weather Bureau officials, helped Dorian J. Burnette and David Stahle of the University of Arkansas, with the help of geographer Cary Mock of the University of South Carolina, reconstruct the climate of Manhattan, Kansas, in the center of the nation. The scientists’ findings are published in the March 15 issue of the peer-reviewed Journal of Climate.

What they found was that 19th century temperatures were notably cooler than those in the 20th Century and the first decade of the 21st Century.

“It still gets cold today, but the trend from 1828 to the present day is unmistakable,” said Dr. Burnette, who holds a degree in environmental dynamics, in a news release. “There is a warming trend in the cold extremes of about 5 degrees Celsius since 1855.”

Burnette said he used daily data from seven historical stations and four modern stations in Kansas, Missouri and Oklahoma, to determine the daily mean temperature for each day dating back to July 1, 1828. He then computed seasonal and annual temperature means for each year, and looked at how these numbers have changed over time.

Calculating the most extreme warm and cold events for each year, Burnette found that the cold extremes are changing relative to the warm extremes, and are “warming at almost twice the rate as the warm extremes,” according to a news release.

The upsurge in warmer temperatures since 1855 tracks with the scientific belief that temperatures have been warming incrementally worldwide in concert with the increase in carbon emissions in the air from burning fossil fuels, a phenomenon of the industrial age.

Dr. Burnette’s data also show an accelerated warming trend since 1969, again fueled by a rise in cold season temperature extremes.

This is consistent with what we see globally on average,” Dr. Burnette said.

Burnette also studied records from the U.S. Army Surgeon General, the Smithsonian Institution and the Signal Service housed in the National Archives in his quest to find the detailed weather information from these early observers. In interpreting the data, the team developed a computer program that could help check readings against others in the region, to make sure that inaccurate data was excluded or to interpret weather vernacular that was used in the 19th century.

New York University released its Climate Action Plan (CAP) today, which outlines the first steps toward achieving carbon neutrality by 2040.

The plan was developed after the university took a greenhouse gas inventory, and it outlines the projects and methods it will use to reduce or offsets its emissions.

NYU officials credited both Mayor Bloomberg’s PlanNYC Climate Challenge and the American College and University Presidents’ Climate Commitment (ACUPCC) for initiating and helping shape its actions. The school is a signor of the ACUPCC .

The goals:

• NYU will reduce its greenhouse gas emissions per square foot by 30 percent from FY 2006 levels by FY 2017. This plan aims to reduce emissions in “an immediate, ambitious and tangible way,” school officials said.

• NYU pledges to achieve “climate neutrality” (i.e. net zero emissions) by FY 2040 by upgrading buildings through efficiency and conservation, planning for green building, generating cleaner on-site and renewable energy,  encouraging behavior changes and offsetting remaining emissions.

“Across the University – from academics to financial and space planning to sustainability – we are striving to plan for the long-term,” said Michael Alfano, NYU’s Executive Vice President. “This Climate Action Plan fits within that template, relying on a rigorous analysis to point the way toward a 30-year goal of attaining carbon neutrality.”

Cecil Scheib, Director of Energy and Sustainability, noted in the news release that NYU has already made progress in reducing greenhouse gas emissions, cutting them by 20 percent over the past three years.

“NYU total emissions have dropped from a fiscal year (FY06) peak of 171,000 MTCE to 136,000 MTCE in FY 2009. This decrease in global warming pollution is a measurable component of New York City’s total emissions, and represents a major step toward confronting the challenge of global warming,” Scheib said.

NYU, which is located in Greenwich Village and comprises 14 schools and colleges,  intends to fulfill its CAP by retrofitting buildings to use less energy, and prioritizing those retrofits to maximize emissions reductions.

The school — already the largest university purchaser of wind power — plans to use more cleaner energy by expanding a cogeneration power plant on site, which is expected to mitigate nearly one-quarter of NYU’s baseline FY 2006 emissions. The university will also replace fuel oil used to heat buildings with cleaner energy sources.

NYU is exploring the possibility of adding wind and solar power to its on-site energy plans, projects that it hopes will be financially feasible because of a positive return on investment, buttressed by state and federal incentives.

Whatever emissions the school can’t reduce or eliminate with these methods will be mitigated through local, socially and educationally redeeming offset programs.

NYU’s Manager of Sustainability Initiatives, Jeremy Friedman said that the CAP plan “fuses” the short-term reductions required by the Mayoral Challenge with the broader goals of the ACUPCC.

And the program does not forget the educational opportunities provided by the changing times. NYU expects to foster a campus-wide appreciation of sustainability through expanded course offerings both at the main campus and the affiliated Polytechnic Institute of NYU.

“The size and scope of this problem,” said Friedman, “are equaled only by our collective capacity to confront it together – by reducing greenhouse gas emissions as individuals, and by educating the next generation of leaders in the struggle to create a more sustainable and just world.”

When the New York Botanical Garden opens its new education center in Midtown Manhattan next month, city dwellers will have better access to horticulture and floral design classes.

The new NY Botanical Society Education Center will be in an 18th Century building near Grand Central Terminal

The New York Botanical Garden Midtown Education Center, located at 20 W. 44th Street (between 5th and 6th avenues), will offer adult education and professional courses that could lead to green jobs or help further the goals of urban gardeners, florists and locavores.

Among the inaugural offerings will be the Lynden B. Miller Lecture Series: The Challenges and Rewards of Urban Horticulture. Hosted by New York Botanical Garden Board Member and Director of the Conservatory Garden in Central Park Lynden B. Miller, the three-part series will give guidance to those interested in growing their own produce, greenery and flowers; and it will highlight the successful practices of New York’s notable public horticulturists.

The series lectures, on Wednesdays, from 6 to 7 p.m., will include:

• Up in the Air: Lessons in Urban Horticulture from the High Line, April 21, with Patrick Cullina, Vice President of Horticulture and Park Operations, the High Line

• Our Future, Our Food: The Role of Community Gardens in Urban Agriculture, May 19, with Karen Washington, community activist and gardener, and Member of the Botanical Garden’s Board

• Battery Park City: Maintaining a Public Park with Organic Methods, June 9, with Eric T. Fleisher, Director of Horticulture at Battery Park City Parks Conservancy

The center also will offer lectures in garden and floral design with area experts, such as Ken Smith, the artist and landscape architect who designed the award-winning roof garden at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA).

Those who want to learn more can attend the center’s open house on Saturday, April 10, from 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

The New York Botanical Garden, located in the Bronx, offers seven certificate programs in the botanical arts and horticulture. Its classes in Manhattan, like classes at its other satellites, will be taught by experienced professionals.

Calling themselves “Clean Energy Patriots,” dozens of environmental leaders today asked the U.S. Senate to quit serving the interests of “Big Oil” and take action on behalf of Americans who want clean energy and climate solutions.

The leaders from nearly 50 environmental and social responsibility groups signed a declaration at the U.S. Capitol. It demands  that the Senate quit stalling on climate action, and kicks off a 40-day countdown until Earth Day, which celebrates its 40th anniversary on April 22.

They urged citizens to join in what they are calling the Earth Day Revolution.

“The first Earth Day was a success because 20 million Americans demonstrated an urgent need for environmental protection and action,” said Kathleen Rogers, President, Earth Day Network. “Together, we can make the 40th anniversary of Earth Day a pivotal moment in the environmental movement. We will use the next 40 days to build momentum around a demand for comprehensive climate legislation…”

Clean energy legislation would not only protect the environment, it would create jobs and improve national security, the leaders said.

“For too long Big Oil and their special interest allies have stood in the way of a clean energy revolution. It’s time for lawmakers to listen to the millions of citizens who will recognize this Earth Day by demanding the Senate gets working to pass comprehensive clean energy and climate legislation,” said Gene Karpinski, President of the League of Conservation Voters. “We need more Clean Energy Patriots this year. We need an Earth Day Revolution, not just another celebration.”

The campaign will wind up with a Climate Rally on the Sunday after Earth Day, on April 25.

The following groups have signed the Earth Day Declaration:

1Sky

Audubon

American Hunters and Shooters

American Rivers

American Values Network

Campus Progress

Center for American Progress Action Fund

Clean Water Action

Chesapeake Climate Action Network

Climate Protection Action Fund

Climate Solutions

Defenders of Wildlife

Democracia Ahora

Earth Day Network

Environment America

Environmental Defense Action Fund

Environmental Law and Policy Center

Green for All

Hip Hop Caucus

Interfaith Power and Light

La Onda Verde

League of Conservation Voters

National Catholic Rural Life Conference

National Wildlife Federation

NWF Campus Ecology

Natural Resources Defense Council Action Fund

Oceana

Operation Free

Rock the Vote

Sierra Club

Southern Alliance for Clean Energy

SACE

Southern Energy Network

StudentPIRGs

SustainUS

Truman National Security Project

Union of Concerned Scientists

Veterans for Common Sense

Voces Verdes

World Wildlife Fund

The Wilderness Society