| Aug 24, 2016 | Environment / HealthFor a few brief months, it looked like America might take a step closer to sanity. And then came the news: the Obama administration will not loosen federal restrictions on marijuana after all. Before delving into the issue of marijuana, consider its two fellow...
| Aug 10, 2016 | Environment / HealthI just got back from hiking 95 miles in the Sierras. (Yes, just like that Reese Witherspoon movie Wild, only far fewer miles.) I returned from my trip with something eating at me. Backpackers are supposed to “Leave No Trace.” It’s not just a nice...
| Jun 15, 2016 | Environment / HealthThere should’ve been an overhaul in how we regulate toxic chemicals years ago. Like when the 2010 President’s Cancer Panel report concluded that babies are now born “pre-polluted.” Or when it came to light that a common flame retardant used in...
| May 4, 2016 | Environment / HealthWhenever I’m on a long road trip, chomping down on a piece of gum helps me stay awake. I don’t choose gum because it’s bright white or glossy, but because the burst of sweet minty freshness really keeps me going. Thanks to nanotechnology, I have my choice...
| | Food / FarmingA friend of mine is a farmer out in Montana. She’s also eight months pregnant with her first child. Recently she looked out her window and saw a worker spraying pesticides on her neighbor’s farm. Concerned for the health of her baby, she called the...