- Nobel Peace Prize winner Wangari Maathai
The first ever Nobel Peace Prize to an environmental activist was awarded in 2004 to Kenyan Dr. Wangari Maathai. This Kenyan woman is an example of how one person can make a difference in a country. In this news clip, Maathai is notified of her prize, and then the reasons why she received the prize are examined: her political activism in fighting corruption, the Green Belt Movement she founded that has planted some 30 million trees, and her work in motivating women to care for their environment. Her story can be read in a recent autobiography, "Unbowed," published in 2006.
- Plan B—The morning after pill
One possible reason for the decline in abortions in the United States is the availability of so-called morning after pills. Taken shortly after unprotected sex, these pills can prevent a pregnancy, although how they do it is not clear. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Plan B (one such pill) for prescription use in the late 1990s, but were at the time of this newscast (August 2005) debating whether to make it available over the counter. The FDA decided to deny permission, but late in 2006, reversed their decision and now Plan B (and Preven, a similar pill) may be obtained over the counter by women 18 years of age or older.
- Secrets in your food—genetically modified crops
Good Morning America investigates the little known fact that much of the processed food in the United States contains ingredients from genetically modified crops. The American public is largely unaware of the widespread use of these crops in food products, because unlike elsewhere in the world, food producers are not required to put this information on the labels. In this news clip, the views of consumers, the Grocery Manufacturers Association, and the Center for Food Safety are presented. The widespread use of corn, corn syrup and soy products guarantees that at least 60% of all foods in the U.S. contain some genetically modified food products. GMA suggests that to avoid this food, consumers should purchase 100% organic products.
- The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge
Although this visit to the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge does not get into the controversy over drilling in the refuge, it does show the beauty of the refuge and the amazing diversity of wildlife that make their home in this Alaskan wilderness. So far, the forces that would like to extract oil from this refuge have not prevailed in Congress, and with the 2006 election results and Democrats in control, this is not likely to happen, in spite of the National Energy Policy Report from the Bush administration and its recommendation that the refuge be opened up for drilling.
- Coal and Children's health
Massey Energy operates coal mines in West Virginia, and owns a 16-story coal silo located next to an elementary school. They plan to build another one there. Children in the town are experiencing headaches, runny noses and nausea, and their parents are upset with the coal company and the authorities because they don't seem to care. If people working for Massey complain, they could lose their jobs, according to one citizen. Our use of coal carries many costs, not all of which show up in the accounting ledger.
- Back to Chernobyl
Twenty years after the explosion that ripped apart a nuclear reactor in the Ukraine, residents commemorated the event in a somber march. The direct deaths were few, but an epidemic of thyroid cancer resulted from the radioactive iodine that contaminated foods over a broad area, producing thousands of cases and many deaths. Some 300,000 were permanently evacuated, and the area remains a ghost town except for a few elderly people who don't seem to care about the conditions. The hastily build containment building over the site is in a state of decay; the plans to erect a larger, safe confinement structure are laid but it will be years before it is finished.
- Wind Farms at Sea: Cape Wind
It has gone from NIMBY (not in my backyard) to BANANA (build absolutely nothing anywhere near anybody) in this confrontation between prospective developers of an offshore wind farm in Nantucket Sound off Cape Cod, and many people living on the sound. Among the protestors are some notables, like Robert Kennedy, Jr., and Walter Cronkite, who on most environmental issues are outspoken advocates. This news segment explores the conflict over the proposed siting of 130 wind turbines 6 1/2 miles off the coast. The project would provide 75% of the electricity needs of Cape Cod and the islands, but the opposition raises concerns about "visual pollution," threats to navigation and dangers to wildlife. The project awaits final permitting before construction can begin, but there may be some civil court challenges before the first turbine is erected.
- A Green House "Extreme Makeover"
In doing their house over, the couple in this news clip have put their environmental convictions into practice. They re-used a lot of the materials from their old house and others, insulated with soy-based materials, erected solar panels, and installed Energy Star windows and appliances. They have calculated that their up front investment costs will enable them to break even in about 10 years. Plus, they are doing the right thing in demonstrating what it takes to live sustainably.
- Bird Flu Virus
ABC News medical consultant Dr. Timothy Johnson discusses the cluster of human victims of bird flu from Indonesia in May, 2006. Dr. Johnson explains the potential for human-to-human transmission and concludes that this case is not the start of a serious pandemic flu, although that could happen in the future. The newscast then turns to the National Veterinary Services Laboratory, which is the U.S. center for bird flu testing. The procedure for testing, using the PCR (polymerase chain reaction) procedure, is explained.
- Bill Gates versus Malaria
Accounting for more than a million deaths and hundreds of million cases per year in the developing countries, malaria is still one of the world's most devastating diseases. The search for a vaccine has been under way for many years, and now the Gates Foundation is stepping forward with $258 million to spur that search on, as well as to provide other malaria research needs. Africa, where development is still sputtering, has a heavy burden of diseases like malaria, and the Gates Foundation is clearly making a difference in fostering the kind of research that the drug companies are not supporting because of lack of profitability.
- Sewage to Tap Water
Sewage is 99% water, and in regions served by on-site septic systems, the water part of the sewage percolates down from the leaching fields, replenishing the groundwater. California has a problem: its rapid growth has created a demand on water that has exceeded supplies, and now California must find a way to compensate for the loss of excess Colorado River water it had been withdrawing. The state is turning to sewage for its water needs, by treating the water and introducing it back into groundwater that can then be withdrawn from wells. The process is shown in this news clip; water that is purified in this way is quite safe to drink directly, as Orange County Water District Engineer Ron Wildemuth demonstrates. Other ways of saving water in the state are mentioned in closing.
- 20th Anniversary of Bhopal Tragedy
In December, 1984, a worker at a Union Carbide pesticide manufacture plant accidentally released water into a tank containing methyl isocyanate, causing the release of 27 tons of the highly toxic gas. This newscast recognizes the 20th anniversary of the accident, which killed over 10,000 people and injured many thousand more. Survivors of the accident are still trying to bring the chemical companies to court to obtain more compensation for the deaths and health impairment that resulted from the accident. Union Carbide paid the Indian government a settlement of $470 million, and the company was bought by Dow Chemical, which asserts that it has no further responsibility for the accident. The settlement paid only $500 to survivors, not enough to cover their health costs. The segment closes with the happy news that at least two chemical plants in the U.S. pose a risk from terrorism or accident to over 1 million people.
- On Thin Ice: Global Warming in the Arctic
Cooper Island in the Arctic Ocean is summer home to biologist George Divorky and nesting black guillemots. Divorky explains how rising temperatures have caused a loss of sea ice, which in turn has caused a loss of food for guillemot chicks and brought unwelcome visits from polar bears. The guillemots are being harassed and replaced by horned puffins, but both species are relative newcomers that have been able to breed on the island because of the effects of global warming. Divorky explains that the permafrost beneath the island surface is also melting away, a problem experienced elsewhere in Arctic environments where warming is occurring at a more rapid pace than other regions. Rapid change is in store for much of the Arctic, and Divorky sees this as a bellweather for what will be happening everywhere.
- A Warming Trend: The Arctic Climate Impact Assessment
The news clip marks the release of the Arctic Climate Impact Assessment on Nov. 8, 2004. This assessment, the collaborative work of eight nations with territory in the Arctic, demonstrates beyond any doubt that the Arctic is warming rapidly, with temperatures up four or five degrees and sea ice loss of 400,000 square miles. The direct impacts on the Arctic are many, but Arctic warming also has worldwide impacts. Sea level is rising, and the effect of loss of ice and snow is accelerating heat absorption felt around the globe and releasing greenhouse gases locked in permafrost, causing more warming.
- Smog Rising in Los Angeles
More people, more cars, and more SUVs add to many unregulated air pollution sources to deliver the pollutants that have caused a resurgence of smog to Los Angeles, the "smog capital of the U.S." Heavy smog and high ozone levels have returned, bringing officials to look at other pollution sources to regulate, such as farm machinery and old cars and dry cleaners. LA is where photochemical smog was first studied and defined, and in spite of substantial steps taken to address it, the sheer volume of traffic and other sources apparently overwhelms the air's natural cleansing.
- America's Obesity Problem: Sprawl and Spread
"We have perfected a system for creating obesity in this country," remarks one observer in this study into ABC's examination of obesity in America. In an exclusive poll, Americans report that they know they have an obesity problem, and more than half want to lose weight. But it turns out that losing weight may well depend on where you live. Our car-dependent lifestyle has guaranteed that we must drive to places of work and stores. People who live in town centers where they can walk to restaurants, retailers and mass transit lower their risk of obesity by 35%. Nearly 11,000 residents of greater Atlanta participated in a study called Smartraq, and the results confirm that your choice of a neighborhood has a lot to do with whether you become obese. The study suggests that town and city centers with high density and mixed use are becoming more desirable and livable, and at the same time, better for our health.
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