March 2001

$10 Million Just Beachy
The state of California is awarding $10 million in grants to restore beaches and to study how to stop beach erosion. This ambitious project, according to Governor Gray Davis, is a way to replenish California’s coastline. The series of grants will begin in April, when $1.2 million will be allocated to take sand dredged from a mile off the coast and use it to create new beaches and replenish existing ones on a the 50-mile stretch from Imperial Beach to Oceanside.

Clemens Would be Pleased
When author Mark Twain (pen name for Samuel Clemens) wrote “The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County,” it’s doubtful that he knew the hero of his short story, the California red-legged frog, would end up an endangered species. Finally, however, after an eight-year delay and a federal court order, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife service has issued a rule to protect the habitat of the threatened California red-legged, which is the largest native frog in the western United States.

Mothers Say No To GE Foods
Genetically engineered foods have caused a great deal of controversy, which, in turn has instigated the formation of watchdog groups. The Mothers for Natural Law chose their organization’s name to “reflect our belief that when we align ourselves with the laws of nature, we gain the support of nature’s unlimited strength, intelligence, and creativity—the solution to all problems.” Their goal is to campaign for national public awareness on the dangers of genetically engineered foods. For information, write Mothers for Natural Law, P.O. Box 1177, Fairfield, IA 52556.

Pesticides Still Hazardous
According to the California Department of Pesticide Regulation, the number of pesticide poisonings has increased by 20 percent in California, with 1201 suspected or confirmed poisonings in 1999—an increase of 998 over the previous year. The most frequent cause of pesticide illnesses were from chemicals that drifted from fields or industrial areas.

Do You Want Fries With That?
It was recently announced that GreenTeam, a Silicon Valley-based garbage company, will be changing their fleet of 95 trucks to run exclusively on “biodiesel”—a fuel made from french fry oils, sewage plant grease, and other vegetable oils. Biofuel, which often has a base of soybean oil or used cooking oil, has been gaining popularity as a low-emission alternative to petroleum-based fuel.

Doggone Good Work
With livestock illnesses such as foot-and-mouth disease becoming a serious concern in Europe, the USDA has employed a special team of canine detectives to keep the diseases from spreading across the ocean. The USDA’s Beagle Brigade is now on “heightened alert” at major United States airports and other ports of entry. The beagles will be sniffing the bags of international travelers, searching for animal products and other indicators of risk. The meat-sniffing, floppy-eared little fellers, which are donated by private owners or breeders, will be easily recognizable in their jaunty green vests that bear the imprint “Protecting American Agriculture.”