November,2000

Holy Ozone, Batman!
The hole in the ozone layer is now three times larger than the United States—its biggest size ever, said scientists at NASA. Measurements of ozone depletion vary from year to year, but this year’s hole caught the experts off guard. At 11 million square miles, scientists say the massive size is due to atmospheric variations and man-made gases, such as the chlorine compounds used in refrigerants, aeorsol sprays, solvents, foam-blowing agents and bromine compounds—which are primarily used in firefighting halogens. This might cause one to wonder if this summer’s fires, with costs topping $1 billion, had anything to do with the rate at which the ozone hole has increased in size.

A Corny Issue
Irving, Texas-based Mission Foods Co., the largest manufacturer of tortilla products, was forced to recall all of its tortillas, taco shells and snack chips when it was learned that some of its products contained genetically engineered corn not approved for human consumption. While safe for animals to eat, it is believed that the corn may cause allergic reactions in people.

A Crown Unfit for A King
Agricultural scientists are working to stop a mysterious disease that’s attacking lettuce crops on California’s Central Coast. The disease is a type of fungus that leads to “crown rot,” which forces a head of lettuce to wilt, turn yellow and die before it makes it to harvest. Researchers at the USDA have been working for months to identify the disease and come up with a resistant strain of romaine lettuce, which appears to be the hardest hit crop. This latest disease comes on the heels of the Verticillium wilt which has infested 100 acres so far, and the tomato bushy stunt virus, which has infected more than 5000 acres.

Going Buggy
Scientists recently released 100 flea-sized wasps in Sacramento County, hoping the Australian insects will seek their natural food source, a bug responsible for killing eucalyptus trees. The parasitoid wasp release is the 11th in California, where the redgum lerp psyllid has infested at least 40 counties.

Actor Dreams of Pesticide Alternatives
Ojai resident and former “I Dream of Jeannie” actor Larry Hagman joined other pesticide opponents in encouraging the use of technology rather than traditional pesticides to rid schoolyards of insect infestations. Hagman is supporting a measure authored by Assemblyman Kevin Shelley, D-San Francisco, that requires schools to notify parents and post public notices before pesticides are used in schools. It also encourages schools to seek alternatives to pesticides such as heat treatments. Currently, 13 of the 15 largest school districts use toxic chemicals.

Peat a Repeat of Disaster
Firefighters battling a huge wildfire at Vandenburg Air Force Base thought it was a stroke of luck when the blaze headed into the wetlands. Instead, the fire went underground, igniting a 65-acre peat bog. Peat, an organic substance formed in areas of poor drainage, is normally too damp to burn. Often, however, when the groundwater is drained by wells, some peat bog fires smolder until heavy rains put them out.