Earth Talk | Facts on rain forests

Roddy Scheer

Dear EarthTalk: Do you have current facts and figures about how much rainforest is being destroyed each day around the world, and for what purpose(s)? – Teri, via e-mail Pinning down exact numbers is nearly impossible, but most experts agree that we are losing upwards of 80,000 acres of tropical rainforest daily, and significantly degrading…

Debate on drinking age at Bridgewater College

Contributors

James C. Fell and Barrett Seaman will debate “The Drinking Age” at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 15, in Cole Hall at Bridgewater College. In 1984, a national drinking age of 21 was established. Does the 21 and older drinking age really discourage underage drinking, or merely drive it underground, and result in riskier and more…

Earth Talk | The gophers

Roddy Scheer

Dear EarthTalk: What would you recommend as a non-toxic/non-lethal way to keep squirrels, gophers and groundhogs away? – Faye Gillette, Coarsegold, Calif. Keeping unwanted critters away can be tricky business, and options are somewhat limited. For starters, make sure exterior garbage, recycling and compost containers are shut tight, and pick up and remove any fallen…

Press Briefing | Press Secretary Robert Gibbs

Contributors

Thursday, Oct. 8 MR. GIBBS: Just one quick announcement before we get going. I want to give you a readout of a call between the President and Prime Minister Gordon Brown as part of their ongoing consultations and the special U.S.-U.K. relationship. They talked to each other this morning and discussed several key issues on…

Stimulus dollars to go to conservation efforts

Contributors

Gov. Timothy M. Kaine today announced the allocation of $40 million from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) to implement the Virginia State Energy Plan (SEP), a blueprint for funding energy-related initiatives throughout Virginia. The funding will help create jobs, encourage energy conservation, and promote alternative energy generation through rebates to residential and commercial…

Wagner releases plan to aid Virginians with disabilities

Contributors

Today, in coordination with the beginning of National Disability Employment Awareness Month, Democratic Nominee for Lieutenant Governor Jody Wagner unveiled her agenda to help Virginians with disabilities. The first statewide candidate to release a comprehensive plan dealing with disabilities, Wagner pledged to protect rights and improve quality of life of Virginians living with disabilities.

Virginia air is cleaner

Contributors

Gov. Timothy M. Kaine today announced significant improvements in Virginia’s air quality during the past decade. Between 1999 and 2009, the Commonwealth saw a 96 percent decrease in the number of days that exceeded the national air quality standard for ground-level ozone at monitoring stations statewide, with summer 2009 standing out as the best year…