Earth Talk: Global food scarcity

Roddy Scheer

Food scarcity is a bigger problem than ever as human population numbers continue to swell, putting additional stress on already fragile food production and distribution systems. And it’s not just happening in far away places: A recent report by the U.S. Department of Agriculture found that the number of U.S. homes “lacking food security” rose from 4.7 million to 6.7 million in just the last five years.

Bridgewater College to dedicate electric-vehicle charging station

Chris Graham

Bridgewater College will officially dedicate an electric-vehicle charging station that is believed to be one of only a few at a Virginia college. College officials and local legislators will perform a ribbon cutting March 19 at 9:30 a.m. in the Stone Village parking lot. The public is invited to attend.

Ken Plum: All’s well that ends well

Ken Plum

Not only did the 2013 session of the General Assembly end on time last Saturday, but it also ended on a high note. Having sat through a couple of decades of failed efforts to pass meaningful legislation addressing our transportation needs, I was not optimistic that we would be successful this year. The Governor’s proposal to fix a billion dollar problem with a revenue-neutral solution did not give me much hope. I was both amazed and delighted when the House passed a transportation funding bill by a vote of 60 to 40 that provides new revenue to meet road and transit needs.

Ken Plum: Statesmanship prevailed

Ken Plum

During legislative sessions in Virginia there is far too much partisan bickering, currying to special interests and in recent years doing the things that appear on late-night comedy shows. These events tend to overshadow the amount of time that legislators work amicably together, regardless of political party and without personal gain, to solve complex problems to make the Commonwealth a better place to live. The negative forces at work in the legislature help to contrast the significant moments when statesmanship prevails.

Robin Guenther: The Toxic Chemical Industry Fights for Outdated, Unhealthy Materials in ‘Green Buildings

Contributors

The war over toxic chemicals and human health is spilling over into places we live and work: our buildings. The American Chemical Council has launched an expensive and focused attack on the U.S. Green Building Council to protect the status quo of a small set of bad-actor manufacturers of toxic and obsolete chemicals. But innovative companies across the building industries and human health advocates are fighting back.