Center for a Livable Future

The Air Down There: Dairy Ops in Yakima Valley, Washington

Christine Grillo — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 14:48:45 +0000

The study measures the density of airborne pollutants in homes close to dairy operations, and the pollutants include ammonia, particulate matter (PM), or dust, and ammonia. Many airborne contaminants are unregulated, and the exposure effects are unknown.

Faith and the Future

John Shields — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 16:34:54 +0000

As we all know the picture is not pretty. Numerous spiritual traditions have taught that we must tend and care for the Earth. And while those traditions and practices entirely make sense for the common good, we have for the most part ignored them.

Food Movement Tsunami: U.S. Mayors Ride the Wave

Leo Horrigan, MHS — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 15:40:40 +0000

The mayors may not have started the revolution, but they don’t want to be left behind by it, either.

Do Farmers Benefit from Biofuels?

Dennis Keeney — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 15:35:31 +0000

Biofuels, particularly corn-based ethanol, offered the promise of large financial returns to both the farmer and to the rural community. How have the small-scale farmers fared against the land barons?

Liturgies of Sufficiency: Individual versus Communal Wellbeing

Darlene Jackson — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 15:25:49 +0000

If someone is hungry, we must feed them before they can be receptive to spiritual food.

Biofuels: Innovations Needed

Dennis Keeney — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 14:33:01 +0000

Ongoing research is advancing the efficiency of the use of cellulosic biomass for liquid fuels. It is doubtful if we willsee breakthroughs anytime soon though, as these types of innovations often come slowly.

Dignity of Work

Maiju Lehmijoki-Gardner — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 21:30:15 +0000

The pesticides were euphemistically spoken of as “plant medicine.” Ms. López jokingly summed that her diminutive figure is a testimony that too little energy was left over for physical growth.

Third Time’s the Charm? The 2012 Arsenic Roundup

Jared Margulies, MS — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 16:30:03 +0000

The ban, if enacted, would help to curb the ongoing problem of arsenical drug use by the poultry industry, and associated public health risks to poultry consumers.

SPRAWL: A Six-Letter Word with a Four-Letter Word Connotation

Brad Cohen — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 16:30:32 +0000

Sprawl can be bad, and it can be necessary, depending on the source and the treatment of the land. As the human population grows, how do we reclaim the word sprawl?

Decline in U.S. Meat Consumption: Public Health, Environmental Implications

Brent Kim — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 22:34:25 +0000

According to USDA estimates, per capita meat consumption in the United States nearly doubled between 1930 and 2007. On average, each American today eats about 200 pounds of meat per year, or almost nine ounces per day—roughly twice the global average. With a few exceptions, intake has been on a fairly steady incline, until recently: [...]