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The Latest by Jessica A. Knoblauch

Senior Staff Writer

February 17, 2012

Friday Finds: Colleges Pull All-Nighter On Bottle Ban

By Jessica A. Knoblauch

College students crush plastic water bottles, industry wines As banning bottled water becomes the cause du jour amongst college students, the bottled water industry is crying over spilled water, reports NPR. Everywhere from San Francisco to national parks like the Grand Canyon, cities and community members are considering banning plastic water bottles, which contribute to landfill …

February 10, 2012

Friday Finds: McDonalds’ Pink Slime Problem

By Jessica A. Knoblauch

McDonald’s takes pink slime goop out of burgers It’s official: The next time you have a Big Mac craving, you no longer have to worry about your burger being loaded with pink goo, reports MSNBC. Recently, McDonald’s announced that it is no longer using ammonium hydroxide, an anti-microbrial agent that, when used on inedible scrap …

February 3, 2012

Friday Finds: Snakes in the ‘Glades

By Jessica A. Knoblauch  /  Florida Office

Pythons and anacondas put the squeeze on the Everglades Forget snakes on a plane. Snakes like pythons and anacondas are taking over the Florida Everglades and eating everything—including rabbits, raccoons and even deer—in sight, reports the Washington Post. Thanks to reckless owners releasing pets they no longer want, invasive snakes are slowly climbing their way …

January 27, 2012

Friday Finds: All the Climate Scientists’ Men

By Jessica A. Knoblauch

Conspiracy theorists descend on Florida climate change plan Plans to prepare for rising sea levels and other climate change affects in south Florida are being attacked by conspiracy theorists who believe climate change is a hoax perpetuated by a group of “progressive elites” who want to raise taxes, reports the Sun Sentinel. Though the majority …

January 19, 2012

Friday Finds: Meatless Mondays Go Mainstream

By Jessica A. Knoblauch

Ag industry takes beef with Americans eating less meat Americans are eating less meat, which means the U.S. obsession with double-bacon cheeseburgers and chicken-fried sandwiches may one day be a thing of the past, reports Grist. According to the USDA, beef, chicken and pork sales are all down, prompting the meat industry to accuse the …

January 13, 2012

Friday Finds: Congress Brakes on Transit Breaks

By Jessica A. Knoblauch

Transit riders run over by reduced tax breaks Thanks to a lack of action by Congress before the holidays, mass transit commuters will have to pay an additional $550 in taxes this year, reports the New York Times, while those who commute by car will benefit from an increase in pre-tax benefit for monthly parking. …

January 6, 2012

Friday Finds: The FDA’s Drug Addiction

By Jessica A. Knoblauch

FDA gives “okay” to continue drugging livestock Farmers can continue giving healthy cows, pigs and other livestock routine doses of penicillin and tetracyclines—two commonly used antibiotics—even though the practice threatens public health, reports Forbes. The Food and Drug Administration’s decision to no longer consider withdrawing approval of the common practice comes after years of meat and produce …

December 22, 2011

Friday Finds: Monsanto’s Ministry of Truth

By Jessica A. Knoblauch

Pesticide-resistant bugs eat Monsanto’s crops, lies & profits Monsanto is taking a page from George Orwell’s 1984 with the recent release of an EPA report that chides the biotech company for not adequately monitoring its pesticide-resistant crops, reports Mother Jones. According to the agency’s report, a pesky bug known as corn rootworm is rising up …

December 16, 2011

Friday Finds: Quench Your Chemical Thirst

By Jessica A. Knoblauch

American sodas spiked with flame retardants That mid-day caffeine boost you reach for every afternoon may contain a chemical that causes skin lesions, memory loss and nerve disorders, reports Environmental Health News. Sodas like Mountain Dew and Gatorade contain brominated vegetable oil (BVO), a synthetic chemical  that keeps a soda’s fruity flavors well-mixed inside the can …

December 9, 2011

Friday Finds: New Mexico’s Dairy Industry Steps In Cow Pie

By Jessica A. Knoblauch

New Mexico dairies forced to clean up their cow pies New Mexico recently passed some of the most progressive water regulations for dairy farm operations in the West, reports High Country News. Large dairy operations create huge waste problems—each cow produces about 145 pounds of solid and liquid waste per day—so when Texas transplant Jerry …