[UPDATED AND REVISED 11/1/16]Cruising Route 66 in your Chevrolet or Pontiac V8 was once the ultimate expression of the American spirit — embodying freedom, restlessness, and the wide open road. But more than a half-century later, electric vehicles are inspiring a much different American spirit: one concerned about the steep fiscal and environmental costs of […]
environment
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Irondequoit battles emerald ash borer
Irondequoit is the latest Monroe County community to confirm the presence of emerald ash borer infestations. Town officials say the insects have been found in several locations around Irondequoit, and they plan to remove infested trees in public rights-of-way and plant new trees in their place. The town won’t immediately remove healthy ash trees, they […]
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Rochesterians stand with the Sioux
Around 1,500 miles separate Rochester and the Standing Rock Sioux encampment meant to block construction of a section of the Dakota Access oil pipeline near the nation’s North Dakota reservation. But the distance isn’t stopping Rochesterians from joining the fight. They’ve organized events, such as last Saturday’s Water for Life rally, to draw attention to […]
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Film festival plays matchmaker
The Fast Forward Film Festival wants moviemakers in the Rochester region to make short films about environmental issues that are important to them. And it also tries to encourage laypeople with environmental concerns to produce films on those subjects. But the problem is that some local filmmakers don’t have topics to work with, while some […]
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‘Black Birder’ says conservation should include all
Nature is relevant in all of our lives. That’s the simple idea that J. Drew Lanham, a wildlife ecology professor at Clemson University, keeps coming back to. Lanham is an accomplished ornithologist, an avid recreational birder, a naturalist, a hunter, and a published author and poet. He’s also black and says that he sees “very […]
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Is Funke green enough?
For the first time, Republican State Senator Rich Funke has won the endorsement of the New York League of Conservation Voters. The statewide environmental group says that Funke is a valuable ally in Albany, despite the fact that the senator is silent on climate change. The endorsement is a big get, even though Funke may […]
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Great Lakes contain flame retardants
An international commission says that the governments of Canada and the US can do more to keep toxic flame retardants out of the Great Lakes. Polybrominated diphenyl ethers have been found in significant levels in all of the Great Lakes. Lake Erie has the highest levels, with Lake Ontario coming in second, according to the […]
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Feedback 6/8
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RIT students target dorm debris
It’s a common problem on college campuses: When live-in students leave at the end of the year, they ditch large amounts of stuff. They throw away piles of clothing, pounds of perfectly good food, and they abandon furniture in hallways, at the curb, or by the trash. Much of it ends up in a landfill, […]
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Scouring sacred texts for climate guidance
The scientific approach to nature and the environment is a clear one, rooted in measurement, observation, and data. Religion’s connection to the natural world is more fluid; just how the environment fits into a faith depends on teachings and interpretations, both formal and personal. Science is the factual authority on the environment. But increasingly, religious […]
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Federal microbead ban is now law
Starting July 1, 2017, manufacturers will no longer be allowed to include plastic microbeads in personal care and cosmetic products. The House and Senate passed legislation establishing the ban earlier this month, and President Barack Obama signed the final bill yesterday. Previously, several states banned microbeads and major retail chains such as Wegmans announced plans […]
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Environmental group ranks legislators
Environmental Advocates of New York released its annual scorecard of state Legislators.
