Current Column
Pedal Power
By Carrie Madren
The League of American Bicyclists ranks the states for bike friendliness. In 2010, Delaware was 10th, Maryland 11th, Virginia 18th, New York 36th and Pennsylvania 42nd. Carrie Madren notes legislatures are looking for ways to make the world safer for cyclists, for good reasons. 774 words.
06/08/2010 more...
Recent Columns
Spreading and spreading the chestnut tree
By Tom Horton
Restoring the American chestnut, once the grandest tree in our Eastern forests, is meeting some success, and hopes are high, writes Tom Horton. Horton is the author of six books about the Chesapeake region.
06/01/2010 more...
We need vision as clear as the seas
By Liza Field
If humans can spoil entire oceans, we should be capable of oceanic vision, writes Liza Field. But it's easier just to look at the surface, she notes in this commentary on the ambiguous nature of "oversight." Field teaches high school and community college students in southwest Virginia.
05/25/2010 more...
Grouchy gardener's labor of love
By Sarah Minick
Gardening is not for the faint of heart, but Sarah Minick finds the rewards of replanting and rabbit chasing worthwhile. She's among a growing number of Americans who raise their own food. Minick teaches reading, hikes and gardens in Virginia. 748 words
05/18/2010 more...
Trashing recycling provides dubious returns
By David Berry
The day before Earth Day, Ocean City, Md., announced it was ending is trashing recycling program, to save money. In the long run, David Berry suggests that's not a good idea. Berry lives and writes from Havre de Grace, Md. He has written two books.
05/11/2009 more...
Hiding pollution behind science
By Tom Horton
A widely used index developed by a group of soil scientists has led farmers to over apply millions of pounds of manure, writes Tom Horton, and despite the systems flaws, the scientists continue to promote it. Horton is the author of six books about the Chesapeake region. 746 words.
05/04/2010 more...
By Cindy Ross
Breaking dams restores rivers
Removing dams leads to healthier fisheries, public safety, and recreational opportunities, writes Cindy Ross. Several projects underway now will restore streams in the Chesapeake region. Ross has written extensively about the outdoors. 798 words.
04/27/2010 more...
Wise wind energy needs a deep green location
By Chris Bolgiano
Offshore winds are strong and steady, the perfect place for energy turbines. Chris Bolgiano says we should put them there, rather than on Appalachian ridges where they damage forests and harm wildlife. Bolgiano is a resident of western Virginia and is Faculty Emeritus at the James Madison University Library in Harrisonburg, VA. She has written five books and many articles for regional and national publications.
04/20/2010 more...
Robbing Paul Too
By Jim Minick
Nuclear power plants may be carbon free, but Jim Minick wouldn't trade in a coal mine to get one. Scrap both he suggests, and tackle the un-glamorous work of conserving. Minick teaches English at Radford University in Virginia. 800 words.
04/13/2010 more...
A Garden and So Much More
By Sara Kaplaniak
A little garden in your own back yard provides fresh food, and so much more, writes Sara Kaplaniak. Who knew that a few seeds and a bit of work could both boost spirits and address global issues? Kaplaniak writes from Camp Hill, PA. 700 words.
04/06/2010 more...
Emerge from Hibernation
By Carrie Madren
The natural world is reawakening after winter, and Carrie Madren suggests we get out there and enjoy early spring. There's no better time to get back in touch with our local parks and trails. 716 words.
03/30/2010 more...
The Other Tree
By Liza Field
Why does the Christian Right champion money more than life, when it comes to environmental protections? In this pre-Easter commentary, Liza Field, a self-described Bible Belt tree hugger, looks at the root of this dogma and the Values Industry promoting it.
03/23/2010 more...
Little endangered things tell the real story
By Tom Horton
The bald eagle may be off the threatened species list, but that's not the real story, writes Tom Horton. It's the little critters and unassuming plants we should pay attention to. They tell us the most about our region's health. Horton is the author of six books about the Chesapeake region. 800 words.
03/16/2010 more...
Stormwater: Pay me now, or later
By Karen Hosler
Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Virginia are all debating new rules to better control storm water runoff. None are faring well. Karen Hosler notes the winter's snows as a slow motion example of what the issue is about, and that we'd best pay attention. Hosler is a radio reporter and talk show host in Baltimore.
03/09/2010 more...
Three Stages Of Environmental Truth
By David Berry
When it comes to recognizing a truth, not everyone arrives at the same conclusion at the same time, writes David Berry. So, while many understand the problems facing our waters, others don't agree. Continued dialogue is the way forward, he argues. Berry lives and writes from Havre de Grace, Md. He has written two books.
03/02/2010 more...
Restricting the Supply of Environmental Restoration Service
By Robert Wieland
Private for-profit firms are not generally eligible for Chesapeake Bay restoration funds, except at the end of a long line of sub-contracts to academic, non-profit, or government agencies. Robert Wieland, a resource economist, suggests that regime restricts the supply of environmental restoration services available to the bay restoration effort, and slows innovation.
02/23/2010 more...
Flawed concept may set back market-based bay-saving
By Kurt Stephenson and Leonard Shabman
Some bay advocates see nutrient trading as a way to funnel millions of dollars toward better controls on farm runoff, the bay's leading source of pollution. However Kurt Stephenson and Leonard Shabman, economists who have been involved in Bay issues for years, think the idea is flawed, and will steal time from more productive approaches. 767 words.
02/16/2010 more...
Critical thinkers needed
By David Berry
We need more critical thinkers to help solve some of the big environmental issues we face, writes David Berry. He notes that problems we face are rarely two dimensional, but the way we see them often is. Berry lives and writes from Havre de Grace, Md. He has written two books.
02/09/2010 more...
There's something in the water
By John R. Wennersten
Ten new chemicals are manufactured ever day, and many end up in the water. The effects on fish, and people, worry some scientists. But perhaps what's most worrisome is what we don't yet know, writes John R. Wennersten. Wennersten is the author of several books. 794 words
02/02/2010 more...
Drilling in the forests
By Cindy Ross
In an effort to balance its budget, Pennsylvania has opened state forests to companies drilling for natural gas. Drilling comes with environmental threats, Cindy Ross notes, including water pollution and breaking up the woods with roads. Ross has written extensively about the outdoors. 744 words.
01/26/2009 more...
Re-planting our cities; making an urban forest
By Carrie Madren
Many towns and cities across the watershed have set goals for increasing their tree canopies. Bringing back the canopy, however, is a long game of tug o'war, writes Carrie Madren. In the end, though, the effort to install slow-growing trees will be a win for local ecosystems and communities. 800 words.
01/18/2010 more...
Telling people the party's over
By Robert Wieland
How do you tell someone that a service they have enjoyed freely (say, robust oyster stocks, or drainage ditches that send stormwater to rivers) is no longer going to be free and easy? Robert Wieland, a resource economist, says no one likes to hear the party's over, and suggests how to shape policy that brings constructive change.
01/12/2009 more...
Tough state cops wanted to protect water
By Karen Hosler
The state agencies that protect our rivers and the bay are not up to the task, advocates say. Karen Hosler notes a recent complaint against the Maryland Department of Environment and suggests specific changes to strengthen their hand. Hosler is a radio reporter and talk show host in Baltimore. She formerly wrote editorials and covered politics for The Sun.
01/05/2010 more...
Resolutions for the bay
By David Berry
If Chesapeake Bay could ask us to make a couple of New Year's resolutions, the list would be brief, but difficult to keep, writes David Berry. Berry lives and writes from Havre de Grace, Md. He has written two books, "Maryland Skipjacks" and "Maryland's Lower Susquehanna River Valley; Where the River Meets the Bay."
12/29/2009 more...
A tougher shade of green
By Tom Horton
Light green vs. dark green -A persistent critic of bay policy says the region's most influential environmental group, and all groups working for a healthier environment, must be tougher, writes Tom Horton. Horton is author of six books and many articles.
12/22/2009 more...
Sale Values
By Liza Field
What's the price we, and the Earth, really pay for the gifts we seek this time of year? Liza Field writes that the costs far exceed the dollars we spend, and suggests we seek some better values.
12/15/2009 more...
Feral pigs run wild
By Cindy Ross
Pigs gone wild are making a mess of Pennsylvania's woods, and could threaten nearby states. Game officials have declared an open season, an idea Cindy Ross endorses. Ross has written extensively about the outdoors. 732 words.
12/08/2009 more...
Oh, Tannenbaum, Which evergreen is the greenest Christmas tree of all?
By Carrie Madren
Which is the greenest of all the green Christmas trees? Which is friendliest to our streams, rivers and bay, wondered Carrie Madren, and she did some digging to find out. 800 words
12/01/2009 more...
Root for the ponies, and their farms
By Karen Hosler
Working farms and the industries they support, including horse racing, give the region much of its character. But horse racing is on the slide, and Karen Hosler says that losing it could end up costing us valued open space. Hosler is a radio reporter and commentator in Baltimore, where she formerly wrote editorials and covered politics for The Sun.
11/24/2009 more...
Motivating Energy Conservation at the Root
By Robert Wieland
What we need is an energy company that sells energy efficiency versus energy use, and Robert Wieland, a resource economist has a radical suggestion, one he suspects both liberals and conservatives may hate. He must be on to something good.
11/17/2009 more...
I don't know how to do that
By David Berry
There will always be people who simply don't care whether their actions harm our environment. Yet, there are many more who want to do the right thing, but may be simply overwhelmed by the task, writes David Berry. Berry lives and writes from Havre de Grace, Md. He has written two books, Maryland Skipjacks and Maryland' Lower Susquehanna River Valley; Where the River Meets the Bay.
11/10/2009 more....
A DISASTER IN WAITING
By David Berry
The sediment trapped by the Conowingo Dam pose an imminent threat to the Chesapeake, writes David Berry. He suggests that the Dam's upcoming licensing process provides an opportunity to address the problem. Berry lives and writes from Havre de Grace, Md., where he teaches sailing. He has written two books, Maryland Skipjacks and Maryland' Lower Susquehanna River Valley; Where the River Meets the Bay, and articles and columns for magazines and newspapers.
11/03/2009 more...
A Ray of Hope for the Bay
By Howard Ernst
Every President since Ronald Reagan and all regional office seekers have claimed support for the Chesapeake Bay's restoration. Their pledges have been bi-partisan, overwhelming, and inconsequential, notes Howard Ernst. But the latest promises from the Obama administration may prove different, and start a real struggle for the future of the bay. Ernst teaches political science at the United States Naval Academy, has written extensively, including two books about the Chesapeake. 850 words.
10/27/2009 more...
Region's environment leaders balk at alternatives to growth
By Tom Horton
The health of our rivers and the Chesapeake is driven by the ways humans act, notes Tom Horton. Every person brings more impact, yet challenging population and the notion that the economy must grow to prosper is tough, and at the moment, few environmental leaders are willing to even discuss it. Horton is author of six books and many articles. 800 words.
10/20/2009 more...
Conservation camps engage the next generation of leaders
By Cindy Ross
Conservation camps, many sponsored by local organizations, engage the next generation of stewards for the environment, writes Cindy Ross. She notes that now's the time to investigate camps for next summer. Ross lives in Pennsylvania and has written extensively about the outdoors. 800 words.
10/13/2009 more...
Pumpkins: Food You Can Play With
By Carrie Madren
It's pumpkin time and Carrie Madren invites us to join the fun inherent in this big squash we routinely hurl, carve, overfeed, and eat ourselves. 696-words.
10/06/2009 more...
Homeowners tackle their development's runoff woes
By David Berry
Urban and suburban runoff is the fastest growing category of pollution for our rivers and the Chesapeake. David Berry writes about how one community addressed their problem, and suggests how others can as well. Berry lives and writes from Havre de Grace, Md., where he teaches sailing and captains a charter boat. He has written two books, Maryland Skipjacks and Maryland's Lower Susquehanna River Valley; Where the River Meets the Bay, and articles and columns for magazines and newspapers.
09/29/2009 more...
Aid for honey bees starts at home
By Cindy Ross
What good's an apple tree without a honey bee? Not much, learned Cindy Ross, who writes that the honey bees' slow recovery from a population collapse would benefit from the helping hands of home gardeners. Ross lives in Pennsylvania and has written extensively about the outdoors. 767 words.
09/22/2009 more...
Should Uncle Sam Make Us Green Up?
By Carrie Madren
Green consumers as individuals can change markets slowly over time, but a new law or regulation can make an immediate, definite impact by getting everyone on board, notes Carrie Madren in this 755-word piece that notes some of the steps governments are taking to address environmental issues.
09/15/2009 more...
If you build it, they will come
By Karen Hosler
A major new power line and a planned new nuclear plant could combine to provide enough power on Delmarva to encourage a more than a million new homes, enough growth to drastically change the mostly rural region's nature. But no state agencies have looked at the growth implications of the new power, writes Karen Hosler, and none is likely to. Hosler is a radio reporter and commentator in Baltimore, where she formerly wrote editorials and covered politics for The Sun.
09/08/2009 more...
Humans on Acid, a World's Bellyache
By Liza Field
We are giving the earth a belly ache, writes Liza Field. Our diets and our reliance on coal and oil are acidifying both our bodies and world. The cure will require genuine universal health care for a globe whose health is also our own. 800 words.
09/01/2009 more...
The Recession and the Chesapeake
By John R. Wennersten
The current recession has slowed growth in areas as diverse as Adams County, Pennsylvania and Washington, DC, and that may be a good thing for the region's rivers and the Chesapeake, writes John R.Wennersten. Wennersten is the author of several books.
08/25/2009 more...
Leave No Rock Unturned In the Name of Learning
By Sara Kaplaniak
Summer gives Sara Kaplaniak?s children a chance to explore the outdoors free of schedules. It's a freedom she would like to hang on to year around because it gets them outdoors, where they learn much about nature and themselves. Kaplaniak writes from Camp Hill, PA. 786 words.
08/18/2009 more...
Stretching Our Green Wallets Thin
By Carrie Madren
Will the green-consumer ethic wilt in the heat of hard times? Carrie Madren finds a thinner wallet challenges green shoppers, but we may make long-term gains toward more sustainable consuming. 716-words
08/11/2009 more...
Will politics still stymie better oyster management?
By Robert Wieland
Years of political management have left Maryland with record low stocks of oysters. Now a government commission has suggested new policies that could dramatically increase the bay's oyster population. But, will legislators and fishery managers listen, asks Robert Wieland. Wieland is a resource economist who has studied the oyster industry.
08/04/2009 more...
Lawn be gone
By Chris Bolgiano
While shopping for an electric lawn mower, Chris Bolgiano discovered some unsettling facts about our love for lawns. She argues we'd have more fun and a healthier planet if we had less lawn to mow. (Facts in this article are based on EPA NEW ENGLAND REGIONAL LABORATORY Environmental Science Fact Sheet Natural Landscaping at EPA's Laboratory 901-F-03-004D August 2005 www.epa.gov/ne/lab.)
07/28/2009 more...
Fireflies Light the Way Back to Life
By Liza Field
Firefly season is drawing to a close. But...forever? Worldwide researchers hope not--and so do conservationists. Liza Field writes about the decline of this magical beetle, and what we can do to ensure its, and our, well-being. 775-words, includes subtitles, which could be cut.
07/21/2009 more...
Path to healthier farms, healthier waters
Cindy Ross
Pennsylvania farmers can sign up before July 31 for a new program to help them change to organic practices. Maryland and Virginia offer similar programs. Organic practices can provide healthier land, food, and water, writes Cindy Ross. 750 words.
07/14/2009 more...
BYOB: A Guide to Prompting a Culture Shift
By Karen Hosler
Sometimes the best of intents just don't prevail over long-time habits, notes Karen Hosler. Such is the case with her addiction to plastic and paper bags. But addictions yield, she has learned when faced with a kick in the pocket book, and there-in lies one of several lesson for anti-litter and water pollution activists. Hosler is a radio reporter and commentator in Baltimore, where she formerly wrote editorials and covered politics for The Sun.
07/07/2009 more...
Extra credit for energy savings
By Carrie Madren
The economic stimulus program offers homeowners money-saving incentives to improve their home's energy efficiency, and that could provide a boost to the region's economy and environment, writes Carrie Madren in this 800-word piece.
06/23/2009 more...
My Eco-Friendly Father
By Sarah Minick
Here's a father's day column. Sarah Minick's eco-friendly father grew up in the depression and the years of World War II, and his frugal nature and conservation of resources reflects values common to the time. Saving the earth may not have been our parents and grandparents motivation, but their habits could teach us a few things about being eco-conscious, writes Minick. Minick teaches reading, and hikes and gardens in Virginia. 794 words.
06/16/2009 more...
Battling for Our Coastal Economy
By James D. Watkins and Donald F. Boesch
The federal government needs to lend support to regional efforts to prepare the Mid-Atlantic states for rising sea levels, say two leaders in ocean policy, Adm. James Watkins, and Donald Boesch.
06/09/2009 more...
Tipping Points For The Bay
By Tom Horton
Although scientists understand much about how the bay works, some things still confound them. Why are some areas improving more than expected, and why are some worse? Tom Horton writes about these unseen tipping points in this 800 word commentary.
06/02/2009 more...
Go Play in the Dirt
By Cindy Ross
It doesn't take rotating compost bins or fancy tools to grow a good garden, writes Cindy Ross. All it really requires is a willing attitude, labor, and a bit of knowledge to get the freshest vegetables you'll ever eat, and save money. 793 words.
05/26/2009 more...
The President's bold stroke for conserving Chesapeake landscapes
By David O'Neill
It could be easier for people to get to the bay, and irreplaceable landscapes and ecosystems could be conserved as a result of the President's new Executive Order, writes David O'Neill. O'Neill is executive director of the Friends of the John Smith Chesapeake Trail, a new national historic trail in the Chesapeake.
05/19/2009 more...
What comes after the great economic adjustment?
Robert Wieland
With the stimulus package kicking in to restore the economy, Robert Wieland wonders whether we will create an economy that is more sustainable, or return to past practices that have unbalanced both our balance sheets and our environment. Wieland is a resource economist working to expand the application of economic analysis in environmental decision-making.
05/13/2009 more...
Helping Restore the Bay, One Battlefield at a Time
By Bill Thompson
How can muskets save mollusks, asks Bill Thompson? He found the answer in the non-profit Civil War Preservation Trust, and the battlefields they conserve. Thompson reported and wrote editorials for The Baltimore Sun. He is also the author of magazine articles and books about the Chesapeake region. 753-words.
05/05/2009 more...
Ride the big yellow bus
By Jim and Sarah Minick
School buses offer a green alternative for busy parents wanting to get their children safely to school, write Jim and Sarah Minick. School buses save fuel, reduce global-warming gases and congestion on the roads, and ease the strain on families. How come there's still a line of cars at every school?
04/28/2009 more...
A Breath of Fresh Air
By Carrie Madren
Spring provides time to renew gardens, and attitudes, writes Carrie Madren in this 736-word piece. Take advantage of it, soon we’ll be swatting sweat bees, she cautions.
04/12/2009 more...
Trees: On the ground aid for an ailing planet
By Liza Field
Arbor Day, April 24th, is one of the nation's oldest "environmental" holidays. It remains a practical and perfect moment to do good for Mother Earth, writes Liza Field in this 751 word commentary (730 without the quote from Berry). Edit first sentence as needed for timing. Field teaches philosophy and English in Virginia Governor's School and Wytheville Community College and writes a weekly column for newspapers in southwestern Virginia.
04/12/2009 more...
Grounding the connection to what kids eat
Cindy Ross
Farm to School programs create markets for local farms and help connect children to a healthier understanding of where food comes from, writes Cindy Ross. Most state's in the mid-Atlantic have Farm to School programs. Cindy Ross writes about the outdoors. She has authored six books.
04/07/2009 more...
Students provide gauge for energy conservation success
By Amy Marasco Newton
A band of high school students in a Virginia town have started an effort to easily conserve gasoline. They hope their effort will spread across the mid-Atlantic. It's a common-sense approach to conservation that we can all follow, writes Amy Marasco Newton. Newton is president of the Newton Marasco Foundation, a nonprofit that designs innovative programs to foster learning, appreciation and caring for our natural environment. 753 words.
03/31/2007 more...
Taking Out the Trash
By Carrie Madren
River cleanups start this month. While picking up litter may not solve the big environmental issues, it is a great way for people to be introduced to what it means to take care of our environment, writes Carrie Madren. 786 words. NOTE: We have included a list of other clean ups in the mid-Atlantic and corresponding websites. Editors can use this as a box, or edit the story to include a local cleanup.
03/24/2009 more...
Power to the People!
By Chris Bolgiano
Power to the People! says Chris Bolgiano in this piece that illustrates the many benefits of distributed generation -- or little power plants on every house. Bolgiano is a resident of western Virginia and has written five books and many articles for regional and national publications. 784 words.
03/17/2009 more...
Time for green groups to reassess
By Bill Thompson
Who watches the watchdogs, Bill Thompson asks? He suggests that the environmental groups engaged in restoring the Chesapeake Bay review their progress and develop strategies to energize the region's environmental movement. Thompson reported and wrote editorials for The Baltimore Sun. He is also the author of magazine articles and books about the Chesapeake region. 774 words.
03/10/2009 more...
Forests face big challenges from small bugs
Cindy Ross
Tent caterpillars and web worms may look creepy, but these native insects present little danger to our forests, writes Cindy Ross. However, a steady invasion of aggressive, exotic species and the changing climate do hurt the woods, and present foresters from Virginia to New York new challenges.
03/03/2009 more...
You too can contribute to the scientific record
By Sarah Minick
Our readers and yours have been invited to contribute to the scientific record by joining in Project BudBurst, an effort to record the dates of natural events, like the first blossoms of spring or the arrival of migrant birds. Their record, reports Sarah Minick, will contribute to a database of observations reaching back to Henry David Thoreau and help answer big questions about our earth. Minick is a knitter, basket maker, and reading teacher. She hikes and gardens in Virginia. 730-words.
02/24/2009 more...
Stimulus could build green infrastructure, create jobs
By Tom Horton
The stimulus package the President plans to sign Tuesday ( 2 17 09) contains a small category of spending for water quality and green infrastructure improvements. Tom Horton reminds us that under President Roosevelt a similar effort created millions of jobs and some of our nation's most lasting treasures. Horton is author of several books on the environment and a free lance writer.
02/17/2009 more...
Taking the Birds to Heart
Valentine's Day is for the birds, literally, says Liza Field. So as the bluebirds start to scout for nest sites and other birds begin to stir, it's time for us to get outside, and pay attention to the decline in many of our best loved songbird species. Field teaches English and philosophy in the Virginia Governor's School and Wytheville Community College and writes a weekly column for local papers.
02/10/2009 more...
Time for new approach to bay restoration
By Robert Wieland
The effort to restore the Chesapeake Bay's health has failed to achieve its goals, notes Robert Wieland, a resource economist working to expand the application of economic analysis in environmental decision-making. So, perhaps we should try a different and market-based approach to how we spend public money and create environmental policy. Wieland owns Main Street Economics and wrote "Why People Catch Too Many Fish" (Center for Marine Conservation) and "Fish, Markets, and Fishermen" (Island Press).
02/03/2009 more...
Backyard Chickens Represent a Return to Basics
By Sara Kaplaniak
The quest for healthy food of known provenance has fueled renewed interest in keeping chickens, an idea that's out of synch with community rules in many towns and suburbs, writes Sara Kaplaniak in this 732-word piece. But could backyard chickens be good for the region's environment, and for our diets?
01/27/2009 more...
Clean water advocates find legal gold in desert stream
By Karl Blankenship
A dispute over a stream in the Arizona desert may provide clean water advocates with an effective tool for cleaning up our region's waters, reports Karl Blankenship. But the tool, the product of a court case, comes with ramifications. Blankenship is a veteran environmental journalist and edits the 50,000 circulation Bay Journal. He has reported for daily newspapers in Michigan and Pennsylvania, won numerous awards for his work and been widely published in regional and national magazines.
01/20/2009 more...
Bank executives see what President Bush did not
By Jim Minick
Recently Bank of America said it would no longer finance surface mining projects that bury streams, yet President Bush ratified a change in federal law that takes away a buffer that protected mountain streams. Jim Minick suggests we need to take back the moral high ground. Minick teaches English at Radford University in Virginia. 668 words.
01/13/2009 more...
Swans bring a winter message
By Tom Horton
Tundra swans fly to the Chesapeake's rivers from as far away as Alaska's North Slope, looking for the perfect place to winter. Their long migration tells us something about the value of protecting forests, a place these big waterfowl would never land, writes Tom Horton in this 697-word commentary.
01/06/2009 more...