Way Downstream
At Starbucks, a dime spent on every cup of coffee throughout the mid-Atlantic region will be donated to the Chesapeake Bay Foundation through May 14. CBF president Will Baker praised the ubiquitous coffee stores and people who drink at them. “We can’t buy that kind of public relations,” he said …
In Annapolis, the Department of the Environment began reviewing hundreds of complaints about pollution and wetlands violations after the Baltimore Sun reported that the state agency waited nearly a year to force an Eastern Shore businessman to make amends after defiling 70 acres of wetlands to make pasture for his horse farm …
In Maryland, AAA Mid-Atlantic this week said that our average gas prices had leapt by 67 cents in two months — to $2.87 — and released a poll showing that over half of Marylanders (54 percent) say they are unwilling to see gas taxes raised even if the money is earmarked to maintaining roads and not siphoned off for other purposes …
Our Creature Feature comes from the Vatican, where not even the pope can escape the scrutiny of animal rights activists.
They’re asking Pope Benedict XVI, who turned 80 this week, to lose the ermine fur on that red velvet hat that he wears on special occasions. It’s the type of hat seen on the heads of popes Middle Ages. The Anti-Vivisection League made its request on the eve of Benedict’s visit to Pavia, a northern Italy town that is home to furriers.
“We call on the Holy Father to make a choice of high religious and ethical significance by not wearing fur on this occasion, nor in the future,” the League said in a statement.
Special anniversary Creature Feature, about to go online, from Vol. ii, No. 8, our Earth Day issue of 1994:
Our Creature Feature on April 21, 1994, came to us from zoos and big-tops across America, where people were lining up with buckets. We were intrigued when dung-hunters turned out with shovels at the elephant pen when the circus was here recently. Is it giant squash they want to grow?
Turns out that several zoos are getting takers now that they offer animal droppings for fertilizer. Last weekend, it went on sale at the Wichita Zoo, following zoos in St. Louis and Memphis.
“We were looking for a way to avoid landfill costs when we hit on this,” said Scot Davies, Wichita zoo spokesman.
