The Green Blog

Excerpts from the Globe's environmental blog

Thursday was the 36th annual World Environment Day. Most of the festivities were held in New Zealand, but locally a coalition of environmental groups used the day to release a new report linking America's reliance on landfills and incinerators to global warming. If people recycled and composted more, according to the report by Clean Water Action, Citizens United for a Healthy Future and Toxics Action Center, it could reduce greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to 21 percent of the nation's 417 coal-burning power plants.

Yet instead, the report notes, Massachusetts and other states are moving ahead to increase the size of landfills and build more incinerators, without trying hard enough to reduce the waste stream first.

"The funding now slated for incinerator and landfill investment should be redirected toward economically sound and climatefriendly strategies such as recycling and composting," said Meredith Small, Organizing Director for Toxics Action Center.

To see the report go to stoptrashingtheclimate.org.

Ever since a northeaster punched a hole in Nauset Beach in Chatham more than a year ago, Mother Nature has taken or forced the dismantling of seven homes in a tiny community known as First Village. Now, she is poised to take the remaining five.

Over the last two months, four homeowners moved their houses out of the sea's reach. Now, the four are clustered around the most northern - and protected - home.

But it doesn't look promising. While the southern tip of the beach - once eroding at 6 feet a day - appears to be stabilizing and possibly even gaining sand, the beach protecting the homes continues to erode.

"If beach and dune conditions don't improve, I wouldn't want to go into the stormy winter season with the tenuous protection that is out there now," said Ted Keon, director of Coastal Resources for Chatham.

The state has launched a website (mass.gov/dep/toxics/stypes/ppcpedc.htm) to help the public understand endocrine disruptors - the class of chemicals found in everything from insecticides to baby bottles.

As scientists are able to better study low-dose health effects of these compounds, they are becoming increasingly concerned about potential health impacts. Children are believed to be particularly at risk.

BETH DALEY