The Allegheny Front for the week of
December 29, 2012
Amid Shale Rush, Trying to Answer Health Questions
Thousands of wells in Pennsylvania have been drilled in the Marcellus shale. But there are questions about safety. Some people near the wells say they're getting sick. Are these complaints valid? Doctors and scientists are scrambling to answer the question.
Vanishing Tonewoods: High End Guitar Makers Go Green
For decades, several tree species have provided acoustic guitarists and makers of high-end instruments with the perfect musical tone. But with just 20 percent of the world's intact forest remaining, the oldest trees that produce these "traditional tonewoods" are vanishing fast. Some guitar manufacturers are tuning up their eco-friendly practices to keep their businesses healthy over the long haul.
Silent Spring at 50
Fifty years ago in 1962, the environmental call-to-arms Silent Spring was published. It still evokes criticism and praise.