Antibiotics & Meat

Although the FDA banned the use of antibiotics for growth promotion in animals, growers are still allowed to administer the drugs prophylactically- before any animals are sick. This means that growers are still essentially free to use as much antibiotic as they like on their animals, which helps the spread of antibiotic resistant bacteria. Another possible harm is that exposure to the antibiotics that remain in the meat might affect the bacteria normally resident in our bodies. While this is still somewhat speculative, it's worth looking into....

Marijuana: A Fair and Balanced Look

Yes, I know the phrase has lost its appeal (if you are old enough to remember when Fox News used it as its motto) but this is a really nice article. The author is in favor of marijuana legalization but as a doctor she is also aware of its negative effects, particularly on the teenage brain. Worth a look.

A solar panel on every roof

Have you heard about California's new law that requires homebuilders to put solar panels on every new home they build?

An economist at UC Berkeley's Energy Institute wrote a two paragraph letter to his representative in the California legislature. Basically, he's opposed to the idea: there are many more cost effective ways to fight climate change than this one, so why stick homeowners with a bill like this?