PHOTO BY ALAN FREED

On Feb. 2, from Gobbler's Knob in Punxsutawney, Penn., Punxsutawney Phil will make his 123rd prediction* as to whether winter is almost over or if there's still more to come. If Phil, the world's most famous groundhog — a member of the marmot family, Marmota monax, also known as woodchucks or whistle pigs, for the high-pitched sound they make (click the link and scroll to the bottom of the page) — sees his shadow, we're in for another six weeks of wintery weather.

While Groundhog Day festivities may sound like some small, quaint tradition, the holiday is actually quite a big to-do, especially after the making of Bill Murray's 1993 movie of the same name. According to John Hallman of the Punxsutawney Weather Discovery Center, a regular turnout for the ceremony before the movie's release was a solid five to 8,000 people. The year Murray attended, the number of participants soared to more than 30,000, and has remained robust ever since.

Not sure what all the fuss is about? Check out this fun video to learn more about the history and ritual of Groundhog Day — well worth the 6:08 minutes.

Want to have your own Groundhog Day celebration? Phil comes out to make his prediction at daybreak, about 7:25 a.m. But be warned, there are many imposter groundhogs trying to get into the spotlight. Make sure you're seeing the real McCoy and check out coverage of the ceremony at the official Punxsutawney Groundhog Club website — where you'll also find Groundhog Day activities, Groundhog Day Poetry and a recipe for Groundhog Cookies.

And if Groundhog Day isn't for you? You can satisfy your inner scrooge with a helping of Groundhog Stew. (No, really, there's even a recipe for Woodchuck Pie.) To each his own.

There's even a great old Appalachian song called "Groundhog." While the lyrics aren't sung in this rendition, the young gentleman below has by far the neatest version of it being played that I could find on YouTube (followed closely, for sheer entertainment value, by The Whistle Pigs "Groundhog" jam session, in which the washboard is literally on fire — though neither the audio nor visual quality of the video are great).

 However you celebrate, Happy Groundhog Day!

*It's official: Punxsutawney Phil spied his shadow, predicting that winter won't be leaving any time soon.

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According to the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS), a new study at Johns Hopkins University has found that we can be exposed to antibiotic-resistant bacteria by simply driving behind open-air poultry trucks. From a recent UCS press release: 

“POULTRY TRUCKS SPREAD ANTIBIOTIC-RESISTANT BACTERIA

Scientists at Johns Hopkins University have discovered that antibiotic-resistant bacteria from open-air poultry trucks can spread to cars on the road behind these trucks. Their study, published in the Journal of Infection and Public Health last November, found increased levels of pathogenic bacteria in the air and on surfaces in cars that followed trucks carrying broiler chickens. The bacteria were resistant to three antibiotics used in human medicine and approved as poultry feed additives by the Food and Drug Administration. The scientists conducted the study in Delaware, Maryland and Virginia, a region that has one of the highest densities of poultry CAFOs (confined animal feeding operations) in the country. 

“Besides aggressive drivers, now we have aggressive bacteria to worry about when we’re behind the wheel,” said Margaret Mellon, UCS’ Food and Environment Program director. “Congress needs to legislate limits on antibiotics use in food animals and get antibiotic-resistant bacteria under control.”  

For more on the Johns Hopkins study, go to www.jhsph.edu/publichealthnews/press_releases/2008/rule_chicken_transport.html.”

President-elect Barack Obama has asked Americans to participate in a national day of service on Monday, Jan. 19. The day coincides with the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday, and comes one day before Obama is sworn in as the 44th president of the United States.

Politicians and celebrities are lining up to appear at high-profile community service events, but the most important people involved in Monday’s happenings, however, will be you, the volunteers.

Search USAservice.org’s national registry of Monday’s community service events to discover projects taking place near you. If you’re interested in organizing an event for your own community or nonprofit organization, check out these resources and tips to help you get started. 

Martin Luther King Jr. Day was first celebrated in 1986, and Congress pronounced it a day of service in 1994. Thanks to the attention it has received from Obama and his inaugural committee, this year’s day of service will likely bring out record numbers of volunteers. We hope you’ll be one of them!

Governor Sarah Palin announced Wednesday that the State of Alaska intends to sue the federal government because of its decision to place beluga whales from Anchorage’s Cook Inlet on the Endangered Species List. Gov. Palin opposes the decision because of the possible effects that it may have on development projects in Anchorage, including oil and gas developments and the expansion of the city’s port. According to the State of Alaska, the government’s decision does not follow the law because it ignores the state’s already-made efforts to protect the whales.

Denby Lloyd, commissioner of the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, claims that the state has worked to protect the beluga whale population, and that it is stable and beginning to increase. However, scientists say that the number of beluga whales in this area has declined from thousands to just around 375. And they believe that the whales will become extinct if nothing more is done.

Earlier this year, Gov. Palin already filed a lawsuit against the federal government to remove the endangered polar bear from the list for similar reasoning. While the State of Alaska claims that it is doing everything to protect these animals, their intent to continue development contradicts that. No matter what the governor may think, drilling for oil is not always the answer.

The debate over endangered gray wolves continues. In October, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service opened up a public comment period to discuss a 2007 proposal to remove gray wolves from the Endangered Species List. While some comments opposed the proposal, like the ones in Comment on the Gray Wolf’s Status, the Bush administration says it is removing gray wolves in the western Great Lakes and northern Rocky Mountains from the list. However, Deputy Interior Secretary Lynn Scarlett says that gray wolves in Wyoming will stay on it because the state has not done enough to guarantee the survival of the species.

The government has tried to remove wolves in these regions from the list before, but those efforts were overruled by the courts. In fact, last September, a federal judge sided with animal-rights groups that protested the 2007 decision to remove nearly 4,000 wolves in Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin. While many farmers are concerned about wolves preying on their livestock, environmentalists believe wolves should stay on the list to help maintain biodiversity. If not, the gray wolf species could lose its chance of survival — and our ecosystem could suffer.

For more information, read Gray Wolf Removed From Protection.

The cosmetics industry may be getting a whole lot prettier — at least in the eyes of environmentalists. According to an article in Cosmetics Business, officials are wary that the Obama administration might make several changes involving industry regulations and the scope and authority of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which could cost cosmetics companies a lot of money, meeting new registration requirements and perhaps even replacing ingredients that are commonly used in perfumes and cosmetics.

As of now, the cosmetics industry is not included in the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), which gives the EPA authority to regulate chemicals. Cosmetics manufacturers are only required to test chemicals for human safety, not environmental protection. However, Congress has already made several proposals that could change that.

For starters, California Representative Henry Waxman’s proposed Kid-Safe Chemical Act would enhance requirements for chemical testing, and has already been endorsed by a number of environmental groups. Another proposal may require cosmetics manufacturers to register all new facilities, products and ingredients with the FDA. Registration fees (which are currently voluntary for cosmetic manufacturers) would be $2,000 for American-based companies and up to $10,000 for foreign ones. It may be expensive, but the cosmetics industry will get the chance to make the world more beautiful — in a way that’s healthier for their customers and the environment.

ISTOCKPHOTO

Last month coal ash from a Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) power plant flooded parts of eastern Tennessee. An official, Tom Kilgore, from the coal-burning power plant testified before the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee Thursday and admitted that the plant’s containment ponds had not been adequately repaired after previous leaks.

The inadequate repairs along with heavy rains may have lead to the dike-break on Dec. 22 at the Kingston Fossil Plant, which released 1.1 billion gallons of coal ash sludge. The sludge covered hundreds of acres in rural neighborhoods and contaminated the Emory River compromising the drinking water supply.

No one was injured but coal ash contains heavy metals such as, arsenic, cadmium, chromium, lead and mercury. In large amounts, these metals have been linked to cancers, respiratory diseases, nervous system disorders and reproductive damage.

Kilgore said TVA is willing to buy the affected properties from residents and possibly sell them back after the clean up. But some view this as a larger environmental issue.

The New York Times reported that Senate Committee Chairwoman, Barbara Boxer, of California, passed around a large Mason jar of sludge from the spill at the committee hearing. She said the spill showed the need for strict regulations of fly ash and closer oversight of the TVA.

“The federal government has the power to regulate these wastes, and inaction has allowed this enormous volume of toxic material to go largely unregulated,” Boxer said.

Boxer has pushed for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to declare coal ash a hazardous waste and create national standards for its storage.

Republican Senator Lamar Alexander of Tennessee agreed.

“TVA needs to do more, the state needs to do more and it may be that the federal government through the EPA needs to do more,” Alexander said.

According to the New York Times, more than 1,300 dumps in the United States contain billions of gallons of fly ash, leaving legislators worried about the possibility of another major spill.

ISTOCK/ JOSEPH JEAN ROLLAND DUBÉ

Go outside and look up this Saturday, Jan. 10! A perigee full moon — 14 percent wider and 30 percent brighter than lesser moons — will be illuminating the night. Perigee full moons come around once or twice a year. There was one like it in December, and 2009’s is already on its way, giving those that didn’t see the first a second chance. If you’re in a particularly snowy area this weekend, the reflection will create enough light to read a newspaper. Even if you’re not “with snow,” perigee is the point where the moon gets closest to the Earth in orbit, so this weekend’s full moon will be big and bright just about anywhere— as long as it’s not too cloudy.