The ever-whirling wheel.

• Author: Prugh, Thomas
• Position: NOTE TO READERS

This issue of World Watch is the first since late 1991 without Ed Ayres's name on the masthead. As he announced in the last issue, in his final "Note From a Worldwatcher," Ed has retired from Worldwatch Institute and is in the throes of moving to the country. There he plans to build a state-of-the-art eco-friendly house--with his own hands, as much as possible. Which is just what you'd expect from a man who thinks running a hundred-mile ultramarathon makes for a relaxing weekend.

As the saying goes, however, while Ed may be gone he won't soon be forgotten. Ed has left a deep and (with any luck) permanent imprint on the magazine, in its tradition of integrity, intellectual reach, strong writing, bold and informative subject matter, and high production values. His distinctive voice won't be lost to our readers, either, as we hope to publish an essay by him from time to time.

Meanwhile, we are very happy to announce that Worldwatch Research Associate Lisa Mastny has agreed to join the magazine staff as Senior Editor. Lisa has masters degrees in international relations and environmental management from Yale University, has worked at the Environmental Protection Agency, and has a proven record of excellence and versatility within Worldwatch's...