The Battle to Ban Toxic Toys
Phthalates are found in everything from cosmetics to IV bags to children’s toys, and environmentalists and environmentally minded legislators are beginning to worry about long-term exposure to the chemical compounds.
The Can-Do Congress?
The Republican old guard is gone, and with new Democratic majorities in both houses, there’s finally hope for serious legislation on energy and climate. But many hurdles remain—and do the pending bills go far enough?
Environmental Justice: A Comprehensive Guide
Environmental justice is the fastest growing sector of the non-profit environmental movement, with more & more issues viewed through the haves/have-nots lens.
COMMENTARY: Backpedal to the Future
Biking in Beijing is downright unhealthy. With more than 1,000 new cars on the roads every day and drastic construction underway for the 2008 Olympics, fewer people are biking to get around. Dust and particulate matter from construction and industry together with the toxic emissions of 2.6 million vehicles have transformed a practical exercise and enjoyable commuting option into a gamble with respiratory disease. Add the danger of crowded traffic and novice drivers, and biking in China quickly loses its appeal.
DOE Dodges Real Energy Efficiency
Two leading environmental groups, the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) and Earthjustice joined the state of Massachusetts last week in filing a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). The suit charged the DOE with failing to update energy-efficiency criterion for commercial heating and cooling equipment when it released new standards this past March.
Interior Hangs Science-Altering Official Out to Dry
Julie MacDonald, a senior Interior Department official criticized by environmentalists for revising scientific reports to minimize protection of endangered species, resigned her post last week. Critics charge that MacDonald, a civil engineer by training, repeatedly instructed federal biologists to change their recommendations on identifying "critical habitats" for threatened wildlife in order to favor development and resource extraction interests.
Didn’t We Fix Our Ozone Problem?
Dear EarthTalk: I know of issues associated with the Earth’s ozone layer, but what is "ground level ozone" and why is that a problem?
Dear EarthTalk: Are there organizations that specifically address the environmental challenges faced by poor and minority communities?
Semana del 13/05/2007
Querido DiálogoEcológico: ¿Qué pasa con mis telefonitos celulares después que los cambio por otros más modernos? ¿Es verdad que las tiendas los reciclan, o los dan a los pobres, o sencillamente están parando en los basurales? ¿Dónde puedo llevar el mío de modo que se disponga en forma responsable?
Querido DiálogoEcológico: ¿Es que existen sustitutos no tóxicos de ScotchGard? Acabo de renovar un silla antigua y desearía proteger la tela contra derrames y huelas de mascotas.
COMMENTARY: I’ve Seen the Glaciers Shrinking
Two summers ago, I hiked from my front porch in Missoula, Montana to Waterton, Alberta. During this eight-week, 800-mile backpack trip, I traveled through some of the wildest, most unique and precious country left in the United States, providing the last strongholds for rare, threatened and endangered species. But even here, in such remote places, I witnessed evidence of what scientists and wildlife biologists have been warning us about for years.
Western Drilling Leaves Wildlife Hole
Nonprofit environmental groups say that populations of pronghorn antelope, mule deer, elk and sage grouse are already starting to suffer as a result of the federal government doubling the amount of drilling allowed on federal lands across Wyoming, Utah, Montana, Colorado and New Mexico over the past decade.