Environmentalists are incensed at draft regulations proposed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) last week calling on older coal-fired power plants to be judged on hourly pollution output as opposed to the current annual standard. Under the proposed change to the controversial New Source Review program, power plants would be able to emit more pollution than is currently allowed by simply operating for more hours.
How do “affinity” credit cards work that donate a percent of your purchases to environmental organizations?
Researchers are debating whether some vaccines may have played a role in the increase in autism, although most agree there’s no risk with today’s vaccines.
It’s great to know that we’re all in this high-gas-prices thing together, consumers and oil companies alike. "If each of us took just one small step toward conservation, the impact would be huge," says a recent Chevron ad campaign, which adds that the company is "working around the clock" to get oil back to pre-Katrina production levels (and, presumably, prices). In the meantime, we’re urged to cut down on trips by "consolidating errands," "using public transportation when possible" and avoiding "rapid acceleration and braking." Thanks for the tips, Chevron!
Researchers believe that rising sea temperatures in the North Atlantic, possibly as a result of human-induced climate change, are primarily responsible for the worst drought in the Amazon in four decades. Brazilian officials have declared 16 cities within the country’s Amazonas region to be disaster areas due to the effects of the two-month-long drought.
In other news about the impact of environmental problems on developing countries, the United Nations last week predicted that as many as 50 million people around the world could become "environmental refugees" by 2010 due to increasing drought, deforestation and declining soil fertility, all of which could be exacerbated by global warming.
According to the latest tally by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), 745 plant and 523 animal species are listed as threatened or endangered in the United States. While these flora and fauna have benefited from Endangered Species Act (ESA) protections
September 22 was celebrated as World Car-Free Day in much of the civilized world, but there was no joy in the Washington office of the conservative Competitive Enterprise Institute. "Many people may well choose a car-free lifestyle, but the notion that government should impose it in the name of sustainability is crazy," said the head of CEI’s Automobility Project.
Last week, the Bush administration unveiled its latest conservation initiative in the form of a cartoon pig pleading with consumers to save gasoline in their cars and energy in their homes.
Last week, the nonprofit environmental group Defenders of Wildlife released its second annual list of the nation’s ten most endangered national wildlife refuges. Topping the list this year is Alaska’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR).
