Chemical Connections
Toxic Toys: Chemicals in babies" products, including BPA and phthalates are drawing new scrutiny and concerns.
Unearthed
Recycled Recordings
New York-based Green Owl Records and other music labels and studios are raising money for green causes, using recycled materials and creating zero-impact CDs.
Burned-Out Bulbs
CFLs are a better choice for the environment, but the mercury they contain can leach into topsoil and groundwater if they’re not disposed of properly.
Digital TV’s Toxic Takeover
Next year, the country’s broadcasting system will complete the digital transition, leaving a lot of toxic TV sets in its wake.
Berkeley’s Solar Boost
Thanks to an innovative city initiative, property owners in Berkeley, California will be able to spread the cost of going solar over 20 years.
The Slaughter Continues
Animal activists have fought hard to eliminate horse slaughter in the U.S. (see “The Killing Floor” feature, May/June 2006). Under H.R. 2744, funding was removed for U.S. Agriculture Department (USDA) inspectors at slaughterhouses. The Bush USDA countered by allowing inspectors to be paid with private funds. But state laws were later passed banning remaining slaughterhouses in Texas and Illinois.
The Plug-ins Are Coming
The Detroit Auto Show last January confirmed that plug-in hybrids (with extended all-electric range up to about 40 miles) will soon be on American roads (see "The Hot Hybrids," Consumer News, November/December 2005). The biggest news was that Toyota confirmed it will have a commercial plug-in hybrid on the road by 2010, a date that coincides with General Motors" already announced target. Felix Kramer, founder of the California Cars Initiative, called Toyota’s announcement "stunning and very welcome." The Japanese automaker has early versions of its plug-in, based on the existing Prius, under test at two California universities.
Green Olympic Dreams
China is giving itself a green makeover for the 2008 Summer Olympics to be held in Beijing…
Artificial Turf Wars
While artificial turf playing fields are considered a good, green alternative to grass, some groups have declared a moratorium until it’s known whether they can leach harmful chemicals when exposed to sun and rain.
The ABC’s of Unrelenting Waste
Americans are recycling less aluminum cans than ever, wasting some 650,000 tons a year as a result of changing market conditions and consumer whims.