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Experimental Xerox paper erases itself
Farm subsidies produce a new player
EPA considers dropping landmark lead restrictions
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December 20, 2006
Health references worth owning
Today, Wall Street Journal health reporter Tara Parker-Pope discloses her favorite home health references worth buying in print. I wish I could repost Tara’s descriptions of each book, but WSJ gets a little upset about that sort of thing—instead I’ll link you to the Amazon description of each of her top picks.
Mayo Clinic Book of Alternative Medicine
Prevention Magazine's Nutrition Advisor by Mark Bricklin
The Johns Hopkins Complete Home Guide to Symptoms & Remedies
Human Body: A Visual Guide by Beverly McMillan
Good Housekeeping Family First Aid by Andy Jagoda, M.D.
Oh, Yuck! The Encyclopedia of Everything Nasty by Joy Masoff
For those priveleged enough to have a WSJ subscription, go read Tara's full reviews for yourself.
December 12, 2006
Autism bill passed in Congress
The Combating Autism Act of 2006, unanimously passed by the Senate in August, passed in the House on Friday. The bill, sponsored by Representative Mary Bono (R-CA) and Senator Rick Santorum (R-PA), will award research grants, education on autism and statewide autism screening, diagnosis, and intervention programs and systems.
Incidents of autism increased 10-fold from 6 in 10,000 in the 1980s to about 60 in 10,000 today. Recently documented links to mercury exposure could be just one of many environmental triggers for autism. Such a staggering change deserves national attention. Hopefully President Bush will agree.
MPG estimates get more realistic in 2008
EPA's new system for measuring fuel efficiency should bring cars’ advertised MPG closer to their actual gas mileage. At present, fuel efficiency testing is not done under real world driving conditions, so the sticker numbers represent inflated fuel mileage.
Interestingly, hybrids will probably see the largest decline in their MPG sticker numbers, as the new tests, slated to roll out in 2008, incorporate more cold-weather driving and quick acceleration—neither of which make efficient use of a hybrid’s electric capabilities.
Toyota, manufacturer of the top-selling Prius, is in favor of the new rating system:
"This is all about providing more and better information to consumers. [It] doesn't change the car or the technology, just the way the mileage is calculated," said Ming-Jou Chen, spokeswoman for Toyota Motor Sales USA. "It makes the estimate closer to real-world numbers, and we fully support that."The 2008 tests will include, for the first time, medium-duty trucks and large SUVs, previously exempt from testing because of their “commercial” status. Perhaps consumers, finally provided with more accurate mileage estimates, will be discouraged from buying behemoths with insultingly low gas mileage.
Vehicle mileage estimates get real. LA Times. 12 Dec 06
Real MPG: An Environmental Working Group report on corporate MPG requirements. July 06
December 11, 2006
Experimental Xerox paper erases itself
Feel guilty about those documents you print out, only to be read once and then tossed? Not guilty enough to strain your eyes reading every last word from your computer screen? Xerox Corporation thinks the answer may lie in “erasable paper”—a printing technology still in early R & D, which relies on specific wavelengths of light to print images that fade completely in 16-24 hours leaving blank paper for reuse. If the technology proves commercially viable it should drastically offset the amount of paper going to waste. According to Xerox, two out of every five pages are read only once before being trashed or recycled.
December 8, 2006
Farm subsidies produce a new player
New players in the farm subsidy debate could have a dramatic impact on the 2007 federal Farm Bill. While farm subsidies have traditionally protected commodity crops, like cotton and corn, produce farmers are pushing for their cut.
“This is like the tectonic plates of farm policy shifting, because you have a completely new player coming in and demanding money,” said EWG President Kenneth A. Cook to Alexei Barrionuevo of the New York Times.
Since produce farmers are being quickly pushed out of the sidelines by countries like China, they’ve decided to become pro-active and environmentalists all in one offensive rush. Rather than heavily relying on commodity and disaster payments, produce farmers, under the name of specialty crops, will be looking for conservation payments. This way they can stay in business and do it environmentally. Maybe other farmers should follow suit. Join in the game and see what you can do here.
Additional resources: The Press Enterprise 12/06/06
EPA considers dropping landmark lead restrictions
Battery makers and lead smelters have been lobbying the Bush administration to roll back standards that keep lead out of gasoline—and their efforts may prove successful—for industry, that is.
According to a statement released by the EPA earlier this week, the agency is considering dropping the lead limits in light of " the significantly changed circumstances since lead was listed in 1976" as an air pollutant. Yes, the success of the lead regulations--which according to the EPA have cut airborne lead levels by 90% in two in a half decades—may be the excuse for their termination.
California Rep. Henry Waxman has spoken out against this measure, demanding that the agency scrap the proposal immediately. Lead, which causes nerve damage and neurotic disorders, particularly in children, is one of six air pollutants the EPA must review every year to ensure stringent enough health protections. The others are ozone, soot, sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide and nitrous oxides.
Link to the Wall Street Journal article (subscription only)
December 7, 2006
Activists use research keep pollution
out of their neighborhoods
"Neighborhood activists from California to Washington, D.C., are using a growing body of research on how pollutants exacerbate illness to block the building of facilities, relocate residents from contaminated communities and gain other concessions from large firms." [ Link: USA Today ]
December 6, 2006
Children's eco-author Lynne Cherry
visits Environmental Working Group
Today children’s author and environmentalist Lynne Cherry joined EWG staff for lunch and to present some of her famous works. Cherry—who is perhaps best known for her story The Great Kapok Tree—has been the catalyst for some impressive conservation triumphs. While writing Flute's Journey: The Life of a Wood Thrush, Cherry learned of the Episcopal church’s plan to develop a 600 acre swath of old-growth forest called Belt Woods. Cherry inspired students across the country to write the bishop of the Episcopal Church, eventually persuading the Church to sell Belt woods to a land trust.
Lynne’s visit today was in part to brainstorm ideas on collaborating with EWG to keep kids safe from chemicals. Being an organic gardener herself, Lynne is well aware of the dangers of pesticides—a point she touches on in How Groundhog’s Garden Grew. I picked up a copy of this one for my nephew and if you have young readers on your holiday shopping list I recommend you check out Lynne’s site, which describes all of her books.
Thanks, Lynne. Keep up the good work!
Listen to Lynne read several of her short stories on Living on Earth.
December 4, 2006
Greening international sports competitions
As the excitement of the Olympics begins, so does the need to increase environmental awareness. London, the winner of the 2012 Olympics bid, has promised to make the 2012 games the greenest in history. They’ll be cleaning up brownfield sites for use, setting goals for minimizing waste and other pollution. The games have even been declared a car-free event--public transportation is the only option.
While the Olympics have traditionally made efforts to offset their emissions and waste, the next World Cup bidders must have a strong strategy to be greener. Germany succeeded in offsetting its emissions, making it the first “climate neutral” World Cup; however, waste and energy reduction efforts fell short--neither meeting their 20 percent reduction goals. South Africa has already made huge strides toward creating the necessary infrastructure for 2010. Lets see what they can do toward making it glow green.
December 1, 2006
EPA backs off -- halfway -- on plan
to gut toxics reporting
EPA administrator Stephen Johnson has announced that the administration is dropping its plan to excuse companies from annual reporting of their toxic chemical releases. At face value this is a step in the right direction. However, the EPA is still planning a drastic rollback to the inventory requirements of the TRI to ease the “regulatory burden” on polluting companies.
The current plan is to increase the threshold for reporting ten-fold—a move which will free one-third of the 23,000 facilities from any reporting requirements whatsoever. These industries include mining, utility, oil, rubber, plastics, printing, textile, leather tanning and semiconductor operations.
EPA Drops Plan to Ease Pollution Rules, Washington Post (30 Nov 06)
EPA Backtracks on Easing Toxin Rule, Washington Post (30 Nov 06)
Stolen Inventory : 2006 EWG report on the proposed TRI rollback