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Forgive and For Get
U.S. agrees to forgive $26 million debt in Costa Rica debt-for-nature swap |
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17 Oct 2007 |
News |
| Posted at 8:52 AM on 17 Oct 2007 The U.S. federal government has agreed to a debt-for-nature swap with Costa Rica that will see $26 million of the Central American country's debt owed to the U.S. go instead toward conservation of its rainforests. The Nature Conservancy and Conservation International each donated about $1.2 million to the effort while the U.S. is financing $12.6 million of it. Those fu ... |
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| Topics: Costa Rica, international politics, news, rainforests, United States (all these topics) |
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Capture the Ag
Barack Obama unveils agriculture plan |
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17 Oct 2007 |
News |
| Posted at 8:41 AM on 17 Oct 2007 Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama unveiled his agriculture plan yesterday on the campaign trail in Iowa. The plan includes all kinds of proposals that the Obama camp hopes will excite rural Americans -- particularly those who reside in early-primary states. Obama's ag plans include increasing funding to help farmers transition to organic, reforming the USDA's crop-insurance program so it doesn't p ... |
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| Topics: agriculture, Barack Obama, news, presidential race 08, United States (all these topics) |
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Just Add Water
Severe drought in U.S. Southeast leaves Atlanta water supply in question |
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16 Oct 2007 |
News |
| Posted at 8:26 AM on 16 Oct 2007 A nasty drought in the U.S. Southeast that began in early 2006 has local politicians sweating and meteorologists and climatologists predicting more of the same. The situation is particularly notable around Atlanta, Ga., where the water source for some 3 million people, Lake Lanier, could dry up completely in as little as 90 days if conditions don't improve. In North Carolina, ... |
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| Topics: news, United States, water crisis (all these topics) |
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Hold the Phone
Activists threaten to sue Apple over chemicals in iPhone |
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16 Oct 2007 |
News |
| Posted at 8:09 AM on 16 Oct 2007 Greenpeace claimed recently that Apple's much-hyped iPhone contains dangerous levels of phthalates, chlorine, and bromine, and now another environmental group, the Center for Environmental Health in Oakland, Calif., has sent the company a formal warning claiming that Apple violated California's Proposition 65, which requires companies to warn consumers of the risk of toxic exposure. "Th ... |
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| Topics: business, news, toxics, United States (all these topics) |
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They're All the Fave
Two enviro groups endorse their faves for U.S. president in '08 |
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15 Oct 2007 |
News |
| Posted at 6:52 AM on 15 Oct 2007 Two prominent environmental groups announced their official picks in the race to the White House in 2008. Friends of the Earth Action, the politically overt arm of Friends of the Earth, put its weight behind Democrat John Edwards, praising his early support for strict climate legislation, and for being the only top-tier Dem to just say no to expanding nuclear power in the U.S. & ... |
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| Topics: news, presidential race 08, United States (all these topics) |
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Settling the Scourge
AEP settlement exempts company from enforcement for 10 years |
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11 Oct 2007 |
News |
| Posted at 10:56 AM on 11 Oct 2007 Earlier this week brought news of a settlement agreement between utility giant American Electric Power and the U.S. EPA in which the company agreed to install some $4.6 billion in pollution controls at some of its power plants and pay over $70 million in penalties and cleanup costs. Today, The Washington Post reported that the agreement contained language exempting the company from ... |
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| Topics: business, litigation, news, United States, US EPA (all these topics) |
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Through Hell and High Yogurt
Yogurt-maker Dannon agrees to pay fine, treat wastewater in EPA settlement |
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10 Oct 2007 |
News |
| Posted at 6:21 AM on 10 Oct 2007 International yogurt giant Dannon has agreed to pay a fine of $71,350 and install a multimillion-dollar automated wastewater control system as part of a settlement with the U.S. EPA. There have been some 10 illegal discharges over the past few years at the company's 3-million-cup-a-day yogurt plant in Ohio -- and it's not just spilled yogurt. In February 2005, ... |
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| Topics: business, news, United States, US EPA, water pollution (all these topics) |
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Planet of the AEP
Utility company AEP to pay billions in acid-rain settlement |
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09 Oct 2007 |
News |
| Posted at 6:45 AM on 09 Oct 2007 The utility company American Electric Power has agreed to pay some $4.6 billion to reduce acid-rain-causing emissions from some of its power plants in the U.S. Northeast, as well as $60 million to clean up specific waterways and parks, and $15 million in civil penalties, all to settle a long-running lawsuit brought by the U.S. EPA, nine states, and over a dozen environmental groups in ... |
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| Topics: coal, litigation, news, United States (all these topics) |
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The Lead Badge of Discourage
More toys recalled due to lead, including Boy Scout badges |
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05 Oct 2007 |
News |
| Posted at 7:15 AM on 05 Oct 2007 Over 1.5 million more children's toys and accessories were recalled in the U.S. on Thursday due to high lead levels. We had put our money on toy cars being among the next items recalled, but we stand corrected. Whoever said blocks, squeeze lights, wagons, Frankenstein cups, key chains, journals, water bottles, or lead-painted Boy Scout badges wins. All the parents and kids wh ... |
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| Topics: business, news, toxics, United States (all these topics) |
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Wait and Sea
Senate may soon vote on U.N. Law of the Sea Treaty |
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04 Oct 2007 |
News |
| Posted at 12:19 PM on 04 Oct 2007 The U.S. Senate may soon vote on whether or not to ratify the United Nations Law of the Sea Treaty, an agreement between some 150 countries that lays out the basic rights and responsibilities that countries have to the world's marine resources. The treaty was signed by President Clinton in the 1990s but has never been ratified by the Senate. Historically, a handful of senators have resisted the trea ... |
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| Topics: news, oceans, politics, United Nations, United States (all these topics) |
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Legislate Bloomers
Congress to move ahead on climate legislation, Dems to send delegation to U.N. climate talks |
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04 Oct 2007 |
News |
| Posted at 11:05 AM on 04 Oct 2007 Congressional leaders in the U.S. House and Senate have said they plan to push ahead in their attempts to pass cap-and-trade-type climate legislation, despite the Bush administration's renewed call to reduce emissions through voluntary technology partnerships instead. On Wednesday, Rep. Rick Boucher (D-Va.) and House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair ... |
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| Topics: Bali 07, climate, climate change mitigation, legislation, news, United States (all these topics) |
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Tough Ship
U.S. food aid low, getting lower |
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01 Oct 2007 |
News |
| Posted at 4:59 PM on 01 Oct 2007 The U.S. donates more food internationally than any other country, but shipping costs and rising food prices (thanks, biofuels!) have contributed to its lowest level of donation in a decade. The situation is likely to get worse: the appropriations bill moving through Congress contains no significant increases in the U.S. food aid budget, and the United Nations estimates that low-income countries will see a 14 percent j ... |
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| Topics: food, legislation, news, politics, United States (all these topics) |
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Welcome to the Fuel World
U.S. ethanol boom slowing due to market glut |
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01 Oct 2007 |
News |
| Posted at 6:16 AM on 01 Oct 2007 The ethanol boom in the United States, the political darling of presidential candidates, farm-state lawmakers, and others, has recently been showing signs of slowing due to a market glut that's exacerbated by infrastructure troubles. It seems everyone and their farmer have been constructing ethanol refineries to turn corn into fuel, but the means to get that fuel to gas stations hasn't been k ... |
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| Topics: agriculture, ethanol, news, United States (all these topics) |
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D.C. Comical
Bush admin talks up voluntary actions with strong words at D.C. climate summit |
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28 Sep 2007 |
News |
| Posted at 5:48 AM on 28 Sep 2007 President Bush's climate summit of the world's top polluters kicked off yesterday in Washington, D.C., with rhetoric aplenty and the arrest of some 49 protesters from Greenpeace and other environmental groups outside the State Department offices. Meanwhile, inside the conference, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice talked up the need for strong climate action even while a ... |
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| Topics: climate, news, politics, United States (all these topics) |
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American spirits
New poll shows Americans believe in global warming, want to do something about it |
David Roberts |
27 Sep 2007 |
Gristmill |
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| Topics: climate, climate change mitigation, United States (all these topics) |
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Total Recall
Over 500,000 more toys recalled due to lead |
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27 Sep 2007 |
News |
| Posted at 7:05 AM on 27 Sep 2007 Another round of recalls was issued yesterday for over 500,000 children's toys or accessories that were found to exceed allowable lead levels, including more Thomas the Tank Engine paraphernalia and the now conspicuously gloomy Happy Giddy Gardening Tools from Target. Federal regulators were quick to point out that this recall won't be the last. "After the first set of recalls, retailers and manufactu ... |
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| Topics: consumerism, health, news, United States (all these topics) |
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Home Sexy Home
Brad Pitt pledges $5 million for green homes in New Orleans |
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27 Sep 2007 |
News |
| Posted at 6:47 AM on 27 Sep 2007 At the third annual Clinton Global Initiative philanthropic soiree yesterday, actor Brad Pitt pledged $5 million in matching funds to build about 150 green homes in New Orleans' Lower Ninth Ward neighborhood, one of the most troubled areas in the city. "We're going to help make it right with 150 sustainable, affordable houses -- houses that stand out for their design both aesthetical ... |
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| Topics: green building, news, solar thermal power, United States (all these topics) |
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Clinton Global Initiative: Blair on political will and economic strength
Tony Blair downplays the importance of political will in the U.S. |
Brian Beutler |
27 Sep 2007 |
Gristmill |
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| Topics: climate, international politics, Norway, politics, United Kingdom, United States (all these topics) |
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Clinton Global Initiative: Clinton on efficiency
Bill Clinton calls for countries to follow Japan's lead |
Brian Beutler |
27 Sep 2007 |
Gristmill |
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| Topics: Bill Clinton, China, climate, India, international politics, Japan, politics, United States (all these topics) |
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You Really Can't Have Too Many Meetings
U.S. will host climate meeting of world's largest emitters |
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26 Sep 2007 |
News |
| Posted at 2:06 PM on 26 Sep 2007 Representatives from the world's 17 largest greenhouse-gas emitters will gather tomorrow in the good ol' U.S. of A. for a climate-change discussion. (And yes, the U.N. just had one of those -- President Bush played hooky.) The group, which includes China, India, and Brazil, will be convened by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, and Bush will address them on Frida ... |
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| Topics: climate, climate change mitigation, international politics, news, politics, United States (all these topics) |
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Spare the Ozone and Despoil the Riled
EPA may soon approve toxic alternative to ozone-depleting pesticide, despite criticism |
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26 Sep 2007 |
News |
| Posted at 7:11 AM on 26 Sep 2007 To replace the toxic, ozone-depleting pesticide methyl bromide -- a favorite of stubborn U.S. berry growers -- the U.S. EPA is reportedly set to soon approve an alternative that doesn't deplete ozone but is "one of the more toxic chemicals used in manufacturing" according to opponents, including six Nobel Prize-winning chemists. ... |
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| Topics: agriculture, news, toxics, United States, US EPA (all these topics) |
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Connecting the DOT
DOT officials lobbied against California's vehicle-emission standards, Waxman says |
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25 Sep 2007 |
News |
| Posted at 7:23 AM on 25 Sep 2007 According to Rep. Henry Waxman (D-Calif.), head of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, the Bush administration has been quietly lobbying members of Congress and state governors to oppose California's strict greenhouse-gas emissions rules for cars. In December 2005, the state submitted a request to the U.S. EPA for a waiver it needs to implement ... |
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| Topics: California, Department of Transportation, news, politics, United States (all these topics) |
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The Anarchist Cookbook, Vegan Edition
Mistrial declared for eco-activist accused of inciting vegans to bomb |
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21 Sep 2007 |
News |
| Posted at 5:37 AM on 21 Sep 2007 A mistrial has been declared in the case of an eco-activist in California who was charged under an obscure, seldom-used federal law making it a crime to tell others how to make explosives with the intent of encouraging a lawless act. In 2003, Rodney Coronado, who had served some four years in prison for burning down a mink research facility at Michigan Sta ... |
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| Topics: eco-terrorism, news, politics, United States (all these topics) |
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Law & Odor
Groups petition federal agencies to regulate air fresheners |
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20 Sep 2007 |
News |
| Posted at 12:31 PM on 20 Sep 2007 Environmental groups petitioned the U.S. EPA and the Consumer Product Safety Commission yesterday to regulate air fresheners, which can aggravate asthma and often contain chemicals such as benzene and formaldehyde, as well as other compounds linked to developmental problems in kids. The eco-groups want companies to list all the ingredients in air fresheners and conduct health and safety t ... |
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| Topics: business, news, United States, US EPA (all these topics) |
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Compact With the Devil
Wal-Mart to sell its own brand of compact fluorescent light bulbs |
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20 Sep 2007 |
News |
| Posted at 11:14 AM on 20 Sep 2007 Giganto-retailer Wal-Mart announced today it will roll out its own brand of compact fluorescent light bulbs in nearly 75 percent of its U.S. stores by the end of the month. The company plans to price the energy-saving bulbs cheaper than the brand-name CFLs they carry, offering a four-pack for about $7.58, comparable in price to a typical brand-name three-pack. Wal-Mart hopes ... |
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| Topics: energy efficiency, news, United States, Wal-Mart (all these topics) |
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