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Author |
Published |
Section |
Flak and Tan
Most sunscreens ineffective or pose a health risk, says group |
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22 Jul 2008 |
News |
| Posted at 1:12 PM on 22 Jul 2008 Some 85 percent of 952 sunscreens tested are ineffective or contain potentially harmful chemicals, says this year's annual sunscreen review by the Environmental Working Group. Of 144 sunscreen products distributed by the top three leading brands -- Coppertone, Banana Boat, and Neutrogena -- only one meets EWG's criteria for safety and efficacy. The group raises especial alarm about common ... |
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| Topics: green living, green products, health, news, toxics (all these topics) |
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The Death of Environmentalist
How to green your funeral |
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22 Jul 2008 |
From A to Green |
| Not dead yet? There's still hope for a green funeral. There's no getting around it: One day, we're all gonna die. And while most of us won't have much control over the circumstances of our deaths, there are things you can do before you go to ensure that your funeral and earthly remains are as light on the planet as you've tried to be in life. If you think about it, there are almost as many ways to green your funeral as the ... |
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| Topics: ecological footprint, green living, health, toxics, waste (all these topics) |
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Deflater House
On air mattresses |
Umbra Fisk |
14 Jul 2008 |
Ask Umbra |
| Dear Umbra, We live in a small house, and when we have guests, the bed situation is limiting. Convenience tells me that an inflatable bed would be ideal. However, the "no vinyl, that's final" rule reigns supreme in our household. What sort of options can you suggest for a sleeping surface that is easy to store, environmentally responsible, and comfy? Sleepily, Angie Huntington Beach, Calif. Dearest Angie, The night I spent on ... |
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| Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, green living, green products, health, shopping, toxics (all these topics) |
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The new film Wall-E gets it right
The link between obesity and the environment |
Maywa Montenegro |
11 Jul 2008 |
Gristmill |
| Slate's Dan Engber has attempted to take down Wall-E in classic Green Room style with a piece slamming the film's connection between obesity and environmental destruction. Engber's critique is flawed in so many ways that it's hard to know where to begin ... For instance, he doesn't seem to believe that obesity really has much to do with being too sedentary or eating too much. To support this, he cites research saying that 80 percent of the variation in body weight ... |
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| Topics: climate, food, green living, health, movies (all these topics) |
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Darth Cheney
Cheney's office censors CDC director's testimony on climate-related health threats |
Joseph Romm |
10 Jul 2008 |
Gristmill |
| The Center for American Progress Action Fund emails out a great daily report (sign up here). Today's subject is Dick Cheney's one Vader man war to use Jedi mind tricks censorship to keep the American public in the dark side on the dangers of climate change. In this case, he censored the testimony on the 'health threat posed by global warming' by Dr. Julie Gerberding, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention last October. She had planned to say the ' ... |
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| Topics: health, White House, politics, climate, Barbara Boxer (all these topics) |
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SKB on NPR re: PVC
Everything you wanted to know about toxic shower curtains, in my dulcet tones |
Sarah K. Burkhalter |
08 Jul 2008 |
Gristmill |
| Here I am again on the Environment Report, this time chatting about toxic shower curtains. Everything you ever wanted to know on the subject, complete with Psycho shower-scene screeching, allusions to shower-curtain licking, and quips about exhibitionism. |
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| Topics: shopping, toxics, health, shameless self-promotion, green living (all these topics) |
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I'm Restricted to You, Don't You Know That You're Toxic?
Cheap materials, lax government standards at fault in toxic FEMA trailers |
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03 Jul 2008 |
News |
| Posted at 12:25 PM on 03 Jul 2008 The toxic trailers used by the Federal Emergency Management Agency to house thousands of homeless Gulf Coast residents after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita were found to be troublesome to occupants' health due to cheap building materials and lax government standards for RVs, scientists said Wednesday. "Manufacturers of travel trail ... |
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| Topics: environmental justice, health, news, politics, United States (all these topics) |
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The Saga of Fume
On exerting yourself in traffic |
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02 Jul 2008 |
Ask Umbra |
| Dear Umbra, I bus, bike, or walk to work 98 percent of the time. I was wondering, when I'm biking (or walking, for that matter), am I inhaling more pollutants than those around me who are emitting them from their gas-guzzlers? Your answer won't change my habits, since I'm not going to drive to work anytime soon -- I'm just wondering if I'm the one paying the price for my enviro-friendly commuting? Thanks for your help! Sara Tucson, Ar ... |
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| Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, bikes, cars, green living, health, public transportation (all these topics) |
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Milkin' It
More use of growth hormones would boost sustainability of dairy industry, says study |
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01 Jul 2008 |
News |
| Posted at 2:00 PM on 01 Jul 2008 Shooting up cows with artificial growth hormones increases the sustainability of the dairy industry, claims a new study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. "Giving rbST to 1 million cows would enable the same amount of milk to be produced using 157,000 fewer cows," says the study, thus easing the impact that giant dairy-cow operatio ... |
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| Topics: agriculture, air pollution, food, health, industrial ag, news, scientific research, water pollution (all these topics) |
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Amazin' maize
Corn tries to look a little too sweet |
Meredith Niles |
27 Jun 2008 |
Gristmill |
| This week's $4.8 billion merger of Corn Products International and Bunge Ltd. probably didn't catch your eye, but with revenues projected to increase 29 percent this year to $4 billion, you might consider paying attention -- for the sake of your belly and the environment. Corn syrup manufacturers are going on the offensive -- and that includes a charm offensive. The Corn Refiners Association -- an industry trade group -- launched a new marketing campaign yester ... |
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| Topics: agriculture, industrial ag, food, health (all these topics) |
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It Was Asbestos Times, It Was the Worst of Times
U.S. Supreme Court rejects asbestos company's appeal, clearing way for trial |
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24 Jun 2008 |
News |
| Posted at 7:25 AM on 24 Jun 2008 The U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear an appeal from asbestos company W.R. Grace, clearing the way for a long-awaited criminal trial to begin. The company and six of its executives were indicted in 2005 on charges of violating the Clean Air Act by allegedly releasing asbestos-contaminated vermiculite from a mine in Libby, Mont., between ... |
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| Topics: air pollution, business, health, Montana, news, United States (all these topics) |
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Refrigeration without electricity
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David Roberts |
24 Jun 2008 |
Gristmill |
| Here's Adam Grossner's brief TED talk, on his effort to create a refrigerator that doesn't use electricity: (thanks LL!) |
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| Topics: health, energy efficiency, energy, brilliance (all these topics) |
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Check Mate, CheckMate
California officials yank controversial urban spraying plan |
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22 Jun 2008 |
News |
| Posted at 12:07 PM on 22 Jun 2008 California officials have announced that they will not spray the urban Bay Area with a pheromone this summer, delighting activists who had campaigned strenuously against the plan. The pheromone with the ominous name CheckMate LBAM-F keeps the crop-gobbling light brown apple moth from reproducing, but also has been linked to complaints of respiratory trouble in humans. Spraying had ... |
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| Topics: agriculture, California, health, news, San Francisco, toxics (all these topics) |
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Have a Sense of Tumor!
New York state passes bill to create detailed map of cancer cases |
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20 Jun 2008 |
News |
| Posted at 9:40 AM on 20 Jun 2008 In an effort to educate the public about correlations between cancer rates and environmental factors, the New York state legislature just passed a bill that would create a detailed map of cancer cases in the state. The online map would plot the neighborhoods of cancer patients as well as the location of industrial facilities like chemical manufacturers and power plants. &quo ... |
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| Topics: environmental justice, health, legislation, New York, news, politics (all these topics) |
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Missouri mystery
Why are sperm counts so low in the show-me state? |
Tom Philpott |
19 Jun 2008 |
Gristmill |
| Surrounded by agriculture powerhouses Kansas, Iowa, Nebraska, and Illinois, Missouri sits at the southern edge of the heartland. Are the region's titanic annual lashings of agrichemicals -- synthetic and mined fertilizers, as well as poisons designed to kill bugs, weeds, and mold -- leaching into drinking water and doing creepy things to the state's citizens? And what about manure from the stunning concentration of concentrated-animal feedlot operations ... |
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| Topics: Agriculture, health, Missouri, toxics, water pollution (all these topics) |
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Rotten tomatoes
Latest health scare exposes a frayed food-safety net |
Guest author |
19 Jun 2008 |
Gristmill |
| This is a guest post by Meredith Niles, coordinator of the Cool Foods campaign at the Center for Food Safety. Salmonella-infected tomatoes have made headlines over the course of the last week, but there's nothing new about the problem that tainted tomatoes reveal.This outbreak has put more than 25 people in the hospital and sickened hundreds, but it is just the latest in a long line of sickness and recalls. Salmonella in tomatoes, spinach, and lettuce, eColi in ... |
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| Topics: food, green living, Health, Food and Drug Administration (all these topics) |
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I Think You Sink
A test of six green dish soaps |
Katharine Wroth |
17 Jun 2008 |
The Bottom Line |
| Clean for a day. Ah, dish duty. Who hasn't ignored it, dreaded it, rock-paper-scissored over it? But there comes a time in each eater's life when dishes must be done. Happily, today's generation of eco-detergents makes it a less-toxic task than in the past -- though not completely pure. When I set out to test six "eco" dish soaps, I had little idea of the sudsy morass I was about to wade into. For the mos ... |
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| Topics: advice, green living, green products, health, shopping, The Bottom Line (all these topics) |
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The Department of Defense (of itself)
DOD slows condemning research into its polluting behavior |
Liz Borkowski |
17 Jun 2008 |
Gristmill |
| Back in April, a Government Accountability Office report explained how the White House Office of Management and Budget was holding up the EPA's Integrated Risk Information System assessments. According to GAO, the OMB started requiring an 'interagency review' process allowing agencies that might be affected by the IRIS assessments to provide comments on the documents. As a result, some of these outside agencies can effectively block completion of IRIS assessments, whi ... |
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| Topics: climate, Department of Defense, health, politics, toxics, US EPA (all these topics) |
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Oprah off the meat-free wagon
The all-powerful talk-show host ends her vegan cleanse |
Sarah van Schagen |
17 Jun 2008 |
Gristmill |
| Well, Oprah is no longer a caffeine-free, sugar-free, gluten-free vegan. She says her '21-day cleanse' has been 'enlightening.' I will forever be a more cautious and conscious eater. That's my commitment for now. To stay awakened. Hopefully along the way she's also enlightened some of her million-bajillion faithful followers. |
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| Topics: celebrity, food, green living, health, vegetarianism and veganism (all these topics) |
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After the deluge
As Midwest floods recede, what's being washed into the groundwater? |
Tom Philpott |
16 Jun 2008 |
Gristmill |
| Flooded road in eastern Iowa. Photo: Dan Patterson Things are grim in Iowa, arguably the epicenter of global industrial food production. If Iowa were a nation, it would be the globe's second-largest corn producer, behind only China. The state leads the U.S. [PDF] in the production of corn, hogs, and eggs, and ranks number two in soybeans.In short, it's a rotten place for a massive, flood-inducing early-summer deluge. Of the state's 99 counties, 24 have been ... |
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| Topics: agriculture, climate, climate change impacts, health, industrial ag, Iowa, severe weather (all these topics) |
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Minimizing meat
The great Mark Bittman on how to push meat off the center of the plate |
Tom Philpott |
13 Jun 2008 |
Gristmill |
| I'm no vegan. I believe that the only truly sustainable agriculture involves raising crops along with animals. I also adore the globe's cooking traditions, most of which involve integrating meat and/or dairy products with vegetables, grains, and spices.And yet, I'm appalled by this fact, from the USDA: In 2005, total meat consumption (red meat, poultry, and fish) amounted to 200 pounds per person, 22 pounds above the level in 1970. Two hundred pounds per year work ... |
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| Topics: ecological footprint, food, health, vegetarianism and veganism (all these topics) |
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Toying with you
Something for everyone in the emerging green market |
Joseph Romm |
12 Jun 2008 |
Gristmill |
| This post is by ClimateProgress guest blogger Kari Manlove, fellows assistant at the Center for American Progress. ----- Good news: Anyone looking for more environmentally responsible options now has choices. Green alternatives are turning up all over these days -- from children's toys to weddings. Families concerned with all the reports in the last year of toys tainted with lead paint will be happy to hear there's a new market for toys that bypass lead and other pote ... |
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| Topics: green living, green products, health, parenting, shopping (all these topics) |
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Take My Breath Away
Fumes from Minn. dairy force neighbors to evacuate |
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11 Jun 2008 |
News |
| Posted at 3:25 PM on 11 Jun 2008 A giant dairy farm in Thief River Falls, Minn., is producing such noxious fumes that the state health department has advised nearby residents to evacuate. Excel Dairy's emissions of hydrogen sulfide have been calculated at 200 times the standard allowed by Minnesota law; neighbors' complaints include headaches, nausea, blurred vision, shortness of breath, and fatigue. "It's so strong and ... |
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| Topics: agriculture, air pollution, health, industrial ag, Minnesota, news, toxics (all these topics) |
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C6 of One, Half Dozen of the Other
Replacement for nasty chemical may be no less nasty, says EWG |
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10 Jun 2008 |
News |
| Posted at 4:40 PM on 10 Jun 2008 Under pressure from the U.S. EPA, eight chemical companies are phasing out perfluorooctanoic acid in nonstick, oil-resistant, and stain-resistant products -- but industry-favored substitutes may be no safer, says a new report from the Environmental Working Group. The chemical, known for brevity as PFOA or C8, has been linked to cancer, reproductive problems, and immu ... |
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| Topics: green living, health, news, toxics (all these topics) |
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Thanks, neighbor, but I draw the line at black lung
When taking pride in your roots means breathing local coal dust |
Ashley Braun |
10 Jun 2008 |
Gristmill |
| May I suggest that literally sharing a part of your local history can, in fact, be taken too far? Snipped from The New York Times:'Coal is part of us,' said William Liptok, director of the county's public works department. Not only does nearly every family in town have roots in mining, Mr. Liptok said, but virtually everyone breathes in coal dust, since it wafts into the air in the winter when trucks remove the boilers' ashes. [emphasis is mine] How's that, c ... |
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| Topics: health, coal, energy, West Virginia (all these topics) |
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