New documents point to Union Carbide culpability on Bhopal Since the Bhopal disaster in 1984, Union Carbide Corp. (UCC), owner of the leaking chemical plant, has denied responsibility, saying that its Indian subsidiary (Union Carbide India Limited, or UCIL) was solely responsible for the plant's design and management. But newly uncovered documents cast doubt on that claim, indicating that UCC provided substantial help in procuring safety equipment and other parts and providing technical consultation on the plant, and also engaged in cost-cutting at its Indian subsidiary. In light of what followed, the final line of one document is chilling: "Union …

International trade treaties hamper states on environmental protection When the U.S. signed on to international trade treaties like NAFTA, enviros warned that it could hamper efforts to pass and enforce eco-friendly laws and regulations, and there's mounting evidence to support those dark predictions. After a period of caution and reticence, U.S. trading partners are more often using international enforcement mechanisms to scuttle state-level environmental (and labor, and social) laws. California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) in September vetoed a bill calling for use of the state's massive piles of spare tires as material for asphalt, fearing that Canadian and Mexican rubber …

Energy giant Cinergy comes out in favor of greenhouse-gas regulations For some time, enviros have been predicting that with states and other countries starting to regulate their greenhouse-gas emissions, sooner or later large energy companies in the U.S. would begin craving the predictability of consistent federal guidelines. It appears that day is upon us, as energy giant Cinergy, a major owner of coal-fired power plants, has voiced support in a report to shareholders for a national program that would limit such emissions while allowing industrial facilities to trade emissions credits. It specifically identified the McCain-Lieberman Climate Stewardship Act as the …

Study says human activity raises risk of heat waves; lawsuits possible Human activity is raising the risk of another heat wave like the one that ravaged Europe in the summer of 2003, says a new study in the journal Nature -- and the link may open the way for lawsuits against polluters. Using computer models, researchers were able to quantify the degree of risk for which human activity is responsible, which climatologists Christoph Schar and Gerd Jendritzky call "the first successful attempt to detect man-made influence on a specific extreme climate event." Lead researcher Myles Allen took the unusual step …

As sales of green building products go up, prices come down Construction companies are increasingly turning to green products, and saving greenbacks in the process. It's still widely believed that eco-friendly products are more costly than their not-so-eco-friendly counterparts, but that state of affairs is changing. Carpet made of recycled plastic and floor boards composed of wood pulp can now be acquired for less than traditional carpet and wood floorings, for example. Says Scottish architect Douglas Murray, "Of course the reasons people compromise on their environmental principles are invariably financial, but you really can build a 'healthy' house without spending …

Software company Hyperion offers employees money for fuel-efficient cars California software company Hyperion is getting quite a bit of positive press for offering its employees $5,000 toward the purchase of a fuel-efficient car, and we're happy to jump on the bandwagon. The grant is available to any of Hyperion's 2,600 employees who have worked at the company for more than a year and who buy a vehicle that gets at least 45 miles to the gallon. The company will offer 200 grants a year on a first-come first-served basis. Currently, the range of vehicles that meet that standard is fairly …

Green start-ups attracting substantial venture capital Investor interest in eco-friendly start-ups has taken a leap with the entry of two big venture-capital players into the field. Two California public pension funds -- the largest and third-largest in the U.S. -- recently announced plans to invest a combined $950 million in the clean-technology field in coming years. Beneficiaries of their investment funds include companies developing non-toxic batteries, ocean-wave power systems, water-treatment systems, and other products and services that cut down on energy use and waste. Entrepreneurs moving into clean tech, and the investors trailing in their wake, are not motivated primarily …

We have Thanksgiving to thank for the beloved Fig Newman. It was Nell Newman, daughter of actor Paul Newman, who actually created the eponymous product, but she had the opportunity only after convincing her father to take his food company, Newman's Own, in an organic direction with a triumphant organic meal she whipped up for her family on Thanksgiving 1992. The following year, Nell started an organic division of Newman's Own more than a decade after the parent company was established, and has since become one of the most recognized names and faces in the health-food industry. That's her on …

Green chemistry gets rolling A change is gradually taking hold in the world of chemistry. Increasingly, chemists regard the toxicity and environmental effects of a chemical as fundamental to the process of creating it, rather than afterthoughts. "Green chemistry," which puts this kind of holistic thinking into practice, is a growing industry. Its roots trace back to two sources. One is the growing cost for companies of cleaning up after themselves -- DuPont got whacked for Teflon and Gore-Tex, General Electric for PCBs in the Hudson River, and other companies are on the hook for asbestos, dioxin, perchlorates, and plenty …

Dear Umbra, Why is Wal-Mart evil? This is really a request for more information. I have often heard that the company has a weak environmental track record, treats its employees poorly, and generally is Satan incarnate. However, when challenged on this position, I have no data. My opponents argue that shopping in bulk reduces packaging. I also have to admit that a case of Pellegrino for $10 pulls me closer to the dark side. I am growing weak. Please combat my temptation with information. Hurry before I have lost my soul. James Washington, Penn. Dearest James, Why Wal-Mart is evil …