EPA laxity leaves kids at risk from rat poison, enviros charge The U.S. EPA seems more concerned with protecting rat-poison manufacturers than protecting kids, two enviro groups are charging. Last week, the Natural Resources Defense Council and West Harlem Environmental Action filed suit against the EPA, criticizing the agency for harming children by revoking safety measures on rat poisons in 2001, at the request of industry. Chemical companies that produce rat-poison pellets no longer have to make them taste bitter and contain a dye that makes it easier to see if they've been ingested, both measures designed to protect kids. …

Small tree-harvesting operations gang up to get certified Many small to mid-sized forestry operations are run by folks who value the health of their trees and try their best to be good stewards of the land they own. However, getting official recognition of this fact -- in the form of being certified green by the Forest Stewardship Council, a Germany-based coalition with high environmental standards -- can be prohibitively expensive. Some timber types are overcoming this obstacle by banding together in groups to be collectively certified. Not only does this reduce the cost for individual members, but it gives them …

Whole Foods ponders move into organic clothing Have you ever felt chafed by the inconvenience of having to go one place for your bulk bulgur wheat and another for your Guatemalan organic cotton poncho? Well we've got good news: From here on in you can point your Lexus SUV in one direction only, to organic grocer Whole Foods. The retailer is contemplating selling organic clothing and linens in its new flagship store in Austin, Texas, and possibly other stores if the move is successful. Whole Foods is nothing if not healthy (ha ha): Its fourth-quarter profits were up 27 percent. …

E.U. fishing subsidies drive illegal bushmeat trade in West Africa Heavy European Union subsidies for fishing fleets off the coast of West Africa are driving the illegal bushmeat trade in the region, to devastating effect. As Euros eat more of their fish, there's less left for West Africans, who turn to bushmeat -- or the meat of wild animals, including gorillas and other primates -- for food. This, in turn, leads to all sorts of nastiness. "Recent collapses of mammal populations in some areas of West Africa have been linked to geographic patterns of poverty and malnourishment," write researchers in …

Global warming may open Northwest Passage to shipping Global warming may melt arctic ice enough to make the legendary Northwest Passage a viable trade route, trimming almost 40 percent (roughly two weeks) off the current Asia-to-Europe route, which involves a large detour down through either the Suez or Panama canals. Some view this as a bright spot in the otherwise grim report released this week on the impact of global warming on the Arctic. Enviros aren't so sure. The route would inevitably involve large oil tankers navigating narrow channels filled with ice. "The question is not whether an accident is …

European automakers target the U.S. with itsy-bitsy cars European automakers hope to make inroads in U.S. markets with small, fuel-efficient cars, but they have quite a task ahead of them, despite gas prices that now exceed $2 per gallon. While a segment of the U.S. market is gaga for hybrids like the Toyota Prius, which gets about 44 miles per gallon, some small European cars like the Smart two-seater get nearly 70 mpg. Three problems: One, many U.S. drivers feel insecure in small cars, competing on freeways with gargantuan idiotmobiles like the Cadillac Escalade. Two, small cars have lower horsepower, …

Al Gore launches an investment firm focused on sustainability After the whole endorsing-Howard-Dean thing didn't work out, Al Gore is hoping his new venture is more successful: It's an investment firm called Generation Investment Management that will focus on socially and environmentally conscious companies. The firm's approach "is designed to serve people who want to integrate sustainable returns with traditional equity analysis," said the former VP with his typical fiery charisma. David Blood, formerly CEO of Goldman Sachs Asset Management, will serve as managing partner of the firm, while Gore will act as chair, shaping its overall strategy but not …

ExxonMobil's greenhouse-gas emissions continue to rise ExxonMobil, the world's biggest oil company, supported President Bush's decision to keep the U.S. from ratifying the Kyoto Protocol. In a wacky coincidence, the company's greenhouse-gas emissions have been increasing, last year rising 2 percent to almost 150 million tons -- more than twice the emissions of the entire country of Norway. Exxon is addressing the problem by ... oh, wait, they're not addressing the problem. While the company claims it is "taking steps" to reduce gases, it has set no actual targets, according to a spokesflack. By comparison, BP, the world's second largest …

Overweight passengers lead to higher airplane CO2 emissions Everybody knows the U.S. is in the grips of an obesity epidemic. And many folks know that airplanes are major sources of atmospheric carbon dioxide, which exacerbates global warming. But did you know that the former is contributing in a significant way to the latter? Neither did we -- until now. Americans' average weight rose by 10 pounds during the 1990s, and according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, that caused airlines to burn 350 million more gallons of fuel in 2000, costing them $275 million and producing an estimated …

What work do you do? I am founder and chair of Interface, Inc. How does it relate to the environment? I used to think that my job didn't have anything to do with the environment. Then I realized that my job, as well as everyone else's job, impacts the environment in some way. And now advocating for sustainability has become my No. 1 responsibility. What do you really do, on a day-to-day basis? Simply put, I tell my story. But in order to do that, I travel all over the world, making speeches to groups both large and small. Sometimes …