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Replacement for nasty chemical may be no less nasty, says EWG

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 immune […]

When taking pride in your roots means breathing local coal dust

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, […]

Even green space can’t get us off our lazy you-know-whats

“This study shows you don’t really need green space.” — Dutch researcher Jolanda Maas, commenting on a new study showing that living near green space doesn’t correlate to exercising more

Swing states need green manufacturing

Suppose you just became the presumptive presidential nominee of the Democratic party, and suppose you really could use some of those Midwestern swing states in order to win the general election. Suppose, further, that you have mentioned how it would be a good thing to have high-speed rail coming out of Chicago, and that "the fight for American manufacturing is the fight for America's future." And further, suppose that there is a Midwest Interstate Passenger Rail Commission that has plans in place to construct just such a network.

Well, whaddaya know, all of those things have actually happened! In fact, according to an excellent study I found called "High-speed Rail Projects in the United States," coming out of the Mineta Transportation Institute at San Jose State University, there are a whole basket full of such proposals, some further along than others, spread all over the United States -- and many plans are in swing states.

Consider the pathetic level of rail funding that the report highlights -- and transit isn't much better:

Climate change, deforestation, erosion take toll on African landscape

A new United Nations atlas depicts alarming changes to Africa’s landscape. On a continent that produces a mere 4 percent of the world’s greenhouse-gas emissions, significant landmarks are taking a hit from climate change: Lake Chad and Lake Victoria are shrinking each year, and Mt. Kilimanjaro could be snow-free by 2020. The deforestation rate in […]

How to green your kids this summer

Once more unto the beach! Photo: Tom Twigg Child-rearing may be the ultimate eco-conundrum: If you have a child, you’re adding to a population that’s already burdening the planet. And as you raise that child, you may be too tired and burdened yourself to care whether all your choices are green. On the other hand, […]

Senate Republicans block movement on two bills to spur renewable energy investment

With gas prices now averaging a record $4.04 a gallon in the United States, the Senate voted on two bills Tuesday that would have revoked tax breaks for Big Oil and extended tax credits to renewable energy. Proponents of the two measures touted them as vital for consumer relief and transition to new energy sources, […]

China …

… is heading for a wall. In the debate over climate and sustainable development, people often talk about China as though it is some sort of rapacious automaton, blindly dedicated to growing its economy no matter the cost. But while I’ve never been to China, I’m told it’s filled with intelligent people. They know how […]

The U.S. media discover how food production works without access to cheap oil

The story is legendary in peak-oil circles: Twenty years ago, the Soviet Union pulled the plug on Cuba’s cheap-energy, cheap-food era. (See Bill McKibben’s feature piece on the subject here.) No longer would the fading superpower accept the tiny island nation’s sugar as payment for crude oil. From then on, only hard currency would do. […]

Japan sets emissions-reduction goal for 2050 but not sooner

Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda announced Monday that Japan will aim to cut greenhouse-gas emissions between 60 and 80 percent by 2050, but did not give in to strong pressure to set an emissions-reduction target for 2020. Fukuda gave a nod in the direction of a shorter-term goal, saying Japan’s emissions will likely drop 14 […]