Declare Your Independence from Toxic Fireworks Pollution
Planning to take in one of those great fireworks displays on the Fourth of July? Be careful. Those fireworks may leave you and your family with more than a patriotic feeling. Fireworks pollution litters the ground, contaminates water supplies, and rains down chemicals and heavy metals that contribute to a wide range of serious health problems. Maybe it's time for a change in the way we celebrate our independence.Photo by Getty Images
White House Blocks EPA Response to Supreme Court on Regulating Greenhouse Gases
The White House is trying to stop the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency from releasing a document that shows how the Clean Air Act could be used to regulate greenhouse gas emissions in the United States, according to The Wall Street Journal, whose reporters have seen the document and spoken to EPA staff about it.The draft document is a formal response to the April 2007 Supreme Court ruling that declared greenhouse gases are pollutants under the Clean Air Act and that the EPA has the authority to regulate greenhouse gas emissions from automobiles and other vehicles. But the EPA can’t make the document public until the White House approves it, and that’s where things have gotten sticky.
High Gas Prices Drive Commuters Back to the City
Rising gas prices may be changing more than Americans’ driving habits; they may be on the brink of changing where and how we live. Since the end of World War II, Americans have been leaving the cities for suburbia, and then exurbia, seeking more space for less money. But high gas prices may be reversing that half-century trend—or at least slowing it down.
More and more commuters are thinking about trading suburban sprawl for urban chic as skyrocketing gas prices continue to increase the cost of making a long drive twice a day, adding a serious financial burden to the general misery of commuting.
Supreme Court Slashes Punitive Damages in Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Case
Yesterday, the U.S. Supreme Court handed down a controversial decision that lets ExxonMobil off the hook for billions of dollars in punitive damages related to the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill in Alaska’s Prince William Sound. In a 5-3 vote, the Supremes (minus Justice Samuel Alito, who sat this one out because he owns ExxonMobil stock) ruled that punitive damages (which punish companies for behavior that causes harm to others) should not exceed compensatory damages (which compensate victims for their economic losses). Although the ruling applies only to maritime cases, it is generally being seen as a win for all corporations seeking limits on unpredictable jury awards in high-profile lawsuits.
In 1994, ExxonMobil was ordered by an Alaska jury to pay $5 billion in punitive damages. In 2006, an appeals court reduced punitive damages for the Exxon Valdez oil spill to $2.5 billion, half the original amount. The new ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court cuts the punitive damages even more, to $507.5 million. The new figure represents about 12 hours of revenue for the giant oil company, which reported record profits of $40.6 billion in February 2008.
Climate Change Creating More Refugees than War
Rising sea levels, desertification, and natural disasters tied to global warming are displacing millions of people--more than war and other types of conflict.
Find out what must happen to reverse this devastating trend and reduce the number of environmental refugees.
South African Artists Transform Trash into Toys
Where some people see garbage, others see opportunity. A group of artists in and around Cape Town, South Africa, are turning trash into recycled toys and art objects--earning a living by reclaiming discarded soda cans, plastic containers, bottle caps and bits of wire to create everything from decorative flowers to working radios.
Anouk Zijlma, About.com’s guide to Africa Travel, discovered the recycled toys and “found art” during a trip to South Africa and brought home several pieces as souvenirs.
“All the toys work, as do the radio and pen,” says Zijlma. “It's nice to have souvenirs made from the brands you enjoyed on holiday. I drank the soda that the motorbike is made of and I had many packets of chips that I recognize in the placemat I bought. It's also very inspiring to bring these objects back and try and create similar pieces at home, especially with children.”
The Schweppes Tonic car shown at right is one of the recycled toys Zijlma purchased on her trip to South Africa. The doors all open, the bottle-cap wheels roll smoothly, and the windows are made from plastic water bottles.
To learn more, and to see an excellent photo gallery of recycled toys and art objects made by South African artists, visit About.com: Africa Travel.
Photo by Michael Daecher
More About Reusing and Recycling:
Oil, Coal, Nuclear Power are Cornerstones of McCain Energy Plan
It has been a big week for energy policy and Republicans. On Tuesday, GOP presidential candidate John McCain gave a speech that outlined his energy vision for America—a policy that seems designed to please everyone, but is likely to satisfy no one.As McCain sees it, we need more conservation and renewable energy, but we also need more domestic oil production, clean coal, and nuclear power plants.
"In the face of climate change and other serious challenges, energy conservation is no longer just a moral luxury or a personal virtue," McCain said. "Conservation serves a critical national goal." According to McCain, so does the resumption of offshore drilling and the construction of dozens of new nuclear reactors.
While urging conservation, McCain also called for an end to the offshore drilling moratorium that has protected most U.S. waters since the early 1980s, saying it would help lower energy prices, but he restated his opposition to drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.
Al Gore Endorses Obama for President
Former U.S. Vice President and Nobel Laureate Al Gore gave a rousing speech in Detroit on Monday night, endorsing Barack Obama over John McCain in their race to become president of the United States, and praising Obama’s leadership on energy and environmental issues and the need to reduce global warming. Gore, who turned his one-man environmental crusade into a new career and the Oscar-winning film An Inconvenient Truth, called Obama "a candidate who, in response to those doubting our ability to solve the climate crisis and create a bright future, inspired millions to say, 'Yes, we can.'"
How to Keep Cool Without Air Conditioning
When summer heat makes being inside uncomfortable, many people crank up the air conditioning. But what if you don't have air conditioning, or you'd rather find more energy-efficient methods for staying cool indoors? Check out these tips for air conditioning alternatives, and keep cool when the temperature is high. Photo: Getty Images
Green 401(k) Plans: Put Your Money Where Your Heart Is
As people become more environmentally conscious, they are looking for additional ways to live green and to make bigger contributions to sustainability. Employees are demanding more green investment options, and employers are starting to offer 401(k) plans that enable workers to align their dreams of retirement and their dreams of a better world.Graphic courtesy of Getty Images