Pesticides have been controversial for decades, and this past week, there has been another chapter written in this story. In early 2005,the EPA received a petitions to ban the agricultural and residential use of carbaryl. Also known as “Sevin,” this insecticide is widely used in the United States, with almost 4 million pounds being spread annually.
The EPA finally came back with an answer to the petition – no.
Carbaryl is classified as a “likely carcinogen” and can cause nausea, dizziness, confusion, respiratory paralysis, and even death. The EPA’s own assessment of the situation found that agricultural use of this …read more

Almost all businesses (and individuals for that matter) have old electronics lying around. E-waste is a HUGE (and growing) problem in America, since television, computers, cameras, and so forth are outdated really quickly. Many times, these electronics contain toxic parts, like batteries, and they certainly fill up space in our country’s landfills.
Panasonic is making recycling their old products a lot easier. According to a press release sent to me today, the company will allow consumers to drop off old Panasonic items free of charge.
The Panasonic program will begin on November 1, 2008, with more than 160 recycling drop-off locations …read more

For the first time in 30 years, the EPA has announced that they are going to further restrict allowable lead levels. Currently, the standards are 1.5 micrograms of lead per cubic meter of air…and since that level was set in 1978, they’re tightening it 10 times to just 0.1 micrograms of lead per cubic meter.
The EPA will make personal changes to help this process, and these steps will take until 2011 and then states will have five years to comply with the new standards. This shouldn’t be a problem for most locations, though it is estimated that at least 18 …read more

The EPA is no stranger to lawsuits. Yesterday, the Center for Food Safety announced that they are joining the ranks of those filing lawsuits and planning a case against the government agency due to their crappy policies…literally.
According to the law, under EPA regulations, it is legal to dump sewage sludge on farmland. This byproduct of waste water treatment, according to some, is full of nutrients that enrich the earth when used as a fertilizer. However, research also indicates that sludge is filled with heavy metals, pathogens, and toxic chemicals. Center for Food Safety Executive Director Andrew Kimbrell says that …read more

Both the House and the Senate agree – we need to get phthalates out of the toy industry.
I’ve actually been watching this story for a while now. Phthalates, in case you do not know, are used in plastics. Basically, they make the plastic more soft and flexible…so you can see how they are helpful in toy production. However, phthalates have also been linked to a number of health problems, including allergies, sexual immaturity and other reproductive problems, growth issues, and more. Eek.
Earlier this month, California banned phthalates in children’s toys, and before that, Wal-Mart, Toys R Us, …read more

There’s an interesting article at Binge Gamer today about how the video game industry needs to go green. Personally, I think this need to be a priority. Whenever kids are involved, using toxins is not a good thing!
Leave a comment here or there telling us what you think!
Picture via sxc.hu.

Today, my daily perusal of Green Biz led me to this report on computer waste problems. Its an interesting problem. The average computer is discarded in about two years…but most business owners and individuals have no idea how to dispose of these outdated machines properly. In fact, about two thirds of all old computers are basically just sitting around because people don’t know what to do with them.
Its a problem we don’t often talk about, and that in and of itself is a problem. Here are some staggering facts announced in the report:

About 50% of computers turned in to recycling …read more

I have to hand it to the marketing people at Dow Chemical. If there was ever an advertising campaign that was further from the truth or done so in a more beautifully scripted way than “The Human Element” I have yet to see it. So I was somewhat relieved to find it on the top of the Greenwashing Index list – at least it is getting the right kind of exposure.
I was first aware of the campaign when I got a special issue of Smithsonian, the 37 under 36: America’s Young Innovators in the Arts and Sciences, which is, to …read more

Some of you know that I was recently in NYC for the Greener Gadgets conference, presented by Inhabitat and Marc Alt + Partners. We were live blogging throughout the day and there was a live webcast of the panel discussions and presentations.
It was a fantastic event with a diverse pool of industry reps, artists, designers and academics. If you weren’t there or missed the live broadcast, you can catch the highlights over at Inhabitat, including videos, pictures and wrap-ups from the presenters.
If you are interested in industrial design, e-waste, energy or just gadgets in general, I highly recommend checking out …read more

No matter what business you are in it likely takes a lot of electronics to keep it going. Computers, faxes, telephones, cellphones, mobile devices, copiers, the list seems endless and when these gadgets outgrow their usefulness you’ve got to figure out what to do with them. They have become e-waste, a global problem.
There is a growing awareness and a rise in activism in how to handle e-waste responsibly and it may be easier than you think. Here are some of the best resources from around the web for recycling electronics with the Earth in mind.
How to e-Cycle Your Gadgets at …read more