If you are a Californian driving or holding onto an ancient, high-polluting vehicle, you could get paid a nice chunk of cash to finally get rid of the thing. State regulators have expanded an incentives program today that offers Californians up to $4,000 if they turn in their old cars and purchase cleaner vehicles.
Although this program seems similar to the “cash for clunkers” law that Obama signed earlier this week, it differs in that California is specifically targeting cars that are responsible for producing excessive amounts of smog.
According to the regulators responsible for the program, over 300,000 Californians own cars …read more

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

Some scoff at the push to go green, saying that it won’t really change things, but facts are fact: it is working. A new study available today showed that greenhouse gas emissions in the world’s richest countries dropped 0.1%, the first dip in emissions in five years. This is a good thing, considering that these same countries has seen a economic growth of 3%.
Leading that pack in industrialized nations is Latvia, down 56%. Most countries aren’t going nearly that well, but, as a world, we’re doing better.
I guess I’m an eternal optimist.
You can read more about this …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

Mayor Michael Bloomberg signed a ground-breaking law in New York City today. It might not seem like a huge deal at first, but if the law ripples across the country, it could make a big difference.
The law in question prohibits businesses from wasting energy, specifically air conditioning. It is now illegal in NYC to blast AC out open doors in hopes of attracting customers inside. In addition to being, obviously, a huge waste of energy, this releases CO2 into the environment, contributing to global warming. In addition, it puts a ton of stress on power supplies in the …read more

China’s environmental issues have magnified since the start of the Olympics. As part of their Olympic pollution clean-up, which became in 2001, the city decide to shut down hundreds of plants that were contributing highly to pollution problems. Over 200 steel, chemical, automobile, and electronics companies were closed.
Kind of.
At least, that’s what they said.
However, reports from the Washington Post and Environmental Leader are saying that it’s all a sham – the companies didn’t close. They just relocated.
Beijing’s two top polluters, Shougang Group’s Capital Steel and Steel Co. and the Beijing Coking-Chemical Plant didn’t close down as reported, but rather …read more

California, Connecticut, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and New York aren’t playing around anymore. If the EPA doesn’t clean up their act soon, they’re going to sue.
Again.
Last year, California sued the Environmental Protection Agency because this department made the decision last year to prohibit states from issuing their own emissions regulations. The full PDF of the lawsuit is available online.
This time, the EPA is being sued by the states for failure to enforce stricter policies regarding pollution from ships, aircrafts, and off-road vehicles. Says California Attorney General Jerry Brown,
“Because Bush’s Environmental Protection Agency continues to wantonly ignore its …read more

With the 2008 Olympics drawing nearer, China is in a frenzy to show the world that they’re clean and green. But check out this picture, snapped this morning in Tiananment Square:

That’s not misty rain or morning fog, my friends. That’s smog you’re seeing, for the most part (although it looks like it might be drizzling as well).
Look, we all knew that China’s green-ness was…questionable at best. China, when vying for the bid for the Olympics seven years ago, insisted that Beijing’s air quality would pass World Health Organization standards, though. Clearly, that’s not happening. They’re in a frenzy, …read more

Plants are good us you – you probably already knew that. However, did you know that plants can act as an air purifier in your office? Over at Tree Hugging Family, Jennifer talks about some of the great natural options out there for cleaning your air.
Some of the best include Christmas cacti, bamboo, and gerbera daisies, but there are a whole slew of plants from which to choose if you want to clean the air.
Air purification is great for your health. It can also help you to better able to concentrate. In our offices, computers and other …read more

One great way to go green in your office is to consider environmentally-friendly options when you’re painting the walls. I know how dangerous paint fumes can be too, so not only are green options better for mother nature, but they are also safer for the environment.
I wanted to feature this one company I found after a little research because I love the concept. They’re bring back milk paints, old fashioned style paints that are 100% free of volatile organic compounds, hazardous air pollutants, lead, mercury, petroleum by-products, plastics, synthetic preservatives, radioactive materials, or any other harmful poisons of …read more