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To wrap up the week, here’s this Friday’s News Roundup. Have a great Labor Day Weekend, everyone!
Seattle is lining-up to become the first US city to charge for all types of disposable shopping bag. The measure follows the lead of many European nations and the plastic-bag ban in US cities like San Francisco. The move would be an important measure in encouraging consumers to think about paying for the use of a disposable bag, but Seattle voters may have a chance in the coming months to repeal the legislation, which is otherwise set to go into effect January 2009: City OKs 20-cent fee on plastic, paper bags | Seattle’s Bag-User Fee Spurs Backlash | Seattle voters may end up with last word on bag fee
No more than a month after threats emerged from five US states to sue the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) over lack of emissions regulations from ships, aircrafts and off-road vehicles, the EPA is again under fire from twelve US states who plan to sue against further violations of the Clean Air Act in their failure to regulate emissions from oil refineries: E.P.A. Sued by 12 States to Regulate Oil Refineries | States Sue EPA Over Refinery Emissions
Multiple speakers at the Democratic National Convention this week have highlighted the importance of securing a more sustainable energy economy for the US, and declare Barack Obama as the major-party presidential candidate for the job: The best set of videos, interviews, articles and more highlighting the environmental-focus at the convention can be found within Grist’s stories about the Democratic National Convention
Here’s a brief rundown of some of the environmental news headlines from the past week:
The Bush administration has launched a stealth proposal that, if passed, would strike the participation of knowledgeable and involved biologists from the evaluation of projects that could harm endangered plants and animals: Bush Aims to Relax Endangered Species Rules; Bush Officials Launch Stealth Attach on U.S. Wildlife.
Presidential candidate John McCain is continuing his call for increased offshore drilling; and while democrats in congress have criticized offshore drilling as too narrow an approach to solving the energy crisis, they have begun to falter on this stance and are in discussions about allowing more offshore drilling as one part of the solution: McCain touts drilling agenda from oil platform; House to Rethink Drilling, Pelosi Says; Drill here, drill now, get nothing but an opinion poll point or two.
An invasive snail has recently been found in Lake Michigan, which scientists worry could harm the ecosystem as it rapidly produces and competes with native species for land and food: Worrying invasive snail found in Lake Michigan.
After a media eruption of concerns over the use of BPA in some plastics, the EPA has drafted a controversial report claiming the chemical safe for use in food containers and other household products: FDA Draft Report: No Risk From BPA In Food Containers; FDA Says BPA Is Safe For Babies; FDA says chemical found in plastic bottles is safe.
Again this Friday is a list of a few headlines from the week:
Judge Returns Gray Wolves to Endangered List
Postal Service Takes Lead In Going Green
Mississippi River Reopened after Oil Spill
Western states unveil draft cap-and-trade scheme
Add your own to the comments, and have a great weekend!
So much news is being published about environmentalism and climate change these days that I couldn’t possibly keep up with it if I tried to write about it all, so I’ve decided that Fridays are probably a great time to post a brief roundup of relevant news headlines from the week that I’ve come across or have been forwarded to me.
Monday, July 14:
- Bush Lifts Drilling Moratorium, Prodding Congress
- Candidates Weigh In on Offshore Drilling
Tuesday, July 15:
- Country, the City Version: Farms in the Sky Gain New Interest (thanks to “srw” for the link)
- Wildlife: A Luxury we can live without?
Wednesday, July 16:
- Amory Lovins: Expanding Nuclear Power Makes Climate Change Worse
- A Prophetic Approach to Energy Efficiency
Thursday, July 17:
- Gore: Reliance on Fossil Fuels Poses Threat to U.S.
- Pope says young inheriting scarred, squandered earth
Friday, July 18:
- Climate change puts U.S. way of life at risk: EPA
Have a great weekend, everyone! Give the A/C a break for a couple days while you do something fun outside!
