L.A. Kids Living in New "Eco-Smart" Development May Suffer from Asthma and Impaired Lungs
March 6, 2010
Poor kids. L.A. should get with the mass transit.
From the L.A. Weekly
On a recent afternoon in the Eastside neighborhood of Lincoln Heights, Fay Green stands in the hallway of her apartment complex, which sits just feet above the bumper-to-bumper traffic of the I-5 freeway.
Fish Oil Takers Beware - Ten Fish Oil Supplements Found with Dangerous Levels of PCB
March 5, 2010
Some fish oil capsules sold as health supplements for their Omega-3 fatty acids content have illegally undisclosed unnecessarily high levels of contamination with polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) compounds, according to a lawsuit filed [March 2, 2010] in California court.
Q Collection's Mission to Make Toxic-less Furniture
March 2, 2010
Still one major complaint of companies like Q Collection is that while beautifully crafted and sustainable, its furniture and fabric products are out of the reach of most consumers.
But Q Collection is one of LAgb's favorites. And hats off to its team for not only its seamless blend of design and environmental concepts, but also keeping us informed about how chemicals impact our lives.
From Q Collection:
Toxic House Dust Calls for Spring Cleaning
February 26, 2010
LAgb is always up for spring cleaning. The mopping, spraying, rubbing, and side-to-side movements are titillating enough. But the creative concoctions of vinegar, baking soda, and hydrogen peroxide as natural house cleaners is what really gets the cleaning mojo going. And to think, all that fun and good cleaning helps keep toxic house dust away from loved ones.
From the Environmental Working Group:
EPA Enhances Transparency, Kudos to the Obama Administration
February 18, 2010
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is launching a new Web site giving the public additional opportunity to participate in the agency’s rulemaking process, demonstrating President Obama’s commitment to more transparent and open government. The online Rulemaking Gateway serves as a portal to EPA’s priority rules, providing citizens with earlier and more concise information about agency regulations.
EPA Takes a Crack at Regulating Cancer-Causing Emissions from Diesel Engines
February 18, 2010
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is setting the first standards that will reduce emissions of formaldehyde, benzene, acrolein and other toxic air pollutants from certain stationary diesel engines. These pollutants are known or suspected to cause cancer or other serious health problems and environmental damage.
Small Nuclear Reactors Expected in the U.S. in 2018
February 18, 2010
Mr. Burns would be happy indeed.
LAgb is still sitting on the fence about nuclear energy, mainly because nuclear plants produce waste that poses dangers to communities and the environment. But these reactors promise efficiency, and may help the U.S. in building a carbon-free future for Americans.
From the Wall Street Journal:
Toxic Sewage Sludge Keeps San Franciscoans Peppy
February 10, 2010
The mayor of the San Francisco gets kudos for dumping toxic sludge on SF farmland? No where else but America!
No joke, toxic sewage sludge, the stuff that used to (and still does) make beaches and beachgoers sick, is now finding its way into the backyards of San Francisco residents. Passed off as compost, the sludge may be coming to a town near you.
From the Organic Consumers Association:
GE Alfalfa Awaits its Fate: USDA Calls for Comments from the Public
February 10, 2010
From the True Food Network:
In 2006, the Center for Food Safety (CFS) sued the Department of Agriculture (USDA) for its illegal approval of Monsanto’s genetically engineered (GE) Roundup Ready alfalfa. The federal courts sided with CFS and banned GE alfalfa until the USDA fully analyzed the impacts of the plant on the environment, farmers, and the public in a rigorous analysis known as an environmental impact statement (or EIS).
NFL Condones Workers Abuse, Women Paid $0.10 Under Extreme Labor Conditions
February 10, 2010
Football is great, but NFL needs a bucket of chicken thrown at them.
From the National Labor Committee:
NFL jerseys have been sewn under illegal sweatshop conditions at the Chi Fung factory in El Salvador for at least the last four years, according to a new report by the National Labor Committee. Often forced to work 12-hour shifts, workers were at the factory 61 to 65 hours a week, including 12 to 15 hours of obligatory overtime, which was unpaid.
