Articles > May
May
EPA Seeks Reversal of Bush Era Pollution Policy
This week the Environmental Protection Agency is holding public hearings on a new proposed rule that would require steep reductions in the emission of mercury, arsenic, and other toxic air pollution from coal-fire power plants.
Coming to America: Tar sands oil from Canada?
EarthTalk® E - The Environmental Magazine Dear EarthTalk: What is “tar sands oil” and what is the controversy over possibly building a pipeline for it from Canada into the United States? -- Bill Berkley, Omaha, NE Tar sands oil (or “tar sands”) is slang for bituminous sand, a mixture of sand, clay, water and an extremely gooey form of petroleum known as bitumen, which resembles tar in appearance.
China: Industry Uses Sea as Giant "Trash Can"
Original source: China Daily
Reducing Global Energy Use
EarthTalk® E - The Environmental Magazine Dear EarthTalk: With all the talk of the need for safe, renewable energy sources, isn’t the elephant in the room really that we should use far less energy than we do? Wouldn’t more rules about conservation (like not leaving commercial building lights on all night) make the challenges easier? -- Jennifer B., New York, NY In short, yes: Scaling back our energy consumption significantly, whether voluntarily or as a result of laws and regulations, would go a long way toward achieving our pollution reduction and air and water quality goals.
60 MPGs by 2025
Echoing President Obama's recent call to ween the U.S. off oil, a coalition of almost three dozen local and national environmental groups are calling for a fuel economy standard of 60 miles-per-gallon by 2025.In a letter to the President earlier this month, the coalition cited rising gas prices, global pollution, oil-based trade relations with "regimes and individuals who are hostile to the United States," and the need for investments in job-creating, clean energy industries in the U.S. as reasons for raising the fuel economy standard.In his first week in office, President Obama raised fuel economy standards, known as the Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE), from an average 25 mpg to more than 35 mpg by 2016.
How Safe is Soy?
EarthTalk® E - The Environmental Magazine Dear Earth Talk: How healthy is soy? I heard that, despite its healthy image, most soy is grown using chemicals like other crops and is even being genetically modified. -- D. Frinka, Syracuse, NY
Michigan Public School Students Face Double Whammy
Republican budget cuts to public education aren't the only danger Michigan public school students face.
Future of Hydrogen Fuel Cell Cars
EarthTalk® E - The Environmental Magazine Dear EarthTalk: Not long ago we were reading a lot about hydrogen’s role in a clean energy future, with cars transitioning from gasoline-powered engines to hydrogen-powered fuel cells.
