11-4: Five quick things for your Saturday

Winter's coming. We all have chores to do. Let's make this simple: Five quick hits to keep you up to date on our environment and health.



Gov't climate report at odds with Trump and his team

Coverage of the federal climate assessment takes Trump to task:

AP's Seth Borenstein:

As President Donald Trump touts new oil pipelines and pledges to revive the nation's struggling coal mines, federal scientists are warning that burning fossil fuels is already driving a steep increase in the United States of heat waves, droughts and floods.

Our new look and feedback

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It's time to be loud: We deliver news that drives the discussion on environmental health and climate change.

Drop us a line at feedback@ehn.org ("Attaboys" always welcome).

Three top stories for Saturday

  1. New Jersey sets new PFOA level below Vermont standard. New Jersey last week set its safe drinking water standard for the chemical PFOA at 14 parts per trillion, 30 percent lower than Vermont's standard. (Vermont Public Radio)
  2. Louisville neighborhoods use trees to fend off heart disease. The poets were right all along: Trees are a drug, in ways marvelous and often misunderstood. We underestimate at our peril the powers of a walk in the woods. (USA Today) (thanks to Univ. of Louisville's Alex Carll for pointing us to that story)
  3. Will the bird that dodged a bullet pay the price of peace? "Armed conflict is good for preventing deforestation." (Mike Shanahan, Under the Banyan)

One must-read opinion

As ice shelves crumble and the Twitter president threatens to pull out of the Paris accord, author Jonathan Franzen reflects on the role of the writer in time of crisis (The Guardian)

One beautiful thing

Those are my kids (and dog), at 6:30 a.m. on a Saturday. Eleven inches of snow fell overnight in Bozeman, Montana.

It's ski swap weekend here, and people are already to find a sweet deal on winter gear. I told my kids we weren't moving the car until the driveway was clear.

Amazing how much energy a motivated kid has.

Today's gift in Bozeman is reminder for us all: Get outside and enjoy the weather. It's beautiful out there.

Yellow plastic bag with fruit in it

Biodegradable plastic isn't a climate solution on its own

A new global life-cycle analysis finds that if not properly disposed of, biodegradable plastics could increase methane emissions and plastic accumulation.
An anesthesiologist placing a cup on a patient's mouth

Cutting the climate impact of anesthetic gases across Loma Linda University Health

Hospital systems are reducing greenhouse gas emissions, improving operational efficiency, and strengthening our commitment to environmental stewardship.

Doctors discussing chest xrays

How letting radiologists work remotely can help save the planet

Teleradiology can drastically reduce greenhouse gas emissions, at roughly 63% when compared to if all impacted individuals needed to travel into work every day, one academic institution estimates.  
Offshore wind turbines with a fishing boat and birds flying in the foreground.

Judge hands Trump a fifth loss in his effort to halt offshore wind projects

The court ruled that construction can restart on a wind farm off the coast of New York State. The Trump administration had ordered work to stop in December.
The White House illuminated at night.

Trump unveils $12B mineral stockpile amid US-China race

The White House announced “Project Vault” as officials from at least 40 countries head to Washington to discuss a minerals market to counter Beijing.
a man sitting on the shore of a beach next to a boat.

Mexico’s push for US natural gas sparks community opposition and threatens its climate pledges

Mexico is already the world's single largest buyer of U.S. natural gas. But it's building infrastructure that will bring in even more.
A view of the Columbia River in eastern Washington

Feds greenlight $2B renewable energy project on Yakama Nation sacred site

The site of a planned $2 billion renewable energy project is used for ceremonies as well as treaty-reserved fishing and root gathering for the Yakama Nation.

From our Newsroom
Multiple Houston-area oil and gas facilities that have violated pollution laws are seeking permit renewals

Multiple Houston-area oil and gas facilities that have violated pollution laws are seeking permit renewals

One facility has emitted cancer-causing chemicals into waterways at levels up to 520% higher than legal limits.

Regulators are underestimating health impacts from air pollution: Study

Regulators are underestimating health impacts from air pollution: Study

"The reality is, we are not exposed to one chemical at a time.”

Pennsylvania governor Josh Shapiro speaks with the state flag and American flag behind him.

Two years into his term, has Gov. Shapiro kept his promises to regulate Pennsylvania’s fracking industry?

A new report assesses the administration’s progress and makes new recommendations

silhouette of people holding hands by a lake at sunset

An open letter from EPA staff to the American public

“We cannot stand by and allow this to happen. We need to hold this administration accountable.”

wildfire retardants being sprayed by plane

New evidence links heavy metal pollution with wildfire retardants

“The chemical black box” that blankets wildfire-impacted areas is increasingly under scrutiny.

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