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What is PFAS, where is it, and what is government doing about it in 2019?

By: Daisy Clennon PFAS is short for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances. It is an umbrella term for manmade chemicals that have a carbon and fluorine atom backbone. PFAS encompasses PFOA (Perfluorooctanoic acid) and PFOS (Perfluorooctanesulfonic acid) as well as hundreds of other compounds. PFAS are used in industrial processes and consumer products such as non-stick cookware, grease resistant paper, fast food wrappers, microwave popcorn bags, stain-resistant carpets and fabrics, cleaning products, and more. PFAS frequently get into groundwater though industrial factories, military bases, and also because they are used in

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February 13, 2019

Urban Tree Cover Decline Increases Health Risks

By: Jeremy Buchanan Trees are one of the most important resources we have available to us. Traditionally, trees have been most valued by those living in rural communities where they are mainly used for building materials or for warmth during the winter. However, recent evidence suggests trees provide further benefits to the health of people living in urban areas. As tree cover loss accelerates within urban communities though, it’s important to understand how your health could be at risk. A study from Urban Forestry & Urban Greening estimates that between 2009

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February 7, 2019

Johnson County, Indiana, A Trump Supported County, Confronts EPA on Rash of Childhood Cancer Cases 

By: Sharon Franklin When their children in Johnson County, a suburban Indianapolis community fell ill with cancer, no one had heard of Glioblastoma, Ewing’s Sarcoma, or Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia. Now, families in a county that voted overwhelmingly for President Trump are making demands of his administration that collide directly with one of his main agendas: rolling back health and environmental regulations. A community group in Franklin, Indiana documented at least 58 cases of childhood cancer, including blood and brain cancer since 2008. Families and residents started asking whether the cancer

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January 30, 2019

Confirmation Hearing for New EPA Head and Regulatory Capture

By: Daisy Clennon This past Wednesday, the 16th of January, was Andrew Wheeler’s EPA confirmation hearing. The hearing came at a controversial moment: in the midst of the longest-ever government shutdown, and with no immediate reason to confirm the acting administrator as the official EPA head. For this reason, the hearing was criticized by Democrats for wasting time that could be better spent finding a shutdown solution. Furthermore, Wheeler had some of the EPA staff who were deemed “essential personnel” help him prepare for the hearing. Democrats and environmentalists found

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January 23, 2019

Coal in the US is on the Decline…Even Despite Efforts to Revive the Industry

By: Katie Pfeifer According to US Energy Information Administration (US EIA), more coal plants in the US were retired in President Trump’s first 2 years in office than the whole of Former President Barack Obama’s first term. This is despite lawmaker’s and Trump’s efforts to “revive” the industry, one of Trump’s key campaign promises during the election. Recently released data shows more than 23,400 MW of coal fired power plants were shuttered in 2017-2018 compared to 14,900 MW shut down between 2009-2012. This shouldn’t be too much of a shock, since

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January 16, 2019

10th Anniversary of Nation’s Largest Coal Ash Spill

By: Sharon Franklin As we look back at the holiday season, it is only a reminder to Mike Dunn of the health issue his wife Sandy encountered, who was a 40-year employee of the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA).  Mike is reminded of the 2008 Christmas Eve when Sandy left their Alcoa, Tennessee home and her family and headed to the Kingston Fossil Plant, where 7.3 million tons of coal ash was spilling from a busted dike.  Sandy knew nothing about coal ash, even though she worked in the safety division

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January 9, 2019
Blog Roll
Greenpeace’s The Witness
Grist
Groovy Green
Healthy Child Healthy World
Inside Prevention
It’s Getting Hot in Here
Moms Rising
Pharos
Safe Mama
Safer Chemicals Healthy Families
The Soft Landing
Treehugger
Zero Waste World