Day: June 20, 2019

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Senate Bill Would Have EPA Regulate PFAS in Drinking Water

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Senate Bill Would Have EPA Regulate PFAS in Drinking Water

A Senate committee unanimously approved legislation June 19 that would force the EPA to set new standards for a prevalent nonstick chemical in drinking water. The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee approved an amendment to a broader defense bill (S. 1790) that would force the Environmental Protection Agency to set a safety threshold for chemicals called per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS.

This seems like a good idea, especially with so many concerns about contamination locally.

How you’re recycling plastic wrong, from coffee cups to toothpaste | Environment | The Guardian

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How you’re recycling plastic wrong, from coffee cups to toothpaste | Environment | The Guardian

It’s a familiar scene: you stand at the bin, trash in hand, and wonder: “Can I recycle this?” We tend to throw it in the recycling bin anyway, in the hope that some unknown person, somewhere else, will sort it out. Recyclers call this aspirational recycling, or wish-cycling. While recycling continues to be an essential tool for dealing with the flood of plastic inundating the planet, it’s time for a reality check.

 

These 20 companies use food waste to make new food

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These 20 companies use food waste to make new food

In the U.S.—where Americans now waste 70% more food than they did in the 1970s—food waste is responsible for roughly the same amount of greenhouse gas emissions as 37 million cars. Globally, if food waste was a country, it would be the third-largest polluting country in the world. When food rots in landfills, it releases the potent greenhouse gas methane. But the largest source of emissions comes from growing the food; even if it’s composted, food waste also wastes the fertilizer, fuel, and other resources that went into producing it.

America’s Epidemic of Empty Churches – The Atlantic – Pocket

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America’s Epidemic of Empty Churches – The Atlantic – Pocket

Many of our nation’s churches can no longer afford to maintain their structures—6,000 to 10,000 churches die each year in America—and that number will likely grow. Though more than 70 percent of our citizens still claim to be Christian, congregational participation is less central to many Americans’ faith than it once was. Most denominations are declining as a share of the overall population, and donations to congregations have been falling for decades. Meanwhile, religiously unaffiliated Americans, nicknamed the “nones,” are growing as a share of the U.S. population.

Canada Declares Climate Emergency, Then Approves Massive Oil Pipeline Expansion

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Canada Declares Climate Emergency, Then Approves Massive Oil Pipeline Expansion

Only one day after declaring a climate emergency, Canada has approved the expansion of a massive pipeline that will increase oil production in Alberta and release more greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.

On Monday night, Canada’s parliament passed a motion brought forward by Environment and Climate Change Minister Catherine McKenna calling climate change a “real and urgent crisis, driven by human activity,” and requiring the government to make deep emissions reductions to meet its Paris commitments.

 

14-Inch Goldfish Found in Niagara River Near Buffalo; Group Warns Owners Not to Flush Pets | KTLA

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14-Inch Goldfish Found in Niagara River Near Buffalo; Group Warns Owners Not to Flush Pets | KTLA

Buffalo Niagara Waterkeeper is reminding you not to flush goldfish after a giant goldfish was found in the Niagara River. The group posted a photo of a 14-inch goldfish that was caught just downstream of the wastewater treatment plant. The Facebook post goes on to say that goldfish can survive year-round, and destroy the habitat of native fish. Scientists are estimating there are tens of millions of goldfish in the Great Lakes.

I have some questions about this -- why wasn't it screened out -- maybe an combined sewer overflow?