News Release

EPA Releases Report on Climate Change and Health

"The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has released a report that discusses the potential impacts of climate change on human health, human welfare, and communities in the U.S. The report, entitled 'Analyses of the Effects of Global Change on Human Health and Welfare and Human Systems,' also identifies adaptation strategies to help respond to the challenges of a changing climate and identifies near- and long-term research goals for addressing data and knowledge gaps."

Call for Papers - Consuming Chemicals: Implications for Women's Health

The National Network on Environments and Women's Health (NNEWH) is commissioning 6 papers that explore the relationship between exposures to chemicals and women's health. The paper should be 30-40 pages in length and NNEWH will give preference to papers that focus on the social determinants of health model. The chosen papers will be published in a collection edited by Dr. Dayna Nadine Scott. The authors will be asked to present their papers in public lectures hosted by York University, compile a policy brief based on their research and participate in a policy forum. In addition, the authors will receive $3,000 for the paper and lecture and $1,000 for the policy brief and their participation in the policy forum. The proposal deadline for papers is August 1st, 2008.

Antibiotics in our livestock

May 1, 2008 - LA Times editorial on the use of antibiotics in animal agriculture, reflecting on the findings of the Pew Commission on Industrial Farm Animal Production.

Sierra Club Gulf Coast Disaster Map

A map showing the size and extent of the BP Oil Spill.

Report Targets Costs Of Factory Farming

April 30, 2008 - Washington Post article, by Rick Weiss, on the Pew Commission on Industrial Farm Animal Production's final report. Recommendations include phasing out the non-therapeutic use of medically important antibiotics in animal agriculture.

With Announcement of Near-Record Cash-On-Hand, Oceana Urges PPG Industries to Modernize its Chlorine Plant

In the wake of PPG’s announcement of near record cash-on-hand and higher-than-projected earnings, Oceana, an ocean conservation group working to persuade chlor-alkali manufacturers such as PPG Industries to go “mercury-free,” urged the company to stop using polluting mercury-based technology in its Natrium, WV plant.

Investors Challenge Natural Gas Companies to Increase Transparency and Protect the Environment

This press release describes the filing of 12 shareholder resolutions at natural gas exploration and development companies, focusing in particular on the toxic hazards from the practice of hydraulic fracturing. The resolutions ask companies to increase transparency regarding the environmental impact of their operations and encourage companies to mitigate risks by switching to less toxic fracturing fluids and adopting best practices for drilling and managing wastes.

World Bucket Brigade Report: Telling Toxic Truth Worldwide

New Global Report Documents Grassroots Action to Monitor Toxic Pollution: Industrial Communities Unite to Demand Clean Air on Earth Day 2008

Autism and Asthma Linked to Vinyl Flooring in Homes

CHEJ Launches New Campaign to Rid Schools of Toxic Flooring Falls Church, VA – The scientific community is abuzz over a first of its kind study published in the journal Neurotoxicology that found a statistically significant correlation between Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC or vinyl) flooring. The study found that children who live in homes with vinyl floors, which can emit phthalates, are twice as likely to have autism. The is the first study to link PVC flooring with autism spectrum disorder, and adds to a growing body of scientific evidence linking phthalates in PVC flooring with asthma and other respiratory problems in children and adults. The study focused on vinyl flooring in the home but children are routinely exposed to this toxic material in their schools as well.

21 Environmental Health NGOs Urge Mutual Fund Support For Shareholder Resolutions at Dow and Avon on Product Safety

A group of 21 environmental health NGOs, led by Pesticide Action Network, sent letters to the major mutual fund holders of Dow and Avon urging their support for shareholder resolutions on pesticide/asthma links at Dow (May 15th vote) and at Avon Products on nanomaterials in cosmetics and personal care products (May 1st vote). The press release on the PAN site hotlinks to the letter text and its fact sheet attachments on the two resolutions.

Report: Asbestos Litigation Disaster for Investors Could be Repeated with Nanotechnology Unless SEC and FASB Close Eight Major Loopholes Now Preventing Honest Disclosures

This press release describes a new report and related on-line video from the Investor Environmental Health Network, urging reforms in financial reporting to better disclose corporations' potential liabilities. The report builds on case studies of asbestos and nanomaterials. For a report summary, see http://iehn.org/publications.reports.eightloopholes.php For the video, see http://iehn.org/multimedia.online.php

Biodiversity, Spring 2006

CGBD Newsletter focused on Green Chemistry.

TOXIC PRODUCT RECALL BACKLASH SEEN AS INVESTORS FILE RECORD 21 RESOLUTIONS ON WIDE RANGE OF CHEMICAL, PRODUCT SAFETY CONCERNS

This is a press release providing details on investor engagements with companies on safer chemicals/materials issues this proxy season. The full text is on the Investor Environmental Health Network website. Note also the reference in the release to IEHN's new report, Toxic Stock Syndrome, about corporate (non)disclosure practices on toxics. The press release contains a hotlink to that report released in April and our site also contains an audio of our press conference featuring Rich Liroff, Calvert Investment's Bennett Freeman, and Dr. Lynn Goldman.

Environmental and Climate Justice Victory in Richmond

APEN, CBE, and West County Toxics Win Appeal against oil giant Chevron

Gulf Coast Fund Mobilizing Emergency Response to the BP Oil Drilling Disaster

An April 30 "Gulf Coast Fund Statement on Emergency Response to the BP Oil Drilling Disaster" and related information are on the Gulf Coast Fund website.

NOAA National Ocean Service Deepwater Horizon Incident, Gulf Coast incident page

As the nation’s leading scientific resource for oil spills, NOAA has been on the scene of the Deepwater Horizon spill from the start, providing coordinated scientific weather and biological response services to federal, state and local organizations.

EPA Response to BP Gulf Coast Oil Spill

 

Biodiversity, Spring 2006

CGBD Newsletter focused on Green Chemistry.

Livestock-associated MRSA reported in US

A pilot study published last week by researchers at the University of Iowa has found high prevalence of MRSA in swine (49%) and swine workers (45%) on a commercial confinement operation with farms scattered in Iowa and Illinois. The study, published in the PLoS ONE, v. 4(1); 2009, is the first to demonstrate the presence of the dangerous MRSA strain ST 398 in the U.S. The results add to the mounting body of evidence pointing to farm animals as reservoirs for antibiotic resistant strains of MRSA under circumstances in which the bacteria are passed to humans...

Kresge Announces Two New Grantmaking Programs – the Health Program and the Environment Program

An announcement of the formation of two new programs at the Kresge Foundation: the Health Program and the Environment Program. The programs will focus on public health, health disparities, environmental justice, climate change, environmental sustainability issues and more.