Just as farmers markets are swinging into full bloom, there’s very disturbing news about radiation from Japan reaching new levels in Europe. And if...
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Lawsuits have been a deterrent for many communities seeking to ban the ubiquitous plastic bags that cram landfills and tangle up waterways. Millbrae, for example, was blocked on the grounds it needed to conduct a full environmental review of its proposal. Now a number of towns in San Mateo County are calling on their trade association – the City/County Association of Governments – to conduct a countywide environmental review of a plastic bag ban so they can move forward without fear of legal repercussions. [Read more -San Francisco Examiner].
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has unveiled new fuel economy labels for vehicles that expand on California standards. The labels on new cars will display gas mileage, average fuel costs, a smog rating, and a global warming score. The scores range from one to 10, with 10 being the least polluting. A smart phone application will allow buyers to comparison shop. [Read more -California Watch].
A new sustainable food show will be airing on public television this fall, the product of Berkeley producers who wanted to highlight solutions to the environmental problems of the food industry. “Food Forward” is a nationally aired documentary series that showcases food purveyors who offer alternatives to conventional food production. Producer Greg Roden says he wants that “people feel something deep and then maybe go out and plant a tomato.” A pilot will air on KQED with a preview screening showing tonight (Thursday) at the David Brower Center in Berkeley at 6pm. [Read more - Berkeleyside].
The first cargo ship to shut off its diesel generators and power off the grid docked in the Port of Oakland this week. California is now requiring that all shipping fleets be able to “cold iron” at California ports by 2014, but so far only a couple have met the standard. Idling ships typically run off diesel systems while docked for upwards of 24 hours, contributing significantly to ambient air pollution. Connecting instead to the electrical grid requires the upgrades to the vessels and new infrastructure on shore. [Read more - Oakland North].
Alameda County has adopted a new green purchasing policy requiring that materials bought with county dollars meet certain environmental criteria, including waste reduction and recycled content. The decision fits with Alameda’s climate action plan. [Read more - Oakland Local].
The Peninsula city of Belmont has tentatively approved a ban on single use plastic bags and polystyrene (styrofoam) products. Officials say that a ban on the estimated 13 million plastic bags used by city residents each year would protect marine life and reduce the cost of cleaning up creeks and storm drains. San Francisco has a ban on plastic bags and similar measures are being considered in San Carlos and Daly City. The polystyrene ban would require the replacement of foam takeout containers with greener alternatives. A final vote by the Belmont city council is needed. [Read more - San Mateo Daily Journal]
A UC Berkeley study has found that 80 percent of commonly used baby products containing polyurethane foam contained toxic or untested flame retardants. The products ranged from changing pads to nursing pillows, and a good third of them were infused with chlorinated Tris, the same chemical that was banned in the 1970s from pajamas because of concerns over toxicity. California mandated flame retardants be added to consumer items, including furniture and baby products, in a quantity that could withstand an open flame for 12 seconds. But the researchers note that items like nursing pillows typically have cotton covers, and so are not flame resistant anyway. [Read more - News Center, UC Berkeley]
Now’s the time to see record snow melt in Yosemite National Park after a winter season drenched in precipitation. Yosemite Falls, the nation’s tallest, is throwing down enough water to fill a gasoline tanker truck every two seconds. Mid June will be the time of peak melt, coinciding with peak visitor season. Go and you’ll be able to see so many waterfalls that some don’t even have names and don’t exist on maps. [Read more - Oakland Tribune].
The “Grapevine” along I-5 is emerging as a possible route for California’s high speed rail line despite its high terrane and its location alongside two major earthquake faults. The route is less expensive, according to an analysis commissioned by the state, in part because it shaves 9 minutes and $1 billion off construction costs. But critics say the new bullet train should go through the densest population centers, the leading alternate route taking passengers through Antelope Valley serving the town of Palmdale. In other bullet train news, officials from Spain visited the Bay Area to impart their wisdom on building high-speed rail service. [Read more - San Francisco Business Times and California Watch].
Google CEO Larry Page may be building a certified “green” house in Palo Alto, but the neighbors don’t like the steady stream of water running off the construction site. To create his 3.488 square foot basement, contractors have been pumping water from a shallow aquifer on site down a storm drain. The neighbors say the local vegetation needs that water, but city officials deny there is an environmental problem. Question: does building a 9,446 square foot mansion ever qualify as “environmental” no matter how many solar panels are on the roof? [Read more- San Jose Mercury News].
SF Environment Director Melanie Nutter talks about SF climate change policy at TEDx
Just as farmers markets are swinging into full bloom, there’s very disturbing news about radiation from Japan reaching new levels in Europe. And if...
Read more »
Did you know that sleeping next to someone blitzes you with 0.05 millionth of a sievert of radiation per night? That eating a banana...
Read more »
It’s been a point of maddening frustration for scientists and environmentalists that as the predictions on global warming grow more dire, the public seems...
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Way Out West is a news site for the Bay Area dedicated to daily coverage of local green news.
We're camping out at public meetings, traipsing through parks, and sticking our noses into green tech research to bring you relevant local stories that matter.
WOW is produced by two local environmental journalists for you, our eco-savvy readers. We'd love to hear what you want from this site.
Strawberry pesticide up for further debate
In response to public uproar in December over the California Department of Pesticide Regulation’s approval of the “strawberry pesticide” methyl iodide, the Environmental Protection Agency opened the subject for further review last week. The EPA will accept public comments about the controversial pesticide through April 30th. The department disregarded a recommendation from its own staff scientists and set the maximum exposure level to methyl iodide 120 times higher than recommended.
[Read more - California Watch]
Tags: california department of pesticide regulation, epa, methyl iodide, pesticide, public comment period, strawberry fumigant