Consumer

"After Avoiding Safety Upgrades, PG&E Hired Lobbyists and PR Instead"

"Power shutoffs affecting more than 1 million residents, scheduled by PG&E this week throughout the San Francisco Bay Area and Northern California, have sparked a massive backlash, with many community members telling reporters that they are shocked that the company has not done more to upgrade its transmission lines."

Source: The Intercept, 10/14/2019

"Toxic PFAS Chemicals Found in Artificial Turf"

"PFAS chemicals have been identified in synthetic turf, according to lab tests performed on several samples of the artificial grass that were shared with The Intercept. The presence of the chemicals, members of a class that has been associated with multiple health problems, including cancer, adds to growing concerns about the grass replacement that covers many thousands of acres in parks, schools, professional sports stadiums, and practice fields around the U.S."

Source: The Intercept, 10/09/2019

Water Bottles in Class Offer Varying Lessons in Sustainability

Can consumption in the classroom become a reporting exercise for budding journalists? Our quarterly EJ Academy column explores how collegiate educators can handle sustainability questions. Should students be discouraged from using plastic water bottles? And should faculty use electronic handouts and texts instead of paper copies? Top instructors weigh in.

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Algae — Society’s Big, Green … and Emerging Menace

It’s poisoning fresh waters across the United States, as well as elsewhere in the Americas, Europe, Asia and Africa. Blue-green algae is on the rise, lingering later and later into the year. Our new Issue Backgrounder explains the contributing factors behind the potent toxin’s scourge, its societal and public health ramifications, and the many angles and resources to tell the story.

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"The Next Target In The Climate-Change Debate: Your Gas Stove"

"Dozens of cities in liberal-leaning states such as California, Washington, and Massachusetts are studying proposals to ban or limit the use of natural gas in commercial and residential buildings. The movement opens a new front in the fight against climate change that could affect everything from heating systems in skyscrapers to stoves in suburban homes."

Source: Reuters, 09/10/2019

Chinese Drywall Maker Agrees To $248 Million Settlement, 10 Years Later

"Thousands of people who lived in homes in the mid-2000s made with toxic Chinese drywall, including many in Hampton Roads, may finally get some closure. Taishan Gypsum Co., the Chinese-maker of the drywall that sickened those living inside its walls, has agreed to settle the lengthy legal case for $248 million."

Source: Norfolk Virginian-Pilot, 08/21/2019

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