OTTAWA, Ontario, Canada, January 30, 2009 (ENS) - The Canadian government today declared two chemicals used in lipstick and other personal care products to be toxic to the environment, although officials said they are not used in large enough quantities to be of concern for human health. Two other chemicals used in cosmetics were found to be harmful to human health.
Canada's declaration is the first environmental or health-based determination concerning these chemicals issued by any country.
The two personal care chemicals of concern for the environment are the siloxanes D4 and D5. Used as emollients to soften the skin, siloxanes are found in most personal care products on the market in Canada and the United States.
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Saturday, January 24, 2009
Obama's early actions bode well for the environment
On his first full day in office on Wednesday, Obama signed two executive orders and three presidential memoranda on executive branch ethics. Though none were explicitly environmental, his new policy regarding the Freedom of Information Act will certainly be relevant for activists, reporters, and citizens seeking information about environment-related executive-branch activity. The order signals to government employees that the new administration intends to make information more readily available to the public. "The mere fact that you have the legal power to keep something secret doesn't mean you should always use it," said Obama in a press conference on Wednesday.
From the memo sent to the heads of executive departments and agencies:
The Government should not keep information confidential merely because public officials might be embarrassed by disclosure, because errors and failures might be revealed, or because of speculative or abstract fears. Nondisclosure should never be based on an effort to protect the personal interests of Government officials at the expense of those they are supposed to serve. In responding to requests under the FOIA, executive branch agencies should act promptly and in a spirit of cooperation, recognizing that such agencies are servants of the public.
From the memo sent to the heads of executive departments and agencies:
The Government should not keep information confidential merely because public officials might be embarrassed by disclosure, because errors and failures might be revealed, or because of speculative or abstract fears. Nondisclosure should never be based on an effort to protect the personal interests of Government officials at the expense of those they are supposed to serve. In responding to requests under the FOIA, executive branch agencies should act promptly and in a spirit of cooperation, recognizing that such agencies are servants of the public.
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Nigeria: Saving the Environment Through Ecosystem Preservation
The impact of our changing climate on human systems is the rise in the incidence and severity of climate change related disasters.
After decades of skepticism about global warming and its after effects, the world has come face to face with the realities of that danger, particularly in fragile tropical landscapes where majority of the world's poorest people live on peasant agriculture.
"The challenge of climate change is unlikely to be gender neutral as it increases the risk to the most vulnerable and less empowered social groups", Dr. Ilo Okoye has said.
Okoye said this while presenting a paper at the workshop on environmental issues in Agricultural/Agro Industrial and Rural Development in Abuja.
The don said that the United Nations (UN) 2008 General Assembly Proceedings, has warned that global warming could cost the world up to $20 trillion over the next 20 to 25 years in order to place the world on a markedly different and sustainable energy trajectory.
After decades of skepticism about global warming and its after effects, the world has come face to face with the realities of that danger, particularly in fragile tropical landscapes where majority of the world's poorest people live on peasant agriculture.
"The challenge of climate change is unlikely to be gender neutral as it increases the risk to the most vulnerable and less empowered social groups", Dr. Ilo Okoye has said.
Okoye said this while presenting a paper at the workshop on environmental issues in Agricultural/Agro Industrial and Rural Development in Abuja.
The don said that the United Nations (UN) 2008 General Assembly Proceedings, has warned that global warming could cost the world up to $20 trillion over the next 20 to 25 years in order to place the world on a markedly different and sustainable energy trajectory.
Friday, January 16, 2009
Environment group slams Heathrow expansion plan
A LEADING environmental group said today it would continue its fight against plans for a new runway at Heathrow airport.
Yesterday's announcement the third runway would be given the go-ahead has been branded a “terrible decision” and “a hammer blow” by Friends of the Earth.
It could lead to planes flying as low as 1,200m above the south Bucks area because of necessary changes which would be made to flight paths in and out of the airport.
Andy Atkins, executive director of Friends of the Earth, said: “This terrible decision will intensify opposition to the Government’s aviation strategy – the battle against Heathrow expansion can still be won.
Yesterday's announcement the third runway would be given the go-ahead has been branded a “terrible decision” and “a hammer blow” by Friends of the Earth.
It could lead to planes flying as low as 1,200m above the south Bucks area because of necessary changes which would be made to flight paths in and out of the airport.
Andy Atkins, executive director of Friends of the Earth, said: “This terrible decision will intensify opposition to the Government’s aviation strategy – the battle against Heathrow expansion can still be won.
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Ride a cycle, save environment
PUNE: With the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) starting work on its project on 'Nonmotorised transport feeder services to pilot bus rapid
transit (BRT) routes,' the civic body is all set to take this opportunity to renew the city's image as 'cycling city,' by planning a series of projects promoting non-motorised transport (NMT).
The biggest advantage is Pune has been chosen by the Union ministry of urban development , as a demonstration city for the World Bank-assisted sustainable urban transport programme (SUTP) for India, which include NMT feeder services project. "Although the World Bank is going to fund only the NMT feeder services project, we are preparing several other plans to bring back cycles on roads," Dinesh Girolla of PMC's NMT cell said.
transit (BRT) routes,' the civic body is all set to take this opportunity to renew the city's image as 'cycling city,' by planning a series of projects promoting non-motorised transport (NMT).
The biggest advantage is Pune has been chosen by the Union ministry of urban development , as a demonstration city for the World Bank-assisted sustainable urban transport programme (SUTP) for India, which include NMT feeder services project. "Although the World Bank is going to fund only the NMT feeder services project, we are preparing several other plans to bring back cycles on roads," Dinesh Girolla of PMC's NMT cell said.
Saturday, January 10, 2009
Coal-ash waste poses risk across the nation
The billion-gallon wave of toxic coal-ash sludge that burst from a power-plant retention pond and buried 300 acres of rural Tennessee hints at a far larger problem: hundreds of similar threats nationwide.
More than 1,300 coal-ash waste sites are dotted across the United States, about half of them actively used, federal data show. Some are landfills. The rest are “surface impoundments” (storage lagoons), which, like the one in Tennessee, mix ash with water.
Coal ash has some beneficial uses. It can be mixed with concrete to make roads, for example. But storing coal ash in a retention pond – common at coal-fired power plants nationwide – can be a threat to the environment and humans as well: The ash contains many toxic metals, including arsenic, lead, and chromium.
More than 1,300 coal-ash waste sites are dotted across the United States, about half of them actively used, federal data show. Some are landfills. The rest are “surface impoundments” (storage lagoons), which, like the one in Tennessee, mix ash with water.
Coal ash has some beneficial uses. It can be mixed with concrete to make roads, for example. But storing coal ash in a retention pond – common at coal-fired power plants nationwide – can be a threat to the environment and humans as well: The ash contains many toxic metals, including arsenic, lead, and chromium.
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
Japan seeking to expand environment business market to Y100 tril
Japan plans to seek to expand the environment business market to 100 trillion yen by 2015, about 1.4 times the 2006 level, to increase jobs in the area by 800,000 to 2.2 million, government sources said Monday. Prime Minister Taro Aso is expected to order Environment Minister Tetsuo Saito on Tuesday to compile the project, under which Japan seeks to prop up the economy by promoting measures to curb global warming, they said.
The project is aimed at curbing carbon dioxide emissions by the use of energy-saving products and investment in environment-related industries, they said. Among measures under consideration are interest-free loans for companies investing in environment-related fields and systems to encourage the purchase of energy-saving electric appliances and electric cars, they said. Promotion of energy-saving housing units, the use of renewable energy for street lights, support for car sharing and the launch of solar power generation at local government halls are also under consideration, they said.
The project is aimed at curbing carbon dioxide emissions by the use of energy-saving products and investment in environment-related industries, they said. Among measures under consideration are interest-free loans for companies investing in environment-related fields and systems to encourage the purchase of energy-saving electric appliances and electric cars, they said. Promotion of energy-saving housing units, the use of renewable energy for street lights, support for car sharing and the launch of solar power generation at local government halls are also under consideration, they said.
Saturday, January 3, 2009
Wake up! Find ways to help the environment
How can you participate in the transition to a sustainable society? The answer will vary for each person, and I cannot and would not suggest your course of action. However, I can tell you that the answers are both within you and all around you, and I can offer a strategy for finding them.
Either by yourself or, better, with family, friends or any group you choose, conduct one or more brainstorming sessions to explore what you can do for the environment - at home, at work and in your community and the public realm.
Brainstorming works best when there are no restrictions placed on the original creative session. "Environment" can be interpreted as widely or narrowly as you'd like, and outcomes can range from conventional environmental activities such as planting trees or making your home more energy efficient to reading nature stories to children.
Either by yourself or, better, with family, friends or any group you choose, conduct one or more brainstorming sessions to explore what you can do for the environment - at home, at work and in your community and the public realm.
Brainstorming works best when there are no restrictions placed on the original creative session. "Environment" can be interpreted as widely or narrowly as you'd like, and outcomes can range from conventional environmental activities such as planting trees or making your home more energy efficient to reading nature stories to children.
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