A.M. Greenlist: What's coming this summer

>> L.A. may finally see mandatory water rationing this summer. Dry weather, outmoded water delivery systems, and the shrinking Sierra snowpack are all contributing to our water woes. "Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger issued a statement urging the Legislature to pass comprehensive water reforms, warning that many communities face shortages and possible rationing." Earlier: Water fights, Water gets more precious in SoCal.

>> A summer gas tax break = A really, really bad idea, say both economists and environmentalists. Senators McCain and Clinton back the break, while Obama has come out against it, pushing for more rail in the Midwestern states instead. Earlier: 'Summer Holiday' from Gas Tax a Bad Idea.

>> Down with gas guzzlers! "Truck and SUV purchases plummet 17.4% last month, compared with April 2007, while passenger autos -- which cost less to fuel -- post a 5.2% gain."

>> Down with ethanol subsidies! "With high food prices prompting grocery-store apologies to customers and raising fears of starvation in impoverished countries, Congress suddenly faces renewed pressure to cut subsidies to the wealthiest farmers and incentives for ethanol production." Earlier: Biofuel madness.

>> Simplify your beauty routine for your health and the environment's, says Stacy Malkan, co-founder of the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics. "Less is better. Look for products with fewer synthetic chemicals, use fewer products overall, try to avoid synthetic fragrance and parabens .... It's true that natural products tend to cost more, and also are not available everywhere.... But it's also true that many of us spend a lot of money on beauty products of all types. If you start to simplify, you may find that you spend less money overall."

The U.S. EPA's been busy this week:

>> The EPA found dangerous amounts of asbestos in the Clear Creek Management Area in Fresno and San Benito counties, prompting the federal Bureau of Land Management to close the recreation area.

>> Forced by the courts to take action, the EPA finally proposed tougher airborne lead regulation standards -- though many loopholes remain during the public comment period to water down the standards considerably.

>> Meanwhile, the EPA's top Midwest regulator got ousted by the Bush administration, allegedly for being too tough on Dow Chemical over "long-delayed plans to clean up dioxin-saturated soil and sediment that extends 50 miles beyond its Midland, Mich., plant into Saginaw Bay and Lake Huron. The company dumped the highly toxic and persistent chemical into local rivers for most of the last century." (via Grist)

Photo by Esther Perez via Flickr

Comments

[KateNonymous]

I've always been on the low end of the makeup spectrum, even in my high school days--and those were in Texas during the 1980s. Now my products consist of foundation, concealer, blush, powder, lipstick, and gloss, and most days I don't wear any of them. I use more products for skin care, actually, and have been working to use products that are better for me and the environment.

What I don't have is a hair conditioner that seems to actually condition. The organic products I've tried so far feel great in my hand, but leave my hair feeling fairly dry. Any suggestions?

[mk]

maybe down with ethanol from _corn_ subsidies? there's plenty of reason to keep R&D going for cellulosic ethanol (not from food or feed crops). waste wood, switchgrass and other feedstock would not have an impact on land use or food crops, but the technology's not there yet. it'd be dangerous to lump in all ethanol together. additionally, if you really wanted to make an impact by calling for an end to subsidies, we should stop subsidizing polluting energy first: coal. oil. nukes. take all the dough (billions upon billions of dollars) and start ramping up REAL support for renewables.