Articles Index

Climate Change Creating More Refugees than War
The number of refugees and displaced people worldwide is increasing at a rapid rate, and climate change is a major cause, according to a report by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.

How to Keep Cool Without Air Conditioning
Keep cool with green alternatives to air conditioning. These cooling tips will help you keep cool.

Green 401(k) Plans: Put Your Money Where Your Heart Is
As people become more environmentally conscious, they are looking for additional ways to live green and to make bigger contributions to sustainability. Employees are demanding more green investment options, and more employers are starting to offer 401(k) plans that enable workers to align their dreams of retirement and their dreams of a better world.

Why Are Rising Sea Levels a Threat?
Global warming is causing rising sea levels--what is predicted for rising sea levels and how will that affect us? Is it too late to prevent rising sea levels?

Phthalates in Cosmetics: “Not Too Pretty”
Most mainstream cosmetics contain phthalates, an industrial chemical shown to cause serious health problems in humans and animals. Learn the dangers of phthalates and where to find cosmetics that are free of phthalates.

U.S. Lists Polar Bears as Threatened Species, but Fails to Ban Oil Drilling
The United States has listed polar bears as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act, but at the same time left the door open for continued oil drilling in polar bear habitat.

Does Sunscreen Really Protect You?
Sunscreen is supposed to let you get enough sunshine for good health while shielding you from harmful rays that can cause sunburn and skin cancer. Does your sunscreen offer the protection you need, or leave you exposed to UV radiation and harmful chemicals?

New Urbanism: Designing Eco-Friendly and People-Friendly Communities
What makes “new urbanism” housing developments more environmentally friendly than regular old suburban neighborhoods? New urbanisim incorporates green building design and renewable energy to create livable communities that encourage people to walk, shop locally and get to know their neighbors.

Life Expectancy Declines for American Women
Life expectancy for American women is declining for the first time since the Spanish influenza epidemic in 1918, according to a new study. Life expectancy is going down or failing to improve for nearly 1 in 5 U.S. women. Smoking and obesity are seen as major causes for the loss of life expectancy among American women.

Earth Day: The History and Evolution of Earth Day
Offers a history of Earth Day--how Earth Day began and how Earth Day evolved--and profiles both the international Earth Day observance held each year on the vernal equinox and the annual Earth Day celebration on April 22, which is more common in the United States.

Bush on Global Warming: Decider or Dissembler?
When President Bush unveiled his new strategy to stop the growth of greenhouse gase emissions and slow global warming, it sounded like the same old bait-and-switch. When it comes to global warming and other environmental issues, is Bush "the decider," as he once famously declared, or the dissembler?

Five Ways to Help Save the Planet in 30 Minutes or Less
You may not be able to reduce global warming, end pollution and save endangered species single-handedly, but by choosing to live an earth-friendly lifestyle you can do a lot every day to help achieve those goals. Here are five simple things you can do—in 30 minutes or less—to help protect the environment and save Planet Earth.

Condoms to Help Preserve Amazon Rainforest
Condoms are used by millions of people worldwide to prevent pregnancy and stop the spread of sexually transmitted diseases, but now Brazil has come up with a new use for condoms: preserving the Amazon rainforest.

Cross-Border Pollution: A Growing International Problem
Cross-border pollution is a serious environmental problem that often frustrates national solutions. As pollution from one nation contaminates the air and water of another, it creates a dilemma for both and leaves local communities with few real options.

Litter Trashes the Environment
Litter is more than an eyesore on city streets and alongside highways. Litter pollutes waterways and leaches toxic chemicals into soil and groundwater as it breaks down. Most litter begins with a careless or thoughtless act by a single person who tosses away a cigarette butt or an empty soda can, which means there is a lot you can do to prevent litter.

Can Peanut Butter and Jelly Save the World?
Every time you eat a plant-based meal, such as a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, instead of an animal-based meal, such as a hamburger, you strike a blow for the environment by sending a clear message about resource management to restaurants, supermarkets and farmers.

Energy Conservation: A Free Home Energy Audit Can Help You Save Power and Money
Requesting a free home energy audit from your local utility can help you find ways to reduce your energy consumption, lower your carbon footprint, and save money in the bargain. You may also be able to purchase green power from your local utility. Learn more about green power and how you can get a free home energy audit.

Is Clean Coal Really Clean?
Clean coal supporters claim clean coal and liquid coal can help to free the United States of its dependence on foreign oil without damaging the environment, but critics say "clean coal" is dirtier than oil-based alternatives. Get the dirt on clean coal.

Public Transportation: Fast Track to Fewer Emissions and Energy Independence
One of the easiest ways to pocket some extra green while living green is to use public transportation as often as possible. Using public transportation instead of driving alone in your car is good for the planet and good for your budget. Families that use public transportation regularly can save more money annually than the average U.S. household spends on food.

Bush Orders EPA to Weaken New Ozone Standards
On March 13, 2008, the Environmental Protection Agency set new ozone standards that place stricter limits on the release of smog-producing air pollutants that can cause serious health effects and even premature death. But under last-minute pressure from the White House, EPA Administrator Stephen L. Johnson made the standards significantly less restrictive than those recommended by the agency’s scientific advisers.

European Union Tells US Airlines to Go Green or Get Lost
U.S. airlines must start paying for carbon credits to offset their carbon dioxide emissions or face restrictions, or a possible ban, on flights to the European Union, according to EU Transport Commissioner Jacques Barrot.

Why Is Organic Cotton Clothing So Cool?
Learn why health and environmental concerns prompt hip designers to choose organic cotton, and where to look for organic cotton clothing.

Sunny Side of the Street: Can Roads Be Used to Generate Solar Power?
Using road surfaces to generate clean solar power is an innovative idea being explored in both Europe and the United States. Experts believe that turning highways into solar collectors as well as transportation corridors could generate enough electricity to meet the energy needs of the entire world.

Thomas Edison: Champion of Renewable Energy
Thomas Edison may have invented those incandescent light bulbs everyone is replacing these days, but he was also a pioneer in the use of renewable energy and green technology.

Global Warming Leads to 150,000 Deaths Every Year
Along with posing serious future threats to human health, global warming currently contributes to more than 150,000 deaths and 5 million illnesses every year, according to the World Health Organization and the University of Wisconsin at Madison. And those numbers could double by 2030.