The EPA Wishes You a Happy Earth Day Everyday

Lisa P. Jackson: Call In Day on Clean Air Act

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EPA Proposes First Carbon Pollution Standard for New Power Plants

Today the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed the first Clean Air Act standard for carbon pollution from new power plants. EPA’s proposed standard reflects the ongoing trend in the power sector toward building cleaner plants that take advantage of modern technologies to limit harmful carbon pollution to help provide the critical health protections American families deserve.

EPA is taking another step to address greenhouse gas pollution from the largest uncontrolled sources. On Wednesday, March 27nd at 1:00 p.m., you are invited to participate in a special stakeholder briefing with Administrator Lisa P. Jackson and Assistant Administrator for the Office of Air & Radiation, Gina McCarthy for this important Clean Air Act regulation announcement.

Please see the information below for joining this call.

Join Us…

Date: Tuesday, March 27, 2012

Time: 1:00 p.m. EDT

Toll-Free Dial-In Number: (877) 290-8017

Conference ID: 66377125

Available Positions | Jobs at Environment America

Available Positions Jobs at Environment America Green Jobapalooza this week!

EPA Green Jobs Alert: 2012 College Internship Opportunity

Okay, I'm on a roll folks! I posted yesterday about internships with the National Park Service, but here is one more paid green job internship for diverse students (African American, Latino, Native American). Did I say, paid? The EPA Student Diversity Internship Program (EPASIP) encourages highly qualified undergraduate and graduate students to pursue internships involving scientific research or a focus on business, policy and government relations. Internships are ten weeks and available in the summer or during the school year. The information on the website infers that one must attend a designated historically black, latino or native american university, but there is flexibility around that qualification. I found this internship on the UNCF Special Programs Corporation website. You can tool around the site to checkout other opportunities and register to receive updated information. Happy Green Job Hunting!

Earth Day Action Opportunity

Happy Earth Day! Being the mom of a high school senior, hasn't allowed me much time to have much of an Earth Day celebration, so my contribution was joining the National Resource Defense Council and signing up to become an advocate of our environment and our health. Please show your support by reading this link and taking action. Raising awareness of and expanding my knowledge about the potentially cancerous effects of unsafe chemicals is what led me to blogging about environmental health some three years ago. NRDC: Protecting People from Unsafe Chemicals

BP boycott: Consumers who want to boycott BP over Gulf of Mexico oil spill find it's easier said than done - latimes.com

BP boycott: Consumers who want to boycott BP over Gulf of Mexico oil spill find it's easier said than done - latimes.com Big Poppa is everywhere. What we really need to boycott is our extreme dependence of fossil fuels and its many by-products found in everyday products that we use, from plastics to cosmetics. Let's continue to invest in clean, green options by supporting development and production of green chemistry based products with our dollars and our voices. Let's invest in ourselves, by walking/biking more and driving less, using organic products and natural, responsibly sourced materials.

New Solutions:

Panelists:

Will Allen, Growing Power Inc (Growing Food in the Community) Was featured in NY Times (very tall)
Alan Greene, MD, Stanford Univ of Medicine
Kenneth Cook, Environmental Working Group (major policy advocate)
Jeanne Rizzo, RN, Breast Cancer Fund (Focuses on the environmental causes of breast cancer)

Will Allen: Everyday is earthday! Wants us to remember - Its all about the soil. If we grow healthy soil, we grow healthy food. His talk is over. Psyche. 86% of consumers say they want locally grown food. Slides: Bought last remaining farm in Milwalkee Wisconsin inb 1993. Shows pictures of kids then, comments that they look different than kids today, cause pants were pulled up. LOL! Kids were involved with building farm, composting, gardening, using tools, reading, planting in communities, transformed vacant lots. garden art. Multicultural, multigeneration organization, led by people of color. Grow food year round. Works with juvenile offenders. Really doing a lot of compost and different kinds of food waste. Does a lot of training on composting. Does a lot with vermiculture (worms). Shows a slide with people holding lots of worms. Sell their worm composting product for $4. Food waste converted into cash. Also has fish farms. Lake perch and tilapia. Markets to areas with food deserts. Uses hot compost to keep greenhouse warm. 60% of people involved in small scale agriculture, under age 40. Also using food waste via methane to generate electricity. Solar panels used. Water collection system, recycled into fish farm and plant watering. Also, has animals, goats,chickens, turkeys, bees. Works with the blind, planting for 20 plus corporations, the city (city hall has a garden), asphalt gardens for seniors, just opened up a retail store... this man is AMAZING. School gardens, rooftop gardens in the city, in Chicago has four farms including Grant Park - intensive gardening. Mr. Allen just received a standing ovation! I'm teary eyed. Oh my goodness!

Alan Greene, MD

I'm still high on Will Allen. Let me focus. Okay, he is talking about about environmental cues on genes development. Pesticides - impact on mental development of children, obesity. Body works with women in pregnancy to avoid certain chemicals and desire specific types of foods. How do chemicals get in body? Routes: Mom's mouth, on skin and air we breath. Air - We can make a big difference with little changes. Biggest pollution is in our homes- open windows and doors, houseplants (top ten), choose wisely, avoid products with fragrance if not essential oils. Skin - do a complete makeover of all the products you use, go to www.skindeep.com to check out it's safety. Mouth - Avg American eats 150 pounds of food additives per year. Did you know that endangered species zoo animals eat only organic food. Watch food containers. A study shows that by increasing intact of good healthy foods can significantly reduce amounts of toxins. Raw food yeah! Changing food habits can be difficult. Babies learn food habits via imprinting. Is that why my son associates me with cookies? Children are our canaries in the coal mine. If we are seeing rapid increases in changes with our kids health, we must consider environmental impact. The Safe Chemicals Act, dependent on TOSCA reform (see Lisa Jackson comments). Again, women are being called out to initiate change. $58B a year spent on environmentally caused illnesses.

Ken Cook

Says that this is one of the most important environmental conferences in the world. We have recently started studying pollution in the developing fetus. (shows a slide of a fetus with beating heart). Average of 200 chemicals found in core blood. Studying ten babies of color, African American, Hispanics, Asian American, a total of 382 chemicals found in those babies. www.ewg.org/humantoxome/  We should ask ourselves, are these chemicals safe? There can be health impacts at low exposures, despite what some chemical industry officials state. Uses examples of effectiveness of low dosages of certain medicines to counter that statement.Including Cialis, Albuteral, Paxil, Nuvareen. Gives examples of warning labels of some of these drugs. Very funny. Small exposures can matter. MORE LISTS! About the same as others. EWG has so many guides for shoppers. Go to www.ewg.org/women to get these guides. Says that men need to be brought along on these issues. We need Toxic Chemicals Reform. See Lisa P. Jackson. We should assume that chemicals can cause harm, require public disclosure of health and safety studies. We can make this happen. Shows a poster from the 50's bragging about "More Doctors Smoke X Brand than any other cigarette!". Gives examples of bans of lead, DDT.

Jeanne Rizzo, RN

1992 a 42 year old woman diagnosed with an aggressive form of breast cancer, started the Breast Cancer Fund to find out if environmental causes were behind her disease. She died years later, but her work lives on.
Asks people to call out the names of friends, family members that have died or are dealing with this disease. There are several pieces of legislation in Congress right now, dealing with this disease. (Didn't know this). Primary Prevention - Preventing disease in the first place, before it starts. An absolute public health imperative. We need to take precautionary information on how to protect the environment to avoid disease. Reduce periods of most vulnerable times of exposures. Need to understand how mixtures of chemicals matter, science is trying to catch up with the realities of our complex daily lives. What can we do? Shop for safe cosmetics, use our wallets and social networks. Natural products industry is growing like crazy for these reasons. The industry is listening. www.safecosmetics.com. Lipstick, face paint,shampoo. Call for the passage of the Safe Cosmetics Act of 2010. Federal Toxic Toys Act result of strong science and thousands of letters from parents going to Congress. We need to be mindful of old furnishings and toys, as they are filled with these toxic chemicals. BPA - avoid canned foods. This was originally designed to be a hormonal agent. Look for the label - BPA Free. The Banned Poisonous Additive Act - just introduced by Senator Feinstein. We need to support. The FDA governs these types of substances. Food Substance Contact - we need to pay attention to this category. Fragance - a dirty word? Clorine bleach mimics estrogen. (did not know that). Goodbye Tilex. Household Cleaning Ingredient Disclosure - another pending piece of legislation. Ionizing Radiation - CT Scans, X rays really need to be discussed with doctor, because there are serious impacts. So I guess if you have had cancer related radiation treatments you just SOL. More reasons to eat raw to offset all of that negative energy.

Questions

How do we do that in our city? Where do we get the resource?
Will Allen trained over 1000 communities last year, eight regional training centers. Engage the community first to get them onboard. May have to wait a year to develop relationships with waste providers. (complimented the conference organizers for their waste collection efforts). Collect your waste and bring to urban farms, they really need it. They are competing against waste collectors.  He says we need to get started, quotes the First Lady and says "Lets move!"

Is outdoor air really not as bad as indoor air pollution?
Yes. Offset this with good nutrition, calcium and vitamin D, air out your home, houseplants

Where are the gaps/weaknesses in changes being made?
A lot of fatigue from advocates over the last decade. We need to get up and get going again.
Gaps in public will to address these issues.
Need to create projects that are perceived to be assets to the community.
Conversation about endocrine disruptors, very unhealthy, prevalent in many products
Medical profession - look for a doctor that looks at the whole person, asks questions about chemicals you are exposed to.

How do we responsibly get rid of these toxic products in our homes?
Lots of hesitation on this question. No good answers.
Solution is green chemistry, green design.
Minimize waste. Reuse. Use whats left of personal care products, replace with safer products.
Contact local solid waste district.

Asks the audience to consider the following:

Raise hands in response to anyone whose family has been touched by breast cancer, diabetes, learning disabilities, prostate cancer. Almost everyone raised their hands at least once. Let's get out there and leverage the new science and policy initiatives to change this situation.

Theresa Heinz, event funder and breast cancer survivor, says that today unlike in the past, we can see an opening for solutions, we have choices, information. Talks about teens 12-15 year old in Pittsburgh with breast cancer.A 15 year old that lost their mom because she couldn't afford a mammogram. This is awful!
There are lots of well meaning people out there that will fight you tooth and nail, perhaps young mothers and grandmothers in this group might be reachable. First time she has heard an EPA administrator say the things that Lisa P Jackson, said today. Says that the system in Washington isn't working, so we need to make things happen.

Okay, the conference is officially over. Back to Cleveland to spread the news!

Lisa P. Jackson: Women's Health and Environment Conference

"Science must be the back bone of our work" - Lisa Jackson's statement on first day on the job at EPA.

As Working Woman's "Most Powerful Green Mom", she says that we need to start with our own personal health. We need to understand the risks posed by chemicals and their impact on our health. Chemicals are everywhere, 287 different chemicals found in the cord blood of babies, a steady infusion of industrial chemicals before they are even given solid food. People want assurances that chemicals are safe and risks are not ignored. 1976 Toxic Substances Control Act (TOSCA) - has fallen behind and inadequate tool to provide protection against chemical risks. Manufacturers not required to assess risk. Existing chemicals are grandfathered. EPA tools to assess risks are weak. Burden on proof falls on EPA not manufacturer. If there is data on risks, the law provides many obstacles. There are only five chemicals EPA can manage. Asbestos is not one of them. There are new pathways of exposure for chemicals. Baby bottles, receipts (BPA, who knew?), medical devices, food all pathways to toxins. Goals to change chemical management laws: Review all chemicals based on risks and set safety standards at appropriate levels, safety standards cannot be set without adequate information, EPA and industry should include special consideration for high risk groups, when chemicals fall short of safety standards, EPA can take action, encourage innovation in green chemistry, safety assessments need to be properly resourced. These changes are being evaluated in Congress. Chemical producers, several states and industry are starting to pay attention and acknowledge the need for change. Believes assuring chemical safety in a rapidly changing world should be the role of the EPA. She needs our engagement as women, we lead so many changes, let's push for the positive opportunities to improve health and safety for ourselves and our neighbors. Retailers are starting to realize that women are looking for better and safer products for our families, which is why we are seeing more green products on the shelves.

She departs with her aide, after hugging Dr. Wright.

Audience excused to figure out how to use the assorted recycling trash cans around the place.

Women's Health And The Environment: New Science, New Solutions

On April 21st in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, hundreds of women, physicians, activists and environmentalists will converge upon the eco-friendly David L. Lawrence Convention Center, to address issues around the area of women's health and the environment. Lisa P. Jackson, EPA Chief, will give the keynote and the U.S. Surgeon General, Dr. Regina M. Benjamin will kick-off the morning. This is going to be the place to be if you want to meet all of the players in the fight against environmental toxins. I will be there. Will you? Click here to register, it's free but spaces fill up fast.

Finally, A Fighter For The Environment and Justice In The EPA

A change is gonna come. Is your business ready? Check out this article on Lisa P. Jackson's serious efforts to improving our environment.

EPA and Congressional Black Caucus Announce Environmental Justice Tour

The EPA and the Congressional Black Caucus (Energy and Environment Taskforce) have scheduled environmental justice tours in many states across the nation. Expanding the environmental conversation and environmental justice are key priorities for the EPA. It is great to see this collaboration between the Obama administration and the CBC. The CBC Energy and Environment Taskforce addresses issues on green jobs, alternative energy and enviromental justice as they relate to African Americans. (News to me.) Last week, officials were in Mississippi, today they are scheduled to be in New Orleans. Click here to learn more about the initiative.

Lisa P. Jackson, Head of EPA Announces Top Seven Priorities

Now that Mrs. Jackson, Head of the Environmental Protection Association, has had a few months on the job to review and assess the current state of the environment in the U.S., she has announced seven key priorities for the EPA's future. Here they are:

1. Taking action on climate change (she has already taken aggressive steps in this direction)
2. Improving Air Quality
3. Assuring the safety of chemicals (can you say BPA?)
4. Cleaning up our communities (all communities)
5. Protecting America's waters (you know, toxins from manufacturing outputs and medicines that we flush)
6. Expanding the conversation on environmentalism and working for environmental justice (this mission of this blog)
7. Building strong state and tribal partnerships (collaboration is key)

Click here if you want additional details.

Sounds like a great top seven. I'm in!

More Environmental Grants From The EPA

Are you looking to fund an enviromental education and awareness initiative? You have until December 15th, 2010 to apply for up to 100 grants from the EPA to finance your education project. Grants may be as large as $200,000, but will be more in the range of $25,000. Pass this on to a teacher or school administrator, if you are not directly seeking funding. One will find tips on applying for grants and a list of other EPA grant programs. Goodness knows, we could all benefit by learning more of the need for stewardship of this good earth.

EPA Showcases Communities Promoting Enviromental Justice

The EPA has decided to highlight and profile enviromental justice initiatives in 10 communities across the nation. If you are seeking to launch an environmental justice effort in your neighborhood, you may want to model yourselves after those in this report.

Enviromental Justice Grants for Non-Profits

The EPA anticipates awarding 40 grants of $25,000 each to non-profit agencies offering solutions to addressing enviromental justice and education issues in 2010. Click here for details.

EPA's Jackson Urges Blacks Not to Miss the Green Boat

EPA’s Jackson Urges Blacks Not to Miss the Green Boat. Black and Into Green has always encouraged African Americans to leverage opportunities in the booming green economy, but now it is official as the head of the EPA has taken a stand on this. We are being encouraged to seek out business opportunities and grants that are being made available as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 or stimulus package. Don't be daunted if the types of projects initially receiving stimulus dollars are not in your area of expertise, these businesses will need services that you can provide. Remember there is a ripple effect that will provide financial opportunities for the vendors of the recipients of these federal dollars and often there are requirements to ensure that a diverse vendor base or supply chain exists. Ms. Jackson is going to make a greater effort in the upcoming years to increase the share of the economic pie for women owned and so called "minority" business, as outlined in this speech to women business owners in March.

The Office of Small Business Programs, which at this time is probably still re-organizing itself around the goals of the new administration based upon my review of its website, does have several events planned over the course of the year around the country. You can also follow the EPA on Twitter.

Now that the EPA is alive and kicking again, I would speculate that they will be doing some hiring. Click here for information about green careers with the EPA.

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