America's Unsafe Air

America's Unsafe Air
According to the American Lung Association, more than half of all Americans live in counties with unsafe levels of smog and particle pollution, which leads to many lung and respiratory illnesses.

Energy supplies: A chill wind

Britain’s dependence on gas imports will increase

ENERGY policy in Britain over the past half-decade has been a tale of despair and redemption. Nuclear power was ruled out in 2003 as too expensive; the Anglo-French deal announced this week suggests that a new nuclear age is dawning. In a climate-conscious age, coal, the dirtiest fossil fuel, is a pariah. Yet on September 22nd John Hutton, the secretary of state for business, proposed new coal plants to complement the new nuclear stations, in order to reduce Britain’s reliance on imported natural gas.

A sensible goal, but tricky—at least in the short run. North Sea production has been declining for almost a decade. Imported gas accounted for around two-fifths of British consumption last winter; it will be four-fifths by 2020. And as indigenous supplies fall, a looming shortfall in electricity generation (elderly nuclear plants and dirty coal-fired stations must soon be closed) will have to be met largely through more gas, which already provides 40% of Britain’s power. …

Make Mowing Your Grass Greener
Gasoline-powered lawn mowers may account for five percent of U.S. air pollution, according to the EPA. Mowing your lawn for an hour with a gas-powered mower pollutes the air as much as driving 100 miles in your car. Find out how you can make mowing your grass a little greener.

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