Sierra Club Currents - Colleges Get Green Grades Volume VI, #52 Tuesday, February 20, 2007
Quote of Note:
"The direct exposure would be if kids were putting their lunchboxes in their mouth, which isn't a common way for children to interact with their lunchbox."
- Consumer Product Safety Commission spokeswoman Julie Vallese, on the hazards posed by lead in lunchboxes.
(1) Report Card: Colleges Get Green Grades (2) Mercury: EPA Fails to Hold Polluters Accountable (3) Take Action: Say YES to Renewable Energy (4) Take Action: Mountain Justice Spring Break
(1) Report Card: Colleges Get Green Grades
Harvard University, Stanford University, Dartmouth College, and Williams College received the highest marks for greening their campuses and endowment policies, according to the College Sustainability Report Card recently issued by the Sustainable Endowments Institute. The grades took into account 26 different factors, from green building initiatives to endowment investment policies. Of the 100 schools evaluated, only 4 schools earned A's, while 22 earned B's and 54 earned C's.
Read the full Report Card.
(2) Mercury: EPA Fails to Hold Polluters Accountable
The Sierra Club and other environmental and health groups challenged the EPA's latest refusal to limit toxic mercury emissions from cement kilns today. Despite a court order requiring the agency to set mercury standards, the EPA has issued only flimsy requirements that have almost no impact on cement kiln's toxic pollution. It's past time for the EPA to do what it should have been doing all along- reducing the toxic mercury pollution that is harming our health and the health of our children.
Find out more about toxic mercury pollution.
Photo courtesy of Earth Justice.
(3) Take Action: Say YES to Renewable Energy
Now more than ever, our country needs to invest in clean, renewable energy sources like wind and solar power. Last week, legislation was introduced in the House of Representatives that would require that 20 percent of America's electricity comes from clean, renewable energy sources by 2020. Already, over twenty States around the country have passed similar laws. Setting a national standard would curb global warming and create thousands of new clean energy jobs.
Urge your Representative to sponsor the Udall-Platts Renewable Energy Standard (H.R. 969)!
Photo courtesy NREL.
(4) Take Action: Mountain Justice Spring Break
Hundreds of youth from Appalachia and around the country are partnering with local grassroots community groups for Mountain Justice Spring Break from March 10th -18th in Charleston, West Virginia. The event will support communities resisting destructive mining practices and fighting for the health and safety of all West Virginians. With everything from informational workshops to community service projects to a film festival, youths can stand with community members for environmental justice in Appalachia now!
Learn more and register at www.climateaction.net/mjsb. We hope to see you there!
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