Postcard from California: State falling short on promise of clean water
By Bill Walker
In 2012, California became the first US state to establish a legal right to clean water. The law declares that “every human being has the right to safe, clean, affordable, and accessible water adequate for human consumption, cooking, and sanitary purposes.”
New study sees link between pesticide and arthritis
By Grace van Deelen
Exposure to a commonly used pesticide could put people at higher risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis, according to a new study.
High levels of toxic PFAS found in pesticides used in farming
By Shannon Kelleher
Widely used pesticides contain concerning levels of toxic “forever chemicals” called PFAS, adding to concerns about the human health risks posed by pesticides that are used in growing food, according to a study published last week.
US EPA to withdraw interim registration review decision for glyphosate
By Shannon Kelleher and Carey Gillam
US regulators on Friday said they would withdraw all remaining portions of the interim registration review decision for the weed killer glyphosate.
Bill bans deep-sea mining in California waters
By Shannon Kelleher
California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a bill this week that will prevent deep sea mining in the waters off the state coastline, a move that joins California with other western states in a bid to protect more than 2,500 square miles of Pacific Ocean seafloor.
Solar power helping health care facilities gain climate resilience
By Pam Strayer
It is not easy to rattle Rosa Vivian Fernandez. As the CEO of a California healthcare clinic that primarily serves a low-income, largely Hispanic community, Fernandez sees the harsh struggles faced by disadvantaged populations on a daily basis. But when she traveled to Puerto Rico in 2017 to visit extended family members, Fernandez was shocked to see how deeply Hurricane Maria had devastated the island infrastructure, including the ability of healthcare providers to serve people in need.
Pesticides plague Californians of color, new study shows
By Shannon Kelleher
Carmen Obeso was pulling weeds at a strawberry field in Ventura County, California when she smelled something strange. Not far from where she stood, she spotted a machine spraying pesticides. With watering eyes and a sickened stomach, Obeso, a Latina farmworker, reported the incident to her crew leader. After insisting on treatment, she was permitted to visit an on-site health care clinic, where she says a doctor reassured her that she had not been exposed to anything harmful.
Court smacks USDA for lack of transparency in GMO labeling
By Carey Gillam
Years of legislative and court battles over the labeling of genetically engineered (GE) food took another turn this week when a federal court determined on Tuesday that the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) erred in allowing food companies to label GE products simply with digital codes that consumers have to scan, without any accompanying disclosure options.
Fighting food insecurity through urban farming
By Richard Bednarski
On a recent sunny morning in Reno, Nevada, volunteers worked diligently to harvest fresh vegetables from plots of rich soil, collecting tomatoes, eggplants, and cucumbers while a few farm goats bleated behind them. The freshly harvested produce would be washed, sorted, and stored in a solar-powered refrigerator until ending up on the dinner plates of local families.
EPA confirms PFAS can leach from shipping containers into food, other products
By Shannon Kelleher
Toxic chemicals knowns as PFAS leach from the walls of shipping containers into the products they contain, potentially contaminating food, pesticides, and other products transported all over the world, according to study by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).