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Sierra Club Currents - A Surprise Atop the EPA's Green Power List Quote of Note: "Our commitment to this purchase is not just good for the environment, it's good business." - Don Dana, head of Wells Fargo's Corporate Properties Group, which has achieved energy savings of up to 20 percent at many Wells Fargo locations. (1) Business: A Surprise Atop the EPA's Green Power List (2) USC Air Pollution Study: Kids Face Stunted Lung Growth (3) Take Action: Keep Our Air Lead-Free! (4) Take Action: Join the International Week of Climate Action! (1) Business: A Surprise Atop the EPA's Green Power List For the first time, a private company has taken the top spot on the national Top 25 list of green power purchasers. Wells Fargo Company, which earned the number one slot by purchasing 550 million kilowatt hours of green power last year, was joined on the Top 25 by several other corporations, including Whole Foods Market and the World Bank Group -- who use 100% green electricity. The private sector dominance of this year's list shows that sound environmental decisions and profitable business practices can go hand in hand. See who else made the Top 25. (2) USC Air Pollution Study: Kids Face Stunted Lung Growth Children living near busy highways face significant lung problems that can lead to respiratory difficulties for the rest of their lives, according to new University of Southern California study. The study, the largest and longest of its kind, determined smog and pollution from vehicle emissions can stunt lung growth and increase the risk of asthma and other lung diseases. The good news is that now that the risks are known, local governments can take this into account when planning new growth. Read more about the study. Photo courtesy Daniel Yara (3) Take Action: Keep Our Air Lead-Free! For over 30 years the federal government has protected the air we breathe from the serious health threats of toxic lead pollution. Yet, despite the success of this program the EPA is now poised to eliminate standards that limit the amount of lead in our air, allowing polluters to release lead without consequence and putting us all at risk. At a time when other government agencies are striving to remove lead from other sources, such as children's toy jewelry, the EPA should be looking for ways to strengthen-not weaken-protections from lead. Tell the EPA to keep our air lead-free! (4) Take Action: Join the International Week of Climate Action! This week, throughout the U.S. and Canada students will be calling on our leaders to begin aggressive national power shifts on global warming -- reminding Congress and the Canadian Parliament that they are the future. The decisions made today will directly affect the world these young adults inherit tomorrow. Join the call for action on global warming! Students, find out what's happening near you! Not a student? You can still tell Congress the time has come to take action on global warming. Photo courtesy Campus Climate Challenge |
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Currents is the Sierra Club's weekly e-mail update providing you with facts, stories, quotes, and "take action" features. |