In The News / Nov 13

• Study: Fracking fluid has same chemicals as everyday products.

  A study of one component found in the fracking fluid injected into shale to release oil and gas contains chemicals found in substances most people ingest all the time, including ice cream, laxatives and toothpaste, according to new research from the University of Colorado at Boulder. Washington Post

• Coal mines keep operating despite injuries, violations and millions in fines.

  A joint investigation by NPR and Mine Safety and Health News found that thousands of mine operators fail to pay safety penalties, even as they continue to manage dangerous — and sometimes deadly — mining operations. National Public Radio

• Fracking sand in oilfields stirs up a serious health risk for workers.

  Health concerns about oil field fracking have been focused on the mixed brew of chemicals injected into wells. But it is another innocuous-sounding substance — sand — that poses a more serious danger to workers. Denver Post, Colorado

• Toxic levels of a chemical in plastic medical devices could endanger preemies.

  A potentially toxic chemical that is strictly regulated in children's toys is also used in abundance in neonatal intensive care units, where premature babies are often struggling to survive. Washington Post

• WHO spotlights dangers posed by household air pollution.

  The World Health Organization on Wednesday released its recommendations for indoor air quality, highlighting the dangers of burning fuels like unprocessed coal and kerosene at home, and set targets for reducing emissions of health-damaging pollutants. Xinhua News Agency, China

• Monsanto, Maui County sued over GMO farming moratorium.

  Global seed companies Monsanto and Dow AgroSciences promised litigation after Maui County residents approved a voter initiative to ban genetically modified crops on Election Day, but five residents have beaten them to the punch. Honolulu Civil Beat, Hawaii

• Monsanto settles farmer lawsuits over experimental GMO wheat.

  Monsanto said on Wednesday it reached a settlement with U.S. wheat farmers who sued the seed company over market disruption after unapproved genetically-engineered wheat was discovered growing without oversight in Oregon. Reuters

• John Muir's legacy questioned as centennial of his death nears.

  John Muir is the patron saint of environmentalism. But now some critics are arguing that the world has changed so much in the century since his death that Muir has gone the way of wheelwrights. He is no longer relevant. Los Angeles Times

• Are record salmon runs in Northwest the result of controversial CO2 reduction scheme?

  Did an ambitious 2012 experiment to "fertilize" the ocean with iron filings reduce CO2? That remains a controversy. But Pacific salmon seem to have enjoyed it (Part 1 of 2). ClimateWire

• US-China climate change deal already facing challenges.

  A landmark agreement on climate change between the U.S. and China, the world's top two polluting nations, faced immediate challenges from experts who warned that it would require an overhaul of China's economy and from Republicans in Congress who vowed to undermine the deal. Los Angeles Times

• Post climate pact, IEA warns fossil fuel trends dire.

  The IEA says the world’s fossil fuel consumption in the coming decades is leading to an average global warming of 3.6°C, or 6.5°F, making catastrophic sea level rise, polar ice cap loss, water shortages and other severe effects nearly inevitable. Climate Central

• Are these nicotine-like insecticides killing bees?

  Scientists are still unable to pinpoint a single cause of colony collapse disorder, but many believe that neonicotinoids, a class of insecticides that is now the most widely used in the world, are a significant factor. Modern Farmer

• 7 things to know before you eat your next strawberry.

  Strawberry growers rely on some of the riskiest and hardest-to-control pesticides used in agriculture. Growers use a lot of pesticides. And they often use them close to schools, homes and businesses. Center for Investigative Reporting