GO GREEN!
EPA News You Can Use – December 2019
https://www.epa.gov/newsroom/gogreen
IN THIS ISSUE:
Enviro-Tip of the Month
Recent News
What You Can Do, What You Can Use
En español: Spanish Features
Multimedia
Upcoming Events and Opportunities
About This Newsletter
ENVIRO-TIP OF THE MONTH
Give the gift of energy savings. Buy rechargeable batteries to accompany electronic gifts and consider giving a battery charger as well. When you choose ENERGY STAR electronics, appliances and other products, your gift will have the latest features, save energy and money, and protect the environment. Shop for great ENERGY STAR gifts.
https://www.energystar.gov/products/holiday
RECENT NEWS
America Recycles. EPA celebrated America Recycles Week hosting the first-ever America Recycles Innovation Fair and second annual Recycling Summit. These events brought together stakeholders across the entire value chain to address the major challenges facing the U.S. recycling system today. Administrator Wheeler kicked off the week touring recycling facilities in Fairfax County, VA.
https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/epa-celebrates-america-recycles-week
Related materials and reports:
- EPA’s Innovation Fair
- National Framework for Advancing the U.S. Recycling System
- Success Stories in Recycling
- Facts and Figures Report
25 Years of Preventing Waste and Recycling through WasteWise. During America Recycles Week … November 11-15], EPA celebrated 25 years of the WasteWise program, which encourages corporations, businesses, educational institutions and governments to set sustainability goals and track progress in preventing and recycling waste, saving resources and money. “The WasteWise program is a cornerstone of EPA’s commitment to sustainable materials management through reducing, reusing and recycling,” EPA’s Wheeler said.
https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/epa-celebrates-25-years-preventing-waste-and-recycling-through-wastewise
2019 Environmental Justice Report Shows Notable Progress in Vulnerable Communities. EPA released its Fiscal Year 2019 EJ report highlighting the agency’s progress in advancing environmental justice across the country. “Under the Trump Administration, at EPA, we remain committed to ensuring that environmental justice is integrated into EPA’s programs and activities to strengthen environmental and public health protections for low-income, minority, indigenous, and disadvantaged communities that are more likely to live near contaminated lands or be disproportionately impacted by environmental hazards,” said EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler.
https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/epa-fy-19-environmental-justice-report-shows-notable-progress-vulnerable-communities
- Read the report: https://www.epa.gov/environmentaljustice/annual-environmental-justice-progress-reports
EPA Takes Important Step to Advance PFAS Action Plan, Requests Public Input. EPA) is asking the public for input on potentially adding certain per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) to the list of chemicals companies are required to report to the agency as part of the Toxics Release Inventory (TRI). This action supports the agency’s February 2019 PFAS Action Plan which describes EPA’s long- and short-term actions to address PFAS. “EPA continues to show critical leadership on addressing PFAS as we aggressively implement our PFAS Action Plan — the most comprehensive cross-agency plan to address an emerging chemical ever taken by EPA,” said EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler. EPA’s TRI is an important tool that provides the public with information about the use of certain chemicals by tracking their management and associated activities. Currently, no PFAS chemicals are included on the list of chemicals required to report to TRI.
https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/epa-takes-important-step-advance-pfas-action-plan-requests-public-input-adding-pfas
- Read more about PFAS: https://www.epa.gov/pfas/basic-information-pfas
- Read EPA’s PFAS action plan: https://www.epa.gov/pfas/epas-pfas-action-plan
Read more EPA news: https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/search
WHAT YOU CAN DO, WHAT YOU CAN USE
Green Your Winter and Your Holidays. It’s never too late to have your home heating serviced to keep it efficient. Make sure your fireplace or wood stove is working properly and burns smoke-free indoors. Prepare for snow and ice storms.
- Saving energy: https://www.energystar.gov/campaign/heating_cooling
- Safer, smoke-free fires: https://www.epa.gov/burnwise/wood-smoke-and-your-health
VIDEO – Wood smoke and Asthma: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z-OfbPjXPUU - Snow and ice: Prepare ahead for winter’s worst. Generator exhaust is toxic, and always put generators outside well away from doors, windows, and vents. Find de-icers that are safer for the environment. Learn more about reducing risks from severe snow or ice.
https://www.epa.gov/natural-disasters/snow-and-ice
NEW – Methylene Chloride Paint Remover Ban. Do you have any paint removers containing methylene chloride? EPA is encouraging all consumers to stop using methylene chloride products. Acute (short-term) exposures to methylene chloride fumes can rapidly cause dizziness, loss of consciousness, and even death. As of November 22, 2019, regulations now prohibit the manufacture or import, processing, and distribution and sales of methylene chloride in all paint removers for consumer use. “EPA’s action keeps paint and coating removers that contain the chemical methylene chloride out of consumers’ hands,” said EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler. “It is against the law to sell or distribute methylene chloride for paint and coating removal in the retail marketplace—a step that will provide important public health protections for consumers.”
Learn more about the risks what you can do.
https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/epa-bans-all-retail-distribution-methylene-chloride-consumers-paint-and-coating-removal
How to dispose of products with methylene chloride:
https://www.epa.gov/assessing-and-managing-chemicals-under-tsca/risk-management-methylene-chloride#dispose
President’s Environmental Youth Award (due Jan 15). Your project – or one you are sponsoring – could be an award winner! Apply or encourage a student you know to apply for PEYA and see what a difference they can make for the environment with an award-winning project. Applicants from all 50 states and U.S. territories are eligible to compete for a regional certificate of special recognition and a national Presidential award. Find out how to apply. Applications are due January 15.
https://www.epa.gov/education/presidents-environmental-youth-award
Presidential Innovation Award for Environmental Educators (due Jan 15). PIAEE recognizes outstanding K-12 teachers who employ innovative approaches to environmental education and use the environment as a context for learning for their students. EPA and the White House Council on Environmental Quality administer this cash award of up to $2500 to honor, support and encourage educators who incorporate environmental education in their classrooms and teaching methods. Find out how to apply. Applications are due January 15.
https://www.epa.gov/education/presidential-innovation-award-environmental-educators
EN ESPAÑOL: SPANISH FEATURES
Queme prudentemente. ¿Sabía que si quema la leña de manera prudente usted puede ahorrar dinero, reducir la contaminación del aire y proteger su salud? Aprenda más acerca de nuestro programa de Burn Wise n español e inglés:
https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2016-06/documents/burnwise.engesp.pdf
EPA en español: https://espanol.epa.gov
MULTIMEDIA
Videos – November releases
EPA Celebrates America Recycles Week 2019 – the first-ever America Recycles Innovation Fair and second annual Recycling Summit.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LRW51L6VtMA
2019 America Recycles Day Summit – EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler convened EPA’s second Recycling Summit to address the major challenges facing the U.S. recycling system.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xXZTE4pIccM
Cyanobacteria Assessment Network Mobile Application (CyAN app). About how this app provides access to algal bloom satellite data for over 2,000 of the largest lakes and reservoirs across the U.S.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=09pIBld_6QU
More EPA videos: https://www.youtube.com/user/USEPAgov/videos
Blog – November posts
Celebrating America Recycles Day: A Stronger Recycling System Supports a Stronger Economy
Andrew Wheeler, EPA Administrator
https://blog.epa.gov/2019/11/17/celebrating-america-recycles-day-a-stronger-recycling-system-supports-a-stronger-economy
A New Role for EPA’s Water Reuse Action Plan
By Jeff Lape, National Program Leader for Water Reuse
https://blog.epa.gov/2019/11/05/a-new-role-for-epas-water-reuse-action-plan
EPA’s blog site: https://blog.epa.gov
UPCOMING EVENTS AND OPPORTUNITIES
December
Day:
2, EPA established in 1970
11, Superfund established in 1980
More about EPA History: https://www.epa.gov/history
ABOUT THIS NEWSLETTER
Americans want to help protect and improve the nation’s land, water, and air. “Go Green!” is a monthly newsletter from the US EPA summarizing recent news and information you can use to make a difference in your home, community, or workplace.
Want more news? Read EPA press releases on topics that interest you.
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