National (U.S.)

Think electric cars are small and wussy? Go out on the drag strip and smell the burning rubber. "Mike Willmon's 1978 Ford Pinto can go from zero to 60 in about 3.5 seconds — just like the $1 million Ferrari Enzo." He built it himself.

"The pesticide DDT almost wiped out the double-crested cormorant. Now, the bird is thriving, and it's blamed for devouring fish in lakes, rivers, and fish farms in many parts of the country. Karen Kelly reports on the struggle to share resources with this unpopular bird" -- on The Environment Report August 25, 2009.

"The U.S. Department of Energy said on Monday it has awarded $27.6 million of funding to evaluate the potential risks of storing carbon dioxide underground, which is seen as a way to control global warming."

"An online encyclopedia aiming to describe every type of animal and plant on the planet has reached 170,000 entries and is helping research into aging, climate change and even the spread of insect pests."

"Milk may have a wholesome commercial image, but the dairies that produce most of the nation's supply aren't always healthy places to work. Dairy workers are injured at a much higher rate than other workers in the U.S." Most of the West's 50,000 dairy workers are immigrants with families to feed, many undocumented. Government rules to protect them are as weak as skim milk.

"Drinking water containing a common herbicide could pose a greater public health risk than previously thought because regular municipal monitoring doesn't detect frequent spikes in the chemical's levels, according to a report released Monday by the Natural Resources Defense Council."

Critics complain that "McMansions" have ruined neighborhoods. The McMansion fad fizzled with the real estate bust -- but could it return?

Investigation shows that even the local organizers of astroturf rallies against climate legislation are registered oil lobbyists.

New research suggests that atrazine, a popular weed killer found in some drinking water, causes birth defects and health problems at concentrations lower than previously thought.

"For decades, the chemical industry has been able to control the debate on whether BPA is harmful to human health. Now the Food and Drug Administration, which had relied on industry-financed studies to declare the chemical safe, is reconsidering its determination. ... Plastics makers [have launched a campaign] to fight federal regulation of BPA, downplay its risks and discredit anyone who characterizes the chemical as a health threat."