This week, the Environmental Working Group joined Greenpeace USA and other groups to kick off the campaign to Change the Code, Not the Climate, which seeks to push bitcoin to change its software code to dramatically reduce the cryptocurrency’s heavy reliance on dirty and dangerous sources of energy.
“The ‘currency of the future’ is dragging us into the past when it comes to the urgent battle to save the climate,” said EWG President Ken Cook. “Our planet can’t afford bitcoin’s excessive and unnecessary energy use and associated pollution. EWG urges the bitcoin community to go back to its visionary roots and ‘change the code, not the climate.’ Join ethereum, the second-ranked cryptocurrency by market cap, and immediately commit to smarter, infinitely more efficient crypto technology.”
With the campaign launch, EWG broke down a handful of common questions surrounding bitcoin and its contribution to the climate crisis.
The Biden administration released its budget for fiscal year 2023 this week. EWG applauded the administration for making the safety of chemicals in food and cosmetics a priority for the Food and Drug Administration – requesting $8.4 billion for the FDA, an increase of $2.1 billion, or 34 percent, above the FY 2022 budget request.
Spring is here, so it’s no better time to clean out your home and get rid of what you no longer need. EWG has tips for how to tackle your spring cleaning projects, while avoiding exposure to toxic chemicals.
Here’s some news you can use going into the weekend.
Children's Health
The Bump: 7 Ways to Detox Your Home and Routine for a Healthier Pregnancy
A 2004 study by the Environmental Working Group (EWG) found 200 manmade chemicals in newborns’ cord blood. Many of these detected substances are used in skincare products, cookware and cleaning essentials. What’s more, there’s a growing body of research suggesting that rising health complications and learning disabilities in children may be related to prenatal exposure to certain toxic substances found in our food, water and everyday products.
Cryptocurrency Campaign: Change the Code, Not the Climate
Bloomberg: Greenpeace, Crypto Billionaire Lobby to Change Bitcoin Code
Greenpeace, Environmental Working Group and some local activist groups battling Bitcoin miners are also mobilizing their millions of members for grassroots efforts. The campaign has already reached out to a dozen key people and corporations, some of them involved in Bitcoin and yet pledging Environmental, Social and Governance, or ESG, compliance, according to Michael Brune, who is in charge of the campaign.
The Guardian: Climate groups say a change in coding can reduce bitcoin energy consumption by 99%
The campaign, called Change the Code Not the Climate and coordinated by Environmental Working Group, Greenpeace USA and several groups battling bitcoin mining facilities in their communities, is calling on bitcoin to change the way bitcoins are mined in order to tackle its outsized carbon footprint.
Wall Street Journal: Environmental Groups Pressure Bitcoin Community to Lower Energy Use
Greenpeace USA, Environmental Working Group and others will run ads in media outlets such as the New York Times, Politico and The Wall Street Journal highlighting bitcoin’s environmental impact and advocating for change.
Washington Post: Crypto executive, green groups launch effort to slash bitcoin’s energy use
The coalition behind the campaign also includes the Environmental Working Group and several local environmental organizations fighting bitcoin mining facilities in their areas.
Chris Larsen, the co-founder of Ripple, has pledged $5 million to finance the campaign. Meanwhile, climate activist groups including Greenpeace USA and the Environmental Working Group will coordinate the effort with local organizations.
CNET: Bitcoin's Environmental Threat Prompts Effort to 'Change the Code, Not the Climate'
Greenpeace USA, the Environmental Working Group and other organizations are calling for the bitcoin blockchain, the ledger that records transactions, to switch from its current proof-of-work system to a proof-of-stake model. Proof of stake is less energy intensive than proof of work.
E&E News: Michael Brune’s next battle: Clean up bitcoin
The $5 million effort to change the code underlying bitcoin is a collaboration between the Environmental Working Group, Greenpeace USA and local environmental groups concerned about the impacts of bitcoin mining, an energy-intensive process in which powerful computers race to solve complex puzzles in hopes of winning a new bitcoin.
Greenpeace USA, Environmental Working Group and other climate organizations launched a campaign on Monday, with plans to run ads in The New York Times, Politico, and elsewhere, as first reported by the Wall Street Journal.
Amazon Aware
Harper’s Bazaar: Where to Shop Mindfully for Bedding and Bath
Formulas are EWG Verified — so they’re made without ingredients that the Environmental Working Group has identified as concerning — and certified "climate neutral" by ClimatePartner a third party that calculates a product’s carbon footprint and then help offset by way of investing in global tree planting projects.
Benzene
The timing of the inspection alone seems odd, says Dave Andrews, senior scientist at the Environmental Working Group, an advocacy organization. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the FDA had limited in-person inspections only to facilities that were deemed high priority and “mission-critical.”
CAFOs
Vox: How Black North Carolinians pay the price for the world’s cheap bacon
A map adapted from work by University of North Carolina public health researcher Steve Wing and by the Environmental Working Group. It shows a historical map of North Carolina enslaved populations (in red) overlaid with current industrial hog operations in the state (black dots).
California PFAS Bans
“They build up in our bodies, they build up in the environment and they also build up in water and wildlife,” said Tasha Stoiber, senior scientist at the Environmental Working Group.
Cleaners
The Epoch Times: Why Oven Cleaners Are Bad for Your Health
Any cleaning product, including air fresheners, could contain some hazardous chemicals. But according to Samara Geller, senior research and database analyst for the Environmental Working Group, oven cleaners are “especially hazardous.” It has to do with the ingredients used in oven cleaners. Some of the harmful chemicals that can be found in oven cleaners include sodium hydroxide and butoxydiglycol.
Cosmetics – Skin Deep
First for Women: This Ingredient in Your Skincare Could Speed Up Skin Aging
The Environmental Working Group (EWG) notes that many companies will add a tiny bit of fragrance to their products to mask the scent of other ingredients. So, check those labels! And if you’re unsure of whether an ingredient listed is a fragrance, use the EWG database to find out.
Good Housekeeping: Can Dying Your Hair Raise Your Risk for Breast Cancer? Experts Explain
You can also check out the Environmental Working Group's hair color database, which ranks products based on the safety of the ingredients.
Bakersfield.com (Bakersfield, Calif.): Give your home a detox
Another study from the Environmental Working Group states that about 22 percent of products include chemicals that cause asthma. These studies are two of many regarding the adverse effects of toxic products.
Crop Insurance Payouts
The Gazette (Cedar Rapids, Iowa): Iowa Farmers Got $243M In Flood Crop Insurance Over 20 Years
Iowa farmers received $243 million in insurance payments for flooded crops from 2001 to 2020, with $83 million of that going to farmers in five Iowa counties considered "hot spots" for flood crop insurance payments, according to an analysis by the Environmental Working Group.
“In these high-risk flooded areas, near rivers and streams, why are we continuing to spend money on crop insurance, instead of retiring these frequently flooded fields?” said Anne Schechinger, the lead author of the new analysis and a director with the Environmental Working Group, an advocacy organization that’s long been critical of the crop insurance program.
Farmers in some of the most flood-prone areas along the Mississippi River have received nearly $1.5 billion from the federal government over the past two decades. That’s according to a report from the nonprofit Environmental Working Group, which identified 41 counties in 10 states that received the most crop insurance payouts.
EWG VERIFIED®: Cleaners
Scary Mommy: 13 Mom-Approved All-Natural Baby Detergents That Are Gentle Enough for the Entire Fam
Attitude detergent…Helpful Review: “Smells great and NOT overwhelming and my newborn has had no issues with it. EWG approved. Will be a staple in my house! Highly recommend it!”
HGTV: 15+ Natural Cleaning Products We Love
Made in-house at ATTITUDE's Canadian facility, this EWG Verified brand prioritizes sustainability using plant-based ingredients, recyclable packaging and planting a tree for every purchase. This all-purpose cleaner is safe enough to use on food prep surfaces, yoga mats and everywhere in between.
EWG VERIFIED®: Cosmetics
Cosmopolitan: 15 Best Online Makeup Stores That'll Help You Find the ~Perfect~ Products
Follain bans over 1,500 ingredients in the products they sell. They're also EWG verified, gluten-free, non-GMO, and dermatologist-tested.
Food Chemicals
Eat This, Not That!: What Is Potassium Sorbate? And Why It's in Your Food
And because potassium sorbate can also be found in skincare products, it's worth noting that the Environmental Working Group considers potassium sorbate to be low risk when it comes to irritation on the skin.
Glyphosate
Treehugger: Oat Milk vs. Soy Milk: Which Is More Environmentally Friendly?
In 2018, the Environmental Working Group announced that it found traces of weed killer "in every sample of popular oat-based cereal and other oat-based food marketed to children." The World Health Organization had identified the ubiquitous chemical, glyphosate, as "probably carcinogenic," it said.
Hexavalent Chromium
Sonoma Index-Tribune: Sonoma water meets new regulations on hexavalent chormium
According to the Environmental Working Group, a nonprofit focused on advocacy in consumer health related to chemicals, the level of hexavalent chromium in the Valley of the Moon Water District from January to March 2021 was 0.523 parts per billion -- well below the new statewide mandate.
Inside EPA: Environmentalists Decry California Plan To Retain Disputed Chrome-6 MCL (subscription)
“We applaud the state for finally moving forward with regulation of chromium-6 in water, but this MCL is still not sufficiently protective of Californians’ health,” said Bill Allayaud, California director of government affairs for the Environmental Working Group (EWG), in a March 22 press release. “We urge the state to do better and take immediate steps to adopt a level that more closely reflects the state’s public health goal.”
Jessica Hernandez
Politico: POLITICO Playbook: Biden’s budget has Manchin written all over it
Jessica Hernandez is now energy policy director at Environmental Working Group. She previously was legislative assistant for Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.)
Manure Report: Wisconsin
Wisconsin Examiner: Major dairy farm now required to monitor groundwater quality
In February, Midwest Environmental Advocates and the Environmental Working Group released a report that found animal waste was over-applied to farmland in nine Wisconsin counties. The report concluded that Wisconsin literally does not have enough land for all the manure.
Mercury in Skin Creams
WBMA-LD (Birmingham): Experts warning about mercury in skin lightening creams sold online
Experts warning about mercury in skin lightening creams sold online. "These online retailers all have policies saying you should not be selling illegal products on their sites, but they don't seem to be doing much to police that," says Melanie Benesh an attorney with Environmental Working Group.
PFAS
Inside EPA: EPA Seeks To Boost PFAS Funds In FY23, Targets Gaps In DOD Oversight (subscription)
Environmental groups say EPA’s “spend plan” will test Regan’s commitment to prioritizing PFAS. “Congress passed the buck to EPA,” Environmental Working Group’s (EWG) Senior Vice President for Government Affairs Scott Faber said in a March 25 press release. “It’s up to Administrator Regan to ensure the EPA meets the deadlines in its roadmap.”
Verywell Health: What the Public Needs to Know About PFAS (Forever Chemicals)
For example, the Environmental Working Group (EWG) and Northeastern University in Boston have researched and provided details of PFAS pollution in tap water supplies in 27 states and from dozens of industrial and military sources. They have created an interactive map using federal drinking water data and information on publicly documented cases of PFAS pollution.
Modern Farmer: Maine Farmers Face a Crisis Over Forever Chemicals
PFAS contamination has been found in all 50 states, and nearly half of the country’s sewage sludge, according to research done by the Environmental Working Group. The forever chemicals have also been found in garden fertilizers currently on the shelves labeled as “eco” and “natural” in tests done by the Ecology Center of Michigan and Sierra Club.
WIVR (Kentland, Ind.): Maine Farmers Face a Crisis Over Forever Chemicals
PFAS contamination has been found in all 50 states, and nearly half of the country’s sewage sludge, according to research done by the Environmental Working Group. The forever chemicals have also been found in garden fertilizers currently on the shelves labeled as “eco” and “natural” in tests done by the Ecology Center of Michigan and Sierra Club.
PFAS in Food
Sydney Evans, a science analyst at Environmental Working Group, told Verywell that the absence of these compounds suggests that manufacturers may be replacing certain PFAS with other fluorinated compounds. These “regrettable substitutions” are not as well studied but can be just as detrimental to human health, she said.
PFAS in Water
Bergen Magazine (Bergen County, N.J.): Uncertainty On Tap
In fact, a 2020 survey by the nonprofit Environmental Working Group ranked Bergen fourth in the nation with respect to elevated PFAS levels.
“When you think about firefighting foam, it’s released at gallons per second, and so you have a lot that’s being discharged at once,” said Melanie Benesh, legislative attorney for the Environmental Working Group, which has looked extensively at PFAS. “If that’s allowed to just run off into the environment, then it can quite easily seep into the soil, into the groundwater,” she said. ” Because these are forever chemicals, they stay there forever.”
Sunscreens
Vogue: The best face suncream to wear all year round (but especially during a heatwave)
According to both the EWG and the Skin Cancer Foundation, SPF 30 blocks nearly 97% of UVB radiation while SPF 50 blocks about 98% and SPF 100 blocks about 99%.31%. So technically speaking, SPF 50 is the best facial SPF... but only marginally.
Who What Wear: I Realized I Knew Nothing About Sunscreen, so I Got Dermatologists to School Me
Raw Elements' sunscreen is top-rated by the Environmental Working Group. The gentle and moisturizing formula provides protection for up to 80 minutes. It's also soy-, gluten-, and nut-free for anyone with those sensitivities.
