Media Center

Farmers and the Environment are Paying the Price If you attend a conference about neonicotinoid insecticides (neonics), inevitably the conversation will turn to Rachel Carson’s book, Silent Spring, detailing the devastating effects of DDT. Why would a book published in 1962 be discussed in the context of modern day insecticides? Specifically, neonics weren’t introduced to the U.S. until more than 30 years later? Indeed, Carson’s warnings about the dangers of the pesticide DDT resonated strongly with Americans at that time. The chemical was banned. Yet, today, surely we have evolved as a society that no longer uses such toxic chemicals on our crops.  Shockingly, neonics are estimated to be 7,000 to 10,000 times more toxic to insects than DDT. They are linked to devastating effects […]

Are “Eco-Friendly” Labels Fooling You? The Legal Fight Against Greenwashing  Once you’ve carefully sorted out your recycling bin, what happens to it? As consumers become more environmentally conscious, businesses are increasingly marketing their products as “recyclable” or “eco-friendly” to appeal to this demand. However, many companies are facing legal challenges for making misleading or outright false claims about the sustainability of their products, a practice known as greenwashing. These lawsuits are part of a growing effort to hold companies accountable for deceiving consumers and contributing to environmental damage under the guise of eco-consciousness.  What Is Greenwashing?  Greenwashing refers to the deceptive practice of marketing products as environmentally friendly when they are not. This includes using vague terms like “natural” or “biodegradable,” displaying misleading recycling symbols, […]

The Flint water crisis began in 2014 when officials switched the city’s water supply from Lake Huron to the Flint River as a cost-saving measure. However, the city failed to properly treat the water to prevent pipe corrosion, which caused lead to leach from aging pipes into the drinking water. This decision exposed tens of thousands of Flint, Michigan residents to lead-contaminated water. Children, in particular, were severely impacted, as lead exposure can cause irreversible neurological damage, developmental delays, and cognitive impairments. A decade later, despite a $626 million settlement announced in 2021, many residents still haven’t received the compensation they were promised.  The lawsuit settlement, which was intended to provide resources to help mitigate the effects of lead poisoning, has been caught up in […]

As plastic trash continues to pollute bodies of water, damage ecosystems, and threaten human health, governments are increasingly implementing regulations aimed at curbing this growing crisis. But are these laws truly effective in changing the behavior of the plastic industry, or are they simply scratching the surface of the problem? Let’s consider the strengths and weaknesses of local, state, and federal regulations to see if they are having a significant impact.  Meaningful Laws or Feeble Attempts?  Local Efforts: Cities in the U.S. like Washington D.C., San Francisco, and Seattle have been at the forefront of regulating plastic use. Washington D.C. was the first city to implement a tax on plastic bags in 2009. The tax decreased plastic bag consumption by 85%. San Francisco was the […]