Plague Poses Widespread Risk to North American Wildlife

FORT COLLINS, Colorado, March 2, 2010 (ENS) - Sylvatic plague - a close cousin of the dreaded disease that killed one-third of all European residents in the six years between 1347 and 1353 - persists in rodents in the American West even when the disease does not erupt into epidemic form, new research demonstrates.

Texas Town Fears Nearby Oil and Nat Gas is Poisoning their Families, Livestock

The small town of Dish, Texas has become entrenched in the center of a battle against oil and natural gas interests that are accused of polluting the air with a cancer-causing gas.

The residents of Dish, Texas were delighted when an oil-rich rock formation was found underneath their tiny town. They welcomed the huge checks from the oil and gas companies would disburse for the right to drill on their land. But a soon-to-be-released report shows that the town's air is polluted by benzene, an invisible cancer-causing gas that is believed to be accidentally escaping and poisoning residents.

Coal Pollution Undermines America's Health, Physicians Advise

WASHINGTON, DC, November 18, 2009 (ENS) - Coal pollutants affect all major body organ systems and contribute to four of the five leading causes of mortality in the United States: heart disease, cancer, stroke, and chronic lower respiratory diseases, concludes a scathing report issued today by Physicians for Social Responsibility.

"Each step of the coal lifecycle - mining, transportation, washing, combustion, and disposing of postcombustion wastes - impacts human health," warns the report, entitled "Coal's Assault on Human Health."

"Chemical Reaction" highlights one town's fight for pesticide-free lawns

The eco-documentary "Chemical Reaction" brings the story about a little town named Hudson fought off lawn care and agriculture corporations and became the first place in North America to ban pesticide use on private lawns. This result came after years of campaigns, protests, activist activities, research, and community outrage. The story comes to a head when a 10-month old child is paralyzed due to exposure to a chemical compound that is commonly found in lawn care products.