Eco-News Roundup: Friday, August 14

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Today’s environment, health, and science news from our site and others. And if you haven’t read Anna Lenzer’s great Fiji Water exposé “Spin the Bottle,” well, let’s just say there are a few things you might want to know before you reach for that pretty square bottle.

MoJo responds to fiji: That Fiji Water donates money to local kindergartens is all well and good, but it doesn’t make up for pollution, tax havens, and silence on the Fijian government’s human rights abuses. 

The reformers are coming! Health care reformers pretend they want to make you healthy. Really, they want to sell your organs to China. And slay your grandma. And murder cute puppies. Ruuuuuun!

Newt again: Gingrich flip-flops on advance care directives and hospice care. Somehow, we’re not surprised.

Better buildings: “Commissioning” reduces building’s greenhouse emissions significantly—and it’s not just free, it saves money. Just one of the techniques that’ll become more widespread if Waxman-Markey passes.

Philpott vs. Klein on organics: Grist’s Tom Philpott believes organic foods are more nutritious; Ezra Klein doubts it. But what about the soil?

Second hottest July on record: Climate Progress on the NASA temperature data, and why it looks like we’ll be seeing record global temperatures this year or next.

India’s green plans: India overhauls its version of the EPA. Could this mean tougher pollution and emissions standards?

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BEFORE YOU CLICK AWAY!

“Lying.” “Disgusting.” “Scum.” “Slime.” “Corrupt.” “Enemy of the people.” Donald Trump has always made clear what he thinks of journalists. And it’s plain now that his administration intends to do everything it can to stop journalists from reporting things they don’t like—which is most things that are true.

No one gets to tell Mother Jones what to publish or not publish, because no one owns our fiercely independent newsroom. But that also means we need to directly raise the resources it takes to keep our journalism alive. There’s only one way for that to happen, and it’s readers like you stepping up. Please help with a donation today if you can—even a few bucks will make a real difference. A monthly gift would be incredible.

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