Alternative Fuels Superstation We sure would love to see service centers like the Pearson Ford Fuel Depot rolled out across America. We have come one step closer with the Shell Superstop at 12524 Chenal Parkway - it now sells biodiesel! |
EPA Approval For Arkansas-Made Biodiesel The US Environmental Protection Agency has authorized Stuttgart-based Patriot Biofuels to begin selling biodiesel. KATV (Channel 7) says "A tanker truck from West Memphis arrived Thursday morning for the first fill-up.. It'll take the soybean-based fuel to Osceola to be distributed. The company president says right now, the cost of bio-diesel is similar to that of regular diesel. He says he's hopeful bio-diesel will eventually be available to the retail market. " Vehicles that can run on diesel now need no modifications of any kind to run on biodiesel, and in fact may experience a slight increase in miles per gallon. The cost is similar to petroleum diesel, but has two enormous advantages: it is made from renewable resources, and its use results in far less air pollution. |
We're #28 It's no contest, but a sure sign that we could be doing A LOT more. Researchers at Colombia and Yale Universities ranked the environmental health of 133 nations and found that the US lags far behind other countries when it comes to such areas as ozone emissions and renewable energy production. The Sierra Club has a quick look, and you can download the entire Environmental Performance Index report from Yale University's site here. |
Factory Farm Pollution Update Arkansas Business reports "Attorney General Mike Beebe on Tuesday asked an Oklahoma court to allow his office to represent the people of Arkansas in the lawsuit filed by Oklahoma against Arkansas poultry companies. If allowed to intervene, Beebe said, he will ask the court to dismiss the claims he says would affect lawful farming practices in Arkansas. 'This lawsuit threatens to slow or stop the progress of environmental improvements already agreed to by both states,' Beebe said in a news release. 'Oklahoma has gone to court to demand money and to impose its laws on Arkansas instead of working together to find common ground for protecting environments and livelihoods in both states.' The move is the latest stemming from a case originally filed in June by Oklahoma Attorney General Drew Edmondson, who claimed that runoff from the improper handling of poultry waste had polluted Oklahoma streams and lakes. The case named 14 poultry companies, including Tyson Foods Inc. and George's Inc. of Springdale, Simmons Foods Inc. of Siloam Springs, and Peterson Farms Inc. of Decatur." The full story is available here... |
These lamps are a great example of a way to have some fun AND reduce the load on landfills; these household lamps are made from vacuum cleaner canisters. The Recycled Vacuum Lamps and many other interesting items are available from Uncommon Goods. |
The Impact of Factory Poultry Farms Grist Magazine ran an article on February 21 detailing some issues surrounding poultry factory farms. We're a big state for poultry farming of course, but did you realize that "in Arkansas alone, chicken farms produce an amount of waste each day equal to that produced by 8 million people?" Every day! And this apparently is entering rivers flowing into Oklahoma, which is why the Oklahoma Attorney General is suing several Arkansas poultry companies. You can read the story in Grist Magazine here.. |
Acetaldehyde: the state's overall average risk of 1.582 in a million beat the national averall average risk of 2.99 in a million. No county exceeded the national average. Acetamide: Arkansas is one of only six states in America that reported a risk related to this carcinogen. Only one county in the State, Union County, had any measureable amount. You can read more about acetamide on Scorecard. Acrylamide: the state had zero overall average risk so beat the national averall average risk of 0.017 in a million. No county exceeded the national average. Acrylonitrile: the state's overall average risk of 0.0074 in a million beat the national averall average risk of 0.2157 in a million. No county exceeded the national average. Allyl chloride: Only four counties recorded any measureable amount. All four exceeded the national overall risk of 0.0003 in a million (Union County was 0.0035; St Francis was 0.0052; Lee was 0.0064; and Crittenden was considerably higher at 0.0654. Fourteen states reported a risk associated with allyl chloride; Arkansas is the second highest in the nation. You can read more about allyl chloride on Scorecard. Aniline: The whole state beat the national average. Benzene: All but niine counties were less than half of the national average. Of those nine counties Pulaski County was highest but still beat the national average. Benzidine: The whole state beat the national average. Benzotrichloride: Union County exceeded the national average risk with a measurement of .0293. In only one other county (Calhoun) was a risk of any kind even detected. Benzyl chloride: The risk assessed in Criitenden County was more than four times the national average, and in Hot Spring County more than three times the national average. Saline and Mississippi Counties both recorded measureable risk less than the national average. All other counties reported no trace of this carcinogen. Bis 2 ethylhexyl phthalate: Unfortunately thirty counties met or exceeded the average national risk for Bis 2 ethylhexyl phthalate. Of the forty five counties beating the national average the two recording the lowest levels of this carcinogen were Independence and Randolph Counties. You can read more about Bis 2 ethylhexyl phthalate on Scorecard. Bis chloromethyl ether: The whole state beat the national average. More to come as Arkansas Vegan research continues; check back for updates. |
Arkansas Pollutants And Related Health Risk Assessments: EPA Study Released The EPA conducted an exhaustive national survey of pollutants and broke the data out by type of health risk: cancer, respiratory, or neurological. The data was tabulated and rankable by county and state, and state and national averages were provided. This amazing data took seven years to compile and colate and was finally published in February. The Arkansas Vegan team downloaded an enormous collection of data from the government database and has been processing results specific to Arkansas. Glad we downloaded when we did; the EPA took down the page and did not allow public downloads for several weeks; At time of going to press the EPA has re-opened the study for downloads, you can find it here. The study shows that the overall average risk of cancer nationwide is 41.48 in a million. In Arkansas the overall average risk is just 21.87 in a millon, about half the national risk! The EPA's figures show that from a cancer-risk perpective "The Natural State" is one of the healthiest places to live in the country. The figures are remarkably detailed; scientific tests were done to detect the presence of more than eighty known carcinogens in all seventy five of the State's counties. Each county was then assigned a risk factor based on the presence (or lack of) the carcinogen being studied. To answer a few obvious questions up front, the county that scored the best overall was Woodruff County, with an overall average risk of just 8.332 in a million - significantly beating the overall national average. Pulaski County, the State's most populous one, also beat the national figure, but just by 1.86 points. Only two counties scored worse than the national average, unfortunately by significant margins. Before we go on, it is important to note some disclaimers the EPA attached to the data. First, the results are not actual measurements of risk, but rather estimates that are generated from computer models. Second, this data is meant to be viewed on a national or state level and may not be a reliable way to identify "hot spots." The EPA recommends that this data be used in conjunction with other data as the basis for further studies that will provide results more reliable on a local county-by-county level. It is important to understand that when reading the data results below; they should be considered preliminary. Below are the carcinogens for which the EPA's computer modeling generated risk assessments, the results they found, and additional notes as required: Any of these chemicals can be looked up oin Scorecard for further information. (Note: it is possible on Scorecard to identify both specific illnesses and specific businesses known to be responsible for the release of that particular chemical into the environment. Remember though that the government data you are looking at below is years old and not necessarily an accurate way to identify hot spots.) |
Living In Harmony With Our Environment |
Arkansas Vegan: An online community and information source for vegans and vegetarians in Arkansas. |
Arkansas Pollutants And Related Health Risk Assessments: EPA Study Released The EPA conducted an exhaustive national survey of pollutants and broke the data out by type of health risk: cancer, respiratory, or neurological. The data was tabulated and rankable by county and state, and state and national averages were provided. This amazing data took seven years to compile and colate and was finally published in February. The Arkansas Vegan team downloaded an enormous collection of data from the government database and has been processing results specific to Arkansas. Glad we downloaded when we did; the EPA took down the page and did not allow public downloads for several weeks; At time of going to press the EPA has re-opened the study for downloads, you can find it here. The study shows that the overall average risk of cancer nationwide is 41.48 in a million. In Arkansas the overall average risk is just 21.87 in a millon, about half the national risk! The EPA's figures show that from a cancer-risk perpective "The Natural State" is one of the healthiest places to live in the country. The figures are remarkably detailed; scientific tests were done to detect the presence of more than eighty known carcinogens in all seventy five of the State's counties. Each county was then assigned a risk factor based on the presence (or lack of) the carcinogen being studied. To answer a few obvious questions up front, the county that scored the best overall was Woodruff County, with an overall average risk of just 8.332 in a million - significantly beating the overall national average. Pulaski County, the State's most populous one, also beat the national figure, but just by 1.86 points. Only two counties scored worse than the national average, unfortunately by significant margins. Before we go on, it is important to note some disclaimers the EPA attached to the data. First, the results are not actual measurements of risk, but rather estimates that are generated from computer models. Second, this data is meant to be viewed on a national or state level and may not be a reliable way to identify "hot spots." The EPA recommends that this data be used in conjunction with other data as the basis for further studies that will provide results more reliable on a local county-by-county level. It is important to understand that when reading the data results below; they should be considered preliminary. Below are the carcinogens for which the EPA's computer modeling generated risk assessments, the results they found, and additional notes as required: Any of these chemicals can be looked up oin Scorecard for further information. (Note: it is possible on Scorecard to identify both specific illnesses and specific businesses known to be responsible for the release of that particular chemical into the environment. Remember though that the government data you are looking at below is years old and not necessarily an accurate way to identify hot spots.) |
Acetaldehyde: the state's overall average risk of 1.582 in a million beat the national averall average risk of 2.99 in a million. No county exceeded the national average. Acetamide: Arkansas is one of only six states in America that reported a risk related to this carcinogen. Only one county in the State, Union County, had any measureable amount. You can read more about acetamide on Scorecard. Acrylamide: the state had zero overall average risk so beat the national averall average risk of 0.017 in a million. No county exceeded the national average. Acrylonitrile: the state's overall average risk of 0.0074 in a million beat the national averall average risk of 0.2157 in a million. No county exceeded the national average. Allyl chloride: Only four counties recorded any measureable amount. All four exceeded the national overall risk of 0.0003 in a million (Union County was 0.0035; St Francis was 0.0052; Lee was 0.0064; and Crittenden was considerably higher at 0.0654. Fourteen states reported a risk associated with allyl chloride; Arkansas is the second highest in the nation. You can read more about allyl chloride on Scorecard. Aniline: The whole state beat the national average. Benzene: All but niine counties were less than half of the national average. Of those nine counties Pulaski County was highest but still beat the national average. Benzidine: The whole state beat the national average. Benzotrichloride: Union County exceeded the national average risk with a measurement of .0293. In only one other county (Calhoun) was a risk of any kind even detected. Benzyl chloride: The risk assessed in Criitenden County was more than four times the national average, and in Hot Spring County more than three times the national average. Saline and Mississippi Counties both recorded measureable risk less than the national average. All other counties reported no trace of this carcinogen. Bis 2 ethylhexyl phthalate: Unfortunately thirty counties met or exceeded the average national risk for Bis 2 ethylhexyl phthalate. Of the forty five counties beating the national average the two recording the lowest levels of this carcinogen were Independence and Randolph Counties. You can read more about Bis 2 ethylhexyl phthalate on Scorecard. Bis chloromethyl ether: The whole state beat the national average. More to come as Arkansas Vegan research continues; check back for updates. |
The Impact of Factory Poultry Farms Grist Magazine ran an article on February 21 detailing some issues surrounding poultry factory farms. We're a big state for poultry farming of course, but did you realize that "in Arkansas alone, chicken farms produce an amount of waste each day equal to that produced by 8 million people?" Every day! And this apparently is entering rivers flowing into Oklahoma, which is why the Oklahoma Attorney General is suing several Arkansas poultry companies. You can read the story in Grist Magazine here.. |
Recycle - Then What? As consumers, to make recycling truly effective we have to purchase goods made of recycled materials. That helps ensure that recycled items receive a second life - and possibly more! |
These lamps are a great example of a way to have some fun AND reduce the load on landfills; these household lamps are made from vacuum cleaner canisters. The Recycled Vacuum Lamps and many other interesting items are available from Uncommon Goods. |
Factory Farm Pollution Update Arkansas Business reports "Attorney General Mike Beebe on Tuesday asked an Oklahoma court to allow his office to represent the people of Arkansas in the lawsuit filed by Oklahoma against Arkansas poultry companies. If allowed to intervene, Beebe said, he will ask the court to dismiss the claims he says would affect lawful farming practices in Arkansas. 'This lawsuit threatens to slow or stop the progress of environmental improvements already agreed to by both states,' Beebe said in a news release. 'Oklahoma has gone to court to demand money and to impose its laws on Arkansas instead of working together to find common ground for protecting environments and livelihoods in both states.' The move is the latest stemming from a case originally filed in June by Oklahoma Attorney General Drew Edmondson, who claimed that runoff from the improper handling of poultry waste had polluted Oklahoma streams and lakes. The case named 14 poultry companies, including Tyson Foods Inc. and George's Inc. of Springdale, Simmons Foods Inc. of Siloam Springs, and Peterson Farms Inc. of Decatur." The full story is available here... |
We're #28 It's no contest, but a sure sign that we could be doing A LOT more. Researchers at Colombia and Yale Universities ranked the environmental health of 133 nations and found that the US lags far behind other countries when it comes to such areas as ozone emissions and renewable energy production. The Sierra Club has a quick look, and you can download the entire Environmental Performance Index report from Yale University's site here. |
EPA Approval For Arkansas-Made Biodiesel The US Environmental Protection Agency has authorized Stuttgart-based Patriot Biofuels to begin selling biodiesel. KATV (Channel 7) says "A tanker truck from West Memphis arrived Thursday morning for the first fill-up.. It'll take the soybean-based fuel to Osceola to be distributed. The company president says right now, the cost of bio-diesel is similar to that of regular diesel. He says he's hopeful bio-diesel will eventually be available to the retail market. " Vehicles that can run on diesel now need no modifications of any kind to run on biodiesel, and in fact may experience a slight increase in miles per gallon. The cost is similar to petroleum diesel, but has two enormous advantages: it is made from renewable resources, and its use results in far less air pollution. |
Alternative Fuels Superstation We sure would love to see service centers like the Pearson Ford Fuel Depot rolled out across America. We have come one step closer with the Shell Superstop at 12524 Chenal Parkway - it now sells biodiesel! |
