NY Times has a good article explaining the current food shortage situation that is affecting countries like Haiti, Egypt, Malaysia, Burkina Faso, Senegal, Thailand and others due to the shortage of food commodities. Much of this is being blamed on the fact that international investors have caused prices to rise due to speculation and the falling US dollar.
Nalgene will stop using bisphenol A in the manufacturing process of their unbreakable plastic water bottles after Canada banned and the European Union considers a ban on the toxic chemical. Animal tests have shown hormonal changes.
The National Toxicology Program in the United States released a draft report on Tuesday reporting that some rats that were fed or injected with low doses of the chemical developed precancerous tumors and urinary tract problems and reached puberty early. While the report said the animal tests provided “limited evidence,” it also noted that the “possibility that bisphenol-a may alter human development cannot be dismissed.”
This weekend is the Green Apple Festival being held in 8 different cities this Sunday April 20th to celebrate Earth Day (which is on April 22nd). It’s a free musical concert and environmental awareness festival bringing folks together who like music and taking care of the earth. Each city has different performers and headliners scheduled. Menudo is playing in Miami; Thievery Corporation and Jordin Sparks (from American Idol) are in DC. The Neville Brothers are in Denver; Los Lonely Boys in Dallas; Juliette Lewis and the Licks in Los Angeles; Yonder Mountain String Band in San Francisco; Ricky Skaggs (yee haw!) in NYC; and here in Chicago it’s Meshell Ndegeocello. Sounds like fun! Plus free is a good thing!
I am glad to hear that Nalgene is doing this. This is good news.