EPA Conversations Expanding the Conversation on Environmentalism and Working for Environmental Justice

School districts all across the USA are serving school food on Styrofoam (also known as polystyrene) lunch trays. These trays, composed of the chemicals styrene and benzene, are used for about 30 minutes only, then most commonly incinerated or transported to landfills where they take up an enormous amount of space. In New York City alone, 850,000 Styrofoam trays are used per day, which are exported to out of state to... more »

MAKE RECYCLING MANDATORY IN AMERICA. My town recycles yet all of the property managed buildings do not. How can we fight to make people recycle world wide? Our trash consumption is ludacris.. help EPA, I am currently going to school for a degree in Environmental studies, so I hope to join you in the fight to save our Earth..

Background/ History
For much of United States history, Environmental Policy was unheard of. When Roosevelt was President in the 1930s, he put many New Deal Programs into place, one of which included conservation programs to help restore forests and rebuild places that had experienced economic and ecological collapse. However, it wasn’t until 1962, when Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring was written, a book that explained the... more »

I think if we can focus more on providing education as to "why" these issues need to be looked at will help all efforts to scale.

As discussed under air quality, based on admittedly limited (self-funded) layman testing and research...the background radiation levels over a significant swatch geographical swath (about 250 miles of road) appear to be elevated over historical levels. Roughly, the readings are about 2x over historical levels. Is this enough of a change to cause issues with some species?

In general, mammals are considered to be the... more »

In Colorado there are 3.6M+ acres of beetle-kill pine. We are in a sever to extreme drought and it is only getting worse every day.

Current USDA Forest Service policy and budget allow for the protection of human life and residential structures. Forest firest are not prevented from occurring (using thinning of deadwood and other management practices), as learned from the Yellowstone fire.

This beetle-kill is primarily... more »

Currently, we ask private property owners to preserve resources that the public values. The public must compensate the property owner based on the value of the resource. This can be done with density bonuses, transferable development rights and/or tax breaks.

The current system encourages impacts to resources to preserve property value. The public will have to accept higher densities on good developable property in... more »

Monsanto and its GMO program is BAD for all of us and needs to be STOPPED NOW!

I propose that the government tax businesses who profit from the sale of non-recyclable (or high-cost recyclable) products (even those that are categorized as non-toxic). Companies who sell products that are impossible to repair (or costlier to repair than to replace; e.g. most printers) and thus end up being disposed of by the consumer should also be taxed. I believe the EU imposes such taxes; I don't know about the... more »

Most energy efficiency programs are only available to home owners. And land lords that pass on heating bills to renters have no incentive to winterize homes, add double pained windows, install smart heating systems and other improvements that would save energy, CO2 and money. Renters need energy efficiency programs now!

This may be an unpopular concept but we do need to start discussing it. The root cause of all our environmental problems is that we have just about exceeded the carrying capacity of the earth for human population. Reducing the human population on earth will reduce the demand on natural resources such as fossil fuels and potable water; will reduce contamination of air, water and land; and will reduce waste production.... more »

Wanted to share a story about an Air Force Veteran who serves EPA as Chief Photographer.

-Set up recycling pick up at all post offices. I've never lived anywhere that had easily available recycling centers, but every town has a post office and trash pick-up.
-Charge extra money for things in individual packaging. If it is turned into the recycling center, then they get their extra fee back. Don't want to pay extra, buy in larger containers.
-Get rid of plastic packaging, bags, wrappers, etc. Go to biodegradable... more »

I think the most important thing that any of us can do to initiate a conversation about the environment, energy or global warming is to work to reform our election process. Even those who start in politics wanting to make big changes are beholden to corporate money for election financing and thus our lawmakers report to interests that are directly counter to those that would make a difference in protecting our world.... more »

"The Pledge (An Earth Anthem) music video by the award-winning Earthman Lanny Smith and the Planet Earth Project features both the Miami Children's Choir and the Nashville Children's Choir, and is signed by for the hard of hearing by children. This will inspire everyone.

On Youtube at