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Friday, September 13, 2024

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Van Hollen introduces federal 'climate superfund' legislation; Trump campaigns in Western states as Harris focuses on critical Pennsylvania; Stalled Child Tax Credit leaves Ohio families in limbo; Federal funding drives PA's increase in electric school buses.

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Marjorie Taylor-Greene condemns remarks by a right-wing activist, immigrants to Ohio spark conspiracy theories and heated campaign controversies, and the Children's Defense Fund pushes for more attention to child poverty.

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Rural voters weigh competing visions about agriculture's future ahead of the Presidential election, counties where economic growth has lagged in rural America are booming post-pandemic, and farmers get financial help to protect their land's natural habitat.

This Year, Declare Your Independence from Single-Use Plastics

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Monday, July 3, 2023   

This Fourth of July, ocean conservation groups want Americans to declare their independence from single-use plastics.

A new report, "Charting a Course to Plastic-Free Beaches," names the five biggest culprits polluting beaches and waterways: cigarette butts, plus plastic foam food ware, bags, straws and stirrers, and utensils.

Anja Brandon, associate director of U.S. plastics policy for the Ocean Conservancy, said non-recyclable plastic items break down in the water and do great harm to wildlife.

"We're calling for bans to eliminate or significantly reduce these five items," Brandon explained. "Eliminating these five items, in the U.S. alone, would cut 1.4 million tons of plastics each year."

The report advised people to bring reusable water bottles, plates, cups and cutlery to their barbecues, and to consider joining a nearby cleanup event. One year ago, California lawmakers passed Senate Bill 54, which requires all packaging in the state to be recyclable or compostable by 2032.

Brandon pointed out the landmark California law jumpstarts the move toward a "circular" economy, where items are designed to be reused or recycled, so they do not end up in a landfill.

"SB 54 also requires that producers of all single-use materials help take responsibility for their items, and help pay for the recycling or composting of those items," Brandon outlined. "Also, the bill requires that plastics meet an incredibly high recycling rate of 65%."

You can find more ways to avoid single-use plastics on the website plasticfreeJuly.org.


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According to the Center for American Progress, "Climate-smart agriculture represents a crucial front in the fight against climate change." (Bits and Splits/Adobe Stock)

Social Issues

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By Kristi Eaton for The Daily Yonder.Broadcast version by Deborah Van Fleet for Nebraska News Connection reporting for The Daily Yonder-Public News Se…


Social Issues

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More Maine households struggled to meet their basic needs last year, according to new census data. More than 80,000 Mainers, or roughly 6% of the …

Environment

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New federal legislation would make polluters pay for the costs of climate change mitigation. On Thursday, Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., introduced …


According to the Center for Reproductive Rights, 18 states currently either ban abortion completely or after six weeks of pregnancy. (Adobe Stock)

Health and Wellness

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Abortion care restrictions in North Dakota are expected to be lifted in the near future, following a court ruling on Thursday. A state judge said …

Social Issues

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Hudson, New York will hold its fourth annual Latinx Festival on Sunday. The festival celebrates a wide range of cultures through food, dancing and …

The John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act would restore parts of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 weakened by the Supreme Court's 2013 decision in Shelby v. Holder. (Adobe Stock)

Social Issues

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Groups from Virginia and across the country are working with federal lawmakers to improve voting rights. They are building support for voting rights …

Social Issues

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Chronic absenteeism rates in Michigan schools have significantly declined, yet researchers warn the state's rate overall remains alarmingly high…

Social Issues

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During this week's presidential debate, Vice President Kamala Harris proposed reviving the Child Tax Credit, which was part of the American Rescue …

 

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