Legislators in Georgia and across the country are demanding more information for residents about longevity and repairability of tech devices, which they said is critical in promoting transparency and addressing the environmental impact of electronic waste.
The call for action came in a letter signed by 58 state legislators from 28 states. The letter was organized by the U.S. Public Interest Research Group and pushed for the development of voluntary repair scores for laptops, phones and other tech products.
Lucas Gutterman, campaign director for the group, said consumers often face a lack of information regarding whether a product is long-lasting or easily fixable.
"Repair scores solve that problem," Gutterman contended. "They create transparency in the marketplace. They're like an energy guide label for repairability that gives us a 1 through 10 score that tells you how fixable that product is before you buy it."
He explained some states have already introduced bills to include repair scores on products, but they are asking the Federal Trade Commission to make it a nationwide standard. Rep. Marvin Lim, D-Norcross, and Rep. Lydia Glaize, D-Fairburn, signed on in support.
Gutterman noted the repair scores go beyond giving consumers what they need to make sure their devices have longevity and could be a major player in pushing companies to make longer-lasting products, saving customers money and helping protect the environment.
"Because it reduces electronic waste," Gutterman emphasized. "Which is the world's fastest growing waste stream and can be very difficult to recycle, having really negative effects on our environment."
He added repair scores have already been adopted in other countries, allowing consumers to see factors such as the availability of spare parts, ease of repair and manufacturer support.
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The Trump administration's recent executive order, "Immediate Expansion of American Timber Production," called on federal land managers to ramp up timber production to protect the country's national and economic security.
Oregon is the top producer of softwood lumber in the country, so the order could have serious implications for the state.
Nick Cady, legal director for the conservation organization Cascadia Wildlands in Eugene, said the order's claim onerous federal policies have forced the country to rely on imported lumber is incorrect. In fact, he pointed out the U.S. is one of the world's leading timber exporters.
"There are miles and miles of deck logs that are raw exported to Asia every day out of Coos Bay and the ports here in Oregon," Cady explained. "The premise which all this is based on is false."
The order also stated a lack of logging has contributed to wildfires and degraded fish and wildlife habitats. Cascadia Wildlands and other environmental groups plan to take legal action against the order.
Ryan Reed, member of the Federal Advisory Committee for the Northwest Forest Plan, said the executive order takes an extreme approach to logging. He added the timber industry and environmentalists in the Northwest are more aligned than they used to be in their goals of managing forests sustainably.
Reed noted the order uses language of exploitation indigenous leadership has been guiding the region away from.
"This type of work is almost eroding the very work that we tried to build consensus and bring communities of both sides, of both interests, along," Reed contended.
If the order was enacted as written, Cady argued it could have devastating effects on the region's forests and wildlife. He added many environmental laws, including the Endangered Species Act, cannot be subverted through an executive order. Cady is confident pending lawsuits will be successful.
"I think in the end it'll just lead to a bunch of taxpayer time and money fighting this in court and then nothing on the ground and just a smoke screen waste of time," Cady concluded.
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Amid U.S. Forest Service firings and layoffs by the Trump administration, conservationists are honoring a former employee this week considered by many to be the "father of wildlife ecology." Aldo Leopold was a supervisor of New Mexico's Carson National Forest before his eventual relocation to Wisconsin.
Each year a foundation named in his honor hosts "Leopold Week" -- a three-day event featuring acclaimed authors who, like Leopold, write about the natural world.
Richard Rubin, former New Mexico medical doctor and Forest Service volunteer, has seen firsthand the importance of forest management.
"The local Forest Service people are really devoted; a lot of good people doing the best they can," Rubin explained. "It's been tough work. Even before all these firings, the Carson Forest had 40% open positions they couldn't fill."
New Mexico's federal lawmakers have spoken out about the Trump administration's firing of federal workers, including the state's 2,200 federal employees in probationary periods. In addition to the Forest Service, those agencies include the Veterans Health Administration, the Bureau of Land Management and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, among others.
Rubin volunteered with others to help restore Leopold's craftsman bungalow in Tres Piedras, N.M., which became a national historic site in 1993.
"So the status of the place became significant then, and then completely restored in 2005-06, to the original appearance as Aldo built it," he explained.
Leopold wrote several books over the course of his life, but Rubin favors a quote from his most well-known -- "A Sand County Almanac," published in 1949: "That the situation is hopeless should not prevent us from doing our best."
In addition to his writings, Leopold is credited with the idea to create a protected area on the Gila National Forest in southern New Mexico, which was 100 years old in 2024.
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New legislation would help build more wildlife crossings across Oregon highways to make roads safer for people and animals.
Research shows that Oregon has the highest likelihood of wildlife crashes among West Coast states, with nearly 5,000 damaging or deadly collisions in 2022.
Wildlife collisions are costly and dangerous for drivers and take their toll on wildlife as well.
New legislation would help build more wildlife crossings across Oregon highways to make roads safer for people and animals.
Research shows that Oregon has the highest likelihood of wildlife crashes among West Coast states, with nearly 5,000 damaging or deadly collisions in 2022.
The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife estimates that nearly 15 million animals are killed on Oregon's roads each year.
Karl J. Findling is on the board for the Oregon Backcountry Hunters and Anglers. He said it is time for Oregon to do more to address the problem.
"Oregon is behind nearly all Western states, with only five and a potentially new sixth crossing," said Findling, "where some states such as Colorado have 50."
Crossings have been shown to significantly reduce wildlife collisions. For example, an underpass near Bend cut them by more than 85%.
Findling said that along with driving population declines in many species, when you factor in medical and vehicle repair costs, collisions with wildlife are pricey.
"I've seen numbers around $7,000 per collision with a deer," said Findling, "but what's striking is $73,000 when someone hits an elk."
Although polls show wildlife crossings have broad, bipartisan support across the state, Findling said funding wildlife crossings remains a challenge due to high costs.
But, said Findling, with all the money they save, crossings pay for themselves within 15 years.
"When we see these crossings go in," said Findling, "the returns are close to $3 for every dollar invested."
Support for this reporting was provided by The Pew Charitable Trusts.
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