"Beware 'Eco-Friendly' Christmas Gifts that Are No Such Thing," By Angela Logomasini, Ph.D. If you are looking to find some eco-friendly holiday gifts and decorations this year, be careful what advice you follow. Intentional or not, many suggestions about “eco-friendly” products are faulty because they are driven more by political preferences than scientific realities. In the words of Austrian economist Ludwig von Mises, there’s an “anti-capitalist mentality” among people on the Left, … [Read more...]
Children’s Environmental Health Grants Fund Junk Science
November 18, 2019
"Federal Children's Environmental Health Grants Used to Peddle Junk Science," By Angela Logomasini, Ph.D For more than two decades, the federal government has doled out millions of dollars to fund university-based “children’s environmental health centers.” These centers operate under the guise of objectivity, but they are far from objective. They are instead part of a web of left-leaning environmental activist organizations that have long misused taxpayer funds to peddle junk science, leading … [Read more...]
Truth about Plastic Straws
August 8, 2019
"The Truth about Plastic Straws," By Angela Logomasini, Ph.D. President Trump’s campaign has raised nearly half a million dollars in a matter of weeks selling plastic straws with “Trump” emblazed on each one. They fetch $15 for a package of 10 plastic straws, as the campaign markets them with the slogan: “Liberal paper straws don’t work.” That’s surely a high price tag for plastic straws, but the message is priceless. For the past couple years, the Left has been pushing plastic straw bans in … [Read more...]
Emotions, Not Facts, are Guiding Juries against Roundup
May 15, 2019
"Emotions, Not Facts, are Guiding Juries against Roundup," By Angela Logomasini Ph.D. A California jury this week awarded a whopping $2 billion based on a couple's claim that glyphosate, the active ingredient in Monsanto’s weed killer known as Roundup, caused their cancers. Yet just last month, the Environmental Protection Agency reaffirmed its long-held finding that the chemical does not cause cancer. The lesson here is not that the Environmental Agency was wrong, but that sometimes the … [Read more...]
Earth Day Ideology
April 22, 2019
"Ideology Undermines Earth Day Goal," By Angela Logomasini, Ph.D. April 22 is the 49th anniversary of Earth Day as well as the former communist dictator Vladimir Ilyich Lenin’s 149th birthday. Is it a coincidence that these two events occur on the same day? Maybe. But there’s no doubt that each share a blind adherence to ideological biases against the free market — biases so devoted to big-government policies that disregard their failings. For example, the activist … [Read more...]
EPA Program that Needs to be Cut
February 22, 2019
"The Flawed EPA Program that Needs to be Cut From the Federal Budget," By Angela Logomasini, Ph.D. As the Trump administration and Congress look for items to trim from the federal budget, they should paint a target on the Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS) at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) — and then pull the trigger. Though its supporters laud it as the “gold standard for risk assessment,” the program has a long history of sloppy research that lacks transparency. IRIS is a … [Read more...]
Banning Plastic Bags Will Hurt Businesses, Consumers
February 6, 2019
"Another Voice: Banning Plastic Bags Will Hurt Businesses, Consumers," By Angela Logomasini, Ph.D. Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo hopes to gain some green points by passing a statewide plastic shopping bag ban. He seems oblivious to the serious adverse impacts on small businesses and their employees, as well as on consumers and the environment. There are 30 companies in New York State that manufacture plastic bags with 1,500 employees that will suffer if the ban takes effect, a representative for the … [Read more...]
It’s Not Really Green to Ban Plastic Bags
January 20, 2019
"Science Shows that it's Not Really Green to Ban Plastic Bags," By Angela Logomasini, Ph.D. As if grocery shopping weren’t enough of a hassle, it’s about to become even more inconvenient in New York — for no good reason. State lawmakers may soon cave to the anti-plastic craze by passing a statewide plastic bag ban. In its zeal to jump on the anti-plastic bandwagon, the Legislature would force consumers to use alternatives that use up more resources and have been shown to endanger public … [Read more...]
Green Holiday Shopping Advice is Toxic to Your Pocketbook
December 19, 2018
"Green Movement's Holiday Shopping Advice is Toxic to Your Pocketbook," By Angela Logomasini, Ph.D. As the holiday revelry begins, self-proclaimed “consumer advocates” have sounded the alarm about so-called “toxic toys”—toys that supposedly contain dangerous chemicals. But don’t let them get your spirits down, because their findings are simply not credible, and following their advice could burn a hole your pocketbook faster than the Heat Miser. Near the top of the naughty list is the U.S. … [Read more...]
Ruling on Roundup is Good News
October 20, 2018
"Judge Tentative Ruling on Roundup is Good News for Farmers, Consumers," By Angela Logomasini, Ph.D. It’s good news for consumers that a superior court judge may put the brakes on a case alleging that the popular weed killer Roundup causes cancer. The science behind this claim — and nearly 9,000 other similar cases pending against Roundup’s manufacturer, Monsanto — is sorely lacking. If this case and others succeed, Roundup will likely be removed from the marketplace based on junk science … [Read more...]
Is Your Weed Killer Killing You?
July 30, 2018
"Is Your Weed Killer Killing You?" By Angela Logomasini, Ph.D. You might think that the popular weed killer known as Roundup is causing cancers around the world thanks to alarming news coverage of pending lawsuits. The first of thousands of such cases has now gone to trial in San Francisco, with the plaintiff claiming that Roundup caused his non-Hodgkins lymphoma. But don’t panic. While the illnesses in these cases are tragic, it is highly unlikely that they have anything to do with … [Read more...]
EPA Risk Assessment Program
May 16, 2018
"EPA IRIS Program Is Hardly The 'Gold Standard'” By Angela Logomasini, Ph.D. Don’t be fooled by those who say the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS) sets the gold standard for chemical risk assessments. In addition to a long history of sloppy research, lack of transparency, and low productivity, IRIS suffers from a more fundamental flaw that recent reform efforts are unlikely to resolve. EPA officials created IRIS administratively in 1984 as … [Read more...]
EPA’s Excessive Caution
May 16, 2018
"Excessive Caution at EPA Produces Absurd Conclusions" By Angela Logomasini, Ph.D. In an April 24 blog post, I detailed why a recent National Academies of Sciences review of the Environmental Protection Agency’s Integrated Risk Information System—a research program that conducts chemical risk assessments—should be disregarded. Basically, NAS did nothing more than pat EPA on the back for having finally implemented some of NAS’s recommended procedural reforms that the agency should have put in … [Read more...]
Plastic Bans Won’t Solve Ocean Plastic Problem
May 5, 2018
"Counterpoint: Plastic Bans Won't Solve Ocean Plastic Problem," Angela Logomasini, Ph.D. Proposed “solutions” to mounting plastic waste in the ocean continue to border on the absurd — suggesting that banning straws, bags and other consumer products offers an answer. While these policies might make good political sound bites, they are unlikely to solve anything, and they divert attention away from real solutions. Plastics that are washed out to sea have accumulated in certain areas of the … [Read more...]
Secret Science Rule is Pro-science, Pro-consumer
April 30, 2018
"Pruitt’s Rule Ending Secret Science is Pro-science, Pro-consumer," Angela Logomasini, Ph.D. EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt’s proposed rule to increase public access to scientific data makes eminent sense, since transparency is a cornerstone of the scientific process. The public should have access to data that agencies use to pass regulations that impose economic burdens and limit consumer choice. Pruitt modeled this rule after the Honest and Open New EPA Science Treatment (HONEST) Act (H.R. … [Read more...]
Failures of Chemical Safety Research at Environmental Protection Agency
April 24, 2018
Systematic Failures of Chemical Safety Research at Environmental Protection Agency By Angela Logomasini, Ph.D. “If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again” could be the motto of one of the key research programs at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency known as the Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS). EPA staff have been working for nearly a decade to improve the scientific process of this program, but have yet to get it right. IRIS has proven controversial because of its … [Read more...]
Drain EPA’s Bureaucratic Swamp
March 27, 2018
Obama Holdovers Work to Save EPA Junk Science, By Angela Logomasini, Ph.D. Obama administration holdovers at the Environmental Protection Agency are doing their best undermine efforts to drain EPA’s bureaucratic swamp. And thus far, unfortunately, they’re succeeding. A recent example is Congress’s failure to cut, or even reduce, funding of one of EPA’s controversial research programs known as the Integrated Risk Information System, or IRIS. According to Chemical Watch, the Trump … [Read more...]
Human Achievement Benefits Nature’s Creatures—Including Pets
March 19, 2018
Environmental activists want you to “take action for our planet and nature” by sitting in the dark for an hour on March 24th. But we at the Competitive Enterprise Institute would rather keep the lights on and celebrate Human Achievement Hour, because we recognize that living well is not a crime. In fact, the human ingenuity that brought us light has proved not only good for people; it benefits nature and its creatures as well. The anti-technology activists somehow think that economic … [Read more...]
Political Concerns Trumping Honeybee Science
March 9, 2018
"European Food Safety Assessment Proves Nothing about Risks to Bees," By Angela Logomasini, Ph.D. As European Union (EU) risk assessments purportedly “confirm” that systemic pesticides threaten honeybees and lawmakers quickly clamor for pesticide bans, the stark reality is that so far in this process, political concerns have been trumping science. In fact, politics has prevented scientists from considering the bigger picture, and, as a result, both bees and the world’s food supply will … [Read more...]
Holiday Fear about Toy Safety
December 14, 2017
"Nanny State Activists Spread Holiday Fear about Toy Safety," By Angela Logomasini, Ph.D. Rather than spreading holiday cheer, nanny state activists apparently prefer to spread fear about toy safety. Indeed, activists are using the holiday season as a news hook to advance their big government agendas. But parents should dismiss their Grinch-styled tactics in favor of common sense, which is more helpful and doesn’t require further empowering a federal nanny. A common theme among these scare … [Read more...]
Fearing Chemicals in your Thanksgiving Feast? Don’t.
November 22, 2017
"Neurotoxins in Your Thanksgiving Meal," By Angela Logomasini, Ph.D. Should you “go organic” for Thanksgiving, buying only “chemical free” foods? That’s the suggestion of some “health advocates” who say it’s in your best interest to avoid “dangerous” synthetic chemicals, particularly pesticides. Yet not only is it impossible to avoid chemicals, it’s simply not necessary for public health purposes. All physical things are made of chemicals, so yes, there are chemicals in your … [Read more...]
Is Using Pesticides an Act of Chemical Warfare?
November 15, 2017
"Is Using Pesticides an Act of Chemical Warfare?" By Angela Logomasini, Ph.D. A substance that “belongs to a class of chemicals developed as a nerve gas made by Nazi Germany is now found in food, air and drinking water,” thanks to President Donald Trump according to an article found online. This “neurotoxin” is in “same chemical family as sarin nerve gas,” which has been used as a chemical weapon in Syria, notes another writer. You might think such outlandish claims come from some looney … [Read more...]
Study: Glyphosate Does Not Cause Cancer
November 10, 2017
"Long-term Study Finds That the Pesticide Glyphosate Does Not Cause Cancer," By Katarina Zimmer. A new study has found no conclusive link between exposure to glyphosate—the main ingredient in a popular weedkiller—and cancer. The new study, which was seen by Reuters, draws on long-term data collected through the Agricultural Health Study. This has monitored the health of nearly 90,000 people in Iowa and North Carolina from 1993 to 2010, including farmers licensed to apply pesticides to … [Read more...]
Chemical Warfare for Bugs Only
November 9, 2017
"Is Using Pesticides an Act of Chemical Warfare?" By Angela Logomasini, Ph.D. A substance that “belongs to a class of chemicals developed as a nerve gas made by Nazi Germany is now found in food, air and drinking water,” thanks to President Donald Trump according to an article found online. This “neurotoxin” is in “same chemical family as sarin nerve gas,” which has been used as a chemical weapon in Syria, notes another writer. You might think such outlandish claims come from some looney … [Read more...]
Eric Lipton Smears EPA Chemical Office Official Nancy Beck
November 9, 2017
"New York Times' Eric Lipton Smears EPA Chemical Office Official Nancy Beck," By Angela Logomasini. Recently, Project Veritas released a series of undercover videos that reveal how New York Times journalists are more interested in smearing the Trump administration than in reporting objective news. But you don’t need to go undercover to see examples of such unfair and biased New York Times reporting. A recent example is Eric Lipton’s article related to Nancy Beck, whom Trump selected to work in … [Read more...]
