This week on Green Street, Patti and Doug review some of the top environmental health news stories of the year, including PFAS “forever” chemicals in drinking water and their links to cancer, how the administration is slowly but surely dismantling the EPA, concerns about increasing air pollution (and human suffering) from plastic recycling in Texas, how big tech’s data centers are depleting water resources in areas that already have water shortages, how fast fashion (plastic) clothing used as fuel in Cambodia is harming workers, and the increasing contamination of our food supply with micro and nano plastic particles. Tune in to Green Street every week for practical solutions for living in this toxic world!

Social media is taking a huge toll on our families, our communities and our nation. This February, it’s time to push back. In the news this week, Patti and Doug talk about the proliferation of plastic particles in agriculture and what it means for the world, and the growing interest in community geothermal systems to reduce the need for fossil fuels and cut energy costs. Then Diego Hidalgo, founder of the “OFF” movement, explains his vision of a worldwide campaign to regain our time and attention by removing social media apps from our phones for 28 days in February. Learn more about the campaign on our program website, GreenStreetNews.org

A worldwide decline in sperm is making things difficult for those trying to have a baby. This week in the news, Patti and Doug talk about the link between RF radiation and autism, A Pew Foundation report on plastic pollution, and how chemicals in food are making us sick. Then Dr. Shanna Swan, author of Countdown – How Our Modern World Is Threatening Sperm Counts, Altering Male and Female Reproductive Development, and Imperiling the Future of the Human Race – talks about her work and how endocrine-disrupting chemicals may be interfering with our ability to reproduce.

Small family farms are vital to our food supply and our health. In the news this week, Patti and Doug talk about PFAS chemicals in firefighting turnout gear, health problems for kids who get cell phones before age 12, and how tattoo ink travels through the body causing trouble. Then Jennifer Fahy, communications director for Farm Aid, talks about the work of the organization and why protecting small family farms is more important than ever!

Electronic LED lighting may save energy, but is it completely safe? This week on Green Street, Patti and Doug talk about a cancer-causing pesticide still being used in the US, why chemical air fresheners may be harmful to your health, and the Trump administration's push to get rid of proposed limits on emissions of soot from power plants and vehicles. Then Mark Baker, founder of the Softlights Foundation talks about the rapid proliferation of LED lighting, the lack of proper safety testing, and how LED lighting is causing significant health problems for a growing number of people.

The Sugar Scandal with Chris Neurath by A program of Grassroots Environmental Education

This week on Green Street, Patti and Doug talk about the amount of microplastics in tea bags, why artificial turf is being blamed for pro sports injuries, and how the legal profession is beginning to recognize the Rights of Nature. Then integrative and functional medicine practitioner Dr. Sharon Goldberg talks about the revolution in the treatment of dementia and Alzheimer's disease, using a wide range of non-drug protocols to reverse symptoms.

This week on Green Street Patti and Doug talk about concerns over radiation in electric and hybrid cars (EMFs and RFR), and the Trump administration's continuing war on science, from which government agencies may never recover. Then Tim Judson, Executive Director of the Nuclear Information and Resource Service, talks about the push for nuclear energy, the problems associated with nuclear, and the opportunities we have to use better sources to satisfy current and future demands for power.

This week on Green Street, Patti and Doug talk about why recycled plastic contains more toxins than virgin plastic, how government energy positions are increasingly filled with former oil execs, and the first discovery of mosquitoes in Iceland. Then Dr. Christy Tyler, professor at the Rochester Institute of Technology talks about her work uncovering the sources of plastic pollution that end up in our water.

This week on Green Street Patti and Doug talk about the EPA’s decision to exempt 50 of the country's most toxic chemical manufacturing plants from meeting air emission guidelines, and the growing threat of a flesh-eating bacteria moving up the Eastern US coastline due to climate change. Then Katie Welch, Executive Director of the Teaching Kitchen Collaborative, talks about the organization’s leading role in the food revolution, promoting nutritious food as a key ingredient to protect public health.

This week on Green Street, Patti and Doug talk about the amount of plastic being fed to farmed fish, and how big banks are financing the destruction of the forests in the Amazon. Then Dr. Robin Dodson and Dr. Kristin Knox from the Silent Spring Institute talk about their work uncovering the links between the chemicals found in everyday consumer products and increased risk of breast cancer.

On this special edition of Green Street, Patti and Doug discuss the issue of radiation from wireless devices and the emerging science linking exposure to wireless radiation with a host of human health problems including cancer. Part One of the show features an interview with Ellen Marks, Founder of the California Brain Tumor Association, and a presentation by public health expert Dr. David Carpenter of the University at Albany. Part Two features presentations by Dr. Paul Héroux of McGill University and Dr. Joel Moskowitz of the University of California at Berkeley.

This week on Green Street, Patti and Doug talk about plastic in the urinary tract linked to health risks, the EPA cutting funding for underserved communities, and the dismissal of a lawsuit against the EPA for failing to prevent contamination of farmland with PFAS. Then Sandy Wynn and Tony Spaniola from the Great Lakes PFAS Action Network tell how they were personally affected by PFAS in their water and how they are successfully fighting back against an array of powerful vested interests, including the military.

This week on Green Street, Patti and Doug talk about dramatic new findings that environmental exposures are causing humans to age faster and suffer from diseases earlier, and how air pollution can cause myopia in children. After the premiere of a new song, “Enough Is Enough,” Dr. Zeke Hausfather talks about his work on climate change and the various kinds of solutions being proposed to reduce the intensity of solar heating while we simultaneously reduce our dependence on fossil fuels.

This week on Green Street, Patti and Doug talk about how plants take up plastic and what it means for agriculture (and your garden), how plastic dust from construction sites is a major source of worldwide pollution, and why the smoke from wildfires is much more hazardous and damaging than previously understood. Then Dr. Veena Singla from the National Resources Defense Council talks about the various ways in which plastic manufacturers are trying – so far unsuccessfully – to recycle their product and convince the public that our global plastic crisis can be easily solved.

This week on Green Street, Patti and Doug talk about the plastic industry’s effort to re-classify pyrolysis (burning of plastic) as “manufacturing,” the environmental havoc caused by flame retardant chemicals used in forest fires, and the possibility that the old Indian Point nuclear power plant just north of New York City will be re-activated to meet the growing demand for power. Then PhD biologist Dr. Sanda Steingraber talks about the current war on science, and reminds us of all the achievements that have been made possible through government funding of research.

This week on Green Street, Patti and Doug talk about chemical lobbyists inside the EPA gutting regulations on PFAS, how the Nuclear Regulatory Commission has been ordered by the administration to quickly approve new nuclear power plants, and a new study showing that males are more impacted by exposure to some PFAS chemicals than females. Then Dr. Silvia Calbo Aroca talks about her new book, “Playing with the Invisible: The secrets to raising healthy kids in a world of technology.

This week on Green Street, Patti and Doug talk about the fight over banning a pesticide proven to negatively impact the brains of developing babies, a new firefighting foam made from soybeans that can replace hazardous PFAS-laden products, and the collapse of the UN worldwide plastic treaty, thanks in large part to the United States. Then Patti talks about all the decisions parents have to make as their kids head back to school. From school supplies and backpacks to lunchboxes and snacks to the clothes they wear, avoiding plastic as kids head back to school is a daunting task. Tune in and find out what you can do!

This week on Green Street, Patti and Doug talk about the health hazards of wildfire smoke and how to stay safe, the effort by the United States to undermine a global plastics treaty ahead of the UN conference in Geneva, and the new report showing that Americans are getting a majority of their calories from ultra-processed foods. Then Dr. Zahra Kassam, radiation oncologist and founder of Plant Based Canada, talks about her work educating the public and her patients about the many health and environmental benefits of a plant based diet.

This week on Green Street, Patti and Doug talk about the Trump administration’s plans to stop making scientific climate reports easily available to the public, and the new study showing that children living near oil and gas drilling sites have a significantly higher incidence of leukemia. Then Steven Feit, senior attorney with the Center for International Environmental Law, talks about the myth of carbon capture technology and how CEIL is using international law to push back against big oil’s plans for continued pollution of the earth with plastic.