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2011

Corn ethanol tax breaks end

December, 2011
As EWG advocated, the corn-ethanol tax credit was allowed to expire on December 31, 2011, along with tariff protection for ethanol. The Senate voted by an overwhelming 73 to 27 to kill the so-called Volumetric Ethanol Excise Tax Credit. The House voted 283 to 128 in favor of an amendment to bar the use of federal funds to subsidize ethanol infrastructure - the industry’s Plan B. It has been...
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Key Issues, Toxics, Health Concerns: 
Energy

EWG calls out kids' cereals with more sugar than Twinkies

December, 2011
An EWG review of 84 cereal brands found that only one in four children’s cereals met a government panel’s voluntary proposed guidelines, which recommend no more than 26 percent added sugar by weight. EWG called for an even lower cap on sugar in children’s cereals.
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Key Issues, Toxics, Health Concerns: 
Food

Pollan names EWG's Cook one of most powerful foodies

November, 2011
Food authority Michael Pollan , writing in Forbes magazine, named EWG president Ken Cook one of the world’s seven “ most powerful foodies.” Pollan said that “Cook has campaigned tirelessly to overhaul federal farm policy so that it can support, rather than undermine, America's public health and environmental goals.”
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Key Issues, Toxics, Health Concerns: 
Farming
Food

Secret Farm Bill in Super Committee efforts blocked

November, 2011
We put all hands on deck to oppose the subsidy lobby’s attempt to stuff the farm bill into the Super Committee deficit reduction proposal. We developed and released a stream of reports drawing media attention to the machinations of the subsidy lobby, produced a video that was aired on CNN and in Des Moines broadcast markets urging viewers to help stop the secret farm bill, visited 50...
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Key Issues, Toxics, Health Concerns: 
Farming
Subsidies
Farm Policy

California enacts BPA ban

October, 2011
On October 4, 2011, California Gov. Jerry Brown signed an EWG-backed bill to ban BPA in sippy cups and baby bottles. After this victory, the chemical industry, reversed itself and said it would no longer battle measures to rid baby bottles and sippy cups of BPA.
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Key Issues, Toxics, Health Concerns: 
Toxics
BPA
Consumer Products
Children’s Products

The Hill taps Ken Cook for best grassroots lobbyist list

October, 2011
The Hill newspaper in Washington D.C. named Ken Cook one of the country’s best top grassroots lobbyists, observing, “Cook is at the forefront of challenges to corn ethanol and subsidies for Big Agriculture, upcoming hot-button issues as Congress tackles energy matters and starts work on a new farm bill. “
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Key Issues, Toxics, Health Concerns: 
Farming

Local food bill backed

October, 2011
EWG organized support for the Local Farms, Food and Jobs Act introduced in October 2011 by Rep. Chellie Pingree (D-Me.) and Sen Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio).
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Just Label It!

September, 2011
In the fall of 2011, EWG joined California's Just Label It! Campaign to label foods that contain genetically-engineered foods. More than 60,000 people signed EWG's petition to support GMO labeling.
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Key Issues, Toxics, Health Concerns: 
Food

EWG’s Fifth Annual Sunscreen Guide released

June, 2011
In June 2011, the federal Food and Drug Administration issued its first sunscreen regulations, the subject of a five-year campaign by EWG. The FDA regulations contained some needed truth-in-labeling requirements but did not adequately protect consumers from harmful UVA radiation. EWG’s campaign continues.
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Key Issues, Toxics, Health Concerns: 
Consumer Products

Meat Eater's Guide to Climate Change + Health

June, 2011
E WG's Meat Eaters Guide to Climate Change & Health went viral in June 2011 and was picked up by Yahoo! Green, USA Today, Time, WebMD and the New York Times. Celebrity chef Mario Batali promoted the guide in an email that went to tens of thousands of Americans.
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Key Issues, Toxics, Health Concerns: 
Food