Enviroblog’s Top 10 Stories of 2014

From the EWG staff, our picks for the Top 10 Enviroblog stories that had the most impact on Americans’ environmental health in 2014:

1. EWG launches Food Scores. The New York Times headlined it as a “new web service,” and Bloomberg said it would “tell you when junk food is the least bad.”
   New York Times: Food Scores, a New Web Service, Ranks Grocery Items on Ingredients and Nutrition
   Bloomberg: New Food Ratings Can Tell You Which Junk Food Is the Least Bad
   https://www.ewg.org/enviroblog/2014/10/can-t-handle-food-truth
2. EWG found hundreds of food products containing “yoga mat” chemical ADA.  It makes bread fluffy – but it’s not really food.
   Reuters: Hundreds of Foods in US Contain ‘ADA” Plastics Chemical: Report 
   Forbes: What is the Yoga Mat Chemical? And why is it in our food?
   https://www.ewg.org/release/yoga-mat-chemical-found-nearly-500-foods
   https://www.ewg.org/research/nearly-500-ways-make-yoga-mat-sandwich
3. A study by EWG and Duke University scientists found potentially carcinogenic flame retardants in the bodies of mothers and their children. Gov. Jerry Brown of California ordered furniture sold in the state to be labeled if it contained flame retardants.   
   https://www.ewg.org/enviroblog/2014/09/california-makes-it-law-label-toxic-flame-retardants-furniture
   https://www.ewg.org/research/flame-retardants-2014
   Chicago Tribune: Study: Flame Retardants Found in Moms, Kids
   https://www.ewg.org/enviroblog/2014/08/study-finds-levels-toxic-flame-retardants-5-times-higher-toddlers
   https://www.ewg.org/release/ewg-duke-study-finds-five-times-much-cancer-causing-fire-retardants-children-mothers
4. An EWG report showed that billions of gallons of water were used to conduct hydraulic fracturing of shale formations for oil and gas. At a time of increasing water scarcity, hundreds of so-called “monster wells” have sprung up that require 10 million to 25 million gallons of water apiece.  On Dec. 17, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced he would ban high-volume fracking for shale gas in New York State. After much anguishing about the pros and cons of fracking, Cuomo took the advice of Acting State Health Commissioner Dr. Howard A. Zucker, who concluded, according to the Syracuse Post-Standard, that “We don't have the evidence to prove or disprove the health effects, but the cumulative concerns of what I’ve read gives me reason to pause.” Zucker added that based on what he knew, he would not allow his family to drink water from sources near fracked wells.
   https://www.ewg.org/release/billions-gallons-used-frack-monster-wells-even-drought-areas-0
   https://www.ewg.org/research/monster-wells
5. EWG researchers rounded up comepelling evidence that cereals fortified with too many vitamins and minerals pose health risks to children.
   https://www.ewg.org/research/how-much-is-too-much
   USA Today: Report: Over-fortified cereals may pose risks to kids
   ABC's Good Morning America (VIDEO): Could Fortified Cereals Harm Children?
6. 2014 is shaping up to be the hottest year on record. The U.N. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change called for a dramatic shift from fossil fuels.  
   https://www.wmo.int/pages/mediacentre/press_releases/pr_1009_en.html
   http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2014/11/141102-ipcc-synthesis-report-climate-change-science-environment
7. The Republican sweep of the 2014 elections handed control of the Senate to the Republican leaders, who promptly announced they would weaken environmental protections and rein in the Environmental Protection Agency.
   http://www.politicususa.com/2014/06/23/republicans-threaten-withhold-government-funding-obamas-epa-rules.html
   http://www.newrepublic.com/blog/the-vine/77664/high-noon-climate-skepticism
8. The SC Johnson company, a leading manufacturer of household products, pledged to disclose fragrance ingredients, and Clorox promised to disclose fragrance allergens in its cleaners. 
   http://www.scjohnson.com/en/press-room/press-releases/10-09-2014/SC-Johnson-Announces-Plans-to-Disclose-Product-Specific-Fragrance-Ingredients.aspx
   https://www.ewg.org/release/clorox-disclose-fragrance-allergens-cleaning-products
9. The FDA updated its advice to women on mercury in seafood. EWG released a more detailed guide to low-mercury, high-omega, sustainable seafood choices.
   https://www.ewg.org/research/ewgs-good-seafood-guide
   Los Angeles Times: Advocacy Group Calls for Clearer Seafood Consumption Guidelines
   https://www.ewg.org/release/government-gives-flawed-advice-eating-fish-ignores-new-science
10. The National Geographic published an investigation on “The Future of Food” that makes sense of competing demands on land and water.
    http://www.nationalgeographic.com/search?q=Food+series

10. (tie) A chemical spill tainted the drinking water of 300,000 people in the Kanawha Valley of West Virginia  The incident highlighted precarious protections for drinking water.  On Dec. l7, a federal grand jury in Beckley, W.Va., charged Freedom Industries and six of its former owners, managers and employees with criminal violations of the federal Clean Water Act and other offenses.
USA Today: WV Company Under Scrutiny for Chemical Spill 

You can see AgMag’s Top 10 stories here.