What’s causing Hickory’s pollution? The area’s local air quality committee has given preliminary approval of The Louis Berger Group to analyze pollution garnered from a monitor station near water tower in southwest Hickory. [News Source]

At home cleaning hazards. A study commissioned by the EPA finds that common air fresheners and cleaning products could expose us to unsafe toxins. [News Source]

Information access declining. When big salmon farms sent fish waste, pesticides and antibiotics into the bays near his Maine home, 72-year-old toymaker Charles FitzGerald fought to stop the flow of toxic gunk. [News Source]

Montreal lags on environmental goals: auditor general. The city of Montreal's auditor general is underlining two serious environmental problems in his latest report: inadequate recycling and toxic wastes. [News Source]

Crackdown on petroleum adulterators from today. The Lahore district government has decided to crack down on the sale of adulterated and unauthorised petroleum products from today, district government sources told Daily Times on Wednesday. [News Source]

Annan urges G8 summit to liberalize trade, ensure energy security. UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan has called on the leaders of the "Group of Eight" industrialized countries to adopt at their upcoming summit bold trade liberalization measures while tackling the energy crisis in a way that respects the environment. [News Source]

Green roofs are cool! The conventional wisdom that green roofs save energy and reduce pollution is correct, according to the first life-cycle assessment of these rooftop gardens. [News Source]

E85 prices likely to keep going up. Burgeoning demand for ethanol is to blame for rising E85 prices - and those numbers are likely to keep going up along with gas prices, Attorney General Mike Hatch said Wednesday. [News Source]

Powerful proposal. Texas has a shot to be home to the cutting edge of cleaner, coal-generated electricity research. [News Source]

Bush visits Limerick plant. Hybrid vehicles, cars powered by ethanol and hydrogen, wind-powered generators, and of course, nuclear power were the focus of the energy policy outlined by President Bush in a speech at Exelon Nuclear's Limerick Generating Station. [News Source]

Swapping upgrades for offsets. Passengers on the airline BMI may soon be able to convert their frequent-flier mileage into cash donations to a carbon-dioxide emission-offsetting programme. [News Source]