Snuffing out smoking in cars with children. Targeting a new frontier in the fight against smoking, California lawmakers may ban motorists from lighting up near young passengers. [News Source]

Hostile climate greets governor’s plan to save earth. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is running for reelection as a self-styled bold leader, who can boost the business climate at the same time he protects the planet from global warming. [News Source]

Greener substitute to lawns takes root. A small, if determined, movement would replace vistas of unrelentingly green front lawns with at least pockets of exotic flower and vegetable gardens that not only are feasts for the eyes but sources of cheap veggies, too. [News Source]

Attention to locomotives’ emissions renewed. For years, government scientists who measure air pollution assumed that diesel locomotive engines were relatively clean and emitted far less health-threatening emissions than diesel trucks or other vehicles. [News Source]

DuPont Breaks Ground on Newest Air Emission Reduction Project, Agreement with Western Refining will be Environmental (ChemPoint) EL PASO, Texas, August 10, 2006 -- Responding to global demands for cleaner air and increasingly sophisticated methods of air pollution control, DuPont has broken ground on its newest Air Emission Reduction Project that promises the environmental equivalent of taking 50,000 cars (one in 10 cars) off El Paso roads and setting a standard for healthier refinery emissions. [News Source]

Back - seat driver: Official clears the air on drive-up windows (The Sacramento Bee) Is it possible that fast food drive-up windows in fact help reduce air pollution? [News Source]

Zinc maker fined $110,000 for pollution (The Philadelphia Inquirer) The country's largest zinc producer has been fined $110,000 for violating air-pollution regulations. Horsehead Corp. of Monaca was penalized by Pennsylvania's Department of Environmental Protection for releasing pollutants into the air from several buildings at its facility in Potter Township, Beaver County. [News Source]

State air experts to discuss problems in Columbia (Times and Democrat) COLUMBIA, S.C. - State air experts will be in Columbia this week to discuss air quality in South Carolina. Twice this month, smog in the Columbia area exceeded federal air pollution standards, continuing a recent trend that threatens public health and economic growth in the Midlands. [News Source]