Let’s stop these ozone depleting conferences. A minor but significant detail seems to have been lost in all the rhetoric at the United Nations Conference on Climate Change that took place in Nairobi recently: the 6,000 or so delegates attending the conference may have contributed more to global warming in a fortnight than the entire city of Nairobi does in a year. [News Source]

Global warming on trial. Critics of public nuisance suits accuse plaintiffs of improperly using the courts to push through regulatory or legislative change. Supporters argue that the courts are the right vehicle. [News Source]

A pollution solution. The twin ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles, long the bane of environmentalists because of a huge volume of diesel pollution they pour into the ocean breezes now aim to make themselves the world's greenest and most environmentally friendly seaports. [News Source]

It’s getting more and more thankless to be a smoker in the workplace. Now that smoke-free offi ces are the norm in the U.S., whether by law or by company policy, employers are finding new ways to smoke out cigarette users, including limiting or even abolishing smoke breaks, banning smoking on all company property, and requiring smokers to cough up monthly premiums to offset their health-insurance liability. [News Source]

Farmers hope for help from D.C. Anxious farmers have flung hopes on Congress to clarify an environmental law they fear has the potential to bankrupt them. [News Source]

Daley’s 20% green-power goal for 2006? In reality, not 1 watt. Five years after Daley pledged to buy a fifth of the city's electricity from renewable sources by the end of 2006, Chicago's energy mix isn't so green. The city hasn't bought any green energy since 2004. [News Source]

Michigan cement plants draw scrutiny for mercury emissions. Michigan regulators last year discovered the plant, one of the nation's biggest cement producers, belches up to 263 kilograms of mercury a year into the atmosphere - about 10 times more than previously believed. [News Source]

Groups study congestion pricing for NYC. Despite Bloomberg's resistence, four groups are conducting studies to determine how a congestion fee might reduce city traffic and benefit the environment and the economy. [News Source]

Protesters battle Uruguay pulp mill ahead of World Bank decision. Argentine environmentalists announced Sunday they will block access to Uruguay and the site of a planned paper mill ahead of the World Bank's expected announcement of its decision on financing the plant. [News Source]

Hong Kong’s market chief warns on worsening pollution: report. The head of Hong Kong's stock exchange warned worsening pollution posed a threat to the city's competitiveness as some expatriates stayed away due to the poor air quality, a report said Monday. [News Source]

Beijingers told to stay indoors as smog hangs over north China. Beijing residents were warned Monday to stay indoors due to high pollution levels, as a blanket of heavy smog across northern China caused traffic chaos and delayed flights throughout the region. [News Source]