Hyping hybrids. At the 78-mile Green Grand Prix Road Rally around Seneca Lake in Central New York everything from hybrids to a wood chip-powered SUV to a car fueled with an auxiliary hydrogen supply took to the course. [News Source]

Looks yellow, drives green. The days of traditional school buses — diesel fuel guzzlers featuring scant safety characteristics — are coming to an end. [News Source]

City should give electric cars a test drive. Imagine living in and starting a business in a city where the product you sell isn't even legal. [News Source]

Charter goes ‘green’ to help the Bay. The Maryland Department of Natural Resources held its annual ceremony honoring marinas that voluntarily adopt pollution-prevention measures at the launch of the "green cruise," what officials at Nautical Destinations said is the first in the Baltimore-Annapolis area to offer eco-conscious catering. [News Source]

Draft air permit to get public comment soon. Carbon monoxide emissions from the BP oil refinery in Lake County will rise significantly under a final draft air pollution permit that's due to receive public review soon, a report today said. [News Source]

Breathing easier - but room for improvement remains. In the Hudson Valley, the hot and hazy days of summer can bring trips to the beach and the local swimming hole. But for some, they can also bring asthma attacks, trips to the emergency room and respiratory failure. [News Source]

Respiratory infections are on the rise health and lifestyle. Forget global warming, think about just breathing. In the best interests of living without a greasy lung, may be we should take a quick look at how our lifestyles are leading to high levels of pollution that impact directly on our health and well being. [News Source]

Hot, yes, but is it getting warm? Another sizzling summer, coming on the heels of scorching season last year, could again ignite the battle over climate change and whether humans are to blame. [News Source]

Erratic monsoon, glacier retreat - brown cloud involved in all. The brown cloud of particulate air pollutants that now cover all of Asia and the seas around is responsible for the weak and erratic monsoon in India, about half of the global warming and a major rise in respiratory ailments like tuberculosis. [News Source]

Researchers study possible asthma-obesity connection. Chattanooga's air quality and allergens combined with a high incidence of obesity have created a "perfect storm" for epidemic levels of asthma, a local physician said. [News Source]

Japanese editorial excerpts (Kyodo via Yahoo! Asia News) _ Selected editorial excerpts from the Japanese press: [News Source]