U.S. receives environmental report card, ranks 39 overall (Daily Vidette) Researchers from Yale and Columbia Universities were given the difficult task of measuring environmental performance among 149 countries. After assessing greenhouse gas emissions, air pollution and sanitation among other aspects, the researchers placed the United States 39 overall and last among the "Group of 8" nations. [News Source]

Human Pollution Drives Weekday Southeast Storms (Environment News Service) GREENBELT, Maryland , February 2, 2008 (ENS) - Summertime storms in the southeastern United States drop more rainfall midweek than on weekends, and NASA scientists say air pollution from human activities, such as emissions from traffic, businesses and factories, is likely driving that trend. [News Source]

NASA study to rely on Japanese technology (Asahi.com) State-of-the-art equipment developed by a team from the University of Tokyo will be used in a NASA project to study the influence of air pollution on global warming. [News Source]

Workweek Fumes May Make Some US Weekends Drier (Planet Ark) NEW YORK - Air pollution may have a silver lining in some parts of the United States -- it might help make summer weekends less rainy, according to a new study. [News Source]

London becomes huge green zone (Japan Today) LONDON — Drivers of high-polluting trucks and vans face a 200-pound ($295) daily charge to enter London from Monday, as Britain's first low emission zone comes into effect to cut air pollution. [News Source]

Beijing Sees “Best Run” of Clear Skies Since 2000 (Planet Ark) BEIJING - Beijing, struggling to control air pollution before the Olympic Games later this year, saw 22 "blue sky days" in January, its best record in a single month since 2000, state media said on Friday. [News Source]

Truckers to count cost as London becomes huge green zone (AFP via Yahoo! News) Drivers of high-polluting lorries face a 200-pound (266-euro, 295-dollar) daily charge to enter London from Monday, as Britain's first low emission zone comes into effect to cut air pollution. [News Source]

NASA data link pollution to rainy summer days (Spaceflight Now) WASHINGTON - Rainfall data from a NASA satellite show that summertime storms in the southeastern United States shed more rainfall midweek than on weekends. Scientists say air pollution from humans is likely driving that trend. [News Source]

Truckers to count cost as London becomes huge green zone (AFP via Yahoo! News) Drivers of high-polluting lorries face a 200-pound (266-euro, 295-dollar) daily charge to enter London from Monday, as Britain's first low emission zone comes into effect to cut air pollution. [News Source]

More News (Daily Bulletin) The proposed high-speed train from the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach to Ontario is an exciting prospect for many reasons. It would fuel economic growth for the region while reducing air pollution and freeway congestion. And it would not involve much taxpayer money. [News Source]

Bob Cuddy: Swap that old lawn mower for cleaner air (The San Luis Obispo Tribune) ow that we’re no longer worried about washing down the creek and into the ocean, it’s a good time to think about hauling out the old two-stroke mower and getting to work on that fast-growing lawn. I have a suggestion. Don’t fire up that baby; turn it in for an electric job. Not to sound like a shill, but the county’s Air Pollution Control District is back with a lawn mower exchange pro-gram ... [News Source]