Health impacts of winter air pollution (Scoop.co.nz) Serious air pollution in Christchurch, mainly from wood smoke, does have an impact on the respiratory health of young people, but the immediate effect is not major according to new research by the University of Otago, Christchurch. [News Source]

Olympics opening ceremony: China leads the LED revolution! The massive lights display may herald a clean energy future. [News Source]

Building healthier communities. How we design the places we live, work and play is key to helping us stay healthy and happy. [News Source]

Don’t let thirsty Las Vegas suck the life out of Utah. The arid West depends on a delicate balance of water. Even small disturbances in water availability can have catastrophic effects on the plant and animal life that we enjoy and depend on. [News Source]

The messy truth about dry cleaning. When it comes to the environment, traditional dry cleaning is downright dirty. The liquid solvent used at 85 percent of dry cleaners, perchloroethylene, known as "perc," is unequivocally bad for people and the planet. [News Source]

Coal plant is a statewide health threat. There has been much talk recently about the Bush administration's sustained efforts to undermine the functioning of government agencies from the Justice Department to the Environmental Protection Agency. [News Source]

Don’t harm planet while seeing the world. The more my work as an environmental economist awakens me to the repercussions of clothing excesses, the more I wish I had purchased more patches and fewer new clothes. [News Source]

Jurupa school district’s historic move to natural gas buses praised. Last month, the South Coast Air Quality Management District announced nearly $68 million in funding to help school districts replace diesel buses with natural-gas vehicles. [News Source]

Coal co. signs on to green program. Coal companies are right in the mix in the quest for environmental sustainability, one mine official says. [News Source]

Rising ozone levels, new standards could mean changes for northern Colorado. Ground-level ozone is becoming a growing issue across northern Colorado, and it is prompting state and federal authorities to clamp down on the harmful and widespread substance. [News Source]

Air is clearer, but testing’s here to stay. The St. Louis air hasn't been so smoggy this year. But if you waiting for a swift end to vehicle emissions testing — that time-honored rite of car ownership — don't hold your breath. Even if the air is cleaner. [News Source]