Tag Archives: million

Heavy Metal

Over the past six years, The Consumer Product Safety Commission has recalled more than 180 million pieces of metal jewelry that contained dangerous levels of lead, and in August 2009 it lowered the acceptable amount of lead in children’s jewelry to 300 parts per million . But the progress in regulating lead appears to have propelled manufacturers to use another toxic metal, cadmium

Sudan: Hearts, Minds and Helicopters

Washington watches nervously as Nimeiri battles a rebellion Sudanese President Gaafar Nimeiri, 54, launched the new era by ceremoniously pouring a can of beer into the Nile. Five million dollars' worth of liquor followed, as thousands watched from the riverbank, chanting, “Wise decision, Gaafar.” Thus did Sudan pass under Islamic law this fall.

Food Stamps: More Americans Relying on Uncle Sam to Eat

Just in case we needed more evidence of the hardship inflicted by the country’s devastating economic crisis, earlier this month we got it: more Americans than ever are receiving food stamps. The Department of Agriculture reported that 35.1 million people relied on government help to buy groceries in June — 713,000 more than in the previous month and a 22% jump from the previous year’s figure

Peru’s Presidential Vote: Looking Out for No. 2

Alfredo Salazar says he has never really been too interested in politics and never saw himself attending a campaign-closing rally in Lima, Peru’s bustling capital. But the 48-year old shop owner did just that on April 5, pushing his way into the crowd in a downtown plaza to listen to Ollanta Humala, the leading candidate in a field of 10 running for President of Peru this Sunday

Greening the Skyline

One of the most ambitious efforts to transform city skylines around the globe is nearly invisible. That’s because the changes, aimed at drastically reducing energy consumption and carbon emissions in tall buildings, are happening in places most people never venture–in subterranean boiler rooms, behind radiators, under desks and inside the massive walls of office towers built decades ago.