GREEN LIVING IN CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA

Sustainable living, natural food, environmental and health news and more!

NEW YORK (AP) -- After the high-profile recalls of millions of lead-contaminated toys last year, a watchdog group said Wednesday that its tests found fewer toys with high levels of chemicals in them this year. But about a third of the toys tested still contained a worrisome level of chemicals.

Healthytoys.org, a project of The Ecology Center, a nonprofit environmental group based in Michigan, in collaboration with other groups, tested about 1,500 toys for a variety of chemicals, including lead, arsenic, cadmium and others. About half were similar to toys tested last year.

Continue reading "Group finds fewer toys with high lead levels" »

(AP) -- Patients with asthma and other lung diseases should stay tuned: Quick-acting albuterol inhalers aren't the only lung medicines poised for changes because they're powered by ozone-damaging chemicals called CFCs.

The most-used daily medications used to prevent asthma attacks already are CFC-free, and all albuterol inhalers -- the kind used to treat attacks -- must be by Dec. 31.

Continue reading "Deadlines for other inhalers to go eco-friendly" »

Call it pain at the trash can. The Harrisburg Authority, which owns the city's money-losing incinerator, proposed today a $100 increase in the per-ton fee to dispose trash generated in Dauphin County.

The Jan. 1 rate hike, needed to cover a projected $17 million deficit at the plant, would add about $30 to the quarterly trash bill of the average county resident living outside Harrisburg.

Continue reading "Incinerator woes might cost county residents another $120 a year" »

With the Harrisburg incinerator projected to lose tens of millions of dollars over the next five years, the Harrisburg Authority, the city utility agency that owns the plant, said it's already begun exploring a sale to Covanta Energy of New Jersey, the private company operating the plant under a 10-year contract.

Michele T.V. Torres, the authority's executive director, said today that provisions of the deal call for the agency to negotiate exclusively with Covanta through July 2009. After that, the authority can seek bids from outside buyers, but Covanta can match any competitor's price through Dec. 31 2012, Torres said.

Continue reading "Harrisburg to explore selling money-losing incinerator" »

Plans to unveil a potential buyer for the Dauphin Highlands Golf Course Tuesday night are off.

H. Michael Liptak, chairman of the Dauphin County General Authority, which owns the course, said he learned late Wednesday that the developers would not attend the meeting. No new date has been set. In fact, the deal for the 230-acre property appears in doubt, possibly due to the faltering economy. Attorney's for the authority will be talking with the developer, whose identity is not being revealed, to determine if their proposal is still valid, Liptak said. The authority received eight proposals from developers but Liptak could not say if any of the alternative offers remained on the table.

Continue reading "Dauphin Highlands meeting canceled." »

Amber Roach is not in the least bit uncomfortable telling her teachers they need to make changes.

A member of Millersburg Middle School's Energy Patrol, the 11-year-old student is on an energy conservation mission and she said the school's teachers know she's coming.

"When people walked by, they were like, 'The Energy Patrol, look out,' " said Energy Patrol member Angela Koppenhaver.

Continue reading "Students are on a conservation mission" »

The state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources wants to appeal to folks who are less likely to visit the state parks when it means giving the comforts of home. So the agency is entering the lodging business.

The department broke ground last month on a $7 million "Nature Inn" at Bald Eagle State Park in Centre County. It's the first state-built, hotel-type accommodation in the 117-park system.

Continue reading "To attract non-campers, state builds inn at park" »

Cumberland County commissioners are seeking a farmer to serve on the Agricultural Land Preservation Board, which buys easements to shield farm land from development.

Candidates for the three-year term must live in the county and farm full time. The board meets at 7:30 a.m. on the second Wednesday of the month.

Applicants should send letters of interest to the board care of the county planning commisson, 18 N. Hanover St., Third Floor, Carlisle 17013 by Wednesday. For more information, call Rebecca Wiser at 717-240-6537.