Most Americans are oblivious to ‘forever chemicals’ and their risks, survey finds & more environmental news.

[View this email in your browser]( Tuesday, November 21, 2023 "The Earth is a fine place and worth fighting for." — Ernest Hemingway Most Americans Are Oblivious to ‘Forever Chemicals’ and Their Risks, Survey Finds “Nonstick,” “waterproof” and “stain-resistant” are all commonplace terms that are self-explanatory. But the “[forever chemicals]( behind the coatings that give products the ability to resist grease, water and oil are not so well-known, it turns out. A new [study]( conducted by AgriLife scientists at Texas A&M University is the first generalized survey in the United States to test public awareness and knowledge of perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances ([PFAS]( forever chemicals. The researchers found that most Americans have no knowledge of the substances and are not aware of their potential associated risks, a press release from the [Texas Water Resources Institute]( (TWRI) said. [Read More]( Related: [PFAS 101: Everything You Need to Know About ‘Forever Chemicals’]( Ohio Commission Decides to Allow Fracking in State Parks A government commission in Ohio has decided to open some state parks and wildlife areas to fracking. The decision comes amid an investigation on allegations of possible fraudulent support from an industry group representing energy companies, [The Associated Press reported](. [Read More]( Related: [Children Living Near Fracking Sites More Likely to Develop Lymphoma, Pennsylvania Studies Find]( Trees May Absorb More CO2 to Help Mitigate Climate Crisis, New Modeling Suggests [Trees]( and other [plants]( are known for their air purifying capabilities, providing oxygen to the millions of species on our planet. Planting more trees and preserving the ones we have has been one of the strategies being used to help mitigate the effects of the [climate crisis](. A new [study]( using more realistic modeling suggests that plants may be capable of absorbing even more [carbon dioxide]( produced by human activities than previously estimated. [Read More]( Related: [Trees Become More Efficient at Saving Water as CO2 Levels Increase, Scientists Find]( Lead Exposure Impacts Are Even Worse Than Previous Estimates, New Study Finds A new study has found that lead exposure is more deadly than previous estimates, with about 5.5 million adults dying from cardiovascular disease linked to lead exposure in 2019 alone. [Read More]( Related: [Urban Parks Built on Former Trash Incineration Sites Could Be Contaminated With Lead, Study Finds]( New National Climate Assessment Warns of Worsening Impacts in U.S. The U.S. has released its fifth [National Climate Assessment]( report, which outlines how the country is addressing climate change, major climate risks and actions by region and how climate change is already impacting the country. [Read More]( Related: [‘This Is the Critical Decade for Climate Change’: Global Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reach Record High]( Do you get this newsletter daily? If not, [sign up here]( or forward to a friend. [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [Website]( [Instagram]( Copyright © 2023 EcoWatch, All rights reserved. You are receiving this email because you signed up for EcoWatch Top News of The Day Our mailing address is: EcoWatch 1122 Oberlin RoadRaleigh, NC 27605 [Add us to your address book]( Want to change how you receive these emails? You can [update your preferences]( or [unsubscribe from this list](. [Mailchimp Email Marketing](