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Ancient Australian forests are key to fighting climate change and contain the world's most dense carbon store, eclipsing tropical rainforests as efficient greenhouse gas absorbers, scientists said on Tuesday.

The American Lung Association's State of the Air 2009 report acknowledges substantial progress against air pollution in many areas of the country, but finds nearly every major city still burdened by air pollution. Sixteen cities making this year’s 25 most ozone-polluted list experienced worsened ozone (smog) problems than last year’s report found. Fifty-eight percent of people in the United States live in counties with recorded unhealthy levels of ozone air pollution, measured against the tighter standard in effect since March 2008

Both the House and Senate passed the Fiscal Year 2010 Budget Resolution yesturday, which will be sent to President Obama for his signature. According to legislative director of NRDC, it is the "greenest" budget passed in decades.

Scientists hope a new approach to assessing carbon build-up in the atmosphere will simplify issues for policymakers and economists.

Dryland ecosystems, which cover one third of the world's land area, are extremely vulnerable to over-exploitation, inappropriate land use and, consequently, land degradation and desertification. Sustainably developing drylands means balancing local knowledge, science and conflicting demands, says Elena María Abraham.

The wind energy industry in the United States installed 2,836 megawatts of new generating capacity through the end of March, bringing total installed generating capacity in the country to 28,206 MW, the American Wind Energy Association announced.

Peng Sen, deputy director of China's National Development and Reform Commission, disclosed at a recent conference that China will promote the use of energy saving lamps by providing subsidies.

Researchers have detected common plant toxins that affect human health and ecosystems in smoke from forest fires. The results from the new study also suggest that smoldering fires may produce more toxins than wildfires - a reason to keep human exposures to a minimum during controlled burns.

The National Marine Fisheries Service has ordered a six-month emergency closure of the bottom longline fishery in the Gulf of Mexico to protect imperiled sea turtles from capture and death.

There are now 94 cases in the US, in 11 states. Thanks to the 24-hour media coverage about swine flu, we’re all aware that a potential flu pandemic could be high. But before you stock up on face masks and hand sanitizer, it’s important to put some things in perspective.

Sixty percent of Americans live in areas with unhealthy air pollution levels, despite a growing green movement and more stringent laws aimed at improving air quality, the American Lung Association said in a report released Wednesday that also listed the healthiest and unhealthiest cities across the U.S. in terms of air quality.

The Obama administration on Monday took steps to cancel a Bush-era rule that made it easier for mountaintop mining operations to dump rock, dirt and other waste near streams.

The largest supplier of cement products in the U.S. and Canada, the Lafarge-Sugar Creek Cement Plant in Missouri, will use landfill gas to replace almost 20 percent of its traditionally coal-derived energy.

In 2008, a recycler in Tulsa, Okla. paid 85 cents per pound for aluminum cans, but the going rate for 2009 has dropped to less than half of that amount.

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced the selection of more than $615.8 million in water and environmental projects that are being funded immediately with federal funds provided through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

Air pollution and invasive species are threatening the environment of the Great Smoky Mountain National Park. Park crews spends whole days cutting down shrubs along with combating dozens of other nonnative species. The park also had some of the highest levels of air pollution in the country when it started its monitoring program in the 1980s.

Protecting the earth's nearly four billion hectares of remaining forests and replanting those already lost are both essential for restoring the earth's health, an important foundation for the new economy.

With all of the bad press swirling around certain types of plastic lately, regular old plastic water bottles have maintained a reputation as safe, at least as far as human health is concerned. New evidence, however, suggests that plastic water bottles may not be so benign after all.

The human swine flu outbreak continues to grow in the United States and internationally. Today, CDC reports additional cases of confirmed swine influenza and a number of hospitalizations of swine flu patients. Internationally, the situation is more serious too, with additional countries reporting confirmed cases of swine flu.

Jennifer Carcich, a parent from Morristown, N.J., was frustrated with the lack of car seat recycling in her town. But rather than toss her used seat in the trash, she fought for a program in her town - and was rewarded.