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Environmental Indicators

Sure, global warming remains a major concern for Americans, and much remains to be done to clean our air and water supplies. But the United States has been making significant environmental gains in recent years, according to an annual report card of the nation’s ecological and conservation progress.

The Index of Leading Environmental Indicators, issued each year by the Pacific Research Institute and the American Enterprise Institute, highlights progress (or lack thereof) in key environmental areas including climate change, air quality, water quality and toxic chemicals. The report is intended to give a snapshot of the nation’s environmental health, much in the same way the Dow Jones index alerts financial consultants to how well American businesses are performing.

The 2006 Index, issued last April, reported improvements in tailpipe emissions from carbon monoxide, declining levels of chemicals in human blood samples, and decreasing ozone levels in 19 states.

The 2007 Index is due out later this spring.

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To read more about this and other environmental health issues, go to: www.environmentalhealthnews.org, www.ourstolenfuture.org, or www.healthandenvironment.org