Consumer

"Ford Motor Co. announced Monday it will build a $3.5 billion electric vehicle battery plant in Michigan that uses Chinese technology, a move the company believes will bolster its ability to take advantage of President Joe Biden’s landmark climate law."

"BP’s chief executive, Bernard Looney, said on Tuesday that the company would pare back its plans to reduce oil and gas production in the coming years, a move that would result in higher-than-expected carbon emissions."

"From Patagonia to Lululemon, brands are only just starting to ditch dangerous “forever chemicals” in outdoor apparel."

"Gas stoves are coming under fresh scrutiny as a second federal agency has now stepped into the political firestorm with a proposal for new regulations for the appliances."

"House Republicans took aim at the country’s bedrock environmental policy in their first meeting in charge of the House Energy and Commerce Committee on Tuesday, painting a bleak picture of the energy sector under President Biden and pushing for sweeping action to boost gas production."

"As drought and climate change continue to wreak havoc on California’s water supply, an environmental advocacy group is calling on the state to limit the cultivation of thirsty crops like almonds and alfalfa, saying the agriculture industry is guzzling most of the state’s supplies at the expense of residents."

"The seven states that depend on the Colorado River have failed to meet a Tuesday deadline for agreeing on a water-use reduction plan, raising the likelihood of more friction as the West grapples with how to manage the shrinking river."

"On Idit Silman’s first day as Israel’s new environmental protection minister, she handed out soft drinks in disposable plastic cups to hospital patients. The gesture held deep symbolic meaning in Israel, where soft drinks and single-use cups, plates and cutlery have become weapons in a culture war between the country’s secular Jewish majority and the smaller but politically powerful religious minority."

"Six western states that rely on water from the Colorado River have agreed on a model to dramatically cut their use, months after the federal government called for action and an initial deadline passed. California — with the largest allocation of water from the river — is the lone holdout."