A Touch of the News

• Palm oil: Good for us but bad for environment? Production leads to deforestation in Southeast Asia, which increases greenhouse gases and threatens orangutan habitat.

• Due to 'budget cuts', the USDA is eliminating the program to collect and share data on pesticide use and risk. The program was already scaled back in 2007 to only track pesticide on cotton, apples and organic apples. Many environmental groups and industry groups are speaking out against the move. Except for Monsanto. Curious...

• 'Women’s Voices for the Earth' promotes safer household cleaners by throwing make-your-own cleaning supplies parties.

• What's in your microbiome? Scientists are learning more about the colonies of good bacteria that live in and on our bodies. Did you know that your bacterial cells outnumber your human cells by 10 to 1?