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" This week in green news included the launch of former Vice President Al Gore&amp;#039;s Alliance for Climate Protection as the Climate Reality Project, which will focus on public education, starting with the run-up to its 24 Hours of Reality event September 14-15, when legions of people around the world will give Gore-style slideshow presentations inspired by the one featured in his movie, An Inconvenient Truth. And, record heat and drought continued across much of the nation. While no one weather event can be linked scientifically to broader changes in the climate, scientists who study global warming say that hotter hot days (along with warmer nights), and more prolonged droughts, are to be expected. Overall, we feel these were the five biggest green consumer news stories of the week:  BPA is found in aluminum water bottles A new study confirmed that not only plastic bottles, but also aluminum water bottles, can leach bisphenol-A (BPA). The chemical is similar to estrogen, and, while the government and industry still generally support its safety, independent research has repeatedly called it into question as an &amp;quot;endocrine disruptor.&amp;quot; The study was small, and designed primarily to test whether new products marketed by Nalgene and Sigg were living up to their &amp;quot;BPA-free&amp;quot; claims (they are). In the process, the researchers found that the lining in some aluminum bottles can leach five times more BPA than the old plastic bottles that consumers may have replaced them for. Bottom line: Look for unlined stainless steel, or a &amp;quot;BPA-free&amp;quot; label from a company you can trust. Also see which BPA-free Water Bottles Good Housekeeping recommends. (Photo: Paul Tearle / Getty Images)  Energy efficient light bulbs are on the way (probably) In Washington, the House rejected the BULB Act, designed to undo the bipartisan 2007 effort to save energy by setting the nation&amp;#039;s first-ever energy efficiency standards for light bulbs, a century or so after their invention. That&amp;#039;s good news for consumers, overall, because even though the efficient bulbs cost more than the less-efficient bulbs, they use so little energy and last so much longer that consumers save money in the end \u2014 about $85 per year, according to a Natural Resources Defense Council report released this week. Late in the week, however, opponents of the energy efficiency measure, who call it a &amp;quot;ban&amp;quot; on incandescent bulbs (it&amp;#039;s not, exactly), launched a back-door effort to undo the legislation as part of the ongoing debate about government spending. (It was only one of several attacks on environmental legislation that the House launched this week, with others targeting spending on environmental programs, specifically water quality programs, and air quality programs.) In January 2012, the law goes into effect and the Good Housekeeping Research Institute will publish a buying guide to energy efficient light bulbs. Look for that, and in the meantime, learn the 7 things that you don&amp;#039;t know about home lighting, but should. (Photo: Christine Balderas / Istock)  U.S. identifies &amp;quot;most efficient&amp;quot; products In other energy efficiency news, the government&amp;#039;s Energy Star program is making it easier for consumers to purchase the most energy efficient products on the market, by clearly labeling those products that are the most efficient. Energy Star appliances and electronics already save consumers money by saving energy compared to average products; the new label will identify those Energy Star-rated products that are in the top of their class. Look for the new labels on televisions, clothes washers, central air conditioning units and, soon, refrigerators. (Note: The Good Housekeeping Research Institute checks the Energy Star claims of products when it tests electronics and appliances.)  Weed killer may kill more than weeds In lawn care news, environmental officials and Dupont are investigating the company&amp;#039;s Imprelis herbicide. Designed to kill broad-leaf lawn &amp;quot;weeds&amp;quot; (they aren&amp;#039;t, necessarily) like dandelions and clover, the chemical may also be killing trees. Lots of trees. Reports are flooding in about the injury and death of trees, mostly white pine and Norway spruce. For a safer approach, try The Daily Green&amp;#039;s expert organic lawn care tips. (Photo: Paul Lampard / Istock)  For kids, less-toxic toys and more-nutritious food In childhood safety news, the Consumer Product Safety Commission is reportedly tightening the allowable limit of lead in toys to make U.S. standards the toughest in the world \u2014 good news, since fetal or childhood exposure to lead can lead to permanent brain damage. (Don&amp;#039;t forget to look for Good Housekeeping&amp;#039;s annual Toy Awards in time for holiday shopping this year.) And, the federal government took a step closer to tightening standards for food industry marketing junk food to children; it remains to be seen, however, if the final rules will go as far as watchdogs would like. (Photo: Ekaterina Monakhova / Istock) For more recent green consumer news, see the updates from July 8 and June 24. "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/institute/a24146/green-stories-week-of-july-11/>