A wake-up call for environmental health.

Editorial. On August 1, U.S. President George W. Bush welcomed Senate approval of an energy bill designed to increase domestic production of energy sources. The Senate voted in favour of the bill that will provide tax incentives for oil, gas, and alternative fuel production by local companies. Supporters of the bill say the long-term aim is promotion of a diversity of energy sources, but critics argue that there is little emphasis on adverse effects of fuel production and use on the environment. The new chief of the US Environmental Protection Agency, Mike Leavitt, faces a tough time ahead if the energy bill is enacted, even with the help of the Clear Skies Act. "To me, there is an inherent human responsibility to care for the earth", said Leavitt, "But there's also an economic imperative that we're dealing with in a global economy to do it less expensively." To protect the environment, Leavitt needs to persuade US citizens to use fewer fossil fuels. Changing behaviour will need changes in law (and tax incentives) to persuade not just Americans to reduce their fuel consumption, switch to public transport, use alternative sources of energy, adopt recycling initiatives, and reduce their reliance on power-consuming devices such as air-conditioning units. The Senate's approval of the energy bill is a step backwards for health.