Close All Tabs

Just how safe is your shampoo, eye liner or aftershave? No one really knows. In an effort to shed more light on the ingredients in everyday cosmetics and toiletries, California lawmakers passed the Safe Cosmetics Act, which takes effect this year. It requires manufacturers to report all toxic or carcinogenic ingredients to the state and lets the public decide what is safe.

Over the last few years we've all been asked to tread more lightly on the planet - use less energy, less gasoline and less water. Now a growing movement of do-it-yourself-eco plumbers are testing the limits of just how green you can get before running into trouble with the law.

As Chevron hatches expansion plans for one of California's largest oil refineries, Richmond's Green Party mayor considers the future of her city, and the state.

Golf courses may look green, but they aren't that kind of "green." For many environmentalists, golf courses take away valuable habitat and use too many resources. But there's a movement afoot to make them more eco-friendly.

Although not yet widely used, many believe tidal power has more potential than wind or solar power for meeting alternative energy needs. Quest radio looks at plans for harnessing power from the sea by San Francisco and along the northern California coast.

Have you ever looked at your credit card bill and thought you needed to have your head examined? Stanford University is using complex brain imaging to study how humans make shopping decisions, and are finding that emotions play a large role in everyday purchases.

Silicon Valley is planning what will be the country's biggest wireless network, serving 40 cities and 2.4 million people. How will it work, and what are the real costs?

The Hunter's Point Naval Shipyard bears traces of a toxic -- and historic-- military legacy. It could also be the site of the new 49ers stadium. But cleaning up this 500 acre Superfund site is costly and time consuming.

Abandoned boats in the San Francisco Bay and Delta do more than take up space in marinas and harbors. They can become a wellspring of pollutants, including leaking battery acid, oil, fuel, and lead from paint. But what do you do with these rusting relics?

Not long ago, nuclear power was unthinkable among environmentalists, particularly in California, where a moratorium on new power plants has put a lid on the industry for thirty years. But that sentiment may be changing.