Written by: Gabriella Godlewski While most people are aware of the individual financial costs attributed to the purchase of a cup of coffee each day, many are not aware of the environmental costs of doing so. It is estimated that every cup of coffee consumed destroys roughly one square inch […]
Legal Voice Blog
Greenwashing, or Conscious Shopping?: H&M’s Controversial Sustainable Efforts
Written by: Meghan Wright On December 06, 2022, before a Missouri federal judge, the popular clothing brand H&M Hennes and Mauritz LP (known widely as “H&M”) filed a motion to dismiss in response to a class action claim brought against their “Conscious Choice” collection.[1] This collection was marketed as being […]
Legalizing “Green” Death Practices
Written by: Antonia Gelorme Where does the law intersect with the death industry and environmental consciousness? The “death industry” encompasses those businesses that are dedicated to memorializing loved ones who have passed on. In 2020, the industry, along with almost every aspect of society, was rocked by the pandemic. The […]
Groups Representing the Citizens of Flint, Michigan Allege That the City Has Failed To Meet Deadlines and Keep Accurate Records Regarding the Replacement of Lead Pipes
Written by: Daniel Larrimer Eight years after the story of the water crisis in Flint, Michigan became front-page news, the legal battles concerning the crisis persist. Civil rights and environmental groups allege that the city of Flint has failed to keep accurate records in compliance with a settlement agreement to […]
Heating in the United States
Written By: John Silvester As temperatures drop this fall, many Americans will feel the annual pecuniary pang that cold weather brings when they look at their gas or electric utility bill. The yearly spike in utility costs during the winter corresponds with increased energy consumption caused by the need to […]
Battling Climate Change One Rebate at a Time
Written By: Natalie Packert On August 16, 2022, President Joe Biden signed the Inflation Reduction Act into law, a bill that has been long awaited by Democrats.[1] The bill’s purposes are: investing in healthcare by making health care and prescription drugs more affordable, taxing corporations, and battling climate change by […]
Too Hot to Handle: Rising Electricity Bills and Blackouts Over the Summer
By: Alexa Austin The Energy Information Administration (the “EIA”) recently released its Summer 2022 Short-Term Energy Outlook report warning consumers of higher electricity prices for the summer.[1] The EIA is forecasting that household electricity prices will rise 4 percent this year compared to 2021.[2] States such as Hawaii, Louisiana, New […]
Circuits Split on Validity of Perpetuity Requirement in Conservation Easement Deductions
By: Sarah Thomas A circuit split between the Eleventh and Sixth Circuit Courts of Appeals has arisen regarding the validity of the perpetuity requirement for conservation easements.[1] The courts disagreed as to whether Treasury regulations concerning the perpetuity requirement of conservation easement deductions were procedurally valid pursuant […]
Prices at the Pump: What is Causing Them
By: Devon Valinsky Around this time last year, I wrote about the beginning of the rise of gas prices that we have now seen continue over the past year.[1] These rising gasoline prices have reached an all-time high, the likes of which we have not seen since the summer […]
Game, Set, Match: New “Buy Clean” Task Force
By: Allison McKenzie In February 2022, the Biden administration made a potentially strategic move in the battle against climate change through a combative plan to regulate carbon emissions resulting from industrial manufacturers. If this new task force is successful, its creation would prove to be a vital decision in the […]