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California enacts new legislation to fight climate change. -

The state is aiming to get half its electricity from renewable sources like solar and wind by 2030 while doubling energy efficiency in homes, offices, and factories. Go for the gold, Golden State!  Los Angeles Times

New York City stores will have to keep their AC to themselves. -

A new law requires shops and restaurants to close their doors and windows when the air-conditioning is running. The rules are an effort to curb the energy-intensive habit of blasting enticingly cold air to the sidewalk. New York Times

Washington is making pesticides in pot easier to spot. -

The state does not require pesticide testing for marijuana, and some consumers worry about the effects of inhaling such residues. New rules will give growers and processors an "enhanced seal of approval" if they follow new standards for labeling, safe handling, employee training, and pesticide screening. Seattle Times

A global coral bleaching event is underway. -

Scientists say more than 4,500 square miles of reef—and the valuable services they provide—could be lost from the Indian Ocean, Pacific Ocean, and Atlantic-Caribbean basin this year. Ocean warming from climate change, El Niño, and the warm "blob" in the Pacific are all causing the marine invertebrates to expel the algae they depend on for food. Washington Post

A Maryland county bans pesticide use on private lawns. -

Montgomery County is the first major locality in the country to decide that weed-free grass just isn't worth the health risks associated with the chemicals (nearby waterways, too, will catch a break from toxic runoff). Farms and golf courses are exempt, but the bill mandates that all playing fields be pesticide-free by 2020. Washington Post

Feds decide not to consider sustainability in new dietary guidelines. -

Earlier this year, an advisory panel told the government to urge Americans to eat less meat and more plants, which is healthier for both people and the environment, in the 2015 nutritional guidelines. But two cabinet secretaries overseeing the recommendations say they've nixed the idea. How unappetizing. NPR