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Now that organophosphate pesticides have been phased out for homeowner use in California, pyrethroid pesticide use is increasing in urban areas. A new study shows that these pesticides are already showing up in urban streams at levels toxic to organisms that live in the stream-bottom sediment. The likely cause is overuse of these pesticides on lawns and around buildings.

Urban development in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta poses a major threat to the Delta's health and sustainability, according to a report released today by the University of California, Berkeley-based Delta Initiative.

The Institute of Transportation Studies has joined forces with the city of Chengdu, China, and Southwest Jiaotong University to help Chengdu design and implement a wholly integrated transit system, as part of the new UC Berkeley-based Urban Sustainability Initiative (USI). The initiative is intended to foster collaborations between UC Berkeley and a wide range of institutions in Asia, Africa, and Latin America to match the latest knowledge available with decision-makers for implementation in the world's fastest growing urban areas. The USI is administered by the Berkeley Institute of the Environment and is comprised of several elements.