Daily Roundup: December 8, 2010

None Too Bright: 54% of holiday lights contain more lead than regulators permit in children's products, and 28% contained levels that make the product illegal to sell in Europe, according to a new study by the Ecology Center. Bloomberg

Growing Smarter: The EPA honored U.S. cities with intelligent-growth awards, praising communities for taking actions such as creating public spaces, preserving forests, and promoting bicycling. Grist

Heavy-Metal Worms: For the first time, earthworms are being used to clean up industrial sites and landfills. Researchers in South America believe that the critters may be able to process hazardous materials containing high concentrations of heavy metal. Inhabitat

Green Ships: In an effort to reduce shipping emissions and encourage importers, exporters, and cruise-goers to choose greener transit, billionaire Richard Branson created an online database that rates the efficiency and emissions of 60,000 ships worldwide. Yahoo! Green

Blending In: Researchers hoping to reintroduce giant pandas to the wild at China's Wolong Panda Reserve dressed in panda costumes to minimize human contact with the endangered animals returning from captivity. Huffington Post

--Molly Oleson