|
|
Thursday, May 26, 2005
|
|
| |
|
U.S. drinking water and wastewater plants are joining a new EPA initiative to increase their energy efficiency and reduce municipalities' electric bills. Over the next year, with participation by more than 20 organizations, the new Energy Star Industrial Water and Wastewater Focus will develop an energy performance rating system, a guide to assessing energy efficiency opportunities, strategies for superior energy management and innovative approaches to financing energy efficiency projects. This new Energy Star program for water systems is part of a series of efforts to improve the energy efficiency of selected industries.
11:24:01 AM Google It! 
|
|
|
Voters around the country identified clean water as a top concern and a large majority prefer cleaning up polluted waters to drinking bottled water, according to a national poll released recently by American Rivers, the Waterkeeper Alliance, River Network, the American Canoe Association, and dozens of river and watershed groups across the country. [Source: Water and Wastewater Products Digest E-News]
11:23:19 AM Google It!
|
|
|
Applications due Jul 05, 2005
EPA's Existing Chemicals Branch of the Chemical Control Division, Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics (OPPT), is requesting applications to plan and conduct a National Conference. EPA will work cooperatively with the selected organization to build a broader capacity for chemical data users to work towards conducting their own research and solving their own chemical-information related issues. A second activity associated with the cooperative agreement will involve the development of criteria, and solicitation of applications from stakeholders to effectively participate in the program. Under this new cooperative agreement, it is critical to have experience and/or expertise in developing national conference agendas related to discussions about environmental data. Expertise in planning and supporting a national conference and being able to offer an established network of contacts in state public health and environmental protection departments, universities and non-governmental organizations (NGOs). Experience in outlining criteria for the conduct of a competitive selection process and distribution plan for dissemination of allotments of resources is a critical component of this cooperative agreement.
11:22:27 AM Google It!
|
|
|
Applications due Jun 22, 2005.
EPA seeks to partner with an eligible recipient meeting certain legal and programmatic criteria to support the continued development, maintenance and marketing of the automotive recycling sector Compliance Assistance Center (Center). This request for an initial proposal (RFIP) solicits applications from non-profit organizations and from colleges, universities, and other educational institutions. In the second step, or Request for Final Proposal (RFP), EPA will invite all applicants whose initial proposals met the threshold criteria to submit a more detailed proposal for the operation, maintenance, and marketing of the automotive recycling sector Center. The Agency will award a cooperative agreement to the applicant whose detailed proposal is ranked highest by EPA. Work accomplished under this cooperative agreement will support the Agency’s Strategic Plan Goal 5: Compliance and Environmental Stewardship. Specifically, this work will support Objective 5.1, Improve Compliance; Sub-objective 5.1.1, Compliance Assistance.
11:21:21 AM Google It!
|
|
|
Hopewell's Landing isn't just another subdivision paving over a forest of red cedars and pine trees at the reaches of suburbia. Most of the back yards being graded for the luxury homes off Route 29 in Gainesville will have sunken gardens filled with moisture-loving plants and mulch to absorb rain. The streets will be five feet narrower than usual, to reduce paved surfaces. The 155 homes will be flush with the road, resulting in shorter driveways. And instead of the curbs and gutters that usually carry rain to a nearby stream, deep trenches full of shrubs and stones will line the road to slow and filter the water. [Source: Washington Post -- need login/pw?]
11:19:28 AM Google It!
|
|
|
The southwestern regional director of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service has instructed members of his staff to limit their use of the latest scientific studies on the genetics of endangered plants and animals when deciding how best to preserve and recover them. [Source: New York Times -- need login/pw?]
11:16:36 AM Google It!
|
|
|
Retailers looking to add dazzle to their store window displays may want to consider colored LEDs, or light-emitting diodes. A field study from the Lighting Research Center (LRC) at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute of Troy, N.Y., showed that colored lighting effects created with these tiny lamps can cut lighting energy in retail windows by 30 to 50 percent and attract more attention from shoppers. [Source: Environmental Protection E-News]
11:15:25 AM Google It!
|
|
|
Honor the Earth is a national foundation and advocacy organization that supports front line Native environmental work. The organization's mission is to create awareness and support for Native environmental issues and to develop needed financial and political resources for the survival of sustainable Native communities. Grants are provided to Native groups that are directed and controlled by Native peoples, and working in one of Honor the Earth's program areas: Environmental Justice; Building Sustainable Communities; and Nuclear Waste/Safe Energy. Grants range from $1,000 to $5,000. Applications are accepted throughout the year.
11:13:58 AM Google It!
|
|
|
Dates: June 20-24, 2005
Location: St. Francis Xavier University, Antigonish, Nova Scotia
RETHINKING DEVELOPMENT, sponsored in part by GPI Atlantic, is an international conference that will gather government, nongovernment, business, labor, academic, and youth leaders from more than 20 countries. The conference will examine successful initiatives world-wide that attempt to integrate sustainable and equitable economic development with environmental conservation, social and cultural cohesion, and good governance. The conference is designed to offer practical tools, inspiration, critical understanding, and connection to an international support network. Participants will be prepared to implement successfully practical actions in their own countries and communities.
11:12:21 AM Google It!
|
|
|
Beijing exec battles pollution for a ‘Green Olympics’ in 2008. [Source: MSNBC.com]
11:09:05 AM Google It!
|
|
|
A mega-mall in upstate New York could give birth to a clean-energy awakening. [Source: Grist Magazine]
11:07:59 AM Google It!
|
|
The transportation sector accounts for a large -- and growing -- proportion of global warming emissions around the world. As a result, major oil companies face a large -- and growing -- problem with their products. While a hydrogen economy might prove a long-term solution, oil companies are beginning to ask themselves what can be done in the short-term? BP and the Swiss Oil Association think they have an answer: offsets. News affiliate Ecosystem Marketplace looks into whether or not they are right. By David Biello [Source: GreenBiz.com]
11:06:22 AM Google It!
|
|
|
This article lists three types of third-party certifiers: organizations that develop standards and certify products for a wide range of products, certification schemes that focus on one product area, and organizations that focus on one environmental attribute. [Source: GreenBiz.com]
11:05:28 AM Google It!
|
|
|
The Bainbridge Graduate Institute is reporting that applications to its MBA in Sustainable Business program have tripled despite nationwide decreases in MBA applications. Top MBA programs across the country are seeing 30% drops in applications, according to Business Week. [Source: GreenBiz.com]
11:04:22 AM Google It!
|
|
|
Applications due July 6, 2005
Under the authority of the Pollution Prevention Act of 1990, EPA is awarding approximately $400,000.00 in fiscal year 2005, to fund grant proposals supporting a nation-wide network of pollution prevention (P2) information providers. The Pollution Prevention Information Network grants target regional applicants that are willing to work as part of a collective nationwide P2 information service (P2Rx). Grantees coordinate development, distribution and promotion of pollution prevention information and practices to technical assistance programs and businesses. Current grantees provide a “one stop” shop for P2 information thru web sites, phone calls, or meetings that address the reduction or elimination of pollution by businesses across all environmental media: air, water and land. Since the inception of this grant program in 1997, EPA has awarded over $7 million in grant funding.
11:03:14 AM Google It!
|
|
|
More sediment is entering rivers, but less makes its way to the sea. [Source: Science News]
11:01:35 AM Google It!
|
|
|
Via sustainablog:
From Green Trust Sustainability and Renewable Energy, a brief overview and graphic of the process to make biodiesel from waste vegtable oil (or WVO to those of us in the know). I keep thinking that this may be the best thing individuals can do in addressing climate change: buy an old diesel-engine car and make your own fuel. Maybe it's just my self-reliant streak coming out...
10:31:00 AM Google It!
|
|
|
Via sustainablog:
This time in the realm of reality television... WorldChanging takes note of Code Green, "a two-part television special, shown on CBC British Columbia this week, in which four sets of homeowners will be given C$15,000...
...and each will then be asked to employ those funds in a 6-week competition to gain the greatest reduction in energy and water consumption, as well as greenhouse gas emissions. All homeowners will benefit from the renovations they’ll complete... and the winner of the competition will further receive the grand prize of a hybrid car [A Honda Civic Hybrid]." As Jamais points out, the money given to the couples simply isn't enough to do the kinds of renewable energy retrofits we'll see on Extreme Makeover: Home Edition tonight. What they can do with that money, though, is "retrofit many of the home components often most responsible for energy wastage: leaky windows, old furnaces, poor insulation in the walls and attic, door seals, and appliances." In other words, they can use the money to take steps towards energy efficiency that most of us could implement in our homes. Great find -- would love to hear more about the show from anyone who gets to see it.
10:30:09 AM Google It!
|
|
|
Via sustainablog:
There's a really interesting book review in today's St. Louis Post-Dispatch of Richard Louv's Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder, which "offers creative ways of getting children outdoors." From the review, it sounds like the book is mainly concerned with childhood obesity and ADD, and offers ways to address these problems by getting kids into natural spaces. I also think (and I'm saying this without having read the book) that this is important for getting kids to recognize the interconnectedness of the "environment" and human life. While I don't have any kids at home in the age range described, I think this is an important concept for parents with kids that not only spend a lot of time in front of the TV or computer, but also parents that drive their kids from one enclosed, regulated space to another.
10:29:04 AM Google It!
|
|
|
Via sustainablog:
Tim at The Future is Green point us to an article that claims the "hydrogen economy" may be even further in the future than recently thought. This is a problem since the White House has put all of its eggs in the hydrogen basket, and Congress has bitten and provided big R&D money to hydrogen research at the expense of energy conservation and hybrid technology. Among the difficulties that have to be overcome: the need for platinum for fuel cells, and the perceived need for a new generation of nuclear reactors to produce hydrogen. Dan Becker of the Sierra Club sums up the larger problem nicely: "We don't object to using R&D to do either basic research or research into something that may be in the distance,... What we object to is failing to do something now and using the R&D as a shield against doing something responsible today."
10:28:11 AM Google It!
|
|
|
Via sustainablog:
I simply can't resist the opportunity to make this point one more time: going green saves money! The UK Times published an article today that tells the story of convenience store owner Louis Byrne, who has started recycling cardboard, plastic, magazines and newspapers as well as requesting that suppliers deliver in reusable crates. With these steps, this small business owner is saving himself roughly 2000 Euros a year. Sandra O'Connell's article also discusses the marketing benefits businesses have reaped from going green in both informal and more standardized ways (such as ISO 14001 certification).
10:27:31 AM Google It!
|
|
|
Via sustainablog:
How Does Your Garden Grow?. Hopefully, green. That's the idea behind a BBC-sponsored contest which challenged participants "to design a garden which is a relaxing green space for you, your family and friends, uses natural resources in a sustainable way and encourages a wide range of plants and wildlife." The winners are in, and you can also see graphics of the designs themselves. I'd imagine if a US network sponsored such an event, it would be presented as evidence of more "liberal bias..."
Via Treehugger.
10:26:23 AM Google It!
|
|
|
Via sustainablog:
That's what Playboy magazine announced today:
The magazine is planning a pictorial for an upcoming issue featuring women involved in environmental causes or with groups dedicated to saving the planet or protecting wildlife. In addition to a modeling fee for each of the participants, Playboy will make a donation to the favorite causes of the women chosen to appear in the pictorial. So that means that hardcore porn, reality TV, and girlie magazines now all have their green offerings. All of these media are certainly going to get eco-consciousness out to a wider audience, but do they ultimately devalue the message? Are they, say, unsustainable? Or, should I just lighten up?
Via Gristmill. [sustainablog]
10:25:23 AM Google It!
|
|
|
Via sustainablog:
That's the message of the latest report from the Millenial Ecosystem Assessment. Entitled Ecosystems and Human Well-being: the Biodiversity Synthesis Report, this report notes that the people who will suffer most from ecosystem degradation are those least likely to be able to afford it. Dr. Neville Ash, a member of the Millenial Assessment synthesis team, sums it up nicely:
"The bottom line is that you cannot achieve long-term poverty alleviation without sustainability.
"In order to reduce hunger and poverty and increase access to clean water and sanitation, we need to have a strong base of environmental sustainability which is providing these services on which people rely for their well-being." Via WorldChanging and the BBC. [sustainablog]
10:24:26 AM Google It!
|
|
|
Via sustainablog:
Regular readers know that I never miss a chance to highlight sustainability initiatives in my adopted home state, so I was really pleased to see this article from the Springfield, MO News-Leader on solar energy experiments and use in the southwest part of the state. From the solar houses at Neosho's Crowder College to Springfield's Discovery Center to rural resident Darryl Stubblefield multiple self-designed solar systems, tapping the sun for energy seems to be a growing trend in the reliably conservative area of Missouri. As everyone knows, our state motto is "Show Me" -- it's great to see these Missourians doing just that!
Via RenewableEnergyAccess.com.
10:23:18 AM Google It!
|
|
|
Operating sustainable businesses that provide value-added products and services with minimal or no environmental impact has become a top priority for the chemical and process industries. A green approach to the manufacture and marketing of chemical products is an important aspect of a successful sustainability initiative. Green chemistry also offers chemical producers a mechanism for connecting chemicals and chemistry to the consumer in a positive way.
In this article, Cynthia Challener discusses the principles, benefits, and challenges of green chemistry, as well as successful initiatives developed by the chemical industry and the EPA. [ChemAlliance Environmental News]
10:17:00 AM Google It!
|
|
|
The National Environmental Performance Track (NEPT) program is a voluntary partnership program that recognizes and rewards private and public facilities that demonstrate strong environmental performance beyond current requirements. As NEPT approaches its 5th anniversary in June 2005, the program operates under the premise that government should complement existing programs with new tools and strategies that not only protect people and the environment, but also present opportunities for reducing cost and spurring technological innovation. Slightly more than 10% of the 350 current members belong to the chemical industry.
In this article, Cynthia Challener talks with several of these members about the benefits their organizations have experienced from Performance Track membership. [ChemAlliance Environmental News]
10:16:39 AM Google It!
|
|
|
LONDON (Reuters) - Gardeners should wear protective clothing when using pesticides, say scientists who have concluded in a new study that the chemicals can increase the risk of Parkinson's disease. [Reuters: Science]
10:10:27 AM Google It!
|
|
|
The 25 countries of the European Union, as well as Japan and China, are about to significantly restrict the use of environmentally hazardous materials in electronic components and systems. [ENN Business Headlines]
10:09:27 AM Google It!
|
|
Resource of the Week
by Shirl Kennedy, Deputy Editor
Some of the niftiest stuff on the Internet these days involves GIS data and mapping. For example, see this list of Cool uses of Google Maps, pulled together by Jonathan Dube, over at CyberJournalist.net.
If you've never explored TerraFly, from Florida International University, don't wait one minute longer. "Simply enter an address, and our system will put you at the controls of a bird's view aerial imagery to explore your digital earth." (Disable your pop-up blocker first.) Cool, non-obvious feature unearthed by Gary: Once you have an image displayed, you'll see a scattering of lime green dots superimposed on it. Click on any one of these and another window pops up with tons of local information -- population data, schools, local businesses, links to additional satellite images and more. Amazing.
Not quite had your fill of maps and aerial photos? Be on the lookout for Microsoft's MSN Virtual Earth, schedule to debut this summer.
Our Resource of the Week also comes via the Florida State University System (I'm proud to say). According to the American Library Association, "Florida State's Public Library Geographic Database (PLGDB) is America's first ever Web-accessible and digitally-mapped public library database." Let's have a look.
Public Libraries--Geography--Database
Source: Florida State University
GeoLib
This database -- includes the geographic locations of the roughly 16,000 public libraries in the U.S., along with "population characteristics" from the 2000 Census and library use statistics from the National Center for Education Statistics. For first-time users, there's a PowerPoint tutorial. I found this somewhat difficult to download. (Your mileage may vary.) Fortunately, there's also a printable PDF tutorial (352 KB), and for visual learners with a fast Internet connection, a set of instructional movies (in MP4 format). You'll need to disable your popup blocker to navigate this site, too.
Actually, you may just want to go directly to the map and start experimenting. GeoLib requests that you to complete a very brief survey first -- name and e-mail address are optional. Mostly they just want to know the purpose for which you are using the site. You can submit your answer and then click the Launch Map Viewer link. (A "quick tutorial" and "help system" are accessible from this page, in case you suddenly feel the need for a life preserver. This resource is not highly intuitive.)
When you first access the map, you'll see a somewhat compressed view of the United States, with a sidebar offering a variety of "map layers" -- data overlays that you can choose. By default, the locations of central libraries are already selected, although you won't really see this till you hone in on a particular geographic area. Probably the easiest way to start exploring is to click on the Quick Search tab at the top of the map. A Library Quick Search window opens; just for the heck of it, choose your own state from the dropdown menu, click the Branch Library radio button, type the name of your county into the text box and click Search. Up comes another window with a list of branch libraries in your county. Click the Zoom link next to one of the branches and watch what happens to the map. (If you don't immediately see the branch indentified on the map with a little red "read" symbol, make sure you have the Branch Library checkbox selected on the Map Layers sidebar.)
Once you have a library located on the map, you can start viewing demographic data for the surrounding area by using the numerous checkboxes on the Map Layers sidebar. Only one layer can be viewed at a time; color-coding is used to indicate characteristics. You can see what the colors represent (Legend) by clicking the small box to the left of the demographic label. (It's gray, with a carat mark inside.) Each main demographic category -- age, education, income, poverty by age, children under 18, race, etc. -- has a plus sign to the right of it that you click to reveal the options. Other layers besides demographics include congressional and state legislative districts, geographic boundaries (states, counties, census tracts, etc.), and physical features like types of highways and bodies of water.
Note: If you want to view U.S. public libraries by congressional district, a feature sponsored by ALA, a tutorial (Word document) is available.
If you'd like to print out the map you have displayed, click the Print PDF tab at the top of the window, near the center. You'll see a sidebar -- Create a Printable Map. Type a name for your map into the text box and click Submit Query. You'll get yet another window with a printable version of your map. You can also e-mail your map (in PDF or JPG format) to yourself or someone else. Click the little envelope icon; it's the one at the extreme right end of the row of icons at the top of the window.
I found the Locate tab at the top of the window to be an efficient way of zooming in on a particular geographic area. When you click on it, you get a sidebar that allows you to specify a zip code or a city/state combination. Once you're got the relevant map displayed, click the Layers tag to get the demographic options sidebar again. You can zoom in and out by clicking the standard + and - magnifying glass icons at the top and then clicking on the area of the map in which you are interested. If you zoom in close enough, street names are displayed.
It does take some practice to become proficient at using GeoLib -- there are so many features I haven't even't touched on here -- but the payoff could be high, in terms of gathering statistical information about the users (and potential users) of any public library system. It could, for example, help you plan the location of future branches or decide what types of services to offer based on the characteristics of the local population.
This project is sponsored by the Institute of Museum and Library Services. Enjoy. - Shirl [ResourceShelf]
10:08:32 AM Google It!
|
|
|
Alternative energy guru Amory Lovins fires back at James Howard Kunstler for calling his Hypercar a "stupid distraction." [Salon.com]
LB note: Watch a short ad to get a Salon.com Day Pass, which allows you to read the whole story.
9:23:34 AM Google It!
|
|
|
BELL Conference 2005: Sustainable Technology Development and New Market Creation
SAVE THE DATE & CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS
11th Annual BELL Conference
Sustainable Technology Development and New Market Creation
The Business*Education*Learning*Leadership Program (BELL) at the World Resources Institute is holding its 11th annual conference from Wednesday, July 20 to Friday, July 22. The conference will be hosted by the Johnson Graduate School of Management and the Center for Sustainable Global Enterprise and Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, and will focus on Sustainable Technology Development and New Market Creation. Conference topics will include the private sector's role in emerging economies and the development of markets at the base of the economic pyramid through innovative technologies that deliver goods and services in a sustainable manner. [NextBillion.net - Development Through Enterprise - Eradicating Poverty through Profit]
9:17:16 AM Google It!
|
|
|
As its summer session gets going, the water temperature is already rising in the Capitol. The US Congress is currently debating legislation that would prioritize clean water projects within America's international aid budget and push the private sector to get involved, too. The bill's co-sponsors say that the private sector can quickly and effectively provide clean water using innovative technologies. Opponents contend that privatized water systems in developing countries tend to exclude the poor in order to break even, and have introduced competing legislation that keeps water provision in the public sphere. It will be interesting to keep an eye on these bills as they move through Congress. Will US companies currently developing new clean water technology shift research and development elsewhere if opponents win? Most importantly, how will underserved communities be affected by shifting priorities in the US international aid budget? It may be a long, dry summer before we find out. For more, check out this segment from NPR's "Living on Earth" radio show here. [NextBillion.net - Development Through Enterprise - Eradicating Poverty through Profit]
9:15:21 AM Google It!
|
|
|
Forget environmentalism's "death." Turns out, the environmental movement is alive and well -- and has got soul, according to a provocative new report. [Joel Makower: Two Steps Forward]
9:10:27 AM Google It!
|
|
|
|
© Copyright
2005
Laura L. Barnes.
Last update:
10/25/2005; 12:10:43 PM.
|
|
|
