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Wednesday, September 14, 2005
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Anthony J. Sadar, MS, writing in the September 2005 issue of Environmental Protection, discusses how research on instructional tool use can help traditional classroom instructors identify demonstrated improvements for their own environmental-science teaching.
1:20:08 PM Google It! 
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The first step to taking a whole-house energy efficiency approach is to find out which parts of your house use the most energy. A home energy audit will show you where these are and suggest the most effective measures for reducing your energy costs. [Source: Environmental Protection E-News]
1:19:14 PM Google It!
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Two groups of researchers announced on Sept. 9 they have found new evidence that loss of DJ-1, a gene known to be linked to inherited Parkinson's disease, leads to striking sensitivity to the herbicide paraquat and the insecticide rotenone. The two studies were performed with the fruit fly Drosophila, a widely used model organism for studies of human disease, and shed new light on biological connections between inherited and sporadic forms of Parkinson's disease.
The work is reported in Current Biology ("Drosophila DJ-1 mutants are selectively sensitive to environmental toxins associated with Parkinson's disease," Vol. 15, pages 1,572-1,577) by two independent groups, one led by Nancy Bonini of the University of Pennsylvania and the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, and the other led by Kyung-Tai Min of the NINDS branch of the U.S. National Institutes of Health. [Source: Environmental Protection E-News]
1:17:55 PM Google It!
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The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Technical Tools and Models Web site offers assistance in the following areas: pollution prevention, pesticides and toxic substances, solid waste and emergency response, and water. The tools include online databases, software programs, and publications. [Source: GreenBiz.com]
1:07:28 PM Google It!
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2005 report explores options for reducing GHG emissions from buildings over the next decade and over the next 50 years. [Source: GreenBiz.com]
1:06:06 PM Google It!
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Scientists have proposed a way to control the distribution of contaminants in silicon, potentially opening up the use of cheaper, "dirtier" starting materials for making solar cells. In a study published in the September Nature Materials, the researchers predict that the strategy could lower production costs of solar cells. [Source: Science News]
1:04:43 PM Google It!
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A new biostimulant economically treats wastewater sludge by breaking it down into gas, ash, and water. [Source: Water & Wastewater Products E-News]
1:03:46 PM Google It!
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There are 2.6 million miles of paved roads in the United States, and new roads are being constructed daily. When parking lots and driveways are factored in, there is already enough blacktopped surface in the United States to cover the entire state of Ohio. Paved roads and parking spaces come in handy for our nation's drivers, but they also come with a serious unforeseen cost-- the degradation of freshwater ecosystems, researchers announced on Sept. 5.
In a September Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences paper, Drs. Sujay S. Kaushal (http://www.al.umces.edu/cvSujayKaushal.htm), Peter M. Groffman (http://www.ecostudies.org/people_sci_groffman.html) and Gene E. Likens (http://www.ecostudies.org/people_sci_likens.html)of the Institute of Ecosystem Studies, with colleagues, detail how roadways and deicers are compromising the health of northeastern waters, making them inhospitable to wildlife and compromising drinking water supplies. Their insights were made possible by long-term data recorded by the Institute of Ecosystem Studies, the Hubbard Brook Ecosystem Study, the Baltimore Ecosystem Study, the U.S. Geological Survey, and the city of Baltimore. [Source: Water & Wastewater Products E-News]
1:02:08 PM Google It!
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Deadline: September 30, 2005
CTCNet (Community Technology Centers' Network) (http://www.ctcnet.org/) will award Youth Visions grants to eight community technology programs throughout the United States in 2006.Youth Visions grants are designed to give youth and community technology programs the opportunity to use multimedia tools and training to engage in community decision-making to strengthen their neighborhoods. Organizations that serve at-risk youth (ages 14-18), are engaged in community partnerships, and have experience providing video and other multimedia training are eligible to apply to the program. CTCNet will provide a flexible curriculum and evaluation support for a five- to six-month program integrating community-based activities and multi-media training. Additionally, each grantee organization will be required to host a capacity-building workshop to help other youth-serving organizations learn how to use multi-media tools to promote youth engagement in their communities. Applicants must be willing to take part in a participatory process aimed at building a strong curriculum and evaluation methodology that can be used by future sites engaged in the program. Each grantee will receive $20,000 and must contribute at least $8,000 in non-federal matching funds. Orientation and preparation for selected programs will begin in December 2005. Program operations will begin in January 2006, and the program must be completed by July 30, 2006. To learn more about the grant, including eligibility requirements, how to apply, and registration procedures for an application assistance call, visit the CTCNet Web site.
1:00:15 PM Google It!
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Make a Difference Day is a national day of community service sponsored by USA Weekend Magazine and its more than six hundred carrier newspapers. Held in partnership with the Points of Light Foundation (http://www.pointsoflight.org), the day is an annual event that takes place on the fourth Saturday of every October. The next event will take place Saturday, October 22, 2005.
Paul Newman, who donates all after-tax profits from sales of Newman's Own Products(http://www.newmansown.com) to educational and charitable purposes, continues his support of Make A Difference Day, and this year will donate $10,000 each to ten selected projects. These ten honorees, plus hundreds of local honorees, will be spotlighted in an April 2006 issue of USA Weekend coinciding with National Volunteer week, as well as on the program's Web site.
Anyone can participate in the day by participating in a volunteer project that helps others. Volunteer projects can be large or small, and can be one-day, stand-alone projects or part of ongoing efforts.
After participating in a project on Saturday, October 22, volunteers should send in an entry form to be considered for an award. (Volunteers who cannot participate on Saturday for religious reasons, may do their projects on Sunday.)
Visit the program's Web site for volunteer project ideas and complete details on submitting an awards entry form.
12:55:05 PM Google It!
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Deadline: January 15, 2006
A philanthropic program of Volvo Cars of North America, Volvo for life Awards are made to individuals for their achievements in three categories that reflect Volvo's core values: Safety, Quality of life, and Environment.
The program's Grand Award Winner receives A Volvo for life and $50,000 to a charity of his or her choice. The three Category Winners receive $50,000 to a charity of their choice. The six Category Finalists receive $25,000 to a charity of their choice.
In addition, the program's Alexandra Scott Butterfly Award will honor one child hero with $25,000 to a charity of his or her choice.
The program will also present a Volvo for life Friendship Award for Best Buddies members. This awardee will receive: $25,000 ($10,000 of this will be awarded to their local Best Buddies state office, $5,000 to their school chapter, and $5,000 each to winning buddy pair). Best Buddies (http://www.bestbuddies.org) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to enhancing the lives of people with intellectual disabilities by providing opportunities for one-to-one friendships and integrated employment.
Winners will also receive trips to the New York City Times Square Awards Ceremony for themselves and a guest, as well as their nominator and a guest, and roles in a Volvo for Life Awards heroes documentary.
Visit the program's Web site for complete program information and nomination procedures.
12:51:44 PM Google It!
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Deadline: November 18, 2005
LEAP (Leadership and Enhanced Assistance Program) is a two-year organizational development program of the Environmental Support Center ( http://www.envsc.org/ ) that provides assistance to grassroots environmental groups to build their organizational capacity and make a "leap" forward. The program provides training, support, and funding to help groups establish and meet capacity building goals, learn from each other, and build understanding among peer groups.
Each year, LEAP selects a class of six organizations to begin the two-year program. Participant organizations attend a two-and-a-half day orientation Workshop in which they undertake an organizational assessment, receive training to prepare to lead organizational change, and exchange information with their peers. After the workshop, each participant group receives up to $10,000 to hire consultants and trainers to work with it to address two to three organizational development issues. Organizations return at the end of the two years of capacity building to attend a two-day final workshop to assess their accomplishments, share practices for creating organizational change, and develop a plan for "next steps." (All workshop travel, lodging, and meals expenses are covered by LEAP.)
LEAP serves a smaller number of groups with a larger amount of support and funding, making it the most competitive and intensive of the Environmental Support Center's programs. To be eligible for LEAP, groups should be local, state, or regional nonprofit organizations working on environmental issues; be environmental justice organizations, environmental activist organizations, or networks and coalitions made up of and formed by environmental justice and/or activist groups; have 501(c)(3) status or an eligible fiscal sponsor; and have a budget between $50,000 and $500,000.
Visit the Environmental Support Center Web site for complete program information, eligibility restrictions, priority funding considerations, and application procedures.
12:46:34 PM Google It!
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Deadline: October 3, 2005
The Jack Kent Cooke Foundation ( http://www.jackkentcookefoundation.org/ ) has announced the third year of its Innovation Fund. The fund provides one-time grants to spark the creation or expansion of innovative education programs focusing on a particular field each year. The priority area for 2006 is mentorship or internship programs serving high-achieving, low- to moderate-income high school or college students.
The foundation invites brief proposals for grants that will support new or existing programs that provide individualized mentorships and/or internships serving high-achieving, low- to moderate-income high school or college-age students.
Successful applicants will demonstrate that their programs focus on students who achieve at high levels in their communities (as opposed to students needing remedial support); serve a significant proportion of low- to moderate-income students in the program; provide students with personalized interaction with one or more individuals successful in their fields; and seek to deliver a program demonstrably related to education/academic support or career performance/exploration (as opposed to programs designed primarily to provide caring adult relationships).
Each grant will total up to $150,000, cover one or two years of program work, and is non-renewable. The foundation anticipates awarding three grants, which will be announced in March 2006.
For complete information about the Innovation Fund, an FAQ, and application materials, see the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation Web site.
12:44:01 PM Google It!
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A site at the corner of Riverside Drive and Cranston Road is planned to be home to a "pocket neighborhood" designed with geothermal heating and cooling. [Source: Beloit (WI) Daily News]
12:19:13 PM Google It!
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When planning a facility expansion or renovation, one of the first questions posed by health facilities professionals is, "Can the central utilities plant support the new program?" The answer to that question is often no, and the solution usually involves expanding or upgrading an existing plant or building anew.
But deciding whether to renovate or replace can be a tricky proposition, with constantly shifting cost, efficiency and planning challenges. Additionally, construction-related service disruptions must be avoided at all costs. With a successful architectural/engineering (A/E) analysis, these challenges will be detected and evaluated before construction begins. [Source: Health Facilities Management]
11:44:48 AM Google It!
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Berkeley (California) Mayor Tom Bates and environmental leaders announced the City of Berkeley has reduced its carbon emissions by 14% since 2002. [Green Car Congress]
11:42:20 AM Google It!
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UPS is turning to new route optimization technology in an attempt to reduce fuel consumption and emissions. [Green Car Congress]
11:41:17 AM Google It!
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Via Poynter E-Media Tidbits:
Want to "watch" the water go down in New Orleans? At any specific neighborhood? In yet another astonishing combination of Google mapping capabilities and other technologies that I certainly don't understand, C&C Technologies Survey Services has created a map that allows you to check the estimated depth of New Orleans flood waters at any given location -- maximum depth, and current depth.
It doesn't allow you to type in a specific location, which is a little surprising since it uses Google mapping technology, but even so it's remarkable --- and valuable. You can see, for instance, that the water (...)
Entry continued... By pzollman@aimgroup.com (Peter M. Zollman).
11:32:06 AM Google It!
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Passengers of British Airways face a moral dilemma: from today, when they book they will be asked to pay a few pounds extra to compensate for the environmental impact of their flights. [Environmental Health News]
11:29:30 AM Google It!
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The EPA's new rules on human testing, which the agency said would "categorically" protect children and pregnant women from pesticide testing, include numerous exemptions - including one that specifically allows testing of children who have been "abused and neglected." [Environmental Health News]
11:28:38 AM Google It!
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Mark your calendars for October 1st, the date when thousands of homes, schools, and businesses that use solar energy will open their doors to the public for the National Solar Tour. People in D.C. will get an additional treat later in October, when the Solar Decathlon opens on the National Mall. [EERE Network News]
11:27:14 AM Google It!
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DOE's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) has launched a new Web site that lists opportunities for financial assistance. Small businesses should watch for a solicitation on September 22nd that will cover multiple topics related to renewable energy and energy efficiency. [EERE Network News]
11:26:20 AM Google It!
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The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) is awarding $15.5 million to 32 distributed generation and combined heat and power projects throughout the state. The projects will generate 29 megawatts, half of which will come from biomass sources. [EERE Network News]
11:14:29 AM Google It!
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Oregon is the latest state to offer significant incentives for solar power systems: a $3-per-watt tax credit, capped at $6,000. New York State is exempting solar energy systems from state sales and use taxes, and has extended its solar energy tax credit to include solar water and space heating. [EERE Network News]
11:13:14 AM Google It!
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REYNOLDS, Ind. -- Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels came to this White County community Tuesday to celebrate the beginning of the Reynolds "BioTown, USA" project. The effort, which has yet to receive a price tag from state officials, involves the conversion of all energy sources in Reynolds to renewable energy, placing it among the first communities in the United States to undertake such an endeavor. By By Emilie Bauer. [Stateline.org RSS - Environment]
11:09:44 AM Google It!
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Project summary: Increasingly poor air quality and some of the highest diesel prices in the country have created a need in Western North Carolina for an alternative to petroleum diesel. The purpose of this project is to develop a sustainable biodiesel research facility in the Appropriate Technology program at Appalachian State University to promote biodiesel use and provide students with a hands-on research opportunity. The interdisciplinary team of graduate and undergraduate students has been assembled from a variety of disciplines, and will provide research opportunities in three distinct areas of study at ASU, including the departments of Technology, Sustainable Development and Chemistry. Partnerships are anticipated with local farm co-ops and a local community action group to bring low cost fuel to low income families and local farmers. Upon completion of the project the operation will continue to be used as a hands-on learning and research tool for students and community members. The innovative objectives of this project are:
- Design and build an 80-120 gal batch Biodiesel processor capable of producing ASTM D6751-03 standard fuel from local waste vegetable oil.
- Incorporate Solar Thermal technologies and vegetable oil based heating systems to remove the need for grid electricity or petroleum heating processes.
- Develop a natural water filtration system for biodiesel production wastewater, so that wash water can be safely and continuously reused.
- Build and implement a methanol recovery still using a vegetable oil based heater to recover and reuse excess methanol and purify glycerol for safe use.
- Explore the feasibility of using locally produced bio fuels to supplement student and low-income families’ heating bills and local agriculturalists’ fuel costs.
This project meets the P3 requirements by reducing the environmental impact of small-scale biodiesel production, developing a unique design for small-scale production plants, improving the local economy by lowering the home heating costs of local families and the fuel costs of local farmers, and providing a cleaner alternative to petroleum diesel and fuel oil. Results of the first phase of the project will be measured by ASTM testing of fuel quality, monitoring of energy inputs, water used and recycled, methanol recovered and glycerol produced. An economic evaluation of the costs of fuel production will also be completed. [Recent EPA Catalog Records.]
11:00:59 AM Google It!
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The chemical industry has just published its annual disclosure of its environmental performance, touting how hard its member companies are working to reduce toxic emissions, improve employee safety, and generally "go above and beyond government requirements and openly communicate their results." It may sound good and responsible and noble, but -- surprise! -- they are telling only one side of the story. [Joel Makower: Two Steps Forward]
10:53:40 AM Google It!
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As record fuel prices curb demand for conventional automobiles, Toyota said all its vehicles would eventually be run by hybrid gasoline-electric motors. By BLOOMBERG NEWS. [NYT > Business]
10:51:35 AM Google It!
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This site, from the US National Institutes of Health, is useful for covering Katrina's aftermath and other breaking environmental health issues. Resources provided are grouped together by topic: Chemical Emergency Response Management; Chemical Pollutants; Biological Pollutants; and Basic Safety Information for the General Public. [SEJ Useful links]
10:46:03 AM Google It!
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Yale University could soon launch the nation's first joint master's degree program in architecture and environmental management. [Breaking News]
10:45:08 AM Google It!
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This meeting will feature such topics as oil and gas flashpoints--onshore, offshore, and in Alaska; water, property rights and endangered species--the legalcy of the Tulare Lake decision; TVA and making power in the 21st century; Can a blackout happen again; the new energy bill's implications; and the constitutional backdrop to most environmental law cases today. [SEJ Environmental Events Calendar]
10:42:18 AM Google It!
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Via sustainablog:
We had a power outage this morning, so I've just got a minute to mention a great find by Jamais at WorldChanging: FEMA's Rebuilding for a More Sustainable Future -- An Operational Framework . Interestingly, this document is nearly five years old, meaning that considerations of how to rebuild more sustainably aren't just idealistic notions pushed by those of us in the blogosphere -- FEMA's had this on it's radar since the last administration (I have few doubts, though, that it hasn't received much attention since then...). I'll have to take a closer look, but I take Jamais at his word that this is a "treasure trove..." Maybe Eco New Orleans isn't just an ideal... [sustainablog]
10:37:02 AM Google It!
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Floodwaters that filled New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina are now being pumped back into Lake Pontchartrain -- along with raw sewage, bacteria, pesticides and chemicals. Madeleine Brand speaks with Karen Gautreaux of the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality about state and federal plans to clean up or mitigate polluted water and soils. [NPR Topics: Environment]
10:33:20 AM Google It!
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A study finds the Kyoto treaty's attempts to curb man-made emissions of greenhouse gases are being undermined by extra carbon dioxide released naturally from the ground as a result of climate change. More from The London Independent's Steve Connor, 9/8/05. [SEJ Environmental Journalism Today]
10:18:57 AM Google It!
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Although development of a large NASCAR track faces uphill challenges in the soggy Pacific Northwest, renewable fuels enthusiasts are latching on to the idea as a possible boon for their crusade. Celeste LeCompte of Sustainable Industries Journal reports, 9/2/05. By celeste@celilo.net. [SEJ Environmental Journalism Today]
9:57:58 AM Google It!
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Many personal care products used every day, including deodorants, aftershave lotions and cosmetics, contain chemicals that have been linked to breast cancer and birth defects. Details in a story published in the Deccan (India) Herald, 9/9/05. [SEJ Environmental Journalism Today]
9:56:39 AM Google It!
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The Washington Post's David A. Fahrenthold writes New Englanders stunned by the high price of oil are flocking back to a fuel source as old as the Colonial forests -- wood, 9/11/05. [SEJ Environmental Journalism Today]
9:55:54 AM Google It!
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The Toronto Star's Tyler Hamilton reports Canadian electronics makers are racing to remove toxic substances by next summer. If they don't, their wares -- which include everything from iPods and BlackBerrys to computers -- will be banned in Europe. And that may be only the beginning of what some are calling the manufacturers' Y2K, 9/10/05. [SEJ Environmental Journalism Today]
9:55:12 AM Google It!
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Ethanol is supposed to be easy on the environment, but the plants that make the corn-based, clean-burning fuel are fouling Iowa's air and water, according to a Des Moines Sunday Register investigation. The story from reporter Perry Beeman, 9/11/05. [SEJ Environmental Journalism Today]
9:54:24 AM Google It!
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Shari Roan of the Los Angeles Times reports along with peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and juice boxes, some schoolchildren may be carrying something unexpected and potentially hazardous in their lunchboxes -- lead, 9/12/05. [SEJ Environmental Journalism Today]
9:51:38 AM Google It!
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That's the question being posed in an article published in Solid Waste & Recycling magazine. It talks about a potentially dramatic pollution issue related to a toxic landfill that sits under the floodwaters right in downtown New Orleans, 9/12/05. [SEJ Environmental Journalism Today]
9:51:01 AM Google It!
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Whether you're for or against plastics, this story bolsters the argument that they certainly can be useful. They can take quite a journey once they leave your house. Your bottle could end up being spun into a pair of mittens worn by a child living in Japan. More from the Christian Science Monitor's Lesley Bannatyne, 9/13/05. [SEJ Environmental Journalism Today]
9:49:44 AM Google It!
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That fuel-efficient hybrid car may not be saving you as much as you thought. And that gas-guzzling SUV may be slurping even more fuel than you believed. A study by Consumer Reports magazine suggests that most vehicles don't live up to miles-per-gallon ratings by the EPA. More details from Des Moines Register's William Ryberg, 9/13/05. [SEJ Environmental Journalism Today]
9:48:49 AM Google It!
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Abstract: A system for co-generation of electricity combining a hydrocarbon catalytic reformer, an SOFC assembly and a generator driven by a gas turbine. The fuel cell assembly recycles a high percentage of anode exhaust gas into the reformer. Oxygen for reforming is derived from water in an endothermic process. The stack exit temperature is normally above 800° C. DC power from the fuel cell assembly and AC power from the gas turbine generator are directed to a power conditioner. Anode exhaust gas including carbon monoxide and hydrogen is divided into a plurality of portions by which heat may be added to the reforming, gas turbine, and cathode air heating processes. Water may be recovered from the exhaust. A power system in accordance with the invention is capable of operating at a higher total efficiency than either the fuel cell component or the gas turbine component alone. [FreshPatents.com: Notable Patent Applications - 09/08/2005]
9:47:53 AM Google It!
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Building green -- even remodeling green -- has come a long way from being just an expensive novelty. [Source: San Francisco Chronicle]
9:45:44 AM Google It!
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A Davis engineering firm best known for developing energy-efficient ways to cool homes will lead a pilot program for certifying "green" homes in California -- a major expansion of environmentally-friendly construction, if it works. [Source: Sacramento Business Journal via MSNBC]
9:44:09 AM Google It!
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Drew Smith, president of Sarasota-based green-building consultant Two Trails Inc., received a bachelor's degree in architecture and a master's in business administration from Ashcroft University. He became a certified general contractor in 1983 and holds several other certifications. He has worked for numerous home builders, including Pruett Builders, Marc Rutenberg Homes and Creative Custom Homes, and last year became a certified rater for Florida's Green Lodging Program.
He is a member of the board of directors for the Florida Green Building Coalition and served as its founding president. He recently corresponded with staff writer Rich Shopes about green building and its aspects, from environmentally sensitive building materials to energy efficiency. [Source: Sarasota (FL) Herald-Tribune]
9:42:40 AM Google It!
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A nonprofit organization striving to ‘green’ America’s healthcare system addresses the over-reliance on pharmaceutical drugs and the resulting problem of toxic medical waste. The Teleosis Institute’s founder, Dr. Joel Kreisberg, teaches about the environmental effects of medicine and promotes Ecologically Sustainable Medicine, which creates little to no waste and has a better impact upon the environment. [Source: eMediaWire.com press release]
9:39:52 AM Google It!
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In many applications, electric motor-driven vacuum pumps can achieve the same performance as vacuum generators while using one-fourth to one-tenth the energy. [Source: Plant Services]
9:37:41 AM Google It!
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The Petco Park and East Village revitalization project recently received a Phoenix Award from the Environmental Protection Agency for its positive effect on a formerly neglected area of San Diego. [Source: San Diego Business Journal]
9:29:48 AM Google It!
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© Copyright
2005
Laura L. Barnes.
Last update:
10/25/2005; 12:11:48 PM.
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