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Friday, January 13, 2006
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Eco-Cycle's Children's Used Book Project, now in its second year, has placed 13,500 salvaged books into the hands of Boulder area children; another 1,000 books were donated to children in the regions affected by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. [Source: Longmont (CO) Daily Times Call]
3:56:19 PM Google It! 
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OK, is this you? You dress for work in layers these days, because you never know what the temperature is going to be. In most cases, it's cold. Higher energy costs this winter are leading some employers to turn temperate zones into tundras -- at least in the view of some shivering workers. More from The Washington Post's Amy Joyce and Justin Blum, 1/8/06. [SEJ Environmental Journalism Today]
3:51:54 PM Google It!
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The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) has unveiled a series of major process improvements to its LEED(R) (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design) green building rating system, including a significantly streamlined documentation and certification process that's now 100% online. A direct result of market surveys and extensive dialogue with the organizations and individuals who use LEED, USGBC anticipates the changes to the LEED process will reduce the time and cost of LEED certification.
3:48:36 PM Google It!
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Source: Environmental Protection E-News, 1/12/06. Chemists at the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Brookhaven National Laboratory (http://www.bnl.gov/world), working with colleagues at Stony Brook University, announced on Jan. 4 that they have developed a unique experimental technique to measure the flow of energy inside a molecule in the process of breaking apart. The chemists' experiments provide a critical test of theories used in computer models of combustion, which are used, for instance, by combustion engineers to design more fuel-efficient and less polluting machines. [Great Lakes Pollution Prevention Roundtable (GLRPPR) News]
3:45:36 PM Google It!
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Car buyers thinking of purchasing a new fuel-efficient vehicle may be in luck -- that car could be $500 cheaper under legislation Gov. Blagojevich will propose next week. By By Tracy Swartz. [Stateline.org RSS - Illinois]
3:25:04 PM Google It!
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Adopting BQ-9000 is one of the recommended steps. The National Biodiesel Board (NBB) and the Minnesota Biodiesel Council (MBC) today presented an action plan to the Minnesota Department of Commerce to increase quality control measures... [Green Car Congress]
3:22:29 PM Google It!
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Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC) Crane division is helping the environment and the local economy as it recently received its first load of biodiesel fuel from the Indiana Soybean Board (ISB). [Source: Linton (IN) Daily Citizen]
12:26:17 PM Google It!
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Colleges have long marketed their campus amenities, their rosters of scholars, their selectivity and study-abroad programs. To that list, add one more thing: their green credentials. [Source: New York Times News Service via AZCentral.com]
12:24:05 PM Google It!
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A bipartisan group of lawmakers on Wednesday introduced legislation to set a state standard for the use of motor fuels made from corn or soybeans and to promote the renewable fuels industry. [Source: Champaign-Urbana News-Gazette]
12:19:57 PM Google It!
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Widely used stain repellents that keep fast-food grease off clothes and nasty stains off carpets could be on their way out in Canada. Environmental Science & Technology's Rebecca Renner explains, 1/11/06. [SEJ Environmental Journalism Today]
12:09:29 PM Google It!
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Worldwatch's venerable State of the World annual is out, and the 2006 edition zeroes in on China and India -- and the threats and opportunities they present to sustainability. It's a sobering, but compelling, read. [Joel Makower: Two Steps Forward]
12:07:10 PM Google It!
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State energy regulators on Thursday approved a landmark incentive program intended to make California a world leader in solar power over the next decade. [Source: Associated Press via San Diego Union Tribune]
12:02:05 PM Google It!
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Source: Associated Press via St. Paul Pioneer Press, 1/12/06. State commerce officials are giving the biodiesel industry another month to fix problems with the fuel that may have clogged fuel filters this winter. The Commerce Department on Wednesday said a state law requiring diesel fuel to contain 2 percent biodiesel won't go back into effect until Feb. 10, extending an emergency waiver that would have expired Friday. [Great Lakes Pollution Prevention Roundtable (GLRPPR) News]
11:59:18 AM Google It!
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Source: Centennial College via CNW Group, 1/12/06. In response to a world grappling with finite supplies of fossil fuels and other resources, Centennial College has launched a new full-time program in architectural technology that emphasizes sustainable building design and construction. The three-year program prepares students to work as technologists alongside architects, engineers, builders, contractors and municipal building departments. Using state-of-the-art computer technology, students will learn to create designs, construction drawings and specifications for residential, commercial and institutional buildings. [Great Lakes Pollution Prevention Roundtable (GLRPPR) News]
11:58:14 AM Google It!
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Source: Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), 1/11/06. Governor Edward G. Rendell has announced Pennsylvania is making investments to support clean energy projects that will create more than 1,000 permanent and temporary jobs. The Pennsylvania Energy Development Authority approved $8.5 million in grants and loans for 25 clean energy projects that will leverage another $144.3 million in private investment. The projects will create 228 permanent and up to 880 construction jobs in the commonwealth. [Great Lakes Pollution Prevention Roundtable (GLRPPR) News]
11:57:02 AM Google It!
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Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), 1/6/06. A draft guide to watershed management to help various organizations develop and implement watershed plans is now available. The handbook contains in-depth guidance on quantifying existing pollutant loads, developing estimates of the load reductions required to meet water quality standards, developing effective management measures, and tracking progress once the plan is implemented. EPA will be accepting comments and suggestions on the document in the coming year to incorporate in the final version of the handbook. [Great Lakes Pollution Prevention Roundtable (GLRPPR) News]
11:52:29 AM Google It!
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From toothpaste to trousers, dozens of everyday products contain materials made through the blossoming science of nanotechnology -- but laws safeguarding the public"s health and safety aren"t developing nearly as quickly, according to a new report.Few will say whether the nano materials, often hundreds of times smaller than the diameter of a human hair, are unquestionably safe or dangerous given the lack of definitive research into the matter.However, Terry Davies, author of the report released Wednesday, said it"s time to start discussing changing laws -- and perhaps drafting new ones -- to identify and protect the public from any risks that may crop up in the future. [Physics Org]
11:49:01 AM Google It!
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Already imperiled by melting ice and a brew of toxic chemicals, polar bears throughout the Arctic, particularly in remote dens near the North Pole, face an additional threat as flame retardants originating largely in the United States are building up in their bodies, according to an international team of wildlife scientists. [Source: Newsday]
11:46:47 AM Google It!
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A study in the journal Nature has linked widespread frog extinctions in Central and South America to a fungal epidemic triggered by increasing temperatures. Frog species began disappearing from the region in the late 1980s. [NPR Topics: Environment]
11:36:56 AM Google It!
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The National Association of Home Builders hopes that Samuel Alito, if confirmed as a Supreme Court justice, would help facilitate a rollback of regulations that make development more difficult. Environmental groups worry a more conservative court could place new restrictions on the federal government's ability to regulate. [NPR Topics: Environment]
11:35:45 AM Google It!
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A little-studied fire retardant has accumulated in Great Lakes sediment and game fish for decades without detection, according to new research. The discovery about Dechlorane Plus, which went into production in 1964, surprised federal regulators. [Source: Detroit Free Press]
11:34:03 AM Google It!
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Members of Congress, senior corporate executives, top scientists and engineers, and leaders of civil society highlight the National Council for Science and the Environment's (NCSE) 6th National Conference on Science, Policy and the Environment: Energy for a Sustainable and Secure Future on January 26-27, 2006 at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center in Washington, DC.
Ross Pillari, President of BP America will provide the keynote address on January 26.
Henry Habicht, President of the Global Environmental Technology Foundation (and a member of the National Energy Commission), will chair a panel Opportunities for Decisionmaking, which will include Hazel O'Leary, President, Fisk University; Secretary of Energy 1993-1997; Katie McGinty, Pennsylvania Secretary of the Environment, Chair, Council on Environmental Quality 1993-2000; Mark Levine, Director, China Energy Program, Lawrence Berkeley National Lab and Bob Greco, Director of Policy Analysis, American Petroleum Institute.
Chip Groat, Director of the US Geological Survey, 1998-2005, will chair a panel, Opportunities from Science and Technology, including Volker Hartkopf, Director, Center for Building Performance and Diagnostics, Carnegie Mellon University, Daniel Kammen, Director, Renewable and Appropriate Energy Laboratory, UC, Berkeley, James Lake, Associate Director for Nuclear Programs, Idaho National Lab, and Lee Lynd, Professor of Engineering, Dartmouth College.
NCSE will provide its Lifetime Achievement Award to Russell Train, first Chair of the Council on Environmental Quality (1970-73), second Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (1973-77) and the World Wildlife Fund's co-founder (1968), President (1978-85) and Chairman (1985-94).
National Academy of Sciences President Ralph Cicerone, a leading atmospheric scientist, will present the 6th John H Chafee Memorial Lecture on Science and the Environment.
Dian Ogilvie, Senior Vice President and Chief Environmental Officer, Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A. will present the keynote address on January 27.
Phil Sharp, President, Resources for the Future, a Congressman from Indiana 1975-95 will chair a Roundtable Building Collaborations for Progress, which will include Rev. Sally Bingham, Director, The Regeneration Project and founder of Interfaith Power and Light, Rob Donkers, Washington Delegation Environment Counselor, Delegation of the European Commission to the U.S., Phil Harter, Earl F. Nelson Professor of Law, University of Missouri, and Wayne Shirley, Director, Regulatory Assistance Project.
Vijay Vaitheeswaran, Global Environment & Energy Correspondent, The Economist will moderate the closing session on Integrating Climate Change into Energy Planning, including Marilyn Brown, Director, Engineering Science and Technology Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Congressman Jay Inslee, from the 1st district of Washington, David Conover, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy and International Affairs, U.S. Department of Energy, and Joe Romm, Founder and Executive Director, Center for Energy and Climate Solutions; former Acting Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy.
Inspired by these leading thinkers and doers, over 800 conference participants will view more than 25 poster sessions, more than 20 exhibits and meet in 19 concurrent breakout sessions and 5 symposia to develop strategies to transform the role of science in shaping energy aspects of sustainable development.
Please visit http://www.ncseonline.org to register for the conference and to view the latest program updates, details on the exhibition, poster session, and sponsorship opportunities, and information on travel and lodging. Please note: the deadline for online registration is January 22, 2006. Please direct general conference questions to conference2006@NCSEonline.org or call 202-530-5810.
11:31:43 AM Google It!
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EPA Administrator Stephen L. Johnson today announced the release of a new tool to help schools identify and prevent health, safety and environmental problems before they arise, building on the agency's voluntary school indoor air quality program. Using a holistic approach to school health, EPA's new Healthy School Environments Assessment Tool (HealthySEAT) is a free software tool that school districts can customize to assess potential issues such as mold, asbestos and lead paint, then evaluate and manage information on conditions at each school.
"In elementary school, we learned that when we work alone, we can only accomplish so much; real success comes through teamwork, sharing and cooperation," said Administrator Stephen L. Johnson. "EPA is working with schools across the country to provide clean, healthy learning environments for the leaders of tomorrow."
The announcement took place at EPA's sixth annual Indoor Air Quality Tools for Schools Symposium, with more than 500 school officials from across the country in attendance. The symposium featured an awards ceremony to recognize individuals and schools demonstrating extraordinary commitments to improving indoor air quality for the nation's schoolchildren. Winners are listed below.
Indoor air quality can also impact a student's performance. Students who are exposed to poor indoor air quality experience decreased performance, diminished concentration levels and score consistently lower on standardized tests than those students attending schools with good air quality. According to the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Education Research and Improvement, students attending schools with poor indoor air quality score 11 percent lower on standardized tests than those students attending schools in good condition.
Since the creation of the Indoor Air Quality Tools for Schools (IAQ TfS) program, more than 26,000 schools across the country have adopted IAQ management programs consistent with EPA's guidance. The IAQ TfS program teaches schools how to identify, resolve, and prevent IAQ problems through low and no-cost measures. The program explains IAQ management, facility planning and maintenance, financing, communications, and emergency response. An IAQ Tools for Schools Kit also includes easy-to-use checklists for all school personnel, sample management plans, and a unique indoor air problem-solving wheel.
EPA's annual IAQ Tools for Schools Excellence Awards honor schools and school districts that have exemplary IAQ programs in their schools ranging from designing a new school building free of toxins and other hazards to developing district-wide policies for continuous training and maintenance.
2005 Indoor Air Quality Tools for Schools Excellence Award Winners
1. Cecil County Public Schools, Cecil County, Md.
2. Hartford Public Schools, Hartford, Conn.
3. Katy Independent School District, Katy, Texas
4. The School Board of Broward County, Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
5. Vashon Island School District, Vashon Island, Wash.
6. Wichita Public Schools, Wichita, Kan.
2005 Indoor Air Quality Tools for Schools Model of Sustained Excellence Award Winner
1. Blue Valley School District #229, Overland Park, Kan.
2005 Special Achievement Award Winners
1. Young Parent Program (A Hydroville Project), Springfield School District, Springfield, Ore.
2. Science Research Club, Beaverton School District, Beaverton, Ore.
2005 Radon in Schools Excellence Award Winner
1. The Town of Andover, Mass.
HealthySEAT is voluntary and helps school districts track all of their environmental, health and safety information in a single database. The program includes a complete checklist of EPA recommendations and regulatory requirements on dozens of health and safety issues. Schools can download a free copy of HealthySEAT and learn more about the Indoor Air Quality Tools for Schools Program and the 2006 National Symposium at http://www.epa.gov/iaq/schools.
10:53:28 AM Google It!
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Battery chargers for cordless tools and appliances are the latest products eligible to earn EPA's Energy Star label. The labeling program identifies energy efficient products. Americans use some 230 million products with rechargeable batteries, and Energy Star chargers will be at least 35 percent more energy efficient.
"Expanding the Energy Star Label to battery chargers is the next step in promoting energy efficiency," EPA Acting Assistant Administrator for Air and Radiation Bill Wehrum said. "By using more energy efficient battery chargers, Americans can save money on their energy bills and help prevent greenhouse gas emissions."
Battery charging systems recharge a wide variety of cordless products, including power tools, small household appliances, personal care products like electric toothbrushes and electric shavers, and garden tools such as weed and hedge trimmers.
In the United States alone, more energy efficient battery chargers have the potential to save Americans more than 1 billion kilowatt hours (kWh) of energy per year, saving Americans more than $100 million annually while preventing the release of more than one million tons of greenhouse gas emissions?equivalent to the emissions of 150,000 cars. On average, Energy Star qualified battery chargers will use 35 percent less energy than conventional models.
More and more consumer products are becoming cordless and portable, requiring battery chargers and power adapters. This is a timely opportunity to capture energy savings associated with these common household products. Battery chargers -- even when not actively charging a product -- can draw as much as 5 to 20 times more energy than is actually stored in the battery. Energy Star guidelines for battery charging systems focus on "non-active" modes of recharging, including battery maintenance mode (charger is connected to a fully charged product), and standby mode (charger is plugged in, but no product is connected).
EPA is promoting the most efficient charging systems since they are commonly bundled with so many popular consumer products and appliances. Some products, such as portable floor vacuums, and even some power tools, may spend as much as 90 percent of their operating time in battery maintenance mode, where lots of energy can be consumed by an inefficient design.
These new guidelines complement EPA's existing Energy Star external power adapter specification, announced in January 2005. Power adapters are devices that convert high voltage power from a wall outlet into low voltage power for devices such as notebook computers, monitors and other electronics. To date, more than 20 external power adapter manufacturers have joined Energy Star and are producing energy-efficient models, which are available with mobile phones, digital cameras, and other products.
Battery charging systems join the more than 40 categories of products that can earn the Energy Star mark, including lighting, appliances, office equipment, consumer electronics, and heating and cooling equipment. Last year alone, Americans, with the help of Energy Star, saved $10 billion dollars on their energy bills and enough energy to power 25 million homes, and avoided the greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to those of 20 million cars. Learn more about Energy Star battery charging systems at http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=battery_chargers.pr_battery_chargers. For additional information on the Energy Star program, visit http://www.energystar.gov.
10:30:25 AM Google It!
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The current three-day conference in Waikiki, Hawaii, is addressing alternative technologies of bioenergy including but not limited to ethanol. Other emerging technologies using biodegradable sources may supplement the usual agricultural sources for fuel. With a new law to become effective in Hawaii in April that calls for greater use of non-petroleum products, producing its own biofuel is necessary to avoid reliance on imports. To that end, recent research under way in Hawaii has revealed oil to be present in algae varieties, which is abundant offshore. [Source: Honolulu Star-Bulletin via RenewableEnergyAccess.com]
10:24:11 AM Google It!
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Volkswagen (VW), Shell and Iogen signed a letter of intent at the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) 2006 recently held in Detroit, Michigan, to assess the economic feasibility of producing cellulose ethanol in Germany. Produced by Iogen, this biofuel can be used in today's cars, reducing CO2 emissions by as much as 90 percent. [Source: RenewableEnergyAccess.com]
10:21:30 AM Google It!
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Scientists at the Technical University of Denmark have invented a technology they believe may be an important step towards the hydrogen economy: a hydrogen tablet they say effectively stores hydrogen in an inexpensive and safe material. [Source: RenewableEnergyAccess.com]
10:19:28 AM Google It!
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Walgreens and ImaginIt Inc., a Denver-based clean-energy solutions company, have agreed to install solar electric systems in 96 stores and two distribution centers in California and 16 stores in New Jersey. [Source: RenewableEnergyAccess.com]
10:18:13 AM Google It!
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What Whole Foods Market calls the "largest wind energy credit purchase in the history of the United States and Canada" may well be true, with 100 percent of the company's electricity used in all of its stores, facilities, bake houses, distribution centers, regional offices and national headquarters in the U.S. and Canada to be supplied by the purchase of wind energy credits. [Source: RenewableEnergyAccess.com]
10:16:10 AM Google It!
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New York Governor George E. Pataki opened the 2006 Legislative Session by delivering his twelfth and final State of the State Message. In the address, he called on New York to implement a host of renewable energy plans and incentives including making the entire state a tax-free zone for renewable energy companies. [Source: RenewableEnergyAccess.com]
10:14:49 AM Google It!
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© Copyright
2006
Laura L. Barnes.
Last update:
2/2/2006; 3:48:03 PM.
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