Wednesday, March 22, 2006

[WMRC Publications] Biodiesel Research: A Bibliography and Finding Aid Now available on the WMRC Library web site: TN06- 085 Biodiesel Research: A Bibliography and Finding Aid -- Champaign, IL : Waste Management and Research Center, 2006. 4:06:43 PM Google It!    [Energy efficiency] U.S. EPA, DOE Honor Energy Star Partners of the Year WASHINGTON, March 23, 2006 - The U.S. EPA and DOE have announced the winners of the 2006 Energy Star Partner of the Year awards, which recognize organizations that have made outstanding contributions to reducing greenhouse gas emissions through energy efficiency. [GreenBiz.com] 3:54:30 PM Google It!    [Transportation] Source Book on Good Practice in Freight Transport Offers five approaches to the adoption of environmental concerns in freight transport. [GreenBiz.com] 3:52:37 PM Google It!    [Solar energy] Illinois Solar Energy Association offers "Solar 101" workshops The Illinois Solar Energy Association, a 501-c-3 organization dedicated to educating the public about solar, wind and other forms of renewable energy, will be conducting workshops around the Chicago metropolitan area this spring and summer. The workshops, called Solar 101, will provide comprehensive and generic information about how solar energy can be used. The workshops will be held primarily on Saturday mornings, and are designed for the following audiences. [Source: Rock River Times (Rockford, IL)] 3:51:07 PM Google It!    [Biodiesel] Taft highlights soy-based biodiesel Gov. Bob Taft, Ohio Department of Agriculture Director Fred Dailey and local leaders today celebrated the promise of biofuels to commemorate Ohio Agriculture Day in Cincinnati. The day included a tour of a biodiesel processing plant, which produced the most biodiesel in the United States in 2005. [Source: Ohio Farm Bureau Press Release] 3:47:43 PM Google It!    [Renewable energy] Statue of Liberty to go all 'green' power By the end of March, Lady Liberty and Ellis Island will use power offset by a renewable energy credit.[Christian Science Monitor | Sci/Tech] 3:30:24 PM Google It!    [Green building] Of urinals, plumbers and a backseat to N.Y. The 58-story Comcast Center rising over 17th Street is already destined to be Philadelphia's tallest and most environmentally friendly skyscraper. But its developer, Liberty Property Trust, dreams of claiming an even more prestigious title: America's tallest green building. Unfortunately, the city's quest for national glory may go down the drain of a waterless urinal. [Source: Philadelphia Inquirer, 3/19/06] 3:16:08 PM Google It!    [EPA Libraries] EPA to close library Bad news. "Proposed cuts in the fiscal 2007 budget have prompted Environmental Protection Agency officials to shutter the agency's Midwest Regional Library in anticipation of congressional approval of the budget.According to an internal e-mail released by Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER), the EPA is preparing to close the Chicago library to preempt the passage of President Bush's proposed 80 percent funding cut to the EPA library network." See Also: Full Text of Internal Memo (via PEER)   [ResourceShelf] LB Note: Yes, this is the U.S. EPA Region 5 Library. 3:11:17 PM Google It!    [Hybrid cars] New Lexus Hybrid Sedan Emphasizes Performance Over Efficiency Buyers of the new Lexus GS 450h hybrid sedan probably won't earn any high-fives from their environmentally minded friends, but may earn respect from sports car enthusiasts. The luxury sedan achieves less than 30 miles to the gallon, but zooms to 60 miles per hour in only 5.2 seconds. [EERE Network News] 3:01:21 PM Google It!    [China] DOE Report Raises Concerns About China's Energy Needs A recent DOE report says that China's rapid growth in energy demand is a much greater concern for world energy markets than any particular energy acquisition by Chinese companies. However, China's energy investments could be of political concern when they run counter to U.S. strategic interests. [EERE Network News] 2:59:49 PM Google It!    [Air pollution] Lung Association Picks America's Ten Most Polluted Cities The American Lung Association has ranked the ten most polluted American cities -- and, yes, the Los Angeles airshed once again wins the dubious distinction of being number one. Robert Malone reports in Forbes 03/22/06. [SEJ Environmental Journalism Today] 2:57:44 PM Google It!    [Food wastes] Japanese Conglomerate Closes the Loop for Food Wastes TOKYO, March 22, 2006 - Keio Corporation, an urban railway group operating in Tokyo, has started selling organic vegetables grown with organic fertilizers made from food wastes, supplying them to a restaurant in the conglomerate's Keio Plaza Hotel. [GreenBiz.com] 2:55:39 PM Google It!    [Climate change] 2006 Corporate Governance and Climate Change: Making the Connection Climate Change--Corporations Source: Ceres 2006 Corporate Governance and Climate Change: Making the Connection From press release: "After years of inaction, a growing number of leading U.S. companies are confronting the business challenges from global warming, recognizing that greenhouse gas limits are inevitable and that they cannot risk falling behind their international competitors in developing climate-friendly technologies. Some U.S. companies, such as General Electric, are catching up and joining DuPont and Alcoa in leading their industries. But many others are still largely ignoring the climate issue with 'business as usual' strategies that may be putting their companies and shareholders at risk. These are among the key findings of a first-ever report issued today by the Ceres investor coalition that analyzes how 100 leading companies are addressing the growing financial risks and opportunities from climate change -- whether from expanding greenhouse gas regulations, direct physical impacts or surging demand for climate-friendly technologies. Altogether, 76 U.S. companies and 24 non-U.S. companies in 10 business sectors are profiled in the report." Summary (PDF; 1.45 MB) ||| Full Report (PDF; 3.92 MB) [ResourceShelf's DocuTicker] 2:50:33 PM Google It!    [Green products] Colgate to Buy Majority Stake in Tom's of Maine Tom's of Maine, a big player in the small but growing natural personal products category, has agreed to be swallowed up by Colgate-Palmolive Co., the world's largest maker of toothpaste. [ENN Business Headlines] 2:44:04 PM Google It!    [Glass industry] Corning Says It Has Produced New Glass without Heavy Metals Corning said Tuesday its Eagle XG glass is the first in the LCD industry to be completely free of arsenic as well as other heavy metals such as barium and antimony and halides like chlorine and fluorine. [ENN Business Headlines] 2:42:09 PM Google It!    [Climate change] Global warming could melt your portfolio Long-term investors, take heed: Global warming will have a significant impact on the financial performance of companies in your portfolio. [Environmental Health News] 2:39:54 PM Google It!    [Renewable energy] Wyden: 'We need more than research' U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) calls for an accelerated transfer of renewable energy technology from the laboratory to the private sector. [Energy] 2:37:16 PM Google It!    [Energy efficiency] DOE Conducts Energy Assessment at Cheese Plant in New York After several recent trips to steel mills, chemical plants, and paper mills, a DOE Energy Saving Team is finally at a facility where they might want to sample the product. The Kraft Foods facility produces a variety of cheeses and other dairy products, and DOE intends to help the plant save energy. [EERE Network News] 2:35:25 PM Google It!    [Corporate environmental responsibility] SRI Index Boots 16 U.S. Companies on Environmental Criteria NEW YORK, March 20, 2006 - FTSE4Good, the U.K.-based socially responsible investing (SRI) global index provider, just finished its semi-annual review of constituents. Of the 19 deletions, all but three were U.S.-based companies. [GreenBiz.com] 1:20:40 PM Google It!    [Schools] Students get experience designing green buildings at Sustainable Settings Sustainable Settings has invited architectural design students from around the region to design new buildings and other facilities for its learning center south of Carbondale (CO). Sustainable Settings, a nonprofit agricultural and educational operation, is working with the University of Colorado School of Architecture and Planning and the U.S. Green Building Council's Colorado Emerging Green Builders Natural Talent 2006 Design Competition to design "a cutting-edge, environmentally sensitive educational campus" at Sustainable Setting's 244-acre ranch, said the ranch's executive director, Brook LeVan. [Source: Aspen (CO) Times, 3/18/06] 1:15:20 PM Google It!    [Ethanol] Wall Street acquiring a taste for ethanol The surest signs of corporate interest in Minnesota ethanol are in the southern part of the state where three ethanol plants are in the planning stage. Each would be two to three times larger than the average ethanol plant currently operating in Minnesota. [Source: St. Paul Pioneer Press, 3/12/06] 1:03:35 PM Google It!    [Biofuels] Grow Your Own Oil, U.S. Researchers hoping to ease America's oil addiction are turning sawdust and wood chips into bio-oil, a thick black liquid that could become a green substitute for many petroleum products. [Source: Wired, 3/20/06] 1:00:17 PM Google It!    [Renewable energy] Bill Introduced to Extend Federal Renewable Energy Tax Credits Tax credits to promote renewable energy got a reassuring boost from lawmakers this week in Congress as a Senate bill was introduced to extend new federal tax credits authorized in the Energy Policy Act of 2005 through 2010. [Source: RenewableEnergyAccess.com, 3/17/06] 12:58:41 PM Google It!    [Biodiesel] National Biodiesel Day Commemorated Biodiesel and soybean leaders commemorate National Biodiesel Day, March 18, by calling for the passage of bills extending the biodiesel tax incentive, creating a more rigorous Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS) and instituting a small producer tax credit. [Source: RenewableEnergyAccess.com, 3/17/06] 12:56:54 PM Google It!    [Biofuels] Scientists Study Feasibility of Switchgrass for Bioenergy Results to be issued in May conclude that the economics of growing switchgrass for bioenergy are promising. The study producing these results is a cooperative effort between the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) and University of Nebraska economist Richard Perrin. The threshold level for success as established by the ARS and cooperators on 10 northern Plains farms in Nebraska, South Dakota and North Dakota found that two switchgrass plants per square foot the first year ensures a successful bioenergy crop harvest in subsequent years. [Source: RenewableEnergyAccess.com, 3/17/06] Full citation for study M. R. Schmer, K. P. Vogel, R. B. Mitchell, L. E. Moser, K. M. Eskridge and R. K. Perrin (2006). "Establishment Stand Thresholds for Switchgrass Grown as a Bioenergy Crop." Crop Science 46(1), 157-161. [Online at http://crop.scijournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/46/1/157 -- subscriber only access to full text] 12:42:16 PM Google It!    [Renewable energy] Research Center Forms for Energy in Nebraska The Nebraska Center for Energy Sciences Research received the funding necessary to conduct research projects aimed at developing domestic energy resources and improving energy efficiency. Formed from the partnership of the Nebraska Public Power District (NPPD) and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL), the $5 million approved by the NPPD Board of Directors will support the various research initiatives during the next five years. [Source: RenewableEnergyAccess.com, 3/20/06] 12:39:54 PM Google It!    [Climate change] Arizona, New Mexico Launch Southwest Climate Change Initiative Arizona Governor Janet Napolitano and New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson signed an agreement launching the Southwest Climate Change Initiative, which establishes a framework for the two states to collaborate on strategies to address the effects of climate change in the Southwest and reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the region. [Source: RenewableEnergyAccess.com, 3/20/06] 12:38:18 PM Google It!    [Renewable energy] Renewable Energy RPS Law Passed in Wisconsin Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle signed Senate Bill 459, the Energy Efficiency and Renewables Act, representing a sweeping overhaul of Wisconsin's energy policy, and laying the groundwork for accelerated use of the state's domestic renewable energy sources. [Source: RenewableEnergyAccess.com, 3/21/06] 12:35:37 PM Google It!    [Renewable energy] Senators Introduce Renewable Fuels Legislation U.S. Senators Barack Obama (D-IL) and Richard Lugar (R-IN) recently introduced comprehensive legislation in Congress that will use alternative and renewable fuel technologies to greatly decrease America's dependence on foreign oil.. [Source: RenewableEnergyAccess.com, 3/21/06] 12:34:14 PM Google It!    [Renewable energy] Ontario Renewable Energy Policy Breakthrough Hailed The Ontario government today unveiled a vast, new renewable energy incentive program experts predict will accelerate the use of renewable energy in the province and create a regional market with implications for the global renewable energy industries. The plan is based on a long-term Standard Offer Contract, or feed-in-laws, as they are commonly called in Europe. It's essentially the same landmark policy platform that has made European countries like Germany and Spain beacons for renewable energy use. [Source: RenewableEnergyAccess.com] 12:32:55 PM Google It!    [Grants] Illinois Clean Energy Community Foundation Grants The Foundation's grants provide bright, new energy efficient lighting for public library patrons. Money saved can be spent on improving library programs and collections. Patrons can learn about energy efficiency and the environment from both library resources as well as the space around them. Public libraries in Illinois may apply for a grant through this program. You may download the 2006 Lighting Upgrade Grant Program for Public Libraries Brochure and application to learn about this year's program. The next application deadline is April 28, 2006. The Foundation also offers renewable energy grants for installation of small-scale PV systems at K-12 schools or other children's educational facilities. Click to download the Foundation's new school PV program brochure and application form. The application deadline for this grant is March 31, 2006. 12:29:41 PM Google It!

© Copyright 2006 Laura L. Barnes. Last update: 4/6/2006; 2:30:10 PM.