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Environmental News Bits
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Tuesday, May 23, 2006
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With a twist on the story of "Alice in Wonderland," elementary students
have been learning how to conserve energy, recycle and reuse what
others throw away. [Source: Salem (OR) Statesman Journal]
3:52:20 PM Google It! 
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Source: Office of the Federal Environmental Executive (OFEE), 5/19/06.
The Office of the Federal Environmental Executive is pleased to
announce the recipients of the 2006 White House Closing the Circle
(CTC) Awards. The CTC Awards recognize outstanding achievements of
Federal employees and their facilities for efforts that resulted in
significant contributions to, or have made a significant positive
impact regarding to environmental stewardship. The awards focus on
waste prevention, recycling, and green purchasing activities under
Executive Order (E.O.) 13101, environmental management under E.O.
13148, green/sustainable buildings under several executive orders, and
reduced fuel usage under E.O. 13149. This year the program also
recognizes four (4) Gold level partners of the Federal Electronics
Challenge (FEC). [Great Lakes Pollution Prevention Roundtable (GLRPPR) Environmental News]
3:48:46 PM Google It!
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Don't bank on the advertised "clean scent" of household cleaners
smelling like lemon, pine, and orange. New research suggests they can
be hazardous to health when used carelessly or too much in small,
unventilated rooms. Julie Sevrens Lyons reports in the San Jose Mercury
News 5/23/06. [SEJ Environmental Journalism Today]
3:46:53 PM Google It!
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Clearly, it's all about the competition and awards this weekend. Via WorldChanging and TriplePundit, mega-venture capital firm Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers has announced an annual $100,000 prize "...to promote technology or policy innovation in green technology."
"This award will encourage innovation in sustainable, green growth,"
said KPCB partner Brook Byers."We will bring worldwide recognition to
entrepreneurs who achieve breakthroughs in green energy generation,
storage, conservation or policies, whether from an individual or a
team, whether public or private, anywhere in the world." KPCB
today inaugurates the Greentech Innovation Network with 50 of the
world's leading entrepreneurs, scientists and policymakers. They are
gathering from the United States, Asia, Europe and South America to
build a strategic map for evaluating needs and encouraging innovation,
and to forge new partnerships. Insights from Pulitzer Prize-winning New
York Times columnist Thomas Friedman, a 'geo-green', will keynote the
networking event. ... "We have been quietly investing in
Greentech for several years," added Ray Lane, KPCB partner. "We've
backed four new ventures since announcing our Greentech initiative in
February of this year. These, together with five previous ventures, are
innovating for green and sustainable growth. We're seeing more and more
entrepreneurs address critical environmental needs. This workshop is
not a conference, it is a networking event to "help solve the problem"
by collaborating in five Greentech areas. They are electricity
generation and storage, electricity efficiency, alternative fuels,
transportation efficiency and carbon reduction policies." KPCB
has previously announced investments in Lilliputian Systems, which
produces micro fuel cells for portable and wireless devices, and
Miasole (www.miasole.com), which makes a
flexible, low-cost photovoltaic cell for large-scale solar energy. Six
other Greentech ventures are in stealth mode.
As I've noted before,
it's great to see a VC firm of this prominence moving so aggressively
into green tech -- perhaps it's more evidence that we've reached a
tipping point. What will be even more interesting, though, is that
major investors like this will ultimately determine what green
technology is, as least as far as what makes it into the commercial
market. While everything I've seen shows me the KP is funding really
innovative technology, those of us out here will have to keep a close
eye on developments and make our voices heard about the investments
made by the money folks. For instance, another portion of this same
press release noted that KP is backing Altra, Inc.,
which looks like a big player in the corn-based ethanol industry. More
and more, I find myself on the fence about corn ethanol -- it's a place
to start, it's cleaner than standard gasoline, and it will give farmers
a boost, but it's definitely not something we want to view as the solution to our energy predicament. [sustainablog]
3:41:59 PM Google It!
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Via sustainablog:
I've got a feeling that you'll be seeing "via Hugg"
on a lot more of my posts, as its quickly developing into a goldmine of
information. If you haven't visited or contributed to the green take on
Digg, do...
While I bookmarked several items today, I was particularly intrigued by this post
(which I'm pretty sure I've seen elsewhere, but whatever...): GM, the
US Department of Industry, and other government and corporate leaders
have teamed up to create Challenge X:Crossover to Sustainable Mobility.
A three-year competition for engineering students, Challenge X
challenges participants to "...re-engineer a GM Equinox, a crossover
sport utility vehicle to minimize energy consumption, emissions, and
greenhouse gases while maintaining or exceeding the vehicle's utility
and performance."
Year 1 will focus on modeling, simulation, and testing of
the vehicle powertrain and vehicle subsystems selected by each school.
In June 2005, teams will come together to undergo extensive judging and
evaluation. Teams will receive scores for five reports, a
Pre-Competition Hardware Evaluation, an Oral Presentation, a Live
Simulation Event, a Trade-Show Booth Event, a Control Strategy Oral
Presentation, and K-12 Education Outreach Program. The teams that
demonstrate a mastery of the key aspects of modeling their powertrain
choice and constructing and controlling the powertrain will receive a
donated GM Equinox after the June 2005 competition. Years 2 and 3 will
require teams to develop and integrate their advanced powertrain and
subsystems into a donated GM Equinox. At the conclusion of each of
these competition years, teams will come together to undergo extensive
judging and evaluation. Events will encompass energy use and emissions
goals, vehicle utility and performance, engineering, and K-12 Education
Outreach. Additionally, each team will be provided with
seed money, as well as mentoring and technical support. I like the idea
of a competition, as, theoretically anyway, it will spur these teams to
greater innovation in their designs. I don't, however, know what the
prize is... can't seem to find that anywhere. Regardless, year one has
passed, and the teams are into the second year of competition --
Canada's the University of Waterloo won first-year honors. I'll be
looking forward to seeing what kinds of developments come from this
contest, and watching to see if other businesses, governmental bodies
and non-profit organizations host similar competitions -- I seem to
remember reading about one coming out of Congress, but don't have the
details in front of me. [sustainablog]
3:38:45 PM Google It!
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Via sustainablog:
After searching, I found that Treehugger had touched on Canadian company Iogen last summer, but this article from National Geographic
News was the first I'd heard of them, and I think they're onto
something. Iogen is in the ethanol business, but not the corn-based
kind that only US politicians and corn farmers seem to love
unconditionally. Rather, they've developed a process that "brews"
wastes from plant farming into ethanol:
"Essentially we start with a bale of wheat straw, add
enzymes to convert the straw into sugar, and then let fermentation and
distillation make the sugar into ethanol."
What's more,
producing ethanol with this process creates a byproduct called lignin,
a mix of polymers found naturally in woody plants that binds plant
fibers together.
The lignin extracted from farm waste can be burned like coal to power the ethanol production facility, according to Iogen. "Almost a quarter of plant fiber is lignin, which can be extracted to run the boiler," Easterly, the energy consultant, said.
Hosein Shapouri of the U.S. Department of Agriculture says that
such factories wouldn't need energy from fossil fuels to run the plant.
"[They] can even produce extra electricity that can be sent to
the public power grid," Shapouri said. "These plants will be
self-sufficient." And farmers operating near the plants will
be offered a new source of income for their previously discarded
agricultural waste. Now that's
the way to produce ethanol. We'd still provide a benefit to farmers,
and wouldn't have to limit that benefit to one kind of farmer. And the
waste itself provides the source of the fuel as well as the source of
energy to create that fuel -- I'm also guessing the carbon emissions
from burning lignin would be much lower than fossil fuels. The only
problem Iogen has had is investor reluctance to fund the first
commercial-scale plant (everyone wants to fund the second plant, after
they work out the bugs in the first one). That's changed now, as
Goldman Sachs has thrown $30 million into the pot. Somebody please tell
our Midwestern politicians about this so we can avoid the pitfalls of
corn-based ethanol -- this looks like a true win-win.
By the way, if you're interested in more details of the crop wastes to fuel industry, make sure to check out C. Scott Miller's Bioconversion Blog -- that's his thing, and he's definitely got his finger on the pulse... [sustainablog]
3:32:58 PM Google It!
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Via sustainablog:
I'm certainly not the first one to see this today, and have just
had the opportunity to read through some of the articles in today's special section in the New York Times. Titled "The Business of Green," the paper features articles on a wide range of topics, including emissions trading, the profitability of adopting green practices, and even a special center established for making restaurant equipment more energy efficient
(I had no idea that the restaurant industry was the biggest energy
waster in the US).
I had thought I'd choose one article for close
examination, but as I read through a number of them, I found myself a
little disappointed. The articles I read all focused on the activities
of big corporations: GE, PG&E, Ford, GM,... you get the idea. Many
of these companies are making positives steps (though we can debate
sincerity and/or effectiveness of individual efforts), but it seems to
me that the companies doing some of the most innovative work or
engaging in truly green business are missing from these articles. I
covered many of them here, as have other green bloggers -- I wonder how
they escaped the NYT. While
the large corporations have the money to go green on a large scale,
they're also going mainly after the low-hanging fruit, or making
adaptations to existing product and service lines. The real innovation
is coming from farther down the corporate food chain, and had the Times looked there, they could've given a major push to companies that live or die by green products and services.
Perhaps I'm being too harsh... What did you think? [sustainablog]
3:27:29 PM Google It!
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Earth-friendly hotels and resorts have joined eco-tourism as a major
emerging trend in the travel industry. Hotels try to lure guests with
recycling, organic food, and gentler cleaning chemicals. Michelle
Keller reports in the Los Angeles Times 5/19/06. [SEJ Environmental Journalism Today]
3:20:30 PM Google It!
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A Kaiser Permanente facility in Modesto, CA, exemplifies how hospitals
are rethinking nearly every aspect of their design, construction, and
operations. Mercury blood-pressure cuffs are becoming a thing of the
past. Shia Levitt reports for American Public Media's "Marketplace"
5/17/06. [SEJ Environmental Journalism Today]
3:16:49 PM Google It!
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Ebi KL, Mills DM, Smith JB, and Grambsch A. 2006. Environ Health Perspect: doi:10.1289/ehp.8880. [Online 18 May 2006] [EHP-in-Press]
3:14:10 PM Google It!
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As Beijing moves forward with construction for the 2008 Summer
Olympics, project developers are embracing state-of-the-art energy
technologies as well as measures to save water and protect sensitive
ecosystems. [Worldwatch Institute]
3:11:48 PM Google It!
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Via Gil Friend:
Here's an amazing example of what the mind of a skilled propagandist can produce:
Two 60-second television spots
from the Competitive Enterprise Institute 'focusing on the alleged
global warming crisis and the calls by some environmental groups and
politicians for reduced energy use.'
Carbon Dioxide: It's what we breathe out, and what plants breathe in. They call it pollution. We call it life.
True enough, but put true statements in distorting contexts, and what do you get? Highly polished sleeze.
I'm
wondering who, at what agency, did the creative on these, and how well
they're sleeping at night, and how well they'll sleep with seawater
lapping at their feet. 'Got milk' has got nothing on these guys.
Brought to you by the Let's Go To Hell In A Faster Handbasket Marketing Board. [Gil Friend]
2:17:39 PM Google It!
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There's an urban renaissance going on in Seattle, and savvy marketers
are asking passersby 'what's green.' The buildings, for one. [SIJ News headlines]
2:15:16 PM Google It!
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Gov. George Pataki of New York wants a quarter of the state's
electricity to come from renewable sources by the year 2013. Guests
examine the plausibility of the plan, in a live broadcast from
Syracuse, N.Y. [NPR Topics: Technology]
2:05:36 PM Google It!
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Around the country, cities are aging -- especially cities built around
industries that are now long gone. This week, Syracuse, N.Y., town
officials agreed to move forward with a proposed mega-mall called
Destiny USA, which would rival the size of the Mall of America. The
developers of the mall promise that it will be 'green,' with all of its
power coming from renewable sources. [NPR Topics: Environment]
2:01:18 PM Google It!
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The heads of the major U.S. automakers are on Capitol Hill talking about the future of building cars that use alternative fuels. [NPR Topics: Environment]
1:59:13 PM Google It!
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This publication explores research to develop pest control methods
based on pheromones, chemicals "secreted by an animal, often an insect,
that influence the behavior or development of other members of the same
species." Includes images, a timeline of the study of insect pheromones
back to 1870, glossary, and links to related research. From Beyond
Discovery, a publication series from the National Academy of Sciences. [Librarians' Internet Index: New This Week]
1:56:23 PM Google It!
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Series of articles on sustainable cuisine (or "green cuisine"), defined
as "following practices and management techniques that don't take any
more from the world than they put back." Includes a brief history of
sustainable cuisine, tips for buying sustainable food (such as buying
locally-produced products), a sustainable seafood chart, and a
chronicle of one person's experiences of joining a community-supported
agriculture (CSA) program. From Epicurious. [Librarians' Internet Index: New This Week]
1:51:26 PM Google It!
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While locked in a battle against bacteria it's easy to overlook that
some of those bacteria aren't so bad; some are even beneficial when
employed to do our work. [Environmental Health News]
1:29:43 PM Google It!
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It offers some of the nation's most lucrative incentives to reuse
blighted land, but some developers and affordable housing advocates say
New York's landmark brownfields cleanup legislation is becoming better
known so far as a source of bureaucratic headaches and legal confusion. [Source: Newsday]
11:16:26 AM Google It!
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In hopes of improving the quality of patents and reducing a backlog
that this month topped 1 million applications, the U.S. Patent and
Trademark Office is weighing an online pilot project to solicit public
input on patent applications. Author: Eli Kintisch [Science: This Week's News]
11:09:47 AM Google It!
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A Westmoreland County middle school is embarking on an ambitious
renovation and expansion plan to create southwestern Pennsylvania's
first green-certified school building. [Source: MSNBC.com]
10:49:13 AM Google It!
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Yet another article, this one from Campus Technology, about colleges and universities moving to electronic textbooks.
10:42:52 AM Google It!
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Monday, May 22, 2006
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Scientists at Grand Valley State University have been selected to study
an emerging problem facing the Great Lakes: the dramatic accumulation
of a toxic flame retardant in fish. [Source: Muskegon Chronicle]
4:17:19 PM Google It!
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One of the most polluting activities at many homes is lawn care, with
lawn mowers that spew out emissions at a higher rate than cars and
overfertilized lawns that pollute nearby streams. [Source: Great Lakes
Radio Consortium]
4:15:45 PM Google It!
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Once a fringe movement, a growing number of residential and commercial
projects in mid-Michigan are taking steps to be certified for their
environmental friendliness. [Source: Lansing State Journal]
4:14:14 PM Google It!
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The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, along with the Institute for
Electrical and Electronics Engineers Standards Association, has
announced a new voluntary environmental performance standard to help
large computer buyers make environmentally sound purchases. [Source:
GreenBiz.com]
4:11:36 PM Google It!
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GE has released its 2005 ecomagination report, showing that revenues
from the sale of energy efficient and environmentally advanced products
and services hit $10.1 billion in 2005, up from $6.2 billion in 2004 --
with orders nearly doubling to $17 billion. [Source: GreenBiz.com]
3:58:34 PM Google It!
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Indoor lighting is undergoing a dramatic metamorphosis toward
energy-conserving systems that rely on solid-state technologies.
[Source: Science News]
3:56:47 PM Google It!
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In response to public demand for new direction and leadership to meet
the energy needs of America's families, Democrats in the House of
Representatives announced a plan to invest in America, grow our energy
and establish energy independence. "This plan is homegrown and
American-owned," said House Democratic Caucus Chairman James E.
Clyburn. The plan, developed by the Rural Working Group, details the
opportunities. [Source: RenewableEnergyAccess.com]
3:54:23 PM Google It!
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Aquaflow Bionomic Corporation has produced its first sample of
homegrown biodiesel fuel using algae sourced from sewerage ponds in its
region of New Zealand. In what could be the first such sample of
biodiesel in the world, the breakthrough came after Aquaflow undertook
a pilot project to extract algae from its excess pond discharge.
[Source: RenewableEnergyAccess.com]
3:51:07 PM Google It!
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DATES: The closing date and time for receipt of applications is June 19, 2006, 5:00 p.m. EDT.
Applications submitted in hard copy (paper) and by electronic mail
(e-mail) must be received in the Program Office by the closing date and
time to receive consideration. Applications submitted through
Grants.gov must be received by Grants.gov no later than June 19, 2006,
5:00
p.m. EDT.
SUMMARY: This notice announces
the availability of funds and solicits applications from eligible
entities that can help build upon a recent Lansing Public School
District Chemical Management Services/Resource Management Pilot.
Specifically, the solicitation seeks proposals on the creation of a
workbook for school districts on how to go through the process of
switching to servicizing, and conducting pilots to test the
“servicizing” approach in much smaller and much larger school settings.
The aim of this solicitation is to grow bundled servicizing as a viable
approach to improving chemical and waste management in K-12 school
districts and stimulate service provider interest in the K-12 school
district sector.
FUNDING/AWARDS: The total
estimated funding for this competitive opportunity is $200,000. EPA
anticipates award of one cooperative agreement resulting from this
competitive opportunity.
3:30:26 PM Google It!
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Wednesday, May 17, 2006
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Sunscreens made with submicroscopic particles pose a health hazard and
should be recalled, environmental groups said Tuesday in asking the
government to increase regulation of growing uses of the science of
nanotechnology. [ENN Business Headlines]
3:41:26 PM Google It!
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Leading U.S. publisher Random House plans to invest millions of dollars
to raise the proportion of recycled paper it uses to print books to at
least 30 percent from under 3 percent at present. [ENN Business Headlines]
3:40:12 PM Google It!
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Source: Furniture World, 5/16/06.
New York Institute of Technology (NYIT) is one of six colleges from
around the world invited to exhibit at the 18th annual International
Contemporary Furniture Fair (ICFF), May 20 - 23, in Manhattan. NYIT's
exhibit, Furniture for a Solar Home, will feature six original
prototypes developed by over 45 undergraduate interior design students.
The six high-tech furniture pieces challenge many assumptions of
current sustainable design thinking by advancing a new model that
suggests interior furnishings become principal participants in the
overall energy and material strategy -- both for solar and non-solar
homes. NYIT's sofa, for example, has photovoltaic panels on the back
that collect the sun's energy, which is used to power two lamps and a
high-pressure fan system integrated beneath its cushions, providing for
the user's own heating or cooling needs. [Great Lakes Pollution Prevention Roundtable (GLRPPR) Environmental News]
3:34:42 PM Google It!
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A $20 million program in the New York state budget is slotted for the
development of a cellulosic ethanol pilot facility in New York State,
Governor George E. Pataki announced, renewing his call for the adoption
of his energy independence plan to reduce U.S. dependence on imported
energy by boosting the production of clean, renewable fuels. [Source:
RenewableEnergyAccess.com]
2:49:58 PM Google It!
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Governor Edward G. Rendell announced Pennsylvania will create jobs in
the alternative energy industry and provide affordable, reliable energy
for Commonwealth businesses and residents by investing $10 million in
new clean energy projects. [Source: RenewableEnergyAccess.com]
2:48:38 PM Google It!
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Chevron, through its subsidiary, Chevron Technology Ventures LLC (CTV),
has taken an equity position in Galveston Bay Biodiesel LP (GBB). The
Houston-based company is constructing a biodiesel production and
distribution facility in Galveston, Texas, said to have the potential
to produce 100 million gallons per year (mgy) of clean-burning
renewable fuel -- an amount that more than doubles this country's
current production volume of biodiesel. It is scheduled for completion
by the end of 2006. [Source: RenewableEnergyAccess.com]
2:46:48 PM Google It!
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With support from the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative (MTC) and
Conservation Services Group (CSG), ground is being broken for what may
well be the first new condominium construction project in New England
that is all solar, according to Johnson Square Builders, the developer.
[Source: RenewableEnergyAccess.com]
2:45:06 PM Google It!
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The Finals of the 2006 Ignite Clean Energy Business Presentation
Competition have been awarded to energy entrepreneurs in solar,
hydro-power and waste processing by a panel of industry leaders and
venture capitalist judges who were convinced by the winners that their
businesses can make clean energy that is competitive with conventional
energy. [Source: RenewableEnergyAccess.com]
2:43:07 PM Google It!
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The United States and Brazil share many things: a hemisphere, a
dedication to promoting democracy and human rights and the vigor that
comes from being multiethnic societies. Those of us who have long
wished that these two important countries of the Americas would
establish a true partnership have seen encouraging signs recently.
[Source: RenewableEnergyAccess.com]
2:36:59 PM Google It!
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Seven of EPA's Regional
Pollution Prevention (P2) Program offices anticipate having up to $163,000
available, per region, in fiscal year 2006, to fund projects
supporting source reduction/pollution prevention and/or resource conservation
activities through this request for proposals. Proposals for Region V are due by June 19, 2006.
2:34:26 PM Google It!
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The Science and Practice of Ecology & Society
Award is an annual award given to the individual or organization that
is the most effective in bringing transdisciplinary science of the
interactions of ecology and society into practice. The year 2006 will
be the inauguration of this award. Examples of possible winners
include, a high school teacher who develops a special curriculum, a
mayor with initiatives and actions for her/his town based on scientific
concepts, a journalist who brings scientific insights to a broader
audience, or a NGO group who facilitates local knowledge production in
rural communities.
The purpose of this award is to recognize the importance of
practitioners who translate the scientific findings and insights of the
scholarly community to practical applications. We want to identify
innovative practitioners so that their story can be an example for
others.
The Award
The award consists of 1000 Euro and an article in Ecology and Society devoted to this person or organization. This article will be written by those who send in the nomination.
Who can be nominated?
A person or organization that has succeeded in translating transdisciplinary science theory into practice.
Who nominates?
Any academic scholar or group of academic scholars can nominate a
person or organization. An accompanying letter will argue why this
person or organization is an exemplary example of the interface of
practice and science in the domain of ecology and society.
Where to submit nominations?
The deadline for nominations will be July 1, 2006. Nomination letters can be sent, preferably electronically, to Dr. Marco Janssen, Email: Marco.Janssen@asu.edu. School of Human Evolution and Social Change, Arizona State University, Box 872402, Tempe, AZ 85287-2402.
2:29:51 PM Google It!
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Monitoring Needed to Assess Impact of EPA's Clean Air Mercury Rule on Potential Hotspots, Report No. 2006-P-00025 [Report - PDF, 33 pages] [At a Glance - PDF], May 15, 2006. [Source: BeSpacific]
2:24:23 PM Google It!
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Monday, May 15, 2006
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A colorful compilation of maps and graphs addressing interrelated
challenges in four areas: energy for sustainable development,
industrial development, atmosphere and air pollution, and climate
change. [GreenBiz.com]
2:53:36 PM Google It!
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With oil prices reaching near near-record highs in recent weeks, calls
have grown louder for the U.S. to develop new sources of affordable,
domestic energy. Work by experts from The Earth Institute at Columbia
University suggests that relatively low-cost alternatives already exist
to meet the country's' growing energy demand that would at the same
time reduce the need to rely on oil supplies from the Middle East and
Latin America. [Physics Org]
2:50:20 PM Google It!
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Don’t complain to Charlie Brown about those gray
Northwest skies. That’s because professor G.Z. "Charlie" Brown sees plenty to
like in a regular old cloudy day in Western Oregon. It’s all about the
light.
Brown is an architecture professor at the University of Oregon and a nationally
known expert on sustainable building design. He has pioneered the field of "daylighting," the
practice of using natural daylight to reduce the use of electricity to light
and heat and cool buildings. [Source: The Chief Engineer]
2:34:44 PM Google It!
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Construction waste recycling is up, but the industry is still warming up to the concept of reuse. [SIJ News headlines]
2:22:42 PM Google It!
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Source: Cincinnati Enquirer, 5/14/06.
Designs for the new Pleasant Ridge School might resemble the
early-20th-century building it is replacing, but its rooftop solar
panels, automated utilities management system and other energy-saving
components make it 21st century. Architects hope to make the
75,310-square-foot, $13.4 million building the first Ohio school
registered for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. [Great Lakes Pollution Prevention Roundtable (GLRPPR) Environmental News]
2:09:34 PM Google It!
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Source: Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), 5/11/06.
Department of Environmental Quality Director Steven E. Chester awarded
Steelcase Inc. with the Neighborhood Environmental Partners Gold Award
during a meeting with company officials today. Steelcase has
implemented a community donation program for office furniture and
manufacturing supplies that are reused by local schools and nonprofit
organizations. They have partnered with the National Wildlife
Federation to incorporate natural spaces around their facilities.
Steelcase has also awarded an on-going grant to Aquinas College's
Sustainable Business Degree Program, provided environmental awareness
training to 5,000 employees and their families, and played an active
role in the West Michigan Sustainable Business Forum. [Great Lakes Pollution Prevention Roundtable (GLRPPR) Environmental News]
2:06:19 PM Google It!
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Source: The Daily Item, 5/11/06.
Warrior Run School District officials expect to realize energy savings
through a solar project at the Turbotville (PA) Elementary School. On
Wednesday, a collector and 16 tubes were installed on the roof of the
school cafeteria. The project will use solar power to preheat water for
the cafeteria dishwasher. [Great Lakes Pollution Prevention Roundtable (GLRPPR) Environmental News]
2:04:21 PM Google It!
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Chevron Corporation, through its subsidiary, Chevron Technology
Ventures LLC (CTV), has invested in a Texas-based company that is
building a biodiesel plant that will have the potential to produce up
to 100 million gallons per year. [Green Car Congress]
1:57:52 PM Google It!
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Newspaper articles about global warming
tell the story of the Earth's climate and the diverse opinions and
scientific discoveries surrounding the theory of global warming. From
the Industrial Revolution to the Kyoto treaty and the advent of hybrid technology,
the topic of global climate change has enthralled readers and sparked
debate for centuries. Though many people argue over the theory's
validity, global warming is a subject that affects us all and
newspapers chronicle its discovery and the debate surrounding the
issue. In particular, check out the timeline (http://www.globalwarmingarchive.com/Timeline.aspx). It includes articles from as early as 1788. [Pointer from ResourceShelf.com]
1:22:53 PM Google It!
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The U.S. EPA recently gave $50,000 to the
city of Modesto to work with local restaurants to collect and compost
food scraps and then sell the fertilizer to local landscapers, farmers
and the general public. [U.S. EPA Trash and Recycling News]
1:17:42 PM Google It!
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Over the last two years, environmentalists say, they have been fielding
more inquiries from people seeking practical solutions to combat global
warming. But for many it is not so easy to conserve within a culture of
affluence. [Environmental Health News]
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FDNY rescuers who sucked in toxic air while working at Ground Zero lost
the equivalent of 12 years of lung function after the World Trade
Center attacks, a bombshell health study shows. [Environmental Health News]
12:18:16 PM Google It!
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Proposed budget cuts could cripple a nationwide system of EPA libraries
that government researchers and others depend on for hard-to-find
technical information, library advocates say. [Environmental Health News]
11:56:21 AM Google It!
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An online community site for hybrid car owners. [Source: GreenBiz.com]
11:30:26 AM Google It!
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April 2006 study aims to determine whether the abundant, low-cost
efficiency opportunities available to industrial facilities in the '70s
still exist today. [Source: GreenBiz.com]
11:18:27 AM Google It!
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The moviemaker has launched a new Web site spotlighting the studio's
creative approach to environmental initiatives and encouraging others
to get into the act by playing a leading role in the environmental
affairs of their businesses or communities. [Source: GreenBiz.com]
11:16:54 AM Google It!
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Crabtree & Evelyn has announced it is speeding up plans to stop
using polyvinyl chloride (PVC) packaging products by March 2009.
Johnson & Johnson says it will reduce use of PVC packaging by 70%
by year end 2007. [Source: GreenBiz.com]
11:15:36 AM Google It!
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General Motors' Tonawanda Engine Plant has achieved landfill-free
status in its manufacturing operations by reducing waste generation,
recycling, and converting waste to energy. [Source: GreenBiz.com]
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The company has joined the SmartWay Transport Partnership, a voluntary
collaboration between the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and
commercial, industrial, and public sector organizations. [Source:
GreenBiz.com]
10:54:32 AM Google It!
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The Stonyfield Farm's Profits for the Planet Program donates 10% of the
company's profits annually to nonprofit organizations in order to
enhance efforts that help protect or restore the environment. Projects
that generate measurable results, for example, natural resources saved,
people educated, etc., are given priority. Applications for support are
accepted from organizations throughout the U.S., with some emphasis on
organizations located in the Northeast with projects often reflecting
Stonyfield's support of organic farming methods and efforts to combat
global warming. Requests for funding may be submitted at any time.
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The mission of the Captain Planet Foundation is to fund and support
hands-on environmental projects for children and youth. The
foundation's objective is to encourage innovative programs that empower
children and youth around the world to work individually and
collectively to solve environmental problems in their neighborhoods and
communities. Through environmental education, the foundation believes
that children can achieve a better understanding and appreciation
of the world in which they live.
The foundation offers small grants of $500 or less, as well as a
limited number of grant awards ranging from $500 to $2,500 each.
Applicants must be at least 18 years old to submit a proposal.
Deadlines for submitting grant applications are June 30, September 30, December 31, and March 31. Grant proposals are reviewed over a period of three months from the date of the submission deadline.
10:51:32 AM Google It!
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Friday, May 12, 2006
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Students from Appalachian State University drove from North Carolina to
Washington, D.C., in a bus entirely powered by biodiesel fuel made from
recycled cooking oil. University of Michigan at Ann Arbor
students are "growing" materials for construction of buildings, both to
use natural fibers and to encourage a new market for agriculture. These
were just two of the winning projects at the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency's People, Prosperity and the Planet (P3) awards
ceremony.
"P3 releases the power of the possible to advance sustainable solutions
to environmental challenges," said EPA Administrator Stephen L.
Johnson. "I am pleased that our nation's future leaders are answering
President Bush's call to deliver environmental and economic results by
expanding technology and innovation."
This national competition, sponsored by EPA's Office of Research and
Development, enables college students to research, develop and design
scientific, technical, and policy solutions to sustainability
challenges. Sustainable solutions are environmentally friendly,
efficiently use natural resources and are economically competitive. The
P3 award includes funding up to $75,000 that gives the students an
opportunity to further develop their designs and move them to the
marketplace.
Winners of this year's awards and their projects are:
- Appalachian State University, Boone, N.C. - Closing the Biodiesel
Loop: community based production of ASTM D6751-03 standard fuel from
local waste vegetable oil;
- Lafayette College, Easton, Pa. - Sustainable Water Systems in
Honduras - a simple method to remove inorganic arsenic from
groundwater sources;
- Portland State University, Portland, Ore. - WISE, an interactive
website for educators and students on a holistic (whole systems)
approach to sustainable development guided by the WISE owl;
- Stanford University, Stanford, Calif. - The Green Dorm:
design and construction of a sustainable facility for residential,
laboratory and commons space;
- University of Massachusetts, Lowell, Mass. - Cancer treatment
drugs from green tea - novel used non-toxic enzymes to extract
poly(catechins) with promising anti-tumor activity; and
- University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Mich.: Growing Alternative
Sustainable Buildings from natural fiber, biodegradable or recyclable
materials.
The P3 Award competition was held at EPA's first National Sustainable
Design Expo on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. The students
exhibited their design projects while companies, non-profit
organizations and government agencies exhibited their commercially
successful sustainable technologies. Support for the competition
includes more than 45 partners in the federal government, industry and
scientific and professional societies.
More information about the P3 Award competition
http://www.epa.gov/P3
P3 award winners and their projects
http://www.epa.gov/p3/06winners
EPA's sustainability research program
http://www.epa.gov/sustainability
1:02:39 PM Google It!
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Applications due
Jun 09, 2006.
This notice announces the availability of funds and solicits proposals
to increase overall consumer understanding and relevance of the
connection between energy efficiency and the environment on national,
regional and local levels.
12:58:43 PM Google It!
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Applications due
Jun 09, 2006.
This notice announces the availability of funds and solicits proposals
to encourage voluntary efforts to reduce energy-related emissions from
stationary sources by funding proposals to advance improvements in
state greenhouse gas management and state clean energy policies and
programs.
12:56:26 PM Google It!
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Applications due
Aug 09, 2006.
The U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), as part of its Science to
Achieve Results (STAR) program, is seeking applications proposing to
characterize the occurrence, magnitude, and extent of the impact of
natural and synthetic steroid hormones in liquid and solid animal waste
from concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) on the environment
and human health. This program also provides support for research to
determine the impact of current CAFO waste management strategies (i.e.
storage and disposal) on the transport, fate, and effects of steroid
hormones originating from CAFOs.
12:49:19 PM Google It!
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Applications due
Jun 22, 2006.
The United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) Region 5 is soliciting proposals
under Section 104(b)(3) of the Clean Water Act for projects in Region 5, specifically Illinois,
Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio and/or Wisconsin. These funds may be used to conduct and
promote the coordination and acceleration of investigations, training, demonstrations, surveys
and studies relating to the causes, effects, extent, prevention, reduction and elimination of water pollution.
12:42:22 PM Google It!
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A $40 million biodiesel facility, which would be the largest in the
United States, is being planned on land owned by the Port of Grays
Harbor (WA) between Aberdeen and Hoquiam. [Source: Puget Sound Business Journal, 5/8/06]
12:40:20 PM Google It!
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A new voluntary performance
standard has been established to help large computer buyers make
environmentally sound purchases. The standard has been established to
help purchasers reduce the environmental impact of desktop and laptop
computers and monitors they buy, use and discard. The new standard
offers criteria in eight categories --- material selection;
environmentally sensitive materials; design for end of life;
end-of-life management; energy conservation; product longevity and
life-cycle extension; packaging; and corporate performance.
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A typical home office with a fax, printer, copier and scanner is
projected to save more than $300 over the life of the products thanks
to new Energy Star specifications for imaging equipment. For the first
time, the specifications cover energy use when the product is in use as
well as in standby.
"We are pleased to bring increased energy efficiency to this set of
everyday products," said William Wehrum, acting assistant administrator
for Air and Radiation. "We applaud the industry for their commitment to
Energy Star and their leadership in making these products more
efficient."
The new specifications were developed because market research showed
that technology had evolved in response to the Energy Star program,
raising new opportunities to improve efficiency. EPA is challenging
manufacturers to continue to make progress in developing energy
efficient products for consumers. On average, Energy Star qualifying
imaging equipment will be 30 percent more efficient than conventional
models. The revisions to the will save consumers more than $3 billion
over the next five years and avoid greenhouse gas emissions equivalent
to the emissions of more than four million cars.
Imaging equipment uses a sizable amount of energy across the United
States. This year, approximately 275 million imaging equipment products
will consume more than $3.6 billion in energy each year, accounting for
two percent of total electricity expenditures.
Under the updated specifications, only the most energy-efficient of
today's imaging products will earn the Energy Star, representing the
top of their class. These new specifications are scheduled to go into
effect on April 1, 2007, pending adoption by the European Commission.
EPA first allowed imaging equipment to earn the Energy Star in 1993.
Products that have earned the Energy Star save energy and prevent
greenhouse gas emissions by meeting strict energy efficiency guidelines
set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and U.S. Department of
Energy. Last year alone, Americans, with the help of Energy Star, saved
$12 billion on their energy bills and prevented greenhouse gas
emissions equivalent to those of 23 million vehicles.
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Despite rising fuel costs, Union Pacific says that it has reduced fuel
costs despite hauling 4% more materials than one year ago. [Source:
GreenBiz.com, 5/8/06]
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Seventeen investing organizations collectively representing more than
$22 billion in assets under management have issued a joint statement
calling for other financial professionals and investors to join with
them in supporting shareholder resolutions seeking better disclosure
regarding the risks of toxics in products. [Source: GreenBiz.com,
5/8/06]
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Use of organically grown cotton by retail titans, fashion designers,
and small and medium-size companies resulted in a dramatic growth in
global retail sales of products containing organic cotton between 2001
and 2005, according to a new report. [Source: GreenBiz.com, 5/8/06]
12:11:57 PM Google It!
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About 76 percent of a commonly used antimicrobial agent exits
sewage-treatment plants as a component of the sludge that's often used
as a farm fertilizer. [Source: Science News, 5/6/06]
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Green
Communities is a five-year, $555 million initiative to build more
than 8,500 environmentally healthy homes for low-income families.
Created by Enterprise in partnership with the Natural Resources Defense Council,
Green Communities will transform the way America thinks about, designs,
and builds affordable communities. The initiative provides grants,
financing, tax-credit equity, and technical assistance to developers
who meet Green Communities Criteria for affordable housing that promotes
health, conserves energy and natural resources, and provides easy
access to jobs, schools, and services.
12:00:44 PM Google It!
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Text of a 1992 publication on historical incidents of industrial
pollution in Japan, including the Ashio Copper Mine (late 19th
century), the 1955 arsenic milk poisoning, Minimata disease after World
War II, and the Miike coal mine explosion of 1963. From United Nation
University Press. [Source: Librarian's Index to the Internet]
11:55:33 AM Google It!
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Collection of documents about green (sustainable) buildings,
"structure[s] that [are] designed, built, renovated, operated, or
reused in an ecological and resource-efficient manner." Provides
details about green building materials, training programs for
California state and local government, state initiatives and programs,
and other general and California-specific green building resources.
From the California Integrated Waste Management Board. [Source:
Librarian's Index to the Internet]
11:50:50 AM Google It!
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Find overviews of the green building philosophy and products, a
materials database, fact sheets about selected materials, green
building guidelines for new construction and remodels, and related
material. From a San Francisco Bay area group "whose mission is to
transform the building industry so that buildings are remodeled and
built using green practices and products." Some material is specific to
the San Francisco Bay Area. [Source: Librarian's Index to the Internet]
11:47:13 AM Google It!
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Consumer guide to sustainable and energy-efficient home design, with
fact sheets on appliances and lighting, home cooling, household
greenhouse gas emissions, water efficiency, construction of new homes,
environmentally friendly building materials, renewable energy (such as
solar and wind power), indoor air quality, and recycling. From the
Rocky Mountain Institute, an energy policy research organization.
[Source: Librarian's Index to the Internet]
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Extensive bibliography on sustainable design of buildings, with
listings for dictionaries and encyclopedias, handbooks, histories,
journals, and resources for codes and specifications, design, building
materials, construction methods, environmental health, energy, case
studies, and more. Includes links to additional research guides on
solar design, daylighting (natural lighting), and other design topics.
From the Environmental Design Library, University of California,
Berkeley. [Source: Librarians Index to the Internet]
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Visual arts, performing arts, industrial arts--each of these presents
health risks and pollution concerns that are not fully understood by
many. Illinois Greening Schools worked with the Great Lakes
Regional Pollution Prevention Roundtable (GLRPPR) to create a resource
specifically for art educators.
The new Pollution Prevention for Arts Education topic hub offers a
compilation of resources that includes Background of the Issues,
Reasons for Change and Concern, Health Effects, Regulations and
Policies, Glossary, and Sources for Help.
The targeted audience for this topic hub includes school
administrators, art instructors and teachers (public and private
education), and art professionals. This primer is intended as a
quick guide to the essential information on pollution prevention and
hazard awareness, as well as a compilation of pertinent on-line
resources. Resources will be added to this as soon as they become
available.
Illinois Greening Schools is a joint project of Illinois EPA and Illinois Waste Management and Research Center.
For more information:
Greening Schools
http://www.greeningschools.org
11:35:57 AM Google It!
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Ford Motor Company and TerraPass have announced a program offering Ford
vehicle owners the opportunity to offset the climate impact of their
driving. [Source: GreenBiz.com, 5/1/06]
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Tuesday, May 09, 2006
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From seeing a stadium laser light show to receiving an x-ray, radiation
is part of our lives. That's why EPA is launching RadTown USA, a
new web site that uses an animated town to provide basic information on
radiation in the environment. RadTown USA is a virtual community
showing the wide variety of radiation sources commonly encountered in
everyday life. The RadTown site features houses, a school,
stadium, construction site, flying plane, moving train and much more to
highlight and explain the many common sources of radiation.
The information is organized in a series of easy-to-understand fact
sheets, with links to additional information resources. Every
fact sheet includes the types of radiation sources at the location, the
important roles that federal, state and local governments play in
protection and control, and normal steps that individuals can take to
protect themselves, such as applying sun block or installing radon
detectors in homes.
11:12:22 AM Google It!
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Steel recycling has reached a
20-year high. The number of buildings meeting green building
standards doubled last year. Paint and coating manufacturers now
reclaim 97 percent of all waste solvents for further use. The
forest products sector now leads all manufacturers in use of
co-generation, a highly efficient process that creates heat and
electricity from a single source. These are just a few of the
environmental performance trends highlighted in a new EPA report
released today.
The 2006 Sector Strategies Performance Report is a joint product of
EPA's partnerships with some of the nation's most important economic
sectors. Collectively, these sectors contribute nearly $2.1
trillion to the gross domestic product and $5 billion in environmental
spending each year.
"Environmental responsibility is everyone's responsibility – and today
I'm pleased our nation's economic leaders are taking this motto to
heart," said EPA Administrator Stephen L. Johnson. "By working
with our partners in industry, President Bush and EPA are promoting the
innovative solutions that make sense for our environmental and economic
well-being."
Through EPA's Sector Strategies Program, more than 20 national trade
associations – representing 12 major sectors of the U.S. economy – are
working with the agency to improve their environmental performance
while also reducing unnecessary administrative burden. The
participating sectors represent more than 780,000 facilities in
manufacturing (cement, forest products, steel, metal casting, metal
finishing, paint and coatings, shipbuilding, and specialty-batch
chemical) and non-manufacturing sectors (colleges and universities,
construction, ports, and agribusiness).
Using government and industry data, as well as case study examples, the
report provides a 10-year portrait of environmental performance for
each sector. It tracks each sector for their record in reducing
water discharges, air emissions, waste generation, toxic chemical
releases, as well as their accomplishments in recycling and energy and
water efficiency.
The data reveal areas where sectors are improving and where more effort
is needed to achieve environmental goals. For example, the forest
products, iron and steel, and cement sectors are some of the nation's
most energy-intensive industries. While all three registered
improvements in energy efficiency over the 10-year period, their trade
associations (the American Forest and Paper Association, the American
Iron and Steel Institute, and the Portland Cement Association) have set
industry goals that would net further energy savings and reduce
greenhouse gas intensity.
The report also provides a first-time look at how EPA's Toxic Release
Inventory (TRI) data can be used to target the greatest hazard
reduction opportunities when managing chemicals. EPA is using
toxicity-weighted scores to show release trends for higher impact
substances. This information can serve as a tool for future
strategic planning. The 2006 report also describes how sectors
are turning would-be wastes into material and energy inputs, and how
trade associations are helping their members improve environmental
operations.
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The University of California has announced Greenscanner, a site
designed to be used by mobile devices to get environmental information
about products just from providing a UPC number. [Source: ResearchBuzz,
4/30/06]
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The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has announced that it has published
a new test procedure ruling to gauge energy efficiency in distribution
transformers, which are normally placed on telephone polls or are
housed underground, taking electricity from the electricity grid and
supplying it to homes and commercial buildings at the required voltage.
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The board of directors of the
Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries Inc. has unanimously approved
the association's new electronics recycling operating practices. [Source: Environmental Protection E-News, 4/27/06]
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GreenBiz founder Joel Makower's report on how the health-care industry is starting to green up its act. [Source: GreenBiz.com]
10:46:17 AM Google It!
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Looking for energy-saving tips
and case studies for the agriculture and food processing sectors? The
California Efficiency Partnership's Flex Your Power program offers this online guide.
The information-rich guide includes chapters on everything from
planning an energy program to on-the-farm-energy use to lighting,
boilers, and HVAC systems. Also find success stories from Mission
Foods, Fetzer Vineyard, and Sara Lee, among others. [Source: GreenBiz.com]
10:42:57 AM Google It!
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Representatives from Sun Microsystems, AMD, and other industry leaders
met with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Lawrence Berkeley
Labs at a recent working group to define a standard metric to measure
energy efficiency in server technology. [Source: GreenBiz.com, 4/17/06]
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The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, McAfee School of
Business in Jackson, Tenn., and Whittemore School of Business and
Economics at the University of New Hampshire have partnered to sponsor
a new international business award for environmental, health, and
safety (EH&S) management. [Source: GreenBiz.com, 4/18/06]
10:38:21 AM Google It!
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Global internet service leader Yahoo! has joined the Santa Clara Green
Power, a voluntary renewable energy program offered to all residential,
commercial, and industrial utility customers in Silicon Valley.
[Source: GreenBiz.com, 4/19/06]
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A new survey shows that smaller companies are less likely that publicly
traded companies to adopt formal stewardship programs because of a lack
of resources. [Source: GreenBiz.com, 4/21/06]
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Business for Social Responsibility, the leading U.S.-based global
nonprofit business organization focusing on corporate social
responsibility, has agreed to jointly develop a new leadership training
program with the Global Institute For Tomorrow, an Asian think-tank.
[Source: GreenBiz.com]
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© Copyright
2006
Laura L. Barnes.
Last update:
5/23/2006; 3:53:12 PM. |
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