Monday, May 15, 2006

[Sustainable development] Trends in Sustainable Development (2006) 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!    [Alternative energy] Rising price of oil highlights affordable energy alternatives 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!    [Daylighting] "Charlie" Brown Uses Dreary Weather To Make Greener Buildings 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!    [Construction waste] From grit to glory 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!    [Schools] OH: School designed to save energy 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!    [Environmental awards] MI: DEQ director awards Steelcase Inc. the Neighborhood Environmental Partners Program Gold Award 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!    [Schools] PA: Solar projects to save money at two schools 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!    [Biodiesel] Chevron Takes 22% Stake in Texas Biodiesel Company 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!    [Climate change] Global Warming Newspaper Articles archive 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!    [Composting] Modesto restaurants to begin composting food waste 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!    [Green lifestyle] Greening up with the Joneses 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] 12:25:38 PM Google It!    [Environmental health] Heroes' breath toll: 9/11 sucks 12 years from bravest lungs 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!    [EPA Libraries] Budget cut would shutter EPA libraries 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!    [Hybrid cars] GreenHybrid An online community site for hybrid car owners. [Source: GreenBiz.com] 11:30:26 AM Google It!    [Energy efficiency] Ripe for the Picking: Have We Exhausted the Low-Hanging Fruit in the Industrial Sector? 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!    [Corporate environmental responsibility] Warner Bros. Launches New Environmental Initiatives Web Site 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!    [Packaging] Crabtree & Evelyn, Johnson & Johnson Expand Plans to Phase Out PVC Packaging Materials 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!    [Recycling] Second GM Plant Bags Landfill Dumping 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] 10:55:43 AM Google It!    [Fuel efficiency] Office Depot Pledges Higher Fuel Efficiency, Less Emissions from Shipping Operations 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!    [Grants] Stonyfield Farm Profits for the Planet Program 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. 10:53:12 AM Google It!    [Grants] Captain Planet Foundation Offers Funding for Youth 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!

© Copyright 2006 Laura L. Barnes. Last update: 6/6/2006; 3:14:09 PM.