·:[ Environmental News Bits ]:·
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For a full-color, graphic version of this newsletter, go to
http://www.greenercomputing.com/enewsletter.

Microsoft Pushes Energy Efficiency at CeBIT
http://www.greenercomputing.com/news_third.cfm?NewsID=55677
In an opening day keynote speech, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer touched on cutting data center energy use.

Sony Takes First in Greenpeace Green IT Survey; Still has a Long Way to Go
http://www.greenercomputing.com/news_third.cfm?NewsID=55689
By producing the only products to score over the 50 percent mark in a survey of business and consumer electronics products, Sony’s Vaio notebook and a Sony Ericsson mobile phone and PDA were the most environmentally friendly models on the market — but the results show just how far the industry as a whole has to come.

Climate Savers to Launch European Green IT Campaign at CeBIT
http://www.greenercomputing.com/news_third.cfm?NewsID=55663
The industry-led initiative will kick off its work on the continent at the massive IT and telecom trade show next week; CeBIT will be emphasizing energy efficient and environmentally friendly technologies of all kinds, and plans a special ‘Green IT Village’ at the event.

Nokia Starts Recycling in East Africa, Apple To Take Back iPods, Phones
http://www.greenercomputing.com/news_third.cfm?NewsID=55655
Apple announced it will now take back and recycle iPods and any cell phones, and Nokia has is creating cell phone recycling programs in East Africa.

Semiconductor Company Rewards Green Designs From Around the Globe
http://www.greenercomputing.com/news_third.cfm?NewsID=55647
Freescale Semiconductor is holding contests to find and reward sustainable computer systems designs.

Green Computing Drives Government Technology Purchasing
http://www.greenercomputing.com/news_third.cfm?NewsID=55631
Technology purchases from all levels of government through an IT contract rose 45 percent thanks to interest in wireless and green computing.

Searching for Greener Electronics
http://www.greenercomputing.com/tools.cfm?LinkAdvID=97393
This survey studied 37 products voluntarily submitted by 14 electronics manufacturers on four sets of criteria: energy efficiency, use of hazardous materials, product lifecycle and innovation, finding progress but room for improvement.

Read the full story in the New York Times.

The world appears to be on the verge of a boom in a little-known but promising type of solar power.

Read the full post from the Virtual Hosting Blog.

As a web developer, you probably assume that your work is pretty environmentally friendly, and for the most part, you’re right. But despite all of your paper saving and working at home, your work, specifically your websites, still contributes to rising CO2 levels. Check out this collection to find tools and resources that will help you minimize your impact on the environment in web development and beyond.

Read the full story in NIST Tech Beat.

Buildings account for 40 percent of the energy consumed within the United States and a similar percentage of carbon dioxide emissions. National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) engineers recently took a look at energy-related upgrades to their own quarters—and found energy-related improvements were well worth the expense. A NIST plan to act on the findings should save taxpayers money while helping meet a presidential order for federal agencies to cut energy consumption to 70 percent of 2003 levels by 2015.

Read the press release.

In its role as the national force behind comprehensive community revitalization, Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) today announced the launch of its Green Development Center to support green design, construction, and management principles in low- and moderate-income neighborhoods.

Project BudBurst is looking for volunteers in the U.S. who will observe the time at which plant buds open and leaves become visible in their neighborhoods. One of the ways scientists measure climate change is by charting changes in the timing of phenophases, or stages in the life cycles of plants. These stages are affected by temperature, rainfall, and day length, so changes in their timing may indicate an effect climate change is having on nature. Each Budburst participant will check one or more plants beginning at least a week prior to the average date of budburst for their location. When they submit their records online, they can view maps of these phenological events across the United States.

Read the press release.

The 2008 OECD Environmental Outlook  is a pathbreaking report that marries economic and environmental projections for the next few decades and simulates specific policies to address the key challenges. It identifies four priority areas where urgent action is needed: climate change, biodiversity loss, water scarcity and the impact on human health of pollution and toxic chemicals.

The latest issue of Renewable Energy Weekly is now available. Highlights include:

• Not All Bioenergies are Created Equal
• Testing the Limits of Solar Power
• Technology Advancements Allow Batteries To Store More Wind Energy
• Excessive Permit Fees Hinder Renewable Energy Development
• Advantages of Community Energy Projects
• Pumped Storage To Back Up Renewable Energy
• Consumers Supportive of Renewable Energy, But Unwilling to Pay More for It
• By the power of Oz: Osmotic generation technology

Read the press release.

EPA is proposing additional options to a 2006 proposal for concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) under the Clean Water Act. This supplemental proposal will be published soon in the Federal Register and open to public comment for 30 days.

Read the full story at News.com.

San Francisco may have shaken some flowers from its hair since hosting the first Earth Day 38 years ago, but the city continues to be named one of America’s greenest. Satirists mock its politically correct “smug cloud” of eco-hipness, but many other regions tend to follow the city’s environmental lead. For instance, more than a handful of U.S. cities are now mulling a ban on plastic grocery bags, first passed in San Francisco last March.

Fresh into his second term, San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newson in January set goals for the city to become carbon-neutral by 2020 by retooling laws and taxes related to energy, transportation, buildings, wildlife, waste, and environmental justice. He has come under fire for dedicating more than two dozen city jobs to fighting climate change. However, the mayor maintains that government can’t be aggressive enough in cleaning up its part of the planet. Newsom discussed the promises and pitfalls of green technology with CNET at City Hall on Friday.

Via the Office of the Federal Environmental Executive.

In response to a lack of awareness about the safe handling and disposal of tritium exit signs, EPA has developed an on-line training course directed toward facility owners, management, and maintenance personnel. It contains easy-to-follow, step-by-step guidelines on using and disposing of tritium exit signs, as well as rationale for why proper use and disposal is so important. To access the training online, go to www.trainex.org and search for “Tritium Exit Signs, responsible management.”

Read the press release.

Japan’s experience sets an example for other nations facing tough standards set by the Kyoto Protocol, finds new research released this month from the Centre for International Governance Innovation (CIGI).

Read the full story in Plenty Magazine.

Fifty international teams will vie for the Automotive X Prize, building vehicles that are energy efficient, clean, and safe

Read the press release.

America’s drinking water and wastewater facilities can now save energy and reduce their carbon footprint with expanded tools available from EPA’s Energy Star Program. Enhancements to Portfolio Manager, the agency’s popular energy tracking tool for commercial facilities, allow water utilities to track energy use and associated carbon emissions, set targets for investment priorities, and verify efficiency improvements. Water and wastewater facilities are energy intensive, accounting for more than one-third of municipal energy use. Improving the energy efficiency of America’s drinking water and wastewater systems by 10 percent would save more than 5 billion kilowatt-hours each year representing a cost savings of about $400 million annually.

Wednesday, April 23, 2008
9 am – 4:30 p.m.
Arlington Public Library (Arlington, VA)
Visit the Unconference wiki

The Arlington Public Library invites you to join us for a very special Unconference on the greening of public libraries.

With an ever-growing emphasis on creating sustainable spaces and being more environmentally friendly, as a public library in our communities we have a pivotal role in best practice benchmarking and public education. Library staff are often among the most environmentally conscious folks around, and often struggle to practice good stewardship of resources at work.

The unconference, which has its genesis at Library Camp NYC, will bring together folks who wish to exchange ideas and make a visible and positive change in the sustainable business practices at their libraries, as well as developing public information for their communities.

An unconference is a conference where the content of the sessions is created and managed by the participants rather than by one or more organizers in advance of the event. (Wikipedia) The GreenLibraries Unconference will be following Open Space Technology, which adheres to certain principles: 1. Whoever comes are the right people, 2. Whatever happens is the only thing that could have, 3. Whenever it starts is the right time, and 4. Whenever it is over it is over.

Open Space Technology is an energizing and emergent way to organize an agenda for a conference. (Wikipedia) We will focus our attention for the day on topics of interest in the general realm of sustainability, greening of our facilities and business practices, and personal commitments to sustainability.

Bringing the Vision to Life: Win-Win Solutions for America’s Energy Future

When: March 11-13, 2008
Where: Embassy Suites Hotel, 555 South 10th St. Omaha, Nebraska

Co-hosted by the Nebraska 25x’25 Alliance, this year’s Summit will mark the fourth anniversary of an initiative that started with a small group of farm leaders that has now grown into an alliance of more than 630 agriculture, forestry, environmental, energy, business, labor and government partners across the country.  The Summit will kick off the next stage in co-operative efforts among state alliance leaders and other renewable energy champions in 2008 to bring the 25x’25 Vision to life.

Summit objectives:

• Further motivate and unite ag/forestry renewable energy stakeholders
• Advance 25x’25 Action Plan policy recommendations
• Promote the benefits of a 25x’25 energy future
• SET THE COURSE FOR ACHIEVING THE 25x’25 GOAL

For a full-color, graphic version of this newsletter, go to
http://www.greenbiz.com/enewsletter.

GreenBiz Radio: Business as an Engine for Creating Environmental Stewards
http://greenbiz.com/radio/radio_third.cfm?NewsID=55652
From facilities to products, employees to customers, outdoor gear and apparel
retailer REI is working to incorporate social and environmental goals into every
element of its operations. GreenBiz Radio sat down with Kevin Hagen, the CSR
guru at REI, to learn about the company’s plans and why he believes
sustainability is a team sport.

AMD, Intel, Levi Strauss Among Big Calif. Companies Joining Green Power Buying Group
http://www.greenbiz.com/news/news_third.cfm?NewsID=55649
Fourteen of the state’s biggest energy buyers have banded together as the California Affiliates of the Green Power Group, a project spearheaded by the World Resources Institute to spur the growth of renewable power around the globe.

California Grocers Recycled 2.3 Billion Pounds of Materials in 2006
http://www.greenbiz.com/news/news_third.cfm?NewsID=55651
The amount of plastic, paper, wood and waste recycled by 90 percent of the state’s grocers in 2006 was 100 million pounds more than in 2005.

Westar to Explore Renewables, Efficiency Programs
http://www.greenbiz.com/news/news_third.cfm?NewsID=55635
Westar Energy plans to put off building additional coal-fired power plants in favor of energy efficiency programs, investing in renewable energy and improving the environmental performance of existing coal plants.

U.S. May Agree to Binding Greenhouse Gas Reductions
http://www.greenbiz.com/news/news_third.cfm?NewsID=55640
The United States could sign onto binding climate commitments that apply to both developed and developing countries.

Ford, Boeing, Apple Included in ‘The Toxic Ten’
http://www.greenbiz.com/news/news_third.cfm?NewsID=55639
Portfolio magazine makes its own list of the top 10 most toxic U.S. corporations, judging them on pollution, greenhouse gas emissions and the contents of their products.

Garbage Disposals Sell Better In Europe When Cast in Green Hue
http://www.greenbiz.com/news/news_third.cfm?NewsID=55650
The InSinkErator reportedly made inroads into the European markets by marketing its garbage disposal product as environmentally friendly.

Toxic Chemical Releases Dip in ‘06
http://www.greenbiz.com/news/news_third.cfm?NewsID=55642
The amount of industry-related toxic chemicals released into the air, waterways, landfills or injected underground fell 2 percent in 2006 compared to the year before.

Wal-Mart First to Join Program Connecting Cleantech Companies With Projects
http://www.greenbiz.com/news/news_third.cfm?NewsID=55646
Wal-Mart joins Cleantech Group’s Accelerator project, seeking help with sustainability projects from cleantech companies.

Agriculture Can Speed or Slow Climate Change, Groups Say
http://www.greenbiz.com/news/news_third.cfm?NewsID=55641
Organic fertilizers can significantly reduce global greenhouse gas emissions if used properly, according to a new scientific report; but unless the organic farming community works to create goals for climate protection any gains could be overwhelmed by international shipments of food products.

Renault to Boost Car Recycling
http://www.greenbiz.com/news/news_third.cfm?NewsID=55636
French car giant Renault announced it will team up with waste management firm Sita as part of a joint venture designed to bolster the company’s car recycling services.

EPA Could Exempt Farms From Reporting Certain Emissions
http://www.greenbiz.com/news/news_third.cfm?NewsID=55658
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency plans to exempt farms from reporting emissions of certain toxic gases, such as ammonia and hydrogen sulfide.

DOE Selects Three VC Firms for Cleantech Pilot
http://www.greenbiz.com/news/news_third.cfm?NewsID=55661
Kleiner, Perkins, Caulfield & Byers, ARCH Venture Partners and Foundation Capital will join the DOE’s Entrepreneur in Residence pilot program to bring clean technologies to market faster.

Mutual Neglect: How the Largest Institutions in the Stock Market Ignore Health
Problems and Financial Threats Stemming From Toxic Product Liabilities
http://www.greenbiz.com/toolbox/reports_third.cfm?LinkAdvID=97384
This report reviews the voting records of major mutual funds — the largest category of institutional shareholders in U.S. stock markets, collectively holding more than one third of assets invested in U.S. companies — on shareholder resolutions introduced in 2006-2007 addressing toxic chemical issues. It shows that most major funds routinely vote against or abstain from voting on these resolutions.

Doing good: Business and the sustainability challenge
http://www.greenbiz.com/toolbox/reports_third.cfm?LinkAdvID=97307
Energy efficiency has become one of company leaders’ three most important priorities when it comes to greening operations, and bringing down energy use in offices and facilities is a significant way of achieving that goal, according to this new study.

An Ad Agency That Wants to Change the World?
By Saabira Chaudhuri, Fast Company
http://greenbiz.com/news/reviews_third.cfm?NewsID=55671
Saatchi & Saatchi’s World Changing Ideas Awards recognize and encourage innovative ideas that have the potential to make a difference, from a straw that kills germs to a cap that reads the brainwaves of paralyzed people.

Are Plug-In Hybrids a Path to Salvation? Be Careful What You Wish For
By Brad Allenby
http://greenbiz.com/news/columns_third.cfm?NewsID=55669
As the current backlash on corn-based ethanol shows, when we fall in love with promising new technology too quickly, we run the risk of creating worse problems than we’re originally trying to solve.

Going Beyond Compliance to Manage Business Risks from Toxic Products
By Richard Liroff
http://greenbiz.com/news/columns_third.cfm?NewsID=55667
Facing a lack of leadership from Washington, states from coast to coast and forward-looking companies like Wal-Mart and Consorta are creating business-led solutions to help industry getting out in front of potential legislation on toxic chemicals.

Joel Makower’s Two Steps Forward:
Green Corporate Communications
http://greenbiz.com/Blogs/makower.cfm

Marc Gunther on Corporate America:
A Concrete Way to Help the Planet
http://greenbiz.com/Blogs/marcgunther.cfm

Andy Savitz’s Triple Bottom Line
Consumption — The Other Side of Sustainability
http://greenbiz.com/Blogs/getsustainable.cfm