·:[ Environmental News Bits ]:·
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Read the press release.

Academy of Art University School of Fine Art Sculpture students have joined forces with art students from across the Bay Area to participate in San Francisco’s first-ever Radical Jewelry Makeover. After sifting through a rich supply of donated pieces from more than one hundred Bay Area residents, melting down precious metals, and forming creative new designs, the resulting fresh, unique, handmade, and mainly recycled jewelry are ready to be showcased at San Francisco’s Velvet da Vinci Gallery.

Read the full story in the Chi-Town Daily News.

A potentially toxic substance linked to paint pigment and recently found in Chicago air poses new challenges for environmental regulators.

University of Iowa researchers recently reported finding high concentrations of PCB 11 in air samples taken throughout Chicago between November 2006 and November 2007.

They reported their findings in the September 24 online issue of the journal Environmental Science and Technology.

Although other PCBs have been found in Chicago air, this is the first time PCB 11 has been detected in the air, says Keri Hornbuckle, who led the study.

Read the full story in Technology Review.

A new process increases the energy output of methanol fuel cells by 50 percent.

Read the press release.

ClimateChangeCorp.com has become the first online business news magazine to join the Guardian Environment Network – an editorial partnership that brings together the world’s best environment websites.

Read the full story in the New York Times.

Scientists are using notes from Henry David Thoreau to discern patterns of plant abundance in New England and to link those patterns to changing climate.

Read the press release.

An Indiana town that is pioneering an energy efficient and sustainable lifestyle is about to get its first “green” house.

Students in Purdue University’s Engineering Projects in Community Service program, helped by a $100,000 grant from the Ford Motor Co. Fund, will partner with Lafayette Habitat for Humanity to build a home in Reynolds, Ind., that uses standards for environmentally friendly and energy efficient buildings.

Reynolds, known as BioTown, USA, is attempting to become energy self-sufficient by converting agricultural products and byproducts into sustainable energy sources. The town also wants to develop housing that is affordable while being energy efficient and environmentally friendly.

Ford’s grant will help pay for the two-year project, during which students and Habitat personnel will identify and analyze green building strategies, build the home, and design training for other Habitat affiliates to use in building similar green homes. The design will use best practices for building a green home that can be followed by a volunteer work force.

The engineering program, known as EPICS, creates teams of undergraduates who earn academic credit for multiyear, multidisciplinary projects that solve engineering- and technology-based problems for community service and educational organizations.

Read the press release.

It’s no secret that over the years, the speed and capability of computers has increased tremendously. The days of a simple computer taking up an entire room and using so much power it would cause the lights to dim are history. The problem is that even the high-speed, compact computers of today use a lot of energy. In turn, as we become more reliant on technology, the amount of electricity used by computers increases.

On Wednesday, Oct. 15, the University of Maine Computer Science Department is teaming up with SiCortex Inc. of Maynard, Mass. to demonstrate the first green supercomputer in Maine.

Read the full story in Philanthropy News Digest.

The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation has announced a $15 million commitment to seed the creation of Global Master’s in Development Practice (MDP) programs at up to twelve universities worldwide over the next three years.

First recommended in a MacArthur-funded report from the International Commission on Education for Sustainable Development Practice, the two-year MDP programs will provide rigorous professional training for future leaders in the field of sustainable development, with an emphasis on practical, cross-disciplinary knowledge from the health, natural, and social sciences and a strong focus on leadership and management skills. Courses will cover topics such as agronomy, climate change, and tropical diseases and will be supplemented by two summers of field training. The first program to be announced will begin at Columbia University in the fall of 2009.

Green Products Help GE Weather Rough Economic Times
http://www.greenbiz.com/news/2008/10/22/green-products-help-ge-weather-rough-times
In a bright spot against the somber backdrop of a slowing economy, sales of
General Electric’s ecomagination products and services will top $17 billion this
year, the company said Tuesday.

Dynegy Agrees to Warn Investors About Climate Change Risks
http://www.greenbiz.com/news/2008/10/24/dynegy-agrees-warn-investors-about-climate-change-risks
Nearly two months after forcing one of the country’s largest utilities to
disclose climate change risks to investors, New York’s attorney general reached
an agreement Thursday with Dynegy requiring that it offer investors a glimpse
into potential liabilities posed by global warming.

Wal-Mart Ramps Up Standards for Suppliers in China, Around the Globe
http://www.greenbiz.com/news/2008/10/23/wal-mart-suppliers
Wal-Mart CEO Lee Scott with the company’s head of international operations and
the firm’s business chief in China delivered a stern message to suppliers of the
world’s biggest retailer: Go green the Wal-Mart way or Wal-Mart will take its
business elsewhere.

Calif. Efficiency Laws Saved State Big Bucks
http://www.greenbiz.com/news/2008/10/23/calif-efficiency-laws-saved-state-big-bucks
A new report from U.C. Berkeley and nonprofit Next 10 found the state’s energy
policies saved $56 billion between 1972 and 2006 and created more than a million
jobs. Aggressive policies needed to implement the state’s climate change law
also will drive household income, job creation and energy independence.

Hewlett-Packard to Bring More Green Energy, IT to Its Operations
http://www.greenbiz.com/news/2008/10/21/hewlett-packard-more-green-energy-operations
The computer manufacturer has said it will double the amount of renewable energy
it uses over the next four years, and is adding a host of green energy and green
IT projects to its near-future plans.

U.N. Set to Spur Global Green Market
http://www.greenbiz.com/news/2008/10/27/un-set-spur-global-green-market
The United Nations launched its Green Economic Initiative to shift the global
economy toward environmentally friendly investments.

EBay Bans Ivory Sales Amid Demands to End All Tusk Trafficking Online
http://www.greenbiz.com/news/2008/10/22/ebay-bans-ivory
E-commerce giant eBay banned sales of ivory on the eve of the release of a
report by the International Fund for Animal Welfare showing that online trade in
wildlife products poses a significant threat to elephants and other endangered
species.

Shrinking Products, Energy Sipping and Reusing Anything: Electronics IndustryMakes Green Progress
http://www.greenbiz.com/news/2008/10/22/consumer-electronics-industry-progress
In its first industry-wide report, the Consumer Electronics Association gives an
overview of how consumer electronics companies have been reevaluating their
entire operations.

How a Holistic Approach Makes Cisco’s Supply Chain Green
http://www.greenbiz.com/news/2008/10/24/ciscos-supply-chain-green
As environmental regulations change throughout the world, companies need to
understand how laws affect supply chains that feed into them as well as supply
chains they feed into.

Calif. Businesses Must Collect Mercury Thermostats, U.S. Bans Mercury Exports
http://www.greenbiz.com/news/2008/10/23/mercury-thermostats
Heating, ventilating and air conditioning wholesalers in California must collect
mercury-containing thermostats under a new state law; President Bush recently
signed a law banning the export of mercury from the United States.

Telecommuting and the Green Office of the Future
By Dana Sanchez
http://www.greenbiz.com/feature/2008/10/27/telecommuting-and-green-office-future
The greenest office may be no office at all since facilities represent a huge
expense and large source of greenhouse gas emissions as employers heat and cool
rarely-used conference rooms and illuminate empty cubicles. Allowing employees
to telecommute from home at least part of the week could cut costs
significantly.

Thinking Green in a Blue Economy
By Joel Makower
http://www.greenbiz.com/blog/2008/10/20/thinking-green-a-blue-economy
It’s not surprising that in the current climate, companies have a limited
appetite for investing in environmental improvements that don’t have a
discernable and solid return.

Business Solutions in a Tough — but Still Green — Economy
By Kevin Moss
http://www.greenbiz.com/blog/2008/10/27/business-solutions-tough-but-green-economy
Cynics say that corporate sustainability strategies are all very well when times
are good. But, they ask, how long will firms continue these policies now that
the financial downturn affecting us all bites harder? Actually, it becomes more,
not less important, argues Kevin Moss, head of corporate social responsibility
at BT Americas.

Green Jobs That Pay Big Bucks
By Leslie Guevarra
http://www.greenbiz.com/blog/2008/10/23/green-jobs-big-bucks
You’ve seen the encouraging reports about the growth of green jobs. Now Forbes
shares a list of the top green jobs that rake in $100,000 or more a year.

Scenes from Joel Makower’s Book Launch Party
By Matthew Wheeland
http://www.greenbiz.com/blog/2008/10/24/makower-book-launch-party
GreenBiz.com’s executive editor celebrated the publication of his new book,
“Strategies for the Green Economy,” in an interview with BSR’s Aron Cramer at
the Commonwealth Club and an after-party at the Catharine Clark Gallery in San
Francisco.

Making Progress on the E-Waste Problem
By Matthew Wheeland
http://www.greenbiz.com/podcast/2008/10/23/making-progress-ewaste-problem
The issue of what companies and manufacturers should do with toxic — but still
valuable — electronic waste has made lots of headlines recently, and in this
interview with GreenBiz Radio Barbara Kyle, the national coordinator of the
Electronics Takeback Coalition, explains how companies can get out ahead of
their looming e-waste problem.

Strategies for the Green Economy
http://www.greenbiz.com/resources/resource/strategies-green-economy
In Strategies for the Green Economy, GreenBiz.com’s executive editor, Joel
Makower, distills his more than twenty years of watching the green business
scene and offers insights and inspiration for understanding and untangling the
complexities and controversies of profiting in the growing green economy.

MeetGreen Scorecard and Calculator
http://www.greenbiz.com/resources/resource/meetgreen-scorecard-and-calculator
Two tools on the newly launched Best Places to MeetGreen site of Meeting
Strategies Worldwide can help planners select meeting sites based on the
eco-friendliness of prospective locations and the estimated carbon emissions
resulting from air travel.

Read the press release.

As part of a public-private partnership to increase the commercial availability and use of alternative fuel vehicles, UPS(NYSE:UPS) today announced its first purchases of a little-known technology – the hydraulic hybrid vehicle — that promises dramatic fuel savings and environmental benefits.

The technology, originally developed in a federal laboratory of the Environmental Protection Agency, stores energy by compressing hydraulic fluid under pressure in a large chamber. UPS was the only company in its industry asked to road-test the technology two years ago and now becomes the first delivery company to place an order for hydraulic hybrid vehicles (HHV).

Via Docuticker.

New “Dead Zone” Report Calls for Greater Protection of Wetlands and Streams
Source: Natural Resources Defense Council

Each summer, enormous quantities of nitrogen and phosphorus flow down the Mississippi River into the Gulf of Mexico. These pollutants contribute to the formation of a “dead zone” in the Gulf, an area where the bottom layer of water is so oxygen-depleted that most aquatic life cannot survive. Typically, the Gulf “dead zone” stretches west from where the Mississippi River enters the Gulf towards Texas, making it the largest in the U.S. and the second largest in the world. In 2007, it grew, covering an area roughly the size of New Jersey.

According to the report, Missing Protection: Polluting the Mississippi River Basin’s Small Streams and Wetlands, countless streams, rivers, lakes and other waterways are in danger of pollution and destruction. Two recent Supreme Court rulings, along with policy directives from the Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, have raised questions about whether the Clean Water Act’s protections extend to a host of “non-navigable” and “isolated” waterways. This loophole is particularly troubling in relation to the problem of nutrient pollution in the Mississippi River Basin.

Small waterways such as wetlands and streams have important roles both as conduits and as sinks for this nutrient pollution. Evidence shows that while many of the nutrient pollution that reaches the Gulf comes from runoff that enters headwater streams, small streams and wetlands can also intercept and remove nutrients from the water before they get to major river systems and the Gulf. They also provide drinking water, prevent floods, provide habitat for fish and wildlife, and filter out other pollutants.

+ Full Report (PDF; 2.4 MB)

Via Docuticker.

Water Efficiency Can Save the Southeast Over $700 million and New Water Supply for Over One Million Residents
Source: American Rivers

The Southeast can save over $700 million and new water supply for over one million residents by embracing water efficiency solutions like stopping leaks and upgrading old buildings. That’s according to the new report, Hidden Reservoir: Why Water Efficiency is the Best Solution for the Southeast by American Rivers, the nation’s leading river conservation organization. The report outlines nine proven, timely and cost-effective steps that local leaders can take to save water and help ensure their rivers remain valuable community assets.

+ Full Report (PDF; 450 KB)

Read the press release from The Carbon Trust.

The Carbon Trust today launches the Algae Biofuels Challenge with an ambitious mission: to commercialise the use of algae biofuel as an alternative to fossil based oil by 2020. The Algae Biofuels Challenge is a multi-million pound UK R&D initiative that could see the Carbon Trust commit £3m to £6m of funding in the initial stages.  The Department for Transport recently announced it will be contributing to the funding of this initiative.

Read the full story in Scientific American.

Water and energy are the two most fundamental ingredients of modern civilization. Without water, people die. Without energy, we cannot grow food, run computers, or power homes, schools or offices. As the world’s population grows in number and affluence, the demands for both resources are increasing faster than ever.

Woefully underappreciated, however, is the reality that each of these precious commodities might soon cripple our use of the other. We consume massive quantities of water to generate energy, and we consume massive quantities of energy to deliver clean water. Many people are concerned about the perils of peak oil — running out of cheap oil. A few are voicing concerns about peak water. But almost no one is addressing the tension between the two: water restrictions are hampering solutions for generating more energy, and energy problems, particularly rising prices, are curtailing efforts to supply more clean water.

Read the full story in Plant Engineering.

Manufacturers these days are being asked to produce products that are “green” to satisfy corporate sustainability goals. These goals are often set by top management to position the company’s products in the eyes of consumers as the most friendly to the environment. Many companies have discovered the benefit of thinking beyond the product and the package and have extended the search for efficiency to the manufacturing facility itself.

With today’s technologies for lighting, heat recovery, HVAC, compressed air and improving the building envelope, it is very likely that the actions that save the most energy and provide the best financial return are related to the manufacturing building and infrastructure. The project described here demonstrates the importance of including the facility itself when making decisions around sustainability and continuous improvement.

Via Docuticker.

Federal R&D Agenda for Net Zero Energy High Performance Green Buildings (PDF; 2.8 MB)
Source: White House Office of Science and Technology Policy

The construction and buildings sector consumes enormous amounts of energy, clean water, and materials. Buildings use about one-third of the world’s energy This Federal R&D agenda contains six major building technology goals that define the major transformational advances needed for energy, water, and material use for Net Zero Energy, high-performance green buildings. Inspired by the building research and owner communities, the goals address R&D needs as well as implementation barriers associated with technologies that could significantly improve building performance and occupant health and productivity.

Read the full story in Water & Wastewater News.

Seven global groups, including the World Business Council for Sustainable Development, joined forces to set up the Water Footprint Network, with the aim of working toward a common approach to water footprint measurement, accounting, and reporting.

Read the full story in Science Daily.

Recycling devices built with plastic cases and other components, such as mobile phones, mp3 players, and personal digital assistants, is difficult and requires repetitive manual labour. However, a new approach to creating the fastenings and tabs for such devices based on the shape-memory effect in plastics could mean that disassembling such devices at end of life could be automated.

Read the full story in Fast Company.

Green architect William McDonough has been hailed as a water-walking visionary. The truth is far more complicated.

Read the full story in the New York Times.

Wal-Mart plans to announce that it will require manufacturers supplying goods for its stores to adhere to stricter ethical and environmental standards.

Read the full story in the Chronicle of Higher Education (subscription required).

The price of environmental sin is going up at St. Mary’s College of Maryland. Students and administrators there are now trying to figure out whether they will pay for it.

Last year, with some fanfare, the college announced that it would buy 100-percent green energy, mainly wind power. It would do so through renewable-energy credits, or REC’s, a per-megawatt premium on energy that comes from renewable and carbon-neutral sources like solar, wind, and biomass.

Here’s the problem: The college’s energy use shot up in the past year, and the price of REC’s rose a little, too. Students, who had taxed themselves to cover the $50,000 needed to buy the REC’s, now have to decide whether to pay as much as $70,000 to get the same types of REC’s and hang on to the green-energy claim.

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

• Important Wildlife Work Underway at Iberdrola Wind Farm on Former Coal Mine
• Michigan Utility and MTU Join Forces To Study Biomass-powered Electricity
• Inside Renewable Energy podcast: Touring the Steamboat Geothermal Plant
• Booming Colorado PV Market May Soon Bust
• Amid Panic in the Financial Markets, Remember the Historical Perspective
• Energy storage: How solar can always meet demand

A full-color, graphic version of this newsletter is available online at:
http://www.greenerbuildings.com/enewsletter

How to Navigate the Green Seas
http://www.greenerbuildings.com/podcast/2008/10/17/how-navigate-green-seas
By Tilde Herrera
GreenBiz.com Executive Editor Joel Makower discusses his new book, “Strategies
for the Green Economy: Opportunities and Challenges in the New World of
Business.” He offers three keys to help companies assess how well they are doing
and answer the question: How good is good enough?

Green vs. Greed — An Open Letter to Green Building Professionals
http://www.greenerbuildings.com/blog/2008/10/23/green-vs-greed
Rick Fedrizzi, the CEO, president and founding chairman of the U.S. Green
Building Council writes about the strength and resilience of green building
movement in these tumultuous economic times.

Holcim Honors Top Green Building Projects in North America
http://www.greenerbuildings.com/news/2008/10/22/holcim-honors-top-green-building-projects-north-america
An arts and education center in New York, a day labor station in San Francisco
and a lake restoration and research center in Canada are among the nine winners
sharing $270,000 in prize funds in the prestigious North American Holcim Awards
competition.

U.S. Mayors, USGBC Join Forces to Green Schools
http://www.greenerbuildings.com/news/2008/10/20/green-schools
The U.S. Conference of Mayors has formed the Mayors’ Alliance for Green Schools,
which will work with the U.S. Green Building Council toward the goal of making
the nation’s schools environmentally friendly within a generation.

Indiana Hospital, California Library Snag LEED Gold, Colorado Capitol Goes Green
http://www.greenerbuildings.com/news/2008/10/21/leed-gold-green-capitol
Community Hospital South in Indianapolis and the San Mateo Public Library Main
Branch have attained LEED Gold status, and Colorado’s Capitol has become the
first LEED-certified state house in the country.

South Africa Joins World Green Building Council
http://www.greenerbuildings.com/news/2008/10/22/south-africa
The Green Building Council of South Africa has been accepted as the 13th full
member of the World Green Building Council.

Johnson Controls, Dow Chemical Added to Pew Center’s Green Business Council
http://www.greenerbuildings.com/news/2008/10/22/pew-center
Energy efficiency giant Johnson Controls and Dow Chemical have been named to the
prestigious Pew Center Business Environmental Leadership Council.

Green Energy Resources Eyes 1M Tons of Storm-Damaged Texas Wood
http://www.greenerbuildings.com/news/2008/10/20/green-energy-resources-eyes-1m-tons-storm-damaged-texas-wood
New York renewable energy company Green Energy Resources is working to obtain up
to one million tons of hurricane-damaged forest wood from southeastern Texas.

USGBC, Marriott, Enterprise Honored for Work to Green Travel Industry
http://www.greenerbuildings.com/news/2008/10/21/green-travel-tourism
Travel + Leisure magazine named the U.S. Green Building Council, Marriott
International and Enterprise Rent-A-Car among its winners of the 2008 Global
Vision Award.

Giant Eagle Supermarket Tapped as First LEED Gold Grocer
http://www.greenerbuildings.com/news/2008/10/17/giant-eagle
Supermarket retailer Giant Eagle earned LEED Gold status for a store in
Columbus, the first to receive such a high eco-friendly rating from the U.S.
Green Building Council.

The Quick & Easy Guide to Green Cleaning in Schools: Second Edition
http://www.greenbiz.com/resources/resource/guide-green-cleaning-schools-second-edition
This online guide from the Healthy Schools Campaign offers sections on
sustainability, green cleaning for food service, integrated pest management, new
technologies and more ways to make schools as healthy and clean as possible.

Read the full notice.

SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is proposing to amend the Guidelines for Designating Biobased Products for Federal Procurement, by adding nine sections to designate the following nine items within which biobased products would be afforded Federal procurement preference: Chain and cable lubricants; corrosion preventatives; food cleaners; forming lubricants; gear lubricants; general purpose household cleaners; industrial cleaners; multipurpose cleaners; and parts wash solutions. USDA also is proposing minimum biobased content for each of these items.

DATES: USDA will accept public comments on this proposed rule until December 22, 2008.

Federal Energy Management:  Agencies Are Acquiring Alternative Fuel Vehicles but Face Challenges in Meeting Other Fleet Objectives.  GAO-09-75R, October 22.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-75R
Highlights – http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d0975rhigh.pdf

Read the full story in Environmental Protection.

EPA recently strengthened the nation’s air quality standards for lead, improving public health protection, especially for children. The new standards tighten the allowable lead level 10 times to 0.15 micrograms of lead per cubic meter of air (ug/m3).

Read the full story in Environmental Protection.

Secretary of Energy Samuel W. Bodman and Secretary of Agriculture Ed Schafer released the National Biofuels Action Plan, which outlines specific action areas and goals toward achieving renewable fuels production targets.

Read the full story in Environmental Protection.

Alternative sources of fossil fuels such as oil sands and coal-to-liquids have significant economic promise, but the environmental consequences must also be considered, according to a RAND Corporation study.

Read the full story in Environmental Protection.

In a survey commissioned by Green Mountain Energy Company and conducted by Harris Interactive, 88 percent of U.S. adult respondents said they would be willing to make changes to be more environmentally friendly as long as it didn’t cost a lot of money, and 83 percent would be willing to make changes if they were easy.

Read the full post at Treehugger.

In these difficult times a lot of people are working from home, whether they want to or not. A lot of others would like to, but employers have not been crazy about it, even though it can cut overhead as well as your company’s carbon footprint. As Megan suggests at Planet Green, “Let your boss know that green telecommuting is a growing trend, that eco-smart bosses and workers everywhere are giving this carbon-footprint-shrinking solution a go, and that you’d like to hop on the emission-reduction wagon.” (read more in How to Convince Your Boss You Can (and Should) Work From Home). And if you suddenly don’ t have a boss to convince, check out How to Go Green: Job Searches and think about your new home office.

We offer herein our suggestions for keeping your office healthy, furnishing it, some tips and tricks and a tour of TreeHugger home offices around the world.

Read the full story in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

No matter who wins on Nov. 4, the next president promises to chart a different course on energy and the environment than President Bush.

In late September, 2008, the State of Connecticut launched a website that encourages its citizens, businesses, and schools to do “OneThing” each day to reduce their energy use. The OneThing site allows users to choose actions and view the effect on their own carbon footprint as well as the combined statewide impact of other OneThing participants.

The site includes a carbon footprint calculator and a pledge tool that calculates dollar, kilowatt-hour, and carbon dioxide savings from OneThing actions. Users can establish their own personal account to track and report their savings, and businesses and schools can make pledges to take specific actions.

A message on the site from Connecticut Governor M. Jodi Rell explains that OneThing builds on the momentum that can be achieved if everyone in the state takes one small step, every day. “If each of the state’s 3.5 million residents do OneThing a day, every day, for a year that would be more than 1.2 billion OneThings — more than enough to make a real difference on issues such as consumption, conservation, and the use of clean and renewable energy.”

The Connecticut Convention Center in Hartford hosted a three-day OneThing Expo on October 10-12, 2008 to celebrate energy conservation and highlight the many OneThings that schools, businesses, and residents can do to save energy and protect the environment.

For more information, visit the OneThing website at http://www.onethingct.com.

EPA’s Aging Initiative, Generations United, and the Rachel Carson Council, Inc. are pleased to announce the winners of this year’s Rachel Carson “A Sense of Wonder” Intergenerational Essay, Photography, and Poetry Contest.

The contest was designed to increase environmental stewardship and public awareness of environmental issues. This year, the theme is commemorating the 100th anniversary of environmentalist Rachel Carson’s life. The contest’s intergenerational approach reflects Carson’s efforts through her writings to have adults share with children a sense of wonder about nature and help them discover its joys. All teams included both a person under age 18 and a person 50 years of age or older.

More than 140 individuals submitted entries to the Rachel Carson contest. Participants came from all over the US and the world and included intergenerational teams of families, neighbors, friends, and senior centers. Finalists in each category were selected by an intergenerational team of judges. Winners were then selected by public voting on the Aging Initiative website. More than 1,500 individuals cast their votes for their favorite entries.

The categories are Photography, Essay, Poetry and Mixed (Photo, Essay and Poetry).

Read the full story from Associated Construction Publications.

The use of garden roof systems is relatively new in the U.S. However, as energy costs rise and environmental awareness increases, the idea of vegetative roofing is poised to become much more common place. In fact, a number of major cities and large property owners are already looking at these ecological roofing solutions. According to Brad Rowe, a Michigan State University horticulture professor and chairperson of the Green Roofs for Healthy Cities (GRHC) Research Committee, the garden roofing industry is growing rapidly. The area covered by garden roofs increased 80 percent between 2005 and 2006 in the United States.

Read the full story in Water & Wastewater News.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Water has released a new guide that will help municipal and utility owners and operators, engineers, local decision makers, and state permit writers and regulators plan cost-effective nutrient removal projects for municipal wastewater treatment facilities.

Download the publication:

• Volume 1
• Volume 2

Read the full story in Water & Wastewater News.

Ten popular U.S. bottled water brands contain mixtures of 38 different pollutants, including bacteria, fertilizer, Tylenol, and industrial chemicals, some at levels no better than tap water, according to laboratory tests recently conducted by Environmental Working Group (EWG).

Read the full story in Water & Wastewater News.

On Oct. 20, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the 2008 National winners of the Clean Water Act Recognition Awards during the Water Environment Federation’s Technical Exposition and Conference (WEFTEC), in Chicago, Ill. This is the 23rd year of the program and the 22nd year EPA recognized municipalities and industries for outstanding and creative technological achievements in wastewater treatment and pollution abatement programs.

Via Docuticker.

Changes in the Earth’s Climate Could Spell Higher Costs for States
Source: National Council of State Legislatures

While the debate rages on about how to protect the planet, the changing climate may threaten some states’ economies.

The National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) and the Center for Integrative Environmental Research (CIER) at the University of Maryland have worked together to develop State Economic and Environmental Costs of Climate Change reports. Four additional state economic and environmental costs of Climate Change Reports are being released for North Carolina, Tennessee, North Dakota and Pennsylvania. Each report summarize the climatic changes affecting each states, the potential fiscal impact, and the affect of any future climate changes. The findings for Colorado, Georgia, Illinois, Kansas, Michigan, Nevada, New Jersey and Ohio were released during an Energy Conference at NCSL’s Legislative Summit in New Orleans.

States are taking the lead to implement policies that address climate change and environmental sustainability. The federal government is likely to enact climate legislation within the next few years. States that create energy policies now may be a step ahead when Congress passes its first greenhouse gas reduction law.

+ Full Report (PDF; 99 KB)

Read the full story at BuildingGreen.com.

What was supposed to be a new minimum, code-enforceable standard for green buildings now faces an uncertain future. In a move that came as a surprise to its partners, the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) has disbanded the committee that has been developing “Proposed Standard 189: Standard for the Design of High-Performance Green Buildings Except Low-Rise Residential Buildings.”

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

• Video: Solar Perspectives Roundtable
• The Future of the Electric Car in China
• More State, County, City Governments Expected to Offer Residential Financing
• Nuclear Power: The Safe and Easy Way
• Distributed Generation and Utility Lineman Safety
• Clean-Energy Industry Can Power Northwest Economy, Job Creation, and Carbon Reduction
• Urban occupation

Read the press release.

The Aspen Institute has opened nominations for the second annual Aspen Institute Energy and Environment Awards. These awards, created by members of the Aspen Institute Global Leadership Network, recognize and reward excellence for those making a real and concrete contribution to innovation, implementation, and communication of energy and environmental solutions. The deadline for nominations is October 31, 2008. Nominations can be made at www.aspeneeawards.org.

Read the full story in Environmental Protection.

A new range of everyday and industrial chemicals used in carpets and textiles up to aviation devices and medical equipment may soon be controlled or eliminated under an international hazardous substances treaty.

Read the full story in Plenty.

While major labels struggle with implementing eco initiatives, smaller labels pick up the slack

The National Toxicology Program (NTP) and Division of Extramural Research and Training (DERT), National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) are seeking input on a number of key research areas that have been identified in recent evaluations of bisphenol A (BPA). Information provided will be used to help focus future research and testing activities on BPA. This Request for Information (RFI) is for planning purposes only and should not be construed as a funding opportunity or grant program. The NTP and NIEHS welcome input from the lay public, environmental health researchers, healthcare professionals, educators, policy makers, industry, and others with an interest in BPA.

Deadline: Please respond by December 1, 2008

• Federal Register Notice (21 October 2008)
• Request for Information (RFI): Ongoing Research and Research Needs for Biological Effects of Exposure to Bisphenol A (BPA)
• Submit responses

Via Docuticker.

League of Conservation Voters Releases 2008 National Environmental Scorecard
Source: League of Conservation Voters

The League of Conservation Voters, which works to turn environmental values into national priorities, today released the 2008 National Environmental Scorecard. For 30 years, the non-partisan National Environmental Scorecard from LCV has been the nationally accepted yardstick used to rate Members of Congress on conservation and energy issues.
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The 2008 Scorecard includes 11 Senate and 13 House votes dominated by energy but also encompassing other environmental issues. This year, 67 House members and 27 senators earned a perfect 100 percent score, which is significantly higher than the 33 House members and 3 senators who earned a 100 percent in 2007. This year, 70 House members and 2 senators earned an appalling score of zero percent, compared with 48 house members and 9 senators in 2007.

The average House score in 2008 was 56 percent, and the average Senate score was 57 percent, which is slightly higher than the 53 percent House and 52 percent Senate averages in 2007. California, Connecticut, Michigan, Montana, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Wisconsin all had perfect Senate averages of 100 percent, while Alaska, Arizona, Georgia, Mississippi, Oklahoma, and South Carolina’s senators averaged just 9 percent. In the House, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Maine, Vermont, and Maryland all averaged above 90 percent, while Montana and Wyoming were both below 10 percent.

+ National Environmental Scorecard 08

Via Docuticker.

Stagnant Waters: 2008 Clean Water Act Report
Source: U.S. House of Representatives, Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure

On the eve of the 36th anniversary of the enactment of the Clean Water Act (October 18), Rep. James L. Oberstar, Chairman of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, released the attached report on the status of the nation’s waters under the Bush Administration.

This landmark environmental statute, which established a national commitment to restore and maintain the chemical, physical, and biological integrity of the nation’s waters, has been undermined and weakened by the Bush administration, and many Federal clean water protections have been eliminated in the past eight years.

Via Docuticker.

Agriculture as a Source of Fuel: Prospects and Impacts, 2007 to 2017 (PDF; 61 KB)
Source: Conference on Biofuels, Food & Feed Tradeoffs; Sponsored by Farm Foundation, USDA’s Office of Energy Policy and New Uses

For most of the period since 1978 when the first federal legislation to encourage ethanol production was enacted, U.S. agriculture served in a relatively minor role as a source of renewable fuels. Starting with the federal Clean Air Act of 1990 which mandated oxygenated gasoline in certain cities to improve air quality, ethanol and its petroleum alternative, methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE), provided the needed additive until MTBE came into disfavor for contaminating groundwater. In the past five years, ethanol production has nearly tripled, and biodiesel production has increased ten fold although at a much lower level than ethanol. As a result, this growth has recently elevated the prices of the major feedstocks of corn and soybean oil. Federal and state policies have encouraged this acceleration, prompted by a combination of (1) sharply rising energy prices, (2) increased dependence on supplies of crude oil from nations hostile to the U.S. or with unstable political structures, (3) growing environmental concerns including global warming, (4) issues related to balance of payments, (5) depressed farm prices and high farm program costs and (6) ongoing efforts to promote rural development.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have released the report, Energy Efficiency in Data Centers: Recommendations for Government-Industry Coordination, which details the discussions and recommendations covered during a national strategy workshop on July 8, 2008. The workshop, convened by DOE and EPA, gathered representatives from industry, utilities, associations, and NGOs to identify the next steps for public and private collaboration toward advancing toward the goal of improved energy efficiency in data centers.

The report provides recommendations for key areas of collaboration between government and industry and detailed descriptions of interactive sessions in which workshop participants identified gaps and opportunities related to defining, advancing and rewarding energy efficient data centers. In addition, the report includes point papers presented by workshop presenters that highlight current trends in data center energy efficiency.

U.S. data centers consume a growing portion of the U.S. energy/electricity supply due to growing demand for the services they provide. Data centers used 61 billion kilowatt hours of electricity in 2006, representing 1.5% of all U.S. electricity consumption—double the amount consumed in 2000. Based on current trends, energy consumed by data centers will continue to grow by 12% per year.

The workshop and report are part of a joint national data center energy efficiency information program initiated by the U.S. DOE and the U.S. EPA. The program coordinates a wide variety of activities from both agencies including Save Energy Now, ENERGY STAR® for products and buildings, and the Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP).

To view the report or to learn more about the national data center energy efficiency information program, visit DOE’s Partnering with Computer Data Centers Web page and EPA’s Enterprise Server and Data Center Energy Efficiency Initiatives Web page.

Projects that include empowering residents to clean up New Orleans East for a safe return after Hurricane Katrina and developing a tool to target high-risk homes with lead contamination in Durham, N.C., are winners of EPA’s first Environmental Achievement Awards. Twelve award recipients include community-based organizations, universities, and state and local governments from nine states.

“We all have a stake in ensuring that our air is cleaner, our water is purer, and our land is better protected,” said Granta Nakayama, assistant administrator for EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. “These organizations are making a positive impact in their communities by promoting a clean and healthy environment for all people.”

The awards recognize organizations for their distinguished accomplishments in addressing environmental justice issues. EPA received dozens of nominations from across the United States.

For information on recipients of the Environmental Justice Achievement Awards visit: http://www.epa.gov/compliance/environmentaljustice/awards

The following organizations received awards:

1. Anahola Homesteaders Council (Anahola, Kauai, Hawaii)
2. Center for Environmental and Economic Justice (Biloxi, Miss.)
3. Citizens for Environmental Justice (Savannah, Ga.)
4. Communities for a Better Environment (Huntington Park, Calif.)
5. Dillard University, Deep South Center for Environmental Justice (New Orleans)
6. Duke University, Children’s Environmental Health Initiative (Durham, N.C.)
7. Medical University of South Carolina (Charleston, S.C.)
8. Negocio Verde Environmental Justice Task Force (County of San Diego, Calif.)
9. New Mexico Environment Department (Santa Fe, N.M.)
10. Safer Pest Control Project (Chicago)
11. South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (Columbia, S.C.)
12. West End Revitalization Association (Mebane, N.C.)

Read the full story in the New York Times.

Renewable energy technologies are facing big challenges because of the credit freeze and plunge in oil and natural gas prices.