·:[ Environmental News Bits ]:·
• • • • •

Via Docuticker.

New USGS Study Documents Rapid Disappearance of Antarctica’s Ice Shelves
Source: U.S. Geological Survey

Antarctica’s glaciers are melting more rapidly than previously known because of climate change, according to a new U.S. Geological Survey report prepared in close collaboration with the British Antarctic Survey.

The USGS study documents for the first time that one ice shelf has completely disappeared and another has lost a chunk three times the size of Rhode Island. This research is part of a larger ongoing project that is for the first time studying the entire Antarctic coastline.

+ Full Report

Via Docuticker.

Report: U.S. Power Plant Carbon Dioxide Emissions Eased Slightly in 2008, But Much More Progress Needed to Meet CO2 Reduction Goals
Source: Environmental Integrity Project

Due in part to the recent economic slowdown and milder-than-usual weather, carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from U.S. power plants dropped 3.1 percent in 2008, tempering a steady increasing trend in the preceding years, according to a new report from the Environmental Integrity Project (EIP). EIP officials cautioned that the one-year dip is a departure from the recent trends in power plant carbon dioxide emissions, which have risen 0.9 percent since 2003, and 4.5 percent since 1998, according to data from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Despite the slight overall national improvement in CO2 emissions, six states had increases in power plant emissions of 1 million tons or more from 2007 to 2008: Oklahoma (3.1 million); Iowa (1.8 million); Texas (1.7 million); Nebraska (1.3 million); Illinois (1.1 million) and Washington (1.1 million).

+ Full Report (PDF; 502 KB)

Via Docuticker.

America’s Most Endangered Rivers™: 2009 Edition
Source: American Rivers
From press release:

From outdated flood control schemes to harmful dams and mining projects, our nation’s rivers and clean water are at risk. American Rivers, the nation’s leading river conservation organization, today released America’s Most Endangered Rivers: 2009 edition spotlighting ten rivers in need of urgent action.
…
This year’s report highlights the sorry state of the nation’s water infrastructure — our drinking water, wastewater and stormwater systems, and our dams and levees – and the need for green, 21st century investments to protect clean water, public health and safety, and the fish and wildlife that depend on healthy rivers.

Rivers in Alaska, California, Georgia, Idaho, Maryland, Minnesota, Mississippi, Montana, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Washington and Wisconsin are on the list this year.

Via Docuticker.

AWEA Annual Wind Energy Industry Report Reflects Strong Growth in 2008, Dramatic Increase in Manufacturing
Source: American Wind Energy Association

Wind energy leaders in several categories maintained their #1 positions even as other leaders emerged in new categories, while 24 states saw new wind turbine and component manufacturing facilities opened, expanded or announced in 2008, according to the annual wind energy industry rankings report released today by the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA).

The new listings, based on 2008 year-end numbers, show Texas leading in wind capacity and largest wind farms installed, Minnesota and Iowa both generating over 7% of their electricity from wind, and Indiana as the state with the fastest growth in wind on a percentage basis.

In company rankings, NextEra Energy Resources (formerly FPL Energy) continues to lead in wind farm ownership; GE Energy remained the wind turbine maker with the largest amount of new capacity installed, and Xcel Energy again leads investor-owned utilities in wind power. Wind power’s recent growth has also accelerated investment in manufacturing: wind turbine and turbine component manufacturers announced, added or expanded more than 55 facilities in 2008 alone, spanning 24 states from Alabama to Wisconsin.

+ Full Report (PDF: 1.7 MB)

Via Docuticker.

NSB Draft Report on Sustainable Energy (PDF; 388 KB)
Source: National Science Board
From announcement:

The National Science Board (Board) released for public review and comments the draft report, Building a Sustainable Energy Future (NSB-09-35). The fundamental transformation of the current extractive U.S. fossil fuel energy economy to a sustainable energy economy is a critical grand challenge facing the Nation today. Transforming toward a sustainable energy economy requires national leadership and coordination, a new U.S. energy policy framework, and robust support for sustainable energy research, development, demonstration, deployment, and education (RD3E). In its report, the Board makes a number of recommendations to the U.S. Government and offers guidance to the National Science Foundation.

Given the importance to promote national security through increasing U.S. energy independence, ensure environmental stewardship and reduce energy and carbon intensity, and generate continued economic growth through innovation in energy technologies and increases in green jobs, we hope that you will take this opportunity to express your views on the draft report.

Via Docuticker.

Spam Impacts the Environment, Not Just Your Business
Source: McAfee

Until now, spam’s impact has been measured in time, money, and aggravation. It turns out there is a massive environmental impact as well. After McAfee commissioned climate-change consultant ICF International and spam expert Richi Jennings to calculate the environmental impact of spam, the results that came back were startling. Together they found that the energy consumed in transmitting and deleting spam is equivalent to the electricity used in 2.4 million American homes, with greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions equivalent to 3.1 million passenger cars.

+ The Carbon Footprint of Email Spam (PDF; 1.5 MB)

A first of its kind study funded by EPA shows that environmental education programs are an effective tool in helping to improve air quality in North America.

“This study shows a valuable connection between better environmental education and cleaner air in our communities,” said EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson. “With the right information, people can make a real difference in the places where they live, work, play and learn.”

Nearly half of the surveyed institutions hosting education programs reported an improvement in air quality at their facilities due to actions taken by students, including doing service-learning projects and fostering community partnerships. Examples include decreased levels of carbon monoxide and mold, and enactment of a policy that decreased car or bus idling. An additional 43 percent of the surveyed programs reported some kind of action was taken to improve the environment.

Some examples include:

• East Valley Middle School (Wash.) where students monitored school indoor air quality and worked with school administrators to implement structural changes resulting in improved carbon dioxide, air flow, particulate levels, odors and mold.
• Exeter High School (N.H.) where students studied air quality issues and monitored car pooling and bus idling in the school drop-off area, leading to a no-idling policy and installation of no-idling signs.
• Greater Egleston Community High (Mass.) where student actions helped lead to the installation of a local air quality monitoring station, a change in fuels by city buses, and city-wide bus idling restrictions.

EPA worked with the National Park Service Conservation Study Institute, Shelburne Farms, and a group of environmental researchers, educators and psychologists to complete the study.

Information on the study: http://www.epa.gov/education/

Read the full post at Extreme Tech.

ExtremeTech readers have been following my adventures with solar power with a lot of interest. But you don’t need a lot of technology to save a ton of money on energy.

Gordon Hudson sent me a PowerPoint presentation detailing the work he and his wife did to reduce their energy usage. Gordon designs and builds analytical instruments, and his wife was a VP of a software company. So the Hudsons were no strangers to tech. Rather than just throw a lot of money at the problem, though, Gordon applied a little analytical thinking and creativity to the endeavor.

This is Gordon’s story, told through pictures and charts that came from his PowerPoint presentation. I’ve written additional descriptions based on his text in the presentation, but have tried hard to maintain the spirit of what the Hudsons have accomplished. Any errors have been introduced by my editing and commentary. –Loyd Case

Via Docuticker.

Evaluating Options for U.S. Greenhouse-Gas Mitigation Using Multiple Criteria
Source: RAND Corporation

Choosing a set of policy responses to mitigate greenhouse gases (GHGs) responsible for climate change is one of the great challenges that the United States faces in the coming years. Many policy options emphasize overall cost-effectiveness in reducing GHG emissions. In the search for options that are effective and politically feasible, however, other concerns have comparable importance. Mitigating GHGs in practice will require balancing cost-effectiveness and other objectives that reflect the institutional and political realities of passing major federal legislation with widespread impacts on U.S. producers and consumers. This paper develops a framework for evaluating GHG-mitigation policy in the United States that balances several criteria. It draws on conceptual analysis and examples from U.S. energy policy to motivate an evaluative framework that incorporates a range of views of what constitutes “good” policy. It should be of interest to stakeholders in the GHG policymaking process and especially to those responsible for crafting U.S. climate policy.

+ Summary (PDF; 125 KB)
+ Full Document (PDF; 318 KB)

Via Docuticker.

The Impact of Ethanol Use on Food Prices and Greenhouse-Gas Emissions (PDF; 114 KB)
Source: Congressional Budget Office
From CBO Director’s Blog:

Over the past several years, spurred by both rising gasoline prices and long-standing subsidies for producing ethanol, the use of ethanol as a motor fuel in the United States has grown at an annual average rate of nearly 25 percent. U.S. consumption of ethanol last year exceeded 9 billion gallons–a record high. CBO released a paper today that discusses the relationship between ethanol, greenhouse-gas emissions, food prices, and federal spending on nutrition programs.

Most ethanol in the United States is produced from domestically grown corn, and the rapid rise in the fuel’s production and usage means that roughly one-quarter of all corn grown in the U.S. (nearly 3 billion bushels) is now used to produce ethanol. The demand for corn for ethanol production has exerted upward pressure on corn prices and on food prices in general. CBO estimates that the increased use of ethanol accounted for about 10 percent to 15 percent of the rise in food prices between April 2007 and April 2008.

In turn, increases in food prices will boost federal spending for mandatory nutrition programs such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly known as Food Stamps) and the school lunch program by an estimated $600 million to $900 million in fiscal year 2009. The Special Supplemental Assistance Program for Women, Infants, and Children—better known as WIC—is a discretionary program that provides a specific basket of goods to recipients rather than a set cash benefit, so changes in food prices in 2008 had an immediate impact on costs for the program. Under the assumption that the effects are much the same, increased production of ethanol would have added less than $75 million in fiscal year 2008 to the cost of serving the same number of WIC participants as in 2007.

Via Docuticker.

New Report: Across America, Waters in Crisis
Source: Natural Resources Defense Council, Clean Water Action, Earthjustice, Environment America, National Wildlife Federation, Sierra Club, and Southern Environmental Law Center

For decades, the Clean Water Act has broadly protected America’s lakes, rivers, streams, and drinking water sources from unregulated pollution and destruction, rescuing them from the dire straits they were in during the late 1960s and early 1970s. But because of a concerted effort by polluters and developers, and muddied rulings from the U.S. Supreme Court, up to 60 percent (at least 15,000 important waters) have lost these vital protections and countless other waters (including more than 50 percent of our streams and 20 million acres of wetlands) are at risk of losing protections.

Today, Natural Resources Defense Council, Clean Water Action, Earthjustice, Environment America, National Wildlife Federation, Sierra Club, and Southern Environmental Law Center are releasing a new report entitled “Courting Disaster: How the Supreme Court Has Broken the Clean Water Act and Why Congress Must Fix It,” which details the threats to America’s waters and highlights the urgent need for Congress to act immediately and restore full Clean Water Act protections to our waters.

+ Full Report (PDF; 2.1 MB)

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has released the national greenhouse gas inventory, which finds that overall emissions during 2007 increased by 1.4 percent from the previous year. The report, Inventory of U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Sinks: 1990-2007, is the latest annual report that the United States has submitted to the Secretariat of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, which sets an overall framework for intergovernmental efforts to tackle the challenge posed by climate change.

Total emissions of the six main greenhouse gases in 2007 were equivalent to 7,150 million metric tons of carbon dioxide. These gases include carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, hydrofluorocarbons, perfluorocarbons and sulfur hexafluoride. The report indicates that overall emissions have grown by 17.2 percent from 1990 to 2007.

The increase in emissions in 2007 was due primarily to an increase in carbon dioxide emissions associated with fuel and electricity consumption. The following factors were primary contributors to this increase: (1) increased demand for heating fuels and electricity due to cooler winter and warmer summer conditions in 2007 than in 2006; (2) increased consumption of fossil fuels to generate electricity; and (3) a significant decrease (14.2 percent) in hydropower generation used to meet this demand.

EPA prepares the annual report in collaboration with experts from multiple federal agencies and after gathering comments from a broad range of stakeholders across the country.

The inventory tracks annual greenhouse gas emissions at the national level and presents historical emissions from 1990 to 2007. The inventory also calculates carbon dioxide emissions that are removed from the atmosphere by “sinks,” e.g., through the uptake of carbon by forests, vegetation and soils.

Information on the greenhouse gas inventory report: http://epa.gov/climatechange/emissions/usinventoryreport.html

ACEEE is proud to announce the opening of nominations for the 2009 Champion of Energy Efficiency Awards. Presented at ACEEE’s 2009 Summer Study on Energy Efficiency in Industry conference, these awards recognize leadership and accomplishment in the energy efficiency field. Winners will be selected based on demonstrated excellence in the following categories:

Research and Development (R&D):Excellence in research and development including baseline or background research, as well as R&D of products and practices.

Energy Policy: Excellence in energy policy including writing, educating, promoting, or supporting energy efficiency in energy policy, at the federal, state, or local level.
Implementation and Deployment: Effective design and implementation, including achievement of significant impacts on energy use.

Leadership: Exceptional personal leadership demonstrated in the development, implementation, or growth of important energy efficiency initiatives.

Nominations will be made by peers and the final awards will be chosen by the ACEEE Board of Directors Awards Committee. To access the nomination form, please visit http://aceee.org/about/09sschampform.doc. For more information on the awards and to read about previous winners in the industry sector please visit http://www.aceee.org/about/awards.htm#Industry or contact Lori Nachman at Champions@aceee.org.

The 2009 Champions awards will be presented at the 2009 ACEEE Summer Study on Energy Efficiency in Industry in Niagara Falls, New York scheduled for July 28-31, 2009 at the Conference Center Niagara Falls. The “Industry” Summer Study is the premier energy efficiency conference in its field, and draws leading academics, energy efficiency professionals, government representatives, researchers, and policymakers.

Read the full story in Environmental Protection.

Republic Services, Inc. has embarked on a new venture to increase renewable energy output at its landfills. The company combined a first-of-its-kind solar technology with an existing biogas-to-energy system to turn its Tessman Road Landfill in San Antonio, Texas, into a sustainable energy park.

Read the full story in Environmental Protection.

World Wildlife Fund announced on April 1 a partnership with Michigan State University, the World Agroforestry Center, and the Center of International Forestry Research to develop an innovative system for measuring, monitoring, and managing carbon in a diverse range of landscapes.

In recognition of Earth Day 2009 activities, publisher Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., will provide complimentary online access to the bimonthly journal, Sustainability: The Journal of Record for the remainder of the month of April. The purview of this journal supports the Earth Day mission “to grow and diversify the environmental movement worldwide, and to mobilize it as the most effective vehicle for promoting a healthy, sustainable planet.” Complimentary access is available online at www.liebertonline.com/sus

Read the full post from Very Short List: Science.

Titanium oxide (TiO2) is what makes the powdered sugar on your doughnuts so eerily white. It’s also used to make solar panels. And in this charmingly geeky video, produced by grad students at the University of Notre Dame, scientists turn one of these things into the other.

Read the full story in the Los Angeles Times.

In what could be an encouraging sign of change in the long-standing shortage of Americans preparing for “clean energy” careers, the subject is suddenly hot on college campuses across the nation — a surge of interest largely stimulated by the specter of global warming.

Concern about climate change is galvanizing more undergraduate students to turn toward a subject involving science and engineering, some educators suggest, in much the same way that Moscow’s launching of the Sputnik space satellite jolted baby boomers to turn their eyes to the stars.

Via Docuticker.

New Public Agenda Energy Learning Curve™ Finds Public Worried and Unrealistic, Posing Challenges for Leadership
Source: Public Agenda

Despite partisan debate, the American people find common ground on their support for a number of measures to address the nation’s energy problems. At least 10 major energy proposals that would provide incentives for energy efficiency, reduce gasoline usage and support alternative energy have widespread support. But the public may not yet be prepared for the tradeoffs and challenges needed to make these proposals a reality, according to a new survey, “The Energy Learning Curve™,”released today by Public Agenda, the nonpartisan opinion research and citizen engagement organization.

The study, based on an in-depth national survey of 1,001 Americans, is being released in conjunction with “Planet Forward,” [www.planetforward.org] an innovative web-to-television-to-web initiative produced by the Public Affairs Project of The George Washington University, designed to advance the discussion on energy and climate change with both citizens and leaders submitting their ideas. Additional findings from the survey will be released on the Planet Forward television premiere, scheduled for 8 p.m. on April 15 on PBS (check local listings for exact show times in your area).

The public’s interest in energy alternatives is broad and not necessarily dependent on its worries about gas prices, according to the survey. Three quarters of the public (73 percent) disagrees with the statement that “if we get gas prices to drop and stay low, we don’t need to be worried about finding alternative sources of energy,” and fully 53 percent “strongly disagree.” While the survey found consensus on many aspects of the energy challenge, there are also significant barriers in building public support for change.

+ Full Report

Video explains recycling, from curbside pickup to processing. Download the whole video or specific sections. Brought to you by RecycleBank.

Read the full story in the Chicago Tribune.

The long-idled site of the U.S. Steel South Works was buzzing with activity once again Wednesday as 300,000 workers, nurses, cleaners, guards and a few gigolos took up residence on the city’s southern lakefront.

The assembled toilers were busy bees, indeed—five-banded Italian honey bees, to be precise. A Chicago wine and mead maker brought them here to make honey for his mead, which many call “honey wine.”

Read the full story in the Chicago Tribune.

Tinkering with Earth’s climate to chill runaway global warming — a radical idea once dismissed out of hand — is being discussed by the White House as a potential emergency option, the president’s new science adviser said Wednesday.

Read the full post at Oh My Gov!

The nation doesn’t just run on Dunkin anymore. Sizzling grease from fast food may soon fuel the nation’s military vehicles.

Via Docuticker.

SBE Council Releases Report Ranking the States on Energy Costs
Source: Small Business & Entrepreneurship Council (SBE Council)

The Small Business & Entrepreneurship Council (SBE Council) released the “Energy Cost Index 2009,” which ranks the 50 states and District of Columbia according to key energy costs affecting business.

SBE Council’s “Energy Cost Index 2009″ looks at two major energy costs affecting small businesses, individuals and families: 1) the price of regular gasoline at the pump, and 2) the cost of electricity (average revenue per kilowatthour). Each are calculated as indices and combined into one index.

At the top – or the lowest cost states – are: 1) Wyoming, 2) Idaho, 3) Utah, 4) Kentucky, 5) West Virginia, 6) Missouri, 7) Nebraska, 8t) Indiana, 8t) Iowa, 8t) North Dakota, 11) South Dakota, 12t) Arkansas, 12t) Kansas, 12t) South Carolina, and 15) Oklahoma.

The highest cost states (including the District of Columbia) include: 37) Florida, 38) Delaware, 39) Vermont, 40) Maryland, 41t) District of Columbia, 41t) Maine, 43) New Jersey, 44t) California, 44t) New Hampshire, 46) Massachusetts, 47) Rhode Island, 48) Alaska, 49t) Connecticut, 49t) New York, and 51) Hawaii.

+ Energy Cost Index 2009 (PDF; 50 PB)

Via Docuticker.

Measurement, Reporting, and Verification in a Post-2012 Climate Agreement
Source: Pew Center on Global Climate Change

The Pew Center released a report outlining options for measurement, reporting, and verification of countries’ actions in a post-2012 global climate agreement at a side event held during the international climate negotiations in Bonn, Germany. In addition, a paper discussing avenues and options for the legal form of a post-2012 agreement was presented. The report, paper, and related presentations can be downloaded below.

+ Full Report (PDF; 818 KB)

Read the full story in Environmental Protection.

On April 1, the Honorable Jim Prentice, Minister of the Environment, announced that the government of Canada introduced tough new regulations to limit greenhouse gas emissions from the automotive sector under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999 (CEPA).

Read the full story in Environmental Protection.

Responding to an invitation made at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos by Gordon Brown, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, 52 companies have joined forces with 34 experts and organizations to create an unprecedented low-carbon prosperity Task Force.

This e-Appendix includes both .pdfs of Climate Change: A Wisconsin Activity Guide and materials, links and references that wil help you learn more about the topic and will enhance your use of the activities found in the guide.

Climate Change: A Wisconsin Activity Guide is a resource for Wisconsin’s teachers to help students develop the knowledge and skills needed to become informed and active participants in society’s climate change discussions. It touches on both the scientific aspects of climate change and social issues.

The 12 activities in this guide are designed primarily for students in grades 7 to 12. The guide contains activities applicable to a variety of subjects including sciences, math, language arts, social studies, and art. Each activity is designed to stand alone as an individual lesson, however, the more activities students complete, the better they will understand the many aspects of climate change.

To order your free printed copy of Climate Change: A Wisconsin Activity Guide send your name, e-mail, mailing address and request to DNRAirEducation@wisconsin.gov.

Display and judging of entries in UIUC’s Sustainable E-Waste Design Competition occurred today on the Quad. I was tremendously impressed with the ingenuity and creativity of the particpants. There were some really innovative projects that not only used materials that would have otherwise been landfilled, but also were functional, useful, and attractive. I don’t envy the judges. They’ll have some tough decisions to make this afternoon.

For more information about the competion, see the competition website. The Daily Illini also ran a story about the contest in their April 2 issue.

Pat Quinn, Governor of Illinois, and the Chicago Botanic Garden are pleased to announce the “Art on a Rain Barrel” contest.

Who can participate? Teams of 3-5 Illinois youth, ages 8 to 18

What do you submit? 2-D designs (11 x 17”) for rain barrel artwork that communicates the importance of fresh water in Illinois

When is the entry deadline? June 10, 2009

What can you win? The top 50 teams will be invited to Navy Pier to celebrate the Governor’s “It’s Our River Day” on September 19, 2009. At this event, each team will receive a free rain barrel on which to create their artwork. Top designs will be put on display for thousands to see!

How do you participate? Visit the “Art on a Rain Barrel” Web site for complete contest rules and to download an entry form.
www.chicagobotanic.org/calendar/rainbarrel

Questions? Contact artonarainbarrel1@gmail.com.

Rain barrels for this event are generously provided by Upcycle Products: www.upcycle-products.com.