Browsing environmental news sources so you don't have to. Contact Laura Barnes (lbarnes@istc.illinois.edu) with questions, comments, and suggestions.
Follow ENB on TwitterLatest addition to Google Labs is a web application that organizes information chronologically. Google News Timeline allows users to view news, scanned newspapers and magazines, blog posts, sports scores, and more on a zoomable, graphical timeline. Very cool.
Is Linux the Greenest Operating System?
By Preston Gralla
http://www.greenercomputing.com/blog/2009/04/17/is-linux-greenest-operating-system
Microsoft and Apple have been in the forefront of efforts to green IT and
computing in general — and, of course, letting the world know about their
efforts. But one columnist believes that Linux is the greenest operating system of all. I’ve got details in my blog.
Federal Government Boosts Its EPEAT Purchases
http://www.greenercomputing.com/news/2009/04/20/federal-government-epeat-purchases
Over half of all government agencies have purchased 95 percent or more
EPEAT-certified electronics, in accordance with a new federal guideline.
Low-Carbon Meals, Employee Raises and Energy Incentives Highlighted in Innovations Report
http://www.greenercomputing.com/news/2009/04/21/innovations-report-2009
The Environmental Defense Fund’s latest Innovations Review report looks at 15 actions being taken by companies to reduce emissions, lower resource use and encourage sustainable behaviors.
AOL, MassMutual, APC and Others Win Uptime’s Green IT Awards
http://www.greenercomputing.com/news/2009/04/19/uptime-green-it-awards
At the 2009 Uptime Institute Symposium, the winners of the 2009 Green Enterprise IT Awards covered a range of industries and practices that bring innovations in green IT to the data center and beyond.
Epidemic of Spam Email Results in a Giant Carbon Footprint
By James Murray, BusinessGreen.com
http://www.greenercomputing.com/news/2009/04/16/spam-epidemic-carbon-footprint
A new study from research firm ICF claims that unwanted emails are responsible for carbon emissions equivalent to more than three million cars.
The Whys and Hows of Measuring Power in your Data Center
By Herman Chan and Greg More
http://www.greenercomputing.com/feature/2009/04/15/why-how-measure-data-center-power
How much power your data center used has not historically been a major concern for IT managers; but with costs and environmental savings as a top of mind concern, there are some simple steps so you can measure — and manage — your facility’s performance.
Obama’s New CTO: Big on Green IT
By Preston Gralla
http://www.greenercomputing.com/blog/2009/04/21/obamas-new-cto-big-green-it
In one more signal that Green IT will get a boost from the Obama administration, the newly appointed federal Chief Technology Officer Aneesh Chopra has shown that he’s well aware of the importance of Green IT, and will likely have a focus on it during his tenure in the federal government.
Who’s the Greenest IT Company? The Answer Might Surprise You
By Matthew Wheeland
http://www.greenercomputing.com/blog/2009/04/20/greenest-it-user
In its list of the top 12 companies putting green IT practices to the test,
Computerworld magazine explores the cutting edge of cost- and energy-saving information technologies.
Innovations Review 2009: Green Advances for a New Economy
http://www.greenercomputing.com/resources/resource/innovations-review-2009
The Environmental Defense Fund’s annual Innovations Review report highlights innovative strategies companies have implemented to reduce emissions, conserve resources, encourage sustainable behavior and more.
Lean & Green: Reducing IT Energy Drain for Business Gain
http://www.greenercomputing.com/resources/resource/lean-green-reducing-it-energy-drain-business-gain
In a world of toxic e-waste and chronic energy shortfall, IT professionals of
all stripes are seeking cost-effective ways to implement green practices across the enterprise, and this site aims to spread the word about sustainable
computing practices.
How Sustainable Thinking Can Change Design
By Jonathan Bardelline
http://www.greenercomputing.com/podcast/2009/04/16/how-sustainable-thinking-can-change-design
Terry Swack, co-founder and CEO of SustainableMinds.com, spoke with GreenBiz Radio about how sustainable design can help companies through the economic downturn and into the future, and where design changes need to be made to have the biggest impact.
Filmmakers Spotlight the Blue Collars at the Heart of Green Building
http://www.greenerbuildings.com/blog/2009/04/22/blue-collars-in-green-building
By Leslie Guevarra
Filmmakers Ian Cheney and Curt Ellis bring their acclaimed documentary on
greening building to union halls across the U.S. in celebration of Earth Week — and the men and women who build green buildings.
Why Don’t We Pick the Low-Hanging Fruit?
http://www.greenbiz.com/blog/2009/04/17/low-hanging-fruit
By Marc Gunther
Marc Gunther says he’s heard the phrase “low-hanging fruit” countless times to describe the easy gains garned from energy efficiency. So if it’s so easily
done, why don’t people do it?
The Future of Green Product Design
http://www.greenerbuildings.com/blog/2009/04/22/the-future-green-product-design
By Joel Makower
With just about month to go before Greener By Design 2009, GreenBiz.com
Executive Editor Joel Makower previews what’s in store at the extraordinary
event.
Second Thoughts on Green Jobs (and Economists)
http://www.greenerbuildings.com/blog/2009/04/20/second-thoughts-green-jobs
By Marc Gunther
Marc Gunther takes another look at the debate over green jobs — and at the
feedback he received from his earlier column.
Budweiser Brewery Uses Solar Energy to Help Power Plant
http://www.greenerbuildings.com/news/2009/04/17/budweiser-brewery-uses-solar
More than 6 acres of ground-mounted photovoltaic solar arrays are now up and running at the Anheuser-Busch brewery in Fairfield, California.
Getting Up to Speed on GSA’s Green Stimulus
http://www.greenerbuildings.com/blog/2009/04/21/gsa-green-stimulus
By Leanne Tobias
The General Services Administration, the U.S. government’s facilities manager, is among the first federal agencies to disseminate green stimulus dollars for the real estate sector. Leanne Tobias takes a look at the GSA’s ambitious $5.55 billion green facilities initiative.
Golden Arches’ Headquarters Attains LEED Platinum Rating
http://www.greenerbuildings.com/news/2009/04/23/golden-arches-hq-leed-platinum
McDonald’s global headquarters has received LEED Platinum certification, the highest level possible under the U.S. Green Building Council’s rating and
assessment system.
JLL, BNY Mellon Cut Ribbon on Solar Power System
http://www.greenerbuildings.com/news/2009/04/23/jll-bny-mellon-solar-power-system
Commercial real estate services leader Jones Lang LaSalle and the Bank of New York Mellon have launched a new 76-kilowatt solar panel installation atop the office complex of the financial services firm.
Two Facilities at the University of Arkansas Receive Green Globes Ratings
http://www.greenerbuildings.com/news/2009/04/23/two-facilities-university-arkansas-receive-green-globes-ratings
The Duncan Avenue Apartments and Community Center at the University of Arkansas have been certified as environmentally friendly under the standards set by the Green Building Initiative’s Green Globes rating and assessment system.
Apollo Alliance Releases Action Plan for Retooling U.S. Manufacturing
http://www.greenerbuildings.com/news/2009/04/20/apollo-alliance-action-plan
The Apollo Alliance has released an action plan calling for the U.S. government to fund the retooling of the country’s shrinking manufacturing sector so that it can accelerate development, commercialization and job creation in cleantech industries.
Registration Opens for Two New LEED Credentials
http://www.greenerbuildings.com/news/2009/04/20/registration-open-two-new-leed-credentials
The Green Building Certification Institute opened registration today for the
exams to attain the new LEED Green Associate and Accredited Professional
Operation and Maintenance credentials.
The Costs and Benefits of Better Design
http://www.greenerbuildings.com/podcast/2009/04/20/the-costs-and-benefits-better-design
By Jonathan Bardelline
Wendy Jedlicka of Jedlicka Design talks with GreenBiz Radio about explaining the benefits of green design to clients, countering the idea that green has to carry a premium and making sense of language related to sustainability.
How Companies Celebrate Earth Day
By Matthew Wheeland
http://www.greenbiz.com/feature/2009/04/22/how-companies-celebrate-earth-day
Companies large and small are taking Earth Day to heart, organizing events,
outreach and education session for employees. We talked to more than a dozen companies across industries to find out what internal Earth Day activities they had lined up.
The Selling of Earth Day 2009: The Good, Bad, and Ugly
By Tilde Herrera
http://www.greenbiz.com/feature/2009/04/22/the-selling-of-earth-day
Part two of our Earth Day 2009 package looks beyond what companies are doing in offices and on their own campuses to explore the ways they’re sharing their efforts with the world at large.
Top 10 Water Innovators Celebrated in New Report
http://www.greenbiz.com/news/2009/04/22/top-10-water-innovators
With concerns about water scarcity and quality on the rise around the world, a new study by the Artemis Project tracks down the top 50 companies developing market-ready innovations for water management, and singles out 10 for top accolades.
Low-Carbon Meals, Employee Raises and Energy Incentives Highlighted in Innovations Report
http://www.greenbiz.com/news/2009/04/21/innovations-report-2009
The Environmental Defense Fund’s latest Innovations Review report looks at 15 actions taken by companies to reduce emissions, lower resource use and promote sustainable behaviors.
Interface Releases Environmental Stats From 2008; Continues Positive Trends
http://www.greenbiz.com/news/2009/04/22/interface-environmental-stats-2008
Carpet manufacturer Interface has released its 2008 Ecometrics results, its
annual self-measurement of its energy, water, waste and emissions performance.
Mars Partners With TerraCycle to Turn Candy Wrappers Into New Products
http://www.greenbiz.com/news/2009/04/21/mars-partners-with-terracycle
TerraCycle has gained another big-name ally in its efforts to upcycle all types
of waste: the candy maker will send discarded wrappers to be reborn up-stream.
Why Don’t We Pick the Low-Hanging Fruit?
By Marc Gunther
http://www.greenbiz.com/blog/2009/04/17/low-hanging-fruit
Marc Gunther says he’s heard the phrase “low-hanging fruit” countless times to describe the easy gains garned from energy efficiency. So if it’s so easily
done, why don’t people do it?
Getting Up to Speed on GSA’s Green Stimulus
By Leanne Tobias
http://www.greenbiz.com/blog/2009/04/21/gsa-green-stimulus
The General Services Administration, the U.S. government’s facilities manager, is among the first federal agencies to disseminate green stimulus dollars for the real estate sector. Leanne Tobias takes a look at the GSA’s ambitious $5.55 billion green facilities initiative.
Getting Green Done Means Moving Past ‘Sustainability 101′
By Joel Makower
http://www.greenbiz.com/podcast/2009/04/10/getting-green-done
Auden Schendler, author of the new book “Getting Green Done,” talks to Joel
Makower about the barriers to green success that every company faces, why
climate change is the only problem we face, and how telling stories of failures
is the way to succeed.
Read the full story in the Denver Post.
The head honcho of the Democratic National Convention host committee announced Wednesday it would spend $100,000 to cancel out the committee’s carbon footprint.
Mike Dino, the committee’s chief executive, said the $100,000 donation to the Colorado Carbon Fund will pay for investment in programs to soak up nearly 5,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide. That donation, plus renewable-energy credits provided gratis by power companies, is enough to offset the estimated nearly 9,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide produced by the host committee in planning and fundraising for last summer’s convention in Denver.
Read the full story in the Washington Post.
Nestled in the San Juan Mountains at 9,300 feet, and surrounded by 13,000-foot peaks, Silverton, Colo., seems an unlikely place for a dust storm, especially with two feet of snow on the ground. So Chris Landry was alarmed on the afternoon of April 3 when he spotted a brown haze on the horizon; an hour later, a howling wind had engulfed the town in a full-fledged dust storm, turning everything from the sky to the snow a rusty red.
“It was almost surreal,” recalled Landry, executive director of the Center for Snow and Avalanche Studies. The landscape looked like Mars after the storm passed, he said: “You could feel the dust, you could taste the dust.”
The scene Landry witnessed that day was the most severe example of a phenomenon that has overtaken parts of the West this year, one that could exacerbate a slew of environmental problems there in the years to come. The Colorado Rockies, including the headwaters of the Colorado River and the Rio Grande, have experienced 11 serious dust storms this year, a record for the six years researchers have been tracking them.
Read the full story in the San Francisco Chronicle.
San Francisco residents will get their first peek today at an inventive Internet-based tool that lets them track their personal carbon footprint and gauge how green their neighborhood is compared with the rest of the city.
The Web site at UrbanEcoMap.org was built by Cisco Systems Inc., engineers using information such as trash collection, recycling rates and hybrid-car ownership to break down energy consumption and other environmental factors by Zip code. For example, the map shows that Mayor Gavin Newsom’s neighborhood has the 10th lowest level of overall carbon emissions.
The interactive technology won’t be available to San Francisco users until mid-May, but residents can check out a video that explains the Web site and how to use it starting today.
Read the full story in Environmental Protection.
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce on April 16 highlighted a new effort to expose the number of U.S. energy projects that have been delayed or stopped due to permitting and siting hurdles, opposition by local and professional activist groups, and other “green” tape.
The chamber’s Project No Project effort features a Web site that details a state-by-state analysis of key energy infrastructure projects that are being thwarted when the U.S. economy needs them most.
Read the full story in the Chicago Tribune.
The Interior Department has finalized sweeping rules that clear the way for the first offshore wind turbines to be erected along the Atlantic Coast, the most aggressive move yet from an administration that hopes to shift the nation’s offshore energy goals from oil to wind power.
Read the full story in the Chicago Tribune.
United Airlines is the latest U.S. carrier to go “green,” unveiling Wednesday a new Web-based tool to help passengers offset the greenhouse gas emissions produced during their flights.
Read the full story in the Chicago Tribune.
Exelon Corp. will unveil on Wednesday plans to build a $60 million solar power plant on Chicago’s South Side, a small step to fighting climate change that leans heavily on government funding due to the high cost of turning sunlight into electricity.
Read the full story in Green Technology.
Reducing the amount of waste entering the waste stream is a central goal in the development of environmentally preferable purchasing. Purchase and production of recycled materials can have a huge impact. For example, paper and organic waste (food and yard clippings), both recyclable, account for an amazing 80 percent of the material sent to landfills.
Read the full story in Green Technology.
How have we managed to get to the point where we have so much ‘stuff?’ Product and packaging waste are wreaking havoc on our planet and on local government budgets. At the turn of the Century, we were a far less wasteful society. Our waste stream mainly consisted of coal ash left over from heating and cooking; the rest was mostly food waste and scraps from manufactured products like paper and glass.
Read the full story in Green Technology.
The Teacher Training Institute at the 2008 Green California Schools Summit included a peer-to-peer student workshop. Participants share their commitment to the environment and the thrill of encountering like-minded contemporaries with Green Technology readers.
Read the full story in Green Technology.
There are 408 higher education buildings pursuing LEED certification in California alone, comprising almost 4.5 billion square feet. Many of these belong to community colleges, making a big green dent in the total square footage of the California community college system.
