Friday, October 28, 2005

[Alternative fuels] Promise And Problems For New Tigers In Your Tank Matthew Wald of The New York Times says as gasoline prices rise, alternatives become more attractive, including some you might not have heard of. But any challenger to gasoline faces hurdles in manufacturing and logistics, 10/26/05. [SEJ Environmental Journalism Today] 3:49:45 PM Google It!    [E-waste] Africa being turned into digital dump for West's toxic waste Parts of Africa are being turned into hi-tech toxic dumps due to the large amounts of electronic waste from developed nations being exported there. [edie.net - Latest News] 3:40:54 PM Google It!    [Biodiesel] State Biodiesel Legislation Rolls Forward State Senator Rob Cowles and Representative Al Ott are applauding the passage of companion bills Assembly Bill 72 and Senate Bill 41--which is legislation aimed at assuring consumers of the integrity of the product when they purchase biodiesel fuels. The bill passed out 16-0 of the Joint Committee on Finance on Wednesday and can now be scheduled to be taken up by the full Legislature. [Source: Wisconsin Ag Connection] 3:39:05 PM Google It!    [Biodiesel] World’s first tallow-biodiesel plant in Brazil The largest world factory converting bovine tallow into biodiesel will begin production next June in the state of Sao Paulo, Brazil, said Wednesday Dedini industries, one of the main equipment suppliers. [Source: Merco Press] 3:35:55 PM Google It!    [Schools] Turner Green Building Survey Reveals More Than 70% of Executives Believe Green Buildings Enhance Student Performance & Ability to Retain Teachers Source: Turner Construction Company, 10/26/05. Turner Construction Company, a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Turner Corporation, the nation's leading general builder, today announced the findings of its survey of 665 building owners, developers, architects, engineers, corporate owner- occupants, consultants and educational institutions on green building issues. This year's survey placed a special focus on green educational facilities - both K-12 and higher educational facilities. [Great Lakes Pollution Prevention Roundtable (GLRPPR) News] 3:33:52 PM Google It!    [Schools] MI: Schools Power Down to Save Source: The Detroit News, 10/26/05. Motion-sensitive light switches, high-efficiency furnaces and heavily insulated roofing systems are some of the energy-saving features at most Walled Lake Consolidated schools. But when the district -- faced with increasing energy costs -- embarked on a program to improve energy efficiency and lower costs across the 22-school district last year, its success depended on steps as simple as flicking off a light switch. The district's conservation efforts at 22 schools pared nearly $850K from energy bills last year. [Great Lakes Pollution Prevention Roundtable (GLRPPR) News] 3:32:43 PM Google It!    [Cleaning] Cleaning Oily Parts Gets Easier, Quicker and a Lot Cheaper Source: Chicago Sun-Times, 10/11/05. The winners of this year's Chicago Innovation Awards included Solvent Systems, Inc. The Grease Gator parts washer uses a water-based cleaner and separates oil for recycling as fuel. [Great Lakes Pollution Prevention Roundtable (GLRPPR) News] 3:31:46 PM Google It!    [Energy conservation] All About Daylight Savings Time Resource of the Week By Shirl Kennedy, ResourceShelf Deputy Editor It's getting to be that time of the year again here in most of the U.S. We'll be turning our clocks back one hour, on the last Sunday in October, which marks the end of Daylight Saving Time...until April 2, 2006, the first Sunday in April, when we set our clocks ahead one hour for another DST go-around. What the heck is this all about, anyhow? How did it start? Is it done in other countries? Check out this week's resource and become a fountain of information about Daylight Saving Time. Dayline Saving Time (DST) Source: Web Exhibits (Institute for Dynamic Educational Advancement) Daylight Saving Time "The main purpose of Daylight Saving Time (called 'Summer Time' many places in the world) is to make better use of daylight. We change our clocks during the summer months to move an hour of daylight from the morning to the evening. Countries have different change dates." You probably already knew this, but maybe you didn't know... + This past August 5, President G.W. Bush signed the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (PDF; 2.6 MB) which -- among its many other provisions -- moves up the start of DST to the second Sunday of March, and pushes the ending back the first Sunday of November. The Secretary of Energy will report to Congress regarding the impact of this on energy savings, and Congress reserves the right to revert back to the previous schedule. + "In the European Union, Summer Time begins and ends at 1 am Universal Time (Greenwich Mean Time). It starts the last Sunday in March, and ends the last Sunday in October." Unlike in the United States, where each time zone switches over at the same time, all the EU time zones change simultaneously. Some counties -- mostly equatorial and tropical -- do not observe DST because the daylight hours are pretty much the same year round in the lower latitudes. But most other countries do, to one extent or another. + Benjamin Franklin is generally credited with the idea of DST in "a discourse on the thrift of natural versus artificial lighting," published as a letter to the authors of the Journal of Paris in 1784. + "Daylight Saving Time has been used in the United States and in many European countries since World War I." The Uniform Time Act of 1966 (15 U.S. Code Section 260a), signed into law by President L.B. Johnson, set the beginning of DST on the last Sunday of April and the end on the last Sunday of October. Find out here who does and does not like DST and why, and read about its checked history, including a collection of interesting anecdotes contributed by Dr. David Prerau, author of Seize the Daylight: The Curious and Contentious Story of Daylight Saving Time and our leading national expert on DST. "The Institute for Dynamic Educational Advancement (IDEA) is committed to enriching and informing lives through public service projects and the subsequent application of innovative, learning-based technologies." The WebExhibits site features an eclectic mix of science-oriented online exhibits such as Calendars Through the Ages, Causes of Colors, and Butter (which explores "the history and making of butter)." One presentation takes a look at Scientific Integrity in Policymaking; another examines Bogus Science, and presents you with seven warning signs. For more information about Daylight Saving Time, see: + Saving Time, Saving Energy: Daylight Saving Time, Its History, and Why We Use It (California Energy Commission) + When Does Daylight Time Begin and End? (U.S. Naval Observatory) + Directive 2000/84/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 19 January 2001 on summer-time arrangements (EUR-Lex) - Shirl [ResourceShelf] 3:26:51 PM Google It!    [Green chemistry] Nominations open for national green chemistry awards The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency sounds a call for nominations for the 2006 Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge Awards. [Breaking News] 3:20:35 PM Google It!    [Green building] Constructive Criticism More criticism of LEED, with rebuttal from the U.S. Green Building Council. [Source: Grist Magazine] 3:18:33 PM Google It!    [Environmental health] Pollution makes for more girls Toxic fumes favour the fairer sex, a group of researchers in Brazil has found. Jorge Hallak and his team at the University of Sao Paulo turned up the surprising result by studying babies born in their city. They divided the metropolis of 17 million people into areas of low, medium and high air pollution, using test results from air-quality monitoring stations. They then studied birth registries of children born from 2001 to 2003. The team found that 48.3% of babies were female in the least polluted areas, but 49.3% were female in the dirtiest parts of town. After measuring the ratio of boys to girls born in all the areas, they calculated that 1,180 more babies would have been boys in the polluted areas if they had the same sex ratios as the cleaner areas. Read the full story at Nature.com. [Physics Org] 3:13:32 PM Google It!    [Green building] LEEDing Us Astray? The country's top green-building system is in desperate need of repair. This piece is excerpted from the essay "LEED Is Broken; Let's Fix It." The full essay can be found here. [Source: Grist Magazine] 12:20:47 PM Google It!    [Nonpoint source pollution] New Additions to Section 319 Nonpoint Source Success Stories Web Site EPA has added eight new stories to the Section 319 Nonpoint Source Success Stories Web site. The Web site features projects receiving grant funds from the Clean Water Act Section 319 Nonpoint Source Program that have achieved documented water quality improvements. The stories include outlines of the identified problem, project highlights, results, partnerships and funding, and contacts for more information. [Source: Water & Wasterwater Products Digest] 12:15:39 PM Google It!    [Environmental health] Biodiversity may help slow disease spread Better protection for the diversity of the planet's creatures and plants could help shield humans from diseases like AIDS, Ebola or bird flu and save billions of dollars in health care costs. [Environmental Health News] 10:49:34 AM Google It!    [Green investment] New Study Pegs Institutional Investors' Legal Responsibility to Address Environmental, Social Issues NEW YORK/NAIROBI, Oct., 25, 2005 - Institutional investors have a far greater opportunity -- and in some cases a legal obligation -- to incorporate environmental, social, and governance issues into their investment decision-making than is traditionally believed, according to a new study done on behalf of the United Nations Environment Program's Finance Initiative (UNEP FI). [GreenBiz.com] 10:47:49 AM Google It!    [Green cleaning] Safer Cleaning Products Site introduces the importance of buying safer cleaning products and highlights the activities of purchasers across the country to protect their workers and the environment. [GreenBiz.com] 10:45:57 AM Google It!    [Corporate environmental responsibility] Making the Business Case for EH&S Practical guidebook helps EH&S managers align processes and systems with the goals of senior management, and translate initiatives into bottom line results. [GreenBiz.com] 10:33:24 AM Google It!    [Renewable energy] German Pushes Alternatives to Nuclear Energy Germany is facing a self-imposed energy crunch. Alternative sources such as wind, solar and biothermal energy are supposed to replace nuclear power, which is being phased out by 2020. However, some Germans believe they are neither adequate nor better for the environment. [NPR Topics: Environment] 10:31:26 AM Google It!    [Automotive industry] Toyota's Environmental Record Attacked "Is Toyota a wolf in sheep's clothing?" That's what a stinging national ad campaign against Toyota wants to know. Sarah A. Webster of the Detroit Free Press explains why the ads may be an environmental first, 10/24/05. [SEJ Environmental Journalism Today] 10:30:19 AM Google It!    [Insecticides] Should We Be Bugged By This? If you take a look at the pesticides under your sink or on the label of lawn care products in your garage, you'll notice that the active insecticide ingredient always ends in "thrin." These are pyrethroids insecticides. Are they dangerous? Environmental Science & Technology's Paul D. Thacker investigates, 10/26/05. [SEJ Environmental Journalism Today] 10:29:16 AM Google It!    [Wastewater treatment] Rocket-fueled bacteria clean up waste Bacteria that make rocket fuel as part of their metabolism are making sewage treatment less expensive and kinder to the environment, British researchers say. [Physics Org] 10:27:20 AM Google It!    [Schools] K-12 Schools Take the ENERGY STAR Challenge Ten leading associations representing state school boards, superintendents, principals, facility planners, parents, and teachers are joining with EPA to address critical energy issues in K-12 schools nationwide. Through the ENERGY STAR Challenge, school decision-makers assess how much energy school districts use now, establish efficiency improvement goals of 10 percent or greater district-wide, and make efficiency improvements wherever cost effective. In addition to cost savings and energy related benefits, the efficiency improvements are expected to also yield air quality benefits and greenhouse gas reductions. EPA will recognize individual school districts that achieve a 10, 20, or 30 percent improvement as ENERGY STAR Leaders. Currently, the nation's more than 17,000 K-12 schools spend $5 billion on energy bills each year, and higher energy prices this winter could increase their heating bills by nearly 40 percent. EPA and its association partners will help school districts identify cost-effective energy efficiency improvements that can save them up to 30 percent on their energy bills while reducing greenhouse gas emissions and conventional air pollutants. EPA is working on this initiative with the National School Boards Association, the Council of Educational Facility Planners International, the Association of School Business Officials International, the Council of the Great City Schools, the National Parent Teacher Association, the National Association of Elementary School Principals, the National Association of Secondary School Principals, the National Energy Education Development Project, the National Energy Foundation, the Alliance to Save Energy's Green Schools and Campuses program, and the American Solar Energy Society's Legacy Schools program. 10:23:16 AM Google It!    [Breweries] Brewer Exudes Excellence in its Production Including Wastewater Treatment The brewing process yields wastewater that is typically high in solids, which can cause a burden for municipal wastewater treatment utilities. When Sierra Nevada Brewing encountered these problems, it took the initiative to solve them while creating a win-win solution for all parties involved. A key component of that solution is a Smith & Loveless Addigest wastewater treatment system. [Source: Water and Wastewater Digest] 10:21:49 AM Google It!    [Green power] 2005 Green Power Leadership Awards Green Power--United States Source: Environmental Protection Agency 2005 Green Power Leadership Awards (PDF; 1.11 MB) From EPA's Green Power Partnership page: "To recognize the actions of individuals, companies, and organizations that are significantly advancing the development of renewable electricity sources through green power markets, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), sponsor the Green Power Leadership Awards. The Green Power Leadership Awards are competitive awards that recognize outstanding commitments and achievements in the green power marketplace." [ResourceShelf's DocuTicker] 9:59:17 AM Google It!    [Invasive species] Under Siege: Invasive Species on Military Bases Invasive Species--Military Bases Source: National Wildlife Federation Under Siege: Invasive Species on Military Bases (PDF; 3.88 MB) From press release: "Under Siege: Invasive Species on Military Lands reports that invasive species are a widespread and growing problem for military instillations throughout the country. From exotic plants overrunning training lands at Camp Pendleton in California to wild boars blocking runways at Avon Park in Florida, the report reveals how invasive species are more than just a nuisance on military installations." [ResourceShelf's DocuTicker] 9:58:28 AM Google It!    [Environmental health] Public Interest Groups Ask Government to Ban Common Household Products Containing Controversial Germ-Fighting Ingredient Concerned about health effects, public health and environmental groups today asked FDA to pull from the market widely used household products that contain the germ fighting chemical triclosan. [ENN Business Headlines] 9:12:37 AM Google It!    [Green building] More Retailers Building Environmentally Friendly Stores The Levin Furniture construction team ran the numbers on using solar energy before building its Monroeville store, and they didn't look good. It would likely be 17 years before the panels would save enough in energy costs to pay for themselves. [ENN Business Headlines] 9:11:10 AM Google It!    [Recycling] Starbucks fetted for recycled-content cups The National Recycling Coalition says it will present its eighth annual Recycling Works award to Starbucks. [Breaking News] 8:59:59 AM Google It!

© Copyright 2005 Laura L. Barnes. Last update: 11/1/2005; 1:08:18 PM.