The GLRPPR Blog

Energy & Materials Flow & Cost Tracker (EMFACT)

NEWMOA and the Massachusetts Office of Technical Assistance (OTA) have developed a materials use and profitability software tool, called Energy & Materials Flow & Cost Tracker (EMFACT) and recently made it available online free for download. Please check it out. We are currently seeking opportunities to conduct training workshops on EMFACT for small and medium-sized manufacturers, regulatory program staff, and/or technical assistance providers and consultants. This training could be in the form of a webinar, a half day or full day in-person workshop, or an in-person presentation at a conference or workshop. Please send an email to Terri Goldberg if you are interested in exploring such opportunities. NEWMOA has funding to support this training.

Here’s more on what EMFACT is -

EMFACT is designed to be used within small and medium-sized companies for systematically tracking materials and energy use; releases, discharges, and wastes; and associated costs in ways that can create value for their business. The tool can provide a comprehensive picture of resource use and its relation to production and planning that will help improve both business and environmental performance. We have been hearing from users that EMFACT™ can provide critical support for pollution prevention efforts within firms and for technical assistance providers and consultants that are working with firms.

EMFACT’s benefits to its users are:

• Easy navigation and data management
• Connecting material inputs and all outputs, including products, wastes, and other environmental releases to estimate mass balances and flows
• Effective tracking of all material inputs, including chemicals, commodities, and fuels, and their associated costs
• Effective tracking of all wastes, wastewater discharges, and air emissions
• Automated reminders and notices about upcoming reporting and other deadlines
• Automated reports on materials use efficiency and environmental releases
• Easy transfer of data to spreadsheets for further analysis and reports

EMFACT was funded by a grant from the U.S. EPA Office of Research and Development.

Download EMFACT for Free at: http://www.newmoa.org/prevention/emfact/.

Hoosier businesses have implemented environmental improvement projects and achieved monumental results as members of the Indiana Department of Environmental Management’s (IDEM’s) Environmental Stewardship Program (ESP).

There are 46 ESP business members across the state, each committed to implementing or maintaining measurable environmental improvements, such as reducing water or energy use, decreasing solid or hazardous waste, or reducing air emissions. In an effort to recognize each company’s proven commitment to continual environmental improvement, ESP members recently met with IDEM Commissioner Thomas Easterly and five assistant commissioners.

Since the inception of ESP in 2006, members have implemented pollution prevention initiatives that resulted in the reduction of:

• Water use by 81,413,480 gallons, an amount comparable to 123 Olympic-sized swimming pools;
• Electricity use by 15,438,733 kilowatt hours, a number comparable to the amount of electricity needed to run 5,788 residential air conditioners for one year;
• Miles driven by 243,789 miles, a distance comparable to driving from Terre Haute to Richmond and back 877 times;
• Natural gas consumption by 8,999 therms, which is like eliminating carbon dioxide emissions from 1,875 propane cylinders used for home barbeques;
• Carbon dioxide emissions by 13,099,680 pounds, which is the amount of carbon sequestered annually by 1,350 acres of pine forests; and carbon dioxide equivalents by 5,954 tons, an amount equal to the annual greenhouse gas emissions from 3,628 passenger vehicles;
• Solid waste sent to the landfill by 20,005,867 pounds, which is equivalent to the weight of about 66 Blue Whales;
• Volatile organic compound emissions by 837,100 pounds, an amount comparable to emissions from painting the interiors of 34,879 homes;
• Materials purchased by 122 pounds;
• Energy use by 48,979 million British Thermal Units, an amount comparable to the energy needed to operate 147 clothes washers for one year;
• Material use by 2,463,680 pounds, an amount comparable to the weight of 3,079 Monster truck tires; and,
• Hazardous waste by 185,981 pounds, an amount comparable to the weight of 18 Asian elephants.
• In addition, businesses have recycled 4,441,537.9 pounds of materials.

“ESP members go beyond environmental requirements that protect Hoosiers and our environment,” said IDEM Commissioner Thomas Easterly. “Indiana wins when companies use sound business practices to demonstrate their core value of environmental protection.”

To become an ESP member, businesses must maintain an exemplary compliance record, certify that they have adopted and implemented an approved environmental management system, and commit to specific measures for continued improvement in their environmental performance.

ESP members qualify for expedited permit review, flexibility in permitting, reduced reporting frequencies, and coordination of compliance inspections. To maintain ESP membership, companies must report on their environmental initiatives every year and reapply for ESP membership every three years.

Hoosier businesses can submit applications to IDEM for the Environmental Stewardship Program from September 1 through October 31 and April 1 through May 31. For more details, visit IDEM’s Web site at www.idem.IN.gov/prevention/esp or contact IDEM at (800) 988-7901.

Members of the Indiana Department of Environmental Management’s (IDEM’s) Environmental Stewardship Program (ESP) have made monumental achievements in reducing their environmental impacts while lowering manufacturing costs. To usher in the new year, the members have generated a list of the top 10 ways businesses can save money while minimizing environmental impacts within their manufacturing operations.

1. Substitute returnable packaging containers for cardboard with repeat customers and internally between operations, reducing the amount and costs associated with solid waste disposal. 
2. Replace solvent-based paint systems with water-borne paint or powder coating systems, eliminating emissions of volatile organic compounds. 
3. Identify and repair process steam and compressed air leaks to reduce energy use and lower energy costs. 
4. Conduct a life-cycle analysis for raw materials and replace high life-cycle cost items with lower environmental impact products.
5. Share savings reaped from environmental goals with employees and associates to further stimulate, generate, and encourage more ideas and excitement towards environmental initiatives.  
6. Absorb labor costs for recycling by using all employees for very short periods of time rather than using full-time workers solely for recycling activities.
7. Turn off lighting when not in use and install energy efficient lighting technology, like motion sensors, compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFL), and light emitting-diodes (LED).
8. Recycle all materials, including scrap, waste, and extra materials left over from processing. 
9. Ensure your organization has the right level of permit which often can change as you make your operations more environmentally-friendly. 
10. Take advantage of IDEM’s free Pollution Prevention Opportunity Assessments to identify alternative chemicals and improve operational efficiency.  

 “As an ESP member, our facility has recognized cost savings with the programs we have implemented,” said Darrell Hart of Hendrickson Trailer Suspension Systems.  “Our employees are taking recycling programs home as well as asking for more programs to implement within the facility.”

 To become an ESP member, a business must maintain an exemplary compliance record, certify that it has adopted and implemented an approved environmental management system, and commit to specific measures for continued improvement in its environmental performance.

 Many of the environmental improvement initiatives also contribute to significant cost savings within the facility.  Members qualify for expedited permit review, flexibility in permitting, reduced reporting frequencies, and coordination of compliance inspections in exchange for going above and beyond environmental requirements. To maintain membership, companies must report on their environmental initiatives every year and reapply for ESP membership every three years.

 “Any improved process that can reduce the bottom line while at the same time reducing any impact on the environment is worth considering,” said IDEM Commissioner Thomas Easterly. “If they don’t know where to start, I would highly encourage business owners to take advantage of IDEM’s free Pollution Prevention Opportunity Assessment.”

Additional information can be found by visiting www.idem.IN.gov/prevention/esp.

These publications were recently added to GLRPPR’s Sector Resources. This list is continuously updated on the web and is also available as an RSS feed.

LCA Info Hub
Wed, 16 Dec 2009 17:34:41 GMT
European Commission’s information hub on life cycle thinking based data, tools and services.

Carbon Footprint: What It Is and How To Measure It
Wed, 16 Dec 2009 17:32:25 GMT
Climate change is of high concern, driving growing demand for carbon footprint information. This leaflet is designed to help your organization get started with an efficient and effective approach to address this topic, building on existing international standards and European reference data; further information and data sources including links to service providers are included.

Talking to schools about green cleaning
Wed, 16 Dec 2009 14:56:30 GMT
The Environmental Working Group has a well-organized information page on talking to schools about green cleaning. It includes links to a customizable letter you can use to start the conversation, and a fact sheet to help educate school administrators about the benefits of green cleaning.

Best Practices in Product Chemicals Management in the Retail Industry: Moving Business Toward Safer Alternatives
Thu, 10 Dec 2009 22:52:52 GMT
Faced with growing demands to identify and disclose the potentially harmful chemical ingredients in the products they are selling and to substitute chemicals of concern, innovative retailers are incorporating product chemicals management systems into their corporate sustainability strategies. Developing and implementing such systems are not without challenges but retailers are discovering the benefits of such programs including an increase in consumer trust and cost savings. This report examines the influences on today’s retailers to encourage their adoption of chemicals management programs,the product chemicals management systems that seven innovative retailers have adopted in response to these influences, and the best practices identified in the development and implementation of these systems.

Life Cycle Analysis: A Step by Step Approach
Thu, 10 Dec 2009 22:22:43 GMT
Life cycle analysis (LCA) is the systematic approach of looking at a product’s complete life cycle, from raw materials to final disposal of the product. It offers a “cradle to grave” look at a product or process, considering environmental aspects and potential impacts. This report covers LCA basics, including issues to consider when starting a product life cycle assessment.

Life Cycle Analysis (LCA)
Wed, 09 Dec 2009 21:12:20 GMT
Life cycle analysis (LCA) is the systematic approach of looking at a product’s complete life cycle, from raw materials to final disposal of the product. It offers a “cradle to grave” look at a product or process, considering environmental aspects and potential impacts. This fact sheet provides an overview of the LCA process.

Reducing Energy Usage in Water and Wastewater Treatment Facilities: A Tale of Two Cities
Wed, 09 Dec 2009 17:40:05 GMT
Water treatment facilities incorporate a variety of techniques when processing drinking water. No matter what individual techniques they use, all processes involve a series of pumps and motors to move water from a source (lake, stream, aquifer), through the treatment facility, into storage vessels to the public distribution system. Wastewater treatment facilities also use motors, pumps and fans to move the wastewater from the community to the facility, and to process and treat the wastewater once it enters the facility. These pumps, blowers, and motors require substantial amounts of energy, which makes them expensive to operate. This fact sheet describes energy conservation projects that ISTC did with the municipal water treatment facilities in Bushnell and Greenville, Illinois.

Power and Energy Basics: Calculating Energy Use & Savings
Wed, 09 Dec 2009 17:39:07 GMT
Due to concerns over rising energy prices and the effects of global climate change, interest in energy efficiency is increasing. Even for those that rely on the technical expertise of others to improve energy efficiency, it can be helpful to understand some basic power and energy concepts. This document presents some examples that demonstrate simple electricity and natural gas calculations.

Recovery of Steam Condensate Utilizing Membrane Technology at Carlisle SynTec Inc., Greenville, Illinois
Wed, 09 Dec 2009 17:37:26 GMT
Carlisle SynTec manufactures single-ply roofing systems primarily for commercial and industrial applications. In most situations, return of boiler steam condensate is a viable and often utilized energy recovery and water conservation practice. However at Carlisle SynTec, the return and reuse of steam condensate has not been feasible due to its use of a mica coating in the manufacture of EPDM (ethylene propylene diene monomer), a type of synthetic rubber. After the EPDM is mixed and rolled into sheets, a water-mica solution is applied to the EPDM sheet to prevent adhesion upon itself during vulcanization. The vulcanization process involves 1) winding the sheets onto large mandrels, 2) loading the mandrels of mica-coated product into six 8′ x 60′ autoclaves, 2) curing with direct contact steam for 4-6 hours, and then 3) unloading the mandrels to cool. During vulcanization, steam condenses on the product, the mandrel and autoclave’s interior walls. This steam condensate is not returned to the boiler due to the suspended mica particulates that render the condensate unusable. Prior attempts to remove the mica with traditional cartridge filtration had been ineffective, causing immediate boiler pump seal wear & failure, coating of internal boiler surfaces and even internal boiler component blockages. This required subsequent repairs, system downtime and parts and labor costs. No further attempts to filter the condensate were pursued. Seeing an opportunity, Carlisle Syntec requested assistance from the Illinois Sustainable Technology Center (ISTC) to investigate the feasibility of producing a steam condensate suitable for return to its boiler, saving natural gas, chemicals and water.

Construction and Demolition Waste Reduction: Yannell Residence, Chicago IL
Wed, 09 Dec 2009 17:34:21 GMT
This case study is one in a series developed by the Illinois Sustainable Technology Center to highlight techniques for saving money and protecting the environment through reuse and recycling of construction and demolition debris. Goldberg General Contracting was the lead contractor for the two-story 2700SF LEED home. The home incorporates variety of site-related green products including 100% pervious paving, two green roofs, solar panels, and a zero-turf landscape design. Goldberg General Contracting recycled and reused 34.10 tons of material and disposed of 4.82 tons of mixed construction and demolition waste, for a total waste reduction rate of 87.64 percent.

Electronic waste, or “E-Waste,” generated by computers, TVs, cameras, printers, and cell phones, is a growing global issue. According to the U.S. EPA, Americans currently own nearly 3 billion electronic products and as new products are purchased, obsolete products are stored or discarded at alarming rates. About two-thirds of the electronic devices removed from service are still in working order. However, only about 15% of this material is recycled while the vast majority is disposed in landfills. The Sustainable Electronics Initiative (SEI), hosted by the Illinois Sustainable Technology Center (ISTC), is pleased to announce the International E-Waste Design Competition, in which participants will explore solutions to this problem at the local level and beyond, by using e-waste components to create appealing and useful products.

The competition began in spring 2009 as a local event on the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign campus. It was held in conjunction with a class on sustainability and e-waste issues taught by industrial design professor William Bullock of the School of Art and Design. Students in this class conducted an e-waste collection on campus to gather unused CPUs, monitors, keyboards, mice, printers, scanners and cell phones as fodder for design competition projects. Educational goals for the students included learning about ways to re-use e-waste for new and productive means, exploring ideas for how to address e-waste problems, and contributing to the body of knowledge that advances the practice of environmentally responsible product design for current and future computing technology products.

Participants in the spring 2009 competition worked in groups of no more than five people, and their creations were displayed during a public competition event, held on the UIUC Quad. Eighty-one students from various disciplines competed in the contest, which awarded $15,000 in tuition support and other prizes. Judges included representatives from the Illinois Sustainable Technology Center; the Chicago Center for Neighborhood Technology; Dell Inc.; the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity Bureau of Energy and Recycling; Microsoft Corp.; Wal-Mart Stores Inc.; the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency; and West Monroe Partners LLC, Chicago.

Response to the competition was so positive that it was decided to expand the scope of the competition to an international event for 2010. Having projects submitted online in the form of videos allows anyone in the world to participate. The competition is open to anyone 18 years or older who is currently attending college, or who graduated from college since May 2006. Teamwork across disciplines, backgrounds and ages is encouraged. One entry per person or team is allowed. Participants can submit entries in either of two categories: the “Designer/Artist Category”, which focuses on the aesthetic elements and physical interaction with the device, or the “Technical/Geek Category,” which focuses on electronic components. Entries will be in the form of original video compositions uploaded to the competition web site. Registration is free. Online registration opens January 11, 2010. Registration closes and competition submissions are due April 1, 2010. Detailed registration information, judging criteria and submission information is available on the competition web site, http://ewaste.illinois.edu/.

Professor Bullock will once again be teaching a class on e-waste issues in the spring 2010 semester, and students will be holding another local collection event on the UIUC campus to obtain materials for their designs. Students will be encouraged to enter their class projects into the international competition, and will have a local exhibition of their projects, similar to the event which took place on the Quad in spring 2009. The finalists’ videos from the international competition will be presented to the public during the International E-Waste Video Festival, on April 20, 2010 at 5 p.m. in 112 Gregory Hall on the Campus of the University of Illinois. This festival is part of the Food/Health/Place/Sustainability Film Series being shown on campus in the spring. It directly precedes Roger Ebert’s 12^th Annual Film Festival, which takes place April 21-25, 2010 in Champaign-Urbana. Finalist entries will also be publicized through the ewaste.illinois.edu web site and press events.

Awards will also be announced during the April 20 video festival. The jury will award one finalist from each of the two categories, for a total of six monetary awards. A total of $16,000 in prize money will be awarded to six winning teams: A Platinum Award of 4000 USD, a Gold Award of 3000 USD, and a Silver Award of 1000 USD in each category. The decisions of the jury are final. Honorable Mention awards may be given at the discretion of the judges. Juror invitations have gone out to industry leaders representing Fortune 500 companies, such as Google, Microsoft, Motorola, the U.S. EPA, Boeing, Dell and others, and will be announced in the spring.

The International E-Waste Design Competition and the related industrial design course taught by Professor Bullock are part of the educational component of the Sustainable Electronics Initiative (SEI). SEI is a consortium dedicated to the development and implementation of a more sustainable system for designing, producing, remanufacturing, and recycling electronic devices. Members of the consortium include academia, non-profit organizations, government agencies, manufacturers, designers, refurbishers, and recyclers. Specific elements of the SEI include programs for research, education, data management, and technical assistance. SEI conducts collaborative research; facilitates networking and information exchange among participants; promotes technology diffusion via demonstration projects; and provides forums for the discussion of policy and legislation.

For more information on SEI, visit www.sustainelectronics.illinois.edu or contact Dr. Tim Lindsey, Associate Director of ISTC, at 217-333-8955. For more information on the International E-Waste Design Competition, contact Professor William Bullock at 217-265-0873 or Joy Scrogum at 217-333-8940.

ISTC is a unit of the Institute of Natural Resource Sustainability at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

These publications were recently added to GLRPPR’s Sector Resources. This list is continuously updated on the web and is also available as an RSS feed.

ECOBOT
Fri, 20 Nov 2009 21:54:50 GMT
ECOBOT a free, open-source Adobe AIR app that calculates your carbon footprint by measuring the fuel, power, and paper you use. And it does much of this automatically. By tracking your carbon consumption, it’ll help you see where you have the most negative impact so you know where to put the three Rs into action. Aside from reducing, reusing, and recycling, it can link you to places where you can offset your carbon totals. Mac only.

The Carbon Capture Report
Fri, 20 Nov 2009 18:42:01 GMT
The Carbon Capture Report monitors news services from around the world to offer the latest news on carbon capture, carbon sequestration, and climate change, updated every 24 hours, 7 days a week. The service scans English-language news articles from nearly every country of the world each day, compiling a list of all articles mentioning these topics, and preparing a series of analytical reports to make it easy to continually keep track of what the world’s media is saying about carbon capture.

New rating system certifies landscape sustainability
Wed, 11 Nov 2009 15:51:06 GMT
A new environmental rating system will certify sustainable landscape projects, doing for the outdoors what LEED has done for “green” buildings.

Beyond the Black Cloud: Looking at Lifecycles
Wed, 11 Nov 2009 15:46:13 GMT
Looking at the full impact of any type of product or device — rather than, say, the cloud of exhaust in front of you on the highway — opens the door to a whole new understanding of how design…

Thinking Outside the Box on Packaging Design
Wed, 11 Nov 2009 15:41:31 GMT
Take a look at any consumer product on a store shelf and you’ll see why packaging is a growing concern for environmentalists. A simple electric razor, for example, is sold encased in a clear, rigid, molded plastic container (usually unopenable and virtually indestructible!) that houses a variety of separately packaged components: a cardboard box containing the razor blades, a power cord in a shrink-wrapped plastic tube; plastic-wrapped batteries; and another shrink-wrapped packet with various instructions and warranty cards.

Fieldprint Calculator
Thu, 05 Nov 2009 14:20:13 GMT
The Fieldprint Calculator is a simple tool designed to help you begin to look at how your crop production operations impact the sustainability of your farm. This calculator is directly correlated to Field to Market’s national level outcomes indicators for corn, cotton, soy and wheat. It provides general information based on the practices that are mostly likely to influence your energy use, climate impact, soil loss, and water use. They also consider your land use with respect to your level of productivity associated with the amount of acres in production. Future versions will include modules that factor in impacts to water quality and biodiversity as well.

The Financial Resource Guide for Cleanup & Redevelopment
Wed, 04 Nov 2009 16:43:04 GMT
Brownfields are abandoned, idle or underused industrial or commercial properties where redevelopment is hindered by known or suspected contamination. They vary in size, location, age and previous usage. A brownfield can be rural or urban, and can range from a closed corner gas station in a small village to a vacant industrial plant in a major urban area. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR) and the Department of Commerce have prepared this guide to provide information on options to help finance brownfield cleanup and redevelopment. [PDF, 62 pages]

Green Mobile Devices: Regulatory, Consumer, and Industry Drivers for Corporate Social Responsibility
Tue, 03 Nov 2009 23:51:51 GMT
Living in an age of disposability has led many durable goods manufacturers to explore ways of reducing the environmental footprint their products leave during their manufacturing process and throughout their lifecycle. The sheer volume of mobile phones produced annually and the propensity of users to chase mobile technology trends leads to an average replacement cycle of between 12 and 18 months, bringing special attention to the greening efforts of mobile device manufacturers. As consumer awareness and environmental legislation continue to evolve, handset vendors are developing their corporate responsibility initiatives to develop new business practices aimed at improving the compliance and environmental sustainability of their handsets. The European commission and industry-led initiatives have made great progress in developing a set of requirements and goals for developing sustainable business practices across the entire life cycle of handset production, distribution, use and disposal. This study identifies and explores key global handset initiatives and the handsets that are coming to market as a result of vendors’ efforts to minimize their environmental impact. It also offers an analysis of US consumer interest, awareness and preferences of green handset vendor initiatives. Available for purchase from ABI Research at this URL.

Estimated Use of Water in the United States in 2005
Tue, 03 Nov 2009 15:50:40 GMT
Estimates of water use in the United States indicate that about 410 billion gallons per day (Bgal/d) were withdrawn in 2005 for all categories summarized in this report. This total is slightly less than the estimate for 2000, and about 5 percent less than total withdrawals in the peak year of 1980. Freshwater withdrawals in 2005 were 349 Bgal/d, or 85 percent of the total freshwater and saline-water withdrawals. Fresh groundwater withdrawals of 79.6 Bgal/day in 2005 were about 5 percent less than in 2000, and fresh surface-water withdrawals of 270 Bgal/day were about the same as in 2000. Withdrawals for thermoelectric-power generation and irrigation, the two largest uses of water, have stabilized or decreased since 1980. Withdrawals for public-supply and domestic uses have increased steadily since estimates began. (PDF, 60 pp)

Towards Sustainable Production and Use of Resources: Assessing Biofuels
Tue, 27 Oct 2009 18:47:19 GMT
This report is designed to provide an overview of some of the key issues associated with the sustainable production and use of biofuels, including ethanol and biodiesel. [PDF, 120 pp]

To encourage Indiana manufacturers to identify opportunities that can reduce pollution, conserve raw materials and save money, the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) is offering industry and communities free, confidential pollution prevention opportunity assessments. New to the program is a special impetus to encourage the reduction of toxic chemicals and the opportunity to receive funding for qualifying projects.

This year, IDEM was awarded funding from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to fund pollution prevention grants that reduce toxics in Indiana. Indiana facilities with ideas for pollution prevention projects, including those identified by an assessment, are eligible to submit a pre-application for an Indiana Pollution Prevention Grant by June 11, 2010.

Projects that reduce the use of any chemical on the Resource Conservation Challenge Priority Chemicals list or the Regional Priority Chemical list or replace a listed chemical with a less toxic substance will receive additional points toward their overall score when evaluated for funding. Also, projects identified by an IDEM assessment conducted between June 2009 and June 2010 will receive additional points toward their overall score when evaluated for funding.

“This new grant offers a wonderful opportunity for businesses and communities to re-evaluate where in their processes positive change can be made,” said IDEM Commissioner Thomas Easterly. “Pollution prevention opportunity assessments do not cost businesses anything except time, and there are so many benefits that can be achieved from this effort.”

Assessments are provided on-site and can help facilities do a number of positive things, such as: identify ways to minimize risk by reducing or eliminating toxic chemicals, reduce operating expenses, use fewer raw materials, conserve energy, reduce wastes and emissions, meet regulatory requirements, and improve employee safety.

“An added bonus from undergoing a pollution prevention assessment is the positive company image that may result from implementing some of the recommendations,” said Commissioner Easterly.

Expenses such as ongoing program costs, permanent building structures, capital improvement or equipment and site improvements will not be funded through the Indiana Pollution Prevention Grant Program.

To schedule a free, confidential pollution prevention opportunity assessment, contact IDEM at (800) 988-7901. A complete list of priority chemicals can be found at www.idem.IN.gov/5224.htm.

Thirty eight Illinois companies and organizations have been honored for their significant achievements in protecting the environment, helping sustain the future, and improving the economy. The Governor’s Sustainability Awards were presented by the Illinois Sustainable Technology Center (ISTC) in Champaign during a luncheon. ISTC is a division of the Institute of Natural Resource Sustainability at the University of Illinois.

Since 1987, ISTC has presented Governors awards to organizations in Illinois that have demonstrated a commitment to environmental excellence through outstanding and innovative sustainability practices. Any Illinois public or private organization is eligible to apply for an award. Organizations who are winning for the first time receive the Sustainability Award. Those organizations that have won in past years and are continuing their environmental efforts are awarded a Continuous Improvement Award.

“These businesses and organizations have shown that it is possible to create and maintain conditions under which people and nature can exist in productive harmony, and fulfill the social and economic requirements of present and future generations,” said John C. Marlin, ISTC Acting Director.

The 2009 award winners are listed below. Information on the Governor’s Sustainability Awards program and technical assistance on pollution prevention and energy efficiency are available from the Illinois Sustainable Technology Center, One Hazelwood Drive, Champaign, IL 61820, phone 217-333-8940, http://www.istc.illinois.edu/.

2009 Governor’s Sustainability Award winners

First time winners

Ace Hardware Paint Division—Chicago Heights

Ace Hardware Paint Division—Matteson

Allied Waste Services—Chicago

AMFOTEK—Tinley Park

Ball Corporation—Danville

Central Can Company—Chicago

ComEd—Oakbrook Terrace

GE Healthcare IT—Cary

Guardian West—Urbana

Jesse Brown VA Medical Center—Chicago

Jet Lithocolor, Inc.—Downers Grove

Kankakee Community College—Kankakee

Lions Park Elementary School—Mount Prospect

McDonald’s Corporation—Oak Brook

McHenry County Schools Environmental Education Program—Woodstock

MRC Polymers Inc.—Chicago

Mueller Company—Decatur

Original Smith Printing—Bloomington

Rhodia, Inc.—Blue Island

Vaughan and Bushnell Manufacturing Company—Bushnell

Village of Orland Park—Orland Park

WCIA Channel 3—Champaign

Organizations recognized for Continuous Improvement

Abbott—Abbott Park

Abbott—North Chicago

Ball Corporation—Elgin

Caterpillar Inc. Engine Center—Mossville

Cintas—Romeoville

Department of Aviation O’Hare Modernization Program—Chicago

Consolidated Printing Company—Chicago

Continental Tire North America—Mount Vernon

Electro-Motive Diesel, Inc.—LaGrange

Frigel North America—East Dundee

Harris Corporation – Broadcast Communications Division—Quincy

Hitachi Metals Automotive Components USA, LLC—Effingham

Illinois Correctional Industries—Menard

Navistar, Inc—Melrose Park

NOW Foods, Inc.—Bloomingdale

PortionPac Chemical Corporation—Chicago

Recently, I gave a presentation at the Midwest Environmental Education Conference called “Stemming the Tide of Sustainability Information.” What follows is an extremely condensed version of the talk, with links to the more general tools I talked about. If you’re interested in seeing the slides from the original presentation, they’re posted on IDEALS, the University of Illinois’ institutional repository. Click on the link in the Files box to view the slides in PDF.

Remember when it used to be hard to find information about environmental sustainability? Those days are gone. Today, it seems like we’re drowning in it. Although waving a white flag (or throwing in the towel) is tempting, there are tools that can help you manage the flow of information before it completely overwhelms you.

Most people seek information by searching or by scanning. Normally, you search for information when you’re doing research or trying to answer a question. When searching for information, you’ll most often turn to your favorite search engine. You most often scan for information when you’re trying to stay current on a particular topic. Most often, you seek out trusted news sources when you scan.

Searching

When searching for information, there are some rules you need to remember.

1) Use your time wisely

Do a preliminary search. If you haven’t found what you’re looking for in 10-15 minutes, ask a librarian. You can call your favorite public, school, or university library or use GLRPPR’s Help Desk Librarian service. You can also use browser add-ons to help you refine your web search results. Two of my favorites are Search Cloudlet (only available for Firefox) and Deeper Web (available as a Firefox extension or via the web as a standalone search engine). I posted about both of these tools previously.

2) Don’t believe everything you read

Choose your sources carefully and remember that libraries evaluate books before purchase. Don’t assume the most recent information is on the web. For example, the Code of Federal Regulations is updated on a set schedule, both in print and on the web. You still need to check the Federal Register for recent regulatory actions. Also keep in mind that you need to check to see how recently the web page you’re viewing was updated. If it’s not readily apparent (i.e. EPA, DOE), you should also investigate the person or organization behind the web site. Greenwashing happens on the web too.

3) Use the appropriate tool

Sometimes a search engine is the best place to start. But it’s not the only place to look. Google, Bing, and other search tools are especially helpful when you’re looking for something specific, an unusual term, or an exact phrase. These search engines also have advanced features that can help you refine your search. If you’re looking for a lot of information on a particular topic, a directory (e.g. GLRPPR Sector Resources, the ISTC Library’s Reference Guides) is often a better place to start because they help you focus your search. Don’t forget the databases available through your local library. They can help you identify books, journal articles, newspaper stories, and other resources. Keep in mind that good information is still available in hard copy.

4) Be flexible

Although I often use Google as a verb, it’s good to try different search engines. As an interesting test, do a search using Blind Search, then vote for your favorite results to see which engine you liked best without the branding. If you want to see how Google and Bing compare in a head-to-head test, try out Bing vs. Google and see the results side by side. Bing does have some interesting features that Google lacks, including links to related, often narrower searches and the ability to mouseover a tab to see more information about specific links.

Flexibility is also important when choosing search terms. For example, there are many ways to describe “pollution prevention” including “waste minimization”, “zero waste”, and “cleaner production”.

5) It isn’t always on the Internet

Even though the web has a tremendous amount of good and not-so-good information, there is still a lot of value in books, journal articles, videos, and other hard copy resources. Your local library (or the GLRPPR Help Desk) is a good place to start looking for those materials.

Scanning

Trying to keep up with current environmental news is a never-ending task and my e-mail inbox shows that, more often than not, I’m unsuccessful at truly keeping up. Fortunately, there are some tools that make it easier.

1) RSS is your friend

RSS stands for Really Simple Syndication. The idea behind RSS is that, instead of going out to your favorite web sites, the content comes to you through either a news reader or a service that converts the feed to an e-mail (e.g. Feed My Inbox). Common Craft has a great video explanation of RSS if you want more detail. My favorite feed reader is Google Reader, but there are many choices out there (see lists here and here). You can also incorporate RSS feeds into your personalized Yahoo! and Google home pages.

2) Twitter — it isn’t just for lunch

Twitter is more than a place to share what you had for lunch (or whatever mundane task you’re currently doing). It’s also an easy way to keep up with news you’re interested in. The 140 character limit makes it easy to scan headlines quickly. If you have a mobile device (e.g. an iPhone), you can also bring Twitter with you and scan the news on the go (just not when you’re driving, please). You can also repost (”retweet”) stories to your friends/followers easily. Twitter and other forms of social media are also useful for finding out what your friends/followers think about a particular issue. To start a conversation, ask a question and wait a few minutes for a reply.

3) Specific sites to scan

Everyone’s list will be a little different. You can see some of the suggestions I made during my presentation here. You can also look at the Environmental News Bits blogroll (in the left column under the News Sources heading). You can also read Environmental News Bits, GLRPPR News, and/or P2Rx News if you want someone to do the scanning for you. If you have a favorite, post a link in the comments.

Keeping Track of Your Favorite Sites

Once you’ve identified sites you like, you need a place to store them where you can find them again and share them with people. There are two tools that I use for this. The first is Read It Later, which allows you to temporarily save links you want to look at later, but don’t want to keep permanently. I find it very helpful for news articles that I want to look at once, then discard. It works as a Firefox extension, a series of bookmarklets, or as a mobile phone app.

The second tool that I use regularly is Delicious. Delicious and other social bookmarking sites (a list of 125 of them is here) are really helpful because they not only allow you to access your bookmarks from anywhere, but also share them with other people. You can also work with groups of people to identify resources using a common tag. As an example, read about the P2TagTeam effort on the GLRPPR blog and see the results on Delicious at http://delicious.com/tag/p2tagteam. You can also search social bookmarking sites to see what other people are tagging on a particular topics. Or you can add people of like mind to your network (you can see my bookmarks at http://delicious.com/tsmom1219/).

Hopefully, these hints will save you time and effort as you surf the waves of sustainability information online. If you have questions or comments, leave them below or e-mail me at lbarnes@istc.illinois.edu.

These publications were recently added to GLRPPR’s Sector Resources. This list is continuously updated on the web and is also available as an RSS feed.

Final Report of the Governor’s Task Force on Waste Materials Recovery and Disposal
Mon, 26 Oct 2009 21:28:16 GMT
Waste is a fact of life. Materials that are not fully consumed or reclaimed are generally discarded. As a result, our natural resources are strained in at least two significant respects. First, resources used to produce goods and services are not being consumed efficiently. Second, natural resources are impacted by the management of waste, whether by composting, recycling, incineration, or landfilling. Landfills are developed, for example, and the corresponding use of land is permanently altered. Air emissions occur as waste is composted, incinerated or left to decompose in a landfill. Local water resources might be affected. The more waste, the greater the impact, and these impacts can last over long periods of time to the detriment of future generations both environmentally and economically. If waste generation can be minimized — or even prevented — we can reduce the strain on natural resources. Indeed, the prudent use and preservation of natural resources are the hallmarks of environmental stewardship. While we recognize that waste is a current fact of life, or at least life as we have come to know it, there may come a point in time when the amount of waste generated, or the rate of waste disposal itself, is simply too great to be supported by society over the long haul from an economic and environmental perspective. After all, the current model, to the extent it involves the consumption of natural resources to make products that are used and discarded, does not mimic natural systems where waste is recycled and its components are reused in future cycles of production again and again.

A GreenPrint for Minnesota: State Plan for Environmental Education, Third Edition
Mon, 26 Oct 2009 20:23:01 GMT
GreenPrint, third edition is the third state plan produced under the direction of the Minnesota Environmental Education Advisory Board, a state board of 20 members representing state agencies and congressional districts. The Board’s goal for this 10-year plan is that, “Users of GreenPrint, third edition create, deliver, and support environmental education in Minnesota that promotes healthy natural and social systems and their relationships.” Its intent is to offer guidance to those helping Minnesota citizens achieve the state goals for environmental education and ultimately attain environmental literacy — the understanding of natural and social systems and their interactions.

Managing Electronic Waste: Issues with Exporting E-Waste
Fri, 23 Oct 2009 21:22:07 GMT
Electronic waste (e-waste) is a term that is used loosely to refer to obsolete, broken, or irreparable electronic devices like televisions, computer central processing units (CPUs), computer monitors (flat screen and cathode ray tubes), laptops, printers, scanners, and associated wiring. E-waste has become a concern in the United States due to the high volumes in which it is generated, the hazardous constituents it often contains (such as lead, mercury, and chromium), and the lack of regulations applicable to its disposal or recycling. Under most circumstances, e-waste can legally be disposed of in a municipal solid waste landfill or recycled with few environmental regulatory requirements. Concerns about e-waste landfill disposal have led federal and state environmental agencies to encourage recycling. To date, 19 states have implemented some form of mandatory e-waste recycling program. These state requirements, mixed with increased consumer awareness regarding potential problems with landfilling e-waste, have led to an increase in recycling. With that increase have come new questions about e-waste management. Instead of questions only about the potential impacts associated with e-waste disposal, questions have arisen regarding the potential danger associated with e-waste recycling–particularly when recycling involves the export of e-waste to developing countries where there are few requirements to protect workers or the environment. Answering questions about both e-waste disposal and recycling involves a host of challenges. For example, little information is available to allow a complete assessment of how e-waste ultimately managed. General estimates have been made about the management of cathode ray tubes (CRTs, the only devices where disposal is federally regulated), but little reliable information is available regarding other categories of e-waste. For example, accurate data regarding how much is generated, how it is managed (through disposal or recycling), and where it is processed (either domestically or abroad) are largely unknown. Further, little information is available regarding the total amount of functioning electronics exported to developing countries for legitimate reuse. What is known is that e-waste recycling involves complex processes and it is more costly to recycle e-waste in the United States, where there is a limited recycling infrastructure. It also is known that most consumer electronics manufacturers (who provide the market for material recovery from recycled electronics) have moved overseas. As a result, the majority of e-waste collected for recycling (either for reuse or recycling) appears to be exported for processing. Although there may be limited data regarding how e-waste is managed, the consequences of export to countries that manage it improperly are becoming increasingly evident. In particular, various reports and studies (by the mainstream media, environmental organizations, and university researchers) have found primitive waste management practices in India and various countries in Africa and Asia. Operations in Guiyu in the Shantou region of China have gained particular attention. Observed recycling operations involve burning the plastic coverings of materials to extract metals for scrap, openly burning circuit boards to remove solder or soaking them in acid baths to strip them for gold or other metals. Acid baths are then dumped into surface water. Among other impacts to those areas have been elevated blood lead levels in children and soil and water contaminated with heavy metals. The impacts associated with e-waste exports have led to concerns from environmental organizations, members of the public, and some Members of Congress.

Gathering Chemical Information and Advancing Safer Chemistry in Complex Supply Chains: Case Studies of Nike, S.C. Johnson, and Hewlett-Packard M
Fri, 23 Oct 2009 21:13:38 GMT
Consumer product companies need chemical information from their supply chains for many reasons, including the design of products that are safe for human health and the environment, regulatory compliance, participation in green certification programs, disclosure of chemical ingredients in products to retailers and customers, and preparation of Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS). Companies with large, complex,global supply chains face many challenges in getting this information. The Green Chemistry in Commerce Council (GC3), a project of the Lowell Center for Sustainable Production, at the University of Massachusetts Lowell, commissioned three case studies of leading firms with complex supply chains to explore and share experiences on how companies gather chemical information from their supply chains and how they use this information to develop safer products. The three companies are Nike, S.C. Johnson (SCJ) and Hewlett-Packard (HP). The case studies conducted for this project examined a number of questions: 1. Why is the company seeking chemical information from their supply chain? 2. What types of chemical information is the company seeking? 3. How is the company gathering chemical information from its supply chain? What system is it using? 4. What systems are companies using to manage chemicals in products? 5. What systems are companies using to create safer products using chemical information? 6. What challenges have existed and what has worked well to gather chemical information, manage chemicals and design safer products? All three firms studied are sizable, consumer product companies with large and complex supply chains. They are diverse with regard to the types of products that they manufacture and the types of raw materials that they procure from their supply chain. The reader should keep this in mind when reading the cases and lessons reported in this document. Information gathered for the cases came from interviews with personnel at each firm, internal documents provided by the firms, and publicly available information. The companies were given the opportunity to review and comment on case study drafts. This summary report is designed to synthesize the lessons learned and best practices that were distilled from the case studies.

Design and Operation of a Conditioning Energy Recovery Ventilator (CERV) for Passive Houses
Thu, 22 Oct 2009 23:26:36 GMT
This seminar was presented by Ben Newell, Newell Instruments, Inc., on January 22, 2009 at the Illinois Sustainable Technology Center in Champaign, IL.

Ty and Ben Newell presented information about their work on creating a comfort conditioning system for a zero energy residence. The seminar discussed the energy conditioning characteristics of energy efficient homes and a system under development to meet these requirements. Central Illinois is a difficult environment for efficient conditioning of buildings. Arctic blasts in the winter and hot, humid summers require conditioning systems that have the capacity to operate efficiently in the extremes of winter and summer. Zero energy homes (also called Net-zero homes) are highly insulated and sealed buildings that require relatively low capacity, but highly flexible heating and cooling capabilities. Newell Instruments is developing a new class of house conditioning system called a CERV (Conditioning Energy Recovery Ventilator) designed for superinsulated and supersealed homes. The system is an air-source heat pump designed to operate in the most extreme cold weather (below 0F) and, to cool and dehumidify during the summer. The system also provides fresh air ventilation to the conditioned space.

Wind Farms in Central Illinois
Wed, 21 Oct 2009 23:35:13 GMT
This seminar was presented by Randall Lloyd, Agricultural Awareness Coordinator for the University of Illinois Extension, McLean County, on February 5, 2009 at the Illinois Sustainable Technology Center in Champaign, IL.

Due to technical issues, the first five minutes of this presentation is unavailable. Randall Lloyd, Agricultural Awareness Coordinator for the University of Illinois Extension, McLean County, is involved with the Twin Groves Wind Farm in eastern McLean County as a land and turbine owner. He and his family have been involved with the project since its inception in 2001 and now have four turbines on their property southeast of Ellsworth. As part of his role as Agricultural Awareness Coordinator, Lloyd has developed a tour program where participants are able to observe the turbines “up close and personal!” The two hour tour includes the geography, geology and history of McLean County and the part these each play in the development of the Twin Groves Wind Farm. He also has a program for audiences unable to actually visit the wind farm. Over the past two years, more than 1,000 people have participated in these two programs, including visitors from six states and 44 foreign countries. He will share this program with us and provide insights about wind turbines and agriculture in Central Illinois.

Carbon–The Currency of the Future
Wed, 21 Oct 2009 23:32:18 GMT
This seminar was presented by Eric Jackson, Senior Carbon Expert at the UIUC Environmental Change Institute and CEO of CP Holdings, LLC (dba Carbonless Promise), on March 10, 2009 at the Illinois Sustainable Technology Center in Champaign, IL.

Eric Jackson discussed his role as senior carbon expert at the new Environmental Change Institute on the UIUC campus and the work he has conducted on assessing carbon footprints and magaging carbon credits for industries and other agencies throughout the US.

A Systematic Approach to Renewable Energy: Growing Jatropha curcas for Biodiesel Production in Haiti
Wed, 21 Oct 2009 23:28:19 GMT
This seminar was presented by Tim Lindsey and Joe Pickowitz, Illinois Sustainable Technology Center, on March 18, 2009 at the Illinois Sustainable Technology Center in Champaign, IL.

Tim Lindsey and Joe Pickowitz of ISTC will discuss their recent trip to Haiti with Kathleen Robbins who works with the organization PARTNER FOR PEOPLE AND PLACE, which provides planning and technical assistance for humanitarian and environmental projects on the frontline of poverty. The group operates a Haitian nonprofit business, Jatropha Pepinye, to support the cultivation of Jatropha curcas, a plant that provides a cash crop to farmers, and oil for value-added products like biodiesel and soap. The business itself – a tree nursery – provides jobs and training to local residents and field trials for Jatropha research. In a related project, the organization is developing alternatives to traditional charcoal-making using sustainable forestry and high-efficiency energy conversion. The group sees renewable fuels as part of the effort to re-green Haiti, which is almost totally deforested.

Retrocommissioning at UIUC–Saving the Planet One Building at a Time
Wed, 21 Oct 2009 23:24:34 GMT
This seminar was presented by Karl Helmink and Damon McFall, UIUC Facilities and Services Dept., on April 8, 2009 at the Illinois Sustainable Technology Center in Champaign, IL.

Mr. Helmink discussed retrocommissioning (RCx) celebrating its first year of success on the UIUC campus. In this year, RCx has completed work in the following five buildings: 1) National Soybean Research Center, 2) Krannert Center for the Performing Arts, 3) Newmark Civil Engineering Building, 4) Turner Hall, and 5) ACES Library, Info. & Alumni Center. RCx is estimated to reduce overall energy usage and building utility costs by 20%. Retrocommissioning is essential for our campus to continue its path towards sustainability. This talk will highlight the year’s activity in retrocommissioning various buildings and plans for the future.

The Great Lakes Regional Pollution Prevention Roundtable (GLRPPR) recently added a “Data Centers” subcategory to both the “Consumer Electronics” and “Energy Efficiency” Sector Resources.

Sector Resources are collections of records for both online and hard copy material related to a particular industrial sector (e.g. “Agriculture”) or a topic of interest across a wide variety of sectors (e.g. “Energy Efficiency”). A list of expert contacts that may be consulted for further information on the subject at hand is also included within each Sector Resource, as well as relevant news, events, funding opportunities and archived questions and answers from the GLRPPR Help Desk. Each item listed within a Sector Resource has a full record, containing the item’s title, a brief abstract, a link to the item (if it is available online), date of publication, source and resource type. Price and ordering information are listed for hard copy items where available.

There is a great deal of interest these days in greening IT, particularly in improving the energy efficiency of data centers. Recognizing this trend, it seems appropriate to group information on these topics in new resource subcategories on the GLRPPR site. If you have suggestions for resources related to these topics that you would like to see included in these areas of the GLRPPR website, please send your suggestions via email to Joy Scrogum or Laura Barnes.

Here are some highlights of the resources available within the “Data Centers” subcategories:

• The Green Grid: The Green Grid is an association of information technology professionals seeking to lower the overall consumption of power in datacenters around the globe. The Green Grid will function as an interactive body of members who will share best practices in datacenter power management. Industry experts will be leading interactive online discussion boards, live chats, and webinars to raise awareness and foster discussion around critical aspects of datacenter management. Green Grid members can participate by interacting online, sharing best practices and tribulations, meeting annually, and by lobbying the IT industry for better power-saving solutions. The Green Grid web site provides related news and events; power articles; training; case studies and white papers; research and videos; a list of founding sponsors; and information on membership.
• Climate Savers Computing Initiative: The Climate Savers Computing Initiative brings together industry, consumers and conservation organizations to significantly increase the energy efficiency of computers and servers. It includes a searchable online directory of energy efficient computing products.
• Power Management for Networked Computers: A Review of Utility Incentive Programs: This paper reviews rebate and incentive programs currently offered by utilities for activating power management features on computer networks. It explores the rationale behind program requirements, and provides a high-level assessment of their impact. Finally, it offers suggestions for utilities and regulators considering similar programs. Written by J. Michael Walker. PDF Format; Length: 12 pages.
• Report to Congress on Server and Data Center Energy Efficiency: On August 2, 2007 and in response to Public Law 109-431 the U.S. EPA ENERGY STAR Program released to Congress a report assessing opportunities for energy efficiency improvements for government and commercial computer servers and data centers in the United States. The report recommends priority efficiency opportunities and policies that can also lead to additional savings using state-of-the-art technologies and operations. The report shows that data centers in the United States have the potential to save up to $4 billion in annual electricity costs through more energy efficient equipment and operations, and the broad implementation of best management practices. The report, its appendices and its executive summary are available for download in PDF format at the link above.

Brownstown residents will soon see more environmentally-friendly town operations as the town becomes one of the Indiana Department of Environmental Management’s (IDEM’s) newest “CLEAN” communities.

IDEM Assistant Commissioner Rick Bossingham presented a plaque and commemorative road sign to Town Board President Leroy Warren to officially induct Brownstown into the CLEAN program on Monday, Oct. 5, at Brownstown Town Council Chambers.

The CLEAN (Comprehensive Local Environmental Action Network) Community Challenge is a voluntary recognition program for local Indiana government entities that make significant commitments to environmental management.

CLEAN helps communities take steps to plan, develop, and implement a Quality of Life Plan, which focuses on reducing the potential environmental impacts associated with their municipal operations.

“Brownstown’s commitment to environmental stewardship is a shining example for other communities to follow,” said IDEM Commissioner Thomas Easterly. “I applaud the entire community for its good work in protecting Hoosiers and our environment.”

Brownstown has committed to achieving several environmental goals, including developing standard operating procedures for spill response and training appropriate staff in the use of the procedures by the summer of 2012. Other goals include increasing recycling in town facilities and at town festivals (including the Spring Car Show, Melon Fest, and Hometown Christmas) by 20 percent by August 2012; recycling 100 percent of fluorescent bulbs and rechargeable batteries generated from municipal operations by January 2012, and addressing winter road maintenance by completing a study to determine the feasibility of using a liquid de-icer to reduce sand usage by January 2012.

Leroy Warren, President of the Brownstown Town Board, is pleased with the actions taken by the town to improve their environmental footprint. “We are proud of Brownstown’s initiative in promoting recycling and taking care of the environment.  It was a team effort of town employees and all the residents that helped Brownstown become part of the CLEAN Community Challenge,” he said.

The Indiana CLEAN Community Challenge is administered by IDEM in partnership with the Indiana Department of Natural Resources and the Indiana Finance Authority. Partner agencies provide financial incentives to Indiana CLEAN Community members, such as better terms and improved opportunities for state grant and loan dollars. Brownstown joins nine other communities participating in the CLEAN program: the cities of Crown Point, Indianapolis, La Porte, Lawrence, Michigan City, Richmond, Tell City, Valparaiso and the town of Fishers.