Environmental News

Pairing environmentally-friendly water-treatment chemicals and services for cooling towers, boilers, and waste water with a closed loop systems for process-cooling water, Frigel North America (Lake Zurich, IL) has announced a new partnership with Heisler Green. In a press release, Frigel said the addition of Heisler Green's CoolGreen product line will allow its Ecodry technology to provide manufacturers cost savings by eliminating ongoing maintenance due to corrosion or bacteria issues, as well as reducing water usage by up to 80%. Jim Green, VP of Heisler Green, said that cooling water accounts for approximately 98% of industrial water used in the U.S. Frigel's closed-loop Ecodry cooling system, which has more than 5000 manufacturing installations worldwide, already reduces water use and keeps cooling water clean. Source: Modern Plastics, 7/1/08

Of the 18 electronics companies evaluated in the 8th edition of Greenpeace's Guide to Greener Electronics released on June 25, only two companies -- Sony Ericsson and Sony -- scored above 5/10. The overall score of the ranked companies plummeted as Greenpeace tightened requirements on electronic waste (e-waste) and toxic chemicals and added new requirements for evaluating companies' impact on global warming. Source: Environmental Protection, 7/3/08

Sustainable product design has moved well past the advent of corn-based candy wrappers and toothbrushes made from recycled yogurt cups. Today's manufacturers are embracing Cradle to Cradle design (C2C), an environmentally intelligent sustainable design methodology that has been applied to everything from polyester cloth to foam core insulation and ergonomic office chairs to mailing envelopes. Source: GreenerDesign, 7/1/08

The U.S. has done the least among the world's eight biggest economies to address global warming, a study released Thursday found. Source: USA Today, 7/3/08

Sustainable design is being credited for saving an estimated $85,000 in electric and gas expenses for the 2007/ 2008 school year at Fossil Ridge High School (FRHS) in the Poudre School District in Fort Collins, Colorado. An integral part of the building's high performance design is CALMAC's Ice Storage air conditioning system. Compared to an existing, similarly sized 1,800 student school in the same district, FRHS requires half of the electric demand. Source: Press release, 6/17/08

The Clinton School District will review options from a DeWitt County energy company to develop a renewable energy source fueled by landfill gas at the Clinton Landfill to heat and cool the district's buildings. Source: Bloomington Pantagraph, 6/30/08

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is launching the SmartWay Leaf Campaign to encourage consumers to purchase SmartWay-certified cars and trucks. SmartWay is an innovative partnership among government, businesses, and consumers designed to protect the environment, cut fuel consumption, and improve air quality while reducing greenhouse gases. The national campaign features broadcast, radio, and print public service announcements that will help consumers recognize the SmartWay leaf as a symbol of cleaner and more fuel efficient transportation choices. Source: U.S. EPA, 7/3/08

Utah this summer will become what experts say is the first state to institute a mandatory four-day work week for most state employees, joining local governments across the nation that are altering schedules to save money, energy and resources. Source: USA Today, 6/30/08

Under increasing public pressure over its decision to temporarily halt all new solar development on public land, the Bureau of Land Management said Wednesday that it was lifting the freeze, barely a month after it was put into effect. The bureau had announced on May 29 that it was no longer processing new applications to build solar power plants on land it oversees in six Western states after federal officials said they needed first to study the environmental effects of solar energy, a process that would take two years. Source: New York Times, 7/3/08

U.S. EPA has announced the winners of the 2008 Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge Awards. Several have connections to the Great Lakes states. Source: U.S. EPA, 7/2/08

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Coal Combustion Products Partnership (C2P2) is presenting 20 organizations and individuals with awards for safely increasing the use of coal combustion products. Coal combustion products are the byproducts generated from burning coal in coal-fired power plants. Some of the achievements recognized include finding new uses for coal combustion products and developing a web-based educational tool that teaches civil engineering students about the benefits and uses of these products. Source: U.S. EPA, 7/2/08

Local environmental groups are calling on Congress to protect the Great Lakes by passing the Clean Water Restoration Act. Source: ABC& Chicago, 7/1/08

A Japan-bound commercial airliner landed safely at O'Hare International Airport Monday afternoon after one of its engines malfunctioned over the northwest suburbs--but not before it had to dump about 4 percent of its total fuel load over Lake Michigan in order to land. Source: Chicago Tribune, 7/1/08

An international architectural design competition for the so-called "Sun-lit Schools" was launched here Wednesday, to seek solutions for solar-fueled school buildings in the countryside. Source: Xinhua, 6/30/08

Shifting a fourth of U.S. freight from trucks to railroads by 2026 would spare each American an average of 41 hours of travel time, 79 gallons of fuel, and $985 in gas expenses each year, according to the seventh annual Congestion Relief Index on Tuesday. Source: News.com, 7/1/08

Rio Tinto Alcan and the International Business Leaders Forum (IBLF) are pleased to announce the US$1 million Rio Tinto Alcan Prize for Sustainability 2008 is now open for entries. Information on eligibility criteria and how to enter the Prize is available at www.alcanprizeforsustainability.com. The closing date for receipt of entries is midnight, 12 September 2008 (GMT). Source: Press release, 7/2/08

With the Chevy Volt, General Motors -- battered, struggling for profitability, fed up with being eclipsed by Toyota and the Prius -- is out to reinvent the automobile, and itself. Source: The Atlantic Monthly, July/August 2008

A Fulton County Superior Court judge today issued a decision that blocks construction of the first coal-burning power plant proposed in Georgia in more than 20 years. The judge ruled that the new plant must limit its emissions of the heat-trapping gas carbon dioxide. Source: Environmental News Service, 6/30/08

This week, city counselors in Ottawa, Ontario, unanimously approved a new waste-to-energy facility that will turn 400 metric tons of garbage per day into 21 megawatts of net electricity--enough to power about 19,000 homes. Rather than burning trash to generate heat, as with an incinerator, the facility proposed by Ottawa-based PlascoEnergy Group employs electric-plasma torches to gasify the municipal waste and enlist the gas to generate electricity. Source: Technology Review, 7/2/08

The sun was shining, the wind was gentle, and the water calm as a boatload of visitors to Kingston, guests of budding offshore wind developer Trillium Power, embarked last week on a three-hour tour of Lake Ontario. Source: Toronto Star, 6/30/08

John James Sekulic wants to harness the wind and bring thousands of jobs to the area. The president and owner of St. George's Renewable Energies LLC has a vision to not only put wind turbines throughout the region and in Lake Erie, but also to create 12,000 to 13,000 new first-tier jobs by drawing one of the top three wind turbine manufacturers to Lorain County and specifically Lorain. Source: The Morning Journal, 7/1/08

The Festival of the Winds has arrived in Harlowton, Montana, and every stool at Wade's Drive-In is taken. I lean over the counter to ask where I might find some of the festival activities, but the waitress has no time for small talk. As she hurries past I catch a glimpse of her blue t-shirt emblazoned with a towering white wind turbine. "What do you mean," she barks over her shoulder, "it's everywhere. It's a whole town thing." Source: Plenty Magazine, 6/30/08

Recent storms and floods have highlighted the risks of an economy that has grown more dependent on corn for fuel. Source: New York Times, 7/1/08

Revamping existing data centers can achieve energy efficiency close to those built from scratch to be greener, according to an early report Thursday from Accenture, which analyzed results of case studies backed by the Silicon Valley Leadership Group. Source: News.com, 6/27/08

Another solar energy project has been proposed for the area. The latest application has been filed with Norfolk County by Great Lakes Solar Utilities Inc., which is seeking a zoning change on 117 acres of farmland at Highway 24 and Thompson Road southwest of Waterford. Source: London Free Press, 6/30/08

Six associations representing the U.S. water and wastewater sector, in collaboration with EPA, have released a series of tools designed to help water and wastewater utilities advance effective management practices to achieve long-term sustainability. The tools are based on the "10 Attributes of Effectively Managed Utilities and five Keys to Management Success" first identified in a report released by the group in May 2007. Source: Water & Wastewater News, 6/27/08

With food prices soaring in the face of a federal mandate to increase production of corn-based ethanol, food producers and retailers yesterday called on Gov. Jon Corzine to petition the federal government to relax the ethanol requirement. Source: New Jersey Star Ledger, 6/27/08

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has approved tariff revisions that will allow the New York Independent System Operator (NYISO) to better incorporate wind power into its energy markets. Source: EERE, 6/23/08

The New York State Public Service Commission (PSC) launched its Energy Efficiency Portfolio Standard (EEPS) on June 18. The EEPS aims to reverse the rising trend of the state's electricity usage by reducing that usage by 15 percent by 2015. Without such action, usage is projected to rise 11 percent over the same period. Source: EERE, 6/23/08

John Deere plans to reduce its total global greenhouse gas emissions by 25 percent from 2005 to 2014. Source: Environmental Leader, 6/18/08

Starting next year, Sapporo Breweries will put a carbon label on cans of its Black Label draft beer stating how much carbon dioxide is emitted per can during the entire production and disposal process, the Daily Yomiuri reports. Source: Environmental Leader, 6/20/08

Hawai'i has become the first state in the country to require the installation of solar water heaters on new single-family homes. Source: Honolulu Advertiser, 6/26/08

The freeze has caused widespread concern in the industry, forcing fledgling solar companies to wait just as demand for alternative energy is accelerating. Source: New York Times, 6/27/08

American School & University, the Green Clean Network, and Healthy Schools Campaign are pleased to announce a summer series of free green cleaning webinars that will help your school begin a green cleaning program or take your green cleaning to the next level. Source: Healthy Schools Campaign, 6/27/08

When it comes to alternative energy, here's a thought: Maybe we're looking for answers in all the wrong places. Forget scientists, forget corporate laboratories. Instead, let's go to the movies. Source: Wall Street Journal. 6/30/08

Since March, the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) has been using an innovative hydraulic barrier to contain a plume of ground water contaminated with trichloroethene (TCE) at the Baytown Superfund site in Lake Elmo. The barrier includes ground-breaking technology for discharging the clean, treated water underground through horizontal boreholes. Source: Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, 6/13/08

As the Minnesota Electronics Recycling Act approaches its first anniversary, retailers of video display devices (monitors, laptops and TVs) are nearing their first reporting deadline. Retailers who sell to households in Minnesota have until July 1, 2008 to report to each manufacturer the number of video display devices they sold during the previous program year (July 1, 2007 to June 30, 2008). Source: Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, 6/23/08

A ceremony held today in Bay City celebrated the groundbreaking on a historic development project that will not only become the Department of Environmental Quality's new district office in Bay City, but will be state government's first Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Platinum Certified building. The building, located at 401 Ketchum Street, will return an abandoned brownfield site to productive use, while using innovative technologies to substantially reduce energy use and operating costs. Source: Michigan Department of Environmental Quality, 6/20/08

Like Paul Revere sounding the alarm when the British were coming, representatives from the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) have traversed the state, calling businesses and residents to arms against ozone. Source: Indiana Department of Environmental Management, 6/18/08

Families with children enrolled in Fort Wayne's Victory Learning Institute have received good news from the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM). The Institute recently joined IDEM's Five Star Environmental Recognition Program for Child Care Facilities program and received a special plaque for achievements in environmental safety. Source: Indiana Department of Environmental Management, 6/18/08

The majority of Illinois public water supplies met all state and federal health requirements during calendar year 2007. This is the conclusion from information recently provided to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency by the Illinois EPA in its Annual Compliance Report. Source: Illinois EPA, 6/26/08

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 5 has finished assessing 30 Indiana counties for hazardous materials and releases associated with the recent floods. EPA did not discover any significant hazardous debris or chemical releases. Source: U.S. EPA, 6/26/08

As the cost of oil and related fuel products (such as diesel fuel, particularly in the United States) continues to rise, owners and drivers are looking for new technology to get more miles per gallon. Hybrid technology has the ability to deliver efficiency, but ABI Research asserts that fleet managers and operators need to carefully evaluate the costs and benefits of hybrids. Source: Environmental Protection, 6/26/08

The constant quest for faster, more efficient electronics has created an international waste disposal nightmare because electronic components frequently contain lead, mercury, cadmium, and other toxic materials. The need for responsible electronics stewardship is urgent. There are steps every organization can take now--through comprehensive lifecycle management--to reduce the electronics waste burden. The strategy not only protects the environment, it also offers opportunities to demonstrate leadership, receive internal and external recognition, save money, and track assets more effectively. Source: Environmental Protection, 6/27/08

A renovation project is the perfect time to turn your home into a green building -- one that uses energy and water efficiently, saves on operating expenses, and lowers the building's impact on the environment. When most people think of green buildings, they think of new construction. But in the last several years, even minor renovations have been getting the green treatment. And experts are saying that eco-friendly homes full of features such as programmable thermostats, skylights, and Energy Star appliances can add up to 25 percent more to the value of your home. Source: U.S. EPA, 6/26/08

The Natural Resources Board approved sweeping air regulations on Wednesday aimed at cutting mercury emissions by 90% and eventually making fish that are caught in state waters safer to eat. Source: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 6/25/08

It has been 32 years since Michigan adopted a 10-cent deposit on pop cans, beer bottles and other carbonated beverages. Now the creators of that bill want to expand it to include non-carbonated beverage containers as well. Source: Hillsdale Daily News, 6/25/08

The city of Erie, Pa.'s Continuous Emissions Monitoring Committee is expected to meet July 17 to decide how to proceed with a possible ordinance. The group is gathering information to help draft a law that would require continuous emissions monitoring of new plants. Source: Erie Times News, 6/25/08

Rising oil prices and improvements in battery technology are fueling new interest in electric cars. Many car companies -- including industry giant General Motors and small start-up Tesla Motors -- are planning to release new vehicles in the next two years. Tonight on the NewsHour, Spencer Michels looks at the future of the electric car. Source: PBS Online NewsHour, 6/25/08

It ain't easy being green. But surprisingly, big-city dwellers have less of an environmental impact than their country cousins. According to a new report by the Brookings Institution released Thursday, residents of the 100 biggest metropolitan areas emit on average 2.47 metric tons of carbon per person per year, 14 percent less than the 2.87 ton American average. The cities with the smallest carbon footprint per capita: Honolulu, Los Angeles and metropolitan Portland. Source: Newsweek, 5/29/08