Environmental News

MSU Office of Campus Sustainability is promoting June as "green purchasing month." Source: Michigan State University, 6/4/13

U.S. chain restaurants and a group of congressmen are launching an assault against biofuels on the grounds that fuel produced from crops like corn are pushing up food prices. Source: Smart Planet, 6/17/13

A new database of building features and energy use data helps building managers, owners, real estate investors and lenders evaluate the financial results of energy efficiency investment projects and identify high- and low-performing buildings. Source: R&D Magazine, 6/18/13

Twenty-three global hotel companies have developed a standard way to measure carbon emissions through the Hotel Carbon Measurement Initiative. Source: GreenBiz, 6/12/13

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) chemical engineers have devised a cheaper way to synthesize a key biofuel component, which could make its industrial production much more cost effective. The compound, known as gamma-valerolactone (GVL), is attractive because of its versatility, says Yuriy Roman, an ass. prof. of chemical engineering and leader of the research team. It has more energy than ethanol and could be used on its own or as an additive to other fuels. GVL could also be useful as a "green" solvent or a building block for creating renewable polymers from sustainable materials. Source: R&D Magazine, 6/17/13

Federal regulators have ordered Minnesota to impose more stringent limits on pollutants discharged into the state's lakes and rivers, an unusual step that could threaten state authority to enforce the nation's clean-water laws. Source: Governing, 6/14/13

The Sustainable Apparel Coalition (SAC) has launched the Materials Sustainability Index (MSI) web tool as a new component to the Higg Index suite of sustainability tools for the apparel and footwear industries. Source: Environmental Leader, 6/14/13

NEWMAN, CA -- Discarded computers are providing a hands-on learning opportunity for members of a local Boy Scout troop exploring the world of technology. Tearing apart and rebuilding computers have been part of the routine for Scouts in Troop 83, led by Scoutmaster Kevin Rapoza. Along with the learning experience, some Scouts now have computers of their own as a result of their efforts. Source: Westsideconnect.com, 6/5/13

The Max Tech and Beyond Design Competition promotes the design and development of ultra-efficient appliances and equipment. Managed by the Building Technologies Office and the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBL), the program sponsors faculty-led student teams at United States-based universities through annual competitions. Applications are now being accepted for the 2013-2014 academic year, with up to $25,000 in funding available for qualifying teams. LBL opened the Request for Proposal on May 24, 2013, and will stop taking proposals on July 8, 2013. Source: U.S. Department of Energy, 6/13/13

To survive and prosper in a rapidly shifting business landscape, companies must constantly evolve. One example of this evolution is seen when forward thinking leaders incorporate sustainability into their business strategy. A successful sustainability strategy depends upon embracing a fundamental shift in an organization's way of doing business, an eagerness to find new ways of identifying challenges and seizing opportunities. Effective leaders recognize that their organizations will thrive through creativity and innovation. But it's one thing to decide to be innovative; it's another entirely to make innovation an integral part of your corporate culture. Source: Environmental Leader, 6/12/13

How one food-service company is trying to transform America's food system, one sustainable purchase at a time. Source: Ensia, 6/11/13