I know you are interested in being green if you happened to be reading Solarion. So how about a Green Job? TreeHugger has a good post and now I might stop Green blogging and some real green work.!
No, once I finish Solarifying my home, and completely independent, off the grid, I will look for a job!
tag: Solarifying, Green Jobs, Off the grid, Green blogging
Friday, February 29, 2008
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
EPA Pressed Over California Clean Air Act?
It looks like EPA has been pressed to deny Clean Air Act waiver requested last december. California requested to reduce vehicle greenhouse gas emissions last December and EPA turned down the request. In denying the waiver, EPA Administrator Stephen Johnson said that a national approach would be better and that California had not demonstrated a compelling need for the law, which would have forced automakers to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 30 percent in new cars and light trucks by 2016.
The Clean Air Act gives California special authority to regulate vehicle pollution because the state began such regulations before the federal government. But a federal waiver is required, and if California gets one, then other states can adopt California's standards, too.
Twelve other states — Connecticut, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington — had adopted California's tailpipe standards and the governors of Arizona, Colorado, Florida and Utah had said they also plan to adopt them. The rules were under consideration elsewhere, too.
tag: Clean Air Act, EPA, California clean air act, vehicle greenhouse gas emissions, greenhouse gas emissions
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Upper Cape towns (New England) Residents Needed to Join EPA’s Massachusetts Military Reservation Impact Area Review Team (IART).
(Boston, Mass. – Feb. 19, 2008) – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) New England Office announced today that they are seeking new members from the Upper Cape towns to join EPA’s Impact Area Review Team (IART).
EPA established the Impact Area Review Team in 1997 to provide a forum for local citizens to assist EPA in ensuring a thorough and timely investigation and cleanup of Camp Edwards.
The IART provides advice to the EPA, the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection and the U.S. Army Environmental Command on the cleanup of groundwater contamination and its sources on or emanating from Camp Edwards on the northern part of the Massachusetts Military Reservation.
“The Impact Area Review Team serves as an important forum for community input, information exchange and education. Cape citizens have clearly played an instrumental role in advancing the investigations and cleanup underway at Camp Edwards,” said Robert Varney, regional administrator for EPA New England. “I encourage area citizens to take a look at the team and consider joining us in our efforts to understand and address the wide range of community concerns about the cleanup going on at the base just beyond their backyards and neighborhoods.“
As members of the IART, citizens can provide feedback on investigation and cleanup decisions, help evaluate the progress of cleanups, and recommend approaches to keep the public informed and involved. A scientific or technical background is helpful, but not required. Town residents from areas adjoining Camp Edwards in Bourne and Sandwich are particularly encouraged to seek membership on the IART.
The IART meets regularly on the fourth Tuesday evening of each month at various locations in the Upper Cape area. The next meeting will be held on Tuesday, April 22 at 6:00 p.m. at the Massachusetts Military Reservation Welcome Center on the base.
If you are a resident of Bourne, Sandwich, Falmouth or Mashpee and would like to become an active member of the IART or attend a future meeting, please contact Jim Murphy, EPA’s Community Involvement Coordinator at 617-918-1028, or toll-free at 1-888-372-7341, extension 81028, or by e-mail at murphy.jim@epa.gov
tag: EPA, IART, Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection, U.S. Army Environmental Command, groundwater contamination
EPA established the Impact Area Review Team in 1997 to provide a forum for local citizens to assist EPA in ensuring a thorough and timely investigation and cleanup of Camp Edwards.
The IART provides advice to the EPA, the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection and the U.S. Army Environmental Command on the cleanup of groundwater contamination and its sources on or emanating from Camp Edwards on the northern part of the Massachusetts Military Reservation.
“The Impact Area Review Team serves as an important forum for community input, information exchange and education. Cape citizens have clearly played an instrumental role in advancing the investigations and cleanup underway at Camp Edwards,” said Robert Varney, regional administrator for EPA New England. “I encourage area citizens to take a look at the team and consider joining us in our efforts to understand and address the wide range of community concerns about the cleanup going on at the base just beyond their backyards and neighborhoods.“
As members of the IART, citizens can provide feedback on investigation and cleanup decisions, help evaluate the progress of cleanups, and recommend approaches to keep the public informed and involved. A scientific or technical background is helpful, but not required. Town residents from areas adjoining Camp Edwards in Bourne and Sandwich are particularly encouraged to seek membership on the IART.
The IART meets regularly on the fourth Tuesday evening of each month at various locations in the Upper Cape area. The next meeting will be held on Tuesday, April 22 at 6:00 p.m. at the Massachusetts Military Reservation Welcome Center on the base.
If you are a resident of Bourne, Sandwich, Falmouth or Mashpee and would like to become an active member of the IART or attend a future meeting, please contact Jim Murphy, EPA’s Community Involvement Coordinator at 617-918-1028, or toll-free at 1-888-372-7341, extension 81028, or by e-mail at murphy.jim@epa.gov
tag: EPA, IART, Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection, U.S. Army Environmental Command, groundwater contamination
Evergreen California Leads The Nation In ENERGY STAR Buildings
As usual California is leading the nation in ENERGY STAR buildings with 917 of these buildings in the state. These buildings that cover about 177 million square feet of space saves $199 billion annually just from energy bills. But it is more than that as this also translate in to 1.6 Billion pounds of green house gas emission reduction. Well done California, Please keep it up.
(San Francisco, Calif.) Finding energy efficient schools, supermarkets, offices and other facilities throughout the country has become even easier for Americans interested in being green. Now we can find the ENERGY STAR not only where we live but where we work, shop, learn and play. The number of commercial buildings and manufacturing plants to earn the ENERGY STAR for superior energy efficiency is up by more than 25 percent in the past year, and the amount of carbon dioxide emissions reduced has reached an all-time high of more than 25 billion pounds.
California is home to 917 ENERGY STAR-qualified buildings representing approximately 177 million square feet of space and saving an estimated $199 billion annually in lower energy bills, while meeting industry standards for comfort and indoor air quality. These buildings also prevent 1.6 billion pounds of greenhouse gas emissions, equivalent to the emissions from more than 135,000 vehicles.
"Building owners in California are taking important steps to reduce their carbon footprint by creating ENERGY STAR buildings,” said Wayne Nastri, EPA administrator for the Pacific Southwest region. “They realize they can reduce energy costs without sacrificing comfort or tenant satisfaction."
In the U.S., 4,056 office buildings, schools, hospitals, and public buildings have earned the U.S. EPA's ENERGY STAR for superior energy and environmental performance, including 1,400 in 2007 alone.
Commercial buildings that have earned the ENERGY STAR use nearly 40 percent less energy than average buildings and emit 35 percent less carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. About 500 ENERGY STAR buildings use 50 percent less energy than average buildings. Many of these buildings excel due to good energy management practices such as routine energy efficiency benchmarking.
Energy use in commercial buildings and manufacturing plants account for nearly half of the total U.S. greenhouse gas emissions and nearly 50 percent of energy consumption nationwide. For more than a decade, EPA has worked with businesses to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through strategic energy management practices. There are ENERGY STAR qualified facilities across the country. To qualify for the ENERGY STAR, a building or manufacturing plant must score in the top 25 percent using EPA’s National Energy Performance Rating System.
ENERGY STAR was introduced by EPA in 1992 as a voluntary, market-based partnership to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through energy efficiency. In 2006, Americans, with the help of ENERGY STAR, saved about $14 billion on their energy bills and prevented greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to those from 25 million vehicles.
To learn more about ENERGY STAR visit: http://www.energystar.gov/buildings. To see a complete list of California ENERGY STAR buildings, visit: http://www.energystar.gov/LabeledList .
(San Francisco, Calif.) Finding energy efficient schools, supermarkets, offices and other facilities throughout the country has become even easier for Americans interested in being green. Now we can find the ENERGY STAR not only where we live but where we work, shop, learn and play. The number of commercial buildings and manufacturing plants to earn the ENERGY STAR for superior energy efficiency is up by more than 25 percent in the past year, and the amount of carbon dioxide emissions reduced has reached an all-time high of more than 25 billion pounds.
California is home to 917 ENERGY STAR-qualified buildings representing approximately 177 million square feet of space and saving an estimated $199 billion annually in lower energy bills, while meeting industry standards for comfort and indoor air quality. These buildings also prevent 1.6 billion pounds of greenhouse gas emissions, equivalent to the emissions from more than 135,000 vehicles.
"Building owners in California are taking important steps to reduce their carbon footprint by creating ENERGY STAR buildings,” said Wayne Nastri, EPA administrator for the Pacific Southwest region. “They realize they can reduce energy costs without sacrificing comfort or tenant satisfaction."
In the U.S., 4,056 office buildings, schools, hospitals, and public buildings have earned the U.S. EPA's ENERGY STAR for superior energy and environmental performance, including 1,400 in 2007 alone.
Commercial buildings that have earned the ENERGY STAR use nearly 40 percent less energy than average buildings and emit 35 percent less carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. About 500 ENERGY STAR buildings use 50 percent less energy than average buildings. Many of these buildings excel due to good energy management practices such as routine energy efficiency benchmarking.
Energy use in commercial buildings and manufacturing plants account for nearly half of the total U.S. greenhouse gas emissions and nearly 50 percent of energy consumption nationwide. For more than a decade, EPA has worked with businesses to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through strategic energy management practices. There are ENERGY STAR qualified facilities across the country. To qualify for the ENERGY STAR, a building or manufacturing plant must score in the top 25 percent using EPA’s National Energy Performance Rating System.
ENERGY STAR was introduced by EPA in 1992 as a voluntary, market-based partnership to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through energy efficiency. In 2006, Americans, with the help of ENERGY STAR, saved about $14 billion on their energy bills and prevented greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to those from 25 million vehicles.
To learn more about ENERGY STAR visit: http://www.energystar.gov/buildings. To see a complete list of California ENERGY STAR buildings, visit: http://www.energystar.gov/LabeledList .
Is Your Copier Green?
Environmental protection Agency, EPA has started a new standard for copiers and other similar imaging machines. These will join other EPEAT products such as notebooks, desktops, monitors and integrated systems that follow international standards in manufacturing, distributing and eventual discard of these machines in environmentally safe manner.
SAN FRANCISCO – The U. S. Environmental Protection Agency is launching this week the first steps toward new green standards for copiers and other imaging devices. This effort builds on the success of EPEAT - an on-line tool to help institutional buyers identify and buy greener electronic equipment.
On February 20, 2008 EPA will host a two-day roundtable to kick-off the development process for the new environmental standards. The forum will bring together representatives from manufacturers, suppliers, public and private sector purchasers, public interest groups and experts in electronics design to define the scope of the products to be covered, look at other standards and labels, and begin to develop potential environmental performance criteria for the new standards.
“EPEAT is a trusted resource for buyers looking for greener computers, because it was developed by all the stakeholders,” said David Jones, Associate Director of the Waste Division in EPA’s Pacific Southwest region. “The success of EPEAT has led to significant environmental benefits. EPA is committed to supporting stakeholder efforts to now reduce the impact of printers and copiers as well.”
EPEAT – the electronic product environmental assessment tool – was launched in 2006, focusing on desktop and laptop computers and monitors. It includes a set of environmental criteria and a system for registering and verifying equipment that meets those criteria. EPEAT-registered computers have reduced levels of toxics, are more energy efficient, are easier to upgrade and recycle, and use more sustainable packaging than conventional equipment. EPA supported the development of EPEAT, but it is now a largely self-sustaining system operated by the Green Electronics Council.
Purchasers have embraced EPEAT enthusiastically. Nearly all electronic equipment purchases by the U.S. government must be EPEAT-registered. In addition, more than six states and dozens of local governments and colleges and universities have adopted EPEAT in their procurement for computers. Major private companies are using the tool as well. That success has driven demand by purchasers for additional products to be added to EPEAT.
The February 20th workshop will begin a 12-18 month process to craft the criteria for imaging devices. EPA will not develop the new standard itself, but is providing funding and staff support to bring stakeholders together to do so. The standard will be finalized the IEEE Standards Association.
For information on the EPEAT standard and the searchable database listing all EPEAT-registered computer products, visit: http://www.epeat.net. Additional information on the Green Electronics Council is available at http://www.greenelectronicscouncil.org.
tag: EPA, EPEAT, IEEE Standards, green copier
SAN FRANCISCO – The U. S. Environmental Protection Agency is launching this week the first steps toward new green standards for copiers and other imaging devices. This effort builds on the success of EPEAT - an on-line tool to help institutional buyers identify and buy greener electronic equipment.
On February 20, 2008 EPA will host a two-day roundtable to kick-off the development process for the new environmental standards. The forum will bring together representatives from manufacturers, suppliers, public and private sector purchasers, public interest groups and experts in electronics design to define the scope of the products to be covered, look at other standards and labels, and begin to develop potential environmental performance criteria for the new standards.
“EPEAT is a trusted resource for buyers looking for greener computers, because it was developed by all the stakeholders,” said David Jones, Associate Director of the Waste Division in EPA’s Pacific Southwest region. “The success of EPEAT has led to significant environmental benefits. EPA is committed to supporting stakeholder efforts to now reduce the impact of printers and copiers as well.”
EPEAT – the electronic product environmental assessment tool – was launched in 2006, focusing on desktop and laptop computers and monitors. It includes a set of environmental criteria and a system for registering and verifying equipment that meets those criteria. EPEAT-registered computers have reduced levels of toxics, are more energy efficient, are easier to upgrade and recycle, and use more sustainable packaging than conventional equipment. EPA supported the development of EPEAT, but it is now a largely self-sustaining system operated by the Green Electronics Council.
Purchasers have embraced EPEAT enthusiastically. Nearly all electronic equipment purchases by the U.S. government must be EPEAT-registered. In addition, more than six states and dozens of local governments and colleges and universities have adopted EPEAT in their procurement for computers. Major private companies are using the tool as well. That success has driven demand by purchasers for additional products to be added to EPEAT.
The February 20th workshop will begin a 12-18 month process to craft the criteria for imaging devices. EPA will not develop the new standard itself, but is providing funding and staff support to bring stakeholders together to do so. The standard will be finalized the IEEE Standards Association.
For information on the EPEAT standard and the searchable database listing all EPEAT-registered computer products, visit: http://www.epeat.net. Additional information on the Green Electronics Council is available at http://www.greenelectronicscouncil.org.
tag: EPA, EPEAT, IEEE Standards, green copier
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