Control Climate Change

AFP - Asian airlines and tourist firms are too complacent about the urgent need to address global warming, industry leaders warned at a conference on climate change.

Visitors to National Trust sites will now have to pay for carrier bags at the charity's shops.

AFP - Global warming could take a break in the next decade thanks to a natural shift in ocean circulations, although Earth's temperature will rise as previously expected over the longer term, according to a study published on Thursday in the British journal Nature.

AFP - Global warming could take a break in the next decade thanks to a natural shift in ocean circulations, although Earth's temperature will rise as previously expected over the longer term, according to a study published on Thursday in the British journal Nature.

Date: 4/30/2008

This fact sheet provides an overview of the U.S. Department of Energy's Wind Powering America program. When the Wind Powering America (WPA) partnership was launched in 2000, there were 2,500 megawatts (MW) of installed wind capacity in the United States. By the end of 2007, the U.S. installed capacity exceeded 16,000 MW, and 17 states now have more than 100 MW installed. According to the President's 2006 Advanced Energy Initiative, areas with good wind resources have the potential to provide up to 20% of our nation's electrical supply. WPA works to make this a reality by focusing on six program areas: state-based activities, rural economic development, public power partnerships, wind power for Native Americans, wind for schools, and distributed wind.

Recruitment company Allen & York has been named as sponsor for the Best Employer category of edie's Awards for Environmental Excellence, which will be held in November.

AFP - Nobel Peace Prize recipient Rajendra Pachauri Tuesday warned tourism industry chiefs they need to reduce their impact on climate change as consumers become more environmentally aware.

Date: 5/22/2008
Location: DC

1:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. Eastern
Public sector entities are helping meet their energy needs with on-site renewable energy facilities. One key to the long-term success of an on-site renewable project is financing: how will construction be funded and what incentives can be leveraged to ensure the financial feasibility of the project? In addition to county case studies, this Webinar will cover:

• Financing options available to counties
• Performance contracting as a deal structure
• Government, utility, and market incentives for on-site renewable energy projects
• Monetizing the attributes of renewable energy, such as renewable energy credits (REC's), Energy Efficiency Certificates (EECs)

Registration

The Webinar is free thanks to the generous support of Green Government sponsors. The primary intended audience is any elected official or county staff; however anyone interested in learning more about the county role in green government practices is encouraged to register.

Please see the Web site for more information.

Date: 10/26/2008 to 10/29/2008
Location: Denver , CO

For over a decade, the National Renewable Energy Marketing Conference has been the industry’s paramount annual gathering attended by leading renewable energy and green power industry stakeholders. Each year the most influential key players, including power marketers, renewable energy developers, retail and wholesale green power suppliers, electric utilities, equipment manufacturers, government agencies, energy consultants and nonprofit experts gather to listen to their peers present on the major issues facing the industry.

Date: 11/3/2008
Location: DC

2:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. Eastern
Wind turbine installations have many communities perplexed about the complexity of the installation. Learn about the challenges and steps your county can take to ensure a successful project. In addition to county case studies, this Webinar will cover:

• Pros and Cons of wind turbine installations
• Review of a due diligence checklist — from environmental concerns to siting codes
• Wind energy trends

Registration

The Webinar is free thanks to the generous support of Green Government sponsors. The primary intended audience is any elected official or county staff; however anyone interested in learning more about the county role in green government practices is encouraged to register.

New figures have revealed that Ireland more than doubled its EU electronic recycling target in 2007.

Justin Francis invites your nominations for our Virgin Holidays Responsible Tourism Awards 2008, which celebrate the future of travelling in a sensitive, sustainable way - that benefits local people and destinations. Make a nomination and you could even win a holiday for 2 to India!

We need your help!
There are 13 categories this year including, for the first time, Best Responsible Cruise Operator. The cruise and ferry industry has received a great deal of attention recently concerning its impact on local environments and our aim is to encourage and reward positive and innovative changes.

Last year, we received more than 1,700 nominations from the public for tourist ventures across the globe. You are our eyes and ears – and conscience.

Do you have a favourite hotel or tour operator, in the UK or abroad, that you think is leading the way in this kind of tourism?

Perhaps you have visited a destination which particularly struck you in its commitment to responsible tourism?

Do you know someone who works in the tourism industry whose passion for thoughtful travel shines through?

We would love to hear from you before our deadline of Monday 16 June.

Read more about the launch here or nominate in the awards here.

British Loose Leaf has been awarded the Corporate Express 2007 Service Excellence Award for Corporate Social Responsibility.

The race for 100 mpg gets a very sweet reward.

Bisphenol A (BPA) is a chemical produced in large quantities for use mainly in the production of polycarbonate plastics and epoxy resins.

Phthalates are a group of chemicals used in the manufacture of plastics. Here's how they may affect your health.

Phthalates are a group of chemicals used in the manufacture of plastics. Here's how they may affect your health.

Phthalates are a group of chemicals used to soften and increase the flexibility of plastic and vinyl. They are used in hundreds of consumer products. Are they harmful?

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced a new project for the hotel and hospitality industry in Ireland.

One Australian state is going it alone in the plastic bag wars after state and federal ministers failed to reach a national consensus on a ban.

Do you feel daunted by the prospect of planning your next holiday - overloaded with information, destinations and glossy images? We have compiled a few simple steps to guide you and help you find out what is the right trip for you. Take a look at our guide on choosing the right holiday here and let us know if you have any tips of your own.

Learning about ways to help the environment is one thing. Turning that knowledge into action is another thing altogether.

David Gershon understands this and has developed a plan to move people on to this next step by turning their awareness into action.

Gershon’s Global Action Plan for the Earth (GAP) involves a six-month program to bring households into environmental balance. The plan also entails forming eco-teams among groups of 10 or 12 neighbors, friends or family members to work together in completing the program.

“Earth Day woke everyone up,” said Gershon. “But questions arose — ‘Where do I start and does what I do make a difference?’– so I built this program aimed at those questions.”

Gershon has written a workbook outlining various ways households can make a difference. The book is broken into six different sections, each describing a month’s worth of tasks to help the environment.

During the first month, an eco-team looks at reducing their garbage. Month two, homewoners consider water efficiency and delve into changing both plumbing fixtures and water-wasting habits. Other topics include boosting home energy efficiency, improving transportation practices, being an environmental consumer and, during the sixth and final month, empowering others.

During a pilot program, 500 U.S. households went through the program, Gershon said. Another 500 are in the middle of the GAP workbook now, and currently programs are being developed in Australia, Canada, Germany, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, the Soviet Union and Great Britain.

The final piece in GAP’s overall program involves feedback. Results from the actions of all eco-teams will be collected and compiled. To that end, Cray Research, a Minneapolis-based computer company, is building an environmental-feedback data system for GAP.

“With the feedback, we can know that our actions are actually helping,” Gershon said. “And that exposure will empower further action by demonstrating that progress toward global goals is possible — and that it is happening.”

Cray Research also has ordered 5,000 GAP workbooks for its employees. The company is the first major corporation to commit itself to the GAP program, Gershon said.

“Cray Research’s leadership in this area provides an exciting opportunity for us to again set standards for other corporations to follow,” said Rick Magyar, an engineering writer with the firm.

In another effort to spread the word about GAP, Whole Foods Markets, a natural foods supermarket chain based in Austin, Texas, has purchased 10,000 workbooks to distribute through its stores. Still more possibilities for distribution are in the works, Gershon added.

“The program is designed as a tool to move the wheel,” he said. “We want to make it available to all environmentally oriented groups. I see it expanding exponentially over the years.”

GAP is a non-profit organization, funded through grants, donations and sales of its workbooks. For more information, write the Global Action Plan, 57A Krumville Road, Olivebridge, NY, 12491. Or call (914) 657-8081.

(Tip/Stat) Recycled aluminum requires about 90 percent less energy to produce than when using virgin materials.

Technorati Tags: earth news, home energy, energy efficiency, environmental actions, earth news media, earth day, global action plans, eco-friendly, greenhouses, eco-team

Date: 4/16/2008
American Wind Energy Association.

Provides resources for job seekers and employers/recruiters in the wind energy field. You can view and post jobs, resumes, and create your own account.

Date: 4/16/2008
American Wind Energy Association.

Provides resources for job seekers and employers/recruiters in the wind energy field. You can view and post jobs, resumes, and create your own account.

Date: 10/14/2008
Location: Davis , WV

8:30 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.

Date: 12/11/2009

Source: American Wind Energy Association.

Provides resources for job seekers and employers/recruiters in the wind energy field. You can view and post jobs, resumes, and create your own account.

Date: 4/14/2008
Stacia Cudd, National Association of Farm Broadcasting News Service.

Audio with Travis Brown, Renewable Energy Community Service Specialist at the Texas Office of Rural Community Affairs (MP3 2.2 MB) Download Windows Media Player. Time: 00:02:19

In 2001, the Texas Legislature created the Office of Rural Community Affairs. The state agency works to strengthen rural communities and assist them with community and economic development. Since 2002, the agency has awarded thousands of grants to help rural communities and counties with their community and economic development needs.

With that in mind, Renewable Energy Community Service Specialist Travis Brown says it's easy to understand why the office is interested in wind energy development.

"Texas is now the biggest wind producing state in the country by far. And you can see the evidence on the ground in west Texas and the panhandle on how big wind farms have really helped rural communities improve quality of life."

Brown says wind brings a variety of benefits to rural Texas communities.

"Number one is new, good quality jobs that enables young people to stay in their communities. Wind power, having the wind farms, they need those turbines maintained and there's a lot of other related jobs tied into that."

In addition to jobs, Brown says wind energy generates new tax revenues for schools. In fact, he says a typical 1.5 megawatt wind turbine generates about 10-thousand dollars in new tax revenues each year.

"There's a little town called Trent, just west of Abilene, Texas, and if you're driving along the Interstate, one of those places if you blink you'll miss it. But one thing you will see there is a brand new school building. And it's really interesting because behind the school building there's a mesa, and along that mesa is a line of wind turbines and the tax revenues from those wind turbines is what built that new school."

But will wind become as big an economic driver in rural Texas as oil and gas? According to Brown, it's already happening to some extent.

"Out in the town of McCamey, out in far west Texas, used to be oil and gas basically and has suffered as that industry has declined out there. They've been known for a long time as the wind capital of the U.S. and that's their claim to fame as opposed to oil and gas. It's going to be a long time though, I mean, you know, oil and gas still is the big driver of the Texas economy and will be for a long time."

There's now more than four-thousand megawatts of wind energy installed in Texas and another 12-hundred megawatts is currently under construction.

Current ethanol comes from corn. Although many companies have tried to promote it as the solution to America's dependence on foreign oil, the current product does not live up to this promise ... yet. Corn ethanol has downsides such as reduced fuel economy, water pollution and can even contribute to higher food prices. Attention has switched to cellulosic ethanol made from non-food resources such as switchgrass, but the process has not been perfected.

Many people perceive responsible travel to be about paying a lot of money to stay in a mud hut on a deserted island somewhere in the middle of nowhere. We set the story straight here and we'd love to hear your views...