Rio Hondo Park uses recycled water for landscape irrigation

City may save up to 9 million gallons of drinking water annually COMMERCE, Calif. - Central Basin Municipal Water District has partnered with the City of Pico Rivera to connect the Rio Hondo Park to recycled water for landscape irrigation. This connection is the first park in Pico Rivera to receive recycled water. Several other parks will hopefully be connected in 2012. "Central Basin worked very closely with the city on this project," said Central Basin General Manager Art Aguilar. "Rio Hondo Park is the first of the city's parks to use recycled water and we are proud to have helped Pico Rivera achieve this important goal." Since February 2010, Central Basin has worked with the City to coordinate the logistics for the connection, which included constructing a lateral from the Southeast Water Reliability Project (SWRP) line down Pine Street, conducting shut down tests and ensuring that all health department requirements were met. While the city covered certain on-site retrofit costs, all other construction costs were covered through federal stimulus funds awarded to the District for construction of Phase 1 of SWRP. "Had it not been for the federal funding we received for the Southeast Water Reliability Project, we would not have been able to build the pipeline that made this possible," added Aguilar. "Recycled water use for non-potable purposes, like landscape irrigation, is necessary to ensure we have plenty of drinking water available for future use. The City is a great model for others to follow." Central Basin worked closely with the City to implement the park's potable service back-up and provide informational signage. As a result of the connection, the City will save an average of 27 acre-feet of drinking water per year at this site. That works out to saving nearly 9 million gallons of drinking water annually. (One acre-foot equals approximately 326,000 gallons, or enough water for two averaged-sized families for one year).

Melvin Wylie

29th Episode of GreenNews4U

Green Stand for your Smart Phone, Tablet & E-Book Let's talk tech… better yet Green Tech. Many people (like myself) are always looking for ways to display our gadgets. I hate just sitting my android phone and my tablet on a flat surface, I want it to be displayed on a stand so that when I get a text, e-mail, call or want watch a movie it's sitting right in front of me. I also don't like to spend money on something big and bulky or something that is proprietary to the phone especially when I'm only using it to sit my device on. Those things are expensive and not so eco-friendly and usually come in 2 colors… white or black. So what's the alternative? Sure you can make on (if you're a handy man) and I've seen some real fail homemade stands. So what's a tech guy or gal to do? On this episode I'll be taking a look at an environmentally friendly solution. To do this I have Garret Moore with Pliant Designs and a new product called E-Sill. Find their web page here

Melvin Wylie

NASA Satellite Confirms Sharp Decline in Pollution From U.S. Coal Power Plants

A team of scientists have used the Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) on NASA's Aura satellite to confirm major reductions in the levels of a key air pollutant generated by coal power plants in the eastern United States. The pollutant, sulfur dioxide, contributes to the formation of acid rain and can cause serious health problems. The scientists, led by an Environment Canada researcher, have shown that sulfur dioxide levels in the vicinity of major coal power plants have fallen by nearly half since 2005. The new findings, the first satellite observations of this type, confirm ground-based measurements of declining sulfur dioxide levels and demonstrate that scientists can potentially measure levels of harmful emissions throughout the world, even in places where ground monitoring is not extensive or does not exist. About two-thirds of sulfur dioxide pollution in American air comes from coal power plants. Geophysical Research Letters published details of the new research this month. The scientists attribute the decline in sulfur dioxide to the Clean Air Interstate Rule, a rule passed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in 2005 that called for deep cuts in sulfur dioxide emissions. In response to that rule, many power plants in the United States have installed desulfurization devices and taken other steps that limit the release of sulfur dioxide. The rule put a cap on emissions, but left it up to power companies to determine how to reduce emissions and allowed companies to trade pollution credits. While scientists have used the Ozone Monitoring Instrument to observe sulfur dioxide levels within large plumes of volcanic ash and over heavily polluted parts of China in the past, this is the first time they have observed such subtle details over the United States, a region of the world that in comparison to fast-growing parts of Asia now has relatively modest sulfur dioxide emissions. Just a few decades ago, sulfur dioxide pollution was quite severe in the United States. Levels of the pollutant have dropped by about 75 percent since the 1980s due largely to the passage of the Clean Air Act. Vitali Fioletov, a scientist based in Toronto at Environment Canada, and his colleagues developed a new mathematical approach that made the improved measurements a reality. The approach centers on averaging measurements within a 30 miles radius (50 km) of a sulfur dioxide source over several years. "Vitali has developed an extremely powerful technique that makes it possible to detect emissions even when levels of sulfur dioxide are about four times lower than what we could detect previously," said Nickolay Krotkov, a researcher based at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md., and a coauthor of the new paper. The technique allowed Fioletov and his colleagues to pinpoint the sulfur dioxide signals from the 40 largest sulfur dioxide sources in the United States – generally coal power plants that emit more than 70 kilotons of sulfur dioxide per year. The scientists observed major declines in sulfur dioxide emissions from power plants in Alabama, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia by comparing levels of the pollutant for an average of the period 2005 to 2007 with another average from 2008 to 2010. "What we're seeing in these satellite observations represents a major environmental accomplishment," said Bryan Bloomer, an Environmental Protection Agency scientist familiar with the new satellite observations. "This is a huge success story for the EPA and the Clean Air Interstate Rule," he said. The researchers focused their analysis on the United States to take advantage of the presence of a robust network of ground-based instruments that monitor sulfur dioxide emissions inside power plant smokestacks. The ground-based instruments have logged a 46 percent decline in sulfur dioxide levels since 2005 – a finding consistent with the 40 percent reduction observed by OMI. "Now that we've confirmed that the technique works, the next step is to use it for other parts of the world that don't have ground-based sensors," said Krotkov. "The real beauty of using satellites is that we can apply the same technique to the entire globe in a consistent way." In addition, the team plans to use a similar technique to monitor other important pollutants that coal power plants release, such as nitrogen dioxide, a precursor to ozone. OMI, a Dutch and Finnish built instrument, was launched in 2004, as one of four instruments on the NASA Aura satellite, and can measure sulfur dioxide more accurately than any satellite instrument flown to date. Though OMI remains in very good condition and scientists expect it to continue producing high-quality data for many years, the researchers also hope to use data from an upcoming Dutch-built OMI follow-on instrument called TROPOMI that is expected to launch on a European Space Agency satellite in 2014. On July 6, 2011, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) finalized the Cross-State Air Pollution Rule (CSAPR), requiring 27 states to significantly reduce power plant emissions that contribute to ozone and fine particle pollution in other states. This rule replaces EPA's 2005 Clean Air Interstate Rule (CAIR). A December 2008 court decision kept the requirements of CAIR in place temporarily but directed EPA to issue a new rule to implement Clean Air Act requirements concerning the transport of air pollution across state boundaries. This action responds to the court's concerns.

Melvin Wylie

Chicago's Uncommon Ground Named "Greenest" Restaurant in America

Chicago's north side Uncommon Ground has been named the "Greenest Restaurant in the Country" and will open their doors for a media tour and invite only reception next week. On December 13th Mayor Emmanuel's office, the Green Restaurant Association, and the Green Chicago Restaurant Coalition will be celebrating with Uncommon Ground for implementing 116 environmental steps making them a 4 Star Certified Green Restaurant in 2011. This honor is something that doesn't come lightly. With society shifting towards both eco and socially responsible initiatives, Uncommon Ground is setting the stage for restaurants across the nation to consider green and locally sourced options for cost savings and health benefits. With two locations in Chicago, Uncommon Ground is celebrating their 20th anniversary at the Lakeview establishment. The Devon location just celebrated its fourth anniversary and was named the number one green restaurant in America, with the Lakeview location topping the list at number two. "I'm proud to have in our City of Chicago the Greenest Restaurant in the Country," says Chicago Mayor Rahm Emmanuel. "Uncommon Ground is a great example of what our city can do and what our country can do, use water and energy more efficiently, grow more sustainable food, while boasting the world's most sustainable businesses." The independently-owned and operated restaurant produces no waste, powers its vehicle with used fryer oil, harnesses the sun to heat their water, and feeds customers with locally sourced, sustainably produced products, as well as from their own Rooftop Farm. From Uncommon Ground's beautifully appointed reclaimed wood amenities, to featuring the first Certified Organic Rooftop Farm in the nation, the owners Michael and Helen Cameron couldn't be more excited about the award. "We are proud to raise the bar and now be the Greenest Restaurants in the country," says Helen Cameron from Uncommon Ground. "We truly care about operating a Certified Green Restaurant and we challenge restaurants around the U.S. to exceed our record of environmental accomplishments. As an industry we have the potential to make a huge difference in taking better care of our planet - and ourselves." Each Certified Green Restaurant goes through a thorough process of certification to meet the Green Restaurant Association's (GRA) rigorous environmental standards. The GRA vets each step and point that each restaurant implements and the GRA audits each restaurant annually so that the restaurants' claims can be accurate. "We are proud of Uncommon Ground's incredible accomplishment of becoming the Greenest Restaurants in the Country," says Michael Oshman, Green Restaurant Association Founder and CEO. "Uncommon Ground is leading the way for American restaurants and the American economy, demonstrating that green practices are both good for the planet and the bottom line. They have truly raised the bar today of what all restaurants can accomplish." In addition to being named the Top Green Restaurant in America, Uncommon Ground has racked up a venerable who's who of awards in the industry including: - "Best New Restaurants" - Chicago Magazine 2008 - "First Certified Organic Roof Top Farm in the Country" - M.O.S.A. 2008 - "Recipient of the 'Governor Sustainability Award'" - 2010 & 2011 - "Winner of the 'Mayor's Landscape Award', City of Chicago" - 2009, 2010, & 2011 - "Winner of the prestigious 'USGBC Environ-motion Award'" - March, 2009 Uncommon Ground offers environmentally friendly, contemporary comfort cuisine with an emphasis on seasonal, regional and organic ingredients. The bar features famous house-infused organic cocktails, a selection of local craft beers and an eclectic American wine list. National music acts perform nightly in an intimate acoustic listening room while art openings feature local Chicago artists.

Melvin Wylie

Japan Urged to Recall Whaling Fleet & Abandon Dying Whale Meat Industry

The International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW; www.ifaw.org) is urging Japan to recall its whaling fleet which today left port for Antarctica to train its harpoons on around 1,000 whales. According to Japanese media reports, the country's whaling fleet is en route to the pristine Southern Ocean Sanctuary to kill up to 935 minke whales and 50 endangered fin whales, in defiance of global opposition and several international laws. Japan is believed to have provided around US$30 million in additional government security budget to protect the fleet this season. Japan hunts whales in the seas surrounding Antarctica under the loophole of "scientific whaling" despite the worldwide ban on commercial whaling. Patrick Ramage, Director of IFAW's Global Whale Programme, said: "We are disappointed although not surprised that Japan's whaling fleet has once more set sail for Antarctica to slaughter more whales. The reality, though, is that the whaling industry is dying and this is its last gasp. The economics show that whaling is unprofitable and a bad policy for the Japanese people as well as for whales." IFAW opposes whaling because it is cruel and unnecessary; there is simply no humane way to kill a whale. Footage of Japanese whaling analysed by IFAW scientists has shown whales can take more than half an hour to die. While whaling is uneconomic, whale watching offers a humane and profitable alternative to the cruelty of whaling, generating around US$2.1 billion annually for coastal communities. According to recent media reports the Australian Customs ship Ocean Protector, docked in Hobart, may be preparing to sail to the Southern Ocean to monitor the whaling season. Australian government ship Oceanic Viking has been used in the past to monitor Japanese whalers and the Australian government has presented a case against Japanese whaling in the Southern Ocean to the International Court of Justice. IFAW encourages all governments to take the strongest diplomatic action possible against Japan and call for an end to its whaling programme. During the last season of Southern Ocean whaling, the Japanese fleet headed back to port early with less than half of its self-allocated catch quota following pressure from many fronts.

Melvin Wylie

ACC $100K Clean Energy Challenge Open for Business (Ideas)

Entries Accepted from All Universities in the Southeastern United States COLLEGE PARK, Md - The $100K ACC Clean Energy Challenge, a new business plan competition encouraging students from all universities throughout the southeastern United States to develop business plans for new clean energy companies, is now accepting entries, competition officials announce today. The ACC Clean Energy Challenge, supported by the Department of Energy's (DOE) Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), invites business plans with commercialization potential in the clean energy space, including projects related to renewable energy, energy efficiency improvements and advanced fuels/vehicles. The winner of the competition will receive a $100,000 prize and compete in the DOE National Clean Energy Business Plan Finals in Washington, D.C., in summer 2012. The $100K ACC Clean Energy Challenge involves three rounds of submissions: an executive summary, business plan, and video pitch. Initial entries are due February 20, 2012. Finals will be held at the University of Maryland on April 25, 2012. The competition is open to graduate and undergraduate students actively enrolled in accredited colleges or universities in Alabama, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, Washington, D.C., and West Virginia. As part of the Obama Administration's effort to support and empower the next generation of American clean energy entrepreneurs, the Department of Energy awarded $360,000 for the ACC Clean Energy Challenge and a total of $2 million to the ACC and five additional regions in the U.S. as part of its inaugural nationwide network of student-focused clean energy business plan competitions over the next three years. Additional regional winners included the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the Northeast Region; the California Institute of Technology in the Western Region; Rice University in the Western Southwest Region; Chicago-based Clean Energy Trust in the Eastern Midwest Region; and the University of Colorado in the Western Midwest Region. The University of Maryland's Maryland Technology Enterprise Institute (Mtech) was selected as the principal lead for the Southeast competition. Interested students can find more information and enter at: www.accnrg.org. About the Maryland Technology Enterprise Institute (Mtech) The mission of Mtech is to educate the next generation of technology entrepreneurs, create successful technology ventures, and connect Maryland companies with university resources to help them succeed. Founded in 1983, Mtech has had a $25.7 billion impact on the Maryland economy and helped create or retain more than 5,300 jobs. Top-selling products such as MedImmune's Synagis®, which protects infants from a deadly respiratory disease, and Hughes Communications' HughesNet®, which brings satellite-based, high-speed Internet access to the world, were developed through or enhanced by our programs. Billion dollar companies such as Martek Biosciences and Digene Corporation graduated from our incubator. Mtech offers three experiential learning programs and 30 entrepreneurship and innovation courses, served to 1,244 enrollees in 2010, at the pre-college, undergraduate, graduate and executive education levels. For more information about Mtech, please visit www.mtech.umd.edu.

Melvin Wylie

Exemplary Sustainable Forestation Project Launched in Colombia

The forestry project was one of the first to be registered by the UN "Clean Development Mechanism" programme (CDM) for environmentally compatible developments. From 2012, Faber-Castell is expected to become the world's first private corporation authorized to deal in CO2 certificates from managed forests. In the north of Colombia, in the El Magdalena region where the land has been spoiled by excessive animal husbandry, 67 farmers are currently planting and looking after 1561 hectares of woodland as a source of timber for Faber-Castell. They provided part of their land that had previously been used mainly for grazing cattle; they now get an assured monthly income in return for taking care of the trees. The species planted is Gmelina arborea, commonly known as "Melina," a quick-growing deciduous tree that originally came from Asia and is particularly suitable for making pencils. The trunks attain a girth of 20 to 25 cm after seven years; after felling the farmers receive 30% of the proceeds from the timber. It is planned to extend the area of woodland to 3000 hectares (30 sq.km) by 2014. The Faber-Castell forestry project is part of a large-scale restructuring programme in the municipalities along the Rio Magdalena that have been seriously affected by overgrazing and soil erosion. A unique reforestation project, as confirmed by Jean-Guenole Cornet, a forest and climate expert at the Office Nationale des Forets (ONF), a French state-owned concern whose international subsidiary ONFI has been attempting since 2001 to halt the progressive deforestation in Colombia. "The municipalities along the Rio Magdalena were looking for a way out of the traditionally predominant cattle raising and its associated soil erosion, that regularly leads to flooding and crop failures," he said. "In all probability, Faber-Castell will be the first private company in the world that will shortly receive a certificate from the UNFCCC (United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change) for its CDM project." The certification will entitle it to deal in emission certificates, as foreseen by the Kyoto protocol to reduce world-wide emissions of carbon dioxide. Those are currently estimated by experts to be 33.5 thousand million tons of CO2 annually, which if continued in the long term will lead to global warming of at least 6 degrees Celsius – with disastrous consequences for the Earth. The climate conference in Durban that ended (9 December) is debating the necessary measures by industrialized and developing countries to protect the climate, but also the role of industry in reducing emissions. Faber-Castell has long exhibited a positive balance sheet in that respect. In the early 1980s, the world's largest manufacturer of wood-cased pencils took steps to assure a supply of environmentally compatible timber and initiated the reforestation of 10,000 hectares of pine forest in the state of Minas Gerais in the south-east of Brazil. The company-owned woodland and associated sawmill created some 500 jobs in a region that had previously also been largely given over to cattle grazing. The forests have been granted the FM (forest management) seal of quality by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC); they absorb many times the amount of carbon dioxide that the company generates in all its 14 production sites world-wide. At the same time, the woods are home to numerous plant and animal species, some of them threatened with extinction. For Count Anton Wolfgang von Faber-Castell, the eighth generation of his family to head the company, the new forestation project in Colombia is exemplary not just from an ecological point of view. "I am very pleased that we can offer the farmers long-term prospects and create jobs in a region marked by severe unemployment," he says. Besides producing high-quality products, Faber-Castell has a long tradition of social and ecological responsibility. A successful strategy, as it turns out: in the last fiscal year (2010/11), it achieved a group turnover of 540 million euros, 19% more than the previous year.

Melvin Wylie