Mary Kay Henry named president of the SEIU

WASHINGTON — Saturday marked an historic occasion for the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) as it elected the first woman to the head of the politically influential organization, according to the Los Angeles Times.

Mary Kay Henry, whose goal is to continue to maintain the union's strong political force, with hope for a meeting with President Barack Obama in the near future, was elected for her promise to "restore relations with the American labor movement," the story stated.

According to the story, Henry has made it known that she wishes to settle an on-going dispute between the SEIU and the Union of Needletrades, Industrial and Textile Employees-Hotel Employees and Restaurant Employees International Union (UNITE-HERE), both of which are battle over jurisdiction over some 300,000 hotel, gaming, airport and other workers nationwide.

Until her rise to the role of president, Henry was fairly unknown in the labor union field and detractors of her appointment have cited her lack of time served in the ranks as a detriment to the union, the story noted.

Stan Lyles, a SEIU steward at Northridge Hospital Medical Center, said: "Mary Kay is the kind of person who can communicate and tell you the facts. She listens to the members."

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OSHA cites Jersey City firm with 36 violations

JERSEY CITY — A Jersey City manufacturer has been cited for three dozen violations and fined nearly $160,000 by the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), according to The Jersey Journal.

Importers Service Corp. failed to lock out energy sources and exposed workers during the maintenance and repair of equipment to potential injuries, the article stated.

OSHA initiated its inspection on November 10 as part of a program designed for industries with high injury and illness rates.

The company, which OSHA says has 36 employees, received citations for two willful violations, with a penalty of $98,000; 33 serious violations, with a penalty of $60,500; and one other-than-serious violation, which carries no penalty, the article noted.

According to the article, the serious violations include a lack of training, electrical hazards, inadequate personal protective equipment, failing to implement an adequate hazard communication and respiratory protection program and failing to properly handle confined spaces.

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2010 Federal Summit convenes in Washington

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Green Building Council's (USGBC) seventh annual Federal Summit convened at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center in Washington, D.C. for a two-day exchange of ideas on how to best meet the goals of increased sustainability in existing buildings and communities in order to significantly impact the environment and economy, according to Green Building Pro.

High level officials from throughout the federal sector, including Administrator Martha N. Johnson, U.S. General Services Administration, and Deputy Administrator Bob Perciasepe, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), discussed topics such as the current state of sustainability in the federal government, the article stated.

"Considerable progress has been made on the path to sustainability in all parts of the United States with stimulus funds supporting the improvement of government buildings at the federal, state and local levels," said Rick Fedrizzi, president, chief operating officer (CEO) and founding chair of USGBC.

Fedrizzi added, "By working together to change the way we design, build and operate buildings, implement best practices and utilize green building programs, we can dramatically improve the performance of our public building stock."

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OSHA begins cracking down

WASHINGTON DC — Pushing a bit harder at the constraints of its administrative authority, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) announced a new enforcement policy for employers who "demonstrate indifference to their responsibilities under the law," according to Business and Legal Resources.

The intent of OSHA's Severe Violator Enforcement Program (SVEP) is to identify and punish employers who, in OSHA's view, repeatedly violate worker safety standards, the article stated.

According to the article, the "instruction" describing SVEP replaces OSHA's Enhanced Enforcement Program (EEP).

Significant changes from EEP include targeting high-emphasis hazards (fall hazards, amputations, combustible dust, crystalline silica, excavation/trenching, lead and ship breaking); inspections of other workplaces of the same employer where similar hazards and deficiencies may be present; and a nationwide referral procedure for U.S. OSHA regions and state plan states, the article noted.

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Rogue Community College LEEDs the way

MEDFORD, OR — The Higher Education Center in downtown Medford has received an advanced certification for environmentally friendly construction from the U.S. Green Building Council, joining an elite league of universities in the Western United States, according to the Mail Tribune.

The three-story, 68,700-square-foot education center, which opened in September 2008, is jointly operated by Southern Oregon University (SOU) and Rogue Community College (RCC), the article noted.

"With the emphasis on sustainability at SOU, achieving the LEED Platinum certification and being first in the Oregon University System was a very high priority for us," said Larry Blake, SOU planning and sustainability officer, who headed up the certification process for about the past three years.

"LEED Platinum certification is eventually going to become commonplace, but it's certainly a distinction for us now. We are trying to raise the profile of sustainability of this institution, and this is an important step," Blake added.

The Higher Education Center features heat wheels that transfer energy from exhaust air to pre-heat and pre-cool fresh air, occupancy sensors that control light, heating and air conditioning use and a 56-kilowatt solar array on the roof that produces 6 percent of the building's power supply, among other items, the article stated.

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Don't let those bed bugs bite!

UNITED KINGDOM — Research suggests that while an unmade bed may look scruffy it is also unappealing to dust mites thought to cause asthma and other allergies, according to the BBC.

A Kingston University study discovered the bugs cannot survive in the warm, dry conditions found in an unmade bed, the article noted.

The warm, damp conditions created in an occupied bed are ideal for the creatures, but they are less likely to thrive when moisture is in shorter supply, the article stated.

Researcher Dr. Stephen Pretlove said: "We know that mites can only survive by taking in water from the atmosphere using small glands on the outside of their body."

"Something as simple as leaving a bed unmade during the day can remove moisture from the sheets and mattress so the mites will dehydrate and eventually die," Pretlove added.

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Empire State Building achieves ENERGY STAR goal

NEW YORK — The ground-breaking energy efficiency work at the Empire State Building has achieved a milestone on its journey for sustainability leadership in the commercial real estate community by receiving an ENERGY STAR rating of 90 from the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), according to a press release.

The designation for the Empire State Building signifies that the property's energy performance is in the top tenth percentile of all commercial office buildings, new and old, across the nation. An ENERGY STAR rating of 90 was a stated objective in the iconic property's overall sustainability retrofit initiative launched in April 2009, the release stated.

In April 2009 President Bill Clinton, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, and the Empire State Building partnership team consisting of the Clinton Climate Initiative, Johnson Controls, Jones Lang LaSalle, and the Rocky Mountain Institute announced details of an energy retrofit as part of a $550 million upgrade program, the release noted.

Anthony E. Malkin of Malkin Holdings, which directs the operation of the international icon on behalf of building owner Empire State Building Company, stated, "Receiving an ENERGY STAR rating of 90 out of 100 is a significant accomplishment for any building, and an especially groundbreaking accomplishment for our Pre-War Trophy Empire State Building."

"With the building's overall energy efficiency retrofit project still in progress, we may see a higher number when all of the initiatives are completed," Malkin added.

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University of Illinois makes plans to improve sustainability

CHAMPAIGN, IL — With the release of the Office of Sustainability's Illinois Climate Action Plan (iCAP), the University of Illinois pledged to take steps toward carbon neutrality, less energy use and overall improved sustainability in the future, according to the Daily Illini.

As part of the university's signing of the American College and University Presidents' Climate Commitment in 2008, the plan calls for carbon neutrality by 2050, which refers to net zero carbon emissions, the article stated.

Tom Abram, sustainability coordinator for facilities and services, said in addition to energy reduction, the plan calls for a "significant increase in renewable energy usage."

In the iCAP, the university pledges to use renewable energy generation systems to supply at least 5 percent of its electrical needs by 2015 and 25 percent by 2025, the article noted.

According to the article, officials said other projected goals include implementing a campus bicycling master plan and requiring that all new buildings and major renovations meet the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold standards by 2011.

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Janitor accused of stealing from students' lockers

ASHLAND, MA — A janitor at Ashland High School is accused of stealing iPod Touches, $900 cash and other items from students' bags and lockers, offices and classrooms during gym class and team practices, according to WBZ-TV.

After students reported thefts around times they had seen Wesley Jarrell, 22, in the girls' locker room, officers put the locker room under surveillance, encountered Jarrell, confronted him and he confessed, the story stated.

The thefts of which Jarrell's accused date back to late January and involve at least a dozen victims, the story noted.

Ashland police say Jarrell told them he was "dealing with some personal issues such as money problems as well as a medical problem," but did not say what it was, the article added.

According to the story, Ashland police have sent out a reverse 911 call asking anyone who believes they were victimized by theft at the high school to call the police department.

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Starbucks opens first LEED registered store in Canada

TORONTO — Members of the Toronto community and other guests gathered at Starbucks to mark the grand opening of their first-ever Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certified store in Canada, according to a press release.

The new store format and design is part of Starbucks' Shared Planet initiative. Starbucks' Shared Planet environmental stewardship program represents the company's commitment to creating a better future for farmers, communities and the environment and significantly reducing its environmental footprint through recycling and green construction, the release stated.

"We are truly excited to have opened the first Canadian store in Starbucks' global LEED pilot project," said Robert Luciano, Starbucks' director of store development for Eastern Canada.

"This store is unique in terms of its design and the materials which have been used to construct it. Through this opening, and those happening around the world, Starbucks continues its commitment to delivering a specialty coffee experience while refreshing our store design approach with an amplified focus on local relevance and environmental responsibility," Luciano added.

According to the release, if the pilot is successful, Starbucks aims to achieve LEED certification for all new company-owned stores worldwide by late 2010.

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