It's the politics of pollution as corporations manipulate the system
Melvin Wylie
Sunday, July 31, 2011
14th Episode of GreenNews4U
Welcome to the 14th Episode of GreenNews4U In this episode I interview Teresa Clark the Co-Founder of ENSO Plastics, LLC. ENSO Plastics is a leader in Biodegradable Plastics and can be found here ENSO Plastics was created with a vision of making the world a cleaner place through plastic solutions that are better for the environment. Our goal is to end plastic pollution by developing earth friendly plastic solutions. I hope you enjoy the 14th Episode of GreenNews4U. Melvin Wylie
Saturday, July 30, 2011
Friday, July 29, 2011
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Eco Artist Greg Pitts "Last Days"
Eco Artist Greg Pitts Latest Creating called "Last Days". This peace of art is worth 2.5 Million Dollars.
Melvin Wylie
Melvin Wylie
Catching Wind Documentary
Raw video from the Documentary Catching Wind. Thanks for sharing this with us!
Melvin Wylie
Melvin Wylie
Sunday, July 24, 2011
13th Episode of GreenNews4U
Welcome to the 13th Episode of GreenNews4U Weekly Roundup This is a special edition of GreenNews4U where I interview Joanne Morrison who is working with James Taylor in producing a documentary called Catching Wind. If you would like to find out more information about this Documentary you can go to their blog at http://www.catchingwind.blogspot.com and on twitter @CatchingWindDoc I hope you enjoy the 13th Episode of GreenNews4U. 
To download or embed this podcast you can go here You can visit my web page at http://greennews4u.com I am currently seeking sponsors for my podcast, you can contact me at melwylie@greennews4u.com or mel.greennews4u@gmail.com Melvin Wylie
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
New Jersey Bans Hydraulic Fracturing
While New York considers allowing Hydraulic Fracturing in their state. Great news is coming out of New Jersey. They have voted to ban fracking. Of course ANGA's Executive Vice President Tom Amontree is very upset about this decision. Just read his press release below. WASHINGTON, DC - Following is a statement by America's Natural Gas Alliance (ANGA) Executive Vice President Tom Amontree on the New Jersey legislature's passage of a statewide ban on drilling for natural gas using hydraulic fracturing. "It is unfortunate that the New Jersey legislature has failed to recognize that energy production and environmental protection are not mutually exclusive. The bill to impose a statewide ban on hydraulic fracturing, the process through which we are able to extract clean, abundant and American natural gas, is based on fear rather than the facts. "New Jersey has long recognized the clean air benefits of natural gas when used to generate electricity and power vehicles. It is the nation's 11th largest consumer of natural gas, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Natural gas is the main energy source used to heat more than two-thirds of the state's households. And, New Jersey uses natural gas to fuel many of its state and municipal fleets, including trash trucks and public buses in several communities. In fact, with a grant from the Department of Energy, cities throughout New Jersey are cleaning up the Garden State by converting fleets and building infrastructure to accommodate natural gas vehicles. "While New Jersey may not have significant supplies of natural gas, even a symbolic ban on hydraulic fracturing is an irresponsible step. Natural gas drilling is conducted safely and responsibly every day in communities across the country. Our industry has a six decade track record of safety and we are committed to answering people's questions in the communities where we work about the measures we take to ensure the safety of our process. "Natural gas is an economic engine in America, responsible for supporting more than 2.8 million American jobs and for contributing $385 billion annually to the U.S. economy. Even in a state like New Jersey, that has very little natural gas, our community supports more than 25,000 jobs and contributes $5.5 billion annually to the state's economy. "To ban the practice that produces this fuel is a classic case of not in my backyard. It is our hope that New Jersey will continue to advance its economy and air quality through greater use of clean, abundant and American natural gas. We also hope that state legislators will revisit their decision and be more open in the future to learning the facts and the science behind the safe and responsible development of this important American resource." Melvin Wylie
New York Plans to Lift Hydraulic Fracturing Ban
NY is planning to lift the fracking ban. Apparently New York feels that natural gas can be developed safely and responsibly with appropriate oversight. According to the article America's Natural Gas Alliance (ANGA) Executive Vice President Tom Amontree is very excited about this possible ban lifting, after all he does represent over 30 companies that have their wallets in the natural gas field. I do not support or endorse the America's Natural Gas Alliance The full article is below: WASHINGTON, DC - Following is a statement by America's Natural Gas Alliance Executive Vice President Tom Amontree on the plan by New York to lift its ban on hydraulic fracturing. "In reviewing the New York Department of Environmental Conservation's statement in advance of the full SGEIS, we are encouraged by the apparent acknowledgement that natural gas can be developed safely and responsibly in New York with appropriate state oversight. However, we will have to review the full study before drawing any conclusions about the plan. "While the statement says certain areas of New York will be blocked from development, natural gas is produced safely in communities across our country every day and is subject to substantial state-led regulatory oversight. In the process, this abundant domestic resource supports 2.8 million jobs and nearly $400 billion a year in economic activity. "Despite having vast natural gas resources, New York today is a net importer of 96 percent of its natural gas. On the positive side, the state is our nation's fourth biggest consumer of the fuel, and the proposal clearly recognizes the potential natural gas has to produce cleaner power and transportation choices. The natural gas industry in neighboring Pennsylvania supports 53,000 jobs and is responsible for $12.9 billion in economic activity in that state. New York can reap similar substantial economic opportunities, while helping us continue to demonstrate our commitment to developing the resource in a responsible manner. "The natural gas community will participate vigorously in the discussion on safe development in the state, and we will continue to make a strong, science-based case to the people of New York and the nation that energy production and environmental protection are not mutually exclusive. We look forward to working with New York's regulators to craft a comprehensive policy on natural gas development that protects the environment and that can open the door to the pent-up economic opportunity that exists in the state." America's Natural Gas Alliance (ANGA) represents 30 of North America's leading independent natural gas exploration and production companies. ANGA members are dedicated to increasing the appreciation of the environmental, economic and national security benefits of clean, abundant, American natural gas. Learn more about ANGA at www.anga.us. Melvin Wylie
Sunday, July 17, 2011
12th Episode of GreenNews4U
Welcome to the 12th Episode of GreenNews4U's Weekly Roundup. This is a special edition of GreenNews4U where I interview Gregory Pitts who is an Eco Artist, Photographer, Entertainer, Producer, Actor and so much more. If you would like to get in contact with Gregory Pitts you can reach him at inyofaceprod@bellsouth.net or call him at 954-253-0288. Follow the links in the Source to view his art. I hope you enjoy the 12th Episode of Green News 4U. GreenNews4U Podcast is hosted by You can also find GreenNews4U on Itunes
I am currently seeking sponsors for my podcast and blog.Melvin Wylie
Friday, July 15, 2011
Plactic Bag Ban Upheld by California Supreme Court
SAN FRANCISCO, July 14, 2011 - The California Supreme Court issued a ruling that impacts not only plastic bag bans throughout the state but has far-reaching ramifications for the circumstances under which public agencies must prepare environmental impact reports under the California Environmental Quality Act ("CEQA"). The court ruled in favor of the City of Manhattan Beach, paving the way for the city's ban on plastic bags to go into effect. Downey Brand partner Christian Marsh argued the case before the Supreme Court on behalf of the appellant, Manhattan Beach. He was joined in the argument by James Moose of Remy Thomas Moose & Manley for amici curiae Californians Against Waste. "We were confident the city had a right to impose the bag ban, and this ruling gives cities across California some real clarity," Marsh said. An industry coalition of plastic bag manufacturers and distributors known as the Save the Plastic Bag Coalition sued Manhattan Beach for its citywide ban on plastic bags, arguing that the environmental impacts associated with increased paper bag use would outweigh any environmental benefits of the ban. The city, among many in California with similar ordinances, imposed the ban to limit the number of plastic bags making their way into the ocean and marine environment. The case raised two important issues that have been facing fiscally-strapped cities and counties across the state: (1) whether the coalition, which had a commercial interest in overturning the ban, qualified for "public interest" standing under CEQA, and (2) what is the legal threshold under CEQA for when a project or ordinance necessitates preparing an environmental impact report, known as an EIR. In its ruling, the court sided with the city on the CEQA threshold, but ruled against the city on the coalition's standing to sue. Justice Carol Corrigan, writing for a unanimous court, upheld the city's ban, finding that "it is plain the city acted within its discretion when it determined that its ban on plastic bags would have no significant effect on the environment." In the face of a number of "life cycle" studies that had been put forth by the coalition, the court noted that "common sense leads us to the conclusion that the environmental impacts discernible from the 'life cycles' of plastic and paper bags are not significantly implicated by a plastic bag ban in Manhattan Beach." The decision on the threshold for producing an EIR was being closely-watched by public entities and private project proponents alike, as often they are compelled to prepare costly and time-consuming EIRs even though the activity in question has little or no environmental impact (and in this case, a tremendous environmental benefit). As Marsh reported, "Due to the risks associated with litigation over these decisions, public agencies often feel the need to go well beyond the requirements of the statute, at great time and expense. This decision sets a more reasonable threshold for when pubic agencies must prepare EIRs, and will reduce the ability of would-be challengers to delay projects across the state. Instead of conducting unwarranted environmental review, the decision allows public agencies to focus their limited resources on producing reports for projects that are much more likely to impact the environment than minor projects would." Code: EXNC8WPUNCF7 Melvin Wylie
Monday, July 11, 2011
The Filthy Anacostia River
Just blocks away from the majestic capitol is the Nation's true treasure, with a LEED certified Baseball Field on one side, Bolling Air Force Base and a beautiful park on the other side and our beloved Anacostia River in between. Yes I'm being sarcastic; the river is a treasure of filth! Are you thinking about "going green" and would you like to start recycling? You will find a treasure of recyclable materials floating in the river, bottles, bags, soda cans, wrappers, and God knows what else. Twice a day I make my way to and from work cycling over the John Phillip Sousa Bridge and it makes me sick when I look in the water. The other day I saw ducks swimming and sifting through the garbage. I often see people down near the train tracks or on the opposite side in Anacostia Park lounging in a chair, drinking a beverage, relaxing with a line in the water in hope of catching a toxic fish. I love to fish but you would not catch me fishing in that cesspool! The fish are not safe to eat due to storm water runoff which makes the fish sick and can make the people who consume the fish sick. There are large amounts of toxins in the river to include PCB's and PAH's, both are considered carcinogens. In a study made by the US Fish & Wildlife Service, two thirds of Brown Bullhead Catfish have cancerous lesions and sores caused by contaminants in their tissue. In the afternoon, cycling across the John Phillip Sousa Bridge I often see the Capitol Rowing Club on the Anacostia. Sometimes I stop to watch them row and I think to myself "it would be beautiful if they were actually rowing on a nice clean and scenic river instead of rowing over cans, bottles, bags and trash." I wonder how many oars have picked up grocery store bags. Since I've been in the area they have been trying to clean up the Anacostia. When I say "they" I'm talking about the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the Chesapeake Bay Trust (CBT), and the US Fish & Wildlife Service (FWS). Even the Attorney General of Maryland, Doug Gansler got involved. On June 16 he led an audit of the Anacostia River. It's going to take more than Maryland and the other organizations to get involved. It's going to take a grass roots effort to make the river fishable and swimmable. Yes, it's a lofty dream but I fell like the government does not give a crap, it's all lip service for political gain to get the locals to rally behind them. 30 years of lip service with no results. Politicians can argue the point of "no results" but do a comparison on how the river is now as compared to 30 years ago and there is not much of a change. Despite the visual eye sore, it is reported that the river is improving but I wonder if this is true. It's been "improving" for the last 35+ years I've lived in the metro area. As a young boy living near Bolling Air Force Base, when the wind would blow the right way, I would remember the horrid smell and how filthy the river was. Brent Bolin the Director of Advocacy for the Anacostia Watershed Society has said "it is improving very, very slowly" and "it will take decades if not hundreds of years to reach water quality standards." This is unacceptable! The Anacostia River can be a beautiful river, evidence of this can be seen when you go to the Aquatic Gardens. I like to take my kids there so they can see a "nice" part of the river. 
Here is an idea, when a company decides to build near the Anacostia, "hint, hint Nationals Stadium" They should invest in the area to include the Anacostia River. After all the Nationals Stadium, which is a LEED building, wants to use the river to boat people in for the games to reduce traffic. While you are doing that why don't you educate the passengers on recycling, conservation and the ecology of the river you are transporting them on? While they are celebrating a Nationals win and intoxicated make sure they don't throw their crap on the streets and in the river. Build an Anacostia Education Center at Nationals Park to help with the clean up. The revitalization around the stadium is going very, very slow (like the Anacostia clean up) so why not do something environmental for the area? There are parts of the river that are beautiful, after all the Anacostia is one of the Chesapeake Bay tributaries. But still I wonder if the river is in remission like a cancer ready to rear its ugly head or is it actually changing. Storm runoff is still a very big problem and has not been fixed. What you see on the streets of D.C. and Maryland wash right into the river. In my opinion this should be the first priority to get under control. Before I close out my rant, there is a very nasty part of the highway that needs to be addressed. People that ride past the Nationals Stadium, across the Frederick Douglass Bridge to get onto 295 or Suitland Parkway run into a smell that is worse than swimming in an outhouse with your mouth open. I believe it's a sewage pump station that sits right at the split from South Capitol Street South West and Suitland Parkway. If you travel that way or have traveled that way you know what I'm talking about. That pump station is a pure representation and a monument to the Anacostia River. At this moment it represents everything the river is about. When I was stuck in traffic beside a vehicle I heard them say "Is that the River? Man it stinks!" Be smart D.C. do something about the location of that pump station or do something about the smell. I'm happy I don't have to travel that road every day. It's disgraceful and you should be embarrassed or are you so use to the smell that you enjoy it? Melvin Wylie
Tuna Fisheries Killing Sharks
LA JOLLA, Calif. - Governments will soon have a chance to help conserve populations of oceanic whitetip sharks, which have declined so much in the eastern Pacific that catch numbers have been reduced to almost zero. Tuna fisheries are primarily responsible for the drastic decrease in population of one of the most prolific and widespread shark species, the oceanic whitetip (Carcharhinus longimanus). Whitetips are routinely caught inadvertently in fishing nets and on longlines, a type of gear that extends underwater up to 30 miles. Increasing demand and high prices for fins in Asia mean fishermen have little incentive to release the animals alive. There is ample evidence showing that, even when it is illegal to do so, they often cut off and keep the fins before throwing the shark overboard to die. Governments gathered in La Jolla, California for the annual meeting of the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission (IATTC), a regional fisheries management organization (RFMO) responsible for managing tuna fisheries across an area totaling approximately 68 million square kilometers (26 million square miles). The 20 government members of the IATTC have an opportunity to agree on measures to promote shark conservation, including the immediate release of all oceanic whitetips from nets and lines and a ban on the use of wire leaders, the part of the fishing line attached to a baited hook—a key cause of species mortality. The leaders could instead be made of nylon, which the animals can easily bite through. "The plunging oceanic whitetip population exemplifies overall global shark decline," said Jill Hepp, manager of Global Shark Conservation at the Pew Environment Group. "The loss of these top predators can cause irreversible damage to the health of oceans. The good news is that, in the case of whitetips caught on fishing lines, there is a relatively easy fix. As custodians of the ocean, RFMOs need to take action to protect these animals and the broader marine ecosystems they inhabit." According to its own science, IATTC reports that overfishing of bigeye, yellowfin and bluefin tuna is occurring and that the exploitation rate of skipjack tuna, the most common variety purchased in cans, continues to increase. There are too many vessels. Current capacity surpasses IATTC's limit by 33 percent, allowing an excess of 51 average-size purse seine vessels, which use large underwater nets,to go to sea. "Poor fisheries management is not only taking a toll on sharks," said Amanda Nickson, senior officer for International Policy with the Pew Environment Group. "Put simply, there are more boats chasing fewer fish, with a devastating effect on marine life as billions of unwanted or non-targeted animals are caught and discarded, dead or dying, back into the ocean. It is time for IATTC to take action to conserve sharks, set science-based total allowable catch limits for all tuna species and reduce fishing capacity in line with those limits." Melvin Wylie
Saturday, July 9, 2011
Thursday, July 7, 2011
Federal Judge Accused of Arrogance & Violating the Constitution in Chevron Case
NEW YORK - Nine prominent U.S. law professors, including a former member of Congress, have joined a group of international law scholars from South Africa and Australia in asking a U.S. appeals court to overturn the decision of a federal judge who claims he has worldwide authority to block a group of Ecuadorian citizens from enforcing their environmental judgment against Chevron for dumping billions of gallons of toxic waste into the lands and waterways of the Amazon. The U.S. professors have asked the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit in New York to dissolve an unprecedented injunction issued in March by Judge Lewis A. Kaplan purporting to block the Ecuadorians from enforcing the $18 billion judgment anywhere in the world. In anticipation of an adverse judgment in Ecuador, Chevron had sold its assets in the country and forced the plaintiffs to seek to collect any final judgment in other nations where the oil giant operates. In an effort to stop enforcement of an the Ecuadorian judgment, Chevron filed a completely separate lawsuit before Kaplan in February of this year asking that he declare Ecuador's entire judicial system broken. Without an evidentiary hearing and with the government of Ecuador not represented in the case, Kaplan quickly issued an injunction asserting that he had the power to order the private Ecuadorian citizens to forego initiating enforcement proceedings throughout the entire world -- even in courts outside the United States where the U.S. judge obviously does not have jurisdiction. Kaplan's unusual decision sparked an international controversy that has been growing for weeks and has attracted the attention of scholars in South Africa, Australia, Italy, Spain, and Finland in addition to the law professors in the United States. All say Kaplan's order disregards international law and the U.S. Constitution and would wreak havoc with the normal rules of transnational litigation. Separately, Ecuador's government filed a brief with the U.S. appeals court blasting Kaplan for his "gratuitous belittlement" of the country's court system and asking that the injunction be dissolved. 
Among the U.S. law professors arguing that Judge Kaplan is acting improperly is Richard L. Ottinger, who served for 16 years in the U.S. Congress and is the former Dean of Pace Law School in New York, and Pammela Quinn Saunders, a former attorney with the U.S. Department of State who teaches at Drexel University in Philadelphia. The U.S. professors say Kaplan's injunction not only runs afoul of the U.S. Constitution and international law, but also interferes in the domestic affairs of Ecuador and is "a futile act" in that it would be impossible to enforce. Burt Neuborne, a professor at New York University Law School and the Legal Director of the Brennan Center for Justice, filed an amicus brief with the appeals court concluding that Kaplan's ruling "sends an unmistakable message of American judicial arrogance to the rest of the world." Neuborne, a leading authority on international litigation who has taught at NYU since 1972, warned that Kaplan has no authority under the U.S. Constitution to issue the injunction and that his approach will lead to "increased levels of reciprocal judicial suspicion and hostility" toward U.S. courts from other nations. Eight other U.S. law professors -- part of the group that includes Ottinger and Saunders -- joined a separate amicus brief asserting that Kaplan's injunction "constitutes an internationally unlawful attempt to intervene in the domestic legal affairs of Ecuador." The U.S. professors said Kaplan's injunction "is much more likely to antagonize the courts of other states" that be treated as persuasive authority, as the judge claims. They also said the injunction was "breathtaking in its attempts to arrogate a world-wide and exclusive jurisdiction in this case" to a U.S. court without any legal authority to back it up. Joining the American professors in signing the amicus brief were scholars from Australia, South Africa, Italy, Spain, and Finland. See press release. The other American law professors who have asked that Kaplan's injunction be dissolved include Rebecca Bratspies from CUNY Law School in New York City, an expert on international law and the environment who clerked on the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit; Naomi Roht-Arriaza, a specialist in international human rights issues in Latin America, a former clerk for the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, and a faculty member at Hastings College of Law; and James D. Wilets, a noted authority on international comparative law and the Chair of the Inter-American Center for Human Rights at Nova Southeastern University in Ft. Lauderdale. The American professors signing the brief also include Cesare Romano, a specialist in transnational litigation from Loyola Law School; Stephen C. McCaffrey, a specialist in transnational water issues from Pacific McGeorge School of Law; and David N. Cassuto, a environmental law specialist at Pace Law School who clerked for the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit. 
The $18 billion judgment against Chevron was issued in February of this year after an intensively litigated eight-year trial. In a 188-page decision, the Ecuador court found that Chevron systematically dumped toxic "water of formation" into the Amazon when it operated hundreds of well sites from 1964 to 1992. The dumping decimated indigenous groups in the area, increased cancer rates, and poisoned the water supply in a region the size of Rhode Island where tens of thousands of people live, according to evidence before the Ecuador court. The Ecuadorian plaintiffs -- who live mostly in indigenous and farmer communities that rely on contaminated rivers and ground wells for their drinking water -- say the damage Chevron caused in Ecuador dwarfs that caused to the Gulf of Mexico by BP's Deepwater Horizon spill, where the total liability is estimated by industry analysts to be as high as $100 billion. The environmental trial against Chevron was held in Ecuador because the company requested in 2002 that it be shifted to the South American nation from U.S. courts. At the time, Chevron repeatedly praised the fairness and transparency of Ecuador's courts as a way to avoid a trial in the U.S., the venue preferred by the Ecuadorians. As the scientific evidence against it began to mount in the ensuing trial in Ecuador, Chevron shifted its strategy and began to attack Ecuador's courts. It also announced it would not abide by any adverse judgment in Ecuador, despite previously promising to do so to induce a U.S. court to move the venue. "Chevron will do anything it can to avoid paying for the damage it caused in Ecuador, including ignoring court decisions," said Karen Hinton, the U.S. spokesperson for the Ecuadorians. "The company constantly makes contradictory arguments before different courts to foster delay." In considering Chevron's recent legal motions, Judge Kaplan caused a stir by seeming to insult the Ecuadorians and their government. Kaplan called the lawsuit against Chevron a "game" that was "dreamed up" by American lawyers to help solve the "balance of payments" deficit of the United States. He also questioned the very existence of the plaintiffs, using the modifier "so-called" when writing about them in his decisions. The Ecuadorian citizens responded by asking the appeals court to recuse Kaplan because of his "deep-seated antagonism" toward their lawsuit. They also have rejected Kaplan's jurisdiction and will seek to lawfully enforce any final judgment from Ecuador in other countries regardless of what he decides, said Hinton. In its amicus brief, Ecuador's government leveled a fusillade of criticism at Kaplan for what it called his "gratuitous belittlement" of the country's legal system and his disregard for international legal norms. That brief noted that Chevron and other foreign investors in recent years have won large monetary judgments in Ecuador's courts against the government and the powerful state-owned oil company Petroecuador, undermining Chevron's contention that those courts lack independence. Ecuador, a U.S. ally and trading partner, is a democracy whose Constitution guarantees due process rights and provides for separation of powers. President Obama recently called Ecuador's President, Rafael Correa, to congratulate him after an electoral victory. The New York appeals court has scheduled oral argument on the case for September 12 in Manhattan. Melvin Wylie
WWF and Kimberly-Clark Commit to Responsible Forestry
Kimberly-Clark and World Wildlife Fund (WWF) announced the expansion of Kimberly-Clark's membership in the Global Forest & Trade Network (GFTN), a WWF initiative to eliminate illegal logging and conserve the world's most valuable and threatened forests. Kimberly-Clark will now include its worldwide operations in the initiative, building on its existing GFTN membership in select countries. The participation scope now includes all wood fibers sourced for all of the company's products sold globally in the Personal Care, Consumer Tissue and Kimberly-Clark Professional businesses.. The announcement was made at the GFTN's 20th Anniversary Reception at the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) General Assembly meeting in Sabah, Malaysia. "Given its breadth of product offerings and market influence, we commend Kimberly-Clark's leadership in pushing the pulp and paper industry toward more responsible sourcing practices," said Kerry Cesareo, WWF's Managing Director of Forests. "Our collaboration will improve forest management, reduce impacts from production, and help protect the forests and habitats at the core of our mission. And Kimberly-Clark can offer consumers responsible alternatives for tissue and personal care products. This shows the true power of collaboration." "At Kimberly-Clark, we believe what is good for business must also be good for the planet," said Suhas Apte, Vice President, Global Sustainability, for Kimberly-Clark. "As the largest tissue manufacturer in the world, we are committed to responsible fiber sourcing. Expanding our work globally with WWF and the GFTN is an important way K-C can be part of the solution to the sustainability challenges our world faces." As part of its participation in GFTN, WWF and Kimberly-Clark will collaborate to realize Kimberly-Clark's commitment to have 100 percent of its virgin wood fiber sourced from certified suppliers by 2015. This commitment includes a preference for the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification, which best meets WWF key requirements for protecting environmental, social and economic values essential to maintaining priority forests. Through its Market Transformation Initiative, WWF collaborates with top brands like Kimberly-Clark to spur adoption of sustainable practices in key commodity markets. Participants in GFTN make commitments to avoid illegal wood sources, phase out purchases of wood from unknown and controversial sources, and to increase their purchase of wood that originates from well managed forests and independently certified sources. By the end of 2011, Kimberly-Clark has committed to achieving a combined FSC/recycled content target of 50 percent for all its products that are covered within their GFTN participation. Together WWF and Kimberly-Clark will train and educate staff and suppliers on responsible fiber sourcing, encourage certification of small, non-industrial private landowners, pursue FSC Chain-of-Custody certification for all Kimberly-Clark facilities, and promote FSC-labeled products in key markets. "Deforestation and forest degradation contribute up to 20% of global greenhouse gas emissions, the leading contributor to climate change, and decimate critical habitat for several species, notably primates, tigers and elephants," said Cesareo. "WWF's Living Planet Report estimates that more than one billion people living in poverty rely directly on forests for their livelihoods, while about 32 million acres have been lost globally each year between 2000 and 2010, an area that is equal in size to the state of Mississippi. To address these issues, we need companies to follow Kimberly-Clark's lead." Melvin Wylie
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
Sunday, July 3, 2011
11th Episode of GreenNews4U Podcast & Video-cast
Welcome to the 11th Episode of Green News 4U Weekly Roundup. It's now up and ready for your listening or downloading pleasure. In this episode I go over the Sustainability in Colleges, World MRSA Day, Maryland's Environmental Literacy, Republicans call for action and much, much more! I now have two ways you can enjoy "GreenNews4U's Weekly Round-up". You can listen or view the podcast. Both can be download. 11th episode by greennews4u
Melvin Wylie
Friday, July 1, 2011
AJC Receives LEED Certification
NEW YORK - AJC has received the distinction of LEED Gold certification for transforming its New York headquarters into an environmentally friendly, energy-efficient office building. The U.S. Green Building Council designation was presented today at AJC's Board of Governors meeting. AJC is the first national Jewish organization to achieve LEED certification for its headquarters. "Securing LEED certification for an existing building – indeed, ours was built in 1959 – is a cause for celebration," said AJC Executive Director David Harris. "Retrofitting our New York headquarters, not a simple task by any stretch of the imagination, underscores our responsibility to protect the environment and lead by example." AJC's action received plaudits from New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg. "We applaud AJC for demonstrating a commitment to the environmentally friendly innovations that are so critical to our residents' quality of life," Bloomberg wrote in a letter to AJC. "Together, we look forward to AJC's National Headquarters serving as a green design model for more non-profits and corporate citizens across the five boroughs." The project, which began in 2006, involved, among other initiatives, a major overhaul of building systems and operations, including building heating, ventilating, air conditioning and lighting systems as well as improving building controls. "AJC headquarters already has reduced total power usage by some 45 percent, and water usage by 20 percent," said Harris. "The investments in more efficient and environmentally friendly machinery and materials already have yielded significant savings." Addressing the AJC Board and presenting the LEED certification was Russell Unger, executive director of the New York Chapter of the U.S. Green Building Council. "LEED dovetails with what AJC is all about," said Unger, who pointed out that the AJC building already is less expensive to operate. He encouraged AJC to tell other organizations that "LEED makes sense." AJC achieved LEED certification based on a number of green initiatives and operation improvements that positively influence the project itself and the broader community. These features include: A full-scale lighting retrofit that involved replacing 562 inefficient fixtures with 281 high-efficiency fixtures. Additionally, 99 occupancy sensors were installed to minimize unnecessary power usage in private offices and restrooms. An energy audit in 2005 revealed that lighting accounted for nearly 50 percent of electrical power consumed by AJC at its headquarters. Today, lighting accounts for 25 percent of electrical power. A Low Mercury Lighting Plan was introduced to replace obsolete light bulbs with bulbs containing less mercury, reducing the amount of harmful neurotoxins found in fluorescent lights. Replaced all building toilets and urinals with low-flow units. New toilets consume 1.28 gallons of water per flush (gpf) and new urinals consume 0.5 gpf, as opposed to 1.6 gpf and 1.0 gpf, respectively, consumed by the previous toilets. As a result, AJC reduced water consumption by approximately 50,000 gallons of water per year. Replaced a 60-year-old air conditioning unit with an electric chiller that is five times more efficient. Initiated a Recycling Program including paper, cardboard, plastics, metals, glass, batteries, light bulbs, and electronics that yielded a 70 percent recycling rate. Developed a comprehensive sustainable procurement program, so that 90 percent of supplies contain sustainable features. Implemented a Green Cleaning Program that uses 100 percent non-toxic Green Seal certified products, which protects building occupants from harmful chemicals. Melvin Wylie
Green Mountain College Receives Climate Leadership Award
POULTNEY, Vt. - Green Mountain College received the Second Nature Climate Leadership Award June 23 at the fifth annual Climate Leadership Summit of the American College & University Presidents' Climate Commitment (ACUPCC) in Washington, D.C. Green Mountain College received the award for achieving climate neutrality this year. GMC, a 700-student liberal arts college in Vermont, is only the second college in the nation to reach this goal, and the first to do it through efficiency, adoption of clean energy, and purchase of quantifiable local carbon offsets. The College won the award in the baccalaureate college category. President Paul Fonteyn and Provost William Throop received the award for Green Mountain at an awards ceremony held at George Washington University on Thursday. "We are gratified to receive this award because it recognizes what an entire generation of students, faculty and staff have accomplished since the college declared its environmental mission in 1995," said President Fonteyn. "Climate neutrality is an important achievement, but we're already exploring ways to operate the College more efficiently and sustainably in the future." This year Green Mountain College achieved climate neutrality using ACUPCC standards. Construction of a biomass plant, investment in energy efficiency projects, and an innovative partnership with the utility Central Vermont Public Service enabled the College reach this goal. The College adopted an environmental liberal arts mission in 1995, and faculty created a 37-credit general education curriculum that focuses on teaching all students how to take responsibility for the health of their natural and social environments. In 2006, GMC became the first college in Vermont to sign the ACUPCC, embracing the challenge to accelerate the College's progress towards climate neutrality and sustainability. GMC's first greenhouse gas inventory, completed in 2007, drew attention to the significant emissions from its #6 fuel oil heating plant. That year, students in an honors seminar explored alternatives and paid for a biomass feasibility study using their Student Campus Greening Fund. In 2008, President Fonteyn and the College's board of trustees, recognizing the foresight of these students, invested in the conversion of the heating plant into a combined heat and power system powered by woodchips. The plant opened in April 2010. Simultaneously, the Campus Sustainability Council addressed transportation issues, thermal conservation and waste reduction. Over the past decade Green Mountain College has invested an average of $1.2 million per year in projects to improve its energy efficiency including window replacements, steam line upgrades, and lighting retrofits. The 2009 carbon inventory showed a 19.8% reduction in carbon emissions per student from the 2007 baseline. Green Mountain College's climate action plan also called for purchasing carbon offsets in 2011 to achieve neutrality. The campus community looked for local offset projects that make a strong social and economic impact—the college chose to continue its five-year partnership with Central Vermont Public Service, which verified its offsets produced by Cow Power farm methane projects and retired them on the Chicago Climate Exchange. GMC acquired 31,000 MT of offsets, equaling an average of 5,000 MT of offsets per year for the last six years, almost double the number required to cover the CO2e emissions counted by the ACUPCC. "A total of 677 higher education institutions have shown their commitment to climate neutrality through signing the American College & University Presidents' Climate Commitment," said Anthony D. Cortese, co-founder of Second Nature and co-organizer of the ACUPCC. "Green Mountain College has taken this challenge seriously—it is only the second signatory to actually reach climate neutrality. We're honoring the college for its vision in use of alternative energy, its conservation practices, and its overall culture of sustainability." Founded in 1834, Green Mountain College is a private liberal arts institution with 800 undergraduate students that takes environmental sustainability as a unifying theme across the curriculum. GMC was named the nation's "Coolest School" in 2010 by Sierra magazine. For more on the awards, see http://secondnaturebos.wordpress.com/2011/06/23/green-mountain-college-recognized-for-climate-leadership/. For more on Second Nature, see http://secondnaturebos.wordpress.com/about-second-nature/. Melvin Wylie
Jobs for the Future: Launches Green Jobs Training
BOSTON, Mass. - Jobs for the Future (JFF), a leading nonprofit education and workforce development organization, will leverage its expertise in green sector training to expand job training for workers in Boston, Chicago, Detroit, Milwaukee, Philadelphia, Seattle, and Washington, D.C. The project—The GreenWays Initiative—will focus on skills training for green jobs in four industry sectors: green construction, auto technology, manufacturing, and utilities. The initiative is funded by an $8 million grant awarded by the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) through the Green Jobs Innovation Fund, authorized under the Workforce Investment Act to train workers in green industry sectors. Under the Fund, DOL has awarded a total of $38 million to six organizations. JFF will distribute over $6 million across workforce industry partnerships in the participating cities. Local green job training initiatives will be developed with significant input from area employers and designed to meet growing labor market needs. Programs will include training in repair and maintenance of alternative fuel vehicles, machine operation for green manufacturing, and green construction. In partnership with Wider Opportunities for Women, another leading national nonprofit, JFF will provide peer learning forums and technical assistance to each local initiative to support implementation. "This initiative is a terrific example of how we can equip workers with the knowledge and skills they need to succeed in today's job market," said Marlene B. Seltzer, President & CEO of Jobs For The Future. "These programs help create family-supporting careers and grow our economy." Participating City Profiles and Grant Awards BOSTON There is rapidly growing demand in Boston for higher skilled automotive specialty technicians (ASTs), especially hybrid technicians, due to growing local sales of hybrid-electric vehicles. There were over 750 current openings in late March, indicating a strong need even in a slow economy, and there is serious concern among employers about replacing their aging workforce. Interviews with employers, including Sullivan Tire, Jiffy Lube, and Herb Chambers Honda conducted by the Partnership for Automotive Career Education (PACE), confirmed a need for new and incumbent workers with hybrid technology knowledge and for bilingual technicians to address the increasing linguistic diversity of their customers. Grant amount: $860,000. CHICAGO The "re-shoring" by manufacturing firms in South Cook County, plus a major new federal grant that will boost manufacturing capacity, is driving a need for computer numerical control (CNC) machinists in small and large fabricated metal manufacturing employers, including Ford Motor Company. The targeted occupations—milling and turning machine operators, quality assurance inspectors, and CNC machine operators, machinists, and programmers—are growing quickly, expecting to add over 4,000 new and replacement jobs in the next five years. Grant amount: $856,000. DETROIT With many foreclosed and abandoned properties, Detroit is focused on energy-efficient building, retrofitting, deconstruction and materials use, residential energy efficiency assessing, and other environmental services. With the growing green construction market, estimated growth within the remodeling, framing, siding, and other building sectors is at 8.7 percent over the next five years, adding over 2,000 jobs in the region. Grant amount: $858,000. MILWAUKEE While auto repair is expected to decline overall, Wisconsin is expected to need 469 new and replacement automotive specialty technicians (ASTs) over the next five years, particularly as alternative fuel vehicles are added to local employer fleets (including Mitchell Airport, American Eagle, Frontier Airlines, the Air National Guard, We Energies, and the Milwaukee Dept. of Public Works). Grant amount: $929,000. PHILADELPHIA Pennsylvania is second nationally in total solar jobs (6,700). Smart Energy Initiative of Southeastern PA (SEI), an energy sector partnership, projects 1,000 additional jobs will be created over the next three years, including in solar installation and sales, and is eager to participate in an expanded program to train dislocated workers. Grant amount: $868,000. SEATTLE Projections over the next five years indicate over 1,200 new and replacement jobs for electricians in the Seattle metropolitan area. A recent Washington State Green Economy Jobs report indicates that electricians rank as the second largest green occupation with 3,784 jobs; 8 percent of the total green workforce. The Poised for Profit Partnership's 2003 Smart Energy study projects that spending for smart technology in the Pacific Northwest is growing by 10 to 20 percent each year. Grant amount: $900,000. WASHINGTON, D.C. Data indicate that the construction industry will grow over 4 percent in the next five years, creating hundreds of new jobs. Employers also increasingly indicate a need to retrain existing workers in green technologies, specifically weatherization and insulation, green roof maintenance, solar panel installation, green building maintenance, green cement masonry, and helper and apprentice positions with 17 construction unions. Grant amount: $897,000. About Jobs for the Future JFF develops, implements, and promotes new education and workforce strategies that help communities, states, and the nation compete in a global economy. In more than 200 communities across 43 states, JFF improves the pathways leading from high school to college to family-sustaining careers. Melvin Wylie
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