Coming Out of the Forest
This month's Ecos Insight Column: what does it mean when the former head of Greenpeace UK takes a job with global public relations giant Burson Marsteller?
Energy In the Limelight
Energy will be at the forefront of the political scene over the next six weeks. Bush is expected to emphasize the importance of passing his national energy policy in the State of the Union Address January 29. Majority Leader Tom Daschle plans to bring a Senate energy bill to the floor the week of February 11. The White House will likely release the federal budget in February, revealing the Bush Administration spending priorities. Regardless of the new Freedom CAR Initiative, increasing gas mileage standards for cars, SUVs and other light trucks is the best way to reduce our dependence on foreign oil, increase our energy security, and cut transportation emissions. Ask your senators to support a strong increase in auto fuel economy standards. Energy legislation emphasizing renewable fuels could boost the U.S. economy by $300 billion and create as many as 300,000 new jobs by 2016, a study sponsored by the National Biodiesel Board concludes. It finds that increased use of American made fuels such as biodiesel and ethanol would generate an additional $71 billion over the next 15 years. [sorry this link is no longer available]Do we detect a murmur of citizen activism to cut energy use? Greenpeace asks […]
European Renewable Energy Masters Degree
Nine universities across Europe with a reputation for teaching renewable energy are joining together to offer a Masters degree in Renewable Energy. The one-year course is devised for engineers or equivalent technical background. Predicting the number of people that will be employed as renewable energy expands is difficult, but one thing is certain: there are too few training and education programs around the world for the number of people that will be needed. EWEA (European Wind Energy Association) predicts the current 30,000 wind energy jobs in Europe will increase to 190,000-320,000 new jobs to reach 40 MW of wind power. For PV, about 100,000 employees will be required to reach a production capacity of 3 GWp. The European Biomass Association projects that employment will increase to 100,000 to realize current expansion plans.Currently, most training in the field takes place as part of other coursework. A 1995-6 study of 624 companies, organizations, research centers and universities concluded there are few postgraduate level teaching materials specifically on renewable energy. The Masters course is divided into 3 parts: a Core Module providing a technical foundation in key technologies; Specialization in one technology or implementation aspect; and a Project, during which the student gains […]
EcoFilmFest & Expo
If you are in San Diego the first week of February, check out the first EcoFilmFest & Expo at the San Diego Natural History Museum (February 1-3). You will be treated to award-winning films (with speakers and discussions), live performances, and innovative product displays that demonstrate effective individual responses to sustainability issues. The group is looking for volunteers to help them develop future directions such as an ecofilm competition and gaia awards to raise the visibility of sustainability to the American public.http://www.ecofilmfest.org
Eco-Economy: Building an Economy for the Earth
In 1543, Polish astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus challenged the view that the Sun revolved around the earth, arguing instead that the earth revolved around the Sun. His paper led to a revolution in thinking -to a new worldview. A new book, Eco-Economy, discusses the need today for a similar shift in our worldview. Since 1974, Lester Brown, through the Worldwatch Institute’s annual State of the World reports, has served as a witness to our planet’s deteriorating ecology. Now he’s started a new non-profit, Earth Policy Institute, to help people develop a shared vision of what an environmentally sustainable economy, an eco-economy would look like. This book outlines his vision. “We can see glimpses of the eco-economy emerging in the wind farms of northern Germany, the solar rooftops of Japan, the reforested mountains of South Korea, and the steel recycling mills of the U.S.” The question is, do we join together to build an economy that is sustainable or do we keep at the status quo until its inevitable decline? One way or another the choice will be made by our generation, but it will affect life on earth for countless generations to come. Download the book or order it: www.earth-policy.org
Eco-Industrial Park Handbook for Asian Developing Countries
The Asian region is taking a leadership position in industrial ecology, with at least 100 projects planned for China, Thailand, the Philippines, India, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Taiwan, and Japan. Funded by the Asian Development Bank, this handbook provides an overview of every facet of eco-industrial park development: policy; financing; urban planning and education; specific architectural, technical, recruitment, and management considerations in industrial park design. It includes examples from around the world. While this new edition is regionally-based, most of the content is fully applicable for projects in other regions, developed and developing alike. Contact the author: Ernest LoweDownload the handbook: http://www.indigodev.com/Handbook.html
Sustainable Design in the Forefront
Green Building Conference Alongside OlympicsMany of the world’s greatest green buildings will be on display alongside this year’s Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City. The conference and exhibition, “The Physical Fitness of Cities: Vision and Ethics in City Building” will coincide with the games, February 1-3. Countries from around the world will display their approaches and leading examples of green design. Guess who is the keynote? [sorry this link is no longer available]Royal Institute of British Architects CompetitionThe theme of this year’s competition is urban sustainability. Using the Lochend Butterfly site in Edinburgh, Scotland, students and architects may submit entries that explore issues of environmental, social and economic sustainability. Previous themes have been Ideas for a Holistic Hotel, Ideas for a Sustainable School and Zero CO2 housing. First prize for this international competition is L10,000 (US $14,500). Deadline: February 28, 2002. [sorry this link is no longer available]Green Design SchoolsThe Ecosa Institute in Prescott, Arizona is a non-profit educational organization dedicated to incorporating sustainability into the design professions. Architecture, planning, and landscape design students participate in an intensive semester program that immerses them in ecological design and whole-systems thinking. The first Total Immersion Program In Sustainable Design graduated its first […]
E Is For Environmental Effort: Which Companies Are Most Respected?
Top 20 for EnvironmentThis was the first year the Financial Times included an environmental category in its annual survey of the world’s most respected companies. 914 CEOs from 65 countries and 110 media commentators and nongovernmental organizations were asked which 20 companies they perceived as having the best environmental reputation. Surprisingly, both camps chose BP (British Petroleum) as number one! Apparently, both groups gave BP an “A” for effort. A CEO commented, “They have got this ‘beyond petroleum’ tag these days, but I think they do live up to it.” And an activist summed it up, “Although they have a long way to go, they deserve credit for their effort.” CEOs picked Royal Dutch/ Shell as number two, another highly regarded oil industry leader; the media/activist group chose The Body Shop. Toyota placed third with CEOs; Honda and Ford placed third and fourth with the media/activist camp, and Shell rated fifth. Toyota and Honda won praise for taking the lead on efficient vehicles and for recycling car parts. Ford received support for its Michigan factory roof garden, its recycling efforts and support of national parks. From here, the groups diverged. CEOs like ExxonMobil, media and activists like McDonald’s (for their […]
Federal Network for Sustainability
The Federal Network for Sustainability (FNS) is a new initiative to help agencies across the federal government implement sustainable practices. It functions as a trade group and consists of representatives from the Department of Energy (DOE), EPA, General Services Administration (GSA), Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), National Park Service, U.S. Army, Air Force and Navy, Bonneville Power Administration, and NASA. There have been a number of attempts to direct the single largest purchaser of products and services in the world – the U.S. federal government – toward environmental purchasing. The Environmental Preferable Purchasing program launched in 1993 and President Clinton’s 1998 “Greening of Government” Executive Orders have met with only modest success. Recently, the EPA conducted a study to find out why. They found that surprisingly, federal employees do not perceive the programs as mandates because they were issued government-wide, rather than by top management in their own agencies. Also, few employees understand the “environmentally preferable purchasing” or how to do it. FNS hopes to rectify these problems. FNS has four initiatives slated for 2001-2002: 1. Electronic Products Stewardship: FNS is supporting EPA’s efforts to develop and promote electronic product stewardship initiatives. 2. Green power: promote the use […]
China: Dueling Standards for Organic Foods
What's the status of organic food certification is China?
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