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November was a month of alternative fuel car debuts. The first of 750 Ford demonstration TH!NK city vehicles arrived – they are currently for sale in Scandinavia, and will be sold in the U.S. in 2002. The electric 2-seaters are designed for urban driving, with a range of about 53 miles (85 km) and a top speed of 56 miles per hour (90 km/h). Hertz will offer the vehicles in San Francisco to BART (their subway system) shared-car subscribers and as daily rentals at Fishermen’s Wharf. Ford will use 40 vehicles in Dearborn, Michigan as part of its car pool fleet. At the opening of the new 50,000 square-foot California Fuel Cell Partnership Headquarters in Sacramento, California, Volkswagen, GM, and Hyundai showed off their fuel cell prototypes. Volkswagen unveiled its first hydrogen fuel-cell car – Bora HyMotion (known as the Jetta in the U.S.) with a range of about 350 km (217 miles) on 3 gallons of hydrogen. It accelerates from 0 to 100 km/hour in 12.6 seconds reaching a top speed of 140 km/hour (87 mph). Hyundai’s entry was its prototype fuel cell-powered ”Santa Fe” SUV. And GM displayed the HydroGen1, a five-seat concept vehicle. It can reach a […]
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In an article in the Jan. 19 issue of Science, a U.S.-Brazilian team of biologists reported that as much as 42 percent of the Amazon River basin of Brazil will be seriously damaged or lost altogether in the next two decades if the country’s infrastructure development projects go forward as planned. The projects they refer to are part of the “Avanca Brasil” (Advance Brazil) program, which is intended to boost the industrial agriculture, timber and mining sectors of the economy by investing $40 billion in infrastructure projects from 2000 to 2007. William Laurance, a scientist with the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, led a research team to systematically assess the effects of development trends and projects on the region. They developed comprehensive computer models that integrate current data on deforestation, logging, fires, mining, roads, parks and reserves with information about a host of existing and planned infrastructure projects, including the construction of railroads, highways and hydroelectric dams; the installation of power lines and gas lines; and the channelization of rivers. The authors suggest that “Rather than punching many new roads and highways into the remote frontier” that they invest in existing roads, public services and financial incentives that favor sustainable forest […]
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Worldwatch Institute released its annual report, State of the World 2001. It notes that signs of accelerated ecological decline and loss of political momentum on environmental issues are emerging simultaneously. Scientific evidence indicates that many global ecosystems are reaching dangerous thresholds. The Arctic ice cap is thinner by 42 percent and 27 percent of the world’s coral reefs have been lost, suggesting that some of the planet’s key ecological systems are in decline. Natural disasters associated with environmental degradation cost $608 billion over the last decade – as much as in the previous four decades combined. The encouraging signs of progress include the worldwide treaty signed in December to severely restrict 12 persistent organic pollutants. Organic farming now has a worldwide annual market of $22 billion. But fossil fuel use must slow dramatically to avoid acute water shortages, declining food production, and the proliferation of deadly diseases such as malaria. State of the World 2001 calls for stronger enforcement of international treaties, and for increased North-South cooperation. A collective commitment by the E9 (China, India, U.S., Indonesia, Brazil, Russia, Japan, South Africa, EU) to renewable energy systems, for example, could have a dramatic impact on energy markets and reduce the […]
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Canadian Environment Minister David Anderson announced a C$120.2 million (US$79 million) clean air package on February 20. “Our goal is simple,” he says. “To meet or exceed the standards that the U.S. Government is bringing in – standards that are recognized as amongst the toughest in the world. The package is part of a C$1.1 billion (US$715 million) fund the government set up last year to pay for air quality and climate change measures. The money will be used to reduce industrial emissions (C$20 million, US$13 million), upgrade air quality monitoring stations (C$30 million, US$19.5 million), and expand the National Pollutant Release Inventory – a database of pollutants and polluters – from the present 2,100 companies to 7000 companies in 2005 (C$23 million, US$15 million). But the emphasis is on reducing the impact of transportation (C$50 million, US$32.5 million). Canada will expand emissions testing programs, cut the sulphur content of fuel starting in 2005, and cars and trucks will be required to meet tougher emissions standards. The standards will also apply to snow blowers, portable generators, lawn mowers, leaf blowers, weed trimmers and chain saws. Transportation is the biggest source of air pollution in Canada. In 1998, nearly 18 million […]
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The outdoor industry has formed “Businesses for Wilderness” (B4W), a national initiative to support protection of important roadless areas throughout the U.S. It is being jump started with a $1 million grant from the Pew Charitable Trusts. “It’s a myth that protecting wilderness is bad for business,” says Frank Hugelmeyer, president of ORCA, the outdoor industry trade association representing 4000 businesses. “Wild and undeveloped lands are essential for the health of the $17.8 billion outdoor industry. We were one of the few business sectors that had double digit growth over the past holidays.” More than 111 million people participate in one of 14 activities that ORCA tracks. “Places for people to enjoy the outdoors are increasingly threatened,” notes Kathleen Beamer, vice president of public affairs for Recreational Equipment, Inc. (REI), one of the largest retailers and on-line merchants of outdoor gear, with 60 stores in the U.S. and Japan. “Our business and customers thrive when the outdoors is protected. Policy makers deserve to know about this.” [sorry this link is no longer available]
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In a major step toward national carpet recycling, the Carpet and Rug Institute, representing 92% of the industry, signed a voluntary Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to take increasing levels
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Dioxin is the latest addition to the U.S. National Toxicology Program’s list of substances “known to be human carcinogens” as of mid-February. The chemical is also linked to immune system suppression, infertility and learning disabilities. Although it is no longer manufactured, it is a byproduct of many industrial processes, is produced during waste incineration and is present in some herbicides and pesticides. Dioxin levels in the bloodstreams of Americans have declined in recent years as a result of environmental controls, but it is still widespread in the environment and can be found in very small amounts in the general population. A strategy for dealing with the world’s most hazardous substances was adopted by the European Commission in February. Information on about 30,000 substances that are carcinogenic, mutagenic, reproductive toxins, and persistent organic pollutants will be entered into a central database called the REACH system. The chemical industry, not government, will be responsible for testing and risk assessment – a reversal of the present situation. A company that produces a specific chemical will have to supply data on that chemical; government authorities will evaluate the data and decide on testing programs necessary to support its use. Formulators and downstream users will […]
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EU to Promote OrganicThe demand for organic foods is growing by 40 percent a year in the UK and much of Europe, according to the UK’s Soil Association, but it took the specter of the spread of Mad Cow Disease and a looming mountain of unwanted beef for the EU to actively promote it. In a dramatic shift from intensive farming methods designed to yield maximum beef production, the European Commission announced a plan to boost organic farming and reduce beef stock density. The plan includes incentives for farmers to plant organic fodder crops and subsidies for farms with fewer animals. Germany plans to boost organic farming to 10 percent of Germany’s farmland within five years by re-directing government subsidies to the tune of US$5 billion to organic farming. U.S. Releases Organic StandardIn the U.S., the final national organic standards were released on December 20. Then Secretary of Agriculture Dan Glickman called the 500-plus page document “the strongest and most comprehensive organic standard in the world.” There will now be an 18 month transition period for the industry to comply with the standard. Noted Katherine DiMatteo, executive director of the Organic Trade Association, “It’s a government program and we’ve voluntarily […]
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CARB FalloutJust a month after California Environmental Protection Agency’s Air Resources Board (CARB) voted unanimously to keep the 10 year old ZEV (Zero Emission Vehicle) mandate in place, General Motors filed a law suit to overturn the rules. GM claims CARB is ignoring auto makers’ costs and wants to test public acceptance of electric vehicles for five years instead of implementing the 2003 rules. The mandate encourages production of neighborhood EVs (small vehicles like Ford’s Th!nk) which can’t be driven over 35 miles per hour. GM claims this ”raises significant safety issues.” The company also expressed concerns that New York, Massachusetts, and Vermont may adopt the same standards. The Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, the industry’s lobbying organization, in a surprising move, indicated it will work with CARB to implement the rules rather than join in the lawsuit. The CARB mandate requires that 10% of new vehicles sold in California be clean vehicles starting in 2003. The decision triggers similar legislation in states that have adopted California’s clean air laws – Massachusetts, New York and Vermont. The final rule gives auto manufacturers flexibility in how they meet the 10% requirement. Only two percent must be ZEVs, two percent must be hybrids, […]
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SONY Electronics is launching the first plan in the U.S. to take-back its electronics equipment from individuals for recycling. During a successful pilot program they collected almost 600 tons of used equipment in Minnesota.
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