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Recycling Up, But Waste is Too

A new study, “Wasting and Recycling in the United States 2000,” by the GrassRoots Recycling Network shows that while Americans are setting new recycling records (28% in 1997), product and packaging waste is simultaneously increasing. Last year, Los Angeles achieved a 47 percent reduction in the city’s waste-stream and Falls Church, Virginia reached a 65% residential recycling and waste-prevention rate. But in general, landfill and incinerator waste increased by 4.4 million tons between 1996-1997 after several years of leveling off. “We need to redesign products and packaging to minimize and more efficiently use materials,” the authors conclude. “We need to aim for a zero-waste economy.” They point to fact that “all landfill liners eventually leak, polluting nearby groundwater,” and that landfill monitoring systems to detect groundwater pollution are inadequate. [sorry this link is no longer available]

Benefits of Appliance Standards State-by-State

Updated appliance energy efficiency standards would save $14 billion a year – 5.3 percent of current residential and commercial energy consumption in 2020 – while reducing power plant emissions according to “Opportunity Knocks: Capturing Pollution Reductions and Consumer Savings from Updated Appliance Efficiency Standards,” a new report by the Appliance Standards Awareness Project. The report displays how appliance standards benefit people and the environment state-by-state. While the most populous and warmest states see the greatest savings and pollution reductions, all states benefit. The report states the U.S. Department of Energy is running years behind schedule in setting new performance standards for water heaters, fluorescent light ballasts, central air conditioners and clothes washers. It set two new efficiency standards in the past eight years – one for room air conditioners that takes effect this October, and one for refrigerators that comes into effect in 2001. [sorry this link is no longer available]

AGORES – The EU Site for Renewable Energy

The AGORES website is a gateway to information on renewable energy activities and information in Europe. You can find European and national policies, a directory of “Who’s Who” in the European Community, statistics, sources for financing, market studies, and summaries of successful projects across Europe. http://www.agores.org

Earth Day In the Media

Earth Day themes abound in the media lately. Some of these dates have passed, but you might be interested in knowing about them. * April 12-21, 3:00 PM ET: Cartoon Network USA airs a Captain Planet Climate Change Marathon. * April 14, NBC 8:00 PM ET: a special episode of Providence with Earth Day themes. * April 16-21: CNN Special ongoing Earth Day Reports cover topics such as Clinton’s Environmental Legacy, Recycling Reality Check and a Big Picture Look at 30 Years of Environmentalism. * April 16, CNN 10:00 PM ET: CNN & Time profile three Heroes of the Planet. * April 17, CBS 10:00 PM ET: in a special Earth Day episode of Family Law, series star Kathleen Quinlan trades in her gas-guzzling SUV for a hybrid Toyota Prius. * April 17, ABC 10:00 PM ET: The series Once and Again airs an Earth Day episode. * April 19: the Earth Day edition of Time magazine hits the newsstands internationally. * APRIL 21, TBA: ABC News special program on global warming hosted by Leonardo DiCaprio, Chair of EarthFair 2000 on the National Mall in Washington DC. * Earth Day, April 22: CNN features live reports from Earth Day events […]

Earth Day Poll Compares Attitudes Of Boomers & Internet Generation

A poll conducted by Environmental Defense (formerly EDF) finds that a majority of baby boomers and the “Internet generation” interviewed have participated in an Earth Day event (Internet-62%; Boomers-54%), and believe these events have raised their awareness of environmental issues (I-69%; B- 64%). When asked if environmental conditions are better or worse today than on the first Earth Day 30 years ago, 62% of the 500, 18-25 year-olds view conditions as worse today; 29 percent said they are better. From the 500, 45-55 year-olds polled, 52 percent see things as worse and 45 percent see them as better. Both groups believe – by wide margins – that water and air quality continue to worsen. How can we solve environmental problems? The majority of both groups (87% Internet Generation; 88% Boomers) point to individual action and public education as the most effective approaches. While only a third in each group has searched the internet for environmental information, the majority believes that it will have a positive effect on the environment (I-positive 60%/negative 9%; B- positive 55%/negative 5%). Fred Krupp, executive director of Environmental Defense, expressed surprise by the results: “We undertook this effort expecting to find significant differences between the generations […]

Strategic Report on International Environmental Market

Environmental Data Resources’, Inc. new report summarizes strategies companies are using to compete internationally as well as the forces driving demand for environmental services. Dianne Crocker, Director of Market Research, states, “Success in international environmental markets requires tremendous expertise, patience and capital.” To get a copy of “Environmental Firms Gain Global Reach, Exercise Caution” contact Michele Audet: (800) 352-0050, X252.

Upcoming Conferences: The Internet & Society

The World Resources Institute (WRI) is hosting a conference called “Creating Digital Dividends: Applying Digital Technology to Sustainable Development” in Seattle, October 16-18. Its aim is to organize the digital industry to become pro-active on social and environmental agendas. They are limiting attendance to 300 participants; the group of leaders will explore untapped business opportunities by expanding digital technologies into regions, industries, and applications where they are most needed. Case studies of innovative business models that apply digital technologies to unconventional markets will be presented and then small groups will explore practical solutions and new business opportunities. Harvard University’s biannual “Internet and Society” conference is May 31 to June 2. The theme is, The Power of Information: Opportunities and Ethical Dilemmas in the Internet Age. How will society keep pace with the changes brought by the Internet? Will cyberspace create a new social elite or lead to further democratization? How will new Internet technology restructure life in the 21st century? The conference is built around four tracks: business, design/technology, politics/law, and society/health. One session is on the effect of the Internet on the built environment: e-Commerce, Remote Presence, Tele-work and the Built Environment. Will the Internet affect sprawl, the number […]

"Gets 2" Gets Going Trading Emissions

Gets 2 stands for Greenhouse & Energy Trading Simulation phase 2. More than 30 fictional companies from various industry sectors (utilities, petroleum, steel, cement, and glass are participating in a simulation of trades in CO2 emissions permits, electricity and natural gas over the Internet. The first round of Gets 2 just ended and, according to material on the website, 95 percent of participants reached their emission objectives. The simulation is being conducted from February to June 2000 under the aegis of ParisBourse and Eurelectric, the association of European electricity producers and distributors. PricewaterhouseCoopers acts as simulation organiser. The results will be presented at the sixth Conference of the Parties (COP-6) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. The European Commission has published its Green Paper on Greenhouse Gas Emissions Trading in the European Union. It commissioned a one-year study by the Foundation for International Environmental Law and Development (FIELD) in London, in partnership with the Center for Clean Air Policy in Washington DC. The key policy decisions it analyzed are: which countries and companies will participate? How, and by whom, the allowance allocations be made? How can emissions trading build on existing policies such as technical regulation, environmental […]

Instant Lifecycle Assessments, Computer Recycling & More

Since 1992, Carnegie Mellon University’s Green Design Initiative has been conducting research to incorporate green design into engineering, manufacturing, and architecture. Three new resources are online: instant lifecycle assessments, end-of-life options for computers, and green design curriculum. It takes only a few seconds to gage the overall lifecycle environmental impact from 500 categories such as doctors’ offices and hospitals, food and tobacco, livestock and agricultural products, and leather and glass. Pick the category you’re interested in and the tool tells you how much the environmental impact changes as more of that item is produced. For example, what is the impact of producing a US$20,000 car? Your answer takes into account the supply chain required to manufacture a car such as metal mining, parts manufacture and final assembly. The model covers only production though, not the impact of gasoline or maintenance. The answer comes in the form of energy use, specific air pollutants, hazardous wastes, toxic emissions, and dollar estimates of external air pollution costs. If you are interested in learning more about this topic, the U.S. EPA’s International Life Cycle Assessment Conference and Exhibition, InLCA will be held in Washington D.C., April 25 – 27, 2000. The Green Design Initiative […]

Eco-Taxes Effective for Denmark

Denmark taxes carbon and sulfur dioxide emissions, drinking water, pesticides, sewage and waste, and batteries through user fees and deposit systems. A study produced for the Danish Environment Ministry and the Danish Environmental Protection Agency by Cowi Consulting, using data since the 1970s when Denmark introduced eco-taxes, found they have been effective in protecting the environment. Although the measures tend to affect lower-income groups the most, the country has been able to lower employment taxes as ecotaxes have increased. Denmark Environment Ministry: [sorry this link is no longer available]

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