Energy News
How do you know solar is going mainstream? When you can buy it at Home Depot! Lots of other energy highlights here.
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DEA Issues Rules to Ban Hemp Foods
On October 9, The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) published rules regarding industrial hemp products in the Federal Register, effective immediately. Without any compelling reason or the required public notice and comment period, the DEA issued an interpretive rule banning hemp seed and oil food products that contain any amount of trace residual THC, potentially subjecting businesses and consumers to federal criminal penalties. DEA also issued an interim rule exempting hemp bodycare and fiber products from DEA control. Hemp seed is one of nature’s best sources of all essential amino acids in an easily digestible form. Hemp oil offers high concentrations of balanced essential fatty acids (EFA’s). The seed and oil are used in a wide range of natural food products, such as corn chips, nutrition bars, nondairy milks, breads and cereals.Hemp is grown in 29 countries including Canada, England, France, Germany and Spain. Each of these countries has adopted regulatory models that allow for safe human consumption of hemp products. Legislation relating to hemp has been passed in 16 states. This past year, the National Conference of State Legislatures adopted a resolution calling for changes to federal laws to allow for domestic hemp cultivation. The DEA states in 01-25024-filed: […]
U.S. Launches Certification Program for Solar Installers
With NY., Nevada and other states mandating that state facilities and utilities purchase some of their power from renewable sources, and with states like California offering incentives to install renewables, the demand for solar is skyrocketing. The solar industry is at the point where it is critical to PV professionals to be certified, and, after six years of development, a voluntary program is ready to become a reality. PV practitioners, followed by solar thermal practitioners, system designers and systems inspectors, will soon be able to receive national certification for their professional skills. The program begins next year. Learn more at the Interstate Renewable Energy Council: [sorry this link is no longer available]
Organic Industry News – Still Growing Fast
Sales of U.S. manufactured organic products grew 38 percent during the past year, reports the Organic Trade Association’s 2001 Manufacturers’ Market Survey. This rate far surpasses the estimated 20 – 25 percent annual growth for the organic market in general and the conventional grocery industry’s annual growth rate of 3 to 5 percent.The fastest-growing categories are meat/dairy alternatives such as soyfoods (215%), organic meat, poultry, eggs (64%), miscellaneous canned and jarred products (51%) and dairy (40%). from OTA’s The survey projects similarly continued strong growth for the coming year. One of the most dramatic changes, compared to 1998, was the shift to mass-market channels. Mass-market groceries accounted for 45 percent of organic food product sales in 2001, compared to only 31 percent in the 1998 survey. 43 percent of the U.S. population purchased organic foods or beverages in the past year, according to the Natural Marketing Institute’s Organic Consumer Trends Study.Canada’s organic sector rang up $1 billion in retail sales last year. The number of certified organic producers rose by 20 percent from 1998- 1999, to about 2,321. This is still a tiny .8 percent of the total number of farms in Canada, according to Canadian Organic Growers. Canadian Agriculture […]
To Find More Oil, 'Drill' in Detroit
There’s more “oil” in Detroit than in Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, aptly notes David Nemtzow, president of the Alliance to Save Energy. If fuel economy (CAFE) standards for light trucks were raised to 27.5 mpg like other passenger cars, we would save 2.1 million barrels of oil per day. This is twice Refuge peak production capability, and twice what the pipeline ships now, according to the U.S. Geological Society.A new report by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) puts average fuel economy for vehicles at its lowest point in 21 years. And U.S. citizens paid about $4 trillion from 1979 to 1991 for oil price shocks. This is almost as much as Americans spent on national defense during that period and more than interest payments on the national debt.The Energy Information Administration places the transportation sector as the second largest energy consumer in the U.S. It accounted for 67 percent of U.S. oil consumption and 26 percent of U.S. energy consumption in 2000. On October 10, Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle (D-SD) asked Senator Jeff Bingaman (D-NM), Chair of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee to stop plans to mark-up the energy bill. He asked Sen. Bingaman to prepare […]
Energy Hogs Pay Up
In Aspen and Pitkin County, Colorado, a new home over 5000 square feet (465 m) either has to include a renewable energy system, or its builder/ owner has to pay a $5000 mitigation fee. This component of a new Renewable Energy Mitigation Program (REMP) is, perhaps, the most unique and innovative addition to an energy code in the last 10 years. It started with big energy hogs – spas, heated pools, and snowmelt systems – that fell outside the residential energy code. When the local building code was tightened to include these energy uses, there was no way to improve the structure’s performance enough to offset the massive amounts of energy that pools, driveway heaters or very large homes use.According to Stephen Kanipe, the county and city building inspector, about $1.2 million has been collected in the last year, with mitigation fees as high as $80,000 from a single residence! How is the fee calculated? A system’s energy use over a 20 year period is multiplied by twice the marginal cost of locally available windpower.The Community Office for Resource Efficiency (CORE), a local nonprofit, administers the funds. CORE has used the funds for projects such as PV panels for a […]
Company News: Nike, Men's Wearhouse …
FoxFibre Cotton Twill Slacks from Chi WearMen’s Wearhouse, a national leader in men’s clothing, and the largest seller of men’s suits in the U.S. will be offering a new environmental product line in partnership with Chi Wear. Pants, shirts, jackets, underwear and socks made from hemp/ cotton blends, organic cotton, and color-grown organic cotton (the cotton is grown in color, eliminating dyes), will be available on-line and in all 500 stores as early as Spring, 2002. [sorry this link is no longer available]Several activewear producers are switching to all organic materials. They are the largest purchasers of organic cotton, driving the increase in acreage worldwide. Mountain Equipment Co-op (MEC), Nike, Patagonia, and Gaiam/Ecosport are some of the manufacturers involved. Nike plans to use 1.2 million pounds of certified organic or transitional cotton this year. The company used 900,000 pounds last year, two thirds of which came from the U.S. Nike plans to incorporate three percent organic cotton into all its cotton apparel worldwide by 2010.Nike signed a landmark agreement committing the company to reduce greenhouse gas emissions worldwide and to begin measuring emissions from contracted manufacturing and shipping operations. The company, which employs some 500,000 people at 750 factories worldwide, […]
A Letter to the Senate Energy Committee
Congress should pass a "National Energy Security, Fuel Efficiency and Hydrogen Transition Act of 2001." This would rapidly reduce oil dependence and would create a worldwide business boom.
What Does It Take To Remind Us: Life is Precious
The sky is blue and the birds sing. For one more day. What can we do to spark the love of life in everyone on this planet? Some voices for sustainability speak their mind.
Sharing Sustainable Business Practices
Is it good business to give your proprietary technology to competitors? Designtex thinks so!
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