Beijing, with a population of over 20 million, has suffered from hazardous air pollution since last January, which has threatened the people greatly since the pollutants can cause fatal health problems.

On January 12, the air quality monitor run by the U.S. embassy in Beijing reported an air pollution level of 886, which directly indicated PM2.5 – a fine particulate less than 2.5 micrometers in diameter – is off its maximum level of 500. This warns that everyone should refrain from all physical activities outdoors. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the average concentrations of PM2.5 per cubic meter should not be more than 25 micrograms, yet the readings on some days in January exceeded 40 times of the standard.

The effect of the PM 2.5 is even more disastrous: The U.S. embassy Beijing air quality monitor website stated “PM 2.5 particulates are of concern since they are small enough to directly enter the lungs and even the blood stream,” and warned that ‘hazardous’ level of air quality can result in “Serious aggravation of heart or lung disease and premature mortality in persons with cardiopulmonary disease and the elderly; serious risk of respiratory effects in general population.”

Nonetheless, you did not need to check the Air Quality Index (AQI) to see how dreadful the air quality was. The darkness from the extreme dustiness lasted the whole afternoon on that day, and the thick dusty layers hindered sight within approximately 300 meters, where even the huge skyscrapers were hardly visible. “The smog was so thick that more than 50 flights were cancelled at Beijing Capital International Airport, causing chaos ahead of Chinese New Year, when city-dwellers travel to see relatives” reported the Independent on January 29. The effect of the ‘hazardous’ level of the air quality was immediate. Dr. Huang of the Beijing Shijitan hospital said in an interview with CBS News that the number of patients hospitalized because of chronic bronchitis or other respiratory illnesses had increased by 20% after the hazardous air quality days.

Yet, this catastrophic phenomenon did not just happen for an occasional day. Beijing has been besieged by the hazy and dusty skies for the last several months at a consistent level, and there have been only a few days of blue skies; the AQI reads under the degree of ‘Unhealthy’. Even China’s national newspaper, China Digital Times, published an article titled “Beijing Air Quality: Worse than SARS.”

As a response to the people’s outcry, the city government took urgent action. According to Bloomberg on the last January 29, Beijing decided to temporarily shut down the 103 factories around the city, and the government agencies and state-owned companies were commended to reduce vehicle use by 30% until the end of January.

The scenery of Beijing in the past months has been changed visibly. People started wearing PM 2.5-blocking masks outside, and frequently check AQI via the application on their mobile phones. The term ‘PM 2.5’ is often being discussed everywhere – in newspapers, television and people’s daily dialogue. Some companies distribute free 3M dust masks for college students on campus instead of their traditional marketing strategies of giving a small gift such as stationary.

It is estimated to affect the job market in Beijing as well. On April 1, Financial Times reported that the ‘Airpocalypse’ has made it difficult for companies to find international work talent, and many expatriates are planning to leave Beijing due to the concern for health. There are nearly 200,000 foreign residents in Beijing and many of the expats are professionals with high-earning jobs, which contribute greatly to the socio-economic development of the city, the news report said.

“Air pollution is a major problem in China because of the country’s rapid pace of industrialization, reliance on coal power, explosive growth in car ownership and the sometimes disregard for environmental laws,” said CNN news on January 19. China has been the world’s largest greenhouse gas emitter since 2007, and approximately 70 percent of its total energy still comes from coal.

The 2012 Cancer Registry Annual Report showed that cancer-related mortality in China has increased by 465 percent in the past three decades and the lung cancer was the top cause among all the cancers.

According to the World Bank (WB) report, 20 cities in China listed on the 30 most polluted cities in the world. In the recent study by Greenpeace and Peking University’s School of Public Health, it is estimated that the exposure to PM2.5 caused more than 8,500 premature deaths in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Xi’an in 2012.

Image credit: People in Beijing via Flickr.com

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In the last two years, a new technology that produces energy from waste has become popular in European and Asian countries, such as Korea and Japan.

Korea’s Incheon city is currently running a facility that produces fuel from residential wastes. It gets rid of combustible wastes first, and makes Refuse Derived Fuel (RDF) by compressing the rest of the waste.

This facility produces about 200 tons of RDF out of 150 tons of residential waste. RDF is known as efficient as anthracite in terms of energy efficiency. RDF is mostly used at a thermoelectric power plant or a paper-mill. Incheon city is planning to produce 1200 more tons of RDF this year.

Meanwhile, Denmark’s Thisted city gets its heating energy by burning abandoned straw and animal wastes. When straw and animal wastes are being burnt, they emit heat with little carbon dioxide, which makes them eco-friendly. In addition, Thisted city is getting about 20 percent of the electricity it needs from residential or industrial wastes.

There is a reason why many nations are becoming interested in energy made with waste. Since most waste is buried in the ground, many major cities worldwide are having trouble with securing places to bury those wastes. For nations with limited land space, like Korea, this problem is more serious. According to Korea’s Ministry of Environment, 83.6 percent of waste produced in Korea is recycled, but the rest of it is just buried in the ground every year. Therefore, several major cities in Korea, such as Incheon, Busan, Kwangju and Deagu either already built or seek to build a special facility to produce RDF.

European countries started producing energy by recycling waste earlier than Asian countries. Some of European countries not only produce RDF but also bio-gas, from food and sewage wastes.

Public transportation like subway or buses in Sweden’s Hammarby sjostad city are running by 100 percent recycled energy. Hammarby sjostad is known as “the city with zero carbon emission.” It is easy to spot people putting bio-gas in their vehicles at every gas stations in Hammarby sjostad city. According to Eurostat, only one percent of waste was buried in the ground in Sweden last year, thanks to Sweden’s effort to recycle waste.

Meanwhile, in Germany, there were 75 bio-gas plants that produce energy from food wastes and animal drops in the 1980s. However, now you can see about 2,000 bio-gas plants in Germany.

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Ecotourism, or environmentally responsible travel, is no longer just a trip with backpacks, spending nights in the open air and with little comfort. The world’s best resorts are adding “eco” to their names, combining sustainability with a high level of service. Luxury-Eco is a new concept that combines two seemingly opposing directions. Since luxury is defined as a good or service that is not considered to be a necessity, it is associated with waste. In reality, however, rarity and durability lies in the concept of true luxury. It is not something mass produced but precious, therefore it is in luxury brands best interests to protect scarce resources.

“Luxury brands can not be that proud about their performance on social environmental issues yet,” says Dr. Jem Bendell, Associate Professor in Griffith Business School.  The business of luxury, however, cannot be isolated from the problems of  pollution, climate change and scarcity of resources. The question is not whether luxury industry could be green, but how it could do so.

“The biggest problem in sustainability in any industry is that there is no general definition of what it is,” comments Vanessa Friedman, fashion editor for the Financial Times. The possible answers could be an efficient use of resources, help to local communities, and decent working conditions for employees. Currently each industry faces the challenge to define its own sustainable practices to make sure the resources we have today will be available tomorrow.

The tourism industry is one of the first that has developed criteria for a clear understanding of what sustainable tourism is, and the rules the tourism business should follow. The framework, called the Global Sustainable Tourism Criteria, published in March 2012, covers four main directions: effective sustainability planning, maximizing social and economic benefits for the local community, enhancing cultural heritage and reducing negative impacts to the environment. Market leaders make efforts to follow the criteria.

The Marriott, for example, is about to spend 75 percent of its budget this year to get sustainable furniture and equipment. Another giant, Hilton, managed to cut waste 19 percent during 2010 with its system LightStay. The company states an objective to cut energy consumption by 20 percent, CO2 emission and waste output; water consumption is to be cut by 10 percent in the period from 2009 to 2014. Hilton’s sustainability policy includes eleven points, one of which is engaging  team members through training, tools, and active involvement.

Not only employees, but also customers, should be educated. Hotels cannot limit clients’ consumption of food, water and energy, but what they can do is to create a community with recommendations that are easy to follow. Practices such as changing the towels only when necessary, not using straws for cocktails and reusing glasses are not restricting, therefore customers are likely to respect them. The key here is to give visitors the idea about their contribution. It’s not enough for a hotel to claim to be green. The figures about reduction of water use and energy and contribution to the local community must be presented. The Sol Melía chain, for example, reported 35,506kg of waste collected and recycled for hotel. Another important factor to look at while choosing a green place is whether a hotel has environmental certification.

The current challenge common for all luxury industries is how to make customers accept and follow green practices. Kavita Maharaj, the Director of Global Corporate Relationship in Havas Media, is optimistic about the future: “It’s quite clear from the research we have done that consumers want it. They say quite categorically: we want to be a part of the solution, we want to be engaged in this issue and do something about it.”

In the end, luxury has sustainability in its roots. “The essence of real luxury is to sell high quality, creative and rare objects with an image of good taste and elegance. Thus luxury is resource dependent and obsessed by the sustainability of its resources,” says Jean Noël Kapferer, expert in brand-management.

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February 25 Children in Kedungnoyo, Indonesia witnessed electronic light for the first time in their lives.  Kedungnoyo, which takes about five hours by car from the Indonesia’s second biggest city Surabaya to get to, is one of the poorest cities in Indonesia where about 223 people are making money by growing and selling crops. Since the electricity does not reach this town, the residents have never used any electronic goods or light at nighttime.

The Korea Green Foundation helped bring light to the town by pushing for the campaign to help cities in Asia without electricity to have sunlight-generated lamps. The foundation started this campaign because it realized that it is necessary for a lot of poor cities in Asia to have not only water, but light to enhance their quality of life.

According to the statistics released by the International Energy Agency (IEA), about 600 million people in Asia have no approach to the electricity. The statistics reveal that about 300 million people in India, 90 million in Bangladesh, 60 million in Indonesia, 50 million in Pakistan, 20 million in the Philippines, and 4 million in China, do not have any electricity.

The Korea Green Foundation decided to push for this campaign in April 2012, and devised the plan to distribute about 10,000 sunlight-generated lamps to people in Indonesia, Nepal, Cambodia, Bangladesh, India, and Myanmar from November 2012 to end of this year.

The sunlight-generated lamp is designed to last almost ten hours once it is charged for about four hours under the sunlight. It costs $200,000 to make one lamp, but once it is made, it does not cost any extra money to use, and this product can be used semi-permanently.

Korea Green Foundation is planning to raise about $2 billion to finish its campaign successfully, and it has already secured half a billion dollars from Korea’s Samsung Group.

The foundation was founded in 2002 as Korea’s first public foundation aiming to conserve the environment. It focuses on educational and cultural programs to raise awareness for urgent environmental issues. For that purpose, it annually holds the Green Film Festival in Seoul to introduce various environment-related films to the world, publishes books dealing with environmental issues, organizes forums and educational programs for children to adults, and runs the Eco Shop with eco-friendly products.

Image Courtesy : Timekin

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Curitiba, a small city located in the southern area of Brazil, has several special titles: The world’s most ecological city, the world’s smartest city, and the city of hope.

Curitiba is a city which was planned and changed by the city’s former mayor Jaime Lerner, who applied his insight and wisdom into making the city a better place to live. In the 1950s, Curitiba witnessed an increasing number of people flowing into the city, as it experienced industrial development. As a result, various environmental problems began to surface. However, after Jaime Lerner was elected the city started to see hope for change.

The very first thing Lerner did was change government employees’ way to deal with the city’s budget. He encouraged them to achieve efficiently, and with less money. Around that time the city was considering installing a subway system, but it cost too much money to complete the entire process, making government employees hesitant to push for it. However, after being inspired by Lerner they thought of a new way to save money and increase efficiency. As a result, Curitiba’s unique bus system was invented. It was designed after the way a subway system works, but since the system used existing roads, they did not need to dig tunnels or purchase new subway trains, which would have cost a lot of money. Nowadays, many cities worldwide have adopted Curitiba’s bus system to save on their budget.

In the 1970s Curitiba wanted to build more parks in the city in order to improve its air quality. This was also met with difficulty because of the lack of budget to do it. There was, however, remaining room in the budget for building facilities to prevent the river from flooding. The city came up with an idea to build a new type of place that could be used for preventing the flood, as well as a public park. It made a huge hole around the river, which flooded frequently, and created a public park around this area.

In addition, Curitiba tried its best to reuse abandoned or old buildings in the city, instead of building new structures. They changed an abandoned ammunition dump into a day care center. Other old building were changed into a community center, as well as other amenities for people in the city.

Besides these works, Curitiba has achieved many other things which make the city a better place to live in. There are always things that people want to change but do nothing about. However, by putting what people imagine into practice, Curitiba has become a model city for other cities worldwide.

Images Courtesy : Charles. c, Gixlene, Augusto, Chan360 and Hector Garcia

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Toronto, Canada — The MaRS Cleantech Fund is pleased to announce the completion of a venture deal with Woodland Biofuels, positioned to become North America’s lowest-cost producer of ethanol.

“The MaRS Cleantech fund seeks technologies with the potential to revolutionize the energy sector,” says Tom Rand, co-managing director of the Fund. “Woodland Biofuels is on track to become the first company to profitably make renewable fuels from non-food sources without requiring any form of subsidy. That’s the kind of game-changer we target.”

Woodland Biofuels produces cellulosic ethanol from wood chips and other types of biomass, converting forestry and agricultural waste into fuel using a proprietary gasification and three-step catalytic conversion process. The company recently opened a demonstration plant in Sarnia, Ontario.

“Woodland’s demonstration plant will show that our technology can produce renewable fuels from cellulose, reliably and at low cost,” says Greg Nuttall, CEO of Woodland Biofuels. “We look forward to working with MaRS to bring this important technology into full commercial production.”

Rand notes that liquid fuels – gasoline, diesel and jet fuel – are the most difficult components of the fossil fuel infrastructure to replace with renewables.

“First-generation fuels from food are a non-starter – they can’t scale up,” says Rand. “There were a few early, high-profile failures in cellulosic fuels, which made investors flee the sector. But if you do your homework, it’s clear not all second-generation technologies are equal. With Woodland, we believe we’ve found a technology that can deliver on the promise of renewable fuel.”

Murray McCaig, the Fund’s co-managing partner, says it targets the technology component of a sustainable economy – investing in companies that solve big problems in order to reap big rewards.

“According to Ottawa-based Analytica Advisors, the global cleantech market is expected to reach $3 trillion by 2020,” McCaig says. “If Canada got just two per cent of the cleantech market by 2020, which happens to be our share of carbon emissions, we’d build a $60 billion industry. That’s the market we’re going after.”

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Tucson, U.S.A. — U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rules on small particulate-matter air pollutants (PM2.5) cost the economy billions of dollars. The justification for these costly, job-destroying rules is challenged in the winter 2012 issue of the Journal of American Physicians and Surgeons.

The EPA claims that tens of thousands, or even hundreds of thousands of Americans die each year because of PM2.5. Such particles, which are smaller in diameter than a human hair, come from natural and man-made sources, including diesel exhaust, forest fires, and dust storms.

However, based on extensive evidence, epidemiologist James Enstrom of the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) concluded that there was no increased mortality in California from such exposure during the period 1973 to 2002. Enstrom also blew the whistle on misconduct by scientists and bureaucrats who support more stringent EPA rules.

After 35 years of distinguished service, UCLA is attempting to fire Enstrom and prevent him from presenting his findings to colleagues at UCLA, despite the fact that many other researchers support his work. Enstrom’s persecution appears to be driven by the ideological agenda of environmental activists, writes Jerome Arnett, M.D., in the Journal.

“This problem is not uncommon,” writes Arnett. “Many careers have been destroyed when faculty members challenge established orthodoxy, while many other faculty members have been intimidated from speaking freely.”

With the help of the American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ), Enstrom has filed a lawsuit against University of California regents and several top UCLA officials, alleging violations of his civil rights, including the right to free speech on matters of public concern.

Additional scientific misconduct related to the PM2.5 rule is highlighted in another article in the same issue of the Journal. Even though asserting that PM2.5 at any level can kill within hours of exposure, or possibly cause cancer, EPA is sponsoring experiments in which vulnerable human subjects are exposed to diesel exhaust in an apparatus that some say resembles a gas chamber.

“Some environmentalists seem to have no scruples about silencing critics or experimenting on human beings in studies whose only purpose appears to be to cause harm,” states Jane Orient, M.D., executive director of the Association of American Physicians and Surgeons (AAPS).

AAPS, a national organization representing physicians in all specialties, founded in 1943, publishes the Journal of American Physicians and Surgeons .

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San Francisco, U.S.A. — Guerrilla Green is a growing movement of frustrated young people tired of waiting for sustainable transformation in the built environment. The place they spend most of their time, the school campus, is usually built with little care to future generations and in some cases contain toxins that increase the risk of cancer in students and teachers.

As more schools push for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) very few give an outlet for practical and tangible results. We’re changing that. This inaugural sustainable showdown invites teams of middle and high school students across the U.S. to bring innovative solutions to their school buildings, outdoor spaces and activities.

Using a ‘bracket style’ competition the top eight teams will compete to win their region before battling for the grand prize of ten grand. We are not just highlighting and honoring ideas, we’re investing in them with over $30,000. This money empowers the students with direct action, not only to imagine but to implement. Surprise jury members will be announced every day starting October 24. The group includes a 19 year old filmmaker, a 21 year old eco-pioneer, an emerging TV and film actor and many more.

Cameron Sinclair, ‘Chief Eternal Optimist’ of Architecture for Humanity and former TED Prize winner, argues that “the only difference between a good idea and a great one is implementation. I came up with Architecture for Humanity when I was a kid, and it took over a decade before I found the support to launch it. We can’t wait while the innovative ideas sit on the shelf, so we are helping to fund the Guerrilla Green Sustainable Showdown and in turn invest in what matters, the environmental leaders of tomorrow.”

Additional funding has been provided by Youth Rock The Rebuild, a group of school rock bands who have raised funds for rebuilding in Haiti and Japan as well as local initiatives. Support has also been garnered from the Bezos Family Foundation, The Department of Small Works and Teens Turning Green.

Are you a teenager? Do you know a teenager? Have you seen a teenager? Register and submit the next great green solution for a chance to collect up to $13,000, submit it at bit.ly/hackitgreen then talk it up on our Facebook page and Twitter @guerrillagreen. Snap it up on Pintrest and Instagram. Each venue gives your team more exposure and more money (mini challenges to come). So Green into it!

For more information, visit bit.ly/hackitgreen or join in at Twitter @guerrillagreen and Facebook.

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By the time you’re ten, you have most likely heard the phrase: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. But how effective is recycling?

When younger, you’re more likely to actually recycle because you have been taught that is the right thing to do. However, that quickly changes once children grow up because their apartment or house charges extra for recycling, or because recycling is too much of a hassle.

According to the Clean Air Council, “Only 30% of people in the Southern region of the United States had curbside recycling collection [recycling that is deposited by the residents outside of each house and picked up by recycling representatives] in 2008. Eighty-four percent of people in the Northeast had curbside recycling.” Especially since the percentage within the Southern region is so low, it certainly does not encourage people to recycle. “In 2008, only 23.1% of glass disposed of was recycled, and only 7.1% of plastics and 21.1% of aluminum.” Surprisingly, “the average American office worker uses about 500 disposable cups every year” and “every year, Americans throw away enough paper and plastic cups, forks, and spoons to circle the equator 300 times.”

The startling fact is that a lot of Americans do not recycle, “Over 7 billion pounds of PVC are thrown away in the U.S. each year. Only 18 million pounds of that, about one quarter of 1 percent, is recycled.”

Recycling is a huge deal on my college campus because we are trying to “Go Green” and leave less of a carbon footprint. Sure, there are still people who do not recycle and those who use a different plastic water bottle every day, but the majority of those on campus will at least recycle.

However, many times even “recycled” plastics cannot be reused, so why are so many of our items made from plastic? If you look around the room, you would be surprised at how many plastic items you own, ranging from food containers to shelves. Looking at the statistics for water bottles alone is sickening. The Clean Air Council claims that “827,000 to 1.3 million tons of plastic PET water bottles were produced in the U.S. in 2006, requiring the energy equivalent of 50 million barrels of oil. 76.5 percent of these bottles ended up in landfills.” In addition, “26 to 41 percent of the 2.4 million tons of PET plastic discarded every year is bottled water bottles” and “because plastic water bottles are shielded from sunlight in landfills, they will not decompose for thousands of years.”

It may not be feasible to believe that plastics can be eliminated entirely from our lives, but everyone can be more conscious about their plastic usage. You can reduce your own plastic consumption in several easy ways, such as bringing your own bags to the grocery store so you do not get more paper or plastic bags. “Every year, Americans use approximately 1 billion shopping bags, creating 300,000 tons of landfill waste.” In fact, “Less than 1 percent of plastic bags are recycled each year.” You can also buy a reusable water bottle rather than buying bottled water.

If everyone made an effort to use fewer plastics, everyone would be doing something better than recycling: they would be proactive about an issue, rather than simply throwing something away in the proper bin.

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London, U.K. — As The New Economy announces the winners of the Cleantech and New Energy Awards, governments and organisations have made it clear that energy providers’ strategies are still fundamental to the future of business development.

The two-day blackout experienced across two thirds of India in July illustrated that the nation’s power demands rest on a knife edge. In a country whose cities use an estimated 40 percent of electricity on air conditioning to make working life tolerable, intelligent solutions are clearly required to utilise available energy to maximum efficiency. And India is far from the only country in this situation.

With the need for a smarter use of resources to meet ever-growing demands, the Cleantech and New Energy Awards 2012 offer commendation to the companies and projects whose work is pioneering new ways of generating energy and efficiency in energy usage. Their ingenuity in the field offers a brighter prospect for the use.

The award winners represent a large spectrum of intelligent ideas for the creation and saving of energy and resources. From better ways to preserve water to creating power via hydroelectricity, The New Economy has evaluated the projects that will serve and impact on the way of life well into the next century. The winners represent the companies who are delivering progress in this area while considering our relationship with the environment at the same time.

The Clean Tech and New Energy Awards 2012 also celebrate the companies who have pursued new thinking for existing technologies. Focusing on efficiency, these winners have demonstrated their excellence through projects such as achieving greater power generation from wind turbines and developing higher-yielding and less costly solar panels.

The New Economy presents these well-earned accolades and offers its warmest congratulations to all winners and looks forward to a brighter future they offer us.

The full announcement of The Clean Tech and New Energy Awards 2012, along with articles on some of the winning technologies, can be found in the Autumn edition of The New Economy in shops now. To see a full listing of award winners please visit their site.

World News Media is a leading publisher of quality financial and business magazines, enjoying a global distribution network that includes subscriber lists of the most prominent and senior decision-makers around the world, as well as comprehensive airport, hotel and conference site distribution.

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‘Eco Future’ is a yearlong exhibition opened recently in Manarat Al Saadiyat. The exhibition aims to urge the society and especially young generations to live a sustainable life style. It focuses on increasing the awareness of global warming, pollution and the green lifestyle.

Manarat Al Saadiyat literally means “the place of Enlightenment.” It is a 15,400 square meter arts and culture center located in Saadiyat Island in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates.

The exhibition is organized by the Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority with other governmental organizations such as Masdar, Abu Dhabi Education Council, Urban Planning Council, Environment Agency-Abu Dhabi, the Imperial College London Diabetes Centre, Emirates Wildlife Society and Tourism Development and Investment Company.

The main teaching method in the exhibition is done by lectures, workshops, games, videos, trips with the illustrated paintings and distributed brochures. The exhibition uses interactive cartoon characters, which are taken from the local community of the UAE. The characters Ali, Moza, Yas and Sara are used to attract a younger audience, especially kids between 8 to 12 years old. It includes a large number of interactive games to teach the kids green lifestyle choices from eating and drinking to how to make eco-friendly cars.

The exhibition contains six different areas including Drinking, Eating, Enjoying, Moving, Building and Future City. In each area are environmental oriented artistic workshops. Also, they organize  kayaking trips for both kids and adults.

The 7days newspaper has published some environmental facts taught during the exhibition:

• The UAE’s energy use is seven times the global average.
• The UAE is the world’s largest generator of waste.
• At current rates, the UAE’s fresh water supply will be unusable in 50 years.
• One computer left on all day releases over 680 kg of carbon dioxide a year. It would take 100 to 500 trees to absorb that amount.
• It takes roughly 25 bathtubs of water to grow enough cotton to make a T-shirt.
• One per cent of the earth’s water is fresh. All the rest is salty sea water or frozen ice caps.

The exhibition is open daily from 10am – 8pm from September 27, 2012 to September 26, 2013. The admission to  Manarat Al Saadiyat is free , while the entrance ticket of the exhibition is  for  30 dirhams for adults and 25 dirhams for kids. Families of 4 members can enter the exhibition for 80 dirhams only. The exhibition can be reached by public buses, taxis and cars.

Image Courtesy of  Saadiyat Cultural District

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Morgantown, U.S.A. — SustainU, a leading producer of clothing using fabrics made from 100% recycled materials that are manufactured in the USA, announced a new sustainability-focused program with Eastern Mountain Sports, The national retailer is now carrying men’s and women’s graphic tees in 49 of its leading stores. The co-branded collection will be distinguished by an “EMS, Powered by SustainU” hangtag.

“We are very excited to be working with EMS. They are a ground-breaking company, looking to offer their customers both environmentally and socially sustainable clothing options,” said Chris Yura, CEO and founder of SustainU. “Less than 2% of the clothing sold in the US is actually made here. It is vital that we begin to bring this part of our economy back and the jobs that go with it.”

Since 1994, the American textile and apparel-manufacturing sector has lost more than 1 million jobs, 65% of the entire industry. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that an additional 25% of the jobs (53,7000) will be gone before 2020. ”As an outdoor retailer, Eastern Mountain Sports is committed to doing everything we can to preserve and protect our planet,” said Eastern Mountain Sports CEO Will Manzer. “That’s why we’re proud to partner with SustainU to reduce the environmental impact of our graphic t-shirts while supporting a small, American business.”

Eastern Mountain Sports is offering the co-branded collection in two men’s and two women’s graphic tees in retail locations, including its online web store (EMS.com). “We look forward to growing our 100% recycled, made in the USA programs in the near future as consumers get more and more on board with these products,” said Jen Edes, EMS Sr. Director Sourcing & Product Development.

A complete list of stores carrying the SustainU line can be found at www.sustainUclothing.com/EMS.

SustainU produces high quality apparel using fabrics made from 100% recycled materials that are manufactured in the USA to provide extraordinary comfort and wear, while reducing environmental waste, carbon emissions and water use. Our mission is to change the way clothes are made to improve the environment, reinvigorate America’s manufacturing sector, and educate the world about how clothing can positively impact people’s lives.

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Washington, U.S.A. — Online registration is now open for Keep America Beautiful’s America Recycles Day (ARD), the one day to educate and motivate people about the importance of recycling to our economy and for our environmental well-being.

Recognized annually on November 15, ARD celebrates the benefits of recycling while providing an educational platform that helps raise awareness about the value of reducing, reusing and recycling – every day – all throughout the year.

Online registration is now open at AmericaRecyclesDay.org for local organizers to schedule events in their communities and gain access to valuable resources to plan, promote and host an event. To support event organizers, there are best practices guides for hosting events from plastics bag and film recycling to tailgate recycling, activity ideas, posters (on recycled paper), banners (made from recycled plastic bottles), pencils (made from recycled newspaper), buttons (made from recycled steel), and much more.

Access to these collateral materials and other resources is available to any organization ranging from state and municipal governments to local “green teams” or scouting troops. Many collateral materials are offered “first-come, first served,” so early registrations are highly encouraged. Events can be scheduled any time during the month of November, but should be held as close to November 15 as possible.

Many more opportunities are becoming available and will be announced soon, so stay tuned. Be sure to bookmark AmericaRecyclesDay.org and “Like” their Facebook page (facebook.com/AmericaRecyclesDay) for the latest information.

America’s leading companies are proud to make America Recycles Day, a national initiative of nonprofit Keep America Beautiful, possible. National sponsors to date include: American Chemistry Council, Anheuser-Busch, Glad, Johnson & Johnson, Nestle Waters North America, Owens-Illinois, PepsiCo and Waste Management.

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Washington, U.S.A. — Given the number of Wile Nile virus (WNv) cases, including 26 deaths, it is important to focus attention on mosquito management methods that are the most effective and do not introduce additional short- and long-term public health hazards with the use of toxic pesticides, public health advocates say.

It is understandable that local, state, and federal officials want to act decisively, but that does not mean that the widespread use of hazardous pesticides is the best course of action, according to Beyond Pesticides, a national information and advocacy organization on pesticides and alternatives based in Washington, DC.

According to Beyond Pesticides’ executive director, Jay Feldman, “Communities that are most successful and smart about mosquito control engage in aggressive efforts to reduce and eliminate mosquito breeding areas in standing water around homes and buildings and throughout the community.”

Mosquito breeding can take place in stagnant water, from very small to larger pools –bottle caps, discarded automobile tires, planters, containers, rain gutters, drains, or under piles of leaves.

The widespread spraying of toxic pesticides (typically chemicals known as synthetic pyrethroids, organophosphates, or other nervous system poisons) does not provide a long-term sustainable solution to mosquito control.

“It has been shown that spraying pesticides that target adult mosquitoes is the least effective strategy, as well as the most risky response, since the pesticides used are linked to numerous adverse health effects, including respiratory inflammation, headaches, nausea, cancer, endocrine disruption, and other serious chronic diseases,” said Nichelle Harriott, staff scientist at Beyond Pesticides.

According to experts, the threat of WNv is best managed through an integrated program that does not expose vulnerable populations to pesticides, including children, pregnant women, the elderly and people with compromised immune or nervous systems.

The most effective program to protect the public from WNv focuses on removing breeding areas, stopping mosquitoes at the larval stage, and mass public education on prevention and precaution.

Beyond Pesticides advises communities to adopt a preventive, health-based mosquito management plan and has several resource publications on the issue, including the Public Health Mosquito Management Strategy: For Decision Makers and Communities, found online at www.beyondpesticides.org/mosquito.

What people can do

Clean up – ensure waterways are clear of debris; eliminate pooled or stagnant waters from debris, containers, drains, and pools.
Natural Predators – Use indigenous fish populations, like bluegills or minnows, to eat mosquito larvae in shallow waters and ornamental pools. Copepod crustaceans can also be used to eat mosquito larvae in ditches, pools and other areas of stagnant water.

Least-toxic Pesticide Options

Use Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis (Bt), a biological larvicide that prevents mosquitoes from developing into breeding, biting adults, in standing waters that cannot be drained.

Behavior Modification – wear long sleeves and long pants/skirts, and use least-toxic mosquito repellent when outdoors. Avoid being outside at dusk when mosquitoes are most active.

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Washington, U.S.A. — Karen Sack, director of international ocean conservation for the Pew Environment Group, issued the following statement in response to a major decision that sends a strong message to those engaged in large-scale illegal fishing. The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York ordered three defendants to pay $54.9 million in restitution to the South African government for illegally taking lobsters from that country’s waters over a five-year period.

“These defendants stole an environmental asset from South Africa, and it is only fair that they pay the country back for that theft. This unprecedented ruling shows that the U.S. can and will take concerted action to stop illegal fishing and bring those U.S. citizens engaging in it to justice, whether it has occurred within or outside of U.S. waters.

Most of the illegal catch was shipped to the United States for sale. This is the largest ever restitution awarded by a U.S. court under the historic Lacey Act, one of the oldest American conservation laws that protects plants and wildlife by establishing civil and criminal penalties for a wide array of violations, and most notably prohibits trade in wildlife, fish, and plants that have been illegally taken, transported, or sold.”

For more on Pew’s Global Campaign to End Illegal Fishing, visit www.pewenvironment.org/campaigns/global-campaign-to-end-illegal-fishing/id/8589941944.

The Pew Environment Group is the conservation arm of The Pew Charitable Trusts, a nongovernmental organization that works globally to establish pragmatic, science-based policies that protect our oceans, preserve our wildlands, and promote clean energy. For more information, visit www.PewEnvironment.org .

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Atlanta, U.S.A. — Testing has begun on a major component in the construction of two new nuclear units at Plant Vogtle 3 and 4 – a 560-foot tall heavy lift derrick, one of the biggest cranes in the world.

The derrick, which will be used to move large pieces at the site of the first new nuclear units built in the United States in 30 years, has the capacity to move the equivalent of five 747 jets across the distance of more than three-and-a-half football fields in a single lift.

In addition, major components will begin arriving to the site later this year and early 2013, the first of which will be the reactor vessel for Unit 3. The Unit 3 condensers have arrived from South Korea, where they were manufactured. Unit 3 is scheduled to go online in 2016, and Unit 4 will follow in 2017.

Also at the site, significant work has been done on turbine islands, cooling towers and nuclear islands. Over the next several months, progress will continue to be made in the nuclear island, turbine building and module assemblies.

“The project is progressing extremely well, especially when compared to other large-scale infrastructure projects worldwide,” said Joseph A. “Buzz” Miller, executive vice president of Nuclear Development for Georgia Power and Southern Nuclear. “The Vogtle 3 and 4 project provides at least $2.2 billion more value to customers than the next best available technology, according to Georgia Public Service Commission staff.”

The construction of Vogtle 3 and 4 is the largest job-producing project in Georgia, employing approximately 5000 people during peak construction and creating 800 permanent jobs when the plant begins operating. Once complete, the new units will produce enough electricity to power 500,000 Georgia homes and businesses.

Southern Nuclear, a subsidiary of Southern Company, is overseeing construction and will operate the two new 1,100-megawatt AP1000 units for Georgia Power and co-owners Oglethorpe Power Corporation, the Municipal Electric Authority of Georgia and Dalton Utilities. Georgia Power owns 45.7 percent of the new units, with a certified cost of $6.1 billion.

Georgia Power is the largest subsidiary of Southern Company, one of the nation’s largest generators of electricity. The company is an investor-owned, tax-paying utility with rates below the national average. Georgia Power serves 2.4 million customers in all but four of Georgia’s 159 counties.

Image Courtesy of  spirit of america / Shutterstock.com

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Pleasanton, U.S.A. — The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in California, the Alameda County Resource Conservation District (ACRCD) and other partners gathered on August 16 to mark the completion of restoration work to a 600-foot long section of Arroyo de la Laguna.

The restoration efforts included planting native vegetation and returning the waterway to proper hydrologic function. The work was done to protect habitat for threatened species, reduce streambank erosion and reduce flood risks.

“The completion of this project is a great moment for our community, and I was proud to work with folks in our region to make it a reality. Bringing back federal resources to better our neighborhood has always been a priority of mine, and now we see the wonderful result that will not only protect natural resources, but reduce flood risk in our region. I congratulate everyone who made this day happen,” said California congressman Jerry McNerney.

The restored waterway runs underneath the Verona Road Bridge, a popular pedestrian and bicycle bridge in Pleasanton, which now features permanent informational panels to educate visitors on the importance and environmental benefits of the work. Approximately $1.2 million was invested for construction, design work and contracting, permitting fees, monitoring and maintenance.

The Arroyo de la Laguna is the main tributary to Alameda Creek, the second largest drainage to the San Francisco Bay, with a watershed encompassing approximately 700 square miles.

The watershed is comprised of numerous land use sectors including protected parks, wildlife and water supply areas, rangeland and urban and suburban development. Rapid development and other historic changes in the upper watershed caused severe instability in the lower five miles of the Arroyo de la Laguna.

The project is a collaboration of federal and local agencies, including the ACRCD, NRCS, San Francisco Public Utilities Commission, Alameda County Public Works Department, Alameda County Flood Control and Water Conservation District and Zone Seven Water Agency.

NRCS has provided leadership in a partnership effort to help America’s private land owners and managers conserve their soil, water and other natural resources since 1935. For more information on NRCS, visit www.nrcs.usda.gov.

Image Courtesy of  Ko:(char *)hook

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Las Vegas, U.S.A. – Xtreme Green Products, a manufacturer of 100% electric off-road vehicles, announced that through its distributor AB Safe in Mexico, Xtreme Green has sold 25 of its Sentinel Police Mobility Vehicles (PMV) to the police department in Guadalajara, Mexico which were recently deployed for use.

AB Safe SA De CV of Mexico City, Mexico (“AB Safe”) has the exclusive rights to distribute all five of the Company’s 100% electric specialty vehicles in twenty-nine States of Mexico and one Federal District of Mexico. Xtreme Green has the largest selection of electric specialty vehicles using Lithium Ion Iron Phosphate batteries in the world.

“It is exciting to see that the benefits of the Sentinel are of a global nature, not only from the perspective of green technology, but the practical policing benefits it offers. These vehicles are perfect for law enforcement agencies who are being asked to police larger areas with fewer officers. These vehicles provide officers greater response and mobility. The agencies using the PMVs have indicated a reduction of about 50% in crimes since they began using our vehicles,” said Roth.

“Mexico is a great market for us because of its large population and we expect to continue to see a steady growth pattern in Mexico for the Sentinels as well as our electric ATVs and UTVs,” said Roth.

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Boston, U.S.A. – Conservation International, The National Geographic Society, the New England Aquarium and the Pacific Life Foundation have unveiled the Ocean Health Index, the first comprehensive measure of ocean health for 171 coastal regions worldwide.

The new index is a quantitative measure of ocean health that considers human beings as part of the ocean’s ecosystem. It assesses ocean health in terms of the benefits from the ocean, organized as 10 goals that are enjoyed by people in a sustainable way.

Findings from the Ocean Health Index, published in the journal Nature, revealed a global score of 60 out of 100. Scores farther from 100 mean that we are either not maximizing the benefits from the oceans or we are not accessing those benefits in a sustainable way.

The Index provides an important tool to policy-makers for making decisions in the future. Resource management decisions can be examined across the suite of goals allowing policy-makers to assess trade-offs.

The Index is a framework that can be used at scales from global to very local – wherever quality data exists.

“The Index is a tool to be actively used by policy-makers and business,” said Steve Katona, Managing Director of the Ocean Health Index. “The Ocean Health Index website is unique because it is a portal to the Index; it’s a direct route to the methodology, goal scores and the components within those scores for every country with a shoreline (i.e. Exclusive Economic Zones – EEZ’s). Users can dig down to the raw data behind every component.  For this reason, the research and website together are a breakthrough in taking science into action.”

The Ocean Health Index also reveals:

• Food Provision scored 24 out of 100, further reinforcing the need to improve fisheries management.
• Mariculture, a subset of Food Provision, also received one of the lowest scores (10 out of 100), revealing opportunities for countries to sustainably raise seafood to help meet the demands of the growing population and provide economic benefits.
• The highest-scoring locations included both densely populated and highly developed nations such as Germany as well as uninhabited islands, such as Jarvis Island in the Pacific.
• West African countries scored the lowest on the Ocean Health Index. These countries also rank low on the Human Development Index, suggesting a relationship between good governance, strong economies and a healthy coastline.

Scientists from the National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis, the University of British Columbia’s Sea Around Us, Conservation International, the National Geographic Society and the New England Aquarium collaborated with ocean experts from universities, non-profit organizations, and government agencies to develop this landmark approach and digital platform. It has been designed to raise awareness of ocean issues, guide policy priorities, and facilitate a more inclusive and proactive approach to managing the oceans.

By re-envisioning ocean health as a portfolio of benefits, the Ocean Health Index highlights the many different ways in which a coastal area can be healthy. Just like a diversified stock portfolio can perform equally well in a variety of market conditions, many different combinations of goals can lead to a high Index score. Consistent with this idea, the Ocean Health Index highlights the many options that exist for strategic actions to improve ocean health.

“We are very excited about the launch of the Ocean Health Index – the first comprehensive measurement tool for the health of the oceans,” said William Wrigley, Jr., former Chairman and CEO of the William Wrigley Jr. Company and Board member of Conservation International, Co-Chair of Marine Strategy and Co-Founder of the Ocean Health Index. “The index is backed by pure science and it is our intention to see that it is used to influence people who have the ability to alter policy for the oceans to make the right choices for our future before it is too late. We know what to do to save the oceans; we just need to convince people to change their behaviors. We can indeed co-exist in a way that benefits both humans and the oceans at the same time.”

More than 40% of the world’s population lives along the coast and as the world’s population grows from 7 billion to 9 billion by 2050, people are growing more and more dependent on the ocean for their food, livelihoods, recreation and sustenance. However, approximately 84% of monitored marine stocks are now fully exploited, overexploited, or even depleted. The capacity of the world’s fishing fleets is estimated to be 2.5 times sustainable fishing levels.

“The global score of 60 is a strong message that we are not managing our use of the oceans in an optimal way,” said Bud Ris, president and CEO, the New England Aquarium and co-author of the paper inNature. “There is a lot of opportunity for improvement, and we hope the Index will make that point abundantly clear.”

“For the first time, we have a comprehensive measurement of what’s happening in our oceans and a global platform from which to evaluate the implications of human action or inaction,” said Dr. Greg Stone, Executive Vice President and Chief Scientist for Oceans with Conservation International and co-author of the paper in Nature. “The Index provides a practical means to inform management decisions by government and business leaders through a robust and quantitative framework that uses the best available data for any particular place across ecological, social, economic, and political conditions.”

“The Ocean Health Index is like a thermometer of ocean health, which will allow us to determine how the patient is doing,” said National Geographic Explorer-in-Residence Dr. Enric Sala. “The Index will be a measure of whether our policies are working, or whether we need new solutions.”

“We believe that effective management of our oceans is critically important to help sustain the economies and people dependent on them,” said James Morris, chairman of the Pacific Life Foundation. ”We are pleased to support the Ocean Health Index in order to help shape a new direction for global policy on the oceans.” The Pacific Life Foundation has committed up to $5 million towards the development and implementation of the Ocean Health Index.

The lead scientific partners of the Ocean Health Index are the University of Santa Barbara’s National Center for Ecological Synthesis and Analysis in collaboration with the University of British Columbia’sSea Around Us. The founding partners are Conservation International, New England Aquarium, and National Geographic Society. The Founding Presenting Sponsor is the Pacific Life Foundation. Darden Restaurants Foundation was a founding donor. The founding grant was given by Beau and Heather Wrigley.

The authors readily acknowledge methodological challenges in calculating the Index, but emphasize it represents a critical step forward. “We recognize the Index is a bit audacious. With policy-makers and managers needing tools to actually measure ocean health—and with no time to waste—we felt it was audacious by necessity,” said Dr. Ben Halpern, lead author and scientist on the Ocean Health Index.

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Washington, U.S.A. – The Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) applauds the Governor of Georgia for urging broader recognition of forest certification standards. An executive order signed on August 10 by Governor Nathan Deal promotes the use of products from responsibly managed forests in Georgia in state construction.

The executive order states that “any new or expanded state building shall incorporate ‘Green Building’ standards that give certification credits equally to forest products grown, manufactured, and certified under the Sustainable Forestry Initiative, the American Tree Farm System, and the Forest Stewardship Council.”

The introduction to the Governor’s order notes that “the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED rating system unfairly awards its wood certification credit only to products certified to the Forest Stewardship Council standard,” and that “recognizing all forest certifications equally will help promote sustainable forestry in the State of Georgia and help create thousands of jobs while maintaining our strong outdoor heritage.”

The president of the Georgia Forestry Association, Steve McWilliams, says the governor’s executive order removes obstacles that devalue wood grown and milled in Georgia.

“We are proud of the leadership shown by Governor Deal on behalf of Georgia’s timber growers and wood product manufacturers,” McWilliams said. “Given the current depressed markets for building materials, there is less incentive for growers to keep their land in trees, and that poses a threat to the environmental and economic benefits that flow from Georgia’s timberlands. Governor Deal’s action supports the proud tradition of forestry in Georgia, protects forest communities, and promotes job opportunities. ”

Three-quarters of North America’s certified forests, and almost 99% of Georgia’s certified forests, are certified to SFI or the American Tree Farm System, and therefore ineligible for LEED’s certified wood credit. “We applaud Governor Deal’s action for recognizing certified wood and forest products are critical to the future of our forests, economic development, and environmental well-being,” stated Kathy Abusow, SFI President and CEO.

“Fifteen Governors have now sent a strong message to USGBC. It’s time USGBC listened to the urging of elected officials, federal agencies, state foresters, landowners, conservation groups and academics to stop discriminating against well-managed domestic forests.”

Georgia’s action comes on the heels of other government officials who have signaled support for all forest certification standards being used in green construction. The Governor of Maine in December, 2012, signed a similar executive order that called for the use of green building rating systems that give equal credit to all forest certification standards.

The US Department of Agriculture announced a new program last year to promote wood in green building, stating, “Sustainability of forest products can be verified using any credible third-party rating system, such as Sustainable Forestry Initiative, Forest Stewardship Council, or American Tree Farm System Certification.”

A total of 89 Members of Congress have also weighed in with the USGBC on the wood certification issue, including most recently a letter from eight members of Congress in May urging USGBC to “accept all credible forest management certification systems for qualification under the LEED rating system,” because it “will provide a great incentive for the utilization of domestically produced forest products.”

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Portland, U.S.A. – More than 100 cyclists trekked 585 miles during the seven-day journey of the 2012 STIHL Tour des Trees, raising more than $520,000 to benefit the Tree Research and Education Endowment Fund (TREE Fund). The Tour, sponsored by STIHL, has raised more than $5.5 million since its inception in 1992 and continues to increase public awareness for the research necessary to keep our trees and forests thriving, including research quantifying the benefits of trees to the economy and the environment, studying ways to control diseases and pests, and increasing the survivability of new tree selections.

The TREE Fund supports environmental sustainability by funding efforts for research and education in arboriculture and urban forestry. This includes scholarships for students in the field, arboriculture education, resources for workforce development, and funding grants for scientific research. The TREE Fund has supplied more than $6 million and more than 400 research grants in the past 36 years.

This year’s STIHL Tour des Trees began on August 5 and traversed Oregon, ultimately finishing in the heart of Portland on August 11 with a Ride for Research, a recreational 25-mile in which local cyclists and tree advocates joined the Tour for the day.

During the Tour, children’s educational programs and tree plantings were led by Toronto arborist and veteran Tour rider Warren Hoselton. These programs were conducted for young audiences to learn about the importance of trees and to contribute to the growing list of trees planted by participants each year. More than 20 trees symbolizing the importance of healthy trees and tree research have been planted across Oregon as a legacy of the 2012 Tour.

“The commitment of our cyclists is astounding. They put their lives on hold for a week, and each raises a minimum of $3,500 for our research grants in the fields of arboriculture and urban forestry,” said Mary DiCarlo, fund development specialist for the TREE Fund. ”And participating in education events like tree plantings really creates an emotional bond that continues to bring cyclists back each year.”

“The STIHL Tour des Trees is one of the most important events we support each year,” said Anita Gambill of STIHL, the Tour’s title sponsor and a leading manufacturer of outdoor power equipment. “The Tour positively influences the future of our environment as well as the tree care community that we work so closely with at STIHL.”

Since the first Tour in 1992, the event has inspired more than 1,000 cyclists to participate and collectively generate more than $5.5 million for tree research and programs to educate the community. The STIHL Tour des Trees is a legacy that continues to grow and reach increasingly more supporters every year. Donations can still be made to the TREE Fund through the STIHL Tour des Trees website, http://www.stihltourdestrees.org/, and photos from each of the events are available on the media page. B-roll from the event can be downloaded at: http://www.bluecouchmedia.com/stihl_tour_media_broll1_720p60.mp4

Image Courtesy of  http://www.stihltourdestrees.org/

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Danville, Ind., U.S.A. — Waste Management of Indiana, Wabash Valley Power Association and Hendricks Power Cooperative Wednesday dedicated a renewable energy generation facility that uses gas from landfill waste to generate electricity.

The celebration marks the completion of the fourth landfill gas-to-energy plant at the Twin Bridges Recycling and Disposal Facility. With the addition of the 3.2 megawatts of power from Twin Bridges IV, the site now generates the equivalent amount of electricity to power approximately 14,000 homes.

Twin Bridges IV represents Wabash Valley Power’s 14th landfill gas-to-energy facility, each of which is located throughout the northern half of Indiana on landfills owned by Waste Management. Through an exclusive partnership, Wabash Valley Power owns the power plants, while Waste Management of Indiana supplies the landfill gas and serves as the plant operator.

“In 2007, our Board of Directors set a goal to increase our ownership of diverse fuel resources,” explained Greg Wagoner, Vice President of Business Development, Wabash Valley Power. ”Yet while we want to be proactive in our pursuit of that goal, we remain committed to the delivery of affordable, reliable power to our member cooperatives. Our partnership with Waste Management of Indiana is instrumental in this process.”

Fuel for the Twin Bridges landfill gas-to-energy facility is derived from wastes buried in the landfill, which generate methane gas. A network of recovery wells and pipes control and collect the methane and convey it to an on-site power plant. There the gas is condensed, purified and used as fuel to drive engines that, in turn, drive electricity generators.

The engines used in this process are manufactured by Caterpillar, Inc. at its Lafayette (Ind.) Engine Center. At Twin Bridges IV, two 20-cylinder engines burn landfill gas (methane), each of which generates 1.6 megawatts of electricity. The facility is designed to be scalable, with the ability to grow to four engines as the landfill’s gas generation increases in future years.

“Our goal is to operate our landfill facilities in a way that meets the highest environmental standards,” said Brad Eisenhart, Senior District Manager for Waste Management of Indiana. ”The Twin Bridges landfill and gas-to-energy facilities do that and more by managing waste gases and channeling them to generate energy. This benefits the community in way that makes our people and company very proud.”

Waste Management has established as one of its sustainability goals doubling its waste-based energy production by the year 2020, he said.  Achieving this goal would mean its facilities across North America generate power to serve more than 2 million homes.

As part of a major expansion in 1993, Waste Management committed to make Twin Bridges an environmental and a recreational asset for the Danville community. The facility includes 975 acres with 237 acres permitted for solid waste disposal. Waste Management developed the facility to serve as an important local recreational area offering the community soccer and girls softball fields, an 18-hole golf course, a trap and skeet range, an archery range and other outdoor amenities. Twin Bridges received certifications by the Wildlife Habitat Council as a Corporate Lands for Learning and Wildlife at Work facility.

Waste Management and Wabash Valley Power partner on 14 landfill gas-to-energy facilities in Cass, Elkhart, Hendricks, Jay, Lake, La Porte, St. Joseph, and White counties.

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Regina, U.S.A. — Only two per cent of Canadians believe climate change is not occurring, a new important survey released by IPAC-CO2 Research concluded.

The survey comes on the heels of Alberta Premier Alison Redford’s recent push for a National Energy Strategy, which would address the future of Canada’s oil and gas industries, and its approach to carbon management.

“Our survey indicates that Canadians from coast to coast overwhelmingly believe climate change is real and is occurring, at least in part due to human activity” explained Dr. Carmen Dybwad, CEO of the environmental non-government organization. “These findings have been consistent from 2011 and 2012. Canadians care about issues like extreme weather, drought and climate change.”

Opinions about the cause of climate change and how to combat it are, however, sharply divided among the provinces and by region.

“Canadians most commonly (54%) believe that climate change is occurring partially due to human activity and partially due to natural climate variation,” said Briana Brownell of Insightrix Research, who conducted the survey for IPAC-CO2.

“Residents of Quebec (44 %), Atlantic Canada (34%) and British Columbia (32 %) are more likely to believe climate change is occurring due to human activity than those on the Prairies (Alberta andSaskatchewan 21 %, Manitoba 24 %).”

Canadians are also divided on what they believe should be the priorities to fight climate change.

A total of 35% of Canadians believe the priority should be to promote cleaner cars running on electricity or low-carbon fuels while only 13% favored a tax on carbon dioxide emissions from the whole economy. Support for a carbon tax is lowest in B.C. (6%) and highest in Quebec (24%).

A key solution cited by Canadians is Carbon Capture and Storage, or CCS, which involves capturing carbon dioxide from an industrial source of greenhouse gases, transporting it, and storing it deep in the Earth’s subsurface.

A majority of Canadians agree that capturing and storing carbon dioxide should be compulsory when building a new coal (59%) or natural gas (57%) power plant, though Canadians are concerned about the risks associated with CCS.

Quebec residents (71%) would be the most concerned if carbon dioxide was stored underground within 1.5 kilometres to 3 kilometres from their home, while Saskatchewan residents (43%) were the least worried.

Residents of B.C. (60%) are most likely to believe that the storage of carbon dioxide represents a safety risk in the future. Again, Saskatchewan residents (48%) are significantly less likely to hold this belief.

“CCS is not the “magic bullet” solution to combat climate change, but the development of CCS technology represents a necessary step in reducing Canada’s emissions,” said Dr. Dybwad.

For a second consecutive year, IPAC-CO2 contracted Insightrix Research, Inc. to conduct an online survey of Canadian residents. Survey responses were collected from 1,550 Canadians between May 29 and June 11.

The percentage of Canadians who are unsure whether or not they would benefit from CCS has increased notably from 42% in 2011 to 48% in 2012.

Residents of Ontario are more likely to believe that it would (33%) benefit them, while in Quebec the reverse is true, where 30% believe they would not benefit from the technology.

The proportion of Canadians who are unsure of the effectiveness of carbon capture and storage has increased notably from one quarter (24%) in 2011 to one third (35%) in 2012.

Despite the concerns many Canadians have about the technology, Dr. Dybwad remained optimistic about the future of CCS and its impact on Canada’s environment.

“Canadians are concerned about the risks and benefits involved with CCS, but IPAC-CO2 exists to ensure that carbon dioxide is stored safely and permanently in the ground by providing risk and performance assessments of carbon dioxide storage projects.”

The 2012 survey on Public Awareness and Acceptance of CSS in Canada now is available on IPAC-CO2′s website at: www.ipac-co2.com/research.

Image Courtesy of  ItzaFineDay

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Harrisburg, U.S.A. — The Department of Environmental Protection have announced it will not enforce a requirement for new gas stations to install costly vapor recovery systems.

Current regulations require facilities in southeast and southwest Pennsylvania to maintain vapor recovery systems, which are attached to gas pump nozzles to siphon off fumes while pumping gasoline.

A notice regarding the issue has been submitted for publication in this week’s Pennsylvania Bulletin.

“These so-called Stage II vapor recovery systems must still be operated and maintained at existing facilities until further notice,” DEP Secretary Mike Krancer said. “We will, however, use our discretion to not enforce these requirements for any new gas station in the greater Pittsburgh and Philadelphia areas because the diminishing benefits do not justify the cost of installing new systems.”

There are also gas stations in the southeast and southwest regions of the state that could become subject to the rules for the first time because of an increase in their business. Krancer explained that DEP will use the same discretion to not enforce the mandate for those stations.

Vapor recovery systems are required for about 1,600 gasoline-dispensing facilities in Allegheny,Armstrong, Beaver, Bucks, Butler, Chester, Delaware, Fayette, Montgomery, Philadelphia, Washington and Westmoreland counties.

On July 5, Governor Tom Corbett signed into law Act 135. The legislation, sponsored by Sen. Elder Vogel (R-47), amended the Air Pollution Control Act to direct DEP to review its current compliance strategy of utilizing low Reid Vapor Pressure gasoline during the summer ozone season to comply with federal ozone air quality standards. The law also directs DEP to seek waivers from this requirement in the event of a fuel supply disruption.

Because recent models of most vehicles include vapor recovery technology in the cars and trucks themselves, EPA is allowing states that can demonstrate widespread fleet turnover to remove from their State Implementation Plans Stage II vapor recovery requirements for gasoline-dispensing facilities once state regulations are repealed.

EPA issued guidance on August 7 that will help DEP determine what, if any, additional requirementsPennsylvania will need to implement in order to repeal the Stage II requirements and revise its State Implementation Plan.

“Gas station owners should note that DEP’s enforcement discretion does not protect an owner or operator from potential legal challenges by third parties,” Krancer said.

Image Courtesy of  harry_nl

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Harrisburg, U.S.A. — With thousands of Pennsylvania hunters heading off to hunt big game in other states and Canadian provinces, Pennsylvania Game Commission Executive Director Carl G. Roe reminds hunters that, in an effort to prevent the introduction of Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) into the Commonwealth, the agency prohibits hunters from importing specific carcass parts from members of the deer family – including mule deer, elk and moose – from 21 states and two Canadian provinces.

Roe noted that this importation ban is outlined in a recently revised executive order, and affects hunters heading to: Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Maryland (only from CWD Management Area), Michigan,Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, New York (only from Madison and Oneida counties), North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Virginia (only from CWD Containment Area), West Virginia (only from CWD Containment Area, which now includes parts of three counties),Wisconsin and Wyoming; as well as the Canadian provinces of Alberta and Saskatchewan.

The executive order prohibits hunters from bringing back certain parts from any cervid from the listed states or provinces, whether the animal was taken from the wild or from a captive, high-fence operation.

The specific carcass parts that cannot be brought back to Pennsylvania by hunters are the ones where the CWD prions (the causative agent) concentrate in cervids, and they are: the head (including brain, tonsils, eyes and any lymph nodes); spinal cord/backbone; spleen; skull plate with attached antlers, if visible brain or spinal cord tissue is present; cape, if visible brain or spinal cord tissue is present; upper canine teeth, if root structure or other soft tissue is present; any object or article containing visible brain or spinal cord tissue; unfinished taxidermy mounts; and brain-tanned hides.

“Pennsylvania hunters who hunt in neighboring states should be most aware of how Pennsylvania’s parts ban would impact those hunting in Maryland and West Virginia due to the detection of CWD in these adjacent states,” Roe said.

“For those Pennsylvania hunters heading to Maryland, they should become familiar with the Maryland Department of Natural Resources’ CWD Management Area, which includes a portion of Allegany County noted as Private Land Code 233 in Maryland’s annual Guide to Hunting and Trapping. This section, which includes Maryland’s Green Ridge State Forest east of Flintstone and Oldtown, is directly south of Pennsylvania’s Bedford and Fulton counties.

“In West Virginia, the CWD Containment Area also has been expanded as the disease has moved outside of Hampshire County. The new CWD Containment Area now includes all of Hampshire Countyand portions of Hardy and Morgan counties.”

For details, hunters should contact the Maryland Department of Natural Resources or the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources.

Roe noted that the prohibition does not limit the importation of: meat, without the backbone; cleaned skull plate with attached antlers, if no visible brain or spinal cord tissue is present; tanned hide or raw hide with no visible brain or spinal cord tissue present; cape, if no visible brain or spinal cord tissue is present; upper canine teeth, if no root structure or other soft tissue is present; and finished taxidermy mounts.

Pennsylvania hunters heading to a state with a history of CWD should become familiar with that state’s wildlife regulations and guidelines for the transportation of harvested game animals. Wildlife officials have suggested hunters in areas where CWD is known to exist follow these usual recommendations to prevent the possible spread of disease:

• Do not shoot, handle or consume any animal that appears sick; contact the state wildlife agency if you see or harvest an animal that appears sick.
• Wear rubber or latex gloves when field-dressing carcasses.
• Bone out the meat from your animal.
• Minimize the handling of brain and spinal tissues.
• Wash hands and instruments thoroughly after field-dressing is completed.
• Request that your animal is processed individually, without meat from other animals being added to meat from your animal, or process your own meat if you have the tools and ability to do so.
• Have your animal processed in the endemic area of the state where it was harvested, so that high-risk body parts can be properly disposed of there.  Only bring permitted materials back toPennsylvania.
• Don’t consume the brain, spinal cord, eyes, spleen, tonsils or lymph nodes of harvested animals. (Normal field-dressing, coupled with boning out a carcass, will remove most, if not all, of these body parts. Cutting away all fatty tissue will help remove remaining lymph nodes.)
• Consider not consuming the meat from any animal that tests positive for the disease.

Roe said hunters who harvest a deer, elk or moose in a state or province where CWD is known to exist should follow that state’s wildlife agency’s instructions on how and where to submit the appropriate samples to have their animal tested. If, after returning to Pennsylvania, a hunter is notified that his or her game tested positive for CWD, the hunter is encouraged to immediately contact the Game Commission region office that serves the county in which they reside for disposal recommendations and assistance.

A list of region offices and contact information appears on page 5 of the 2012-13 Pennsylvania Hunting & Trapping Digest, which is presented to each Pennsylvania license buyer. The contact information also is available on the agency’s website (www.pgc.state.pa.us) by putting your cursor on “About Us” in the menu bar under the banner, then selecting “Regional Information” in the drop-down menu and then clicking on the region of choice in the map.

The Game Commission, with the assistance of the Pennsylvania and U.S. departments of Agriculture, has conducted tests on more than 35,000 Pennsylvania deer and elk that have either died of unknown illnesses, were exhibiting abnormal behavior, or were killed by hunters. No evidence of CWD has been found in any of these samples.

The Game Commission will continue to monitor this disease and collect samples from deer and elk that appear sick or behave abnormally. The agency plans to test all hunter-killed elk for CWD and a sample of hunter-harvested wild deer again this year.

First identified in 1967, CWD is a transmissible spongiform encephalopathy (TSE) that affects cervids, including all species of deer, elk and moose. It is a progressive and always fatal disease of the nervous system. Scientists believe CWD is caused by an unknown agent capable of transforming normal brain proteins into an abnormal form.

There currently is no practical way to test live animals for CWD, nor is there a vaccine. Clinical signs include poor posture, lowered head and ears, uncoordinated movement, rough-hair coat, weight loss, increased thirst, excessive drooling, and, ultimately, death. There is currently no scientific evidence that CWD has or can spread to humans, either through contact with infected animals or by eating meat of infected animals.

The Centers for Disease Control has investigated any connection between CWD and the human forms of TSEs and stated “the risk of infection with the CWD agent among hunters is extremely small, if it exists at all” and “it is extremely unlikely that CWD would be a food-borne hazard.”

“Hunters spend a lot of time in the woods, and are a valuable source of information to wildlife agencies across the United States,” Roe said. “If a hunter sees a deer or elk behaving abnormally, or dying from unknown causes, contact us and provide as much specific information as possible about where the animal was seen.”

In 2005, Pennsylvania CWD task force members completed the state’s response plan, which outlines ways to prevent CWD from entering our borders and, in the event CWD is found in Pennsylvania, how to detect it and manage it. The task force was comprised of representatives from several state and federal agencies, including the Game Commission, the state departments of Agriculture, Health and Environmental Protection, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, as well as representatives from stakeholder groups including hunters, deer farmers, deer processors and taxidermists.

The plan is updated annually, and the current plan can be viewed on the Game Commission’s website (www.pgc.state.pa.us) by putting your cursor on “Wildlife” in the menu bar at the top of the homepage, then put your cursor on “Wildlife Diseases” from the drop-down menu, and then clicking on “Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD).” This page also includes links to tips for taxidermists and meat processors, as well as the CWD Alliance’s website (www.cwd-info.org). Information on CWD also is published on page 52 of the agency’s 2012-13 Digest.

“We know that Pennsylvania hunters are just as concerned about keeping CWD out of Pennsylvania as we are, and we are confident that they will do all they can to protect the Commonwealth’s whitetail and elk populations,” Roe said.

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The Awqaf and Minors Affairs Foundation (AMAF) in Dubai has announced a plan to convert a mosque to the first eco-friendly mosque in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). According to the Khaleej Times newspaper, the project will cost 25 million UAE dirhams or 6.81 million USD.

The eco-friendly mosque is expected to save about 20 percent of water and power consumption. The normal consumption of water in the mosques is about three liters per person a day while the normal consumption of electricity in the mosques is about  250 kilo watts per square meter a year. Adding to eco-friendly conversion, the mosque would extend to about 9,754.82 square meters (105,000 square feet), making it the largest mosque in Dubai.

After the modifications, the mosque would accommodate about 3,500 worshipers at the same time. The roof of the mosque would be gardened to reduce the sun heat; additionally, it will use the solar energy to heat ablution water. The ablution is an Islamic procedure for washing parts of the body by using water to be prepared for prayer. The recycling plant within the mosque facilities will take the used ablution water for gardening and washroom use. The mosque will be constructed by eco-friendly materials to avoid non-biodegradable waste. It will also use an automatic thermostat to keep cool without wasting energy and will use natural light.

According to the Khaleej Times, Mr. Tayeb Abdulrahman Al Rais, Secretary-General of the AMAF, said: “The construction of the mosque is in line with the UAE leadership’s vision towards the conservation of resources, environment protection, and the adoption of green practices. With the global call for energy conservation, it is essential for developers to take responsibility for creating buildings that comply with green standards. The mosque project complies with best practices in corporate governance, while being transparent and gaining the validation of Awqaf, government and private institutions.”

In the neighboring city, Abu Dhabi’s General Authority of Islamic Affairs & Endowments department approved the plan of an eco-friendly mosque to be built within Saadiyat Island. The design was made by Suhail Mohammed Suleiman, a graduate architecture student at Al-Hosn University. This initiative is not the first in the mosque-building field. In 2008, the Islamic community in Manchester opened Masjid-E-Noor, which was the first partially eco-friendly mosque in the world. The mosque was built with wood from renewable sources.  It also possessed solar panels to generate electricity.

In 2010, the Muslim community in Cambridge opened the first fully operated eco-friendly mosque. The mosque was designed by the award-winning architecture company, Marks Barfield, who designed a lot of projects in the UK and in the world, such as London Eye and Kew Treetop Walk.

Additionally, in 2010, eco-friendly mosques were opened in Buyukeceli village, which is in the Mersin province of Turkey. The mosques were opened by the residents of the village to protest having a nuclear plant there. This action was taken to show the government that there are many renewable sources that generate clean energy and are preferable to a nuclear plant.

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Kyiv, Ukraine — Ukraine sees substitution of imported gas with coal as a strategic issue, noted the Prime Minister of Ukraine Mykola Azarov. “We are interested in the Chinese technology of coal gasification and coal-water fuel production,” he said during the meeting with Li Jiping, Vice President of the China Development Bank, reports China Daily.

China is not only open to the opportunity to share its technology with Ukraine but is also ready to provide a USD 3.5 billion loan to help Ukraine switch its plants from gas to coal, states China Daily.

Before the introduction of the industrial-scale production of natural gas, coal gasification was used to provide municipal lighting and heat. Original technology was associated with a vast list of environmental concerns, including soil and groundwater contamination with poisonous byproducts.

Nowadays, “coal gasification offers one of the most versatile and clean ways to convert coal into electricity, hydrogen and other valuable energy products,” said George Muntean, the Department of Energy’s Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, as quoted by sciencedaily.com. Coal gasification does not involve burning coal, the rock is broken down using high temperature and pressure instead. This technology allows for easier extraction of carbon dioxide from a gas stream.

Another option for Ukraine would be to use coal-water slurry fuel, sometimes referred to as coal-in-water or CWS, instead of oil and gas at heating and power stations. The fuel is a mixture of coal and water. The use of CWS allows to reduce emissions in the atmosphere by 20 to 35 percent. Reportedly, such fuel is explosion-proof. Moreover, the price of CWS may be 30 to 70 percent lower than that of oil or gas due to the geographical locations of oil and gas fields.

Interestingly, in 2011 Ukraine increased domestic coal production by 8.8 percent compared to 2010, reported Bloomberg, reaching 81.8 million tons. For the first time since 2000 the country reached such high levels of coal production.

Scaled-up investment caused such coal production boost, informed Ukrainian Minister of Energy and Coal Industry Yuriy Boyko. Additional funding allocation led to modernization of the coal industry of Ukraine, raising its efficiency. Notably, investment into the coal industry of Ukraine upped by 8 percent in 2011 reaching USD 210 million.

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St. Joseph, Mo., U.S.A. – Age appears to be a significant factor in the prevalence of Equine Rhinitis Virus (ERAV and ERBV) in several regions of the United States, according to an extensive recent study.

Boehringer Ingelheim Vetemedica (BIVI) conducted the research in collaboration with veterinarians at several leading universities. Rob Keene, DVM, equine technical manager, BIVI, recently presented the results at the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine Forum in New Orleans, LA.

“Equine rhinitis viruses have been associated with respiratory disease outbreaks worldwide,” Keene said. “ERAV and ERBV infections cause sub-clinical signs or fever, nasal discharge, coughing, anorexia, pharyngitis, laryngitis and enlarged submandibular lymph nodes. Over the past decade, serologic evidence of infection has been documented in Canada, Australia and throughout Europe. However, little recent serologic data exists in horse populations in the United States.”

The objective of the study was to determine the seroprevalence of Equine Rhinitis Virus A and B in horses between the ages of 1 and 4 by measuring serum-neutralizing antibodies in diverse geographic regions of the U.S. Frozen serum samples were obtained from six veterinary laboratories. Samples were shipped to Cornell Animal Health Diagnostic Center for evaluation. Serum neutralization titers >/- 1:96 for ERAV and ERBV were considered significant.

Serum samples were evaluated in 1,021 horses. Forty-four percent (451 horses) had neutralizing antibodies >/-1:96 to ERAV, while 16 percent (164 horses) were positive for ERBV. Of the 1,021 horses evaluated, specific ages were available for 554 horses. Seroprevalence for exposure to ERAV appeared to increase with age:

• Yearlings (11 of 126) 9%
• 2-year-olds (44 of 116) 38%
• 3-year-olds (50 of 163) 31%
• 4-year-olds  (52 of 149) 35%

“Serum neutralization antibodies to ERAV appear to be more common than ERBV in the population studied,” Keene concluded. “ERAV and ERBV infections warrant further investigation in horse populations in the United States and determination of their relationship to other concurrent respiratory pathogens in horses.”

The Boehringer Ingelheim group is one of the world’s 20 leading pharmaceutical companies. Headquartered in Ingelheim, Germany, it operates globally with 145 affiliates and more than 42,000 employees. Since it was founded in 1885, the family owned company has been committed to researching, developing, manufacturing and marketing novel products of high therapeutic value for human and veterinary medicine.

For Boehringer Ingelheim — and its employees — carrying a good share of social responsibility is an important component in its business culture. Both global commitments in social projects and properly caring for all its employees are included. Respect, equal opportunity, and the balance of career and family life form the basis for mutual cooperation. And, environmental protection and sustainability are always the main focus during any of Boehringer Ingelheim’s undertakings.

In 2011, Boehringer Ingelheim achieved net sales of about $17.1 billion (13.2 billion euro). R&D expenditure in the business area Prescription Medicines corresponds to 23.5% of its net sales.

For more information, please visit http://us.boehringer-ingelheim.com and follow them on Twitter at http://twitter.com/boehringerus.

Image Courtesy of  ecstaticist

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London, England — Jetting off on holiday and being green is not a combination we would usually see as a match made in heaven. Now more than ever, we are being told why we should look for more eco-friendly ways of living, including how we travel. Recent years have seen the rise of carbon offsetting, which has given us a get-out clause for our guilt when flying across the globe. But with inventive ways to go green constantly being introduced, the summer holidays are the perfect time to take advantage of the greenest ways to travel, says Green Energy United Kingdom.

Unsurprisingly, airlines and motor vehicles burn fossil fuels the fastest, but many manufacturers are tailoring their designs to use alternative energy sources in order to become more environmentally sound. Green Energy is not asking you to ditch your exotic holiday and pitch a tent in the garden this summer, instead look for smart ways to off-set the less green modes of transport you are taking.

Douglas Stewart, CEO of Green Energy United Kingdom says: “The most earth-friendly ways to travel have always been by foot or by bike, but this is not always the most practical or even realistic way of getting around, especially when you want to flee the country for somewhere less rainy! Instead why not consider carbon offsetting against your holiday flight? There are plenty of websites that specialize in green travel, so make sure you have a good shop around to see what is going to benefit the planet more. Also consider public transport, not only is it better for the environment, but it will also put extra pennies in your pocket for ice creams and sticks of rock at the beach.

“Don’t forget even the small changes will help make a big difference, therefore put on your wellies and hit the garden with the kids and plant some trees. Or alternatively, switch your electricity provider to a  green tariff, which will help balance the not so green ways you are travelling this summer.”

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Fairfax, U.S.A. — From vegetable gardens and green houses to a water purification plant, the Barcelo Maya Beach Resort in Riviera Maya, Mexico, is committed to the ecological preservation of its vibrant landscape. With that pledge, the AAA Four Diamond, all-inclusive resort is also dedicated to inspiring guests to embrace environmental sustainability practices by sharing its methods and operating standards.

White sand beaches, deep green foliage, bright flowers and crystal clear waters are hallmarks of the Riviera Maya that Barcelo Maya Beach Resort is dedicated to sustaining and but growing for current and future guests to experience.

“We are deeply committed to our reputation as an eco-friendly vacation destination and our responsibility to preserving the stunning scenery of Riviera Maya,” said Claudio Zboznovits, vice president of Barcelo Hotels & Resorts sales and marketing in the U.S.

During sea turtle season, May – October, the resort protects nesting sites with a wire fence and post signage to inform guests about the sea turtles.  Once the eggs hatch, guests are encouraged to participate in the release of newborn turtles on the beach. Guided by Maya’s onsite environmental team, participants can assist the native loggerhead and green sea turtles make the journey from sand to sea.

The resort’s green practices expand far beyond what guests see during their stay.  Treating water in filtration plants to be reused for irrigation, sorting trash, using energy-saving light bulbs and installing automatic light control in public areas are just a few elements of the resort’s overall sustainability efforts. The complex even has a 3,200-square-foot vegetable garden, “La Huerta del Chef,” where vegetables, herbs and 10 different types of chili peppers are grown. Additionally, a reverse-osmosis plant purifies drinking water, and an on-site nursery produces 60 percent of the plants used in local reforestation. Vacationers can also visit an on-site ecological information hut to learn about the care of mangrove swamps, reefs and, of course, sea turtles.

Ideally located on Mexico’s eastern coast between the sizzle of Cancun and the intriguing Tulum ruins, Barcelo Maya Beach Resort welcomes visitors with 24 diverse dining options, 21 lively bars and lounges, 10 gigantic swimming pools, three entertainment theaters, two kid-friendly water parks, a 20,000-square-foot spa, and world class convention center.

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