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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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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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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‘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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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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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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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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New York, U.S.A. — Karen Hinton, the spokesperson for the Ecuadorian indigenous and farmer communities who won a historic environmental judgment against Chevron in 2011, released the following statement in response to Judge Lewis A. Kaplan’s ruling, denying Chevron’s summary judgment motion in the oil giant’s RICO case:

“Judge Kaplan’s decision is yet another setback in a string of recent defeats for Chevron in its improper campaign to evade its legal obligation to clean up the massive environmental contamination in Ecuador’s Amazon rainforest. The rainforest communities in Ecuador who have fought to hold Chevron accountable will continue to take all necessary and proper legal measures to seize Chevron assets to ensure that their legal rights are vindicated and that Chevron complies with its legal obligations.

“We also note that Kaplan’s refusal to grant Chevron’s request that the Ecuador judgment be rendered unenforceable on summary judgment is yet another rebuke to the oil giant’s fabricated fraud charges — this time by a judge favored by Chevron who has shown a consistent bias against the indigenous and farmer communities who for decades have fought to hold Chevron accountable for criminal misconduct that has decimated their cultures and caused widespread health and economic problems to thousands of people.

“In rejecting the heart of Chevron’s request for summary judgment, Kaplan rendered a ruling consistent with recent decisions of appellate courts in the United States and Ecuador that determined that no U.S. court has the legal authority to block enforcement of the Ecuador judgment.  We remind observers that the proceedings before Judge Kaplan are and will be irrelevant to the enforcement proceedings now underway in Canada, Brazil, and other countries where such actions might be filed.”

Image Courtesy of   Rainforest Action Network

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Peterborough, Canada — The Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters (OFAH) is calling on the provincial government to immediately suspend commercial gill net walleye fishing on Lake Nipissing.

The OFAH is basing its recommendation on data provided by the Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR), which recently commissioned an independent review of the status of the Lake Nipissing walleye fisheries and asked the OFAH to provide comment. OFAH biologists have concluded that the walleye population has suffered dramatic declines over the past decade due to unregulated commercial gill net fishing.

“Lake Nipissing, one of Ontario’s specially designated waters, has seen its walleye fisheries virtually collapse. The MNR has the authority and responsibility to manage our natural resources for the benefit of all Ontarians, and yet they have allowed overharvesting by commercial gill net operations to continue unregulated for more than a decade,” said Dr. Terry Quinney, Provincial Manager of Fish and Wildlife Services.

Since 1999 increasing restrictions have been imposed on recreational anglers such as shorter seasons, lower limits and a protected slot size, in which they’ve complied with in an effort to help stabilize and restore the walleye population. Despite this, recreational harvest levels in recent years are at an all time low.

Although MNR biologists repeatedly indicated that there was reason for grave concern, the province ignored its own science and failed to implement a fully regulated commercial walleye regime, which has allowed the situation to reach to crisis proportions.

“Until the provincial government suspends all commercial gill net operations and implements enforceable regulations, their own data tells us that the Lake Nipissing walleye population will not begin to recover. The problem is not the recreational fishery. The problem is, and continues to be unregulated commercial gill netting,” said Quinney.

OFAH action on this issue can be found at www.ofah.org/nipissingwalleye

With over 100,000 members, subscribers and supporters, and 675 member clubs, the OFAH is the province’s largest nonprofit, fish and wildlife conservation-based organization, and the VOICE of anglers and hunters. For more information, visit http://www.ofah.org/, like the OFAH on Facebook and follow them on Twitter.

Image Courtesy of  Starley Shelton

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Washington, U.S.A. — “Accidents” and other non-routine events at Texas oil and gas facilities, refineries and petrochemical plants released almost 100,000 tons of pollution from 2009-2011, according to a new report from the Environmental Integrity Project (EIP) based on data gathered from a Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) database.

Separately, EIP today indicated that it will pursue litigation, if necessary, in the wake of two notice of intent (NOI) filings the organization made with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) related to major pollution issues at U.S. refineries.

During the three-year time period covered in the Texas study, the non-routine emission events at chemical plants, refineries, and natural gas operations released a combined total of more than 42,000 tons of sulfur dioxide (SO2) and just over 50,000 tons of smog-forming volatile organic compounds (VOCs). These so-called  ”emission event” pollutants are in addition to the emissions released year-round during so-called “normal operations,” and are usually not included in the data the government uses to establish regulations or evaluate public health impacts.

Natural gas operations — which include well heads, pipelines, compressors, boosters, and storage systems — accounted for more than 85 percent of total sulfur dioxide and nearly 80 percent of the VOCs released during these episodes.  Both pollutants are linked to asthma attacks and other respiratory ailments, and can form fine particles that contribute to premature death from heart disease.

EIP Director Eric Schaeffer said: “Too many of these ‘accidents’ are the norm at some natural gas and chemical plants.  These upsets can dump a lot of pollution in a few short hours, and some of them continue releasing benzene and other toxins for weeks.  Many of these breakdowns – and the pollution that comes with them – could be prevented by upgrading pollution controls, improving maintenance, and recapturing and reusing gas instead of releasing it to the environment as pollution.  The US EPA needs to crack down on polluters who seem to think that these events – no matter how many or how severe – somehow excuse them from the Clean Air Act.”

Matt Tejada, executive director, Air Alliance, Houston, said: “Texans living in our state’s many fenceline communities have, for far too long, been regularly exposed to pollutants from accidental releases that should never be allowed into the air.  And the number of Texans whose health is negatively impacted by such damaging pollution is increasing with the growth of gas extraction and processing operations.  Texas needs EPA to get serious about eliminating these accidental releases.”

Hilton Kelley, executive director of Communities In-power and Development, Port Arthur, said: “The Environmental Protection Agency must do a better job of counting the toxic pollution dumped into low-income and minority communities.  We must stop the onslaught of this toxic pollution that is causing liver disease, heart disease, and cancer in the communities I advocate for.”

Juan Parras, founder, Texas Environmental Justice Advocacy Services, Houston: “I am a firm believer and advocate for clean air, however, I live in an environment where ‘clean’ is dictated by petrochemical, gas plants, and oil refineries in the Houston Region.  They decide what they can get away with and blame their highly toxic emissions on ‘accidents’ that they claim are beyond their control.  OOPS!  The EPA needs to comply with its mandate, and that is to protect our environment and public health as it relates to toxins in the air, water, and soil.”

The five Texas facilities in the petrochemical, oil and gas, and refining sectors reporting the most SO2 from “emission events” between 2009 and 2011 are:

• Keystone Gas Plan, Kermit, Winkler County, 11,076 tons.
• Valero Port Arthur Refinery, Port Arthur, Jefferson County, 2,569 tons.
• Goldsmith Gas Plan, Goldsmith, Ector County, 2,171 tons.
• Mallet CO2 Recovery Plant Sundown, Hockley County, 1,730 tons.
• Slaughter Gasoline Company, Sundown, Hockley County, 1,538.

The five Texas facilities in the petrochemical, oil and gas, and refining sectors, reporting the most VOCs from “emission events” between 2009 and 2011 are:

• Magellan Pipeline Company LP Pipeline, Galveston, Galveston County, 15,975 tons.
• Exxon Mobil Beaumont Refinery, Beaumont, Jefferson County, 3,565 tons.
• El Mar 12, Mentone, Loving County, 1,825 tons.
• Boyd Compressor Station, Big Lake, Regan County, 1,176 tons.
• Falcon Refinery, Ingleside, San Patricio County,1,051 tons.

Every year, refineries, chemical plants, and natural gas facilities release thousands of tons of air pollution when production units break down, or are shut off, restarted or repaired. Most of these “emission events” release pollution through flares, or from leaking pipelines, tanks, or other production equipment.

The Clean Air Act makes polluters strictly liable for their mistakes, but loopholes in regulations either excuse violations that result from malfunctions altogether, or allow polluters to escape penalties by claiming that such mishaps are beyond the control of plant operators. As a result, federal or state agencies rarely even investigate these events, much less take enforcement action. EPA’s current standards are so relaxed that even the most serious violations are excused, inviting plant operators to defer improvements that could make plants safer — and sometimes even turn a profit.

About the data

Texas facilities have been required to submit online reports estimating emissions caused by upsets, maintenance, start-up and shutdown activities since 2003, along with an explanation of what caused the events. The data in the EIP report obtained from TCEQ’s Emissions Event database. The industry classifications were determined using the facility’s SIC or NAICS code, as reported to the TCEQ central registry and EPA’s Facility Registration System. When industry classification information was unavailable, the data was supplemented using other information on TCEQ’s central registry.

About EIP

The Environmental Integrity Project is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization established in March of 2002 by former EPA enforcement attorneys to advocate for effective enforcement of environmental laws. EIP has three goals: (1) to provide objective analyses of how the failure to enforce or implement environmental laws increases pollution and affects public health; (2) to hold federal and state agencies, as well as individual corporations, accountable for failing to enforce or comply with environmental laws; and (3) to help local communities obtain the protection of environmental laws.

Image Courtesy of  me and the sysop

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Colombus, U.S.A. – The U.S. Chamber’s Institute for 21st Century Energy on July 17 launched a major new campaign focused on building support for utilizing shale energy resources in Ohio.

The “Shale Works for US” campaign is a national effort designed to build support for the vast economic and energy security benefits of natural gas and oil produced from shale. The Institute for 21st Century Energy is the energy policy arm of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the world’s largest business organization.

“Shale energy has the potential to be an economic game changer for America and for Ohio,” said Karen Harbert, president and CEO of the Energy Institute. “Ohioans are already beginning to see the benefits of shale development, but much more shale energy sits below the surface.  The Shale Works for US campaign will help educate the public and the business community and demonstrate the ways in which increased shale production will benefit communities across the Buckeye state.”

Almost twenty percent of the Marcellus shale formation — one of the world’s largest — is in Ohio. Development of shale energy is expected to bring more than 65,000 jobs; contribute $4.86 billion to Ohio’s economy; and result in $3.3 billion of labor income (an average of $50,225 per job) by 2014, according to the Ohio Shale Coalition.

“Oil and natural gas production in Ohio is not new, but recent advances in technology will allow for vast quantities of recently discovered shale energy to be produced in a safe, environmentally responsible way,” said Linda Woggon, executive director of the Ohio Shale Coalition and executive vice president of the Ohio Chamber of Commerce. “This production will not only create jobs for Ohioans, but generate new revenues for localities throughout our state, meaning more money for education and public safety and lower residential property taxes.”

Nationally, the Shale Works for US campaign will build a network of communities, businesses and policymakers throughout the states and at the federal level to support the economic, job creation and energy security benefits generated by shale energy.

The Shale Works for US campaign will include extensive grassroots recruitment, advertising, and educational outreach to businesses and community groups. Initially, similar efforts are underway in Pennsylvania and West Virginia with plans to expand across the country.

The mission of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Institute for 21st Century Energy is to unify policymakers, regulators, business leaders, and the American public behind a common sense energy strategy to help keep America secure, prosperous, and clean.

Through policy development, education, and advocacy, the Institute is building support for meaningful action at the local, state, national, and international levels.

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Basking Ridge, U.S.A. – Verizon Wireless have announced that its green retail store design has achieved pre-certification in the U.S. Green Building Council’s (USGBC) LEED Volume Program. Verizon Wireless is one of only eight retailers in the United States and the only wireless company to achieve pre-certification from the USGBC.

LEED, which stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, is the nation’s preeminent program for the design, construction and operation of high performance green buildings that deliver environmental, economic and community benefits. Under the LEED Volume Program, any Verizon Wireless Communication Store constructed using the pre-certified design will earn a LEED Silver or higher rating. The company has begun certifying stores under the program, building upon its portfolio of 95 stores rated under the LEED for Commercial Interiors rating system.

“Whether building new stores or transforming current retail or network locations, our goal is to lower greenhouse gas emissions and help preserve precious natural resources. By pursuing LEED certification we can improve our customer experience and environmental performance, while also achieving operational and utility savings,” said Chris Baron, vice-president, national operations, Verizon Wireless.  “USGBC’s LEED certification will also serve as key benchmarks for our Green Stores Program as we continue to look for new ways to implement environmentally friendly practices and energy savings throughout the company.”

Each LEED-certified Verizon Wireless Communications Store is expected to deliver, on average, the following environmental benefits and associated cost savings:

• 12,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity per year energy savings from lighting, equivalent to the CO2 emissions from the consumption of 972 gallons
• 28,000 gallons of water per year, equivalent to 455,000 glasses of water
• 28 tons of construction waste diverted from landfills, equivalent to 14 cars

“Verizon Wireless’ commitment to reducing the footprint of its retail stores shows tremendous company-wide leadership,” said Rick Fedrizzi, president, chief executive officer and founding chair, USGBC. “The LEED Volume Program enables us to move further faster towards our shared goal of market transformation.”

The LEED Volume Program is part of Verizon’s commitment to reducing major energy drivers such as network equipment, energy efficiency requirements and aggressive energy reduction initiatives in company-operated buildings. Taken together, these efforts will help Verizon meet its aggressive goals of reducing its carbon intensity – the amount of energy used per data flowing through the company’s networks – by 50 percent within the next eight years.

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Berlin, Germany and San Francisco, U.S.A. — Solar power accounted for 10 percent of Germany’s total electricity production in May, an increase of 40 percent from the previous year, as reported by the Federal Association of the Energy and Water Industry. The significant jump stemmed from heightened capacity complemented by sunny days.

This surge in green power generation reveals that the nation is well on its way to expanding the proportion of renewables in the energy mix. The strong market is paving the way for new foreign investors such as bSolar, an Israel-based solar PV cell company. Solar industry experts from Germany Trade & Invest (GTAI) will be at booth 7635 at the Intersolar North America Exhibition in San Francisco from July 10-12 to discuss opportunities within the sector.

“Germany’s decision to replace nuclear energy with other sources is proving to not only be possible, but is creating many valuable prospects for the renewables sector. The continued strength of the solar market has sparked greater investment from abroad,” stated Tobias Homann, photovoltaic industry expert from Germany Trade & Invest in Berlin.

With the support of GTAI, bSolar established a plant in Heilbronn that produces high-efficiency bifacial cells. Its decision to invest in Germany reflects the country’s longstanding status as the world’s key PV market. The rooftop cells have the ability to produce more electricity at lower costs.

“Germany is one of the largest producers of PV technology as well as the biggest consumer of per capita solar energy worldwide,” said Dr. Yossi Kofman, Co-founder and CEO of bSolar. “Strong demand partnered with a highly skilled workforce, intensive R&D and a political framework supportive of renewables make Germany an obvious point of investment,” Kofman continued.

Germany Trade & Invest is the foreign trade and inward investment promotion agency of the Federal Republic of Germany. The organization advises foreign companies looking to expand their business activities in the German market. It provides information on foreign trade to German companies that seek to enter foreign markets.

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Arlington, U.S.A. — Thousands of Americans celebrate Independence Day by heading to national and state parks, campgrounds, and forests to enjoy the outdoors. Many will bring along their own firewood for convenience, not realizing that bringing firewood from home poses a serious risk to the nation’s forests by potentially spreading tree-killing pests. Many states, and several federal agencies, consider this risk severe enough to implement regulations restricting the movement of firewood, and in some places violations can come with a hefty fine.

“The Fourth of July holiday is a time when we all remember what an amazing country we live in, and healthy trees and forests are integral to the beauty of our lands and waters,” said Leigh Greenwood, Don’t Move Firewood campaign manager, The Nature Conservancy. “Tens of thousands of trees are destroyed every year by invasive tree-killing insects, and one of the most important steps everyone can take to protect our natural heritage is to stop moving forest pests to new areas on firewood. It’s really that simple.”

In many states, regulations limit how far firewood can be legally transported, and some states prohibit the entrance of out-of-state firewood altogether. These regulations most frequently include prohibitions against moving firewood over 50 miles or over state lines, although some states have stricter limits in place. For example, some states prohibit movement of firewood to state parks or other state-managed lands from more than 25 miles away. Additionally, the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has federal quarantines in many states on wood products (including firewood, wooden pallets, and other materials) that could harbor pests like the Asian long-horned beetle, emerald ash borer, and other damaging pests and pathogens.

“We encourage everyone to help protect our country’s natural resources from invasive species,” said APHIS spokesperson Joelle Hayden. “Taking basic steps – like not moving firewood and following federal and state quarantines – will help keep these dangerous pests from spreading unintentionally.”

More than 450 non-native forest insects and diseases are now established in the United States. While most can’t move far on their own, many pests can hitchhike undetected on firewood, starting new infestations in locations hundreds of miles away. These infestations can destroy forests, lower property values, and cost huge sums of money to control. Over the last hundred years, introduced species of invasive insects and diseases have killed tens of millions of trees in forests, cities, and towns across the country. In addition to the Asian long horned beetle and emerald ash borer, these tree-killing pests include Dutch elm disease, Sirex woodwasp, thousand cankers disease, hemlock woolly adelgid, sudden oak death, laurel wilt, and many others.

Following are tips from the Don’t Move Firewood campaign:

• Take care to respect all state and local regulations on the movement of firewood and other unprocessed wood – some areas are subject to serious fines for violations.
• For a list of federal and state quarantine areas, visit: http://www.nps.gov/grsm/planyourvisit/quarantine-counties.html.
• Obtain firewood near the location where you will burn it – that means the wood was cut in a nearby forest, in the same county, or a maximum of 25-50 miles from where you’ll have your fire depending on state regulations.
• Commercially kiln-dried wood is a good option if you must transport firewood.
• If you notice an insect or tree disease you don’t recognize, take a photo or obtain a specimen of it, and compare it to Web site photos of the suspected pest. A good resource to help in identification is: http://www.dontmovefirewood.org/gallery-of-pests.
• Tell your friends and others about the risks of moving firewood – no one wants to be responsible for starting a new pest infestation.

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Washington, U.S.A. — The American Chemistry Council (ACC) hosted on June 28th a forum, “Unlocking the Vast Potential of Energy Recovery,” on Capitol Hill. Cal Dooley, ACC president and CEO, was joined by Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR), Congressman Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) and a panel of business leaders and experts.

At June 28th event, experts discussed expanded use of energy recovery as an abundant and alternative energy source, policymakers outlined legislative strategies for boosting private sector investments, and industry leaders highlighted the latest emerging trends and technologies for recovering energy from waste.

The energy potential of municipal solid waste is significant and critical to America’s long-term energy future. Recent research from Columbia University’s Earth Engineering Center determined that if all the municipal solid waste produced in the United States were diverted from landfills to waste-to-energy facilities, it could produce 162 MWh of electricity, enough to power 16.2 million households every year.

“Energy recovery should be a key component of our nation’s comprehensive energy strategy,” said Cal Dooley. “We cannot afford to continue to bury this important part of America’s energy future in landfills. Recent innovations and breakthroughs in a range of energy recovery technologies are making that future possible. Non-recycled plastics and other discarded materials can be used to produce electricity, synthetic gas, and solid and liquid fuels to help power America’s homes and businesses.”
Senator Wyden and Congressman Cassidy led a keynote congressional panel that focused on strategies to encourage federal and state policymakers to enact remedies to bolster energy recovery.

“Government has an important role to play in helping to unlock the vast energy potential of municipal solid waste,” Dooley continued. “Senator Wyden and Congressman Cassidy are leaders in recognizing the potential of these technologies, which could bring real environmental and economic benefits to communities, and with wide scale adoption, would boost our nation’s energy security.”

A panel discussion followed the keynote congressional panel and included waste management expert Harvey Gershman, president & co-founder, Gershman, Brickner & Bratton, Inc.; Barry Caldwell of Waste Management, Inc.; Marco Castaldi, Ph.D., of Columbia University; Michael E. Webber, Ph.D., of theUniversity of Texas at Austin; and Brent Bostwick of Agilyx, an Oregon-based firm that is commercializing technology that turns non-recycled plastics into crude oil.

The policy forum, which focused on innovative technologies that convert waste into energy, fuels and feedstocks, is the most recent event in ACC’s “From Chemistry to Energy” campaign. ACC advocates for a comprehensive national energy strategy that maximizes all domestic energy resources, with a focus on robust and responsible production of domestic shale gas; improved residential, commercial and industrial energy efficiency; and expanded adoption of energy recovery programs. Each will help meet national energy security, economic and environmental goals while also creating value for communities.

Image Courtesy of  American Chemistry Council

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Washington, U.S.A. — With President Barack Obama declaring June “National Oceans Month,” the sanctity of the marine ecosystem resonates around the globe. Reaffirming their commitment to the oceans and those that inhabit them, Representatives Bill Keating and Howard Berman have introduced a resolution in the House of Representatives about the importance of U.S. leadership in whale conservation in the International Whaling Commission (IWC) and in other international fora.

“The magnificent whales of the ocean swim through a sea of troubles,” said Jeff Flocken, DC Office Director, International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW). “It is not enough to simply be a member of IWC and oppose whaling. Countries need to turn up to meetings, raise their hands and speak up for whales. We applaud Representatives Keating and Berman for taking a strong stance and calling on the U.S. to do just that.”

As the IWC prepares to meet in Panama City, Panama, during the first week of July, every controversial issue concerning whales is potentially on the table. At a time when whales face more threats than ever before, conservation-minded countries like the U.S. need to reassert historic leadership for whale conservation, something the American people across the political spectrum support.

A recent survey conducted by the Benenson Strategy Group found bipartisan support for whale conservation. Among those surveyed, 77 percent of Americans agree that Congress and the Administration should adopt a broad whale conservation program, and 89 percent believe that the U.S. should help enforce the global ban on commercial whaling. Additionally, 78 percent support having high-level U.S. government officials speak out publicly against commercial whaling by Japan, Norway andIceland.

“While Japan, Norway and Iceland continue to ignore the thirty year moratorium on commercial whaling, the U.S. government has been a beacon of hope, leading efforts to protect the species,” added Patrick Ramage, Global Whale Program Director, IFAW. “U.S. leadership was critical in establishing the ban that was first proposed by President Reagan, and in the successful designation of the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary around Antarctica that was championed by the U.S. in the early 1990s. Once again, U.S. leadership is needed to ensure a safer future for the world’s whales.”

In order to better inform the U.S. government about how to protect whales from commercial whaling, as well as threats including entanglement and entrapment, ship strikes and shipping noise, navy sonar, oil, gas and industrial development, and pollution, IFAW developed the Blueprint for U.S. Whale Conservation.The comprehensive action plan highlights current solutions and recommends simple, effective next steps the U.S. government should take to secure a better future for whales in waters around the world

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San Francisco, U.S.A. – Renewable resources will make Scotland the “Silicon Valley” of marine energy in the same way that hi-tech industries transformed Northern California, the First Minister said June 19 in the keynote speech of his American trade mission.

First Minister Alex Salmond made the claim June 19 during a speech to the Commonwealth Club of California in San Francisco, the oldest public affairs forum in the United States.

In a speech entitled “Scotland: A Good Global Citizen”, the First Minister will tell an audience of Californians that Scotland’s growing marine energy industry will turn the country into an international center of excellence – with potentially huge economic and environmental rewards.

The First Minister said: “Scotland is a nation which has made a big contribution to the world in the past and has a huge amount to offer the world in the future. We are ambitious for the future, both for ourselves and what we can contribute to the rest of the world.

“I believe that developing the concentration of expertise, commitment and investment in marine energy that Scotland already possesses will make us the Silicon Valley of marine energy.

“That patch of Northern California that became known as Silicon Valley began by creating a community of technical scholars. Big business followed the skills and big rewards soon followed – and the same is happening in Scotland in our marine energy sector.

“All twelve of Scotland’s major universities have formed the Energy Technology Partnership, which earlier this year agreed a unique collaboration with Abu Dhabi’s prestigious Masdar Energy Institute.

“Glasgow is the premier center in Europe for offshore wind research, with Strathclyde University’s $114,165,000 Technology and Innovation Centre a hub for researchers and industry to work together on pioneering technology.

“There are more different types of wave and tidal devices in the waters around Scotland than in the rest of the world combined and the Pentland Firth and Orkney waters leasing area is the world’s largest commercial scale marine energy site.

“We possess 10 per cent of Europe’s wave power resources and 25 per cent of its offshore wind and tidal resources – all with only 1 per cent of the EU population.

“Scotland is becoming the Silicon Valley of marine energy worldwide. Having been at the heart of the marine engineering revolution of the 19th century, we are now placing ourselves at the heart of the marine engineering revolution of the 21st century.

“As hi-tech industries concentrated in Silicon Valley and transformed the economic landscape of Northern California, so marine energy will do for Scotland.”

The First Minister gave the speech at the Commonwealth Club of California, the U.S.A.’s oldest public affairs forum, which has hosted speakers such as Theodore Roosevelt, Martin Luther King, Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton.

Image Courtesy of  Saul Gordillo

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Lonesome George, the last of his subspecies, has died, leaving the Galapagos with one less species. Lonesome George was a member of the subspecies Chelnoidis abingdoni and was from the southernmost island in the Galapagos, Pinta Island.

Lonesome George – or Jorge – was first spotted by a Hungarian scientist and goat hunters in 1972. Scientists and researchers have been trying to eradicate the goat population on the Galapagos Island because they have destroyed the habitats for many of the native species. In fact between the hunting by sailors and fishermen for meat in the nineteenth century and the invasive goat species many of the tortoise species on the Galapagos are endangered or extinct. Currently there are still 20,000 tortoises of varying subspecies living in the Galapagos.

George was brought to Galapagos National Park shortly after being discovered where Ranger Fausto Llerena cared for him for forty years. Llerena noticed on Sunday, June 24 that George was not moving and when he examined him found that George was dead.

According to Llerena it seemed as though George was trying to get to the watering hole in his corral. The cause of death is unknown but the body is in a refrigeration chamber and an autopsy will be completed later. After the cause of death is determined he will most likely be embalmed to be preserved.

George’s age was estimated around one hundred years old although his exact age was unknown. For the giant tortoises, one hundred is equivalent to the age of a young adult as most live to be two hundred years old.

Lonesome George became was considered the rarest creature in the world for most scientists according to the BBC. George was also a symbol of the Galapagos Islands which draws around 180,000 tourists a year.

Scientists attempted to breed more of George’s subspecies by introducing him into a breeding program. Scientists originally used females from the Wolf Volcano region of Isabela Island subspecies. George lived with the females for fifteen years before they mated but the eggs were infertile. After this mating attempted failed he was placed in a corral with females that were genetically closer to him from the island of Espanola.

Next month there will be an international workshop of scientists who will work together to plan how best to manage and protect the tortoise population of the Galapagos for the next ten years. Galapagos National Park said in a statement, “the workshop will be held in honor of Lonesome George. The creature’s legacy will be greater efforts in research and management to restore the Pinta Island population and all the other giant tortoise populations in the Galapagos.”

Giant tortoises, which is galapagos in Spanish, are the namesake of the string of islands about 1000 kilometers (620 miles) off the Ecuadorian mainland in the Pacific Ocean. The islands acted as a natural laboratory for the English scientist Charles Darwin who created his theory of evolution and natural selection during his visit to the island. He later wrote his theories in his landmark book “The Origin of Species.”

Image Courtesy of  A. Davey

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On June 20 The Week of Sustainable Energy 2012 will host an interview with European diplomat Sven Giegold. The Twitterview, as interviews via Twitter are colloquially known as, will occur between 4:30 and 5:30 PM.

The European Commission, The Executive Agency for Competition and Innovation, and the partners of the “Sustainable Energy for Europe” campaign will support the initiative. The Twitterview is a great opportunity to ask all of those questions about energy and sustainability that anyone could have and to read the responses in less than 140 characters, something that seems like it would be difficult for the eloquent European diplomat.

Sven Giegold was a prominent member of the TEDxChange conference in Berlin that was about the changes Germany has done regarding sustainability in the last thirty years. Ultimately, Germany has been an inspiring message with the essence of change that will certainly be revisited in this Twitterview during The European Week of Sustainable Energy 2012.

Sven Giegold was born November 17, 1969 in Las Palmas. He studied Political and Economic Sciences in Luxembourg. He received his MA in Political Economics and Economic Development from the University of Birmingham in the United Kingdom.

He has collaborated on the creation of the Ecological Center in Verden, with forty work positions in ecological business and social finances. He is the co-founder of ATTAC Deutschland and the representative of the BUND Federation in the Coordination Circle and the Council of ATTAC. He is also the co-founder of International Network for Fiscal Justice. He has worked on the creation of the European Coordinator of ATTAC. He has also been a member of the European Parliament since 2009 and Coordinator of the Verts/ALE Group in the Commission of Economic and Monetary Issues.

He is an exceptionally busy man as he is a presenter of papers and author of interventions in all forms of communication about themes as critical as globalization, ecology, and fiscal politics and policies since 2001.

European Week of Sustainable Energy 2012

One of the most important events in the world of energy is just around the corner. From June 18 to June 22 2012 the world will celebrate the sixth edition of Europe’s week of Sustainable Energy. The objectives are clear: demonstrate, promote, analyze and celebrate efficient and renewable energy.

Since the first year of the week in 2006 until now there has been a huge leap regarding the events and participants. The first year there was only one event in Brussels, but 2010 saw more than three hundred events and more than 30,000 participants. Participants and companies endorsed good developments in ecology, social, and economics. In 2012 there will be even more with at least one thousand events.

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