Workshop to be presented on making your organization “green”

[Post author: Bob Iverson]

Learn how to make your organization more “green” at a special workshop Wednesday, June 3 in Indianapolis. In the morning, an information specialist from the Illinois Sustainable Technology Center will present a green business workshop. At this session, you will learn how to save money and improve your organization’s environmental performance through green business practices such as greening the office, green purchasing, activity based cost accounting, greening the supply chain, recycling, and green cleaning/janitorial practices. The training will also cover energy efficiency opportunities associated with common office functions, such as heating/air conditioning, electronic devices, appliances, and lighting.

A participant at an earlier ISTC workshop said she will use the information she learned to transform the athletic supply company where she works. “The facts and figures will help me convince the bosses to switch products and processes. I can show how it’s cost-effective.”

Another participant said the information will help his Developmental Services company to “convert buildings to newer bulbs and ballasts…as well as research and find a vendor to recycle office paper.”

The afternoon will feature a presentation about the Kansas Green Teams. Participants will hear a case study of teams that have brought efficiencies/greening systems into the office and industrial workplace. This program has been especially successful in Green Government projects.

The workshop is being held in connection with the EPA Region 5 and Region 7 Joint Conference at the Eiteljorg Museum of American Indians and Western Artin Indianapolis. Participants can attend just the workshop day, or stay for the full conference June 4 & 5. Registration for the workshop alone is only $25.

To register, and for information about the conference speakers, go to http://www.glrppr.org/meetings/Summer2009/.

Documents recently added to GLRPPR sector resources

These publications were recently added to GLRPPR’s Sector Resources. This list is also available as an RSS feed at http://www.istc.illinois.edu/info/library_docs/SectorRSS.htm.

Electronic Waste Recycling: Public Act 95-0959 – Electronic Products Recycling & Reuse Act
Wed, 27 May 2009 16:08:05 GMT
Public Act 95-0959 became the law of the State of Illinois in September 2008. The law establishes a statewide system for recycling and/or reusing computers, monitors, televisions, and printers discarded from residences by requiring electronic manufacturers and retailers to participate in the management of discarded and unwanted electronic products. This IEPA site has guidance on the new law for electronics manufacturers, retailers, and collectors, recyclers, and refurbishers.

Closing the Circle News (Spring 2008)
Wed, 27 May 2009 15:52:23 GMT
The Spring 2008 edition of “Closing the Circle News” from the Office of the Federal Environmental Executive focuses on the Federal community’s progress in sustainable design/green building. (PDF Format; Length: 24 pages)

Electronics Take Back Coalition: State Legislation
Fri, 22 May 2009 18:57:36 GMT
This portion of the Electronics Take Back Coalition web site includes a map of the U.S. noting which states have passed or are considering e-waste regulations. Links to the text of the laws and program web sites are provided. Also includes information for New York City.

Illinois Electronic Products Recycling and Reuse Act (SB 2313)
Fri, 22 May 2009 17:48:12 GMT
Illinoia e-waste legislation that requires manufacturers to establish facilities to accept e-waste from consumers. The law is on a rolling basis and over the next few years the recycling requirements will kick in and by 2012, disposal of certain e-waste in municipal waste and sanitary landfills and at incinerators will be prohibited. The E-Waste Act only applies to electronic equipment taken out of use from residences, but it affects many of the businesses involved in the stream of electronic commerce. There is a civil penalty of up to $10,000 for each day of violation. Devices covered in the legislation include computers, cell phones, televisions, PDAs, printers, fax machines, game consoles, VCRs, DVD players, iPods and others (calculators and typewriters are NOT included).

Climate Planning for Campuses: A How To Guide
Wed, 20 May 2009 18:00:23 GMT
This Climate Action Planning Guide wiki launched in April 2009 with initial text provided by Walter Simpson, CEM, LEED AP, a retired Energy Officer from University at Buffalo and the former Director of UB Green. Many others have generously contributed to it since the launch, helping keeping the document up-to-date and relevant over time.

Education for Climate Neutrality and Sustainability: Guidance for ACUPCC Institutions
Wed, 20 May 2009 14:41:28 GMT
In recognizing the importance of the academic component of campus climate neutrality, American College & University Presidents Climate Commitment (ACUPCC) institutions have committed to take “actions to make climate neutrality and sustainability a part of the curriculum and other educational experiences for all students.” This document has been created to assist signatory schools in implementing this component of the ACUPCC. It is designed to clarify the spirit and intent of the Commitment, identify some of the best practices across higher education, and provide resources to assist signatories in creating their own strategies. The intended audience is higher education leaders, including presidents, provosts, deans, faculty, ACUPCC Implementation Liaisons and others that are working on the implementation of the ACUPCC. Because each institution has a unique culture and approach to learning, there is not a “one-size-fits-all” strategy for how all colleges and universities can achieve this goal. This guidance document was developed with the recognition that not all higher education institutions are alike. A variety of strategies are offered in order to provide a choice of options for different institutions, and examples demonstrate a range of practices at institutions of differing enrollments, charters, resources, and student demographics. A significant list of resources is also included for those signatories who would like more information.

New GLRPPR Sector Resource on Electronic Waste

Recently Indiana became the 19th state in the U.S. to enact electronic waste regulations with the signing of HB 1589. The group of states with such regulations also includes Michigan, Minnesota and Illinois in the Great Lakes region. According to the Electronics Take Back Coalition, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and New York will be considering e-waste legislation in 2009. At the local level, New York City also has electronic waste regulations. At the federal level, H.R. 1580, the Electronic Waste Research and Development Act, has been voted upon by the U.S. House of Representatives and been received by the Senate.

Given this trend, it seems appropriate to launch a resource collection on the Great Lakes Regional Pollution Prevention Roundtable (GLRPPR) site focused specifically on e-waste issues. The GLRPPR Electronic Waste Sector Resource will include links to relevant legislation, news, events, funding opportunities, and contacts. This resource list is under development, so if you are aware of resources for e-waste programs in your state, please feel free to send links to Joy Scrogum for potential inclusion in this new resource list. An RSS feed is available for the Electronic Waste Sector Resource so you can be aware of new resources as they are added.

GLRPPR is a member of the Pollution Prevention Resource Exchange (P2Rx) a national network of pollution prevention information centers. Another P2Rx center, the Western Sustainability Pollution Prevention Network (WSPPN) has also developed a P2Rx Topic Hub on Electronic Waste. This is linked to within the new Sector Resource on the GLRPPR site and is also available on the main GLRPPR Topic Hub page.

IDEM’s spring Application Round for Environmental Stewardship Opportunity Scheduled

[Post author: Wayne Duke]

Hoosier businesses have until May 31, 2009, to apply for Environmental Stewardship Program (ESP) recognition through the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM).

ESP is a voluntary environmental performance-based leadership program. Currently, there are 45 ESP business members, each of which is committed to implementing or maintaining measurable environmental improvements, such as reducing water or energy use, decreasing solid or hazardous waste, or reducing air emissions.

“ESP members go beyond environmental requirements that protect Hoosiers and our environment,” said IDEM Commissioner Thomas Easterly. “Indiana wins when companies use sound business practices to demonstrate their core value of environmental protection.”

To become an ESP member, businesses must maintain an exemplary compliance record, certify that they have adopted and implemented an approved environmental management system, and commit to specific measures for continued improvement in their environmental performance.

ESP members qualify for expedited permit review, flexibility in permitting, reduced reporting frequencies, and coordination of compliance inspections. To maintain ESP membership, companies must report on their environmental initiatives every year and reapply for ESP membership every three years.

For details about the program, visit IDEM’s Web site at www.idem.IN.gov/prevention/esp or contact IDEM at (800) 988-7901.

IDEM will announce new ESP members in the fall.

About IDEM
IDEM (www.idem.in.gov) implements federal and state regulations regarding the environment. Through compliance assistance, incentive programs and educational outreach, the agency encourages and aids businesses and citizens in protecting Hoosiers and our environment

Documents recently added to GLRPPR sector resources

These publications were recently added to GLRPPR’s Sector Resources. This list is also available as an RSS feed at http://www.istc.illinois.edu/info/library_docs/SectorRSS.htm.

Pharmaceutical and Personal Care Products in the Environment
Tue, 19 May 2009 15:17:47 GMT
Bibliographic database of publications related to the characterization, analysis, environmental fate, toxicology, and treatment of pharmaceutical and personal care products in the environment.

Rapid Deployment Energy Efficiency Toolkit
Thu, 14 May 2009 13:37:10 GMT
The Rapid Deployment Energy Efficiency (RDEE) Toolkit provides detailed program design and implementation guides for 10 broadly applicable energy efficiency programs. The RDEE Toolkit helps all entities choose successful programs as they advance energy efficiency program funding opportunities through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009. The Toolkit focuses on programs that have extensive, proven field experience, along with documentation on program design, program cost, and results. If implemented as directed, these programs should produce clear, measurable, and predictable energy savings and jobs. The Toolkit is being developed through a joint effort of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), building upon technical information provided by the Leadership Group of the National Action Plan on Energy Efficiency. Includes links to the RDEE Planning Guide and RDEE Implementation Guide.

GreenEnergyTV
Thu, 14 May 2009 13:27:59 GMT
An online television channel that is dedicated to airing green videos for millions of viewers around the world.

How We “Greened Up” and Saved Lots of Money
Wed, 13 May 2009 20:07:47 GMT
Powerpoint slide show of Gordon Hudson and his wife’s efforts to reduce their energy use. Includes lots of great pictures and data charts.

Retail Industry Portal
Tue, 12 May 2009 21:43:16 GMT
The Retail Industry Portal provides access to the many programs and resources available to help prevent and resolve environmental issues at retail establishments. The site includes both compliance and sustainability resources.

Potential Impacts of Climate Change in the United States
Tue, 12 May 2009 15:37:33 GMT
This paper summarizes the current state of scientific understanding of the potential effects of projected changes in climate and related developments.

Solving the Puzzle: Researching the Impacts of Climate Change Around the World
Tue, 12 May 2009 15:35:03 GMT
Th is report addresses some of the major questions facing climate change researchers, and how those puzzles are being addressed by NSF-funded activities.

State Climate Policy Tracker
Mon, 11 May 2009 20:20:57 GMT
The State Climate Policy Tracker is a single spreadsheet with one tab devoted to each state that has completed or is in the process of completing a climate action plan. A seven column matrix captures the climate actions taking place across six economic sectors, and reports on the progress of each measure, its cost or cost-saving potential, and the estimated reduction in carbon emissions expected on an annual basis.

The Competitiveness Impacts of Climate Change Mitigation Policies
Mon, 11 May 2009 18:32:37 GMT
A close look at the historical relationship between energy prices and U.S. production and consumption of energy-intensive goods suggests that energy-intensive manufacturers are likely to face only modest “competitiveness” impacts under a U.S. greenhouse gas cap-and-trade program, according to this report.

Green Cities: How Urban Sustainability Efforts Can and Must Drive America’s Climate Change Policies
Mon, 11 May 2009 18:30:59 GMT
Evaluates how well cities across the country are working on reducing urban emissions, and lays out the three key areas that will make the most impact in the least amount of time.

IDEM issues “Clean Air Indiana” challenge as ozone season kicks off

[Post author: Wayne Duke]

As national Air Quality Awareness Week comes to a close, the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) is revving up its annual ozone awareness campaign to encourage Hoosier businesses to review the impact their daily habits play on air quality.

The new “Clean Air Indiana” initiative challenges Hoosier businesses to take a pledge that they will reduce unhealthy air emissions, improve Indiana’s air quality, reduce business costs, help employees and earn them recognition.

To help businesses become more aware of the benefits of an effective clean air program, IDEM has launched a new Web site, www.idem.IN.gov/6249.htm, and prepared a tool kit fully stocked with resources. The Clean Air Indiana pledge specifically asks businesses to take actions that will result in reduced emissions from June 15-30, the time of summer that has historically high levels of ground-level ozone.

“We’ve spent the winter creating a program that can help businesses recognize the value of being good environmental stewards,” said IDEM Commissioner Thomas Easterly. “Businesses may find that there are cost savings to be had just by implementing a simple change in the workplace to improve their commitment to the environment. In addition to a commitment to improving the quality of life for employees, an added bonus of an environmental improvement in the workplace is the commitment to the surrounding community.”

IDEM’s Clean Air Indiana campaign is an extension of last year’s Ozone Knockout campaign, which entailed staff visits to communities to help raise awareness of the effects of activities on air quality. At the close of the 2008 ozone season, air monitors in all parts of Indiana measured ozone levels under the United States Environmental Protection Agency threshold of 85 parts per billion (ppb) for the first time since the standard was established in 1997. This is a strong indicator that air quality in Indiana is permanently improving.

In addition to the new Clean Air Indiana initiative, IDEM provides other resources related to air quality. Indiana’s Smog Watch Web site is an informational tool IDEM created to share daily air quality forecasts, including information about ground-level ozone and particulate matter air quality forecasts, health information, and monitoring data for seven regions of the state. Smog Watch can be accessed at www.smogwatch.IN.gov.

Additionally, IDEM’s LEADS Web site, at www.idem.IN.gov/airfacts, offers access to near real-time data from air monitors statewide. Approximately 65 percent of Indiana’s air monitoring network is now available via this system. The complete IDEM LEADs network will be available electronically by December 2009.

“Air quality in Indiana has improved significantly in recent years as a result of regulations and voluntary efforts to reduce emissions,” said Commissioner Easterly. “Hoosiers have worked hard to attain cleaner air, and while we’ve come a long way, we still have more work to do. Through simple actions at home and work, Hoosiers can continue to make a positive difference.”

GoodGuide Can Make You A Good Guy

[Post author: Rick Yoder, P2RIC]

So, there I was at the back of the room during the Tuesday morning 2009 Environmental Summit plenary presentation by Marueen Gorsen – a smart & witty presenter who made the start of a rainy day very tolerable.  She was opening up about the conundrum we all face – how to justify buying more stuff when consumerism (spending = 70% of the US economy) is at the heart of our environmental problems.  Specifically, she offered her rationalization for buying an i-phone.  She said it was because she wanted to use a nifty (& free) application called Good GuideScott Butner later mentioned that one of the developers of the application has history with the P2 community and specifically with our P2Rx sister center, PPRC.

I didn’t think more of this until I heard a Living On Earth podcast this morning, in which author Daniel Goleman expounded more on the virtues of the Good Guide than on shilling his new book, Ecological Intelligence, even going so far as to take a shopping field trip using the app to buy shampoo.  Glad I looked it up – because I’m not a terribly good listener, I’d been hearing its name all along as “Good Guy.”

BTW, I added GoodGuide as a P2TagTeam bookmark on delicious, too.

Documents recently added to GLRPPR sector resources

These publications were recently added to GLRPPR’s Sector Resources. This list is also available as an RSS feed at http://www.istc.illinois.edu/info/library_docs/SectorRSS.htm.

A New Source of Methylmercury Entering the Pacific Ocean
Wed, 06 May 2009 20:27:45 GMT
A U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) scientist and his university colleagues have discovered a new source of methylmercury entering the waters of the eastern North Pacific Ocean. Consumption of ocean fish and shellfish account for over 90 percent of human methylmercury exposure in the United States, and tuna harvested in the Pacific Ocean account for 40 percent of this total exposure (Sunderland, 2007). Given the obvious importance of marine food webs to human methylmercury exposure, scientists were still trying to answer the question – where do fish, such as Pacific Ocean tuna, acquire their methylmercury? The findings of these scientists published in the journal Global Biogeochemical Cycles, might be a major step forward toward solving this mystery.

EPA Lifecycle Analysis of Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Renewable Fuels
Wed, 06 May 2009 19:18:15 GMT
Ass part of proposed revisions to the National Renewable Fuel Standard program (commonly known as the RFS program), EPA analyzed lifecycle greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from increased renewable fuels use. The Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (EISA) establishes new renewable fuel categories and eligibility requirements. EISA sets the first U.S. mandatory lifecycle GHG reduction thresholds for renewable fuel categories, as compared to those of average petroleum fuels used in 2005. The regulatory purpose of the lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions analysis is to determine whether renewable fuels meet the GHG thresholds for the different categories of renewable fuel.

Green Roofs for Stormwater Runoff Control
Wed, 06 May 2009 19:14:03 GMT
This project evaluated green roofs as a stormwater management tool. Specifically, runoff quantity and quality from green and flat asphalt roofs were compared. Evapotranspiration from planted green roofs and evaporation from unplanted media roofs were also compared. The influence of media type, media depth and drought during plant establishment on plant growth and long-term management of media pH were investigated. The goal of the project was to provide high-quality replicated data which could be used to develop and refine reliable anticipated runoff volumes and loadings from green roofs, respectively, as well as evaluate factors which impact plant growth and establishment. Results indicate that the green roofs are capable of removing 50% of the annual rainfall volume from a roof through retention and evapotranspiration. Rainfall not retained by green roofs is detained, effectively increasing the time to peak, and slowing peak flows for a watershed. There are seasonal considerations as more runoff is generated during winter and for many summer storms there was no runoff. Green roof runoff does contain concentrations of some nutrients and other parameters, but values are in line with other planted systems. Due to the volume reduction, actual nutrient loadings from green roofs are less than asphalt roofing runoff or otherwise manageable at the downspout.

Product Policy Institute
Tue, 21 Apr 2009 18:27:13 GMT
Product Policy Institute (PPI) is a North American not-for-profit education and technical assistance organization. Their mission is to prevent waste and to promote sustainable production and consumption practices through good public policy and governance.

State of Green Business 2009
Tue, 14 Apr 2009 20:09:18 GMT
This year’s Green Business report is a mixed bag of encouraging and discouraging news. But on balance, despite a growing chorus of corporate commitments and actions, we’re less optimistic that these activities, in aggregate, are addressing planetary problems at sufficient scale and speed.

Landscape Sustainability
Fri, 03 Apr 2009 14:37:55 GMT
This guide from the University of Nebraska Extension describes how to use aesthetic, functional and environmentally sound design principles to create a sustainable landscape.

Compact Fluorescent Bulbs: Clean-up and Disposal Guide
Tue, 24 Mar 2009 21:41:50 GMT
Compact fluorescent bulbs provide highly efficient lighting, but contain mercury. Learn how to clean up broken bulbs and dispose of them safely.

Greenhouse Gas Sequestration by Algae — Energy and Greenhouse Gas Life Cycle Studies
Wed, 18 Mar 2009 20:09:26 GMT
We have examined various scenarios involving the growth of algae and the sequestering of carbon during its growth. End-uses for algae are found in the production of food supplements for humans; animal feed; oil extraction and its transesterification to produce biodiesel; electricity production upon combustion directly or by transforming the algae to methane anaerobically; or fuel production via pyrolysis, gasification or anaerobic digestion. In every case, the greenhouse gases sequestered by the algae are released into the atmosphere, so that greenhouse gas benefits arise only as offsets when the algal use displaces the combustion of a fossil fuel in a vehicle or for the production of electricity. This paper examines the greenhouse gas, costs and energy balance on a life-cycle basis for algae grown in salt-water ponds and used to produce biodiesel and electricity. Under the conditions described and the data assumed, it is shown that it is possible to produce algal biodiesel at less cost and with a substantial greenhouse gas and energy balance advantage over fossil diesel. However, when scaled up to large commercial production levels, the costs may exceed those for fossil diesel. The economic viability is highly dependent upon algae with high oil yields capable of high production year-round, which has yet to be demonstrated on a commercial scale.

Homegrown Prosperity from the Bottom Up
Wed, 18 Mar 2009 19:55:50 GMT
A new report by WORC presents policy-makers and prospective producers with information on small and community-scale biodiesel production. Homegrown Prosperity from the Bottom Up looks at the biodiesel industry as it is emerging in the rural economies across the region. It examines the experiences of farmers and local entrepreneurs in their public and private partnerships to start a new industry, and it assesses the potential contributions of this new economic engine to rural income and jobs. This report presents six case studies on the economic potential, legal and systemic issues, sustainability, and available technical assistance and financial resources.

The 2009 GLRPPR/Region 7 Conference is Less Than a Month Away

Just a reminder that the joint Great Lakes Regional Pollution Prevention Roundtable (GLRPPR) and EPA Region 7 Pollution Prevention Roundtable conference will be held in Indianapolis, IN June 3rd through 5th, 2009.  The conference will take place at the Eiteljorg Museum of American Indians and Western Art. Please see the conference web page for a tentative agenda, information on Indianapolis attractions and to register for the conference online. If you have any questions regarding registration, please contact Wayne Duke.

Please note that registration fees do NOT include hotel costs, and that you will need to make your own hotel arrangements. A block of rooms is reserved at the Comfort Suites City Centre from June 2 – June 5, 2009 at the government rate of $94.00 and $10.00/day parking; there is a complimentary continental breakfast and free shuttle service for a five mile radius from the hotel. Other amenities include: free wireless high speed internet access, indoor whirlpool/hot tub, and fitness room. There have been a limited number of rooms blocked off for this event. Call as soon as possible to get a reservation. The cut off date for cancellations and registration refunds is May 25, 2009.

Region 5/GLRPPR Represents 25% of the NPPR Board

[Post author: Wayne Duke]

Region 5/Great Lakes Region Pollution Prevention Roundtable (GLRPPR) has been very fortunate to represent 25% of the National Pollution Prevention Roundtable (NPPR) Board the past few years. Four of the 15 Board members are from Region 5 and include:

  • Rich Bossingham, Indiana DEM (at large), rbossing@idem.in.gov
  • Robert Jackson, Michigan Dept of Energy, Labor, and Economic Growth (Region 5 representative and Board chair), jacksonr1@michigan.gov
  • Cindy McComas, MnTAP, University of Minnesota (at large), mccom003@umn.edu
  • Gary Miller, ISTC, University of Illinois (emeritus/past chair), gmiller@istc.illinois,edu

However, three of these four individuals have terms ending in September 2009 and the NPPR Board needs new pollution prevention blood to serve three-year terms. The NPPR is the largest membership organization in the United States devoted solely to pollution prevention. The mission of the NPPR is to provide a national forum for promoting the development, implementation, and evaluation of efforts to avoid, eliminate, or reduce pollution at the source.

The Board is currently accepting nominations for Region 5 and at-large candidates. Regional Board candidates must be a representative of a local, state or tribal governmental organization. The at-large board positions are open to all voting members in good standing.

The NPPR Board presents fun and challenging opportunities to work nationally on ways to promote and sustain pollution prevention as a fundamental environmental protection strategy that includes involvement with policy, technical, and measurement issues.

Serving on the NPPR Board provides you with opportunities to network, improve leadership skills, be a liaison with your favorite workgroup, and strategize/implement ways to improve NPPR. Board member benefits include networking, leadership opportunities, travel scholarships to the annual Environmental Partnership Summit, ability to set policy and direction of NPPR, the opportunity to contribute on position papers, and being “in the know” on ECOS, EPA, and other national programs and projects.

In return, the Board representatives will participate in monthly conference calls, attend Board meetings in October and May, join a NPPR workgroup or committee, provide views and concerns of NPPR members, and promote NPPR within the Region. The Board term is October 1, 2009, through September 30, 2012.

Please contact any of your Board representatives if you are willing to serve a term on the NPPR Board beginning in October 2009.

“I have served on the Board for four years in a variety of capacities. A highlight has been learning from very bright colleagues about how they “do” pollution prevention in their states and organizations. I have also been able to push my specific interests and get help from others with similar interests. It is gratifying to see the progress we have made and the impact we have as an organization on federal policy, funding for our programs, and in developing new leaders in the pollution prevention movement. We have also been involved in international pollution prevention programs including trips to South Korea, the Middle East, Mexico and Canada. NPPR also has strong, very good staff to work with including Jeff Burke, the Executive Director. Serving as a Director on the NPPR Board has been very valuable to me in more ways than I can count and I recommend it highly. You will be better for it.”

Gary Miller

Institute of Natural Resource Sustainability

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign