A couple things to note in this piece: 1) there is no understanding of the lead level in the soil of major farms! i.e., you have no way of knowing the lead level of the food you buy at the grocery store. 2) you can get your soil tested at BC!
FRANK MEUSCHKE’S garden, which surrounds the house he rents in Brooklyn, is a bountiful source of tomatoes, snap peas, green beans, peppers, lettuce and multiple varieties of flowers. It is also, as he recently discovered to his dismay, a rich repository of lead. He had his soil tested last month, and the analysis showed more than 90 times the amount of lead expected to occur naturally.
Saturday, August 8, 2009
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
College students are flocking to sustainability degrees, careers
By Jillian Berman, USA TODAY
Students interested in pursuing a job in sustainability now can choose from a variety of "green" degree programs.
With an increased interest in the environment and growth in the "green collar" job sector, colleges and universities are beginning to incorporate sustainability into their programs. From MBAs in sustainable-business practices to programs that give students the technical training necessary to operate wind turbines, students have an increasing array of options to choose from.
Students interested in pursuing a job in sustainability now can choose from a variety of "green" degree programs.
With an increased interest in the environment and growth in the "green collar" job sector, colleges and universities are beginning to incorporate sustainability into their programs. From MBAs in sustainable-business practices to programs that give students the technical training necessary to operate wind turbines, students have an increasing array of options to choose from.
Sunday, August 2, 2009
First shipment of toxic sludge from Hudson River being unloaded in West Texas
Who says NYC doesn't export any actually "goods" anymore!? This is deeply embarassing; think of the transport costs alone! Aye!
By ANNA M. TINSLEY
atinsley@star-telegram.com
Crews are still unloading the first 81-car train load of toxic sludge sucked out of New York’s Hudson River into specially dug storage pits at a West Texas waste disposal site.
The load, which likely passed through the Metroplex, arrived at the Waste Control Specialists site in Andrews County this month, company spokesman Chuck McDonald said.
"On this first load, we are going very slowly to make sure we know what we are doing," McDonald said. "We are taking our time. Everything has gone smoothly."
This is the first of hundreds of loads of contaminated waste expected to be sent to West Texas from a Hudson environmental cleanup that could cost $750 million.
By ANNA M. TINSLEY
atinsley@star-telegram.com
Crews are still unloading the first 81-car train load of toxic sludge sucked out of New York’s Hudson River into specially dug storage pits at a West Texas waste disposal site.
The load, which likely passed through the Metroplex, arrived at the Waste Control Specialists site in Andrews County this month, company spokesman Chuck McDonald said.
"On this first load, we are going very slowly to make sure we know what we are doing," McDonald said. "We are taking our time. Everything has gone smoothly."
This is the first of hundreds of loads of contaminated waste expected to be sent to West Texas from a Hudson environmental cleanup that could cost $750 million.
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
GREEN BACK TO SCHOOL LIST
this isnt a groundbreaking list, but it hits the basics. mm
Environmentally Sustainable Back-to-School Supplies for College Students
NORTHAMPTON, Mass. – Before she graduated from Smith College in May, Jessica O’Hare developed an environmental sustainability back-to-school shopping list for the students who come after her.
“Environmental sustainability is an integral piece of student life at Smith,” wrote O’Hare in prefacing her list. “As an incoming student, you can start your contribution to the community by keeping a few sustainable purchasing tips in mind.”
The list developed by O’Hare, who earned a bachelor’s degree in government, is available in the new-student orientation booklet and online.
Dano Weisbord, Smith environmental sustainability director, noted that asking students to think about the supplies they bring to campus is an area where O’Hare thought Smith could have a “big impact.”
“It demonstrates to students both that environmental sustainability is important here at Smith,” said Weisbord, “and that we need their help in accomplishing our goals. Environmental sustainability is a collective effort.”
What to bring:
1. Cloth bags to tote your purchases from downtown shops and grocery stores.
2. A bicycle. Northampton is a bike-friendly city, and bikes are a convenient mode of transportation.
3. Your reusable mugs. Some coffee shops offer a discount for bringing a to-go mug. Dining Services doesn’t provide any paper "to-go" cups.
4. Tupperware to tote food cuts down on unnecessary waste. Dining Services does not provide "to-go" containers.
5. Energy Star appliances. Stereos, televisions, printers, computers, lamps and other appliances are all available in Energy Star models, which reduce energy use significantly as compared to other models.
6. Power Strips. Power strips cut down on vampire loads – the power drain that occurs when an electronic device is turned “off” but still plugged into the electrical socket. Plugging such electronic equipment as cell phone chargers, stereos and computers into a power strip that can be shut off at night or when you are in class, saves energy.
7. Compact fluorescent bulbs, an energy-saving alternative to incandescent bulbs.
What not to bring:
1. A refrigerator. Many houses have shared fridges in kitchenettes.
2. A computer printer. There is no shortage of printing centers.
3. Incandescent bulbs. They use three times the power of compact fluorescent bulbs.
Smith College educates women of promise for lives of distinction. One of the largest women’s colleges in the United States, Smith enrolls 2,800 students from nearly every state and 62 other countries.
Environmentally Sustainable Back-to-School Supplies for College Students
NORTHAMPTON, Mass. – Before she graduated from Smith College in May, Jessica O’Hare developed an environmental sustainability back-to-school shopping list for the students who come after her.
“Environmental sustainability is an integral piece of student life at Smith,” wrote O’Hare in prefacing her list. “As an incoming student, you can start your contribution to the community by keeping a few sustainable purchasing tips in mind.”
The list developed by O’Hare, who earned a bachelor’s degree in government, is available in the new-student orientation booklet and online.
Dano Weisbord, Smith environmental sustainability director, noted that asking students to think about the supplies they bring to campus is an area where O’Hare thought Smith could have a “big impact.”
“It demonstrates to students both that environmental sustainability is important here at Smith,” said Weisbord, “and that we need their help in accomplishing our goals. Environmental sustainability is a collective effort.”
What to bring:
1. Cloth bags to tote your purchases from downtown shops and grocery stores.
2. A bicycle. Northampton is a bike-friendly city, and bikes are a convenient mode of transportation.
3. Your reusable mugs. Some coffee shops offer a discount for bringing a to-go mug. Dining Services doesn’t provide any paper "to-go" cups.
4. Tupperware to tote food cuts down on unnecessary waste. Dining Services does not provide "to-go" containers.
5. Energy Star appliances. Stereos, televisions, printers, computers, lamps and other appliances are all available in Energy Star models, which reduce energy use significantly as compared to other models.
6. Power Strips. Power strips cut down on vampire loads – the power drain that occurs when an electronic device is turned “off” but still plugged into the electrical socket. Plugging such electronic equipment as cell phone chargers, stereos and computers into a power strip that can be shut off at night or when you are in class, saves energy.
7. Compact fluorescent bulbs, an energy-saving alternative to incandescent bulbs.
What not to bring:
1. A refrigerator. Many houses have shared fridges in kitchenettes.
2. A computer printer. There is no shortage of printing centers.
3. Incandescent bulbs. They use three times the power of compact fluorescent bulbs.
Smith College educates women of promise for lives of distinction. One of the largest women’s colleges in the United States, Smith enrolls 2,800 students from nearly every state and 62 other countries.
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Assistant Professor Global Environmental Governance
Jeffrey Sachs--former World Bank (and shock therapy) economist and current Columbia prof and UN adviser argues--quite convincingly--that one of the four biggest challenges facing us in the 21st century is "global cooperation" and interdisciplinarity is critical for this. The job position below reflects both these trends, and its in Amsterdam! mm
The Institute for Environmental Studies (IVM), VU University Amsterdam invites applications for the position of Assistant Professor in Global Environmental Governance (starting date 1 January 2010).
The position
The successful candidate will be expected to spend about 20 percent of her/his time on teaching at MSc level and the remaining time on research projects. In particular, the successful candidate will be the core researcher in a new three-year research programme on ‘Explaining the Role and Relevance of Transnational Rule-making Organizations in Global Sustainability Politics: Contributions to a Theory of Transnational Governance’, funded by the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research. This project will develop a theoretical framework on the scope conditions for transnational rule-making organization and examine a set of hypotheses derived from institutional and organizational theory. An outline of this project can be obtained from Tineke Reus at tineke.reus [at] ivm.vu.nl.
The Institute for Environmental Studies (IVM), VU University Amsterdam invites applications for the position of Assistant Professor in Global Environmental Governance (starting date 1 January 2010).
The position
The successful candidate will be expected to spend about 20 percent of her/his time on teaching at MSc level and the remaining time on research projects. In particular, the successful candidate will be the core researcher in a new three-year research programme on ‘Explaining the Role and Relevance of Transnational Rule-making Organizations in Global Sustainability Politics: Contributions to a Theory of Transnational Governance’, funded by the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research. This project will develop a theoretical framework on the scope conditions for transnational rule-making organization and examine a set of hypotheses derived from institutional and organizational theory. An outline of this project can be obtained from Tineke Reus at tineke.reus [at] ivm.vu.nl.
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