Environment

Climate Policy Initiative (CPI) and Climate Strategies announced the results of a study on the impact of the EU ETS on low-carbon investment. EU ETS captures companies' attention, contributes to clarity for strategic decision-making, and is part of the enabling environment for low-carbon investments. The study suggests improvements such as increasing stringency, limiting CDM use, changes in international financial reporting standards, and complementary policies. Full release

On Saturday, February 26, more than one hundred bottled waters from around the globe will compete at the award-winning Berkeley Springs International Water Tasting competition. Held in the historic spa town of Berkeley Springs, West Virginia, it is the largest water tasting competition in the world. This year six of the entries will be bottled rainwater sponsored by the 501(c)(3) nonprofit American Rainwater Catchment Systems Association (ARCSA - www.arcsa.org). The mission of ARCSA is to promote sustainable rainwater harvesting practices to help solve potable, nonpotable, stormwater and energy challenges throughout the world. Full release

Following are the comments of Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) and Congressman Peter DeFazio (D-Ore.) on USDA's announcement Thursday that the agency will completely remove current regulations that limit use of genetically engineered (GE) alfalfa, a key commodity in dairy farming, including organic dairy farming, making alfalfa the first perennial GE crop approved for widespread planting. Leahy and DeFazio have led congressional efforts to limit the threat to organic farmers of widely introducing "Roundup Ready" genetically engineered alfalfa. The two lawmakers last June headed a letter to Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, asking that alfalfa's regulated status be retained in USDA's pending rulemaking on GE alfalfa. Leahy and DeFazio also are the co-authors of the 1990 legislation that created the national organic standards and labeling program and continue to champion the growth and success of the U.S. organic industry. Full release

International leaders attending the World Economic Forum in snow-covered Davos, Switzerland, are embracing the new perspective of the Global Adaptation Institute (www.globalai.org) that puts "adaptation" at the center of world climate policy. Institute CEO, Dr. Juan Jose Daboub, former Managing Director of the World Bank, speaking to journalists at the conference said: "Some of the world's most prominent private sector leaders have told me privately - and all conversations at Davos are private - that they are 'stunned' by the speed with which a change is taking place on the climate issue, toward adaptation, and they are rushing to re-examine how their businesses will approach climate change, both in terms of corporate social responsibility efforts and as a bottom-line, profit and loss factor for their enterprises. At the Institute, we predicted the new reality, then we saw it unfolding on the ground at the Cancun summit: that adaptation to climate change was about to shift to center stage." Full release

The GREENGUARD Environmental Institute applauds President Obama for announcing during his State of the Union speech Tuesday night that he is committed to investing in American education, biomedical research, and clean energy. "This tells us that the president understands the basic political, social, and economic importance of having healthy people on a healthy planet," says Henning Bloech, GREENGUARD's executive director. "Healthy people are better equipped to learn, excel, and innovate, which gives us a competitive edge in the growing global marketplace. The problem, of course, is that we can't have healthy people on a healthy planet when we and our children are constantly exposed to hazardous chemicals." Full release

If Congress and the White House intend to move forward with a "clean energy standard" (CES), it will be a huge contradiction to include nuclear reactors and coal-fired power plants, according to three experts. In the wake of President Obama's State of the Union address embracing CES, the experts pointed to a long list of unresolved waste, water and proliferation risks associated with nuclear power, and unresolved problems with commercially untested "carbon capture & storage" (CCS) for coal-fired power production. Dr. Alan Lockwood, professor of nuclear medicine and neurology, University of Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, and past president of Physicians for Social Responsibility, said: "We must guarantee that policy decisions we make are based on the full range of health and environmental impacts of our decisions as we devote scarce private and public resources to meeting our needs for electric power." Full release

Today Texans For A Sound Energy Policy (TSEP) filed formal legal contentions with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) urging denial of Exelon's application for an Early Site Permit (ESP) for a proposed nuclear power plant site south of Victoria, Texas. The filing of these contentions will set the stage for a formal legal hearing on TSEP's contentions regarding the site. The voluminous contentions filed by TSEP provide an unprecedented level of detailed scientific analysis of the serious water, environmental, endangered species and site safety concerns surrounding the proposed Victoria County site that render it unsuitable for a nuclear power plant. Full release

Sungevity, the nation's fastest growing provider of residential solar installations, today announced the launch of Sungevity.org as an innovative way to help schools and non-profit organizations raise money while getting more homeowners to put solar on their rooftops. Organizations can raise $1000 by bringing Sungevity new solar customers. For every customer that a participating non-profit or school sends Sungevity's way, the company donates $500 to the school or non-profit and gives the customer a $500 American Express gift card (or the organization can opt to collect the full $1000). "Our online solar leasing system is designed to make it simple for homeowners to go solar," said Danny Kennedy, Sungevity Founder. "Like our dot.com site, the .org program now makes it easy for non-profits and schools to raise funds while getting their local communities to go solar." Full release

An astounding 200 billion gallons of water withdrawn from America's water supply each day … annual costs to society from premature deaths due to power plant pollution so high that they are up to four times the price of all electricity produced in the U.S. ... and four metric tons of high-level radioactive wastes for every terawatt of electricity produced by nuclear reactors, even though there is no long-term storage solution in place. These are just some of the little understood and largely "hidden" water, health and other costs from U.S. coal and nuclear electricity production detailed in a new analysis released today by Synapse Energy Economics, Inc., for the nonprofit and nonpartisan Civil Society Institute (CSI) think tank. The Synapse report for CSI also outlines the considerable health impacts of the nation's current reliance on coal and nuclear power. Full release

Senior business leaders, policymakers and clean energy thought leaders convened today for the first annual Clean Economy Summit, hosted by the Clean Economy Network Education Fund. The goal of the two-day conference is to produce a practical business and policy roadmap for achieving a clean economy and accelerating job creation in the United States. Senator Richard Lugar (R-IN) kicked off the Summit at the Mayflower Hotel with a keynote highlighting the problems and opportunities in building the U.S. clean economy. "U.S. energy policy is not happening in a vacuum. Nations around the world are looking for solutions to the same problems," said Lugar. "Alternative energy and energy efficiency technologies have the potential to be major export industries that would benefit the American economy for generations. The economic benefits of these technologies will flow to nations that win the race to develop and deploy them." Full release

Saint-Gobain, the world's largest building products manufacturer, has been selected to join the U.S. Department of Energy's U.S.-China Clean Energy Research Center for Building Energy Efficiency (CERC BEE). This CERC, one of three in the U.S., is dedicated to advancing energy-efficiency in buildings in the U.S. and China. The CERC BEE features a consortium led by Lawrence Berkley National Laboratory that includes Oak Ridge National Laboratory and industry research partners, such as Saint-Gobain. In its role as an industrial research partner of the CERC BEE, Saint-Gobain will work collaboratively with CERC BEE research labs, share the company's expertise in building science, provide technical support, offer access to the company's research facilities, and supply materials, equipment and more. Full release

PINK, the women's business media group, releases its Top Women in Sustainability list on January 24th. For the entire week, through the daily career-focused e-Note Little PINK Book, PINK celebrates sustainability and showcases top women leaders driving sustainability initiatives at 15 major corporations. Companies featured are Citi, Coca-Cola, Ernst & Young, Ford, Hyatt, Intel, Johnson & Johnson, Turner, Verizon and Wells Fargo. The list also includes five women to watch from Aflac, Dell, General Motors, KPMG LLP and Siemens. The women were selected based on their authority to impact change and overall corporate environmental initiatives. The chosen women share perspectives along with their organizations' best practices and goals for 2011 and beyond. Full release

Charles T. Drevna, president of NPRA, the National Petrochemical & Refiners Association, today issued the following statement: "President Obama's announcement today that he has ordered a review to identify federal regulations that can be eliminated because they hinder economic growth and job creation is welcome news for every American. At a time when unemployment tops 9 percent and our nation's vital manufacturing base is shrinking, President Obama is acting in the nation's best interests. By removing unnecessary regulatory burdens, the president can free up the mighty engine of our free enterprise system to create jobs and bring a return to prosperity for families across our nation." Full release

As the final report of the Obama-appointed National Oil Spill Commission is delivered to members of Congress and the Executive Branch, shaping the next generation of ocean and drilling policy begins now. Poignant perspectives from diverse angles will intersect at NCSE's "Our Changing Oceans" conference to formulate the best science-based approach for protecting and securing the future of our Nation's ocean bounty. Limited complimentary press registrations are available, providing media access to top-level ocean policy leaders. Full release

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has released its national analysis of the 2009 Toxics Release Inventory (TRI). The chemical distribution industry had the third lowest total releases of any reporting industry, behind only the apparel and leather industries, both of whom had far fewer reporting facilities. Further, NACD member's average release was 47.6% lower than non-NACD members. "EPA's report clearly demonstrates the success of Responsible Distribution™, the Association's mandatory health, safety, security, and environmental management practice," said NACD President Christopher Jahn. "NACD members practicing Responsible Distribution™ continue to set themselves apart as leaders in the industry." Full release

www.t3motion.com -- T3 Motion, Inc. (OTC Bulletin Board: TMMM) -- T3 Motion's CEO announced today that the T3 Series' electric, clean-energy vehicle has saved customers over $9 million and reduced CO2 emissions by 12,000 tons since hitting the market in 2007. The T3 Series is currently in use by major police agencies, security companies, college campus safety departments, airport security companies, USPS, and military agencies in 17 countries and is the single most efficient way to transport individuals. Known as an agile, rapid-response vehicle with the ability to turn on a dime, the T3 is an effective force-multiplier, providing a unique omni-presence for patrol officers. Full release

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced today its veto of a properly issued, valid Clean Water Act (CWA) Section 404 permit for Mingo Logan's Spruce No. 1 surface mine located in West Virginia. This is the first time in history EPA has revoked a previously issued, valid CWA Section 404 permit. The Spruce permit was issued in 2007 after an in-depth 10-year review, including a comprehensive Environmental Impact Statement. FACES of Coal notes that the CWA Section 404 regulatory program annually authorizes approximately $220 billion in economic activity. "Today's unprecedented action by the EPA offers more proof that this administration and EPA are paying lip service to the employment and economic challenges this state and our country are facing," said Bryan Brown, West Virginia Executive Director of FACES of Coal. Full release

The latest Earth-observing satellite developed by NASA, called Glory, arrived Tuesday at Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif., in preparation for a Feb. 23 launch. Glory was transported by truck from Orbital Sciences Corporation's satellite design, production and testing facility in Dulles, Va. Glory is NASA's next Earth-observing research mission that will improve our understanding of how the sun and airborne particles called aerosols affect Earth's climate. It will join the Afternoon Constellation or "A-train" of polar-orbiting satellites, a group that includes the Aqua and Aura satellites. Full release

Attacks on the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) role in protecting air quality and regulating greenhouse gases pose significant threats to the nation's health, according to environment and health advocacy group Health Care Without Harm. Efforts to curtail the role of the EPA in regulating greenhouse gases and to prevent and roll back regulations intended to reduce air pollution are underway in the 112th Congress through new legislation introduced and being planned by House members. "Curtailing these efforts by placing our regulatory system in a stranglehold will sentence tens of thousands of people to debilitating, respiratory illnesses, adding to the burden of chronic disease in the nation and increased financial burden to the health care system," said Gary Cohen, president of Health Care Without Harm, an international coalition of organizations dedicated to reducing environmental damage caused by the health care sector. Full release

Now ready for departure—Southwest Airlines' Pilots begin Required Navigation Performance (RNP) efficient flight procedures today at 11 airports nationwide. This major milestone to reduce environmental impact with a more efficient operation and to assist the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on NextGen initiatives is the culmination of a four-year project with partners Boeing, GE, and Honeywell. RNP is satellite-based navigation that brings together the accuracy of GPS (Global Positioning System), the capabilities of advanced aircraft avionics, and new flight procedures. "RNP sets the stage for Southwest to continue doing its part to conserve fuel, improve safety, and reduce carbon emissions and Greenhouse gases, while simultaneously taking advantage of the high-performance characteristics that exist in an airline's fleet," said Captain Jeff Martin, Southwest's Vice President of the Operations Coordination Center. Full release

The following is a statement by David Yarnold: "The report uses two words the drillers didn't want to hear: 'Systemic failure.' Make no mistake: the report says drillers are unprepared for disasters like this. Even after killing 11 and triggering the worst environmental disaster in a generation, industry spokespeople want to distract us from the truth. They claim this was an isolated instance caused by rogue companies. That's an insult to the families who suffered and to anyone who wants to see reasonable safeguards. The report is clear; the Interior Department is outgunned by the drillers and needs the people and the dollars to police the industry." Full release

When it comes to the environment, there is an interesting difference in who is and who is not green. Lesbian, gay, bisexual and/or transgender (LGBT) adults are "greener" than their heterosexual counterparts - LGBT adults are more likely to express concern for the environment, describe themselves in green terms (e.g., environmentalist, "green," conservationist), and say environmental issues are important to their voting and purchasing decisions. However, while LGBT adults are increasing their commitment to the environment, American adults overall are now less likely than they were in the summer of 2009 to espouse certain "green" attitudes and engage in various environmentally-friendly activities. Full release

Solar Cookers International will exhibit solar cookers from around the world that are being used to prepare food and safe drinking water. Almost three billion people still cook their daily meals over open fires using various forms of biomass -- wood, dung, charcoal and agricultural waste -- depleting the earth's rapidly vanishing forests and groundcover. Solar cooking is clean technology. It is a technology that will save the environment, preserve trees, soil, and clean air. Solar cooking significantly reduces the need to forage for biomass fuel and frees children to attend school and women to engage in income generating activities. It reduces black carbon and saves lives by eliminating contaminated indoor air. At minimal cost, solar cooking improves the lives of families, increasing their income, empowering women and keeping families together. Full release

A flourishing watershed at Peabody Energy's Farmersburg Mine has earned one of Indiana's highest environmental honors. The Indiana Society of Mining and Reclamation recognized the mine team with the 2010 Indiana Excellence in Mining and Reclamation Award for Natural Stream Restoration at the organization's 24th annual Technology Transfer Seminar in Jasper, Ind. The award honors the company's successful work to reconstruct a nearly 6,000-foot section of the West Fork Busseron Creek, in Sullivan County, Ind. Forrest Crowe, Environmental Engineer at Peabody Energy's Bear Run Mine in Indiana, also was recognized with the 2010 Vance "Pat" Wiram Award for innovation in land restoration. "Watersheds are vital to the environmental health of any community, and the Peabody team's work at West Fork Busseron Creek is a model for the Midwest. The team restored a stream and floodplain that sustains wildlife, enhances water quality and provides excellent habitat for fish and other species," said Peabody Energy Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Eric Ford. Full release

NPRA, the National Petrochemical & Refiners Association, today joined with two organizations to ask a federal appeals court to overturn a recent decision by the Environmental Protection Agency that authorizes the sale of gasoline with 50 percent more ethanol for late-model vehicles. Organizations joining NPRA in the legal challenge to EPA are the International Liquid Terminals Association and the Western States Petroleum Association. EPA's Oct. 13 decision boosted the amount of ethanol permitted in gasoline used by cars and light trucks in the 2007 model year and later from the current 10 percent (E10) to 15 percent (E15). NPRA and the other organizations today filed a petition asking the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit to review and overturn the EPA decision, contending EPA violated the Clean Air Act and the Administrative Procedure Act. Full release

Vermont Law School (VLS) today releases its inaugural Top 10 Environmental Watch List spotlighting the nation's most critical environmental law and policy issues of 2010 and how they may play out in 2011. Below is the Top 10 list, which is produced by the nation's top-ranked environmental law school. The full report is available at http://watchlist.vermontlaw.edu/. The report evaluates 10 judicial, regulatory, legislative and other actions that significantly affect humans and the natural world. "We can continue our short-sighted addiction to fossil fuels or we can adopt innovative, healthier, more sustainable practices," said VLS Dean Jeff Shields. "The Environmental Watch List will help improve public understanding of how to use the law to take action on the critical issues of our time." Full release

Marcal® Small Steps® today announces the launch of its inaugural Small Steps for Big Change Awards which will honor hometown heroes who are making environmental differences in their communities simply by taking small steps. Through February 25, 2011, people can nominate themselves or a hero they know at www.marcalsmallsteps.com/heroes. Five winners will be announced in April in honor of Earth Month, receiving a total of $10,000 in donations to be made in their names to environmental charities. "The Marcal Small Steps brand is based on the philosophy that small actions can make a big environmental impact. Even something as simple as purchasing household paper products from 100% recycled paper makes a difference," said MJ Jolda, Senior Vice President of Marketing at Marcal Small Steps. Full release

Scientists at The Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation have uncovered a gene responsible for controlling key growth characteristics in plants, specifically the density of plant material. Denser plants have more biomass without increasing the agricultural footprint, meaning farmers and ranchers can produce more plant material from the same sized field. Plants that have increased density hold great potential to be used to produce biofuels, electricity and even advanced materials, like carbon fiber. "This is a significant breakthrough for those developing improved plants to address pressing societal needs," said Richard Dixon, D. Phil., director of the Noble Foundation's Plant Biology Division. "This discovery opens up new possibilities for harnessing and increasing the potential of crops by expanding their ranges of use. These plants will be part of the next generation of agriculture which not only impacts food, but many other vital industries as well." Full release

The Seoul Metropolitan Government announced that it has started commercial operation of eco-friendly full-size electric buses on the Mt. Namsan circular routes as of December 21. It is the first time in the world that electronic buses have been put into commercial operations. SMG has worked on the project to develop full-sized electric buses with local technology over the last one and a half years, since it signed an agreement with Hyundai Heavy Industries and Hankuk Fiber for the development of electric buses in September 2009. Electric bus services will not only improve air conditions in the city but also lead the technology of large-sized electric vehicles in the global electric car market, the City said. Full release

Nineteen Green Mountain College students in assistant environmental studies professor Lucas Brown's design & build course unveiled a semester long-project Monday: a "tiny house" of their own design. The 8-foot by 12-foot house was built almost entirely from reclaimed materials and cost only $1927 to build. The final cost was just a few dollars over the class budget, funded by a $100 per student course fee. "The $20 per square foot cost is pretty low compared to the $80-$200 per square foot cost of new construction," said senior Todd Sirak of Poultney. The class expects to recoup its investment by selling the house in the spring. By then, the moveable structure will be equipped with a solar powered electrical system. Another design & build course next semester, which will be taught by GMC alumnus Khanti Munro of Solar Energy International, will focus on photovoltaics. Full release

The Chartered Institute of Management Accountants, the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the Canadian Institute of Chartered Accountants released a landmark survey measuring the state of accounting for sustainability in the UK and North America. CIMA, AICPA, and CICA surveyed organizational leaders from their respective memberships and conducted interviews with sustainability executives from leading organizations to examine key characteristics of business sustainability, and the level of finance function involvement in corporate sustainability initiatives. Charles Tilley, CIMA's Chief Executive, commented: "We are pleased to see CIMA's members spearheading green practices, with 81 percent of our respondents from large companies reporting that their organization's sustainability strategies address climate change." Full release

Tomorrow, Nissan North America Inc. (NNA) will make history by bringing sustainable mobility to the mass market, with the world's first delivery of a Nissan LEAF all-electric vehicle. Olivier Chalouhi, a San Francisco Bay Area resident and the first person in the United States to place a Nissan LEAF order, will take delivery of his black Nissan LEAF SL at North Bay Nissan of Petaluma. The delivery will be followed by a press conference at San Francisco City Hall Plaza. This groundbreaking moment represents the first delivery of an affordable, mass-market, all-electric car since the first days of the automotive era. Full release

Walmart's Acres for America program is helping preserve an additional 218,000 acres in four states this year for critical wildlife habitat, recreation and to maintain a sustainable forestry operation. During its first five years, Acres for America has helped preserve more than 625,000 acres in 15 states - far exceeding the program's original 10-year goal of 138,000 acres. "The program's focus in 2010 exemplifies how strategic partnerships can improve outcomes for communities faced with extraordinary challenges," said Jennifer May-Brust, Walmart vice president of realty supplier management and compliance. "Since the inception of Acres for America in 2005, Walmart has helped connect more than 6.7 million acres of critical wildlife habitat, which is an area larger than Connecticut, Delaware and Rhode Island combined." Full release

Dr. Richard Gross, professor of chemical and biological science at Polytechnic Institute of New York University (NYU-Poly), has developed a method for producing a strong, highly ductile bioplastic using yeast and one of nature's simplest building blocks: fatty acids of plant oils. The findings were published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society. Like all plastics, the new material is a polymer — a large molecule comprised of smaller, repeating units called monomers. In this case, the monomer itself is relatively new. The units are called omega-hydroxyfatty acids, and when strung together to form a polymer, they can produce a biologically friendly plastic. Until now, omega-hydroxyfatty acids were difficult and expensive to produce using traditional methods, prohibiting their widespread use. Full release

The 2010 GREEN AWARDS announces the China Environmental Protection Foundation, in association with DDB China Group, as the winner of this year's Grand Prix for its innovative outdoor campaign urging people to walk more and drive less. The GREEN AWARDS is a unique global awards ceremony held in London, UK, whose motto of "creativity in sustainability" best explains their commitment toward recognizing and rewarding the most creative and effective efforts to communicate green messages. This year, at the fifth annual GREEN AWARDS, organizations from around the world were invited to participate in all 16 categories for the very first time. Entries were received from China, India, Romania, United States, Denmark, Australia, South Korea and Sweden, among others. Full release

Few things divide rich from poor like access to affordable energy. In this 21st century it has been estimated that 1.4 billion people lack access to electricity while 3 billion people cook with solid fuel. On Wednesday, December 8, CFACT transported COP16 delegates, press and observers to the Mexican village of La Libertad, where people cook, heat and live without electricity. La Libertad presents a compelling picture of the plight of the energy poor. "As COP16 considers the future of the world's energy policy, it is vital that the voices of those suffering energy poverty are heard," said CFACT President David Rothbard. "Today's visit was both sobering and inspiring," Rothbard said. "We and our guests saw the harsh realities of what life is like without basic necessities, such as electricity, which we take for granted. Full release

A new NASA computer modeling effort has found that additional growth of plants and trees in a world with doubled atmospheric carbon dioxide levels would create a new negative feedback - a cooling effect - in the Earth's climate system that could work to reduce future global warming. The cooling effect would be -0.3 degrees Celsius (C) (-0.5 Fahrenheit (F)) globally and -0.6 degrees C (-1.1 F) over land, compared to simulations where the feedback was not included, said Lahouari Bounoua, of Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md. Bounoua is lead author on a paper detailing the results that will be published Dec. 7 in the journal Geophysical Research Letters. Full release

In the midst of a global amphibian extinction crisis, it is more important than ever for classroom teachers, home school educators, naturalists, and camp leaders to incorporate effective environmental education into their K-4 agenda. Hop Into Action was created to serve as an interdisciplinary curriculum guide for the classroom and field. Twenty standards-based, cross-curricular investigations introduce children to the joy of amphibians while using scientific inquiry and critical thinking. Hop Into Action offers cross-disciplinary lessons that can be applied to the areas of language arts, physical education, art, math, civics, history, and media. Author David Alexander designed the lessons for multiple learning styles and to take advantage of children's natural curiosity about the environment through observation, photographs, games, and direct instruction. Full release

Nearly all those gathered for the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Cancun believe that real international action on climate change will not happen without strong public support, yet most also believe that the general public doesn't understand the meaning of "climate change," according to a survey this week by the Government of Mexico and the Pew Center on Global Climate Change. More than 500 accredited COP16/CMP6 attendees from around the world – including government delegates, nongovernmental organization (NGO) representatives, experts, journalists and business leaders - participated in an iPad survey of attitudes on climate change. The results were presented at the Climate Change Communication Forum co-sponsored by the Mexican government and the Pew Center, which took place at the Hotel Grand Velas of the Rivera Maya, on Friday, 3 December, 2010. Full release

World leaders are meeting in Cancun, Mexico for the 16th Conference of the Parties (COP 16) between November 29 and December 10 to engage in global climate negotiations. To date, much of the focus in the climate negotiations has been on cleaning up the emissions problem after it has already occurred. This year Ericsson is actively engaging with stakeholders in Cancun to promote the use of ICT solutions, which can be transformative when helping to reduce or even avoid future CO2 emissions. Ericsson has been working with the Mexican government and industry peers for the past six months in order to bring forward this message to global leaders and climate negotiators in Cancun. Full release

Yesterday at the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in Cancun, Mexico, an officially-accredited delegation from the Demand Response and Smart Grid Coalition (DRSG) briefed attendees on why demand response and smart grid are necessary in order to ensure that climate-policy goals are attained. DRSG was selected by the UN to provide the briefing, which was incorporated into the official UNFCCC program for attendees on Wednesday, December 1. "We applied to the UN to become an officially-recognized delegation to the meetings in Mexico," said Dan Delurey, President of DRSG, "and were pleased to receive official credentials to attend. We were more than pleased to be subsequently approved by UN officials to conduct an event as part of the official program for the meetings." Full release

On the first day of the Cancun Climate Summit, the Consumer Goods Forum announced two major initiatives on climate change: to work toward ending deforestation, and to phase out the use of refrigerant gases with high global warming potential. The Forum, formed in 2009, is a CEO-level organization of 400 global consumer goods manufacturers and retailers with combined revenue in excess of $2.8 trillion USD (2.1 trillion Euros). The initiatives were announced by the Board of Directors, comprised of 50 CEOs and co-chaired by Muhtar Kent of The Coca-Cola Company and Lars Olofsson of Carrefour. "On behalf of my co-chair Lars Olofsson and the Board of Directors of The Consumer Goods Forum, we are in Cancun to lend our support to this monumental but essential task of creating solutions that lead to a low-carbon world," said Muhtar Kent. Full release

A 10-year-old Bengal/Siberian-mix Tiger that is being kept in a concrete and steel cage at a 24-hour truck stop off of Interstate Highway I-10 continues to fuel public outrage, as tens of thousands of people across the U.S. continue to sign petitions calling for LA state wildlife officials to bring an end to the dire situation. "Tony" the Tiger has been on display as an advertising gimmick for nearly 10 years, and lives in a cage situated less than 100 feet from a long line of Diesel fuel pumps where large tractor-trailers come to refuel all day and night. The exhaust fumes and loud truck noises are just part of what wildlife advocates point out as being inhumane conditions for keeping a Tiger. Full release

The looming water crisis in the American Southwest - and the role of immigration-driven population growth - is the topic of a paper published this month by the Center for Immigration Studies and authored by New Mexico journalist Kathleene Parker. The paper, "Population, Immigration, and the Drying of the American Southwest," online at http://cis.org/southwest-water-population-growth, explores the link between the possibility of the potentially catastrophic economic and environmental water crisis and the fact that the Southwest is the fastest-growing region of the world's fourth-fastest-growing nation - a growth rate earlier cautioned against by various presidential commissions. It also looks at how that growth rate is driven by historically unprecedented immigration - legal and illegal - into the United States, the world's third-most-populous nation after China and India. Full release

California's Chief Executive, Governor Arnold A. Schwarzenegger was honored for his environmental achievements by the Frontier Project Foundation at the Governors' Global Climate Summit 3 (GGCS 3) at UC Davis in Davis, California. Governor Schwarzenegger co-hosted the event as an exemplary subnational leader in climate change and environmental policy. Each year, the Frontier Project Foundation recognizes environmental stewards who have made an impact on sustainability on a local and national level. Vice-Chair of the Frontier Project Kathy Tiegs had the opportunity to present the distinguished award to Governor Schwarzenegger at GGCS 3 where he noted California's past and present green progress. Full release

The US Composting Council (USCC), the organizational group behind International Compost Awareness Week (ICAW) in the United States, is proud to announce a call for entries for its 2011 ICAW Poster Contest. The contest will run from September 15 until November 30, 2010 and is open to anyone who wants to help celebrate composting and promote the benefits of composting and compost use. The winning poster will serve as the 2011 ICAW promotional media piece. Full release

New graphic videos showing Chevron's misconduct and environmental contamination in Ecuador were released today for the first time on a public website, representatives of the indigenous groups suing the company announced. "These are the stunning videos that Chevron does not want courts to see," said Karen Hinton, a spokeswoman for the communities who are suing the oil giant for what experts believe is the earth's largest oil-related disaster. The videos, taken from the documentary film Crude, show one American technical expert commenting after touring the region and seeing the extent of Chevron's pollution in Ecuador: "There is nothing in the United States that is anything like this." Full release

Today international and Brazilian human rights organizations submitted a formal petition to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR), denouncing grave and imminent violations upon the rights of indigenous and riverine communities affected by the construction of Belo Monte Dam on the Xingu River in the Brazilian Amazon. Signed by the Xingu Alive Forever Movement and as well as representatives of affected communities, the petition urgently calls on the Commission to adopt "precautionary measures" that would compel the Brazilian government to halt the dam, slated to be world's 3rd largest. Full release

Self-described Chevron sting operative Diego Borja, scheduled to appear in court today in San Francisco, is conceding that the oil giant "cooked" evidence to defend itself against a multi-billion oil contamination lawsuit in the Ecuadorian rainforest, according to documents filed in court. Borja's lawyers today are scheduled to argue their motion to quash a subpoena requiring Borja to produce evidence relating to Chevron's operations in Ecuador, where he said he ran a "dirty tricks" operation for the oil giant. Full release

The North Carolina Rural Center is offering twenty-five (25) full scholarships for rural small businesses in North Carolina to participate in the Institute's Green Plus™ program. Eligible businesses may apply for the Green Plus™ scholarships through the Rural Center (www.ncruralcenter.org) or through the Green Plus™ site at www.gogreenplus.org. Full release

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