Greenlist(tm) Bulletin 01/20/2006
This is the weekly bulletin of the TURI Library, reporting a selection of recently published titles we have acquired. Our pledge is to keep the bulletin relevant to your work and brief -- no more than 10 titles. You are
welcome to send a message to jan@turi.org if you would like more
information on any of the articles listed here.
- Greening the
- Component in Soy Products Causes Reproductive Problems in Laboratory Mice
- UV-Curable Coatings for Textiles: Water Repellent Finishes
- Resource-Conserving Agriculture Increases Yields in Developing Countries
- Household and Personal Care: Awash in New Rules
- LEED Certification and Documentation Process Upgrades
- NJ Governor Signs Green Cleaning Executive Order
- New Possibilities to Fight Pests with Biological Means
- The Future of Technology Assessment
- Nanochemistry and the Power of "Z" Give
Printers an Edge
1. Greening the
ABSTRACT The upcoming 20th Winter Olympics and
Paralympics in Torino in February and March, respectively, will be the first
ever truly “green” major sports events in
For these reasons,
the
The EU’s
eco-management and audit scheme (EMAS) enables companies and organisations to
evaluate, report on and improve their environmental performance. In line with
this, the organising committee (TOROC) first obtained EMAS registration at the
planning and construction stages for the 29 sites hosting the Games, including
the training sites and the Olympic Village. At a second stage, eight
municipalities hosting the Games also registered with EMAS. The main Olympic
Village is a showcase for sustainable architecture, with 39 buildings to house
2 500 athletes. Solar panels have been installed to warm sanitation water,
south-oriented glass surfaces optimise sun exposure during winter, low energy
light bulbs are in use and rain water is used to irrigate the green areas.
TOROC has promoted the European Eco-label scheme, a voluntary scheme designed to encourage businesses to market more environmentally friendly products and to make it easier for consumers to identify those products thanks to the “Flower” logo. Twelve hotels in the region have been granted the flower label. The main media village, which will serve as a students’ residence after the games, is in the process of being awarded with the European Eco-label as an example of how to address the sustainable use of facilities once the event is over. It meets the European Eco-label criteria for reduced energy and water consumption, reduced waste production, bio-architectural characteristics, the use of renewable resources and of substances which are less hazardous to the environment. The European Commission has provided TOROC with € 50 000 of funding for the promotion of the European Eco-label in the area. TOROC has also implemented green procurement – 38% of all products purchased by TOROC comply with eco-criteria such as the European eco-label criteria. In addition, the sponsors have been urged to comply with eco principles and policies. With the Torino Olympic Games, EU voluntary environmental tools have, for the first time, proved to be operational.
2. Component in Soy Products Causes Reproductive Problems in Laboratory Mice
SOURCE NIH News, www.nih.gov, January 10, 2006
ABSTRACT Genistein, a major component of soy, was found to disrupt the
development of the ovaries in newborn female mice that were given the product.
This study adds to a growing body of literature demonstrating the potentially
adverse consequences of genistein on the reproductive system. “Although we are
not entirely certain about how these animal studies on genistein translate to
the human population, there is some reason to be cautious,” said Dr. David A.
Schwartz, Director of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences
(NIEHS). “More clinical studies are needed to determine how exposure during
critical windows of development can impact human health.” Genistein is the
primary naturally occurring estrogen in plants (called phytoestrogens) and can
mimic the effects of estrogen in the body. Genistein can be found in foods
containing soy such as soy-based infant formulas as well as over-the-counter
dietary supplements. The NIEHS researchers previously showed that mice given
genistein immediately after birth had irregular menstrual cycles, problems with
ovulation, and problems with fertility as they reached adulthood. The new study
looks at the direct effects of genistein on the ovaries during early
development. “We knew genistein was linked to reproductive problems later in
life, but we wanted to find out when the damage occurs,” said Retha R. Newbold,
MS, a developmental endocrinologist at NIEHS and an author on the study. “The
study showed that genistein caused alterations to the ovaries during early
development, which is partly responsible for the reproductive problems found in
adult mice.” We think genistein inhibits the oocytes or egg cells from separating
apart,” said Wendy Jefferson, Ph.D. of NIEHS and lead researcher on the paper.
“Since there are many egg cells in the same follicle instead of just one, the
resources from the surrounding cells are spread too thin and they can’t get the
support they need to become a mature functioning egg cell.” “You need at least
one good healthy single oocyte that is ovulated and fertilized by a sperm to
get a healthy baby. Genistein seems to have a way of making this task very
difficult,” said Newbold. “I don’t think we can dismiss the possibility that
these phytoestrogens are having an effect on the human population,” said Dr.
Jefferson. “They may not show their effects or be detected until later in life,
but chances are they are having an effect.”
3. UV-Curable Coatings for Textiles: Water Repellent Finishes
AUTHOR Baillie, Alice E.; Warner, Steven B.; Fan, Qinguo
SOURCE AATCC Review, v5 n11, November 2005, pp35-39
ABSTRACT During wear and tear, carpets are subjected to
spilled liquids, a major cause of a cellulosic carpet's deterioration caused by
microorganism growth and reduced durability. The application of a
water-repellent finish to cellulosic carpet face can significantly reduce
damage caused by spilled liquid and help to maintain its attractive appearance
for many years. A low surface energy coating that can act as a physical
barrier, limiting water penetration into a textile fabric, can be used.
Fluorinated compounds in UV-curable coatings offer fast cure and no volatile
organic compounds. This paper describes the performance of a physically
durable, cost-effective UV-curable water repellent coating applied to woven
cellulosic carpet. The results show that environmentally-friendly UV curing
technology may be successfully used in textile finishing at low total cost.
4. Resource-Conserving Agriculture Increases Yields in Developing Countries
AUTHOR Pretty, J.N.; Noble, A.D.; Bossio, D.;
SOURCE Environmental Science & Technology Research ASAP, December 21, 2005
ABSTRACT Despite great recent progress, hunger and
poverty remain widespread and agriculturally driven environmental damage is
widely prevalent. The idea of agricultural sustainability centers on the need
to develop technologies and practices that do not have adverse effects on
environmental goods and services, and that lead to improvements in food
productivity. Here we show the extent to which 286 recent interventions in 57
poor countries covering 37 M ha (3% of the cultivated area in developing
countries) have increased productivity on 12.6 M farms while improving the
supply of critical environmental services. The average crop yield increase was
79% (geometric mean 64%). All crops showed water use efficiency gains, with the
highest improvement in rainfed crops. Potential carbon sequestered amounted to
an average of 0.35 t C ha-1 y-1. If a quarter of the total area under these
farming systems adopted sustainability enhancing practices, we estimate global
sequestration could be 0.1 Gt C y-1. Of projects with pesticide data, 77%
resulted in a decline in pesticide use by 71% while yields grew by 42%.
Although it is uncertain whether these approaches can meet future food needs,
there are grounds for cautious optimism, particularly as poor farm households
benefit more from their adoption.
5. Household and Personal Care: Awash in New Rules
AUTHOR Macdonald, Veronica; Seewald, Nancy
SOURCE Chemical Week, v167 n41, November 30/December 7, 2005, pp25-31
ABSTRACT Recent regulations affecting household and
personal care products are posing major challenges to chemical suppliers. There
are a host of regulations under consideration in Europe and in the
6. LEED Certification and Documentation Process Upgrades
AUTHOR Holowka, Taryn
SOURCE United States Green Building Council (USGBC), January 6, 2006, www.usgbc.org
ABSTRACT The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) has
unveiled a series of major process improvements to its LEED (Leadership in
Energy & Environmental Design) green building rating system, including a
significantly streamlined documentation and certification process that's now
100% online. A direct result of market surveys and extensive dialogue with the
organizations and individuals who use LEED, the USGBC anticipates the changes
to the LEED process will reduce the time and cost of LEED certification. LEED
process innovations will make the documentation and certification process more
user friendly without diminishing the technical rigor and quality of LEED that
the community has come to expect. The LEED credit requirements themselves have
not changed, and project teams are still required to verify their achievements
through third party validation and ensure that the building is built as it was
designed. In addition to improved customer service throughout the LEED process,
USGBC is taking steps to make customer feedback and interaction an integral
part of that process.
7. NJ Governor Signs Green Cleaning Executive Order
SOURCE
ABSTRACT On January 12, 2006, New Jersey Governor Richard
J. Codey signed an executive order that directs all state agencies to purchase
environmentally-friendly cleaning products. This order directs state agencies
to eliminate to the greatest extent possible, all cleaning agents containing
hazardous ingredients and replacing them with environmentally-friendly products
as soon as possible. The timeline for
implementation of this program allows for exhaustion of existing
inventories. In addition, cleaning staff
will be trained on practices that reduce waste of new cleaning products. The
order directs the departments of Treasury, Health and Senior Services and
Environmental Protection to establish guidelines to implement this program. The Department of Treasury will provide the
governor and the legislature with a report assessing the program within one
year of the effective date of the order.
8. New Possibilities to Fight Pests with Biological Means
SOURCE Max Planck Society, January 18, 2006, http://www.mpg.de/english/
ABSTRACT A genetic mechanism that enables corn plants to
"cry for help" and attract beneficial insects has been clarified by
scientists from the
9. The Future of Technology Assessment
AUTHOR Rodemeyer, Michael; Sarewitz, Daniel; Wilsdon, James
DATE 2005
ABSTRACT On September 29, 1995, the U.S. Office of Technology Assessment (OTA) closed its doors after 23 years of serving the U.S. Congress. During its existence, OTA provided members of Congress and others with non-partisan advice on topics ranging from fertility treatments to global climate change, producing a total of 750 reports and technical assessments. Over the past ten years, there have been periodic attempts to argue OTA back into existence. Predictably, these occur in the wake of some flap over the possible social or ethical impacts of a new scientific breakthrough that then stimulates some journalist or pundit to lament the demise of OTA’s assessment capacity. The doors remain closed, though the larger questions of whether OTA’s function is needed, and by whom, remain largely unaddressed. After OTA disappeared, we went on to complete the Decade of the Brain, finished sequencing the Human Genome, and launched a multi-billion dollar nanotechnology initiative. Policymakers found themselves dealing with debates around cloning and stem cell research, the ethics of brain scanning, and evolving questions about the health and environmental impacts of nanotechnologies. As nano, bio, and information technologies increasingly converge, the complexity and range of social, ethical, and legal issues are likely to expand, not contract. In addition, the government faces a public that has grown more suspicious of both public and private sector motivations concerning technological advances and a scientific community that remains largely isolated, and often oblivious, to public concerns. The issue of technology assessment has been transcended by larger questions concerning governance in the 21st century. A recent report by the General Accountability Office (GAO) made the point that “In many cases, the government is still trying to do business in ways that are based on conditions, priorities, and approaches that existed decades ago and are not well suited to addressing 21st century challenges.” The debate over OTA has become a mirror into a larger world where questions are being asked about the adequacy of government organizations, functions, and policies to address everything from disaster recovery to terrorism. This collection of three essays is designed to explore the issue of technology assessment from multiple perspectives and with a look towards the future -- a future that will be radically transformed by our investments in science and our technological choices.
10. Nanochemistry and the Power of "Z" Give Printers an Edge
SOURCE TAPPI and PIMA Solutions! v88 n12, pp43-45, November 2005
ABSTRACT Advances in silica nanoparticle systems, working in concert with proprietary surface chemistries for sizing and coating -- notably zirconium crosslinkers -- are helping papermakers boost performance for printers. The results include a smoother sheet, better ink control, and prevention of carbonate release onto printing blankets.
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This page updated Friday January 27 2006