Greenlist(tm) Bulletin 07/07/2006
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.
- EU Ban on Hazardous Substances in Electrical and Electronic Products Takes Effect
- Hot Climate, Cool Commerce: A Service Sector Guide to Greenhouse Gas Management
- After the Scandals: Changing Relationships in Corporate Governance
- The Health Consequences of Involuntary Exposure to Tobacco Smoke
- Researchers Create New Organic Gel Nanomaterials
- EPA's Roadmap for Mercury
1. EU Ban on Hazardous Substances in Electrical and Electronic Products Takes Effect
DATE 2006
SOURCE EUROPA Rapid, 30 June 2006
ABSTRACT "From 1 July a wide range of
electrical and electronic products put on the European Union market may no
longer contain certain hazardous substances that can endanger human health and
the environment. Four heavy metals and two groups of brominated flame
retardants are being banned as they can pose a direct risk to workers' health
when waste electrical and electronic equipment is recycled and can be released
into the environment when such waste is incinerated or disposed of in landfill
dumps. 'E-waste' is the fastest growing type of waste in
http://europa.eu.int/comm/environment/waste/weee_index.htm "
WEB LINK http://www.europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/06/903&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en
2. Hot Climate, Cool Commerce: A Service Sector Guide to Greenhouse Gas Management
AUTHOR Del Pino, Samantha Putt; Levinson, Ryan; Larsen, John
DATE 2006
SOURCE World Resources Institute (WRI)
ABSTRACT "Climate change is a global challenge with serious consequences for our social and economic infrastructure as well as the natural environment. The greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions that cause climate change are emitted mainly from burning fossil fuels such as coal, oil and natural gas. Because heavy industry is a leading source of GHG emissions, most of the business-focused programs responding to the problem emphasize participation by “emitters,” manufacturers and utilities. Action by industry alone, however, is not enough. Long-term solutions require emission reduction efforts by the entire economy, and this publication addresses service-sector companies such as banks, law firms, retailers, and real estate managers. Even though they are not considered large emitters, these companies do emit GHGs and can help mitigate climate change through changes in their energy use and the products and services they offer. The most common greenhouse gas is carbon dioxide (CO2) and two of the largest global sources are electricity and heat (32 percent) and transportation (17 percent). 1) Service-sector companies’ activities contribute to these sources through their electricity use, heating, cooling and travel. They may also contribute to other large global CO2 emission sources such as land use change and forestry (24 percent) and manufacturing and construction (13 percent).2) Service-sector companies have an opportunity to influence their operations, supply chains, customers, employees, and other stakeholders and to help change those behaviors necessary to curb the most dangerous effects of climate change. To provide the context for service-sector companies’ action, this guide begins with: A brief overview of climate change science and expected impacts. This section describes climate change and why it is occurring, and summarizes some of the anticipated consequences, such as more intense weather events, water and food shortages, and possible changes in the geographic distribution of some infectious diseases. An outline of the connection between climate change and the service sector and the reasons that service sector companies should take action. This section explains how service-sector companies contribute to global GHG emissions and the economic dangers of climate change that they face. Then we discuss the “business case” for service-sector companies to take action. At the outset, the business must develop a case for taking action and determine its goals for a program responding to climate change. Why should the company undertake this activity? What are the risks of undertaking or not undertaking it? What will the return on its investment be? What are the short and long-term benefits for the company? How will its stakeholders react? These sections are followed by a step-by-step manual for service-sector businesses ready to begin responding to climate change."
WEB LINK http://www.fypower.org/pdf/WRI_HotClimateCoolCommerce.pdf
3. After the Scandals: Changing Relationships in Corporate Governance
AUTHOR Coglianese, Cary; Michael, Michael L.
DATE 2006
ABSTRACT "The spate of recent corporate scandals has
produced a legislative and regulatory reaction aimed at restoring marketplace
integrity. This response – consisting notably of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of
2002, implementing regulations and stock market listing standards – has, in
turn, affected relationships between the chief executive and the board, as well
as between the corporation and gatekeepers. To take stock of these changes, the
'WEB LINK'
http://ksgnotes1.harvard.edu/Research/wpaper.nsf/rwp/RWP06-024
4. The Health Consequences of Involuntary Exposure to Tobacco Smoke
DATE 2006
SOURCE United States Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, Office of the Surgeon General
ABSTRACT "This report returns to involuntary smoking, the topic of the 1986 Surgeon General’s report. Since then, there have been many advances in the research on secondhand smoke, and substantial evidence has been reported over the ensuing 20 years. This report uses the revised language for causal conclusions that was implemented in the 2004 Surgeon General’s report (USDHHS 2004). Each chapter provides a comprehensive review of the evidence, a quantitative synthesis of the evidence if appropriate, and a rigorous assessment of sources of bias that may affect interpretations of the findings. The reviews in this report reaffirm and strengthen the findings of the 1986 report. With regard to the involuntary exposure of nonsmokers to tobacco smoke, the scientific evidence now supports the following major conclusions: 1. Secondhand smoke causes premature death and disease in children and in adults who do not smoke. 2. Children exposed to secondhand smoke are at an increased risk for sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), acute respiratory infections, ear problems, and more severe asthma. Smoking by parents causes respiratory symptoms and slows lung growth in their children. 3. Exposure of adults to secondhand smoke has immediate adverse effects on the cardiovascular system and causes coronary heart disease and lung cancer. 4. The scientific evidence indicates that there is no risk-free level of exposure to secondhand smoke. 5. Many millions of Americans, both children and adults, are still exposed to secondhand smoke in their homes and workplaces despite substantial progress in tobacco control. 6. Eliminating smoking in indoor spaces fully protects nonsmokers from exposure to secondhand smoke. Separating smokers from nonsmokers, cleaning the air, and ventilating buildings cannot eliminate exposures of nonsmokers to secondhand smoke."
WEB LINK
http://www.surgeongeneral.gov/library/secondhandsmoke/
5. Researchers Create New Organic Gel Nanomaterials
DATE 2006
SOURCE Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI)
ABSTRACT "Researchers have created organic gel nanomaterials that could be used to encapsulate pharmaceutical, food, and cosmetic products and to build 3-D biological scaffolds for tissue engineering. Using olive oil and six other liquid solvents, the scientists added a simple enzyme to chemically activate a sugar that changed the liquids to organic gels. In the experiments, researchers activated a sugar using a simple enzyme, which generated a compound that self-assembles into 3-D fibers measuring approximately 50 nanometers in diameter. As the fibers entangle, a large amount of solvent gets packed together, trapping some 10,000 molecules. The resulting organogel materials could be used as biocompatible scaffolds for tissue engineering and designing membranes. Other possible applications include delivery systems for pharmaceuticals and preservatives for food and cosmetics."
WEB LINK http://news.rpi.edu/update.do?artcenterkey=1624
6. EPA's Roadmap for Mercury
DATE 2006
SOURCE United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA)
ABSTRACT "On July 5, 2006, EPA issued its report titled EPA's Roadmap for Mercury ("Roadmap"). EPA's Roadmap describes the Agency's progress to date in addressing mercury issues domestically and internationally, and outlines EPA's major ongoing and planned actions to address risks associated with mercury. The Roadmap focuses on six key areas: * addressing mercury releases to the environment; * addressing mercury uses in products and industrial processes;* managing commodity-grade mercury supplies; * communicating risks to the public;* addressing international mercury sources; and * conducting mercury research and monitoring. The report highlights mercury sources, describes progress to date in addressing mercury sources, and outlines priority activities for addressing remaining mercury risks."
WEB LINK http://www.epa.gov/mercury/roadmap.htm
Compiled by the TURI Library, University of Massachusetts Lowell
This page updated Friday July 14 2006