Greenlist(tm) Bulletin 08/18/2006
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.
Titles here, abstracts below them:
1. Greening the Bottom Line: California Companies Save Money by Reducing Global Warming Pollution
2. Genes, Behavior, and the Social Environment: Moving Beyond the Nature/Nurture Debate
3. EPA Should Improve the Management of Its Air Toxics Program
4. Product Replacement: Reach Adds Pressure for Adoption of Safer Alternatives
5. Indoor Secondary Pollutants from Cleaning Product and Air Freshener Use in the Presence of Ozone
6. Hybrid Lighting Technology Gains Momentum in U.S.
7. Improved Alternative Farming Systems Information Center (AFSIC) Web Site Makes It Easier for Growers, Researchers, and Gardeners to Find Information
1. Greening the Bottom Line: California Companies Save Money by Reducing Global Warming Pollution
AUTHOR Madsen, Travis; Del Chiaro, Bernadette
DATE 2006
SOURCE Environment California Research & Policy Center
ABSTRACT “Cutting global warming pollution can be good for California businesses and our economy. Pioneering businesses across the Golden State are beginning to do their share to cut global warming pollution by being smarter about how they use energy and switching to clean, renewable energy sources. At the same time, they are finding that these strategies improve their competitiveness and help the bottom line—cutting energy costs, reducing exposure to volatile fossil fuel and electricity prices, and attracting environmentally aware customers. This report highlights 12 such businesses or institutions and demonstrates the kinds of gains that can be had across California from an organized, statewide effort to reduce the state’s global warming pollution. Altogether, the companies profiled below have reduced their global warming emissions by more than 100 million pounds per year—while reducing their annual operating costs by more than $13 million.”
WEB LINK http://www.environmentcalifornia.org/uploads/EV/eB/
EVeBlXD7mRBlOZK_G0m1Tg/August-2006-Greening-Bottom-Line.pdf
2. Genes, Behavior, and the Social Environment: Moving Beyond the Nature/Nurture Debate
DATE 2006
SOURCE Institute of Medicine of the National Academies
ABSTRACT “Over the past century, we have made great strides in reducing rates of disease and enhancing people’s general health. Public health measures such as sanitation, improved hygiene, and vaccines; reduced hazards in the workplace; new drugs and clinical procedures; and, more recently, a growing understanding of the human genome have each played a role in extending the duration and raising the quality of human life. But research conducted over the past few decades shows us that this progress, much of which was based on investigating one causative factor at a time--often, through a single discipline or by a narrow range of practitioners--can only go so far. Recent knowledge, including much of what has so far been gleaned from the sequencing of the human genome, is pushing scientists to look beyond single agents of health and disease. By breaking out of their disciplinary “silos” and embracing a broader systems view, based on the understanding that health outcomes are the result of multiple determinants—social, behavioral, and genetic--that work in concert through complex interactions, the best health outcomes from research may be yet to come. Genes, Behavior, and the Social Environment examines a number of well-described gene-environment interactions, reviews the state of the science in researching such interactions, and recommends priorities not only on research itself but also on its workforce, resource, and infrastructural needs. The report also identifies gaps in knowledge and barriers that hamper the integration of social, behavioral, and genetic research, concluding that a number of far-reaching changes, specifically in the development of transdisciplinary research, are required if significant strides are to be made in the future. Transdisciplinary reserach offers a mechanism to achieve a far greater understanding of how interactions among social, behavioral, and genetic factors affect health and illness.”
WEB LINK http://www.iom.edu/CMS/3740/24591/36574.aspx
3. EPA Should Improve the Management of Its Air Toxics Program
DATE 2006
SOURCE United States Government Accountability Office (GAO)
ABSTRACT “While EPA has made some progress in implementing its air toxics program mandated by the 1990 Clean Air Act Amendments, most of its regulatory actions were completed late and major aspects of the program have still not been addressed. Most of EPA’s progress relates to issuing emissions standards for large stationary sources, although EPA completed these standards about 4 years behind schedule. However, many of the unmet requirements pertain to limiting emissions from small stationary and mobile sources, which collectively account for most emissions of air toxics. The agency faces continuing implementation challenges stemming from the program’s low priority relative to other programs and related funding constraints. To this end, the agency lacks a comprehensive strategy for completing the unmet requirements or estimates of resources necessary to do so. Senior EPA officials said the program’s agenda is largely set by external stakeholders who file litigation when the agency misses deadlines. As a result of EPA’s limited progress, the agency has not addressed health risks from air toxics to the extent or in the time frames envisioned in the Clean Air Act. Senior EPA officials said that issuing standards for large stationary sources had addressed the greatest risks from air toxics and that other clean air programs also control air toxics as a side benefit. However, EPA does not have reliable data on the degree of risk reduction achieved through its regulations. Furthermore, the data that are available suggest that the agency has substantial opportunities to reduce emissions from mobile and small stationary sources. Available information on EPA’s efforts to control air toxics is not sufficiently comprehensive to measure the program’s total costs and benefits. Specifically, EPA has not comprehensively estimated the national economic costs of all air toxics standards and lacks the data necessary to assess the benefits of these standards, such as decreased incidence of cancer. Information on these impacts would help the agency assess the overall net benefits (total benefits minus total costs) of the air toxics program and compare these effects with those generated by higher-priority clean air programs, such as those intended to address smog. Data on other indicators of the program’s effectiveness, such as changes in emissions, concentrations of air toxics in the (ambient) outdoor air, and data on compliance with air toxics standards are also limited and inconclusive. The state and local programs we reviewed use practices that could potentially help EPA enhance the effectiveness of its air toxics program. For example, several state programs have systematic approaches for identifying and prioritizing new pollutants that could inform EPA’s efforts to meet the act’s requirement to review and update the list of regulated pollutants.”
WEB LINK http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d06669.pdf0#search=
%22%22epa%20should%20improve%20the%20management%22%22
4. Product Replacement: Reach Adds Pressure for Adoption of Safer Alternatives
AUTHOR Sissell, Kara
SOURCE Chemical Week, v168 n23, July 5/12, 2006, pp19-21
ABSTRACT “The European Union's (EU) upcoming Registration, Evaluation, and Authorization of Chemicals (Reach) law will require companies to examine the availability of alternatives to chemicals classified by the EU as persistent, bioaccumulative, endocrine disrupters, or substances of like concern. But environmentalists acknowledge that many companies are not likely to let their products be restricted by Reach without first defending, appealing, and delaying any regulatory rulings to restrict their products. Companies should lobby their politicians for a favorable version of the legislation, and take a careful look at Reach and their products to decide how their portfolios will fair, says Herb Estreicher of Keller and Heckman. EU restrictions aside, consumer and customer trends indicate that chemical suppliers are not likely to escape the increasing demand for use of safer alternatives. Adding to the pressure to adopt safer alternatives are US states and municipalities, some of which have their own initiatives for restricting certain substances.”
5. Indoor Secondary Pollutants from Cleaning Product and Air Freshener Use in the Presence of Ozone
AUTHOR Singer, Brett C.; Coleman, Beverly K.; Destaillats, Hugo; Hodgson, Alfred T.; Lunden, Melissa M.; Weschler, Charles J.; Nazaroff, William W.
SOURCE Atmospheric Environment, Articles in Press, 10 August 2006
ABSTRACT “This study investigated the formation of secondary pollutants resulting from household product use in the presence of ozone. Experiments were conducted in a 50-m3 chamber simulating a residential room. The chamber was operated at conditions relevant to US residences in polluted areas during warm-weather seasons: an air exchange rate of 1.0 h-1 and an inlet ozone concentration of approximately 120 ppb, when included. Three products were used in separate experiments. An orange oil-based degreaser and a pine oil-based general-purpose cleaner were used for surface cleaning applications. A plug-in scented-oil air freshener (AFR) was operated for several days. Cleaning products were applied realistically with quantities scaled to simulate residential use rates. Concentrations of organic gases and secondary organic aerosol from the terpene-containing consumer products were measured with and without ozone introduction. In the absence of reactive chemicals, the chamber ozone level was approximately 60 ppb. Ozone was substantially consumed following cleaning product use, mainly by homogeneous reaction. For the AFR, ozone consumption was weaker and heterogeneous reaction with sorbed AFR-constituent VOCs was of similar magnitude to homogeneous reaction with continuously emitted constituents. Formaldehyde generation resulted from product use with ozone present, increasing indoor levels by the order of 10 ppb. Cleaning product use in the presence of ozone generated substantial fine particle concentrations (more than 100 ugm-3) in some experiments. Ozone consumption and elevated hydroxyl radical concentrations persisted for 10–12 h following brief cleaning events, indicating that secondary pollutant production can persist for extended periods.”
WEB LINK http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=MImg&_imagekey=
B6VH3-4KM4726-2-N&_cdi=6055&_user=528622&_orig=browse&_coverDate=
08%2F10%2F2006&_sk=999999999&view=c&wchp=dGLbVtz-zSkzV&md5=
54fe769a66625030e4737e2f1e673ef8&ie=/sdarticle.pdf
6. Hybrid Lighting Technology Gains Momentum in U.S.
SOURCE Greener Buildings, August 9, 2006
ABSTRACT “With five hybrid solar lighting systems already in place and another 20 scheduled to be installed in the next couple of months, the forecast is looking sunny for a technology developed at the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Preliminary data from field units, which collect sunlight and pipe it into buildings using bundles of small optical fibers, show potentially significant energy savings in lighting and maintenance costs. An added benefit is that, for most uses, natural light is vastly superior to artificial light. The hybrid solar lighting technology uses a rooftop-mounted 48-inch diameter collector and secondary mirror that track the sun throughout the day. The collector system focuses the sunlight into 127 optical fibers connected to hybrid light fixtures equipped with diffusion rods visually similar to fluorescent light bulbs. These rods spread light in all directions. One collector powers eight to 12 hybrid light fixtures, which can illuminate about 1,000 square feet. During times of little or no sunlight, a sensor controls the intensity of the artificial lamps to maintain a constant level of illumination.”
WEB LINK http://www.greenerbuildings.com/news_detail.cfm?Page=1&NewsID=33528
7. Improved Alternative Farming Systems Information Center (AFSIC) Web Site Makes It Easier for Growers, Researchers, and Gardeners to Find Information
SOURCE National Agricultural Library (NAL), July 9, 2006
ABSTRACT “The Alternative Farming Systems Information Center (AFSIC) at USDA's National Agricultural Library (NAL) has launched a redesigned Web site bearing several significant enhancements to make it easier to find information on a wide range of agriculture-related subjects, including sustainable agriculture, alternative crops, organic farming, and farm energy. The AFSIC Web site is now easier to navigate and find topics of interest, including grazing systems and alternative livestock breeds, alternative marketing, and business practices and ecological pest management. Users will find it easier to get to popular resources such as publications on sustainable agriculture, a database on community supported agriculture, and guidance for applying for a SARE grant. The latest edition of the popular "Education and Training Opportunities in Sustainable Agriculture" is also available on the AFSIC Web site. The "Organic Roots" database can also be accessed from the new AFSIC Web site, providing growers and researchers access to USDA's documents on organic agriculture which were published before 1942 (before synthetic chemicals became widely used). These documents contain state-of-the-art information and data that is still very pertinent for today's agriculture. Access to this data is intended to provide growers with new ideas on crop production without chemicals, as well as help researchers conserve scarce resources by avoiding unintended duplication. The Alternative Farming Systems Information Center is one of eight Information Centers at the National Agricultural Library, and is supported in part by the USDA's Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) Program and National Organic Program (NOP). AFSIC also works closely with the University of Maryland College of Agriculture & Natural Resources and the Maryland Cooperative Extension in the implementation of several projects.”
WEB LINK http://riley.nal.usda.gov/nal_display/index.php?tax_level=1&info_center=2
You are welcome to send a message to jan@turi.org if you would like more information on any of these resources. Also, please tell us what topics you are particularly interested in monitoring, and who else should see GREENLIST. An online search of the TURI Library catalog can be done at http://greenlist.turi.org/ for greater topic coverage.
Compiled by the TURI Library, University of Massachusetts Lowell
This page updated Tuesday August 22 2006