Wednesday, April 23, 2008

ENN: Food Crisis, Low cost LEDs, Killer Ozone and Much More


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Wednesday, April 23, 2008
News of Note

You wouldn't know it by watching Congressional debate on C-SPAN, but if you turn on the news, it's clear that the global food system is in crisis. Food prices globally have skyrocketed, in some cases 80%.

Top Stories

California has set the ambitious goal of creating 3,000 megawatts of solar power by 2017 and has put $3.3 billion where its mouth is. Anyone considering taking advantage of these incentives is faced with the challenge of researching vendors, technology and design choices. Bay Area-based, Sungevity, has created an interesting online option for existing home owners by streamlining the site analysis process. Sungevity generates a quote for installing solar panels on your home by simply requiring that you enter your street and email addresses on their website.

Despite rising food prices and restrictions on food exports the United States is planning to cut funding to international agricultural research, scientists claim. In February this year officials from the US Agency for International Development (USAID) warned that a cut in funding was likely. The actual figure is yet to be announced, but it could be as much as 75 per cent according to a spokesperson from the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR).

Fifty years ago, Yankee Stadium had about 70,000 seats. It seldom sold out, and almost any kid could afford the cheapest seats. Capacity was reduced to about 57,000 when the stadium was remodeled in the 1970s. Most games sell out now, and prices have gone up. The new stadium, opening next year, will reduce seating to about 51,800.

Earth Day used to be celebrated primarily by environmental activists, but now companies use the annual event to reach out to eco-conscious consumers. For every traveler flying with Virgin America on April 22, the company is donating $3 to environmental restoration projects in California. Companies such as Dell, Banana Republic, and Wal-Mart have also jumped on board the Earth Day bandwagon with environment-friendly promotions.

ENN Spotlight

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Even breathing in a little ozone at levels found in many areas is likely to kill some people prematurely, the National Research Council reported on Tuesday. The report recommends that the Environmental Protection Agency consider ozone-related mortality in any future ozone standards, and said local health authorities should keep this in mind when advising people to stay indoors on polluted days.

More Top Stories

This 13 watt bulb, the Evolux by EarthLED, is said to be first LED light to be able to replace a 100 watt incandescent. The lifetime of this bulb is rated at over 50,000 hours — which is five times longer than a compact fluorescent bulb. Other advantages of LED bulbs is their ability to brighten instantly, and be switched off and on rapidly without problems. They also contain no mercury. LED-based bulbs do, however, require more energy to manufacture that CFL or incandescents.

The American Institute of Architects (AIA) Committee on the Environment (COTE) has announced its Top Ten Green Projects for 2008. 1. Aldo Leopold Legacy Center (Baraboo, Wisconsin; The Kubala Washatko Architects)—The LEED Platinum headquarters for the Aldo Leopold Foundation uses 70% less energy than a conventional building and achieves net-zero-energy performance. Extensive daylighting and passive ventilation contribute to the energy savings.

The Scottish government has rejected plans to build one of Europe's biggest onshore wind farms due what it said was the "significant adverse impacts" on the local environment. Ministers in Edinburgh decided that the 500-million-pound (one-billion-dollar, 625-million-euro) project would have threatened rare and endangered bird populations and damaged peatland on the remote Isle of Lewis, northwest of the Scottish mainland.

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Member Press Releases
By: Sea Alarm Foundation
The Sea Alarm Foundation has been honored with a coveted Seatrade Certificate of Commendation, in recognition of its significant achievements in the field of oiled wildlife preparedness and response. By: Bon Appetit Management Company
With food responsible for 1/3 of global greenhouse gas emissions, food service maverick Bon Appetit Management Company has introduced the Low Carbon Diet Calculator (http://www.EatLowCarbon.org), an easy web-based calculator to help citizens reduce the global warming impact of their food. By: GRACE/EWG
Around America, people are waking up to the fact that the way our food is produced has profound implications for the environment, as well as for public health. As Earth Day approaches, perhaps the most vital thing people can do for the environment is to change what they eat -- to locally-grown, sustainably-produced food. By: Center for Biological Diversity
The U.S Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled Friday that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service did not give Columbia River and southwestern Washington populations of the coastal cutthroat trout a fair shake when it denied the trout protection under the Endangered Species Act. By: The Trust for Public Land
WASHINGTON, D.C. - The first, single, comprehensive online database of land conservation in America was unveiled today by the Trust for Public Land (TPL), a national conservation organization. By: Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council
Two dozen educators from the US Pacific islands convened at a workshop April 15 and 16, 2008, in Honolulu to establish a pilot program for regionally-based marine education and training programs in the region. By: Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council
The Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council on April 14, 2008, in Honolulu upheld its vote made last month to close federal waters around American Samoa, Guam and the Commonwealth of the Mariana Islands (CNMI) to purse seine fishing. By: The San Diego Zoo
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced a pair of nene (Hawaiian goose) will be featured on the 2008-2009 Federal Junior Duck Stamp. The design for the new stamp, painted by 18-year-old Seokkyun Hong of Dallas, Texas, was chosen by a panel of judges Thursday at the Federal Junior Duck Stamp Design Contest held at the San Diego Zoo.

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