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Federal weatherization funds providing major boost to states
[caption id="attachment_6221" align="alignright" width="271" caption="A field monitor checks a gas meter for leaks. (Photo: Department of Energy)"]  [/caption]
From Green Right Now Reports
Pennsylvania Gov. Edward G. Rendell announced today that the first installment of $123 million in federal Recovery funds for weatherization will begin to be released Nov. 2, part of $253 million that the state will use for this purpose.
The Governor said the funding represents an unprecedented level of investment that will help to create new, “green” jobs, save money for struggling families, and stimulate local economic activity as weatherization agencies buy required material, vehicles and equipment.
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Tags: · New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania Gov. Edward G. Rendell, Texas, weatherization, Weatherization Assistance Program
Gas drilling vs. drinking water: New York report sets stage for fight
By Abrahm Lustgarten
ProPublica
A version of this story appeared in the Albany Times-Union [1] on Oct. 8, 2009.
A preliminary report [2] from a consultant hired by New York City warns that “nearly every activity” associated with natural gas drilling could potentially harm the city’s drinking water supply and that while the risk can be reduced with strict regulations, “the likelihood of water quality impairment…. cannot be eliminated [2].”
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Tags: · Bill Thompson, Drinking Water, gas drilling, Hydraulic Fracturing, Michael Bloomberg, natural gas, New York
Bonnie Plants says it was a victim of tomato blight, not the culprit
From Green Right Now Reports:
Bonnie Plants, which recently removed more than $1 million in tomato plants from retail nurseries in the Northeast, reported in a statement this week that the move was preventative and aimed at curtailing the spread of Late Blight.
The recall should not be taken as an indication that its plants were responsible for the blight that is threatening tomatoes and potatoes in the region, the company said.
The first reports of tomato blight in the Northeast came in late June, yet even two weeks later on July 7 government inspectors had not detected any blight among plants being cultivated by any of Bonnie’s 61 growers, Bonnie reported.
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Tags: · Alabama, Bonnie plant recall, Bonnie Plants, growers, home gardens, Late Blight, New York, Northeast, tomato blight
Tomatoes going south, up north — tomato blight worse than usual
By Christopher Peake
Green Right Now
“Just the thought of tomato blight sends fear into the heart of every farmer.” Those are the words of organic farmer Charlie Reid, who operates two small farms in southeastern New Hampshire. “We’ve been lucky this year … so far,” says Reid. “Lots of farmers have had to pull (dig up and destroy) their entire tomato crops. But with all this rain and so little sun my luck could change (for the worse) overnight.”
 Blight is a highly contagious fungus that hits both tomatoes and potatoes. The Potato Famine in Ireland in the late 19th century was caused by blight. And now blight is killing both tomato and potato crops in New England and in some mid-Atlantic states. It’s not yet an epidemic, but cause for concern for both farmers and consumers, as well as home garden growers who unwittingly used infected seedlings.
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Tags: · Bonnie Plants, crop losses, mold, New Hampshire, New York, rain, tomato blight, tomato crop, tomatoes, Vermont
Digging into nature in air-conditioned comfort
By John DeFore
Green Right Now
Somewhere in between the sleep-away camps, beach excursions and baseball games of summer, kids and parents alike generally see the appeal of the sand-free floors and refrigerated air of a good museum. Institutions across the country know this is a great time to squeeze some education into kid-friendly, entertaining exhibitions; here’s a list of some of the best nature-oriented attractions for vacationers who’ve felt a bit too much heat this month.
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Tags: · American Museum of Natural History, Audubon Insectarium, Chicago, Cockrell Butterfly Center, Exploratorium, Houston, museum exhibits, Museum of Natural Science, Museum of Science and Industry, nature exhibits, New Orleans, New York, San Francisco, Seattle, Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, Washington DC
Liquid silicone: An eco-friendly dry cleaning solution
By Ashley Phillips
Green Right Now
Once, people pounded clothes with rocks to get them cleaned. Now we’ve come full circle, with dry cleaning headed back to those Earthy roots.
Many people are familiar with the use of hazardous chemicals in modern dry-cleaning solution. The primary cleaning solvent used in most dry-cleaners is perchloroethylene or “perc”. The Environmental Protection Agency classified this petroleum chemical as a Toxic Air Contaminant and a probable human carcinogen and many environmentalists believe that the residue on your clothes can’t be a healthything.
Now there is a better alternative and believe it or not, it is made essentially from liquefied sand.
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Tags: · Carcinogens, dry cleaning, dry cleaning solution, EPA, GreenEarth Cleaning, New Jersey, New York, Nextcleaners, Perc, perchloroethylene, Silicone
Click to plant a tree
From Green Right Now Reports
 Odwalla is continuing its successful plant-a-tree program by donating $100,000 worth of trees to be planted in state parks in California, New York, Florida, Pennsylvania, Colorado, Utah, Ohio, Texas, Maryland, Michigan and Virginia.
Visitors to www.parkvisitor.com/odwalla can choose their preferred state to receive a tree — no contribution or registration is required. The trees will be used to support important reforestation and planting initiatives across the country.
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Tags: · California, Colorado, Florida, Maryland, Michigan, New York, Odwalla, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, Utah, Virginia
Chicago tops North America for most new green roofs in 2008
From Green Right Now Reports
 The City of Chicago added the most square feet of green roofs in 2008 of any North American city, followed closely by Washington, D.C. and New York City, according to an industry association.
Green Roofs for Healthy Cities, the green roof industry association, also announced a 2008 U.S. growth rate of more than 35 percent over 2007, representing more than 3.1 million square feet installed in 2008. The data came from the association’s Fourth Annual Industry Survey of corporate members that completed green roof projects in 2008.
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Tags: · Chicago, Green roof industry, New York, Washington DC
New York state government will restrict use of bottled water
By Laura Elizabeth May
Green Right Now
David Paterson, Governor of New York, issued an executive order May 5th restricting the use of bottled water at state facilities and promoting executive agency sustainability.
The order will phase out the use of state funds to purchase single-serve bottles of water. Eventually, the state will purchase cooler-sized bottles of water and state agencies will provide tap water fountains and dispensers. The order gives government agencies 180 days to develop and begin implementation of a plan to eliminate the use of single-serve bottled waters.
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Tags: · Bottled Water, Container Recycling Institute, landfills, New York, Tap Water, waste reduction, Water Conservation
My Green Job: Nora Edison and Chris Neumann, owners of Strongtree Organic Coffee
Nora Edison and Chris Neumann, owners, Strongtree Organic Coffee, Hudson, New York
What I do:
We are the owners of an artisanal organic coffee roasting company.
How it helps:
We source 100% organic, ethically traded coffees from farmers who practice responsible land stewardship and fair trade. Shade grown organic coffee farming discourages rainforest destruction, protects the watershed and the eco system and the farmer. Shade Grown organic coffee tastes better and retains more of the healthful benefits of coffee.
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Tags: · Chris Neumann, Fair Trade, Green jobs, New York, Nora Edison, Organics, Strongtree Coffee, sustainable foods
Empire State Building will be retrofitted into a green giant
From Green Right Now Reports
The Empire State Building is getting a $500 million energy efficiency retrofit that is expected to reduce the iconic skyscraper’s energy consumption by up to 38 percent.
 The project, already underway, is intended to become a model for analyzing and retrofitting existing structures for environmental sustainability. The makeover is a collaboration among a group of world-class environmental consulting, non-profit, design and construction partners, including Clinton Climate Initiative, Rocky Mountain Institute, Johnson Controls Inc. and Jones Lang LaSalle.
Building systems work is slated to be completed by the end of 2010, with final completion of tenant spaces by the end of 2013. Work that is scheduled to be completed within 18 months will result in more than 50 percent of the projected energy savings.
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Tags: · Building retrofit, Clinton Climate Initiative, Empire State Building, Johnson Controls Inc., Jones Lang LaSalle, LEED certification, New York, Rocky Mountain Institute
US cities ranked on wasteful ways
By Harriet Blake
Learning not to waste – whether it’s food, electricity or water – is not only good in these economic times, but even more important, it’s beneficial for the environment.
 The Nalgene Least Wasteful City Study, released this week, ranks the country’s 25 largest metropolitan areas on wasteful behavior. San Francisco led the group with the least wasteful habits, while Atlanta ranked at the bottom.
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Tags: · Atlanta, Dallas, Houston, Indianapolis, Least Wasteful City Study, Los Angeles, Nalgene, New York, Portland, Recycle & Reuse, San Francisco, Seattle, St. Louis
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