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Environmental groups face their future in climate-change debate The Washington Post Share     
Last Thursday, some of the country's most respected environmental groups - in the midst of their biggest political fight in two decades - sent a group of activists to Milwaukee with a message. We're losing. They put on what they called a "CarnivOil" - a fake carnival with a stilt-wearing barker, free "tar balls"
(chocolate doughnuts), and a suit-wearing "oil executive" punching somebody dressed like a crab. It was supposed to be satire, but there was a bitter message underneath: When we fight the oil and gas industry, they win. More
FTC's Green Guides could nullify environmental seals of approval Environmental Leader Share
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is on track to release an updated set of Green Guides that are used by the agency to enforce environmental marketing laws against unfair and deceptive advertising, reports Advertising Age. Experts tell the magazine that the pending guidelines could make about 300 environmental seals of approval useless. More Loan program for green home upgrades stalls Los Angeles Times Share
A popular program that allows homeowners to tap low-interest government financing to install energy-efficient solar panels, windows and insulation has stalled, leaving tens of thousands of green improvement projects across the country in limbo. Most local and state governments stopped providing the funds after federal regulators warned that the so-called Property Assessed Clean Energy program, or PACE, posed "unusual and difficult" financial risk and that homeowners who participate in the program may by violating their mortgage terms and face foreclosure. More
A look at the growing trend of green building in higher education Green Building Pro Share
Low-flow plumbing fixtures, passive solar design and stormwater management are increasingly frequent terms within the higher education world as universities and colleges steadily build and renovate their way toward sustainable design. Schools are unveiling high-performance laboratories with features like variable air volume fume hoods and occupancy sensors. Residence halls are receiving renovations like individual temperature controls and drought-resistant landscaping. Many campuses are installing green roofs that help to insulate buildings, reducing heating and cooling costs. More Green buildings: Open wood credits to Oregon products The Oregonian Share
Green building represents a nearly $50 billion industry in the United States and will only continue to grow. The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design rating system has helped elevate the importance and number of green buildings being constructed, and that's a significant step forward for energy and water savings, the planet and our health. However, when it comes to forest products, the LEED system shortchanges North America's and Oregon's forests by not awarding credit to wood certified by the Sustainable Forestry Initiative and American Tree Farm System. Instead, LEED only awards credit to wood certified by the Forest Stewardship Council, which often comes from overseas. More
Thinking green? It's not just black and white The Washington Post Share
Can a big house be green? Yes, but a smaller house will always be greener because fewer resources were used in its construction and less energy is needed to heat and cool it. This critical distinction is little understood by the general public, but in the world of green building, prudent use of resources, also called "sustainability," is a cornerstone. It means using resources to meet our needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs. From a green perspective, the fewer resources and energy used the better. More Compact home showcases extreme green remodeling USA TODAY Share
One of the nation's greenest home rehabs — in Wilmington, N.C. — has perhaps a surprising origin: the housing market's collapse. When Jay DeChesere's parents recently moved into an independent living facility, he tried but couldn't sell their home. So he and wife Heather bought it and set out to showcase eco-friendly renovation. He didn't just change light bulbs or faucets. He took the house down to the studs, creating an ultra-efficient home that has earned one of the highest points (113.5) ever for a gut rehab from the U.S. Green Building Council's LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) program. More |
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