USM National Green Campus
News Archive

Week of March 23, 2009

News From Across the USM Campuses

March 27, 2009 - Dr. Weixling Zhu - State University of New York - Binghamton, Dept. of Biological Sciences  "Alteration of Nitrogen Biogeochemistry in Urban Ecosystems".   University of Maryland, Baltimore County, Center for Urban Environmental Research and Education, Spring 2009 Seminar Series. Seminars are held on Fridays at 2 PM in the Technology Research Center, Room 206, on the UMBC campus, and are free and open to the public. Registration is not required. Visitor parking passes for the TRC lot may be purchased for $4.00 in the CUERE office in TRC 102/105 shortly before seminar.

March 27, 2009 - University of Maryland Cooperative Extension's "Grow It Eat it" Campaign Kick-Off. The University of Maryland Cooperative Extension (MCE) invites you to the kick-off of a new campaign designed to help Marylanders improve their health and save money by growing fresh vegetables, fruits, and herbs using sustainable practices. The event will take place from 1-2pm at the Master Peace Community Garden, a half-acre urban farm, youth garden, and community garden operated by the University of Maryland Cooperative Extension Engaged University program at 2600 Sheridan Street, Riverdale, MD. If you plan to attend - please contact Ria Malloy at 410.531.5556; mmalloy@umd.edu.

3/25- Town Hall Meeting: UMD Climate Action Plan Strategies

In May 2007, President Mote joined other higher education institution leaders in signing the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment. Signatories of the Commitment pledge to take significant steps to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from campus operations and move toward the goal of climate neutrality (zero net greenhouse gas emissions). UMD has inventoried its campus emissions and is devising a Climate Action Plan (CAP).  

Towson University RecycleMania Standings (Towson University, 3/22/09)

UM Expert to Head U.S. EPA's Smart Growth Division (University of Maryland, College Park Newsdesk, 3/20/09)

USM Environmental Sustainability and Climate Change Initiative
Diesel Fuel Cleanup Officially Completed (Salisbury University Press Release, 3/19/09)

State of Maryland News

Water Projects Are Announced: O'Malley's Plan for Stimulus Funds Falls Short of WSSC Request (By Miranda S. Spivack, The Washington Post, 3/21/09)

Report: Chesapeake Bay's health not improving (By The Associated Press as reported in The Baltimore Sun, 3/19/09)

Eco-Bills Come Due at Bay's Beaches:  Region Pays Dearly For Climate Change In Erosion, Abatement (By David A. Fahrenthold, The Washington Post, 3/19/09)

Bay Barometer: A Health and Restoration Assessment of the Chesapeake Bay and Watershed in 2008 (Chesapeake Bay Program, March 2009)

National and International News

As climate changes, is water the new oil? (By Deborah Zebarenko, Reuters, 3/22/09)

Is a Food Revolution Now in Season?  (By Andrew Martin, The New York Times, 3/21/09)

Eating Food That's Better for You, Organic or Not (By Mark Bittman, The New York Times, 3/21/09)

Critics question safety of storing coal slurry (By Vicki Smith, The Associated Press as reported in The Washington Post, 3/21/09)

Climate Change 'Big Priority' For Energy Commission Chief (By Steven Mufson, The Washington Post, 3/21/09)

Natural Gas, Suddenly Abundant, Is Cheaper (By Clifford Krauss, The New York Times, 3/20/09)

California solar effort flags in frozen housing market (By Colin Sullivan, The New York Times, 3/20/09)

Stimulus seen sowing seeds for renewable energy's revival (By Nathaniel Growenwold, The New York Times, 3/20/09)

U.S. Bird Population in Decline, Report Says: Secretary of the Interior calls government agencies and the public to action  (By Solmaz Barazesh, Science News, 3/19/09)

Great polar melt-off feared: Global warming, human activity speed Antarctic thaw, experts say (By William Mullen, The Chicago Tribune, 3/19/09)

Obamas to Plant Vegetable Garden at White House (By Marian Burros, The New York Times, 3/19/09)

Please send your ideas and comments regarding campus sustainability to green@usmd.edu