Maryland's Public System of Higher Education

Week of September 7, 2009

News from Across the USM Campuses

September 11, 2009?- Dr. Howard Mielke,Xavier University  "Neurotoxin Contamination of U.S. Cities: Baltimore and New Orleans". Seminar is sponsored by the Center for Urban Environmental Research and Education (CUERE), and will be held on Friday at 2 PM in the Technology Research Center, Room 206, on the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, 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.  

September 9, 2009 - The countdown to climate neutrality at FAU begins now. Be a part of it. FROSTBURG STATE UNIVERSITY'S CLIMATE ACTION PLAN OPEN HOUSE AND PRESENTATION. Wednesday, September 9, 2009 from 10am - 4:30pm, at the Lane University Center, Room 201, Frostburg State University: OPEN HOUSE: 10am - 4:30pm  (Grab a snack, review the plan, ask questions and provide feedback.) PRESENTATION: 3:30pm - 4:30pm (Presentation includes FSU's definition of sustainability, LGLG mission, vision, rationale for sustainability and climate neutrality, FSU's carbon footprint, hiring for permanent leadership in sustainability at FSU, foundation strategies, mitigation strategies, education and research, outreach strategies, financing sustainability. 

Is This the End for Coal? Momentum is building to block new coal-fired power plants and end mountaintop removal mining. Is there enough political will to make the break? (By Christine MacDonald. E Magazine, September/October 2009)[Article quotes Margaret Palmer of the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science]

Salisbury Universty Biological Sciences Faculty Study Sorghum as a Fuel Source (Salisbury University Press Release, 9/3/09)

The University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science's Horn Point Laboratory invites the public to take part in its annual Community Open House on Saturday, Oct. 10, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. (The Easton Star Democrat, 9/3/09)  

Summer oxygen levels better than average, less than predicted (By Karl Blankenship, The Bay Journal, 9/1/09) [Article cites research by University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science staff]

USM Environmental Sustainability and Climate Change Initiative

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Plant used to make ethanol tested (By Liudmila Chernova, DelMarVaNow.com, 9/4/09)

Developer Celebrates How 'Green' Is Its Building: Rockville Structure Gets Environmental Kudos (By Rick Rojas, The Washington Post, 9/3/09)

Chespeake Bay - EPA Asked to Toughen Pollution-Prevention Laws (By David A. Fahrenthold, 9/2/09)

National and International News

Electricity demand sputters; bills may fall: Decline is a measure of recession's damage to U.S. economy (The Associated Press as reported on MSNBC.com, 9/5/09)

On the Fast Track - Special series on high-speed rail in the U.S. (National Public Radio, 8/31/09 - 9/4/09)

A national movement of foodies, farmers, parents and educators is pushing for better school food (ByDana Hull, MercuryNews.com, 9/3/09)

Mazda giving green twist to rotary engine: Hydrogen power could revive old technology from Japanese maker (By Paul A. Einstein, MSNBC.com, 9/3/09)

Group Advocates Geoengineering Solutions to Warming (By Juliet Eilperin, The Washington Post, 9/4/09)

Anger uncorked at bottle maker Sigg over BPA (By Michael Hill, The Associated Press as reported on Yahoo News, 9/309)

Warming Arctic should be cooling, study finds: Sediment samples, computer simulations track temps back 2,000 years (By The Associated Press as reported by MSNBC.com, 9/3/09)

‘We are heading towards an abyss': U.N. chief tells 150 governments that time running out on climate change (By The Associated Press as reported by MSNBC.com, 9/3/09)

Breakthrough Makes Solar Power More Affordable: Scientists Develop Metal Reflector For Concentrated Solar Power (By Corey Christiansen, The Denver Channel - News Channel 7, 9/2/09) 

D.C. Bike Shelter Gives Commuters A Ticket To Ride (By Ari Shapiro, National Public Radio - The Story, 9/2/09)

Interview with Lisa Jackson, Director of the Environmental Protection Agency (National Public Radio - The Diane Rehm Show, 9/3/09)  

Outlook "poor" for Great Barrier Reef: study (By Rob Taylor, Reuters, 9/2/09)

EPA Data Reveals Nearly Double the Number of Coal Ash Dumps (By Rob Perks, Natural Resources Defense Council, 9/2/09)

‘Clunkers' boosts Ford, not Chrysler and GM: Crush of buyers who took advantage of program could mean slow autumn (The Associated Press as reported by MSNBC.com, 9/1/09)

Zero-Emission Cars: A Battle Among Technologies (By Robert Chew, Time magazine, 9/1/09)

Does the High-Speed Rail Have a Future? (By Megan McArdle, The Atlantic, 9/1/09)

CLIMATE CHANGE: Early Warning Systems for the Coming Storm (By Stephen Leahy, IPS News, 8/31/09)

Senate Delays Climate Change Bill (By Emily Pierce, Roll Call, 8/31/09)

Buffett to up stake in Chinese electric carmaker: Shares rise 8% after electric car and battery maker's announcement about Berkshire billionaire. (CNNMoney.com, 8/31/09)