Maryland's Public System of Higher Education

Week of November 23, 2009

Nov. 30^th (Monday) - The Topsy Turvy bus coming to the University of Maryland, College Park campus! The Topsy Turvy Bus will be on the campus from 3-5pm in Lot 1. This bus is a school bus with an upside down school bus on top of it. It is fueled by deep fryer grease and tours the country hosting environmental sustainability and alternative energy workshops. The workshop will include, but is not limited to: Bus tour with explanation of the grease and composting systems, solar panels demonstration, human powered bicycle generator, building your own solar oven, and educational content on energy consumption, conservation, and climate change.

Green Terps Video Contest - The Department of Athletics and the Office of Sustainability invite University of Maryland students to create short videos that encourage sustainable behaviors. Video submissions must focus on energy-conscious and ‘green' behavior around campus and within student life. Videos should place emphasis on action, eye-catching slogans and phrases, and existing sustainable initiatives on campus. The winning video will be played at a 2010 ACC Men's Basketball Game (specific game to be announced) and the student(s) who produced the winning video will be announced at that game. Submission Deadline: Dec 10, 2009 at 11pm. To submit your entry: Please drop off your video at the Office of Sustainability in the Chesapeake Building, Suite 3115. Please print this form and submit it with your entry. See web site for more details. Questions or concerns please contact Pam Eichenbaum with the Office of Sustainability at umd.sustainability@gmail.com.

Heavy rains deter planting of cover crops: Maryland farmers encouraged to cut nutrient runoff into bay (By Timothy B. Wheeler, The Baltimore Sun, 11/21/09) [Article quotes Russell Brinsfield, Executive Director of the University of Maryland's Center for Agro-Ecology]

The bay's natural filters: Oyster health is one indicator of the state of the Chesapeake Bay (By Jesse Yeatman, SoMdNews.com, 11/20/09) [Article quotes the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science's Horn Point Lab staff.]

Law School's Bay Symposium Raises New Environmental Issues, Ideas as reported on the Baltimore Sun B'more Green Blog (By Tim Wheeler, B'More Green Blog, 11/20/09)

Tracking smoke, plugging leaks in "Smarter Cities" (By Tim Wheeler, The Baltimore Sun - B'More Green Blog, 11/19/09) [Article cites work of University of Maryland, Baltimore County]

‘Meatless Mondays' to debut in dining halls: Meat will still be available, but menu will emphasize vegetarian options (By Amy Hemmati, Diamondback Online, 11/18/09)

Learn from Europe (By Donald F. Boesch, The Washington Post - Planet Panel, 11/18/09) [Dr. Donald F. Boesch is President of the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science]

USM Environmental Sustainability and Climate Change Initiative

• Practices
• Programs
• Policies

• Presentations
• Climate Change Definitions
• Facilities Master Planning
• Statewide Sustainability Efforts
• ACUPCC National Benchmarking
• Useful Links and References

Ball is in Our Court (By Dr. Donald F. Boesch, The Washington Post - Planet Panel, 11/18/09) [Dr. Donald F. Boesch is President of the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science]

Recyclemania Logo Design Contest at University of Maryland, College Park. Design a Recyclemania at Maryland logo  promoting Recyclemania, waste reduction, and recycling! Win a Wii !!! Designs due Friday, December 11, 2009 at midnight.

State of Maryland News

Critical Mass Bike Ride this Friday Eve (By Meredith Cohn, The Baltimore Sun  - B'More Green Blog, 11/23/09)

Maryland Public Service Commission approves 50-megawatt wind farm in Garrett County (By Timothy B. Wheeler, The Baltimore Sun, 11/19/09)

Climate-warming pollution dips (By Tim Wheeler, The Baltimore Sun - B'More Green Blog, 11/12/09)

National and International News

World's largest ice sheet melting faster than expected: East Antarctic sheet shedding 57bn tonnes of ice a year and contributing to sea level rises, according to NASA aerial survey (By Ian Sample, The [UK] Guardian, 11/22/09)

Warming's impacts sped up, worsened since Kyoto (By Seth Borenstein, The Associated Press as reported by Yahoo News, 11/22/09)

The Washington Post - Outlook - Special Issue: Climate Change (The section contains several articles regarding climate change, The Washington Post, 11/22/09)

Acid oceans leave fish at more risk from predators: Ocean acidification could cause fish to become "fatally attracted" to their predators, according to scientists. (BBC News, 11/21/09)

Floods devastate UK Lake District, much of Ireland (By Scott Heppell, The Associated Press as reported by Yahoo News, 11/20/09)

Individualism, Identity and Bicycles in Northern California (By Verlyn Klinkenborg, The New York Times - Op-Ed, 11/18/09)

U.S. residents fight for the right to hang laundry (By Jon Hurdle, Reuters as reported by Yahoo News, 11/18/09)

Senate to Put Off Climate Bill Until Spring (By Ian Talley, The Wall Street Journal, 11/18/09)

Reality show: Calif. to require greener TVs: Goal to reduce energy use is opposed by retailers, some manufacturers (The Associated Press as reported by MSNBC News, 11/18/09)

Giant jellyfish swarm north in warming world: Expanding range is ‘warning sign that our oceans are stressed,' expert says (The Associated Press as reported on MSNBC.com, 11/16/09)

Windpower from Scratch (Reported by Marco Werman, National Public Radio - Living on Earth, 11/16/09)

Is There Such a Thing as Agro-Imperialism? (By Andrew Rice, The New York Times, NYT, 11/16/09)