Maryland's Public System of Higher Education

Week of November 29, 2010

News from Across the USM Campuses

Dec. 3^rd - ?Dana Fisher, Department of Sociology, Columbia University - "The Organizational Structure of Urban Environmental Stewardship." This seminar, sponsored by the Center for Urban Environmental Research and Education, will be held on Friday at 2:00pm in the Technology Research Center, Room 206, on the University of Maryland, Baltimore County campus, and is 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 on the UMBC campus shortly before seminar.

Guest column: Building a green campus (By Sam Rivers, The Diamondback Online, 11/29/10)

Sustainability: A call for comprehensive recycling (By Grace Goode, The Diamondback Online, 11/22/10)

UMES Marine Science Researchers Secure $5 Million Grant (UMES Office of Public Relations, 11/22/10)

State of Maryland News

Electric bicycle gives commuter a boost on 22-mile way to work: Hybrid vehicle takes Daniel Rowell from North Laurel to Sykesville (By Michael Dresser, The Baltimore Sun, 11/28/10)

State pledges to limit pollution from dredging: Masonville Cove disposal site targeted in Baltimore harbor (By Timothy B. Wheeler, The Baltimore Sun, 11/26/10)

Salazar vows to speed offshore wind energy (By Matthew Daly, The Associated Press as reported by Yahoo News, 11/23/10)

Environment Secretary Wilson, higher-education chief Lyons to leave: Wilson faced tough fights on regulation, staffing issues (By Annie Linskey and Timothy B. Wheeler, The Baltimore Sun, 11/23/10)

Feds pledge 'smart' permitting process for offshore wind projects (By Timothy B. Wheeler, The Baltimore Sun, 11/23/10)

Baltimore County expands single-stream recycling: Apartment and condo complexes join the program (By Mary Gail Hare, The Baltimore Sun, 11/22/10)

USM Environmental Sustainability and Climate Change Initiative

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United Nations Climate Change Conference - Cancun 2010 - The U.S. Center is hosting dozens of live, 90-minute programs, from the United Nations Climate Change Conference, COP-16. Each program is centered around one of six elements necessary for an effective global response to climate change: mitigation and transparency; adaptation; finance; technology; forests/REDD+; and climate science. From November 29 through December 10, programs begin daily at 10:00 and will end at 18:15 CST (GMT-6 hours). CO.NX will open an online window into U.S. technical work on climate change through interactive webcasts and webchats with leading climate change experts.

Dec. 13^th - 14^th - "Creating the Clean Energy Economy" conference will be held at the University of Delaware, in the John M. Clayton Hall, on the University of Delaware campus in Newark, DE. The focus is primarily on policy issues facing Delaware and the region, and considering those in a national context. The purpose of this conference, and others in the series, is to engage university, government and business leaders in the challenges and opportunities for partnership. This conference will include global and national leaders from all sectors as well as experts in energy and economic development policy. A preliminary agenda [PDF] and registration for participants and exhibitors are available on-line.

Xcel, critics await Colorado PUC's smart-grid rate ruling (By Mark Jaffe, The Denver Post, 11/28/10)

Cancún climate summit: Rich accused of 'holding humanity hostage': Latin American leaders claim poorest nations imperilled by lack of action on global warming (by John Vidal and Jo Tuckman, The [UK] Guardian, 11/26/10)

E-mails show struggle to guess size of Gulf spill (By Larry Margasak, The Associated Press as reported by Yahoo News, 11/25/10)

UN issues severe climate warning ahead of summit (By Michael McCarthy, The [UK] Independent, 11/24/10)

Report: GMU scholar plagiarized in climate report (By Daniel de Vise, The Washington Post - College, Inc., 11/23/10)

Nissan Leaf rated at 99 mpg -- even though it's electric (USA Today - Drive On Blog, 11/22/10)

Electric Cars Have Utilities Both Thrilled And Worried (By Jonathan Fahey, The Huffington Post - Green Blog, 11/22/10)

Should Nations Bankroll Coal Plants Overseas? (By Elisabeth Rosenthal, The New York Times - Green Blog, 11/22/10)

New York to Get Bike Share (By Andrea Bernstein, WNYC.org Radio, 11/22/10)

Industry and Government Were Unprepared for BP Spill, Study says (By John M. Broder, The New York Times - Green Blog, 11/22/10)