Maryland's Public System of Higher Education

Week of December 17, 2012

News from Across the USM Campuses

UMBC research park company awarded Energy Department grant (The Baltimore Sun - Business News, 12/14/12)

$25K Verizon Foundation grant supports Bowie State sustainability initiatives (By Jerrica DeLaney, BSYou e-newsletter, 12/12/12)

Bowie State University Launches Energy Conservation and Awareness Campaign (By PR Newswire, WSET-TV - ABC 13 News, 12/11/12)

State of Maryland News

EPA Sets Tougher Standard for Soot Pollution: Maryland took legal action leading to better protection of public health; MDE Secretary Summers, Attorney General Gansler praise EPA's move  (Maryland Department of the Environment Press Release, 12/14/12)

Governor O'Malley Announces Stream Challenge Winners (Maryland Department of Natural Resources Press Release, 12/14/12)

Take measures to cope with climate change (SoMdNews.com - Editorial, 12/12/12)

Report: Humanity Has Overshot The Earth's Biocapacity (By Jeff Spross, ThinkProgress.org - Climate Progress Blog, 12/15/12)

Climate change taken seriously by insurance industry, study says (By Kenneth R. Weiss, The Los Angeles Times, 12/14/12)

Experts Call for End to Climate Mega Summits: Massive UN climate summits have been held for years, but accomplished little. Believing there is almost no chance of securing a global deal on reducing emissions, experts now want to ditch the current system and try something new. (By Axel Bojanowski, Spiegel Online International, 12/14/12)

USM Environmental Sustainability and Climate Change Initiative

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

Documents Reveal Alberta Colludes With Industry In Tar Sands Pipeline Safety Review (By Carol Linnitt, DeSmogBlog as reported by ThinkProgress.org - Climate Progress Blog, 12/13/12)

Major News Outlets Give Fossil-Fuel-Funded Think Tanks a Free Platform: National newspapers publish anti-green-energy articles-without disclosing that the authors work for industry-backed groups, a new study finds. (By Kate Sheppard, Mother Jones Magazine, 12/13/12)

Citing Climate Change, Democrat AGs Sue Obama's EPA over Methane Emissions: A coalition of seven states prepares to sue the bureau for failing to regulate oil and gas industries (By Lauren McCauley, CommonDreams.org, 12/12/12)

'I'd rather fight like hell': Naomi Klein's fierce new resolve to fight for climate justice (By Wen Stephenson, The Phoenix - Boston, 12/12/12)

The Salt Lake Tribune Editorializes ‘A Killing Climate: Global Warming Unchecked' (By Joe Romm, ThinkProgress.org - Climate Progress Blog, 12/11/12)

Why Climate Change Denial Is Just Hot Air (By Phil Plait, Slate.com, 12/11/12)

Watch: Rep. Ed Markey on Obama and the Climate Cliff - The next four years are key to dealing with climate change. Here's what lawmakers can do. (By Chris Mooney, Mother Jones Magazine, 12/10/12)