April 13, 2007

1st Metropolitan Mortgage, Santa Fe, launches Green Living Campaign with
Earth Day Party and Green Living Workshops

On Saturday, April 21st, from 9am till 1pm, 1st Metropolitan Mortgage, Santa Fe, will launch its Green Living Campaign with an Earth Day Morning Party.   Join 1st Met in their parking lot at the Lofts on Marquez Place to celebrate Earth Day.  There will be live music, gardening tips, face painting, clowns, hands-on demonstrations and complimentary breakfast goodies.  1st Met will also be giving away seeds, plants and trees until supplies last.  Complimentary Green Living Workshops in water conservation and energy efficiency will begin on May 31st at the 1st Met offices.  Call 1st Metropolitan Mortgage at 505-988-1075 for more information.

ECO-DESIGN & GREEN BUILDING
           
Dallas to Test-Run Sustainable Skylines Program
Source: GreenerBuildings.com

The City of Dallas has been picked as the first city in the country to team up with the Environmental Protection Agency and North Central Texas Council of Governments to test a new initiative aimed at bringing cleaner air to the metro area. Sustainable Skylines is the name of the joint venture that involves completing several 3-year projects to reduce air emissions. The initiative is also expected to produce benefits to water and land quality. Under the Sustainable Skylines initiative, a city can choose to perform projects from seven categories: stationary sources/area sources, renewable energy/energy efficiency, central city livability, green buildings and developments, land-use transportation strategies, off-road emissions, and diesel emissions. Projects are expected to yield quantifiable benefits within three years. The City of Dallas has committed to completing seven environmentally beneficial projects. If the Dallas pilot is successful, the initiative could be used as a national model for other cities.

New Company Evaluates Environmental Risks, House by House
Source: GreenBiz.com

Climate Appraisal Services, LLC, (CASL) a partnership between scientists at the University of Arizona and the private sector, will offer low-cost assessments of climate and environmental risks for any address in the continental United States. CASL is the nation's first online, address-based climate- and environmental-risk reporting service. CASL charges $30 for a premium environmental risk assessment for a particular address. The company's website also provides free educational material about climate change and a free report that focuses on shoreline reduction at a national level. The address-based premium report contains information on the possible impacts of global warming, hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes, wildfires, drought, floods, industrial pollution and disease. One of the company's missions is to increase public understanding of climate change and other environmental issues. Therefore, 50 percent of CASL's net profits will fund environmental research. CASL will make the resulting information available for non-commercial uses.

RENEWABLE ENERGY & THE ENVIRONMENT

Washington State First in the Nation to Ban PBDEs
Source: grist.org

Washington State will be the first in the nation to phase out nasty fireproofing chemicals called PBDEs, which show up in the bodies of people and wildlife and may cause neurological damage. The state Senate recently passed a measure that will eventually ban home items containing deca, the most commonly used PBDE; the House had already approved the bill, and now the governor is expected to sign it into law. Mattresses containing deca will be the first to go, starting in 2008; provided a safer fireproofing alternative is found, TVs, computers, and upholstery will have to be deca-free starting in 2011.

NREL Ranks Top 10 Utility Green Power Programs
Source: renewableenergyaccess.com

The U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) released its annual ranking of leading utility green power programs. Using information provided by utilities, NREL develops the Top 10 rankings of utility programs in the following categories: total sales of renewable energy to program participants, total number of customer participants, customer participation rate and the lowest price premium charged for a green pricing service using new renewable resources.

Green Power Program Renewable Energy Sales: (highest to lowest)
Austin Energy; Portland General Electric (PGE); Florida Power & Light (FPL); PacifiCorp; Xcel Energy; Basin Electric Power Cooperative; Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD); National Grid; OG&E Electric Services; and Puget Sound Energy (PSE).

Customer choice programs are proving to be a powerful stimulus for growth in renewable energy supply. In 2006, total utility green power sales exceeded 3.5 billion kilowatt-hours (kWh), about a 30% increase over 2005. More than 500,000 customers are participating in utility programs nationwide, up more than 10% from 2005.

Number of Customer Participants: Xcel Energy; PacifiCorp; PGE; SMUD; PECO (Exelon Energy Delivery); FPL; LADWP (Los Angeles Department of Water & Power); National Grid; and PSEWE energies

In Customer Participation Rate: City of Palo Alto Utilities; Lenox Municipal Utilities; Montezuma Municipal Light & Power; PGE; SMUD; Silicon Valley Power; Holy Cross Energy; Central Electric Cooperative; River Falls Municipal Utilities; and Orcas Power and Light Cooperative.

Price Premium Charged for New, Customer-Driven Renewable Power: (Includes only programs that have installed or announced firm plans to install or purchase power from 100% new renewable resources) Austin Energy; OG&E Electric Services; Edmond Electric; Avista Utilities; Indianapolis Power and Light; Eugene Water and Electric Board; Clallam County Public Utility District); PacifiCorp; Idaho Power; Mason County PUD 3; Sacramento Municipal Utility District); and Wisconsin Public Service Corporation.

NATURAL PRODUCTS & ORGANIC /
SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE

Fertilizer Products for Organic Gardening
Source: organicconsumers.org

Unlike organic food products that carry the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) organic seal, fertilizers and soil amendments allowed in organic farming do not have a national logo that identifies them. Furthermore, labeling regulations for fertilizers vary from state to state, and the word 'organic' on these products often refers only to the chemical composition of the product. Home gardeners who would like to garden with fertilizers and soil amendment products allowed in certified organic farming can use the following tips:

1. Gardeners can start by looking for the OMRI Listed seal. The Organic Materials Review Institute (OMRI) is a nonprofit organization that provides an independent review of products intended for use in certified organic farming, processing and handling, and checks fertilizers, soil amendments, and other products against the National Organic Standards.

2. To find fertilizers and soil amendments more likely to be allowed in certified organic farming, look for labels that say: "This fertilizer product is allowed for use in organic production;" "Meets National Organic Program requirements for organic production;" " Suitable for organic farming;" "Acceptable for use in organic production;" "Meets the requirements of the National Organic Program (NOP) for use in organic production;" or "This product is listed by the Organic Materials Review Institute (OMRI) for use in organic production." Such statements are currently in use or have been approved for use on labels of fertilizer and soil amendment products allowed in organic production. Please remember that certifying agents always makes the final determination of whether a product is allowed for use on a certified organic farm.

3. Gardeners can find suppliers of fertilizer products allowed in organic farming and gardening on OTA's Organic Pages Online under 'Farm Supplies': www.theorganicpages.com/topo/index.html. This directory includes a wide range of products such as blended dry fertilizers, composts, liquid fertilizers, micronutrients, soil conditioners, and a variety of other organic garden inputs.

4. A list of substances allowed and prohibited for organic crop production can be found on the USDA National Organic Program website: www.ams.usda.gov/NOP/indexNet.htm. Urea and biosolids are examples of synthetic substances prohibited from use in organic farming that can be found in some fertilizers labeled "organic." Manures composted according to NOP standards are allowed for organic production. Gardeners who want to garden according to the national organic standards or sell their surplus as organic must avoid products containing prohibited substances.

Whole Foods announces Whole Trade Guarantee
Source: developmentcrossing.com

Whole Foods Market recently announced the creation of the Whole Trade Guarantee label. Whole Foods announced the program in collaboration with TransFair USA and the Rainforest Alliance. In order to carry the new label, products must meet strict requirements for quality, wages and working conditions and environmental practices. To encourage smart and sustainable production in the developing worlds, Whole Foods will pay a higher price for the goods. In exchange for access to high-end markets in the U.S., producers agree to pay their workers above-market wages and incorporate sound environmental practices, including soil and water conservation techniques and encouraging biodiversity. For each Whole Trade Guarantee product sold, 1 percent of the retail sale will go to the Whole Foods’ Whole Planet Foundation, which works to create economic partnerships to fight poverty in the developing world by providing grants for micro-loans for women entrepreneurs.

SOCIALLY RESPONSIBLE BUSINESS & INVESTING

Discovery Channel to Launch 24-hour Green TV Lifestyle Network
Source: environmentalleader.com

Discovery Channel is launching the first-ever 24-hour TV network dedicated solely to green lifestyle programming. The initiative, launching next year, includes a $50 million investment in new original content and a multi-platform offering with interactive tools and “how-to” resources. The network is expected to debut in over 50 million U.S. homes and will cover categories such as eco-design, organic food and green architecture. Discovery will also host a PlanetGreen Innovation Conference, showcasing inventions and technologies.

Latest X-Prize Inspires Super-Efficient Vehicles
Source: greenbiz.com

The non-profit X Prize Foundation, known worldwide for its efforts to encourage private spaceflight, is launching a new competition to develop super-efficient vehicles that are capable of succeeding in the marketplace. The international, multi-year challenge aims to inspire teams to build desirable, affordable, fuel-efficient, and production-capable vehicles by offering a multi-million dollar cash purse. The contest is open to auto manufacturers and independent innovators alike. The contest is divided into two classes: the mainstream class, in which teams develop more conventional vehicles with four wheels and room for four or more passengers, and the alternative class, which allows for more innovation but is allotted a smaller share of the prize money. Vehicles must produce very low (or no) emissions and exceed 100 miles per gallon of gasoline or its energy equivalent.

INTEGRATIVE MEDICINE & ALTERNATIVE HEALTHCARE

Can An Omega-3 Fatty Acid Slow The Progression Of Alzheimer's Disease?

Source: sciencedaily.com
Nutritionists have long endorsed fish as part of a heart-healthy diet, and now some studies suggest that omega-3 fatty acids found in the oil of certain fish may also benefit the brain by lowering the risk of Alzheimer's disease. In order to test whether docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), an omega-3 fatty acid, can impact the progression of Alzheimer's disease, researchers at Washington University School of Medicine and Saint Louis University School of Medicine will evaluate DHA in a clinical trial sponsored by the National Institute on Aging (NIA).The trial will take place at 52 sites across the United States. It seeks 400 participants age 50 and older with mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease. Researchers will primarily evaluate whether taking DHA over many months slows both cognitive and functional decline in people with mild to moderate Alzheimer's. During the 18-month clinical trial, investigators will measure the progress of the disease using standard tests for functional and cognitive change. To learn how to participate in the study, call (314) 286-2683 at Washington University School of Medicine or (314) 268-5385 at Saint Louis University School of Medicine.

Artichokes A Top Antioxidant Food
Source: alternativemedicine.com

A study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found artichokes have more antioxidants than all other vegetables and were fourth in antioxidant content out of all food and beverages tested. Researchers from the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, the University of Minnesota and the University of Oslo, Norway, used the FRAP (ferric reducing ability of plasma) assay method to measure the antioxidant levels of more than 1,000 food and beverages commonly consumed in the United States. The study was conducted independently of any food industry sponsors; the food samples were obtained from the U.S. Department of Agriculture National Food and Nutrient Analysis Program.

Courtesy of Grace Communications, Inc.
Editor: Alexandra Friedman

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