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A North Carolina McDonald’s goes McGreen

Tuesday, March 9th, 2010

LED lighting at Cary McDonalds

LED lighting at Cary McDonalds

By Barbara Kessler

When Ric Richards recently acquired an aging McDonalds in Cary, N.C., he knew the place needed an overhaul.  The 25-year-old store was fraying at the edges.

Richards decided to give these particular golden arches a green touch.

Once he’d decided that the building needed replacing, the decision to go eco-friendly was not difficult. Richards knew it made sense from a business standpoint – it would cut energy costs dramatically – and he figured it would resonate with the educated customers living in the Research Triangle region, especially those interested in lower-carbon living.

“I felt it was the right thing to do,’’ said the owner-operator whose green restaurant celebrated its grand opening this winter. “We all need to be more geared for sustainability as we move into the future. We need to build buildings or live at home using fewer resources.”

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MIT program will help companies develop sustainable supply chains

Friday, February 19th, 2010

From Green Right Now Reports

MIT’s Center for Transportation & Logistics will launch the Global LEAP (Leaders in Environmental Assessment and Performance) research consortium at its annual Crossroads Conference on March 25, in Cambridge, Mass.

Chiquita Brands and Lockheed Martin are the first commercial organizations to sign up for this new project to design supply chains that meet the sustainability goals that are redefining the way companies operate. Inaugural members have pledged comprehensive support for the new consortium including a financial commitment, in-kind resources, thought leadership, and active participation.

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Navy initiates green development policies

Thursday, January 21st, 2010

From Green Right Now Reports

Photo: Navy.org

Photo: Navy.org

With 40 installations in the Chesapeake Bay watershed alone, the United States Navy has an enormous environmental impact on the region. New construction and regular improvements of existing facilities pose a major challenge in terms of limiting damage to the local ecosystem.

Development in the region is increasing the number of impervious surfaces (roofs, driveways, parking lots, etc.) at a rate four times greater than population growth. As a result, stormwater runoff has become a major threat in terms of polluting the Bay.

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Quenching your thirst: Bottled water vs. tap water

Monday, January 18th, 2010

(Photo: International Bottled Water Association)

By Sarah Beck

Drinking enough water each day prevents dehydration and helps our bodies function. With all of the water options available to help keep us hydrated — from tap water to a variety of bottled water brands — it’s difficult to decide which option is better for your health. And, is bottled water better for you than tap water?

Water varies by taste and quality, as well as other factors. That said, if your tap water meets the standards of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) or your bottled water meets U.S. Federal Drug Administration standards, it generally is safe to drink.

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Twins’ new stadium will feature water recycling system

Thursday, January 14th, 2010

From Green Right Now Reports

With more and more sports venues thinking green these days, Major League Baseball’s Minnesota Twins have opted to make a bit of environmental history when they open their new home park, Target Field, this year.

Minnesota_Twins_LogoWorking in conjunction with sports sponsorship agency GreenMark, Minneapolis-based Pentair will donate and install a custom-designed Rain Water Recycle System (RWRS) to capture, conserve and reuse rain water in the new facility. The system is expected to reduce the need for municipal water by over 50 percent, helping the stadium qualify for LEED certification while saving more than two million gallons of water annually.

Under a multi-year sponsorship agreement, Pentair technology will purify rain water to a level equal to or better than municipal tap water standards. The system is designed to allow the Twins to recycle and conserve water used to wash down the lower decks of the stadium and irrigate the ball field.

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Retrofit your toilet to achieve a ‘perfect flush’

Tuesday, October 20th, 2009

By Barbara Kessler

When it comes to saving water, we all know that the commode can be a sieve, without actually being a sieve. In a typical household – unless people are obsessively washing clothes or taking large baths — more water is used to flush the toilets than for any other single use.

According to the US EPA, toilet water consumes about 27 percent of all the water used in a typical household. So you might say, the throne is king.

But this is one Royal Flush you don’t want.

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Renew Blue says Texas site will be first to produce fresh water from ocean waves

Friday, October 9th, 2009
Ocean waves near Freeport, Texas (Photo: National Weather Service)

Ocean waves near Freeport, Texas (Photo: National Weather Service)

Ocean waves off the coast of Texas may soon provide the first commercial wave power in the US to generate electricity and desalinate water.

Renew Blue Inc. said today that the Texas General Land Office has granted it the first-ever state off-shore wave energy lease. The company said it will use ocean water and waves to produce desalinated water; the first 100 percent fossil-fuel-free bottled water.

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Gas drilling vs. drinking water: New York report sets stage for fight

Thursday, October 8th, 2009

By Abrahm Lustgarten
ProPublica

A version of this story appeared in the Albany Times-Union [1] on Oct. 8, 2009.

A preliminary report [2] from a consultant hired by New York City warns that “nearly every activity” associated with natural gas drilling could potentially harm the city’s drinking water supply and that while the risk can be reduced with strict regulations, “the likelihood of water quality impairment…. cannot be eliminated [2].”

That assessment contrasts sharply with the picture presented by an environmental review released by state officials last week [3]. Aside from clauses that ban some waste pits and promise additional consideration for drilling within 1,000 feet of the city’s reservoirs and water infrastructure in upstate New York, the environmental review does little to respond to New York City’s long-standing concerns [4] that the watershed deserves special environmental consideration and instead paves the way for drilling to proceed throughout the watershed.

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Cobb County, Kohler and Lowe’s recognized for water conservation

Thursday, October 8th, 2009

The Cobb County Water System in Marietta, Ga., and Kohler, maker of water faucets and other plumbing supplies, have won government recognition for their water-conserving ways.

The EPA named them among its “WaterSense” Partners of the Year. The program highlights the many ways in which organizations can advocate for saving water:

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Study finds hurricane elevation requirements insufficient

Monday, September 14th, 2009

Significantly more Gulf Coast homes and businesses are at risk of disastrous flooding from hurricane-related storm surges than previously recognized by property owners or policymakers, a new study says.

The study also found that government minimum flood elevation requirements for properties vulnerable to storm surge throughout the Gulf Coast region are woefully inadequate. The report comes one year after Hurricane Ike struck and wiped away many of the structures on the Bolivar Peninsula near Galveston last September.

“HURRICANE IKE: Nature’s Force vs. Structural Strength” was issued by the Institute for Business & Home Safety, a not-for-profit applied research and communications organization supported by property insurers and reinsurers. The IBHS study questions the current basis for elevating properties along the Gulf Coast and urges the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) to provide greater incentives for building well above the minimum elevations now in place.

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