Maryland's Public System of Higher Education

Week of August 3, 2009

News from Across the USM Campuses

Maryland Green Registry - Four USM institutions have joined (TU, UB, BSU and SU) and others are in process. For information on joining, visit the MHEC Green Registry "join here" page.

Gulf of Mexico ‘dead zone' is smaller than expected: The so-called dead zone in the Gulf of Mexico, where oxygen levels drop too low to support most life near the ocean's bottom, is smaller this year than expected, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric AdmGulf of Mexico ‘dead zone  (The Tehran [Iran] Times, 7/30/09) [Article quotes Dr. Donald Boesch, President of the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science]

Chesapeake Bay 'dead zone' reaches usual size (The Associated Press as reported on DelawareOnline, 7/29/09) [Article quotes Bill Dennison of the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science]

Senators highlight bio-lab research: Visit from Cardin, Dyson includes award for weather efforts?(By Jeff Newman, Southern Maryland News Online Staff, 7/29/09) [Article quotes Amanda Grimes of the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science]

Chesapeake Bay 'Dead Zone' Reaches Usual Size (Alex DeMetrick reporting, WJZ Chanel 13, 7/29/09) [News story quotes Bill Dennison of the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science]

Pollution still feeding Gulf dead zone: Nutrients' effects are reduced this year, but scientists remain wary (By Kate Spinner, The Sarasota Herald Tribune, 7/28/09) [Article quotes Dr. Donald Boesch, President of the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science]

State of Maryland News

Solomons Lab And Volunteer Are Honored: Facility, Docent Lauded For Years of Service (By Christy Goodman, The Washington Post, 7/30/09)

Bay 'dead zone' bigger than predicted: The fish-stressing "dead zone" in the Chesapeake Bay is bigger than predicted this summer, scientists say. (The Baltimore Sun - B'more Green Blog, 7/29/09)  

CBL Receives NWS Award, Volunteer Honored (SouthernMarylandOnline, 7/28/09)

National and International News

Global poll finds 73% want higher priority for climate change:  Britons among the most enthusiastic about action to stop global warming, while Americans among least willing to put environment first, according to global public opinion poll (By Suzanne Goldberg, The [UK] Guardian, 7/30/09)

Big-Time Athletics Programs Are Slow to Develop 'Green' Practices (By Libby Sander, The Chronicle of Higher Education, 7/29/09)

Wow: America's Total Energy Use Dropped in 2008 (By Andrew Price, Good Magazine, 7/29/09)

Princeton Review Rolls Out List of The Greenest Colleges (Tracey de Morsella, The Green Economy, 7/28/09)

USM Environmental Sustainability and Climate Change Initiative

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• Climate Change Definitions
• Facilities Master Planning
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• Useful Links and References

Human activity is driving Earth's 'sixth great extinction event': Population growth, pollution and invasive species are having a disastrous effect on species in the southern hemisphere, a major review by conservationists warns (By Ian Sample, The [UK] Guardian, 7/28/09)

Harnessing Africa's Solar Power (Reported by Gerry Hadden, The World - NPR, 7/28/09)

TVA schemed to avoid blame in spill, investigation claims (By Bill Theobald, Gannett News Service as reported by The Tennessean, 7/28/09)   

Auditor: TVA lawyers limited ash spill report (By Duncan Mansfield, Google News, 7/28/09)

Commentary: Green jobs: Hope or Hype? (By Samuel Sherraden, Special to CNN, 7/28/09)

Spain's Solar Thermal Power (Reported by Cynthia Graber, The World - NPR, 7/27/09)

Greenpeace study finds oil companies may be doomed: Environmental activist network argues that the oil industry might be approaching a tipping point from fall in the price, advances in technology and policies on climate change (By David Teather, The [UK] Guardian, 7/27/09)

World will warm faster than predicted in next five years, study warns: New estimate based on the forthcoming upturn in solar activity and El Niño southern oscillation cycles is expected to silence global warming sceptics (By Duncan Clark, The [UK] Guardian, 7/27/09)

Off The Charts Drought In Texas, Tornadoes In New York (VIDEO) (By Katherine Goldstein, MSNBC as reported by Huffington Post, 7/27/09)

Could $20 a gallon gas be a good thing? (CNN Video, 7/27/09)

Is the ocean Florida's untapped energy source? (CNN Technology, 7/27/09)   

Climate Change to Force 75 Million Pacific Islanders From Their Homes:

More than 75 million people living on Pacific islands will have to relocate by 2050 because of the effects of climate change, Oxfam has warned. (By Bonnie Malkin, The [UK] Telegraph, 7/27/09)

Uranium Contamination Haunts Navajo Country (By Dan Frosch, The New York Times, 7/27/09)

Earth bears scars of human destruction: astronaut (By Irene Klotz, Reuters as reported by Yahoo News, 7/27/09)

Vive la vélorution, but now can we have our bikes back?As mayor Boris Johnson prepares a bike rental system for London, Lizzy Davies reports on the French capital's experience of a similar scheme (By Lizzy Davies, The [UK] Guardian, 7/26/09)