Week of January 9, 2012

News from Across the USM Campuses

UMCES Environmental Insights E-Newsletter (University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, January 2012)

January 13^th - Deadline for applying for the UMD Paid Recycling Internship - Two Recycling Interns are needed to help set up new recycling and trash bins across the University of Maryland campus. The duties of the interns will be to survey buildings to determine appropriate trash/recycling bin placement, mark building floor plans, and install signs above the new trash/recycling bins.  Physical distribution of the bins will be supported by housekeeping. Program guidance and direction will be provided by Campus Recycling Specialist.?The Recycling Intern will work up to 10 hours per week during the Spring 2012 semester (12 weeks). Application instructions and more information.

January 27^th - Deadline for applying for UMD Green Dining Internships - Are you passionate about composting? Waste reduction? Food? Gardening? Conservation? Working with your fellow UMD students? Then, we are looking for you! The green industry is one of the fastest growing sectors of the US economy with many exciting career opportunities for college graduates. Get your foot in the "green jobs" door by working on Green Dining initiatives at UMD's Dining Services. UMD Dining Services Green Dining is seeking interns for the following positions: Green Dining Communications Intern, Green Dining Peer Education Intern, and Green Dining Program Support Intern for Rooftop Gardens. Application instructions and more information.

State of Maryland News

Environmental Issues Facing The General Assembly, Candidacy Declarations, Currie's Ethics Inquiry, and Same-Sex Marriage Support From The AFL-CIO (NPR/WYPR, 1/5/12)

Bay group says cleanup to create more than 230,000 jobs: Report adds to debate over federal regulations (By John Fritze, The Baltimore Sun, 1/3/12)

Montgomery County Bag Tax: Maryland's Largest County Introduces New 5-Cent Fee (The Huffington Post - Green Blog, 1/2/12)

USM Environmental Sustainability and Climate Change Initiative

• Practices
• Programs
• Policies

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

The Environment: The end of the EPA as we know it. (By David Roberts, The Washington Monthly, January/February 2012)

Study: Car supersizing explains modest mpg gains (By Wendy Koch, USA Today, 1/6/12)

Fracking will poison New York's drinking water, critics warn: Opponents of controversial gas drilling method condemn plan as environmental agency sounds alarm bells over staffing levels (By Karen McVeigh, The [UK] Guardian - Environment, 1/5/12)

If they win, Republicans plan to permanently cripple EPA (By David Roberts, Grist.org, 1/5/12)

University of Alaska Fairbanks professor predicts spike in oil prices (By Jeff Richardson, Fairbanks Daily News-Miner, 1/4/12)

Europe Takes Bold Step Toward a Ban on Iranian Oil (By Steve Erlanger, The New York Times - Europe, 1/4/12)

New Materials Remove Carbon Dioxide from Smokestacks, Tailpipes and Even the Air (Science Daily, 1/4/12)

Solar Power Off the Grid: Energy Access for World's Poor - More than a billion people worldwide lack access to electricity. The best way to bring it to them - while reducing greenhouse gas emissions - is to launch a global initiative to provide solar paneSolar Power Off the Grid:?Energy Access for World's Poor - More than a billion people (By Carl Pope, Yale Environment 360, 1/4/12)

Iran threatens U.S. ships, alarms oil markets (By Joby Warrick and Steven Mufson, The Washington Post - Energy and Environment, 1/3/12)

Climate change - our real bequest to future generations: Deficit hawks try to scare us about the debt we're leaving. That's economic nonsense - unlike the costs of global warming (By Dean Baker, The [UK] Guardian, 1/3/12)

Amsterdam Bike Culture Offers Model For Other Cities (VIDEO) (By Shea Gunther and the Mother Nature Network as reported by The Huffington Post - Green Blog, 1/3/12)

Mike Klink: Keystone XL pipeline not safe (By Mike Klink, Lincoln Journal-Star, 1/3/12)

Developed world failing on climate funds pledge, says Bangladeshi minister: Dipu Moni criticises 'dismal' efforts to deliver billions of pounds in aid to help poorer countries cope with environmental change (By Fiona Harvey, The [UK] Guardian, 1/2/12)

Supreme Court case involving Idaho lake house ignites conservative cause against EPA (By Robert Barnes, The Washington Post - Politics, 1/2/12)