Maryland's Public System of Higher Education

Week of March 16, 2009

News From Across the USM Campuses

April 21, 2009 - Focus Frostburg 2009 is a day when FSU students, faculty, staff and community members take a break from normal activities and participate in events that promote learning about sustainability and climate awareness. Frostburg State University campus from 8am - 6pm. A detailed schedule of events will be posted at this location in spring 2009. Please check back later.

Chill Out: Campus Solutions to Global Warming is an effort by the National Wildlife Federation's Campus Ecology program to foster innovation and creativity in designing solutions to global warming on campuses across the country. Each year, we hold the Chill Out competition to recognize the projects and people making a difference. The winners are showcased in an annual webcast -- this year on April 15, 2009.

Diesel Fuel Cleanup Efforts to Continue Through Weekend (Salisbury University pres release, 3/12/09, updated 3/13/09)

State of Maryland News

March 23, 2009 - Chesapeake College Sustainability Roundtable/Luncheon from 8:30am - 1:45pm at Chesapeake College, Wye Mills, MD. Roundtable is free, but registration is required. Luncheon - $20, advance registration and payment required. For more information, contact Doug Gray at 410-827-5830 or dgray@chesapeake.edu

Chicken growers face EPA crackdown: Permit requirements to limit pollution stricter than Maryland Regulations (By Timothy B. Wheeler, The Baltimore Sun, 3/15/09)

Johns Hopkins University provost is Obama's pick for energy post (By Stephen Kiehl, The Baltimore Sun, 3/12/09)

Let's hear it for an organic farmer (By Dan Rodricks, The Baltimore Sun, 3/10/09)

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

National and International News

Hunters under fire in battle to save polar bear from extinction: Summit to discuss limits on hunting as starvation hits numbers of Arctic predators (By Michael McCarthy, The [UK] Independent, 3/16/09)

Chilean Town Withers in Free Market for Water (By Alexei Barrionuevo, The New York Times, 3/14/09)

Could the Volt Jump-Start GM? Automaker Hopes Battery-Powered Car Will Be A Game Changer. Critics Say It's Too Expensive (By Kendra Marr, The Washington Post, 3/14/09)

Harnessing the Sun, With Help From Cities (By Leslie Kaufman, The New York Times, 3/14/09)

Half of oil-slicked Australian beaches now clean (The Associated Press, 3/14/09)

As Oil and Gas Prices Plunge, Drilling Frenzy Ends (By Clifford Krauss, The New York Times, 3/14/09)

World will agree new climate deal, says Al Gore (By Leo Hickman, The [UK] Guardian, 3/14/09)

Maldives aims to become first carbon-neutral country (By Jerome Taylor and Andrew Buncombe, The [UK] Independent, 3/14/09)

Lord Stern on global warming: It's even worse than I thought: Author of definitive report on climate change sounds ominous new warning (By Michael McCarthy, The [UK] Independent, 3/13/09)

Europe's Way of Encouraging Solar Power Arrives in the U.S. (By Kate Galbraith, The New York Times, 3/12/09)

California counts costs from projected warming: $100 billion alone in property damage if sea levels rise 5 feet (By msnbc.com staff and news service reports, 3/12/09)

Climate experts: Risk of 'irreversible' shifts:  'Worst-case IPCC scenario trajectories ... are being realized,' they warn (By The Associated Press as reported on msnbc.com, 3/12/09)

California panel urges 'immediate action' to protect against rising sea levels: Global warming is projected to cause ocean levels to rise up to 55 inches this century. Report urges considering abandonment of some coastal areas and halting insurance subsidies in flood-prone areas (By Margot Roosevelt, The Los Angles Times, 3/12/09)

Pollution dims skies as well as befouling the air (By The Associated Press as reported on Yahoo News, 3/12/09)

100-MPG Hybrid Evokes The Classic '63 Corvette (By Ben Mack, Wired magazine, 3/11/09)

Lithium batteries charge ahead: Researchers demonstrate cells that can power up in seconds (By Geoff Brumfiel, Nature, 3/11/09)

Tidal wave of trash threatens world oceans (By Reuters, 3/10/09)

Author Van Jones tapped as green jobs adviser (The Associated Press as reported in the International Herald Tribune, 3/10/09)

Good Housekeeping Launches Green Seal: After more than 100 years of helping consumers make good purchases, Good Housekeeping will help us make green purchases, too (By Dan Shapley, The Daily Green, 3/10/9)

Carbon emissions creating acidic oceans not seen since dinosaurs: Chemical change placing 'unprecedented' pressure on marine life and could cause widespread extinctions, warn scientists (By David Adam, The [UK] Guardian, 3/10/09)

The Search for Change: Eric Schmidt of Google on why the company spends so much time worrying about energy (Interview by Alan Murray, The Wall Street Journal, 3/9/09)

Carbon cuts 'only give 50/50 chance of saving planet': As states negotiate Kyoto's successor, simulations show catastrophe just years away (By Michael McCarthy, The [UK] Independent, 3/9/09)