Maryland's Public System of Higher Education

Week of October 5, 2009

News from Across the USM Campuses

October 9^th - Dr. David Sailor Portland State University, Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering - "Understanding the Energy and Environmental Effects of Vegetated Rooftops." Seminar will be held on Friday at 2 PM in the Technology Research Center, Room 206, on the University of Maryland, Baltimore County campus, and is free and open to the public. Registration is not required. Visitor parking passes for the TRC lot may be purchased for $4.00 in the CUERE office in TRC 102/105, on the UMBC campus, shortly before seminar. 

October 8^th - 3:35pm-4:35pm: AOSC Seminar - Air Quality in Maryland: Progress Through Policy-Relevant Science. Presented by Professor Russell Dickerson, University of Maryland, College Park - Deparment of Atmospheric and Oceanic Science. For more information, contact: Kayo Ide. The seminar is on Thursdays from 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. in the Auditorium (Rm. 2400) on the second floor of the New Wing of the Computer and Space Science Building, on the University of Maryland, College Park campus. Coffee, tea and cookies are served in the adjoining Atrium at 3:00 p.m.

Salisbury University's Teacher Education and Technology Center (TETC) Earns USGBC LEED Silver Certification (Salisbury University press release. 10/2/09)

University of Maryland, College Park's first Climate Action Plan has been endorsed by the University Senate. (University of Maryland, College Park Office of Sustainability, 9/30/09)

Agriculture money aims to curb Gulf dead zone (The Lafourche Parish [LA] Comet, 9/30/09) [Article quotes Dr. Donald Boesch, President, University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science]

USM Environmental Sustainability and Climate Change Initiative

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

Higher Learning: In recent years, colleges and universities nationwide have engaged in a dramatic physical transformation, constructing new buildings at the fastest rate since the 1960s. What's behind the boom, and when will it end? (By Brennen Jensen, Urbanite Magazine, October 2009) [Article references University of Baltimore's LEED-certified library/student center]

University of Maryland, College Park Sustainability Council Convened (Fall 2009)

State of Maryland News

Sounding alarm on threat to Assateague: Two environmental groups identify U.S. parks at risk of harm from climate change (By Frank D. Roylance, The Baltimore Sun, 10/2/09) [video and article]

O'Malley praises Coca-Cola, state 'Green Registry': Governor backs state list, bottler's efforts at recycling (By Timothy B. Wheeler, The Baltimore Sun, 10/1/09)

Senate moves forward on climate change (The Baltimore Sun, Op-Ed, 10/1/09)

It's Time for Transit (The Baltimore Sun, Op-Ed, 10/1/09)

Foundation holds off on suit to force bay cleanup (By Timothy B. Wheeler, The Baltimore Sun, 10/1/09)

Tour du Port bike riding event is this weekend (By Meredith Cohn, The Baltimore Sun - B'more Green Blog, 9/30/09)

The Road War: The Intercounty Connector is the most expensive transportation project in Maryland's history. Proponents tout it as a model for a green highway. Opponents insist there's no such thing. Are they both right? (By Mat Edelson, Urbanite Magazine, October 2009) [The magazine also contains other articles related to sustainability]

National and International News 

Taking It Easy on the Earth Need Not Be Hard on the Wallet: Taking It Easy on the Earth Need Not Be Hard on the Wallet (By Nancy Trejos, The Washington Post, 10/4/09)

Manhattan's Newest Greenway Provides An Elevated Perspective (By Rick Green, The Harford Courant as published in The Baltimore Sun, 10/4/09)

Coal Ash: 130 Million Tons of Waste: 60 Minutes Investigates a Potentially Harmful Waste Byproduct that Inundated a Tennessee Town (CBS News, 10/4/09)

DOE Introduces Big Oil to New Energy Source: Waste Heat Geothermal (By Susan Kraemer, Cleantechnica.com, 10/4/09)

The New Republic: The Senate Vs. House Climate Bill (By Bradford Plumer, National Public Radio and The New Republic, 10/1/09)  

Earth to Obama: You can't negotiate with the planet. (By Bill McKibben, The New Republic, 10/1./09)

E.P.A. Moves to Curtail Greenhouse Gas Emissions (By John M. Broder, The New York Times, 9/30/09)

At Some Schools, Tastier Trays Come at a Price (By Jane Black, The Washington Post, 9/30/09)

Nike to quit Chamber post in climate protest (By Lisa Lerer, Politico, 9/30/09)

Google Earth climate change 3D map unveiled (By Asher Moses, The Sydney [Australia] Morning Herald, 9/28/09)

California rules on flat screen TVs worry some retailers (National Public Radio - All Things Considered, 9/28/09) [Audio]