Maryland's Public System of Higher Education

Week of June 6, 2011

News from Across the USM Campuses

June 19^th Deadline - Internships for the Office of Sustainability, University of Maryland, College Park - The Office of Sustainability is seeking interns for the following positions: Food Services Research Intern, Green Greek Challenge Communications and Enhancement Intern, Green Greek Challenge Tracking and Reporting Intern, Green Office Education and Outreach Intern, Graphic Design Intern, Web Programming Intern, and Communications Intern. Undergraduate and graduate students are encouraged to apply. To Apply: Please send a cover letter and resume to sustainability@umd.edu. The one-page cover letter should address the following questions: Why do you want to be a sustainability intern? What are your qualifications for the position? What are your plans for after graduation? Please write "Fall internship" in the subject of your email and mention for which internship(s) you are applying in the body of your message. Interviews will take place prior to or during the final exams period.

August 15^th-16^th  - University of Baltimore Environmental Sciences Summer Academy - UB Environmental Sciences Summer Academy students will become familiar with local ecosystems, their complexity and the current issues involved in environmental protection and preservation. They will be exposed to the methods and equipment used to assess and characterize ecosystem features, and introduced to the scientific method and the basics of analytical research. If you have questions, please call Marguerite Weber at 410.837.4087 or e-mail mweber@ubalt.edu. Students requiring special accommodations are encouraged to apply (please contact the Disability Support Services Center at 410.837.4775). Application.

University of Maryland drops opposition to central campus route for Purple Line (By Katherine Shaver, The Washington Post, 6/1/11)

Coppin State University's Physical Education Complex Received LEED Silver Certification (Coppin State University Office of Capital Planning, Construction and Contracts, 5/31/11) [PDF]

State of Maryland News

New remedy eyed for lingering pollution at Aberdeen Proving Ground: Researchers treating toxic sediments with carbon pellets at Canal Creek (By Timothy B. Wheeler, The Baltimore Sun, 6/5/11)

Howard beekeeper's business is booming, helping plants: Jason Hough has set his sights on 6.5 tons of honey next year (By Janene Holzberg, Special to The Baltimore Sun, 6/3/11)

Deep Creek Lake gets 'incomplete' on health check (By Tim Wheeler, The Baltimore Sun - B'More Green Blog, 6/1/11)

Greens say MD lagging on climate curbs (By Tim Wheeler, The Baltimore Sun - B'More Green Blog, 5/31/11)

Heat wave brings unhealthy smog in MD (By Tim Wheeler, The Baltimore Sun - B'More Green Blog, 5/31/11)

USM Environmental Sustainability and Climate Change Initiative

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

Global warming crisis may mean world has to suck greenhouse gases from air:

As Bonn talks begin, UN climate chief warns of temperature goals set too low and clock ticking on climate change action (By Fiona Harvey, The [UK] Guardian, 6/5/11)

Power up the 'smart meters': The devices have sparked an irrational fear of electromagnetic radiation in the Bay Area (The Los Angeles Times - Editorial, 6/5/11)

Found: Optimistic Environmentalists (By Joel Achenbach, The Washington Post - Achenblog, 6/5/11)

Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reaching Record Highs (By Arthur Max, The Associated Press as reported by The Huffington Post, 6/5/11)

Australian prime minister faces her toughest test in selling emissions tax to voters (The Associated Press as reported by The Washington Post, 6/4/11 - updated 6/5/11)

A Warming Planet Struggles to Feed Itself (By Justin Gillis, The New York Times - Environment, 6/4/11)

Mitt Romney On Climate Change: 'The World Is Getting Warmer... Humans Have Contributed' (Reuters as reported by The Huffington Post - Green Blog, 6/3/11 - updated 6/4/11)

Study warns major economies' energy security at 'high risk': UK and US among those deemed vulnerable to short-term energy shortages, say analysts (By BusinessGreen Staff, BusinessGreen.com, 6/3/11)

Universal bike lanes: the only way to mass cycling? Study says vast majority of Britons won't cycle on urban roads as they are now. So what's the answer? (By Peter Walker, The [UK] Guardian - Environment, 6/3/11)

The Chicken Tractor: a coop for the modernist chicken and an organic lawn fertilizer (The Los Angeles Times - L.A. At Home Blog, 6/3/11)

Greenpeace activists arrested on Arctic oil rig: police (Yahoo News - Green, 6/2/11)

Libya rebels are not revising oil deals: source (By Sherine El Madany, Reuters as reported by Yahoo News, 6/2/11)

Energy industry shapes lessons in public schools (By Kevin Sieff, The Washington Post - Local, 6/2/11)

Corexit Makes Oil Spills Worse, Not Better, Scientists Find (Think Progress - Green Blog, 6/2/11)

The Peak Oil Crisis: An Announcement (By Tom Whipple, The Falls Church News-Press, 6/1/11)

Germany's Nuclear Energy Blunder (Editorial Board Opinion, The Washington Post, 6/1/11)