I can’t belive it is already time for Earth Hour again, the years are just flying by. Earth Hour is a world wide event where for one hour from 8:30 PM to 9:30 PM  your local time you shut off all your lights to show your support for the Earth. This year the WWF is hoping for a billion people to participate and put in their vote supporting action to protect the Earth. They plan to present the results of how many people put in a vote to protect the environment  to world leaders at the Global Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen 2009. Be sure to sign up at earthhour.org so that your vote is counted and to get more information.



Earth Hour 2009 by WWF – Sign up for Earth Hour!

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The strides that have recently been made by their Global Institute of Sustainability working together with the School of Earth and Space Exploration and other departments have been encouraging, now the budget cut seems a direct cut on our future and potential.  Most research is conducted based on grant funding which is not dependent on the state budget, for the most part, however, for the professors, students, and researchers to remain at ASU they rely on state funding for pretty much everything else.  I am discouraged and worried that all of the education system (primary, secondary, and higher) gets hit hard when the economy suffers and that directly translates to more strain on students and teachers making success more difficult to attain.  The future of innovation in the field of sustainability is on the chopping block, not just for ASU but for all Arizona universities and public schools.  There has got to be a better way?

ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY News Release

January 15, 2006

Proposed Budget Cuts Would Severely Damage ASU, Negatively Impact 67,000 Students and their families, and Would Put Arizona on the Path to Resembling a Third World Country

TEMPE, Ariz. – The options proposed by the state legislature today would cut the university system’s budget by up to $243 million for the remaining few months of fiscal year 2009 and $388 million for fiscal year 2010. This would be the largest higher education budget reduction in the state’s history. Cuts of this magnitude would require Arizona State University to reduce costs by up to $126 million in less than five months and $194 million next fiscal year.

ASU opened its FY09 budget year having already taken more than more than $37 million in state funding cuts in the previous 18 months, resulting in the elimination of 265 jobs. Since that time, it has taken additional actions in preparation for the possibility of further reductions that has led to a cumulative elimination of almost 500 staff positions and over 200 faculty associates, the disestablishment of two schools and a reduction in the number of nursing students.

ASU administrators say that it is unreasonable and irresponsible to expect ASU, the state’s largest university and the producer of more than half the state’s bachelor’s degrees each year, to suffer cuts anywhere this magnitude without severely curtailing the service it provides its 67,000 students and reducing the enormously important role it plays in the state’s economy.

“The fact that the legislature has known about the state budget problems for months and failed to take appropriate and effective action to minimize harm to Arizona’s families and economy is unconscionable,” says ASU President Michael M. Crow. “Our students and their families, ASU alumni, and the working men and women of Arizona—all of whom are taxpayers and will be impacted by this action—deserve better.”

“The decisions made by our elected leaders concerning the FY09 and FY10 budgets will be the most important political decisions made in the nearly 100-year history of the state,” he continued. “For that very reason, there needs to be a thoughtful and public discussion of the options. Otherwise the Arizona of the future may more closely resemble a far-off, Third World country than nearby states such as Colorado and Texas.”

Arizona State University pumps $3.2 billion dollars each year into the state’s economy and creates tens of thousands of jobs. Each year it graduates more than 14,000 students, including engineers, nurses, mathematicians, scientists, teachers and entrepreneurs. These graduates, which include more than 151,000 alumni still living in the state, are responsible, in turn, for tens of billions of dollars of the state’s gross domestic product and constitute the largest single group of taxpayers in Arizona.

“You can’t cut your way out of a budget deficit of this magnitude,” said Dennis Hoffman. “The legislature needs to consider other options because a budget cut of this magnitude, if taken, will cause a sharp drop in the state’s GDP and prolong what is already a painful recession.”

ASU had already been planning for an additional cut of five percent by taking actions to reduce expenses while preserving educational quality, access to a college education, and the production of a skilled workforce. Cuts of the magnitude proposed today would cause the university to layoff and/or furlough additional employees, and consider program reductions that might affect students entering in fall 2009 and beyond.

SOURCE:

Virgil Renzulli, virgil.renzulli@asu.edu

(480) 965-8526 direct line

MEDIA CONTACT:

Terri Shafer, terri.shafer@asu.edu

(480) 965-3865 direct line / (602) 363-2318 cell

Arizona State University

Tempe, Arizona USA

www.asu.edu

Related: Arizona university presidents discuss proposed budget cuts

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Image: stringberd

Lake Superior State University just published their 2009 list of words that should be banished from the Queen’s English for being mis-used, over-used, or being  just plain useless. Environmental buzzwords such as “green,” “going green,” and all it’s variables top the list of words that people are sick of hearing. Carbon Footprint or Carbon Offsetting also made the list of words people would like to hear less of.

Environmental buzzwords are getting the axe this year. “Green” and “going green” received the most nominations.

GREEN – The ubiquitous ‘Green’ and all of its variables, such as ‘going green,’ ‘building green,’ ‘greening,’ ‘green technology,’ ‘green solutions’ and more, drew the most attention from those who sent in nominations this year.

“This phrase makes me go green every time I hear it.” Danielle Brunin, Lawrence, Kansas.

“I’m all for being environmentally responsible, but this ‘green’ needs to be nipped in the bud.” Valerie Gilson, Gales Ferry, Conn.

“Companies are less ‘green’ than ever, advertising the fact they are ‘green.’ Is anyone buying this nonsense?” Mark Etchason, Denver, Colo.

“If something is good for the environment, just say so. As Kermit would say, ‘It isn’t easy being green.’” Kevin Sherlock, Hiawatha, Iowa.

“If I see one more corporation declare itself ‘green,’ I’m going to start burning tires in my backyard.” Ed Hardiman, Bristow, Va.

“This spawned ‘green solutions,’ ‘green technology,’ and the horrible use of the word as a verb, as in, ‘We really need to think about greening our office.’” Mike McDermott, Philadelphia, Penn.

Lake Superior State University

I might have to agree that it is over used and abused. Maybe it’s time to lay off the green and find another term to over use. Perhaps next year it can be “sustainability.”

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For a few months now, I’ve been running EcoModder.com, a site of DIY car mods and fuel economy. In the course of running the site, I realized there was something else that a lot of members and I were interested in: home energy consumption.

For most people, home energy use will always be higher than vehicle energy use. It’s also a lot easier for most people to do basic home improvements, and things like payback and energy consumption are a bit more straightforward. There’s certainly a lot of info out there on home improvements and saving energy, but there’s still not a community built around it.

EcoRenovator.org, with its blog and the forum, wants to be a place for that community to gather. The site is new, but come check it out, we’d love to see you around!

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Have a great weekend.

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“We had to repair the fire damage. Why not use the opportunity to upgrade the building as well?” she said.

ASU spokeswoman Leah Hardesty added that many of the University’s efforts will focus on sustainability.

The University will be going for a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, or LEED, certification in commercial interiors, she said.

LEED certification is given to buildings that have achieved high degrees of sustainability in terms of construction that recycles and reuses materials and buildings that make use of energy-efficient designs and appliances, among other factors.

The new dining facility is tentatively named the Starlight Terrace and Eco-Fresh Café, Lowe said.

The restaurant will make use of local organic foods and environmentally friendly practices such as recycling.

“We’re still mostly conceptualizing on the Starlight Terrace,” Hardesty said. “But we do know it will be entirely sustainable.”

[ASU Webdevil]

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Click here to read the article: “From fat to fuel” from the Phoenix Business Journal

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tens of thousands of farmers have switched from food to fuel production to reduce US dependence on foreign oil. Spurred by generous subsidies and an EU commitment to increase the use of biofuels to counter climate change, at least 8m hectares (20m acres) of maize, wheat, soya and other crops which once provided animal feed and food have been taken out of production in the US.

In addition, large areas of Brazil, Argentina, Canada and eastern Europe are diverting sugar cane, palm oil and soybean crops to biofuels. The result, exacerbated by energy price rises, speculation and shortages because of severe weather, has been big increases of all global food commodity prices.

Cameroon At least 24 people killed and 1,600 people arrested in February. Taxes slashed on food imports and public sector wages increased by 15%.

Indonesia 10,000 demonstrated outside the presidential palace in Jakarta after soya bean prices rose more than 50% in a month and more than 125% over the past year.

Egypt Seven people have died in fights or of exhaustion queuing for subsidised bread. Dairy products are up 20%, oil 40%.

Burkina Faso Riots in three towns after the government promised to control the price of food but failed.

Guinea Five anti-government riots over cost of living in past 18 months.

Pakistan Thousands of troops have been deployed to guard trucks carrying wheat and flour. [Read More]

Here’s some alternative biofuels to consider; these Arizona groups make biodiesel from waste vegetable oil.

AZ BioDiesel

Amereco BioFuels Corp

Desert BioFuels

Dynomite BioFuels Co-Op

Grecycle

Related Post: Biowar I: Why Battles over Food and Fuel Lead to World Hunger

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The new Global Water Center is the first LEED certified utility facility in Pinal County. The LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Green Building Rating System is the national benchmark for the design, construction and operation of high-efficiency green buildings. LEED promotes environmentally conscious building by recognizing six key categories:

• sustainable sites
• energy and atmosphere
• water efficiency
• indoor environmental quality
• materials and resources
• innovation in design

More on Global Water’s Resource Center

“The Global Water Center uses a high percentage of recycled water, recycled building materials, and takes advantage of natural light and high-efficiency heating and AC, so it uses only two thirds of the electricity and one sixth the water of an average comparable traditionally constructed commercial structure. We are extremely proud of this achievement and are committed to taking a leadership role in green practices.” says Trevor Hill, President & CEO of Global Water Resources.

Press Release

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