African American Environmentalist Association - Texas

$8.7 Billion in Transmission Projects Planned In Next 5 Years

2012-01-17T15:36:00.002-07:00

More than $870 million in transmission improvements completed last year

Nearly $8.7 billion in transmission improvements are planned in the next five years, according to the annual transmission report from the Electric Reliability Council of Texas, (ERCOT), the state grid operator and manager of the wholesale electric market.

The planned projects are expected to improve or add nearly 7,000 circuit miles of transmission lines and more than 17,000 megavolt amperes (MVA) of autotransformer capacity to the grid, including the Competitive Renewable Energy Zones (CREZ) transmission additions that are scheduled to be in service by 2013.

The 2011 Electric System Constraints and Needs Report, filed Friday with the Public Utility Commission, identifies existing and potential constraints in the transmission systems that pose reliability concerns or may increase costs to the electric power market and Texas consumers.

Since 2010, ERCOT transmission providers have completed construction and improvements to approximately 966 miles of transmission and more than 5,000 MVA of autotransformer capacity, at an estimated capital cost of $870 million. The largest project completed last year was a 173-circuit-mile 345 kilovolt (kV) line in South Central Texas, the Zorn/Clear Springs – Gilleland Creek – Hutto Switch.

TRANSMISSION PLANNING PROCESS

As the transmission planning coordinator for the region, ERCOT works with the region’s transmission and distribution providers and other stakeholders to identify the need for new transmission facilities based on engineering analysis of operational results, load forecasting, generation interconnections, and transmission and system studies. As part of the planning process, ERCOT seeks input from all market participants and stakeholders about options and possible solutions through the ERCOT-led Regional Planning Group. Major projects must be also endorsed by the ERCOT Board of Directors.

TRANSMISSION COSTS

In the ERCOT region, the cost for transmission construction and upgrades is rolled into costs that all ratepayers pay – also known as a “postage-stamp transmission rate” because it is the same access fee regardless of location. Transmission and distribution providers must offer access to their wires to all electric providers on a non-discriminatory basis. The Public Utility Commission regulates transmission and distribution providers and approves the rates they are allowed to charge for the delivery of power to retail customers.

ERCOT TRANSMISSION SNAPSHOT

40,530 miles of high-voltage transmission, including:
- 9,249 miles of 345 kV
- 19,565 miles of 138 kV
- 11,715 miles of 69 kV
$8.7 billion under development in five-year plan, including approximately $5 billion to support 18,000 MW of renewable generation
More than 8,500 circuit miles of transmission improvements since 1999
Approximately $6.6 billion in transmission improvements added since 1999 (ERCOT Press Release)

The Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) manages the flow of electric power to 23 million Texas customers -- representing 85 percent of the state's electric load. As the independent system operator for the region, ERCOT schedules power on an electric grid that connects 40,500 miles of transmission lines and more than 550 generation units. ERCOT also performs financial settlement for the competitive wholesale bulk-power market and administers retail switching for 6.6 million premises in competitive choice areas. ERCOT is a membership-based 501(c)(4) nonprofit corporation, governed by a board of directors and subject to oversight by the Public Utility Commission of Texas and the Texas Legislature. ERCOT's members include consumers, cooperatives, generators, power marketers, retail electric providers, investor-owned electric utilities (transmission and distribution providers), and municipal-owned electric utilities.

$480,000 EPA Grant to N. Central Texas Council of Gov'ts

2011-11-11T15:32:00.001-07:00

EPA Awards North Central Texas Council of Governments Over $480,000 in Climate Showcase Communities Grant

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced today the North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG) is receiving $486,767 in Climate Showcase Communities grant funding to establish a Freight Efficiency Outreach Center in North Central Texas. This center will support NCTCOG’s current role as an affiliate of the EPA SmartWay Transport Partnership, which focuses on increasing
efficiency and reducing emissions from the freight sector.
The Climate Showcase Communities Program consists of 50 local and tribal governments

that received $20 million in EPA grant funding in 2009 and 2010 to pilot innovative, cost-effective and replicable community-based greenhouse gas reduction projects. These projects will help their communities increase energy efficiency and save consumers money with new practices involving waste management, energy production and land use management.

These Climate Showcase Communities are showing their commitment to combat climate change by contributing matching funds as well as sharing lessons learned to help other communities replicate successful projects. Communities selected for the Climate Showcase funds were required to show their ability to track, measure and show progress toward achieving ongoing greenhouse gas reductions.

The pilot communities estimate that by 2014 the projects will avoid more than 350,000 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions each year. This is equivalent to the annual emissions from almost 70,000 passenger vehicles or the energy used by 30,000 homes and would save nearly $19 million per year in energy costs. The projects will improve public health and quality of life by improving indoor and outdoor air quality,
increasing walkability and reducing household energy bills.

In North Texas, greenhouse gas emissions are expected to be reduced by about 2,540 metric tons per year, and the freight industry is projected to save 277,102 gallons of diesel fuel per year.

The Climate Showcase Communities Grant Program is administered by the EPA, providing technical assistance, tools and guidance to help state, local and tribal governments implement policies and programs to mitigate climate change.

More information of the grants and grant recipients

More about activities in EPA Region 6

EPA Audio File

Happy World Vegetarian Day!

2011-10-01T21:58:00.002-07:00

There are a lot of exciting things going on this month. In fact, one of those things includes a daily diary of small, but significant things you can do to reduce your carbon footprint, become vegetarian and be nicer to the planet!

Stay tuned!

Get Active. Go Green! with delmetria millener, a freelance writer based in Texas. Contact her at thawriter@thawriter.biz.

Greenpeace Needs a Facilities Assistant

2011-09-07T15:17:00.000-07:00

ORGANIZATION: GREENPEACE USA

POSITION TITLE: FACILITIES ASSISTANT
LOCATION: WASHINGTON, DC
http://www.greenpeace.org/usa/en/about/jobs/Facilities-Assistant/

RESPONSIBILITIES:

Office Appearance and Functionality:

• Maintain a clean and productive office environment
• Keep storage area neat with an up to date inventory
• Regular walk through and pickup of common areas including the three kitchens
• Respond to staff facilities requests in a prompt and pleasant manner
• Perform basic maintenance needs
• Assist in facility maintenance including escorting vendors working in the building
• Assist Facilities Manager with internal office moves

Meeting Preparation:

• Prepare meeting rooms for all staff-requested meetings, including equipment, food and beverage service

• Break down meeting rooms following all meetings

New Employee Duties:

• Set up work areas for new employees
• Assign phone extension and reset voice mail
• Train new staff on organizational facilities policies including security procedures, phone and voice mail system, and all other office equipment
• Document and maintain phone extension locations

Mail Room:

• Responsible for the daily posting of all outgoing mail, including management of the weekly international and domestic inter-office packages
• Distribute all incoming mail, packages and large shipping deliveries daily
• Work with other departments to prepare, produce and send large mailing and copying projects

Office Supplies and Equipment:

• Place service calls on copiers and other office equipment
• Order and track usage of office supplies
• Keep all printers and copiers supplied with paper
• Compile monthly printer logs
• Must be able to lift 40 lb

Other:

• Book reservations of the organization’s DC apartment for out of town staff
• Respond to Facilities support ticket requests from staff
• Maintain the Facilities team’s Google docs
• Maintain documentation and filing system for the facilities department
• Assist with Facilities’ spreadsheets tracking phone and facilities costs by department
• Prepare invoices for Facilities Manager’s approval
• Other duties as assigned by the Facilities Manager

QUALIFICATIONS:

Education:

• High School Diploma or equivalent

Skills:

• Strong organizational skills
• Basic computer skills
• Good attention to detail
• Solid communication skills
• Ability to work well as part of a team and individually
• Good self-starter
• Ability to effectively manage projects and time
• A sense of humor
• Commitment to the mission of Greenpeace
• Customer service oriented

EXPERIENCE/ACCOMPLISHMENTS:

• Experience in a mailroom or administrative assistant position
• Proven ability to manage multiple tasks

TO APPLY:

Please send cover letter, including where you heard of this position, and resume to resumes@wdc.greenpeace.org by September 19, 2011.

Andrea Cimino, Recruitment Fellow
Greenpeace USA, Washington DC
202-319-2477

Wildfires Devastate Texas

2011-09-06T05:29:00.009-07:00

Wildfires burning across Texas destroyed hundreds of homes and killed at least two people. Texas Governor Rick Perry (R), who is running for president, canceled his appearance at a candidate roundtable in South Carolina Monday to return to Austin.

More than 3.6 million acres in Texas have been scorched by wildfires since November, fed by a continuing drought that has caused more than $5 billion in damage to the state’s agricultural industry. (Wash Post, 9/6/2011)

Entergy Announces Intent to Join MISO

2011-04-27T05:43:00.002-07:00

Integration Would Create Country's Largest RTO

Entergy Corporation announced today its intent to join the MISO (Midwest Independent Transmission System Operator) as a fully integrated transmission owning member. Entergy’s integration, if approved by regulators, would expand the MISO footprint to Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas. The Entergy region will add about 15,000 miles of transmission lines and 30,000 megawatts of generation capacity to the MISO footprint. The new MISO footprint will extend from Canada to the Gulf of Mexico.

Independent analysis, as well as analysis completed by MISO, show that the Entergy region will benefit from joining MISO. These benefits flow from improved transmission reliability, more efficient use of existing electric system assets and a reduced need for future generation assets.

The combined footprint also will benefit from increased electrical generation diversity. The MISO will feature an improved mix of generation assets, including coal, natural gas, nuclear, wind, biomass and other sources. The addition of Entergy’s generation portfolio will bring more options to the region for the commitment and dispatch of energy.

The move will need to be approved by elected officials and regulators in each of Entergy’s jurisdictions. The Entergy operating companies are Entergy Arkansas, Inc., Entergy Gulf States Louisiana, L.L.C., Entergy Louisiana, LLC, Entergy Mississippi, Inc., Entergy New Orleans, Inc. and Entergy Texas, Inc. The integration has a targeted implementation date of December 2013. (MISO Press Release)

About MISO

The Midwest Independent Transmission System Operator ensures reliable operation of, and equal access to, interconnected, high-voltage power lines in 13 U.S. states and the Canadian province of Manitoba. The Midwest ISO manages one of the world's largest energy markets, clearing more than $27 billion in energy transactions in 2010. The Midwest ISO was approved as the nation's first regional transmission organization in 2001. The non-profit 501(C)(4) organization is governed by an independent Board of Directors, and is headquartered in Carmel, IN with operations centers in Carmel and St. Paul, MN. Membership in the organization is voluntary.

AAEA Texas Launches New Website

2011-04-26T16:38:00.002-07:00

Delmetria Millener & Norris McDonald

AAEA Texas just launched a new website. It looks great and is packed with interesting information about our activities in the Lone Star state.

AAEA Texas Director Delmetria Millener is busy greening Texas.

AAEA Texas Director Speaks at Black Chemists Conference

2011-04-22T07:14:00.000-07:00

AAEA Texas Office Director Delmetria Millener described the chapter's goals at the 38th Annual Technology Conference sponsored by the National Organization for the Professional Advancement of Black Chemists and Chemical Engineers. Millener gave her presentation on April 19, 2011 at ehe Hilton-Americas Hotel in Houston, Texas.

EPA Administrator's Latino Texas EJ Tour

2011-01-28T14:56:00.001-07:00

EPA Administrator Jackson and Representatives from the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Wrap Up Texas Visit with Focus on Environmental Justice

Two-day visit highlights EPA efforts to protect human health and facilitate clean energy innovation

Today U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lisa P. Jackson and representatives from the Congressional Hispanic Caucus wrapped up a two-day trip to El Paso and San Antonio, Texas. The trip is a part of the administrator’s ongoing effort to highlight the benefits of clean energy innovation for all Americans and draw attention to environmental pollution’s disproportionate health impacts on poor and minority communities.

Administrator Jackson discussed the agency’s work safeguarding Americans from health threats like toxic air and water pollution and observed clean energy innovation in action. The administrator kicked off the trip on Thursday in El Paso, where she was joined by representatives from Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) member U.S. Representative Silvestre Reyes’ office. (Congressman Reyes was unable to attend after bad weather in Washington, D.C. grounded his flight)

The administrator started the visit with an on-site briefing on the cleanup of the former ASARCO smelting plant. After that she met with local leaders to talk specifically about water quality and access concerns. The administrator also hosted a forum on environmental justice issues at El Paso Community College on Thursday where she listened to and spoke with citizens about their environmental concerns and addressed the health and economic benefits of clean air and water for communities. Administrator Jackson also visited the El Paso Water Utilities Desalination Plant and Tech H2O Center, which is expanding El Paso’s access to clean water and creating jobs in the region. Today, the administrator was joined by CHC chair U.S.

Representative Charles Gonzalez in San Antonio for meetings with local community members, business leaders and students. She and Gonzalez toured St. Philips College, where they got a first-hand look at the college’s green jobs training program and sustainable power infrastructure efforts. Later, Administrator Jackson hosted a round table discussion on environmental justice issues with community members. She finished the Texas tour at St. Mary’s University where she hosted a student forum and answered questions about winning the future through investment in green job innovation and other major environmental issues.

Over the past several months, Administrator Jackson has visited a number of impacted communities across the country and met with local leaders and community members to discuss EPA’s work to address these environmental concerns. More information about EPA’s environmental justice efforts. (EPA)

Court Blocks EPA From Controlling Texas GHG Regulations

2011-01-05T16:30:00.002-07:00

The U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia has blocked until Friday the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) plan to seize control of greenhouse gas permits from Texas.

The first federal rules on emissions of carbon dioxide and other heat-trapping gases took effect Sunday. Texas is the only state to refuse to implement the new rules — a position that prompted the EPA's intervention. In its petition, the state accuses the EPA of abusing its powers by taking control of the permitting program without proper notice. The agency, in response, criticized Texas officials for filing suit instead of working with it to protect public health.

The federal rules require new controls for reducing emissions from power plants, oil refineries and other large industrial facilities. Such rules would have a profound impact on Texas, which pumps more carbon dioxide into the air than any other state. The EPA has said that 167 facilities in Texas would be subject to the new permitting requirements. (Chron, 1/4/2010)

Texas To Import Low-Level Nuclear Waste From 36 States

2011-01-05T09:30:00.000-07:00

The Texas Low-Level Radioactive Waste Disposal Compact Commission, which manages the state's radioactive-waste dump, voted 5-2 to approve rules governing the process for accepting importation of low-level radioactive-waste from 36 other states.

The waste will be stored at the 1,338-acre site in concrete-reinforced underground units. The site will permanently store low-level radioactive waste—contaminated materials and equipment from nuclear plants, research laboratories and hospitals. The material includes everything from parts from dismantled nuclear-energy plants to booties worn by scientists working in labs where radioactive materials are present. More highly contaminated waste, such as spent fuel from power plants, wouldn't be stored at the site. Waste Control Specialists LLC is the site owner. In the Oct. 14, 2009 photo at left, canisters filled with uranium byproduct waste are placed into a burial pit at at Waste Control Specialists near Andrews, Texas. The 1,340-acre site is the nation’s only dump licensed to take all three categories of low-level waste, which come from nuclear power plants, hospitals, universities and research labs, but not nuclear fuel or weapons material. (AP)

States are responsible for handling low-level radioactive waste produced within their own borders, but space for it is limited. And the three disposal sites for it in the U.S. don't take all kinds of materials within the low-level category or can only take waste from certain states. That leaves 36 states without a permanent storage place.

Controversy had surrounded the proposal in part because the dump, set to open by year's end, was conceived and built to take waste from only two states—Texas and Vermont. Opponents also note that the site is near the Ogallala aquifer that provides drinking water to several states. Texas regulators already deemed the site safe, and thus granted a license for the project. The state will receive a cut of disposal fees as well as a $136 million fund to help pay for any future liabilities, he added.

The commissioners agreed to reserve 20% of the space for Vermont. (WSJ, 1/5/2010)

Court Gives Texas Temporary Greenhouse Gas Reprieve

2011-01-03T18:42:00.000-07:00

The US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit temporarily blocked EPA's plan to strip the state of GHG permitting authority. The court agreed to an emergency request by Texas officials to stay "pending further order of the court" EPA's plan to take over GHG permitting responsibility from the TCEQ.

According to the judges:

"The purpose of this administrative stay is to give the court sufficient opportunity to consider the merits of the emergency motion for a stay and should not be construed in any way as a ruling on the merits of that motion,"

They directed EPA to respond to Texas' request by Thursday and for Texas officials to file any reply to that response one day later. Just before Christmas, as it announced new GHG rules, EPA also said it planned to assume responsibility for Texas' greenhouse gas-related permitting January 2. Texas AG Greg Abbott and Gov. Rick Perry have been on an anti-EPA rampage lately, filed several lawsuits to block EPA action against Texas. The recent stay came a day after a New Orleans-based federal appeal court rejected Texas's request to stall the agency's plans. (Frank Maisano)

More on EPA Versus Texas on Climate Change Reg Fight

2010-12-27T16:37:00.001-07:00

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is taking control of carbon-emission rules in Texas after Governor Rick Perry rejected new federal regulations intended to combat climate change. The EPA will decide directly on greenhouse-gas permits for companies seeking to build or upgrade power plants and oil refineries in Texas. The EPA’s nationwide carbon rules, imposed under the Clean Air Act, take effect January 2, 2011. Texas is the only state that has refused to implement the new rules.

AAEA supports EPA's regulation of greenhouse gases. We believe the rules can lead to increased job creation via innovative methods and technologies. These standards will help American companies attract private investment to the clean energy upgrades that make our companies more competitive and create good jobs here at home.

Texas critics believe the rules are unnecessarily burdensome mandates on the state’s energy sector and threatens hundreds of thousands of Texas jobs. Business groups such as the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and Republicans and some Democrats in Congress are pushing to halt the EPA’s authority over greenhouse gases.

The EPA’s rules are set to start 13 months after the agency declared carbon-dioxide emissions a danger to public health and welfare. The EPA’s “endangerment finding” followed a Supreme Court ruling in 2007 that the agency has the authority to regulate carbon emissions under the Clean Air Act.

According to EPA, most states are prepared to grant the permits starting Jan. 2. Seven have agreed to have the agency issue permits while they revise their programs to accommodate the new rules.

According to Texas EPA, Texas emits about 11 percent of U.S. greenhouse-gas emissions, more than any other state. If Texas were a country it would be the world’s eighth-largest polluter. According to the San Francisco-based Sierra Club, Texas is home to about a fourth of U.S. oil refining capacity and has more coal-fired electrical capacity than any state in the U.S.

The EPA remains in talks with Texas and views federal control of greenhouse-gas permits in the state as a temporary arrangement.

The EPA will propose new standards for utilities by July and for oil refineries by December. Those rules will be made final for power plants by May 2012 and for refineries by November 2012, she said.

The EPA officials said today it’s too early to know what the new rules, known as “new source performance standards” for pollutants under the Clean Air Act, will entail. (Bloomberg Business Week, 12/27/2010)

2010-12-07T18:45:00.000-07:00

Texas is making improvements toward sustainability all over the state in education, energy and the environment. Are you doing your part? Get Active. Go Green!

Education

Beginning in January, 2011, the University of Texas at Arlington will offer a Master of Science in Sustainability program in its downtown Dallas location. The one year, 36-hour program, targeted to attorneys, architects, government employees and educators, will focus on the green building (LEED) project, the Energy Star program and high-density development. Full story at UTA.

Environmental

Through a partnership between the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality and the University of North Texas in Arlington, four air quality monitors will be installed in North Texas to check for pollution from gas drilling. Full story at TCEQ.

Energy

According to a recent report by the Dallas Morning News, electricity prices across Texas are finally below the national average. Now, you can shop for less expensive energy! Full story at Power to Choose.

Get Active. Go Green! with delmetria millener, a freelance writer based in Texas. Contact her at thawriter@thawriter.biz.

Heal Holiday Depression Naturally

2010-11-23T13:55:00.004-07:00

The holiday season is a time of love and happiness, joy and peace—a joining of family and friends, eating, celebration and sharing. However, for some people it can also be a time of depression and desolation. People who suffer from what experts refer to as "holiday depression" battle during the holidays with financial burdens, loneliness, unrealistic expectations, stress, fatigue, nostalgia, anxiety and other psychological factors.

But there are cures—natural cures—that not only help heal holiday depression, but prevent the disorder from returning each year. These natural remedies can also be used throughout the year anytime stress, anxiety or depression becomes an issue. These remedies are easy to pull off and do not require much preparation or activity.

To start, make sure you are eating an abundance of colorful, fresh fruits and vegetables and drinking lemon and water. The sour flavor helps activate the liver which promotes natural healing. Be sure to include green, leafy vegetables like as a nice, big salad with olive oil dressing and drink plenty of water. A spinach salad with walnuts sounds great right about now!

Getting through holiday depression doesn’t stop with what you eat. How you dress, your activities and thought process can also play a part in your high or low mood. To that end, wear bright colors when the weather’s gloomy, volunteer and ease into the holidays with thoughts of helping and hearing other people’s stories—good or bad—because it will allow you to see how valuable your contributions are and that your situation is not always as bad as you think.

During the holidays, depending on your geography, the weather is cool and breezy. So, whenever you can, get outside and take a walk or run. Breathe deeply so the fresh air can generate more oxygen to clear your head.

One thing we all need to do is minimize expectations of family and friends, to avoid unnecessary stress and intensity. Realize that the season is not about what fits your family’s or friends’ image of you and how you’re living. Trying too hard to please or convince your family and friends that you “fit” in some category or image that they have of you can rapidly spiral you into depression

The holidays are the perfect season to catch up on your rest. Getting enough sleep is critical to ending holiday depression because when you’re awake many hours, the liver cannot regenerate like it’s designed to do during late hours.

By all means, avoid consuming too much sugar, refined carbohydrates and empty calorie snacks. Instead, snack on raw vegetables or eat healthy foods you have at home before going to a party so you won’t feel obligated to pile up on energy zapping foods.

Finally, herbs are also a natural way to heal depression. St. John’s Wart and lemon balm are just two of the hundreds of natural, already prepared products that will help restore your energy. A visit to your local, natural food store can help you find out what’s available.

Other Tips:

Take a warm shower with a cold rinse

Get lots of natural light

Laugh a lot to produce hormones that lift your mood

Exercise

Plan for next year (home projects, business projects, etc.)

Write out at least 10 things you plan to accomplish and share with family and friends

Practice postive self-talk

Get Active. Go Green! with delmetria millener, a freelance writer based in Texas. Contact her at thawriter@thawriter.biz.

African American Environmental Association: 25th Anniversary

2010-11-20T09:56:00.001-07:00

PRESIDENT'S CORNER

By Norris McDonald

Today is our 25th anniversary. We was incorporated on November 20, 1985. The African American Environmentalist Association (AAEA) is the outreach arm of the Center for Environment, Commerce & Energy (Center).

You can see a listing of many of our activities during that time at our original website, which we converted to Multiply when the original Msn Groups platform ended). There is more activity information at our History page. My career has been very satisfying. From my beginning in the Fall of 1979 at the Environmental Policy Center (now Friends of the Earth) until today, the adventure has been incredible. I started out in the Washington, D.C.-based environmental movement. Jimmy Carter was president and was just finishing a rough 4-year run. I shook his hand at the Democratic National Convention in New York in 1980 not knowing that Washington was about to get a completely new makeover. The Reagan era was interesting and quite the challenge for the environmental movement. I still remember his 'no standard standard' for appliance efficiency standards. I also remember the Air Florida crash and the Metro subway accident on the day that I was walking back from the U.S. Department of Energy after testifying on appliance standards.

Well, without sounding like the old guy in the room sharing old war time stories that nobody really wants to hear, the situation today is as exciting as ever. We are embarking on trying to build biomass power plants in Mississippi, California and in Kenya. The adventure continues and I am having more fun than ever. Our team is lean and mean and green.

I have kept the AAEA small on purpose and will continue to do so. I almost died from respiratory failure in 1991 and 1996 (intubated for 4 days in ICU each time). After getting divorced and full custody of my son when he was 2 years old, I decided that I wanted to stick around to see my son grow up. But I also wanted to continue with my entrepreneurial environmentalism. So keeping it small worked. Although I still struggle with a chronic acute asthma that could kill me any day, my son is now 18 and I am still 'doing my green thing.' Life is good. Hey, and we just opened a new Center Hollywood blog this week (Also see AAEA Hollywood). Oh, and if you're feeling generous, feel free to click on our Donation button on our sites.

Texas v. Lisa P. Jackson Over Carbon Dioxide Regulations

2010-10-11T14:05:00.003-07:00

Texas is resisting the Environmental Protection Agency's decision to regulate carbon under the clean air laws of the 1970s. EPA is also threatening to punish Texas and other states that do not comply with the CO2 reduction program with a de facto moratorium on any major energy or construction projects. Under the Clear Air Act, the EPA's national office chooses priorities, but state regulators run the programs and issue the necessary permits. When orders from HQ change, as with carbon over the last year, states get three years to revise their "implementation plans." But in August, EPA decided that the law posed too long a wait and decreed that if these plans aren't updated by an arbitrary January 2011 deadline, that EPA will override the states and run the carbon permitting process itself.

Texas believes this coercion is illegal and that EPA cannot usurp the law's statutory language about the federalist balance of power between Washington and the states. Texas filed an unusual lawsuit last week with the D.C. appeals circuit calling it an "ultra vires" act—literally, "beyond the powers"—and requesting an emergency stay of the EPA's regulations because of the imminence of irreparable harm.

No major construction project in America can go forward without EPA air quality and pollution permits. Texas believes that EPA's decision to strip permitting authority from the states is equivalent to a ban on major construction or building expansion—not merely Texan refineries but any kind of carbon-heavy utility, industrial production, manufacturing plant or even large office buildings. The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, the state EPA branch, estimates that 167 current state projects would have to be junked in 2011, more after the first year. (WSJ, 10/10/2010)

Remembering Environmental Justice Legend Dana Alston

2010-08-09T09:26:00.001-07:00

Dana Alston was 47 years old when she died 11 years ago on August 7, 1999.

Dana Alston, left, was a leader of the original environmental justice movement that started in the 1980's. She was one of the organizers of the first National Environmental Justice Leadership Summit in 1992. She participated in the meetings to convince the U.S. EPA to open an Office of Environmental Justice. She was a committed environmental justice activist and the movement clearly benefited from her leadership. We remember you Dana. And we will never forget you.

Dana Alston received a Bannerman Fellowship in 1992 in recognition of her leadership in the development of the environmental justice movement. The Bannerman Fellowship Program was founded in 1987 on the belief that the most effective approach to achieving progressive social change is by organizing low-income people at the grassroots level. In 2002, the Fellowship Program was renamed the Alston/Bannerman Fellowship Program in honor of Dana Alston.

Dana died on August 7, 1999 at California Pacific Medical Center in San Francisco. Dana was a native of New York and lived in Washington, D.C. She was in San Francisco for treatment of kidney disease and consequences of a stroke when she died.

Her son, Khalil Alston-Cobb, now 17, resides in Clinton, Maryland. He is (or was at 16) a skateboard enthusiast (see videos). Here is how Khalil describes himself on his MySpace page:

"I like Skateboarding, Playing videogames, listening to music, talking to Gurls, surfing the Web, and Chillin wit the Homies."

Khalil is also on Twitter. He has a great skateboarding video on MonsterArmy.com. He is listed on Children of the Struggle. Dana would be very proud of her teenage son. All who knew her are not surprised that Khalil is an energetic and productive young man.

EPA Disapproves Texas Flexible Air Permit Program

2010-06-30T15:58:00.003-07:00

Today, EPA announced final disapproval of the flexible permit program that the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) had submitted for inclusion in its clean-air implementation plan. EPA has determined that this program does not meet several national Clean Air Act requirements that help to assure the protection of health and the environment. EPA is disapproving the permit program after determining that it allows companies to avoid certain federal clean air requirements by lumping emissions from multiple units under a single “cap” rather than setting specific emission limits for individual pollution sources at their plants.

The Clean Air Act ensures that businesses across the country operate efficiently and cleanly to safeguard public health from harmful levels of air pollution. Under the Act, all states must develop State Implementation Plans for meeting federal requirements to protect public health. Those plans must include an air permitting program to set pollution levels for industrial facilities.

In 1992, EPA approved Texas’ State Implementation Plan but since 1994 the state has submitted over 30 regulatory changes to the air pollution permitting part of the plan. Today’s action represents a final EPA decision to disallow one of the most important changes made by Texas for failing to meet the protective measures of the Clean Air Act.

In September 2009, EPA proposed to disapprove the state's flexible permits program and invited public comment. EPA has carefully reviewed comments and decided to finalize its proposed disapproval of the program. To insure no disruptions for facilities, EPA has reached out to industry, the environmental community and TCEQ to discuss how to convert flexible permits into more detailed permits that comply with the Clean Air Act. One tool proposed by EPA is encouraging flexible permit holders to participate in a voluntary compliance audit program. The program will expedite efforts to identify emission limits, operating requirements and monitoring, reporting and recordkeeping data. Public comment on the proposed audit program closes on July 2, 2010.

On June 16, 2010, the TCEQ approved proposed revisions to the state’s flexible permit rules. The public comment period on the rules package opens on July 2, 2010 and runs through August 2, 2010. The state must then finalize its proposal and submit it to EPA for review. EPA will examine the new rules when submitted but believes that public health and federal law require disapproval of the existing program without further delay.

More about activities in EPA Region 6

America the Beautiful? Not So Much!

2010-04-25T18:06:00.003-07:00

Erykah Badu. In her "Window Seat" video, the neo-Queen stripped naked as she walked along the JFK assassination site in downtown Dallas. According to Badu, she was speaking out against "groupthink," or conforming. The singer further noted on Twitter, "the butt naked truth is powerful America!"

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, PETA. When Golden Girls star, Bea Arthur, died a year ago on April 25, she left money to the animal rights organization in her will. To mark the one-year anniversary of her death, PETA published an ad that features the "Golden Girl" attacking the "Golden Arches," McDonald's, for their refusal to stop their chicken-slaughtering practices.

On Earth Day, April 22, on a full-page in the Chicago Tribune, the ad read, "McCruelty: It's enough to make Bea Arthur roll over in her grave." Arthur was a firm supporter of PETA and animal rights activist.

Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution. In a reality-show format, world-renowned chef and best-selling author, Jamie Oliver, attempts to keep Americans alive by improving our eating habits. By teaching America how to cook and prepare healthier foods, Jamie is on a mission to keep (especially) our youth from dying too soon of heart disease, obesity, diabetes and other diseases related to unhealthy eating habits.

Last week, I visited a park with a pond that was riddled with pollution. That's the picture that I have shown. Driving down the street, the expressways are bumper-to-bumper with only one person in each car, all going the same way. Animals are being cloned and treated cruelly, foods are being genetically modified and salt and sugar is abundant in everything because Americans are spoiled, greedy, overindulgent brats.

As I look around at all the unneccesary pollution, poison and savagery, I wonder, how can anyone with a clear conscious treat where they live like we do and not feel "funny" about it?

Seeing such blatant disrespect for Mother Earth gets under my skin like almost nothing else. Like the others, in my capacity as the Texas director of the African American Environmentalist Association, I'm taking on an environmental cause with a fierce vengence.

As a writer, it is my job, my duty and my responsibility to report news and information. I'm obligated to tell the facts and not make shit up. Therefore, in honor of Mother Earth's 40th year, I. will. take. my. pen, and. I. will. write.

I will tell the truth, no matter how harsh. I will reveal the truth no matter how insensitive it may sound. I will appeal to my colleagues and other writers to help me with my mission, and I will cause change. This is my cause. I am an advocate.

Finally, I loved and "got" Erykah's video; I applaud PETA and Bea in life and death and I strongly support Jamie. But for those of you that turned your nose up in disgust at Erykah, rolled negativity off your tongues at PETA or dismissed Jamie as rubbish, *eff u!*

I challenge you to discover something that you're the utmost passionate about; something so meaningful that it keeps you up at night thinking of ways to change it, challenge it, revise it or amend it, and tell me what extremes would you be willing to go, to resolve it.

Revolution. Start yours because I'm starting mine—Get Active. Go Green!

Make Earth Day Last All Year Long! Get Active. Go Green!

2010-03-31T23:06:00.008-07:00

As part of our environmental responsibility, by recycling, reusing, reducing and educating, we are protecting and restoring the Earth’s resources. Do your part to help make Earth Day last all year long!

To enter my "Green Week" contest, meet me each week to donate as many used books and magazines that you can find around your home or office to recycle!

Attach your name, contact information and the week's Green Blog topic to your donation. The person that donates the most will win their choice of a FREE writing coaching session, FREE editing or a FREE writing project!

Meet me in Dallas each Wednesday at TBAAL (The Black Academy of Arts & Letters), located on the corner of Akard and Canton between 6 p.m. and 7 p.m. Or, meet me in McKinney each Thursday at the Starbucks on the corner of Custer and Eldorado between 6 p.m. and 7 p.m. (Disclaimer: TBAAL and Starbucks are not affiliated with this contest.)

April 1st marks the beginning of Earth Month. Like last year, I'm reminding you that April is Earth Month, and April 22nd is Earth Day! I hope that you spent the entire year making small lifestyle changes that will make a huge, positive impact on Planet Earth.

This year marks the 40th anniversary of Earth Day. For the past 365 days, you've been taking action to save the Planet. To celebrate, make of list of exactly what you did to clean up the Earth.
Are you embarrassed by your lack of effort? Are you proud of the small, but significant effort you put forth? Did your small deeds turn to big deeds until eventually they became part of your lifestyle? Who else did you try to educate? Are you eager to do more?

Whatever you did, there are so many more ways to help save our planet. As a booster, I've made a list to get you started or keep you advocating:

Get Involved. Go Green!

www.earthday.org/arts

http://www.earthday.net/

http://www.earthdaytexoma.org/

Get Educated. Go Green!

http://www.earthday.wilderness.org/

http://www.earth911.com/

www.dallascityhall.com/sanitation/recycling.html

http://www.epa.gov/

Get Conscious. Go Green!

http://www.ecofashionworld.com/

http://www.latricedesigns.com/

www.vegweb.com/composting

www.thegreenparent.com/2008/04/21/green-food-for-green-pets/

www.carbonfootprint.com/minimisecfp.html

Get Well. Go Green!

www.localharvest.org/csa

http://www.goveg.com/

http://www.indigo-amber.com/

http://www.dinahdaniel.com/

Get Savvy. Go Green!

http://www.robinwilsonhome.com/

http://www.theneststore.com/

http://www.greenirene.com/

http://www.greenshopper.com/

http://www.bagsontherun.com/

These and many other such efforts will not only positively impact your daily lifestyle by saving you money, food, paper and other resources, they will protect our planet!

Get Active. Go Green!

"TEXAS TOUGH: The Rise of America's Prison Empire"

2010-03-16T17:29:00.006-07:00

By Robert Perkinson (Metropolitan Books - March 2010)

The United States of America, land of the free, imprisons a greater share of its people than any other country, about 1 out of every 100 adults. On any given day, some 2.4 million people are incarcerated, more than the populations of Boston, D.C., and San Francisco combined. But despite the magnitude of imprisonment, the story of how one state came to dominate criminal-justice practices nationwide has never been told.

Covering 150 years of American history, Robert Perkinson’s "TEXAS TOUGH: The Rise of America’s Prison Empire" (Metropolitan Books; on sale: March 16, 2010) is a sweeping account of race, politics, and imprisonment from slavery to the present, with an emphasis on the country’s most locked-down, politically influential state: Texas. With its expansive territory that stretches from South to West, its racially mixed demographics, and its uniquely turbulent history, Texas has played the vanguard role in America’s punitive revolution: from assembly-line executions to isolation supermaxes, from prison privatization to sentencing juveniles as adults. While previous histories have emphasized the North’s rehabilitative approach to criminal justice, this is but a fraction of the story. It is the retributive and profit-driven regime of the South that has ultimately triumphed, and a plantation-based penal system once dismissed as barbaric has become the template for the nation.

Most provocatively, Perkinson argues in TEXAS TOUGH that just as convict leasing and segregation emerged in response to Reconstruction, so today’s mass incarceration, with its vast racial disparities, must be seen as a backlash against civil rights. A Southern style of punitive justice has become increasingly dominant as the nation’s politics have swung to the right. Based on a decade of archival and legal research—plus hundreds of interviews with prisoners, guards, activists, judges, and politicians—TEXAS TOUGH illuminates for the first time the origins of America’s prison juggernaut. At stake is not just the fate of those living behind bars but the vitality of the country’s democratic ideals.

Robert Perkins
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Robert Perkinson, left, is a professor of American Studies at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. His writing has appeared in The Nation, The Progressive, and Boston Review, among others. Texas Tough is his first book. He lives in Honolulu, Hawaii. TEXAS TOUGH: The Rise of America’s Prison Empireby Robert Perkinson ISBN-10: 0-8050-8069-8. ISBN-13: 978-0-8050-8069-8$35.00, March 16, 2010Metropolitan Books/Henry Holt and Company

Texas Tough: The Rise of America's Prison Empire
Robert Perkinson, Author and Professor of American History at University of Hawaii

The Tea Party Movement & The Environmental Movement

2010-02-08T11:21:00.005-07:00

The first Tea Party Convention in Nashville, Tennessee was broadcast on C-SPAN and the attendees looked to be all White. They even bemoaned the lack of minority participation and cited Blacks hither and yon who are participants. It reminded us of the Environmental Movement. Highly racially segregated yet pointing out 'hither and yon' participation. The Environmental Movement is privately proud of its exclusive make up. It makes us wonder if the Tea Party Movement is secretly proud of its elitist status too. Oh they do the 'corn pone' but we know all about that kind of corn bread. Sarah Palin was their keynote speaker at the end of the conference.

Interesting that the Environmental Movement has racial segregation in common with the Tea Party Movement. Yet they both give empty lip service to 'wanting' minority participation. Welcome to far left and far right racial hypocrisy. Do you have to drink the Kool-Aid to participate? Of course you do. We are wary of both of these movements because they have zero interest in Black communities. In fact, they do not even want to acknowledge the existence of these neighborhoods. Except in some sort of abstract way, as in they don't go there but surely some sort of 'program' can address the needs of 'those people.' We prefer President Barack Obama and former President George W. Bush to these exclusive movements. At least those presidents let us in the door in high-level positions. And acknowledge our existence. Even the GOP recruited Micheal Steele. So don't go thinking you are 'all that' Tea Party Movement. Neither you nor your step sister the Environmental Movement are 'all that' to us.

The Mickey Leland Environmental Internship Program

2010-02-08T10:35:00.000-07:00

Norris McDonald & Mickey Leland, 1982
The Mickey Leland Environmental Internship Program provides summer internship opportunities for minorities, women, and economically disadvantaged students pursuing environmental, engineering, science-related, and public administration careers at colleges and universities across the United States. The program was established in 1992 by the Texas Water Commission (a predecessor agency to the TCEQ) in partnership with the Texas Water Development Board, the Texas General Land Office, the Texas Chemical Council, the Texas Council of the American Electronics Association and numerous private corporation.

The purpose of the program is to expose undergraduate and graduate students to environmental issues and provide them with opportunities to gain professional experience.
The program honors the late U.S. Congressman Mickey Leland's effective efforts to promote a clean and healthy environment. Congressman Leland was killed in a plane crash on August 7, 1989, en route to Ethiopia on a mission as Chairman of the U.S. House of Representatives Select Committee on Hunger. Leland's environmental commitment is well documented. He was most noted for his contributions as a member of the Subcommittee on Health and Environment. He emphasized and demonstrated the importance of heightened awareness and involvement of minority participation in the protection of public health and environmental issues and consistently addressed public health issues related to the minority community.

Students interested in participating in the Mickey Leland program must have completed at least 60 undergraduate semester hours at the end of the most immediate past Fall semester or be a current graduate student enrollee. Candidates must be enrolled full time during the current Spring semester and have a minimum academic grade point average of 2.0 on a 4.0 scale at the time of application.

The official deadline for submitting the application and supporting documents will be April 1, 2010. Interested intern candidates should submit an application form.

AAEA President McDonald, pictured above with Mickey Leland in 1982, organized the first Congressional Black Caucus Energy Braintrust in cooperation with the congressman's office. (Texas Commission on Environmental Quality)

New Book on Environmental Justice By Dorceta Taylor

2009-11-23T06:21:00.000-07:00

A new book from a University of Michigan professor explores how the centuries-old connections between racism and the environment in American cities.

"The Environment and the People in American Cities, 1600s-1900s: Disorder, Inequality, and Social Change" was written by Dorceta Taylor, left, a professor at the School of Natural Resources and Environment and director of an institute studying the issue of environmental justice its modern context. Duke University Press plans to release the book this month.

"The Environment and the People in American Cities" provides a sweeping and detailed examination of the evolution of American cities from Colonial New York and Boston to recent urban planning and labor reform efforts, outlining the rise of problems like overcrowding, pollution, poverty and epidemics and connecting them to systemic environmental racism and other forms of environmental inequities.

In its coverage of race, class and gender inequalities, the book includes a dimension missing from other academic books on environmental history. Professor Taylor adds to current research on the subject by exploring the emergence of elite reformers, the framing of environmental problems and the responses to perceived breakdowns in social order. By focusing specifically on cities, she offers important clues to understanding the evolution of American environmental activism.

Beyond the contribution to historical literature on the subject, Professor Taylor connects her findings to current issues in environmental policy. The book grew out of an undergraduate class on environmental politics Professor Taylor taught more than a decade ago. After finding no books or articles examining race, class or gender and the environment in a historical context, she decided to write her own. The project eventually grew into two books.

While all-male expeditions and solitary males who retreat to the woods for months or years at a time are idealized in many environmental history accounts, the urban activists receive no such acclaim or glory," she said, noting that female, working class and ethnic minorities were active in environmental activism and affairs. "In the city, the classes, races and genders interacted with each other to create a kind of environmentalism that was very fluid and dynamic.

Throughout her analysis, she connects social and environmental conflicts of the past to those of the present. She describes the displacement of people of color for the production of natural open space for the white and wealthy; the close proximity between garbage and communities of color in early America; the "cozy" relationship between middle-class environmentalists and the business community; and resistance to environmental inequalities from residents of marginal communities.

Get Active. Go Green! The Benefits of Virtual Meetings

2009-11-22T19:09:00.006-07:00

If you operate a small or home-based business and find yourself driving all over the city for meetings or workshops, you should consider attending virtually. While the idea is still new for some, for others, meeting online, over the phone, via Web cam, or chat room is more than just convenient, it's a new way of life! Not only are virtual meetings cost-effective, more importantly, they reduce your carbon footprint and you help save the planet!

In some cases, it is important to meet with someone face-to-face. If it's your first time meeting a client, meeting in person is necessary to establish a rapport with the person you'll be doing business with, and to gauge whether a trustworthy relationship can be established.

However, there is nothing you can accomplish meeting in person that you can't accomplish virtually. All you have to do is make sure you have a few pieces of necessary office equipment that you would need regardless to run an effective home-based or small business.

For example, if you prefer looking at the person or people you're meeting with, a Web cam might be necessary. Also, make sure you have a good phone with conferencing, hands-free and muting capabilities. For documents that might need your signature right away, a good scanner and/or fax machine will make it possible to give your written approval.

Next, you want to make sure you have good Internet connection and workspace, and be sure that files and other documents you might need are within your reach. Extras like a copier can help you execute and return documents more efficiently. Finally, you'll need the obvious, a desktop or laptop computer with the latest software to make your virtual meeting experience a breeze and a professional success!

In the end, you'll be able to add up all the gas, energy, time, money and Earth you'll save!

Get Active. Go Green! As part of our environmental responsibility, we make Earth Day last all year long! Do your part--visit often for green education and awareness. delmetria millener is the Texas director of the African American Environmentalist Association.

Official First Family Photograph

2009-10-24T08:04:00.000-07:00

The Obamas in the Green Room, Sept. 1, 2009, with Sasha, second from left, and Malia, right. (Annie Leibovitz for the White House)

Administrator Lisa P. Jackson, Remarks to the National Asssociation of Black Journalists

2009-08-10T14:34:00.002-07:00

Excerpts:

Will the millions of green and clean energy jobs being promised reach the black community? And the answer to that question is, “Yes – they have and they will.”

One of my African American colleagues told me about how, every year as winter was coming, his grandmother would get up on a chair and put up plastic sheeting over the windows.

She didn’t say she was “greening her home.”
She didn’t say she was “weatherizing the house.”
She didn’t call herself an “environmentalist.”

From her perspective, she was just keeping out the cold and saving money on the oil bill. But the issues that we label “environmentalism” were an important part of her life. This disconnect is a significant challenge. But it’s also one of our greatest opportunities.

Today, the inauguration of the first African American president, and my confirmation as the first African American Administrator of this Agency, has begun the process of changing the face of environmentalism in our country.

FULL SPEECH

Remembering Congressman Mickey Leland - 20 Years Later

2009-08-08T08:59:00.003-07:00

Reprinted courtesy Alison Leland, State Senator Rodney Ellis & Houston Chronicle
Aug. 6, 2009

"20 Years After Death, Let’s Remember Leland’s Legacy"

Twenty years ago our city, our nation and much of the world waited for word on the fate of the missing delegation led by Congressman Mickey Leland. The delegation was on the way to oversee the delivery and distribution of essential supplies to famine-stricken Ethiopia. After an international search effort, we learned that his plane had crashed, killing the congressman, congressional staff members, USAID staff and American and Ethiopian supporters.

Today, as he is missed and remembered, many of his passions and causes live on.

Although he loved Houston, Leland's efforts, vision and the size of his heart could not be confined to the boundaries of his congressional district or this nation. Leland understood that the struggle for basic human rights — food, clothing, shelter and health care — was necessarily a global one. Leland dedicated his life to giving back; championing the causes of the poor and disempowered.

As an activist, long before he ran for elected office, Leland set up free health clinics in areas of Houston where residents previously had little to no access to health care. He continued the fight in the Texas Legislature and in Washington for those less privileged, on issues such as alleviating hunger and poverty, protecting civil rights and expanding access to health care. We are still fighting all these battles today

One of the issues most associated with Leland is the often neglected issue of hunger. He pushed for the creation of, and eventually chaired, the Select Committee on Hunger in Congress. But he always linked hunger and health care as basic human rights.

He passed a bill in the Texas House to give access to generic drugs to low-income people. He fought for universal access to health care before most considered it a serious possibility. And now, as President Obama has put health care reform on the top of his legislative agenda, there is the possibility to achieve one of Leland's greatest goals: universal health coverage.

Nobody should be forced to make the difficult choice of paying bills or taking a sick child to the doctor. And yet one in four Texans — Texas has the highest rate of uninsured in the nation — must routinely make that choice. Leland desperately wanted us to understand that in a nation of abundance, people should not be turned away from medical treatment simply because they are less privileged. He fought until the end, against incredible odds, because he believed that working together for a just cause, we can all make a difference. His untimely death robbed us of a friend and champion, but his purpose and legacy endure.

As we commemorate Leland's life on the 20th anniversary of his passing, let us rededicate ourselves to the values of compassion, courage, and advocacy that he exemplified. Let us resolve that we will push for a health care system that provides quality and affordable health care to all Americans.

We can think of no better way to honor Leland's life and legacy.

Alison Leland is a professor of political science at the University of Houston and widow of former Congressman Mickey Leland. Ellis, a Democrat, represents Senate District 13 in Houston and served as Leland's chief of staff. (Houston Chronicle, 9/8/09, Photo Courtesy Houston Chronicle)

Note: AAEA President Norris McDonald organized the first Energy Braintrust for the Congressional Black Caucus on behalf of the late Congressman Mickey Leland in 1982. Photo below.

Green Business Practices at Work

2009-06-26T18:27:00.004-07:00

Green living should be a way of life, not only at home, but at work as well. If you're the person who goes to work, does your job and attends the obligatory company parties and picnics, now is your chance to show everyone at work that there's more to you than just doing your job. Be the first at work to contribute to a healthier environment for generations to come: start a recycling program at work!

Make it part of your company's goals to reduce waste, promote materials recycling and supporting a clean, sustainable and environmentally conscious work environment.

To get started, okay it with your boss to have a chat with the facilities manager or administrator. Schedule a meeting to discuss ways your company can reuse, recycle and reduce.

Once you've set the ground rules, draft a professional, company e-memo urging all employees to participate. Depending on the size of your company, you may even be able to create incentives for employees who successfully participate. Some cost-effective suggestions include:

An extra 15 minutes added to a break or lunch hour
A pass to wear jeans on a day other than Friday
Create a badge or "energy star" that can be worn by the "top sustainer" for a day

Other ideas that may not be as cost-effective, but still reasonable, include:

A pair of free movie passes
Lunch on the company
A paid day off

Regardless, the participation of each employee will not only mean success for your program, but a huge difference in the amount of waste that is hauled to our landfills.

Office Recyclables

GLASS

Clear and colored bottles, jars and other glass
Rinse and throw away caps

ALUMINUM

Clean cans, foil and pie plates
DO NOT recycle aerosol cans or scrap metal

PLASTIC

Throw away caps and recycle bottles and containers
Plates and utensils
Bags and liners

CARDBOARD

Boxes
DO NOT recycle wax or plastic-coated materials

PAPER

Cups and plates
Drawings and plots
Junk mail, catalogs and magazines
Office paper
Newspaper and inserts

Other things you can do to reuse, recycle and reduce:

Turn off overhead lights and use lighting on your desk
Use computers, monitors, printers, fax machines and copiers that are labeled Energy Star
Turn off the lights when you leave the office
Shut down your PC and printers when you leave the office
Minimize the number of documents you print
Edit drafts on-screen instead of printing multiple drafts
Ask customers if they want a receipt (tools like Mint.com track and keep accurate records of spending)

For more tips on how to be more environmentally conscious, visit Get Active. Go Green! Column written by freelance writer, delmetria millener. http://www.thawriter.biz/.

Small Living Makes Giant Strides

2009-06-20T11:45:00.002-07:00

By Shireen Qudosi

Thinking green has spread a new leaf. While in the early stages of green living, eco-friendly decisions centered around what could be different in the home, the trend now is the change your home itself. The small living movement is taking the country by storm, and more and more people are realizing the benefits of compact living for a number of reasons in and in a number of ways.

Whether it’s a boat, mobile, or studio living, majority of Americans are downsizing their dwelling. This in light of the recent recession mixed with a rising awareness to cultivate positive eco-friendly living solutions, has left the market saturated with a number of alternatives to conventional living.

In browsing the net, stories popped up left and right about single Americans who are now looking to live cheaper and more simply. Initially doing it for environmental or fiscal reasons, all of them have attested to finding that a simpler home has somehow translated into a simpler lifestyle - and a simple lifestyle is a happy lifestyle.

There are a number of great sites that can get you started, including my top favorite, Apartment Therapy.

There are a couple of creeping problems with smaller living lifestyles. Whether it’s a room or a whole living space/studio, the obvious issue is space. The easiest way to tackle this problem is through bookshelves.

However, in a smaller space, it's crucial to make use of wall and above-cabinet space. Some clever homes even had bookshelves trailing down each side of the main steps leading from the entrance to the loft. Other clever ideas including using bedroom dividers and utilizing lighting to highlight different room areas.

Despite best intentions, and even some amazingly gosh darn cute homes, there are some problems that keep cropping up with smaller domiciles. As we saw with the articles on living spaces of 250 square feet and 350 square feet, it is possible to live functionally in such a small space. Compared to that 400 square feet seems rather large, but even a room or a studio type home of 400 square feet can have the same heat-rising microwave-effect that exists with even smaller spaces.

Unless your small space has great ventilation and accompanies a cool breeze, chances are you'll be stuck in what will inevitably feel like a pressure cooker. And if you're on the second floor, that dark little cloud is going to start inching closer and closer. With the well-known fact that heat rises, you'll have the added heat headed up your way.

If this miserable existence sounds like your situation, but perhaps not your cup of tea, then your best bet is to get a portable cooler. Portable air conditioners are mobile cooling devices that, unlike central air conditioners, offer spot cooling at a far more cost-friendly rate. For a 400 square foot room, you'd need a cooler with a BTU of 9000 - in which case the Soleus Portable AC should suit you just fine. However, in dryer climates you're better off with an evaporative swamp cooler, such as the Convair.

In addition to salvaging what’s left of your sanity come summer, you’ll have the added benefit of clean purified air, a simple, energy efficient, easy to operate cooling device, mobility and spot cooling, as well as adaptability.

Regardless of which unit you decide is right for you, they all tend to be of a compact design that can be discreetly tucked away when not in use. When they are in use, they'll seamlessly blend into your decor as the trend for most small living quarters tends to be lighter colors with classic lines.

Shireen Qudosi is a green expert working with Air Conditioner Home. A premier online retailer of residential/commercial cooling, Air Conditioner Home is dedicated to raising consumer awareness on green issues & promoting both air purification and eco-friendly cooling.

Make Earth Day Last All Year Long

2009-04-04T09:06:00.008-07:00

As a writer, I try to fuse all of my passions and causes together, and with pen in hand, help educate about important topics like saving our planet.

This month, I want to remind or inform, whichever circumstance fits you, that April is Earth Month and April 22nd is EARTH DAY. In celebration of this day, month and cause, help me make EARTH DAY last all year long by making a few, small lifestyle changes that will make a huge, positive impact on Planet Earth.

Think about your plans to pitch in this month and help salvage our Earth. As an individual, there is so much you can do to help. Will you recyle? Switch from drinking bottle to tap water? Save fuel by car pooling or using public transportation?

Large and small corporations are pitching in also! And with their help, collectively, we can re-build a safer, cleaner environment for generations to come.

One such company, Aveda, is making an impact by donating their salon proceeds to grassroots organizations that protect biodiversity and address environmental issues around the world.

Each year the company's salon and spa professionals, employees and others choose a specific environmental theme to help raise awareness around the issue, cultivate and educate supporters, and contribute funds to dedicated non-profit conservation organizations.

On a day when Aveda salons and spas are normally closed, the company opens for business and contributes all sales from that day to the cause, making their clients and the Earth beautiful at the same time.

You can also start this month by encouraging your employer to contribute to the preservation of our planet. Find out if you can form a committee, then get busy by coordinating the following:

Replace incandescent light bulbs with fluorescent bulbs.

Use less electricity by plugging in to a power strip, then switch it off when you leave your office.

Recycle and decrease paper consumption by editing drafts onscreen.
Become an Energy Star-compliant office

These and other such efforts will not only positively impact your company's bottom line by saving money on energy, paper and other resources, they will protect our planet.

Do your part to help make EARTH DAY last all year long. Visiting Get Active. Go Green! and help save the planet and our youth!

As part of our environmental responsibility, we’re making Earth Day last all year long. By recycling, reusing, reducing and educating, we are protecting and restoring the Earth’s resources. Get Active. Go Green!

Texas Wants FutureGen Project Just Like In Illinois

2009-03-23T06:59:00.004-07:00

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act designates $3.4 billion in federal funding for investment in pioneering clean-coal technology, including power plants that would capture carbon dioxide so only small amounts are released to the atmosphere. The Texas political establishment launched a campaign this month to press Energy Secretary Steven Chu to consider funding a project proposed by Summit Power Group for a site near Odessa, in western Texas.

Another clean-coal project by Tenaska Inc. at a site east of Sweetwater, Texas, also is a contender. A power-plant proposal in Mattoon, Ill., which was a showcase project under a failed Bush administration clean-coal program called FutureGen, also is trying to secure financing and is backed by the Illinois congressional delegation.

The funding comes on the heels of the FutureGen effort, which was stalled last year by then Energy Secretary Samuel Bodman when the estimated cost rose to $1.8 billion. Mr. Bodman said he thought the project had little chance of yielding results. The Energy Department's decision to cancel FutureGen, after many millions of dollars had been spent, was a blow to those who believed the technology would never move forward without strong federal support.

In a letter signed by nearly 100 members of the Texas legislature, Mr. Chu was asked last week to offer federal assistance to the Odessa project. U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison (R., Texas) is also lobbying for the plant, as are more than two dozen members of the Texas congressional delegation. On Friday, Ms. Hutchison said the project would create badly needed jobs and was "critical for the production of clean domestic energy." The Odessa project had lost out under the FutureGen program when it was beaten out by the Illinois site. But its backers believe it stands a strong chance under the new program. At $1.6 billion, the Odessa plant would cost about 10 times as much as a modern gas-fired power plant. (WSJ, 3/22/09)

Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson's Tech Braintrust

2008-09-27T17:27:00.007-07:00

President's Corner: By Norris McDonald

VIDEOS

Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson knows how to put on a forum. She sponsored her 16th forum at the 2008 Annual Congressional Black Caucus Legislative Conference at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C. But don't think that she just goes through the motions. Clearly she orchestrated this event like a maestro. Her staff operated like a finely tuned precision team. They produced art. Thank you.

Congresswoman Johnson met us for Breakfast at 7 a.m. at the Grand Cafe at the Grand Hyatt hotel. She got to know each panelist a little by participating in engaging conversation. This was the first conference for some of the panelists and one would have thought that it was the congresswoman's too based on her enthusiam. The buffet breakfast was excellent too. And to top this off she provided exquisite chaffeured transportation for the panelists to the convention center. She made us feel like stars.

The theme of the Science and Technology Braintrust was "Today's Technology for Tomorrow's Environment." Congresswoman's Bernice Johnson's statement:

Thank you for attending the 2008 Congressional Black Caucus Foundation's Science and Technology Braintrust. As a senior member on the House Committee on Science & Technology, I am dedicated to diversifying our domestic workforce in fields such as science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).

Exchanging ideas and engaging in a dialogue is essential in recruiting and developing our next generation of STEM professionals. During this year's S&T Braintrust we will examine the next generation of environmental technology.
It is my hope that today's discussion will inspire our next generation of scientists to pursue careers in the STEM fields.Your participation is key for a successful Braintrust. I believe that today's discussions will spark imaginations and leave each of us with a new viewpoint.

The panelists included (in order of presentation):

Sheryl Lee Ralph, Actress and education advocate
Norris McDonald, President, African American Environmentalist Association
Miquela Craytor, Executive Director, Sustainable South Bronx
Miranda Anderson, Director of Corporate Affairs for Sustainability, Wal-Mart
Bob Langert, V.P. of Corporate Social Responsibility, McDonald's
Curtis Etherly, V.P. of Public Affairs, Coca-Cola

Congresswoman Johnson recruited about 40 high school students to attend the forum.
They were bright eyed, enthusiastic and asked interesting questions. Sheryl Lee Ralph provided an inspirational message to them and they responded accordingly. They rushed the stage after the presentation to meet her. She was very accomdating and patiently engaged each and every student who approached her. It is also interesting that Ms. Ralph costarred in "The Distinguished Gentleman" with actor Eddie Murphy, which was based in Washington, D.C. with Mr. Murphy playing a congressman.

The forum was well attended with a standing room only packed house. After the forum, the congresswoman's militarily efficient staff herded us back to our transportation at the front of the convention center and we were wisked to The Willard Hotel for a fabulous lunch sponsored by Texas Instruments and a presentation on, "Dropouts, Diplomas, and Dollars-U.S. High Schools and the Nation's Economy," by former West Virginia Governor Bob Wise.

All-in-all it was a wonderful event. I attended my first CBC conference in 1979 and I organized the first Energy Braintrust for the late Congressman Mickey Leland. But this was far and away the best event I have ever participated in at a CBC conference. Thank you Congresswoman Johnson.

I am pictured with Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson, top, and actress Sheryl Lee Ralph, bottom.

In Memoriam: Robert J. Knox

2008-09-15T03:54:00.003-07:00

Bob Knox was a friend and inspiration to AAEA as he was to many other institutions and people all over the country.

Robert J. Knox was a founding Deputy Director and former Acting Director of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Office of Environmental Justice(OEJ). Mr. Knox was an engineer by training and he began his career in Region 4 as a manpower development specialist working on water related issues. He moved to Region 2 where he led manpower and training programs.

In the early 1980s he served as the Director of the Office of Civil Rights. Thereafter, he was the Hazardous Waste Ombudsman for OSWER. When the Office of Environmental Justice was formed in 1992, he served as the founding Deputy Office Director with Dr. Clarice Gaylord, then OEJ Director. Bob spent his last 12 years in EPA working on community engagement activities. Bob retired from EPA in December 2004. In his retirement, he began taking coursework toward a masters degree from Howard University's School of Divinity. He was also a former deacon at the Gethsemane Baptist Church.

AAEA on Eddie Bernice Johnson Science/Technology Braintrust

2008-09-13T09:30:00.002-07:00

On September 26th, Congresswoman Johnson (D-TX), left, a long-time member of the House Science Committee, will host the Science and Technology Braintrust. The Braintrust is a panel discussion that is part of a larger event called the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation's Annual Legislative Conference. This year's Braintrust will focus on the technology of energy and environmental conservation. We will discuss sustainability from the academic-, corporate-, and federal perspectives as well as the education and skills needed for students of color to pursue careers in these areas.

Event: Science & Technology Braintrust: How Science is Saving the Environment. A panel discussion on novel efforts to promote sustainability, and the science behind the efforts.Date: Friday, September 26, 2008, from 9-noonPlace: Washington, D.C. Convention Center, Room 149-AAudience: Approximately 100. Many will be school children from the D.C. area, and there will also be federal agency officials, nonprofit leaders, and other policy leaders.

Panelists:

- Sheryl Lee Ralph - Actress and education advocate

- Norris McDonald - President, African American Environmentalist Association

- Miquela Craytor - Executive Director, Sustainable South Bronx

- Miranda Anderson - Director of Corporate Affairs for Sustainability, Wal-Mart

- Bob Langert - Vice President of Corporate Social Responsibility, McDonald's

- Donald Foley - Executive Director, Progressive Automotive XPRIZE- DC

- Area Schools

Moderator:- Cynné Simpson - Anchor, ABC7/WJLA-TV

EPA Denies Texas Renewable Fuel Standard Exemption Request

2008-08-07T11:29:00.004-07:00

EPA announced on August 7 it will not relax the standard for ethanol to be added to gasoline. Texas Governor Rick Perry petitioned the EPA in late April to grant a 50% waiver on the nation's Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS), which calls for 9 billion gallons of corn-based ethanol to be added to gasoline supplies this year. This ruling rejects the general belief that ethanol production from corn is artificially raising food prices. Critics believe ethanol production has contributed to raising food prices. The EPA acknowledged that the RFS has resulted in a rise in corn feed prices, but said the mandate has only added 7 cents to each bushel.

The Energy Policy Act of 2005 RFS required 5.4 billion gallons of renewable fuel in 2008. The Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 increased the standard to 9 billion gallons in 2008, with annual increases to 36 billion gallons required in 2022. However, Section 211(o)(7) offers a safety valve - a construct familiar to many energy and environmental statutes. The economic harms flowing from an inadequate supply of ethanol were intended to be the basis of a waiver. Because supply concerns have placed undue pressure on food prices, the case has been made for a waiver, and it would have been within EPA's clear discretion to have granted the waiver request in whole or in part. The RFS is designed to expand annual biofuel use to 36 billion gallons by 2022 with 21 billion gallons from switch grass, wood chips, municipal garbage, and other cellulosic sources.

Commitment to Earth

2008-05-20T20:58:00.001-07:00

Earth Month has come and gone. Environmental activism was a hot topic from Earth Hour on March 29th through the end of April. However, since it’s gone—now what?

Do we put away our reusable shopping bags and go back to plastic? Start buying bottled water again? Stop ride-sharing? Of course not! Even though the day is gone, with pollution on the rise and earth’s resistance to it on the decline, we still need to take charge and do something to help save our planet.

Expanding everyone’s awareness of this important cause is critical to our future and the well-being of the entire planet. In honor of Earth Day—everyday—we're asking people to commit to continuing your part in reducing your carbon footprint.

Visit Web sites like SarasNow, EarthEasy or The Neststore to find out what you can do to help save our planet.

As part of our environmental responsibility, we’re making Earth Day last all year long. By recycling, reusing, reducing and educating, we are protecting and restoring the Earth’s resources. Get Active. Go Green.—delmetria millener, thawriter@yahoo.com

Texas Electricity Going Green

2008-03-07T23:38:00.003-07:00

Compare Electricity Rates and Order from Companies like Reliant, TXU, Green Mountain Energy, Commerce Energy, First Choice Power, MXenergy and more!

Texas electricity customers looking to switch to a renewable energy plan can now shop and compare green power at ElectricityTexas.com. Texas' top electricity companies offer several options to purchase clean, pollution-free power derived from 100 percent renewable resources--giving Texans the advantage of going green with environmentally-friendly options at competitive prices.

For customers in areas that do not offer renewable energy plans, the option to purchase Renewable Energy Credits (RECs) is now available. RECs represent one megawatt hour (MWh) of renewable electricity generated and delivered on the grid. ElectricityTexas customers can offset all or a portion of their energy usage by purchasing RECs. Consumers will get the opportunity to purchase RECs and offset their energy consumption after ordering service from a non-renewable electricity provider through ElectricityTexas.

About ElectricityTexasElectricityTexas is a leading site in the state of Texas for comparing, ordering and connecting electricity service. The deregulated Texas electricity market allows Texans to shop for service by comparing incentives and special offers, prices, energy source options and the background and reputation that each energy company offers. ElectricityTexas customers have options to not only lower their monthly bills, but also the option to purchase renewable or alternative energy as well. ElectricityTexas is a member of the WhiteFence network. (eMediaWire)

Fruit of the Orchard: Environmental Justice in East Texas

2008-03-07T23:18:00.001-07:00

Protect Texas Parks

2008-03-07T23:17:00.000-07:00

Low-Level Nuclear Waste Dump Proposed for West Texas

2008-03-06T21:16:00.001-07:00

Waste Control Specialists (WCS) is requesting a license from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) to build a low-level radioactive waste dump in Andrews County, on the New Mexico border about 130 miles northwest of Midland. WCS, owned by Harold Simmons, wants two licenses to store low-level radioactive material at a 1,300-acre former ranch. Andrews County, which has a population of about 15,000, and the state would each get 5 percent of the gross receipts from the dump operations. A uranium enrichment plant is currently being constructed in New Mexico just across the border from the WCS site.

In October 2007, TCEQ officials issued a draft license that, if made final, would allow WCS to dispose of radioactive waste byproducts, which includes leftover equipment and residue from uranium mining and processing. A draft license triggers a public comment and hearing period that lasts about one year, with a three-member commission deciding whether to issue the license or not. WCS has spent more than four years and tens of millions of dollars seeking to develop the nation's largest private disposal site for low-level radioactive waste. The TCEQ licenses it seeks would allow it to store radioactive materials from Texas and Vermont nuclear power plants (although not the highly radioactive fuel rods), medical and industrial facilities and some federal weapons programs. Public opposition has killed plans to develop publicly run radioactive waste dumps. Byproducts material is less toxic than low-level radioactive waste. (Houston Chronicle)

Clinton & McCain Win Texas Primary: Environmental Issues?

2008-03-05T06:13:00.007-07:00

Senator John McCain secured the Republican nomination for president and Senator Hillary Clinton prevented certain defeat by Senator Barack Obama by winning the Texas primary. How does Hillary Clinton compare to John McCain on enviroment issues?

Clinton has introduced environmental justice legislation in the U.S. Senate and held the first hearing on the issue in the history of the body. McCain has ignored environmental justice as an issue. McCain supports nuclear power and Clinton is 'agnostic' on the technology. Clinton and McCain believe that global warming is a human-caused condition and both have mitigation plans, but McCain has been aggressively promoting climate change legislation for years. McCain supported the Energy Policy Act of 2005 and Clinton opposed it. Both senators were not present for the vote on the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007, which passed 86 to 8 with 6 Not Voting.

AAEA Texas Is Live and Blogging

2008-03-04T11:56:00.000-07:00

delmetria millener here and ready to go. Texas is a big state. And although we are a small but powerful group, we look forward to being your beacon of information about energy and environmental issues in the Lone Star State of Texas.