knú: Sustainable Furniture, as Green as it Gets

Grand Rapids and West Michigan are famous for unique, creative furniture designs. knú takes it a step further, pushing the Midwest furniture industry toward sustainability. From suppliers to manufacturing to online sales, knú is riding the crest of the green wave. It's just like surfing Lake Michigan.

knú has recently partnered with IBM and Shared Vision to create an e-commerce site to sell furniture online; knú will save trees and energy by not producing bulk mail catalogs to clog landfills. An impressive array of designs is produced from Forest Stewardship Council certified sustainably harvested wood products, the legs and hardware of the furniture is made from 40% post-consumer waste recycled (and fully recyclable) steel, and the few plastics used are also fully recyclable.

knú uses very low VOC finishes to reduce toxic air pollution and greenhouse gases. There are no toxic adhesives used in any of furniture.

In addition, the majority of knú's suppliers are local. 90% are within a 50 mile radius of the manufacturing facility, which by the way, uses highly energy efficient f-bay lighting and infra-red heating.

What's really cool is that knú offsets all of its carbon emissions. 100% of their CO2 created by executive air travel, vehicle use, and the electricity and natural gas used in manufacturing is offset by the purchase of renewable energy certificates and investments in renewable energy. There are very few companies doing this so far, knú is leading the way.


The crew at knú are a group of folks you'll wanna sit down and have a brew with. From the top down they are true West Michigan progressive thinkers, environmental activists, wilderness lovers and outdoorsmen. They are also founding members of the newly formed Sustainable Furniture Council, a non-profit coalition of over 40 small furniture companies doing it the green way.

I'm getting sick of the big corporations telling us that they're green, especially when we know they're just trying to force their crap on us. You've gotta look through the green-washing and see the real folks who are really trying. Well here they are, right in your backyard. Check them out at www.getknu.com

We're Headed to Telluride, Baby!!!

I'm leaving for 10 days for Colorado, going to the Telluride Bluegrass Festival.
This year's festival is outrageous!

The line-up includes the Counting Crows, Los Lobos, Allison Kraus, Chick Corea, Emmy Lou Harris, Sam Bush, Bela Fleck, Mike Marshall, Tony Rice and Peter Rowan to name a few. But the real news is that Kalamazoo's own Greensky Bluegrass is going to take the main stage for their first ever appearance after winning last year's new band competition.

Since 2003, the festival has purchased renewable energy - in the form of Renewable Energy Credits (REC’s) - to offset the carbon dioxide (CO2) created by its electricity, diesel and gas consumption. This year they are offsetting 100% of the emissions created, including travel to and from Telluride.

Solaicx has big plans

Just a note to the boys at United Solar Avionics, here comes the competition. Solaicx, a manufacturer of mono-crystalline silicon ingots and wafers for solar photovoltaic applications, has selected Portland, Oregon, as the location for its new silicon manufacturing facility.

Of course, there's plenty of room in the growing solar market. Right guys?

Read More

EPA awards $100,000 environmental justice grant to Cleveland Tenants Organization

The Cleveland Tenants Organization is one of 10 non-profits across the country awarded a $100,000 environmental justice grant by the EPA. This is noteworthy as this is probably the first time the Office of Environmental Justice has ever done anything worthwhile.

The grant is part of EPA's Environmental Justice Collaborative Problem-Solving program that supports environment and public health improvements in low-income communities around the nation. According to a report by the national bar association in 1993, 96% of hazardous toxic waste dumps were in minority own areas. That hasn't changed, the pricks in the Bush administration have done nothing about it.

From the Press Release (caveat emptor): Cleveland Tenants Organization - in conjunction with Environmental Health Watch - plans to reduce exposure to indoor air hazards in low-income, multi-family rental housing. It hopes to accomplish that by conducting educational outreach, performing building inspections, organizing tenants to affect local policy decisions and providing resources such as home visits in Greater Cleveland.

According to Cleveland Tenants Organization Executive Director Michael J. Piepsny, "Greater Cleveland's housing landscape embodies the affordable housing crisis facing our country." There are currently 230,000 rental properties in the Cleveland area, 89 percent of which were built prior to 1979, before laws regulating hazards like lead in paint.

"Deplorable conditions -- disrepair due to aging housing stock, poor management or owner neglect and disregard for building and health codes -- place low-income people at risk for lead poisoning, asthma and other health problems," said Piepsny. "We look forward to working with Environmental Health Watch and EPA to assure that this sensitive population's homes are healthy and safe."

In 2007, EPA awarded $1 million in grants across the country for improving the environment in low income communities. Financial assistance under the Environmental Justice Collaborative Problem-Solving program is available to all non-profit organizations designated by the IRS or recognized by the state, territory, commonwealth or tribe in which it is located.

The purpose of the funding is to assist affected communities so they can develop new approaches to environmental justice issues and to achieve community health and sustainability. Since 1994, EPA's Environmental Justice Collaborative Problem-Solving program has provided more than $31 million in funding to more than 1,100 community-based organizations.

Black Bear Speaks in no way endorses the actions of the EPA as it is currently controlled by the assholes in the Bush Administration. This problem is so monumental and the funds being sent are tiny in comparison. Most likely this program will accomplish nothing until the Bushies are ousted from power.

US/Canadian Study says Lakes Need Help

CHICAGO (June 7, 2007) - U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Environment Canada today released the 2007 State of the Great Lakes Highlights Report at the International Joint Commission meeting in Chicago.

Overall, the chemical, physical and biological integrity of the Great Lakes ecosystem is mixed, with some conditions improving while others are getting worse.

Every two years the Great Lakes community reports on the condition of the Great Lakes ecosystem at the State of the Lakes Ecosystem Conference. The last conference was held Nov. 1-3, 2006, in Milwaukee, Wis. The State of the Great Lakes Highlights Report summarizes the information provided in indicator reports presented at the biennial conference.

The 2007 State of the Great Lakes Highlights Report, for the first time, includes a section on "What is Being Done to Improve Conditions." According to Gary Gulezian, EPA Great Lakes National Program Office Director, "As never before, legislators, managers, scientists, educators and the Great Lakes community are working together to understand and respond to Great Lakes environmental challenges." These efforts to restore and preserve the Great Lakes are spotlighted in the 2007 SOLEC Highlights Report.

The good news is:
*Over the past 30 years there has been a marked reduction in the levels of toxic chemicals in the air, water, flora, fauna and sediment.
*Great Lakes continue to be a good source for treated drinking water.
* In 2005, 74 percent of monitored Great Lakes beaches in the U.S. and Canada were open more than 95 per cent of the swimming season. Wildlife waste can be more of a contributing factor in bacterial contamination than previously thought.
* Air quality is improving, although there still are regional areas that continue to have ozone and smog problems.
* Significant natural reproduction of lake trout is occurring in lakes Huron and Superior.


The bad news is:
* New chemicals of concern, like polybrominated diphenyl ethers (flame retardants) and various pharmaceutical and personal care products are being detected more frequently.
* Decline in contaminant concentrations has not eliminated the need for sport fish consumption advisories.
* Non-native species (zebra mussels, spiny water fleas) continue to invade the Great Lakes and impair the food web.
* Declines in the duration and extent of ice cover on the Great Lakes and declines in lake levels due to evaporation during the winter are expected to occur in future years.
* Continuing wetlands loss and degradation results in loss of habitat for birds, amphibians, fish and wildlife.
* Aquatic habitats on the coasts continue to deteriorate due to development, shoreline hardening and non-native species.

For the State of the Great Lakes 2007 Highlights Report and other documents about Great Lakes indicators and the State of the Lakes Ecosystem Conferences, visit www.binational.net or www.epa.gov/glnpo/solec.

Utter Stupidity Reigns in Washington DC

I am disgusted and appalled that my elected representatives voted in favor of the recent war spending bill. I have completely lost faith in the Democratic Party. They have shown themselves to be toothless, spineless wimps. The citizens of this country have been betrayed by our leadership. Our president is a fool, and our Congress follows him blindly.

What possible reason could anyone have to continue funding this fucking war? What is wrong with these people? Are they blind to the death and destruction? Are they blind to the global hatred of Americans? Are they so deaf and dumb as to actually consider that continued support of the murder and torture of the Iraqi people is justified? What do they think $100,000,000,000 will buy us? More secret prisons where young men are tortured and killed? More bullets to kill innocent children in the streets of Ramadi?

Those who vote for war will not get my vote! I will support those who vote for peace, vote for schools, vote for poverty relief, vote for feeding the hungry, vote for the environment, but never, Never will I support any elected official who voted to continue this war.

Senator Stabenow and Senator Levin should be ashamed of themselves. We should kick them out of office the next chance we get.

Only 13 out of 100 Senators voted against additional war funding. We should drag the other 87 out of their offices out into the street and kick them all in the nuts for being such fucking idiots. It's time we replaced EVERYONE in Washington DC.

Toxic Chemicals in Child Car Seats

Study Shows Chemicals including PVC, Brominated Flame Retardants and Lead May Contribute to Serious Health and Developmental Problems in Children

Best Infant Seats: Graco SnugRide Emerson & EvenFlo Discovery Churchil
Worst Infant Seats: Combi Centre EX Mango & Peg Perigo Primo Vaggio Toffee

Crash tests aren’t the only way to prove the safety of a car seat, according to new research released today by the Ann Arbor-based Ecology Center. The same group that recently released the first-ever consumer guide to toxic chemicals in cars at www.healthycar.org used the same research methodology to give the public similar information about child car seats. Their research shows that brand new car seats are made with several dangerous chemicals that can lead to serious health risks for children.

Beginning today, you can look up which car seats rank the best and worst in terms of toxic chemical content at www.healthycar.org. Anyone looking to buy a new car seat, or wondering if their child’s current car seat is safe, can visit this site and search by model, or comparison shop between different models.

“Car seats save lives. It’s absolutely essential that parents put their children in them while driving,” said Jeff Gearhart, the Ecology Center’s Clean Car Campaign Director. “However, some car seats are safer than others when it comes to chemical composition.”

Chemicals tested for include: bromine (associated with brominated flame retardants); chlorine (indicating the presence of polyvinyl chloride, or PVC and plasticizers); lead; and heavy metal allergens. Such chemicals have been linked to major health problems such as liver, thyroid and developmental problems in children. Children have the highest exposure and are the most vulnerable population in terms of exposure to chemical-laden dust and inhaling toxic fumes, since their systems are still developing.

The Ecology Center tested 62 brand new infant, convertible and booster car seats which are retailed at the #1 babies’ product retailer, Babies “R” Us, and top five retailer Target. While some seats are virtually free of the most dangerous chemicals, others are saturated. To sample the car seats, they used a portable X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) device, which identifies the elemental composition of any material in less than 60 seconds.

The study found that the best seats had no brominated flame retardants, no PVC and low levels of other chemicals tested. Over 40% of seat cushions tested contained no brominated flame retardants and 77% of the seats were free of PVC-plastic. However, over 1/3 of all seats tested had one or more components which contained higher levels of toxic chemicals.

While there are numerous substances in car seats that can lead to health and environmental problems, the Ecology Center selected those with known toxicity, persistence, and tendency to build up in people and the environment. These chemicals included:

Bromine: Associated with the use of brominated flame retardants, BFRs are added to plastics in order to impart fire resistance, but they are released into the environment over the life of the vehicle. Heat and UV-ray exposure in cars can accelerate the breakdown of these chemicals and possibly increase their toxicity. Some BFRs have been associated with thyroid problems, learning and memory impairment, decreased fertility, behavioral changes, and other health problems.

Chlorine: Associated with the use of polyvinyl chloride, PVC is a widely used type of plastic that is of concern to the environment and public health during all phases of its life cycle. PVC contains chemicals called phthalates, some of which have been associated with decreased fertility, pre-term deliveries, and damage to the liver, testes, thyroid, ovaries, kidneys, and blood. There is also evidence that phthalates can pass from mothers to babies through the placenta and through breast milk.

Lead: Lead is sometimes used as an additive in automotive plastics. Exposure can lead to a number of potential health effects including brain damage, and problems with the kidneys, blood, nerves, and reproductive system. It can also cause learning and behavioral problems.

Other: Other chemicals tested as part of healthycar.org include antimony, arsenic, chromium, cobalt, copper, mercury, nickel and tin. The substances in this category are allergens, carcinogens, or cause other adverse health impacts depending on the concentrations and exposure levels.

Arctic Ice Retreating 30 Years Ahead of Projections

BOULDER - Arctic sea ice is melting much more quickly than projected by even the most advanced computer models, a new government funded study has found. Comparing actual ice observations with climate models, the scientists conclude that the Arctic could be seasonally free of sea ice as early as 2020.

Read the rest of this article

Industrial Woodworking Corporation Goes 100% Carbon Neutral

Zeeland, MI, April 12, 2007 – Industrial Woodworking Corporation (IWC) announced today that it has offset its carbon emissions with Carbonfund.org, the country's leading carbon reduction and offset organization. IWC has offset 100% of its emissions from electrical and natural gas use, management's air travel and corporate vehicles. This step highlights IWC's commitment to be a green leader in West Michigan's furniture manufacturing community.

Considering the implications of climate change and the alarming evidence that is currently being presented from the scientific community, IWC sees carbon offsets as a business necessity and a natural extension of its mission.

The move positions IWC's new online, contemporary home office furniture sales company, Knú, as an entirely green and sustainable venture. Knú launches its website in September 2007.

"It is simply unconscionable not to do this," said Brad Davis, CEO of Industrial Woodworking. "It is blatantly obvious that climate change is here now. We must act both on an individual and a business level to lessen our impact on the Earth."

"IWC has been committed to environmental stewardship since we began in 1995,” Davis added. We intend to lead by example, to show the furniture industry and our customers that a company can be very successful when it puts the environment first.”

Carbonfund.org is a non-profit organization whose goal is to make carbon offsets and climate protection easy, affordable and a normal way of life for every individual and business. Carbon offsets enable individuals and businesses to reduce carbon dioxide emissions in one location, where it is cost effective, to offset the emissions they are responsible for in their normal activities, like home, office, driving or air travel emissions. For instance, a clean, zero CO2 wind farm can offset the carbon dioxide produced by a coal-fired power plant. By supporting renewable energy, energy efficiency, and reforestation projects Carbonfund.org will retire an equivalent amount of carbon offsets. The financial support from these offsets will then help to continue the development of clean, renewable domestic sources of energy.

Other Energy Saving Measures at IWC/Knú:
IWC's newest plant addition, which has added over 10,000 square feet to the existing facility, will be using F-Bay fluorescent lighting which uses 30% less energy than traditional metal halide lighting and maintains 89.1% foot candle output over the life of the bulbs which have a 20% longer lifespan. Metal Halide only achieves 70% efficiency. Winter heating is handled by infra-red heaters which use 23% to 25.5% less fuel than conventional forced air heating methods.

IWC's Short Wave Infrared finishing ovens run on electricity, come up to temperature within 5 seconds and use light waves to cure finishes. Other furniture companies use gas fired ovens which can require up to an hour and a half to come up to temperature and then consume energy all day long maintaining that operating temperature.

Additional sustainability information about IWC/Knú:
• IWC has been using sustainably harvested wood products exclusively for many years and only works with suppliers who have a demonstrated commitment to sustainable resources and low impact raw materials.

• Knú's proprietary hardware is made from 40% recycled steel and it is 100% recyclable. Its product's substrate is Forest Stewardship Council Certified Multi-ply Birch which is harvested and reforested using sustainable forestry practices. Its primary suppliers are FSC certified as well.

• All finishing is accomplished with HAPS compliant or waterborne finishes utilizing the lowest volatile organic compound emissions possible.

• Knú does not believe in the marketing of our products using catalogs, all product information will be available in a web only format. Not only does the creation of the catalogs destroy millions of trees annually, the delivery and disposal has an extremely negative effect on the environment.

• All Knú products will be shipped directly to the customer from the place of manufacture thereby greatly reducing the environmental footprint of logistics.

• IWC/Knú is dedicated to the principal "Reduce, Recycle, Reuse." Waste is reduced by mixing the minimum amount of materials needed for use that day, and by utilizing cut-to-size programs. It is for routine for them salvage what would have been trash for use as raw material in other products. Nearly all of the packaging material from incoming shipments is recycled. From cardboard to skids to foam spacers, anything that can be recycled or reused is given a second life, and in some cases is used repeatedly.


About Carbonfund.org
Carbonfund.org is the country's leading carbon reduction and offset organization. Carbonfund.org educates the public about the dangers of climate change and makes it easy and affordable for individuals, businesses and organizations to reduce their climate impact.

Carbonfund.org is reducing the threat of climate change by promoting cost-effective carbon reductions and supporting renewable energy, energy efficiency and reforestation projects globally that reduce and offset carbon dioxide emissions. Carbonfund.org works with over 100 corporate and non-profit partners including the National Wildlife Federation, Dell, IMD, Ovation Travel Group and Working Assets.

Zap's New Solar Powered Pick-Up Truck

Electric car manufacturer and distributor ZAP is introducing its new XEBRA truck featuring a solar panel at the Green California Summit and Exposition in Sacramento, March 13 and 14. According to the Zap press release, the XEBRA Sedans and Trucks with a solar panel option put out 90 percent fewer emissions than gasoline powered vehicles, including those from power plants used to generate the electricity that powers the XEBRA.

ZAP says the solar panel enables short commutes on sunlight alone. The XEBRA truck or sedan travels at up to 40 miles per hour and can go up to 25 miles per charge. Classed as a three wheel motorcycle zero emission vehicle, the XEBRA seats two people.

Streetlegal, XEBRAs sell for $10,000 through a licensed dealer network.

Michigan Energy Company Sued for Mercury Pollution in Canada

DTE is being sued for its role in allegedly polluting the St. Clair River with mercury.

DTE Energy, the parent company of Detroit Edison, operates the St. Clair/Belle River coal-fired power plant complex in Michigan. On average, the facility emits 2,000 pounds of mercury each year.

Scott Edwards, a Canadian citizen and authority on mercury pollution, was in Sarnia court Wednesday charging that the St. Clair/Belle River generating station on the banks of the St. Clair River has been breaching Canada’s Fisheries Act for two years.

Edwards is the legal director for Waterkeeper Alliance, a global coalition of 150 grassroots environmental groups. He is being aided by three other affiliates of Waterkeeper Alliance, Mark Mattson, Doug Chapman and Doug Martz. Mattson is lead investigator and the Lake Ontario Waterkeeper. Doug Chapman is lead counsel and the Fraser Riverkeeper. Martz is the St. Clair Channelkeeper.

More than half of DTE Energy’s mercury emissions land in Canada. When the mercury enters the St. Clair River, it is altered by bacteria into methylmercury which spreads throughout the food chain, altering fish habitat and rendering fish unsafe for human consumption.

Edwards is alleging that DTE’s mercury deposits are illegal under Canada’s Fisheries Act and has launched a private prosecution. Private prosecutions allow any Canadian citizen to independently prosecute offenses in the criminal courts. Fines under the Fisheries Act can range up to $1 million a day.

A test of pollution control technology in 2004 reduced mercury emissions at the St. Clair plant by 94 percent, but at the conclusion of the 30 day test, DTE Energy stopped using the mercury control technology.

“DTE has acted with a blatant disregard for the health and welfare of Canadian citizens and Canadian law,” says Edwards. “My hope is that this prosecution will result in significant reductions in DTE Energy’s mercury emissions and a cleaner and safer St. Clair River.”

DTE Mercury Lawsuits Michigan Ontario Coal PowerPlant StClairRiver

Water Quality Financing Act passes House

The House of Representatives approved HR 720,the Water Quality Financing Act of 2007, on Friday, which will fund a critical part of the effort to clean up the Great Lakes. Clean water is obviously essential to public health and the environment, and this puts us one step closer to cleaning up the mess.

HR 720 authorizes $14 billion over four years for the Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF). The CWSRF provides low-interest loans to construct wastewater treatment facilities and other pollution-abatement projects. The vote count was 303 to 108.

Fully funding the CWSRF has been considered a critical part of the 2005 Great Lakes Regional Collaboration agreement designed to end the flow of wastewater from flowing into the lakes by 2020.

Another water-sources bill (HR 700), which passed, 368-59, on Thursday, authorizes $125 million for local governments, water agencies and non-governmental organizations. See related article below.

technorati: WaterQualityFinancingAct Sewage GreatLakes Michigan

Climate Change: Corporations are Taking the Lead

The following is a list from the WorldWatch Institute examing the efforts and achievements of several large corporations in reductions of energy use and increases in renewable energy use. It seems necessary to continually point out to the right-wing nutjobs out there that corporate actions to combat global warming are saving corporations money by driving their energy costs down. These are just a few of the many examples of positive corporate action being taken on global warming and climate change, there are certainly dozens of more examples. If you find more, please send them to me.

Dupont – Has already achieved its target of reducing GHG emissions 65 percent below 1990 levels; the original target date was 2010. Dupont plans to derive 10 percent of the energy it uses worldwide from renewable sources by 2010.

Silicon Valley – Hewlett-Packard, Oracle, Calpine, Lockheed, ALZA, Life Scan, and PG&E announced in March 2004 a plan to reduce CO2 emissions in Santa Clara County, California, to 20 percent below 1990 levels by 2010. This is triple the goal that the Kyoto Protocol set for the United States as a whole (a 7 percent reduction below total U.S. 1990 emissions levels by 2012). Companies plan to curb their emissions by retrofitting buildings with more efficient heating and cooling systems and insulation; shifting auto fleets to hybrid vehicles; replacing light bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs; and installing motion detectors. They expect all of these changes to be cost-effective. The city of San Jose will also take part, improving public transportation, enacting more energy efficient building codes, and converting its vehicle fleet to hybrids.

Alcoa has committed to reducing its GHG emissions to 20 percent below 1990 levels by 2010.

Bank of America - In May 2004, the corporation announced unprecedented targets and timetables for reducing its greenhouse gas emissions, with an initial goal to reduce emissions 7 percent by 2008, and pledged to stop funding projects that involve oil and gas exploration, among other things.

Power Companies – Five U.S. power companies committed in early 2004 to reducing their GHG emissions and to supporting a mandatory federal cap on CO2 emissions. As part of the PowerSwitch Challenge initiated by the World Wildlife Fund, Austin Energy (Texas), Burlington Electric Department (Vermont), FPL Group (Florida), Sacramento Municipal Utility District (California), and Waverly Light and Power (Iowa) have committed to undertaking at least one of the following by 2020: increasing the share of electricity they sell that is generated by renewables to 20 percent; increasing energy efficiency by 15 percent; and/or retiring the least-efficient half of their coal generating capacity.

Shaw’s Supermarket now sells renewable electricity in several New England cities, and at least 3 of its stores are purchasing renewable energy to meet 25 percent of their electricity needs. Shaw’s was the first supermarket chain in New England to offer green power to its customers. The renewable energy is generated on the rooftops of BJ’s Wholesale Club stores.

An estimated 10,000 U.S. businesses (and 110,000 households) are now using certified “green” electricity that is generated with renewable resources.

My additions to the WorldWatch list:

Earlier this month global financial services firm JPMorgan and Innovest Strategic Value Advisors launched the first bond index designed to address the risks of global warming. The JPMorgan Environmental Index-Carbon Beta, the JENI-Carbon Beta for short, is a United States high-grade corporate bond index. It enables credit investors to make decisions that systematically take into account risks and opportunities issuers face as they address climate change.

Johnson Controls, Inc. is expanding its business in the areas of designing, installing and servicing geothermal, solar, biomass, wind and other renewable sources as energy supply options for customers.

Wells Fargo & Company claimed the top spot in green power purchasing by buying 550 million kilowatt hours of renewable energy last year. Whole Foods Markets and Johnson & Johnson were in second and third place.

Technorati: GlobalWarming ClimateChange GreenBusiness

How to Deal with Fox News

Thanks John Edwards and Democrats for finally telling Fox News to shove it. It's about time.

Here's a quick and easy way to rid yourself permanently of Fox News.

1) Find a tv remote, any remote will do. Doesn't matter who it belongs to, just pick it up.
2) Change the channel to Fox News. In Grand Rapids, this is cable channel 40.
3) Press the "Menu" button. A list of options will appear on the screen.
4) Use the arrow keys to scroll down to the "Channel Set-up" option. (Sometimes it just says "set-up".)
5) Select "Add/Remove Channel." A message should appear on the screen that says "Channel is removed."
6) Repeat steps 1 thru 5 with every television you come in contact with.
7) Enjoy the feeling of not being lied to by a bunch of conservative dickheads.


Copy and paste this everywhere.

Free Speach Threat: Bush Administration Says Scientists Can't Discuss Polar Bears

The fascists in the Bush administration have issued a gag order that halts free discussion by scientists and other government officials on the role of global warming in threatening the survival of polar bears.

In a memo obtained by groups working on the listing of the polar bear as Threatened under the Endangered Species Act, the fascist pricks in the Bush administration now require that all government travel requests "potentially involving climate change, sea ice, and/or polar bears" be accompanied by a memorandum "including a statement of assurance that these individuals understand the administration's position on these issues."

From the New York Times:

Over the past week, biologists and wildlife officials received a cover note and two sample memorandums to be used as a guide in preparing travel requests. Under the heading “Foreign Travel — New Requirement — Please Review and Comply, Importance: High,” the cover note said:

“Please be advised that all foreign travel requests (SF 1175 requests) and any future travel requests involving or potentially involving climate change, sea ice and/or polar bears will also require a memorandum from the regional director to the director indicating who’ll be the official spokesman on the trip and the one responding to questions on these issues, particularly polar bears.”

The sample memorandums, described as to be used in writing travel requests, indicate that the employee seeking permission to travel “understands the administration’s position on climate change, polar bears, and sea ice and will not be speaking on or responding to these issues.”

The order comes as the Department of Interior held the last of three public hearings on its proposal in Barrow, Alaska on Thursday.

"We need leadership, not censorship on global warming," said Andrew Wetzler, director of the Natural Resources Defense Council’s Endangered Species Project. "We rely on our government scientists and officials to be honest brokers with the public and on important issues. This directive restricts their ability to do their jobs," Wetzler said.

The proposal to protect polar bears under the Endangered Species Act was issued in response to a petition and law suit filed by NRDC, the Center for Biological Diversity, and Greenpeace.

Click here to view the US Fish & Wildlife-Alaska site on polar bear research. Polar bears live only in the Arctic and are totally dependent on sea ice for all of their essential needs, including hunting their prey of ice seals. The rapid warming of the Arctic and melting of sea ice poses a threat to polar bears, which could become the first mammal to lose 100 percent of its habitat to climate change as Arctic sea ice is predicted to disappear by the end of this century if global warming is not reversed.

Source: NRDC press release

GlobalWarming PolarBears BushAdministration FreeSpeech NaziMotherfuckers

Michigan Companies Win D.O.E. Solar Energy Grants

13 Solar Projects Chosen for Federal Funding nationwide, 2 major employers in Michigan

Energy Secretary Samuel Bodman Thursday announced the selection of 13 industry-led solar technology development projects for negotiation for up to $168 million in funding over three years, subject to appropriation from Congress. The corporations involved invlude some of the largest in the energy business - General Electric, BP Solar, Dow Chemical, Powerlight, and United Solar Ovonic.

The Konarka project will focus on manufacturing research and product reliability assurance for extremely low-cost photovoltaic cells using organic dyes that convert sunlight to electricity. Other projects include a low-cost, high-concentration photovoltaic system for utility markets; a high-efficiency concentrating photovoltaic power system; and a project reducing silicon wafer thickness while improving yield of multi-crystalline silicon PV for commercial and residential markets. Another project will develop a high-powered, ultra-high-efficiency solar module that contains an inverter, eliminating the need to install a separate inverter and facilitating installation by homeowners. Yet another team will develop low-cost thin-film building-integrated photovoltaic systems.

Dow Chemical: PV-integrated residential and commercial building solutions.
This project will employ Dow’s expertise in encapsulates, adhesives, and high volume production to develop integrated PV-powered technologies for roofing products. Partners include Miasole, SolFocus, Fronius, IBIS Associates, and the University of Delaware. Subject to negotiations, funding for the first year of the project is expected to be roughly $3,300,000, with approximately $9,400,000 available over three years if the team meets its goals.

United Solar Ovonic: Low-cost thin-film building-integrated PV systems.
This project will focus on increasing the efficiency and deposition rate of multi-bandgap, flexible, thin-film photovoltaic cells and reducing the cost of inverters and balance-of-system components. Partners include SMA America, Sat Con Technology Corporation, PV Powered, the ABB Group, Solectria Renewables, Developing Energy Efficient Roof Systems, Turtle Energy, Sun Edison, the University of Oregon, Syracuse University, the Colorado School of Mines, and NREL. Subject to negotiations, funding for the first year of the project is expected to be roughly $2,400,000, with approximately $19,300,000 available over three years if the team meets its goals.

For a complete list of grant recipients, see the Department of Energy press release.

Technorati: Solar DowChemical UnitedSolarAvionics SolarEnergy AlternativeEnergy Michigan