Staff Reporter

Kreeri residents hold protest | Demand uninterrupted drinking water supply

March 28, 2022 by Staff Reporter

The protesters while demanding adequate drinking water supply said that the entire area of MirMmohalla comprises of around 500 households.

They said people from adjacent localities areas enjoying sufficient supply of drinking water, however, it is the Mir Mohalla only, residents of which are being subjected to the harsh “punishment” by depriving them water supply.

Raising slogans against the Jal Shakti department authorities, the protesters alleged that the residents of Mohalla Mir Sahib in Kreeri are facing shortage of tap water since last several years.

They said despite meeting the top officials of department of Jal Shakti as well as Baramulla district administration, their issues never get resolved.

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EPA Awards $6.7 Million to Cornell University to Monitor Food Web in the Great Lakes Ecosystem

March 28, 2022 by Staff Reporter

March 28, 2022

CHICAGO (March 28, 2022) – U.S. Environmental Protection Agency today announced that Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, will receive a $6,749,825 grant to continue monitoring zooplankton, Mysis, and benthic invertebrates in the Great Lakes. EPA’s grant is funded through the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, or GLRI.

Cornell University will use GLRI funding for monitoring and research to support EPA’s Great Lakes Biology Monitoring Program, which was initiated in 1983 to assess the heath of the Great Lakes. This work will include continued monitoring of the condition of the food web in each of the Great Lakes.

“Science is the foundation of our agency, but we don’t do it alone,” said EPA Region 5 Administrator and Great Lakes National Program Manager Debra Shore. “This collaboration will generate critical information to advance understanding of how changing nutrient conditions, invasive species, and a warming climate are affecting the Great Lakes ecosystem.”

“We at Cornell University, with our collaborators at the Great Lakes Center at SUNY Buffalo State College, are excited to have been selected to monitor biological communities within the Great Lakes ecosystem,” said James Watkins, Ph.D., senior research associate, Cornell University. “This information is indeed vital for assessing the health of these remarkable lakes and for guiding management of one of the largest surface freshwater resources in the world and its fishery.”

Background:
GLRI projects are part of the larger effort to restore and protect the Great Lakes. Specifically, projects are funded to support the GLRI goal of protecting and restoring the chemical, physical and biological integrity of the Great Lakes basin. In 2019, EPA announced an aggressive plan that will guide Great Lakes restoration and protection activities by EPA and its many partners over the next five years.

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Elementary School utilizes Trane’s Cooperative Contract to increase energy savings while improving air quality

March 28, 2022 by Staff Reporter

THE CHALLENGE

The Park View Early Learning Center in Mount Prospect, Illinois, had not been renovated since its 1965 construction, and the school’s older heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system had outlived its heyday. The school’s outdated infrastructure system also failed to align with the district-wide commitment to sustainability. Well past its prime, the building’s HVAC system was proving unreliable, impeded building comfort, and provided a less-than-ideal learning and working environment. The system also was proving increasingly costly to operate and maintain.

Leaders at River Trails School District 26 planned to renovate the building to house the suburban Chicago district’s kindergarten and preschool students, as well as district administration. District leaders wanted to create the best possible learning and working environment for the building, optimizing indoor air quality and ensuring consistent building comfort. The redesigned building would be called Prairie Trails School.

Multiple district success stories already reflected the district’s commitment to sustainability. Three of the district’s four facilities had already earned ENERGY STAR® certification, and the district’s middle school had been awarded the U.S. Department of Education’s Green Ribbon School Award in 2015. The district also had already exceeded its U.S. Dept. of Energy Better Building Challenge by 2026 goal, achieving a 23 percent reduction in energy consumption, 11 years ahead of schedule.1

Still, two referendums to fund renovating Park View Early Learning Center had failed to pass. Unsure how long systems would last in the existing building and needing renovated space to meet the needs of key programs, the district was ready to update the building.

SOLUTION

Working with Trane®, the district explored various funding options and ultimately selected a $2 million grant opportunity with the Illinois Clean Energy Community Foundation (ICECF). The grant required transforming the facility to a net-zero building.

As part of completing the grant application requirements, Trane collaborated with the district’s project team to help the district identify ways to make the building meet net-zero-energy consumption requirements and Passive Housing Institute US, Inc. “plus” (PHIUS+) standards.

A net-zero energy consumption building uses a total amount of energy annually that is equal to or less than the amount of renewable energy created onsite. PHIUS+ is a “high-performance building standard” that challenges the building industry to construct buildings that can maintain a comfortable indoor environment with very low operating energy.2 Buildings that meet the PHIUS+ standard use 40-60 percent less energy for space conditioning than conventional buildings.3

Energy Conservation Measures: Selected energy conservation solutions included a photovoltaic
solar panel system on the roof designed to offset 100 percent of the building’s annual electricity
consumption. Trane provided the option to purchase the solar equipment through OMNIA Partners,

Public Sector, a premier cooperative purchasing organization for K-12 education which enabled district leaders to streamline the procurement process and minimize costs.

The project team also selected a new dedicated outdoor air system (DOAS) combined with a new highly efficient electric variable refrigerant flow (VRF) heating and cooling system with heat recovery, removing the need to rely on fossil fuels for heat. A new building automation system, accessible both onsite and remotely, was selected to provide centralized control of building systems while monitoring temperature and electrical loads.

Educational Component: In alignment with the district’s commitment to sustainability education, the renovation plans feature educational displays throughout the building. This includes an educational dashboard and interactive green-screen learning video on an instructive kiosk. This kiosk is designed to help students and teachers enhance their understanding of energy efficiency, renewables, and sustainability while demonstrating the building’s net-zero performance.

Grant Application Completed: Trane worked with district leaders and their project team to help submit the grant application—then all awaited the outcome. Two months later, the district was awarded pre-approval of the $2 million grant for the 29,000-square-foot renovation. Long-term retention of the grant funding is contingent upon the district demonstrating 12 consecutive months of net-zero energy performance post-renovation. Having obtained approval on the initial grant funding, the project team launched the renovation in 2020.

“The renovation of Prairie Trails School was a significant project for our district. Not only did we require an upgrade to our facilities in order to best serve our students, we also wanted to remain committed to a district-wide sustainability initiative. Trane has been a trusted partner in past projects so it was clear early on that we would turn to them to shepherd us through this critical process. The River Trails District 26 community had high expectations for the Prairie Trails renovation and Trane ensured we were able to meet them.”

– Lyndi Schuster, Ed.D, CSBO
Assistant Superintendent for Business Services, River Trails School District 26

THE RESULTS

The majority of the construction was completed in early 2021. The renovated building—which was re-named Prairie Trails School upon completion—is Mount Prospect’s first net-zero facility. The building is on track to save more than $32,000 a year in annual gas and electricity costs while offering optimized indoor air quality and reliable, energy-efficient performance.

Prairie Trails School now houses 10 kindergarten and four prekindergarten classrooms, and space for music and art. The building also features a “natural” playground that allows teachers to incorporate the outdoors into their curriculum.

The building’s solar panels, combined with other energy-saving design elements, are successfully offsetting the building’s annual electricity consumption. While sufficient time has not yet passed to demonstrate a full 12 months of net-zero energy consumption, the district is confidently progressing toward meeting that goal.

OMNIA Partners and Trane Together Can Help Drive Efficiencies and Savings

OMNIA Partners is a proud partner of Trane. Trane’s cooperative contracts for HVAC solutions and Energy Savings Performance Contracting provide public sector agencies with cost-saving solutions and unparalleled value. OMNIA Partners gives you greater purchasing power to unleash the potential of your buildings with Trane solutions.

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How to build a 100% renewable energy future

March 28, 2022 by Staff Reporter

Published: 3/28/2022 2:09:36 PM

Modified: 3/28/2022 2:08:40 PM

Even hopeful people like me can look at the problems of the world and feel daunted. And while sometimes the problems seem ever more dire, it is also true that solutions abound.

Take for example, our reliance on dirty forms of energy, which create serious environmental and public health problems when these fuels are mined, transported, burned and the wastes of that combustion are disposed of.

Thankfully, solutions abound and the past two decades have seen clean energy grow in America. Today, more than 12% of our nation’s energy comes from renewable sources and that amount is growing every year. The sooner we break our reliance on dirty and dangerous fossil fuels for power, the sooner we’ll have cleaner air to breathe, cleaner water to drink, and a healthier and more stable future for our children.

Of course, renewables are not a panacea. All energy technologies have some impact. Switching to solar panels and electric vehicles with lithium-ion batteries will create new problems. We’re already seeing some of those issues emerge around the mining of minerals for batteries, concerns about where to site solar arrays, and more.

But putting our society in the position to use the energy of the sun and wind instead of fossil fuels would address problems that have plagued us for decades. And, in the case of global warming, will have serious ramifications if we don’t slash emissions very quickly.

Time is of the essence. This needs to be the decade of clean energy implementation. Now is the time to pull out the stops to accelerate the widespread adoption of rooftop solar, offshore wind and other technologies that allow us to harness the power of the wind and the sun to power our lives.

Toward that end, I invite you to join me in supporting public policies that, if enacted, would move Massachusetts and America toward a future powered by clean energy resources that never run out.

Support the 100% Clean Act.

Setting goals is a powerful tool to kickstart a collective endeavor. The 100% Clean Act (HD.3551, SD.2205) would codify a statewide goal for Massachusetts to transition to 100% clean electricity by 2035 and 100% clean heating and transportation by 2045. It lays out clear requirements and actions for the commonwealth to achieve these objectives. I am grateful that Rep. Mindy Domb and Sen. Jo Comerford have cosponsored this bill and hope they do everything they can to see it enacted.

■Support federal tax incentives for clean energy.

Tax incentives are a tried-and-true tool for growing clean energy. When my family chose to go solar a few years ago, knowing that 30% of the up-front cost would be a tax-write off made a big difference in spurring us to invest the rest. And we’re not alone — much of the clean energy growth we’ve seen over the past decade can be traced to these policies. The House of Representatives has already voted to extend clean energy tax credits and it’s time the Senate did the same.

Support building electrification. Electrifying the places we live and work is an important step on America’s path to repower society with clean renewable energy. Burning fossil fuels in residential and commercial buildings causes almost 30% of our country’s global warming pollution and research is increasingly showing that using fossil fuels in appliances like gas stoves can cause dangerous levels of indoor air pollution. Switching to clean, efficient and all-electric technologies will lead to cleaner air and a more liveable climate.

Rewiring America recently published a guide called “Electrify Everything in Your Home” that can be downloaded for free on the Rewiring America website. This guide walks readers through the options they have when thinking about replacing fossil fuel powered appliances with electric ones, how to get started, questions to ask contractors, and more.

Meanwhile, a new guide by my organization, Environment America, put out in partnership with U.S. PIRG, called “Ten Ways Your Community Can Go All-Electric” offers starting points for local elected officials and community members who want to move their community toward all-electric buildings.

You can also urge your members of Congress to support the Zero-Emission Homes Act, which would establish a federal rebate program for electric appliances and other equipment. Rebate programs can make a huge impact by reducing some of the up-front costs that can be a barrier to electrification.

At a time when it can get easy to see all that’s wrong with the world, it’s important to recognize that many problems have solutions. And when it comes to tackling climate change, reducing air pollution, water pollution, gas leaks or explosions, or becoming more locally self-reliant, moving toward 100% renewable energy is a solution we can all play a role in bringing about.

Johanna Neumann, of Amherst, has spent the past two decades working to protect our air, water and open spaces, defend consumers in the marketplace and advance a more sustainable economy and democratic society. She can be reached at [email protected].

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New kind of LIGHT could ‘kill airborne diseases’ just by changing bulb at home

March 28, 2022 by Staff Reporter

A NEW type of ultraviolet light can kill airborne pathogens indoors, one study asserts.

Scientists have developed an ultraviolet light called Far-UVC that could fight the spread of airborne diseases indoors, according to new research published in the journal Scientific Reports.

A new type of ultraviolet light can kill airborne pathogens indoors, one study says.

The technology was created as a “hands-off” approach to help prevent the transmission of COVID-19.

Installing the Far-UVC lighting in your home could come in the form of simply changing a light bulb, scientists said.

Furthermore, the device has been deemed safe in numerous studies and is very effective at killing pathogens.

“Far-UVC rapidly reduces the amount of active microbes in the indoor air to almost zero, making indoor air essentially as safe as outdoor air,” biophysicist David Brenner from Columbia University Medical Center said, per Science Alert.

Scientists have long known about the antimicrobial effects of ultraviolet C light (UVC).

However, its intense radiation can be harmful to people’s eyes, lead to sunburn, or even cause skin cancer.

Powerful UVC lamps can also degrade materials such as plastic and polymers.

For those reasons, the technology has been used mainly for sterilizing medical equipment, Science Alert reports.

More recently though, data from small-scale lab experiments have shown that shorter-wavelength Far-UVC emitters are safe for both mice and human skin cells.

These findings prompted researchers to conduct a new study to assess whether the technology could be effective in a normal-sized room.

Scientists set up five Far-UVC lamps in a controlled bioaerosol chamber, which they filled with aerosolized bacteria.

“The facility is a sealed chamber the size of a single-occupancy hospital room where different types of building ventilation and devices can be implemented to test the potential effectiveness of approaches like Far-UVC in a full-scale situation,” environmental microbiologist Louise Fletcher from the University of Leeds said.

Researchers found that Far-UVC lamps reduced the number of pathogens by up to 98.4 percent in just a matter of minutes.

The team also found that Far-UVC radiation possesses the equivalent of about 184 air changes – more than any other method for disinfecting indoor spaces.

“Our trials produced spectacular results, far exceeding what is possible with ventilation alone,” physicist Kenneth Wood from the University of St. Andrews in the UK said.

Despite this, the team said that there is still more work to do to ensure that Far-UVC lamps’ radiation doesn’t pose a risk.

Still, if the technology could be harnessed at both a safe and effective level, it could change how we fight airborne infections and diseases.

“Using this technology in locations where people gather together indoors could prevent the next potential pandemic,” Brenner said.

“Far-UVC light is simple to install, it’s inexpensive, it doesn’t need people to change their behavior, and evidence from multiple studies suggests it may be a safe way to prevent the transmission of any virus, including the COVID virus and its variants, as well as influenza and also any potential future pandemic viruses.”

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Modex 2022: Ideal Warehouse Innovation exhibits dock and warehouse solutions

March 28, 2022 by Staff Reporter

Ideal Warehouse Innovation, a manufacturer and distributor of loading dock products, has introduced three new warehousing products: a ground-mounted trailer support, the “Slide-effect” dock bumper, and the “Jade” commercial air purifier system.

The tarmac around the loading dock is a risky place for workers on the ground. To minimize risk, the company developed the ground-mounted trailer support to make it possible to keep workers off the tarmac and out of harm’s way. Traditionally, a trailer stand is deployed manually by a worker in the yard. Positioned under the docked trailer’s nose, a trailer stand supports the trailer should its landing gear fail due to strain created by the forklift working within. Ideal says that its new ground-mounted trailer support (GMTS) is deployed with the push of a button. Permanently positioned in the trailer docking area, the support sits in its retracted position like a low-profile speed bump. When the trailer is docked and secured, a push of the button deploys the sturdy arms of the GMTS, which rise to support either side of the trailer’s bottom, providing extra strength and stability.

In line with its corporate safety mission, the company has also introduced its Slide-effect dock bumper, which absorbs the impact of trailers reversing into its dock position, and features a built-in sliding mechanism to limit the effect friction and abrasion have on the bumper’s life. As a trailer being loaded moves up and down with the weight of the forklift, the bumper moves with the trailer without abrasion or wear. The result is an ultra-tough long-lasting bumper that pays for itself in reduced maintenance, consistent protection, minimized dock repairs, and reduced dock closures, the manufacturer says.

Finally, the company has unveiled the Jade 2.0 commercial air purifier system. This commercial-grade air system was engineered to maximize air exchange by moving large volumes without the air drag that often occurs in other air purifiers. The top air outlet design allows air to cascade out the top and efficiently flow throughout the room while keeping the sound volume at an industry-leading low level (~55DB), the manufacturer says.

The Jade 2.0 air purification system utilizes multi-stage air purifying technologies that work together to clean, purify, and re-energize the indoor air. The multi-stage filtration system captures dust particles, pollen, volatile organic chemicals (VOCs), mold, allergens, viruses, odors (like formaldehyde and smoke), bio-aerosols, nitrous oxide, and other pollutants. (Ideal Warehouse Inc., idealwarehouse.com)

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Lake Monroe Water Fund hires executive director, gears up to pursue funding

March 28, 2022 by Staff Reporter

Lake Monroe Water Fund, the first organization of its kind in Indiana, has recently hired an executive director, and is gearing up to pursue funding.

Michelle Cohen, the new hire and LMWF’s first employee, brings 12 years of experience heading other environmental entities to the role, first as the Brown County Solid Waste Management district manager, and subsequently as the executive director for Circular Indiana, formerly known as Indiana Recycling Coalition.

The creation of this new position will allow for the pursuit of large-scale grants and other funding projects that reduce runoff pollution and protect the watershed, LMWF Board President Jane Martin said in a news release.

“Michelle is an experienced environmental executive who knows our watershed and our region as well as the state and federal grant authorities. We anticipate dramatic growth in our capabilities this year and beyond,” Martin said.

Lake Monroe, which was completed in 1965, was created by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to be a 100-year drinking water source.

Protecting the watershed and extending its life is critical to area residents and the economic viability of Bloomington and the surrounding communities, Cohen said in the news release.

LMWF is a collaboration among The Nature Conservancy, city, county, nonprofit and other representatives. It provides an innovative way for downstream water users to invest in conservation activities upstream to protect and restore the Lake Monroe watershed. It is based on a new kind of model for sustaining watersheds that The Nature Conservancy employed with its first water fund in Quito, Ecuador in 2000, and is replicating across the globe.

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Access Sensor Technologies Kicks Off NIH-Funded Grant With

March 28, 2022 by Staff Reporter

FORT COLLINS, Colo., March 28, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Access Sensor Technologies has been awarded a multi-year grant from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences to validate a new tool to understand how air pollution affects human health. Air pollution is a leading cause of disease in the U.S. and globally. Access Sensor Technologies, in collaboration with Colorado State University, developed a wearable air pollution monitor (the UPASv2+) to allow individuals, communities, and researchers to understand what’s in the air they breathe. The instrument includes sensors that help understand where and when exposure to toxic pollutants occurs, in addition to where the pollution comes from (i.e., the source).

“Our health is directly influenced by our environment. We know that pollution exposure can trigger a vast number of short- and long-term health problems. This technology is designed to help both communities and at-risk individuals (e.g. asthmatics) understand the timing, location, and magnitude of risk. We cannot control what we do not measure.” -Tom Reilly, CEO

As part of the project, the company is partnering with Sheryl Magzamen, Associate Professor in the Department of Environmental and Radiological Health Sciences. Dr. Magzamen studies environmental pollution exposure and respiratory health. The Magzamen group’s previous research has investigated indoor air pollution, ambient air pollution and pesticide exposures.

“Our research team is committed to investigating exposures that impact environmental justice communities and providing actionable data for decision-making and policy to safeguard the health of community members. New, low-cost technologies for measuring exposure to ambient air pollution and other environmental hazards can help our work have greater impact. We hope the UPASv2+ validation and field campaigns will support research of greater scale and scope to facilitate positive change.” – Dr. Magzamen

Through the Magzamen research group, initial deployments with the UPAS v2+ will be coordinated with the Central California Environmental Justice Network (CCEJN) to monitor exposures to harmful pollutants, including pesticides.

To learn more about the UPAS v2+, visit https://www.accsensors.com/best-air-quality-monitor

Inquire at [email protected]

About Access Sensor Technologies: Access Sensor Technologies is located at the intersection of the environment and health. The company develops tools that shed light on environmental pollutant exposures. Its products have been used by researchers around the world appearing in peer-reviewed journals and in The New York Times.

Related Images

Image 1: UPAS v2+

The wearable UPAS v2+ enables deep insights on pollutant exposure.

This content was issued through the press release distribution service at Newswire.com.

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Clean Your Flower Pots Before Reusing Them (Without Hurting Your Plants)

March 28, 2022 by Staff Reporter

Photo: FoxglovesAndStockings (Shutterstock)

As many houseplants and flowers mature, they outgrow the original pots and containers they called home and need to move into something bigger. And while reusing the pot is a great, sustainable option, it’s important to make sure that it’s cleaned thoroughly before moving a new plant in and having it set down roots. Here’s what to know about how—and why—to do that without hurting your plants.

Why you should clean flower pots before reusing them

Let’s say you had a flower pot that was full of dirt that you emptied along with the plant itself. It may seem pointless to put effort into cleaning the container if you’re going to turn around and all more dirt to it, but that’s not the case.

Regardless of whether the pot is made of clay, plastic, or another material, mineral deposits and other debris can accumulate in the pot over time and may harbor disease organisms, according to the Iowa State University Extension (ISUE). And if you don’t clean and disinfect the pots before you reuse them, they can harm their new occupant.

How to clean flower pots and containers

The amount of time and effort it takes to clean and disinfect flower pots and containers depends on their material and condition. Here are some guidelines:

How to clean unglazed clay pots (including terracotta)

One of the reasons why traditional terracotta pots are so popular with gardeners is because they’re porous—meaning that they allow air and water to pass through, which helps prevent the plant and its roots from rotting. But their porosity is also what makes them a little tricker to clean.

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Start by removing any mineral deposits or other debris with steel wool or a wire-bristle brush, then giving the pots a quick rinse. Next, fill a container (like a bucket, plastic storage tote, etc) with one part white vinegar to four or five pots hot water, and a squeeze of mild liquid dish soap. Let the pots soak.

Fill a sink or other container with a mixture of one part white vinegar to four or five parts hot water, then add a squeeze of liquid dish soap. Soak the pots for at least an hour, but up to 24 hours, if necessary. Finally, rinse the pot to get it ready to sanitize (the instructions for that are below).

Glazed ceramic pots

The vinegar solution described above works for glazed ceramic pots, too, but this time, skip the steel wool and wire brush. Instead, scrub away stubborn mineral deposits with a paste made of three parts baking soda to one part water, then rinse and sanitize.

Plastic pots

Either of methods above work for plastic pots. Or, if they’re not in bad shape, you can wash it using a sponge, hot water, and dish soap. As always, rinse and then disinfect.

How to disinfect flower pots and containers

Once the pots are clean, it’s time to disinfect them. According to the ISUE, the same disinfecting method works for any pot or container, regardless of what it’s made from. Here’s what to do:

Thoroughly rinse the pot before you start sanitizing—especially if you used vinegar. We’re about to use bleach, and combining it with vinegar can produce dangerous chlorine gas.
Fill a large container (or utility sink) with a solution of 10 parts water to one part bleach.
Fully submerge the pot in the solution and let it soak for 30 minutes.
Thoroughly rinse them again before using.
Set the cleaned and sanitized pots in the sun to dry (without stacking them).

It’s also possible to sanitize glazed ceramic and plastic pots by running them through the dishwasher.

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Supply Chain Issues Could Crimp Sales This Year | 2022-03-28

March 28, 2022 by Staff Reporter

Supply Chain Issues Could Crimp Sales This Year | 2022-03-28 | ACHR News

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