Sierra Magazine: Greenest Colleges 2011

AMERICA'S COOLEST SCHOOLS
Sierra Magazine

Sierra's 5th annual ranking of the greenest colleges in the United States is open to all four-year undergraduate colleges and universities in the United States.

In March 2011, Sierra sent a 12-page questionnaire to 940 schools, a list based on the widest collection of university contacts that the magazine's researchers could amass; schools that requested a survey were provided one and encouraged to participate.

Sierra received 118 complete responses from schools, which the magazine's researchers scored and ranked. READ MORE !

Top 10
1 University of Washington
2 Green Mountain College
3 University of California, San Diego
4 Warren Wilson College
5 Stanford University
6 University of California, Irvine
7 University of California, Santa Cruz
8 University of California, Davis
9 Evergreen State College
10 Middlebury College

Green Jobs

Sizing the Clean Economy: A National and Regional Green Jobs Assessment Growth through Innovation, Environment, Cities, Competitiveness, Jobs and the Economy
Brookings: July 2011

The clean economy, which employs some 2.7 million workers, encompasses a significant number of jobs in establishments spread across a diverse group of industries. Though modest in size, the clean economy employs more workers than the fossil fuel industry and bulks larger than bioscience but remains smaller than the IT-producing sectors. Most clean economy jobs reside in mature segments that cover a wide swath of activities including manufacturing and the provision of public services such as wastewater and mass transit. A smaller portion of the clean economy encompasses newer segments that respond to energy-related challenges. These include the solar photovoltaic (PV), wind, fuel cell, smart grid, biofuel, and battery industries.

The clean economy grew more slowly in aggregate than the national economy between 2003 and 2010, but newer “cleantech” segments produced explosive job gains and the clean economy outperformed the nation during the recession. Overall, today’s clean economy establishments added half a million jobs between 2003 and 2010, expanding at an annual rate of 3.4 percent.

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Among regions, the South has the largest number of clean economy jobs though the West has the largest share relative to its population. Seven of the 21 states with at least 50,000 clean economy jobs are in the South. Among states, California has the highest number of clean jobs but Alaska and Oregon have the most per worker. READ MORE !

Some Highlights:
California had 318,156 jobs followed by NY @ 185,038 and TX @ 144,081;
LA Metro area had 89,592 jobs.
Average annual wage:
California: $46,400
LA Metro: $40,910
US average: $43,773.

2010 Tables & Charts:
Table 1. Segments of the Clean Economy
Table 2. Job Growth Median Year of Establishment Birth by Clean Economy Segment
Table 3. Share of Clean Economy Jobs
Table 4. Metro Areas with the Most Clean Economy Jobs, 100 Largest Metros
Appendix A. The U.S. Clean Economy by Category and Segment
Appendix B. The Aggregate Clean Economy by State (Map)
Appendix C. The Aggregate Clean Economy 100 Largest Metropolitan Areas
Appendix D. The Clean Economy by Industry (NAICS-Based
Appendix E. Occupations of the Clean Economy

BWP: Sierra Club Water Conservation Scorecard

Water Conservation Measures Scorecard
Sierra Club Angeles Chapter: July 2011

The Water Conservation Measures Scorecard rated 122 cities in Los Angeles and Orange counties by the number of mandatory water conservation measures enacted. Cities are ranked for measures in their ordinances that address appropriate water use, avoid water waste, improve building standards, and prescribe water-efficient business practices. Five cities were rated “Best” and five cities were rated “Worst.” The scorecard provides cities with a roadmap to update and expand existing water conservation measures in order to meet federal and state water efficiency standards and to work together to better manage use of the region’s limited water resources.

The 5 cities that scored “Best” with water-efficient building standards and best practices for commercial and outdoor water use:
Burbank, La Palma, La Verne, Los Angeles and Mission Viejo

The Report Includes a City Summary and City Scorecards. READ MORE !

Burbank - Smart Grid System

Some Glendale and Burbank residents resist new smart-grid system
L A Times: 5.17.11 by Melanie Hicken

Glendale and Burbank officials are touting their new "smart meters" project as an exciting technological advancement that will help the utilities and customers track real-time water and electrical use.

But a small group of residents is resisting, saying they're worried about the health effects of the radio waves emitted by the meters. They also say the utilities' ability to view electricity and water usage as it occurs is intrusive and could change the rate structure.

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Utility officials say residents have no reason to be concerned, citing studies that say the wireless smart meters fall within federal guidelines for radiofrequency emissions and expose residents to far less electromagnetic radiation than other common appliances.

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Officials at both utilities say they will postpone installing the meters for concerned residents while they await a ruling from the California Public Utilities Commission, which has ordered Pacific Gas & Electric Co. to create ways for customers to opt out of the new wireless meters.

Although the state commission does not regulate municipal utilities, Glendale and Burbank officials said they would probably follow the agency's direction for a potential opt-out provision.

Glendale has installed 76,000 smart meters so far, and only a dozen residents have asked to have their installation put on hold, said Ned Bassin, assistant general manager for Glendale Water & Power.

And in Burbank, where crews will begin installing the smart meters next month, even fewer concerns have been expressed, officials said. READ MORE !

Power up the 'smart meters'
The devices have sparked an irrational fear of electromagnetic radiation in the Bay Area.
L A Times: 6.05.11 - Editorial

You don't have to be a tinfoil-hat-wearing paranoiac to be worried that the electromagnetic radiation from modern wireless devices may be harmful to your health. But are the "smart meters" being installed by utilities throughout the state frying homeowners' brains, as many consumers and even municipal governments fear? The risks are vanishingly small, while the economic and environmental benefits of smart meters are wide and obvious. In fact, we wish L.A.'s municipal utility would get busy installing the devices, though that isn't likely to happen any time soon. READ MORE !

State of the Air 2011

State of the Air 2011

For 12 years, the American Lung Association has analyzed data from state air quality monitors to compile the State of the Air report. The more you learn about the air you breathe, the more you can protect your health and take steps to make our air cleaner and healthier.

The State of the Air 2011 shows that the air quality in many places has improved during 2007-2009. Still, over 154 million people—just over one half the nation—suffer pollution levels that are too often dangerous to breathe. Despite great progress, air pollution lingers as a widespread and dangerous reality. It is important to note this progress, even as some seek to weaken the public health law that has improved the air we breathe since 1970, the Clean Air Act.

Overall findings:

Roughly half the people (50.3%) in the United States live in counties that have unhealthful levels of either ozone or particle pollution. Almost 154.5 million Americans live in the 366 counties where they are exposed to unhealthful levels of air pollution in the form of either ozone or short-term or year-round levels of particles.

Roughly one in 17 people–more than 18.5 million in the United States–live in 10 counties with unhealthful levels of all three measures covered in the report: ozone and short-term and year-round particle pollution.

Cleanest and Most Polluted Cities:
by Ozone
by Year Round Particle Pollution
by Short-term Particle Pollution

Cleanest: Honolulu, HI
Ranked 1 for cleanest metropolitan areas in the country for Ozone
Ranked 1 for cleanest metropolitan areas in the country for 24-hour particle pollution
Ranked 4 for cleanest metropolitan areas in the country for annual particle pollution

Most Polluted: Los Angeles-Long Beach-Riverside, CA
Ranked 1 for high ozone days out of 277 metropolitan areas
Ranked 2 for annual particle pollution out of 277 metropolitan areas
Ranked 4 for 24-hour particle pollution out of 277 metropolitan areas

Compare cities by:
Total Population
Pediatric Asthma
Adult Asthma
Chronic Bronchitis
Emphysema
Cardiovascular Disease
Diabetes
Children Under 18
Adults 65 & Over
Poverty Estimate

Green LA Coalition: What to Expect in 2011

What to Expect in 2011
Environmental Initiatives & Events in Southern California

Green LA Coalition’s "What to Expect in 2011" is an overview of the major environmental initiatives and events for 2011 in Southern California.

In Los Angeles, 2011 will be a big year for transportation. In Sacramento, a renewable portfolio standard will take center stage. In Washington, US EPA will take major leaps forward in air quality. Last, we take a look at great new crosscutting programs, like CicLAvia, that are making a big difference.

Topics:
Climate action in Southern California, statewide and in the US.
Transportation
Clean air
Ports of LA and Long Beach
Renewable energy and energy efficiency
Electric vehicles
Rubbish
Green jobs
Water
Municipal elections
Los Angeles River projects are moving ahead
Open space and parks
Ocean protection
Global environmental meetings . . . or how to travel guilt-free
More important facts on climate trends

And a look at some local projects:
~ CicLAvia on April 10, and others in July and October.

~ The City-organized but independent Food Policy Council is doing some amazing work. Building a broad group, they're working to create new markets for regional farmers and opportunities for small food enterprises -- and that's for starters. See the LA City Task Force report.

~ Education and Environment Initiative (EEI) integrates environmental concepts into the standard academic curriculum. It is a joint-project of California Resources Agency, CalEPA, Department of Education and others.

~ Clean Up Green Up is a multi-prong campaign addressing LA's toxic hotspots. LA City Council will soon entertain a motion to create "Green Zones" in three of Los Angeles's most polluted neighborhoods.

Business Watch: State of Green Business 2011

State of Green Business: 2011

The fourth annual edition of the State of Green Business report continues efforts to measure the environmental impacts of the emerging green economy. GreenBiz.com documents how well -- or poorly -- companies are improving their environmental performance despite the challenges posed by the Great Recession, and begin to note promising signs for a sea change in corporate sustainability efforts.

The free, downloadable report measures the progress of U.S. business and the economy from an environmental perspective, and highlights key trends in corporate culture in regard to the environment.

This year's report shows a dramatic shift is occurring in mainstream business: Companies are thinking bigger and longer-term about sustainability -- a an analysis of businesses in 2010 shows that even during economically challenging times, many companies invested more in their sustainability activities and made bold new sustainability commitments.

The 2011 report is the centerpiece of GreenBiz.com's State of Green Business Forums. The two-day events will take place:
San Francisco on February 2-3
Chicago on February 9-10
Washington, D.C., February 16-17