by Don Green
Today's 3 Rs: Reduce, reuse and recycle
Most of us learned the 3 Rs as reading writing and arithmetic but lately they have been replaced with reduce, reuse and recycle.
Lewis Bumpus, director of Williamson County Solid Waste, says recycling should be the “last thing on your mind” (there is a country song in there somewhere). The first and most important thing we should think about is reducing what we buy, followed by reusing things.
Here are some suggestions to help you reuse, reduce and recycle thin:
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GREEN ON GREEN: Brentwood Home Page
Visit BrentwoodHomePage for all your B.wood, TN news
Sunday, October 25, 2009
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Recovery Through Retrofit program offers numerous homeowner benefits
October 20, "Phoenix Green Business Examiner" by Brian Coppa.
On Monday, Vice President Biden released a new report entitled “Recovery Through Retrofit,” which expands upon related green building programs in the Recovery Act to increase job opportunities and offers numerous homeowner benefits such as dramatically enhanced energy savings nationwide by improving the energy efficiency of residences. The Department of Energy (DOE) also announced $454 million under the Recovery Act will be available through the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant program to support this endeavor.
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On Monday, Vice President Biden released a new report entitled “Recovery Through Retrofit,” which expands upon related green building programs in the Recovery Act to increase job opportunities and offers numerous homeowner benefits such as dramatically enhanced energy savings nationwide by improving the energy efficiency of residences. The Department of Energy (DOE) also announced $454 million under the Recovery Act will be available through the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant program to support this endeavor.
>>More
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Energy Conservation Grants
Nashville Business Journal - by Jeannie Naujeck Staff Writer
Small- to medium-sized cities in Tennessee can now apply for more than $9 million in federal stimulus funds to assist in conserving energy and reducing fossil fuel emissions.
The funds were made available Wednesday by Gov. Phil Bredesen and the Department of Economic and Community Development through the state’s Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant Program. The program offers $9.3 million in competitive grants to local governments, with a maximum grant amount of $100,000.
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Small- to medium-sized cities in Tennessee can now apply for more than $9 million in federal stimulus funds to assist in conserving energy and reducing fossil fuel emissions.
The funds were made available Wednesday by Gov. Phil Bredesen and the Department of Economic and Community Development through the state’s Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant Program. The program offers $9.3 million in competitive grants to local governments, with a maximum grant amount of $100,000.
>>More
Friday, October 16, 2009
THE THIRD ANNUAL SUMMIT FOR A SUSTAINABLE TN
Forging new partnerships and solutions to key conservation issues will be the focus of the Third Annual Summit for a Sustainable TN, Nov. 13-14, 2009, at Ward Agricultural Center, Lebanon.
NOVEMBER 13-14, 2009 ~ WARD AGRICULTURAL CENTER ~ LEBANON, TN
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NOVEMBER 13-14, 2009 ~ WARD AGRICULTURAL CENTER ~ LEBANON, TN
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Hamilton County: Health Department To Get "Green Roof" Through Federal Grant
October 15, 2009
Hamilton County has received a $616,500 grant from the U.S. Department of Energy of $616,500 to develop and implement projects to improve energy efficiency, including a new "green roof" at the Health Department.
The grant is also aimed at reducing energy use and fossil fuel emissions.
Initial projects approved by DOE also include an energy audit for county buildings; light bulb replacement in county parks; and a “Go Green” educational campaign for county employees and in elementary schools.
http://www.chattanoogan.com/articles/article_161037.asp
Hamilton County has received a $616,500 grant from the U.S. Department of Energy of $616,500 to develop and implement projects to improve energy efficiency, including a new "green roof" at the Health Department.
The grant is also aimed at reducing energy use and fossil fuel emissions.
Initial projects approved by DOE also include an energy audit for county buildings; light bulb replacement in county parks; and a “Go Green” educational campaign for county employees and in elementary schools.
http://www.chattanoogan.com/articles/article_161037.asp
Monday, October 12, 2009
Household Hazardous Waste
Williamson County will not hold a fall Household Hazardous Waste Collection this year. The event is funded through the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation and the budget allows for only one collection event this fiscal year. The next HHW event will be held in the spring.
Visit www.keepwilliamsonbeautiful.org for a listing of year round proper disposal of many items often brought to Household Hazardous Waste Collection one day events. The spring 2010 event and updated information related to environmental issues will be posted on the website.
Tennessee residents may attend any county's mobile collection provided by the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation. Collection Schedule:
http://www.state.tn.us/environment/swm/pdf/hazcoll.pdf
Visit www.keepwilliamsonbeautiful.org for a listing of year round proper disposal of many items often brought to Household Hazardous Waste Collection one day events. The spring 2010 event and updated information related to environmental issues will be posted on the website.
Tennessee residents may attend any county's mobile collection provided by the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation. Collection Schedule:
http://www.state.tn.us/environment/swm/pdf/hazcoll.pdf
Thursday, October 8, 2009
States to be held more accountable for nutrient pollution
The shape of things to come:
By Karl Blankenship
States could be halted from issuing new discharge permits, while farmers, local governments-and even lawn owners-could be affected under a new federal plan to crack down on Bay pollution.....An EPA report says that two decades of voluntary cost-share and regulatory efforts had been insufficient to restore the Chesapeake's heath and were "not likely to be sufficient to ensure restoration of the Bay in a reasonable period of time."
The plan is a two-pronged approach. It would hold states accountable for nutrient reduction progress and would expand regulatory authority to force greater reductions from specific sources of pollution, such as stormwater and animal feedlots.
If states fall short, the EPA does not have direct authority to regulate nonpoint sources. Instead, the report suggests that the agency would crack down on activities that require permits to make up any shortfall in reductions from farms, septic systems and other largely unregulated sources of pollution. The agency believes the threat of further restrictions on regulated dischargers-which have already achieved the greatest reductions of any sector-would spur states to put adequate nonpoint source programs in place.
"Generally speaking, it will be very expensive to further reduce loadings from municipal and industrial wastewater dischargers" below limits already established, the report said. But it added that if states don't control other sources of pollution "such further reductions from municipal and industrial dischargers may be necessary."
Ordering further reductions for those facilities, the report said, could cost municipal treatment plants across the watershed $6.8 billion, and industries $246 million. >>See More
http://www.bayjournal.com/article.cfm?article=3672
By Karl Blankenship
States could be halted from issuing new discharge permits, while farmers, local governments-and even lawn owners-could be affected under a new federal plan to crack down on Bay pollution.....An EPA report says that two decades of voluntary cost-share and regulatory efforts had been insufficient to restore the Chesapeake's heath and were "not likely to be sufficient to ensure restoration of the Bay in a reasonable period of time."
The plan is a two-pronged approach. It would hold states accountable for nutrient reduction progress and would expand regulatory authority to force greater reductions from specific sources of pollution, such as stormwater and animal feedlots.
If states fall short, the EPA does not have direct authority to regulate nonpoint sources. Instead, the report suggests that the agency would crack down on activities that require permits to make up any shortfall in reductions from farms, septic systems and other largely unregulated sources of pollution. The agency believes the threat of further restrictions on regulated dischargers-which have already achieved the greatest reductions of any sector-would spur states to put adequate nonpoint source programs in place.
"Generally speaking, it will be very expensive to further reduce loadings from municipal and industrial wastewater dischargers" below limits already established, the report said. But it added that if states don't control other sources of pollution "such further reductions from municipal and industrial dischargers may be necessary."
Ordering further reductions for those facilities, the report said, could cost municipal treatment plants across the watershed $6.8 billion, and industries $246 million. >>See More
http://www.bayjournal.com/article.cfm?article=3672
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Tennessee to Hold Series of Hearings on Prospective New Energy Code
After the passage of legislation in June updating the state's energy codes, the Tennessee Fire Marshal's office will be holding public hearings (schedule below) throughout the state on the prospective regulations. Among the proposed changes:
1. The state Fire Marshal's office will adopt the new state commercial and residential energy codes, which will be based on a combination of the IECC and either the IBC (commercial) or IRC (residential). This combination will be chosen from either the 2006 or 2009 code series.
2. In local jurisdictions that have already adopted codes equivalent to or exceeding the 2006 IECC, the new state codes are not required to be adopted.
3. The state will enforce the IECC for residential and commercial buildings in jurisdictions that do not have inspection programs, but only in those that do not choose to opt out of the state code with a two-thirds vote of the local governing body.
4. Jurisdictions that do have their own inspection program may adopt any edition of the IRC within 7 years of the latest published edition of the IRC. They can enforce any edition of the IECC that is within 7 years of the latest published edition or enforce Chapter 11 (energy efficiency) of an edition of the IRC that is within 7 years of the latest published edition of the IRC.
5. The provisions of the new state code will sunset in 2014.
PUBLIC HEARING SCHEDULE:
Knoxville: October 8 at 1:00pm ET
University of TN Conference Center, 4th Floor dining Room
600 Henley Street
Chattanooga: October 9 at 9:00am ET
Chattanooga Marriott at the Convention Center Ballroom H/I/J
Two Carter Plaza
Jackson: October 13 at 1:00pm CT
West Tennessee Ag Research and Education Center, Room 150
605 Airways Boulevard
Nashville: October 15 at 1:00pm CT
Davy Crockett Tower, Room 160
500 James Robertson Parkway
1. The state Fire Marshal's office will adopt the new state commercial and residential energy codes, which will be based on a combination of the IECC and either the IBC (commercial) or IRC (residential). This combination will be chosen from either the 2006 or 2009 code series.
2. In local jurisdictions that have already adopted codes equivalent to or exceeding the 2006 IECC, the new state codes are not required to be adopted.
3. The state will enforce the IECC for residential and commercial buildings in jurisdictions that do not have inspection programs, but only in those that do not choose to opt out of the state code with a two-thirds vote of the local governing body.
4. Jurisdictions that do have their own inspection program may adopt any edition of the IRC within 7 years of the latest published edition of the IRC. They can enforce any edition of the IECC that is within 7 years of the latest published edition or enforce Chapter 11 (energy efficiency) of an edition of the IRC that is within 7 years of the latest published edition of the IRC.
5. The provisions of the new state code will sunset in 2014.
PUBLIC HEARING SCHEDULE:
Knoxville: October 8 at 1:00pm ET
University of TN Conference Center, 4th Floor dining Room
600 Henley Street
Chattanooga: October 9 at 9:00am ET
Chattanooga Marriott at the Convention Center Ballroom H/I/J
Two Carter Plaza
Jackson: October 13 at 1:00pm CT
West Tennessee Ag Research and Education Center, Room 150
605 Airways Boulevard
Nashville: October 15 at 1:00pm CT
Davy Crockett Tower, Room 160
500 James Robertson Parkway
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