Noteworthy News

Putting Energy Hogs in the Home on a Strict Low-Power Diet - LARRY MAGID
An eye opener for all those who think they couldn't possibly be more energy conscious.

Suggested by Chloe
Of potential use to: everyone.


Green Recycling Network
"Green Recycling Network offers an innovative system to improve efficiency and financial results for large facility owners while simultaneously contributing toward a cleaner environment. We are a collaboration of companies that recycle materials used during the deconstruction phase of renovations."

Suggested by by Tim Morton
Of potential use to Architects, Contractors, home/business owners.



Headwaters Technology Innovation Receives Highest Environmental Award Given In The US - from njchamber.com

Suggested by Manasi Kashyap
Of potential use to: Institutions gunning for green innovations, green innovators.



If you have something noteworthy to contribute, please email us at controlclimatechange@gmail.com

Climate Change - How responsive have you been?

Hi all,
Climate change has most of us thinking and some of us acting.In what way have you responded?Please take the poll on the right hand side of the blog. If we’ve missed listing something important to you, please feel free to leave a comment on the blog. Mozilla Firefox users will find the poll to the right & Internet explorer users will have to scroll down some.
Please select only appropriate choices to keep the poll real (the poll is on the right side of the page).

Some of the choices include:
-Taking your own grocery bags instead of bringing back plastic ones.
-Buying less over packaged goods.
-Printing double sided.
-Retrofitting the house with some energy efficient appliances.
-Wearing more clothes in winter instead of turning up the heat.
And more ...

The results are public. To view them, click "View results" at the bottom of the poll box.

Your comments are very welcome! If you wish to talk about how difficult or easy it was to make your change in attitude stick, please tell us about it!

Local Law 86, the Green Building Standards Law

Quote from Mayor's Office of Operation:

"Background: Local Law 86, the Green Building Standards Law, became effective on January I, 2007. The law is designed to reduce New York City's electricity consumption, air pollution and water use, as well as improve occupant health and worker productivity through the use of green building standards in certain capital projects. Executive Order 97 of 2006 authorizes the Director of the Office of Environmental Coordination (OEC) to exercise the Mayor's duties for the implementation of the law, including rulemaking, administering exemptions, monitoring compliance, publishing findings on other proposed standards, and taking all actions necessary to implement and administer the law. Mayoral rules implementing the provisions of Local Law 86 have been promulgated. Local Law 86, EO 97 and the rules can be downloaded from OEC's website at www.nyc.gov/oec.
Applicability and Requirements: Local Law 86 applies to certain city-owned or city-funded building construction or renovation projects, with the exception of residential and industrial projects, that begin design after January I, 2007. Projects in design before January I, 2007 may also be subject to the law unless final design was approved by the Office of Management and Budget through the issuance of a Certificate to Proceed or City capital dollars were received from the City treasury before January I, 2007.Capital projects of entities that are not City agencies are not subject to Local Law 86 unless 50% or more or $10 million or more of the estimated project costs are paid out of the City treasury."
Local Law 86 is available to be viewed at http://www.nyc.gov/html/oec/downloads/pdf/LL86/2Green_Buildings%20Rules-Final_Text-_Legal_1680311_.pdf

Thanks to P.V. Anantharam for this information!

"Regulating" impact. GreenSTAT the smart green regulator.

Your comments on the design ideas below are welcome. Please click on the image for a larger view.



GreenStat– is the concept sketch of a climate control regulator/thermostat that consists of an analog display of emissions & dollars spent (or saved) directly tied to the temperature settings of the house.
The display would make it possible for residents to monitor in real time the impact their use of heating/cooling has on both the environment & their wallets.
Armed with such pertinent data, users are less likely to be careless about the settings of their thermostats & better able to gauge environmental impact while monitoring air-conditioning costs.

How will “GreenStat” work?
The regulator could be programmed specifically to individual residences or work-places by gathering temperature data in real time from sensors placed in separate rooms & plugging in current costs of heating/cooling. Data related to emissions, produced due to heating/cooling and location on the globe would also be tied in.

Why a climate control regulator?
The building industry is one of the largest polluters in the world. Energy used for indoors heating/cooling generates millions of tons emissions every year. So far control of energy use for indoor temperature regulation has been largely controlled by the product itself or building management.
De-centralizing the point of temperature regulation and allowing individual users to make informed decisions about the use of energy & it’s environmental/monitory impact could stand to affect the building industry is a very positive way by reducing emissions.