Green Notes

Florida to limit vehicle emissions

Gov. Crist is finally getting round to doing the right thing about limiting vehicle emissions. The Green Gov has lagged behind the governors of 14 other states.  Here's his statement:

“I commend the Environmental Regulation Commission for adopting a new emission standard for Florida’s vehicles. The new rule sets Florida on the right path toward significantly reducing our greenhouse-gas emissions and protecting the natural beauty that is so important to the Sunshine State’s economy.

“I am confident that future generations will applaud this step, as well as the many others that our state and people are taking to become more energy efficient, use more renewable energy, and provide business opportunities for the growing green technology industry.

“I look forward to the Legislature’s ratifying today’s rule during the upcoming session.”

California, under Republican Gov. Schwarzenegger, led the charge, only to be stymied by the political appointees at the EPA who refused to grant a waiver of the Clean Air Act needed for California to put its new standards into effect. No doubt, that will change under the new administration, but in the meantime, several years have been wasted while Californians continued to spew -- and breathe -- noxious greenhouse gases.

The LA Times explains the background in this story.

FIU launches a weekly farmer's market

This just in:

WHAT:  The Farmer’s Market will feature locally grown, organic fruits and vegetables. Much of the produce will come from Three Sisters Farm, a five-acre organic farm in Homestead owned by FIU alumna Rachael Middleton and her family. Additional fruits and vegetables will be available from other small, local, organic farms as will some highly requested produce from other parts of Florida.

WHO: Sponsored by FIU’s Stempel Public Health Association and the Wellness Center. The Farmer’s Marker was organized as a graduate school project by public health student Nancy Maidique.

WHEN: Wednesday, Dec. 3 at noon. Beginning January 2009, The Farmer’s Market will be held every Wednesday afternoon when classes are in session.

WHERE: The central fountain at Florida International University – University Park, 11200 SW 8th Street in Miami.

FOR MORE INFORMATION: Call 305-348-2401 ext. 5

Logging: A gift from a departing administration

Further to the post below, The Wilderness Society is urgently asking people to sign a petition to stop the Bureau of Land Management opening up ancient forests in Oregon to logging. It says:

The federal Bureau of Land Management has just proposed opening thousands of acres of forests in western Oregon to logging. It's a handoff to the timber industry, a huge loss to endangered species, and to the American public.

But there's still time to object! Your voice is absolutely critical in showing that the public cares about what happens to these forests. The BLM needs to know that Americans will not stand for degrading our streams and rivers, or the sale of some of our last ancient forests to the timber industry.

Info and the petition can be found on the society's website.

UF bans Kleenex

From a Greenpeace press release:

GAINESVILLE – The University of Florida recently removed Kleenex brand tissues in campus stores Graham Oasis and Beaty Market, a move supported by students and Greenpeace. The university decided to remove Kleenex brand tissues, produced by tissue giant Kimberly-Clark (K-C), because they are made with virgin fiber, much of which is sourced from the North American Boreal forest--one of our last remaining ancient forests. “The removal of Kimberly-Clark products from our university is a strong sign that the company is not producing an environmentally sound product,” said Alex Klein, UF junior and student activist. “Kimberly-Clark claims to be an environmentally responsible company, but it uses wood pulp that is clearcut from the Boreal to make throwaway products like tissues and toilet paper. The University of Florida showed that universities can use their purchasing power to demand that Kimberly-Clark use recycled paper and stop wiping away ancient forests for disposable paper products.” Klein learned about the Kleercut campaign after attending Change It, a Greenpeace student training. After returning to campus in the fall of 2007, she started educating students on campus about Kimberly-Clark and its practices. In the summer of 2008, Klein contacted Susie Lewis, the Sustainability Coordinator for Gator Dining Services, to ask her to phase out Kleeex in Graham Oasis and Beaty Market. Lewis facilitated the replacement of Kleenex brand tissues with more environmentally sustainable Seventh Generation tissues. ”UF already has an environmentally-progressive procurement policy and therefore we do not purchase Kimberly-Clark products on campus. I plan to continue to educate people individually about the Kleercut campaign and set a good example through my own actions,” said Klein. Kimberly-Clark is the target of a growing number of university campaigns across the country because of the company’s continuing forest destruction. University of Florida is the 12th university or college to take action against Kimberly-Clark due to concerns about the company’s clearcutting practices and low use of post-consumer recycled content. Colleges and universities that have participated in the Greenpeace “Kleercut” campaign by removing K-C products include Harvard University, University of Vermont, University of Miami, University of Central Florida, Rice University, American University, Wesleyan University, University of California- Berkeley, and Northern Arizona University.