California Air Resources Board (CARB) Puts The Freeze On Air Pollution
As part of the California Global Warming Solutions Act (AB 32) the Air Resources Board (ARB) has approved an early action measure to reduce high-global warming potential (GWP) greenhouse gas (GHGs) emissions by establishing new legislation and defining requirements related to improved monitoring of AC/HVAC systems, enforcement of regulations, reporting of refrigerant usage, and recovery, recycling, or destruction of high-GWP refrigerant gases.
Refrigerant gases can contribute to the major problem of global warming. Refrigerant gases, such as R-22, are contained in AC, HVAC, or more commonly called HVAC-R systems. HVAC systems show up in a myriad places, including hotels, hospitals, military bases, schools and universities, supermarkets, cold storage warehouses, food preparation, processing and service, recreational facilities, office, commercial and industrial facilities and industrial and manufacturing processes.
The California Global Warming Solutions Act, commonly called AB 32, was introduced in 2006. It had the original requirements for statewide refrigerant gas reporting. The eleven members of the California Air Resources Board include people who are at the peak of their game when it comes to the understanding of chemical, physical and engineering impacts on our society. So, the Stationary Equipment Refrigerant Management Program was designed to help reduce greenhouse gases by the regulation of harmful CO2E emissions from the AC and refrigerant equipment, ranging in size between 50 and 200 pounds. Would you believe that over 180,000 places in the state of California are affected?
There are numerous components making up the refrigerant gas management program. Refrigerant usage reports and the requirements for gas tracking include not only the manufacturing of the refrigerants but also the distribution, reclamation, and wholesale channels as well. All segments of the refrigerant industry must keep accurate records. HVAC-R technicians must be EPA certified to work or service repairs on many systems containing refrigerant gas because many refrigerants have hight GWP and also bad greenhouse gases (GHGs). Equipment must be retrofitted and repaired, leaks must be monitored and repaired and stringent procedures in place to cover service practices to reduce discharge.
Almost forty years ago, the California Air Resources Board was formed to focus on air quality and areas for improvement. A good refrigerant gas management program is an essential element. CARB has been proactive, working with the people of the state, its’ corporations and government bodies with the aim of protecting public health, welfare and the delicate ecology.
California’s size ensures that the problem potential for refrigerant gas emission is considerable. The California Air Resources Board is particularly concerned with recovering refrigerant from places that use stationary refrigerant and AC. It is feared that emissions could rise to more than 35 MMTC02E within a decade or so.
It is a learning curve for many organizations who own or operate HVAC-R systems and have facilities in California. To fully distribute the details on the refrigerant management program, CARB is offering industry workshops and meetings across California. A number of companies have developed refrigerant gas management applications that are web-based and which automatically update when new edicts are sent out by CARB, the California EPA and other government bodies.
Refrigerant tracking solutions, often in the form of web-based applications with a centralized database, empower organizations with HVAC-R systems containing refrigerant gas to monitor, manage, and maintain records of usage and to better log leaks in chronological order throughout the year. EPA compliance is achieved through the use of relevant forms and reports, as specified by the EPA’s requirements.
Air pollution and smog have been big enemies of the people of California over the years. Even though pollution has dropped by 25 percent since 1980 and smog exposure has come down a whopping fifty percent, there is much to do. The Stationary Equipment Refrigerant Management Program and other initiatives allow both CARB and the people of the state to breathe easier as the standard of air quality improves.
If your business operates HVAC-R systems, you can familiarize yourself with the CARB Stationary Refrigeration Equipment Management Program via a consultation with Verisae. You can also learn about Refrigerant Tracker, a tool that makes it easy to monitor, manage, and report refrigerant gas usage: Refrigerant Tracker
Article Source: ArticleSpan
Nancy – GotSmog.com – The Pollution-Reducing Blog
Fighting Global Warming Not Destructive to Economy Says EPA Head – PR Inside
recovery and protecting the environment. “Many of us believe, sadly, that we must choose between our economy and our environment,” Jackson said. “This is about rising to meet our most urgent environmental and economic challenges – not shrinking from …
Nancy – GotSmog.com – The Pollution-Reducing Blog
Sony Cell Phones and The New Environment Friendly Hazel
Sony Cell Phones have unveiled one of its newest phones, the Hazel. The Hazel is not your average phone. While it incorporates the many new technologies that are expected in new phones today it also brings a new aspect to the table. The name Hazel may help guide you in the right direction if you are not able to guess. The Hazel, by Sony Cell Phones, is an environmentally friendly mobile phone.
So what constitutes an environmentally safe or friendly cell phone? The lines can blur here, however it seems that Sony Cell Phones has done a good job of not just placing a label on it with giving it the proper "green" features. These features make it part of the Sony-Ericsson Green Heart Program, help to reduce CO2 emissions, among other environmentally conscious specifications. These include being made of recycled plastic materials, an e-manual embedded into the phone, a condensed user guide, it is free of hazardous chemicals, a green calculator, the walk mate eco application, a charger with low power consumption, minimal packaging and waterborne paint. That is seemingly a very honest effort to make the phone environmentally friendly.
But, this is not simply a phone for tree huggers and the like, rather it has many other excellent, standard phone features. These include a quality voice feature through noise shield, clear voice and intelligent voice adaptation, Google Maps and Search, GPS, easy access to social networking sites such as Facebook, Myspace and Twitter as well as free weather forecasts from Accuweather, A 5 megapixel camera and even face detection features. It offers 10 hours of talk time and 430 hours of standby time.
So perhaps it is time to throw out some of our ideas about "going green" and general liberal ideals. We can be honest when saying that this phone will not be saving the world. However, if it does cut down on an individual’s carbon foot print, what’s not to like about that. It offers longer talk time than many cell phones, has many similar or better features than most phones and it’s not sucking everything it can out of this world. So why not get one?
It seems inevitable that phones and electronics in general, will become more and more conscious of the environment. This transition may be made either to keep their collective conscious clear, maybe to avoid being pegged as having a large carbon footprint or maybe to appeal to the large liberal "green" movement. This would positively impact us all, regardless of the true intentions behind the change.
Paul Wise, the author of this article, after doing extensive research on Sony Cell Phones, recommends visiting http://www.Cellification.com they are a great resource.
Article Source: ArticleSpan
Nancy – GotSmog.com – The Pollution-Reducing Blog
After errors, global warming gets a cold shoulder – Boston Globe
A series of highly publicized errors in a landmark report about manmade global warming – and lingering controversy over hacked e-mails between climate scientists – is eroding public confidence in the research and could further stall efforts in …
Nancy – GotSmog.com – The Pollution-Reducing Blog
2010 Undergraduate Research Award Winners Announced
Four Georgia State University students have received recognition and several hundred dollars in rewards for writing outstanding class papers last year.
Nancy – GotSmog.com – The Pollution-Reducing Blog
Office Furniture For Every Environment
Office furniture – doesn’t exactly excite the brain does it? Most people think tan cubicles, grey carpet, and naked beige walls. But office amenities do not always cause yawn-worthy feelings. Add some color and a few key conversation-starting pieces and the office has officially become a place of high energy and mass production.
Corporate Office Drab
It’s pretty difficult to walk into a corporate office and make a cubicle your own little haven of professional bliss. Work space tends to do either one of two things – bore or inspire. Bland grays, browns, blacks, and tans can be sleep inducing to some. Yet office managers and company leaders gravitate towards these themes.
Many offices do not lend themselves to creativity. It is a place of business and they want uniformity. What they see as good may not be what you are exactly looking for. Make yourself as comfortable as possible in the given space.
The best way to achieve that? Get a great chair. Soft leather, cloth, wood, and steel are only the beginning. Available for every specific body, a comfy chair can make or break a work day.
Get Creative In A Home Office
If you have any experience with having a home office, it is easy to understand just how easy it is to lose focus. The kids are screaming, the bed looks oh-so-comfortable, tasty munchies in the kitchen, and, the biggest motivation-killer of them all, the television – all can present a problem when running a home-based business. That is why it’s pretty important to have home office furniture that not only keeps your attention, but also inspires.
A good desk is obviously key, but what really keeps your attention in check are the little things. Adding smaller organizational items give your workspace a dash of your own personal flavor. Think colorful printer stands, small stackable bookshelves, or red wooden file cabinets with black steel drawer handles. A little artistic inspiration never hurt anybody!
Being in a home office, you have more freedom and can go wild! There are some brave individuals out there who ditch the traditional chair all together for a workout ball. They are getting the job done not only work-wise, but also physically. Think on your feet? Ditch the contemporary computer stand and go for a height-adjusted stand – perfect for those of us who just plain do not like sitting down for eight hours.
Regardless of your personal or professional style, there is something out there to appease every personality. Think outside the box – no one said that every person works best with gray walls and steel desks with thousands of compartments. Finding your balance is all you need for a feng shui paradise – right inside your cubicle. The right office furniture will make it possible.
Present professional appeal with modern office furniture and home office furniture from Spacify or visit Anna Bixby for more interesting topics.
Article Source: ArticleSpan
Nancy – GotSmog.com – The Pollution-Reducing Blog
Global Warming In France
Paul sent me this article. Eight of France’s departments were placed on snow alert Monday morning, when an unusually late cold snap caused heavy snowfall in the south of the country.
Nancy – GotSmog.com – The Pollution-Reducing Blog
Energy Spotlight: Kunert Electric saves and generates electricity
Solar Technician Jon Birk and I walked over to a ground-mounted solar panel near the Kunert Electric shop at 200 N.E. Channon St., Roseburg.
Nancy – GotSmog.com – The Pollution-Reducing Blog
Home Painting Can Reduce Stress, Depression, And Worry Through Creating A Fresh Home Environment
No one can deny that our country faces a difficult time in history. Banks on the brink of bankruptcy, house foreclosures on the rise, and major corporation going under, have caused many to pulled back on their spending. However, many homeowners still want to spend money to maintain or improve their existing dwelling, even if it’s only home painting.
Although many homeowners have recoiled from their home improvement plans. Many are now rethinking their decisions. As their mood shifts to a simpler, less excessive way of life, many people are staying where they are and fixing up their existing homes.
Being Critical Of Change Is Now Dissolving Into A Renewed Desire For Simple Changes.
As the economy slid into a recession in 2008 and money became tight, many became critical at the suggestion that now is the time to spend money for major home improvement projects? Many of us were at the threshold of selling our homes and moving into something bigger, nicer or newer. Suddenly the stark reality set in. Most realized selling their homes would not be possible because the value of their homes had dropped significantly. With fewer people able to get credit, suddenly the buyers weren’t in the market to buy any longer.
In Today’s Economic Climate, Moving Every 5 to 7 Years Has Certainly Lost Its Luster.
Many are turning to fixing up their current home instead of moving. Homeowners are now evaluating the new economic playing field and have decided that it makes economic sense to stay where they are and fix up.
Some figure that since they are tired of the old place and are longing for something new, why not add some of the new features that you were planning for the new house.
They also know that any improvements that they do to their house now will pay off later. The economy will not stay in the doldrums forever. When the economy returns to normal, any improvements that they have made will only make the house worth more to a prospective buyer.
The Benefits Are Obvious.
Many are finding some very important benefits for repainting and repairing their home during this economic climate.
1. A well maintained home increases the value of the home. Appraisers will tell you that per dollars spent, painting and repair will bring the largest return on your money
2. Painting your home dramatically reduces future repair cost.
3. Home painting and repair is much less expensive.
4. Home Painting can bring the biggest feeling of change at a very reasonable cost. When you compare the cost of painting to moving or making major renovations, painting can make the biggest impact on your homes environment per dollar spent.
5. House painting can dramatically change the environment you live in. This environmental change can improve your mood, reduce stress, lessen depression, improves one’s overall outlook of life during these difficult times.
6. Playing with and planning your homes new look can be fun and therapeutic. It helps take your mind off the mundane issues that weigh against you. It gives you an outlet.
Although moving to a bigger, nicer house has lost its luster for many people, planning a beautiful home doesn’t necessarily depend on securing financing or a rising stock market.
Sometimes you just have to start where you’re at and adjust your thinking a little. Become imaginative and dream a little. Good planning and a bit of imagination can make a big difference in a drab looking house. Make your home painting project an exciting time of change in your life and environment. It can definitely make you feel better.
Nicky Taylor is CEO of http://www.home-painting-services.com/home-painting.html and offers an invitation to the above website for additional articles and resources. Nicky has operated a home improvement company for 26 years in Atlanta.
Article Source: ArticleSpan
Nancy – GotSmog.com – The Pollution-Reducing Blog
California Republican Convention Held in Orange County
Both Republican gubernatorial candidates and all three of the party’s U.S. Senate candidates are among today’s scheduled speakers at the California Republican Assembly Convention as they vie for the group’s endorsement.
Nancy – GotSmog.com – The Pollution-Reducing Blog