Mississippi Senator Wants to Ban LEED

Mississippi Senator Roger Wicker has added an amendment to ban federal funding for Housing and Urban Development or Department of Transportation LEED projects. Amendment No. 1777 bans federal funding for projects unless they use the American National Standard Institute system. This system only excludes materials that are scientifically proven to be harmful or wasteful.

Mississippi Senator Roger Wicker

Senator Wicker seeks to promote the growth of the lumber, plastic, and chemical industry. He points out that the lumber industry is suffering due to competition for greener materials, such as bamboo. Senator Wicker is proposing guidelines put forth by the Green Building Initiative, a nonprofit organization that considers itself an affordable replacement for LEED.

The United States Green Building Council (USGBC) argues that banning their LEED certifications would reduce both efficiency and safety for low-income projects. The amendment would hurt the Department of Transportation and potentially put low-income homeowners at risk physically and monetarily. LEED ratings help ensure that buildings are not only cost effective but are also healthy for the environment and public LEED was officially recommended by the General Services Administration this year. The GSA recommended LEED for all GSA buildings as it is the best measure for energy efficiency.

Earlier this year, Senator Wicker supported the ban on LEED in Department of Defense projects. He believed that LEED was incorrect in their view on hardwood.

"As the Department of Defense works to improve energy efficiency, it is important that its building standards be based on sound science and incorporate due process in their development and implementation," Senator Wicker stated. "Standards should take into consideration the full life cycle of wood products, including the environmental benefits provided by our domestic reforestation programs...the Department of Defense should use credible standards that more accurately assess U.S. wood products."

However, is this truly about wood products? Congressional Republicans have shown much resistance to environmental initiatives, including the new EPA chief to Obama's battle on coal. Senator Wicker should support both the public and businesses by working to create healthier living environments with improved technology and infrastructure rather than simply promoting private wood businesses.

Vieste Energy Partners with ESD to Create 100% Clean Energy Data Centers

Illustration of Vieste Energy Green Data Center

Vieste Energy LLC and Environmental Systems Design Inc. are partnering together to create a network of green data centers. Vieste Energy LLC is a renewable energy development and operations firm focused on base load energy production. Environmental Systems Design Inc. is a global consulting-engineering firm that focuses on the delivery of high-performance buildings and seeks to create healthier, more sustainable environments. Several large companies have also joined the green initiative and have begun to use renewable energy resources to power their data centers.

Apple, for example, has a data center in Maiden, North Carolina that sources 60% of its power from a 25 megawatt (MW) solar array and 10 MW fuel cell system. What Apple does not source from solar sources, it gets from nearby facilities. Regardless, all of its power is clean.

Additionally, companies like eBay and Google also make use of clean, renewable sources. One of eBay's data centers located in Utah is powered 100% by fuel cells. Google invested $1.2 billion into the creation of a data center in North Carolina that would be powered 100% by renewable resources.

Vieste Energy LLC has hired Environmental Systems Design Inc. to design a network of green data centers that run entirely on green energy sources. Environmental Systems Design Inc. also designed Allstate's LEED Gold Data Center.

The new data centers will draw their power from gasification based waste-to-energy facilities. These facilities will have environmentally-friendly solid waste management systems, decreasing their total waste and carbon footprint.

"This is one of the most exciting projects within the data center industry today,” said Paul Schlattman, Vice President of Mission Critical Facilities at Environmental Systems Design Inc. "The facilities offer extremely competitive utility rates and a host of other environmental and business benefits."

GreenEDU Trainer Spotlight: Inspection Training of Arizona

Inspection Training of Arizona provides EPA Lead Certification in Phoenix, Arizona. They provide students with hands-on training and allow students to conduct realistic inspections so that students will feel prepared to perform tasks on-site. Their flexible scheduling allows students to meet safety requirements on their own time, and they strive to provide students with the best, most cost-effective instruction as possible. Their goal is to prepare students to proceed with their professional lives and to keep the public safe while doing so.

GreenEDU students have given Ecosystems Environmental Services, Inc. positive feedback. Kenneth B. gave the instructor 5/5 stars and stated, "Great Instructor, kept the class entertained and covered all the pertainant material in a timely maner!"

Fermin C. also praised in the course, stating, "The instructor was knowledgeable and experienced in the field he taught. His instruction and hands on training served valuable in not only the test but for future reference once we are out in the field and faced with harmful scenarios. I would recommend the class and feel everyone who does will have the knowledge to handle any situation involving lead and keep those around them safe."

Inspection Training of Arizona currently has 5 upcoming courses in Phoenix, Arizona.

They currently offer EPA Lead Renovators Certification Initial training with GreenEDU. Anyone looking to work with lead paint must complete the required training. Inspection Training of Arizona meets both Arizona and U.S. EPA guidelines for training.

The Lead Renovator Certification Initial course is 8 hours in length and includes both EPA-approved lead safety training and certification. Any contractor performing qualifying work must employ at least one Certified Renovator who has successfully completed this training, in addition to being registered as a Lead Safe Certified Firm with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The course concludes with a 25 question EPA-certification exam. Anyone who performs renovations, repairs, or painting in pre-1978 housing or child-occupied facilities must be EPA Lead Safe Certified. Individuals and firms that are not certified could face fines of up to $37,500 per day. This will satisfy the new requirement for individuals to attain EPA lead certification in Lead Paint Safety for Renovation, Repair and Painting (RRP). Attendees who pass the certification exam will be certified as renovators to perform lead-safe work.

Inspection Training of Arizona offers their EPA Lead Renovators Certification Initial training on multiple days. To view all available dates and to register, please visit their page.

About Inspection Training of Arizona
Inspection Training of Arizona provides classroom training for Home Inspectors and Licensed Contractors. In addition to EPA Lead Certification training (RRP), they offer initial training for those students that are looking to become a Home Inspector. Their State approved, 90 hour course, is conveniently offered weekdays and weekends (please visit our class calendar for specific course dates). Their class will prepare the student for the National Home Inspectors Exam as well as prepare the student to setup and run a successful home inspection business. ITA provides you with the highest quality "Hands On" education for a successful home inspection career. Their instructors are not simply teaching the courses...they live it!

To register for a course, visit http://www.greenedu.com/inspection-training-of-arizona

New EPA Chief Promises to Tackle Climate Change

McCarthy at Harvard Law School

Gina McCarthy gave her first speech as the new Environmental Protection Agency chief at Harvard Law School last week, telling the audience that tackling global warming and climate change will create more jobs and spark economic growth.

McCarthy was confirmed on July 18th after being nominated by President Obama to replace the head of the EPA in early March. She is a Boston native and spent 25 years in public administration, serving as an environmental advisor to Massachusetts governors. She also served as commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection for 5 years.

In line with Obama's stance on climate change, McCarthy vowed to work with industry leaders to decrease the disastrous effects of carbon emissions and hazardous wastes. Both Obama and the EPA have been criticized by Republicans for being too aggressive in their stance against environmental change. In 2011, the EPA under Obama issued mercury pollution limits on power plants and greenhouse gas regulations.

"Can we stop talking about environmental regulations killing jobs? Please, at least for today," said McCarthy toward these critical Republicans in her speech, receiving a large round of applause from audience members. "We need to embrace cutting-edge technology as a way to spark business innovation." McCarthy posits that creating tighter environmental regulations will call for more innovation and advanced technology, causing an increased demand for labor.

Republicans, however, disagree and fear that stricter carbon emissions will cause coal-plants to shut down, leaving thousands unemployed.

McCarthy, in an interview last week, however, stated, "This is about the abundance of low-cost natural gas. It’s about how utilities are making decisions, company-wide, about how to invest in the future the way they see it right now."

McCarthy sees this as a chance to make an environmental impact and boost the economy. "We need to cut carbon pollution to grow jobs. We need to cut carbon pollution to strengthen the economy…Let’s approach this as an opportunity of a lifetime," she stated, emphasizing that investments in new infrastructure and renewable energy sources would be beneficial in the long run and create jobs now.

Obama and the EPA have repeatedly emphasized the importance of tackling climate change. Obama stated that he had no "patience for anyone who denies that this problem is real." During his speech in Georgetown earlier this summer, Obama vowed to limit carbon emissions from foreign coal sources and halt the production of the controversial Keystone XL Pipeline, stating that the pipeline would, in reality, not create many jobs. He estimated the construction would create 2,000 temporary jobs at most, and 50-100 jobs for maintenance of the pipeline after construction.

When asked about her stance on the pipeline during a Q&A session, McCarthy answered that the EPA would not make final decisions until receiving a full environmental analysis from the State Department but promised that the impact on the climate would be taken into consideration.

"Climate change will not be resolved overnight," McCarthy told the audience. "But it will be engaged over the next three years. That I can promise you."

The Importance of Surveying and Managing Asbestos

Although it has environmental origins, asbestos is one of the most hazardous materials ever used in commercial building products. It is linked to more than a dozen health conditions – including several life-threatening cancers – and heavily affects workers in the construction industry.

Now heavily regulated, asbestos was once used with virtually no restrictions. Companies used it as an ingredient in thousands of construction materials – and many of those original materials still remain in place today.

If they remain in good condition, the materials are not a health risk. However, because many of these materials were installed several decades ago, they may now be beginning to crack or crumble. Construction workers may then be required to repair or replace the products, further increasing the chance that the fibers enter the air.

Once the asbestos is released from the product, the material is considered friable – or dangerous to human health. If asbestos is present and friable, anybody who inhales or ingests is at risk for serious complications, including pleural malignant mesotheliomaand lung cancer. And this risk isn’t a short-term deal; many asbestos-related disease patients become ill more than 40 or 50 years after they last inhaled asbestos.

Asbestos Surveys to Protect Workers’ Health

Many building owners perform regular asbestos management surveys. Federal regulations mandate these surveys for all public schools and most government buildings, as well as all older buildings that are set for demolition or renovation. However, other building owners conduct these surveys voluntarily. Even when the surveys are optional, owners should consider the tests to protect the future health of the building’s occupants.

Asbestos surveys help safeguard against these diseases by identifying all contaminated materials within the building. The surveyors will then determine which ones present an immediate health hazard. Asbestos surveys also provide documentation of non-friable asbestos products that may become a threat in the future.

Once the survey is complete, Asbestos Inspectors will create a remedial action plan for each of the friable products. The recommendations often depend on the type, location and condition of the product, as well as the owner’s preferences for encapsulation or total removal.

Scheduling Asbestos Surveys

Before scheduling an asbestos management survey, building owners should check the credentials of the company they plan to hire. Accredited asbestos management companies should always perform the surveys, and all inspectors should have up-to-date licenses. 

Owners should evacuate the building during the survey, since inspectors may take samples of the fibers. To provide the most accurate results, surveyors should review the following details before the survey:

·       Site layout

·       Building specifications

·       Future building plans

·       Past asbestos inspection history

Depending on the type of asbestos and its condition, surveyors should inspect an asbestos-contaning building every six to 12 months. If any renovations impact the results of the survey, inspectors should perform another follow-up inspection to ensure the safety of the building’s residents.

Faith Franz is a writer for The Mesothelioma Center. She strives to spread the word about the benefits of alternative medicine.

GreenEDU Trainer Spotlight: proActive Safety Services

ProActive Safety Services is an Ohio-based environmental consulting company. They seek to provide students with cost-effective, stress-free instruction so that students can meet all state and federal safety requirements. proActive's experts instruct students on safe building practices and create a strong safety culture that everyone in the company can follow. The company teaches students how to correctly identify and address environmental hazards to keep themselves, their company, and their community safe.

The training company prides themselves on customer service and have a 24/7 Emergency Hotline to address any needs their clients may have. They also offer training on-site or at the company facility, and additionally provide courses in both English and Spanish to meet the unique needs of any employee. Anytime a student has a safety need, proActive Safety Services is there to address it.

Past GreenEDU students have praised proActive Safety Services. Donald E. commented, "[The] class was very informative I feel comfortable doing my lead testing skills." Scott I. stated, "The course met my objective completely. The instructor was very personable and took a very practical approach to the subject matter."

Mark K. described the course as, "Very informative. Learned a lot more than I expected going in to the course. The instructor was very personable and made the course and techniques very easy to understand. I would recommend the course to anyone that needed to be trained in this area of expertise." With 4.9 out of 5 stars from students, proActive Safety Services is an expert leader valued by students and companies seeking quality environmental training.

proActive Safety Services currently offers courses in Cincinnati, Ohio. They have 10 upcoming events with GreenEDU, including:

• OSHA 10-Hour Construction Industry
• First Aid/CPR
• Confined Space Competent Person
• EPA Lead Renovators Certification Initial

The company's most frequent course is its OSHA 10-Hour Construction Industry training course. The OSHA 10-Hour Construction Industry Health & Safety course teaches OSHA regulations and standards as they apply to the construction industry. This two-day course covers practices of identifying, reducing, eliminating and reporting on-site hazards. It also teaches safety awareness and assists workers in recognizing and reducing risks in the workplace. This course is intended to provide an entry level construction worker general awareness on recognizing and preventing hazards on a construction site. The training covers a variety of construction safety and health hazards which a worker may encounter on the job. OSHA recommends this training as an orientation to occupational health and safety.

proActive Safety Services offers this course on multiple days throughout the year. For their other classes, check out their page for more information and registration.

About proActive Safety Services
proActive Safety Services is a safety company based out of Cincinnati, OH providing expert consultation and services to businesses seeking to establish or improve their safety program. We are experts in reducing accidents and injuries. Our qualified staff specializes in implementing and sustaining safety cultures in the workplace, and our diverse safety training classes help educate your employees on the hazards they will encounter while carrying out their daily work for your company.

For more information, please visit: http://www.greenedu.com/proactive-safety-services

Myths About Green Building and Product Standards

Transparency is practically mandatory for business--and green buildings and products are no exception. Major green building and product ratings often require transparent disclosure of resources and potential hazards. However, not all transparency tools and product declarations are the same. Heather Gadonniex, in her article "Clearing Up Transparency" in EDC Magazine, explains the differences and debunks several myths surrounding green products.

There are several transparency tools available, but Gadonniex focuses on the the most common ones:

• Life Cycle Assessment - LCAs are used to measure a product or building's impact on the environment during its life cycle. This includes manufacturing, transportation, construction, and maintenance. They are based on guidelines created by the International Organization of Standards.
• Environmental Product Declarations - EPDs are a standardized way of quantifying the environmental impact of a product or building. They also follow International Organization of Standards guidelines. 
• Product Category Rules - PCRs define the requirements for EPDs of a certain product category. They follow International Organization of Standards guidelines. 
• Declare - Declare is a label that lists in the ingredients and allows transparency between producers and consumers. It was created by the International Living Future Institute. 
• Health Product Declarations - HPDs are used mostly in North America and are a standard type of disclosure for ingredients and associated hazards. 

Although these tools seem very simple at face-value, there are several myths and misconceptions surrounding them including:

1. MYTH 1: All of the transparency tools follow the same standards.
   These tools do not follow the same guidelines and standards. LCAs, EPDs, and PCRs, for example, follow International Organization of Standards guidelines and are recognized globally. HPDs, on the other hand, were created by Health Product Declaration Collaborative and are recognized in North America.
2. MYTH 2: All of the tools tell us the same information.
   EPDS serve to disclose information regarding the environmental impact of a product or building. This includes the carbon footprint, indoor air quality, and impact on the ozone layer, among others.
   HPDs and Declare are used mainly to provide information on building product content and ingredients. They can also disclose information regarding hazards. Declare requires manufacturers to provide a full ingredient list. HPDs can disclose a portion of the ingredients but must report all hazards associated with the product. 
3. MYTH 3: These transparency tools disclose how green the product is.
   While these tools can certainly tell us how sustainable, environmentally-friendly, or hazardous a product or building is, that is not their main purpose. Companies use these measurements in R&D and strategy decisions to minimize cost, environmental impact, and risk. These measurements give them insight on how to change their production, development, and distribution. These measurements also give consumers important information, allowing them to make smart, informed decisions. These product declarations are not just green marketing tools, but give both producers and consumers transparency, leading them to make better decisions. 

Understanding the differences between these product declarations and transparency tools can clear up confusion and lead businesses to make better decisions to meet project requirements.