http://www.federalsustainability.net/images/fnslogorss.gif http://www.federalsustainability.net Tue, 08 Dec 2009 14:55:24 -0500 Sustainable Practices Update http://www.federalsustainability.net/archives/sustainablepractices.php webmaster@federalsustainability.net (Laura Kemp) en-us 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 23 24 Saturday Sunday In Vancouver, British Columbia, MarketCargo has emerged as a free bicycle home delivery and bike tune-up service. Local Farmers’ Market customers can take their groceries to the MarketCargo stall, put them in a cooler, write their name and address and have it delivered to their door a short while later. The project’s aim is to support farmers, local markets and market patrons by using and promoting bicycle use. In addition to effective grocery delivery service, MarketCargo’s skilled bike mechanics perform tune-ups for cyclists at the market. One market patron used to take the bus when she carried a large load and now she can make the trip on foot, thanks to MarketCargo. (MomentumPlanet, July 29, 2009) Fri, 27 Nov 2009 00:00:00 -0500 1365 416 http://www.federalsustainability.org/archives/SP/spcatresult.php?issue=416 The California Air Resources Board (CARB) has released a draft rule establishing a cap-and-trade program that sets a declining ceiling on emissions of greenhouse gases and allows companies to buy and sell permits to meet it. California, with the world’s 8th largest economy, has a goal of reducing greenhouse gases to 1990 levels by 2020. Its draft trading system would begin in 2012 and would apply to 600 major sources of global warming gases, including power plants, refineries and concrete factories. The California proposal also includes reductions in emissions from industrial and transportation fuels beginning in 2015. CARB has scheduled months of hearings and public comment on the rule before it is to be finalized next October. (New York Times, November 25, 2009) Fri, 27 Nov 2009 00:00:00 -0500 1366 416 http://www.federalsustainability.org/archives/SP/spcatresult.php?issue=416 GoodGuide has just released an updated iPhone app that scans barcodes and gives the user environmental information about the product. Users simply scan the barcode of the product and immediately see detailed ratings for health, environment and social responsibility for more than 50,000 products and companies. GoodGuide provides this information about personal care, household chemical, toy and food products for free on your iPhone / iPod Touch and is adding thousands of products every month. GoodGuide’s product rating algorithm takes into account health performance (cancer risks, reproductive hazards, skin and eye irritation), environmental performance (emissions, natural resource impacts), and social performance (diversity, compensation, working conditions). (Fast Company, November 19, 2009) Fri, 27 Nov 2009 00:00:00 -0500 1367 416 http://www.federalsustainability.org/archives/SP/spcatresult.php?issue=416