http://www.federalsustainability.net/images/fnslogorss.gif http://www.federalsustainability.net Mon, 14 Jul 2008 13:22:53 -0400 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 The Environmental Audit Committee of the British parliament is urging the creation of a personal carbon trading scheme for all citizens of the UK. The system would provide a set of carbon emission allowances to each citizen and establish a national carbon budget. Citizens would begin each year with the same carbon quota and those who chose to partake in activities that would exceed the allowed limit would need to obtain the necessary carbon credits from another individual. While acknowledging implementation difficulties, the committee said such a system would reduce emissions more effectively than a carbon tax that would fall most heavily on the poor. (BBC News, May 26, 2008) Fri, 27 Jun 2008 00:00:00 -0400 1167 353 http://www.federalsustainability.org/archives/SP/spcatresult.php?issue=353 A new non-profit organization, the Biodiesel Alliance, has been created to promote sustainable biodiesel practices, including the harvesting, production and distribution of biodiesel fuels. The ultimate goal of the Alliance is to create best practice standards for verifying that all points in the production and distribution chain are in compliance with the SBA’s certification standards. The group’s current draft sustainability principles may serve as a basis for standards and criteria for a biodiesel certification process or as a framework for drafting more specific codes of practice for sustainable biodiesel production and use. Principles include: biofuel production should not damage soils, deplete water production, nor jeopardize food security, but should provide fair compensation to farmers, should minimize and eliminate wherever possible the use of dangerous agrochemicals and should have a bias towards local consumption of the biofuel. (Sustainable Biodiesel Alliance, 2008) Fri, 27 Jun 2008 00:00:00 -0400 1168 353 http://www.federalsustainability.org/archives/SP/spcatresult.php?issue=353 Landis+Gyr Holdings, an international utility meter company will furnish Dallas utility Oncor Electric Delivery Co. with “smart” meters for three million homes and small businesses. The meters are intended to help consumers control electricity costs and help utilities lower operating costs, cut peak energy demand, and improve system reliability. Oncor is proposing to give all low-income consumers free in-home display monitors to gauge power usage and costs. Earlier in May, Houston-based Centerpoint Energy announced its intent to install roughly 250,000 meters across its service area. (The Wall Street Journal, May 27, 2008) Fri, 27 Jun 2008 00:00:00 -0400 1169 353 http://www.federalsustainability.org/archives/SP/spcatresult.php?issue=353