December 2012
I. Announcements, News, and Blogs
DOE
and EPA Release Annual Fuel Economy Guide with 2013 Models
The U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Department of Energy (DOE) are
releasing the 2013 Fuel Economy Guide, giving consumers clear and easy-to-read
information to help them choose the most fuel efficient and low greenhouse gas
emitting vehicles that meet their needs. The 2013 models include efficient and
low-emission vehicles in a variety of classes and sizes, but notable this year
is the growing availability of hybrids and the increasing number of electric
vehicles.
“This Administration has been working to foster a new generation of clean,
fuel-efficient American vehicles, and part of that effort is ensuring that
Americans have access to the best possible fuel economy information when
they’re choosing a car,” said Administrator Lisa P. Jackson. “The 2013 Fuel
Economy Guide provides Americans information about which car on the lot offers
the greatest fuel economy and the lowest environmental impact. These are
important considerations that can help families save money while protecting
their health and the environment.”
This year’s guide gives consumers a broad range of information that they can
use to select their next fuel efficient vehicle, whether they want to consider
an electric vehicle or one that uses a more conventional fuel. This year, for
the first time, EPA and DOE have added a second top ten list of most efficient
vehicles -- separating advanced technology vehicles from conventional gasoline
and diesel vehicles. Electric and plug-in hybrid electric models are the most
fuel-efficient and lowest-emission vehicles available today and are becoming
more common. At the same time, consumers may still look up the conventional
gasoline and diesel models that offer superior fuel efficiency.
The 2013 guide provides an estimated annual fuel cost for each vehicle. The
estimate is calculated based on the vehicle’s miles per gallon (mpg) rating and
national estimates for annual mileage and fuel prices. The online version of
the guide allows consumers to enter their local gasoline prices and typical
driving habits to receive a personalized fuel cost estimate. The 2013 guide
also includes a greenhouse gas rating for each model.
More information, including a complete version of the guide and details on the
fuel economy labels: http://www.fueleconomy.gov/ and at http://fueleconomy.gov/m/ for mobile devices.
Meet
the 2012 Purpose Prize Winners
Guided by
experience, drawing on creativity and anchored in pragmatism, they set out to
find solutions. In their 60s, these five winners are changing the world – and
with it perceptions of what is possible for millions of others flooding into
the second half of life.
One of this
year's winners is bringing safe drinking water to six villages in India, home
to 10,000 people by collecting rain. Bhagwati
Agrawal has long felt a desire to mitigate the water shortage by capitalizing
on the expertise he gained in the United States during decades of bringing
technology innovations to market. In 2003 he founded Aakash Ganga, or River
from Sky, in hopes of creating a sustainable solution to the chronic water
shortage by collecting a precious source of safe water – rain.
Aakash Ganga
incorporates new technologies and modern management to a 600-year tradition of
rainwater harvesting in India, Agrawal says. “Too often tradition can be seen as holding
back progress. I believe we must understand traditions as cultural capital,” he
says. “Rainwater harvesting is nothing new. The original systems are still
engineering marvels, even if they are in ruins.”
Adapting
models used by utilities, Aakash Ganga rents rooftop rain-collection rights
from homeowners. Households pay 15 percent to 20 percent of the cost to have
6,600-gallon underground reservoirs built in their yards. Each village donates
a 2.5-acre plot of land for a 105,000-gallon communal tank. The roof system
feeds both the individual households and the communal tanks. Because most of the cost comes as an upfront
infrastructure investment, the system is not something villagers can afford by
themselves. To read more about his project see:
http://www.encore.org/bp-agrawal-0
Nominations for the 2013 Purpose
Prize will open in
January. Perhaps this year's winners
and fellows will inspire you to nominate someone you know who is helping change
lives. Read their stories, and learn also about the 35 new Purpose Prize
fellows – finalists for The Prize – at www.encore.org/prize
As part of the Obama Administration’s all-of-the-above
energy strategy, the Energy Department announced 20 new projects to help states
and local governments cut red tape and develop the infrastructure, training and
regional planning needed to help meet the demand for alternative fuel cars and trucks,
including vehicles that run on natural gas, electricity and propane. These
projects build on the important steps the Obama Administration has taken to
expand the transportation options available for businesses and communities and
improve the fuel efficiency of vehicles in the market today and for years to
come.
“Building a clean and secure U.S. transportation system
that leverages our domestic energy sources will give American families,
businesses and communities more options and reduce fueling costs,” said U.S.
Energy Secretary Steven Chu. “At the same time, these projects will help
lead the way to further reducing America’s dependence on foreign oil and
protecting our nation’s air and water.”
Through the Department’s Clean Cities
initiative, these projects address a range of community infrastructure and
training needs, such as providing safety and technical training for fleet
operators, mechanics, first responders and code officials; streamlining
permitting and procurement processes; and helping public and private fleets
integrate petroleum reduction strategies into their operations. More
information on this work is available on the Clean Cities
website.
The
Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) is a federally-funded
program that helps low-income households pay their home heating and cooling
bills. It operates in every state and the District of Columbia, as well as on
most tribal reservations and U.S. territories. The LIHEAP Clearinghouse is an
information resource for state, tribal and local LIHEAP providers, and others
interested in low-income energy issues. This site is a supplement to the
LIHEAP-related information the LIHEAP Clearinghouse currently provides through
its phone line (406-494-8662) and newsletter.
Since 1988,
the National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT) has operated the
Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) Clearinghouse through a
training and technical assistance contract from the U.S. Department of Health
and Human Services (HHS), Administration for Children and
Families, Office of
Community Services, Division of Energy Assistance
II. Research Findings and Reports
Long-term Exposure to PM2.5 and
Incidence of Acute Myocardial Infarction
Madrigano J, Kloog I, Goldberg R, Coull BA,
Mittleman MA, Schwartz J. Long-term Exposure to PM2.5 and Incidence
of Acute
Myocardial Infarction. Environ Health Perspect (): .doi:10.1289/ehp.1205284
Background: A number of studies have
shown associations between chronic exposure to particulate air pollution
and increased mortality, particularly from cardiovascular disease,
but fewer studies have examined the association between long term exposure
to fine particulate air pollution and specific cardiovascular events, such
as acute myocardial infarction (AMI).
Objective: To understand how long-term exposure to
area particulate matter impacts onset of AMI, and to distinguish between
area and local pollutants.
Methods: Building on the Worcester Heart Attack
Study, an ongoing community wide investigation examining changes over time
in MI incidence in greater Worcester, Massachusetts, we conducted a
case-control study of 4,467 confirmed cases of AMI diagnosed between
1995 and 2003 and 9,072 matched controls selected from Massachusetts
resident lists. We used a prediction model based on satellite aerosol
optical depth (AOD) measurements to generate both exposure to particulate
matter less than 2.5 microns in diameter (PM2.5) at the area level
(10 x 10 km) and the local level (100 m) based on local land use
variables. We then examined the association between area and local
particulate pollution and occurrence of AMI.
Results: An interquartile range (IQR) increase
in area PM2.5 (0.59 μg/m3) was associated with
a 16% increase in the odds of AMI (95% CI: 1.04, 1.29). An IQR increase in
total PM2.5 (area + local, 1.05 μg/m3) was
weakly associated with a 4% increase in the odds of AMI (95% CI:
0.96, 1.11).
Conclusions: Residential exposure to PM2.5
may best be represented by a combination of area and local PM2.5
and it is important to consider spatial gradients within a single metropolitan
area when examining the relationship between particulate matter exposure
and cardiovascular events.
December 5, 2012 Advance Publications
Hou Y, Xue
P, Woods CG, Wang X, Fu J, Yarborough K, Qu W, Zhang Q, Anderson ME, Pi J.
Association between Arsenic Suppression of Adipogenesis and Induction of CHOP10
via the Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress Response. Environ Health Perspect ():
.doi:10.1289/ehp.1205731
Background: There is growing evidence that chronic
exposure to inorganic arsenic (iAs) is associated with increased
prevalence of Type 2 diabetes (T2D). However, the mechanisms for the
diabetogenic effect of iAs are still largely unknown. White adipose tissue
(WAT) actively stores and releases energy and maintains lipid and glucose
homeostasis.
Methods: The effects and associated mechanisms
of iAs and its major metabolites on adipogenesis were determined in 3T3-L1
preadipocytes, mouse adipose-derived stromal-vascular fraction cells
(ADSVFCs) and human adipose tissue-derived stem cells (ADSCs).
Results: Exposure of 3T3-L1 preadipocytes to
noncytotoxic levels of arsenic, including inorganic arsenite (iAs3+,
up to 5 μM), inorganic arsenate (up to 20 μM),
trivalent monomethylated arsenic (MMA3+, up to 1 μM) and
trivalent dimethylated arsenic (DMA3+, up to 2 μM)
decreased adipogenic hormone-induced adipogenesis in a
concentration-dependent manner. In addition, iAs3+, MMA3+
and DMA3+ exhibited a strong inhibitory effect on adipogenesis
in primary cultured mouse ADSVFCs and human ADSCs. Time-course studies
in 3T3-L1 cells revealed that inhibition of adipogenesis by arsenic
occurred in the early stage of terminal adipogenic differentiation and was
highly correlated with induction of C/EBP homologous protein (CHOP10), an
endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress response protein. Induction of CHOP10 by
arsenic is associated with reduced DNA-binding activity
of CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein β (C/EBPβ), which regulates
the transcription of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ and
C/EBPα.
Conclusions: Low-level iAs and MMA3+
trigger the ER stress response and upregulate CHOP10, which inhibits
C/EBPβ transcriptional activity, and thus suppresses adipogenesis.
Arsenic-induced dysfunctional adipogenesis may be associated with reduced
capacity of WAT to store lipids and insulin resistance.
Chen A, Kim SS, Chung E, Dietrich KN. Thyroid Hormones in Relation to
Lead, Mercury, and Cadmium Exposure in the National Health and Nutrition
Examination Survey, 2007–2008. Environ Health Perspect ():
.doi:10.1289/ehp.1205239
Background: Heavy
metals, such as lead (Pb), mercury (Hg), and cadmium (Cd), are known toxicants
but their associations with the thyroid axis have not been well quantified at
background U.S. levels.
Objectives: This study
investigated the relationship between thyroid hormones (total and free
thyroxine [TT4 and FT4], total and free triiodothyronine [TT3 and FT3], thyroid
stimulating hormone [TSH], and thyroglobulin [Tg]) and Pb, Hg, and Cd
concentrations in blood and Cd in urine.
Methods: We
separately analyzed a sample of 1109 adolescents (12-19 years) and a sample of
4409 adults from the US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey
(NHANES) 2007-08. We estimated associations after adjustment for age, sex,
race, urinary iodine, BMI, and serum cotinine.
Results: The
geometric means of blood Pb, total Hg, and Cd were 0.81 μg/dL, 0.47
μg/L, 0.21 μg/L in adolescents and 1.43 μg/dL, 0.96 μg/L,
0.38 μg/L in adults, respectively. The geometric mean of urinary Cd was
0.07 and 0.25 μg/g creatinine in adolescents and adults respectively. No
consistent pattern of metal and thyroid hormone associations was observed in
adolescents. In adults, blood Hg was inversely related to TT4, TT3, and FT3 and
urinary Cd was positively associated with TT4, TT3, FT3, and Tg, but there were
no associations with Pb. Associations were relatively weak at an individual
level, with about 1-4% change in thyroid hormones per interquartile range
increase in Hg or Cd.
Conclusions: The analysis
suggests an inverse association between Hg exposure and thyroid hormones and a
positive association for Cd in adults.
67 % of
U.S. households were in counties hit by extreme weather events that cost over
$1
billion in 2011-2012
Hurricane Sandy is the latest in a line of extreme weather events that
severely afflicted Americans over the past two years. The United States
experienced every type of weather peril—tornadoes, severe thunderstorms,
hurricanes, floods, drought and heat waves, wildfires, and winter storms. In
the past two years alone, 67 percent of U.S. households were in
disaster-declared areas due to extreme weather events with economic damages
totaling $1 billion or more. From January 2011 through October 31, 2012, 21
billion-dollar damage events hit the United States. Destruction from these
devastating events have resulted in at least $126 billion worth of economic
damages. Lower- and middle-income households are disproportionately affected by
many of the most expensive weather events in 2011 and 2012. (see Table 2 for
more information)
From the use
of personal products to our consumption of food, water, and air, people are
exposed to a wide array of agents each day—many with the potential to affect
health. Exposure science investigates the contact of humans or other organisms
with those agents (that is, chemical, physical, and biologic stressors) and
their fate in living systems. Exposure science has been instrumental in helping
us understand how stressors affect human and ecosystem health, and in efforts
to prevent or reduce contact with harmful stressors. In this way exposure
science has played an integral role in many areas of environmental health, and
can help meet growing needs in environmental regulation, urban and ecosystem
planning, and disaster management.
There are
increasing demands for exposure science information, for example to meet needs
for data on the thousands of chemicals introduced into the market each year,
and to better understand the health effects of prolonged low-level exposure to
stressors. Recent advances in tools and technologies—including sensor systems,
analytic methods, molecular technologies, computational tools, and
bioinformatics—have provided the potential for more accurate and comprehensive
exposure science data than ever before. This report provides a roadmap to take
advantage of the technologic innovations and strategic collaborations to move
exposure science into the future.
HelpAge: Nominate an inspiring
older person for the 60 over 60 list
Perceptions
of the world’s ‘age burden’ are outdated. Older people can be athletes,
statesmen, innovators, entrepreneurs, caregivers, activists. They can teach,
inspire, influence, lead, innovate and create. As longevity increases and
health improves, older people can contribute more to society than ever
before. And their contributions will
become increasingly important as the world grows older – a phenomenon that is
happening in nearly every country and every region. Here are just a few
examples:
106-year-old
Saburo Schohi from Japan is the oldest person to travel around the world using
public transport.
78-year-old
Mama Rhoda from Kenya is an Age Demands Action campaigner and award-winning
community worker. She represents her fellow older Kenyans at Gov't level.
94-year-old
Nelson Mandela, Former President of South Africa, Nobel Peace Laureate, and
founder of the Elders – a group of global leaders working together for peace
and human rights.
To
complement the release of a new report, Ageing in the 21st Century: A Celebration and a Challenge, UNFPA and HelpAge International are
creating a list of 60 inspiring and influential older people over 60, and we
need your help. Make your nominations
for 60 over 60 now!
You can
nominate yourself, or an older person you admire, beginning today. They are
looking for a diverse group representing many nationalities and ages. There are
three ways you can nominate your inspiring older person for the 60 over 60
list: Submit a photo and short story
below, telling us in 150 words or less about the nominee’s accomplishments and
qualities. Post an image to the UNFPA or
HelpAge’s Facebook wall with a short text of100 words or less. Nominations will close on 31 December
2012. http://7billionactions.org/60over60
American Community
Survey Briefs
The Food Stamp Act of 1977 defines this federally-funded program as one intended to "permit low-income households to obtain a more nutritious diet." In 2008, the Food Stamp Program was renamed the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance program (SNAP).
In 2011, 14.9 million households reported receiving food stamp/SNAP benefits during the past 12 months. The state with the highest participation was Oregon (18.9%). Other states with high food stamp/SNAP participation included Michigan and Tenessee. In 2011, 13% of all households reported receipt of food stamps/SNAP, about a 10% increase over the 2010 figure of 11.9%. Forty-eight states experienced an increase in food stamp/SNAP receipt. The District of Columbia, Alabama and Hawaii were among the states with the largest increases between 2010 and 2011.
Science Resources at EPA: EPA's Office of Research and Development prepare three
informational resources from the blog, "scientists@work", a
greenversations blog called "It all Starts with Science" and a longer
more comprehensive and in depth look at science topics at EPA "Science
Matters."
Scientists@work Science forms the foundation of everything EPA
does. It provides the information, tools, and innovations the Agency needs to
meet its mission to protect human health and the environment. Behind that work are EPA scientists and
engineers who explore the complex interrelationships between people and our
environment. Click on the links below to meet some of our scientists, see how
they got started in their careers, and learn about the important work they do.
It All Starts with Science Blog : Around the Water Cooler: What’s In Your Water?
Recently a friend who knows I work on water
issues asked me, “What’s in our water?” Good question, right? The answer is a
little more complex than just H2O. The truth is that things we
flush, throw away, or pour down the sink all have an impact on “what’s in our
water.”
Toxins, contaminants, sediments, and other
pollutants all are things that can affect our water quality. But the good
news is that EPA researchers are developing a variety of tools that can help
water utilities better manage our water and make sure that it not only complies
with the Safe Drinking Water Act, but goes beyond to protect public health
and make sure we have tasty water to drink. To read more see http://blog.epa.gov/science/2012/11/around-the-water-cooler-what%E2%80%99s-in-your-water/
Who wouldn't want to arrive at their 40th
birthday healthier and in better shape than they were in their younger years?
If the Clean Water Act could throw a party, it would have a lot to celebrate.
Forty years ago, the dire state of the nation's water resources was a national
concern. The assaults were direct and numerous: untreated sewage, industrial
and toxic discharges, contaminated runoff, and widespread destruction of
wetlands.
For many, the symbol of that decay came in June of 1969, when something perhaps
as simple as a wayward spark from a passing train ignited a mass of oil-soaked
debris floating on the surface of the contaminated Cuyahoga River—sending
thick, billowing black clouds of smoke into the air. But then things started to change. The newly
established U.S. Environmental Protection Agency was given clear direction
"to restore and maintain the chemical, physical, and biological integrity
of the Nation's waters" through major revisions to the Federal Water
Pollution Control Act, better known as the Clean Water Act (CWA). In the 40 years since, much of the nation's
waters have become significantly cleaner and safer.
How did that success story unfold? It all started with science.
EPA researchers and their partners provided the strong, scientific foundation
that watershed and land managers, water system operators, state, local and
tribal governments, and others needed to take action.
Carbon Monoxide (Co) Prevention
According to the experts
at America’s 57 local poison centers, carbon monoxide poisoning is the most
common poison-related cause of hospitalization and death in the wake of
hurricanes. It is called a “silent killer” because there are no odors or
symptoms that signal a problem. When people use generators improperly – too
close to homes, in garages or outside bedroom windows – carbon monoxide can
seep in and sicken or even kill. Open windows or outside garage doors do not
provide adequate ventilation for generators or other gas-powered equipment. According to the American Association of
Poison Control Centers, as of November 1st, 118 persons were exposed to carbon
monoxide following Hurricane Sandy. See http://www.aapcc.org/press/8/
Carbon
monoxide (CO) is the most common cause of poisoning death in the United States. Approximately 500 deaths and 15,000
visits to the emergency room occur annually due to unintentional CO poisoning.
Older adults
over 65 years of age are especially vulnerable to unintentional CO poisoning
due to their high frequency of pre-existing medical conditions. While
CO alarms can save lives, less than one third of American homes have them
installed. To learn more about
preventing carbon monoxide poisoning, see http://www.epa.gov/aging/resources/factsheets/pcmp/pcmp_english_100-F-09-001.pdf
You may also
order a copy at http://www.epa.gov/aging/resources/factsheets/order.htm
When Your Furnace
Kicks on, Be Sure Poison Gas is Not Coming Out
Every winter when the temperature drops, your furnace can become a silent killer. Gas and oil burning furnaces produce carbon monoxide an invisible, odorless, poison gas that kills hundreds and makes thousands sick every year. Have your furnace inspected every year. Install battery-operated or battery-backed up CO detectors near every sleeping area in your home. Check CO detectors regulary to ensure they are working properly.
Fact sheet from CDC: http://www.cdc.gov/co/pdfs/furnace.pdf
III. Sustainable Communities
Register Now
for the 12th Annual New Partners for Smart Growth Conference, February 7-9,
2013 in Kansas City, MO.
The multi-disciplinary program
includes over 90 workshops, breakouts, plenaries and trainings, and will
feature cutting-edge policies and programs, projects, best practices, as well
as strategies and implementation tools that address the challenges of
implementing smart growth development principles. The conference will also feature a
half-day pre-conference workshop on equitable development titled
"Sustainable Neighborhoods, Thriving Residents: Strategies for Building
Equitable Communities." Other exciting conference
features include:
To make your
reservations at the Marriott Kansas City Downtown Hotel, call 1-877-303-0104
and indicate that you are attending the New Partners Conference.
To move more
deliberately toward anything resembling a sustainable future, we need to use
land more efficiently, building more compactly, with significantly higher
densities of homes and businesses per acre than we built, on average, in the
late 20th century. We particularly must
do this in two circumstances: (1) by
retrofitting or “repairing” what are now low-density suburbs with aging
commercial buildings going out of service, and (2) by reinvesting and
rebuilding in disinvested parts of central cities and older towns and
suburbs. Those aren’t the only
circumstances in which we should accommodate more people, homes, and buildings
than we may have now, but it would be a heck of a start.
The rewards
are substantial: less pressure to
develop what are now rural lands; reduced rates of driving and cleaner air
through consequent reduced emissions; more walkable neighborhoods and more
viable public transit; cleaner waterways through reduced spread of
runoff-causing pavement around what are now well-functioning watersheds;
increased tax revenues for cash-strapped local governments; and opportunities
to apply design lessons so that we may create better places. While I am on record as saying that we don’t
necessarily need high densities to achieve these improvements, we certainly
need to do much, much better than sprawl.
IV. Pharmaceuticals in the
Environment
2013 National Take Back Day
The
DEA is planning the next National Take-Back Day on April 27, 2013. The take back day will be on the last
Saturday of April from (10:00AM - 2:00PM). For more information please check the website.
http://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/drug_disposal/takeback/index.html
Food and Drug
Administration: Disposal of Unused Medicines: What You Should Know
Medicines
play an important role in treating many conditions and diseases, but when they
are no longer needed it’s important to dispose of them properly to avoid harm
to others. Below, we list some disposal options and some special disposal
instructions for you to consider when throwing out expired, unwanted, or unused
medicines.
Medicine
Take-Back Programs
Medicine
take-back programs for disposal are a good way to remove expired, unwanted, or
unused medicines from the home and reduce the chance that others may
accidentally take the medicine. Contact your city or county government's
household trash and recycling service to see if there is a medicine take-back
program in your community and learn about any special rules regarding which
medicines can be taken back. You can also talk to your pharmacist to see if he
or she knows of other medicine disposal programs in your area.
Disposal
in Household Trash
If
no medicine take-back program is available in your area, consumers can also
follow these simple steps to dispose of most medicines in the household trash:1
V. Environment and the Arts
Dance Exchange Launches Green Choreographer
Initiative
Announcing Amara Tabor-Smith and
Jill Sigman as Green Choreographers-in-Residence
This fall, Dance Exchange launched the
Green Choreographer Initiative with the Green Choreographer Research
Residency at Dance Exchange. Dance Exchange has selected two guest artists
as the inaugural GreenChoreographers-in-Residence: Jill Sigman, Artistic
Director of jill sigman/thinkdance in New York City, and Amara
Tabor-Smith, Artistic Director of Deep Waters Dance Theater in San
Francisco. Tabor-Smith will join Dance Exchange December 3-7, 2012 and
Sigman will be in residence January 28-February 1, 2013.
In its post-founder era, Dance Exchange is
expanding its role in the field of dance by becoming an incubation site
and facilitator of work by multiple artists outside of the company,
drawing artists from around the country to share work and research within
the DC region. The Green Choreographer Initiative highlights exemplary
choreographers with socially engaged artistic practices who address
environmental issues in their work, and use art to facilitate a dialogue around
these issues that will resonate beyond the dance field.
This incubator series will provide select
dance makers the opportunity to share artistic practices and be in
conversation with local artists and environmental partners. Each inaugural
green choreographer will receive an unrestricted residency award of $5000
to use as they see fit, plus additional in-kind support of $7500 worth of
studio space, facilitated feedback sessions with Dance Exchange artists
and invited guests, and time with the Dance Exchange resident artists and
Artistic Director. These residencies are the first phase of a larger
initiative fostering a community of dance makers interested in building
cultural capacity to address pressing environmental and social issues.
The dialogue and discoveries in year one’s residency program will shape
subsequent residencies and programming.
Dance
Exchange is taking a leadership role specific to environmentally-related work
that encompasses more than just making art about environmental issues.
Dance Exchange Artistic Director Cassie Meador has long been a champion of
environmental awareness and conservation efforts, and her recent
choreographic works address issues of land use and mountaintop removal.
Meador’s Moving Field Guides take participants into parks, forests and
fields to explore the habitat through the guidance of dancers, historians,
and naturalists. Of the program, Meador states, “This initiative
establishes Dance Exchange as a place for artists not only to research how
the changing environment is shaping our lives, but also as a place to
examine their own practices. Jill and Amara both use art to shed light on
some of the most important and pressing issues of our time and we
hope that they will leave Dance Exchange with a sense that they’ve
discovered something new about the usefulness of their work in the world.”
United States Artists Honor 50 of America's Finest Artists
Each
year, United States Artists honors 50 of America's finest artists with individual
fellowship awards of $50,000 each.
Trisha
Brown, one of the great innovators of postmodern dance, first emerged in the
1960s. Brown pushed the limits of what could be considered appropriate movement
for choreography. She started Trisha Brown Dance Company in 1970, creating
dances for alternative spaces and the rooftops and walls of buildings in
downtown New York. Brown has collaborated with numerous artists, choreographed
to classical music and jazz, and directed several operas. The recipient of many
honors, including a Bessie Award for Lifetime Achievement and the Dorothy and
Lillian Gish Prize (both 2011), Brown was also the first woman choreographer to
receive a MacArthur Fellowship (1991). http://www.usafellows.org/fellow/trisha_brown
VI. Intergenerational Activities
A
new report on hunger and nutrition in the United States is based on findings of
a new poll commissioned by Generations United and conducted by Harris
Interactive. Among the report findings,
in the past year, nearly one-third of adults in America have either experienced
lack of food or been concerned about food insecurity among their family,
friends, or neighbors. Equally troubling, one in 10 adults went without a basic
need (such as food, medicine, or health care) to provide food for another
family member.
LEGACY PROJECT (LEGACY CENTER):
The Legacy
Project is an international big-picture learning project working with youth,
adults, and elders toward a more meaningful, equitable, and sustainable world.
Through an intergenerational TreeKeepers program and the 15-acre Legacy Center
arboretum, trees are used in scientific explorations and as creative metaphors
for exploring the life course and environmental legacies. The global YOU 177 education campaign brings
youth and elders together to spark conversation over story sharing, learn
seven-generation thinking, and apply new ideas in legacy projects that can
transform lives and communities. For more information, see http://www.legacyproject.org .
VII. Funding Opportunities and
Resources
EPA Funding Opportunities
EPA is
soliciting proposals pursuant to Section 319 of the Clean Water Act (CWA) from
eligible tribes and intertribal consortia to develop and/or implement
watershed-based plans and on-the-ground projects that will result in
significant steps towards solving Nonpoint Source (NPS) impairments on a
watershed-wide basis.
Deadline:
December 14, 2012.
http://water.epa.gov/polwaste/nps/tribal/funding13.cfm
NEW--
Western Governors' Association development of a sustainable strategy supporting
transportation planning and conservation priorities across the West --DOT
The Federal
Highway Administration (FHWA) is accepting applications for one cooperative
agreement to awardees (“Recipients”) to implement policy priorities analogous
to those identified through FHWA’s Eco-Logical program and to utilize the
Crucial Habitat Assessment Tool (CHAT). The intent of CHAT is to inform gross
infrastructure planning efforts, wildlife corridor identification, and conservation
planning. By putting these complementary approaches into operation in a
collaborative manner, FHWA will be building on national ecosystem activities
and maximizing implementation of its Eco-Logical program.
Deadline:
Dec 29, 2012
Centers for Water Research on National Priorities Related to a Systems
View of Nutrient Management
EPA as part
of its Science to Achieve Results (STAR) program is seeking applications to
establish Centers to conduct water research and demonstration projects that are
innovative and sustainable using a systems approach for nutrient management in
the Nation’s waters.
Proposed
research areas should include:
• Science to
achieve sustainable and cost effective health and environmental outcomes as
part of water management.
•
Demonstration projects to support efficacy of water management systems with and
beyond current technology and information at appropriate scales.
• Community
involvement in the design, acceptance and implementation of nutrient management
systems.
Deadline:
January 15, 2013.
http://epa.gov/ncer/rfa/2012/2012_star_water_research.html
New -- EPA RFP: Increasing Community
Awareness and Use of Environmental Information through Education and Outreach
This notice
announces the availability of funds and solicits proposals for projects that
will provide key audiences with an opportunity to attain a greater
understanding of Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) data and other related toxic
chemical information. This announcement is consistent with the purpose of TRI
as stated in the Emergency Planning and Community Right to Know Act (EPCRA) 42
U.S.C. 11023 which is to provide the public and local governments with
information concerning potential chemical hazards present in their communities.
EPA believes that an important way to promote greater awareness, understanding
and use of the TRI data and other related information is to provide financial
assistance for a project to increase awareness of that information among new
audiences and through new avenues.
Deadline:
March 1, 2013.
http://www.epa.gov/tri/rfp/index.html
Other Opportunities
New-- Environmental Health Sciences (EHS) Core Centers (P30)
--NIEHS
The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences
(NIEHS) invites applications from qualified institutions for support of
Environmental Health Sciences Core Centers (EHS CC). The Centers are designed
to establish leadership and support for programs of excellence in environmental
health sciences by providing scientific guidance, technology, and career
development opportunities for promising investigators. A Core Center Grant is
an institutional award to support centralized scientific resources and
facilities shared by investigators with existing research projects. By
providing structure and resources, this support is intended to enhance the
ability of scientists working in the field of environmental health sciences to
identify and capitalize on emerging opportunities that will translate into
advances improving the understanding of the relationships among environmental
exposures, human biology, and disease. Deadline: January 14, 2013.
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-ES-13-002.html
NEW -- Community Based Dental Partnership Program
--HRSA
The goals of
the Dental Community Partnership Program are to increase access to oral health
care for patients with HIV in areas that remain underserved, especially in
communities without dental education programs, and to increase the number of
dental providers capable of managing the oral health needs of patients with
HIV, through community-based service-learning experiences. Eligible applicants
must work collaboratively with community-based dental providers (such as
community-based organizations or agencies that currently provide or plan to
provide oral health services, or private practice dental providers) to address
unmet oral health needs of vulnerable populations with HIV.
Deadline:
January 28, 2013.
NEW -- Sustainable Landscapes, Clean
Energy and Adaptation--USAID
USAID’s
climate change program uses three pillars of funding—“Sustainable Landscapes”
investments in land use practices that stop, slow, and reverse emissions from
deforestation and degradation of forests and other landscapes; “Clean Energy”
investments to establish a foundation for low carbon energy systems; and
“Adaptation” to increase the resilience of people, places and livelihoods to a
changing climate. This Addendum to the GDA APS seeks private sector partners
that wish to collaborate with USAID on programs that realize these three
pillars while pursuing their own business or philanthropic interests.
Deadline:
January 31, 2013.
Climate Change Education Partnership Alliance Office (CCEPA Office)
In FY 2012,
NSF funded six Phase II Climate Change Education Partnership (CCEP-II)
projects. The PI's, Co-PI's and significant partners of the six CCEP-II
projects constitute the CCEP "network". The lead PI's for the
six projects comprise the CCEP Alliance (CCEPA), which will convene on a
regular basis in order to identify common needs and opportunities for
collaboration across the CCEP network. Key to the success of this networked
approach is the creation of a CCEP Alliance Office (CCEPA Office), which will:
facilitate communication among the projects participating within the CCEP-II
network; enable and nurture cross-project coordination and collaboration, such
as assisting with data collection for a program-wide evaluation undertaken by
NSF; and, support dissemination of resources developed by the CCEP-II network
to the larger scientific community and the public. The CCEPA Office is also
expected to foster coordination of CCEP-II activities with the larger climate
change education community.
Letter of
Intent Due Date(s) (required) December 06, 2012 Letter of Intent (Required)
Full Proposal Deadline(s): February 05, 2013. http://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=nsf13513
Fiscal Year 2013 NOAA Chesapeake Bay Watershed Education and Training
(BWET)
B-WET
Chesapeake is a competitive grant program that supports existing, high quality
environmental education programs, fosters the growth of new, innovative
programs, and encourages capacity building and partnership development for environmental
education programs throughout the entire Chesapeake Bay watershed. Successful
projects advance the goals of the NOAA Education Strategic Plan and the Mid
Atlantic Elementary and Secondary Environmental Literacy Strategy by providing
hands-on environmental education about issues affecting the Chesapeake Bay
watershed for students, related professional development for teachers, and/or
capacity building for watershed education. These Meaningful Watershed
Educational Experiences (MWEEs) integrate field experiences with classroom
activities and instruction in NOAA-related content. Letters of Intent due
10/30/2012. Applications are due: 12/19/2012.
NSF Science, Engineering and Education for Sustainability Fellows
Deadline: November 26, 2012.
Transgenerational Inheritance in Mammals After Environmental Exposure
(TIME) (R01) NIEHS
Deadline: December 18, 2012.
AHRQ Individual Awards for Postdoctoral Fellows (F32) National Research
Service Awards
Deadline: November 8, 2012- December
8, 2015.
Organizations may apply for creative
placemaking projects that contribute to the livability of communities and place
the arts at their core. An organization may request a grant amount from $25,000
to $200,000.
Art works to improve the lives of America's
citizens in many ways. Communities across our nation are leveraging the arts
and engaging design to make their communities more livable with enhanced
quality of life, increased creative activity, a distinct sense of place, and
vibrant local economies that together capitalize on their existing assets. The
NEA defines these efforts as the process of Creative Placemaking:
"In creative placemaking, partners from
public, private, nonprofit, and community sectors strategically shape the
physical and social character of a neighborhood, town, tribe, city, or region
around arts and cultural activities. Creative placemaking animates public and
private spaces, rejuvenates structures and streetscapes, improves local
business viability and public safety, and brings diverse people together to
celebrate, inspire, and be inspired."
Through Our Town, subject to the
availability of funding, the National Endowment for the Arts will
provide a limited number of grants, ranging from $25,000 to $200,000, for
creative placemaking projects that contribute toward the livability of communities
and help transform them into lively, beautiful, and sustainable places with the
arts at their core.
See "Intended NEA Outcome" for more
details. Deadline: January 14, 2013. Guidance to prepare and application: http://www.arts.gov/grants/apply/OurTown/How-to-apply.html
NIEHS -- Environmental Influences on the Microbiome (R21)
Deadline: January 16, 2013.
Improving Diet and Physical activity (RO1)- NIDDK
Deadline: February 5, 2013.
Juvenile Protective Factors and Their Effects on Aging (R01)
Deadline: February 5, 2013. June 5, 2013.
Secondary Analyses and Archiving of Social and Behavioral Datasets in Aging
(R03)
Deadline: February 14, 2013.
VIII. 2013 Calendar
International Year of Water Cooperation
The International Year
of Statistics
January 2013
Four Things You
Can Do During National Radon Action Month
January 11, 2013.
Birthday of Aldo
Leopold, author of A Sand County Almanac
He was born
in 1887. Read more about Leopold at http://www.aldoleopold.org/AldoLeopold/leopold_bio.shtml
February 2013
American Heart Disease Awareness Month
National Poison Prevention Month
New Partners for Smart Growth Annual
Conference
February 7-9, 2013. Kansas City, MO
February 15-18, 2013
Active Living Research
Annual Conference
February 26-28, 2013. San Diego, CA
Association of Gerontology in Higher Education
February 28 - March 3, 2013. St.
Petersburg, FL
Society of Toxicology Annual Meeting
March 10-14, 2013
San Antonio, TX
http://www.worldwaterday.org/
National Groundwater Week
March 10-16, 2013.
World Glaucoma Week
March 10-16, 2013.
American Society on Aging
March 12-16, 2013
Chicago, Ill
World Water Day
March 22, 2013.
Who was
John Muir?
April 21, 2013