ECONOTES 2010-08-18: Environmental Headlines for the Houston Region

Featured

1. Memorial Hermann switches to reusable containers (Allison Wollam – Houston Business Journal – August 16, 2010)
   Memorial Hermann has found a way to be more environmentally friendly. Disposable containers have been switched for reusable sharps containers. This prevents an average of 600 disposable sharps from going to a landfill. This has drastically reduced the hospital’s carbon footprint as well as saved money.
   http://houston.bizjournals.com/houston/stories/2010/08/09/daily49.html?surround=lfn
   
2. Not all support $40 million beach restoration (Harvey Rice – Houston Chronicle – August 8, 2010)
   The largest and most expensive beach and dune restoration project is planned to begin in two months in Galveston. More sand would be added to the beaches and dunes to protect houses from storms. Although some homeowners support this project, many critics say that it is a huge waste of money for a temporary boost for a sinking island with very high rates of erosion.
   http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/7145104.html
   
3. ‘Green’ coffin is made from newspapers (ABC13 News – August 13, 2010)
   There is now a much ‘greener’ coffin that is very environmentally friendly. These coffins are made from recycled newspapers and can come in eight different colors. Everything used to make the casket is biodegradable, so there are no plastic or metals used.
   http://www.greenrightnow.com/ktrk/2010/08/13/%E2%80%98green%E2%80%99-coffin-is-made-from-newspapers/

Econote

• 16 August
  • Obama Swims In Gulf, Says Beaches Open For Business (Ross Colvin – Planet Ark News)
    http://planetark.org/wen/59164
  • Scientists See Spike In Oil-Soaked Gulf Turtles (Alyson Zepeda – Planet Ark News)
    http://planetark.org/wen/59162
  • Memorial Hermann switches to reusable containers (Allison Wollam – Houston Business Journal)
    http://houston.bizjournals.com/houston/stories/2010/08/09/daily49.html?surround=lfn
• 15 August
  • Shrimpers find few competitors (Nathaniel Lukefahr – The Facts Covering Brazoria County)
    http://thefacts.com/news/article_640cf298-a807-11df-bad5-001cc4c002e0.html
  • Plan for Canada-Texas pipeline scrutinized (Matthew Tresaugue – Times Argus News)
    http://www.timesargus.com/article/20100815/NEWS01/708159912/1002/NEWS01
• 13 August
  • Houston’s mayor considers privatization to save money (KTRH NewsRadio)
    http://www.ktrh.com/cc-common/mainheadlines3.html?feed=121300&article=7474664
  • Tip 14: EWG’s Back-To-School Guide – Think Greener (Environmental Working Group)
    http://www.ewg.org/healthyhometips/backtoschool?utm_source=full&utm_medium=email&utm_content=third-link&utm_campaign=hht
  • Trend Continues With Second Hottest July On Record (Randolph E. Schmid – Click2Houston)
    http://www.click2houston.com/green-pages/24622508/detail.html
  • ‘Green’ coffin is made from newspapers (ABC13 News)
    http://www.greenrightnow.com/ktrk/2010/08/13/%E2%80%98green%E2%80%99-coffin-is-made-from-newspapers/
• 12 August
  • Houston joins ECOtality’s electric vehicle program (Christine Hall – Houston Business Journal)
    http://houston.bizjournals.com/houston/stories/2010/08/09/daily34.html?surround=lfn
  • Heat, fires, floods and an ice island: Signs of manmade climate change? (TCN Journal)
    http://www.texasclimatenews.org/TCNJournal/81210Signsofmanmadeclimatechange/tabid/1771/Default.aspx
• 11 August
  • State of Texas Challenge to Obama Offshore Drilling Moratorium (Jim Guidry – Guidry News)
    http://www.guidrynews.com/story.aspx?id=1000028627
• 10 August
  • Powell wants TxDOT to change drainage system at Gladstell Road (Howard Roden – Conroe Courier News)
    http://www.hcnonline.com/articles/2010/08/11/conroe_courier/news/ccc081110.txt
  • Scientists square off over Texas’ dead zone (Eric Berger – Houston Chronicle)
    http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/7147999.html
  • Non-oil Lawsuit Against BP Grows (Bill Stamps – KUHF News)
    http://app1.kuhf.org/houston_public_radio-news-display.php?articles_id=1281480178
• 9 August
  • Attorney General Abbott Charges BP With Additional Violations At Texas City Refinery (Attorney General of Texas News)
    http://www.oag.state.tx.us/oagnews/release.php?id=3442
  • BP Forms Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill Escrow Trust (BP News)
    https://www.piersystem.com/go/doc/1927/852835/
  • TPWD Restricting Cave Access on Agency Owned Lands to Protect Bats (Guidry News)
    http://www.guidrynews.com/story.aspx?id=1000028577
  • Dead Zone Extends to Texas Coast (Guidry News)
    http://www.guidrynews.com/story.aspx?id=1000028588
  • DISH Mayor: State’s Air Monitor Gives False Readings (Reeve Hamilton – The Texas Tribune)
    http://www.texastribune.org/texas-environmental-news/environmental-problems-and-policies/dish-mayor-states-air-monitor-gives-false-readings/?utm_source=texastribune.org&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=Tribune%20Feed:%20Main%20Feed
  • Texas sues BP over toxic emissions at Texas City refinery (Houston Chronicle NewsWatch)
    http://blogs.chron.com/newswatchenergy/archives/2010/08/texas_sues_bp_o.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+houstonchronicle%2Fnewswatchenergy+%28NewsWatch%3A+Energy%29
• 8 August
  • Not all support $40 million beach restoration (Harvey Rice – Houston Chronicle)
    http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/7145104.html
• 6 August
  • Green Urges the President Not to Ignore the Gulf Energy Economy (Guidry News)
    http://www.guidrynews.com/story.aspx?id=1000028515
  • Texas industries press to get EPA-approved permits (Ramit Plushnick-Masti – Houston Chronicle)
    http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/business/7143006.html
• 5 August
  • Texas officials say they won’t implement EPA’s climate rules (Bill Dawson – Texas Climate News)
    http://www.texasclimatenews.org/FeatureStories/8410TXofficialswontimplementEPAsrules/tabid/1765/Default.aspx
• 3 August
  • Drilling czar sees possibility of lifting ban early (Jennifer A. Dlouhy – Houston Chronicle)
    http://www.texasclimatenews.org/FeatureStories/8410TXofficialswontimplementEPAsrules/tabid/1765/Default.aspx