VIENNA, Austria, October 14, 2008 (ENS) – Organized environmental crime is a serious and growing threat across the world, according to a new report by the undercover Environmental Investigation Agency. The London-based NGO today presented its report to a United Nations meeting on transborder organized crime in Vienna with an urgent call for action.

The report warns that environmental crime generates tens of billions of dollars in profits for criminal enterprises every year, and it is growing.

EIA campaigns director Julian Newman said, “Our report shows how organized criminals are looting the planet for a quick profit. It is time for the international community to step up and meet this threat head on.”

An investigator examines a leopard
skin in Nagchu, Tibet Autonomous Region,
China, August 2005. (Photo by Debbie
Banks courtesy EIA)

Environmental crimes are illegal acts which directly harm the environment, and include the illegal trade in wildlife, smuggling of ozone-depleting and global-warming substances, illicit trade in hazardous waste, illegal fishing, illegal logging and the associated trade in stolen timber.

EIA, which has exposed environmental crime using undercover methods for 24 years, says its recent experience indicates environmental criminals are becoming more organized, building up networks to operate across international frontiers and using sophisticated techniques to move illegal goods around the world and launder the proceeds.

The report, “Environmental crime – A Threat to Our Future” was presented to the fourth session of the UN Convention Against Transnational Organized Crime, UNCTOC, at an event organized by EIA.

Antonio Mario Costa, executive director of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime, spoke at the launch of EIA’s report.

“At a time when climate change and environmental sustainability are such high priorities, it is shocking to think that there are criminals profiting from the destruction of our planet. This is not a victimless crime. On the contrary. Since we share one planet, damage to the environment anywhere in the world hurts us all,” said Costa.

Environmental crime is often perceived as victimless, yet in reality all of us are affected, EIA says. These crimes lead to deforestation and habitat destruction, depriving communities of their livelihoods; cause ecological problems such as flooding; foster corruption and bad governance; and contribute to climate change, and at the same time generate tens of billions of dollars in profits for criminal enterprises.

Addressing delegates to the UNCTOC conference today, Costa linked organized crime with many forms of environmental destruction.

“At a time of great concern about climate change,” he said, “let’s recognize that organized crime is an environmental threat, from mafia control of garbage disposal and the dumping of hazardous waste, to the destruction of primary forests, illegal logging and the trafficking of endangered species.”

“Above all organized crime is also an economic issue,” Costa said, “it exploits resources like blood diamonds, precious metals, or by bunkering oil. Piracy and banditry disrupt trade and prevent aid delivery.”

Most of all, organized crime is a development issue, said Costa, citing reports on corruption in Africa, the Caribbean, Central America and the Balkans, that show “a correlation, even causality, between weak rule of law and weak economic performance.”

Saying that the UN system needs to train more skilled people to fight corruption, Costa and Interpol chief Ron Noble today announced the joint establishment of the International Anti-Corruption Academy.

The new academy will open next autumn in Laxenburg just outside Vienna, specializing in anti-corruption education, research, and professional training.

Indonesian customs officers inspect a seizure of
smuggled cylinders of ozone-destroying
CFCs produced in China. Tanjung Priok
port, Jakarta, Indonesia, 2004. (Photo
by Julian Newman courtesy EIA)

The EIA hopes it will make a difference in combating organized environmental crime, which is often linked with corruption.

The EIA report states, “Individuals in corporate or official positions of authority and power view environmental crime as a chance to cash in.”

Examples of this can be found in the case studies of the EIA report, “signing and forging import and export certificates; facilitating the transport of illicit goods and ‘turning a blind eye’ are all examples of the institutionalized corruption described.”

“Far more serious, and yet just as common,” says the EIA report, “is the complicit, longterm involvement of individuals from the police, army, government and intergovernmental organisations. Cocooned by familiar bureaucracies, weak legislation and poor enforcement, corrupt officials can thrive through environmental crime. Furthermore, corruption may be preventing the true cost and extent of environmental crime from being properly assessed or effectively addressed.”

Although many international bodies such as the UN General Assembly, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime and the World Customs Organization have recognized environmental crime as serious and transnational, EIA believes it is not taken as seriously as other forms of organized crime because countries lack the political will to provide the resources to carry out enforcement.

The EIA is urging governments, police forces, customs and United Nations agencies to recognize environmental crime as a serious time-critical problem, and work together to mount a “substantial, committed and sustained global response.”

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PITTSBURGH, Pennsylvania, September 23, 2008 (ENS) – On the occasion of Pittsburgh’s 250th birthday, the state of Pennsylvania will invest $1 million to enhance parks, plant trees and improve trails in the Pittsburgh region, an industrial center that is now in the process of growing greener.

The million dollar announcement made by Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Secretary Michael DiBerardinis on Monday crowned an exciting four days for Pittsburgh parks professionals and advocates.

They have hosted 500 of their counterparts from across the United States and around the world at the International Urban Parks Conference.

“Body and Soul: Parks and the Health of Great Cities” is the theme of the conference that opened Saturday, co-sponsored by City Parks Alliance, the National Association for Olmsted Parks and the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy.

Participants from as far away as South Africa, Mexico, Pakistan, Germany and the United Kingdom toured Pittsburgh parks to view some of the recent improvements and explore areas where further work is needed.

On Saturday, conference delegates marked the inaugural World Parks Day, organized by Parks for Life, an international initiative created by the International Parks and Green Space Alliance.

The conference, which concluded today, considered environmental sustainability, preservation, maintenance and accessibility of parks as well as acquisition and management of public and private funds to cover the needs of parks in a tightening economy.

“As we work to address the impact of global warming, our urban areas offer tremendous opportunities around already existing infrastructure and transportation,” DiBerardinis said at an event at Mellon Square announcing the grants.

“It’s the parks, trees and recreational opportunities that make them places where people want to work and live, and that’s what we are supporting with our investments today,” he said.

The money will come in the form of Community Conservation Partnerships Program grants to the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy, the City of Pittsburgh for TreeVitalize, and the Regional Trail Corp. for the Great Allegheny Passage.

Pittsburgh’s Schenley Park (Photo
courtesy City of Pittsburgh)

The Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy will receive $250,000 to help restore historic trails and bridges in four parks and to erect new signs.

“We are very grateful to DCNR for this generous grant,” said Meg Cheever, president and chief executive of the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy. “This funding enables us to conduct much-needed repairs to improve drainage infrastructure and reduce soil erosion along trails in Frick, Highland, Schenley and Riverview parks. It will also help cover the costs of installing new signage that will significantly enhance visitors’ enjoyment of the parks.”

The City of Pittsburgh will receive $250,000 for the TreeVitalize partnership with the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy, Allegheny County and others to continue efforts to increase the region’s tree canopy.

“TreeVitalize is making an immediate impact on the quality of life by improving the environment in urban areas,” TreeVitalize Director Marijke Hecht said. “DCNR’s leadership on this project has been invaluable for making TreeVitalize a reality.”

The Regional Trail Corp. will receive $500,000 to help construct 1.3 miles of the Great Allegheny Passage which includes a new bridge to cross over an active railway line.

“DCNR has been our most important partner in this 30 year saga of building the Great Allegheny Passage and has provided tremendous financial support throughout these decades,” said Hannah Hardy, president of the Regional Trail Corp. “We are close to completing the last section through the Mon Valley and this grant will be a tremendous help.”

Funding for the grants comes from the state’s Growing Greener II bond issue and Keystone ‘93, a Department of Conservation and Natural Resources fund generated from a portion of the state’s realty transfer tax.

“Our local partners are critical to our successful efforts to protect our natural areas,” DiBerardinis said. “Our grants help them meet the vision they have for their communities and regions.”

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Robert Redford has been an advocate for environmental sustainability for a long time. He has dedicated his life to promoting responsible solutions to the climate crisis. Recently, Robert Redford has chosen to focus on the topic of energy; you will find some of the possible reasons for his choice in the paragraph below.

A major portion of the forces disrupting a healthy climate comes from the production and use of 20th century energy sources. These are things like coal power, nuclear power, hydroelectric power, natural gas and fossil fuel use in automobiles. Robert Redford believes that we already have alternatives to these polluting technologies. We believe he is completely correct in his assessment; wind, solar, and waste energy are all viable sources of energy in a world that has already harnessed them to power a portion of the world economy.

Mr. Redford delivers his
speech

His speech bears direct consequences to the political theater in this election year. He cautions people against taking energy solution advice from Washington, noting that the government has been managing the energy policies for the last 20 years. He points out that these energy policies shaped and delivered the current energy crisis that is quickly draining the money out of American wallets. If Robert Redford is correct, voting for the Republicans (and some Democrats) is basically akin to the old adage of asking the fox to guard the hen house. According to Mr. Redford, “all we lack is honest, bold leadership.” Perhaps it is time for Mr. Redford to consider running for office himself. He certainly has the name recognition to be seriously considered.

One thing that is not specifically brought up in the speech, but which deserves attention, is a definition of which leaders Mr. Redford is saying that we need. We cannot just vote for a President who says he wants to solve the energy crisis, we also have to vote for the respective state representatives who make the commitment to energy independence. After all, nothing will happen if the President keeps on getting flawed legislation on his desk, even if some of it relates to the energy crisis. We need to fill up the Congress and the Senate with people who make energy independence their primary focus.

Read a complete transcript of Robert Redford’s Speech [www.nrdc.org]

Solar Panels On The Roof

Discover this great New York City townhouse that was recently renovated in accordance with the LEED standard of environmental sustainability. In the middle of Harlem, this townhouse pioneers low carbon footprint dynamics in one of the most famous cities in the world. Featuring solar panels on the roof for power and an innovative use of recycled blue jean fabric insulation, this building’s features combine comfort, beauty and utility in one fantastic dwelling.

Exterior Facade for Townhouse

“MIKA Development is a real estate owner and developer based in Manhattan. MIKA is focused on the redevelopment and renovation of historic brownstone buildings in the New York Metropolitan region. Their expertise is the development of single and multifamily dwellings. This specialty, combined with understanding and skill in sustainable construction practices, has led MIKA to a partnership with GOOD HOUSEKEEPING Magazine and the U.S. Green Building Council. MIKA leads Manhattan’s movement to create sustainable, single-family housing, by actively pursuing Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification for their projects. They have pioneered this innovative and conscientious approach to construction in the Metropolitan Area, developing the first LEED-certified home in Manhattan, while receiving design and architectural recognition for these efforts. MIKA’s vision of detailed craftsmanship blended with chic modern design has created refreshing solutions for family life in New York City.” (Description Courtesy of MIKA Development [www.mikadevelopment.com]

Sunny Interior with Elegant Furnishings

There is an article in GOOD HOUSEKEEPING [www.goodhousekeeping.com] that goes into greater detail describing this fabulous home. The townhouse will shortly be listed for sale on the open market, so if you are looking for a place to call home, make sure to head over to the MIKA Development Website [www.mikadevelopment.com] for more details.

ALBANY, New York, May 1, 2008 (ENS) – New York’s First Lady Michelle Paige Paterson Thursday unveiled the first installation of solar panels at the Governor’s Mansion, a step toward reducing the mansion’s energy consumption and pollution.

The first solar panels were installed over the pool house, and they will produce 3.5 kilowatts of energy. This fall, the second array of solar panels will be placed on a new carport, adding an additional 46.5 kilowatts to the mansion’s power supply.

First Lady Paterson is the wife of New York’s Governor David Paterson, the former Lt. Governor who ascended to the top position on March 17 in the wake of a prostitution scandal that forced the resignation of Governor Eliot Spitzer.

The new first lady said that she will continue the “Greening the Mansion” initiative to promote healthy buildings and environmental sustainability, while cutting the home’s electrical energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions by 50 percent.

“If our buildings are unhealthy, it increases the chances that we will be unhealthy and that our children will be unhealthy,” said the first lady. “Inefficient buildings are the largest contributors to global warming. In fact, nearly 40 percent of greenhouse emissions come from buildings. This level of pollution contributes to poor air quality and poor health.”

Begun by former First Lady Silda Wall Spitzer, the “Greening the Mansion” initiative is an ongoing project to reduce energy usage, transition the building to clean, renewable energy resources, and develop sustainable practices in maintaining the grounds and operations.

“Greening the Mansion” is intended to demonstrate ways people can change their homes to make them environmentally friendly.

Through simple steps such as upgrading to energy-efficient light bulbs, using natural fiber doormats to reduce the need for vacuuming and toxic floor cleaners, and installing energy-saving appliances, residents can reduce pollution and their energy bills.

“The Mansion should serve as an example of the many ways that New Yorkers can make their homes and businesses into greener, healthier places,” said the first lady.

At the solar panel unveilling event on Thursday, First Lady Paterson announced the submission of a governor’s program bill that would provide an economic incentive to residential developers and homeowners to install solar panels and other green features.

The Green Residential Program Bill would give all New Yorkers the green building incentives already available to businesses. The bill would help offset the typical five percent increase in construction costs when green building features are incorporated into residences.

Tracie Hall, executive director of the New York Upstate Chapter of the U.S. Green Building Council, said, “The greening of the Governor’s Mansion is yet another example of progressive, sustainable initiatives throughout New York State. We commend the leadership and vision being demonstrated in this beautiful, historic residence.”

Greening the Mansion efforts include phasing in the use of non-toxic cleaning products, organic pest control, mulching lawnmowers that recycle grass clippings in place, extensive recycling, and composting.

The mansion staff has begun to use hybrid electric vehicles. Electric lawn mowers and lawn maintenance equipment that can plug into the solar carport for power will be used to reduce gasoline emissions.

Last year the mansion began purchasing New York-grown, preferably organic, produce to the greatest extent possible. The mansion also purchases from a local food co-op, and joined a local Community Supported Agriculture group, which allows consumers to buy a share in a farm and receive fresh local organic produce when it is harvested.

“Like every home, the history of the Mansion reflects the tenor of the times,” said the first lady. “Decades from now, I hope that historians will look back on our time and determine that it was a turning point, when we made crucial choices to build greener, healthier buildings to reduce our energy consumption, address global warming, and improve the health of all. I hope that “Greening the Mansion” will have played a role in this effort.”

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CORAL GABLES, Florida, April 27, 2008 (ENS) – It sounds like something out of a householder’s fantasy – walls covered with self-cleaning paint that repels dirt and grime.

But this new kind of paint is a reality now being tested on the walls of research lab at the University of Miami College of Engineering. The experimental initiative is designed to fit into the university’s commitment towards environmental sustainability on campus.

Dr. James Giancaspro, an assistant professor at the department of Civil, Architectural, and Environmental Engineering has applied the innovative product on the walls of his lab, where undergraduate and graduate students work.

Dr. James Giancaspro (Photo
courtesy U. Miami)

The self-cleaning paint is an ecologically friendly product, Giancaspro says, which has the ability to keep walls clean and maintenance free by repelling dirt, smog, bacteria, algae and fungus that normally accumulates on surfaces, eliminating toxic odors at the same time.

He is currently in the process of designing ways of monitoring the anti-bacterial, anti-pollutant qualities of the paint.

The secret of how the paint works was discovered in the 1960s by Dr. Akira Fujishima in Japan.

He found that titanium dioxide crystals, stimulated by ultra-violet light, could break down the molecules found in grime and organic matter that are necessary for bacteria to grow.

This chemical process is called photocatalytic activity.

Using energy found in the UV light, the photocatalyst titanium dioxide can break down organic substances such as oil grime and hydrocarbons from car exhaust and industrial smog, volatile organic compounds found in building materials and furniture, as well as organic growth such as fungus and mildew.

The contaminants are transformed into non-toxic molecules and reduced to such small quantities that they can no longer damage the surfaces.

A photocatalyst coating can control sick building syndrome by removing volatile organic compounds emitted from building materials, carpeting and furniture, creating a purer space for more comfortable living and working.

Giancaspro says this “eco-active” product was developed by Global Engineering, the Italian company that made the product available to the University of Miami scientist.

Although the paint is used in Europe and Asia, this is the first time it has been utilized in the United States.

Global Engineering plans to fund research of this paint at the University of Miami, which may lead to development of the product for the U.S. market.

The University of Miami began its protection of the environment in 2005 when it launched GreenU, a program that puts into practice safe solutions to environmental problems.

As part of the university’s commitment towards the creation of a green campus, UM President Donna Shalala, who served as secretary of health and human services in the Clinton administration, set the campus on a green path in 2007.

During a ceremony marking Earth Day 2007, Shalala signed the Talloires Declaration of the Association of University Leaders for a Sustainable Future and the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment.

The Talloires Declaration is an international document that pledges signatories to use every opportunity to raise public, government, industry, foundation, and university awareness by openly addressing the urgent need to move toward an environmentally sustainable future.

The Presidents Climate Commitment is a high-visibility effort to address global warming and to accelerate the research and educational efforts of higher education to equip society to re-stabilize the Earth’s climate. To date, the leaders of 526 institutions across the country, representing 25 percent of the total student population and all 50 states, have pledged their commitment.

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The first (and so far, only) Cradle-to-Cradle home, which we profiled yesterday, caused quite a green stir. Not only did it feature a plethora of green design features, it was architecturally adventurous and forward-looking. It was designed to be built outside Roanoke, Virginia, (in a suburb called Gainsboro) though, and in order for the home to better fit in with its new surroundings, when it came time to actually build the thing, the original design was passed up, in favor of a more suburban looking house. This split the green community down the middle: those who thought it was boring and “safe” to choose the suburban design, and those who thought it would serve the green community better to show that green can be mainstream as well. Here are both sides.

TreeHugger’s resident architect and green building expert, Lloyd Alter, had this to say: “In the recent Archetype competition, they just picked the boring [www.treehugger.com], because, well, it had great green credentials and they had to sell it to developers. At least they are building the winner.
“Far more obnoxious is the C2C competition [www.treehugger.com], where they gave the prize to a marvelous, modern and innovative project [www.treehugger.com] that ran on spinach, but when it came to building… as organizer [url= http://www.treehugger.com/files/2005/01/the_th_intervie.php]Gregg Lewis[/url] says in Inhabitat: ‘Many of the designs, including many of the winners, were far more progressive in their thinking relative to the environmental sustainability than they were in addressing the question of economic viability. We are continuing to pursue development of a number of the winning designs elsewhere in the region where price won’t be quite as much of a constraint and will look forward to seeing a variety of the solutions in their built form.’ translated: Let’s build the cheap one that won’t scare the neighbours.

“If innovative, challenging designs lose to contextual front-porch jobs because jurors cannot judge both architecture and systems, then we will not get the best architects even bothering to enter these competitions. This is a great loss- we need ideas that change the way we look at buildings, not how we look at plumbing.”

The other side of the fence is articulated by here [www.treehugger.com] thanks to our pals at Grist. Because of several political and socio-economic reasons, a different design was chosen; “unlike the winning entry, which introduces a new model for living, the Rife and Feather design is a traditional, pitched-roof Southern home that has been reproduced nationwide for hundreds of years.”

“The result is a house that conjures images of mom and apple pie, backyard barbecues and front porch swings. There is nothing about this house that says ‘gray water treatment happens here’, and that’s exactly the point, according to Gregg Lewis, the C2C Home organizer. ‘We want to show that a green home doesn’t need to cost more or look different from its neighbors.’ What C2C Home organizers hope to achieve in Gainsboro is to associate sustainability with affordability and tradition.

“Right now, the hurdles are overcoming the misconceptions and the notion that things can’t be done in a different way and still be affordable,” says Matthew Coates, part of the original winning design team. “We’re showing that it is possible for the average person to create a more sustainable lifestyle.”

Hmm. So, who wins this debate: super-sustainable, adventurous, spendy design, or super-sustainable, traditional, mainstream design? Feel free to spend your two cents in the comment section below.