One in every five US jobs could be green by 2030, according to a major new report published last week by the American Solar Energy Society (ASES) that estimates the emerging energy efficiency and renewable energy (EE&RE) industries could employ 37 million people over the next two decades.

The report, Tackling Climate Change, argues that even when the jobs lost from carbon intensive sectors such as coal and oil are taken into account, the development of a low-carbon economy will deliver a net boost in employment of about 4.5 million jobs.

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Inaccuracy in reported carbon emissions could be fined more aggressively under the CRC scheme, reports Envido. Financial Directors are now on the front line of ensuring their companies are prepared for the Carbon Reduction Commitment. From April 2010, the CRC will create a direct link between many companies’ carbon emissions and their bottom line. By 2010, the UK government had promised to reduce carbon emissions by 12%. However, it is on target to make a 20% reduction. The government introduced a new Climate Change Act, which has as one of its major components the CRC, due to begin in just a few months.

The CRC will apply initially to the 5,000 companies and public sector organisations judged to have the highest levels of energy use. CRC members are required to buy permits to emit carbon in advance and receive refunds proportional to their performance in carbon emission reductions relative to other scheme participants. CRC members will need to accurately record their energy use to avoid potentially large fines for companies that fail to report accurately and on time.

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On September 30, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) of the Department of Labor published a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) that starts the long process of introducing the Globally Harmonized System (GHS) into North America.

This Notice (Docket No. OSHA-H022K-2006-0062) proposes to modify OSHA’s current Hazard Communication Standard (HCS) to conform with the system for classification, labeling and safety data sheets proposed by the United Nations. The Globally Harmonized System, found in the UN’s Purple Book, is an attempt to standardize hazard communication for workplace and consumer products on a worldwide basis. This will both improve enhance trade by removing significant variations in international standards, as well as improve hazard communication in parts of the world where few regulations currently exist.

OSHA plans, using this docket, to significantly amend its system of identifying hazardous workplace materials found in 29 CFR 1910.1200. The new system will include:

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According to Carbonfund, with the amount of flying I do annually, I “produce” about 21,000 pounds of CO2 per year. If I want to make up for the environmental damage I’ve done, I can pay $125 to offset my carbon contribution.

But what does that really mean? How can paying $125 make the air cleaner or the ozone layer stronger? Where does that $125 go? Am I just paying to make myself feel better?

Well, as I’m learning, it all depends on which company you choose. Some seem to be more transparent than others about where your money goes, and some seem to offer more assurance in the way of third-party auditing. Two that I have found that seem to be among the most reputable are Carbonfund.org and TerraPass. Both take the money you pay for your carbon offsets and invest it into projects that help reduce pollution, produce clean air and alternative sources of energy, and reduce the effects of carbon-producing technology.

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October 7, 2009 - President Obama signed an executive order today requiring federal agencies to set internal emissions reduction targets, and to meet pre-defined goals in other areas of sustainability.

The President said that, as the largest consumer of electricity in the U.S. economy, the government should lead by example and establish strict operating principles focused around sustainability. The order gives all Federal agencies just 90 days to establish 2020 greenhouse gas reduction goals and sets goals for increased energy efficiency, reducing fleet petroleum consumption, conserving water, reducing waste and supporting sustainable communities.

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Miami-Dade County’s green initiatives are getting a $12.5 million boost from the federal stimulus program that will generate jobs and local contracts.

The county was awarded the money to support energy efficiency and conservation activities. Fifty percent of the funds are being made available this summer for energy strategies already approved by the U.S. Department of Energy.

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Oct. 2 — The U.S. EPA is ready to regulate greenhouse gas emissions under the Clean Air Act if Congress doesn´t pass specific climate change legislation.

EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson unveiled a proposal Sept. 30 during the California Governor´s Global Climate Summit.

Jackson is proposing large industrial facilities that emit at least 25,000 tons of greenhouse gases annually obtain construction and operating permits covering those emissions. The permits would require the use of “best available control technologies” and energy efficiency measures to minimize emissions. The permits would be required whenever a new facility is built or when an existing facility is significantly modified.

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The LED signage upgrade is part of a $1 billion global brand re-launch - improving quality and aesthetics throughout the Holiday Inn and Holiday Inn Express brands - including more than 3,200 locations and 9,300 individual signs. Holiday Inn will employ the new GE Tetra LED system - the same brand AT&T used in their recent massive LED signage project. Of the $4 million saved, 75% will come from reduced maintenance costs with 25% coming from reduced energy costs.

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The Newsweek rankings do have inherent shortcomings; certain industries are much dirtier than others which creates an apples-to-oranges situation, many companies keep this data close to the chest, and for many variables there is no uniform standard, so many organizations report numbers differently. In light of this, the rankings do communicate to companies how their efforts are perceived by the public and give them benchmarks to shoot for - and may even foster some much-welcomed competition.

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Sept. 24 — The U.S. EPA on Jan. 1, 2010, will, for the first time, require large emitters of heat-trapping emissions to begin collecting greenhouse gas data under a new reporting system.

This new program will cover approximately 85% of the nation’s GHG emissions and apply to roughly 10,000 facilities.

·This is a major step forward in our effort to address the greenhouse gases polluting our skies,ö EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson said. ·For the first time, we begin collecting data from the largest facilities in this country.”

The EPA will use the information to determine how best to reduce those emissions, she said.

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