EcoPedia
Welcome to The Orchard by Michael Forlini.
The Orchard is a source for environmental education - it exists simply to educate. My hope is that this resource will make us all environmentally conscientious. The Orchard answers many environmental questions and often provides additional avenues to consider.
Why The Orchard?
Welcome to The Orchard by Michael Forlini.
The Orchard is a source for environmental education - it exists simply to educate. My hope is that this resource will make us all environmentally conscientious. The Orchard answers many environmental questions and often provides additional avenues to consider.
Why The Orchard? … Almost all of us have questions regarding environmental topics, even with the superhighway, it is difficult to get an answer. My intention is to grow a wide range of environmental topics in EcoPlum™’s Orchard, for easy accessibility to these topics. A significant amount of the Orchard’s information was pulled directly from Federal websites (EPA, DOE, DoD, DOI). Finding the information was another issue…
When EcoPlum™ first approached, I was skeptical and doubtful to get involved. I have become very impressed with EcoPlum™'s integrity and mission. When told that I could grow the Orchard on EcoPlum’s™ website, I began digging.
Planted in the Orchard are environmental topics ranging from pump and treat to radon. My goal is to give our visitors enough knowledge to be dangerous on a whole orchard of environmental issues. Knowledge is essential for good decision making, however, it may consume more time.
Not a bad thing, considering haste does add to the problem of waste. I hope you enjoy picking through the Orchard. Please feel free to suggest a missing topic. Thank you, and enjoy.
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Michael Forlini | Jan 10, 2010 | Water Pollution |
The Chesapeake Bay watershed stretches across 64,000 square miles and encompasses parts of six states and the District of Columbia. The Chesapeake Bay and its watershed make up one of the most biologically productive systems in the world, with more than 3,600 migratory and resident animal species that live, feed, find shelter and reproduce in the estuary and its watershed. Habitats in the watershed provide a vital ecological link for Atlantic Coast fish populations and birds using the Atlantic Flyway.
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Michael Forlini | Jan 6, 2010 | Climate Change |
A month has almost passed since the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) widely known as COP-15 was held in Copenhagen, Denmark. Many had hoped that this summit would lead to an accord that would progress from Kyoto's success. The Kyoto Protocol (which came out of the COP-3 Climate Talks in Kyoto, Japan in 1997) was aimed at combating global warming through an international environmental treaty.
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Michael Forlini | Dec 1, 2009 | Air Pollution |
Starting on January 1, 2010, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will require large emitters of heat-trapping emissions to collect greenhouse gas (GHG) emission data under a new reporting system. These large emitters include fossil fuel suppliers and industrial gas suppliers, direct greenhouse gas emitters and manufacturers of heavy duty and off road vehicles and engines. It is expected that this mandatory reporting requirement will cover approximately 85 percent of the nation's GHG emissions and apply to approximately 10,000 facilities.
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Michael Forlini | Nov 13, 2009 | Environmental Regulation and Policy |
The GreenChill Advanced Refrigeration Partnership is an EPA cooperative alliance with the supermarket industry and other stakeholders. The partnership was established to promote advanced technologies, strategies, and practices that reduce refrigerant charges and emissions of ozone-depleting substances and greenhouse gases.
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Michael Forlini | Nov 2, 2009 | Eco Travel |
In 2004, EPA launched SmartWaySM — an innovative brand that represents environmentally cleaner, more fuel efficient transportation options. Having personally worked in the U.S. EPA's Office of Transportation and Air Quality and on the development of this program, I realized the importance of the brand. The brand represented "the smart way to save fuel, money and the environment." Basically, the program promotes the concept of green travel through a partnership alliance with government and industry.
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Michael Forlini | Oct 1, 2009 | Michael's Orchard |
In recent years, EPA has learned that caulk containing potentially harmful polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) was used in many buildings, including schools, in the 1950s through the 1970s. In general, schools and buildings built after 1978 do not contain PCBs in caulk. On September 25, 2009, EPA announced new guidance for school administrators and building managers with important information about managing PCBs in caulk and tools to help minimize possible exposure.
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Michael Forlini | Sep 25, 2009 | Environmental Regulation and Policy |
On January 1, 2010, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will, for the first time, require facilities that emit heat-trapping emissions to begin collecting greenhouse gas (GHG) data. This new program will establish a new reporting data retrieval system and cover approximately 85 percent of the nation’s GHG emissions and apply to roughly 10,000 facilities.
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Michael Forlini | Sep 6, 2009 | Air Pollution |
School is back! Our children are once again back in the Shrine of Knowledge. But how safe is their classroom? Were any structural improvements made on the shrine during the summer? Are the kids being exposed to any indoor air contaminants that are being off gassed by structural improvements? How can we be sure? What can we do?
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Michael Forlini | Aug 12, 2009 | Air Pollution |
Particle pollution is also known as particulate matter, or PM, and its concentration levels are usually measured in micrograms. Researchers at Johns Hopkins found a direct corelation between increasing concentrations of PM in indoor air and increased asthma symptpms in preschool children.
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Michael Forlini | Jul 9, 2009 | Environmental Regulation and Policy |
EPA recently announced that comprehensive reports and data on water enforcement in all 50 States will be made available to the public. This announcement is in line with the Obama Administration's push for transparency and the public's right to know.
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