Spencer Hunt reported today in The Dispatch that the Ohio EPA has accused Columbus Steel Castings of failing to identify and resolve air pollution issues, such as excessive smoke and dust, at its South Side plant. According to a court-ordered plan, the company was supposed to eliminate pollution violations at the foundry, which produces metal [...]

Yesterday, an article by William Yardley in The New York Times highlighted recent efforts by the U.S. Forest Service to simultaneously pursue two objectives: (1) to make U.S. forests resilient to global warming, and (2) to maximize their potential to combat global warming by acting as carbon sinks. That is, the Forest Service is working [...]

James Nash reported in The Dispatch this week that the Ohio Rail Development Commission (ORDC) has passed a motion indicating its preference for Diesel Multiple Unit (DMU) passenger rail cars. The DMUs, unlike traditional passenger trains, are each self-propelled. That is, they combine passenger car and locomotive into a single unit. If selected, the DMUs [...]

On Wednesday, Chuck Soder of Crain’s Cleveland Business reported on a $3.7 million federal stimulus grant that will enable Painesville Municipal Power to initiate an energy storage project. In collaboration with the Ohio Municipal Power Plant Authority and Ashlawn Energy, the Painesville utility will install a 1-megawatt vanadium redox battery to store energy from its [...]

Jeff Bell reported on Wednesday in Business First of Columbus that American Municipal Power, Inc. (AMP) has scrapped its plans to construct a $3 billion coal-fired power plant in Meigs County, Ohio. According to the article, AMP’s decision results from an unanticipated 37% increase in the project’s cost. AMP spokesperson Kent Carson attributed some of [...]

Earlier this week, an article on CNN.com outlined the results of several preliminary investigations into various complaints from homeowners about the toxicity of certain Chinese drywall. Two of the studies uncovered a potential link between Chinese drywall and copper sulfide corrosion in household metal components. In addition to corroded pipes and wires, the investigations examined [...]

Patrick Oppman (CNN.com) reported today on the recent efforts of two Seattle volunteers, Shannon Cheng and Ethan O’Connor, participating in a study that tracks their trash. The tracking project was developed by MIT researchers who wanted to explore ways that society could more efficiently dispose of waste. To keep tabs on their garbage, the volunteers [...]

A new report prepared by Booz Allen Hamilton for the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) estimates the number of jobs associated with the green building market. In addition, Booz Allen Hamilton estimates the number of jobs associated with the USGBC as a result of the LEED rating system. According to the study, green construction currently [...]

We invite you to join us on December 3 for the third installment of our “How to stay green through the winter” workshop series. From 6-8pm, learn how to improve your indoor air quality with non-toxic paint. This workshop will cover the environmental and health benefits of Mythic high-performance interior paints. Bob Jessop of Mythic [...]

Tonight and tomorrow evening, the Wexner Center is screening Earth Days (2009), an “informal history of the modern environmental movement.” Tonight, Green Columbus is hosting a reception at 6pm and a panel discussion after the film as part of Green Drinks, the monthly environmental networking event. Then tomorrow (Friday) evening, Earth Days director Robert Stone [...]