GreenClips.23 05.24.95 EPA AND THREE TIMBER COMPANIES In the early 1990s, the Environmental Protection Agency began a nationwide investigation of environmental compliance in the timber industry. The investigation yielded contrasting responses from timber companies. The Weyerhaeuser Company agreed to spend tens of millions on pollution equipment before the EPA brought its case. Weyerhaeuser also paid $1.5 million in state fines, but balked at federal fines. Louisiana-Pacific pledged to install pollution controls costing $70 million and paid $11 million in civil penalties after the EPA accused it of concealing emissions. But Georgia-Pacific disputes the scientific and legal foundations of the EPA's case and has persuaded a Senate committee to approve legislation that would derail the EPA investigation. Weyerhaeuser executives, fearing an economic disadvantage, are now working on Capitol Hill to undo Georgia-Pacific's legislative success. Weyerhaeuser's director of environmental affairs Sara Shreiner Kendall says, "We're finding ourselves in the position of being penalized for coming into compliance. We think that's unfair." - The New York Times, May 21, 1995, section 3, p.1, by Stephen Engelberg. FURNITURE EMISSIONS RANKED Commercial furniture maker Steelcase has developed a ranking system for gaseous emissions from furniture components. Gaseous emissions from newly manufactured goods can adversely affect indoor air quality in buildings. Steelcase now provides product ranking and detailed emissions data on its systems office furniture lines, and in response to test results, is changing its materials and processes to reduce emissions. Air Quality Sciences, Inc. helped the company develop the ranking system. - Environmental Building News, May/June 1995, p. 6. GLASCRETE STUDY Columbia University's School of Engineering and Applied Science is studying the use of waste glass as an aggregate material in concrete block. Christian Meyer, professor of civil engineering at Columbia, says engineers have speculated about "glascrete" since the 1970s, but they have never tested the idea rigorously in the laboratory. The School will make and test sample blocks and determine the economic feasibility and commercial viability of the new material. The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority and private sources have funded the two-year study. - Engineering News Record, May 22, 1995, p. 26. WETLANDS BANKING Since 1972, the Clean Water Act has required builders to obtain permits from the Army Corp of Engineers to work in wetland areas. The permits require builders to restore, enhance, or create an equal area of wetlands-preferably in the same watershed-in exchange for those that the construction project damages or destroys. Several states, working with the Corp and other agencies, have developed a variation of this practice called wetlands banking. Under this plan, developers or public entities building on wetlands property make payments to an organization such as the Florida Wetlandsbank. The "bank" uses these funds to design, construct, and maintain a specific natural area. - The New York Times, May 14, 1995, p. 28, by Steve Bergsman. STRAW BALE CONSTRUCTION Not to be confused with hay-a nutritious whole-plant agricultural product, straw is the waste remaining after grain is removed. Baled straw is a sustainable building material used to construct two types of walls: load bearing (carrying roof, wind, and other loads) and non-load bearing (infilling between a post-and-beam structure that supports building loads). Building code officials generally prefer post-and-beam straw bale houses over load bearing structures. However, Arizona and California building departments have approved both types of construction under Uniform Building Code provisions for experimental structures. - Architecture, May 1995, p. 157, by Virginia Kent Dorris. CURITIBA, BRAZIL'S MODEL CITY Architect Jaime Lerner has served as mayor of Curitiba-population 1.6 million-for 12 years in nonconsecutive-by-law terms since 1971. He has planted 1.5 million tree seedlings in neighborhoods, solved the city's flood problems, and converted the downtown shopping district into a pedestrian zone. Other cities study Curitiba's model waste program-it recycles two-thirds of its garbage-and transportation systems. Mayor Lerner has a 92 percent approval rating. - Whole Earth Review, Spring 1995, p. 58, by Donella Meadows. WOMEN'S HUMANE SOCIETY The design of the Women's Humane Society incorporates many sustainable design features-recycled content and nontoxic building materials, daylighting, and fluorescent lamps, among others. But architect Susan Maxman has also salvaged a "throw-away" Philadelphia neighborhood site bound by a turnpike, road, stream, wetlands and power lines. Clustering the new building and parking area on the buildable portion, Maxman let the wetlands remain as a wildlife preserve for the Society's community outreach program. - Architectural Record, May 1995, p. 93, by Charles Linn.