No trash cans? Correct! The 2013 Green Inaugural Ball will not have a need for trash cans. A commitment was made by the Newseum, Wolfgang Puck Catering, and event organizers to compost and recycle all waste generated by the event.

To reach the goal of a zero-waste event, the Newseum will only use serving materials that can be composted, such as bamboo skewers, or reused, such as glass ware. The Newseum will also transform all of their existing trash cans into compost and recycling receptacles so guests and staff will be able to contribute to the event’s composting effort.

The commitment to reducing waste goes beyond the front of the house and into the kitchen. Before the 2013 Green Inaugural Ball, the Wolfang Puck Catering culinary and pantry staff will receive extensive training on compostable materials and source separation from Compost Cab, a pioneer in the area of urban agriculture and community composting. Compost Cab is a locally-based compost pickup service launched by entrepreneur Jeremy Brosowsky that helps urban dwellers turn their food scraps back into food, reducing waste and creating fertile soil in the process.  Subscribers have the option to receive some soil in return for their yard or window-box or donate the soil generated to a local urban farm.  Since the Newseum does not have a need for compost, whatever compost is created from the materials collected from the event will be donated.

Chef Tom Blundell outlines the plan for composting and recycling for the 2013 Green Inaugural Ball. NWF photo by Shelley Cohen.

The Wolfgang Puck Catering kitchen at the Newseum, led by Chef Tom Blundell, has also incorporated into its routine a number of waste minimization strategies, including:

• Cardboard Recycling: large boxes and cardboard items are separated and broken down for recycling.
• Compaction: waste is compacted to minimize space needs on the dock and in the landfill
• Oil: Kitchen oil used for frying is separated and disposed of in a separate grease trap in the dock where it is picked up and recycled.
• Light Bulbs: bulbs are broken down in a Lampinator, an eco-friendly lamp compressor that safely crushes the bulbs and separates the mercury from the glass and compresses it in a carbon filter.  This on-site machine reduces the need to dispose of the bulbs in a landfill, and eliminates the costs and emissions related to transporting the bulbs.
• Bulk Purchases: Chef Tom reduces waste by buying in bulk and carefully calculating food amount.

The 2013 Green Inaugural Ball and the Newsuem have carefully collaborated to find as many areas to reduce waste as possible, and we are excited to offer guests a waste-free experience.

Haven’t purchased your 2013 Green Inaugural Ball ticket yet? Purchase them soon before the event sells out.
Already have you Green Ball ticket? Don’t forget to tweet using the #GreenBall2013 hashtag.

Shelley Cohen is Chair of the Greening Committee for the 2013 Green Inaugural Ball. Ms. Cohen is an urban eco-mom with eighteen years of experience in environment and energy-related fields. She currently serves as a Senior Project Developer for Ameresco where she specializes in developing renewable energy and energy conservation projects, and is responsible for developing over 15MWs of renewable energy. Prior employment included jobs with EPA, the White House, and the office of Senator Joseph Lieberman (CT). Ms. Cohen’s green home includes eco-friendly materials, 12kw of solar PV, a cool roof, rain barrel, organic garden, and has been featured in local and national media. Ms. Cohen serves on the board of the National Wildlife Federation, and in 2012 was trained as a Climate Leader through the Climate Reality Project.

Delivery of hundreds of thousands of messages in April, 2012, as they continued to pour into the Environmental Protection Agency.

Support Heating Up for Wildlife

Over the past few months, over three million people officially voiced their support for landmark first-ever limits on carbon pollution  from new coal-fired power plants.

The record-breaking number of messages to the Environmental Protection Agency is sending a strong message to our leaders that Americans want an end to the unlimited pollution that drives rising global temperatures with increasing negative impacts for our wildlife and our communities.

As the heat blazed across the country, National Wildlife Federation supporters have been taking action on solutions to global warming–voicing support for Environmental Protection Agency’s plan to limit carbon pollution, speaking at public hearings, and spreading the word to help more people protect wildlife.

Big Polluters Attack Environmental Protection Agency

The fight continues as Big Polluters fund members of Congress who are attempting to cripple the Environmental Protection Agency’s ability to protect us from harmful carbon pollution.

With each new attack, National Wildlife Federation supporters have immediately spoken up for wildlife–contacting their legislators to urge action on global warming and giving generous donations to continue the campaign for wildlife.

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First-Ever Limits on Carbon from Coal-Fired Power

The first-ever rules on carbon pollution from new coal fired power plants are expected to be completed by the Environmental Protection Agency and approved by the Obama Administration this year. These ground-breaking carbon pollution limits pave the way for moving forward with limits on carbon pollution from existing power plants–the largest source of carbon pollution in the nation.

credit, Susanne Miller/USFWS

Throughout the Midwest, this summer’s heat waves fueled by climate change worsened summer temperatures in streams and rivers, driving them to impossibly high temperatures. Already, tens of thousands of fish have been reported dead–including sturgeon, bass, catfish and carp.

Reducing the carbon pollution that fuels global warming is necessary to ensure wildlife habitats do not become uninhabitable–giving hope to the future of polar bears, moose and fish.

Thanks for all you do for wildlife—keep up the great work!

Blanchard's Cricket Frog. Photo by: Dick Bartlett

Growing up with about 10 acres of woods behind my house and a brook flowing right through the middle of it, I am no stranger to frogs. During the hot summer days in Rhode Island, my friends and I would wade in the small pools as we ventured out on “missions” playing GI Joe. All around us, there were frogs leaping about as we crept along the brook.  Spring and early summer nights were always my favorite though. You could sleep with the windows open and listen to a performance every night. With woods surrounding our house on 3 sides and being at the end of the street, it was the perfect place to listen to a choir of frogs.

How Are Frogs Faring This Leap Year?

Check out our factsheet on the threats from climate change frogs are facing.

The quick rundown goes like this:

• Frog and toad habitats are drying up as reduced snowmelt means less water for ponds and streams.
• The Sierra Nevada Yellow Legged Frog has disappeared from 90% of its mountain habitat.
• Many frog species are becoming more susceptible to disease.
• Drought, wildfires, and shifts in climate are forcing frogs out of house and home.  Just look at the Houston Toad fighting for survival in Texas.

Take our online quiz to learn some more fun frog facts!

Preventing Carbon Pollution

Carbon pollution from coal-burning power plants, refineries, and vehicles is causing worldwide climate change. Thankfully, EPA is taking action to limit our nation’s carbon pollution from new and existing power plants. The sooner we can reduce carbon pollution, the greater chance we will have to slow climate change

This Leap Year, take action to protect frogs and support EPA’s new rules to limit carbon pollution from power plant smokestacks so we can take a leap forward in the fight against climate change.

Propelled by $111M oil and gas lobbying and $106M in electric utility lobbying, the House treated the Act like a piñata at its fourth consecutive birthday party.  In 2011, the House passed at least eight bills that sought to prevent the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) from updating our air pollution standards to protect our health, environment, and wildlife.

Polluter Politics: The Influence Equation

$111M Oil and Gas Lobbying + $3.5M from Oil & Gas PAC Contributions + Million Dollar Oil Ad Campaign = Big Oil Votes for More Air Pollution.

$106M in Electric Utility Lobbying + $5M in Electric Utility PAC contributions + Million Dollar Coal Ad Campaign = Dirty Power Plant and Coal Votes for More Air Pollution.

The House set out on its pro-polluter path in February by passing H.R. 1 – a broad spending bill that served as a platform for an all out polluter attack. The bill sought to prevent EPA from controlling carbon pollution that causes climate change, stop revisions of standards that limit soot in the air, and halt efforts to curb mercury from cement plants. The bill passed, 235-189.

Here is a look at the rest of the House’s 2011 attempted assault on the air we breathe.

US Capitol pictured with its power plant in foreground (via Flickr's Matthew Hurst)

Vote for More Air Pollution from Arctic Drilling. On June 22, 2011, the House passed H.R. 2021 which would have repealed limitations on protecting Arctic communities from the air pollution associated with offshore drilling for oil and gas.  See which polluters lobbied for the bill’s passage including, Anadarko Petroleum, Exxon-Mobil, U.S. Chamber of Commerce and Chevron, here.  Vote: Passed 253-166

Votes for More Mercury, Arsenic, and Other Toxic Air Pollutants:

• Mercury and Smog Causing Air Pollution from Power Plants. On September 23, 2011, the House voted on H.R. 2401 which would have delayed both EPA’s new limits on mercury and new limits on smog causing air pollutants from the nation’s power plants. Power plants are the nation’s largest source of mercury pollution. See which polluters lobbied for the bill’s passage, including Southern Co., Peabody Energy, Progress Energy, and Arch Coal, here. Vote: Passed 249-169
• Mercury and Air Toxics from Cement Plants. On October 6, 2011, the House passed H.R. 2681. This bill sought to nullify new EPA rules that would require cement kilns to reduce their emissions of toxic air pollutants and would have delayed any reductions in toxic air pollution from cement kilns until 2018 at the earliest. Cement kilns represent the third largest sources of mercury and toxic air pollutants in the country. See which polluters lobbies for the bill’s passage including, Peabody Energy, U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and the Portland Cement Association, here. Vote: Passed, 262-181
• Mercury and Air Toxics from Factories. On October 13, 2011, the House passed H.R. 2250. This bill sought to nullify EPA’s rules that require industrial boilers and incinerators to reduce emissions of toxic air pollutants and would have delayed reductions in toxic air pollution from these sources until 2018 at the earliest.  Industrial facilities and factories that generate some of their own electricity and steam are the nation’s second largest sources of mercury and toxic air pollution. See which polluters lobbied for the bill’s passage, including the American Forest & Paper association, Peabody Energy, Exxon-Mobil and Koch Industries here. Vote: Passed, 275 – 142.

Vote for More and Even More Air Pollution.  On December 7, 2011, the House voted on H.R. 10, a broad bill that would have handcuffed EPA’s ability to update a wide number of air pollution standards by the Clean Air Act.  See which polluters lobbied for the bill’s passage, including Arch Coal, Koch Industries and Southern Co., here. Vote:  Passed 241-184.

Vote for More Particulate (Soot) Air Pollution. On December 8, 2011, the House passed H.R. 1633 which sought to prohibit the EPA from proposing, finalizing, implementing, or enforcing any updated limits on coarse particulates (i.e. soot) under the Clean Air Act. Particulate air pollution is a leading cause of respiratory illness across the country. See which polluters lobbied for the bill’s passage, including the American farm Bureau, National Cattleman’s Beef Association and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, here. Vote: Passed 268-150.

Importantly, none of the House-passed bills became law. Last year, the brazen attack on our health and environment stalled in the Senate. And in fact, as NWF has recently documented, the EPA was able to make significant gains made in reducing our mercury and carbon pollution.

As we look toward 2012, join the National Wildlife Federation in taking action to tell Congress you don’t like their pro-pollution sales pitch.

Visit our Action Center!

If the resolution were to pass, EPA estimates that America would use at least 455 million more barrels of oil.

Put another way, that’s the amount of oil that would come out of the BP gusher at the rate of 19,000 barrels a day for 65 years!

Watch NWF’s Joe Mendelson explain why we’re fighting to stop this awful idea, and help do your part by taking action!

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President Obama made clear in a speech this week and Senate Majority Leader Reid (in a letter to committee chairs) said it’s time to move a clean energy bill this summer!

Naysayers said it couldn’t happen. Not only do conservationists need to prove them wrong, we need to make sure the final bill is a strong one that puts a price on carbon so we rein in global warming while protecting our natural resources for future generations.

It’s time to get the job done and it’s time to make your voices heard. Tell the Senate you want a strong climate and energy bill. Take action now!

Physorg.com reports:

“A better understanding of the carbon cycle has implications for energy and environmental policy and carbon management. In June 2009, Michalak described this research at the NASA Earth System Science at 20 symposium in Washington, D.C

A snapshot from Erickson’s Google Earth application shows green tracks representing carbon dioxide in the lowest part of the atmosphere close to Earth’s surface where vegetation and land processes can impact the carbon cycle. Red tracks indicate particles at higher altitudes that are immune from ground influences. The application is designed to educate the public and even scientists about how carbon dioxide emissions can be traced. A network of 1,000-foot towers across the United States is equipped with instruments by NOAA to measure the carbon dioxide content of parcels of air at single locations.”

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