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l Nation/World l Gloomy Earth Day forecast has many green linings Environmental trends grow in popularity By JOAN LOWY SCRIPPS HOWARD NEWS SERVICE The forecast for Earth Day 2005 is gloomy with a chance of doomsday. In March, a sweeping study written by nearly 1,400 scientists concluded m ankind has changed the natural environment of the planet faster and more extensively in 50 years than at any other time in human history. Natural resources that humanity depends upon water, timber, food, fuel an d fiber, to name a few are overused and are in jeopardy, the study found . "A Short History of Progress" by Canadian historical philosopher Ronald W right was published in Canada and is scheduled for US release this mon th. "Our civilization will survive if we can live on the surplus that nature generates in all its various ways," Wright said in an interview. then we're on a path to bankruptcy and bill ions will die." There is, however, a green lining to these doom-and-gloom scenarios. The market for Earth-friendly technologies and products is expanding at a rapid clip. Here are five of the most promising green trends this Earth Day, celebrated Friday. Green cars: Making cars more fuel efficient and shifting to alternative energy sources has been a national goal for more than two decades. That goal may be in sight thanks to growing consumer acceptance of hybrid gas-electric cars such as the Toyota Prius, Honda Civic Hybrid and Ford Escape. The Prius, the best-selling hybrid, gets about 55 miles per gal lon. Since 1999, more than 200,000 hybrids have been sold in the United States , according to the Union of Concerned Scientists. Hybrids still represent less than 1 percent of vehicles on the road, but with gas prices topping $2 a gallon, consumer interest is growing rapidl y, said Ron Cogan, publisher of Green Car Journal. Green buildings: In five years, the US Green Building Council has cer tified 213 commercial and public buildings as meeting its standards for energy efficiency, use of recycled materials, water conservation and oth er practices. Another 1,800 buildings are in the process of being certified. "When you think about how slow the building industry is to change, the fa ct that people are even following (the council's standards) is kind of a mazing to us," said Taryn Holowka, a spokeswoman for the council. "I think what has happened is we've changed people's attitudes." Also, the Environmental Protection Agency reports nearly 10 percent of ne w homes in some of the nation's top housing markets meet the agency's En ergy Star requirements. To earn an Energy Star, a new house must be 30 p ercent more energy efficient than required by regulation. Green roofs: These plant-covered roofs reduce storm-water runoff, air p ollution, energy bills and the urban "heat island" effect. "It's definitely taking off," said David Beattie, a horticulture professo r at Pennsylvania State University. Most of the plants used on green roofs are varieties of succulents, which tend to be heat-resistant and soak up lots of water. Roof spaces account for 15 percent to 35 percent of the total area of a c ity, Peck said. "What you have is a bunch of roofs that are like hot pla tes heating up cities in the summertime," Peck said. "With a green roof you actually turn that hot plate into an air conditioner." Green energy: The amount of electricity generated by wind energy in the United States has been growing at a rate of about 25 percent a year for five years, according to the American Wind Energy Association. Wind still accounts for less than 1 percent of the nation's total electri city, but rising natural gas prices and concern about greenhouse-gas emi ssions from coal-fired power plants are making it increasingly attractiv e to utilities. Green chemistry: Chemical manufacturing is the source of the many produ cts that modern lifestyles depend upon. But there is growing evidence th at chemical manufacturing is harming the environment and human health. The goal of green chemistry is to minimize or eliminate this potential ha rm. By factoring the elimination of hazardous byproducts into the design of products and processes, an increasing body of research suggests chem ists can design chemicals to be safe. Bush is focusing on energy bill By BILL STRAUB SCRIPPS HOWARD NEWS SERVICE WASHINGTON Faced with a worsening energy situation that could threaten th e nation's fiscal well-being, President Bush is pushing lawmakers to tak e steps to curtail the US dependence on foreign oil. The president met with congressional leaders in the Oval Office on Tuesda y to urge them to proceed on a national energy policy he introduced more than three years ago. He is scheduled to address the US Hispanic Cham ber of Commerce Legislative Conference in Washington today, and is expec ted to emphasize the need for energy independence. "It is time to act to make America more energy-independent," White House press secretary Scott McClellan told reporters on Tuesday. It is a threat to our economic securi ty and our national security. And the president is concerned about the i mpact rising gas prices are having on families and small businesses. Thi s is affecting their pocketbooks, and the president is concerned about t hat." McClellan said energy has long been "a high priority for the president." The issue has assumed greater urgency because of gas prices at historic highs that exhibit no sign of dropping anytime soon. "Getting an energy bill passed is one of the most important things this C ongress can do," said House Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Ill. "It's importa nt because this bill will create jobs, it will help keep our nation secu re, but most importantly, it will help ease the financial burden million s of Americans face today at the pump." The House is expected to pass its version of energy legislation this week . Pete Domenici, R-NM, chairman of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, has indicated he is willing to move ahead as well. No energy bill has survived the past three sessions of Congress primarily because of opposition abo ut a provision permitting oil drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife R efuge. The bill faces similar problems in the Senate this go-round. The job wasn't made any easier Tuesday when three influential groups the National Taxpayers Union, Taxpayers for Common Sense Action and the Coun cil for Citizens Against Government Waste announced their opposition. A quick look at the Senate filibuster By BILL STRAUB SCRIPPS HOWARD NEWS SERVICE WASHINGTON Senate Republican leader Bill Frist of Tennessee is thinking a bout invoking the "nuclear option," a change in Senate rules that would prohibit Democrats from staging filibusters in opposition to President B ush's judicial appointments. Here is a quick look at the issue: What is a filibuster? A parliamentary maneuver, used in the Senate, to block a measure from c oming to a vote. Once a senator grabs the privilege of the Senate floor during debate on a particular piece of legislation, he or she is not obligated to give i t up. A senator can talk on and on and on, thus blocking votes and other business as long as he or she continues addressing the chamber. At that time, und er pressure from President Woodrow Wilson, the chamber adopted Rule 22, which permits the Senate to end debate. That procedure, technically know n as cloture, initially required a two-thirds vote. In 1975, a new thres hold was adopted: requiring a three-fifths vote of the 100-member Senate . Generally, the Senate majority leader in this cas e Frist will simply give up trying to have the chamber vote on the measu re in question and move on to another issue. Adventurers in Central America and the West Indies who were stirring up trouble came to be know n in English as filibusterers, from the Dutch "vribuiter." In the 1850s, the term was popularly applied to quarrelsome lawmakers who were viewed as pirating the Senate floor. Generally speaking, the idea is to provide some protection to the minorit y If all votes centered on simple majority rule, even the most ill-cons idered pieces of legislation could be adopted over minority objection. ...
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