by Ashley Adams

Creating a complete ecosystem involving plants and soil in your business or home can help reduce volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and other pollutants in the air.  This can easily be achieved by installing a biowall also known as a green wall, living wall, or vertical garden. A biowall is a vertical surface covered with plants, which air passes over or through, filtering out toxins.  There are mainly two different kinds of biowalls; green facades and living walls. The green facades wall is comprised of plants that climb up the wall’s surface, the soil is horizontal and only at the base of the wall. The living walls have plants and soil up the vertical surface, in some cases floor to ceiling. Each has their purpose, although the living wall has a greater potential for filtration due to the soil component.

Living walls are very complex ecosystems that incorporate plants, insects (small, helpful, and used as biocontrol), and soil microorganisms. It is actually the microorganisms in the soil breaking down most of the VOCs, through various biological processes.  This is the reason why living walls are more preferable than the green facades. Diversity in plant species has an impact on the diversity of the organisms within the ecosystem; more diversity increases productivity.  If maintained correctly, the ecosystem will not affect surrounding areas.  The insects and other organisms keep themselves on a cycle where they do not become over populated or noticeable to people in the same area as the living wall. Only the air is exchanged with the rest of the room’s environment.

Not only do these biowalls help filtrate the air, they give people a connection to nature. Dr. Edward Wilson, a biologist at Harvard University, termed the natural desire to be in touch with nature biophilia. It is believed having nature closer will help one relax and feel peaceful.  Yale and J.H. Heerwagen & Associates researched the effects of nature in a manmade environment. Their publication, Biophilic Design: The Theory, Science and Practice of Bringing Buildings to Life, brings many theories and ideas together to understand incorporating biophilic designs into built environments. Embassy Suites launched an advertising campaign that includes feature images of plants and atriums, using a similar theory to biophilia. Different social facets are coming to the same conclusion; people enjoy the look and feel of nature and are unsurprisingly drawn to its influence.

Biowall size, shape, species, etc. varies and depends on many factors including the level of commitment. There are companies that specialize in creating these ecosystems. They can come in, set up a system appropriate for the space and requiring minimal daily upkeep, on pretty much any wall or surface.  The biowall can be tied to the heating and cooling system already in place by being set up over an air intake vent and not impede airflow. There are also websites that sell do it yourself kits or give directions on how to build your own. These tend to be smaller in size and require a little more maintenance, but are still effective.

Living walls can also be created outdoors and have become a form of art in various cities around the world. Whether inside or outside, biowalls provide visual stimulation while improving air quality.

by Beth Gray

After years of preparation, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is poised to execute a new set of rules that have the potential to significantly reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the United States.  On January 2, 2011, the EPA’s Tailoring Rule takes effect which aims to target the largest emitters of greenhouse gas emissions in the country.

To fully understand the impact of the Tailoring Rule, it is important to understand its origins which really began in 1970 with the Clean Air Act (CAA).  The Clean Air Act sought to curb atmospheric pollution that was found even 40 years ago to have a negative impact on the environment and human health.  Various pollutants are acknowledged in the CAA as detrimental.  The CAA contains a permitting function which seeks to regulate the volume of pollutants as identified within the CAA.  In April 2007, the Supreme Court ruled in Massachusetts v. EPA that greenhouse gas emissions, including carbon dioxide, are air pollutants that are covered under the CAA.  At that time, the EPA undertook to determine whether such greenhouse gas emissions were subject to the CAA permitting regulations. 

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by Beth Gray

While most of us are lucky to travel to another country in our lifetime, there are some who are taking the concept of a vacation to an unprecedented level.  For those with enough money (approximately $20 to $30 million dollars) and a need for adventure, space tourism offers a once-in-a-lifetime vacation opportunity.  Beginning in 2001 with American Dennis Tito, space tourism company Space Adventures began marketing this amazing opportunity.  To date, the company has provided the opportunity for seven individuals to spend up to 15 days traveling to and from the International Space Station. 

A recent study in Geophysical Research Letters has many questioning the practice of space tourism.  The authors of the study assumed “using current business models” that “by 2020 there will be 1,000 suborbital space tourist flights every year.”  Just last month, the world saw the first spaceport established in New Mexico.  Richard Branson has been one of the most stalwart advocates of space tourism and his company, Virgin, funded the New Mexico spaceport.

Because combustion from rockets is a large contributor of black carbon emissions in the atmosphere, many have begun to question the value of space travel in general, and space tourism specifically.  While most would agree that there is value in exploring and understanding space, critics of space tourism see little to no value in allowing individual private citizens to take a space vacation – even for $20 or $30 million. 

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by Shawn Skinner

Despite the surge in sustainability interest in recent years, trips to large chain stores quickly reveal that many still value convenience over environmentalism.  Many large department and grocery stores often have green and organic products separated in small sections in their stores—demonstrating that green products still are just a consumer niche.  Additionally, there are stores that only sell sustainable and organic products, but again, this is just a specialty niche.  According to Lori Tripoli in the June issue of the magazine, Sustainability: The Journal of Record, “A large chunk of the population isn’t necessarily attracted to green products, doesn’t want to be confronted with green-product propaganda, and is uninterested in paying a premium for a product that might do more for the environment while doing a little less for the consumer.”  One of the top Fortune 500 companies, Procter & Gamble (P&G), has recognized this dilemma and responded to it by beginning to sell environmentally friendly products to the mainstream.

Upon visiting P&G’s U.S. website, one is immediately confronted with the corporation’s vision for environmental sustainability, “that includes powering out plants with 100% renewable energy, ensuring zero manufacturing or consumer waste goes to landfill, and all products are made from 100% renewable or recycled materials.”  Additionally, there is a link for “Sustainability” prominently displayed.  Here the focus of the company’s sustainability efforts is, “…improvements that matter, to make the most meaningful impact we can.”  

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by Beth Gray

David Lloyd (Director of the Office of Brownfields Cleanup and Land Revitalization at US EPA), Shelly Poticha (Director, Office of Sustainable Housing and Communities, US HUD), Charles Town Mayor Peggy Smith, APUS Provost Dr. Frank McCluskey, APUS President and CEO Dr. Wallace E. Boston, and Bryna Helfer (Director of Public Engagement for Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood) cut the ribbon to officially open the new environmentally-friendly Academic Center.

This morning American Public University System (APUS) held the ribbon cutting event for its fifteenth building in downtown Charles Town, West Virginia.  The building is a 45,000 square foot, state-of-the-art, environmentally friendly building which is anticipated to receive the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED Gold certification. 

 The building is constructed on a site designated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as a brownfields, a site which, due to previous uses, may contain various contaminants.  The site on which APUS chose to construct its building was previously used as an industrial scrap yard; various contaminants were found in the soil at the site including lead and petroleum products.  The contaminants were removed from the soil prior to construction.  In total, the university system removed 36 tons of soil from the property before beginning the construction process.

The building features state-of-the-art technologies which will make it highly energy efficient.  For example, the windows are double-paned with argon gas between the panes which reflect ultraviolets and keep them from naturally heating the building.  The building has been designed to maximize the natural light that is allowed to enter the building so that less purchased electricity will be required to light offices.  Additionally, dual sensor light fixtures have been installed which sense movement as well as heat; within ten minutes of sensing neither, the lights will turn themselves off.

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