Note: EPA no longer updates this information, but it may be useful as a reference or resource.
Following is the September/October edition of EarthLink, a bi-monthly current awareness newsletter produced by INFOTERRA/USA. EarthLink provides information on international environmental activities, publications and news of interest to EPA staff and other environment professionals.
Sections:
Article: The City Lifestyle Explorer
Internet Sites for The City Lifestyle Explorer
International Environment News
General
Cleaning Products
Water Conservation
Water Pollution and Radiation Studies
Chemicals
Environmental Management and Pollution
Prevention
Recycling
Modeling
Air Quality
Marine Pollution
Environmental Labeling
Upcoming International Conferences
INFOTERRA Information
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The City Lifestyle Explorer:
See how the lifestyle you choose affects the city environment!
ARENDAL/STOCKHOLM, 27 October, 1999
How does your lifestyle affect the city environment? If you have ever been curious to explore this crucial question, the tool to use - the City Lifestyle Explorer - is now available. The City Lifestyle Explorer is an interactive on-line applet that allows you to explore and visualize the relationships between individual lifestyle and selected environmental issues for a city.
How to use it? It's very simple. Just tick off your preferred choices within the various lifestyle categories and watch how the city environment changes. Keep in mind that the outcome assumes that everyone lives like you. Are you happy with the result? If not, change your choices - maybe a few times - so that you can accept the state of the city environment and the lifestyle.
While aimed at a wide user audience, it is anticipated that the City Lifestyle Explorer will be particularly attractive to younger generations. The City Lifestyle Explorer has been developed within the Cities Environment Reports on the Internet (CEROI) project. CEROI is a project aimed specifically at cities, to enable cities to create environment reports on the Internet with technical support. The project is administered by GRID-Arendal, an environmental information center in Arendal, Norway, which is part of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). The CEROI project is supported through a development contract with the Norwegian software company Ugland Publikit.
The City Lifestyle Explorer was created as a MSc project in the program
Environmental Engineering & Sustainable Infrastructure (EESI) at the
Royal Institute of Technology (KTH), Stockholm, Sweden, by Stirling Habbitts
(South Africa) with help of Ulrich Potthoff (Germany), under the supervision
of Assistant Professor Sindre Langaas. The City Lifestyle Explorer is
available at: http://www.ceroi.net/cle/
For more information on the Explorer and related issues, please contact: Information Manager Aake Bjorke, GRID-Arendal, Phone: +47-37035650, Email: bjorke@grida.no; Assistant Professor Sindre Langaas, KTH, Phone:+46-8-7908612, Email: langaas@aom.kth.se; Technical Manager Geir Andrew, Ugland Publikit, Phone: +47-37295150 , Email: ga@publikit.net
Internet Sites for the City Lifestyle Explorer
1. City Lifestyle Explorer
http://www.ceroi.net/cle/
2. CEROI project
http://www.ceroi.net/
This is the Cities Environment Reports on the Internet (CEROI) project.
CEROI is a project aimed specifically at cities, to enable cities to create
environment reports on the Internet with technical support.
3. GRID-Arendal
http://www.grida.no/
4. EESI program at KTH
http://www.infra.kth.se/eesi/
Homepage for the program in Environmental Engineering and Sustainable Infrastructure (EESI) at the Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm, Sweden.
INTERNATIONAL ENVIRONMENT NEWS
General
Hutton, Malcolm. "Environmental Consultancy: A New Service Industry." UNEP Industry and Environment, Vol. 21, No. 3 (July-September 1998): 38-39.
Environmental consultants are in a unique position to assist regulators and others in establishing environmental standards and policies, as well as to work with clients to find the appropriate means of implementing them. "As the profession of environmental consultancy has matured... practitioners have found it essential to define and develop their service offering." Environmental consultants aim to develop long-term relationships which affect the client's general approach to business.
"Ozone Depletion: Clinton Asks Senate to OK Ratification of 1997 Montreal Protocol Amendments." International Environment Reporter, 29 September 1999(Vol.22, No. 20): 786.
U.S. President Bill Clinton asked the Senate to allow ratification of an international agreement requiring countries to establish licensing systems for trade in ozone-depleting substances. In his formal transmittal to the Senate, Clinton asked the Senate to give advice and consent to U.S. ratification of 1997 amendments to the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer.
Cleaning Products
Ashkin, Stephen. "Green Housekeeping: Creating a Cleaner, Safer, Healthier Indoor Environment." UNEP Industry and Environment, Vol. 21 No. 3 (July-September 1998): 25-27.
The appropriate choice of cleaning products and processes is an essential component of sustainable building operations. Such an approach considers impacts on building occupants and cleaning personnel, as well as on the environment. This article examines a case study on Green Housekeeping, which includes six steps of implementation. They include: 1) commitment & team development on the part of senior managers; 2) baseline development (an examination of what the problems are and how they can be corrected; 3) review of products, tools and equipment; 4) procedures and training; 5) evaluation of engineering controls; and 6) communications and shared responsibility.
Ewing, Sylvia. "Introducing Wet Cleaning and Other Non-Toxic Alternatives in the US Dry Cleaning Industry." UNEP Industry and Environment, Vol. 21 No. 3 (July-September 1998): 28-31.
Dry cleaners use water in laundering and as an adjunct to solvent cleaning. This article examines studies implemented to explore the possibility of increasing the range of items that can be cleaned with water. Wet cleaning and other non-toxic alternatives appear to offer cleaners the means to avoid health, environmental and liability problems associated with toxic solvent use.
Water Conservation
Bergkamp, Ger and Jean-Yves Pirot. "The Freshwater Challenge: Drain or Gain." World Conservation (May 1999): 3.
The authors examine the challenges accompanying the global efforts to preserve freshwater ecosystems. Parties involved in the conservation effort need to come to a better understanding of human activities on water resources so that better management strategies may be implemented. Priorities may be set by doing "on-the-spot assessments." At the global level, political entities are making an effort to provide guidance to national governments so that freshwater resource management is a priority. At the local level, work needs to be done with local stakeholders to manage water resources.
Brautigam, Amie. "The Freshwater Biodiversity Crisis." World Conservation(May 1999): 4.
In this article, the author examines some of the threats to freshwater species and their habitats and asserts that the use of available knowledge will help the progress of conservation activities. "Much relating to freshwater biodiversity...is poorly known...There is a need for much greater investment by conservation groups and other sectors to address...data needs and support and enhance the knowledge base through field-based research activities."
Water Pollution and Radiation Studies
Kattner, Gerhard. "Storage of dissolved inorganic nutrients in seawater: poisoning with mercuric chloride." Marine Chemistry, Vol. 67 No. 1 (October 1999): 61-66.
Scientists poisoned seawater samples with mercuric chloride to assess its suitability for the long-term storage measurement of inorganic nutrients. Two series of seawater samples from the open ocean were taken, and nitrate, silicate, phosphate, nitrite and ammonium measured immediately on board. The same samples were poisoned by adding 105 g of mercuric chloride per milliliter of sample (total sample volume 50 ml) and measured again after about 1 and 2 years storage. The results show that the poisoning with mercuric chloride is a suitable method for the storage of inorganic nutrients.
P. J. Kershaw, D. McCubbin and K. S. Leonard, "Continuing Contamination of North Atlantic and Arctic Waters by Sellafield Radionuclides." The Science of the Total Environment, Volumes 237-238 (30 September 1999): 119-132.
Discharges of 99Tc and 129I from the reprocessing plant at Sellafield have increased significantly since the mid-1990s, against the overall trend of most other radionuclides. The `pulsed' release of 99Tc has provided an opportunity to study transport pathways and transit times in UK waters, the North Sea and beyond. Transit times estimated from the 99Tc data are significantly shorter than rates reported previously using other radiotracers. The possible reasons for this are discussed. A comparison is made between the response of seawater concentrations and those in the brown seaweed Fucus vesiculosus to variations in the release rates. Current discharges of plutonium are very low compared with the 1970s and 1980s. However, the seabed sediments of the Irish Sea represent a substantial source and remobilization into the water column >results in the continuing export of plutonium from the Irish Sea and its transport to Arctic waters.
S. P. Nielsen, P. Bengtson, R. Bojanowsky, P. Hagel, J. Herrmann, E. Ilus, E. Jakobson, S. Motiejunas, Y. Panteleev, A. Skujina and M. Suplinska, "The Radiological Exposure of Man from Radioactivity in the Baltic Sea," The Science of the Total Environment, Volumes 237-238(30 September 1999): 133-141.
A radiological assessment has been carried out considering discharges of radioactivity to the Baltic Sea marine environment since 1950. The sources of radioactivity that have been evaluated are atmospheric nuclear-weapons fallout, fallout from the Chernobyl accident in 1986, discharges of radionuclides from Sellafield and La Hague transported into the Baltic Sea, and discharges of radionuclides from nuclear installations located in the Baltic Sea area. Dose rates from man-made radioactivity to individual members of the public (critical groups) have been calculated based on annual intake of seafood and beach occupancy time. The dose rates to individuals from the regions of the Bothnian Sea and Gulf of Finland are predicted to be larger than from any other area in the Baltic Sea due to the pattern of Chernobyl fallout. The dose rates are predicted to have peaked in 1986 at a value of 0.2 mSv year-1. Collective committed doses to members of the public have been calculated based on fishery statistics and predicted concentrations of radionuclides in biota and coastal sediments. The total collective dose from man-made radioactivity in the Baltic Sea is estimated at 2600 manSv, of which approximately two-thirds originate from Chernobyl fallout, approximately one-quarter from atmospheric nuclear-weapons fallout, approximately 8% from European reprocessing facilities, and approximately 0.04% from nuclear installations bordering the Baltic Sea area. An assessment of small-scale dumping of low-level radioactive waste in the Baltic Sea in the 1960s by Sweden and the Soviet Union has showed that doses to man from these activities are negligible. Dose rates and doses from natural radioactivity dominate except for the year 1986 where dose rates to individuals from Chernobyl fallout in some regions of the Baltic Sea approached those from natural radioactivity.
Kirsti-Liisa Sjoblom, Anneli Salo, et al., "International Arctic Seas Assessment Project," The Science of the Total Environment, Volumes 237-238(30 September 1999): 153-166.
The International Atomic Energy Agency responded to the news that the former Soviet Union had dumped radioactive wastes in the shallow waters of the Arctic Seas, by launching the International Arctic Seas Assessment Project in 1993. The project had two objectives: to assess the risks to human health and to the environment associated with the radioactive wastes dumped in the Kara and Barents Seas; and to examine possible remedial actions related to the dumped wastes and to advise on whether they are necessary and justified. The current radiological situation in the Arctic waters was examined to assess whether there is any evidence for releases from the dumped waste. Potential future releases from the dumped wastes were predicted, concentrating on the high-level waste objects containing the major part of the radionuclide inventory of the wastes. Environmental transport of released radionuclides was modeled and the associated radiological impact on humans and the biota was assessed. The feasibility, costs and benefits of possible remedial measures applied to a selected high-level waste object were examined. Releases from identified dumped objects were found to be small and localized to the immediate vicinity of the dumping sites. Projected future annual doses to members of the public in typical local population groups were very small, less than 1 Sv - corresponding to a trivial risk. Projected future doses to a hypothetical group of military personnel patrolling the foreshore of the fjords in which wastes have been dumped were higher, up to 4 mSv/year, which still is of the same order as the average annual natural background dose. Moreover, since any of the proposed remedial actions were estimated to cost several million US$ to implement, remediation was not considered justified on the basis of potentially removing a collective dose of 10 man Sv. Doses calculated to marine fauna were insignificant, orders of magnitude below those at which detrimental effects on fauna populations might be expected to occur. Remediation was thus concluded not to be warranted on radiological grounds.
H. Nies, I. H. Harms, M. J. Karcher, D. Dethleff and C. Bahe, "Anthropogenic Radioactivity in the Arctic Ocean - Review of the Results from the Joint German Project," The Science of the Total Environment, Volumes 237-238(30 September 1999): 181-191.
The paper presents the results of the joint project carried out in Germany in order to assess the consequences in the marine environment from the dumping of nuclear wastes in the Kara and Barents Seas. The project consisted of experimental work on measurements of radionuclides in samples from the Arctic marine environment and numerical modeling of the potential pathways and dispersion of contaminants in the Arctic Ocean. Water and sediment samples were collected for determination of radionuclide such as 137Cs, 90Sr, 239+240Pu, 238Pu, and 241Am and various organic micropollutants. In addition, a few water and numerous surface sediment samples collected in the Kara Sea and from the Kola peninsula were taken by Russian colleagues and analyzed for artificial radionuclides by the BSH laboratory. The role of transport by sea ice from the Kara Sea into the Arctic Ocean was assessed by a small subgroup at GEOMAR. This transport process might be considered as a rapid contribution due to entrainment of contaminated sediments into sea ice, following export from the Kara Sea into the transpolar ice drift and subsequent release in the Atlantic Ocean in the area of the East Greenland Current. Numerical modeling of dispersion of pollutants from the Kara and Barents Seas was carried out both on a local scale for the Barents and Kara Seas and for long range dispersion into the Arctic and Atlantic Oceans. Three-dimensional baroclinic circulation models were applied to trace the transport of pollutants. Experimental results were used to validate the model results such as the discharges from the nuclear reprocessing plant at Sellafield and subsequent contamination of the North Sea up the Arctic Seas.
Coquery, M., F. P. Carvalho, S. Azemard and M. Horvat, "The IAEA Worldwide Intercomparison Exercises (1990-1997): Determination of Trace Elements in Marine Sediments and Biological Samples," The Science of the Total Environment, Volumes 237-238(30 September 1999): 501-508.
Four major worldwide intercomparison exercises for the determination of trace elements in various environmental matrices were completed by the IAEA Marine Environment Laboratory since 1990: SD-M-2/TM, deep sea marine sediment; IAEA-350, tuna fish homogenate; IAEA-356, contaminated coastal sediment and IAEA-140, sea plant (Fucus sp.). These intercomparison exercises aim atenabling individual laboratories to monitor their performance. The results of these exercises allowed us to make an overall evaluation of the quality of data provided for environmental assessment and to identify the trends of analytical performance in the determination of trace elements over the years. The number of participants in each exercise varied between 68 and 130, and permits statistical evaluation of the performance for a number of elements. For each intercomparison exercise, the performance of the participant laboratories was assessed by comparing reported results with established reference values calculating `Z-scores'. The results show that for each sample matrix, the values reported by some laboratories were far from satisfactory in the earlier exercises, in particular for Cd, Cr and Pb. Nevertheless, over time, a general improvement of performance can clearly be seen for all elements. Moreover, there was a noticeable increase in the number of laboratories with good performance in the two most recent exercises, observed both for biological and for sediment matrices. However, the determination of trace elements such as Cd, Cr, Pb and Hg in low level environmental samples still remains a major challenge to the analysts. For this reason and in order to assess the current performance of laboratories for low environmental levels of contaminants, the future intercomparison exercises will concentrate on low level sediment and fish samples.
Chemicals
Younes, M. "Specific Issues in Health Risk Assessment of Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals and International Activities," Chemosphere, Volume 39, Issue 8 (October 1999): 1253-1257.
Specific issues in health risk assessment of EDCs and correlated international activities thereof are discussed. Risk characterization is a synthesis of all information including hazard assessment, dose-response relationship, and exposure information to identify clearly the strengths and weaknesses of the database, the criteria applied to evaluation and validation of all aspects of methodology, and the conclusions reached from the review of scientific information. In the case of EDCs, new models need to be developed taking into account possible new kinds of information, e.g., effects of EDCs on gene activation in response to hormonal challenge or effects on receptor expression. Such models should also account for homeostatic adaptive responses and consider the possibility of having windows of exposure for given effects. Work to compile and harmonize the definitions and terms appropriate to endocrine disruption will be conducted within the joint IPCS/OECD project on harmonization of risk/hazard assessment terminology reviews. The IPCS is in the process of preparing a "State of the Science" report, and is implementing a global inventory of ongoing research on ECDs.
Environmental Management and Pollution Prevention
"Ford Becomes First U.S. Company to Require ISO 14001 Certification from Supply Base." International Environmental Systems Update, Vol.6, No.10 (October 1999): 1-2.
Ford Motor Company issued a formal letter on Sept. 9, stating that it
will require "third -party certification to the ISO 14001 environmental
management systems standard from all of its production and non-production
suppliers worldwide by 2003." Several other companies, including General
Motors, have followed suit, issuing similar plans. Ford is setting up
a training campaign for suppliers in North America to help them along
with the process. For more information on The Ford Company's mandate to
certify to ISO 14001, or on their training program, contact Ford at: tel:
313-248-9826. For information on past ISO 14001 case studies, go to: http://www.iesuonline.com/
Hilson, Gavin and Randeep Khuranab. "Environmental Control Systems and Y2K." Journal of Cleaner Production, Volume 7, Issue 5 (October 1999): 359-364.
Environmental management and pollution prevention industries may be particularly susceptible to Y2K computer problems because they have become of the increasing dependence on computerized environmental control systems equipment. It is believed many of the combinations of software, hardware and microprocessors are not Y2K compliant. This could cause the complete shutdown of some of the systems. " Ensuring that these and similar systems do not fail come the turn of the century will involve the locating and replacing of faulty computer chips and archaic code, and in many cases, the replacing of computer components. "
Hans Hurni, "Sustainable Management of Natural Resources in African and Asian Mountains" AMBIO: A Journal of the Human Environment, Vol. 28, no. 5 (August 1999): 382-389.
African and Asian mountains and highlands are ecoregions of particular importance for sustainable development due to their intensive land-use systems, their generally low economic productivity and integration, and the increasing rates of land degradation and mountain hazards. Opportunities for sustainable development exist, if ways to overcome land degradation can be found. The percentage of people who are engaged in subsistence agriculture can be reduced in favor of the secondary and tertiary sectors, protected areas can be better managed, access to remote areas improved, mountain waters utilized in a more integrated highland-lowland interaction, and mechanisms to manage conflicts developed. Research in support of sustainable development needs to focus on transdisciplinary approaches in order to develop appropriate technologies, improve land-management systems, and most importantly, create an enabling institutional environment. International cooperation is an essential tool for exchanging and communicating successful experiences from the local level to regional levels.
Recycling
"Waste electrical & electronic equipment: US study," Warmer Bulletin, September 1998: 16.
This article looks at the breakdown of electronic equipment in the US
and how much of each type is recycled, along with some problems of recycling.
According to this, only about 11 per cent of all American computers are
recycled. Copies of the report 'Electronic product recovery and recycling
baseline report' are available, at US $95 (US $45 for non-profit and government
agencies) from Dawn Amore at the National Safety Council, Environmental
Health Center, 1025 Connecticut Avenue NW, Suite 1200, Washington, DC
20036, USA. tel: (intl + 1) 202 293 2270, fax: (intl + 1) 202 293 0032;
email: amored@nsc.org; The report
can also be ordered on-line at: http://www.nsc.org/ehc/epr2.htm
Modeling
Reed, Michael, Susan M. Cuddya and Andrea E. Rizzolib. "A framework for modeling multiple resource management issues - an open modeling approach". Environmental Modeling and Software, Volume 14, Issue 6 (November 1999):503-509.
The authors' experience with development and distribution of environmental decision support systems (EDSSs) for delivering research outcomes to catchment managers has identified major impediments to their adoption. These include protracted development time, focus on single impacts, difficulty in combining results with other EDSSs, and no attention to socio-economic factors. Based on the premise that decision support tools can play a major role in the integration and adoption of research outcomes, the authors are developing a software tool for rapid building of EDSSs which can handle multiple issues across different scales. The prototype is called the Open Modeling Engine(OME). This paper describes the background to the development of the OME, its basic architecture, an OME-built EDSS for catchment nutrient management, and concludes with a discussion on research direction and opportunity.
Air Quality
Jones, A.P. "Indoor Air Quality and Health." Atmospheric Environment, Volume 33, Issue 28 (December 1999): 4535-4564.
During the last two decades there has been increasing concern within the scientific community over the effects of indoor air quality on health. Changes in building design devised to improve energy efficiency have meant that modern homes and offices are frequently more airtight than older structures. Furthermore, advances in construction technology have caused a much greater use of synthetic building materials. Whilst these improvements have led to more comfortable buildings with lower running costs, they also provide indoor environments in which contaminants are readily produced and may build up to much higher concentrations than are found outside. This article reviews our current understanding of the relationship between indoor air pollution and health. Indoor pollutants can emanate from a range of sources. The health impacts from indoor exposure to combustion products from heating, cooking, and the smoking of tobacco are examined. Also discussed are the symptoms associated with pollutants emitted from building materials. Of particular importance might be substances known as volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which arise from sources including paints, varnishes, solvents, and preservatives. Furthermore, if the structure of a building begins to deteriorate, exposure to asbestos may be an important risk factor for the chronic respiratory disease mesothelioma. The health effects of inhaled biological particles can be significant, as a large variety of biological materials are present in indoor environments. Their role in inducing illness through immune mechanisms, infectious processes, and direct toxicity is considered. This review also considers the phenomenon that has become known as Sick Building Syndrome (SBS), where the occupants of certain affected buildings repeatedly describe a complex range of vague and often subjective health complaints. We know much less about the health risks from indoor air pollution than we do about those attributable to the contamination of outdoor air. This imbalance must be redressed by the provision of adequate funding, and the development of a strong commitment to action within both the public and private sectors. It is clear that meeting the challenges and resolving the uncertainties associated with air quality problems in the indoor environment will be a considerable undertaking.
Isidorov, V., J. Jaroszynska, T. Sacharewicz and E. Piroznikow. "Natural VOC emissions from forests in Poland," Atmospheric Environment, Volume 33, Issue 28 (December 1999): 4739-4744.
On the basis of the last inventory of forests and climatic conditions in Poland, a national evaluation of the emissions of reactive volatile organic compounds (VOCs) was carried out. Calculations took into account the composition and age structure of forests as well as the temperature dependencies of VOC emission rate for the main European forest-forming tree species. In the case of isoprene, the dependence on illumination level and day length was also taken into account. Estimations were made for all 49 administrative regions of Poland. Depending on weather conditions in different years, the total VOC emission of Polish forests can be in the range 186ยป763ktyr-1. For instance, for a moderately warm year, 1992, it was estimated at 440.6kt, which represents 25% of the total VOC emissions in Poland.
Marine Pollution
Valette-Silver, N. J., G. F. Riedel, E. A. Crecelius, H. Windom, R. G. Smith and S. S. Dolvin. "Elevated arsenic concentrations in bivalves from the southeast coasts of the USA." Marine Environmental Research Volume 48, Issues 4-5(October 1999): 311-333.
Since 1986, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
National Status and Trends (NS&T) Program, Mussel Watch Project (MWP)
has been analyzing contaminants in bivalves (oysters and mussels) collected
along the coastal USA. Compared to the rest of the USA, the oysters collected
from sites located along the southeastern coasts, from North Carolina
to the Florida panhandle, display high concentrations of arsenic (As)
in their soft tissues. In this area, As concentrations can be elevated
in sediments and in bivalves, although exact spatial correspondence between
the two is infrequent. As concentrations in waters and food (plankton
and suspended particles) directly surrounding the mollusks collected in
winter are not unusually high. Phosphate deposits and soil pesticide residues
are the hypothesized main sources of this As, and the enrichment mechanism
appears to result from a mixture of processes including atmospheric deposition,
river and aquifer inputs, and ocean up-welling. In the southeast oysters,
the large bio-accumulation of As may also be affected by the seasonal
cycle of adsorption/solubilization of As observed in several estuarine
and coastal areas, by local physico-chemical parameters such as temperature,
salinity, and the nature of sediments (e.g. high contents in iron, calcium,
phosphate, and organic material). Even at these very high concentrations,
the As present in the southeastern oysters does not appear to present
a health threat to humans or to marine life.
Environmental Labeling
Okubo, Atsuko. "Environmental Labeling Programs and the GATT/WTO Regime." The Georgetown International Environmental Law Review, Vol. XI, Iss. 3 (Spring 1999): 599-646.
The globalization of commerce and higher visibility given to environmental issues have resulted in trade and the environment increasingly attracting global attention. There are many measures a country can take in order to protect its environment and its laws which would impact trade between and among countries. The past few years have seen heightened interest in interaction between international trade and the environment, with arguments made that the measures taken are not always in keeping with the current GATT/WTO regime. The author looks at landmark cases in this area, and also offers analysis on the situation, presenting a look at the structure and operation of environmental labeling systems, labeling schemes and the GATT/WTO regime, and options for a workable scheme (or schemes) for a number of countries working under an agreement.
UPCOMING INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCES
1. International Landcare Conference
Melbourne, Australia
April 2000
WWW: http://www.nre.vic.gov.au/web/root/domino/cm_da/nrenlwm.nsf/frameset/NRE+Land+and+Water?OpenDocument
.
Australia's Landcare movement is a community-based approach to tackling environmental problems and ensuring the long-term viability of sustainable agriculture and natural resource management in Australia. It is supported by all levels of government, industry, rural communities, conservation groups and individuals in recognition of the need to manage and use our land and water resources wisely. There are now more than 4,500 Landcare groups across Australia involved in a wide range of activities aimed at improving production, land and water restoration and conservation of biodiversity. More than one third of all Australian farmers are members of a Landcare group. This first International Landcare Conference is the opportunity to learn from each other about how we work together and practical examples of the work that we do. We will also explore what we need to sustain programs such as Landcare into the future. For registration information please contact Waldron Smith Conference Network, 93 Victoria Avenue, Albert Park, Victoria, Australia 3206; Telephone: 61 (3) 96906744; Facsimile: 61 (3) 96907155; Email: wscn@bigpond.com.
2. The Xth World Water Congress
Melbourne Convention Center, Melbourne, Australia
11- 17 March, 2000
WWW: http://www.uwin.siu.edu/announce/event/2000/event0311.html
As we enter the 21st century the World Water industry faces threats to sustaining valuable water resources and achieving a balance between urban and rural water demands and environmental needs. The Xth Congress will address those challenges while highlighting such critical issues as "Sharing the Waters of the Earth" and "Sustainable Water Management in a New Millennium." These themes will appeal to a diverse group within the industry. They are particularly relevant when considering the dynamics of sharing water efficiently and equitably between peoples, nations and end users. For more information, please contact: Lisa Mc Naught, Congress Secretariat, ICMS Pty Ltd., 84 Queensbridge Street, Southbank, Victoria, Australia 3006; Tel: + 61 3 9682 0244; Fax: + 61 3 9 682 0288; Email: worldwide@icms.com.au.
3. Symposium on the Role of Erosion and Sediment Transport in Nutrient
and Contaminant Transfer (International Association of Hydrological Sciences)
University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
10-14 July 2000
WWW: http://www.cig.ensmp.fr/~iahs/redbooks/263.htm
The symposium will concentrate on the transfer of sediment-associated nutrients and contaminants in terrestrial and aquatic systems. Emphasis should be given to studies of the basic processes of erosion and sediment transport that will advance our understanding of chemical transport at a range of spatial and temporal scales. Topics to be covered include: interaction between erosion and sediment transport processes and nutrient and contaminant transfer; spatial and temporal variability in the source, transport and deposition of sediment-associated nutrients and contaminants; the processes and effects of flocculation and the transport characteristics of sediment; the physical and chemical characteristics of cohesive sediment; chemical partitioning of contaminants on sediment and the impact of partitioning on contaminant fluxes; techniques, methodologies and models to address spatial and temporal variability of nutrient and contaminant transfer. Contact info: Dr. M. Stone, School of Urban Planning and Department of Geography, University of Waterloo, 200 University Ave., West Waterloo, Ontario, Canada, N2L 3G1; Phone: 519-888-4567 ext 3067; Fax: 519-725-2827; Email: mstone@fes.uwaterloo.ca.
4.Conservation 2000
New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
December 15-17, 2000
WWW: http://www.ctic.purdue.edu/ctic/C2000/C2000.html
The National Agricultural Conservation 2000 Conference is presenting accomplishments and lessons learned from local, state and federal programs and research addressing soil and water quality. Presentations from leading programs and projects from the last two decades, along with insight from key conservationists, will provide a foundation for conservation in the new millennium. For more information, please contact: Conservation Technology Information Center, 1220 Potter Drive, Room 170, West Lafayette, IN 47906-1383; Phone: (765) 494-9555; Fax: (765) 494-5969.
5.Pesticide Application Conference
University of Surrey, Guildford, UK
17-18 January 2000
The scientific programme of the conference will cover all aspects of pesticide application to crops, including the following: Air assistance, Biological efficacy, Decision and precision, Deposit distribution, Drift & buffer zones, Drop size and capture, Dose control and metering, Formulation and adjuvants, Handling and transfer systems, Nozzle design and performance, Operator exposure, and Sprayer design. Contact information: J V Cross, HRI, East Malling, West Malling, Maidstone, Kent ME19 6BJ, UK. Tel: + 44 (0) 1732 843833, Fax: +44 (0) 1732 849067. E-mail: jerry.cross@hri.ac.uk.
6. International Conference on Managing Natural Resources for Sustainable
Agricultural Production in the 21st Century
New Delhi, India
February 14-18, 2000
WWW:http://www.nic.in/
Impressive achievements have been made the world over in enhancing agricultural production, but the relentless demographic pressures, particularly in the developing nations, have posed a formidable task to the policy makers, planners, scientists and all implementing agencies for providing food security to the teeming millions in tandem with the conservation and management of the natural resources. With a fast expanding population, the per capita availability of land and water for cultivation is consistently declining. The proposed International Conference intends to bring together various experts, leading scientists, national and international extension, research and developmental organizations and agencies, and others who are concerned with policy, planning and implementation of various programs. The goal of the Conference would be to formulate performance oriented action plans for the future by focusing on economically viable, socially acceptable, locally replicable and geoecologically sustainable technologies of scientific resource use for potential agricultural production. Contact Info: Dr. A. K. Singh, Secretary General, International Conference on Managing Natural Resources, Indian Society of Soil Science, Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi-110 012,INDIA; Telephone: 91-11-5731494, Fax: 91-11- 5755529; Email: icmnr@bic-iari.ren.nic.in.
