Halon Traders Meet Here

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Here’s an example of an e-commerce model put to good use. The United Nations has launched HalonTrader, the “world’s virtual marketplace for recycled halons.” Halon seekers or sellers can search the online database to buy or sell halons by country, type of halon, and halon quantity. Halons are chemicals that contribute to ozone depletion and climate change and are being phased out under the Montreal protocol. This service helps people trade remaining halons as a key strategy to phase them out. It facilitates transactions between people who need halons for essential uses and those that have recycled or banked halons. By promoting recycling, recovery and exchange of existing halons, this matchmaking service helps avoid demand for new halons.[sorry this link is no longer available]

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Bits and Bytes

Ford Motor Company is the first company to offer employees a SRI option in their 401k plan, the Domini Social Equity Fund. Ford’s 401k plan is the ninth largest defined contribution plan in the U.S.It’s rare for a national poll to find that Americans rank the environment as a higher priority than economic development, but that is what a recent Los Angeles Times poll concluded – 50 percent versus 36 percent. Respondents to the nationwide survey indicated that withdrawing from the Kyoto treaty was a mistake for President Bush and that pollution is getting worse. By a margin of 2-1, respondents believe that government oversight on businesses is necessary when it comes to environmental protection. If the law passes, the UK will be the first country to introduce a voluntary trading system of municipal waste landfill permits. The government expects it to reduce the cost of complying with the EU 1999 landfill directive. [sorry this link is no longer available]The newest division in the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs is the NJ Green Homes office. Its mission is “to fundamentally improve the environmental performance, energy efficiency, quality, and affordability of housing in NJ.” It will use advocacy, education and […]

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