Developing new environmental excellence programs: Lessons from epa's environmental leadership program

Interest in the concept—and implementation—of environmental excellence is at an all-time high. A wealth of examples from individual companies, trade associations, states, industry coalitions, and the federal government illustrate the growing acceptance by a wide range of stakeholders of a management systems approach to environmental issues. Perhaps nowhere is this more clear than in the collection of public comments submitted to EPA in response to its January 15, 1993, Federal Register notice, which proposed the creation of an Environmental Leadership Program (ELP). The authors, both of whom worked on the ELP, review these public comments and offer a set of “do's and don'ts” for organizations interested in establishing an environmental excellence program. In addition, the authors outline the Green Track proposal, a plan to structure an alternate regulatory pathway based on environmental excellence.     

SOCIAL IMPLICATIONS OF SEVERE SUSTAINED DROUGHT CASE STUDIES IN CALIFORNIA AND COLORADO1

ABSTRACT: Survey data collected in the San Joaquin Valley of southern California and the Grand Valley of western Colorado reveal that residents of both areas believe that a severe sustained drought is likely to occur within the next 20–25 years and that their communities would be seriously impacted by such an event. Although a severe sustained drought affecting the Colorado River Basin would cause major economic and social disruptions in these and other communities, residents express little support for water management alternatives that would require significant shifts in economic development activities or in water use and allocation patterns. In particular, residents of these areas express little support for strategies such as construction and growth moratoriums, mandatory water conservation programs, water transfers from low-to high-population areas, water marketing, or reallocations of water from agricultural to municipal/industrial uses. This rejection of water management strategies that would require a departure from “business as usual” with respect to water use and allocations severely restricts the capacity of these and similar communities to respond effectively should a severe sustained drought occur.     

Satisfaction with a performance appraisal system and appraisal discussion

Satisfaction with a performance appraisal system and the appraisal discussion was assessed by questionnaires administered to a random sample of managers and employees in a large multinational corporation. Stepwise regression and cross validation analyses were used to identify reliable linear composites for managers (n = 222) and employees (n = 368) on two dependent measures: overall experience with the appraisal system, and quality of the appraisal discussion. The results indicated differences in the aspects of the appraisal process which are related to satisfaction with the appraisal discussion, compared to satisfaction with the overall appraisal system. The results also indicated differences between managers' and employees' opinions regarding the appraisal system. Managers were found to be more satisfied than employees with most aspects of the appraisal system. And, the aspects of the appraisal system which were related to managers' and employees' satisfaction with the appraisal discussion were substantially different.     

Enantiomer ratios,patterns and levels of toxaphene congeners in human milk from Germany

High resolution gas chromatography (HRGC) coupled to quadrupole negative ion chemical ionization (NICI) mass spectrometry (MS) was used to investigate congener patterns, levels and enantiomer distribution of selected toxaphene congeners (#26, #41, #44, #50, #63, B7-1453) in human milk from Germany. #50 and #26 were the most abundant congeners. Furthermore, the identification of B7-1453, B8-1412, #41, #42, #44 and #63 was possible. Levels for the sum of #26, #41, #44 and #50 ranged from 7 to 24 microg kg(-1) milk fat and contributed between 2 and 9% to the total burden of investigated organochlorines such as selected compounds of the chlordane group, HCH, DDT and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB). Capillaries coated with heptakis-(2,3,6-O-tert-butyldimethylsilyl)-beta-cyclodextrin (TBDMS-CD) or octakis-(2,3,6-tri-O-ethyl)-gamma-cyclodextrin (TEG-CD) were used for the enantioselective separations. Enantiomer ratios (ER) and enantiomer fractions (EF) of the abundant toxaphene congeners #26 and #50 as well as of B7-1453, #41 and #63 were determined. Greatest deviations from a racemic composition in individual human milk samples were found for #41 (1.54-2.37), #50 (1.37-1.72) and #63 (0.53-0.71) whereas ERs for #26 were close to 1. Compared to wildlife biota such as fish and raptors ER changes were more pronounced in human milk but comparable to human adipose tissue.     

Sustainable agriculture, science and the co-production of 'expert' knowledge: The value of interactional expertise

After the last few decades in which the importance of 'local' knowledge has been emphasized, attention must now turn to better understanding how such knowledge is communicated to certified experts (scientists) and vice versa. This paper examines how expert knowledge is co-produced in agriculture by local and non-local experts for the benefit of both. The argument is informed by an empirical case study of sustainable farmers and agriculture professionals in Iowa. While much has been written about how the conventional and sustainable models of agriculture rest upon different epistemological orientations, little has yet been said about how those different experts (local and certified) interact with each other. Building upon the work of H. M. Collins and Robert Evans, and their tripartite model of expertise (of no, contributory, and interactional expertise), I investigate the different forms of expertise that exist within agriculture. In doing so, specific focus is placed upon interactional expertise for creating meaningful exchanges (or interactions) between scientists and non-scientists.     

Revitalizing neighbourhoods through sustainable brownfields redevelopment: Principles put into practice in Bridgeport, CT

This article chronicles activities and approaches carried out in working with community partners and public and private stakeholders in advancing revitalization within Bridgeport, CT. The approach described utilizes brownfields redevelopment as a focal point for a stakeholder process whose goal is neighbourhood revitalization. Two neighbourhoods—the Went End and East End—are the focus for major stakeholder-driven brownfields redevelopment processes. The article defines key elements of the stakeholder process including: involvement at several levels from neighbours to the site to the Mayor's office and beyond, a risk communication process that incorporates the broad concerns of the stakeholders including crime and violence, and the need for ongoing oversight and management throughout the redevelopment process.