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Loading ...More Brazilian States Opt for Smoke-Free Environments
Tuesday, September 29th, 2009The push for smoke-free environments continues to march across Brazilian states — how long before federal legislators decide to extend such protections nationwide? Today the governors of the southern state of Paraná (PR) and the western state of Amazonas (AM) signed new tobacco control laws, joining Ceará (CE), Rio de Janeiro (RJ) and São Paulo […]
Ceará Limits Public Smoking
Tuesday, August 25th, 2009Today Ceará (CE) became the latest Brazilian state (after São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro) to severely restrict smoking in public areas. The governor signed a law that prohibits smoking any product, whether derived from tobacco or not, in “collective enclosures” except in segregated areas that have a physical barrier separating them from nonsmokers with […]
A Smokeless Rio?
Monday, August 17th, 2009If you’ve ever been to Rio de Janeiro (RJ), you know that it’s not exactly a nonsmoker’s paradise. Despite all the health warnings and studies issued over the years, quite a bit of smoking still occurs in public places within the state. Not for much longer. Or at least that’s the stated legislative intent of […]
Buenos Aires Begins Eco-Certifying Lodging
Monday, May 18th, 2009The program of Buenos Aires Province launched earlier this year to formally recognize “sustainable touristic lodging” is finally getting into full swing. The provincial environment authority, OPDS, just announced the award of the first 21 certifications to lodgings in the Sierra de la Ventana (“Window Mountains”) area of Torquinst. The program judges lodging in touristic […]
Energy Efficiency Program for Caribbean Hotels Launched
Tuesday, March 24th, 2009From the Barbados Government Information Service: CARIBBEAN HOTEL ENERGY EFFICIENCY ACTION PROGRAMME LAUNCHED Additional income from savings in electricity/fuel bills, a reduction in operational costs; and an increased flow of tourists preferring sustainable energy tourism destinations, are just a few of the benefits expected from the Caribbean Hotel Energy Efficiency Action Programme (CHENACT). This was […]
Brazil Proposes Energy Labels for Buildings
Tuesday, March 24th, 2009Yesterday Brazil’s National Institute of Metrology, Standardization and Industrial Quality (Inmetro) published for public comment in the official gazette (the Official Daily of the Union – Diário Oficial da União) a draft administrative rule (portaria) on the award of certification labels for energy efficiency in public, commercial and service buildings. It is supplemented by an […]
A New Sustainable Energy Program for the Caribbean / Un programa nuevo para energía sostenible en el Caribe
Wednesday, January 28th, 2009From the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB): IDB supports sustainable energy in the Caribbean Grants finance efforts to generate energy from waste, wind and sun; improve efficiency, and lower hotel energy costs Barbados, Bahamas and eventually other Caribbean countries will explore cutting-edge alternatives to lower their dependency on fossil fuels and improve their energy security with […]
Buenos Aires Province Formally Launches Sustainable Hotel Certification System
Tuesday, January 27th, 2009The Provincial Sustainable Development Organ (OPDS) of Buenos Aires Province just launched formally the “sustainable hotels” certification program that it announced last August it would create. The program will judge lodging in touristic destinations within the Province on their “efficient use” of natural resources, minimization of the use of toxic chemical products, maximization of the […]
SP Governor Proposes Very Tough Smoking Ban
Thursday, September 4th, 2008On August 28 — Brazil’s National Day to Combat Tobacco — José Serra, the Governor of the state with the biggest market in the nation, São Paulo, sent to the state legislature a bill would ban smoking in areas of collective use, whether public or private. The bill looks to be one of the toughest […]
Buenos Aires Province to Launch Sustainable Hotels Certification Program
Wednesday, August 27th, 2008Synopsis in English: The environment authority of the Argentine Province of Buenos Aires, the Provincial Organ for Sustainable Development (Organismo Provincial para el Desarrollo Sostenible – OPDS), has announced that it is creating an eco-certification program for tourism establishments (primarily lodging) there. The “Green Star” program will rate not only conventional hotels, but also boutique […]