PLYMOUTH, N.H.-- The world's energy usage and dependence on fossil fuels could be reduced drastically through efficiency measures that are currently available, according to world-renowned energy efficiency expert Amory Lovins.

Lovins, chairman and chief scientist of the Rocky Mountain Institute and one of Time magazine's 2009's 100 most influential people in the world, spoke September 1 at Plymouth State University, where he received a honorary doctorate degree of science. Lovins claims the world's dependence on fossil fuels is the crux of many political, climate and economic problems, and innovative technologies and business strategies currently available can be implemented to achieve a vastly improved quality of life within three decades.

"We have a long way to go," Lovins said. "But it's cheaper to save fuel than to buy fuel; efficiency is cheaper than fuel, so actually we should be talking about profits, jobs and competitive advantage, which makes the politics a lot easier."

Lovins noted many multi-national corporations are already saving billions of dollars through energy efficiency, which also reduces pollution from greenhouse gas emissions. Lovins asserts that the United States can wean itself from oil by 2040, led by businesses seeking profits.

"We've already doubled the efficiency of oil since 1975, and it turns out we can double it again with an average cost of $12 per saved barrel. We can replace about 3/5 of the oil with natural gas and 2/5 advanced bio fuels that don't have anything to do with the food system."

Lovins also says we can triple the efficiency of cars, trucks and airplanes by using ultra-light carbon fiber materials and smaller, lighter engines. As an example, Lovins says in most of today's passenger cars, only three-tenths of one percent of the total energy needed to move the vehicle is used to transport the passenger.

"Three-quarters of what it takes to move the car is caused by its weight, and every unit of energy you save at the wheel saves another seven that you don't need to waste getting it to the wheels, so there's enormous leverage in making the car radically lighter weight, whether through metal or composite solutions."

Lovins said electric energy efficiency is rapidly advancing in the U.S., but there is plenty of room for improvement.

"70 percent of electricity produced in the U.S. is used by buildings, 30 percent is used by industry, and three-quarters of that is wasted," Lovins said.

Lovins emphasizes alternative energy sources like wind, solar, geothermal and small hydro power, while optimizing energy efficient construction, which uses a fraction of the energy for heating and cooling.

Lovins also believes that a comprehensive global energy strategy, based on efficiency technology, could eliminate the need for nuclear power, which, in turn, would reduce opportunities and incentives for nuclear proliferation that threaten world peace.

Lovins is a MacArthur Fellowship recipient (1993), and author and co-author of dozens of books on energy efficiency, renewable energy, resources, climate, security, business, and other topics.

Lovins has an unparalleled record of planning for the efficient use of diverse and renewable energy sources, such as solar, wind, biofuels, and geothermal. He has led the redesign of over $30 billion worth of facilities in 29 sectors for energy and resource efficiency. He has briefed 20 heads of state, advised the U.S. Departments of Energy and Defense, and consulted for scores of industries and governments worldwide.

According to www.RMI.org, Lovins' organization, the Rocky Mountain Institute, is a world-renowned organization whose mission is to drive the efficient and restorative use of resources. RMI's style is nonadversarial and transideological, emphasizing integrative design, advanced technologies, and mindful markets.

For more information contact Christopher M. Williams, director of public relations, at cwilliams@plymouth.edu or (603) 535-2476.

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PLYMOUTH, NH -- The rest of the world is starting to recognize what Plymouth residents have long known-Plymouth is an exciting place to live, work, and go to school.

Citing the region's many recreational opportunities National Geographic Adventure magazine has named Plymouth one of the 50 next great adventure towns in the United States in which to live.

"Life in Plymouth is like a master class in recreation," wrote National Geographic journalist Sarah Tuff. "Wedged between Mount Washington Valley and the Granite State's glittering lakes region, this college-meets-covered-bridge depot is home to the new White Mountain Exploration center, with instruction in ski touring, ice climbing, mountain biking, and rock climbing all run by Eastern Mountain Sports."

"When classes aren't in session, recess means kayaking the Pemigewasset River and exploring the 798,562-acre White Mountain National Forest."

"And if working at Plymouth State University or the local hospital doesn't entice you, high-tech and political posts are just 45 minutes south in Concord."

In the article, "Where to Live + Play Now! The fifty next great adventure towns" Plymouth ranks fourth in the east region.

"Plymouth stood out because of its stunning location in New Hampshire," said Tuff about Plymouth's inclusion on the list. "We sought towns that not only have premier access to outdoor recreation and resources, but also forward momentum. New initiatives such as bike paths, outdoor centers, eco-friendly measures and more all played a role in helping us determine the 50 best places to live and play for National Geographic Adventure readers."

Plymouth's inclusion on the National Geographic 50 great adventure towns list isn't the first time the community has been noted for its quality.

Plymouth is also the featured college town for September on collegetownlife.com and listed on the America's Best Bargain Outdoor Towns For Baby Boomers list.

In April Plymouth was the featured New Hampshire Magazine cover story "Why Plymouth Rocks"

The 100 Best Small Towns In America (released in the mid 1990s) ranked Plymouth seventh out of 100 for its quality of life, beautiful location and outdoor recreation.

"Where to Live + Play Now! The fifty next great adventure towns" is in the September issue of National Geographic Adventure magazine, which is on newsstands now or available online at http://adventure.nationalgeographic.com ]]> 9/21/08 http://www.plymouth.edu/news/fullstory.php?number=6429

PLYMOUTH, N.H -Newfound Lake remains one of New Hampshire's cleanest and clearest lakes, and a management plan to keep it that way is making progress.

Every Acre Counts: The Newfound Watershed Master Plan is an exciting, cutting edge project working with diverse stakeholders in developing a master plan for the Newfound Lake watershed.

The effort brings together participants from diverse sectors including the PSU's Center for the Environment, the Newfound Lake Region Association (NLRA), the University of New Hampshire, Jeffery Taylor and Associates and underwritten by the Environmental Protection Agency with funds distributed by the N.H. Department of Environmental Services.

The first step in the project was a community survey, led by Dr. Brian Eisenhauer, associate director of the Center for the Environment and assistant professor of sociology at Plymouth State. Area residents in Bristol, Bridgewater, Hebron, Alexandria, Groton, Orange, Danbury, and Plymouth responded to surveys about their perception of Newfound Lake and its future.

"These kinds of activities with towns in our region embody the PSU to serve' mission, not only for the benefit of the region, but for the students to apply their academic knowledge in answering important questions for our region," said Eisenhauer.

The information from the survey will help formulate the watershed plan and determine key issues for the region. Steve Whitman, senior planner with Jeffrey H. Taylor and Associates and adjunct PSU faculty member, said the community input is one of the most critical pieces of creating a collaborative plan.

"There was need to understand whether people felt a connection to Newfound Lake and to the watershed, and whether they would help support rules and regulations that would help guide everyone more appropriately," said Whitman.

The Newfound Lake watershed area encompasses 63,000 acres, with approximately 15,000 year-round residents, an increase of 132% over the past 35 years.

Boyd Smith, director of the Newfound Lake Region Association, said now is the time to start protecting the lake and it watershed.

"If you were here 10 years ago and fast forward to today, you'd see a difference, especially on the hillsides," Smith said about the development around the lake. "More development around the lake will come in time, and if we're not proactive in managing the natural resources of the land, forest and water, and providing for the folks that live here, this place will change in a way that most people don't want to see, I think."

When completed in 2009, Every Acre Counts: the Newfound Watershed Master Plan will provide a comprehensive analysis of the Newfound Lake Region environment; will present citizen opinions about issues in the watershed and their desires for the future, will benchmark local master plans, policies and regulations; and will provide a "tool kit" of methods to maintain and improve environmental quality for the long term.

The $350,000 project is supported by federal Clean Water Act funds distributed by the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services that includes substantial matching contributions from project partners.

For more information about this release, contact Bruce Lyndes, PSU Media Relations Mgr., (603) 535-2775 or blyndes@plymouth.edu ]]> 8/8/08 http://www.plymouth.edu/news/fullstory.php?number=6381 PLYMOUTH, NH- Do federal laws really work to reduce acid rain in northeast lakes? Plymouth State University's Center for the Environment and partnering researchers have been chosen to help find the answer through a $1.1 million grant. The five-year grant, one of the largest ever received by PSU, will collect and analyze lake samples from Maine to the Adirondacks in an effort to gauge whether the Clean Air Act has helped reduce the effects of acid rain on Northeast surface waters. This grant is part of the national EPA program to collect long-term data on acid rain impacts on lakes.

Center for the Environment Director Dr. Steve Kahl has studied acid rain in New England's surface waters for more than 25 years. The EPA grant will be instrumental in continuing this research to shed important light on the health of invaluable natural resources and whether current laws are effective in protecting them.

"The importance of the work relates directly to the federal Clean Air Act and future amendments in Congress. The key questions are; do reductions in acid-forming emissions from power plants and vehicles result in reductions in acid rain, and if so, do these reductions in acid rain result in less acidity in lakes? The answers to these questions will provide information for EPA to assess the need for future reductions in atmospheric deposition," Kahl said.

The project will also collect samples from high elevation lakes in Maine, and with possible auxiliary funding from other sources, intends to sample high elevation lakes in New Hampshire. These lakes are the 'canary' lakes that are most responsive to acid rain.

Kahl worked on the 2003 EPA assessment of trends in acid rain while on sabbatical at EPA in Corvallis, Oregon. Kahl and his colleagues authored a report the results of which were published in the journal Environmental Science and Technology in 2004, available on the PSU webpage at www.plymouth.edu/cfe/pdfs/ES&T.pdf.

U.S. Senator Judd Gregg (R-NH) stated, "Plymouth State University is an emerging leader in scientific research, and its established meteorological program is one that has gained national attention. I am pleased that this EPA grant will help fund the University's new Center for the Environment and it's regional lake chemistry laboratory and will further our understanding about the health of our state's surface waters."

The new grant will help fund the new regional lake chemistry laboratory at PSU, being developed in partnership with the NH Department of Environmental Services to assist lake associations and other management groups with their need for environmental data in the north country and lakes district of NH. Graduate student Adam Baumann is funded by the grant to conduct his thesis research on the subject. Baumann is enrolled in the new Environmental Science and Policy graduate program at PSU.

Dr. Bill McDowell, director of the Water Resources Research Center at UNH, is a co-principal investigator on the grant and his laboratory will conduct some of the sample analysis. The grant will also fund researchers at the University of Maine and Dartmouth College to evaluate long-term changes in biological communities by analyzing changes in zooplankton over the past 20 years, using archived collections. The biological response is important because there are few records of fishery response to acid rain. The sampling of fisheries is destructive and effects the populations directly, so indicators' such as microscopic zooplankton are better suited for determining long term trends. Federal officials are looking forward to reviewing the research findings. "Over the last decade, surface water chemistry data has played an important role in assessing ecological response to Clean Air Act programs, such as the Acid Rain Program," according to Brian McLean, Director of EPA's Office of Atmospheric Programs. "As we move forward with implementing new programs, such as the Clean Air Interstate Rule, these data will be invaluable in helping us to understand whether we are adequately protecting sensitive ecosystems," says McLean.

AFor more information contact PSU director of public relations Christopher M. Williams at cwilliams@plymouth.edu or (603) 535-2476.

-end-

Nearly 200 years ago, Langdon Woods was a remote, thickly forested part of Plymouth owned by a stagecoach operator named James Fogg Langdon. Langdon had a reputation as a man of foresight, creativity and diligence. Today, in that same corner of town, stands a Plymouth State University residence hall that not only bears Langdon's name, it also aspires to achieve his qualities. PSU president Sara Jayne Steen related the site's history and link with James Langdon, saying, "I think he would have liked the building that bears his name."

This state-of-the-art project features a layout that follows the contour of the land on-site, preserving wetlands and other water elements while allowing maximum sunlight exposure for energy conservation. The brick, wood and glass building was outfitted with energy and water conserving fixtures and systems, including some waterless urinals. Heat is provided through a co-generation plant housed next door. These features will mean 58 percent less energy use and a 36 percent reduction in water use. PSU intends to pursue a gold-level certification in the U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership-Energy-Environmental Design (LEEDS) program.

USNH Trustee Chairman Andrew Lietz characterized Langdon Woods as "truly an example of many hands, hearts and the best minds working collaboratively for a superior result."

As for the living quarters, Langdon Woods offers suite-style living options as well as hotel-type single and double bedrooms, a 1,000 square-foot aerobic exercise area, a coffee shop, a common area with wireless Internet access, smaller areas for students to congregate, bathrooms with more privacy, a laundry room, secure bicycle storage and a meeting/conference room. Additionally, the carpets throughout the building are recyclable and the University outfitted the rooms with furniture manufactured locally in Lisbon, N.H.

USNH Chancellor Stephen J. Reno, quoting British statesman Winston Churchill, noted, "We shape our buildings, and then our buildings shape us," in reference to the forward-thinking environmental aspects of the project.

The five-story high building has a capacity of 347 students and will be paid for entirely by student fees.