The establishment of an ecotourism corporation in the Indian state of Uttarakhand has been given the green light by the Chief Minister of that state. The new corporation would be jointly administered by the state departments of tourism and forestry.

Both departments have been asked to develop a well planned approach to setting up the corporation, and the forestry department was specifically tasked with setting up boundaries which are designed to avoid conflicts between wild animals and tourists. The forest development corporation was directed to construct toilet facilities in forest villages to ensure health and sanitation for visitors. The interests of local people were given a high priority in future development of the region, and plans for river rafting and beach development can generate increased income for local villages.

My neighbor was having flooring put in by Empire Today
and as the installers were doing the work, her cat, Socks, kept hanging around. One of the installers asked what the cat's name was and when she told him, he said, with a grin, "Oh, as in the Sarbanes-Oxley Act?" They all had a chuckle, but then it turns out my neighbor and the other installer actually weren't completely sure of exactly what that act entailed. So the installer who had cracked the joke explained. It turned out, his previously full-time accounting job had been reduced to part-time, and he had found a job through Empire Today Careers as an installer…based on previous construction experience he had from working his way through college. He said he was actually enjoying the balance of the two types of work. In any case, hearing this anecdote from my neighbor made me chuckle along with her…and I admit, I had to ask, just like she did, to be reminded of the basics comprised in this act. So the bonus for her floor installment was a bit of civics, for at least a few of us who needed it!

A prototype eco house was unveiled in northwest Bicester, UK which could serve as a model for as many as 5,000 eco houses in a future eco home settlement in the region. Everything in the demo building was made from recycled materials, sustainable resources, or is recyclable.

The internal workings of the home are very different from a regular home and are designed to be carbon neutral. By using all green technology the house can reduce typical household electricity bills by as much as 70%. The demo house was intended to show the technology used in the houses, and was not finished to be a show home. Doors and windows in the house are triple glazed to make the property ten times more air-tight and sound proof than a regular building. Radiators and electric heaters are replaced with a thermostatically controlled mechanical ventilation with heat recovery system.