Tools delivering green growth

Subscribe to our newsletter. Our Focus Areas. Our Approach. Our Global Ecosystem. The program is designed to help communities understand and address exposure to multiple environmental harms and risks. EPA provides design assistance to help support sustainable communities that protect the environment, economy, and public health and to inspire local and state leaders to expand this work elsewhere.

EPA Office of Sustainable Communities Building Blocks Program —Building Blocks for Sustainable Communities provides quick, targeted technical assistance to selected communities using a variety of tools that have demonstrated results and widespread application. The purpose of delivering these tools is to stimulate a discussion about growth and development and strengthen local capacity to implement sustainable approaches. Appalachian Regional Commission ARC —ARC funds several hundred projects every year in the Appalachian Region in a wide range of program areas, including community infrastructure and asset-based development.

Army Corp of Engineers Planning Assistance to States —Through partnerships with states, the Corp of Engineers can provide states, local governments, other non-Federal entities, and eligible Native American Indian tribes assistance in the preparation of comprehensive plans for the development, utilization, and conservation of water and related land resources. DOE Weatherization and Intergovernmental Program —The Weatherization and Intergovernmental Program provides grants, technical assistance, and information tools to states, local governments, community action agencies, utilities, Indian tribes, and U.

The funding can be used to encourage installation of green infrastructure—such as green roofs—as part of the weatherization process. RTCA staff provide guidance to communities on:. EDA Funding Opportunities —EDA grants support a range of business and industrial development activities—including infrastructure development—that create or retain jobs.

EDA-capitalized revolving loan funds encourage new business development in economically distressed communities. FEMA Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities BRIC program —This program supports states, local communities, tribes and territories as they undertake hazard mitigation projects, reducing the risks they face from disasters and natural hazards.

FEMA Hazard Mitigation Grant Program — This program provides post-disaster federal aid to states to mitigate the risks of future disasters and can fund flood mitigation projects, including acquisition and relocation of flood-prone properties and soil stabilization projects like the installation of vegetative buffer strips. FMA provides funding to States, Territories, federally-recognized tribes and local communities for projects and planning that reduces or eliminates long-term risk of flood damage to structures insured under the NFIP.

Rossi L. Effects of foliar application of zinc sulfate and zinc nanoparticles in coffee Coffea arabica L. Plant Physiol. Comparison study of zinc nanoparticles and zinc sulphate on wheat growth: From toxicity and zinc biofortification. Raliya R. ZnO nanoparticle biosynthesis and its effect on phosphorous-mobilizing enzyme secretion and gum contents in Clusterbean Cyamopsis tetragonoloba L. Srivastava G. Iron pyrite, a potential photovoltaic material, increases plant biomass upon seed pretreatment.

Seed treatment with iron pyrite FeS 2 nanoparticles increases the production of spinach. Das C. Nano-iron pyrite seed dressing: A sustainable intervention to reduce fertilizer consumption in vegetable beetroot, carrot , spice fenugreek , fodder alfalfa , and oilseed mustard, sesamum crops.

Wang Y. Divergence in response of lettuce var. Tirani M. Hydroponic grown tobacco plants respond to zinc oxide nanoparticles and bulk exposures by morphological, physiological and anatomical adjustments.

Plant Biol. Disfani M. Soil Sci. Yang F. The improvement of spinach growth by nano-anatase TiO 2 treatment is related to nitrogen photoreduction. Trace Elem. Iqbal M. Effect of silver nanoparticles on growth of wheat under heat stress. Pallavi, Mehta C. Impact assessment of silver nanoparticles on plant growth and soil bacterial diversity.

Rizwan M. Effect of foliar applications of silicon and titanium dioxide nanoparticles on growth, oxidative stress, and cadmium accumulation by rice Oryza sativa Acta Physiol. Wang S. Heavy metal accumulation in different rice cultivars as influenced by foliar application of nano-silicon. Water Air Soil Pollut. Malandrakis A. Use of copper, silver and zinc nanoparticles against foliar and soil-borne plant pathogens. Shenashen M. Antifungal activity of fabricated mesoporous alumina nanoparticles against root rot disease of tomato caused by Fusarium oxysporium.

Pest Manag. Vanti G. Synthesis of Gossypium hirsutum -derived silver nanoparticles and their antibacterial efficacy against plant pathogens. Giannousi K. Synthesis, characterization and evaluation of copper based nanoparticles as agrochemicals against Phytophthora infestans. RCS Adv. Imada K. Magnesium oxide nanoparticles induce systemic resistance in tomato against bacterial wilt disease. Cultivation techniques and nutrient management strategies to improve productivity of rain-fed maize in semi-arid regions.

Water Manag. Davarpanah S. Effects of foliar applications of zinc and boron nano-fertilizers on pomegranate Punica granatum cv. Ardestani fruit yield and quality. Huang M. Soil testing at harvest to enhance productivity and reduce nitrate residues in dryland wheat production. Field Crops Res. Dijk V. A review of food security scenario studies: Gaps and ways forward. In: Achterbosch T. Kale A. Studies on nanoparticle induced nutrient use efficiency of fertilizer and crop productivity. Soil organic nitrogen and its contribution to crop production.

Subramanian K. Nano-fertilizers for balanced crop nutrition. In: Rai M. Nanotechnologies in Food and Agriculture.

Solanki P. Nano-fertilizers and their smart delivery system. Sabir A. Vine growth, yield, berry quality attributes and leaf nutrient content of grapevines as influenced by seaweed extract Ascophyllum nodosum and nanosize fertilizer pulverizations. Heffer P. Fertilizer Outlook — Godfray H. Food security: The challenge of feeding 9 billion people. Shukla P. Nanotechnology in sustainable agriculture: Studies from seed priming to post-harvest management.

Miao Y. Relation of nitrate N accumulation in dryland soil with wheat response to N fertilizer. Wang Z. Effect of ammonium and nitrate nitrogen fertilizers on wheat yield in relation to accumulated nitrate at different depths of soil in drylands of China. Millan G. Use of clinoptilolite as a carrier for nitrogen fertilizers in soils of the Pampean regions of Argentina. Abdel-Aziz H. Nano chitosan-NPK fertilizer enhances the growth and productivity of wheat plants grown in sandy soil. Shalaby T.

Nanoparticles, soils, plants and sustainable agriculture. In: Shivendu R. Nanoscience in Food and Agriculture 1. Lateef A. Synthesis and characterization of zeolite based nano—composite: An environment friendly slow release fertilizer. Microporous Microporous Mater. Liu J. The application research of nano-biotechnology to promote increasing of vegetable production. Hubei Agric. Eichert T. Equivalent pore radii of hydrophilic foliar uptake routes in stomatous and astomatous leaf surfaces-further evidence for a stomatal pathway.

Rico C. Interaction of nanoparticles with edible plants and their possible implications in the food chain. Mastronardi E. Strategic role of nanotechnology in fertilizers: Potential and limitations. Monreal C. Nanotechnologies for increasing the crop use efficiency of fertilizer-micronutrients.

Swaminathan S. Micronutrient deficiency and cognitive and physical performance in Indian children. Peteu S. Responsive polymers for crop protection. Ali S. Combined use of biochar and zinc oxide nanoparticle foliar spray improved the plant growth and decreased the cadmium accumulation in rice Oryza sativa L.

Asl K. Influence of nano-zinc oxide on tropane alkaloid production, h6h gene transcription and antioxidant enzyme activity in Hyoscyamus reticulatus L. Life Sci. Jiang J. Loss-control fertilizer made by active clay, flocculant and sorbent. Chinese Patent Specification. Cai D. Controlling nitrogen migration through micro-nano networks. Liu R. Use of a new controlled-loss-fertilizer to reduce nitrogen losses during winter wheat cultivation in the Danjiangkou reservoir Area of China.

Plant Anal. Manjaiah K. Clay minerals and zeolites for environmentally sustainable agriculture. In: Mariano M. Modified Clay and Zeolite Nanocomposite Materials.

Khodakovskaya M. Patent Application. Joshi A. Multi-walled carbon nanotubes applied through seed-priming influence early germination, root hair, growth and yield of bread wheat Triticum aestivum L. Food Agri. Research of the effect of nanometer materials on germination and growth enhancement of Glycine max and its mechanism. Soybean Sci. Banerjee J.

Plant Nanotechnology: An overview on concepts, strategies, and tools. In: Kole C. Plant Nanotechnology. Gao J. Polyhydroxy fullerenes fullerols or fullerenols : Beneficial effects on growth and lifespan in diverse biological models. Kole C. Nanobiotechnology can boost crop production and quality: First evidence from increased plant biomass, fruit yield and phytomedicine content in bitter melon Momordica charantia BMC Biotechnol.

Yousefzadeh S. Nano-iron fertilizer effects on some plant traits of dragonhead Dracocephalum moldavica L. Acta Agric. Kottegoda N. A green slow-release fertilizer composition based on urea-modified hydroxyapatite nanoparticles encapsulated wood. Cox A. Reprint of: Silver and titanium dioxide nanoparticle toxicity in plants: A review of current research. Zheng L. Effect of nano-TiO 2 on strength of naturally and growth aged seeds of spinach. El-Feky S. Effect of magnetite nano-fertilizer on growth and yield of Ocimum basilicum L.

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Siddiqui M. Role of nano-SiO 2 in germination of tomato Lycopersicum esculentum seeds Mill. Saudi J. Torabian S. Effects of foliar spray of nano-particles of FeSO 4 on the growth and ion content of sunflower under saline condition.

Plant Nutr. Tripathi D. Silicon nanoparticles more effectively alleviated UV-B stress than silicon in wheat Triticum aestivum seedlings. Foliar application with nano-silicon alleviates Cd toxicity in rice seedlings. Oerke E. Crop losses to pests.

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Sustainable Polymer Composites and Nanocomposites. Springer International Publishing; Cham, Switzerland: Synthesis and antifungal activity of chitosan-silver nanocomposite synergize fungicide against Phytophthora capsici. Part A. Devi P. Nano-Biopesticides Today and Future Perspectives. Bacillus thuringiensis-based nanopesticides for crop protection; pp.

El-Beyrouthya M. Nanotechnologies: Novel solutions for sustainable agriculture. Fraceto L. Nanotechnology in agriculture: Which innovation potential does it have. Singh R. Effect of weather parameters on karnal bunt disease in wheat in Karnal region of Haryana.

Ghorbanpour M. Plant nanobionics a novel approach to overcome the environmental challenges. In: Ghorbanpour M. The challenge is where we put the focus. Is it seeding initiatives and getting things started? Or is it about helping deliver quick wins to provide a story for local authorities about successful projects being delivered?

Bringing in investment As well as bridging the gap in types of project, the fund managers have to bridge a gap in the type of co-investors who can be brought in. How do you measure the fact that you have put in trees or taken in five apprentices?

How do you weigh that in and make it a marker in the project? Andrew says that because energy is now well understood by investors and seen as a transition activity it can act as a lever.

Groundworks, for example, says its priorities are not to do with saving carbon, they are more about getting people in the region to be interested and to be thinking if a career — or any work — getting people involved in community projects. That is where renewables projects can help, something like getting involved in a restoration of an old farm or a building in the village that could be a focal point. Getting people to think about how this could benefit them is the kind of model that we are trying to grow.