With little fanfare, President Obama signed in early October an executive order that will reduce the carbon footprint of the federal government. Federal agencies are ordered to set a 2020 greenhouse gas emissions reduction target within 90 days; increase energy efficiency; reduce fleet petroleum consumption; conserve water; reduce waste; support sustainable communities; and leverage Federal purchasing power to promote environmentally-responsible products and technologies.
“As the largest consumer of energy in the U.S. economy, the Federal government can and should lead by example when it comes to creating innovative ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, increase energy efficiency, conserve water, reduce waste, and use environmentally-responsible products and technologies,” said President Obama. “This Executive Order builds on the momentum of the Recovery Act to help create a clean energy economy and demonstrates the Federal government’s commitment, over and above what is already being done, to reducing emissions and saving money.”
Oxford BioMedica, a leading gene therapy company, announced yesterday new data from the ongoing Phase I/II trial of ProSavin, its gene therapy for the treatment of Parkinson’s disease. All patients treated at the second dose level have completed their six-month assessments and have shown further improvement in motor function — up to 53% improvement in patients’ motor function, with an average uptick of 34%.. 
