Thursday, September 30, 2010

Walruses Swarm Beaches as Ice Melts

Obama in Command: The Rolling Stone Interview | Rolling Stone Politics

Obama in Command: The Rolling Stone Interview | Rolling Stone Politics

Regulators clear nearly 1,000 megawatts of solar for California deserts | Greenspace | Los Angeles Times

Regulators clear nearly 1,000 megawatts of solar for California deserts | Greenspace | Los Angeles Times

9/16/2010: Storm floods Gowanus Canal with Raw Sewage

Shell to Increase North American Output by 40 Percent at Oil Change

Shell to Increase North American Output by 40 Percent at Oil Change

BP might be America’s bette noir right now after the Deepwater Horizon spill, but its fierce rival Shell is planning a massive expansion in the region.

Shell plans to expand its operations in tar sands and in deepwater in the Gulf of Mexico.

So never mind the repeated calls by environmental groups, communities and investors to slow the tar sands production or stop deepwater exploration in light of what has happened in the Gulf of Mexico, but Shell plans to expand both.
Shell says it wants a major expansion of its North American business in order to raise its output there by a huge 40% to 1 million barrels of oil equivalent per day. This could signal an investment of $40 billion for the 2011-14 period.

Science City stores heat in the ground | OurWorld 2.0

Science City stores heat in the ground OurWorld 2.0

A groundbreaking project is currently being implemented on the Hönggerberg Campus of renowned Swiss Federal Technical Institute, ETH Zurich. In the future, waste heat from buildings on the Science City Campus will be stored in the earth during the summer through 800 ground probes.
The same heat in a “refined” form will be reused for heating in winter. The manufacturers are convinced that the new energy concept will revolutionise the running costs of buildings in Switzerland.

Construction began in June behind the chemistry building on the Science City Campus, but below ground for once, not above ground. The first two ground heat storage fields for a sustainable heat supply network on the campus are currently being constructed here and under the new Life Science Platform building in the northeastern part of the campus.

There are 100 ground probes (200 metre-long plastic pipes) at the chemistry building and 130 behind another of the campus’s buildings. The pipes are sunk into the ground at five metre intervals, then connected to the building’s supply network. The plan is for 800 of these pipes to be located underneath and alongside the Science City buildings by 2020. Together with other structural measures, these will enable energy to be managed on the campus with almost no CO2 emissions, as stipulated by the ETH Zurich Energy Strategy.

Best Environmental Photos of 2010 Named

Best Environmental Photos of 2010 Named

Overall Winner: "Flight of the Rays"

Thousands of Munk's devil rays crowd the Sea of Cortez off Mexico's Baja California Sur state (map) in 2009. The aerial image won top honors and the "Underwater World" category in the 2010 Environmental Photographer of the Year awards.

German photographer Florian Schulz said the scope of the ray congregations was unknown until he and a pilot happened upon the gathering while searching for migrating whales.

Perhaps just as rare is the composition Schulz captured. "I was able to show how these rays are jumping out of the water," he said, "and at the same time I'm able to show—almost like an underwater photograph—how there're layers and layers and layers of rays."

The International Union for Conservation Union lists Munk's devil rays as near threatened, due in part to their vulnerability to gill nets—hard-to-see "curtains" of netting.

Floating Nuclear Power Plants in Arctic? 100% Safe Russia Says – EcoLocalizer

Floating Nuclear Power Plants in Arctic? 100% Safe Russia Says – EcoLocalizer

Floating nuclear power plants in the Arctic? Apparently, Russia is building them. And, luckily, there is nothing to worry about. “We can absolutely guarantee the safety of our units one hundred percent, all risks are absolutely ruled out,” a Russian spokesman for the project says.

I have to be honest, when someone says something like this is 100% safe, that only make me more nervous. We’re not talking about gravity here. We’re talking about a complex power plant floating in the Arctic. 100% safe?

Wasn’t the Titanic 100% “unsinkable,” according to its makers? And what if something unprecedented happens?

Future Electric Cars May Be Made Entirely Of Batteries | Crisp Green

Future Electric Cars May Be Made Entirely Of Batteries | Crisp Green

By imagining the entire body of the car as one giant battery, designers of Sweden's safest car may have found a way to make EVs lighter and more powerful.
Batteries for electric cars are bulky and heavy. Adding batteries in to extend the EV's range, only makes the car heavier, which just requires more power to go the same distance as before.

In the interests of creating more power with less weight, engineers at Volvo have been working with scientists at Imperial College in London to develop a composite blend of carbon fibers and polymer resin that can store and charge more energy faster than conventional batteries can.

Brazil to Invest $5.5 Billion in Renewable Energy Sources by 2013 | Tomorrow is greener

Brazil to Invest $5.5 Billion in Renewable Energy Sources by 2013 | Tomorrow is greener

The Brazilian government earlier this month held a wind, hydroelectric and biomass auction that is expected to prompt US$ 5.52 billion in investments in renewable energies in Brazil. The resulting investments are expected to come primarily from private enterprise.

The auction, which contracted power from 89 wind farms, small hydroelectric plants and biomass plants, will add an installed capacity of 2,892.2 MW to the national energy matrix.

BYD M6 Listed, with help from Buffet and Gates

BYD-shareholder Warren Buffet and his buddy Bill Gates are still in China. They’ve been busy checking out BYD factories and telling Chinese rich people about giving away money to poor people. They also helped to launch the BYD M6. The Previa-copy debuted at the Beijing Auto Show and has now hit the Chinese market. Source: http://www.thetycho.com/byd-m6-listed-with-help-from-buffet-and-gates/

Syinc - Syinconnect

Syinc - Syinconnect

What's Syinconnect 2010 about? Following our inaugural run in 2008, Syinconnect is back this 16-17 October 2010! This time, we're using a different angle: Using design thinking to tackle social issues.

Over the two-day conference, participants will experience the "design thinking" process through an exploration of the different problems encountered by a particular beneficiary group in Singapore. We are collaborating with an NGO and design professionals, who will guide participants in creating solutions to the problems.

Instead of a conference comprised of a series of talks to learn lessons from others, Syinconnect will take you right into the jungle (as it were) - with a field research element to bring you behind the scenes of the issue and understand it better. If you are a passionate tertiary student with (some) experience working on social issues/projects, curious, and open to new ideas, we want you. Join us as we experiment with a way of learning and experiencing that hasn't even been done in Singapore before (until now, that is!).

Nissan and NAMCO BANDAI Develop Low-Carbon City Driving Simulator Using Virtual Reality Technology. « Akihabara News

Nissan and NAMCO BANDAI Develop Low-Carbon City Driving Simulator Using Virtual Reality Technology. « Akihabara News

Nissan and Namco Bandai today announced the joint development of a driving simulator through which people can experience the near future of Yokohama City, in virtual reality, where a Smart Grid is in place.

The driving simulator represents the near-future Yokohama City based on the “Yokohama Smart City Project,” a venture to realize a low-carbon city. The simulator produces an ultra high-definition 3D image with pixels approximately four times larger than the full high-definition image (4K2K).

Like any Games and simulation nowadays, this simulator will have a “Co-op” mode where four people can “play” at the same time.

Lamborghini Sesto Elemento Concept (Sixth Element Concept)- Live debut a...



Nice, but not full electric

New Moon Crater Video Pops With Color



NASA recently counted over 5,000 craters in the surface of the moon - then released a new moon video of that census. James Williams takes a look at how they filled those craters with color.

Paris Motor Show 2010: Lamborghini Sesto Concept | The Wheel Deal

Paris Motor Show 2010: Lamborghini Sesto Concept | The Wheel Deal

Lamborghini has shaken things up at the 2010 Paris Motor Show with the unveiling of their new Sesto Elemento concept car. A so-called “technology demonstrator,” this dream machine is basically a once-off design study that showcases the Italian firm’s adoptation of carbon-fibre-reinford plastic (CFRP) technologies that are expected to appear in all forthcoming Lamborghini models. Like sister company Audi has pioneered the use of aluminium, the Sant’ Agata-based company has chosen to pursue and work with CFPR in order to reduce the weight of their super cars; an attribute that will ultimately lead to increased efficiency and significantly improved performance.

Indeed, tipping the scales at a mere 999kg and powered by a 425kW V10 engine, the Sesto Elemento will charge to 100km/h in an incredible 2.5-seconds. Of course not only is all this carbon fibre a great way of boosting performance but it also does wonders when it comes to sexing things up in the styling department; that exotic black material forming the basis of the Sesto’s skin, interior and wheels.

Nice but wrong engine. We need full electric now

-- Press Releases September 2010 - Pioneering study examines the role of patents in combating climate change - United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) --

-- Press Releases September 2010 - Pioneering study examines the role of patents in combating climate change - United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) --

Six countries - Japan, the United States, Germany, Republic of Korea, France and the United Kingdom - are the source of almost 80 percent of all innovations developed worldwide in the field of clean energy technologies (CETs). This is one of the key findings of a patent-based study, jointly conducted by the European Patent Office (EPO), the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the International Centre for Trade and Sustainable Development (ICTSD), on the emergence and distribution of these technologies across the globe and their impact on climate change.

Some 400,000 patent documents identified from a pool of 60 million patents at the international level form the basis of the study, "Patents and clean energy: bridging the gap between evidence and policy" which examines the effect of patents on the worldwide transfer of CETs, such as solar photovoltaic (PV), geothermal, wind, and carbon capture. The study also contains the first-ever survey on licensing, which provides insights into the licensing practices of technology holders in this area.

The main objective of the study is to provide facts in an area where there has previously been very little empirical data.

Nanjing provides bikes near subway stations

Nanjing provides bikes near subway stations

Bikes are for rent near a subway station in Nanjing, capital of East China's Jiangsu province on Sept 2, 2010. Nanjing subway has provided the first batch of 280 public bikes along Line 2. Starting from Sept 3, passengers can rent the bikes after getting a bike rental card by providing personal IDs. They are free for the first two hours, 1 yuan per hour after that, up to five hours, and 3 yuan per hour beyond five hours.

City breathes easier on low-carbon day

City breathes easier on low-carbon day

Bikes are available for rent at a square in Guangyuan city, Southwest China's Sichuan province, Aug 27, 2010. The city celebrated its first low-carbon day on Aug 27 to promote the low-carbon lifestyle. Two-thirds of government cars didn't go on the road, and lights in the city were turned off for an hour from 8:30 pm to 9:30 pm that day. The city government provided 1,000 bikes in the downtown areas for citizens to use.

E China races ahead with green transportation

E China races ahead with green transportation

A man rents a public bicycle in Honggutan district, Nanchang city, capital of East China’s Jiangxi province, Sept 3, 2010. Nanchang plans to spread the bicycle leasing service to the whole city as a measure to reduce traffic jams and encourage people to use green transportation. The program started in Honggutan district, a new development zone of Nanchang, which has 2,000 public bicycles and 50 leasing sites, twice the number of last year

Bikes as wedding transportation for couple

Bikes as wedding transportation for couple

About 50 cyclists escort bride Song Zhao and groom Liu Yang to their wedding ceremony in Weifang, East China's Shandong province on May 16, 2010. Both the bride and groom enjoy cycling and they fell in love with each other at a cycling outing. The escorters, in red T-shirts and jeans, are the couple's cycling buddies. Aiming to be environmentally friendly, the couple chose to go on bikes instead of fancy automobiles as their means of transportation to their wedding reception.

Smalltown, Italy, showing the rest of the country how it’s done. #wind #renewables

Smalltown, Italy, showing the rest of the country how it’s done. #wind #renewables

Faced with sky-high electricity rates, small communities across a country known more for garbage than environmental citizenship are finding economic salvation in making renewable energy. More than 800 Italian communities now make more energy than they use because of the recent addition of renewable energy plants, according to a survey this year by the Italian environmental group Legambiente.

Renewable energy has been such a boon for Tocco that it makes money from electricity production and has no local taxes or fees for services like garbage removal.

Green outcry as EU blesses Spanish support of coal | Reuters

Green outcry as EU blesses Spanish support of coal | Reuters

Spain gained approval from Europe's competition watchdog on Wednesday to support unprofitable coal mining until 2015, which critics said would prop up an ailing sector to the detriment of the environment.

The decision coincides with a wave of strikes by Spanish coal miners demanding unpaid wages.

Under a decree passed by the Spanish government, 10 power generators will have to burn some domestic coal instead of cheaper imports.

Who Is The Ultimate Game Changer In Green?

Who Is The Ultimate Game Changer In Green?

New Eilat-Eilot Clean Tech Center May Boost Solar And Wind Energy Projects | Green Prophet

New Eilat-Eilot Clean Tech Center May Boost Solar And Wind Energy Projects | Green Prophet

Arianna On The Who, What & Why Of Game Changers (VIDEO)

Arianna On The Who, What & Why Of Game Changers (VIDEO)

The Huffington Post salutes its 2010 Game Changers -- 100 innovators, mavericks, visionaries, and leaders who are changing the way we look at the world and the way we live in it. Whether standing front and center in the spotlight or working under the radar, they are having a game-changing effect in their fields -- and inspiring others to follow in their footsteps.

Here Arianna explains what makes someone a Game Changer -- and why HuffPost chose to honor them.

Arianna On The Who, What & Why Of Game Changers (VIDEO)

Arianna On The Who, What & Why Of Game Changers (VIDEO)

The Huffington Post salutes its 2010 Game Changers -- 100 innovators, mavericks, visionaries, and leaders who are changing the way we look at the world and the way we live in it. Whether standing front and center in the spotlight or working under the radar, they are having a game-changing effect in their fields -- and inspiring others to follow in their footsteps.

Here Arianna explains what makes someone a Game Changer -- and why HuffPost chose to honor them.

Twitter's Got Talent

Discover more about #newtwitter

SPACE.com -- Odds of Life on Newfound Earth-Size Planet '100 Percent,' Astronomer Says

SPACE.com -- Odds of Life on Newfound Earth-Size Planet '100 Percent,' Astronomer Says

An Earth-size planet has been spotted orbiting a nearby star at a distance that would makes it not too hot and not too cold — comfortable enough for life to exist, researchers announced today (Sept. 29).

If confirmed, the exoplanet, named Gliese 581g, would be the first Earth-like world found residing in a star's habitable zone — a region where a planet's temperature could sustain liquid water on its surface.

Green, but Still Feeling Guilty - NYTimes.com

Green, but Still Feeling Guilty - NYTimes.com

JOSH DORFMAN, author of “The Lazy Environmentalist: Your Guide to Easy, Stylish, Green Living,” could not be accused of failing to live green.

Skyline Trailer 2 2010 HD

Wednesday, September 29, 2010

Night Catches Us Trailer 2010 HD

California’s Electric Transit Ride | Solar Feeds News Network

California’s Electric Transit Ride | Solar Feeds News Network

People take hundreds of million electric rides each year in California. The big news is not the electric car drivers or those happily screaming on Disneyland rides; the larger story is network of connected electric rail, buses with cutting edge electric drive systems, and electric cars.

No LA and SF are not yet NY or Paris, but they are showing off a future of low-carbon and zero-emission transportation solutions. A couple of weeks ago, I went to the highly informative CAPCOA Climate Change Forum which included a couple of hundred leaders from California government, industry, and non-profit. Many of these people have decades of success in improving the health of our air, water, and environment. Now they are taking on the tough challenge of reducing the greenhouse gas emissions of a state that emits more than entire nations such as Spain, or Saudi Arabia, or hundreds of smaller countries. The number one GHG emitter in California is vehicles. Add the emissions of its oil refineries and you have the majority of greenhouse gas emissions in California.

Tuesday, September 28, 2010

College of Wooster to Get Largest Solar Roof on College Facility | Inhabitat - Green Design Will Save the World

College of Wooster to Get Largest Solar Roof on College Facility | Inhabitat - Green Design Will Save the World

Solar cells thinner than wavelengths of light hold huge power potential

Solar cells thinner than wavelengths of light hold huge power potential

Mexico landslide destroys homes, 1,000 missing

Mexico landslide destroys homes, 1,000 missing

Conference Call with Student-Journalists

Thomas Edison's 1912 Electric Car Gets A Chance To Shine - All Cars Electric

Thomas Edison's 1912 Electric Car Gets A Chance To Shine - All Cars Electric

American-born Thomas Edison might be best known for coming up with one of history's most significant inventions, the lightbulb, but the inventor had other bright ideas too.

Just over a decade into the 20th Century, Edison also turned his hand to electric cars, as part of his vision to make the longest lasting battery in the world, according to Bob Burrell from Essex in the United Kingdom, who has just put the finishing touches to a restoration of a 1912 Edison electric car.

- Environmental Photographer

- Environmental Photographer

Environmental Photographer of the Year 2010 & Underwater World Winner: "Flight of the Rays" by Florian Schulz
A picture of an unprecedented congregation of Munkiana Devil Rays in Baja California Sur has won Florian Schulz the prestigious 2010 title of The Environmental Photographer of the Year. And 20 year old Bulgarian Radoslav Radoslavov Valkov has gained the title of the Young Environmental Photographer of the Year with his macro photograph of a fly.

Eco-Friendly Fashions Made From Recycled Newspaper | Crisp Green

Eco-Friendly Fashions Made From Recycled Newspaper | Crisp Green

China Unveils World’s First Solar-Powered Air Conditioner | Crisp Green

China Unveils World’s First Solar-Powered Air Conditioner | Crisp Green

Salmond claims 100% green electricity in Scotland 'achievable' by 2025 | Environment | guardian.co.uk

Salmond claims 100% green electricity in Scotland 'achievable' by 2025 | Environment | guardian.co.uk

First minister Alex Salmond at the Scottish Low Carbon Investment conference says that Scotland could theoretically generate all its electricity from renewable sources by 2025

Salmond claims 100% green electricity in Scotland 'achievable' by 2025 | Environment | guardian.co.uk

Salmond claims 100% green electricity in Scotland 'achievable' by 2025 | Environment | guardian.co.uk

First minister Alex Salmond at the Scottish Low Carbon Investment conference says that Scotland could theoretically generate all its electricity from renewable sources by 2025

Noble Ambitions: Ecor Transforms Waste into Superior Structures | Triple Pundit: People, Planet, Profit

Noble Ambitions: Ecor Transforms Waste into Superior Structures | Triple Pundit: People, Planet, Profit

Robert Noble, founder of Noble Environmental Technologies and its flagship technology ECOR, is an environmental design pioneer with a career-long interest in sustainable design, eco-materials, and cleantech. Trained as an architect, Noble has established a track record introducing ecological materials and forms as well as sustainable industrial practices. No newcomer to innovation with environmental systems, Noble has been a pioneer of eco-design-oriented practices long before it was popular. Ecor’s designs invoke a fresh sense of the built environment rooted in ecologically deep perspectives.

Ben and Jerry's admits ice-cream with a liberal conscience not 'all natural' | Business | The Guardian

Ben and Jerry's admits ice-cream with a liberal conscience not 'all natural' | Business | The Guardian

Greenwashing Mordor at Oil Change

Greenwashing Mordor at Oil Change

So Mordor is getting a makeover. Big-time.

There is a concerted, multi-faceted public relations campaign going on to greenwash the tar sands. Dirty black is trying to become virgin white, or so that’s what they want. According to three Albertan cabinet ministers, the tar sands are a “Canadian jewel” that should be celebrated and exploited.

Its abit like Tony Hayward saying that the Deepwater disaster wasn’t a disaster at all because it was only a drop in the ocean.

Indeed the NRDC has criticized the report, saying its own studies, examining many of the same sources, showed life-cycle emissions to be 8 percent to 37 percent higher than other crudes processed in the United States. So you can argue that black can become white, but the figures or the evidence just don’t back it up.

Atlantis Unveils The World’s Largest Tidal Turbine: The AK1000 | Tomorrow is greener

Atlantis Unveils The World’s Largest Tidal Turbine: The AK1000 | Tomorrow is greener

Atlantis Resources Corporation (“Atlantis”), one of the world’s leading developers of electricity-generating tidal current turbines, unveiled the largest and most powerful tidal power turbine ever built, the AK1000™, yesterday at Invergordon, Scotland. The AK1000™ is due for installation at a dedicated berth at the European Marine Energy Centre (“EMEC”), located in Orkney, Scotland later this summer.

Dignitaries, utilities and technology partners from around the world attended the unveiling of the flagship turbine at the Isleburn Engineering facility, taking the only opportunity to view the turbine before it is installed on the seabed and connected to the grid at EMEC.

Despatching 1MW of predictable power at a water velocity of 2.65m/s, the AK1000™ is capable of generating enough electricity for over 1000 homes. It is designed for harsh weather and rough, open ocean environments such as those found off the Scottish coast. The turbine incorporates cutting edge technology from suppliers across the globe, has an 18 meter rotor diameter, weighs 1300 tonnes and stands at a height of 22.5 meters. The giant turbine is expected to be environmentally benign due to a low rotation speed whilst in operation and will deliver predictable, sustainable power to the local Orkney grid.

Department of Energy Announces $20 Million to Boost Development of Innovative Geothermal Technologies | Tomorrow is greener

Department of Energy Announces $20 Million to Boost Development of Innovative Geothermal Technologies | Tomorrow is greener

U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu today announced $20 million to research, develop and demonstrate cutting-edge geothermal technologies that could reduce U.S. demand for fossil fuels, significantly cut carbon pollution, and create new jobs in geothermal manufacturing and operations. Geothermal energy uses the earth’s heat to generate consistent, low-cost renewable energy resources with a small environmental footprint. These seven projects will demonstrate the technical and economic feasibility of non-conventional geothermal energy technologies in three research areas: low temperature fluids, geothermal fluids recovered from oil and gas wells, and highly pressurized geothermal fluids. This funding will help demonstrate and commercialize innovative technologies to lower the high initial costs of geothermal development and help make the operational deployment of low temperature geothermal units more economical

Mystery of disappearing Martian carbon dioxide ice solved?

Mystery of disappearing Martian carbon dioxide ice solved?

Scientists may have solved the mystery of the carbon dioxide ice disappearance early in the Northern Martian springs followed later by its sudden reappearance, revealing a very active water cycle on the planet. Dr. Bernard Schmitt and Mr. Thomas Appéré are reporting their results about water ice mobility during Martian Year 28, at the European Planetary Science Congress in Rome.

Seasonal ice deposits are one of the most important Martian meteorological processes, playing a major role in the water cycle of the planet. Every Martian year, alternatively during northern and southern winter, a significant part of the atmosphere condenses on the surface in the form of frost and snow. These seasonal ice deposits, which can be up to one meter thick, are mainly composed of carbon dioxide with minor amounts of water and dust. During spring, the deposits sublimate (vaporize), becoming a substantial source of water vapour, in particular in the northern hemisphere of the planet.

Record Temperatures Killing Caribbean Corals - IPS ipsnews.net

Record Temperatures Killing Caribbean Corals - IPS ipsnews.net

The waters of the Caribbean Sea are the warmest on record and the region's imperilled corals are bleaching and beginning to die, experts warn.

This year many corals are already bleached and dying in the southern Caribbean Sea, especially in the Lesser Antilles, according to Mark Eakin coordinator of Coral Reef Watch at the U.S. National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

The waters are even warmer than they were in 2005 when a severe bleaching occurred across much of the Caribbean. More than 60 percent of corals around the U.S. Virgin Islands died, Eakin told Tierramérica.

Water temperatures in this region reach their annual peak between September and October.

The area affected by bleaching and dying corals will likely extend to the region east of Nicaragua, past the island of Hispaniola (Haiti and Dominican Republic) to Puerto Rico and the Lesser Antilles, and south along the Caribbean coasts of Panama and South America, according to a warning issued by Coral Reef Watch last month.

"There is the potential that this will be worse than 2005, unless some tropical storms come through and mix the warm surface water with deeper, cooler water," Eakin said.

Monday, September 27, 2010

O'Connor Hush Turbine

The Einstein Refrigerator

Land Art Generator Initiative

Masdar has recently installed solar powered absorption chillers to air condition their site offices. The story got me thinking about the potentials for absorption chiller technology and I discovered some articles and research from a couple years back about Einstein’s Refrigerator. It was a collaboration between Einstein and Leo Szilard and was patented in 1930. It could be powered by solar thermal energy, is silent, and has no moving parts. Its design was intended for food storage and it could still be applicable to that for sunny regions without much access to electricity. But similar technology is being perfected for use with air conditioning

Global wind energy capacity edges towards 200GW | Environment | guardian.co.uk

Global wind energy capacity edges towards 200GW | Environment | guardian.co.uk

Global installed wind power capacity will fall just short of the 200GW mark by the end of this year, if new figures presented by the Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC) yesterday prove correct.

The projections reveal that 40GW of new capacity will be added during 2010, ensuring that wind energy now accounts for about three per cent of global energy capacity.

Steve Sawyer, secretary general of the global trade association, told delegates at the Husum WindEnergy fair in Germany last week that despite a drop-off in orders from the US market this year, he still expected the sector to double capacity to 400GW by 2014.

Bicycle campaign rolls through Tsinghua

Bicycle campaign rolls through Tsinghua

Prince Joachim of Denmark was at Tsinghua University in Beijing on Saturday to celebrate Danish and Chinese bicycling culture and encourage students at the campus to keep riding bikes during the Back on Bike campaign.

UNDP and Sanyo’s Humanitarian Commercialism « Akihabara News

UNDP and Sanyo’s Humanitarian Commercialism « Akihabara News

On TV a few days ago was mention of a United Nations Development Programme project in conjunction with Sanyo Electric to develop new products for third-world societies.

Kagoshima Trams Provide Post-Retirement Jobs as the first grass-mowing trains in the world

Kagoshima Trams Provide Post-Retirement Jobs « Akihabara News

Kagoshima, the southernmost prefecture on the four main islands of Japan, brings us this interesting end-of-the-day stub: two old trains cars, having been retired two years ago after spending over fifty years serving passengers, came out of retirement to become the first grass-mowing trains in the world.

Mostly surrounded by the prefecture across Kagoshima Bay is Sakurajima, an active volcano that has seen small-scale eruptions with regularity since 1955. The constant spewing of ash means the city is very well fertilized, and some of the city tram rails are carpeted in greenery. The two reactivated train cars take care of overgrown grass on the five-kilometer stretch of rails in the city at night, turning a former (outsourced) human-powered endeavor into a three-day operation.

City Of Sydney Announces Major Solar Power Project : Renewable Energy News

City Of Sydney Announces Major Solar Power Project : Renewable Energy News

The City of Sydney has announced it will undertake one of Australia’s largest non-residential solar projects

Consisting of over 2,000 kilowatts of solar panels, the installations will occur on over 30 of its properties during the next 5 years.

The $12.3 million initiative will generate enough clean electricity to provide for the equivalent of 400 homes and will slash 3,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions from the City Of Sydney's footprint each year.

Autocar E3 hybrid garbage trucks now in use in southern Florida — Autoblog Green

Autocar E3 hybrid garbage trucks now in use in southern Florida — Autoblog Green

Hybrid garbage trucks are slowly popping up in cities across the U.S. In late July, four hydraulic hybrid recycling vehicles started working the streets of Ann Arbor, MI. In early September, Los Alamos County, NM took delivery of its first hybrid refuse truck and now, three areas of southern Florida have joined the hybrid action. Miami-Dade County and the cities of Miami and Hialeah have each acquired an Autocar E3 refuse truck equipped with Parker Hannifin's RunWise hydraulic hybrid technology.

Central Solar Tower and Heliostat System Stores Heat Energy in Molten Salt « Solar Thermal Magazine

Central Solar Tower and Heliostat System Stores Heat Energy in Molten Salt « Solar Thermal Magazine

GEMASOLAR is the first Torresol Energy project to be developed with central tower and heliostat technology. The plant incorporates significant technological innovations, among which is the solar collection system, but there is also a molten-salt heat storage system that is capable of attaining temperatures exceeding 500ÂşC.

This is the first commercial-scale plant in the world to apply this type of technology, with its relevance lying in this singular method, which is opening the way forward for a new thermosolar electricity generation technology.

electricity and energy

Sunday, September 26, 2010

In Passive-House Standards, a Brighter Shade of Green - NYTimes.com

In Passive-House Standards, a Brighter Shade of Green - NYTimes.com

The Secrets of a Passive House - Graphic - NYTimes.com

The Secrets of a Passive House - Graphic - NYTimes.com

When completed, the Landau residence now under construction in Norwich, Vt., will be one of about a dozen buildings certified as “passive houses” in the United States. Their strict building standard sets limits on total energy consumption and peak heating and cooling demand. A heat exchanger circulates fresh air throughout the house and reuses warmth from the inside air. The result is a house that typically uses 90 percent less energy for heating than a conventional house.

World's Most Stunning Museums (PHOTOS)

World's Most Stunning Museums (PHOTOS)

Though best known for their stunning collections, many of the world's museums are also architectural icons which exemplify cutting-edge design. From the out-of-this-world shape of Brazil's NiterĂłi Contemporary Art Museum to the iconic shell-like spirals of New York's Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, the structures are often as captivating, perplexing and radical as the world-renowned pieces they house.

SuperTalent 2010 DARKO Kordic Dance with my father again

Dyeing dogs in China takes off - CNN.com

Dyeing dogs in China takes off - CNN.com

His name is Kung Fu, and he has become a celebrity pet in one Beijing neighborhood. He looks like a panda, and he is named after a panda -- but he is actually a dog with a dye job.

His owners, husband and wife Li Changxian and Yang Kun, say they love pandas so much they decided to give their dog a makeover. The fur around his eyes, ears and paws have been dyed black, and the rest bleached white. "I think he loves it," says Li. "Since he's been dyed, he gets lots of love and attention."

I think dogs don't like it, but how can they tell?

IAA Nutzfahrzeuge 2010 Highlights

Fine living: Sustainability guru also a big fan of growth - Marin Independent Journal

Fine living: Sustainability guru also a big fan of growth - Marin Independent Journal

William McDonough has changed the world of architecture and design. Now, the Virginia resident and eco-visionary wants to change yours.
The internationally renowned designer is coming to West Coast Green, an expo and conference expected to attract about 11,000 visitors from Sept. 30 to Oct. 2 at Fort Mason Center in San Francisco. McDonough will be the keynote speaker on Sept. 30.

Carrotmob Condensed

California Adopts 33% Renewable Energy Standard

California Adopts 33% Renewable Energy Standard

California regulators on Thursday unanimously adopted a regulation raising the state's Renewable Energy Portfolio Standard (RPS) to 33% by the year 2020.

The California Air Resources Board began work on the new regulation last year following an executive order issued by Governor Arnorld Schwarzenegger to raise the RPS from 25%, making it by far the most aggressive goal for renewable energy production in the U.S.

Ice Disappears, Walruses Head for Land



Massive super-herds of walrus are being forced onto dry land because of a lack of sea ice, the World Wildlife Fund reports. New video shows an estimated 10,000 animals gathered in Point Lay, Alaska.

BP Did a Bad Bad Thing

Congress Approves Wildlife Conservation Stamp | The Phoenix Sun

Congress Approves Wildlife Conservation Stamp | The Phoenix Sun

Ellen Galinsky: Fixing Education: Lessons from Waiting for Superman & a visit to the Harlem Children's Zone

Ellen Galinsky: Fixing Education: Lessons from Waiting for Superman & a visit to the Harlem Children's Zone

It's been just one day since Davis Guggenheim's much heralded documentary Waiting for Superman opened in theaters in New York and Los Angeles. There is an enormous amount to praise in this film--its cleverly animated factoids on the grim realities in our educational system and its heartbreaking stories of five families who relentlessly seek good public, religious or charter schools for their children. Because the schools these five families decide upon for their children are coveted, there are far fewer spaces than applicants. Admission--thus fate of these five children--is decided by against-the-odds-luck in lotteries.

Did you see the trailer? Another Inconvienent Truth: Waiting for Superman by Davis Guggenheim http://bit.ly/c2MRzz

Young Green Sea Turtles Explore Their New Exhibit

Haiti Storm Shreds Earthquake Survivors' Tents, Kills 5

Haiti Storm Shreds Earthquake Survivors' Tents, Kills 5

The sudden, powerful storm that ripped through Haiti's battered capital destroyed thousands of tents in the homeless camps where more than 1.3 million people live eight months after the earthquake destroyed their homes, shelter officials said Saturday.

The death toll from Friday afternoon's storm stood at six people, with nearly 8,000 tents damaged or destroyed, according to a statement from the United Nation's International Organization for Migration. The organization said it had distributed 5,000 tarps.

Rains cause mudslide, power outages on Vancouver Island

Rains cause mudslide, power outages on Vancouver Island

Harnessing the wind is only the start - Telegraph

Harnessing the wind is only the start - Telegraph

After North Sea oil and North Sea gas, is it now North Sea wind? The giant wind farm off north Kent, which opened on Thursday, is not merely the world's biggest, but means that Britain's offshore capacity now exceeds that of all other countries put together. That's pretty startling for a country still bumping along the bottom of the European league table for energy derived from renewables. And it's led the Energy Secretary, Chris Huhne, – who admits that for decades our record was "atrocious" – to claim that Britain is uniquely placed to lead the world in the industry.

Alberta will review water data from oil sand water monitoring

Alberta will review water data from oil sand water monitoring


The Government of Alberta has announced it is convening an independent panel that will review oil sands water monitoring data.
The government said it is currently in the process of contacting scientists to create a third-party independent panel, and expected to have the panel confirmed within two weeks time. In a press release announcing the review, Alberta's Environment Minister, Rob Renner said
“Understanding the impact of the oil sands industry on the watershed of northeastern Alberta is absolutely critical. We need to have total and complete assurance in data before we make decisions on how best to balance environmental protection with development. Albertans deserve to have this assurance as well."

Cotton - Environmental Disaster & Lethal Pesticides

Saturday, September 25, 2010

Ed Miliband Wins Labour Leadership Race

President Obama at Working Lunch with ASEAN leaders

6 Inspiring Examples of Groundbreaking Green Technology | Inhabitat - Green Design Will Save the World

6 Inspiring Examples of Groundbreaking Green Technology | Inhabitat - Green Design Will Save the World


technology isn’t just about wind turbines, solar panels and alternative fuel anymore. A few inspiring individuals out there are breaking new ground with innovative ideas that no one’s ever explored before. From a printer that can spit out whole buildings made of stone to an entire city that flips the discomfort of the summer heat into an energy-saving advantage for the wintertime to a company that decided solar panels don’t have to be ugly, heavy or even rectangular. Read on to check out some of our favorite examples of emerging technology in the field of green!

Survey: Climate change not a priority for US cities

Survey: Climate change not a priority for US cities


Two-thirds of US cities and counties consider the environment and energy conservation a priority, but far fewer have taken steps to address those issues. And four out of five people do not consider climate change to be a high priority.
The findings are from a survey (PDF, 307KB) of 2,176 local governments by the International City/County Management Association (ICMA).

Build A Better World

Asian Development Bank: Did You Know? Asia and the Pacific

Asian Development Bank: Did You Know? Asia and the Pacific

Weekly Address: Crossroads on the Economy

5 Gadgets The iPad Kills (VIDEO)

5 Gadgets The iPad Kills (VIDEO)

GE's Immelt: America employing 'stupid' energy policy

GE's Immelt: America employing 'stupid' energy policy


At a conference on energy in Washington DC, General Electric's CEO Jeff Immelt blasted what he sees as 'stupid' U.S. policies on future energy usage and consumption.

Jeff Immelt, CEO of U.S. conglomerate General Electric, is facing competitive pressure in China and in Europe in the nuclear power plant arena and in modern electricity distribution infrastructure projects. His issues overseas have also driven him to reflect on the Obama administration's approach to the American business community, and what he has found there has caused him to openly question the U.S. government.
Mr. Immelt is now convinced that American energy policy is wrongheaded - and that the United States is falling behind China in modern energy reform and in projects that include electric vehicles and wind-powered alternatives.

Google Chrome 6 Reportedly Screws Up Google Analytics

Google Chrome 6 Reportedly Screws Up Google Analytics

BP and Me: How The Oil Spill Changed My Mind on Electric Cars - All Cars Electric

BP and Me: How The Oil Spill Changed My Mind on Electric Cars - All Cars Electric

A Message From Pandora

President Obama's Bilateral Meeting with Premier Wen Jiabao of China

Past Ocean Cold Snap More Dramatic Than Thought - Yahoo! News

Past Ocean Cold Snap More Dramatic Than Thought - Yahoo! News

National HIV/AIDS Strategy and the Latino Community

NBA Unveils Eco-Friendly Jerseys - MindBodyGreen

NBA Unveils Eco-Friendly Jerseys - MindBodyGreen

The NBA has unveiled a new, lighter, more eco-friendly jersey for the upcoming season. Made from 60% recycled materials and weighing 30% less, the new uniforms, called 'Revolution 30', also dry twice as fast as the old uniforms.

Unplug a Nuclear Future… | Greenpeace International

Unplug a Nuclear Future… | Greenpeace International

Hundreds of people representing communities opposed to nuclear power plant together with crew from the Greenpeace flagship Rainbow Warrior placed windsocks to form the shape of a pink dolphin, beside a banner that reads "Unplug a nuclear future," in Thong Ching Beach, Nakhon Si Thamarat province, 610 kilometers south of Bangkok. Thong Ching Beach is one of the proposed sites for the construction of a nuclear power plant. The province is known for its vast population of pink dolphins (Indo-Pacific hump-backed dolphins or Sousa chinensis). The Greenpeace flagship Rainbow Warrior arrived yesterday in the province to join community movements clamouring for a future free of dangerous nuclear and coal power.

Volvo working on a car battery that could be shaped into body panels — Autoblog Green

Volvo working on a car battery that could be shaped into body panels — Autoblog Green

Where can you put an electric car's power source? Pretty much anywhere, as Volvo's new "Tomorrow's Volvo Car" sketch shows us. The idea here is to build a rechargeable battery into the car's body panels, and Volvo is saying that, "tests are currently under way to see if the vision can be transformed into reality."

Volvo Cars is working on these car panel batteries as part of a three-year, 3.5 million Euro (around $4.7 U.S. at today's exchange rate) materials development project started by the Imperial College in London earlier this year. Volvo, along with eight international partners (none of them car manufacturers), describes the material as a:

composite blend of carbon fibres and polymer resin is being developed that can store and charge more energy faster than conventional batteries can. At the same time, the material is extremely strong and pliant, which means it can be shaped for use in building the car's body panels.

Infiniti Offers First Glimpse Of Electric Vehicle Due In 2013 - All Cars Electric

Infiniti Offers First Glimpse Of Electric Vehicle Due In 2013 - All Cars Electric

Pangea Day: The First 20 Minutes

The 1,000th Anniversary of Thang Long – Ha Noi, VietNam: 900th site UNESCO World Heritage List

The 1,000th Anniversary of Thang Long – Ha Noi, VietNam: 900th site UNESCO World Heritage List

China’s bizarre phenomena: buildings die unnaturally | ChinaHush

China’s bizarre phenomena: buildings die unnaturally | ChinaHush

The World’s First Human Powered Monorail Racetrack by Shweeb gets $1 million from Google

The World’s First Human Powered Monorail Racetrack by Shweeb gets $1 million from Google

Pangea Day: The First 20 Minutes

Friday, September 24, 2010

You Can Make A Difference

Clinton Global Initiative: 1,000 Green Products, Renewable Energy for Emerging Nations · Environmental Leader · Green Business, Sustainable Business, and Green Strategy News for Corporate Sustainability Executives

Clinton Global Initiative: 1,000 Green Products, Renewable Energy for Emerging Nations · Environmental Leader · Green Business, Sustainable Business, and Green Strategy News for Corporate Sustainability Executives

To jumpstart the ‘green’ chemistry market, the Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute (the Institute), formerly called the Green Products Innovation Institute, announced at the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) annual meeting that it will train at least 100 assessors and certify 1,000 products by 2015.

The nonprofit institute was launched in May to establish metrics and standards for creating safer and healthy products, while fueling research, innovation, economic growth and job creation in the green chemistry sector.

Products that meet the criteria for the Cradle to Cradle certification protocol will receive the certification mark. The Institute’s chief funder is the DOEN Foundation, which was established in 1991 by the Dutch Postcode Lottery to generate funds for charity organizations dedicated to people and the planet.

Eco-Friendly House Made of Hemp (Images) - MindBodyGreen

Eco-Friendly House Made of Hemp (Images) - MindBodyGreen

A Plan For Cutting Energy Waste in Schools

New Guidelines Help Chicago Businesses Address Greenwashing | Business | GreenBiz.com

New Guidelines Help Chicago Businesses Address Greenwashing | Business | GreenBiz.com

Renewable Energy Focus - 2010: GWEC looks to 200 GW mark

Renewable Energy Focus - 2010: GWEC looks to 200 GW mark

With close to 40 Gigawatts (GW) of new capacity added this year, the world’s installed wind power capacity is expected to approach 200 GW by the end of this year, predicts the Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC)

Thailand's tough rice choices

Renewable Energy Focus - Prothea develops 11 MW of solar PV in Italy

Renewable Energy Focus - Prothea develops 11 MW of solar PV in Italy

Renewable Energy Focus - Drilling 10,000 m deep geothermal wells

Renewable Energy Focus - Drilling 10,000 m deep geothermal wells

It may be possible to collect geothermal energy from depths down to 10,000 m, according to Norwegian researchers.
Commonly used geothermal energy comes from a depth of 150-200 m where temperatures are around 6-8°C. Researchers at NTNU, University of Bergen, the Geological Survey of Norway (NGU) and SINTEF believe it is possible to drill down to 10,000 m where temperatures can reach at least 374°C and the water has a pressure of at least 220 bars.

“If we manage to produce this kind of energy it would clearly be a ‘moon landing’. This is one of the few sources of energy that we really have enough of. The only thing that we need is the technology to harvest it,” says Researchers at SINTEF Materials and Chemistry, Odd-Geir Lademo.

Renewable Energy Focus - Kyocera installs solar power at Japanese manufacturing sites

Renewable Energy Focus - Kyocera installs solar power at Japanese manufacturing sites

Kyocera Corporation will install solar power generating systems at 6 Japanese solar manufacturing plants by March 2011, generating a total of 593 kW.
This will increase the number of Kyocera domestic manufacturing sites equipped with solar power systems to 10 – all of its manufacturing sites in Japan – and the number of global group company sites to 20.

Combined with solar power systems installed at Kyocera facilities around the world, the company’s total output to is now 1.8MW.

Renewable Energy Focus - UK wind hits 5 GW mark

Renewable Energy Focus - UK wind hits 5 GW mark

The wind energy industry in the UK is today celebrating a milestone of 5GW of installed wind energy capacity.
The announcement was made following the inauguration of the 300 MW Thanet offshore wind farm, off England’s south east coast.

RenewableUK Chief Executive Maria McCaffery MBE, said of the achievment, “Five gigawatts is an important milestone for two reasons: it takes us within reach of our 2010 targets on renewable electricity, while proving that each successive gigawatt takes less and less time to deploy. Renewable energy generally and wind energy in particular is not alternative energy any longer - it is absolutely mainstream.”

The Unseen Sea

Warmth of Human Bodies Waiting Below Ground for Paris Metro Will Heat New Apartment Complex | Popular Science

Warmth of Human Bodies Waiting Below Ground for Paris Metro Will Heat New Apartment Complex | Popular Science

Leave it to the French to do something that’s undeniably awesome yet leaves us feeling somewhat uncomfortable at the same time. An experimental heating system, being installed in a public housing project in Paris, will use the warmth generated by human bodies in a nearby Metro station to heat the building.

The system will tap the caloric heat emitted by the passengers milling about below ground as well as the heat generated from trains moving on the tracks, and funnel it through an underground corridor to heat exchangers that will push warm air through the building’s pipes. The system isn’t stand-alone, but will be supplemented by district heating.

The system is expected to heat 17 apartments and should cut carbon emissions by a third compared with a standard boiler heating system. And while we’re generally all for smart applications of technology to make use of resources that are otherwise wasted, admittedly there’s something eerily Matrix-esque about knowing that someone’s apartment is being heated by your beating heart

"Sea Snot" Explosion Caused by Gulf Oil Spill?

"Sea Snot" Explosion Caused by Gulf Oil Spill?

The Gulf of Mexico oil spill sparked an explosion of sticky clumps of organic matter that scientists call sea snot, according to ongoing research.

The boom likely precipitated a sea-snot "blizzard" in Gulf (map) waters, researchers say. And as the clumps sank, they may have temporarily wiped out the base of the food chain in the spill region by scouring all small life from the water column.

In the weeks after the April 20 Deepwater Horizon oil rig explosion, scientists surveying the surface near the drill site spotted relatively huge particles—several centimeters across—of sea snot.

These particularly slimy flakes of "marine snow" are made up of tiny dead and living organic matter, according to Uta Passow, a biological oceanographer at the University of California, Santa Barbara.

Tiny plants in the ocean called phytoplankton produce a mucus-like substance when stressed, and it's possible that exposure to the Deepwater Horizon oil caused them to pump out more of the sticky stuff than usual.

Thursday, September 23, 2010

A Path to Cleaner Cooking in Africa - NYTimes.com

A Path to Cleaner Cooking in Africa - NYTimes.com

The 'Hockey Stick' Lives - NYTimes.com

The 'Hockey Stick' Lives - NYTimes.com

Few images in the climate change debate have stirred as much controversy as the storied “hockey stick” graph, which shows average temperatures in the northern hemisphere holding roughly steady for 900 years or so, until the 20th century, when they rise sharply.

Two new studies bolstering the “hockey stick” hypothesis were published just recently. One that appeared this month in the journal Geophysical Research Letters analyzed seashell deposits on the North Atlantic seafloor and determined that 20th-century warming in the region “had no equivalent during the last thousand years.”

Another study, in The Journal of Geophysical Research, analyzed ice cores from glaciers in the eastern Bolivian Andes dating back to 400 A.D.

“The last decades of the past millennium are characterized again by warm temperatures that seem to be unprecedented in the context of the last 1,600 years,” the researchers concluded.

The Kings Speech Trailer 2010 HD

80 pilot whales beached in New Zealand, half are dead

80 pilot whales beached in New Zealand, half are dead

A second mass beaching of whales in a month has occurred in New Zealand. This time 80 pilot whales have beached at Spirits Bay at the tip of New Zealand's North Island.
Around half are already dead and environmentalists fear more could die as other pilot whales come ashore to save them and end up beaching themselves.

New Magma Layer Found Deep in Earth's Mantle?

New Magma Layer Found Deep in Earth's Mantle?

A layer of searing hot liquid magma trapped since Earth's formation may lie 1,800 miles (2,900 kilometers) beneath our feet, new research suggests.

The finding backs up theories that Earth's solid lower mantle once housed a magma "ocean," and that some remnant of that molten material still exists today, like jam between two cake layers.

"Some models consider the [early] Earth to have been completely or largely molten, and people are looking for possible remnants or relics of this molten state," said study co-author Guillaume Fiquet of the Institut de Minéralogie et de Physique des Milieux Condensés at France's Université Pierre et Marie Curie.

London Fashion Week S/S 2011, The Sustainable Show | EcoSalon: Green Fashion, Culture, News and Lifestyle

London Fashion Week S/S 2011, The Sustainable Show | EcoSalon: Green Fashion, Culture, News and Lifestyle

London Fashion Week has been host to Estethica – the eco-fashion focused exhibit during LFW for nine seasons, and this year the fashion industry was ready for more! This year, the Sustainable Show took place on day two of LFW and encompassed an assortment of eco-fashion’s best known designers including: Dame Vivienne Westwood’s World’s End Collection, Stella McCartney, From Somewhere, People Tree, Junky Styling, Henrietta Ludgate and Christopher Raeburn, just to name a few.

Google New

Climate Central

Climate Central

Energy is invisible to the naked eye, but it is a part of every facet of our lives. In a new study, my coauthors and I investigated public perceptions of energy consumption to see how accurate people are in judging how much energy a variety of different activities and devices use.

In an online nationwide survey, participants were asked about the energy used and saved by household and transportation activities, among other behaviors. When asked about the most effective thing they can do to conserve energy in their lives, many Americans think of cutting back on activities (curtailment) rather than investing in home equipment or fuel-efficient transportation (energy efficiency) – this is the opposite of what experts recommend. There may be many reasons why people may think of curtailment rather than energy efficiency, as curtailing ones’ behavior does not involve any upfront costs.

Al's Journal : A victory

Al's Journal : A victory

“The protective ozone layer in the earth's upper atmosphere has stopped thinning and should largely be restored by mid century thanks to a ban on harmful chemicals, UN scientists said on Thursday.”

“The "Scientific Assessment of Ozone Depletion 2010" report said a 1987 international treaty that phased out chlorofluorocarbons (CFC) -- substances used in refrigerators, aerosol sprays and some packing foams --- had been successful.”

Animals in the news - The Big Picture - Boston.com

Animals in the news - The Big Picture - Boston.com

Today we have a recent roundup of animals making the news - from the study of newly identified species to genetic modification, to racing, hunting, play, rescue and preservation. From a minuscule frog to an albino whale, fluorescent fish to a deep-sea Chimera, collected here are a handful of recent photographs of animals and our interactions with them, as companions, caretakers, observers, hunters and stewards. (57 photos total)

Op-Ed Columnist - Aren’t We Clever? - NYTimes.com

Op-Ed Columnist - Aren’t We Clever? - NYTimes.com

What a contrast. In a year that’s on track to be our planet’s hottest on record, America turned “climate change” into a four-letter word that many U.S. politicians won’t even dare utter in public. If this were just some parlor game, it wouldn’t matter. But the totally bogus “discrediting” of climate science has had serious implications. For starters, it helped scuttle Senate passage of the energy-climate bill needed to scale U.S.-made clean technologies, leaving America at a distinct disadvantage in the next great global industry. And that brings me to the contrast: While American Republicans were turning climate change into a wedge issue, the Chinese Communists were turning it into a work issue.

“There is really no debate about climate change in China,” said Peggy Liu, chairwoman of the Joint U.S.-China Collaboration on Clean Energy, a nonprofit group working to accelerate the greening of China. “China’s leaders are mostly engineers and scientists, so they don’t waste time questioning scientific data.” The push for green in China, she added, “is a practical discussion on health and wealth. There is no need to emphasize future consequences when people already see, eat and breathe pollution every day.”

Manufacturing a car creates as much carbon as driving it | Environment | guardian.co.uk

Manufacturing a car creates as much carbon as driving it | Environment | guardian.co.uk

The carbon footprint of a new car:
6 tonnes CO2e: Citroen C1, basic spec
17 tonnes CO2e: Ford Mondeo, medium spec
35 tonnes CO2e: Land Rover Discovery, top of the range

UK shipping emissions 'up to six times higher than calculated' | Environment | guardian.co.uk

UK shipping emissions 'up to six times higher than calculated' | Environment | guardian.co.uk

Britain has incorrectly calculated its sea freight emissions by only including fuel sold at UK ports, report warns
Carbon emissions produced by UK shipping could be up to six times higher than calculated, says a report into the world's fleet of 30,000 commercial vessels.

The report published today by the Tyndall centre for climate change says that Britain has consistently calculated its emissions incorrectly by only including bunker fuel sold at UK ports. This is misleading, say the scientists, because the majority of vessels sailing to and from Britain refuel in places like Rotterdam in Holland, where fuel prices are significantly cheaper.

The research comes at a crucial moment because the EU is committed to raising money from a shipping levy as a way to raise up to $100bn a year for developing countries to be able adapt their economies to climate change. A modest shipping tax could raise nearly $10bn a year.

Russia Leads Arctic Oil Race at Oil Change

Russia Leads Arctic Oil Race at Oil Change

Three years after Russian divers thrust a rust-proof flag into the seabed below the North Pole, the country’s Prime Minister, Vladimir Putin, will attend the Arctic Forum in Moscow today.

Putin wants to stake Russia’s claim in the increasingly frantic battle for control of the Arctic’s resources.

Ironically the more the ice melts through climate change the more the region is opened up for oil and gas exploration.
While Russia counts for the bulk of Arctic land, seven other states have land in Arctic territory: Canada, Denmark, the United States, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, and Finland.

Of these tive nations– Russia, Canada, Denmark, Norway and the US – are all claiming jurisdiction over parts of the region.

Rare Photos: Giant Squid Eaten by Sperm Whale

Rare Photos: Giant Squid Eaten by Sperm Whale

Glacial retreat: Ecuador's environmental timebomb | John Vidal | Global development | guardian.co.uk

Glacial retreat: Ecuador's environmental timebomb | John Vidal | Global development | guardian.co.uk

The Cayambe volcano lies dead on the equator line in Ecuador and is the third-highest mountain in all the Americas at 17,159 ft (5,230m). It is really only climbed by serious "Andenistas" - as opposed to Alpinists - because of its crevasses and icecap, so the great Guardian/Oxfam climate expedition stopped at a modest 4,675m (14,250ft), which is nearly the height of Mont Blanc.

Where, just 25 years ago, there had been a three-kilometre long, 60-metre thick avalanche of ice, tumbling off the peak, we gazed down on bare, black rock. A whole valley once filled with ice was mostly empty. The snout of the glacier was 1,800 ft higher than it had been.

UK opens world's biggest offshore windfarm | Environment | The Guardian

UK opens world's biggest offshore windfarm | Environment | The Guardian

It is a very rare thing for the UK to claim pre-eminence in the much-touted global green economy, so the assembled local dignitaries, industry folk and one cabinet minister were not letting the dismal maritime backdrop put a downer on proceedings.

The official opening of the Thanet windfarm off the coast of Kent – the biggest offshore project in the world – means that Britain generates more power from offshore wind than the rest of the world put together.

Launching the project on P&O's Pride of Burgandy ferry, the energy and climate change minister Lib Dem Chris Huhne promised that Britain would shed its traditional "dunce" status on renewable energy.

The Richest People in America 2010 - Forbes.com

The Richest People in America 2010 - Forbes.com

UCS Releases New Factsheet, ‘The Energy-Water Collision: 10 Things You Should Know’ | River Network

UCS Releases New Factsheet, ‘The Energy-Water Collision: 10 Things You Should Know’ | River Network

The Union of Concerned Scientists has just released a fantastic new fact sheet called The Energy-Water Collision: 10 Things You Should Know, which highlights the water impacts of energy choices and ways to address them. The colorful fact sheet is packed full of great information, graphs and factoids that will send a clear message to policy makers and the general public about our water, energy and climate challenges.

For decades the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) has been a leader in science-based environmental advocacy, which is why it’s so utterly awesome that they’ve decided to throw their weight behind water and energy issues. I first learned about their interest in water-energy issues last year, when they attended the Johnson Foundation’s meeting on reducing conflicts at the energy-water interface.

Hans-Rudolf Merz - BĂĽndnerfleisch - Fleisch Lachanfall Bundesrat

Hillary Clinton impressed by Princess Máxima at UN summit | Radio Netherlands Worldwide

Hillary Clinton impressed by Princess Máxima at UN summit | Radio Netherlands Worldwide

Hillary Clinton backs Princess Máxima's plan to give the world's poorest people access to financial facilities. She even took time to attend a meeting on Inclusive Finance addressed by the princess.

Princess Máxima presented an annual report on her microfinance activities at a special UN Millennium Development Goals summit in New York on Wednesday. She says it makes a lot of sense to provide poor people with bank accounts. She called it unbelievable that 2.7 billion people across the globe did not have access to banking facilities. The princess gave an example: “A teacher in Tanzania has to take two weeks off to collect her salary. That time would be better spent in the classroom.”

"Inedible Egg" - SlowFoodUSA.org/egg

Morocco To Stave Off Desertification With New Environmental Charter | Green Prophet

Morocco To Stave Off Desertification With New Environmental Charter | Green Prophet

In a first for the Arab world, the Moroccan government announced a National Charter for Environment and Sustainable Development, becoming the first African country to launch any such ambitions. It is part of the country’s push to lead the Arab and African nations in their effort to become more energy independent via alternative energy sources, including wind, solar and biogas.

Carl Sagan - Pale Blue Dot

NASA Animation: Pollution from Russian Fires

Get Used to 'Soft' Climate Diplomacy - NYTimes.com

Get Used to 'Soft' Climate Diplomacy - NYTimes.com

Wednesday, September 22, 2010

Michelle Obama Pairs Green Dress With Pink Pumps On Tuesday (PHOTOS, POLL)

Michelle Obama Pairs Green Dress With Pink Pumps On Tuesday (PHOTOS, POLL)

Ohio State University Aims for Net Zero Carbon Footprint | Inhabitat - Green Design Will Save the World

Ohio State University Aims for Net Zero Carbon Footprint | Inhabitat - Green Design Will Save the World

The Sustainability Plan is being developed alongside the university’s Climate Action Plan in an effort to make Ohio State a leader in sustainability among American’s educational facilities. It is hoped that carbon neutrality can be achieved through a host of strategies that minimize water and energy use.

Building on its success with Seattle University and Pacific Lutheran University, Mithun will focus their unique integrated approach to campus master planning on Ohio State University, integrating strategies that “mitigate impact and restore the important functions of a healthy ecosystem

Central America to Tap Volcanoes for Renewable Energy | Inhabitat - Green Design Will Save the World

Central America to Tap Volcanoes for Renewable Energy | Inhabitat - Green Design Will Save the World

2009 rice paddy art

TEDxChange: Melinda French Gates

Stand Up Against Poverty 2010

BP denies Alabama's $148 million claim over oil spill damages

BP denies Alabama's $148 million claim over oil spill damages

The Frame: Surf City Surf Dog competition

The Frame: Surf City Surf Dog competition

Pictures: "Extinct" Frogs, Salamander Found

Pictures: "Extinct" Frogs, Salamander Found

#BecauseOfTwitter: The Good And The Bad (TWEETS)

#BecauseOfTwitter: The Good And The Bad (TWEETS)

Science Features - Tea, Wine, and a Cleaner Environment | Research & Development | US EPA

Science Features - Tea, Wine, and a Cleaner Environment | Research & Development | US EPA

Autumnal Equinox: Why First Day of Fall 2010 Is Different

Autumnal Equinox: Why First Day of Fall 2010 Is Different

Brazilian billionaire plans $1B electric vehicle facility with 100,000 unit annual capacity — Autoblog Green

Brazilian billionaire plans $1B electric vehicle facility with 100,000 unit annual capacity — Autoblog Green

When you're ranked by Forbes as the world's eighth richest person, then spending a mere one billion dollars to build an electric vehicle (EV) factory in Rio de Janeiro is probably akin to us more common folk digging some coins out of the couch cushions and using that change to get some gas. Or, at least something close to that effect.

This is the plan of Brazilian billionaire Eike Batista, who believes that the production facility could be completed in four year's time and then be capable of pumping out 100,000 EVs per year. But Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva is not keen on electric cars. President Silva questions whether EVs can be produced on a commercial level that will profit both the automakers and the nation. Silva's skepticism may be partially due to the nation's booming biofuel industry and strong promotion for flex-fuel cars. While Batista asserts that a profit will be realized, Brazil, like other democratic countries, is not solely run by powerful billionaires and the EV production facility's fate ultimately lies in the hands of the powerful few. But if it's given the nod, then Batista's vision to produce, "a domestically made car with foreign know-how, from Europe and Japan" could become a reality in just a few years.

Why We Need CCS -- at Any Cost | Climate | GreenBiz.com

Why We Need CCS -- at Any Cost | Climate | GreenBiz.com


Policy makers and thinkers of all varieties around the world these days are grappling with the design of smart, efficient policy; the challenge ahead of them is daunting. Energy demand is rising, especially in developing countries, while at the same time scientists tell us we must dramatically reduce greenhouse gas emissions or face catastrophic climate change events. This urgency and tension is palpable -- at energy forums and events like Climate Week -- as we seek a new way ahead in international collaboration on energy policy.

The acceleration of carbon capture storage (CCS) technology deployment is a critical within this agenda. CCS is a critical component of any sustainable energy and greenhouse gas policy. It is not the only one – we need energy efficiency solutions, renewable energy options and more nuclear. But we also need CCS because of our continuing reliance on fossil fuels.

If there is no CCS, we will be in very dire straits. Because there are some very important economies for which we cannot expect a drop in the use of coal, for example the United States, China, Russia, South Africa.

Activists tout anti-nuclear policy, renewable energy at forum - CNA ENGLISH NEWS

Activists tout anti-nuclear policy, renewable energy at forum - CNA ENGLISH NEWS

Nuclear power is not a good option for energy production, even as some advocate a "nuclear renaissance" to curb carbon emissions, anti-nuclear activists and scholars said at a forum Saturday.Speaking on the first of the two-day No Nuke Asia Forum, Lee Heonseok, a representative of South Korea's Energy Justice Action, said that due to concerns over climate change, countries around the world are promoting carbon emission reduction and renewable energy

CTV Toronto - Bruce Power got millions to not produce electricity - CTV News

CTV Toronto - Bruce Power got millions to not produce electricity - CTV News

The people of Ontario paid Bruce Power nearly $60 million in 2009 to not generate electricity for the province, CTV Toronto has learned.

A deal between the nuclear generator, a private company, and the Ontario Power Authority (OPA) sets out a guarantee for a certain amount of power to be purchased -- even if it's not needed. The technical term is called surplus baseload generation. The agency agreed to pay Bruce $48.33 for each megawatt hour of electricity that was not needed.

In 2009, demand for electricity was down in Ontario, largely as a result of the recession. This meant Bruce's nuclear reactors weren't operating at full capacity.
As a result, the OPA paid Bruce power $57.5 million for about 1.2 terawatt hours of electricity that was not produced. A terawatt is a million megawatts.

Wal-Mart boosts on-store solar with thin-film tech | Green Tech - CNET News

Wal-Mart boosts on-store solar with thin-film tech | Green Tech - CNET News

Retail juggernaut Wal-Mart is using panels from First Solar and MiaSole in what is expected to be one of the largest business installations of thin-film solar technology.

Wal-Mart on Monday said that it is adding solar panels at between 20 and 30 store locations in California and Arizona, building on the 31 stores in California and Hawaii already equipped with on-site solar. The majority of the new installations will use thin-film solar panels, a technology a number of companies are developing to undercut traditional silicon cells on price.

First Solar's cadmium telluride panels have been available for years and are widely used, often by utilities. But Walmart also plans to use panels from MiaSole, an upstart supplier of panels with cells made from another thin-film material--a combination of copper, indium, gallium, and selenide (CIGS). Wal-Mart's adoption of CIGS panels could help scale up the technology and bring it to business customers quicker, the company said.

IBM chief: Smarter energy isn't 'futuristic' | Green Tech - CNET News

IBM chief: Smarter energy isn't 'futuristic' | Green Tech - CNET News


In a rare public-speaking occasion, IBM CEO Sam Palmisano said that the energy infrastructure needs to be further digitized and focused on the consumer.

Palmisano, the keynote speaker today at the GridWise Global Forum conference here, argued that modernizing energy requires a systems engineering approach, rather than the piecemeal upgrades happening now.

Smart meters and sensors on power lines give system operators more information to work with. But the system as a whole needs to become more resilient and efficient. The challenge for industry is to make sense of the enormous amount of data that this "Internet of things" puts out, he said.

NASA - Antarctic Ozone Hole 2010

NASA - Antarctic Ozone Hole 2010

The yearly depletion of stratospheric ozone over Antarctica – more commonly referred to as the “ozone hole” – started in early August 2010 and is now expanding toward its annual maximum. The hole in the ozone layer typically reaches its maximum area in late September or early October, though atmospheric scientists must wait a few weeks after the maximum to pinpoint when the trend of ozone depletion has slowed down and reversed.

The hole isn’t literal; no part of the stratosphere — the second layer of the atmosphere, between 8 and 50 km (5 and 31 miles) — is empty of ozone. Scientists use "hole" as a metaphor for the area in which ozone concentrations drop below the historical threshold of 220 Dobson Units. Historical levels of ozone were much higher than 220 Dobson Units, according to NASA atmospheric scientist Paul Newman, so this value shows a very large ozone loss.

Earth's ozone layer protects life by absorbing ultraviolet light, which damages DNA in plants and animals (including humans) and leads to skin cancer.

The Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) on NASA’s Aura satellite acquired data for this map of ozone concentrations over Antarctica on September 12, 2010. OMI is a spectrometer that measures the amount of sunlight scattered by Earth’s atmosphere and surface, allowing scientists to assess how much ozone is present at various altitudes — particularly the stratosphere — and near the ground.

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