Champagne's greener bottle.
New York Times 01 Sep
Economics
Energy
More Solutions StoriesEditorialsThe EPA's new gas-mileage labels are good but not perfect.The EPA is asking for comments on its proposed new gas mileage stickers for automobiles -- so here's ours. On the whole, both of the agency's two suggested alternative stickers represent much-needed improvement over current fuel-economy labeling. Washington Post 03 Sep Call to protect estuary timely.Despite concerns about the environmental impact caused by encroaching industry, public interest in the future of the Nanaimo Estuary has been negligible. But introduce the world-wide topics of climate change and carbon reduction, and people just might sit up and take notice. Nanaimo News Bulletin 02 Sep Cleaner cars, A to D.Proposed stickers for vehicles would make it easier to see whether you're buying a fuel-efficient one or a guzzler. The stickers are a symbol of how far this country has come in providing a wider range of environmentally responsible choices to help ensure cleaner air and a healthier planet. New York Times 01 Sep Three degrees is at least one too many.The heat rises inexorably yet the world dithers and looks away. None of the excitement that surrounded the opening stages of the climate summit at Copenhagen last year looks like materialising this November at Cancun in Mexico. London Independent 31 Aug Climate change: The facts of life.Reminders of the reality of climate change are now reported almost every week. Political action – real, determined and concerted action – seems again improbable. But it also remains more urgent than ever. London Guardian 31 Aug Let more sun shine in.The entire state would benefit from cleaner air with the increased use of nonpolluting and renewable energy. More solar-generated power could provide a cushion against outages on peak-demand days and electricity consumers, in particular, would gain. Philadelphia Inquirer 31 Aug Nation must harness renewable energy.The government must also educate the public about the importance of cutting our addiction to fossil fuels, no matter how painful that may be. Without the public’s support, the government cannot succeed in this endeavor. Jakarta Globe 25 Aug A mixed result for the environment.The Australian election result can scarcely be called a victory for the environment. But those who understand the importance of democratic efforts to curtail runaway climate change will continue to look with interest at developments Down Under. London Independent 23 Aug OpinionUS falling behind China in creating green economy.China’s policymakers understand that serious pollution remediation and energy efficiency policies will create jobs, new businesses and increase business profits and GDP growth. People's Daily 03 Sep China sustains blunt ‘You first’ message on CO2.Yu Qingtai, China’s lead negotiator in climate talks from 2007 through the conference in Copenhagen last December, said that China’s national interests will always come first; and in any move toward binding steps for reducing global emissions of greenhouse gases, rich countries must go first. New York Times 03 Sep Senate should move on climate change legislation.These days, good-paying industrial jobs need not exact untimely deaths from pollution. In fact, development of clean renewable energy generators – wind turbines, solar cells, biomass – would create and support good industrial jobs in America. Washington Hill 03 Sep Bold action is needed to protect the diversity of life on Earth.Mankind has a problem. We're heating the Earth and destroying its ecosystems so fast that we're killing off life as we know it and putting ourselves in grave danger within our lifetimes. London Guardian 01 Sep Getting geothermal energy from the earth.The heat in the upper six miles of the earth’s crust contains 50,000 times as much energy as found in all the world’s oil and gas reserves combined. Despite this abundance, only 10,700 megawatts of geothermal electricity generating capacity have been harnessed worldwide. Inter Press Service 01 Sep Our obsession with private automobiles is unsustainable.Are we driving ourselves into oblivion? Or will new automobile technology save us from the environmental impact of the fossil-fueled tanks we use to get around? Automobile technology has improved a lot over the past few years. But is it enough? Georgia Straight 01 Sep Saving deep water requires digging deep into our habits.If I shorten the length of my shower, I won't change a thing. But if 18 million people in Florida commit to doing at least one thing in their daily lives that will lessen their dependence on fossil fuel consumption, we might stand a chance at reducing carbon dioxide emissions. Santa Rosa Press Gazette 01 Sep Victoria takes leading steps on climate change.As environmentalists, our job is to look at the coming climate crisis and demand action commensurate to the problem we all face. We are painfully aware of the need for deeper cuts in greenhouse pollution. Sydney Morning Herald 01 Sep |
Norway keen to exploit carbon capture lead.Since 1996, Statoil, the Norwegian state-owned energy company, has disposed of almost 13m tonnes of CO2 by burying it under the ocean floor. Thus far, it has shown no signs of leakage. That has made Norway something of a holy site for believers in carbon capture and storage. London Financial Times 03 Sep Hot rocks and high hopes.Deriving energy from subterranean heat, or geothermal energy, is no longer limited to volcanic regions. By drilling deep wells into the ground, it can be made to work almost anywhere. Just watch out for the earthquakes. Economist 03 Sep Report says heat, not smart meters, hiked bills.After Pacific Gas & Electric, the giant California utility, began installing smart meters in the state’s Central Valley, the company was swamped with complaints from residents that their utility bills had increased. But one study attributes the higher bills to the heat, not the meters. New York Times 03 Sep Plant in the frame as firm goes for coal.Southeast Northumberland could become the base for a pioneering bid to produce almost emission-free electricity from coal without having to mine it first. Blyth News Post Leader 03 Sep Green roofs offer antidote to urban heat island effect, say researchers.Researchers at Columbia University have demonstrated that a layer of plants and earth can cut the rate of heat absorption through the roof of a building in summer by 84% London Guardian 03 Sep Carbon markets: The smoking greenhouse gun.One of the curiosities of carbon markets is that they do not just trade in carbon. Other greenhouse gases can be given a value, too - sometimes a very high one. Claims that these prices promote scammery are now prompting some searching questions. Economist 03 Sep Electric car upswing would crash grid: Toronto Hydro chief.The CEO of Toronto Hydro looks toward the imminent arrival of the electric car with enthusiasm and apprehension. Why? He has to oversee electrical distribution that, in a few years, will charge up the batteries of thousands of cars across the city. And he knows that right now, he can’t do it. Toronto Star 03 Sep Few B.C. homeowners eager to convert to solar power.British Columbians may know that green power is good power, but homeowners are shying away from alternative sources such as solar panels because of high installation costs and the inexpensive option of hydro electricity. Vancouver Sun 03 Sep Gently does it.Now, various devices are being used to help teach more moderate ways of driving economically. Not surprisingly, companies that operate fleets of cars and trucks are among the first users of these fuel-saving “eco-assist” systems. Economist 03 Sep Energy in Brazil: Ethanol's mid-life crisis.Sugar has been grown in Brazil for 500 years, and the country is by far the world’s biggest exporter of it. But sugar now also forms the nucleus of a new agro-industrial and renewable-energy complex. Economist 03 Sep Dept. of Clarification: Earl versus the oysters.Instead of “hard” approaches to flood prevention like walls and levees, "soft" infrastructure proposals to combat rising sea levels and increasingly frequent storm surges – both effects of global warming-blur the line between water and land. New Yorker 03 Sep Novel grant promises greener buildings, regional growth.Last week, a consortium led by Pennsylvania State University won a federal competition for $129 million over 5 years to spur efforts to develop technologies for making buildings more energy efficient. Science 03 Sep Ten ways to save money by going green .Energy leaks, inefficient lighting, outdated appliances, gas guzzlers — here are 10 "green" moves you can make that also have a payback—they'll help the earth and your wallet. Wall Street Journal 03 Sep Do smart meters boost energy bills? Not so, study concludes.P&E’s smart meters are performing accurately, according to an independent study released Thursday, after a rickety rollout that has led to thousands of consumer complaints. Los Angeles Times 03 Sep Idaho farmers growing vegetables with geothermal energy.Most people know about the geothermal system in Boise's Downtown and Warm Springs area. But one group of local farmers uses geothermal water to enhance their growing season - and folks enjoy the fruits of their efforts at one of the 40 local restaurants they supply. McClatchy Newspapers 03 Sep Powerful smell of fuel.Sunset View Farm intends to get off the grid by building a heat recovery system, which when finished, will harness the energy created by decomposing manure to provide heat and hot water while also reducing overall greenhouse gas production. Glens Falls Post Star 03 Sep WVU to lead new carbon capture project.West Virginia University will lead a new effort to help develop technology to capture greenhouse gas emissions from coal-fired power plants, as part of a U.S.-China partnership focused on clean energy. Charleston Gazette 03 Sep Shell pulls out of CO2 injection project.Shell has abandoned plans to truck CO2 into the Montezuma Hills near Rio Vista, for which it had joined with the West Coast Regional Carbon Sequestration Partnership (WESTCARB). The intent was to demonstrate the viability of pumping excess CO2 emissions more than two miles under ground. Martinez News-Gazette 03 Sep Carbon credits come to Russia.The submission of Russia’s first joint carbon emissions reduction project to the UN was welcomed as a model to follow, but cashing in on environmental protection has been slow to materialise. Moscow News 03 Sep Feds fail to use land for solar power.Not a light bulb's worth of solar electricity has been produced on the millions of acres of public desert set aside for it. Not one project to build glimmering solar farms has even broken ground. Associated Press 02 Sep Can nuclear waste spark an energy solution?A new generation of nuclear power technology seeks to transform one of the industry’s most enduring problems - its radioactive waste - into an energy solution. National Geographic News 02 Sep Emissions impossible?The UN emissions trading scheme scheme is meant to be a virtuous circle, allowing rich countries to meet their climate targets at the lowest possible cost, while energy-hungry developing economies get an injection of capital to go green. But multiple failures have been pointed out by its critics. European Voice 02 Sep Salt Palace solar array paying off before it's built.A Salt Palace solar array that would outshine any other rooftop grid in the nation is brightening the Beehive State’s bottom line — even before the first panel is in place. Although the installation is months away, word of it helped Salt Lake County win a National Association of Home Builders convention. Salt Lake Tribune 02 Sep Nanaimo Estuary has strong potential for carbon storage.The Nanaimo Estuary is one of the most important estuaries in the province for carbon storage, deemed critical for slowing climate change and absorbing spent carbon. Nanaimo News Bulletin 02 Sep Cheaper fuel ahead.The use of E85 - a blend of 85 percent ethanol and 15 percent gasoline - is about to get more exposure, as Valero Energy Corp. announced it will add E85 pumps to all its new Valero Corner Stores as they're built throughout its system, as well as to some existing stores when they undergo major renovations. San Antonio Express-News 02 Sep |
