Nov 22, 2009 (2 hours ago)
After serving two tours of duty in Iraq, platoon commander Jake Harriman began to develop a unique understanding of the sociocultural dynamics behind the organizations his troops were fighting. In his words, “terrorists rely on an endless supply of people living in extreme poverty, with no other options in life. The only chance we have to see the end of terrorism, is to end extreme poverty.” With this in mind, Harriman was inspired to form the community-building non-profit Nuru , focusing on five specific areas of development – agriculture, water & sanitation, health care, community economic development and education. Now beginning its second ...
Nov 22, 2009 (4 hours ago)
By way of a deal reached Nov. 17, the European Union is expected to enact laws to set energy efficiency standards for all public buildings by 2018 and thereafter all commercial buildings and homes. Converting existing buildings to near-zero energy standards is a major part of negotiations that took place between European Parliament and Council in hopes of using the public sector as an example for the rest of Europe’s buildings and homes. All new buildings built after 2020 must rely mostly on renewable energy under this plan. By mid-2011, EU Member States must identify financial and other incentives ...
Nov 22, 2009 (4 hours ago)
A bunch of illegally hacked UK e-mails storm the anti-scientific side of the blogosphere at the same time as an uber-extreme weather event hits Britain. I guess when it rains, it pours — literally: Forecasters said the rainfall was unprecedented. Britain\'s Meteorological Office said a record 12.3 inches of rain fell in 24 hours in the area — the heaviest rainfall ever recorded in the U.K…. Environment Secretary Hilary Benn told the BBC that flood defenses were meant to withstand a one-in-100-years flood — but could not cope with the volume of water. “What we dealt with last night was probably more like one-in-a-1,000, so even the very best defenses, if you have such quantities of rain in such a short space of time, can be over-topped,” Benn said. Britain\'s Meteorological Office added that the amount of rain expected for all of November had fallen in one day. Local House of Commons lawmaker Tony Cunningham said the flood was “of biblical proportions.” That\'s why CP calls it Hell and High Water . The headline quote was from the Times Online story. Here\'s the UK Independent : Statistics compiled by MeteoGroup, the weather division of the Press ..
Nov 22, 2009 (10 hours ago)
I had an appointment on the top floor of a 14-story building in NY City Thursday. The elevator buttons read: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 12M, 14. I\'d thought that sort of thing was getting rarer since I don\'t see it much in Washington DC office buildings. But this article claims it is very common: Based on records of buildings with Otis brand elevators, as many as 85 percent of the high rises in the world don\'t have a 13th floo r, says Dilip Rangnekar, spokesman for the Farmington, CT-based elevator maker. Interestingly, I first thought the M was for Mezzanine, but Wikipedia points out M is used in elevators in that situation because it is the 13th letter of the alphabet. OK, but if the number 13 really were unlucky, then wouldn\'t the 13th letter of the alphabet be unlucky too? And, of course, the 13th floor, by any other name, is still the 13th floor. Such is the logic of the illogical. The bottom line is that non-science still holds sway with a great many people, as the big story of the weekend makes all too clear.
Nov 22, 2009 (10 hours ago)
I had previously blogged on the anti-mature (ante-mature?) antics of the Senator from Oklahoma (see Sen. Inhofe explains he’s going to Copenhagen so that when Sen. Kerry says “Yes. We’re going to pass a global warming bill” then “I will be able to stand up and say, ‘No, it’s over. Get a life. You lost. I won!’ ” ). Now this video has been posted: Seemed like a fitting tribute to Friday\'s big story, from the man who, just coincidentally, said on Wednesday in a lengthy speech on the Senate Floor, “I proudly declare 2009 as the ‘Year of the Skeptic,’ the year in which scientists who question the so-called global warming consensus are being heard.” While I hardly ever agree with Inhofe, there\'s no denying that many scientists who question the consensus are finally being heard … thank goodness! You can find some of those scientists in my category “ Uncharacteristically Blunt Scientists .” See also my 2008 post, “ Disputing the ‘consensus’ on global warming .” Certainly the majority of the scientific observations and studies since the 2007 IPCC report — which is typically labeled the “consensus” since every single member governmen..
Nov 22, 2009 (10 hours ago)
India has been consistent in their opposition to emission reductions during heated Copenhagen discussions. India points to their per capita emissions, which are lower than the main Western countries involved in the talks. India will not agree to emission reductions unless they are by per capita calculations, which is a method the United States and others are opposed to. However, India has been speaking about increasing their renewable energy as a way to cut emissions. India announced this week that they will be investing heavily in solar power. The goal of the plan is to have 20 gigawatts of solar energy by the year 2022. Currently, India has 6 megawatts of solar power. There is expected to be three phases to the program, which will result in upwards of $20 billion spent. The first phase is expected to cost $922 million. However, there is skepticism regarding India being able to increase their solar power so significantly. Conventional electricity is a touch and go subject in India without even bringing solar power to the table. The government has indicated that their conventional electricity capacity increase will be twenty percent less than they said it would by 2012. In India, ..
Nov 22, 2009 (14 hours ago)
Nobel Laureate and former Vice President Al Gore received the 2009 James C. Morgan Global Humanitarian Award this evening for his successful efforts to raise awareness about climate change. The award was inspired by Applied Materials Chairman Emeritus James Morgan’s belief that technology can be a tool to turn ideas into solutions for a better world. Gore’s most recent book \"Our Choice: A Plan to Solve the Climate Crisis\" is a powerful and inspiring call to action. “Despite the many challenges to solving the climate crisis, there is hope, and the opportunities are everywhere –especially in the form of increasingly powerful technological tools,\" Gore said. At a black-tie gala, attended by 1,500 Silicon Valley business executives, industry and political leaders, Gore accepted the award with an impassioned speech. \"This is Silicon Valley\'s best night of the year as we celebrate and support the amazing teams and individuals who are using technology to address our planet\'s greatest challenges with vision, impact, creativity and passion,\" said Mike Splinter, CEO and Chairman of Applied Materials. “Technology offers an opportunity to solve this crisis,” said Gore. “We have everything we n..
Nov 21, 2009 (1 day ago)
It’s probably too late to prepare for peak oil, but we can at least try to salvage food production. I don’t know when global oil supplies will start to decline. I do know that another resource has already peaked and gone into free-fall: the credibility of the body that’s meant to assess them. Last week two whistle-blowers from the International Energy Agency alleged that it has deliberately upgraded its estimate of the world’s oil supplies in order not to frighten the markets( 1 ). Three days later, a paper published by researchers at Uppsala University in Sweden ...
Nov 21, 2009 (1 day ago)
We’ve all seen them. Corporate social responsibility (CSR) reports weighing it at nearly 100 pages, crammed with charts and graphs, and gray with type. There’s valuable information in there, but unearthing commentary on issues of strategic importance can be daunting. That’s why I was especially curious to hear CSR managers from two industry leaders, FedEx and [...]
Nov 21, 2009 (1 day ago)
Courtesy of Climate Progress : David Roberts at Grist has the winner of the irony-can-be-so-ironic award: From a sharp-eyed reader comes this ad for Humble Oil (which later merged with Standard to become, yes, Exxon). It may win the All Time Millenial Award for Maximal Irony. It’s from a 1962 edition of Life Magazine , available on Google Books (click for larger version): Hmm, in December 2008, I blogged on an AP story about data presented at the annual meeting of the American Geophysical Union: More than 2 trillion tons of land ice in Greenland, Antarctica and Alaska have melted since ...
Nov 21, 2009 (1 day ago)
Since health care reform is on the Senate agenda right now, I\'m reposting this Think Progress piece. Looks like the WV Chamber is a chip-off-the-block of the incredible shrinking U.S. Chamber . Coal use, of course, is one reason why everyone needs access to health care (see “ NRC: Burning fossil fuels costs the U.S. $120 billion a year — not counting mercury or climate impacts! “). See also “ If you want smarter kids, shut coal plants .“ Corporate front groups and large business trade associations are funneling their resources into defeating health reform. Even though health reform will lower costs for small businesses and boost worker productivity economy-wide, it appears that corporate entities influenced by major polluters are hoping that the defeat of health care legislation will slow President Obama’s agenda and derail their true enemy: clean energy reform. The West Virginia Chamber of Commerce, which is largely backed by the coal industry, candidly revealed this strategy in a letter released today to Sens. Jay Rockefeller (D-WV) and Robert Byrd (D-WV). The Chamber of Commerce demanded that the senators use “their clout and seniority” to obstruct the health ref..
Nov 21, 2009 (1 day ago)
The answer to the question “where the heck is global warming?” is “precisely where you would expect,” as we will see. Wired has done some excellent reporting on one of the supposed start-dumping-your-clean-energy-stocks e-mails — the one by Kevin Trenberth, head of the Climate Analysis Section at the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) in Boulder, Colorado: Well I have my own article on where the heck is global warming? We are asking that here in Boulder where we have broken records the past two days for the coldest days on record. We had 4 inches of snow. The high the last 2 days was below 30F and the normal is 69F, and it smashed the previous records for these days by 10F. The low was about 18F and also a record low, well below the previous record low…. The fact is that we can’t account for the lack of warming at the moment, and it is a travesty that we can’t. The CERES data published in the August BAMS 09 supplement on 2008 shows there should be even more warming: but the data are surely wrong. Our observing system is inadequate. Note: No, I\'m not thrilled with reprinting part of an illegally stolen e-mail, but this was in Wired and ha..
Nov 21, 2009 (1 day ago)
Smaller homes are in the ascendant.
How to choose energy-efficient windows .
Hohm vs. PowerMeter: a side-by-side rundown .
A stimulus that could save money: cash for caulkers .
Green buildings reduce energy use, lower financial risk .
Green buildings: fewer sick days, higher rents .
Green building practices expand globally.
Also, follow @jetsongreen on Twitter for more news, links, and commentary.
Nov 21, 2009 (1 day ago)
A solar plane that was unveiled in Switzerland in June recently made its first test outside of a hangar. The plane is called the Solar Impulse and was an idea of those responsible for the first balloon ride around the world. The plane has a 207 foot wingspan, which is comparative to commercial airplanes. The wings hold solar cells, specifically 11,628 solar cells. The plane weighs 3,527 pounds, which is equivalent to a car. The propellers are powered by four 100 kilogram lithium batteries. The goal of the project is for the plane to reach 28,000 feet in the near future. The ultimate goal will be a continuous 36 hour flight without using external energy. The non-stop flight is expected to occur in 2012, while a shorter flight is expected to be tried in February of 2010 which will last about two hours. The recent tests on the plane took place on a runway in Switzerland. The plane traveled approximately 1.2 miles on the runway, reaching 5 knots in speed. The hope is to test the plane again in the upcoming days and reach 10 knots. Those behind the project are testing the computers and engines involved in the plane. These tests are also expected to give pilots an idea of how the aircra..
Nov 21, 2009 (1 day ago)
Technology works best when it’s least intrusive and does the heavy lifting for you. Apple understands this. And so, it seems, does EcoFactor, the winner of the recent Clean Tech Open. What it does behind the scenes is fairly complex, but for the user, easy and out of the way: It keeps your home at an [...]
Nov 21, 2009 (2 days ago)
Engaging employees through sustainability is not a one size fits all approach. From Walmart’s Personal Sustainability Project to Sodexo’s Corporate Citizenship Program to Intel’s intranet to FMYI’s online collaboration, the variety is endless. Each of the four members of the Net Impact Conference 2009 panel on Sustainable Innovation Through Employee Engagement, had differing approaches on [...]
Nov 21, 2009 (2 days ago)
Well…well…well! A hacker got into the email server of a climate research institute which had discussions of various scientists who worked on the IPCC and climate change issues. The email seems to contain material which suggests that the scientists have worked together to prove things which the data is not showing. We need to wait and see how much of this is true. However, the revelations if true are quite damning. For more – Telegraph , Andrew Bolt , Climate Audit . Reading through this I found this article which talks about the famous hockey stick graph in Al Gore\'s An Inconvenient Truth. The data shows something totally different. Posted in Climate Change
Nov 21, 2009 (2 days ago)
GreenerDesign Staff, BusinessGreen , Friday 20 November 2009 at 00:15:00 It giant vows to expand use of sustainable bamboo packaging for more products from early next year Dell will start shipping two of its products padded with bamboo cushioning, a part of the company\'s broad plan to reduce its packaging while using more recyclable material....
Nov 21, 2009 (2 days ago)
BusinessGreen.com Staff, BusinessGreen , Friday 20 November 2009 at 00:15:00 Commission rules new £30m fund for low carbon bus technology does not breach state aid rules The government\'s plans for a new £30m fund to help promote the adoption of low carbon buses was given a green light from Brussels yesterday after the European Commission concluded...
Nov 21, 2009 (2 days ago)
BusinessGreen.com Staff, BusinessGreen , Friday 20 November 2009 at 00:15:00 From the Queens Speech to Coke\'s new PlantBottle, we run down the green stories that have been making it big this week Queen\'s speech sets out CCS and flood proposals Energy bill will include a £9.5bn levy on electricity bills over next 10 years Met Office paints bleak climate picture for Europe EU-backed...
Nov 21, 2009 (2 days ago)
BusinessGreen.com Staff, BusinessGreen , Friday 20 November 2009 at 00:15:00 Dutch firm debuts new bank cards and SIM cards made from biodegradable plant-based plastic It may not be the most obvious source of waste and carbon emissions, but given that all of us probably carry at least two or three bank and smart cards,...
Nov 21, 2009 (2 days ago)
James Murray, BusinessGreen , Friday 20 November 2009 at 00:15:00 Company confirms nearshore wave energy device is delivering more power than expected Marine energy firm Aquamarine Power is today expected to formally launch its first grid-connected wave energy device at the European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC)....
Nov 20, 2009 (2 days ago)
By Leeann Brown Changing a baby\'s diaper...it can be more of a public service than anything else. I\'ll never forget when I did it on a non-stop flight from Newark, NJ to Japan with two young boys. Through the turbulence and the inevitable tears, I just kept thinking to myself how thankful the passengers on the plane would be to have fresh air for the rest of the flight. Ken voted Ultimate Green Game Changer Changing today\'s environmental scene... that\'s a public service, too. And it\'s also what EWG President and co-founder Ken Cook was named by Huffington Post as doing better than anyone else . After weeks of voting, readers of the consistently top-rated blog named Ken \" The Ultimate Green Game Changer \" for harnessing new media to reshape federal environmental policy and public awareness. The title accurately summarizes our goal at EWG when it comes to toxics reform: we\'re changing legislation to be based on science, not assumptions. Our research team generates report after report, each filled with unique, bulletproof analyses that go directly to the Hill and consumers, leaving nothing to question. Using new media, before it was new media To do this effectively, we take full adva..
Nov 20, 2009 (2 days ago)
The term “fair trade handicrafts” summons images of wicker baskets and hand-dyed sarongs. But the business side of the fair trade marketplace is getting a little less old-world, thanks to World of Good, an organization that connects artisans in developing countries with mainstream retailers (including eBay and Whole Foods). The organization—comprised of a wholesale business, an [...]
Nov 20, 2009 (2 days ago)
A new 2-million-square-foot terminal at an Istanbul airport is the largest building in the world to sit on high-tech seismic isolators designed to help the building survive earthquakes intact.
Nov 20, 2009 (2 days ago)
Ever since I was a kid, when my father used give me Matchbox cars he bought on his way home from work, I’ve been crazy about cars. So I was extremely excited to have the opportunity to speak with Simon Saba of Saba Motors, whose EV vision is something any gearhead can get jazzed about: [...]
Nov 20, 2009 (2 days ago)
Boats outfitted with solar panels have become “floating classrooms” for children in the low-lying regions of Bangladesh, where floods have destroyed crops, schools, roads and infrastructure. They are among the more than 20 million people who became displaced last year due to climate change. In the past decade, Bangladesh has experienced 70 climate-related natural disasters. [...]
Nov 20, 2009 (2 days ago)
As many of you will be aware, a large number of emails from the University of East Anglia webmail server were hacked recently (Despite some confusion generated by Anthony Watts, this has absolutely nothing to do with the Hadley Centre which is a completely separate institution). So begins the RealClimate post on this hack-heard-round-the- blogosphere . At the end, I\'ll excerpt that post, which makes clear this is much ado about not bloody much. Whatever smoke the anti-scientific disinformers are able to blow into people\'s faces over this bunch of emails dating back over a decade, it doesn\'t change the basic facts about human-caused warming: Very warm 2008 makes this the hottest decade in recorded history by far World’s Glaciers Shrink for 18th Year Skeptical Science explains how we know global warming is happening: It’s the oceans, stupid! Figure: Time series of global mean heat storage (0–2000 m), measured in 10 8 Jm -2 . Here\'s most of the rest of the post from the scientists at RealClimate : As people are also no doubt aware the breaking into of computers and releasing private information is illegal, and regardless of how they were obtained, posting private correspondence wit..
Nov 20, 2009 (2 days ago)
How many of the environmental education initiatives that you know of were started by teachers, parents, or non-profit organizations? That\'s typical: from artistic approaches to rainwater harvesting to solar boat building, most efforts at teaching kids about environmental issues start with adults. But students often come up with their own programs, too, and the President\'s Environmental Youth Awards aims to highlight those efforts that start with schoolkids. Started in 1971 by the EPA, this awards program “…recognizes young people across America for projects which demonstrate their commitment to the environment.” Awards are given for one project in each of the EPA\'s ten regions. After 38 years, the winning projects have run the gamut — everything from peer environmental education to recycling efforts to wetlands restoration. Recent winners have included The Green Books Project in Lewisville, NC: Student Cory Adkins saw textbooks being thrown away at his school, and started his program to sell these books… and use the funds generated to support recycling in his community. Read more of this story »
Nov 20, 2009 (2 days ago)
FACTBOX-Climate negotiating positions of top emitters Russia toughened on Wednesday its goal of cutting greenhouse gas emissions, saying it would target a 25 percent reduction from 1990 levels by 2020 compared with a 10-15 percent pledge previously. Following are the negotiating positions of the top greenhouse gas emitters before a U.N. meeting in Copenhagen in December due to agree a new global climate deal. 1) CHINA (annual emissions of greenhouse gases: 6.8 billion tonnes, 5.5 tonnes per capita) * Emissions – President Hu Jintao promised that China would cut its carbon dioxide emissions per dollar of economic output by a “notable margin” by 2020 compared with 2005.. The “carbon intensity” goal is the first measurable curb on national emissions in China. Hu reiterated a promise that China would try to raise the share of non-fossil fuels in primary energy consumption to 15 percent by 2020. * Demands – China wants developed nations to cut their greenhouse gas emissions by at least 40 percent from 1990 levels by 2020 and to promise far more aid and green technology. 2) UNITED STATES (6.4 billion tonnes, 21.2 tonnes per capita) * Emissions –..