Dublin gets underground bottle bank
by David Masters
Ireland’s first underground bottle bank opened in South Dublin this week. Underground recycling banks are popular in many European countries as they improve accessibility for wheelchair users, and increase the capacity of waste held, helping to prevent overflowing. Above ground, the recycling banks look the same as any other street recycling bins, with low insert points easily accessible from a wheelchair. Hidden beneath the bins, however, are huge underground storage facilities. This keeps unsightly ...
Unlikely coalition campaigns for Coral Sea
by David Masters
An unlikely coalition of marine scientists, environmentalists and navy officers are calling for the seas around the Great Barrier Reef, known as the Coral Sea, to be protected from fishing by international law. The Coral Sea, on the east coast of Australia, covers an area of one million square kilometres. Hidden beneath its surface lie 25 coral reefs and an underwater mountain range. In addition to its environmental importance, the sea ...
Not Guilty! Jurors Find Excuse for Greenpeace Activists
by Alan Harten
In a ground breaking court case, Greenpeace activists have successfully defended themselves against allegations of criminal damage amounting to £30,000, during a protest at the Kingsnorth power station owned by E.ON, in October last year. Yesterday afternoon, jurors at Maidstone Crown Court decided that the accused, Huw Williams, 41, Ben Stewart, 34, Will Rose, 29, Kevin Drake, 44, and New Zealand native Emily Hall aged 34, were all found not guilty. In ...
Toyota Tests Possible Future of Plug In Cars
by Alan Harten
Japanese manufacturer Toyota has said that it is currently testing plug-in cars on UK roads. They have joined forces with power giant EDF Energy to test the practicalities of PHV’s, or plug-in hybrid vehicles. The electricity supplier was apparently keen to try out a fleet of electric vehicles for its own use. Not surprising as presumably if they were to have their own plug in fleet they would benefit from no ...
General Motors plans landfill-free factories
by David Masters
Car maker General Motors (GM) plans to make half of its 181 factories around the world ‘landfill-free’ within the next two years, helping to save the company money and improve its green image. The US-based automobile giant says 43 of its plants are already landfill-free, meaning that no waste from the manufacturing process ends up in landfill. Around 40 more GM plants are expected to reduce landfill waste to little or nothing ...
Euston sets capital example with recycling bins
by David Masters
Euston, one of London’s busiest rail stations, is to have ‘dual slot’ bins installed to encourage recycling. Twelve bins, with one slot for landfill waste and another for recycling, will be placed in the station next week. Commuters at the station will be able to recycle drinks cans, plastic bottles, and newspapers in the bins. The bins will stay for six months, and – if the trial proves successful – similar bins will ...
Comet may offer green insurance replacement goods
by Alan Harten
A recent survey of over 3000 participants noted that a full third of all people who claimed for household goods on their home insurance, would appreciate the option to “upgrade” to greener replacement items. These items include so called “white”, “grey” and “brown” goods, and the respondents said that they would like these items available as “green” replacements should they need to make a claim. The high street electrical goods giant, Comet, ...
Eco-awareness Now Part Of Driving Test
by Alan Harten
Nearly all UK drivers passed their tests without a thought to the impact that their driving habits may have on the environment, and for most of us, who cared? When I passed my test, petrol was 70p a gallon, the roads were only half full and greenhouse gas was something to do with growing tomatoes in a hothouse. Like everything else times have changed and we are now well aware ...
eBay launches ethical shopping website
by David Masters
In a move that could shake up the future of consumerism, ethical shopping has gone mainstream. Capitalising on the ethical shopping trend sweeping the world, eBay has launched a new trading website for environmentally friendly products made using natural, organic, or recycled materials. In addition to offering environmental goods, worldofgood.com allows users to buy products made in the majority world, allowing producers to earn a fair price for their work without profits ...
China launches satellite eco-monitors
by David Masters
China’s two environment monitoring satellites launched over the weekend began operating in space today. The “Environment-1” satellites were launched on Saturday from the Taiyuan satellite launch centre in the northern province of Shanxi. Equipped with a state-of-the-art imaging system and infrared cameras, the satellites have been put into orbit to monitor climate change and help China’s ability to forecast natural disasters. It is China’s first attempt to monitor the environment and weather patterns ...
Solve climate change: eat less meat
by David Masters
A leading United Nations scientist has suggested a new solution to climate change – eating less meat. Dr. Rajendra Pachauri, head of the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), said the world’s population must cut back on eating red meat and move towards vegetarianism. Pachauri suggests that people begin by giving up meat for at least one day per week and then decrease consumption from there. There are a number of reasons ...
Green Party elects first ever leader
by David Masters
In an historic move this weekend the UK Green Party elected its first ever leader. Previously, the Greens had two ‘principal speakers’, reflecting the party’s view that leadership and responsibility belong to every member of society. However, the party has now decided that having a single leader is more likely to resonate with the public, bringing the Greens into the mainstream and securing more votes at elections. MEP for South East England, Caroline ...
Polluted air causes fat children
by David Masters
New research has discovered that the increasing number of overweight and obese people in industrialised countries could be related to pollution levels. In Britain one quarter of adults and one fifth of children are now classed as obese, meaning that they have a body mass index in excess of 30kg per square metre. A study by scientists at the Municipal Institute of Medical Research in Barcelona found that exposure to common chemicals ...
Green SMEs save £60m per year
by David Masters
Small and medium sized businesses (SMEs) in the UK are saving almost £60 million per year by keeping up with environmental regulations. Government backed eco-advice website, NetRegs, offers free advice to small businesses on environmental law and eco-friendly business practice. An independent survey commissioned by NetRegs found that the website saves small businesses £58 million per year in consultancy fees and fines that would have to be paid for breaking environmental legislation. Last ...
Now European Mainland Glaciers Under Threat
by Alan Harten
When we think of glaciers it is usually in places like Antarctica or Greenland, but they are also found on the Iberian Peninsula, on the border between Spain and France. Though perhaps not for long, as a group of Spanish researchers warns that the Pyrenean glaciers will disappear by 2050 because of the gradual increase in temperature which is on average up 0.9 since records began in 1890. This work ...
New Zealand embraces biofuels despite controversy
by David Masters
The New Zealand Parliament has passed legislation requiring that biofuels are mixed in with the petrol and diesel sold on garage forecourts. The Biofuel Bill, which comes into effect from 1st October, legally requires oil companies to sell fuel containing at least 0.5% biofuels, rising incrementally to 2.5% by 2012. New Zealand’s government has told motorists that biofuel will not damage their cars or increase the price of petrol. The Green Party has ...
Australia turns geothermal to meet renewable targets
by David Masters
Superhot granite rock that lies just 3 miles below the surface of southern Australia could help the country meet its renewable energy targets. Geothermal electricity produced using the heat of the rocks could provide Australia with up to 5% of its energy needs by 2020, according to the country's Geothermal Energy Association. According to the group, power produced using the heat from underground rocks could generate 2,200 megawatts of continuous energy by ...
London mayor appoints eco-advisor
by David Masters
Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, has appointed a Transport for London chief as his environmental advisor. Isabel Dedring, currently Director of Policy at Transport for London, has spent four years overseeing carbon reduction strategies on London’s transport networks. A dual nationality American-German, she is fluent in English, French, German and Russian. Her policies have included sustainable travel planning, and retrofitting public transport vehicles with devices to reduce carbon emissions. All 8,000 London ...
EU clears the air for clean hydrogen cars
by Alan Harten
The full European Parliament adopted yesterday, by a large majority, a report that provides the approval of motor vehicles that run on hydrogen. This endorsement of the Parliament, which comes after the political agreement reached with the Council of the European Union in June, will mean that soon a new European directive, which will include cars with hydrogen propulsion systems, will be approved by the EU and will facilitate the ...
Welsh come top at redirecting biodegradables
by David Masters
Wales has secured its place as the best country in the UK for biodegradables, with all of its local authorities smashing targets for biodegradable landfill waste. Wales is significantly increasing the amount of biodegradable waste it reuses rather than sending the waste to landfill. A report this week by Environment Agency Wales showed that Wales is already a year ahead of EU targets, with the amount of biodegradable waste sent to landfill ...