Whales spared oil company intrusion
by Alan Harten
Environmentalists and conservationists are rejoicing briefly this week as the International Union for the Conservation of Nature was able to get several large oil companies to agree to cease seismic testing in the Western grey whales' feeding ground in Russian waters. The Western grey whale is a listed, endangered species that only feeds during the summer at the exact location of Piltun Bay off Sakhalin Island which several major oil companies, ...
Scientist verifies safe storage for nuclear waste
by David Masters
A Swedish scientist claims to have verified a safe way to store nuclear waste. Patrik Fors said nuclear waste can be protected safely using a triple shell of copper reinforced by iron, clay, and granite bedrock 500 metres underground. Chemical reactions this far beneath the earth's surface mean that even if groundwater breached all three barriers, the reaction between the groundwater and the iron would create large quantities of hydrogen, preventing nuclear ...
Electric companies secretive on emissions plans
by David Masters
Just one in six of the world's publicly traded electric utility companies have openly revealed their targets for reducing carbon emissions, it emerged this week. A worldwide study by the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) also found that fewer than half (46%) of electric companies disclose their power generation fuel mix - vital information for ethical investors. However, 59% of the companies who responded said they have plans to reduce emissions whilst 61% ...
Mercenary military approved by government
by David MastersWar on Want this week attacked foreign secretary David Miliband for leaving mercenary troops to regulate themselves. Despite repeated calls from MPs and social justice charities for government regulation of private military companies, Miliband said the industry should self-regulate. He said that privately employed soldiers play a 'positive and legitimate role' in war zones, ignoring widespread reports of human rights abuse by mercenaries. Mercenary companies based in the UK - of which there ...
Sea shells clean up toxic water
by David MastersScientists working in Vietnam have discovered a method of removing toxic metals from water using sea shells. Heavy metals such as cadmium, zinc, lead, and iron dissolved in water can be removed by pouring the water over a bed of crushed clam or mussel shells, found researchers from Austra's Graz University of Technology. The shells, made from a form of calcium carbonate, readily swap their calcium atoms in exchange for heavy metal ...
US to build 10MW solar powerplant
by David Masters
The US is set to build its biggest solar powerplant yet, in the South Side of Chicago. The $60 million plant will cover 39 acres of industrial wasteland, with 33,000 solar panels pumping out 10 megawatts of electricity, enough to power 1,500 homes. Carbon emissions saved by the plant will be equivalent to taking 2,500 cars off the road. Exelon Corp, the energy company building the power station, sees the project as a ...
Co-op shops given energy makeover
by David Masters
Co-operative has upgraded 260 of its food stores to make them more energy efficient. Around 18GWh per year of energy saved has been saved by the upgrades, enough to power 800 homes or 4,000 cars. The scheme is part of plans by the supermarket to reduce its energy consumption 25%. Alex Pitman, Co-op's energy efficiency manager, said: "The Co-operative has always had a pro-active stance on climate and energy issues. "We wanted to ensure ...
Businesswoman sets up eco-shop during recession
by David Masters
It's a brave entrepreneur who sets up a business during these times of economic turmoil, but that's exactly what Abi Billinge has done in Cornwall on the south west coast of England. Ecoco is an eco-shop selling locally produced fair trade jewellery and clothing. Opened this month, Ecoco aims to showcase local artistic talent. "Everything we do is about Cornwall and supporting local designer makers and retailers," Billinge said. "I’m keen to champion new, ...
Government U-turn on carbon capture
by David Masters
Any new coal power stations built in the UK will have to be fitted with carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology, under new legislation proposed this week by climate change secretary Ed Miliband. In addition, all existing coal plants must be retrofitted with CCS within five years of the technology being proved commercially viable. A government spokesperson said the move was a 'complete rewrite' of government policy, which had previously been to ...
Climate refugees to overwhelm aid agencies by 2015
by David Masters
Aid agencies could find themselves overwhelmed by soaring numbers of climate change refugees within the next six years, according to a new report by Oxfam. The international relief charity said the number of people affected by climate disasters is set to increase to 375 million per year by 2015, stretching the current humanitarian aid system to its limit. At least $25 billion (£17.2 billion) per year will need to be set aside ...
Shell shells out $5.8 million in pollution claim
by Alan Harten
Royal Dutch Shell reached a landmark settlement in court on Thursday, in the city of Houston, Texas, that requires the oil company to reduce air pollutant emissions by 80% in three years, upgrade the chemical processing units at its factory, and pay a fine of $5.8 million US dollars for its blatant air pollution. The refinery involved in the lawsuit with several environmental groups is located in Deer Park, Texas near ...
Northern Natives can’t agree on climate action plan
by Alan Harten
Despite a week long conference among representatives of the world’s indigenous people at the Dena’ina Civic and Convention Centre, two native groups will not finalise the resulting resolution. According to the two groups, who refused to sign the new resolution pertaining to the effect of climate change on indigenous groups, there was not enough support against drilling for new oil sources. Representatives from countries as seasonally different as Kenya and Alaska agreed ...
California Wants 20% cut in transport pollution
by Alan Harten
California announced a plan yesterday to launch a reduction in carbon pollution impacts by 20% before the year 2020, by writing a new measure into legislature that attacks the carbon emitted by fuel used in transportation. This is the first state in America to make the leap to reduce greenhouse emissions as of yet, which could inspire the new United States President, Barrack Osama, to institute a national standard ...
Gore Pushes For Real Green Action
by Alan Harten
Al Gore, author of the Nobel Prize winning book ‘An Inconvenient Truth’ and former United States vice-president, met with the House Energy and Commerce Committee to discuss action against greenhouse emissions and climate change. However, he was met with arguments between the leading two American political parties, Democrats and Republicans, about the costs of attacking global warming, instead of initiatives about which way to proceed. Gore attempted to advocate his belief that ...
EU energy rating for windows and showers
by David Masters
Showers, taps, and windows will be given an energy efficiency rating under new European Union legislation. Energy wasting household products will be targetted under the new laws, which will extend current legislation on energy-using goods to cover products that have an indirect effect on power consumption. Water using products are being targetted because wasted hot water uses excess gas, whilst poorly constructed windows can allow heat to escape. The most wasteful products will ...
Climate change deniers revealed as frauds
by David Masters
A lobby group that spent the 1990s denying climate change on behalf of fossil fuel related industries was told by its own scientists that human-caused climate change could not be denied, the New York Times has uncovered. A memo leaked this week to the Times shows that scientists hired to advise the Global Climate Coalition (GCC) told the lobby group that climate change was an undeniable fact. An internal report for the ...
Breastfeeding reduces heart attack risk for mothers
by David Masters
Mothers who breastfeed are less likely to suffer from a heart attack, heart disease, or a stroke in later life, according to new research published this week. A study at University of Pittsburgh found that women who had breastfed for more than a year were 10% less likely to develop these conditions that women who had never breastfed. Mothers who breastfed for at least a month were found to have reduced risk ...
Wal-Mart announces solar ambitions
by David Masters
Wal-Mart has announced plans to double the energy produced by its solar power scheme. The US-based supermarket giant said it plans to install rooftop solar panels on up to 20 more stores and distribution centres in California over the next 18 months. Stores with panels installed get 20%-30% of their energy needs from solar. Earlier this month, the company finished installing solar panels at 18 stores and two warehouses in California and Hawaii ...
Manchester parks to grow fruit and veg
by David Masters
Manchester is to transform itself into a giant orchard, with fruit trees and vegetable patches set up in public parks, and the produce available for free. The £200,000 scheme will see thousands of fruit trees planted in public areas, whilst traffic islands will be transformed into mini allotments. Twenty thousand raspberry, strawberry, and soft fruit bushes will also be planted, whilst beehives will be set up in a dozen parks and allotments. The ...
Motorway lights go out to cut carbon emissions
by Alan Harten
As of midnight tonight, the area between the junctions of the M27 eight and seven will be cast into darkness until 5 am, in an effort to decrease carbon emissions by approximately 40%. Before selecting the area of the M27 in Hampshire the Highways Agency conducted a careful study to choose a low traffic area with an excellent traffic safety record. In March the same experiment was executed in the southwest with ...