Bottled water outlawed in New York state agencies
by David Masters
Public sector offices in New York are to be banned from using bottled water, the state's Governor said this week. Governor David A. Paterson said the ban will save taxpayers' money as well as benefitting the environment. Both small bottles and large containers used by water coolers will be covered by the ban. State agencies have been given six months to phase out their use of bottled water and install tap water fountains ...
Hybrid car is number one in Japan
by David Masters
A Honda-made hybrid was Japan's best selling car during April, making it the first petrol-electric vehicle to achieve this accolade. The hybrid Honda Insight, launched in February, sold 10,481 units in April, sending it soaring to top the charts from the 21st place it achieved in March. Honda has advertised the Insight as an affordable hybrid, because hybrids tend to have a bigger price tag than petrol-only cars due to the expense ...
Smart meters in all UK homes by 2020
by David Masters
Smart meters are to be installed in every UK home by 2020 at a cost of £9 billion. The government hopes to cut Britain's carbon emissions by up to a third through the scheme. Smart meters feedback real time energy usage figures to energy companies, enabling them to send accurate gas and electricity bills, in contrast to the current system where the bill is estimated based on average monthly energy use. The meters ...
Energy prices turn Brits towards eco-living
by David Masters
Rising energy prices coupled with wallets pinched by the credit crunch are forcing Brits to embrace green living - but only to an extent. More than three quarters (78%) of UK households have become more energy efficient in the last twelve months. Over a third (36%) did so because of the rising cost of gas and electricity. However, just 9% cited environmental concerns as their main motivation for making their home more energy ...
Greens unhappy at Severn barrage shortlist
by Alan Harten
Green groups are upset by the Government's final decision on the Severn estuary barrage, claiming that the five schemes they chose of a possible ten are biased towards large business and not towards the best ecological solutions. After the shortlist was first announced, seven of the key environmental groups in Britain (which include the National Trust, WWF, and Wildfowl and Wetlands), decided to commission their own report, hiring engineers Atkins to ...
Environmentalists want polar bears off endangered species list
by Alan Harten
Yesterday the United States placed polar bears on the endangered species list, but this move has done more to outrage environmentalists than alleviate the worries of the bears’ advocates. Despite the fact that the US statistics show the bear population has doubled since the 1960s, they will be endangered at the current rate of death caused by global warming by the year 2050. According to a law passed by the past Bush ...
New housing on Southern greenbelts
by Alan HartenIn an effort to produce more affordable housing in England and to fulfil housing quotas, the Government has agreed to allow building in green belt areas in the Rural South East. The Government’s plans were met with both approval and disapproval, as country people worried about the adverse affects this will have on rural towns in the future, while economists praised the move. There are 654,000 homes included in the plans that ...
Wales wants builders to cut emissions by a third
by Alan Harten
A standard for sustainability has been officially announced by the Welsh Assembly to help rectify carbon emissions within the country. According to the Welsh Assembly 40% of carbon emissions are produced due to the way current building construction is handled, spurring them to call for a standard to be set throughout Wales. The move requires builders to address carbon emissions and reduce them approximately 31% from the current standard, by using only ...
UN, Ghost Fishing Poses Threat to Sea-Life
by Alan Harten
'Ghost fishing' is threatening fish life around the world, according to a new report issued by two United Nations agencies. According to the report, a growing number of fishermen are leaving behind discarded or lost fishing gear, accounting for much litter in the water. That litter then traps and kills a large amount of sea life as well as sea-birds, the study concludes. The authors of the report are ...
China Now Serious About Climate Change
by Alan Harten
The government of China is now ready to do its part to address global climate change, as long as the West does theirs, according to British Climate Change Secretary Ed Miliband. Miliband has just concluded a trip to China, in which he engaged officials in discussions about China's part in contributing to global warming. Following the trip, Mr Miliband says he is persuaded that Beijing is serious about keeping the ...
Samba bike sharing popular in Rio
by David Masters
Samba, a bike sharing system launched last year in Rio de Janeiro, is proving popular with the city's residents. Samba bike stations are placed along the Copacabana beach promenade of the Brazilian capital. The promenade is the hub of the city's 140km of dedicated bike lanes, with the promenade road closed to motor traffic on Sundays. Bike sharers, including residents and tourists, register online for the scheme, then unlock bikes from stations using ...
Solar powered social housing opens in San Diego
by David Masters
A newly opened affordable housing apartment block in San Diego, USA, is 100% powered using renewable solar energy. The $17.6 million project - formerly a dilapidated motel - houses 42 state-of-the-art green apartments, with the first new residents moving in this week. Lights accidentally left on will automatically be turned off, and bathroom fans will run until steam has cleared to prevent mould. Apartments are kept cool through natural ventilation and ceiling fans ...
Unregulated biofuel crops spread as weeds
by David Masters
Many plants grown for biofuel are invasive species that could wreak havoc in tropical and subtropical ecosystems. A weed risk assessment (WRA) of biofuel crops in Hawaii found that plants grown for biofuel were two to four times more likely to become invasive, or develop wild populations, compared with a random sample of other plants. Seventy percent of plants grown for biofuel have a high risk of becoming invasive, the research found. Scientists ...
Human rights protesters gatecrash Primark opening
by David Masters
Social justice activists protested about the opening of a new Primark clothes store in London this week, criticising the store's unfair pay of overseas workers. Protesters from campaign group War on Want gathered outside the newly opened Tooting Primark store on Saturday, and were joined by local residents, members of the general public, and staff from ethical fashion company People Tree. "End sweatshop slavery", read the protesters' placards, highlighting the face that ...
Women happier than men, but both obsessed with money
by David Masters
Women in the UK are happier than men, according to new research released this week. A poll by Internet bank 'smile' found that 64% of British women consider themselves 'truly happy' compared to just 59% of men. Men also said they'd need more money to be happy, with the average male respondent saying they'd need £1.25 million to fill their life with joy. By contrast, women would settle for £980,000. However, it would appear ...
US concerned about HFC use
by Alan Harten
Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) are the hot topic under discussion at the United Nations Environment Program, after the US deputy assistant secretary of state sent an email to the group releasing information that shows HFCs are a significant cause of climate change and require a phase-down globally. HFCs are generally found in air conditioners and refrigerators and need phase down efforts because a sudden phase out would be too drastic. However, this does ...
Chocolate powered eco racing car
by David Masters
Scientists at a British university have designed a racing car powered by waste chocolate and built from vegetables. The eco-friendly Formula 3 car, which can glide around corners at 125mph, features a steering wheel made from carrots, bodywork derived from potatoes, and a seat crafted from soya beans. Fibres from the vegetables are mixed with resins to make solid parts. Moving parts in the vehicle are greased using plant-based oil lubricants, whilst the ...
Boris pledges low-carbon zones across capital
by David Masters
The Mayor of London has set aside £3 million to develop ten Low Carbon Zones (LCZs) across the capital. Speaking at Prince Charles's May Day Summit this week, Mayor Boris Johnson said the flagship LCZs will create jobs and cut the city's carbon emissions. Each of the ten zones will receive at least £200,000 funding from the city council, and will be encouraged to apply for extra funds from third party investors. Areas ...
Sea snake wave power device looks promising
by Alan Harten
Sometimes the best inventions come in small packages, like the 'Anaconda' created by Checkmate Seaenergy Ltd to harvest the energy potential created by ocean waves. The Anaconda is simply a long piece of rubber tubing that fills with water and as waves push through it the power drives a turbine that converts the power into energy. While the Anaconda is not yet available in its full size, developers and the government ...
South Australia bans carrier bags
by Alan Harten
In an effort to prevent landfills from overflowing with plastic bags, the Australian state of South Australia has enacted a ban today on all lightweight plastic carrier bags. Starting immediately, supermarkets will have to switch to paper or cornstarch carrier bags or face fines from the government. If caught a shop could pay up to $5000 in court, or be forced to pay an immediate fine of at least $315 dollars if ...