Eco-campaigners sue government over RBS investment
by David Masters
A coalition of eco-campaigners are suing the government for giving billions of pounds to "dirty and destructive projects" through its investment in the Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS). Platform, People & Planet, and the World Development Movement claim that through its recapitalisation of RBS the government is allowing taxpayer funds to be invested in human rights violations and heavily polluting energy companies. "RBS has the worst record by far of any UK ...
Renewable energy start-up seeks £10m investment
by David Masters
A new eco-friendly energy supplier is currently looking to raise £10 million from investors. Greenrock Energy Limited plans to become an industry leader across Europe in ground source heat pump (GSHP) systems. GSHP energy is a highly efficient technology, using the solar energy stored just below the earth's surface to heat buildings. It can also be used to cool buildings by sending heat back underground. GSHP systems typically produce up to 6.5 ...
Eco-design would save £900m
by David Masters
British businesses could save £900 million by incorporating eco-design into their products, a government department said today. Defra announced the potential savings as it launched a consultation today on the best ways to implement minimum energy standards and energy labelling for high street products such as washing machines, televisions, and fridges. “[Energy] standards can save our economy so much money and can save millions of tonnes of CO2 from going into the ...
Two zoos go Knuts over polar bear ownership
by Alan Harten
An unlikely candidate is involved in a Berlin custody dispute - three year old Knut, a polar bear who currently lives in the Berlin Zoo but is technically owned by the Neumunster zoo. A Berlin judge has now ordered the two zoos to resolve the ownership rights to the bear. Knut is at the centre of the battle due to the fact he has generated approximately €10m in entrance fees and merchandise. The ...
Big cash injection for green US schools
by Alan Harten
The United States passed a school modernisation bill last Friday in the House of Representatives, that set aside $6.4 billion for updating school buildings to make them more energy efficient and eco friendly. The piece of legislation also aims to place money into school construction in an effort to create jobs for the needed repairs, and to help combat global warming by placing more clean energy jobs into the market. The Bill ...
Huge UK lawsuit over toxic dumping in Africa
by Alan Harten
The largest group lawsuit in British history is in the process of being prosecuted, with over 30,000 people from the Ivory Coast claiming that toxic waste from the oil trading company, Trafigura, was dumped into the coastal areas of the country. The lawsuit targets toxic waste that was chartered aboard the Probo Koala ship and billed as cargo by Trafigura and taken to the Ivory Coast, which incidentally is one of ...
Alaska gold company huge pollution fine
by Alan Harten
Nova Gold Resources, an Alaskan Gold Company has reached a settlement with the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), as a result of its failure to follow proper environmental procedures when discharging water from its mine located near Nome, Alaska. The companies violated the terms of their building permit to construct the Rock Creek Mine in Alaska when they discharged storm water into three nearby creeks, Rock Creek, Glacier Creek, and ...
Britain takes Falkland’s seabed dispute to UN
by Alan Harten
On Monday the United Kingdom placed a claim on the area around the Falkland Islands with the United Nations, in an effort to secure the oil, gas, and mineral reserves of the seabed area. This is expected to spur a fight with Argentina, which feels the area belongs to its government, specifically the area around the Falkland Islands, the South Sandwich Islands, and South Georgia which is approximately 1.2 million sq ...
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 move to tax plastic bags out of existence
by Alan Harten
Plastic bags at the supermarket may soon be a thing of the past in the United States, if the initiative known as the Plastic Bag Reduction Act passes in the United States Congress. Introduced on April 22nd by US Rep Jim Moran, the act imposes a five cent tax on all single use carrier and other plastic bags from supermarkets, convenience stores, takeout bags, and all other retail bags. The tax is ...
Cash for acid ocean research
by Alan Harten
Among the many environmental concerns facing the earth today, according to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, and the Natural Environment Research Council, is ocean acidification. As results of research that shows oceans are becoming more acidic due to increased CO2 emissions from humans, the UK Government has initiated an £11 million program to study how to decrease emissions and what the direct effect of CO2 on the oceans ...
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 ...
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 ...
Aid agencies can’t cope with climate change disasters
by Alan Harten
Unless the world readjusts the way it handles natural disasters the amount of people who die in climate related catastrophes is expected to rise dramatically by over 50% more in the year 2015. It is estimated that over $11 billion more will be have to spent each year, compared with $14 billion spent in 2006, in order for the deaths that accompany climate related disasters to remain the same. Due ...
Government injects big cash into bee research
by Alan Harten
Environment changes have been threatening mankind for the last several decades, but now bees and other small insects are feeling the effects of a polluted planet as well. Recent studies report that there are now 12-15% less bees in Britain than in previous years due to a medical condition known as “colony collapse disorder”. While the economic recession is on most people’s minds, the threat of adding bees to the endangered ...
CBI calls for green action
by Alan Harten
The Confederation of British Industry (CBI) has criticised the Government for failing to act fast enough to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases. The Government cannot blame the recession, only its own inaction, the CBI said. The CBI will today unveil an energy paper, which will blame poor assistance for carbon reducing systems, lack of information about EU carbon pricing and trading and bad planning for the fact that some major players ...
Water meters springing up in every home?
by Alan Harten
Global warming and population explosion are affecting the water balance of the world, to such an extent that, very soon, the demand for drinking water will be far greater than the availability of it. The worst hit area to date is the South East of England, and Wales is not far behind. If nothing is done now, as the demand continues to rise by as much as 50% in the ...
Government Plans for Disease Fee ‘Unfair’
by Alan Harten
West Country farming leaders are in an uproar over government plans to charge farmers a levy to help pay the cost of handling animal diseases, such as Avian Flu and Foot and Mouth Disease. The controversy has arisen following the announcement by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) that farmers must begin sharing the cost of disease outbreaks. Government ministers say it's only “right” that farmers help ...
Sustainable investments ‘the answer’ to global downturn
by David Masters
WRAP offers more assistance to recyclers
by Alan Harten
The Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) announced this week a range of new initiatives and finance aimed at increasing regional recycling capability. WRAP, which is backed by the government, said that it had furthered business expansion throughout England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland so that it can provide small and medium-sized recycling firms with more free assistance and guidance. The director of market development at WRAP, Marcus Gover, said ...