'Greener' climate prediction shows plants slow warming:

A new NASA computer modeling effort has found that additional growth of plants and trees in a world with doubled atmospheric carbon dioxide levels would create a new negative feedback – a cooling effect – in the Earth's climate system that could work to reduce future global warming.
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MIT’s 3M Professor of Environmental Economics On Government Spending

Government deficit spending has been a contentious issue during this year’s U.S. mid-term election campaigns. Yet some economists believe that additional government spending in certain areas is needed to help spur growth. MIT News asked Michael Greenstone, MIT’s 3M Professor of Environmental Economics, and director of The Hamilton Group, a Washington-based public-policy organization, about America’s spending priorities. Read more:

Set aside the lack of gravity ...

Posted 2010 |
Are we going to Mars and not coming back: The human space program is aimed at settling other worlds ...

| Read more:

From Wikipedia | Human mission to Mars

Army Announces New Policies on Energy Efficiencies

WASHINGTON, Oct. 27, 2010 – Assistant Secretary of the Army for Installations, Energy and the Environment Katherine Hammack issued today a new policy memorandum to improve high-performance green buildings standards for the Army. Story continues:

Twitter app increases student engagement and is used more often by higher-performing students:

The app, called "Hotseat," is most often used by high-performing students, according to newly released results of the pilot test study. (Purdue University image)

Get More Out Of Social Networking

Sponsor Doubles Breast Cancer Donations In October:

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Shift from fossil fuels to renewables... Important books about energy by Vaclav Smil

In a new book, Vaclav Smil explains the energy transitions that have driven social, economic and technological change worldwide over time. He also discusses the evolving shift from fossil fuels to renewables. Story continues:

Is social media killing blogging?

Time and time again, the answer is a resounding "no".
Signs That Blogging is Not Only Alive, But More Critical Than Ever:
Story continues:

The continuity of our planet is the sustainability of its youth:

A Powerful Film About Education in America:
The new film, “Waiting for Superman,” is an important contribution to the national conversation about America’s education system. Like “An Inconvenient Truth,” another film by director Davis Guggenheim, deals with a complex and politically-charged topic in a clear and compelling way.

Make your blog carbon neutral ...

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Electricity collected from the air could become the newest alternative energy source:

Imagine devices that capture electricity from the air ― much like solar cells capture sunlight ― and using them to light a house or recharge an electric car. Imagine using similar panels on the rooftops of buildings to prevent lightning before it forms. Strange as it may sound, scientists already are in the early stages of developing such devices. Read more:

Why is biodiversity so important: Video created by Vancouver Film School students

Everything that lives in an ecosystem is part of the web of life, including human beings:

The green-energy landscape keeps changing:

Today there's a whole menu of options for going beyond the petroleum era, from biofuels and next-generation nuclear power to solar-powered syngas production. But which option will be the "magic bullet" for America's next energy era? Story continues:

Oceans in Peril:

"If current trends continue, the extinctions of the coming decades will be clearly visible to future geologists comparable in scale to the great extinction events in Earth's history," he wrote. "I think it will be an enigmatic extinction...Story continues:

10 key planet-wide indicators of a warming climate identified:

Global warming "undeniable"

Senate Panel Backs More Electric Cars, Solar:

Millions of electric-powered vehicles that would slash America's dependence on foreign oil and cut its carbon emissions would be put on the road under legislation approved by a Senate committee on Wednesday.

The legislation, passed 19-4 in favor, was one of several bills cleared by the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee that might be folded into a broader energy and climate bill Democrats are struggling to bring to the Senate floor. Story continues:

In truth, the significant nature of value lies in the fact that we live in a [bio-diversified] world in which it is significantly undervalued:

While some of nature's services could be similarly traded as commodities, such as proposed "rainforest bonds" which would pay for forests' wildlife, fresh water and carbon storage, most biodiversity cannot be valued or traded directly.

"We should probably be thinking about biodiversity less like the carbon market and more like a real estate market, these are very distinctive, unique assets, they can be graded and valued but they're not interchangeable," said Joshua Bishop, chief economist at the IUCN. Story continues:

"It's like magic. Porosity is a way to do a lot with very little,"

Scientists Create Improved CO2-Absorbing Crystals: "If we take a gram of MOF-200 and unravel it, it will cover many football fields, and that is the space you have for gases to assemble," says Omar Yaghi, team leader at UCLA's California NanoSystems Institute, improves upon an earlier crystal named MOF-177 to produce two new versions -- MOF-200 and MOF-210 -- that stores twice the volume of gases. Read more:

The long-term and the short-term of Earth's Thermometer:

Putting a limit on heat-trapping emissions and encouraging the use of healthier, cleaner energy technologies, such as solar and wind power, would help us to avoid the worst potential consequences of global warming: Story continues

New York Power Authority wants to build nation's first offshore wind power projects in the Atlantic Ocean:

In addition to the state-owned NYPA and LIPA, the wind group includes New York City's power company Consolidated Edison Inc, the City of New York, and other state and city government agencies.

NYPA said it will apply with the Federal Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement (BOE), formerly known as the Minerals Management Service (MMS), for a 25-year lease on 64,500 acres of land beneath the Atlantic Ocean about 13 to 15 miles off the Long Island coast.
Read more:

Green Power An Easy Win For Australia:

Australia's new leader should ramp up renewable energy use and enshrine tougher energy efficiency standards to fight global warming, leading climate scientists said on Tuesday, describing them as easy policy wins. Shelving the scheme in April led in part to a plunge in the popularity of former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd ahead of an election later this year. His deputy Julia Gillard took over as prime minister last week, pledging greater consensus on setting a price on carbon. Read more:

Arise Technologies Forms Joint Venture With Sky Solar (Canada)

Sky Solar (Canada) will provide operating funding to the joint venture, said Arise, which provides turnkey PV solutions for solar farms and rooftop installations.
Read more

Mandating Solar Power In New York Will Generate Jobs ;

A bill before the legislature that would require energy providers to invest in solar power would create thousands of jobs and billions of dollars in economic activity over a 14-year period, advocates said on Wednesday.

The bill would require the New York Power Authority, the Long Island Power Authority and New York retail electric suppliers to procure solar electricity each year, equal to a percentage of their sales through 2025.
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Exxon Explores Algae Biofuels As Alternative Energy:

Exxon Mobil Corp is testing the commercial viability of algae biofuel as an alternative energy source to supplement oil and natural gas, a senior executive said on Monday. “We are testing the hypothesis that algae biofuels could become commercially viable and achieve sufficient scale to make meaningful contribution to the future energy mix,” he told the Asia Oil and Gas Conference in the Malaysian capital. Sunlight and carbon dioxide used to grow the algae could also mitigate the effect of greenhouse gases, while algae has the potential to produce large volumes of oils that can be processed in existing refineries to make fuels compatible with existing transportation technology and infrastructure. Story continues:

Ecosystems vulnerable to vegetation shifts:

"Approximately one billion people now live in areas that are highly vulnerable to future vegetation shifts," says specialist. "Ecosystems provide important services to people, so we must reduce the emissions that cause climate change, then adapt to major changes that might occur." Story continues:

Green Energy Investment Surviving Crisis, Says IEA:

Director Nobuo Tanaka said the agency had observed a historical transition in the green technology sector. "We are seeing real changes and a historical transition in low carbon technology," he said, citing rapid evolution in electric vehicles as well as solar and wind power.
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Energy efficiency is payback - Philadelphia Greenworks, a six-year, city-run program:

A six-year, city-run program that is celebrating its first anniversary, also plans to cut city government energy consumption by 30 percent, reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 20 percent and to double the number of green jobs.

“When I said that Philadelphia will be the number-one green city in America, I’m sure many felt the goal was too bold,” Mayor Michael Nutter said. “Now, looking back on the first year of Greenworks, I am more confident than ever that we will be successful.”

The city says there is evidence that the public is beginning to embrace environmental programs which are part of the program.
Read more:

Three new US reports strengthen case for climate action:

Washington - Three new US reports released Wednesday found that the threat from climate change was real, and urged policymakers to put a price on the carbon pollution that causes global warming.

The reports by the non-partisan National Academy of Scientists, requested by the US Congress, came as legislation that would curb US greenhouse-gas emissions faces an uphill battle in the Senate.

The findings also come as US-based sceptics of climate change have seized on errors in a much-cited United Nations climate report, as well as the "climategate" scandal at Britain's University of East Anglia, as evidence that the threat from global warming has been over-hyped.

The National Academy of Scientists found a "strong, credible body of evidence" backing assertions that global warming was in fact a threat, though the report acknowledges there is still much uncertainty over the degree and timing.
Story continues:

UN: Nature's diversity fast disappearing:

New York - The natural systems that support life on earth, from the Amazon forests to coral reefs, are close to the tipping point of collapse because of human activities, a new study on the global biodiversity said Monday.
Read more:

Scientists Decry "Assaults" On Climate Research:

“The imperative is to act aggressively to reduce carbon emissions and dependency on fossil fuels.” “The reality of anthropogenic climate change can no longer be debated on scientific grounds,” James Hurrell of the U.S. National Center for Atmospheric Research told the committee.
Read more:

Solar Can Provide 22 Percent World's Power By 2050: IEA

Solar power can provide up to a quarter of the world's electricity by 2050, the International Energy Agency said on Tuesday, but it needs government lifelines in the next decade until it can compete with conventional power.
Story continues:

Pentagon Focused On Developing Alternative Energy:

The Pentagon is working hard to promote development of biomass fuels that could power future fighter jets and other warplanes, but defense officials say it could take years to get a full-fledged industry on its feet.

Top U.S. defense officials and executives from the petroleum, alternative fuels and renewable energy sectors are meeting outside Washington this week to address new technology developments and initiatives such as the Pentagon’s work on developing biofuels to power military aircraft.
Read more:

For BP, a history of spills and safety lapses:

Despite repeated promises to reform, BP continues to lag behind other oil companies when it comes to safety, according to federal officials and industry analysts. Many problems still afflict its operations in Texas and Alaska, they say. Regulators are investigating a whistle-blower's allegations of safety violations at the Atlantis, one of BP's newest offshore drilling platforms in the Gulf of Mexico.
Story continues:

Sun Shines Through For Clean Tech Outsourcing :

While contract manufacturers are generally bullish about the green industry, analysts warn this part of their business is not without risk. As green technology relies on state subsidies to drive demand, the business is vulnerable to policy change and a fragile global economy.For now at least, contract manufacturers are encouraged to go green. "Longer-term, we believe this market could open up a new growth driver," said Ticonderoga's White.
Read more:

U.S. Oil Spill Hurting Energy Moves In Congress:

END OF CLIMATE CONTROL BILL?
A top Senate Republican aide did not think anything would save the climate bill after the oil spill.
"This puts the nail (in the coffin) in climate" control legislation, said the aide, who asked not to be identified.

That is because the "grand bargain" being crafted for the climate and energy initiatives would unravel without expanded oil drilling, many fear.
Full story: http://planetark.org/wen/57866

Scenarios - Impact Of Oil Spill On Climate Bill:

Just a few weeks ago, a horrible coal mine disaster in West Virginia made some wonder whether the climate bill should include billions of dollars to help fund coal industry efforts on "clean coal." Against that backdrop, the sunken, leaking oil rig is spewing 5,000 barrels of crude oil a day and the slick is moving toward the state's shores.

Here are some possible impacts of the environmental disaster on climate change legislation hung up in the Senate:
Read more

Cape Wind, First U.S. Offshore Wind Farm, Approved :

"This project fits with the tradition of sustainable development in the area," Salazar said in Boston.

Although small in terms of its production -- the facility would produce enough electricity to power 400,000 houses -- its approval was encouraging to other offshore wind projects already proposed for the East Coast and Great Lakes.
Read more:

Mentionable unmentionables:

Going green is a popular trend these days and with more and more companies focusing on creating products for sustainability, it's getting easier to join the movement.

Now there's a company in Berkeley, Calif. taking the green movement under ... literally, and proving you don't have to wear your environmental principles on your sleeve to make a statement about being Earth-friendly. Read more:

China Invests Heavily In Fertile Green Auto Ground:

“Green cars like hybrids are expensive. Without government subsidies, the market just won’t take off,” said the Honda official, asked not to be identified. A made-in-China Prius costs as much as $41,000, nearly matching the price tag of much bigger gasoline-powered Camry, making it a turn-off for Chinese buyers, who still have a penchant for big cars. Read more:

Is sustainability the physical activity factor of the community?

Is illness and obesity associated to that which is not sustainable? The heart is the engine of the body. It pumps oxygen-rich, nutrient-laden blood to the cells throughout the body while transporting carbon dioxide and waste products away from the cells for ultimate removal from the body. The blood vessels within the body are the channels of this essential, life sustaining process.

If the work force, as in a nation, is the heart of economic development, then the blood vessels are a fundamental part of the substructure.

Is the new "Green", inconsiderate to noise?

"What we found on the top level is that these contemporary workplaces are just very quiet," said Powell, who is scheduled to present his study at the meeting of the Acoustical Society of America in Baltimore on April 19. "The mechanical systems are very, very quiet."

Add to that the fact that modern workplaces have no clacking typewriters, fewer hugging photocopiers and less noisy office equipment in general, and you end up with alot of silence. Story continues:

FuelCell Says Two Utilities Get Nod To Install Its Projects:

FuelCell Energy Inc said regulators have authorized two power producers to install the company's fuel cells at several University of California and California State University campuses. Story continues:

Forestry To Have Big Role In U.S. Carbon Plan:

Domestic deals to convert bare lands into forests and keep tree stands healthy could supply 60 percent of available offsets in any U.S. cap-and-trade plan on greenhouse gas emissions, a Barclays Capital analyst said.

The overall supply of domestic offsets could hit 250 million short tons annually by 2020, Trevor Sikorski, a London-based director of carbon markets at Barclays said in a research note.

U.S. forestry and agriculture projects could supply 150 million short tons of those offsets by 2020, the note said.

“Given the political importance of forestry and agriculture in the United States … (such) offsets will be included in any federal cap-and-trade system,” Sikorski said. Trees absorb carbon dioxide as they grow.

Story continues

Sustainability means more than green, it means business:

Building a more sustainable environment by preserving company benefits:
Regenerating and using reclaimed materials are key steps for preserving the benefits that companies receive from the natural world, such as clean water, healthy workers, and moderate weather.

Energy Autonomy is possible from a technical standpoint but remains still, an open political and economic question:

An unabashedly provocative look at renewable energy in countries from the United States, Germany, Denmark, China, Mali and Bangladesh, Fechner’s new film has attracted rave reviews and fierce criticism in Germany since it opened last week. Story Continues:

California Says Climate Change Law Won't Hurt Economy:

Annual state economy growth will be the same under the climate change law as it would be without it, officials said.
Read more:

Tribes key in renewable energy development

American Indian tribes have huge potential to develop renewable energy resources on their lands but first must overcome a number of challenges, namely financial, according to a report released Tuesday. Story continues:

"In shipping, there's been an information gap,"

About 85 percent of worldwide cargo travels by ship, and so it's no surprise that shipping is a major contributor to climate change. Read more:

EU Climate Chief Wants Europe To "Lead By Example":

"It is in Europe's own interest," EU Climate Chief said. "If we do it intelligently, it will enhance our competitiveness, strengthen our energy security, stimulate green economic growth and innovation, and by that we will create new jobs."

Solar technology innovators race to produce cheaper and easier to install solar cells.

New Energy Technologies, the same company that introduced harvesting energy from roadways, announced that they’ve reached the next development stage of a process for spraying transparent solar cells and their related components onto any glass surface.
Read more:

SunPower Sets 32 MW Supply Deal With Toshiba:

SunPower is one of the world's largest producers of the solar photovoltaic equipment that turns sunlight into electricity, and its modules are among the most efficient in the industry. Read more:

U.N. Meeting Moots WTO-Style Environment Agency:

"I think here in Bali, so little time after Copenhagen and that great frustration, the ministers responsible for the environment have found their collective voice again," he said. "That is something that the world should be very pleased with."
Read more:

Bloom vs. Solar: Which One Is Best?

Bloom Energy Thursday formally unveiled its energy server, an industrial-strength, solid-oxide fuel cell that can convert natural gas or other hydrocarbons into electricity pretty much on demand. Read more:

Something Fishy? Eco-Guide Lists Seafood To Avoid:

SINGAPORE - Love your seafood as much as the environment? A new guide to sustainable fish stocks in the Asia Pacific aims to help diners in Singapore enjoy their meals without harming one of the world's major marine ecosystems. Story continues:

Waste could generate up to 7 percent of electricity in Spain:

Researchers from the University of Zaragoza (UNIZAR) have calculated the energy and economic potential of urban solid waste, sludge from water treatment plants and livestock slurry for generating electricity in Spain. These residues are alternative sources of renewable energy, which are more environmentally friendly and, in the case of solid urban waste, more cost effective. Read more:

Agricultural Policy stimulus funding available:

The Governor’s Office of Agricultural Policy has announced the availability of applications for the 2010 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act On-farm Energy Efficiency & Production Incentives Program. Story continues:

Journal of Happiness Studies:

People who work hard at improving a skill or ability, such as mastering a math problem or learning to drive, may experience stress in the moment, but experience greater happiness on a daily basis and longer term, the study suggests.
Story continues:

The illusion of gravity -

A popular introduction to holography:

Raging Climate Debate:

Should We Geoengineer Earth’s Climate?

“Significant recent changes in Italy’s energy legislation provide the country with new opportunities to build on past successes”

said Nobuo Tanaka, Executive Director of the International Energy Agency (IEA) today in Rome at the launch of Energy Policies of IEA Countries – Italy 2009 Review. He highlighted that over the past five years, the Italian government had gone a long way towards addressing some of Italy’s considerable energy challenges thus strengthening the country’s energy security. “... Read more

40% off indoor gardening supplies:

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Fuss-free choices to make the change you wish to see in the world, while rejuvenating your body, home and environment!

Just because you're concerned about climate change doesn't mean you have to live in a yurt in outer Mongolia.

Renewables Standards

Analysis shows benefits of efficiency and renewables standards:

Vaccines matter

See why vaccines matter and how investments improve
medical care in poor communities.

Clearing the air: the use of bio-oxidation for industrial air emissions control

The wood products industry began rather ardous road to emissions control in the early 1990s with the first installation of a thermal oxidizer (an RTO) at a California MDF facility, for volatile organic compound (VOC) control.
During the ensuing years, virtually every panel board facility has had to control emissions of VOCs, and up until the last few years, always with some sort of thermal oxidizer-RTO, or a catalytic oxidizer.

The amount of natural gas that has been burned for...
Read more:

Timing of Seasons Is Changing:

The Earth's seasons have shifted back in the calendar year, with the hottest and coldest days of the years now occurring almost two days earlier, a new study finds. Read more:

Music from the Hope for Haiti Now telethon:

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DNA map could yield fuel

Sunflower DNA map could yield fuel:

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New Year

- New You in 2010: