During the last hundred years, the world has transformed into a new climatical era – where temperatures have exceeded global averages for 36 consecutive years.
We live in a world of more than 7 billion people, where carbon dioxide emissions every year reach more than 32 billion tons; more than 300 million megawatt of energy used, and environmental safety is no guarantee. (more…)
Each day we watch the slow grind of the forces that shape our world in terms of environmental justice. We ask ourselves questions that have no answers currently: How much of the Amazon rain forest will we be able to preserve? Will the migration away from fossil fuels occur in time to save the Greenland Ice Sheet? Will Chevron eventually be forced to pay for the devastation it caused in Ecuador? (more…)
Yesterday I was a guest for a 30-minute segment of “The Solar Fit Renewable Energy Show” — a weekly radio program coming out of WNZF in Daytona Beach, FL, during which I mentioned the need to rethink the way we regulate our energy markets from the ground up. Here’s another troubling consequence of our archaic approach to energy: the demise of providers of clean energy like “Clean Currents,” who promised to deliver electricity at a certain fixed price to thousands of customers, but who were unprepared for the spike in prices associated with the polar vortex.
Green cleaning is the cleaning process by which products and/or services are employed that exclusively feature environmentally friendly ingredients, as well as promoting naturally biodegradable compounds that do not cause skin irritations or breathing problems. Industrial-strength cleaning products are usually filled with chemicals that can create health problems through accidental exposure (via inhalation or exposure to the skin). (more…)
I’m delighted to note that the 392MW Ivanpah Solar Electricity Generating System begins commercial operation today. Solar thermal, aka concentrated solar power or CSP, has terrific potential to dominate the world of renewable energy if we can drive the costs down, and, over the coming decade, I believe we’ll experience exactly that. Solar thermal lags PV and wind by at least 25 years in terms of R&D, and I’m thrilled to see that the world hasn’t given up on it.
My heartiest congratulations to everyone who made Ivanpah happen, and best of luck for the future.
Bill McKibben’s and my position on the Obama administration’s approach to energy policy and climate change are identical. In a sentence: Obama can’t have it both ways; he can’t simultaneously be proud of the fact that we now extract and burn domestically (or, increasingly, export) more fossil fuels than at any time in our history, while claiming that he cares about the environment. And now, with his decision on the Keystone XL Pipeline looming, he will provide lasting clarity on his character. (more…)
Nowadays more and more people and institutions become really concerned about the environmental issues the humanity faces up every day. A lot of organizations were established in order to make people understand the importance of preserving the natural beauty and recourses. The fashion industry has always been blamed for being careless towards the nature. A lot of campaigns against the animal abuse and the fur used for making over expensive clothes. (more…)
Although electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles have been considered the only plausible alternatives to conventional cars for a long time, and practically all of the world’s biggest car makers have been investing heavily in these technologies, and governments around the world have been trying to promote the use of such vehicles by offering generous incentives and financial benefits to those who choose to buy an alternative fuel vehicle instead of a gasoline-powered car, adoption has been lagging and sales have not been as strong as the auto industry had expected. (more…)
There are many ways to go green. In fact, as consumers, we are at the most strategic position. What we consume and demand from manufacturers – today and for the coming years could affect how our planet will hold out in the future.
If you think that buying furniture does not strike a clear and direct connection with the environment, then think again. (more…)
