Energy and Environment News Roundup – 2.26.13

A daily roundup of the most important energy, environment, and climate news from around the world.

NATURAL GAS 

Germany to approve fracking “with conditions” (via Phys.org)

Wild cards lurk in the speedy switch to gas-fired power generation (via EnergyWire)

EMISSIONS 

Alberta cancels carbon capture and storage project (via Huffington Post)

Falling nuclear and rising coal cause rise in carbon emissions during November 2012 for first time in a year (via Facts of the Day)

California carbon price surpasses expectations (via Environmental Leader)

RENEWABLES 

India nears renewables goal with 12.4 gigawatts added in 3 years (via Panchabuta)

More than 450 geothermal power projects underway worldwide (via Renew Grid)

Are banks backing away from solar projects? (via Greentech Media)

Solar-powered cell towers lead rural electrification (via Treehugger)

New England offshore wind planning offers lessons for Great Lakes (via Midwest Energy News)

States encourage and discourage renewable energy trading (via AOL Energy)

Massachusetts maps its solar energy future (via Renewable Energy World)

OIL 

High-stakes trial resumes over 2010 Gulf oil spill (via Houston Chronicle)

As oil spill trial opens, push for a deal continues (via New York Times)

Deepwater Horizon oil spill trial begins – how much will BP pay? (via Christian Science Monitor)

BP seeks to prove Gulf oil spill errors weren’t negligence (via Bloomberg)

Land grab cheats North Dakota tribes out of $1 billion, suits allege (via ProPublica)

CLIMATE 

Global warming and airflow changes “caused US and EU heatwaves” (via The Guardian)

New study links extreme weather to climate change (via Phys.org)

Feeding ourselves on a warming planet (via New York Times)

Southwest, Great Plains most vulnerable to water shortages (via Environmental Leader)

Study: climate change may dry up important US reservoirs like Lakes Powell and Mead (via Climate Progress)

Global warming worries California voters, poll finds (via Sacramento Bee)

KEYSTONE XL/TAR SANDS 

Report finds diluted oil sands bitumen not more corrosive than comparable heavy crude in pipelines (via Green Car Congress)

Alberta premier says climate change important to US approval of Keystone XL (via CBC News)

Flickers of life for clean fuels standard as oil sands plans form (via InsideClimate News)

GRID

FERC makes first Order 1000 compliance rulings (via Renew Grid)

The ant, the grasshopper, and electricity prices in New England (via New York Times)

JCP&L seeks to recover Sandy repair costs, deploy smart grid tech (via Renew Grid)

NUCLEAR 

US nuclear power on track for lowest production since 2000-2001 (via Facts of the Day)

Nuclear waste in the age of climate change (via National Journal)

TRANSPORTATION 

Tesla CEO says NY Times article reduced market cap by $100 million (via Bloomberg)

Variable utility rate plans will have little impact for electric vehicle drivers (via Pike Research)

COAL 

Utility settles with EPA, agrees to stop burning coal at three sites (via The Hill)

“Green” strategists now back coal trains (via Seattle Times)

ENERGY EFFICIENCY 

Power market transparency: money out of negawatts (via AOL Energy)

America: the worldwide leader in wasting energy (via Forbes)

Energy efficiency in Maine receives two powerful boosts (via CLF Scoop)

Boston mayor wants building energy reporting (via Energy Manager Today)

POLITICS 

Obama’s quiet strategy on climate change (via National Journal)

Lew: White House won’t propose carbon tax (via The Hill)

Bipartisan push to address climate change (via Politico)

OPINION 

Fight over gas exports is prelude to oil exports brawl (via Houston Chronicle)

Why the debt crisis has trumped the climate crisis – at least in DC (via Time)

What California can teach DC about climate change policy (via GreenBiz)

Divestment: the best solution for environmental justice (via Good)

Why innovation alone isn’t enough to win the climate fight (via Time)

What ARPA-E can’t do (via MIT Technology Review)

Spotted: DIY Mesh Grocery Bag from an Old T-Shirt

DIY Mesh Grocery Bags

Is your stash of reusable bags a little bit slim? If you've got an old t-shirt handy, you can turn it into a DIY mesh grocery bag super easily!

My very first reusable grocery bag was one of those crochet mesh ones. I got it at a health food store as a teen and felt so good about saying no to plastic and doing the family grocery shopping. The whole thing felt so grown up!

Over the years, I've built up a big stash of reusable bags, and I don't think any of them are that old school mesh sort that I remember from my teen years.

Those bags were great, though! You could shove them in your purse, because they got really small, but the mesh design meant they expanded to hold way more food than they looked like they would.

Want your own mesh bag, but don't want to pony up for the expensive crochet version they sell at the store? Delia Creates shows you how to make your own out of a reclaimed tee, no crochet skills required! All you need are:

  • an old t-shirt
  • pen
  • fabric scissors
  • sewing machine/thread or needle/thread
  • ruler
  • rotary cutter (optional)

Get the tutorial here!

Note: She says that you can use a straight stitch or a narrow zigzag, and I would definitely go with the latter, unless you're super skilled at sewing jersey. The zigzag gives that knit fabric more room to stretch, so you'll be less likely to have stitches break.