07 | August | 2013 | Indoor Air Quality Lab

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 8.7.13 share

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

CLIMATE

NOAA: 2012 shows climate change in record sea-level rise, Arctic melting, heated oceans (via Washington Post/AP)

Study questions nature’s ability to “self-correct” climate change (via Phys.org)

NOAA report says Arctic sea ice disappearing at unprecedented pace (via The Guardian)

2012 one of 10 warmest years on record, report says (via Los Angeles Times)

Investors see climate change as risk that influences decisions (via Bloomberg)

Climate change softens up already-vulnerable Louisiana (via USA Today)

EMISSIONS

EU carbon tops €4.50 on strong auction results (via Reuters Point Carbon)

NUCLEAR

Japanese government to help stabilize nuclear plant after leaks (via New York Times)

RENEWABLES

Grid-parity era now underway for global solar markets (via Renewable Energy World)

EU won’t impose provisional duties on Chinese solar panels (via Reuters)

Index shows global PV market upswing in June (via Solar Industry Magazine)

Europe explores floating wind turbines to expand offshore power (via ClimateWire)

Britain opens world’s second-largest offshore wind farm (via Reuters)

Rollercoaster policy threatens US wind energy’s record-setting pace (via CleanTechnica)

More homeowners going solar for electricity, but uncertainty and cost stops others (via Washington Post/AP)

GE abandons plans for largest US solar panel plant near Denver (via Denver Post)

East Bay cities announce streamlined process for solar permits (via San Jose Mercury News)

COAL

China’s carbon goal shows coal growth has peaked (via Reuters)

Kosovo groups ask for US help to stop coal power project (via Reuters)

Report: Plenty of growth for coal sector – in power plant decommissioning (via BusinessGreen)

The coal export bubble (via Sightline)

Wyoming dominates sales of coal produced from federal and Indian lands (via US EIA)

ENERGY POLICY

Mexico’s energy debate approaches fever pitch (via Forbes)

BIOFUELS

EPA gives refiners more time to meet renewable mandate (via Bloomberg)

EPA slashes this year’s cellulosic targets (via Greenwire)

Almost eight months late, EPA sets 2013 biofuel blend requirement (via The Hill)

EPA lowers target for cellulosic biofuels in gasoline (via Houston Chronicle)

US refiners, plagued by RINsanity, see “half step” on biofuels (via Reuters)

OIL

Interior Secretary tours Bakken Shale (via Grand Forks Herald)

Interior Secretary commends efforts to cut pollution in booming Bakken (via Houston Chronicle)

TRANSPORTATION

Your car’s “big data” is worth $1,400 a year (via Autoblog)

NATURAL GAS/FRACKING

Methane leaking in Utah suggests higher national rate (via Climate Central)

How much does a shale gas well cost? “It depends” (via Breaking Energy)

Controversial coal-to-gas plant shuts down six days after opening (via Indianapolis Star)

Chesapeake drops energy leases in fracking-shy New York State (via Reuters)

GRID

Smart meters to save Pakistan 100MW of electricity (via The Nation)

Utility executives: Major cyberattack on power grid is inevitable (via Houston Chronicle)

KEYSTONE XL

Keystone contractor probe energizes pipeline opponents (via Houston Chronicle/Bloomberg)

Inquiry into State Department’s environmental contractor could jeopardize Keystone XL decision timeline (via EnergyWire)

ENERGY EFFICIENCY

Are investors confident enough to invest billions in efficiency projects? (via Greentech Media)

GREEN BUSINESS

Will sustainability reporting standards change the way business does business? (via The Guardian)

Los Angeles gets first chief sustainability officer (via Sustainable Industries)

ENVIRONMENT

California governor struggles to win support for water plan (via Los Angeles Times)

OPINION

Trouble in fracking paradise (via SmartPlanet)

Bold leadership needed from US insurers to tackle climate change (via The Guardian)

Wind energy: curtailment by any other name would be ordinary (via Energy Collective)

Posted: | Categories: arctic, Bakken Shale, biofuels, Britain, Carbon market, Chesapeake, China, climate, Climate Change, coal, Coal export, Coal-to-gas, colorado, Curtailment, CurtailmentClimate, Cyberattack, denver, emissions, Energy Efficiency, environment, EPA, EU, EU ETS, European Union, fracking, fukushima, GE, global warming, green business, grid, Grid Parity, japan, Jerry Brown, Keystone XL, los angeles, Louisiana, methane, Methane leakage, mexico, natural gas, new york state, News, noaa, nuclear, offshore wind, oil, pakistan, Renewable Fuels Standard, renewables, Sally Jewell, Sea ice melt, smart meters, solar, Solar permitting, Solar trade war, State Department, Transportation, uk, united kingdom, utah, wyoming

0

3 House Plants that are Safe for Cats share

Having a hard time finding house plants that are safe for cats? I did a little research at my local nursery and rounded up a few good options!

We know that house plants can do wonders for indoor air quality, but finding house plants that are safe for cats can be tricky business. Many house plants, like pothos, are toxic to cats and dogs. If your cats are anything like mine, they love to chew on anything green, so choosing safe house plants is super important.

Plants that thrive in your typical house require only low to medium sunlight. If you're like me, plants that don't need frequent watering are a good choice, too. Finding a plant that met all three qualifications - grows indoors, is safe for cats, and doesn't need a lot of water - was tricky, but I managed to find three that got pretty close!

1. Peperomia

My phone's autocorrect was sure that when I searched for this plant I meant "pepperoni." This is probably my favorite of the indoor plants I found. The leaves are beautifully variegated, and the stems grow at a curve, so they look a little bit kooky. They need moderate light, so find a sunny windowsill for this guy. You want to water enough, but not too much, so stick your finger into the soil. If it feels dry more than 1" down, it's time to water.

2. Rex Begonia

I love the colorful leaves on this plant! They don't need much light to grow, which is perfect for my living room, which gets very little daylight. You want to be careful not to over-water these, so just keep an eye on them. You want to water when the soil feels dry, but don't just touch the top. Stick your finger into the pot to see if it's moist below the surface. If so, it's not time to water yet. They need humidity to grow, so put your pot in a tray full of gravel. The water runoff that collects there will do the trick.

3. Staghorn Fern

Staghorn ferns don't look like your typical fern, and from the reading I did on this plant, it sounds like finding one as small as I did might be uncommon. They don't need quite as much water as your typical fern, and it's best to wait until they get every so slightly wilted to water them. Staghorn ferns need indirect light, so choose a sunny windowsill for this house plant.

My cat has already tried gnawing on the staghorn fern, and since I haven't put them into clay pots yet, she knocked the light pot from the nursery right off the shelf. Cleaning up dirt is a bummer, but at least I know that these house plants are safe for cats, so she didn't hurt herself by chewing on it!

Posted: | Categories: Home+Decor, house plants, house plants safe for cats, indoor air quality, Living, pets

0

3 House Plants that are Safe for Cats share

Having a hard time finding house plants that are safe for cats? I did a little research at my local nursery and rounded up a few good options!

We know that house plants can do wonders for indoor air quality, but finding house plants that are safe for cats can be tricky business. Many house plants, like pothos, are toxic to cats and dogs. If your cats are anything like mine, they love to chew on anything green, so choosing safe house plants is super important.

Plants that thrive in your typical house require only low to medium sunlight. If you're like me, plants that don't need frequent watering are a good choice, too. Finding a plant that met all three qualifications - grows indoors, is safe for cats, and doesn't need a lot of water - was tricky, but I managed to find three that got pretty close!

1. Peperomia

My phone's autocorrect was sure that when I searched for this plant I meant "pepperoni." This is probably my favorite of the indoor plants I found. The leaves are beautifully variegated, and the stems grow at a curve, so they look a little bit kooky. They need moderate light, so find a sunny windowsill for this guy. You want to water enough, but not too much, so stick your finger into the soil. If it feels dry more than 1" down, it's time to water.

2. Rex Begonia

I love the colorful leaves on this plant! They don't need much light to grow, which is perfect for my living room, which gets very little daylight. You want to be careful not to over-water these, so just keep an eye on them. You want to water when the soil feels dry, but don't just touch the top. Stick your finger into the pot to see if it's moist below the surface. If so, it's not time to water yet. They need humidity to grow, so put your pot in a tray full of gravel. The water runoff that collects there will do the trick.

3. Staghorn Fern

Staghorn ferns don't look like your typical fern, and from the reading I did on this plant, it sounds like finding one as small as I did might be uncommon. They don't need quite as much water as your typical fern, and it's best to wait until they get every so slightly wilted to water them. Staghorn ferns need indirect light, so choose a sunny windowsill for this house plant.

My cat has already tried gnawing on the staghorn fern, and since I haven't put them into clay pots yet, she knocked the light pot from the nursery right off the shelf. Cleaning up dirt is a bummer, but at least I know that these house plants are safe for cats, so she didn't hurt herself by chewing on it!

Posted: | Categories: Home+Decor, house plants, house plants safe cats, indoor air quality, Living

0