12 | November | 2013 | Indoor Air Quality Lab

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 11.12.13 share

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

CLIMATE

Countries look to lay foundation for global pact at climate change summit (via Washington Post)

IPCC corrects carbon figures in landmark UN climate report (via The Guardian)

Researchers find tie between global precipitation and global warming (via Phys.org)

A climate jolt to complacency on food supply (via New York Times)

UN climate deal must be “tailored” to fit US and China (via RTCC)

Climate change report depicts a planet in peril (via Los Angeles Times)

US Chamber urges support for bill to thwart EPA climate rules (via The Hill)

Your city council may be a secret climate change hero (via Greentech Media)

OIL

Shale’s effect on oil supply is not expected to last (via New York Times)

IEA says US to surpass Saudi Arabia as top oil producer by 2016 (via Reuters)

For OPEC, don’t call it a comeback (via The Hill)

In North Atlantic, world’s largest oil platform is getting a twin (via EnergyWire)

RENEWABLES

German wind industry says too early for panic on subsidy cuts (via Bloomberg)

IEA says China will lead renewable energy output boom (via Recharge)

India to invite bids for 1 gigawatt solar plant (via Bloomberg)

The secret, dirty cost of Obama’s green power push (via AP)

Tea Party’s green faction fights for solar in red states (via Bloomberg)

Ethanol producers nervously await EPA ruling on 2014 target (via National Journal)

Agriculture Secretary Vilsack: “I don’t know” if ethanol helps climate (via The Hill)

Turning point for renewable energy storage (via Navigant Research)

Veterans and the clean energy workforce: The opportunity of a century (via Greentech Media)

Vanderbilt proposes building energy storage into solar cells (via Renewable Energy World)

Legislative glitch means Illinois not meeting solar energy goals (via Chicago Tribune)

COAL

Report: TVA coal plants polluting groundwater (via USA Today)

ENERGY EFFICIENCY

Estimating appliance and home electronic energy use (via Energy.gov)

Planning for home renewable energy systems (via Energy.gov)

Home Depot will trade in your energy-wasting Christmas lights for LEDs (via Grist)

NATURAL GAS

US Northeast grows increasingly reliant on natural gas for power generation (via US EIA)

TRANSPORTATION

IKEA promises rollout of EV chargers at all UK stores by end of 2013 (via BusinessGreen)

EMISSIONS

Bay Area pledges to slash greenhouse gas emissions 80% by 2050 (via Mongabay)

GRID

Utilities, regulators seek truce in net metering fight (via Navigant Research)

Installed smart meter base will surpass 1 billion by 2022 (via Navigant Research)

OPINION

Why Obama can’t fix climate change (via National Journal)

The next big renewable energy innovation won’t be technological – it will be financial (via The Atlantic)

The case for ARPA-E: Government’s role in bridging the Valley of Death (via Energy Collective)

Climate change didn’t cause Supertyphoon Haiyan – but the storm is still a reason to fight warming (via Time)

The battle for FERC and the future of energy security (via Breaking Energy)

Posted: | Categories: ARPA-E, barack obama, Carbon budget, China, climate, Climate Change, coal, drought, emissions, Energy Efficiency, energy storage, EPA, ethanol, EV charger, FERC, global warming, grid, Home Depot, IEA, Ikea, Illinois, india, IPCC, LED, natural gas, Net metering, News, offshore drilling, oil, OPEC, renewables, saudi arabia, Shale oil, smart meters, solar, Subsidy, tea party, Tom Vilsack, Transportation, TVA, Typhoon Haiyan, uk, united kingdom, wind

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5 Thanksgiving Crafts from Recycled Materials share

Looking for some Thanksgiving crafts to get you into the holiday spirit? We've got you covered!

I think we sometimes lose sight of what Thanksgiving is really about. We get so stressed out planning our menu, making travel plans, and getting ready for house guests that we forget to slow down and give thanks for all of the wonderful things in our lives. I hope that these Thanksgiving crafts will be the handbrake you need to relax with friends or family, get your craft on, and share a little good, old-fashioned gratitude.

5 Thanksgiving Crafts

1. Create Simple Gratitude Decor

This is a project that you and the kids can work on together. Grab some stencils, upcycled paper, and a thrift store picture frame to create some sweet, Thanksgiving crafts to decorate your walls.

2. Hand Print Turkey Shirt

Older kids can help out with this wearable craft project, and they can learn about reverse applique while they do!

3. Grateful Bunting

Got some old jeans that are past their wear? Like, four pairs of old jeans? Use the back pockets to create some very sweet bunting to show you holiday gratitude.

4. Pine Cones of Gratitude

Head to the park with your kids to collect pine cones for this upcycled craft project. You can also use reclaimed paper, like security envelopes, in place of construction paper for more upcycled goodness!

5. Bottle Place Card Holders

Do you have a Frappuccino addiction? Dig those empties out of the recycle bin and turn them into beautiful place cards that double as keepsakes! I think this projcet would also look lovely if you used half-pint Mason jars or even an eclectic mix of glass jars from the recycle bin, don't you?

Do you have any fun Thanksgiving crafts in the works? I'd love to hear about what you're making in the comments!

Image Credit: photo by Bonnie Getchell

Posted: | Categories: Craft Recycled, crafting with kids, crafts for kids, DIY, holiday crafts, Thanksgiving, Thanksgiving craft projects, Thanksgiving crafts, upcycling

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