Energy and Environment News Roundup – 5.10.13

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

GRID 

North America boasts 95% of demand response projects (via Energy Manager Today)

Microgrids for military bases to surpass $377 million in annual market value by 2018 (via Navigant Research)

PacifiCorp continues high-voltage transmission grid expansion (via Renew Grid)

Nest aims to shake up residential demand response (via Navigant Research)

GREEN BUSINESS 

Global green trade to reach $2.2 trillion by 2020 (via Environmental Leader)

How are China’s overseas investments affecting the environment? (via WRI Insights)

Patagonia’s new VC fund to invest in trailblazing green firms (via GreenBiz)

An effort to thwart sale of Tribune Company papers to the Kochs (via New York Times)

RENEWABLES 

EU to hit 100+ China solar panel makers with anti-dumping tariffs (via Greentech Media)

Wind PTC secured for now, industry focuses on long-term growth (via Greenwire)

Unique floating wind turbine base could provide glimpse into future (via Bangor Daily News)

Doubling wind power could save Mid-Atlantic consumers $6.9 billion a year (via Climate Progress)

New Hampshire governor opposes Connecticut’s plans to change renewable energy standard (via New Haven Register)

Rate design matters: utility tariffs and solar project economics (via Greentech Media)

Big gust of new wind power coming Iowa’s way (via EarthTechling)

Illinois Senate backs Lake Michigan offshore wind study (via News-Gazette)

NATURAL GAS 

DOE using broad criteria to judge LNG exports (via Houston Chronicle)

CLIMATE 

Studies of the past show an ice-free Arctic could be in our future (via Time)

Countries finding new ways to address climate change (via Sustainable Business)

Prince Charles: climate change skeptics are turning Earth into dying patient (via The Guardian)

Is it time to abandon the 2-degree warming target? (via RTCC)

Obama Administration rolls out climate and health data tool (via The Hill)

GREEN BUILDING 

Green building now mandatory in Dubai (via Sustainable Business)

“Monumental shift” in US buildings sector may surprise you (via Greentech Media)

TRANSPORTATION 

2013 Nissan Leaf named “Top Safety Pick” in IIHS crash tests (via Autoblog Green)

Nissan Leaf moves beyond early adopters to cost conscious (via Forbes)

Australian researchers more than double EV battery capacity (via Autoblog Green)

OIL 

New blowout preventer mandates coming – but companies won’t have to comply overnight (via Houston Chronicle)

Oil industry: BLM preventing job creation by postponing oil, gas lease auctions (via Washington Post/AP)

BIOMASS 

Europe’s new biomass satellite will map Earth’s forests to calculate carbon stores (via Inhabitat)

Does burning wood instead of fossil fuels increase GHG emissions? (via Midwest Energy News) 

POLITICS 

Republicans boycott vote on Obama’s EPA pick (via Mother Jones)

EPA nomination faces some hard math (via The Hill)

McCarthy’s nomination in doubt, angering Democrats (via Politico)

Major Obama donors compare Keystone decision to outlawing of slavery (via Washington Post)

OPINION 

Conventional wisdom about clean energy is still way out of date (via Greentech Media)

Once more, with feeling: EPA is required to regulate carbon from existing power plants (via Grist)

Why you can’t talk about fixing the electric grid without talking about climate change (via Climate Progress)

Time to reconsider “baseload” power (via Midwest Energy News)

California’s new energy crisis centers on nuclear power (via Forbes)

Vegan Shoe Review: Patagonia Advocate

VEGAN_SHOE-01

Shopping for a vegan shoe isn't always a simple task, but PlanetShoes and Patagonia make it easy.

Disclosure: Patagonia and PlanetShoes sent me a pair of their vegan shoes for this review. All opinions are 100% mine.

Patagonia Advocate Week is back! Patagonia will donate $10 to the World Wildlife Fund for every pair of Patagonia footwear sold on PlanetShoes from March 21 - April 4. The WWF is the world's leading conservation organization with an admirable set of preservation goals for the coming years:

The world’s leading conservation organization, WWF works in 100 countries and is supported by 1.2 million members in the United States and close to 5 million globally. WWF’s unique way of working combines global reach with a foundation in science, involves action at every level from local to global, and ensures the delivery of innovative solutions that meet the needs of both people and nature.

Installing Camera Trap

WWF's expansive work includes the Tiger Survey Team:

Monitoring tigers and their prey is essential to achieving our goal of doubling wild tiger populations by 2022. By employing camera traps, tracking technologies and DNA collected from scat, WWF scrutinizes the progress of tiger populations in order to adapt our strategies and make conservation decisions based on strong science and field experience.
Photo credit: © WWF Indonesia/Tiger Survey Team

Ready to update your spring wardrobe with some eco-minded wares? Patagonia and PlanetShoes has just what you need!

Shoe manufacturing is rarely Earth-friendly due to the use of leather and synthetic materials, but vegan shoes offer a nice alternative for eco-minded or vegetarian/vegan folks. The best choice for a vegan shoe is organic cotton, canvas, hemp, or anything recycled (not leather). Opting for second hand shoes (or repairing the shoes you have) is another way to green up your footwear without harming animals and minimizing your environmental impact.

Vegan Shoe Review
An Eco-conscious company, Patagonia offers a wide variety of vegan shoes, not to mention almost all Patagonia footwear incorporates recycled materials. The Advocate Lace Plaid shoe boasts a recycled PET fleece collar and lining, a 15% recycled EVA insole, and a 20% recycled and durable armadillo rubber sole. And true to a vegan shoe, no leather or animal product is used in the Patagonia Advocate. A slip on shoe, the Advocate is cozy, cute and an easy choice for a camp shoe. The handy rear pull-loop makes it easy to slip these comfy shoes on and off, or clip them to your pack while you're rockin' your heavy duty kicks on the trail.

Overall I'm enjoying these shoes. Definitely casual and comfy, great for either wearing around the house like a slipper or cruising the streets of San Francisco. Small and soft, I can see taking them with me on trips as they pack easily or can be clipped onto my carry-on.

And for the fellas, Patagonia makes an Advocate for men.

Sizing
The Advocate line only comes in full sizes, so if you are a half-sizer like me you may want to order a size lower as they seem to run a bit big. I'm a 7.5 (but can occasionally wear an 8) and I ordered an 8. The fit is just a bit loose but doable with a sock. If you plan to rock these without socks than I definitely recommend going a size down.

Patagonia and the Environment
Patagonia has been one of my favorite company for years, from their awesome selection of outdoor gear to their committment to supporting environmental causes, it's a company that has earned my loyalty. A member of 1% for the Planet, Patagonia also maintains a high level of transparency about their manufacturing processes, so consumers are always able to make informed decisions when buying Patagonia products. You can read more about Patagonia's environmental initiatives on their site.

Check out the wide selection of Patagonia shoes on PlanetShoes and purchase by April 4 to support the World Wildlife Fund. And be sure to enter our $100 Gift Card Giveaway from Patagonia.

Vegan Shoe Review: Patagonia Advocate

VEGAN_SHOE-01

Shopping for a vegan shoe isn't always a simple task, but PlanetShoes and Patagonia make it easy.

Disclosure: Patagonia and PlanetShoes sent me a pair of their vegan shoes for this review. All opinions are 100% mine.

Patagonia Advocate Week is back! Patagonia will donate $10 to the World Wildlife Fund for every pair of Patagonia footwear sold on PlanetShoes from March 21 - April 4. The WWF is the world's leading conservation organization with an admirable set of preservation goals for the coming years:

The world’s leading conservation organization, WWF works in 100 countries and is supported by 1.2 million members in the United States and close to 5 million globally. WWF’s unique way of working combines global reach with a foundation in science, involves action at every level from local to global, and ensures the delivery of innovative solutions that meet the needs of both people and nature.

Installing Camera Trap

WWF's expansive work includes the Tiger Survey Team:

Monitoring tigers and their prey is essential to achieving our goal of doubling wild tiger populations by 2022. By employing camera traps, tracking technologies and DNA collected from scat, WWF scrutinizes the progress of tiger populations in order to adapt our strategies and make conservation decisions based on strong science and field experience.
Photo credit: © WWF Indonesia/Tiger Survey Team

Ready to update your spring wardrobe with some eco-minded wares? Patagonia and PlanetShoes has just what you need!

Shoe manufacturing is rarely Earth-friendly due to the use of leather and synthetic materials, but vegan shoes offer a nice alternative for eco-minded or vegetarian/vegan folks. The best choice for a vegan shoe is organic cotton, canvas, hemp, or anything recycled (not leather). Opting for second hand shoes (or repairing the shoes you have) is another way to green up your footwear without harming animals and minimizing your environmental impact.

Vegan Shoe Review
An Eco-conscious company, Patagonia offers a wide variety of vegan shoes, not to mention almost all Patagonia footwear incorporates recycled materials. The Advocate Lace Plaid shoe boasts a recycled PET fleece collar and lining, a 15% recycled EVA insole, and a 20% recycled and durable armadillo rubber sole. And true to a vegan shoe, no leather or animal product is used in the Patagonia Advocate. A slip on shoe, the Advocate is cozy, cute and an easy choice for a camp shoe. The handy rear pull-loop makes it easy to slip these comfy shoes on and off, or clip them to your pack while you're rockin' your heavy duty kicks on the trail.

Overall I'm enjoying these shoes. Definitely casual and comfy, great for either wearing around the house like a slipper or cruising the streets of San Francisco. Small and soft, I can see taking them with me on trips as they pack easily or can be clipped onto my carry-on.

And for the fellas, Patagonia makes an Advocate for men.

Sizing
The Advocate line only comes in full sizes, so if you are a half-sizer like me you may want to order a size lower as they seem to run a bit big. I'm a 7.5 (but can occasionally wear an 8) and I ordered an 8. The fit is just a bit loose but doable with a sock. If you plan to rock these without socks than I definitely recommend going a size down.

Patagonia and the Environment
Patagonia has been one of my favorite company for years, from their awesome selection of outdoor gear to their committment to supporting environmental causes, it's a company that has earned my loyalty. A member of 1% for the Planet, Patagonia also maintains a high level of transparency about their manufacturing processes, so consumers are always able to make informed decisions when buying Patagonia products. You can read more about Patagonia's environmental initiatives on their site.

Check out the wide selection of Patagonia shoes on PlanetShoes and purchase by April 4 to support the World Wildlife Fund. And be sure to enter our $100 Gift Card Giveaway from Patagonia.

Giveaway: Win a $100 Gift Card from Patagonia and PlanetShoes!

Patagonia Vegan Advocate

Once again the folks at Patagonia have teamed up with PlanetShoes.com for Patagonia Advocate week, and they're giving away a $100 Gift Card to one lucky Green Upgrader reader to help spread the word!

Patagonia Advocate Week

Running thru April 4th, Patagonia will be donating $10 to the World Wildlife Fund for every pair of Patagonia shoes they sell at Planet Shoes. The world’s leading conservation organization, WWF works in 100 countries and is supported by 1.2 million members in the United States and close to 5 million globally.

Started in 2010, the Patagonia Advocate Weeks program allows retail partners to support the 1% For The Planet non-profit organization of their choosing.

The Giveaway
If you enter our giveaway, we hope that you'll also consider making a donation to the World Wildlife Fund, in lieu of the one Patagonia would be making if you purchased a pair of shoes. The winner will receive a $100 gift certificate to use on Patagonia's site, so you can pick out any pair of shoes or Patagonia product.

Speaking of that giveaway, I bet you'd like to know how to enter! There are a few ways that you can get your "name in the hat." Please just make sure that you leave a separate comment for each thing you do, so that we can be sure to count all of your entries!

That's it! We'll announce the winner on Monday, April 8th, so hurry and enter while there's still time. Don't forget to check out our review of the Patagonia Advocate, an affordable and comfy vegan shoe.