Category Archives:Pollution

21
Jan

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 1.21.14

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

ENVIRONMENT 

China’s exports linked to western U.S. air pollution (via CNN)

Study finds handful of species most important to ecosystem health (via Mongabay)

NUCLEAR 

Japan says new leak detected at Fukushima reactor (via New York Times)

Texas company, alone in US, cashes in on nuclear waste (via New York Times)

RENEWABLES 

World can double renewables share at low cost, says report (via RTCC)

Germany’s offshore wind capacity hits 520MW (via Recharge)

4,000MW of new solar PV capacity added in Japan (via CleanTechnica)

India surpasses 2013 solar energy goal, adds 1GW to grid (via EcoBusiness)

Solar PV clipped Australia’s peak demand by 4.6% during heat wave (via Renew Economy)

Germany’s industrial base at risk if green energy shift fails (via Reuters)

A new way to harvest more light and make solar cells more efficient (via GigaOm)

Report reveals U.S. military’s renewable energy victories (via GreenBiz)

Study: Active power control of wind turbines can improve grid reliability (via NREL)

Explosive growth for California’s surviving solar firms (via San Francisco Chronicle)

New York PSC signals big changes to prioritize clean energy (via Breaking Energy)

OIL 

Domestic oil output surge puts pressure on decades-old export ban (via National Journal)

Price-rigging probes jammed by oil industry bid to protect its secrets (via EnergyWire)

TRANSPORTATION 

New data shows electric cars won’t be a problem for utilities (via Green Car Reports)

More than 25,000 Teslas on road as company sets sales record in 4Q (via Facts of the Day)

EMISSIONS 

China’s carbon markets risk missteps without transparent data (via Reuters)

Europe split over stronger pollution limits (via The Hill)

Europe energy investment seen at risk without 2030 carbon target (via Bloomberg BusinessWeek)

CLIMATE 

Soil microbes alter DNA in response to climate change, says study (via Yale e360)

Climate change: Don't get scared, get ready (via The Guardian)

As uses of biochar expand, climate benefits still uncertain (via Yale e360)

ENERGY EFFICIENCY 

Final specifications released for ENERGY STAR version 6.0 (via Energy Manager Today)

OPINION 

Buy green, sell stranded (via Slate)

Clean-energy experts offer Obama a path forward without Congress (via National Journal)

New research: How to move Americans on climate (via EcoAffect)

Washington is silent on West Virginia’s chemical spill (via Washington Post)

Posted:   |   Categories: australia, Biochar, california, Carbon market, China, climate, Climate Change, Ecosystems, electric vehicles, emissions, Energy Efficiency, energy star, environment, europe, EVs, fukushima, germany, india, japan, new york state, News, nuclear, offshore wind, oil, Oil exports, Pollution, renewables, solar, Tesla, texas, West Virginia, wind
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04
Jun

Energy and Environment News Roundup – 6.4.13

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

EMISSIONS 

Airlines agree to curb their emissions by 2020 (via The Guardian)

UK confirms backing for stronger EU 2030 emissions targets (via BusinessGreen)

Traffic gridlock grows in African cities, expanding once-tiny carbon footprint (via ClimateWire)

Hotels work together to standardize measuring carbon footprint (via Sustainable Business)

CLIMATE 

US and China intensify climate cooperation (via RTCC)

ENERGY EFFICIENCY 

Energy efficiency retrofits ramp up in China (via GreenBiz)

Energy efficiency firms are eating European utilities’ lunch (via Reuters)

Vehicle program to be stripped from Senate efficiency bill to shrink price tag (via E&E Daily)

COAL 

A little less coal in China – 6 ways it is lowering consumption (via Greentech Media)

RENEWABLES 

European Union backs down on China solar tariffs (via New York Times)

Climate change likely to thwart biofuel goals (via Houston Chronicle)

Harnessing India’s clean energy Tower Power (via Renew Economy)

Japanese solar industry soaring (via CleanTechnica)

Solar, biomass push out offshore wind in EU targets (via Reuters)

Could climate bonds become a major force in green finance? (via Environmental Leader)

States buffeted by turbulent wind industry (via Stateline)

State renewable energy laws survive repeal attempts – so far (via Midwest Energy News/Greenwire)

Interior Department to unveil plans for offshore wind leases (via The Hill)

Interior Department approves 520MW of renewables (via Greentech Media)

Solar executives okay with declining incentives in Colorado (via Denver Post)

OIL 

Russia joins forces with Scandinavia to finance Arctic oil rush (via Bloomberg)

Kinder Morgan to extend Eagle Ford pipeline (via Houston Chronicle)

TRANSPORTATION 

EVs are getting as cheap as gasoline rivals (via Los Angeles Times)

Nissan Leaf continues strong sales with 2,138; Chevy Volt moves 1,607 (via Autoblog Green)

EV sales in May on pace for 80,000 per year (via Facts of the Day)

Battery advice from Elon Musk: plugged in at full charge is worst thing to do (via San Jose Mercury News)

ENERGY POLICY 

Energy companies call regulatory changes their greatest threat (via Houston Chronicle)

House GOP dusts off energy bills to expand drilling, pipelines (via Politico)

Tea Party targeting Southern Company over solar and nuclear (via San Francisco Chronicle/AP)

Massachusetts launches green bond program to fund clean energy projects (via Bloomberg)

ENVIRONMENT 

China says rural environmental problems and pollution worsened in 2012 (via Reuters)

Extreme weather worsens US wheat production, cuts market share (via Bloomberg)

Severe storms bring more “weather whiplash” to US (via Climate Central)

NUCLEAR 

Worldwide capacity of small modular reactors could pass 18GW by 2030 (via Navigant Research)

Scientists say Fukushima radioactivity in seafood poses minimal health risk (via Phys.org)

Plans for Iowa nuclear power plant scrapped over design, cost concerns (via Des Moines Register)

NATURAL GAS/FRACKING 

Illinois must adopt fracking rules, hire experts before expanding drilling (via Houston Chronicle)

GRID 

Farmers oppose expanding Kansas wind power transmission line (via Topeka Capital-Journal)

POLITICS 

Sen. Alexander proposes “grand principles” for cheaper sustainable energy (via The Hill)

Billionaire Steyer to target Obama supporters in anti-Keystone effort (via The Hill)

OPINION 

3 reasons Chinese solar inverters are half the cost of American inverters (via Breaking Energy)

How to settle the US-China solar war (via Greentech Media)

Tesla was not, in fact, worse than Solyndra (via Grist)

What’s good for Arizona Public Service Isn’t Good for Arizona – or solar (via Greentech Media)

Posted:   |   Categories: africa, arctic, arizona, aviation, barack obama, battery, biofuel, biomass, carbon footprint, chevy volt, China, climate, Climate bonds, Climate Change, coal, colorado, Eagle Ford Shale, Electric Vehicle, Elon Musk, emissions, Emissions reduction, Energy Efficiency, environment, EU, European Union, ev, Extreme weather, fracking, fukushima, grid, Illinois, Incentives, india, interior department, investment, Iowa, japan, Jean Shaheen, kansas, Keystone XL, Kinder Morgan, Lamar Alexander, massachusetts, natural gas, News, nissan LEAF, nuclear, offshore drilling, offshore wind, oil, Pipeline, Pollution, radioactivity, regulation, Renewable energy portfolio, Renewable energy standard, renewables, res, Rob Portman, rps, Russia, Severe weather, Shale oil, Small modular reactors, solar, Solar tariffs, Solar trade war, solyndra, Southern Company, tea party, Tesla, Tom Steyer, transmission, Transportation, uk, united kingdom, Weather whiplash, wind
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22
Apr

Earth Day: The Never-Ending Fight To Save Our Planet

mother earth tree

Happy Earth Day greenUPGRADER readers!!

Can you believe this day of earth-friendly behavior and learning has been around for 43 years? It's hard to imagine there was a time, not so long ago, when people knew almost nothing about chemical pesticides and industrial plants were free to dump their waste directly into lakes and rivers.

Thanks to the hard work of Earth Day founder Gaylord Nelson, and millions who share his passion for a healthier planet, we've come a long way since then. Although we might not always like how well they're enforced, laws like the Clean Air and Water Acts ensure that we have at least some recourse against those who would treat our only planet like a landfill.

Sometimes, fighting to protect the natural world can feel like a losing battle. For those who believe we are meant to be stewards of this marvelous blue marble, it's important to remember how far we've come, how much has been achieved. Browse the infographic below for interesting facts and figures from the first Earth Day until now.

And then do your best to get outside today...enjoy the beauty of this amazing place we call home! Feel the wind in your hair and the sun on your face. Breathe some fresh air. It'll help remind you why we're fighting so hard to save it.

Earth Day graphic produced by the Kars4Kids car donation program

Top image via alicepopkorn/Flickr

Posted:   |   Categories: Activism, conservation, Earth Day, infographic, Kars4Kids, Living, Mother Earth, News+Opinion, Pollution
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21
Apr

Earth Day: Challenge To Live A Mindful LIfe

k4k earth day header

Happy Earth Day CrispGreen Readers!!

This Earth-centric holiday has been around for 43 years, and we've come a long way since the very first Earth Day gathering. Now this day of environmental learning and action is celebrated in 192 countries around the world, inspiring millions to consider their impact on our world.

Like most things in this world, Earth Day has become highly commercialized. Every company and organization uses it as a way to promote their product line or agenda, while in reality their actions do harm to the planet they claim to care about. The true challenge of Earth Day is to live a mindful life every day of the year.

Sure, we could have posted a round-up of green gadgets or cool technologies that utilize clean energy, but this Earth Day, we decided to avoid consumption all together. We can't buy our way out of the mess our planet's in. Instead, let's reflect on how far we've come, and how far we have yet to go in our quest to leave this planet to our grand children in inhabitable shape.

Let's think about meaningful actions we can take to reduce waste and be an example of planetary stewards in our every day life. Let's be the change we want, instead of just talking about it. How did you celebrate Earth Day? Tell us in a comment.

Earth Day graphic produced by the Kars4Kids car donation program

Posted:   |   Categories: Activism, Gadgets, holidays, infographic, News, Pollution
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