Let me say right up front that I’m a big fan of all things green, but I’ve been feeling a bit out of it lately when it comes to sustainability. I wrote a book or two about it, and proudly wear the term greenie. I got the solar panels, the Prius, and the compost heap – the whole green nine yards. But lately I’ve wondered if the tide had turned, the world moved on, and maybe I had fallen
With issues such as pollution, climate change and deforestation plaguing our planet these days, it’s no wonder that so many people are beginning to change their ways and habits to make more mindful, sustainable choices. Businesses are starting up green initiatives, consumers are demanding more environmentally-sound options and colleges
Renewable energy is undoubtedly a current issue; increasing awareness of the dangers of climate change, along with greater government involvement has made the prospect of renewable energy an incredibly exciting and attractive sector. What many people remain unaware of however is the scope of a sector named ‘renewable energy’ instead focusing on the
Over the course of September 9th and 10th, the members of the Zayed Future Energy Prize Review Committee were faced with the daunting task of shortlisting the top 50 candidates for the 2013 Zayed Future Energy Prize out of a record 579 entries. While this was my third year judging for the prize, it was by far the most challenging process, given the overall increase
The most important clean energy vote this year will not take place in Congress. David Roberts of Grist has it right. It will take place in Michigan.
In November, voters will have the chance to approve a ballot initiative increasing the state’s renewable standard to 25% by 2025.
A new company has emerged in the race for an answer to clean energy. Umpqua Energy, a start up company based in Medford, Oregon may have figured out a solution to damaging emissions produced by vehicles, factories, trains, and even power plants.
The company has made claims that it can reduce
I’ve been thinking about my up-coming meeting with Dr. Raj Pachauri, who, among other things, serves as the chairman of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). Pondering this in advance of the meeting, I wonder what I would do, given the power, to deal with climate change.
A new study has revealed the under-appreciation that exists for the role dams play in climate change; how the reservoirs behind them can cause surges of greenhouse gases as the water levels
My wife and I had dinner last night with fine friends, a married couple who never disappoint us with their conversation; they’re both extremely well-rounded and intelligent people who care deeply about the plight of their fellow travelers here on 21st Century Earth. But sure enough, the guy brought up a topic that I recalled from a previous conversation: wind turbines
In reference to my post on the lifecycle analysis (LCA) of wind turbines, a reader writes:
The LCA of fossil fuel (or nuclear) powered electricity production presumably shows a good return in terms of direct power out vs. power consumed. Until, that is, you start to quantify the externalities – pollution, climate impact, resource
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) just issued a troubling little news flash today …
July 2012 was hottest month on record for contiguous U.S. since record keeping began in 1895.
There are still quite a few people that don’t want to admit that human beings are altering the planet’s
Climate Counts has a simple, yet powerful message: “Everyday consumers can be the most important activists in the fight against global warming.”[1] And now, with their new open API, developers can get in on the action
In a recent op-ed in The Washington Post, James
Aging and diseased trees emit significant amounts of methane into the atmosphere, a phenomenon that may be contributing to global climate change, a new study says.
In samples collected from a forest in northeastern Connecticut, researchers at the Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies found that some
Climatologist James Hansen released a report today that suggests that the probability that this summer’s extreme weather events are caused by anything other than human-caused climate change is extremely low. It comes on the heels of Bill McKibben’s recent article pointing out that mean global temperature have exceeded the 20th Century average for 327