Green jobs,green future and a green world

What is the answer to reducing unemployment and economic troubles.Invest in a Green economy.The world is in a difficult position and we see disasters in our banks,manufacturing bases.Green is not just good for our planet but also our pocket.Our interest in our environment may save the world in more ways than we thought.

What is better for the environment an artificial tree or a natural tree for Christmas

This is a question to ask yourself.Is it better for the environment if I buy an artifical tree or a natural tree?
Do we prefer plastic or the real deal?
Well I guess with an artifical tree...we can re use it every year and thats not waste..right?
Yet maybe we encourage waste with the box it was packaged in,the chemicals that were used in its manufacturing,the use of energy to ship it and the energy to make it and millions of others like it!
The natural tree has given us the benefit of growing it from a seed and helping the environment.Yet when we cut it down,it eventually dies and has to be destroyed,but we do have recycling options now.
Maybe the the best choice would be to re plant the tree in the garden or better still plant a tree and decorate the tree outside.
I think I would opt for a natural tree and at least the children can see nature in their home,even for a brief moment.Maybe there could be schemes where when we buy a natural tree,we can replace that tree with another one.

For those of you in the US why not go and look at this website!
http://www.livingchristmastrees.org

Recycling and Christmas

Christmas is a time for presents and unfortunately waste.When the market has gone out of recycling and many Local Authorities are having to hold on to our recycled waste,what can we do to help the situation.We've got very good at recycling over the years but all our good effort doesn't want to go to "waste".
When we go to buy our Christmas presents we can look for goods that have less packaging.We can re use Christmas bags that have been sent to us from Christmases past and we can make more cards,decorations.We can be very frugal.

Pres elect Obama switches the lights off

In an interview President Elect Obama is showing what a great example he is to the American people and the world as he switches off his lights,TVs and mobile charger at home and he intents to do an environmental review of the White House.Hurrah!!!
We can all do our bit and remember to "Switch it off and turn Earth on"
Go on do your bit!!.

Its beginning to look alot like LED Christmas as we switch to eco friendly lighting

The Christmas season is nearly here and its a time for many lights.Lets face it...we love our Christmas decorations and lights.This year has been a harsh one and thus we want to be cheered up.
Yet how can we celebrate Christmas without the fear of using too much energy and in turn it then affecting our environment.
Well a revolution is on its way.Its called LED and these little lights are the future for Christmas.They use less energy and last longer .They are very bright aswell.
When you are out and about look for the LED lights and brighten your Christmas this year the eco friendly way.

"Green growth"

The green economy: ten global facts


The London Array, planned for the Thames Estuary, could become the world's largest offshore windfarm.


A proposed tidal barrage over the River Severn could provide 5 per cent of the UK's electricity. It would cost £15bn and cut carbon emissions by 16 billion tonnes a year.


Barack Obama will invest $150bn in renewables, in the hope of creating five million new jobs in the US.


Abu Dhabi's Masdar Initiative, launched in 2006, will invest $15bn in global green energy. It will take eight years and cost $22bn to build Masdar City , which will rely entirely upon renewable energy.


Qatar is investing $150m in developing green technology in the UK.


There is one large-scale commercial tidal power station in the world - in Brittany, France. It has operated for 30 years without mechanical breakdown and has recovered the initial capital costs.


Consumer goods in Japan will soon be labelled with their carbon footprints. Producing a packet of crisps emits 75 grams of CO2.


Nine out of ten new cars in Brazil use ethanol-based biofuels. Flex-fuel vehicles make up 26 per cent of the country's light vehicle fleet.


Since 2006, disposable chopsticks in China have been taxed at 5 per cent, safeguarding 1.3 million cubic metres of timber every year. Green venture capital accounts for 19 per cent of China's investments.


The Australian government has invested $10.4bn in making 1.1 million homes more energy-efficient, creating 160,000 jobs.

Will we ever have an answer on climate change?

It seems that every week there is new research that is either saying "global warming" is man made or "global warming" is normal for climate change.
We have research that has said recently that the world has infact cooled over the last ten years and now there is more research saying that man made global warming may steer off a huge ice age.
I'm totally confused...are you?
We know that our climate changes.We have periods of warmth and periods of cold.It depends on many factors.There could be sun spots,solar rays,solar wind.There could be a slight move in Earths orbit,slight tilt.
We can't control the forces of nature.Yet we do know that we have contributed to global warming and that we have damaged our beloved planet.
Whats my attitude on it all.
Well I think that helping the environment can only be good.I think that if we think about recycling,saving water,saving energy....it helps .It makes us feel good and that in itself is a benefit.It makes us think.Waste is ugly and greedy.
Protecting our animals and countryside is beautiful.
So whatever the truth,protecting your environment is good for your soul.

Retail industry find environmentally friendly products excite consumers and save costs

"Green is good".It excites the consumer and saves the shops money on energy costs.
The increase in turbulent weather hasn't gone unnoticed by the general public.The general public are consumers who want to make a difference to their environment.They want to consume environmentally friendly products in an environmentally friendly world.They want to go to shops that have wind turbines,low energy light bulbs and recycled furniture.
This is a "win,win" situation for big and small companies.McDonalds want to attract new and dynamic customers.Wal Mart want to show that it does care about the planet and maybe these companies want to repair some of the damage they are responsible for.We'll give them the benefit of the doubt for now.
In Chicago ,USA McDonalds has recently opened a store with energy saving gadgets.It has high efficency applicances,pavement that filters rainwater(wow)and recycled chairs.It even has a garden on its roof!
At Wal Mart ,all new stores have highly efficent lights,sky lights and improved heating,cooling and refrigeration systems.
Wal Mart opened an energy efficient store in Beijing Wanging area at end of Oct.The Store has LED as a major lighting source,sliding glass doors are used in refrigerators and coolers to conserve energy and reduce carbon emissions.The entire store is equipped with motion senses to control lighting during non-peak hours.
Wal Mart is planning to re fit all of its 113 stores in China in three to five years.
It makes good business sense to introduce these environmentally friendly gadgets and gizmos.Soon it will become the norm everywhere.

The US election and the environment.

In the eight years of Bush being President we haven't seen much evidence of good environmental policies.Its sad really.The US can make a huge difference to our climate and they can make the changes that can help combat global warming.Yet the chance to make a change could be coming with a new President.
What do Obama and McCain offer the world on environmental issues? Its a bit unclear at the moment.
Yet the environment is serious stuff.If the next President of the US does the same as Bush,what hope have we got?
Our world is in need of a changing attitude.
We need hope for the planet.

Now will we listen as we melt the ice sheets!

How can we ignore the facts.How can we ignore the floods,droughts,storms and heatwaves.We are to blame,we are the cause of the melting of the ice sheets in both polar regions.
The Arctic has warmed sharply in recent years.The sea ice has melted in 2007 to a record low.Yet the Antarctica puzzled scientists.Its winter ice sea had expanded.Now a new study by the University of East Anglia has revealed that the Antarctica has also warmed by a few tenths of a degree and temperatures in the Arctic have risen by two degrees in the past forty years .The study compared temperature records and computer climate models and showed that warming in the polar regions could be best explained by a build up of green house gases and mainly from burning of fossil fuels.
This will cause sea levels to rise and many changes to our climate patterns.

Starbucks not so environmentally friendly ?

I wrote an article on how Starbucks were trying to do their bit for the environment but I did have a feeling that they couldn't live up to their promise.
The Sun newspaper in the UK has discovered that Starbucks has a policy where the staff have to allow their "dipper" tap to be turned on and flowing constant water to maintain health standards.
Well this is a total waste of water and very damaging to the environment.All their environmental projects can not undo the huge loss of water from their coffee houses each day.
What a disappointment.

Hawaii to become an example to the world on renewable energy

Hawaii is a place that I've always dreamed of visiting.It just seems so beautiful.It has a very special eco system.
Yet it is it has been dependant on oil.Why when it is surrounded by the ocean.Thats the problem and thats the answer to its energy needs.
Hawaii can use water,wind and solar and geo thermal to provide its energy needs.It has access to these and now the time is ready for change.

State energy agreement
The Hawaii Clean Energy Initiative, announced at a press conference by Gov. Linda Lingle, calls for:

» 70 percent of the state's power will come from clean energy sources and 40 percent from renewable energy sources by 2030.
» 400 megawatts of wind-generated power to be transferred to Oahu via undersea cable from Maui County. The cable would connect the power grids of Maui, Molokai, Lanai and Oahu.
» 1,100 megawatts of additional renewable energy will be added in the state, 700 of which will be implemented within five years. Oahu's current capacity is 1,700 megawatts.
» The state is currently paying $5-$7 billion a year to purchase imported oil, but Lingle said it is too early to tell how much the undersea cable will cost or what potential savings could be.
Source: State energy agreement

Changing bad habits into good ones

As its energy saving week in the UK its time to reflect on habits.How many times do we forget to switch off our TVs,Radios,CDs and leave them on stand by.Well nearly half of us do! Its a bad habit and hard to break but it can become a good habit.We just need to use the switch and turn it off.
What about plastic bags.
We need to think about using paper bags and recycled bags.This is becoming a good habit as I see so many people with cotton bags now when I go shopping.Infact everyone seems very proud of the fact that they don't want a plastic bag.
Its the same with washing our clothes.We can easily save energy and money if we use 30 degrees instead of 40.
Our bad habits become good habits and in the process we are all doing our bit for the planet.

UK is world leader in offshore wind

The UK has overtaken Denmark to become the world's number one for wind farms built offshore, with 597MW fully constructed. The achievement has been made possible after building work finished at Centrica's Lynn and Inner Dowsing wind farms near Skegness.

Offshore wind farms now have the potential to power the equivalent of around 300,000 UK homes. This follows the Prime Minister's announcement at the British Wind Energy Association's conference that the UK now gets 3 gigawatts of electricity from wind power.

Energy saving week in the Uk from Oct 20th to 26th.

Its Energy saving week in the UK and maybe we can take the time to think about all the energy we are using in our lives and cut it down.

10 ways to a more energy-efficient house

Eco hat

A rooftop gadget that uses warm air rising through the house to heat domestic water or re-circulate it through the home. Some types act as an internal chimney, capturing some of the heat from extracted air to be reused to heat incoming air.

Ground source (or geothermal) heat pump

This works by extracting heat from the ground and consists of a length of pipe containing water and antifreeze which is pumped around, absorbing the heat. The pump can cost from £6,000 to £12,000 but is able to generate £1,000 worth of electricity a year.

Air source heat pump

This exchanges heat with the air rather than the ground. A system costs about £7,500 but can produce £750 worth of energy a year. Grants are available from the Government's Low Carbon Buildings Programme for eco heat pumps and other green technologies such as solar, wind and hydro power.

Hydro turbine

People with streams or rivers on their property can use a hydro turbine, the most efficient of the renewable energy technologies. Up to 90 per cent of the water's energy can be converted to electricity. A small hydro turbine can cost between £4,000 and £10,000 depending on size.

Energy meter

A Wattson energy meter displays your energy consumption at any given time in terms of pounds per year for that level of consumption. This allows you to track just how much you are using and prevent catch-up bills from energy companies that may have previously billed on estimated usage.

Triple-glazed window

Double-glazing has been superseded by triple-glazed windows, with cavities filled with argon gas, which is a better insulator than air. Commonly used in Canada and Scandinavian countries, they are more efficient than traditional double-glazed windows.

Biomass burning boiler

These burn pellets made from compressed waste sawdust to heat water and provide central heating. They cost from £5,000 to £10,000 to install. But a typical system can produce up to £1,000 worth of energy a year and saves six tons of carbon dioxide compared to a traditional boiler.

Underfloor heating

Usually powered by ground source heat pumps, underfloor heating is more energy efficient than radiators. Because the floor has a larger space than a standard radiator, the water can be heated to a lower temperature than usual.

Solar-powered charger

For about £30 you can get a portable solar-powered charger to keep mobile phones, satnav units, laptops and other electronic gadgets fully charged.

Wind turbine

By installing a wind turbine on your roof, you can meet some of your energy needs. Although it can cost from £1,500 to £5,000, grants and long-term savings make this a viable option.



and what you should be doing already

Using energy-efficient lightbulbs

Turning down your thermostat by at least 1C

Switching to a green energy supplier

Making sure your home – including potentially wasteful areas such as the loft space – is well insulated

Turning off appliances such as computers and televisions when they not in use, rather than leaving them on standby

Using energy-efficient washing machines and fridge-freezers

Getting a free Home Energy check by logging on to www.energy savingtrust.org.uk

New Orleans comes back to life .

Solar panels adorn the new houses' roofs. Concrete columns hoist some homes several feet up off the ground, which remains vulnerable to flooding. Walkways of permeable concrete will allow rain to flow through, instead of pooling up; it's hoped that the material could end storm runoff and ease pressure on the city's pumping system.

Inside the homes, walls are sealed with sprayed insulation. The drywall is made without paper, so it will dry quickly and resist mold. Windows are made to withstand hurricane-force winds and don't need to be boarded up before a storm. The solar panels probably wouldn't survive a 200 m.p.h. wind, but the homes should.

"The idea is that families have a house to come back to" after a storm, said Make It Right's director, Tom Darden. "The difference between having to replace your solar panels or having to replace your home is night and day."



A key consultant in the Lower Ninth Ward project was architect William McDonough. His other projects include Ford Motor Co.'s River Rouge turf-covered truck plant in Michigan, and a building at Oberlin College in Ohio that produces more energy than it uses.

McDonough's adviser for the Lower Ninth Ward project is Katherine Grove, who said energy independence "doesn't have to be rocket science." There are three basic principles, she said: Make sure there's daylight in every room, insulate according to climate and reduce water loads.

Green homes don't have to be new, she said. Reusing materials is especially beneficial in urban areas so long as the building's shell is safe. Salvaging old windows and frames, for instance, can be an efficient and attractive way to bring light through interior walls. Old mantels and other ornamental touches can add beauty.

In New Orleans, Darden said, the new houses incorporate some tried-and-true design elements used in the area for generations. Ceilings are high. Windows can be opened to bring in cool breezes. Porches are shaded.

Added to that are the solar panels, and geothermal systems that can cool and heat using underground circulation.


About a mile from the Make It Right project is another energy-efficient residence, the first of five planned houses to be accompanied by an 18-unit apartment building and a community center. The Global Green Holy Cross project, like the Make It Right project, aims for energy self-sufficiency.

Birgitta Bisztray of Global Green USA takes visitors on tours of the house. All the electricity comes from the 28 solar panels on its roof, she said. And knowing their house will have power when storms knock out public systems is reassuring for residents, she said.

The second floor has a deck with city views and a garden.

Interiors feature nontoxic materials, such as paint with low VOC (volatile organic compounds) and natural-fiber carpeting. Bathrooms feature dual-flush toilets. Windows are double-paned. Appliances are Energy Star whenever possible.

Among those touring the state-of-the-art home are groups refurbishing some of the thousands of residences damaged by Katrina. A Brookings Institution study found that as of March 2008, the city was dealing with 65,000 blighted properties or vacant lots. It estimated that before the storm there were no more than 15,000 such properties.

Yet another project, about four miles from the Global Green house, involves about 100 homes being fixed up by a group called NOLA 100. It's funded by the Salvation Army, Clinton Foundation, AmeriCorps and Hope Has a Face.

From Freep.com

People Tree-Buy organic cotton and change the world

Conventional cotton takes up to 2.5% of the planet's cultivated land and consumes nearly 11% of the pesticides used globally.Of this nearly 23% of all insecticides,some of the most toxic of pesticides,is used on cotton.
Every year tens of thousands of cotton farmers and their families suffer serious damage to their health after contact with these toxic chemicals in the air they breathe and the water they drink,and the soil where they grow their food and graze their livestock.

There is another way
Organic farming promotes long term environmental protection.Through mixed cropping,using natural pesticides like neem and fertilizing their fields with organic matter,they can achieve long term sustainability.
What is more,farmers are paid a 30% premium for organic cotton.
Organic cotton farming allows farmers to escape from a cycle of debt which has driven many thousands in India to suicide every year.
It is easy to be part of the solution-support organic cotton clothing revolution,a movement that is growing 30% each year.

Go to www.peopletree.co.uk

The Credit Crunch and the Environment

Have you noticed that everytime you switch on your TV,Radio or Net all you hear or see is the "Credit Crunch".The media are going over time and loving every moment of it! Its another good reason to switch it off!
Yet on a serious note the Credit Crunch has wider implications.It can actually affect our environment.
Why? you ask.Well it means that the building industry is not going to expand into greener housing as its more expensive.Environmental issues are put to one side as people think about how they can sort out the financial situation first.Who cares about the planet when our money is involved...right?
The Credit Crunch is not only hurting the economies but it is hurting the planet.
We are at a time where we need to concentrate every effort into the environment.We can't afford not to be on the ball when it comes to our planet.

Thought for the day

"The ultimate test of man's conscience may be his willingness to sacrifice something today for future generations whose words of thanks will not be heard."

— Gaylord Nelson
former governor of Wisconsin, co-founder of Earth Day

Bottled water and the environmnent

I think its crazy to buy bottled water when in the western world we have safe ,clean drinking water.Yet there it is! In our shops,our schools,homes and offices.
Yet bottled water can create environmental damage.The bottles are plastic and unless we recycle them all,we just create waste.Yet getting a glass under a tap costs the environment less.
Also another reason not to buy bottled water is Africa and third world countries.Imagine if they had clean water by taps in their households.There we are with water following through our taps and we got to the supermarket and buy it bottled.....madness.
Next time you go to the shops and think about buying bottled water just think about these two facts and I guarantee you'll put it back.

World Environment Day

Mexico will host World Environment Day 2009 on the 5th June.
"Your Planet needs You-UNite to combat Climate Change".

Will man ever learn? The quest for oil at the expense of the eco-system

We all know that global warming is a reality.We know that the "Planet Earth" is getting hotter.We also know that the climate on our beloved planet has changing over millions of years.Yes we've had cold periods,we've had hotter periods and its all part of the ever changing Universe.I guess it would be boring if we never changed.
Yet what is different this time?
We are the difference.Yes us,mankind.We have caused an increase in global warming.Yes the planet was warming naturally but we have helped to increase the warming at a rapid rate over the last 10 years.Our pursuit of economic growth has lead to ice melting at a rate that has never been seen before.Ice is melting near Canada to a point where the eco systems will be changed forever and I'm afraid this time the damage will be for good.Ice that has remained in place for thousands of years is disappearing.
Yet what does mankind do? He thinks "great the ice has gone and more oil to plunder".The Canadian Govt is looking at ways to get to this oil and the same is happening in Alaska.
Wait a minute...isn't it all this plundering of oil that has lead to global warming? Are we not just going in circles? Are we that greedy,do we not care about our childrens futures?
Why aren't the Govts thinking of using wave,wind,bio-fuels,solar more? Strange?
In an era of banks collapsing because of their own greed,can we not see what we are doing?

Top hotel is all about being green

What we need are more hotels like the Fairmont Royal York hotel Toronto,Canada.
Chef David Garcelon grows herbs,tomatoes and edible flowers on the roof top harden on the 14th floor of the hotel.It even has a pear tree,apple tree and pepper plants.
This is producing local food!!!
Fairmont is proud of its green image.It is located in downtown Toronto.
I really hope more hotels will use their roof tops for producing food .What a great idea!!

Do we take our water for granted?

The United Nations proclaimed the period from 2005 to 2015 to be the International Decade for Action, "Water for Life," in response to what had been identified as a full-blown global water crisis.

When you turn your tap on,do you think about the water? Do you think about where it comes from? Do you care?
You should.
In many parts of the globe there is a water shortage.Water is precious to many.
When we think about what we can do for the environment we don't always think about the water we drink,the water we use to wash ourselves in,the water we use to wash our cars,gardens and everything else.
Yet if we are to help our own environment we need to think about "turning the tap" off,don't let it drip.We need to only fill up our kettle halfway and have more showers than baths.
We need to harvest our water.We need to use rain butts to water our garden.
We need to use low flow fixtures,dual-flush toilets.
The next generation of house builders need to include water saving devices in their housing projects.

Fancy a cup of coffee?

Starbucks can be found in nearly every high street in the world.Yet what is this coffee house doing for the the environment.This is a question you may ponder over sipping the 'White Chocolate Mocha with whipped cream'.
Starbucks has to be responsible for its environment.It has to offset its carbon footprint.Imagine all the trucks involved in transporting its coffee and goods and the energy it must be using in its shops and the waste it creates.
Firstly they encourage you to bring in your travel mug and you'll get 25p off the price of your drink.They also give you free bags of used coffee grounds for your garden.To be truthful I didn't realise that coffee was a good compost but I guess its natural.Its good for the roses and veggie!
They also have projects in Ethiopia.Since 2006 Starbucks has been working in partnership with CARE International to support projects that make a difference to coffee growing communities.They are supporting more than 1,500 households in the Gewgew Dingete villages of West Haraghe in Ethiopia.They are helping with their education,sustainable agriculture and water needs.
Starbucks also tries to promote local food in its stores.I hope that they do buy in local produce but its hard to know if this is what really happens.
How many large companies say they are doing this and that for the environment and then later we find out that they have froth all over their faces and have been exaggerating for their own benefit.
We know that the public are pushing for a greener environment and we also know that there is alot of money to be made out of the environment and thus companies that appear to care about the planet also have their own agenda and selfish motives.
Yet if a big company like Starbucks is helping in Ethiopia,then I say good on them and if they are trying to encourage us to bring in a travel mug,great and I think my roses could do with a bit of coffee compost.

Surfers paradise....I think not....huge waves in Australia

Australia is suffering from climate change in an extreme way.It has severe droughts,bush fires and storms and now huge waves are battering the Australian coastline.Yipee the surfers might shout but these huge waves have a force that is eroding the coastline at a fast pace.
Australia is one of the countries that needs to tackle its use of energy and reduce its greenhouses gases.It has one of the highest outputs of greenhouses gases per person in the world.
They could use these waves in a positive way to generate clean energy and then offset their carbon footprint.
Australia is getting the brunt of climate change and something needs to be done soon.

Does the internet make us greener?

When you turn your computer on .....you are using energy.This must be bad for the environment?
Yet the internet has actually helped in its own way to reduce the carbon footprint.We can shop on line,we can write e-mails,use social networking groups,we make less waste.
There is also a vital point of having the net.We can send clear messages to the world about what we can do for our environment.We can help change the world.
Hopefully there will come a time when we can have greener servers and greener computers.

Thought for the day

"Don't blow it - good planets are hard to find." ~ Time

Parties are letting us down on green issues in the UK

Now that the UK is heading for economic misery the three main parties have decided not to concentrate on environmental issues.This has been noticed.

The organisations, including Friends of the Earth, Greenpeace and WWF, call for "far greater leadership, vision and courage than we have seen from any of the three main parties in recent months". They add: "Despite continuing green rhetoric, we've seen a retreat on this agenda by politicians unwilling to advocate the crucial steps to tackle climate change and other environmental problems for fear of media criticism and electoral unpalatability."

I think that the parties are making a mistake with their voters and although we are of course worried about our futures ,we are also very concerned about our environment.I think the parties should use the environment as a "positive" step .It is something that we can control and improve on.The economy has its ups and downs but without our planet functioning...we won't have any economies left anyway!

Where does our recycling really go in the UK?

You know I spend alot of time each day sorting my waste and rubbish for my recycling bin.I wash the glass and tins and flatten the cardboard.Its actually "working" but at least I am doing something positive,productive and for our planet.It makes me feel good.
Yet I often wonder what happens to this waste when its collected every two weeks.Where does it go? Also I've thought "would people in the UK spend their time sorting out all the waste? Gosh it must be a hard job".
Well it looks like our Local Councils don't know what is happening to our recycled waste either...do they care ...or do they just want to get rid of it and look good.
I have heard stories before of refuse men saying that they just dumped the recycled waste in the landfill with all the other rubbish and I was horrified.Yet I believed this had been stopped.
Oh no it hasn't ...we've just moved the problem to India and Africa and other third world countries.Apparently our recycled waste is being dumped in landfills in India.This is a disgrace.We are being lied to.
This won't stop me for doing my bit every day but I do hope that the authorities "clean up their act".

Waste not Want not -Green hotels!

When we enter a hotel we normally find the lights on,TV on with our guest name,a fridge stocked and all the energy we need.In this changing world we now find that the idea of using all this energy when we go on holiday is very much a "turn off".We now want to experience a hotel that is eco friendly, that cares about its guests and also the planet.
We want to see light saving bulbs,recycling our waste,using the same sheets and towels.We don't want a fridge in our room stocked with wasteful items.We want to know that the water we use in our room will be done in such a way it is not wasted.We don't want all this waste when we stay in our hotel.
There is a increased desire to stay in hotels that care about the environment and there are hotels out there that are trying to do this.
Hotels are now aware of the need for change and as we demand that change we will see a change in the way we take our holidays.
Eco friendly hotels will become the norm.

Sports go Solar!!

The Arizonian Phoenix Suns want to be eco-friendly.They plan to use solar panels for their energy and thus decrease their use of energy equivalent to 26 home matches.Yeah for the Suns,way to go!!!!
They are using the car park area of US Airways Center for their solar panels and you know what it will make everyone feel better going to watch a sports event that is being eco-friendly.
The Suns installation will cost about $1.5 million but the team will receive a yearly rebate of $60,000 to $85,000 from the Arizona Public Service Co.
The project will not cost the team anything up front or lead to an increase in ticket prices.
Tioga Energy will be responsible for the maintenance of the solar panels over the next 20 years.The Suns pay Tioga a annual fee based on the amount of energy the panels produce.
The San Francisco Giants became the first baseball team to use solar power.The Los Angeles Lakers were putting more than 1,700solar panels on the roof of LA Lakers.
The Suns are also using green cleaning products and expanding their office wide recycling program.
Lets all cheer for the teams who are going solar and showing the supporters the future!! Good on them.

Native American Indians using green affordable housing

When we think of the Native American Indian we instantly think of "nature","harmony" and "respect of lands".
Wisconsins First Nations are taking the lead in developing a "green house" that would not harm the environment or waste energy.
Professor Sue Thering of University Of Winconsin Madison has worked with several American tribal groups that wanted affordable,energy efficent homes.
In Native American culture the home was the home to many generations of one family.Thus the idea has arisen that they can have one large house with less impact on the environment.Thering obtained a grant of $1116,000 from US Dept of Agriculture Rural Development Program to help.The energy efficent homes would use 100% recycled roofing,insulation and interior materials that would be durable and low toxic,windows would be high quality for energy efficiency.They are truly getting back to their "roots".Yet the project goes beyond building the houses,they wish to train builders in new techniques.
This idea is hoping to expand to other tribes and who knows where else it will lead?

A golden era for green housing

As energy prices increase it has a knock on effect.Its actually good for "green housing".In the 1980s we didn't seem to be bothered about saving energy and it was all about how we can progress,spend and achieve.
Today the climate is very different.We are sick to the teeth of rising energy costs and we are actually hostile to the gas,electric companies that are making vast amounts of profit while we pay through the nose.Well its back fired on all those greedy companies as we now turn our back on harmful energies and we realise we are destroying our planet and in that we want to make a difference.
It starts in our own home and demand for making our own homes energy efficent has risen and continues to rise.
The growth in green housing will be from 2% in 2005 to nearly 20% in 2012 according to the National Green building Conference in New Orleans.This drive for green housing is not just coming from the environmetalists but also the general public.
This is such a positive move.

Has Boris Johnson got any green bones?

Boris wants to make London the leading "green city".Is Boris really going to produce the goods !! Boris yesterday launched the London Climate Change Adaption Stratedy document.
Here it is in all its glory
Mayor launches 'world-first' strategy to prepare London for climate change


London’s Climate Change Adaptation Strategy outlines the impact that past and present carbon emissions will have on London’s climate. It shows that currently our city is not designed to cope with the predicted changes. The launch of the strategy comes weeks after the Government’s chief scientist advised that the UK needs to adapt to increased average global temperatures of four degrees.

By the end of the century, winters will become warmer suggesting a traditional white Christmas might happen just once in a Londoner's lifetime. The rising temperatures will mean new and exotic flora and fauna in London which are more commonly seen in Mediterranean climates.

Key findings of the report:

Currently we are not very well adapted to our climate – the impacts of the heatwave of summer 2003 (in which 600 people died here and 15,000 in Paris) and the floods of summer 2007 highlight how vulnerable we are to extreme weather today.
As the climate changes, London will experience warmer, wetter winters and hotter, drier summers, whilst ‘extreme’ weather events such as heat waves and tidal surges will become more frequent and intense.
Londoners will face an increased risk of floods, droughts and heatwaves that will endanger the prosperity of the city and the quality of life for all Londoners, but especially the most vulnerable in the city.
The strategy proposes ‘greening’ the city by improving and increasing London’s greenspaces to keep the city cool in summer, managing flood risk coming from the tributaries to the Thames and surface water flooding from heavy rainfall, encouraging Londoners to use less water and raising public awareness to flood risk.
London is well placed to help the world adapt to climate change: it has the skills and services to prepare for the predicted changes, and there is a clear economic opportunity to capitalise on this leading position.
The Mayor of London said: ‘We need to concentrate efforts to slash carbon emissions and become more energy efficient in order to prevent dangerous climate change. But we also need to prepare for how our climate is expected to change in the future.

‘The strategy I am launching today outlines in detail the range of weather conditions facing London, which could both seriously threaten our quality of life - particularly that of the most vulnerable people - and endanger our pre-eminence as one of the world’s leading cities.

‘London is not unique - all major cities such as New York and Tokyo are at risk from climate change. By producing this strategy, we put London in a position of strength.’

The Mayor launched the strategy at a visit hosted by the Environment Agency to the Thames Barrier – London’s most famous example of a structure designed to manage the threat of extreme weather.

Robert Runcie, the Environment Agency's Thames Regional Director, said: ‘London's world class city is currently protected from the increasing risk of tidal flooding by the iconic Thames Barrier, which will see us into the next century as the people and businesses of London move forward in adapting to meet the challenges of climate change.

‘We welcome the Mayor’s strategy and will be playing our part in helping deliver the solutions such as planning for London's future tidal flood defences.’

The publication of the strategy underlines the Mayor’s manifesto commitment to make London a leading ‘green’ city through effective, value for money programmes including an ambitious target to cut carbon emissions by 60 per cent by 2025.

This strategy will now be open to consultation with the Greater London Authority bodies – the London Development Agency, Transport for London, London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority, Metropolitan Police Authority – and the London Assembly although wider comment from organisations are invited. The Mayor will consider the responses submitted by these bodies and then publish a second version of the strategy for public consultation. The Mayor’s intention is to publish the public consultation draft of the London Climate Change Adaptation Strategy in 2009.

Interesting stuff..heh! The Major has now appointed Isabel Dedring as his green guru and she is known as a "smart ,tough,lean American"."don't mess with me" or my "green ideas".
Are the Green members of City Hall satisfied by her appointment.It seems to be ok as Dedring apparently wrote Ken Livingstones climate action plan and may have been the driving force behind the greening of transport,including hybrid buses.

Australian Labour Party promise to protect wilderness

The Premier Alan Carpenter has promised to develop a new conservation model to protect Woodlands,which is said to be home to 3,000 types of plants and hundreds of native animal species.This area is known as the Great Western Woodlands.
The Wilderness is becoming a "hot" election issue in Australia.
I am pleased to see that the Australians are also very concerned about their Wilderness and that Govts are waking up to the reality of protecting our natural,beautiful areas of the planet.
What a shame we didn't save more of our wilderness.

Obama and McCain who would Planet Earth vote for?

If our Planet was voting in the US Presidental Elections in November where would Earth cast its vote...ermm...I wonder?
Would it want a leader that would plunder the oil in its rich heart or a leader that would use wind,solar and water energy.
The real question that Earth would ask the new leader in the USA is "What are you going to do to help me".
Do we want a President that just wants to "take" or a President who wants to "give back".
Who can answer the question of Earth?
To me the one who can answer the question is the one who will use the energy that is the least harmful to our planet.

Thought for the day

"Do not wait for extraordinary circumstances to do good action,try to use ordinary situation"
Jean Paul Richter

President Bush becomes an environmentalist-WHAT!

President Bush isn't a man that many would consider as an "environmental champion" in fact quite the reverse.Though I guess even the White House isn't immune to the change in attitude towards our planet.
Infact what he is trying to do may be the most significant environmental act by any US President...shock...horror!
So whats it all about you may wonder?
President Bush wants to protect some of the Pacific Oceans most remote and unspoiled islands,coral reefs,atolls from fishing and deep sea mining.Bush used the Antiquities Act a few years go to establish the worlds largets Marine protected area near Northwest Hawaiian Islands.
The important issue is not just to designate these areas as monument or marine sanctuary but to establish these sites as "no take reserves" where no extractive activity is allowed.
Now would Bush go that far,lets wait and see.

Emirates is trying to be eco-friendly

Dubai based airline Emirates is going eco-friendly.
Really...you gasp!When we think of an airline ,we would think that green issues would be the last thing we would think of!
Emirates is to receive its first eco-friendly Airbus A380.They want to reduce energy consumption and waste internally and increase reycling.
HH Sheikh Al-Makoum,Chairman and Chief executive for Emirates Airline and group stated
"our environmental commitment began well before it was considered fashionable,when we sponsored the creation of Dubai Desert Conversation Reserve in 1997"

The airline added that it is hoping to lauch next year one of the worlds most environmentally ambitious conservation resort in 400 acre Wolgan Valley Resort Spa in the Blue Mountains in Australia.
The idea is to restore tracts of distressed farming land back to its native state.Sounds great to me!

Will China be able to keep its "green promise"

The Olympics has finished and China has shown the world that they can tackle their environment.Yet what will happen now when the worlds focus has moved from the Chinese shores and they go back to business.They will re open the factories and the cars will be back in Beijing.Smog returns.
We have already seen that China can create a cleaner Beijing and is building an ecocity but will the Chinese Govt be able to keep their green promise.I guess that to a certain extent they will try to.Yet China is a vast country with many issues.We can only hope and maybe the Chinese won't need to hold their breath again.