Home/Posts Tagged ‘environmental’
Posts Tagged ‘environmental’
Climate Change, Politics, Feb 6th, 2012,
Europe’s commissioner for climate action, Connie Hedegaard, has stated that the current model for economic growth is not sustainable and could result in a global economic crisis if continued. Hedegaard equated the current Eurozone crisis with a future one of global scale. She said that economic models based solely on production and consumption are a recipe for failure and only serves to encourage overconsumption. Furthermore, the environment must be taken into account and these issues must be comprehensively addressed at the upcoming summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The summit in Rio this June takes place on the 20-year anniversary…
Tags: Climate change, crisis, economic, environmental, GDP, global, growth, Hedegaard, rio
Health, Pollution, Videos & Documentaries, Jan 18th, 2012,
It may sound like a convenient excuse: it’s not my fault I’m fat, it’s all those common, everyday chemicals I unwittingly ingest through no fault of my own. That and all the burgers, fries and milkshakes I eat on a daily basis. But certain environmental, hormone-altering chemicals, which researchers call ‘obesogens’, may contribute to dramatic weight gain – especially when a fetus is exposed to them in the womb. If obesogens do cause obesity, what about fatty foods? Professor Bruce Blumberg of the University of California believes that both junk food and common environmental chemicals cause obesity, sometimes in tandem….
Tags: chemicals, environmental, fat, obesity, obesogens
Climate Change, Natural disasters, Dec 30th, 2011,
Happy New Year, everyone! Best wishes for 2012. Hopefully it will not be the year of environmental catastrophe that 2011 was. I don’t know about you, but I wouldn’t hold my breath, even if it would slightly reduce my own personal CO2 output. Let’s have a quick rundown of the stresses and bad headlines that dominated eco-news in 2011. Firstly: • The global population reached 7 billion. • The second worst nuclear incident in history occurred in Fukushima as the result of a catastrophic tsunami. • Greenhouse gases rose to record levels, Arctic sea ice went down and global temperatures…
Tags: 2011, drought, environmental, record, tsunami, US
Green living, Oct 21st, 2011,
The London 2012 Olympics is being touted as the “greenest games ever” – though I imagine a more accurate label would be the “greenest Olympics of the last few, relatively speaking”, which is just not as catchy. The London Olympic project is on the cutting edge of green innovation, however. Carbon emissions have been cut by 100,000 tons, wetlands restored and construction of largest urban park built in Europe for the last 150 years is underway. One green (or green-ish) project of London 2012 is an entire new neighborhood, called Strand East, being built by Swedish furniture empire IKEA. It…
Tags: 2012, consumerism, environmental, ethical, Green, IKEA, london, olympics
Uncategorized, Mar 4th, 2011,
Philip K. Dick’s 1968 novel Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? describes a darkened, post apocalyptic future where the majority of mankind has left Earth to settle colonies on other planets. Animals are either endangered or extinct, giving way to a burgeoning industry in artificial life. Both android animals and humans have become so life-like that it is next to impossible to differentiate them from the natural life forms they mimic. For a novel written as early as 1968, Dick seems to have envisioned, with much social commentary and metaphor, many developments that resemble what has already come to…
Tags: Blade Runner, Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, environmental, film, Harrison Ford, new, Philip K. Dick, Ridley Scott
Uncategorized, Sep 17th, 2010,
The Right Livelihood Award is a prize to honor, fund and promote those working against environmental damage, human rights violations and underdevelopment throughout the world. It is not a prize you would expect a head of state from a large country, which is currently at war, to win. The award began 30 years ago after founder, German-Swedish publicist Jacob von Uexkull, attempted to get another category for environmental protection added to the Nobel Prize. After being turned down by the Nobel Committee, von Uexkull founded the Right Livelihood Award Foundation, which gives out three prizes per year of €50,000 each….
Tags: alternative, environmental, German, Nobel, prize, Right Livelihood Award, Swedish, von Uexkull
Climate Change, Green living, Politics, Sep 11th, 2010,
There has been a lot of controversy about a much-publicized anti-Islam protest by a certain nutty preacher in the US, which was scheduled to take place today, on the anniversary of 9/11. But has anyone stopped to think about the CO2 that would be released if Terry Jones were to burn the Koran? What? It’s no dumber than everything else surrounding the planned burning of the Muslim holy book. And since everyone else has already said their piece, isn’t it time for a Green perspective? Sorry, it’s no laughing matter. Someone has actually already died in counter protests leading up…
Tags: Climate change, ecological, ecology, environmental, environmentalism, Green, Islam, Muslim, religion
Climate Change, Green living, Sep 8th, 2010,
Environmental writer and Guardian columnist George Monbiot knows a lot more about environmental issues than I do. But his latest article, ‘I was wrong about veganism. Let them eat meat – but farm it properly’, seems too much of a flip-flop: from advocating one ‘extreme’ lifestyle to going a bit close to absolving meat eating’s environmental damage, because theoretically, the livestock industry could be a lot more sustainable. It is admirable for a public intellectual to admit he was wrong and Monbiot’s article makes good points, gleaned from Simon Fairlie’s book Meat: A Benign Extravagance. But the issue was never…
Tags: environmental, farm, George, industry, livestock, meat, Monbiot, vegan, veganism
Climate Change, Green living, Sep 6th, 2010,
When I see old, but apparently perfectly functional refrigerators and other household appliances thrown away, left on the street or stacked in dumpsites, my gut reaction is to say ‘what a waste’. This may be a naïve or simplistic response to the issues of waste and efficiency, however. Sure, most people are probably replacing their white goods due to fashion, keeping up with the Joneses, or other less than environmentally conscious concerns, but older models of refrigerators or other appliances may also be far more energy inefficient than the modern versions they are being replaced with. Chalk one up for…
Tags: consumers, eco-friendly, environmental, fridge, German, Germany, refrigerators, replace
Climate Change, Nature, Pollution, Aug 29th, 2010,
Although the Mediterranean sea covers only one per cent of the world’s marine areas, it contains some six per cent of its marine species. Some of the world’s most endangered species, can be found in the Mediterranean. Fish stocks are down to 20 per cent of natural levels in some areas and the Mediterranean is now a net importer of fish. Today, 82 million people live in coastal cities; by 2025 there will be an estimated 150-170 million. The southern countries account for 32 per cent of the region’s population; by 2025 that is expected to have reached 60 per…
Tags: Climate change, coastal, ecosystems, environmental, EU, Europe, Mediterranean, sea, warming, Wildlife & Flora
Pollution, Science & Technology, Aug 28th, 2010,
A study in the Journal of Evolutionary Biology – aka Satan’s Bible – is providing insight into how different species react to environmental contamination. Scientists studying the effects of the 1986 disaster at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in the Ukraine on local populations of insects, birds and mammals have found that species’ success in terms of adapting to and surviving radioactive contamination is based on the ability to repair damaged DNA. What we have discovered is that when we look at the species in Chernobyl, we can predict, based on their substitution rates, which ones are most vulnerable to…
Tags: animals, chernobyl, contamination, DNA, environmental, species, Ukraine
Green living, Health, Aug 17th, 2010,
We’ve all got to worry about our environment, even refugees. Actually, especially refugees: they often live in squalid conditions with poor sanitation and lack basic resources. Environmental engineers at the University of Weimar in Germany are working on a solution to sewage problems at refugee camps by converting it into something else they need: fuel. No shit? Yes, shit. I’m thinking of using this biogas for cooking purposes. The energy could also be used for other purposes. Lighting is also a huge problem in refugee camps. Providing light at night would improve safety. –Eckhard Kraft, University of Weimar According to…
Tags: biogas, camps, Deutsche Welle, environmental, fuel, methane, refugees, shit
Climate Change, Politics, Aug 4th, 2010,
You might think you can do a better job than the UK government at cutting CO2, becoming more energy efficient and deciding how Britain should move towards a low carbon economy. Well the UK’s Department of Energy and Climate Change let’s you try it out – in a computer simulation, of course. The Independent’s environment editor loves it, as he explains in a recent article: Doing it yourself gives an unusual and vivid insight into the difficulties faced by real policymakers in grappling with our energy future. The software tool that makes it possible is called the 2050 Pathways Calculator…
Tags: Britain, carbon, Climate change, cuts, DECC, Department, emissions, energy, environmental, government, Green, Guardian, Independent, McCarthy, policy, power, schemes, UK, wind
Climate Change, Politics, Aug 2nd, 2010,
Since the environment and appearing to be green are increasingly in vogue, yet consumerism is more rampant than ever, a curious corporate, consumer and governmental culture is emerging. It’s the culture of ‘lets not and say we did’. For example, let’s go on about cutting emissions, but then expand offshore drilling. Or let’s make our corporate logo a green flower and then have the worst environmental safety standards among all large oil companies. Let’s call ourselves the greenest government ever and then cut environmental programs. Let’s fight climate change by moving manufacturing to the developing world where emissions are less…
Tags: bonfire, BP, China, consumerism, corporate, David, emissions, environment, environmental, government, greenwashing, Hayward, iPhones, let's not and say we did, logo, Mitchell, Tony
Conservation, Videos & Documentaries, Wildlife & Flora, Aug 1st, 2010,
Tony Oposa is an environmental lawyer who campaigns to protect the seas around Bantayan Island in the province of Cebu, Philippines. He is also on the board of trustees at the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) in Washington, DC. Oposa is fighting illegal fishing such as fishing using dynamite, which threatens the marine ecology of the Philippines. Many believe, including Tony, that his partner was murdered for his work in their organization, the Law of Nature Foundation. In the two hectares of the marine protected area we have right here, 2 hectares, right here in front, there are more…
Tags: Bantayan, environmental, fishing, island, lawyer, Oposo, Philippines, seas, Tony, video
Green living, Health, Jul 26th, 2010,
By now many of you have probably heard of ‘greenwashing’, the practice by which businesses or organizations present an environmentally friendly image without backing it up with concrete green credentials. BP’s green flower logo and ‘Beyond Petroleum’ slogan are blatant examples of greenwashing. Perhaps even more bewildering and maddening is the fact that the production of certain types of so-called biofuels can result in more greenhouse gas emissions and environmental destruction than that of fossil fuels. But what about actual green washing – as in cleaning our homes, clothes and bodies in environmentally friendly ways? According to a piece in…
Tags: cleaner, cleaning, ecological, Ecover, environmental, friendly, Green, greenwashing, home, products, vinegar
Climate Change, Wildlife & Flora, Jul 25th, 2010,
Butterflies in the UK are on the decline due to human activity and now the British public is being urged to participate in a nationwide survey called The Big Butterfly Count. During Save Our Butterflies Week – July 24th to August 1st – residents of the UK are asked to take 15 minutes to go out and count butterflies in cities, parks, forests and fields. But it’s not just because butterflies are pretty insects, they also play valuable roles in ecosystems and are seen as environmental bellwethers. From an article in the Guardian: Butterflies and moths are sensitive to environmental…
Tags: big, Britain, butterflies, butterfly, change, climate, count, damselflies, England, environmental, moth, survey, UK
Conservation, Politics, Videos & Documentaries, Jul 22nd, 2010,
The Economist recently featured an interview with ‘green economist’ Pavan Sukhdev on their regular segment ‘Tea with The Economist’. Pavan Sukhdev is a study leader for The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity study (TEEB), a report commissioned by the G8+5 and funded by the European Union. He is special advisor and head of the UN Environment Program’s (UNEP) Green Economy Initiative, also funded by the EU/EC and Norway. In the following video interview, Sukhdev discusses natural capital and economic as well as political solutions to preserving and encouraging biodiversity an environmentally conscious business practices. Pavan Sukhdev on the green economy…
Tags: biodiversity, capital, Economist, economy, environmental, Green, initiative, natural, Pavan, Sukhdev, TEEB, UN, UNEP
Climate Change, Conservation, Jul 13th, 2010,
The Prince of Wales, heir to the British throne, has founded an international project against ecological disaster, the International Sustainability Unit. Prince Charles has long been involved in environmental issues and warned last year that there were less than 100 months left to avoid irreversible damage due to climate change. The unit aims to address the depletion of the world’s natural capital by helping to create a consensus as to the best ways to enhance long-term food, water and energy security. –Spokesman for Prince Charles Besides climate change, other environmental issues close to the Prince’s heart include rainforest conservation, stopping…
Tags: Charles, Climate change, development, environmental, international, Prince, sustainability, sustainable, unit, Wales
Politics, Pollution, Videos & Documentaries, Jul 9th, 2010,
Due in part to the popularity of the environmental documentary film Gasland, the practice of natural gas extraction using hydraulic fracturing, alternately known as ‘fracking’ or ‘fracing’, has been the subject of much debate. The process of hydraulic fracturing involves drilling into shale reservoirs and creating fractures by pumping in water. The principle environmental concerns regarding fracking are the contamination of wells and aquifers with chemicals used in the drilling process, air quality issues and the mismanagement of solid waste. The spread of fracking for shale gas in the United States has already partially revolutionized the natural gas industry there…
Tags: environmental, Europe, European, frack, fracking, fracturing, gas, hydraulic, natural, oil, Poland, shale, United States
