EU greenhouse gas emissions estimated to increase in 2010, but long-term decrease expected to continue
The European Union remains well on track to achieve its Kyoto Protocol target for reducing greenhouse gas emissions despite a 2.4 % emissions increase in 2010, according to first estimates by the European Environment Agency (EEA). The 2010 increase follows a 7% drop in 2009, largely due to the economic recession and growth of renewable energy generation.
The latest analysis of greenhouse gas trends in the EU was published by the EEA today in three reports which together analyse emissions levels since 1990 and look forward to the EU’s greenhouse gas emission reduction target for 2020 and beyond. They also cover progress towards Kyoto Protocol targets, early estimates for 2010 emissions levels and an analysis of drivers of emissions since 1990. Overall, EU emissions declined by 15.5 %.
Plant body clock observed in tropical forest research
Predictions of the ground-level pollutant ozone will be more accurate in future following research led by Lancaster University, published in Nature Geoscience. http://www.nature.com/ngeo/journal/vaop/ncurrent/full/ngeo1271.html#/access
Ozone is formed in the atmosphere when volatile organic compounds like isoprene – which is emitted by some plants – react with nitrogen oxides from car engines or industry. Ozone at ground level is very harmful to human health, may decrease crop yields, and is a greenhouse gas.
We have the technology to slash global emissions, say engineers
The technology needed to cut the world’s greenhouse gas emissions by 85% by 2050 already exists, according to a joint statement by eleven of the world’s largest engineering organisations.
The statement was presented on Friday 23 September to the South African Deputy High Commissioner ahead of December’s COP17 climate change talks in Durban.
Read more
New water quality science paves the way for improving river health in the UK
photo caption: River Eden, Armathwaite Gorge – photo courtesy of Eden Rivers Trust
A new river monitoring system to assist local communities to improve water quality of the River Eden in Cumbria and its tributaries goes online today.
Researchers from Lancaster University, Newcastle University, Durham University, the Centre for Hydrology and Ecology, Askham Bryan College (Newton Rigg) and the Eden Rivers Trust have installed 10 river monitoring stations to collect valuable data on river water quality that is available to farmers, local communities and anyone interested.
Solar energy sheds new light on charity funding
EOS Energy, the UK’s fastest growing solar developer and double winner at last week’s Renewables Awards, has launched a new scheme this week that will provide free solar PV panels for charities and not-for profit organisations called ‘Community Green’.
The scheme has been launched in collaboration with social entrepreneur Robert Ashton, who is a government advisor on social enterprise issues and has a micro-generator at his own premises.
Read more
Plastic Bag Bans Boost Sales of Reusable Promo Bags
The growing worldwide trend toward plastic bag bans is helping push sales of promotional bags into the billions, according to the Advertising Specialty Institute.
The bags are used to promote everything from local charities to major corporations. Bags accounted for 9.7% of all revenue from the sale of promotional products last year, or $1.7 billion, according to ASI’s 2011 State of the Industry report.
Zoos and Aquariums Fund Critical International Conservation Projects
The Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) today announced Conservation Endowment Fund (CEF) grants totaling $210,746 to be awarded to 11 projects.
“From tigers to turtles, a driving force in wildlife conservation, animal welfare and education has always been the scientific contributions of AZA members supported by the Conservation Endowment Fund,” said AZA Senior Vice President for Conservation and Education, Paul Boyle. “Scientists at AZA-accredited zoos and aquariums, along with their partners, continue to advance the care and conservation of wildlife.”
Pedego Electric Bikes Unveils New Products at Interbike 2011
Pedego® the electric bike brand known for sleek styling, comfortable designs and the finest in components unveiled their new City Commuter bike today during a press conference at Interbike 2011 at The Sands Convention Center in Las Vegas.
Eco-Adventurers Recycle Their Way Around The World
A recycled truck made from trash and powered by restaurant scraps arrives back in the UK after a two year around-the-world journey on Friday 9th of September. Andy Pag (36, London UK) and Christina Ammon (36, Oregon USA) have driven their “Biotruck” fuelled by used cooking oil which they scavenged from fryers along their 30,000km planet-circling tour across Europe, the Middle East, Asia and the Americas.
Rubbish king lays out the law
Love your rubbish – if you don’t give it due care and consideration, you could end up much poorer, and a criminal to boot, warns Jason Mohr, Britain’s king of waste carriers, the founder of AnyJunk.
With rubbish disposal in the spotlight as some local authorities start charging at tips, Mr Mohr said that as head of the country’s largest on-demand rubbish clearance company he was constantly being questioned about the regulations and legalities of dumping junk.
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Clever Solar Street Lamp Design Straps On To Existing Lights
[Technology]
A concept for creating extra light without extra electricity would brighten up city sidewalks. [TreeHugger Technology]
Zero Motorcycles sees huge sales increase, announces National Demo Day
[Transport] Filed under: EV/Plug-in, On Two Wheels, USA
Zero Motorcycles has come a long way since the company first showed up on our radar back in 2007, and has only seemed to gain momentum since then. In fact, it just announced a 240 percent increase in year-on-year first quarter sales. It's not been by accident.
Yes, it's hired some top executives from around the industry and taken advantage of good press opportunities. The company's also done a pretty decent job at reaching out to consumers. At last year's FIM/TTXGP race at Laguna Seca, for instance, it had a nice booth with a fleet of bikes on hand and gave hundreds of test rides to prospective customers. It was pretty impressive.
Mostly though, it's latest sales success comes down to product. Its line up has expanded from the initial Zero X dirt bike to a whole family of machines whose quality and specifications have improved with each successive generation. Not surprisingly, Zero believes the component that's been most improved is also responsible for its recent achievements. The latest ZF9 battery pack allows its S and DS models to claim a 114- and 112-mile range, respectively, (in the city) and that has translated into lots of cha-ching.
Indeed, not long after the 2012 bikes reached retailers, Hollywood Electrics claimed to have sold more of them in a few short weeks then it had all the previous model years combined.
If you'd like to see what all the fuss is about, Zero Motorcycles has announced a "National Demo Day" for the 19th of May at participating dealerships in the U.S. (you can click here to find one near you). Along with test rides, Zero will have factory reps at many locations available to answer questions and get feedback. Who knows, you may just find yourself riding one home. Scroll below for the official press release.Continue reading Zero Motorcycles sees huge sales increase, announces National Demo DayZero Motorcycles sees huge sales increase, announces National Demo Day originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Tue, 08 May 2012 13:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments [AutoBlog Green]
Odd little Mia Electric signs up for French car-sharing duty
[Transport] Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Transportation Alternatives, Europe/EU
Go ahead and hop on.
The three-seat minibus known as the Mia Electric is going to be used in a car-sharing program in France's Poitou-Charentes region on the country's west coast.
According to Technologic Vehicles, Poitou-Charentes Auto-Partage, the new car-sharing service, chose to use the Mia Electric after the region's government acquired about 30 percent of the company. Now, the government is offering subsidies for people who buy the car, which costs about 20,000 euros ($26,000 U.S. at today's exchange rates) but is eligible for 4,000 euros in rebates. The car-sharing service will start offering the Mia EVs this summer
Mia launched the electric minibus last year, offering three versions ranging from single-charge ranges of about 55 miles to about 80 miles. The company at the time said it had pre-orders for about 3,000 vehicles and planned on ramping up production to as many as 14,000 vehicles a year by this year.Odd little Mia Electric signs up for French car-sharing duty originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Tue, 08 May 2012 12:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments [AutoBlog Green]
Is it the Forone? Smart will start e-bike deliveries in UK this month
[Transport] Filed under: EV/Plug-in, SMART, On Two Wheels, UK, Daimler
Daimler's Smart division, best known for its ForTwo two-seat vehicles, will start deliveries of its battery-electric bikes in the UK this month after winning a Red Dot Design Award.
The bike, which was unveiled last year, has a 250-watt electric motor that can provide as many as 62 miles of range. The Smart will be available in two color schemes - the white with "electric green" trim that we've seen many times now and grey with orange trim, Smart UK said.
Last year, Smart estimated that e-bike sales in Germany alone almost tripled to 200,000 units in 2010 from 70,000 bikes in 2007. European e-bike sales reached 700,000 units in 2010. Smart also said in March that it would start selling its special-edition Brabus e-bike by the end of the year. That bike will have a 25-mile-per-hour top speed and an electric motor delivering 500 watts of power.Is it the Forone? Smart will start e-bike deliveries in UK this month originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Tue, 08 May 2012 16:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments [AutoBlog Green]
Bridgestone ratchets up "One Team, One Planet Spent" tire-recycling program
[Transport] Filed under: Green Culture, North America, USA
Burning rubber? Not on Bridgestone's watch.
That's what the world's largest tire and rubber company is saying by ratcheting up its tire-recycling program. Bridgestone Americas is looking to ensure that, by the end of the year, 100 percent of the used tires returned to its company-owned stores when new tires are purchased are recycled for other uses.
The effort is part of Bridgestone's One Team, One Planet Spent Tire program. In addition to enforcing recycling for its company-owned stores, the Nashville-based company will, next year, start pushing affiliate retail stores to recycle all used tires as well.
So far, the company appears to be pretty vigilant about its tire-recycling efforts, as it currently has a 98-percent tire-reusage rate at the company's 2,200 U.S. stores. That compares favorably to the 85-percent recycling rate for "spent" tires, according to the Rubber Manufacturers Association.Continue reading Bridgestone ratchets up "One Team, One Planet Spent" tire-recycling programBridgestone ratchets up "One Team, One Planet Spent" tire-recycling program originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Tue, 08 May 2012 17:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments [AutoBlog Green]
Fisker Karma to blame for garage fire in Texas?
[Transport] Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Hybrid, Fisker
All the Justin Bieber in the world doesn't seem like enough for Fisker to catch a break. First it was a 2012 Fisker Karma spectacularly crapping out on Consumer Reports. Now a Texas fire investigator has said that a house fire originated with the plug-in hybrid, according to AutoWeek.
The fire consumed the car while doing "substantial damage" to the garage and spreading to the suburban Houston home, but nobody was injured in the blaze. According to the report, two other vehicles parked in the garage, an Acura NSX and Mercedes-Benz SUV, were also damaged. Estimates of the extent of the destruction were said to be $100,000, not including the damage to the other cars - and we're assuming not including the Karma either, given that the six-figure car was a complete loss, according to the report.
The fire started within three minutes of the Karma being parked in the garage, after the owner said he smelled burning rubber. According to the report, the car had not yet been plugged in to charge. The Karma is said to be new enough that it was built after the battery recall, and the report indicates that the battery pack survived the fire intact.
Though the Fort Bend County chief fire investigator told AW that "the Karma was the origin of the fire," and that it resembled a golf cart fire, something that happens roughly 50 times a year in the area, the incident is still being investigated.
When contacted for comment, Fisker's response was to tell AutoWeek not to jump to any conclusions: "There are conflicting reports and uncertainty surrounding this particular incident. The cause of the fire is not yet known and is being investigated."
The automaker then went on to speculate about "fraud or malicious intent," stating that "fireworks were found in the garage" and that "an electrical panel located in the garage... is also being examined," according to the report. Fisker also told AW that it believes the car's battery pack "does not appear to have been a contributing factor in this incident."Fisker Karma to blame for garage fire in Texas? originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Tue, 08 May 2012 19:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments [AutoBlog Green]
Is Lea Michele Pushing Cory Monteith to go Vegan?
[Celebrity] Lea Michele is reportedly trying to convert boyfriend Cory Monteith into becoming a dedicated vegan. Read More [Ecorazzi]
Get the latest Eco-buzz from Climate Crunch
Clever Solar Street Lamp Design Straps On To Existing Lights
[Technology] A concept for creating extra light without extra electricity would brighten up city sidewalks. [TreeHugger Technology]
Zero Motorcycles sees huge sales increase, announces National Demo Day
[Transport] Filed under: EV/Plug-in, On Two Wheels, USA Zero Motorcycles has come a long way since the company first showed up on our radar back in 2007, and has only seemed to gain momentum since then. In fact, it just announced a 240 percent increase in year-on-year first quarter sales. It's not been by accident. Yes, it's hired some top executives from around the industry and taken advantage of good press opportunities. The company's also done a pretty decent job at reaching out to consumers. At last year's FIM/TTXGP race at Laguna Seca, for instance, it had a nice booth with a fleet of bikes on hand and gave hundreds of test rides to prospective customers. It was pretty impressive. Mostly though, it's latest sales success comes down to product. Its line up has expanded from the initial Zero X dirt bike to a whole family of machines whose quality and specifications have improved with each successive generation. Not surprisingly, Zero believes the component that's been most improved is also responsible for its recent achievements. The latest ZF9 battery pack allows its S and DS models to claim a 114- and 112-mile range, respectively, (in the city) and that has translated into lots of cha-ching. Indeed, not long after the 2012 bikes reached retailers, Hollywood Electrics claimed to have sold more of them in a few short weeks then it had all the previous model years combined. If you'd like to see what all the fuss is about, Zero Motorcycles has announced a "National Demo Day" for the 19th of May at participating dealerships in the U.S. (you can click here to find one near you). Along with test rides, Zero will have factory reps at many locations available to answer questions and get feedback. Who knows, you may just find yourself riding one home. Scroll below for the official press release.Continue reading Zero Motorcycles sees huge sales increase, announces National Demo DayZero Motorcycles sees huge sales increase, announces National Demo Day originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Tue, 08 May 2012 13:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments [AutoBlog Green]
Odd little Mia Electric signs up for French car-sharing duty
[Transport] Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Transportation Alternatives, Europe/EU Go ahead and hop on. The three-seat minibus known as the Mia Electric is going to be used in a car-sharing program in France's Poitou-Charentes region on the country's west coast. According to Technologic Vehicles, Poitou-Charentes Auto-Partage, the new car-sharing service, chose to use the Mia Electric after the region's government acquired about 30 percent of the company. Now, the government is offering subsidies for people who buy the car, which costs about 20,000 euros ($26,000 U.S. at today's exchange rates) but is eligible for 4,000 euros in rebates. The car-sharing service will start offering the Mia EVs this summer Mia launched the electric minibus last year, offering three versions ranging from single-charge ranges of about 55 miles to about 80 miles. The company at the time said it had pre-orders for about 3,000 vehicles and planned on ramping up production to as many as 14,000 vehicles a year by this year.Odd little Mia Electric signs up for French car-sharing duty originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Tue, 08 May 2012 12:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments [AutoBlog Green]
Is it the Forone? Smart will start e-bike deliveries in UK this month
[Transport] Filed under: EV/Plug-in, SMART, On Two Wheels, UK, Daimler Daimler's Smart division, best known for its ForTwo two-seat vehicles, will start deliveries of its battery-electric bikes in the UK this month after winning a Red Dot Design Award. The bike, which was unveiled last year, has a 250-watt electric motor that can provide as many as 62 miles of range. The Smart will be available in two color schemes - the white with "electric green" trim that we've seen many times now and grey with orange trim, Smart UK said. Last year, Smart estimated that e-bike sales in Germany alone almost tripled to 200,000 units in 2010 from 70,000 bikes in 2007. European e-bike sales reached 700,000 units in 2010. Smart also said in March that it would start selling its special-edition Brabus e-bike by the end of the year. That bike will have a 25-mile-per-hour top speed and an electric motor delivering 500 watts of power.Is it the Forone? Smart will start e-bike deliveries in UK this month originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Tue, 08 May 2012 16:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments [AutoBlog Green]
Bridgestone ratchets up "One Team, One Planet Spent" tire-recycling program
[Transport] Filed under: Green Culture, North America, USA Burning rubber? Not on Bridgestone's watch. That's what the world's largest tire and rubber company is saying by ratcheting up its tire-recycling program. Bridgestone Americas is looking to ensure that, by the end of the year, 100 percent of the used tires returned to its company-owned stores when new tires are purchased are recycled for other uses. The effort is part of Bridgestone's One Team, One Planet Spent Tire program. In addition to enforcing recycling for its company-owned stores, the Nashville-based company will, next year, start pushing affiliate retail stores to recycle all used tires as well. So far, the company appears to be pretty vigilant about its tire-recycling efforts, as it currently has a 98-percent tire-reusage rate at the company's 2,200 U.S. stores. That compares favorably to the 85-percent recycling rate for "spent" tires, according to the Rubber Manufacturers Association.Continue reading Bridgestone ratchets up "One Team, One Planet Spent" tire-recycling programBridgestone ratchets up "One Team, One Planet Spent" tire-recycling program originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Tue, 08 May 2012 17:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments [AutoBlog Green]
Fisker Karma to blame for garage fire in Texas?
[Transport] Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Hybrid, Fisker All the Justin Bieber in the world doesn't seem like enough for Fisker to catch a break. First it was a 2012 Fisker Karma spectacularly crapping out on Consumer Reports. Now a Texas fire investigator has said that a house fire originated with the plug-in hybrid, according to AutoWeek. The fire consumed the car while doing "substantial damage" to the garage and spreading to the suburban Houston home, but nobody was injured in the blaze. According to the report, two other vehicles parked in the garage, an Acura NSX and Mercedes-Benz SUV, were also damaged. Estimates of the extent of the destruction were said to be $100,000, not including the damage to the other cars - and we're assuming not including the Karma either, given that the six-figure car was a complete loss, according to the report. The fire started within three minutes of the Karma being parked in the garage, after the owner said he smelled burning rubber. According to the report, the car had not yet been plugged in to charge. The Karma is said to be new enough that it was built after the battery recall, and the report indicates that the battery pack survived the fire intact. Though the Fort Bend County chief fire investigator told AW that "the Karma was the origin of the fire," and that it resembled a golf cart fire, something that happens roughly 50 times a year in the area, the incident is still being investigated. When contacted for comment, Fisker's response was to tell AutoWeek not to jump to any conclusions: "There are conflicting reports and uncertainty surrounding this particular incident. The cause of the fire is not yet known and is being investigated." The automaker then went on to speculate about "fraud or malicious intent," stating that "fireworks were found in the garage" and that "an electrical panel located in the garage... is also being examined," according to the report. Fisker also told AW that it believes the car's battery pack "does not appear to have been a contributing factor in this incident."Fisker Karma to blame for garage fire in Texas? originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Tue, 08 May 2012 19:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments [AutoBlog Green]
Is Lea Michele Pushing Cory Monteith to go Vegan?
[Celebrity] Lea Michele is reportedly trying to convert boyfriend Cory Monteith into becoming a dedicated vegan. Read More [Ecorazzi]
Get the latest Eco-buzz from Climate Crunch
