Briefing: PV's bright future?
_0.jpg)
Window coating could be low-cost solar breakthrough
Price is still a real barrier to household-level photovoltaic power. But a special coated window glass, developed at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, could help crack that problem
Opinion: American Eye
Fired up over climate change, US students are turning up the heat on colleges’ green credentials. Polly Ghazi sees this driving a race for the top.
Briefing: Wheelie wins
_0.JPG){kind=spacer}
That most familiar of all zero-carbon vehicles, the bicycle, is to get £100 million backing from the government in a drive to promote its potential as an urban alternative to the car.
Briefing: Greening Whitechapel
_0.jpg)
City market leads the way in waste recycling
London’s bustling and colourful Whitechapel Market, selling everything from salmon to saris, has suddenly gone greener and cleaner – as the first market in the country to recycle nearly 100% of its rubbish.
Briefing: Transport of delight
_0.JPG)
GF tastes airship technology at first hand over London
A cleaner, more civilised flying experience than frenetic jet travel? Green Futures went on one of the world’s largest airships to find out.
Briefing: Line in the sand
_0.jpg)
‘Great green wall’ tree planting plan aims to halt spread of Sahara
African states all around the Sahara have signed up to an ambitious Great Green Wall Initiative to combat desertification.
Bin bounty
Louise Vennells August 18 2008, Local government, Policy, Waste & recycling
Councils to reward residents for recycling
Within months, UK residents could be cashing in on their recycling under a new scheme which has already encouraged Americans to go green on their rubbish.
Hydrogen takes to the water
Tom Bamford August 8 2008, Freight, Hydrogen/fuel cells, Shipping
Barge breakthrough on zero emission shipping
When transport secretary Ruth Kelly addressed the International Maritime Organization on the subject of the shipping industry’s huge carbon dioxide emissions, she might have drawn inspiration from an unassuming canal boat in Birmingham.
Beefing up biomass
Susan Gransden August 7 2008, Energy sources
Waste timber, sawdust, or even willow, could be powering your home in 2011 if you get some of your electricity from a new biomass power station in Lincolnshire.
Anaconda joins wave energy hunt
Julia Sussams August 6 2008, Wave power/tidal
The world’s largest snake, which hunts its prey in water, has given its name to a pioneering new device for generating electricity from waves.
Coal out for carbon count
Polly Ghazi July 29 2008, Americas, Carbon reduction, Energy issues, Fossil fuels
New plants “must set CO2 limits”, US court rules
In the latest salvo in the intensifying US battle over the future of coal-fired electricity generation, the state of Georgia has blocked construction of a major new power station...
Cool-off for coal
Jon Wallace July 29 2008, Carbon sequestration, Climate change, Fossil fuels, Policy
Halt plans for 'unclean' coal power stations, say reports
With no fewer than six current projects proposing to build new coal-fired power stations in the UK, it would be a bad mistake to approve any of them now, says Matthew Lockwood of the Institute for Public Policy Research (ippr).
Hailing the future
Julia Sussams July 23 2008, Hydrogen/fuel cells, Mass transit/Public transport
Hydrogen taxis get the green light for 2012
London’s aim of organising the “first ‘sustainable’ Games” has been given a further boost after plans were unveiled for a fleet of zero-emission hydrogen taxis, to be on the streets in time for the start of the 2012 Olympics.
Brand old
Clare Dowdy July 21 2008, Marketing, Re-use/refurbishment
Vintage has made it from the fringe to the high street, as big brands decorate their stores with reclaimed materials. But if you scratch the surface is there any substance? Clare Dowdy asks what we’re buying into.
“Science dictates that we need a 100% reduction in carbon emissions. Here’s how to achieve it”
Oliver Tickell July 14 2008, Carbon reduction
Oliver Tickell makes the case for controlling greenhouse gases ‘close to the source’ via a groundbreaking new worldwide permits auction.
2020 vision
Hannah Bullock July 14 2008, Energy sources, Solar energy/PV, Wind power
Government launches ambitious blueprint for alternative energy future
A government proposal to generate 15% of energy from renewables by 2020 paints a radically different picture of life in just 12 years’ time: solar panels on 7 million buildings, 3 million homes heated with biomass...
Bucking trends and breaking records
Jon Wallace July 11 2008, Biofuels, Sport
Green powerboat takes on the world – and wins
Pulling into the Spanish port of Sagunto a full 13 days, 21 hours and 9 minutes ahead of the official circumnavigation record, it was a case of around the world in 60 days for the crew of Earthrace, the hawk-like biodiesel-powered trimaran.
Reasons to be cheerful
Martin Wright July 11 2008, Climate change, Energy issues
"We've just seen the first big win in the fight to stabilise the world's climate"
Lester Brown finds cause for optimism on climate change.
And another thing
Martin Wright July 1 2008, Lifestyles, Transport & travel
“Like crying wolf when all seems quiet, it’s counter-productive to bang on endlessly about the dangers of climate change”
Faced with a mix of recession and a muddle of climate change denial, it's time to extol green joys, not taxes, says Martin Wright.
Letters
June 30 2008
"There’ll never be a more blatant example to show that, when needs must, it’s OK to put to one side all that guff about governments not interfering in the market."
Energy for change
Martin Wright June 28 2008, Awards & grants, Community energy, Solar energy/PV
Award-winning projects from Tibet to Truro.
Hang the DJ
Martin Wright June 28 2008, Entrepreneurship, Radio
Chantal Cook saw the future of radio. Now she broadcasts it on Passion for the Planet.
Shelter from the storm?
Mike Scott June 28 2008, Banking, Climate change impacts, Socially responsible investment
Mike Scott checks out green investment as a safe haven.
Whitehall Watch
Peter Madden June 28 2008, Budget/Taxation, Green government, Local government
Must sustainability always suffer from political short-termism? Peter Madden says it’s time to take the longer view.
Des res, future style
Marie-Louise Schembri June 28 2008, Architecture, Construction
The new look of tomorrow’s homes – Entec UK
Power without responsibility?
Dax Lovegrove June 28 2008, Carbon reduction, Corporate responsibility
Energy majors in the dock on climate change – WWF
Riding with the Rail Guru
Ed Gillespie June 28 2008, Aviation, Mass transit/Public transport, Railways, Transport & travel
Ed Gillespie meets The Man in Seat 61
“That’s good – it’s buying me a curry.” Mark Smith’s reaction to the first payment he received for ‘The Man in Seat 61’ is somehow typical of the man behind this pioneering train travel advice site.
Tomorrow's house today
Roger East June 28 2008, Built environment, Housing
Volume housebuilder showcases the zero carbon home
The ‘zero carbon home’ has become concrete reality. The Barratt Green House is the first new home built by a mainstream housebuilder which measures up to the strict sustainability criteria they’ll all have to meet by 2016.
Green borrowers afloat
June 27 2008, Banking, Finance, Green Futures partners, Socially responsible investment
Silver lining on credit for social business – Triodos Bank
Consigning carbon to captivity?
Neil Wilks June 27 2008, Carbon sequestration, Climate change impacts, Green Futures partners
A chance to lead the world on carbon capture – Yorkshire Forward
American Eye
Polly Ghazi June 27 2008, Americas, Behaviour change, Cars, Commuting, Consumption
$4 a gallon? It may seem peanuts to British drivers, writes Polly Ghazi, but in shell shocked America, soaring fuel prices are triggering a revolution in commuter habits, and a fundamental shake-up of the auto industry.
Editorial
Roger East June 24 2008
There aren’t many subjects on which I prefer Harry S Truman’s words to those of Oscar Wilde. But the former US president’s prosaic definitions – “a pessimist is one who makes difficulties of his opportunities, while an optimist makes opportunities of his difficulties” seem more helpful in these crunch times than the poet’s cry, “the basis of optimism is pure terror”.
Uncontained delight
Tom Bamford June 24 2008, Behaviour change, Consumption, Local food, Retail
Goods without wrappers catch on with shoppers
A shop in Islington is changing the way we look at packaging.
Great wall of light
Tom Bamford June 24 2008, Architecture, Built environment, Solar energy/PV
Chinese capital showcases solar powered LEDs
It might not be the biggest wall in China, but the Greenpix Zero Energy Media Wall in Beijing can lay claim to its own record.
Hybrids by retro-fit
Andrew Williams and Roger East June 24 2008, Cars
UK company's makeover approach could "convert conventional cars"
Can your current car boast the green credentials – and fuel economy – of a fuel/electric hybrid? If not, there may be a solution on the horizon, if a new conversion system lives up to its promise.
Redesign for living
Tom Bamford June 24 2008, Recycling, Waste management, Waste minimisation
Student design rethink takes on the compost bucket
Where would you go for inspiration on sustainable design?
One down, but one to go
Jon Wallace June 24 2008
Renewed optimism follows “bitter disappointment” over Lewis wind farm
It was a case of one door closing, another opening for renewable energy on the island of Lewis...
Where does the power lie?
Anna Birney June 24 2008, Behaviour change, Inspiration
People keep asking me about my job title. The ‘change’ bit isn’t the issue; the question is about what we mean by ‘leadership’.
Carbon pricing US style
Polly Ghazi June 24 2008, Carbon reduction
San Francisco pioneers emissions levy for local businesses
In the first measure of its kind in the USA, companies in California’s Bay Area now face mandatory fees for their carbon emissions.
Fast lane to sane lane
Tom Bamford June 24 2008, Carbon reduction, Cars
Local curb breaches German principle of limitless
autobahn speed
Fast cars are big business in Germany, but there are signs that the brakes are going on.
Coffin makers carry it off
Roger East June 24 2008, Awards & grants
Awards fete UK's greenest companies
Another sign of the interest in ‘green exemplars’ – the new Sunday Times Best Green Companies awards.
Boris beds in
Jon Wallace June 24 2008, Carbon reduction
Major tree-planting under way in capital as new research points to health benefits
Fresh from his victory in the London mayoral elections, Boris Johnson has announced a scheme to plant 10,000 new trees on the streets of the capital over the next three years.
Leaf service
Alison Winward June 24 2008, Eco-products & services, Innovation
Indian leaves bring new life to disposable crockery
They’ve been used in rural India for countless years, but ‘disposable’ plates made from leaves are now becoming a big hit on British dining tables.
Seagen tidecatcher makes its debut
Roger East June 24 2008, Wave power/tidal
Largest tidal stream power device in the world ready to launch
The innovative tide-harnessing turbine known as SeaGen is securely in place, linked up to the grid, and almost ready to start turning the rapid ebbs and flows of Northern Ireland’s Strangford Lough into green electricity.
The taming of the screw
Jon Wallace June 24 2008, Hydro electric
Ancient technology finds new application
Thousands of years after it was invented for drawing water out of ship hulls, the ‘Archimedes screw’ has been rediscovered as an efficient, low-maintenance and ecologically sound hydropower generator.
Real green promises
Tom Berry June 24 2008
When people know what I do at work, they tend to expect me to ‘know the answer’ to questions like: “Which is better, Fairtrade or locally grown?”
Special Publications
Expertise at your fingertips on every subject imaginable - for just 75p!
Quips
"All this ‘Buy One, Get One Free’, this ‘3 for 2’ stuff really winds
me up. It’s just a way of inflating prices to encourage excessive
consumption. We’ve come up with a really good alternative which
we’re very excited about. It’s called ‘Buy One – Get One’.”
14.2%
The proportion of its electricity needs that Germany got from renewables in 2007 – up from 11.7% the preceding year. The country's rapidly expanding renewables industry as a whole supplies 8.6% of total energy, employs over a quarter of a million people and is worth 25 billion euros to the economy.
"This book could not have come at a more timely or critical moment"
Will Hutton
Registered charity number 1040519