Editors' blog
Martin Wright, 15 Jun 2010
So just how clever is Barack Obama, eh?
There we were, puzzling over the waves of ...
Browse Green Futures Articles
How certified fish can transform communities
Andrew Purvis 2 September 2010, Fishing, Green Futures partners, Marine/coastal, Society & culture
In Baja California, the certification of red rock lobster led to major improvements to infrastructure for ten coastal villages.
What innovators can learn from... paint
Anna Simpson 31 August 2010, Behaviour change, Built environment, Consumption, Corporate responsibility, Innovation
With roughly 400 million litres sold in the UK each year, the environmental impact of decorative paint is significant. But this colourful industry can teach us a thing or two about real change, argues Anna Simpson.
Ecotourism project "repurposes" Albanian bunkers
Andrew Purvis 27 August 2010, Europe, Holidays, Re-use/refurbishment, Regeneration
In Albania, where 750,000 military bunkers are an indelible reminder of the Cold War, plans are afoot to turn symbols of hostility into hospitality.
The essential ingredients for smart retail
Sally Uren 27 August 2010, Consumption, People, Retail
Sally Uren, Deputy Chief Executive at Forum for the Future, whips up a sustainable brand salad.
How will we holiday in 2020?
Peter Madden 27 August 2010, Holidays, Travel plans, Visions & futures
As the English summer draws to a close, Peter Madden takes a tour of tomorrow's top holiday destinations.
Ecotourism drives jobs and reforestation in Costa Rica
Andrew Purvis 24 August 2010, Conservation, Eco-products & services, Forests, Green Futures partners, Holidays, Overseas development
A private nature reserve on the edge of the Volcán Tenorio National Park reinvents itself as an ecotourism hotspot, saving both the trees and the local economy.
Tug of war over climate change solutions in the US
Jonathon Porritt 20 August 2010, Americas, Climate change impacts, People, Politics
Staunch global warming denialists are pitched against military environmentalists in America's climate change debate, as green replaces red, white and blue. Jonathon Porritt muses on the perplexities of the US environmental movement.
Can we be too smart? What is the environmental impact of our growing appetite for ICT?
James Taplin 19 August 2010, Climate change impacts, Consumption, Corporate responsibility, Information technology, Science & technology
Our homes and workplaces are getting 'smarter', but how can we balance our appetite for ICT with a sustainable future?
Hydro power that's fish friendly
Julian Rollins 18 August 2010, Conservation, Energy conservation & efficiency, Fishing, Green Futures partners, Hydro electric, Innovation, Science & technology, Water
Small-scale, ecologically-sensitive hydropower could be part of the solution to our energy problems, Entec's Neil Webster tells Julian Rollins.
Don't jump too soon, Julie Hirigoyen advises future leaders
Katie Shaw 17 August 2010, Built environment, People, Women
Julie Hirigoyen, Lead Director, Upstream Sustainability Services at Jones Lang La Salle talks about her inspiring experience on Forum for the Future's Masters in Leadership for Sustainable Development – and what she's been up to since.
Next generation PV is smaller than small
Julian Rollins 16 August 2010, Awards & grants, Built environment, Innovation, Science & technology, Solar energy/PV, Urban
A surge in innovative design to capture sunlight could see all high-rise windows double up as photovoltaic panels, or glitter-sized cells painted onto any shape or surface.
Insuring the poor against climate disasters
Deborah Kirby 13 August 2010, Agriculture & Food, Banking, Insurance, Overseas development, Telecommunications
Leading edge technology combined with innovative micro-finance is, for the first time, offering the world's poor some protection against climate change. Deborah Kirby reports.
Over 50% UK farmers regularly online
Madeleine Lewis 12 August 2010, Farming/Horticulture, Information technology, Web directories & blogs
Social networking is the fastest growing web-based activity. Now, farmers are turning to chat rooms to share approaches to climate change.
Why businesses should take the long view: Ron Mathison, Finlays
Martin Wright 11 August 2010, Biotechnology, Energy conservation & efficiency, Energy sources, Fair Trade, Farming/Horticulture, Organics, Waste & recycling
The man in charge of global tea and flower producer Finlays tells Martin Wright about getting more life from the land for longer.
Sewage: the next source of clean energy?
Sam Jones 10 August 2010, Biofuels, Energy conservation & efficiency, Waste management, Waste to energy
Dutch scientists claim that a particular strain of bacteria could turn sewage plants into net producers of energy.
EVs surge in Japan, China, US
Sarah Zerback 9 August 2010, Carbon reduction, Cars, Energy sources
Highlights of a fresh wave of interest in electric vehicles: Japan's electric city, NASA's energy storage systems, and low-cost electric motorbikes.
From snake bites to solar lights: Sam Goldman is CEO, D.light
Martin Wright 6 August 2010, Eco-products & services, Entrepreneurship, Innovation, Inspiration, Social enterprise, Socially responsible investment
It started with a scary night in an African hut. Now it's a multi-million dollar business bringing solar electricity to the poor of rural India. Martin Wright meets Sam Goldman, CEO, D.light.
Major retailers switch off energy-hungry TVs
Michael Ashcroft 5 August 2010, Consumption, Energy conservation & efficiency, Lifestyles
A consortium of eight UK retailers have agreed to remove the least efficient television sets from their shelves.
Investment needed to spur UK microgen industry
4 August 2010, Green Futures partners, Microgeneration, Planning
There's no doubt that the UK has massive potential for microgeneration, but more research and investment is needed to get it off the ground – says the Energy Saving Trust.
New LED design targets domestic market
Michael Ashcroft 3 August 2010, Eco-products & services, Energy conservation & efficiency
Can a new design help the shift smart lights from the commercial sphere to the home?
A carbon tax for China?
Sam Jones 2 August 2010, Asia, Budget/Taxation, Finance
China's top economic planners are proposing a carbon tax to be incorporated into the 12th five-year plan.
Why clean energy isn't worthy
Martin Wright 30 July 2010, Awards & grants, Green Futures partners, Inspiration
From the highlands of Kenya to the Manchester streets, sustainable energy is attracting entrepreneurs. Martin Wright profiles the winners of this year's Ashden Awards.
East Asia's first LEED house unveiled
Sam Jones 29 July 2010, Asia, Energy sources, Housing, Standards
A green show home complete with PV panels and water recycling could be no more than a drop in the ocean for South Korea.
Are vertical farms the future of urban food?
Anna Simpson and Duncan Graham-Rowe 28 July 2010, Architecture, Farming/Horticulture
With more mouths to feed and increasing demands on land, Duncan Graham-Rowe asks whether high rise city blocks will be the source of tomorrow's supper.
Soil sequestration hotspots mapped
Roger East 27 July 2010, Biofuels, Carbon sequestration, Forests
When and where is it really smart to use farmland for energy crops? A UK research team is identifying the best UK locations for biomass crops.
An answer to the hydrogen storage conundrum?
Duncan Graham-Rowe 27 July 2010, Europe, Hydrogen/fuel cells, Innovation
French company McPhy Energy claim to have developed a way to store a lot more hydrogen at a lesser cost.
Now is the time to invest in a green economy, says Caroline Lucas
Anna Simpson 24 July 2010, Green government, Higher/Further Education, People
“We must not miss this window of opportunity”: Green Party Leader and MP Caroline Lucas tells Anna Simpson why now is a perfect time to invest in a low carbon economy, and calls for leaders in business and government to show real courage and commitment.
Kinetic energy converters step up
Julian Rollins 22 July 2010, Americas, Innovation, Microgeneration
With a $350,000 grant, the race is on to harness power from the slightest swish of a skirt, twist of a wristwatch or shrug of a shoulder.
Ireland's 3 billion euro bid for energy independence
Flemmich Webb 21 July 2010, Europe, Hydro electric, Wind power
A series of pumped hydro storage stations on Ireland's western coast could make the Emerald Isle greener still.
Can the South become climate-resilient?
Anna Simpson, Martin Wright and Roger East 20 July 2010, Africa, Asia, Communications/Reporting, Information technology, Organics, Telecommunications, Visions & futures
From solar power and mobile phones to hydroponics and GPS, low-carbon technologies are transforming the economic prospects of people in the global South. Martin Wright asks whether low-income countries are on a fast track to low-carbon prosperity.
Diving robot runs on renewables
Dixe Wills 19 July 2010, Americas, Innovation, Wave power/tidal
NASA is using ocean thermal energy conversion (OTEC) to power the world’s first unmanned underwater vehicle running solely on renewable energy.
A way forward for rooftop micro-wind?
Andrew Purvis 19 July 2010, Americas, Innovation, Wind power
Solar Aero Research has patented a bladeless wind turbine which poses no danger to bats and birds, and won't show up on ATC radar.
New life for Dutch dykes
Dixe Wills 19 July 2010, Conservation, Europe, Water, Wildlife
A plan to let sea water flow through the dams in a controlled manner could breathe new life into stagnant ponds – and generate energy.
Gasification system claims near 100% efficiency
Alex Johnson 19 July 2010, Americas, Biofuels, Waste to energy
A new system, developed by researchers at the University of Massachusetts, pioneers a built-in catalyst to maximise the amount of carbon monoxide and hydrogen produced.
Building trust in brands - without the labels
Anna Simpson 16 July 2010, Consumption, Green Futures partners, Retail
Everything from a packet of tea to a toilet roll carries a whole litany of assurances about provenance, impact, recyclability and so on. But, says Jack Cunningham,
Head of Climate Change and Environment at Sainsbury’s, customers are becoming weary of it all.
Google invests in clean energy
Lynley Oram 12 July 2010, Americas, Socially responsible investment, Wind power
A significant investment in clean energy by Google suggests it sees the renewable market as a key plank in its emerging business model.
Hot rock power predicted to rise 80% by 2015
Dixe Wills 12 July 2010, Asia, Energy sources, Pacific
Global growth in geothermal power has been steady, increasing by around 20% over the last five years. But with 70 countries reporting projects currently in hand or under active consideration, the industry is warming up.
Tokyo launches Asia’s first ETS
Julian Rollins 6 July 2010, Asia, Carbon offset/neutrality, Regulation
While Japan deliberates over a nationwide cap and trade scheme, the city of Tokyo has ploughed ahead with mandatory targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions – launching Asia’s first carbon trading initiative.
Augmented reality contact lenses: just a blink away?
Anna Simpson 25 June 2010, Information technology, Visions & futures
Augmented reality vision could leave the snazziest Apps in the past. You just pop in a contact lens embedded with hundreds of tiny semitransparent LEDs, and the day begins...
Forget organ donation, just print body parts
Anna Simpson 25 June 2010, Biotechnology, Health, Visions & futures
The first human vein has been successfully printed. How long before we see entire organs built from scratch?
Waterscraper: the answer to crowded cities?
Anna Simpson 24 June 2010, Architecture, Solar energy/PV, Visions & futures, Wave power/tidal
In response to our growing population and congested urban spaces, architects have come up with vast, self-contained underwater 'skyscrapers'.
New green paint halves its carbon footprint
Martin Wright 24 June 2010, Chemicals, Eco-products & services
Until recently, paint has been green only in colour. Now, with help from Forum for the Future, industry leaders are rethinking this ubiquitous product with sustainability in mind.
New skyscraper design seeks out sunlight
24 June 2010, Architecture, Solar energy/PV
The design behind these spiralling skyscrapers draws on phyllotaxis: the way branches twist towards the sun to maximise warmth and light.
Recycled paper cuts water use
Anna Simpson 22 June 2010, Consumption, Green Futures partners, Innovation, Recycling, Water
New efficient recycling process offers to reduce the paper industry’s water footprint, and produce stock that beats virgin pulp in whiteness.
Sustainable business: how to make the case
David Bent 21 June 2010, Sustainable accounting
Good environmental management has saved telecoms group BT more than $700 million. Clearly, there was a strong business case, which sharp-eyed analysis and financial tools helped to find. But for many corporate sustainability professionals, identifying that case is something like the quest for the holy grail. David Bent shares some lessons from the front line.
Under pressure: the company putting turbines in gas pipes
Andrew Purvis 17 June 2010, Innovation, People
"There's enough pressure in the world's gas pipelines to make every nuclear power station redundant." Andrew Purvis talks to Andrew Mercer of 2OC.
New device promotes smooth bus rides
Dixe Wills 16 June 2010, Carbon reduction, Mass transit/Public transport
Aberdeen is fitting its buses with a device which helps drivers reduce fuel consumption by informing them how efficiently they are accelerating, braking and cornering.
Benchmark set for new build
Charles Reynolds 15 June 2010, Architecture, Green Futures partners, Planning
Suave new offices in London embody a vision that could transform the construction industry – one which combines locally sourced materials, waste and water recycling, jobs and skills for the community, and maximum energy efficiency.
Why should the green movement be ‘at one’, says Jonathon Porritt
Jonathon Porritt 11 June 2010, Politics, Radio, Web directories & blogs
Can hotel towels save the world?
Stephanie Draper 10 June 2010, Behaviour change
The messages that encourage us to put the towel on the rack and not in the bath have been scrutinised by social psychologists. Stephanie Draper asks how we can draw on the insights to persuade people to do things differently.
Piezoelectrics to harness power from breath
Martin Wright 7 June 2010, Health, Microgeneration, Nanotechnology
A tiny nanoscale chip embedded in silicone sheets could harness kinetic energy from movements as simple as breathing, if planted near the lungs.
Anaerobic digestion embraced by Nestlé, Unilever
Andrew Kuyk 7 June 2010, Agriculture & Food, Communications/Reporting, Waste to energy
Coffee and Marmite are to be part of the solution as the UK’s food industry outlines ambitious cuts in energy and waste. Andrew Kuyk reports.
Car to run on hydrogen from water
Dixe Wills 3 June 2010, Cars, Hydrogen/fuel cells, Water
Cars could be made up to 20% more efficient just by adding water. Hydrogen, split from water, could be mixed with conventional fuel in a modern car engine, so you could go further on a single tank.
Scope for growth: scrap recovery
Sam Jones 30 May 2010, Re-use/refurbishment, Recycling, Waste management, Waste minimisation
Services that allow organisations to sell or give away surplus industrial wares are on the rise, with emerging demand for everything from trouser presses and pheasant feathers, to waste fuel oil residues.
Big brother is watching your health
Peter Madden 27 May 2010, Health, Lifestyles
Smart medical gadgets, governmental incentives and health-promoting foods: we are facing a new age of health care and awareness. Peter Madden, CEO, Forum for the Future, finds tomorrow’s pulse.
UK on course for zero carbon schools
Gail Purvis 21 May 2010, Carbon reduction, Metering, Regulation
Schools in the UK account for 9.25 million tonnes of CO2 each year – but a combination of renewable energy generation, efficiency measures and education to raise awareness of the real cost of energy could turn the tide.
Robots to make giant bricks from waste
Julian Rollins 21 May 2010, Re-use/refurbishment, Recycling, Waste management
The non-profit collaboration Terreform ONE (Open Network Ecology) has conceptualised a new generation of waste compacting ‘robots’ to put the vast quantities of municipal rubbish to good use – as giant bricks.
Electronic fashion lights up
Julian Rollins 20 May 2010, Fashion, Materials
Researchers at Stanford University have opened the gates for affordable electronic fashion that could see t-shirts charge your phone or redesign themselves before your eyes.
Why game-changers will win out
Dax Lovegrove 20 May 2010, Behaviour change, Green Futures partners, Web directories & blogs
Radical newcomers are running between the slow feet of big business. Dax Lovegrove has some clues on keeping up.
Patriarchal leadership has lost all relevance, says Toby Sawday
Katie Shaw 17 May 2010, Entrepreneurship, People, Professional development, Skills & training
Toby Sawday, Managing Director of Alastair Sawday Publishing, looks back on his baptism of fire in applied leadership, when he took over his family business as a graduate of Forum for the Future's Masters in Leadership for Sustainable Development.
EV batteries: zero to 80% in just 15 minutes
Roger East 17 May 2010, Cars, Eco-products & services
Fast-charge stations developed by the Tokyo Electric Power Company can boost an EV battery back up to 80% capacity from flat in just 15 minutes.
New UK fund boosts wave and tidal
Anna Simpson 14 May 2010, Marine/coastal, Wave power/tidal
£22 million fund gives head start to the UK's six most promising marine projects.
Tornado spurs plans for sustainable towns
14 May 2010, Americas, Regeneration
When a tornado wiped the small town of Greensburg off the map of Kansas, it unleashed a wave of green renewal. So can it sweep across America? Jessica Forres reports.
Plant to generate electricity from municipal waste
Alex Johnson 12 May 2010, Hydrogen/fuel cells, Waste to energy
The world’s first power plant that converts rubbish into gas for use in advanced fuel cells could begin construction in the UK as early as next year.
Europe's capitals warm up to EVs
Roger East 12 May 2010, Cars, Europe, Planning
Easy to use, easy to find infrastructure will be the key to success for electric cars. London and Amsterdam commit to the challenge.
Biowaste plant for greener scotch
Duncan Graham-Rowe 11 May 2010, Biofuels, Community energy, Innovation, Waste to energy, Water
Bruichladdich Distillery plans to build anaerobic digesters that convert waste into electricity, making Islay self-sufficient in renewable energy.
Study finds that echinoderms capture up to 2% of annual human CO2 emissions
Katie Shaw 6 May 2010, Biodiversity, Natural world & resources
Starfish, urchins, sea cucumbers and other echinoderms capture up to 2% of annual human CO2 emissions, according to a study lead by Mario Lebrato at the National Oceanography Centre, Southampton.
Is the UK missing out on sustainable public services?
Helen Clarkson 6 May 2010, Regulation
When it comes to health care, housing and transport, there's plenty of leading practice to emulate – but the UK seems stuck on compliance. As spending cuts loom, can the sector step up? Helen Clarkson makes the case.
Managing peat to sink carbon
Robin Tucker 6 May 2010, Conservation, Green Futures partners, Wetlands
Land demands are putting pressure on peat - one of nature's most effective carbon sinks. Can green farming schemes make preservation pay?
Are lasers the answer for nuclear fusion?
Duncan Graham-Rowe 4 May 2010, Nuclear power, Science & technology
The first fusion reactor could ignite later this year, thanks to a breakthrough in laser technology at NIF, California.
CO2: the new green fuel?
Duncan Graham-Rowe 4 May 2010, Energy sources, Innovation, Science & technology
Imagine a green fuel that could power our cars, keep the wheels of industry turning, and wean us off our addiction to oil. A fuel that could stop climate change in its tracks, and send carbon levels plunging to pre-industrial levels. A fuel that allows business as usual to carry on as before – emissions and all. Because that fuel is… CO2.
Exclusive interview with Ian Cheshire, CEO Kingfisher (B&Q, Castorama)
Anna Simpson 30 April 2010, People
“Look. We’re using three planets’ worth of resources, and we only have one planet!” Anna Simpson speaks to CEO of Kingfisher, Ian Cheshire.
Danish town gets green makeover
Andrew Purvis 28 April 2010, Biofuels, Europe, Planning, Solar energy/PV, Wind power
Danish architect plans to turn the waterside of Augustenborg's fjord into an eco-friendly recreation area.
Electric car start-up applies for IPO
Roger East 27 April 2010, Cars
Tesla Motors has registered for a $100 initial public offering. A rare opportunity to bet on a car.
Can the Sahara light up Europe?
Duncan Graham-Rowe 27 April 2010, Solar energy/PV
Across the world’s sunbelts, concentrated solar power is emerging as a blindingly obvious answer both to global power – and local water – needs. But can it reach the scale required, asks Duncan Graham-Rowe.
Slow fashion changes gear
Martin Wright and Trish Lorenz 26 April 2010, Consumption, Fashion, Waste minimisation
For the past twenty years, we’ve lived in a time of fast fashion – cheap, disposable and deeply unsustainable. Now that’s all set to change – even if the clothes look much the same. Trish Lorenz and Martin Wright peer down the catwalks of the future.
Beijing revives its cycling culture
Julian Rollins 23 April 2010, Asia, Cycling
Beijings' new cycling-friendly infrastructure brings cyclists back on the road.
Low carbon cargo on course
Anna May Shamoon 23 April 2010, Biofuels, Carbon reduction, Energy conservation & efficiency, Methane
Biomass-powered electricity generator to limit carbon emissions from the world’s shipping systems.
Smart turbines can predict the wind
Duncan Graham-Rowe 22 April 2010, Europe, Wind power
Wind turbines in Denmark use LIDAR to anticipate the direction and strength of wind, and prepare for it in advance.
Hydro power to halt rice terrace decline
Julian Rollins 21 April 2010, Conservation, Hydro electric
In the Philippines' Ifugao Province, a 200kW mini hydro plant is expected to generate $70,000 a year for the Rice Terrace Conservation Fund.
Renewable energy 'oases' to green the desert
Dixe Wills 13 April 2010, Africa, Conservation, Solar energy/PV
Can a combination of greenhouses, algae and concentrated solar power create food, water and energy in desert areas, and help to combat their expansion? That's what the Norwegian non-profit Bellona Foundation's Sahara Forest Project (SFP) proposes to do.
Marina Silva to speak at the launch of 'Sol e Sombra'
Anna Simpson 11 April 2010, Americas, International
Brazilian presidential candidate Marina Silva is to attend the launch, in Sao Paulo, of the Green Futures special publication Sol e Sombra. Silva will head up the debate on the country's transition to a low-carbon economy at the high profile event on 12 April, organised by weekly news magazine Carta Capital.
New law orders green growth for South Korea
Roger East 8 April 2010, Asia, Green government, Solar energy/PV
Over $3 billion in cleantech investment expected to follow South Korea's renewable portfolio standard
New dispensers cut packaging by 96.3%
31 March 2010, Eco-products & services, Innovation, Packaging, Re-use/refurbishment, Retail, Waste minimisation
Asda becomes first retailer to trial vending machines for fabric softener, cutting waste packaging by 96.3%.
Ten to sign up for North Sea's supergrid
Roger East 29 March 2010, Europe, Planning, Wind power
A new grid could unleash the power of offshore wind to meet Europe’s growing electricity demands. Thousands of miles of undersea cable will link farms with a combined capacity of over 68GW.
UK farms new focus for food and energy security
Madeleine Lewis 26 March 2010, Combined heat & power, Farming/Horticulture, Methane, Waste to energy
With one in two UK farmers saying that climate change is already affecting their land, a growing number have spotted that the road to sustainability is also a business opportunity.
How condoms could save the forests
Conor Foley 25 March 2010, Americas, Forests, Health
A new programme from the world's largest single buyer of condoms could boost rubber tapping and reduce deforestation.
From trash to fashion
Andrew Downie and Anna May Shamoon 23 March 2010, Americas, Employment, Fashion, People, Re-use/refurbishment, Retail, Women
A women’s cooperative in Rio is reworking old scraps for world-renowned designers.
Favelas: central to a sustainable Rio?
Damian Platt 18 March 2010, Americas, Housing, Regeneration
The favelas of Rio de Janeiro are as much a symbol of the city as Christ the Redeemer or Copacabana beach. They are home to an aspirational population ready to take its place in society and get themselves on the map - literally.
Renewed incentives for offshore wind
April Streeter 18 March 2010, Wind power
In a bid to make borderline offshore wind projects viable, throughout 2010, each megawatt installed will earn two renewable energy certificates (ROCs) - instead of just one.
From water container to cutlery
George Wigmore 16 March 2010, Eco-products & services, Innovation, Recycling
Designer Oscar Diaz has found something beautiful in the banal by transforming recycled plastic bottles into elegant cutlery.
Effective land reform remains a challenge for Brazil
Arran Frood 16 March 2010, Americas, Farming/Horticulture
The Movement of Landless Workers takes land reform into their own hands - but at what price for the forests?
Brazil's corporates lead on sustainability reporting
Andrew Downie and Martin Wright 15 March 2010, Americas, Business, Carbon offset/neutrality
Brazilian businesses are keen to leave their history of boom and bust behind, discover Andrew Downie and Martin Wright.
Floating cities a vision of the future
Katie Shaw 12 March 2010, Housing, Innovation, Planning
Two architectural companies are responding to the problem of rising sea levels, by fashioning cities that float.
Co-operative weaves gold from arid land
Arran Frood 12 March 2010, Americas, Farming/Horticulture, Innovation
A small farmers' co-operative makes millions weaving carpets from a native agave.
Social project makes sugar mean sweet
Anna Simpson 11 March 2010, Agriculture & Food, Americas, Local government
The sugar cane industry defines socio-economic conditions in Aracoiaba. It hasn't always made life sweet for local workers, but things are looking up.
Exclusive interview with the man behind Curitiba's master plan
Anna Simpson and Ben Tuxworth 10 March 2010, Americas, Urban
Jaime Lerner tells Green Futures how to redesign a city, what Brazil’s major metropolises have yet to learn, and why urban acupuncture is the way forward.
Downloading the sun in Suruacá
Roger East 8 March 2010, Americas, Community energy, Solar energy/PV
Internet access is improving education and healthcare in remote parts of Brazil, thanks to solar PV.
Hydro brings independence to remote farmers
Martin Wright and Roger East 5 March 2010, Americas, Community energy, Hydro electric
In the deep south of Brazil, small-scale hydro plants are bringing robust, reliable supplies of power to farming communities.
Clean transport calls for sustainable sugar
Anna Simpson 3 March 2010, Americas, Biofuels, Farming/Horticulture
There isn’t a traditional cane cutter or a burning field in sight as Anna Simpson explores the shift to a sustainable sugar cane industry in Brazil.
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