Last year, global carbon dioxide emissions fell slightly, as economic production in industrial countries sputtered under the weight of a recession. The Earth Policy Institute research shows that emissions in the United States fell nearly ten percent from 2007-2009 due to a sharp decline in oil and coal demand. However, emissions continued to rise in populous developing countries. In China -- the......read more
There are no shortage of novel engineering ideas for slowing or halting global warming (anyone remember space sunshades?), but a new joint American-Icelandic experiment may actually hold some promise. The team of scientists involved int he project are proposing to pump carbon dioxide deep into limestone bedrock, where they hope it will be locked away for good. The carbon sequestering project......read more
For the many disappointments of the recent climate talks in Copenhagen, there was at least one clear positive outcome, and that was the progress made on a program called Reducing Emissions From Deforestation and Forest Degradation. Under this program, key elements of which were agreed on at Copenhagen, developing countries would be compensated for preserving forests, peat soils, swamps and fields......read more
Algae is being studied globally for its potential in various commercial and environmental applications, from biofuels to animal feed to industrial grease. In Senftenberg, Germany, the "Green Mission" project is studying the organism for a new, different purpose. Scientists from European energy giant Vattenfall are looking to algae as a way to reduce emissions at Germany's abundant......read more
Plant Plastic: Drinking soda is bad for you, yes, but petroleum-based plastic bottles bad for everyone. In 2012, Pepsi will drop the world's first fossil fuel-free plastic bottle, made from 100% plant-based materials like switch grass, pine bark and corn husks. Bike Share, Yo: Inhabitat reports that Brooklyn will join Washington D.C., Boston, Denver, and Minneapolis as the first cities in the......read more
Advocates of natural gas development like to tout the fuel's environmental benefits. They argue that it burns cleaner than coal, with significantly fewer emissions. Which is true. But according to new research, switching from coal to natural gas won't do much to curb cimate change. Why? Methane leaks. Methane leaks from pipelines and wellheads are a reality of natural gas production.......read more
Every four years presidential candidates tell the American people that that election is a turning point for the country. This year they might have actually been right. To be sure, there are always differences between candidates. On a range of issues, from health care to tax reform, voters this year faced a real choice about two different approaches to governing. But the other turning point in......read more
For the third consecutive year, greenhouse gas emissions fell in the nine Northeastern states participating in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, or RGGI (pronounced "Reggie"), a market-based cap-and-trade program. Carbon emissions in the states dropped six percent between 2012 and 2013, from 92 million to 86 million tons. States in the RGGI program turned to lower emitting electricity......read more
Liz Klein's animation work is broad-ranged and eclectic. Her rotoscope work in the dreamlike ONE BELONGS is elegiac; her stop motion in BLUE TO GREEN takes Bambi into the terrors of climate change; and now with CARBON FOOTPRINT, Liz takes on yet another animation technique to remind us to be conscious about our own footprint monsters who follow us throughout our lives. This vid has a......read more
The Pulse of Radio reports that Pearl Jam is spending $210,000 to plant trees in the band's home state of Washington as part of an effort to offset the carbon footprint left behind by the band's 2009 U.S. tour. According to Reuters, the money will cover the band's own travel and hotel contributions as well as emissions made by fans traveling to shows. The group wants to continue......read more