News 2009:

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World CO2 since 1750 (cubic feet)

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November 27, 2009

China Pledges Climate Emissions Cuts, Premier Wen Bound for Copenhagen

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao will attend the United Nations' climate summit in Copenhagen next month, the government of China announced today.

The State Council also announced that China is going to reduce the intensity of its carbon dioxide emissions per unit of GDP in 2020 by 40 to 45 percent compared with the level of 2005.

China unveils CO2 emission cuts targets for the first time

China has set a target of reducing its carbon dioxide emissions per unit of GDP in 2020 by 40%-45% compared with the 2005 levels, the State Council, or cabinet, said Thursday.

China's Gushan turns away from biodiesel in tense tax talks

China's Gushan Environmental Energy has spent the past five years building biodiesel plants around China in a bid to help it diversify away from fossil fuels, but it is preparing to walk away from the industry if it doesn't get the exceptions it is looking for in tense tax talks with Beijing, senior executives with the company told their US shareholders while reviewing their latest quarterly results.

Gushan, which still uses the slogan "The Bio-Energy Pioneer" in its marketing and on its Web site, could simply transform its bioenergy plants into specialty chemicals production, said the company.

Company mulls adding solar panels at energy plant

A company that already produces energy is considering solar panels as an additional heat and energy source.

Consumers footing bill for Allegheny Energy's cost-cutting program

A consumer cost-saving initiative has begun by Allegheny Power in an effort to offset electricity costs, but all utility customers will foot the bill for the program through a $1.09 surcharge on their monthly bill.

Cost of solar energy will drop by half this year and other renewable energy by 10pct, says analyst

The levelised costs for solar energy will drop 50% in 2009, while the pre-subsidy cost for other renewable energy technologies will decline by 10%, according to a quarterly research note from New Energy Finance.

Crude futures plunge to near 7-week lows on Dubai default fears

Crude futures plunged in heavy volumes Friday, as fears over Dubai's debt restructuring spurred a selloff across global stock markets and a rush into the US dollar, sources said.

Cutting Greenhouse Pollutants Could Directly Save Millions of Lives Worldwide

Tackling climate change by reducing carbon dioxide and other greenhouse emissions will have major direct health benefits in addition to reducing the risk of climate change, especially in low-income countries, according to a series of six papers appearing on, Nov. 25 in the British journal The Lancet.

Eating 30 Percent Less Meat Good For Health, Planet

Cutting meat production and consumption by 30 percent would help to reduce carbon emissions and improve health in the most meat-loving nations, scientists said on Wednesday.

Energy Poverty Crucial to Copenhagen Climate Talks

"Almost half of humanity is completely disconnected from the debate on how to drive human progress with less emissions and greener energy because their reality is much more basic than that,"..

EPA Proposes Stronger Air Quality Standards For Sulfur Dioxide

For the first time in nearly 40 years, EPA is proposing to strengthen the nation's sulfur dioxide (SO2) air quality standard to protect public health. Power plants and other industrial facilities emit SO2 directly into the air. Exposure to SO2 can aggravate asthma, cause respiratory difficulties, and result in emergency room visits and hospitalization. People with asthma, children, and the elderly are especially vulnerable to SO2's effects.

Export-Import Bank Adopts Carbon Policy To Encourage Renewable Energy And Climate-Friendly Technologies

The Export-Import Bank of the United States (Ex-Im Bank) recently became the first Export Credit Agency (ECA) to adopt a comprehensive Carbon Policy to guide its support of United States exports in light of climate change concerns.

Fortunes in Cap-and-Trade

Although the electric industry has endorsed the concept of cap-and-trade as the least onerous approach to carbon regulation, at least one major company endorses it with unalloyed enthusiasm. Exelon not only supports the idea, it stated in a second-quarter conference call to analysts, which it posted to its Web site..

Fossil Fuel CO2 Emissions Up By 29 Percent Since 2000

The strongest evidence yet that the rise in atmospheric CO2 emissions continues to outstrip the ability of the world's natural 'sinks' to absorb carbon is published this week in the journal Nature Geoscience.

'Green' homes could lack energy bills

Developer Mike Speas acknowledges that the nine "green" houses he plans to build in Port Washington could lack some features, such as attached garages or granite kitchen countertops, that are found in many new homes.

Italian doctor may have found surprisingly simple cure for Multiple Sclerosis

An Italian doctor has been getting dramatic results with a new type of treatment for Multiple Sclerosis, or MS, which affects up to 2.5 million people worldwide.

Living by wind farms no breeze, some say

Dozens of angry people showed up at a public meeting Monday to complain to the Public Service Commission about how their lives have been changed for the worse by annoying wind turbines, and to recommend that if the state plans thousands more, they should be built as far as possible from homes.

Living off the grid

For the past eight months, Rick and Stephanie Ertel has lived without any connections to water, electricity natural gas or even air conditioning.

NERC expects no winter power shortages in the US or Canada

The North American Electric Reliability Corporation on Tuesday said it expects generating capacity will be sufficient to meet winter peak demand across the US and Canada, with capacity reserve margins widening in all regions in part because lower economic activity.

New Interactive Tools Show Continuing SO2 Reductions At Coal-Fired Power Plants

New interactive tracking tools are now available on EPA's Web site to help the public follow nation-wide changes in sulfur dioxide (SO2) emissions from coal-fired power plants.

NRC; No radioactive release during leak at Beaver Valley nuke plant

A leak in a valve inside the Beaver Valley Power Station's No. 2 nuclear reactor was stopped early this morning after about an hour and there was no radioactive release, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission said.

Organic Farming May Help Meet Climate Goals; Report

The conversion of all UK farmland to organic farming would achieve the equivalent carbon savings to taking nearly one million cars off the road, the Soil Association said on Thursday.

Oyster - the world's largest working hydro-electric wave energy device

The world’s largest working hydro-electric wave energy device has been officially launched in Scotland. Known as Oyster, the device, stationed at the European Marine Energy Center (EMEC) Billia Croo site near Stromness, was installed this year and is, at present, the world’s only hydro-electric wave energy device which is producing power.

Power struggle over towers

Combating global warming with a "green superhighway" of high- voltage power lines -- that large groups of consumers then have to pay for -- could be bad news for New Jersey, say state leaders, environmental activists and utility companies.

Report of Solar-Geophysical Activity 112609

Solar Activity was very low. No flares occurred during the past 24 hours. The geomagnetic field was mostly quiet with two isolated unsettled periods...

Science Untarnished By 'Climategate', UN Says

The head of the U.N.'s panel of climate experts rejected accusations of bias on Thursday, saying a "Climategate" row in no way undermined evidence that humans are to blame for global warming.

Starve yourself and live longer

Researchers at Mount Sinai School of Medicine have unraveled a molecular puzzle to reveal why a lower-calorie diet slows the development of some age-related conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease, as well as the aging process itself. In their search for an answer they discovered that it doesn’t seem to matter how the diet is restricted – whether fats, proteins or carbohydrates are cut – to produce protective effects against aging and disease.

Stolen E-Mails Raise Questions On Climate Research

In particular, a group of scientists who support the consensus view of climate change have been working together to influence what gets published in science journals.

Journals are supposed to be impartial filters that let good ideas rise to the top and bad ideas sink to the bottom. But the stolen e-mails show that a group of scientists has decided that's not working well enough. So they have resorted to strong tactics — including possible boycotts — to keep any paper they think is dubious from reaching the pages of a journal.

The Efficient Capture Of A Greenhouse Gas

In the past year 35 years, Lehigh's Energy Research Center (ERC) has developed a variety of technologies and solutions that improve the operating efficiency of power plants while reducing emissions of toxic substances and greenhouse gases.

The Pedal-A-Watt Stationary Bike Power Generator; create energy and get fit

As people the world over continue to search for renewable energy sources, innovative and interesting ideas for generating power are constantly being devised. Those interested in keeping fit and producing power at the same time might be interested in this unique product – the Pedal-A-Watt.

The World's Looming 'Water Gap'

The bad: Global demand for water already exceeds supply -- about 1.1 billion people don't have access to clean water -- and the so-called water gap is increasing at an accelerating rate.

The good: Cost-effective, sustainable solutions are available to close the gap, particularly if governments and business focus on reducing demand rather than trying to generate additional supply.

TVA launches efficiency program

Calling all financially or environmentally motivated individuals -- a new federally operated program offers potential cost and energy savings.

UK gas firms again on profit-taking, strong US Henry Hub

UK gas firmed again Thursday as technical profit-taking continued and rival US Henry Hub prices strengthened, trading sources said.

United States and India Embark on a Green Partnership

Recognizing that energy security, food security, climate change are interlinked, and that eliminating poverty and ensuring sustainable development and a clean energy future are among the foremost global objectives, the two leaders agreed to enter into a Green Partnership to address these global challenges.

University of Illinois gets $897K grant to study effects of underground injection of carbon dioxide

Researchers will use field work and modeling to determine the effects of CO2 sequestration on groundwater aquifers. The plan is to see whether CO2 injection could cause changes in reservoir pressure and possibly result in salt water migrating from deeper groundwater and contaminating fresh water near the surface.

US awards another $385 mil in grants to renewable energy projects

The US Department of Treasury this week made $385.5 million in additional grants to renewable energy producers under a program that provides direct payments to developers now in place of tax credits over time in an effort to spur production and attract more private investment in the sector.

US funds US$98m to support next-generation of wind turbine designs

Clemson University in South Carolina will receive US$45 million from the federal government to develop a wind energy test facility that will enhance the performance, durability and reliability of utility-scale wind turbines.

US nears deadlines for key ethanol decisions

The US is nearing deadlines on two key government decisions that could significantly boost ethanol demand, but marketwatchers say delays are expected and that producers may not get approval to run as much ethanol in conventional vehicles as they are seeking.

Wind power set for a revolution

Trials of the first generator to use the high-temperature superconductor technology will begin next year when it will be installed in a hydro-electric power station in Germany, whose turbines operate on the same principle as windmill generators.

November 24, 2009

25 Percent of US Shoppers Frequently Buy Organic Food Products, Says New Report

Indeed, by many accounts, consumer demand is steadily increasing for products that fulfill eco-friendly, natural, organic, local, humane, and fair trade criteria. Major marketers and retailers are increasingly tapping into this trend by offering more ethical products, upping their corporate responsibility efforts through energy-efficient "green" facilities and sustainable business practices, and increasing their associated cause-related marketing efforts.

ACTIVATE water is new way to drink your vitamins

Fred Nackard Wholesale Beverage Company is distributing a new beverage that offers a new way to drink your vitamins. The company said that after finding that vitamins and other healthy ingredients lose potency sitting in water, ACTIVATE water found a way to "stop drowning the vitamins in drinks."

Alabama Power 'has no position' on water issue

"Alabama Power has no position at this time with respect to the use of Smith Lake as a drinking water source as compared to any other options that may be available in the area," Bowden wrote.

AP Poll; Sometimes it isn't easy being green

A solid majority of Americans recognize the need to help the environment, although there are some things like buying a hybrid car or taking mass transit that people often talk about, but don't necessarily act on.

Arctic Ice Volume Lowest Ever As Globe Warms; U.N

Ice volume around the Arctic region hit the lowest level ever recorded this year as climate extremes brought death and devastation to many parts of the world, the U.N. weather agency WMO said on Tuesday.

Although the world's average temperature in 2008 was, at 14.3 degrees Celsius (57.7 degrees Fahrenheit), by a fraction of a degree the coolest so far this century, the direction toward a warmer climate remained steady, it reported.

As the world gets ready to act on climate change, U.S. is missing

With just over two weeks to go before global climate negotiations in Denmark, the United States has yet to decide whether it can meet international expectations and offer to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by a certain amount in the next decade.

The success or failure of the talks in Copenhagen could hinge on whether the United States offers a concrete plan.

Big Bang machine achieves first particle collisions

Scientists have smashed together proton beams for the first time in a 27-kilometre tunnel under the French-Swiss border in an initial step toward discovering how the universe came into existence, they said on Monday.

Biodiversity loss is Earth's 'immense and hidden' tragedy, Darwin's 'natural heir' warns

The diversity of life on Earth is undergoing an "immense and hidden" tragedy that requires the scale of global response now being deployed to tackle climate change, according to one of the world's most eminent biologists.

Biomass breakthrough

The workhorse of renewable fuels in Missouri may be found in its forests, farms and pastures.

Across the state, the idea of using plant waste such as wood scraps, wheat straw or tree trimmings as fuel for electricity generation is gaining steam.

Climate declaration in the works at Mystic Lake

An inimitable gathering of grassroots organizers and environmental advocates representing tribal regions across the United States met Friday to write a declaration on global warming impacts on indigenous peoples.

Coal-to-gas switching cited for last week's sharp basis shift

Power generators switching from coal to natural gas may have contributed to last week's spikes in gas cash prices and the strengthening of cash basis to the prompt-month NYMEX gas futures contract, according to traders and analysts -- at least one of whom expects the switching to continue, although to a lesser degree, throughout the winter.

Converted Organics gears up for holiday food waste

The average American throws out 100 pounds of food waste annually, with solid waste generation increasing by 25% during the holiday season, according to one composting company.

Council resolution condemns exploiters of sweat lodges

The deaths of three people in Arizona in early October at a “Spirit Warrior” program has led to the Coeur d’Alene Tribal Council taking a stand in opposition to such programs.

Dark Ocean Depths Home To Exotic, Unknown Life

The permanent darkness of the ocean depths is home to a far greater range of animals, from luminous jellyfish to tubeworms that live off oil seeping from the seabed, than previously thought, scientists said on Sunday.

A total of 17,650 species of animals, also including shrimps, corals, starfish or crabs, have been identified in the frigid, sunless waters down to about 5 km (3 miles) deep.

Demand for hydrogen fuel slows progress

A year after Aiken County officials announced plans to become a part of a nationwide hydrogen energy initiative, usage of this alternative fuel source has increased but its everyday potential still seems years in the future.

East Antarctic ice began to melt faster in 2006

East Antarctica's ice started to melt faster from 2006, which could cause sea levels to rise sooner than anticipated, according to a study by scientists at the University of Texas.

In the study published in Nature's Geoscience journal, scientists estimated that East Antarctica has been losing ice mass at an average rate of 5 to 109 gigatonnes per year from April 2002 to January 2009, but the rate speeded up from 2006.

Economic and Financial Market Update, November 2009

The tide has turned for the global economy with U.S. real GDP posting a stronger-than-expected increase and China recording a breathtaking 8.9% jump in output, both in the third-quarter.  Canada, the United Kingdom and the Eurozone have yet to produce clear indications that their economies are out of recession, but conditions are improving and we expect reports of positive growth soon.

Energy Efficiency in the American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009

In June 2009, the House of Representatives passed the American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009 (ACES).  This climate and energy legislation included a number of provisions intended to help the U.S. reduce energy use through various energy efficiency measures

Getting a Flu Shot May Double Your Chances to Get the Swine Flu Continued...

Could previously administered flu shots actually increase someone’s chances of contracting the swine flu? Although reports are not yet official, rumor has it that some unpublished Canadian data may suggest just that. A sequence of studies indicate that people that received the seasonal flu shot last year are actually about twice as likely as those who were unvaccinated to get swine flu (H1N1) this year.

Green energy stimulus growing few jobs

"Green energy" is proving to be no miracle solution to the nation's monumental unemployment problems, and it is doing little to help the economy emerge from its deepest recession in decades, economists say.

Green jobs are built for the future

On a recent weekday morning at the Focus: HOPE complex in Detroit, Mark Brisker was nailing shingles to a makeshift roof, undergoing training for one of the most popular new green jobs in the country.

Groups worry about negative environmental impact

Tonya Bonitatibus can't help but wonder how two new reactors at Plant Vogtle might affect the Savannah River.

"It's not necessarily nuclear energy we're opposed to," said Mrs. Bonitatibus, who heads the Savannah Riverkeeper environmental group. "The thing we take issue with is the mass consumption of water."

Harnessing the Power of Salt, Norway Tries Osmotic Energy

After wind, sun, currents and tides, a company is preparing to make clean electricity by harnessing another natural phenomenon, the energy-unleashing encounter of freshwater and seawater.

How Building Nuclear Power Plants Would Set America Back in the Race Against Global Warming

Some key findings of the report include:

•    To avoid the most catastrophic impacts of global warming, America must cut power plant emissions roughly in half over the next 10 years.

•    Even if the nuclear industry somehow managed to build 100 new nuclear reactors by 2030, nuclear power could reduce total U.S. emissions of global warming pollution over the next 20 years by only 12 percent.

Is that a Bubble in Your Natural Gas? Interview with Jim Lucier

It seems that Mr. Berman has questioned whether the gas shale potential in the U.S. is really as attractive as many investors have been led to believe. His reward for this candor, which Dizard attributes to industry pressure, was to be banned from writing for a well-known industry publication called World Oil .

Markey, Minnesota Republican introduce bill to boost renewable electricity tax credit

U.S. Rep. Betsy Markey, D-Colo. along with Rep. Erik Paulsen, R-Minn., introduced the Renewable Electricity Integration Tax Credit Act on Friday, which would provide a tax credit for utilities to integrate more wind and solar into their energy portfolios.

Maryland Coal Ash Landfill Leaks Trigger Lawsuit Threat

Pointing to a March 2009 report from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency which established that disposal of coal combustion waste in unlined landfills and surface impoundments is hazardous to human health, the groups say the waste discharges pose unacceptably high risks of cancer and diseases of the heart, lung, liver, stomach, an other organs.

Nuclear hearing delay sought; Yucca Mountain foes want process to go on

In a surprise move, the nuclear power industry's lobbying arm has asked regulators to suspend hearings on a license to bury tens of thousands of tons of highly radioactive waste in Yucca Mountain.

Oceans Absorb Less Carbon Dioxide as Marine Systems Change

The oceans are by far the largest carbon sink in the world. Some 93 percent of carbon dioxide is stored in algae, vegetation, and coral under the sea. But oceans are not able to absorb all of the carbon dioxide released from the burning of fossil fuels. In fact, a recent study suggests that the oceans have absorbed a smaller proportion of fossil-fuel emissions, nearly 10 percent less, since 2000.

Our Oceans, Extraterrestrial Material

...suggests that water was not part of the Earth's initial inventory but stems from the turbulence caused in the outer Solar System by giant planets. Ice-covered asteroids thus reached the Earth around one hundred million years after the birth of the planets. The Earth's water could therefore be extraterrestrial, have arrived late in its accretion history...

Renewable Energy Costs Drop In '09

Solar energy costs will drop by half in 2009 while other low-carbon technology costs will see their pre-subsidy costs drop by 10-20 percent, renewable energy analysts said on Monday.

Report; Government too generous on tax credit

It was supposed to be a way for taxpayers to get a tax credit. Called the Making Work Pay tax credit, the Obama administration enacted the credit as part of the economic stimulus package.

Russia Steps Up Pledge For Climate Action

Russia toughened its plans to curb harmful greenhouse gas emissions on Wednesday in a rare encouraging development before United Nations climate talks next month.

Sacrifice of 200,000 Animals Proceeds Despite Pleas, Prayers

Emotional appeals to Nepalese officials by animal advocates from around the world have not persuaded them to call a halt to the sacrifice of hundreds of thousands of animals and birds planned for November 24 and 25 at a village in Bara district in southern Nepal.

Solar Market Declines for First Time Ever

Global demand for solar cells and panels is likely to drop 17 percent in 2009, says Navigant Consulting. Market recovery won’t come quickly.

Suntech to build its first US solar PV manufacturing plant in Arizona, USA

Suntech Power Holdings Co. says its first US solar photovoltaic (PV) manufacturing plant with a production capacity of 30 MW for the growing North American solar market, could be located in the Greater Phoenix, Arizona area.

The Cleansing Process

The U.S. coal-fired electric power industry is without doubt facing ever-increasing challenges in its efforts to remain a viable fuel.

The High Cost of Fossil Fuels

America is at an energy crossroad. As a nation, we are dependent on fossil fuels at a time of growing demand and dwindling supply. Meanwhile, fossil fuel use continues to impose massive environmental and economic costs. Now our country must choose between paying to continue the status quo and investing in a new energy future.

The Risk of 'Unintended Consequences' is the Most Important Issue Facing US Equity Markets

As the US equity markets approach 2010, investment banks are putting their houses in order, trading volumes are surging and the floods of balance sheet losses and asset devaluations from 2008 have receded. But the calm after the storm can be deceiving. Buy-side traders tell TABB Group that the risk of “unintended regulatory consequences” is the number one market structure concern facing the US equity markets today.

U.S. wind-power blade plant planned

Executives at Dallas-based Tang Energy, a partner in a Chinese wind-power blade manufacturing plant, say they are planning a factory in the United States to capture some of the resurgent U.S. market for renewable energy.

The plant would create about 1,000 jobs...

Using Enzymes from Termites To Make Biofuel from Wood Waste

Biofuel startup ZeaChem has begun building a biofuel pilot plant that will turn cellulosic feedstocks into ethanol via a novel approach that uses microbes found in the guts of termites. The company says the ethanol yields from the sugars of its cellulosic feedstocks are significantly higher than the yields from other biofuel production processes.

VVC to build $7M solar plant

Strapped for cash and searching for creative ways to generate revenue, Victor Valley College officials are planning to partner with a private energy company to construct a $7 million solar plant on vacant campus land.

The solar plant is expected to pay for itself through energy savings within five years and pump $22.1 million back into the college's general funds over 25 years.

What are the largest sources of global warming emissions in California! The list is out

When it comes to global warming, California has begun keeping score.

The state Air Resources Board this past week finished tallying and made public the list of the largest greenhouse gas emitters in the state.

When it Comes to CO2, What Goes Up Isn’t Always Coming Down

The ocean and the land are natural sponges, or sinks, that absorb carbon dioxide, or CO2, from the atmosphere. But a group of international scientists, including two from NOAA, have found that the emissions are outpacing the ability of the sinks to soak up the excess CO2.

World on course for catastrophic 6° rise, reveal scientists

Fast-rising carbon emissions mean that worst-case predictions for climate change are coming true

The world is now firmly on course for the worst-case scenario in terms of climate change, with average global temperatures rising by up to 6C by the end of the century, leading scientists said yesterday. Such a rise – which would be much higher nearer the poles – would have cataclysmic and irreversible consequences for the Earth, making large parts of the planet uninhabitable and threatening the basis of human civilisation.

November 20, 2009

1.9 Million Jobs In New Energy

There is a gathering avalanche of data that verifies Obama administration claims that the redemption of the nation’s “jobless recovery” is in a New Energy economy.

A new report, Clean Energy and Climate Policy for U.S. Growth and Job Creation, from researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, the University of Illinois (Urbana-Champaign) and Yale University, concludes that Congressional legislation incentivizing New Energy and Energy Efficiency would drive investment, increase household income and spur economic output that would build job growth.

American Cities Embrace Green Buildings

More than one in five large U.S. cities surveyed by the American Institute of Architects has a policy of promoting green buildings, and the number of cities building green is on the rise. The AIA survey shows that 138 cities have green building programs, compared with 92 cities in 2007 – an increase of 50 percent.

Americans want to recycle end-of-life electronics

A market research firm says most Americans would rather recycle their obsolete and end-of-life electronics than send them to a landfill, and don´t think they should necessarily be charged for their disposal.

Arizona one of 10 states facing economic disaster, according to Pew Center report

Even as some economists are predicting an end to the recession, a report by the Pew Center on the states released Nov. 11 warns 10 states are heading towards economic disaster that could affect the rest of the country.

The report warns those states need to take drastic action to fix their economic problems or face even higher taxes, more layoffs, more crowded classrooms and fewer services.

Armed With Many Weapons, We Are Killing Our Oceans

"I have to remain optimistic, because I do believe there's always hope," says Skerry, who spends more than half of every year underwater, diving with harp seals in the Gulf of Saint Lawrence and green sea turtles in Kiribati. "That said, it's very discouraging what I'm seeing."

What he's seeing are oceans in crisis, their health potentially at a tipping point: gratuitously destructive overfishing, endangered underwater "big game" (100 million sharks killed each year), dying coral reefs, and subtle but potentially catastrophic shifts that are almost certainly due to climate change.

Bellying up to environmentalism

We know more than we've ever known about the innards of the global food system. We understand that food can both nourish and kill. We know that its production can both destroy and enhance our environment. We know that farming touches every aspect of our lives -- the air we breathe, the water we drink, and the soil we need.

So it's hard to avoid concluding that eating cannot be personal. What I eat influences you. What you eat influences me. Our diets are deeply, intimately and necessarily political.

Brewer; Long-term solution to state's economic woes depends on jobs

While a temporary sales tax increase would help address Arizona's budget crisis, a long-term solution will depend on attracting firms that offer high-paying jobs, Gov. Jan Brewer told business leaders recently.

California Bans Sale of Energy-Guzzling Plasma TVs

In a 5-0 vote, The California Energy Commission today approved the country's first efficiency regulations for TVs of up to 58 inches. The new Appliance Efficiency Regulations will require new televisions sold in California to consume 33 percent less electricity by 2011 and 49 percent less electricity by 2013.

Coal Pollution Undermines America's Health, Physicians Advise

Coal pollutants affect all major body organ systems and contribute to four of the five leading causes of mortality in the United States: heart disease, cancer, stroke, and chronic lower respiratory diseases, concludes a scathing report issued today by Physicians for Social Responsibility.

Court; Negligence by U.S. Army Corps Caused Katrina Flooding

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' failure to maintain a navigation channel led to massive flooding in New Orleans following Hurricane Katrina, a federal judge ruled late today.

The decision could make the federal government the target of billions of dollars worth of legal claims by more than 100,000 other individuals, businesses and government entities that also sustained damages from the water that inundated 80 percent of the city when the levees protecting the low-lying city were breached in several places.

'Crisis' as Norway oil sector starved of new exploration acreage

The Norwegian Oil Industry Association, the OLF, said Friday that parts of the oil services industry were "in crisis" due to a collapse in orders attributable partly to the sector being starved of new exploration areas.

Crude futures lower but remain rangebound as US dollar rises

Global crude futures were trading lower Friday morning as a stronger dollar coupled with excess supply brought downward pressure on the crude complex, market sources said.

Dalai Lama Appeals To China On drying Tibet Rivers

Attending a U.N. summit on global hunger in Rome, the exiled Buddhist leader warned rivers from Tibet's glaciers and snow-covered mountains may dry up in 15 to 20 years and asked China to study the problem together with Tibetan experts.

Electricity retailer coming

When an electricity retailer opens for business in Forty Fort by the end of the year, its employees might be placing the only telemarketing calls people want to receive.

EU Research Shows Greenhouse Gases Must Zero Out by 2100

The latest European climate research shows that human emissions of the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide will need to be reduced close to zero by the end of this century if a rise in the planet's mean global temperature beyond 2°Celsius is to be avoided.

Going green without offending the neighbors

While not calling for a ban on wind turbines, many residents requested that commissioners write regulations to make the wind turbines as difficult to install as possible and suggested the alternative of a wind farm here, located on one property, rather than allowing individual systems on eligible parcels.

Great Barrier Reef Survival 'Requires 25 Percent CO2 Cut

Australia's Great Barrier Reef has only a 50 percent chance of survival if global CO2 emissions are not reduced at least 25 percent by 2020, a coalition of Australia's top reef and climate scientists said on Tuesday.

The 13 scientists said even deeper cuts of up to 90 percent by 2050 would necessary if the reef was to survive future coral bleaching and coral death caused by rising ocean temperatures.

How Much Water Does The Ocean Have?

In order to determine the ocean volume in a certain region, one only needs to know, in addition to the topography of the seabed, the height of the sea level. ..For the calculation of the ocean mass it is, therefore, necessary to know the temperature and salt content profiles. However, this is not easy to quantify.

Illinoisans find jobs in the wind

Companies such as SMF, a machine shop in Minonk with 120 employees, are finding that the growth of wind energy in the state not only creates an environmental benefit, but also provides jobs.

India's Cabinet Approves Solar Power Programme

"The cabinet gave its approval for launching of the Jawaharlal Nehru national solar mission, Solar India... and has given in principle approval," Information and Broadcasting Minister Ambika Soni told reporters on Thursday.

Islam's Green Initiative

Baha'i, Buddhists, Christians, Hindus, Jews, Muslims, Shintoists, Taoists and Sikhs all gathered at London's Windsor Castle with a united environmental agenda.

In an era of increasing religious divide, a once little thought of topic known as "the environment" was able to bring together ancient faith groups to discuss a modern solution. And with Islam at the forefront of today's news, Muslim leaders proved Islam’s ability to adapt and meet new needs.

Mass. communities start ´pay-as-you-throw´ waste system

Massachusetts communities are now operating under a "pay-as-you-throw" garbage system, an approach that saves money and boosts recycling, the state said.

While pay-as-you-throw has been around since the 1980s in the state, the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection said there has been "a steep increase" in the number of communities participating. A total of 10 communities switched last year.

Melting Sea Ice Dilutes Water, Endangers Sea Life

Melting of the Arctic sea ice due to global warming is diluting surface waters and this is endangering some species of shellfish which need minerals in the water to form their shells and skeletons, scientists have found.

Narrow track vehicles - the convergence of the car and the motorcycle

Since Nicholas Negroponte first came up with his landmark teething ring visualization of the coming together of communication, computing and content, the term convergence has become the uber buzzword. Now there’s convergence going on in the personal transport industry, with the car and the motorcycle morphing as car makers attempt to downsize their vehicles to make them better suited to the world’s increasingly crowded roads. This article begins with Nissan’s tandem two-seat, half width tilting car...

New Water Management Tool May Help Ease Effects Of Drought

Continued improvement of climate forecasts is resulting in better information about what rainfall and streamflow may look like months in advance. A researcher from North Carolina State University has developed an innovative water management framework that would take advantage of these forecasts to plan for droughts or excess rain in order to make the most efficient use of an area's water resources.

North America's Most Brilliant Songbird Begins to Recover

With its gleaming red, blue and green feathers, the painted bunting is often described as the most beautiful migratory songbird in North America.

After a 30 year decline and extirpation from parts of its U.S. range, the species appears to be recovering.

Obama Could Tip the Balance at Copenhagen Climate Summit

"Obama's presence would make a huge difference," said Yvo de Boer, executive secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, responding to a question from ENS during a news conference held today at the UN headquarters.

OIL NOT PEAKING…

…OR IS IT?

Pesticide Levels Decline In Corn Belt Rivers

Concentrations of several major pesticides mostly declined or stayed the same in "Corn Belt" rivers and streams from 1996 to 2006, according to a new U.S. Geological Survey study.

President Obama Establishes Interagency Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force

President Barack Obama has established by Executive Order an interagency Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force to strengthen efforts to combat financial crime. The Department of Justice will lead the task force and the Department of Treasury, HUD and the SEC will serve on the steering committee.

Reflections on the Crisis

Report of Solar-Geophysical Activity 111909

Solar activity is expected to be at very low levels with a slight chance for a C-class flare.  The geomagnetic field is expected to be unsettled with a chance for isolated active periods for the next two days (20-21 November) due to a recurrent coronal hole high-speed stream.

Sea Rises Threaten Australian Homes; Govt Report

Nearly a quarter of a million homes along Australia's coastline could be submerged by 2100 unless action is taken to stop sea levels rising, a government report said on Saturday.

Several new US nuclear units expected in 2016; industry official

The Nuclear Energy Institute expects to see four to eight new nuclear units operating in the US in 2016, and 35 or more by 2030, depending on the success of initial projects, an industry official said Monday.

Severity of H1N1 impacts this year's flu season

As myths and facts swirl around about the H1N1 vaccine, the virus continues to take its toll on Arizona residents. The current flu season has already exceeded the peak months of the previous two flu seasons.

Spurned once, China may return as suitor of GOM assets

That didn't take long.

Only two and one-half hours after Devon Energy announced Monday morning that it would put it billions of dollars of Gulf of Mexico deepwater assets and some foreign fields up for sale to focus on US shale gas, the New York Times brought back the ghost of the China National Offshore Oil Corporation to haunt the story.

Stocking Up on Carbon Credits

Business has slowed. And so too has the demand for carbon emission allowances -- those credits that are traded among European nations and some American utilities as a way to motivate a transition to a carbon-free global economy.

Supreme Court ends valedictorian's right to speak freely at graduation

The United States Supreme Court has refused to hear the case of a high school valedictorian whose microphone was turned off by school officials after she began speaking about the part her Christian beliefs played in her success in life.

Surprise Drop in US Housing Starts, Inflation Up More than Expected

October housing starts unexpectedly dropped a sizeable 10.6% to an annualized 529,000 units from 592,000 in September. Expectations going into the report had been for starts to rise modestly by 1.7% to an annualized 600,000. It is possible that with an $8,000 first-time homebuyer subsidy expected to terminate the end of November, builders started to cut back construction activity in anticipation of weakening demand.

The 2009 Corruption Perceptions Index – civilization’s report card looks bleak

Transparency International’s annual Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) was released yesterday, the only realistic report card available each year on the governments of the world.

THE POWER OF WIND AND SOLAR TOGETHER

The dream: Powering the nation on New Energy.

The very real parts of the dream: Wind off the Atlantic coast, on the Great Lakes and the Midwestern plains and in the Pacific Northwest; Sun on the Southwestern deserts; Ocean energies in the Florida Gulf Stream, along the Mississippi and other great rivers and off the Pacific coast; geothermal resources in the Mountain and Far West; and biomass plants in woody and agricultural areas everywhere.

Tiny Bubbles Clean Oil From Water

Small amounts of oil leave a fluorescent sheen on polluted water. Oil sheen is hard to remove, even when the water is aerated with ozone or filtered through sand. Now, a University of Utah engineer has developed an inexpensive new method to remove oil sheen by repeatedly pressurizing and depressurizing ozone gas, creating microscopic bubbles that attack the oil so it can be removed by sand filters.

U.S. Group Sees Worsening Coastal Flooding Threat

Fast-melting ice from Greenland and Antarctica will lead to a much sharper rise in sea levels than previously estimated, touching off flooding that will radically alter U.S. East Coast cities from Miami to Baltimore, according to a new study.

U.S. Pledges $275 Mln For Tropical Forests In 2010

Prince Charles has championed the protection of tropical forests as a way to curb climate change and preserve wildlife, and wants funds to fill a policy vacuum before a new U.N. climate deal comes into force in 2013.

U.S. Residents Fight For The Right To Hang Laundry

Carin Froehlich pegs her laundry to three clotheslines strung between trees outside her 18th-century farmhouse, knowing that her actions annoy local officials who have asked her to stop.

UN Report; Women's Profound Role in Averting Climate Crisis

Women are central to global and national efforts to cope with climate change, concludes a new report, "The State of World Population 2009," released today by the United Nations Population Fund, UNFPA.

Uranium spot price slides on US DOE decision to release material

The drop in the spot price of uranium that followed US Energy Secretary Steven Chu's determination last week that transferring DOE uranium over the next 15 months to commercial firms would not have "a material adverse impact" on nuclear fuel companies in the US was tempered somewhat by news that a new fund is seeking to raise up to C$150 million (US$143 million) to buy uranium products, including enriched uranium.

US 30-Year Rates Near Record Breaking Levels

Freddie Mac (NYSE:FRE) yesterday released the results of its Primary Mortgage Market Survey (PMMS) in which the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage (FRM) averaged 4.83 percent with an average 0.7 point for the week ending November 19, 2009, down from last week when it averaged 4.91 percent. Last year at this time, the 30-year FRM averaged 6.04 percent.

US Department of Labor announces nearly $55 million in green jobs training grants through Recovery Act

U.S. Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis today announced nearly $55 million in green jobs grants, as authorized by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. The grants will support job training and labor market information programs to help workers, many in underserved communities, find jobs in expanding green industries and related occupations.

US Industrial Production Slows

Industrial production slowed to a 0.1% pace in October following September’s 0.6% (revised from 0.7%) increase. A somewhat stronger 0.4% rise had been expected. Manufacturing declined 0.1% following three consecutive monthly increases.

US, China form energy partnerships to battle climate change

"The two sides agreed that the transition to a green and low-carbon economy is essential and that the clean energy industry will provide vast opportunities for citizens of both countries in the years ahead and welcomed significant steps forward to advance policy dialogue and practical cooperation on climate change, energy and the environment," the countries said in a joint statement.

Veteran Journalist Predicts Industrial Crash, Says Sustainable Living Could Save Us

A new book from nationally recognized author Thomas A. Lewis offers a fresh and startling perspective on the problems afflicting modern industrial society, and on the increasingly urgent need for sustainable living. In Brace for Impact: Surviving the Crash of the Industrial Age by Sustainable Living, Lewis argues that industry's relentless, decades-long search for economies of scale has caused equally enormous concentrations of risks, which now threaten the continued existence of every industrial-scale enterprise supplying essential human needs.

Volatile Gas Could Turn Rwandan Lake Into A Freshwater Time Bomb

Scientists can't say for sure if the volatile mixture at the bottom of the lake will remain still for another 1,000 years or someday explode without warning. In a region prone to volcanic and seismic activity, the fragility of Lake Kivu is a serious matter.

Waste_Inbox 111909

While energy is front and center in the greenhouse gas discussion, waste and recycling can be a big part of the equation to address global warming. Landfill gas is a key clean energy source. Waste and biosolids are another. One of the potential solutions Gore explores is using agricultural waste for carbon dioxide sequestration. Deforestation generates 20% of the existing carbon dioxide, and that's waste generated by cutting down trees.

Wide range of Bisphenol A Found in Canned Foods

Now Consumer Reports' latest tests of canned foods, including soups, juice, tuna, and green beans, have found that almost all of the 19 name-brand foods we tested contain some BPA. The canned organic foods we tested did not always have lower BPA levels than nonorganic brands of similar foods analyzed. We even found the chemical in some products in cans that were labeled "BPA-free."

Wind farm to build U.S. turbine plant

Companies planning a controversial wind farm in Texas that would seek millions in federal stimulus funds said Tuesday that they'd build a U.S. plant to make wind turbines and employ 1,000 people.

The news follows criticism that the farm planned to use Chinese-made turbines and that too many federal stimulus dollars have gone to foreign-owned wind firms.

November 17, 2009

$9 Billion of Shovel-Ready CHP Projects Await Stimulus

The Department of Energy recently approved $150 million of grants to clean-energy applications, but it left on the table more than $9 billion of shovel-ready combined heat and power (CHP), waste energy recovery, and district energy projects. Altogether the projects would have created approximately 57,000 jobs.

‘Honor’ settlement act by protecting sovereignty

The leader of the Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians could not attend the historic Tribal Nations Conference with President Barack Obama; instead she sent him a message... she asked Obama to become an active partner on the tribe’s side in fighting off the state of Maine’s continuing encroachments on Indian tribal sovereignty.

Africa Agrees on Secret Climate Damages Demand

African leaders agreed on Tuesday on how much cash to demand from the rich world to compensate for the impact of climate change on the continent but kept the figure secret ahead of next month's Copenhagen talks.

Algae as a fuel could skew corn's role

The 2007 energy bill required that refiners start using biofuels made from cobs, wheat straw, grasses and other sources of plant cellulose by 2010, with the mandate growing annually to reach 16 billion gallons by 2022.

Americans' Interest in Green is Wilting During Downturn

A growing number of American consumers would like to tell President Obama to focus on the economy first before tackling environmental issues, according to research published today.

Backers of US nuclear waste project aim to stop plans to kill it

Alarmed by a leaked US Department of Energy memo that outlines the Obama administration's strategy for ending the Yucca Mountain nuclear waste repository project in Nevada, pro-nuclear groups began urging key lawmakers last week to block DOE's now-apparent plan to abandon Yucca's pending license application as early as next month.

Binding Climate Treaty May Slip Far Into 2010

A binding international treaty to limit greenhouse gas emissions will slip to mid-2010 or beyond and a summit in Copenhagen next month will fall short of its ambitions, the United Nations and Denmark said on Monday.

Carbon capture, storage projects increase worldwide; US DOE

Worldwide efforts to fund and establish carbon capture and storage projects have accelerated, suggesting the US and other G-8 countries are gaining ground on a goal of launching 20 CCS demonstrations by 2010, the US Department of Energy said Friday.

Chairman Lupe; Eagles at tree cutting good omen

The appearance of three bald eagles at the cutting of the Capitol Christmas Tree awed and amazed those that witnessed the magnificent birds circling over the site of the celebration.

CLEAN EDGE JOBS

Climate Deal Key To Fight 'Devastating' Hunger-UN

The United Nations said on Monday that agreeing a climate change deal in Copenhagen next month is crucial to fighting global hunger, which Brazil's president described as "the most devastating weapon of mass destruction".

Climate Deal Would Sharply Ax Oil Demand Growth-IEA

The International Energy Agency Tuesday said a new global deal to limit carbon emissions, if reached in coming months, could sharply curtail the growth in oil consumption in the years ahead as alternative energy resources and efficiency measures are tapped.

Climate Rage

One last chance to save the world — for months, that's how the United Nations summit on climate change in Copenhagen, which starts in early December, was being hyped. Officials from 192 countries were finally going to make a deal to keep global temperatures below catastrophic levels.

Coal company and environmental groups settle lawsuit

The settlement with the Kentucky Waterways Alliance and the Sierra Club allows the coal company to build a fourth and final valley fill at the mountaintop-removal mine. It originally had planned on five such fills.

The company agreed to plant hardwood trees on 150 acres of mined land, placing more trees per acre than normally would be required, and breaking up the surface to increase the trees' chances of survival.

Coalition sees jobs in clean energy

By creating a comprehensive package of legislation, manufacturing support, purchasing incentives and worker training, the U.S. can create a self-sustaining industry around alternative-energy development that creates nearly 2 million middle-class jobs, according to a coalition of worker unions and environmental organizations.

Curbing Construction Costs

Recession is over and recovery is here. And while there's an economic lag, it isn't expected to permanently weigh down the utility industry.

DOE Signs Agreement for New Hydrogen Power Plant

The U.S. Department of Energy has signed an agreement with Hydrogen Energy California LLC (HECA) to build and demonstrate a hydrogen-powered electric generating facility, complete with carbon capture and storage, in Kern County, Calif.

Energy mandate spawning new industry in N.C.

History is being made in North Carolina with the slow birth of a new industry – the production of electricity from renewable resources.

EPA C02 endangerment finding to White House

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has sent its final proposal on whether carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions pose a danger to human health and welfare to the White House for review, EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson told Reuters on Monday.

Foodborne diseases, such as Salmonella and Campylobacter, are increasingly resistant to antibiotic treatments

Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show that foodborne diseases, such as Salmonella and Campylobacter, are increasingly resistant to antibiotic treatments. Countless scientific studies have concluded that antibiotic resistance is related to the widespread overuse of these life-saving drugs in CAFOs (confined animal feeding operations), where they’re used to compensate for unsanitary conditions and promote growth in livestock and poultry that are not sick.

Green building tenants more productive, sick less

Tenants in green buildings are more productive and use fewer sick days, a new study by the University of San Diego and CB Richard Ellis Group Inc. reports

IEA not only for the rich, starting to take on global role; Tanaka

The International Energy Agency is set to further expand the number of countries it is engaging with outside the OECD, convinced that it needs to coordinate a global approach to the challenges facing the energy sector, the Paris-based organization's Executive Director Nobuo Tanaka said.

If Everything We Use as Benchmark and Advice is Faulty What is the Point of All this Information

In the past few of weeks a number of startling suggestions have been made that pretty much shake one’s belief in collecting any kind of information or making any kind of suggestions using the information available.

Iraq oil ministry delegation in Kurdistan to resolve oil issues

A delegation from Iraq's oil ministry arrived in the Kurdistan capital Erbil Sunday in a bid to resolve outstanding issues between Baghdad and the semi-autonomous region, an oil ministry source told Platts.

Japan Greenhouse Emissions Fell 6.2% Last Year

Japan's greenhouse gas pollution fell 6.2 percent in the last financial year, the government said on Wednesday, confirming market views that the worst recession in decades largely contributed to emission cuts.

Kerry vows US climate outline for Copenhagen

Senator John Kerry has pledged to complete a framework of an elusive US climate change deal in time for next month's high-stakes summit in Copenhagen, vowing not to let the world down.

Key US senators to meet on climate bill as Copenhagen hopes fade

While plans to reach a binding international agreement in 2009 on cutting carbon dioxide emissions have failed, the heads of six US Senate committees with jurisdiction over a major climate change bill will meet Monday to chart a way forward on the issue for their chamber.

Mayor Gordon Launches City-Sponsored Financing Program

The program, a collaboration among the city of Phoenix, APS (Arizona Public Service), National Bank of Arizona and SolarCity, is expected to allow up to 1,000 Phoenix homeowners to adopt solar power by the end of 2010.

Mississippi Sees 'Catastrophic' Crop Losses

Rain from Tropical Storm Ida further slowed the cotton, soybean and sweet potato harvest in Mississippi, where crop losses were devastating even before the storm hit, a state agriculture official said on Thursday.

Nanoparticles Used in Common Household Items Shown to Cause Genetic Damage

Titanium dioxide (TiO₂) nanoparticles, found in everything from cosmetics to sunscreen to toothpaste to paint to vitamins, caused systemic genetic damage in mice, according to a comprehensive study conducted by researchers at UCLA's Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center.

New Markets for Coal

It's a revolution that began in South Africa and which has spread to China. Now, it's come to the United States where coal-rich states are trying to find new markets for their product and namely in the transportation sector.

Nuclear energy forum addresses waste disposal, expansion

Nuclear energy will make up a larger portion of Pennsylvania's and the nation's energy production, as the federal government looks to strengthen laws limiting carbon emissions, Robert Powelson said Friday. But, the commissioner of the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission said the nation needs to address several key issues, including disposal of nuclear waste and regulations monitoring the industry.

OGX says Brazil find has 400-500 million barrels recoverable oil

Brazilian independent producer OGX said Monday it estimates that a recent find in the BM-C-41 block offshore Rio de Janiero contains 400-500 million barrels of recoverable oil.

Oh, Lord, climate agreement a Trojan Horse for Communist world government

Lord Christopher Walter Monckton, 3^rd Viscount Monckton of Brenchley, caused something of a stir 20 years ago when he wrote an article calling for universal AIDS testing, and for all those found with the virus to be quarantined immediately and forever.

Ohio city agrees to address sewage overflow problems

According to a Clean Water Act settlement lodged last week in federal court, the city must develop and implement a plan to reduce or eliminate untreated overflows of sewage and storm water from its sewer system and bypasses around secondary treatment at the wastewater treatment plant.

Oklahoma Support for Wind is Across Political Spectrum; Poll

An overwhelming 91% of Oklahomans support developing more wind farms to produce the state’s electricity, according to a recent survey.

OPEC president says oil prices of $75-$78/barrel are good

Oil prices in the $75-$78/barrel range are "good" and would not hinder the global economic recovery, OPEC president Jose Botelho de Vasconcelos said November 16.

Panel; Fear, misinformation hamper efforts to immunize minority groups against H1N1

Safety fears, misinformation and a distrust of doctors hamper efforts to persuade members of minority groups to get vaccinated against the H1N1 flu strain, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention officials told ethnic media leaders Thursday.

Pills available for people downwind from Diablo

County public health officials are offering free doses of the radiation-blocking drug potassium iodide to people who live and work downwind of Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant.

The pills, also known by their chemical name KI, are available at six locations. They are only to be taken at the direction of public health officials in the event of a radiation leak at Diablo Canyon.

Plan for coal-fired plant in South Dakota shelved after 4 utilities drop out

A power plant ran out of steam Monday as developers announced that they have decided not to build the $1.6 billion Big Stone II project near South Dakota's border with Minnesota.

Refiners Rally Against Higher Ethanol Blend

Several U.S. oil refiners may have stepped up their investments in ethanol production this year to meet regulatory requirements, but at the same time the refining industry is waging a battle against a waiver that would allow more of the biofuel to be blended into gasoline.

Renewable energy hot topic at Thursday event

...larger reform, approved by the New Mexico Legislature this year, is expected to soon establish what's called a renewable energy financing district in Do-a Ana County -- where home-owners essentially pay a mortgage on a solar, wind or geothermal system -- instead of having to come up with tens of thousands of dollars all upfront, like Harkey or Lee did.

Renewables could boost EU GDP growth by 0.5%; Areva executive

The renewables industry could boost EU GDP growth by as much as 0.5%, Anil Srivastava, CEO for French engineering company Areva's renewables business, told a renewables conference in Brussels on Monday.

Report of Solar-Geophysical Activity 111609

Solar activity was very low. Region 1031 (N30E08) was a Bxo-beta group with 2 spots. The geomagnetic field is expected to be quiet on days one and two (17-18 November).

Russia Delays Iran's Bushehr Nuclear Power Station

Russia announced the latest delay to Iran's first nuclear power station on Monday, saying that technical issues would prevent its engineers from starting up the reactor at the Bushehr plant by the year-end.

Energy Minister Sergei Shmatko stressed that politics had nothing to do with the decision...

Solar Energy Initiatives Announces Securing Land to Build a 100 Megawatt Solar Park in California

executing on a grass roots campaign, “RENEW THE NATION”, to help redeploy a portion of the U.S. work force and focus on reducing the world’s dependence on fossil fuels by selling solar thermal and photovoltaic

Solar energy sticks comes to South Texas

In a place as sun-drenched as South Texas, you'd think solar power would have already caught fire.

The fact is solar has been slow to catch on here, though lately it seems to be gaining a toehold.

Solar Panel Supply Glut Past Peak; Research

The global glut of solar panels that has overwhelmed the industry for much of 2009 is past its peak as strong demand from Germany, the world's largest solar market, eats up extra supply, according to a report issued on Friday by industry research firm iSuppli.

Solar power taking hold in the Garden State

New Jersey is not just the Garden State, it is also a solar power state. Although most people would likely assume that a state better known for its sunshine -- such as Hawaii, Arizona or Nevada -- would place second to California in its use of solar energy, the reality is that New Jersey has become a solar energy model for the rest of the country.

Study criticizes global warming task force

Gov. Jim Doyle's global warming task force aims to cut greenhouse emissions 22% by 2022, but a debate continues over the economic cost.

Tidal Power Turbines Producing More Energy Than Expected

The turbines are powered by a consistent tidal current that surges back and forth with every tide through the Strangford Narrows in Northern Ireland at speeds of up to 10 miles per hour. The generators typically produce enough energy to meet the average electricity needs for 1500 UK homes during each ebb and each flood tide

U.S. EPA launches new Web site for ´greening´ homes

The U.S. EPA has launched its Green Homes Web site to provide information for home owners, buyers and renters looking for information on "going green" indoors and outdoors.

The site will help people make their homes greener with tips on reducing energy consumption, carbon footprints, waste generation and water usage, as well as improving indoor air quality, according to the agency.

U.S. Ethanol Industry’s New Demand for Corn in 2009-10 Met Solely Through Yield Growth

There’s been a lot of talk lately about land use change and the impact of biofuels on global agricultural markets. Some believe the increased use of grain for biofuels like ethanol will lead to the direct and indirect conversion of non‐agricultural lands here and abroad. However, those familiar with the U.S. agriculture sector’s long history of productivity and efficiency have maintained that increased demand for grain can be readily met through increases in the amount of feedstock produced per unit of land, not through expansion of the area devoted to cropland.

We Can No Longer Ignore the Not-So-Hidden Financial and Human Costs of Coal

If, like me, you are anxious for the healthcare debate to be over so Congress can get back to passing clean-energy legislation – think again. Human health should, in fact, be a prime driver of meaningful clean-energy legislation.

Why We Need Bees and More People Becoming Organic Beekeepers

Bees teach us how to live our life in a way that by taking what we need from the world around us, we leave the world better than we found it.

Beekeeping is rising in popularity -- from urban rooftops to backyard hives, the world is abuzz with interest in homemade honey.

Worldwide Carbon Capture and Storage Projects on the Increase

Worldwide efforts to fund and establish carbon capture and storage (CCS) projects have accelerated, according to a new Department of Energy (DOE) online database, indicating ongoing positive momentum toward achieving the G-8 goal for launching 20 CCS demonstrations by 2010.

November 13, 2009

A hydroelectric revival for Gold Ray

Entering Gold Ray Dam's 105-year-old powerhouse is not just a stroll into the past, it's a precarious step into the present.

Two .75-megawatt generators sit rusted where they were placed in 1907, with an old and nearly petrified belt still attached to one. Antiquated switches and levers are frozen by time. Sunlight bent by cloudy glass windows gives the main room an aura worthy of a B-grade horror movie.

Are EVs risking or saving the planet?

ETA report takes a close look at the real impact of EVs on the environment

Battery Pack Rebuilders Recycles 7.5 Tons Of Rechargeable Batteries

Call2Recycle, the only free rechargeable battery and cell phone collection program in North America, recently announced that Battery Pack Rebuilders LLC has recycled more than 7.5 tons (15,000 pounds) of rechargeable batteries since joining the Call2Recycle program in 2005. The amount of batteries collected is equivalent to the weight of about three mini-vans.

Boreal Forests Store Carbon, Need Help; Canada Study

The world needs to do more to protect boreal forests and peatlands, which store more carbon than any other ecosystem and help mitigate the effects of climate change, a Canadian report issued Thursday said.

Bredesen praises solar industry

Gov. Phil Bredesen said Tuesday his administration's efforts to make Tennessee a center for renewable energy research and development will pay off in new jobs and economic growth over the long haul.

Opening a Tennessee Solar Symposium, Bredesen played down the likelihood of immediate economic impacts...

California Gets Federal Help to Solve Water Crisis

California Governor Schwarzenegger went to the Friant Dam near Fresno Monday to sign the Safe, Clean, and Reliable Drinking Water Supply Act of 2010. If approved by the voters next November, the measure would authorize the issuance of bonds in the amount of $11.14 billion to finance a safe drinking water and water supply reliability program for California.

Chemicals in Our Food, and Bodies

Your body is probably home to a chemical called bisphenol A, or BPA. It’s a synthetic estrogen that United States factories now use in everything from plastics to epoxies — to the tune of six pounds per American per year. That’s a lot of estrogen.

Corporate Lending Ready to Take Off, Just Need the Borrowers

Banks are ready to increase lending to corporations and will attempt to ramp their lending significantly in 2010. Here are the reasons:

Demand for hydrogen fuel slows progress

A year after Aiken County officials announced plans to become a part of a nationwide hydrogen energy initiative, usage of this alternative fuel source has increased but its everyday potential still seems years in the future.

Dollar Trouble, Oil's Bubble Could Derail Recovery

The weakness in the U.S. dollar risks inflating a bubble in the oil market, which could threaten consumer spending and potentially cause a double dip recession.

Drought Resistance Explained

Much as adrenaline coursing through our veins drives our body's reactions to stress, the plant hormone abscisic acid (ABA) is behind plants' responses to stressful situations such as drought, but how it does so has been a mystery for years.

Efficient Markets or Herd Mentality. The Future of Economic Forecasting

Electric Cars Face Obstacles to Consumer Acceptance

Nashville is one of a handful of cities in the U.S. targeted to become an early focal point for electric vehicles, as Nissan plans to start production of a battery-powered car in Smyrna by 2012 and a program is launched to build a network of recharging stations. But getting to the point where electric vehicles are common will take time and work

Electric utilities plan to spend $1B on new power plants

Electric utilities have nearly $1 billion worth of new power plant projects planned for Southcentral Alaska.

Energy Saving; Much Cheaper Than Building Power Plants!

It costs about $2.50/watt to build a new coal power plant. But replacing light bulbs can decrease demand for only $.025/watt!

EPA Study Reveals Widespread Contamination Of Fish In U.S. Lakes And Reservoirs

A new EPA study shows concentrations of toxic chemicals in fish tissue from lakes and reservoirs in nearly all 50 U.S. states. For the first time, EPA is able to estimate the percentage of lakes and reservoirs nationwide that have fish containing potentially harmful levels of chemicals such as mercury and PCBs.

Ethiopia PM; World Not Serious On Climate Change

Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi, who will represent Africa at next month's Copenhagen climate change talks, said on Thursday it was unlikely the world was serious about tackling global warming.

EU, Russia to discuss energy, climate change at Nov 18 summit

"We need Russia if we are to deal with global challenges in an effective way," she said, stressing that, "Close cooperation between Russia and EU is important if we are to achieve a result [at the global climate change summit next month] in Copenhagen. Russia has started to look at tangible and comparable reductions in greenhouse gas emissions."

Green Heating & Cooling Turns Carbon from Eco-villain to Hero

Carbon is usually typecast as a villain in terms of the environment but researchers at the University of Warwick have devised a novel way to miniaturise a technology that will make carbon a key material in some extremely green heating products for our homes and in air conditioning equipment for our cars.

Greenland Ice is Melting — Faster and Faster!

Professor Jonathan Bamber from the University of Bristol and an author on the paper said: "It is clear from these results that mass loss from Greenland has been accelerating since the late 1990s and the underlying causes suggest this trend is likely to continue in the near future.

Group seeks more use of international offsets in US climate bill

The US Senate climate-change bill should permit greater use of international carbon offsets, major electric utilities and offset developers said on Tuesday.

GWS Technologies Announces Development of a 7 Megawatt Solar Farm in Arizona

The company plans to install six megawatts of mono-crystalline fixed solar panels, as well as one megawatt of a concentrating solar power (CSP) system, as a beta test for use in the company's future projects. Fixed solar panels have no moving parts, collect sunlight and convert it into electricity, while CSP systems use lenses or mirrors and tracking systems to focus sunlight into a small beam which is concentrated onto a photovoltaic surface.

IEA's latest diagnosis; Oil demand out of intensive care

With more and more signs emerging all the time of an economic recovery taking root around the world, it was never going to take long before world oil demand forecasts started to look a bit more optimistic.

Implied Real Rate Tells a Story of Loose Monetary Policy and Asset Bubbles

There are numerous ways to measure how easy the monetary policy is at any particular time. Quantitative easing aside, one can look at the overnight rates as the simplest measure of stimulus levels. The Fed Funds rate fluctuating between 12 and 25 basis points feels sort of accommodative.

Make Everyday America Recycles Day

Want to help the environment?  Why not spend some time this America Recycles Day, November 15^th, looking for new opportunities to recycle throughout the year?  Keeping good recycling habits at home, work, and on the go can help with climate change.  By reusing, recycling, and being smarter in the amounts and types of materials used, people can save energy, use fewer natural resources, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.  

Making the Case for On Farm Anaerobic Digesters

Anaerobic Digestion is one of the more promising biological technologies for sustainable waste management and has the potential to turn a large and worsening agro-headache into a growing opportunity for sustainable farming.

Memo casts doubt on license for Yucca repository

The Obama administration intends to stop the pursuit of a license for the planned Yucca Mountain nuclear waste repository in December, according to internal budget documents from the Department of Energy.

Modern Solar Technologies Shading Out Silicon Solar Panels

A silicon solar panel manufacturer has announced plans to close its U.S. plant, another is moving production to China, and a third is downsizing.

All three companies are switching to more modern technology in a business climate of inventory buildup and overcapacity for crystalline silicon solar panels and industry pricing below the cost of producing the familiar panels that are the basis for most solar installations in the United States.

New Research Compares US vs. China Stimulus Packages

SmithStreetSolutions, consulting and advisory firm based in Shanghai and New York, yesterday announced the publication of its whitepaper: Initiative in Crisis: The Effects of the US and China Economic Stimulus Packages on Global Recovery. The study examines the US and China’s responses to the financial crisis

Nigeria's output hits 2 million bd for first time in a year; NNPC

Nigeria's crude oil production has topped 2 million b/d after dropping to the lowest levels in more than two decades this summer as producers restart shuttered oil output following an amnesty agreement between the government and key militant leaders.

North Dakota energized on energy

North Dakota gets a better than passing grade among states using federal recovery act money for energy projects.

Northwest Retailers Anticipate Consumer Demand for Energy-Efficient Electronics

A difficult economy coupled with rising energy costs are likely to impact holiday purchases this year, with many shoppers choosing energy-efficient electronics to reduce household energy bills.

NREL recommending site-specific wind turbine surveys

To add to the hot/cold air swirling around the subject of wind turbines in Estes Park, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) said last month there are challenges in making small residential wind turbines workable here.

NYMEX crude turns lower as dollar rebounds off session lows

"The US dollar is giving up some of yesterday's gains but the euro has made limited progress," foreign exchange strategists at Brown Brothers Harriman said in a report.

Petrobras says 4th Tupi test well confirms massive field estimate

Petrobras, Brazil's state-controlled oil company, said Thursday that a fourth test well in the Tupi offshore field confirms its estimate that the area contains 5 billion to 8 billion boe.

Plan for coal ash landfill draws fire in Labadie

Gambaro and the other members knew all about the dangers associated with coal ash as a result of the 2008 disaster in Tennessee, where an impoundment failed and sent a toxic soup of heavy metals into a nearby valley, fouling local water supplies and destroying three homes.

Record-High U.S. Temps Outpace Record Lows; Study

In another sign of a warming planet, there were twice as many record-high temperatures in the United States as record lows over the last decade, climate scientists reported on Thursday.

This does not mean there are no record lows, just that there are fewer of them...

Report Charts Path for U.S. Offshore Wind Power Development

Citing a DOE finding that the United States possesses the potential for 900,000 megawatts (MW) of electricity from its offshore wind resources, the report lays out specific areas needed to make offshore wind a U.S. reality. Among the recommendations: better collaboration among government entities, universities, businesses, and stakeholders in wind development; creation of a Web-based information clearinghouse; convening meetings among states with common interests in offshore wind...

Satcon Selected for Largest Urban Solar Power Plant in the U.S.

Satcon Technology Corporation (NASDAQ CM: SATC), a leading provider of utility scale power solutions for the renewable energy market, today announced that it has been selected for the 10-megawatt Exelon City Solar photovoltaic (PV) power plant, the nation's largest urban solar power plant

Saudi crude exports to US plunge to 22-year low in August. Why?

Southern Company Breaks Ground on Biomass Plant

Southern Power, the Southern Company subsidiary that acquires, builds, manages and owns wholesale generation assets, today took a major step in building one of the nation's largest biomass-fueled projects with a groundbreaking ceremony in Sacul, Texas.

Spain sets unique record for wind power

Wind turbines supplied 54% of Spain’s total electricity demand, for a short period on the weekend.

Study shows companies use sustainable packaging

A new study of retail and manufacturing-related companies shows that more than 65% of the respondents have a sustainable packaging policy in place and an additional 28% are developing such a policy.

Study Suggests Rainwater Is Safe To Drink

A world first study by Monash University researchers into the health of families who drink rainwater has found that it is safe to drink.

Study; 'Green' jobs surge limited

Economists at the New England Economic Partnership praised efforts to develop new clean-energy technologies and companies, saying it will help economic activity and the environment. But green jobs probably won't be produced in massive numbers that would significantly change the nature of Massachusetts' economy.

Study; Offshore winds a mega-resource

There is more than enough wind off the mid-Atlantic seaboard to power every coastal state from North Carolina to Massachusetts, according to a new study presented in Rhode Island.

'Super Greenhouse Gas' Deal Fails

At little noticed talks last week in Port Ghalib, Egypt, climate advocates were hoping to seal a global agreement for the phase down of super greenhouse gases and give next month's Copenhagen climate talks a can-do running start. But the annual meeting of the 198 nations of the Montreal Protocol began on a note of contention that five days of discussions could not overcome.

The Goal of Every H1N1 Swine Flu Vaccine; Immunotoxicity, Neurotoxicity and Sterility

Science dictates that only a randomized double-blind, placebo-controlled study can generate unbiased results in any clinical trial. In the history of vaccine development, no such study has ever been performed. It is only unscientific opinions and pharmaceutical propaganda which have propelled the mythological validity, safety and effectiveness of vaccines.

The parallel worlds of OPEC quotas and actual production

In the world of OPEC, the word production can mean different things. There is official production, whereby OPEC sets quotas for individual members under an overall volume, and there is actual production, which can bear little resemblance to official levels.

The US wind energy market could reach 8 GW by year end

The US wind energy market could reach 8 GW installed in 2009, (including project spill-over from 2008 and new wind build), despite initial fears of a major drop in megawatts resulting from the financial crisis, according to a brief from Emerging Energy Research.

Tribal leaders asked to support climate legislation

A group of tribal, advocacy, environmental and legal organizations is requesting that tribes support climate legislation, especially given current incentives proposed in Congress.

U.N. Official Says Leaders Want Fast Climate Deal

World leaders are setting their sights on completing an international deal on combating global warming by the middle of next year, a U.N. official said on Thursday, now that there is broad agreement next month's deadline will not be met in Copenhagen.

U.S. Trucking Feeling Pressure From Greener Trains

The American Trucking Association says trucks transport about 70 percent, or 10 billion tons of all U.S. freight annually. But they use at least three times as much energy as trains per ton carried, analysts say.

US could create 4.5 million jobs in renewable energy, says analysis

The United States could net 4.5 million new jobs in the renewable energy and energy efficiency sectors by 2030 if it addresses climate change, according to a report prepared for the American Solar Energy Society.

US Long-Term Rates Fall to Lowest Level in Five Weeks

US survey shows concern with noise from wind turbines

A survey in Rhode Island shows that 89% have positive opinions on the use of wind turbines to generate electricity, but 50% rate the cost of wind as an important issue and 44% say noise is an important consideration.

Warming up to solar

Chuck Wojnowski no longer feels guilty when he flips on the air conditioning or hops in the jactus.

That's because he's gone solar.

We have met the deniers, and they are us

Names of shame, ignominy, criminals against humanity, against planet Earth itself.  Agents of the lethal delays in our response to escalating, accelerating, catastrophic global warming.

Yet, as deniers of climate change, they’re amateurs compared to us.  Us activists, environmentalists, scientists, and certainly Copenhagen politicians.

Why Dr. Oz Won’t Take the Swine Flu Vaccine

Dr. Mehmet Oz is arguably one of the most well-known doctors in the United States. He is the Vice-Chair and Professor of Surgery at Columbia University and a popular talk-show host. Dr. Oz has become a household name in the USA.  And while Dr. Oz advocates many of the practices of conventional medicine, he has a differing opinion of the recently-developed swine flu vaccine. Keep reading to find out why you and your loved ones should think twice before getting this vaccine.

WILD9; Wilderness and Water Promises in the Land of the Maya

Archeologist Richard Hansen, an expert in early Mayan civilization, studies human culture down to the microscopic level. And he knows what the signs of collapse look like.

While his research has helped show how enormous, elaborate pyramids rose in the jungles of what is now Guatamala as long as 3,000 years ago, it has also chronicled how these early cities were abandoned after deforestation forced their collapse. ...

The similarities of those signs of collapse to today's extractive culture are hard to escape.

Wind Capital develops project using 1.5-megawatt turbine

The Lost Creek project supports Missouri’s Clean Air Initiative, which calls for 15% of the state’s power to be generated from renewable resources by 2021. When it enters commercial service in the spring of 2010, the project will have the capacity to generate 150 megawatts of electricity, enough to power more than 50,000 homes.

Wind energy receives 45% increase in US budget allocation

Wind energy will receive US$80 million in federal government funding appropriations, a 45% increase over the last fiscal year.

Yucca critic wants clarity; Nevada official wonders whether memo has typo

A Department of Energy memo that calls for ending next month the pursuit of a license for the planned Yucca Mountain nuclear waste repository has the state's leading project opponent wondering whether federal budget officers mistakenly wrote "December 2009" instead of December 2010.

November 10, 2009

African Accord Clears Way for Climate Talks to Resume in Spain

United Nations climate talks resumed yesterday in Barcelona after African nations agreed to return to the table that negotiates emissions targets for 37 industrialized countries.

About 50 African nations dropped their boycott of talks on renewing the Kyoto Protocol accord,..

Aid Groups, Farmers Collaborate to Re-Green Sahel

Industrialized nations agreed this year to spend $20 billion during the next three years on food security projects across the developing world that improve small farmers' access to seeds, training, and markets. Methods that combine traditional agricultural techniques, such as natural regeneration, with modern technologies are more likely to become a larger component of the food security initiatives, development experts said.

As Nations Haggle Over CO2 cuts, Measurement Is Tough

Targets and trust. These are at the heart of a tougher new global climate pact possibly just weeks away.

The bigger the pledged emissions cuts or reductions in growth in carbon dioxide pollution, the greater the need to prove nations meet those targets and curb the pace of climate change.

Australia tries gasifying coal underground

An Australian company has begun testing technology that generates power from coal while leaving the coal underground.

Bumper Wheat Crop Brings Cheer to Northern Afghanistan

Majid can hardly believe his good fortune. He harvested so much wheat this year that he can feed his family and even sell a few kilos in Mazar-e-Sharif, the economic capital of northern Afghanistan.

California American Water Celebrates 'No Drugs Down The Drain' Week In Los Angeles

California American Water has designated the week of November 9, 2009 as "No Drugs Down the Drain" Week for its Los Angeles service area as part of a national campaign sponsored by public and private agencies alike toward the common mission of reducing pharmaceutical pollution in our source water supplies.

Can all-electric vehicles take charge?

Yes, batteries are a problem, but even "perfect" batteries won't overcome the problem of the charging times and the current needed for a viable all-electric car or truck.

Canada To Investigate Disappearing Pacific Salmon

Canada will launch an investigation into why far fewer sockeye salmon than scientists had predicted returned to the Fraser River on the Pacific Coast this summer.

Cap-and-trade mirage

Supporters of the climate bill passed by the House and the similar bill under consideration in the Senate -- including President Obama and Democratic congressional leaders -- say that the cap-and-trade approach would guarantee greenhouse-gas reductions. But this claim ignores the flaws inherent in both bills that would undermine even their weak emissions-reduction targets and would lock in climate degradation.

China Eyes Closing Coal-Fired Power Plants In Capital

China is considering moving the last four coal-fired power and heating plants out of Beijing's municipal area, replacing them with gas-fired stations, state media reported on Monday, in an effort to improve air quality in the capital.

Chrysler Dismantles Electric Car Plans Under Fiat

Chrysler has disbanded a team of engineers dedicated to rushing a range of electric vehicles to showrooms and dropped ambitious sales targets for battery-powered cars set as it was sliding toward bankruptcy and seeking government aid.

Climate Vulnerable Nations Go Carbon Neutral, Plead for Help

Leaders from countries most vulnerable to the adverse impacts of climate change today concluded a two-day meeting at the idyllic Bandos Island Resort, but they were not there to enjoy the white beaches and clear turquoise Indian Ocean encircling the low-lying island. They worry that sea level rise brought on by global warming will drown this and all such islands the world over.

Coal Ash Reconsidered

Coal combustion waste may be reclassified as a hazardous waste. That's a significant change from its current categorization as a solid waste, which has created a secondary market for the byproduct in recycling circles.

Coal Company Destroys Last Intact Mountain in Coal River Valley

A subsidiary of Massey Energy has begun mountaintop-removal coal-mining operations on Coal River Mountain in West Virginia, the only peak in Coal River Valley that hasn't been blasted away for mining.

Codex Nutrient Reference Values Threaten Your Supplements - By Stealth

Attending a Codex meeting makes me remember Edmund Burke's famous saying, "All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing."

Most of the delegates attending these meetings have less than no idea what is actually going on and so, sadly, they do nothing to change the intended outcome of Codex: degredation of the world's food supply.

Deforestation and Degradation Responsible for Approximately 15 Percent of Global Warming Emissions

Scientists and non-governmental organizations at the United Nations climate negotiations commented today on the percentage of global warming emissions that is due to tropical deforestation, in light of a new analysis published earlier this week...

Demand heats up for weatherization, energy bill help

With cooler weather and a continued soft economy, phones are ringing more than usual at the Energy Resource Center, a 30-year-old nonprofit that helps low-income residents reduce their energy bills.

Dirty Air, Heat, Cold May All Trigger Heart Attacks

Extreme temperatures and heavy air pollution boost heart attack risk, according to a major new study.

And on days when the air is extra dirty and the temperature is unusually hot or cold, the effects are likely to be particularly bad, given that temperature and pollution seem to harm the body in different ways

EERE Funding Up 3 Percent to $2.24 Billion for Fiscal Year 2010

President Obama approved the fiscal year (FY) 2010 appropriations for DOE on October 28, including $2.24 billion for the DOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE). The funds represent a modest 3% increase in funding for EERE, which received $2.18 billion in annual appropriations in FY 2009

EU - Russia Energy Relations, Legal and Political Issues

the political aspects of the EU-Russia relations are discussed by some of the leading practitioners and academics in the field. With Russia being the single most important energy supplier for the European Union, the security of supply issue inevitably hinges to a large extent on the complex relationship between Brussels and the Kremlin. The events following the most recent disruption of gas supply from Ukraine in 2009 is evidence of the fragile political interrelation between the EU and Russia and it is not surprising that speculation about the future of Russian energy supplies to the EU keeps growing.

Evergreen shifts work to China

Evergreen Solar, which manufactures at its Devens plant the wafers and cells used in solar panels, will move the final assembly of those panels to a new plant in China.

Geothermal energy raising hopes in AZ

What is geothermal's potential in our future energy mix?

We could supply all our electrical needs for the entire country, indefinitely. It's a renewable resource. It's 24/7. Solar stops when the sun goes down. The wind stops blowing. And it's been very cost-competitive, one of the cheapest technologies out there.

Ginnie Mae and the Government Sponsored Mortgage Machine

A quick look at who is taking all the risk on new mortgages this year reveals some interesting facts. The chart below from the Fed shows some recent trends. Very few mortgage loans are kept on banks' balance sheets these days (Bank Portfolio) - and that fraction seems to be shrinking. The private securitization MBS market (Non-agency securitized) is also down to a trickle, though is a higher fraction than the balance sheet loans.

Glacier Retreat in Antarctica Has Unexpected Benefit

As the glaciers retreat, more open water is exposed, and lead author of a new study, Professor Lloyd Peck of the BAS found that large blooms of tiny marine plants called phytoplankton are flourishing in areas of open water left exposed by the recent and rapid melting of ice shelves and glaciers around the Antarctic Peninsula. This remarkable colonization is having a beneficial impact on climate change. 

Heat-Related Nitrogen Loss Endangers Desert Plant Life

As the climate gets warmer, arid soils lose nitrogen as gas, reports a new Cornell study. This could lead to deserts with even less plant life than they sustain today, say the researchers.

Hydropower Upgrades to Yield Added Generation at Average Costs Less Than 4 cents per kWh - Without New Dams

The selections announced today will deploy innovative technologies such as high-efficiency, fish-friendly turbines, improved water intakes, and advanced control systems in order to increase power generation and improve environmental stewardship.

IEA's Birol; Oil price to climb to more than $100barrel by 2015

Despite the sharp revision in demand as a result of the financial crisis and global recession, however, IEA chief economist Fatih Birol said the agency expected oil prices to climb to more than $100/barrel by 2015 from current levels of around $75-$80/b.

Illegally Dumping 100 Million Pounds of Toxic Coal Ash Waste Onto a Pristine Dominican Republic Beach, U.S. Power Corporation Created a Genetic Time Bomb, Mass Tort Complaint Alleges in First-of-its-Kind Lawsuit

One of the world's largest power generating companies caused horrendous birth defects, lung injuries, and other acute and chronic medical problems from illegally dumping 100 million pounds of toxic coal ash onto a pristine Caribbean beachfront, according to a groundbreaking mass tort lawsuit filed late November 4th against Arlington, Virginia-based AES Corporation ("AES").

Japan’s Demographic Time Bomb Is Imploding

While Evans-Pritchard is correct that Japan’s debt habit is unsustainable, the country’s debt problems are the result of its population imploding and the fuse finally burning out on its demographic time bomb. The Land of the Rising Sun is in trouble because it suffers from an insular society that discourages immigration and implicitly encourages low birth rates.

Lessons From Oil Industry May Help Address Groundwater Crisis

Although declining streamflows and half-full reservoirs have gotten most of the attention in water conflicts around the United States, some of the worst battles of the next century may be over groundwater, experts say — a critical resource often taken for granted until it begins to run out.

Listening to Nature as if Our Lives Depended on It

I want ten thousand cultures to replace this culture, each one arising organically from its own place. That's how humans inhabited the planet (or, more precisely, their landbases, since each group inhabited a place, and not the whole world, which is precisely the point), before this culture set about reducing all cultures to one.

Mutating rabies virus puts extra scare in bat researcher

These nocturnal creatures have a reputation for carrying the rabies virus, but what's occurring with the spread of rabies in the Coconino National Forest near Flagstaff is believed to be occurring nowhere else in the world.

Nevada governor wants to eliminate landfills in state

Nevada Gov. Jim Gibbons wants to eliminate landfills in the state and instead recycle as much waste as possible and use the rest to generate energy.

New Market Study Finds Green Buildings Continue Impressive Growth

Green building activity has sustained impressive growth during 2009 amid a brutal construction market that has decimated other segments of the construction marketplace, according to the 2009 Green Building Market & Impact Report published by GreenerBuildings.com.

New Report Card on Economic Stimulus Package

The new grades were issued based on the release of the much anticipated recipient reports required by the ARRA. They cover four key recovery areas: Speed of Spending, Job Creation, Transparency & Reporting, and Contracting Effectiveness.

Not Science Fiction; Solar Power to be Zapped From Space By Lasers

Japan's government has picked companies and researchers to turn the multi-billion dollar dream of unlimited clean energy into reality by 2030.

The Space Solar Power System involves an array of photovoltaic dishes reaching across several square miles that hover in geostationary orbit outside the Earth's atmosphere.

Personalized solar units could power homes and cars, scientist says

Ready to jump off the grid? Researchers believe the day is coming when the electricity you use will be your own. Instead of relying on large central generating stations -- hydroelectric dams, coal plants and the like -- scientists say we're moving toward an era of "personalized solar energy."

Poll on H1N1 suggests that public health officials battling perception problem

"Most people don't understand that the virus is very dangerous," said Dr. Karen Lewis, medical director of the Arizona Department of Health Services Immunization Program.

Residents speak out about coal ash proposal

He states the site would meet or exceed state and federal environmental requirements, and noted coal ash had been used in coal mine reclamation for years without incident, and he said the site would be operated to ensure none of the coal ash could become airborne.

Rooftop solar cells blossom, posing new challenges for power grid

Solar power installations are sprouting on California rooftops like leaves in the spring, but all that renewable energy poses new problems for the aging power grid.

Solar panels and wind turbines offer the promise of clean electricity by deriving their power from wind and the sun. But both suffer from the problem of intermittency:

Salazar Highlights Fast-Track Renewable Energy Projects

Citing what he called America’s urgent need for a diverse energy supply, Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar today detailed several renewable energy projects that are on a fast track, including a 400-megawatt solar tower development available for public review and five others that are poised to begin environmental impact studies. Five of these are solar projects and one is a wind farm; all are located in California.

So how much natural gas does the US have! Depends whom you ask

What we have here is a failure among gas industry advocates to sing the same song from the same song book.

Tax breaks cost state more than predicted

State officials deliberately underestimated the cost of Gov. Ted Kulongoski’s plan to lure green energy companies to Oregon with big taxpayer subsidies, resulting in a program that cost 40 times more than unsuspecting lawmakers were told, an investigation by The Oregonian shows.

Tempers Flare Over Chinese Involvement in Wind Farm Planned for Texas

News last week of the first major influx of Chinese capital and wind turbine manufacturing expertise into the renewable energy market in the United States — a 600-megawatt wind farm planned for the plains of west Texas — had many readers of the Green Inc. blog in a state of agitation.

The Nitrogen Fix; Breaking a Costly Addiction

A single patent a century ago changed the world, and now, in the 21st century, Homo sapiens and the world we dominate have an addiction. Call it the nitrogen fix. It is like a drug mainlined into the planet's ecosystems, suffusing every cell, every pore - including our own bodies.

UA solar device may create energy as cheaply as coal

Angel's design uses mirrors - 21 segments arrayed in a parabola on a lightweight aluminum frame - to focus the sun's light on a small solar cell.

Western says to shut New Mexico refinery

Western officials earlier Monday said the company would immediately begin to shut the refinery due to "weak industry dynamics." ...

Western said it is evaluating alternative uses for the Bloomfield facility, including the possibility of biofuels production.

What Kind of Agriculture do We Need in an Era of Climate Change?

Climate change will adversely affect agricultural productivity and human well-being. Overall, it is projected that crop productivity will decline, particularly at lower latitudes, especially in the seasonally dry and tropical regions. This would increase the risk of hunger. Moreover, it is the majority of the world's rural poor who live in areas that are resource-poor, highly heterogeneous and risk-prone, who will be hardest hit by climate change.

Wind farm all but disappears in coastal simulation

Large wind turbines would be clearly visible two miles off the Carolina coast but would all but disappear into the haze eight miles out to sea, a new photo simulation shows....

The visual impact of the wind turbines has been a major hurdle for some projects in the United States and Europe.

November 6, 2009

African Nations, Activists Disrupt Barcelona Climate Talks

About 70 activists blocked the main entrance to the UN climate change negotiations in Barcelona on Wednesday, demanding steep cuts in the greenhouse gas emissions that are raising the planetary temperature.

America’s Most Toxic Cities List Released With Surprising Results

Las Vegas has far from a clean reputation, but in Forbes' list of America's Most Toxic Cities, Las Vegas is named the least toxic of 40 major metropolitan areas.

Arizona Pickens Plan members thank Congresswoman Ann Kirkpatrick

This bill encourages the U.S. to use natural gas to replace foreign oil. Natural gas is cleaner and cheaper than petroleum, and the U.S. reserves of natural gas are greater than the oil reserves in Saudi Arabia.

At least 40% of new California renewables projects delayed; PUC

More than 80% of new renewables projects approved by the California Public Utilities Commission are under development, but more than half of the projects are "experiencing some sort of delay," according to a PUC report released Thursday.

Australian renewable energy crisis as REC price dives

The Australian renewable energy industry faces a colossal threat of sudden extinction. Last week, the Renewable Energy Certificate (REC) price dived to AU$23 after spending recent months hovering at AU$38. This is well below the AU$50/REC enjoyed only four months ago, and poses severe problems for the renewable energy industry...

Bill to ban Italian nuke waste advances

A House subcommittee swiftly advanced legislation Tuesday that would ban the importation of low-level radioactive waste from foreign countries, including halting a plan by Utah's EnergySolutions to bring Italian waste to U.S. soil.

Boat tail reduces truck fuel consumption by 7.5 percent

Tests conducted in Europe have shown that a boat tail – a tapering protrusion mounted on the rear of a truck – leads to fuel savings of 7.5 percent. The fuel savings, which also means a cut in emissions, were realized by the boat tail dramatically reducing the drag caused by the lower-pressure effect that occurs in the wake of a vehicle.

California American Water Begins Work On Water Supply Pipeline

California American Water has begun work on a pipeline in Del Rey Oaks that will help to address water supply issues on the Monterey Peninsula, where residents face threats of severe rationing from the state, which has placed strict limits on the community's primary water supply, the Carmel River.

Cinnamon and Honey

Facts on Honey and Cinnamon:

It is found that a mixture of honey and Cinnamon cures most diseases. Honey is produced in most of the countries of the world. Scientists of today also accept honey as a 'Ram Ban' (very effective) medicine for all kinds of diseases.

Cliffside permit revocation bid denied

The N.C. Utilities Commission today denied environmentalists' motion to revoke Duke Energy's permit to expand its Cliffside coal-fired power plant west of Charlotte.

Climate Bill To Force Refinery Closures; Petroplus

An international pact and U.S. legislation to tackle climate change will hit oil refiners' profits and may force some to shut some capacity, Thomas O'Malley, chairman of Swiss refiner Petroplus, said on Thursday.

Climate Treaty May Need Extra Year

A U.N. climate treaty may need an extra year beyond a December deadline to agree details, delegates at U.N. talks said on Thursday even as a U.S. Senate committee approved a carbon-capping bill.

Coal in good shape, companies say

Despite complaints from industry lobbyists and coalfield politicians about an impending permit crisis, most major Appalachian coal producers are telling their shareholders that increased federal environmental reviews are not likely to disrupt production or cause layoffs anytime soon.

Coal's Evolution - Feedback

What really puzzles me is the industry's resistance to adopting gasification combined cycle technology on a much broader scale. The manufacture of synthesis gas from coal can lead to many other products which can be efficiently and economically produced together with electricity to greatly enhance the overall economics and favorable environmental impact of converting coal into useful products.

Democrats pass climate bill despite GOP boycott

Democrats on the Senate environment committee this morning voted to end a three-day standoff with their Republican counterparts and pass out of committee a climate bill despite a GOP boycott that began Tuesday.

Digging for Coal Will Gradually End in Digging Our Own Graves

The 'God Almighty' or 'Mother Nature' had given us an enchanting planet, a planet that had everything in its surface for the humankind to live a happy and peaceful life. Everything that was evil was buried deep beneath the earth so that we are not tempted to see them, touch them or use them.

El Niño is expected to continue strengthening and last through at least the Northern Hemisphere winter 2009-2010

During October 2009, sea surface temperature (SST) anomalies increased across the central and eastern equatorial Pacific Ocean

/Emissary says carbon capture is crucial

The British government is already convinced that carbon capture and storage, also known as CCS, will keep coal in the energy mix for decades to come.

EPA files water complaint against fish processing plant

The company´s fish processing plant in Haines, Alaska, repeatedly violated its permit over a four year period, according to the EPA.

Ethiopian Rift Shows How Continents Can Split, Create New Ocean

A new study reported by the Addis Ababa University in Ethiopia and the University of Rochester sheds light on how the continents move, and oceans are created.

In 2005, a gigantic, 35-mile-long rift broke open the desert ground in Ethiopia.

FACTBOX; European Nuclear Plant Life Extensions

Most nuclear power plants have a nominal design lifetime of up to 40 years but many have been approved to operate for longer.

The possibility of component replacement and extending the lifetimes of existing plants are very attractive to utilities, given the high cost of constructing new nuclear plants and lingering public opposition to them, while some governments see them as a good way to limit carbon emissions.

Forum at Washington U. focuses on energy

To meet immediate energy goals, the nation must improve energy efficiency by 15 percent and test large-scale efforts to capture and store carbon dioxide, according to a new National Research Council report

Friedman; U.S. must lead green revolution

Like a chipper emergency-room doctor, New York Times foreign affairs columnist Thomas Friedman delivers the grimmest news with a dose of can-do spirit.

Climate change will increasingly fever the planet, the three-time Pulitzer Prize winner says. Freedom in petroleum-producing nations will suffer as oil prices rise. Species worldwide will continue to die off at alarming rates as human populations -- and middle-class expectations -- soar.

Geoengineering Being Discussed in Washington

Dr. Ken Caldeira, of the Carnegie Institution of Washington provided a balanced look at the potential benefits and also the costs and possible harm that geoengineering techniques could offer in our quest to find a "Magic Bullet" to counter global warming.

Giant Jellyfish Sink 10-Ton Fishing Boat

A 10-ton fishing boat has been sunk by gigantic jellyfish off eastern Japan. The crew of the fishing boat was thrown into the sea when the vessel capsized, but the three men were rescued by another trawler.

Greenhouse Gas Legislation Puts Heat on Some U.S. Energy Sectors

Within energy, Fitch anticipates that GHG legislation will likely have the heaviest impact on domestic refiners and may spur new investments in energy efficiency, renewable fuels, and possibly, strategic M&A.

H1N1 Swine Flu Infects Commercial Swine in USAS

The pork industry desperately wants you to believe "the Big Lie" about swine flu: That it can't infect pigs, and therefore it's perfectly safe to buy and eat lots and lots of pork products.

It's a merry little tale, and it would be a nice little piece of information to pass along if only it were true.

But it isn't.

ICE gasoil contango widens ahead of next week's November expiry

ICE gasoil futures were trading lower in European morning trading on Friday, tracking late-Thursday losses in crude and other product futures that occurred after the 1630 GMT ICE gasoil close.

These losses materialized Thursday despite some positive US macro data, which resulted in gains in financial markets.

Long awaited satellite to monitor water cycle reaches orbit

The Soil Moisture and Ocean Salinity (SMOS) mission will make global observations of soil moisture over Earth’s landmasses and salinity over the oceans

Mainstream Visions

The green revolution goes beyond financing research and development. It is also helping to create a robust national market for existing technologies and shovel-ready projects.

More 'Safe' Water Bottles that are Actually Dangerous

Not long ago, SIGG announced that their aluminum water bottles, which many people purchased to avoid the BPA found in plastic bottles, actually contained BPA. Now it has come out that Gaiam's aluminum water bottles -- the ones that were previously labeled "BPA-free" -- actually leach BPA at 20 times the levels that SIGG bottles did.

Nuclear power isn't the answer, expert says

Former federal Nuclear Regulatory Commission member Peter Bradford does not believe nuclear power will be a major answer to America's energy issues.

Obama Promises Tribal Leaders Help With Environmental Issues

Representatives of 400 federally recognized tribal nations from across the United States gathered at the Department of the Interior today at the invitation of President Barack Obama for a conference the President called a "unique and historic event, the largest and most widely attended gathering of tribal leaders in our history."

Obama ushers in a new era for Indian country

“I’m absolutely committed to moving forward with you and forging a new and better future together,” President Barack Obama said during a Nov. 5 speech to hundreds of tribal leaders gathered in Washington from sovereign nations across the country.

Ohio, groups to create composting program at stores

The state of Ohio and state trade organizations are working on a program to establish a composting program at grocery stores.

Panel to monitor offshore leases

A new group is being formed to address offshore leases for renewable energy projects. Now the question: Who gets a seat at the table?

Poor Urge Deep Climate Cuts

Developing countries said on Wednesday they risked "total destruction" unless the rich stepped up the fight against climate change to a level that even the United Nations says is out of reach.

The top U.S. climate diplomat Todd Stern blamed a "17-year divide" between rich and poor nations for slow progress at the U.N. talks meant to agree a global climate deal in Copenhagen in December, and slammed "debating society" pranks.

PSC Approves Biomass Conversion at Bay Front Power Plant

The PSC’s decision today will allow NSPW to convert one of the plant’s coal burning boilers to one that generates electricity from burning a variety of wood types found in Wisconsin.

Rapid Pace of Species Extinctions Mounts to a 'Crisis'

Nearly one-third of all known species of plants and animals are threatened with extinction, finds the International Union for the Conservation of Nature, IUCN, in the most recent update...The updated assessment shows that 17,291 species out of the 47,677 assessed species are threatened with extinction.

Reprocessing is Real - Feedback

Reprocessing is the chemical separation of long-lived, energy/weapon-usable nuclear materials such as plutonium, neptunium and uranium from short-lived, highly radioactive fission products using remote technology within a massive, contained, heavily reinforced concrete structure

Russian oil production resurgence

In 1999, Russian oil production just about topped 6 million b/d as the country struggled to recover from its Soviet-era output highs. The country was also only just emerging from its worst ever financial crisis the year before, and the Russian government under then President Boris Yeltsin was considering selling off major stakes in the state-owned energy companies Gazprom and Rosneft.

What a difference ten years can make.

Sea 2 Sky Receives Historic North American Council Resolution Adopting a Plan for Wood Fiber Supply And Biomass Plant Development

Lake Babine resides in central British Columbia and the LBN has substantial volumes of fiber biomass under its control. The LBN and other indigenous peoples have been in consultations with the British Columbia Department of Forestry and various industry sectors to develop these resources for the improvement of its local economy

Signs of Stabilisation in Bank Systemic Risk

Fitch says that for the first time since the report was published in 2005, the changes in systemic risk indicators are relatively few and largely reflect technical changes rather than underlying changes in risk.

Solar Electric Facility O&M; Now Comes the Hard Part

In today's popular solar publications the focus is unerringly on solar's leading edge: technology, technique and policy, with occasional forays into finance and sales. What is often missing is cogent discussion on solar's trailing edge: operations and maintenance.

Space Junk Storm Will Up Mission Costs; Experts

A growing storm of debris flying around in space is dramatically increasing the risk of orbital crashes, and steps to avoid them will add greatly to the costs of future space flight, British space experts say.

Stealth wind turbines developed to avoid radar confusion

Plans for the installation of wind farms the world over are being delayed or abandoned due to objections from the aviation community or air defense interests. The problem is that when it comes to low flying aircraft or wind turbines, conventional radar has a bit of an identity crisis - not being able to tell the difference. Recent tests in the U.K. of "stealth" turbine technology could provide a solution.

Sun energy continues to rise in Oregon

A half-dozen solar companies, including firms based in Germany and Japan, already have landed in Oregon, and more are circling the state.

The Drive Behind Plug-Ins

With energy and environmental issues atop the national agenda, America may fundamentally change the way it drives. And the utility sector says that it can deliver.

The Federal Energy Subsidy Scorecard; How Renewables Stack Up

The President’s pronouncement, the essential role solar and wind energy have to play in the fight against global warming, the critique that renewables are overly reliant upon government assistance and congressional debate over a national cap and trade energy and climate bill make this a good time to take stock of how renewables stack up in terms of federal energy subsidies.

Timor Sea Oil Rig Blaze Snuffed But Ecosystem Damage Done

PTTEP Australasia today confirmed it has killed a leaking oil well and stopped the main fire at the Montara well head platform and surrounding the West Atlas drilling rig in the Timor Sea off Australia's north west Kimberley coast. Now the focus turns to investigating the cause of the leak and fire and assessing the damages to the ecosystem and what it will take to clean up the mess.

Treasury Department Allocates $2.2 Billion in Bonds for Renewable Energy

The U.S. Department of Treasury announced on October 27 a new allocation of Clean Renewable Energy Bonds (CREBs) totaling $2.2 billion for 805 recipients across the country. These energy bonds are designed to help government agencies, public power providers, and cooperative electric companies obtain low-cost financing for clean energy development projects.

US Fed Keeps Language Consistent with Policy Rates Staying 'Low for Long'

As expected the FOMC kept the target for the Fed Funds rate in the 0 to ¼ percent range and reiterated that the low level of the policy rate would likely be maintained "for an extended period." While their commitment to the "low rates for long" remains intact, the FOMC acknowledged that the US economic activity "continued to pick up" and that the combination of policy actions and "market forces" are likely to see the economy to continue to strengthen.

Washington, Stop Dithering, US Goals on Climate Urgently Needed

As the last round of "intersessional" climate talks before Copenhagen opened today in Barcelona, all eyes were looking in the same direction they were when we left Bangkok three weeks earlier: at the United States. Without American numbers on mitigation (or emissions reductions) and finance (for developing nations to build their own clean energy economies, and also to adapt to the impacts of climate change), any real forward progress in the talks is just about impossible.

Waste_Inbox 110509

If what you want for Christmas is a paperless world some day, you might just end up with a lump of coal instead. Or maybe a glossy catalog on the latest wide array of coal-oriented merchandise, to be more specific.

Water Bills Pass California Legislature Ending Years of Wrangling

The package includes a comprehensive policy measure that improves water conservation, groundwater monitoring, water rights and governance as well as a water infrastructure bond to be placed on the ballot in November 2010.

We Only Have Months, Not Years, to Save Civilisation from Climate Change

For those concerned about global warming, all eyes are on December's UN climate change conference in Copenhagen. The stakes could not be higher. Almost every new report shows that the climate is changing even faster than the most dire projections of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) in their 2007 report.

What's geothermal again?

Even on Main Street, ask pretty much anyone and they know solar, probably like it, and see it as an economy builder.

Ask the same people about geothermal heat pumps and there is a good chance they won’t know what you’re talking about. Or they may give an answer that confuses the appliances with geothermal geyser power plants.

Where are the Swing Voters on the Climate Bill?

As the Senate environment committee starts to hold hearings on the climate change bill, we think there's one critical question for the senators: Who are you talking to?

World Faith Leaders Join Forces to Battle Global Warming

The world's religions have a crucial role to play in the fight against global climate change, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said Tuesday, characterizing the battle with global warming as a "moral" issue.

It is a pivotal moment for our world," said Ban...

November 3, 2009

3-D photovoltaic systems go where the sun don’t shine

The photovoltaic (PV) panels adorning the rooftops of buildings around the world have become a visible sign of the shift towards environmentally friendly solar power. Now researchers have developed a new type of three-dimensional PV system using optical fiber that promises solar generators that are foldable, concealed and mobile, meaning they could be hidden from view and leave rooftops panel-free

Bingaman asks; On gas-for-power, WSWD, What Should We Do

Have no fear, natural gas is here, and with it are "tremendous opportunities to reduce carbon emissions by putting natural gas to more use in the electric sector," Skip Horvath, president and CEO, Natural Gas Supply Association, insisted Monday.

Canada, Nunavut and Greenland Sign Polar Bear Pact

A polar bear conservation and management agreement between Greenland, Canada and Nunavut was signed today at Kangerlussuaq, Greenland. The pact caps months of work by all three parties to protect bears in hunting areas shared by the Canadian territory of Nunavut and Greenland, including Baffin Bay and Kane Basin.

Climate Law Seen Raising Gasoline 13 Cents A Gallon

U.S. climate legislation would hike gasoline prices about 13 cents a gallon as oil companies push the price of carbon permits on to consumers, according to report by Point Carbon, an independent consulting company that tracks global carbon and energy markets.

Climate Worries To Send Nepal Cabinet To Everest Base

Nepal's cabinet plans to meet at the base camp of Mount Everest this month to highlight the impact of global warming on the Himalayas ahead of next month's U.N. negotiations on climate change, a minister said on Monday.

Crude futures lower as dollar index hits four-week high

Global crude futures were lower in early European trading Tuesday as a resurgent dollar placed downward pressure on the oil complex.

"It's amazing how one day we're 'bulled up' and the next we're 'beared up,' much of which can be related back to the dollar," a crude trader said Tuesday.

Deforestation Sped Demise Of Nasca In Peru; Study

The mysterious people who etched the "Nasca Lines" across deserts in Peru hastened their own demise by clearing forests 1,500 years ago, according to a study on Monday.

The Nasca people, famed for the lines that depict animals or geometric shapes most clearly visible from the air, became unable to grow enough food in nearby valleys because the lack of trees made the climate too dry, scientists said.

Depression Linked to Processed Food

Eating a diet high in processed food increases the risk of depression, research suggests.

What is more, people who ate plenty of vegetables, fruit and fish actually had a lower risk of depression, the University College London team found.

Don't Buy Gold ... Sell It!

If you’ve listened to Dave Ramsey for a while, you’ve probably heard him say how horrible gold is as an investment. If you look at gold’s long-term track record, it’s hard to think any other way.

From 1833 to 2001, the compound annual growth rate of gold was only 1.54%. That’s pretty rotten.

FDA Urged to Ban Feeding of Chicken Feces to Cattle

Farmers feed 1 million to 2 million tons of so-called poultry litter to their cattle annually, according to FDA estimates. The litter includes feces, spilled chicken feed, feathers and poultry farm detritus. (David McNew / Getty Images)

Fire Breaks Out at Leaking Timor Sea Oil Well

A huge fire has been blazing at an oil rig in the Timor Sea since Sunday, after an attempt by the oil company to kill a leaking well. The West Atlas rig is located directly above the Montara well head platfrom, which has been leaking oil and gas since August 21.

First Solar Joins S&P 500

First Solar, the rapidly growing solar panel maker, has been placed on the S&P 500.

Flagstaff, Arizona clinic ‘over’ doses 7 children with H1N1 vaccine

Health department officials in Coconino County have admitted that several patients were given the wrong dosage of the swine flu vaccine at a clinic over the weekend.   “They drew up too much of the vaccine into the syringe,” said Coconino County Health Department Director Barbara Worgess.

Ford Van To Go All-Electric In 2010

Ford is driving closer to its goal of producing an all-electric car with the announcement of an electric van for North America for 2010. The Ford Transit Connect BEV will incorporate a drivetrain from Azure Dynamics and lithium ion batteries from Johnson Controls-Saft.

Genetically Modified Flaxseeds Have Contaminated Canadian Prairie Fields

Somebody has contaminated Canada’s flax crop with trace amounts of a genetically modified variety, whimsically called Triffid after a 1960s horror flick that starred a villainous breed of plants replete with legs, intelligence and a venom-filled stinger.

Groups Issue SOS Distress Call for New Zealand's Wild Rivers

Eight conservation and outdoor recreation groups have joined together in defense of New Zealand's wild rivers, which now are threatened by dams and development.

Increasing Hydro’s Stakes

The hydropower industry is gushing with enthusiasm. A new study commissioned by its top Washington lobbying organization says that with the proper federal incentives and initiatives, it could provide up to 25 percent of the nation's power by 2025.

Kuwait sees dollar, other factors impacting oil price

Kuwaiti oil minister Sheikh Ahmed Abdullah al-Sabah said Tuesday that the dollar and other factors, including Russia's rising oil production, were among factors driving oil price movements.

"It is a combination of the dollar and other [factors]," Sheikh Ahmed told reporters...

Largest Wind R&D Study Underway at NREL

Strong winds are a common research partner for scientists working at NREL's National Wind Technology Center (NWTC). Recently, those gusting Colorado winds helped usher in a new milestone for wind technology research and development.

Louisiana Copes With Oil Spill, High Winds, Flooding

An oil spill south of New Orleans and flooding across northern and western parishes has made it a difficult weekend for Louisiana as strong winds, heavy rains and tornadoes struck the state beginning on October 28

New York State Announces $1.7 Million In Clean Water Planning Projects

Stimulus Funds Give Green Light to 11 Projects From Long Island to the Finger Lakes

Pushing for tribal energy development

“American Indian energy resources hold enormous potential to create tens of thousands of good-paying jobs, generate substantial revenue for the tribal owners, and aid in the development of tribal economies,”

Report Estimates Climate Change Adaptation Costs, Impacts To Utilities

The National Association of Clean Water Agencies (NACWA) and the Association of the Metropolitan Water Agencies (AMWA) released a report recently detailing the impacts climate change can have on wastewater and drinking water utilities and estimating the adaptation costs for these critical facilities to be between $448B and $944B through 2050.

Rich Countries Feeding on Poor Countries' Farmland

Investors from capital-rich nations that cannot produce enough food for their own consumption are squeezing small farmers in poor countries off their lands, new research has found.

Sea Slime Killing U.S. Seabirds

Hundreds of birds—including this loon pictured on the Oregon coast—are washing up on the shores of the U.S. Pacific Northwest coated with a foamy sea slime, scientists say.

The slime, which comes from algae blooms in the ocean, saps the waterproofing ability of the birds' feathers, experts say. Untold hundreds have died, succumbing to hypothermia or predators such as eagles, Holcomb added.

Side effect of plastic; Aggressive Kids

Plastics containing Bisphenol-A have been linked to child misbehavior

Yes we know, everything causes cancer, nothing is safe for our kids, a lot of paranoia, right?

Sometimes these concerns are for real. A chemical of significant importance to parents and scientists these days is Bisphenol-A (BPA).

South Africa, Mozambique Create Africa's Largest Marine Protected Area

South Africa and its neighbor to the north, Mozambique, have joined forces to create Africa's largest marine protected area.

Systemic Risk is All About Innovation and Incentives - Ed Kane

In this issue of The IRA, we present the views of our friend and mentor Ed Kane of Boston College,who argues that the problem with the financial regulatory framework is not the law, regulation nor even the regulators, but rather the confluence of poorly aligned incentives and financial innovation.

The Economy’s Shape is a Mystery That Isn’t Important to Solve

On the surface last week’s economic news was pretty good. Third quarter GDP was up more than most people expected, manufacturing productivity increased at a strong pace and inflation remains tame. Even so, the recovery is starting out as a jobless recovery with a real separation between the “haves” and the “have nots”.

The End of Electricity

There seems to be a consensus that the depletion of fossil fuels will follow a fairly impressive slope. What may need to be looked at more closely, however, is not the "when" but the "what." Looking at the temporary shortages of the 1970s may give us the impression that the most serious consequence will be lineups at the pump. Fossil-fuel decline, however, will also mean the end of electricity, a far more serious matter.

The Market Correction To Come

Hennessee Group LLC, an adviser to hedge fund investors, addresses the rising concern among investors that the financial markets are due for a near term correction in light of the widespread gains experienced in recent months.

The return of gas production could hurt 2010 US prices; analysts

Shut-in natural gas production is returning to US markets in response to slightly higher prices, the energy commodities team at Goldman Sachs said Monday, warning that if the comeback is too quick it could dampen prices next summer.

U.N. Talks In Spain Seek To Salvage Climate Deal

Climate negotiators from 175 nations meet in Spain next week for a final session to try to break deadlock between rich and poor and salvage a U.N. deal due in Copenhagen in December.

U.S., China Plan $1.5 Billion Utility-Scale Wind Farm in Texas

The U.S. Renewable Energy Group and Cielo Wind Power have entered into a joint venture agreement with China's Shenyang Power Group to build a 600 megawatt wind farm across 36,000 acres in West Texas. This is the first time Chinese and U.S. entities have agreed to jointly develop a utility-scale wind power project.

Unanticipated Long Term Consequences of Nuclear Waste From Bomb Making

Reporting from Los Alamos, N.M. - More than 60 years after scientists assembled the nuclear bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, lethal waste is seeping from mountain burial sites and moving toward aquifers, springs and streams that provide water to 250,000 residents of northern New Mexico.

United States Using Less Water Than 35 Years Ago

The United States is using less water than during the peak years of 1975 and 1980, according to water use estimates for 2005. Despite a 30 percent population increase during the past 25 years

University of Arizona device could make solar power cheaper

The University of Arizona's Steward Observatory Mirror Lab has produced the first prototype of a solar device that inventor Roger Angel hopes will eventually produce electricity from the sun at a price rivaling the cheapest fossil fuels.

Angel's design uses mirrors

US crude stocks likely to build by 1.3 million barrels; analysts

Weekly oil data from the Energy Information Administration and the American Petroleum Institute should show a 1.3 million barrel build in US commercial crude stocks for the reporting week ended October 30, analysts polled by Platts said Monday.

We Actually Can!

A Renewable World, that actually gave me, for the first time as a professional environmentalist, real hope. I read the new book cover to cover, and when I finished it, was left with an overwhelming sense that "we actually can pull this out of the fire!"

We Did It-- Story of the Month

If someone had told me 10 months ago that my husband and I would be debt-free today, I would have laughed in their face.

Where's the alpha?

Commodity index funds, currently the subject of much controversy for their perceived role in increasing both energy prices and energy price volatility, have allowed a wide range of financial investors access to energy markets....

What is 'alpha'? In financial parlance, alpha refers to the profits generated by the prowess of a particular portfolio manager.

WHO Memos 1972 Explains How to Turn Vaccines into a Means of Killing

Two key memorandums from WHO, discovered by Patrick Jordan, prove WHO has intentionally created the three-shot killer vaccine that people in the USA and other countries could soon be forced to take.