Month: March 2011

China’s new plan puts emphasis on environment

Earlier this month – while Europe decided to keep the same unambitious targets – the People’s Republic of China decided in its 12th five-year plan to tackle even more environmental issues like water and air pollution. As the BBC noted : ” China’s latest five-year plan for 2011 to 2015 seeks to achieve a more …

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Why dual flush toilets should be ubiquitous

Using clean drinkable water to flush isn’t making much sense economically and environmentally. Yet this is the most practical one. (I don’t really see how people living in huge cities could all use dry or composting toilets) This is why I believe that each and everyone of us should install dual flush toilets to minimize …

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EU backs away from 30% emissions target. Again !

We have previously seen here that the European Union could easily achieve a 30 percent reduction of greenhouse gases emissions by 2020 (compared to 1990 levels). This would make a lot of sense both environmentally and economically. Yet the European Commission kept earlier this month on clinging to the 20 percent reduction targets by 2020 …

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Generating electricity 40 to 50 % more efficiently

It’s a well known fact, the production of electricity via traditional coal and natural gas burning plants and in a lesser way nuclear reactors is vastly inefficient. But this might change soon thanks to scientific research. To Ecogeek : ” Researchers (…) are developing a new gas turbine to increase the efficiency of conventional electrical …

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Solar power plants face problems in California

During my daily hours of ride in the trains to go and come back from the job I read books but also newspapers. This allowed me to read a great article in the New York Times about an unexpected problem with solar power plants in California. ” Just weeks after regulators approved the last of …

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5 reasons why climate change threatens health

According to new research from the American Medical Association and the American Public Health Association (APHA) released last week, climate change would pose serious threats to human health. Among these threats are bad air, longer allergy seasons, the spread of infectious diseases, extreme risks associated to extreme weathers and last but not least increased heat …

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Solar film increases efficiency by 300%

To CleanTechnica, a new film developed by HyperSolar, a Californian company, could halve the costs of solar panels and boost their efficiency by 300 percent. The film would replace the sheet of glass currently used with solar PV panels. “With HyperSolar as the top layer, manufacturers can use significantly fewer solar cells in the production …

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64,096 trees planted in 15 minutes in Philippines

According to an AFP article : ” Philippine environmentalists have set a world record for the most trees planted simultaneously, kickstarting an enormous reforesteration programme, organisers said Thursday. Nearly 7,000 people helped in the mass planting of saplings in denuded forest and grassland in the eastern province of Camrines Sur on Wednesday, said Mara Joneil …

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Why cities might be a good solution

According to the Canadian magazine Corporate Knights : ” If the concept of a sustainable city sounds like a paradox, that’s because it is, according to physicist Geoffrey West.” ” Ironically, because of their urban “metabolism,” cities require only 85 per cent of the resources necessary to double in size, and they’re more energy efficient …

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Cleantech investments to reach $240 bn this year

If you think business is bad in every sectors, think again. To Reuters : ” Brazil, China and India are expected to fuel global investments in clean energy in 2011 that are expected to reach $240 billion. (175 billion euros) The U.N.’s environmental unit (UNEP) said investment in renewable energy hit $180-$200 billion (130-145 billion …

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