Editors' blog
Martin Wright, 8 Feb 2010
This mischievous thought occurred to me as I was wading through the latest sclerotic surge of c...
Exclusive interview with Andy Wales, SABMiller
February 8th
Business offers one of the most dynamic, focused and practical solutions. Andy Wales, Global Head of Sustainable Development for SAB Miller, talks about his experience as one of the World Economic Forum's Young Global Leaders.
Shrink the economy to stabilise the climate, says Andrew Simms
February 5th
Slavish devotion to growth is charting a course for catastrophe. Andrew Simms, policy director of nef, looks at the potential for radical ecomonic transformation.
Chic cistern recycles water
February 5th
Chic, stylish and good for the planet: the elegant, self-contained design of Roca's new all-in-one washbasin and toilet can cut household water use by up to 25%. The 'Washbasin and Watercloset', known as 'W+W', filters water directly from the basin and uses it to fill the toilet cistern.
Consistency key to cosy homes, says EST
February 3rd
Mixed messages on energy efficiency are costing UK householders dear. Clear, consistent advice is called for.
Roof tiles to cool the planet
February 2nd
Colour-changing roof tile works with the weather as a techno-fix solution for cooling the planet.
Close competition for clean city cars
February 1st
A lauded British race car designer and a UK-based car company are touting their design for a sustainable urban car which could revolutionise motor manufacturing.
Green skyscrapers reach new heights
George Wigmore January 29 2010, Architecture, Regeneration, Solar energy/PV, Wind power
Big, green and gorgeous: design for efficient, self-sufficient skyscrapers reaches new heights.
Biogas: from bad smells to big bucks
Roger East and Tricia Holly Davis January 29 2010, Biofuels, Sustainable accounting
After years in the wilderness, biogas is set to play a major role in powering the future.
Second life for EV batteries
Roger East January 28 2010, Cars, Innovation, Re-use/refurbishment
The economics of electric vehicles (EV) has been strengthened by a battery re-use deal, as Nissan sells their lithium-ion batteries to Japanese trading company Sumitomo.
Ordinary business has to wake up, says John Griffin, CEO Addison Lee
Anna Simpson January 25 2010, Business, Cars, Commuting, Energy conservation & efficiency, People
"You have to get ordinary, dosh-driven business to make the change", says John Griffin, CEO of Addison Lee taxi firm in conversation with Anna Simpson.
Could radical work spaces mean the end of the office?
Hannah Bullock January 22 2010, Eco-products & services, Employment, People, Places/demonstration centres
From London to Brussels to Mumbai, people are paying for a place in a new kind of space. Jonathan Robinson, founder of the Hub, tells Hannah Bullock why.
Intelligent lighting for darker skies
Lorna Howarth January 21 2010, Energy conservation & efficiency, Nanotechnology, Pollution, Urban
Prototype street lighting technology which will both improve the quality of night skies in urban areas, and cut electricity use, is raising high hopes among light pollution campaigners.
Tesco ‘to go zero carbon’
Nick Chan January 21 2010, Carbon offset/neutrality, Retail
Tesco, the world’s third largest retailer, has committed to plans to be ‘zero carbon’ by 2050.
The perils of predicting the future
Martin Wright and Trish Lorenz January 21 2010, Culture, Lifestyles, Nuclear power, Visions & futures
“Prediction is very difficult, especially about the future.” Danish physicist Niels Bohr’s words are a wise warning to the reckless forecaster. Trish Lorenz and Martin Wright uncover some instructive howlers.
Sweden pushes for carbon food labels
Nick Chan January 19 2010, Agriculture & Food, Consumption, Retail, Standards
Calorie-counting could soon give way to carbon-counting, if Swedish trends catch on globally. Sweden’s National Food Administration has issued dietary guidelines that consider both the nutritional benefit of particular foods, and their environmental impact.
Futurists: shaping business for tomorrow
James Goodman January 18 2010, Inspiration, Visions & futures
How we think about the future will dramatically affect our chances of living in a sustainable world, says James Goodman. Which is why futurists are starting to reshape the ways in which leading companies and organisations think and act today.
Weak signals: how to track a changing horizon
Anna Simpson and Hugh Knowles January 15 2010, Behaviour change, Innovation, Inspiration, Visions & futures
What's a weak signal? And what do we do with it? Hugh Knowles tunes into the signals of the future that are indeed already with us - but have yet to be recognised as such, let alone adopted by mainstream society.
New turbine design to take wind off the radar
Roger East January 14 2010, Energy sources, Innovation, Wind power
The UK could add a further 5GW of wind power capacity if a new project succeeds in resolving one of the main objections to wind power: that turbines clutter up the radar.
Up to £347 billion in untapped rural potential, says CRC
April Streeter and Roger East January 13 2010, Green Futures partners, Socially responsible investment
A new, holistic model of investment could help rural areas reap the fruits of a green economic revival, says the Commission for Rural Communities.
Welsh medieval castle gets the solar power treatment
Fiona King January 12 2010, Built environment, Heritage, Solar energy/PV
Built for the medieval wars of King Edward I, one 14th century castle in north Wales is preparing for a different kind of battle – the fight against climate change.
Waste vegetable fat to surface the roads
Rebecca Schischa January 11 2010, Innovation, Re-use/refurbishment, Transport & travel
Chip fat could be recycled to surface roads, following successful live trials in Bedfordshire.
Revolutionary new wind turbines spark a surge in renewable energy
Duncan Graham-Rowe January 11 2010, Urban, Wind power
A wave of new turbine designs is brightening the prospects for small- and medium-scale wind power. After years of scepticism over rooftop turbines which cost far more than they will ever repay, there’s the prospect that some of the major obstacles to effective wind power could finally be overcome.
Green gas on the grid
Tricia Holly Davis January 8 2010, Biofuels, Green Futures partners, Procurement, Waste to energy
As excitement over anaerobic digestion's potential gains pace, Ecotricity, one of the UK's renewable electricity pioneers, is going into the gas game.
Can aviation go green?
Roger East January 7 2010, Aviation, Carbon offset/neutrality
With the spotlight hovering over airline emissions, Roger East explores the possibilities of zero-emission aviation.
Can road trains cut congestion and emissions in one?
Dixe Wills January 7 2010, Cars, Commuting, Congestion
Slipstreaming – the cycle racing tactic where the chap at the front does all the hard work, while others behind take advantage of the lack of wind resistance – could cut CO2 emissions by 20% on Europe's roads, says new research.
Disruptive innovation can lead to new ways of thinking
Anna Simpson January 4 2010, Business services, Innovation, Retail
Forum for the Future’s disruptive innovation cards have helped devise new business models and have even enabled R&D departments to think more about the design and sustainability of their products. Anna Simpson reveals the simple strategies that can give you the trick, whatever your hand.
Wikis, webs and modern markets
Anna Simpson January 4 2010, Agriculture & Food, Consumption, Eco-products & services, Web directories & blogs
It’s mardi: market day in the small coastal town of Ganges in southern France, and I find myself at my regular independent fish stall. Yet I have no idea how or when the cod was caught, who caught it, and how it travelled to my town. Technology can help, but is only part of the answer. But if producers, suppliers and buyers work together to build long-term relationships, along with the use of technology, it will result in changes that will benefit everyone.
Innovative design can shape the future
Trish Lorenz January 4 2010, Eco-products & services, Innovation
It’s up to today’s young designers to sketch out our future lifestyles. Trish Lorenz looks forward to a world where sleek, stylish and energy saving are synonyms.
Bottled water on way out
Lottie Butler January 2 2010, Corporate responsibility, Local government, Water
The battle against bottled water is gathering pace with water refill stations to appear at Hammersmith Bus Station and Tower Bridge Museum in London.
Solar Grove: the new face of car parks
Lottie Butler December 29 2009, Built environment, Cars, Solar energy/PV
A new sort of car park is taking hold in America, as companies install solar trees to provide electricity for their buildings and charging points for electric cars.
£50 million to drive efficiency in public buildings
Nick Chan December 29 2009, Built environment, Local government, Regeneration
A loan scheme to retrofit Britain’s public sector buildings could see the end of draughty, inefficient schools and hospitals.
UK, US invest in deep geothermal
December 29 2009, Budget/Taxation, Energy sources
Time to tap into the legacy of buried energy? Not fossil fuels, but something much older, dating back to our planet’s violent birth – and trapped in molten rocks deep beneath the earth’s surface.
UK breakthrough for tidal power
Mark Jansen December 18 2009, Energy sources, Wind power
The world’s first commercial tidal plant has come onstream at Strangford Lough in Northern Ireland. Tidal power could contribute at least 12% of the UK’s electricity needs.
The power of the people is the motive for green change
Alex Johnson December 17 2009, Behaviour change, Lifestyles, Local government
Twelve bored strangers sit in an airless room, their hearts racing on cheap coffee, and their only motivation a second chocolate Hobnob and the promise of a small cheque. It’s hardly the stuff of dreams. But for too long it’s been the source of inspiration, if such it can be called, for public sector research into sustainability challenges.
Novel font uses holes to save ink and the environment
Giovanna Dunmall December 17 2009, Information technology, Products & processes
Dutch creative communications agency Spranq has developed a sans serif typeface with small circular holes that offers over 20% in ink savings – and environmental benefits too.
Embracing traditional wisdom can help South Africa's progress
Max du Preez December 16 2009, Africa, Culture, Religion/spirituality
Southern Africa is a storehouse of indigenous wisdom on the link between humans and nature. Wisdom that we would do well to heed today, says Max du Preez.
There's a strong 'lean and green' case for some spending cuts, says Jonathon Porritt
Jonathon Porritt December 16 2009, Budget/Taxation, Green government
There’s a strong, sustainability-driven case for a much ‘leaner and greener’ take on many key areas of public expenditure, says Jonathon Porritt, Founder Director of Forum for the Future.
Wind power drifts out to sea
Nick Chan December 15 2009, Americas, Asia, Wind power
Revolutionary floating turbines, based on oil platform technology, could take wind power far out to sea, where it can harness higher and more consistent wind speeds. It could also bring offshore wind within reach of major energy consumers, like the US and Japan, which lack suitable shallow water sites.
The power of the sun in a nuclear state
Alex Johnson December 14 2009, Solar energy/PV
The French Government is aggressively developing its solar power infrastructure, investing in photovoltaic (PV) plants and providing tax breaks for commercial and private producers of the renewable energy.
South Africa must shoot for green goals at 2010 World Cup
Sheryl Ozinsky December 14 2009, Africa, Planning, Socially responsible investment, Sport
The 2010 World Cup is kicking off some positive initiatives, says Sheryl Ozinsky, but the host nation could be wide of the goal unless it greens a lot more than the pitch.
Constructing communities will take more than new housing
Mark Swilling December 11 2009, Africa, Housing
Fifteen years after the dawn of democracy in South Africa, says Mark Swilling, urban apartheid is getting worse, not better.
South Africa renews rail in push to reduce congestion on highways
Gail Jennings December 10 2009, Africa, Commuting, Mass transit/Public transport, Railways
While the city highways are clogged with single passenger cars and 4x4s, the average South African must walk, stand or sit on someone’s lap for hours to get to work. But change is coming down the line – literally, says Gail Jenning.
Tomorrow’s leaders: Joanna Yarrow
December 9 2009, Education & Careers, People
Since 1996, Forum For the Future’s Masters in Leadership for Sustainable Development has been training the sustainability leaders of the future. Each issue, we track the career of a Forum alumnus.
South Africa's companies strive for a sustainable future
David Le Page and Monica Graaff December 9 2009, Africa, Carbon reduction, Corporate responsibility
Are South Africa’s companies up to the sustainability challenge? Monica Graaff and David Le Page go on the trail of the green corporate leaders.
Water crisis looms for semi-arid South Africa
Monica Graaff December 8 2009, Africa, Water
As a water crisis looms, Monica Graaff taps into the quest for cutting edge ways to clean up pollution, cut waste and boost supplies.
UK wind power industry set to boom
Roger East December 8 2009, Politics, Wind power
Britain’s offshore potential gets most of the attention paid to wind in the Government’s latest renewable energy strategy, in an attempt to get one gigawatt of new schemes up and running.
Special Publications
Expertise at your fingertips on every subject imaginable - for just 75p!
20,000MW
The predicted solar capacity of India in 2020. The Government will invest $19 billion over a 30-year period in the Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission to make solar as cheap as power sourced from coal.
Quips
"The reasonable man adapts himself to the world. The unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore all progress depends on the unreasonable man." George Bernard Shaw, Man and Superman
Forum for the Future
works with leaders from business and the public sector to create a green, fair and prosperous world
Jonathon Porritt's blog
Green Futures founder and regular contributor Jonathon Porritt gives a frank and fascinating insight into his work and views.
"This book could not have come at a more timely or critical moment"
Will Hutton
Registered charity number 1040519