Green Futures News Briefings

Rio 2016: a catalyst for social change

Lottie Butler 23 February 2010, Americas, Sport

With Rio to host the 2016 Olympic Games, sport is acting as a powerful catalyst for social and economic change across Brazil.

US invests in transformative technologies

Roger East 17 February 2010, Biotechnology, Budget/Taxation, Green government

Federal stimulus seeks out the green energies of tomorrow, boosting carbon capture and geothermal technologies.

Fife Council makes the right buys

9 February 2010, Awards & grants, Carbon reduction, Procurement

Fife Council has won the Government Opportunities Sustainability Award for a procurement tool that takes into account the carbon and financial costs of a product's full life cycle.

Chic cistern recycles water

Lottie Butler 5 February 2010, Eco-products & services, Innovation, Waste & recycling, Water

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.

Roof tiles to cool the planet

Lorna Howarth 2 February 2010, Construction, Materials

Colour-changing roof tile works with the weather as techno-fix solution for colling the planet.

Close competition for clean city cars

April Streeter 1 February 2010, Cars, Innovation

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 29 January 2010, Architecture, Regeneration, Solar energy/PV, Wind power

Big, green and gorgeous: design for efficient, self-sufficient skyscrapers reaches new heights.

Second life for EV batteries

Roger East 28 January 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.

Intelligent lighting for darker skies

Lorna Howarth 21 January 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 21 January 2010, Carbon offset/neutrality, Retail

Tesco, the world’s third largest retailer, has committed to plans to be ‘zero carbon’ by 2050.

Turbulent top-up

Anna Simpson 20 January 2010, Energy sources, Innovation, Visions & futures

Measuring no more than 200 microns across and embedded into car windscreens, 40 volt devices use piezoelectric polymers to harness the turbulence of travel.

Sweden pushes for carbon food labels

Nick Chan 19 January 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.

Home improvements

Anna Simpson 18 January 2010, Innovation, Microgeneration, Visions & futures

With rising energy prices driving innovation, on-site recycling and micro-generation could see our homes minimise waste for us.

Bionic bacteria

15 January 2010, Innovation, Packaging, Visions & futures

Instead of wrapping your tasty treats in plastic, why not wrap them in… bacteria? Design students think a form of bacteria could replace plastic packaging.

New turbine design to take wind off the radar

Roger East 14 January 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.

Welsh medieval castle gets the solar power treatment

Fiona King 12 January 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 11 January 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 11 January 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.

Can road trains cut congestion and emissions in one?

Dixe Wills 7 January 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.

Bottled water on way out

Lottie Butler 2 January 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 29 December 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 29 December 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

29 December 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 18 December 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.

Novel font uses holes to save ink and the environment

Giovanna Dunmall 17 December 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.

Wind power drifts out to sea

Nick Chan 15 December 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 14 December 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.

Green profits from property

Sophie Blakemore 10 December 2009, Construction, Finance, Housing

The financial returns from property portfolios are directly related to environmental performance. That’s the resounding message from a survey of unlisted UK and European property funds.

German town pools produce for biogas

Alex Johnson 10 December 2009, Biofuels, Farming/Horticulture, Waste to energy

A German town is poised to be the host of the world’s first biogas heat and power network. Lunen’s 91,000 people will soon have half their energy needs met from the 2.5MW plant, which converts animal manure and crop waste into methane.

The London Eye gets greener

Nick Chan 9 December 2009, Energy conservation & efficiency

The London Eye – the capital’s iconic ‘big wheel’ – is to cut 20% off its electricity consumption in a £12.5 million ‘eco-refurb’.

UK wind power industry set to boom

Roger East 8 December 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.

Intermittency “no obstacle to wind power success”

Roger East 2 December 2009, Energy sources, Wind power

Wind farm developers everywhere will be heartened by three UK reports this summer addressing ‘intermittency’ – and assuring us that it’s much less of a problem than is sometimes claimed.

Campaign for greener cities gathers pace

Mark Jansen 1 December 2009, Air quality, Carbon reduction, Urban

Green roofs could keep our cities cool in the stifling summer sun, according to a new report. Research shows that grass or wooded areas can chill surface temperatures by up to 15˚C, which in turn cools the ambient air.

Free as a farm

27 November 2009, Fishing, Marine/coastal

In the future, tidal-powered fish farms could carry their shoals to new waters, mimicking natural migration for breeding and feeding.

Fast as a feather

27 November 2009, Biotechnology, Visions & futures, Waste to energy

Chicken feathers could be used to develop the next generation of hydrogen-fuel cells. New research from the University of Delaware has found that the tiny hollow and porous tubes found in the fibres of chicken feathers can absorb almost 2% of their weight in hydrogen.

Rotten logic

27 November 2009, Biotechnology, Information technology, Visions & futures

Could your kitchen mould be capable of complex calculations? Plasmodial slime moulds could potentially be used to develop the next super-computers.

Catalysing disruption

Chris Sherwin 27 November 2009, Business, Corporate responsibility, Innovation

If we’re to rise to the huge challenges facing us, then business as usual, done a bit more efficiently, simply won’t cut it. We need truly game-changing, disruptive innovations.

Green Skills Centre to open in former Welsh mining town

Gustavo Montes de Oca 26 November 2009, Employment, Regeneration, Skills & training

A former Welsh mining town is to lead the way on green skills, with the UK’s first dedicated training centre.

Sustainable sci fi: the nano world of 2020

Peter Madden 24 November 2009, Information technology, Nanotechnology

By 2020, there’ll be billions of tiny computers embedded in pretty much everything: stuck on our food labels, woven into our clothes, even injected into our skin. Peter Madden explores the potential of a sci-fi future.

Costa Rica tops Happy Planet Index

Gustavo Montes de Oca 23 November 2009, Americas, Awards & grants, Lifestyles

Costa Rica has come first in the Happy Planet Index (HPI). Developed by the New Economics Foundation, it measures life expectancy, life satisfaction and ecological footprint. The UK came 74th – five places above Iraq; the US, 114th.

Small sheep greens wine

Anna May Shamoon 18 November 2009, Farming/Horticulture

A New Zealand wine maker has found a novel way of reducing the carbon footprint of wine – by using miniature sheep.

Bank makes a stand on tar sands

Mark Jansen 18 November 2009, Conservation, Corporate responsibility, Fossil fuels

The Co-operative Bank, a major ‘ethical’ bank in the UK, has donated over C$200,000 (£104,000) to a legal campaign to stop the extraction of tar sands in Canada, which it says could cause an environmental catastrophe.

A swift come-back

Anna May Shamoon 16 November 2009, Wildlife

A high-pitched warble will soon be sounding out from the roof of Islington council’s offices in North London. It’s a swift call, in stereo, designed to lure the birds back to the borough.

M2M innovations to cut carbon and costs

Sarah Roe 12 November 2009, Carbon reduction, Information technology, Telecommunications

Mobile phone technology could help to cut carbon emissions in industries as diverse as logistics, manufacturing and utilities, according to a new report published by Vodafone.

Long-range solar flight planned

Roger East 12 November 2009, Aviation, Solar energy/PV

If efficiency savings and biofuels are the step-by-step path to greener aviation, the Solar Impulse project is a leap of faith. It’s “a paradox, almost a provocation”, in the words of its pilot, Swiss adventurer and round-the-world balloonist Betrand Piccard.

Florida and Vegas – green makeover

Tricia Holly Davis 3 November 2009, Construction, Solar energy/PV

A solar-powered city is set to rise from the Florida swamplands. It’s just one of a series of newbuild idylls designed with green energy, transport and space in mind, which are changing the face of major US tourism destinations.

What to look forward to in the Low Carbon Transition

Roger East 30 October 2009, Carbon reduction, Energy conservation & efficiency, Green government

The UK has published details of its Low Carbon Transition Plan, setting a mandatory carbon budget to limit each Government department in their use of both carbon and cash.

Solar ship takes to the seas

April Streeter 29 October 2009, Carbon reduction, Shipping

When the car container ship Auriga Leader chugged into the Californian port of Long Beach, it was greeted with a torrent of positive press reports. With 328 PV panels on deck, it is the world's first freighter to be partially powered by the sun.

Algae biofuels race hots up

Ed Gould 27 October 2009, Biofuels

The race for algae-based biofuels is heating up across America, with new biorefineries planned across the country.

London’s ‘low zones’ to make carbon cuts for Olympics

Sarah Roe 12 October 2009, Built environment

In a drive to reduce London's emissions by 20.12% by 2012, Boris Johnson has launched ten 'Low Carbon Zones', offering funding to selected areas in London in a bid to create flagships of low-energy development.

Wind, woodchip and farm waste to power universities

Hannah Bullock 30 September 2009, Biofuels, Wind power

Higher education switches on to renewable power

‘Bacteria batteries’ for energy storage

Ed Gould 24 September 2009, Biofuels, Eco-products & services

Methane technology mimics chemical process found in marshes

German Army mounts offensive on carbon emissions

Rebecca Schischa 21 September 2009, Biofuels, Carbon reduction, Europe

Biomass to power barracks

Weak signals from the future

9 September 2009, Biotechnology, Innovation, Visions & futures

A cornucopia of climate solutions, or a tangle of unproven techno-fixes? As part of a series of visions for the future, ‘Weak signals’ tunes in to the debate over geo-engineering.

Pedalling the wares

26 August 2009, Eco-products & services, Retail

Is the old-fashioned delivery bike back? Almost.

Robotic fish to detect shipping pollution

Alex Johnson 20 August 2009, Marine/coastal, Pollution, Water

A new breed of sniffer fish: carp-like machines are to be released into the waters of the Spanish port of Gijon to help detect pollutants from shipping and leaks from local pipelines.

Airlines “want global cap and trade”

Roger East 10 August 2009, Aviation, Carbon reduction

The aviation industry proposes a worldwide carbon emissions trading system in the approach to 2013, when aviation is to be included in the EU Emissions Trading Scheme.

West of England pledges to cut carbon by 10%

Hannah Bullock 24 July 2009, Places/demonstration centres, Urban

What have Capgemini, Bristol Zoo and the University of the West of England (UWE) got in common? Along with ten other pioneering organisations in the region, all three have publicly committed to slash their carbon emissions by at least 10% by 2012, as part of the West of England Carbon Challenge.

Eden Project plans to tap 'hot rock' technology

Alex Johnson 24 July 2009, Energy sources, Places/demonstration centres

The Eden Project, Cornwall’s acclaimed eco-centre, has teamed up with EGS Energy to create the country’s first geothermal power plant. Planned for the vast former clay pit near St Austell, the plant would draw heat from the granite rock strata, via deep boreholes.

Wales to be "self-sustaining" in energy

Sophie Blakemore 23 July 2009, Budget/Taxation, Energy sources, Visions & futures

A commitment to become energy self-sufficient within a generation is at the heart of an ambitious new sustainability strategy announced by the Welsh government.

Fair trade boosts sales, widens horizons

Anna Simpson 20 July 2009, Fair Trade

Rubber gloves and face cream among new wave of ethical products

Students, prisoners flush with pride

Howard Sharman 20 July 2009, Consumption, Water

Rooftop harvesting systems save money at a London jail and an art college

Slimming good for the environment, says study

Sophie Blakemore 20 July 2009, Carbon reduction, Consumption, Walking

Countries with low body mass index emit fewer greenhouse gases. Staying slim is as important for the planet’s health as for our own, a new report reveals.

All UK homes to get smart meters by 2020

Roger East 20 July 2009, Behaviour change, Carbon reduction, Metering

How best to replace the nation’s 48 million electricity and gas meters currently lurking in hallways and dusty cupboards with something more prominent in our daily lives? That’s what the Government’s smart metering is looking to answer, fulfilling a promise it made back in October 2008.

Solar into space

Anna Simpson 15 July 2009, Innovation, Solar energy/PV

California buys energy generated in space

Californians could be catching the rays come rain or shine if the world’s first space-based solar power project gets off the ground. Plans to send a solar farm into orbit are awaiting final approval after a major power provider signed an agreement to buy solar energy generated in space.

Bird-spotters convert to wind power

Roger East 15 July 2009, Wind power

The new wind turbine at Rainham Marshes could have special significance in the story of UK renewables. It's nothing unusual in technical terms, nor in scale – it's just big enough to help power a visitor centre. The point is that it's a flagship visitor centre of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds. As such, it's symbolically signalling that bird protection and wind power don't belong in opposing camps.

Renewables “could save UK £12.6 billion a year”

Sophie Blakemore 14 July 2009, Energy conservation & efficiency, Fossil fuels

Investment in green power and energy efficiency to reduce spend on imported fossil fuels

The UK could save itself up to £12.6 billion each year by 2020 if it invests heavily now in energy efficiency and renewable sources of power, according to a new study from the Renewable Energy Association.

Wind power “could provide total US electricity needs”

Roger East 14 July 2009, Americas, Wind power

Federal renewables rules look set to drive fresh surge in wind power on- and offshore

US Interior Secretary Ken Salazar is decidedly bullish about the potential for wind power. His department’s latest assessment of the scope for oil, gas and renewables on the outer continental shelf reckons the potential in the wind off the Atlantic and Pacific coasts is more than enough to meet the whole country’s current electricity demand.

Hydrogen city car hits 300mpg and 30g/km CO2

April Streeter 2 July 2009, Cars, Hydrogen/fuel cells

With politicians and carmakers waxing lyrical about electric vehicles, the squat hydrogen fuel cell car with a top speed of 50mph introduced by start-up Riversimple in June is definitely bucking prevailing trends.

Solar farm to transform Welsh city's skyline

Anna Simpson 2 July 2009, Local government, Solar energy/PV

Newport council outshines UK Government on solar power with proposals for a 'solar farm' across the rooftops of all public buildings.

Obama drives up fuel efficiency on cars

Polly Ghazi 2 July 2009, Americas, Cars, Regulation

A new uniform federal standard links curbs on greenhouse gas emissions with fuel economy standards for the first time in US history.

First UK power plant captures carbon emissions

Roger East 30 June 2009, Carbon sequestration, Fossil fuels

The UK’s second biggest coal-fired power station made headlines in May as the first in the country to start capturing its carbon dioxide emissions, putting ScottishPower at the forefront of a technology widely seen as crucial for the future of coal – and the climate.

Waste heat from computers to warm buildings

Hannah Bullock and Iain Aitch 23 June 2009, Community energy, Telecommunications, Waste to energy

Any laptop user will know that even the most casual of Twittering with a computer resting on your knees can get uncomfortably hot – so imagine the vast amount of heat that a massive IT data centre kicks out. Now telecommunications company Telehouse Europe is planning to capture that and pipe it to nearby homes and businesses.

Prius-style power for London buses

April Streeter 29 May 2009, Biofuels, Carbon reduction, Fossil fuels, Mass transit/Public transport

A new generation of hybrid buses are to hit the streets of London, in the first stage of what is expected to be their largest rollout in Europe.

Putting the green into green wing

Claire Baylis 29 May 2009, Carbon reduction, Health, Procurement

From low-carbon buildings to swapping bottled water for tap, the NHS has published a carbon reduction strategy designed to slash its footprint and meet tough 2020 targets.

The future’s made of straw

29 May 2009, Energy conservation & efficiency, Housing, Local government

North Kesteven District Council in Lincolnshire is to become the first local authority in the UK to use straw bales to construct social housing, when they begin a pilot project of two semi-detached properties in West Grove, Martin, this May.

Empire State Building gets eco-makeover

Rebecca Schischa 26 May 2009, Built environment, Re-use/refurbishment

New York’s most iconic landmark, the Empire State Building, is set to become one of the city’s greenest buildings, thanks to a $20-million retrofit that will slash energy use by nearly 40% over the next 15 years.

Private equity gets principled

Chris Alden 14 May 2009, Banking, Corporate responsibility

Blackstone and Permira are among firms signing up to ethical guidelines on responsible investment for the private equity industry, taking a key step towards integrating environmental and social concerns into their businesses.

Downturn spurs on green agenda

Roger East 14 May 2009, Budget/Taxation, Socially responsible investment

Governments around the world have been spurred on by the downturn to do more, not less, to combat climate change. That’s the powerful conclusion for the ‘green economy’ agenda which emerges from a report by specialist asset managers at Deutsche Bank (DB).

Council leads on sustainable spending

Rebecca Schischa 14 May 2009, Local government, Procurement

Leicester City Council (LCC) is forging ahead with an ambitious new approach to procurement: making sure that everything bought is sustainably sourced. The policy will impact on some £190 million worth of spend.

Blueprint for green stores

Chris Alden 11 May 2009, Construction, Retail

Retailer’s latest Manchester supermarket sets its eco standard

Tesco is to use its latest ‘eco-store’ – a new 52,000 sq ft supermarket at Cheetham Hill in Manchester – as a ‘low-carbon blueprint’ for all the new supermarkets it builds in future.

DIY giant opens eco-store

Chris Alden 11 May 2009, Construction, Retail

B&Q pushes green products, sets stretch target on emissions

It boasts the UK’s biggest building-mounted turbine, a rooftop garden, and solar panels. And it’s challenging the notion that consumers won’t go green in a recession.

LED streetlights cash in on low-energy technology

Anna Simpson 7 May 2009, Energy conservation & efficiency, Local government, Urban

High-powered, low-carbon lamps ready for rollout across UK

Greener companies “more crunch-proof”

Claire Baylis 5 May 2009, Business

New report tracks value of sustainability commitment during recession

Businesses with a ‘true commitment’ to sustainability are weathering the downturn better than their rivals, according to a new report.

Weak signals from the future

1 May 2009, Innovation, Visions & futures

What does the future hold? Water wars? Personal solar panels? Peer-to-peer renting? We've got our finger on the pulse, and suggest how today's trends could become tomorrow's phenomena.

Swedes do it greener

Roger East 1 May 2009, Regeneration, Urban

New EU scheme chooses its Green Capital cities for 2010 and 2011

If you want to see the best that Europe has to offer in sustainable urban living, head for Stockholm. The European Union has just chosen the Swedish capital to be its exemplar city for 2010, and first holder of the title of European Green Capital.

Green lite budget for UK

Roger East 24 April 2009, Budget/Taxation

The UK's most critical – and controversial – budget of recent times got a mixed reception for its green merits and shortcomings.

Renewables get global push

Claire Baylis 23 April 2009, Energy conservation & efficiency, International policies & agreements, Regulation

IRENA has a far-reaching goal. The initials stand for International Renewable Energy Agency – and, as the first international organisation concentrating purely on renewables, IRENA plans to become the key driving force in “promoting a rapid transition towards the widespread and sustainable use of renewable energy on a global scale”.

UK seas ideal for massive wind power expansion

Roger East 23 April 2009, Regulation, Wind power

There’s plenty of room for wind power offshore. Massive expansion, essential if the UK is to meet its renewable energy goals for 2020, should not bhe scuppered by environmental objections. That's the headline message from a major study of the marine environment recently put out for public consultation by the Department of Energy and Climate Change.

New wave of allotments for UK

Anna Simpson 23 April 2009, Farming/Horticulture, Regeneration

The UK is set to gain over 3,000 food-growing spaces in the next three years in response to popular demand.

Maldives first country to go carbon-neutral

Hannah Bullock 23 April 2009, Carbon offset/neutrality, Indian Ocean, Wave power/tidal

The Maldives outlined an ambitious target in March to power the islands completely through renewable power within the next decade.

UK action lags far behind US, China, Korea

Roger East 23 April 2009, Budget/Taxation, International policies & agreements

The stormy passage through the US Congress of the Obama administration’s American Recovery and Reinvestment Act hogged most of the ‘green stimulus’ headlines in the Western media for weeks.

Co-op works on water

Claire Baylis 22 April 2009, Hydro electric, Retail

Power from a Peak District river is to be harnessed to generate green electricity for the local Co-op store in New Mills, Derbyshire – the UK's first community-funded hydropower scheme.

Retrofits for Brits

Hannah Bullock 22 April 2009, Energy conservation & efficiency, Housing

Seven million UK homes are to get green makeovers by 2020. The £350 million government initiative, known as the ‘Great British Refurb’, will see insulation and low-carbon technology, such as solar panels and biomass boilers, rolled out to the poorest areas of the country.

Smart finance cuts carbon

Hannah Bullock 22 April 2009, Carbon reduction, Local government

Initiative helps councils meet targets in tough times

When councils get clever

Hannah Bullock 22 April 2009, Behaviour change, Local government

Innovative approach helps local authorities connect with their citizens – and save money too.

Solar takes America block by block

Claire Baylis 17 April 2009, Community energy, Solar energy/PV

So you think small-scale solar remains the preserve of die-hard environmentalists? Think again. A new movement gathering momentum in the US could make photovoltaics a common feature on residential streets.

‘Reuse It Yourself’ movement could revolutionise DIY

Rebecca Schischa 17 April 2009, Construction, Re-use/refurbishment

Some “14 million tonnes” of unwanted building materials generated by the construction industry could be saved from being dumped in landfills in a new reclaim and resell scheme.

Innovative new concrete absorbs carbon emissions

16 April 2009, Carbon sequestration, Construction

A hefty 0.83 tonnes of CO2 is produced for every tonne of traditional (or Portland) cement made, according to the International Energy Agency. Now Novacem (a spin-off company from London’s Imperial College) is developing a cement based on magnesium oxide that has the potential to absorb large amounts of CO2 as it hardens.

Lotus produces all natural hemp car

16 April 2009, Cars, Materials

Lotus’s Eco Elise features a hemp spoiler and body panels, sisal carpets, woollen fabric seats and water-based paint – materials that reduce the environmental impact of production.

Super-efficient, locally fed power station comes to London

7 April 2009, Combined heat & power, Energy sources, Hydrogen/fuel cells

Work is set to begin in East London on what is billed as the country’s first ‘intelligent’ combined heat and power (CHP) plant.

New energy source in slow moving water

7 April 2009, Hydro electric, Water

A US entrepreneur is testing a renewable energy mechanism that would harness the power of slow-moving water currents – using technology based partly on observations of the way fish swim.

Plan to produce clean power and water in Sahara Desert

7 April 2009, Africa, Science & technology

Mention the words “Sahara Forest” to anyone over the age of 20, and they’ll soon recall the old joke about the woodcutter who says that’s where he learnt his trade. “Surely you mean the Sahara Desert?” his questioner replies. “Ah,” says the woodcutter, “That’s what they call it now.”

One charger for all cell phones

30 March 2009, Telecommunications, Waste minimisation

Could incompatible phone chargers soon be a thing of the past? Not just an irritant to users, the assumption that every new mobile phone comes with its own charger creates a small mountain of redundant manufacture and eventual disposal.

Street surfaces to harness kinetic energy

24 March 2009, Cars, Energy sources

An Israel-based firm thinks it has found a way to help offset motorists' carbon footprint – using specially designed roads to harness energy from the movement of traffic along the road.

Shopping down the carbon

Chris Alden 26 February 2009, Carbon reduction, Corporate responsibility

Standard to make carbon footprint comparisons simple

Shoppers one step closer to being able to compare the carbon footprint of the products and services they purchase, now that the UK is unveiling a common standard.

Sustainability drives value, say brand experts

Chris Alden 24 February 2009, Corporate responsibility, Marketing

Economic downturn a key test of commitment

The current tough economic climate will be a key test of brands’ commitment to sustainability, according to Interbrand, the consultancy behind the annual Best Global Brands Report.

Zero waste coming up from the streets

Chris Alden 24 February 2009, Local government, Waste & recycling

Initiative targets dramatic cuts in landfill at community, city and regional level

A home composting workshop, vouchers for real nappies, community ‘Green Zones’ and personal and citywide waste audits... They're all part of the 'Zero Waste Places' scheme.

Organics “best for Africa’s poor”

Chris Alden 13 February 2009, Africa, Organics

UN survey finds increases in yields – and income

Organic farming can help reduce food insecurity in Africa, according to a major UN survey of organic farming initiatives – and is “ideally suited” to smallholders and marginalised farmers who are at risk of poverty.

Electric roll out

Roger East 13 February 2009, Cars

Battery powered cars to hit the streets

The UK government is putting “up to £10 million” into a competition to get “up to 100” new electric cars out there around the country.

Feed-in gets in on the Act

Roger East 28 January 2009, Energy conservation & efficiency, Microgeneration

UK adopts incentive pricing to encourage microgen

Millions of UK homes could become green mini power stations, rather than emissions-heavy drains on the grid.

Climate initiatives set to disappoint?

Roger East 28 January 2009, Carbon reduction, International policies & agreements

Mixed signals from London, Brussels, Poznan

Welcome, to the statute book, the UK Climate Change Act. No major country has a more ambitious target – an 80% reduction in carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 compared with 1990.

Law ’n’ order

Hannah Bullock 28 January 2009, Planning, Urban

It’s not only environmentalists who raise an eyebrow when people concrete over their lawns.

Planners are frowning on it too, now that it’s a legal requirement for homeowners to apply for permission to pave over front gardens.

A battery to catch the wind

Julian Rollins 27 January 2009, Wave power/tidal, Wind power

Offshore electricity to be ‘stored’ in energy island

How can offshore wind generation still deliver on wind-free days? The answer could be a battery in the form of a man-made island, close to four miles long and 2.5 miles across.

Google’s green ambitions take to the waves

Claire Baylis 21 January 2009, Wave power/tidal, Web directories & blogs

Internet giant dips a toe into the world of wave power

Google has filed a patent for a water-based, wave-powered data centre.

Sun’s up for rickshaws

Hannah Bullock 21 January 2009, Asia, Solar energy/PV

Indian cycle taxis to run off solar power

Unleashed in Delhi, they can either be pedalled or propelled by a battery that’s topped up every 30-45 miles from a solar-powered charging station.

Dawn of the digital away day

Julian Rollins 9 January 2009, Telecommunications

Natural England pioneers carbon-light conferencing

Is the vast conference hall to become an endangered species? Possibly, if other organisations follow the lead of Natural England, which wants to halve the carbon footprint of its annual staff meetings.

Dig the city

Louise Vennells 9 January 2009, Farming/Horticulture, Local food

'Grow-your-own' scheme cultivates unused scraps of London land

London families should soon be saving money and eating more healthily, thanks to an ambitious project to provide land to grow their own vegetables.

Overnight heaven

Roz Curzon 8 January 2009, Construction, Holidays

Premier Inn plans for future with ‘green hotel’ pilot

The Whitbread-owned chain Premier Inn has just opened a 'green flagship' budget hotel in Tamworth, Staffordshire, that’s designed to consume 80% less energy than usual.

Sparking a green revolution

Roger East 4 January 2009, Americas, Cars

San Francisco bids for ‘electric car capital’ with recharging infrastructure

Convulsions among the dinosaurs of the motor industry are so severe that it’s hard to pick likely survivors, let alone winners. But R&D on innovative lower-carbon models looks like money well spent.

Smarter sparks

Chris Alden 4 January 2009, Energy conservation & efficiency, Metering

Meters which cut consumption to be rolled out “to every home”

Every household in the UK is to have a ‘smart meter’ installed by 2018, after the government announced plans for a national rollout of the technology within ten years.

Peak practice

Martin Wright 18 December 2008, Fossil fuels

Act now on peak oil, say business leaders

Peak oil poses a more immediate risk to the UK economy than climate change – but action now could help address both challenges, say leading businesses.

What does cheap oil mean for renewables?

Roger East 18 December 2008, Fossil fuels, Wind power

Inside views from the green energy sector on oil price volatility

Oil up at nearly $150 a barrel? Just half a year ago that was the new reality. It surely spelled death for the gas-guzzler – and a place in the sun for alternative energy supplies.

From waste to power

Olivia Leybourne 17 December 2008, Waste management, Waste minimisation, Waste to energy

Supermarkets get into anaerobic digesters

In a bid to redress their role in Britain’s massive food wastage problem, leading retailers have started using the stuff they can’t sell to generate power.

No turning back

Roger East 5 December 2008, Energy conservation & efficiency, Heritage

Heritage organisations look to lower carbon future

Our historic buildings need not be unsustainable. What’s more, we can still learn a lot from their many examples of innovative technology, says a new report.

Landmark for straw

Roger East 5 December 2008, Construction, Energy conservation & efficiency, Housing

Two-storey semi a first for UK

At Ralegh’s Cross in Somerset, they’re building a two-storey semi out of straw bale – hitting the spot both economically and environmentally

Share the catch to save the fish

Mark Lupton 5 December 2008, Fishing, Regulation

Transferable quotas are the key to conserving stocks, study shows

The risk of fish stocks collapsing can be cut by half if fishermen agree on a system of ‘catch shares’.

Liquid energy

David Baker 19 November 2008, Hydro electric, Inland waterways, Microgeneration, Wind power

Waterways to host £150 million green energy project

Long left dormant since their heyday before the railway age, Britain’s canals are set to power our homes and cool our offices.

Bring in the CarrotMob

David Baker 11 November 2008, Corporate responsibility, Society & culture

New initiative brings mass patronage to ‘deserving’ businesses

A convenience store in London’s Covent Garden has just been the site of a particularly benign type of environmental action – as the UK’s second ever CarrotMob event descended on Miranas Food & Wine for some environmentally-minded shopping.

States launch carbon market

Polly Ghazi 10 November 2008, International policies & agreements, Regulation

US regional emissions trading scheme goes live in eastern US

In a big breakthrough on carbon trading, the US now has its first mandatory cap and trade programme. Polly Ghazi reports.

The aim in Spain

Alison Winward 15 October 2008, Europe, Transport & travel

Government launches incentives, imposes limits, in drive to cut oil use

Industry minister Miguel Sebastián introduces a 31-point government plan designed to slash the country’s oil bill drastically by 2011.

Best of a bad lot?

Roger East 15 October 2008, Climate change, International

Scorecard ranks G8 industrialised countries on emissions performance and policy

The UK comes out best, and Canada and the US rank even worse than Russia, in an assessment of how and what they are actually doing to limit their climate change impact.

Hebridean hopes for hydrogen

Hannah Bullock 14 October 2008, Hydrogen/fuel cells

Island to harness renewable power through fuel cells

This autumn sees the installation of a vehicle fuelling station on the Hebridean island of Lewis. The excitement lies in the fuel it has on offer – renewably generated hydrogen.

Orchards’ richer harvest

Hannah Bullock and Jon Wallace 14 October 2008, Biodiversity, Farming/Horticulture

Studies unearth surprisingly high value of trees

We should stop and consider the broader picture before we grub up more of the UK’s fast disappearing orchards – because they may be worth more than we think.

Green crude

Hannah Bullock 14 October 2008, Biofuels

Oil from algae attracts attention as biofuel solution

Algae biotech company Sapphire Energy has raised $100 million in initial investment to develop a sustainable version of oil that it’s calling “green crude”. So why might this be a better bet than other highly problematic biofuels?

Pulling power

Giovanna Dunmall 14 October 2008, Visions & futures, Wind power

Scientists link chain of kites to harvest wind energy six miles high

They call it a laddermill – and they think it is “the third generation of wind power”. The device is essentially a huge chain of wing-like kites attached to a looped cable, developed by scientists at the Delft University of Technology.

Lending light

Roger East 14 October 2008, Behaviour change, Community energy

‘Library’ scheme lets public get real feel of low-energy bulbs

People do still harbour suspicions about compact fluorescent lightbulbs. Must they be an ugly shape – or too cumbersome, their glow too dim, their light too cold? Will they fit their fittings – and work with their dimmer switches?

Victorian home of the future

Roger East and Tim Nichols 14 October 2008, Energy conservation & efficiency, Heritage

Camden showcases ‘heritage-friendly’ low-carbon refurb

Yes, it is possible – to cut the climate change impact of a typical 150-year-old English home dramatically without ruining its character.

Ikea DIYs it

Hannah Bullock 14 October 2008, Retail, Socially responsible investment

Ikea invests €50 million in cleantech start-ups

The new investment arm, Ikea GreenTech, aims to work with five or six companies in areas such as solar, lighting, energy efficiency and water saving, over the next five years.

Q: Where do butterflies go when it all gets too much?

Hannah Bullock 14 October 2008, Climate change impacts, Conservation

A: Butterfly Survival Zones

Twenty of them have been designated across Britain in a bid to stop the country entering a ‘post-butterfly era’.

School report

Alison Winward 7 October 2008, Schools

Councils ‘must try harder’ on emissions, says sustainability watchdog

The CO2 output from schools will be counted as part of each authority’s total under the Carbon Reduction Commitment, the domestic emissions trading scheme due to be launched in 2010.

Adapting the capital

Giovanna Dunmall 7 October 2008, Local government, Visions & futures

Mayoral plan addresses climate change risks to London

London’s vulnerability to the effects of climate change has spurred mayor Boris Johnson to announce what is billed as the first ever Climate Change Adaptation Strategy for a major city.

Anaconda joins wave energy hunt

Julia Sussams 3 October 2008, Wave power/tidal

The world’s largest snake, which hunts its prey in water, has given its name to a pioneering new device for generating electricity from waves.

Solar all night?

Hannah Bullock 1 October 2008, Science & technology, Solar energy/PV

Promise of homes as mini ‘power stations’ via solar PV link to hydrogen production

Scientists at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have high hopes for their latest “breakthrough” in solar photovoltaics.

Wind in deep water

Julia Sussams 1 October 2008, Wind power

Floating platforms promise economic wind farms far out at sea

Can offshore turbines be freed from the limitations – and high costs – of fixed installation on the seabed? Yes, say the developers of floating platforms, designed to support wind farms much further out to sea than is currently viable.

India launches climate action plan

Martin Wright 24 September 2008, Asia, Climate change

Proposals 'too little, too late' say critics

Solar power will be “centre stage” in India’s strategy to tackle global warming, according to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

Line in the sand

5 September 2008, Africa

‘Great green wall’ tree planting plan aims to halt spread of Sahara

African states all around the Sahara have signed up to an ambitious Great Green Wall Initiative to combat desertification.

PV’s bright future?

Louise Vennells 5 September 2008, Science & technology, Solar energy/PV

Window coating could be low-cost solar breakthrough

Price is still a real barrier to household-level photovoltaic power. But a special coated window glass, developed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, could help crack that problem.

Wheelie wins

29 August 2008, Cycling

‘Cycling city’ Bristol heads push on bikes in towns

That most familiar of all zero-carbon vehicles, the bicycle, is to get £100 million backing from the government in a drive to promote its potential as an urban alternative to the car.

Greening Whitechapel

Julia Sussams 21 August 2008, Local food, Recycling

City market leads the way in waste recycling

London’s bustling and colourful Whitechapel Market, selling everything from salmon to saris, has suddenly gone greener and cleaner – as the first market in the country to recycle nearly 100% of its rubbish.

Transport of delight

18 August 2008, Aviation

GF tastes airship technology at first hand over London

A cleaner, more civilised flying experience than frenetic jet travel? Green Futures went on one of the world’s largest airships to find out.

Bin bounty

Louise Vennells 18 August 2008, Local government, Waste & recycling

Councils to reward residents for recycling

Within months, UK residents could be cashing in on their recycling under a new scheme which has already encouraged Americans to go green on their rubbish.

Hydrogen takes to the water

Tom Bamford 8 August 2008, Hydrogen/fuel cells, Shipping

Barge breakthrough on zero emission shipping

When transport secretary Ruth Kelly addressed the International Maritime Organization on the subject of the shipping industry’s huge carbon dioxide emissions, she might have drawn inspiration from an unassuming canal boat in Birmingham.

Beefing up biomass

Susan Gransden 7 August 2008, Waste to energy

Waste timber, sawdust, or even willow, could be powering your home in 2011 if you get some of your electricity from a new biomass power station in Lincolnshire.

Coal out for carbon count

Polly Ghazi 29 July 2008, Americas, Carbon reduction, Energy issues, Fossil fuels

New plants “must set CO2 limits”, US court rules

In the latest salvo in the intensifying US battle over the future of coal-fired electricity generation, the state of Georgia has blocked construction of a major new power station...

Cool-off for coal

Jon Wallace 29 July 2008, Carbon sequestration, Climate change, Fossil fuels, Policy

Halt plans for 'unclean' coal power stations, say reports

With no fewer than six current projects proposing to build new coal-fired power stations in the UK, it would be a bad mistake to approve any of them now, says Matthew Lockwood of the Institute for Public Policy Research (ippr).

Old World wine

Hannah Bullock and Julia Sussams 25 July 2008, Freight, Shipping

Sailing ship takes ‘slow cargo’ from France to Ireland

Tesco made a splash last autum transporting wine by barge. Now a French shipping company has taken ‘slow freight’ one step further...

2020 vision

Hannah Bullock 14 July 2008, Energy sources, Visions & futures

Government launches ambitious blueprint for alternative energy future

A government proposal to generate 15% of energy from renewables by 2020 paints a radically different picture of life in just 12 years’ time: solar panels on 7 million buildings, 3 million homes heated with biomass...

Bucking trends and breaking records

Jon Wallace 11 July 2008, Biofuels, Sport

Green powerboat takes on the world – and wins

Pulling into the Spanish port of Sagunto a full 13 days, 21 hours and 9 minutes ahead of the official circumnavigation record, it was a case of around the world in 60 days for the crew of Earthrace, the hawk-like biodiesel-powered trimaran.

Hailing the future

Julia Sussams 7 July 2008, Hydrogen/fuel cells, Mass transit/Public transport

Hydrogen taxis get the green light for 2012

London’s aim of organising the “first ‘sustainable’ Games” has been given a further boost after plans were unveiled for a fleet of zero-emission hydrogen taxis, to be on the streets in time for the start of the 2012 Olympics.

Tomorrow's house today

Roger East 28 June 2008, Built environment, Housing

Volume housebuilder showcases the zero carbon home

The ‘zero carbon home’ has become concrete reality. The Barratt Green House is the first new home built by a mainstream housebuilder which measures up to the strict sustainability criteria they’ll all have to meet by 2016.

Wind among the Jewels

Roger East 26 June 2008, Wind power

Crown Estate reaches Round Three

Although Shell shocked the renewables industry by pulling out of the massive London Array project, a big future still beckons for offshore wind in the UK. The Crown Estate (which owns the seabed within UK territorial waters) has now launched Round Three of its site-leasing programme.

Uncontained delight

Tom Bamford 24 June 2008, Behaviour change, Consumption, Local food, Retail

Goods without wrappers catch on with shoppers

A shop in Islington is changing the way we look at packaging.

Bread rising

Giovanna Dunmall 24 June 2008, Health, Local food, Organics

Campaign backs 'real' baking, exposes factory failings

Good bread needs to be at the centre of our tables again, says organic baker, teacher and campaigner Andrew Whitley. So get ready for a nationwide Bread Campaign, due to launch later this year.

Boris beds in

Jon Wallace 24 June 2008, Carbon reduction

Major tree-planting under way in capital as new research points to health benefits

Fresh from his victory in the London mayoral elections, Boris Johnson has announced a scheme to plant 10,000 new trees on the streets of the capital over the next three years.

One down, but one to go

Jon Wallace 24 June 2008

Renewed optimism follows “bitter disappointment” over Lewis wind farm

It was a case of one door closing, another opening for renewable energy on the island of Lewis...

Coffin makers carry it off

Roger East 24 June 2008, Awards & grants

Awards fete UK's greenest companies

Another sign of the interest in ‘green exemplars’ – the new Sunday Times Best Green Companies awards.

The taming of the screw

Jon Wallace 24 June 2008, Hydro electric

Ancient technology finds new application

Thousands of years after it was invented for drawing water out of ship hulls, the ‘Archimedes screw’ has been rediscovered as an efficient, low-maintenance and ecologically sound hydropower generator.

Carbon pricing US style

Polly Ghazi 24 June 2008, Carbon reduction

San Francisco pioneers emissions levy for local businesses

In the first measure of its kind in the USA, companies in California’s Bay Area now face mandatory fees for their carbon emissions.

The national distrust

Roger East 24 June 2008, Green government, Toolkits/information packs

Environmental messaging bedevilled by 'greenwash'

“Only 10% of US and UK consumers trust green messages from businesses”. That was a year ago – and it’s getting worse...

Leaf service

Alison Winward 24 June 2008, Eco-products & services, Innovation

Indian leaves bring new life to disposable crockery

They’ve been used in rural India for countless years, but ‘disposable’ plates made from leaves are now becoming a big hit on British dining tables.

Redesign for living

Tom Bamford 24 June 2008, Recycling, Waste management, Waste minimisation

Student design rethink takes on the compost bucket

Where would you go for inspiration on sustainable design?

Seagen tidecatcher makes its debut

Roger East 24 June 2008, Wave power/tidal

Largest tidal stream power device in the world ready to launch

The innovative tide-harnessing turbine known as SeaGen is securely in place, linked up to the grid, and almost ready to start turning the rapid ebbs and flows of Northern Ireland’s Strangford Lough into green electricity.

Fast lane to sane lane

Tom Bamford 24 June 2008, Carbon reduction, Cars

Local curb breaches German principle of limitless
autobahn speed

Fast cars are big business in Germany, but there are signs that the brakes are going on.

From cow to bag

Tom Bamford 24 June 2008, Packaging

Sainsbury's to sell milk in recyclable plastic ‘pouches’

The initiative, in partnership with milk supplier Dairy Crest, will only work if customers prove more green-minded than they were in 2001, when the supermarket chain’s first attempt to wean us onto pouches was abandoned due to lack of consumer interest.

Great wall of light

Tom Bamford 24 June 2008, Architecture, Built environment, Solar energy/PV

Chinese capital showcases solar powered LEDs

It might not be the biggest wall in China, but the Greenpix Zero Energy Media Wall in Beijing can lay claim to its own record.

Hybrids by retro-fit

Andrew Williams and Roger East 24 June 2008, Cars

UK company's makeover approach could "convert conventional cars"

Can your current car boast the green credentials – and fuel economy – of a fuel/electric hybrid? If not, there may be a solution on the horizon, if a new conversion system lives up to its promise.

Briefing: Ethics in the bag

Louise Vennells 20 June 2008, Entrepreneurship, Inspiration, Social enterprise

Indian co-op helps ditch plastic carriers

With disposable plastic bags under fire as the environmental bogeyman of the moment, businesses on the lookout for reusable alternatives might learn something from Paravur.

Best in show

Tom Bamford 19 June 2008, Cars, Hydrogen/fuel cells

Fuel cell power packs a punch in 'dream car' bracket

Three years in the making, the Morgan Lifecar is capable of doing 0 to 60 mph in a mere seven seconds – on a hydrogen fuel cell engine.

Farm food nation?

Polly Ghazi 21 April 2008, Local food

State law opens way for local farm food into US schools, low-income communities

So far, America’s booming local food movement has largely been limited to the farmers’ market loving middle class. But that’s starting to change.

Sun rises on US energy scene

Polly Ghazi 18 April 2008, Energy issues, Solar energy/PV

California’s “biggest ever” solar project follows record year for industry growth

America’s solar energy industry is coming of age. After a record growth year in 2007, pumping over $2 billion into the economy, the sector as a whole – manufacturers and distributors of photovoltaic, concentrating solar power and solar heating technology - is projecting that revenues will again more than double in 2008.

Traffic goes electric green

Andrew Williams 15 April 2008, Cars

Wind-powered recharge grid on the horizon for Danish battery vehicles

It’s looking good for electric cars in Denmark – as a new scheme promises a network of renewably-powered recharging stations by 2011.

Cutting down with the Joneses

Tom Bamford 15 April 2008, Green government, Housing, Regeneration

Green Neighbourhoods scheme to turn existing communities into beacons of low carbon living

Who’s showing the way on cutting the carbon footprint of the UK’s existing housing stock? Under a new government initiative, 100 communities across Britain could become shining examples of what’s possible - and achievable by ordinary people in ‘bog standard’ homes.

Duty to disclose

Jon Wallace 15 April 2008, Benchmarking/Rankings, Business, Communications/Reporting, Corporate responsibility

Companies face obligation to report CO2 after amendment to Climate Change Bill

Binding rules on carbon disclosure will put companies on a level playing field, where consumers and investors alike can make meaningful comparisons between the leaders – and the laggards.

Ships take a blow

Jon Wallace 25 March 2008, Shipping, Wind power

Merchant shipping tries out carbon-cutting solutions as true extent of emissions emerges

Hybrid container ships have arrived on a commercial scale.
Hybrid, that is, as in partly wind-powered. In a world first for a container vessel, the 10,000-tonne MS Beluga SkySails has been fitted with a computer-guided kite to help blow it along – taking some of the load off its oil-powered engine.

Feeding our cars

Hannah Bullock 25 March 2008, Cars, Waste to energy

General Motors turns food waste into fuel

It seems that everybody wants a share of our household food waste. Over in the US, General Motors is planning to transform the stuff into ethanol to fuel cars.

The new mile high club

25 March 2008, Aviation, Carbon offset/neutrality, Recycling

Airlines get passengers offsetting and recycling

When’s the best time to get air passengers to sign up to carbon offsets? When you can prick their conscience the most – on the plane. Virgin Atlantic is now offering offsetting to customers in-flight, along with the duty-free.

Take-off for biofuels?

Hannah Bullock 25 March 2008, Aviation, Biofuels

First ever biodiesel flight launches amidst controversy

A Virgin Atlantic test flight has boosted biofuel enthusiasts’ belief in its technical viability as aviation fuel. Yet the breakthrough comes as European targets to raise overall biofuel use are called into question – over the environmental and food security implications of large-scale production

Who’s on message?

Julian Rollins 25 March 2008, Awards & grants, Communications/Reporting, Corporate responsibility

Reporting awards encourage focus on sustainability – not just CSR

BT’s 2007 sustainability report has been judged Britain’s best, and Unilever’s is runner-up. But the judges of accountancy organisation ACCA’s annual awards were disappointed to find that most of the contenders were still stuck in the language – and mindset – of ‘corporate social responsibility’ rather than ‘sustainability’.

High card, low carbon

25 March 2008, Culture, Young people

Top Trumps, the cult card game for kids, has had a makeover from the environmental charity Marches Energy Agency.

Sun down under

Julian Rollins 25 March 2008, Community energy, Solar energy/PV

Outback town plans world first in solar power

The Queensland town of Cloncurry is aiming to transform itself into the world’s first fully solar-powered community. The centrepiece of the plan will be a 10MW solar thermal power tower, generating around 30 million kilowatt-hours of electricity each year.

Cadbury boost for producers?

Julian Rollins 25 March 2008, Africa, Corporate responsibility, Farming/Horticulture, Poverty/social exclusion

Partnership approach backs cocoa farmers in sustainability drive

Our love affair with chocolate would have a pretty flaky future, if growers couldn’t make a livelihood out of the beans.

Patent clarity

Iain Aitch 25 March 2008, Innovation

Companies show less protective streak over IP to save the planet

Businesses usually fight tooth and nail to protect their intellectual property. But now IBM, Nokia, Sony and Pitney Bowes are taking part in what is being described as the Eco-Patent Commons.

Newsreel

Roger East 25 March 2008, Budget/Taxation, Policy

The biggest green stories in government - in bite-sized chunks

Lights! Camera! Climate action!

Chris Alden 25 March 2008, Climate change impacts, Culture, TV

Campaign to get better grip on London film industry’s emissions

You can’t accuse film-makers in London of being blind to climate change. Only last summer, the disaster movie Flood depicted what might happen if the Thames was overwhelmed by rising seawater

Two wheels better

Roger East 25 March 2008, Cycling

Heartening signs for cyclists and pedestrians

Hot on the heels of Sustrans’s success in winning
£50 million of lottery money for its Connect2 cyclepaths scheme comes the announcement of a £140 million three-year plan at the Department for Transport to boost cycle training for children, connect more schools to the National Cycle Network, and help towns run cycling pilot projects.

Eggstra leg room

25 March 2008, Consumption, Farming/Horticulture

The Co-op is the latest supermarket to stop selling eggs from battery hens.

Following a consultation with its members, in which a quarter identified animal welfare as a priority, the retailer removed the offending items in February.

London charging ahead

Iain Aitch 25 March 2008, Congestion, Mass transit/Public transport

Congestion charging scheme and Paris’s free bikes share US award

Porsche drivers and mums in 4x4s on the school run might loathe both him and it, but Ken Livingstone’s congestion charge keeps winning plaudits.

Not just rearranging the loungers…

Alison Winward 25 March 2008, Construction, Health

Titanic Spa aims to set an eco-example

It says it’s “the UK’s first eco-spa”. It opened last year inside Titanic Mill, a luxury green apartment complex conversion in a former textile mill near Huddersfield.

Village greening

Jon Wallace 25 March 2008, Awards & grants, Community energy, Microgeneration

Locals press forward on waste elimination, parish hall retrofits

St Arvans, two miles outside Chepstow, has set itself the target of becoming the first zero-waste Welsh community. Residents already recycle an impressive average 77% of waste with the help of weekly collections by Monmouthshire Community Recycling, a social enterprise established by local people.

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Quips

“Time is our scarcest resource. We are crossing natural thresholds that we cannot see and violating deadlines that we do not recognise. These deadlines are set by nature. Nature is the timekeeper, but we cannot see the clock."Veteran US environmental crisis-confronter Lester Brown, publicising his latest book 'Plan B 3.0: Mobilizing to Save Civilization'

$100 billion

The investment capital that flowed into renewable energy last year, according to a new UN Environment Programme report, which projects that clean energy could provide a quarter of the world’s electricity.