In.gr, 30 Ιουνίου 2010

Για πρώτη φορά τα φωτοβολταϊκά στοιχεία για την παραγωγή ενέργειας από τον Ήλιο είναι πιο φτηνά από την πυρηνική ενέργεια ή την ενέργεια από ορυκτά καύσιμα, αναφέρουν επιστήμονες του Πανεπιστημίου του Ντιουκ στις ΗΠΑ που συνέταξαν τη σχετική έκθεση. Το κόστος έχει φτάσει πλέον στα 0,16 δολάρια την κιλοβατώρα για την πολιτεία της Βόρειας Καρολίνας όπου επικεντρώθηκε η έρευνα. Πρόκειται για μία ιστορική καμπή, αναφέρουν οι συντάκτες της έρευνας στους New York Times. Διαβάστε περισσότερα....

Απαγόρευσαν τις ταυρομαχίες στην Καταλονία

TA NEA, 28 Ιουνίου 2010

Την απαγόρευση των ταυρομαχιών διά νόμου αποφάσισε σήμερα η Καταλονία, η οποία κατέστη η πρώτη περιοχή της Ισπανίας που βάζει τέλος στο παραδοσιακό αγώνισμα της χώρας. Με νόμο που ψηφίστηκε σήμερα στο κοινοβούλιο της Καταλονίας, αποφασίστηκε ότι σε 17 μήνες από σήμερα δεν θα επιτρέπεται η διεξαγωγή ταυρομαχιών εντός των διοικητικών ορίων της Καταλονίας. Σύμφωνα με εκτιμήσεις, η απόφαση αυτή αποτελεί την αρχή του τέλους για τις ταυρομαχίες σε πολλές περιοχές της Ισπανίας. Διαβάστε περισσότερα...

Chimps, Too, Wage War and Annex Rival Territory

The New York Times, June 21, 2010

Every day, John Mitani or a colleague is up at sunrise to check on the action among the chimpanzees at Ngogo, in Uganda’s Kibale National Park. Most days the male chimps behave a lot like frat boys, making a lot of noise or beating each other up. But once every 10 to 14 days, they do something more adult and cooperative: they wage war. Read more...

Canon Stumbles in Green Product Campaign in Asia

Triple Pundit, July 15, 2010

Greenwashing apparently knows no boundaries, either geographically or by industry. The electronics manufacturer Canon has launched an ambitious green marketing program in Asia, which is smart marketing because consumers in the Pacific Rim region are becoming more aware of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) issues. Or perhaps Canon’s marketing department realizes that such a program would receive a heavy dose of scrutiny in the Euro Zone or North America. Read more...

Δηλητηριασμένα δολώματα έχουν αφανίσει ολόκληρα είδη ζώων

ΚΑΘΗΜΕΡΙΝΗ, 20 Ιουλίου 2010

Τεράστιες καταστροφές στην ελληνική πανίδα έχει προκαλέσει η εκτεταμένη χρήση δηλητηριασμένων δολωμάτων. Αν και έχουν απαγορευτεί από το 1993, χιλιάδες κάτοικοι, κυρίως της υπαίθρου, εξακολουθούν να τα χρησιμοποιούν για να αντιμετωπίσουν είδη πουλιών και ζώων που τα θεωρούν ενοχλητικά, όπως έδειξαν έρευνες που πραγματοποίησαν το τελευταίο διάστημα περιβαλλοντικές οργανώσεις της χώρας. Διαβάστε περισσότερα...

Ten Nations at 'Extreme Risk' Because of Water Shortages, Report Says

ENN, July 12, 2010

Ten countries worldwide, including five African nations, are at "extreme risk" because of limited access to clean, fresh water, according to a new global water security index. And the effects of climate change and population growth will exacerbate the stress on these water supplies, potentially threatening stability in many regions, according to the analysis by Maplecroft , a UK-based consulting group. Among the nations most at risk are Somalia, Mauritania, Sudan, Niger, and Iraq. Other nations at extreme risk — including Pakistan, Egypt, and Uzbekistan — are already facing internal and border tensions because of limited water supplies. Read more...

For Hudson Bay Polar Bears, The End is Already in Sight

Yale 360, July 08, 2010

The polar bear has long been a symbol of the damage wrought by global warming, but now biologist Andrew Derocher and his colleagues have calculated how long one southerly population can hold out. Their answer? No more than a few decades, as the bears’ decline closely tracks that of the Arctic’s disappearing sea ice. Read nore...

Τρένο ή αεροπλάνο και άλλα πέντε πέντε οικολογικά διλήμματα βρίσκουν απαντήσεις

OIKO, Ιούλιος 2010

Αξίζουν τα χρήματα για να αγοράζεις βιολογικά προϊόντα από όπου κι αν προέρχονται; Αν ανακυκλώνεις, έχεις επιτελέσει το οικολογικό σου καθήκον; Ποιο μέσο ταξιδιού επιβαρύνει λιγότερο το περιβάλλον; Αξίζει ο κόπος να χρησιμοποιείς χάρτινη σακούλα; Το ΟΙΚΟ με τη βοήθεια επιστημόνων δίνει απαντήσεις σε έξι διλήμματα του μέσου ανθρώπου που σκέφτεται το περιβάλλον, αλλά δεν ξέρει τι πρέπει να κάνει γι’ αυτό. Διαβάστε περισσότερα...

India's Poor Risk 'Slow Death' Recycling E-Waste

ENN, July 06, 2010

Young rag-pickers sifting through rubbish are a common image of India's chronic poverty, but destitute children face new hazards picking apart old computers as part of the growing "e-waste" industry. Asif, aged seven, spends his days dismantling electronic equipment in a tiny, dimly-lit unit in east Delhi along with six other boys. "My work is to pick out these small black boxes," he said, fingers deftly prying out integrated circuits from the pile of computer remains stacked high beside him. Read more...

Kellogg Cereal Recall Highlights a New Concern: Chemicals Leaching from Food Packaging

ENN, July 06, 2010

Kellogg is recalling as many as 28 million boxes of cereal because a chemical is leaching from the food packaging into the cereal. The Food and Drug Administration states the reason for the recall as "uncharacteristic off-flavor and smell coming from the liner in the package.". The incident highlights a little-appreciated concern: While packaging can help food last longer, it can also leach chemicals into foods. Read more...

Houston Rockets' Stadium Wins LEED Certification

ENN, July 6, 2010

The Houston Toyota Center, home of the NBA's Houston Rockets, recently earned certification through the US Green Building Council's LEED for Existing Buildings: Operations and Maintenance Program. The Center becomes the first such venue in Texas to be certified, and joins the Portland Rose Garden, Miami's American Airlines Arena, and Atlanta's Philips Arena as the only LEED certified NBA facilities. The Center received Silver level certification, ranking only below the Rose Garden in Portland, Oregon, which received Gold earlier this year. Read more...

Trees a 'low-cost' solution to air pollution and biodiversity loss in cities

The Ecologist, July 2, 2010

Native woods and trees in urban areas, including gardens, provide haven for wildlife, reduce air pollution, surface run-off and flooding. Reversing the declining numbers of native trees and woods in cities would provide numerous benefits at 'relatively little cost', says a report from the Woodland Trust.As well as access to green space, the report, 'Greening the Concrete Jungle', says trees provide a wide range of free ecosystem services including reducing the risk of surface water flooding and improving air quality that could save millions in flood defence and healthcare costs. Read more...

China launches armada to head off algae plume

The Guardian, July 07, 2010

Chinese authorities have dispatched a flotilla of more than 60 ships to head off a massive tide of algae that is approaching the coast of Qingdao. The outbreak is thought to be caused by high ocean temperatures and excess nitrogen runoff from agriculture and fish farms. Scientists involved in the operation say the seaweed known as enteromorpha needs to be cleaned up before it decomposes on beaches and releases noxious gases. Read more...

Solar lamp wins award for helping developing countries

BBC News, July 02, 2010

The developers of a solar lamp that aims to replace kerosene-burning lights in developing countries have won a prestigious environmental award. D Light Design says its lanterns, which sell for around $10 (£7), contribute to the reduction of carbon emissions. One of the runners-up for the Ashden Award for Sustainable Energy was the Rural Energy Foundation (REF) for promoting solar energy in Africa. More than 70% of sub-Saharan Africa has no access to electricity. Read more...

Antarctic Sea Ice Paradoxically Growing

ENN, June 18, 2010

While Arctic sea ice continues to shrink as the world warms, the ice around Antarctica is actually growing, thanks to the influence of the ozone hole over the southernmost continent, scientists have reported.But the south polar growth won't be permanent, they warn. Though they are headed in opposite directions, the current conditions at both poles are affected by human impacts on the climate, said John Turner of the British Antarctic Survey, who presented these findings to the International Polar Year (IPY) conference held last week in Oslo, Norway. Read more...