Climate 411

This post is by Sheryl Canter, an Online Writer and Editorial Manager at Environmental Defense Fund.

Here’s the quote of the week, from a New York Times Op-Ed piece:

Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden have had carbon taxes in place since the 1990s, but the tax has not led to large declines in emissions in most of these countries – in the case of Norway, emissions have actually increased by 43 percent per capita.

This observation reinforces what we’ve been saying all along about why a carbon tax isn’t the right approach. A tax doesn’t guarantee lower emissions; a cap does.

This post is by Sheryl Canter, an Online Writer and Editorial Manager at the Environmental Defense Fund.

PG&E Gets Energy From Cow Manure – BioEnergy Solutions has a long-term contract to deliver 3 billion cubic feet per year of pipeline-quality, renewable natural gas to Pacific Gas and Electric – a first in California. The gas is produced from dairy cow manure. Energy Trust in Oregon is working on a similar project.

Framably Pretty Green Living Tips – There are dozens of small things you can do to reduce your carbon foot, and they add up to make a difference. But how do you remember them all? You could tape an ugly old list to the wall (which you’d never look at), or you can print out this colorful diagram. Gristmill describes it as "a Cliff Notes version of climate-friendly lifestyle choices."

This post is by Sheryl Canter, an Online Writer and Editorial Manager at the Environmental Defense Fund.

Here are a couple of interesting news stories I came across this week:

Risks in Financing Coal. Last month, we posted about how banks are considering the risks in financing coal plants. Seems the federal government is considering the risks, too.  BusinessWeek reports that the federal government is "suspending a major loan program for coal-fired power plants in rural communities, saying the uncertainties of climate change and rising construction costs make the loans too risky."

Act Now or Pay More Later. The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) has issued a new report on how much it will cost to fix the environment – including (but not limited to) such problems as global warming. According to the Associated Press, the report says, "We need forward-looking policies today to avoid high costs of inaction or delayed action over the longer term." This agrees with other recent studies on the subject (see the University of Maryland, Tufts University, and McKinsey & Company).

This post is by Sheryl Canter, an Online Writer and Editorial Manager at Environmental Defense.

Here are some interesting links I came across this week. Enjoy!

Generating electricity during walking – A group of researchers has developed a biomechanical energy harvester that generates electricity from the movement of people walking – and without a lot of extra work. They envision it will be used to charge portable medical devices like powered prosthetic limbs.

Unscrew America – Want to learn about compact fluorescent lightbulbs (CFLs)? Check out this site. Its animated cartoons make learning about CFLs entertaining and painless.

This post is by Sheryl Canter, an Online Writer and Editorial Manager at Environmental Defense.

Belkin’s Conserve Surge Protector – At the Consumer Electronics Show this month, Belkin showed a new surge protector called Conserve that can shut off six of its eight outlets with a switch, or with a handy remote control (in case you don’t like climbing under your desk). Standby or “phantom” power from devices such as TVs, computers, and battery chargers, can account for up to 20 percent of your electric bill. This device could save you money, as well as reduce your carbon footprint.

Eco-Fashion – It used to be only hippies who cared about natural fibers and sustainably produced clothing, but no more. Now top designers have gotten into the act. One company in Denmark, Earth A’Wear, does nothing but.

This post is by Sheryl Canter, an Online Writer and Editorial Manager at Environmental Defense.

I’ve always liked statistics – hard numbers. They can evoke pictures that are both vivid and concrete. For example, did you know that there was a 45 percent increase in the world’s solar capacity in 2005? Or that China is ranked #2 as a global producer of solar cells? (Japan is first; The U.S. ranks fourth.)

These and many other interesting statistics can be found on our newly updated Global Warming by the Numbers page. Which stats jump out most for you?