Proposed climate bill stricter than House version

The climate bill that is expected to be introduced in the Senate's Environmental and Public Works Committee today is more strict in regards to emissions targets than the one narrowly passed by the House earlier this year.

The bill would require a 20-percent emission reduction by 2020 from 2005 levels of CO2 emissions. The House bill requires a 17-percent reduction. Both bills target an 83-percent reduction by 2050.

The bill sets up a cap-and-trade system, which would allow industry members to buy and sell emissions within a total emissions cap. The House bill has a similar cap-and-trade system included.

The introduction of the bill is expected to ignite a climate change debate in the Senate within several committees before a debate on the Senate floor later this year. For more info on the bill, check out this story from The Boston Globe.

Global warming debate heats up

With the landmark Copenhagen climate conference just a little more than two months away, news surrounding a potential successor to the Kyoto Protocol is heating up. Last week, representatives of the so-called G20—finance ministers and central bank governors of 20 major national economies—met in Pittsburgh to discuss global warming, among other things.

As the pivotal conference approaches, scientific reports are coming out that are raising the stakes. The U.N. released a report this week that states that the world is on course for a 6.3 degree temperature increases even if all the proposed actions are implemented by every government worldwide. Part of the report is particularly scary as it states that the worst-case scenarios for global climate disasters are actually worse—and not as far in the future—as previously thought.

For a good summary of all the recent news in the global warming debate, check out this story from The Daily Green that contains links to six items that are making news.

Volvo goes green

Volvo has crafted an ambitious environmental agenda, making the company the latest automaker to work towards a greener future.

The automaker announced a new vision that will attempt to produce cars that produce no harmful exhaust emissions or environmentally-impacting carbon dioxide. Yes, they said no emissions. And, the company is putting its money where its mouth is by investing $2 billion in the project through 2014.

Volvo and other automakers are working towards the 35.5 mpg federal standard that will be in place as of 2015. The standard was part of the federal legislation passed by Washington last year that legislators, unions, and automakers all agreed on as part of a compromise.

For more information on how automakers are going green, check out this story from The Daily Green.

11 ways to reuse packaging peanuts

We all get them when we have something mailed to us by a family or friend or when we order something online: Those annoying packaging peanuts that inevitably make a mess all over the room you open the package in. If you are anything like us, the first thing that comes to mind when they spill all over the floor is to get them into the trash can as quickly as possibly. However, the material the peanuts are made of, polystyrene, takes hundreds of years to decompose in nature, meaning it's not the best idea to throw them into a landfill.

So, what is one to do with these annoying little things? You can reuse and recycle them to save money and keep the environment cleaner. The Daily Green has put together a list of 11 ways to do so. Check it out here.

New report ranks 10 cities worldwide on emissions

A study released this week in the journal Environmental Science & Technology had a surprising conclusion: Denver had vastly more per capita emissions than many cities around the U.S. and world, including the notoriously smoggy Los Angeles as well as New York City.

The report examined 10 cities (the three from the U.S. and then seven from various parts of the world) using seven metrics, including electricity usage, population density, waste removal, and others. The results were surprising to say the least, as Denver accounted for the release of 50 percent more per capita emissions than even Los Angeles using the metrics in the study.

Barcelona was by far the least polluting city examined. If you are curious about how other cities stacked up, check out the full story from The Daily Green.

Portland deli recognized for energy conservation

Elephants Delicatessen in Portland is in the national spotlight for its dedication to conserving energy and battling climate change. The small business is being recognized by the Environmental Protection Agency for its use of effective energy management practices and innovative efficiency solutions in its buildings.

Named one of 11 award recipients nationally, Elephants Delicatessen is a leader in incorporating energy-saving technologies and practices in its business. The company uses 100 percent wind power produced by Northwest wind farms to power its 9,000 square-foot flagship store and 13,000 square-foot commissary. This purchase of clean wind power offsets 426 tons of carbon dioxide annually from the environment, which can be compared to removing 71 cars from the road for one year or removing 53.7 homes from the electric grid for one year.

The company also completed a lighting conversion, switching to energy-efficient compact fluorescent light bulbs, resulting in 50 percent lighting cost savings. It also purchases Energy Star qualified products when the lifespan of existing equipment expires.

To read the rest of this story, click here.

Five ways to keep the environment safer based on the food you eat

Much of the food we consume has detrimental effects on the environment caused by packaging, pesticides, and the release of greenhouse gases. However, The Daily Green has five tips today that can help you keep these hazardous items out of the environment while making your own body healthier by consuming nutritious food.

From buying local products to purchasing organic goods in a smart manner, these tips are sure to help you on your way to living a greener lifestyle. Check out the full list when you get a chance.

World population grows faster than expected

Since 1999, the world's population has grown by about 79 million people a year. A report released today by the World Resources Institute suggests that the world's population is growing more quickly than expected and could reach 9.1 billion people by 2050. The current world population is about 6.8 billion.

Here are some interesting facts from the report, courtesy of The Daily Green:

• More than 95% of population growth is occurring in developing countries, especially in Africa and Asia, regions that account for more than three-quarters of the current population. U.N. demographers estimate that by mid-century, Africa will be adding 21 million people a year to world population and Asia 5 million.

• Although the populations of Japan, Germany, Russia, and some Eastern European countries are already declining, U.N. demographers do not indicate a population peak among industrial countries as a group until 2036.

• Global spending on contraceptive supplies and services totaled $338 million in 2007, considerably less than half the amount in 1995 — despite a 20% increase in the number of people of reproductive age in developing countries.

For more info on the report, check out this story.

NIssan's green guru dismisses eletctric car criticisms

Critics of electric cars often say that the argument that electric cars are much better for the environment than conventional cars is undermined by the fact that the cars must be charged using electricity that is likely created by burning fossil fuels.

Andy Palmer, head of the company's green vehicle program, said that even in countries such as the U.S. and China, where the majority of electricity is generated from fossil fuels, an electric car is responsible for 24 to 54 percent less emissions than a conventional car.

Nissan is currently working on its Leaf electric vehicle, which is slated to be released late in 2010. For more info, check out this story from Business Green.

Ozone hole remains the same size

Scientists are telling us that the ozone hole is not closing as they hoped it would after 100 countries signed the historic Montreal Protocol in 1987 that regulated the release of ozone-depleting chemicals worldwide. The hole allows UV radiation to penetrate the atmosphere, leading to an increase in cancer risk and other health and environmental problems.

The good news is that the expansion of the hole has stopped, and scientists still believe that the hole will gradually get smaller as time goes by. As part of the protocol, the release of almost all ozone-depleting chemicals is not only regulated but flat-out banned by the end of next year.

There's a lesson to be learned here. While it's easy for man to cause environmental problems by releasing excess chemicals and carbon into the air, it takes decades, if not centuries, for us to reverse or stop these effects. For more info on the ozone hole, check out this story from The Daily Green.

EPA recognizes Portland small business

he Joinery, a hardwood furniture producer in Portland, Ore., is getting a green thumbs up from the Environmental Protection Agency for its dedication to fighting climate change by using green power.

EPA is honoring certain Green Power partners across the United States for outstanding contributions in helping grow the nation’s voluntary green power market. The Joinery is being recognized for its dedication to green power purchasing.

The Joinery has long made green power a priority. In 1996, the company purchased wind-derived renewable energy certificates. In 2004, it increased wind power purchase to cover 100 percent of its electricity needs. In 2008, the company bought 280 million kilowatt-hours of green power equal to its entire electricity consumption.

To read the rest of this story, click here.

Switch to renewable energy creates jobs

One of the common arguments against switching to renewable forms of energy is that jobs will be lost in the fossil fuel industry. While it's certainly true that jobs would be lost in that industry, a new study by the European Renewable Energy Council and Greenpeace claims that more jobs will be created in new fields than those that are lost.

In addition, the study suggested that a global switch to renewable energy would prevent 10 billion tons of carbon emissions by 2030. If this switch were to happen, employment in the renewable energy industry would increase from about 1.9 million to about 6.9 million, according to the study. The study went on to discuss how job creation in the renewable energy field could be used to combat rising unemployment rates because of the current economic recession.

For more info, check out this story from Business Green.

Cattle diet change could curb global warming

Methane emissions from cattle and other livestock, which are far more potent than CO2 emissions, may be able to be mitigated by additives in the food livestock are fed.

Emissions from livestock make up between 5 and 18 percent of man-made greenhouse gas emissions, depending on who you ask. Methane warms the Earth at about a 20 times faster rate than CO2.

As the Earth's population continues to grow, more livestock will need to be raised to feed the growing population. Previously, the only option seemed to be to give up meat altogether, a stance that environmentalists have long championed. But, experts say that dietary additives could not only reduce methane emissions from livestock but also provide better nutrition for the animals and higher yields to farmers.

For more information on the potential of reducing methane emissions from cattle, check out this story from cnn.com.

Earn money by cutting home emissions

Do you want to earn some extra cash for cutting your home energy use? A new site, My Emissions Exchange, offers credits for people who sign up and then lower their utility bills and carbon footprint.

Environmentalists say the voluntary carbon market has doubled since the beginning of 2008. Using My Emissions Exchange, consumers can sell their credits to participating companies. The credits are currently trading between $10 and $25 on the site.

For more info on the voluntary carbon market and My Emissions Exchange, check out this story from The Daily Green.

Upcoming eco films and series

You may have heard that Ken Burns new series called "The National Parks: America's Best Idea" is set to debut on PBS on September 27. PBS' website says that while the show was filmed over six years at some of the most breathtaking locales in the country, it is essential a story about people from all walks of life who are interested in preserving the natural wonders of the world. You can check out a sneak peak of the series here, and hopefully this makes you want to watch the rest because it looks like it will be really good.

Also in the link above, you will find clips and descriptions from three films debuting soon, including No Impact Man, The Age of Stupid, and Crude. These films depict various environmental injustices going on in the world.

Arctic temperature trends change

After cooling for nearly 2,000 years, the cooling trend has reversed in the Arctic regions of the Earth, according to a study released last week in Science magazine.

Northern Arizona University researchers used samples of lake soil as well as data from weather stations in the Arctic to create a decade-by-decade history for the average temperatures of the region. From the year 1 AD until 1900, the researchers estimated that the region cooled by .2 degrees Celsius per 100 years. However, by 1950, the temperatures in the region were .7 degrees warmer than would be expected at the rate of change demonstrated during the previous 1,900 years had continued.

It is important to note that this data supports the data of other studies which has suggested that temperature patterns in the Arctic regions of the Earth have changed during recent years. For more information on the study, check out this story from Business Green.

TVs will be 40 percent more energy-efficient in May

The Department of Energy released stricter requirements for televisions to receive an Energy Star rating last week, meaning that, starting in May, some televisions will be 40 percent more efficient.

For those of you that are interested in cutting your energy bill, this means that the televisions will cost you 40 percent less money to operate. Once you decide it's time to buy a television, you can search for Energy Star-rated televisions on the Energy Star website here. There are currently 19 plasma TVs and 199 LCD models that qualify for the rating.

For more information on this as well as how to recycle your old TV, click here.

The next-generation of car technology

This sounds like something out of those futuristic, sci-fi movies and almost too good to be true, but Korean researchers are working on technology that would allow electric cars to "hook" into induction strips and inverters buried in roadways to charge the electric battery in the car.

This would alleviate one of the major drawbacks of electric cars—something often referred to as "range anxiety." Currently, electric cars only have a range of about 100 miles before they need to be charged. This can cause a feeling of anxiety in drivers who are used to going 300 miles or more in between trips to the fuel station.

For more info on this as well as the latest on automated driving technology (Who wouldn't love a car that drives itself?), check out this story from The Daily Green.

Massachusetts grocery store runs off internally-produced, green power

Grocery chain Whole Foods is opening a store in Dedham, Massachusetts, today that generates nearly 100 percent of the power it needs to run using renewable energy sources.

Company officials said the store uses fuel-cell technology and solar power to generate power. The use of green energy reduces the release of about 750 metric tons of CO2 into the atmosphere, which is the equivalent of removing about 90 cars from the road.

“We are always looking for innovative ways to improve our green operations and to explore the newest renewable energy technologies and recycling initiatives,’’ said Lee Kane, a spokesman for Whole Foods Market’s North Atlantic region.

In addition to using green, self-produced energy, the store also recycles or reuses 80 percent of its waste.

Oregon landowners ordered to restore stream bank on Rogue River

Robert and Marilyn Malloy must remove unauthorized fill material they placed along the bank of the Rogue River at their property in Eagle Point, Ore., according to a compliance order issued by the Environmental Protection Agency. The Rogue River is an important salmon-bearing river that supports a significant recreational fishing industry.

“The onus is on property owners to do their research and read the regulations,” said Tony Barber, EPA’s Oregon Operations Office Director. “The consequence of not doing so is too great: Our valuable water resources and wildlife are put at risk.”

The Malloys placed riprap, a material used to armor shorelines from waves and water erosion, along a 345 foot section of stream bank. The alleged activity was conducted in the spring of 2006 on their 63 acres of property without required Clean Water Act permits from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

The Rogue River is designated as critical habitat for threatened salmon species under the Endangered Species Act.

To read the rest of this story, click here.