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.