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Triple Pundit
TriplePundit is a tripod of resources surrounding the Environment, Society and Business. You can't have a successful economy without a healthy environment and a healthy society, and vice versa. That concept is called the triple bottom line, which is where the triple part of the name comes from. It's a new and broader way of looking at business and the world.
The model of the site is to be a digest. Triple Pundit is not offering heaps of editorial commentary, just talking about things they've found valuable and interesting.
Website: http://www.triplepundit.com/
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Nick Aster
Electric Vehicle Market Forecast — 10 Year Horizon Looks Strong
February 3, 2012 08:29 AM - Phil Covington, Triple Pundit
IDTechEx has been tracking developments in the electric vehicle market for the last eleven years by touring the world's companies, research institutes and conferences to gain insights into key technology changes and business opportunities in the EV market. They have just published their new 2012 forecast with a 10 year horizon, and whether you like EVs or not — their take is that they are here to stay.
The Super Green Bowl
February 3, 2012 07:20 AM - Kara Scharwath, Triple Pundit
For the past 18 years, the NFL has been working to decrease the environmental footprint of the largest annual sporting event in the U.S. — the Super Bowl. Two years ago, we wrote about several initiatives aimed at reducing the events’ impacts. Last year, we covered how Super Bowl XLV was slated to be the greenest NFL championship game in history. This year, the NFL is trying to outdo itself yet again by working with the Green Mountain Energy Company and the Indianapolis community to make Super Bowl XLVI the greenest yet. I talked with Jack Groh, Director of the NFL’s Environmental Program, to get the details on this year’s efforts.
UN Calls Sustainable Development a Top Priority
February 1, 2012 11:21 AM - RP Siegel, Triple Pundit
The UN High-Level Panel Global Sustainability released its report in Addis Ababa yesterday entitled Resilient People, Resilient Planet: A Future Worth Choosing. The panel’s 99-page report, which will serve as an input to the UN Conference on Sustainable Development in June, (otherwise known as the Rio+20 Summit) is a call to action, "to address the sustainable development challenge in a fresh and operational way." This document is incredibly rich, beautifully written and filled with a tremendous amount of good thought, clear vision, careful analysis, sober assessment, and useful suggestions for ways to move sustainable development from an abstract concept to the core of mainstream economics.
Ford To Use Kenaf Plant Materials In New Escape
January 31, 2012 08:33 AM - Phil Covington, Triple Pundit
Following Ford's recent announcement that they will use recycled plastic bottles for seat fabrics in the upcoming Focus Electric, the company's efforts to increase the use of sustainable materials continues with the news that they will use kenaf plant fiber material for interior door bolsters for the new Escape.
Dam About to Bust on Clean Hydrokinetic Energy
January 30, 2012 08:46 AM - Tina Casey, Triple Pundit
A company called Verdant Power has won the first ever commercial license for a hydrokinetic tidal power facility in the U.S., and that could be just the first drop in a torrent of more than 100 new hydrokinetic projects that are still in the initial stages of permitting around the country. Verdant's project, called RITE for Roosevelt Island Tidal Energy, will tap the powerful currents of New York City's East River to generate clean electricity.
Why Biodiversity Loss Deserves as Much Attention as Climate Change
January 27, 2012 01:58 PM - Akhila Vijayaraghavan, Triple Pundit
Biodiversity loss is probably a challenge that is often ignored as climate change looms. Currently the world is losing species at a rate that is 100 to 1000 times faster than the natural extinction rate, further, it is currently seeing the sixth mass extinction. The previous mass extinction occured 65 million years ago, and was caused by ecosystem changes, changes in atmospheric chemistry, impacts of asteroids and volcanoes. For the first time in history, the current extinction is caused by the competition for resources between a single species Homo sapiens and all others. A recent conference arranged by the Danish Ministry of Environment in the University of Copenhagen, provided an opportunity to influence the process of organizing a UN Biodiversity Panel. More than 100 scientists and decision makers from the EU countries gathered and came to the conclusion that drastic measures should be taken to decelerate current loss of biodiversity.
The Green Side of the State of the Union
January 26, 2012 06:57 AM - Raz Godelnik, Triple Pundit
Listening to the State of the Union last night, I couldn't help but notice that energy has become a hot issue — it was mentioned far more times than most other issues. I checked later on and saw I wasn’t wrong — energy was mentioned 23 times, setting a new record (at least for this century) and coming third after jobs/employment (35 times) and taxes (34 times). This is pretty impressive, but still, when I turned off the radio in my car by the end of the speech, trying to digest what I've just heard, I was left with mixed feelings. The reason was that while President Obama spoke about providing strong support for cleantech, he also includes support for dirtier energy resources like offshore oil and shale gas, as part of his vision of developing "every available source of American energy." So he ended up providing both good news and bad news for those hoping he will lead America to a more sustainable future.
Is There a Future in Solar Boats?
January 20, 2012 08:59 AM - Nick Aster, Triple Pundit
One of the highlights of this year's World Future Energy Summit in Abu Dhabi was a tour of Planet Solar's incredible solar powered yacht — the Turanor. The largest solar powered boat ever to set sail, the Turanor is on the final leg of a round-the-world tour, the first time anyone has managed to sail around the world powered entirely by solar energy. The massive 8.5 ton boat comfortably carries a crew of a half dozen or so with plenty of room to host a dockside party for 100. It cruises comfortably at 5 knots but is capable of double that speed on particularly good days as it cuts through the waves with its knife-like design. Most impressive — the boat can can store as much as 3 days worth of sailing power in a huge rack of lithium ion batteries — thus allowing it to sail in the dark of night without a hitch.
More Fuel Efficient Cars Spell Less Money For Mass Transit
January 20, 2012 08:02 AM - Phil Covington, Triple Pundit
Consumer Reports characterized this year’s North American International Auto show as "the rise of the mainstream plug in hybrid," foretelling a definite trend that’s emerging among automakers: fuel-efficiency is becoming the name of the game. This is great news for the environment, and for consumers, but with the vehicle fleet becoming more efficient in the USA, a probable negative consequence may emerge along with it. Specifically, as cars become more efficient, there will be less funding for mass transit infrastructure — an unfortunate systemic outcome indeed.
The Real Solar War: US Manufacturers and Installers Fight Over Cheap Chinese Panels
January 12, 2012 02:43 PM - Raz Godelnik, Triple Pundit
There is a heated debate going on between people who are supposed to be on the same side of the aisle. Yet, when you hear their passionate arguments and the way they describe the damage the other is causing the US, you start wondering if they actually share anything in common. No, I’m not talking about Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich. I’m talking about Jigar Shah and Gordon Brinser. While Brinser and Shah might not be as well-known as the Republican candidates, the debate they’re having on the future of the solar industry might be more valuable to those concerned about the future of the US economy. Basically, the debate between the two is over a petition made to the US International Trade Commission/Department of Commerce (ITC/DOC) against Chinese solar panel import. The main question at the heart of this debate is: Does the US need to focus on manufacturing at all costs, or should it look for another way to create a healthy and sustainable economy?