Environmental News Network

China Plans $265 Billion Renewables Spending
BEIJING - China plans to invest 2 trillion yuan ($265 billion) in renewable energy by 2020, most of it corporate cash, to wean itself off polluting coal as it aims for cleaner growth, a top energy planner said on Tuesday. Chen Deming, vice-chairman of the National Development and Reform Commission, added that China aimed to be using domestically made and designed equipment by then, which could cut prices for clean energy worldwide. "We expect the majority of the funds to come from... >> Read the Full Article
New Trend - The First Wind Turbine On The Block
MARIETTA, GEORGIA - It may be the first in this Atlanta neighborhood, but definitely isn't the last. Not in Georgia or elsewhere. That's because the small-scale residential wind generator installed last week in the side yard of Christine and Curt Mann, in one of Atlanta's oldest neighborhoods, will generate between 200 to 400 kWh a month on average, powering most of the Mann home and eliminating as much CO2 from the atmosphere as an acre of mature, healthy trees. That kind of savings, as... >> Read the Full Article
Choices Expand for Environmentally Friendly Meetings
As green options in the meeting and conference industry expand, environmentally conscious event planners, organizers and companies are finding that going green not only helps save the planet and resources, but also offers a wealth of other benefits and advantages. As the following questions and answers demonstrate, green meetings can help save the planet and yield real rewards for meeting attendees and your budget. >> Read the Full Article
Green to Gold, Worthwhile Read for Any Business Owner/Operator
Whether you are in a leadership position in your organization or not, I highly recommend reading one of the best business books to come along in quite some timeâ€”Green to Goldâ€”authored by Daniel C. Esty and Andrew S. Winston. Esty is Hillhouse Professor of Environmental Law and Policy at Yale University and Winston is Director of Corporate Environmental Strategy at Yale. The two provide many examples of companies they call Wave Riders that have capitalized on the Green Wave rippling... >> Read the Full Article
Millions Try To Rebuild Lives After South Asia Floods
PATNA, India - Millions across South Asia are struggling to rebuild their homes, and their lives, as receding flood waters reveal the massive devastation caused by monsoon flooding in the region. More than 2,000 people in eastern India and Bangladesh were killed by snake bites, drowning, diarrhea or from houses collapsing after swollen rivers burst their banks, inundating huge areas since July. >> Read the Full Article
Study: Fireproofing Homes Dramatically Reduces the Spread of Forest Fires
Los Angeles - Why do some forest fires spread rapidly over large areas, destroying and damaging many homes, while others are contained with minimal damage? New research shows a major factor is whether homes are fireproofed â€” not just yours, but those of your neighbors as well. "There is actually more flammable material in a house per square yard than in a forest," said Michael Ghil, UCLA distinguished professor of climate dynamics and geosciences and co-author of the research, which... >> Read the Full Article
World Resources Institute Continues on Cutting Edge of Green Building Design
The World Resources Institute (WRI) is one of a small number of projects in the Washington DC, Maryland, and Virginia region to receive an elite award for incorporating energy-efficient and environmentally-friendly design and construction aspects into its newly-expanded office space. >> Read the Full Article
Guest Post: Basic Green Building Principals
These days, when we're considering a home building or remodeling project, we're thinking about the same issues that have driven homeowners for centuries: making the place more compatible with our taste and lifestyle, keeping up with necessary maintenance, enhancing the home's resale value. We also have to consider the ever-growing pile of local regulations likely to have some impact on our plans. And, definitely on our radar: the project's impact on the neighborhood, the community, and the... >> Read the Full Article
Green PR - How to Generate News About Your Green Project (Even When There Isnâ€™t Any)
You may be on a tight budget or just looking to create renewed exposure and interest for your green hotel or B&B efforts, yet cannot seem to find anything newsworthy to report. Weâ€™ve all encountered that from time to time. Donâ€™t worry; there is still hope. There are hundreds of ways for you to create some news of your own to get the exposure you need. >> Read the Full Article
New roof technology could save you money
From an energy efficiency perspective, roof technology has not progressed substantially in hundreds of years, but that is changing with the use of active thermal mass components, reflective pigments and coatings, subventing, radiant barriers and other novel techniques being tested by a team led by Bill Miller and Jan Kosny of ORNLï¿½s Building Envelopes group. Their prototype roof and attic system works by reducing attic temperatures by about 22 degrees Fahrenheit during a typical summer... >> Read the Full Article