http://www.environmentalleader.com The Executive's Daily Green Briefing Fri, 20 Nov 2009 17:16:32 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 en hourly 1 http://www.environmentalleader.com/2009/11/20/s-america-takes-most-urgent-view-of-copenhagen-talks/ http://www.environmentalleader.com/2009/11/20/s-america-takes-most-urgent-view-of-copenhagen-talks/#comments Fri, 20 Nov 2009 09:39:33 +0000 Environmental Leader http://www.environmentalleader.com/?p=27646 People in South America view a global climate deal as having more urgency than people in other parts of the world. About 99 percent of South Americans surveyed by World Wide Views on Global Warming. That compares to about 93 percent of those in Europe, 92 percent of those Oceana, 91 percent of those in Africa and [...]]]> http://www.environmentalleader.com/2009/11/20/s-america-takes-most-urgent-view-of-copenhagen-talks/feed/ 2 http://www.environmentalleader.com/2009/11/19/fossil-fuel-emissions-rose-29-since-2000/ http://www.environmentalleader.com/2009/11/19/fossil-fuel-emissions-rose-29-since-2000/#comments Thu, 19 Nov 2009 16:42:07 +0000 Environmental Leader http://www.environmentalleader.com/?p=27625 A report (PDF) by scientists shows that emissions are outpacing the ability of ocean and land carbon sinks to soak up carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). They are concerned that if natural sinks can’t keep pace with the increased CO2 emission then the impacts of global [...]]]> http://www.environmentalleader.com/2009/11/19/fossil-fuel-emissions-rose-29-since-2000/feed/ 0 http://www.environmentalleader.com/2009/11/19/rising-sea-levels-would-hit-u-s-east-coast-hardest/ http://www.environmentalleader.com/2009/11/19/rising-sea-levels-would-hit-u-s-east-coast-hardest/#comments Thu, 19 Nov 2009 14:48:30 +0000 Environmental Leader http://www.environmentalleader.com/?p=27582 Miami would become an island city – and Miami Beach an underwater reef – if climate change projections of a one-meter rise in sea levels by century’s end hold true. Clean Air-Cool Planet presented new climate change models to Senate staffers Nov. 19. The projections are predicated on a one-meter rise in sea level caused by [...]]]> http://www.environmentalleader.com/2009/11/19/rising-sea-levels-would-hit-u-s-east-coast-hardest/feed/ 3 http://www.environmentalleader.com/2009/11/18/green-buildings-do-double-duty-reduce-energy-use-lower-financial-risk/ http://www.environmentalleader.com/2009/11/18/green-buildings-do-double-duty-reduce-energy-use-lower-financial-risk/#comments Wed, 18 Nov 2009 15:43:51 +0000 Environmental Leader http://www.environmentalleader.com/?p=27500 The potential for energy use reductions in old and new buildings is significant, according to a report from KPMG. The study finds that energy consumption in buildings can be cut by 30 to 50 percent and still produce a positive return on investments. Plus, real estate groups can get a business boost from green buildings [...]]]> http://www.environmentalleader.com/2009/11/18/green-buildings-do-double-duty-reduce-energy-use-lower-financial-risk/feed/ 0 http://www.environmentalleader.com/2009/11/18/from-solar-applications-to-christmas-leds-light-the-night/ http://www.environmentalleader.com/2009/11/18/from-solar-applications-to-christmas-leds-light-the-night/#comments Wed, 18 Nov 2009 09:07:14 +0000 Environmental Leader http://www.environmentalleader.com/?p=27452 Advances in LED lighting continue to pour forth, while some programs are promoting awareness of LED lighting by promoting Christmas light exchanges. New research from the state-funded Florida Energy Systems Consortium may result in a combination solar cell, LED and energy storage system. The system would do away with the need for an inverter, making adoption of [...]]]> http://www.environmentalleader.com/2009/11/18/from-solar-applications-to-christmas-leds-light-the-night/feed/ 0 http://www.environmentalleader.com/2009/11/17/oceans-may-trap-more-carbon-than-forests/ http://www.environmentalleader.com/2009/11/17/oceans-may-trap-more-carbon-than-forests/#comments Tue, 17 Nov 2009 15:16:20 +0000 Environmental Leader http://www.environmentalleader.com/?p=27395 Marine ecosystems including seagrass meadows, mangroves and salt marshes have a much greater capacity to trap carbon than land carbon sinks such as forests, according to a report from the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). The organization believes ocean ecosystems are essential to combating global warming. The IUCN partnership report, The Management of Natural [...]]]> http://www.environmentalleader.com/2009/11/17/oceans-may-trap-more-carbon-than-forests/feed/ 0 http://www.environmentalleader.com/2009/11/17/biomass-plays-big-role-in-uk-renewable-energy-picture/ http://www.environmentalleader.com/2009/11/17/biomass-plays-big-role-in-uk-renewable-energy-picture/#comments Tue, 17 Nov 2009 09:21:15 +0000 Environmental Leader http://www.environmentalleader.com/?p=27376 As the UK pursues its goal for 20 percent of the commonwealth’s energy to come from renewable fuels by 2020, biomass is increasing in popularity, according to research from Verdantix. While the market currently is dominated by utilities, if the government enacts feed-in tariffs for biomass generators in 2010, as expected, it will be more financially [...]]]> http://www.environmentalleader.com/2009/11/17/biomass-plays-big-role-in-uk-renewable-energy-picture/feed/ 0 http://www.environmentalleader.com/2009/11/16/airbus-sharklet-wingtip-design-reduces-fuel-use-3-5/ http://www.environmentalleader.com/2009/11/16/airbus-sharklet-wingtip-design-reduces-fuel-use-3-5/#comments Mon, 16 Nov 2009 15:43:08 +0000 Environmental Leader http://www.environmentalleader.com/?p=27336 Airbus is developing new “Sharklet” wingtip devices for its A320 aircraft that are expected to cut fuel burn by 3.5 percent and reduce 730 metric tons of CO2 emissions per plane annually, reports AIN. This also translates into a fuel savings of $220,000 annually per aircraft, according to the article. Air New Zealand will be the [...]]]> http://www.environmentalleader.com/2009/11/16/airbus-sharklet-wingtip-design-reduces-fuel-use-3-5/feed/ 0 http://www.environmentalleader.com/2009/11/16/from-sewage-to-fuel-and-other-biofuel-developments/ http://www.environmentalleader.com/2009/11/16/from-sewage-to-fuel-and-other-biofuel-developments/#comments Mon, 16 Nov 2009 15:34:20 +0000 Environmental Leader http://www.environmentalleader.com/?p=27345 A new process being developed at the University of Kansas aims to turn treated sewage into biofuel. Meanwhile, the Department of Energy and USDA are putting $24 million into research of other biomass and biofuel projects. At KU, researchers are testing a process by which microbes munch through treated sewage, creating an algae brew that can [...]]]> http://www.environmentalleader.com/2009/11/16/from-sewage-to-fuel-and-other-biofuel-developments/feed/ 1 http://www.environmentalleader.com/2009/11/16/utilities-face-cost-and-implementation-challenges-with-smart-grid-upgrades/ http://www.environmentalleader.com/2009/11/16/utilities-face-cost-and-implementation-challenges-with-smart-grid-upgrades/#comments Mon, 16 Nov 2009 10:51:16 +0000 Environmental Leader http://www.environmentalleader.com/?p=27292 In the wake of the Department of Energy’s $3.4 billion in grants for various smart-grid projects, local governments and utilities are trying to sort out the pros and cons of a smart-grid system, while trying to determine how to implement — and pay for– the required electrical grid upgrades, particularly when capital is tight. The utility [...]]]> http://www.environmentalleader.com/2009/11/16/utilities-face-cost-and-implementation-challenges-with-smart-grid-upgrades/feed/ 1