The materials used by the global economy have quadrupled since 1970

While we have realised we cannot continue to increase our consumption of energy, the same is true for all the materials we use. Damian Carrington writes in The Guardian about the unsustainable growth in materials. EiD is reminded of the report, Come On!, written by the Club of Rome. We are doing more about resource … Continue reading The materials used by the global economy have quadrupled since 1970 →

Leveraging the link between human and planetary well-being could be key to shifting our economies away from consumption and tackling the climate crisis

Less is more, according to a growing movement of minimalists. They say a clean space can clear the head, but could it also draw a link between personal and planetary well-being? Loveday Wright explains in an article on the Deutsche Welle website. Can a minimalist mindset help save the planet? If everybody lived in … Continue reading Leveraging the link between human and planetary well-being could be key to shifting our economies away from consumption and tackling the climate crisis →

Survey shows 75 per cent of Scottish homes are in a state of disrepair and fuel poverty rose for the first time in five years

The Scottish House Condition Survey revealed that 75 per cent of Scottish homes are in a state of disrepair and 57 per cent have “disrepair to critical elements.” Marc Horne explains in an article on The Times website. Three out of four homes need repair as fuel poverty rises Three quarters of Scotland’s 2.6 … Continue reading Survey shows 75 per cent of Scottish homes are in a state of disrepair and fuel poverty rose for the first time in five years →

Regulated utilities in state of New York ordered to ramp up energy savings

As more utilities get involved in saving energy, it is useful to see what the state of New York is doing to require its regulated utilities to increase their effort. Samantha Wilt explains in an article on the Natural Resources Defense Council website. More Efficiency for New York Means More Savings, Carbon & $ … Continue reading Regulated utilities in state of New York ordered to ramp up energy savings →

Decarbonisation of the power grid is not enough to enable the UK to hit net zero carbon targets

Brendan Coyne writes on the Energy Tryst about a new study by the UK Green Building Council that offices will have to cut energy use by almost two thirds to enable the UK to hit net zero carbon targets. Are these findings in other countries as well? Offices ‘should cut energy use 60 per cent … Continue reading Decarbonisation of the power grid is not enough to enable the UK to hit net zero carbon targets →

News from America: new federal rule will make it difficult to update energy efficiency standards

A news item from Smart Energy International website explains the changes made by the Department of Energy to add more complexity to procedures to update energy efficiency standards. This will reverse benefits and slow down, if not stop, any new developments. New US policy to make it hard to update efficiency standards A new policy … Continue reading News from America: new federal rule will make it difficult to update energy efficiency standards →

Optimistic that energy saving will become trendy again

Andrew Warren, chairman of the British Energy Efficiency Federation, wrote an optimistic column about the increasing priority for energy saving that appears in the January 2020 issue of Energy in Buildings & Industry magazine. Let’s all hope he is right. What are your views? The year energy saving became fashionable Let me start 2020 … Continue reading Optimistic that energy saving will become trendy again →

Coal phase out in Germany runs into problems

Germany plans to phase out coal power by 2038. The embattled Hambach Forest is now protected, but some villages will still have to make way for the last open-pit mines. Activists and local residents are appalled. Karin Jäger and Gero Rueter explain in an article on the Deutsche Welle website. Hambach Forest: Germany's sluggish … Continue reading Coal phase out in Germany runs into problems →

Answers to air pollution questions lie in our distant evolutionary past

It’s not just a modern problem. Airborne toxins are so pernicious that they may have shaped our DNA over millions of years. Carl Zimmer explains in an article in the New York Times. Air Pollution, Evolution, and the Fate of Billions of Humans The threat of air pollution grabs our attention when we see it … Continue reading Answers to air pollution questions lie in our distant evolutionary past →

Understanding the causes of Australia’s bushfire season

While we have all watched in horror the fires and devastation in Australia, it is instructive to better understand the causes of the bushfire season. Despite the political smokescreen, scientists are in no doubt that global heating has contributed to Australia’s fire emergency. Graham Readfearn provides a good review of the causes in an article … Continue reading Understanding the causes of Australia’s bushfire season →