Understanding the carbon footprint of coffee consumption

Luciano Rodrigues Viana, Charles Marty, Jean-François Boucher and Pierre-Luc Dessureault, all of the Université du Québec à Chicoutimi (UQAC) write on The Conversation website about better understanding the carbon footprint of coffee. They decided to study the carbon footprint of several techniques used to prepare coffee at home, and it turns out that coffee capsules … Continue reading Understanding the carbon footprint of coffee consumption →

The future of climate-friendly travel

Travel allows us to explore other cultures, but it's also harmful for the environment. Can changing your mode of transportation make a difference? Lisa Stüve discusses the issue in an article on the Deutsche Welle website. How bad for the environment is traveling? Recent summers have brought about seemingly more extreme weather events, while … Continue reading The future of climate-friendly travel →

Our climate and energy transition: when people speak up and work together, they can spur powerful changes

Adam Aron, Professor of Psychology at the University of California, San Diego writes on The Conversation website about the results from his recent books that explains three reasons why local action addressing climate change is more powerful than many people realise. 3 reasons local climate activism is more powerful than people realize Global warming has … Continue reading Our climate and energy transition: when people speak up and work together, they can spur powerful changes →

New EEA briefing on impact of plastic packaging

Plastics are used across Europe in everything from construction materials to consumer products. Recent policy actions on plastic packaging at EU and national level have established collection schemes and introduced waste prevention measures. However, according to a European Environment Agency (EEA) briefing, published this week, a significant fraction of Europe’s total plastic consumption is outside … Continue reading New EEA briefing on impact of plastic packaging →

“Why can’t we do what we need to do to stop destroying our planet while we still have the chance?”

That question animates Dr. Ann-Christine Duhaime’s new book, “Minding the Climate: How Neuroscience Can Help Solve Our Environmental Crisis,” published by Harvard University Press. A neurosurgeon explores how our tendency to prioritise short-term consumer pleasures spurs climate change, but also how the brain’s amazing capacity for flexibility can—and likely will—enable us to prioritise the long-term … Continue reading “Why can’t we do what we need to do to stop destroying our planet while we still have the chance?” →

“It’s easier to save energy when you can see the energy you’re using”

In an article in the November/December issue of Energy in Business & Industry magazine, Andrew Warren, Chairman of the British Energy Efficiency Federation, questions quite how successful attempts to use the residential smart metering system to alter demand peaks this winter can possibly be. There is no longer any requirement for an energy company to … Continue reading “It’s easier to save energy when you can see the energy you’re using” →

A citizens panel learned how to eliminate carbon emissions from homes and helped design solutions they thought would work for owner-occupiers

Jacob Ainscough, Senior Research Associate in Environmental Governance, Lancaster University and Rebecca Willis, Professor in Energy and Climate Governance, Lancaster Environment Centre at Lancaster University write on The Conversation website about the views of tenants in a study they undertook. A panel was set up. Participants spent 25 hours over seven sessions, both online and … Continue reading A citizens panel learned how to eliminate carbon emissions from homes and helped design solutions they thought would work for owner-occupiers →

By placing sensors within a home, energy efficiency can be measured in the same way as energy generation

We all know that our policies and programmes need more data of actual energy performance. Om an article on the Architecture Today website, Matthew Prowse, Specification and Housing Director for Knauf Insulation, discusses how homes being designed today can prepare for the imminent shift to measured ‘in-use’ energy performance. Measured energy efficiency is coming, … Continue reading By placing sensors within a home, energy efficiency can be measured in the same way as energy generation →

Injecting humour into a serious topic like climate change helps get the message across to a broad audience

Climate change is no laughing matter, but these artists are exploring dark ideas in meaningful and humorous ways. Alistair Walsh explores how cartoonists deal with climate change in an article on the Deutsche Welle website. Cartoonists tackling climate change through webcomics The thermometer was touching 50 degrees Celsius (122 Fahrenheit) in the central Indian city … Continue reading Injecting humour into a serious topic like climate change helps get the message across to a broad audience →

Spanish utility implements ambitious, personalised information campaign

Through intelligent algorithms, a Spanish utility will produce 90 million communications with personalised advice for an information campaign to help households reduce energy consumption and save on bills. Yusuf Latief discusses the campaign on the Smart Energy International website. Iberdrola’s information campaign to spur 11mn customers to reduce energy use Iberdrola launched the information … Continue reading Spanish utility implements ambitious, personalised information campaign →