The idea of a value-based economic structure

Llewellyn Vaughan-Lee, a Sufi teacher and author, writes in the Guardian about an alternative view of economic growth and sustainability. The author argues that corporate visions of sustainability focus on material prosperity – but leaders must respect the soul as well as the soil. Eco-spirituality: towards a values-based economic structure As our world stumbles … Continue reading The idea of a value-based economic structure →

New report on moving to a low-carbon Canada

The Trottier Energy Futures Project has come out with an important new report on Canada moving to a low-carbon economy. An Inventory of Low-Carbon Energy for Canada shows that Canada’s supplies of solar, wind, hydroelectric and biomass energy are much larger than the current or forecast demand for fuel and electricity, and technology costs have … Continue reading New report on moving to a low-carbon Canada →

Impact of air pollution in the UK

John Vidal writes in the Guardian about air quality in UK cities, although primarily London, and what it is doing to health. One monitoring station in London shows the fourth highest levels of NO2 of over 2,000 monitoring stations in Europe. Cities are missing targets set under EU laws, but questions arise as to who … Continue reading Impact of air pollution in the UK →

Thought for the week

We are like tenant farmers chopping down the fence around our house for fuel when we should be using Nature's inexhaustible sources of energy -- sun, wind and tide. ... I'd put my money on the sun and solar energy. What a source of power! I hope we don't have to wait until oil and … Continue reading Thought for the week →

New report on private green investments

The year 2013 promises long strides away from the fossil-fueled Industrial Era as illuminated by the Ethical Markets Green Transition Scoreboard® (GTS) which tracks private investments growing the green economy worldwide since 2007, finding $4.1 trillion invested or committed as of Q4 2012. The year 2012 was an inflection point for the green transition worldwide. … Continue reading New report on private green investments →

Two important new reports

Estimating potential additional energy savings from upcoming revisions to existing regulations under the ecodesign and energy labelling directives, by CLASP and eceee In the new discussion paper, CLASP has identified an additional 40-70 TWh per annum by 2030 from eleven existing ecodesign and energy labelling regulations covering seven product groups. All eleven regulations are scheduled … Continue reading Two important new reports →

Chinese eco-cities

Clare Pennington and Sue Lin Wong write for the Green Environment blog in the New York Times on the difficulties in China for developing eco-cities. Steep Challenges for a Chinese Eco-City Fifty years ago, during a time of food shortages, China's young socialist government singled out a few farm villages as role models for the … Continue reading Chinese eco-cities →

IMBY – in my back yard

Close to where we have a family home in Canada is an interesting new development. It is a new condominium project in the woods (there are lots of woods). It is the dream and effort of two local women who are determined to combine environmental and social concerns to create healthy homes. The development is … Continue reading IMBY – in my back yard →

No “E” for effort

The UK magazine, Energy in Buildings & Industry, in its January 2013 issue provides the following report on how landlords are prepared for the upcoming changes to require landlords from 2018 to have their properties reach a certain standard before renting. What is also worrying in this article, is the general attitude towards sustainability. … Continue reading No “E” for effort →

Save these dates – January 31st to February 1st

On January 31st, the two-day R20 Conference: “Implementing the Sustainable Energy Future” begins in Vienna, Austria. R20 is the Regions of Climate Change. This 2-day conference, which will be opened by Former California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, Federal Chancellor of Austria Werner Faymann and the President of the European Commission José Manuel Barroso, is focused on bringing together … Continue reading Save these dates – January 31st to February 1st →