New York plans to heat buildings with biofuels - Yahoo! News: "In a further greening of the Big Apple, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg said on Monday the city will incorporate biofuel made from corn and soybeans into oil used to heat city buildings starting in 2008.
The plan will reduce greenhouse gas emissions blamed for global warming, improve air quality and support small, family farmers, Bloomberg said.
Earlier this year, the mayor announced the goal of reducing New York's carbon footprint by 30 percent by 2030 and has gradually unveiled more detailed proposals, including a plan to convert the city's yellow taxi fleet to hybrid fuel vehicles.
Starting in July 2008, one-third of the heating oil bought by the city must contain 5 percent biofuel, the mayor said. The proportion will rise in stages to 20 percent biofuel in 2012."
Wednesday, June 13, 2007
Tuesday, June 12, 2007
Wire Politics - Lawmakers want Capitol to go green - sacbee.com
Wire Politics - Lawmakers want Capitol to go green - sacbee.com: "Congress says it is going to join the war against global warming by cleaning up its own backyard, now cluttered with a coal-burning power plant, a fleet of fuel-inefficient vehicles and old-fashioned lights.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has set a goal of making House operations carbon neutral during this session of Congress, meaning the House would remove as much carbon dioxide from the atmosphere as it adds by the end of next year.
'The House must lead by example and it is time for Congress to act on its own carbon footprint,' Pelosi said in announcing the initiative that would also shift the House to 100 percent renewable electric power. "
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has set a goal of making House operations carbon neutral during this session of Congress, meaning the House would remove as much carbon dioxide from the atmosphere as it adds by the end of next year.
'The House must lead by example and it is time for Congress to act on its own carbon footprint,' Pelosi said in announcing the initiative that would also shift the House to 100 percent renewable electric power. "
Thursday, June 7, 2007
Airline sector pledges big emissions cuts - Yahoo! News
Airline sector pledges big emissions cuts - Yahoo! News: "Leaders of the world's airline industry said at their annual meeting that airlines will strive to be more 'green' and aim for zero carbon-dioxide emissions by 2050, but skeptics question whether the goal is realistic.
'We have to transform this vision into reality, working with the different actors of this industry,' he said at the conference. 'We need a global scheme, a common approach to technologies.'
But there was skepticism in the corridors of the conference hall over the practicality of reaching the zero emissions target given the relentless growth in air travel.
Despite current efforts to reduce fuel consumption by 25 percent by 2020 using existing technologies, the carbon footprint of the civil aviation industry is growing as a portion of global emissions."
'We have to transform this vision into reality, working with the different actors of this industry,' he said at the conference. 'We need a global scheme, a common approach to technologies.'
But there was skepticism in the corridors of the conference hall over the practicality of reaching the zero emissions target given the relentless growth in air travel.
Despite current efforts to reduce fuel consumption by 25 percent by 2020 using existing technologies, the carbon footprint of the civil aviation industry is growing as a portion of global emissions."
Wednesday, June 6, 2007
Vatican plans to tap solar energy - Yahoo! News
Vatican plans to tap solar energy - Yahoo! News: "Some Holy See buildings will start using solar energy, reflecting Pope Benedict XVI's concern about conserving the Earth's resources, a Vatican engineer said Tuesday. The roof of the Paul VI auditorium will be redone next year, with its cement panels replaced with photovoltaic cells to convert sunlight into electricity, engineer Pier Carlo Cuscianna said.
The cells will produce enough electricity to illuminate, heat or cool the building, Cuscianna said.
'Since the auditorium isn't used every day, the (excess) energy will feed into the network providing (the Vatican) with power, so other Vatican offices can use the energy,' he said.
A feasibility study for the planned conversion, published recently in the Vatican newspaper L'Osservatore Romano, found it made economic sense. It quoted from Benedict's speeches defending the environment and noted that his predecessor, the late John Paul II, also championed the safeguarding of natural resources."
The cells will produce enough electricity to illuminate, heat or cool the building, Cuscianna said.
'Since the auditorium isn't used every day, the (excess) energy will feed into the network providing (the Vatican) with power, so other Vatican offices can use the energy,' he said.
A feasibility study for the planned conversion, published recently in the Vatican newspaper L'Osservatore Romano, found it made economic sense. It quoted from Benedict's speeches defending the environment and noted that his predecessor, the late John Paul II, also championed the safeguarding of natural resources."
New diet shrinks calories, carbon footprint - Yahoo! News
New diet shrinks calories, carbon footprint - Yahoo! News: "In their new 'Global Warming Diet,' American chef Laura Stec and climate change expert Eugene Cordero posit that it is not sufficient that a good meal be presentable and delectable -- it must also be environmentally friendly.
The book, to be published next year, advocates 'eating more local, more organic, adding more seasonal food, ... using less packaging, buying in bulk, growing your own food,' Stec said."
The book, to be published next year, advocates 'eating more local, more organic, adding more seasonal food, ... using less packaging, buying in bulk, growing your own food,' Stec said."
Bush, Merkel far apart on climate change - Yahoo! News
Bush, Merkel far apart on climate change - Yahoo! News: "The gap between the United States and other industrialized was underscored Wednesday by Bush's top environmental advisor. The president and Merkel are due to hash out some of their nations' differences over lunch later in the day, ahead of the evening's official opening of the three-day Group of Eight summit of industrialized nations.
Germany, as summit host, is pushing specific targets for reduction of the carbon emissions believed to cause global warming. Merkel has made the issue the centerpiece of her G-8 leadership.
Her proposal is for a 'two-degree' target, under which global temperatures would be allowed to increase no more than 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit, (2 degrees Celsius) before being brought back down. Practically, experts have said that means a global reduction in emissions of 50 percent below 1990 levels by 2050. Merkel supports a global carbon-trading market as one tool.
Jim Connaughton, chairman of the White House Council on Environmental Quality, again rejected that approach Wednesday. He called it significant that the summit leaders would merely agree to keep talking about the issue."
Germany, as summit host, is pushing specific targets for reduction of the carbon emissions believed to cause global warming. Merkel has made the issue the centerpiece of her G-8 leadership.
Her proposal is for a 'two-degree' target, under which global temperatures would be allowed to increase no more than 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit, (2 degrees Celsius) before being brought back down. Practically, experts have said that means a global reduction in emissions of 50 percent below 1990 levels by 2050. Merkel supports a global carbon-trading market as one tool.
Jim Connaughton, chairman of the White House Council on Environmental Quality, again rejected that approach Wednesday. He called it significant that the summit leaders would merely agree to keep talking about the issue."
Sunday, June 3, 2007
Blame coal: Texas leads carbon emissions - Yahoo! News
Blame coal: Texas leads carbon emissions - Yahoo! News: "The disparity in carbon dioxide emissions is one of the reasons there is no strong national effort to reduce global warming gases, some experts say. National emissions dipped ever so slightly last year, but that was mostly because of mild weather, according to the Energy Department.
'Some states are benefiting from both cheap electricity while polluting the planet and make all the rest of us suffer the consequences of global warming,' said Frank O'Donnell, director of the Washington environmental group Clean Air Watch. 'I don't think that's fair at all.'
He noted that the states putting out the most carbon dioxide are doing the least to control it, except for California.
Several federal and state officials say it's unfair and nonsensical to examine individual states' contribution to what is a global problem."
'Some states are benefiting from both cheap electricity while polluting the planet and make all the rest of us suffer the consequences of global warming,' said Frank O'Donnell, director of the Washington environmental group Clean Air Watch. 'I don't think that's fair at all.'
He noted that the states putting out the most carbon dioxide are doing the least to control it, except for California.
Several federal and state officials say it's unfair and nonsensical to examine individual states' contribution to what is a global problem."
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