Welcome to the 50th Edition of the Friday Linkfest here at Celsias. Let's see what was in the news this week:
Good News
- California announced the first comprehensive climate change by any American state, introducing the nation's broadest market in carbon-credit trading. The plan will affect every sector of the state's economy, including energy production, auto-manufacturing and construction.
- The UK is rolling out a major wind power expansion part of a £100 billion plan to boost renewable energy to achieve a 15% target by 2020. The plan calls for 4,000 onshore and 3,000 offshore turbines.
- Brazil takes an unprecedented move against illegal cattle ranching in the Amazon, seizing 3,100 heads of cattle grazing on an illegally deforestated ecological reserve. The move is intended as a warning to other ranchers. The seized cattle will be auctioned in benefit of the national food program.
- Home Depot introduces a US wide take back program for compact fluorescent lightbulbs, making proper disposal of the mercury-containing bulbs a great deal easier for many households.
- The state of Florida has announced it will buy nearly 300 square miles of land from U. S. Sugar Corp. for the purpose of restoration of the Everglades.
Bad News
- North America is likely to experience more extreme wheather events because of global warming in the future, according to a US government report. According to the report, the US will experience more droughts and extreme heat in some regions, as well as hurricanes and intense downpours in others.
- To add insult to injury, climate change will also have consequences for US national security, by aggravating global poverty and destabilizing fragile countries, says an intelligence report. Global warming will exacerbate existing problems such as poverty and social tension, weaken political institutions, while triggering increased economic emigration, and potentially affect international trade of oil and gas.
- The UK is using the food crisis as an excuse to allow the biotech industry to have its genetically modified way in the country. Talks to "relax" GM rules are taking place, with Britain pushing the GM agenda at EU level.
- The North Pole could be completely ice-free this summer, if certain weather patterns occur, scientists say. What used to be an unconceivable scenario is a real possibility for the first time in history.
- A new $1.8 bn coal fired power plant has been approved in the state of Virginia, in the heart of the Appalachian mountains. The plant will burn only "Virginia-harvested coal", paving the way for even more mountaintop removal mining in the state.
Of note:
- Fuel and energy prices are starting to take its toll on suburbia. It seems the economical cost is finally catching up to the environmental one.
- Green products, on the other hand, are finding the energy equation to be skewed in their favor, finding price parity and even advantage over their conventional counterparts.
- And Greenpeace released the 8th edition of its "Guide to Greener Electronics", which ranks the world's 18 largest manufacturers in terms of the 'greenness' of their production processes and products. Sony Ericsson is still the best, while Nintendo and Microsoft bottom the charts. Ranking and pdf report.
