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Economist: “Nopenhagen” is Rich Countries’ Fault

A prominent British economist said “arrogance” on the part of the planet’s wealthier nations contributed to the disappointing outcome of the Copenhagen climate conference in December.
In an interview with the BBC, Lord Nicholas Stern said the conference should not be considered a failure, however, despite producing only the non-binding Copenhagen Accord, which has been signed [...]


What’s Green and Clean and RED All Over?

Fact: Electric utilities contribute 42% of greenhouse gases in the US.
Fact: Heat and power contribute 69% of all greenhouse gases in the US.
Fact: The efficiency of US electric power plants has not improved since the 1950s.

(Barriers: Breaking through energy recycling obstacles from Recycled Energy Development on Vimeo)
The average efficiency of power plants in Eisenhower’s day [...]


Poll: Can Markets Solve the Climate Crisis?

All month long, we’re putting carbon trading under the microscope, looking at who’s doing what, and examining the promises and pitfalls for what lies ahead. Will carbon trading be the answer to our growing climate pains? Or will it be another example of the world shifting the focus from where it really needs to be? [...]


Cardboard Furniture is Durable and Recyclable and Everywhere

shanzai resto photo
Image from Shanzai

Cardboard is popping up everywhere. A strong and durable material, it is made from recycled paperboard and is itself recyclable when you get bored. It is long lasting, can be assembled easily, comes in a flat-pack and some say is softer and friendlier than wood or plastic. It certainly is cheaper….

Here are some new and novel ways that cardboard is being used in the furniture and restaura…Read the full story on TreeHugger

Could McDonald’s Replace Beef Burgers With Seitan? Would Anyone Notice?

When Friday rolls around, I sometimes like to write hair-brained posts postulating some kind of zany idea. So here’s today’s:
I ate at an airport McDonald’s the other day for the first time in ages. It was at once delicious and disturbing. I looked at the beef. Was it really beef? I mean, seriously, it [...]