Environment

Ozone Hole Stabilizing

- Adam Clare

ozoneLisa writes to us and says that “the hole in the ozone layer has stabilized, and may close again in 60 years, thanks to successful international environmental agreements.”

This latest report is similar to one we mentioned earlier about the ozone hole, however the new report says it will take a few years longer. I still find it rewarding to see that when politicians notice an environmental problem (the hole in the ozone layer) and work on it internationally things happen.

Proof that if we tried hard enough we can combat climate change.

Germany Crushes Competition in Solar Market

- Cam Proctor 2 Comments

There really isnt much more to this story than what the title title says. Germany has heavily embraced renewable energy, especially solar power, in every appliciable measure.
Lets see how….

Germany generates enough power from the sun’s rays to meet the needs of households in a city of 590 000, according to the Solar Energy Association BSW.

Last week, a solar electric power plant, billed by its operators as the world’s biggest, went into service in the southern German state of Bavaria. More than 1 400 movable solar modules will collect the sun’s rays and harness them into energy for around 3 500 homes.

Germany accounts for 60% of the world market in solar energy, with some 5 000 firms exporting one-quarter of their products in a sector that employs 45 000

Germans last year invested €3.7bn in solar energy, one of the fastest growing sources of renewable energy along with wind power and biomass. Solar energy accounts for less than 1% of the country’s energy needs, but the figure is expected to grow to more than 5% by 2020, according to the BSW.

California to cut greenhouse emissions

- Fraser Birt

The Governator may not be all bad. California is Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s administration and state Democrats believes that the cuts are necessary if California is to be taken seriously as an environmental leader.

Flushing Rainwater

- Adam Clare

Clean, drinkable water is a precious resource, so why are we flushing it down the toilet? I ask this question almost daily (no joke). Well, LifeHacker has a great comment thread going on this very question.

The thread is part of a post about how one man actually uses rainwater to fill his water toilet basin. This is a great way to do to less harm to the environment, but some municipalities in Canada don’t like people doing this though. Other parts of the world, buildings are built incorporating rainwater collection.

“Domestic potable water collection requires effort, energy, and chemicals for purification and transport. Toilets use 20 to 25% of water consumed in a residential house. Why are we flushing drinkable water down the toilet? In some other countries of the world, rainwater harvesting on a residential level is a mandatory part of building codes.”

Weather Network Explores Global Warming

- Adam Clare

For some bizarre reason some people refuse to realize that climate change, best known as global warming, is happening. Well, the Weather Network is sick of that ignorance and wants to change people’s approach to global warming. They want them to realize how climate change affects everyone, so they are making a show about climate change.

I think it’s great that the weather network is going to communicate the complexities of climate change to people.

“For the most part, the debate over global warming has taken place among politicians, scientists and activists. But it has not been a high priority for most Americans. Cullen hopes to change this. She wants people to understand that global warming is not an exotic issue and that it directly affects them.

“The climate is connected to energy, which is connected to population, which is connected to the economy,” Cullen said. “So I want each show to start with the science and then eventually lead you to your back yard.”

That approach makes a lot of sense.”

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