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China taking lead in electric car infrastructure.
China is rushing in to build its own network of electric charging stations. Xinhua, the government's official newspaper, announced last week that the State Grid Corporation, the world's largest electric power transmission and distribution company, is speeding up its plans to build electric car charging stations.
The stations will be located in Shanghai, Beijing, Tianjin and other large cities.
The power charging stations will be built as a pilot project to initially serve electric buses and sedans in a trial run with plans to eventually cover the entire nation. Each station will cost the equivalent of about $37,000 to $44,000.
The country showcased its charging station networks around venues during the 2008 Beijing Olympics last month to power the 600 electric vehicles used, including 55 buses powered by electric-lithium-cells.
China hopes to bring in 10,000 fuel cell, electric and hybrid cars as well as infrastructure to power the vehicles in 10 chosen cities around the country within two years, according to the ministry of science and technology.
The experiment will help the government agencies work out policies for developing more new energy cars, says Wan Gan, the country's minister of science and technology. The minister hopes that within five years, alternative energy vehicles will account for one in every ten of the country's car production China is rushing in to build its own network of electric charging stations. Xinhua, the government's official newspaper, announce... more -
Making Textbooks Affordable
Open (online) textbooks can change the way textbooks are used, produced and sold, says Nicole Allen, director of the Make Textbooks Affordable campaign by Student Public Interest Research Groups.
The non-profit student advocacy network has been pushing for open textbooks since 2003, hoping the format catches on so prices will decrease and bring some relief.
Allen is leading an effort to gather signatures for an Open Textbook Statement of Intent, which asks faculty to consider using open textbooks. The statement (published at www.maketextbooksaffordable.org) has more than 1,200 signatures from faculty in all 50 states in schools ranging from community colleges to four-year universities to graduate schools. Open (online) textbooks can change the way textbooks are used, produced and sold, says Nicole Allen, director of the Make Textbooks Af... more -
Are Plastic Water Bottles Safe?
At a scientific hearing, the Food and Drug Administration defended its assessment that bisphenol A_ or BPA_is safe, even as the first major study of health effects in people linked it with possible risks for heart disease and diabetes. The debate could drag on for years.
"Right now, our tentative conclusion is that it's safe, so we're not recommending any change in habits," said Laura Tarantino, head of the FDA's office of food additive safety. But she acknowledged, "there are a number of things people can do to lower their exposure."
For example, consumers can avoid plastic containers imprinted with the recycling number '7,' as many of those contain BPA. Or, said Tarantino, they can avoid warming food in such containers, as heat helps to release the chemical.
More than 90 percent of Americans have traces of BPA in their bodies, but the FDA says the levels of exposure are too low to pose a health risk, even for infants and children.
However, a study released Tuesday by the Journal of the American Medical Association suggested a new concern about BPA. Because of the possible public health implications, the results "deserve scientific follow-up," the study authors said. Using a health survey of nearly 1,500 adults, they found that those exposed to higher amounts of BPA were more likely to report having heart disease and diabetes.
But the study is preliminary, far from proof that the chemical caused the health problems. Two Dartmouth College analysts of medical research said it raises questions but provides no answers about whether the ubiquitous chemical is harmful.
FDA officials said they are not dismissing such findings, and conceded that further research is needed. "We recognize the need to resolve the concerning questions that have been raised," said Tarantino. But the FDA is arguing that the studies with rats and mice it relied on for its assessment are more thorough than some of the human research that has raised doubts. At a scientific hearing, the Food and Drug Administration defended its assessment that bisphenol A_ or BPA_is safe, even as the first ... more -
A No-Paper Newspaper
When scientists inside the MIT Media Lab began toying with "electronic paper" more than a decade ago, much of their enthusiasm focused on single killer app: a portable, paperless newspaper. E-newspapers would be a huge environmental win, eliminating the need to pulp trees and burn gasoline delivering the traditional folded parcels to readers' driveways. Like many technologies, however, e-paper has been slow to take off. In the past year, since Amazon introduced its Kindle electronic reading device, thousands of Americans have experienced the pleasures of e-books—but for most people, e-newspapers aren't yet a reality. When scientists inside the MIT Media Lab began toying with "electronic paper" more than a decade ago, much of their enthusia... more
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Miniature Cows Making Sense For Some
This morning, National Public Radio here in Seattle reported on the small but growing trend of raising miniature, hip-high cattle. The report claimed, among other things, that small-farm financial pressures are creating a demand for the pint-sized cattle, since the animals more efficiently convert feed into meat: they carry half the weight of a normal-sized cow yet eat only a third as much as their full-sized brethren, and a larger percentage of their body mass is convertible to steaks and roasts due to lower fat content and bone mass.
It’s unclear how much momentum this trend has gained since MSNBC.com reported on the pioneering breeders raising miniature cattle back in 2006, but we do know this: Any alternative to the modern CAFO that also makes small-farm operations more economically viable is worth a second look. Check out this video that posted on The Wall Street Journal Online yesterday: This morning, National Public Radio here in Seattle reported on the small but growing trend of raising miniature, hip-high cattle. The... more -
Paper Or Plastic? It’ll Cost You.
Economist Peter Nickerson, 56, is a proud resident of Seattle, arguably the capital of green America, so it almost goes without saying that he supports aggressive environmental policies. He'd like to see his city make public transit free to reduce vehicle emissions. He wants to ban pesticides in rivers where salmon swim. He's a devoted recycler who even composts his own trash. Surely, then, he must love Seattle's new bag tax? (Starting in 2009, it would require drug, grocery and convenience stores to charge 20 cents per disposable bag.) Actually, Nickerson thinks it's a terrible idea. Economist Peter Nickerson, 56, is a proud resident of Seattle, arguably the capital of green America, so it almost goes without saying... more
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Could your Nail Polish be poisoning you?
Attractive and desirable though they are, no nail products are 100 percent safe and nontoxic. You can find products with fewer hazardous chemicals than their conventional counterparts, but try to use these sparingly or save them for special occasions.
If you've ever been in the same room as someone applying nail polish, you're well aware of the noxious odors emanating from those tiny bottles. Nail polishes have come under fire lately for containing three chemicals dubbed the "toxic trio": toluene, a solvent linked to low birth weight and development problems in children; formaldehyde, a known carcinogen emitted as certain preservatives break down; and dibutyl phthalate, a hormone disrupting chemical used to keep polishes flexible. All three appear on California's Proposition 65 list of chemicals known to cause cancer, birth defects or reproductive harm.
Concern over the health effects that the toxic trio pose to both nail salon workers and to average women led the European Union to ban them from use in cosmetics in 2004. The U.S. has no such legislation, but individual states have started instituting similar laws. California's Safe Cosmetic Act of 2005, which went into effect January 1, 2007, requires companies that sell products in California to report the use of compounds that appear in the Proposition 65 list.
In the absence of federal guidelines, some manufacturers have begun eliminating them on their own. Nail giant OPI has removed both DBP and toluene from all products, although they still use formaldehyde in nail hardeners. Sally Hansen has also removed toluene and DBP and does not add formaldehyde, but the latter may still be present as a byproduct of urea-based preservatives. According to the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, Orly International has stopped using DBP as well.
These rules and voluntary changes, however, don't address the other unhealthy ingredients in tiny nail polish bottles. Solvents such as acetone and ethyl, butyl and amyl acetate can trigger headaches, dizziness, and eye, nose and throat irritation. Methacrylate resins, used to make acrylic nails, can irritate skin and cause redness, allergic reactions, pain and swelling in the nail bed. Ethyl and methyl methacrylate are the two adhesives used in applying acrylic nails, and they too are extremely irritating to skin, eyes and respiratory tracts. Methyl methacrylate has generated so many worker complaints of allergic reactions that it has been banned in 30 states. Attractive and desirable though they are, no nail products are 100 percent safe and nontoxic. You can find products with fewer hazardo... more -
Bush's idea for an ECO-FRIENDLY WAR....from The Onion
Everything is becoming green and organic - so why not the war in Iraq? The Onion broadcast a segment on the idea...leave room for your imagination and laughter. Everything is becoming green and organic - so why not the war in Iraq? The Onion broadcast a segment on the idea...leave room for your... more
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Arianna Huffington: Announcing HuffPost Green: Our New Eco-News and Opinion Sectio...
Latest Eco Trend: Buy Less, Live More
By: Arianna Huffington
When we picked June 4th as the launch day for HuffPost's new Green section, little did we know the Democratic nomination would be decided just the night before.
So today, as well as celebrating the culmination of a historic primary race, we here at HuffPost are also celebrating the kick-off of HuffPost Green.
Ever since we launched HuffPost, environmental issues have been a significant part of our focus -- indeed, part of our DNA. In fact, long before HuffPost was even a twinkle in our eye, I was championing, via the Detroit Project, the need to push the nation's energy policy in a more sustainable direction -- better both for our environment and our national security.
And our HuffPost community has made it clear that you are interested in learning about -- and talking about -- living in a more environmentally-friendly way.
So as we continue the Huffington Post's expansion, creating a go-to destination for the latest and most useful Green content was a logical next step.
HuffPost Green features up-to-the-minute news stories, blog posts, video, and community forums. The focus is on eco news and trends -- from the latest scientific findings and environmental legislation to the latest green lifestyle tips. The section will also feature advice on sustainable investing and highlight eco-friendly businesses such as renewable energy, green building, recycling and organics.
While bringing about real change is critically important -- we don't think going green has to be like taking your medicine. So don't expect any finger-wagging (well, not too much anyway). We're not interested in being greener-than-thou -- just greener today than yesterday. Our philosophy is pretty simple: it's not about some people doing everything, but everyone doing something to make the world a more sustainable and better place to live.
And to ensure that we are bringing you the smartest, freshest, and most useful green content, we have partnered with two of the world's premiere green media brands -- Discovery's popular sustainable-living website, TreeHugger.com, and Planet Green, Discovery's 24-hour eco-lifestyle television network.
TreeHugger will provide its blend of timely blog postings, video features, news items, and forums where users can interact. Planet Green will contribute highlights of its original green lifestyle programming -- content for people of all ages and backgrounds. And our editors will infuse this green mix with the usual HuffPost style and attitude.
So please click here to check it out. And, most importantly, send us any ideas you have for HuffPost Green, including any green news items you think our readers would like to see. Latest Eco Trend: Buy Less, Live More By: Arianna Huffington ... more -
Battle of the Bags: Paper vs. Plastic
Check out this interactive journey through the debate on the "greenest" way to cart away your groceries...
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Radio station harvests sun power
A San Francisco Bay Area news/talk radio station says they're going "to become the first major broadcast media outlet in California to harness the power of the sun to reach our listeners." KGO-AM is installing solar panels on their broadcasting tower, and providing updates about the process on their "solar blog." A San Francisco Bay Area news/talk radio station says they're going "to become the first major broadcast media outlet in Cal... more
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Gone Green to Save Green
This is the story of a young couple working towards a fully sustainable lifestyle in Philadelphia. That's no easy thing, especially when you're on a budget. This is the story of a young couple working towards a fully sustainable lifestyle in Philadelphia. That's no easy thing, especial... more
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Goodbuy Gas?
As the debate over alternative fuel continues, some drivers aren't waiting for greener options-- they're creating them.
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China to build sustainable Eco-City
Shanghai developers are working on developing the site which will be 3/4 the size of Manhattan
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New technique to create cheap, abundant hydrogen!
The new method uses organic biomass, which is in vast supply.
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This electric bike goes 0-60 in under 1 second!
Zero emissions, zero competition
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Al Gore joins Kleiner Perkins to make over the energy industry
The venture capitalist is teaming up with Mr. Gore to find new ways to help energize the world, and stay green doing it.
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Army unveils a Hybrid Howitzer...
So let me get this straight, they're going green whilst raining Hellfire down upon the enemy? There's something about that that just doesn't make sense to me... So let me get this straight, they're going green whilst raining Hellfire down upon the enemy? There's something about that t... more
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Rhode Island Ranks Greenest Hotels
State environmental officials are surveying RI hotels to see which are the most environmentally friendly. Could this be the future determiner of a 5-star establishment? State environmental officials are surveying RI hotels to see which are the most environmentally friendly. Could this be the future de... more
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