Too much, too little – Winter, yet no water
February 2018 was the wettest February on record, 2017 saw the wettest day on record in parts of New Zealand and also the wettest year on record in the Milford…
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Noteworthy news selected by us.
The little things that make a difference
Wirth Research has used its expertise gained in F1 aerodynamics to develop the Ecoblade. The twin bladed system can be fitted to the front of supermarket shelves to guide cold…
Import taxes create losers
it just prevents you from importing and using a good product that would otherwise advance technology in the country, make the standard of living cheaper and better, just to protect…
Why I do not like anything for free or cheap
You have a problem and you are looking at a product to provide a solution. Even if you get something for cheap or free that does not solve the actual…
Claims and certifications
While I stand in Sea World, watching the pelicans with their broken or missing wings caused by boat hits and the like, I get sidetracked by the jetski show as…
Holzweg – NOT!
Lloyd Alter has written a nice article about the Stadthaus (another German name), a nine storey timber building in London, made from Austrian CLT. The article also has a few…
Doing the right thing while keeping powered up
Most portable or mobile devices need power and that is provided by batteries in some form – either rechargeable or non-rechargeable, built-in or replaceable. All of those batteries have their…
Ecologist Mike Joy: critic and conscience award
With a growing number of lakes and rivers unsafe for swimming eco-warrior Dr Mike Joy is determined to get people to think about cleaning up our waterways. The Massey University freshwater…
Fruit tattoos set to replace stickers and plastic packaging as growers seek labelling alternatives – ABC Rural – ABC News
Plastic labels are set to become a thing of the past, though, as farmers listen to consumer demand for less packaging. Tattoos on fruit are set to replace stickers as…
Fancy moving to Antarctica?
Do you fancy moving to Antarctica? Maybe you are Australian or Californian and tired of bush fires and droughts?
Things one would not have expected
Today I have had news of a NZ first: One of the leading NZ aluminium window manufacturers is taking uPVC windows into their range. And they look terrible familiar. It’s…
How Regenerative Organic Agriculture Can Save the Planet
Organically managed soils can convert carbon CO2 from a greenhouse gas into a food-producing asset.” Two major upsides to this approach are drought-proof soils and, thanks to more nutrient-rich foods, reduced…
Design your own eco house workshop short movie
A short movie made during our last “Design your own eco house” workshop. The workshop over two days on a weekend and gives you helpful insights and advice when designing…
Netherlands moots electric car future with petrol and diesel ban by 2025 | Technology | The Guardian
Dutch politicians have voted through a motion calling on the country to ban sales of new petrol and diesel cars starting in 2025. The motion has only passed through the…
What happens when a family eats only organic food for two weeks?
A Swedish family has eaten only organic food for two weeks as part of a study conducted by The Swedish Environmental Research Institute. The study – commissioned by Swedish supermarket…
Ingo @ Green Living Show: Smarter House Design – Affordable And Sustainable Homes For New Zealand
I will be presenting at the Green Living Show 2015 at the ASB Showgrounds, Greenlane, Room 3, 10:30 am on Sunday 28 June. The subject will be: “Smarter House Design – Affordable…
Electric powered 1972 Datsun 1200 gives drag-racing fraternity a shake-up.
Cool, just plain cool. This Taupo based car is great. And there’s hardly anything under the hood. Hope this will change the perception of some petrol heads… Bright yellow, battery-powered…
BBE Certificate in Ecological Building and Design
Registrations are open for the online course: BBE Certificate in Ecological Building and Design at http://bbe.org.nz/education This online study programme covers the fundamental concepts of Ecological Building and Design. It…
Government partnership kickstarts Wynyard Quarter’s push to be exemplar of sustainable city building | EECA: Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority
Some great news. And an amazingly well done website for the Wynyard Quarter in Auckland. Maybe we will be getting a good waterfront after all… A quest to make Wynyard…
Wynyard Quarter Smart | tracking our progress towards a sustainable tomorrow
The vision of the Sustainable Development Framework is to be the leading location of sustainable urban transformation and renewal in Auckland and across New Zealand. Source: Wynyard Quarter Smart |…
Press Kit | Tesla Motors
Some interesting stuff. I did not really know about some of their other products. Tesla is not just an automotive company, it’s an energy innovation company. Tesla Energy is a…
Take the Sustainable Whanau Challenge | Kaipatiki Project
Auckland households big or small can win big by taking small steps towards living better in the Sustainable Whanau Challenge. Eco-festivals Ecofest North and Ecowest are throwing down the green…
English dairy delivery company gets their first four EV’s
This is some good news. We need more of this. On a side note, I have seen several Nissan Leaf’s in Auckland lately and as announced earlier, Silvia Park has…
Significant amendments to the Resource Management Act signalled by Government
According to my experience over the last ten years, it is not the act being the issue, it’s the people interpreting it. Any overhaul should address arbitrary interpretation. When we…
Pentagon Declares War on Climate Change, or not?
U.S. Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel is speaking in Peru today about how climate change impacts national security. We see an Arctic that is melting, meaning that most likely a…
Ecostore finds sweet alternative to plastic
Greenpeace calls it not perfect but a move in the right direction and I tend to agree. Research conducted on the sugarcane containers by its producers in Japan and Brazil…
The Anti-Science Climate Denier Caucus
Climate change is happening, humans are the cause, and a shocking number of congressional Republicans — over 58 percent — refuse to accept it. CAP Action conducted a fresh analysis…
Shock as company gets go-ahead in the Karangahake Gorge
Extensive mining activity is due to start in the beautiful bush clad hills behind the iconic Karangahake Rail Trail.
Technology and Kids: Startling Statistics Every Parent Should Know About Addiction to iPhones & Screens
First of all, consider that a majority of kids and teens spend about 75% of their waking lives attached to a screen of some sort. Then consider these startling research…
The Many Downfalls of Kids’ Addiction to Tech: Why Limiting Screen Time Will Benefit Your Child
If you think most kids are using tech in moderation, think again. Consider the following shocking statistics: Recent Rasmussen College research shows that 90% of all two year-olds have used…
UPnP buggy on most home routers
UPNP – upgrade your routers and media players: Some 6900 network-aware products from 1500 companies at 81 million IP-addresses responded to requests. 80% of the devices are home routers, others…
Generation Zero questions Auckland Council’s sign-off for greenfield land in Helensville
Generation Zero gained confidential minutes obtained through a Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act request to show how the council’s governing body signed off the release of greenfield land…
Despite Industry Opposition, Scientists Report Formaldehyde Causes Cancer
A new NAS report said that formaldehyde, which can be present in common households items such as clothing, wooden furniture and beauty products, is conclusively a cause of rare forms…
Nicaragua’s National Development Plan Aims To Be 94% Powered By Renewable Sources By 2017
The Central American country of Nicaragua has never been as fortunate as its neighbors when it comes to energy reserves. In fact, most commercial electricity is generated by imported petroleum while…
World Council of Churches Endorses Fossil Fuel Divestment
The Central Committee of the World Council of Churches (WCC), a fellowship of over 300 churches which represent some 590 million people in 150 countries, endorsed fossil fuel divestment this…
Fukushima’s Children are Dying
More than 48 percent of some 375,000 young people—nearly 200,000 kids—tested by the Fukushima Medical University near the smoldering reactors now suffer from pre-cancerous thyroid abnormalities, primarily nodules and cysts.
Free eMags from libraries
Digital versions of over 600 popular magazines are now available to Auckland Libraries members. The eMagazines are free to download, there’s no waiting and you can keep the items for…
USA: Creating a Federal Strategy to Promote the Health of Honey Bees and Other Pollinators
Over the past few decades, there has been a significant loss of pollinators, including honey bees, native bees, birds, bats, and butterflies, from the environment. The problem is serious and…
Govt opens Maui’s dolphin area for oil drilling
The Government has opened up more than 3000 square kilometres of a marine mammal sanctuary for oil and gas drilling, home to the critically endangered Maui’s dolphin. It comes less…
Solar forces a day of reckoning on utilities
The traditional power industry is finally facing a mass defection because of a source once dismissed as a pipe dream.
Fonterra admits they need to be more sustainable
Via Radio New Zealand, 3 December 2013 The thing about building the most sustainable headquarters while applying for the next open cast coal mine never added up. The article by…
India Passes World’s First Corporate Responsibility Law
Not quite sure whether it is actually the world's first one, since Norway has done a similar thing: Norway Mandates CSR Reporting Via GreenBIZ India is the first country to…
Electrification of NZ’s vehicles
In 2010, the Centre for Advanced Engineering at Canterbury University studied the impact of various rates of electric vehicle (EV) uptake on New Zealand’s electricity grid. In their lowest uptake…
Magdalena in New Mexico has run out of water
Square in the middle of three years of intense drought conditions, New Mexico is dealing with an escalating water problem that has now caused one town, Magdalena, to run out…
Norway Mandates CSR Reporting
Via globalreporting.org, 2013-06-12 On 1 June, newly-passed regulation on sustainability reporting came into force in Norway. The Norwegian government passed the legislation in April, requiring large companies to provide information…
The NZ Super Fund is using your retirement money to fuel climate change – let’s change that
Via 350 Aotearoa team Today WWF released a report exposing the fossil fuel investments of our two largest funds of public money, ACC and the NZ Super Fund. Coinciding with…
How a Seattle school became the region’s first ‘Living Building’
Via Puget Sound Business Journal, May 10, 2013 When it rains hard, a stream of water gushes through a Seattle elementary classroom. Teachers don’t mind. Nor do the students, who…
Europe just banned bee-killing pesticides
I just had to publish that in order to be able to share it. (it came in via email) If you would like to change the world and make it…
GE Salmon Headed to Your Dinner Plate
This would be the first-ever genetically engineered animal intended for human consumption to enter the marketplace despite widespread public outcry and a faulty assessment based on incomplete company data.
Only 2% of Canadians Now Deny Climate Change
Only 2 per cent of Canadians who responded to a new opinion poll believe climate change is not occurring …
Poll: Americans Support Strong Climate, Energy Policies
Despite a sharp drop in public concern over global warming, Americans—regardless of political affiliation—support the passage of federal climate and energy policies, according to the results of a national survey…
Diseased Trees New Source of Climate Gas
Sixty trees sampled at Yale Myers Forest in northeastern Connecticut contained concentrations of methane that were as high as 80,000 times ambient levels. Normal air concentrations are less than 2…
Electric Bus To Loop University of Utah
Via Questpoint Solar Solutions, 03-07-2012 The University of Utah has placed an order for a 40-foot, all-electric transit bus with BYD Company Limited (BYD) the largest manufacture of all-electric buses…
A sneak peek at The Story of Change
On July 17th, Annie Leonard will be releasing her new movie, The Story of Change.She sent me an email about what to expect with the release of a 30-second teaser…
Ban on plastic bags at L.A. markets is approved
Via Los Angeles Times, 23/05/2012 Los Angeles became the largest city in the nation Wednesday to approve a ban on plastic bags at supermarket checkout lines, handing a major victory to…
It’s Official: Vermont Bans Fracking
via ecowatch.org, 17-05-2012 Vermont Public Interest Research Group Gov. Peter Shumlin made Vermont the first state in the nation to ban the practice of hydraulic fracturing for natural gas when…
Hawaii Becomes First State in the U.S. to Ban Plastic Bags
Via Ecowatch.org, 15-05-2012 When the Governor of Honolulu County signed into law the plastic bag ban last week that the County Council approved, Hawaii became the first state in the…
Dairy farmers get sustainable to beat the carbon tax
With the carbon tax posing major threats to the intensive Australian dairy industry, facing the prospect of higher power bills and lower milk prices, some dairy farmers have already made…
Why Small Manufacturers Lag In ‘Green’ Efforts
Via blogs.wsj.com, 20/10/2011 Many manufacturers are eager to go green, but doing so is particularly tough for smaller firms. Fifty-seven percent of small manufacturers said they have little or no…
Pieter Weijnen demonstrates the exponential rate at which green design is advancing
Via dwell.com, 11-09-2011 With House 2.0, architect Pieter Weijnen demonstrates the exponential rate at which green design is advancing. For architect Pieter Weijnen of Amsterdam firm Faro, building his own…
Solar power station in Spain works at night
Via rawstory.com, 18-03-2012 FUENTES DE ANDALUCIA, Spain — A unique thermosolar power station in southern Spain can shrug off cloudy days: energy stored when the sun shines lets it produce…
New Green Playgrounds Will Capture Stormwater Throughout NYC
Via inhabitat.com, 03-18-2012 Playgrounds may be a favorite place for New York City children, but they have also become an ideal environmental solution for city officials. With a possibly rainy…
Environmental Impacts Cost 41 Cents for Every $1 of Revenue
Via environmentalleader.com, 16-02-2012 If companies had to pay for the full environmental costs of their activities, they would have lost 41 cents out of every dollar earned in 2010 –…
Cleaning up on dirty data
Via good,net.nz, Good Magazine, issue 20 • Every second of online video you watch puts 0.2 grams of carbon into the atmosphere, so YouTube is chugging out 4,000 tonnes of…
Intermittency Still a Challenge for Solar Power
Via getsolar.com, 20-10-2011 Few people live far enough north or south that they can have sunlight all day long, so most people understand their rooftop solar installations cannot always provide…
Whittier Organic Food Center is a Self-Sustaining Vertical Farm for Los Angeles
Via inhabitat.com, 25-09-2011 The Whittier Organic Food Center is a state-of-the-art food production testing and learning facility that recently took top honors in the Cavin Family Travel Fellowship. The project…
Fungus from California suspected of killing cypress trees worldwide
Via earthtimes.org,03/09/2011 Genetic analysis has determined a fungus that has been causing cypress canker disease and killing trees in six out of the world’s seven continents originated from California. The…
Greens’ clean-up policy includes $500m plan for water charges
Via nzherald, 22/08/2011 The Green Party wants to raise millions of dollars a year by charging for irrigation water. The proposal is part of their plan to clean up the…
Frankfurt’s Zeilgalerie Lights Up With an Incredible 19,700 LED Facade
Via inhabitat.com, 15/08/2011 Frankfurt’s Zeilgalerie recently lit up with an incredible new multi-level media wall composed of 19,700 individually controlled light emitting diodes! Conceived by German design studio 3deluxe, the…
California Approves BPA Ban for Baby Bottles and Sippy Cups
Via inhabitat.com, 03/09/2011 Good news for parents in the Golden State: This week, the California State Senate voted to ban the chemical bisphenol A from all baby bottles and sippy…
LSC and Dixon Unveil World’s First 60 Watt Equivalent LED Bulb for Under $15
Via inhabitat.com, 29/08/2011 Lighting Science Group and Dixon Technologies India have unveiled the world’s first 60-watt equivalent LED lightbulb for under $15! We all know how much electricity LED bulbs…
Apple Unveils Exciting New Pictures of Its Foster & Partners Designed Green Headquarters in Cupertino
Via inhabitat.com, 15/08/2011 We’ve all been waiting with bated breath to see pictures of Apple’s design for its new green headquarters in California, and we’re excited to say they’re finally…
IKEA UK Pledges to Use 100% Renewable Energy
Via inhabitat.com, 15/08/2011 When it comes to big box stores, you can’t really get any greener than IKEA. From banning the sale incandescent bulbs to pledging to use only sustainable…
Scientists Discover Deep-Sea Mussels That Can Convert Hydrogen into Energy
Via inhabitat.com, 15/08/2011 According to scientists, there are mussels at the bottom of the ocean that are efficiently converting hydrogen into energy in their very own, nature-made hydrogen fuel cells.…
Wold Record-Breaking “Schluckspecht” EV Goes Over 1,000 Miles on a Single Charge!
Via inhabitat.com, 15/08/2011 Electric vehicle records are being broken all the time these days, which is great news for the advancement of EV technology. But the “Schluckspecht” EV (“heavy drinker”…
Oil exploration puts NZ shores at risk
Via stuff.co.nz, 17/08/2011 The Green Party is warning exploration of potential deepwater drills sites in the Great South basin by Shell Oil could put New Zealand’s pristine shores at risk.…
Passivhaus Institute Ends Relationship With Passive House Institute US
Via inhabitat.com, 17/08/2011 The founder of Passivhaus and director of Passivhaus Institute PHI, Dr. Wolfgang Fiest, has just sent word that the Passive House Institute United States (PHIUS) will no…
Striking UR22 House Uses Half as Much Energy as a Standard Home in Texas
Via inhabitat.com, 16/08/2011 Although Texas is a red state and Republicans aren’t always known for their love of renewable energy, the striking UR22 home by Vincent Snyder Architects completely flips…
Ecology series at Briscoes
Briscoes in NZ is now selling the Ecology series of kitchen hardware. According to Briscoes’ brochure it’s made from recycled stainless steel and bamboo handles.
UN carbon scheme undermined: report
A report from the University of East Anglia and University of Sussex on Tuesday warned that the Kyoto Protocol’s emissions offset market could become ”a rich man’s club” of project…
Wal-Mart Going 100% Renewable in Canada
Wal-Mart Canada has revealed that they’re working towards getting 100 percent of their electricity from renewable energy.
World’s First Wastewater Hydrogen Fuel Plant Opens Today In Orange County, California
Via inhabitat.com, 08/17/11 Air Products, one of the leaders in hydrogen fueling technology, have just announced the official opening of the world’s first fuel cell and hydrogen energy station in Orange…
Presidential candidate expresses doubts on manmade global warming
Via stuff.co.nz, 18/08/2011 GOP presidential candidate Rick Perry told New Hampshire voters that he does not believe in manmade global warming, calling it a scientific theory that has not been…
Recyclers say council wasting its time
Via nzherald.co.nz, 19/08/2011 Recycling operators say Auckland Council is wasting its time revamping rubbish disposal without talking to people who know the industry. Lawyer Stephen Franks told councillors yesterday they…
13-Year-Old Makes Solar Power Breakthrough by Harnessing the Fibonacci Sequence
Via inhabitat.com, 19-08-2011 While most 13-year-olds spend their free time playing video games or cruising Facebook, one 7th grader was trekking through the woods uncovering a mystery of science. After…
GE Launching 60W to 100W Replacement LED Bulbs
Via ecogeek.org, 01-08-2011 LED lighting is finally reaching mainstream. As the years have gone by, the prices have dropped and more appropriate bulbs for home use have started popping up. …
MIT Unveils Solar Power System That Doesn’t Need Sunlight
Via inhabitat.com, 31-07-2011 A solar energy system that doesn’t require sunlight is almost as bizarre as a tidal power system that doesn’t use water – however that’s exactly what researchers…
Bosses still miss green message
Via nzherald.co.nz, 04-09-2011 Kiwi small business owners want to do the right thing in their communities – and people are more important than the environment, a study on their philanthropic…
Evaporation from Trees Has Global Cooling Effect
Via ecogeek.org, 23-09-2011 Scientists at the Carnegie Institution’s Global Ecology department have published a study that found that evaporation from trees has a cooling effect on the climate.
Toyota to Introduce All-Electric Scion iQ Next Year
Via ecogeek.org, 11-07-2011 Now that Toyota has dominated the hybrid market for a decade, the automaker is finally coming out with an all-electric in the U.S. to compete with other…
Evaluating Energy Sources by Human Deaths
Via WebEcoist, 13-07-2011 In all the furor during the Fukushima Reactor Complex crisis, there has been a lot of discussion about whether or not nuclear power is a good option…
LED Lighting Tube retrofit standards
There has been a lot of confusion around the retrofitting of fluorescent tubes with LED lighting tubes. But there is is a standard now.
New Study Shows ADHD Symptoms May Be Eased By Playing in the Grass
Via inhabitots, 23-09-2011 Amazing but true, a new study, published in the journal Applied Psychology: Health and Well-Being, shows that kids who regularly play in outdoor green spaces have milder…
NZ facing ‘time bomb’ on water quality
Via stuff.co.nz, 24-09-2011 A new OECD report will rate New Zealand’s water quality as relatively good but one of the authors is warning that while standards in other countries are…
New Zealand’s First Light Solar Decathlon House Puts an Innovative Twist on the Basics
Via Inhabitat, 24-09-2011 This year’s Solar Decathlon home design competition saw many fresh takes on the solar-powered prefab home, but Team New Zealand stood out from the pack with its…
Pharmacies ‘tipping drugs down sink’
Via stuff.co.nz, 25-08-2011 A worrying number of New Zealand pharmacies are disposing of unused drugs by throwing them down the sink, according to a new study. The study by Alfred…
Scientists Find a Bacterial Strain That Recycles Newspapers Into Biofuel!
Via inhabitat.com, 08-29-2011 With more and more people getting their news from the internet and the rising popularity of e-readers, some people think that newspapers may soon be obsolete. But scientists…
Madella Simone’s Tesla E-Max Bike Converts Pressure To Power
via inhabitat, 08-29-2011 The Tesla E-Max bike by Madella Simone is not just a pretty electric face. This motorcycle is covered in piezoelectric material that converts compression strength to power.…
GE Launching 60W to 100W Replacement LED Bulbs
Via ecogeek.org, 01-08-2011 LED lighting is finally reaching mainstream. As the years have gone by, the prices have dropped and more appropriate bulbs for home use have started popping up. …
Caltech Study Says Vertical Axis Wind Turbines 10X More Efficient Than Horizontal Axis Turbines
Via ecogeek.org, 13-07-2011 Wind energy production has so far been dominated by the horizontal axis wind turbine (HAWT). They can be scaled up to reach high in the air where…
Energy Density Improvements in Lightweight Lithium-Air Batteries
Via ecogeek.org, 27-07-2011 MIT scientists have made new discoveries that could significantly increase the energy density of batteries several times beyond the current level of lithium-ion batteries. The advances are…
Vancouver Installs Charging Stations, Even Without Many EVs
Via goodcleantech.com, 22-06-2011 The city of Vancouver has announced that it will be installing a number of new electric vehicle charging stations across the city. This, in spite of the…
GE Looking To Replace Fluorescents With New LED Edge Lighting
Via goodcleantech.com, 12-05-2011 General Electric has unveiled a new line of light fixtures aimed to replace fluorescents. And since they’re powered by LED bulbs, the new Edge line of lights…
Toys ‘R Us Building North America’s Largest Rooftop Solar Installation
Via goodcleantech.com, 12-05-2011 Retail giant Toys ‘R Us has announced plans to build North America’s largest rooftop solar installation. The installation is currently in the staging process, and will be…
Ford Building Car Parts Out Of Dandelions
Via goodcleantech.com, 13-05-2011 Today, rubber components found on cars are synthetic, which means they’re made from petroleum. But Ford is currently working on a way to not only make these…
Philips Expands LED Line-up With New EnduraLED
Via goodcleantech.com, 16-05-2011 Not to be outdone by GE, Philips is set to unveil its own new LED bulb this Friday, according to the New York Times.
90 Percent Efficient Solar Panels Five Years Away
In addition to high costs, one of the major issues with the current breed of solar panels is efficiency: they simply don’t collect most of the available light. But in…
Certified buildings look a paler shade of green
Via stuff.co.nz, 20-05-2011 Green buildings in New Zealand may not be as green as they seem, with difficulties in predicting energy and water efficiencies meaning what looks green on paper…
Kindle Books Outselling Hard Covers & Paperbacks Combined
Via goodcleantech.com, 20-05-2011 Earlier in the year Amazon announced that eBook sales on its Kindle device had surpassed the sales of paperback books, making the electronic books the most popular…
Packaging the Future: Could Paper Take Plastic’s Place
Via inhabitat.com, 23-05-2011 In our convenience-obsessed culture, no matter how many articles about slow food are passed along online or liked on Facebook, fast and easy vittles are still king.…
Seminal Green Roof Research published
Via livingroofs.org,28-04-2011 A three year study of green roofs and biodiversity study between 2003 and 2006 has recently been published by Lambert Academic Publishing : Green roofs and biodiversity –…
Quebec Offers Up To $8,000 To New EV Owners
Via goodcleantech.com, 12-04-2011Original via Treehugger, If you live and Quebec and have been thinking about buying an electric vehicle, now might be the time. The province has announced a rebate…
Electric Prototype Gets Over 200 Miles On A Single Charge
Via CNet, 05-04-2011 One of the biggest issues with electric vehicles is range: that is, how far the car can go before it needs to be charged again. A tiny…
Odwalla Juice Is The Latest To Adopt PlantBottle Technology
Via goodcleantech.com, 05-04-2011 Coke and Pepsi continue to outdo one another when it comes to plant-based bottles. This time Odwalla, a division of Coca-Cola, will be using 100 percent plant-based…
Scotland – 100% renewable by 2020
Via earthtimes.org, 22-05-2011 Scotland announced on May 20, 2011, that it is targeting to use only renewable energy by 2020, increasing its former target of 80 percent by that year.
The cleantech political race begins
Via Greenpeace New Zealand, 23-05-2011 This weekend, Labour fired the starting gun on their election campaign by offering a glimpse of their vision for rebuilding the nation’s economy. Bruised from…
China Doubles 2020 Solar Power Target to 50 GW
Via inhabitat.com, 07-05-2011 China just announced that it has more than doubled its target goal for solar power generation over the next decade in an effort to decrease dependency on…
Laid-off auto workers find solar job power
Via cbsnews.com, 11-05-2011 MIDLAND, MICH. – Few states lost more jobs in the Great Recession than Michigan – where nearly one out of every 10 jobs disappeared. But, as CBS…
Axe coal to halt global warming
Via stuff.co.nz, 14-05-2011 Stopping the use of coal for electricity generation is the answer to halting global warming. This is the view of an internationally acclaimed scientist, known as the…
The ugly side of solar panels
Pondering about the question of how much emissions solar panels would be actually saving, I stumbled across a very interesting article in the Low-tech Magazine. I have reproduced the article…
The Phoenix: A Biodegradable Car Made From Bamboo
Via goodcleantech, 14-04-2011 Designers Kenneth Cobonpue and Albrecht Birkner have come up with a novel use for bamboo: building a car. The two have come up with a concept called…
Eco Ultra Fuel Is Made from Re-Refined Used Motor Oil
Via inhabitat, by Lori Zimmer, 27-04-2011 With the possibility of fossil fuels running out in our lifetime, Universal Lubricant is looking ahead. Through the re-refining of used motor oil, they’ve…
Sydney Pre-Fab School Sports Naturally Cooled Amoeba-like Facade
Via inhabitat, by Andrew Michler, 29-04-2011 This unconventional façade has turned out to be a wise energy choice for the International Grammer School in Sydney Australia. Recently claiming an award…
NL Architects Unveil Knokke-Heist School Blanketed With a Green Roof
Via inhabitat by Bridgette Meinhold, 29-04-2011 NL Architects recently unveiled their competition-winning plans for a new school in Belgium that is completely covered with a green roof. Organized around a…
Rose-tinted report on China’s emissions can’t dodge bullet – Energy
Via earthtimes, posted Fri, 29 Apr 2011 16:26:00 GMT by Martin Leggett In a supreme example of the grasping of straws, in the face of a gathering global warming storm,…
New Light Emitting Transistors Mean Bigger, More Efficient OLED Displays
Via OLED Display, 29-04-2011 Researchers at the University of Florida have developed new light emitting transistors that will allow OLED screens to grow in size. OLEDs, or organic light emitting…
New England Farmers Will Soon Be Harvesting Energy
Via goodcleantech, 04-04-2011 Farmers produce all sorts of goods in order to earn money, and soon they may be able to add renewable energy to that list.
Solar Powered Wind Turbines Are Twice As Green
Via Goodcleantech, 01-04-2011 For researchers at the University of Liverpool, wind turbines weren’t enough. They need to be solar powered wind turbines.
Top Ten Solar Power States
via NY Times, 29-04-2011 The New York Times published a rundown today of the top ten states in installed solar power capacity. That California was number one was no surprise,…
Three new articles about carbon footprint of food
We have three interesting articles about carbon emissions of various foods. Carbon Footprint of Beef Carbon Footprint of French Fried Carbon Footprint of various groceries
Prius Sells One Million Hybrids In USA
Via goodcleantech, 07-04-2011 As electric cars struggle to achieve mass appeal, Toyota has announced the latest milestone for its pioneering hybrid, the Prius, which has now sold one million cars…
KFC Goes Green With New Indianapolis Restaurant
Via goodcleantech.com, 27-04-2011 KFC has announced that it’s joining in on the recent trend of fast food restaurants going green by opening a new eco-friendly location in Indianapolis. The new…
UN finds credability gap in imissions
From NZ HERALD A United Nations review has found a large credibility gap between New Zealand’s target for reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 2020 and the measures in place to…
World Record: Audi Electric Travels 370 Miles On One Charge
Posted by Andrew Webster on goodcleantech, 27-10-2010 The Nissan Leaf may be able to go 116 miles on a single charge, but it’s got nothing on this Audi A2 EV,…
Air pollution measured at unsafe levels around busy roads
KIRAN CHUG – The Dominion Post, via stuff.co.nz, 30-10-2010 Air pollution is at unsafe levels around some North Island highways, where World Health Organisation safety limits are being breached. New…
Mountain of rubbish mars landmark peak
By DIANE JOYCE – The Dominion Post, via Stuff, co.nz, 16/10/2010 An “astounding” 10 tonnes of rubbish has been dumped from the top of Hastings’ most well-known landmark, Te Mata…
Kiwis trash nature, says DOC boss
By DAVID WILLIAMS – The Press, from Stuff.co.nz, 08/10/2010 New Zealanders are “trashing” nature and a radical economic rethink is needed to “save ourselves from ourselves”, says Department of Conservation…
Transparent Film Turns Windows Into Solar Panels
Via GoodCleanTech, 11 August 2010 Norwegian company EnSol AS has managed to create a transparent film that can harness solar energy. Because the film is transparent, it can be used…
Apple Releases AA Battery Charger With Energy Management
Apple has just released a new Battery Charger, which comes replete with 6 AA nickel-metal hybrid (NiMH) rechargeable batteries. Not only does using rechargeable batteries save you from buying and…
Genesis is pushing ahead with Castle Hill Wind Farm
By TANYA KATTERNS – The Dominion Post, via stuff.co.nz Genesis Energy is pushing ahead with its latest wind farm project and has applied for resource consent for a development in…
Residential rating tool available soon
Work is underway to develop a rating tool for residential homes. The tool is expected to be released in August. This tool is based on the UK’s Code for Sustainability,…
Global warming is not a fly-by-night problem
“Ladies and Gentlemen, this is your captain speaking, welcome to today’s flight from Hamburg to Munich. Please fasten your seat-belts, and get ready for a most uncomfortable trip, where we…
Converter using pyrolysis turns waste into gas
Via stuff.co.nz, by Paul Easton – The Dominion Post, 24/05/2010 A new plant that turns plastic, food scraps and even human waste into fuel is humming away on the Kapiti…
Two more LCA articles
A Comparative Life Cycle Assessment of Building Insulation Productsfinally finished transfering after more than 6 months. And a new one: Comparison of European LCA-based Building Assessment and Design Tools
Latest changes to website
We have recently modified our website to keep up to date with current technology and user expectations. Commenting You can now leave comments to articles and be kept in the…
Kiwi brand toilet paper suspected in forest loss
Sunday Star Times via Stuff.co.nz by Esther Harward, 02/05/2010 Kiwi toilet paper brands are flushing Indonesia's endangered species down the toilet by supporting that country's paper industry, say environmentalists, who…
Double-sided printing made easy – An example of business stationery taken from our practical experience
Lots of employees at large and small companies have told us they don’t print on both sides of the paper, because its too complicated and the settings often don’t work.…
Paper Mate Debuts First Biodegradable Pen
Via GoodCleanTech, 05/05/2010 by Troy Dreier Finally, a solution to all those pens clogging up the landfills. Newell Rubbermaid has announced the Paper Mate Biodegradable, the first widely available line…
Eco Friendly Catering – But Why?
Every year, the greenhouse gases that each and every individual in Germany causes correspond to the impact that 10 to 12 tonnes of CO2 have on the environment. What each…
Energy waste in Bremen’s largest shopping street
A clearly much too cost-conscious building renovation was completed in Bremen’s largest shopping street in 2008: the heat in the fancy building in Obernstraße (53°04’39.68“N) was literally being thrown out…
Energy consumption data missing – Technical advantages dominate communication with the customer
Advertising brochures, catalogues, online promotions, spots and similar etc. seduce us into buying electronic appliances all the time that later prove to be needless energy guzzlers. So who is responsible…
Panasonic Evolta rechargable series
All of us know that using rechargeable batteries is much cheaper in the long run and much better for the environment. But we also know the daily problem:
City dumps waste illegally for 10 years
By DIANE JOYCE – The Dominion Post, 27-04-2010 Hastings District Council has been illegally dumping stormwater into streams and drains for 10 years. This is despite Hawke's Bay Regional Council's…
LG dinged for ‘greenwashing’ fridges
By MELISSA SINGER – The Age via Stuff.co.nz, 18/03/2010 An electronics manufacturer with a history of making false environmental claims has been caught doctoring fridges to make them appear…
6 stars for the Civic Building, Christchurch, NZ
From Re:Speak, retrieved 08/03/2010 A new building in downtown Christchurch gets a record 6 Green Star rating from the NZ Green Building Council, check out some impressive specs…
British Airways to Create Jet Fuel from Landfill Waste
Via Treehugger, 24/02/2010 With the US Airforce announcing that cost-competitive algae jet fuel may be just months away, greener flying is looking less and less like pie in the…
The effect of Aerosol particles
Via The New Zealand Herald, by Eloise Gibson, 15/02/2010 Car and smoke-stack pollutants shunned since the 1970s for causing acid rain may be taking some heat out of global warming,…
Apology for errors in key climate change report
Via stuff.co.nz, 22/01/2010 Five glaring errors were discovered in one paragraph of the world’s most authoritative report on global warming, forcing the Nobel Prize-winning panel of climate scientists who wrote…
Environment Court backs tidal power
Via stuff.co.nz, 12/01/2010 New Zealand’s largest harbour could be providing power to 250,000 homes within 10 years now that the Government has been advised to give its blessing to a tidal…
Going Greener by Going Bigger: Does it Work?
Via EcoGeek.org, by by Hank Green on 07/12/2009 Busses are greener than cars, and apartment buildings are greener than houses. But is a 747 greener than a Cessna? Is an…
5 Things to Watch for at the Copenhagen Climate-Change Conference
Via Time.com, by Bryan Walsh, 07-12-2009 Tens of thousands of diplomats, activists, journalists, businesspeople, celebrities and assorted green hangers-on have descended on the Danish capital of Copenhagen for the U.N.’s…
Using Osmosis to Generate Clean Energy
Via EcoGeek.org by Philip Proefrock on 30-11-2009 Solar. Wind power. Wave power. Geothermal. Tidal power. If you’re a regular EcoGeek reader, you’re probably pretty familiar with the different major power…
Data Center Underneath Cathedral Will Heat Finland Homes
From EcoGeek.org by Megan Treacy on 30-11-2009 Data centers generate a lot of heat. In fact, over 50 percent of the energy used by data centers is for cooling the…
On-Site WInd Power Provides 100% of Power to Data Center
From EcoGeek.org by Philip Proefrock 03-12-2009 We’ve heard of data centers that are running on green power, though these are often mostly done through buying energy credits for distant generating…
Residential Rating Tool
Work is now underway to develop a single rating tool to assess the comfort and performance of New Zealand’s new and existing homes. A partnership has been formed between the…
New World scraps plastic bag levy
By LAURA BASHAM – The Nelson Mail, via stuff.co.nz, last updated 13:00 21/10/2009 New World supermarkets in the South Island have dropped their 5-cent plastic bag charge because of customer…
Greenpeace protest won’t shift Fonterra or PM
17/09/2009 by NZPA via stuff.co.nz Both Prime Minister John Key and dairy giant Fonterra are turning a deaf ear to Greenpeace activists’ demands following yesterday’s dramatic protest off the Port…
HOME a film by Yann Arthus-Bertrand
HOME is an incrediable movie explaining the life on earth, how it started, how everything is interlinked and which part we, humans, play. We are living in exceptional times. Scientists…
The Age of Stupid
The Age of Stupid is the new movie from Director Franny Armstrong (McLibel) and producer John Battsek (One Day In September). Pete Postlethwaite stars as a man living alone in…
New Zealand: Meridian, Electricity Commission, biggest losers in energy review
The New Zealand Herald, 12 Aug 2009 Meridian Energy faces a fight to preserve its green branding following recommendations that it be made to own a North Island natural gas-fired…
Australia: Senators dump emissions scheme
The New Zealand Herald, 14 Aug 2009 CANBERRA – The Australian Government’s grand plan to tackle climate change – an emissions trading scheme – has been voted down by the…
New Zealand: Zoo boycotts Cadbury chocolate over palm oil ingredient
DPA via Earthtimes, 11 July 2009 Wellington – Auckland Zoo has withdrawn Cadbury’s chocolate products from its shops because of the introduction of the ingredient palm oil into its products,…
Damaged rod found at crippled German nuclear site
DPA via Earthtimes, 15 July 2009 Berlin- A damaged fuel rod sought since last week has been located inside one of Germany’s 12 nuclear power stations, regulators said Wednesday. The…
Wal-Mart’s Green Rating: A Boon for Carbon Management Software
Eart2Tech, 16 July 2009 The big news in the world of sustainability this week is that Wal-Mart, the world’s largest retailer, will launch a labeling system to disclose the environmental…
Greenpeace Releases Annual Green Electronics Rankings
EcoGeek, 02 July 2009 Greenpeace International has released its annual “Guide to Greener Electronics” where it ranks leading electronics companies on their policies towards toxic chemicals, recycling and climate change.
Virtually Waterless Washing Machine Cuts Water Use by 90%
From Inhabitat, 01 July 2009 Xeros Ltd. is on the verge of saving us a LOT of water. Their new washing system (prototype stage) uses nylon beads to tumble wash…
Australian Town Bans Bottled Water
From Inhabitat, 9 July 2009 The small Australian town of Bundanoon just set a new standard for sustainability by voting to do what no community has ever done before: ban…
Is Energy Harvesting Moving Into the Smart Home?
Earth2Tech, 07 July 2009 Energy harvesting — technology that can capture and store energy from external sources like the sun and movement — first took hold in wireless sensor networks…
Sharp LED Lamp with Adjustable Color Function
GoodCleanTech, 17 June 2009 Sharp is releasing nine new LED lamp models for the Japanese market which are all deemed highly-efficient, are mercury-free, and boast a long (40,000 hours) service…
San Francisco Brings Recycling to the iPhone
GoodCleanTech, 19 June 2009 Outspoken San Francisco mayor Gavin Newsom continues to keep his city on the cutting edge of what’s eco friendly and what technology can do. After the…
Red light for schools’ green projects
New Zealand Herald, 15 June 2009 Teacher aides who help children learn about recycling, saving water and growing their own food have been scrapped by the Education Ministry because those…
Air-quality deadlines may be extended
New Zealand Herald, 11 June 2009 The Government may extend its deadline to meet air quality guidelines because cities and towns are cutting pollution too slowly. Environment Minister Nick Smith…
Green Building Materials Market to Jump to $571B by 2013
From Earth2Tech, Justin Moresco, 10 June 2009 Cement and lumber will never be as sexy as an electric sports car, but there are still plenty of business opportunities in developing…
Toxic dumping probe after playground scare
New Zealand Herald, 10 June 2009 Environment Minister Nick Smith is promising another look into where toxic chemicals might have been dumped around New Plymouth. The spectre of chemical contamination…
Business wary of green practices that hurt profits
New Zealand Herald, 9 June 2009 Privately-owned New Zealand businesses score poorly compared to overseas counterparts in their willingness to spend money on environmentally-friendly practices that hurt the bottom line.
Ban on GE imports welcomed
New Zealand Herald, 8 June 2009 A High Court decision to block applications to import and develop genetically engineered material has been hailed as a landmark by GE-Free New Zealand.
10 Monitoring Tools Bringing Smart Energy Home
Written by Katie Fehrenbacher, 14 April 2009 from earth2tech Thanks to funds from the stimulus package and renewed attention to energy savings, 2009 is the year companies are planning to…
Companies Not Prepared For Looming Carbon Regulation
Katie Fehrenbacher, 3 June 2009 U.S. carbon regulation is looming, but many large publicly traded companies will be caught with their pants down. According to a report from the not-for-profit…
Japanese Convenience Stores Look to Introduce PV Systems, Electric Cars
Hideyoshi Kume, Nikkei Electronics, 2 June 2009 The Japan Franchise Association (JFA) announced its plans to introduce solar power generation systems and electric vehicles at convenience stores as part of…
DuPont Displays’ OLED Material Keeps Glowing for 100 Years
Tetsuo Nozawa, Nikkei Electronic, 29 May 2009 DuPont Displays Inc announced that it developed new OLED materials designed for coating process. They are the company’s third-generation OLED materials. Among them,…
Aussies offer answer to toxic old TVs
New Zealand Herald, 01 June 2009 Australia’s first television glass recycling plant is calling for Kiwis’ old tellies, as environmental organisations on both sides of the Tasman try to stem…
Record-Breaking Solar Plant To Be Built in Australia
GoodCleanTech, 18 May 2009 “We don’t want to be clean energy followers worldwide, we want to be clean energy leaders worldwide,” Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd says. And as one…
Japan’s Renewable-Energy-Powered Ship’s Details Revealed
GoodCleanTech, 15 May 2009 Japanese shipping line Nippon Yusen KK (NYK) made headlines during the third quarter of 2008 for announcing the company’s investment in the development of a solar-powered…
Is a Heat Pump and Gravel the Answer to Energy Storage for the Grid?
earth2tech – 14 May 2009Written by Katie Fehrenbacher Some energy storage technologies for the power grid are expensive but can be deployed anywhere, like advanced batteries, while others are cheap…
Global warming proof undeniable
New Zealand Herald, Monday May 11, 2009 Michel Jarraud, Secretary-General of the World Meteorological Organisation in Geneva, responds to a recent article by Chris de Freitas questioning global warming. The…
SSD Electricity Savings Could Power an Entire Country
Nikkei Electronics Asia, May 8, 2009 15:21 The use of solid-state drives (SSD) could allow the world’s data centers to reduce their cumulative electricity consumption by 166,643MWH from 2008 to…
Solar Energy Performance With Plastic Solar Cells Improved With New Method
ScienceDaily, Feb. 27, 2009 The University of Alberta and the National Research Council’s National Institute (NINT) for Nanotechnology have engineered an approach that is leading to improved performance of plastic…
Kiwis solve global warming riddle
New Zealand scientists have helped solve one of the riddles of global warming by drilling deep into the ancient Antarctic rock.
Warehouse to charge 10c for its plastic bags
The Warehouse will charge 10c for plastic shopping bags from next month in an effort to encourage the use of reusable bags.
Panasonic Sees Archival Potential of Blu-ray Disc
“From an environmental perspective, Blu-ray and other optical discs are promising for archival purposes.”
9.7-inch E-paper Device to Debut in Japan
Brother Industries Ltd will release the “Brother Document Viewer SV-100B,” an information terminal equipped with an electronic paper module, in Japan June 1, 2009.
Replacing Plastic with ‘Liquid Wood’
from EcoGeek.org by Philip Proefrock Arboform is a material made from wood components mixed with fibers and natural additives to produce a material that can be used to create domestic…
Major Green Building Councils Move to Collaborate
from Earth2Tech by Justin Moresco The construction industry may be global, but standards for green buildings are not. That’s starting to change, however, as this week green building councils in…
Pricey but High-Performance Domestic LED
via: LEED Pro The objections to using LED lights as replacements for standard light bulbs because they are inconvenient is suffering another setback with the GeoBulb II. In a lot…
Finally, a Universal Charger
Via GoodCleanTech by Mariella Moon Feeling the pressure exerted upon by the European Union, the cell phone industry is currently planning to come up with a universal charger that would…
Monitoring to seek truth about killer moggies
Wildlife researchers have hired the services of some unusual helpers: 200 neighbourhood cats equipped with electronic tags.
Google Earth 5.0 Adds More Eco Features
With each added version it becomes increasingly clear that Google Earth is good for more than just looking up your street from space. The satellite based 3D mapping application has…
Choosing Between Oriented Strandboard and Plywood
Manufacturers of oriented strandboard and plywood claim both products work well. But using panels made of wood chips makes some builders nervous. Like it or not, osb will define the…
Make Way for the Cheaper and More Efficient LED Light
Via GoodCleanTech. Just recently, the UK phased out 100 watt light bulbs in support of the usage of eco-lighting available today. Unfortunately, the shift was not met without its own…
Panasonic’s New Lamp Automatically Adjusts Brightness
Via GoodCleanTech. Following in the footsteps of other household appliances equipped with sensors such as televisions and air conditioners, Panasonic is releasing the first home-use fluorescent lamp with the same…
Not All CFLs Are Created Equal
Although, from an energy consumption perspective, almost any compact fluorescent light (CFL) is better than the incandescent bulb it replaces, some CFLs are better than others. A recent report from…
Green Star NZ Industrial Tool Launch
Industrial and light commercial buildings can now achieve a Green Star rating with the release of the New Zealand Green Building Council’s (NZGBC) new Green Star – Industrial PILOT rating…
Wind Turbines for Homes Fail To Meet Expectations
How many times have you heard the claim that a micro-turbine will be able to provide 30 percent of a household’s electricity needs? These micro-turbines were created for home use,…
First Photos, Details of Energizer Solar Recharger
Yesterday’s sneak peek at the Energizer Rechargeable Solar Charger, a portable solar-powered AA and AAA battery charger that transfers sunlight to power, was a little light on the actual details.
Eco range beats the crunch to reach US
From NZ Herald, 4:00AM Tuesday Jan 13, 2009 By Owen Hembry As growth plans are reined in across the corporate world, Auckland-based Ecostore is bucking the trend.