Editors' blog
Hannah Bullock, 5 Nov 2008
The low winter sun that blinded me from behind the City buildings did look s...
Briefing: Peak practice
December 18th
Act now on peak oil, say business leaders
Peak oil poses a far more immediate risk to the UK economy than climate change – but decisive action now could help address both challenges, says a group of leading businesses.
Briefing: From waste to power
December 18th
Supermarkets get into anaerobic digesters
In a bid to redress their role in Britain’s massive food wastage problem, leading retailers have started using the stuff they can’t sell to generate power.
Feature: The future by degrees
December 18th
From campus life to coursework content and innovative research, universities should be at the forefront of the drive for sustainability. But are they up to it? Amy Fetzer gives our academic institutions the third degree.
Opinion: American eye
December 10th
He’s been touted as America’s great green hope, but Polly Ghazi asks: What we can really expect an Obama presidency to deliver?
Briefing: Sharing the catch
December 5th
Transferable quotas are the key to conserving stocks, study shows
The risk of fish stocks collapsing can be cut by half if fishermen agree on a system of ‘catch shares’.
No turning back
Roger East December 5 2008, Energy conservation & efficiency, Heritage
Heritage organisations look to lower carbon future
Our historic buildings need not be unsustainable. What’s more, we can still learn a lot from their many examples of innovative technology, says a new report.
Landmark for straw
Roger East December 5 2008, Construction, Energy conservation & efficiency, Housing
Two-storey semi a first for UK
At Ralegh’s Cross in Somerset, they’re building a two-storey semi out of straw bale – hitting the spot both economically and environmentally
The new politics of climate change
Stephen Hale November 27 2008, Climate change, Politics
It is high time we got serious, says Stephen Hale, about understanding why we are failing in the war against climate change – and how we can succeed.
Liquid energy
David Baker November 19 2008, Hydro electric, Inland waterways, Microgeneration, Wind power
Waterways to host £150 million green energy project
Long left dormant since their heyday before the railway age, Britain’s canals are set to power our homes and cool our offices.
Innovation nation
Martin Wright November 13 2008, Climate change, Entrepreneurship
As a global competition launches offering big bucks to help tackle climate change, Martin Wright seeks out the entrepreneurs that are already combining creativity, green innovation and hard-headed business sense to cut the carbon – while making a profit.
Bring in the CarrotMob
David Baker November 11 2008, Corporate responsibility, Society & culture
New initiative brings mass patronage to ‘deserving’ businesses
A convenience store in London’s Covent Garden has just been the site of a particularly benign type of environmental action – as the UK’s second ever CarrotMob event descended on Miranas Food & Wine for some environmentally-minded shopping.
States launch carbon market
Polly Ghazi November 10 2008, International policies & agreements, Regulation
US regional emissions trading scheme goes live in eastern US
In a big breakthrough on carbon trading, the US now has its first mandatory cap and trade programme. Polly Ghazi reports.
Cities of light
Roger East November 10 2008, Benchmarking/Rankings, Urban
As Forum for the Future unveils its latest Sustainable Cities Index, Roger East asks just what makes a city sustainable – and how do we begin to achieve it in the here and now?
The aim in Spain
Alison Winward October 15 2008, Europe, Transport & travel
Government launches incentives, imposes limits, in drive to cut oil use
Industry minister Miguel Sebastián introduces a 31-point government plan designed to slash the country’s oil bill drastically by 2011.
Best of a bad lot?
Roger East October 15 2008, Climate change, International
Scorecard ranks G8 industrialised countries on emissions performance and policy
The UK comes out best, and Canada and the US rank even worse than Russia, in an assessment of how and what they are actually doing to limit their climate change impact.
Hebridean hopes for hydrogen
Hannah Bullock October 14 2008, Hydrogen/fuel cells
Island to harness renewable power through fuel cells
This autumn sees the installation of a vehicle fuelling station on the Hebridean island of Lewis. The excitement lies in the fuel it has on offer – renewably generated hydrogen.
Orchards’ richer harvest
Hannah Bullock and Jon Wallace October 14 2008, Farming/Horticulture
Studies unearth surprisingly high value of trees
We should stop and consider the broader picture before we grub up more of the UK’s fast disappearing orchards – because they may be worth more than we think.
And another thing…
Martin Wright October 13 2008, Railways
Martin Wright gets cross with Greenpeace – and productive on a train
“If the NHS built cycle paths…”
Helen Clarkson October 13 2008, Cycling, Health
Yes, the road is full of crazed people (some of them pedestrians). Yes, it often rains. And yes, I have on occasion forgotten to pack my shoes. But being outside and getting exercise without having to join a gym keeps me reasonably sane.
New Year’s Day 2030
James Goodman October 13 2008, Climate change, Visions & futures
James Goodman explores contrasting futures for a world wrestling with a new climate.
Building “must stand up”
Martin Hunt October 13 2008, Housing
There I was, all set to help develop a positive, forward-thinking work programme with one of Forum’s business partners. And here was the MD, introducing the internal sustainability workshop.
Wet revolution
Darren Towers October 13 2008, Green Futures partners, Water
Tapping efficiency gains – Thames Water
Letters
October 13 2008
"A recession is an excellent opportunity to bring economic and environmental considerations together. They are inextricably related, a part of the same thing, and we need to make sure that the public and political debate is framed in those terms."
Plane sensible
Iain Aitch October 13 2008, Aviation, Carbon reduction, Green Futures partners
Getting to grips with aviation’s footprint – Entec
Package deal
Iain Aitch October 13 2008, Carbon offset/neutrality, Green Futures partners
Offsets for everyone – TUI
Money talks
Dax Lovegrove October 13 2008, Carbon reduction, Climate change impacts, Corporate responsibility, Green Futures partners
Taking stock on green investment – WWF
Green house effect
Roger East and Terry Slavin October 8 2008, Carbon offset/neutrality, Carbon reduction, Housing
Will new homes meet the zero-carbon test by 2016? Terry Slavin and Roger East investigate.
Track changes?
Christian Wolmar October 8 2008, Carbon reduction, Green Futures partners, Railways
At the heart of low-carbon transport – Rail Safety and Standards Board
School report
Alison Winward October 7 2008, Schools
Councils ‘must try harder’ on emissions, says sustainability watchdog
The CO2 output from schools will be counted as part of each authority’s total under the Carbon Reduction Commitment, the domestic emissions trading scheme due to be launched in 2010.
Anaconda joins wave energy hunt
Julia Sussams October 3 2008, Wave power/tidal
The world’s largest snake, which hunts its prey in water, has given its name to a pioneering new device for generating electricity from waves.
India launches climate action plan
Martin Wright September 24 2008, Asia, Climate change
Proposals 'too little, too late' say critics
Solar power will be “centre stage” in India’s strategy to tackle global warming, according to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
PV’s bright future?
Louise Vennells September 5 2008, Built environment, Innovation, Science & technology
Window coating could be low-cost solar breakthrough
Price is still a real barrier to household-level photovoltaic power. But a special coated window glass, developed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, could help crack that problem.
Greening Whitechapel
Julia Sussams August 21 2008, Recycling
City market leads the way in waste recycling
London’s bustling and colourful Whitechapel Market, selling everything from salmon to saris, has suddenly gone greener and cleaner – as the first market in the country to recycle nearly 100% of its rubbish.
Transport of delight
August 18 2008, Aviation, Transport & travel
GF tastes airship technology at first hand over London
A cleaner, more civilised flying experience than frenetic jet travel? Green Futures went on one of the world’s largest airships to find out.
Bin bounty
Louise Vennells August 18 2008, Local government, Policy, Waste & recycling
Councils to reward residents for recycling
Within months, UK residents could be cashing in on their recycling under a new scheme which has already encouraged Americans to go green on their rubbish.
American Eye
August 15 2008, Behaviour change, Higher/Further Education, Society & culture, Young people
Fired up over climate change, US students are turning up the heat on colleges’ green credentials. Polly Ghazi sees this driving a race for the top.
Hydrogen takes to the water
Tom Bamford August 8 2008, Freight, Hydrogen/fuel cells, Shipping
Barge breakthrough on zero emission shipping
When transport secretary Ruth Kelly addressed the International Maritime Organization on the subject of the shipping industry’s huge carbon dioxide emissions, she might have drawn inspiration from an unassuming canal boat in Birmingham.
Beefing up biomass
Susan Gransden August 7 2008, Energy sources
Waste timber, sawdust, or even willow, could be powering your home in 2011 if you get some of your electricity from a new biomass power station in Lincolnshire.
Coal out for carbon count
Polly Ghazi July 29 2008, Americas, Carbon reduction, Energy issues, Fossil fuels
New plants “must set CO2 limits”, US court rules
In the latest salvo in the intensifying US battle over the future of coal-fired electricity generation, the state of Georgia has blocked construction of a major new power station...
Cool-off for coal
Jon Wallace July 29 2008, Carbon sequestration, Climate change, Fossil fuels, Policy
Halt plans for 'unclean' coal power stations, say reports
With no fewer than six current projects proposing to build new coal-fired power stations in the UK, it would be a bad mistake to approve any of them now, says Matthew Lockwood of the Institute for Public Policy Research (ippr).
Brand old
Clare Dowdy July 21 2008, Marketing, Re-use/refurbishment
Vintage has made it from the fringe to the high street, as big brands decorate their stores with reclaimed materials. But if you scratch the surface is there any substance? Clare Dowdy asks what we’re buying into.
“Science dictates that we need a 100% reduction in carbon emissions. Here’s how to achieve it”
Oliver Tickell July 14 2008, Carbon reduction
Oliver Tickell makes the case for controlling greenhouse gases ‘close to the source’ via a groundbreaking new worldwide permits auction.
2020 vision
Hannah Bullock July 14 2008, Energy sources, Solar energy/PV, Wind power
Government launches ambitious blueprint for alternative energy future
A government proposal to generate 15% of energy from renewables by 2020 paints a radically different picture of life in just 12 years’ time: solar panels on 7 million buildings, 3 million homes heated with biomass...
Bucking trends and breaking records
Jon Wallace July 11 2008, Biofuels, Sport
Green powerboat takes on the world – and wins
Pulling into the Spanish port of Sagunto a full 13 days, 21 hours and 9 minutes ahead of the official circumnavigation record, it was a case of around the world in 60 days for the crew of Earthrace, the hawk-like biodiesel-powered trimaran.
Reasons to be cheerful
Martin Wright July 11 2008, Climate change, Energy issues
"We've just seen the first big win in the fight to stabilise the world's climate"
Lester Brown finds cause for optimism on climate change.
Special Publications
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1/7
For every kilo of Dover sole on sale, another six kilos of sea creatures have been caught and discarded. WWF-Germany reports that one million tonnes of North Sea stock are tossed overboard as ‘bycatch’, either because the fish are too small to meet regulations, or because they are species for which fishermen have no use.
Quips
“Being green, especially in these times, is not a luxury. It is a critical issue and an important opportunity for business and for creative thinking. Where the great depression was solved by building roads and bridges, what this economic crisis needs is green innovation in both energy and applications.”
Ben Verwaayen, chair of the CBI Climate Change Board
"This book could not have come at a more timely or critical moment"
Will Hutton
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