Martin Wright 30 July 2010, Awards & grants, Green Futures partners, Inspiration

From the highlands of Kenya to the Manchester streets, sustainable energy is attracting entrepreneurs. Martin Wright profiles the winners of this year's Ashden Awards.
Sam Jones 29 July 2010, Asia, Energy sources, Housing, Standards

A green show home complete with PV panels and water recycling could be no more than a drop in the ocean for South Korea.
Anna Simpson and Duncan Graham-Rowe 28 July 2010, Architecture, Farming/Horticulture

With more mouths to feed and increasing demands on land, Duncan Graham-Rowe asks whether high rise city blocks will be the source of tomorrow's supper.
Roger East 27 July 2010, Biofuels, Carbon sequestration, Forests

When and where is it really smart to use farmland for energy crops? A UK research team is identifying the best UK locations for biomass crops.
Duncan Graham-Rowe 27 July 2010, Europe, Hydrogen/fuel cells, Innovation

French company McPhy Energy claim to have developed a way to store a lot more hydrogen at a lesser cost.
Anna Simpson 24 July 2010, Green government, Higher/Further Education, People
“We must not miss this window of opportunity”: Green Party Leader and MP Caroline Lucas tells Anna Simpson why now is a perfect time to invest in a low carbon economy, and calls for leaders in business and government to show real courage and commitment.
Julian Rollins 22 July 2010, Americas, Innovation, Microgeneration

With a $350,000 grant, the race is on to harness power from the slightest swish of a skirt, twist of a wristwatch or shrug of a shoulder.
Flemmich Webb 21 July 2010, Europe, Hydro electric, Wind power

A series of pumped hydro storage stations on Ireland's western coast could make the Emerald Isle greener still.
Anna Simpson, Martin Wright and Roger East 20 July 2010, Africa, Asia, Communications/Reporting, Information technology, Organics, Telecommunications, Visions & futures

From solar power and mobile phones to hydroponics and GPS, low-carbon technologies are transforming the economic prospects of people in the global South. Martin Wright asks whether low-income countries are on a fast track to low-carbon prosperity.
Dixe Wills 19 July 2010, Americas, Innovation, Wave power/tidal

NASA is using ocean thermal energy conversion (OTEC) to power the world’s first unmanned underwater vehicle running solely on renewable energy.
Andrew Purvis 19 July 2010, Americas, Innovation, Wind power

Solar Aero Research has patented a bladeless wind turbine which poses no danger to bats and birds, and won't show up on ATC radar.
Dixe Wills 19 July 2010, Conservation, Europe, Water, Wildlife

A plan to let sea water flow through the dams in a controlled manner could breathe new life into stagnant ponds – and generate energy.
Alex Johnson 19 July 2010, Americas, Biofuels, Waste to energy

A new system, developed by researchers at the University of Massachusetts, pioneers a built-in catalyst to maximise the amount of carbon monoxide and hydrogen produced.
Anna Simpson 16 July 2010, Consumption, Green Futures partners, Retail

Everything from a packet of tea to a toilet roll carries a whole litany of assurances about provenance, impact, recyclability and so on. But, says Jack Cunningham,
Head of Climate Change and Environment at Sainsbury’s, customers are becoming weary of it all.
Lynley Oram 12 July 2010, Americas, Socially responsible investment, Wind power

A significant investment in clean energy by Google suggests it sees the renewable market as a key plank in its emerging business model.
Dixe Wills 12 July 2010, Asia, Energy sources, Pacific

Global growth in geothermal power has been steady, increasing by around 20% over the last five years. But with 70 countries reporting projects currently in hand or under active consideration, the industry is warming up.
Julian Rollins 6 July 2010, Asia, Carbon offset/neutrality, Regulation

While Japan deliberates over a nationwide cap and trade scheme, the city of Tokyo has ploughed ahead with mandatory targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions – launching Asia’s first carbon trading initiative.
Anna Simpson 25 June 2010, Information technology, Visions & futures

Augmented reality vision could leave the snazziest Apps in the past. You just pop in a contact lens embedded with hundreds of tiny semitransparent LEDs, and the day begins...
Anna Simpson 25 June 2010, Biotechnology, Health, Visions & futures

The first human vein has been successfully printed. How long before we see entire organs built from scratch?
Anna Simpson 24 June 2010, Architecture, Solar energy/PV, Visions & futures, Wave power/tidal

In response to our growing population and congested urban spaces, architects have come up with vast, self-contained underwater 'skyscrapers'.
Martin Wright 24 June 2010, Chemicals, Eco-products & services

Until recently, paint has been green only in colour. Now, with help from Forum for the Future, industry leaders are rethinking this ubiquitous product with sustainability in mind.
24 June 2010, Architecture, Solar energy/PV

The design behind these spiralling skyscrapers draws on phyllotaxis: the way branches twist towards the sun to maximise warmth and light.
Anna Simpson 22 June 2010, Consumption, Green Futures partners, Innovation, Recycling, Water

New efficient recycling process offers to reduce the paper industry’s water footprint, and produce stock that beats virgin pulp in whiteness.
David Bent 21 June 2010, Sustainable accounting

Good environmental management has saved telecoms group BT more than $700 million. Clearly, there was a strong business case, which sharp-eyed analysis and financial tools helped to find. But for many corporate sustainability professionals, identifying that case is something like the quest for the holy grail. David Bent shares some lessons from the front line.
Andrew Purvis 17 June 2010, Innovation, People

"There's enough pressure in the world's gas pipelines to make every nuclear power station redundant." Andrew Purvis talks to Andrew Mercer of 2OC.
Dixe Wills 16 June 2010, Carbon reduction, Mass transit/Public transport

Aberdeen is fitting its buses with a device which helps drivers reduce fuel consumption by informing them how efficiently they are accelerating, braking and cornering.
Charles Reynolds 15 June 2010, Architecture, Green Futures partners, Planning

Suave new offices in London embody a vision that could transform the construction industry – one which combines locally sourced materials, waste and water recycling, jobs and skills for the community, and maximum energy efficiency.
Jonathon Porritt 11 June 2010, Politics, Radio, Web directories & blogs

Stephanie Draper 10 June 2010, Behaviour change

The messages that encourage us to put the towel on the rack and not in the bath have been scrutinised by social psychologists. Stephanie Draper asks how we can draw on the insights to persuade people to do things differently.
Martin Wright 7 June 2010, Health, Microgeneration, Nanotechnology

A tiny nanoscale chip embedded in silicone sheets could harness kinetic energy from movements as simple as breathing, if planted near the lungs.
Andrew Kuyk 7 June 2010, Agriculture & Food, Communications/Reporting, Waste to energy

Coffee and Marmite are to be part of the solution as the UK’s food industry outlines ambitious cuts in energy and waste. Andrew Kuyk reports.
Dixe Wills 3 June 2010, Cars, Hydrogen/fuel cells, Water

Cars could be made up to 20% more efficient just by adding water. Hydrogen, split from water, could be mixed with conventional fuel in a modern car engine, so you could go further on a single tank.
Sam Jones 30 May 2010, Re-use/refurbishment, Recycling, Waste management, Waste minimisation

Services that allow organisations to sell or give away surplus industrial wares are on the rise, with emerging demand for everything from trouser presses and pheasant feathers, to waste fuel oil residues.
Peter Madden 27 May 2010, Health, Lifestyles

Smart medical gadgets, governmental incentives and health-promoting foods: we are facing a new age of health care and awareness. Peter Madden, CEO, Forum for the Future, finds tomorrow’s pulse.
Gail Purvis 21 May 2010, Carbon reduction, Metering, Regulation

Schools in the UK account for 9.25 million tonnes of CO2 each year – but a combination of renewable energy generation, efficiency measures and education to raise awareness of the real cost of energy could turn the tide.
Julian Rollins 21 May 2010, Re-use/refurbishment, Recycling, Waste management

The non-profit collaboration Terreform ONE (Open Network Ecology) has conceptualised a new generation of waste compacting ‘robots’ to put the vast quantities of municipal rubbish to good use – as giant bricks.
Julian Rollins 20 May 2010, Fashion, Materials

Researchers at Stanford University have opened the gates for affordable electronic fashion that could see t-shirts charge your phone or redesign themselves before your eyes.
Dax Lovegrove 20 May 2010, Behaviour change, Green Futures partners, Web directories & blogs

Radical newcomers are running between the slow feet of big business. Dax Lovegrove has some clues on keeping up.
Katie Shaw 17 May 2010, Entrepreneurship, People, Professional development, Skills & training

Toby Sawday, Managing Director of Alastair Sawday Publishing, looks back on his baptism of fire in applied leadership, when he took over his family business as a graduate of Forum for the Future's Masters in Leadership for Sustainable Development.
Roger East 17 May 2010, Cars, Eco-products & services

Fast-charge stations developed by the Tokyo Electric Power Company can boost an EV battery back up to 80% capacity from flat in just 15 minutes.
Anna Simpson 14 May 2010, Marine/coastal, Wave power/tidal

£22 million fund gives head start to the UK's six most promising marine projects.
14 May 2010, Americas, Regeneration

When a tornado wiped the small town of Greensburg off the map of Kansas, it unleashed a wave of green renewal. So can it sweep across America? Jessica Forres reports.
Alex Johnson 12 May 2010, Hydrogen/fuel cells, Waste to energy

The world’s first power plant that converts rubbish into gas for use in advanced fuel cells could begin construction in the UK as early as next year.
Roger East 12 May 2010, Cars, Europe, Planning

Easy to use, easy to find infrastructure will be the key to success for electric cars. London and Amsterdam commit to the challenge.
Duncan Graham-Rowe 11 May 2010, Biofuels, Community energy, Innovation, Waste to energy, Water

Bruichladdich Distillery plans to build anaerobic digesters that convert waste into electricity, making Islay self-sufficient in renewable energy.
Katie Shaw 6 May 2010, Biodiversity, Natural world & resources

Starfish, urchins, sea cucumbers and other echinoderms capture up to 2% of annual human CO2 emissions, according to a study lead by Mario Lebrato at the National Oceanography Centre, Southampton.
Helen Clarkson 6 May 2010, Regulation

When it comes to health care, housing and transport, there's plenty of leading practice to emulate – but the UK seems stuck on compliance. As spending cuts loom, can the sector step up? Helen Clarkson makes the case.
Robin Tucker 6 May 2010, Conservation, Green Futures partners, Wetlands

Land demands are putting pressure on peat - one of nature's most effective carbon sinks. Can green farming schemes make preservation pay?
Duncan Graham-Rowe 4 May 2010, Nuclear power, Science & technology

The first fusion reactor could ignite later this year, thanks to a breakthrough in laser technology at NIF, California.
Duncan Graham-Rowe 4 May 2010, Energy sources, Innovation, Science & technology

Imagine a green fuel that could power our cars, keep the wheels of industry turning, and wean us off our addiction to oil. A fuel that could stop climate change in its tracks, and send carbon levels plunging to pre-industrial levels. A fuel that allows business as usual to carry on as before – emissions and all. Because that fuel is… CO2.
Anna Simpson 30 April 2010, People

“Look. We’re using three planets’ worth of resources, and we only have one planet!” Anna Simpson speaks to CEO of Kingfisher, Ian Cheshire.
Andrew Purvis 28 April 2010, Biofuels, Europe, Planning, Solar energy/PV, Wind power

Danish architect plans to turn the waterside of Augustenborg's fjord into an eco-friendly recreation area.
Roger East 27 April 2010, Cars

Tesla Motors has registered for a $100 initial public offering. A rare opportunity to bet on a car.
Duncan Graham-Rowe 27 April 2010, Solar energy/PV

Across the world’s sunbelts, concentrated solar power is emerging as a blindingly obvious answer both to global power – and local water – needs. But can it reach the scale required, asks Duncan Graham-Rowe.
Martin Wright and Trish Lorenz 26 April 2010, Consumption, Fashion, Waste minimisation
For the past twenty years, we’ve lived in a time of fast fashion – cheap, disposable and deeply unsustainable. Now that’s all set to change – even if the clothes look much the same. Trish Lorenz and Martin Wright peer down the catwalks of the future.
Julian Rollins 23 April 2010, Asia, Cycling

Beijings' new cycling-friendly infrastructure brings cyclists back on the road.
Anna May Shamoon 23 April 2010, Biofuels, Carbon reduction, Energy conservation & efficiency, Methane

Biomass-powered electricity generator to limit carbon emissions from the world’s shipping systems.
Duncan Graham-Rowe 22 April 2010, Europe, Wind power

Wind turbines in Denmark use LIDAR to anticipate the direction and strength of wind, and prepare for it in advance.
Julian Rollins 21 April 2010, Conservation, Hydro electric

In the Philippines' Ifugao Province, a 200kW mini hydro plant is expected to generate $70,000 a year for the Rice Terrace Conservation Fund.
Dixe Wills 13 April 2010, Africa, Conservation, Solar energy/PV

Can a combination of greenhouses, algae and concentrated solar power create food, water and energy in desert areas, and help to combat their expansion? That's what the Norwegian non-profit Bellona Foundation's Sahara Forest Project (SFP) proposes to do.
Anna Simpson 11 April 2010, Americas, International

Brazilian presidential candidate Marina Silva is to attend the launch, in Sao Paulo, of the Green Futures special publication Sol e Sombra. Silva will head up the debate on the country's transition to a low-carbon economy at the high profile event on 12 April, organised by weekly news magazine Carta Capital.
Roger East 8 April 2010, Asia, Green government, Solar energy/PV
Over $3 billion in cleantech investment expected to follow South Korea's renewable portfolio standard
31 March 2010, Eco-products & services, Innovation, Packaging, Re-use/refurbishment, Retail, Waste minimisation

Asda becomes first retailer to trial vending machines for fabric softener, cutting waste packaging by 96.3%.
Roger East 29 March 2010, Europe, Planning, Wind power

A new grid could unleash the power of offshore wind to meet Europe’s growing electricity demands. Thousands of miles of undersea cable will link farms with a combined capacity of over 68GW.
Madeleine Lewis 26 March 2010, Combined heat & power, Farming/Horticulture, Methane, Waste to energy

With one in two UK farmers saying that climate change is already affecting their land, a growing number have spotted that the road to sustainability is also a business opportunity.
Conor Foley 25 March 2010, Americas, Forests, Health

A new programme from the world's largest single buyer of condoms could boost rubber tapping and reduce deforestation.
Andrew Downie and Anna May Shamoon 23 March 2010, Americas, Employment, Fashion, People, Re-use/refurbishment, Retail, Women

A women’s cooperative in Rio is reworking old scraps for world-renowned designers.
Damian Platt 18 March 2010, Americas, Housing, Regeneration

The favelas of Rio de Janeiro are as much a symbol of the city as Christ the Redeemer or Copacabana beach. They are home to an aspirational population ready to take its place in society and get themselves on the map - literally.
April Streeter 18 March 2010, Wind power

In a bid to make borderline offshore wind projects viable, throughout 2010, each megawatt installed will earn two renewable energy certificates (ROCs) - instead of just one.
George Wigmore 16 March 2010, Eco-products & services, Innovation, Recycling

Designer Oscar Diaz has found something beautiful in the banal by transforming recycled plastic bottles into elegant cutlery.
Arran Frood 16 March 2010, Americas, Farming/Horticulture

The Movement of Landless Workers takes land reform into their own hands - but at what price for the forests?
Andrew Downie and Martin Wright 15 March 2010, Americas, Business, Carbon offset/neutrality

Brazilian businesses are keen to leave their history of boom and bust behind, discover Andrew Downie and Martin Wright.
Katie Shaw 12 March 2010, Housing, Innovation, Planning

Two architectural companies are responding to the problem of rising sea levels, by fashioning cities that float.
Arran Frood 12 March 2010, Americas, Farming/Horticulture, Innovation

A small farmers' co-operative makes millions weaving carpets from a native agave.
Anna Simpson 11 March 2010, Agriculture & Food, Americas, Local government

The sugar cane industry defines socio-economic conditions in Aracoiaba. It hasn't always made life sweet for local workers, but things are looking up.
Anna Simpson and Ben Tuxworth 10 March 2010, Americas, Urban

Jaime Lerner tells Green Futures how to redesign a city, what Brazil’s major metropolises have yet to learn, and why urban acupuncture is the way forward.
Roger East 8 March 2010, Americas, Community energy, Solar energy/PV

Internet access is improving education and healthcare in remote parts of Brazil, thanks to solar PV.
Martin Wright and Roger East 5 March 2010, Americas, Community energy, Hydro electric
In the deep south of Brazil, small-scale hydro plants are bringing robust, reliable supplies of power to farming communities.
Anna Simpson 3 March 2010, Americas, Biofuels, Farming/Horticulture

There isn’t a traditional cane cutter or a burning field in sight as Anna Simpson explores the shift to a sustainable sugar cane industry in Brazil.
Anna Simpson 3 March 2010, Americas, Farming/Horticulture, Forests

In Brazil, a rare combination of supermarkets, banks and determined government action is giving teeth to forest protection laws.
Tom Phillips 2 March 2010, Americas, Fossil fuels

In 2007, Brazil struck gold with the discovery of vast oil reserves. Two years on, Tom Philips explores the impact on the country's much vaunted 'renewables revolution'.
Andrew Downie and Martin Wright 26 February 2010, Americas, Forests
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After years of seemingly unstoppable destruction, Brazil appears to be winning some ground on the Amazon frontier. Is this just a recession-induced calm before the storm, asks Martin Wright – or the start of a rainforest revival?
Anna Simpson 24 February 2010, Fashion, Materials, People
Michael Kobori, Vice President of Social and Environmental Sustainability at Levi Strauss & Co., tells Anna Simpson why the iconic brand is convinced sustainability is the future of fashion.
Lottie Butler 23 February 2010, Americas, Sport

With Rio to host the 2016 Olympic Games, sport is acting as a powerful catalyst for social and economic change across Brazil.
Jonathon Porritt 22 February 2010, Americas, Biofuels, Forests

If Brazil can both exploit, and protect, its vast resources, it could be a powerhouse of the 21st century. Conor Foley and Jonathon Porritt sift the possibilities.
Jonathon Porritt 18 February 2010, Local food, Local government

Roger East 17 February 2010, Biotechnology, Budget/Taxation, Green government

Federal stimulus seeks out the green energies of tomorrow, boosting carbon capture and geothermal technologies.
Garry Campbell 15 February 2010, Carbon reduction, Eco-products & services, Housing

With rising fuel costs, more UK households are struggling to pay their energy bills. Garry Campbell thinks that home visits from 'Green Doctors' could be the answer.
11 February 2010, Business services, Corporate responsibility, Visions & futures

Iain Watt challenges businesses to embrace all the opportunities that the transition to a low-carbon economy offers.
Peter Madden 10 February 2010, Cars, Commuting, Eco-products & services

In 20 years’ time, our city streets will no longer be dominated by the motor car as vehicles of all shapes and sizes will zoom silently around, says Peter Madden.
9 February 2010, Awards & grants, Carbon reduction, Procurement

Fife Council has won the Government Opportunities Sustainability Award for a procurement tool that takes into account the carbon and financial costs of a product's full life cycle.
Anna Simpson 8 February 2010, Corporate responsibility, Higher/Further Education, People

Andrew Simms 5 February 2010, Consumption, Finance, People, Socially responsible investment

Slavish devotion to growth is charting a course for catastrophe. Andrew Simms, policy director of nef, looks at the potential for radical ecomonic transformation.
Lottie Butler 5 February 2010, Eco-products & services, Innovation, Waste & recycling, Water

Chic, stylish and good for the planet: the elegant, self-contained design of Roca's new all-in-one washbasin and toilet can cut household water use by up to 25%. The 'Washbasin and Watercloset', known as 'W+W', filters water directly from the basin and uses it to fill the toilet cistern.
Anna Simpson 3 February 2010, Awards & grants, Eco-products & services, Energy conservation & efficiency, Housing

Mixed messages on energy efficiency are costing UK households dear. Clear consistent advice is called for.
Lorna Howarth 2 February 2010, Construction, Materials

Colour-changing roof tile works with the weather as techno-fix solution for colling the planet.
April Streeter 1 February 2010, Cars, Innovation

A lauded British race car designer and a UK-based car company are touting their design for a sustainable urban car which could revolutionise motor manufacturing.
George Wigmore 29 January 2010, Architecture, Regeneration, Solar energy/PV, Wind power

Big, green and gorgeous: design for efficient, self-sufficient skyscrapers reaches new heights.
Roger East and Tricia Holly Davis 29 January 2010, Biofuels, Sustainable accounting

After years in the wilderness, biogas is set to play a major role in powering the future.
Roger East 28 January 2010, Cars, Innovation, Re-use/refurbishment

The economics of electric vehicles (EV) has been strengthened by a battery re-use deal, as Nissan sells their lithium-ion batteries to Japanese trading company Sumitomo.