Anna Simpson

Now is the time to invest in a green economy, says Caroline Lucas

“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.

Building trust in brands - without the labels

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.

What innovators can learn from... paint

With roughly 400 million litres sold in the UK each year, the environmental impact of decorative paint is significant. But this colourful industry can teach us a thing or two about real change, argues Anna Simpson.

Are vertical farms the future of urban food?

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.

Can the South become climate-resilient?

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.

Waterscraper: the answer to crowded cities?

In response to our growing population and congested urban spaces, architects have come up with vast, self-contained underwater 'skyscrapers'.

Recycled paper cuts water use

New efficient recycling process offers to reduce the paper industry’s water footprint, and produce stock that beats virgin pulp in whiteness.

Exclusive interview with Ian Cheshire, CEO Kingfisher (B&Q, Castorama)

“Look. We’re using three planets’ worth of resources, and we only have one planet!” Anna Simpson speaks to CEO of Kingfisher, Ian Cheshire.

Forget organ donation, just print body parts

The first human vein has been successfully printed. How long before we see entire organs built from scratch?

Augmented reality contact lenses: just a blink away?

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...

New UK fund boosts wave and tidal

£22 million fund gives head start to the UK's six most promising marine projects.

Marina Silva to speak at the launch of 'Sol e Sombra'

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.

Social project makes sugar mean sweet

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.

Major embargos mean new hope for 'protected' forests

In Brazil, a rare combination of supermarkets, banks and determined government action is giving teeth to forest protection laws.

Why Levi’s blue jeans are turning green

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.

Exclusive interview with the man behind Curitiba's master plan

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.

Clean transport calls for sustainable sugar

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.

Turbulent top-up

Measuring no more than 200 microns across and embedded into car windscreens, 40 volt devices use piezoelectric polymers to harness the turbulence of travel.

Home improvements

With rising energy prices driving innovation, on-site recycling and micro-generation could see our homes minimise waste for us.

Exclusive interview with Andy Wales, SABMiller

Business offers one of the most dynamic, focused and practical solutions. Andy Wales, Global Head of Sustainable Development for SAB Miller, talks about his experience as one of the World Economic Forum's Young Global Leaders.

Ordinary business has to wake up, says John Griffin, CEO Addison Lee

"You have to get ordinary, dosh-driven business to make the change", says John Griffin, CEO of Addison Lee taxi firm in conversation with Anna Simpson.

Consistency key to cosy homes, says EST

Mixed messages on energy efficiency are costing UK households dear. Clear consistent advice is called for.

Weak signals: how to track a changing horizon

What's a weak signal? And what do we do with it? Hugh Knowles tunes into the signals of the future that are indeed already with us - but have yet to be recognised as such, let alone adopted by mainstream society.

Disruptive innovation can lead to new ways of thinking

Forum for the Future’s disruptive innovation cards have helped devise new business models and have even enabled R&D departments to think more about the design and sustainability of their products. Anna Simpson reveals the simple strategies that can give you the trick, whatever your hand.

Wikis, webs and modern markets

It’s mardi: market day in the small coastal town of Ganges in southern France, and I find myself at my regular independent fish stall. Yet I have no idea how or when the cod was caught, who caught it, and how it travelled to my town. Technology can help, but is only part of the answer. But if producers, suppliers and buyers work together to build long-term relationships, along with the use of technology, it will result in changes that will benefit everyone.

How Palestinian olive oil broke down a barrier

Occupied territories aren't the best backdrop for business...or are they? Heather Masoud tells Anna Simpson about the world's first fair trade olive oil.

What will tourism be like in the twenties?

Tourism as we know it could be about to experience its greatest shift since Benidorm was a sleepy fishing village. And it won’t be so much changes in tourist appetites that drive it, but external pressures. There’s oil, for one thing, with prices inexorably rising. Then there’s the stop-start progress towards a functioning carbon market; looming conflicts over energy, water, crop land... So, what will holidays look like in the 2020s? Anna Simpson packs her bags.

Solar into space

California buys energy generated in space

Californians could be catching the rays come rain or shine if the world’s first space-based solar power project gets off the ground. Plans to send a solar farm into orbit are awaiting final approval after a major power provider signed an agreement to buy solar energy generated in space.

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