Winners of the 2011 Green Chemistry Awards

For the past 16 years the US EPA has been giving out the awards that recognize the most innovative chemical technologies associated with pollution prevention in the US. The 2011 EPA Presidential Green Chemistry awards went to BioAmber, Genomatica, Kraton Performance Polymers and Sherwin Williams as well as Professor Bruce Lipshutz of University of California, Santa Barbara.

Green chemistry is a field of science that is of major importance in efforts to manage climate change. Scientific research and development in this field focuses on less-hazardous alternatives to existing technologies which reduce or eliminate waste particularly hazardous waste, in industrial production.

According to a recent Pike Research Green Chemistry study, the industry is expected to grow from $2.89bn in 2011 to $98.5bn by 2020.

"Green chemistry markets are currently nascent, with many technologies still at laboratory or pilot scale," says Pike Research president Clint Wheelock, "and many production-scale green chemical plants are not expected to be running at capacity for several more years. However, most green chemical companies are targeting large,existing chemical markets, so adoption of these products are limited less by market development issues than by the ability to feed extant markets at required levels of cost and performance."

Pike Research anticipates dramatic growth rates for green chemicals during the coming decade. The global chemical industry is currently valued at $4 trillion. By 2020, the firm expects that the total chemical industry will expand to $5.3 trillion in annual revenues.

BioAmber was given the Small Business Award for its "Integrated Production and Downstream Applications of Biobased Succinic Acid." BioAmber's technology produces succinic acid at a cost 40% below that of petroleum-based succinic acid and can even compete when oil prices are below $40 per barrel. The technology also sequesters carbon dioxide rather than emitting it.

Succinic acid, commonly referred to as amber acid, is a key building block for a wide range of secondary chemicals used in the chemical, pharmaceutical, food and agricultural industries. BioAmber's biosuccinic acid can also substitute for other chemicals like adipic acid in traditional polymers and serve as the starting material for the production of chemicals such as BDO and tetrahydrofuran (THF).

Genomatica, on the other hand, has been recognized for its production of high volume basic chemicals from renewable feedstocks at lower cost under the "Greener Synthetic Pathways Award." BDO, with a 2.8 billion pound, $3 billion worldwide market, is a high-volume chemical building block used to make many common polymers, such as spandex and in automotive plastics.

Genomatica expects its production expenses for bio-BDO should be 15-30% less than petroleum-based BDO and be competitive at oil prices of $45 per barrel or at natural gas prices of $3.50 per million Btu.

Kraton is already well known in the chemical industry and the company received this year's "Greener Reaction Conditions Award." for its NEXAR™ Polymer Membrane Technology. The technology is a family of halogen-free, high-flow, polymer membranes made using up to 50% less hydrocarbon solvent. The NEXAR™ membranes can purify hundreds of times more water than one using traditional membranes. The EPA noted that Kraton's technology also save 70% in membrane costs, and 50% in energy
costs.

The NEXAR polymers are reportedly made from block copolymers that provide strength toughness and flexibility, and water or ion transport.

The blog is actually very interested in Sherwin-William's water-based acrylic alkyd technology which was given the "Designing Greener Chemicals Award." Sherwin-Williams is said to have developed its water-based paints (sold under ProClassic Waterbased Acrylic Alkyd,ProMar 200 Waterbased Acrylic Alkyd, and ProIndustrial Waterborne Enamel) made from recycled soda plastic bottle (PET), acrylics and soybean oil.

Sherwin-Williams has used 320,000 pounds of soybean oil, 250,000 pounds of recycled PET, and eliminated 1,000 barrels of oil use as well as over 800,000 pounds of VOCs in 2010.

Professor Lipshutz received the Academic Award. He developed a novel, second-generation designer surfactant called TPGS-750-M made from inexpensive ingredients. The technology is said to offer opportunities for industrial processes to replace large amounts of organic solvents with very small amounts of a benign surfactant nanodispersed in water only. These reactions can even be run in seawater. Sigma-Aldrich is currently offering TPGS-750-M for sale, making it broadly available to research laboratories.

© 2011, Richard Matthews. All rights reserved.

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Video: Solar Roadways

This video contains an update on the Solar Roadways project which is working to pave roads with solar panels that you can drive on. The company won the GE Ecomagination Challenge, a prestigious award that comes with a $50,000 prize. In December, The Green Market named Solar Roadways as the top automotive eco-innovation of 2010. In this video, the company's co-founder Scott Brusaw walks us through some major advances. The video also contains an exclusive first ever video of the Solar Roadway prototype For more information visit Solar Roadways.

© 2011, Richard Matthews. All rights reserved.

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PUMA's Sustainable Packaging Innovation

In 2010 PUMA launched its innovative packaging solution known as the “clever little bag”, conceived in partnership with Yves Béhar. The company says new packaging initiatives will reduce cardboard use by 65 percent. Less packaging materials, means less use of water and energy to produce. This innovative solution reduces carbon emissions by 10,000 tons per year.

The Clever Little Bag has integrated the features of a traditional cardboard shoebox into a re-usable shoe bag. Reducing raw materials and the resources needed to make them.

PUMA will reduce water, energy and diesel consumption on the manufacturing level by more than 60% per year. This translates to saving approximately 8,500 tons of paper, 20 million Megajoules of electricity, 1 million litres less of fuel oil used and 1 million litres of water saved.

The Clever Little Bag also saves emissions and costs in shipping. Because it is smaller and lighter the Clever Little Bag provides reductions in transportation related emissions while reducing diesel fuel requirements by half a million litres.

The replacement of traditional shopping bags with the Clever Little Bag can save up to 275 tons of plastic. PUMA's apparel will be bagged in sustainable biodegradable materials replacing traditional polyethylene bags. This means that 720 tons of polyethylene bags can be avoided per year, which equals a saving of 29 million plastic bags and saves 192 tons of plastic. Replacing paper bags will save 293 tons of paper annually. All of PUMA's packaging materials used will be fully sustainable by 2015.

© 2011, Richard Matthews. All rights reserved.

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Xerox's Green Innovation

Sustainable innovation is key to Xerox's strategy. The company is putting green innovation to work for profit and the planet. For Xerox sustainability and profitability are mutually reinforcing goals for themselves and their customers.

Xerox Corporation is a $22 billion global enterprise for business process and document management. The 136,000 people of Xerox serve clients in more than 160 countries. Through its broad portfolio of technology and services, Xerox provides leading-edge document technology, services, software and supplies for graphic communication and office printing environments of all sizes. ACS, a company which Xerox acquired in February 2010, offers extensive business process outsourcing and IT outsourcing services.

The photocopying giant has also partnered with The Nature Conservancy to promote sustainable forestry, preserve biodiversity and help minimize forest loss and degradation that contributes to greenhouse gas emissions.

Xerox has been a leader for decades, as a mature company they now claim that green is part of their DNA. The company has maintained a business strategy focused on sustainable innovation. Xerox pioneered two-sided copying, print-on-demand, recycled paper and toner cartridges. More recently Xerox developed managed print services that enable customers to achieve their goals of reducing paper and energy usage, while boosting productivity.

The company claims that sustainability is a business fundamental, embedded in their operations and technologies, written into supplier specifications and creating economic value for their customers. They approach sustainability from a life cycle perspective because they recognize that the biggest opportunity to make an impact is by addressing all aspects of their actions, products and services.

Xerox’s innovative solid ink technology enables customers to cut costs and reduce their environmental impact. According to company, their ColorQube™ multifunction printer generates 90 percent less supplies waste, uses 9 percent less life cycle energy and produces 10 percent fewer greenhouse gases than comparable laser devices. Compared with conventional systems, it saves water, and is easier to recycle.

Xerox created the industry’s first Sustainability Calculator to help customers develop a fact-based estimate of their print-related environmental footprint. It enables customers to pinpoint opportunities to reduce both their environmental impact and their costs. They also help customers move from paper to digital documents with innovative business process and document management solutions

On April 7, 2011 Xerox Canada celebrated the achievement of reaching 1,500 patents. U.S. Patent 7,875,411 – XRCC’s 1,500th patent is part of the patent portfolio that covers long life photoreceptor technologies, a key area for increasing the sustainability attributes of Xerox’s laser printers and related products. The Xerox Research Centre Canada is responsible for developing the armour technology that almost doubles the life of photoreceptors - multi-layer thin film devices that convert light into electrostatic images.

“This technology has enabled a 30 percent reduction in waste, less down time and disruption to work flow, improved productivity, and fewer service calls,” says Yonn Rasmussen, vice president of the Xerographic Component Systems Group.

Investment in innovation can provide lucrative returns. Xerox discovered that their innovations have ended up either saving their customers and Xerox money or creating new markets and new profits.

See Xerox's environmental initiatives related to Solid ink technology and ColorQube. The company also has a sustainability Kit (PDF).

For more information, visit Xerox, or for investor information, click here.

© 2011, Richard Matthews. All rights reserved.

Green Product Design Network

Students, faculty, staff, and business leaders are invited to join the Green Product Design Collaboration Network to invent sustainable products. Their intent is to develop "a different approach to product design."

The Green Product Design Network (GPDN) began with a group of leaders from the University of Oregon with expertise in green chemistry, product design, business and journalism and communication with an interest in inventing sustainable products that can be readily adopted and marketed to our larger society.

The goal is to take ideas from invention to the marketplace in a way that has a more expedient and lasting impact on society.The Green Product Design Network–in accordance with the University of Oregon’s emerging academic plan, and “Big Ideas”–has been selected as one of five key projects that the University of Oregon (UO) is supporting and highlighting as a major strategic initiative for the UO.

On Wednesday, March 30, 2011 The Green Product Design Network held an event titled, Perceptions of Green Product Design and Green Marketing, at the Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art on the University of Oregon campus in Eugene, Oregon. The business of green product design was explored through two presentations by Kiersten Muenchinger (UO Product Design) and Kim Sheehan (UO Journalism and Communications) exploring materials, marketing, waste and misconceptions about environmentally-friendly product design.

The Green Product Design Network is confronting challenges related to our dwindling resource base, climate change, chemical contaminants, the viability and success of our financial markets, and the emergence of new technologies. The best solutions to these problems will come from research cutting across many disciplines and from the creation of tailored, multidisciplinary education programs for our students. This is the aim of the GPDN.

Their strategy is to develop a network that is inclusive and taps the potential of the wide range of scholars needed to tackle these large challenges and allows for broader participation than typical Center and Institute structures. In addition, a network structure facilitates open participation from external strategic partners including those from industry, government, and NGOs. Networks are flexible and nimble, even at large scale – there is minimal fixed infrastructure and participation can define membership while project leadership can easily change as focus shifts.

Their Vision involves enhancing synergies to Impact the “Triple Bottom Line:” People, Planet, and Profit. Inventing and marketing profitable products that truly are green. This requires a broad interdisciplinary approach—and the UO is uniquely equipped to provide it. The GPDN provides a unifying theme to leverage strengths in the arts and sciences, architecture and allied arts, business, journalism, and law to provide a systems approach to:

• Improve understanding about how new products affect the environment, our economic structures, and society.
• Invent greener products, materials, and chemicals.
• Discover the best business models and practices to deliver these innovations to society.
• Create meaningful educational programs for current and future generations.The strength of this strategy is that it will enhance synergies between the three pillars of the "triple bottom line:" people, planet, and profit.

Contact Julie A. Haack for more information, go to the Green Product Design Network Website and see their Facebook page.

© 2011, Richard Matthews. All rights reserved.

China's Green Innovation and the Challenge for America

The United States is losing its competitive edge against an emerging economic superpower. China is on track to surpass US gross domestic product in 2020 and it is increasingly competing with world renowned American innovation.

China has historically been a global leader in innovation. They are the first nation to invent a wealth of crucial technologies including the magnetic compass, gunpowder, cast iron, paper, printing and the wheelbarrow. The Chinese also invented technologies involving mechanics, hydraulics, and mathematics. But that was many centuries ago, and these technologies were used by the West to establish their technological dominance. Now China is using western technology to grow its economy, but they are also re-emerging as a leading center of innovation.

China is advancing its innovative capabilities by employing a uniquely Chinese approach and by looking to advanced countries for inspiration. The Chinese are now dominating the world in wind turbines, solar panels and high-speed rail.

The Chinese Academy of Sciences’ (CAS) goals for 2020 include environmental innovation. China is planning to invest $1.5 trillion in strategic areas. This includes alternative fuel cars, alternative energy, high speed rail, energy efficiency and other environmentally friendly technologies.In the annual report to the National People's Congress in March 2010, Premier Wen Jiabao called for "pushing forward with building a smart grid". Over the next five years, State Grid Corp of China, plans to build an "informationised, automatic and interactive" grid with ultra high voltage power lines.When it comes to energy, China has demonstrated a commitment to hydro, wind, gas and nuclear. China has already surpassed many of the targets it set in 2007. The government is expected to unveil new more ambitious targets for alternative energy in the next few months.

China plans to build 13,000 km (8,078 miles) of high-speed rail lines by 2012, more than the rest of the world combined. The country plans to invest 2 trillion yuan in railways by 2020, while building a fleet of state-of-the-art trains.

China also controls 97 percent of the world's rare earth minerals including lithium, a metal that is crucial to the development of the batteries used in electric cars.

Chinese innovation is not limited to cleantech. China is now the number two patent filer in the world. The Chinese are poised to be global leaders in space and DNA-sequencing. China is also working on the world’s largest single-dish radio telescope. China is emerging as a world leader in everything from palaeontology to nanotechnology and in 2011, China will consolidate its position as the second-largest national source of scientific papers.

As outlined in his 2011 State of the Union address, President Obama wants to put more emphasis on innovation and education. Obama is not alone, national leaders like Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan share the view that innovation is the key to economic competitiveness

Adam Segal of the Council on Foreign Relations in New York and author of the new book: Advantage: How American Innovation Can Overcome the Asian Challenge, argues that China is rapidly gaining the advantage in hardware innovation, which includes things like papers and patents. But according to Segal, China cannot compete in what he calls software innovation. Software includes the political, social and cultural understandings that help move ideas from labs to the market place.

However, China is also striving to innovate at the political, social and cultural levels. On February 19, 2011, at an event that was attended by the leaders of China's government, military, state-owned enterprises, financial institutions and institutions of higher learning, Chinese President Hu Jintao called for innovations to improve social management.

America is still the undisputed global leader in innovation and Segal argues that America is well positioned to take advantage of global innovation. "I think innovation is clearly at the top of that list and I also think that it is important that people realize this is an area of strength for us. If you look at how innovation is changing, it is becoming more globalized, spread around the world to all of these newly emerging science and technology centers in China and India. And the U.S., in fact, is well positioned to take advantage of those. We have extensive connections to all of those places through alumni networks, university collaboration and corporate networks. I think the U.S. is better positioned than any country to take advantage of this kind of new global system of science and technology. So I think it's important for the president to point to our strengths and some of the things we need to do as we move forward."

However, without federal government support, America is destined to fall behind. China is one of the world’s largest investors in research and development, their spending on R&D has climbed by 19% per year since 1995 to reach US$30 billion in 2005.

For the United States to maintain its edge in innovation, Segal believes the US will need to keep investing in institutions like the National Science Foundation and the Department of Energy. But these investments will need to survive Republicans who seem intent on cutting into the fabric of American innovation. If the US is to compete with China it will need to ward off Republican cuts.

Source: Global Warming is Real

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Best Green Tech Innovations of 2010

Recently Popular Science released its list of the six top Green Tech innovations of 2010, which run the gamut from low to high tech sophistication. These innovations directly benefit the planet or are better for the environment than the technologies they intend to replace.

1. The Groasis Waterboxx

The Groasis Waterboxx was the best new innovation of the year. The innovation is an irrigation-free plant incubator that could help make arid lands fertile. Deforestation and over-farming have helped decrease the productivity of about 70 percent of the world’s arid and semi-arid lands, this could displace 50 million people by 2017.

However, even arid places have enough water, if the roots can access the moist soil beneath the surface. This innovation helps plants to survive long enough to be able to get their roots down to where they can find water.

The Waterbox is a donut shaped tub that is placed around a freshly planted seedling. The evaporation-proof basin is filled with four gallons of water and it supplements this water with condensation. The tub drips about three tablespoons of water a day into the soil, sustaining the plant while encouraging its roots to grow deeper in search of more water. After about one year, the plant reaches the moist soil layer, and the box can be removed and reused on the next sapling. Each Waterboxx is expected to last 10 years.

In tests in the Sahara, 88 percent of Waterboxx-sheltered trees survived, versus 10 percent of trees with traditional cultivation. The inventor is now working on a biodegradable version that decomposes and feeds the developing tree. One of the factors that gives this innovation widespread applicability is its low price of $27 per box. Each box can grow 10 trees in its lifetime, translating to a cost of $2.70 per tree, making it affordable even in poorer nations.

2. Philips EnduraLED

Philips EnduraLED bulb is far more efficient than traditional light bulbs and it is even more efficient than compact florescent light bulbs. This LED produces the same amount of light as a 60-watt incandescent using just 12 watts. The EnduraLED’s produce a warm, white glow. The bulb lasts approximately 25 times as long as an incandescent and energy savings cover the cost in about four years. Its efficiency is similar to compact fluorescent lights, but without the mercury. It retails for about $40.

3. ecoATM

Only 3 percent of cellphones worldwide get recycled; the rest end up leaking toxic metals into landfills. Now ecoATM has the first phone-recycling kiosk. To identify the phone’s model, it visually scans the phone’s exterior and compares the images with an ecoATM-maintained database of 4,000-plus mint-condition handsets. It also tests the phone’s electronics and looks for cracked LCDs and cosmetic damage. The kiosk erases the phone's data as well as payout cash based on the phone's resale value. The first 10 ecoATMs have already recycled 33,000 phones, at an average payout of $9 per handset. The company plans to roll out 500 more kiosks next year and expand to other portable electronics.

4. AMEE Explorer

AMEE. Explorer is the world's smartest carbon calculator. Three years ago, AMEE, a carbon-data company, made the best and most sophisticated programming tool aggregating thousands of previously incompatible data sources and environmental models. Now AMEE has added the free, user-friendly Web site Explorer.

5. Calera

Coal and natural-gas power plants are one of the largest man-made sources of carbon dioxide. But by paying to build a Calera facility, a plant can trap about 70 percent of the CO2 emissions coming out of their smokestack while producing and selling construction materials. Calera’s process combines the CO2 with calcium from underground brine or seawater to produce calcium carbonate, which can act as a cement. Calera has had a demonstration plant that has been running since 2009 and this year it began planning the first commercial facility.

6. Neah Power Infinity eL

Neah Power’s direct-methanol fuel cells are lighter, greener batteries that are also less expensive than other fuel cells. Its novel silicon-based electrode has 40 times as much surface area as most fuel cells, producing more charge while using less platinum catalyst. This fall, Neah introduced Infinity eL, its demo product line. The company commonly tailors its tech to specific applications, however, Neah cells could replace current lithium-ion batteries, including those found in electric-cars and laptops.


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1. Green Education

Over the course of late summer and early fall 2010, THE GREEN MARKET published an extensive series on green educational programs. This series includes the web's most comprehensive review of the major environmental programs from online courses to PhDs.


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2. Green Buildings

Green building got even bigger in 2010, the environmental, economic and social benefits of green building are revolutionizing construction methods and influencing design.

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3. Green Social Media Activism

Green social media activism is an increasingly effective way of bringing about important changes to the way we deal with the environment. Businesses that are reluctant to make these changes on their own are being forced to respect the earth by a growing number of online activists. 350.org is a great example of a huge global environmental movement. Events like 10/10/10, Earth Day and Earth Hour are not only raising awareness, they serve as platforms for tangible actions in support of the environment. Technologies like video are a highly accessible social media that is widely disseminating environmental messages.

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4. Greener Vehicles

Greener vehicles are hard to ignore, every major car maker is greening its vehicles, in the US, one third of new vehicles were greener vehicles. Innovative business models and new partnerships are driving greener vehicles so that they can take advantage of economies of scale.

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5. Sustainable Business Best Practices and Guidelines

As businesses are increasingly seeing the value of going green they are looking for best practices and guidelines to help them to make the transition. As a matter of competitiveness and even survival, going green is a strategic priority for many businesses.

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6. Sustainability Driven Innovation

The new green economy is driving innovation and smart businesses seeing the value of sustainability driven innovation.

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Global Social Benefit Incubator

7. Sustainable Stock

Sustainable stock continues to grow in 2010. This is not only a great way to support the green economy, green stock also offers significant returns for investors. The phenomenal performance of efficiency, wind, solar and geothermal plays were reviewed. Lithium stock represents a major green market opportunity.

Eco-Investing
Sustainable Stock
Sustainable Stock Offers More than Extraordinary Returns
Review of The Green Market's Sustainable Stock Portfolios and Future Prospects
Energy Efficient Lighting Stock Review and Future Prospects
Energy Efficient (Smart) Grid Stock Review and Future Prospects
Geothermal Stock Review and Future Prospects
Wind Stock Review and Future Prospects
Solar Stock Review and Future Prospects
Sustainable Investing and Long Term Thinking
Energy Efficiency: Home Market & Smart Grid
Solar Energy: Deals, Mergers and Acquisitions
Policies Contributing to More Robust Climate Risk Disclosure
Investors Prompt SEC To Provide Guidance on Companies Climate Change Disclosure
Lithium is the Right Stock at the Right Time for the Right Reasons
Mobile Electronics are Driving Demand for Lithium
Electric Vehicles Will Drive Demand for Lithium
Lithium is the Next Big Investment Opportunity
Lithium Power Benefits Investors and the Environment

8. UNFCCC and COP16

Despite low expectations we saw some progress at COP16 this year, including the areas of finance and REDD. Judging by the progress we saw at COP16, it looks as though the UNFCCC process is back on track.

The Cancun Climate Agreements Achieved at COP16
COP16 Market Based Finance Mechanisms
What Can Be Achieved At COP16
Reduction of Non-CO2 Emissions at COP16
Yvo de Boer on the Future of the UNFCCC
UNFCCC Executive Secretary Tells Governments to Get Real for COP16
UN Climate Change Meeting Commences in Tianjin China
The Resignation of Head UN Climate Change Negotiator Yvo de Boer
The Business Community's Silence on United Nations Climate Change Negotiations
Ongoing Deadlock on Climate Treaty Despite Extreme Weather
Lowering Expectations for UN Climate Negotiations
Video of Steven Chu at COP16: Building a Sustainab...
Copenhagen Accord: Global Emissions Cuts
Copenhagen Accord: Canada to Reduce its GHG Emissions by 17%
Copenhagen Accord: US Pledges to Reduce GHGs by 17%

9. G20 and the Economics of the Environment

The G20 continues to work towards a greener economy, including global climate finance and technology transfer. They remain instrumental to the goal of finding solutions to our environmental peril.

The G20 and the Transition to a Greener Economy
The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity
Spain Renews its Commitment to Clean Energy at the G20 Conference
Greenpeace's G20 Checklist
Korea's Green Growth and the New Expanison Paradigm
Video on Green Growth - Korea's Key to a Better Future
UN Hopeful about G20 Climate Finance
Canadians Disappointed with Conservative's Lack of leadership at the Toronto G20 Summit
UN Climate Change Initiatives Post Toronto
G20 Summit in Toronto Ends with Little Action on Climate Change
G20 Must Cooperate for a Sustainable Recovery
G20 and Central Bank Governors Joint Communique
G20 Disagreements and Global Economic Reforms
The G8's Competing National Priorities
Program and Plans for G8 and G20 Summits in Canada
The G20 and the Green Economy
UN Chief Asks G20 to Focus on a Sustainable Recovery
G20 Security Concerns Force Cancellation of Sustainable Supply Chain Event
Global Warming Exposes Resources but Arctic Meeting Leaves Some Out in the Cold

10. Green Jobs and the Growth of Cleantech

Green jobs are growing around the world. However, in the US, despite private sector initiatives, the lack of legislative support is impeding the growth of green jobs.

How to Land a Green Job
Video: Green Jobs
Democrats the Environment and Green Jobs
Clean Tech Job Trends 2010 Report: Manufacturing Issues and Recommendations
Clean Tech Job Trends 2010 Report: Growth and Global Competition
The Green Business League Sustainability Officer Training
The Growth of Green School Sustainability Officers
How to Become a Sustainability Officer
A Green Jobs Bill Will Have to Wait
Growing US Corporate Investments are Driving Cleantech in 2010 Small Business, Green Technology and Creativity
The Growth of the Green Market
Codexis IPO Bodes Well for Cleantech
Video: The Wisdom of Private Sector Investments in...

11. BP Spill in the Gulf of Mexico and the Future of Oil

The largest oil spill in American history ravaged the gulf of Mexico. Almost 5 million gallons of crude were responsible for the death of marine and coastal life.

Obama Presidency and the Gulf Oil Spill
Responsibility for the Costs of the Gulf Oil Spill
BP's Corporate Irresponsibility
The Costs of Offshore Drilling
Managing the Massive Gulf Oil Spill
Two More Reasons to Move Beyond Fossil Fuels
Offshore Oil is an Avoidable Tragedy
Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill Capped
Limbaugh Blames the Sierra Club for Oil Spill
Reigning in Irresponsible Oil Giants Chevron and Exxon Mobil
The Economic Calamity of Peak Oil
Peak Oil
Peak Oil Conference
Independence Day 2010: Declaration of Freedom from Fossil Fuels
End Fossil Fuel Subsidies

12. President Obama and the Democrats

Despite the President's efforts, the Democrats failed to support his climate and energy agenda.

Obama Makes Good on Executive Order to Reduce the Federal Government's GHGs
Obama Renews His Commitments to Clean Energy and Small Business
Preview of Obama's State of the Union Address
Excerpts from President Obama's State of the Union Address
Excerpts of President Obama's Address from the Oval Office
President Obama's "HomeStar" Program
Legislation Through Reconciliation
The Passage of Health Care Legislation and Implications for the Environment
Senate Democrats and the Environmental Agenda
Democrats Learning the Wrong Lesson from Republicans
House Democrats Punished Despite Populist Pandering
Democrats the Environment and Green Jobs
4 Principles for Climate and Energy Legislation
Government Energy Policy the Environment and the Economy
The EPA Proposes Cleaner Air

13. Republican Obstructionism

The Republican party resisted the Democrats legislative agenda bringing obstructionism to an all time high. Washington is broken, and Republicans are to blame.

Republican Gubernatorial Gains and Redistricting
Republican Gubernatorial Gains and US Carbon Trading Programs
Republican Gubernatorial Gains and the Clean Energy Economy
Video: How to Get People to Vote for Climate Change
The Foxes in the Henhouse: Republicans in Charge of Climate and Energy Committees
Republicans for Environmental Protection
GOP's Environmental Roots
Conservatism is Green
Red States and Green Consumers
Republican Political Finance and the 2010 Midterm Elections
Republicans Undermining Climate Legislation
Cap-and-Trade Legislation Faces Opposition

14. US Midterm Election

Republican victories in the US midterm elections have unfortunate implications for legislation and the American democracy.

Republican Political Finance and the 2010 Midterm Elections
Environmental Issues in Six Key Senate Races
Election 2010 Midterm Predictions
Democrat's Chances in the 2010 Midterms
Republican's Anti-Science Stance on Global Warming
Republican Strategy for the 2010 Midterms and Beyond
The 2010 Midterms and the Fight Against Climate Change

15. The Koch Brothers War on Green

Corporate powerhouses like the Koch brothers are at war with efforts to manage climate change and they are undermining the democratic process.

Koch Industries Financing Climate Denial
Koch Industries' Environmental Crimes
Koch Industries Destroys the Environment and Funds Climate Denial
The Kochs' War Against Obama and the Democrats
The Kochs' Americans for Prosperity Undermines Cap-and-Trade
The Kochs' Citizens for a Sound Economy Feigned Grassroots
The Kochs' Mercatus Center and Environmental Deregulation
The Kochs' Cato Institute's Climate Denial
Koch Industries War with the EPA
Supreme Court and the Koch Brothers Clandestine War
The Koch Brothers' No Climate Tax Pledge
The Kochs' Climate Science Denial
Koch Industries War on Industry Oversight and Environmental Regulation
The Kochs' Spending on Political Influence
Koch Industries and the Tea Party's Corporate "Grassroots"
The Kochs' Tea Party Republicans and Climate Change Denial
Video Linking the Kochs' and the Tea Party

16. Undermining Efforts to Manage Climate Change and Getting Through to Deniers

Forces beholden to the old energy economy are undermining efforts to manage climate change. These forces have even managed to use the courts to further their climate denial. However, there are arguments that resonate with some of those who support climate denial.

Protecting the Planet from Corporate Influence
Supreme Court Decision Undermines Climate Change Legislation
How to get Through to Climate Change Deniers
Climate Change is an Economic and a Security Issue
Government Energy Policy the Environment and the Economy

17. Tea Party Climate Change Denial

The Tea Party is a depressing new form of conservatism that wants to return to all that was wrong with America. This new wave of climate change denial may have sinister roots, but they are undeniably popular and they are unlikely to go away any time soon.

Tea Party's Climate Change Denial
Tea Party Candidates and O'Donnell's Constitution Confusion
Tea Party Bolsters Republican Commitment to Obstructionism
Koch Industries and the Tea Party's Corporate "Grassroots"
The Kochs' Tea Party Republicans and Climate Change Denial
Video Linking the Kochs' and the Tea Party

18. Sarah Palin's Climate Denial

Sarah Palin continues to operate from the margins of the political process. Despite her contempt for the environment, her growing popularity positions her as a front-runner for the Republican presidential nomination in 2012.

Sarah Palin: Tea Party Queen but No Friend of Green
Palin Blames Environmentalists for BP Oil Spill
Sarah Palin Belongs on Fox Not Discovery
Palin Renews Call for Offshore Oil Exploitation

19. Holiday Consumerism and the Environment

A new form of consumerism continues to unfold, people are increasingly using their wallets to vote for greener products and greener ways to shop.

Green Gifts for the Holidays
Cyber Monday 2010
Green Shopping on Black Friday
Thanksgiving: Learning to Live in Harmony with the Environment
Online Consumers and E-Commerce: Holiday Season 2009 and Implications for 2010
Easter and the Environment
Consumers Continue to Embrace the Burgeoning Green Market
Green Halloween Suggestions
Scary Halloween Consumer Statistics

20. Canada's Environmental Inaction

Canada may be the home of pristine nature, but under the stewardship of the Harper Conservatives, it is increasingly at odds with the environment and the will of the Canadian people.

Canada's Conservative Government Opposes Kyoto and...
Green Market Opportunity Being Missed by Canada
WWF's Canadian Living Planet Report
Canada's Conservative Government at Odds with the Public on Climate Change
Why Canadian Environment Minister Resigned
Conservatives Ignore Canadians While Jeopardizing the Environment and the Economy
Canada is a World Leader in GHG Emissions
Canadians Disappointed with Conservative's Lack of leadership at the Toronto G20 Summit

21. California's Environmental Leadership

Calaifornia continues to show the rest of America and the world what the future will look like. Their environmental leadership also has positive economic ramifications.

California's Proposition 23
California's Government Partnerships are Driving the Green Economy
Oakland's Green Jobs and Energy Initiatives
Berkeley's Climate Action Plan
Smarter Cities' Best Green American Municipalities
World Mayors Summit on Climate
The Green California Community College Summit

22. Water Management

Water is an increasingly scarce resource and efforts are underway to bring the issues surrounding this resource into focus.

Solutions to the World Water Crisis
Alarming Facts About Water
Blog Action Day 2010: Raising Awareness about Water
Investing in Water
First International Water Hour

23. Global Environmental Events

a Range of environmental events are bringing the environment into focus. Events throughout the year help to bring people to the table to manage environmental degradation.

Calendar of Global Environmental Events - Fall 2010
Calendar of Global Environmental Events Summer 2010
Calendar of Global Environmental Events Spring 2010
Global Wind Day
World Animal Day 2010
World Habitat Day 2010
Endangered Species
World Day to Combat Desertification 2010
World Car Free Day and Fossil Fuel Powered Cars
Growth in World Population Threatens Environment
World Population Day 2010: Everyone Counts
Environmental Impact of Overpopulation and Sustainable Development
Extreme Weather

24. Green Conferences and Summits

A large and growing number of conferences and summits are helping to share important information that can help the business community, governments and citizens manage our environmental challenges.

Montreal 2010 World Energy Congress
Conference on Pricing Carbon Emissions
Start and the Electric Eco-Car Spectacular
The 2010 World Energy Technologies Summit
France's Innovation in Renewable Energy on Display
Business for the Environment Global Summit
NYSE Green Summit
Green Festival`s Business Seminars
CleanTech Open Conference
GreenBiz Innovation Forum 2010
Opportunity Green Business Conference Networking Event and Awards
2010 Green Schools Summit Workshop & Conference
The Clean Energy Manufacturing Summit
GOVgreen Conference & Expo
The Green California Community College Summit

25. Big Cola's Environmental Marketing

In the 70's big cola (Coke and Pepsi) went on war over which soft drink was better, this year big cola is fighting to determine which cola company is more socially responsible including efforts to promote and act on environmental issues.

Coke's Zero Waste Carbon Neutral Sponsorship
Pepsi Refresh Project's Cause Marketing Videos


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