On June 20th the health and use of the world’s oceans takes center stage at Rio +20, the sustainable development conference in Rio de Janeiro. The garden of the city’s modern art museum (MAM) is where the Blue Pavilion has been erected in order to house a line-up of events that will unfold during the day. The program will kick off with a press conference about the film Planet Continue reading… » 

Speaking at the Rio+20 sustainability summit, the mayors of New York City and Rio de Janeiro will announce that 48 of the world’s largest cities are taking steps to cut 248 tons of greenhouse gas emissions by 2020, the equivalent of removing 44 million cars from the road for a year. Continue reading… » 

Emory University is a private research university located in the city of Atlanta, Georgia. It is one of the top 20 universities in the United States, as ranked by U.S. News and World Report, and Newsweek named it one of the 25 “New Ivies” in the year 2006. Emory University is also extremely well known for it’s numerous sustainability initiatives. The university currently has one of the biggest inventories in regards to square footage for LEED Certified building space among all universities in the United States. The university Continue reading… » 

WindMade is a new certification label for companies that obtain at least 25% of their electricity from wind power.

Recently, Danish hearing aid manufacturer Widex became the first company in the world to receive the WindMade label. A wind turbine supporting 95% of Widex’s energy use, including production, put the company well above the percentage threshold Continue reading… » 

As the world converges in Rio de Janeiro for the biggest sustainability conference of the year, the Rio+20, twitter activity is booming. One of the most popular hashtags today was #endfossilfuelsubsidies, which aims to end subsidies for fossil fuel energy.

A sustainable future must hinge on alternative Continue reading… » 

Japan’s struggle over its energy future was on display over the last two days as the government okayed restarting operations at two nuclear power plants while also approving an ambitious renewable energy feed-in tariff in which utilities will pay a premium for electricity generated by solar, wind, and geothermal power. Continue reading… » 

In previous posts (here, here and here), I discussed the IP litigation in China between American Superconductor (AMSC) and Chinese wind energy system maker Sinovel.

Recharge reports that China’s Supreme People’s Court recently agreed to hear AMSC’s appeal in one Continue reading… » 

As summer rolls around, it is time to take advantage of longer days and warmer weather. Yet, hot months often take a major toll on our budgets. What gives? As mercury rises, so do the costs of keeping our houses and buildings cool. Our thermal comfort at home, in office, in a supermarket, or in other public establishments, can present a major expense for Continue reading… » 

Ecwatech Russia, the largest water technology event in Eastern Europe, took place in Moscow at the beginning of this month, with 700 exhibitors from around the globe and over 12,000 visitors.

The Israeli booth at the event drew some of Russia’s most prominent players in the water arena, including Continue reading… » 

Consumer backlash against smart meters continues to create a small but ongoing drag on utility rollouts, with new opt-out schemes aimed at allaying fears.

The issue: some consumers want nothing to do with smart meters, either because of health concerns about the wireless technology or because of the potential for privacy invasion; and they do not want Continue reading… »