Posted by on November 23rd, 2007
Sometimes little things make all the difference - ask Willy Wonka about the Oompa Loompas. Another little change recommended by the Green Alliance: whack a ’smart meter’ in people’s electricity supply. Consumers know how much they’re using, and they cut back.
From Uncle Bulgaria’s favourite paper, The Times: “[smart meters] use data gathered by sensors in the home, along with a profile of its inhabitants, to make the most efficient use of energy to fulfil the household’s needs. If the introduction of smart electricity meters proved successful, smart gas and smart water meters would follow. Intelligent controls for heating, lighting and blinds would then be integrated, keeping the home at the optimum temperature while using the smallest amount of energy possible. The connection of home appliances via a wireless network would then be the next step for adventurous households.”
As is often the way, apparently the public attitude to such devices is unbridled enthusiasm - until they have to get their wallets out. Nearly half of those surveyed by the Green Alliance said they’d be up for a smart meter in their homes - but only a quarter of those folk would be willing to find their way to a cheque book to pay for installation.
Bah Humbug, indeed.
Posted by on November 23rd, 2007
Greenbang is a grown up. Greenbang never takes the opportunity to make shabby puns just because she can. And for that reason, Greenbang would never make a joke like: despite WEEE directive, electronics recycling rates in Europe are still piss weak.
Such a lazy pun is inspired by the news that in spite of the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Directive, recycling rates remain lower than Les Dennis’ self esteem.
EE Times reckons:
“Presently only 25 percent of Europe’s medium sized household appliances and 40 percent of larger appliances are collected for salvage or recycling. Small appliances are collected at a quota of almost zero. This leaves “substantial room for improvement,” criticizes study manager Ruediger Kuehr of the [United Nations University] office in Bonn, Germany.
Kuehr named a long-term target of 60 percent collection rate for small items such as MP3 players as well as for medium sized audio equipment, microwave ovens and TV sets. “
Greenbang wonders if all those who aren’t recycling their MP3 players are yet to discover eBay.
Posted by on November 23rd, 2007
Like a cup of soup on a cold day or a pub with an open fire, there are some things that give you a warm and fuzzy feeling inside: like a press release Greenbang received today.
According to a bit of research from recruiters Robert Half and the Institute of Chartered Accountants, younger members of the workforce are all about environment and sustainability.
Well done, the yoof. The report adds:
“Senior managers from manufacturing, building and utilities companies reported having a much more formal corporate responsibility approach around areas of health and safety and environmental issues. Professional services firms, on the other hand, whilst acknowledging the same areas for concern, were more likely to formulate corporate responsibility policy around employee welfare, work-life balance, charitable contributions, reductions in carbon emissions and recycling.”
Posted by on November 22nd, 2007
Greenbang is supporting Germany at next year European Championship football tournament. This is because the England team, as much use as a chocolate teapot, did not qualify, and China and the USA aren’t European. No, seriously, it’s true, check here.
Happily Germany, the land that brought us Lederhosen, Bratwurst and the Volkswagen Beetle, is also furnishing the world with clean energy. At least that’s the plan.
For Germany’s two biggest power companies, RWE and EON, are looking to shed their image as heavy polluters by unveiling major alternative energy investment plans.
Einfach klasse!!! This is excellent news, Greenbang hears you cry.
It started earlier this month when EON said it would invest six billion euros in ‘green’ sources by the end of the decade. RWE has come back with a pledge of one billion euros every year, starting in January.
Here’s the World Business Council for Sustainable Development with the story:
Both groups, along with German power companies Vattenfall and EnBW, have given the priority to wind turbines, ahead of solar energy.
But the quartet, which produces 80 percent of Germany’s electricity, are also looking into other sources, including hydraulic energy, biomass, geothermal and hydropower, which draws energy from waves or tides.
“EON and especially RWE are not pioneers in renewable energy,” noted Reiner Haier, an analyst at the regional bank LBBW.
“They want to catch up, and it will be a tight race.”
Posted by on November 22nd, 2007
Coffee house company Costa’s customers are no mugs (arf), although they do use the disposable caffeine vessels frequently. The problem is, after enjoying their morning pick-me-up, Costa customers tend to discard the paper mugs, like a drunkards bogey, into the cruel world alone.
This lack of relationship building with inanimate objects is causing some consternation to the Costa powers that be, and the team has worked hard to produce a mug that you don’t chuck away. Just in time for Christmas.
Happily, the mug is also environmentally friendly (because you don’t throw it away, silly). And all the proceeds go to the Costa Foundation - the firm’s very own registered charity in which it helps the communities where it sources its coffee by building schools.
God bless them, every one.
Posted by on November 22nd, 2007
Every time Greenbang watches Pop Idol and views the sorry stream of losers parading in front of the bitter-tongued judges, convinced they’re going to be the next Elvis when they sound more like a frog being harshly compressed by a 4 by 4. How can the distance between ability and belief be so far apart, Greenbang wonders?
Maybe one to ask datacentre managers. Apparently three quarters of them want to have green datacentres but only one in seven have actually got something underway.
From IDM:
“While energy efficiency is a priority, it does not trump business needs and has added yet another layer of complexity when it comes to managing datacentres.”
But it could all be academic soon anyway: according to VNU, come 2012, there won’t be enough power to go around for all those lovely green datacentres.
“Power constraints caused by the development of London Cross Rail and the Olympic site, and a lack of new data centre construction in central London, are creating significant data burdens for medium-sized UK companies.”
And you just thought the Olympics were only good for driving up property prices.
Posted by on November 22nd, 2007
Like London’s pigeons, plastic bags seem to endlessly multiply and are roundly cursed by the populace at large.
But if Gordon Brown, texture like sun, has his way, they could be doomed (plastic bags not pigeons) with supermarkets forced to ditch single use placcy.
Via The Telegraph, Gordon tells us:
“I believe we can go further. Indeed, I am convinced that we can eliminate single-use plastic bags altogether in favour of long-lasting and more sustainable alternatives.”
Greenbang likes his use of “eliminate” there. Makes him sound a bit like a Dalek.
Anyway, Gord is a bit late to the plastic eradicating party. San Francisco introduced a bill planning on banning supermarket plastic bags this week, no less.
Posted by on November 22nd, 2007
You know an industry’s getting hotter than global warming when you can hear the IPO bell ring. Today’s environmental IPO of choice is all about wind.
Forbes tells us:
“Xinjiang Goldwind Science and Technology Co plans a domestic initial public offering (IPO) on the Shenzhen stock market, according to a draft prospectus filed with the China Securities Regulatory Commission… Goldwind plans to use the proceeds to expand capacity, finance research and development as well as to develop wind farms.”
In other stock market rumblings, First Solar is being touted by some folk sort of environmental Google - all shiny rising share price and chubby cheeked potential. Schaeffers Research mulls the issue:
“The moves on these types of stocks can be extreme so you have to be prepared for that. To some that is unnerving, but to others, that is what they are looking for - the potential to move.
First Solar (FSLR) shows 7 “buys” of 11 ratings while Baidu.com (BIDU) shows 6 “buys” of 10 ratings. That doesn’t feel like the same level of overwhelming enthusiasm [as the internet bubble]. Of course, that doesn’t mean the stocks won’t be volatile so point one is definitely something to keep in mind.”
Posted by on November 22nd, 2007
What? Father Christmas doesn’t exist?! Greenbang suggests you go and wash your mouth out with soap and water for telling lies like that.
And Santa-deniers are not the only one in for a good gob scrub: a study has found that 99 percent of ‘green’ claims made on consumer products are, in fact, a load of old cobblers to some extent.
Apparently, according to Canada.com, there are six sins of greenwashing:
“The biggest sin committed - 57% of all environmental claims - was the hidden trade-off such as “energy-efficient” electronics that contain hazardous materials and paper products that promote their recycled content while ignoring their polluting manufacturing processes.
Next, 26% of claims committed the sin of no proof; for example, shampoos that claim to be organic but have no verifiable certification.”
But, the report reveals, a microscopic one percent of products were branded with out and out lies. Presumably they said Santa didn’t exist or something.
Posted by on November 22nd, 2007
In a bit of ‘and the lion shall lie down with the lamb’ news, Greenbang has learnt this week that nuclear could apparently be the answer to future shortages of clean water.
According to Science Daily, researchers are already on the case using “waste energy” from power stations for desalination:
“A. Raha and colleagues at the Desalination Division of the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, in Trombay, point out that Low-Temperature Evaporation (LTE) desalination technology utilizing low-quality waste heat in the form of hot water (as low as 50 Celsius) or low-pressure steam from a nuclear power plant has been developed to produce high-purity water directly from seawater. Safety, reliability, viable economics, have already been demonstrated.”
Greenbang is inspired by this unlikely pairing and is off to try and get a whale to adopt a tiger.
This story is brought to you in association with Delta Simons
