It's Final -- Corn Ethanol Is Of No Use
Jim Conca
APRIL 20, 2014
Can we stop pretending biofuel from corn is helping the planet and the environment?
2014 Related Topics 
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Watch the Great Lakes Freeze Over
TIME Ecocentric
FEBRUARY 23, 2014
Correction appended February 26 You can measure a winter in many ways: temperature records, snow cover, even travel delays. But to truly see how frigid this winter has been—at least for the eastern half of the U.S.—you you need to go way up. Satellite imagery shows that an incredible 88% of the Great Lakes—Superior, Michigan, Huron, Ontario and Erie—are now frozen over.
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How Uncle Sam Is Helping to Feed the Honeybees
TIME Ecocentric
FEBRUARY 26, 2014
When I wrote a cover story last August about the plight of the honeybees, I didn’t think I’d still be talking about it half a year later. Yet this afternoon I went down to Washington to address a meeting of the National Garden Club—and the topic, of course, was honeybees. I wish I’d had better news to offer.
Nuclear Fusion Just Got a Little Closer to Becoming a Reality
TIME Ecocentric
FEBRUARY 12, 2014
When physicists first split the atom in 1938, in the process known as nuclear fission, the feat led very quickly to the bombs that destroyed Hiroshima and Nagasaki and ended World War II. A mere decade or so later this destructive force had been tamed to power the first commercial nuclear power plants.
Volcanoes May Be Slowing Down Climate Change
TIME Ecocentric
FEBRUARY 25, 2014
Small volcanic eruptions might be part of the reason why the pace of global warming hasn’t kept up with previous predictions, a new study published in Nature Nature Geoscience suggests. Eruptions of at least 17 volcanoes since 2000, including Kasatochi in Alaska and Merapi in Indonesia, seem to have had a cooling influence on the temperature of the Earth’s surface and lower atmosphere.
Thanks to Climate Change, West Nile Virus Could Be Your New Neighbor
TIME Ecocentric
FEBRUARY 28, 2014
Invasive species aren’t just species — they can also be pathogens. Such is the case with the West Nile virus. A mosquito-borne virus identified in the West Nile subregion in Uganda in 1937 — hence the name — West Nile wasn’t much of a concern to people elsewhere until it broke out of Africa in 1999. The first U.S. cases were confirmed in New York City in 1999, and it has now spread throughout much of the world.
Take the Cleantech Pledge for Gender Inclusion
Women in Cleantech and Sustainability
SEPTEMBER 30, 2014
Posted by Rosana Francescato. How can we increase the visibility of women in cleantech? And why is it important that we do so? We know that in tech in general, women are underrepresented. The average breakdown is about 30% women to 70% men in tech companies. What’s being done about this? In tech, not much.
Our Global Diet Is Becoming Increasingly Homogenized—and That’s Risky
TIME Ecocentric
MARCH 4, 2014
All it takes is a trip to the closest Whole Foods to discover how much more varied the offerings of an American grocery store have become in recent years. Organic asparagus from Mexico, papaya from Hawaii, dry scallops from Nantucket Bay—the foodstuffs available to American consumers have never been more diverse.
Fracking out your back door
Martin LaMonica
JULY 12, 2014
Anybody who follows energy knows that the biggest story, by far, is fracking. The combination of the drilling technique known as hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, and horizontal drilling has opened up huge reserves of natural gas, oil, and other hydrocarbons in the U.S. It’s pushed the U.S. closer toward the once-fanciful notion of energy independence and is bringing massive investment as chemical companies seek to take advantage of cheap natural gas.
Can Urban Beekeeping Stop the Beepocalypse?
TIME Ecocentric
FEBRUARY 13, 2014
I’m just going to say it: Los Angeles is abuzz over urban beekeeping. For years the city has had a thriving underground beekeeping culture, with hives kept in backyards by Los Angelenos who want their honey extra local. It’s part of a national trend that has even luxury hotels like the Waldorf-Astoria in New York keeping bees on city roofs or in tiny urban backyards.
Oklahoma Shakes—Is Fracking to Blame?
TIME Ecocentric
FEBRUARY 18, 2014
It’s been a shaky week in Oklahoma. The Sooner State has experienced more than 150 earthquakes over the past week, far more than the Okies usually get. And while the vast majority of the quakes were fairly minor, one, on Feb. 16 measured 3.8 on the Richter scale, followed by a number of aftershocks. There’s been little damage reported, but the quakes jolted folks in a part of the country who aren’t accustomed to the Earth moving under their feet.
A Bright Year for Solar in the U.S.—But There Are Clouds on the Horizon
TIME Ecocentric
MARCH 5, 2014
You don’t get any brighter than the reflecting mirrors at the just-opened Ivanpah Solar Power Facility, in California‘s Mojave desert. When I visited the project back in May, I was warned not to look directly at the mirrors, lest my eyeballs end up as scorched as some of the birds that have flown through the 1,000° F-plus (538° C) heat generated by the solar towers. The picture is almost as bright for solar as a whole in the U.S.
California’s Farmers Need Water. Is Desalination the Answer?
TIME Ecocentric
FEBRUARY 14, 2014
President Obama will get to see California‘s disastrous drought first hand today on a visit to the farming city of Fresno. It won’t be a pretty sight. While the conditions are arid across the state, with 91.6% of California in severe to exceptional drought, agricultural areas are suffering the worst. The state’s Central Valley has long been the fruit and vegetable basket of the country, growing nearly half of U.S. produce.
Quit Your Whining—For the U.S., January Wasn’t That Cold
TIME Ecocentric
FEBRUARY 13, 2014
And it’s not just New York: cities from Boston to Atlanta to Chicago have experienced the deep freeze of 2014. That puts January 2014—the month of the much vaunted polar vortex—right in the middle historically, making it the 53rd coldest January over the past 120 years. I should be in Florida.
California Is Finally Set to Get Rain, But It Won’t Quench the Drought
TIME Ecocentric
FEBRUARY 24, 2014
How extreme is the drought in California? Right now the federal government says that every square mile of California is in some state of drought—and 14.62% of the state, concentrated in central California’s agricultural heartland, is in the most extreme state of exceptional drought. Rainfall in some of the most populated parts of the state have been all but nonexistent—since July 1, San Francisco has experienced just 5.85
A Landmark International Agreement to Halt Wildlife Trafficking Is Just the Beginning
TIME Ecocentric
FEBRUARY 13, 2014
Leading nations gathered in London this week for the highest-level meeting ever to tackle the illegal trade in wildlife products. Illegal wildlife trafficking—the unlawful slaughter of endangered animals to trade their valuable parts—has risen alarmingly in recent years. Campaigners estimate that more than 30,000 elephants were killed in Africa last year for their ivory and 1,000 rhinos killed in South Africa alone, an increase of some 5,000%.
Eco Pro 2013
Cleantech Blog
JANUARY 2, 2014
Every year, Eco-Pro features a particular theme. With the recovery of Fukushima on everyone’s mind and the uncertainty in fossil fuel supply, the focus on 2013 was on renewable energy.
White House to Toughen Fuel Standards for Heavy-Duty Vehicles
TIME Ecocentric
FEBRUARY 18, 2014
In 2011, the Obama Administration established the first fuel standards for medium and heavy vehicles, rules that called for a 20% reduction in heavy-vehicle emissions by 2018—though only for truck models 2014 to 2018. When it comes to environmental initiatives, President Obama’s controversial efforts to impose some form of greenhouse gas regulation on America’s power plants have gotten most of the attention.
Japan Mulls Nuclear Revival Not Even 3 Years After Fukushima
TIME Ecocentric
FEBRUARY 25, 2014
If there was one thing that seemed certain in the wake of the Fukushima Daiichi meltdown in 2011—the worst atomic accident since Chernobyl—it was that nuclear power in Japan and the rest of the world was in major trouble. Japan, which before Fukushima had generated 30% of its electricity from nuclear, eventually took all of its 50 commercial reactors offline to pass new safety tests.
The Making of an Ice Storm
TIME Ecocentric
FEBRUARY 12, 2014
How severe is the combination snow and ice storm whiplashing the Southeast today? At 7 AM today a weather balloon was launched from Atlanta, to aid meteorologists in determining just how badly screwed the Peach State was. Answer: very.) Heavy ice began to accumulate on the balloon, until it was finally lost at about 12,500 ft. 3,810 m) above the ground. They decided not to send another one up. Georgia and much of the Southeast is experiencing a classic ice storm of catastrophic consequences.
Healthy Planet Partners Closes Distributed Generation and Energy Efficiency Fund
Cleantech Blog
SEPTEMBER 7, 2014
Healthy Planet Partners Energy & Infrastructure Fund, LP announces a final close at $26 MM, limited partnership to finance distributed generation and energy efficiency projects across North America GREENWICH, CT, JULY 9, 2014 – Healthy Planet Partners Financing Company, LLC (‘HPP’), an asset manager founded in 2013, announced the final closing of its inaugural fund, […].
Green & Grow Inc. Secures $6M Series B Funding From Otter Capital
Cleantech Blog
AUGUST 28, 2014
Texas, 26 August 2014: Green & Grow Inc. GGI) has raised an additional $6 million in Series B funding and secured Otter Capital as a significant new partner. Otter Capital’s expertise and investment capital will accelerate commercialization of GGI’s Agriplier™ technology, building on recent compelling field trial results across multiple crop types. Since our first […]. Cleantech News
Causam Energy to Acquire Power Analytics Corporation
Cleantech Blog
JULY 30, 2014
July 29, 2014 – Causam Energy, Inc., RALEIGH, N.C. headquartered in Raleigh, today announced a definitive agreement to acquire Power Analytics Corporation, a privately held software and professional services company with offices in San Diego and Raleigh. Power Analytics’ innovative software products solve complex power and energy problems, and in combination with Causam will […]. Cleantech News
U.S. Confronts Wildlife Trafficking With Ivory Trade Ban
TIME Ecocentric
FEBRUARY 11, 2014
Wildlife trafficking—the illegal killing of endangered animals and international trade in their parts—isn’t just a conservation problem. It’s a worldwide threat, one tied to global crime syndicates and international terrorism. So it’s good to see the U.S.—the the second-biggest market for legal and illegal ivory after China— beginning to take the problem more seriously.
TechWomen Is Not Just an Exchange Program
Women in Cleantech and Sustainability
NOVEMBER 18, 2014
Having spent the last five weeks immersed as a mentor in TechWomen 2014 , I’m compelled to share my observations. Posted by Guest Contributor By Christie McCarthy Originally published on the Vista Solar blog Advanced nations are beginning to understand this phenomenon: that healthy economies cannot exist without the contributions of women; and to the extent that women thrive, countries thrive.
Women Join Together to Advance Solar — and Women
Women in Cleantech and Sustainability
OCTOBER 26, 2014
While the initial excitement led to hopes that the group could launch and take off within a matter of months, the founders realized it would take time to organize stakeholders, onboard advisors, and begin coalition-building efforts that would support the eventual 2014 official filing of nonprofit status.
How I Became “The LED Lady” — Hawaiian Style?
Women in Cleantech and Sustainability
DECEMBER 17, 2014
Posted by Guest Contributor By Lindsay Wood “I have to write a blog” to “I get to write a blog” to “this blog is going to write me” – these are the thoughts that come to mind when sitting down at the control panel of my life … my MacBook Air and my brand new 27” screen. What makes it look so good? LEDs, or light-emitting diodes. Everyone with a smartphone has LEDs. Everyone who owns a relatively new headlamp, flashlight, or any kind of electronic device uses LEDs.
How to Reinvent Yourself and Create a Life and Career You Love
Women in Cleantech and Sustainability
NOVEMBER 12, 2014
Posted by Rosana Francescato What would you do if you found you were living a lifestyle but not a life? If you were Anne Martin, the Reinvention Mentor , you’d set about creating a life you could love – and you’d reinvent yourself. Martin told her law-to-lipstick story at a recent WCS event that had her audience persuaded we too can reinvent ourselves.
Finding Opportunities in Cleantech Funding
Women in Cleantech and Sustainability
AUGUST 19, 2014
According to the PWC Cleantech MoneyTree Report, Q2 2014 , there was virtually no early-stage VC funding for cleantech in the first quarter of this year, and only a small uptick last quarter. Posted by Guest Contributor By Anne Janzer While venture funding for cleantech is crawling back up, funding is still scarce for early-stage companies, where the innovations of the future are waiting.
The Push to Bring More Women into Cleantech and Sustainability
Women in Cleantech and Sustainability
OCTOBER 28, 2014
Posted by Guest Contributor Why aren’t there more women in solar and other industries related to cleantech and sustainability? This kind of question is being asked across many tech fields. When it comes to cleantech, quite a few areas are still in the process of maturing — and with that maturation comes both a greater awareness of the issue and more initiatives to do something about it. Solar is a prime example.
While Britain Floods, Politicians Debate Climate Change
TIME Ecocentric
FEBRUARY 17, 2014
Britons are normally never more comfortable than when talking about the weather, but recent extreme weather events have began to test that theory. Since December, the U.K. has faced a relentless assault from some of the worst winter weather on record. It began with the worst storm and tidal surges in 60 years hitting the North Sea coastline, floods that ruined Christmas for thousands across Surrey and Dorset and in January, the most exceptional period of rainfall since 1766.
First Annual WCS Talks Provide a Beacon of Hope
Women in Cleantech and Sustainability
OCTOBER 19, 2014
Posted by Rosana Francescato “The metamorphosis is now.” That’s what Lisa Ann Pinkerton, founder of Women in Cleantech and Sustainability, affirmed to a packed room at the first annual WCS Talks. What did she mean by this? We’re facing a change to business as usual, Lisa Ann believes, one that will take us from a top-down way of operating to a new way that can help us save our planet. She challenged us to ask, “What am I doing to help?”
We Want You! To Be Part of WCS
Women in Cleantech and Sustainability
OCTOBER 12, 2014
Posted by Rosana Francescato Anyone who was lucky enough to attend the recent Women in Cleantech and Sustainability (WCS) happy hour knows that for founder Lisa Ann Pinkerton, the organization is a labor of love — one that springs out of a deep love for our planet. At the happy hour, she told us about early experiences that led her to realize how precious our earth is. And she offered hope for its future.
Why Do We Need More Women in Solar?
Women in Cleantech and Sustainability
JULY 31, 2014
Read more: Now Hiring: Why We Need a Diverse Solar Workforce, and How We Get There Solar 2014 Conference: Bringing Down Barriers for Women in Solar The Business of Bringing More Women Into Solar Out with Booth Babes, In with Women Solar Professionals at SPI The Results Are In: Women Are Major Residential Solar Customers! Posted by Rosana Francescato There’s nothing like coming to the solar industry from publishing and high tech to highlight the issue of women in the workplace.
GRID Alternatives: Women in Solar Webinar
Women in Cleantech and Sustainability
AUGUST 5, 2014
The post GRID Alternatives: Women in Solar Webinar appeared first on Women in Cleantech & Sustainability. WCS Blog
The One Thing You Can’t Recycle: Time
Women in Cleantech and Sustainability
JULY 17, 2014
Posted by Rosana Francescato What’s that dripping sound? It’s the sound of your time leaking away, drop by drop. And time, unlike some things, is not recyclable. Whether it’s your personal life or your business, every drip has a cost. For those of us in the fast-paced world of cleantech and sustainability, this can be a serious issue. And women tend to face added challenges in balancing work and family life. The good news is, it doesn’t have to be that way. You can take control of your time.
How to Succeed in Startups — Even if You’re Not a Handsome Man
Women in Cleantech and Sustainability
JUNE 14, 2014
Posted by Rosana Francescato How does a woman in cleantech succeed in a startup world where investors prefer handsome men? Never fear — the dynamic women on a panel at the recent startup event Vator Splash Oakland embodied evidence that women can be every bit as successful as their male counterparts. Investor and startup coach Reena Jadhav moderated the panel, “Startup Success Secrets — A Female Perspective.”
Charging Scarcity Holding Back EV Growth
Women in Cleantech and Sustainability
MAY 22, 2014
Posted by LisaAnn. Article originally published on Technica Communications blog. At the turn of the 20th Century, it took only 13 years to replace the the horse and carriage with automobiles. A system that had dominated for centuries as a preferred means of transport was displaced seemingly over night. Today, transportation is witnessing another technological shift to electric plug-in and extended range vehicles.
Seafloor Carpet Turns Surf’s up to Lights On
Cleantech Blog
MARCH 25, 2014
At the University of California, Berkeley, a team of engineers is pioneering ocean-source energy technology by using “carpet” to capture the energy generated by ocean waves. The team, which includes wave energy guru and Assistant Professor Reza Alam, and Ph.D. Marcus Lehmann, an engineering researcher, aims not only to capture the kinetic energy contained in […].
Five Questions with DuPont CEO Ellen Kullman
TIME Ecocentric
FEBRUARY 13, 2014
There’s never a bad time to be named CEO of a Fortune 500 company, but when Ellen Kullman took over the 211-year-old DuPont at the beginning of 2009, things could have been better. The global economy was tanking, sales were dropping and the future was hazy. Fast forward five years later, though, and DuPont is surging.
Get Ready for More Women in Solar!
Women in Cleantech and Sustainability
MAY 4, 2014
Posted by Rosana Francescato This post was originally published on PV Solar Report. The solar industry has been growing by leaps and bounds, and women are making their presence known in the industry. More groups are focusing on women in solar, and you can no longer go overboard with exhibition booth babes without causing a stir. But while the Women in Solar Breakfast at Solar Power International is consistently sold out, there’s room for improvement when it comes to women in the industry.
Boeing’s SBRC Makes Biofuel from Agricultural Rejects
Cleantech Blog
MARCH 10, 2014
A decade ago, biofuels were considered the Holy Grail of combustion-engine fuels. Measurably cleaner than fossil fuels, they were the proverbial light at the end of the tunnel, at least according to some clean energy experts. Fast forward to 2008, when the biofuel industry’s withdrawal of food crops such as corn, rice, wheat and palm […].
Cliff Majersik, IMT, Identifies Efficiency as Energy’s Biggest Asset
Cleantech Blog
FEBRUARY 19, 2014
The Institute for Market Transformation (IMT) is a Washington, DC-based nonprofit working in the areas of energy efficiency, green building, and environmental protection. Much of IMT’s effort goes toward correcting inadequacies in the construction/remodeling vertical that prevents investors from taking a stake in energy efficiency and sustainability in the United States. Cliff Majersik, Executive Director, […].
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