Microsoft Inks Deal for Hydropower in Washington

16.04.2019

microsoft_building — Photo-illustration: PIxabay

Microsoft has signed a new five-year agreement to buy hydropower for its campuses in Washington.

The deal has been inked with the Chelan County Public Utility District (PUD) for its Puget Sound campuses to be powered entirely by local hydro.

Microsoft is also in the final stages of negotiating an additional renewable energy purchase agreement for solar and wind power in the state, expected to be operational in the next five years.

Its global renewable energy portfolio currently stands at around 1.4GW.

Governor Jay Inslee said: “This is an exciting day for the state of Washington and especially for residents of Chelan County.

“This agreement between Microsoft and Chelan PUD is a perfect example of how Washington’s renewable, reliable hydropower resources will continue to play a central role in driving innovation, supporting rural economic development and transitioning our economy to 100% clean energy.”

Source: Energy Live News

Car-Free Sundays Are the Norm in Colombia’s Capital City, Bogotá

16.04.2019

biciklista_bicikl — Photo-illustration: PIxabay

Imagine your city without cars — every single Sunday. At first, you might be frustrated by the inconvenience and inability to complete errands, but once you embrace the throngs of bikes, recognize your friends and neighbors among the people out for a stroll or attend a Zumba class at what was once a congested intersection, it’s likely to become one of your favorite traditions. For 45 years, the Colombian city of Bogotá has closed its major roads for Ciclovía, a weekly event where cyclists and pedestrians reclaim the street.

The world’s most successful mass recreation event

Vox calls the weekly event “the world’s most successful mass recreation event,” and more than 400 cities around the world look to Bogotá as a model for replication. In Spanish, Ciclovía means “Bicycle Way,” but the roads are open to bikes, roller skates, scooters, wheel chairs, skateboards, runners, walkers and all other types of physical activity, recreation and relaxation. Since its launch in 1974, the event has expanded to include juice bars, fruit stands and exercise classes at various stops along the now 76 miles of designated roadway.

Ciclovía occurs from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. every single Sunday and on major holidays, a frequency that sets it apart from similar events in other cities and is credited for its long-term success. Pulling off such a large-scale event is no easy feat in Bogotá, a major Latin American city that normally moves 1.5 million cars, 50,000 taxis and 500,000 motorcycles on any given day.

“The Ciclovía is the moment when motor vehicles make way for human beings,” a director for the event, Bibiana Sarmiento, told National Geographic.

In fact, nearly 1.5 million Bogotanos take over the public space every Sunday, which is approximately a quarter of the city’s entire population. Statistics show that the average participant is out there for about three hours, which has significantly helped residents reach widely recommended levels of physical activity. Bogotanos, like most city-dwellers, face limited space for recreational activities and soaring rates of chronic diseases linked to sedentary lifestyles. Although Ciclovía is only once a week, the city-wide emphasis on physical activity and community access to exercise classes and bike routes has caused a marked difference in health indicators.

Street closures are good for your health

In addition to improved air quality and a palpable decrease in stress and aggressive behaviors, the city of Bogotá is also attempting to analyze specific public health benefits. Program analysts studied savings on medical costs and found that Ciclovía saves between $3.20 and $4.30 in direct medical costs per every dollar invested, which is approximately $6 per participant.

General analyses also indicate that public health benefits are more profound and long-term when such recreational events are reoccurring, something that sets Ciclovía apart from other cities with similar programs. To date, more than 400 cities worldwide have implemented similar mass recreation and street closure events, including 122 U.S. cities. A major roadblock (pun intended) to hosting such events is the logistical nightmare of acquiring permits for road closures and the cost of paying traffic staff.

The benefits can outweigh the costs

According to Vox, researchers recommend establishing reoccurring events to streamline permitting, staffing and signage and to ensure that residents are aware of the event and familiar with the detours. Researchers argue that if made more frequent, “the cost of coordinating the event could come down and it could ‘help thousands to meet weekly recommended levels of [150 minutes of] physical activity.’”

“Over time the system has been perfected in terms of minimization of costs and of making the public aware of the road closures,” Marcela Guerrero Casas, managing director of Open Streets Cape Town in South Africa, told Vox. “When you do this consistently (in terms of time and location), people accept and embrace the program.”

In addition to onerous permitting procedures, planners cite overtime for police officers as one of the largest and prohibitive expenditures. As part of the success, Ciclovía and a similar event in LA (called CicLAvía) utilize volunteers for traffic assistance. The city also pays for the program through sponsorships and a tax on phone bills, made possible because the program is so longstanding and beloved by all types of people that it is an accepted part of Bogotano culture and government spending.

Going car-free can bring together the community

Although the specific health and urban planning benefits aren’t always easy to quantify, there is resounding, worldwide interest in events like Ciclovía and a multitude of examples of its uniting, cross-cultural success. “No one cares about the clothes you’re wearing or what social class you’re from,” director Bibiana Sarmiento explained to National Geographic. “Everyone is welcome, and everyone is equal.”

Author: Lucienne Cross

Source: Inhabitat

Russia to Release Hundreds of Illegally Captured Orcas and Belugas from ‘Whale Jail’

15.04.2019

orka_životinja_okean — Photo-illustration: Pixabay

Russian authorities have announced that they will release all 97 whales currently being held captive in the country’s Far East.

The whales made news in November last year when an aerial drone video showed several of them cramped inside small, rectangular sea pens at Srednyaya Bay, with very little space to move around. Labeling the enclosures a “whale jail,” local media estimated there were some 90 belugas (Delphinapterus leucas) and 11 killer whales or orcas (Orcinus orca) being held there, caught by four companies in all. Activists and whale conservationists alleged the companies had obtained the whales illegally with plans to sell them to Chinese aquariums and amusement parks.

On April 8, Oleg Kozhemyako, the governor of the Primorski region, Jean-Michel Cousteau, president of the U.S-based nonprofit Ocean Futures Society, and Charles Vinick, executive director of the nonprofit The Whale Sanctuary Project, signed a joint statement agreeing to release all the captive belugas and orcas back into their natural environment.

“Scientists, including both Russian and international scientists from the Cousteau Team, will continue to evaluate the animals to determine when and how to release them,” the statement says. “Until then, we will immediately begin work so that the cetaceans are held in conditions most like their natural environment. We also expect that a rehabilitation center will be created for those animals that are injured in wild nature and that need to be rehabilitated.”

In a press conference, Kozhemyako said the whales couldn’t have been released in winter. “Had we done it all the animals would have died,” he said, adding that the whales will now be released after proper evaluation of their state of health. “I will try my best to have all our work be as open and transparent as possible,” Kozhemyako said.

Cousteau said each individual whale was different, and could take a different length of time to readapt to the natural environment as a result. “Majority, if not all, will be released where they were captured, so they can be reconnected, we hope … potentially with some of their families or their groups,” he said. “It’s not easy but it’s going to happen hopefully for most of them.”

Some of the captive whales appear to be in poor health, whale experts say. In March this year, 34 marine scientists from across the world sent a letter to the office of Russian President Vladimir Putin expressing concern over the condition of the whales. Photos of at least one orca taken 42 days apart show that its health and well-being is deteriorating rapidly, the biologists wrote. “Additionally, at least one orca and several white whales [belugas] are reportedly missing and, although the captors claim these animals escaped the pens, given their young ages and their poor condition, we are concerned that they may actually have died.”

Many of the captive belugas are babies, other experts told National Geographic, likely captured before they had been weaned off their mother’s milk. The cramped, icy condition of the pens is also distressing for the animals, and several whales have skin lesions resulting from frostbite or microbial infections.

Following public outrage and appeals by Hollywood celebrities, Russian authorities launched an investigation in February, charging the four companies with illegally capturing and confining the whales. Under the 1982 international moratorium on commercial whaling, whales may be captured only for research and educational purposes. Commercial export of whales is illegal, but whales can reportedly sell for millions of dollars on the Chinese black market.

Source: Mongabay

Extreme Weather Leaves Scottish Farmers with £161m Bill

15.04.2019

ovce_škotska — Photo-illustration: Pixabay

Extreme weather during 2017 and 2018 left Scottish farmers with a £161 million bill.

That’s according to a new report published today by independent economic consultancy Ecosulis and commissioned by WWF Scotland.

The report notes shows the severe weather negatively affected livestock and crop yields and warns extreme events are likely to become more frequent and damaging as the global climate continues to change as a result of greenhouse gas emissions.

Sheep farmers suffered the biggest losses, totalling £45 million, as the Beast from the East cold snap hit during lambing season.

Beef producers were affected by the increased cost of feed, as cattle had to be kept inside for longer during the bad weather and grass growth was low during the dry summer, driving up costs by £28 million.

The production and yield of cereal crops dropped in 2018, due to poor weather conditions at key points in the season the previous year – this cost farmers around £34 million.

Across the whole of the UK, wholesale prices of staple vegetables such as carrots, lettuce and onions rose by up to 80%.

The report also notes an exceptionally hot dry summer and an unusually cold period in winter led to fires and building damage respectively across the nation’s farms.

Dr Sheila George, Food Policy Manager at WWF Scotland said: “Last year’s extremes will soon be the norm, rather than the exception and that will have huge implications for farmers and the environment.

“That’s why it’s so important the Scottish Government takes action now to support our agriculture sector to adapt to the challenges ahead.”

Source: Energy Live News

Starbucks Spearheads £1m Initiative to Boost Paper Cup Recycling

14.04.2019

starbaks_kafa — Photo-illustration: Pixabay

A £1m fund to help expand and improve paper cup recycling facilities across the UK will be launched on Thursday by the coffee giant Starbucks and environmental charity Hubbub.

Local authorities, recycling companies and social enterprises will be invited to bid for grants of up to £100,000 on behalf of their communities to create at least 10 large-scale recycling programmes.

The so-called Cup Fund is financed by the 5p paper cup charge or “latte levy” introduced by Starbucks last year in an effort to reduce the overuse and waste of an estimated 2.5bn disposable cups every year.

Although there are now enough specialist recycling facilities in the UK to recycle all the paper cups used, there remains the challenge of collecting the cups and getting them there. The tricky issue has been the plastic film on the inside of paper cups that means they can rarely be recycled with other mixed recycling. As a result, one in 400 cups is recycled and the rest end up in landfill.

The new scheme aims to increase the number of drop-off points needed to collect the cups separately and provide clearer communication to help consumers recycle effectively.

“We know that local authorities and building managers are committed to achieving their recycling targets but with increased strain on their budgets, investing in infrastructure is difficult,” said Trewin Restorick, chief executive of Hubbub. “The launch of the Cup Fund means we will be able to collect cups in significant volumes in areas where there may not have been any drop-off points before. We’re looking for ambitious, large-scale projects that will transform cup recycling in high-footfall areas.”

The winning bids will be chosen by an independent panel of experts, including the Local Authority Recycling Advisory Committee and the Chartered Institution of Wastes Management.

Source: Guardian

Wolves ‘Established’ in Netherlands for First Time in 140 Years

13.04.2019

For the first time in 140 years, wolves have an official home in the Netherlands.

Ecologists told BBC Radio 4 that a female wolf they had been tracking had stayed in the country for six months and could therefore be called “established,” BBC News reported Tuesday.

The ecologists had been tracking two females in the Hoge Veluwe nature reserve, which has now been designated as a wolf habitat, Dutch News reported. There is also evidence that a male wolf has been moving in and out of the area, and scientists told BBC that the wolves could form a pack within months.

Ecologist Hugh Jansman of Wageningen University, who had been commissioned to investigate wolves in the area, told Dutch News their return would benefit the local ecosystem.

“We shoot 50% of deer and 80% of boar to maintain a socially acceptable level. I think the wolves could do a lot of good,” he said.

But park director Seger Emmanuel baron van Voorst tot Voorst disagreed.

“We are working hard on a daily basis to maintain the unique ecological balance of the park,” he told EenVandaag, as Dutch News reported. “There will be big consequences if we let the wolves in.”

The return of wolves to many European countries has been controversial. Most were driven out by hunting in the nineteenth century but have returned in recent years, BBC News reported. Since wolves returned to France from Italy in 1992, there have been 12,000 incidents reported of wolves attacking goats or sheep. Farmers have turned to protective measures like guard dogs or electric fencing, and can receive compensation from the government if these measures are in place and their flocks are still attacked.

Ecologist Roeland Vermeulen of Wolven in Nederland said that settled wolf populations were actually more likely to attack wild animals like deer or boar and that sheep were like “junk food” for transient or inexperienced wolves.

The first wolves entered the Netherlands from Germany in 2015, and four were sighted between November 2018 and January 2019, Dutch News reported.

Wolves killed 138 sheep in the Netherlands in the first half of 2018, BBC News reported, but experts noted that dogs kill around 13,000 sheep a year.

Ranger Leo Linnartz told Dutch News that the Netherlands was “an outstanding place” for wolves, but said that local and national governments should help farmers adjust. “We’ve learned from Germany that wolves can be taught that catching sheep is pointless,” he said.

Vermeulen told the BBC Radio 4 that he thought the country had room for 22 packs of five to eight wolves each.

Author: Olivia Rosane

Source: Eco Watch

Smart Homes and Smart Cities Do Not Mean Much Without Smart People

12.04.2019

We talked to Professor Branislav Todorovic, Ph.D., about the air conditioning, heating and refrigeration sectors, and his project parameters used for calculation in all projects for heating and air conditioning in the former Yugoslavia.

We asked him if we can see and experience healthy, sustainable buildings, localities, and cities in Serbia and whether the Serbian economy can produce adequate and high-quality products and systems for ventilation and air conditioning.

He revealed to us why he compares buildings with the behaviour of the human organism, and he also advised young colleagues and students.

EP: In the beginning, I would like to refer to the ceremony in May which marked the 150th anniversary of the Union of Engineers and Technicians of Serbia. On that occasion, you received the Golden Plaque from the Union. How important is this recognition for you, given the fact that you have been a long-term president of the Serbian Society of HVAC&R?

Branislav Todorovic: The anniversary of the Union of Engineers and Technicians of Serbia is a grand celebration of the Serbian engineering profession, which was organised in 1868, and began its operations among the first in Europe. The Golden Plaque of such an institution is indeed a great recognition and satisfaction for more than 50 years of my commitment to the engineering profession which dates from selecting my thesis topic and graduation and the work in the field of heating, ventilation and air conditioning, or as it is popularly known in our practice, in the HVAC profession.

EP: Your project parameters are used for calculations of all heating and air conditioning projects in former Yugoslavia. How did that come about?

Branislav Todorovic: Already my first professional works were related to meteorology, that is climatic conditions. In these works, I devoted myself to determining the outside temperatures in Yugoslavia’s cities for which it was necessary to provide heating capacities to reach a specified temperature in buildings. It was already observed by that time that the outside temperature had a constant tendency to increase, and now we know that this is due to global warming of the atmosphere. Our famous scientist Milutin Milankovic was suggesting precisely that in his works.

EP: What does the HVAC field cover today?

Branislav Todorovic: Today, the HVAC field involves many things and cannot be separated from the civil engineering, architecture, healthy environment in facilities designated for working, producing, living or curing. At the opening of this year’s HVAC Congress, I pointed out that only medicine is probably more comprehensive and responsible to people, their health and sense of comfort than the HVAC sector today.

EP: There is more and more talk about sustainable buildings, settlements, and cities, with zero emissions of carbon dioxide. Will it become a reality in Serbia, or will it only remain a beautiful story?

Branislav Todorovic: We, engineers, are confident that our cognition is continually increasing, and HVAC congresses and other expert gatherings are an opportunity for direct exchange of knowledge, experience, skills, and preparedness. But that is not enough. It is necessary to adapt not only the school and university programs but also provide opportunities for the realization of knowledge in practice. It once existed in our country, but today it has almost disappeared. HVAC congresses have always been of particular importance because they have been enabling precisely that. Progress is also possible in our country, but it will be significantly behind. There is a lack of domestic factories, laboratories, and practices.

Prepered by: Milisav Pajević

Read the whole interview in the new issue of the Energy portal Magazine on CLEAN ENERGY, December 2018. – February 2019.

Ireland Awards €7m for Energy Efficiency in Schools

12.04.2019

đaci_škola — Photo-illustration: Pixabay

A total of 17 schools in Ireland are to benefit from a €7 million (£6m) fund for the installation of energy efficiency measures.

The government-funded pilot scheme aims to create a scalable model for energy-saving retrofitting for schools, targeting a 33% reduction in energy consumption as well as testing delivery and procurement models.

Each chosen school was assessed to ensure the measures – which include upgrades to doors and windows, insulation, lighting and heating as well as renewable technologies – were suitable and would deliver value to both the school and the pilot.

Joe McHugh, Minister for Education and Skills said: “This exciting collaboration sets an example by creating a better environment to learn and work for pupils, staff and teachers. The money saved by ‘greening’ will support schools to concentrate resources on doing what they do best – teach.

“This pilot programme will demonstrate the most environmentally-friendly, high-performance and cost-effective solutions to turn older school buildings into top-rated energy efficient buildings. It’s good for schools and good for the environment.”

Source: Energy Live News

Scottish Chickens Cooperate to Generate Eggcellent Amount of Energy

12.04.2019

kokoška_jaja — Photo-illustration: Pixabay

Chickens at a farm in Scotland are now generating their own heat and power.

More than 128,000 hens at the Glenhead of Aldouran Farm in Stranraer are not only producing thousands of eggs but also creating enough manure to provide a reliable energy feedstock for the farm.

This innovative approach, which will help manage the regular power cuts that affect the area, was developed by farm owner James Baxter using an Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) system, powered by Novec Engineered Fluids from science-based technology company 3M.

The system uses chicken manure to fire a biomass boiler and feed a 90kW electrical system, which in turn generates heat and power.

The boiler produces hot water at 150°C, providing 750Wth of heat.

The 3M fluid absorbs heat from the chicken manure and is converted into a vapour to drive a turbine.

James Baxter, owner of Glenhead of Aldouran Farm, explains: “This biomass project is a win-win-win. The chicken manure is processed and the boiler ash can be reused as fertiliser because of its remaining nutrients.

“The electricity is used on site to save on utility costs and the chicken sheds are heated with the condensing heat of the ORC, therefore we don’t need a separate wood chip boiler to heat the sheds.”

Source: Energy Live News

Sweden ‘Leading the Way Towards a Low Carbon Future’

11.04.2019

stockholm-2082591_960_720 — Photo-illustration: Pixabay

Sweden has the lowest share of fossil fuels in its primary energy supply among all member countries that are part of the International Energy Agency (IEA).

It is also the second lowest carbon intensive economy and is a “global leader” in building a low carbon future, according to IEA’s latest review.

The country is said to have been successful in its energy transformation through market-based policies that focus on energy efficiency and renewable energy, notably CO2 taxation, which has helped drive decarbonisation across various sectors.

The review also found Sweden’s energy policy to be well-integrated with its climate objectives.

It has set ambitious targets, including a long term goal of net zero emissions by 2045 – the IEA says additional action is needed to achieve it as the nation’s total carbon emissions have been “flat” since 2013.

The report adds the transport sector accounts for less than a quarter of Sweden’s final energy consumption but more than half of its energy-related CO2 emissions.

It has set a goal of reducing transport emissions by 70% between 2010 and 2030.

Other policies introduced by the government include a bonus/penalty system to support low emission vehicles and measures to increase the use of biofuels.

The review also found the nation has “largely decarbonised” its electricity generation through investments in nuclear power, hydropower and renewables.

The nation has also set an ambitious target of achieving 100% renewable electricity generation by 2040.

Paul Simons, the IEA’s Deputy Executive Director said: “Sweden has shown that ambitious energy transition policies can accompany strong economic growth. With the Energy Agreement now in place, the time has come to implement a clear roadmap towards the long term target of carbon neutrality.”

Source: Energy Live News

Decarbonisation ‘Must Accelerate to Stay in Line with Paris Agreement’

11.04.2019

climate-change-2491513_960_720 — Photo-illustration: Pixabay

The shift towards a low carbon energy system must accelerate to stay in line with the goals outlined in the Paris Agreement.

That’s the verdict offered in a new report from the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), which suggests this is vital to keep the rise in average global temperatures ‘well below’ 2°C and ideally to limit warming to 1.5°C compared to pre-industrial levels.

The report highlights that energy-related carbon dioxide emissions have increased by a yearly average of 1.3% over the last five years and says the gap between observed emissions and necessary reductions is widening.

The report suggests three-quarters of global emission-cutting goals could be achieved through renewables and electrification and suggests by scaling up renewable deployment, electricity could provide half of the world’s final energy mix, up from only a fifth currently.

However, it warns deployment of renewable solutions in energy-intensive sectors, particularly with regards to buildings and industry, is still well below the levels needed and progress in energy efficiency is lagging.

The report calls for investment in infrastructure to be focused on low carbon, sustainable and long-term electrification and decentralisation strategies – it also stresses more investment is needed in smart energy systems, power grids, recharging infrastructure, storage, hydrogen and district heating networks.

Director-General of IRENA, Francesco La Camera, said: “The energy transformation must happen much faster. To meet global climate objectives, the deployment of renewables must increase at least six-fold compared to current government plans.

“This would require the impressive progress that we are already witnessing in the power sector to accelerate even further, while efforts to decarbonise transport and heating would need to be stepped-up significantly.”

Source: Energy Live News

The First Solar Plant Owned by the Citizens in Croatia

10.04.2019

Even though the price of solar panels is constantly decreasing, a solar plant is still out of most citizens’ budget. However, what if we split its construction costs with 52 people and get a 4.5 per cent annual interest rate on the invested funds? Sounds tempting, right? Technological solutions are available, and models of citizen investments are known from before and used for years in states like Germany and Denmark.

Croatian Citizens Took Energy into Their Own Hands!

Cooperative is a concept and practice developed among Slovenian tribes at the end of the 19th century. It was originally used to describe the village community of goods. All members of the cooperative lived together, and cultivated land that belonged to the community and no one could inherit it independently. The development of individualism and the breakthrough of the monetary economy have influenced the “decay” of its original meaning.

Today, more than a hundred years later, the cooperative does not necessarily have a coexistence of its members, nor does it relate exclusively to agricultural activities. In this manner, in the neighbouring country Croatia, the Green Energy Cooperative (ZEZ) operates in the energy sector.

In May 2018, the ZEZ launched a campaign to raise money from citizens to build a photovoltaic power plant in the town of Krizevci. In only ten days, 230,000 kuna (about 31,000 euros) were collected on the principle of microloans.

ZEZ’s member, Sanela Mikulcic revealed to us that several months passed from the initial idea to the realisation. During that time, the ZEZ examined the legal framework and the way of involving citizens in such a project. “We were faced with the challenge of designing a legal model that fits into our legislative framework since this was the first collective investment in Croatia. We have also been slowed down by different administrative requirements”, Sanela said.

All individuals and legal entities had the opportunity to invest money in the implementation of the project “Krizevci Sun Roofs” by granting loans to the ZEZ for ten years with a 4.5 per cent interest rate annually. The idea was that the local community would be the most advantageous from the “sunny roofs” so the citizens of Krizevci had a lead over other interested investors. About 30 per cent of the investment came from citizens of the municipality and the surrounding area.

The minimum stake was 1,000 kuna (about 135 euros), and the maximum was limited to 10,000 kuna (about 1,350 euros) in order to include as many “micro-investors” as possible in the project. Fifty-three citizens entirely financed a solar power plant in Krizevci with an average contribution of 580 euros.

The crowning success of the “green energy cooperatives” from Krizevci is a 30kW power plant installed on the roof of the administrative building of the Development Center and the Technology Park. The power plant was put into operation in September 2018. The projected savings for electricity Photographs: ZEZ over a one-year period is 36,000 kuna (about 4,850 euros).

Based on the contract, the user of the power plant pays the consumed energy to the ZEZ. All surplus that is not spent on the site is transferred to the electricity distribution network. Croatian Electric Power Company Opskrba buys the surplus. In three months, the Krizevci solar plant produced 5,039 kWh, of which 250 went into the grid.

Money earned from the electricity retailing is being used for repaying the loan with interest to each investor. After the expiration of ten years, the power plant will be transferred to the ownership of the Development Center and the Technology Park Krizevci.

By investing in this project, besides the financial return of funds with interest, the cooperatives encouraged the development of the local community and created green jobs. They also have made a positive contribution to the health of people and the natural environment by reducing the emissions of harmful gases that are the result of the combustion of fossil fuels – and consequently through reducing air pollution. Actively participating in turning towards the future that is characterised by zero emissions and renewable sources, they increased energy independence and security of Krizevci while at the same time they reduced energy poverty.

Read the whole article in the new issue of the Energy portal Magazine on CLEAN ENERGY, December 2018. – February 2019.

Prepared by: Jelena Kozbasic

Supermarkets in Thailand and Vietnam Swap Plastic Packaging for Banana Leaves

10.04.2019

bananas-with-sticky-rice-2376741_960_720 — Photo-illustration: Pixabay

Thailand and Vietnam are two of the five countries that account for 60 percent of the plastic in the world’s oceans, according to a 2015 study. Now, Vice reported Friday that supermarkets in both countries are going back to nature to find an alternative to plastic bags: banana leaves.

A March 21 Facebook post showing how Rimping Supermarket in Chiangmai, Thailand had begun wrapping produce in the durable leaves received more than 7,000 positive reactions.

“People seem to like this,” Perfect Homes Chiangmai, the real estate company responsible for the post, wrote in the comments.

Meanwhile, in Vietnam, several stores have begun using banana leaves. A Lotte Mart has been trialing wrapping vegetables with the leaves at one outlet in Ho Chi Minh City. The chain said if the trial went well, it would expand the practice to other stores. It also hopes to use environmental wrapping on other products, like meat, VnExpress reported. Responses have so far been positive.

“When I see vegetables wrapped in these beautiful banana leaves I’m more willing to buy in larger quantities. I think this initiative will help locals be more aware of protecting the environment,” Lotte Mart shopper Hoa told VnExpress.

Other stores adopting banana leaves include Saigon Co.op, which is using them in stores in Ho Chi Minh City, Phan Thiet, Tay Ninh, Quy Nhon and Tam Ky. The Big C chain began using them in Hanoi April 1.

Global Citizen explained why banana leaves are such a promising packaging solution for the region: “Banana trees are common throughout Thailand and can yield leaves as big as 9 feet in length. People around the world already use them to cover various types of foods, and their sturdiness makes them an ideal form of packaging for fresh produce that sells quickly (because they’re biodegradable, they can’t sit on the shelf for months).”

Stores in Vietnam are also embracing other solutions, VnExpress reported. Lotte Mart sells paper straws, boxes made of sugarcane waste and eggs wrapped in paper instead of plastic. Big C offers biodegradable shopping bags made from corn powder.

Other countries in Asia have taken action against plastic bags, Vice noted. South Korea has banned disposable bags and Taiwan charges a fee. In China, a 2008 ban on thin plastic bags has reduced their use by 66 percent, reducing the number in use by 40 billion.

Source: Eco Watch

London Gets World’s First 24-Hour Air Pollution Charge Zone

09.04.2019

london-cars-road — Photo-illustration: Pixabay

London is the first city in the world to implement a 24-hour, seven day a week Ultra Low Emission Zone, inside which vehicles will have to meet tough emissions standards or face a charge.

Monday’s introduction of the zone, known as the ULEZ, aims to reduce toxic air pollution and protect public health, according to a press release from the office of Sadiq Khan, mayor of London.

Vehicles are responsible for around half of harmful nitrogen oxide air emissions in the British capital, contributing to a toxic air health crisis that increases the risk of asthma, cancer and dementia as well as causing thousands of premature deaths every year, the release says.

“This is a landmark day for our city. Our toxic air is an invisible killer responsible for one of the biggest national health emergencies of our generation,” Khan said in the statement.

“The ULEZ is the centerpiece of our plans to clean up London’s air — the boldest plans of any city on the planet, and the eyes of the world are on us.”

Under new rules introduced April 8, polluting vehicles will be discouraged from entering the ULEZ thanks to a daily charge of £12.50 (around $16) for some cars, vans and motorbikes and £100 ($130) for trucks, buses and coaches. The zone will cover the same area as the existing Congestion Charge — collected from drivers in the city center — until 2021, when it will be expanded to cover the area between the major orbital roads known as the North and South Circular.

Drivers can check whether their vehicle meets ULEZ emission standards using an online tool provided by travel authority Transport for London.

The ULEZ is the next stage in a plan to clean up London’s air, which started with the so-called T-charge — an extra charge for highly polluting vehicles in the city center — introduced in February 2017. Since then, the number of vehicles entering the zone has fallen by around 11,000 per day, according to an analysis by academics at King’s College London.

Air pollution disproportionately affects less wealthy city dwellers, according to Khan.

“This is also about social justice — people in the most deprived parts of London, who are least likely to own a car, suffer the worst effects of harmful air pollution.”

And young children will also see major health benefits.

“Air pollution can have major health implications on the developing child, with early exposure proven to increase the risk of asthma and lung infections, and these can be life-threatening,” said Professor Jonathan Grigg of the Royal College of Pediatrics and Child Health in the press release.

However, a November 2018 study questioned the effectiveness of low-emission zones introduced in 2008, finding no evidence of a decline in the number of children with reduced lung capacities or asthmatic symptoms since the implementation of the low emission zones in London.

The authors called for more ambitious control measures to improve childhood respiratory health.

And Daniela Fecht — a lecturer in geospatial health at Imperial College London, who worked on a study looking at asthma and air pollution in the city on behalf of the Greater London Authority — told CNN the ULEZ is expected to bring benefits, but results should be closely monitored.

“The ULEZ is a very good initiative which is needed to bring down traffic-related air pollution levels in London,” Fecht said in an email.

“The effectiveness will have to be carefully evaluated as previous schemes both in London and internationally did not bring down air pollution concentrations as much as expected due to various factors.”

Fecht says she believes the benefits will be felt even by those who do not live or spend a lot of time in the ULEZ, particularly vulnerable populations such as children going to school in central London; individuals with pre-existing health conditions that are worsened by air pollution; and people working, traveling through or exercising in inner London.

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio and New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo are also working on a congestion pricing model that aims to reduce traffic and fund improvements to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority public transportation network. Details were announced in late February.

Source: CNN

Shell to Invest $300m to Offset Carbon Emissions

09.04.2019

petrol-stations-shell-gas — Photo-illustration: Pixabay

Royal Dutch Shell has committed to invest $300 million (£230m) over the next three years in projects that help offset carbon emissions.

It will fund large-scale forest projects in Indonesia, Peru and the US as part of its strategy to act on climate change and will contribute to the energy giant’s three-year target of reducing its net carbon footprint by 2% to 3% starting in 2019.

Shell says from April 17th, drivers in the Netherlands will be able to buy carbon offsets for one cent per litre when they fill up at Shell stations, making their driving carbon neutral – a similar scheme is to be rolled out in the UK later this year.

It is also stepping up its investments in low carbon options, with plans to install 200 new rapid charging points for electric vehicles (EVs) – powered by renewable energy – at its forecourts in the Netherlands.

That’s on top of 500 ultra-fast chargers being installed across Europe, in partnership with IONITY.

Customers currently have access to 100,000 EV charging points in Europe through New Motion, a Shell company.

Ben van Beurden, CEO of Shell said: “There is no single solution to tackling climate change. A transformation of the global energy system is needed, from electricity generation to industry and transport.

“Shell will play its part. Our focus on natural ecosystems is one step we are taking today to support the transition towards a low carbon future. This comes in addition to our existing efforts, from reducing the carbon intensity of oil and gas operations to investments in renewable sources of energy.”

Source: Energy Live News

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