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How energy efficient is your city? New report ranks 34 largest US cities... a healthier environment and growing economy
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How Energy Efficient Is Your City?
A new report ranks 34 major US cities by their energy-use policies.
Does your city have a plan to cut greenhouse gas emissions dramatically? Is it seeking to reduce car use through bike share programs and public transit subsidies? Does it partner with utility companies to help small businesses and homeowners save energy? And does it lobby for statewide energy-efficiency legislation?
Those are just a few of the policies that have made Boston the top-ranked city for energy efficiency, according to a new report from the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy. Portland, Ore., placed second, followed by New York, San Francisco, and Seattle.
ACEEE ranked 34 major American cities—the 25 most populous incorporated ones, plus the central cities of nine other major metropolitan areas—according to their efforts to promote energy savings. The report looked at building codes, community-wide energy initiatives, transportation policies, energy-saving programs involving public utilities, and efforts to improve the efficiency of government building. You can see where each city ranked on the map above.
Denmark: drive with a clean conscience. 12,000 electric cars on the roads by 2015: Copenhagen to become CO2-neutral by 2025
*update* 8 Aug 2014
In Copenhagen, where bicycles outnumber people and nearly 40% of residents cycle to work, bike-friendly infrastructure is key
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[July 8, 2013] 12,000 electric cars are to move on the roads in Greater Copenhagen by 2015. 12,000 electric cars are to move on the roads in Greater Copenhagen by 2015. This is the target set by The Capital Region of Denmark and their new project Copenhagen Electric. Today there are not even 1 500 electric cars in the whole of Denmark. Copenhagen Electric is to encourage municipalities, hospitals and enterprises to purchase more electric cars for their car pools. - We’re starting with the municipalities, says Kåre Albrechtsen, head of Copenhagen Electric that is run by the Capital Region of Denmark. The region is investing 12 million Danish kroner in the consulting project Copenhagen Electrics over a 3-year period. The municipalities in Greater Copenhagen now have 274 electric cars, which is eight percent of the entire municipal car pool. The aim is to increase this share to 25 percent in only two years’ time. (News Øresund) read more »
"To Health of Earth" top 3 most popular (SOS Amazon, panda, solar system) reads, since '08, on Earth Day Eve'13: 1,146,689
To the Health of the Earth - healthy we cannot be unless the earth is.
#1 most popular, all time (as of April 20, 2013) - 489,898 reads
"SOS Amazon": every second we lose 1.5 acres of rainforests once covering 14% of earth land surface, now a mere 6%
#2 most popular, all time (as of April 20, 2013) - 342,276 reads
Zoo Atlanta celebrates arrival of baby panda, 2nd cub of mother Lun Lun and only panda born in US in 2008 so far
#3 most popular, all time (as of April 20, 2013) - 314,515 reads
Solar system moving 100000 mph faster than thought; 15% speed increase translates to doubling of mass of Milky Way
Image courtesy of www.amazonwatch.org, Thomas Marent, impactlab.com, wikipedia, Sipa Press / Rex Features, Atlanta Zoo / AP Photo, John Spink / Atlanta Journal-Constitution, scienceclass.ning.com, lns.mit.edu, and gcsescience.com
Unlikely? Farm brought to city yard: 400 species of plants, 6000lbs food, 1900 eggs, 25lbs honey, fruits year round, solar roof
*update* 13 March 2013
For urban gardeners in New York City, the mildness of this winter has produced some startling results. We do not fear the snow -our gardens are now snug below their customary winter blankets.A late crop of beets was pulled from the soil in early January...And kale, one tough Brassica, keeps giving and giving to the roof-top gardener.
Boston’s 1st rooftop farm - 40,000 square feet of soil atop the Boston Design Center “There are acres of rooftops, blacktop, in cities that are sucking up heat... so we’re using more energy to cool down cities". this amazing green roof that produces food and has these great environmental benefits, helping to mitigate climate change.
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Over 6,000 pounds of food per year, on 1/10 acre located just 15 minutes from downtown Los Angeles. The Dervaes family grows over 400 species of plants, 4,300 pounds of vegetable food, 900 chicken and 1,000 duck eggs, 25 lbs of honey, plus seasonal fruits throughout the year.
From 1/10th of an acre, four people manage to get over 90% of their daily food and the family reports earnings of $20,000 per year. (AFTER they eat from what is produced). This is done without the use of the expensive & destructive synthetic chemicals associated with industrial mono-cropping, while simultaneously improving the fertility and overall condition of the land being used to grow this food on. Scaled up to an acre, that would equal $200,000 per year! read more »
France: GM corn linked to cancer. EU bans 7 GM foods, battery cages, animal testing, seal imports, condemns whaling...
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*update* Jan. 14, 2013 EU releases all data on GM corn linked to cancer Monday's move "aims to make data used in risk assessment publicly available," Geslain-Laneelle said, by promoting research and working with scientists.
*update* Siding with EU's ban on animal testing, Dec. 21 2012 Air Canada can refuse to ship monkeys for research
Seven Food Products Banned in Europe Still Available in the U.S.
1. Genetically Modified Foods
2. Stevia, the Natural Sweetener
3. Bovine Growth Hormone
4. Chlorinated Chickens
5. Food Contact Chemicals
6. Herbicides, Fungicides and Insecticides read more »
Passion for Ocean. 3600 whales saved: world volunteers' direct action; Simon fortune to Whales' Navy: Zero cruelty. Zero kills
Buddha quotes (Hindu Prince Gautama Siddharta, the founder of Buddhism, 563-483 B.C.) “What is evil? Killing is evil". Japan's ICR has set itself a quota of nearly one thousand minke and 50 fin whales to be culled during the 2012/2013 Australian summer in Antarctica: in the name of "science". Earth Dr Reese Halter, biologist: "four Japanese whale-killing, factory ships armed with coast guards and grenade-tipped harpoons are within hours of entering a demilitarized zone and the international Great Southern Ocean Sanctuary. The bloody 'War Against Nature' is set to rage."
*update* Jan. 7, 2013 Sea Shepherd Australia To Lead Antarctic Whale Defense Campaign - Former Greens leader Bob Brown takes helm. Whalers' legal action has forced Sea Shepherd founder Paul Watson to resign as president after more than three decades at the helm, saved thousands of most innocent sea lives from merciless slaughter...
Captain Watson Gives Speech at Sea Shepherd 35th Anniversary Event in Colorado