Tiempo Climate Newswatch

Two thousand morning glory seedlings planted around the outer wall of the contemporary art museum in Kanazawa City, Japan, significantly reduced electricity consumption

The Save Happy Valley Coalition is offering carbon credits based on a reduction in production from the opencast coal mine it is opposing

Cambridge Mobile Sensing is exploring the use of vehicles and people as platforms for environmental pollution sensors

Purchasing Save Your World products secures Guyanan rainforest through a leasing arrangement

The Sustainable Energy Finance Directory is a free-of-charge online database of lenders and investors who actively provide finance to the sustainable energy (renewable energy and energy efficiency) sector worldwide

Bombardier has developed the first hybrid train to enter into commercial operation

The Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company (Masdar) has launched a US$5 billion initiative to establish the world's first totally green city in Abu Dhabi

Massey University is developing solar cells that use a range of dyes that can be impregnated in roofs, window glass and clothing to generate power

People in Mali can generate energy and strengthen the local economy by making use of the Jatropha plant

When consumers in Texas and Maryland select 100% Wind Clear Choice, Commerce Energy buys wind-generated power to cover their needs, supporting clean-energy industries

Dell Computers offers anyone in the United States the opportunity to offset IT-related carbon emissions when they purchase a computer or at any other time

Café Solar is produced using an energy-efficient and low-cost means of drying coffee beans

The Solar-Hydrogen Residence is a zero-emission, signature project of the Hopewell Project

The Global Environment Institute trains farmers in China to use up-floating biogas systems to provide year-round heating and cooking fuel

Mazda is leasing a vehicle powered by a dual-fuel hydrogen-gasoline rotary engine to local government and corporate customers in Japan

A solar mini-grid system, run by village cooperatives, has been set up on Sagar Island in the Sundarbans. The mini-grid system delivers better quality power than stand-alone household installations and are more efficient

The Plant for the Planet: Billion Tree Campaign encourages people, communities, business and industry, civil society organizations and governments to commit tree planting pledges with the aim of planting at least one billion trees worldwide during 2007

The Cargo Trike bridges the gap between the humble bicycle and fossil fuel-powered delivery vehicles. As well as reducing emissions, it has easy access, a high payload and a flexible weather-proof covering

Indigenous communities in rural Vietnam are using pico-hydro systems to generate electrical power. The technology is often acquired by rural communities on a cash and carry basis

Students on Ice offers students from around the world unique learning expeditions to the Antarctic and the Arctic to help them foster a new understanding and respect for our planet

An entire Greek Theatre concert season proved carbon neutral as renewable energy credits were purchased to help build wind turbines

The Turtle Bag Campaign aims to protect Pacific sea turtles from plastic bags and other debris. You can buy a Turtle Bag worldwide

The London Oasis is designed to relax visitors with sounds, images and cool, clean air and as a demonstration of sustainable technologies (you can view a video)

Through its quality assurance programme, the Nature & More Foundation communicates the commitment and effort that individual organic growers make towards the planet and its people

The prototype Solar Tower, developed in Germany, consistently generated 50kW of electricity during its lifetime. Based on this technology, EnviroMission plans to build the world's first large-scale solar thermal power station in Australia

Dry fermentation has a number of advantages over traditional biogas processing based on liquid fermentation, including a distributed system, less manual work, no smell and reduced water use

The City of Chicago is promoting roof-top gardens to improve air quality, conserve energy, reduce stormwater runoff and help reduce the urban heat island effect (an audio report is available)

The Velotaxi is an environmentally-friendly alternative to conventional taxis, which is being adopted in many major cities

The bus rapid transit system in Bogotá, Colombia, has improved the quality of life for all its citizens by decreasing overall travel time, increasing efficiencies of the public transit system and increasing security

Johannesburg's EcoCity Initiative aims to promote sustainable economic growth while respecting environmental principles and developing people's capacity. A key principle is the self-sustaining economy

On Vanuatu, pure coconut oil is being used as an alternative to petroleum in automotive diesel engines. The result is both environmentally friendly and good for the local economy

The Gross International Happiness Project is based on the insight that conventional development concepts such as GNP do not properly reflect the general well being of the inhabitants of a nation

By 2005, the inhabitants of Jühnde plan to produce all the electricity and heat they require from renewable raw materials without releasing any additional carbon dioxide. There is a more detailed account in German

The productivity of a solar hot-water heating system is guaranteed. If the energy supplied is less than planned then compensation must be paid

The Coastal Ark is a 30 foot mobile classroom using state-of-the-art technology to bring ecological information and outreach efforts to coastal residents of the State of Georgia in the United States

Recycle your mobile phone and plant a tree with Future Forests

Giving a voice to people
on small islands using the technology of the information age

Marking a new trend in building green, the majority of residential buildings in the South Waterfront development in Portland, Oregon, in the United States, will pursue Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certification

The Carbon Coalition Against Global Warming believes that farmers can increase soil carbon by fostering plant species with significant root biomass

The durability of the Ford Escape Hybrid drive train is being tested on the streets of New York

SFGreasecycle collects waste vegetable oil from San Francisco restaurants for free and recycles it into biodiesel

The Lighting a Million Lives Campaign aims to bring light into the lives of one million rural people in India by displacing kerosene lanterns with solar lighting devices

DuraVermeer has built floating houses in Massbommel in The Netherlands to reduce flood impacts ( view video)

Biblio.com is the first major book marketplace to offset the emissions on book shipment

New Zealand wine producer Grove Mill has released a carbon-neutral wine. Regenerating native forests will offset emissions during production and international shipping (watch video)

Bitublocks turn rubbish into building materials for new homes, using less energy to manufacture than conventional concrete blocks

UNEP and the Shell Foundation replaced costly subsidies for energy access with a microcredit loan scheme across southern India to provide affordable and efficient solar lighting

Cut landfill by giving away your excess goods to others who can use them

LocalCooling is a free software tool that allows you to control and learn about your computer's energy consumption

Energy Education Parks generate awareness of the potential for new and renewable energy sources amongst the people of West Bengal

The Border Green Energy Team provides hands-on training in appropriate technology, including solar power for health clinics, and financial support to village innovators in ethnic minority areas on both sides of the Thai/Burma border

Harnessing the power of popular entertainers and environmental scientists, Global Cool works to stir anyone who cares about the planet to do their bit to save the planet they care about

The village of Ashton Hayes in the United Kingdom is going carbon neutral

The Urban Greenspace Project is a Tauranga Environment Centre initiative that provides funding and support for people who are really keen to clean up their local gully or reserve and bring back the native plants and animals

The eco-Fridge is a silent refrigerated transport system that uses liquid nitrogen as the cooling accelerant to counter emissions of carbon dioxide and hydrofluorocarbons resulting from diesel-fuelled systems

Hybrid wind- and solar-powered lighting systems make optimal use of natural resources in off-grid locations

SPDG Technologies is developing bio-composites, based on fibres such as kenaf, as a natural successor to glass reinforced plastics for reasons of cost, performance and environmental concern. Other benefits include the regeneration of rural areas

The Solar Chill project has developed a solar-powered refrigeration system to store vaccines in areas without electricity

AeroVironment has developed a small, modular wind turbine system for installation on buildings in urban and suburban areas

Solar Nation is a national campaign, based on popular support through initiatives such as Vote Solar, that is changing state and federal policy to make solar a significant part of America's energy future

Crijn Bouman has designed a hydrogen-powered scooter - the Fhybrid - that will fight pollution in inner cities

Walk the World has one goal - to end child hunger by 2015. It is an annual worldwide demonstration across the globe when hundreds of thousands of people in every time zone take to the streets to call for an end to the needless suffering of hungry children

Kansas City residents will build 10,000 rain gardens to reduce runoff that is polluting waterways. A rain garden is a shallow basin filled with native plants that hold and filter rainwater

Bank of America is subsidizing staff purchases of the eco-friendly Toyota Prius

Gorilla electric tractors are designed to be as energy-efficient as possible and can be charged by solar, wind or hydro power systems

Solar dryers provide small-scale farmers with an appropriate method of processing cash crops

The Green Goat is a hybrid switching-yard locomotive running on battery power and diesel. Developed by Railpower Technologies, it offers lower emissions and a 15 to 45 per cent reduction in fuel costs

German cities are recycling prefabricated concrete panels used in slab construction of dwellings when redeveloping housing estates

The overall aim of the In town without my car! campaign is to encourage public awareness of the need to act against pollution caused by the increase in motorized traffic in the urban environment

The Solar Trac is a solar-powered weeding platform and light transport vehicle, providing lower running costs, less noise and pollution and a better working environment

The Thangka Painting School opens night-time with light provided by solar power. A 'thangka' is a Buddhist religious painting. Students can sell their paintings to buy a solar home system

Zero Waste encourages the elimination of waste, rather than simply its management, to ensure a sustainable society. The End of Waste (448 kb download) details practical steps towards this goal

Energy Efficient Homes is building a house that can float if the local terrain becomes flooded

Potatopak's ambition is to reduce the use of toxic, un-biodegradable Polystyrene and other plastics through products such as the potato plate made from 100% biodegradable potato starch waste

The Kompogas process makes full use of the energy potential of organic waste

Climate Solutions takes a regional approach to halting global warming, working with multiple stakeholders to inspire and disseminate practical and profitable responses

The first grid-connected wind turbine has been installed in the Fiji Islands as part of a postgraduate course on wind energy

The Solar Hearing Aid has especially been designed to meet the needs of hearing-impaired people living in developing countries

Sherwood Energy Village is a community-led project that has re-developed Ollerton Colliery as a sustainable industrial park

MV Beluga SkySails is the first cargo vessel worldwide to use the innovative SkySails auxiliary propulsion system (watch video)

The natural cotton Lunch Sak from Project Kool replaces the millions of paper and plastic lunch bags used each day

Blue H Technologies has invented a floating wind turbine, which can be used at greater depths than fixed turbines (watch video)

NamPower's Demand Side Management Project includes replacing householder's incandescent light bulbs with energy saving compact fluorescents at no cost

Sunshine Technology aims to create profitable forestry and bio-energy businesses that also provide long-term benefits to the environment, economy and their collaborators

Modbury, in Devon, has become the first town in Europe to stop using plastic carrier bags

Michigan State University scientists hope to turn cow manure into fibreboard for use in furniture, shelving and even building construction

The Science Barge is a sustainable urban farm powered by solar, wind and biofuels, and irrigated by rainwater and purified river water

Aquaflow Bionomic Corporation has begun small-scale commercial production of biofuel from algae grown in sewage ( view video)

The Earthsong eco-neighbourhood in New Zealand is based on the principles of co-housing and permaculture

Sunlabob, in Lao PDR, offers a rental scheme for solar home systems for off-grid villagers who cannot afford to invest up-front in such systems

The Grameen Surya Bijlee Foundation is introducing LED lighting, with its advantages in terms of luminosity, life span, power required and cost, into rural India. View video report (3Mb download, in Hindi)

The Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool allows organizations in the public and private sectors to assess the environmental impact of computer equipment

WWF China's 20 ways to 20% campaign is a nationwide campaign that will engage Chinese society in saving energy and help meet the national goal of a 20 per cent cut in per GDP energy consumption by 2010

The Eden Project's Waste Neutral philosophy is that if more people buy products made from recyclates or create products made from junk then we are completing the circle and becoming fully sustainable

Blue Spruce Farm is producing electricity by burning waste methane gas from cow manure. "The girls are now officially producing two streams of income, a milk cheque and a power cheque," said farm owner Earl Audet

In India, the Prakratik Society aims to protect Ranthambore's environment using biogas digesters to reduce dependence on fuel and fodder from the forest

WRAP works in partnership, helping businesses and the public to reduce waste, to use more recycled material and recycle more things more often, thereby minimizing landfills, reducing carbon emissions and improving our environment

Entire bus fleets in cities such as Stockholm, Sweden, are running on renewable fuel

Through real-world trials in key urban locations across Australia, the Solar Cities programme is supporting governments, industry, businesses and residents in working together to change the way we think about and use energy. Adelaide, Townsville, Blacktown and Alice Springs will host the first Solar Cities

The London Climate Change Agency will be housed in a building that integrates photovoltaic and wind power

The Tango Group is dedicated to sourcing and developing alternative solutions for products used in everyday life, such as radios, clocks and torches

Reva India manufactures electric cars for city use. A full battery charge takes less than seven hours and can give a range of 80km

Energy consumption in the Munich Arena in Germany has been reduced by around 20 per cent through the use of advanced technology and management systems in lighting, heating and air quality

The Kathmandu Electric Vehicle Alliance (KEVA) brings new ideas, new partners, new technologies and new resources to support the adoption and expansion of electric vehicle use in Kathmandu, Nepal, and improve the air quality of the city

Voltaic Systems' solar bags have stitched-in solar panels that channel power to a rechargeable battery that can charge your mobile 'phone and other small devices

Bluesky International has developed an aerial thermal imaging system that allows local government departments to identify energy loss "hotspots" in residential properties and target energy saving assistance

The DriveNeutral programme helps individuals offset the climate impact of their driving activities for about the cost of a single tank of gas a year

SITA Dectra is using Diester, fuel derived in part from biomass, to power its waste collection trucks, leading to a 23 per cent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions

Make a pledge to cut your emissions, record your progress and keep track of the campaign

Unilever Ice Cream has committed to using eco-friendly propane freezers, where permitted, in their facilities and is exploring the use of thermoacoustic refrigeration

First Mile Solutions develops solar-powered, wireless, internet-based systems for remote access to health care and other applications

Curitiba, Brazil, is considered one of the best examples of urban planning on the planet

The Earthship is a home made from materials indigenous to the entire planet. The major structural components are used car tyres filled with compacted earth, forming virtually indestructible rammed-earth bricks encased in steel-belted rubber

Ozone Water Treatment Systems can easily be powered by any renewable energy system, such as solar, and have many advantages

The SolArt Global Network makes visible the activities of a group of artists, architects, engineers, scientists and scholars dedicated to provoking the cultural changes necessary to move from petroleum-based energy to renewable resources

The Children's Scrapstore takes clean and safe waste products from industry, creating a resource for childrens art and play activities

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