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Top 10 Green Trends of 2011 from TIME Magazine
Posted by: | CommentsWelcome back to the Planet Forward blog, we’re a couple of weeks into the New Year and we thought we’d take a look back at the top 10 green trends in 2011. TIME Magazine published a list of their top 10 green trends of 2011 and you’ll be surprised by some of them. The topics are diverse ranging from electric vehicles to increased nuclear fears to fracking.
TIME Magazine’s top 10 green trends in 2011:
Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant after earthquake and tsunami March 14, 2011 (photo credit: reuters.com)
1. The Return of Nuclear Fears
On March 11, a colossal earthquake and tsunami hit northern Japan. In the worst atomic meltdown since Chernobyl, the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear complex was severely damaged by the disaster which eventually caused a meltdown. There’s still research underway to determine the long-term effects of the Fukushima disaster, but reaction in the nuclear industry was quick as Germany and Japan announced drastic reductions in atomic power.
2. Climate-Change Skepticism
Back in 2008, Republican presidential candidate John McCain believed in global warming and had a plan to reduce carbon emissions and increase renewable energy. “Today it’s easier to find an iceberg in the Sahara than it is to find a major Republican candidate who believes in climate science. As a result, climate change has become one more politically polarized issue — which means any national action from the U.S. has become virtually impossible.”
3. Fighting Old-Fashioned Air Pollution
The fight against air pollution continues and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has implemented mandated change. The EPA established “new rules for power plants and industrial facilities that will reduce smog and air pollution and improve public health.”
4. Going Local
It’s not just about shopping locally sourced foods and products; it’s about local government’s taking action to combat climate change while recognizing that federal governments move at a snail’s pace. For example, “California enacted an ambitious cap-and-trade program that will mandate greenhouse-gas reductions, despite political opposition. Cities like New York and Portland, Ore., continued to press on with plans to increase energy efficiency and reduce carbon emissions.”
5. NIMBYism
NIMBYism which means “not in my backyard,” includes greens fighting against development. The biggest victory came for NIMBYism when they pushed Obama to postpone the Keystone XL pipeline. The Keystone XL pipeline was planned across the Midwest US and would have brought crude from Canadian oil-sands. Most activists and environmentalists honed in on the carbon risk of the oil sands, but it was the ordinary folks in Nebraska who were concerned about the risk of a local oil spill where the pipeline was planned to cross. I’m sure everyone saw the media coverage on the numerous protests that occurred.
6. Electric Vehicles Go Commercial
In 2011, the Nissan Leaf and GM’s Volt began selling their electric vehicles to eco-conscious drivers. The number of drivers is still small at less than 10,000 of each model and the Volt has come under fire (literally) for safety as a result of battery fires that can occur during collision. However, we certainly hope that the trend will continue towards more electric vehicle options from car manufacturers so they become the norm on the road, not the exception. Drivers at large have to recognize that to help combat climate change, we have to reduce our dependency on oil and fossil fuels.
7. The Fight over Fracking
What the frack? “Environmentalists have serious concerns about the risk of water pollution associated with hydrofracking — and many of the people who’ve leased their land for drilling are having second thoughts. As a result, fracking has become the hottest environmental issue in the U.S. — much more so than climate change — and there’s a real possibility that the expansion of gas drilling could be blocked in states like New York. The U.S. could be entering a golden age of gas, but only if it can figure out the environmental challenges.”
8. Greens Sour on Obama
Obama’s recent moves to postpone the Keystone XL pipeline and improve gas mileage have helped, but environmentalists are still disappointed with his progress over the past 4 years. “After eight years of the climate skeptic George W. Bush, Obama represented himself as someone who believed in science, who was willing to make the U.S. a leader in the battle against global warming. He promised cap and trade and drafted the greenest Cabinet in U.S. history, with luminaries like Energy Secretary (and Nobel Prize–winning physicist) Steven Chu. But less than a year before the 2012 election, many greens have soured on Obama. He’s blamed for not putting enough energy behind the push for cap and trade, which finally died in the Senate last year. He’s accused of kowtowing to polluters, watering down regulations on smog and other air pollutants.” I don’t think this bodes well for green support for Obama in the 2012 election.
9. The Solyndra Mess
It’s not uncommon for companies to go bankrupt especially with the current state of the economy, but all hell broke loose when solar panel manufacturer Solyndra declared bankruptcy in September 2011. Why? Well, not only were there 1,000 employees now out of work but Solyndra received $500 million in government loan guarantees. Did Solyndra waste they money? “Not exactly. The loan-guarantee program was going to be risky — support for insurgent technologies always is. And recent reviews of the Department of Energy’s loan programs have shown little waste. But Republicans seized on Solyndra as evidence that renewable energy wasn’t worth government support — and they’ve kept the issue in the headlines ever since. Expect to hear about the “Solyndra scandal” a lot between now and November.”
10. The Billion-Dollar Disasters
With 14 separate natural disasters costing $1 billion-plus, the US hit an all-time record in 2011. Although scientists continue to struggle with the connection between climate change and extreme weather, there’s no question that the hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes, floods and droughts suffered were warning signs. What does the future hold and how many billion-dollar disasters will the public have to cope with in the future?
And that’s it for TIME’s list of the top 10 green trends in 2011. Quite frankly, a little depressing. What do you think the green trends will be in 2012?
January 18, 2012
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Recycled Computer Keyboard Wall Tiles Image Credit: © Sarah Frost
Season’s greetings and welcome back for another edition of our weekly green news highlights. This week: Ian Somerhalder’s passionate plea to Congress to protect endangered species and prevent extinction; Ford announces the Focus Electric 2012, the first five-passenger, all electric vehicle (EV); and recycled art decorates walls with old keyboards.
Ford announced yesterday that “their world-class Michigan Assembly Plant is starting production of the 2012 Focus Electric, expected to be the first five-passenger, all-electric car to achieve more than a 100 miles per gallon equivalent (MPGe) fuel efficiency rating.” With the Focus Electric battery recharging in a little over 3 hours using a 240 volt charging station, cutting in half the charging time of the 2012 Nissan Leaf. “Focus Electric is designed to offer enough range to cover the majority of daily driving habits of Americans. It’s expected 100 MPGe is better than Chevrolet Volt and all electric vehicles with seating for five. Faster charging with 240 volts also can extend range as drivers can more quickly recharge between stops – up to 30 miles per charge hour – so they can more than double the vehicle’s range with multiple charging stops during a busy day of driving.”
Another benefit is Ford’s environmentally-friendly Michigan Assembly Plant. “Renewable energy collected by the solar panels directly feeds the energy-efficient microgrid, helping power the plant. When the plant is inactive, such as holidays, the stored solar energy will provide power during periods of insufficient or inconsistent sunlight.” The plant is also equipped with “10 electric vehicle charging stations that recharge the electric switcher trucks that transport parts between adjacent facilities – saving an estimated 86,000 gallons of gas a year.”
In 2011, the Western Black Rhino, a prized African species, became extinct. Vampire Diaries Actor and animal rights activist Ian Somerhalder wrote an article for the Huffington Post which included his own plea to congress to reauthorize the Multinational Species Conservation Funds. He asked the disturbing question: “who will join the extinction list in 2012?” Apparently elephants, tigers, rhinos, great apes, and marine turtles are all at risk of joining the extinction list.
Somerhalder explains “The House of Representatives is currently stalling on a bill that would reauthorize funds to protect all of the aforementioned animals, a bill that has received strong bi-partisan support for over 14 years. This should be an easy choice.“ Agreed, wildlife conservation should be a priority especially when we are talking about saving millions of animals. He goes on to say “And, for every dollar spent by the U.S. government for these conservation funds between 2006 and 2010, the program raised two dollars in matching funds from private or international donors, making this a very sound investment of taxpayer dollars. Even eliminating the program altogether would only save $19 million over the next ten years: a mere drop in the bucket compared to our national debt of $15 trillion.” An excellent point, $19 million is a tiny crumb in the $15 trillion US national debt pie. Please click here to pledge your support and send a letter to Congress.
Sarah Frost has created something really unique by recycling and upcycling computer keyboards into entire walls tiled with old keyboard keys. Frost states, “My work examines our culture through the collection of its remains, such as discarded consumer objects. Rather than making representations to create an art object, I accumulate cast-off objects that already exist. I choose them for their history, evidence of use and what they imply about their users. I then re-present these items in a different form and context for a particular site. I find the traces of the personal left on these objects – evidence of habits, experience, emotion and personal taste – poignant in the absence of their owners and any further use.” What an amazing sentiment behind her inspiration for upcycling genius. I look forward to seeing more of Sarah Frost’s work.
Will you be considering a Focus Electric Vehicle in 2012? How about joining Ian Somerhalder’s plight to protect endangered species? Stay tuned for more green news.
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Planet Forward is an online retailer of ethically-made, earth-friendly products designed for everyday use with a distinctly urban feel. Products include reusable stainless steel bottles, stainless steel thermal travel mugs, waste-free lunch bags, reusable shopping bags, Make-it-Yourself toxin-free Green Cleaning kits, organic fashions and other accessories. SALE 50% OFF ALL PRODUCTS – SHOP NOW !
Tags: 2012 Focus Electric, electric vehicle, electric vehicle charging stations, energy efficient, environmentally friendly, EV, Focus Electric, Ford, Ford Focus, Ford Focus Electric, green news, Huffington Post, Ian Somerhalder, Make-it-Yourself toxin-free Green Cleaning kits, Multinational Species Conservation Funds, nissan leaf, organic fashions, planet forward, recycled art, Recycling, renewable energy, reusable bags, reusable bottles, reusable shopping bags, reusable stainless steel bottles, Sarah Frost, solar energy, solar panels, stainless steel thermal travel mugs, stainless steel water bottles, sustainable lifestyle, Sustainable Living, The Vampire Diaries, upcycling, Vampire Diaries, waste-free lunch bags, wildlife conservationNissan Turns Over A New Leaf
Posted by: | CommentsLast year was the year that the long awaited electric car came one step closer to becoming reality. What brought this on was two major car companies brought viable electric car models to market: Nissan’s Leaf and Chevrolet’s Volt. Nissan’s Leaf model has so far out sold Chevrolet’s at 10,100 units compared to Volt’s 2,029.
Nissan recently unveiled that their Leaf can also double as a backup of generator to a house as it as the capability to feed energy back into the house. They say it can power the average Japanese household for forty-eight hours. This is an important selling point in post tsunami Japan where power outages are still occurring. Not to mention they are trying to phase out nuclear power, and until other grids are in place there are gaps in service.
And in renewable energy news: “Last month Nissan also demonstrated a system whereby electricity is generated through 488 solar cells that were installed on the roof of its headquarters in Yokohama near Tokyo. Nissan said that four batteries from the Leaf were placed in a box in a cellar-like part of the building, and stored the electricity generated from the solar cells, which is enough to fully charge 1,800 Leaf vehicles a year.”
It’s not just in Japan that the electric car is coming closer to fruition. In early August the Ontario government announced eighty million dollars to promote investment in electric car charging stations. If governments are willing to help put in the infrastructure needed to support the electric car not only is the idea a popular one amongst the general public, but also it will entice people to purchase an electric car in the future. One of the main concerns around electric cars, for everyday consumers, would be how to charge it when not at home.
On top of that the Ontario government offers up to eighty-five hundred dollars in incentives to buyers of electric cars, as they are entitled “to a green plate that grants them access to high occupancy vehicle lanes.”
This demonstrates that both the private and public sectors can work together to promote viable green alternatives like electric cars.
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Planet Forward is an online retailer of ethically-made, earth-friendly products designed for everyday use with a distinctly urban feel. Products include reusable stainless steel bottles, stainless steel thermal travel mugs, waste-free lunch bags, reusable shopping bags, Make-it-Yourself toxin-free Green Cleaning kits, organic fashions and other accessories. SALE 50% OFF ALL PRODUCTS – SHOP NOW!
