Group items tagged

"Gadgets get discarded at ever faster rates and account for millions of tons of consumer electronic waste every year. To feed production, more and more resources are claimed and we are beginning to suffer from the immense burden on the natural and social environment. What is the purpose of driving the technological advancement? Does it help us create something that will last? Where are we going so fast? We don't know. Or do we?"

"This 18th edition of Greenpeace's Guide to Greener Electronics evaluates leading consumer electronics companies based on their commitment and progress in three environmental criteria: Energy and Climate, Greener Products, and Sustainable Operations. The Guide scores companies on overall policies and practices - not on specific products - to provide consumers with a snapshot of the sustainability of the biggest names in the industry. This Guide is not an endorsement for buying products from one company or another. Read"

Solar subsidies cost German consumers billions of dollars a year and are widely regarded as inefficient. Even environmentalists are concerned that Berlin's focus on solar comes at the detriment of other renewables. But the solar industry has a powerful lobby, and politicians have proven powerless to resist.

"Consumer guide to solar PV"

"Many Australians are happy to declare their interest in sustainability, to reducing their environmental impact. But how many of them are prepared to reduce the amount they actually consume?"

"Many Australian consumers and businesses are working on ways to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. For some, the carbon tax meets their needs: it's designed to specifically motivate changes in behaviour by raising the costs associated with the production of pollution. But others are looking for more direct measures. Do offsets fit the bill?"

"The old-fashioned approach to recycling in which consumers pay a redeemable deposit on drink containers is popular among all kinds of people, from Greenpeace members to traditional Coalition voters. But this nostalgia-fuelled enthusiasm isn't a good reason to suspend sound judgement. The truth is container deposit schemes are outdated and ineffective, and it's time we consigned the idea to history's dustbin."

Today, we produce about four billion metric tonnes of food per annum. Yet due to poor practices in harvesting, storage and transportation, as well as market and consumer wastage, it is estimated that 30-50% (or 1.2-2 billion tonnes) of all food produced never reaches a human stomach. Furthermore, this figure does not reflect the fact that large amounts of land, energy, fertilisers and water have also been lost in the production of foodstuffs which simply end up as waste. This level of wastage is a tragedy that cannot continue if we are to succeed in the challenge of sustainably meeting our future food demands.

"GoodFishBadFish is a website passionate about sustainable seafood.  It's a place for consumers to visit for up-to-date and interesting information on the area of sustainable seafood."

Consumers could save up to 10 per cent on power bills thanks to a new energy saving solution designed by two PhD students at the University of Sydney. The MyPower Energy Platform allows users to monitor the power consumption of individual appliances and determines the best times to use them.

New model - Reduced price

"The highly anticipated iPhone 5 is finally in millions of people's hands.  Within three days of its September 21st launch, Apple had sold a record-breaking five million units. And within a year, analysts project that sales of the iPhone 5 will reach 170 million. The popularity of the new device got us thinking: how much juice does it take each year to charge a next-generation smartphone? And how does the energy consumption of smartphones compare to that of other consumer electronics? To find out, we got our hands on a new iPhone 5 and also a Samsung Galaxy S III - currently the hottest Android handset - then headed into the Opower Lab for some testing. Here's what we found, and our assessment of what it suggests about the energy impact of our increasingly on-the-go digital lifestyles…"

"The greening of American energy is both real and profound. But there's a flip side to this American success story. Even as our nation is pivoting toward a more sustainable energy future, America's oil and coal corporations are racing to position the country as the planet's dirty-energy dealer - supplying the developing world with cut-rate, high-polluting, climate-damaging fuels. Much like tobacco companies did in the 1990s - when new taxes, regulations and rising consumer awareness undercut domestic demand - Big Carbon is turning to lucrative new markets in booming Asian economies where regulations are looser. Worse, the White House has quietly championed this dirty-energy trade."

"Want to know how far you'd have to walk to work off your sugary drink intake? Select your gender. Select the state you're in. Enter how many of each type of drink you've consumed that you want to walk off. The calculator will tell you how far you will have to walk from the CBD in your state/territory to burn off those kilojoules."

"The Sustainable Seafood Guide is the first Australian app that gives information on the sustainability of over 100 kinds of seafood. The app is a fully mobile version of the Australian Marine Conservation Society's printed and on-line consumer guide - www.sustainableseafood.org.au"

"A ham and cheese sandwich, muesli bar and milk popper might seem the typical combo for a school lunch box. But the differences in the overall nutritional value can be huge, depending on the brands. Consumer group Choice has applied the algorithm for the healthy food star rating system - controversially removed by Assistant Health Minister Fiona Nash - to children's lunch box staples, giving them the star ratings that could appear on packaged foods from July. ''We found big nutritional differences between similar-looking products, and this is critical when it comes to kids' food,'' said Choice campaign manager Angela Cartwright. ''Eat it every day, and it can add up quickly.''"

"This week, after another tumultuous summer of scandal and the third prorogation of his tenure as prime minister, Stephen Harper will deliver his throne speech to Parliament to be read by the Governor General. The advance word has it that the focus of the speech and the legislative agenda it ushers in will be the protection of consumers."

"Food manufacturers could be facing their tobacco moment as growing consumer awareness on well-being turns towards commodities such as sugar, a global report says. The report on sugar, compiled by the Credit Suisse Research Institute, highlights the need for the food and beverage industry to tackle the focus on obesity head-on by joining a diversification into new healthier products."

Energy Made Easy is an Australian Government website maintained by the Australian Energy Regulator (AER). Under the National Energy Retail Law, which came into effect on 1 July 2012, the AER developed and must operate a price comparator website. The aim of Energy Made Easy is to help residential and small business energy consumers to navigate the often complex electricity and gas retail markets to find a suitable energy offer. The website also allows you to understand and compare your residential electricity usage against other similar households living in their area and to learn about energy related topics such as energy efficiency, contracts, bills, your rights and obligations, and the energy market.

"What would the world look like if everyone lived like me?"