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"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…"

"While many American adults enjoy the perk of owning a car, as they pull out of their garage, they overlook one mode of transportation that may very well serve as not only an alternative mode of transportation, but also a key to a healthy life. http://www.quickenloans.com/ has created an infographic entitled "Footloose and Car Free! How Biking Can Improve Your Health and the Environment", illustrating how adding two-wheeled transport to your repertoire can benefit not only you, but the environment and your wallet! "

"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."

"While the Coalition didn't release a 2013 election policy document explaining how they'd reduce emissions, they did release a document outlining how they'd axe the tax. The document is entitled The Coalition's Policy to Deliver Lower Prices by Scrapping the Carbon Tax. Within it is an excellent idea well worth supporting, in that it will highlight just how 'brilliant' the Abbott government's cost of living 'relief' will be when it axes the carbon tax. "

"United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has said that the battle for global sustainability will be won or lost in the world's cities. Cities and urban areas are estimated to account for 80 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions, and more than half of the world's population live in them, so what we do in our urban centres will, to a large extent, define the future of our world. Governments are struggling to agree on action against climate change, but thankfully many city authorities are just getting on with tackling the problem as best they can. Element takes a look at what authorities in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch are expecting, how they are trying to minimise the damage and preparing for the worst, and how their plans shape up against those elsewhere."

"How solar and EVs will save us"

"- What does sustainability mean? - Why are we currently unsustainable? - What is an ecological footprint? - What's the problem with plastic? - What about water? - And biodiversity? - How are people faring? - How can we find a sustainable path? - What are some great sustainability initiatives? This video introduces the concept of sustainability and explains our current situation on this planet, even before any potential challenges from climate change are involved. From the Australian Research Institute for Environment and Sustainability (ARIES) at Macquarie University, Sydney. "

"How can putting a price on carbon lower greenhouse gas emissions? Get to grips with the theory of how carbon pricing works."

We all know how much emphasis is being placed on green energy strategies these days. The folks over National Geographic recently teamed up with GE Power & Water and the Center for Science to release Plan It Green: The Big Switch, a new cloud based online gaming community where students come together to learn more about the importance of recycling and how eco-friendly habits that can help save our environment. 

"Shining a Light on Sustainability is an introductory video from the Australian Research Institute for Environment and Sustainability at Macquarie University, Sydney.  This video introduces the concept of sustainability and explains our current situation even before any potential challenges from climate change are involved. What does sustainability mean? Why are we currently unsustainable? What is an ecological footprint? What's the problem with plastic? What about water? And biodiversity? How are people faring? How can we find a sustainable path? What are some great sustainability initiatives?"

"We challenge the reader, on Oceans Day, to join us in a one-month "plastic de-tox" commitment. Start by counting how many disposable plastic items you use in one day, and decide how many of them you could do away without compromising your quality of life in any significant manner."

TWO brands of olive oil, one from Australia, the other shipped 16,000 kilometres from Italy, sit on a supermarket shelf. Most eco-friendly shoppers would reach for the Australian oil. But despite burning less fossil fuel to get here, it may not be better for the planet. Contrary to popular belief, ''food miles'', or the distance food has travelled before we buy it, is a poor indicator of our food's total greenhouse gas emissions, or ''carbon footprint''. Advertisement: Story continues below More important is the way our food is farmed and produced, and how far we drive to buy it. CSIRO studies are expected to show how emissions from farming and food production eclipse those from food freight.

New model - Reduced price

Agriculture giant Monsanto may be best known for genetic modification-like creating corn that resists the effects of Monsanto's weed killer Roundup. But when it comes to fruits and vegetables you buy in the store, genetic modification is off the menu. Monsanto thinks no one will buy Frankenfoods, so the company is tweaking its efforts-continuing to map the genetic basis of a plant's desirable traits but using that data to breed new custom-designed strains the way agronomists have for millennia. Here's how it works-and how the results differ from GMO crops. Thanks to this cross between high and low tech, a new era of super-produce may be upon us. -Victoria Tang

"Most Australians overestimate how much they are doing for the environment compared to others, and are more concerned about water shortages, pollution and household waste than climate change, a new CSIRO survey reveals. Taken over a period of July to August last year, it is the latest in a series of annual national surveys on Australians' attitudes to climate change involving more than 5000 people from across urban, regional, and rural Australia. (You can read about past survey results here and here.)"

"Food and packaging waste is not simply something that 'goes away' when we pop it in the rubbish bin for collection by our garbos. Waste has an insidious, long-term impact on our environment, our wildlife and ultimately our own health. But how do we avoid it? In an age of excess consumption and a mindset of convenience-at-all-cost, is it possible to truly be waste free? The free-to-watch documentary shows how food and plastic waste can be avoided, drawing attention to much of the unnecessary packaging that is choking our lives, oceans and animals. It also gives an insight into the environmental and social impacts of our wasteful ways."

"One of the most common misunderstandings amongst climate change "skeptics" is the difference between short-term noise and long-term signal.  This animation shows how the same temperature data (green) that is used to determine the long-term global surface air warming trend of 0.16°C per decade (red) can be used inappropriately to "cherrypick" short time periods that show a cooling trend simply because the endpoints are carefully chosen and the trend is dominated by short-term noise in the data (blue steps).  Isn't it strange how five periods of cooling can add up to a clear warming trend over the last 4 decades?  Several factors can have a large impact on short-term temperatures, such as oceanic cycles like the El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) or the 11-year solar cycle.  These short-term cycles don't have long-term effects on the Earth's temperature, unlike the continuing upward trend caused by global warming from human greenhouse gas emissions."

"Bill Gates sees meat alternatives a a big part of the future of food. On his blog, The Gates Notes, there is a feature called The Future of Food, where he explains how food scientists are starting to reinvent meat, and how this could help the whole world. Gate explains that worldwide meat consumption has doubled over the past two decades and is expected to double again by 2050 when, as we know, world population is expected to reach at least 9 billion. It is just over 7 billion now."

"The 'Pathways to Deep Decarbonisation in 2050: How Australia can prosper in a low carbon world' report, released 23 September 2014, presents an illustrative deep decarbonisation pathway for Australia - just one of many possible pathways - developed using a combination of well-established modelling tools to identify feasible and least-cost options.  This work finds that Australia can achieve net zero emissions by 2050 and live within its recommended carbon budget, using technologies that exist today, while maintaining economic prosperity. Major technological transitions are needed in some industries and many activities, but no fundamental change to Australia's economy is required. The technologies required for decarbonisation are currently available or under development. The analysis shows that deep decarbonisation requires neither substantial lifestyle changes nor large changes in Australia's economic structure."

"How to use a power meter "