Group items tagged

"Cultivate L.A. is a group of students in the Urban Planning Masters program over at UCLA that has spent the past year tracking down every bit of urban ag in L.A. County for a massive report and, perhaps more importantly, an extensive interactive map. To get some background into the project, I spoke to Rachel Surls, sustainable food systems advisor for UC's Cooperative Extension in L.A. County, and the students' "client" for this specific project."

"The interactive maps allow you to zoom in or out, to select a specific mode of transit to examine, and provides a color-coded key as well as roll-over notes that will give you an idea of the percentages of people using that method of travel. Play with the maps of these cities to learn about the transit habits of people in your area. Or, if you're planning on relocating, see if one of these cities accommodates walking and biking to work or if cars rule the roads. There are many ways these interactive maps offer information: we hope they give you some interesting insights!"

"On average, the seas are expected rise by one metre by the end of the century. This means the relocation of 500 million people whose homes and land will be inundated. There are currently no plans to manage this. Johannes Leutz is studying the best way to tackle these approaching massive problems."

"There is little doubt that Kevin Rudd's plan to bring forward international linking and trading of emission permits is a smart political move. It removes a key option for Tony Abbott. Now Mr Abbott is forced to apply the most extreme interpretation of his promise to remove the carbon tax: remove all pricing mechanisms. Until now, many commentators have pointed to the vague wording of his promise to argue that bringing forward the internationally linked trading scheme would be an obvious path for him after winning the election."

"There's currently a very big difference between what the major parties contesting the election are planning to do for our environment. And hopefully there are still plenty of big announcements to come over the course of the election campaign! But if you want to be spared all the somersaults and politicking and just get the facts when they matter, sign up to Envirotracker below for an election-eve update on what the major parties are promising for our environment."

"The world's largest home-furnishings chain, Ikea, is set to buy a wind farm in Ireland from Mainstream Renewable Power Ltd, Bloomberg has reported. This is part of a plan by Ikea Group to invest $2.5 billion in wind and solar assets by 2015. The 7.65 megawatt wind farm, being built by Mainstream, is expected to begin generating power by 2014. Ikea will take ownership at that point."

"There's currently a very big difference between what the major parties contesting the election are planning to do for our environment. Here's where the major parties stand as at 12 August 2013. We'll update this snapshot over the course of the election campaign. Hopefully there are some big, positive announcements to come!"

"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."

"These results for 2013 reveal just how strongly China is swinging behind renewables as its primary energy resource. This is consistent with the 12th Five Year Plan (running from 2011 to 2015) which projects that China will be generating 30% of its electric power from non-fossil sources overall by 2015. This is a level far higher than comparable industrialized countries."

"The Future Economy Group, a new coalition of businesses and environmental leaders, has joined forces to research and advocate the importance of innovation and natural capital to Victoria's economy. We sponsored detailed research that shows that nature and economy are inextricably linked and quantifies the impact on the Victorian economy and jobs if our environment continues to decline. It shows that we can grow the economy and jobs by modernising Victoria's economy into one that is built on innovation and values nature. Based on this research, the Group then developed the Future Economy Plan, a roadmap to modernise Victoria's economy. It provides a series of powerful ideas for change, and urges the government of Victoria to take action now to convert the state economy from 'business-as-usual' to one that can meet the challenges of the 21st-century."

"One of the world's most advanced solar power companies has shelved plans to develop electricity plants for the public market in Australia because of the Government's apparent hostility to renewable energy. Solar Reserve, based in Santa Monica, California, has pioneered a technology that combines mass-scale solar power generation with storage, allowing energy from the sun to be "time-shifted" and used 24 hours a day."

"Educating kids about recycling can have an impact on the entire household. That's why Planet Ark has developed the Packaging Covenant Schools Recycle Right Challenge to support recycling education in schools. Register your school now to access a wide range of recycling-themed activities, lesson plans and events ideas that have been developed specifically for Australian schools."

"Post Carbon Pathways: Towards a Just and Resilient Post Carbon Future Learning from leading international post-carbon economy researchers and policy makers This report draws on in-depth interviews with leading international researchers, policy makers and activists on actions needed to drive the rapid implementation of large scale post carbon economy transition strategies."

"If you think solar power is a good investment, you're hardly alone. Solar panels will generate close to 10 per cent of the nation's daytime electricity this summer. In South Australia, it will reach 30 per cent. In all, 1.15 million Australian homes and businesses have installed solar electricity systems and demand is growing."

Right now Australia faces a choice: we can continue our dependence on fossil fuels, keep mining and burning coal, keep polluting our air and water. We can keep damaging our farmland and heath, be left behind the rest of the world on investment and face an uncertain future with an unstable climate. Or we can make the switch to 100% clean renewable energy, creating a safer, healthier happier future for all.  Join us to ensure Australia makes this choice to help the turn the vision of a 100% Renewable future into a reality.

Renew Geelong's air, spirit and economy with renewable energy - Sign this petition! 48-hour petition - until Tuesday. Share on Facebook and Twitter. Forward this e-mail.  ________________________________________________________   We're hoping the citizens of Geelong will speak up and take a stand in this wind farm drama about community backing.  Let Hydro Tasmania know that there are community groups who object to these secretly funded anti-wind campaigners who allegedly have no worries about climate change. Support Hydro Tasmania in their $2 billion plan to combat carbon emissions and global warming - and to boost sustainability in Victoria.  The petition started today and closes on Tuesday 25 June. (Sign the petition and send a personal comment to the board of Hydro Tasmania:  https://www.change.org/en-AU/petitions/board-of-hydro-tasmania-renew-geelong-s-air-spirit-and-economy-with-renewable-energy ________________________________________________________ Comments to Hydro Tasmania from the first signatories: "Geelong has relied to long on out dated technology and fossil fuels, renewables energy is our future."(~ Katharine Drummond-Gillett   "Renewable energy projects would revitalise Geelong's economy." (~ Vicki Perrett   "The Geelong and broader regional community are committed to moving towards a more sustainable lifestyle, evident through community actions, changes in manufacturing sectors, the Cleantech Innovations Geelong supported by Geelong Manufacturing, the City of Greater Geelong and community to transition to a renewable energy economy."(~ Suzette Jackson ________________________________________________________ This petition is organised by Parents for Climate Safety More information about the petition: www.climatesafety.info/?p=2970 ________________________________________________________

"Climate Change Education .Org - a portal website dedicated to: Global Warming Education, Climate Change Education & Science, Solutions -- Resources Directory"