As oil rises, Americans rediscover the railroad
| European Union Poised to Increase Recycling The European Union is currently debating waste management targets that could significantly increase recycling rates throughout Europe.Legislators on the European Parliament’s Environment Committee overwhelmingly supported reforms earlier this year that would halt the steady rise in the region’s garbage. By 2012, waste production would have to stabilize at 2009 levels, the committee recommended. |
| Floating Offshore Wind Turbines Norwegian company StatoilHydro is working on a 2.3 megawatt floating wind turbine that will be attached to the top of ‘Spar-buoy’ and moored to the seabed by three anchor points. It is hoped that the 80 meter diameter, 65 meter high Siemens turbine will have lower deep-water installation costs when compared to traditional wind [.] |
| Gap executive urges global manufacturing standards When clothing giant Gap took its first steps toward corporate responsibility in 1992, it wasn’t aiming for anything extraordinary, said Dan Henkle, senior vice president of social responsibility at the San Francisco-based company. |
| Oil and Gas Producer Norway is switching to wind power Norway is known for producing oil from its many oil rigs in the sea, and for being a source of natural gas, but environmental concerns are changing things, and up to 150 wind power stations awaiting approval or already authorized. From a report by Nina Larson for AFP:“As Norway prepares for a future after [.] |
| Growing pains: Gardeners experiment with less hardy plants. Thanks to global warming, less hardy plants once deemed too fragile are surviving and even thriving in new areas. |
| As oil rises, Americans rediscover the railroad Amtrak, America’s struggling passenger railroad, saw record numbers in May when ridership rose 12.3 percent from a year earlier, and ticket sales climbed 15.6 percent, according to company data.Amtrak President Alex Kummant said the numbers point to a sixth straight year of record passengers. |
| World Bank says emerging economies can fund climate fight. Emerging economies can help fund the fight against climate change through sovereign wealth funds, swollen by oil and other exports receipts, the World Bank’s Latin America chief, Pamela Cox, said on Tuesday. |