April 2014: The Cruelest Month
With average atmospheric levels above 400 ppm April 2014 sets a new record
April 30, 2014
East Asia: Demand Up For Solar Panel Stuff
Demand for polysilicon, used to make solar panels, rises 15% on Chinese & Japanese demand
For Better Climate Health
Using a medical analogy to describe and treat climate change could lead to more public buy-in
Fake Quote Alert
A mindful reader is on the alert for fake climate claim quotes & their echo chamber
The Recovery And Resilience Guy
An interview with Dan Zarrilli, NYC's top guy for post-Sandy recovery and resilience [Part 2]
Spain: Renewable Energy Resilience
Despite government slashing renewable energy support, Spain's Iberdrola utility sees rising revenues from its international renewables business
Join The Climate CoLab Contest
Got a great idea for how to grow green building demand? Here's a contest for you.
Future Value
Assuming politicians can agree to tax carbon can economists agree on its value?
A Greener Green Code
The NYC Council passes 4 bills to make Gotham healthier & more energy efficient
April 29, 2014
Durban: Enviro Justice Prize Winner
The Goldman environmental prize is awarded to Desmond D'Sa for shutting down a hazardous waste landfill in Durban, South Africa
Old And Efficient
9 tips for making old homes energy efficient
Cli-Fi Isn't Sci-Fi
Climate finance 'cli-fi' is the leading edge for renewable or low-carbon energy project funding
Supreme Court Upholds EPA Coal Rule
An EPA rule limiting interstate pollution from coal-fired power plants is upheld by the Supreme Court, 6-2
Reforming The Energy Vision
Major utility regulatory reform with distributed resource planning is coming to NY
A Google Query
What's driving Google's (and not just Google) green energy drive?
Stranger Than Fiction
Despite well-funded fossil fuel attacks on renewable energy, the greens might prevail state-by-state
April 28, 2014
Carbon: 2012 Vintage
40 rich nations saw their carbon emissions dip 1.3% in 2012
Coal And Nukes And Carbon
The carbon impact of retiring coal-fired power plants will be outweighed by shutting down nuclear power plants
EPA: African-Americans Needed
An engaged African-American community is necessary for climate action says the EPA
India: $24 M For Solar Power
GE invests $24 million as part of a 151 MW solar power project in India
Texas PACE-Setting
This Texas toolbox could scale up PACE for commercial buildings in a hurry
Shanghai v Rio: Subway Reach
Rio vs Shanghai subway systems, 1993-2013: @UrbDemographics pic.twitter.com/XyvLYwCJcY #cplan #apa14 v @hagenpr
— transportdata (@transportdata) April 28, 2014Wave Goodbye
A project to harness wave power to create electricity runs aground In Oregon
Drinking Water Back In The Day
See the above-ground remnants of NYC's first drinking-water system
April 27, 2014
There Goes The Sun
Why the Koch Brothers put all that energy into fighting solar power
April 25, 2014
Obama's Climate
With less than 3 years left in office, will Obama move the climate action dial?
Green City Index
Giuliani Friends Indian Point
Calling it a vital part of the nation's energy portfolio former-NYC Mayor Giuliani favors the continued operation of the Indian Point nuclear power plant
Blowing With The Wind
MT @AndyCobley: http://t.co/ywxZSWZli0 Dragable map of wind currents on the Earth #earthart pic.twitter.com/p78VGdYXGA
— CECHR (@CECHR_UoD) April 25, 2014ID'ing The Fixer
When utility repairs are made under the streets of Dayton, OH, a wireless tag identifying who fixed the street is required
The Great Feedstock Shift
Instead of burning hydrocarbons use them as feedstock for new materials & products
Solar Power Growth Numbers
Over the last 4 years US solar power grew 400% and now stands at 12,057 MW, 1.13% of total electric generation
April 24, 2014
Clearing The Air
Enforcement of existing air pollution laws a top concern at City Council hearings on newly proposed laws
April 23, 2014
China: What the World Needs Now
For the world's sake, and its own, China needs to change the way it builds and runs its cities http://t.co/N6VREmZsax pic.twitter.com/bVUBUTXBlA
— The Economist (@TheEconomist) April 19, 2014EU To China: We Think You Can
Now's the time for China to take global climate action leadership says EU chief
Everyone Into The Pool
The filter system for a jumbo swimming pool floating in the Hudson or East River gets tested
Where The Boys Are
What's with the male bias in media coverage on climate change?
Google 'Do No Evil' - Energy
Google data centers in Iowa to be powered with 407 MW of wind, enough for future needs too.
April 22, 2014
PlaNYC: 2014 Edition
Mayor de Blasio releases an updated PlaNYC report, with an emphasis on resiliency ideas
John Stewart Meets Gina McCarthy
The Daily Show does climate change & then some
UK: Renewable Legacy Of Norman Conquest
The Crown Estate, British lands taken by William the Conquerer, invests in off-shore wind projects now
Breaking Through The Heat Cap
The idea that global temperature rise can be kept below 2°C looks increasingly delusional
Read Their Lips
Not a Single Republican Has Mentioned Earth Day in Congress Since 2010. http://t.co/crAc4d2wxg @nationajournal pic.twitter.com/IHBLVdXQou
— Tim Grieve (@timgrieve) April 22, 2014California Beamin'
With more than 100,00 solar roofs California utility calls for a 'sustainable' energy policy
How Apple Celebrates Earth Day
What's happening as Apple gets into clean energy & a smaller carbon footprint?
OK's OK With Taxing Solar Power...
April 21, 2014
April Makes History
April 2014 could be the first month in human history where atmosphere CO2 levels are above 400 ppm every day
Bogtoa: An Earth Day, Every Day Mantra
.@EnriquePenalosa quote about #JustCities & transportation equity. #inclusivegrowth #CPlan pic.twitter.com/Lxb0pCwAv7
— urbandata (@urbandata) April 21, 2014Microgrids 101
Psst want to buy a microgrid? Here are some basics
Japan: Energy Theory Meets Infrastrucutre
Japan's plan for a natural gas exchange stumped by lack of a national pipeline network
Climate Action: The Political Path
Advocate for climate action idea that are politically feasible and bid farewell to brilliant ones that aren't
A Sunnier Con Ed
Looking to the future Con Ed sees solar power in its future
Rebuilding After Sandy: One Community's Story
Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn finds it really does take a village to rebuild
Super-Green Super-Affordable Bushwick
The nation's first affordable apartments built to 'passive house' standards open in Bushwick
Re-Imagine NY
Imagine traveling the Brooklyn-Queens waterfront by streetcar
April 19, 2014
Yesterday, Today And Tomorrow
Environmental and civil rights activist Michelle DePass evaluates the Bloomberg years, the first 100 days of the de Blasio administration and what it could be doing
Solar Power: Not Either/Or
Get over the idea that rooftop solar power and utilities must be at war
Paul Krugman: Renewables Skeptic No More
"I was wrong" to dismiss the power of renewables in combating climate change, writes Paul Krugman
Climate Report: Emissions Trends
While the latest IPCC report finds global GHG emissions continuing to rise the meaning of trends within countries needs to be understood in the context of development & trade
April 18, 2014
Renewable Power Leaders
11 states generated #electricity from nonhydro #renewables at double U.S. average http://t.co/U2xelfBvjM via @EIAgov pic.twitter.com/nufcCrqSbG
— Scott McKee (@ScottAMcKee) April 18, 2014Resilient Rebuilder
Daniel Zarrilli to lead Mayor de Blasio's post-Sandy rebuilding and resiliency efforts
Germany: Utilities' Last Stand
The success of renewable energy spells big trouble for Germany's traditional power utilities
Johannesburg: Green Bond Debut
$138 million in bonds for low carbon buses & buildings will be offered by Johannesburg, S.A. next month
Follow The Parks Money
Does Mayor De Blasio's proposed budget for NYC parks advance his equity agenda?
Shut It Down Then Sell It Off
Final rites for the San Onofre nuclear power plant
Inhale Data, Exhale Ideas
From building energy use data bright ideas about citywide efficiency can arise
The City Energy Project
April 17, 2014
Canada: The Art Of The Carbon Tax
Lessons to be learned from Canada's failed effort to enact a carbon tax
Canada: See The Tar Sands Emissions
#Keystone @HuffPostGreen Did Jimmy see picture of EXTRA emissions from Tar Sands gasoline? http://t.co/qivQewJKuA pic.twitter.com/M54244qTAX
— Carbon Visuals (@CarbonVisuals) April 17, 2014State Of The Planet
First photos from the new EU Sentinel satellite with a mission to monitor the state of the Earth
Comptroller To Audit Sandy Rebuild Program
NYC Comptroller Scott Stringer will audit Build It Back, the home rebuilding Sandy recovery program
The Engine Of Climate Action
Here's a thought, climate action will come from the top down, not the grass roots up
Finding The Right Supply-Demand Mix
When it comes to energy transitions making the right supply-demand sequence can be tough
Science At Work: Statiscal Proof
Statistical analysis of temperature data since 1500 rules out natural fluctuations as the cause of a hotter world
Washington: Streetcar Revivial
Washington DC to reintroduce trolleys, gone since 1949
Net Zero At P.S. 62
When P.S. 62 opens on Staten Island it will produce at least as much energy as it consumes and possibly sell energy back to the grid
April 16, 2014
From China With Love
Chinese air pollution could be making US weather weirder
Good Year For Clean Energy Inveesment
With solar power demand in the lead, global clean energy & efficiency investments up 9% in 2014
Holes In Grid Security Vex Feds
Improving electric grid security is a challenge for domestic security authorities
Bikeshare: Compare And Contrast
One bikeshare tourist checks out the NY, Montreal & Boston scenes
Greenhouse Emissions Drop
From 2011-2012 US greenhouse gas emissions went down 3.4%, details here
Bejing: Polllution In The 'Hood
One-third of #Beijing #pollution comes from outside the city http://t.co/ea2acYV1MH #China pic.twitter.com/kqiibg9KWE
— CECHR (@CECHR_UoD) April 16, 2014Urban Studies 2.0
Hudson Yards, a mixed used development rising in Manhattan, will become a first-ever environmental data source for the NYU Center for Urban Science & Progress
Clean Tech Will Rise
McKinsey & Co. predicts clean tech will be part of the rising tide of the new industrial revolution
1st Building Energy Test Lab
The first test lab dedicated to improving building energy performance opens in Berkeley
April 15, 2014
Germany: Lumps Of Coal
Traditional German power utilities burn more coal than any time since 2007, while stock value sinks
Ireland: Wind Export Deal Dead
Plans to export 5,000 MW of Irish wind power to the UK fizzles
Dam Apple
Apple buys a mini-dam project to power some of its Oregon operations
China: More Environmental Muscle
China set to pass laws that could rebalance relationships between conventional development & environmental protection
Cleveland To Ohio, US, World: Act Now
A Cleveland Plain Deal editorial takes the UN climate panel call-to-action to heart
Protection Against Gas Leaks
What can New York & Con Ed do to prevent gas leaks?
Demand Reduction: US v Germany
What area of decarbonized energy policy does the US outstrip Germany?
When A Subway Is More Than A Subway
Philadelphia subways will earn more revenue for the city by storing more of the power they create and selling it to the electric utility
On-Purpose Blackouts
How vulnerable is the US power grid to attackers & hackers and what's the solution?
April 14, 2014
Mega-Beijing
Consider the dimensions of a potential amalgamation of Beijing and nearby regional centers
30-Years Of Light Rail Results
Have urban light rail systems met their planning goals?
Lone Star Wind Power
Why the boom in Texas wind power keeps booming
Graphing Citi-Bikes
Japan: Embracing Coal Not Renewables
Coal will play a big part in Japan's energy future, renewable energy not so much
Denialst Tactics Take A Toll
Academic journals have hard lessons to learn when attacked by climate deniers
San Francisco: Innovators In City Hall
Six tech start ups will partner with San Francisco city agencies to advance infrastructure, planning and eco innovations
Bronx: Mixed-Use, Mixed-Income, Green
Construction will start in 2015 on a mixed-use, affordable rental, green & healthy development in the South Bronx
April 13, 2014
Silvery Lining In Dark Climate Clouds
The IPCC panel sees great climate risks coming but also sees possibility of rapid political mobilization + mitigation summary for policy makers
April 12, 2014
Canada: Least Vulnerable, Most Adaptive
Toronto, Vancouver & Calgary are ranked the most resilient cites in the world
Street-Hacking NYC Style
April 11, 2014
Science At Work - Impacts Of Arctic Warming
Is rapid Arctic warming driving weird weather in lower latitudes?
Climate Chaos Makes Food Cost More
The impact of climate chaos is inflating prices all along the global food supply chain
The Wrong Kind Of Green
Donald Trump's Bronx golf course development will cost NYC $236 million, 10 times more than the original estimate
From Slurping To Sipping
Focusing on real estate portfolios is a critical path for making energy-efficient buildings the new normal
Friendly Persuasion
An environmental press conference on the steps of City Hallpressed the Mayor to advance its NYC sustainability agenda
Urban Energy Stars
The ten US cities with the largest number of Energy Star-certified buildings & a building tally for the top 25
Medellin: Street-Level Makeover
Pavement is not destiny! MT @BrentToderian Example why #Medellin was named the 2013 world's most innovative city. pic.twitter.com/BCXEkWPcs9
— Taras Grescoe (@grescoe) April 10, 2014Investing In The Anthropocene
How the logic of financial investment is transformed in a carbon & resource constrained world
Japan: Turning The Power Page
Starting as short term energy savings behaviors after Fukushima, are becoming durable energy efficiency solutions in Japan
April 10, 2014
Wanted: $80 Million Carbon Scammer
Germany is on the lookout for a UK carbon permit trading scam artist
Hedging With The Wind
IKEA buys its first US wind farm and gets 98 MW of renewable power, while hedging on energy price fluctuations
LEDs Light Up Cities
LED bulb makers pursue long-term contracts to install & maintain municipal lighting systems
Not Your Grandma's Energy Pricing
The solar industry has been waiting 60 years for this chart to happen. http://t.co/8vxOv6oKXX pic.twitter.com/Xj4SA64pg4
— Joseph Weisenthal (@TheStalwart) April 10, 2014A Tangled Tale NYC-Style
Finding money for Brooklyn waterfront park operations is entangled with real estate deals and zoning rules
Stop Wasting Time
Tax carbon, don't tax renewable power, make building codes and power plants more energy efficient, NOW
Use The Future As A Reference
What the Dutch can teach us about designing storm and flood-resilient cities
World's First Chief Resilience Officer
Barclays Center Green Roof Rationale
The marketing benefits of a green roof atop the Barclays Center are springing into view
April 09, 2014
Crystal Ball Gazing
Global renewable energy investments will soar & here's why
Scotland: More Independent, More Carbon
Scottish independence from the UK could undermine low-carbon efforts due to higher costs for the smaller nation
Corporate Carbon Cap Call
Will governments heed the call of companies like Shell & Unilever for a global cap on carbon emissions?
Green Power In The Green Mountain State
Vermont's solar net metering program succeeds without strife - what's the secret?
Science At Work: Climate Sensitivity
Climate scientists work feverishly to predict the relationship between temperature changes and GHG levels in the atmosphere
Savvy, Sustainable Shopping
Let your fingers do the walking through this NREL data base comparing the energy efficiency of products
MA: A Green Bond First
Massachusetts is the first state in the US to issue $100 million in bonds to fund a range of environmental projects
Crowdfunding For Solar Power
Rooftop solar power projects could attract $5 billion in crowdsourcing
Powering America
Today In #Energy: 50% of new US #electricity gen capacity in 2013= #naturalgas, 22% #solar http://t.co/CIpcZGj5Ge pic.twitter.com/3zrV7FukC3
— EIA (@EIAgov) April 8, 2014April 08, 2014
World Bank: Climate Laggard
75% of projects proposed to the World Bank still don't get a climate impact assessment
UK: New High For Offshore Wind Power
Record-breaking winter for UKwind industry,325,000 homes powered by largest offshore #windfarm http://t.co/rD5uZVOP9h pic.twitter.com/jwPnsKrI3X
— The Climate Group (@ClimateGroup) April 8, 2014Investor Faces Climate Change
Interview with a corporate investor who weighs the risks of climate change for the bottom line
Electric Hybrid Trains On Track
32 US-made, diesel-electric hybrid passenger trains will start service in 2016
New Energy Pioneers
What do the 10 winners of the Bloomberg New Energy Pioneers award do?
Evidence, Persuasion And Politics
It turns out that more evidence alone doesn't change people's minds on politically-charged subjects like climate change
NY Energy Storage Firm Expands To China
An Oneonta, NY energy storage tech firm raises $21 million to open a plant in China
Boston Joins C40
Boston is the 67th city to step up as a global urban climate action leader
April 07, 2014
Japan: Nukes For Base-Load Power
Japanese energy policy deems nuclear a base-load power source but does not set mandatory renewables goals
India: Solar Power Failure
Plans are dropped for a 20 MW solar power project in India due to rising costs & supply problems
Clean Up Fracking
Can the methane leaks & fugitive emissions from hydrofracking that threaten to accelerate climate change be tamed?
ICYMI: Years Of Living Dangerously
A review -- and a chance to see -- Episode 1 of the 9-part TV climate change documentary
Death By Bike Riding
An annual memorial on wheels marks where fellow cyclists have been killed in traffic. http://t.co/HCtHEJRKfO pic.twitter.com/CjjV7TDjzN
— WNYC (@WNYC) April 7, 2014Mass Transit: City v State
While cities are finding new enthusiasm for mass transit state governments aren't
Normalizing Solar Financing
Scaling up solar power use requires scaling up conventional approaches to home financing
UN Climate Report: Decarbonize Now
Billions in new renewable power investments are needed to avoid a runaway hotter world finds draft UN climate report
NYC: Hard To Break It's Heating Oil Addiction
3 years into a 4-year commitment to stop burning dirty heating oil, NYC is only part-way there
April 04, 2014
UK: All Wind Politics Is Local
Planned wind power projects in Cornwall could shake up next year's national elections
Beam Me Down, Scottie
US military researchers work on satellite tech that could beam solar power down to Earth
Globe: Quick Energy Fact
The world has twice as much renewable energy capacity as it had in 2000
Sydney: Take The Bus
Transport Sydney illustrates what it takes to move 1000 people. pic.twitter.com/daeV9TvVzf #cplan v @dtalks_yyc
— transportdata (@transportdata) April 4, 2014Energy Software IPO
What does the NY Stock Exchange launch of energy software company Opower say about the future of this high tech sector?
Costs Of Climate Change
While current economic models for calculating the costs of climate change are not perfect estimates for the social cost of carbon are useful for policy-making
Standardize, Simplify, Succeed
The key to scaling up the number of energy-retrofitted NYC homes is standardization & simplification according to a Pratt Center interim report
10 Storm-Proofing Finalists
What are the top-ten plans under review for storm-proofing NYC?
I'll Have What She's Having
California to require all buildings to install "grid smart" thermostats
April 03, 2014
Solar K-12 And Beyond
The new National Solar Schools Consortium aims at powering schools across the US with sunshine
Concentrate On Urban Sprawl
The newest index comparing sprawl patterns around US cities
Stern Words For Australia
Economist Nicholas Stern calls on Australia to do its fair share & set a better climate action example
Birmingham: It's Biophilic
Birmingham, UK joins biophilic city club, along with Oslo & San Francisco, so what does that mean?
3 Nations Rise Above The Trend
China, the US & Japan saw rising clean energy investments, in a global context of lower spending
When Money Isn't Enough
What can Mad Men teach us about getting people to buy into climate-friendly choices?
Greenpeace Clean Energy Scorecard
Amazon's cloud computing gets cited for its big carbon footprint by Greenpeace, but it's not the only dirty cloud maker
NY: Natural Gas State
The phase out of dirty heating oil combined with low prices means more natural gas than ever heats and powers New York
April 02, 2014
Try To See Frankfurt At Night
At night, the lights are all off in the office towers in Frankfurt. #energyefficiency 101. pic.twitter.com/b7FrksOfPh
— Green Light New York (@greenlightnyorg) April 2, 2014Be Prepared
When it comes to climate change impacts, is there any way to be really prepared?
Greenpeace Upgrades
Long getting the thumbs-down from Greenpeace, Apple, Facebook & Amazon are now getting some love
Washington: Public Media Gold
National Public Radio's new headquarters in Washington, D.C. is LEED Gold certified
Germany: Fewer Wind Power Cuts
German Prime Minister Merkel may ease up on proposed cuts to the wind power industry
Taking The Heat On Climate Change
We have met the enemy, it's us & it's time to do something about that
States Are Energy Resilience Labs
Connecticut and Massachusetts roll out different models of resilient distributed power systems
Boston: Rx-A-Bike
Boston doctors can prescribe $5 memberships for low income patients to Hubway, the city's bike share program,
EU: Climate Is Risky For Business
A survey of 270 EU big businesses finds climate change spells more risks than opportunities
April 01, 2014
Survival Handbook
Think of the new IPCC report as an adaptation guide for a life in a climate-changed world
China: Just Inhale
Bags of mountain air are being provided to smog-suffering Zhengzhou, China city dwellers
Tomorrow's Power Supply
Face fundamental changes in our power supply system with five ideas for reinventing it better
Hong Kong: Sliver Lining In Solar Gloom
No April Fool this Hong Kong investor snaps up distressed solar panel manufacturers
Exxon's Upbeat About Itself
Exxon predicts the world won't meet its GHG reduction targets and its own fossil fuel assets won't be stranded by policy requirements
If You Hear Something, Do Something
The latest IPCC report makes the case, climate signals are getting louder & action must be taken urges a New York Times editorial
Fashion For A Hotter Planet
An interview with Catherine Young, a climate change designer-explorer
Bigger Bus Station
Seeking to build an annex for its west side bus terminal the Port Authority hopes to provide off-street parking depot
Get A Horse
Manhattan's Hudson Yards could flood the area with 24 million more people annually, but there's not enough mass transit to serve them