Virgin founder’s $3 billion climate pledge heralds new era in philanthropy
28 Sep 2006 at 2:09pm
Virgin Group founder Richard Branson’s declaration last week that he’ll steer $3 billion into clean-energy technology shook up not just climate circles but the philanthropy world as well. His announcement — following closely the news that Google.org will use a for-profit model to address climate change and other problems — …
Unexpected levels of human-caused methane could mean trouble
28 Sep 2006 at 2:09pm
A rise in human-caused methane emissions — a phrase that certainly does not make us giggle — has been masked by a decline in natural methane releases, says a new report in Nature. Atmospheric concentrations of methane, less abundant than carbon dioxide but 20 times greenhouse-gassier, have remained relatively stable …
An interview with Majora Carter, founder of Sustainable South Bronx
28 Sep 2006 at 2:09pm
As a black woman, Majora Carter already stands outside the stereotype of a typical environmentalist. And she admits she’s not a tree-hugger. But there’s no denying her green impact: as founder of Sustainable South Bronx, Carter has worked tirelessly to block polluting projects, create “green-collar” jobs, and clean up a …
Northern forests worth up to $250 billion a year, research says
28 Sep 2006 at 2:09pm
You thought they were just standing there, but forests in Russia, Canada, and other northern nations provide services worth up to $250 billion a year, say Canadian researchers. Water filtration, erosion control, habitat provision, greenhouse-gas absorption, and tourist attraction are highly lucrative pursuits that should be valued by governments, says …
Ivory Coast scandal highlights illegal dumping of toxic waste
28 Sep 2006 at 2:09pm
The recent dumping of toxic oil byproducts and subsequent deaths of eight citizens in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, has highlighted the shady world of illegal toxic-waste disposal. The practice of unloading nasties on developing countries was addressed by the U.N.’s Basel Convention in 1989 (you remember that one), but “[w]ith globalization, …
