Science & Technology

photo: Drewe Zanki via flickr.

New figures from the Australian Koala Foundation paint a dark picture for the future of the iconic marsupial. Just completed research shows that the current koala population is somewhere between 43,000-80,000 individuals, a decline from an estimated 100,000 in 2003, and without better conservation efforts they could all be extinct within 30 years:

Business & Politics

This week at Fast Company, we looked at BP's move into next-generation biofuels, a plan to grow algae quickly and efficiently in abandoned mines, EnerDel's hybrid makeover of the Humvee, and the world's tallest green building.

BP has long used the tagline "Beyond Petroleum." Now that the oil company is betting big on cellulosic ethanol, could it finally be moving past the slick stuff?

Traditionally, algae for biofuels is grown in sunlight. But a group of researchers from the Missouri University of Science and Technology think that the most efficient way to grow algae might be in the dark, cold depths of abandoned mines.

The Army's Humvee vehicle is clunky and energy-intensive, but that hasn't stopped lithium-ion maker EnerDel from giving the vehicle a $1.29 million makeover.

Want to take a trip to the world's tallest green building? Look no further than Taipei 101, a 101-story skyscraper in Taiwan that is gunning for a LEED Gold rating.

Fast Company sets the agenda, charting the evolution of business through a unique focus on the most creative individuals sparking change in the marketplace

Business & Politics

photo: jack_spellingbacon via flickr.

World oil reserves are far lower than officially reported, the situation far more serious than publicly admitted, and we're already past peak oil. That's the word from two anonymous IEA whistleblowers, The Guardian reports. To add insult to industry, the figures were deliberately massaged, at least in part, to appease the United States:

Science & Technology

Image via IO9

The Kites, Blimps, and Copters that Could Power the World
Tapping into the jet stream--the fast-flowing air currents in the atmosphere--to harness high speed wind power is one of the most compelling ideas in the renewable energy world. How compelling, you ask? Some researchers figure that by successfully tapping into just 1% of the jet stream, we could power all of civilization. At about 6 miles up, the jet stream creates some 200 trillion watts--world energy demand is estimated to be between 2 and 2.5 trillion--the problem, of course, is bringing that stuff down to earth.

Here are the 5 most promising high altitude wind power projects designed to do exactly that.

Cars & Transportation

While subways in the world's developed countries are starting to look like the dinosaurs of urban infrastructure (with expansion delays and budget crises to boot), new metro systems continue to spread across the world. As emerging cities seek to answer the needs of booming populations -- or ease the traffic and environmental strains of private cars -- 11 municipalities have opened new underground and light-rail lines in the past two years. And instead of putting the damper on expansion projects, the global economic crisis has actually promised to spur further investment in public transit by governments eager to stimulate their economies. Over the next decade, some of these groundbreaking lines will become part of large metro networks that promise to make the world's reigning metro champions look downright ancient.

Business & Politics

Paracelsus, "father of toxicology," by Quentin Massys. Image credit:Wikipedia

Business Insurance has published an article explaining the consolidation, under jurisdiction of a single US court, of 25 lawsuits alleging 'consumer fraud' on the part of companies selling products made of Bisphenol A-based plastics (polycarbonate) and/or incorporating BPA-based coatings.

By the look of the Business Insurance story, should the defendants lose, their costs may be excluded from coverage by insurance. So, losses would go right to the corporate bottom line.

Note: the law suits are not about personal injury; they are about alleged 'consumer fraud'.

My first reaction on reading the story was to want to "un-publish" everything I've ever posted about BPA, so it won't make the suing lawyers job easier. I didn't; and decided, instead, to look at the issue from a very different perspective.

Business & Politics

Image credit: Saint Julia of Corsica, found on DeaconLaz.org (artist unknown)

When I posed the question of whether leading by green example can be passive aggressive preaching, I was surprised when commenter Joey claimed that I had eluded that I was a "member of a religion." To me environmentalism is anything but a matter of faith, but rather a question of sound scientific understanding that material resources, and the Earth's ability to support life, are both limited. And that it's in our own self interest to live within our planetary means. But it proves how much attention I've been paying to headlines—as Kristin already reported, a UK court has determined that belief in global warming is indeed akin to a religious or philosophical conviction. Depending on who you talk to, this could either be good for environmentalism, or very, very bad indeed.

Interact

Image Credit: Alex Barth via Flickr

xoxo_unibrow needs some help:

I'm the editor in chief of our high school newspaper, and I feel like an absolute hypocrite whenever we try to sell the 500 copies of newspaper that we print each month...I know the most environmentally friendly idea is to go online, but that's a hard transition in such a short time...Are there any ideas? Every printing company I search online does not do newspapers, only newsletters. What are my options to make the newspaper more eco-friendly?

Have suggestions? Post here.