Monday, January 19, 2009

2008 was the 8th warmest year!


According to the National Climatic Data Center in Washington, last year was the 8th warmest year on record. Not surprisingly, the 10 warmest years on record are between 1997 to 2008. The average temperature for 2008 was 0.49°C higher than that in the 20th century. This is one of the biggest evidences of the genuine threat of global warming which could have far reaching effects on the globe. While there are some who have been raving about the planet cooling... here is a reality check.

Thursday, January 15, 2009

Abu Dhabi's green initiative...


ABU DHABI (Reuters) - Gulf Arab oil exporter Abu Dhabi plans to spend $15 billion in the first phase of an initiative to develop green energy and build the world's largest hydrogen power plant, it said on Monday.

The investment would be part of the Masdar initiative, set up to develop sustainable and clean energy, Abu Dhabi's Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahayan told the World Future Energy Summit in the emirate. He gave no time frame.

"I would like to underscore the government of Abu Dhabi's commitment to the Masdar initiative by announcing an initial investment of $15 billion," he said. "Next month ground will be broken on Masdar city, the world's first carbon-neutral city."

pic: Masdar headquarters

Full article



In a move which is aimed towards fighting global warming, Britain is set to phase out energy-guzzling flat screen plasma televisions, reports the Independent. Minimum energy performance standards are expected to be set to keep in check the energy consumption by TVs across Europe and inefficient ones will be phased out. This move comes a week after the withdrawal of 100W incandescent bulb and is a welcome move as per climate change experts.

Flat screen plasma TVs consume four times as much energy as any other normal television set run on cathode ray tubes and hence this move would go a long way in saving valuable energy, especially as the use of such wasteful devices has been increasing. Labeling could be introduce which would help in identifying useful and wasteful gadgets. Kudos to Britain for taking this step... there's a lot to be done though.

Monday, January 12, 2009


Sunday Times: Researchers have found that search engines generate carbon dioxide which contribute to the menace of global warming. A typical search engine generates about 7g of carbon dioxide. There are about 200m internet search estimates each day which the researchers say generate a large amount of greenhouse emissions. A recent report by Gartner, the industry analysts, said the global IT industry generated as much greenhouse gas as the world's airlines - about 2% of global CO2 emissions. "Data centres are among the most energy-intensive facilities imaginable" said Evan Mills, a scientist at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory in California. When one types in a Google search for say "energy saving tips", one's request goes to several competing servers and it produces answers from the server which produces the answer fastest. The system minimises delays but raises energy consumption. While some researchers say search engines contribute immensely towards climate change by releasing CO2, giants like Google have constantly been saying it is in the forefront of green computing. As per Wissner-Gross, viewing a simple website page generates about 0.02 g CO2 per second. This rises to 0.2g when viewing a complex website with images.

Sunday, January 11, 2009

Driving tips to reduce emissions!


I came across this really interesting article which provides valuable information on how one can reduce CO2 emissions by following simple driving tips. The secret is to help reduce the amount of work your engine has to do, because the greater the workload, the more fuel is burned – so the higher the CO2 emissions. By following these smarter driving tips you could cut your CO2 emissions by around 8 per cent – equivalent to an annual fuel saving of up to one month per year. All you need to get started are the smarter driving tips below that you can put into practice straight away.


1. Pump up to cut down

Under inflated tyres create more resistance when your car is moving. That means your engine has to work harder, so more fuel is used and more CO2 emissions are produced. Simply check and adjust your tyre pressures regularly and also before long journeys. This will also help to increase the life of your tyres.

Under inflated tyres increase CO2 but over inflated tyres can be unsafe, so check your car manual for the correct tyre pressure. Remember, a car with a heavier load may need different air pressure in the tyres.

2. Less clutter in your car means less CO2

Clutter in your boot is extra weight your engine has to carry around. By removing it, you could reduce your engine's workload. This will burn less fuel and cut your CO2 emissions, so unload any items you won't need for your journey before you set out.

3. Driving at an appropriate speed reduces CO2

Speed limits are the maximum lawful speeds which may be driven in ideal circumstances. Drivers should never exceed the speed limit. Staying at or within the speed limit increases driver safety. It also reduces CO2 emissions and saves money on your petrol costs. At 70mph you could be using up to 9 per cent more fuel than at 60mph and up to 15 per cent more fuel than at 50mph.

4. Less stopping and starting means less CO2

Every time you stop then start again in a traffic queue, the engine uses more fuel and therefore produces more CO2. Keep an eye on the traffic ahead and slow down early by gently lifting your foot off the accelerator while keeping the car in gear. In this way, the traffic may have started moving again by the time you approach the vehicle in front, so you can then change gear and be on your way.

5. Over revving accelerates emissions

Modern car engines are designed to be efficient from the moment they are switched on, so revving up like a Formula 1 car in pole position only wastes fuel and increases engine wear. Using your gears wisely by changing up a gear a little earlier can also reduce revs. If you drive a diesel car, try changing up a gear when the rev counter reaches 2000rpm. For a petrol car, change up at 2500rpm.

6. Idling is wasting fuel

When the engine is idling you're wasting fuel and adding to CO2 emissions. If you're likely to be at a standstill for more than three minutes, simply switch off the engine.

source: Directgov

Saturday, January 10, 2009


NEW YORK (Reuters) – The world's first billboard running solely on wind and solar power is ready to make its debut in the capital of all billboards -- New York's Times Square.

Wind whistling between the neighborhood's skyscrapers should keep the giant billboard lit constantly, said the manufacturer, Japanese copy and photo giant Ricoh Company Ltd.

The "Eco-Board" weighs 35,000 pounds (15,800 kg) and will be powered by 16 vertical wind turbines and 64 solar panels.

"We wanted to make a statement that we can put up a advertisement and not impact the environment, so that began the journey to Times Square," Ricoh spokesman Ron Potesky said.

A positive step this. Such an initiative will reduce the C02 usage by 18 tons per year. Yes, there have been a few delays but it's certain that such boards will lit up the Times Square in the coming weeks. Here's hoping to see many more of such boards!

Full article

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