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Journalists worldwide published more than 32,400 articles on climate change in last year, yet the coverage was not enough to warrant a spot on a map showing major news events of 2009. Amid gloomy reports of shrinking news holes and contracting news rooms, some 11,000 different reporters, columnists and editorial boards at nearly 2,000 media outlets across the globe published climate-related stories, based on an analysis of DailyClimate.org's archives.

Running a clothes drier sucks up 6% of a household's energy usage. So, as Americans across the country sought to save money and conserve electricity, many turned to clotheslines--only to discover that they weren't allowed in their communities. In fact, hanging clotheslines was against the rules in so many communities nationwide that state governments are being forced to step in and make it against the law to ban them. And states like Vermont and Utah have already succeeded. But the fight for the right to hang clotheslines is just getting started.

Need to bring employees on board with your company's sustainability projects? Green Impact President Deborah Fleischer shares 10 best practices. By starting small and focusing on green office practices and by identifying and implementing specific solutions for your organization, employees will become more engaged in the bigger picture.

Maine's Fox Islands brought online a $14.5 million wind farm that will soon power the two islands. The three turbines will generate enough power for the 2,000 year-round residents of the small islands. The project is owned cooperatively and will replace the electricity residents import from the mainland, 12 miles away.

Coca-Cola has begun the long-awaited global rollout of its PlantBottle and by the end of 2010 it expects to have sold more than 2 billion units. The multi-brand bottler began testing the plant-based PET bottle earlier this year on the U.S. West Coast, under the Dasani water brand. The bottle is made from a blend of petroleum-based materials and as much as 30 percent plant-based materials in the U.S.

Airbus is developing new “Sharklet” wingtip devices for its A320 aircraft that are expected to cut fuel burn by 3.5 percent and reduce 730 metric tons of CO2 emissions per plane annually, reports AIN. This also translates into a fuel savings of $220,000 annually per aircraft, according to the article

ASPEN, COLO.—Altech Solar recently completed its latest solar installation at the St. Regis Resort in Aspen, Colorado. The St. Regis Resort contracted Altech Solar to install its custom solar thermal technology, which has already dramatically decreased the resort’s dependence on natural gas; the price of which has skyrocketed in recent years. Using the sun’s energy, more than 1,300 solar e-tubes mounted in solar array panels on the resort’s main building roof heat a liquid solution housed in vacuum tubes, resembling copper and glass torpedoes, to temperatures exceeding more than 2 million BTUs (British Thermal Units) per day.

In our efforts to bring you all sides of the Climate Change debate, here is another unique point of view as to the potential positive aspects of global warming. Open water at the North Pole and other haunting images of a looming end to the Arctic are epic in their scale. They dramatically illustrate the sense of urgency felt by many climate change pessimists who believe that mankind — and perhaps all life itself — will become the biggest loser of the warming earth.

Following the success of the "Cash for Clunkers" program, the Obama administration is now looking at options to put similar funds toward weatherizing homes. Multiple advisers have floated the idea of a "cash for caulkers" plan to help homeowners retrofit. A significant investment in this kind of program could put contractors and construction workers affected by the economic slump back to work and could provide significant energy savings for households.

As a Mac and iPhone fan, I am pleased that Apple has become the first major consumer brand to make a big statement against the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s position on climate change, Apple has decided to leave the organization. In a letter to the chamber, Apple Vice President Catherine Novelli wrote, “Apple supports regulating greenhouse gas emissions, and it is frustrating to find the Chamber at odds with us in this effort,” the Post reported.

An Arctic expedition may yield clues about climate change, while also providing the impetus to exploit an alternative fuel that may be mined from under the Beaufort Sea. International scientists took part in surveys that sampled three regions of the Alaskan shelf to determine methane cycling into the atmosphere.

Calling sustainability the new luxury, the president of Audi America said that Audi hopes to be the top luxury carmaker in the world by 2015, based on adoption of sustainability as a core focus.

Carmaker Audi AG is starting a new corporate environmental foundation to bring together all the company’s worldwide environmental measures into measures that extend beyond the realm of automobiles.

Scientists in Australia are attempting to breed sheep that burp less frequently, an effort that say will help reduce planet-warming emissions. Agriculture is responsible for 16% of Australia's emissions, reports the country's department of climate change. About two-thirds of those emissions is produced by livestock, according to Australia's Sheep Cooperative Research Council.

Best-in-class manufacturers typically reduce their energy consumption by 24 percent compared to laggard companies that increase their energy use by 6 percent, according to new benchmarking research from Aberdeen Group.

Think buying a Prius is the best way to live greener? Or that how far food traveled is the most important factor in its carbon footprint? Think again, writes Duncan Clark, author of the recently published "Rough Guide to Green Living."

China: Climate Change or Hot Air? The mainland earns billions in carbon-offset sales. But by taking credit for projects that would have been built anyway, it may not be playing by the rules

We can now make cards out of plants not oil. We have made it possible using a fibre called PLA, aka Ingeo™ - a natural plastic which looks and performs just like PVC plastic, but is much kinder to our environment. Ingeo™ cards are completely compostable. It's a new and refreshing change and part of the global movement towards more eco-friendly plastics. Your clients and customers will love it, and you'll get instant word of mouth – bingo.

Technical Paper - Environmentally degradable polymers are the focus of a great deal of research around the world, which began over half a century ago with the recognition that plastics, particularly in packaging, were becoming a problem with regards to disposal.

Global custom engineered thermoplastic compounder RTP Company has introduced a comprehensive line of engineered bioplastic specialty compounds that utilize resins derived from rapidly renewable resources. Initial bioplastic compounds based on polyamide, polyester, and polylactic acid (PLA) are available in grades providing conductive,......

More and more automakers are playing up their hybrid cars, and other environmental progress. In a short trailer about its environmental efforts, BMW touts a zero-emissions car, its water recycling initiatives and factories powered by renewable energy. Here’s how Toyota is promoting its hybrid Prius in Australia.

A recent study of 107 construction projects in New York shows green construction does not always cost significantly more than traditional construction. The Urban Green Council study found that the average construction cost for a high-rise residential building without LEED certification was $436 per square foot compared with an average cost with certification of $440 per square foot. The study also found that some LEED projects with a Platinum or Gold rating were completed for a lower cost than projects that achieved the lower Silver rating.

The California Air Resources Board (CARB) has issued a preliminary draft (PDF) of the nation’s first cap-and-trade program to control greenhouse (GHG) emissions, which is likely to influence federal regulations, reports the Los Angeles Times’ Greenspace blog. The carbon scheme would cap emissions of large emitters including power plants, refineries, cement plants and other big factories at 15 percent below today’s levels by 2020, and allow companies to buy and sell emissions allowances to meet their goal, according to the article. The scheme would also allow limited use of high-quality offsets outside of capped sectors to cover a portion of the overall emissions reductions, according to CARB.

The Loyalty One building, manager of Air Miles rewards programs, is now the home for the largest rooftop solar system in all of Canada. Though the system is only 165 kilowatts, it's enough to power the entire building, thanks to its LEED silver and gold certifications. (Comparatively one of the largest rooftop arrays in the US this year went online at 2.37 MW). Then again, getting 800 solar panels on the rooftop of one building, is no small feat.

According to Stats Canada, in 2006 Canadians produced over 1000 kg of waste per person, up 8% from 2004. Of this total 835 kg went to landfills or was incinerated while 237 kg was diverted from landfill. Learn more here.......

Cereplast, Inc., manufacturer of proprietary bio-based, sustainable plastics, announced that the company has been granted patent protection for its breakthrough Cereplast Hybrid Resins® from the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). The USPTO Letter of Allowance describing patent 10,506,418 adds to the company's growing intellectual property portfolio. Currently, Cereplast holds a total of 48 patents and patent applications in the United States and abroad covering two families of resins: Cereplast Compostables® and Cereplast Hybrid Resins®. This new patent not only strengthens Cereplast's existing patent portfolio, but also protects the composition formulation of...

Cereplast, Inc., manufacturer of proprietary bio-based sustainable plastics, announced that it has been developing a breakthrough technology to transform algae into bioplastics and intends to launch a new family of algae-based resins that will complement the company's existing line of Compostables® & Hybrid® resins.

The city of Lille, France, is going to use three large fermenters to turn fallen leaves, grass clippings and food waste into enough biogas to power a third of the city's bus fleet. Other cities are looking into converting human waste into biogas, while still more are rapidly expanding solar installation.

Venture capital funding for the clean tech industry, beleaguered for most of the year, finally rebounded in the third quarter, according to figures from DowJones VentureSource, as analyzed by Ernst & Young LLP.

Climate Central is proud to announce the release of it's first publication: What You Need to Know: Twenty Questions and Answers About Climate Change (downloadable below). This book represents a joint effort between the scientists and communicators at Climate Central and Sally Ride Science. Using straightforward language, the issue of climate change is divided into three parts: The Science, The Impacts, and The Solutions.

Australians are the latest citizenry to turn against climate change catastrophism. For the first time, according to a Lowy poll released this week, a majority of the population turned thumbs down to the proposition that “global warming is a serious and pressing problem. We should begin taking steps now even if this involves significant costs.”

Andrew Taylor, the CEO of Enterprise Rent-A-Car, in many ways epitomizes the business establishment. His family is No. 32 on the Forbes 400, their $7 billion fortune built on allowing middle-class people to drive cheaply. He donates mostly to Republican candidates. But when it comes to energy prices, he holds a heretical view. In the past year, gas has swung from $4 to $2.50 a gallon, which has made it difficult for auto manufacturers (and rental companies) to predict whether consumers will desire fuel-sipping compacts or fuel-burning SUVs.

While one study shows that climate change risks could cost nations nearly 20 percent of their GDP by 2030, another one indicates that some countries including Mexico and Argentina are leading the way to a low-carbon economy.

Almost all 144 top economists surveyed for a New York University School of Law report agree that climate change threatens the United States economy and that carbon regulation — whether it’s a carbon tax or a cap-and-trade system — will drive energy efficiency and innovation, reports the New York Times’ Green Inc. blog.

Thousands of sensitive documents and emails including some climate change docs dating back a decade ago that indicate scientists may be overstating the case for global warming by manipulating data were stolen from Britain’s Hadley Climate Research Unit by Russian hackers, according to many news reports and blogs.

Global revenues from energy efficiency, renewables and other climate-related sectors could top $2 trillion by 2020, up from $530 billion last year, according to HSBC Global Research. The $530 billion last year was the result of 75 percent growth over 2007, according to the World Business Council for Sustainable Development.

A five-member panel says that geoengineering -- in particular spraying clouds with seawater to act as a sort of sunblock -- is the best idea for fighting climate change in cost-benefit terms. The annual Copenhagen Consensus brain trust declared a carbon tax the worst idea.

There are two sides to every story as evidenced by the various opinions across the Web about the recent release of hacked emails and documents from the top climate research organization in the UK.

The Sustainable Endowments Institute has released its 2010 College Sustainability Report Card comparing 322 schools across the U.S. on how “green” they are, reports College News. Key findings show that 56 percent of colleges earned higher grades that they have in previous reports, while only 13 percent declined slightly in their green performance, according to the Web site.

On Tuesday, more than 100 world leaders gathered at the United Nations for a climate summit. They were called together by U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to build momentum for the U.N. climate talks in Copenhagen, Denmark, this December.

The decision by some world leaders to not seek a binding climate change agreement in Copenhagen has dealt a significant setback to efforts leading up to December’s meeting, reports the Wall Street Journal.

Last year we talked about how scientists are looking for ways to make dandelions replace rubber trees as a source of latex. The up side is that latex from dandelions has fewer impurities than latex gathered from rubber trees, which means the material is better for things like medical gloves and even tires. However, in order to ramp up production of the raw material and make it a cheaper source than rubber trees, scientists have come up with a genetically modified flower that they've engineered to, essentially, bleed profusely.

Negotiators representing 192 countries began meeting in Copenhagen this week to discuss what an international climate-change treaty should look like. Major players, such as the U.S., China, India and the European Union, come to the table with different demands, including concerns about emissions cuts, financing and other subjects.

Cruise ships emit three times more CO2 than airplanes, reports the Telegraph. In its annual report, Carnival, which comprises 11 cruise lines, said it emits 401 grams of CO2 per passenger, which this article claims is 36 times greater than the per passenger emission of Eurostar and more than three times that for a Boeing 747 passenger. The Passenger Shipping Association said that a ferry, on average, releases 120 grams of CO2 per passenger.

Simple, effective, visible green programs are among the easiest ways to send a message of corporate social responsibility. CynerGreen, a leading authority on sustainable hydration solutions in the hospitality industry, has launched Bottle Free programs designed for hotels and resorts. Becoming a Bottle Free hotel or resort is simple. By eliminating the purchase and distribution of plastic water bottles in retail areas, guestrooms, conference services, back of the house, and replacing them with a reusable solution, a hotel can become certified Bottle Free.

Although we are not into discussing political issues in most cases, this new and chilling report by investigative journalist Ryan Singel provides startling details of how the American FBI's National Security Branch Analysis Center (NSAC) is quietly morphing into the Total Information Awareness (TIA) system of convicted Iran-Contra felon, Admiral John M. Poindexter.

Do people care about the climate? It's an open question these days, and opinion polls offer little help. Some show that climate ranks fairly low among public concerns, while others indicate a high level of concern among the populace. And in the run-up to the Copenhagen climate summit, now a mere six weeks away, those opinions count for something, particularly in the United States, where lawmakers are looking to be swayed one way or another.

The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation's news and public affairs operations may not quite have caught up with Climategate, but the CBC's Rex Murphy has. Most CBC listeners and viewers might be wondering what he's talking about. Since the story broke two weeks ago with the release of emails from the world's leading climate institute, there has only been one news report on the network and the only analysis item was on Anna Maria Tremonti's The Current -- a pooh-poohing academic from the United States who said there was nothing in the emails worth talking about.

Duke Energy /quotes/comstock/13*!duk/quotes/nls/duk (DUK 15.97, +0.03, +0.19%) said Friday its merchant generation unit has signed an agreement with Chinese energy company and solar panel maker ENN Group to develop, own and operate solar-power projects in the U.S.

Plantic is an AIM-quoted company engaged in the development and commercialization of a range of biodegradable plastics from naturally occurring high amylose starch. Previously, Plantic and DuPont Packaging and Industrial Polymers ("DuPont") jointly announced an agreement under which DuPont would, inter alia, market Plantic's starch-based sheet materials in North America and injection moulding resins globally, excluding Australia and New Zealand. This agreement was subsequently extended to cover Japan

It can be difficult to tell whether a vacation package is really as eco-friendly as marketers claim, writes Lucy Siegle. Making a distinction between travel plans with a lower impact on the environment and tours that provide environmental education and help protect natural sites is one place to start, she notes.

The European Investment Bank's announcement this week that it will provide more than $1 billion in loans to independent wind developers is a "refreshing alternative to Britain's utility-centric energy policy," writes Jo Butlin, vice president of SmartestEnergy. Governments have typically relied on large utilities to solve energy and climate challenges, Butlin notes, but government renewable-energy projects have proceeded slowly or have been canceled altogether. Independent developers, focusing on smaller projects that involve lower financial risks, can be implemented much more expeditiously.

About 26 percent of consumers list the environment as a corporate responsibility issue they want businesses to address through new media, according to the 2009 Cone Consumer New Media Study (registration required). That puts the environment narrowly ahead of health and wellness (24 percent) and ethics (20 percent).

Should deep conviction on climate change count as a religion? It does in Britain, where a judge ruled last week that environmental convictions deserved equal protection under a law the country put in place in 2003 to prevent discrimination against employees based on their "religious or philosophical beliefs." The suit was brought by the former head of sustainability at Britain's largest residential-property company, who alleges he was laid off because his views on environmental protection were more aggressive than those of the company.

Mediterranean countries have rejected a call by the European Union's executive and northern EU states to ban fishing for Atlantic bluefin tuna until the over-exploited population has recovered. Atlantic bluefin is prized by sushi lovers and commands huge prices in Asia, particularly in Japan where a single fish can fetch up to $100,000.

Climate researchers now project the planet will warm by 6.3 degrees Fahrenheit by the end of the century even if industrialized and developing countries meet their most ambitious climate commitments, according to a report by the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), reports The Washington Post.

Dow’s announcement this week that it developed solar shingles is interesting not because it represents a big technological breakthrough—it doesn’t. Dow’s solar shingles are interesting precisely because they offer the prospect of turning something exotic, like solar power, into something mundane, like new shingles.

Three studies predict that fighting climate change would create millions of jobs. The Climate Group's report predicts climate-change efforts will create 10 million jobs across the globe by 2020. "Creating markets for low-carbon technologies will in turn create new job opportunities and ... these will be greater than the number of jobs lost in carbon-intensive sectors," argues a report by the Global Climate Network.

The Bronx, New York, operation of FedEx will become the company’s first to exclusively use hybrid delivery vans. The addition of 51 new delivery vehicles brings the facility’s total to about 100 hybrid trucks.

Airlines’ struggles with fuel availability and emissions may be eased if more flights are able to be powered in part by natural gas, which burns cleaner than other fuels. Qatar Airways on Oct. 12 completed a six-hour flight from London to Qatar, running an Airbus A340-800 on a 50/50 kerosene/natural gas blend, reports Reuters.

Swiss company Solar Impulse wants to design the first plane that can fly around the world on solar power alone. The company made a big step toward that goal recently by completing its first taxi tests down the runway, using four electric motors powered by sunlight. There's still quite a long way to go -- the tests only reached speeds of about 10 knots, and the plane didn't actually take off -- but further tests and actual flights are planned for next year.

We package our products in a wide range of containers – jars, cans, flexible cello packages, cartons, stand-up resealable bags and sustainable packaging – in a wide range of sizes, from 1?2 ounce packages to 2,000 pound bulk totes. We are also able to provide custom-packaging solutions, such as resealable containers and fabric packaging, to meet your specific needs.

WHEN the UN Climate Change Conference opens in Copenhagen next month, all eyes will be on the delegates' efforts to broker a deal that will prevent catastrophic global warming. Yet amid all the talk of caps, targets and trading, it is easy to forget who is ultimately responsible for the mess we find ourselves in. I have long argued that climate change begins at home. Each of us in the developed world has played our part in creating this problem and, while there is no doubt that coordinated global action is needed to tackle it, we can each be part of the solution.

The U.S. is falling behind Asian nations when it comes to investment in clean-energy technologies, a new report concludes. China, Japan and South Korea are expected to spend $500 billion in the next five years on clean-technology development and deployment. In contrast, even if the energy spending in the stalled climate bill is approved, U.S. spending would total $170 billion for the same period.

Ford researchers are taking a hard look at traditional, petrol-based plastics, turning to Mother Nature to help create composites that are durable, lightweight and better for the environment. While petroleum and glass fibers are typical ingredients associated with today's automotive plastics, Ford's research team is developing all-new composite recipes that include more natural ingredients such as soy flour, hemp, cellulose, and the sugars in corn, sugarbeets and sugarcane. Nature made Plastics currently make up approximately 10 percent of a vehicle, ranging from sight-unseen parts such as impact shields and engine covers to components drivers see and interact with everyday, including doors and instrument...

Durable, high-tech, sexy and see through...we just can't seem to resist its glossy appeal. It seems so modern, it's hard to believe it's been around for 100 years! The early days of plastics were explosive: the first synthetic billiard balls blew up on impact! Over the years plastics have quietly permeated all parts of our lives. But what do we do with something that doesn't go away when we throw it way? Our oceans and dumps are filling u

A report (PDF) by scientists shows that emissions are outpacing the ability of ocean and land carbon sinks to soak up carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). They are concerned that if natural sinks can’t keep pace with the increased CO2 emission then the impacts of global warming will accelerate over the next century.

Advances in LED lighting continue to pour forth, while some programs are promoting awareness of LED lighting by promoting Christmas light exchanges. New research from the state-funded Florida Energy Systems Consortium may result in a combination solar cell, LED and energy storage system.

Ecovative Design has crafted an alternative to Styrofoam, made from biodegradable material derived from fungi and agricultural residues. Styrofoam is made with petroleum products, can't be recycled easily and is not biodegradable; yet, 35 million tons of it is produced each year.

General Electric plans to give its solar business a charge in two years with the introduction of panels with the same solar cell material used by industry cost leader First Solar. In 2011, the energy giant expects to produce solar panels made with cadmium telluride, a thin-film solar cell material, said Michael Idelchik, vice president of advanced technologies at GE Global Research at the EmTech conference here on Wednesday.

The U.S. Department of Energy announced today that Team Germany is the winner of this year's Solar Decathlon, in which 20 teams of college students from the USA, Europe and Canada competed to design the best solar house.

A historic moment will unfold Sept. 22 at the United Nations headquarters, as U.S. President Barack Obama and Chinese President Hu Jintao speak to top world leaders, each offering specific proposals for reducing pollution from greenhouse gases that are affecting the global climate.

The world’s largest global investors are urging the U.S. and other global policy makers to take strong action in the fight against global warming. In the midst of Congressional debate on climate legislation and the upcoming climate change talks in Copenhagen, global investors issued a policy statement calling for a binding international treaty that will reduce pollution and drive significant global investments in low-carbon technologies, reports Ceres, a leading coalition of investors and environmental groups.

John Coleman’s hour long news special “Global Warming – The Other Side” now online, with all five parts found at this link. It's worth a look, if you want an objective view on Global Warming. A computer programmer named E. Michael Smith and a Certified Consulting Meteorologist named Joseph D’Aleo join the program to tell us about their breakthrough investigation into the manipulations of data at the NASA Goddard Science and Space Institute at Columbia University in New York and the NOAA National Climate Data Center in Ashville, North Carolina.

The Environmental Protection Agency on Monday formally declared that greenhouse-gas emissions pose a threat to public health and welfare, a long-awaited final declaration that sets the stage for regulation. The announcement follows through on the agency's initial finding in April, and it comes as negotiators begin two weeks of meetings in Copenhagen on climate change. The finding is expected to begin the process of regulating planet-warming emissions.

Multinational companies can track various climate change models through a new Google Earth tool. The tool, which is a series of layers and tours showing the effects of different climate change models, would allow companies to see how climate change might affect their far-flung operations.

Google is devising a solar game changer that will enable the company to more quickly adopt renewable energy, and much less expensively. Much the way the Internet company created its own breed of server that scaled easily and was cheaper to build, Google has been researching a way to make mirrors for solar arrays that will cost less than half the price of others on the market.

It is taking far too long to get new, green technologies on the market, and a lack of funds means many projects never even get off the ground, says Dan Reicher, director of climate change and energy initiatives at Google. The company plans to step up to help finance green-energy power plants, Reicher told a group of green-tech gurus this week. It's not yet clear whether the company plans to invest directly in projects or in specific companies, but Reicher says the company is exploring a variety of options.

Much like our proposed SandCastles rating system for destination beach resortsThe Green Key Eco-Rating Program (Green Key), one of the first of its kind to rank and certify hotels and resorts based on their commitment to sustainable “green” practices, has expanded its operations to the United States. Read more.

The upcoming Cop15 international climate negotiations in Copenhagen will have a massive affect on the developing greentech industry. How close countries get to agreeing on legally binding greenhouse gas emissions could determine the size of the various international greentech markets, be a lever for how much investment is pumped into the industries, and set out the time line for how fast or slow these markets develop. A significant number of greentech leaders will be attending the convention, and we’ll be bringing you reports on their viewpoints from the ground, but in the run-up to the event, here’s our greentech guide to Copenhagen:

The Sustainable Packaging Coalition this week released it a wide-reaching guide to making packaging more environmentally sound. The guide aims to help create industrywide standards for sustainable packaging, since companies currently use a variety of metrics to rate their own systems. The ratings look at the types of material used and how much energy and water they require, as well as their production, transport and impact on workers and the community at large.

In what that may be a boon to e-commerce, and bad news for brick-and-mortar retailers, half of American drivers report driving less than usual and taking fewer trips within town, according to new research from the Harris Poll.

Close to 60 percent of the energy produced by burning fuels or generated by power plants is lost as excess heat. Computers, cars and cell phones all have to get rid of excess heat to run properly, creating a significant energy waste. Researchers at MIT believe they've developed a way to reclaim a majority of that wasted energy and turn it into electricity.

Last Wednesday, the New York Times reported that companies importing solar panels to the U.S. are facing up to $70 million in unexpected tariffs. Because solar panels have become too sophisticated to qualify for duty-free status, the U.S. Customs Agency has stated that they will be treated as electric generators - which are subject to a 2.5% duty.

“Agriculture is extremely vulnerable to climate changes,” notes a new study from the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) that looks at how climate change will affect food production around the world by 2050. “Developing countries are likely to be hardest hit by climate change and will suffer bigger declines in crop yields,” said Gerald Nelson, lead author of the study and an IFPRI research fellow, in a conference call with journalists

The $500 billion beauty industry is no stranger to the art of obfuscation. The sole purpose of cosmetics and personal-care products, after all, is to correct, conceal, and camouflage. So does it come as a surprise to anyone that there are a few sticking points certain parties would rather see glossed over?

Carrefour Spain has joined the green movement with a campaign that equates plastic bags to excrement. The concept is straightforward, simple and easy to remember: "Plastic bags = shit."

During a news conference at the Copenhagen summit, billionaire George Soros proposed devoting $100 billion in International Monetary Fund money to help poor nations adapt to climate change. In October, Soros announced plans to invest $1 billion of his personal wealth in clean-energy technology.

As world leaders gather for key climate talks here, small island nations Monday warned they were running out of time with rising seas threatening to wipe them off the map. Spread across the Earth's oceans, the planet's tiniest members grouped together in the Alliance of Small Islands States (AOSIS) are hoping to make their voices heard 100 days before UN-hosted climate talks in Copenhagen.

The percentage of Americans who believe in global warming continues to decline, after reaching a peak of 75 percent in 2001. Since 2007, when 71 percent of Americans believed in global warming, the percentage has taken a precipitous fall, to just 51 percent, according to a recent Harris Interactive poll. About 29 percent of Americans don’t believe in global warming, while 21 percent are unsure, according to the survey “Big Drop in Those Who Believe that Global Warming is Coming” (PDF).

(CNN) -- A team of South Korean scientists have produced the polymers used for everyday plastics through bioengineering, rather than through the use of fossil fuel-based chemicals.

(CNN) -- A team of South Korean scientists have produced the polymers used for everyday plastics through bioengineering, rather than through the use of fossil fuel-based chemicals.

Forget about peak oil, says Todd Jarvis, associate director of the Institute for Water and Watersheds at Oregon State University -- it's time to worry about peak water. One in six people lives without consistent access to safe drinking water, and about a third of the world's population lacks adequate sanitation. Rather than granting unlimited water rights to property owners, Jarvis suggests adopting a system for sharing access and responsibility for aquifers cooperatively.

Billionaire Sir Richard Branson provides his view on what needs to be done to combat Climate Change. As global leaders convene in New York City for UN climate change talks and the Clinton Global Initiative, the world is in greater peril than ever. But we also have unprecedented opportunities to build a sustainable future.

Has the world finally lost it, I mean really? Now I personally like President Obama, and know it's not his fault the financial world is in shambles. Even though his country, the good ole U.S. of A. orchestrated, and continues to run the worlds largest Ponzi-scam in history. But to have him win the Nobel Peace Prize is a slap in the face of many others more deserving. Here's the media's take on the issue.

Marriott hotels and resorts have long been one of my favorite large chains, and we are glad they are taking the lead in introducing a series of eco-friendly products to help reduce environmental impact of both the company and its guests, such as using pads made of recycling paper.

It looks like Marriott's green hotel trial program has been a resounding success--so much so, that over the next five years, the company plans on expanding its green hotel initiative by 1,000 percent. A new green design will now be embraced on over 450 upcoming hotels--and the plan will save the company $100,000 dollars on each hotel, cut water and energy consumption by 25%, and shave 6 months off the required design time.

The Residence Inn by Marriott at Whistler in British Columbia (Canada) completed its third and final installment of Sempa Power’s Hybrid Heating System. The installation will help reduce GHG emissions while cutting energy costs, Marriott said.

About 84 percent of consumers think of “green” products as those that are made of recyclable or reusable material, or include such packaging, according to new research from Grail Research. About 78 percent associate “green” products as being energy efficient or using renewable energy, according to “The Green Revolution” report.

Bioplastics manufacturer NatureWorks LLC is adding a distributor in Brazil for its Ingeo polylactic acid resin and in August will announce a major product launch in Colombia. “We are trying to develop a supply chain, and part of that is developing all the right channels,” said Salvador Ortega, business development manager for NatureWorks, at NPE2009, held June 22-26 in Chicago.