Climate Change Taking Over

Yes Virginia, There Really Was a North Pole

What is the most reprinted newspaper editorial of all time? Of course, it is Francis Pharcellus Church’s reply to Virginia O’Hanlon’s letter to the editor, written in 1897, about the existence of Santa Clause. Published in the New York Sun, the editorial reply assures little Virginia that, yes, Santa exists, “… as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist …” Back then, no one would have thought to ask about the existence of Santa’s home – the North Pole – because everyone knew the “pole” was stuck in a mass of ice at the top of the world, ice that has existed from the beginning of time and would last forever. The idea that the North Pole ice would someday melt away, at least for a few months of the year, could not have been imagined.
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Duke Energy Leaning Green

I’ve been known to criticize Duke Energy for its plans to build a new coal power plant at Cliffside. But recently Duke has taken some bold steps in alternative energy and should be applauded for that.

Earlier this year the company announced plans to build what will be (for a while at least) the nation’s largest photovoltaic solar farm to be built in Davidson County, N.C., north of Charlotte. It will be capable of putting out slightly over 16 megawatts. The solar farm should be operational by the end of 2010 when it will supply the needs of over 2,600 homes.
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September 23rd was Earth Overshoot Day

According to Global Footprint Network (no, there’s no direct connection with this magazine) the world is now using more ecological resources than it is capable of producing, or regenerating, in a given year. They’ve done the math and worked out that we’re now using 40% more resources that can be regenerated in a year.

Earth Overshoot Day is the day on which our total Ecological Footprint (measured in global hectares) is equal to the biocapacity (also measured in global hectares) that nature can regenerate in that year.  For the rest of the year, we are accumulating debt by depleting our natural capital and letting waste accumulate.

They calculated that in 2008, we took just 267 days to use up the biosphere’s entire capacity for the year. The 267th day of the year was September 23 - Earth Overshoot Day.   That day has been creeping earlier and earlier each year since we first broke into negative territory in 1986.

See: www.footprintnetwork.org

Nokia tops Greenpeace green electronics rankings

Greenpeace issued its annual ranking of 18 electronics manufacturers on September 16th placing Nokia in first place with 7 out of 10 points. In 2nd place came Samsung scoring 5.7 points followed by Fujitsu-Siemens at 5.5, Sony and Sony-Ericsson at 5.3. At the bottom of the heap are Nintendo 0.8 points, Microsoft 2.2 points, Sharp 3.1 and Motorola at 3.7.

The Greenpeace methodology focuses on three key criteria.
a.    toxic and hazardous waste generated during production and distribution
b.    take-back/recycling at the end of a product’s useful lifecycle
c.    responsiveness to new climate-related challenges

Nokia’s score was boosted by sourcing 25% of its energy needs from renewable sources in 2007 and their target of 50% by 2010. Plus they score well for all its mobile phone chargers exceeding Energy Star requirements by 30-90%.

The full report makes interesting reading if that sort of thing floats your boat. You can find and download the complete guide free on the Greenpeace website. See www.greenpeace.org/usa/press-center/reports4/guide-to-greener-electronics-9