10 leading sustainability innovations

A study released profiles 100 leading sustainability innovations. We showcase the top 10, featuring carbon-neutral plastic, e-waste recycling kiosks and an ethical smartphone. Innovations from Newlight Technologies, PowWow Energy, Retroficiency, BioTrans and Fairphone all make the top 10 list of sustainability innovations. AirCarbon by American company Newlight is a carbon-neutral plastic material made from methane and other greenhouse gases captured from the air. Used in the furniture and packaging industry, AirCarbon plastic matches oil-based plastic in price and performance. Also on the top 10 list are intelligent window glass by View which automatically regulates the temperature and light in the …

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The WTO ruling against India’s booming solar program

On the heels of the recent global summit in Paris to tackle climate disruption, the World Trade Organization (WTO) has ruled against an important piece of the climate solution puzzle: India’s ambitious program to create homegrown solar energy. The ruling shows that decades-old, over-reaching trade rules are out of sync with the global challenge to transition to 100 percent clean energy as extracted by a Huffington Post news report. In just five years, thanks to India’s National Solar Mission, India has gone from having virtually no solar capacity to boasting one of the world’s fastest-growing solar industries. In just the …

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Energy markets: the planet’s unlikely new ally in the emissions effort

In the aftermath of Paris climate talks, analysts lined up to point out why the celebrated agreement was simply not good enough as outlined by the Conversation. Certainly, the scale of the climate crisis requires urgent emissions reductions, which Paris did not secure at anything like the necessary scale. Questions also remain over the agreement’s legal status, how future commitments will be made, and what enforcement mechanisms (if any) will be in place. In Australia, fears that the post-Paris situation would simply return to business as usual seemed borne out by a RepuTex analysis that predicted Australia’s emissions would rise …

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Australian foresters look to future demand for biomass renewable energy

The Australian forestry industry will promote the use of biomass for energy production, with the aim to diversify the sector to increase profitability. Assistant Minister for Agriculture and Water Resources Anne Ruston chaired the sixth annual Forest Industry Advisory Council meeting last week. She said the industry recognised a need to take a “less traditional approach” to forestry into the future. Ms Ruston said foresters would seek to develop markets for timber and biomass products to be used as renewable energy resources. “The industry is very keen to pursue a bio-based economy for forestry to make sure that we are …

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Carbon trading: the opportunities and pitfalls in Australia

It might be early days for carbon trading in Australia but many farmers and graziers are already trading or exploring how they can trade carbon. In April 2015, the Clean Energy Regulator (CER) conducted the first “reverse” auction to buy carbon credits with the second auction being conducted in November 2015. In a recent article by Thynne & Macartney it states while there are benefits, participating in the ERF and entering into a contract with the CER are not without risk. There are a number of methods landholders and producers can implement to earn tradeable Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCUs) …

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National Sustainability in Business Conference 2016

Renewables – Markets – Innovation – Opportunities – Capital Following feedback from Association members and partners the “National Sustainability in Business Conference” will be re-convened on the Gold Coast in October 2016. The Conference will have the following focus; Renewable Energy Systems and Sources such as Biofuel, Biomass, Hydrogen & Fuel Cells, Hydropower, Solar Energy, Geothermal Energy, Wave Energy, Tidal energy,  Energy Storage and Wind Power. Think Local Firstl – development of the local economy and community, urban agriculture, Buy Local. Innovative business opportunities, Incubators, Start Ups, Venture Capital / Entrepreneurs. The Energy Markets – Regulators, Wholesale and Supply Chain, …

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Why Buy Locally Owned?

There are many well-documented benefits to our communities and to each of us to choosing local, independently owned businesses. We realize it is not always possible to buy what you need locally and so merely ask you to Think Local FIRST! This is a concise article from Sustainable Connections in the USA…  read it here https://sustainableconnections.org/thinklocal/why

Will wind energy have longevity?

Wind power is currently the cheapest source of large-scale renewable energy. It involves generating electricity from the naturally occurring power of the wind. In a TriplePundit article published yesterday; Wind Energy is Top-Dog in the EU … But Will It Last? It refers to a report by the European Wind Energy Association and discusses whether or not it will remain top of the league board. The article states, it’s a good time for wind energy, particularly in the European Union. The EU added more new wind-energy capacity than any other form of power last year, according to the EWEA report. …

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How green is our infrastructure? Helping cities assess its value for long-term liveability.

The Conversation Australian cities score high in liveability awards. Melbourne has topped The Economist’s most liveable cities ranking five years in a row, with Adelaide, Sydney and Perth not far behind and Brisbane in the top 20. Australian cities rank well in other liveability surveys, too, if not so highly. Environment is one of the key factors that these surveys measure, but the data and methods being used are not very sophisticated. Green infrastructure is a key contributor to these rankings. The networks of green and blue – taking in rivers and streams, parks, green wedges, gardens and tree-lined roads …

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Do trees really help clear the air in our cities?

The Conversation It may sound like a no-brainer to say that trees improve air quality. After all, we know that trees absorb the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide (CO₂), and that their leaves can trap the toxic pollutants nitrogen dioxide (NO₂), ozone, and harmful microscopic particles produced by diesel vehicles, cooking and wood burning. Yet some recent studies have suggested that trees may in fact worsen urban air quality by trapping pollutants at street level. A closer look at the evidence – and how it was collected – reveals the root of this dispute, and can help us come to a …

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