A greener virtual world

Greenpeace has launched an interactive virtual city showcasing how towns and cities across the UK are fighting climate change and enjoying a cleaner and more secure energy future - without relying on new coal or nuclear power stations.

The new online town, called EfficienCity, uses interactive case studies and animation to demonstrate how the UK could slash its greenhouse gas emissions, cut electricity bills and beef up the security of its energy supply. The town is powered by "decentralised energy", a clean and efficient energy system that provides heating, cooling and electricity to the community.

I love this: ok, it's a bit cutesy and sim-city, but it's a fantastic way to explore practical power usage. Hopefully they'll be publicising this one to teahcers, who'll love the classroom-friendliness of the whole thing. However, I'm not sure which other demographics they're reaching out to - those most interested will probably be the already-converted. The action they suggest takign on the site - writing to your mp - is a bit dated and, to be honest, a bit like hard work for your average surfer.

Nevertheless - a good, user-friendly introduction to the more techy concepts of renewable power.

Visit the town at www.greenpeace.org.uk/efficiencity

In other news...

Greenpeace has called on gamers to persuade Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo to make their consoles greener.
Controversy surrounds the true environmental costs of a new runway at Heathrow.
The EU has threatened to boycott a US climate summit next month.
GoodEnergy is planning a dual gas and electricity tariff
E.ON is to offer Combined heat and power.
Cisco is trialling a carbon rationing system with its employees
Ken Livingston launches two new schemes in London to help businesses cut carbon

And a lack of photocopiers could be a huge issue over in Bali...

A busy day for Greenpeace.

Business

• Intel has adopted the sunflower as the emblem of its new Penryn family of processors. Intriguingly, the sunflower has the power to pull lead from the soil - just as lead has been eliminated from the new processor.
• More on the plastic bag ban in london...
• Great article on the automotive industry and the pressures it faces from BusinessGreen

Advertising

• A bizarre exchange of adverts is taking place in Kansas. Have a look here

Science

• The Telegraph reports on hydrogen power, detailing a new method that relies on bacteria in a specially designed reactor that can efficiently produce hydrogen fuel from any type of biodegradable organic matter. The faces behind the science, Dr Shaoan Cheng and Prof Bruce Logan of Penn State University, report on their findings today in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. And yes, following in the footsteps of great minds before them, the name is equally as complex as the theories behind it: electrohydrogenesis.

Politics

• Greenpeace gives a heated response to the government's intention of offsetting it's flight emissions:
  "This is just plain hypocritical of the government," says Charlie Kronick. "Off-setting is a book-keeping trick that can't stop climate change, because once you've burned jet fuel at altitude there's absolutely nothing you can do to stop your emissions changing the climate. If ministers were serious about reducing greenhouse gases from aviation they'd shelve plans for new runways and airports."
  Not sure if I agreee with them about the value of offsetting, but their second point does have some validity. The govt needs to do a bit of joined-up thinking here.
• British Prime Minister Gordon Brown and his visiting Hungary counterpart Ferenc Gyurcsany pledged on Monday to work together within the European Union to bring progress on economic, environmental and security issues. In a joint statement after bilateral talks at Downing Street No.10, Brown and Gyurcsany said the enlarged EU had the opportunity to become a "genuinely global player" with the signing of the EU Treaty at the informal European Council in Lisbon last month.
• The UN Framework Convention on Climate Change Conference of the Parties will be held soon in Bali, to discuss the post-Kyoto framework. An extensive article from ths WBCSD can be found here.
  Greenpeace have launched a video about the conference:
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

Robotic goats and biofuel worries

Business

• Time to Get Tough - Terry MacAllistair writes about companies' CO2 emission disclosures, and why he thinks disclosure should be mandatory.
• IBM has started offering verification certificates to third parties who reduce their data centre energy use.
• Greenpeace has released a report on the impact of palm oil pantations in Indonesia which accuses a number of corporates including Nestle, Unilever, and P&G of irresponsible sourcing. I'm feeling slightly guilty about the kitkat bar on my desk, as they allege it has been produced using palm oil from uncertified sources. Supply chains, once again, are hitting the spotlight with a bang. Read the full report here.
• The NY Times includes a special section today on green business. Read more...
• E.ON launched its Carbon Footyprint campaign on Tuesday, which will encourage fans to make simple energy saving changes to help cut their own emissions. And yes, pledges, inevitably, mean prizes...

Politics

• An Environmental Audit Committee evidence session on the sustainability of Biofuels will be held on Tuesday. Attendees include: Biofuels Corporation, British Sugar, Renewable Energy Association, Environmental Industries Commission (run by a guy called Merlin!!!), The Energy Crops Company, Friends of the Earth and WWF.

Science

• The Telegraph reports on a proposal to increase sea alkalinity in order to boost its CO2 absorbing properties.

Education

• Living a paperless life? Well, you could be.. A light-hearted article from Micro Persuasion explains how.
• Treehugger has pushed the Hippo Works website into the limelight: a cartoon-based educational resource with a new section on climate change. Worth a look for teachers, parents, and anyone who still thinks lollipops and plimsols are cool.

And a crazy one to finish...

• Robotic Goats help the Japanese recycle...