Considering the sheer volume of bottles Coke sells every year, the company’s announcement to move from PET bottles to a blend of plastic and 30% plant-based materials, is more than welcome. The new sugarcane and molasses based bottles will have 25% less emissions when compared to traditional bottles.

Over 1.6 billion of Coca Cola branded beverages are served every day around the world. So, it would be great to see the entire lineup move to more environmentally friendly packaging. That however, isn’t exactly happening at the moment. The new bottles will be available with Coca Cola’s Dasani brand of water; not exactly a giant volume, but still a good start.

The new bottles are completely compatible with the existing recycling facilities, and they will not contaminate petroleum based bottles in the process. Coca Cola hopes to sell nearly 2 billion of these bottles by the end of 2010, giving its vitamin water brands the PlantBottle next year. In the near future, the company hopes to have all its offerings in bottles made from 100% recyclable and renewable materials.

Source: Inhabitat

Source: Inhabitat

Prince Albert II of Monaco is actively involved in conservation of the environment, and the Prince Albert II Foundation has 127 projects in various countries, dedicated to working towards renewable energy and access to water, and also fighting threats like desertification, loss of biodiversity and climate change.

The Prince recently went on record saying that the society should give up its obsession with consumption and consumerism, and that we should all take time to reflect on how are actions and daily life affect our world. Prince Albert said that people should do whatever is within their resources to work of the cause of the environment.

Whenever possible, or feasible, people could contribute with things like money, time, resources, or even inspirational acts, deeds, songs or words. Coming from a prince, these words do have a lot of weight, and perhaps point to a future where the leadership, both international and national, will be willing to invest resources for the environment, seriously and apolitically.

Source: ecorazzi

The US President Barack Obama, and Vice President Joe Biden are expected to make important announcements that will provide stimulus for a greener future. An Obama administration official has said that the President will make announcement regarding Smart Grids during his visit to Florida. Obama’s announcement of a Smart Grid will be the government’s largest investment of economic stimulus funds in clean energy.

The Smart Grid will bolster the production of energy from clean domestic sources to consumers in 49 states. At the same time, this will also help create a more powerful, stable and robust grid with clean energy playing an important role.

In a separate visit to a closed General Motors plant in Wilmington, Delaware, the US Vice Presiden Joe Biden will announce that the plant will be reopened for production of plug-in hybrid electric cars. However, it isn’t GM that is opening the plant, it is California based Fisker Automotive that will take control of the plant. Fisker is well known for its first plug-in electric vehicle, the Fisker Karma.

Source: Reuters

On Saturday, October 24, people in 181 countries are coming together for what many are describing as the most widespread day of environmental action in the planet’s history.They’re gathering to call for strong action and bold leadership on the climate crisis.

Specifically, the web-based campaign called “350.org” is calling on people from around the world to organize an action that in some way incorporates the number “350″ at an iconic place in their community.  Then, 350.org wants people to upload a photo of their event to the 350.org website.

“We’ll collect these images from around the world and, with your help, deliver them to the media and world leaders. Together, we can show our world and its decision-makers just how big, beautiful, and unified the climate movement really is,” the website says.

The number “350” represents 350 parts per million, the level scientists have identified as the safe upper limit for CO2 in our atmosphere.

For more information on the 350 International Day of Climate Action and other 350.0rg initiatives, see the 350.org website.

Photo: Flickr

India currently is the fourth largest emitter of carbon in the world, and has so far resisted any binding emission targets under an international agreement. India, and the Group of 77 developing nations have been opposing such binding targets unless they come tied with financial and technological support from developed nations which have so far led in carbon emissions.

Now, in a letter to the Indian prime minister Manmohan Singh, environment minister Jairam Ramesh has urged the government to break away from the Group of 77 and align itself with the richer G20 nations. The minister goes on to press the need to commit to binding targets without asking for any financial/technological assistance from richer nations.

If India does align with the G20, the unity in the Group of 77 will be affected, and the gap in negotiations between the richer and developing countries could decrease. India and other developing countries have been supporting domestically set targets so that they can work on making their economies stronger, rather than be tied down by binding targets.

Developed nations on the other hand, are not willing to pay the fiscal and lifestyle costs such targets may put forth. The UN has put a December deadline for an agreement on the COP15 meeting at Copenhagen, though it appears the deadline will be missed by months in present circumstances.

Source: TreeHugger

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that for every one barrel of residential trash, 71 more were created before the products that produced that waste reached consumer households.

What’s more, a new report from the EPA shows that ordinary consumer products and packaging account for 44% of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions.

Can you imagine how much waste and GHG emissions could be eliminated from the production-consumption cycle if products could be re-designed to use less material, be longer life, repairable, reusable, and safer?

The GrassRoots Recycling Network is an organization of activists and recycling professionals who deep-dive into questions like that every day.

The group, which is advocating and working towards a zero waste future in the United States, will be hosting its Third National Recycling and Zero Waste Conference, beginning this coming Sunday, Oct. 18 at the Devens Commons Center in Devens, Massachusetts.

The four-day event will run through Wednesday, Oct. 21, and is expected to attract over 400 recycling activists and professionals from around the U.S. The comprehensive agenda includes 20 separate programs and 60 speakers.

“This conference will energize the recycling and environmental community and help environmental professionals and activists implement new ideas and practices that will create jobs while at the same time reducing waste and conserving natural resources,” said Linda Christopher, GRRN’s executive director. “Zero waste programs build sustainable communities by reducing the waste that produces greenhouse gases and toxic chemicals which are so harmful to our environment and account for major climate change impacts.”

Traditional thinking assumes waste is inevitable, that the quantity of waste will keep growing, and that costly, high-tech, polluting methods like landfills and incinerators are the only choices available.

Zero waste advocates think otherwise. They focus not only on recycling, but on another critical component –redesign –as well.

Zero waste is a concept that has taken off in California and other countries where several communities are on track to reach a goal of 90 percent waste reduction, Christopher said. It is relatively unfamiliar in New England, though many communities are in a position to implement zero waste principles, she added.

“We have identified Massachusetts and New England as a prime region to advance zero waste programs and goals and to create zero waste communities,” added Christopher. “The conference will highlight businesses that have saved money, increased their efficiency, reduced their liability, and reduced their global footprint by diverting their waste from landfills and incinerators.”

GrassRoots Recycling Network’s National Recycling and Zero Waste Conference is being held at the Devens Conference Center in Devens, Massachusetts. Devens is a decommissioned U.S. Army base re-purposed as an eco-industrial park that has a zero waste goal. All organic waste generated by the conference will be composted and other waste will be separated and recycled.

You can read more about the GrassRoots Recycling Network at their website, www.GRRN.org . The site includes full conference details and registration information.

Photo credit: www.flickr.com/photos/8078800@N07/634853323/

Indoor plants for a brighter day?

In my past I used to specialize in raising dried flower arrangements.  Yes, I said raise.  I would take healthy plants water them, subject them to vast amounts of cigarette smoke and then neglect them.  They would dry out and die.  Eureka!  Instant dried flowers.

As I matured, I saw the benefits of plants (properly taken care of) in the home.  They were pleasant to look at and gave me some relaxation in getting an ivy plant to string all around the room at the ceiling and wall borders.  I would never have imagined they could have improved the air.

Yes, I know that plants absorb carbon dioxide from the air and use it as an airborne fertilizer to support their growth as well as the nourishment from the roots; the more carbon dioxide in the air, the better it grows.

I did not know that the green plants could also help to remove pollutants from the air.  The Pennsylvania State University performed an experiment on the ability of plants to eliminate ozone from the air.  They discovered that plants cut in half the time it takes for ozone to be reduced in the air.

In a test chamber, it took between 38 to 120 minutes for ozone to reduce from 200 ppb (parts per billion) to less than 5 ppb.  The chambers with houseplants in them showed an average of half that time for the same ozone depletion.

Snake plant (Sansevieria trifasciata), spider plant (Chlorophytum comosum), and golden pothos (Epipremnum aureum) were tested and no differences were detected between the species.

So, if you want less ozone in the air, put a lot of green plants in there.  It does not seem to matter what type of green plants you use, so be creative and use different types just to be sure.

Image courtesy of davidduran

In fact, concern for the environment is one of the pillars of the Rio 2016 bid, and the saplings are part of the state government’s “Rio 2016 Zero Carbon” project. In all, Rio 2016 will offset 716 tons of carbon relative to the period September 2007 to October 2009.

In the city’s Candidature File submitted to the IOC, Rio 2016 proposes “Green Games,” which will include the planting of more than three million trees in strategic parts of Tijuca Forest.

“I’m happy to see more and more people fighting for the environment. Brazil has a climate change study plan and carbon reduction targets. We are going to bring the 2016 Games to Rio de Janeiro and stage a totally green competition,” said Minister Minc.

You can read more about Rio 2016 green initiatives here.

Source: Rio 2016

Photo: Rio Olympic Beach

In fact, Chicago 2016 organizers even call their concept of the Olympics the “Blue-Green Games.”

Blue for clean air and water. And, green for parks and nature. Together, the blue and green combine to create the ideal conditions necessary for optimal athletic performance.

What’s more, Chicago 2016 organizers have developed a comprehensive plan that will deliver the most eco-friendly games in modern history.

Here are just a few of the green highlights from the Chicago 2016 bid:

• All electricity for Games operations will come from renewable energy sources.

• All generators supplied for the Games will run on biofuel.

• For the first time ever, athlete and spectator travel emissions will be offset in partnership with the Chicago Climate Exchange.

• Venues will reduce water consumption by 20% from baseline levels through design, technology and equipment, such as low-flow fixtures and smart irrigation.

• Waste will be minimized by reusing or recycling 85% of the materials used for the Games.

• Existing structures and parklands will be utilized whenever possible to minimize the carbon emissions associated with construction. Design and construction of all new and temporary venues will be conducted in accordance with best practices for sustainability.

“Blue and green reflect the natural landscape that all Chicagoans enjoy—the blue of Lake Michigan, and the green of our parks,” says Bob Accarino, the Director of Environment for Chicago 2016. “The name highlights these features and our Games plan further enforces it, with the majority of venues located along the lakeshore in our historic parks. From an environmental perspective, the concept of a Blue-Green Games emphasizes the importance of promoting clean water in addition to clean air.”

You can read the complete 31-page Blue-Green Games Commitment document here.

Photo of Chicago’s Grant Park from David Paul Ohmer.