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Originally published at CleanTechies.com by Ceylan Thomson

Cleantech and renewable energy professionals now have a new legal resource at their disposal. Professionals looking for help on legal or policy issues can submit their environmental, clean tech, and renewable energy legal questions to CleanTechies’ Legal Q&A at http://law.cleantechies.com and get answers from cleantech law experts.

Continue Reading Got a Legal Question on Clean Tech or Renewable Energy Law? Ask an Expert

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declining biodiversity is a wake up call for humanityThe global community has been sent a series of wake-up calls lately: the environmental crisis spilling into the Gulf of Mexico, unprecedented droughts in China, and a report outlining the disastrous impacts of the world’s collapsing biodiversity. If events like these still don’t send the world into action, I have to wonder what kind of devastating catastrophe finally will. Our environment is an issue facing each and every one of us, thus it will require a proactive response from all corners of the world. Let’s not miss the opportunity for these tragedies to serve as a call of action to both our country, and the global community, towards a focus on a safer, healthier, and stronger planet. We, along with our partner Rainforest Alliance, hope you will help in the fight to ensure that the recent environmental tragedies we’ve seen become a thing of the past.

Continue Reading What’s Up With the Rainforest: Collapsing biodiversity is a “wake-up call for humanity”

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The call to live in harmony with nature is a plea of green pioneers throughout history such as Henry David Thoreau, John Muir, and Frank Lloyd Wright.

Ecopsychology began in the company of these good men. They worked politically, practically and poetically in service of the sanity, sustainability and social connectivity that comes from traversing the liminal space between the city and the wilderness.

Continue Reading Ecological Pioneers: Founders of Ecopsychology

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Celebrations of Earth Day last week garnered some more of the world’s attention to the environmental crisis threatening the health of the global community and our planet, but we must not forget that working towards a sustainable future is a responsibility that will require dedication all 365 days of the year. And while some corporations have jumped on the eco-bandwagon in an attempt to attract the green consumer, we would like to call attention to the unsung heroes.

Continue Reading What’s Up With the Rainforest: More Hope, Less Blame – in Praise of Eco-Warriors

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Where does the self end and nature begin? Is the human psyche part of nature or separate from it? How does the environment affect one’s state of mind?

In Ecopsychology: Restoring the Earth, Healing the Mind, a book largely considered as a defining seminal text in this burgeoning field, James Hillman, Lester Brown and Theodore Roszak, among others, argue for a psychological reality that extends beyond the four walls of the office, that sees humans first and foremost in the context of their natural environment.

Continue Reading Ecopsychology – Connecting to the Source

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Buy Local: To Buy or Not to Buy
We are told that buying local is better for the Earth and for people. The idea is that local products have a smaller environmental footprint than those produced more distantly. Advocates of buying local suggest that this preserves the environment while strengthening the local economy. However, we live in a global economy and it is worth questioning whether this approach actually benefits the earth and its inhabitants.
Buy local advocates share many of the same concerns as sustainability advocates, however measures of sustainability go beyond geography and include every step that brings products to market.
Locally bought products are not always sustainable products. For example, locally produced agriculture can include pesticides, chemical fertilizers, hormones, and non-therapeutic antibiotics. Nor are locally produced goods always the more energy efficient choice. According to Alex Avery, director of global food research at the Hudson Institute, the best way to minimize agriculture-related emissions is to buy food from regions where it grows best. His argument suggests that efficiency be used as a conservation tool.
Although buying locally is perceived as contributing to better working conditions, diverting purchases from developing countries removes potential buyers from the market and this can substantially worsen the condition of those who can least afford it. According to John Clark, a social development specialist for East Asia at the World Bank, “a local focus can breed an unhealthy provincialism and lead to practices that harm both the environment and the poor in developing nations.”
As Clark has said “we need more sophistication than just, ‘buy local,’ biases in favor of local production techniques can lead not only to wasteful energy systems such as growing bananas in domestic hothouses, but also to a mistaken idea that techniques most familiar to consumers are also ecofriendly.”
Buying locally often causes us to forget to think globally. We simply cannot afford to exclude the wider world from our purchasing decisions. This is the view of Roy Jacobowitz, senior vice president for development and communications at Acción International, a Boston-based nonprofit  lender to micro-entrepreneurs in developing nations. “The ‘buy locally’ argument is an isolationist argument, which I think is a dangerous one. Poor entrepreneurs in the emerging world need the opportunity to sell into markets that can pay fair prices for their goods,” Mr. Jacobowitz said.
Local purchasing cannot be reflexively equated with moral purchasing. When considering the sustainability of a product, there are a lot of questions to ask beyond where it was manufactured or produced.
Smart buying decisions are not always the most obvious. Finding the right buying channels cannot be reduced to a popular slogan. The environmental footprint of a product is measured by more than just the distance it travels. Rather than framing buying decisions as a buy local imperative, we should consider making buying decisions based on a comparative assessment of a product’s overall sustainability profile.
Richard Matthews is a consultant, eco-entrepreneur, sustainable investor and writer. He is the owner of THE GREEN MARKET, one of the Web’s most comprehensive resources for information and tools on sustainability. He is also the author of numerous articles on sustainable positioning, green investing, enviro-politics and eco-economics.

Is it always best to buy local?We are told that buying local is better for the Earth and for people. The idea is that local products have a smaller environmental footprint than those produced more distantly. Advocates of buying local suggest that this preserves the environment while strengthening the local economy. However, we live in a global economy and it is worth questioning whether this approach actually benefits the earth and its inhabitants.

Continue Reading Buying Local: To Buy or Not to Buy?

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A World Without IceIce asks no questions, presents no arguments, reads no newspapers, listens to no debates. It is not burdened by ideology and carries no political baggage as it changes from solid to liquid. It just melts.”

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Continue Reading Book Review: A World Without Ice by Dr. Henry Pollack

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EarthTalk® is a weekly environmental column made available to our readers from the editors of E/The Environmental Magazine

Dear EarthTalk: Celebrities and billionaires are shelling out big bucks for cutting edge green-friendly cars like the Tesla Roadster. But what are the rest of us—who live in the budget-constrained real world—to do about buying a new car that does right by the environment?
– M.G., Stroudsburg, PA
With so many new energy efficient cars in showrooms today, there’s never been a better time to go green with your next car purchase. A few years ago the Toyota Prius was the go-to model for those with an environmental conscience and up to $30,000 to pay for the privilege of getting 35-40 miles per gallon (mpg) in the city and 45-55 on the highway. But today there is such a wide selection of fuel efficient and low-emissions vehicles that even those on a budget can afford to go green.
To wit, Honda’s new Insight is the first hybrid gasoline-electric car available new for less than $20,000 (starting at $19,800). With fuel efficiency ratings of 40 miles per gallon (mpg) in the city and 43 on the highway, the Insight surely won’t cost much to operate either.
There are plenty of other hybrids to choose from today, too, though most cost at least a few thousand dollars more than equivalent non-hybrid models. Toyota’s Prius, which is only available as a hybrid, still leads the pack as the world’s top selling and most fuel efficient hybrid. Its cost has dropped some, now starting at $22,400, and the “3rd generation” Prius 10 now claims an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) combined city/highway rating of 50 mpg. This most recent edition even features a whimsical solar panel on the roof to power a ventilation system that keeps the interior of the car cool even on scorching hot days. Hybrid versions of Honda’s Civic ($23,800), Nissan’s Altima ($26,780), Ford’s Fusion ($27,625) and Escape SUV ($31,500), Mercury’s Milan ($31,590) and Mariner SUV ($29,995), Toyota’s Camry ($26,150) and Highlander SUV ($34,700) are also in showrooms in dealerships across the U.S.
Many smaller cars with regular gasoline engines also get great mileage with low emissions for even less money. Some examples include the Corolla ($15,350), Matrix ($16,550) and Yaris ($12,355) from Toyota, Honda’s Fit ($14,900), the Mazda 3 ($16,045), Chevy’s Aveo ($11,965) and Cobalt ($14,990), the Hyundai’s Accent ($9,970) and Elantra ($14,145), Pontiac’s G3 ($14,335), the Kia Rio ($11,495), the MINI Cooper ($19,500), Ford’s Focus ($15,995), and the Smart Car ForTwo ($11,990).
Diesel fuel is now cleaner than ever, and a few automakers are going down that road. Volkswagen’s Jetta TDI ($22,660), Audi’s A3 TDI ($29,950) and BMW’s 335d ($43,900) are three examples of high performance vehicles with solid green credentials regarding fuel efficiency and emissions. An added bonus is that such cars can run on carbon-neutral biodiesel as well as petroleum-based diesel fuel.
Consumers just starting their search for a new ride should check out GreenCar.com, which provides detailed information on the many greener vehicles available today as well as those on the horizon. Also, the federal government’s website FuelEconomy.gov provides detailed mileage and emissions information on dozens of new cars every year, and provides users with an easy and free way to compare different vehicles along the lines of environmental impact.
CONTACTS: GreenCar.com, www.greencar.com; FuelEconomy.gov, www.fueleconomy.gov.
SEND YOUR ENVIRONMENTAL QUESTIONS TO: EarthTalk®, P.O. Box 5098, Westport, CT 06881; earthtalk@emagazine.com. Read past columns at: www.emagazine.com/earthtalk/archives.php. EarthTalk® is now a book! Details and order information at: www.emagazine.com/earthtalkbook.
EarthTalk®?From the Editors of E/The Environmental Magazine
Dear EarthTalk: Why is the plankton in the oceans dying? And what does this mean for the health of the oceans and marine life? – Marilynn Block, Portland, OR
As the lowest link on the marine food chain, plankton—that tiny aquatic plant, animal and bacterial matter floating throughout the world’s oceans—is a vital building block for life on Earth. Besides serving as a primary food source for many fish and whales, plankton plays a crucial role in mitigating global warming.
Indeed, the ocean is the world’s largest “carbon sink”: As much as one-third of man-made CO2 emissions are stored in the oceans and therefore do not contribute to global warming. This is because its plant component, phytoplankton (its animal component is called zooplankton), pulls massive amounts of carbon dioxide (CO2) out of the atmosphere as it photosynthesizes.
But various environmental factors are taking their toll on plankton the world over. The U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) reported recently that marine phytoplankton is declining across the oceans. Even Canadian cod fishermen are noticing that the plankton-feeding fish they catch are often nearly starving as a result of lack of this crucial food source.
A 2007 study published in the scientific journal Nature found that human-caused increase in CO2 pollution is altering the pH (acidity) levels in the oceans. This change in chemistry is expected to have adverse effects on the entire ecosystem. More acidic ocean water inhibits the ability of shell-forming marine organisms—from plankton to mollusks to corals—to form properly. Smaller and less healthy populations of plankton would be bad news for all the other creatures above it on the ocean’s food chain.
Higher water temperatures, also attributable to our fossil fuel addiction, can also have a devastating effect on plankton. A recent report in the Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom noted that, in the Adriatic Sea cooler winter conditions—which are less frequent in a warmer world—are needed for plankton production and nutrient availability. Furthermore, warmer sea temperatures can cause “blooms” of other sea life (such as happens with algae), resulting in oxygen starvation in the water, a condition that is devastating to plankton and other marine creatures and organisms.
In other situations, blooms of phytoplankton themselves—the tiny plants can gorge on the nutrients from the run-off from farms and lawns on land—can lead to oxygen starvation in the water. “The decomposition of these multitudes of phytoplankton removes oxygen from seawater, creating oxygen-poor ‘dead zones’ where fish cannot live,” reports Carly Buchwald, a researcher at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution.
Satellite imagery shows that these “dead zones” are expanding. Some scientists are advocating “iron fertilization”—the spreading of large amounts of iron across the world’s seas—to spur plankton growth. But others worry that such tinkering with complex ecosystems could have potentially harmful effects.
CONTACTS: Nature, www.nature.com; Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom, www.journals.cambridge.org/action/displayJournal?jid=mbi; Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, www.whoi.edu.
SEND YOUR ENVIRONMENTAL QUESTIONS TO: EarthTalk®, P.O. Box 5098, Westport, CT 06881; earthtalk@emagazine.com. Read past columns at: www.emagazine.com/earthtalk/archives.php. EarthTalk® is now a book! Details and order information at: www.emagazine.com/earthtalkbook.

Continue Reading EarthTalk: Affordable Eco-Friendly Cars; The Consequences of Dying Plankton on the World’s Oceans

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Green marketing has never been more popular, but not all green claims are created equal. Businesses are increasingly cognizant of the value of socially and ethically conscious consumers. Between 2007 and 2009, the in-store availability of ‘green’ products has increased between 40% and 176%. Globally, the market for sustainable products and services is worth US$550 billion per year and this number is expected to keep growing.
Social and environmental concerns are driving buying decisions. People are seeking ways to mitigate their guilt, and many businesses are more than happy to oblige them. However false or misleading green promises are detracting from the credibility of those who are sincere about sustainable business practices.
Greenwashing is an epidemic that threatens all green marketing. The April 2009  HYPERLINK “http://blog.terrachoice.com/2009/04/20/toys-baby-products-and-cosmetics-at-center-of-terrachoice-greenwashing-study/” \l “more-223 ” TerraChoice report indicated that in the US and Canada, there were 2200 products making 5000 ‘green’ claims. However, over 98% were found guilty of at least some degree of greenwashing.
Green businesses have a vested interest in religiously avoiding greenwashing and ferreting out those enterprises that make disreputable green claims. Along with government oversight, consumers have a vital role to play apprizing themselves of the veracity of green claims. Business, government and consumers need to watch for what the TerraChoice report has referred to as the   HYPERLINK “http://sinsofgreenwashing.org/findings/greenwashing-report-2009/” \o “http://sinsofgreenwashing.org/findings/greenwashing-report-2009/” Seven Sins of Greenwashing:
1.    The Sin of the Hidden Trade-Off occurs when one environmental issue is emphasized at the expense of potentially more serious concerns. In other words, when marketing hides a trade-off between environmental issues. e.g. ‘Energy-efficient’ technology made with dangerous materials.
2.    The Sin of No Proof happens when environmental assertions are not backed up by evidence or third-party certification. e.g. Facial tissue with recycling claims without supporting details or ‘Certified organic’ beauty products with no verifiable certification.
3.    The Sin of Vagueness occurs when a marketing claim is so lacking in specifics as to be meaningless. e.g. ‘100% natural’ products that contain naturally-occurring poisons like arsenic and formaldehyde.
4.    The Sin of Worshiping False Labels is when marketers create a false suggestion or certification-like image to mislead consumers into thinking that a product has been through a legitimate green certification process. Marketers mimicking third-party environmental certifications on their products to entice consumers to buy. e.g. paper towel product whose packaging has a certification-like image that makes the bold claim that the product ‘fights global warming.’
5.    The Sin of Irrelevance arises when an environmental issue unrelated to the product is emphasized. e.g. Products ‘proudly CFC-free’, when CFCs were banned two decades ago.
6.    The Sin of Lesser of Two Evils occurs when an environmental claim makes consumers feel ‘green’ about a product category that is itself lacking in environmental benefits. e.g. Organic cigarettes or ‘environmentally friendly’ pesticides.
7.    The Sin of Fibbing is when environmental claims are outright false. Fake labels, when a product gives the impression of third-party endorsement when no such endorsement exists.: e.g. Products falsely claiming to be Energy Star certified or products falsely claiming to be certified by a recognised environmental standard like Fair Trade.
Quality assurance and standards are bulwarks against the scourge of greenwashing. These efforts could include securing reputable third-party endorsements ( HYPERLINK “http://www.sfiprogram.org/” \o “http://www.sfiprogram.org/” \t “_blank” SFI,  HYPERLINK “http://www.greenseal.org/” \o “http://www.greenseal.org/” \t “_blank” Green Seal and  HYPERLINK “http://www.ecologo.org/” \o “http://www.ecologo.org/” \t “_blank” EcoLogo) that independently certify the authenticity of green claims. Companies should monitor their own industries and advise against making false or misleading green claims.
Consumers must be vigilant and avoid businesses guilty of greenwashing while rewarding responsible green enterprises with their patronage. Consumers have enormous power to shape the marketplace. Consumers who believe they have been greenwashed can also communicate their displeasure to the company.
Our consumer society will not be changing any time soon, but we can make more responsible decisions as consumers. Accurate and authenticated green claims go a long way in helping to make consumerism more responsible.  Let the marketplace weed out the environmentally destructive players. If consumers are given a choice they will make buying decisions that favor greener businesses. The first step is ensuring that the green claims are accurate.
We all have a role to play to ensure that green is identified with high-quality standards. If sustainable business is to make a difference, it will be because it provides products and services that genuinely benefit the planet, people and profits.
Richard Matthews is a consultant, eco-entrepreneur, sustainable investor and writer. He is the owner of  HYPERLINK “http://thegreenmarket.blogspot.com/” \o “http://thegreenmarket.blogspot.com/” THE GREEN MARKET, one of the Web’s most comprehensive resources for information and tools on sustainability. He is also the author of numerous articles on sustainable positioning, green investing, politics and economics.

Beware the 7 sins of greenwashingGreen marketing has never been more popular, but not all green claims are created equal. Businesses are increasingly cognizant of the value of socially and ethically conscious consumers. Between 2007 and 2009, the in-store availability of “green” products has increased between 40 percent and 176 percent. Globally, the market for sustainable products and services is worth US$550 billion per year and this number is expected to keep growing.

Continue Reading Combating the Scourge of Greenwashing

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The 2009 Bioneers Conference is now underway. This year’s 20th anniversary conference is the first one being webcast, and we’re happy to provide the live feed to lectures, discussions and plenary events right here:

Continue Reading Bioneers 2009 Webcast