Chemistry for a sustainable world

Although exactly where this car will fit into the Honda line is unknown to outsiders, the new Honda hybrid will compete with the Toyota Prius

The website 1sky.org reports that
Congress is now deciding which federal programs will be funded in 2009. Among those programs are the Green Jobs Act, which would invest $125 million in green-collar job training programs, and the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant, which would authorize grants to local communities to help improve their energy efficiency [...]

Michelle Bennett of Cleantechnica.com with the latest on solar concentrators coupled to solar panels: “We already know that concentrated solar power (CSP) is shaking things up in the solar industry. A subset within the industry is turning up the heat. “Extreme” Concentrated solar magnifies intense sunlight onto a solar cell, at temperatures that could melt [...]

For web-savvy environmentalists, or any interested environmentalists, please consider joining sustainability, a home for all environmentally-related content on Squidoo.com. See also the new site for discussion of solar power on Squidoo.com: solar power.  If you don’t know about Squidoo, I didn’t either until a little while ago.  It is easy to set up a [...]

“Scientists have produced further compelling evidence showing that modern-day climate change is not caused by changes in the Sun’s activity…” from an article by Richard Black, Environment correspondent, BBC News website. “The research contradicts a favoured theory of climate “sceptics”, that changes in cosmic rays coming to Earth determine cloudiness and temperature.”
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This is a good overview of the solar industry by Michelle Bennett of CleanTechnica.com. The article discusses Nanosolar’s thin solar cell technology, traditional polysilicon photovoltaics, AVASolar’s CdTe thin film technology, problems with ramping up production of new (and old) PV technology, and alternative clean energy techniques, including solar heating. The article doesn’t mention First [...]

Earth Hour was reported by much of the press, and Associated Press writer CARYN ROUSSEAU published
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THE HOUR IS NEAR!
This information came to me by email because I signed up and committed to Earth Hour 2008, which is fast approaching. Since the message emphasizes getting the word out, and since it is written so well, I’ve reproduced a portion of it here. The full message can be found [...]

With all the news recently surrounding the company Tata International and its Tara Nano, the world’s cheapest car, it is a bit shocking to see an even cheaper car coming out so soon, but the Tiny is coming. What’s even more surprising is that the Tara vehicles will be all electric and focused on environmental [...]

The EPA should be contributing to public health, sustainability, education on complex environmental concerns, and related issues. I know that its members work hard to do so, but they are often thwarted by management. Bob Grant of The Scientist.com wrote about criticism from Congress over the EPA shutting down or limiting access to [...]