Tag: green

The first transgenic primates able to pass on their foreign genes are both a stunning medical advance and a troubling peek into the future.

This spring, news of a biological breakthrough arrived in the form of baby marmosets whose feet glowed green under ultraviolet light. Researchers at the Central Institute for Experimental Animals in Kawasaki, Japan, had genetically engineered the monkeys to incorporate a gene, derived from jellyfish, that produces green fluorescent protein. It was the first time scientists had added a gene to a primate in such a way that a new trait could be passed to a second generation.

FRANKFURT (Reuters) - From major automakers to niche manufacturers, the race is on to get green cars on the road in the coming years, but one question lingers: after many false starts, are drivers finally ready for them?

Emerging from a savage economic downturn and under increasing regulatory pressure to cut emissions, carmakers rushed to show off a plethora of green shoots at the Frankfurt Motor Show. While manufacturers' estimates of the size of the market for the cars fluctuated, the need for government support in the early days was a recurring refrain.

Everyone has a role to play in the transformation to a clean energy economy, from entrepreneurs to innovators, regulators, venture capitalists, policymakers and the financial sector, among others, according to Mary Nichols, who heads the California Air Resources Board.

A future greenhouse gas cap-and-trade system that puts a price on carbon dioxide, she said, will create financial incentives for industries and consumers to find creative ways to reduce emissions.

At a minimum, we all want our homes to be attractive and comfortable, but now for many of us, there is another concern, we also want them to be green. Lots of modern furniture, flooring, floor coverings and even paint are made from products that arent environmentally sustainable such as petroleum products or trees that take one hundred years to grow, but only seconds to fall to the ground. Thankfully, using green principles to decorate your home isnt that difficult and you can still have that attractive, comfortable and green home you want. Heres some ideas on how to do just that.

OSLO (Reuters) - Investments of $750 billion could create a "Green New Deal" to revive the world economy and protect the environment, perhaps aided by a tax on oil, the head of the U.N. environment agency said on Thursday.

Achim Steiner said spending should focus on five environmental sectors including improved energy efficiency for buildings and solar or wind power to create jobs, curb poverty and fight climate change.

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - A clean-burning diesel sedan, Volkswagen AG's Jetta TDI, won the "Green Car of the Year" award at the Los Angeles auto show on Thursday, the first time a diesel-powered car has taken the industry's top environmental honor.

It's time to start planning for an eco-friendly holiday. Turn down the lights--and use a real tree.

his year, Americans will send nearly 2 billion holiday cards, use more than 38,000 miles of ribbon and leave millions of Christmas trees on the curb. Does that mean you should feel guilty for having a great time? Nah. Neither does it mean forgoing any of the elements that make the holiday season special. "You don't have to sacrifice the celebration for sustainability," says Zem Joaquin, founder of ecofabulous.com and eco-editor of House & Garden. Her advice: be "eco-wise." Here are a few secrets for an environmentally friendlybut still festive holiday season.

Whether you're a mom-to-be, dad-to-be, or already a parent of a little one or two, you know that there are a lot of things that could be friendlier to children. As a parent it's your job to look out for your little ones, but the world itself doesn't seem to be much help when there are chemicals even in our healthy foods. So if you're thinking about having kids, or if you already have them, going green is a great way to make the world a better place as a whole, and for the most important people in the worldyour children.

The disposable-versus-rechargeable battery debate seems ripe for a contrarian conclusion. Sure, a rechargeable can replace dozens of Duracells, but you have to keep plugging it into the power grid, which usually means burning more and more coal.

But the fact is, it takes appreciably more energy to extract metal from the earth, making alkaline batteries the clear loser. A 2007 study by Bio Intelligence Service (admittedly sponsored by French rechargeable battery maker UniRoss) asserted that wearing out a single rechargeable has 28 times less impact on global warming than using alkalines

The two biggest producers of Beaujolais Nouveau are going green, with one transporting their wine by sea rather than air and the other packaging the wine in environmentally friendly bottles.