Source: Forbes

The first mass-market electric vehicles are about to go on sale in selected cities, kicking off the beginning of a wave of new green vehicles hitting showrooms over the coming year. The Chevrolet Volt, from General Motors, and the Leaf, from Nissan, both launching in December, are just the beginning of the electrification trend. At least eight hybrids and 12 plug-in electric cars in every price range are planned for 2011, with another batch of electric vehicles (EVs) expected in 2012. The rollout of these vehicles will be regional, starting with California and a handful of other states, including New York, Texas, Washington, Oregon, Arizona and Tennessee, among others. It could be several years before EVs are readily available across America. Each employs different powertrain technologies, so it pays to do your research. Click here to start learning about this new generation of green cars!

Share:

• 

Source: Wikipedia

Billions of dollars have been poured into alternative energy technologies and companies in the past several years. The four areas most likely to reach cost competitiveness over the next decade? Advanced biofuels, onshore wind, solar photovoltaic energy and concentrated solar power –according to a newly released report from energy experts at Boston Consulting Group.  These four technology areas are also the most likely to disrupt the status quo by 2025, the report says. “Alternative energies have always been 10 years away,” says Balu Balagopal, a BCG senior partner and one of the authors of the report. “But the future may be closer than you think.” Click here to learn more about the future of these popular alternative energy technologies!

Share:

• 

Source: Vegasnews.com

Some of the nation’s largest metropolitan areas are in danger of running out of water in the next decades, according to a survey of studies conducted by 24/7 Wall St. They consulted a range of sources, including an October 2010 report on water risk by environmental research and sustainability group CERES, a July 2010 report from the National Resources Defense Council, and their own independent analysis of water supply and consumption in America’s 30 largest cities. Using these sources, they created a ranking of cities likely to face severe water shortage in the near future. Click here to read about the ten largest cities, by population, that have a significant chance of going dry in the decades to come.

Share:

• 

Source: Mark Wilson, Getty Images

Energy efficiency is the focus of first-ever U.S. guidelines for reducing greenhouse gas emissions from industrial sources. The guidelines, issued Wednesday by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, don’t require expensive technology upgrades but rather urge cleaner fuels to power oil refineries and more efficient electricity and energy use for existing power plants. They go into effect Jan. 2. They are meant to help states figure out cost-effective ways to reduce the pollutants that cause climate change when issuing new air pollution permits, said Gina McCarthy, EPA’s assistant administrator for air and radiation. Click here to learn more about these new guidelines and how they affect you and your State.

Share:

• 

Source: Associated Press

Confused by all the “green” claims of products on store shelves out there? There’s good reason to be. According to a study due out Tuesday, more than 95% of consumer products examined committed at least one offense of “greenwashing,” a term used to describe unproven environmental claims, according TerraChoice, a North American environmental-marketing company that issued the report. While unsubstantiated claims of “green” attributes have declined slightly in recent years, the problem is still widely prevalent as more manufacturers flood the market with items deemed to be better for the environment. Of particular concern: items proclaiming to be free of controversial chemicals BPA and phthalates—especially baby and toy products, according to the report. Click here to learn more about this troubling issue today.

Share:

• 

Source: Chuck Kennedy

Mikayla Nelson doesn’t understand the concept of slacking. At 14 years old she works at a local hobby store to help pay her way through school, takes flying lessons and is restoring both a plane and a 1967 VW Beetle. Somehow, she has still found time to be an integral part of a team that has made two consecutive trips to the National Science Bowl, winning 1st place for the design document on their solar car in last year’s competition. Not bad for a freshman in high school. Mikayla and other ambitious students took part in today’s White House Science fair, exhibiting their award winning projects for the President and Secretary Chu, along with other leaders of academia and industry. President Obama offered his congratulations to all the students in attendance and reflected on the impact that their passion for science and innovation could ultimately have on America’s future. Click here to read more!

Share:

•