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The Brazilian Bioplastics Revolution

The production of plastics from renewable sources constitutes the next frontier in the search for ways to mitigate our dependency on oil and reduce our environmental footprint. Brazil is leading the way in this industry after decades of research and commitment to a technology based on sugarcane ethanol.

Solar Panel Drops to $1 per Watt

A solar power milestone was reached when First Solar Inc brought its manufacturing costs for solar panels down to $1 per watt. But a study from the University of California and Lawrence Berkeley National Labs suggests that this might be the bottom for a price-point—if solar power is ever going to scale up to become competitive with other forms of energy. Here are the new challenges facing the solar industry and some suggestions to make a brighter future.

Renewable Energy in China: A Necessity, Not an Alternative

What role does renewable energy play in the world’s fastest growing economy? We have all heard about China’s prowess as an economic power, but not what its growth means for the country’s energy needs in the coming decades. China’s burgeoning consumption rate, its increase in heavy industry exports and a construction boom that has led the Chinese to nominate the “crane” as their national bird have fuelled a massive and increasing appetite for energy — intensified by the government’s balancing act of not imposing energy constraints while also seeking more energy sources.

Sun + Water = Fuel

With catalysts created by an MIT chemist, sunlight can turn water into hydrogen. If the process can scale up, it could make solar power a dominant source of energy.

Breakthrough new catalyst for producing hydrogen

Water-Splitting Company Founded. A catalyst invented by MIT professor Daniel Nocera can be used to split water efficiently without requiring rare metals or caustic chemicals.

MIT Chemist’s “Solar Fuel” Startup

Yes, that’s solar fuel. MIT chemistry professor Daniel Nocera has been widely lauded for developing a breakthrough technology that could harness the energy of the sun to provide a clean source of fuel.

Tidal power gets a boost from propeller and wind turbine techonology

Welsh renewables company teams up with ship propulsion experts to design robust new generation of marine turbine.

Tidal-Power System Hits Record Output

Marine Current Turbines’ SeaGen system quadruples the world tidal-turbine power record.

Seawater: Our Only Hope for a Drink

Desalination of seawater has become a necessity, but it has to be done right.

Harnessing Direct Solar Power for Propulsion

Tiny boats made of nanomaterials are powered directly by sunlight.

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle Your Old Gadgets

Most of us grew up with the Environmental Protection Agency’s friendly “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle” motto — but when it comes to gadgets, being environmentally responsible isn’t quite so easy.

The LifeStraw makes dirty water clean

A new straw that purifies water as it is drunk is hoped to be part of a solution to water-borne disease killing thousands in developing countries.

Superb Idea: A Toilet that Uses Runoff Water from Your Sink

The toilet has been around for quite a long time without a major innovation—mostly because it’s so simple and works so well.

Something Tappening Here

The bottled water industry is probably the biggest scam of the 20th century. Companies took something that was not only free but also available in almost any modern home, and found a better way to brand it. That part you almost have to applaud—well done, marketers, we bought it—but there’s another, far more irksome component to the industry: its

Boxed Water: Better Than Bottled Water?

In our ongoing effort here at GOOD to make you feel slightly bad about drinking bottled water, and as part of the continuing cultural trend of putting things in boxes (see wine, and dicks), may I present a new alternative: boxed water. It’s like drinking water from a bottle, only instead of a bottle, it’s a box.

Transparency: How Much Water Do You Use?

As we become more and more aware that we may be using water at an unsustainable pace, the idea of water footprints—the amount of water an individual uses—is becoming more common.

Buying Bottled Water: Daft Or Clever?

PepsiCo’s Aquafina bottled water, which currently carries the cryptic label “Bottled at the source PWS” will soon spell out the acronym: “public water source.” It’s tap water, in other words, as is CocaCola’s Dasani and almost 40% of bottled water sold.

Do nations go to war over water?

Wendy Barnaby was asked to write a book about water wars — then the facts got in the way of her story.

Metallised balloons may be the best way to make solar electricity

SOLAR cells are expensive, so it makes sense to use them efficiently. However, Cool Earth Solar of Livermore, California, has come up with what it hopes will be a better, cheaper alternative: balloons.

Wind of change

Global wind resources are so vast that they could easily meet the world’s current energy needs.

5 Huge Green-Tech Projects in the Developing World

Any solution to global climate change will eventually have to involve the whole globe, not just the richest countries.

Test your Ecological Footprint

Worried about your impact on the environment?Use our global footprint calculator and and learn how small steps can make a BIG difference!It takes just 5 minutes and could set you on a life-changing journe.