MATTER - Clean Technology, Green and Sustainable NewsMatter Network covers the clean technologies, energy efficient products and strategies for combating climate change that are powering the shift to a sustainable economy.Chicago Fires Up Green City Plan- September 20, 2008 Chicago's cooking up a deep dish of emissions reductions that Mayor Richard Daley believes will make his city hands-down the greenest in the nation. The proposal, called the Chicago Climate Action Plan, outlines aggressive measures aimed at reducing the city's greenhouse gas emissions 25% below 1990 levels. The 29 actions recommended in a report authored by a "green ribbon panel" (oh, I get it) focus on the areas of buildings, transportation, energy, and waste pollution. Chicago already...http://www.matternetwork.com/2008/9/chicago-fires-up-green-city.cfm Timberland Takes Tunes and Trees to the Masses- September 20, 2008 Outdoor apparel retailer Timberland is sponsoring “Dig It,” a program established to encourage the collaboration of artists and eco activists.Each Dig It event will consist of a day full of tree planting and concerts and the introduction of Timberland’s new eco line of products, Earthkeepers. Dig It events will take place in locations across the U.S. including Boston, New York, Los Angeles, and San Francisco throughout the month of October.Timberland hopes to plant one million.http://www.matternetwork.com/2008/9/timberland-takes-music-tree-plating.cfm Why Eco Businesses Should Move To "Brown States"- September 19, 2008 Normal0falsefalsefalseMicrosoftInternetExplorer4Like many new startup companies -- especially the electric vehicle startups -- Miles EV is headquartered in a "Green State," in its case California. The CEO, activistentrepreneur Miles Rubin was a Ralph Lauren executive before retiring to build his dream vehicle in 2005. His is one of the EV startups planning a freeway speed EV due on these shores in 2010, (a vehicle test-driven by eco-Mayor Bloomberg in China). Like a true...http://www.matternetwork.com/2008/9/how-evs-can-turn-brown.cfm Brita Sponsors Climate Ride 2008- September 19, 2008 Brita is sponsoring a bike ride for change, climate change that is. The Brita Climate Ride 2008 starting this weekend is “the first multi-day bicycle tour” established to generate attention and funding for climate change resolutions like renewable energy and green building legislation.And what better way than to travel by a carbon neutral ride (well, carbon free during the operation of the bicycle). Starting on Saturday, more than 100 cyclists will begin their journey from Manhattan.http://www.matternetwork.com/2008/9/brita-sponsors-climate-ride-2008.cfm Volkswagen Diesels Qualify for Tax Credit- September 19, 2008 Owners of Volkswagen's clean diesel vehicles are eligible for $1,300 Federal Income Tax Credit. The Internal Revenue Service has certified that purchase of the 2009 vehicles — the Jetta TDI sedan and SportWagen — qualifies consumers for the Advanced Lean Burn Technology Motor Vehicle income tax credit."The $1,300 tax credit provides an even greater value to the upcoming Jetta TDI sedan and SportWagen," said Mark Barnes, the COO of Volkswagen of America, Inc. in a press...http://www.matternetwork.com/2008/9/volkswagen-qualifies-for-tax-credit.cfm Seed Media Targets Women- September 19, 2008 Seed Media has launched Boho, a new women's magazine covering green lifestyles, travel, beauty, fashion and design. The new magazine will be the first fashion title to be printed on 100 percent post-consumer waste, non-glossy paper with natural soy ink.Gina La Morte, the founder and editor of Boho, told Folio Magazine in an interview that she felt that this was the perfect time launch a green women's magazine because people are becoming more aware: "They want to make changes in their own...http://www.matternetwork.com/2008/9/seed-media-targets-women.cfm Twelve-Year-Old Invents Better Solar Cell- September 19, 2008 While inventors three times his age are struggling with the ongoing effort to improve solar cell efficiency, one 12-year-old boy may have found the Holy Grail.Young William Yuan has blasted beyond the typical efficiency jumps of 30 or 40 percent by achieving an astounding 500 percent energy efficiency improvement.This seventh grader in Oregon titled his project, "A Highly-Efficient 3-Dimensional Nanotube Solar Cell for Visible and UV Light." While the name may be unwieldy, it stands..http://www.matternetwork.com/2008/9/12-year-old-invents-much.cfm IDS Plans Floating Data Centers- September 18, 2008 International Data Security has started work on retrofitting a ship to act as a floating data center, with plans to dock it in San Francisco.Google filed a patent around the concept of a ship-based data center that relies on wave power earlier this month, but it appears that IDS is actually outdoing what Google has so far only proposed. The start-up plans to build 50 such data centers, 22 of which will be located in the U.S., according to a report by Om Malik.The concept of placing a data...http://www.matternetwork.com/2008/9/ids-plans-floating-data-centers.cfm Indian Government Creates Renewable Energy Zone- September 18, 2008 The Indian government has zoned 2,000 hectares for facilities to develop renewable energy technologies for use across the country.The renewable energy zone is located in Nagpur, a large city in the central Indian state of Maharastra. It will be developed by the Maharastra Industrial Development Corporation and the Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency.According to the Indian government, a European firm has contributed approximately $4.7 billion to the economic development zone. The unnamed.http://www.matternetwork.com/2008/9/indian-government-creates-renewable-energy.cfm Kraft Uses Cheese Byproduct for Power- September 18, 2008 Kraft Foods has announced completion of two waste-to-energy projects at the company's manufacturing facilities in Lowville Campbell, New York. Both plants produce cheese.The new energy-generation facilities are part of a company-wide push for sustainability in six areas: agriculture, packaging, energy, water, waste, and transportation. Kraft's commitment to sustainability is not new, but the company's concentrated efforts in these areas represent a change in Kraft's approach to the...http://www.matternetwork.com/2008/9/kraft-uses-cheese-byproduct-power.cfm |