Climate Technology
All Stories
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The Slush of Kilimanjaro
The snow-capped peak of Tanzania’s Mt. Kilimanjaro is one of the most famous vistas on the African continent. Soon, though, you might not be able to see it in person: The mountain’s 11,000-year-old snow cap shrank by 80 percent in the past century and could be gone within two decades if temperature trends continue, according […]
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The Sub-zero Continent
Sun-scorched India is fast becoming one of the world’s hottest markets for air conditioners, as manufacturers rush to capitalize on an unsaturated market and a consumer base with rising disposable incomes. The average price for air conditioners in India has dropped by about 20 percent over the past two years, and sales have been booming; […]
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Greens in the Red
It’s not just investors who are bearing the brunt of the bear market: U.S. and Canadian environmental nonprofits are learning that when the stock market shrinks, so do the coffers of their financial supporters. A recent survey found that 10 leading private foundations in the U.S. lost $8.3 billion in the first six months of […]
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The Owl and the Pussycats
Canadian wilderness activists still can’t get over their astonishment or their delight over yesterday’s announcement by International Forest Products (Interfor) that it would halt all logging in spotted owl habitat in British Columbia, Canada. The company is the second-most active logger in the endangered owl’s terrain; not long ago it was considered Public Enemy No. […]
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Cheetos Sometimes Prosper
Here are two words you never thought you’d see next to each other: organic Cheetos. Yep, it’s true — snack-food maker Frito Lay is entering the organic food market, along with dozens of other huge food companies. Heinz now makes organic ketchup, and General Mills owns Cascadian Farms, an organic brand started in the Northwest […]
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Clubbed Med
Ah, the Mediterranean: brilliant sun, snow-white sand, a smattering of paradisiacal islands in a glittering sea. That’s the reputation that makes the region the most popular tourist destination in the world — but sadly, the flood of tourists is rapidly unmaking the reputation. Every year, the region hosts 200 million visitors — nearly one-third of […]
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I Want to Ride My Bicycle
You don’t need rock-hard calves, shaved legs, or a dresser full of unitards to love cycling: According to the U.S. bicycle industry, bikes designed for commuters rather than racers are the next big thing. Of the estimated 17 million bikes sold in the nation last year, over 20 percent were “comfort bikes” — up from […]
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Measure for Measure
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has added its voice to those of the agriculture, biotechnology, and food-processing industries in opposing Oregon’s ballot measure 27, which would require labeling of genetically modified foods sold in the state. In a letter sent Friday to Gov. John Kitzhaber (D), FDA Deputy Commissioner Lester Crawford said that GM […]
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A Fungus Among Us
There’s no time for snails and ‘shrooms — that was the gist of an announcement Monday by the Bush administration, which is seeking to ease environmental regulations governing logging on federal land in the Pacific Northwest. The timber industry and administration officials complain that the “survey and manage” component of the regulations, which mandates detailed […]
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CEO Boy!
In a rare expression of unity from an otherwise cutthroat industry, the world’s automakers pledged Friday to work together on global safety and environmental standards for cars. In a joint statement issued after an auto show in Paris, 13 industry CEOs agreed to work on promoting new technologies and better fuel quality, international standardization of […]
