carbon footprint

Resolving the Artificial vs. Natural Holiday Tree Debate

Three years ago, Dan posted about the Great Environmental Christmas Tree Debate: Which has greater environmental impacts, a real or artificial holiday tree?  As of his 2009 post, Dan was unable to find a life-cycle analysis (LCA) comparing the “cradle-to-grave” (pinecone-to-mulch? petroleum-based plastic polymers-to-photo-degraded plastic gyre particles?) impacts of holiday tree alternatives. Fortunately, we now …

CONTINUE READING

Think About Carbon First, Act Later

The Worldwatch Institute reports on a new policy recently announced by the World Bank — before approving future projects, the Bank intends to develop an estimate of likely greenhouse gas impacts.  At a minimum, this will provide greater transparency concerning the implications of a World Bank decision.  Hopefully, it will encourage projects more likely to …

CONTINUE READING

The virtual carbon footprint

Is your computer saving the environment or destroying it? Computer use has become a major energy sink both in the U.S. and worldwide. And it’s not just the computer on your desk. Duncan Graham-Rowe reports in New Scientist that the internet, including data centers as well as computers and peripherals linked to those centers “could …

CONTINUE READING

TRENDING