Five Ways to Cut China Energy Use
The Christian Science Monitor
China's voracious appetite for energy doesn't have to keep growing at the rate of this past decade, says Fatih Birol, chief economist of the International Energy Agency. The Paris-based energy monitoring group announced that China energy use has surpassed that of the United States. The U.S. consumed twice as much energy as China just a decade ago. In an interview with the Monitor, Dr. Birol offered five ways for China to reduce its energy consumption over the coming decades.More

First Skyscraper with Built-in Wind Turbines Opens in London
Inhabitat
London recently saw the completion of the world's first skyscraper with wind turbines integrated directly within its building fabric—the Strata tower. Nicknamed the Razor, the black and silver skyscraper measures in at 147 meters (485 feet) tall, making it the tallest residential building in central London. The Strata is topped with three building-integrated wind turbines that provide 8 percent of the total electricity needs of the building, and it features an array of green building strategies that make it the face of the regeneration of the Elephant and Castle area.More

Business Owners Find Creative Ways to Collect the Bills
The Wall Street Journal
Late-paying customers have been a particular nuisance for small-business owners through the recession. But some owners have learned to creatively pry money from their delinquent clientele. About 32 percent of business owners complain that customers are taking more time to pay, up from 27 percent in 2008, according to a survey of more than 700 entrepreneurs released by American Express OPEN, the company's small-business division. About a third say they plan to improve cash flow by being more aggressive in collecting accounts receivables.More

Obama Orders Federal Workplaces to Cut Emissions, Improve Safety
The Washington Post
U.S. President Barack Obama wants federal workers to take a bike, bus or subway to work more often and is ordering agencies to make their offices a safer place to work. Two White House memos aim to reduce the federal government's environmental footprint and cut the number of workers' compensation claims made by federal employees. Obama recently signed orders requiring the U.S. government to cut its carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions from indirect sources—including employee commutes and travel—by 13 percent in 2020.More

Two Towering Signs in Miami on Fast Track for Approval
Miami Herald
The city of Miami is moving at exceptional speed to approve a controversial plan by a developer to erect two skyscraper-size electronic billboards next to the Arsht Center—even though state and federal laws that sharply limit the size and location of commercial signs appear to prohibit the twin ad towers. In doing so, the city has taken the unusual step of allowing developer Mark Siffin and his attorneys to write new rules and ordinances specially tailored to permit erection of the towers, which would display flashing ads on giant light emitting diode screens rising 250 and 350 feet above a 100-foot parking garage—for a total height of up to 50 stories.More

Reports Detail Global Investment and Other Trends in Green Energy
Science Daily
In 2009, for the second year in a row, both the U.S. and Europe added more power capacity from renewable sources such as wind and solar than conventional sources like coal, gas and nuclear, according to twin reports launched by the United Nations Environment Programme and the Renewable Energy Policy Network for the 21st Century.More

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Australia's Carbon Neutral Pixel Building is the Greenest Down Under
GreenerBuildings
The Pixel building by Australian development and construction firm Grocon is not only the country's first carbon-neutral office building, but it is also the greenest. Recently completed, Pixel attained a green building score of 100, which exceeded the 75-point threshold for a 6 Star Green Star rating—the highest available under the Green Building Council of Australia's assessment system.More

Planes and Trains, Autos, Buses
USA Today
Some U.S. airports are waking up to the potential of some of their key assets: buses, cars and trains headed their way and acres of unused land. They're starting to see themselves as all-purpose transportation centers—so-called intermodal hubs—where national, regional or metro rail, local buses, rental cars, taxis and shuttle operations are consolidated. Some, such as those in Miami and Providence, R.I., are building them. Others are seriously considering it. The goal is to not only give travelers greater access to and from airport terminals, but to make the airport a central station where people go for a variety of choices in ground transportation. More

White Roofs Can Save 15 Percent on Energy Costs
Environmental Leader
U.S. Department of Energy Secretary Steven Chu announced a series of initiatives underway at the Department of Energy (DOE) to more broadly implement cool roof technologies on DOE facilities and buildings across the U.S. federal government. Cool roofs use lighter-colored roofing surfaces or special coatings to reflect more of the sun’s heat, helping to improve building efficiency by reducing cooling costs and offsetting carbon emissions.More

10 Ways to Brighten Up Your Office Workstation
AOL
The best way to increase your productivity during the day is to make some changes to your workstation. Brightening up your workstation can give you the extra boost you need to get started on a new project or assignment. Since your workstation is a small space, it only takes a few steps to making it feel like new. More