Top Three Sustainability Trends for 2009
from Fast Company
Terry Tamminen, former chief policy advisor for California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, sees three big sustainability trends coming down the pipe for 2009. The author of “Lives Per Gallon: The True Cost of Our Oil Addiction,” Tamminen is operating advisor to Pegasus Capital Advisors, which focuses on innovative clean-tech companies, and where he heads a team that works with states to develop and implement environmental policies. He's also the Cullman Senior Fellow with the New America Foundation, where he spends his time advising world leaders on how to design and implement climate-change solutions. More

Thinking Creatively About Electricity Systems Could Help Ontario Move to Green Energy
from The Toronto Star
Ontario could power itself exclusively on renewable energy one day if it thought differently about the operation and design of its entire electricity system, says the chief architect of Germany's green-energy law. German legislator Hermann Scheer, largely credited for pushing through the policies that have turned his country into a renewable-energy powerhouse, said the biggest challenge is overcoming the belief that large, centralized power plants based on nuclear fission and fossil fuels are necessary for an electricity system to operate reliably. More

Solar Energy Could Power Broadband Wireless in Developing Countries
from Broadband Wireless Exchange Magazine
Ericsson anticipates that there will be some 6.5 billion mobile phone subscriptions in the world, compared to today's 3.7 billion. About 90 percent of growth is expected to come from developing markets where more than half of the population lives outside city limits. To build mobile networks in rural areas with no or unreliable power grid means that the power challenge must be solved. More

Despite Economy, Holiday Travel Still Strong Among Upper-Earners
from The Earth Times
With bad news continuing on nearly every economic front, holiday travel remains a tradition—at least among those that can afford it. According to a recent Maritz® Poll, wealthier Americans plan to spend, on average, nearly US$1,000 more this year on holiday travel, compared to last. However, lower middle income earners plan to spend half as much on holiday travel compared to last year. More

Environmental Respect Key in Naming Bulgaria’s 2008 Building of the Year
from Sofia Echo
Energy efficiency played a key role in naming the 2008 Building of the Year. The seventh annual awards were conferred at a ceremony at Ivan Vazov National Theatre in Sofia on Dec. 15, 2008. Winning this year's competition was the Sveti Toma holiday complex at Cape Houmata, near Arkoutino by the Black Sea. The facility also won the title of Vacation Complex of the Year, both awards coming largely due to the fact that its traditional Sozopol-style architecture blended harmoniously with the local environment, a press statement read. Constructed in a manner that respected its surroundings and fulfilled ecologically friendly standards, the complex has its own water-main and special water-supplying system. Personal vehicles are not permitted onsite. More

Nine Workplace Resolutions for 2009
from Market Watch
The year 2008 has been a challenging and volatile year across a wide range of spectrums including the political, economic and global arenas. With a new president preparing to take office and heightening economic uncertainty, the U.S. is set to face more instability in 2009, further testing the strength and resilience of our workforce. Adecco, the world's largest recruitment and workforce solutions provider, understands the challenges at hand and how they will impact both employers and employees, and offers the following tips for navigating the changing workplace in the New Year. More

Global Alas Depicts 1,037 Innovative Building Projects Opened Since 2000
from NewsDay
"The Phaidon Atlas of 21st Century World Architecture" by The Editors of Phaidon Press: This large-format atlas spotlights 1,037 notable buildings completed worldwide by superstar architects and regional talents since January 2000. Innovative projects in Asia, Africa, Europe, North America, South America and Oceania are shown in 4,600 color photos, 2,100 line drawings and concise textual summaries. More

U.K. Building Clients Push for Recycled Materials
from Greener Building
Architects and clients throughout the U.K. are striving to make greener buildings, with many attracted to cost savings, according to a new survey. Software maker Autodesk and the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) asked 211 members of RIBA about their thoughts and actions for the first Autodesk/RIBA Green Index. The survey found that 88 percent of architects believe they should utilize green practices where possible. Seventy percent said their clients are the primary drivers of green building. A little over half of those surveyed said client interest is driven by the lower operating costs associated with energy- and resource-efficient buildings. More

Tech Giants Limber Up for Smart Meter Contract Battle
from London Times
Some of the world’s biggest telecoms and technology companies have begun discussions to team up for a multi-billion-pound contract to run “smart meters” in Britain. Telecoms giants Vodafone, O2 and BT and system integrators Logica, Accenture, IBM and Capgemini are understood to have started talks to form bidding consortiums. More

Running on Sunshine: More California Agribusinesses Install Solar Systems to Cut Costs, Aid Planet
from Sun Sentinel
For more than 70 years, California's abundance of sunshine has enabled the Lundberg family to grow rice in the Central Valley north of Sacramento. Now the sun is helping the family churn out a myriad of rice products, from chips to cakes to pasta. Lundberg Family Farms, which bills itself as the nation's largest producer of organic rice and rice products, is among a small but growing number of California growers and processors who are turning to solar power to help them run their operations. More