During a recent meeting of the Environment minsters of EU member countries side stepped the issue of declaring carbon dioxide a pollutant. While the minsters agreed on a proposal to reduce industrial pollution various environment groups criticized the ministers’ inaction on what seemed an essential and significant decision in Europe’s fight against climate change.

According to the deal reached, heavy industries like power plants and oil refineries will have to comply to new and stricter sulfur and nitrogen emissions as well as the release of dust particles, asbestos and heavy metals into the environment. Obviously, carbon dioxide has been left out which is why the environmentalists have been fuming. European leaders should have sent a strong message by classifying carbon dioxide as a pollutant keeping in mind the Copenhagen Climate Talks scheduled later this year.

Classify carbon dioxide as a pollutant would have added teeth to the EU goal of 20 percent reduction in carbon emissions by 2020 by adding the health aspect it. European Environment Bureau, a coalition of local environmental groups voiced its concerns saying,

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A 20-year rule regulating the shape of produce is now being lifted in the European Union. Now, shoppers can find the hilarity in two-legged carrots and twisty cucumbers.

36 vegetables now have the freedom to be ugly, reports the Times Online:

The intention is to lower the price of fresh food and to cut red tape for growers and importers.

Retailers estimate that prices for misshapen and blemished produce will be about 40 per cent lower.

Now, even in a recession, no one has an excuse to refuse when asked to “Eat your vegetables!”

However, some produce must still adhere to strict rules.

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Developer Charles Fridman filed plans last week for a 26-story hotel at the corner of Varick and Watt Streets that would incorporate a malleable, thin-film solar panel glazing to the building's exterior. The glazing, which has been dubbed "amorphous thin film glass," would generate an estimated 80 to 100 kilowatts of electricity, which should translate into $40,000.00 to $50,000.00 in energy savings annually. Mr. Fridman has retained Anthony Morali of MStudio as the project's architect; MStudio plans on incorporating a number of other unspecified green design features into the project, though it's unclear at this point whether 100 Varick Street will pursue any third-party certification.

Mr. Morali told the New York Observer that the photovoltaic technology is applied as a gas to the glazing, which allows the glass itself to be much thinner (and malleable) than conventional glass. The installation at 100 Varick Street would be the first time the technology is employed here in New York City (the Observer does note that a similar type of installation encloses rooftop mechanical systems at the Conde-Nast Building in Times Square). As always, we'll have more details as the project moves forward, which, according to Mr. Fridman, won't be for at least another six months while permits and other approvals are procured from the Department of Buildings.

• New Hudson Square Hotel to Use Solar Technology (NYO)
• MStudio

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San Francisco Bike Coalition member Rick Baraff produced this short video documenting how the grassroots advocacy work of thousands of SFBC members led to last Friday’s historic victory at the SFMTA hearing.

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June 29, 2009 - For the first time, the World Trade Organization (WTO) teamed up with the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) to release a report outlining the relationship between trade and climate change. The report describes the multitude of ways in which climate change and trade intersect.

Using current scientific knowledge as well as current literature and a survey of national policies, the two organizations worked together to create a report that summarizes concerns regarding existing and projected climate change, impacts of climate change, and on possible responses, through adaptation and mitigation, to the challenges posed by climate change.

The report states that climate change is “unequivocal.” The evidence, gathered through a review of thousands of scientific publications, is compelling, and describes that human activities are “very likely” the cause of such global warming.

The biggest concern that the report denotes is that; barring major changes in policy, law, action, and attitude, global greenhouse gas emissions are expected to increase over the coming decades, with emissions increasing anywhere from 25 to 90 percent by 2030. It is also anticipated that a greater proportion of greenhouse gases will be emitted from developing countries.

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