Blogs at Worldwatch
Each blog features regular contributions from Worldwatch researchers and outside experts on the global issues that the Institute tracks, from climate change negotiations to how to feed a growing population. We invite you to engage our bloggers in dialogue on the latest news and developments in their respective research areas.
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Just One Word: PlasticsIn the March online issue of Nature, a group of scientists argued plastic should be treated as hazardous waste. They specifically urge the biggest producers—USA, Europe and Japan—to take measures to modify the current production and consumption trends. In the US, the EPA estimates 45 percent of plastics are used as containers and packaging, and [...] |
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Camu Camu: A Little Fruit that Packs a Big PunchBy Eleanor Fausold Sometimes the best things come in small packages. Camu camu (Myrciaria dubia) is a tiny fruit native to the Amazon region of South America that is rising in popularity, as both an element in local treats and a main component in dietary supplements. Although its high level of acidity once made it [...] |
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State of the World 2013 Launch and Seminar Reportby Katerina Batzaki Copenhagen On the day that Worldwatch Institute launched State of the World 2013: Is Sustainability Still Possible? 69,578 cyclists crossed the Dronning Louise Bridge into the centre of Copenhagen providing a very simple answer to that very weighty environmental question. Of course sustainability is possible, if we make sustainable choices. In the [...] |
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EU Bans Class of Pesticides Thought Harmful to BeesBy Laura Reynolds On April 29, the European Union voted to largely ban the use of neonicotinoids, a type of pesticide, for two years beginning in December 2013. The ban had 15 member state supporters, including France, Germany, and Poland; eight opponents, including the United Kingdom; and four abstaining votes. Neonicotinoids are a possible cause [...] |
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Kenya’s Solar Lamp Market: Illuminating and Overcoming Institutional VoidsStarting and running a solar lamp retail business in a developing country like Kenya is no small feat. Kenya lacks strong transportation infrastructure for product distribution, and the bureaucratic red tape is not only tedious but can be opaque to foreigners. Meanwhile, the customers who need and want solar portable lamps most are those who can least afford it. |
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No “LAC” of Leadership: Conference Highlights Renewable Energy Success in Latin America and CaribbeanGlobally, new investment in renewable energy fell 11 percent in 2012. But in Latin America and the Caribbean (not including Brazil), it grew at a remarkable rate of 127 percent, totaling US$4.6 billion. This was the opening context for the 3rd Annual Renewable Energy Finance Forum for Latin America and the Caribbean (... |
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Having Trouble Reaching Rural Solar Customers? Just Text Them.Across the developing world, retailers are selling solar-powered portable lamps that can meet basic lighting demands, reduce dependence on expensive and inefficient kerosene lighting, and contribute to important development goals like energy access and improved literacy rates. |
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Camu Camu: A Little Fruit that Packs a Big PunchBy Eleanor Fausold |
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EU Bans Class of Pesticides Thought Harmful to BeesBy Laura Reynolds |
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Emissions from Agriculture and Livestock Continue to GrowBy Laura Reynolds |
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Global Food Prices Continue to RiseBy Sophie Wenzlau |
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Just One Word: PlasticsIn the March online issue of Nature, a group of scientists argued plastic should be treated as hazardous waste. They specifically urge the biggest producers—USA, Europe and Japan—to take measures to modify the current production and consumption trends. In the US, the EPA estimates 45 percent of plastics are used as containers and packaging, and that only 12 percent of these are recycled. In... |
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State of the World 2013 Launch and Seminar Reportby Katerina Batzaki |
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Drawing a Truer Picture of Carbon EmissionsIn 2011 the United Kingdom pledged to reduce its carbon dioxide emissions by 50 percent by the year 2025, the most ambitious target by any industrialized country. Due to an increase in coal-generated power, the UK saw a 3.5 percent increase in CO2 emissions in 2012. This slight... |
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Four Score and Seven Years From NowImagining a sustainable America in 2100. (Image courtesy of E Magazine) |
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