US and Cuba to sign agreement on marine conservation and research
The United States and Cuba are set to reach their first accord on environmental protection since announcing plans to re-establish diplomatic relations, linking up marine sanctuaries in both countries to cooperate on preservation and research. Environmental cooperation has been one of the most visible areas of progress in the relationship as the United States and Cuba negotiate and discuss a number of issues. US National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration chief Kathryn Sullivan is in Havana to sign the agreement and continue talks on a host of environmental issues common to the two countries, separated by just 90 miles of water. Scientists with the Florida Keys and the Texas Flower Garden Banks national sanctuaries will partner with counterparts at Cuba’s Guanahacabibes national park and the Banco de San Antonio. The four sanctuaries share a similar spectrum of fish and coral species, and officials hope the partnership will allow researchers to collaborate on how best to preserve their fragile ecosystems as tourism and oil exploration continue to expand. (Guardian)
Pesticides stop bumblebees from pollinating apple trees, research shows
Scientists have discovered that the most widely used insecticides harm the ability of bumblebees to pollinate apple trees. The finding has important implications for agriculture and the natural world, say the researchers, as many food crops and wildflowers rely on bee pollination to reproduce. There is good evidence that neonicotinoids harm bees, but this new research is the first to show a negative impact on the vital pollination services bees provide. “The findings of this study have important implications for both society and the economy, as insect pollination services to crops are worth at least $361 billion worldwide every year, and are vital to the functioning of natural ecosystems” said Prof Nigel Raine, one of the team researchers at the University of Guelph, Canada. The study did not examine why the pesticide affected the bees’ behaviour, but other research shows neonicotinoids affect bees’ memory and ability to learn, which is vital in productive foraging. Syngenta, the company that makes and sells the chemical, expressed doubt about the research. (Guardian)
Energy
Honeywell’s “Smart Building Score” uncovers new ways to generate value
According to the non-profit think tank Architecture 2030, the buildings in which we live and work in consume nearly half of all the energy and CO₂ emissions produced in the US. In order to try to make building greener and more efficient, Honeywell has released a new global index, Smart Building Score, which allows building owners and managers to assess how green, safe, and productive their buildings are. Along with this new self-assessment tool, Honeywell has also made available a new white paper, Put Your Buildings to Work: A Smart Approach to Better Business Outcomes. The paper contextualizes the global future of smart buildings with data from a new survey of building owners. One key finding according to Honeywell’s press release: Half of buildings surveyed said they were not equipped to capture energy efficiency and sustainability benefits. The paper also outlines how 51 percent of US building managers surveyed considered safety and security to be the most critical indicator of a smart building, compared to 27 percent who thought greenness was most important and 22 percent who felt increasing occupants’ productivity was the most critical factor. (Triple Pundit)
Stagecoach drives forward bus depot solar scheme
Stagecoach Group has revealed plans to begin installing solar panels at a number of its bus depots across the UK. The company will install the panels through a power purchase scheme run by the UK-based Renewable Energy Investments (REI). Stagecoach’s Chesterfield depot has already been fitted with 962 solar panels, while work is currently underway to install the next system at the Daw Bank bus depot in Stockport. The company estimates that more than 3,000 tonnes of CO₂ could be saved from these two installations alone over the 20-year period, with potential financial savings of up to £1.1 million. “This is an example of how we can benefit from new technology at our existing sites to help minimise the impact of our operations on the environment and play our part in tackling the global challenge of climate change,” said Sam Greer, a regional director at Stagecoach, in a statement. The agreement will see REI fund the installation of the solar panels, while Stagecoach will purchase zero carbon electricity from REI at a heavily discounted rate. After the 20-year agreement is over, Stagecoach will assume ownership of the entire system. (Business Green)
Technology & Innovation
The quest to make your shoe a power source
Children have been harnessing energy from their steps ever since 1992, when LA Gear introduced sneakers that light up. Considering that the average person takes around 216 million steps in a lifetime, it’s a significant waste. In 2009, Kemball-Cook founded Pavegen, a company whose floor tiles can capture the power of footsteps. The technology uses compression to skim a tiny fraction of the energy created when a human steps on the tile. It’s been installed in more than 100 projects around the world, such as in football stadium in Rio de Janeiro and in a terminal in Heathrow Airport. The energy is stored in batteries inside the tiles, where it can then be used to power lighting, advertisements, and way-finding solutions, which guide people through an environment via directional arrows. Now Kemball-Cook and his R&D team have turned their attention to the shoe itself. “You could walk from work and charge your phone en route instead of waiting to use a charger at home. Runners could charge their music players during a jog” explains Kemball-Cook, who has been in discussions with major footwear manufacturers such as Nike and Reebok about ways the technology could be incorporated into consumer products. (MIT Technology Review)
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