Tag: climate change

The first auction of US carbon credits

Photo courtesy of Karen Eliot at Flickr.com.

Last week, the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative held the first auction for US Carbon credits. This was an important milestone because the auction may set the pattern for a federal carbon tax. Funds raised at the RGGI auction will benefit six northeast states: Connecticut, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Vermont. The states plan to spend this money (slightly more than $38 Million) to invest in energy efficiency, developing new technology, and other “programs to benefit electrical consumers”.

Hopefully, most of the money will be spent on the first two uses. If carbon taxes are used to subsidize the price of electricity, then that could actually accelerate climate change. In countries where the price of electricity is artificially reduced, demand is rising faster than production. This is causing some extremely dirty power plants to be built to meet short term need. Power outages and brownouts are also common.

Some people argue that revenue from carbon taxes is best used to implement programs that reduce the use of fossil fuel generated power. Possibilities include offering rebates on high-efficiency air conditioners, providing low cost loans for businesses that eliminate wasteful machinery, and building alternative power sources such as wind farms, geothermal generators, and solar arrays. When used in this way, carbon taxes can stimulate local businesses and encourage green consumption. In the long term, the economy will also benefit from energy self sufficiency.

Other states in the RGGI include New Hampshire, New York, New Jersey, and Delaware. These states didn’t participate in the first auction, but they may participate in the next auction, on December 17, 2008. Registration begins in October.

So, who bought these carbon credits? Mostly, the buyers were power utilities that operate in New England. Several environmental groups also participated, bidding on credits with the intent of retiring them from circulation. Brokers and individuals were also allowed to participate, but the RGGI hasn’t released a list of buyers yet.

Bidders had the option of concealing their identity during the sign up process. This anonymous bidding is a bit troubling, since most companies would be happy to garner free publicity from buying carbon credits. It leaves the door open for companies to make false claims and makes it hard to independently verify which utilities are responsible stewards of the environment. Hopefully, the lack of disclosure is only a temporary situation, and future carbon auctions will be more transparent than the emissions they offset.

Photo courtesy of _Krystian PHOTOSynthesis (wild-thriving) _ at Flickr.com.

The Sahara desert is reaching north into Spain



Photo courtesy of DanielKHC at Flickr.com.

Droughts are a worldwide problem, with water in short supply in many different countries. Australia and Spain are both suffering through record breaking droughts right now. It hasn’t gotten much attention in the US, but rainfall in Spain is at its lowest level in 40 years. This comes at a time when population is booming and per capita water use is rising.

Water use is a very emotional issue in Spain, and tensions are running high between neighboring cities and regions. Opinions are divided largely along geographic lines; many people living in the southern provinces favor redirecting water from the north (where the drought is less severe). No one in the North wants to sacrifice their water rights to support wasteful behavior though, and water redirection projects face strong opposition. To break this logjam,

…the government is building more desalination plants, adding to the more than 900 already in Spain – the largest number in any one country outside the Middle East.

There is some concern that these energy intensive desalination plants will drive up the price of water while also creating even more climate change. It’s a no-win situation, like trying to prevent an avalanche by running a snow maker.

Leaders in Spain are looking for a better solution. The country is currently hosting the 2008 World’s Fair in Zaragosa, and the theme of Expo 2008 is “Water and Sustainable Development”. New technologies are on display, including water saving fixtures for the home and agricultural techniques that conserve water. Government programs are encouraging people to adopt these innovations with tax rebates and grants, and if the Spanish are successful in conserving their water, they may be able to stop the desertification of their country. Otherwise, climate change will devastate the environment, with lasting effects on the economy.

If you get a chance to visit Zaragosa, you’ll see an alternative vision of the future, with clean technology offering jobs and climate security. The best vantage point to view the fairgrounds is atop the 250 foot tall Water Tower building.



Photo courtesy of Paulo Brandão at Flickr.com.

In the news: reducing your AC bill, earn cash through recycling and more


Photo courtesy of Mayank Austen Soofi at Flickr.com.

Here at the Practical Environmentalist, we’re green news junkies. We keep an eagle eye out for the latest science, social, and environmental developments and try to sum up the big picture here. This week, a lot of exciting things are going on.

The news is full of stories about practical ways to save money. One easy way is to save energy and cut your air conditioning bill.

Here are 4 websites that help you earn money from recycling everything from old cell phones and digital cameras to glass bottles and old cars. Recycling e-waste is a double win – with commodity prices sky high, the copper and gold in old electronics are worth some serious cash, and keeping heavy metals out of the landfill is key to protecting the environment.

“We generally see about a 100 percent increase in recycling in mid- to affluent neighborhoods,” says [RecycleBank CEO Ron] Gonen. “In lower-income neighborhoods, it can be up to 1,000 percent, because the recycling rates are so low there.

Also, the shipping industry is taking huge steps to reduce their fuel bills. Surcharges are running out of control, and the profit margins of commercial transport companies are under pressure. In addition to driving slower, truckers are saving fuel with an Auxiliary Power Unit. APUs are widely used in airplanes to provide electricity without running the engines, but their high price has kept other industries from adopting APUs. With high oil prices, and new pollution controls that outlaw idling engines in residential neighborhoods, that could change quickly.

Due to climate change, farmers are now using sunblock to protect certain produce. Presumably, sun ripened tomatoes aren’t on that list.

Could you live a month without buying any plastic? A British Blogger is trying to do just that, and its tougher than you might think.

Is the future going to be human powered? Clubs and fitness centers from Portland to London are adding devices that harvest kinetic energy to power the lights, sound systems, and HVAC. There are even plans for a floating gym that will travel back and forth on the Hudson river under human propulsion.