Archive for the ‘Environment’ Category

« Older Entries
Newer Entries »

Smart Philanthropy in the Wake of a Disaster

Wednesday, March 16th, 2011


(photo credit: Kei!)

When something really bad happens in the world, we all feel hurt. And helping each other out is one of the best ways to alleviate that pain. But that common sense advice about not shopping when you’re hungry and not investing when you’re anxious also applies to giving.

Saundra Schimmelpfennig at the Chronicle of Philanthropy shared some advice on how to give smart in an urgent time of need. She encourages “disaster philanthropists” to think carefully before pledging their money to an emotionally compelling cause.

Here are some of her points that we think are especially important:

  • Make sure the organization you’re donating to actually has permission to operate in the affected area. (This is a no-brainer, but some governments refuse or limit access to foreign aid organizations.)
  • Consider giving to organizations that were operating successfully in-country before the disaster. They may have more resources and connections than many of the big-name international nonprofits.
  • Don’t be sucked in by projects that tug at your heartstrings. Sure, donating to an animal shelter seems like the natural thing to do after seeing this picture, but does directing your resources there really address the most critical needs on the ground?
  • Give aid organizations the freedom to choose what your donation pays for. They know better than you what the most important projects are.
  • Don’t forget about the disaster as soon as the news outlets do. Most of the expense and hard work happens after the initial emergency relief efforts end. Rebuilding houses, schools, communities, and lives can take years. Your donation will mean just as much in six months as it does today.

Ready to make an impact? Text a friend and ask them to donate with you. With two researchers on the job, you can probably find a perfect organization – and double your donation in the process!

Today in Tapping the Brakes… Spain Slows Down to Save on Gas

Sunday, March 13th, 2011

traffic-lights.jpeg
(photo credit: masochismtango)

Sustainability is in again! While China tries to prevent its economy from growing out of control, Spain is slowing down for a totally different reason.

  • Uprisings in the Middle East – particularly Libya – have hit Spain in the gas tank, and transit authorities are already trying to adapt. Beginning March 7th, drivers will have to slow down from 120 to 110 kilometers per hour on most main roads.
  • Spain’s Deputy Prime Minister says the measure is extreme, and promises to change back as soon as possible. Supporters say that by saving at the pump, citizens will spend more of their money “going for tapas” and strengthening the economy.
  • According to one estimate, the new speed limit will reduce fuel costs by 15%. But Spaniards are skeptical, and some say this is just a sneaky way for the government to raise revenues by handing out more speeding tickets.

Facts & Figures

  • Spain usually imports 13% of its oil from Libya
  • Other measures in place are designed to cut total national fuel consumption by 5%
  • 110 kilometers per hour is equivalent to 68 miles per hour

Best Quote

“We are going to go a bit slower and in exchange we will consume less petrol and pay less money.” – Alfredo Perez Rubalcaba, Deputy Prime Minister

>> What do you think?

Could a small change in the speed limit be a sustainable way of reducing dependence on oil?

BP Floods Gulf of Mexico with Oil, Is Subsequently First in Line to Receive Offshore Drilling Permit

Wednesday, March 9th, 2011

“(Reuters) – BP Plc (BP.L)(BP.N), whose Macondo well blowout in the Gulf of Mexico caused the worst offshore oil spill in U.S. history last year, co-owns the well that received the first deepwater drilling permit since the disaster.

BP is Noble Energy Inc’s (NBL.N) partner in the well, holding a 46.5 percent interest, BP said.”

What do you think?

If BP owns less than 50% of Noble Energy, how much influence do BP executives have over Noble’s business activities? Would an ownership percentage like this affect your decision to invest in a company like Noble?

How much carbon is that orange worth?

Friday, February 25th, 2011

The folks at GE put together this neat-o interactive feature that shows you how much carbon is created by your every daily move.

It will either depress you, or make you more of a conscientious carbon consumer. Probably both.

And I Would Have Gotten Away With It, Too, If It Weren’t For That Rascally Ecuadorean Judge…

Thursday, February 24th, 2011

“CARACAS, Venezuela — A judge in a tiny courtroom in the Ecuadorean Amazon ruled Monday that the oil giant Chevron was responsible for polluting remote tracts of Ecuadorean jungle and ordered the company to pay more than $9 billion in damages, one of the largest environmental awards ever.”

What do you think?

Is $9 billion enough to cover large-scale destruction of the environment and irreparable damage to human health? Is it too much?

And would knowing that BP has already pledged $20 billion to pay for damages related to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill change your mind?

From The Gulf Of Mexico To The Arctic Ocean: Offshore Oil Drilling Continues

Friday, February 18th, 2011

oil-rig.jpg
(photo credit: Stig Nygaard)

Russia needs more oil, and BP (remember them?) wants to help them get it… in the middle of the Arctic Ocean.

  • Despite growing recognition that oil isn’t a long-term energy solution, worldwide demand for petroleum has been rising. At the same time, the world’s largest oil producer is running out of that black gold. On land, anyway.
  • Drilling for oil in the Arctic carries significant dangers, both to the environment and to workers. The waters are freezing, there is little sunlight, and rescue missions will be difficult or impossible in the thick ice.
  • The U.S. and Canada also have access to the oil-rich Arctic, but they both have regulations in place that limit exploration and drilling. Still, many Western oil companies like BP are eagerly piling on to the Russian project because of the opportunity for profit.

Facts & Figures

  • The Arctic probably contains a fifth of the world’s natural gas and oil
  • By 2035, the Siberian oil fields will produce 1 million fewer barrels of oil per day
  • Drilling will begin in the Kara Sea – a former dumping ground for nuclear waste

Best Quote

“One beaten man is worth two unbeaten men.” – Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, on why working with BP is a good idea even after the disastrous Deepwater Horizon oil spill

What do you think?

What should Russia do now that its biggest national export is running out? Does it make more sense to spend money on a short-term solution or a long-term one?

A Painless Way To Cut Carbon Emissions

Thursday, February 17th, 2011

“The energy lab’s Research Support Facility building is more like a mirror, or perhaps a sponge, to its surroundings. From the light-bending window louvers that cast rays up into the interior office spaces, to the giant concrete maze in the sub-basement for holding and storing radiant heat, every day is completely different.

This is the story of one randomly selected day in the still-new building’s life: Jan. 28, 2011.”

What do you think?

Assuming it will take a while for your house to become completely carbon-neutral, what can you do today to easily shrink your carbon footprint?

Imagining A New Food Supply

Monday, February 14th, 2011

vegetable-garden-thomas-euler.jpg

(photo by Thomas Euler)

Did you see this? NYTimes foodman Mark Bittman is the kind of guy you want thinking about the food supply.

Says Mark:

“For decades, Americans believed that we had the world’s healthiest and safest diet. We worried little about this diet’s effect on the environment or on the lives of the animals (or even the workers) it relies upon. Nor did we worry about its ability to endure — that is, its sustainability.

That didn’t mean all was well. And we’ve come to recognize that our diet is unhealthful and unsafe. Many food production workers labor in difficult, even deplorable, conditions, and animals are produced as if they were widgets. It would be hard to devise a more wasteful, damaging, unsustainable system.”

Everyone needs food, so it’s funny (and okay, scary) that we have so little control over how our food gets to our plates. And like everything, food production has an economic story behind it.

Read Mark’s suggestions for shaking up the system, reclaiming our diets, and ensuring clean, nutritious food that’s good for us and the planet.

Donors Funding Again, But Younger Donors Fund Different Causes

Friday, February 11th, 2011

old-couple.jpg
credit: keithusc

Under 50? Then you’re not likely to be donating to your alma mater in 2011.

  • The recession hit everyone hard – including nonprofits and foundations. A study by The Chronicle of Philanthropy shows that big donations were way down in 2010, due mostly to fears about a “double-dip” recession and confusion about tax laws.
  • But so far in 2011, the economy is looking more stable and the tax code has finally been clarified. This may be the long-awaited make-up year for nonprofits that rely on funding from philanthropists.
  • Importantly, the study also revealed generational changes in giving styles. None of the big donors who made the list under 50 years of age donated to colleges or universities. Instead, they preferred to fund education, medical, human rights, and social entrepreneurial ventures.

Facts & Figures

  • Of Forbes magazine’s top 400 wealthiest Americans, only 17 appeared in the Chronicle of Philanthropy’s list of the most generous 54 donors
  • 9 people on the list donated more that $100 million in 2010, compared with 18 donors in 2006
  • The top two donors on the list were 80-year-old hedge-fund manager George Soros ($332 million) and New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg ($279.2 million)
  • Mark Zuckerberg, the youngest donor to ever appear on the list, came in 10th place ($100 million)

Best Quote

“I can think of no less needy charity than Harvard. I have to struggle to think of anyone in my age group who has given big money to a traditional charity.” – Philanthropist Whitney Tilson on the new generation of philanthropy

What do you think?

Do you support the same causes as your parents? Do you give to the same organizations as your friends?


New 7-11 energy source? Wind. Source of rolling meat products? Still a mystery.

Tuesday, February 8th, 2011

International mini-market chain 7-11 is greening up its act in 100 new eco-friendly stores in Japan.

These stores, which feature wind power and LED lights, cost up to 30% more than a traditional stores. But Sevs and other chain markets like it expect that the cost of “greening” buildings will go down as demand rises.

That would be pretty cool, huh?

« Older Entries
Newer Entries »