Sustainability | GlobalPost

Organic industry's political influence rises on Capitol Hill as demand grows for organic foods

The Canadian PressMay 17, 2013 04:45

WASHINGTON - The organic food industry is gaining influence on Capitol Hill, prompted by its entry into traditional farm states and by increasing consumer demand. That's not going over well with everyone in Congress. Tensions between conventional and organic agriculture boiled over this week during a late-night House Agriculture Committee debate on farm legislation that for decades has propped up traditional crops and largely ignored organics.

Aviation industry meets ahead of efforts to find a global solution to emissions

The Canadian PressMay 13, 2013 16:15

MONTREAL - It's vital that the UN agency that oversees civil aviation reach a political agreement on a global solution to reduce environmental emissions from air travel, the head of an industry group said Monday. "The alternative, which is a system whereby every state makes up its own policies, ... would lead to a patchwork approach which could only be detrimental to the future sustainable growth of aviation," Paul Steele, executive director of the Air Transport Action Group, told a news conference.

NRC teams with companies to use oilsands greenhouse gas to make biofuels

The Canadian PressMay 10, 2013 12:47

CALGARY - The federal government, an oil giant and a biofuels company are teaming up to build a $19-million plant in northern Alberta that will use carbon dioxide emissions from the oilsands to help turn algae into products such as fuel, fertilizer and livestock feed. It's the first project to receive funding under a restructured National Research Council, which earlier this week announced it would focus on technologies that can help businesses, rather than on more general scientific endeavours.

European lawmakers tighten rules on ship-breaking industry

Agence France-PresseApril 18, 2013 11:01

The ship-breaking industry, which critics say harms the environment and exploits low-paid workers in developing countries, faces tougher controls if plans approved by European lawmakers Thursday come into force. The European Parliament agreed that all EU-registered ships must go to EU-approved facilities if they are to be broken up for scrap and recycling. The aim is to "reduce the adverse effects of careless scrapping, such as accidents, injuries or damage to human health or the environment," a summary said on the parliament website.

Ikea may sell horsemeat tainted meatballs

Agence France-PresseApril 16, 2013 07:08

Furniture giant Ikea said Tuesday it was looking at selling or giving away meatballs in its home country of Sweden that were recalled after tests showed they contained traces of horse DNA. "We are looking at ways of using the meatballs as food, since they are completely safe to eat. But we are still in talks with the authorities over this," spokeswoman Ylva Magnusson said. "If we are unsuccessful our other option is to use them as biogas," she added.

President's calls to curb biofuel monopolists are fair - Lithuania's PM

AsianetApril 12, 2013 15:49

Prime Minister Algirdas Butkevicius agrees with the statements of President Dalia Grybauskaite about the necessity to curb biofuel monopolists.According to the head of Government, the National Control Commission for Prices and Energy (VKEKK) was obliged to prepare draft resolutions a few weeks ago that would require heat producers who receive state support to buy biofuel at biofuel exchange."The president pointed out very fairly (). Three weeks ago we already had a meeting with the leadership of Commission for Prices and Energy.

Women participation in economic activities stressed

AsianetApril 11, 2013 13:47

Speakers at a function here recently stressed for enhanced participation of the womenfolk in economic activities for attaining sustainable national development, reports BSS.They were addressing the inaugural ceremony of 'Anonnya Sewing House', a private sector enterprise, in Lalbag area of the city with the owner of the enterprise and woman entrepreneur Basonti Tarafder Popi in the chair.Administrator of Rangpur Zila parishad Alhaj Advocate Rezina Razzaque formally inaugurated the sewing house through a ribbon- cutting ceremony.Principal of Moulana Keramat Ali College

Call for emergency to resolve power crisis

AsianetApril 11, 2013 11:43

Experts have emphasised the need for introducing more independent power producers to curb hour-long unannounced power outages across the country. Speakers expressed these views at the 6th International Power Conference and Exhibition on Emerging Energy Mix for Sustainable Power Generation. The Sindh Youth Affairs Department and National Forum for Environment and Health (NFEH) organised the event.

Poor fuel quality major cause of air pollution: Experts

AsianetApril 11, 2013 06:48

Experts at a workshop on Tuesday underlined the need for cleaner fuel usage in vehicles to control air pollution and lessen the burden from national kitty in terms of pollution related diseases. Speaking on “A Roadmap for Upgradation of Vehicular Fuel Quality in Pakistan,” the experts underlined the need for improving fuel efficiency in road transport and improve the fuel quality for controlling air pollution. “The poor quality of vehicular fuels is a major cause of air pollution in Pakistan,” remarked Ahmad Saeed, Manager of the National Impact Assessment Program at the semina

Ensus to temporarily shut UK bioethanol plant

Thomson ReutersApril 2, 2013 14:00

LONDON (Reuters) - Biofuels producer Ensus said on Tuesday it was in the process of taking its bioethanol plant in northeast England off line due to adverse market conditions. "We regretfully confirm that due to continuing adverse market conditions, we are having to temporarily pause production at our plant," a spokesman said. "At this stage, we don't know how long this pause will be, but we hope that market conditions can improve and that the plant will become operational again in the near future," he added.