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Water Supplies Falling in Vermont & New Hampshire

New Hampshire and Vermont are too thirsty for their own good and are rapidly running out of water, or at least rapidly losing half of the fresh water that they currently have, according to a new study by the U.S. Geological Survey.

The report finds that demand for water in the Seacoast Region of New Hampshire will rise by more than 50 percent. In the past five years, water use was estimated at 26.3 million gallons per day. By 2025, the demand may be more than 40 million gallons per day. These findings were released today by the U.S. Geological Survey.

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Posted in Clean Tech Lifecycles, Environmental Sustainability, Hydro Power, Natural Resources, Policy, Regulatory and Legal Trends, Water, green technology, map | No Comments »

Wind Power in the US is Blowing Up

The American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) has just announced a 1,400 megawatt increase in wind power capacity throughout the United States during the first quarter of 2008.  Despite a weakening economy, large wind energy farms are currently being installed in Texas and Indiana, signaling the wind energy industry’s rapid geographic expansion.  Component manufacturers have also been expanding, raising the number of wind turbine components produced in the United States from 30% to 50% in the past couple years. 

A press release issued recently by the AWEA indicates that the wind energy industry’s growth may slow down if the federal production tax credit is not renewed next year.  Developers rely on the production tax credit as an incentive to install wind energy facilities, and may rush to complete projects this year if renewal seems unlikely.  Indeed, the wind energy industry has seen significant drops in installations in years following a lapse in the production tax credit (1999, 2001 and 2003). 

Posted in Electricity, Industry News, Natural Resources, Wind Energy, Wind Turbines, green technology | No Comments »

Tracking Trash: Maps of the Black-Trade in Trash

Click on items separately for higher resolution!

Hazardous waste generation in 2001 as reported by the Parties to the Basel Convention. Hazardous waste is controlled from generation until ultimate disposal. At least in theory.

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Posted in Cleanup Technologies, Climate Change, Eco-Efficiency, Environmental Finance, Environmental Sustainability, Eurpoean Union, Exports, Germany, Graphic, Policy, Regulatory and Legal Trends, map | No Comments »