The Green Guide Blog

Google Energy, which is owned by the search engine company Google, got approval Thursday to buy and sell energy on the wholesale market. The company was created and applied for market based rate-authorization in December, and it will be able to start trading energy on February 23.

According to reporting by PC World, Google's move into the energy market is a strategy to help provide power to the electricity-hungry buildings that house its search engine, advertising network, email software, and all the other things Google does that require large groups of computers.

Google has also made a pledge to be carbon neutral, so being able to buy and sell energy will help it incorporate greener energy into its operations, the article said.

Google, and computing in general, has come under fire recently for not being very green in an article by the UK paper The Times. A Harvard physicist is working on research into the environmental impact of computing, and estimates that an average Google search generates 7 grams (0.25 ounces) of carbon. They arrive at this number by counting from the time a user begins searching until they find what they are looking for, and estimate that carbon generation could range from 1-10 grams (0.04-0.35 ounces), depending on equipment. In everyday terms, they say a search is equivalent to half the energy required to boil a kettle.

Google claims an individual search needs 1 kilojoule (0.0003 kilowatt hours) of energy, which is equivalent to about 0.2 grams (0.007 ounces) of carbon. Google says in a blog post that that amount of energy is consumed by the human body in 10 seconds, and the carbon emissions of a newspaper equal about 850 Google searches. In addition to increasing its efficiency, Google says its recycling practices, investment in renewable energy, and efforts to increase the efficiency of the entire IT industry help offset any criticism.

Google also has software for monitoring energy usage called Google PowerMeter, which requires a special power meter to be installed on the user's home. Users can log in to the software to see how much energy they are using from hour to hour. It's a small pilot project of their philanthropy arm, Google.org, and is partnered with 10 utility companies in North America and Europe, and two companies to make the special power meters.

Although Google doesn't have plans to become a power company, according to the PC World article, it is interesting that they have a pilot project involving power meters and monitoring software.

--James Robertson

Looking to go wild in the bedroom? Try some endangered species condoms on for size.

Thanks to the Center for Biological Diversity (CBD), you can add some teeth to your love life with prophylactics sporting images of six species on the brink. Those include your usual suspects--polar bears and jaguars--but also some more esoteric characters, like the coquí guajón rock frog (it lives in Puerto Rican caves, FYI).

Starting on Valentine's Day, the Arizona-based conservation group will give out 100,000 of the condoms, which urge people to "Hump smarter, save the snail darter" (above left) or "Wear a jimmy hat, save the big cat." You can find them in bars, supermarkets, schools, and public events, or order a free package on the Web site. A lucky five will get a lifetime supply of the rubbers.

The CBD hopes that the campaign will draw attention to overpopulation--there are now 6.8 billion people, and that number is projected to reach at least 9 billion by 2050.

That crush of humanity is destroying wildlife habitat at an unprecedented rate, due to suburban sprawl, logging, mining, and more, condom-campaign leader Randy Serraglio said in a statement.

Likewise, the current species extinction rate is about a thousand times more than the natural rate that has existed for millions of years. And unlike natural extinctions, most animals and plants are dying out because of a single species: us.

The condoms "are designed to capture peoples' attention, get them laughing, and get them talking about the impact of overpopulation on our small and fragile planet," Serraglio said.

That may be true, but I wonder if more people will get them for the novelty factor--after all, having a serious discussion about overpopulation might just ruin the mood.

--Christine Dell'Amore

Related:

Sustainable Seduction--Green Tips for Valentine's Day Dinner, Foreplay, and More

The Dirty Dozen Chemicals in Cosmetics

Green Guide writer Eliza Barclay lays out plans for a sultry green Valentine's Day.

Read her tips on certifiably sustainable oysters, organic and upcycled couture lingerie, Earth-friendly and chemical-free foreplay, and more.

Then read our wine and chocolate buying guides, for suggestions on pleasing your palate.

--Tasha Eichenseher

An international team of researchers based at the University of California at Berkeley have linked exposure to car exhaust with thickening arteries, adding a new item to the list of health problems caused by car pollution.

The study involved almost 1,500 people near Los Angeles, which has a reputation for some of the worst smog and air quality in the country. The researchers measured the thickness of the carotid artery by ultrasound and saw that for people that live within 328 feet (100 meters) of a freeway, their arteries thickened more than twice as fast as the other participants in the study.

Thickening of arteries is linked to increased risk of high blood pressure, heart attack, and stroke.

"For the first time, we have shown that air pollution contributes to the early formation of heart disease, known as atherosclerosis, which is connected to nearly half the deaths in Western societies and to a growing proportion of deaths in the rapidly industrializing nations of Asia and Latin America," said Michael Jerrett, a co-author of the study, in a statement.

The researchers say more research is needed to see how exposure to car exhaust affects sub-groups of people, such as those with high cholesterol or with low incomes. More studies are underway at the University of Southern California and in Basel, Switzerland and Girona, Spain.

Related Links:

Study Published in PLoS ONE
English version of Swiss Press Release

--James Robertson

Since we are still under several feet of snow here at National Geographic headquarters in Washington, DC, with more snow on the way, now is as good a time as any to talk about the chemicals used to de-ice the roads.

The most commonly used, and least expensive, de-icing chemical is sodum chloride (or rock salt), which is the same salt you use on your food. Millions of tons of salt are poured on roadways around the country, but where all that salt goes after the snow has melted has garnered more attention recently.

Once the snow melts, the salt dissolves and the chloride ions end up in soil and water, affecting everything from the bacteria in the soil to trees, large mammals, birds, fish, and possibly humans.

Only a small increase in the chloride content of soil can kill off important bacteria that help break down plant matter, which can change soil fertility and erosion properties.

Pine trees are especially sensitive to increased chloride levels, and plants that can tolerate higher chloride levels, like cattails, can move in and choke out other native species.

Birds can't distinguish between pebbles, which they require to digest their food, and salt grains, and some studies suggest that swallowing a few large road salt grains can be fatal. Larger animals, like deer, elk, and moose, like to lick the salt off the roads, which puts them at increased risk to be hit by traffic.

Once the salty runoff hits freshwater streams and lakes, it can disrupt oxygen absorption in the water, and stress fish and aquatic creatures that live on the bottom of streams and ponds. The melting caused by the salt can also lift toxic chemicals and sediment off roadways into the water system.

Road salt has little effect on human health, but it is sometimes possible to taste a little salt in your drinking water after a winter of heavy salting. Increased salt intake can cause hypertension (high blood pressure) or make it worse. Most human inconveniences come from corrosion the salt causes on vehicles, bridges, and structural steel.

Other, more environmentally safe options have popped up as alternatives to rock salt. Calcium Magnesium Acetate is less harmful to the environment and works at lower temperatures. Urea, a fertilizer, can also be used and it will actually help plants, as does potassium chloride to some extent (although chloride ions still end up in the environment). A product called SafePaw has been selected by the Vancouver Olympic Committee to be used as an environmentally-safe deicer in its sensitive mountain ecosystems. And, finally, Missouri is using a mixture of rock salt and beet juice to keep roads clear.

--James Robertson

Nearly 200 sustainable tourism experts are gathered today at National Geographic for the second annual Geotourism Change Summit. Coming out of the summit is a trustworthy list of top sustainable-travel destinations and providers. So, if you are planning a midwinter escape, consider:

• Nature Air. It is a 100 percent carbon-neutral airline in Costa Rica that offsets 100 percent of its greenhouse gas emissions to encourage reforestation of tropical forests in Costa Rica's Osa Peninsula.

• PEPY ("Protect the Earth, Protect Yourself"). PEPY is an educational-tourism program providing adventure bike tours and on-site volunteer projects, like building rainwater collection units, in Cambodia.

• Virgin Islands Youth Heritage Exchange Farm Excursions in St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands, focuses on food as the basis of youth identity, education, and recreation, while you enjoy your time at the beach!

• RiverIndia.com's Bamboo Eco-Lodge River Trips in Arunachal Pradesh, India, help protect India's Siang River through locally guided expeditions.

• Trout Point Lodge, Nova Scotia. This Five Green Key-designated nature retreat in Canada has revitalized backwoods and Acadian French cultural tourism, according to summit sponsors Ashoka's Changemakers and the National Geographic Society's Center for Sustainable Destinations (CSD).

Featured travel companies and resorts both take care of a particular destination and benefit the local people, according to Jonathan Tourtellot, director of CSD. For more information on Ashoka and CSD's top choices, visit CSD's website.

Photo by Nate Olive for VISFI.

--Tasha Eichenseher

The United States sent a formal letter to the United Nations yesterday saying it intends to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to 17 percent below 2005 levels by 2020.

The Obama administration just made the January 31 deadline set by the December 2009 Copenhagen agreement for countries to pledge their support for an international effort to reduce emissions.

The letter, obtained through a handy USCAN Website showing who's on board with the Copenhagen accord, says that the decision is based on "anticipated legislation"--a reference to the bills moving through the U.S. Congress right now.  USCAN is the U.S. branch of the Climate Action Network, a worldwide network of climate change non-governmental organizations.

After 2020, there would be more cuts: "The pathway set forth in pending legislation would entail a 30 percent reduction in 2025 and a 42 percent reduction in 2030, in line with the goal to reduce emissions 83 percent by 2050," the letter also says.

If the final legislation differs from what is stated in the letter, the UN will be updated with the new numbers.

In other carbon-cutting news, President Obama announced an executive order today stating that the federal government will cut its greenhouse gas emissions by 28 per cent by 2020.  The statement says the cuts are equivalent to 205 million barrels of oil or taking 17 million cars off the road.  Total savings for the cuts are estimated at $8 billion to $11 billion.  The federal government is the single largest user of energy in the United States.

--James Robertson

With almost every aspect of our lives undergoing a green makeover, it may come as no surprise that insurance companies are starting to reward their customers' environmental choices.

An April 2009 report by Ceres--a network of sustainable-business advocates--discovered that insurance companies are starting to respond to climate change. Several companies, especially in Europe, have created policies that encourage consumers to limit their contribution to greenhouse gas emissions.

"Consumers should look for products that recognize the benefits of climate-friendly activities," Evan Mills, a scientist at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and an expert in greening insurance, told me in an email.

For instance, keep an eye out for discounts on highly energy-efficient homes or car insurance where you pay by the mile--and in the process save on premiums every time you jump on a bus or a bike, Mills said.

Two well-known climate-oriented companies are Fireman's Fund, which rewards energy-efficient homes, and Progressive, which offers a pay-as-you-drive program for occasional drivers, he said.

Making homes more energy-efficient and sustainable is a popular option. The Ceres report--based on 2008 data--found that 22 insurance companies offer incentives for "green building"--both in constructing new buildings and upgrading old buildings to not be energy hogs. The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED), a certification program run by the U.S. Green Building Council, is generally considered the gold standard for green-building practices. (Related: "Finland's U.S. Embassy Gets Gold Star for Green Makeover.")

For those public transportation mavens, more than 24 companies also have pay-as-you-drive products. Policyholders who drive less than the average driver could get up to a 60 percent discount with some companies, the report says. Progressive's MyRate program allows occasional drivers to plug a device into their cars and wirelessly keep track of how much they drive--the information is used to set their insurance rate.

There's also discounts for owning fuel-efficient or low-emission vehicles. For instance, Fireman's Fund created the first replacement upgrade for hybrid cars. That means if you total your new car, you'll get a hybrid as a replacement. For boating enthusiasts, Travelers gives an up-to-10 percent premium discount for hybrid-electric boats and yachts, the report said.

And then there's insurance that covers the impacts of climate change, such as extreme weather events. Micro-insurance for low-income customers that don't have access to traditional insurance now covers about seven million people, according to the report. This type of coverage--which was a focus of the Copenhagen climate conference in December--is especially needed in developing countries where food and water shortages are severe.

So if you're already living a low-impact lifestyle, it may be worth checking to see if your insurance can help.

--Christine Dell'Amore

Related:

Green Guide's Home & Garden Hub

Building Healthy Foundations

Whole House Quiz

While President Obama did mention a green economy, green jobs, high-speed rail, and climate legislation like Green Guide thought he would, he also revealed some potentially brown aspects of his energy agenda.

In discussing his energy plans, he brought up investment in nuclear energy, offshore drilling for oil and natural gas, and "clean" coal as ways to create green energy jobs--a move I thought would prompt criticism from environmental groups.

However, most environmental organizations that released statements about last night's speech lauded the president--and mostly for prodding the Senate to pass meaningful climate legislation. Greenpeace was the notable exception, saying in its statement, "It was ... disappointing to hear the President promote coal, offshore drilling, and nuclear power, since these forms of dirty energy are expensive distractions that stall the fight against climate change."

Groups such as the Natural Resources Defense Council and the Environmental Defense Fund, League of Conservation Voters, National Wildlife Federation, and Alliance for Climate Protection were among those supporting Obama's speech.

Business organizations such as the American Wind Energy Association, American Coalition for Clean Coal Electricity, and the Nuclear Energy Institute were obviously pleased with Obama's speech, focusing on the jobs their respective types of energy create. They estimate job gains in the thousands.

--James Robertson

The much-hyped Apple tablet, called the iPad, was revealed today, and... it may be your greenest option yet if you're in the market for a tablet computer, e-reader, netbook, or smartbook.

At the launch, Apple CEO Steve Jobs pointed out that the iPad, which looks like a larger version of the iPhone, is arsenic free, BFR-free, mercury-free, PVC-free, and highly recyclable. It also has a 10-hour battery life, for now.

For more pictures, check out Macworld and Engadget coverage.

The biggest competition in this category could come from Hewlett-Packard (HP), Dell, and Lenovo, which all announced plans for new tablets at the 2010 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Vegas this month. Both HP and Apple have a good reputation in terms of green.

E-readers, netbooks, and smartbooks were all the rage at CES this year, but, with e-waste piling up around the world, Green Guide thinks you should skip right over them and move straight on to tablets, which will likely combine and replace all three technologies within the year.

More from the Green Guide Blog:

Dispatches From the Consumer Electronics Show: 10 Green(ish) Products to Look for in 2010

Computer Buying Guide

--Tasha Eichenseher

President Obama gives his first State of the Union address tonight, and considering the greener parts of his agenda, we're expecting to hear about:

1. Green Jobs: Since Obama's speech is widely reported to be focused on creating jobs, look for some of those jobs to be green.  Jobs in green energy, one of the president's major agenda items, and the potential "cash for caulkers" program (to increase home energy efficiency) are some examples.  (Related: "Green Jobs Serve Many Ends")
   
2. High-speed Rail: Closely related to the jobs issue will be the announcement of an $8 billion, multi-state, high-speed rail program after the State of the Union address (although it might get a shout-out then too).  The funds are supposed to come from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.  Jobs will be created, people will get where they're going faster and greener--everybody's happy.
   
3. Climate Legislation:  While the House has passed a climate bill, the Senate version has stalled.  Obama could give an update on its status, prod his fellow Democrats--or just mention it as something that will get done eventually. (Related: "Copenhagen Climate Conference: What You Need to Know")

--James Robertson

Walking through the Copenhagen climate conference's exhibit hall last December, one might have wondered why negotiations were so deadlocked: Dozens of booths were advertising too many climate solutions to count.

Some of the ideas would make you raise your eyebrows, since they seem like expensive ideas that are unlikely to ever come to fruition.

But one flier I picked up touted a logical technology to cut carbon: Heat pumps. As an alternative to furnaces or air conditioners, which burn natural gas or fossil fuels, heat pumps draw out heat or cool air from the air and ground to warm or cool homes and other buildings. And unlike going totally off-the-grid, heat pumps might be a good place for someone to jump-start a plan for a lower carbon household.

For instance, compared with traditional heaters and air conditioners, heat pumps can reduce carbon dioxide emissions by about 70 percent, according to the flier, produced by the Heat Pump & Thermal Storage Technology Center of Japan.

If the G7 countries mostly installed heat pumps, carbon dioxide emissions could fall by 40 percent on average, the flier claimed.

That might be unrealistic, but it's clear heat pumps save money: The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) says that heat pumps can shave off as much as 30 to 40 percent off a household's electricity used for heating. (Related: "Small Steps at Home Can Combat Climate Change, Study Says.")

The most common type of heat pump, the air-source heat pump, transfers heat between a house and the outside air. Because the pumps move heat instead of generating it, they can provide up to four times the amount of energy they consume, according to the DOE.

But hands-down, the superstar among heat pumps is the geothermal, or ground-source, pump, which draws heat or cool air from the ground or water. Though they're more costly to install, geothermal pumps end up costing less in the long run, and last 25 years.

Although temperatures aboveground vary, temperatures under Earth's surface are relatively constant. In most regions, soil temperatures are usually warmer in than surface air in winter and cooler than the air in summer, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. So geothermal heat pumps can transfer this stable heat into buildings during winter, and cool air in the summer.

Geothermal pumps have been catching on in the U.S. in recent years, with about 50,000 new pumps installed yearly. It's not a do-it-yourself-project, so the DOE offers a helpful Web site for getting started. There are also some rebates, special financing, and incentives around installing geothermal heat pumps, so it's wise to look into those.

Of course there are downsides: Waiting the five to ten years to recoup the costs of a geothermal-pump installation, for instance. And air-source pumps, more common than geothermal pumps, don't really work as well in really extreme climates.

But if it can keep that dreaded energy bill down, well, I'm pumped.

--Christine Dell'Amore

Related:

Repair or Replace? Air Conditioners and Water Heaters

Whole House Energy Quiz

Green Guide Energy Saving Hub

Turns out the grass isn't always greener, at least when it comes to lawns and their contribution to global warming.

That's because keeping those green spaces glossy with fertilizer and other maintenance techniques actually offsets lawns' carbon-trapping benefits, according to a new study in Geophysical Research Letters.

"Turfgrass" lawns, which make up nearly 2 percent of land in the continental U.S., act as carbon sinks, storing the powerful greenhouse gas in soil.

But if you consider what it takes to upkeep a lawn--that is, production of fertilizer, mowing, leaf blowing, and other practices, their collective greenhouse gas emissions are four times greater than the amount of carbon that lawns can absorb.

For instance, fertilizer releases nitrous oxide--commonly known as "laughing gas"--a greenhouse gas that's 300 times more potent than carbon dioxide.

"Lawns look great--they're nice and green and healthy, and they're photosynthesizing a lot of organic carbon. But the carbon-storing benefits of lawns are counteracted by fuel consumption," study leader Amy Townsend-Small of the University of California, Irvine, said in a statement.

Nitrous Oxide Emissions No Laughing Matter

Townsend-Small and colleague Claudia Czimczik focused on four parks in Irvine, each of which had two types of turf: athletic, for soccer and baseball, and ornamental, which includes picnic areas.

Over a year, the team took soil samples in the parks to measure how much carbon was stored. Researchers also measured how much nitrous oxide was being released by sampling air above the surface, and then estimated carbon dioxide emissions based on lawn-upkeep activities.

Not only did the irrigation, fertilizer, and other activities dwarf the lawns' ability to store carbon, the nitrous oxide emissions were similar to those of agricultural farms, which are among the largest emitters of the gas in the world.

Although the study was limited to city parks, "there's still the potential to reduce the carbon footprint of all lawns by reducing fossil fuel consumption," Townsend-Small told Green Guide in an email.

For instance, she recommends using a rake and a push mower instead of leaf-blowing or power mowers, and limiting irrigation and use of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides.

--Christine Dell'Amore

Photograph by Philip Gould, NGS

More from National Geographic's Green Guide:

Easy Organic Lawn Care

Fertilizer Buying Guide

Green Guide Home & Garden Hub

New poll numbers released by the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) show that Americans from both political parties believe the same things when it comes to the environment--air quality is getting worse, climate change is happening (and is happening because of humans), and that the United States needs a new energy policy.  They even agree on why the U.S. needs that new energy policy, but, according to the poll, that reason has nothing to do with climate change.

Pollster Frank Luntz, whose firm tests messaging for corporations and political candidates, polled 1007 registered voters from both political parties in an effort to determine how legislators should frame the upcoming climate change legislation debate in Congress.  
The Luntz poll found that while Americans do think climate change is happening, they are more are interested in the economic and social benefits that a new energy policy will create--new American jobs, energy independence and national security, and innovation that will help the U.S. compete with other countries.  Decreasing pollution came in close behind these other benefits. 

The poll found that more people believed the air quality in the U.S. and worldwide has declined than believed it has improved or stayed the same.  And while most couldn't deny that climate changes were due to anthropogenic sources, more Republicans than Democrats were skeptical.

"This is a crucial moment in the effort to pass national climate legislation that limits carbon emissions," said EDF President Fred Krupp, in a statement.  "[Luntz's] research proves that that no matter who Americans voted for in 2008, in 2010 they want to see Congress act on climate legislation. It's a national security priority, it's a crucial means to reduce pollution, and it's essential to creating permanent American jobs."

--James Robertson

More from the Green Guide Blog:

• Dispatches from the Copenhagen Climate Conference--Acting Now
• Things You Should Know About the New Climate Bill
• Green Jobs Serve Many Ends
  

Bisphenol-A, commonly abbreviated BPA, has been in the news again recently, and, again, not for good reasons.  A new study out of the University of Exeter has linked high levels of BPA in adults with an increased risk of heart disease.  The Food and Drug Administration has asked for additional studies on the chemical and has begun to find ways to reduce the chemical in the food supply.

BPA is found in many household items, like plastic containers (with a seven in the recycling symbol), baby bottles, and food cans.  The chemical can mimic estrogen, causing reproductive mutations in the womb, and the FDA's concerns cite possible brain, behavior, and prostate problems in fetuses, infants, and young children. BPA may be just one of many endocrine disruptors that accumulate in the environment and have been linked to intersex fish in several U.S. rivers.

To cut down on your exposure, don't microwave plastic containers with a 7, and avoid food cans lined with BPA plastics.  

To learn more about BPA, check out the following links from National Geographic:

• Green Guide Blog: FDA Criticizes Its Own Bisphenol-A Findings
• National Geographic News: BPA Linked to Heart Disease, Study Confirms, Plastic Breaks Down in Ocean, After All--And Fast
  
• The Green Guide: The Bisphenol-A Debate, Plastic Container Buying Guide, Baby Bottle Buying Guide

More about BPA can also be found at the FDA Web site

--James Robertson

Green Guide scoured the 2010 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) for eco-friendly gadgets and devices. From batteries and solar chargers produced by (sometimes cheesy) small start-up companies to TVs and entire home-energy systems including manufacturing giants such as Panasonic and LG, these items stand out among thousands as having some real environmental benefit, or at least honest intention (in the context of consumer electronics).

Solar-Powered Speakers From Regen

This company gets points for design, creating products that belong in MoMa and that have the potential to get consumers excited about solar. Regen's ReVerb speaker has an elegant solar panel on the back that, when fully charged, can power up to 12 hours of music from an iPod Touch, iPhone, or any audio device with a similar jack. The nearly three-foot tall speaker will retail for about $2,300 when it hits the market this summer.

The display will show you how much power you've stored, and used. The photovoltaic (PV) panel takes 14 hours of indoor light and 6 hours of outdoor light to recharge. (There is an outlet option, so the party can go on in the rain).

All of Regen's products have additional USB and other ports so that you can use stored energy for other electronic devices too. The only not so hot thing--no recycled content. And it is unclear on what types of plastics are used.

Wireless Energy Meter From Oregon Scientific

Oregon Scientific's Wireless Appliance Manager monitors energy use on up to four appliances with the use of remote sensors. You can also plug in any individual appliance for a quick energy audit.

The gadget's display shows real-time power consumption and translates that into cost and carbon emissions for each appliance, as well as the date and time. But the most useful feature may be the alarm you can set when your electricity bill hits a certain level. And you can set a timer that turns off the monitoring device.

Oregon Scientific, which doesn't advertise itself as environmental company but is committed to sustainability, also gets gold stars for design. The energy meter will be available this year for $60.

Miniwiz Portable Wind and Solar Charger and Bike-Powered Charger

Miniwiz's solar- and wind-powered charger is a little gimmicky, but one of the best designed, combo-charging devices at the show. It would have been a great stocking stuffer. The palm-size HYmim Biscuit can charge up to two AA batteries, and then through a USB port, most any five-volt devices, including your cellphone, GPS, iPhone, or Blackberry. The solar-panel is supplemented by a tiny wind turbine. On sale through the website soon, the charger will cost $40. I couldn't get confirmation on whether the product is made from any recycled plastics, but Miniwiz is doing inventive things with recycled plastic bottles as building blocks for walls.

For bike commuters, the Miniwiz ReeCharge collects energy generated by a device called a Dynamo Hub, which you integrate into your ride's front tire. The ReeCharge battery has a capacity of up to 2.5 watts, which is generally enough to charge a five-volt device, like your iPod while you ride. The charger can be replenished with just a 45 km cycle. It's not new technology, but a much smoother version, for $130, plus wheel integration.

LG Skype-Enabled and OLED TVs

Unfortunately these don't come in one package yet. LG offers Skype service on its standard LED televisions, while the new 15-inch OLED TV isn't video-conferencing friendly yet. Panasonic and LG were the only two companies at CES showing Skype-enabled TVs, which have the potential to lower businesses' carbon footprints.

LG's NetCast service, which includes access to Netflix, YouTube, Picassa, as well as Skype, is available on the two television models LG markets as eco friendly: the PK950 and the LE8500. According to LG, these LED models use nearly 30 percent more efficient than non-LED sets.

Even better, the OLED television is fifty percent more energy efficient than traditional LED technology, according to LG representatives on the conference floor. But for now, it's only available in Asia, and LG has said prices won't be comparable with LED until 2016.

Tablet PCs From HP, Dell, and Lenovo

E-readers, netbooks, and smartbooks were all the rage at CES this year, but we're skipping right over them and moving straight on to tablet computers, which could combine and replace all three within the year.

Hewlett-Packard's new slate PC--so far without a name or price--was announced at CES and should be in stores later this year. Details remain elusive, but the device will have computing, video, and e-reader capabilities, as well as 3G connectivity. In the meantime, the HP TouchSmart tm2 will be on the market next week and sell for $950. It is a laptop with a screen that flips around to cover the keyboard and becomes a tablet.

Lenovo also introduced its first slate tablet, the 12-inch IdeaPad U1, which detaches from a traditional clamshell computer so it can be used with a keyboard or a touch screen with eight hours of battery life. It is expected to be on the market June 1 and sell for less than $1,000. Apple's version is expected out in March. Tablets have been on the market for years, but sales are expected to take off with the release of the Apple product, according to experts.

Not to be outdone, Dell announced a five-inch screen tablet to be on the market before summer. It may or may not have e-reader capabilities.

With e-waste piling up in the U.S. and abroad, we suggest you skip third generation e-readers and wait for something more sophisticated.

In the meantime, software creators announced Blio, e-reader software which will offer over a million books in interactive, improved pdf-like format.

Powermat Wireless Charger

"Wireless" is a bit of a misnomer, since you still have to plug this charger into a conventional socket for a charge. But that may be the only power cord you ever need again. With Powermat accessories, you can pretty much outfit any device to make it compatible with the wireless charger.

The Powermat makes the green list because, one, the magnetic induction and sensor technology used to charge your phone, etc... also senses when the device is fully charged and stops the surge of energy, essentially curbing wasted standby power that most chargers pull even when your phone is detached.

Secondly, the Powermat is gaining enough popularity that several cell phone manufacturers are working with Powermat to provide consumers with magnetic-induction enabled batteries, eliminating the need for a cord.

First generation was a bit more clumsy, requiring a separate phone case. Expected in June, the device sells for $80 for a three mat charger, plus a $40 battery. The Powermat represents incremental change that could end up streamlining product and reducing materials use and wasted standby power, otherwise known as vampire voltage. It also comes in a travel version, pictured here, with a battery pack.

Home Fuel Cells from Horizon and Panasonic

Horizon is a company that got its start making educational toys about hydrogen fuel cells. Now adults can play with the same fuel cell technology with the Hydrofill desktop low-pressurized and seemingly safe hydrogen maker, producing up to ten liters an hour. The hydrogen produced by the Hydrofill is then injected into battery-like devices that you can plug into a charger and use to fuel most any handheld device or computer. It's like using rechargeable hydrogen batteries. The whole package should run about $200 for the Hydrofill and $50 for the charger when it comes onto the market later this year.

If you live in Japan, go for Panasonic's fuel cell, which can power your entire home. Powered initially with natural gas, the fuel cell comes with a hot water tank to capture power generation byproduct. It's only offered in Japan, where the government manages installation and servicing, according to Panasonic reps.

Vampire Voltage Tamer from Embertec

Embertec technology for both your home entertainment and computing systems will eliminate nearly all vampire voltage. According to iGo, another company that makes similar devices and has a Web site dedicated to vampire-voltage awareness, standby power wastes $10 billion of electricity annually in the U.S.

Embertec and iGo use similar solutions, but Embertec has a few added features. For both, you plug your electronics into a device that recognizes when they are turned off and in default standby mode and then cuts power. With the Embertec system, audiovisual equipment left on will shut down automatically after a set period of time of inactivity.

And moving in the right direction in terms of integration is Sony, whose eco-Bravia TVs consumer close to zero watts in standby mode, essentially incorporating a vampire voltage defense into the individual gadget.

Carbon Neutral Phone from Motorola?

Motorola's MOTO W23 Renew may not be the most advanced phone on the market, but it's likely one of the only ones made of nearly a hundred percent recycled plastic--a rare feature among products at CES, even the so-called green ones.

Motorola also advertised the phone as a hundred percent recyclable, but most anything is these days.

Whether or not the phone is carbon neutral depends on how you feel about carbon credits. Motorola partnered with CarbonFund to offset the carbon costs of making the phones.

More Efficient Rechargeable Batteries From Ultralast Green

Generally at the heart of any electronic device, green or not, is a battery. Traditionally known for their toxic materials, batteries have seen some good environmental improvements in recent years. For everyday home use, Ultralast, a small company based out of Massachusetts, now makes rechargeable batteries that they say last longer and are less toxic than most on the market. The Green PowerPunch Ni-Zn's nickel zinc chemistry is not necessarily new, but it does eliminate the use of potentially toxic cadmium, and is more recyclable than alkaline and lithium batteries, according to Ultralast.

The company also says the batteries are nearly a hundred percent recyclable and more powerful and efficient--worth nearly 480 digital camera shots per charge--versus close to 200 with alkaline and 450 with the Sanyo Eneloop battery.

--Tasha Eichenseher

Top manufacturers of phones, televisions, computers, and gaming consoles have a ways to go before being "green," according to a Greenpeace report discussed at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas this week.

Of 18 companies ranked on their reduction of toxic chemicals, recycling programs, and energy-efficiency efforts, Nokia and Sony Ericsson rise to the top, receiving around seven points on a scale of zero to ten.

Both companies have reduced the use of two of the most harmful chemicals in consumer electronics--PVC plastics and brominated flame retardants (BFRs). PVC has been identified as a carcinogen when burned, and BFRs have been linked to endocrine, or hormone system, disruption in humans.

Nokia aims to avoid the use of BFRs in 2010, as well as several other toxic compounds. The company also has nearly 5,000 collection points for dropping off used products for recycling, and is working to reduce carbon dioxide emissions from manufacturing by 18 percent from 2006 levels.

Sony Ericsson products, for the most part, have been PVC- and BFR-free since last year. In terms of energy efficiency, the company stands out for making electronics that don't waste standby power. All new charger models use 0.1 watts or less in standby mode.

Nintendo, Microsoft, and Lenovo fall to the bottom of Greenpeace's list, with scores under three points.

While these companies have made some efforts in toxics reductions, recycling, and energy efficiency, they lag behind greening leaders in the consumer electronics industry. Nintendo's greenhouse gas emissions have risen slightly, and Microsoft has yet to eliminate BFR from some internal parts (printed circuit boards).

Greenpeace releases its Guide to Greener Electronics on a quarterly basis. The environmental watchdog organization has seen significant progress in environmentally friendly practices among leading consumer electronics companies, said Greenpeace International Electronics Campaigner Casey Harrell during a CES press conference yesterday.

Groundtruthing

For at least the last two years, greening has been one of the underlying themes at CES--one of the biggest consumer electronics trade shows in the world, with 2,500 exhibitors, 20,000 new products, 5,000 members of the media, and 110,000 visitors.

Among the maze of flashy displays and sleek machines, you can find a few outcroppings of green, including special conference sessions on energy efficient technologies and e-waste laws, as well as a green products zone.

However, it seems the definition of "green" varies from manufacturer to manufacturer, regulator to regulator, and consultant to consultant.

After Greenpeace's press conference, I set out to find industry-greening experts who could either refute or defend the environmental organization's claims.

Microsoft doesn't have an eco-product section at CES, and press representatives weren't able to connect me to anyone who could address sustainability.

I did get an email a day later from a Microsoft spokesperson that said: "Microsoft's commitment to environmental sustainability includes strategies to minimize the impact of our operations; using IT to improve energy efficiency; and accelerating research breakthroughs that will help scientific understanding on a global scale. We acknowledge that more work remains to achieve our sustainability goals and continue to work to improve upon our efforts."

Samsung, which slipped in the rankings from second to seventh, had a corner of their conference display dedicated to sustainability. Placards boasted of bioplastics, energy efficiency, and toxics reductions. Large-screen interactives allowed you to tour a home filled with green electronics, and a video presentation outlined Samsung's plan to reduce 84 million tons of CO2 from products by 2013.

But still there was no one on the conference floor, or through the press desk, who could answer more specific questions about how those reductions were going to happen--or who could address Greenpeace's evaluation.

"You're going to see a lot of companies talk about the green aspects of their businesses," said Greenpeace's Harrell. "I don't think any company is making the commitments without intending to following through, but it doesn't necessarily pay now to move beyond green rhetoric."

Jeff Omelchuck, director of the Green Electronics Council echoed similar remarks in a conference session Friday: "There isn't a lot of (green product) info out there because manufacturers don't have a big incentive to be transparent about product lifecycle."

Omelchuck, who was instrumental in the development of EPEAT (the Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool used in conjunction with Energy Star to evaluate the sustainability of computers), said that manufacturers aren't feeling pressure from consumers to produce green, and consumers who are interested often don't know what questions to ask, or that there are systems like EPEAT out there.

From the consumer side, the Consumer Electronics Association, which hosts the conference, says that surveys show 57 percent of consumers indicate that environmentally friendly attributes will factor into their next consumer electronics purchase decision.

However, CEA adds, if a green product costs more, consumers tend to buy what they can afford instead.

--Tasha Eichenseher

Update: The COP15 Web site is reporting around 10:30 p.m. that the U.S., China, India, and South Africa have reached a "meaningful agreement" on climate change—earlier than anticipated. A senior U.S. official who talked to the Associated Press said that the deal was not enough to slow warming, however.

Today the conference center was transformed into a U.N. Hollywood: Every few seconds a tight mass of people would go racing by with a famous politician at its core, TV journalists close at its heels.

President Obama spoke at the morning informal session, and I wormed my way into a jam-packed audience of people watching his speech from one of the televisions in the main hall.

He emphasized the time to talk is over—but, if anything, the intense discussions have just begun. The COP15 Web site is reporting that world leaders have been asked to stay overnight on Friday, as talks are expected to go into the weekend.

I also stopped by a press conference held by U.S. Congressional Republicans, most of whom said they hope there is no significant outcome of the Copenhagen conference. Tennessee Representative Marsha Blackburn told the briefing she's all for clean air, water, and energy, but not for taxing U.S. citizens. Indeed, the Washington Post reported today that U.S. public support for funding climate change initiatives has crumbled.

Most of the science side events and press conferences were canceled today, but I did swing by one interesting talk on the Brazilian news organization Globo's Amazônia project, which provides Internet users with an interactive map of Brazil deforestation and wildfire data. Satellites supply wildfire data six times a day, and deforestation data once a month.

A user can then virtually "protest" damage to the forests by clicking on an icon. In addition, if users have information about what they believe are illegal activities—99 percent of the deforestation in Brazil is illegal, according to speaker Eduardo Acquarone—they can send in photos, videos, or emails to alert authorities.

The project's goal is that these volunteer monitors—now 550,000 strong—will motivate the government to investigate illegal activities, as well as achieve Brazil's goal of reducing deforestation by 50 percent by 2020, Acquarone said.

The data has been available to the public for several years, but Acquarone told me that he wanted to make it more transparent—to get a "15-year-old that lives in Rio or Sao Paulo to try to understand why everyone talks about deforestation in the Amazon."

With all the other COP15 events now over, one of the biggest gatherings in history is fully focused on hammering out a climate deal. With the conference center still buzzing at 8 p.m., it's clear it's going to be a long—and bumpy—night.

—Christine Dell'Amore

With the tension at the Copenhagen climate conference so thick you could slice it with a slab of melting Arctic ice, I decided today would be a fine one to check out the meditation and prayer room. Tucked off the buzzing main hall, it's a spartan and serene white room with a few plants and a sign telling you to take off your shoes.

I sat down in a corner and observed the cross-section of cultures around me. A woman wearing a heard scarf was kneeling on her colorful prayer rug, just next to another woman meditating in a cross-legged position. A group of suited men were reciting prayers diagonally in the corner. And others were simply sprawled out on their backs, worn out—one guy was even heavily snoring.

But the peaceful feeling didn't persist. About an hour later, I walked right into a sit-in in the center of the main hall. Protesters were sitting in a circle demanding a legally binding climate legislation, surrounded by at least a dozen TV journalists. Before long the police were forcibly dragging them out by the arms, amid cries of "the world is watching!"

More protests—and several hundred arrests—occurred outside the conference center and around the city today in the driving snow. Tomorrow and Friday it will be even harder to get into the conference center as more heads of state arrive and security gets tighter. As of today nations were still deadlocked on the climate deal—what the U.N. is calling an "unexpected stop."

In general, just getting into the conference center each day feels like a small miracle. I had waited outside for more than three hours on Monday morning to get my press badge, as did thousands of others—many of whom, including speakers, weren't so lucky.

For instance, I stopped by the U.S. delegation tent this afternoon to hear National Geographic magazine photographer James Balog discuss his extreme-ice photographs—only to find out that Balog had been denied entrance. I wonder how many other folks have been left literally out in the cold this week.

—Christine Dell'Amore

 
A new hybrid "smart bike" technology that can push you up hills and warn you of pollution hot spots was rolled out today in the heart of this city of cyclists.
 
Called the Copenhagen Wheel, the sleek, circular device is packed with a Swiss army knife of motors, GPS, modems, and sensors that represent a revolution in tailoring bicycle trips, according to an engineering team at the Massachussetts Institute of Technology's (MIT) Senseable City Lab.
 
Inspired by Formula One race cars, the wheel stores your kinetic—or moving—energy in its batteries as you pedal, and then burns up that fuel when you need a boost going uphill.
 
MIT engineers asked, "How can we use technology to augment an existing, extremely streamlined object like the bicycle?" team member Carlos Rotti said a news briefing.
 
The result is a seamless experience that makes hilly cities seem flatter and big cities seem smaller, organizers say. And with more than half of the world's population now packed into cities, the Copenhagen Wheel would attract more people to adopt pollution-free cycling, they added.
 
Smart Riding
 
The small red machine can be installed on any existing bicycle without any extra accoutrements—though users do need a smart phone, or at least a Bluetooth connection via a mobile phone, mounted on the handlebars.
 
The smart bike allows the user to "drive by foot"—when you pedal forward, a torque motor built into the device supplements your speed, and when you pedal backward to brake, the motor reduces your speed and adds a jolt of energy.
 
An application on your phone will tell you speed, direction, and distance traveled, or help you map out a route that's not clogged with pollutants.
 
And you can even send that more desirable route to friends via social networking sites such as Facebook, or track your cycling buddies' location in real-time.
 
Copenhagen Lord Mayor Ritt Bjerregaard announced at the briefing that the city may replace company cars with Copenhagen-Wheel-outfitted bicycles when the technology hits the market by the end of 2010.
 
The initiative would be part of Copenhagen's quest to become the world's first carbon-neutral capital by 2025, she said.
 
Erasing the Simple Beauty of Bicycling
 
The Copenhagen Wheel will cost U.S. $500, said project manager Christine Outram—which some may find a hefty price for a lighter ride.

There's also the safety concern of squinting at your smart phone while you're negotiating city traffic, said Paul DeMaio, a Washington, D.C.-based bike-sharing consultant. (Related: "Bike Sharing on the Move in the U.S.")

"Texting and manipulating the radio are big causes for car crashes, so it seems to me that cyclists need to be even more alert when they're riding," he said by email.
 
MIT's Outram said that the smart phone application only gives the rider small pings when there's relevant information, so it's not a constant distraction.
 
DeMaio also wonders what riders would do in the rain—if you leave your smart phone at home in bad weather, "would you be riding just a heavier bike?"
 
He's impressed by the bike's ability to store energy, and said there will be a market—albeit small—for the invention.
 
"But," he added, "it seems to erase the beauty of the simplicity of riding a bicycle."

--Christine Dell'Amore
 

Photograph courtesy Max Tomasinelli