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Scientists in the Netherlands have discovered a fungus in elephant dung that will help them break down fibres and wood into biofuel. Bioethanol firms currently extract sugars from crops like grains and sugar beet, but some are developing technologies to extract energy from fibre such as wheat bran, straw or …

It may have become the penance of choice for the environmentally conscious individual, but planting trees to offset carbon emissions could contribute to global warming if they are planted outside the tropics, scientists believe. The Guardian reports that they argue that most forests do not have any overall effect on …

This is a long piece from New Scientist, but interesting if you want to learn how to landfill less the 5 kg household waste per family per year! I LOST 2 pounds the week I gave up packaging. Among aisles and aisles of neatly wrapped goods almost everything at my …

On Friday 6 April, government delegates of over 100 countries wrangled over the report written by climate change experts and agreed on a final compromise after a marathon night session. Several scientists expressed their anger at some of the changes demanded by the political delegates and threatened not to work …

Tama City in Tokyo, Japan aims to reduce combustible and incombustible waste by 10,000 tons or 25 percent of present levels by fiscal 2012 under the combined efforts of citizens, businesses and the government, based on the Tama City Waste Reduction Plan by Collaborative Efforts formulated in December 2006. Japan …

Ottawa‘‘s homegrown waste-to-energy technology is a better bet than incineration because it won‘‘t emit dioxins and furans and it will still handle the city‘‘s garbage at a reasonable cost, businessman Rod Bryden told the The Ottawa Citizen. Mr. Bryden, president of Plasco Energy Group, will soon be powering up the …

Starting next year, drivers in Taiwan will be required to add biodiesel in addition to gasoline to their vehicles to reduce air pollution, following revision of the Energy Administration Law by a committee of the Legislative Yuan. The China Post reports that economics Minister Steve R. L. Chen said Taoyuan …

VietNam‘‘s Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung signed an environmental protection decree that regulates the management of solid wastes in Hanoi on April 9. The VNA reports that the new regulations state that, all dumping grounds and solid waste treatment stations must now comply with regional planning authorities and be granted …

In a move aimed at lessening pollution in the city, Los Angeles officials decided Tuesday to investigate alternatives to plastic bags, including possibly banning plastic bags in the city altogether. The Daily Bruin reports that the Los Angeles County Department of Public Works will conduct a study to look into …