"Necessity is the mother of invention," as the saying goes. Apparently the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) is taking this notion seriously in the realm of sustainability if their latest program is any indication. The USPTO issues patents to inventors and businesses as well as trademark registration for products...

There should be a way to calculate how much a particular news story contributes to global warming through the amount of greenhouse gases utilized to cover it.

Consider the Tiger Woods imbroglio that has literally monopolized the covers of many daily newspapers and newsweeklies. Consider the news coverage in...

"You can either light a candle or curse the darkness." That old saying is finding new relevance in our responses to climate change. There is still debate as to whether climate change is a natural occurrence or a man-made phenomenon. The real answer is, "Who cares?" It's happening and we...

Golden State regulators have found a new toy. The California Energy Commission has just approved a measure to force television manufacturers to produce new models by 2013 that cut energy consumption by 50%. According to the commission, total household energy consumption from television sets has climbed to 10% up from...

Do I have your attention yet? These figures come from a joint study, by the industry association United States Green Building Council (USGBC) and consultant Booz Allen Hamilton, meant to predict where green building and construction are headed over the next three-to-four years. Currently, the study reports, green building supports 2 million...

The Urban Land Institute (ULI), is an organization of community builders and members who develop and redevelop neighborhoods, business districts, and communities across the U.S. and around the world. Comprised of thousands of property owners, investors, architects, lawyers, planners, contractors, professors, and others allied to the industry, the ULI convenes...

It appears that addressing the airline industry's approach to green causes a lot of blowback. For example, I was asked to stop "getting high by sucking the tailpipe of your Prius" for having the temerity to be underwhelmed by Southwest Airlines' new green initiatives.  I did say that any start...

As more companies enter the green era, it's a good idea to pay attention to their messages.  Southwest Airlines just announced that it will present a "green plane" at its annual media day.  What does "green plane" mean to the air carrier? The company is incorporating environmentally friendly products and...

One of the noblest things that any citizen can do is serve in our country's military. The only way to get in is to volunteer, and too often this debt is not repaid. The deplorable situation at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, uncovered a few years ago, is just one...

There is a new development in the burning of coal and the reduction of greenhouse emissions.  Recently a pilot project conducted in Pleasant Prarie, Wisconsin tested an advanced chilled ammonia process to see how much carbon dioxide(CO2) could be captured from a coal-fueled plant. The test showed that more than...

This week Nissan North America announced that it will begin taking reservations for its zero-emission electric automobile, LEAF, this coming spring.  This is based on strong initial demand, with over 22,000 people contacting the company about the car since it was unveiled in August. A fully charged LEAF can travel...

This month the state of New York enacted the State Green Building Construction Act when Governor David A. Patterson signed the legislation, which was voted on this past June.  This new law mandates that all new government-owned buildings and facilities must meet strict green building guidelines; this goes for major...

A new study conducted by Siemens Building Technologies Inc. and McGraw-Hill Construction reports that 76% of the largest corporations in the U.S. are working toward sustainability goals that exceed those required by law. The report was a result of interviews with corporate sustainability officers at firms such as Microsoft, AT&T,...

It's amazing how the obvious can grab one's attention.  A recent study of U.S. consumers by Honeywell found that more than half of those planning to purchase a vehicle in the next two years consider fuel efficiency to be more important than it was during their last vehicle purchase. The...

Conventional wisdom dictates that states in the sunbelt should be the leaders in solar energy installations and incentives.  However, conventional wisdom goes right out the window with a new study released by Global Solar Center, a New York City-based solar consulting firm servicing both residential and commercial sectors.  The hands-down...

I love Dunkin' Donuts.  I love the way they taste and the way I feel after indulging in them.  I don't eat them often.  Donuts, in general, are not the healthiest choice in eating you can make, but then, not everything you do has to be good for you. But when...

Here is a simple investment question.  Would you invest one dollar if you were guaranteed to receive two dollars back and get a 100% return?  I'm not talking about an email scam emanating from Nigeria but an idea for aligning financial priorities and energy efficiency.  Based on a recent study...

What is it about a heat wave in New York that brings out the least green behaviors of some our retailers? Walking down Fifth Avenue on a humid ninety plus degrees day is not a wonderful experience especially among the throngs of summer tourists. I love tourists and very happy...

What's better than being able to take your 10-year-old small truck to a car dealer and receive thousands of dollars more than it's worth in trade-in value toward buying a brand new vehicle? Seemed like a great idea to me, so I decided to try it.

So after careful...

Princeton-based Research and Collections Preservation Consortium (ReCAP), owned and operated by the New York Public Library, Columbia University, and Princeton University is now using solar energy to help power its environmentally-controlled library.

ReCAP's mission is to preserve rare and valuable books from the natural process of decay. According to...