The Roof of the World has long been associated with notions of adventure, beauty, and the majesty of some of the tallest mountains on earth. However research has shown that amidst the stunning landscape of the Tibetan Plateau and Himalayas lie dangerous, toxic chemicals known as persistent organic pollutants (POPs). As carbon-based compounds, they are highly resistant to degradation and they find their was into the ecosystem through electronic waste, burning fossil fuels, pesticides, herbicides, plastics, and pharmaceuticals. Other chemicals found lurking in the environment include DDT and Agent Orange – substances which can cause cancer, neurological disorders, birth defects, and reproductive damage.

Read the rest of Report Shows Persistent Organic Pollutants are Accumulating in the Tibetan Plateau and Himalayas

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Post tags: Africa, agent orange, Beijing, china, ddt, dehradun, east rongbuk glacier, Europe, hch, himalayas, India, institute of tibetan plateau research, mount everest, pah, peristent organic pollutants, POP, south asia, third pole environment workshop, tibetan plateau, wang xiaoping, xu baiqing

In the wake of the ongoing horse meat scandal in Europe and the UK, producers and retailers of vegetarian meat alternatives have noticed a spike in sales. Quorn, the UK’s biggest vegetarian ready-made brand, reported that they had seen their business more than double since the last half of February and its has had to add shifts to its factories to keep up with demand.

Read the rest of UK Horse Meat Scandal Sparks Rise in Sales of Vegetarian Meat Alternatives

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Post tags: asda, beef, birds eye, cauldron foods, Europe, findus, fry's, horsemeat, kevin brennan, lisa drummy, mintel, Quorn, South Africa, UK, vegetarian alternative, veggieday, yougov poll

It’s difficult to forget the days of sweltering heat and drought that many of us faced these past few summers. As we sat waiting for rain and a little relief, the words “climate change” floated around in our brains like feverish dreams. According to research from the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research published this week in the journal, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, scientists have concluded that the European and US heatwaves were caused by the slowing of wave-like weather flows in the Northern Hemisphere created by climate change.

Read the rest of Study Says Airflow Changes Due to Climate Change Responsible for US and EU Heat Waves

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Post tags: air current, air flow, arctic ice, Climate Change, Drought, EU, Europe, global warming, greenhouse gasses, heat, mechanism, northern hemisphere, Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, united states, US, vladimir petoukhov

The FDA just gave official approval to the world’s first bionic eye! Developed by Second Sight Medical Products, the Argus II is a bionic eye that bypasses damaged rods and cones in the retina. A miniature camera housed in a pair of glasses captures a scene, and the video is processed and wirelessly transmitted to an antenna in the Argus implant. The implant then stimulates an array of 60 electrodes to send information to the brain via the optic nerve.

Read the rest of FDA Approves World’s First Bionic Eye: The Second Sight Argus II

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Post tags: argus ii, brain, camera, cones, electrodes, Europe, eye, france, national eye institute, photovoltaic, pixium vision, prosthesis, retina, retinitis pigmentosa, rods, second sight medical products, sight, stanford, united states, us food and drug administration

The horse meat scandal in the UK and Europe has taken a new turn since it has emerged that food contaminated with equine DNA may be linked to international mafia gangs. In the last few weeks it has emerged that some products on UK shelves have contained as much as 100 percent horse meat, leading to widespread DNA testing. According to The Guardian, sources close to the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and the Food Standards Agency (FSA) say that organized criminal gangs may be running an international operation to substitute beef with horse meat during production.

Read the rest of Horse Meat Scandal May be Linked to International Mafia Gangs

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Post tags: beef, DNA testing, Environment, Europe, food and health, food quality, food standards, horse meat scandal, Italian mafia, mafia, mafia gangs, News, organized crime, Polish mafia, UK, UK food retailers

The challenge of dividing the burden of reducing global carbon emissions is the main issue preventing world leaders from agreeing on a binding climate treaty. But this week at the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change in Doha, Qatar, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said that richer nations should take the lead on curbing emissions, saying that it is ”only fair and reasonable that the developed world should bear most of the responsibility” in reducing global emissions. Much of the climate problem has come from the industrialization of richer nations, he said, they are historically responsible for the damage to the environment.

Read the rest of Ban Ki-Moon: Addressing Climate Change is the Responsibility of Developed Nations

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Post tags: ban ki-moon, canada, china, Climate Change, developed nations, Doha, Europe, greenhouse gasses, India, Japan, kyoto protocol, New Zealand, qatar, un framework convention on climate change, un secretary general, US

Honda‘s Micro Commuter is a compact, fuel-efficient vehicle with an innovative design that enables its body to be swapped out to suit different purposes. Close to being production-ready, the lightweight EV has a battery that is housed in the floor of the vehicle, allowing the 100-inch long body to be able to be exchanged for different models. At a weight of less than 400 kg, the motor produces 15kW and can reach a maximum speed of 80 mph.

Read the rest of Honda’s New Micro Commuter is Small, Efficient, and Features a Swappable Body

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Post tags: Android, Europe, ev, Honda, honda smart home system, hshs, ios, Japan, l7 regulations, litium ion battery, micro commuter, solar panels, tablet, tokyo motor show, variable design platform, windows

The Desertec Foundation, an international collaboration between politicians, businesses and scientists to develop sustainable energy resources, will continue to aid the Moroccan government in establishing solar power in the country. A memorandum was signed between the Desertec Foundation and the Moroccan Agency for the Development of Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (ADEREE) to bolster its current plans to build a huge series of solar power plants in northern Morocco. The arrays will generate electricity for domestic markets and for Europe.

Read the rest of Desertec Moves Ahead With Plans to Build Massive Solar Plants in Northern Morocco

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Post tags: aderee, desertec foundation, dr theimo gropp, Europe, moroccan agency for the development of renewable energy and energy efficiency, morocco, North Africa, ouarzazate

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Post tags: accroche-coeurs festival, angers, dutch, Europe, florentijn hofman, france, Netherlands, north, plastic bags, slow slugs

The University of Brighton just began construction on the UK’s first building made completely of waste. Designed by local architect Duncan Baker-Brown, the structure will be composed of excess building materials from city construction sites and other area industries. The design team plans on setting up a a production line near the Grand Parade site so that craftsmen, students, and local residents can become involved in the building process.

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Post tags: brighton, duncan baker-brown, Europe, grand parade, the house that kevin built, UK, university of brighton, Waste

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Post tags: "natural materials", bamboo, clean tech, compost toilet, eco design, Ekó House, Europe, green design, madrid, prefab design, rainwater harvesting, SDE 2012, Solar Decathlon, Solar Power, sustainable design, team Brasil

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Post tags: Daylighting, Europe, green design, madrid, modular design, plus-energy, Prefab, PRISPA, romania, SDE 2012, Solar Decathlon, Solar Power, sustainable design, villa solar

The issues of overfishing and rapidly decreasing fish stocks have raised alarm for many years, but now it looks like things have reached a tipping point in the North Sea. According to a new survey conducted at European ports, the North Sea may only have around 100 adult cod left – and this could spell a bleak future for the fish as their low life expectancy means a lower birth rate and a faster decline. Simultaneously, the New Economics Foundation (NEF) think tank has proposed freezing fishing in Europe that that all stocks can return to sustainable levels within five years.

Read the rest of Overfishing Leaves North Sea With Just 100 Adult Cod; European Think Tank Proposes Five Year Fishing Ban

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Post tags: cefra, cod, commercial fishing, DEFRA, Europe, fish stocks, fishing ban, NEF, north sea, overfishing, trawler, UK

Read the rest of 6 Amazing Sun-Powered Homes Competing in the 2012 Solar Decathlon Europe!

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Post tags: eco design, eco-friendly home, energy efficient home, Europe, Green Building, green design, madrid, modular home, net zero home, Prefab, Prefab Housing, prefabricated construction, Solar Decathlon, Solar Decathlon 2012, solar decathlon europe, Solar Power, solar powered home, solar system, Sustainable Building

Read the rest of The European Solar Decathlon Starts Today!

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Post tags: eco design, eco-friendly home, energy efficient home, Europe, Green Building, green design, madrid, modular home, net zero home, Prefab, Prefab Housing, prefabricated construction, Solar Decathlon, Solar Decathlon 2012, solar decathlon europe, Solar Power, solar powered home, solar system, Sustainable Building

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Post tags: Architecture, BIPV, cleantech, Design, eco design, Europe, green design, madrid, Med in Italy, SDE 2012, Solar Decathlon, Solar Power, sustainable design, Team Roma, thermal massing

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Post tags: Architecture, eco design, Europe, green design, greywater recycling, Living Walls, London, madrid, prefabricated design, Solar Decathlon, Solar Power, solar thermal, sustainable design, sustainable design housing

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Post tags: "solar energy", "sustainable development", Casa em Movimento, cleantech, eco design, electric vehicle, Europe, ev, green design, portugal, Solar Decathlon 2012, University of Porto

The Gotthardbahn rail line running from Luzern, Switzerland all the way to Chiasso, Italy is one of Europe’s most important and treacherous railways. Climbing up, down, and around some of the continent’s highest summits, the Re 620 electric locomotive has been built to pull freight through just about any circumstance with its over 10,000 horsepower.

Read the rest of World’s Strongest Electric Train Chugs Through Swiss Alps with Over 10,000 Horsepower

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Post tags: electric engine, electric train, electric transportation, Europe, european trains, gotthardbahn, green train, green transportation, re 620, swiss alps

Read the rest of Cube Pavilion: Mod Green Restaurant to Pop Up on Top of European Cliffs and Famous Monuments

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Post tags: "energy efficiency", "sustainable architecture", brussels, eco design, eco restaurant, Electrolux, Europe, green architecture, Green Building, green design, mobile restaurant, modular restaurant, park associati, pop up restaurant, Prefab, prefab restaurant, Sustainable Building, sustainable design, the cube, the cube pavilion