Leading climate change scientists have been caught out again – first, it was revealed that their claims that catastrophic melting of some glaciers would see them disappear by 2010 were based on speculation not fact; Now it has been revealed that their claim that rising temperatures has been causing an increased number of natural disasters is also not hard science.

The IPCC made a statement in 2007 claiming that rising temperatures were causing a larger number of natural disasters – such as hurricanes and floods. It has now emerged that the unpublished report on which they based their statement had not actually been peer-reviewed.  Read more... (149 words, estimated 36 secs reading time)

Claims by the world’s leading climate scientists that most of the Himalayan glaciers will vanish within 25 years have been exposed as total nonsense.

The alarming warning was issued two years ago in a highly influential report by the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). At the time the IPCC claimed that the report contained the latest and most detailed evidence yet of the risks of man-made climate change to the planet.

However the experts behind the claim have now admitted that their warning was not actually based on hard science and was in fact based on a telephone chat with another scientist who has since admitted that it was pure speculation.  Read more... (223 words, 1 image, estimated 54 secs reading time)

Mobile phone chargers could soon be a thing of the past thanks to the latest invention – a mobile phone powered by Cola-Cola.

Daizi Zheng, a student at Central Saint Martins, came up with the concept whilst studying for her final year project.

The prototype is said to run for up to four times longer than a traditional lithium battery and has the potential to be fully biodegradable.

The battery works by using enzymes to catalyse sugar in the drink. This in turn releases electricity which powers the mobile phone. As the battery dies, just water and oxygen remain.  Read more... (104 words, estimated 25 secs reading time)

UK researchers have discovered another environmental issue to do with wind farms. Already, wind farms have been criticised for harming the local environment in several ways, and researchers have discovered that wind farms may be acting as scarecrows, scaring birds away from the areas.

Scientists have discovered that birds such as buzzards, golden plovers and curlews are all avoiding wind farm areas. It is believed that the birds are avoiding the area because the wind turbines are acting like big scarecrows.  Read more... (257 words, 1 image, estimated 1:02 mins reading time)

Prince Charles, who has always been noted for his green ethics, is hoping to install solar panels on the roof of his London residence Clarence House. He is hoping that if fitted, the solar panels will generate enough power to run the heating and lighting within his house.

However officials have said that the Prince will only be permitted to fit solar panels to Clarence House if they do not compromise the look of the 180-year old property.

It is believed that it would cost around £150,000 to fit solar cells to Clarence House however the energy savings would mean that this initial cost would be recouped by 2021.  Read more... (161 words, 1 image, estimated 39 secs reading time)

The Copenhagen climate change talks are hailed as the summit that will help save the earth however researchers have estimated that the bill for the 12 day talks will be over £130 million and will produce more greenhouse gasses that a whole African country.

Over 15,000 delegates and 45,000 green activists are expected to visit Copenhagen for the climate change talks along with 100 world leaders and over 5,000 journalists. The UN has confirmed that the travel arrangements (including flights, rail and bus travel) couple with the meals served will generate over 41,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide over the meetings. This figure is more than Afghanistan, Malawi or Sierra Leone will produce over the same time period.  Read more... (235 words, 1 image, estimated 56 secs reading time)

New research suggests that efforts made by mobile phone companies to make themselves more environmentally friendly could see their carbon emissions drop by as much as 42 percent by 2013.

Possible changes that mobile operators are looking into include efficiency-boosting moves such as using more renewable power sources such as solar panels, wind turbines and fuel cells. By using these environmentally friendly options, mobile companies would not only be boosting their green credentials, but would also save money by reducing operating expenses whilst also incorporating social responsibility initiatives.  Read more... (168 words, 1 image, estimated 40 secs reading time)

When it comes to green and environmental issues, airports and aeroplanes are usually seen as the villain of the piece. However new research shows that in terms of carbon emissions, the sector may not be so bad after all.

American researchers have found that the US health sector is responsible for nearly a tenth of the country’s carbon emissions – almost three times the amount of carbon that the airline industry pumps out. Despite this disparity, the health care sector hardly ever gets flack for it’s less-than-green credentials whilst the airline industry seems to have more than it’s fair share of criticism.  Read more... (220 words, 1 image, estimated 53 secs reading time)

Rent your clothes instead of buying them to help save the Environment. Sound a bit wacky? Well, it’s the latest advice from the UK Government’s waste watchdog.

The Waste and Resource Action Programme (Wrap) have said that ending the current obsession with owning material goods could help reduce waste and greenhouse gas emissions.

The idea is this: rather than buying expensive clothes and accessories that are only used a couple of times before being thrown away, people should hire expensive items such as shoes, dresses and suits instead.  Read more... (409 words, 1 image, estimated 1:38 mins reading time)

New research shows that NASA satellites may have overestimated the amount of ice loss in the West Antarctic.

Scientists used a network of ground sensors to measure how much ice covering the area and therefore how much ice was melting and running off into the ocean. The results showed that the NASA satellite data may have overestimated that amount of ice being lost in the region.

NASA’s Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) estimates ice loss by measuring regional gravitational forces as the satellite passes overhead. Both ice loss and bedrock rebound (where the bedrock lifts as the ice sheet above it disappears) will contribute to the satellite readings however it is now been found that rebound figures that have been used to calculate ice loss were wrong.  Read more... (184 words, estimated 44 secs reading time)