Google becomes retroactively carbon-neutral

Google announced that it has now invested in enough high-quality carbon offsets to essentially erase its carbon footprint , compensating for all the carbon the company ever emitted. Google first became carbon-neutral in 2007. The goal is for all of Google’s offices and data centers to run on carbon-free energy by 2030. “We’ll do things like pairing wind and solar power sources together and increasing our use of battery storage,” said chief executive Sundar Pichai, according to BBC . “And we’re working on ways to apply AI [ artificial intelligence ] to optimize our electricity demand and forecasting.” Pichai’s plan could create 12,000 more jobs over the next five years. Related: Humans can’t count on rainforests to offset their carbon “Today’s announcement, combined with Google’s promise in May to no longer create artificial intelligence solutions for upstream oil and gas exploration, shows that Google takes its role in combating climate change seriously,” said Elizabeth Jardim, senior corporate campaigner for Greenpeace USA. This is all good news. However, the idea of offsetting all the company’s past use of carbon may not hold up when you take a closer look. Google’s offsets have so far focused on capturing natural gas that escapes from landfills and pig farms. As BBC points out, isn’t this something governments should be enforcing already? Planting trees to capture carbon dioxide, a popular offset strategy, also has its problems, such as ensuring that those trees never burn down or are felled. Google’s fellow tech giants have also announced plans to reduce or eliminate their carbon use. Microsoft plans to be carbon-negative by 2030. Amazon said it will be carbon-neutral by 2040, and Apple plans to have an entirely carbon-neutral business and manufacturing supply chain by 2030. And where the giants lead, smaller companies are apt to follow. Via BBC Image via Pawe? Czerwi?ski

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Google becomes retroactively carbon-neutral

COVID-19 reduces UK carbon emissions by 30 million metric tons

Toward the end of March, the coronavirus pandemic began to take over in many European countries. Since then, major cities across the world have experienced some form of lockdown. While the virus has come at many costs, the lockdowns have had some positive environmental impacts. Research carried out by The Eco Experts between the months of March and July has revealed that carbon dioxide emissions in the U.K. dropped significantly — by 30 million metric tons — due to reduced travel and power consumption. The report shows that carbon emissions have dropped in five key areas: public transport, road vehicles, air travel, energy usage and pollution in London. In the past 3 months, public transport journeys have dropped to a mere 11.7% of normal levels, leading to 1.89 million metric tons less of carbon emissions. Further, road journeys decreased to 52.6% of normal levels, leading to a reduction of 15.2 million metric tons of carbon emissions. Related: Coronavirus and its impact on carbon emissions Besides public transport and road vehicles, the study also surveyed air transport and energy consumption throughout the U.K. It found that there were 295,713 fewer flights than normal. This led to a 6.9 million metric ton reduction in CO2 emissions. However, the study established that there has been an increase in domestic power consumption, which rose by 30%. On the flip side, the overall power consumption reduced by 15%, because of the reduction in power demand in businesses. Since March, most major industries have either been closed or have reduced production. Consequently, less power has been consumed over this period. In this sector, the U.K. has saved up to 6.4 million metric tons of CO2 emissions . The reduction in power consumption and transport has impacted emissions in many cities. The analysis took a closer look at U.K.’s most polluted city, London, and found that the restrictions have led to a reduction of 1.17 million metric tons of CO2 emissions. Further, there has been a 26% reduction in nitrogen dioxide in central London . Globally, there have been significant drops in greenhouse gas emissions over the past few months. As the world struggles with the coronavirus pandemic, it is a time to reflect and look for the positives. We could take some lessons from this pandemic that will help us care for the environment in the future. + The Eco Experts Image via Liushuquan

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COVID-19 reduces UK carbon emissions by 30 million metric tons

Goldman Sachs, Calvert bet on next big thing for green investments

Impact investing is set for staggering growth. Here’s a closer look at the role of environmental impact bonds.

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Goldman Sachs, Calvert bet on next big thing for green investments

Why Volvo going ‘all-electric’ is less revolutionary than it seems

Take a closer look at the carmaker’s recent moves, and you’ll find the questions we should be asking.

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Why Volvo going ‘all-electric’ is less revolutionary than it seems

VERGE Talk: renewable energy, climate change, and the tragedy of the commons

Hawaii has the opportunity to serve as a model for the rest of the world, but how are we going to live on the planet going forward?  DBEDT Director Luis Salaveria takes a closer look at how solutions to our current sustainability problems may lie in the past.  Get ready for a reality check on Hawaii’s path to a 100% renewable energy future.

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VERGE Talk: renewable energy, climate change, and the tragedy of the commons

A Guide to Eco-Living in a Concrete Jungle

It’s easy to mistake cities as hubs for mass pollution. Big cities are home to millions of residents and have thousands of cars on the road, which can produce huge amounts of waste compared to their rural neighbors. But take a closer look and…

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A Guide to Eco-Living in a Concrete Jungle

The human stories behind the ‘coal wars’

Coal is no longer king. Here’s a closer look at its end game.

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The human stories behind the ‘coal wars’

Opportunities for forest conservation and sustainability in the South

Sponsored: Does your brand depend on wood fiber? Then take a closer look.

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Opportunities for forest conservation and sustainability in the South

Boeing’s ambitions for carbon neutrality

Paul Wright, the senior manager of policy and strategy at Boeing spoke about how the company assumes their leadership role in aeronautics at the GreenBiz 16 event.

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Boeing’s ambitions for carbon neutrality

U.S. vs. EU: Chemicals substitution faceoff

It’s conventional wisdom that Europe is far ahead in chemicals safety and green alternatives, but a new report takes a closer look.

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U.S. vs. EU: Chemicals substitution faceoff

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