Shell Pulls Out of the Arctic!
After all the protests, there isn't enough oil to make it worth it, says Shell.
Buying Up Farmland to Meet Organic Demand, That's Farmland LP
This innovative company, Farmland LP, is open to accredited investors who want returns from expanding organic acreage in the US (but obviously, do your due diligence). Organic farming is crucial for peoples’ health, biodiversity (such as supporting pollinators), and to reverse climate change. Demand for organic food keeps growing in the US, but acreage is way behind, forcing organic farmers to import many ingredients. by Linda Richards The challenge is clear and only intensifying with the rising demand for organic products: more organic farmers and more organic land are needed. At the same time, older farmers are selling farmland, fueling a farmland real estate market that continues to grow. Investors have averaged returns of 12% over the last 20 years, according to the National Council of Real Estate Investment Fiduciaries. A company called Farmland LP is using these market dynamics to offer a creative solution. Launched in 2009 and based in San Francisco, it owns over 7000 acres of farmland in California and Oregon. More than 1000 acres of that are certified organic, with the rest in transition. The farms are professionally managed by Farmland LP, while 20 tenant farmers and ranchers lease cropland, livestock forage and on-farm facilities. One […]
US Green Building Industry Employs 2.3 Million People
The latest research shows green building still outpaces growth of the conventional construction industry.
Ousted: Australia's Anti-Environment Prime Minister
After crushing the country's renewable energy industry, Australia's far right prime minister was ousted this week.
Want to Invest in Green, Socially Responsible Companies? Morningstar Plans to Help
For the first time, investors will be able to compare funds based on the social and environmental responsibility of their holdings using Morningstar's platform.
Obama Administration Launches Smart Cities Initiative
The goal is to use big data to tackle the various challenges cities face, including climate change.
President Obama, Stop Leasing Our Federal Lands & Waters
Over 400 organizations will hold a press conference, urging Obama to halt all new fossil fuel leases on public lands and waters.
Dutch Trains Run on 100% Wind, Airports on Solar
The entire Dutch train network will run solely on wind in three years, and one of India's largest airports is running on solar.
Great Idea! National Clean Energy Credit Union Launches Soon
by Amanda Bybee One day in late 2013, Blake Jones was feeling disillusioned. As a cofounder of Namaste Solar in Boulder, Colorado, he was well versed in the world of solar finance. He couldn’t, however, seem to find a financing option that was both aligned with his company’s values AND that offered competitive terms in the solar market. And so he began researching the possibility of simply opening a financial institution himself. After looking into starting a loan fund or a bank, he became very excited about the credit union model. Credit unions are democratically owned, nonprofit financial cooperatives that serve an identified community. They provide a vehicle for members of that community to pool their money and then use it to make loans to other members. The appeal of the cooperative structure was strong – having started two other coops, he could personally attest to the merits of the model. "Namaste Solar became an employee-owned coop in 2011, and it has been very successful for us. We believe that having an ownership stake in the company results in our employee-owners being uniquely motivated to provide great customer service and workmanship," he explains. "Similarly, when we cofounded the Amicus Solar […]
Blythe Mesa Solar Project Approved for Southern California
At 485 MW, it's huge, but way scaled down from the original eye-popping 1 GW.
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