Flickr: Davipt

As natural resource supplies continue to dwindle, and with the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen only a few months away, the clock is ticking for international leaders to come to an agreement on a viable plan for reducing the world’s reliance on natural resources. Switching from a global reliance on coal to a renewable source of energy would solve many of the problems facing the planet, according to a new report by Greenpeace International and the European Renewable Energy Council (EREC).

“Global leaders can tackle the twin crises of global economic recession and climate change head on by investing in renewable energy,” Damon Moglen, a Greenpeace campaign director, said.

Switching from a global reliance on coal to a cleaner, renewable source of energy would prevent 10 billion tons of carbon dioxide emissions by 2030. The report also predicts a boom in jobs, with 2.7 million more clean energy jobs produced by the switch. This increase in jobs would come at the same time the coal industry contracts from its current 4.7 million jobs to an estimated 1.4 million by 2030.

The authors of the report assert that a change to clean energy would create more jobs than would exist if the world were to continue its reliance on coal. “For each job lost in the coal industry our green energy scenario…creates three new jobs in the renewable power industry. We can choose green jobs and growth or unemployment, ecological and social collapse” Moglen said.

With the new jobs that would be created, the report shows that 6.9 million people could be employed in the renewable power industry by 2030. An additional 1.1 million jobs could also be created due to higher efficiency in electrical applications.

The renewable energy industry already employs 450,000 people in Europe, according to the report. A global consensus on energy sources is necessary, however, to create an actual change to humans’ impact the environment.

The report, “Working for the Climate: Renewable Energy & The Green Job [R]evolution” is based on research by Greenpeace and the Institute for Sustainable Futures at the University of Technology Sydney.

By Elizabeth Wolfe

Flickr: ClydeHouse

When it comes to most things we use on a daily basis, people are wising up to what makes a good, environmentally-friendly, product. We know which fruits are organic, which cars get better mileage, and which toys were shipped halfway around the world to reach the store shelves. In this uber-technological era we find ourselves immersed in, however, it is important to know what (if anything) makes a technological gadget green.

While this is still a pretty grey area, there is some hope for those of us clueless about green gadgets; a lot of it depends on how the device is used, not just how it is made. There are many opportunities to reduce the environmental impact of a device at different stages of its life; during production, use, and disposal. The latter two mean that individual consumers have a great opportunity to reduce the impact of their beloved devices.

One of the best ways to make your devices more environmentally-sound is to take them “off the grid” – that is, to find alternative ways to power them than the traditional wall socket. Thanks to a recent boom in user-friendly solar powering devices, consumers have plenty of options. Solar powered chargers come in all different shapes and sizes (and prices), which means the right one for you is out there.

Wind-powered devices, though not as popular, are also available for consumers looking to take their gadgets off the grid. Both solar and wind powered chargers work in the same way (besides the obvious difference in energy sources). These small devices collect energy, and convert it into a usable form for a variety of cell phones, MP3 players, digital cameras, and other gadgets. The correct adapter is required for each device, but most chargers come with them.

While handheld solar and wind powered devices are a great concept, there is some debate as to their effectiveness. Some argue that if the devices aren’t used often enough, the energy saved by their use is not enough to offset the energy that was used to produce and transport them in the first place. For people who are seriously looking to reduce their energy consumption, however, such chargers are a great option. For those who might not be inclined to use such a device regularly, however, many power companies offer alternative sources for the energy that is used in your home. Call your power company and see if they offer the option of using wind energy in your home.

By Elizabeth Wolfe