ClimateChange

George Soros Plans Billion-Dollar Climate Change Investment

Billionaire George Soros has made a big move for climate change. Recently in Copenhagen he announced that he will commit more than $1 billion of his estimated $13 billion fortune to clean energy investments and political efforts which help to benefit the environment. The money could help startups with an eco focus get much needed money to go forward at a time when venture capital is at a major low. Analysts say that Soros will likely focus on "mezzanine" investments helping relatively mature startups with some proven success get to the next level. Soros is a savvy investor and this isn't strictly an altruistic move. He says that he is looking for opportunities that will be both profitable and "make a real contribution to solving the problem of climate change." Soros also pledged $100 million over a 10-year period to the Climate Policy Initiative, a foundation created "to protect the public interest against special interests."

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Tags: billionaire, climate change, ClimateChange, george soros, GeorgeSoros, money, wealth

Is Your Favorite Luxury Brand Unethical?

by Rigel Celeste (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Green

When you buy expensive luxury items are you helping to kill the planet? Depending on your favorite brands you just might be. In a recent study done for WWF it came to light that many luxury brands are making use of environmentally damaging materials and practices, and although some did worse than others none of them did very well. The study looked at the top ten luxury brands and found them all seriously lacking in some way. The solution? Some say getting this information out to the public (you can download the entire report for free here) and calling for celebrities to use their endorsement powers for the greater environmental good is the first step. What's your take?

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Tags: climate change, ClimateChange, environment, global warming, GlobalWarming, green, luxury, luxury brands, LuxuryBrands, Tods, WWF

Global Warming And The Future of Wine

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Wine

With yesterday being Earth Day, there has been much talk about the future of the environment. One thing I hadn't seen discussed until I read this Observer article is the effect of global warming on wine. A recent conference called 'Global Warming and Wine' looked at the issue in depth. Grape growing may, in the next 40 to 70 years, may no longer be possible in the Catalonian wine regions of Spain. The Bordeaux region could also be in peril. Water restrictions will also change the future of wine making. If you like wines that grow in warmer climates ( Petit Verdot, Grenache, Touriga, Zinfandel, Shiraz, Viognier and Muscat among others) then you are in luck. The article also points out that red wines may be able to be grown in areas that are traditionally too cold for red grapes.

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Tags: climate change, ClimateChange, ecology, global warming, red wine, RedWine, wine