Since the 1970s, France’s commitment to nuclear energy has been axiomatic and based on a societal consensus that it provides energy independence as well as a source of energy which is both clean and green. The green component of the argument rests on the assertion – taught to all engineering students as gospel – that [...]
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One year after the Grenelle on the Environment, what’s the real impact of changes which were decided in an unprecedented coming together of stakeholders across the board from NGOs and unions to business and industry to local authorities. Well, we lost some proposals, such as the carbon tax and the freeze on building new highways. [...]
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French Prime Minister François Fillon killed the picnic tax yesterday. Pity. Apparently Fillon and President Nicholas Sarkozy were concerned that Environment Minister Jean-Louis Borloo was getting carried away, announcing too many “green taxes” and provoking undue anxiety among the parliamentary majority. RTL reports that the PM met Borloo and his deputy, Nathalie Kosciusko-Morizet yesterday to [...]
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As part of the government’s drive to use fiscal measures to encourage more sustainable behaviours, Environment Minister Jean-Louis Borloo announced this week that plastic plates and cutlery would, starting next year, face a “picnic tax” of 90 centimes to the euro for every kilogram. Similar “green” taxes on wasteful fridges, washing machines, televisions and batteries [...]
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Here is a nice baby gift: an eco-bib made out of potato starch which self-destructs after two years. Waterproof, sponge-washable and guilt-free disposable! Made by cocoboheme.
via Le Figaro
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A new study in this month’s La Recherche alerts policy makers to the dangers posed by the current method of calculating greenhouse gas emissions which significantly downplays the role of methane in climate change scenarios.
The study, conducted by three climate and energy specialists, points out that reducing the bulk of methane emissions in France generated [...]
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Most of those strawberries that you can buy at any French supermarket at this time of the year come from Huelva in southern Spain, Europe’s biggest strawberry production hub. They look more or less edible and are priced to sell – at 2.20 euros for a 250 g packet, it is [...]
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Despite serious concerns about purchasing power, despite the Grenelle and the Bali conference, signs abound that it is still business as usual for the festive season. Societal pressure to force-feed one’s entourage with useless, over-packaged gift items has not abated a whit and the only good green news seems to be that the traditional Christmas [...]
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A new green job search site launched in France this week called Clicandearth covering offers in all areas of the environment and sustainable development – climate, waste, water, renewable energy, site management, earth sciences. The site claims to be unique in the genre in France because the job offers are classified by sector.
Elsewhere on the [...]
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For the first time ever, the amount of packaging that goes into French trash cans has gone down. According to figures released by Eco-Emballages and the French Environment and Energy Management Agency (ADEME) the amount of packaging (expressed in sale units per consumer and not including plastic bags dispensed at the check-out) went down by [...]
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