Russia to Build World’s First Floating Nuclear Power Station
Environmentalists are not pleased.

Rural Kenyan women on vanguard of African 'solar revolution'

Elizabeth Leshom may not know it, but she is among a legion of African women at the vanguard of what many hope will be a "solar revolution" that could empower them and help save the environment.

The 25-year-old Kenyan is part of a rapidly growing programme across east and central Africa that aims to replace or at least reduce traditional wood-fired cooking with efficient energy from the sun.

In Cape Cod, Massachussetts, a tidal power plant may join the proposed wind farms.

France boosts purchase rates to spur renewable energy: they are increasing the rates they pay for electricity from renewable sources.

Meanwhile, China plans to fill cars with ethanol made from tapioca.

Britain's new power plants to avert energy crisis. One will burn natural gas, the other will burn trash. (Don't know where they're going to be getting the natural gas.)

BP plans $37 billion energy investment in US, in the deep water of the Gulf of Mexico, and in the Rocky Mountains.

Update [2006-6-16 11:0:8 by Leanan]: Here's a good reason to make your power plants floating ones: Thawing permafrost could unleash tons of carbon

Ancient roots and bones locked in long-frozen soil in Siberia are starting to thaw, and have the potential to unleash billions of tons of carbon and accelerate global warming, scientists said on Thursday.

And Lester Brown has a plan for Meeting the challenge of Peak Oil. It's laid out in his book Plan B 2.0: Rescuing a Planet Under Stress and a Civilization in Trouble. If you don't want to buy a hard copy, he is offering free digital downloads (PDF and HTML) here.

Update [2006-6-16 11:44:9 by Leanan]: Also from Lester Brown: World Grain Stocks Fall to 57 Days of Consumption: Grain Prices Starting to Rise

This year’s world grain harvest is projected to fall short of consumption by 61 million tons, marking the sixth time in the last seven years that production has failed to satisfy demand. As a result of these shortfalls, world carryover stocks at the end of this crop year are projected to drop to 57 days of consumption, the shortest buffer since the 56-day-low in 1972 that triggered a doubling of grain prices.

Update [2006-6-16 12:43:24 by Leanan]: Are our cities making us fat?

DENVER - It’ll take more than public service campaigns to solve the nation’s obesity problem, according to fitness experts who say neighborhoods must be designed so people can get around without their cars.

Maybe we'd have more success spinning walkable neighborhoods as a health issue, rather than an energy conservation/environmental issue?