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Not very much. Yes it is a Google Whore title but I came by it honestly. I saw this piece at Peak Oil about Green Heroes and Villains:
http://www.peakoil.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=52786
I wasn’t very interest in the Villains though I may post them tomorrow.
http://www.newstatesman.com/environment/2009/11/heroes-villians-have-your-say
20 green heroes and villains: Have your say
Published 18 November 2009
The Heroes:
http://www.newstatesman.com/environment/2009/11/franny-armstrong-al-gore-james-love
In fairness I am only showing you 5 of them. You’ll have to read the rest from the source.
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National Grid
Electric lights
For a few hours one morning earlier this month, wind energy provided more than half of Spain’s total electricity needs. Spain’s network of wind farms was generating 11.5 gigawatts, equivalent to ten medium-sized power stations. Why is Britain not latching on to this cutting-edge clean technology with the same vim? After all, we have a much greater wind resource to exploit than Spain. A principal reason is probably the unquestioning acceptance by many of the myth that wind power is too variable in its output and requires a large amount of energy back-up – provided by fossil fuels or nuclear power – to stop the lights going out.
So when National Grid – which should know about such matters – published a comprehensive report in June exposing this myth, it was a huge boost for the wind industry. The 82-page report thoroughly debunked the suggestion that large rises in back-up power will be needed as Britain increases the amount of energy generated by wind.
Later in the year, National Grid weighed in to make the same point again. When the respected renewable energy expert and consultant David Milborrow wrote a report showing that Britain’s energy system is already capable of taking a large amount of wind power, National Grid backed his work.
John Sauven
James Lovelock
The Gaia guy
As one of the people who saw climate change coming, James Lovelock takes a positive view of our impending doom. He evolved the theory of Gaia – that our planet is “a single living entity” – 40 years ago, and showed the delicacy with which our precious atmosphere is balanced.
He wrote in 1979 that “if we stopped burning [fossil fuels] tomorrow it might take 1,000 years for atmospheric carbon dioxide to revert to its normal level”, but he now believes that catastrophic global warming is inevitable and that probably 80 per cent of the human race will be wiped out by the end of the century. Never mind, he says, it will be like the Second World War: once it was under way “everyone got excited, they loved the things they could do, it was one long holiday . . . so when I think of the impending crisis now, I think in those terms. A sense of purpose – that’s what people want.”
Bibi van der Zee
Skykon
Wind firm
When Vestas closed its factory on the Isle of Wight in the summer, there was one company left producing wind turbines in the UK. By then Skykon had already bought another Vestas plant on the Mull of Kintyre, saving some 100 jobs and promising to create around 200 more. The plant manufactures towers for wind turbines and is an important symbol of the green new deal proposed by environmental campaigners and green politicians. Growth in a period of recession: proof that environmental investment makes sense.
Marina Silva
Amazon worrier
The environmentalist and politician Marina Silva was named “Champion of the Earth” by the United Nations Environment Programme for her groundbreaking fight against defores-tation in Brazil. A native Amazonian, she unionised communities and led protests against deforestation and displacement. She became a senator and built support for environmental protection of reserves, and implemented policy that brought social justice and sustainable development to the Amazon region. When she resigned from government last year, a top Greenpeace official said “it’s time to start praying”. These prayers have been answered: Silva is the Brazilian Green Party’s presidential candidate in the next election.
Rajendra Pachauri
The optimist
Some people view the possibility of climate change with apathy or despair; others, such as Pachauri, approach it with boundless enthusiasm and hope. The chair of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) since 2002, Pachauri is one of the world’s most important scientists. The IPCC’s Fourth Assessment Report, released in 2007, is the starting point for anyone interested in why tackling climate change will be the most pressing political issue of the 21st century.
Pachauri and the IPCC had to work hard to convince sceptics of their arguments. Climate change science is inherently probabilistic and critics exploit that uncertainty to promote alternative agendas. But as a businessman and an engineer, I have always found Pachuari’s approach to problem-solving very refreshing. His motto appears to be: “If you can’t find a solution, you’re simply looking in the wrong place.” Through tireless and dedicated science, the IPCC has created a stable consensus on the need for action on climate change. The message has been projected beyond the scientific community and is now adopted by businessmen, policymakers, religious leaders and civil groups. This is a precious first step.
Lord Browne
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But then I thought What Would Google Do (WWGD for those keeping track)? So I typed in “green heroes” at Google. This is what I got:
http://greenhero.greenworkscleaners.com/index.tbapp
http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg20327271.900-better-world-global-green-heroes.html
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2008/jan/05/activists.ethicalliving
Then I hit the article I was quoting from above.
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Then I though What Would Bing Do (WWBD)? So I typed in “green heroes” into Bing. This is what I got.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2008/jan/05/activists.ethicalliving
http://www.go-green.ae/greenheroes.phphttp://greenseniors.typepad.com/greenseniors/green_heroes/
http://www.greenheroes.tv/blog/
http://www2.btcv.org.uk/display/greenheroes2009
http://greenhero.greenworkscleaners.com/index.tbapp
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Google got me to the piece I was interested in but gave me less choices with an emphasis on print sources. Bing produce more and varied sources but never got me back to the original story. I am guessing that is a toss up as they say.
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