Venture Capitalists See the Eco-Friendly Light

Basement sensors could power thousands of bulbs an hour

(NEWSER) - Crowds may soon be kicking up clean energy in England. Designed to generate power from footsteps, "heel strike" generators are ready to be installed in shopping malls and subways—and power thousands of light bulbs. "It works by using the pressure of feet on the floor to compress pads underneath," the London Times explains, "driving fluid through mini-turbines that then generate electricity, which is stored in a battery." More»

Weirdest entry on list: digital picture frames

(NEWSER) - You're probably spending $100 per year on energy costs for devices that are plugged in—even if they're switched off, an EPA spokesperson tells Mother Jones . She lists six of the worst offenders you should consider unplugging first if you want to save energy—and cash:

• Cable boxes: Yes, these seemingly innocent devices suck up a lot of electricity , about as much as your refrigerator. If you can't bring yourself to unplug it, at least ask for a multi-room box so you can use just one for all your TVs.
• A/V equipment: Worried your DVD player or iPod docking station will forget what time it is when you turn it off? Many Energy Star-approved devices will remember what time it is, so try using those instead.

Cities across the world flick switches at 8:30pm

(NEWSER) - Earth Hour returns tomorrow night, with cities across the world turning off the lights at 8:30pm local time. The annual event sponsored by the World Wildlife Fund is in its fourth year and growing quickly. About 30 US state capitals are expected to take part, up from 8 last year. Lights will go down at the Empire State Building, the Golden Gate Bridge, and the Las Vegas Strip, notes USA Today . More»

Investment profits go back into his nonprofit, counters ex-VP

(NEWSER) - Al Gore is going to become the world's first "carbon billionaire" thanks to investments in firms that will profit from policies he advocates, his critics say. The ex-VP is a partner in a venture capital firm that stands to make huge profits from investments in green technology, causing accusations of profiteering, especially from global warming skeptics, the New York Times reports. More»

Capacity might be only speed bump to quick switch to CFLs

(NEWSER) - The European Union is set to begin phasing out the incandescent light bulb in favor of compact fluorescent bulb, Der Spiegel reports. The highest-wattage bulbs will go next year; the transition to CFLs—using a fifth of the energy and lasting 10 times longer—should be complete in 2015. More»