Top Eco-News Stories of 2011: Resources

Each year The Green Market reviews the top environmental news stories of the preceding year. In 2011 oil and renewable energy were in the news as was resource scarcity. This included the increasing scarcity of water, forests and arable land for agriculture. Over the course of the last year we have become increasingly aware of the contamination of the world’s oceans and dwindling fisheries. As of 2011 there are now seven billion people in the world which translates to population growth that is taxing the earth’s finite resources. Here is “Resources” the second part of a five part series reviewing the 25 biggest environmental news stories of 2011.

1. Renewable Energy and Oil

The Renewable Energy Standard Versus The Clean Energy Standard
High Oil Prices Stimulate Renewable Energy
Even the Axis of Evil is Investing in Renewables
US DOE Investing in Geothermal Research and Development
Enhanced Geothermal Systems Conference 2011
Businesses Will Lead the Transition from Oil to Renewables
Government Incentives are Growing Renewable Energy
Ten Videos from the 2011 Renewable Energy World Conference
Bullfrog Power is Providing Green Energy to Canadians
Japan Vows to Develop More Renewable Energy
Government Incentives are Growing Renewable Energy
Veterans Support Clean Energy
Understanding Policies and Finances – Fast Track to a Renewable Energy Consultancy Job
The Anti-Environment Crusades of ExxonMobil and Koch
Video: Koch Brothers Climate Denial Machine
Environmental Compliance and Enforcement
Obama’s Call for an End to Oil Subsidies
Independence Day 2011: Declaration of Freedom from Oil
Sustainable Growth Excludes Fossil Fuels
Another Offshore Oil Leak this Time from Shell

2. Water and Forestry

All around the world we are confronted with a growing scarcity of potable water. Water is vital for survival yet it is often overlooked as a key sustainability issue. Thankfully in 2011 water started to get the kind of international attention it deserves.

Contaminated Water Kills
World Water Week 2011: The Business of Water Management Requires Collaboration
Alarming Facts About Water
Solutions to Diminishing Ground Water
Solutions to the World Water Crisis
Celebrate World Water Day
World Water Week 2011
WWF Celebrates Canada Water Week
GWC and World Water Day 2011
Water Management Webcast: Cities and the Global Water Crisis
Siemens Water Tool on Facebook
Water School’s Ascent of Mount Kilimanjaro
Banana Peels and Water Purification
Population Growth and Climate Change will Add to the World Water Crisis
Odd Yet Effective Green Inventions
Time’s Top 5 Green Energy Inventions of 2010
What The Business Community Can Do To Protect Forests
The Economic and Employment Benefits of Forests World Environment Day 2011 The State of the Sustainable Furniture

3. Oceans and Fisheries

The health of our oceans and the well being of our fisheries is a matter of life and death. Fishing communities all around the world are on the front lines of climate change. They are also victims of large scale over fishing.

World Oceans Day UN Panel Discussion
World Oceans Day 2011 is Focused on Youth
Seven Ways to Save the Seas
Report on the UN’s World Water Day
Seven Ways to Save the Seas
World Fisheries Day
Fisheries for Sustainable Fishers: Caribbean Fishers Leading the Way

4. Agriculture

We are quickly exceeding the earth’s ability to grow enough food to sustain us. The earth has a limited carrying capacity and agriculture is under increasing threat from a changing climate and global warming.

US Soybean Farmers Can Help to Feed the World
Population Growth and Global Food Production
Food Production and Climate Change
Breaking the Cycle of Famine
Food Production and UN Millennium Development Goals
There is Enough Water to Feed the World
Blog Action Day 2011: Food
The F Word: Famine is the Real Obscenity

5. Population

Our population hit the seven billion mark in 2011. This is a wake-up call for everyone. Human survival depends on our ability to both manage population and find ways of stewarding the limited resources we have.

7 Billion Actions: A Global Movement For All Humanity
Population Growth and Global Food Production
Population Growth is Compounding Climate Change
Population Growth and Climate Change
Growth in World Population Threatens the Environment
World Population Day 2010: Everyone Counts
Environmental Impact of Overpopulation