Growing inequality, environmental decline and “teetering” economies mean the world must change the way it does business, a major UN report says.

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UN maps ‘future worth choosing’

Microscopic plastic debris from washing clothes is accumulating in the marine environment and could be entering the food chain, a study warns.

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‘Microplastic’ threat to shores

What features in a new house will affect its resale value? The curb appeal of a front porch and the to-die-for kitchen are sure to spark interest. But, as the cost of heating and cooling continues to rise, the insulation in your walls and attic and the quality of its installation, which prospective buyers can deduce by studying your utility bills, could be a compelling factor, said Alex Wilson, executive editor of Environmental Building News and a widely acclaimed green building expert. Read full article > >

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House Watch: To boost resale value, consider the quality of your insulation

Kevin Durant might return to his home town as a most valuable player candidate on a team with the NBA’s best record, but he didn’t exactly begin his career in the best environment to succeed. Drafted second overall by a mediocre Seattle franchise that was rumored to be on the move, surrounded by players who weren’t focused on winning, Durant won just 20 games as a rookie. Read full article > >

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Kevin Durant, Thunder turned around a losing culture, a lesson the Wizards could learn from

Doug Wheeler, a founder of the so-called Light and Space movement, constructs his first Manhattan “infinity environment” at the David Zwirner gallery in Chelsea.

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Doug Wheeler Builds ‘Infinity Environment’ at David Zwirner

At this year’s Detroit auto show, there’s been a lot of hoopla over fancy new electric cars and hybrids. Less-remarked has been the fact that automakers are shifting to smaller and lighter vehicles. With good reason: This is, by far, the easiest way to boost gas mileage. Read full article > >

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Why cars will keep getting lighter

The day Maryland lawmakers left Annapolis nine months ago, Gov. Martin O’Malley chided them, saying the legislature had “ choked ” on his signature environmental initiative — a measure to subsidize development of a multibillion-dollar offshore wind farm. The plan would have added a couple of extra dollars to every Marylander’s monthly electric bill for 20 years and thousands onto those of the state’s largest businesses. O’Malley (D) argued the costs would be worth it for about 2,000 jobs and a foothold for Maryland in a promising new green-energy market. Read full article > >

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O’Malley wind farms face more challenges as Maryland legislature returns

In an effort to sustain commercial and recreational fishing for the next several decades, this year the United States will become the first country to impose catch limits for every species it manages, from Alaskan pollock to Caribbean queen conch. Although the policy has attracted scant attention outside the insular community of those who fish in America and the officials who regulate them, it marks a monumental shift in a pursuit that has defined the country since its founding. And unlike most recent environmental policy debates, which have divided neatly along party lines, it is one that was forged under President George W. Bush and finalized with President Obama’s backing. Read full article > >

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U.S. tightens fishing policy, setting 2012 catch limits for all managed species

The amount of toxic chemicals released into the environment nationwide in 2010 increased 16 percent over the year before, reversing a downward trend in overall toxic releases since 2006, according to a report released Thursday by the Environmental Protection Agency . The spike was driven largely by metal mining, but other sectors — including the chemical industry — also contributed to the rise in emissions, according to the new analysis from the annual federal Toxics Release Inventory. Read full article > >

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Toxic releases rose 16 percent in 2010, EPA says

DETROIT — General Motors is advising Volt owners to return their electric cars to dealers for repairs that will lower the risk of battery fires. The company hopes that the repairs, which will add steel to the plates protecting the batteries, will ease worries about the car’s safety. Three Volt batteries caught fire after government crash tests last year, prompting a federal investigation and sending GM engineers scrambling to find a fix. Read full article > >

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GM to reinforce Volt to better protect battery; asks owners to return cars to dealers

Spaceship Earth enters 2012 belching smoke, overheating and burning through fuel at a frightening rate. It’s feeling pretty crowded, and the crew is mutinous. No one’s at the helm. Sure, it’s an antiquated metaphor. It’s also an increasingly apt way to discuss a planet with 7 billion people, a global economy, a World Wide Web, climate change, exotic organisms running amok and all sorts of resource shortages and ecological challenges. Read full article > >

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Spaceship Earth: A new view of environmentalism

Even as more Americans buy foods labeled organic, the products are moving away from a traditional emphasis on local growing and limited environmental strain.

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Questions About Organic Produce and Sustainability

Brazil fines US oil giant Chevron $5.4m (£3.5m) for breach of its environmental licence when it tackled an oil spill in November.

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Brazil fines Chevron for oil leak

A recent oil spill off Nigeria could have a severe environmental impact on fishing and the coastline, Friends of the Earth warns.

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Nigerian warning over oil spill

Northern Ireland’s environmental crime unit is recruiting more investigators which it is claimed will enable a greater crackdown on law-breakers.

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DoE crime unit planning crackdown