Fans of the Asos clothing label will now be able to use the retailer's website to recycle clothing in an online virtual marketplace. The site, expected to be launched later on in the year, will allow customers to use the service to sell their own personal clothing as well as buy from others. The marketplace has been designed to reach an untapped niche of customers looking for vintage and environmentally friendly clothing. The website will also allow independent fashionistas and burgeoning designers to showcase their wares as well. Larger, more established companies will also be able to sell through the site. Nick Robertson, ... Full Story

Environmental groups are coming down on intrepid skiers and snowboarders that use helicopters to reach the best slopes far after ski season has ended. A growing campaign against heliskiing in Switzerland has begun to gain momentum as groups petition the government to ban the latest craze in the sport. Each year, estimates say that averages of 15,000 helicopter flights are taken to glacier peaks by skiers looking for the most untouched runs. The practice has become a popular means to reach destinations inaccessible by cable cars or chair lifts. However, local environmental groups are speaking out against the practice, saying that the ... Full Story

Despite Barack Obama claiming global climate change is a top priority in his cabinet, the fight against global warming in the US continues to face a series of setbacks. Once again, this Saturday, the Senate announced they would postpone plans to reveal the latest climate change bill. The Senate was forced to propose the unveiling of the bill, when arguments over immigration took the forefront of discussions at a senate meeting last Saturday. On Monday, Senator John Kerry, democrat, was to lead a bipartisan group in an outline of the newest climate change bill, however that plan was scrapped when Republican ... Full Story

According to new polls conducted by HSBC Bank, residents across the planet rank climate change as the biggest global issue. Residents in major US cities, however, cited the economy as the biggest issue, but elsewhere on a global scale climate change topped the polls. Two-thirds of residents in Hong Kong, Paris, Sao Paolo, Vancouver, Toronto, Sydney, and London all claimed that climate change was their biggest concern at the moment. Citizens in the US, however, ranked climate change as third with the economy and terrorism taking a forefront in the polls. The HSBS-sponsored survey targeted households in 11 cities across the globe. ... Full Story

A new study has warned against the looming health risks that could be brought about by continued global climate change. According to the report issued by government agencies in Washington on Wednesday, there are specific health areas where effects of climate change need to be studied further. Jane Lubchenco, head of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said that it is vital to understand the health effects of climate change so that they can be mitigated and adapted to. She added that this latest report is a new roadmap that will pioneer the way. The report, published by the National Institute of ... Full Story

The UK Information Commissioner's Office handed down a landmark ruling this week, requiring that the Queen's University Belfast must make public the data from 40 years of research on Irish tree rings dating back 7,000 years. Doug Keenan, a City banker and avid anti-climate change analyst, will be the recipient of the documents. Keenan has become well-known in the academic community for his pursuits of climate data from British academics. Just two years ago, Keenan accused Phil Jones from the Climatic Research Unit of fraud based on his analysis of weather stations in China. Keenan had requested the information from Queen's University ... Full Story

According to experts, the flight ban has kept up to 2.8 million tonnes of dangerous CO2 emissions from entering the Earth's atmosphere. Experts say the cooling effect of the Eyjafjallajokull volcano will not likely affect climate change, but has impacted a small decrease in carbon emissions. In 1991, Mount Pinatubo erupted enough volcanic ash to cool the planet shading it from harmful emissions. However, experts are saying that the ash from the current eruption at Eyjafjallajokull will not be enough to have any significant impact. The ash cloud has yet to reach high enough into the atmosphere to cause any ... Full Story

A panel of exports said Tuesday that genetically engineered crops can be profitable for farmers. The report also indicated that crops genetically engineered may also be able to protect people as well as the environment from overloads in pesticide use. However, the researchers indicated that risks are growing that weeds are developing increased resistance to Roundup, a popular weedkiller among genetically engineered crop farmers. David Ervin, from Portland State University, who sat on the panel, said that there is hard evidence that weeds are growing more resistant to glyphosate. He added that the issue would require serious attention. Glyphosate is used as ... Full Story

Maritime authorities in Australia are gearing up to move tonnes of fuel oil that has been sitting in a stranded Chinese ship in the Great Barrier Reef. The Shen Neng 1, which has already leaked some oil from a damaged hull, now has a floating boom around it in preparation for the unload. According to maritime authorities, the ship is currently stable, and chemicals had been released into the water to dissolve the spilled oil. Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, has called the grounding 'outrageous' and says he will look into tightening shipping rules around the protected reef. The grounded ship was transporting ... Full Story

The Environmental Services Association (ESA) confirms that Dirk Hazell has resigned as CEO after more than a decade of service in the waste and recycling industry trade body. The MRW magazine reports that Hazell left the organisation on 30 March to pursue his political ambition as Liberal Democrat candidate for the Chelsea and Fulham constituency. Joining the association in 1999, he was mainly involved in helping ESA members achieve their vision of advancing the development of an economically sustainable waste and secondary resource management industry in Europe. The news about Hazell’s resignation comes as ESA Deputy CEO Barry Dennis has been designated as ... Full Story

The UK government has declared the waters surrounding Chagos Islands as marine reserve. The area, covering a 545,000-square kilometre body of water in the Indian Ocean, is considered as the largest marine reserve and one of the richest marine ecosystems in the world. David Miliband, the UK’s foreign secretary, said that establishing the reserve would help protect the world's oceans, including its marine wildlife. He commented that its creation is a key step forward for protecting not just around British Indian Ocean Territory itself, but also all over the world. Miliband added that the UK government’s recent move is a clear ... Full Story

The UK government is planning to establish a £2 billion Green Investment Bank (GIB) to deal with the ‘equity gap’ that threatens investments in low carbon projects. The scheme will be taking half of the needed fund from the sale of its Channel Tunnel assets. Meanwhile, the other £1 billion will be given by the private sector. The investment bank will be open to every green initiative, but it will mainly focus on transport and energy projects. Offshore wind energy is expected to be GIB’s most urgent priority, as the UK races to install £100 billion-worth of wind farms to meet ... Full Story