cafebabel.com

Question of the week: so what do you do with your rubbish?

('cafebabel.com',) — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 16:19:21 -0000

What do you do with your rubbish? Do you care what happens once it leaves your house? Should this be an important issue for politicians? That’s this week’s theme on Europa plus. One young Brit tells us what she thinks

'Green' weddings – a Strasbourg myth?

('Annie Rutherford',) — Fri, 08 Jul 2011 17:09:43 -0000

It's meant to be the best day of your life, but this is hardly the case for the environment - just take into account the mountains of waste produced. However, the American trend of 'green weddings', where importance is placed on organic and ecological products from clothes through to food and hairdos, has now reached Europe. Strasbourg-based Caroline Lindenlaub, an ethical wedding dress designer, is a pioneer of the movement

Sherlock in Strasbourg: dial G for green crime

('English language version of cafebabel.com',) — Tue, 05 Jul 2011 12:00:00 -0000

If ever there were to be the perfect ecological crime, it would be in Strasbourg. The city appears to be a little eco-paradise, and were I Sherlock Holmes himself I’d have to retrace my footsteps and leave…or so I think

Pigs can fly or the pope is green

('English language version of cafebabel.com',) — Fri, 22 Apr 2011 13:00:00 -0000

Does Benedict XVI really have green fingers? He’s been branded the ‘green pope’ for his advocacy of global environmental protection for years – but is it merited?

Student guide: community-supported agriculture in France

('Craig James Willy',) — Mon, 04 Apr 2011 17:00:00 -0000

The system of associations for community-supported agriculture (French initials AMAP) has been growing in Europe over the last 20 years. In recent years, student 'AMAPs' have multiplied on campuses. From Nantes to Palermo, a look between pickers and carrots

Eco-activism: Sea Shepherd puts early stop to Japanese whaling

('Sarah Truesdale',) — Tue, 22 Mar 2011 10:30:00 -0000

Three months of fierce combat in the Antarctic has successfully ended the annual whale hunt in Japan. We first met the US-based conversation society activists during preparations for their grand departure on Operation No Compromise in early December 2010

Caviar: the most expensive food in the world

('Helen Swain',) — Tue, 22 Feb 2011 12:44:47 -0000

When Louis XV spat those viscous fish eggs which Peter the Great had offered him back into the face of the Russian Tsar, the French king did not know that he was turning down a delicacy which was soon to become the most expensive and coveted food in the world. Plus, recipe

Being green: German lifestyles are less sustainable than they'd think

('Carol Howard',) — Thu, 17 Feb 2011 19:35:42 -0000

In Germany sustainability is in. Germans are buying organic yoghurt, separating their rubbish meticulously and not leaving the tap on when they brush their teeth. But, to be honest, they are actually being inconsistent, for they do also sometimes use a low-cost airline to jet across Europe, they cannot resist new trainers and they eat tomatoes in winter. So why are they more eco-friendly in their minds than in reality?

The importance of being eco-ideological in Budapest

('English language version of cafebabel.com',) — Thu, 13 Jan 2011 17:15:42 -0000

Green is in fashion in the Hungarian capital, but the word is often just an empty trunk, a sales argument in a consumer world which forgot its ecological foundations long ago

Europe’s hunting witch-hunt

('English language version of cafebabel.com',) — Wed, 29 Sep 2010 10:15:00 -0000

On 15 September the Polish tabloid Fakt published images of president Bronislaw Komorowski hunting, to the rage of animal rights associations - though one of his election promises was to start going hunting with a camera as choice of weapon instead. 'The hobby of our president is killing,' came the cries

French, Spanish, Czech and British youth on euroscepticism

Thu, 06 May 2010 00:12:36 -0000

Unpaid interns, taxes, recycling, the parliament in Strasbourg...you name it, our contributors from across the cafebabel.com network have something to say about what irks them most about Europe. 9 May marks sixty years since the Schuman declaration was signed, when it was agreed that France, Germany and others would work together as a federation

Renewable energy: Europe's economic and mythological reign

("naomi o'leary",) — Wed, 21 Apr 2010 14:44:11 -0000

In January 2009, the interruption of natural gas supplies to 18 European countries due to a spat between Russia and the Ukraine was a chilly wakeup call to the reality of energy dependence. Energy historians and directors explain more

Iceland volcano: climate to survive natural, as well as man-made phenomena?

('Sofia Belegrinou',) — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 16:12:47 -0000

When Iceland's Eyjafjoell volcano erupted on 15 April, it halted flights in European airspace but also led to conspiracy theories about reducing CO2 emissions in the atmosphere and cooling off the planet. cafebabel.com Athens blog about the priorities

Kinda green: five myths about sustainable development in Bulgaria

('Hanna Sankowska',) — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 12:17:57 -0000

Ah, the Bulgarians. They're relatively apathetic. Most companies are interested in either doing only the legally required minimum for the environment or in using their ‘green’ activities as marketing tools. But counterintuitive though it may seem, the financial crisis actually promotes sustainability

Copenhagen climate: what the EU is being asked to commit billions for

('Chris Coxon',) — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 12:20:51 -0000

Confused by talk of CO2 concentration and parts per million? In the run up to Copenhagen, what is all the fuss about climate change?

No binding agreement for Copenhagen climate conference in December

('euro topics',) — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 10:35:06 -0000

At an Asia Pacific economic cooperation (Apec) meeting in Singapore, Danish PM Lars Løkke Rasmussen announced that the agreement has met with opposition from numerous countries. As efforts now focus on a two-phase climate pact, here are some opinions from the Portuguese, Italian, Danish and Swedish press

EU formulates 2050 climate objectives

('euro topics',) — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 12:01:48 -0000

The US and Australia still have a long way to go. China and India could refuse the objectives altogether. The German, Dutch and Luxembourg press fear that the move could come at a heavy cost for Europe and be of little use to the world

Green-many: top marks on environment before elections

('Chriomford',) — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 13:00:00 -0000

Germany is always thought of as being top of the European class when it comes to sustainable development. Politics makes the rules, but there's still a way to go in terms of individual action and certain taboo areas

100 years of Europe's nature parks

('Astrid vW',) — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 13:20:04 -0000

In 2009 the first nature parks protected by the European Union will be 100 years old. Cafebabel has spoken with six people linked to these spaces in different European countries. Conservation or development? The debate lives on

Moby: free Europe concerts for climate change

('Waldemar Ingdahl',) — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 10:33:36 -0000

'Play4Climate.eu' raises awareness among Europe's youth before the December UN summit in Copenhagen. We chat to the American musician/ activist

Greek islands resist fire and cement

('Darren Thompson',) — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 11:39:19 -0000

The Greek islands, so popular among tourists, appear to be surviving the threat posed by excessive construction, something which distinguishes them from their European neighbours. Yet resistance on the islands is not mirrored elsewhere in the country, as urbanisation eats into land susceptible to wild fires

Low cost airlines lend citizens a 'European' identity

('Nathan Charlton',) — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 15:00:00 -0000

Budget travel is a reality for modern Europeans, a part of everyday life. Accounting for its environmental impact may affect the as yet fragile common European identity it lends to flying citizens

The organic army: joining the WWOOFer volunteers

('Aatish Pattni',) — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 12:00:00 -0000

It’s wet and it’s muddy, not to mention the slugs. I've come to England, where World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms first began, to find out what's behind the mysterious appeal of the green holiday alternative known as WWOOFing...

Volunteering: what’s a Wwoofer?

('Astrid vW',) — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 15:00:00 -0000

They can repair a tractor in Poland, make goats cheese in Chile, pick brussel sprouts in Belgium or olives in Spain, build a wooden shelter and dry-pit toilets in Finland or herd cows on horseback in Bolivia. And plenty more besides for the 'worldwide opportunities on organic farms' moniker

EU elections: why Europe has been loyal to the right

('Nabeelah Shabbir',) — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 13:18:37 -0000

Tepid, failed third-way socialism: with 267 out of 736 seats, the European people’s party (EPP) have won the elections for the third consecutive time in a row. Only the ruling socialist and liberal parties have felt a kinf of ‘punishment vote’ inspired by dealings of the crisis. The greens and the nationalists have taken advantage of the discontent engulfing European politics

Antonio López-Istúriz White: 'not looking into taking in the Irish Fianna Fáil party'

('Gemma Turner',) — Fri, 15 May 2009 11:34:47 -0000

For the European elections in June 2009, the experts predict a third consecutive victory for the European people’s party, albeit with a lesser majority. The conservatives have to recover from the split with the Tories, announced by William Hague, as well as the changes that this crisis has caused in their electoral programme

Cem Özdemir: ‘The biggest disgrace is when the modern generation walks out on its responsibilities’

('Aatish Pattni',) — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 10:30:00 -0000

He joined the green party at 15, and today the 43-year-old is the first non-German native party chairman. His ethnic background has led to the national press giving him the epithet of ‘the green party’s Obama’, and a Facebook group called ‘Yes, we Cem’

'Clim City', French game where you play with climate change

('Astrid vW',) — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 12:30:00 -0000

Play, relaxation, recreation, rest, joke - many focus on the fun, the childish and banal, meanwhile the true game is always a regulated and serious activity, but also rich and educational - here, you get fifty years to change to get emissions down to 25%

Biofuels: how green is the green gold rush in Senegal?

('Helen Swain',) — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 14:00:00 -0000

Europe’s Sustainable Energy Week takes place in Brussels from 9 to 13 February, with biofuel at the centre of the debates. Is it possible for Europe to go green without causing famine in western Africa? Feature

Ten EU member states sanctioned to save the environment

('Paulina Dominik',) — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 12:30:00 -0000

The plenary session of the European parliament on 4 February regarding climate change will not get off on the right foot. A couple of days before it, the EU was obliged to sanction ten of its 27 members for not having fulfilled the community legislation concerning the quality of the air. Latest titbit of news from Brussels

US warms up to the global climate change consensus

('Gaia Pianigiani',) — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 17:00:26 -0000

As Barack Obama inaugurates his mandate on 20 January, environmental scientists prepare their guidelines for a greener approach to energy production and usage. Is America ready to make the same changes? The word from Union Square farmers market and climatologist Dr. Stephen H. Schneider

Bulgarian environmentalists defy developers

('Andrew Christie',) — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 12:00:00 -0000

Hotels and ski resorts: more and more Bulgarians are taking a stand against environmental destruction. The cases of Strandszha park and the Rila mountains in the country's south-west

The pesticide blacklist

('Michelle Williams',) — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 12:14:53 -0000

The European parliament will come to a decision about the burning issue during its first plenary session of the year. Latest titbit news from Brussels

Did you know that 35% of the EU is woods

('Nabeelah Shabbir',) — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 14:00:00 -0000

35% of land in the EU is wooded. As well as being a not inconsiderable source of revenue for the EU, the forestry industry also provides a cheap and green form of heating. Community institutions have certainly taken this into account. in 2006 they announced an action plan to increase the competitiveness of the forestry sector, protect the environment and also acknowledge that forests form a part of Europe’s cultural heritage

Videos: bye Bush, bye to an eight-year tragicomedy

('Nabeelah Shabbir',) — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 11:00:00 -0000

In the end, the outgoing US chief wasn’t only at war with Iraq, but over climate change, the financial crisis and the English language. A look back at his biggest bloopers. The next president is announced on 4 November

Quotes: US-Europe politicians talk climate change

('Franck Lirzin',) — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 13:00:00 -0000

Poker games and Don Quixotes for Poland and Italy who are sceptical about the EU's package, whilst the US tries to break ground. Quotes

Notes from an EU science parliament: ten climate friendly energy tips

('Sarah Turpin',) — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 12:00:00 -0000

The first edition of European science parliament, held in Aachen between 8 - 10 October, dismissed the ‘Aachen Declaration’, a European policy calling for the organisation of a lasting power supply

British Baroness to 'trade' for EU

('Anna Patton',) — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 13:29:46 -0000

...after Peter Mandelson resigned on 3 October to return to the UK. Meanwhile the European council on the Lisbon treaty, Polish energy and Brussels bashes out road - and purse – safety - the weekly news from Brussels

Mick Jagger advises the EU commission

('Hayley Worsley-Carter',) — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 12:28:00 -0000

Regulating internet music sales and multimedia content on the web, counterfeit medicine and parliament television – the latest news from Brussels. Weekly edition

Estonian view on polluted Baltic Sea

('Mary Maistrello',) — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 15:35:47 -0000

At the end of April Finnish president Tarja Kaarina Halonen sounded the alarm on the risk of the ecological collapse of the Baltic Sea, one of the most polluted in the world. Silver Vahtra, expert from the environment ministry in Tallinn, explains the guidelines of the 2007 Helcom action plan

Europe begins to go green

('Chris Yeomans',) — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 12:00:00 -0000

For an economy to reduce its carbon emissions whilst still continuing to grow requires certain flexibility. Such malleability is going to be necessary when the European Climate and Energy Package comes into being.

Ireland stamps its Eurosceptic foot

('Stella Willborn',) — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 04:01:24 -0000

A low turnout, but a seismic result that raises more questions than it answers about Europe’s future direction. This and much, much more in our weekly round up from Brussels.

Expo Zaragoza 2008 - at boiling point

('Gemma Turner',) — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 10:00:00 -0000

On 14 June the International Zaragoza Expo opens its doors to the public, the sixth time that the exhibition has taken place on European soil in twenty years

Greece, Portugal and Romania: save your species!

Fri, 18 Apr 2008 12:00:00 -0000

Is Europe acting fast enough to halt irreversible biodiversity loss?

4x4s: urban penis substitutes

('John Smith',) — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 12:00:00 -0000

As night falls across cities in Europe, including here in Lyon, 'eco-guerillas' deflate four-wheeler car tyres in a revolt against a lifestyle which they find scandalous

Bike traffic: return of the scorchers

Tue, 15 Apr 2008 12:00:00 -0000

Environmentally conscious cyclists regularly battle errant cars in European cities

Roland Lipp on Moscow, the dirtiest city in Europe

('Ed Saunders',) — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 12:00:00 -0000

The German engineer from Brandenburg plans roads which run along house roofs. He is trying to save the metropolis from gridlock. The inventor of these ‘street houses’ is holding talks with German firms, who should be joining him on the project

Traffic jams go on in Vilnius

Tue, 15 Apr 2008 12:00:00 -0000

Cities are home to more than half the world's population, whilst EU urban congestion causes 40% of CO2 emissions, according to the European parliament ...

Videos: Barroso and Mamère are ecologically challenged

('Nabeelah Shabbir',) — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 07:41:00 -0000

Two of Europe’s politicians talk ‘global solutions, global problems’ but sometime forget to put their words into action

2010, or sayonara to one third of the world’s species

Wed, 12 Mar 2008 00:00:00 -0000

According to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), 24% of all Europe’s species of butterflies, birds and mammals have already disappeared from some areas