Couch potatoes will soon have yet another way to remain eco-friendly. The Environmental Protection Agency has announced new guidelines for set-top boxes, the devices that deliver television and video content. As of the beginning of 2009, Energy Star set-top boxes for cable, satellite and telecom televisions will have to be 30 per cent more efficient than the standard models. EPA will also work with the companies who provide these services to offer customers an upgrade from their current set-top box, in hopes that not only will there be a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, but that the initiative will save customers some money as well.

A conversion of all set-top boxes in the U.S. to Energy Star-approved boxes would save approximately $2 billion annually, as well as reducing emissions the equivalent of 2.5 million vehicles per year.

“With approximately 148 million set-top boxes installed in the United States and 23 million more set-top boxes expected to ship in 2008, EPA is challenging manufacturers and service providers to deliver boxes that not only offer the newest features, but are also energy-efficient,” said Robert Meyers principal deputy assistant administrator for EPA’s Office of Air and Radiation.

» Environmental Protection Agency

If you've been wondering where you can recycle your old iPod or cell phone, the U.S. Postal service has the answer. The "Mail Back" pilot program was recently launched by the USPS, and allows consumers to do exactly as the program title suggests, and send their old electronic devices to Clover Technologies Group for safe and proper disposal. Customers can pick up mailing envelopes at any of the 1,500 participating post offices and as an added incentive, it is absolutely free to participate in the program, from the packing materials to the mailing itself.

Clover Technologies has a "zero waste to landfill" policy and recycles, remanufactures and remarkets inkjet cartridges, laser cartridges and small electronics. Devices that cannot be refurbished will have their component parts removed and either used in the refurbishing of other products or broken down further for recycling.

Consumers can send in as many old printer cartridges, Blackberries, digital cameras, iPods and other MP3 players as they wish. Currently, the program is being tested in Washington D.C., Chicago, Los Angeles and San Diego but could expand to other cities this fall if it proves successful.

Anita Bizzotto, chief marketing officer and executive vice president of the USPS says this is the latest step in the their attempts to encourage environmental awareness among Americans.

“As one of the nation’s leading corporate citizens, the Postal Service is committed to environmental stewardship,” Bizzotto said. “This program is one more way the Postal Service is empowering consumers to go green.”

» United States Postal Service (Official Site)

If you've ever been shopping for a computer, you're probably aware of the overwhelming options available. How much memory do you want? What's the perfect screen size? How many organs will you have to sell to afford it all? Aside from the obvious questions to ask when looking into your choices, the one nagging question may still be which option is greener: a laptop or a desktop?

Laptops actually consume 50 to 80 per cent less energy than a desktop. If the compact, transportable features of a laptop just aren't for you, there are still ways you can save energy while using a desktop:

- Use the 'sleep mode' option if you're going to a meeting or otherwise going to be away from your desk for 10 minutes or longer.

- LCD flat screens use 50 to 70 per cent less energy than CRT monitors.

- Regardless of what type of monitor you go with, ensure you turn it off if you plan to leave your computer for longer than a couple of minutes.

- Use a power bar to shut the whole thing down when you're finished using it for the day. This will ensure your CPU, monitor and peripherals aren't unneccesarily still consuming energy when you've shut your machine off.

For further information, check out the Green Electronics Guide, created and updated annually by Greenpeace, to find out which manufacturers aren't the most eco-friendly.

» Work Cabin

Mark Jaccard says he isn't a carbon tax advocate, however the Simon Fraser University professor and advisor the the federal and provincial governments still defends the movement. The B.C. government recently introduced the tax and since that time, it has received all kinds of criticism, from those who think it's too low, too high and everything in between.

Jaccard's credentials also include being a research fellow with the C.D. How Institute and the lead author of the Global Energy Assessment policy sections. He believes that voluntary attemps by the Canadian government to reduce greenhouse gas emissions haven't worked and therefore compulsory action such as regulations or taxes, is necessary. In this case, Jaccard still thinks the tax is best option available for a democracy and as demonstrated below, is prepared to argue the claims made by critics.

The tax is too low to have any effect. The cost of gas has been going up steadily in recent years, but people still keep driving; a few more cents a litre won't have any effect.

There is no alternative to a modest but gradually rising carbon tax," Jaccard said in an e-mail. "You cannot start high. That would be very unfair. You start low and schedule it to climb. As for the cost of gas and people still driving, this is a complete misunderstanding. The goal is not to make people drive less. It is to make them pollute less. They might travel less. They might switch to transit sometimes. They might car pool. They might get a lower or zero-emission vehicle. Social science research indicates that the most likely outcome is people switching to lower-emission vehicles. This is just a reality of what we know about people. It does not mean I want this outcome."

Because the tax is revenue neutral, people won't have an incentive to change their carbon-emitting habits. If the government uses tax breaks to give them back the extra money they'll spend on fuel, why should they drive less or turn down the thermostat?

If you really cut your emissions, Jaccard says, you will pay less carbon tax but you will still receive the government's offsetting tax credits."Those who cut emissions more will be better off than those who cut less. There is your incentive. First year economics."

It's social engineering.

"Nope. That is why it does not have an objective of people driving less. What we all care about is less emissions. So the policy focuses on emissions -- not on behaviour -- and lets people decide how to get the emissions down....

"The policy is not intended to change behaviour, and anyone who wanted a policy to do that would not be in power -- not here in Canada, not even in Europe, where there are Green parties that share power in some cases."

Hit the jump to read more of Jaccard's opinion on the B.C.'s recent carbon tax initiative.

» The Tyee

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is continuing in their efforts to improve environmental conditions in the country, this time setting their sights on brownfields sites. The agency has committed $2.5 million to 13 communities in 10 states for environmental job training as part of their Brownfields Initiative. The job training includes environmental assessment and job cleanup skills and is aimed toward people living in low-income areas. The agency hopes to turn the contaminated properties into functional spaces that can once again be utlitized by surrounding communities. The targeted brownfields sites are in Alabama, California, North Carolina, Massachusetts, Louisiana, Nevada, Oklahoma, New York, Pennsylvania and Washington.

"Through brownfields job training grants, EPA is literally putting both people and property back to work," said EPA Administrator Stephen L. Johnson. "By teaching people the skills to revitalize their own neighborhoods, EPA is improving lives and livelihoods in communities across the nation."

The EPA has granted over $23 million to brownfields job training funds over the past decade, and seen more than 4,000 individuals complete the training programs. Over 2,500 of those people went on to land jobs in environmental fields. The program strives to ensure the training benefits remain in the affected communities.

» U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

If you live in Canada, a simple red dot on your mailbox could significantly reduce the amount of junk mail received in your mailbox - and cut down on environmental waste in the process.

The Red Dot Campaign launched in January and shows ecologically concerned Canadians that they can use a "No Junk Mail Please" sticker to halt unwanted advertising. Not only is print advertising usually unwanted, statistics show that it only has a one to two per cent return rate and 25 per cent of individuals throw it away without even looking at it. Canada Post's opt-out option for junk mail has been available for years, however Beth Ringdahl, the creator of the campaign, saw that many households were unaware of the simple process required to stop receiving the flow of print advertising.

The campaign website outlines three simple ways to stop receiving junk mail.

1. Download, print and sign this letter and send it to Canada Post via your mail carrier.

2. Put a No Junk Mail sign in a prominent and easily visible spot on your mailbox or mail slot.

3. The Canadian Marketing Assocation has a Do Not Contact registry. If you're been signed up to a mailing list in the past, this registry will remove you from these lists and assist in preventing junk mail addressed to you from being sent.

Visit the official Red Det Campaign site to see more ways you can reduce the amount of waste caused by unaddressed advertising materials.

» Red Dot Campaign (Official Site)

Scientists are identified nine key 'tipping points' that could cause irreversible damage to the earth within the next century. Once these scenarios reach the point of no return the effects will be long-term and could include crop failure, famine and flooding from rising sea levels.

Experts say it is still possible to avoid disaster by reducing man-made greenhouse gas emissions, which are blamed as the cause for climate change. The definition of tipping point is a "small small increase in temperature or other change in the climate could trigger a disproportionately larger change in the future."

The nine identified tipping points are:

- Arctic sea ice: some scientists believe that the tipping point for the total loss of summer sea ice is imminent.

- Greenland ice sheet: total melting could take 300 years or more but the tipping point that could see irreversible change might occur within 50 years.

- West Antarctic ice sheet: scientists believe it could unexpectedly collapse if it slips into the sea at its warming edges.

- Gulf Stream: few scientists believe it could be switched off completely this century but its collapse is a possibility.

- El Niño: the southern Pacific current may be affected by warmer seas, resulting in far-reaching climate change.

- Indian monsoon: relies on temperature difference between land and sea, which could be tipped off-balance by pollutants that cause localised cooling.

- West African monsoon: in the past it has changed, causing the greening of the Sahara, but in the future it could cause droughts.

- Amazon rainforest: a warmer world and further deforestation may cause a collapse of the rain supporting this ecosystem.

- Boreal forests: cold-adapted trees of Siberia and Canada are dying as temperatures rise.

» The Independent

When it comes to speaking on the topic of climate change, Scottish Parliament believes Leonardo DiCaprio is the most qualified candidate. Leonardo has been an outspoken advocate on the subject since releasing The 11th Hour, his documentary outlining issues such as global warming, deforestation and animal extinction.

Patrick Harvie, a member of the country's Green Party, wrote a letter asking Leonardo to speak in conjunction with a Climate Change Bill, which was recently introduced to the government. Harvie's letter stated, "It would be a great help were you able to speak to other members of the Parliament about the urgency of the threat we face." The proposed bill strives to reduce carbon dioxide emissions over a long-term period. The Green Party has not yet heard whether DiCaprio will accept or decline the invitation.

Patrick Harvie is at the very least, demonstrating his keen PR instincts. Inform mass media you've asked Leonardo DiCaprio to speak on your behalf, but haven't heard back. Now Leo will look like the world's biggest jackass (and lukewarm activist) if he declines, even if it's for a legitimate reason.

You can watch the trailer for The 11th Hour below. After all, it's apparently made DiCaprio the reigning expert (next to Al Gore) on the issue. As for me, Leo's narration in the documentary is far too distracting, and I can't help but watch the trailer and half expect him to scream "I'm the king of the world!" mid-sentence.

» The Press Association

It’s called ‘The Big Green Challenge’ and it’s aimed at reducing climate change by harnessing the ideas of everyday people like you and me who don’t usually have a voice. The contest, held in the United Kingdom, has a prize purse of £1 million, which will be given to the top ten finalists, with the majority going to the winner.

The goal is to reduce carbon emissions by 60 per cent or more, and in order to encourage team work, the submissions must be made by organizations or groups of people.

According to the competition organizers, NESTA, the National Endowment for Science, Technology and Arts:

“We’re facing one of the biggest challenges of our generation - climate change. At NESTA, we believe that encouraging people to work together will help find new ways - better ways - to tackle BIG problems, like reducing CO2 emissions.”

Check out the site to see if your ideas are eligible.

» Big Green Challenge

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the top cell phone retailers and manufacturers have answered your climate change calls for cell phone recycling. The EPA esimates Americans have more than 100 million unused cell phones in their homes that, if recycled, could save enough upstream energy to power 194,000 households for a full year.

"Thanks to our Plug-In partners' efforts, recycling an old cell phone has become a quick and easy way for Americans to help protect the environment," said Susan Bodine, assistant administrator for EPA's Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response. "By dropping it off at a store or sending it through the mail, Americans have more recycling options today than ever before."

Partners include: AT&T Wireless, Best Buy, LG Electronics, Motorola, Nokia, Office Depot, Samsung, Sony Ericsson, Sprint, Staples, and T-Mobile.

Hit the jump to read the EPA press release.

» Environmental Protection Agency (U.S.)