For example, here is a list of the top 10 solar power energy stocks which many invest in currently.

• First Solar Inc. (FSLR)
• SunPower Corporation (SPWRA/B)
• Suntech Power Holdings Co. Ltd. (STP)
• Yingli Green Energy (YGE)
• LDK Solar (LDK)
• Trina Solar Ltd. (TSL)
• JA Solar Holdings Co. (JASO)
• Canadian Solar Inc. (CSIQ)
• Energy Conversion Devices, Inc. (ENER)
• ReneSola (SOL)

Beside solar power companies, there are also many others that are available for investment. Many of these companies focus on renewable energy as it is the leading possibility for overcoming dependency on fossil fuels.

These companies are not only promising in their numbers but also their mission. As they become more successful, they also help the planet, as well as you as an investor. These renewable energy companies should and will soon be the first priority in an investor’s mind. These companies also have somewhat of an advantage as they continue to excel with the help of private capital as well as various governmental support schemes. There are also other areas that are good green investing branches such as: waste management, industrial processes, agriculture, green building, energy efficiency technology, carbon emissions market, forestry, and of course recycling.

These areas are all good avenues for investors to consider moving their capital into in a more eco friendly and efficient way. This investing in the future is a sound and safe approach to investing while also contributing towards the planet with the use of a little money. Make some green and be green? Sounds like a win-win situation to us.

Gary Lauder, the mastermind behind a new kind of sign was one of those “California Stoppers” and after getting a nasty ticket in college, cruising through a dark and empty intersection in the night with only the company of a hiding police car waiting to pull over Lauder over for his unstoppable ways, Gary came up with an idea. The new sign is simple, yet may create a huge change. It simply reads “Take Turns”.

It may not seem like a big change to you, but consider this: it has been estimated that one conventional stop sign on a particular road costs $112,000 a year in fuel and lost time.

The focus on this new sign is mostly on traffic flow. A constant, and smooth traffic flow increases efficiency, and ironically enough (contrary to what you might think), flowing traffic is less likely to produce crashes. Take for an example, a roundabout versus a stoplight intersection. The roundabout is around forty percent less likely to result in a collision between cars.

We’re not entirely sure as to when Lauder’s simple sign will be appearing on roads near you, but TED, a non profit organization focusing on ideas worth sharing, is helping Gary Lauder spread his message and concern.

Regardless of whether we’ll be seeing this sign on the roads soon, it is apparent that roads have as much of an impact on environmental pollution and carbon emissions as the car you’re driving has. Who would’ve thought that pesky stop sign was hurting more than just our driving records.

E-waste, if you were wondering, is the newly devised term for broken electronic devices. This waste contains dangerous substances such as lead, beryllium, and cadmium and is also hazardous to the environment during disposal due to incinerator ashes and heavy metals in landfills.

While it may be a small percentage, around 1.52 percent of the gold worn around these champions’ necks was recovered from e-waste. This is a perfect example of exactly how disused circuit boards from electronic devices can be recycled and reused.

At approximately forty million tons of e-waste being produced each year, the e-waste situation is becoming increasingly problematic and is predicted to become much worse in the next decade.

To add insult to injury, the e-waste that is currently produced is not always handled correctly. This often creates hazardous and toxic environments for workers and the local environment. Sounds like a mess? It is.

There is some good news, as we can see in our shiny Olympic Medals. The good news being: new ways of recycling this e-waste and reusing it are being experimented with and discovered. New recycling and disposal devices are being manufactured and planned by engineers across the globe.

There is however, quite the glimmer of hope provided by the shiny gold medals we all saw in Vancouver. The proof is in the pudding as they say, and the medals are surely showing everyone that e-waste can and will be recycled more effectively.

AT&T has decided to attempt to overcome this energy efficiency issue by creating quite the charger. The charger is called the “ZERO Charger”. This will be the first ever created zero draw charger to hit the market. Its release is scheduled for May and will be available to all AT&T customers. Now, I know what you’re thinking. How much electricity can a plugged in cell phone charger possibly waste? How much of a difference can this possibly make? The answer: It can make a big difference, and trust us, it wastes a whole lot of electricity. A plugged in cell phone charger, over a year time period, can waste massive amounts of electricity that works towards no purpose. The electricity is just simply, wasted.

Lucky for you, and us, the charger will not cost a pretty penny. As a matter of a fact, the charger is exactly the same as previously designed models which waste energy. The design is also interchangeable which will save the customer money. Sounds like a good deal to us.

Considering the size of AT&T’S client base, this new charger, being offered at the same price to the same enormous amount of customers could in fact make a significant difference. While it may seem small it is in fact quite the leap for a company of this stature to make design decisions geared towards the environment which can be so easily accessed by the average joe with a cell phone.

We’ll be waiting in line for our new charger in May and hope to see you there!

Image via AT&T

The belt is planned to span across the entire lunar equator, being around 11,000 km long and around 400 km wide. The power would be transferred back to earth via microwave power transmission antennas and laser power transmission facilities. These power transmission facilities would be on the near side of the moon, (the side that always faces earth) while the side facing the sun would be absorbing solar power. Finally, a radio beacon would ensure the safe voyage of this power and guide it to the receptors on Earth.

If just the concept alone blows your mind, wait until you hear the building process. The building of this giant structure would be done by robots, being controlled 24 hours a day by operators on Earth. Along with the robots, there would also be a group of astronaut supervisors. The machines and equipment would be ever so conveniently, assembled in space and then land on the moon to begin the building process. Sound simple? We didn’t think so either.

The process, funds, and amount of work needed to build something like this, even we will admit, is a little too far fetched. While we can appreciate the innovative nature of Shimizu, and their ability to shock us all with their “out there” ideas for solutions to the current crisis our planet is in, we definitely don’t think the moon will be sporting a belt any time soon.

While home remodeling has dramatically decreased due to the economy, sustainable remodeling has increased. Eco-friendly remodels are now seen as cutting edge, modern, as well as practical long term investments. The glitz and glam of opulence is no longer desired, but instead, practicality and environmental consciousness is the new standard for home renovations.

Many are using new green products to become more energy efficient and save money. Long gone are the days of 4 car garages, marble flooring, and expansive water consuming landscaping. Instead, these are the days of bamboo flooring, recycled insulation, and drought resistant landscaping.

Not only are housing materials going green, but downsizing is now more popular than ever. Many have turned to closer quarters to save money while also living a more eco-conscious lifestyle.

Along with smaller spaces, the renovations being made to homes across the country are endless. Rain water collection systems are being installed, tankless water heaters are being purchased, solar installations are being installed, recycled wall paper is being tacked up, green appliances are flying off the shelves, and the list goes on.

We’re not just talking about the top economic percentile either. These renovations are occurring in homes across the country, in middle class America. From urban areas to agricultural areas, from big city to small town, eco-friendly renovations are catching on, and in the meantime, saving everyone a little cash.

The difference between biochar and other forms of charcoal is just the temperature at which it is created. The biochar is created by pyrolysing biomass, which entails heating plant waste to about 500 degrees Celsius in the absence of oxygen, creating smaller pores in the coal. Other types of charcoal are created using twice as much heat, creating larger pores in the material. During this process renewable oils and gases are also produced which can be used as fuel or fuel feed stocks.

The biochar is being used as a means of sequestering carbon and reducing emissions in a process called “Carbon Sequestration”.  The smaller pores in biochar trap carbon better than other types of charcoal. Thus, it has been estimated that biochar can store carbon dioxide for up to 5,000 years. The use of biochar, as well as the manufacturing process, is actually carbon negative and could prove to be beneficial towards reducing global carbon emissions.

In addition to  holding in carbon dioxide, biochar is an efficient fertilizer for farming. Crops that have been tested using the biochar as a fertilizer dramatically increased crop yields. Biochar was originally used by Natives in the Amazon Basin approximately 7,000 years ago. While the Natives used this fertilizer due to the apparent increase in crop growth, the carbon absorbing nature of biochar was unknown until recently.

Biochar as a form of fertilizer has been utilized and tested in many agricultural areas of the United States, including California. Biochar might even be available to the public as a fertilizer for home gardening in the near future. This possibility is still being further researched before it is implemented. However, the bio-char is reaching across the globe quickly and soon enough, may even be in your backyard.

With crop growing abilities, carbon trapping power, and fuel being made in the mean time, Biochar is benefiting everyone as a viable part to helping combat climate change.

The difference made by the new roofing is easily illustrated through numbers. Standard black roofing absorbs around 80% of solar energy, while white rooftops reflect away almost 90% of the same solar energy. The rooftops work by reflecting the sun back into the atmosphere, keeping the interior of the building cooler and more energy efficient.

It has been proven over the years that urban areas are usually three to eight degrees warmer than rural surrounding areas. Why you ask? The buildings we have been constructing for years draw in and absorb solar energy at astounding rates due mostly to the dark roofing materials used. With over three percent of Earth’s land mass being covered by towns and cities alike, it’s no wonder why we consume so much energy and draw in so much heat. However, the use of white roofing can dramatically change that.

Regardless of the reason as to why this idea hasn’t been implemented earlier, “later is better than never” and we’re definitely making up for lost time. The building of these white roofs has skyrocketed in the past years and is being used for many large commercial buildings as well as homes.

Parducci Wineries recently switched to 100% solar and wind power. Parducci also practices organic farming,  buys locally grown grapes, and even uses biodiesel tractors. The vineyard also uses tree-free packaging paper as well as biodegradable soy ink. The pesticides used are organic and eco-friendly as well.

Another sustainable winery that uses interesting techniques is Navarro Vineyards in Philo, California. This vineyard is covered by hundreds of sheep. These sheep are used instead of tractors to eliminate weeds that are between the rows of growing grapes. This technique helps to reduce the vineyard’s carbon output.

Rodney Strong Vineyards in Healdsburg, California went above and beyond expectations by installing a 766-kilowatt, 4,032-panel solar-electric system. This system is the largest within the whole of the wine industry. During a typical day the solar panels generate enough electricity to power around 800 homes.

Many other wineries are following the footsteps of these leaders in green vineyard practices. These wineries are becoming sustainable using many techniques including everything from solar panels, recycling steel, man made caves being used for storage, and even recycling blue jeans for insulation. These wineries not only reduce carbon emissions with their sustainable technologies, but also benefit themselves as they often save thousands of dollars over time through the use of such eco-friendly means of production. Whether it be with blue jean insulation or a number of other technologies, the wine industry and the environment are mutually benefitting each other.

The 11,000 mile trip is hardly an easy one, particularly considering the fact that the ship has never been tested. The trip is also estimated to take over 100 days. Crazy? Many may think so. However, it’s clear that de Rothschild is making a statement. He hopes to relay a message to the world about the importance of recycling as he sails his recycled vessel, which is to be later recycled at the end of his voyage.

The boat is made of entirely recycled materials except for the masts, which of course, are made of metal. The ship will be created from thousands of bottles then to be wrapped with SRPET (self reinforcing polyethylene terephthalate). The hull of the boat will be made entirely of bottles, around 13,000 of them to be exact. This project is being created in San Francisco, and the process of manufacturing this boat is lengthy. Each bottle needs to be stripped of its label, cleaned, then filled with dry ice which essentially makes the bottle rigid. The catamaran of sorts has pontoons on which the bottles are then attached to, without the use of any resin or glue. Once put together it is expected to weigh around 9 tons. While the cost of the manufacturing of the “Plastiki” is unknown, it is known that only about 10% of the materials used are non-recycled materials.

The boat was recently named the “Plastiki” in reference to a balsa wood ship, “Kon-Tiki”, that sailed across the Pacific Ocean by Norwegian sailer Thor Heyerdah in 1947.

De Rothschild is nonetheless, still traveling in style. The ship will be fully equipped with two wind turbines as well as solar power to 12-volt batteries which will power several laptops, a GPS, and SAT phones. The ship will also include a crew of around six people including several sailors and scientists to insure de Rothschild’s safe voyage.

The safety of this expedition however, is being questioned by many. Most believe that de Rothschild, while bold and innovative, is also being extremely risky as the strength of this boat against a long journey of treacherous waters is questionable. Regardless of any safety issues, de Rothschild insists that the boat will set sail in August. Only time and travel will tell if this “bottle boat” will sink or swim.

While hopeful, this new technology is also extremely controversial. Many worry over the unknown consequences of changing the composition of cloud mass by increasing the salt content. Others argue this is not a solution, but just a temporary “cover up”. Nonetheless these yachts are being looked into further as yet another way to counteract the global climate issues.

In 1997 the island was entirely dependent on coal and oil energy which could only be retained by importing. During that time Samso won a government competition to become a model renewable energy community. Samso was chosen due to the mere fact that it was entirely dependent on imported products and thus, would make a perfect candidate for a controlled experiment. Due to this “competition”, the island will never look or operate as it did before. Samso Island is now the largest carbon neutral settlement in the world.

The island’s wind turbines are so successful that it even sells some of the energy manufactured by other offshore turbines to the mainland, thus making it more than 100% energy self sufficient.

One idea suggests the pouring  of a great amount of powdered iron into the pacific ocean, ideally increasing phytoplankton to 60 million tons so as to absorb carbon dioxide. In a few years the new plankton growth should take about 5 million tons of carbon into the sea bed. Iron has been shown to increase plankton by studies conducted in the sea area north of the Crozet Islands (South Africa), where iron from volcanic rocks fell into the ocean and created a boom in plankton growth, reducing the carbon in that area. This technique, called “Ocean Iron Fertilization” is being sought out as a serious solution for the extreme amount of carbon dioxide contained in the ocean. LOHAFEX, the most recent trial of this iron fertilization, was conducted from January to March 2009 in the Southern Ocean.

Standing 100 feet tall, these trees filter out the carbon dioxide with the use of synthetic filters, eliminating the carbon dioxide to be later disposed in empty gas and oil reservoirs so as to prevent the carbon dioxide from being released back into the atmosphere. These trees soak up the carbon dioxide through the use of both the filters as well as an outer layer of material coating that also helps to absorb the carbon dioxide. Sodium hydroxide is used in this process to convert carbon dioxide to sodium carbonate. These “trees” are currently being tested in the prototype stage by professor and inventor Klaus Lackner of Columbia University.

Unfortunately, the manufacturing of these tree machines would in fact require much energy, however, this would only account for 5% of the carbon dioxide that could be absorbed by a single “tree”. Globally, around 5-10 million trees would be required to absorb all carbon dioxide emissions besides that of power plants. This geo-engineering project, if put to use, could in fact save the planet much needed time and be an effective and innovative way of counteracting the current climate crisis.