Top articles of the week: August 2

This week on Blue & Green Tomorrow, Scottish Renewables is using the Commonwealth Games as a platform to showcase Scotland’s renewable energy developments.

We also discussed the launch of TripAdvisor’s new platform to make holidays greener, which will help European travellers choose hotels that are environmentally friendly. Finally, in other news, Desmond Tutu has urged the University of Cape Town (UCT) to divest from polluting fossil fuels.

1. Australian lead pollution beat human explorers to the South Pole

Tom Revell: In 1911, the Briton Robert Falcon Scott and the Norwegian Roald Amundsen raced to the South Pole. Amundsen’s expedition made it in December, Scott’s ill-fated party – who all perished on the return journey – got there 33 days later. But both were beaten by manmade pollutants. Read more.

2. Commonwealth Games used as a platform to showcase renewables

Charlotte Malone: Trade body Scottish Renewables is using the Commonwealth Games, currently taking place in Glasgow, to showcase the country’s renewable energy projects and developments. Read more.

3. Foreign secretary warns of Ebola Virus risk to UK

Richard Heasman: UK foreign secretary Phillip Hammond has this week confirmed the UK government is taking measures ahead of the possibility of the Ebola Virus hitting UK shores, which has already killed 670 people in West Africa. Read more.

4. Desmond Tutu calls on South African university to divest from fossil fuels

Ilaria Bertini: Arcibishop Desmond Tutu has urged the University of Cape Town (UCT) to drop investment in polluting fossil fuels because of their contribution to climate change, which is heavily affecting the world’s poorest people. Read more.

5. Call to save tigers from extinction on International Tiger Day

Jemma Collins: Today’s International Tiger Day marks its fourth year and highlights the drastic action needed to protect tigers in the wild that are increasingly at risk of extinction. Read more.

6. TripAdvisor launches green initiative for sustainable travel

Ilaria Bertini: TripAdvisor, the world’s most popular travel website, has launched a new platform to help European travelers choose hotels and structures that are environmentally friendly and engage with sustainability, to make holidays greener. Read more.

7. TUI launches new sustainability-focused travel options

Ilaria Bertini: TUI UK is promoting a new range of excursions in seven different countries that have to meet minimum sustainability criteria, in order to offer an ethical holiday. Read more.

8. Children involved in Greenpeace protest against Lego and Shell link

Charlotte Malone: Greenpeace staged a protest outside Shell’s HQ in London on Tuesday to highlight the advertising link between the company and Lego. Around 50 children and their parents or guardians were involved in the protest. Read more.

9. Google launches $1m renewable energy converter challenge

Tom Revell: Tech giant Google has launched a $1 million (£590,000) contest, inviting engineers to design a compact device that can convert renewable energy into electricity. Read more.

10. India confident in renewable energy relationship with UK

Richard Heasman: In a meeting in New Delhi, UK secretary of state for energy and climate change Ed Davey has met with India’s power minister Piyush Goyal, outlining plans for India’s renewable energy market. Read more.

Photo: bernadg via Flickr