Earth Equity News

Cleaning Up at the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach. By Ronald D. White, LATimes, August 23, 2009. "The ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach are so busy that they move more cargo than the next five largest U.S. ports combined. They're so efficient that they process more international trade in one month than most North American harbors handle in an entire year. Now the friendly rivals are leading the way into unexpected waters: attracting, testing and funding cutting-edge technology to reduce emissions and fuel consumption at the ports. Even as their revenues declined and their budgets shrank in the worst global recession in more than 60 years, the twin ports have become accidental venture capitalists of sorts in the world of green technology. In the last two years, the two ports and their partners have handed out nearly $40 million to stimulate the development of [green] devices and systems... Port officials say they have been contacted by firms in 170 countries that hope to sell ways to reduce pollution and energy consumption by ships, trucks, trains and heavy equipment."