Hullabaloo over cellphone radiation

Controversy enlivened the International Conference Green Telecoms India 2010 over the allegedly high level of radiation and pollution from telecoms towers and equipment, including handsets, says India Infoline.

Highlighting the lack of regulations on radiation and other pollutants from telecoms towers and equipment, Rajiv Mehrotra, president of Telecom Equipment Manufacturers Association, asked why it was the same foreign manufacturers who were implementing extremely low levels of radiation for equipment in their countries were not using these technologies in items they sell in India.

According to international data he read, out of global pollution of 3.8 million tonnes, as much as 2.8 million tonnes was generated from India, even though India had less number of cellphone subscribers.

A report suggests that Ireland is facing a skills shortage if the workforce is not trained in green technologies, writes RTE News.

Comhar's report, 'skills and training for a green new deal' indicates Ireland's need for thousands of workers trained. It advocates the training required from apprenticeship through to PhD levels if a green economy is to become a reality.

The organisation suggests traditional apprenticeship programmes need to be modified so that trades people are skilled in green technologies.

Vancouver mayor Gregor Robertson announced that the city is partnering with IT giant Cisco and a Vancouver-based energy management firm, Pulse Energy, to accelerate the city's goal of becoming the greenest by 2020, states BIV Business Today.

The city, Cisco and Pulse Energy will together install new technologies in the city for building-energy management, home energy management, urban carbon footprint reduction and data centre efficiency.

The partners aim to create a 'living lab' culture in the city that enables and showcases Vancouver and British Columbia-based technologies.