According to the JRC's findings, electric heating, cold appliances, lighting and water heating systems consume the most electricity in the home. Overall electricity consumption amounted to 800.72 TWh in the EU residential sector.

Information and communication technologies are becoming increasingly important consumers of energy, accounting for up to 13% in the residential sector in 2007, compared to just 2% in 2004.

Stand by still a problem

Stand by consumption represented 5.9% of electricity consumption in EU homes in 2007, almost the same as computers and dishwashers combined, and therefore offers an excellent opportunity for energy saving, once the EU eco design regulation obliging manufacturers to remove stand by options from their appliances comes into effect.

Other important savings can be achieved in domestic lighting, which could drop by 46% by 2020 of current consumption due to the recent EU eco design regulation phasing out incandescent lamps.

THE LATEST ECO DESIGN NEWS, FROM RE-EXIST

The Biosphere is inviting everyone to come experience a greener holiday by drawing inspiration from the activities of the fourth edition of the Green Christmas event, which will take place from December 4 to January 3.

Running from December 4 to 6, the Recycling Artists Eco Fair will bring together 52 exhibitors with the same artistic and environmental approach. It is a unique opportunity to find original and handmade gifts made in Quebec from recycled materials. Admission to the Biosphere is free for this event.

The DIY Eco Design workshops will give artists at heart an opportunity to create their own green wrapping paper, decorations and prepared food gifts. With a different theme for each weekend, the free workshops are being held on December 5, 6, 12, 13, 19 and 20 (reservation required).

Children are invited to participate in the Eco Elves Workshop and to meet Green Santa, who will give them a small green gift. The whole family will be touched by the Sainte Emilie Flying Beavers story, a heart warming tale that combines humour and mystery and makes us think about our modern holiday customs. On Saturday, December 5th, the Biosphere will welcome Laure Waridel, author of Acheter, c'est voter : le cas du cafe and L'envers de l'assiette, for two talks with the children. Ms. Waridel also developed a gree

THE LATEST ECO DESIGN NEWS, FROM RE-EXIST

Here's a story of two presidents, Barack Obama of the United States and Mohamed Nasheed of the Maldives.

Both are young and charismatic. Both were elected last fall to replace discredited incumbents (Nasheed's predecessor ruled the island nation for three decades and kept him in a political prison for years). Both have troublesome legislatures (the opposition party controls the chamber in the Maldives).

But on the biggest question the planet faces, if we'll take action in time to slow down global warming, they couldn't be more different. One, Nasheed, is leading the fight. The other, as we saw recently when he announced that there would be no new treaty anytime soon, is only half in the battle. They both may go to the U.N. sponsored climate conference in Copenhagen next month, but Nasheed will be there to say: Seize the moment. And if Obama makes it, he will be there to spin, to say, no doubt elegantly: Chill.

To understand the difference between the two men is to understand much of the politics of global warming, as well as the chances for an agreement on climate change, this year or next, significant enough to matter.

In Nasheed's case, geography almost requires him to be outspoken. His nation is what you picture when you picture paradise: 1,200 tiny islands, each ringed by a reef with a lagoon, white sand beaches and coconut palms. A small fraction have been turned into tourist resorts, but most are either uninhabited or home to fishing communities that go back thousands of years.

But the highest point on most of those islands is only a few feet above sea level. They can't cope with the rising oceans that every expert says global warming will bring, and they can't cope with the dying corals that come when seawater gets hotter and more acidic. And so, more than any other leader on Earth, Nasheed has made global warming his rallying cry.

BY BILL MCKIBBEN

THE LATEST CLIMATE NEWS, FROM IT IS GETTING WARMER

From fig leaves to polyester coats and now, organic underwear , man has come a full circle and landed back on the branch.

And this time, he's plucking recycled shirts, salvaged boots and reversible skirts from the tree of life. For those newly arrived from the synthetic polyester aisles, eco fashion is not Pamela Anderson in cabbage leaves. It is Anderson's line of organic fashion. Clothing conglomerates and indie designers have caught on to fashion factory facts like 8,000 chemicals are used to turn raw material to textile, that the growth of non organic cotton consumes 25 per cent of the world's pesticides, and that a simple cotton T shirt leaves considerable ecological wreckage as it travels down the assembly line. They know now that two thirds of a garment's carbon footprint occurs when it exits the factory.

Designers have been talking 'organic' , 'fair trade' , 'ethics' , 'sustainable' , 'zero-landfill' and 'recycled' for the last decade, but what began as a rumour in the world's wardrobe is now a full throated reveille to the saving graces of ethical clothing. When Sheena Matheiken, a Kerala born New Yorker, started to rally for the NGO Akanksha (to raise funds for children's school uniforms), she didn't see herself becoming the Twiggy of sustainable fashion. With The Uniform Project (which has raised $28,000 so far), Matheiken decided to wear the same outfit, a versatile black cotton tunic, for one whole year. The outfit was designed by her friend Eliza Starbucks, and cloned into seven pieces to withstand a year's worth of weathering. Every day, since May 1 this year, Matheiken has been reinventing her look with accessories and addons sourced largely from thrift stores, eBay, Etsy and donations. Her daily update on theuniformproject.com is proof that one dress does indeed have many lives.

By JOEANNA REBELLO FERNANDES

THE LATEST ECO DESIGN NEWS, FROM RE-EXIST

It's the best time to take a look back at the best of the best things that happened this year. A number of green competitions were held this year and a number of entries managed to make an impression. Designers and companies from around the world came up with some really innovative and eco friendly ideas, concepts and products. Here we bring to you the winners from the best green competitions held in 2009.

By Green Diary

THE LATEST GREEN DESIGN NEWS, FROM RE-EXIST