Your Daily Greens – Arctic Melt, Tesla Profits, and China leads Green Jobs Race

Daily happenings around the GreenSphere (People, Companies & Communities):

Arctic Melt: Scientists are watching with satellites for the possibility of a record low polar ice cap. By this weekend, the ice edge lay some 80 miles (128 kilometers) at sea. The U.S. National Snow and Ice Data Center reported the polar ice cap extended over 2.61 million square miles (6.75 million square kilometers) after having shrunk an average 41,000 square miles (106,000 square kilometers) each day in July – equivalent to one Indiana or three Belgiums. This rate is similar to that of July 2007, the year when the ice cap dwindled to a record low minimum extent of 1.7 million square miles (4.3 million square kilometers) by September.

Tesla Profits: For the first time, Tesla Motors has announced it has achieved profitability in the month of July. The makers of the upcoming Model S announced that the company earned $20 million in revenue, which exceeded expenses by about $1 million. However, profitability isn’t expected to continue (in the short term) as extra earnings likely came from the one time Daimler deal wherein Tesla supplied the German automaker with battery packs and charging systems for the Smart ED.

China leads Green Jobs Race: Even after spending billions in stimulus packages, China might leapfrog both the United States and Europe in new wind power development this year. According to Azure International, China passed the United States in the number of new wind turbines built in the first half of 2009. This means more local jobs due to an unofficial rule that says all installed turbines must include 70 percent local content. However, Germany will dominate solar power demand according to Barclays Capital, overtaking Spain who reached a cap on state support.

Samsung Reclaim: The latest green cellphone from Samsung is ready for launch. Samsung Reclaim is made from 80 per cent recycled materials, with 40 per cent of the outer casing being made with bioplastics from corn. It also comes with an energy-efficient charger. The cost? For $50 and a two year Sprint contract you can sport one yourself. Features include high-speed 3G network access, a slider QWERTY keyboard and GPS.

Hong Kong Record: A green concert in Hong Kong will attempt to create a Guinness world record this month for the largest ‘unplugged’ musical performance. Concert-goers will be encouraged to play makeshift musical instruments, including plastic bottles filled with green beans, during one of the songs. The two-day concert, held on August 22-23, will also have various environmentally friendly features including discounts on food and drink if people bring their own cutlery, and tissues and stage effects using fallen leaves instead of paper.

Tagged as: Arctic, Business, Cellphone, China, Climate, Mobile, Tesla, Wind