Pond power

Driven by fluctuations in oil prices and seduced by the prospect of easing climate change, experts are intensifying efforts to squeeze fuel out of a promising new organism: pond scum. As it turns out, algae - slimy, fast-growing and full of fat - is gaining ground as a potential renewable energy source. Experts say it is intriguing for its ability to gobble up carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas, while living happily in places that are not needed for food crops. While no one has found a way to mass produce cheap fuel from algae yet, the race is on. University labs and start-up companies across the country are getting involved.

Eco-shop

A businessman in Berlin has leapt on the "green" bandwagon by offering discounts to clients who can prove they arrived by public transport or bicycle. "Everyone's a winner," explained Regina Goetz, who runs the business in Berlin's Prenzlauer Berg, a district in the former East Berlin.
"It's pretty difficult to park around here. So we came up with the idea of an eco discount of five euros (£4.50) to anyone who leaves the car at home," Ms Goetz. "The crisis has slashed our turnover to half in the last year. But the discount has proved a roaring success," she said.