In 2014 Green News Update covered a wide range of sustainability issues — animals at risk, urban design, green practices, books and more. 

Thanks to all of our readers and followers for another great year – that means you and your colleagues are helping to grow our site.

Panthera tigris amoyensis is among the most endangered animals on earth.

OUR YEAR END REPORT

It’s an independent analysis, based on the numbers. So what happened in 2014?

• We posted 73 stories and over 350 photographs, illustrations and maps in 12 months.
• We attracted people from 114 countries – an increase of nearly 20 countries over 2013.

Environmental hero Dr Dee Boersma with Magellenic chicks

• Our 5 most popular stories of 2014 – include one posted in 2013. Here are the top five:

Green Museums III: Pittsburgh Botanic Garden

Environmental Heroes of 2013

Rewilding Europe: Dutch New Wilderness and Photo Gallery (2013)

Solar Decathlon 2014: The Game Is On

Bird Lovers: Two important events (Dec 2014)

And there were plenty more that attracted attention — urban reports from Amsterdam to Beijing, remembrances of writer Peter Matthiessen (The Snow Leopard) and designer Massimo Vignelli, threats to rhinos, big cats and elephants, heroic efforts by scientists and everyday people, over 80 books reviewed.

Students on 20 teams built solar-powered houses for the 2014 Solar Decathlon in France.  This one is TechStyle-Haus Courtesy of the Solar Decathlon

• Our Twitter account – with 90 posts in 2014 – had a lot of action on the European Solar Decathlon (July 2014) with 20 student teams from around the world. We’d love to have you as a follower. #greennewsupdate

Happy City by Charles Montgomery was one of more than 80 books we recommended and reviewed in 2014.

SO, WHAT’S NEXT?

• Listening – tell us your ideas, suggestions, comments (and constructive complaints too).
• Revisiting powerful themes that have attracted your interest – Rewilding Europe projects, Pittsburgh’s greening,  rising waters, environmental heroes.
• Scouring cities worldwide that are magnets for design, innovation, sustainable solutions. We’ll continue our series throughout the year.
• Following climate change – and everything affected by it, forests, oceans, animals, farming, people – with links to studies and reports that you can actually understand and act on.
• Reporting good news from everywhere on the planet — environmental heroes, effective campaigns,  ideas that work, and more.

Come back often – or casually as your mood suits. We’ll do our best to offer honest reporting, guide you to the best resources, and make it easier to search and access stories on our site that may interest you.

Happy New Year!

The New Wilderness in the Netherlands (see article link above)  on land reclaimed from the Zuider Zee.  Red deer introduced in 1992 are similar to elk. The herds are among the high density grazers that keep the grasslands well mown. Courtesy of Staatsbosbeheer.nl.