We used to call this the silly season. When journalists around the world would fill the void left by the lack of business and political news with unusual or human interest stories. Some of the articles in this issue – the first for 2012 – would be silly, if they weren’t deadly serious. Nothing like starting the New Year on the right foot – with 20 plus items of interest – as it does promise to be an eventful year and hopefully a more sustainable one with a promise of better – and greener – things to come. New Yorkers got a good start to the year when the iconic New Year’s Eve Ball was illuminated – for a change – with thousands of LED energy saving lights and it was human power from the Duracell Smart Power Lab which charged up the batteries to light up the 2-0-1-1 sign. Philippines had a wet start to the year after weeks of devastating floods, but help is at hand and hopefully a change to the damaging logging practices which reputedly aggravated the floods. We have for you the top climate stories of 2011 and the best of clean energy innovations. Some good news on inventions as well as news about chocolate, endangered species, coal mining’s demise, king tide impacts, Nepal’s glacier lakes, Hawaii’s energy advances,  Palau Island’s solar airport, Europe’s aviation emission tax and  Google’s greener data centre. Reports from Sydney that free range eggs are not all they’re cracked up to be and wind farms are getting opposition from influential quarters. Japan is under fire for its whale meat hunger and poor nuclear power management. Maria Adebowale of Capacity Global is in the spotlight. Did you know that 2012 is the UN’s designated Year of Sustainable Energy for All or that there’s a fear that climate change journalists are a dying breed? And to show we’re not taking things lying down, we have the last word to tell you what were top reads of 2011 and what’s in store for 2012. Hope springs eternal. – Ken Hickson