TH Exclusives

Here we go again... a pipeline owned by Enbridge Energy Partners has leaked 800,000-840,000 gallons of oil into a creek flowing into the Kalamazoo River near Battle Creek, Michigan. On a more positive note, the Zephyr solar plane finally landed this week at the US Army's Yuma Proving Ground in Arizona after 14 days and 24 minutes, setting a new record. In BP oil spill news, a new report by The Center for Public Integrity reveals that, in the hours after the Deepwater Horizon oil rig caught on fire, the US Coast Guard failed to follow its own internal firefighting procedures, potentially causing the rig to sink and the riser pipe to rupture. Catch up on the rest of this week's green headlines in our news in review image gallery:

Business & Politics

Credit: First Solar.

Enbridge, the Canadian company behind the recent oil spill in Michigan's Calhoun County near Marshall, just happens to also be behind construction of the largest photovoltaic solar energy facility in North America.

Design & Architecture

Image Credit: All photos courtesty of Urbanbolisimo

It looks like as a green destination, Spain is pulling ahead. The European country has emerged as a solar energy leader and its wind power industry is growing by leaps and bounds. So when Spanish design blog Urbanbolisimo reported that San Vicente de Raspeig, in eastern Spain, just installed a vertical garden on the exterior of its new children's library, it's the icing on the cake.

The garden is six stories tall and the work of architect Jose Maria Chofre. It's not the first of its kind in the country- in 2008, Madrid installed a stunning example as part of its CaxiForum Museum (designed by Patrick Blanc, whose work includes the vertical garden on Paris' Quai Branly Museum), and the Spanish city of Getafe used a vertical garden to turn a water cooling tower from an eyesore to a green wonder. With San Vicente's addition to the mix and even an easy way to make your own, it's clear that vertical gardens are here to stay.

Business & Politics

Küre Mountains National Park (L) is on its way to becoming part of a protected European park network, while demonstrators in Ankara (R) were arrested for protesting nuclear power. Photos via Turkish Adventures (L) and Today's Zaman (R).

With summer in full swing in Turkey, the season's regular environmental woes have again come to the fore. Helicopters dropping water have become a common sight around the country's Mediterranean coast, where hot and dry weather has contributed to forest fires in Dalaman and Bodrum. And as vacationers take to the roads, traffic-accident deaths have mounted. But summer has also prompted some green innovations, such as the solar-powered, motion-activated fans at bus stops in the sweltering southern province of Mersin. Other environmental developments this month likewise prompted reactions of "süper" (yep, just like in English, but with an umlaut) and "maalesef" (unfortunately):

Design & Architecture

photo: Europe 2 You

I've never been a fan of most wedding registries because I cannot stand the idea of having what everyone else has, or giving whatever everyone else gives for that matter. In addition, the sheer consumption of it all is quite a turn off. I am obsessed with finding miscellaneous kitchen items made by local potters, reclaimed materials, and now, these vintage and antique wares from Europe 2 You. You can give a wedding gift that won't ever get returned because the couple already has one, or maybe buy yourself a little something special like a vintage baguette or pizza board.

Fashion & Beauty

Courtesy photo.

Talk about a double dose of green fashion fun: Designer Raina Blyer, of Ryann and Creem, has collaborated with handbag designer Allison McGowan of TEICH on a multifunctional belt/wristlit -- a modern approach to the fanny pack -- that can be worn together or separately. Made in NYC, with recycled Ultrasuede and antique nickel hardware, this sleek pouch is ideal for stashing the bare necessities -- keys, cash, ID -- on the go. Photos:

Business & Politics

Bedbug. Image credit:wikipedia

Bedbugs are are becoming quite the urban plague again, resurgent and causing much misery in US cities after decades of being a relatively rare problem. Some methods of being rid of bed bugs, these days, are pretty awful from an environmental standpoint: like cooking an entire apartment building to bake them out, repeatedly washing all cloths and linens in hot water, and paying for multiple (often ineffective) pesticide applications. It gets worse.

Business & Politics

Cleaning the supply chain is one of the challenges of Walmart's sustainability project. Image credit: williamcho/Flickr

This guest post was written by Rand Waddoups, senior manager of sustainability at Walmart.

Last July, we announced that we would lead in the creation of a Sustainable Product Index—a tool that will help manufacturers, merchants, customers and other retailers make more sustainable purchasing decisions. During the last 12 months, we have learned this process is going to be extremely difficult, but that the opportunities for change and innovation are even greater than we imagined. In fact, we are already seeing benefits to the supply chain.