Business & Politics

Junichi Sato (left), Toru Suzuki (right), and their lead counsel, Yuichi Kaido (center) face reporters at a press briefing following their first pre-trial hearing at Aomori District Court in 2009. Caption and photo: Greenpeace

Nearly eighteen months ago two Greenpeace anti-whaling activists were arrested by Japanese police for stealing whale meat from a shipping company. Now a working group of the United Nations Human Rights Council has said the human rights of the so-called "Tokyo Two" have been violated by the Japanese justice system:

Travel & Nature

Climate change may make flowers more fragrant. Photo by Jennifer Hattam.

"That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet," Shakespeare famously wrote. And the flowers sweethearts buy for future Valentine's Day gifts may smell even more fragrant, some new research suggests. But that's not necessarily a good thing.

Science & Technology

"For the US in 2006, online data centres accounted for 1.5 percent of the entire country's electricity use - equating to more than the entire state of Massachusetts. " View the chart up close...Really interesting facts/stats! Image via GDS Digital

Energy Star is ratcheting up its evaluation of data center components, moving from certifying servers to certifying entire data centers. Possibly as early as June of this year, Energy Star will start auditing and certifying data centers that rank in the top 25% of centers for efficiency, helping to give those centers with the most energy-savvy practices a leg-up in the market place, or more specifically, "to assist data center operators in capturing the financial and environmental benefits of improved energy efficiency in their facilities."

Food & Health

Image credit: Elective Decisions

Jeff has already explored a whole variety of diseased and pest ridden trees this week, but the pine bark beetle's march has to be one of the biggest threats to forests in North America. Unsurprisingly, researchers are working hard to find ways to combat this debilitating pest. But some of their methods are less than conventional. Could it be that playing recordings of Rush Limbaugh backwards might help deter this unwanted visitor?

TH Exclusives

Photo credit: Lavender and Limes

+ Spread a little love around with Positively Organic's limited edition "Heart for Haiti" baby bodysuits and varsity tees, which benefit CARE's Haiti Relief Efforts.

+ A sweet, reusable "Valentine the Owl" tote shows you and your eco-tot give a hoot about disposables.

+ We're smitten with Become Smitten's plush pals, each of which is based on an endangered species.

+ This cuddly stuffed owl, made from repurposed fabrics, hides a special Valentine's Day message from you!

+ Sweets for your sweet? How about a quartet of organic cotton onesies cleverly disguised as cupcakes?

+ They may have hearts on them, but these reusable linen sandwich bags are good to use all year round.

+ Score an adorable "Best Friends Forever" organic cotton pencil case for your tyke's BFF.

Inhabitots is a website dedicated to green design for kids and babies. Written by a team of intrepid, design-conscious parents, we review eco-friendly, healthy, and sustainable toys, furniture, clothing, and gear. Follow us on Twitter @inhabitots and on Facebook.

Science & Technology

Photo via david.orban

The Greener Gadgets Design Competition is pooling the best concepts for eco-friendly electronics and handing them over to the public to narrow it down to three top choices from which the competition judges will select a winner. Not only is the competition a terrific way to scan what designers are dreaming up in green gadgets but also it allows us to take the temperature of the consumer marketplace - what do people expect from eco-friendly electronics and where is the industry heading? We're checking out some of the designs getting the most attention from voters, and exploring some answers.

Business & Politics

photo: David Schroeter via flickr.

Now here's an article I wish I wrote: While the US vs China rhetoric over who's the bigger cleantech player, the China's gonna eat our lunch talk from the likes of Thomas Friedman et al, certainly has a populist appeal, it's always rang a bit hollow to me. The situation is far more complex than such zero sum logic implies. Not to mention creating what seems to me an unhealthy, unsustainable continuation of fetishizing competition over cooperation. Well, a new piece in Yale Environment 360 by Christina Larson sheds some light on the reality of the situation, revealing nuance often lost. Read the original for the lead-up; let's skip straight to the takeaway:

Science & Technology

Image from RSPB birdguides

It's been a tough winter for the birds. But one species has flourished in Britain. This winter's bitter cold has seen record numbers of bitterns fly to Britain from northern Europe to escape the bitter cold.

They are rarely seen here, in 1997 there were only 11 males left. But this winter there have been record sightings across the country, with 82 counted already. The snow has made the notoriously shy birds easier to spot. Because many of their natural feeding places are frozen, they have been seen out in the open more often than ever before.