- Emily Pilloton Discusses the Hippo Roller and other Designs for Humanity (Part One)
- Janine Benyus on Biomimicry in Design (Part Two)
- Janine Benyus on Biomimicry in Design (Part One)
- Andy Revkin - Climate in the Obama Age
- Fred Pearce - Confessions of An Eco-Sinner (Part Two)
- Fred Pearce - Confessions of An Eco-Sinner (Part One)
- Chris Goodall - Ten Techs to Save Our Butts (Part Two)
- Chris Goodall - Ten Techs to Save Our Butts (Part One)
Entries for July 24, 2005 - July 30, 2005
Total this week: 77
The Governor General on Composting Toilets
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 07.30.05
The Governor-General of Canada Adrienne Clarkson, Head of the Government and the Queen's representative, describes herself as “totally and utterly an evangelist for composting toilets." Her husband, author John Ralston Saul, hands out Sun-Mar brochures to the Bhutan Minister of the interior. Her Excellency goes on to describe the composting process. “what can I say, except that it’s deeply satisfying”.
All this from a wonderful article on toilet technology by Canadian writer Ian Brown in Canada’s Globe and Mail, which recently fenced itself off from the blog world by going pay-per-view. A shame, as it is written with style and humour, and makes such a good point. "Life in the wealthy, wasteful West is so much like a holiday, we need to be reminded of necessities. Ashes to ashes, dust to dust, and you gotta go when you gotta go. Some things on this earth don't take a vacation."
...
LED Traffic Lights Spread Berlin Cult Figure
by Christine Lepisto, Berlin on 07.30.05
Although the first use of a gas light to control traffic dates to the 1860'S in Britain, the forerunners of the modern traffic light with red, green and yellow lamps were first set up in New York in 1918. (But before you Manhattanites claim all the credit, please note that this was a small modification of the green and red light concept already pioneered in Cleveland). The USA kindly sent an example of their new invention to Germany, where it was installed in 1924 on Potsdamer Platz. The light was a veritable tower on four legs, with a roofed platform on which a policeman stood to control the horizontally arrayed lights.
But Berliners, East-berliners specifically, made their own history with the design of the unique Ampelmännchen (crossing-light men) pictured above. The short, chubby, hatted figure stepping smartly out or standing roundly at attention has evolved to a cult-figure and symbol of the former East. Thanks to the "rescue committee" established to prevent its replacement by the western standard crossing signal after the fall of the Berlin wall, this figure has survived to indicate not only when it is safe to cross but also that you are in the former East Berlin territory. Now the green revolution is mixing things up a bit: the installation of LED technology is bringing the Ost-Ampelmann to (former) West Berlin....
CA BOOM II
by Tim McGee, Western Massachusetts on 07.30.05
It might be a bit last minute, but if you are looking for an interesting weekend, check out CA BOOM II in Santa Monica, California. It bills itself as North Americas only multidisciplinary design show. The last two days of the event are today and tomorrow. For those of you who simply can't drop everything and run to Santa Monica, this intrepid blogger will bring you the highlights in wonderfully entertaining posts all next week. For those who can make it, use this discount code TREE938 & save $4.00 on advance online admission.::CA BOOM II...
Kimpton Hotel's Celebrity Eco-Suites
by Erin Courtenay - Madison, WI on 07.30.05
Teehugging In India, The Chipko Embrace
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 07.30.05
Who said TreeHugging was a modern western notion? The Chipko movement is strong evidence of something distinctly non-western and centuries old. According to a recent story in Terra Green: "In the late 1970s and the early 1980s, a fierce resistance to the rampant destruction of forests spread in northern India and came to be known as the "Chipko" movement. A widespread movement, it revolutionized forest conservation. The adherents known as ‘tree huggers’ adopted a unique strategy in recognizing trees as valuable living beings". There's an ever so charming description of the Chipko Movement here. TreeHugger strongly recommends you take an inspirational minute to read the main page. From the site: "Dhoom Singh Negi, with Bachni Devi and many village women, first saved trees by hugging them in the 'Chipko embrace'. They coined the slogan: 'What do the forests bear? soil, water and pure air'....
Military Base Harmed By Own Bullets
by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada on 07.30.05
The people at Camp Edward, a military base in Massachusetts, figured that maybe it wasn't such a good idea to fire millions of rounds of ammo containing lead at the base's shooting range, especially since the base get its water from an aquifer below. They replaced the lead bullets with new ones made of nylon and tungsten thinking that they were safe and doing something green, but it turns out that new studies done at the Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken (New Jersey) show that tungsten is not as insoluble as previously thought, and that it apparently enables lead to move through the soil more quickly. It's not the first problem that the base has had with pollution: Jet fuel, solvents and other pollutants have already contaminated the groundwater. At least they tried.
::ENN...
Mad Mod Bamboo Towels
by Warren McLaren, Sydney on 07.30.05
The final in our little bathroom trio. Although we’ve brought you towels made from 100% bamboo before, here be another source. The usual benefits of bamboo apply - fast growing alternative crop that enhances soil and doesn’t require synthetic encouragement. Yet for all its ruggedness it yields a soft, absorbent fibre, that it seems is just right for making thirsty bath towels. Oddly the set offered by Mad Mod has the identical retail price of $58 USD, as our previously noted supplier. Wonder if they are from the same source? Ah, well, the more bamboo the merrier. ::Mad Mod ...
Organic Guy Body Care
by Warren McLaren, Sydney on 07.30.05
Decided to do a triptych of bathroom posts - here is the second in the series! The Organic Guy dropped us a line to announce their recent arrival on the scene. And while we haven’t personally tried any of their product, we were impressed with how Tammie and John Polley are going about their business. They make body care stuff, you know, shampoos, soaps, deodorants, moisturisers and the like. But in contrast to the usual chemical laden product pushed onto the market, they have set themselves some high benchmarks to aspire to. No chemical preservatives, such as parabens. No aluminium. No synthetic colour or fragrances. And a heap of other No’s. One of my favourites, being no sodium lauryl sulfate, a common ingredient in shampoo -it’s a big contributor to that nasty scum that lines your bath, yeh, the dreaded ‘bath ring’. Organic Guy doesn’t test their products on little furry critters locked in a lab either, but on themselves. ...
Q&A. The Close Shave
by Warren McLaren, Sydney on 07.30.05
Q. Greetings Treehugger. I was hoping that you could help me out with a concern of mine. I’m a relatively hairful man who requires a rather frequent shaving schedule so as not to overly irritate my girlfriend's sensitive skin. I have become more and more concerned about my impacts on this Earth of ours and was hoping that you could help me find the most eco-friendly way of shaving. Any advice you could offer will be greatly appreciated. Thank you very much for your time. Mark F....
Bob Graham Opines on the New Energy Bill
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 07.29.05
Good commentary this morning on NPR from former Senator Bob Graham (D-Fla.) about the new energy bill approved by the Senate this morning. The bill, which calls for an increase in domestic energy production from clean coal, oil, nuclear and wind sources, offers subsidies to encourage more domestic drilling for oil and natural gas, construction of nuclear power plants and expansion of energy transmission systems nationwide. That's all well and good, says Graham, but what about when our domestic oil sources run dry?...
Q&A: Window Coverings
by Kara DiCamillo, Newport, Rhode Island on 07.29.05
We received an email from Treehugger reader Jack W. inquiring about window coverings, shades or blinds. It’s a great question, Jack, since those “budget-friendly” mini blinds are not only low quality but can also contain lead in the plastic. We did some research and found a site with all-natural bamboo blinds at a competitive price. The Jiangsu Blinds at WindowDesigner.com are sturdy, durable and are available in a few different colors. They are more stable and harder than wood and purchasing bamboo helps save our trees, which of course we love. As far as curtains, we’d recommend checking out Rawganique who we’ve featured before. They have attractive window treatments made from, you guessed it, 100% organic hemp that is naturally resistant to UV rays and won’t break down in the sun. Also included in your purchase are the 100% macramé hemp rings. Available in eight different colors and four different sizes. We also recommend Anna Sova who designs 100% organic cotton drapery, depending on your style. We hope this helps and thanks for the inquiry! ::WindowDesigner.com ::Rawganique ::Anna Sova ...
New George Clooney Movie Gives TerraPass a Boost
by Erin Courtenay - Madison, WI on 07.29.05
When the new George Clooney/ Matt Damon flick, Syriana is released later this year, the private emissions trading program Terra Pass will get star billing. In the call to action at the film’s conclusion, the audience will be encouraged to participate in the TerraPass program. While the long-term impact of the program, which allows drivers (and non-drivers) to purchase and retire CO2 emissions credits, is TBD, it is certain that participants are eager to find a solution to America’s naïve approach to the Kyoto protocol. Read more about the upcoming film at the Participant Productions website. Via BusinessWeek online ...
Testing a Human-Powered Lawn Mower
by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada on 07.29.05
Since I take my investigative journalism duties seriously (ha!), I borrowed a human-powered lawn mower from my uncle and mowed my parents' lawn with it. I expected it to be more problems, or at least slower, than their regular gas-powered mower (a noisy and polluting beast, yuck), but was pleasantly surprised. In fact, I'd say that it went faster than with the gas mower since it's a lot lighter and you can almost jog with it (or at least walk pretty fast). Grass cuttings went back to the lawn, the way it should be, and I did not disturb the neighbors with horrible noise. Not to mention the absence of awful emissions in the atmosphere (that's what you get from a 2-stroke engine without a catalytic converter). Two thumbs up! I highly recommend that Treehugger readers who were suspicious about these hand mowers try a quality one. It makes it very clear just how wasteful and overkill a gas mower is for regular lawns.
::Past Treehugger Article About Sunlawn Mowers...
Clean Agency: Creating an Environment for Success
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 07.29.05
Clean Agency was founded on the basic premise that the best ideas in the world can't accomplish much if nobody knows about them. Companies that produce innovative environmental products and services —- or have replaced wasteful practices with more environmentally sound alternatives —- need effective ways to generate awareness. Clean Agency helps bring these company's products to the ever-growing green marketplace through strategic planning, public relations, media plans, messaging, corporate branding and creative online and offline applications. With a client list including GreenBiz and IdeaLab!, they're helping innovative companies reach new audiences, growing their products and helping to make the world a better, more TreeHugger-friendly place. ::CleanAgency...
Hyundai & Kia To Bring Hybrids To US Next Year
by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada on 07.29.05
Hyundai was not expected to bring hybrid vehicles to the US until after 2007, but the schedule for their introduction to North-America was moved up. Korean hybrids should be available late in 2006. The expected models are redesigned versions of the Hyundai Accent and Kia Rio. A hybrid version of these cars are already being produced in Korea, but only in very small quantities (in the hundreds). Larger hybrids won't come from these automakers until 2008 or the beginning of 2009. The hybrid exports to the US seem more like an experiment than anything else: "The number that we ship to the United States will be very few, to see the reaction, I don't think we can make a profit with hybrids in the United States," said Lee Hyun Soon. No overflowing enthusiasm, but then again, Toyota didn't expect the Prius to sell this well either. I'm curious to know what kind of hybrid powertrain will be used; "assist" like Honda or "full" like Toyota.
::AutoWeek, via ::Green Car Congress...
Dansko's Professional Clogs Go PVC-free
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 07.29.05
Known the world over for their ultra-comfortable shoes, Dansko has given TreeHuggers something to smile about. Their Professional line of clogs, pictured here, were, until recently, made with bad-boy plastic polyvinyl chloride (better known to some of us as PVC; we've mentioned it's unpleasantness before). The good folks at Dansko have changed their minds about using PVC, thankfully, and have replaced the inner frame of their popular clogs with polypropylene. The clog, the footwear choice of many doctors, nurses, chefs and other people who spend their professional lives on their feet, carries the "Seal of Acceptance from the American Podiatric Medical Association. ::Dansko...
Growing in the city –Leopoldo’s City Vegetable Garden
by Petz Scholtus, Barcelona, Spain on 07.29.05
Hey you treehugging urbanites out there, are you still wishing you could ‘green–up’ you lives a little, but struggling to find the space to develop your green fingers? We all know that living in the city, usually in ‘compact’ apartment blocks, affords us little opportunity to grow our own. The fresh herb plants fail to stay alive in the dark kitchen and somehow we just never get around to starting our own allotment. Well the Leopoldo City Vegetable Garden is designed to encourage people with limited space to create their own ‘home allotment’....
Can I Water My Plants WIth It?
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 07.29.05
We've had a series of water use questions, all related to what readers might safely do with air conditioner or dehumidifier discharge water ("condensate"). Guess its hard to bring yourself to pour it down the drain when you're in the middle of an historic drought. Here are some short answers, written like a FAQ. Feel free to 'pipe in' with your insights....
Californians Want State To Act On Climate
by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada on 07.29.05
The SF Gate has a report on some polls showing that a strong majority of Californians "reject [the] Bush administration assertions that global warming is not yet a proven phenomenon" and want their state to take action to fight global warming. Here come the numbers: "77 percent of respondents favor a state law requiring automakers to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from new cars beginning in 2009 [...] Three in four respondents say that global warming is a "very serious" or "somewhat serious" threat [...] 54 percent of respondents favor having state government create its own policies to address global warming. [...] only 35 percent thought state government should have primary responsibility for setting air quality standards, [but] just 17 percent of respondents thought the federal government was up to the job." Clearly people are not fooled by Bush's Orwellian-named policies (Clear Skies, Clean Coal, Healthy Forests) and stalling tactics ("Global warming is just a theory, lets wait..."). Now what Americans need to do is turn this popular support for eco-issues into political power so that US politicians can't afford to ignore environmental issues anymore.
::SFGate...
TreeHugger Looking for Interns
by TreeHugger on 07.29.05
Burley Bike Trailers
by Warren McLaren, Sydney on 07.29.05
A wee while since we’ve had a bicycle trailer here, (such as the Evolution) so let’s fill that void with Burley. An very apt ‘beefy’ brand name, just right for their Nomad model (pictured), which they reckon will cope with a whopping load of 100 lbs (45 kg). Having two wheels allows it to easily manage such mammoth capacity, Whereas other beasts of burden, like the equally useful but single wheeled BOB Yaks are only comfortable with about 70 lbs (32 kg). The Burley Nomad has a large, easy-to-access cargo space with a weatherproof cover, but if that room is not enough, you can add an additional rack above. Disassembles swiftly and packs away into optional carry bags for storage or carriage. Burley also do kids trailers as well as the Flatbed, (pic below) which is just like a utility ‘pick up’ for bikes, perfect for hauling odd sized and shaped loads. ::Burley Trailers ...
Green Design in India
by Warren McLaren, Sydney on 07.29.05
Recently we spoke of a line of biodegradable footwear from India, that was a winner in the IDSA 2005 IDEA awards. We don’t often write much about India but it seems like there might be quite a bit happening we should be aware of. So we now bring you the Green Design focus page from Design in India. You’ll find reports on Solar Energy Lights for the Urban Poor and Environment for Children as well as case studies on Sustainable Energy. Links to the Barefoot College and Women for Sustainable Development. Dig around further and you’ll turn up fascinating stuff like the REVA NXG - an electric concept car (A “two-seater roadster with an extended range of 200 Kilometers per charge and a speed of 120 Kilometers per hour”), or recycled paper furniture made for kids, or a multimedia museum to the inspiration work of Mahatma Gandhi. And boy, was was it ever refreshing to see a design site focus some attention also on the needs of the disabled, elderly and rural dwellers. ::Design In India’s Green Focus ...
Parque Pumalin - Conservation Gift For The Future
by Warren McLaren, Sydney on 07.29.05
Noticed a few readers having the odd reservations about Mr Dicaprio’s eco-resort plans. Maybe they could bring Leo up to speed on Parque Pumalin. He may never have heard of Doug Tompkins but he'll probably know The North Face and Esprit. Well, Doug was once the owner of those brands. A keen climber, he had been on many trips to Chile’s Patagonia and the wild beauty of land must've left a lasting impression on him. (As it had on his climbing buddy Yvon Chouinard, who named his outdoor clothing business Patagonia) Anyhow, an opportunity came up for Doug to buy 42,000 acres of ranch down that way. One thing lead to another and now there are 700,000 acres, forming two almost contiguous reserves called Parque Pumalin. This an eco-resort with a difference. The park is open to the public and has camping, cabins and many self-guided walking trails. ...
Ministry's blog
by Erwan Pianezza, Locronan, Brittany on 07.28.05
No this is not a hoax. yes we'd been complaining about French governement beeing kind of backwards on environmental issues. Well the newly nominated Ministry of Ecology and Sustainable Development's has decided to move on with a new blog featuring educationnal content, mainly on the subjects of water and climate change....
Ani DiFranco and Indigo Girls Take it to the Hill
by Erin Courtenay - Madison, WI on 07.28.05
Forgoing the usual benefit concert, Ani DiFranco, the Indigo Girls and actor James Cromwell took direct action earlier this week when they went to Washington to meet with a dozen senators. According to the Salt Lake Tribune, the group was there to "lobby senators to fight the plan by Private Fuel Storage to store 44,000 tons of nuclear waste on the Skull Valley reservation, about 50 miles southwest of Salt Lake City. The group also took aim at the energy bill in final negotiations between members of the House and Senate, which the activists said is heavy on subsidies and polluting energy and too light on renewable energy such as wind power." Read more about their visit at the Salt Lake Tribune's website http://sltrib.com/utah/ci_2890652...
Weekend Event: Brooklyn For Free
by Kara DiCamillo, Newport, Rhode Island on 07.28.05
This weekend in Brooklyn, check out the streetfest that celebrates art, affordable housing and DIY projects. On Saturday, July 30th, from 11am to 7pm, BKLYN Underwater will present “Brooklyn For Free.” The sustainability and arts festival will include children’s activities and several non-profit groups including Develop Don’t Destroy Brooklyn. Bedford Ave., at N. 7th Street. Via ::Daily Candy ::BKLYN Under Water...
Doggie Bath Bombs by Jillian With a J
by Kara DiCamillo, Newport, Rhode Island on 07.28.05
We tried Jillian with a J’s bath salts and bath bombs and when we got a hold of the Doggie Bath Bombs, Duke was excited as soon as we opened the box. The bombs are a mixture of USDA certified organic pet shampoo and animal-safe skin treatment that has been molded into a solid form. The key to Jillian’s invention is that all you have to do is throw the bomb in the water and it bubbles and fizzes, saving us the trouble of holding on to the slippery shampoo bottle and squirmy Duke at the same time. The eco-friendly shampoo is made with coconut, aloe vera, rosemary and a combination of olive, jojoba, tea tree and orange oils. This shampoo is combined with citric acid, cornstarch, Epsom salts and healing Shea butter. Shea butter adds an emollient layer to a dog’s skin to help relive itching and to alleviate the discomfort of dry skin. Not only was Duke clean and smelling good but oh-so-happy too. One bomb for $5.00 or three bombs for $10.00. ::Jillian With a J ...
Producing Printer Ink From Car Tires?
by Justin Thomas, Virginia on 07.28.05
Printer ink can cost as much as vintage champagne, so finding an inexpensive and eco-effective way to make it would be great. Now three inventors from Derbyshire, UK, think they have just the solution: extract the carbon from unwanted tires to generate a cheap and plentiful supply....
Kyocera's "Solar Grove" Parking Lot
by Justin Thomas, Virginia on 07.28.05
Kyocera recently installed its first public "Solar Grove" consisting of 25 "solar trees" that converts a 186-vehicle parking lot into a 235 kW solar electric generating system. The system's 25 solar trees form a carport in a Kyocera employee parking lot, utilizing a total of 1,400 Kyocera KC-187G solar photovoltaic (PV) modules and 200 custom-manufactured, light-filtering PV modules....
Toyota and Honda to Market Hybrids More
by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada on 07.28.05
Until now, Toyota and Honda have been fairly low key about their hybrids. That can partially be explained by the relatively tight supply (no need to advertise something if you can't make enough of it), but they probably also just wanted to wait until the technology was real-world tested on a decent scale before cranking it up a notch (nobody wants to make a mistake that will forever damage the reputation of a potentially lucrative technology). Sure, hybrids are reviewed in almost all car publications and sometimes in the mass media, but TVs and magazines are not flooded with hybrid ads the way they are flooded with legacy automobile ads. That could change, as Toyota and Honda announced that they will push their hybrid systems more starting this fall. They plan to promote their hybrid technology more than individual vehicles....
Dump those Teflon Pans
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 07.28.05
Many years ago we made our mom throw out her beloved aluminum pots and pans because of fears about links to Alzheimers disease, and bought her a nice set of teflon coated utensils to replace it. Perhaps this was not a wise move- a University of Toronto chemist has shown that Teflon coated pans release perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), a "likely carcinogen" and other chemicals when heated to 360 celsius, admittedly far above normal cooking temperatures, unless you use a solar sizzler. Manufacturer Dupont has been hit with a US$5-Billion lawsuit from people who claim that they were not warned about the dangers of chemicals related to Teflon; Dupont says it its Teflon products are safe and do not contain or release PFOA. We look to our chemistry treehugger John for more technical information on this issue. ::Nature ...
Ice Energy's Cool Add-On Ups AC Efficiency 30%.
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 07.28.05
Instead of "look...a runaway bride", TreeHugger writers go more for "look..homeowners can save hundreds each month". We're that way because we know our readers love commonsense technologies like bicycles as much as they do complex new stuff like hybrid cars. Ice Energy's debut product, which upgrades a conventional air conditioner by using night-made ice to shave the expensive peak daytime AC load, certainly seems to be the real "Big Green" deal. They claim up to a 95% day-time air conditioning efficiency boost, and, according to a DOE review, a 30% overall energy savings. This should give serious pause to the other Federal agencies who think the only practical route forward is to "drill our way out" of Peak Oil and ignore the risk of climate change....
Secret "Alternative to Kyoto" Suddenly Appears
by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada on 07.28.05
The environment minister of Australia has announced that his country will join the US, India, Japan, South Korea and China to form a new pact – billed as an alternative to Kyoto – putting restrictions on the emission of greenhouse gases. It's a "U.S.-driven secret alliance called the Asia-Pacific Partnership for Clean Development and Climate." We have to admit that we share Sustainablog's pessimism on this one. We'll believe it when we see it, but we've pretty much lost hope to see anything positive being done about global warming in the US at the federal level, at least while the oilmen are in power. Maybe we're just cynics, but a backroom deal like this one was probably made because it started to seem inevitable that something would have to be done and so, by going ahead with a deal before its forced on them, they can dictate what's in it better and have an excuse for not joining the rest of the world with Kyoto or post-Kyoto, and thus avoid acting based on a relatively transparent process. It's their deal, they only have to give what they want to give. We should have more details soon, lets hope we are wrong and it's a wonderful pact.
::New Emissions Pact as Alternative to Kyoto Protocol, via ::Sustainablog...
Schamburg and Alvisse’s ‘Eco-evolution’ Furniture
by Warren McLaren, Sydney on 07.28.05
Over a decade ago, interior designer Marc Schamburg and architect Michael Alvisse established their studio and went on to develop some cool and green designs. S+A, as they like to be known, work primarily with the commerical sector and those residential customers who appreciate ‘designer’ furniture. Some of their work shows strong eco-ethics and their web site even has information devoted primarily to the topic. It’s here that you learn about their fondness for recycled materials, particularly Recopol (which we’ll bring you more on, in a later post), Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified timbers and use of stainless steel (over the more problematic chrome plating). They even ship goods wrapped in reusable blankets to reduce packaging. Their grandly titled “025 Conference chair” is one of the pieces that is fashioned from Recopol, which uses 50% less greenhouse emissions and 80% less energy compared to virgin resins. The Miss Molly sled chair has a seat made from FSC approved walnut veneer and those aforementioned steel legs, thus “minimising release of toxic acids and heavy metals” inherent in chrome production. S+A also list a bunch of eco links and books they hope other designers will take green inspiration from. Made in Australia.::Schamburg and Alvisse ...
Sector 9's Pintail Bamboo Skateboard
by Warren McLaren, Sydney on 07.28.05
Way back in ‘04 we noted Shiva-Tech were making skateboards from one of our favourite materials - yep, you guessed it - bamboo. Seems that link is no longer valid. So, how fortuitously was it that Tipster Tony P had found Sector 9, huh? They make three models of bamboo skate, including one for shorter enthusiasts. But the Pintail (pictured here) will suit, should you have the “need for speed”. Apparently, as we’ve discussed before with surfboards and snowboards bamboo gets right close to giving ideal pop, spring, rebound or general responsiveness. The Gear Guys describe the Pintail Longboard as a “downhill demon ... more stable and maneuverable at higher speeds than any other Sector 9 shape.” $70 USD for just the deck and about $180 USD for the whole shebang. And, as best as we can make out, Sector 9 craft them in the USA. ::Sector 9 Bamboo Series ...
Vittoria Revolution KXS - The Inside-Out Tyre
by Warren McLaren, Sydney on 07.28.05
Maybe it was our post on bicycle tyre rubbers that led tipster Jim C to point us towards the Vittoria Revolution KXS. A bicycle road tyre (115-150psi) that’s designed to be used inside out! It has a special tread pattern on both sides. One being a slick for speed and dry weather and the other for traction and grip on wet roads. Now there is nothing obviously green in the materials used, such as polycotton and kevlar, but getting double function from the one product we do score highly and it is suggested that you should also have double the puncture resistance and increased tyre life. This is supposedly because you have two treads to wear through, though we understand the tread is a tad thinner on each side, compared to normal patterns, to retain a good ride. A review at Pedal Pusher did rate the ride highly but needed more convincing on the durability and puncture proofing aspects. Available widely at stores like Competitive Cyclist and others for about $70 USD (And whether they work exactly as advertised is almost beside the point, because we just love to see the cogs of the design process turning in new directions and coming up with innovations that force an industry to think again. Viva la Revolution.) ::Vittoria ...
TreeHugger Almost: Sunlight Gardens
by Kara DiCamillo, Newport, Rhode Island on 07.27.05
While looking for native plants and vines, our tipster Meghan L. came across Sunlight Gardens. The plants that Sunlight Gardens sell aren’t necessarily organic (at least not what we found) but they do have a good policy about not removing flowers and plants from the wild. Instead, the husband and wife team go and collect the seeds in what seems to be a sustainable way, cultivate and propagate them in their greenhouse and then sell them on their website. Now of course all of you know that we’d rather you buy from a local nursery, but Meghan has a point in saying that they aren’t always easy to find. Thanks Meghan, and to find a nursery in your area, check Local Harvest. ::Sunlight Gardens ...
Interface Fabrics Introduces New Eco Fabrics
by Kara DiCamillo, Newport, Rhode Island on 07.27.05
Celebrating ten years green, Interface Fabrics has become more well-known with its unique collection of products, including BioBac and carpet tiles, and they continue to add new eco fabrics to their lines. Terratex is a family of products that uses recycled polyester, bio-based PLA fibers and sustainable wool. The Terratex fabric is woven into unique patterns and is used for upholstery by, for example, furniture makers and is available in seven new fabrics: KnollTextiles, DesignTex, Silver Slate, HBF, Haworth, Pollack and Momentum. Check out the Interface site for all of their eco-friendly products. ::Interface ...
Unexpectedly, The Sierra Club Praises SUV
by Justin Thomas, Virginia on 07.27.05
Unexpectedly, the Sierra Club has agreed to promote Ford's new gas-electric hybrid SUV, the Mercury Mariner Hybrid, to its 300,000 members and will work with the company to educate consumers about gas-electric hybrids. The $30,000 Mariner went on sale this month and is rated by the Environmental Protection Agency at 33 miles per gallon in the city and 29 on the highway — about one-third more fuel efficient than the gasoline-powered Mariner. ...
DiCaprio Plans Eco-Friendly Island Resort
by Justin Thomas, Virginia on 07.27.05
Actor Leonardo DiCaprio has purchased a Caribbean island, intending to turn it into an eco-friendly resort. He reportedly plans to spend millions transforming the 104-acre Blackadore Caye island, off the coast of Belize, into an eco-friendly retreat. Perhaps the most eco-friendly thing to do would not build the resort at all. Anyways, the plans call for the resort to include exclusive villas, all with private pools and terraces as well as direct access to the beach. The resort is designed to respect the island's wildlife and tropical surroundings. ...
Reader Asks About Tree-Free Paper in Portland
by Justin Thomas, Virginia on 07.27.05
One of our readers, Annie, wrote in asking this question, perhaps some of you can help her out:
I am looking for some lovely, heavy-weight paper to use in our wedding invitations. My ideal would be tree-free, but I'm open to 100% post-consumer stuff. The catch: I need to buy it fast so it needs to be available in a store in the Portland area. Any suggestions?. ...
Organic Farming More Than Competitive
by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada on 07.27.05
What some of us already knew is being confirmed by a Cornell University study: "Organic farming produces the same yields of corn and soybeans as does conventional farming, but uses 30 percent less energy, less water and no pesticides, a review of a 22-year farming trial study concludes." Of course, the people who make fortunes selling fertilizer, herbicides, pesticides, GMO crops, etc, don't want people to know that. We must keep believing that the kind of agriculture we're seeing since the "Green Revolution" (a misnomer from the environmental perspective, you can read about it here) is the only viable way to do things and that organic methods are a throwback to less efficient times and more expensive (which is often wrong, since a big part of the costs of regular agriculture come from the high prices of fertilizer, pesticides, herbicides, patented GMOs, etc). In fact, as far as we know organic farming would be cheaper than non-organic if it was as heavily subsidized. I guess we need a stronger lobby....
Hydro Power For Windsor Castle
by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada on 07.27.05
The main residence of Elizabeth II, the British queen, will get a hydro-electric power system. The £1,000,000 project (US$1,73 million) will consist of a series of underwater turbines in the Thames. It will generate about one third of the electricity used by the castle (200 kilowatts), offsetting 600 tonnes of CO2 per year. "As well as being carefully designed to fit into the surroundings, the project will have little impact on the ecology, navigation and marine life of the river." If only the paparazzi covered stuff like that...
::Times, ::Reuters, via ::WikiNews...
For Sale By Owner: Low Miles, Best Offer
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 07.27.05
We're on our own TreeHuggers. As if to drive the obvious home, the US Congress conference committee recently cut all remaining energy conservation measures from the proposed Federal Energy Bill. Not to despair: the door down the hall just opened wider for green entrepreneurs. In front yards along America's thorofares are appearing late model SUV's with "For Sale By Owner" signs. It's just what happened after the previous oil shortage, when gas lines reached around the block. Inefficiency beaches itself on the curb, as dealers turn down trade-ins. Once gasoline hits the magic #3, curb-sides will be lined with their sun baked carcases. ...
Wall Street Journal on Toxic Chemicals
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 07.27.05
We mentioned earlier the Wall Street Journal's article on small doses of common industrial chemicals. It was described yesterday in Grist as "a blockbuster piece of environmental reporting" (alas, the article, not our post) It appears to be available free from the Journal at ::WSJonline and we have found a free link from a newspaper that picked it up: ::Naples Daily News- Free subscription may be required. ...
Touch Activated, LED Lamps by Stereoluz
by Justin Thomas, Virginia on 07.26.05
Lighting designer Trey Gerfers creates touch-activated, ambient lights and illuminated tables. He uses a variety of materials in his design — sometimes old maps, sometimes wood paneling and LEDs. He created the company Stereoluz, to keep up with the demand for his custom lights.
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Bios Urn
by Justin Thomas, Virginia on 07.26.05
The Bios Urn is a conceptual design by Martín Ruiz de Azúa — it's an urn for cremated remains that is made out of compacted coconut shells mixed with a layer of organic fertilizer. Inside the mixture is a seed that will germinate upon burial of the urn and grow into a tree. Of course, your remains are more nutrient rich if they are not cremated. A similar product was noted previously here. :: Via productdose...
The "Light Bench" by Runge
by Justin Thomas, Virginia on 07.26.05
This bench features FSC certified tropical wood and integrated LED lighting. We're not a fan of unnecessary outside light, but the illumination here is subdued — a green glow via LEDs. Runge, in a company in Germany, designs and manufactures hundreds of different types of urban seating. LED lighting is available with its Banksyteme Varial, Woodial and Spot bank consoles. I think we'll be see a lot more of these types of embedded LED products in the near future. :: Runge via Trendir...
Moscardino Spork
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 07.26.05
We've covered biodegradable place settings and disposable dinnerware previously, but we've never seen anything like the Moscardino spork designed by Giulio Iacchetti and Matteo Ragni (see their Italian site here). Produced by Pandora Design in Italy, this sexy little spork was awarded the pretigious Italian Compasso d'Oro in 2001. They're small enough for easy use by children and grand for picnics and brown bag lunches. The sporks are made of Mater-Bi, a completely biodegradable starch-based plastic, which stands up to repeated use and prolonged contact with liquids, achieving 90 percent degradation in about 50 days under normal aerobic composting conditions. Thus, the spork helps conserve our increasingly finite petroleum resources, reduces greenhouse emissions (the plants grown to produce starch use carbon dioxide from the air to produce oxygen by photosynthesis. When the plastic from the starch decays, carbon dioxide is released, but this is equivalent to the amount the plant used up originally, so the net gain of carbon dioxide is zero.) and creates no waste and no long-term disposal problem. Mater-Bi is produced by annother Italian company, Novamont, which has won world-wide acclaim for its research and innovation in waste disposal methods....
The Alternative Energy Store
by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada on 07.26.05
The Alternative Energy Store was created in 1999 by three engineers who thought that renewable energy products should be offered to consumers along with free educational materials. The store seems to have most things one could be looking for, from books and videos to wind turbines, solar panels, hydropower equipment, various low-power appliances and lighting fixtures, batteries, composting toilets, etc. It is located in Worcester, Massachusetts (USA) and has sold equipment as far as Antarctica (to a research facility). To learn more about alternative energies and how to install a system, you can go to what they call the "Alt-E University", and each product page also has a fairly detailed description and specification sheet. You can even chat with other renewable-energy pioneers on the forum. While you're at it, check out this beauty.
::Alternative Energy Store...
Organic Farms and College Campuses
by Kara DiCamillo, Newport, Rhode Island on 07.26.05
It seemed when we wrote about Yale University and their sustainable food project, we were just starting to hear about college students wanting more than just pizza and beer. But student-run farms are starting to become more and more popular across the country with almost 60 schools in 27 states participating, and farm sizes ranging from a half acre to 200. And what we are seeing even more of is the amount of colleges and universities who are supporting their local farmers. From Oregon to Rhode Island sustainable agriculture is being viewed as a great opportunity. We think that this is just another example of how the food movement is moving to not only organic, but locally grown as well. To view a full story with examples of participating colleges and universities click here. Thanks for the tip, “Jonom!” Via ::Yahoo...
the Solar Sizzler: an affordable solar cooker
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 07.26.05
Treehugger loves writing about solar cookers. Here is one that has a special feature: you can buy it online and it is really cheap. It mounts on a camera tripod and comes apart so that you can fit it in a knapsack and take it camping. It's certainly not the most sophisticated cooker we have seen but at less than US$50 the price is toasty. It might make a good telescope at night, too. ::Solar Sizzler...
Stargen Enzyme Maker Genencor Wins Award
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 07.26.05
Our readers sometimes ask us where they might look for a job that lets them make a positive difference. TreeHuggers just can't help themselves: we're understanding. That's why when comes a new product or service that seems to have that transformational quality, we might give it some mention. For example, Genencor International was recently selected by R&D Magazine for its list of the Top 100 Technologically Significant Products for 2005. Genencor was listed for it's new STARGEN(TM) enzyme that reduces the number of steps and cost of producing ethanol. When a biotech firm dedicates resources to making renewable energy cost effective, its a hopeful sign that someone gets it. That Genencor also won an award as one of the best US workplaces, adds corroboration. "For example its commute program in the San Francisco Bay Area is frequently cited as one of the best in California and the U.S. for offering free train passes and cars and bicycles that can be used to run errands, etc. Back-up childcare services are provided when normal school or day care is not available for the day". More information below:...
UK Researchers Find Process for Stronger Plastic
by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada on 07.26.05
The laws of physics being what they are, it takes more energy to move something heavy than something light. That's the first reason why this new process to maker stronger plastics discovered by a British consortium is interesting. It would allow to make lighter auto parts and thus boost fuel economy. But another aspect is interesting: Since this new plastic is very strong on its own, it won't need to be reinforced by glass composites or other materials - like what is currently done - making it more easily recyclable. "The prototype components have been developed as part of a 2 year research and development project, called RECYCLE, supported by the EPSRC and DTI, under the LINK Foresight Vehicle Programme, administered by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders." They didn't test their stuff on just any car either. A Lotus Elise was what they worked with, and the new parts were 57% lighter than the original ones. A big gain considering that engineers will often work hard or use more expensive materials to gain only a few percent (ie. Putting an aluminum hood on the Toyota Prius to help offset the weight of the batteries).
::UK Project Unlocks Door to Recyclable Automotive Panels, ::Green Car Congress, ::AutoBlog & thanks to reader Mark Winn for the tip!...
Mexican Government Eco Tips
by Paula Alvarado, Buenos Aires on 07.26.05
At the Mexican Environmental and Natural Resources Office website, which has lots of information about events and an educational section with several documents on waste, contamination and recycling, we found this very friendly flyer: "100 tips to take care of the environment from home", prepared for children to start concerning about everyday details that can make a huge difference. It's a pity it's only available in Spanish, as it might work perfect for ecology classes at school.
Well, the thing is that by reading it, we found out that some of the stuff are maybe regulars we all Treehuggers try to do, but some tips were pretty smart alternatives that some might not have thought of. These are the ones we picked......
Wall Street Journal- Treehugger Edition
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 07.25.05
We were scratching our heads while reading the Journal today- the rabid anti-treehugger fishwrap has a cover article on "Common Industrial Chemicals in Tiny Doses Raise Health Issue" covering the toxic effects of small doses of Phthalates, BPA and perchlorates. Then there is an entire section on The Car of the Future, including an interview with Amory Lovins and a good article on the current state, and future potential, of alternative fuel technologies, which they have deigned to make available online for free. We read the Journal to get the view from the Dark Side- we may have to start watching Fox! ::Wall Street Journal...
Man Retrofits Freezer to Make an Ultra-Efficient Fridge
by Justin Thomas, Virginia on 07.25.05
An off-grid experimenter in Australia, Tom Chalko, has retrofitted a chest freezer to create a fridge that uses only 100 watt-hours (0.1 kWh) per day! Why a chest freezer? Tom points out that vertical door refrigerators are inherently inefficient. As soon as you open a vertical fridge door the cold air escapes, simply because it is heavier than the warmer air in the room. When you open a chest freezer, the cool air stays inside, just because it’s heavy. Any leak or wear in a vertical door seal causes significant loss of efficiency....
Bombardier Embrio: take that, Segway!
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 07.25.05
Bombardier may be reviled by Treehuggers everywhere for inventing the Ski-doo and the Sea-doo, but if you like fast-moving vehicles they are pretty innovative. The new Embrio uses gyroscopes longditudinal stability and a little training wheel for starting and stopping. Of course, it is powered by a hydrogen fuel cell. ::Funfurde
UPDATE: Treehugger scans a lot of sites and reads a lot of papers. This item was in Forbes Magazine and we posted it, but readers have pointed out that it old and it is vaporware. In fact, Wired covered it in November 2003 and Seqway called it vaporware then. We apologise- it's that treehugger instinct to recycle.
...
Eco-Poetry Contest
by Justin Thomas, Virginia on 07.25.05
Here's an opportunity to turn your passion for the environment into a cool prize. Kate's Caring Gifts is sponsoring two environmental poetry contests -- one for limericks and one for haikus. If you send in your entries by September 15, 2005 you'll have a chance to win a $100 gift certificate or a $50 gift certificate (2 awards in each category). If you can rhyme, definitely go for the limericks. If you're more into thoughtful metaphors, try out the haiku contest. ...
Honda Cub Concept by Sam Jilbert
by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada on 07.25.05
We are sure that if the photo of this concept gets in the right hands, this great fuel cell motorcycle design will appear in the next Spielberg sci-fi movie. It's a perfect fit with the kind of clean and minimalist yet unusual image of our future that a certain part of Hollywood has been showing us lately (I Robot and Minority Report come to mind). Sam Jilbert, the designer who created this concept for a Transportation Design course at Northumbria University, explains: "I've based this concept around the Honda Cub, which has been around for decades and is still very popular on the continent with locals and tourists alike. The Cub is very practical but this concept takes it to a new level, with a provocative image and being environmentally responsible, the new Cub should appeal to young city professionals and the young trendy market in general." Who knows if we'll ever see motorcycles shaped like that on the streets? But it's still a really cool concept.
Thanks to Takashi Yamada of Yanko Design for the tip!
::College Exhibition: Northumbria University Show 2005, via ::Yanko Design...
It Slices, It Dices: Pollution Eating Concrete
by Tim McGee, Western Massachusetts on 07.25.05
Another tip came our way from Brian to check out a Wired News story on "Scrubbing Bubbles Hit the Streets". Turns out that nanotechnology can do more then keep your pants stain free - a coating of titanium dioxide on concrete surfaces has the ability to turn common pollution into non-hazardous waste. A Swedish-Finnish collaboration is setting out to create these multifunction materials for civil engineering. I think this is just the start of beautiful friendship between nanotechnology and green living....
Green Diesel: Plant Carbohydrate-Based Fuel
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 07.25.05
Researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison have discovered a new way to make a diesel-like liquid fuel from carbohydrates commonly found in plants. For those interested in the technical specifications of the process, they used a four-phase catalytic reactor in which corn and other biomass-derived carbohydrates can be converted to sulfur-free liquid alkanes, resulting in an ideal additive for diesel fuel. One of the researchers, George Huber, stated that "the fuel produced contains 90 percent of the energy found in the carbohydrate and hydrogen feed. If you look at a carbohydrate source such as corn, our new process has the potential to creates twice the energy as is created in using corn to make ethanol." Wow.
About 75 percent of the dry weight of herbaceous and woody biomass is composed of carbohydrates. Because the UW-Madison process works with a range of carbohydrates, a wide range of plants, and more parts of the plant, can be consumed to make the fuel. "The current delivered cost of biomass is comparable or even cheaper than petroleum-based feedstock on an energy basis," Huber says. "This is one step in figuring out how to efficiently use our biomass resources." Keep up the good work!...
Jumping on the wristband wagon
by Petz Scholtus, Barcelona, Spain on 07.25.05
Have you noticed people’s wrists lately? There seems to be a rash of colour spreading up arms across the nation. On closer inspection the dazzling rainbow effects on people’s arms turn out to be wristbands. And if you look closer still you will notice that these bright bands of colour have messages on them. Live Strong, Make Poverty History, Breakthrough Breast Cancer, Beat Bullying. But what are they really trying to tell us? Well apart from the obviously good intentions of promoting charitable causes – the subliminal message seems to be ‘look at me, can you see how charitable I am’ and by proxy if you aren’t wearing a band then obviously the message is ‘you don’t care!’ ...
Bulk LEED Certification Requested by PNC Bank
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 07.25.05
A perfectly predictable progression for corporate America: LEED certify a bank building; then, discover money is saved and customers like it. For the follow on, look for a way to "clone" a design for several branch locations under one certification. According to a recent article in "Building Design and Construction" PNC Bank is pursuing a 90-building project based on a similar notion. If regional design issues with landscaping, solar gain, stormwater managment, and so on, can be accomodated; and, the LEED process is preserved, why not?. The certification and architectural fees...reportedly planning and architectural costs are one of the big reasons "building green" costs more..would drop significantly. Plus, sales volumes would go way up for those who pioneered green materials. Given the thousands of commercial buildings and franchises put up every year, this project could mark the onset of a new era in Green Building....
Chinese Fuel Economy Laws
by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada on 07.25.05
Lately, the economy of China has been growing at a rate usually reserved for credit card debt. Their energy consumption has also been going through the roof, and since oil is getting more expensive and harder to find all the time, the Chinese have devised an oil strategy in 2002 to try to mitigate and delay potential problems as much as possible. Part of it is strict fuel economy regulations, the first phase of which has come into force this year. 38 miles per gallon (mpg) for lighter cars and 19 mpg for the heavier trucks. In 2008, these standards will rise to 43 mpg and 21 mpg respectively. I can't remember how long it took for fuel economy standards to rise by 5 mpg in the US; I suspect it's because I haven't been born for long enough. Another advantage of the Chinese regulations is that the fuel economy standards apply to each individual vehicle and not to fleet averages, which makes it harder for automakers to create a few poor-selling fuel efficient cars while they sell gas-guzzlers by the truckload....
Mercedes Benz goes Bananas
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 07.25.05
Daimler Chrysler has used a few natural fabrics and fibres in its Benz’s before but now is using them in structural parts- a cover for the spare tire in the three-door A class. They are mixing abaca banana fibres with polypropylene for their first structural components combining natural and synthetic fibres. Mercedes claims a 60% reduction in energy required to produce the part,reductions in waste and CO2 emissions. The fibres are up to 2.7 metres long, and are immensely strong and rot resistant. Mercedes is also investing in a project to reforest part of the Philippines where abaca banana plants grow under the forest canopy. Now this is an idea with appeal. ::David Booth in National Post (not online)...
Teens Invent Freon-Free Air Conditioner
by Justin Thomas, Virginia on 07.25.05
Three teenagers have come with an idea that would eliminate the use of Freon in automobile air-conditioning systems by relying on the Peltier effect. With their invention, Tyler Lyon, Daniel Winegar and Chad Thornley won the first-ever "Ricoh Sustainable Development Award" in May. Their device taps into the car's electrical system, using fans to blow hot air through five Peltier chips and then releasing cold air. The product would free drivers from Freon, which despite improvements, remains an ozone-depleting chemical in current air-conditioners. The Peltier chips, which they purchased on eBay for $9.99 each, have a life span of 20 to 30 years and an unfaltering cooling capacity. Like every component in their invention, which can be minimized in size to about 2 inches in width, the chips are recyclable. Via: Salt Lake Tribune...
National Geographic Looks At Future Power
by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada on 07.25.05
Michael Parfit is the author of this very interesting National Geographic article about the different sources of energy that could help us deal (partly) with global warming and peak oil (which they wrote about in their June 2004 issue). "It's time to step up the search for the next great fuel for the hungry engine of humankind. Is there such a fuel? The short answer is no. [...] The long answer about our next fuel is not so grim, however. In fact, plenty of contenders for the energy crown now held by fossil fuels are already at hand: wind, solar, [biomass,] even nuclear, to name a few. But the successor will have to be a congress, not a king. Virtually every energy expert I met did something unexpected: He pushed not just his own specialty but everyone else's too."...
Q&A. Electricity Free Clothes Washing
by Warren McLaren, Sydney on 07.25.05
Q. Hi there, I've been reading your site for about a year now. Good job! Anyway, the washing machines in my condo just went up by a quarter, and so did the dryers. now it's like $3.00 to do a few shirts, some shorts and some underwear. I figure this is a good time to break free of the laundry machine addiction. I tried the old kitchen sink method, but it ain't working too good. So I'm wondering, does Treehugger have any featured products that I can use to do my wash... without electricity and that I can keep in my one bedroom condominium? Thanks much, Justin H....
Puntacana Resort Eco Policies
by Paula Alvarado, Buenos Aires on 07.25.05
It was through the news of exquisite designer Oscar de la Renta designing some of the suites of the Puntacana Resort & Club -Dominican Republic-, that we found out some of the great green policies they are implementing.
At this paradise resort, a system of ponds purifies wastewater from the suites and facilities and re utilizes it in the irrigation of the gardens and golf course grounds. Inside the hotel, all detergents used are biodegradable, and all glass bottles are recycled, while organic waste is composted. The hotel also produces its food with vegetables, fruits and spice obtained from its organic gardens, only steps away from the hotel entrance....
Escalante bamboo speakers
by Erwan Pianezza, Locronan, Brittany on 07.24.05
Have you ever thought of something like 'ecological sound' ? Well if you're a serious treehugger you've probably already read about Escalante eco effective speakers. Well it's good and unusual enough for a sound company to try to use best materials and promote environmental business trips......
o2|e2 : NYC Green Design Network
by Che-Wei Wang, Brooklyn on 07.24.05
o2NYC, of the o2-global eco-design network, is extending its hand to all NYC designers, businesses, and pretty much anyone that is interested in, or involved in the eco-design industry. THe o2|e2 project is working towards expo and online database for 2006 to showcase and promote the greener side of NYC. There is a growing, but largely unrecognized, community of green design businesses sprouting in the five boroughs of New York City. These businesses, whether design consultancies, architecture firms, manufacturing companies or related services, constitute a nascent industry. This industry has the potential to become a significant and positive economic sector for the city, portraying New York as a center for ecological thinking while creating “green-collar” jobs.
Help by spreading the word and filling out their o2|e2 preliminary survey.::o2NYC...
Case Study for Flushless Urinals
by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada on 07.24.05
A 2003 Pacific Institute research titled "Waste Not, Want Not: The Potential for Urban Water Conservation in California" (pdf) tells us that if California's water-use was as efficient as readily available technology allows it to be, a saving of 33% - from 185 gallons per capita per day (gpcd) to 123 gpcd – could be achieve. "Despite their comparatively small use, individuals and businesses can play an important role in conserving water." With that in mind, the people at Triple Pundit have conducted this case study (pdf) on the cost benefit of using flushless urinals at the Kaiser Permanente French Campus Facility in San Francisco....
Dave Pollard's Lawn Care Tips
by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada on 07.24.05
Dave Pollard has posted a useful list of tips for taking care of the lawn. "Save water, save time, save your health, save the environment. And say no to toxic chemicals." We couldn't have said it better ourselves! Tips include: Weed removal, weed prevention, how to deal with insect infestation, weeds in patios and sidewalks and more. Simple stuff that anyone can do, and that everyone should do, especially the tips about allowing more native plants in your yard.
::Lawn, Yawn...
Aquastore in Rome
by Christine Lepisto, Berlin on 07.24.05
If you have travelled through Rome's main train station recently, you may have noticed a well-lit, modern store selling nothing but...water. You have arrived at the AQUA Store. We can forgive the inefficiency of bottled water over the excellent water available from the tap (the Romans have a long history of bringing water efficiently to the people after all), in light of the fact that even healthy, tasty water can give a traveller unaccustomed to the local microscopic beasties a bit of a belly-ache. It is unfortunate, though, that with a plethora of Italian waters available, the AQUA store finds it necesary to offer famous brands imported from France, Germany and the UK among others.
But the AQUA store is more than just a water bar:
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The Green Machine that Could be Detroit
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 07.24.05
Daniel Akst writes occasionally for the New York Times under the appropriate banner "On the Contrary". Today he writes about how Detroit can be saved by going green.
"What if a major automaker decided to reinvent itself as the world's first and only green car company, producing only hybrid, clean-diesel and other high-efficiency vehicles? Not Birkenstocks on wheels, mind you, but enjoyable, functional cars that get great mileage."
read more at ::New York Times free subscription may be required....
Notepower Brings the Sun to Your Lap
by Warren McLaren, Sydney on 07.24.05
TH has now showcased more solar backpacks that you can poke a proton at, but many folk are still seeking something that will charge their laptops. In case you missed it, we did make note of the 13 watt SolarMAX portable panel that could manage such a feat. But digging back through our pile of tipster emails has unearthed yet another. Rachel suggested we have a look at the offering from Sierra Solar Systems. So enthused is she, that she even posted a comment on TH too. Anyhow, their ‘Notepower’ units come with either 2 or 3 photovoltaic (PV) 10 watt panels, which they advise is sufficient to juice up most Macintosh or PC laptops, as well as other 12 volt DC devices too. It seems they have been considerate enough to supply a 10’ (3m) extension cord, so your lap and the thing sitting on it don’t also need to be in the sun. We’re not informed how long a full charge might take but we do know that the 20 watt unit weighs 3 lb (1.4kg) and sells for $250 USD. Thanks Rachel. ::Sierra Solar Systems ...
