- Vijay Vaitheeswaran (part one)
- Vijay Vaitheeswaran (part two)
- Vinay Gupta
- Alyce Santoro
- Mathis Wackernagel
- Tom Price
- Martha Marks
- Paul Hawken
- David Suzuki
- Wal-Mart's Green Gurus
- Alisa Smith and James Mackinnon, authors of Plenty
- Bob Perkowitz of ecoAmerica
- Ed Begley Jr.
- The Weather Channel's Dr. Heidi Cullen
Entries for November 20, 2005 - November 26, 2005
Total this week: 88
Esquire: William McDonough Big Thinker of the Year
by Michael Graham Richard, Gatineau, Canada on 11.26.05
The December 2005 "America's Best & Brightest" issue of Esquire (the one with Bill Clinton on the cover) declares William McDonough the 'Big Thinker of the Year - Designer of the Better World' for his achievements in "reinventing almost everything" for the better. They write: "There was a time when architect William McDonough was best known for his buildings. Then he decided to move on to bigger and better things. Like re-designing the whole world." Talk about a nice compliment for the man, and one more step toward the mainstream recognition of green ideas. "His guiding tenet: Like nature, industrial design should be self-renewing; every product should not only be manufactured using nontoxic ingredients and green energy sources but also be capable of being broken down into its basic biological and technical elements so it can be reborn and reused at the end of its life span, whether in factories or compost heaps... It's a world in which no material is ever wasted." Congratulations to Mr. McDonough for his new title of Big Thinker of the Year! ::Esquire Magazine, via ::EWire, ::McDonough Braungart Product Certification, ::China Discovers William McDonough?, ::Musings from Verdopolis: Bill McDonough, ::William McDonough + Partners, Architecture and Community Design, ::Cradle to Cradle by William McDonough & Michael Braungart...
Sustainable and Affordable: Natura Latex Pillow
by Justin Thomas, Virginia on 11.26.05
This pillow by Natura is made of shredded Talalay (open celled structure) latex. Latex is a natural material which is anti-microbial and "breathes" while you rest your head. I have a latex pillow and its my favorite even over my buckwheat one. Latex comes from a sustainable source — it's mostly harvested in South East Asia, where trees are tapped for latex. The queen size version of this pillow is $19.99. :: Shop.Com...
Batteryless Smoke Alarm
by Justin Thomas, Virginia on 11.26.05
No batteries required for this smoke alarm. Instead, it connects directly into ceiling mounted light sockets, automatically recharging whenever the light is turned on. Not bad — it involves less maintenance, and saves batteries from the landfill. The price is $39.95. :: First Street
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Treehugger Homework: Unplug Your Cellphone Charger
by Michael Graham Richard, Gatineau, Canada on 11.26.05
If you have a cellphone, have you ever noticed that your charger stays warm even when you are not charging your phone with it? That's because it is still draining electricity. "According to Future Forests, only 5% of the power drawn by cell phone chargers are actually used to charge phones. The other 95% is wasted when you leave it plugged into the wall, but not into your phone. The lesson? Unplug your charger when you are not using it [or plug everything on a power strip and use the switch to turn it off instead of manually plugging and unplugging things. -TH]. If you don’t, it’s just wasting your money and adding to the pollution created by burning fossil fuels." We're fairly certain that there are no major engineering challenges that keep charger-makers from building in a feature that keeps the charger from using electricity when not in use; it's probably just cost-cutting. Of course, this advice about cellphones applies to everything that uses a vampire-like "wall wart" charger that doesn't turn off and keeps sucking juice for no reason. Via ::Shea Gunther's Blog...
Solabeast Solar Robot Kit
by Justin Thomas, Virginia on 11.26.05
Pictured here is a "Solabeast" robot kit. This kit allows you to assemble your own solar-powered "Beast" machine. It comes with a solar cell and pre-punched wooden boards, gears, shafts and motors. The price is $19.95. See also our previous post on a Solar Car toy. :: Science E-Store...
Fire In Japanese Toyota Prius Factory
by Michael Graham Richard, Gatineau, Canada on 11.26.05
An accidental fire (we hope they wouldn't do this on purpose!) broke out in the area where car bodies dry after painting in one of the two Toyota Japanese factories that build Prius hybrid cars. That plant, which assembled about 250 Prius hybrids a day, could close for about a week because of the damage, which would mean that Prius exports could be reduced temporarily. This wouldn't be as bad a problem as it is if Toyota wasn't already selling all the Prius cars it can make and if there wasn't month-long waiting lists in the US. We'll wait to hear from Toyota if this will create a significant new delay for would be buyers or if this is only a minor snag. ::Fire disrupts Prius production, ::Toyota plant suspends Prius production after fire via ::Jalopnik...
Small Strawbale
by Justin Thomas, Virginia on 11.26.05
This recently published book is a practical guide to building with straw bales on a small scale. It is filled with photos of homes, greenhouses, studios, sheds and open-air structures. Small Strawbale serves as pragmatic construction manual and an artistic guidebook. You can read more about the author Athena Steen in this previous post. Priced at $19.77. :: Amazon...
Coffee Press Mug Crafted In Vietnam
by Justin Thomas, Virginia on 11.26.05
This coffee press set consist of four pieces: a coffee cup, a strainer that sits atop the coffee cup, secondary strainer that fits inside for pressing the coffee, and lid to keep your coffee warm while it brews. It was crafted in Vietnam by the Global Exchange fair trading partner Craftlink. Available for $15. There's also a similar Tea Infuser Mug available. :: Fair Trade and Social Conscious Gifts...
The Prefabricated Home
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 11.26.05
Now that Thanksgiving and Buy Nothing Day are out of the way, we can get down to serious shopping. Time to look in our Gift Guide!
If someone on your list is interested in prefab, there are two books worth reading- Allison Arieff and Bryan Burkhart's Prefab, which really started the current modern prefab craze (3 years old and still a great read); and, Brand new in the States, Colin Davies' The Prefabricated Home, far more academic and a thorough analysis of the history of prefab and the failure of architects to understand it. The best book we have read on the history, successes and failures of prefabrication. We quote the last sentences:
"A garden shed can be more enchanting than a luxury villa; a roadside restaurant can be as pleasant as a pavilion in a park. It is a question of judgment, of caring about the building and its future life, of knowing how to strike the right balance between standard products and special places. Architects ought to be good at this kind of thing. But designing one-off prototypes to amuse their colleagues will get them nowhere. To make a real difference, they must learn the lesson of the prefabricated house." More information at ::Amazon...
UNESCO Masterpieces of Oral Heritage
by Christine Lepisto, Berlin on 11.26.05
With all the talk about consumption and the opportunity to meditate on the joys of a slow meal which Thanksgiving presents, we were hoping to report that UNESCO recognized food heritage for the first time in today's announcement of the third and probably last list of "Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity". Mexico submitted an application, as reported at the Slow Food website, supporting their claim with the just assertion that Mexico's rich cuisine stems from "a complex cultural system of agricultural practices, traditions and symbolisms imbued with religious meaning and steeped in ritual". Unfortunately, Mexico's food culture did not meet UNESCO's standards. Perhaps the judges decided that any culture which can cook chicken with chocolate will probably survive without their support. And we can hope that a few more girls or boys are sitting at Grandma's knee learning the traditions of preparing food without a cuisineart than are joining the local folk iso-polyphony group. A few English, Taiwanese and Germans graced your intrepid reporter's Turkey Table, and we hope America's food heritage (whether Turkey or Tofukey) was similarly appreciated by friends and loved ones in your life. For the 43 masterpieces deemed in need of urgent safeguarding, see UNESCO's announcement....
What Happens After Buy Nothing Day?
by Kyeann Sayer, Nomad on 11.25.05
CO2 Highest For 650,000 Years
by Michael Graham Richard, Gatineau, Canada on 11.25.05
European scientists have analyzed ice taken from 3km below the surface of Antarctica and discovered from tiny gas bubbles trapped in the ice that "current levels of the greenhouse gases carbon dioxide and methane in the atmosphere are higher now than at any time in the past 650,000 years." Bad news. "Over a five year period commencing in 1999, scientists working with the European Project for Ice Coring in Antarctica (Epica) have drilled 3,270m into the Dome C ice, which equates to drilling nearly 900,000 years back in time. [...] 'We find that CO2 is about 30% higher than at any time, and methane 130% higher than at any time; and the rates of increase are absolutely exceptional: [...] Update: "Atmospheric carbon dioxide levels have risen 200 times faster over the past 50 years than at any other time during this period," says Thomas Stocker of the University of Bern, Switzerland, who led the analysis. ::CO2 'highest for 650,000 years', ::Greenhouse-gas levels highest for 650,000 years...
George Clooney's Electric Tango Spied
by Michael Graham Richard, Gatineau, Canada on 11.25.05
Today is a slow day because most people in the US are spending time with their family. So since nobody is reading this anyway, we'll allow ourselves to get a little tabloid-like and report that the people at Defamer have spotted George Clooney's electric Tango outside his trailer on the set of his next movie, The Good German. As we've previously reported, the star of Syriana drives a Tango. Some may laugh at the small size and Toyota: Better, Smaller, Cheaper Hybrid Systems in 2008
by Michael Graham Richard, Gatineau, Canada on 11.25.05
Toyota has announced that it will start using a new smaller, cheaper and more efficient hybrid system in 2008. Batteries would be lighter yet it would be more powerful than the current version of the Hybrid Synergy Drive (HSD) used in the Prius, Highlander hybrid and Lexus RX400h, and what will probably be used in the 2007 Camry hybrid (though that system will surely show improvements on the current one too). Toyota will also start to build key components for hybrid systems in the US, in addition to those currently made in Japan. "Toyota will double the annual output of hybrid systems, reducing the manufacturing cost difference between such systems and conventional gasoline engines. By making the system smaller than the current second-generation system, Toyota will also expand the use of the system to most of its mid-size or larger cars, according to the paper."...
Giving Thanks – www.goodgifts.org
by Petz Scholtus, Barcelona, Spain on 11.25.05
So what is today apart from being Friday November 25th 2005? Is it Black Friday, Buy Nothing Day, the day after Thanksgiving? Well for most people around the world it is just a normal day, trying to get on with the survival thing. Whether that’s stuck in an emergency shelter (or most likely outside of one) in northern Pakistan, trying to find a well with water in it in Africa, staying out of war’s way in Iraq, Afghanistan, Israel or Palestine, trying to feed your kids in India, reconstructing your local school in Sri Lanka, reconstructing your house in New Orleans, grieving for lost ones, or celebrating newborns....
"Weird Eco Habits" Contest: Last Day for Entries
by Sean Fisher, Cincinnati, Ohio on 11.25.05
Turil from Massechuttes uses a spitoon instead of tissues. Tim in Baltimore dries jeans in his car during the summer. Dave picks up all the disposable batteries he sees on the streets of New York. We've been calling all TreeHuggers to enter our "Weird Eco Habits" contest, and many of you have responded with really great ideas. If you haven't responded yet, this is your final chance. If you have a "weird" eco habit and want a shot at some goods from online retailer Greenloop, we need to receive it by midnight EST tonight. Just send a quick description of what your "weird" habit is to: contest [at] treehugger [dot] com for a chance to win a Vy and Elle bag and Loomstate T-shirt. Good luck!...
Bestmint by Ortek: A Disruptive Technology For More Than Tooth Decay
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 11.25.05
You can't put stuff like this in a SciFi plot. No one would believe it when the dentist said "eat lots of this candy please". No fiction: Ortek, Inc. is planning production of a candy that is reported to be more effective than sodium fluoride at preventing tooth decay. The active ingredient is an amino acid commonly found in nuts and whole grains. Some plausible outcomes from introduction of the Ortek "Basicmints", assuming widespread popularity, include: a gradual end to flouride drips at the public water supply; no more dental fluoride treatments for kids; the phoenix-like "anti-fluoridation" movement, which has periodicaly attracted support from either end of the political spectrum, derails; toothpaste market shares are tossed in the air and pasteless toothbrushing becomes fashionable; outlays for filings are reduced; and, the need for one of the remaining consumer uses of elemental mercury ...we're talking about amalgam production by dentists... is reduced. While press coverage seemed to infer the use of a "biotech" method in manufacture (whatever that means), details are unclear. The meta-story is much bigger than an ingredient list though. Brace yourself for many more such disruptive technologies that confound and confuse our world views.
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Thoughts on Buy Nothing Day
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 11.25.05
In America this is the biggest shopping day in the entire year, known as Black Friday, which sounds dire, but evidently derives from the fact that storekeepers lose money all year and this is the first day in which they finally get into the black.(wikipedia) some stores call it Green Friday because of, well, the direness and political incorrectness of black. Next is Cyber Monday as the Geeks who slept through Friday finally get around to searching for bargains. At TWHQ (Treehugger World Headquarters)we were seriously conflicted about the idea of Buy Nothing Day- we spend our time promoting eco-retailers and designers who need customers, not boycotts. ...
Buy Nothing Day doesn't mean living less.
by Ruben Anderson– Vancouver, BC on 11.25.05
Buy Nothing Day is a holiday dear to my heart. Proud as I am to be associated with TreeHugger, I know that ecological products can only do so much. If we really want to change the world, we need to find a truly different way of living.
We must consume much, much less.
So what is my plan to reduce consumption? It's simple, have more perogie parties. I went to my first perogie party three years ago, and I can't stop talking about it.
We started with about a dozen people, none of them particularly close friends, at least not at first. The host was Norman Nawrocki (photo from his website), former Perogie King of Montreal. I don’t know if Perogie King of Montreal is as glorious a title as, say, Perogie King of Winnipeg, but I was impressed. The instructions were easy, bring one perogie ingredient and one bottle of vodka for every two people. I scoffed at the amount of alcohol, thinking it would be impossible to drink that much....
Conservation Volunteers Australia – Volunteering for a Better Earth
by Warren McLaren, Sydney on 11.25.05
Imagine (sorry, we don't have a pic) feasting on local cuisine, prepared in the traditional manner by Dhimmuru indigenous rangers. Camping on the remote tropical beaches of Australia’s Gulf of Carpenteria, within Arnhem Land, where only those with permission from the Aboriginal Land Council may travel. Sighting sea turtles in the surf. Sounds like some exotic eco-travel brochure spiel, but in truth you’re here to get your hands dirty (or least salty and sandy). You’re on a Conservation Volunteers Australia project. You’ve come to collect and survey marine debris, the trash that floats around in the oceans. And whilst here you’ll be extracting ‘ghost’ nets from the coast. These are long forgotten, discarded fishing nets that wash around the shoreline, still doing what they were designed to do: trap and kill. Though now it’s sea turtles that are the victims, except that you’re here to do your bit. ...
— Swing Low Sweet Caveat —
by Warren McLaren, Sydney on 11.25.05
Buyer be where
we can find you
blind you
You’ve just gotta have this
You’re incomplete without that
You’re worth nothing if devoid of the other
be the first kid on your block,
the coolest on your turf
oh wait, what's that over there,
on another bit of earth?
hey, their grass is greener
did we say you be satisfied?
your world at peace, your heart content
gee, I guess we might’ve lied
that this was the best
never bettered
the fastest, softest, lightest, brightest
did we forget to mention we were one-eyed?
Buyer beware....
Grist on Thanksgiving
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 11.24.05
Usually humorous in tone but serious in content, Grist is deadly serious in both on Thanksgiving and says what we did not but wish we had. ::GristMill...
Living Christmas Trees
by Justin Thomas, Virginia on 11.24.05
One Christmas tree option that is often overlooked is to find a potted, living pine tree. You can usually find one at your local nursery. Decorate the tree and use it during the holidays. Then when they are all over, you can put it outside on the balcony. Give your tree a trim next year and start it all over again. See also this previous article for more Christmas tree ideas.
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Cranberries and your teeth
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 11.24.05
Desperately casting about for a post with a Thanksgiving theme (we are in Canada and don't get the day off!) we found this: Tonight's cranberries might be good for your teeth. It turns out that the same compounds that make them effective against urinary infections also go after the bacteria that cause the buildup of plaque on teeth. Unfortunately to make cranberries palatable they are mixed with a great deal of sugar, so don't give up brushing for cranberry juice yet. Nonetheless, you can feel better about covering your Tofurkey in it. ::Yahoo News...
Organic, Healthy Hospital Food
by Kyeann Sayer, Nomad on 11.24.05
It's nice to get word of eco-innovations in the health care world. Not long ago we discussed the prospects for lower impact medical clinics. We've filled you in on how paper recycling helps fund medical care in Buenos Aires and let you know that the footwear of choice for many healthcare workers comes PVC-free. Now, we can report that if Duluth's St. Luke's Hospital serves as an example, enduring hospital meals won't seem like salt on the wound, so to speak.
Chef Mark Donavan used to work for California Wine Country restaurants where is was easy to source produce from local growers. But he and St. Luke's co-chef LeeAnn Tomczyk faced a completely different animal in Minnesota. In addition to the climactic difference, they had to contend with a large hospital buying group that dictated food distribution. Eventually they were able to secure waivers to purchase hormone-free milk and local produce....
Thanksgiving Coffee: Mirembe Kawomera Cooperative
by Kyeann Sayer, Nomad on 11.24.05
This story is so absurdly heart warming that it almost seems like a parody of itself. In the Mbale region of Uganda, a group of Muslim, Christian and Jewish farmers has formed a cooperative called Mirembe Kawomera, or "delicious peace." The coffee made from their arabica beans is distributed by Thanksgiving Coffee Company, a Fort Bragg, CA based source of organic and fair trade blends. Learn more about Mirembe Kawomera in this yes! article. :: Thanksgiving Coffee Company ...
Matt Damon Gets A Hybrid
by Justin Thomas, Virginia on 11.24.05
Matt Damon has become the latest movie star to buy a hybrid car after his family urged him to stop guzzling gas. Damon insists he's not trying to be part of an environmental trend among his peers — he just wanted to save money at the gas pump. He explains: "I just have one for my own personal reasons. I don't have a car in New York but I just got a place in Florida and we (himself and fiancee Luciana Barroso) got a car there and it's a hybrid. My father drives one, my brother drives one. They're like, 'Why would you ever drive a regular car?' There's no reason to. These cars are just as good, they're just as fast and they use less gas, so I don't understand why everyone isn't driving one." :: Contact Music...
Greenmaker: Green Building Supplies in Chicago
by Justin Thomas, Virginia on 11.24.05
Greenmaker, a green building supply store, opened last month in Chicago at North Pulaski Avenue. The 2,000-square-foot Greenmaker showroom offers product lines from 25 companies. Among the items sold are non-toxic caulks, sealants and stains as well as two brands of water-based latex paint, low-flow bathroom fixtures, solar and tankless water heaters, wheatboard veneer cabinets, cork and reclaimed flooring, insulation, drywall, lumber, permeable pavers, energy-efficient windows, eco-friendly carpeting and modular green roofs. :: Greenmaker via Chicago Tribune...
Hemp Portfolio by Artisan Gear
by Justin Thomas, Virginia on 11.24.05
This hemp portfolio has five internal pockets and a 50 sheet pad of hemp writing paper. It's priced at $25 at Good Humans. Artisan Gear makes the portfolio in the U.S., and they also have a large range of bags available, read more details about the company's production methods. :: Good Humans...
Buffalo Exchange
by Justin Thomas, Virginia on 11.24.05
Buffalo Exchange is a chain of stores that buy and then re-sell vintage and "unusual" clothing. They have a system of stores that buy clothing and accessories on the spot, which are then resold them online and in their brick-and-mortar stores across the country. Kind of like a fashion pawnshop. See this list of locations. :: Buffalo Exchange via Eco PSFK...
Neat things for Buy Nothing Day
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 11.24.05
Whatever one thinks about Buy Nothing Day (and thoughts at Treehugger World Headquarters certainly are mixed) There are some interesting things going on. At one high school, students are handing out film cannisters filled with...nothing. (except the nutritional label shown here) In Atlanta, " we have organized a "buy nothing ride" where we crowd the most trafficked streets on our bicycles....it's not a protest, it's a celebration of bikes!" In San Jose, CA, they say
Get out of your cars!
Get out of the stores!
Get onto your bike!
Get into the street!
Get to the BIKE PARTY!
and in Montreal, "at Café Blue Monday, a vegan café located in Verdun, will not be selling any of our products in support of BND 2005 but will be offering free food and drinks with the help of donations from the People's Potato and bread from Première Moisson." ::Adbusters.org Blog...
Breakthrough in Biodiesel Production by Japanese Scientists
by Michael Graham Richard, Gatineau, Canada on 11.24.05
Sustainablog reports that Japanese scientists have discovered a way to convert vegetable oil into biodiesel with a much less expensive (between 10 and 50 times cheaper) catalyst. "Any vegetable oil can become fuel, but not until its fatty acids are converted to chemical compounds known as esters. Currently the acids used to convert the fatty acids are prohibitively expensive. Michikazu Hara, of the Tokyo Institute of Technology in Yokohama, Japan, and his colleagues have used common, inexpensive sugars to form a recyclable solid acid that does the job on the cheap. Their research is reported in last week's issue of the journal Nature." ::Cheaper Veggie Diesel May Change the Way We Drive, via ::Sustainablog...
Auspen — Refillable Whiteboard Marker Pens
by Warren McLaren, Sydney on 11.24.05
If you are a teacher, lecturer or presenter, then no doubt you’ve gone to scribe your pearls of wisdom onto a whiteboard, only to discover the marker pen has dried up. So you impress your audience, not with lucid information, but a slam dunk of the pen into the nearest garbage receptacle. In Australia, it has been calculated that teachers discard 40 million markers per year, which is about 2,500 tonnes of stuff that need not be in landfill. ‘Cos you could be using the Auspen. A refillable marker. Simple concept really. The ink is EU approved non-xylene, the pen tube and carry case are recyclable, but one of the more remarkable claims is that the pens will still write if the cap is left off for up to 72 hours!Schools have found them cheaper than disposable pens. I was once trialing a set of these, until some snotty nosed youngster decided he needed them more than me and lifted ‘em. He found them to be very cheap! 6 pens and refill bottles for $45 AUD. Also available in North America. ::Auspen...
Tip: Take Care of Those Holiday Ornaments
by Kyeann Sayer, Nomad on 11.23.05
Maybe you're taking on new keepsakes like the Recycled Glass Ornaments we featured recently. Perhaps you want your favorite vintage Frosty replica to live on long after you're able to reach its special place on the tree. As a good treehugger, you'll want to make your worldly goods last. Here are some ornament care and storage tips.
Wrap them in acid free paper.
Avoid plastic: no bubble wrap or plastic storage boxes.
Though it seems intuitive to reuse newspaper to store fragile ornaments, fight the impulse since the ink rubs off....
Un-Treehugger: General Motors' Hybrid Strategy
by Michael Graham Richard, Gatineau, Canada on 11.23.05
We were reading some random article about automotive news when we saw an ad that read "hybrid Suvs". Intrigued that the URL under it was that of a GM Canada website, we clicked on it expecting to learn about GM's hybrid SUV projects or maybe even see a press release about a vehicle that would soon be released (why else buy ads?). Well, it turns out that the ad leads to a page about the H3 Hummer, a big boxy non-hybrid truck, and nothing on the page has anything to do with hydrids or fuel economy, except maybe the small print that says that the H3 is rated at 15.6 liters per 100 kilometers (15 miles per gallon - and real-world results are usually lower). So is that GM's hybrid strategy? To buy ads with "hybrid" keywords? No wonder things are going so well for them right now......
Participate.net Launches Oil Change Campaign
by Michael Graham Richard, Gatineau, Canada on 11.23.05
Participant Productions was created by Jeff Skoll, ex-President of eBay and now Philanthropic billionaire. "Our goal is to deliver compelling entertainment that will raise awareness about important social issues, educate audiences and inspire them to take action." For more info on their last movies follow these links: Good Night, And Good Luck, the "media" movie with George Clooney, North Country, the "sexual harassment" movie with Charlize Theron and Woody Harrelson, and Syriana, the soon to be released "oil" movie with George Clooney and Matt Damon. Each of these movies has a community website/blog where actors, producers, guest bloggers and regular visitors can post and discuss things related to the subject of the movie. Today, Participate.net launches its campaign for Syriana: Oil Change. I will be guest-blogging there for the foreseeable future and I hope that some of our readers will take the plunge, create an account and participate. Participant Productions are doing good things and bringing important issues to the mainstream consciousness. I seriously encourage people to see their movies (bring friends). ::Oil Change, ::Participate.net, ::Participant Productions, ::New George Clooney Movie Gives TerraPass a Boost...
GreenShift Invests in Aerogel
by Justin Thomas, Virginia on 11.23.05
Aerogel is that strange material that is among the world's lowest density solids. It has a porous and sponge-like structure — more than 99% of its volume is in open space. There is increasing interest in aerogel's application in green technologies such as fuel cells, catalysts for emissions control, and applications for energy storage. ...
ZAP to Import "Obvio" Cars from Brazil
by Justin Thomas, Virginia on 11.23.05
ZAP and Obvio have agreed to collaborate in the design and manufacture of high efficiency, high performance urban cars. See this previous article for more information on ZAP. Obvio, based in Brazil, intends to manufacture two models for export to the U.S. the Model 012 (shown here) and the model 828. Both cars are small and fuel efficient (see this link for detailed stats). ...
Dynamotive Gets Its First Order For BioOil
by Justin Thomas, Virginia on 11.23.05
Dynamotive has received its first commercial order for its BioOil product. BioOil is a liquid fuel produced by a "fast pyrolysis" technique, which converts organic residues from forest and agricultural wastes into BioOil, plus some charcoal and non-condensible gases. See this previous article or this page from Dynamotive for more information. The BioOil will be shipped to a U.S. based company and will be utilized for the development of specialty products. :: Dynamotive via Energy Blog...
Men's Merino Jersey by Swobo
by Justin Thomas, Virginia on 11.23.05
Swobo, a Californian company that designs and sells merino wool cycling jerseys and organic cotton T-shirts, recently relaunched their web site. One of the items for sale is this men's short sleeved jersey, which is made out 100% merino wool. It's priced at $96. The merino is produced using MAPP, an approach which manages the entire supply chain in order to develop the merino fabric in specialized manner. :: Swobo...
New Tankless Water Heater Uses Microwaves
by Justin Thomas, Virginia on 11.23.05
A company based in Canada, Pulsar Advanced Technologies, is set to release the Vulcanus MK4, a water heater that uses microwave technology to heat water on demand. The press release states that the Vulcanus MK4 can heat water from 35 degrees Fahrenheit to 140 degrees Fahrenheit in seconds and can source multiple applications at once: showers, dishwasher, sink usages and more. The water heater is the size of a stereo speaker with a modern look, making it suitable for condos and apartments. :: Globe and Mail via Groovy Green...
Working Assets Goes Carbon Neutral
by Michael Graham Richard, Gatineau, Canada on 11.23.05
The good folks at Working Assets have decided to go carbon-neutral. The organization sells cellphone and long distance service plans (you can get free Ben & Jerry ice cream by using their long distance plan) and credit cards, which seems kinda bad, but the good part is that they do it to harness actions that most people would do anyway to donate money to nonprofits (including Greenpeace, Oxfam America, Rainforest Action Network and tons more) that are selected in a yearly vote by their customers. To date, over $47,000,000 has been raised....
Holiday Gift Guide: Shopping Mall Eco-Finds
by Erin Courtenay - Madison, WI on 11.23.05
This Friday will find many of us awakening in our family homes to the hustle and bustle of preparations for participating in the year's biggest shopping day. Many TreeHuggers will choose to participate in "Buy Nothing Day" and opt out of shopping altogether, but if you find yourself joining the Black Friday family safari to the mall - here are some gifts that may help subvert the unconscious consumer culture (or wait until "Cyber Monday" to shop from the TreeHugger Holiday Gift Guide).
A - Lands' End Combed Cotton/Bamboo Bath Towel at Sears $20.00
B - Shampure Soy Wax Candle & Soothing Aqua Therapy Gift Set at Aveda $35.00
C - Lilu Brown Hemp and Cotton Hobo at Pacific Sun $24.50
D - Bamboo Cutting Boards at Crate and Barrel $32.95 - $44.95 ...
Ontario Approves New Wind-Power Projects
by Michael Graham Richard, Gatineau, Canada on 11.23.05
The Canadian press reports that Ontario's government has approved nine new renewable energy projects. That means that about a thousand new wind turbines will be built, with most of them expected to be operational by the end of 2007. "The projects will be located across the province in towns such as Kincardine, Goderich, Sault Ste. Marie and Kingston. All have signed 20-year contracts with the Ontario Power Authority and will be paid 8.64 cents per kilowatt hour of electricity produced." These projects should help Ontario reach its goal of having 10% of its production (around 2,700 megawatts) come from renewables by 2010....
Interior Design Magazine: Call for Entries
by Kara DiCamillo, Newport, Rhode Island on 11.23.05
It’s time to show off your “green” skills again, but this one’s for the interior designers! Interior Design Magazine announces the “Breakthrough International Design Awards” where you get to showcase your completed project (or even one that’s never happened) that represents an important breakthrough in the industry. The deadline is January 6, 2006 and you can click here to download the entry form. Good luck! ::Interior Design...
First Photos of Next Generation Toyota Camry 2007
by Michael Graham Richard, Gatineau, Canada on 11.23.05
The Toyota Camry is the best-selling car in the US and very popular in many countries around the world (it recently passed the 10 million units sold mark). It is being completely redesigned for 2007 and a US-made hybrid version of the Camry will also be available. As we've mentioned it will come with a 4 cylinders engine unlike the Honda Accord hybrid. Until now, we knew little about the 2007 Camry and no photos were available, but Autoblog found a Japanese magazine that had some pictures and info (you can read the translated version here - apparently Google translates "Camry" to "back hole"). We learn that the new version will have a drag coefficient of 0.28 (the Prius, at 0.26, is one of the most "slippery" cars on the road) which should help it achieve good highway fuel economy, that the length of the new car is the same as the current version and that a 2.4 liters 4-cylinder engine of 167 hp will be available in the non-hybrid model. No word on a V6 yet. More photos below....
Canada's Rothsay Plans Large Scale Bio-Diesel Plant
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 11.23.05
Hard to believe it took Canada so long to get in the biofuels biz. Maybe the cold was an obstacle. But we must say, this is no playing around. The owner of the first large scale production facility will be Rothsay, a division of Maple Leaf Foods, and Canada’s leading rendering company. Rothsay already collects edible and inedible food by-products from meat processing plants, grocery stores and restaurants, so this is just a logical extension of their business. According to Natural Resources Canada data, the 35 million litres of biodiesel that will be produced at Rothsay's Ville Ste. Catherine plant is equal to taking 16,000 light trucks or 22,000 cars off the road (122,000 MT of greenhouse gases). Look below the fold for some interesting excerpts borrowed from the Rothsay fact sheet. [NOTE: some links on the company's english version website seem to be broken or 'under construction']...
Organic Hemp and Cotton Aprons
by Kara DiCamillo, Newport, Rhode Island on 11.23.05
Since Turkey Day is tomorrow we’re going to start cooking tonight and thought we’d write about a kitchen essential – the apron. We found two on Rawganique, one made of 100% organic hemp and the other made from 100% organic cotton. The cotton one is a bit more expensive at $39 while the hemp one is more affordable at $19. A bistro style apron is also available, made of organic cotton, for $32. The hemp apron is only available in its natural color while the cotton ones are available in several different colors, all eco-dyed. Here's to good (organic, fresh, free-range, local) eats! (ching ching!) ::Rawganique...
Dead Tree Mags go Treehugger: Dwell, Wired and Outside
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 11.23.05
For those who like real paper, there is a lot on the stands this month of interest to Treehuggers. Dwell Magazine leads off with Green is Good- Five drop dead gorgeous sustainable houses. Wired says what we have all along: Why @!#% High Oil Prices are Good for America and is less hydrogen obsessed than usual, available online. Outside Magazine has How to save the world: 25 Action Heroes show you what it takes-putting a face to people with world-changing dreams. We are inspired....
Treehugger in BusinessWeek
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 11.22.05
what more can we say except thank you!
::BusinessWeek...
::BusinessWeek...
Clearing the Rainforests for Biofuels
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 11.22.05
We have griped before that biofuels are not perfect- that it takes a lot of energy and land to make it, and we are still better off living with less and not driving bio-hummers but riding bikes and driving smart cars. Now the New Scientist weighs in- In Asia rainforests are being chopped down to make room for palm oil; in Brazil, the paragon of biofuel and ethanol development, the rainforest is turning into soybean fields; The third world is being turned into a plantation to keep the SUV's running. We need sustainable, fair trade, subsidy free biofuel or we are trading one ecological disaster for another. ::New Scientist...
"Weird" Eco Habits Contest Sneak Peek: Reusing Water
by Sean Fisher, Cincinnati, Ohio on 11.22.05
Last week, we gave you the first sneak peek into our "Weird Eco Habits" contest (be sure to get your entries in by Friday!) by showing you Brad Hole's urban chicken coop in Seattle. For the next sneak peek into our contest, we cross the Pacific and head to Hiroshima, Japan, where TreeHugger Joy Walsh practices her "weird" eco habit - reusing her bath water for laundry water. In Joy's view, "3 rinse cycles of clean water just seems such a waste."
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A New Non-Toxic De-Icing Liquid
by Justin Thomas, Virginia on 11.22.05
Most de-icing products contain toxic ingredients like glycol or corrosive salts. Now a company called Orison Marketing has released a 100% bio-based product called IceClear+. This liquid prevents ice from bonding to concrete, and helps removal of ice and snow from driveways and walkways. Orison also offers a wide range of similar products like bio-based de-greasers and lubricants. Orison Marketing via ThomasNet...
Glowing Places
by Justin Thomas, Virginia on 11.22.05
"Glowing Places" is LED-based design installation created by Philips. It works this way: sensors measure the presence of people over time — both the number of people sitting and the length of time they stay. This creates a 'social interactive pattern' that is translated by patented software into lighting effects in the furniture. ...
2005 Eco Products Show in Korea
by Justin Thomas, Virginia on 11.22.05
In Korea, a show called the 2005 Eco Products recently wrapped up. Indeed, Koreans are quite interested in sustainability too. Among the products exhibited were fuel cell-based heaters, non-toxic fire extinguishers and laptop computers. Exhibitors are seen here, demonstrating a technique of adding yellow ocher to compressed rice straw to build a structure that is said to have great heat insulation. :: Joong Ang Daily...
Gullwing Tournament Hemp by Tretorn
by Justin Thomas, Virginia on 11.22.05
This tennis shoe was originally produced in 1959, and is now being made by Tretorn. It has some interesting eco-materials: a hemp upper and a gum rubber outsole. Potential drawbacks: the hemp is coated (reducing breathability) and the logo is made out of leather. Because of this, the hemp Adidas probably has an edge over it. But overall, better than most sports shoes sold today. It sells for $64.95. :: Classic Sports or Sagesports via productdose...
Instant Survey: Benefits of Eco-Tourism
by Justin Thomas, Virginia on 11.22.05
Waterless Washing Machine: The Airwash
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 11.22.05
Two students from the National University of Singapore's school of industrial design have developed a waterless washing machine that removes stains from garments within a few minutes, without the use of detergents. The AirWash, which won the ElectroLux Design Lab 2005 Award, uses negative ions, compressed air and deodorants to clean clothes; the form was inspired by the waterfall, which just so happens to be nature's own negative ion factory. It can be used for cleaning garments of all kinds, though the judges took special note of AirWash's potential to make convential, eco-superfreaky dry cleaning obsolete. AirWash also stands to help save lots on energy costs and water consumption, and has lots of potential for places without ready access to clean water. The winning duo, Gabriel Tan and Wendy Chua, beat entries from 3,000 other students from over 88 countries. ::DesignLab via ::The Gadget Blog and ::Groovy Green...
New Vibration and Solar-Powered Bike Light from CatEye
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 11.22.05
Thanks to Stuart, our world-traveling tipster who saw this in Japan, we have the scoop on an all-new bike light from CatEye. It's powered by vibration, with the help of a photovoltaic solar panel. The light itself, about 3 cm x 6 cm, apparently fires up when vibrations (ostensibly from riding) are felt, and the little PV panel (under the transparent case on top) supplies power to the light as well. According to the information available at the show, the light has a potential life span of around 10 years if well taken care of. No word on what sort of light would be used, but CatEye looks to be big fans of LEDs (and who could blame them?) so we'll keep our fingers crossed. The expected release for the light is early in 2006, though it's so new that even their website doesn't have any info on it. We'll keep an eye out. ::CatEye...
Holiday Gift Guide: Dogs
by Kara DiCamillo, Newport, Rhode Island on 11.22.05
Don’t forget about your favorite four-legged friend this holiday! There are tons of gifts out there from all-natural dog treats to toys to beds. For the latest addition to our TreeHugger Holiday Gift Guide we’ve come up with our favorites (and Duke’s too!):
A. Heave Hose – colorful dog toys made from pre-consumer recycled fire hose cloth. $14.
B. Big Shrimpy Recycled Dog Beds – made with fleece pieces collected from the cutting room floor. $71.25-$198.50
C. Old Mother Hubbard Old Fashioned Biscuits – found at the Only Natural Pet Store these treats are made with 100% whole foods and 100% human grade ingredients.
D. Planet Dog Gear – for the outdoorsy dog, their gear is made from recycled plastic soda bottles (PET) and the leashes and collars are made from 100% hemp. Varies in price....
The Evocatively Named Subaru B5-TPH
by Warren McLaren, Sydney on 11.22.05
At the recent Tokyo Motor Show, Subaru showcased a vehicle a tad more sporty than the very cute R1e, which we mentioned before. The B5 TPH Concept (this middle bit means‘Turbo Parallel Hybrid’) is a ‘crossover’ hatchback with the ground clearance of a 4WD. But the bit that interests us here is that it’s a hybrid, There’s an electric generator/motor mounted twixt the 2.0 litre engine and the transmission. “The electric motor itself produces 10 kW and 150 Nm torque while the petrol engine has a 191 kW output with 343 Nm torque.” An unlike most hybrids where the electric elements kick in just for city driving, the B5 TPH’s are capable of operating at cruising speeds too. And its “manganese lithium ion battery charges to 95 per cent capacity in five minutes.” The hybrid engine itself might one day find itself on the road, but the car as shown here is not expected to have a commercial release. From sites all over the blogsphere, like Jalopnik, but probably the most pics can be found at ::SeriousWheels . ...
University of Capetown's Disposable Solar Panel
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 11.22.05
Researchers at the University of Cape Town SA have developed a protoytpe method for printing solar panels on paper. We wish we had a photograph of their working prototype SPV panel on display, but none yet seem to exist. However, our 'concept bait' picture does fairly represent the designers' intent of producing electricity affordable by the poorest of rural families. The method seems to involve printing with modified color printers, using three or four separate print runs with black, blue, yellow and magenta inks containing tiny silicon particles. They print the metal contacts, then the semiconductor structure, then more contacts. The voltage and power output of the solar cell is determined by the size of the poster. An "A2-sized poster" will deliver up to 100W of power, enough to charge a cellphone, power a radio or provide five hours of lighting, according Prof David Britton. News coverage from SA outlets mentions that 'Shops could stock rolls of solar panel posters, and cut it to meet a customer's needs. The poster could be mounted behind a window or attached to a cabinet'. ...
Fatwood – All Natural Firestarters
by Kara DiCamillo, Newport, Rhode Island on 11.22.05
With the increase in woodstove sales lately, we’ve been hearing so much about Fatwood Firestarters that when we saw it (with the label “Try it once, use it for a lifetime”) we immediately hit the checkout. Say goodbye to newspaper and toxic firestarters because Fatwood’s 8”sticks are all you need to start your fire a blazin’. Each piece is hand-split from stumps of non-endangered, previously cut pine trees located in renewable, managed forests. Fatwood is non-toxic, clean burning and the 100% natural resin ignites immediately. And because it only takes one or two sticks to start the fire, you’re package will last awhile. Great to start campfires with too! ::Fatwood...
Bah, Humbug: November 25th is Buy Nothing Day
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 11.22.05
"For 24 hours, millions of people around the world do not participate -- in the doomsday economy, the marketing mind-games, and the frantic consumer-binge that's become our culture. We pause. We make a small choice not to shop. We shrink our footprint and gain some calm. Together we say: enough is enough. And we help build this movement to rethink our unsustainable course." Interesting idea, if you don't work in a store... ::Adbusters Buy Nothing Day...
Shop 'til you Drop in North Bay for Green Presents
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 11.22.05
We were so surprised to find such sophistication in a small frozen Canadian town, until we noticed that it was all about the San Francisco area- there appears to be more than one North Bay. In any case, the green shopping is good- you can even take Sustainability tours for fair trade shopping. Other interesting links include candy bars a cardiologist could love and if you are really lazy, an online gift service with only green products, eco-express. Read more in the ::North Bay Bohemian via ::Make...
Hybrids Arrive to Mexico
by Paula Alvarado, Buenos Aires on 11.22.05
The 2006 Honda Civic Hybrid (see our previous posts on the car here and here) will be the first hybrid car available for Mexicans looking for a greener vehicle. The car arriving is the Civic new generation, which has improved its technology compared with the previous model, both in the hybrid and non-hybrid parts, and will be available at the end of the year. While in the US this car costs nearly 15% more than its almost equivalent – as there really isn’t an exact equivalent - in Mexico this difference will be higher because the car needs some regional adjustments: the suspension height has to be adjusted and both motors have to be adapted to the elevated Mexican altitudes....
The Mosquito Magnet: Weapon of Mosquito Destruction
by Michael Graham Richard, Gatineau, Canada on 11.22.05
The person who invented this cross between a barbecue and a motorboat really hates mosquitoes! Lucky for us, he or she also had a dislike for insecticide and these glowing traps that vaporize insect dust in the air we breathe. The way this "biting insect trap" works is by emitting a fake "breath" of CO2 with a scent that is attractive to the little vampires (mosquitoes locate their victims primarily with exhaled carbon dioxide). The device then sucks in the bugs in a radius of up to 1.25 acres (around 5,000 square meters) and dehydrates them (and then turns them into MREs?). The downside is that the CO2 is produced with propane, but that is not a fatal flaw as it would also be possible to get it from bio-sources and thus make it carbon neutral, and because the alternative is too often spraying DDT, which is clearly worse....
Bendable Electronic Paper!
by Jacob Gordon, Nashville, TN on 11.21.05
The paperless age hasn’t arrived yet because no acceptable alternative to the pulpy, inky stuff has come along. It may be some time before we fully leave the bound and printed page behind us, but we may have just taken a step closer to a good paperless alternative. Fujitsu has announced the creation of a flexible electronic “paper” that displays text and images in vivid color that is undistorted by touching or bending. Similar to a previously reported product by Fuji Xerox, power is required only to change from one image to another, leaving the contents of the screen present even with no power flow....
Environmental Birdfeeders at Smith & Hawken
by Kara DiCamillo, Newport, Rhode Island on 11.21.05
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