- 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 April 16, 2006 - April 22, 2006
Total this week: 89
Google's Earth Day Logo
by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada on 04.22.06
Is that cool or what? Lets hope it's a sign that Google will become a big renewable energy buyer. ::Google (Yes, we just linked to Google! It's silly, but what are you gonna do about it?) ::Earth Day Network...
Natural Gas Platform Runs on Clean Energy
by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada on 04.22.06
We're not sure how to feel about that one. "Royal Dutch Shell has begun pumping natural gas from its wind- and solar-powered Cutter micro-platform, sited on a marginal-production gas field underneath the southern North Sea." So it uses renewable energy - wind and solar - but it pumps natural gas. "The use of renewable energy generation equipment not only provides green power, but reduces the cost of providing a subsea cable to power the platforms. The platform’s US$143 million fabrication cost alone is around 40% of that of traditional platforms." Can we like and dislike it at the same time? Hmm. More information and pictures at ::Green Car Congress, ::First gas from Cutter using renewable energy technology...
Its National Downshifting Week!
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 04.22.06
In all of the excitement and drama of Earth Day, we completely forgot that today is the start of the second annual National Downshifting Week in the UK. Founder Tracey Smith says in the Guardian: "Many people want to pull away from the throwaway, takeaway society we have found ourselves in," she says. "I would love a glass of champagne as much as the next person, but I don't need it." For Tracey and her husband, downshifting is about their children. "My children realise that if they want consumables it means that mum and dad have to work harder, which in their eyes equates to less playtime with mum and dad," she says. "That's what downshifting is. The less money you spend the less time you have to spend earning and the more time you have with the ones you love." They offer a free downloadable Downshifting Planner and the downloadable guide "Slow Down and Green up" It is all very much in keeping with our theme about living with less. ::National Downshifting Week with a few good ideas for individuals below the fold....
Sweden Again Meets Renewable Energy Target
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 04.22.06
From the "Official Gateway to Sweden" we have just learned of this. STOCKHOLM, April 13, 2006 (AFP) - "Sweden has met targets for energy production from renewable sources for the second consecutive year, the country's energy agency said on Thursday. "Sweden fulfilled 99.9% of its quota for the April 2005 to March 2006 period", Roger Oestberg, spokesman for the energy agency, told AFP. In accordance with European Union directives, the country has a target of producing one fifteenth of its electricity from renewable sources such as water, biogas, wind and solar power by 2010, Oestberg said. The target represents 10 terrawatt hours per year of Sweden's current 150 terrawatt hours, Oestberg added". Treehugger has written twice about the bold Swedish goal to be "Oil Free".
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What Is Environmental Art?
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 04.22.06
We're unwilling to rate art because it's classified as High or Low, Fine or Folk, Craft or Decorative, digitally created, filmed, or performed in the rainforest. Even bypassing those categories, it's hard to decide what makes Art "environmental"? TreeHugger has no resident critic (thank goodness); so we'll pursue this question by example. In the film category one is preminently relevant and beautiful: Koyaanisqatsi. If you haven't seen it, you must. Colin recently posted about how Mr. Gore has seemingly impressed the art film crowd with a documentary of his speech on climate change. We were wondering if this could be thought of as performance art?...
SAAB Flexible Fuel and the First Fossil Fuel Free Hybrid
by Christine Lepisto, Berlin on 04.22.06
If you are living in Europe, you might have to drop your feeling of superiority over the SUV-driving Americans, because this week it was announced that after an extremely weak reduction in CO2 emissions for the new autos sold in 2005 (from 162,2 to 160), the European Auto Industry cannot possibly succeed to meet voluntary commitments to reduce the average fleet emissions to 140gm/km. Sweden and Finland lead the pack as the worst performers in Europe, followed up by Germany in third place. Hmmm. Performance car culture = poor performance in sustainability. But motorheads fear not: Saab to the rescue! Saab now has three engines giving hope to the sportscar enthusiast in the face of probable action by EU regulators to give teeth to CO2 commitments. ...
AIA/COTE Top Ten Green Buildings of 2006
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 04.22.06
Its the Award Season and next up is the AIA (American Institute of Architects) and their Committee on the Environment, announcing their 2006 Top Ten Green Projects. Talk about going to the dogs- The Animal Foundation Dog Adoption Park shown above is designed to " create a dignified way of presenting animals to the adopting public and to use green strategies, with the intention of achieving a LEED(r) Platinum certification"
Competition criteria include:
• Sustainable design intent & innovation
• Regional/community design & connectivity
• Land use and site ecology
• Bioclimatic design
• Light & air
• Water cycle
• Energy flows & energy future
• Materials & construction
• Long life, loose fit
• Collective wisdom & feedback loops
See all of the winners at the ::AIA site, and read the very thorough review at ::Inhabitat...
New Ways to Waste Resources- The Self Cooling Beer Can
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 04.22.06
Designed for camping and fishing, we can just imagine pulling one of these out of our backpack- a self-cooling beer can. Now you can waste much more aluminum with each toss out the car window. As a further contradiction, they are filling it with Miller Lite. "Tempra's I.C. Can works by drawing heat out of the beverage with a natural desiccant (drying agent), through a water gel coated evaporator, and into an insulated heat-sink container, once an internal vacuum-seal has been broken." (click on picture to enlarge) We can't wait. ::New Tech Spy via ::Engadget
This will have a place of honour in our hamper of horrors along side Wolfgang Puck's Instant Hot Latte....
Vehizero: The Mexican Hybrid
by Jacob Gordon, Nashville, TN on 04.21.06
As the debate on immigration gets hotter and hotter, and thousands of immigrant workers consider a massive strike and boycott on May 1st, people have gotten a lot more curious about the living conditions in the countries that immigrants leave behind when they come to the U.S. Of the ills that many people flee in Mexico, environmental pollution is not the least of them. Mexico City has some of the worst air quality in the world. There is a glimmer in the smog, however, that has come from the technological front. The young Mexican company Vehizero has been making hybrid gas/electric delivery trucks that have been selling so fast that orders are backlogged. ...
How to: Take the Eat Local Challenge
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 04.21.06
The blog Life Begins at 30 has begun hyping May as the "Eat Local Challenge Month." The challenge is to find all your food from within a 100-mile radius (quite similar to the 100-mile diet we covered before) for an entire month, and this can be a pretty tricky thing to pull off, especially if you don't live in or very near an agricultural area. So how do you take the challenge if you live in, say, Boston, like one of their readers? Among their tips and resources for eating local are LocalHarvest.org, chatting up the local Whole Foods, and sourcing from local, smaller co-ops. There's a whole section of the blog committed to the challenge for learning more about sourcing, buying and enjoying local food. ::Life Begins at 30...
Movie Review: Al Gore's "An Inconvenient Truth"
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 04.21.06
Al Gore's new film "An Inconvenient Truth" was a hit at Sundance, the trailer is all over the internet, and now we've found a review of it, courtesy of Ben Jervey (author of The Big Green Apple: Your Guide to Eco-Friendly Living in New York City) at 3r Blogging. His conclusion? "'An Inconvenient Truth' isn't perfect, but it's damn effective." Al Gore has been tirelessly championing his cause to fight global warming of late, and Ben thinks his hard work has paid off: "The result is truly moving, even to someone who feels rather tuned into the issue." Could the film serve as a signal that Gore is prepping a return to politics? Read the whole review to find out, and go pledge to see the film opening weekend (it opens May 24). ::An Inconvenient Truth via ::3r Blogging...
The 20 Minute Makeover, Urban Edition
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 04.21.06
Toronto looks awful this time of year, as a winter's worth of Tim Horton cups and garbage bags thaw out or the ground and the air is redolent of melting dog poop. It used to be the City's job to keep it clean, but the city doesn't do anything very well or thoroughly any more. Over sanitation worker objections, (hey, thats our job!) Mayor David Miller (seen last in the green issue of Vanity Fair) organized the 20 minute makeover, where at 2:00 today we are all supposed to go outside and clean things up. ...
TreeHugger Picks: Make Earth Day Every Day
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 04.21.06
For anyone who's been living under a rock, here's a friendly reminder: tomorrow is Earth Day! While we don't think you need a specific reason (or day, for that matter) to get out and hug some trees, it's always fun to gather your pals and go do some good. There are tons of events happening around the globe; here's some advice on what to do before, after, and all year round to make Earth Day more like every day.
1) Eat local food. It's better for everyone.
2) If you must drive, keep your tires properly inflated; it saves money, wear & tear, gas and pollution.
3) Use fluorescent bulbs instead of incandescents...we've said it before and we'll say it again.
4) Better yet, take an energy vacation and unplug yourself for awhile.
5) Feeling ambitious? Go out and get a green job so you can do something meaningful for yourself and for the planet.
6) Bonus tip: Take ten steps to reduce your global warming impact....
Recipes of the Week: Appetizers
by Kelly Rossiter, Toronto on 04.21.06
It’s Friday and the weather is great in Toronto, so it’s time to have a few friends over for a drink and some nibbles. We have tons of recipes for hors d’oeuvres that we have used over the years. We would like to share two very fast and very simple recipes that we have made many times with great success. You could invite someone over, make these two recipes and still have time to run around and tidy up before the company arrives. So chill that wine and have a party!
Swiss Cheese with Walnuts and Mustard...
Solar Powered Retinal Implants
by Justin Thomas, Virginia on 04.21.06
An implant that squirts chemicals into the back of your eye may not sound like much fun. But a solar-powered chip that stimulates retinal cells by spraying them with neurotransmitters could restore sight to blind people. Unlike other implants under development that apply an electric charge directly to retinal cells, the device does not cause the cells to heat up. It also uses very little power, so it does not need external batteries. ...
Building A Library From Recycled Airplanes
by Justin Thomas, Virginia on 04.21.06
A design firm called LOT-EK from New York has just proposed reusing more than two hundred discarded fuselages from Boeing 727 and 737 airplanes as the major structural components for a new library in Guadalajara, Mexico. The airplane shells would be "stacked in a north-south slant in relation to sun exposure for energy efficiency" according to the designers. The fuselage is the only part of a decommissioned airplane that cannot be effectively recycled. ...
Happy Earth Day- It's the Grist List
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 04.21.06
. In honour of Earth Day Grist has produced its list of "the year's goodies, oddities, and inanities" that is very funny and open for contributions. Sample:
"Best green website (besides ours, of course): Treechanging ... uh, we mean Worldhugger..." ::Grist...
British Shoppers Get More Organic Food
by Bonnie Alter, London on 04.21.06
Consumer pressure works! British shoppers have demanded that more organic fruits and vegetables grown locally be made available in their supermarkets. As in North America, there has been criticism of the supermarkets for flying in organic food from great distances. In response a report from the Soil Assocation reveals that five out of the eight big foodstores now buy at least three quarters of their organic staples from Biritish suppliers. This is compared with only two stores in 2003. Kudos to Waitrose and Marks & Spencer which both get 89 percent of the food surveyed from Britain. Organic food sales are big business in Britain, as we have previously reported--they are expected to hit £1.5M this year alone. :: earlier treehugger post...
Wal-Mart Canada goes for Green Bullfrog Power
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 04.21.06
This post is taking forever to write. It is so easy to rail against Wal-Mart and this TreeHugger wouldn't be caught dead in one. On the other hand they keep announcing green initiatives. In Ontario, they have just made a huge purchase of green power from Bullfrog; in the first year alone it will reduce greenhouse emissions by 7,000 tons. “Wal-Mart Canada is demonstrating its leadership through this multi-year purchase of green power,” said Tom Heintzman, President, Bullfrog Power. “By supporting clean, renewable power in Ontario, Wal-Mart is taking meaningful action to reduce its carbon footprint and help combat the environmental and health consequences of air pollution in the province.” We are not going to try and figure out what percentage of Wal-Mart's carbon footprint this is. We are not going to be churlish. We are going to congratulate Wal-Mart, which usually is pretty effective at getting the lowest possible price from its suppliers, for paying a little more for cleaner, greener power. ::Bullfrog Power and ::Wal-Mart PDF Press Release...
China Eco Expo To Be Held In Beijing
by Leonora Oppenheim, London, UK on 04.21.06
While many express doom and gloom about the environmental impact of China’s economic boom there are rays of lights piercing through the polluted clouds. As Jacob reported last week the Chinese government are taking drastic measures to try and clean up Beijing in the run up to the 2008 Olympics. Now we have news of a China Eco Expo, which will be held in Beijing at the end of November. The Eco Expo Group have joined forces with The China Society for Environmental Science to hold ‘a high level conference and trade show dedicated to the technologies products and programs for a sustainable society.’ A special feature of China Eco Expo will be a preview of the ‘ground breaking strategies and technologies being used in China’s “Green Olympics”, including an entire “sustainable village”.’ ...
Huntsman Announce Green Chemistry Business Unit
by Warren McLaren, Sydney on 04.21.06
“Energy efficiency and Green Chemistry are not only better for the environment, they make sound business sense.” So says Don Stanutz, President of the Performance Products Division within Huntsman Corporation. If like me you were wondering Huntsman who? Then an epoxy based adhesive, called Araldite, might be more familiar to you. And apparently Huntsman, who operate in 90 countries, are also heavily involved in providing materials for the fabrication of wind turbine blades. In a recent press release, the company indicated they plan to “significantly ramp up” their work in the field of green chemistry. Currently their products in this vein include “propylene carbonate based solvents that reduce toxicity in applications from agriculture to industrial cleaning agents, carbonates that reduce volatile organic compounds in paints, wood preservatives that replace a known human carcinogen, waterborne paint primers, non-brominated flame retardants and catalysts that eliminate emissions from insulation foams.” With this new business unit they feel that “the possibilities for more are endless. We are especially anxious to build our position in this burgeoning field through the use of bio-based feedstocks such as glycerin, natural alcohols, methylesters, carbohydrates and sugars.”::Huntsman, via Sportstextiles....
Hot Rock Energy — Still on the Boil
by Warren McLaren, Sydney on 04.21.06
We first hinted at the potential of hot rocks mid last year. Then it seemed little more than a distant and esoteric sci-fi type idea. However with nuclear rearing its ugly head, as a possible and supposedly greenhouse-gas-neutral panacea to our looming energy woes, new alternatives are keenly sought. (Though as the International Herald Tribune noted this week “Nuclear power plants would take too long to build, would need subsidies and may cut carbon emissions less than expected, the [British] House of Commons Environmental Audit Committee said.”) No doubt in light of such views, the Australian state government of Victoria recently requested commercial interest in 31 exploration drilling permits to find the state’s best hot rock sites. Part of their goal to have 10% of Victoria’s energy go ‘green’ by 2010. The concept is simple really. Pump water down into the Earth’s core, so it can be super heated by contact with those hot rocks, returning to the surface as steam, which in turn drive turbines to create energy. The water is basically in a close loop, so after spinning said turbines it’s sent off down into the bowels once more. Links to more articles on the Geothermal page of ::Alternative Energy News. ...
MSNBC Columnist Gets a Visit From Undercover TreeHuggers
by Jacob Gordon, Nashville, TN on 04.20.06
It’s not my imagination—our numbers are multiplying. Maybe you’ve noticed. Every day, tech-savvy, eco-optimistic folks are popping out of the woodwork and dropping knowledge. Last week, MSNBC writer Michael Rogers wrote in his online column, “The Practical Futurist” about the growing popularity of “smart homes,” automated houses that let you turn on the hot tub and the DVD player from your Blackberry, etc. He mentioned none of the many green technologies that can make a house more efficient and his readers wouldn’t have it. He was apparently so touched by the replies that he followed up the next week with a piece titled, “Smart Homes Should be Eco Savvy, Too,” in which he included reader responses and his own insights. Among the intelligent observations he recounts are the suggestion of real-time gas and electric meters, passive and active solar design, radiant heat, geothermal, and advanced insulation. A Boise, Idaho reader even pointed out how plug-in hybrids will be part of smart and efficient homes as they become like large appliances that needs nightly charging. I thank the readers who took the time to comment on the column, I thank Michael Rogers for printing their responses, and I thank MSNBC, who does some quite excellent environmental reportage. :: The Practical Futurist on MSNBC (Image credit: ecohouseplan.com)...
Earthshell Opens First Bioplastic Factory in Missouri
by Justin Thomas, Virginia on 04.20.06
Yesterday, the first factory dedicated to manufacturing EarthShell´s biodegradable packaging products opened in Missouri. Senator Christopher S. ''Kit'' Bond cut the ribbon on the factory. EarthShell is a proprietary composite made from natural limestone and starch from potatoes, wheat or corn. The new packaging poses substantially fewer risks to wildlife than polystyrene foam packaging because it biodegradable when exposed to moisture in nature, physically disintegrates in water when crushed or broken, and can be composted in a commercial facility. EarthShell dinnerware is now being sold in Schnuck Markets in the Midwest and Smart & Final stores on the West Coast and will soon be available in other areas. :: Earthshell via Business Wire...
HauteGREEN Sneak Peek: Galya Rosenfeld's Modular Pillows
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 04.20.06
The second in our series of profiles leading up to HauteGREEN is Galya Rosenfeld, the San-Francisco-based designer who has also brought the world her Cocoa Modular Scarf. Like the scarf her Modular Pillows are made from upholstery fabric scraps that have been reclaimed and made into the modular units. There are no glues, stitching or other attachment method used, instead relying on an interlocking system to keep the pillows together; this makes for easy disassembly and recycling. Once disassembled, the modular units can be re-purposed into something new, and if a single modular unit gets damaged or stained, it can be replaced instead of having to replace the whole product. About the pillows, Rosenfeld has this to say: "Considering our changing needs and the whimsy of our fashion, I wanted to create objects that could be transformed -- to create a system that would extend the "design life" of objects. Colors and patterns are altered as desires change. Compositional variation can be introduced as oppose to identical mass produced objects, allowing each piece to be one-of-a-kind." ::HauteGREEN and ::Galya Rosenfeld
TreeHugger's HauteGREEN Sneak Peek series ...
Top Three Gadgets That Can Actually Save You Money
by Justin Thomas, Virginia on 04.20.06
Here are three gadgets that can actually pay for themselves, and can even start to save you money in the long run.
The first is the Spin-X dryer which uses centrifugal force to dry clothes quickly and efficiently. By rotating at 3300 RPM, the dryer removes a quart of water from clothes using the same amount of energy a regular clothes dryer uses in the first 15 seconds of operation.
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Brad Pitt announces Sustainable Design Competiton for New Orleans
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 04.20.06
Brad Pitt and Global Green USA (founded by Mikhail Gorbachev) have announced that they are teaming up to sponsor a design competition to provide n opportunity for talented architects, urban planners, designers, ecologists and students to put forward a creative yet practical vision for New Orleans neighborhoods." Brad says: “It is our hope that this competition will generate and uncover new and innovative ideas which will advance the practicalities of responsible architecture, as well as spark a long overdue rebuilding effort for the people of New Orleans, Honoring the traditions of this unique city and the voice of its residents, our goal is to create designs and ideally built projects for neighborhoods which are stable, beautiful, sustainable and affordable. This competition asks the question can this catastrophe be turned into opportunity? Can we create for these neighborhoods and its families something even better than they had before? We encourage anyone with an idea to get involved.” Final details, including jurors, program and brief will be available mid-May. Pre-register at ::Global Green
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Insanity: Man Rewarded for his Daily 372 Miles Commute
by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada on 04.20.06
Dave Givens has been driving 372 miles (600 kilometers) every day to go to work for around 17 years. He spends about 7 hours a day, 35 hours a week, 75 days a year in his car (or SUV - lets hope not, but it's not mentioned in the article). For that, he's being rewarded by Midas with "$10,000 in Gas Money and Free Car Maintenance". Someone at the BikeForums did the math, and that's 1,339,200 miles (2,155,233 kilometers), 53,568 gallons of gas at 25 miles per gallon (202,776 liters), and 13 cars if he disposes of them after 100,000 miles (161,000 kilometers). What more can we say? It's not even worth adding anything to that. You know what we think because you're probably thinking the same thing... ::Midas Announces Winner of ''America's Longest Commute'' Contest, ::Cisco man's 7-hour commute is killing Yosemite, via The Oil Drum Comments...
TreeHugger Welcomes Writer Jeff McIntire-Strasburg
by TreeHugger on 04.20.06
Yahoo! Invests in Renewable Energy
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 04.20.06
Yahoo! The internet service provider is joining up with other big companies (Whole Foods, Aspen Skiing Company, Interface and even the 2006 World Cup, just to name a few) in purchasing renewable energy credits (insert yodel here). They've joined up with the Santa Clara Green Power renewable energy program to purchase 804,000 kWh of clean renewable energy credits, derived from new wind and solar generation sources in California. This wind and solar energy commitment is in line with Yahoo! for Good, the company's community relations program. This commitment prevents the annual release of more than 800,000 pounds of carbon dioxide, a key greenhouse gas and is equivalent to planting 108 acres of forest or removing 70 cars from the road for a year; no word on what percentage of their energy usage the purchase represents. ::Silicon Vally Power via ::GreenBiz and ::sustainablog ...
Disney Honors Eco Champion Isabella Rossellini
by Erin Courtenay - Madison, WI on 04.20.06
The Disney Wildlife Conservation Fund recently honored Isabella Rossellini as a Champion of the Environment for her dedication to the protection of animals and wilderness. The recognition includes a $100,000 grant, which Ms. Rossellini will pass on to two of the primary conservation efforts that she supports - the White Oak Plantation nature preserve in Florida; and the Wildlife Conservation Network program to protect the Andean mountain cat. When explaining her abiding affection for wildlife Ms. Rossellini describes the compassion she has for animals both domestic and in the wild: "You have cats and dogs, and you start to wonder how the cats and dogs in the wild, tigers and wolves, were doing. You see your dog do something that seems instinctual, and you wonder where it comes from. Simple questions like that made me realize that we can't take animals for granted in the wild, anymore. We have to protect them." Via: The Orlando Sentinel ...
TreeHugger Looking for Talented, NYC based Contract Designer
by TreeHugger on 04.20.06
Chernobyl Anniversary: Party Tips!
by Kyeann Sayer, Nomad on 04.20.06
April 26 marks the 20-year anniversary of the Chernobyl disaster. Who wants to sit around and debate the death toll or quibble over the merits of the nuclear energy? Snore! We've rounded up some sure-fire hints for a truly unforgettable evening. Start planing now so nothing goes wrong!
Emergencies are hot. Loop The China Syndrome all night. You'll see Michael Douglas at his Viggo Mortensen-like zenith. If memory serves, Jane Fonda goes bra-less for much of it. Nice!
Hors d'oeuvres or Horrors de jour? Let food set the tone. When your guests arrive, inform them that at least one of the goodies on the party platter will kill them immediately and the rest slowly over a number of years.
Safety Dance. Pick some of the most offensive 80's music you can find. Then, try to contain it in a roped off "safety zone" that doubles as a dance floor. Will the noxious tunes infiltrate the rest of the party? Of course, but the fun is in pretending you can't hear!
What's your poison? Encourage interaction right from the start! Tape a small envelope containing the name of a long-term side-effect to each drinking glass. Guests will affix the illnesses to one another's backs and provide clues. The first to guess her affliction wins a bottle of vodka!
Three Mile Island Melts. Stay tuned for the recipe that will keep them coming back every twenty years! ::...
TH Blog/Vlog Love – Our Favourite Greens of The Week
by Leonora Oppenheim, London, UK on 04.20.06
Daryl Hannah Love Life: Green Building
Not so much a blog as a vlog, this is the beautiful (inside and out!) Daryl Hannah’s video podcast on environmental issues. This week she shows us around some amazing eco houses. Next week she’s in Rwanda for World Water Day and endangered gorillas. The girl's busy!
Organic Authority: Carnival of The Green 23 by Laura Lynn Klein
Organic Authority is proud to host the 23rd Carnival of Green! This travelling journal of environmentally aware bloggers roams from website to website in the mysterious abyss called the world wide web.
The Lazy Environmentalist: Technology - Environmental Opportunity?
Yeah we are getting all multi media this week on Blog Love. This is Josh Dorfman’s weekly show through Lime Radio. This week Josh discusses cutting-edge trends at the intersection of technology and the environment.
The Weekly Beet: Clothing With A Conscience! by Mary Kent & Elisa
For those of you who enjoyed this week's THTV episode on Sustainable Style here is another angle on the same topic. The Beet girls get some vlog action happening and they even work a Gandhi quote in there "There is no beauty in the finest cloth if it makes hunger and unhappiness."
Two Steps Forward: RenewUS: A Climate Movie with a Happy Ending
Joel Makower introduces the flash movie he produced in partnership with Stonyfield Farm. The movie is part of an ambitious campaign to mobilize citizens to take mass actions to change, or circumvent, our political and corporate leaders' tepid response to climate change. We particularly like prospect of McFuel!...
Help Me Do My Homework (For a Cause)
by Mairi Beautyman, Berlin, Germany on 04.20.06
What do you think are those revolutionizing moments in the history of sustainable design? With all the recent focus on green construction and green product design, what (who) is changing the world as we know it? These are the questions I'm trying to tackle in...err..5,500 words or less. And who better to help me, then a pool of knowledgeable treehuggers. The essay will be included in a book produced by Tricycle, which manufactures digital carpet samples for companies like Interface (and saves tons of carpet samples from landfill every year). All proceeds for the book go to Architecture for Humanity (AFH), one of our favorite non-profit organizations. AFH helps rebuild towns like Tsunami-ravaged Kirinda, Sri Lanka, pictured. AFH founder Cameron Sinclair was recently in the news. Learn more about Tricycle here. Would really appreciate your thoughts—best case scenario, with facts/links to back them up....
Restaurant of the Week: Mixt Greens, San Francisco
by Kara DiCamillo, Newport, Rhode Island on 04.20.06
We have to admit, we’re kinda jealous of all of you out in San Fran who get to enjoy Mixt Greens, an awesome new lunch spot that just opened this week. Okay, very jealous. Their concept is pretty simple, yet ingenious at the same time: serve innovative, organic and seasonal salads (and a few sandwiches) that are made to order. Who doesn’t love greens that are so crisp and fresh that they satisfy your lunchtime craving perfectly? You can choose from one of Chef Andrew Swallow’s (a graduate from the Culinary Institute of America) creations from the menu or you can simply make your own with a vast array of the freshest ingredients possible. Everything on the menu looks so delicious we wouldn’t even know where to begin (but can you maybe ship a Cowboy to us?). In addition to serving greens, it seems they have a passion for green all around. Mixt Greens was built following the USGBC's guidelines for green building and the space includes FSC certified wood, formaldehyde free plywood, zero-VOC paints, renewable and recycled materials and energy efficient appliances, making it not only impressive but totally hip too. Even the to-go packaging is corn-based and 100% compostable. Now TreeHugger has the inside scoop on the place and we hear that the first few days were so outstanding that Chef Swallow was doubling his team to prepare for the busy days ahead. Any thoughts of opening a Mixt Greens in Newport? Please? Located at 120 Sansome Street, San Francisco. ::Mixt Greens...
Instant Survey: Tuning In
by Erin Courtenay - Madison, WI on 04.20.06
Yurts: the New Hotel
by Bonnie Alter, London on 04.20.06
The nomads in Outer Mongolia created them out of necessity, now eco-tourists in France and Spain are vacationing in them for fun. Yurts, those large round tents, last seen in geography book photos with hairy warriors standing in front of them, have been re-invented. At the Hoopoe Yurt Hotel, near Ronda, Spain, you can choose between traditional Mongolian yurts with hand-painted roof poles, or Afghani style ones, which are more rustic. They stand above ground on a wooden bse. The owers are committed to environmental conservation and maintaining the natural beauty of the locale. Each yurt has compost toilets, uses recycled water and has iits own solar system for heat. Set amongst the cork trees, visitors can wander the olive groves, swim in the pool or watch films projected onto the side of the yurt. ::Yurt Hotel...
Mixing It Up: -- Oil Climate & Wind Together
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 04.20.06
This post is a three-in-one. We thought the three stories just belonged together, like Leonardo's perpetual motion wheel sketches (shown above). First off; we have a report that a planned climate impact assessment field trip to the arctic by an international team of scientists will be joined by oil prospectors (we wish it were via The Onion; but it's not). In a second item, it was "quietly reported" this Easter that the US set a new annual CO2 emissions record, for the reporting year 2004 (translation; "quietly reported" = ignored by US media). Let the show begin. Ladies and Gentlement, in the first ring, from The Guardian: "British scientists are at loggerheads with US colleagues over a controversial plan to work alongside oil companies to hunt for fossil fuel reserves in the Arctic. The US Geological Survey is lining up a project with BP and Statoil to find oil and gas in the Arctic Ocean, under the auspices of a flagship scientific initiative intended to tackle global warming". What happens if you accidentally find a sign of oil? It might not really be oil so it's OK. "BP said it was not using the research to prospect in the Arctic and that geological surveys could be misleading: "Very often it's intended to get you an indication, not necessarily of oil in a particular place, but what there might be in adjacent areas. You only find oil and gas if you actually drill." " And in the second ring..which is 'beyond petroleum'......
Drinking Outside the Box: Juice Boxes for Wine
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 04.20.06
We are not quite sure about juice boxes for wine. It is very popular in Italy, and Three Thieves Bandit wine from California is purported to be better for the environment than bottled wine. Certainly it costs less to transport- "the wine industry is stuck in the dark ages" says one of the winery's founders. "Most wine is sold in packaging that weighs more than the product inside and needs a special tool to open" Although we are not certain that the tetra packaging is more recyclable than glass, he has a point. We also like the fact that up here, 50 cents for every package sold is donated to Ontario 's Kortwright Center to help finance a new frog habitat. ::Three Thieves via ::The Star
We note that Toronto environmentalist Gord Perks points out in a letter to the Star after the article was published: TetraPaks are not green compared to effective recycling- letter below the fold. ...
ECOV — The Organics & Sustainability Show
by Warren McLaren, Sydney on 04.20.06
“Nobody can do everything, but everybody can do something.” A truism worth heeding. And the organisers of ECOV hope many will follow their theme. The Organics & Sustainability Show is soon to happen in regional Australia, at the Victorian city of Bendigo. Famous for it’s Gold Rush heritage, which ushered in an era of economic prosperity, we trust the city’s event can help do the same for ecological wellbeing. Organic and bio-dynamic food and wine shall be on offer, as will product exhibits under the categories of sustainable homes, sustainable workplaces & farms and sustainable communities. High profile doyen of the organic agricultural movement, the UK’s Prince Charles has given his blessing to the shinding, possibly because it will be held in the Prince of Wales Showgrounds, on 5th to 7th of May. ::ECOV...
Alnatura — Meaningful for Humankind and the Earth
by Warren McLaren, Sydney on 04.20.06
A little over 20 years ago, a company commenced business in Germany with the intent of selling 'natural' food. Within a few years they were doing just that, their organic (or ‘bio’ as it is simply known in Deutschland) food sales spreading throughout the country. Today, echoing the global growth in organic agriculture, they have 22 stores in 17 cities, including major metropolises like, Frankfurt, Hamburg and Stuttgart. For ten years Alnatura also operated a vegetarian restaurant and catering service in Karlsruhe, under the name Viva. Their website still offers recipes for yummy sounding veggie meals. Oh, yeh their current ‘fruit of month’ has the Arabic derived name, meaning fingers — banana. As part of their more than 5,000 natural products on the shelves of their stores, they stock 600 foodstuffs of their own brand. These appear to contain 100% organic ingredients. Also there's a line of kids organic cotton apparel from the biodynamically farmed Sekem community in Egypt. ::Alnatura...
Graham Hill Caught in Forest by Time Photographer
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 04.19.06
y'know, like in Charlie's Angels, the voice just sorta came out of the retro Bell speakerphone box and told them what to do but you never saw Charlie? Graham is like that. Bangalore. Barcelona. Montreal. New York. LA. You don't know where he is, but the email missives, corrections and criticisms just appear in your inbox. New products appear in stores. New websites just happen. But things are changing- twice this month he has been caught by cameras in his natural environment, cavorting with Ents in forests around the world. This week's Time Magazine is not online yet but they caught him again. We will follow up after the speakerphone gives us further instructions. Scan of Time copy below the fold....
Bamboo Collection from Natural High Clothing
by Kara DiCamillo, Newport, Rhode Island on 04.19.06
Last fall we introduced you to Natural High, a clothing company that focuses on men’s and women’s yoga apparel and accessories. At the time, Natural High’s clothing was made from natural hemp fibers and we’re here today to report that they, like many other companies, have started to experiment with bamboo. Although they still offer the pieces made from hemp fiber and organic cotton, we like how they’ve started to incorporate the bamboo in so many of their styles. Some pieces are made with 100% bamboo while others are a 70% bamboo/30% cotton blend. We like the Serenity Shawl (shown here) because it can be worn in a number of ways and the two-toned Power Wrap is so stylish and versatile, especially paired with the sexy Lotus Slip. The new collection can be found at Natural High’s flagship store in Santa Monica, CA, along with various retailers in the United States, Austria, Sweden, Canada and Japan. ::Natural High...
TreeHugger at Maker Faire: Who Wants Tickets?
by Sean Fisher, Cincinnati, Ohio on 04.19.06
If our write up of the Maker Faire yesterday made you salivate at the chance of catching a weekend's worth of DIY geekery, you might want to rush over to MAKE's site and get some tickets. Or, I guess we could just give you some of ours. That's right, TreeHugger has scored tickets to the Maker Faire and because we love you all so much, we are giving them away. All you have to do is scour our archives and the archives of a couple of our favorite sites to answer to following 3 questions:
1) Last September, we told you that a major sporting event for 2006 was going carbon neutral. What is the event?
2) Last summer, MAKE had a "cool" post on alternatives to air conditioning. In the post, it states "conventional air conditioners use refrigerants made of _________". Fill in the blank.
3) Finally, go to the Natural Resource Defencil Council's site and tell us the 3 examples of smart cities the NRDC points out in the fight against sprawl.
Once you have jumped through our hoops and received your answers, send them to us at: contest [at] treehugger [dot] com. The first 10 people to respond correctly will receive 2 one-day passes (available at will call) to the Maker Faire this weekend!...
Organic Light Emitting Devices Could Put the Light Bulb to Bed
by Jacob Gordon, Nashville, TN on 04.19.06
Imagine if the window in your living room let in light during the day, turned into an efficient light source in the evening, and then became a movie screen. This may be a reality sooner rather than later thanks to a technology called Organic Light Emitting Devices (OLEDs). OLEDs already exist and are poised to hit the market as cell phone screens, but as we’ve reported, until now they have been limited to single color displays. The leap has now been made to OLEDs that efficiently emit broad spectrum light suitable for illuminating interior spaces. Announced in the magazine Nature, and the result of 13 years of work by University of Southern California and University of Michigan researchers, these OLEDs could create flexible illuminated surfaces that could be situated almost anywhere from walls to windows to curtains. "This process will enable us to get 100 percent efficiency out of a single, broad spectrum light source," said Mark Thompson of USC. Because OLEDs are transparent when shut off, these efficient and long-lived light sources could function as windows when not in use or as flatscreen monitors. :: Gizmag (Image credit: Nature.com)...
Zero-energy Tower Could Rise in Guangdong, China
by Mairi Beautyman, Berlin, Germany on 04.19.06
A 300-meter tower requiring no net energy to operate could be erected in Guangdong, China. Designed by the Chicago office of Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM), what is informally known as the Zero Energy Tower is one of three finalists for Guangdong Tobacco Company’s new headquarters, according to Architectural Record. SOM’s hi-tech design would be a revolutionary take on wind power. Integrated wind turbines would be housed on two separate mechanical floors and a sweeping southern façade would sport integrated louvers, calibrated to automatically adjust to the sun’s angle and intensity. "We felt this was an ideal opportunity to showcase how a large building could be designed to utilize energy harvested from the local environment," says SOM associate partner Gordon Gill, who worked on the proposal. ::Architectural Record...
GE Invests in Wave Energy
by Justin Thomas, Virginia on 04.19.06
GE has announced that it is providing capital to Ocean Power Delivery (OPD), a Scottish company that specializes in generating electricity from offshore ocean waves. OPD developed the Pelamis Wave Energy Converter, which generates 750 kilowatts of electricity from offshore wave motion. The company's first order is from a Portuguese consortium that will install the system to generate enough electricity to meet the demands of more than 15,000 Portuguese homes. OPD expects to install and commission the first stage of the project during the summer of 2006. See our round-up of wave technologies in a previous post. :: Clean Edge...
AES Corporation Planning Billion Dollar Alternative Energy Investment
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 04.19.06
From the Reuters news service of April 17th: "International electric utility operator AES Corp. on Monday said it planned to spend about $1 billion over the next three years to expand its alternative energy business. The company said it was creating an alternative energy business group, which would invest in expanding its wind generation business and the development of technologies that reduce greenhouse gas emissions or create emission offsets. It will also invest in liquefied natural gas, or LNG, terminals". According to the relsease, about half of the $1 billion will go into wind power which reminds us of this. We think the Reuters news item overlooked some of the most intersting aspects of the AES plan....
Chicago Wal-Mart to Sprout Green Roof
by Mairi Beautyman, Berlin, Germany on 04.19.06
The first Wal-Mart inside Chicago’s city limits will also be the first Wal-Mart to host a grassy meadow on its roof, according to the Chicago Sun Times. The initiative is part of a deal the mega-chain made with Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley. Covering 67,000 square feet, the roof will feature three inches of soil and a flowering oasis of cactus-like plants, hardy enough to survive a Chicago winter (this picture, not specifically of the Wal-Mart roof, offers a hint of what's to come). Designed to reduce rainfall runoff, the roof will not need an irrigation system. Expected to be completed with the new store this summer, Wal-Mart's green roof could be the first of many in Chicago. Last Fall, Daley launched the city’s environmentally-driven Green Roof program, which divvies out $5,000 grants to residential and small commercial business owners. Reportedly, the green roof program could, in conjunction with other green roofs, lower the city’s air temperature. ::Chicago Sun Times via ::Able Chicago
Image courtesy of the University of Wisconsin—Milwaukee....
Veggie-Powered Car Motors Across New Zealand
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 04.19.06
New Zealander James Macdonald is a man on a mission. In an attempt to prove, once and for all, that veggie-oil cars are a viable alternative to petroleum derivativies, he's taking his modified 1993 Toyota Corona on a two-week odyssey across New Zealand, using veggie oil from (where else?) McDonalds. The culmination of two and a half years' work, he invented and built the car's alternative fuel system so, according to Macdonald, "the driver does nothing"; how that occurs is a bit of a mystery, though; the details of how his technology works, which extends beyond the car to the process he uses to refine the oil, are something he prefers to keep to himself. Though still under construction, Macdonald's website indicates that kits or complete conversions are available for sale for anyone who's interested in giving it a go. He also offers to attend seminars, talk to groups and provide the car for display and test drives to help spread the gospel of vegetable-oil fuels. His journey appears to have gotten off to a bit of a rocky start, but we wish him well as his Macdiesel motors across New Zealand. ::Macdiesel via ::Stuff and ::Jalopnik...
Laura Dern and Amy Brenneman Launch Eco-Home Campaign
by Erin Courtenay - Madison, WI on 04.19.06
Laura Dern (Happy Endings, Jurassic Park, Blue Velvet, Mask) and Amy Brenneman (Judging Amy) are helping The Children's Health Environmental Coalition launch the Blue Butterfly Campaign, an initiative to spread the word about "5 Easy Steps to a Healthier Home" - quick tips for creating a cleaner, healthier environment for families with children. The campaign encourages visitors to http://www.bluebutterfly.org to enroll in a membership program in which they can get more info. on eco-friendly living and get discounts on environmentally friendly products. One "perk" is the option to enter a promotion for give-aways, including a "black diamond" necklace. Correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't diamond production run counter to children's environmental health? At any rate, the campaign does bring together interesting partners and will surely help raise awareness among not-quite-treehugger type moms. Via Yahoo! News...
HauteGREEN Sneak Peak: Give It a Rest by Bambu
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 04.19.06
HauteGREEN is coming (we've mentioned it not once, but twice), and TreeHugger is pretty excited about it. Not only is Graham Hill, TreeHugger's founder and fearless leader, one of the curators, but each product is an outstanding example of contemporary sustainable design for the modern home, and finding the best of these is essentially the reason TreeHugger was born. In the next month leading up to the show, we'll be profiling some of the products entered in this year's show; sort of a sneak preview, to whet your appetites and give an insider look at the designs on display. Today's profile features the 'Give It a Rest' line of products entered by bambu. Part of TreeHugger's Best of Sustainable Designers series, their latest work is designed by Paris-based Godefroy de Virieu, and utilizes the unique characteristics of bamboo (one of TreeHugger's all-time favorite materials) to create a completely new and multi-functional everyday kitchen tool....
Habitaflex Folding Homes
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 04.19.06
This does not look like the usual TreeHugger fare, and is not made with particularly TreeHugger materials, but it sure is clever. The Habitaflex is a prefab that, like the EcoHut we showed earlier, has a 3D core with bathroom and services. You tow it to a site and lower the floors, raise the roof, unfold the walls and plant the pink flamingoes. Voila- instant two bedroom house. ...
TreeHugger Picks: Sleeping Beauties
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 04.19.06
While it may not be the last thing you think about before falling asleep at night or the first thing you think about when waking up in the morning, where you lay your head is an important lifestyle choice for all TreeHuggers. Here are the beds that give us the sweetest dreams.
1) The Pause bed has a built in iPod dock and Bose sound system to help you contemplate the notion of "rest," and the designers plant a tree for each piece of furniture sold.
2) The beds from Enlightenment Environmental Design are made from naturally-felled trees, discarded and even donated lumber, along with basic beeswax and tung oil finishes to keep things clean.
3) Inova's TableBed helps save space and kills two birds with one stone; when it's not a bed, it's a table (and vice versa), because you don’t need a dinner table when you’re sleeping, and you don’t need a bed when you’re eating.
4) Edo-style beds are inspired by the simplicity and restrained elegance of Japan's Edo period; made from sustainably-sourced mahogany, the simple design also cuts down on materials since it does not require a box spring.
5) Woodshanti's beds, just like the rest of their furniture, are certified by the Forest Stewardship Council; add their non-toxic finishes to the mix and you just might sleep better at night....
HauteGREEN Sneak Peek: The Best in Sustainable Design
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 04.19.06
HauteGREEN is coming (we've mentioned it not once, but twice), and TreeHugger is pretty excited about it. Not only is Graham Hill, TreeHugger's founder and fearless leader, one of the curators, but each product is an outstanding example of contemporary sustainable design for the modern home, and finding the best of these is essentially the reason TreeHugger was born. In the next month leading up to the show, we'll be profiling some of the products entered in this year's show; sort of a sneak preview, to whet your appetites and give an insider look at the designs on display....
Eat the Season Every Week
by Bonnie Alter, London on 04.19.06
Eat the Seasons is a website dedicated to encouraging people to connect back to nature by eating local and seasonal food. Each week it focuses on a different fruit or vegetable which is in season at that time. The foods come from the U.K. or Europe and include fish and game which is wild, not farmed. Eating seasonal food saves energy, in growing and transport. It supports the local economy of the growers and their employees. So many people live in urban areas now; it helps in understanding the rhythm of the growing season. And most importantly, local produce tastes fresher and better and is more nutritious. The weekly seasonal food may also include imports that cannot be grown locally or in Europe. In this case they are chosen to support the economy of developing countries. ...
Clear Blue Hawaii - Not Entirely Transparent
by Warren McLaren, Sydney on 04.19.06
Damn, and I was getting all excited there for while. Clear Blue Hawaii were going on about polyurethane being perfect for as the skin for the world’s sole transparent foldable kayak, and at 26 lbs (12 kg), the lightest too. Supported by a Carbon Kevlar frame system, the award winning Napali Kayak folds up small enough to fit into a hiking pack, yet gives the paddler a fish eye view of the watery underworld beneath them. Learning about the cost of $5,000 (including shipping) was a bit of a dampener. But discovering in the fine print that the shell was actually a urethane and vinyl mix was indeed disheartening. We shan’t be giving PVC products the thumbs up, any time soon. But they did manage a redemption of sorts, .......
Turby — A Wind Turbine that Loves City Turbulence
by Warren McLaren, Sydney on 04.19.06
How many products do you know that proclaim, “Hey, we’re 18 times more expensive to operate than the competition”? Well, Turby does, and it’s darn fine see some product honesty once in a while. Of course, they do go on to explain that if one factors in environmental and economic constraints not covered by their opposition, then the difference drops to just 1.8 times higher. Then they ask if your children’s future will be a livable one, if we stick with finite fossil fuels? That’s an easy question to answer. The harder one is, what makes the Turby 40% more efficient than many other wind turbines? Seems it has hit on an optimum design compromise between vertical and horizontal bladed turbines. And this makes them ideal for city use, which is notoriously bad for windpower generation, because the wind comes from all directions. In fact, The Turby works best when some updraft is funneled up a minimum of six storeys. On this point, they don’t recommend them for houses, though tall apartments work just dandy. We are further informed that none less than William McDonough himself has declared that the Turby should be the “worldwide symbol for renewable energy.” But we ramble. Download their 16 page PDF for all the nitty gritty. Thanks for tipster Vjekoslav R. ::Turby...
Hey Ma! Here Comes the Maker Faire!
by Jacob Gordon, Nashville, TN on 04.18.06
It’s on, kids. Coming up this weekend is the Maker Faire at the San Mateo Fairgrounds near San Francisco. Part science fair, part Burning Man reunion, anyone in the vicinity should really consider making their way to what is likely to be a completely wild and spectacular gathering of DIY wizards, mad geniuses, and grassroots tech-enthusiasts. Hosted by Make Magazine, this is the first Maker Faire ever, so there’s really no saying what’s going to happen, but take a look at who’ll be there and you can start to get a mental picture. Among the many wonders to be found at this family-friendly event will be: a real live Swap-O-Rama-Rama (as seen on TreeHugger TV), build your own wind power generator workshops, the Bio Ninja, the Cyclecide Bike Rodeo, and CalCars, who will be performing a plug-in hybrid conversion over the course of the weekend. We’ll even have a TreeHugger booth set up, so if you get over stimulated, Sean can stroke your head and sing to you. As if this wasn’t all enough, bring your old electronics to the Maker Faire to be recycled and they might just end up part of a veggie-oil powered parallel computing cluster. Bring your family, bring you camera, bring your helmet. :: The Maker Faire...
London Plans First Mini 'Eco-City'
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 04.18.06
London Mayor Ken Livingstone has unveiled plans for London's first mini "eco city." It will have approximately 1,000 homes, and will aim to demonstrate that homes can be built in Britain without contributing to global warming. The London project stems from a proposal by Greenpeace and will be taken forward by the London Development Agency (LDA) with help from British engineering firm Arup. Stephen Tindale, executive director of Greenpeace, said: "Once again London is leading the way in the UK and Ken Livingstone is showing what can be done when a politician has the drive to turn aspirations into action. It's time central government took note of what is happening across the Thames." Livingstone said the capital's eco city should set standards for the rest of London and Britain when building houses in the future, adding "I think it will be mandatory. This is the model we want." The mayor hopes to break ground within a year. ::Gulf Times via ::Alternative Source...
Loomstate-Vans Shoes Have Arrived
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 04.18.06
We first found out about the Loomstate-Vans collaboration to make some super-TreeHugger shoes awhile back, but hadn't heard anything since, and have been wondering where they went. Turns out the softly-hyped line is alive and kicking and available for sale; don't look too close, but Graham Hill, TreeHugger's fearless leader, was sporting a pair during an interview for Current TV at SXSW a couple weeks back. They've got five different incarnations of the shoe -- two high-top, three slip-on -- all with Loomstate's signature branding and organic cotton. We're glad that you can now be outfitted head-to-toe with Loomstate's groovin' gear. So, which shoe are you? They're available at Revolve Clothing, via ::Product Dose....
Vere Chocolate Has Nothing to Hide
by Kara DiCamillo, Newport, Rhode Island on 04.18.06
This past weekend we were treated to some darn good chocolate. Not only did we have a taste, but we also ate most of what came in our package (a very large one, we admit). Manhattan-based Vere (pronounced “very”) prides themselves on being a chocolate company for the modern consumer. They promote quality, health and ecological benefits, while not sacrificing a bit of flavor. Vere uses a single varietal, sustainably grown and harvested bean found only in the Ecuadorian rainforest. These beans are certified by the Rainforest Alliance to be grown without pesticides and in accordance to standards that protect the rainforest and the farmers who grow them. Vere’s packaging is so aesthetically pleasing and it shows the company is in favor of a clean look that boldly declares what's inside because, well, they really have nothing to hide. All of Vere’s chocolates are gluten free and many are vegan. They use organic, local and sustainable products like nuts, eggs and dairy and statistics show that Vere chocolate has double the antioxidants of standard dark chocolate. Does this mean it might be good for you? Hmm. We bet that once you have a bite of Vere chocolate, you’ll feel the same way we do. ::Vere...
People of Austin: Tell Us About Your City
by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada on 04.18.06
A couple of weeks ago, we had a post titled: "People of Portland: Tell Us About Your City", the first in our City Series. In it, we asked you, the reader, to tell us the good and the bad of that city; "What is the general level of eco-consciousness in population? How is it for cyclists? How's public transportation? Suburban sprawl? Air quality? Recycling/composting? As time passes, are things getting better or worse? Anything you think we might find interesting, please share it with us in the comments of this post." The response to the Portland post was amazing, and so this week we're doing Austin, Texas (USA). Please share your experience about that city in the comments, and if you haven't already, check out the reader comments in the Portland post. ::Wikipedia Entry on Austin...
Wooden "Backpacking" Flutes By Werner John
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 04.18.06
Going hiking this summer? For solace sake, you might give the iPod a rest and instead learn how to play a woodland flute, which could resound quite nicely with your forest time. Werner John, a Massachusetts based craftsman, musician offers lightweight woodland flutes made especially for the backpacker. His flute designs overcome the usual humidity issues with a unique ceramic liner (partial view of liner shown in photo) that enables wooden flutes to be played outdoors, in cool weather, and without condensation problems. The backpack models are priced from US$245-345. We think his ideas are in tune as well. "Threats and decline are not all there is. Dwelling on successes is inspiring..."!...
Choose your Wood Wisely
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 04.18.06
Working a home show all week, we stared at all of these floors with names like tigerwood, cabruva and merbau. All those years of architecture school and we never heard of any of them- where do they come from? Take Merbau- Evidently, it comes off the back of a truck in Papua Province in Indonesia, and major brand names like Tarkett, Kahrs, Armstrong-Bruce and Goodfellow sell it at Home Depot and Lowes. However Environmental group EIA/Telapak gathered environmental policy information from manufacturers and retailers and conducted undercover investigations into their suppliers. They discovered that while manufacturers and retailers typically claim to buy timber only from carefully managed forests, their suppliers openly admitted to using merbau from unknown sources in Papua, where powerful smuggling syndicates drive massive illegal logging. None could prove their merbau was legal. ...
TreeHugger TV: Sustainable Style with Jill Danyelle of Fiftyrx3
by Leonora Oppenheim, London, UK on 04.18.06
Oh you know we're complete suckers for style. Yeah we want to look good and save the planet! Proving that these two aims are not mutually exclusive is TreeHugger’s raison d’être. So we are very excited that THTV and m ss ng p eces have had the privilege of hooking up with the blogosphere’s queen of sustainable fashion Jill Danyelle. Jill writes the Fiftyrx3 blog which has become a beacon of style for any fashion forward treehugger worth their vintage salt. In this week’s THTV episode Jill takes us on a green fashion tour through the Lower East Side and the West Village in Manhattan searching for examples that best represent the three underlying categories of sustainable style: reduced, re-used and recycled clothing. We visit Zachary's Smile, Gominyc, Mo Mo Falana and Terra Plana.
The best way to get your regular THTV fix is to subscribe to our weekly podcast from iTunes, so that you receive a new episode every week without any effort at all! You can also use the TreeHugger XML feed to subscribe. Or you can visit You Tube and Google Video. Last, but definitely not least, iTunes and Quicktime users, here are your links: iTunes MOV – Don’t forget to check it out! ...
Ethical Living Comes to America
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 04.18.06
"It's time to take a stand; every choice you make tomorrow will be environmentally friendly and socially responsible."
We have noted before that people in North America seem to be more single-issue types, whereas in the UK they wrap the whole package into the concept of ethical living. This may be changing: read the Toronto Star's "hour by hour guide to being a model citizen"- from the ringing of the alarm clock, which should not have batteries but should be Bullfrog powered. (what ever happened to wind-up? that would be the greenest option). Shower in cool water. don't flush the toilet. Drink fair trade coffee while you poach your free range organic eggs. Put on your organic cotton clothing and head out to work, and it is only 8:30 in a day in this virtuous life. read Naomi Carniol in ::theStar For background, Read Leo Hickman of the :: Guardian...
Geämi Packaging — Something from Nothing
by Warren McLaren, Sydney on 04.18.06
Tipster Heather M. asked us if we had heard of Geämi? Personally, No. So it was great that she went on to extoll it’s virtues. “It's an alternative solution created for packing boxes and wrapping delicate items. The product is a roll of paper that has tiny slits in it that expand when it is rolled out. It's saves space (unlike horrible packing peanuts), made from recycled paper, and is easy to recycle or re-use when you receive a package wrapped in it. It also allows you to pack more in a box than bubble wrap, so it saves money. We use it to ship all of our chocolate because it's earth friendly, and it also creates an insulated environment.” As far as we can make out the slits Heather mentioned contort into honeycomb forms when stretched. 20 inch paper loses 20% of its width as this new 3 dimensional packaging takes shape. The company suggests it will now perform the “same functions as foam peanuts, bubble-type wrap and molded polystyrene - wrapping, cushioning, void filling, blocking and bracing - but without the environmental liability.” Furthermore because it arrives basically flat packed, it is 40 times more space, and thus shipping, efficient than bubble wrap. Sounds fascinating. Geämi is a made-up Latin/Greek word meaning ‘earth friend’. ::Geämi...
Lasentiu’s Storage Solutions made from Syntrewood
by Petz Scholtus, Barcelona, Spain on 04.18.06
Last week at Vinçon’s, the Zig-Zag caught our eye. It’s a bottle rack that at first seems just grey but when you get to know it better you realise it’s actually green. That’s because it’s made from Syntrewood, a 100% recycled and recyclable material that’s not only ecological but also low-cost. Syntrewood is a product of the Spanish company Lasentiu, who use discarded material from urban plastic waste collection (the yellow containers here in Spain) that would otherwise end up as landfill or be burnt. So with 85-90% of Polyolefin (from bottle caps, bags or detergent bottles) and 10-15% paper, board, fabric, PET and aluminium such as from Tetra-bricks, Lasentiu created Syntrewood, a plastic material free from PVC that is ‘water-repellent, unchangeable to environmental conditions and non toxic’. Apart from the simple V-shaped modular bottle rack Zig-Zag that fits different sizes of bottles horizontally, Lasentiu have also designed a series of chairs, component seats, stackable boxes, drawer units and other storage systems that allow for easily assembly and your own distribution. Maybe it is too grey for your living room but will do nicely in any workshop, cellar or garden shed. ::Lasentiu...
Sheep to Shear Themselves, Aided by a Mobile Phone?
by Warren McLaren, Sydney on 04.18.06
It has long been said that Australia rode to market on the sheep’s back, alluding to the fact that our primary industry has traditionally been stronger than any other economic sector. Apparently, with well over 100 million of the woolly herbivores, we have the worlds second largest population, so they certainly do command some attention. Though controversy, of late, over mulesing of sheep has made managers of the nations flock a little nervous. So they were probably happy to get some recent good news. Appears that progress has been made on a little biommicry that could have the sheep shearing themselves. According to an all too brief news story, researchers at the University of South Australia reckon sheep could be fitted with an implant that would release a bio-active substance, which would in turn “cause wool fibres to break simultaneously.” And given that we have all gone mobile phone crazy, the latest idea is that farmers could call the flock’s number to trigger the bio-active agent. If they can perfect the concept, it will give new meaning to the term text-tile. ::ABC Rural....
DIY Wind Generator Competition
by Jacob Gordon, Nashville, TN on 04.17.06
Even if big wind turbines aren’t bird blenders after all, there is still the scandalous fact that, as we speak, untold numbers of gnats, hornets and innocent honeybees are being chopped to bits in the blades of tiny wind generator. Okay, joking. Of course we love micro power generators and their endless applications. Small wind generators are fun and accessible ways of making power and they provide tons of opportunities for the do-it-yourselfer to get hands on. For those of you feeling up for a challenge, gotwind.org has posed a design conundrum to make your head spin: design a complete wind generator for under $175 (£100). Your design (you aren’t required to actually build it) has to employ “readily available components” and produce a minimum of 20 watts at 12 volts. Win, and you get to make the world a better place, get famous, and win a sweet new flashlight. Lose, and we feed you to the turbines. ...
TreeHugger Picks: Solar at Home
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 04.17.06
With summer on the way, most of us will be seeing an increase in daylight hours and, thus, solar radiation. While more sunlight and heat isn't all good (as it's increasingly trapped in our atmosphere and slowly warming our globe), we've discovered numerous ways to harness some of it for good, to reduce your load on the grid and relieve your house of some of its electrical duties. Here are our picks for cranking up solar around the house.
1) The solar address light will insure the pizza delivery guy never gets lost again.
2) The $600 solar kit is a good start for anyone not ready to totally write off the local utility just yet.
3) Solarbrick will light your driveway or pathway with LEDs.
4) Take one room off-grid if you're ready for more than address lights or pathways.
5) FindSolar.com and the Affordable Solar Store are two great places for a serious solar upgrade.
6) The Solar Dorm room and Bob's Solar Project are good how-to guides for the burgeoning solar DIYer....
Greener Offices in New York
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 04.17.06
Last week, we brought you a primer on making office interiors a greener place; now the NY Times has a good profile of two new office buildings (and a third going up) that are helping make office exteriors greener. Seven World Trade Center, a 52-story, $7 million replacement for the building that fell at that address on 9/11, was LEED-certified last month, and the 46-story Hearst Tower, on 57th Street near Eighth Avenue, is expected to follow suit after completion next month. The third building, the Bank of America Tower at One Bryant Place, has been touted as the "greenest skyscraper ever," though we can't be sure until it's completed. Some interesting tidbits include the assertion that the cost of sustainable design have decreased to the point of being just two to five percent higher than designs that don't incorporate sustainability. The same sustainable buildings also use 30 to 70 percent less energy, so they cost less both in operating costs and in employee costs; better health leads to fewer sick days and increased productivity on the job. Let's see: save money, save resources, save energy, increase production, reduce sickness; is there anything green building can't do? via ::NY Times...
Hybrid Cars: Not Always the Right Answer
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 04.17.06
Are hybrid cars really that much better for the earth and our dependence on foreign oil than conventional cars? Jamie Lincoln Kitman, the New York bureau chief for Automobile Magazine and a columnist for Top Gear, says not necessarily, and he's right. As with anything, there isn't an unequivocal blanket statement that can be made about purchasing and owning hybrid cars (i.e. they're always the better choice, they always get better mileage), at least from a purely quantitative standpoint. His argument? That (starting next year, at least) someone can buy a Dodge Durango hybrid (pictured), for example, qualify for tax breaks, "feel good" about saving the planet, and still get 14 miles/gallon (instead of 12), while a conventional Honda Civic driver doesn't get kick-backs from the government, doesn't have a status-symbol car with the words "hybrid" on it, but gets 40 miles/gallon....
Weird Post of the Day: 500lbs Potato Battery
by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada on 04.17.06
We're not sure how to categorize that one. "Weird Science Project Gone Too Far", maybe? Or "Alternative Energy" and "Food", to be literal about it. From the website: "I built a potato battery out of 500 pounds of potatoes. It powered a small sound system. With the help of the Red 76 crew I installed the battery and sound system in the back of a U-Haul truck and drove it around town inviting people to enter the truck and take a listen." And a final warning, "Don't eat potatoes after using them for a battery." We'll remember that... ::500 lb Potato Battery, via ::Digg....
Vegan Diets Healthier for Planet
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 04.17.06
People go vegan for health or ethical reasons, but here is another good one- saving the planet from greenhouse gases. Gidon Eshel and Pamela Martin, (pictured here) Assistant Professors in Geophysical Sciences at the University of Chicago, studied the production of greenhouse gases for different diets and found that a strictly vegetarian diet to be the most energy efficient, saving a ton and a half of CO2 or equivalents per year. Chicken came next, while red meat and, surprisingly, fish, tied for last. "Fish can be from one extreme to the other," Martin said. Sardines and anchovies flourish near coastal areas and can be harvested with minimal energy expenditure. But swordfish and other large predatory species required energy-intensive long-distance voyages. Half of the greenhouse gas used generated comes from transport; the balance is from sources like sewage lagoons associated with pork production. We suppose that a new category of diet is needed: the 100 mile vegan. ::Eurekalert
UPDATE: MGR reminds us of an earlier article in ::Alternet...
TreeHugger Goes From 2D to 3D With Their First Eco-Product – The StuffBump
by Leonora Oppenheim, London, UK on 04.17.06
For our next act we’d like to welcome to the ever growing TreeHugger stage, the TreeHugger product label. Yes that’s right it is not just about reading or watching that smooth flat computer screen anymore, TreeHugger is getting physical, you can hold us in your hands and stroke us! We love reviewing all the amazing eco-design work that’s going on out there in the big wide world, but there is no doubt that we are extremely tough critics and when a product is only halfway there TH writers and readers are not afraid to say it. So Graham Hill, Lord of the TreeHugger Manor, decided it would be a good challenge to design a range of TreeHugger products which conform to our own very exacting standards, i.e. 100% eco-products, or as close as we can possibly get. Graham enlisted the talents of Petz Scholtus, as his trusty eco-designer sidekick, and they hit the ground running. The first product out of the Hill/Scholtus/TreeHugger design stable is the amazingly tactile StuffBump! StuffBump? Yes StuffBump - a fantastic and fun storage system which, using a clever die cut pattern, allows a flat piece of material to be opened up and stuffed with small belongings, thus becoming a bump. ...
Tribrid Micro-Car – The Brazilian OBVIO ! Import By ZAP
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 04.17.06
Small car importer-converter ZAP will showcase a new "trybrid" sports car concept from Brazil at the New York International Auto Show, April 14-23 at the Jacob K. Javits Center. ZAP says its "trybrid" designs run on three sources of energy: gasoline, ethanol, and electricity; and the gasoline/alchohol proportions may be varied at the user's convenience. According to the press release, the OBVIO ! 828, will have an integrated chassis and safety cage using composite materials, a three-passenger bench seat, a computer with Windows compatible platform, GPS navigation, and a continuously variable transmission. ZAP is also exhibiting an all-electric city-car called the XEBRA planned for production and distribution this year. We certainly hope that whoever came up with the Carnival motif paint job will get some US marketing advice before it's too late. The derisive remarks would be hard to overlook with mileage in the advertised 29-city/40-hwy mpg range and a price in the anticipated 14K bracket....
Green Products in Azure
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 04.17.06
We thought we would get a week of posts out of the new Azure magazine, but page 438 of the TreeHugger Manual states very clearly : "before reviewing said product or service "A" perform search function "B" to ensure boring repetition of posts does not occur" and lo and behold we found:
::Valcucine Kitchens- designed for disassembly, using 80% less material, no solvents and water based lacquers with finishes from soy, flax and orange peels.
::Emeliano Godoy's disposable collection of home accessories made from sugar.
::gDiapers- taking a load out of our landfills.
::Bale Chair from FSC plywood and who knows what books
::Jonas Hauptman's Reseat chairs made of reconstituted aspen wood flakes
::Patagonia Synchilla Fleece (44 posts on Patagonia!)
::Biota water in biodegradable bottles
::and we are so thrilled that they agree with us about the :: iPod-" they are an example of dematerialization-manufacturing with fewer materials and, in this case, replacing physical products with virtual ones" ...
Reusable Shopping Bag Madness in Australia
by Warren McLaren, Sydney on 04.17.06
Our poor long suffering Tips Editor keeps sending me tips about some ‘clever’ Australian reusable shopping bag concept. And I don’t find time to post them. Largely because I feel the whole issue has gone off the rails. Yes, Australia consumes around 7 billion disposable bags each year. I abhor it. But now it appears we are headed down a new slippery slope. Everyone, governments included, seem to be offering their own line of reusable shopping bag. There is now even a website, Bagman, that lists, at last count, 17 different suppliers of the things. And it still doesn’t include the likes of EcoEzi and EcoSilk, which sell a similar story. Many, though not all, of these bags are made from nylon, polyester or polypropylene, which will to be with us for the same 500 years, as the very plastic bags they are to suppose replace. ...
Bikes Not Bombs Has Job Vacancies
by Warren McLaren, Sydney on 04.17.06
Every time we do a story about a bicycle reuse or repair program someone is bound to chime in with, “what about Bikes Not Bombs?” OK, we apologise for neglecting them for so long. And timely that we should bring them to the front page of TreeHugger, because they currently have job openings for three positions. You could be their new Executive Director, Bike Shop Sales Manager or Fundraising Intern. But why would you want to be? Well BNB is a “non-profit organization working for alternative transportation and community development. The group operates the Bicycle Recycling and Youth Training Center in Roxbury, MA, to promote environmental education, meaningful employment, and safe sustainable communities, both here in Roxbury and abroad.” To this end they have “sent over 22,000 bikes to Central America, the Caribbean and Africa in the last 20 years.” More recently they ahve been working closely with the Village Bicycle Project in Ghana, West Africa who have the beneficiaries of some 2,000 two wheelers from BNB. That youth training centre mentioned above provides a bucketload of bike related programs including Earn A Bike, whereby kids get to repair and build their own bike to keep (like Recycle-a-Bike in New York). Sounds like a cool place to work. ::Bikes Not Bombs....
Honda May Cut Accord Hybrid Production
by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada on 04.16.06
At the New York Auto Show, the Executive Vice President of Honda, Dick Colliver, said that Honda may cut production of its Accord hybrid because sales have been slow. Meanwhile, the Honda Insight hybrid saw sales jump 15%, and Honda expects to sell 25,000 Civic hybrids, 8% of its total Civic volume (and Toyota should sell over 100,000 hybrids). "The problem with the Accord is that the hybrid system is paired with a V6 engine, compared to the smaller 4-cylinder engine in the Civic, and consumers aren’t convinced it will offer them any fuel savings." Could this mean that the next Accord hybrid will have a smaller 4-cylinder engine, like the Toyota Camry hybrid, and the upcoming Nissan Altima and Saturn Aura hybrids? We certainly hope so. If Honda really wants to make "performance" hybrids, it should consider branding them as Acura, like Toyota does with its Lexus hybrids. ::Honda may cut hybrid production due to soft sales, via ::Autoblog. See also: ::2006 Honda Accord Hybrid: Still a Mixed Bag....
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by Ken Rother on 04.16.06
Its almost (gag, cough) barbecue season...
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 04.16.06
Photo by Rick Browne, Grill "Master of the Universe"
Ah, Spring is here and it is time to get out the barbie, lock up the vegans and throw on a steak. Not good for the heart, but how is it for the environment? In the US, 63% of backyard BBQ's are fired with briquettes, manufactured by cooking waste timber, sawdust and whatever else in near-airless conditions for a week, mix cornstarch to bind and lighter fluid to start easily, press into moulds and bake some more. Result: 105 times more carbon monoxide than burning propane and lots of harmful VOC's. However propane is a fossil fuel and a net contributor to atmospheric CO2 levels. Real charcoal is said to be "carbon neutral" but much is shipped from abroad (at least to the UK where this article is sourced) so the Guardian suggests locally made charcoal culled from thinnings and fallen trees and making it traditionally, the old english art of "coppicing" -harvesting fuel from trees without destroying them. There are a number of UK sources including the green empire at Bioregional . In the States, we found the ::Cowboy Charcoal Company. Read more in ::the Guardian although just writing this makes us want to run off to the local Raw Food Bar. ...
Graham Asks: Can I drink the Water in New York City?
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 04.16.06
For his big move back to the big city, Graham Hill sent in the investigative team to case the joint. One question was- can we drink the water? in New York City, the answer is a resounding yes. Very farsighted people built the New York water supply system, starting with the Croton reservoirs built between 1842 and WW1, and the Catskill system started in 1927. Altogether 1,900 square miles of land containing pristine lakes and reservoirs supply approximately 1.4 billion gallons of water each day to nearly 9 million people in New York City and surrounding counties. It is pure, clean, and unfiltered. ::EPA How does it taste? Many New Yorkers say they drink bottled water because it tastes better, but ABC's 20/20 did a blind taste test....
Vegetable Motor Oil By Peaks and Prairies
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 04.16.06
Peaks and Prairies of Malta Montana USA has received a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) grant to test its canola or “rapeseed” oil-based engine lubricant, “Eco-Oil”. The DOE grant money will support independent laboratory testing of Eco-Oil’s effect on engine power, emissions, and so on. The testing results will be used to apply for certification by the American Petroleum Institute, such that Eco-Oil use could prospectively satisfy engine maker warranty requirements. Hmmm...petroleum industry trade group considers certifying a plant oil product that could one day compete against petroleum-based oils. Interesting....
Eco Home – More Great Gift Shopping Online
by Leonora Oppenheim, London, UK on 04.16.06
Eco online stores are all the rage right now, there seems to be a new one popping up every week! The Natural Store and Coco's Shoppe are just two we've written about recently. But hey we’re not complaining, the more the better we say, there’s plenty of room for everybody on this world wide web of ours. The key to a successful online store is that it is easy to use and has it’s own distinctive style. Eco Home is successful in both these aims, using strong colours and sharp images to create an attractive and fun ‘shop window’. The Eco Home Store was recently launched by Jane and Ali who say, ‘We wanted to create a sustainable business that made sustainability fun, neither of us is a lentil chomping weirdy-beardy, but normal everyday people who enjoy life, our friends and home.’ ...
Do-It-Yourself Mikro House
by Christine Lepisto, Berlin on 04.16.06
TreeHugger regulars will know our predisposition towards efficient pre-fab living spaces. With the Mikro House, Sam Buxton has brought the concept to its logical end point. Now we just have to engineer smaller humans. Okay, seriously this is art, not life. But the philosophy encapsulated in the work of British product designer Sam Buxton delivers its message loud and clear: with technology and human imagination, everything is possible....
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- On a Wind and a Care. The Sail Transport Company Freight Food By Yacht
- So How Much Agricultural Land Will We Need to Keep Global Aviation Aloft with Biofuels?
TreeHugger breaks it down for you in a series of in depth how-to articles that will help you green your life. No time like the present!
