- 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 March 18, 2007 - March 24, 2007
Total this week: 126
A Timely New Chapter To The "Just In Time" Story
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 03.24.07
Much of the push to "re-engineer" business to "streamline for profits" over the last twenty years is captured in the buzz-phrase Just In Time(JIT). If you were a a business owner, experts urged you to store as much as possible of your inventory in the trucks moving toward your customers from outsourced suppliers, minimizing your own payroll and warehousing costs. A product line manager discovered to have amassed a cache of actual inventory faced dismissal, and so on. As a result, trucks in North America and Europe are, in effect, the warehouse system. Hence, the recent argument that under NAFTA, that Mexican trucking companies should be allowed to bring goods in to the US without transferring. The glue that holds this logistical approach together is comprised of the Enterprise Software System, so-called Business to Business (B2B) linkup portals, and a lot of phone calling and fancy shipping contracts. A seldom acknowledged JIT casualty is the near end of the warehouse full of unsold crap merchandise, dumped via "clearance re-sellers". Those clearance malls along the expressways of America are now most likely getting their inventory JIT, as the retail stores in the mall do. One seldom discussed drawback of JIT is the swarm of half- or mostly-empty trucks driving from supplier to distributor or customers and back; or worse, completely empty trucks going half way across the country to get to the next load. With fuel so much more costly and highways slipping into gridlock, might businesses soon have to go back to classic product designs stored in venerable warehouses? Not quite yet. ...
Live a Plastic-free Year
by Kathreen Ricketson, Canberra, Australia on 03.24.07
Is it possible to really live plastic free? When everything we consume is packaged in plastic, it makes this resolution almost impossible (I would think). So tracking the progress of one woman's journey into trying to live a year totally plastic free is quite intriguing. Discoveries like plastic free packaging on toiletries and personal hygiene products such as her deodorant debacle, and discovery of LUSH products. Try reading more about this issue with TreeHugger's guide to green women's personal care, and check out TreeHugger's stories on natural deodorants and personal care. ::EnviroWoman ::living plastic free in 2007 (same thing different location) [Thanks go to Felicia Sullivan for the tip]...
Greenheart: Fair Trade Without Fossil Fuels
by Sami Grover, Carrboro, NC, USA on 03.24.07
When we covered the shipping vs airfreight debate here (also covered here), Chris Kozak got in touch about what looks like an absolutely intriguing project that he’s involved in called Greenheart. According to the initiative’s website, the idea is as follows:
“Create a self-funding enterprise that uses environmentally clean and sustainable sail and solar power to provide free delivery of development aid and relief supplies to needy countries around the world. Promote fair trade, renewable energy and international cooperation. Develop a tool to help impoverished coastal communities improve their standards of living, while preserving their traditions and protecting the environment.”...
Toronto Unveils Blueprint for a Green City
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 03.24.07
Mayor David Miller says Toronto will be "the leading environmental city in North America" and has rolled out the blueprints. He says the plan represents a "real" commitment to combating global warming. "This framework is very bold. It sets clear targets for action and it sets out an uncompromising commitment by the city of Toronto to lead on environmental issues."
The plan includes meeting Kyoto targest by reducing greenhouse gas emissions; tax rebates for upgrading furnaces, installing green roofs or even replacing leaf blowers with brooms; a new green building code, more bike lanes, conversion of all streetlights to LEDs and lots more.
However all of these measures require funding and the City is broke, so Mayor Miller will have a hard time paying for this. But it sounds like a plan. ::The Star and ::PDF of the Plan UPDATE: Environment writer Peter Gorrie doesn't think it is much of a plan.::The Star...
TreeHugger Looks Into The Carbon Offset Project At The Tontitown Landfill
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 03.24.07
As summarized in the TerraPass website: "Waste Management Inc. runs a landfill near Tontitown, Arkansas that provides some of the carbon credits in TerraPass' portfolio. The carbon credits are generated by a methane flaring project. Essentially, methane from decomposing garbage is captured and burned, preventing it from reaching the atmosphere. Such projects are generally considered to be very good sources of carbon offsets, because there is no financial incentive to burn landfill methane other than to generate carbon offsets...However, a BusinessWeek article raised questions about whether the methane flaring project would have taken place even in the absence of offsets." Because carbon offsetting is novel, abstract, and engages up to seven distinct stakeholders...project employees, project neighbors, regulatory authorities (State of Arkansas in this case), corporate project owner (Waste Management in this case), the broker (CCX in this case), the commercial buyer (TerraPass in this case), and the offset purchasers (TerraPass customers in this case), each of which has limited understanding of the other's respective circumstances and interests...we thought it might be helpful for our readers to look at an actual carbon emissions project up close, to meet one of the most distant stakeholders, a carbon credit seller. Wes Muir, a representative of Waste Management, Inc., owner and operator of the Tontitown, Arkansas facility, kindly agreed to answer some TreeHugger questions. Note that links are provided to the TerraPass website where Tontitown project regulatory information is conveniently summarized....
What Lies Beneath a "Healthy Skin" product
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 03.24.07
I was shocked by this, because I have to admit I use the stuff. Neutrogena is not exactly a health food store product but as an aging guy I wanted a moisturizer with sunscreen in it. Now I learn from Wired that the warm feeling I get when I put it on is the burning of my skin:
HYDROXYACETIC ACID
Marketers prefer the less-scary-sounding "alpha-hydroxy." It’s a corrosive acid that breaks apart the outer layer of skin, spurring new cell growth. While it may make you look younger, it can also make skin twice as vulnerable to sun damage — good thing Neutrogena adds SPF 15 sunscreen. When hydroxyacetic acid is not melting faces worldwide, it can be found in bathroom tile scum removers, where it dissolves minerals left behind in your shower.
Other ingredients are not as scary sounding but Wired does its best to make you run away. Suggestions welcome for a replacement! ::Wired ...
Applied Materials Outdoing Google's Solar Project
by EcoGeek.org on 03.23.07
TreeHugger has reported several times on the Googleplex's alternative energy dreams. Those dreams have become a reality with a 1.6 megawatt solar installation that is larger than any other private solar installation in the world. Well, in true silicon valley spirit, Applied Materials is going a few hundred kilowatts further, and working on a 1.9 megawatt solar installation for their California campus.
Though the Google installation was originally planned to be 1.9 megawatts, and the Applied Materials installation has not yet begun, we're excited to see the spirit of corporate dominance applying to solar panels. Applied Materials, however, has an additional incentive...they make the solar panels they'll be installing. CEO Mike Splinter said, “As we pursue our strategy to significantly drive down the overall solar cost-per-watt, we feel it is important to lead through example.”
We're looking forward to seeing their dedication pay off. Applied Materials better hurry up, though. By the time their project is finished, Google could already be adding on to their own. Plus, if Wal-Mart carries through with it's plans, there won't be enough roof space in all of Silicon Valley to catch up.
::Inside Greentech ::EcoGeek...
Interview with Debra Dunn, Former Head of HP's Sustainability Initiative
by Michael Graham Richard, Gatineau, Canada on 03.23.07
In an interview at iinovate, Debra Dunn, who's now an "Adviser to Social Ventures" at the Skoll Foundation, talks about her career path (from a degree in Marxist economic theory to the private sector), how she became head of Hewlett Packard’s sustainability initiative (more about HP's initiatives here) and the different levels at which corporations can change and become more responsible.
There is no mind-blowing revelations in the podcast (lots of opportunities in the green field, corporations must stop thinking about the short term only, a basic regulatory framework such as a carbon tax could level the playing field and accelerate the pace of change, etc), but it's a nice motivational interview, especially for you young idealists who want to change the system from within. You know who you are. The podcast is about 12 minutes long and can be found here.
Related: ::HP Introduces Greener Ink Packaging, ::HP Wins Design for Recycling Award, ::HP's Corn Printer, ::Hewlett Packard to Remove Bromated Flame Retardant from Product Casings, ::Hewlett-Packard Recycling Program & Goals, ::Hewlett Packard Brazil Recycles Paper for its Cases...
Po-Zu - Autumn Winter Collection '07
by Leonora Oppenheim, London, UK on 03.23.07
Last year we let you know about Po-Zu's first collection of comfy eco-friendly slippers. These Japanese influenced, but UK made, slippers, use natural materials such as vegetable tanned leather, coir (coconut fibre) and natural latex. Po-Zu are now launching their latest collection for Autumn Winter '07 called Yasumi which is termed as an indoor/outdoor experience. Po-Zu tell us that with 'the natural latex sole you can now choose to chill at home or stroll to the shops in maximum comfort.' We particularly love their new high top style called Buto, which looks much more stylish than the ubiquitous UGG boot. This season Po-Zu have catered for vegetarians, although not for vegans, with their new pure unbleached wool uppers in felt and tweed, off-white and grey. We're also pleased to hear that Po-Zu was deservedly nominated for the UK Green Awards 2006 for best packaging. Their shoe box works as a seed tray, once the seeds sprout the whole box can be planted in the earth where it will biodegrade. The Po-Zu A/W 07 collection will be available to buy in September from Terra Plana stores. :: Po-Zu...
The TH Interview: Tim Toben of Greenbridge and Pickards Mountain Eco-Institute
by Sami Grover, Carrboro, NC, USA on 03.23.07
Tim Toben is the former CEO of KnowledgeBase Marketing who, after taking a fishing trip with Bill McDonough, became convinced of the need for a new, innovative, green economy. He is now one of the partners of Greenbridge Developments, a LEED Gold certified up-market mixed use development in Chapel Hill, North Carolina (which we previously covered here). He is also the founder of Pickards Mountain Eco-Institute, which we covered here, and we have just discovered he is now working on the presidential campaign for John Edwards. In this interview he tells us why he came to view climate change as ‘the greatest social injustice in history’, and how Greenbridge came about as a response to this injustice. He also responds to accusations that up-market green building is often little more than ‘gentrification’ and, in true Treehugger style, he gives his list for top actions to take to live a better, greener life.
Treehugger: You were previously CEO of the extremely successful KnowledgeBase Marketing. What brought you to sustainability, and are your current interests principally driven by moral concerns, business concerns, or a combination of the two?
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TreeHugger Picks: Tips for Shutting Down and Turning Off
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 03.23.07
World Shutdown Day is this weekend, and with it comes a good opportunity to prove that you aren't addicted to your computer by shutting it off and leaving it off all day. In addition to taking a break and doing something other than emailing, surfing or blogging, Shutdown Day also has the potential to reduce your energy use and to quantify the good that unplugging can do for you every now and then. In celebration of the day, here are some of our picks for taking the shutdown idea a little bit further.
1) Unplug your cellphone charger, or, better yet, take your phone off the grid.
2) Go for broke and take an energy vacation for the day: no TV or electronics, artificial lights or driving; you can take it as far as you want.
3) If a full-on turn-off is too much, take a minute and learn more about the dangers of phantom power and get some tips for reducing it.
4) Before shutting down, take a minute to learn more how to be energy-independent, or read a book about it after you pull the plug.
5) When you come back online, get some tips to help reduce your computer's energy use to make it more planet-friendly while it is turned on....
Mother Nature Knows Best
by Matthew Sparkes, London, UK on 03.23.07
Biomimicry is the term given to taking inspiration from nature and applying it to technology. Velcro is probably the most well known example of this; its hook and eye stickiness is inspired by the way that burrs stick to dog hair. Often, nature has a more elegant and effective solution for a problem than we do, and it makes sense to capitalize on millions of years of evolution and use that design. If mother nature can do it better, quicker and more efficient, then we should listen to her.
Janine Benyus, the author of Biomimicry: Innovation Inspired by Nature, and Dayna Baumeister, are running a six day intensive course to train biologists interested in applying biomimicry to design. On the course you'll learn exactly what biomimicry is, what the major successes in the field have been and how to use your biological knowledge to help develop products inspired by nature.
The course runs from May 23-29, at the Theodore Roosevelt Memorial Ranch in Dupuyer, Montana, and applications must be submitted by April 11. For more information have a look at the Biomimicry Institute's website....
Building a Green China
by Alex Pasternack, Beijing, China on 03.23.07
Even if you’ve been here, your sooty mental image of urban INSABA: Building Renewable Energy Potential in Africa
by Jeff McIntire-Strasburg, St. Louis, MO on 03.23.07
We've taken note of a number of efforts in African countries to use renewable technologies to spread and/or stabilize electrification. Most of these projects have been independent of one another; however, a relatively new effort, the Integrated Southern African Business Advisory (INSABA) is taking a regional approach to building renewable capacity. According to the project's web site, the planned advisory network will build upon earlier efforts to create "...a critical mass of human capital with up to date knowledge and expertise in energy planning and project financing, as well as in the latest technologies and best practices available for increasing the productive use of renewable energies." The network will address both RE development, and demand creation:...
Bill Encourages Telecommuting in USA
by Mark Ontkush, Boston, Massachusetts, USA on 03.23.07
We all know that there are societal benefits to telecommuting: less pollution, less time wasted in traffic, more flexibility, etc. Some countries, like Japan, have offered tax incentives to employers who institute telework programs for a while now, but a bill recently introduced into the US Congress may give Americans the same opportunity.
The bill, introduced by Senator Sam Brownback (R-KS) and Representative Lee Terry (R-NE), is called the Parents’ Tax Relief Act of 2007. There are a few interesting parts, including a vastly simplified home office deduction ($2500 or the profit from your home-based business, whichever is lower), and a telecommuting tax credit for employers of up to $2400 per telecommuter. In addition, employers that provide computers and broadband access equipment can write it off, making such equipment tax-free. The bill hasn't passed yet, but there are high hopes....
Tu-Fin: Nordic Walking on Water
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 03.23.07
We love carbon-free travel and human-powered transport. There are few forms of exercise that are more efficient and work more muscles than cross-country skiing. Designers I.Kiryakov, S.Ballmeier, K.Eichelberg & M.Dressler appear to have mounted a nordic-trak exercise machine onto a racing canoe hull to create an 8 metre (26') craft that can go 6.5 knots. The cross-country action is converted to forward motion by a rear flipper. The rear is low and flat as a swim platform, the front thin and long for sunbathing. Of course one of the best summer exercises is rowing and a good sculler can go at 9 knots with a lot less technology, but hey, scullers can't see where they are going. ::tu-fin via ::yanko
Update: article in Speigel online. It appears that this design was part of a student competition.
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Israel and Australia Says G’Day and Shalom To A New Water Pact
by Karin Kloosterman, Jerusalem, Israel on 03.23.07
Good on ya Israel, conveyed Australia’s Federal Environment and Water Minister Malcolm Turnbull last Monday while meeting with a 24-person Israeli delegation on Aussie turf. The countries have found common ground in water and have recently signed a non-binding project to co-develop water technologies. Australia and Israel are both dry countries that seek a long-standing solution to coping with drought and water insecurity. According to the Australian Jewish News Turnbull visited Israel in 2005 and has long hinted at expanding cooperation on water between the two nations. “The Israelis are ingenious in their use of water and are world leaders in water technology,” Turnbull said. ...
Students Declare "No Print Day"
by Kenny Luna, North Babylon, NY on 03.23.07
When copy machines at West Linn High School in Oregon were out of commission for three days in November, people took notice that they were able to save so many reams of paper from being used at school and interest in having a No Print Day once a month began to surface. Then when they realized that so far this year over 2,646,000 pieces of paper have been used at their school they turned that interest into action. So on March 14 they shut down the schools copy machines for what they hope will be the first of many No Print Days to come… It’s all part of a plan to raise awareness of people’s paper usage on a daily basis, and thereby help reduce what turns out to be about 38.6 percent of all garbage in the country that winds up in landfills as paper. As a result of their actions “The next day there was a visual sign of a reduction in paper use,” said Angie Hammond their teacher. “People are trying to think of different ways to save paper. They’re more conscious of it now.” And with groups as diverse as the school’s Green Team, the Ecology Team, the Associated Student Body, the leadership classes and a teacher like Ms. Hammond to lead the way; there’s a good chance they’ll see long term success with it too....
The 10 Most Magnificent Trees
by Jasmin Malik Chua, Jersey City, USA on 03.23.07
Call us hokey, but now and then we like to hug trees a bit more literally. Neatorama has a countdown of the 10 most majestic and magnificent trees in the world. Occasionally, it's nice to be reminded of what exactly we're fighting for. In short: trees rule. :: Neatorama...
Global Cool's MySpace SMS Campaign
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 03.23.07
Climate-crusading charity Global Cool, whom we introduced introduced earlier this year, has enlisted the help of some eco-celebs to help spread the word about and inspire against global warming. Today, they're launching a new SMS-based campaign led by actors Sienna Miller, Josh Hartnett and Rosario Dawson; fans of the actors and consumers concerned about climate change are encouraged to sign up, via text message, for the campaign, which will feature exclusive content sent directly to users' cell phones. Through a partnership with MySpace, exclusive carbon-cutting messages will also be featured for one week within the ‘video exclusive’ section on the MySpace homepage on a rolling basis, promoting the Global Cool message to MySpace’s global audience. Joining the campaign will cost US users $3.99 per month and UK users £3 a month (not including network charges), and the proceeds will go to further Global Cool's work in mitigating climate change. See sample messages and sign up at ::their site or their MySpace. ::Global Cool...
Waterfight in Toronto: Who gets Water Day?
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 03.23.07
As Bonnie pointed out earlier, it is World Water Day. Watercan, a charity that funds local, community-controlled, sustainable water projects in 32 developing countries, has organized a 6 km walk in Toronto to fundraise, starting at 11 on Sunday. One would think that it would be popular and well-attended.
Except, Ethos Water, a subsidiary of Starbucks, has organized its own Walk For Water on Saturday. according to Jennifer Davis of WaterCan: "We've been bumped out of the limelight by Starbucks, and we're not very happy about the whole thing"
Ethos founder Peter Thum is very clear about Ethos Water's walk: "We're not selling anything." Sara Stratton of Kairos Canadian Ecumenical Justice Initiatives, a group campaigning to save the planet's water and against bottled water, is not reassured. "Maybe they're not trying to sell anything on World Water Day, but every other day of they year they are selling water." Kairos's slogan is "Water: life before profit."
We love Starbucks, but know which walk we are doing. ::Now Magazine...
This Month in Dwell: Renovate!
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 03.23.07
Dwell Magazine promotes renovation! Reuse! Recycle! this month with its usual enthusiasm and style. While the advertising in the magazine makes it look more like Architectural Digest every month with high-end unaffordable products, (like the one that asks "who would spend $59,752 on a bed?) the editors continue to show projects that are approachable and that we can aspire to, if not afford right now. There are conversions of bath-houses, women's shelters and punk rock clubs into lofts, funky room additions and and a Dear Dwell section with ten good points on how to do a green renovation from San Francisco architect David Baker.(tip: a good resourch is builditgreen.org) . DWM of the month is Elliot Noyes. Quibble of the Month: Review of expensive monster, albeit energy efficient, refrigerators. ::Dwell...
Transformers: Daybeds go Double
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 03.23.07
We always like furniture that takes up less space and serves multiple functions. This daybed folds out from a very comfortable twin to make a full double bed when you have, um, guests. I once worked on the design like this and we knicknamed it the "get lucky bed". There is nothing particularly green about this version's construction but the idea is so simple and the price reflects it at $ 749.
We are seeing more and more of this kind of design as people adapt to smaller spaces. We just wish more of it was made from sustainable materials. Other than Roomy, is anyone thinking green?
Picture of it in double mode below the fold. ::CB2 via ::Productdose...
'Take the Train', or 'Screw Them, Let's Fly'? - Guardian Vs Spurt
by Sami Grover, Carrboro, NC, USA on 03.23.07
Discussion of aviation always seem to provoke a heated debate among Treehuggers (our post on George Monbiot’s views received 80 comments!). It appears the issue is not going to go away, at least if the climate in the UK is anything to go by. Spurt (who we previously covered here) have been at it again, taking out full-page ads in national newspapers, and a billboard on the main railway approach to Heathrow Airport, declaring their motto “Screw Global Warming. Let’s Fly.” They have also been questioning government and industry figures on the true climate impact of aviation, claiming it may be as high as 18.5% of the UK’s emissions footprint. Meanwhile, for those wishing to avoid flying, there are alternatives.
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1500 Posts: What I have Learned
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 03.23.07
It seems not that long ago that Warren and I both hit 500 posts on TreeHugger and I learned how in comparison to him, I was just a poseur. Now I have completed 1500 posts and I have learned so much more, primarily from you, dear reader. After writing about Big Ass Fans I learned that I am a prude. On Valentines Day I learned that "The source of global warming might be all the hot air coming from Lloyd Alter" and to my wife's chagrin, "Lloyd, you need to get laid". Just two days ago I learned that I was an "excitable, aging, metrosexual "architect"." My opinions on excessive exterior lighting have me pegged as either an eco-fascist or eco-commie, I am not certain which. I am also patronizing and colonial. We won't even start with the Maui Instant Cottage.
This gig is sometimes tough, and I have taken my share of abuse. Yet in a lot of ways the comments keep us going, and I think the favourable ones outnumber the nasty ones. I want to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has taken the time to read what I write, and look forward to writing 1500 more posts and learning yet more about myself. ...
Shut Down Day Tomorrow: Are You Ready For It?
by Bonnie Alter, London on 03.23.07
World Shutdown Day is tomorrow—can you do it? Advertised as one of the “biggest global experiments ever to take place on the Internet”, the idea is to find out how many people can go without a computer for one whole day. What will happen if we all participate? If we really do keep off the computers for 24 hours tomorrow, all Emails will go unanswered, and blogs won’t be updated. During lunch breaks, people might talk to their co-workers or go for a walk outside, or buy a newspaper. At home, computer games will cease and instead we will have lunch together and talk about the world. And then read a book in the afternoon. But the real issue is how addicted are we all to our computers? On the Shutdown Day site at last glance, the running tally is 51,635 claiming that they CAN go without computers, whilst 8,075 have admitted they cannot. The site, in 13 different languages, charts people’s reactions from around the world on what they will do instead… National differences abound: in the UK: masturbation, playing the piano, Canada: smoke dope, hang out with my family, the U.S.: read one of those flappy things with the paper screens and from Sri Lanka: this is a disaster. Some of the YouTube responses are quite clever such as one depicting the smashing of computers. But never mind that, the question is: can treehuggers do it? :: Shut Down Day via :: PFSK...
Value Shift: Wolfgang Puck Joins Forces With Humane Society
by Tim McGee, Helena, MT, USA on 03.22.07
Celebrity chef Wolfgang Puck does more than just whip up delightful organic meals, his $300 million a year empire feeds over 10 million customers worldwide. After today, those customers will only be served sustainable catch seafood, organic produce, and meat from progressive animal welfare-compliant farms. A popular icon in the gourmet food industry, Wolfgang has been criticized by animal welfare groups in the past for his use of foie gras, which involves the force-feeding of geese and ducks. He also stated his restaurants will no longer use pork or calves that have been kept in crates, and refrain from using eggs from caged hens on his menus....
How To Green Your Electronics
by Jacob Gordon, Nashville, TN on 03.22.07
What’s the Big Deal?
Yes, electronic devices are becoming a bigger and bigger part of our lives, especially as they get smaller and smaller. We use them as tools and toys to communicate, work, enjoy media, and be expressive. Being green with electronics doesn’t mean living in a teepee listening to truckers squalk on the old short-wave. Greening your electronics is a matter of knowing what tech to get, how to use it best, and what to do with it when its useful life is done. Many of these best practices aren’t things you’ll read in the instruction manual, either. In this guide we’ll tell you how to stop wasted energy, what gizmos are greener than others, and what to do about e-waste and electronics recycling. We’ll also show you some of the newest green gadgets coming over the horizon.Tap Project: New Yorkers Pay $1 For Tap Water To Fund UNICEF Projects
by Celine Ruben-Salama, New York, NY on 03.22.07
As Bonnie noted earlier today, the theme of World Water Day 2007 is Coping with Water Scarcity. New York City has a bountiful supply of clean running water from pristine upstate reservoirs -the largest unfiltered supply in the world. 1.3 billion gallons of water are used daily. As, we have noted before others are not as lucky. Over 21 percent of children living in developing countries do not have access to clean water. That’s more than one billion people, or one in five children. 80 percent of all illness and infant mortality is due to waterborne disease. Lack of clean water is the second largest killer of children under five.
With $1, UNICEF can provide 40 liters of safe drinking water, which is enough to give one child safe drinking water for 40 days, or forty children safe drinking water for one day. Despite occasional bad press, New Yorkers are actually quite a caring bunch, eager to help the less fortunate. Today diners at many New York restaurants can participate in the Tap Project by accepting a $1 per person charge for the tap water they drink with their meal which would normally be free. Donations go to UNICEF and will help save lives by providing safe drinking water to children around the world.
Find a map and full listing of participating restaurants here. Caring Non-New Yorkers can help by making a contribution to the Tap Project here. Cheers to clean water for all one day soon! :: Tap Project ...
LCA Training Courses Online this Spring via PRé Consultants and Earthshift
by Jenna Watson, Barcelona on 03.22.07
The folks at Pré Consultants in the Netherlands not only produce SimaPro Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) software, they also offer a network of software distributors worldwide that provide training courses in a variety of languages. Here is the link to their global training calendar for interested Treehuggers that want to learn more about LCA.
For our North American readers there are courses coming up in Houston, TX, Portsmouth, NH and Portland, OR. As well, you can do online courses regardless of your location. Do check out these courses, as I can say from experience that they are well planned, greatly informative and the people you meet are worth the price of admission. The US trainers come from Earthshift who form part of the Earthster program, which we’ll be reporting on in upcoming weeks. Check out the full list of training courses offered here.
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TH Blog Love – Our Favourite Greens Of The Week
by Leonora Oppenheim, London, UK on 03.22.07
About My Planet: Recycling Construction Waste by Duane Laird
"Dumpsters were an anathema to my father. He could not, for the life of him, understand why people were throwing away perfectly good items— items he gladly scrounged and brought home with all the excitement of a boy rescuing a puppy from the pound. “Look at this,” he’d say, a knowing smile on his face."
Freshtopia: Back in The Saddle by Oscar Grimm
We're very glad to report that Oscar is on the road to recovery and that the brain surgery hasn't affected his sense of humour: "So here I am, two weeks later, home and feeling actually quite splendid. I returned to Oakland this week minus one rather sizeable head gremlin, and plus a rather dashing row of fourteen stainless-steel skull staples. I’m recovering beautifully from the surgery, and look forward to beginning the next stage of this fight."...
Ask TreeHugger: Getting Rid of Cigarette Smoke
by Helen Suh MacIntosh, Cambridge, MA, USA on 03.22.07
Question: I live in a small apartment building. When I come home after work, I smell cigarette smoke in my apartment, which I think comes from my downstairs neighbor. How can I get rid of the smell?
Response: Cigarette smoke can come into your apartment from other apartments in many ways. The amount coming in usually depends on the ventilation in your apartment and the building, the weather, and cracks in walls and floors. Once in your apartment, the smell of tobacco smoke can linger, as it can can be absorbed into clothing and furniture.
Other than getting your neighbor to stop smoking inside the building either through persuasion or legal remedies, it will be difficult to prevent the smoke odor from entering your apartment. If you have a forced air ventilation system in your apartment, the odor may be entering your apartment through the vents. If so, the maintenance person for your building may be able to reconfigure your air handling system, which may help reduce or eliminate the odor....
Update on No Impact Man: The Year Without Toilet Paper
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 03.22.07
When Jeff last reported on No Impact Man he had a blog, a book deal, a movie. Now he has the front page of the Home section of the New York Times. He is not only a model for us all about lifestyle, but also for marketing and self promotion. (and I mean that very positively!)
The article starts off with dinner: "There was shredded cabbage with fruit-scrap vinegar; mashed parsnips and yellow carrots with local butter and fresh thyme; a terrific frittata; then homemade yogurt with honey and thyme tea, eaten under the greenish flickering light cast by two beeswax candles and a fluorescent bulb."
It then follows through with the rest of their lifestyle changes to achieve no impact:
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70% Of Navarra's Power Comes From Wind, Solar
by Justin Thomas, Virginia on 03.22.07
The region of Navarra, in Northeastern Spain, better known in the U.S. for the “running of the bulls” in Pamplona. But in this region, approximately 70% of the electricity comes from the wind and the sun. With no coal, oil or gas of its own, this mountainous region deliberately went for renewable energy in the late 1980s. The first wind farm was built in full view of the regional capital Pamplona, so that people could get used to it. Now, with some 1,100 windmills dotted all over Navarra, this tiny region is capable of generating more electricity from renewable sources than big EU countries like France or Poland. Navarra plans to reach 100% renewable energy generation by 2010. ...
The Gap Goes Organic-Cotton Pickin'
by Jasmin Malik Chua, Jersey City, USA on 03.22.07
Strolling past a Gap store display one fine wintery day, I turned to my husband, and with teeth a-chatter, said, "GaaahgurrrbufRbrrr," which translated into: "My word, with all this khaki going on this season with the Gap, what a splendid opportunity it would be for them to experiment with undyed organic cotton."
Apparently, some bigwig sitting in his warm, cozy office thought so, too. The 500-plus Gap stores in North America have started carrying organic-cotton T-shirts for men—unbleached, and without adding any chemical dyes....
SUVs as Cliché
by Ron Dembo, Zerofootprint on 03.22.07
In my last entry I took a page from the Weather Makers, and cited Tim Flannery’s observation that one of the obstacles to decisive action on climate change is that the whole idea of global warming has become a cliché even before it has been understood.
My example of a cliché was the Kyoto protocol, which people talk about without really paying attention to. Kyoto is largely just a symbol of our feelings about global warming, rather than an indication that we’re doing anything about them....
HealthyCar.org: The Consumer Guide to Toxic Chemicals in Cars
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 03.22.07
TreeHugger knows that air quality is worse inside cars than outside of them. That "new car smell" is the result of the steering wheel, dashboard, armrests, and seats (among other parts) off-gassing nasty things like chlorine, bromine, lead, mercury and other chemicals and toxins that are not good for breathing and not good for human health. A new organization, HealthyCar.org (a project of the Ecology Center), has launched as a consumer guide to healthier car interiors. They tested over 200 of the most popular 2006-2007 model year cars, and, using a portable X-Ray Fluorescence device, determined which are the most and least toxic. The Chevy Cobalt, Chrysler PT Cruiser and Honda Odyssey were among the best (least toxic) picks, while the Nissan Versa, Chevy Aveo and the Scion xB 5dr were among the worst. Download the full report here, or search by model to see where your ride places. If toxic chemicals in your cars' interior is a concern, the HealthyCar folks have some tips: since UV rays and heat accelerate the breakdown of toxic chemicals, they recommend using solar reflectors and parking in the shade, when possible; ventilating your car by opening the doors & windows before entering will also help. The best tip, though, is to just spend less time in your car, walking, biking, scooting or otherwise getting where you need to go without sitting down in a toxic off-gas incubator first. Stay tuned for info on car safety seats, coming April 24, and read more at ::HealthyCar.org via ::Gristmill...
A Laptop Spills Its Guts
by Mark Ontkush, Boston, Massachusetts, USA on 03.22.07
Pretty interesting article from PC World about what goes into making a laptop. One thing that is striking is the number of substances (at least 20), and number of countries (over 10) involved in the process. Laptops are truly a global product.
Obviously, the impact on the environment for this is a little hard to calculate, with all these parts being shipped all over the world; why don't we leave it as 'a lot'. It does bring into question whether buying locally manufactured electronics would be the proper thing to do. This debate is already raging in auto world, where claims have been made that a locally made Hummer is more eco than a foreign made Prius. Should we buy locally made electronic devices? Does such a option even exist, or could it be created?...
San Francisco Giants to Install Solar Panels
by Jeff McIntire-Strasburg, St. Louis, MO on 03.22.07
As in other entertainment industries, the world of sports is recognizing the value of greening itself. On Wednesday, major league baseball signed a new player to the green team: the San Francisco Giants announced that, in partnership with Pacific Gas and Electric, they would be installing 590 solar panels on the port walk outside of the team's home field, AT&T Park. This would make the facility the first in baseball to incorporate solar technology. According to the team's web site:...
Rome's New Ecotaxi Fleet
by Erin Courtenay - Madison, WI on 03.22.07
I just spotted this sweet fleet of pedal-powered Ecotaxis on my way through the Trastevere neighborhood of Rome. Motorized transport is something Rome could definitely use less of, and it looks like the Ecotaxi enterprise is boldly exploring alternatives to the motorino as a medieval street-smart mode of transport. So popular in other tourist destinations, these kinds of bike taxis provide handy transportation for worn-out tourists tempted to hire a regular pollution-spewing taxi car. In addition to their eco-charm, these spiffy biciclette will be operated by participants in a work rehabilitation program....
WWF Launches Campaign against Bycatch
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 03.22.07
We have discussed the issue of by-catch before- the problem of how many fish, turtles, mammals and birds get killed when the net is thrown out to get our choice for dinner. In an earlier post on shrimp we learned that it can be as much as a ten-to-one ratio. In Canada, the World Wildlife Fund has started a campaign to stop the loss of thirty million tonnes of bycatch per year. They say : Stop fishing? Absolutely not. We just need to fish in the right place, with the right gear, at the right time.
The advertising campaign is very clever; the radio ad is effective and the TV ad is powerful stuff. Cute kids in ads are a cheap trick but this girl pulled it off. Go to ::WWF Canada to watch and listen.
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Get Hopping, It's The Easter Bilby
by Warren McLaren, Sydney on 03.22.07
The Easter shopping frenzy seemed to start the very day after the Christmas sales concluded. Supermarket aisles were suddenly packed to the ceiling in oddly shaped compound chocolate, all wearing garish coats of aluminium foil. Eeek. But, say you can’t instead cycle down to your local food co-op and get some fair traded, organic dark choccy to celebrate the death of a wise man some 2,000 years ago? It’s a conundrum that fortunately Australians can avoid. Elsewhere they have a bunny, but we’ve got the Chocolate Easter Bilby. Like a bunny, the bilby has long ears, a cute nose and lives in a burrow. Unlike rabbits the poor little guy is officially listed as endangered. Actually a bandicoot, the Bilby has pouch, a bit like a kangaroo or wallaby, for toting the little 'uns around in.
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World Water Day
by Bonnie Alter, London on 03.22.07
The theme of this year's World Water Day is Coping with Water Scarcity. This is a very fitting subject, given the United Nation's prediction that by 2025, 1.8 billion people will live in regions or countries with “absolute water scarcity.” Drinking water, agriculture, sanitation and sustainable industry – none are possible without access to water and all are required to lift regions out of poverty. In the UN’s definition, water scarcity does not mean only drought. There are regions with chronic shortages and vast drylands, such as North East and North Africa, Pakistan. There is also a shortage of fresh water—as populations grow, so does the need for more water. Irrigation drains away much of the fresh water available but it is needed for 40% of the crops for mankind. Some of the statistics about water shortage are shocking. More than one billion of the world’s population don’t have access to the minimum requirements of 20-50 litres of fresh water daily. Two in 5 lack proper sanitation facilities and 3800 children a day die from diseases related to lack of clean water and sanitation. Having identified the key reasons for water scarcity, it is chilling to read the World Wildlife Fund’s report “World’s Top 10 Rivers at Risk” because it identifies ten rivers under serious threat for exactly the same reasons as the UN has defined.
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Two Views on the Effects of Global Warming
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 03.22.07
One assumes that a cover story from the Atlantic will be an intelligent, well-reasoned argument; not this month. Gregg Easterbrook, fresh from his cheap drive-by shooting of Al Gore in the New York Times, writes Global Warming: Who Loses-and Who Wins? One first has to discard any moral compass to think that someone actually wins when others are dying before looking at the tissue of conjecture and fantasy that this article is. He distorts everything, even the map, saying "to consider the big picture, examine a Mercator projection of our planet and observe how the Earth's landmasses spread from the equator to the Poles" when a Mercator projection distorts so much that Greenland looks as big as Africa. It is a silly little thing to gripe about, but he didn't pick that map because he liked the name, he did it because it distorts.
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Locally Produced Geese On The Soup Kitchen Menu
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 03.22.07
Going just by the name Canada Goose, you'd think the US has Canada to thank for goose crap all over its parks, golf courses, beaches, and even private yards on year round basis. In actuality, Branta canadensis has only recently elected to skip flying back to Canada in spring and gave up flying south to winter because of man-made environmental change. Storm water basins in every single US suburb provide perfect habitat, few people hunt any longer, natural predators like fox have been run over by the SUV parade, PETA won't let local government hire trappers, climate change keeps many local water sources open for most of the year, and millions of square miles of perfectly manicured lawns provide grass for grazing. Via the National Post of Canada (how fitting) we learned that:- "A Michigan citizens group fed up with Canada geese soiling the state's parks, beaches and golf courses is proposing the explosive fowl population be culled --and fed to the homeless. A volunteer waterfront committee in St. Clair Shores, a bedroom community of Detroit, suggests a mass euthanization will reduce thousands of "nuisance geese" infesting 10 kilometres of the town's shoreline...Donating bird carcasses to Detroit soup kitchens struck the group as a good idea after another Michigan suburb curbed a deer population by supplying local shelters with venison about three years ago,..."...
1000 Statues from Trash in Rome
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 03.22.07
German artist HA Schult makes people out of household waste and glue. By the thousands, he is a one-man recycling center. "Anything can be made into art. Mankind's confines have narrowed, the freedom of art is unlimited.We live in the trash time: we produce trash and we become trash. Therefore HA Schult's 'Trash People' are images of ourselves."
Since 1996 he has installed them everywhere from the Pyramids at Giza to the top of the Great Wall of China. Until March 29th you can see them in the Piazza Del Popolo in Rome. ::HA Schult via ::Splurch...
Survey: Would You Pay More for a Green Harry Potter?
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 03.22.07
When we griped about Harry Potter coming out in a 30% recycled edition in the States, Commenter Anthony said "the UK and Canada are countries with a very different populace that is possibly much more environmentally aware than the Potter-purchasing masses here in the US" and "instead of criticizing the efforts of US industries to green their products we simply laud those efforts without qualification." We think that people will pay a few cents more to get a completely recycled version.
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Downloading Designs: Foldschool Furniture
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 03.22.07
Downloadable designs are so efficient; no shipping or handling, just bits and bytes. We have shown flatpack furniture , flatpack toys from Readymech and Pinhole cameras as demonstrations of the possibilities of dematerialized designs; now we have Swiss-based architect Nicola Enrico Stäubli's Foldschool.
It is the first of a line of downloadable designs where you supply the labour and the material, while Nicola provides a PDF layout and instructions. You can paypal him a donation if you like. He says "Mass culture is run by superficiality and ecological absurdity. Foldschool supports craftsmanship as a face-to-face approach to design and brings together product and user the closest possible. The mindset of foldschool is to restore design to one of its original missions: to provide a product at an affordable price through a smart manufacturing process."
Today it is cardboard and a mat knife; tomorrow a desktop CNC router and we all have in-house factories. ::Foldschool via ::Core77...
"A Green Wedding" Event in Hollywood, California
by Kara DiCamillo, Newport, Rhode Island on 03.21.07
We’ve been reading so much about “green” weddings lately. Many resources are now devoted to assisting couples in their eco-friendly decisions and so it came as no surprise when we read about “A Green Wedding” taking place in Hollywood this coming Sunday, March 25th. “Eco-friendly elegance will reign supreme” at this event, organized by A Soolip Wedding, where socially conscious brides will find organic cuisine, tree-free/reclaimed material paper, tips for décor and party favors that have life beyond the event. It will take place at Social Hollywood (6525 Sunset Blvd.) from 11a.m. to 3p.m. and tickets are $65. For more tips, visit Design*Sponge’s Guest Blog today for a special post from yours truly! Via ::StylePhile ::A Soolip Wedding Photo Courtesy of ::Dandelion Ranch...
Most Huggable: Mr. Gore Goes to Washington, Windfarms and Farmers, “Screw Global Warming, Let’s Fly!”
by Jacob Gordon, Nashville, TN on 03.21.07
The suspense builds as Mr. Gore prepares to testify before congress on behalf of the biosphere… Air travel in England is certainly the hot topic. Greenpeace camps out at the airport with train ticket alternatives, while others cry, “Screw Global Warming, Let’s Fly!” The Country is getting greener: Town & Country and Country Home magazines roll out the green themes… Can your webpage use less energy? The answer might be in the colors you choose… Are windfarms displacing indigenous farmers? From Mexico to India, cries of protest are getting louder… Most Huggable is a daily roundup of some of the most tantalizing stories from Hugg.com, TreeHugger’s user-generated green news site. Why not submit your own green news? ...
TreeHugger's Kyeann Sayer on Minnesota Public Radio
by Leonora Oppenheim, London, UK on 03.21.07
We are pleased to say that our very own eco-fashion guru, the lovely Kyeann Sayer, was invited to be a featured guest on Minnesota Public Radio yesterday. The Midmorning show presented a programme entitled The Growth of "Green Fashion" which looked at 'the environmental and social costs of disposable clothing, and how that's leading some consumers to purchase more ecologically friendly threads.' Kyeann's fellow fashion guests were Julian Allwood, a senior lecturer at the Institute for Manufacturing at Cambridge University in the UK and Jen Rapp, the Director of public relations for Patagonia. Amongst other things Kyeann talked about her recent experience at London Fashion Week and how she was particularly impressed with UK eco-fashion designer Sarah Ratty of Ciel. You can read more about the show, learn about the guests and listen to the programme here. ::Minnesota Public Radio...
No Comment: US Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson's Volcano Parable
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 03.21.07
Via Dow Jones Newswire (subscription only): - "A healthy environment and a healthy economy are not in conflict," [US Treasury Secretary] Paulson said during a question and answer session with reporters... "Economic growth is not sustainable if you don't have sound environmental practices." Earlier in the day, Paulson had an opportunity to demonstrate his own affinity for the natural world, as he trekked up Pacaya Volcano, just outside of Guatemala City...Paulson also said the "strongest" companies in the world are those with the "best environmental policies."" Image credit: Smithsonian Institution
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Convenient Truths: Winners All Around!
by Jeff McIntire-Strasburg, St. Louis, MO on 03.21.07
Last Friday, we announced the first winner in Treehugger and Seventh Generation's Convenient Truths contest: Robin Hays' video "One Person" won the EPIC International Prize! For her video, Robin (pictured above) received $5000 CAD for a sustainable shopping spree, a Jorg & Olif Citybike, and a pair of biodegradable Earthangels Shoes from John Fluevog. Robin received her prize at the EPIC Sustainable Living Expo in Vancouver last weekend; her video was also screened for Expo attendees. Robin's only the first winner in the contest, though -- more are on the way! The top twenty contest videos, chosen by visitors to Treehugger, are now with our celebrity panel of judges. They'll choose the top ten videos, and then our guest judge Ed Begley, Jr. will select the Grand Prize winner, as well as second and third places, from those ten. As with the EPIC International Prize, those winners will receive much more than a pat on the back -- the contest will award nearly $30,000 in prizes to the selected video makers! Keep an eye on the contest site: more winners will be announced in early April....
XR3 Hybrid: Hitting the Road in May?
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 03.21.07
We first came across custom vehicle designer Robert Q. Riley's work last year, when his XR3 three-wheeled diesel/electric hybrid was still in the planning stages and we weren't sure if they'd ever get off the drawing board. According to Riley's site, the vehicle is indeed transitioning from theoretical design to real world vehicle, scheduled for release in May of this year. Like other similar three-wheelers, the vehicle will be classified as a motorcycle for things like crash-test regulations in the US, and the plans will be available for sale for enterprising DIYers who know a thing or two about fiber reinforced plastic. Current specs for the vehicle include a 40-mile range on electric power only, and between 125 (diesel engine only) and 225 (combined diesel/electric) miles per gallon. The green gearheads at AutoblogGreen plan to visit his shop soon and report on what they find; we hope they find out more about where this one falls on the pipe dream-viable alternative transportation option spectrum. Stay tuned for more and check out Riley's site for more. ::XR3 Hybrid via ::AutoblogGreen...
Snakes Pandas on a Plane
by Michael Graham Richard, Gatineau, Canada on 03.21.07
Yes, we know it's a stuffed toy, but admit it, for a second you weren't sure!
You can learn more about the Giant Panda Bear at Wikipedia. To help Panda conservation, see the Pandas International website.
Via Reddit. ...
"All Aboard" - Two New Invasive Species Per Year Entering US/Canadian Great Lakes
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 03.21.07
Somehow this posting was rejected by one of Lloyd's favorite sources, CuteOverload. Via Milwaukee Journal Sentinal: - "Frustrated by the mounting number of invasive species arriving in the bellies of overseas freighters, some conservationists are proposing a simple but radical solution: Ban the ships from the Great Lakes until they can figure out how to stop discharging co