- 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 29, 2007 - May 5, 2007
Total this week: 141
Last Chance to Register: Trend Day 2007
by Christine Lepisto, Berlin on 05. 5.07
Of course, you saw the original post on Trend Day 2007. You were disappointed that you can't make it to Hamburg to meet Nobel Prize winner Muhammad Yunus or Peter Head, the Project Director for the Dongtan eco-city. But you made a mental note to remind your avatar in Second Life to enroll for one of the free slots to hear the Trend Day lectures and discussions at the Corecon Convention Center. Double cool: you can tell your friends about the pros and cons of virtual convention attendance, saving loads of CO2 emissions compared with attending in person; and you can learn about trend-setting new ideas to stick into your scenario planning from the great minds that are on the cutting edge of the trends.
Did your avatar forget? Good news: Trendbuero has advised us that a few places are still free for the Second Life conference. See across the fold for tips on how to register....
Journalists, Report! China Urges Media Supervision of Energy Consumption
by Rachel Wasser, Beijing, China on 05. 5.07
Last year, China failed to meet ambitious national targets for reducing pollution and energy consumption. This year, the central government is calling on state media to serve as watchdogs on these issues, "assist[ing] the authorities' efforts to control pollution... arousing the public's awareness of energy-saving and exposing problems and irregularities." Reporters have been encouraged to report, in-depth, "on the issues that most concern the public and ones that receive the most complaints." There are plenty of pollution stories - and complaints - out there in China, and though the booming economy's energy intensity is a major concern for the authorities, last year the country fell far short of its annual goal for reducing energy consumption. (By 2010 the national government intends to cut energy consumption per unit GDP by 20% from 2005 levels, sticking to the target that was in place before last year's setback.) It's encouraging to see government calling on media to play an active role, and so soon after the promulgation of new transparency regulations. The more environmentally educated China's consumers are, the better. But it remains to be seen how helpful probing journalists can be in influencing China's energy consumption - or the industry and construction sectors, which are crucial. And we can't help thinking back just a couple of weeks to the government's call for more citizen activism, put out not long after the jailing of a prominent environmental activist. ::Xinhua News Agency. Also see ::China's Green Revolution: How Far Will It (Not) Go?...
Situation Vacant: Enthusiastic Individual Needed to Free Town from Fossil Fuels
by Sami Grover, Carrboro, NC, USA on 05. 5.07
Once again, we bring you news of the rapidly growing Transition Towns movement – a network of communities working to free themselves from oil. It turns out that Transition Town Totnes, where the whole phenomenon kicked off, has reached the milestone of advertising for its first paid position:
“Transition Town Totnes is an exciting community response to the challenges of climate change and peak oil. We are looking to recruit our first paid worker to set up a central office and coordinate activities across the diverse range of projects currently being initiated. You will need to be passionate about creating a positive future beyond our present industrialised and consumerist world, enthusiastic to work alongside many different sections of the community and experienced in setting up efficient office systems. Experience of the environmental sector and working with volunteers an advantage.”...
Dye Me A River
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 05. 5.07
Tehuacan Mexico is known as the "heartland of Mexico's denim industry," a heart that sometimes launders enough jeans to bleed blue dye and bleach into rivers used to irrigate corn fields. And, no, this is not how blue corn tortillas came about. As reported in a PlanetArk story, "Dozens of industrial laundries, some of which put the finishing touches to jeans for export, discharge a cocktail of bleach, dye and detergents into Tehuacan's wide valley with almost no government controls, residents say...Water from the denim laundries runs through Tehuacan, where it mixes with municipal sewage and is discharged untreated in a foaming green torrent to a river that feeds irrigation systems in the downstream village of San Diego Chalma." Historically, this problem is not unique. While USEPA was first promulgating industrial wastewater effluent standards...back in the old days when jeans were made in the US, from start to finish... the same thing likely happened. Toilet paper making and beet processing too. For example, those who recall the days of "avacado green" floral scented toilet paper sold in the US might also recall the green discharges that sometimes resulted. Sugar beets: self explanatory....
Mind The Gap: an 8' Wide Eco-House
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 05. 5.07
We have shown a few narrow houses lately; they are wonderful demonstrations of how people can live with a smaller footprint. Luke Tozer is building a new 8' wide home for his family-"Only an architect would buy that house and think '8ft wide - how exciting'," says the 36-year-old.
Such a narrow home sandwiched between two others would not have too much heat loss in the first place, but Luke worked with Arup to ensure that it was as environmentally friendly as possible, with passive solar design, a ground source heat pump, photovoltaics and rainwater harvesting to flush the toilets. He estimates it will use one third of the energy of a conventionally built house.
Ground source heat pumps are not very common yet in the UK- according to the Independent "There are still only about 3,000 in Britain, which has historically relied on oil and gas, prices for which have been kept artificially low."
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Mission Improbable: The Brit Who Lived in the Woods is Going to Live in the Jungle
by Leonora Oppenheim, London, UK on 05. 4.07
Photo credit: Mark Basset, The Source Photography.
The young British adventurer Hugh Sawyer amazed people last year with his adaptability and survival instincts while he lived in the woods for one year. Inspired by his extreme camping experience, during which he raised over £2500 for the Woodland Trust, Sawyer has decided to move onto a bigger challenge, though this one won't allow him to continue the commute to his day job at Sothebys. An elaborate plan is being set in motion which will take Hugh to live in the South American jungle for one year. The expedition, entitled 'Mission Improbable', will entail Hugh 'trying to live as sustainably as possible, fishing, foraging etc. whilst still taking part in modern life via a self financing jungle based solar powered web site.' All this is in aid of saving the rainforests and raising money for Rainforest Concern. ...
More Evidence that Tampons are a Greener Choice
by Jenna Watson, Barcelona on 05. 4.07
This won’t be a favorite post amongst our male readers, but the Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm carried out a life cycle assessment of tampons versus sanitary pads. The results aren’t conclusive, but we think that taking a look at their findings still helps support the use of organic cotton tampons, if you’re not yet into the Mooncup or reusable cloth pads like Lunapads. While the study recognizes that lack of quantitative data for tampon production was a problem they carried out a "cradle to grave" assessment from raw material extraction through to transport, production process, use stage and waste management. They of course highlight the dangers associated with dioxin hazard from bleaching of cotton for tampons, which reiterates the importance of using organic cotton tampons. Additionally, the analysis of the sanitary pad life cycle showed that, the crucial process in the whole life cycle is the LDPE processing. Even though cellulose constitutes more weight percent of a pad, it doesn’t have so profound environmental impacts. It is due to high energy consumption of LDPE production and using oil as a raw material which is very valuable as an energy source. That is why the main impact from pads life cycle is fossil fuel use. Foresting and cellulose processing is much more environmentally friendly than plastic production. Most of the impacts come from raw materials processing and pads production; transportation also makes its inputs but not so large."They say that although the analysis is a good prompt for making environmentally friendly choices it should be considered as only background. Women should consider also the health risks associated with bleached cotton, even though regular unbleached tampons ranked better by two to one over pads. What’s the bottom line here? Pads create more environmental impacts due to their plastic components. This study really helps us understand why organic cotton tampons are one of the better environmental choices for women. ::The Full Report :: Dioxins and Plastics Info from Natracare :: How to Green Womens Personal Care ::Image Credit: Arcata Pet Supplies...
Most Huggable: Spinning Green Blades of Death, Green “Nano” Motor Oil, and “I’m Not a Smug Twat” (Special Friday Naughty Word Edition)
by Jacob Gordon, Nashville, TN on 05. 4.07
Testimony by the American Bird Conservancy before a House subcommittee argues for a closer look at wind farms and bird deaths… Australia’s leading pebble meisters threw a low-water gardening contest and want you to vote on the finalists… You don’t need a safari hat and a face screen to help honey bees stay healthy. Here are some simple tips… Make your lawnmower happy. Made from biodiesel leftovers, NanoOil claims to be biodegradable and even smokeless in 2-stroke motors… Getting a little tired of self-righteous hipster canvas bag toters? Say it loud, “I’m not a smug twat!” Most Huggable is a daily roundup of some of the most titillating stories from Hugg.com, TreeHugger’s user-generated green news site. Why not submit your own green news? ...
TreeHugger Welcomes Joep Meijer!
by Joep Meijer, Austin, Texas on 05. 4.07
HauteGREEN 2007 Sneak Peek: Brian Schmitt's Moso
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 05. 4.07
It's day two (here's day one) of our look under the hood of HauteGREEN, the sustainable design exhibition coming to New York's International Contemporary Furniture Fair and Design Week later this month. Today, we're illuminated by the work of designer Brian Schmitt, whose brand new pendant light called "Moso" will be featured at the show in a couple of weeks. Made from a simple collection of materials, the hanging lamp uses just a few key "ingredients": bamboo plywood (both cross-grain and solid) and a cordset with a standard bulb base. The seemingly simple construction (the two shades slide into place without fasteners) allows the beauty of the bamboo to shine through (pun intended), while the thoughtful design helps the lamp live a long life; if one of the shades is damaged, for example, it could be quickly and easily replaced, rather than having to start over with a new lamp. San Francisco-based Schmitt is also the designer behind Adrift Mobiles, so we're excited to see what other sustainable, modern designs he has up his sleeve; until then, plan to head to HauteGREEN to see his work for yourself. ::Brian Schmitt and ::HauteGREEN 2007...
This is Spinal Tap Redux
by Jasmin Malik Chua, Jersey City, USA on 05. 4.07
We've already told you about Spinal Tap reuniting for Al Gore's Live Earth concert in London on July 7. Before you start headbanging with abandon, however, check out director Rob Reiner's 15-minute sequel to that mother of all mockumentaries, This is Spinal Tap. The short was featured at the Tribeca Film Festival last month in NYC, but it's also available online at MSN's Live Earth mini site. Think of the film as an episode of "Where Are They Now?"—Nigel is breeding miniature racing horses, but has problems finding jockeys small enough to ride them; David is now a hip-hop producer who runs a colonic clinic on the side; and Derek is in rehab for Internet addiction. :: Live Earth...
Corporate Culture Can Lead to IT Waste
by Mark Ontkush, Boston, Massachusetts, USA on 05. 4.07
Ted Samson at Infoworld raises an interesting question - why do organizations continue to purchase more computers whenever there's a perceived need for more processing power? Furthermore, according to a report from Gartner (a well respected IT research and advisory company), why are these machines only used at 10% of their capability? Samson argues that this is because computers are inexpensive, and organizations, much like people, seem to be creatures of habits. And habits can be bad.
It's easy to relate this to the environmental movement as a whole; besides the obvious implication for IT shops, it's almost a given that it's easier to do the environmentally wrong thing out of habit (e.g. the oil habit, the driving habit), then to do the right thing that might take a little work. Sampson correctly observes that this kind of short-sightedness is now forcing companies into a mad scramble for space in their increasingly cramped data centers, as well as coming up with more dough to pay for increasingly growing energy bills.
Unless companies are willing to tolerate this kind of costly wastefulness, the Gartner report is a real wake-up call. Someone at your company needs to take charge - maybe (as Treehugger has suggested) by hiring a chief sustainability officer. Business as usual just isn't an option. :: Infoworld
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BBC Enthuses about Hemp, Straw and Lime for Construction
by Sami Grover, Carrboro, NC, USA on 05. 4.07
TreeHugger is known for it’s posts on natural building. Increasingly though, as sustainability goes mainstream, we are faced with very welcome competition from more traditional media outlets. The latest example comes from the BBC in a breathlessly enthusiastic report about the Think 07 Trade Fair entitled ‘Harvesting Houses for the Planet’:
“Sustainable rotation crops like hemp are the cost-effective future of building, according to Tom Woolley, a professor of architecture at Queen's University Belfast. One hectare of land can produce enough hemp stalk to build a house, he told the BBC News website, and using about 12% of the UK's set-aside land, you could grow enough hemp to build the 200,000 new houses the country needs. Then you have the fibre and oil for other products.”...
CNBC European Business Mag Names Top 50 Low Carbon Pioneers
by Sami Grover, Carrboro, NC, USA on 05. 4.07
CNBC European Business Magazine has just launched the second edition of its top 50 low carbon business pioneers. At number one is UK-based Low Carbon Accelerator, essentially a private equity fund offering, according to the folks at CNBC, “exposure to a promising sector but not the risk.” Second place goes to the Spanish group Acciona, with divisions in infrastructure, real estate, and renewable energy. Apparently the group “incorporated billion-euro purchase CESA – one of Spain’s largest wind energy players – last year, increasing wind power capacity by 78%.”
Perusing down the list, we see a diverse range of fields, including clean energy investment, carbon capture and storage (CCS), energy from biomass, and carbon management consulting. We were also pleased to see a few perennial TreeHugger favourites, including Bill Dunster’s ZEDfactory, the architectural practice behind BedZED and the recent Jubilee Wharf in Cornwall; GoinGreen, the UK electric car distributor whose CEO we interviewed here, and Windsave, makers of building integrated wind turbines which we featured here.
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Zippy Electric Car
by Celine Ruben-Salama, New York, NY on 05. 4.07
Who says the electric car is dead? If you are looking for a zippy little electric car that can accelerate from zero to 60 mph in 4.0 seconds to a top speed of 120 mph your search might end here. The car generates no emissions and operates from a set of lead-acid batteries that can recharge using any service up to 50 amps, providing enough power for a range of 40-80 miles, up to four times the average commute in the U.S. Charge from any outlet using either 110 or 220 current.
This 2-seater is well suited for city life. No wider than most motorcycles at 39", it can fit in a 6' half-lane with more clearance than a semi-truck in a full 12' freeway lane, enabling you to negotiate traffic congestion where lane splitting is permitted. Its small size also eliminates the need for parallel parking as it can park perpendicular to a curb without the need for a full space.
According to Hammacher Schlemmer, the car’s retailer, it’s very safe too. More below the fold...
Video: The Moral Dimensions of Climate Change
by Jeff McIntire-Strasburg, St. Louis, MO on 05. 4.07
Sales of Organic Baby Food Take a Jump
by Kenny Luna, North Babylon, NY on 05. 4.07
You may not have noticed, but organic baby food sales jumped 21.6% in the year ended Feb. 24 after jumping 16.4% a year earlier. And why is that so interesting? Well, to be quite honest the price of organic baby food is about 30% higher than conventional baby food. The given reason is that it costs more to make, and with a lot of other expenses for new parents to consider I’d bet many choose to forego the potential benefits of a healthier lifestyle in deference to a thicker wallet. Adding further intrigue to the issue is that doctors say parents shouldn't feel guilty if they can't afford the extra expense; the USDA doesn't claim that organic food is safer or more nutritious than conventionally produced food, and the American Academy of Pediatrics has no official stance on subject! All of which may lead some to go back to that earlier consideration of finances and assume business as usual is just fine with them… But I’m thinking the whole issue boils down to a simple question that can act as an easy litmus test for us all. If we’d honestly prefer organic food for ourselves that doesn’t use things like conventional pesticides, fertilizers made with synthetic ingredients or sewage sludge for produce, and antibiotics or growth hormones for animals; then why would it be just fine for our babies? And given the incredible increase in sales even at a 30% higher price it’s obvious to me that more and more people are looking in the mirror, asking themselves that question, and realizing the answer is that it’s probably not....
No Frills Eco-Chic Hotel Coming to Montreal
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 05. 4.07
The trendiest hoteliers in Canada are the Groupe Germain, but they are high-end boutique and expensive. Now they have launched the cheap-chic Alt brand-“What we’re launching today has been dubbed no-frills-chic, combining design, atmosphere and chic interiors with the best possible price”
Not only is it cheap and chic, but it is green. To keep costs down but maintain quality, the rooms are being prefabricated offsite. The hotel has geothermal heating and cooling, heat recovery from exhaust air, heat recovery from laundry water, energy efficient lighting, geothermally heated tiles on the ground floor and digital controls of ventilation, cooling and heating. Designed by Lemay Michaud Architectures Design, who have done some neat stuff. All for C$ 129 per night which is pretty amazing. ::Althotels
via ::via Springwise...
Concrete Bench Heated By Warm Sewage
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 05. 4.07
While we were covering Toronto's Ryerson graduates, Harry Wakefield of Mocoloco partied the night away at the University of Quebec Design Student show and sent us some very neat stuff. Shown above is Corinne Farmer and Clara Charbonneau's Béton Armé, a heated outdoor bench.
Evidently in Montreal waste water in the sewers has a natural temperature all year round of 15 degrees C (roughly 60 F). The bench has a network of pipes in it, which are connected to pipes wrapped around the sewer pipe below with water circulated by a pump, making a bench that is toasty to sit on all year round. In Toronto we suspect every single one would be occupied by homeless people; perhaps that is the point. however it is a very clever way to use that free heat. Watch an interview Harry taped with their professor Patrick Evans below the fold. ...
Fashioning An Ethical Fashion Industry
by Bonnie Alter, London on 05. 4.07
London is such an ethical fashion centre now, with every main street store trying to be more organic and ecologically pure than the next. As evidenced by this week's series of programmes on "Is Green the New Black?", the ethical fashion industry is making great strides in developing public awareness of fashion that is responsibly made. A number of organisations have sprung up to provide support and networking opportunities for producers. Others want to put pressure on businesses to provide good working conditions. The Ethical Fashion Forum gives training and information to businesses and individuals interested in the social and environmental aspects of the fashion business. Labour Behind the Label is a campaign fighting for better working conditions for garment workers and encouraging consumers to ask for clothes which are responsibly made. One of its aims is to encourage retailers to guarantee that all clothes sold in their shops are produced under fair conditions, including the right to a living wage, the right to organise, and safe and healthy working conditions. Fashioning an Ethical Industry is an educational project aimed at fashion college students and tutors. Its admirable goal is to equip students to play an active role in raising standards in the companies they will be working for. They hope to make the teaching of social responsibility issues a key part of all fashion-related education courses. Their very accessible and interesting website provides a global overview of the garment industry, raises awareness of current practices and and explains all the hot issues. The fact is that consumers have power: the more that we demand that the clothes we buy are made under decent conditions the more likely it is that retailers will respond. The more people ask questions the more retailers will feel that they need to pay attention to the issues. For example: refuse to buy Uzbekistan cotton, pick your cotton carefully.
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Tasty Lamps That You Can Compost
by Karin Kloosterman, Tel Aviv on 05. 4.07
Compost-able lampshades are not groundbreaking and new. Some sort of hollowed out and dried gourd implanted with a light bulb led our way down the pathways to a number of pubs in Costa Rica. Israelis are a practical lot, but still haven’t exactly caught on to the business potential of environmentalism in culture and design. But based on Shuli Levin’s lampshades and his outlook on design, you might be hearing more about Israeli designers in the near future. According to this story in ISRAEL21c, Levin has designed “eye-candy” lamps that adhere adhering to the principles of sustainable design: recycling, reuse of materials and reducing the amount of virgin material needed for the production of his lights and furniture, he said. "There is such a thing as positive consumption," Levin told ISRAEL21c. "I want to return a sense of environmental awareness to Israel."...
Planktos to Begin Ocean Seeding
by Matthew Sparkes, London, UK on 05. 4.07
Trials of a carbon sequestration project which involves seeding the ocean with iron particles are to take place later this month. Planktos are attempting to create a carbon offset product based on stimulating plankton growth. By adding iron to certain areas of the sea, the company can promote growth which they hope will absorb large amounts of carbon. This will then sink to the ocean floor, mostly in the form of feaces, where it will remain for several centuries. It's not a new concept, and has been trialed before. However, whilst many studies have had success promoting plankton growth, few have seen an increase in the amount of carbon transported to the sea bed.
There is obviously speculation as to whether Planktos will see better results. As with previous studies, it is expected that they will be able to promote plankton growth, but it is unclear whether this will have any long term beneficial effect on carbon sequestration. The level of absorption depends on how much of the resulting mass of plankton sinks to the sea bed. Some are also worried that the increased mass of plankton will release additional methane and nitrous oxide, which might increase greenhouse gases, and have counter-productive effect....
Thinking about Crap: Should Houses Have Composting Toilets?
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 05. 4.07
"Forget it Jake, it's Chinatown"-even Jack Nicholson could not beat the political forces around real estate development and water. All development depends on its delivery and the removal of its waste. In Ontario they spent $ 800 million of taxpayers money so that real estate developers could build surburban sprawl all over our best farmland and dump it all in to Lake Ontario a few miles from our drinking water inlet. You can drive a bus through this thing. Most of the money in developing suburbs is the underground infrastructure, the veins and arteries carrying water and waste.
Yet most of our waste water need not go to the sewer, gray water from showers and sinks could be used in gardens for irrigation. The only water that is a problem is that from the toilet- so why don't we try and get rid of it? Perhaps we should have composting toilets in our houses. ...
Indonesia Fastest Forest Destroyer
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 05. 4.07
Photo by Nick Lyon
The only upside about writing about the destruction of Indonesian and Malaysian rainforests for palm oil plantations is that I get wonderful comments calling me an idiot from the Palm Oil Truth Foundation, a cheesy website run by nameless flacks "without strings to the world of commerce and power" that readers are invited to visit for "the truth" every time we post. I will get it out of the way up front here.
Indonesia has made it into the Guiness Book of Records for achieving the world's fastest rate of deforestation, with an area the size of 300 soccer fields every hour. According to Greenpeace, the citation will read
"Of the 44 countries which collectively account for 90 percent of the world's forests, the country which pursues the highest annual rate of deforestation is Indonesia with 1.8 million hectares (4.4 million acres) of forest destroyed each year between 2000-2005."...
Flatpack Cutlery by J.C. Karich
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 05. 4.07
JC Karich "started to work with empty bottles trying to extract shapes similar to cutlery, to finally achieve a salad set that comes out from flat single surfaces and that come in shape in a simple way and becomes elegant and beautiful."and out of a flat sheet he forms these marvelous utensils. We love this kind of thing because soon we will be able to download designs like this and build them in our homes. According to Core77, the design has recently been picked up by Milan-based disposable/sustainable cutlery and table accessories company Pandora Design. ::JC Karich...
Seville Solar Station, Southern Spain
by Matthew Sparkes, London, UK on 05. 4.07
The BBC were lucky enough to be given a tour of the new solar power station in Spain. The station has 600 mirrors which focus sunlight onto water pipes at the top of a 40 storey tall concrete tower. The strength of the reflected light is so great that water vapour and dust in the air is illuminated.
David Shukman, BBC science correspondent, says, "The effect is to give the whole place a glow - even an aura - and if you're concerned about climate change that may well be deserved."
The light from these 600 mirrors heat water, turning it to steam which is used to drive a turbine and generate electricity. The plant is the first commercial solar station in Europe, generating 11 Megawatts according to it's operators, Solucar. This is set to rise though, as the plant is not finished - thousands more mirrors will be added to the 600 already installed.
The energy produced by this plant is three times more expensive than that produced by coal and gas power plants, which seems like a bargain to me. Clean solar power produced on this scale is a truly impressive achievment, and plants like this should be built wherever possible. :: BBC...
Ilisys: A Carbon Neutral ISP for Australia
by Warren McLaren, Sydney on 05. 4.07
Ilisys is an Internet Service Provider (ISP) based in Western Australia, who grind through about 200,000 kWh of electricity each year to keep their 18,000 Australian business customers connected. They also believe they are the first Aussie ISP to become carbon neutral. To achieve this they buy 100% of the juice that runs their data centre and headquarters from Synergy Energy’s Natural Power program. This government accredited GreenPower energy reseller, in turn sources the power from wind and solar projects in WA, charging an extra 3 cents per unit. Even after coughing up for this, Ilisys still figure they pump out another 30 tonnes of CO2 emissions each year as staff commute to work and jet about the country. So they also contribute to the Carbon Neutral program run by the Men of the Trees conservation group, who figure On average, over 30 years, a tree planted in Australia will absorb 230kg of CO2. And in this case it really doesn’t matter a hoot if carbon offsetting via tree planting, in temperate climes, is of dubious value or not. Because Western Australia has a severe soil salinity problem and needs as many trees as it can get, as soon as it can get them. Good on Ilisys for making an effort. ::Ilisys, via Waste Streams magazine....
Envirobank’s Reverse Vending Machines
by Warren McLaren, Sydney on 05. 4.07
We’ve talked about reverse vending machines and incentive based recycling in the past. Now it's coming to Australia in the guise of Envirobank. The machines will accept plastics 1 (PET), 2 (HDPE) and 3 (PVC) along with brown, clear and green glass and aluminium cans. In return for your deposit you will be credited points, which can be used to buy green goods from an online Envirostore. Embryonic at this stage with sites for the machines still being determined we do know they have turned up in Macro Wholefoods (who are currently promoting Fair Trade Fortnight). What isn’t so clear just yet is the exact type of purchases you’ll be eligible to make with your credits. And while we applaud any move that encourages the reduction of raw materials extraction, such as recycling does, we wonder just how successful such a venture is likely to be given the already high level of convenient municipal kerbside recycling in Australia. But maybe the added incentive of getting a financial reward for recycling will spur on Australians to higher rates of resource recovery. As may the concept that they will also be supporting causes like Steve Irwin’s Wildlife Warriors foundation. ::Envirobank....
Alaskan village is falling into the sea
by Matthew Sparkes, London, UK on 05. 3.07
ABC have a video story about a recent trip to the Arctic Circle, taken by Scott Shulman, cameraman with ABC News. Shulman was filming in Shishmaref, a very small town of 600 residents, which is falling into the sea because of climate change.
From the ABC article, "The village has become a living example of the impact climate change could one day have on other coastal communities. Temperatures in Alaska over the past 50 years have risen four times faster than the global average. And that's had dramatic consequences on a natural resource for the people of Shishmaref: ice."
WIth the climate that much warmer than previously, the ice surrounding the land is present for less of the year than it was before, which is allowing more erosion to take place. "In front of my mother's house we used to look out at the gentle slope," said Shishmaref resident, Sinnock, "In my life time we've probably lost about 400 feet." The change in ice patterns also means that certain animals, previously used as a food source, are now moving to more untouched locations. Because of these difficult circumstances, the residents voted to relocate the town 12 miles to the South. However, the prohibitive cost has mean that the move has yet to happen. :: ABC News via :: Boing Boing...
TreeHugger Radio: The Long Journey of Staying Close to Home
by Team Treehugger, Worldwide on 05. 3.07
On the first day of spring in 2005, Alisa Smith and James Mackinnon started a culinary revolution. They didn’t know it at the time. All they were trying to do was defy the disappointing statistic that the average food item on a North American plate travels the distance between Boulder, CO and New York City to get to our plates. For one year, they ate within a 100 mile radius of their home. The diet would, perhaps, seem less daunting in a place like Los Angeles or Southern Florida, but that’s not where James & Alisa lived. They embarked on this journey from a humble flat in British Columbia, Canada. Plenty: One Man, One Woman, and a Raucous Year of Eating Locally, is the story of their year of eating close to home. Listen to TreeHugger Radio each Friday on Air America’s EcoTalk, here on TreeHugger.com, or pick up the podcast on iTunes. (listen/right click to download) ::TreeHugger Radio (TreeHugger Radio is written by Simran Sethi and produced by Jacob Gordon) ...
Ocean's Twilight Zone Has Role in Climate Change
by Jasmin Malik Chua, Jersey City, USA on 05. 3.07
Photo credit: a_chiriboga
Paging Rod Serling: The dim layer of ocean known as the "twilight zone" has placed a major crimp in our plans to send carbon dioxide to a watery grave, where we hope to trap it from reentering the atmosphere as a greenhouse gas.
The results of two international research expeditions to the Pacific Ocean, published in the April 27 issue of the journal Science, reveal that carbon dioxide—taken up by photosynthesizing marine plants near the sunlit ocean surface—does not necessarily sink to the inscrutable depths below. In fact, it seldom even gets there. Any carbon transported downwards on sinking marine particles (called "marine snow") is often gobbled up by animals and bacteria, after which it's converted back into dissolved organic and inorganic forms that are recirculated and reused... in the twilight zone....
American Solar Energy Society's "Tackling Climate Change in the U.S" Report
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 05. 3.07
We wish we had posted on this ASES report back in February of 2007 when it came out. Then again, the good thing about waiting until now is that all those US Congress Critters and Presidential hopefuls with newly minted green credentials might read the report and propose policies based on it. A few excerpts from the press release:- "Getting serious about energy efficiency and harnessing existing renewable-energy technologies can cut annual U.S. carbon dioxide emissions 60 percent to 80 percent below today's ever-rising output of the heat-trapping gas... Such reductions would lower carbon emissions enough to keep atmospheric concentrations of the greenhouse gas from climbing another 18 percent over the next 35 years...The report's authors found that cutting demand through energy efficiency outweighed the potential impact of renewable energy. Efficiency could account for a full 57 percent of the potential carbon-emission cuts by 2030, the report concluded... The report came from a set of nine research papers by scientists from NREL, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, the Rocky Mountain Institute and outside consultants commissioned for the Solar 2006 conference in Denver last July. Chuck Kutscher, an NREL engineer and the conference's organizer, asked his colleagues and others to estimate the maximum practical contribution for several renewable-energy and energy-efficiency technologies by 2030 and then calculate the carbon savings. Via:: The Daily Camera.
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An Inconvenient Truth Replaces the Bible
by Matthew Sparkes, London, UK on 05. 3.07
The Gaia Napa Valley Hotel and Spa in California is attempting to become 'green certified' by the U.S. Green Building Council. The Council developed the LEED rating system seven years ago, where buildings are graded on their environmentally friendly features. The hotel features waterless urinals, solar lighting and recycled paper. Another nice touch is the replacement of the standard hotel-room bible with a copy of An Inconvenient Truth.
Although some of the large chains are making a token gesture to become compliant in some buildings, it is only small independant hotels that are making any real effort. All large new hotels in California will have to be built to LEED standards, but older buildings will remain exempt. "If that choice is available, why not take advantage of it,'' said frequent traveller Josh Dorfman, "It's a way to be able to enjoy traveling and to still feel good that I'm doing it in a way that supports a cleaner planet. It's a win-win.'' :: Bloomberg...
Foster's: Australian for Alternative Energy
by Sean Fisher, Cincinnati, Ohio on 05. 3.07
Researchers at the University of Queensland have pioneered a way to create energy out of the waste created from brewing beer. First on tap (too good of a pun to pass up), Australian beer-maker Foster's. The Australian university and the product that made Australia famous among frat boys world wide have received a government grant to install a 660-gallon microbial fuel cell at Foster's Brisbane brewing plant. Bacteria in the fuel cell feast on the alcohol, sugar and starch discarded in the brewing process to create about 2 Kw of power - in addition to cleansing the waste water. Although the power output is minimal, it is a great way to get added benefits from a clean method of brewery waste water treatment. We can say "Cheers!" to that. ::Newsvine
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TH Blog Love – Our Favourite Greens Of The Week
by Leonora Oppenheim, London, UK on 05. 3.07
Eco-Chick: What Would Google Say? by Starre Vartan
"I love creative projects, and this one is interesting. Entitled “What Would Google Say?” the site’s creator put together the first 200 images that come up under a Google image search for global warming, and set it to music. This is like a digital version of found art, and is a really interesting concept for stepping back and understanding how we (literally) view a concept. Check it out!"
Enviropundit: Carnival of the Green #75 by Jacqui
"Hello all, and welcome back! This is the 75th Carnival? Wow, time flies! And Happy Belated Earth Day to you as well!"...
Will The Next Google Please Stand Up? Green Chemistry Contenders
by Tim McGee, Western Massachusetts on 05. 3.07
Plastics make it possible- right? But what makes plastics possible? Or for that matter what makes surfactants, plasticizers, adhesives, coalescent solvents and a host of other products possible? Up until recently the answer was oil, and lots of it. But, the hot field of Green Chemistry has seen remarkable growth in developing oil alternatives. These new chemical synthesis routes may be able to provide green options to the chronically oil dependent industrial age products. Understanding that food crops are not likely a viable alternative to oil, companies are quickly reorganizing and merging to form new entities that can harness the power of cellulose, and turn bio-waste into pure bio-plastic. From Metabolix to Diversa, we have been keeping a lookout for the company that will become the next google. The newest contender, weighing in at $15 million from Kohsla Ventures is Segetis....
An Even Greener Apple: Innovate!
by Justin Thomas, Virginia on 05. 3.07
I wanted to give you my take on the Greening of Apple. (Our last take on the news about Apple seemed to concentrate on Steve Job's zen-like writing style). Here's the thing: Apple has an image as an innovative company. It's also a very high-profile American company. So Apple needs to take some heat on green issues — more heat than other electronics manufacturers. The company has to be innovative on the green front, or at least address those issues more throughly. That's why it was refreshing to see Steve Jobs taking green issues seriously with his recent "A Greener Apple" letter. I liked his pledge to eliminate arsenic and mercury in displays, by switching over to LED backlight technology for Mac displays, and using arsenic-free glass in those displays. The expansion of the recycling program was also welcome. There are many other steps Apple could make to be an innovative green company. How about tree-free paper for all printed materials, moving over to 100% renewable power, or designing Apple stores and offices to be green buildings? Make Apple a meta-green company! ...
FlexPetz
by Jasmin Malik Chua, Jersey City, USA on 05. 3.07
Sure, I can get jiggy with the idea of Flexcar's car-sharing network, but FlexPetz? When I was first introduced to the doggy-timeshare biz on my friend—and occasional TreeHugger contributer—Green LA Girl's blog, I thought it was some kind of joke. My bemusement quickly turned into concern when it became apparent that it wasn't.
FlexPetz is, in its own words, "flexible pet ownership." Once you've ponied up the $150 registration fee (plus the $99.95 annual account-maintenance charge and a $39.95 monthly service charge), you can browse one of its several locations online, choose the lucky pup who'll get to spend some quality "you" time, and then simply pick up your dog. (You can also use the FlexPetz shuttle service for an extra $17.50 each way to deliver and/or collect your dog to and from your home and office. Like takeout! Except it goes BOTH ways!)...
Angela Adams' Sustainable Collection
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 05. 3.07
TreeHugger has seen the work of Angela Adams before, and though we're pleased that she's a member of the Rugmark Foundation (working to end child labor and increase social equity and education in Asia's carpet industry -- mentioned in more detail here), her use of materials left a little bit to be desired. Happily, this is something she's remedied with her new collection, created in collaboration with Architex. Aptly named "Sustainable", it's a line of 11 textiles (each available in up to nine colorways) created with a sleek modern sensitivity with 100% post-industrial recycled polyester. Intended for the trade in high traffic areas, like hospitality, health care, education and retail, they're durable, beautiful options for upholstery and other textile uses. Check out more examples and get details on each design at the Sustainable collection site. ::Architex via ::Fabulously Green...
Still Trucking for Sustainability: Clif Bar Expands Biofuel Program
by Sami Grover, Carrboro, NC, USA on 05. 3.07
Type ‘Clif Bar’ into the TreeHugger search engine, and you’ll be spoiled for choice. You can read our interview with freestyle skier Alison Gannett about the ‘Clif Bar Save Our Snow’ campaign, you can check out their Green Notes collaboration with Gomez, or find out about the company’s ‘shot bloc’ organic energy chews. If that doesn’t satisfy your hunger, you can proceed to our interview with CEO Sheryl O'Loughlin, or travel back in time to 2004 and see our enthusiasm as we first discovered them.
We were delighted, then, to read over at GreenBiz.com that Clif Bar are still pushing the envelope in terms of sustainability:
“By converting its field marketing vehicles to biodiesel and eliminating the need for 8,000 gallons of gasoline each year, Clif Bar expects to reduce the fleet's CO2 emissions -- the major cause of global warming -- by about 40 percent, or 60,000 pounds of CO2.”...
Icon of Modern Prefab to be Demolished
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 05. 3.07
Kisho Kurokawa's 1972 Capsule Tower was, along with Moshe Safdie's Habitat in Montreal, the pioneer in modernist multiple unit prefab. 140 capsules were attached by high tension bolts to a central core. Each of the tiny rooms had built in TV's and reel-to-reel tape decks, washrooms and were pre-assembled in a factory then hoisted by crane and fastened to the concrete core shaft.
According to Architectural Record: "It has long been appreciated by architects as a pure expression of the Metabolist movement, popular in the 1960s and 1970s, which envisioned cities formed of modular components. But in recent years residents expressed growing concern over the presence of asbestos. On April 15, the building’s management association approved plans calling for the architectural icon to be razed and replaced with a new 14-story tower. A demolition is yet to be determined."
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Friends of the Earth UK: One Minute with Meaning
by Sami Grover, Carrboro, NC, USA on 05. 3.07
Green film competitions seem to be all the rage right now. Barely has the dust settled on our Covenient Truths contest, co-sponsored by Seventh Generation (remember, you can still see all entries here), and with the Sundance Channel closing the doors to new entrants for ‘What’s the Big Idea?’ only days ago. Now we hear of yet another competition with a green video theme, this time from the UK. Friends of the Earth UK are asking supporters to submit a film, lasting exactly one minute, that sets out “how we look after our planet and use it like there is a tomorrow.” Awards will apparently be made for the Best Green Film, selected by their high profile jury including Oscar-winner Lord Puttnam and producer Andrew Macdonald, and for People’s Choice, which will be selected by the viewing public. We wish Friends of the Earth UK, and all competition entrants, luck in the contest. Anything that draws more attention to the crisis we are facing, and the solutions we have at hand, can only be a good thing. ::Friends of the Earth UK::
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Dutch Cargo Bikes Coming to Canada
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 05. 3.07
Warren covered Bakfiets, big Dutch cargo bikes, and noted that you can get them in the US. Now we learn that we will be able to puchase these "zero emission SUVs" in Canada too! according to Bike Toronto, An Amsterdam couple is bringing one of their cargo bikes over to Canada to demonstrate it here in Toronto for the month of May, with hopes of importing a line of cargo bikes here for sale in the near future. This is an initiative of Anandamayii Czerwinski (above on her bike in Amsterdam and look, helmets!) of the Netherlands and her Candian partner Michael Lorincz who have been users of these cargo bikes in the Netherlands and now see an opportunity to bring them to Canada. We wish them the best of luck! ::Bike Toronto...
Cool Heads Tackle Global Warming: Sierra, May-June
by Jeff McIntire-Strasburg, St. Louis, MO on 05. 3.07
After reading a New York Review of Books essay by NASA scientist James Hansen that criticized the media's giving air time or print space to "fringe contrarians" on climate science, writer Marilyn Berlin Snell imagined bringing together a group of influential and diverse leaders to discuss solutions to global warming. On December 14, 2006, Snell's imagined gathering became a reality: Al Gore, Vinod Khosla, Paul Anderson, Carl Pope, and others, gathered at the Sierra Club headquarters ready to talk about answers. The latest issue of Sierra, the official magazine of the Sierra Club, gives readers an inside look at that important discussion, along with excerpts from comments by Gore and California Senator Barbara Boxer.
Other features in this issue include a display of photographer Elizabeth Carmel's pictures of the High Sierra, and a look at the activities of the Eco Club at South Los Angeles' Crenshaw High School. Regular departments profile Tesla Motors' Martin Eberhard and crime-fighting botanist Jane Bock. And if you're looking for suggestions on outdoor adventure for this Spring or Summer, Jim Brandenburg points to Northern Minnesota's Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. A subscription to Sierra is one of the numerous benefits that comes with a membership in the Sierra Club. ::Sierra, May-June 2007...
The TH Interview: Dale Vince of Ecotricity
by Sami Grover, Carrboro, NC, USA on 05. 3.07
When the UK’s environment agency put together a list of top-100 eco-heroes, Dale Vince was included in that list, alongside Rachel Carson, Al Gore and St Francis of Assissi. Dale is founder and managing director of Ecotricity, the UK’s leading supplier of green energy. Prior to starting Ecotricity, he also founded NexGen, a manufacturer of wind monitoring equipment, and spent ten years living a low-impact lifestyle as a ‘new-age traveler’. He is a vegan, and continues to experiment with green energy and low-impact living at home. We have reported on Ecotricity countless times before, including here and here. Most recently we featured the company’s announcement that it will be building wind turbines to power the offices and manufacturing facilities of the Lotus car company, and its partnership with Ben and Jerry’s to promote green energy to consumers. We thought it was high-time that we brought you the inside scoop on this forward thinking and innovative company, so we got in touch with Mr Vince, and asked him how the company came about, how the UK’s liberalized energy markets have helped drive renewables, and why Ecotricity has been so critical of other green energy suppliers. We also discussed Ecotricity’s focus on urban and industrial wind energy developments, and what everyone of us can do to take part in the clean energy transition.
Update: Dale Vince has today been named 'most inspiring business leader' in an online poll conducted by the New Statesman. Vince won with an overwhelming 60% of the vote, beating the Body Shop's Anita Roddick, Virgin's Richard Branson, chef Gordon Ramsay and Hazel Blears MP.
TreeHugger: How did Ecotricity come about? What drove you to start developing renewable energy sollutions?
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Milk price sees a-maize-ing hike
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 05. 3.07
Only the New York Daily News could write such an appalling headline and of course we repeat it. The price of milk in New York State rose to $ 3.54 per gallon today, up 20% since the end of last year, in a season where milk prices usually drop because of excess production.
"Economists say the situation is fueled in part by the demand for clean-burning ethanol, which is made from corn, the primary feed for dairy cattle. When farmers feed their cows less corn, milk production falls."- We are putting food in our gas tanks instead of our kids.
Thank heavens for bovine growth hormone. or America would be in real trouble! ::Daily News
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The Nomad Yurt: Stick to the Real Thing
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 05. 3.07
I always get worked up whenever I write about modern prefab and commenters complain about the high price. However I did a double-take when I saw the price of the Nomad Yurt designed by Stephanie Smith of Los Angeles. She has updated the design in “in terms of aesthetics and materials” and it does have a modular plywood floor, but a 12 foot diameter model costs $ 8,300. However the real thing, as shown here, costs a little over US$ 5,000 for a 22 foot diameter version with an insulated skin. Stephanie's is cool looking and probably a quicker setup, but perhaps a bit over the top. ::The Nomad Yurt via ::New York Times...
National Wildlife Federation, Gardener's Guide To Climate Change
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 05. 3.07
Last February we got melancholy about Arbor Day on seeing how drastically plant hardiness zones were changing, of late, in response to climate change. A modern extension of that platitude that you "can't ever go back home," apparently, is that certain of those glorious flowers of childhood memory may soon exist only in the landscape of our dreams (pictured: Texas Bluebonnets). Fanciers of official US state flowers and trees will find their recollections digitally planted on the National Wildlife Federation's Gardener's Guide to Global Warming. Like windows eternally open to spring, the internet can stitch our emotions to the present. Click twice, plant once....
Books for a Better World
by Kenny Luna, North Babylon, NY on 05. 3.07
Ever wonder how to combine the causes of global literacy and environmental protection into one worthwhile cause? Turns out BetterWorld Books based in Mishawaka, IN has taken on the challenge of selling used books online to benefit global literacy while protecting the environment as well. The idea is pretty standard, to collect used books through book drives on college campuses and discards from libraries, but then selling them at a profit not just to benefit themselves but also the cause of global literacy as well. So far they’ve hit some really cool milestones worth mentioning. Reaching the $2 million mark for funds raised to benefit over 80 literacy organizations such as Room to Read and Books for Africa; saving over 8 million pounds of books from an untimely end in a landfill, salvaging over 700,000 pounds of shelving from public libraries, and all while allowing customers to offset over 150 tons of carbon with “Carbon Free Shipping” for their book purchases. Hey, it seems like a great way to run a bookstore to me!...
The Economist continues the debate: Trees Vs. Solar
by Sami Grover, Carrboro, NC, USA on 05. 3.07
Some time ago, a TreeHugger reader sparked quite a debate about whether to clear trees so they could install solar panels on their roof. Now The Economist is discussing a similar issue, when one of their reporters discovered that you need sun if you are going to install solar panels. Apparently they found this out the hard way, after trying to have solar panels installed, but being told that their house was too wooded.
“The problem was perhaps blindingly obvious. It turns out that to install solar panels, you must have enough sun.”This information isn’t as useless as it first sounds - one solar specialist quoted in the article explains that 10-20% of potential customers he visits turn out to have inappropriate sites:
“Greens by definition like trees, he notes; the downside is that trees block sunlight. ‘I literally have had people ask me to install solar on the north side of a 150-foot hill, in a small clearing between trees. They might get three to four hours of sunlight a day,’”...
The Big Green Debate on Fashion
by Bonnie Alter, London on 05. 3.07
The Big Green Debate, held as part of the London College of Fashion's "Is Green the New Black?" activities, had some real heavyweights: Mike Barry from Marks & Spencer, Lucy Siegle, the queen of ethical newspaper columnists, Lucille Lewin, founder of Whistles, a popular clothing chain and a spokesperson for the Green Party. However there was not much debate; more of a discussion of some of the issues affecting green fashion and the fashion media. The first speaker was Lucy Siegle (pictured right), defining green fashion. She was articulate, lively, and very knowledgeable. She is very concerned about the social aspect such as workers’ rights and fair trade since 14% of the world’s workforce has something to do with the garment trade. The founder of Whistles was there (pictured left) as a representative of small business and if her views are representative then green fashion has a long way to go. She didn’t know anything about green fashion, said that she hadn’t thought about it until this evening and it was too expensive. She did have a bit of an epiphany when she realized that she no longer bought her apples pre-packaged. We may see something new there yet. Mike Barry is the Head of Corporate Social Responsibility at Marks & Spencer, the biggest clothing retailer in the UK. As such many questions were directed at him. M&S has now bought one third of the world’s fair-trade cotton supply. This means that there is a lot less for everyone else who wants to get into that area. One young designer complained that she was unable to buy it because she only wanted small amounts. He admitted that they were working to get more farmers to grow it. ...
Heavy Metal Flatpack Chair from Japan
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 05. 3.07
Keiji Ashizawa channels Marcel Breuer and a steel flatpack cantilever chair slides under the door.
"The process is quite simple. We simply cut, drill, or perforate a thin sheet of steel, 1.6mm thick, with laser. At first, we were surprised at how easily a sheet of steel could be bent along a perforated line…just like Origami, the traditional Japanese paper craft. We began to call the perforated line to be bent as “live hinge”. We have confirmed that if it’s not bent repeatedly, the live hinge performs with sufficient strength. By attaching the parts together made out of the same sheet aluminum rivets. Most FPS uses steel sheet of 919mmX1829mm, which is the most common size one can buy. The perforated steel sheet is a fun-to-see object in itself. One would enjoy its ornamental quality even before it is transformed into a product. " ::Keijidesign via ::Jeansnow...
One Hand Clapping for Steve Job's Apple
by Mark Ontkush, Boston, Massachusetts, USA on 05. 3.07
Steve Jobs has posted a response to the muffled whalesong that Apple doesn't have a green agenda. Frankly, this TH posted a shriek about it myself (it's showtime), but I'm glad Steve responded. And he responded as only Steve Jobs could.
Slowly, lovingly, Mr. Jobs dissects the frantic accusations being thrown at Apple's green computing program for months now into their constituent parts. His retort is measured, beautiful; you get the sense of a Zen master talking to a petulant schoolboy. And lo, after the lesson, you find that there is really nothing there. Like the fact that Apple stopped making CRT's in mid-2006, and eliminated all the associated lead problems that go with them. Or that Apple was RoHS compliant before the law went into effect. Or, by 2010, that Apple plans on recycling 28 percent of their eWaste by weight (almost three times more than current rates by other vendors), and they never ship it out of the US. Steve names names, but he doesn't do it often; he doesn't need to. And neither do I.
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Return of the ‘Tin Snail’, Citroen's 2CV
by Warren McLaren, Sydney on 05. 3.07
It’s not only Hollywood that struggles for fresh innovative ideas. The automotive industry has issues alike. The VW Beetle came back, as did the Mini. Although both new renderings were way more expensive than their forebears, and you’d have thought with 40+ years of technology having passed through the lab between their respective heydays they could’ve improved on mileage, rather than just remaining on par. Plus the New Mini had less passenger and storage space, even though it was bigger and almost twice as heavy. Hopefully Citroen will not repeat these mistakes when it brings back the classic 2CV. AutoExpress has a rumour the engine will be a emission reducing hybrid diesel one, and hints that the body panels will be of plastic. However details are sketchy, possibly because the rubber won't meet the road until about 2009. ::AutoExpress....
Lux Research Suggest Clean Energy Bubble Might Burst
by Warren McLaren, Sydney on 05. 3.07
Lux Research have just released a press statement pertaining to their 600 page research paper, The Cleantech Report, which was picked up by the New York Times (free log-in required). They observe that spending on clean technology R&D rose 9% from 2005 to be $48 billion USD by 2006. But it was the boom specifically in the energy sector of the industry that concerned them with initial public offering (IPO) values up 156% for 2006, mostly in solar and biofuels. The interest in the field may reflect the media’s fascination with the subject matter. Lux note that 3,485 articles appeared in major print media last year, a growth of 70%, while cleantech was also the subject of 29,874 scientific journal articles, with the rate of patents issued for cleantech ideas double the rate for patents overall. And though they feel energy might be currently receiving more than its fair share of speculative funding, investment in clean air, water, and waste is not yet up to scratch. Didn't someone once infer that renewable energy wasn't good for business and the economy? Maybe the venture capitalists weren't listening. ::Lux Research, via ::Sydney Morning Herald....
'Green Eye' Centre for Science
by Matthew Sparkes, London, UK on 05. 2.07
A new scientific centre will be built in the UK, to develop techniques to monitor the Earth. The Centre for Earth Observation Instrumentation will use academic and industry experience to help scientists get answers to environmental questions faster and easier than is currently possible.
"The priorities in the first instance will concentrate on new technologies relating to atmospheric chemistry and how that relates to climate," explained Dr Arwyn Davies of the British National Space Centre. The UK is already involved in the Cryosat mission, which tracks polar cap melting. The data that it and future projects can obtain will help scientists to better understand the climate, and develop more accurate computer models for forecasting.
Science and Innovation Minister, Malcolm Wicks, said, "We've come a long way from the first basic satellite of 50 years ago to the sophisticated instruments we use today. Earth observation technology is becoming increasingly important for monitoring climate change." :: BBC...
Air Conditioner in a Can from Japan
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 05. 2.07
We often write about how good they are in Japan about recycling and transit and saving energy, but they also are brilliant at making wonderful products like this (thank you Google for the wonderful translation: "Every clothes it cools! New conception! It just sprays from on the clothes instant cooling!"
It evidently is a mix of ethanol, a silicon surface agent and freon gas in an aerosol can. Of course the bacodo (salaryman) could just take off the jacket, I thought they were allowed to do that now. ::Strapya.com via ::Sci Fi Tech...
Beijing Green Drinks Returns, We Rejoice
by Rachel Wasser, Beijing, China on 05. 2.07
TreeHugger loves Green Drinks, and we are excited to report that Beijing loves them, too! The first ever Beijing Green Drinks, held last month, was a resounding success. More than 100 people showed up to rock the Stone Boat Bar with green-tinted talk, including people from government (China's State Environmental Protection Administration was represented), from NGOs, and from the private sector. Organizer Jenny Chu is looking to turn Beijing Green Drinks into a regular monthly event, and the second one will again be held on the second Tuesday of the month. So if you're living in Beijing - or if you can make it here for the [social] good time this promises to be - come out to the Stone Boat Bar for round two: Tuesday, May 8th, 7-9 pm.
If you're not in Beijing and can't make it here (we wouldn't want you to have to fly in), and if you don't have a Green Drinks in your town, why not start one? For more info and tips on how to get a Green Drinks going, and to find out if yours is one of the 223 cities where the concept has already taken off, check out the website. Photo courtesy of Brian Chang....
Most Huggable: Cleaner Summer Cooling and Grilling, a Win for PETA, The New Coal Rush
by Jacob Gordon, Nashville, TN on 05. 2.07
Is coal the new black? The UK may be setting the tone for a new coal rush… A Wisconsin company makes a small step towards a more recyclable plastic beverage bottle… PETA wins a court victory to expose the mistreatment of animals in lab facilities… Lighter Footstep has a list of tips for beating the summer heat… And the Fun Times Guide wants to help you grill greener this summer… 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? ...
Metropolis Announces 2007 Next Generation Design Competition Winners
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 05. 2.07
Modern design maven Metropolis magazine has announced the winners of their fourth annual Next Generation Design Competition (we mentioned it here). This year's competition was looking for a bright idea relating to energy: its uses, reduction, consumption, efficiencies, and alternatives. And the winner is...Lunar Resonant Street Lamps, by San Francisco-based firm Civil Twilight. Team members Anton Willis, Kate Lydon, and Christina Seely were awarded $10,000 for their project, which has an ultra sensitive photo-cell that responds to the brightness of the night sky, turning on and dimming as needed, cutting down both on unnecessary light pollution and energy consumption. The May issue of Metropolis will have a full spread on the winning team and their project. Check out the previous two years' winners, Biopavers and Hydro Wall and hit the jump for the full list of runners-up -- there's some really compelling, forward-thinking ideas there. ::Metropolis...
Green Mountain Coffee + Jane Goodall = Happy Chimps
by Jasmin Malik Chua, Jersey City, USA on 05. 2.07
Save chimps and support small farmers, one sip at a time, with Green Mountain Coffee Roasters' Gombe Special Reserve line. A collaboration with the Jane Goodall Institute (JGI), an international nonprofit organization dedicated to environmental conservation, the organic, shade-grown, and "chimp-friendly" coffee is designed to create awareness about environmental degradation in western Tanzania—and the toll it's exacting on both humans and chimpanzees.
The coffee is named for the Gombe National Park, where renowned primatologist (and self-professed coffee lover) Goodall embarked on her groundbreaking primatology studies in 1960. More than 150 chimpanzees scampered around Gombe back then; today, rampant deforestation has reduced the population to about 90. A ravenous demand for lumber, farmland, and grazing areas has eroded the watershed, weakened the soil, and left villages vulnerable to flooding and landslides....
Service My Parking Space Zipcar
by Tamara Giltsoff, United Kingdom on 05. 2.07
Being the ultimate consumer product service system (PSS) I am of course a big fan of Zipcar – (and Streetcar – its competitor) – the pay-as-you-go car service. And now I find out (on PSFK) they are doing more smart service things in London; they are using their solutions approach to partner with a company that lets people share cars and parking spaces. PSFK describes it as “one of the coolest and most functional partnerships we’ve seen recently”. ParkatmyHouse.com is a new service that provides parking spaces by enabling property owners to rent out their driveways, garages, car parks or other bits of land to drivers that need somewhere to park. And they’ve just partnered with Zipcar to enable then to expand over London by providing more places to park Zipcars across the city and better access to a pool of car-sharers. It's service system fantastic....
My Type of Appliance
by Joey Roth, Brooklyn, USA on 05. 2.07
There's no need to spell out why this waffle iron rocks harder than most. Fleeing the cubicle for the kitchen, this iron lets you cook up a keyboard of tasty carbs every morning. Designed by Chris Dimino as part of a group exhibit for the School of Visual Arts, the typewriter iron represents the best of reinvention: an obsolete product, minimally modified, is given a completely new function. It just wouldn't be as fun (or as green) if the typewriter's metal and plastic were melted down and turned into another forgettable appliance. Visit Chris's site for more proof that a little whimsy is often the key (had to) to recycled design that stands on its own....
Britons Waste £1.25billion on Annual Gadget Giving
by Mark Ontkush, Boston, Massachusetts, USA on 05. 2.07
Yeah, TH covers gadgets; we got the Aquaskipper, the dog-powered scooter, the bike charger for cell phones, etc., etc. But we never said buy them. And we particularly never said buy them for people who won't use them. Preposterous, right? Who wouldn't want a digital camera? Or an iPod?
Well, the answer, according to a recent survey of 500 adults in Britain, is that a full 22 percent of electronic gadgets that are given as gifts are never used. The average price for each unused gadget in each unopened box is around £120. And this is not just chuckable stuff, like Coleco-like handheld games and obtuse computer games. Number one is the Apple iPod, followed by digital cameras, computer software, satellite navigation systems and mobile phones.
The survey states that the reason people don't use this stuff is that they are 'scared of technology', 'have no time', and/or 'can't read instruction book'. Okey-dokey; these would be three good questions to ask a giftee ahead of time. Occam's razor rules the day here - when you don't know what to give, give money, or gift cards. Gifts are fun, but (adults), please drop the pretense and reserve gift-giving for the kids, who have undoubtedly been screaming about getting some particular gadget since their last birthday....
Students Vote to Increase Fees, Offset 100% of Energy Use On Campus
by Kenny Luna, North Babylon, NY on 05. 2.07
Well, here’s a twist you might not expect… College students with an eye for the political landscape on campus at Southern Oregon University in Ashland, Oregon actually were able to pass a proposal adding a $15 fee to every college bill to ensure clean energy on campus by a clear majority of 85% of the student body. And I’m thinking that maybe the members of the House and the Senate can take a hint from these brave college students, because they’ll now have the distinction of becoming the first campus in their state to offset 100% of its electricity and natural gas usage with renewable energy. How’d they do it? Well, the old fashioned way…...
Battling Nature Deficit Disorder
by Jasmin Malik Chua, Jersey City, USA on 05. 2.07
You know something's awry when your child prefers to play indoors because "that's where all the electrical outlets are." The potential for parental cardiac arrest not withstanding, the truth is that children today spend far too much time cooped up at home with their tushies parked in front of the television or PC, so much so that their estrangement from the great outdoors now has a name: nature deficit disorder.
The National Wildlife Federation (NWF) has launched the Green Hour program to educate parents, teachers, caregivers, and elected officials about how vital outdoor experiences are in children's lives, and to increase the number of kids spending time with all things wild and woolly.
American children between the ages of 8 to 18 spend an average of 6.5 hours a day indoors using computers, video games, television, and MP3 players, according to a Kaiser Family Foundation study. This sedentary lifestyle has been cited as one of the reasons for the rising incidence of childhood obesity, high blood pressure, and attention deficit disorders, among others....
The Quirky Handmade Toys of Jess Hutchison
by Kathreen Ricketson, Canberra, Australia on 05. 2.07
If you are going to buy toys for your kids or friends kids, and you will, then instead of purchasing nasty generic mass produced acrylic or plastic toys, you should choose something from an indie toy maker. Yes thats right, handmade toys are huge right now, and Jess Hutchison's toys are something really special. She makes knitted robots, strange little cute painted and knitted dolls as well as generously providing free patterns for those who are interested in making their own versions, and nothing says eco like really getting back to basics and making something with your own two hands. If you can't do that then sites like Etsy, featured here, are a fabulous way of finding something handmade by an independent crafter.
Jess Hutchison's toys are not only handmade, but the designs are her own as is the fabric - yep hand screen printed. The toys have real personality really unique items, such as hand painted fabric ghosties and knitted robots. Check them out....
Go Green, It Won't Destroy Your Marriage
by Matthew Sparkes, London, UK on 05. 2.07
The Washington Post recently ran a feature on the slow take up of energy saving bulbs in the US. People claim that the flickering, slow warm-up and odd color are putting people off. "What really got me was when my husband put a fluorescent in the lamp next to my bed, violating the last vestige of my personal space," said suffering wife Sara Sifford. The only problem is that all those problems have been solved for quite some time.
If you want to replace your bulbs with energy saving ones, and you're in the UK, then Go Green Lights is a good place to start. Their site is informative, well designed and if you order before 4PM then the bulbs get shipped the same day. You can also view the expected financial and environmental savings of each type of bulb, which makes it easy to make an informed decision ono the cost/benefit of each product. The best part is that their prices are good, so don't listen to those new urban myths about CFL problems, or the Washington Post, and go green your house. :: Go Green Lights ...
The $ 2000 CFL Cleanup: Where Urban Myths Come From
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 05. 2.07
Compact fluorescents are controversial, and their mercury content is a concern. We have had a number of commenters note that it costs thousands to clean up a room if you drop a bulb; one demanded "real scientific responses only, please" which counted me out, but Helen Suh Macintosh answered it here yesterday. But where did this $ 2000 cleanup idea come from?
The myth started with an article by Steve Milloy published on Fox News and picked up by papers like Canada's National Post, in which he quotes a story in Maines Ellsworth American. Evidently Brandy Bridges (pictured left) broke a bulb in her kid's bedroom and was worried about mercury in the shag rug. She called the Department of Environmental Protection, who sent out a specialist who recommended professional cleaning, which was priced at two grand. Milloy neglects to mention that the story goes on to say that this was a mistake, and that the DEP has published recommendations of how to clean it up; he just cherry picks a line from it and we have a new urban myth. We had written more about this but PZ Myers does a much better deconstruction at ::Pharyngula
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I.D. Magazine May 2007: Design from Cradle to Grave
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 05. 2.07
This month's I.D. magazine looks at products and concepts that run the gamut from caring for the very young to the very old, with their usual modern sensibility and design eye. In the middle are a couple of pretty interesting sustainability stories. "A is for Adaptable" (page 52) takes a popular idea at TreeHugger -- that adaptable, multi-function design can do more things and solve more problems than conventional, "static" design -- and expands it to a macro level, using an entire school as an example. At the Kuegeliloo primary school, in Zurich (pictured), for example, a 2001 re-design allowed for continual revision and adaptation of the internal structure; none of the meeting and group-room walls are load-bearing, so the buildings' configuration can change and adapt to the changing needs of its inhabitants. Moving along in age, the cover story (page 72, with a Deborah Milner Ecoture dress setting the scene) covers the growing trend in green weddings; Square One organic vodka (available in the TreeHugger store), French Rabbit organic wine and Portovert's wedding carbon calculator all get a mention, but we think they should have checked out our How to Green Your Wedding guide, too. A discussion of the process of aging wouldn't be complete without talking about reproduction, and there's some TreeHugger to be found there, too; the Pronto condom (page 70) is just one of a new generation of devices that incorporate smart design with safe sex (and there are lots more in TreeHugger's How to Green Your Sex Life guide). All in all, the mag shows that intelligently-designed products and thoughtful ideas are not generation-specific, and that there isn't anyone that good design can't help, and that's an idea that we can get behind. ::I.D. magazine...
Bike Friday’s Tikit To Ride
by Warren McLaren, Sydney on 05. 2.07
We might’ve got in early in breaking the news on the iXi bike but we’ve been lazy in bringing you news of Bike Friday’s newest member of the family, the Tikit. Just too much going on these days. We’ve noted before Green Gear Cycling’s incredibly strong customer loyalty for their Bike Fridays. Now that riders can fold one of these very cute, yet highly practical bikes in, a claimed 5 seconds, we imagine they’ll just increase their following. Gotta love a company that measures the folded size of their bikes by cases of soy milk! Three for the Tikit. Which comes complete with eight gears, folding pedals and even a sturdy brass bell. Front and rear carriers also on offer. If you don’t want to heft 25 lb (11.3 kg) about, the folded configuration leaves the 16” wheels free to push it along. ...
Jeremy Leggett on Peak Oil and Agriculture
by Warren McLaren, Sydney on 05. 2.07
The other day Sami made mention of the One Planet Agriculture project under the auspices of the Soil Association. It’s about helping the agricultural industry cope with global warming and peak oil. A handbook is imminent but in the meantime they have a modest PDF publication called the Case for Action. In it you’ll find a piece by the renown Jeremy Leggett, author of Half Gone (titled The Empty Tank in the US), who makes the following points: A quarter of the US’s daily need for oil (five million barrels) comes from the highly volatile Middle East. “The US government could wipe out the need for all their five million barrels, and staunch the flow of much blood in the process, by requiring its domestic automobile industry to increase the fuel efficiency of autos and light trucks by a mere 2.7 miles per gallon.” Instead, between 1987 and 2001, US average US vehicle fuel efficiency fell by 1.8 miles per gallon, noting that during the period 1975 to 2003 SUV market share grew from 2% to 24%. And what’s this to do with our food supply? Jeremy cites National Geo as estimating you could drive a car from LA to NYC on the oil required to farm and bring to market just one cow. ...
The Mini Maxi Shopper: the Reusable Bag you won't Forget
by Sami Grover, Carrboro, NC, USA on 05. 2.07
Reusable bags are great, but how many times have you turned up at the store, only to realize you’ve forgotten your shopping bag? We’ve covered Reisenthel bags before, and though one commenter was concerned about the embodied energy in their construction, we still find the idea of reinventing the reusable bag to make it more convenient and easy to use intriguing. Now we’ve come across another innovative shopping solution from these guys, the Mini Maxi Shopper. This is basically a tough, long-handled shopping bag that folds down into its own, zippable pouch, so you can conveniently keep your bags with you at all times. And this one doesn’t have an aluminum frame to worry about, so we’re betting it works out better on the embodied energy stakes too! Available through the wonderfully named Reusablebags.com.
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Update on Tainted Pet Food: We Are Next
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 05. 2.07
When last we wrote about this subject we titled it "Tainted Pet Food: We could be Next" and expressed concern that "Is the human food system so different? Do all industrially farmed pigs or cows get some additive or drug that could come back to harm us, all over the country, all at once?"
It turns out we were not too far off. Melamine, the plastic ingredient that mimics protein in testing, has been found in chicken feed in Indiana, and Tyson Foods has sent 200 hogs to the knacker because they were fed tainted pet food. The melamine appears to have been added to wheat gluten exported from China, although China and the manufacturer still deny it. As the graphs show, more food is being imported, but of the 8.9 million shipments of food from China last year, less than two percent were sampled.
Aaron Newton at Groovy Green gets it right: "We can shut our eyes and go on eating McChicken sandwiches, we can gamble and bite down on plastic wrapped spinach and we can pray to God that our infants aren’t drinking contaminated formula. Or we can make change."
Stop buying manufactured food, buy local and cook it yourself, look your farmer in the eye. That is the only way to be sure your food is safe. ::New York Times
Graph enlarged below the fold.
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Organic is the New Rock n'Roll
by Bonnie Alter, London on 05. 2.07
Or: Don't F*ck with Nature. Both are the themes of rock royalty Jo Wood, wife of Ronnie (guitarist for The Rolling Stones), who founded Jo Wood Organics. Looking every inch the legendary rock chick, complete with Katharine Hamnett tee-shirt (Clean Up or Die), Jo was speaking as part of the programme at the London College of Fashion. She told the audience about her journey--starting with a mis-diagnosed illness in India, turning to organic in her search for a cure, and ending up with a natural cosmetic business and writing a book. Having changed her diet and her life style, she became convinced that we have to think about how chemicals affect our bodies. She started examining beauty products, and mixing her own with organic oils and herbs. She put them in lovely antique bottles and gave them to friends. For her it was a natural progression to identifying the niche for a luxury product that was organic, but had sex appeal and beautiful packaging and that would have a mass market. The final push was provided by her husband: "Ronnie told me that I would never get it together". And she was off--in a quest for a sophisticated and eclectic product that broke all the rules. She is a passionate organic enthusiast: when on tour with the Stones, she visits markets and cooks on a portable stove in her hotel room to make sure that she and her family can eat in a healthy way. Her book, "Naturally", is a conversational explanation of her progression and includes recipes and helpful tips. She says that the cosmetics industry is ten years behind the food industry--where organic is almost mainstream. As for her slogan " Don't F*ck with Nature: the Americans hate it and changed her brochure, and the website is banned in Dubai. But that won't stop her. :: Jo Wood Organics Via :: London College of Fashion...
Enviro-summer Camp At Frost Centre Institute
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 05. 2.07
Since it opened in the Depression as a ranger training camp, the Frost Centre in Haliburton, Ontario has been an important source of environmental and outdoor education. The government closed it down in 2004 to save a buck and caused a huge protest, so they put out a call to find a new use for it. Now it has re-opened as the private non-profit Frost Centre Institute, which is running a summer camp program for kids 10-16. Activities:
Environmental Science Program: Includes participation in real environmental research projects under the leadership of our resident and visiting scientists.
Visual Arts Program: Painting, digital photography, sculpture, pottery and stage décor themes taught by some of the top teaching artists in the arts-rich Haliburton Highlands area
Non-Motorized Water Sports Program: Expert instruction in sailing, kayaking, canoeing and life-saving swimming. Optional SCUBA certification program.
I know the area well; it is sited in one of the most beautiful parts of Ontario with endless canoeing and hiking. Still spaces left at ::Frost Centre Institute Summer Camp...
British Hospital Going Wind-Powered
by Jeff McIntire-Strasburg, St. Louis, MO on 05. 2.07
A healthy body and a healthy environment would seem to go hand-in-hand, so it's not surprising that a number of health care facilities around the world are adopting greener principles and practices for construction, facility management and patient care. In the UK, the town of Swindon's Great Western Hospital is joining this movement by announcing plans to generate some its power with an on-site wind turbine. According to the Swindon Advertiser, the hospital has been considering this move since last year, and sees potential for significant savings on its electric bill:Power from the turbine would be connected to the hospital's main energy supply, powering medical equipment, lights and wards. The natural electricity could cut £300,000 from GWH's £1m annual energy bill and reduce the hospital's carbon dioxide and carbon emissions by 23 per cent....
Instant Classic Side Chair
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 05. 2.07
"Why are we still shipping chairs in big boxes? Seeing fine machinery making kitchen doors out of mdf panels gave us a new idea. These tools could be used for so many other things. A chair cut out of a small birch plywood panel, almost no waste, flat as a kitchen door. The chairs are delivered in ultra-flat boxes and can be taken away as a suitcase. Fifty chairs in the car? Yes, you can. Assembled in no time with 8 screws.What more proof does one need that good design leads to more efficient use of materials and less energy wasted building and shipping. Only $ 150, designed by Alain Berteau and produced by Feld Narrative Design in Antwerp. ::Nova68 via ::Apartment Therapy...
American Lung Association's 2007 Air Quality Report
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 05. 2.07
If you live in the US, you may recall seeing a previous year's American Lung Association air quality report. The 2007 version is out; and you can see the whole of it at this link. You'll find a clickable US state map, [as pictured], as well as several other ranked geographical indexes. As usual, the US print media has focused on the "worst" cities. Let's take a deep breath and give a TreeHugger cheer, instead, to those US metro areas ranked as having the cleanest of the lot. (If you can't wait to give a holler, take a quick look below the fold for those cities with lowest particulate levels.) Truthfully, a serious lifestyle choice lies before us. Under the topic "Ways to Clean Up Our Air" the ALA report states:- "Old coal-fired power plants are among the biggest industrial polluters, especially in the eastern half of the United States...An analysis released in 2004 attributed 24,000 premature deaths each year to power plant pollution. In addition, the research estimates that over 550,000 asthma attacks, 38,000 heart attacks and 12,000 hospital admissions are caused annually by power plant pollution." So what do we do, move to the clean cities listed? Or do we fight, instead, for a more stable future climate? For lowered mercury emissions? For a reduced asthma risk? ...
Thailand Seed Clouds to Alleviate Drought
by Matthew Sparkes, London, UK on 05. 1.07
Scientists are meeting in Bangkok this week to discuss global warming and possible methods to cut greenhouse gas emissions. Thailand has every reason to be proactive about cutting emissions; it's the world's largest exporter of rice and natural rubber. A country whose economy is that reliant on agriculture needs to ensure that the climate doesn't continue to change. The tsunami disaster also highlighted how dangerous further climate change could be for the country, and this makes Thailand as aware of green issues as any other. The country already has a Bureau of Royal Rainmaking, which is tasked with seeding clouds in order to alleviate the droughts that affect the country. Every day planes seed clouds with salt, attempting to unlock the moisture held within. "It may not be heavy rain, but it helps," says farmer, Pikul Sinsert, "If we waited for the seasonal rains to come in late May, all our pineapples would die. But five or ten minutes of artificial rain helps them survive." "This year we started making artificial rain in February, preparing ourselves for an El Nino-related drought that has already hit our neighbours," said Royal Rainmaking Bureau chief Wattana Sukarnjanaset. :: ENN...
Nest Organic Cotton Crib Set
by Sean Fisher, Cincinnati, Ohio on 05. 1.07
Stylish new parents can easily be frustrated by the abundance of sailboats and ballerinas that are apparently supposed to adorn every inch of their child's new room, especially when it comes to the crib. Fear not, hipster parents! From our good friends at kid-friendly furniture company Nest comes this mod-tastic crib set made with 100% certified organic cotton. In addition to the organic cotton sheet and crib skirt, the quilt and crib bumper (also covered with organic cotton) are stuffed with recycled PET. And as an added bonus, during the month of May, it looks as if Nest is having an extensive sale - 20% off on their entire stock. All you have to do is enter "May Sale" at checkout. ::Nest
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Book Review-The Last Forest: The Amazon in the Age of Globalization
by Tim McGee, Western Massachusetts on 05. 1.07
I don't know about you, but Brazil has been popping up in all kinds of random conversations this year. Just type Brazil into our search engine and you start to see the diversity of topics. From politics to clean energy Brazil is a magnet for discussion and a leader in developing new ideas about our relationship to nature. 'The Last Forest: The Amazon in the Age of Globalization' is a time capsule of modern day Amazonia. Authors Mark London and Brian Kelly return to the Amazon after over 25 years from their previous book (Amazon). What they discover and relate is a deep understanding of the events, people, and currents of modern human civilization in Brazil. The book highlights individual stories throughout the Amazon that provide depth of perspective, astonishing scope, and impressive impact....
Ask TreeHugger: Is Mercury from a Broken CFL Dangerous?
by Helen Suh MacIntosh, Cambridge, MA, USA on 05. 1.07
Question: I have been in the process of converting to an all CFL household only to find out by trial and error (and some googling) that CFL's fail very quickly in track lighting and recessed fixtures. In my online searches I have stumbled upon some real horror stories about people who have broken the bulbs in their homes which has resulted in thousands of dollars worth of cleanup to remove the mercury.
I did read in the past the post about the quality of various manufacturers, but do you have any information on "best practices" for use and safety/disposal/mercury contamination topics? As far as the mercury information goes - I am not looking for a debate about how much mercury ends up in the environment from other sources.... I just want to know if my kids are going to get mercury poisoning if a bulb breaks in their rooms. Real scientific responses only please.
Response: There has recently been some concern over the possibility that broken CFLs can be an important source of exposures to mercury, a toxic metal and a key component of compact fluorescent lightbulbs (CFLs). Although mercury is a toxic pollutant, mercury exposures from broken CFLs are not likely to harm you and your family. This is due to several factors, including the amount and duration of your exposures and the specific type of mercury that you are exposed to. ...
Britain's Cars Not Recycled Because of Loophole
by Matthew Sparkes, London, UK on 05. 1.07
Parts from up to 1.3m cars were illegally disposed in the UK because of a legal loophole, according to the Guardian. In the UK, car owners must dispose of cars at a registered decontamination centre, which charge a fee. However, an EU report estimates that only a third of cars are properly disposed of in this way. Offending owners should be fined, but a loophole in the law means that no proof of recycling is required. People can simply tick a box and pretend that they disposed of their car properly. ...
Old Zoo, New Tricks
by Jasmin Malik Chua, Jersey City, USA on 05. 1.07
The Bronx Zoo is in the process of renovating Astor Court, which dates from the 265-acre zoo's early years. The $6.7 million face lift, which is taking place in stages, includes a 22,000-square-foot mall, an Italian garden of boxwoods and roses, the Rockefeller Fountain, and "a suite of Beaux-Arts-style buildings." More notably, the Lion House, which first opened in 1903, will be unlatching its doors next year after being closed for nearly two decades.
The 40,000-square foot, $49 million exhibit on Madagascar—expect to see a 13-foot Nile crocodile and ring-tailed lemurs, among others—will be restored in accordance to the environmental guidelines of the U.S. Green Building Council, a nonprofit organization involved in sustainable building design and construction....
Smarty Pants Energy Monitor: The Home Joule
by Jacob Gordon, Nashville, TN on 05. 1.07
We love visual feedback devices. Inventive tools for animating energy consumption have become something of a genre unto themselves nowadays, which is a very good thing. Since the utilitarian Kill-a-Watt, more sleek tools like the Wattson and PowerCost have joined in. The Home Joule kicks things up a notch by receiving real-time info about your local utility, time-of-day energy costs, and local weather, then splices this with your home energy consumption. The colored circular screen tells you when your bill is going to spike or when your use is unusually high. According to Wired, responsible energy use can even earn you goodies like movie tickets....
New from Brave Space: Hollow Dining Set, Coming to Design Week
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 05. 1.07
Via Design*Sponge comes this brand new hot little number from Brooklyn-based Brave Space Designs. Following a few of the design features from the Hollow Bench we featured here, both the table and the chairs of the aptly named Hollow Dining Set have hollow spaces built right in to the bamboo construction, perhaps as a materials-reduction strategy but also as a handy place to keep placemats, napkins and the like that don't always have to be on display on the table, but are good to have within arms' reach. To check out the new set up close and personal, swing by this year's Brooklyn Designs show, May 11 to 13, which helps kick off NY Design Week. ::Brave Space Designs via ::Design*Sponge...
Big Ideas for a Small Planet - the Cities Episode
by Warren McLaren, Sydney on 05. 1.07
Sundance Channel’s Big Ideas for a Small Planet builds up a head of steam as it moves onto its third episode, as of tonight (Tues 01 May 2007) taking on the topic of ‘Cities’. We take a tour with Dennis Wilde, whom with fellow developers, is turning 130 acres of a former industrial brown field site in Portland, Oregon, into the largest, sustainable urban re-development project in the nation. After which we visit Trey Taylor of Verdant Power as he submerges 15-ft. turbines 30 feet below the surface of New York City’s East River, so they might generate electricity via the river’s current. Then it’s back to Portland, where eco-activist Heather Flores and her band of guerilla gardeners transform an abandoned plot of land into a green haven for local use. Sundance’s The Green website has sneek peek clips, plus you can access the previous episodes on ‘Fuel’ and ‘Build’, via Apples iTunes Store, from a link all on the same page. Or skoot over to the online Your Guide for Greener Living for some other city living tips. ::Big Ideas for a Small Planet....
EBSQ Announces Recycled Art Show Winners
by Jeff McIntire-Strasburg, St. Louis, MO on 05. 1.07
In March, we announced EBSQ's "Repurposed: Art from Recycled Materials," an online art show to benefit Environmental Defense. Just over a month later, the submissions are all in, and I, the jury, went through them and chose winners and honorable mentions this weekend. Overall, it was very exciting to see what working artists are doing with not just "found materials," but literal trash. Clearly, one doesn't have to be "green" to see "treasure" in the many items that we traditionally pitch in the trash and send to the landfill. Artists found both beauty and function in wine bottles, used coffee filters, random pieces of Styrofoam, postage stamps, and, in one case, dismembered stuffed animals. I had a fantastic time viewing their work; it goes without saying that I had a tough time deciding. I awarded three honorable mentions. They went to:...
Most Huggable: Bush Gets a Smack, San Fran Gets Greasy, iTunes Gets Leafy
by Jacob Gordon, Nashville, TN on 05. 1.07
Bush’s appeal to defend dirty power plants is shut down by the Supreme Court… San Francisco aims at offsetting 20% of the city’s diesel use with grease… PepsiCo makes a whopper of a green energy purchase and climbs to the top of the EPA’s list… Search for iTunes music with Tunes for Trees and every 10 songs puts a sapling in the ground… The Helius solar backpack enters the race to put some clean power on your back… 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 Welcomes The Panelist
by The Panelist, USA on 05. 1.07
Kids "Think Trees"
by Kenny Luna, North Babylon, NY on 05. 1.07
Recently we pointed out the benefits of planting a tree with a child, and it seems like the folks at Doubletree Hotels are taking us up on the concept in a big way… But it’s great to see that they’ve actually been teaming up with the National Arbor Day Foundation for 5 years now to enable kids across the U.S. and Canada to plant trees indigenous to their area for Arbor Day. This year alone they wound up committing to plant over 10,000 of them, providing lesson plans and volunteer help to make it all happen. And of course they got the hotel staff and guests in on the act as well by passing out green ribbons that read, as you might expect, “Think Trees”! So why’d they decide to name it “Think Trees” after all? Well, it turns out that according to a 2006 survey of kids in N. America more than one third (37 percent) of them rank trees as their favorite part of the environment. And let's face it, if kids think trees are cool they’re just a whole lot more likely to get involved in protecting them too. After observing and writing about Doubletree's success with their program “Wild for Wildlife” this fall, I’m hopeful that they’ll be able to inspire this generation of kids to preserve trees everywhere, and make a lasting and positive environmental impact on their communities as well…...
Compressed Air Dusters Should Be Blown Away
by Mark Ontkush, Boston, Massachusetts, USA on 05. 1.07
The Sightline Institute has some revealing information on those handy computer air dusters. You might have used one of these things at some point in your life to clean your computer innards; more nefarious uses include making cool 'ice rods' in a sink of water by upending it, and making a compressed air gun. Oh, these things are versatile.
Turns out the contents are also horribly bad for the environment. Some of them use 100 percent tetrafluoroethane, a known greenhouse gas that is roughly 3,300 times more effective at trapping heat than carbon dioxide. Nice. So, according to Eric De Place, a 10-ounce can of cleaner will have the same climate-changing effect over the next 20 years as burning at least 100 gallons of gasoline. That's one can. The other common gas in these things is difluoroethane, which has about 10% of the impact as other variety. Eric states that that is still about 330 times the impact of CO2.
Further irony is that gas dusters are often billed are safe for the environment, citing that they are 100% ozone safe, with no CFCs or HCFCs. These statements are in fact true, but skirt the issue of climate change.
It's obvious that these dusters are yet another technology, like portable yogurt or plastic bags, that we can do without. The hunt for the perfect duster has begun, and Giotto's Rocket (pictured above) has received excellent reviews. If you are a big shop or need to blow a lot of air around on a regular basis, you probably should be using an air compressor.
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TreeHugger Welcomes Writer Tony Bosworth
by Tony Bosworth, Sydney, Australia on 05. 1.07
Legendary Interior Design Show Case Welcomes First Ever Green Room
by Olivia Zaleski, New York City, USA on 05. 1.07
For those of us who don’t know, the annual Kips Bay Show House is considered the premier interior design exhibition in the world. Setting global interior design standards for years, even decades, to come, the show is visited by thousands of designers, architects, and style connoisseurs. Now, for the first time in history, the show includes a green room designed by eco and holistically focused interior designer, Cheryl Terrace of Vital Designs LTD.
Terrace’s space, entitled, “A Little Breathing Room” is a green oasis complete with low V.O.C. painted green walls, 2-3 million year old petrified tree-stump tables, and a sustainable sofa decorated with bamboo chintz throw-pillows. Terrace took every detail of the room’s contents—location, materials, manufacturing procedures—into account. For example, the sofa starts with a sustainable-wood frame, covered with 100% organic hand-loomed (less environmental impact than power-loomed) cotton, all void of toxic stuffing, dyes, and adhesives....
Terraskin: Welcome to the Stoneage
by Kara DiCamillo, Newport, Rhode Island on 05. 1.07
The June issue of HOW Magazine (yes, June!) includes a section dedicated to “Truly Green Design.” Within this section we found a cool company, Chameleon Packaging, whose newest venture includes a paper product called Terraskin. But this paper isn’t like others. It’s actually a tree-free paper that’s made from stone. After visiting their hip website, we learned that Terraskin is similar to traditional paper when it comes to printing on it, however, because it’s a fiber-less material it uses 20-30% less ink than conventional papers. It also has the advantage in the fact that it’s water-resistant and tear-resistant. A sample came in HOW and we can attest that it look some tugging to make it rip. It’s also a bit heavier than normal paper but Terraskin does come in various weights so it can be used for anything from shopping bags to menus to gift boxes. No water is used in its production, which is a major concern in the paper industry, and bleach isn’t used either. Because Terraskin is made from minerals, it easily disintegrates back into the Earth. TreeHugger has written about something similar before, called Rock Paper. See John's experience in testing it . ::Terraskin...
TreeHugger Wins 2007 People's Voice Webby Award!
by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada on 05. 1.07
We are extremely proud and happy to get the People's Voice Webby Award this year (blog cultural/personal category). It is particularly meaningful to us because it is the people's award, and that's exactly who we try to reach.
Unlike the oscars, we hadn't prepared a speech, so we just want to thank everybody who works on TreeHugger, and of course, a big special thanks to everybody who reads TreeHugger -- we wouldn't be here without you.
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The TH Interview: Jeremy Osborn of Step It Up 2007!
by Sami Grover, Carrboro, NC, USA on 05. 1.07
Step It Up 2007!, the US national day of action on climate change, was a huge success. Over 1400 communities gathered in all 50 states demanding that their Congressional representatives enact bold climate legislation and cut carbon 80% by 2050, and many TreeHuggers were also in on the action. We thought it would be interesting for our readers to hear how the event came about, so we emailed Jeremy Osborn of Step It Up with a few questions. Jeremy is a recent college graduate, and leading up to the Step It Up effort, Jeremy was also involved in the inception and advocacy work of the Middlebury College Sunday Night Group. He also spent a summer driving the country advocating fuel efficiency with Road to Detroit, a project of Energy Action. Now that Step It Up was such an overwhelming success, Jeremy and the rest of the crew are helping to document what happened, and are already at work on the next steps of this national movement. Read on for more juicy details…
TreeHugger: How did the Step It Up 2007 coalition come about, and who were the main players?
Jeremy Osborn: Our small group came together after six of us decided that we wanted to put our collective student organizing experience at Middlebury College to good use for the national movement around climate change. We approached Bill McKibben for advice, and he pitched us Step It Up. He was, as ever, persuasive, and we dropped all our other plans and jumped in with him. Our crew was never exactly the ‘main player’ though. The coalition around Step It Up was incredible – from the big greens like NRDC, the National Wildlife Federation, and Sierra Club to regional or community groups like Chesapeake Climate Action Network to the fourteen hundred plus organizers on the ground in these communities. All these people were the players in Step It Up; we mainly sat hunched over our laptops just making sure everyone was connected and had all the resources they needed.
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Solarcentury Expands to Spain
by Sami Grover, Carrboro, NC, USA on 05. 1.07
Solarcentury is, by now, a familiar name to most TreeHuggers. We’ve reported on this leading UK solar energy company’s “complete solar roof” (pictured), we’ve posted on their provocative response to the Stern Report, and we’ve even interviewed Jeremy Leggett, the company’s founder (who also happens to be a leading author on peak oil, climate change and energy matters). Now we bring news of an announcement that Solarcentury is expanding internationally by opening an office in Spain. They are also looking into opening an office in France.
Interestingly, the company, which is better known for photovoltaics (solar electric) systems in the UK, seems to be pushing it’s expertise in solar thermal for the Spanish market, as Leggett explains:
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Wayback Machine: Wind Turbines, 1932 Version
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 05. 1.07
In 1932, German engineers determined "WIND, at the surface of the earth, is proverbially uncertain; but recent researches show that, a thousand feet or more above the ground, wind is comparatively steady and unfailing. This has given new life to the hope of finding a substantial source of natural power, even more universally available than water power; and the designs illustrated here have been prepared by a German engineer, Honnef, the erector of several huge radio towers. As shown here, the structure carrying the power plant would be higher than any other building man has yet been able to erect."
They proposed turbines that are higher than the Empire State Building, and would generate 130,000,000 kilowatt/hours per year at a cost of $ 1,100,000, not adjusted for inflation. Not such a bad idea. ::Modern Mechanix ...
New York’s First Eco Hotel to Open in 2008
by Mairi Beautyman, Berlin, Germany on 05. 1.07
Eco travel in New York just got easier. Starting in Spring 2008, you can wrap yourself in a certified organic towel, lay your head down on a certified organic mattress, breathe in the results of a geothermal heating and cooling system, and sip an organic cocktail from an environmentally-friendly roof garden, all from the city's first green boutique hotel. The brainchild of developers Jack Ancona and Flatiron Real Estate Advisors, Greenhouse 26 is designed by Arpad Baksa of Arpad Baksa Architect to earn a LEED Gold from the U.S. Green Building Council, through conservation of energy, electricity, water, materials, and waste. The 19-story facility is the first hotel in New York to use a geothermal heating and cooling system and the first hotel in the U.S. to use thermal breaks on room terraces as insulation from hot and cold air. ...
The TH/Slate Green Challenge, Week Three
by Meaghan O'Neill, Newport, R.I. on 05. 1.07
It takes energy to make energy, and food is no exception. In order to get to the table, our veggies, grains, and meats typically travel about 1,500 miles. Fossil fuel–intensive fertilizers add to the carbon footprint of our meals, too. The result? An average of three-quarters of a ton of carbon dioxide emissions per person just to feed ourselves. Even carbon-friendly organic food has to be processed, packaged, and transported, all of which create emissions. If this news (coupled with recent human and pet food scares) has you wondering if you should introduce yourself to your local farmer, you’re off to a great start where it comes to reducing your food-related CO2 factor. To learn more about your diet and CO2 emissions, click through to this week's installment of the Slate/TreeHugger Green Challenge. ::Slate Green Challenge Food What's the Green Challenge? Click ::Slate Green Challenge Introduction to find out, and see the week 3 page about Food here....
Reforest Teak Furniture, from New World Eco Trees Reforestation Projects
by Paula Alvarado, Buenos Aires on 05. 1.07
This line of high-end home and garden furniture called Reforest Teak is produced in Central America with tectona grandis wood coming from FSC certified reforestation projects by New World Eco Trees in Costa Rica. The collection was launched in March and includes chairs, benches, tables, planters and decking & flooring resources. It can be purchased online at ReforestTeak.com, via Gardener’s Supply Co, or at VT retail stores (the bench shown above and the chair and tables in the extended are from the very cool Spirit Song Collection, with prices starting at 675 US dollars). New World Eco Trees was established in 2006 by Will Raap, Founder and Chairman of Gardener’s Supply and Intervale Center, and its goal is to steward multi species reforestation work on lands previously degraded by the cattle industry in Costa Rica and soon Nicaragua. Its reforesting operations are located in Surubres de Parrita, Puntarenas Province, and the central Pacific coast between Carara and Manuel Antonio National Parks; and are also destined to carbon offsetting and carbon sequestration programs.
Raap, born in America, turned to Costa Rica surely motivated for his wife’s roots…...
Bobby Pickett, Environmentalist and Singer, Dead at 69
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 05. 1.07
Everyone knows the song the Monster Mash, written in half an hour by Bobby Pickett, a one hit wonder who did so well with it that he never had to work again. "I haven't made millions, but I have been paying the rent for 36 years with just one song."
In his later years, he became involved in environmental issues, and wrote the Monster Slash to protest exploitation of federal forests, and the music for Climate Mash, (we described in TreeHugger: "watch its stars — President Bush, Vice President Cheney and others getting down at the Climate Mash with extreme-polluter ExxonMobil, accompanied by the zombies and vampires of global warming.") which was downloaded half a million times.
Robert George Pickett, singer and songwriter, born February 11 1938; died April 25 2007 ::Guardian...
Ontario Gets Monster Solar Farm
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 05. 1.07
solar farm in Amstein, Germany
OptiSolar, a California manufacturer of thin-film silicon solar cells, is building the world's largest solar farm in Sarnia, Ontario. (just north of Detroit) formerly famous for its pollution. Now 40 megawatts will be generated from a huge farm of over 900 acres. Currently the biggest farm in the world is the Erlasee 12 megawatt farm in Germany.
OptiSolar chose Ontario because the government owned utilities buy solar power for 42 cents per kilowatt/hour, which is a significant premium over the 9 cents I pay Bullfrog for clean wind power or the 5.5 cents other Ontarians pay for the usual mix of hydro, nuclear and coal. We suppose the economics work because solar works best at peak loads on hot days when air conditioners are on full and they would normally have to fire up the very expensive natural gas plants. (Coal is supposed to be phased out by 2014) Read Tyler Hamilton in ::The Star
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Eco-Businesses Talk Shop
by Bonnie Alter, London on 05. 1.07
The kick-off lecture at the "Is Green the New Black?" programme at the London College of Fashion was a discussion about doing green business, with Galahad Clark, the founder of Terra Plana shoes, Adam Smith, from Adili, a luxury on-line retailer and Petra Kjell, from the Environmental Justice Foundation. Kjell, in her Katharine Hamnett tee-shirt (Save the Future) started with an explanation of cotton. It is the world’s thirstiest (one tee-shirt uses 2,000 litres of water) and dirtiest (uses insecticides and pesticides) crop. And there is massive use of child labour (one million child-workers in Egypt alone) in order to keep prices down. A very disturbing film about the cotton industry in Uzbekistan was shown. One third of the population works in the “white gold” industry, which is completely controlled by a corrupt government. Schools are ordered closed so that thousands of children can help pick it to meet quotas. The Aral Sea has dried up due to irrigation needs, and the associated fishing industry has accordingly disappeared. Her message: refuse to buy Uzbekistan cotton: pick your cotton carefully. Next up was Galahad Clark (pictured right), of Terra Plana shoes. He said that nature and its life cycle and the eco-system were his inspiration. He noted that no cows are raised purely for the foot wear industry--leather is a by-product. In his view Nike is the most forward in fashion and sustainable design. He insists that one can make ethical shoes in Chinese factories and says that they have the highest industrial standards. He regrets the closure of 50 shoe factories here because of the move to China but says that they are trying to get the industry back to Britain. It is the cost of labour that is the problem. However as factory lines become more mechanised, they can reduce the number of people needed and thus decrease labour costs and become more competitive.
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Stefani Water Purifiers: an Alternative to Plastic
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 05. 1.07
We have been nervous about our Loblaws knockoff Brita-style water filter, made of polycarbonate. There is concern about leaching of Bisphenol A from this plastic and we let the water sit in it all day. While the science on Bisphenol A is far from certain, (against and for) we are trying to err on the safety side and get rid of it wherever possible.
Thus we were impressed by the terra cotta water purifiers made in Brazil by Ceramica Stefani, seen at the Green Living Show. The terra cotta keeps the water cool; they are made by local artisans.
They are "Equipped with Dechlorinating and Sterilizing purifying elements based on the Doulton technology (with colloidal silver and activated charcoal made from coconut shells) eliminates water impurities, fungi, bacteria, micro-organisms, harmful chemicals and efficiently improves water taste". (more info below the fold) made by ::Ceramica Stefani and imported to Canada by ::Lifespices.com, starting at C$ 99.00, and in Australia at ::Stefani. I can't find any Stefani in the States other than Gwen, maybe she sells them. ...
Canada to Regulate Hot Tub Emissions
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 05. 1.07
Missed in all of the discussions about CO2 "intensity" and accusations of "fraud" there are some things that we like in the Canadian Government's Green Plan. Vehicles generate 13% of Canada's greenhouse gases, but as of 2011 all cars and trucks must meet new fuel efficiency standards and motorcycles, snowmobiles and the dreaded all-terrain vehicles will be regulated. There will also be new standards for dishwashers, dehumidifiers, furnaces and that great Canadian institution, the hot tub.
In addition to appliances and vehicles, the government plans to regulate the emissions created by the production and use of cleaning agents, paints, inks and other products. Those regulations should come between 2007 and 2010. ::CBC
We loved this line from a comment to this CBC post: "despite my V8 SUV, my car, large house, cottage, boats, snowmobiles and such (which I have worked for and can afford), I do my best to 'be green' without adversely affecting my lifestyle and pocketbook." ...
Loma Linda Powers Up
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 05. 1.07
We often wonder what would happen if all available roof space in a development were utilized for solar power. Well, here's a good example. The Solar "Powering Up Ceremony" for the Loma Linda California, USA Civic Center (pictured) is today, May 1, 2007. Via the Alpha Energy Co.-provided fact sheet about the project:- The "solar power system includes four independent systems generating energy for the Civic Center, Fire Station, Library and Senior Center. The 1600 solar panels installed on buildings and carports are inconspicuous but still visible to the general public. The system’s performance is monitored by the Fat Spaniel Technologies, Inc. web-based interface: PV2Web. By transforming raw energy data into a dynamic dashboard view, the interface provides live and historical views of the energy being produced, consumed and returned to the grid." (See real time example here)....
Seriously funny: Designing Critical Design Show
by Petz Scholtus, Barcelona, Spain on 05. 1.07
Three of our favourite European designers have been invited by the Z33 art centre in Hasselt, Belgium to Design Critical Design. None less than Martì Guixé, Jürgen Bey and Fiona Raby & Anthony Dunne, who have become (in the same order) an ex-designer, a curious researching analyst and a creative debate team for emerging technologies, are taking part in this exhibition. The work on show until June 3rd reflects a healthy criticism towards mainstream design as well as questions the invited designers and ex-designers ask about the technological, social and ethical side of design. Early work is on show but each designer has been asked to Design a new piece of Critical Design. You could argue that their designs are by no means the most eco-friendly ones when it comes to production or material choices but the messages they carry are strong and make you think twice about what you eat or what chair you buy next.
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Book Review — Grow Organic: 250 Tips and Ideas
by Warren McLaren, Sydney on 04.30.07
Maybe, like me, you are in awe of radio gardening experts. No matter who calls in with the wackiest of questions they are still able to answer a staggering array of enquiries, seemingly off the top of their heads. I’ve often wished I had a pen poised over expectant paper to jot down their pearls of wisdom. I think Doug Oster and Jessica Wallister must have been eavesdropping on my thoughts. Because with Grow Organic: Over 250 Tips and Ideas for Growing Flowers, Veggies and More they’ve answered my wish. Bookshops are drowning in gardening books these days, so it is a hard ask to write something different. This one seems to accomplish that feat. Possibly because the authors are also co-hosts of the radio show The Organic Gardeners on KDKA radio in the U.S. As if they were still on air, Doug and Jessica keep the book's tone light and breezy, always moving it along. At first this was a bit of an irritant. The innumerable punchy subheads and bite size chunks of information were at odds with the usual long narrative I expect of most books. But soon I was in the swing of things and found my poor wee brain crammed full of interesting and useful knowledge, quietly appreciating the trouble the writers had gone to, in demystifying the organic garden....
Soda Can Solar Panel
by EcoGeek.org on 04.30.07
Passive solar is just so easy, it's a wonder we don't all do it. Right now, in my little basement office in Montana, I could use a little heating up. And, with a few 2x4s and a bunch of aluminum soda cans, it turns out I can have my own passive solar heater without much work.
A clever DIYer, Daniel Strohl, painted some aluminum cans black, drilled some holes in the cans, stacked them, and then put them in a box and, voila, air coming out of the box was fifteen degrees warmer than air going into the box. He then pumped the warm air directly into his garage. And with just a little bit more work, this exact same design could be a passive water heater.
We tend to think of solar power as a high investment advanced technology, but when it comes to heat, that's something the sun does awfully well all on its own. We should all do a TreeHugger search for "passive solar" every once in a while.
::Engadget...
Wet Women Surf Wax: “Making Sure Women Stay on Top”
by Jacob Gordon, Nashville, TN on 04.30.07
If women are going to be on top, they’re gonna want to do it naturally. If you’ve ever been suspicious of rubbing down your deck with Sex Wax, there’s now a Cradle to Cradle option for ya. Wet Women surf wax is certified as a biological nutrient under MBDC’s Cradle to Cradle program, meaning that it can safely return to the ecosystem with no adverse effects or compromises. According to the Hawaiian mavens responsible for this sassy wax, it’s safe for you and the fishies, being “nontoxic, biodegradable, and disposable.” As for the encapsulating tin, the wet women found 30% recycled, American-made steel tins from the Ball company that are refillable and otherwise nifty and useful after the wax within is all shagged. “You can also use them to hold loose change, jewelry, condoms, and guitar pics,” they suggest. At $3.95 a tin, you pay a premium, but it’s sure cheaper than a C2C-certified Zody Chair. Other eco-surf wax options, including Northern Lights, have been explored here. ::Wet Women Surf Wax...
Why We Fight, Suzuki Version
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 04.30.07
The only reason we bother writing at TreeHugger is because we believe that what we do has a positive effect and that all is not lost. Tyler Hamilton has written a brilliant post on his blog about Al Gore's comments on the Canadian government's green plan, but what stood out was the story that David Suzuki told him at a conference earlier this month:
"My daugher Severn is 27 years old, and she's been an environmental activist ever since she was seven years old. A few months ago she said to me, 'Dad, I think this is the most exciting time to be alive in all of human history.' She said this is the moment, in the following months and a few years, we are going to have to make some big decisions. Because if we make the right decisions, or if we fail to make the decisions, it's going to determine the fate, not only of all human kind, but of countless species of plants and animals. This is the defining moment, she said, when we will decide whether or not we're going to be a spectacular Flash in the Pan failure, or whether we can step up to the plate and show that we are capable of finding humility, compassion, patience and wisdom to truly find a sustainable path. As I reflected on her comment, I've come to the conclusion she's absolutely right."Words fail me. ::Clean Break...
Monsanto’s Monopoly Challenged in Munich
by Team Treehugger, Worldwide on 04.30.07
[This is a guest-post by Hope Shand of the ETC Group. -Ed.]Patents, globalization and social injustice are the stuff of public protest across the world. This week, however, a drawn-out battle against corporate monopoly will come to a head – not in the streets – but in an arcane technical hearing at the European Patent Office. ETC Group, an international civil society organization, and environmental group Greenpeace (supported by 19 other civil society organizations worldwide) will be in Munich pursuing a13-year legal battle against Monsanto over the humble soybean.
Patents, exclusive legal monopolies granted by governments, are a favorite tool of big business to exercise power over the little guy. Giant pharmaceutical firms have most notoriously used patents to price anti-HIV drugs out of the reach of poor people in the global South. Less familiar are biotech battles in the agricultural sector, where multinational seed companies are using patents to deny farmers – or entire nations – the right to use and sell seeds from patent- protected crops."...
Most Huggable: A Greener Credit Card, Eco-Renting, Greenland Myth-Busting…
by Jacob Gordon, Nashville, TN on 04.30.07
Ready to saddle up and start biking to work? Lighter Footstep has some key tips to get you rolling… Wells Fargo will start offering credit card customers offset options for points earned… Homeowners shouldn’t have all the fun. Here are some tips for renters on keeping a greener household… Was Greenland really once green? Jeff McIntire-Strasburg does some myth-busting on the frozen plateau… Ready for life without plastic bags? The Alternative Consumer says it’s closer to reality than you might think… 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? ...
Enviropundit Hosts Carnival of the Green
by Kara DiCamillo, Newport, Rhode Island on 04.30.07
This week is Carnival of the Green # 75 and it's being hosted by Enviropundit! So, head on over to this week's Carnival to check out a round up of last week's green news and events, submitted by other bloggers and green sites. To learn more about Carnival of the Green, where it will be and how to host (hurry, we're now booking into 2008!), please click here to link to our previous post. ...
Big Bad News? China's Oil Discovery
by Rachel Wasser, Beijing, China on 04.30.07
The China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC), China's leading offshore oil producer, announced recently that it had made the nation's largest oil find in a decade. They've hit a jackpot: the new domestic source apparently has reserves of about 2.2 billion barrels. But for China, that's still just under a year's worth of black gold. Last year, the Middle Kingdom - now the world's second largest oil consumer after the US, as well as the #2 greenhouse gas emitter - imported just under 50% of its oil needs, and consumed 2.4 billion barrels. Concerns about energy security, local environmental pollution, and global warming, which is going to hit China hard, are driving an aggressive push for a sustainable energy future. The nation's leaders are emphasizing both improved energy efficiency and renewables, and they have set ambitious targets. (One such target? Quadruple national GDP by 2020, while merely doubling energy consumption from 2000 levels. China's done it before, and they aim to do it again.) But at the same time, the national authorities are also pushing state-owned oil and gas conglomerates to find new domestic sources for old energy standbys. ...
The Energy Tree
by Mark Ontkush, Boston, Massachusetts, USA on 04.30.07
This just in from Yanko Design - the Energy Tree. Apparently in an effort to truly unite technology with the physical environment, designer Ben Arent has created a system that contains a real tree connected to a microprocessor. The device controls the watering and feeding of the tree depending on your energy usage, and also monitors your appliances, heating/cooling, and recycling habits. It uses this information to feed and water the tree, but only if you are efficient with your energy use. If you aren't, the Energy Tree will poison and malnourish the tree, eventually killing it....
Financing Solar Schools Latest Trend for Investors, Corporations
by Kenny Luna, North Babylon, NY on 04.30.07
Well it’s certainly true that since the early 1990s there have been schools across the U.S. installing solar roofs for any number of reasons... Including the educational, financial and environmental rewards that come with a solar system, and make them community learning centers for clean energy technology while saving a buck and making a difference at the same time. But now there’s word that schools have become the latest way for investors themselves to turn a profit, with companies like GE Energy Financial investing in schools solar power by providing a unique financial structure that enables school districts to more easily obtain them. By bringing in a third-party financier, the district winds up paying no upfront costs for the installation of the solar roofs. This is key, because as anyone who has spent time managing a school district can tell you, getting a bond passed for any project can be really tough… So instead the district leases the panels themselves for $1 and pays a monthly energy bill on a fixed rate to the financier. Let’s do the math… No Upfront Costs + Fixed Rate = No Bond. Now that’s an equation that makes school districts see green in more ways than one! And as Randall MacEwen, president and chief executive officer of Los Angeles-based Solar Integrated Technologies Inc. puts it, “There’s an enormous growth in this type of structured financing for solar projects,” because… “Basically, you move the cost for the end user so instead of having a large upfront capital cost, they have an annual operating cost put into their budget. … Structured financing allows us to access that customer base that wants a solar system but doesn’t have the resources or the ability to take advantage of the tax attributes.” It seems to me like this is a terrific financial tool to help schools go green and educate the community while working to protect it at the same time… ...
Using the Space above our Highways For Wind Power
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 04.30.07
Why just have signs over the highway? Joe at Arizona State University thinks that horizontal wind turbines might zip around from the turbulence created from cars and trucks. Those cyclists who have tried drafting behind transport trucks know that there is quite a bit of suction there, more than enough to spin these turbines. Joe says "Average vehicle speeds on the valley highways are approximately 70 mph. Using average annual wind speeds of 10 mph as a baseline, each single wind turbine will produce 9,600KwH of energy, annually (enough to fully power my 700 s.f. apartment). This power production estimate will increase exponentially with an increase in wind turbulence speed. I believe that the wind stream created over the freeways by our primary mode of transportation will create an average annual wind speed well beyond the baseline of 10 mph." ::Archinect via ::Inhabitat
Combine this with Kara's turbine equipped Jersey Barrier and we could suck the wind out of every passing truck. But is this all like that silly British ramp generator that is just burning more gas, or is this free energy?...
Pilot's BeGreen Line of Recycled Pens
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 04.30.07
Before the BIC, there was no such thing as the disposable pen, one used a ballpoint with a refill or a fountain pen that you filled with ink, and you never threw your pen away.
However we have all been spoiled and expect to write with cheap disposables, so Pilot has introduced a new line of "same quality, same price" pens made from at least 65% recycled materials, using reprocessed water, and with a recovery program in stores so the dead pens can be returned and reprocessed. Ballpoint pens are refillable.
Still, the pens are collected, shredded, melted into pellets, and reformed into new pens. That is a lot of energy expended on an item that could be designed to be refilled by the owner or the manufacturer. Is this too much to ask? ::BegreeN available in Canada and the UK, we do not know about the USA.
I have been partial to Pilot fineliners for years and have gone through hundreds. Yet a box of leads for my Staedtler mechanical drafting pencils might last five years. I am off to Staples to see what the alternatives are. ...
Operation: Rescue Salamander
by Karin Kloosterman, Tel Aviv on 04.30.07
Along the lines of the Aye-Aye and cats who ride the bus for a good fish 'n chips is this story: salamanders, hundreds of them, living in Israel’s Galilee have been rescued from imminent death by an ecologist and university professor, writes Haaretz.
While surveying the region’s winter ponds (written about here) ecologist Talia Oron and Dr. Sarig Gafny from Tel Aviv University discovered that the winter pond near the village of Fasuta had dried. Home to tadpoles and developing salamanders, the animals would have surely died if they weren’t transferred to a new pond, reasoned the scientists. ...
India Considering Off-Grid Renewable Options for Rural Electrication
by Jeff McIntire-Strasburg, St. Louis, MO on 04.30.07
With all of the discussion of India's economic growth (and growing carbon emissions), it's sometimes easy to forget that this nation of over one billion citizens is still developing. According to an article from yesterday's Financial Express, a 2001 census showed that 519,570 villages in India do not have power. While many of the villages are grid-accessible, the process of getting them hooked up has been slow. What's the answer to providing electricity to these communities? According to "several experts," renewable, community-based distributed grids:...
The City Museum in St. Louis - A Wonderland of Recycled Materials
by Leonora Oppenheim, London, UK on 04.30.07
As I was sliding head first down an old spiral grain shute, at considerable speed, screaming at the top of my lungs, a thought passed through my mind: surely this the most fun anyone can have in a museum! The City Museum in St. Louis has none of the hushed reverant atmosphere of a normal museum. What it does have is tons of children, teenagers, and adults alike, running around with complete abandonment, and making as much noise as possible, in what is essentially a three storey playground created mostly from reused and recyled materials. The experience for me was one of constant wonderment and surprise. That anything like this could be created, let alone be a legal public attraction in the US is amazing to me. I felt like Alice in Wonderland exploring a world Gaudí could only have dreamed of, and where each rabbit hole leads to another extraordinarily magical place....
Biofuels for Jet Planes - Branson Reveals (a little) More
by Sami Grover, Carrboro, NC, USA on 04.30.07
Regular readers of TreeHugger will be aware that aviation is becoming an increasingly hot topic in environmental circles. Readers will also be aware that Richard Branson, the owner of Virgin Atlantic, has been trying to position himself, and his company, as environmental leaders in the aviation industry. In particular, Virgin have been making big claims about developing biofuels that could one day replace kerosene in jet engines, something that many people claim can’t be done (see George Monbiot's attack on Virgin, and Virgin's response here). We first reported on Mr Branson’s claims here, when he announced he was looking at cellulosic ethanol for jet fuels, and that they might replace fossil fuels in the next 20 – 30 years. We later posted on this again with an update, when Mr Branson was not talking about ethanol anymore, but ‘a new kind of fuel’, which he claimed could be working in cars and trucks within a year, and airplanes within five years. In between then and now, the Virgin boss also announced that he would be ploughing all of his profits from his travel companies (he also own Virgin Trains in the UK) into renewable energy, claiming this would amount to $3bn in investment. It doesn't end there, however. According to a recent report on Sky News, Mr Branson is at it again. Apparently he now hopes to run a test flight of a Boeing 747-400 using biofuel by the end of next year, and the first passenger flights could be taking off within the next two years. ...
Mexico Approves Corn and Sugar Cane Ethanol Law
by Paula Alvarado, Buenos Aires on 04.30.07
(Picture: the raise in corn-tortillas price generated big protests in Mexico last January) Last Friday -in a day when 16 law initiatives were agreed-, the Mexican Congress approved the Bioenergetics Promotion and Development Law, which seeds to empower the use of ethanol from corn and sugar cane as biofuel. According to Jornada newspaper, just days before, the PRI party had ensured they would not agree to the law, but finally gave its votes and the law was approved with 243 votes in favor and 128 against. The document promises, according to the paper, “Better conditions for the Mexican fields”, and sets the base to “promote and develop the use of biofuels as key elements for the Mexican energetic auto-sufficiency”. It also considers establishing norms to support and advice corn and sugar cane producers in matters of infrastructure, conservation-and-transformation plants, and materials-and-equipments required for the sowing and cultivation of both products. The law comes just a few months after massive demonstrations took place in Mexico City in order to protest against the high price of Tortillas (kind of pancakes made from corn that constitute Mexican basic meals), caused by the raise in corn prices due to the US crescent demand for ethanol. ...
Big Brother Houses Saving Power Chapter 2
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 04.30.07
While Matthew was posting about Big Brother houses yesterday I saw the most remarkable demonstration of one that is available now to Bell Canada customers. Forgive the picture of the stupid Bell Canada beaver, but the program was just launched at the Green Living Show and it is the only image I could find.
With this system, you replace your light switches and electric outlets (or just plug in a unit between your outlet and the plug of your device) and suddenly every light and appliance in your house has a MAC address and can be controlled by your computer. A lovely little display sits in your living room, telling you where every watt is going in your house. Your utility can monitor it too, and give you big discounts if you agree to let them control your air conditioner or water heater to dampen peak loads. Some utilities are even providing the system for free in exchange for the right to flick your switches. You can look on the control screen on your computer and see what is happening at every power plant in Ontario- too much coal being burned? Turn out another light.
If you think you forgot to turn off the coffee maker or close the garage door, you can do it from your cell phone. This looks like a very cool home energy management system. ::Bell Canada
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Modbury-A Town Without Plastic
by Bonnie Alter, London on 04.30.07
Modbury, a sleepy little town of 1,500 residents in South Devon, has become the first town in Britain to ban plastic bags. As of May 1, customers will be allowed to bring their own plastic bags to reuse, but if they want a new bag they will have to buy one. A range of bags made of recycled cotton with organic and fairtrade certification will be available as will cheaper and biodegradeable cornstarch bags. It all started when a local resident went to Hawaii on a film shoot and was moved to tears by the impact of all the plastic rubbish on marine life. She said "It's estimated 100 billion tonnes of plastic are floating round our world's oceans entangling and being ingested by pretty much every single marine creature." When she returned to Devon she found the seas there full of plastic as well. She then set about convincing the 43 shopkeepers and traders to try this no-plastic experiment for six months. Whilst being nervous about the reaction of residents, she said that "Modbury's quite an old-fashioned town and a lot of people have wicker baskets to go out shopping anyway." So committed are the retailers that they have commissioned 2,000 official Modbury bags that will be made in India and printed in the UK with water-based organic ink. All the shops' unused plastic bags are being sent to a factory where they will be recycled into plastic furniture. There are plastic bag amnesty points being set up where people can bring all the hundreds of bags that they keep stored under the kitchen sink. :: BBC News...
Everything's Cool: A Real Life Disaster Movie
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 04.30.07
"EVERYTHING’S COOL is a “toxic comedy” about the most dangerous chasm ever to emerge between scientific understanding and political action – Global Warming." We saw it in the Hot Docs Festival last night. It is a very funny, very scary movie that describes the attempts of our friends at the Competitive Enterprise Institute (CO2: We call it Life) and the American Government to ensure that Americans remain confused about global warming, because as long as there is doubt, they will worry about other things first. It follows the work of Bill McKibben, Ross Gelbspan, Rick Piltz and others to expose the truth, convince America that global warming is real and a threat, and step it up. ...
Eureka! The Solar Driven, "Water-Fired" Chiller-Heater
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 04.30.07
This hybrid HVAC tech is so cool and so hot - including the possibility of using direct solar collectors to cool and heat our buildings- we're surprised it hasn't had very much media coverage of late. From the Yazaki Energy Systems, Inc. web site (Plano Texas, USA) Yazaki water fired SINGLE-EFFECT chillers or chiller-heaters have cooling capacities of 10, 20 and 30 tons of refrigeration and produce chilled water for cooling or hot water for heating in comfort air conditioning applications. The absorption cycle is energized by a heat medium (hot water) at 158°F to 203°F from an industrial process, co-generation system, solar energy or other heat source and the condenser is water cooled through a cooling tower. Absorption Principle:- The Yazaki absorption chiller or chiller-heater uses a solution of lithium bromide and water, under a vacuum, as the working fluid. Water is the refrigerant and lithium bromide, a nontoxic salt, is the absorbent. Refrigerant, liberated by heat from the solution, produces a refrigerating effect in the evaporator when cooling water is circulated through the condenser and absorber....
The New Black at Ryerson University
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 04.30.07
Buildings last a long time, and training people to design them and their interiors doesn't happen overnight either. Given that buildings are responsible for 40% of the greenhouse gases that we are generating, it is critical that the schools inculcate green design into every student now.
I must have done OK at a previous panel discussion at Ryerson School of Interior Design because they invited me to their year end show "The New Black." They take green design seriously at Ryerson: "Environmentally conscious design is more than just a trend. It is the future of the design industry."
I particularly liked Heather Shute's "Designed to be thrown away" reconsidering the usefulness of single use objects by offering them a second life. They are elevated to a pedestal and recognized as thoughtful design elements."- a ceiling of empty bottles, a tunnel of woven plastic shopping bags, all integrated into an old distillery warehouse.
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Powering 4000 Homes: One Wind Turbine
by Justin Thomas, Virginia on 04.29.07
Enercon, Germany's largest wind turbine manufacturer, now makes the most powerful wind turbine in the world, the E112. This giant turbine was upgraded, so that instead of generating 4.5 megawatts, it now produces 6 megawatts — that's enough to supply power to 4000 homes in Germany. It's named the E112 because it has a rotor diameter of 112 meters (about 367 feet). It also has an innovative gearless drive system, so it doesn't require any oil to operate. The tips of the turbine's blades are tilted to reduce noise emissions. ...
Extreme Makeover doing Extreme Green
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 04.29.07
We haven't seen it, but think this is the show where people come back home and say Oh.My.God 457 times and break into tears. They have asked us to help to find "green heroes" in need of a makeover.
"Some of the most giving families never ask for help themselves. Their home may be falling down around them, yet they put the needs of others, the environment and their community before their own. By nominating a family, you have the chance to give a family a fresh start. We love to hear about families involved in great organizations (like the Sierra Club). They've helped save the environment, now it's time to help them save their home."Deadline for Oregon, Washington, Montana and Minnesota is April 30, other states and instructions below the fold....
Fred's Footprint
by Matthew Sparkes, London, UK on 04.29.07
New Scientist environment correspondent, Fred Pearce, is currently touring the world and investigating his own footprint, but from a global perspective. This week he is in Bangladesh, examining the conditions under which his jeans were produced. "These women work 10-hour days or more, making clothes in one of the sweatshop capitals of the world. I had come to find where the jeans I paid £9 (US$18) for in a British store came from. They came from women like these." 80% of Bangladesh's exports are from the clothing industry, and the women who produce these items earn just under US$1 a day. Pearce has previously traveled to Tanzania to investigate the source of his favorite fair-trade coffee, and to South Africa to see the conditions under which the gold for his wedding ring was mined. It's an important journey, and one that could help people to think about the impact of their purchases. Our disposable culture is not a sustainable one. Cheap goods may be good for the consumer, but are severely detrimental to our planet and to workers in developing countries. We must think about our purchases, and spend our money wisely, because it can influence what industry does. :: New Scientist...
How Humane is Your City?
by Jasmin Malik Chua, Jersey City, USA on 04.29.07
Is your city hot or not when it comes to taking care of its critters? The Humane Society of the United States has just released The Humane Index, a report that compares how 25 of the largest U.S. metro areas measure up in terms of their treatment towards animals. A dozen animal-protection issues, including topics related to pets, farm animals, wildlife, animals in entertainment, and advocacy for animals, were taken into consideration.
American's most humane city is San Francisco, which made the top five in all but four categories, and the top 10 in all but two. Closely following are Seattle (#2), Portland (#3), Washington (#4), and San Diego (#5)....
Big Brother House Could Save Power
by Matthew Sparkes, London, UK on 04.29.07
Researchers have developed a building equipped with motion detectors, which should provide large power savings, as well as other safety benefits. A network of motion detectors would allow a central computer to collect information about how many people are in a building, and where they are. This could allow the building to turn heating or air conditioning up or down, depending on how many people are in various sections. Christopher Wren at the Mitsubishi Electric Research Laboratory (MERL), where this research took place said, "Imagine peeling the roof off the building and watching people go about their lives, like in an ant farm." Despite this slightly intimidating analogy, there should be no privacy issues with this system, because the motion sensors would not be able to identify people as cameras would do. :: New Scientist...
Hydrogen Cars: NY Times Buries Critical Articles
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 04.29.07
Wind Turbines and Hydrogen cars, the match made in heaven and the most deceptive and manipulative picture in the New York Times. It is one of a series of hydrogen vehicles ogled in the the paper today. What is really fascinating is the editorial bias shown by the print editors, who chose not to run two very well written articles, available online, that point out the problems with hydrogen. Jim Motavalli writes a Q and A that explains where hydrogen now comes from (Natural Gas) and how it is shipped (with great difficulty) and how ultimately the only way to make it efficiently is with nuclear power, which Amory Lovins describes as "aspirational." ::New York Times
Far more devastating is Don Sherman's " At Milepost 1 on the Hydrogen Highway"...
Weather Report: The Gallery @ Adventure Ecology
by Leonora Oppenheim, London, UK on 04.29.07
The programming at The Gallery @ Adventure Ecology is going from strength to strength with the opening of their third show this year: Weather Report. This art gallery in London is the physical headquarters of the environmental website Adventure Ecology. The Gallery's first exhibition, Waste and the Natural World, made physical connections between the virtual online world and the real world by selecting works from the online Saatchi Gallery. The second show, last month, Waste and the Lost World: Momento Mori, continued exploring the theme of our disposible culture and it's effects on the environment. This new show, however, changes tack moving from the remenants of what we leave behind to more ephemeral things, namely the weather. The show's concept starts with this quote from Mike Hulme, Professor in Environmental Sciences, University of East Anglia, and director, Tyndall Centre for Climate Change. "For meteorologists, clouds are the most ephemeral of weather phenomena...and continue to hold a fascination for the general public. While clouds play a crucial role for artists, for scientists trying to understand the way the world's climate system works, they are the most frustrating and intractable of elements to tackle. They best embody the tentativeness of our predictions of future climate...." ...
Gore Calls Canada's Climate Plan a Fraud
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 04.29.07
I know, yet another post about the Tory government's lame climate plan but with such a string of eco-celebs in Toronto, how can we pass it up? I have already written tomorrow's headline " Daryl Hannah trashes Canadian Climate Plan at Green Living Show"
According to the Star's Kevin Donovan: The Conservative government has taken the easy route and produced an environmental plan that is a "complete and total fraud" on the Canadian public, former U.S. vice-president Al Gore told a Toronto audience yesterday.
"(Harper) is under a lot of pressure and he has chosen the easy wrong over the hard right," Gore thundered to applause from the packed crowd. Gore than lashed out at the federal conservatives for focusing on intensity of emissions rather than tough, overall reductions in the absolute amounts of pollution. ::The Star...
NC Solar Center: Supporting Renewables in the South
by Sami Grover, Carrboro, NC, USA on 04.29.07
Strangely, we don't appear to have covered the North Carolina Solar Center before. Part of NC State University, the center has been running since 1988, and operates as "a clearinghouse for solar and other renewable energy programs, information, research, technical assistance, and training for the citizens of North Carolina and beyond. Through its programs and services, the Solar Center seeks to stabilize energy costs for consumers, stimulate local economies, reduce dependence on foreign fuels, and mitigate the environmental impacts associated with fossil fuels."
The organization also participates in programs with a much wider scope than simply solar technologies, including the NC Coastal Wind Initiative, NC HealthyBuilt Homes, and the North Carolina Daylighting Consortium. The Solar Center is sponsored by the N.C. Department of Administration's State Energy Office, the U.S. Department of Energy, and the North Carolina Solar Center Foundation....
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!
Here are a few recommended websites.
