- 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 September 9, 2007 - September 15, 2007
Total this week: 233
Fall Fashion 07: Stewart + Brown
by Jasmin Malik Chua, Jersey City, USA on 09.15.07
While putting together its Fall 2007 collection, Stewart + Brown revisited the sepia-toned romance of early 20th century locomotive travel—trains careening noisily down the rails past lush, picturesque scenery, while elegantly dressed passengers sipped from delicate bone-china teacups.
Mongolian cashmere, organic cotton, merino wool, and surplus fabrics are cut into soft, feminine sweaters and loose, diaphanous dresses. Endless layering and matching options await for adventure seekers. More designs below the fold. ::Stewart + Brown...
Is 'Green Limousines' an Oxymoron?
by Matthew Sparkes, London, UK on 09.15.07
Luxury car maker, Bentley, want to create a greener range of cars in order to get closer to tighter proposed EU limits on emissions. The head of the company, Franz-Josef Paefgen, said, "We are currently forming a view on the matter, for instance by talking to politicians in England. And when the view is complete, we will decide in spring 2008 what to do."
However, whatever measures the manufacturer takes, don’t get your hopes up - they won't be drastic. Paefgen went on to say that no one should expect the car maker to release a small, three-litre car - which would still be an enormous car by other manufacturer’s standards....
Building Green and Local in Cuba
by Eliza Barclay, Washington, D.C. on 09.15.07
The Building and Social Housing Foundation this year chose a pioneering project in Cuba as a winner of its World Habitat Awards, which honor practical and innovative solutions to current housing needs and problems with a £10,000 prize. The project, entitled "Ecomaterials in Social Housing Projects," seeks to to make building materials more affordable and accessible to local people using resources with low embodied energy, often through recycling wastes.
...
The World's 10 Most Polluted Places
by Eliza Barclay, Washington, D.C. on 09.15.07
The Blacksmith Institute, an NGO that works to solve pollution problems in the developing world, has released its second annual list of the World's Most Polluted Places. This year's list includes two sites each in China, India and Russia, and one site in Azerbaijan, Peru, Zambia and Ukraine. Many of the sites' pollution comes from mining of heavy metals like lead and chromium; all of the sites pose serious threats to human health and the environment.
In La Oroya, Peru, for example, 99% of children living near the local heavy metal mining and processing industries have blood lead levels that exceed acceptable limits, according to studies carried out by the Director General of Environmental Health in Peru.
The individual cases are grim, but Blacksmith tempers the news with its Success Stories, which demonstrate how pressure to clean up pollution can yield great results. In recent years, Blacksmith has successfully precipitated the closings of lead smelters and the banning of leaded gasoline, and funded soil remediation, pesticide removal and water treatment plants in dozens of countries around the world. We applaud Blacksmith's great work, and hope this year's most polluted places see extensive clean-up in the coming months....
Sustainable Brands ’07 Conference: In New Orleans
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 09.15.07
Here's another great example of US corporate engagement with sustainability. Logos are from some of the leaders. Lets hope the conference creates a great many more followers.
"The countdown to Sustainable Brands ’07 continues, as more and more big brands and new green brands alike make plans to gather in New Orleans September 26-28 to support the rebuilding of New Orleans, honor the reality of corporate contribution to climate change and discuss rapidly emerging best practices associated with turning environmental and social responsibility into a new driver of brand value."...
Quote of the Day: Amy Jaffe on Alternative Energy
by Jasmin Malik Chua, Jersey City, USA on 09.15.07
Photo credit: fieldsphotos
I really think it has to be a national initiative. There are groups of people who have called from an Apollo-style national initiative in science, [an effort that is going to take decades]. And so it's really important to start focusing on the science today.
[We won't see any real progress] until we have a real direction. You're going to spend a billion dollars a year for ten years, just on fundamental science because the kinds of technologies that are here with us today are technologies that require huge breakthroughs, especially in storage technologies....
Corporate Climate Response Conference: In Chicago
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 09.15.07
We see increasing evidence that US corporations are taking climate change seriously. Here's an example. There might still be enough time to register for Corporate Climate Response, which takes place September 25th and 26th at the Courtyard Marriott Downtown Chicago. (The following is quoted from a recent email promotion.)
"Twenty top companies will share their climate change and sustainability strategies at this unprecedented gathering. Caterpillar, Ford, BP America, Abbott, Time Inc, Motorola, Walgreens, Anheuser-Busch, Wal-mart, Dow, McDonalds, IBM, AIG, Excelon, Intel and Baxter Healthcare are among those presenting. Over 200 sustainability professionals have already signed up for this unique green networking opportunity.
The content covers all the fundamentals of climate change strategy: Over the course of the two days, well be discussing carbon footprint and life-cycle analysis, energy efficiency, waste management, fleet management, green power and RECs, carbon offsetting, emissions trading, engaging the public, and more.
"If we are to truly address climate change and other environmental issues we must have everyone at the table,"said Mayor Richard M. Daley. "This gathering of some of largest companies in the world is definitely a step in the right direction.""
We hope the attendees all read their TreeHugger briefing links on Chicago. Plenty of good examples!
Conference brochure is here. Registration directly here, with prices quoted. ...
Majority of American Public Opposes Mountaintop Removal
by Jeremy Elton Jacquot, Los Angeles on 09.15.07
It turns out it's not just us TreeHuggers who vehemently oppose the Bush administration's proposed expansion of mountaintop coal mining: according to a new survey by the Opinion Research Corporation, fully 2 out of 3 Americans disagree with its plans "to ease environmental regulations to permit wider use of 'mountain top removal' coal mining in the U.S."
"The lack of public support -- regardless of political views - for mountain top removal coal mining is one of the most striking results of this survey. Only about four in 10 self-identified Republicans support the proposed Bush Administration rule. The softness of this GOP support is evident in that two out of three Republicans -- 65 percent -- favor more energy conservation as a first step before more MTR coal mining is permitted. While Democrats may have a more predictable profile on this issue, it is worth nothing that Independents are about 50 percent less likely than Republicans to support the rule and far more likely to embrace increased energy conservation as a more palatable alternative," said ORC Senior Researcher Graham Rueber....
This Water Purifier is a Real "Life Saver"
by Jeremy Elton Jacquot, Los Angeles on 09.15.07
Inspired after watching the coverage of the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina and the 2004 hurricane that devastated parts of Southeast Asia, Michael Pritchard - a businessman who runs a water treatment plant in Ipswich, U.K. - invented a highly effective water purifying bottle. The "Life Saver," which can purify 4,000 - 6,000 liters with one filter, could potentially revolutionize the way fresh water is distributed to disaster areas and has already become a hot seller amongst military chiefs eager to provide better drinking water to their soldiers.
Unlike most typical filters, which can eliminate bacteria but not viruses (which measure about 25 nanometers in length), Pritchard's bottle cuts them out and can even cut out faecal matter, thanks to a filter that takes out anything above 15 nanometers. Earlier this summer a prototype of the "Life Saver" was awarded the "Best Technological Development" at a Soldier Technology conference.
Let's hope this bottle also makes it into the hands of the millions who live in deplorable conditions in developing countries. Paging the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation...
Via ::The Daily Telegraph: Bottle makes dirty water drinkable (newspaper)
See also: ::Stefani Water Purifiers: an Alternative to Plastic, ::Could Nanotechnology Help Purify Your Water?...
Aaron Chang: recycled fashion swimsuits
by Kristin Underwood, Sacramento, CA on 09.15.07
Another great find at the Action Sports Retailers (ASR) Trade Show 2007 is the new line from Aaron Chang. These are the first fashion swimsuits to incorporate environmental materials and they look great.
What is Aarong Chang and how did he get involved in developing womens swimwear? Well-known in the photography world, his work has appeared on over 100 covers, on coffee table books, on countless ads for companies like, Nike, Yamaha, Polaris and Levis. As an avid and legendary surfer, nature has always been in the forefront of his mind and he had a desire to incorporate his personal values with his professional work. According to Aaron, “I would like to convey through photographs a sense of wonder with the amazing design and architecture of life.”...
Murphy Oil Seeking Nearly 700% Wisconsin Refinery Capacity Expansion - The Coming Texification Of The Upper Midwest
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 09.15.07
Who could forget the BP Lake Michigan discharge controversy. Looks like Alberta Tar Sands extracted crude oil will be refined in the Lake Superior watershed as well.
"Arkansas-based Murphy Oil Corp. has been meeting with environmental regulators from the State of Wisconsin and the federal government to find out what permits it would need to launch its own $6 billion refinery expansion in the lakeside city of Superior. City officials claim the upgrade would boost refinery capacity from 35,000 barrels a day to 235,000."...
Retro-Progressivism: The View from the Onion
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 09.15.07
UK Conservatives Issued Strong Green Challenge From Within
by Sami Grover, Carrboro, NC, USA on 09.15.07
The UK’s Conservative Party hasn’t always put green at the core of its agenda – even fairly recently it has been challenging proposals for pay-as-you-throw garbage disposal, despite evidence from mainland Europe that such schemes can dramatically increase recycling. Nevertheless, party leader David Cameron has been making increasingly green noises, and he has even been seen sporting a pair of Worn Agains. While these may be encouraging signs, the real proof will be in the party’s policies. Now Cameron has been faced with a significant challenge from within his own party, as The Guardian reports:
The quality of life policy review, which was widely leaked in advance, set out plans for a moratorium on airport expansion and higher taxes on short-haul flights and gas-guzzling cars - but the authors sought to reassure the party faithful that it did not represent a break with Tory tradition. The group's chairman, John Gummer, compared the changes it was proposing to past initiatives by "Shaftesbury, Disraeli and Wilberforce". "I see no contradictions between greenness and economic issues," said Mr Gummer, the former environment secretary. "It's basically Conservative. We are about giving to the next generation something better than we've received ourselves."...
Prototype of the Smart? The Micro-car Circa 1924
by Sami Grover, Carrboro, NC, USA on 09.15.07
There really is nothing new under the sun. It seems that unusually small cars were around, even back in the early days of the horseless carriage. We wander if the on-going safety debate, seen so often on the pages of TreeHugger (here and here, for example), was also an issue back then. ::Shorpy::via site visit::
...
Eurobike Awards 2007 - Green Machines
by Christine Lepisto, Berlin on 09.15.07
You can hardly say "bikes" and "design" in the same sentence without finding something green behind the discussion. That is why we wait with great anticipation each year to learn the winners of the annual Eurobike Awards. This year, 269 entries from 27 lands made going tough for the judges at the Eurobike International Bike Conference.
Top honors went to the GreenMachine, a recumbent from a small dutch company, Flevobike. This is the all-round, maintenance free bike you've been looking for. The drive train is completely enclosed, to keep your suit greaseless and your chains mud-free. A Rohloff hub ensures years of shifting with ease, under load or at a standstill. Fitted out with bags and carriers, the GreenMachine is a mean touring machine (see photos over the fold). Although we can't see quite how, the manufacturers also claim simple and user-friendly disassembly and compact stowaway. We'll be looking this one up in person to check it out. Dealers are in the Netherlands, Belgium, Danemark, Germany, Scotland, and Switzerland....
Face Off: Our Sunblock & Sunscreen Picks
by Jasmin Malik Chua, Jersey City, USA on 09.14.07
1. Sunblock Vs. Sunscreen
Slathering yourself with sunscreen isn't the same thing as applying sunblock, a popular misconception surrounding sun protection. The key difference is how they work. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, sunscreens are chemicals that shield your skin by absorbing and/or reflecting both long- and short-wave ultraviolet rays from the sun, known as UVA and UVB, respectively.
Sunblock, on the other hand, is made of physical or inorganic ingredients, such as zinc oxide and titanium dioxide, that physically deflect harmful UV rays, daily exposure of which could cause wrinkles, premature aging, and skin cancer....
TH Forums Highlights: Edible Yards, Air-Cleansing House Plants + More
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 09.14.07
 | 1) "Is 'hyperlocal' the new organic?" wonders Forums user OG, in relation to the topic of edible yards. Who grows their own? Who wants one? Who doesn't? "What can they do to contribute to sustainability? What are their drawbacks? Can we be food self-sufficient within a city's borders? Discuss." |
 | 2) User charityjunebug has a question about house plants: "I want to improve the air quality in my apartment, so I went to a local nursery and pretty much walked out after 2 minutes. I have no clue what I am doing, and it seems like a lot of the plants were meant to be re-potted and left outdoors (?) Does anyone have any suggestions about a good house plant?" Spider plants, English ivy and the peace lily have all been recommended...anyone else? |
 | 3) Lastly, Forums user practica is advocating that we all aim to make our dwellings a bit more sustainable. "Here in Minnesota we have lots of granite and limestone - so why did my neighbors send to the South for marble countertops for their bathroom? Why did my cousin insist on some pretty blue stone from France? We need to change policies, but we also need to change our daily lives. And if we each move one pebble, we can dig our way out of this mess." |
Picture of the Day: Northwest Passage
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 09.14.07
I had to rotate the picture from the original source to accomodate my world view, but there it is, the northwest passage, clear from end to end. I have read of Nansen drifting in the ice, and Amundsun spending two years to get through here, and now it is something that recreational sailors are doing. Unbelievable. ::Livescience...
International Team Of Scientists To Test South Atlantic Carbon Sink In 2009
by Kimberley D. Mok, Montreal, Canada on 09.14.07
In an attempt to test the possibility of mitigating the effects of global warming, scientists from India, Germany, Italy and Chile plan on “sinking” carbon emissions into the Scotia Sea, off the Antarctic Peninsula in the South Atlantic, during January to March 2009.
By depositing 20 tonnes of non-toxic iron sulfate into a 1,000 square kilometre area of the sea, it is hoped that the iron particles will create fertile conditions for the explosive growth of phytoplankton or algae and microorganisms that will soak up carbon dioxide....
Blissen's 2008 Hidden Habitats Calendar
by Jasmin Malik Chua, Jersey City, USA on 09.14.07
West coast artists Jill Bliss and Saelee Oh have tag-teamed to bring us 13 luscious months of nature's magical, undiscovered places in all their whimsical, illustrated glory.
Each 2008 calendar ($15), which measures 9.5” x 11” open, is printed in full color with vegetable-based inks on 100 percent recycled (50 percent post-consumer waste) paper, processed chlorine-free. ::Blissen...
The Travelpod: Prefab Mobile Hotel Room
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 09.14.07
Here is an idea for your next trip to Burning Man or Glastonbury: why get wet and muddy with the riffraff when you can see the show from your mobile Travelodge hotel room? It has all the accoutrements of their standard room, including a luxury double bed, bedside lights, duvet, pillows, fully carpeted floor, window blinds, dressing table & light, mirror, chair, flat screen TV, DVD player with a collection of DVD's, air conditioning, heater, bedside lights and a illuminated headboard, tea / coffee making facilities, washroom with bio-degradable toilet and washbasin with running water.
All in a polycarbonate box twenty feet long by eight wide, with great views if a bit deficient in privacy, and for only 26 quid (about a hundred bucks, the way the American dollar is going these days). Travelodge is having a contest, closing on the 30th where you can win a free night. ...
Wretched Excess Dept.: The View from the Onion
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 09.14.07
Organic Watchdog Group Takes on Aurora Organic Dairy, USDA
by Jasmin Malik Chua, Jersey City, USA on 09.14.07
Photo credit: cookingupastory
Oh what a tangled web the organic industry can weave. Way back in 2005 and 2006, Wisconsin-based organic watchdog group, The Cornucopia Institute, filed complaints that the Platteville, Colo. farm owned by Aurora Organic Dairy, one of the largest organic milk and butter producers, confined thousands of organic cows in factory-like feedlots, instead of grazing them on pasture land as federal organic regulations require.
Then in August, the USDA announced that its investigators had found Aurora in "willful violation" of 14 provisions of the regulations of Organic Food Production Act, including failing to provide its herd with access to pasture, introducing conventional dairy cows into organic milk product too quickly, not keeping proper records about how its cows were raised, and buying non-organic bedding....
Recycled Ceramics and Dishware from Sarah Cihat
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 09.14.07
Brooklyn-based designer Sarah Cihat scours garage sales and thrift shops, looking for ceramics that she can give a second life to. She takes the discarded dishware and reglazes it, turning old and frumpy cast-offs into fun, funky, artful dishes. Fond of the silhouette, most of her work features animals, people and things like anchors and skull-n-crossbones in colorful contrast the ceramics' new glaze; says the designer, "Each piece represents a rejection of more brand new products filling shelves and storage closets. Rehabilitated Dishware is a subtle statement of the importance of recycling and the renewed value of unwanted things."
Her work is available from a list of stockists from New York to Los Angeles, and via Rose and Radish online. Hit the jump for more pics from her gorgeous new collection. ::Sarah Cihat via ::design*sponge...
Absolut Downloads Judges: Josh Rubin
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 09.14.07
With digital designs we decide what we want from the best in the world, not what Mr. Store Manager picks out. The Long Tail is at our fingertips as we cruise from Korea to Kansas for the design that suits our taste.We have asked designers to provide examples of their work for you to download and build in our demonstration of a downloadable world, but we are also inviting the public to submit their designs as well; who knows what is out there. (Instructions here) But wait, there's more: we are putting together a talented jury to pick the best of the submitted design, which will be manufactured, so that so that you have a professionally built prototype that you can sell online to others, or just enjoy. ...
Simple Living Manifesto: Simple Can Be Green, Too
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 09.14.07
swissmiss points us to the Simple Living Manifesto, a list of 72 ways to simplify your life. Not surprisingly, this list is full of some good green tips as well. Some favorites:
9. Purge your stuff.
11. Edit your rooms.
13. Simplify your wardrobe.
17. Limit your buying habits.
32. Make your house minimalist.
34. Consider a smaller home.
35. Consider a smaller car.
36. Learn what "enough" is.
44. Try living without a car.
71. Live closer to work.
::Simple Living Manifesto via ::swissmiss...
TreeHugger Radio: Greenland’s Bounce-back, Norway’s Organic Prison, and Seattle’s Goats
by Team Treehugger, Worldwide on 09.14.07
This week, Jasmin Malik Chua looks at how Greenland’s melting glaciers are causing bedrock bounce-back, and what this means for earthquakes and volcanoes on the top of the world. Stan Cox tells how the go-go housing boom left America with an extra large serving of McMansions; and how the green home alternative isn’t necessarily any better. In Norway, they’ve got a green prison where inmates recycle and eat organic. And in Seattle, councilman Richard Conlin is about to win a fight that will let his citizens keep miniature goats, and all the sustainable perks that come along with them. Listen to TreeHugger Radio on iTunes or listen/right click to download. ::TreeHugger Radio (TreeHugger Radio is written and produced by Jacob Gordon and hosted by Simran Sethi). ...
Razing Buffalo: Why is This Happening?
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 09.14.07
When I was in high school, we used to race to Buffalo on double lunches. It had everything: great art deco buildings, great shopping and terrific wings. It also has a great location on the biggest source of fresh water in the world, Niagara Falls for cheap green power, and a canal straight to New York City. It has the infrastructure we need to support the people who will no longer live in Phoenix because of the heat and the cost of fuel. As John asks, How Long Until The Rust Belt Becomes The Life Belt?
Yet so much has changed. The New York Times says that "today, in this city beaten down by decades of factory closings and residential exodus, the razing of thousands of vacant houses is being touted as a sign of progress....
Pull the Plug on Vampire Power For Good with GreenSwitch
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 09.14.07
For all you phantom load haters, vampire power fighters and idle current killers: check out GreenSwitch, a new wireless home energy control system. With the flick of a switch, you can turn off all the electronics in your home that aren't being used, effectively cutting off all standby power from your TV, stereo, lights and other devices that draw power whether or not they're actually switched on (somewhat reminiscent of this concept). Originally developed for the hotel industry, GreenSwitch has crossed over to the residential market, and it gets the "Ed Begley Seal of Approval," appearing on his TV show, Living with Ed, earlier this week.
The GreenSwitch people say that it has saved some of their hotel users 25% to 45% in energy costs, making the payback period pretty reasonable (less than two years). Anything we can do to put a stake through the heart of vampire power is a good thing, for sure. The full release is below the fold. ::GreenSwitch...
Aging U.S. Sewers Ready to Burst
by Jasmin Malik Chua, Jersey City, USA on 09.14.07
Recent flooding in the Midwest has dredged up yet another crisis involving nation's aging infrastructure: Heavy rains are regularly overwhelming worn-out sewer systems—some cities have sewage pipes that are 50 to 100 years old—resulting in sewage overflow and, causing lake and river pollution, and generally being very very unsanitary (to say the least).
Roughly 860 billion gallons of raw or partially treated sewage are pumped by already overtaxed sewer systems into America's waterways, says the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The problem of aging sewers is only going to grow bigger as federal funding for repairs has fallen, according to the American Society of Civil Engineers....
Warren Buffett's Jet Company Makes Carbon Offseting Mandatory
by Jeremy Elton Jacquot, Los Angeles on 09.14.07
While this isn't likely to make a lick of difference to you or us, it should garner the attention of those eco-celebs who still do quite a bit of flying to promote their initiatives. NetJets, the jet company owned by Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway, has just announced that from now on it plans on incorporating the costs of carbon offsetting into the bills of their European operations' clientele - which will add about €4,000 (or £2,720) to a customer's yearly cost.
According to Mark Booth, the chairman of NetJets Europe, 3 of the company's top 5 customers have already signed up for the new initiative and he anticipates that others will be quick to follow suit (and, if they don't, they will automatically be signed up upon renewing their contracts). The company will be working with EcoSecurities, an Oxford-based company, for its offsetting projects. As part of its environment strategy, Booth also said that NetJets Europe will fund a next-generation jet fuel project at Princeton University.
The NetJets Europe boss pushed the environment strategy, which includes funding for a next-generation jet fuel project at Princeton University in the US, after meeting Professor Dan Esty, an environmental academic, at the Davos forum. "This is a unique programme that will set the bar for everyone else," said Prof Esty. NetJets will invest in carbon offsetting projects through EcoSecurities, an Oxford-based company. Carbon offsetting allows firms to invest in schemes such as tree planting that atone for the negative effects of the carbon dioxide they generate.
Via ::Guardian Unlimited: Private jet firm makes carbon offsetting mandatory (news website)
See also: ::Bio-fuel Tested in Commercial Jet Engine, ::Biofuels for Jet Planes - Branson Reveals (a little) More...
Team 7: Sustainable Wood Furniture, Naturally
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 09.14.07
TreeHugger never tires of finding examples of companies and designers that have discovered that there is a better way to do things. Safer, healthier materials, designs that will last for generations and manufacturing that considers the planet and its people are all hallmarks of this "better way" and the latest example we've found is Austria-based Team 7.
Their wide variety of classically-inspired modern furnishings is made largely with wood, which all comes from sustainably-certified forests; when it comes to manufacturing, the company has earned the Austrian Ecological Quality Certification for their ecologically-friendly production practices. Because they're concerned with indoor air quality, minimizing harmful off-gassing, and keeping toxics out of their furniture, only very low-VOC finishes are used, and PVC is not allowed -- go here for more details on their sustainable production practices.
As for the various collections, they're beautifully modern; sleek and warm without being overdone. The Magnum dining collection is above; several more are below the fold. Their portfolio also includes living room, bedroom, kitchen and kids, which will have to wait for another post. ::Team 7...
Revisiting Potenco's Innovative Pull-Cord Generator
by Jeremy Elton Jacquot, Los Angeles on 09.14.07
In an ideal world, most of our energy needs would be met by cheap, simple, yet elegant devices like Potenco's revolutionary pull-cord generator (PCG). We've raved about this power generator before and - during our brief romp through this year's WIRED Nextfest - had the chance to meet Colin Bulthaup, the startup's ambitious CEO, and test the device out for ourselves.
With very little effort, we were quickly able to generate enough energy to power half an hour of talk time on a cell phone and 2 hours' worth of play time on an iPod Shuffle (see below the fold for a side-by-side comparison). According to Bulthaup, a single minute of pulling generated enough energy to also power 1 hour of LED flashlight use or to take 35 pictures with a conventional Nikon SLR camera. Its output typically ranges between 12W and 15W, with a maximum of 20W. ...
Wacky Life-Sized Chess Match Aims to Educate, Cool Planet
by Kenny Luna, North Babylon, NY on 09.14.07
What’s one unique, creative way to draw attention to global warming and the issues surrounding it? Well, the folks at Global Inheritance recently came up with the idea of an ultimate chess match played on a life-sized board between the forces of good and evil. Yep, that means hummers vs. bikes, coal vs. solar, factories vs. trees… It all played out this weekend during the Virgin Festival in Toronto as a fun, great way to get people thinking about the better choices they can make to help slow the process of climate change that promises to “checkmate” all of us if we don’t get our act together.
...
Organic for Outdoors - Klattermusen’s Rimfaxe Jacket
by Warren McLaren, Sydney on 09.14.07
When, last year, we dropped by Swedish outdoor gear maker, Klattermusen, we thought their Einride jacket might be made from organic cotton. We can now confirm that to be true. And they’ve added other models, like the Rimfaxe, seen here, and pants. A highly wind and water resistant (tho' not w’proof) super dense weave of SKAL certified organic cotton.
But they’ve taken the environmental design issue further and made these garments fluorocarbon-free. That is the water repellent finish on the exterior of the cloth that makes water bead into droplets (when the garment is new) is no longer a teflon-like derivative. But it was a hard road of R&D to get there, which might be why they are keeping mum, for the moment, on the details of their new alternative.
But Klattermusen do mention that their Merino wool garments are also available in Eco Blue styles that were dyed with natural herbs. “Its colour fastness is not as good as that of chemical colours, so it may well fade a little after long use, giving the garment a special Eco patina that we like a lot.” And more eco innovations are due for 2008. Great to see the little companies taking up the good fight when it would be easier financially to simply go with the flow. ::Klattermusen....
Quote of the Day: Emily Enderle on Diversity in the Environmental Movement
by Jasmin Malik Chua, Jersey City, USA on 09.14.07
Photo credit: chrisjfry
It is an exciting time to be a member of the environmental movement in the United States. Large events and organizations, including the Super Bowl, the Oscars and Yahoo, are becoming carbon neutral. The largest global retailer, Wal-Mart, is currently going green. Mainstream magazines, including Sports Illustrated and Vanity Fair, are featuring environmentally-focused cover stories and editions. Beyond the financial incentives and the celebrity glamour associated with being green, many previously unengaged segments of the population, including religious communities, people of color and people from different socio-economic classes, are becoming increasingly interested in participating in the movement's efforts.
Currently, however, there is a lack of diversity and inclusivity in environmental institutions and our movement. This is a systemic problem. Diversity is about strengthening the movement we are dedicated to by making it resilient and capable of adapting, regardless of what we face in the future. Widespread understanding of the values that diversity can provide is essential to enhancing our collective effort and the world, yet such understanding is still absent in far too many places."
—Emily Enderle, Framing the Discussion (2007, Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies)
[Via ::SES: Science, Education & Society]...
How Long Until The Rust Belt Becomes The Life Belt?
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 09.14.07
Alabama is contemplating a pipeline to the Great Lakes. We've said it time and again: transient drought will not drive the US Federal government to pipe Great Lakes water to the drought stricken states. If it becomes severe enough, and the impacts come as fast as they did during the Dust Bowl era of the 1930's, it will be the citizens that move to the water and jobs, not the other way around.
Let's not forget that agriculture is the largest consumptive water use category and that farmers in Alabama, like farmers everywhere, want their share of corn ethanol profits. Check out this headline from Southeast Farm Press: Interest in corn production hits fever-pitch in north Alabama. Not to mention, pumping water over thousands of miles takes a great deal of energy - gasoline-fueled water pumps possibly? Insanity.
Have a look at the US Geological Survey graphic (pictured) in which the color brown denotes severe hydrologic drought - dried up streams and wells in other words. There are thirsty folks in the Great Lakes region that will be clamoring for their own pipelines.
These realities won't stop the drought stricken from having their mirage, however. Reminds us of those cartoons from the early 1960's where the character is lost in the desert and hallucinating an Oasis on the horizon....
The Take On Plastic Bags in Israel
by Karin Kloosterman, Tel Aviv on 09.14.07
There is no way to put it delicately Israelis – it’s time to get rid of the plastic bag fetish.
“Bags that cling to coral reefs strangle the coral to death in the same way that they can cause the death of a person whose head is wrapped in a plastic bag,” said Benny Shalmon, the regional biologist of the Nature and Parks Authority of Eilat in a recent Haaretz expose on Israel’s plastic bag problem. ...
Recipe of the Week - Chocolate Cake
by Kelly Rossiter, Toronto on 09.14.07
My beloved daughter has just left for her second year of university. There are two big differences between this year and last for me. The first is that I am no longer a neophyte empty nester. I don't sob in public anymore. I still miss her like mad, but I am cool about it. The second is that she no longer lives in residence and now rents an apartment, where she may cook. So, I have undertaken a little project for her which I did for my son when he moved from home a few years ago. I am compiling and handwriting a book of her favourite recipes for her to use in her new home. My husband is devoted to his computer and thinks I am nuts to spend all that time writing when I could type it and print it out so much faster. Of course, that isn't the point. I want them to have a book that they can take off the shelf in 30 years that contains the recipes they loved as children, written in their mother's hand....
Ktrak: Putting the Mountain in Bike
by Warren McLaren, Sydney on 09.14.07
Snow is probably not the first thing on many readers minds right now (though way down here, some is forecast for the mountains this weekend). But no matter. For the makers of the Ktrak say this rear track drive bicycle is equally at home in sand, as the winter white stuff.
Strictly speaking its not their bike, but yours. They simply supply the kit and you take off the wheels and affix the caterpillar-like drive to the rear, and if so inclined, a ski runner to the front. Shown to the trade last year the 26” version should be turning up in shops soon, with 20” and 24” models due for release early next year. It adds ‘bout 5-7lbs (2.2 - 3kg) to a normal bikes total weight.
With a claimed 25 times better traction than standard wheeled bike, this might be the thing to make winter cycling less arduous for Lloyd and his legions. ::Ktrak, via Transition Times....
Mr Motorvator: An Electric Assist Kit for the Brompton folding bike
by Sami Grover, Carrboro, NC, USA on 09.14.07
Triko: Streetwear With A Soul
by Erin Courtenay - Madison, WI on 09.14.07
Streetwear designer Hector Estrada’s fashion line Triko not only gives good style, it gives back to the Earth. Organic cotton textiles and coconut shell and tagua hardware help Estrada craft his vision of fashion with a purpose. Says Estrada, "A lot of times as a designer, you're reminded that this career isn't rocket science and that nobody's life depends on what you do. The more I thought about it, though, I thought, 'This may not be huge, but I can use it as a vehicle to bring awareness to more important things.' "
Among the things Triko is bringing awareness to is the cause for threatened and endangered species. Not only does the label donate to the Natural Resources Defense Council, Defenders of Wildlife and Solar 1, Triko is the proud sponsor of Pinstripe the tiger and Bowtie the penguin, adopted through the Defenders of Wildlife adoption program.
Triko is a sweatshop-free enterprise, strives to source fabrics and materials from sustainable sources and supports clean energy through the purchase of renewable energy credits. Though boutique-quality and limited edition, the prices in the online store make Triko an easy choice for you or your fave streetwise guy (sorry girls! boys-only designs for now…) Via:: NorthJersey.com ...
Baby Clothes for that Special One
by Bonnie Alter, London on 09.14.07
These exquisite baby clothes, hand-knit out of pure organic cotton, come with a heart-warming treehugger-style story. Made in Paraguay, by a small company started up by two sisters--one lives there and the other lives in London. They had wanted to do something ecological and sustainable and of good design and from their country. After getting pregnant they came up with their idea. Beautiful hand-knit baby clothes, made from the softest organic cotton grown in their native land. They are working with local people, employing 34 neighbourhood women to do the knitting and crotcheting. Some pieces are hand-loomed and embroidered as well.
They named their company aravore which means a piece of heaven. The sisters do the designing themselves and the pieces have a luxurious look to them. But they are still simple and suitable for young children and babies, rather than making them look like they are mini-teenagers. The clothing comes in a soft cream colour because that is the natural colour of the cotton. Each item is individually made and attached is a little card with the maker's name and signature. There are dresses, hats, scarves, baby blankets and booties. A wonderful gift for your favourite little friend. :: aravore babies...
Breaking Green Records In Philadelphia
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 09.14.07
"Philly Car Share now claims 25,000 members, and has lowered midweek rates on Priuses to $2.90/hour, $29/day."
I had a stereotype Philadelphia Pennsylvania as being bit slow on the green uptake; but those high and growing car-share membership numbers indicate otherwise. Think how many fewer parking spaces are needed when that many people share cars. And there's less "stuff" needed to make transportation happen.
The idea of giving customers free rail passes to get to and from the shared cars is a brilliant green business tactic. Think about how much more empowering it is for people thinking of moving to an apartment near mass transit when thy know that making that lifestyle choice gives them easy,free access to a car share option. Bikes next?
Let's see if any politicians try to mess with it by imposing a rental-car type tax on car sharing as they have elsewhere.
Via:: Atrios....
Return Of The Ferries: Fun & Profit With Efficiency
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 09.14.07
Yesterday Lloyd posted on the rebirth of pier vacationing: a logical outcome of reduced-impact travel and the local vacation options that had been cherished by our grandparents. Add to that, ferries are coming back...at least to the US Great Lakes.
"Plans for a passenger and cargo ferry crossing Lake Erie between Ontario, Canada, and Lake County got a boost Wednesday from Canadian officials who agreed to put $315,000 toward a study...But Lake County must compete with Ashtabula and Cleveland port authorities seeking similar agreements to launch ferries. Local officials expect only one ferry line will be launched." Notably, "the Lake County ferry ride would be about one hour shorter than Cleveland's." Done deal then.
Ferries require two docks. On the US side of Lake Erie, it is estimated that "about $50 million would be needed to build new docks and reinforce ports before the ferry would launch in Lake County."
Whether the new ferry has the amenities of a truck stop, or intstead becomes a maritime expression of the slow food movement, we hope it'll be a relay party. "Lake County's proposal would accommodate 60 semis, 400 cars and 700 people in one trip. Initial plans call for a movie theater and restaurant on the freighter." I imagine I'd have a Burning River Pale Ale on the northward crossing (got the historic reference?), and possibly a LaBatts on the southward crossing. Served with a Brat, unless smoked whitefish or beer-batter perch are on the menu.
Via:: Cleveland Plain Dealer,Lake Erie ferry proposal gets a financial boost. Image credit:: Boat Nerd archives...
Survey: If You Wanted A Pet, Where Would You Go?
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 09.14.07
While nosing around our sibling sites at Discovery I found Petfinder.com, a free matchmaking site with 255,653 pets looking for homes. Being the type of person who sees dogs only as producers of crap on the sidewalk, I found the numbers absolutely staggering- there are that many abandoned pets in shelters in America? According to our How to Green Your Pet, 70,000 puppies and kittens are born every day in the US. Where do they all go? Do animal lovers take them from shelters or chase expensive purebreds?
Photo: Jasmin's new cat Mir, which coincidentally she got through Petfinder yesterday!
...
Ethanol: It's a Pasta Disasta
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 09.14.07
We have noted previously that demand for ethanol feedstocks has driven up the price of beer in Germany, tortillas in Mexico and pasta in Italy; Yesterday the Italians demonstrated that they have had enought of high prices and went on strike.Consumer groups organized protests in Rome, Milan and Palermo—and even handed out free pasta, bread and milk to passers-by to help ease the pain for those who decided to support the strike and forego pasta purchases at supermarkets and restaurants. "Prices increase by five times between production and consumption," Toni De Amicis, a leader of Italian farm lobby Coldiretti, said during a protest in Rome. "The right recipe is to reduce the gap between production and consumption."
According to the Associated Press, economists and producers say pasta price hikes are being driven by increasing wheat prices worldwide. The demand for wheat is the result of several trends, chiefly an increasing demand for biofuels, which can be made from wheat, and improved diets in emerging countries where putting more meat on the table is raising the demand for feed for livestock, said Francesco Bertolini, an economist at Milan's Bocconi University. ::Mercury News
...
Giant £40 Million Battery for the UK
by Matthew Sparkes, London, UK on 09.14.07
UK electricity company, Eon, are planning to build a huge battery to store power from sustainable electricity sources. Because sources like wind and solar aren't constantly reliable, some kind of storage is necessary if a 100% sustainable grid is to be created in the future. This is especially true of solar power in the UK, where sunshine is as elusive as an honest politician....
Guilt-Free Teak and Rosewood?
by Mairi Beautyman, Berlin, Germany on 09.14.07
Luxury hardwoods—there's just so much controversy over this one. New is very bad...and reclaimed? Well, then we just wonder what slice of architectural history was torn down. But here comes hardwood supplier East Teak. Headquartered in Dallas, Texas, this firm is the first in North America to distribute reclaimed teak and rosewood stamped with the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) seal of approval. Hailing from U.K.-based Brooks Brothers UK, Ltd. (no relation to the clothing company), each piece of wood is gleaned from old buildings by hand, according to East Teak, and can be specified for large-scale projects. ...
Chicago Company Offers Hybrid Conversions
by Matthew Sparkes, London, UK on 09.14.07
Sierra Nevada Brewery: Beer Powered by the Sun
by Jasmin Malik Chua, Jersey City, USA on 09.13.07
By the end of this month, the Sierra Nevada Brewery will be almost entirely off the grid. Already, the brewery has four fuel cells operating 70 to 75 percent of the facility's power, according to Cheri Chastain, the company's sustainability coordinator.
In a few short weeks, the solar panels they've been installing all summer will be ready to capture some rays, enabling the brewery to approach 100 percent self-sufficiency when the sun is at its peak. (Chastain expects the brewery to be around 80 percent efficient during off-peak hours, at night, or on cloudy days.)
Already a model of sustainability, the brewery also focuses efforts in recycling, heat recovery, carbon-dioxide recovery, water conservation, energy efficiency, and byproduct recycling. Now that's what we call one green brewski. ::Paradise Post
See also: ::How Green is Your Beer?, ::Solar-Powered Beer at Anderson Valley Brewing Company, and ::Global Warming Beer: Greenland Brews with Melting Ice Cap...
Arm & Hammer Dye and Fragrance-Free Detergent
by Jasmin Malik Chua, Jersey City, USA on 09.13.07
Arm & Hammer has developed a dye- and fragrance-free version of its Essentials Liquid Laundry detergent for people with sensitive skin. Made from naturally derived surfactants and biodegradable plant-based soaps, the dermatologist-tested detergent also contains no phosphates, bleaches, or petroleum-based cleaners.
This new formulation is more concentrated, which means more value for money and less packaging for the same amount of product.
You can also get Arm & Hammer's Essentials Fabric Softener Sheets that are made from 100 percent plant-based soaps, although we recommend skipping the disposables and making your own. Simply mist a moist washcloth with a dab of liquid fabric softener and toss into the dryer. Adding half a cup of vinegar in the rinse cycle is also said to do the trick. ::Arm & Hammer...
Organic Food: Healthier for You and the Planet
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 09.13.07
Though known colloquially as food that is grown to be more healthy (and is more expensive), in order for organic food to be certified as such, it must be produced under specific, legally-regulated standards and be subject to testing in order to retain certification.
Organic food: the definition
In agriculture, this means that crops were grown without the use of conventional pesticides, artificial fertilizers or sewage sludge, and that they were processed without food additives (like chemical preservatives). When it comes to animals, they must be reared without the routine use of antibiotics and growth hormones and fed a diet of organic foods. In most countries, organic produce must not be genetically modified....
Fall Fashion 07: Positivitee
by Jasmin Malik Chua, Jersey City, USA on 09.13.07
Wear your favorite cause on your chest (or hip, as the case may be) with Positivitee's line of sweatshop-free activist shirts and tees. "My daughters and I wish to walk softly on the Earth," says Heidi Matonis, the company's president and founder. "But we also wish to be heard."
Coming this fall are six new designs, printed on 100 percent organic cotton Henley and thermal shirts, with a show of support Retired Thoroughbred Foundation (above), Oceana, Save the Children, Heifer International, the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund, and the Good Dog Foundation. With the purchase of each shirt—prices range from $20 to $50—five smackeroos are donated to the respective organization.
Click below the fold for a preview of all six shirts. ::Positivitee...
Watch Farm Aid 2007 Online
by Jasmin Malik Chua, Jersey City, USA on 09.13.07
Photo credit: Paul Natkin/Photo Reserve Inc. 2007
Didn't make it to Farm Aid this year? You can catch all 21 sets of the entire Randall's Island show online, including performances by The Counting Crows (above), until Thursday, Sept. 19. (After that, it will be accessible to FarmAid members only.)
Watch it for a small donation or, if you're feeling cheap, for free. Don't be that cheap person. ::Farm Aid...
BuyGreen: Women's Jeans
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 09.13.07
[Ed. note: This is the second in our series of green Buying Guides, TreeHugger's helping hand for a quick, easy, hip way to shift your life in a greener direction today. Check out the Men's Jeans guide and stay tuned for more.]
TreeHugger loves denim for its versatility: dress up your jeans with a blazer and heels for an impressive first impression; dress 'em down with a t-shirt and sneakers for running errands; or sex 'em up with a blouse or button-down for a night on the town. With so many choices out there (and more being added every day), it can be hard to find the right combination of fit, cut, wash, style and materials, which is why we've chosen a wide variety of looks to flatter any pair of legs and fit any budget.
Ladies, you'll find jeans blended with lycra for a little extra stretch, 100% organic cotton for a wearable, versatile fit, along with straight legs, bootcuts and more to help you match your style with your ethics. Hit the jump to see the list and find your perfect pair....
In the Shadow of the Moon
by Jasmin Malik Chua, Jersey City, USA on 09.13.07
In the Shadow of the Moon, producer Ron Howard's breathtaking latest film, chronicles the history of the Apollo program by bringing together the surviving crew members of every manned Moon mission. With the help of digitally restored, rarely before-seen archival footage, the former astronauts describe, in their own words, a time when humans walked on the face of another world.
The Apollo program was forged in the middle of the Cold War; In 1961, President John F. Kennedy delivered a speech to Congress challenging the United States to put a man on the Moon and return him safely back to Earth before the decade was up. ...
RideAmigos: Car-Sharing in NYC
by Jasmin Malik Chua, Jersey City, USA on 09.13.07
Ride-sharing gets up close and local for New Yorkers with RideAmigos, a new money- and planet-saving service that launched earlier this month.
The site, which allows you to create cab-shares online, hooks you up with other New Yorkers who are embarking from the same place or headed to the same destination....
German Town Scraps Road Signs to Increase Safety
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 09.13.07
Drachten roundabout
It started in the Dutch city of Drachten: Anarchy on the roads, no signs, no lights. Now they are trying in in the German town of Bohmte: no signs or lights, ripping up the sidewalks and asphalt and replacing it all with cobblestones. It's called "shared space," a concept developed by Dutch traffic engineer Hans Monderman.
Speigel notes: According to the concept, road users have to negotiate their behavior with each other, rather than have it prescribed by rules -- the idea being that people will pay more attention to what other road users are doing and hence cause fewer accidents. They report that the Drachten experience worked; accidents there have declined dramatically since the new regime was introduced....
Three Million Trees Planted in Mexico City This Summer
by Eliza Barclay, Washington, D.C. on 09.13.07
Earlier this summer Mexican President Felipe Calderón unveiled his government's National Climate Change Strategy, a plan with specific targets for reducing as much as 25 billion tons of CO2. The plan isn't pegged to any particular year's levels, but lists opportunities for emissions reduction and carbon capture by 2014.
The comprehensive carbon-sequestration section features a call to plant 250 million trees in 2007, the development of wood-based biofuels in forest communities and restoration of agricultural lands. While the tree-planting goal is obviously quite ambitious, the Distrito Federal, or Federal District, which encompasses much of Mexico City, has made a solid contribution to the goal by planting three million trees in 25 communities over 49,000 acres (20,000 hectares) in the district's rural southern zone....
Oaxaca Boosts Eco-Tourism Sector
by Eliza Barclay, Washington, D.C. on 09.13.07
The southern Mexican state of Oaxaca recently launched its first annual eco-tourism fair to promote the state's burgeoning array of eco-tourism options. Fourteen communities participated in the fair, showcasing projects that include eco-tourism, adventure tourism and rural tourism.
To date the state boasts 19 collectives, 30 private companies, seven sustainable agriculture farms and five coffee farms involved in eco-tourism. The state's tourism secretary, Beatriz Rodríguez Casasnovas, noted that the sector has thus far generated $1.7 million (19 million pesos), much of it benefiting small communities in need of economic opportunities. Eco-tourism, according to the Center on Ecotourism and Sustainable Development, can be an excellent tool for poverty alleviation and biodiversity conservation. This is particularly relevant for Oaxaca, one of Mexico's poorest states.
Among Oaxaca's ecological jewels is the Northern Sierra. It is rich in fauna biodiversity, with more than 400 species of birds and 350 species of butterflies.
Via El Universal (Spanish link)...
India's PM: No Subsidies, More Local Water Conservation Strategies
by Kimberley D. Mok, Montreal, Canada on 09.13.07
In the face of a mounting water crisis, Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh outlined his plan for water conservation at a national groundwater conference in Delhi on Tuesday, stating that instead of economic and commercial subsidies, a price should be put on water usage. At the same time, he urged all local governments to come up with effective strategies to popularize rain-harvesting and to engage in maintaining traditional reservoirs through more sustainable means.
“Water conservation and management can be done better through a package of incentives and penalties,” he said. However, he noted that for the plan to be effective, other changes across the board have to be made, citing the example of free electricity given to farmers who add to the problem by overdrawing the supply of groundwater through electrical pump sets....
Mazda Shows Off Car Interiors from Biofabric
by Sean Fisher, Cincinnati, Ohio on 09.13.07
In what could be the next frontier of the green car race, the car company Mazda has developed an interior automotive fabric made from plants. It could be that Mazda saw Honda's biofabric development last year and wanted to jump on board with one of their own. What can we say - good ideas travel fast. This paragraph is dedicated to the engineering geeks:
The biofabric is made of 100% polylactic acid—a plastic created by combining large numbers of lactic acid molecules that are made from fermented carbohydrates such as plant sugars. ...
Honda's FCX Fuel Cell: Production in 2008?
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 09.13.07
Ever since we first saw Honda's FCX fuel cell concept, we've been dreaming of the day that it would finally enter production and hit the streets. They've told the world to wait a few years for production and have been teasing us by intermittently showing it off; now the latest word on the street is: limited production in Japan and the US in 2008. Hey, that's next year!
Wallpaper* magazine, of all places (if it's in there, it's gotta be cool) tells us that, "Honda hopes that with a little helping hand from legislation, plus their ongoing experiments into a viable 'Home Energy Station', the FCX Concept will finally make it to the American and Japanese markets - albeit in a heavily subsided, quasi-experimental form - in 2008." Whether or not hydrogen cars are a viable personal transportation option is sort of another story. Check out Honda's concept site for more, and keep your fingers crossed. ::Honda FCX via ::Wallpaper.com...
EcoGeek of the Week: Karl Schroeder
by EcoGeek.org on 09.13.07
Karl Schroeder is the second science fiction writer to come out of the southern Manitoba Mennonite community (after A.E. van Vogt). Born in 1962, Karl grew up in a household full of books. He moved to Toronto in 1986 to pursue a dream of being a novelist, and now lives there with his wife and daughter.
Karl has been a fixture in the Canadian SF writing community since the late 1980s, establishing a growing reputation with acclaimed and award-winning short stories. Since his first appearance in the American market, he has enjoyed continued and increasing success. His previous novels Ventus (2000) and Permanence (2002), received a New York Times notable selection and the Aurora Award for Best Novel, respectively. He is also the author of Lady of Mazes, Sun of Suns (Book One of the Virga Cycle), and most recently, Queen of Candesce (Book Two of the Virga Cycle).
Karl writes hard science fiction with a humanist twist, focusing not just on technology and discovery but on the human costs of technological development. His website is www.kschroeder.com. He is also a contributing blogger for World Changing Canada and maintains the philosophical blog Age of Embodiment. ...
Clean Up the Beach & Have Fun Doing It with the Bottle-Legged Octopus
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 09.13.07
One of the ideas behind creating meaningful, impactful educational experiences is, "You gotta make it fun." Here's a brilliant concept designed to do just that when it comes to learning to clean up the beach. This cute little octopus (although, technically, it's just got six legs, so...sextopus?) is missing his legs; collecting discarded plastic bottles will both restore its limbs and make it buoyant enough to float. Trash = toy, just like that. It might be so much fun that us big kids would help collect new legs, too. Hit the jump to see what happens when the little guy has all six legs. via ::Yanko Design
...
Tuvalu to World: Help!
by Jasmin Malik Chua, Jersey City, USA on 09.13.07
The tiny Pacific nation of Tuvalu is urging the rest of the world to do more to combat global warming, before the island-state sinks beneath the ocean's lapping waves.
Home to some 10,000 people, the group of atolls and reefs is barely two meters above sea level. A 1989 U.N. report predicted that, at the current rate the ocean is rising, Tuvalu could vanish in the next 30 to 50 years. "We keep thinking that the time will never come. The alternative is to turn ourselves into fish and live under water," Tuvalu Deputy Prime Tavau Teii told Reuters....
TH Blog Love - Our Favourite Greens Of The Week
by Leonora Oppenheim, London, UK on 09.13.07
Camphor's: Carnival of the Green # 94 by Camphor
"It is almost refreshing to see due consideration for the cost of the alternative to the environment as Vihar Seth point out the downside of Powering a Paperless World, and applaud a green digital company."
Celsias: JetPack Rating System™: The Volkswagen Chameleon by Doug Snodgrass
"To recap, the JetPack Rating System™ is used to not only begin the healing process, but also for rating automobiles and buildings by a duel criteria: 1. How environmentally-friendly are they? 2. What would James Bond think of them?"...
Most Huggable: Grilling Al Franken, A Carbon Market Tanks, Barrels of Art, and More
by Team Treehugger, Worldwide on 09.13.07
In Australia, the country’s carbon-trading market is collapsing due to a foggy picture of its future… Al Franken is running for Senate in Minnesota. Maria Energia grills the man on his environmental agenda… A new Romanian ad campaign paints the bloody scene of forest destruction… The Quality of Life Report takes stock of society’s resources and its consumption habits. The paper has the right rankled, but is it even enough? French artist Francois Royer is a man who breathes life into trash… Hugg 2.0 is up, running, and better than ever. Most Huggable is a daily roundup of some of the top stories. Why not submit your own green news? ...
Green (Re)Building: Restoration Resources
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 09.13.07
Part of TreeHugger credo reads "'Tis better to recycle, reuse, renovate and restore than to go with new." With that in mind, here are a handful of renovation resources to help you get the most from stuff that's been around the block a time or two, courtesy of Materialicious:
John Leeke's Historic Homeworks -- "Helping owners, tradespeople, contractors and professionals understand and maintain their historic and older buildings."
Old House Parts Company -- focused on "18th, 19th and early 20th century restoration and home improvement Architectural Salvage and Architectural Antiques."...
Parking Spaces Outnumber Cars 3 to 1, Cause Environmental Problems
by Jasmin Malik Chua, Jersey City, USA on 09.13.07
Photo credit: sunshinecity
No doubt about it, Americans like their cars—so it shouldn't come as a shock that a ton of space is being devoted to parking spaces, whether they're suburban driveways or sprawling lots around big retailers. But a recent study by Purdue University in Indiana indicates that this growing land-use trend plays a role in heating up urban areas and trapping water pollution.
The researchers surveyed the total area dedicated to parking in a midsize Midwestern county; they found that parking spaces outnumbered resident drivers 3-to-1 and resident families 11-to-1. The total parking area was larger than 1,000 football fields, covering more than two square miles....
Attack Of The Vital-Juice-Sucking Chinese Stinkbugs
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 09.13.07
The Japanese beetles are bad enough, having been around my home in the hundreds of thousands for the last two growing seasons. Nothing eats them. No amount of bag trapping can control them.
The good news is that all the Japanese beetles have eaten this year is my 40 foot river birch tree (3/4 denuded at end of August), all roses, all new growth on my three elephant plums, an entire climbing hydrangea, all new growth on three mature grape vines, and entire pole bean plants. The rest of the garden, however, is untouched. ...
Keeping Cool (and Warm) with the Sun
by Jeremy Elton Jacquot, Los Angeles on 09.13.07
A Florida-based company called Solarsa has just launched one of the first pre-assembled solar cooling systems targeted specifically for commercial businesses. Its Energy Independence System 005 (EIS005) can also heat water and allows restaurants to recycle waste cooking oil. Scott Jergensen, its president, described the system as a "series of mirrors" that is "reflecting the sun into a series of collectors and is giving us electricity and hot water at the same time."
The unit - which is installed at no cost (businesses just pay for the energy they use) and can produce up to 4-MW of energy - would only save customers $1000 on average, Jorgensen concedes, but he argues that it could mean hundreds of thousands in savings down the line for large chain restaurants. He claims that its reduced operating and maintenance costs make it a viable alternative to natural gas and electricity over the long-term.
Via ::Tampa Bay's 10: Florida lights up solar power industry? (news website)
See also: ::Hydrothermal Cooling: Improving on Air-Conditioning, ::Windows With Water Reduce the Need for Cooling by 70%...
The Twin Peaks of PC Design
by Mark Ontkush, Boston, Massachusetts, USA on 09.13.07
TH appreciates good design using quality materials that get the job done. Apple, for example, was applauded mightily when their iPhone was released, suggesting it may be the last phone you will ever buy.
Drawing a page from Apple's rulebook, we are now seeing PCs that also focus on extreme parts and fine design; take the HP Blackbird, pictured. Retailing for around $5500 [sic] without the monitor, HP stuffs the all-aluminum case with overclocked processors, Voodoo video cards, a 1.1 Kilowatt power supply, and liquid cooling. It even has it's own little tool kit built in. Oh, and a big aluminum foot that allows for 6-way cooling.
...
Better Displays = Better Battery Life
by Jeremy Elton Jacquot, Los Angeles on 09.13.07
Those of you who passed on the frame rate trick we covered a little while back to extend your video-playing device's battery life might find this next story more interesting. Unipixel, a startup company based in Woodlands, TX, has developed a new design for a handheld display that it claims is 60% more efficient than conventional displays - one that would almost double the battery life of a cell phone (such as Apple's iPhone).
Where Unipixel's display differentiates itself from its competitors is not in the technology itself - the company uses most of the components found in current displays, such as LEDs - but in how it arranges them to provide a more energy efficient, high-contrast picture. Unlike existing technologies, which typically only allow a small fraction of light to enter displays to produce an image (around 5%), Unipixel's displays enable 61% of the light to go through. This is accomplished by taking out all the filters and backlight typically found in liquid-crystal displays and illuminating the screen by using LEDs along its edge. ...
A Full House For Cameron Sinclair at Idea Festival
by Leonora Oppenheim, London, UK on 09.13.07
The AMD Open Architecture Challenge was launched online to the waiting world yesterday and today, at 1pm, Cameron Sinclair will be taking it live to over 800 people at the Idea Festival at the Kentucky International Convention Center. His is the first sold out talk of the festival and everyone has come to hear him talk about the amazing work that AFH and OAN are doing. He will concentrate on the launch of AFH's first design competition in three years, the AMD Challenge, and the exciting projects proposed by the three selected community partners on three continents. Things are going full steam ahead this afternoon as the AFH LA chapter launches the competition at 2 pm at the Wired Next Fest. It doesn't stop there however, as this project it truly global, tomorrow morning AFH's Kate Stohr will be launching the AMD Challenge at the Sustainable City Symposium in Malmo, Sweden. As Cameron says "It is time to design like you give a damn."
TreeHugger is proud to be a media sponsor for the AMD Open Architecture Challenge. Stick with us as we follow the competition's progress over the next few months and find out more about the communities involved and why and how you can make a difference by entering. ::AMD Open Architecture Challenge...
Expert Says: Make Healthy Fast Food Affordable
by Jasmin Malik Chua, Jersey City, USA on 09.13.07
Let's face it, as much as we kvetch about them, fast-food chains and their destructive, polluting ways, aren't going anywhere anytime soon.
But although fast food retailers are providing healthier food options, Nancy Childs, professor of food marketing at Saint Joseph’s University in Philadelphia, says that they aren’t providing them in a cost-effective way.
Because research has demonstrated a correlation between higher rates of obesity and low-income neighborhoods, Childs wants to see an improvement in this population's access to healthful food. “When you have a $4 salad and $1 whopper, you’re not making food accessible to people of particular socioeconomic circumstances,” she says.
Is Childs spot on, or is this a band-aid solution or misdiagnosis? We'll let our erudite readers weigh in on this one. ::Newswise...
Entire State Of Oklahoma Auditioning For Wind Power Play
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 09.13.07
Not the musical by Rodgers and Hammerstein: "Oklahoma, where the wind comes sweepin' down the plain."
This one will be a reality play.
"Major energy players in government and business are trying to chart a billion-dollar wind frontier with Oklahoma in the middle."
"They say the biggest hurdle to harnessing the region's renewable, clean and lucrative gusts is the transmission of the energy. Electricity transmission lines in rural areas, such as the Oklahoma Panhandle, are too small to satisfy the needs of populatio centers like Oklahoma City and Dallas. The plan is a logistical and financial unknown. States, their utilities and industry seek a way to spur economic development and harvest a valuable resource. The prospect is attracting outsiders who want to own the expanded transmission system, which is necessary to sell clean energy to the wind-starved east...Oklahoma wind farms can produce a maximum 689 megawatts, ranking fifth in the United States, said Oklahoma State University climatology professor Steven Stadler."
We're not certain if the cited maximum wind power potential for Oklahoma was correctly quoted, by the way. Perhaps someone can provide us an update or citation?
Via:: NewsOK.com, "Energy plan turns nature into money" Image credit:: Amazon, Oklahoma! (1955 Film Soundtrack)...
In An Absolut World: David Graas
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 09.13.07
Dutch designer David Graas is a TreeHugger favourite; we showed his new Not A Box light fixture recently, and his furniture earlier. He has contributed his Finish Yourself Stool to the download library at the Absolut Vision website; you can download and build your own scale model.
Ideas, creativity and talent are global but materialization is local with downloadable designs. Try it at ::In an Absolut World
Vision of the day that we like: Animals would at least have the same rights as humans....
Quote of the Day: Elizabeth Kolbert on Climate-Change Skeptics
by Jasmin Malik Chua, Jersey City, USA on 09.13.07
Eventually I came to think there are three major reasons [for climate-change skepticism].
One is catastrophe overload. The end of the world has been going to come several times, and we're all still here. So it's: 'Wake me up when the real end of the world is coming.'
Then there's: 'If this were really as bad as you say, I would feel it by now. There'd be water lapping at my first-floor windows.' The problem is that the climate operates on a very long time lag, so if you wait until there's water lapping at your first-floor windows, you can be sure there's going to be water lapping at your second-floor windows. I don't think the message has gotten out: changes 30 or 40 years from now are already inevitable. There is warming in the pipeline already....
Panel House Perhaps Not So Green
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 09.13.07
When we first wrote about David Hertz's Panel House, it was described as a "large, comfortable thermos". We liked it for its innovative use of refrigerator panels and other high-tech ideas. However after reading about it in the New York Times, we are reconsidering its virtues. The owner, Thomas Ennis, demolished a cottage where Jim Morrison once lived to build this 3,500 square foot glass and steel house with five car garage in the basement, complete with every energy consuming gadget that Ennis, an inventor, could think up. Push the button for the fire pit and flames leap out from a gas jet under a decorative bed of aluminum shavings on the living room floor. An elevator runs from the five-car basement garage to the living room and kitchen on the first floor to a landing outside the bedrooms on the second floor to a terrace on the rooftop. ...
Let ‘em Eat Cake-Good Karma’s Carrot Cake IceCream
by Warren McLaren, Sydney on 09.13.07
Here is a classic example of the ‘industrial organic’ food product that Michael Pollan spends many pages coming to grips with in his seminal book, The Omnivore's Dilemma. An ingredients list as long as your arm, yet 90% of it is organic, and dairy free to boot. It promotes a most sustainable form of agriculture compared to, say, the usual antibiotic riddled, factory-farmed milk and genetically modified corn syrup based ice creams. Which is great. But do we need it?
Would an apple grown in our backyard, or neighbourhood community garden, just as easily satisfy our sweet craving? Reducing the complexity of the food we eat improves not only our health, but the health of the soil and the lot of farmers that cultivate it for us. Less is More. Small is Beautiful. Keep it Simple Stupid. Hard lessons for a technological society to learn.
Organic Carrot Cake Ice Cream is probably best seen as a journey, rather than a destination. Hopefully while titillating taste buds, it awakens minds to alternatives, stirs the grey matter. Organic ‘food products’ may be the bridge that spans the chasm between a Twinkie and an apple. It is a void we need to cross. ::Good Karma, via a stumbled upon blog...
Sixteen Crazy Bikes. A Collection by Oobject
by Warren McLaren, Sydney on 09.13.07
Regular readers will have seen some of these before, however for those who missed them Ooject (”something like ‘Billboard charts for gadgets”) voters have curated a museum collection of 16 wacky bikes. They say they done it in honor of the Frankfurt Motor Show, record oil prices, etc, but really, who needs a reason to celebrate the fruit loopy end of the spectrum for human-powered land vehicles? Laugh, wrinkle your brow, scratch your head, vote. When we dropped by the rather chunky Gladiator Chopper, pictured above, was languishing at number 15. ::Oobject, via reader tip....
Bags of Goodwill
by Bonnie Alter, London on 09.13.07
Acknowledging that everyone is getting a little fed up with the "I am not a plastic bag" phenomenon, we still couldn't ignore these great looking carrier bags. Twentytwentyone, a furniture and design store, has commissioned forty world-renowned furniture and product designers from Finland, Sweden, Germany, France, Japan, Switzerland, Italy, Spain, The Netherlands, Norway and the UK to come up with designs for Fairtrade cotton organic carrier bags. Those participating include El Ultimo Grito, Ella Doran, Jasper Morrison, Lucienne Day, Matthew Hilton, Michael Marriott, and Tord Boonjte.
The bags will be on display for a week, as part of London Design Festival and then be auctioned off. The only criterion for their creation was that the design "reflect their philosophy towards design and make a consideration towards responsible design." The proceeds will go to the Fairtrade Foundation. :: twentytwentyone Via :: Hippyshopper...
The Rebirth of the Seaside Pier
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 09.13.07
John McLean, Morgan Carn Partnership, Humberts Leisure & Hemsley Orrell Partnership
From Brighton to Atlantic City to Santa Monica, piers have been part of the culture of the waterfront. Pleasure piers were built with amusement parks and restaurants, but the main purpose was to let people walk over water in the cool sea air. After planes replaced trains and people went further for their vacations, they fell into disrepair.
Now as we contemplate vacations without air travel, seaside resorts closer to home are seeing a revival, and people are thinking about piers again. BURA Seaside Network invited professional and amateur designers to submit visions of piers for the 21st century. Images shown are from the short list, with the winner being selected September 19....
'Plan A' Gets Rolling: M&S to Open First Eco-store
by Sami Grover, Carrboro, NC, USA on 09.13.07
British retailer Marks and Spencer was already in our good books for its comprehensive greening strategy known as Plan A (because, they claim, there is no Plan B – though TH guest poster Lester Brown may disagree there). Now we hear from a report in The Scotsman that M&S is ready to open the first of its new ‘eco-stores’ (an integral part of Plan A) in Scotland next month, boasting an impressive array of energy and water saving features:...
Match Tree
by Joey Roth, Brooklyn, USA on 09.13.07
The Match Tree's function is a beautiful metaphor that illustrates a less-than-beautiful mode of consumption. As users break “branches” off of the geometric tree to use as matches, the tree looks smaller and more broken, until nothing is left but a two-dimensional stump. Like other conceptual products that cause us to question consumption, such as “Nothing”, it's unfortunate that this design uses wood and actually participates in the waste that it symbolizes. ...
Cure Air Traffic Congestion: A Systems Based Solution?
by Tim McGee, Western Massachusetts on 09.13.07
Air traffic. Just the word combination seems ridiculous. What miserably planned series of events have conspired to create traffic- in the air?
“Air traffic congestion around the world is already very bad and it’s getting worse,” said Kagan Tumer, an OSU associate professor of mechanical engineering and expert on the control of large, multi-agent systems. “More than 40,000 flights a day move through U.S. airspace. Air traffic controllers have an extremely demanding job to do, and our approach is a new way to assist them, with what are actually some fairly minimal changes to the existing system."Their approach takes into account the entire system or flow of transportation around the U.S., not just a small section of airspace....
Lexus Offers $1 Million in Grants and Scholarships as Part of Environmental Challenge
by Kenny Luna, North Babylon, NY on 09.13.07
That’s right folks, the luxury automaker is stepping up to the plate by teaming up with Scholastic to invite teams of teachers and students from across the U.S. to get involved protecting the environment by devising and implementing programs that positively impact their communities. They’re calling it the Lexus Environmental Challenge, and it’s open to middle and high school students everywhere.
The challenge itself has two distinct elements: standards-based supplementary educational materials and a contest to reward environmental action. The idea is that the educational materials will encourage teachers to integrate creative lesson plans into their classrooms about the environment, while the contest will help students apply what they've learned by participating in any of the four environmental team challenges. Those include protecting the land, water, air, and climate. And each of the teams will be responsible for developing an action plan, implementing it, and reporting on the results.
...
Body Glove Biostretch: Oh No It Don't Come Easy
by Kristin Underwood, Sacramento, CA on 09.13.07
One surf product that I am really excited about is the Body Glove Bio-Stretch wetsuits, one layer jackets and Life Jackets/PFDs. After many years of struggle, testing, roadblocks and dead-ends, Body Glove has come up with a product that is as environmental as any wetsuit can be, and that’s saying a lot.
Two years ago Body Glove debuted the [eco- lifejacket] made from a material they dub “Bio-Stretch.” Biostretch has the same feel and texture as neoprene, the material typically found in wetsuits, but biostretch has no rubber thus no petroleum products. With the promising sales of Life Jackets/PFDs, the team dove into trying to incorporate the same technology into wetsuits. What resulted is a great suit but it didn’t come easy. Treehugger reported on the eco wetsuit here but this last weekend I sat down with Matt Walls of Body Glove at the ASR to chat a bit more in depth about the greening of Body Glove....
HippyTree
by Kristin Underwood, Sacramento, CA on 09.12.07
One of the new comers in the big-boy world of Action Sports Retailers is HippyTree. These rebel artisans turned entrepreneurs have a history of incorporating art and nature into the built environment. Their t-shirts reflect this ideal, as can be seen in their logos and designs.
Beginning with their roots in both nature and surfing, Hippy Tree began with calendars and printed tide charts in 2003. The calendars are made from 100% post consumer paper and feature images of coastlines around southern California. Organic t-shirt blanks are purchased from Article1, and then designs are printed on the tees with soy-based inks. At the time of this article, 50% of their clothing line from Spring 2007 was organic. ...
Sock Dog Kit: Rescuing Orphan Socks Everywhere
by Jasmin Malik Chua, Jersey City, USA on 09.12.07
Here's a concept that is ingenious by virtue of its stark simplicity: Designers Martino Gamper and Sato Hisao will be showing their Sock Dog kit, a remarkably unfussy method of converting orphan socks into toys, from Sept 21 at Super Design Market, part of the London Design Festival. Best of all, you're never completely giving up hope on reuniting your sock with its lost mate.
All socks present and accounted for? There's always the Sock Exchange. ::International Herald Tribune
See also: ::DIY: Socks to Sock Monkeys...
Prismera Designs: Recycled Stainless Steel Jewelry
by Jasmin Malik Chua, Jersey City, USA on 09.12.07
Prismera Designs' Floria and Florium collection is a sublime marriage of organic and industrial forms. Designer Laura Su, a graduate of the prestigious Rhode Island School of Design, has fashioned delicate yet structurally exacting botanical silhouettes, cut from recycled stainless steel.
Prices start at $40; 10 percent of all profits from this collection goes to Keep America Beautiful. More stunning designs below the fold. ::Prismera Designs
See also: ::Tarma: Recycled Stainless Steel Jewelry and ::Recycled Stainless Steel Scissors by Kleen Earth
...
YOLO Colorhouse Goes Outside to Play
by Jasmin Malik Chua, Jersey City, USA on 09.12.07
YOLO Colorhouse takes its environmentally sensitive aesthetic outside with its new line of zero-VOC, Green Seal-certified exterior paint, designed to account for the changes in natural light over the course of a day.
"Our process for developing the colors included tweaking them for full sunlight as well as shade," explains Lowe, the company's co-founder, in a press release. "We experimented with each hue by applying them on all the sides of a little outdoor structure, now called 'the Color Shed,' and observed how the colors changed throughout the course of the day."
The result: A select palette of 36 colors, divided into six distinct families with names like Ocean, Desert, and Prairie. The 100 percent acrylic, weather-resistant formulation is available in three sheens: velvet flat, satin, and semi gloss, at $13.95 per quart and $41.95 per gallon. ::YOLO Colorhouse
See also: ::Ask TreeHugger: Household Green Paint Alternatives and ::Affordable Low-VOC Paint?
...
Schoolgirl's "Smog Hog" Cuts Air Pollution
by Jasmin Malik Chua, Jersey City, USA on 09.12.07
Photo credit: joushbousel
Amy Clucas, a 14-year-old (14!) schoolgirl from Christchurch, New Zealand, is the lead inventor of a device that knocks out air pollution.
Her "Smog Hog" uses water to trap pollutants from a fire as they gust up a chimney, preventing them from entering the environment. (Okay, as one astute reader pointed out, it's basically a giant bong.)
Smoke from fireplaces is one of the two largest contributors to New Zealand's air-pollution problem, according to The New Zealand Herald, referring to a recent report that said air pollution was claiming nearly 1,100 lives a year across the country....
Sugar From Genetically Engineered Beets on Its Way
by Jasmin Malik Chua, Jersey City, USA on 09.12.07
Photo credit: uwehermann
Look out for genetically modified sugar in a shopping aisle near you by next year. American Crystal, a large Wyoming-based sugar company, has announced it will be sourcing its sugar from genetically engineered sugar beets beginning this year and arriving in stores in 2008, according to the Associated Press.
Spotting those GE sweeteners won't be easy: You won't find any labels trumpeting this detail, because; like GE corn and GE soy, products containing GE-beet-derived sugar will be on the down-low. (Oooh, those wascally wabbits!) ...
Kattbank: An Odd Multi-Tasker for the Cat Lover
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 09.12.07
Though sort of an odd pairing, Kattbank is a multi-tasking bench that might be perfect for cat owners short on space. Realizing that nobody wants to have to stare at a litter box in the living room (or wherever it is), they designed this clever bench that makes it easy to tuck the litter box out of sight. It helps make use of your space -- no square footage is taken up by the litter box -- and also helps keep the floor clean of random litter (there's a grid inside that essentially functions as a door mat for kitty paws).
While the idea of sitting where your cat uses the bathroom isn't the most appetizing for us all (though with proper ventilation, we could see it working), we like the utility behind the design and the concept that we should stop at nothing (not even kitty poo) to further incorporate space-saving, multi-tasking designs into our lives; it'd go great with Square Cat Habitat or these Gehry-esque cat trees.
Hit the jump to see more details on how it functions (and one hilarious photo of a Kattbank user). ::Kattbank via ::2Modern Design Talk...
Fortis Arbor Wood Mosaic from Flux Studios
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 09.12.07
TreeHugger has seen (take a deep breath) myriad carpet tiles, solar tiles, recycled glass tiles, recycled rubber tiles, cork tiles, air purifying tiles and decking tiles (whew!), but never anything quite like these.
From Flux Studios comes Fortis Arbor Wood Mosaics, handcrafted hardwood and bamboo tiles made from certified sustainable lumber pieces too small for furniture or other uses; were it not for an implementation like this, they'd be burned or chucked in a landfill. The mosaic offers a really soft, organic feel and the tiles are suitable for interior backsplashes, countertops, or fireplaces. Installation is just like traditional mosaic tile, and anon-toxic, waterproof grout is available to resist staining and flex with movement. It looks like they're just getting going -- a fresh, new website is reportedly coming soon -- and we're excited to see what's next.
For now, check out a few teasers on their site and below the fold, and stay tuned for more soon. ::Fortis Arbor Wood Mosaic Tiles via ::designTURF...
Scallop Shells: Coming to An Icy Road Near You?
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 09.12.07
Though it may not make much difference in the Northwest Passage or Arctic ice cap (wink, wink) there are still many of us who will have to drive on icy roads this upcoming winter. The side effects of using salt to melt the ice (a fairly common practice, especially in the Northeast US) are not so good, with rusted out cars and dispersal of the sodium chloride into the surrounding environment at the top of the list.
The Aomori Ecological Recycle Industrial Association in Japan decided there was a better way, and came up with a method that neatly recycles by-products from two of the largest local harvests: scallops and apples. The new agent employs large amounts of scallop shells generated by the seafood processing in Aomori Prefecture and apple pomace, used to produce acetic acid (the main component of vinegar). The method helps save some of the approximately 50,000 tons of scallop shells that are otherwise wasted each year; since it's non-chlorine based, the scallop shell-apple mixture is much more inert in the surrounding ecosystems. Two birds, one stone. No word yet on when/if such a method might be crossing the Pacific. Read more at ::Japan for Sustainability via ::AutoblogGreen...
Municipalities Try to Tax Car-Sharing
by Sean Fisher, Cincinnati, Ohio on 09.12.07
We love the concept of car-sharing, which allows individuals to go car-free without being relegated to the side of the car-centric areas in which many of us live. Unfortunately, not everyone shares our enthusiasm. On the heels of a similar attempt in Chicago just last year, King County, Washington (which encompasses Seattle), will start taxing car-sharing services as if they were rental car companies. In King County, that means that car-sharing customers will be taxed an extra 9.7 percent above and beyond the usual state and local taxes. ...
Lili & Oscar: Cutest. Peripherals. Ever.
by Jasmin Malik Chua, Jersey City, USA on 09.12.07
Meet Lili and Oscar, just about the cutest, funkiest peripherals in the history of the universe. (Excuse us as we commence to squeal like schoolgirls.) Octopus-like Lili is a 1.3-megapixel Webcam, complete with a microphone, while starfish-shape Oscar has four ports for plugging in USB 2.0-compatible devices.
Produced by the U.K-based United Pepper in a fair-trade workshop in Vietnam, Oscar and Lili's easily recyclable bodies are manufactured using cotton, sand, kapok (a material derived from tree fiber) and paperboard. Even their packaging comprises 100 percent recycled and recyclable polyethylene terephthalate (PET).
The products' development was overseen by Oxfam, an international non-profit organization dedicated to economic and social justice. Lili and Oscar, priced at £30 and £20 respectively, will be available in U.K. stores from the middle of October. ::United Pepper
...
TH Forums Highlights: Car-Free Cities, Sustaining Design + More
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 09.12.07
Let us take you down, 'cause we're going to TreeHugger Forums...
Round-ups of the best conversations in TreeHugger Forums appear several times a week here at TreeHugger; register for free and login to become part of the conversation for a greener future today....
| 1) Flexing the Forums' polling muscles, user ug333 wonders about the practicality of creating car-free communities and cities in the US: "I have always wondered what would happen if someone started buying land in the United States (and other places as well, but this is my frame of reference) and started building a car free city from the ground up. Would people come? Would enough jobs get generated? Is it even an ideal solution?" Whaddya think -- would you go car-free? |
 | 2) User and design student king_george has a question/meditation for the Forums that boils down to: "Can design be sustained? It seems to me to have become a very important point within our current practices. The fact that sustainability has become an issue will effect all aspects of how design works. Within design sustainability is probably the key to its future prosperity, or even downfall." Everything has to be designed at some point; can we make it all sustainable? |
 | 3) Lastly, we take a ride in the WayBack Machine to a thread started back in May that has recently regained some steam. Forums user muse is wondering whether plastic, aluminum or glass is better to drink from, based on recyclability, the energy it takes to do so, and so forth. The thread got picked up again when glass, the dark horse of the topic, got a bump; the discussions have also included much more permanent solutions like Sigg bottles. Thoughts? |
Freakonomics on Global Warming
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 09.12.07
Stephen Dubner, co-author of the wildly successful book Freakonomics, writes a column for the New York Times and asks "What Should We Really Be Doing About Global Warming? A Freakonomics Quorum." Quorum (I thought the word was being used improperly but one definition is "a select group) members include Ben Ho, assistant professor of economics at Cornell’s Johnson Graduate School of Management and former energy and transportation economist for the White House Council of Economic Advisers, Colin Camerer, professor of business economics at Caltech and a leading light in behavioral economics and neuroeconomics, Adam Grosser, a general partner at the venture capital firm Foundation Capital, Jason Pontin, editor and publisher of the M.I.T.-owned Technology Review, and our own Graham Hill. who concludes with "Climate change can’t be solved with a top-down approach only, so the more people join in, the closer we get to the green tipping point."
Avoid the trolling comments but read the article in the ::New York Times...
Oil And Gas Infrastructure Attacked In Mexico
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 09.12.07
This is bad news on several fronts, and has environmental relevance now and into next year. First the spills: nothing good about large volumes of spilling and burning fossil fuel - during hurricane season.
Second, these attacks add impetus to the energy independence/security mindset heading into the coming US elections. Mexico being a significant supplier of US energy, our bet is that the security driver will begin to outrun climate, in part because of these incidents.
Third, for industry in general, these attacks will raise interest in keeping operations steady by relying more on renewable energy. They underscore a familiar and disturbing pattern, as well: the focus on cheap labor and cheap energy to the exclusion of social stability leads to a broadening of many forms of risk....
Sock Exchange at San Francisco Laundromat
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 09.12.07
We love systems that promote recycling, sharing, re-using. We love personal product systems, freecycle and freeganism. How could we not love the idea of a sock exchange, photographed by Todd Lappin at a laundromat in Bernal Heights, San Francisco. ::BoingBoing...
What's Cooking in the Counter Intelligence Lab at MIT
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 09.12.07
The Counter Intelligence unit of the MIT Media Lab "explores technological approaches to functional, cognitive, and social support in the home, with a particular focus on the kitchen." They note that "our kitchens are far from complete and perfect. They remain dangerous and messy places and in world that is increasingly vying for our attention, we are abandoning the hearth for a meal on the run. Our goal is to reverse this trend--to make the kitchen the center of family life by providing technologies that improve functionality and engage us cognitively and socially."
We loved the Augmented reality kitchen, which turns the whole kitchen into a graphical user interface, projecting the contents of the fridge onto the door and labels doors and drawers with the things inside. Not as simple as Mike's idea, but a lot more graphic.
...
Flute, Exbox and More: Giles Miller's New Cardboard Designs
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 09.12.07
Giles Miller is at it again. The erstwhile "King of Cardboard" (that's an unofficial title, by the way, that he's earned after wowing us with his laptop case and coffee table) has added to his corrugated kingdom with a new collection of designs that could have ended up as a box. We like the "Flute side table" and "Exbox Chair" (above) not only for their ability to sex up a recyclable, renewable material like cardboard, but for fitting in to the paradigm for downloadable designs and furthering the idea that flat cardboard can be built into structural, beautiful, useful 3-D designs. After the jump: more explorations in the limitations of cardboard with a cool lamp and even a wardrobe. ::Farm Designs via ::pan-dan...
Tope: A New Green Material for Wallets from db clay
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 09.12.07
Using a material they call "Tope" (pronounced like "rope" but with a "t"), db clay has designed a new line of wallets called Version 3. Developed as an eco-friendly alternative (details below the fold) to both vinyl and leather, Tope provides the durability both materials are known for, without the toxins and heavy metals, and we love the results. The textured patterns and smart use of color make for a snazzy alternative to plain black and brown we see in many wallets, but the real star of these is the Tope....
In An Absolut World...Everything is Downloadable
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 09.12.07
Absolut is running an interesting campaign called "In an Absolut World" where artists, websites and anyone over 21 years old submit visions of a better world. They range from "there would be a weather remote" to "Undo" would work in real life. Thrillist is having a spam-writing contest, wishing that "in an absolut world, all your spam would be true."
TreeHugger was asked to participate and, of course, contribute a blog. We had some fun with a theme we have been following for a while on TreeHugger: downloadable designs.In an Absolut world, we will download design on demand. It is like the music for our iPod; dematerialized bits and bytes put together again where we need it, without the waste of a physical intermediary.We have gathered together many of the flatpack designs from TreeHugger and the designers have provided 1/6 scale PDFs that you can download and build your own models of their furniture. Watch for daily updates at ::In an Absolut world, everything is downloadable....
Belgium Unveils Solar-Powered Climate Research Station
by Jeremy Elton Jacquot, Los Angeles on 09.12.07
It's been a long time in the making (see earlier stories about here and here), but the Belgium-based International Polar Foundation has finally taken the wraps off its climate change research station - the Princess Elisabeth - which will be the world's first zero-emissions polar science facility. The station, which will become home to 20 researchers, will be assembled on a ridge several miles north of the Soer Rondane Mountains.
Harnessing the power of both the wind and the sun, the prefabricated station will be completely energy self-sufficient when it is installed in the South Pole later this month. It will allow researchers to study the effects of climate change - specifically, on the deep ice shelves - without creating a large carbon footprint. To accomplish this, the builders first covered the station's roof with solar panels that will supply the brunt of the scientists' energy needs; the rest will be supplied by 8 6-kW wind turbines....
Skin Organic Tees: Queer and Here
by Jasmin Malik Chua, Jersey City, USA on 09.12.07
The first 100 percent organic clothing line designed for eco-conscious lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender women, Skin features racily cut tank tops and plunging V-neck tees with bold, gritty screen prints, embellished with gold foil and flocking, that exude urban, streetwise glamor.
Skin's current Web site is likely just an interim one—instead of being able to snap up your choice of shirt with a few clicks, you have to download and e-mail an order form with your selections indicated. For your trouble, however, you get a packet of organic seeds with each item purchased, which, in our mind at least, is a pretty fair trade. ::Skin and ::ThisNext...
Man-Made Chemicals Cause 2:1 Ratio of Girls to Boys Born in Arctic
by Kenny Luna, North Babylon, NY on 09.12.07
According to a recent study done by scientists from the Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme (Amap), man-made chemicals found in high concentrations in the blood of pregnant women in some Arctic villages appear to be causing drastic changes in the traditional gender ratios of their offspring.
The scientists point out that the findings may also provide a reasonable explanation for the recent excess of girl babies across much of the northern hemisphere, and are now broadening their investigation across the most acutely affected communities in Russia, Greenland and Canada. The focus now will be to determine the size of the imbalance, which may prove to be significant considering that the inhabitants of one village in Greenland have given birth exclusively to females recently.
...
Quote of the Day: Lisa M. Holmes on Organic Junk Food
by Jasmin Malik Chua, Jersey City, USA on 09.12.07
Junk food is junk food and why bother to make it organic? But I tend to think there are varying degrees of junk food and I also believe that not all processed food is junk. As the busy mother of two children I like to know that I can offer them an organic alternative to some of the conventionally processed snack foods that take up so much aisle space in the grocery store.
Sometimes kids like to have a treat and maybe the best we can do with the limited time we have is a processed organic cookie. personally, I'd rather known there are organic choices out there for my kids than not. Fig Newmans over Fig Newtons? You bet. I work, take care of two kids, run a household, and participate in a host of community activities. I don't have time to bake fig bars every day, and to be honest, it's not even possible for me to procure all the organic ingredients I'd need to bake the equivalent here in my own home. ......
Co-op Housing in Toronto Goes Green
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 09.12.07
It has been quite a few years since Toronto got a new housing co-op, so it is nice to see that they are coming back and doing it in style.As John Bentley Mays has noted, "Public housing projects have traditionally been architecturally dull and oppressive places, like jails, meant to encourage tenants to move on as quickly as possible." Perhaps Mark Guslits has something to do with it- the head of the Toronto Community Housing Corp. (TCHC) used to be an enlightened real estate developer and architect. He says "We happen to have people here at the corporation who really, really like good architecture, so we just decided we would push architectural excellence."One interesting project is designed by Teeple Architects, who "sees sustainable design as a provocation for rethinking the art of architecture."...
And Now for Some Good News: Ozone Layer Regaining its Health
by Jeremy Elton Jacquot, Los Angeles on 09.12.07
Though rare, we do get the occasional story offering up something other than differing shades of doom and gloom on climate science. Case in point: according to a new study, the levels of hydrogen chloride (HCl) in the atmosphere - one of the chemicals identified as being most harmful to the Earth's ozone layer (alongside chlorofluorocarbons) - have been steadily declining over the past few years after reaching a peak in the early 1990s. HCl is typically spewed from volcanoes or emitted when chemicals used to make various materials - including rubber and plastics - are broken down.
Lloyd Wallace and William Livingston, two Arizona-based astronomers, tracked HCl concentrations over the last 35 years and found that levels of the noxious chemical fell by an average of about 1.8% per year since 1993 - a great improvement over the average annual increase of 5.7% registered from 1971 to 1993. This is great news, says Christopher Cantrell, an atmospheric chemist at the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder, CO: "... there is indeed good evidence that the chlorine loading in the atmosphere is going down as a result of the Montreal Protocol,"...
Big Brother is Watching Your Bike
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 09.12.07
TreeHugger promotes bicycling as the best way to get around, but a big disincentive is the high rate of bicycle theft. The University of Toronto provides particularly rich pickings. Last year the U of T police cut the rate significantly by hiding GPS beacons on high end bikes and tracking them as they were stolen; six arrests have been made as a result. According to the Varsity, "Using cell phone towers and satellites, police track the position and speed of the bike on a computer, or even a Blackberry PDA. When someone steals the bike, police home in on it and arrest the would-be thief."
This year, they are giving out "this bike could be a bait bike...Do you really want to take that chance?" stickers for students to put on their bikes, to make thieves think twice, or perhaps let new inexperienced thieves learn about the program. That's a lot cheaper than a $ 1,400 GPS beacon. ::Biking Toronto...
Working on the ChainJ Gang: Pedro’s Canola Lube
by Warren McLaren, Sydney on 09.12.07
It’s a good couple of years since we last took a peek at Pedro’s environmental bike care products. And we’re pleased to see they haven’t been resting on their laurels. Earlier this year they were named in Bicycle Retailer and Industry News as one of the ‘Fab Five' of bike companies dedicated to environmental principles. This was about the same time they released their ChainJ lubricant which later went on to score a 9 out of 10 rating from Cycling Weekly.
The biodegradable chain lubricant is made from 100% renewable resources, based on rapeseed (canola) oil. As Pedro’s put it, “ChainJ is something that does not require drilling in sensitive areas or doing business in politically questionable places. It is safe for people and the planet.” [ Though we couldn’t find anywhere on their website that said whether or not it was derived from genetically modified canola or not. Rapeseed, along with corn, soy and cotton represents one of the top four agricultural uses of GMOs (genetically modified organisms). ] Perdo’s suggest ChainJ is an ideal lube for mixed to wet conditions. They’ve even gone to the trouble of giving it a little website of its own, complete with links to environmental causes. :Pedro’s ChainJ.
...
Climate Risk Communication: TreeHugging Amidst The Outrage Industries
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 09.12.07
We shouldn't do anything about climate change until we can stop those nasty crocs from eating people. Or, seemingly tackle all the other high "relative risks" first if we listen to the Generation II climate risk deniers.
So fun to see Lloyd's post of yesterday where Bjorn 'The Bear' Lomborg compared the risk of climate change to the risk of malaria and inferred we needed to conquer malaria first. Not only did he wither under the relentless wit of Steven Colbert; he seems to have missed out on the basic principles of risk communication. Risk communication was heavily researched starting in the 1980's, and a few basics are paraphrased below in a tongue-in-cheek manner - not that we can lay a tooth on the inimitable Colbert.
Here's a decent overview site with reference links on risk communication. For environmental issues, climate in particular, we strongly recommend this site where Dr. Peter Sandman discusses Precaution Advocacy (High Hazard, Low Outrage). Sandman is the person who famously coined the equation: Risk = Hazard X Outrage. For anyone interested in how to communicate climate risk for political advocacy purposes, his work is essential....
Internet via Light Coming To Your Home
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 09.12.07
Transmitting information in a beam of light isn't new; Alexander Graham Bell patented the photophone in 1880 and thought it was his greatest invention. Free-space optics (FSO) are used now between office buildings and on university campuses to avoid stringing cables. According to the Economist, it may be coming into our homes. It is fast and secure; "since light does not travel through walls, there would be no need to worry about neighbours snooping on your e-mail, or piggybacking on your broadband connection."
What is really interesting is the tie-in to our continuing discussions about alternative wiring systems and the integration of lighting into the fabric of buildings as we switch to LEDs. No more EMF or separate wiring systems. "The combination of LEDs and FSOcould be used to provide internet coverage throughout a home or office. Could it be lights out for radio networking?" ::Economist...
Farming the Concrete Jungle
by Warren McLaren, Sydney on 09.12.07
Late last month Phoebe Connelly and Chelsea Ross authored an article with the above title in the magazine, In These Times. It is an excellent treatise on the state of play of urban farming and community agriculture in the USA.
They observe that with 80% of the U.S. population living in cities or suburbs, food now travels 25% further that it did in 1980, with some fruit and veggies spending up to two weeks on the road. “Most fruit and vegetable varieties sold in supermarkets are chosen for their ability to withstand industrial harvesting equipment and extended travel, not for their taste or nutritional quality.”
This is such a wide ranging and inspiring article that we’d rather you read it directly, than peruse a precise here. However, as a enticement, we’ve gone off and found you websites for many of the sources mentioned in the story. So go read, absorb, then pop back to TH for 16 direct links (after the jump). ...
Greener Parking from Plant Archtects
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 09.12.07
Why are parking lots so uniformly awful? Plant Architects questioned the usual surface lot-"typically bereft of aesthetic qualities – they just do their job and try not to get noticed. Sadly, they are also usually grey gaps in the neighbourhoods they sit in."
Their interventions include trees, of course, to provide spatial definition and temper the heat island effect; solar powered lighting, an irrigation channel located over a storm water retention system and permeable paving. Alternative vehicles would get optimized spaces under the shade of the trees.
A few spaces would be lost, but why do we permit ugly black holes in our urban fabric just to park cars?...
Bike-Friendly Cities in Action
by Sami Grover, Carrboro, NC, USA on 09.12.07
Solar Powered Headlamp from Everlite
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 09.12.07
I always look forward to getting the new Mountain Equipment Co-op catalogue; they are a remarkable member-run organization, believing in ethical sourcing, product sustainability, offering PVC free alternatives and recycling polyester clothing into Eco-circle fibre. Of course, the catalogue is printed on Earth-Cote paper with vegetable inks. Every issue has more green products than the last.
One neat new idea is the Everlite solar headlamp; it has 5 LEDs and runs all night on a seven hour charge. No more worries about falling asleep with the Petzl on and running out of batteries. You can use the solar panel to charge other devices like your iPod or Blackberry, for that true away-from-it-all camping experience. ::Everlite via ::MEC Justin covered another Everlite product here....
Breaking the 80mph Barrier - On a Bicycle
by Sami Grover, Carrboro, NC, USA on 09.12.07
Canadian Eco-Couture Rocks
by Bonnie Alter, London on 09.12.07
Heart on your sleeve is a small, sweet girlie store selling clothes with "stunning, sustainable style" that are Canadian-made, ethical, and highly affordable. With its wide range of labels, this is the place to catch up on the latest Canadian eco-couture--both local Toronto and from other provinces. The Made in Tieland bags are just that--made of recycled men's ties, sewn together in contrasting colours and patterns so that they match just about everything. Soft and made in various sizes, they are handy for schlepping tons of stuff by day, or smaller-sized for evening. Love Handles is a handmade handbag company based out of a Toronto bedroom. The handles are hand-made and wooden and the fabric is organic or vintage. Since it is all found in charity shops, there is a real variety of patterns and colours, from little girl to scandinavian and lots in between.
Thieves is a Toronto-made brand of women's clothing--very beautifully sewn jersey tops, dresses and blouses. Salts is from Vancouver Island, so it's sporty, casual and outdoorsy looking made of soy, hemp, bamboo, tencel and organic cotton. Devil May Wear is also jersey, very sexy and sophisticated tops and skirts. Mother Trucker is another Vancouver label, for the rock chick in you--a different style of hot tee-shirt for every pair of jeans that you own. All in all: Canadian green couture is up there with the best. Even the Financial Times (sort of) has acknowledged it, so it has to be true. :: heart on your sleeve ...
Small Steps Matter
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 09.12.07
There is an interesting discussion going on at Grist about the importance of "small steps". Mike Tidwell wrote an article a couple of days ago suggesting that voluntary actions won't fix the climate, "While I do believe we have a moral responsibility to do what we can as individuals, we just don't have enough time to win this battle one household at a time, street by painstaking street, from coast to coast.". This is not a new discussion , but add to the mix a response to the first article by a group of psychologists, who say:
Dismissing the importance of small personal behavior choices in favor of a sole focus on policy changes is a big mistake. Small behaviors are important not only for the direct environmental impact they have, but because they often lead to more and more pro-environmental behaviors over time. and Numerous psychological studies have shown that people are more likely to agree to take a big action if they've previously agreed to smaller, similar actions. Thus, changing a light bulb may lead to higher impact behaviors like giving up plastic water bottles, insulating one's house, living closer to work, reducing meat consumption, and actively supporting legislation that will likely require personal sacrifice. Read it all at ::Grist...
Survey: Which e-car is Sexier?
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 09.12.07
American Chevy Volt
European Opel Flextreme
When the Chevy Volt came out my first reaction was- why does it look like one of those Chrysler pimpmobiles with the mile long hood and tiny windows? Does it make any sense in an electric car to make it look like it has a V-12 under the hood? Then the European version came out, restyled by Opel, and Christine wondered if designers really are in tune with the moods of their respective markets. So which do you think is sexier? (because of the picture size, survey is below the fold)...
Austin City Limits Plans Greener Music Festival
by Sean Fisher, Cincinnati, Ohio on 09.11.07
When it comes to minimizing the footprint of mega-events, music festivals seem to be ahead of the curve. Obviously Live Earth had programs in place to reduce the impact of the worldwide concerts, but recently internationally-renowned yearly music festivals such as Bonnaroo and Bumbershoot are leading the way, too. That brings us to the next big music festival of the summer: Austin City Limits. This weekend's ACL festival promises to bring the noise and lose the landfill. The festival's first order of business? Banning styrofoam, the scourge of outdoor festivals everywhere....
Number of the Day: 71, Wait, No: 84
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 09.11.07
71 -- the new world record for the same number of surfers on the same wave, set by surfers participating in Earth Wave Global Surf Challenge in Cape Town, a worldwide event to raise awareness about global warming. The Cape Town surfers eclipsed the old record of 44 surfers on September 2, 2007.
84 -- the really new world record for the same number of surfers on the same wave, set by surfers participating in the challenge in Brazil a few hours after Cape Town set the record. Don't feel bad, South Africa -- everyone wins when global warming awareness is the game!
::Earth Wave Global Surf Challenge, seen on ::Current TV ...
FLOR Goes Retro-Mod with Shag and Hopskotch (?) in New Collection
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 09.11.07
FLOR, the fab modular carpet tiles, have matched up with Martha Stewart, gone out to the patio, celebrated 10 years green and even found time to get named to TreeHugger's Best Designers list. Their latest trick: a catalog full of new ideas, including some really creative, colorful designs that push the carpet tiles way beyond blocks of solid color. To wit: Souk Chic, pictured above, a "very modern take on the nearly thousand-year-old practice of knotting together still-vibrant sections of otherwise worn Turkish and Persian rugs to form a new, patchwork of color and pattern (early recycling!)" When it comes to modern-day recycling, remember that FLOR does what they call Return-Recycle service (a little R&R) as part of their environmental initiatives. After the jump: FLOR goes shag (really!) and has some fun with Hopskotch. ::FLOR via ::Apartment Therapy...
TreeHugger Picks: Far-Out Fuels for the Future
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 09.11.07
Inspired by today's earlier post about deriving fuel from salt water, here are some of our picks for other far-out fuels for the future.
...
 | 1) If you're still wondering about the relative benefits of ethanol, biodiesel, straight veggie oil and other alternative fuels, take a ride on the alternative fuel bus and get up to speed in a hurry with Freedom Fuels, a downloadable vid that'll help you catch up. |
 | 2) From the "Is there anything poo can't do?" file: a team of scientists from Virginia Tech's College of Agriculture and Life Sciences is working with a coalition of poultry growers to test a transportable unit that would convert poultry litter -- a mixture of manure, feathers, bedding and spilled feed -- into bio-oil (or pyrodiesel), producing gas and fertilizer. |
 | 3) Switchgrass got some good press awhile back, but its days at the top of the ethanol-future heap might be numbered, thanks to polycultures of multiple grass, prairie and wildflower species. We thought it might have been a case of bait and switchgrass, anyway...another food fight, and wood pellets, after the jump. |
UnTreeHugger: New Pur Water Filters
by Jasmin Malik Chua, Jersey City, USA on 09.11.07
With our constant urging to stop buying bottled water and to drink from the faucet, instead, we're loathe to knock a water-filter product. In fact, Pur's faucet mount has served this writer's family well for almost five years. When its outer shell cracked one day, we figured we didn't have much of a choice other than to head over to the store to buy a replacement. That or construct an elaborate system of filters using cheese cloths and a stack of precariously balanced colanders.
Imagine our dismay, however, when we discovered Pur had replaced our model with a new line—one equipped with battery-powered indicators that flashed when it was time to change the inner filter. (The old version had a non-electronic window with a twee little color bar that moved as the filter ran its course.)...
Colbert does Bjorn Lomborg
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 09.11.07
Sustainable Biodiesel Alliance Benefit A Success!
by Jessica Root - Brooklyn, NY on 09.11.07
As Sami mentioned here, our friends Woody Harrelson and Daryl Hannah hosted a benefit at the Hard Rock Café last night in support of the Sustainable Biodiesel Alliance. My 100 percent-recycled media pass (printed with water-based inks) offered exclusive access to The Green Carpet. Here’s the scoop:...
Roast Coffee with a Popcorn Popper
by Jasmin Malik Chua, Jersey City, USA on 09.11.07
Photo credit: coffeegeek
If you're gung ho enough about your morning cuppa, you can roast your own coffee beans for an even fresher, more flavorful brew. And if you already own your own air popcorn popper, you don't even need to pony up for a brand new home roaster. About.com has a great tutorial, even if it's sans photos.
Caveat: Not all air poppers are suitable. Make sure that the hot air enters the chamber of your popper via side vents, not a grate in the bottom, otherwise chaff can accumulate on the bottom and catch on fire. Call it a hunch, but we're guessing that's not the kind of wakeup jolt you're looking for. ::About.com
Difficulty level: Easy...
YoNaturals Vending Machines
by Jasmin Malik Chua, Jersey City, USA on 09.11.07
Face it, we've all been there: Standing in front of a vending machine with a fistful of quarters and a growling belly, gazing intently at the racks of nibble-size snack packages, while hemming and hawing over the pros and cons of choosing a packet of 100-calorie Oreos over a bag of Wheat Thins.
Healthful choices in these junk-food machines are generally few and far between, but YoNaturals wants to turn that concept on its head. ...
Sneak Peek: Eco-design at 100% Design
by Leonora Oppenheim, London, UK on 09.11.07
Yes it's that time of year again when London is alive with the sound of design junkies' feet stomping around the city in search of the latest and greatest in fashion, furniture, interiors and products. 100% design is the most polished and commercial show of the London Design Festival, but that doesn't mean there aren't any eco-gems to be found.
Look out for Australian designer Kent Gration's bamboo furniture in 100% futures; Derek Welsh's batch produced wood designs from Glasgow. At 100% Materials you can see the Good Life Stool made from cornstarch and hessian designed by Cemal Okten, Martin Price and Charlotte Moneypenny; 100% Detail's Low Carbon Building programme will focus on the future of the built environment; Sofar/Sonear will be back with their fair trade fabrics and rugs; SIT UP and take note – [re]design bring together a diverse and inspiring collection of sustainable seats.
Greenpeace will show their film The Convenient Solution about a decentralised energy system; and for those who need a break our favourite London eco-restaurant Acorn House will be there to refresh your taste buds. :: 100% Design, 20-23rd September, Earls Court, London. :: Wambamboo :: Derek Welsh...
The Melting Iceberg: A Constant Reminder of Global Warming
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 09.11.07
We all know what's going to happen as sea levels rise, but now, thanks to this project by New Zealand-based Hyperthesis Visual Lab, you can watch a visual representation of how it'll happen, right from the comfort of your own home. "The Melting Iceberg" is a diligent, not-so-subtle reminder that our globe is persistently warming, and, thanks to candle "technology," you can be reminded every time you want a little mood lighting.
Aside from aesthetic appeal, Hyperthesis' main goal is to send an ecological message: "This candle creates a strong conscious about our actions of warming the planet with the consumption of coal, oil and natural gases. This consumption has become main cause of greenhouse gas increases in the atmosphere and produce heat waves for our planet, melting the icebergs and shrinking our landmasses. Our intention is to save nature and not to lose it forever." Hit the jump to see the melting iceberg in action. ::Hyperthesis Visual Lab via ::Core77...
How to Conserve Water
by Jasmin Malik Chua, Jersey City, USA on 09.11.07
Photo credit: metali
Although nearly three-quarters of our planet is covered in water, only 1 to 2 percent can support terrestrial life. Growing human demand, the proliferation of urban sprawl, and wasteful agribusiness consumption are draining our reservoirs and straining water treatment, distribution, and disposal systems. As water is hijacked from rivers and streams, the amount of sand that accumulates on beaches also diminishes, threatening the health of vital coastal wetlands and wildlife.
Droughts, flooding, and other extreme weather events exacerbated by climate change are also making fresh water an increasingly scarce commodity. In fact, the struggle over the world's depleting water resources, much like with oil today, is a crisis that will likely come to a head some time this century....
How to Dumpster Dive
by Jasmin Malik Chua, Jersey City, USA on 09.11.07
Photo credit: prh
Who knew dumpster diving was so involved—that there was an actual art AND science to it? (Just like you need both Siegfried AND Roy.) DIY Happy has a list of freegan and dumpsternaut resources, so we thought we'd include some of our past tips for getting your mitts on the finest in curbside shopping.
So whether you're foraging, scavenging, gathering fallen fruit, starting up your own free-market kitchen, or just picking up whatever free stuff that no one else wants, glean on, friends. Glean on. ::DIY Happy
Difficulty level: Easy...
Green Party Leader Bicycles Between Cities
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 09.11.07
I promised that I would not bore the rest of the world with too much on the Ontario election, but who could pass this up. Frank de Jong is off with his bike to the end of the subway line, then he has a sixty mile ride to Guelph, Ontario where he will spend the day with the local candidate, an organic farmer who also refines vegetable oil into biofuel. According to the Star:
Before de Jong sped off in downtown Toronto, he dismounted from his vehicle, equipped with three reusable bottles of water, a tire repair kit and a lunch of cream cheese and blueberries, both produced locally. He responded to comments that he's taking eco-responsibility to an extreme, frightening degree.
"It's not scary. It's normal, It will be normal, once we start being serious about climate change. And Green party people are serious about climate change. We're not just hot air."The TV networks won't let him in the debates. The newspapers mostly ignore him and don't even publish his picture with the article. But he is saying all the right things; more people should listen. ::The Star...
"Fuel" from Salt Water?
by Jeremy Elton Jacquot, Los Angeles on 09.11.07
Yes, we know it sounds hard to believe, but a man in Erie, Pennsylvania, has apparently managed to set fire to a vial of salt water with a self-built radio frequency generator. When John Kanzius tried to desalinate seawater with a device he had created to (supposedly) treat cancer, he found he could keep the water burning like a candle as long as it was exposed to the proper frequencies.
Not surprisingly, many in the scientific community initially dismissed Kanzius' claim as a hoax. However, when Rustum Roy - a professor of chemistry at Penn State University - took him up on the challenge and attempted to recreate the experiment, he was amazed to see that it actually worked. And, no, there were no tricks to it either (or electrodes, as many thought). ...
This Month in Explore: Nice Work if You Can Get It
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 09.11.07
I often wonder why I bother posting about Al Zikovitz's magazines; I love Explore and Cottage Life but he doesn't put anything online. It is a shame, because there is all kinds of content that would appeal to people who won't be able to find them on the newstands. In the current issue, they suggest that "the sweetest jobs are the ones that take you away from the jammed copiers and scummy grey carpeting and into the outdoors" and look at thirty of them, from outdoor filmmaker to forest firefighter to mountain guide to paleontologist and bush pilot. We are green with envy. All printed on ancient forest friendly FSC certified paper. Nothing online at ::Explore...
Happy Trails: Libya's Bold, New Eco-Tourism Plan
by Jasmin Malik Chua, Jersey City, USA on 09.11.07
A group of consultants and wealthy Libyans are planning to create a carbon-neutral green development zone in Cyrene, a 550,000-hectare site of desert and forest (the size of Wales) centered on ancient Greek ruins, a UNESCO world-heritage site.
Not only will it cater to tourism and serve as a model for environmentally friendly design, reports the International Herald Tribune, but it will also show the world that "Libya has turned a corner—that they can fit into the modern world," says George Joffe, an expert on Libya at Cambridge University. ::International Herald Tribune and ::LibyaOnline.com...
Sneak Peek: Sixixis New Range at Tent London
by Leonora Oppenheim, London, UK on 09.11.07
The wood bending boys from Cornwall are back at the London Design Festival this year with a new range of beautifully curvaceous furniture. At last year's show we were wowed by Sixixis's Chaise Longue and the Rolling House. This year we have high hopes for some more amazing wood bending feats. Our 'sneak peek' is The Giant Chair (pictured), made from huge lengths of steam bent Oak. Sixixis source all their wood locally from sustainably managed Cornish woodland. We've been told to look out for other pieces on show, "including asymmetric lattice structures, out of this world Chandeliers, twisted screen printed stools and a beautiful curvaceous rocking chair." There will also be a special collaboration with the illustrator, Alexander Turvey of Elefantart, of thirty limited edition screen printed stools. Sixixis will be showing at Tent London in the Truman Brewery 20-23rd September. :: Sixixis...
BuyGreen: Men's Jeans
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 09.11.07
TreeHugger knows that we can't buy our way to global sustainability. While there are lots of things you can do to help save the planet that don't involve rushing out to grab the latest green products, we all still need to buy things. Sure, reusing, recycling and repurposing are all better eco-options than buying brand-new, but there comes a moment when your favorite shoes are finally worn beyond repair, or you need to upgrade your living room furniture, and we want to help. What you'll find here is a carefully-selected, curated list of five of the best eco-options available to you that combine TreeHugger's sleek, modern, non-hippie aesthetic with low-impact, earth-friendly designs and materials. They offer a quick, easy, hip way to shift your life in a greener direction today. Dig in!
Ah, blue jeans: the backbone to many a dude's casual wardrobe. While we all may use them for something slightly different -- for work, at play, lounging at home or out for a night on the town -- a good pair wears like iron and looks as good after 100 washes as it did right off the rack. Remember, many of these are made with organic cotton and earth-friendly dyes, so they may require a bit more special care than just chucking them in the wash with your socks and undies; many also have several washes and a variety of takes on the color "blue", so look around if you like the style but not the color. Whatever you wear them for, you can find a pair that fits your style and budget in the list below...read on....
Electronic Smog: Yet Another Reason to Spend More Time Outdoors
by Jeremy Elton Jacquot, Los Angeles on 09.11.07
Your parents always told you that staying indoors with your face glued to the TV set would do little to improve your health. Well, it looks like they finally have some evidence to back up their claims: a new study conducted by scientists at the Imperial College London has demonstrated that electrical fields from various electronic devices - including computers and televisions - can cause asthma, influenza and several other respiratory diseases. This so-called "electro-smog" has long been denounced by campaigners worried about the rapid proliferation of cell phones, Wi-Fi systems and other gizmos in our increasingly connected society.
The team of researchers found that electrical fields given off by the devices could charge millions of tiny particles in the air, including bacteria, allergens and pollutants. The charge made it easier for them to adhere to the tissue of the lung and respiratory tract, prompting infections and a host of debilitating diseases. Gadgets emitting high electrical fields were the greatest source of concern: the most charged particles would typically hit tissues with the highest speed, causing them to become deformed and to stick more stubbornly. ...
This Month In Dwell: Good Design Makes Good Neighbors
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 09.11.07
The theme of the issue is the New American Home, and the three shown all have similar attributes: they are not crazy over-the-top monsters but reasonably sized, carefully crafted and modest. In Minneapolis, home of the Dean residence, people have lawn signs saying "Monster Houses Make Bad Neighbors," so Architect Christian Dean added on to a 2 storey, 1000 SF existing house.“We wanted to follow the pattern of the neighborhood." Online at ::Dwell.
There is also a wonderful profile of 96 year old Julius Shulman, who took most of the memorable photographs of the iconic case study houses; those photographs are perhaps as iconic as the houses. One of the classics below the fold. ...
Even Hiding in Deep-Sea Vents Won't Save You from Climate Change
by Jeremy Elton Jacquot, Los Angeles on 09.11.07
While it may seem hard to grasp, scientists now believe that even deep-sea hydrothermal vent communities - once thought to be completely isolated from all other ecosystems - will not be able to escape the effects of global climate change. Jon Copley, a marine biologist at the University of Southampton, and a team of researchers found that certain inhabitants of the vents - in particular, shrimp - depend on food that sinks down from the sunlit surface waters. Because global warming is likely to significantly decrease the surface waters' net productivity, he expects it will only be a matter of time before the denizens of the deep feel the effects.
Using a remotely operated vehicle (ROV), Copley and his team tracked the reproductive cycles of shrimps living in a cold seep in the Gulf of Mexico. "The females spawn their eggs in autumn, brood them on the back legs during winter and they hatch out their young in early spring," said Copley. Although adult shrimp have year-round access to the vents' bountiful food source, shrimp larvae - which leave the vents and migrate to neighboring ones to complete their metamorphosis - rely on food falling from the surface waters. ...
Build a Greener Roof
by Jasmin Malik Chua, Jersey City, USA on 09.11.07
Photo credit: bobbyprom
From the musty archives of Ask Metafilter (circa 2006), we dredged up one reader's request for eco-friendly alternatives to the traditional shingled roof on his dad's 1940s Cape Cod-style home. Responses range from installing pholtovoltaic cells to laying stone-coated metal roofing. Rubber slate tiles and recycled shingles were also tossed into the ring as suggestions.
At TreeHugger, of course, we love us some green roofs, often quite literally. (You can even buy plug-and-play plants if you want instant gratification for your DIY project.) Or even white roofs that can bounce off sunlight the way our disappearing polar ice caps do.
If you're worried about neighbors and zoning boards blanching at the sight of admittedly less-quaint-looking photovoltaic arrays, solar-powered shingles or integrated solar tiles line up like their slate and concrete relations. Any other green-roofing tips, suggestions, or stories? Weigh in below. Ask ::Metafilter
Difficulty level: Advanced...
Knock Off Your Own Homage to the Sun Jar
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 09.11.07
I loved the design of Tobias Wong's Sun Jar; such a simple idea. As I said previously, "There are a thousand dumb and ugly things that do this; what a difference the designer's touch makes." Being a strong proponent of the right of designers to make a living, I am loath to ever suggest people knock it off. Nonetheless, it is hard to find in North America and having tried to use one all summer, the workmanship of the electronics is less than impressive. So let's call it homage instead.
Apartment Therapy reminds us of a DIY version using an IKEA mason jar, although I am certain that old recycled mason jars can be found at garage sales. Cre8or at Instructibles dismantles an ugly, solar powered garden light and puts it in the mason jar and voila: a sun jar. That works properly. I think even I could do this one. ::Instructables...
Quote of the Day: Bill McKibben on McMansions
by Jasmin Malik Chua, Jersey City, USA on 09.11.07
The average size of new U.S. homes has more than doubled over the past couple of generations, even as the number of people residing in them has shrunk by nearly a full person. The last glory days of the now-fading construction boom were the most insane of all: Outer rings of crenelated and turreted fortresses were sprouting near virtually every U.S. city, each dwelling looking as if it had been designed for an entry-level monarch."
The really rich, meanwhile, amused themselves by building above every ski hill and beach ranks of second homes that looked like nothing so much as modernist junior high schools. The environmental costs are myriad, of course—more materials used in construction (making cement for foundations alone is a prime contributor to global warming) and more energy used to heat and power all the resulting square footage. You can turn the thermostat and power a degree or two, but if the furnace is warming a 4,500 square feet, it's a token gesture."
—Bill McKibben in Sierra (July/August 2007)
See also: ::Big Houses Are Not Green: America's McMansion Problem, ::Wretched Excess Dept: A 50000 SF House and ::Wretched Excess Dept: Aspen Vacation Homes...
Timtimxtimtim- Step by Step Recycled & Educational Design
by Petz Scholtus, Barcelona, Spain on 09.11.07
Timtimxtimtim (pronounced ‘tim tim por tim tim’) is a Portuguese expression which translates into something like ‘step by step’, just like their peculiar web site. These designers are all about recycling with a twist and a very social side to things. Making sure their raw materials are recycled and recyclable, these guys are giving objects a second chance by extending their lifecycles. Designing and producing, Timtimxtimtim are both hands on and conceptual. ...
The Luxury Water Taste Test
by Jasmin Malik Chua, Jersey City, USA on 09.11.07
21 Things You Didn't Know You Could Recycle
by Jasmin Malik Chua, Jersey City, USA on 09.11.07
Photo credit: dotpolka
There's more to recycling than paper, glass, plastics, and aluminum. Did you know, for instance, that you could send off your used Tyvek envelopes for recycling? Or that you could swap your dusty exercise videos for some you'll actually work out to?
Co-op America has a list of 21 recyclables (or at least reusables) you may not have known about. Know of something that hasn't been listed? Tell us in the comments. ::Co-op America
Difficulty level: Easy...
Citigroup On Green Trajectory
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 09.11.07
Last May we covered Citigroup’s plan to invest in green technology and energy savings. This was amidst a chorus of criticism for investing in coal fired electrical plants.
The good news is that Citigroup’s plan for greening up “…its vast real-estate portfolio, which totals 92 million square feet world-wide,” is underway. To achieve that, the company has inventoried energy use, adopted power-saving measures such as turning off escalators in lobbies, and is redesigning its bank branches to include more natural lighting and recycled materials. And of course besides being more “green” for customer appeal sake, there is the money saving, carbon emissions reducing practical benefit....
Global Change Consequences in South America E-Book Release
by Paula Alvarado, Buenos Aires on 09.11.07
A vast publication on the effects of global climate changes in South America was recently released in its digital edition, free of charge and downloadable in PDF format.
The book is called ‘A Contribution to Understanding the Regional Impacts of Global Change in South America’, and gathers the studies of several specialists that were presented in the II Regional Conference on Global Change: South America.
It is divided in two areas: Modeling and Regional Climatic Change in Terrestrial and Aquatic Ecosystems, and Social Impacts on Regional Climatic Changes. The first includes information about the global climate change impact on the glaciers and permafrost of Southern Argentina and Antarctica, in Terrestrial Ecosystems like Amazon, in Chile, climatic change and the agricultural sector, and global change and plant diseases, among many others.
...
Urban Renewal, the Philly Orchard Project Way
by Warren McLaren, Sydney on 09.11.07
Philadelphia has 40,000 vacant lots and 700 empty factories. A legacy of globalisation as jobs went instead to lower paid workers in Asia and Latin America. The Philly Orchard Project sees these space not as an eyesore but as massive opportunity. Their modest plan (ahem) is to “the first American metropolis to grow most of its own food.”
Not with the more common community gardens model, but with orchards of fruit and nut trees. They gone with trees because they indicate a longer term vision, that these gardens are here to stay. They also “provide cleaner air, better nutrition and better exercise, which means less public cost for healing sickness. Their shade reduces costs to heat and cool homes.” In getting neighbors outdoors working together neighborhoods are expected to also become safer. Kids gain valuable farm skills in turn building career confidence and pride, with the hope this will also reduce crime, jail building and incarceration.
Paul Glover, founder of the project acknowledges that similar ventures exist in cities like Detroit, Los Angeles, Austin and Vancouver, while noting that Philadelphia's 20-percent poverty rate, along with rising energy and shipping costs, have given his city a poor a "food-security" crisis. Yet, with hundreds of volunteers now signed up for orchard plantings, optimism is running high. ::Philly Orchard Project, via Daily Pennsylvanian....
B&Q and Ecotricity Working to Erect 2MW Turbine at Distribution Plant
by Sami Grover, Carrboro, NC, USA on 09.11.07
If you want green energy, it seems you have to Do It Yourself. B&Q, the UK’s equivalent to Home Depot, has already made some big strides towards sustainability. They were at the forefront of putting micro-wind turbines and solar panels into a mainstream retail environment, and they were also one of the first companies to work with the Bioregional Development Group on their localized charcoal initiative. Now the company is looking to make a slightly grander gesture, at least in terms of physical scale, and are working with TreeHugger favorites Ecotricity to erect a 2MW wind turbine at their distribution depot in Nottinghamshire. In keeping with Ecotricity’s previous efforts to develop wind energy in already industrialized areas, it seems this project has won sizeable support from the surrounding community:
...
San Francisco’s Waldorf High School Avoids Landfill, Finds Rebirth as Green High School of Future
by Kenny Luna, North Babylon, NY on 09.11.07
Designed with the idea of fostering an atmosphere where independent thought and personal social responsibility are the norm rather than the exception, the Waldorf School’s newest addition to their thousand strong campuses around the world is an interesting take on the future of high schools everywhere. Essentially, they’ve taken the initiative to completely redesign their high school building in San Francisco, and they’re unveiling the new digs just around the corner on Sept. 17th. ...
Max: Cast Iron Tub Turned Sofa from Reestore
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 09.11.07
A contemporary update of the sofa briefly featured in "Breakfast at Tiffany’s" -- and strikingly similar to the Savon Sofa we featured earlier this year -- "Max" is a cute sofa created from a vintage cast iron tub; dig the cast iron feet! This one is from Reestore, a design outfit we spotted a while back, that has their way with old, used stuff, giving sometimes quite normal (like a bathtub), sometimes more odd (like a washing machine tub) objects a second life as interior furnishings and such. We like the way these objects showcase that recycling can be more than just filling up the blue bin once a week; check out "John," a barstool, and "Silvana," a light that got a mention on TreeHugger before, below the fold. ::Reestore via ::Notcot.org...
Forest Rising: Marjetica Potrc
by Bonnie Alter, London on 09.11.07
This art exhibition is a mixture of anthropology and art, with some heavy philosophizing about architecture and the environment. The Slovenian artist Marjetica Potrc spent two months travelling in western Brazil, where the rainforest is in danger of being destroyed by cattle ranchers and others who want to cut down the trees. But it is not completely a sad story. The Brazilian government has allotted land to local inhabitants for sustainable use. She learned about the small rural communities and how they are managing their own areas of the rainforest and protecting it. The natives are self-sufficient and use solar power to run computers t.v.'s and satellite dishes in order to keep in touch with the rest of the world. They build primary schools to educate their children locally and maintain viable communities.
Her work reflects this visit and replicates a part of Xapuri, a small town in Acre. The three dozen fragrant tree trunks are topped by a platform with a model school that has solar panels and a satellite dish. On the wall there are drawings telling the story and depicting projects and ideas such as: " It's not about architecture--it's about food and water". A satellite is suspended from the gallery ceiling. There is also a video featuring a long conversation with the artist. Forest Rising shows how rural living can offer a positive model for the future; a community that is both self-supporting and globally connected. :: Barbican...
Rust Belt Jewelry Utilizes History Not Mining
by Kara DiCamillo, Newport, Rhode Island on 09.11.07
Here are on TreeHugger, mining for gold has been a topic of discussion and we once reported that eight of the world’s top jewelry retailers pledged to stay away from “dirty gold.” After reading about Rust Belt jewelry, we went on their website and learned about some scary facts:
- Gold mining accounts for 10% of the world’s energy consumption.
- To produce enough gold for 1 ring, about 18 tons of waste ore are created.
- Every year, mines in the U.S. generate an amount of solid waste equivalent in weight to nearly 9 times the trash produced by all U.S. cities & towns combined.
- Smelting, a form of extractive metallurgy, adds about 142 million tons of sulfur dioxide to the atmosphere every year.
- To extract gold or silver from the ore, the ore is crushed, piled into huge heaps, and sprayed with cyanide. As it leaches through the mine waste, acid liberates various metals from the rock, including arsenic, cadmium, mercury, and lead.
So why is it that Rust Belt jewelry has these facts on their site? ...
Berkeley's Foodies Go to the Movies: SAFE Food and Farming Film Festival
by Sami Grover, Carrboro, NC, USA on 09.11.07
TreeHugger loves inspiring film footage about sustainable food and farming. We’ve previously brought you a mini-movie about permaculture in the Middle East, and TreeHugger TV has aired episodes on How to Buy Green Produce, How to Find Green Fish, and even Edible Estates. However, while watching these videos in the comfort of your home may be one thing, there is something wonderful about getting together to watch on the big screen, and interacting with real live people afterwards. We were pleased then, to hear about the Food and Farming Film Festival being run in Berkeley, California by SAFE (Society for Agriculture and Food Ecology). By the looks of things, a full and varied program is on offer over the next few months, so go along and check it out if you’re in the neighborhood. Just remember to bring the local, organic popcorn. Screenings include:
...
Test Proves that Nutrition Sells
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 09.11.07
Well whoda thunk it- when you give people information they make better choices. Hannaford, a Belgian owned grocery store in Maine, developed the "guiding stars" rating system, a scale from zero to three stars based on nutritional value. A simple and straightforward system using guidelines from an advisory board that found many so-called healthy products got no stars because of too much sugar. They used data from a product’s nutrition facts panel and the ingredients list, and credited a food for having vitamins and minerals, fiber and whole grains. The system took points away for trans fats, saturated fats, cholesterol, added sugars and added sodium.
Sales of products like lean beef with stars increased by as much as 7%, while whole milk, with no stars, declined by 4%. ...
EcoTan Leather from GreenShoes
by Warren McLaren, Sydney on 09.11.07
The other day we were, if you pardon the pun, ruminating on whether chromium tanned leather might be considered ‘eco.’ One company who thinks there is room for alternatives is Green Shoes, whom we’ve mentioned previously. But this year they’ve embarked on a campaign to offer more of their product line of handmade shoes, boots, sandals and accessories from what they term EcoTan. For which they make some rather robust claims; “Incredibly soft yet durable, this fine leather is tanned using pure plant agents and oils, to the highest environmental standards for leather production anywhere in the world.” Available dyed in toxin free colours, or left ‘au naturale’, it comes in four shades tagged, Bark, Berry, Oak and Natural Ebony. But economies of scale aren’t quite there yet, so choosing EcoTan can add between £10 to £30 per product (~$20 to $60 USD). Elsewhere on their website Green Shoes refer to the process as “an organically tanned leather”, but we are unsure if they mean certified or simply ‘from plants.’ ::Green Shoes.
...
Warren Buffett's New Train Set
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 09.11.07
Green blogs give a lot of pixels to Vinod Khosla and his investments in solar and ethanol, but the man to watch in America is Warren Buffett. He famously sat out the last internet boom because he "didn't understand it" - he invests in businesses that he can see and touch and hangs in for the long term. Right now he is investing in railways. "He sees something in the rail industry that, over the next decade or longer, will make this an attractive investment," said an analyst. It might be that rail has a three to one fuel efficiency advantage over trucking and there is a shortage of truck drivers, or that railways are running leaner and more efficiently than ever before. It might just be a coal play, since most of it runs on rails. It certainly bodes well for the future of rails, the best hope for getting trucks off the road. ::National Post...
Wegmans Starting Its Own Organic Farm
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 09.11.07
Straight from the roots of a family grocery that became the 70+ store company known as Wegmans comes...a prototype in vertically-integrated, organic produce growth and distribution. Could this be the next trend for green grocers? Hope so.
Pay attention now Wal-Mart. The axis of the Earth doesn't protrude through the main street of Bentonville. If you're looking for a second precedent, Thomas Jefferson had this figured out a long time ago.
"Cultivators of the earth are the most valuable citizens. They are the most vigorous, the most independent, the most virtuous, and they are tied to their country and wedded to its liberty and interests by the most lasting bonds. As long, therefore, as they can find employment in this line, I would not convert them into mariners, artisans, or anything else." --Thomas Jefferson to John Jay, 1785. ME 5:94, Papers 8:426 "Those who labor in the earth are the chosen people of God, if ever He had a chosen people, whose breasts He has made his peculiar deposit for substantial and genuine virtue. It is the focus in which he keeps alive that sacred fire which otherwise might escape from the face of the earth. Corruption of morals in the mass of cultivators is a phenomenon of which no age nor nation has furnished an example." --Thomas Jefferson: Notes on Virginia Q.XIX, 1782. ME 2:229...
Green Scene 2007: San Diego
by Kristin Underwood, Sacramento, CA on 09.10.07
Saturday night the Fashion elite of San Diego and the fashion curious were out in full force for the annual Green Scene 2007. The event was hosted by Zagrodnik + Thomas Architects in the ZTA Gallery and featured a mixture of green art, architecture and fashion.
The ZTA Gallery opened at 6pm where attendees could peruse the collection of green art, architecture, design and fashion items from local artists and businesses. This preview hour was a nice time to taken in the art, and more importantly the community. There were just as many kids as adults at this event, oohing and aahing over the recycled materials in the art. The event was a great venue for encouraging thought about different uses for common everyday items.
...
Fall Fashion 07: Loyale Introduces Vegan Faux Fur Jacket
by Jasmin Malik Chua, Jersey City, USA on 09.10.07
This fall, Loyale introduces the first-ever organic, vegan faux-fur jacket, perfect for bundling yourself in as the mercury level dips and the leaves conspire to ripen into hues of red and gold. Both the soft, downy faux fur and the coat's lining are made out of 100 percent organic cotton, grown domestically in Texas. (Faux fur is traditionally made out of acrylic and polyester fibers, the manufacture of which is invariably polluting.)
Available in stores for a limited time from September to February, the $425 Costilla Jacket was born out of the New York City-based company's ethos of chic, eco-conscious style.
"Many people purchase traditional faux fur in order to protect animals; however they are not aware of the environmental consequences," says Jenny Hwa, Loyale's founder and designer, in a press release. "This jacket is a unique piece that is consistent with a timeless fashion trend while also taking into consideration the environment and all its various inhabitants." ::Loyale...
Not a Box Lighting: More Cardboard Design from David Graas
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 09.10.07
Designer David Graas (remember his awesome furniture?) has applied his cardboard-centric no-waste design philosophy to lighting with the fun "Not a Box" series. Again, using the packaging as the product, the pendant lamp "comes as a box with all parts inside (bulb, plug, cable etc. + manual). You cut top and bottom yourself and then install. The cut out of the lamp shape functions as a graphical image of the lamp that could be inside the box, but is not." Quite similar to the previous "Not a Lamp" design (pic below the fold), we love the cheeky, minimalist design; toss in the super-efficient design and recyclability, and you can't go wrong. Just don't forget to pop a compact fluorescent bulb in there. ::David Graas via ::MoCo Loco...
Senator Bond Slams Global Warming Bill
by Jasmin Malik Chua, Jersey City, USA on 09.10.07
This is an oldie but goodie: Global warming could shrink the global economy by 20 percent, according to a 2006 report by economist Sir Nicholas Stern. But taking action now, he says, would cost just 1 percent of the global gross domestic product.
We thought we'd dust off The Stern Review in response to Sen. Kit Bond's (R-Mo.) criticism of Congress's latest global-warming-legislation proposal, that imposing limits of greenhouse-gas emissions would threaten the nation's economic growth....
Body Shop Founder Anita Roddick Dead at 64
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 09.10.07
For years there were not too many products that included the words "against animal testing" on their labels. Since she founded the Body Shop, it has promoted healthy, green products and good green design. John Sauven, executive director of Greenpeace said:
"She was an amazing inspiration to those around her, not just in environmental and human rights issues, which were two of her passions.She was so ahead of her time when it came to issues of how business could be done in different ways, not just profit motivated but taking into account environmental issues.When you look at it today, and how every company claims to be green, she was living this decades ago. She was a true pioneer."::Guardian...
World's First Sustainable Tuna Fishery Certified
by Jasmin Malik Chua, Jersey City, USA on 09.10.07
Photo credit: parkerman
The San Diego, Calif.-based American Albacore Fishing Association (AAFA) is the first sustainable tuna fishery to be officially certified by the Marine Stewardship Council, an independent non-profit organization that promotes environmental responsibility in an industry plagued by overfishing and accidental bycatch.
Sushi and sashimi lovers take note: Overfishing has caused a dramatic decline in the bluefish tuna population, with the species at risk for extinction in some areas, according to a series of studies by the Census of Marine Life and other researchers.
The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) sponsored the assessment of the fishery. “If we want our grandchildren to have tuna on their dinner plates and in the sea, sustainable tuna fishing practices must be adopted,” said Meredith Lopuch, Community Fisheries Program Director with WWF in the United States. Customers will be able to buy MSC-certified tuna in stores nationwide later this year. ::Mongabay
See also: ::Wal-Mart to Sell "Sustainable Shrimp" and ::The 10 Solutions to Save the Oceans...
Disney to Test Toys for Toxins
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 09.10.07
It used to be, companies like Disney would license their characters to toy companies and just count the royalty cheques. Not any more; their image is at stake. According to the New York Times, Disney will begin its own testing of toys featuring Disney characters like Sarge, including random testing of products already on store shelves.“It sends the message that we are looking over their shoulders,” said Andy Mooney, the chairman of Disney’s consumer products division. Disney and other marketers are clearly becoming concerned that their brands will be harmed in the long run if they do not intervene. As we said earlier, Don't blame China for the "colossal failure that let 19 million pieces of unsafe toys slip into the marketplace." ::New York Times...
Castro Wades Into Climate Change Debate
by Eliza Barclay, Washington, D.C. on 09.10.07
Though he has not been seen in public for over a year, Cuban leader Fidel Castro continues to excoriate President George W. Bush and U.S. policies from his sickbed via essays published in the Cuban press. In recent months, Castro's anti-U.S. tirades have swerved in a surprising direction: addressing environmental issues, and in particular, climate change. Most recently, Castro chastised Bush for asking Asia-Pacific leaders to sign a new framework on climate change that could compete with other international efforts.
Castro wrote that the U.S. and Australia, the host of last week's annual Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum, never signed the Kyoto Protocol on energy security and climate change and their new proposal could hurt efforts to develop a follow-up plan to the U.N.-backed agreement.
Castro has also been vocal on the risks biofuels pose to developing countries. In March, he and Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez criticized an agreement between the U.S. and Brazil to collaborate on research and development of ethanol, including wood-based production technologies. Castro noted that biofuels could divert land use from food production....
Big Houses Are Not Green: America's McMansion Problem
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 09.10.07
Stan Cox of Alternet writes on a subject near to our heart: McMansions. "The recent mansion boom produced millions of energy-wasting homes with thousands of square feet that Americans don't need -- not the behavior of a society that's thinking about a sustainable future.
He notes that efforts to control maximum size of housing is considered a property-rights intrusion, but that "Many neighborhood homeowner associations across the country mandate a minimum size -- often 2,500 to 3,000 square feet – for new houses. Under their rules, property rights are sacrificed for the sake of perceived property values."
He also picks up a point make by Ted Kesik: Houses last a long time. "The long-term impact of titanic houses parallels that of gas-gulping SUVs and pickup trucks. Sales of the big vehicles may be ebbing, but the buying binge of the past decade means they’ll still be out there by the millions, belching pollutants, for years to come. In the same way, even if the mania for big houses fades, Americans will be stuck with heating, cooling and powering the millions of them already littering the landscape – not for years like SUVs, but for decades." ::Alternet...
When In Brazil, Under The Wires Put Your Still
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 09.10.07
Clause reversal happens with translation to English. And elsewhere. You'd think we TreeHuggers would like to stay as far away was we can from EMF. But, Brazilian researchers have determined that a dose of low frequency electromagnetic radiation will can boost ethanol production up to 17%. Hence the notion to locate the fermenter under the high tension wire rack. A pretty good land use compatibility too. So, as we've said once before "Let The Power Be With Us."
"In a new study, Victor Perez and colleagues showed that yeast-based fermentation of sugar cane -- the main source of bioethanol in Brazil -- in the presence of extremely low frequency magnetic waves boosted ethanol production by 17 percent. The scientists also showed that ethanol production was faster, taking two hours less than standard fermentation methods.Article: "Bioreactor Coupled with Electromagnetic Field Generator: Effects of Extremely Low Frequency Electromagnetic Fields on Ethanol, Production by Saccharomyces cerevisiae" ACS' Biotechnology Progress, October 5, 2007. Via::Science Daily Image credit:: yeast cells, BiodMed. Full abstract beneath the fold....
TH Forums Highlights: Water Heaters, Using Compost + More
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 09.10.07
Nothing cures a case of the Mondays like a quick trip through TreeHugger Forums...
Round-ups of the best conversations in TreeHugger Forums appear several times a week here at TreeHugger; register for free and login to become part of the conversation for a greener future today....
 | 1) "Is it a good idea to put my water heater outside?" wonders Forums user Maurices5000, who wants to move it from the kitchen to...somewhere that makes more sense, space- and efficiency-wise. Outside is at the top of the list, but that might not be so good for the long-term health of the appliance, say some fellow Forums users. If space is a big problem, we're thinking it might be time to go tankless... |
 | 2) User Wai is new to composting and is wondering how to best use the nutrient-rich soil additive. Will it grow plants straight-up, or should it be mixed with potting soil or regular dirt? Some questions and thoughts that come up: does the vessel -- pots vs. garden plot and indoor vs. outdoor -- make a difference, and what plants would be best to grow? Master composters, let's hear from you! |
 | 3) Lastly, Forums user krazycp comments on the sad state of plastic bag usage in this world: "It just amazes me how wasteful some people are. In my opinion, plastic milk jugs don't need bagged and everything she had would have fit in a brown paper sack or maybe one plastic bag." Thankfully, reusable canvas sacks are becoming more and more available (and more in vogue); how prominently displayed are they at your grocery store? |
UNEP Bringing Solar Power Into India’s Rural Mainstream
by Kimberley D. Mok, Montreal, Canada on 09.10.07
For many people living in rural areas in India, clean or renewable energy is something seen as unaffordable and out-of-reach in practical terms – but for the last few years, a project piloted by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is attempting to change that perception by bringing solar power into the rural mainstream in India through micro-financing. The project has already reached approximately 100,000 people in the state of Karnataka – saving money in the long-term and transforming the quality of life for many – even if it is just to provide a few extra hours of uninterrupted lighting at night.
Consistent and affordable access to clean energy sources is a big issue in India, especially in rural areas. Local electricity grids are often unreliable, overstressed and at the mercy of sometimes extreme weather conditions (think monsoons, landslides and the like), leading to prolonged power outages (sometimes on a daily basis) or scheduled power cuts to ease the infrastructural burden (sometimes also daily). In total, only an estimated 45 percent of the Indian population is connected to the power grid – leaving the rest of the population on their own and in the dark, energy-wise....
Melting Ice Cap Triggering Earthquakes, Endangering Wildlife
by Jasmin Malik Chua, Jersey City, USA on 09.10.07
Just when you think it can't possibly get any worse—well, it does. The Greenland ice cap is apparently melting so quickly that it is triggering earthquakes, as pieces of ice several cubic kilometers in size break off.
Already, the Arctic ice cap has shrunk to the lowest level ever recorded, according to a new analysis from Seattle researchers. But scientists monitoring the meltdown say the acceleration could be catastrophic in terms of sea-level rise, making predictions by the Intergovernmental Panel of Climate Change in February far too low....
Converting Your Car To An Electric Vehicle
by Justin Thomas, Virginia on 09.10.07
Photo credit: George Lange/Popular Mechanics
Gasoline-powered cars. They are perhaps the most inefficient device that many of us use daily. We really should all be driving electric vehicles (or none at all see this post). The internal combustion engine is inefficient in term of pollution, gas costs and maintenance costs (this page explains why electric cars are 90% cleaner than gas-powered cars). But, as you may have heard, there are no electric vehicles available today that resemble conventional cars or trucks. Companies like Phoenix Motorcars, Tesla Motors, Commuter Cars and Miles Automotive Group and ZAP are coming close, but you still can't plunk down some cash and buy an electric car from them today. The only type of electric cars that can be purchased are NEVs (Neighbor Electric Vehicles), which usually have a top speed of about 25 MPH. But wait -- there are still a couple ways to acquire a working electric car right now. ...
10 Ways to Ensure Healthy Food
by Jasmin Malik Chua, Jersey City, USA on 09.10.07
Photo credit: piper
Excerpted from 10 Ways to Ensure Healthy Food for You and Your Family by Farm Aid.
1. Know Your Food
Ask questions to learn about how and where your food was produced.
2. Be an Active Food Shopper
Tell your local grocer and restaurants that you wan them to source their food from family farmers—and support those that do!
3. Ensure That Your Food Dollars Support Family Farmers
Buy from family farmers directly and look for family farm-identified food at the grocery store....
Greenwash Watch: Greenwashing Your Countertop: LG Eden
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 09.10.07
First off, anyone who markets green products with lame hippie imagery should be smacked round the head, and is going to get looked at really closely. So what is it? It is a thermosetting acrylic countertop material that is "one of the most environmentally conscious acrylic products in the industry" from a company that advertises "When we go green, we go all the way."
And why is it green? Because "the Eden Collection is created from a minimum of 12% pre-consumer recycled material."- somewhat akin to calling a product vegan when it is made from 88% lard. When you look at their "how to screw LEED points out of this" PDF manual they get a point for this minimal standard of recycled content, and also squeeze out a "Regional Materials" point for being made in Georgia.
...
Get All Your Plugs in Reach with the Electric Table
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 09.10.07
TreeHugger knows that the easiest way to avoid phantom power is to keep your power strips organized and unplug everything when you aren't using it. This isn't always the easiest task, when you have twelve cords snaking about, plugged in to strips that are hidden away beneath desks and behind shelves so they're out of the way (and really hard to reach). The Swedish design firm Broberg & Ridderstrale Design & Architecture has come up with an interesting concept to help you avoid this back-breaking, Twister-like task: put the plugs in the table, so instead of crawling around behind the table to flip the switch, you can just pull the plug from the side of the table. Plug a "Smart" power strip into the table, and you might just be able to stop idle current in its tracks for good. ::BRDA via ::UberGizmo
...
Most Huggable: Dark Green Fashion in NY, Renting Sun Power, Food Additives Linked to ADHD, and More
by Team Treehugger, Worldwide on 09.10.07
LighterFootstep likes long walks on the beach, treasure hunting, and beachcombing for coastal trash… This Google Map mashup shows cob, strawbale, and other low-impact homes around the country… SunEdison doesn’t want to sell you solar panels; it wants to rent you the ability to capture the sun’s energy… We always knew that “purple drink” meant trouble. A new study links food additives and attention disorders… Inhabitat explores the deep, dark, green depths of New York fashion week… Hugg 2.0 is up, running, and better than ever. Most Huggable is a daily roundup of some of the top stories. Why not submit your own green news? ...
Farm Aid 2007: The Recap
by Jasmin Malik Chua, Jersey City, USA on 09.10.07
Getting to Randall's Island, New York City for Farm Aid 2007: A Homegrown Festival wasn't as nerve-wrecking as we'd thought. Event buses regularly ran to and from the site, ferrying the waiting hordes at 125th St. and Lexington Ave. And we do mean hordes.
New York City was sought out as a venue for the first time in the 22-year history of the annual benefit concert, which was first launched in 1985 in Champaign, Illinois to raise funds for beleaguered family farmers and to spread awareness that American farm families were struggling to make a living. (More than $30 million has been raised, to date) "Some people thought that bringing Farm Aid to New York was a bold move," said Farm Aid president and founder—and grand old hippie poobah—Willie Nelson. "But there is good reason to invite urban Americans to appreciate the tastes of food grown close to home. People can keep family farmers on the land with their good food choices."...
Chinese Company Plans Hydrogen Fuel Cell Bike
by Sean Fisher, Cincinnati, Ohio on 09.10.07
Last year, we mentioned China's rush towards fuel cell technology. Although most of this work was intended to break into China's booming consumer auto market, apparently the technology is working its way into the bicycle market as well. Last week the Shanghai Pearl Hydrogen Power Source Technology Company, aka Pearl Hydrogen, unveiled a brand spankin' new bicycle powered by hydrogen fuel cells. The bike features a pair of hydrogen fuel "bottles" that can propel it up to 100km (62 miles) at 25 kph (15 mph). And, although the bike will retail for just over $2600, the company expects to reduce the price up to 80% once they are able to mass produce it. However, the real problem isn't the price, but the hydrogen itself. Because hydrogen fueling stations are sparse, Pearl is planning to distribute hydrogen for the bikes through a distributor. Just make sure your fuel gage doesn't go near "E." ::Via Green Options ::See Also Masterflex Fuel Cell Bike and Gore + Aprilia Fuel Cell Bike...
A Picture is Worth... Playful Polar Bear
by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada on 09.10.07
Polar bears are getting quite a lot of media attention these days because of global warming and people are becoming more familiar with them. But here's a side of them that we don't see every day: The playful side. Above is a wild male polar bear, about 1,200lbs and probably hadn't eaten in 4 months, playing with sled dogs in the North of Manitoba, Canada. This is not a unique event, it happens more often than we think in nature. Don't try this at home, though. Via ::Animals at Play...
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Failing to Protect Our Air, Again
by Union of Concerned Scientists on 09.10.07
Photo credit: infinitewilderness
Ozone, a chemical that occurs naturally in the upper atmosphere, helps protect us from the sun's radiation. But, when it's released close to Earth's surface through human activity, ozone is dangerous and can cause numerous adverse health effects such as asthma and lung damage. The Clean Air Act requires the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to control pollution from ozone based solely on the best available science. Yet the EPA has announced a draft ozone pollution standard that falls short of what the agency's own scientists and science advisors consider safe.
In June, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a draft ozone pollution standard that falls short of the level considered safe by EPA scientific experts. Furthermore, the proposal would allow the agency to avoid tightening the standard altogether, despite unanimous agreement from its own scientists and science advisors that the current standard is not safe. ...
Planet Earth Wins Four Emmy Awards
by Jessica Root - Brooklyn, NY on 09.10.07
Over the weekend our family brought home some Emmy gold with their smash hit, Planet Earth! The winning categories included: Outstanding Cinematography for Non-Fiction Programming, Outstanding Music Composition for a Series, Outstanding Sound Editing for Nonfiction Programming, and top honors in the Nonfiction Series category. Not a huge shocker given the massive amount of acclaim it’s received, but we’re never the less still proud. ...
Lifehacker Tip: Optimize Your Power Strip
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 09.10.07
TreeHugger often suggests that turning off your power strip can save a lot of energy consumed by the phantom loads in so much electronic gear. I just did a quick check of my desk and found twelve devices plugged into three power bars with no rhyme nor reason; no wonder I don't practice what I preach. Gina at Lifehacker came up with four great suggestions:
-Separate the always-on devices from the shutoffable ones.
-Label the plugs.
-Put the stuff you unplug often in easy-to-reach positions.
-Position your gadgets for optimal usage.
Get the detail behind these simple and logical steps at ::Lifehacker...
Mater: Creating Design that Matters
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 09.10.07
Mater, a new design brand from Denmark, is showcasing that there is a better way to do business. Launching their first collection this week at the Maison et Objet fair in Paris (and continuing in a few weeks at 100% Design in London), the company's vision is to create timeless and beautiful design based on an ethical business strategy; they're looking to combine "exclusive high end home accessories with working methods that support people, local craft traditions and the environment."...
Makool Loves You & Revamped Vintage Ties
by Jasmin Malik Chua, Jersey City, USA on 09.10.07
Makool Loves You, an indie boutique in Portland, Ore.—the center of the known universe, these days for everything cool and craftlicious—gussies up vintage men's ties with silk-screened designs, appliqués, and hand embroidery.
Snag one of these $58 one-of-a-kinds for your favorite corporate bot, emo boy, or Avril Lavigne teeny bopper. Take a gander at some other designs below. ::Makool Loves You....
Exporting Toxic Toys: Good Enough for Somebody Else
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 09.10.07
The Consumer Product Safety Commission just pulled another lot of childrens' art sets from Toys R Us: "Consumers should immediately take the products away from children," warned a news release from the federal government's watchdog for thousands of household items. "The CPSC is committed to protecting consumers and families."
But evidently the same organization lets American companies ship the same crap to other countries, and last year allowed the shipping of tainted art supplies to Venesuela and contaminated crayons to Jamaica. There is not a lot of consumer protection in these countries, according to David Pittle, a former CPSC chair. "If the United States doesn't have very many inspectors, how many do you think there are in Honduras or Jamaica or Trinidad or Bulgaria?" Pittle asked.
...
Quote of the Day: Marion Nestle on Advertising to Children
by Jasmin Malik Chua, Jersey City, USA on 09.10.07
Photo credit: greg_robbins
Adults may be fair game for marketers, but children are not. Children cannot distinguish sales pitches from information unless taught to do so. Food companies spend at least $10 billion annually enticing children to desire food brands and to pester parents to buy them. The result: American children consume more than one-third of their daily calories from soft drinks, sweets, salty snacks and fast food. Worse, food marketing subverts parental authority by making children believe they are supposed to be eating such foods and they—not their parents—know what is best for them to eat.
Today's marketing methods extend beyond television to include Internet games, product placements, character licensing and word-of-mouth campaigns—stealth methods likely to be invisible to parents. When restrictions have been called for, the food industry has resisted, invoking parental responsibility and First Amendment rights, and proposing self-regulation instead. But because companies cannot be expected to act against corporate self-interest, government regulations are essential. ... Controls on marketing may not be sufficient to prevent childhood obesity, but they would make it easier for parents to help children to eat more healthfully."
—Marion Nestle in The Nation (Sept. 11, 2006)...
TreeHugger Welcomes April Streeter
by April Streeter, Gothenburg, Sweden on 09.10.07
Mining Interests and Salmon Fishers Square Off in Bristol Bay
by Mark Powell, Ocean Conservancy on 09.10.07
Things are big in Alaska, including environmental battles, and none are bigger than the one brewing in Bristol Bay. That's the Bristol Bay of salmon fame, home of the largest sockeye salmon fishery in the world. Mining interests want North America's biggest deposits of gold and copper, found upstream of Bristol Bay.
To get it, they're hoping to build one of the world's biggest mines, and the project would include a number of huge dams. The money involved is staggering, $300 billion in ore deposits, and $450 million in annual revenue from salmon. Claims and counterclaims make decisions difficult. Mine proposals insist that we can have wealth-generating mines and salmon too. But mine opponents believe that habitat destruction and waste disposal will kill salmon, bears, and caribou, and harm the people who depend on them....
Microsoft Launches Private Bus Service- Windows Included
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 09.10.07
Microsoft has introduced a 14 bus fleet to keep employees happy, out of bumper-to-bumper traffic, and reduce air pollution and traffic congestion. "It is a great corporate decision to take a look at where the transportation system isn't meeting the needs of your commuters and fill in the gaps," said John Resha, general manager of the Urban Mobility Group, "The system we've got can't evolve quickly enough." Companies shouldn't have to to this; public transit should. "This is something that the county bus system should be doing and they're not," said Stephen Gerritson, executive director for Commuter Challenge, a Seattle non-profit.
Like Google, Microsoft's offices are in the suburbs, so both companies have to spend money bringing transit to them, rather than locating where the transit is in the first place. Dumb move for such smart people.
Of course the buses will have wireless internet and windows. ::Seattlepi...
Farm Aid 2007: The Press Conference
by Jasmin Malik Chua, Jersey City, USA on 09.10.07
Photo credit: Paul Natkin/Photo Reserve Inc. 2007
While we're recovering from yesterday's completely awesome Farm Aid 2007, here are a few clips from the press conference, courtesy of the official Farm Aid blog. We'll be back with our recap in two shakes of a grass-fed lamb's tail, party people. ::Farm Aid ...
Survey: Are Eco-Celebs Hypocrites?
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 09.10.07
Erin asks "What is behind the almost obsessive urge to point out the short-comings of celebrities that advocate living a more eco-friendly lifestyle? After writing about green celebs for a couple of years I know well the difference celebs can make when they put their weight behind a cause, so why the apparent need to disgrace high profile eco-advocates?"
...
Camphor Hosts Carnival of the Green
by Kara DiCamillo, Newport, Rhode Island on 09.10.07
This week is Carnival of the Green # 94 and it's being hosted by Camphor! 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 and less than 10 dates left!), please click here to link to our previous post....
Drop House Project
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 09.10.07
How did we miss this? In 2005 the Drop House was built for Algeco, a huge European modular builder and space rental company. (it just bought Williams Scotsman in the States). The design team, composed of Armen Neouze, Antoine Rope-maker, Jacques Freeze and Olivier Charles took the standard item in the RV biz, the "pop-out," and turned it into architecture. The usual limits on vehicle width can really limit the space inside, so pop-outs create a lot more room. In the Drop House, they also create an external design element that completely changes the notion of trailer. ...
HoneyDrip: New Furniture from David Brunicardi
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 09.10.07
David Brunicardi, the San Francisco-based furniture designers we've mentioned here and
here, has ventured into the world of oriented strand board (OSB) in his new collection. "HoneyDrip" utilizes OSB, a cousin to plywood made from wood chips (and made eco-friendly by using non-toxic, formaldehyde-free resins), to create an alluring, playful set of furniture; included in the collection is a coffee table and credenza (both above) as well as a cocktail table and computer desk (after the jump). Says the designers' site, the "honey-toned tops have a recessed center that frame the shape of the table within itself and the edges have been given a dramatic bevel...sexy and versatile in one handsome package." Nice. ::David Brunicardi Furniture...
Organic Wool: The New Golden Fleece in Australia?
by Warren McLaren, Sydney on 09.10.07
It has oft been decreed that Australia rose to prosperity on the sheep’s back. Even today, half a century after those boom times eased, wool continues to represent about 6% of the gross value of agricultural production, and our sheep flock of about 107 million curly haired ruminants apparently occupy some 25% of Australia’s land mass. Yet organic wool seemingly only makes up 1% of this renewable fibre crop. Though international demand might succeed in pushing that higher.
In May this year the country saw its largest-ever feature sale of organic wool with 620 bales of certified and accredited organic wool sold. Another 200 bales are due to face the auctioneer this week. The incentive for graziers to embrace organic wool is the same as that attract food farmers. Better returns. Organic wool is fetching up to a 20% premium over conventional fleeces. Elders Wool Marketing Manager Michael Blake observed that organic wool needed to be treated as mainstream – such was the demand – rather than as a niche, one-off line.
While much of the eco wool coming up for sale has been sourced from the states of New South Wales and South Australia. That doesn’t mean it is isolated to those regions. Plevna Downs, in Queensland, has been running an organic merino sheep station for the past 10 years. ::Elders Wool, via EcoTextile....
Big Steps in Building: Ban Minimum Floor Areas
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 09.10.07
We spent the summer borrowing bandwidth from a timberframe builder in Dorset, Ontario. Early in the summer his design for a small 512 square foot tower was published in a popular cottaging magazine. Brad Johnson of Portico Timberframes is quoted: "If you stay smaller and simpler, you can come up with a good design at a much lower cost, use fewer resources and minimize your impact on the environment."
Except that you are not allowed to. In almost every jurisdiction around, there are minimum floor area requirements, usually designed to keep out the riff-raff and ensure that tax assessments keep going up. Brad's phone rang off the hook all summer, and to every caller he had to explain that it was too small. People would keep saying "But that's all I need!"
In some areas it is a minimum footprint rule; A few years ago I designed a cute little 1100 square foot two story prefab for Wasaga Beach and ran afoul of their minimum 900 SF footprint rule; we went to the Committee of Adjustment for a waiver and they didn't even look at us, they just were not interested in anything small in their town. Back to the drawing board....
Argentine Government Shuts Down (and Re-Opens) Shell Refinery: Green or just Politics?
by Paula Alvarado, Buenos Aires on 09.10.07
It is so sad that whenever we hear about something that should be good green news in Argentina, we have to start wondering what is behind it. That happened with the government’s strong opposition to the installment of pulp factories in the limit between Entre Rios province and Uruguay (arguing they will contaminate the Uruguay and Rio de la Plata rivers): why did the government care so much about this river when the Parana river has dozens of pulp factories contaminating the water? Paranoid as it might sound, some groups argued that the factories were going to be installed in Entre Rios but the provincial government asked for a ‘settlement’ much too big, and the factories crossed to the other coast. This questioning to ‘green’ acting by president Nestor Kirchner’s government is happening now, when a few months before the presidential elections and in front of an open dispute between the government and Shell, the Environmental Secretary shuts down a refinery in Dock Sud, a suburb twenty minutes south from Buenos Aires city....
The Pendulum Effect: Review And Prospects For Sustainability
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 09.10.07
Veterans of US environmental management know well the Pendulum Effect. A public health or natural resource issue enters public consciousness. California, the most populous US state, passes a law to manage the issue (Pendulum swings to the "left"). The US Congress, EPA and/or FDA regulate a bit less stringently for all states (Pendulum moves toward the "middle"). Some markets are thus made, and some lost. But overall economic impacts balance out to the positive.
Subsequently, a new President takes office with a deregulatory agenda (Pendulum swings to the "hard right"). As before, it falls to States and municipalities to take the regulatory initiative and to experiment with environmental policy (Pendulum returns to the "middle" or "left"). Conflicts from disjointed state and local regs become a burden to industry, and the cycle starts over. In the USA, it's swung this way, in 4 to 8 year cycles, since roughly 1972....
The Green Bag Lunch Program: Destined For The Masses?
by Kenny Luna, North Babylon, NY on 09.10.07
I must admit that I’m not entirely sold on the whole idea behind the Green Bag Lunch program, but the idea does sound interesting... Essentially, for $5 you and your child head over to their website, and pick through the menu to choose tomorrow’s lunch. It’s all healthy, organic stuff, and packed in an eco-friendly bag. Then, they ensure it’s delivered to your child’s’ school tomorrow.
The meal itself features a main course, two sides of fresh fruit or vegetables plus a dessert. And the bag’s made from only recyclable, biodegradable, or reusable materials which are, in fact, a better choice for the planet. But who’s going to consistently pay the $5 for their kids’ lunch at school? Granted, the program is growing, and the lunch itself is delivered to the school so you don’t have to worry about making or picking it up, but even organizers of the program admit they’d very much like to get the price down towards three bucks a clip.
...
Bikestation - Providing the Facilities that Cyclists Deserve
by Sami Grover, Carrboro, NC, USA on 09.10.07
Yesterday we brought you an inspiring video of a Bike Move, which basically consists of friends moving an entire household, couches, tables and all, using nothing but pedal power. Now BikeTV bring us another great example of bike culture, namely a video of Seattle’s Bikestation – a secure parking space for urban cyclists. We actually reported on the concept of Bikestations back in 2005, but it looks like they are now up and running in a number of cities, primarily on the West Coast of the US. Not only do these stations provide a clean, safe space for storing your bike, secured by key card access, but they also team up with Flexcar to provide the option of car sharing clubs too. It’s great to see such infrastructure being built for the modern cyclist – maybe the days of locking our trusty two-wheeled friend to the nearest lamppost, and hoping it’s still there when we return, are now numbered. ::BikeStation::via BikeTV::
...
Dress to Express: (the) Benefits of Cycling
by Warren McLaren, Sydney on 09.10.07
We’ve long pummelled our readers with the benefits of cycling. Now you can wear those sentiments on your sleeve. Well, your chest, at least. The delightful image above was design by C.I.C.L.E. (Cyclists Inciting Change thru Live Exchange) and can be found gracing their organic cotton T-shirts. C.I.C.L.E. is a a project of Social and Environmental Entrepreneurs (SEE). Based in Los Angeles they promote the bicycle as a viable, healthy, and sustainable transportation choice. Which is kinda like saying the sun rises in the east, but a message worth reinforcing at every opportunity. Which for just $15 USD this comely attire adorning your torso will do. ::C.I.C.L.E., via Take The Tooker. ...
Book Review: Green is the New Black
by Bonnie Alter, London on 09.10.07
Tamsin Blanchard, the author of this new book on fashion and the environment, has written about style and the latest must-haves in all the major newspapers here. Whilst she is not as much of an acknowledged authority on environmental matters as Lucy Siegle, she certainly knows her stuff about fashion. She says that she loves clothes and has always loved clothes but " the problem is, lately, the whole business has started to look kind of ugly..." This is the start of a wide-ranging look at all aspects of personal style and fashion through "light green" eyes. She is not doctrinaire and she doesn't preach which makes her quite accessible to anyone who is interested in dipping into the eco-fashion world. She loves serious designer fashions (and rationalises by saying that they have great staying power), she doesn't scrimp, and she has useful, practical information. In fact, she manages to balance both worlds. The beauty of this book is that she weaves green, environmental principles and girlie fashion tips together in a lively and accessible way for a mass market.
Did you realise that 85% of the time women wear only 15% of their wardrobe? From that starting point she has a good section on sorting and recycling clothes, how to turn old tee-shirts into halter tops and dresses and making your own, including sites to download designer styles from the web. Her high street heroes are Gant, Nike, Topshop and Timberland. Her tips range from the sublime--how to sew on a button--to the ridiculous--go on a waiting list for a Hermes bag ($6,000) because they last forever. But she does have a whole section on developing your own style rather than copying celebrities. She has recipes for face masques, ethical cocktails and make-up. Her travel tips include packing a fleece and sarong always, great festivals to attend and flea markets across the world. In the "Get a Life, Get a Hobby" section, she includes such delightful suggestions as baking a fairtrade cake, starting a knitting circle and making your own hammock. She has a blog too. :: Green is the New Black ...
Procrastinator Alert: Current TV's Ecospot Challenge Deadline is Wednesday
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 09.10.07
Epoq NEV - Electric Driving on a Budget
by Matthew Sparkes, London, UK on 09.10.07
We can't all afford a Tesla, and even some of the fairly plain electric cars are still very pricey. You can get affordable electric driving, but you do have to make some compromises. The Epoq NEV is an electric vehicle designed for short journeys and use in hotel/industrial/academic complexes. Its low speed and short range rule it out as a viable gas vehicle replacement on highways and larger roads, but it does have one advantage - price. At only $9,500 it's certainly one of the cheaper electric vehicles on the market at the moment. You could certainly consider this for city driving, but bear in mind that it is essentially a golf cart with a full body....
Dive Into School With the Blue Planet
by Karin Kloosterman, Tel Aviv on 09.10.07
Scientists from Israel’s acclaimed Weizmann Institute have just written a textbook curriculum in Hebrew for middle school students that teaches the link between man and the environment. It recently won recognition by the United Nations educational unit UNESCO as a worldwide model for how environmental studies should be conducted.
Called the Blue Planet, the book and program focuses particularly on the water cycle in the Earth’s ecosystems, and is intended for use as an effective learning tool through its wide and systematic approach, including various activities, experiments and field work that will help develop young students’ thinking skills and understanding. ...
A Picture is Worth...Is Your Toilet Running?
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 09. 9.07
AP Photo/David Zalubowski
Seen last week at the Colorado/Colorado State college football game, as part of Denver Water's promotions around the city to promote water conservation. Don't let your toilet run away from you.
::Yahoo! via ::Gristmill...
Celebrity Eco-Hypocritique
by Erin Courtenay - Madison, WI on 09. 9.07
Back to back articles covering celebrity “eco-hypocrites” appeared recently in the L.A. Times and Daily Mail. Both articles made a fuss about various green celebrity transgressions, the majority of which involve air travel (both private and commercial). Sienna Miller flies a lot for her work on climate change awareness, Leo DiCapprio flew to the Cannes Film Festival to promote his documentary the 11th Hour, George Clooney uses private jets and Al Gore’s big house uses lots of energy (though less now that he’s installed solar).
What is behind these stories and the almost obsessive urge to point out the short-comings of celebrities that advocate living a more eco-friendly lifestyle? After writing about green celebs for a couple of years I know well the difference celebs can make when they put their weight behind a cause, so why the apparent need to disgrace high profile eco-advocates? I’ll explore these four reasons after the jump: 1) we want our heroes to be angels; 2) it’s fun to rip on the rich and famous; 3) hypocritical behavior really is annoying; and 4) people need excuses not to act.
...
Power Pigs Will Pay
by Mark Ontkush, Boston, Massachusetts, USA on 09. 9.07
Commercial buildings are responsible for about 20 percent of the United States's greenhouse gas emissions; encouraging landlords and tenants to cut power is a great way to fight global warming. Problem is, many states have regulations which allow only one meter per building, and charges are generally divvied up by square footage. So even if Tenant A takes measures to cut electricity consumption (installing CFLs for example) but happens to have the biggest suite in the building, it'll get stuck with the biggest utility bill. And though Tenant B might lease offices half the size of Tenant A's, they will pay far less even if they are an energy hog and use more power than its green neighbor. It's a classic tragedy of the commons.
But last week California regulators moved to remedy that conundrum by allowing utility PG&E and building owners to install meters for each tenant. The idea is that "submetering" will provide an incentive for tenants to conserve energy by making them pay only for the electricity they actually use. Presumably, the other two big California utilities, Southern California Edison (EIX) and San Diego Gas & Electric (SRE), will be able to implement submetering as well.
PG&E and the Building Owners and Managers Association - which manages 600 million square feet of office space - have already agreed to implement submetering; estimates are that this agreement alone will eliminate the construction of a 320-megawatt gas-fired power plant. Conservation begins with the wallet; thanks for adjusting the rulebook. :: Green Wombat...
Devantini ES, Tesla Roadster Watch Out
by Matthew Sparkes, London, UK on 09. 9.07
The official website for this impressive car is in Swedish, so we don't have a lot of information. What we do know is that it's an electric sports car, modelled on the Shelby Cobra. It's called the Devantini ES, and it started life as a college project. One of the many YouTube videos which have been cropping up, showing test drives, has this description, "The project started as a graduation project at the Innovation Engineering programme, Halmstad University, made by Emil Birgersson and Henrik Leonhardt." ...
Event of the Day: Farm Aid 2007
by Jasmin Malik Chua, Jersey City, USA on 09. 9.07
Photo credit: Paul Natkin/Photo Reserve Inc. 2006
Are you going to Farm Aid? We're about to hop on a train and then a bus to Randall's Island, New York City to nosh on local, organic farm-fresh fare and listen to Willie Nelson, John Mellencamp, Neil Young, Dave Matthews, The Counting Crows, and more rock out "to keep family farmers on their land." We'll have the report when we get back, but don't wait up!...
Quote of the Day: Carlo Petrini on Taking It Slow
by Jasmin Malik Chua, Jersey City, USA on 09. 9.07
The quest for slowness, which begins as a simple rebellion against the impoverishment of taste in our lives, makes it possible to rediscover taste. By living slowly , you understand other things, too; by slowing down in comparison to the world, you soon come into contact with what the world regards as its "dumps" of knowledge, which have been deemed slow and therefore marginalized. By exploring the "margins" of slowness, you encounter those pockets of supposedly "minor" culture that are alive in the memories of old people, typical of civilizations that have not yet become frantic—traditions that guide the vital work of good, clean, and fair producers and that are handed down after centuries of empiricism and practical skill.
In coming into contact with this "slow" world, you feel a new (or renewed) relish for life, you sense the potential of different methods and forms of knowledge as counterweights to the direction currently being imparted to the tiller that steers our route toward the future. You reassess the elements of consumer culture, and in rural knowledge, you discover surprisingly simple solutions to problems which speed has made complex and apparently insoluble."
—Carlo Petrini, Slow Food Nation: Why Our Food Should Be Good, Clean, and Fair (2007, Rizzoli Ex Libris)...
Digitally Mapping San Francisco's Trees
by Jeremy Elton Jacquot, Los Angeles on 09. 9.07
Take Action, Start a Petition
by Jasmin Malik Chua, Jersey City, USA on 09. 9.07
The Care2 Petition Site makes it a snap to start your own petition. First, identify the target of your protest, then draft out a call-to-action message and decide on your goal number of signatures. Next, fill in your personal information and think up a snazzy blurb for the promo spot that will be displayed on the Petition Site homepage, in the petition library, and at other pieces of real estate on Care2.com. Hit publish, use the free promotional tools to spread the word, and wait for the signatures to come pouring in.
Recent success stories include the Forest Ethics petition, which garnered 23,686 signatures and managed to persuade Victoria's Secret to stop using paper made from endangered Canadian Boreal forests, as well as to maximize post-consumer recycled content in its catalogs. ::Care2 Petition Site
Difficulty level: Easy...
Flybo Arrives on U.S. Shores (UPDATED)
by Jeremy Elton Jacquot, Los Angeles on 09. 9.07
Have a hankering for a nice, compact electric car but don't have the patience to wait out the Smart Car? Well, if you live in or close to Saginaw, Michigan, you're in luck: the Great Lakes Auto Sales dealership will start selling the Flybo-EV within the next few weeks.
The mini EV, powered by a 48-V motor, will come with a base sticker price of $10,000 and can run for up to 70 miles before needing some extra juice - which can be supplied by any conventional household electrical outlet. It's not the zippiest car on the road (its top speed is a puny 25 mph) and it only has rear-wheel drive, but Wuzheng, its corporate parent, is betting that Americans' renewed interest in lower fuel consumption will prove the dealbreaker. That, and the fact that it totally knocks off the popular Smart Car.
UPDATE: Michael Papp, Wuzheng North America's Managing Director, wanted to clarify that the aforementioned dealership has no relation to it or its corporate parent, Spark-EV.
Via ::The Saginaw News: Tiny Chinese electric car plugs into a wall outlet (newspaper)
See also: ::Young Chinese: Cars First, Then Sustainable Consumption, ::MyCar: Italian Designed, Chinese Built...
Bike Move: Friends Move Entire Household With Pedal Power
by Sami Grover, Carrboro, NC, USA on 09. 9.07
Two Years Ago in TreeHugger: Deja Vu All Over Again
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 09. 9.07
Sometimes looking at the archives is a bit scary, when you find out how little things have really changed. Other than Mike proposing a very low-tech method of keeping people from letting all the cold air out of the fridge, the rest of our entries two years ago could be ripped from today's headlines: another supergrass will save us, the Governor of Montana is in favour of coal to liquid technology, we like Tumbleweed Tiny Houses, Small Japanese cars are coming to America. Oh, and we were " casting about here about how to deal with Katrina." Our suggestion then : Donate to Architecture for Humanity. That hasn't changed either. ...
Soda Lovers: Relieve Trapped Wind... With Carbon Offsets??!!
by Sami Grover, Carrboro, NC, USA on 09. 9.07
Carbon offsets have recently become big news, and have even been the subject of angry protests. Nevertheless, it seems like a good job that TreeHugger produced our guide on How to Green Your Carbon Offsets, as it would appear that a majority of the public are still deeply confused as to what an offset even is - some even think it is a method for reducing discomfort after drinking too much soda. According to a report in the Guardian, of over 1000 Britons questioned, over 66% were unable to give an accurate definition, while 55% had never heard of the idea:...
Clean Coal: If It Can't Make It There, It Can't Make It Anywhere
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 09. 9.07
They can't get enough carbon dioxide in Saskatchewan; they actually import it from the States to inject into oil wells to stimulate production. Thus it was the perfect place to build a coal fired power plant that would separate out the CO2, where there was a market for the stuff. It was going to use a process called Oxyfuel, where the coal is burned in "synthetic air" where the nitrogen is removed, so the products of combustion are almost pure CO2 and water. "SaskPower's Clean Coal™ Project will introduce technology capable of capturing at least 90 per cent of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. The additional use of SO2, NOX, mercury and particulate control and capture mechanisms will result in a near-zero emissions facility." and "This CO2 will be sold for enhanced oil recovery operations in southeast Saskatchewan, possibly generating enough revenue to offset the cost of its capture and delivery."
Not quite. Projected costs are out of control, soaring from $ 1.7 Billion to $ 3.8 Billion, and Sask Power has pulled the plug. "We remain fully committed to exploring clean coal as a supply option in the longer term," SaskPower president Pat Youzwa said yesterday."But given the need for new supply by 2010, and given the costs of clean coal at this early stage in its development, it would have been premature to proceed to the construction phase at this time." So they are going to build natural gas plants instead. So much for that fantasy. ::Globe and Mail...
No Comment Dept: Office Hazards
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 09. 9.07
Rob Rogers, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
see Warren on ">laser printers and John on microwave popcorn.
...
Say You Want A Revolution?
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 09. 9.07
There is no more fervent believer than the recent convert to green-dom.
Here's some highlights from acolyte Thomas Friedman, as spoken/recorded at the July 2007 Aspen Ideas Festival.
"Did you ever study a revolution in history? You ever seen a revolution where nobody got hurt? That's the green revolution, nobody gets hurt - we're all winners...Exxons' green. They give $100 million to Stanford...Dick Cheyney's green. He's for liquefied coal."
"...today the old legacy industries, they control this story; they control that policy mechanism in Washington. They are tough, and they will fight dirty. They are not going anywhere. And that's why we are having a green party, not a green revolution. Do not kid yourself for one second."
By historic analogy, he is right: with political revolution comes extreme human pain and economic upheaval. His inference seems to be that we have to fight a political battle for the future of the earth; and, that we'll all suffer greatly regardless of outcome.
War is his climate change adaptation metaphor. Ours has been a chimp pulling termites from a mound with a stick - in a democracy.
See the video clip below, where Mr. Friedman praises the wonders of "smart" design. Bit of a shark jump.
Wishing that tent were a bit larger. What do you think: will political struggle control progress? Can the chimp live in peace?
Catch Mr Friedman on YouTube giving a history of "tree hugger" as a pejorative term here. Cute. His pitch for "smarter" design is here.
Via:: The Atlantic, October 2007, "Ideas and Consequences" Image credit:: Aspen Institute....
Small Steps: How A Local & "Socially-Sustainable" Plastic-Bag Alternative Begins in India
by Kimberley D. Mok, Montreal, Canada on 09. 9.07
It seems that everywhere you look now, everyone is coming up with alternatives to typical plastic bags – running the gamut from the overhyped to the low-key local initiatives. India is certainly no stranger to this growing anti-plastic awareness and in a country where plastic now proliferates like crazy, another no-plastic contender from a sustainable community in South India has jumped into the fray.
Enter the Small Steps bag from the Auroville-based Upasana Design Studio – another stylish, creative and “socially-sustainable” solution to the world-wide problem of plastic pollution. The bag is made of cotton and is designed to be stuffed into an attached smaller bag, hooked with a handy key-ring, so that you can always carry it with you. The project is run on an innovative model of a “gift economy” method of distribution and promotion. The goal of Small Steps: to make 10 million bags by hand (yes, by hand), creating 1000 jobs for 1000 people for 1000 days. (Of course, donations will help the project along.)
To find out more, we spoke with Uma Prajapati and Vimal, two designers from Upasana.
...
German Engineers Join Hybrid Game
by Christine Lepisto, Berlin on 09. 9.07
Anticipation hangs palpably ahead of the Frankfurt International Motor Show: what will German engineers bring to the green table? After bucking the trend for several years in favor of the already well-established "clean diesel" technology, German car companies are promising a turn-around, starting next week in Frankfurt. But visitors in Frankfurt won't have to look far to find more green diesels either. Here is a sneak preview.
Where Mercedes leads, others will follow. Out of 19 cars to be shown next week, seven are hybrids and eight will feature the Bluetec clean diesel technology jointly developed by Daimler/Chrysler and VW. The king of the road: a Mercedes S-class with both Bluetec and hybrid. Reports promise that the car will perform like an 8-cylinder, but that the 224 HP out of four cylinders will sip a measly 5.4 liters per 100km (43.5 mpg), 30% better than the next-in-class....
Retreat at TreeGap: an Eco-Journey
by Bonnie Alter, London on 09. 9.07
This lovely looking house is the starting point for an environmental and ecological journey. Megan Reynolds decided to give up her day job, move into her family's house in Woodstock, New York, and turn it into a one room eco Bed and Breakfast. She has kept an ongoing "memoir in progress" of her experiences, doubts, fears and mistakes. She undersells (typical female reaction) the extent of the project and her commitment by describing it as such: "The eco-friendly aspects of my bed and breakfast are as follows: I grow a lot of my own food; I have solar panels for electricity; I have an Airstream trailer renovated to include a composting toilet and gray water system." In fact she is very dedicated; interested in permaculture and local food systems and "moved by the idea of community, of neighborliness, of local solutions."
She worries about how she will get guests, whether they will be disappointed ("It’s not that I’ve misrepresented myself, I argue (to myself), but that the project, literally every part of it, is nascent"), what they will think of her as a single young woman proprietor. Then she discovers how nice everyone is and how appreciative of the beauty of her place and what she has done. She becomes involved in the Woodstock community and finds that she enjoys it. By the last part of the memoir, she is planning the creation of a farm stand to sell local farmers' goods. To be continued--with pleasure. :: Memoirville, Memoirs in Progress...
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.
