- 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 October 21, 2007 - October 27, 2007
Total this week: 184
South Africa to Get First Green Development
by Eliza Barclay, Washington, D.C. on 10.27.07
Say what you will about the posh name -- Upper East Side-- but kudos to South African developer Swish Property Group for spearheading what will be South Africa’s first green mixed-use development.
Swish, together with developers Madison and Redefine Income Fund, is building the 50,000 m² project in the city of Cape Town. It will consist of residential studios, loft apartments, office space, as well as shops. Last year we wrote about ZenKaya, an innovative Prefab outfit also out of South Africa.
Swish says one way energy will be conserved in the Upper East Side project is through the central air conditioning system. The wasted energy from the air conditioning system produces hot air, which is then captured and piped into a central hot water cylinder that heats water to a certain temperature. This means only a small amount of separate energy will be required to ensure the water that comes out of the building’s water taps is hot. In conventional buildings, this hot air goes to waste.
"We need to ensure that we don’t place more pressure on [electrical and sewer] systems, so we tackle the problem at the source by creating tools within the building to deal with alternative uses for waste and conservation of electricity,” said Swish CEO Giancarlo Lanfranchi.::Via Business Day...
Even Lowbaggers Need Furniture: The Changing Carbon Footprint of Your Couch
by Sami Grover, Carrboro, NC, USA on 10.27.07
When we last checked in on Lowbagger.org, we found it an interesting contrast to our own, self-confessed, mission of appealing to “lazy, shallow, but environmentally responsible brethren.” However, times may be changing, as even Lowbagger, more generally known for reports from the front line of environmental direct action and conservation initiatives, is these days also reporting on the rise in green fashion and design. Most recently, they published an interesting post on the ever-increasing focus on sustainability within the home furnishings industry:
The recent NORDEX green home designs conference in Seattle showed off some of the newest creations. Attendants ranged from major producers of furniture to small local crafts people, all vying for the attention of the well-heeled designers and decorators attending the conference. Trying to impress these dictators of style is like trying to scale the side of Mount Everest – it’s almost impossible. However, a couple of these companies did turn heads and proved that yes, green design can be more than cotton- and wool-stuffed futons with batik print slipcovers. Sorry, but the days of hippy-dippy “green” decorating are over....
Myths That Waste Energy In The Kitchen: The Baking & Roasting Episode
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 10.27.07
Superstitions about baking and roasting account for much energy wastage in the modern kitchen. "Preheat your oven" is an old wives tale that, with perhaps a few exceptions, can be ignored in the interest of energy saving.
When European and American cooking tools and classic recipes were developed, wood- or coal-fired home ovens were slow to come up to temperature and ovens were unevenly heated until the cook had time to spread the embers and wait for heat to disperse from all sides: hence, preheating made sense to our ancestors and early cookbook authors. (I make this assertion having baked and roasted in wood fired ovens as well as in various modern gas and electric models.) ...
Honda FCX-concept Series Name to be Announced
by Christine Lepisto, Berlin on 10.27.07
About a month ago, readers were teased with the promise that Honda's Hydrogen Fuel-cell car, known under the concept-car name FCX, would be the first fuel-cell car to enter production in 2008. Rabid followers of this development will be excited to learn that the series name for the concept-FCX will be announced next month at the Los Angeles Auto Show, where attendees can also see the production-ready version.
Honda has very cleverly generated a great deal of buzz during the wait, while still beating all competitors to be the first fuel-cell car meeting all standards for sale in the American market. If you want to join the excitement, leave a comment at TreeHugger suggesting the series name you would give an FCX if you were in charge. ...
Charley Harper: An Illustrated Life
by Jasmin Malik Chua, Jersey City, USA on 10.27.07
Have $200 worth in change you can scrounge up from under your couch cushions? We desperately wish we did because New York-based designer Todd Oldham and Ammo Books have tag-teamed to bring us the "definitive monograph" of late iconic wildlife artist Charley Harper's 60-year-long career.
Click below the fold for more gorgeous prints from the limited edition of Charley Harper: An Illustrated Life (2007, Ammo Books), autographed by both Harper and Oldham themselves. We'll be over here, trying to hawk off our kidney. ::Ammo Books...
Low-Tech Solutions from High-Tech Minds
by Jeremy Elton Jacquot, Los Angeles on 10.27.07
Images courtesy of GOOD Magazine
In its latest issue, GOOD Magazine has a great feature up on the doings of MIT's D-Lab - they call it "an elite unit of low-tech mercenaries" - which seeks to find simple solutions to drastically improve the quality of life for people living in developing countries. That means building devices like a water tester and hammerhill using easy-to-find, mostly run-of-the-mill components.
Simplicity above all dictates the students' every decision. As Amy Smith, the D-Lab's director, recently noted: "Designs are more likely to be successful if they’re not complicated and requiring all sorts of support and infrastructure. But simple doesn’t mean easy. It’s a challenge to get to those ‘simple’ solutions.”...
Quote of the Day: Achim Steiner on the State of the Environment
by Jasmin Malik Chua, Jersey City, USA on 10.27.07
The Global Environment Outlook: environment for development (GEO-4) report is published in what may prove to be a remarkable year—a year when humanity faced up to the scale and pace of environmental degradation with a new sense of realism and honesty matched by firm, decisive and above all, imaginative action.
It highlights the unprecedented environmental changes we face today and which we have to address together. These changes include climate change, land degradation, collapse of fisheries, biodiversity loss, and emergence of diseases and pests, among others. As society, we have the responsibility to tackle these and the development challenges we face. The trigger propelling countries and communities towards a rediscovery of collective responsibility is the most overarching challenge of this generation: climate change. ......
Ice-Tethered Profilers: Monitoring Changes in the Arctic Ocean
by Jeremy Elton Jacquot, Los Angeles on 10.27.07
Given the Arctic ice caps' precipitous decline over the past year and bleak projected outlook, an "early warning" system may seem like too little, too late. The scientists heading up the Arctic Observing Network, whose aim it is to assess the changes going on now in order to help predict the ice caps' future, believe the instrument they have just devised - the ice-tethered profiler (ITP) - may still provide some valuable insights.
Equipped with a set of components that includes a surface buoy, various sensors, a motor and a modem, ITPs are installed using an ice auger to drill a 10-inch-diameter hole and - after being anchored down to an ice floe - are left to drift, continuously monitoring the seawater properties below. Their expected lifetime is 3 years - about the same amount of time their supporting ice floe will last. ...
What Turns Fires into Disasters? Politics and Planning
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 10.27.07
Steve Erie is director of the Urban Studies and Planning Programming at the University of California San Diego. He is writing a book: Paradise Plundered, explaining how the hills around San Diego got developed.
Erie says that "Developers own most of the city councils. In Poway, in Escondido, what they do is put homeowners in harm's way. They're able to control zoning processes, and they're frequently behind initiatives that say no new taxes, no new fire services. It's insanity." "Politicians here have never met a developer they didn't like. It's a company town and it is largely run by the building industry and local politicians do their bidding."
Meanwhile, the builders don't build any more fire protection than they have to because people aren't willing to pay for it. ::The Star
...
Jill Salisbury, Founder of el: Environmental Language Furniture, on Green Design
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 10.27.07
The good people at Apartment Therapy: Chicago have an interesting interview with Jill Salisbury, the founder of el: Environmental Language Furniture (we covered them here on TreeHugger) about sustainability, product design and green materials.
There's lots of good stuff, but our favorite part was what she had to say about what to look for when trying to buy green: "When you’re looking at products that claim to be green, don’t look at just one part of the product. Look at the whole process. If something is made from bamboo, which is a renewable material, but coated with a high-VOC lacquer, it really defeats the green benefits of that product. You need to take a look at what materials are used in the product. Look for low-VOC finishes. Ask about adhesives. Formaldehyde can hide in adhesives and binding agents, in the linings of upholstery. Start asking questions of the salesperson or the manufacturer, and get a feel for whether the product is as green as it claims to be." Read the whole interview here. el: Environmental Language Furniture via ::Apartment Therapy: Chicago...
Wood Construction Scales Up
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 10.27.07
Wood can be the perfect sustainable material; it sucks up CO2 and once cut, it holds it for the life of the building. Unfortunately in North America it is not used a lot for non-residential buildings and we don't see many offices or schools like they have in Finland. The Eugene H. Kruger building at the University of Laval was designed as an experiment in pushing wood as far as it could go; objectives set for architects Gauthier Gallienne Moisan were to "demonstrate the potential of an all-wood construction in a large scale building " and "to design the University's first building according to the principles of sustainable development."...
Future of Food: Fish Farms in Condos
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 10.27.07
The Globe and Mail Report on Business Magazine has an interesting 28-part series on the Future of Food, including coverage of a new kind of local fish farming without the environmental concerns and pollution. Dr. Yonathan Zohar at the University of Maryland Biotechnology Institute doesn't need an ocean, and doesn't worry about pollution; he grows fish in tanks in the basement. It is self-contained and recirculating (which means it does not need a natural water source nearby for top-ups or waste discharges), not to mention environmentally friendly. Zohar says the system could be built "anywhere—in urban communities, rural communities, whether it's the Midwest, near an airport or in any inner city." Zohar told Scientific American in an earlier article "Seafood is the only commodity that is still at the stage of hunt-and-gather farming," he observes. "Compare it with chickens, and we are way behind the curve." See also ::Center of Marine Biotechnology...
One Year Ago in TH: Energy Efficiency, Solar Energy, Green Living + More
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 10.27.07
One year ago in TreeHugger: we had our eyes on solar energy and energy efficiency, as Wal-Mart announced they were going to sell an energy-efficient notebook for less than $500, we peeked in on the booming California solar market, took note that EPA was tightening up the power specs for Energy Star-qualified PCs and scooped up the story about Izzy's Ice Cream, which is partially powered by 200 solar panels. Solar-powered ice cream...mmm.
When it came to the green lifestyle, we were working on improving it with the Slate Green Challenge and Lexus' Hybrid Living, which we described as "TreeHugger with a Platinum card," and we looked in onHome Depot's efforts to sell the green lifestyle. Plus, on weirder side of things, the walls were alive, we engaged in some poplar science to grow trees for fuel. Check out the rest of October 27, 2006 for more....
Arizona Completes Cumulative Renewable Energy Projections
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 10.27.07
Arizona’s three largest utilities, Arizona Public Service (APS), Salt River Project and Tucson Electric Power (TEP), commissioned a renewable energy assessment to determine the availability of the state’s renewable energy resources. Black & Veatch was selected to conduct the research because of the company’s global expertise in renewable energy studies and projects...
According to the Black & Veatch study, more than 4,300 MW of electricity could be produced using solar thermal generation. In addition, nearly 1,500 MW of electricity could be developed from wind power generation. Other resources could provide as much as 175 MW of electricity through a combination of hydropower, biomass and geothermal technologies. However, further review will be needed to determine the comparative value of developing these in-state renewable energy resources versus purchasing electricity from out of state.
Via::Black & Veatch, "Arizona Renewable Energy Assessment" (pdf file), Image credit::Renewable Energy Access...
Checking Out the Sun's Surface with a Solar Telescope
by Jeremy Elton Jacquot, Los Angeles on 10.26.07
Scientists are planning to send a balloon-borne solar telescope on expeditions in the polar regions to gather an unprecedented amount of data on the sun's surface. Following a successful test flight earlier this month during which the telescope - dubbed "Sunrise" - was launched to an altitude of 120,000 ft (with the help of a balloon larger than a Boeing 757 jumbo jet), NCAR and a team of researchers are laying down the details for what will be several long, polar balloon flights starting in 2009.
The balloon flew about 10 hours during the test flight, deploying an array of sophisticated equipment to capture images of the sun's surface along with a gamut of other data. The scientists, led by NCAR's Michael Knölker, are hoping to use it to study the structure and dynamics of the sun's magnetic fields, which fuel its activity, affect telecommunications and power systems and could play a role in influencing climate change by causing variations in solar radiation....
Most Huggable: Greenest US Cities, Laundry Tips, Online Book Swapping + More
by Team Treehugger, Worldwide on 10.26.07
When it comes time to start a family, retire, or just move, you'll want to know where the greenest cities in the US are. Is your city on the list?
Honda is looking to the future and launching a hydrogen-powered car at the upcoming L.A. auto show.
Learn some lessons about ways to save power, money and effort while keeping clothes clean, and leave your own tips at Appropedia, the sustainability wiki.
Take a gander at the first whole-house home audio system that's a bit greener than we're used to.
Eco-Libris has a thorough review of Bookmooch, an online book-swapping service that's saving trees by helping folks get the most out of their books through trade.
Most Huggable is a daily roundup of some of Hugg’s top stories. Why not submit your own green news?...
TH Forums Highlights: Green McMansions, High Gas Prices + More
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 10.26.07
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) Forums user AdamSinger brings up a hot topic on TreeHugger lately: "Is it possible to build a green mega mansion? Is that an oxymoron, or worse yet, unethical?" Citing examples like "enough solar panels to cover a regulation-size basketball court and could generate enough energy for two average-size homes" and "enough reclaimed wood to save 7.5 acres of Brazilian rain forest" the home could be a model of green if it weren't so darn big. At what point is big too big to be green? So far, other users have come down on both sides of this one.
2) User stevejust points out that oil prices recently hit an all-time high when adjusted for inflation. Back in the '70's, when the last "record high" for oil prices was set, there were shortages and it was huge, front-page style news. So the question is: why not this time 'round? Has oil become an afterthought? Are we just more prepared for the price to continue to go up, up, up? Or does the increased fuel efficiency of some of today's cars make it hurt less in the pocketbook? Hmm...
3) Lastly, Forums user teemstrohs is busily remodeling a house. "i want to be as efficient as i can afford. right now i.m trying to map out lighting. obviously cfls are going to make the most sense." Or are they? There's a CFL to fit just about any fixture these days, including dimmers and 3-way switches, but at least one contributor to the thread seems to think that LEDs are a better way to go. New construction/complete remodels are certainly different animals than retrofitting existing fixtures; can anyone lend a helping hand here?
Linking Turbines Directly To The Tank
by April Streeter, Gothenburg, Sweden on 10.26.07
Sweden isn't a hot wind power market in Europe, not compared to Germany (20,000 MW of capacity), Spain (11,000 MW) or even Great Britain (nearly 2,000 MW). In fact, the Swedes currently have a paltry 572 MW of wind capacity, generating about 1.2TWh of power last year - less than one percent of electricity produced in this Nordic nation.
But Sweden has audacious goals (4.9 TWh of generation by 2010), and is starting to formulate a big vision to go with its big plans, based on the idea of wind power helping to drive (bad pun alert) a new generation of plug-in hybrid vehicles creating plausible climate neutral driving.
The way the Swedish Windpower Developers Association (SVIS) sees it, the Swedish vehicle industry (Volvo and Saab) and Swedish windpower are a great fit.
There are a few reasons why these gung-ho Swedish wind proponents may have a chance. It is true that Sweden will probably need to vastly up its renewable generation and reduce CO2 emissions further in coming years, especially after the EU sets binding CO2 reduction targets for the post-2012 period, which it should do early next year. ...
Sitcom '30 Rock' To Go Green
by Iris Coates, UK on 10.26.07
There certainly seems to be a trend for eco-friendly TV shows; we’ve seen Leonardo di Caprio’s new Green Reality TV show, Richard Branson’s planned new green show and now “30 Rock” has decided to go green too.
According to this article on Buddy TV, NBC’s sitcom 30 Rock will be incorporating some environmentally conscious messages as part of their “Green is Universal” initiative. The comedy series, which will start its eco-friendly episode on November 8, follows the creator’s – Tina Fey – character or Liz Lemon, a head writer of a TV program who struggles to keep her show running while also trying to have a social life. ...
Richard Branson Wants Natalie Imbruglia To Host Green Show
by Iris Coates, UK on 10.26.07
Virgin Records founder Richard Branson is reportedly hoping to rope in singer and actress Natalie Imbruglia as the host of his new eco-friendly TV series. The British airline and media mogul, who made his green pledge last year under pressure from Al Gore and Ted Turner, wants the singer to front a new show on his Virgin 1 channel. In the show she'll visit the homes of celebrities and blast them for not being more environmentally friendly. ...
Ask TreeHugger: Leave Your Shoes at the Door
by Helen Suh MacIntosh, Cambridge, MA, USA on 10.26.07
Question: My sister always insists that we take our shoes off at the door. She says that it is cleaner and safer. I think that it is an old wives tale. Is there any data to support her claim?
Response: In the olden days (as my kids call them), taking your shoes off at the door was the norm. This custom is still the standard practice in Korea, Japan, and many other countries. Even in countries where shoes are generally worn indoors, related practices are followed, as door mats are often placed at entryways for people to wipe their feet before entry. ...
Ping Pong Door: Opening the Door to Space-Efficient Table Tennis
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 10.26.07
For all of you who think that your homes are too small or too cluttered for tabletop games, we present the Ping Pong Door. That's right -- it's a functioning door, and when a game of table tennis calls your name, an inner panel folds out of the door; add your own net and paddles and it's game time. You just need two adjacent rooms with enough free space to play.
The caveat, if you want to stay traditional, is that one side of the door is bright green with a white stripe down the middle. A little odd, for sure, but might be worth it for a little space-friendly pong whenever the spirit moves you. This could be a fun project for you dedicated DIYers; for the less handy, contact ::Tobias Fraenzel via ::Yanko Design...
Only 19 Days to Post Your Green 10 Questions
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 10.26.07
Green Halloween: DIY Costume Ideas from ThreadBanger
by Jasmin Malik Chua, Jersey City, USA on 10.26.07
Greenwash Watch: Carbon-Neutral Olympic Torch
by Matthew Sparkes, London, UK on 10.26.07
Apparently, the 2012 Olympic flame is going to carbon neutral. Does that strike anyone else as bonkers? The 2012 Olympics is going to be a huge, polluting event, with thousands of people flying all over the world to attend and compete. Making a carbon neutral flame seems, to me, like a drop in the ocean.
...
Carectomy: Removing Cars From People
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 10.26.07
Coincidentally, just after writing about Land Use and Climate Change, I happened to surf over to Carectomy, to see that "a newly published research project published by the Urban Land Institute points out, improving vehicle efficiency alone won’t make a dent in the United States’ role in global warming....The study finds that one of the most effective way to decrease car use and associated greenhouse gas emissions is to develop more compact “green neighborhoods.”
Carectomy is a new website from the ecogeek crew, who "just want to eliminate the tedious, dangerous, inconvenient reign of automobiles." They propose major surgery:"once you've diagnosed yourself with unhappy car dependent syndrome, that's when you need to come to carectomy.com. Learn how people, cities, countries and the world are removing cars from themselves. Mass transportation, two-wheeled options and better urban planning are only a few things that we can use to scrape off that mass of steel and rubber that's been stuck to your butt for all these years." The Doctor is always in at ::Carectomy
...
Greetings from Planet Bob
by Jasmin Malik Chua, Jersey City, USA on 10.26.07
Weekend To-Do: The Globesity Festival in NYC
by Jasmin Malik Chua, Jersey City, USA on 10.26.07
Forty of New York's most cutting-edge artists, writers, and activists respond to America's burgeoning consumerism and overconsumption of the planet's resources in the Globesity Festival: Hunger Strike Theater, a week of performances, parties, panels, speakers, and workshops exploring the ideas and objects we buy and buy into.
Part performance art, part street activism, and part group fast, the festival is a "theatrical performance in response to consumerism." Only in New York, kids.
Also on Sunday, the Really, Really Free Market. ::The Globesity Festival
[Via ::Nonsense NYC]...
You'll Never Think About "Energy Savings" The Same Way Again
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 10.26.07
In the same vein as Scott Amron's "Off" light switch, where you have to pick between hanging up your jacket or turning on the light, comes "Energy Savings," a design-as-art statement that changes a standard light switch from consumption to conservation. It gives new meaning to the term "energy savings," and it's one of the most interesting piggy banks we've ever seen.
It's half of the "Covers" project by Boiler Design, conceived as a way to rethink our interaction with energy on the consumer end. Hit the jump to see the second half of the project. ::Boiler Design via ::Apartment Therapy...
Why Is This Man Smiling?
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 10.26.07
Nordhaus and Shellenberger say that people tune out from doom and gloom messages, which is why climate change is so low on most people's agendas. And nobody is doomier and gloomier than James Lovelock, who writes that "Our future, is like that of the passengers on a small pleasure boat sailing quietly above the Niagara Falls, not knowing that the engines are about to fail." He also doesn't think much of our puny efforts to do anything about it- "Green," he tells Jeff Goodell of Rolling Stone, only half-joking, "is the colour of mold and corruption."...
American National Forests Generally O.K.
by Jasmin Malik Chua, Jersey City, USA on 10.26.07
Photo credit: Josh Pyles
America's National Forests generally meet green-certification standards for sustainable management, says a new study, but balancing the myriad demands for logging, recreation, and conservation remains a challenge.
The two-year study, conducted by the Washington, D.C.-based Pinchot Institute for Conservation, was commissioned by the U.S. Forest Service to help it decide whether it should throw in its hat with private timber companies seeking independent certification of sustainable management practices, says the Associated Press.
In its study of five national forests, including the Mount Hood National Forest in Oregon, the institute gave the forests a passing grade for planning, community involvement, and its ability to identify threatened or endangered species. Room for improvement, however, was noted in various areas, including old-growth timber management and a backlog of road maintenance. ::AP...
The TH Interview: Vijay Vaitheeswaran, author of Zoom (Part 1)
by Jacob Gordon, Nashville, TN on 10.26.07
"Oil is the problem. Cars are the solution," says Vijay Vaitheeswaran. For the past decade, Vijay has written for the Economist magazine, covering energy, transportation, and economy. His newest book is Zoom: The Global Race to Fuel the Car of Future, which he wrote with fellow Economist correspondent Iain Carson. Vijay knows he can’t make everyone happy with what he proposes, but in his eyes the race is already well underway and the revolution is at hand. Listen to the podcast of this interview via iTunes, or listen/right-click to download. TreeHugger: In Zoom, you and Iain Carson talk about this “Great Awakening”—capital G capital A. Explain this, what is this Great Awakening? Vijay Vaitheeswaran: What we call the Great Awakening is really the American body politic waking up to the twin problems caused by the way we use fossil fuels, particularly oil. The twin problems are global warming and oil addiction....
Pure Waste Challenge, Part III: Take Action, Stop Idling
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 10.26.07
We're up to part three (here's part one and part two) of our spotlight on the Pure Waste Challenge. Remember, it's a program to inspire action against global warming, and the proceeds benefit the Solar Electric Light Fund (SELF), and helping out is as easy as sending an email. Here's how it works:
1) Read the primers that help you take quick, meaningful action in your daily life to start reducing your contribution to global warming.
2) Consider engaging one, two, or all three of the suggested behaviors (it'd be best if you did them all, too, in addition to considering it, but that's not a requirement).
3) Fire off a quick email (details after the jump) to confirm that you're primed and ready to take action. Once you click "send," the Hinkle Charitable Foundation (HCF) will donate $100 to SELF. Just for the one little email. We really think it's worth it....
Land Use and Climate Change
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 10.26.07
Tom Steinbach and Miek Howe of the Greenbelt Alliance, a San Francisco area group that promotes the protection of open space in the Bay Area and advocates for building homes in established urban areas, make an important point about two different ways to reduce emissions from cars: change the cars, or build communities where people can both work and live affordably.
They use an example of Dan, who drives an SUV to work and spends sixty bucks a week on gas. If he switched to a hybrid he would spend only fifteen bucks, but if he moved, he would only spend three. " the two ways to reduce emissions from transportation: increasing fuel economy and using low-carbon fuels ("technology"); and decreasing the number of miles driven ("travel")."
Yet in California, all of the energy and effort is being spent on fixing cars, and little on fixing community.
...
Quote of the Day: Prince Charles on Deforestation
by Jasmin Malik Chua, Jersey City, USA on 10.26.07
Ladies and gentlemen, the world's forests need to be seen for what they are—giant global utilities, providing essential public services to humanity on a vast scale. They store carbon, which is lost to the atmosphere when they burn, increasing global warming. The life they support cleans the atmosphere of pollutants and feeds it with moisture. They act as a natural thermostat, helping to regulate our climate and sustain the lives of 1.4 billion of the poorest people on this Earth. And they do these things to a degree that is all but impossible to imagine. ...
However, as WWF [World Wildlife Fund] knows only too well, the destruction goes on at a truly terrifying pace—out of sight and out of mind. Every year 50 million acres—an area the size of England, Wales and Scotland combined—are destroyed or degraded. And the Nobel Prize-winning United Nations International Panel on Climate Change has estimated that emissions from burning forests are responsible for around 20 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions. Based on that only the energy sector emits a larger share. Let me say that again. Only the energy sector releases more greenhouse gas emissions than the destruction of the rainforests....
The Carbon Sequestration Cost Everyone Else Forgot
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 10.26.07
Let's hope that some key US Congressional staffers read this post about "Implications of generator siting for CO2 pipeline infrastructure" and talk to its authors. That said, we lay down some pipe talk.
Coal fired power generating plant location is based several things, choosing between many variables to optimize profit, of course. Key ones are proximity to the electricity "demand" (customers), access to cooling water, friendliness of the neighbors (read: NIMBY), a nearby railroad for fuel delivery, and so on. When it's taxpayer-financed, gas-to-liquids, extra-super-clean, coal-plant-of-the-future, you can also be sure location might have something to do with the districts of certain US Congressional supporters. But there's one more factor coming....
Zweifach Shelf: Flat-Pack, Break It Down Storage
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 10.26.07
Put the words "flat" and "pack" together, and TreeHugger usually needs a towel to contain the drooling; there are few things we like more than the ability to change dimensions, create structure from wafer-thin materials and make efficient use of materials in manufacturing and space when shipping. With that in mind, we submit for your consideration: the Zweifach Shelf.
Designed by Simon Schappi and oddly reminiscent of Kindergarten, each double cubbie starts as three separate, flat pieces; spend a few minutes folding and fitting, and a modular shelf is born. This is one of our favorite things about this design: you can build only as much storage as you need; the modular, stackable system lets you expand and contract your storage as the volume of your stuff fluctuates. Empty a box or two out? No need to waste space with empty storage; just break down one of the boxes. Perfect for a small apartment dweller, frequent mover or anyone who doesn't want to kill extra space with storage you don't need. ::The Formsons via ::swissmiss...
Bianca Jagger, George Monbiot + Vandana Shiva Attend Be The Change
by Leonora Oppenheim, London, UK on 10.26.07
The 2007 Be The Change Conference is fast approaching and has an amazing line up of speakers to inspire you with the theme "The Sky's the Limit". For the fourth year in a row the BTC conference brings together world leaders in sustainability and social change to discuss what they describe as, "The greatest opportunity in our history and our greatest challenge: to achieve an environmentally sustainable and socially just world."
Over three days you can listen to speakers as varied as Bianca Jagger on international human rights; George Monbiot, environmental journalist and author; Jonathon Porritt, Co-Founder and Programme Director of Forum for the Future; Richard Reed, co-founder of Innocent drinks; Dr. Vandana Shiva, physicist, ecological researcher and author.
This TreeHugger will be reporting from what should be a fascinating and motivating event. So watch this space for live posts about the conference. You can book your ticket here....
Green Halloween: Dress As David Suzuki
by Jasmin Malik Chua, Jersey City, USA on 10.26.07
For a cheap, last-minute Halloween getup, go as Canadian author and environmental guru David Suzuki. Simply download and print this face mask, stiffen it with a used cereal box, and punch out some eye and string holes. Attach the mask to your head with a piece of string and voila!, you're David Suzuki. Eerie, isn't it?
To complete the look, print out leaflets you can hand out (on recycled paper, of course) to encourage trick-and-treaters and passers-by to take part in Suzuki's Nature Challenge.
A note of caution from the man himself: Be careful of cars when wearing any mask, even if it's one of David Suzuki's face. ::David Suzuki Foundation
Get more Green 'Ween tips here....
Merrick's Earthsaver Corn Hangers
by Kara DiCamillo, Newport, Rhode Island on 10.26.07
We all have these in our closets. Some of us more than others but they seem to lurk in excess at times. Ah yes, we speak of hangers of course. Now the majority of us have the metal ones we get from the dry cleaner or the plastic ones that we’ve had forever. But next time you need to reload (think: sending your kids off to college), keep these earthsaver hangers in mind. They look and feel like the traditional plastics, however they are made from 100% corn that grows here in the U.S. and are compostable. Made by Merrick, the company calls the style a “heavy shirt design” which, we’re assuming, means that they are quite durable. Rumor has it that Walmart is carrying these ($3.50 for a 5-pack) but it is unknown which stores are carrying them and if they are just being tested for the time being. We couldn’t find any info about them on Merrick’s site either, which seems odd, but check out our source for some interesting observations. Via ::Sustainable is Good...
Michael Chertoff, Environmental Action Figure
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 10.26.07
That he is, a man of action protecting the environment with all the tools he can muster. The Director of Homeland Security's first action: build a fence along the Mexican border through the San Pedro Riparian National Conservation Area. After all, Chertoff says in his blog (yes, he has a blog) "....there are also environmental reasons to stop illegal crossings in the SPRNCA. Illegal entrants leave trash and high concentrations of human waste, which impact wildlife, vegetation and water quality in the habitat. Wildfires caused by campfires have significantly damaged the soil, vegetation, and cultural sites, not to mention threatened human safety."
But U.S. District Court Judge Ellen Segal Huvelle agreed with the Defenders of Wildlife and the Sierra Club and ordered a delay because the Bureau of Land Management and other agencies had failed to conduct a thorough study of the fence's effect on the environment. (Grist here) ...
Recipe of the Week: It's still October. Bake an Apple Pie!
by Kelly Rossiter, Toronto on 10.26.07
image: Martha Stewart's Pies and Tarts
I was reading an apple pie recipe by Food Network chef Michael Smith in my newspaper the other day. I've made a few of Smith's recipes before and I've liked them. The recipe for the crust intrigued me because it was completely unlike any apple pie I've ever made before. When I was discussing this with my mother, she thought it would taste like apple crumble rather than pie. So I tried it. Of course, my mother was right. My mother is pretty much always right about baking matters.
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Planet in Focus Opens with Grizzly Conservationist Charlie Russell
by Jenna Watson, Barcelona on 10.26.07
Image: Charlie Russell signing books
The 8th annual environmental film festival, Planet in Focus, riveted Toronto audiences on Wednesday night with two inaugural films. The first was a short, titled The Nature of Rebirth, with a beautiful reflection on the nature of life and death in Europe’s oldest forest by first time Finnish director, Johanna Lampi.
We were then dazzled by Edge of Eden: Living with theGrizzlies, an 88 minute documentary about Canadian conservationist, Charlie Russell, who lived with grizzly bears in Russia and raised orphaned cubs for reintroduction into their natural habitat. This film was photographed, produced and directed by also Canadian filmmaking team, Jeff and Sue Turner who have made many documentaries for big names like the BBC and Discovery. ...
Survey: Should We Rebuild in Dangerous Locations?
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 10.26.07
It is a question that comes up again and again: People are building in places that burn regularly, that get flooded out in storms, or blown away in hurricanes. It has ever been thus, but now they are packed in so tightly that the financial losses are huge, the insurance companies bail out and the government steps in. As one commenter said in our post on Architecture for Humanity, "Maybe this is mother nature saying,"DON'T BUILD HERE!!!" It was a hard survey to build, there are so many questions, so many answers.
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Turtle Airships: Not Slow, But Hardshelled
by Warren McLaren, Sydney on 10.26.07
Edward de Bono, the champion of lateral thinking is credited with saying "It is better to have enough ideas for some of them to be wrong, than to be always right by having no ideas at all."
One such ideas person is Darrell Campbell, who stumbled upon some of our earlier airship posts, in particular the AerosCraft, which he likes though naturally thinks his designs are better. Darrell professes to be the orginator of the design and technology promoted by Millennium Airship (That’s their pic above) but he is working on his own even more improved design currently—the Turtle Airship.
His vision is for a fleet of rigid shelled airships. To this shell of aluminium, titanium, or stainless steel he envisages despositing amorphous thin film photovoltaic cells. Their solar generated electricity would drive motors that used super-conducting magnets in lieu of copper wire. Biodiesel generators would be on board as back-up power. ...
Electric Vehicle Retailer Protests Proposed Congestion Charge Changes
by Sami Grover, Carrboro, NC, USA on 10.26.07
The London congestion charge, which has already been the focus of angry protests from residents opposed to its extension, continues to cause controversy. This time it is GoinGreen, the UK distributors for the G-Wiz (or Reva as it is known in India) electric vehicle, who are kicking up a fuss. The problem is not the charge itself of course, as that has been a big part the company’s success (as CEO Keith Johnston told TreeHugger here and here). What GoinGreen are concerned about is proposals to extend the number of vehicles exempt from the charge to include all those in emissions band B (currently only band A vehicles i.e. electric, some alternative fuel vehicles, and hybrids in band B, are exempt). The company argues that this move is unwise because it both fails to tackle air quality issues, such as NOx emissions, and because it also fails to distinguish between low-emission and zero-emission options. Keith Johnston had this to say:
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Green Halloween: Ghost Potatoes
by Kelly Rossiter, Toronto on 10.26.07
Okay, there is nothing particularly green about this recipe (unless your potatoes, milk and eggs are all local, of course), but it does prove that TreeHuggers have a sense of humour.
If you are having a Halloween dinner party don't you think these cute little ghosts would be a hit at the table? It would certainly make me laugh....
Benjamin Kahn: A TIME Magazine Hero
by Karin Kloosterman, Tel Aviv on 10.26.07
After all the hoopla around Nobel Prize winner Al Gore, we decided to find an environmental winner of our own over here in Israel.
We didn't have to look far.
This week TIME Magazine rolled out its own list of green heroes and among them was Benjamin Kahn - named as one of TIME magazine's 45 'Heroes of the Environment'.
Kahn's voice has had a resonant effect across Israel. He is the founding father of environmental coastline watchdog organization Zalul.
After studying marine biology and living in the US and Australia for a number of years, Kahn returned to Israel in 2000 and was shocked to discover that the amazing coral reef had drastically deteriorated - the result of years of human contact.
"I knew that if the reef was going to survive, someone had to fight for it," Kahn told TIME. ...
Anita Roddick Tribute: I am an Activist
by Bonnie Alter, London on 10.26.07
A public tribute to Anita Roddick, founder of the Body Shop, was held on what would have been her 65th birthday. Attended by over 1,500 people, the actor Alan Rickman said that "Anita was was uncompromising, inspiring, and visionary, an active world citizen, but still funny, sexy and overflowing." Her picture was beamed onto the side of the National Theatre and five thousand bio-degradable balloons were released into the air to the sound of gospel singers.
Roddick said: "This is no dress rehearsal. You've got one life, so just lead it and try and be remarkable". In her honour, a day of activism has been launched, to be celebrated on her birthday, October 24. I Am An Activist is aimed at inspiring and encouraging people who are passionate about the same issues as Roddick was: human rights, trade justice, peace, women's rights, homelessness and climate change. The site has information about the projects that she supported and urges people to do something: "dance, march, sing and laugh all the way to changing the world." Amen. :: Evening Standard...
Why Do Leaves Turn Red?
by Tim McGee, Western Massachusetts on 10.26.07
As the days grow shorter here in the Northern Hemisphere, one of the last gasps of fall is the rush of color in the surrounding woods. The vivid red-leafed trees are always my favorite, jumping out of the crowd like Halloween candy to a five year old. However, the red color may indicate that the tree is rooted in difficult soil.
Emily M. Habinck, a former University of North Carolina graduate student, found that in places where the soil was relatively low in nitrogen and other essential elements, trees produced more red pigments known as anthocyanins. This finding supports a hypothesis by plant physiologist William Hoch of Montana State University, Bozeman, who argues that the increase in anthocyanin production in red-leafed plants, is the trees defense against fall sunlight. The additional protection allows the trees more time to gain valuable nutrients, offsetting the energetic cost of producing the pigment.
Why is this a TreeHugger noticeable event (besides the tree bit)? Not only is it a beautiful example of form following function, but from time to time we need to step back and see the forest for the trees. ::The Geological Society of America...
Attack of the Green Monster
by Sean Fisher, Cincinnati, Ohio on 10.26.07
TreeHugger Picks: Saving Some Precious Water
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 10.25.07
 | 1) If the recent ongoing droughts in the US can teach us anything, hopefully it's that they, along with 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. Stay ahead of the curve with these straightforward, handy tips. |
 | 2) Hacking your toilet with a Sinkpositive or another such toilet-top sink can be a real multi-tasker: every drop of water saved is beneficial, and they're also a good way to visualize how much water literally goes down the toilet each time you flush. Build your own (from recycled materials, no less) with this handy video, and check out our Earth Day Guide for Saving Water When You Flush for more ideas on toilet water-conservation. |
 | 3) The shower also offers myriad opportunities to make more efficient use of your water. These include showering Japanese-style, where you sit on a stool with a wooden bucket and ladle (or hand-held nozzle), soap and a sponge, using just a bit of water to wet and rinse, and the Navy shower, when you use a conventional shower, but turn the water off except to get wet at the beginning and rinse at the end. Low-flow showerheads and shower timers are just a few of the tips to be found in our Getting Ready for Earth Day: Saving Water When You Shower guide. Two more picks after the jump. |
Green Halloween: Don't Dress To Kill
by Jasmin Malik Chua, Jersey City, USA on 10.25.07
Photo credit: Martha Stewart Living
As one hapless television news crew discovered, store-bought Halloween costumes frequently contain a boatload of carcinogens and reproductive toxins such as lead, cadmium, and pthalates, particularly those made from PVC or vinyl. Even the PVC packaging most costumes come embalmed in can leave phthalate residues on their surfaces.
You should also be wary of store-bought face paints and Halloween makeup that are not only derived from petroleum, but may also contain parabens, butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA), formaldehyde, lead, and other potential and probable cancer-causing agents.
It doesn't take huge leaps of imagination to dress up a scurvy pirate scallywag or a ballerina princess, so scour your closets, kitchen drawers, toy trunks, and local thrift stores for items you can pull together to create a killer—metaphorically speaking—look. (The Dollar Stretcher has some great, low-cost ideas.) You can even learn how to make your own monster makeup.
Get more Green 'Ween tips here.
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Rising Food & Oil Prices: A Recipe For Riots Says FAO
by Kimberley D. Mok, Montreal, Canada on 10.25.07
It is hardly a revelation, but according to Jacques Diouf, the director of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), currently escalating food and energy prices could bring about political instability and riots in developing nations – a situation that is presently being played out in some African countries such as Niger, Burkina Faso, Guinea and in Yemen and Mexico. Already, the FAO’s food price index now stands at its highest levels since its records started in 1990 and has increased 70 percent since 2000. That is a troubling amount, considering that around 2 billion people worldwide live on less than $2 a day, with much of their income being spent on basic necessities such as food. "If food prices continue to be high, there are risks of riots,” Diouf cautioned on Wednesday, during a London meeting to talk with foreign office and aid officials. "If you combine the increase of the oil prices and the increase of food prices, then you have the elements of a very serious crisis in the future."...
The Tar Sands Are Eating Our Dinner
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 10.25.07
While TreeHugger wishes that all of our food was organic and made without fertilizers, the fact is that much of North America's agriculture is dependent on nitrogen fertilizer, and it is made with natural gas. One could almost extend Michael Pollan's statement that "we are all made of corn" down the pipe to "we are all made of natural gas." According to the Dominion, this fertilizer is an essential nutrient in North America's food production system. "In a fairly direct way," says Darrin Qualman, Director of Research at the National Farmers Union, "natural gas is a primary feedstock for our food supply."
And what are we doing with our dwindling and increasingly expensive supplies of it? Cooking rocks to squeeze out automotive fuel.
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Bike the Big Apple: Tour De France Edition
by Jasmin Malik Chua, Jersey City, USA on 10.25.07
This Saturday, take a bike tour of New York City that showcases the Big Apple's French influences. "Unlike the real Tour de France race which covers over 2,100 miles in 22 days," says Bike the Big Apple, "ours is a leisurely paced course that allows participants to take a gastronomic tour de cuisine of France, as well as to experience the historic and contemporary ties between France and the United States."
Tickets cost $90, including the price of a bike, helmet, a licensed, and tour guide, as well as food sampling at three different restaurants. Ooh la la. ::Bike the Big Apple...
Glögg, Glögg, Glögg
by April Streeter, Gothenburg, Sweden on 10.25.07
Jonas Torstensson, a Swedish glass designer (in a country where there are a lot of glass designers) has worked with recycled materials for much of his career. OK, there are also a lot of recycled glass products, but Torstensson even fires up the ovens for his glassworks near Stockholm with biogas – methane captured and delivered from a close-by waste treatment center.
Through the years faithful patrons of Torstensson’s designs have been companies trying to be green as well as spread holiday cheer to their clients, so this year he has a (.pdf) holiday suggestion catalog of hand-blown recycled-glass bowls, recycled-aluminum candle holders, and the glögg glasses pictured after the jump. ...
Bottle Buildings
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 10.25.07
When we get tired of carrying all our wine bottles back to the store for deposit, we may just recycle them into a bottle building in the backyard. People have been doing it for years, another or those "architecture without architects" things that Bernard Rudofsky talked about. Warren notes that in Australia they are still doing it, and we recently noted a dome in Herefordshire. There is even a whole website devoted to them, which notes that "when the sun hits the bottles, there are said to be kaleidoscopic rays and a stained glass effect."
The oldest surviving bottle house was was constructed out of over 50,000 beer bottles in 1907, due to the lack of lumber available in the deserts of Nevada.
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Air Freighted Organic Food In UK To Be Fair Trade
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 10.25.07
It was a difficult, even Solomonic judgement call: As George noted earlier, the Soil Association, the UK’s leading organic certification body, had proposed withdrawing the 'organic' label from produce flown into the UK from abroad. Others argued that many African countries had developed big organic vegetable industries serving the UK market and would be put out of business.
In the end, the Soils Association decided to demand that organic food producers in developing countries contribute substantially to the social needs of communities and workers, and guarantee wages and good working conditions. "It's right to continue to allow some organic air freight. Most people say that they only support air freight if it delivers real environmental and social benefits. This linking of organic and fair trade standards does that," said Peter Melchett, the Soil Association's policy director. ::Guardian...
Etsy's Handmade Halloween Costume Contest: Time's Almost Up
by Jasmin Malik Chua, Jersey City, USA on 10.25.07
You have just barely over a day left to enter Etsy's Handmade Halloween Costume, spookfans—the bell tolls tomorrow at 11:59 p.m. (ET). Want to check out your potential competition? Here are some of the entries we've received in the Green category, in no particular order:
If you think your scare tactics are superior, prowl on over to Etsy's official contest Web site for details. ::Etsy...
Bush Administration Up to its Old Shenanigans on Climate Change
by Jeremy Elton Jacquot, Los Angeles on 10.25.07
Southeast & Mid-Atlantic US Drought Update
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 10.25.07
With TeeVee news cameras focused exclusively on the California and Mexico wildfires, the thirsty and parched on the other coast are not going to be forgotten by us. The East Coast and Southeast US drought problems and their potential solutions are much bigger than just "Atlanta," as the following excerpts amply demonstrate. Here are just a few examples of how leaders of government and industry are reacting to the wide, and slow moving crisis that this drought has become.
Florida Governor Charlie Crist fired the latest salvo in the decades old Georgia-Florida-Alabama water war Wednesday evening. He sent a letter to President Bush asking him to deny Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue's request for emergency drought relief. Specifically, Crist wants the President to refuse to alter the amount of water the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers releases from Lake Lanier, which serves all three states. Alabama Governor Bob Riley wrote a similar letter to the President earlier this week. He called any reduction in Lake Lanier releases "a radical step that would ignore the vital downstream interests of Alabama."The Chattahoochee River, which begins its life north of Atlanta, Georgia, flows south and west through Alabama and on through the Florida "panhandle." As we mentioned before, more than just endangered species are at risk from drought before the Chattahoochee discharges into the Gulf of Mexico....
7 Steps in the Lifecyle of a Green Product
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 10.25.07
Back in 2004, Ray Anderson, founder of Interface and all-around sustainability smart guy, said, “No one should be claiming sustainable products. There is no such thing yet in terms of zero footprint. What you can do is demonstrate reduced footprint.” Metropolis magazine notes "This remains true today -- and yet the dizzying array of new efforts boggles the mind. There is no shortage of products claiming the green mantle. So how do we mark this vast but imperfect moment?"
Borrowing from the Okala Design Guide, Metropolis has attempted to answer this question, and they've done a good job. Recognizing that there is no perfect product, no absolute sustainable design, 7 Steps in the Lifecycle of a Green Product is meant to be "a set of best practices, and a possible road map for a new model of twenty-first-century manufacturing." Worth reading at ::Metropolis via ::Core77...
Turtle-Oriented Eco-Tourism Springs Up in Central America
by Eliza Barclay, Washington, D.C. on 10.25.07
The Los Angeles Times recently had a rare piece on a Panamanian eco-activist committed to saving the sea turtles, whose numbers dwindled to 80 last year, from hundreds in the 1980s. Arcelio Fuentes raises sea turtles in a beach-side incubator that he built himself on the Pacific Coast, supported by environmental donors.
According to the Times, Fuentes' crusade is one of dozens of grass-roots rescue operations in communities in Central America, Mexico and the Caribbean. The threatened sea creatures have become an increasingly important way for people to connect to their heritage, environment and economic opportunities through eco-tourism. The main threats to the turtles are poachers who sell the eggs for 25 cents a pop in Panama, as well as dogs, birds and other predators.
There are now community-based turtle preservation projects in 40 nations, said Karen Eckert, a Duke University marine biologist and director of the Wider Caribbean Sea Turtle Conservation Network in Beaufort, N.C.
The Panamanian government has declared several beach communities special marine reserves, making them off-limits to fishing, shrimping and development. Costa Rica and El Salvador have similar community-based initiatives to save turtles and other endangered species. However, Fuentes and other activists are up against strong pressures to develop the coastline, and it's not clear yet who will win.:: Via Los Angeles Times ...
I’m A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! Scene Of Poison Scare
by Iris Coates, UK on 10.25.07
The area which ITV has marked for the new series of UK hit jungle show I'm A Celebrity, Get Me Out Of Here! has been hit by a poison scare, just three weeks before the series goes on air, the Daily Star reports.
Dungay Creek in New South Wales runs through the stars' jungle camp - and has been mysteriously contaminated by a toxic insecticide. The Department of Environment and Climate Change officials have advised people to stay away from the water, and banned fishing and swimming.
Although the report says the show will be going ahead as planned, the news means that this year’s celebs may have to avoid the water, much to the dismay of ITV bosses as it means the water can’t be used for the fabled showers (remember Myleene’s white bikini?) or scantily clad dips by female contestants. Oh well, let’s hope there is plenty of bug-eating, arguments and other such sophisticated and intellectual entertainment to expect from the show and its ‘celebrities’. ...
Ugandans Give New Life to Plastic Bags
by Eliza Barclay, Washington, D.C. on 10.25.07
Progressive environmental policies sometimes come from unusual places like Uganda, which banned plastic bags in July of this year because they have become so problematic for the environment.
Now local and international NGOs are helping Ugandans in a suburb of the capital city of Kampala to collect plastic bags and turn them into items like baskets, handbags, shoes and roofing tiles. The material would otherwise be left to clog drainage systems, contributing to flooding, or hurt livestock who eat and digest them.
The bags can also spread malaria -- warm water pools in them creating an ideal breeding ground for mosquitoes. They also contaminate soil and plants, and leak color additives into food. Recently, the United Nations Environment Program announced a new campaign with an emphasis on curbing production of the bags, promoting re-use, and recycling of plastic waste in Africa.
The bag project in Kawempe, Uganda is also providing an alternative way for impoverished residents to generate income. "Locals can now earn a living through collecting solid plastic and polythene waste material," said Nasser Takuba, the division chairman of Kawempe....
Quote of the Day: Mimi Sheraton on Getting Your Kids to Eat More Vegetables
by Jasmin Malik Chua, Jersey City, USA on 10.25.07
While most literary sleuths are busy trying to discern whether and how Jessica (Mrs. Jerry) Seinfeld plagiarized recipes from a similar cookbook by Missy Chase Lapine, I say: a plague on both their houses. Both propose a culinary scheme that is, basically, totally stupid, to say nothing of dishonest. Seinfeld's Deceptively Delicious and Lapine's The Sneaky Chef advocate tricking kids into eating their fruits and, mostly, their veggies by pureeing them and oozing them into acknowledged goodies. Think mushes of cauliflower, squash, spinach, and avocado leaked into brownies, chocolate pudding, lasagna, macaroni and cheese, and grilled cheese sandwiches. Even hot cocoa, to which Seinfeld wants you to add mashed sweet potatoes; Lapine advises cherry juice.
The twin major flaws in this faulty reasoning, are that, first, children get the wrong message that sweets and starches are good for them. After all, if you tell your offspring to stop eating brownies, he might not get enough iron via spinach. ...
Dumpster Diver Finds $1m Painting
by Sami Grover, Carrboro, NC, USA on 10.25.07
While dumpster diving may be an environmentally virtuous way of meeting your needs, especially when using a bicycle, it is still considered by many as being a little cheap or unsavory. However, an article in Tuesday’s New York Times may well change a lot of people’s perceptions about this oft-maligned alternative to shopping:
It’s hardly a place you would expect to find a $1 million painting. But one March morning four years ago, Elizabeth Gibson was on her way to get coffee, as usual, when she spotted a large and colorful abstract canvas nestled between two big garbage bags in front of the Alexandria, an apartment building on the northwest corner of Broadway and 72nd Street in Manhattan....
Pure Waste Challenge, Part II: Take Action, Go Tankless
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 10.25.07
In part two (here's part one) of our spotlight on the Pure Waste Challenge, we'll help bust a few myths about tankless water heaters and hopefully inspired you dear readers to take action against global warming. It's easy; here's how it works:
1. Read the primers.
2. Ponder the possibility of making some easy, meaningful changes in your life.
3. Send a quick email (details below the fold) to confirm that you've done both of those.
Once you click "send," the Hinkle Charitable Foundation (HCF) will donate $100 to the Solar Electric Light Fund (SELF), a very worthy non-profit working hard to simultaneously combat global poverty and climate change. It's that easy. Think about how many emails you'll send today, and consider adding one more. Hit the jump to learn more about SELF and play some fact vs. fiction with tankless water heaters....
Green Halloween: Healthy Treats
by Jasmin Malik Chua, Jersey City, USA on 10.25.07
No trick about it, you can sneak in some nutrition into the loot bags of trick-or-treaters pawing at your front door. Here are some of our picks for a more healthful Halloween. Caveat: We make no guarantees your house won't get egged or TP'd, so abandon hope all ye who mess with tradition—and ghouls and goblins hopped up on sugar.
Get more Green 'Ween ideas here....
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1) Say boo to processed sugars and other artificial ingredients with Boo! Key Balls, festively packaged single servings of the Buckey Ball Matrix energy snack dedicated to the inimitable Buckminster Fuller. Sweetened with pure evaporated cane juice, each snack comes loaded with honey, sesame seeds, dried whole raspberries, peanuts, and olive oil. ($33.95 for a pack of 12, The Wholefood Farmacy) |
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2) Available for a limited time, Bear Naked's Halloween variety pack pulls together a wickedly good assortment of five granola flavors (Fruit & Nut, Peak Protein, Banana Nut, Apple Cinnamon & Peanut Butter & Jelly). The all-natural granola is minimally processed, low in sodium, and made with whole grains, dried fruits, and nuts. ($18.99 for a pack of 36, Bear Naked Store) |
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3) Late July's USDA-certified organic peanut-butter crackers contain no trans fats, high-fructose corn syrup, or hydrogenated oils—and are kosher and lacto-vegetarian, to boot. Made by a family-owned business in Hyannis, Mass., the snacks pack the flavors of roasted organic Valencia peanuts and organic red winter wheat. ($34.11 for for four 12-count boxes, Amazon.com) |
Greenwashing in the New Yorker: The Sustainable Forestry Initiative
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 10.25.07
Cruising through the New Yorker, I came upon this full page ad titled "Meet the New Environmentalist- these days, a growing number of consumers want the good life, but not at the expense of the environment. So when they shop for everything from newspapers to building materials, they look for SFI certified wood and paper products. These products come from well managed forests certified to the SFI standard. To learn how to keep our forests healthy, visit sfiprogram.org "
So I did. It is a "program is based on the premise that responsible environmental behavior and sound business decisions can co-exist. SFI program participants practice sustainable forestry on all the lands they manage. They also influence millions of additional acres through the training of loggers and foresters in best management practices and landowner outreach programs."
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Architecture For Humanity and the California Fires
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 10.25.07
Architecture for Humanity, who we usually think of as working in distant locations, hits the ground running yet again. The local San Diego chapter is already hard at work with Rebuild San Diego, helping seniors and looking for anything and everything, from food, to toiletry, to bedding. They have a page up already on the Open Architecture Network put out the call-
"As voluntary architects and designers we have the opportunity to use your our skills and assets to come together and help Rebuild San Diego. If any of you are interested in seeking out volunteer opportunities, you can get in contact with us by sending an email to rebuildsandiego (at) gmail.com. From there, we will round up folks, set up a meeting and see what we can do." ::Rebuild: San Diego If, like me, you are too far away to pitch in physically, do so virtually by making a tax-deductible ::Donation via Paypal like I just did....
France Seeks to Remake its Image as a Green Champion with Raft of New Measures
by Jeremy Elton Jacquot, Los Angeles on 10.25.07
It looks like France's "hyperactive" president, Nicolas Sarkozy, has found a new issue to flex his political muscles with: his country's green profile. During a two-day long government summit - dubbed the "Grenelle" of the environment (named after a previous set of accords signed in 1968) - a coalition of scientists, policymakers (including Al Gore), industry representatives and unions hashed out a set of environmental reforms aimed at cementing France's eco-standing in the European Union.
Jean-Louis Borloo, the French environment minister, claimed success in pushing for a measure that would require the country to slash its energy consumption by 20% by 2020. Transportation and infrastructure were a big focus of the summit: the participants agreed to expand France's tramway and iconic TGV high-speed train networks, to stop the building of new roads and airports - amongst others (see full list of measures here, in French) - and to impose new standards on future building construction, primarily dealing with better energy efficiency....
Walk This Way: Path Embedded Solar LED Lighting
by Warren McLaren, Sydney on 10.25.07
Couple of years ago we ran a post on a German supplier of Solarbricks, solar powered imbedded path lighting. One commenter wondering if such things were available Stateside. A while back a Japanese/American firm, Solar Cynergy, did get in touch to alert us to their product of very similar nature.
The Solar LED Series can be used for the residential purposes indicated in our first post, but Solar Cynergy also indicate that they’ve a line that is specifically suited to what they call 'city and transportation' applications, like carparks, pedestrian walkways, etc.
Two to eight light emitting diodes (LEDs) encased in polycarbonate resin are combined with a small photovolatic cell to power the lights for up to about 15 hours after an 8 hour charge in sunlight. Energy is stored via capacitor technology, negating the need for batteries. Available with a 10 year warranty the lights are said to last for more than 25 years, even if it rains, or folk drive on top of them. ::Solar Cynergy via tip from John H....
Toyota to Use Carbon Fiber and Aluminium in its 1/X Concept Hybrid Car
by Jeremy Elton Jacquot, Los Angeles on 10.25.07
In a bid to claim an early sales lead over its rivals as the car industry's focus shifts towards the production of ever lighter, more fuel-efficient vehicles, Toyota will begin using carbon fiber and aluminum in its next generation of hybrid cars. Its 1/X concept vehicle, which many see as the logical successor to the Prius, will weigh 67% less than its progenitor and come equipped with a 92 mpg fuel economy - due in large part to its lighter, carbon fiber body. It will run on a blend of ethanol/gasoline and electricity.
Sounds impressive, but some aren't convinced: "Carbon fiber is a technology for the future, but it's going to take years of work before the carmakers can use it for mass production," said Koji Endo, a senior analyst at Credit Suisse, attributing his pessimism largely to the material's high expense (100 times more expensive than steel). Sage Marie, a Honda spokeswoman, also cast doubts on the plan by emphasizing that switching to the new material would require carmakers to revamp their entire auto-assembly lines, a costly process that could take years....
Survey: Halloween Habits
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 10.25.07
It is that time of year when the neighbourhood kids are particularly monstrous and greedy, hands, claws and buckets held out for treats or watch out. Pandering to this extortion racket are the big candy manufacturers, filling their shelves with crap. (For a real scare, see John's post on the stuff that is legal to put into food in America)
In the UK where Halloween is a recent import, they make it easy to say no, giving out posters for people to put up saying "No Trick, No Treat, No Thanks" but a recent study found that 58 percent of homeowners said they had hidden in their darkened houses on Halloween.
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TH Blog Love - Our Favourite Greens Of The Week
by Leonora Oppenheim, London, UK on 10.25.07
Architecture For Humanity: Southern California Wildfire by Cameron Sinclair
"This week wildfires have ravaged Southern California. Their path and scope have been quite unpredictable and devastating to thousands of homes from Los Angeles to San Diego. Rebuild San Diego, the local chapter of Architecture for Humanity, and Architecture for Humanity Los Angeles have been working on the ground responding to volunteer needs at Qualcomm Stadium and other venues in the city of San Diego."
EcoFabulous: A Fabric Frenzy of Innovation by Zem Joaquin
"Your eco-options for fabrics need not be limited to cotton alone, though. The market has expanded into greener territory with even some seemingly odd innovations, sometimes called "new organics." Perhaps the most publicized has been Ingeo, a company that makes a fabric from corn."...
Chibi-Robo: Park Patrol, Nintendo's First Eco-Game for Kids
by Kenny Luna, North Babylon, NY on 10.25.07
While the game Chibi-Robo was originally designed for the GameCube and focused on a tiny robot saving a family while cleaning their house, Nintendo’s come back with a sequel for Nintendo DS called Chibi-Robo: Park Patrol that encourages environmental stewardship and it just may become a hit. That’s because the original Chibi-Robo became a cult hit even as the GameCube was heading down the tubes.
In the game, players maneuver their tiny little robot throughout a beaten down park, working to restore and clean it up by planting flowers, building park equipment and defeating toxic enemies called Smoglings.
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Honda Un-Plugs
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 10.25.07
With a distancing quote like this one, its good to remember how, in the recent past, car markets can turn on a dime once a new category becomes popular. Think mini-vans, SUV's, and MegaTrucks for examples. Counter-intelligence is also possible (do what I say, not what I'm really doing). Still, this official pronouncement puts Honda's strategy in opposition to that of GM's executive. May the best American maker win!
Honda Motor Co. Chief Executive Takeo Fukui said so-called plug-in hybrid gasoline-electric vehicles offered too few environmental benefits for his company to pursue,... "My feeling is that the kind of plug-in hybrid currently proposed by different auto makers can be best described as a battery electric vehicle equipped with an unnecessary fuel engine and fuel tank," Mr. Fukui told a group of journalists Tuesday at the company's research and development center here, north of Tokyo. He said he was referring to plug-in hybrids such as the Chevy Volt. "Assuming that we can come up with a really high-performing battery that we are working on currently, I think a battery electric vehicle [that uses such battery technology] would actually be a plus from an environmental point of view."Via:: Wall Street Journal, "Honda Won't Pursue Plug-in Hybrids", Image credit::Honda News, ...
Abel & Cole Cash In
by Bonnie Alter, London on 10.25.07
Abel & Cole was the first company to make home deliveries of organic fruit and vegetables in the the UK. Started in 1988 with £2,000 worth of travellers' cheques, Ken Abel began delivering boxes of farm-fresh organic vegetables to subscribers' front doors. The timing was perfect: people were getting interested in healthy eating and the provenance of their vegetables and wanted something better than what the supermarket could offer. Suddenly strange and ugly vegetables were showing up and recipes for kale and pak choi were frantically being exchanged amongst neighbours. Now they deliver to 48,000 households, with sales of £28 million.
Sounds profitable, so much so that they have now sold an estimated third of the business to a private equity firm allowing the company to expand its service across Britain and increase the range of products on offer. The deal values the company at about £35 million and as Mr Abel owns 75 per cent, he is likely to have landed a windfall of at least £7 million ($14M). As for whether taking investment from an industry known for its ruthlessness will change his company, Mr Abel says that dropping the core values makes no business sense. "It would be completely insane for anyone to invest in our business if they didn't get that," he says. "It would be like the Bodyshop scrapping the ban on testing on animals." :: Guardian...
Plant ‘O’ Matic Puts Your Plants in the Sunlight
by Petz Scholtus, Barcelona, Spain on 10.25.07
Do your plants not get enough sun during the day? Plant ‘O’ Matic is the solution! A flowerpot on wheels equipped with solar panels allows the plants to roll themselves into the sun. We found this object at Stereonoise, the inventor’s studio run by Pep Torres in Barcelona, Spain. Unfortunately there’s not much information available but this idea definitely has potential- not just for letting plants find the sun. For more wacky ideas to push that green thumb of yours, check out Botanicalls where your plants call you up if they need anything... via: Invar ::Stereonoise Blog...
This Holiday, Pledge to Buy, Receive Handmade
by Jasmin Malik Chua, Jersey City, USA on 10.24.07
This holiday season, take a stand against cookie-cutter consumerism, sweatshop labor, and rampant environmental destruction by pledging to buy and receive handmade gifts at BuyHandmade.org.
Created by the Handmade Consortium, consisting of Etsy, Craftster.org, Indiepublic, Craft:, Design Sponge, the American Craft Council, the Austin Craft Mafia, Burda Style, and Interweave, the site allows you to sign your virtual John Hancock and then jot off notes to your friends and family. Got a Web site? Display the "I Took the Handmade Pledge" badge with pride. ::BuyHandmade.org...
Green on TV: America's Next Top Model
by Sean Fisher, Cincinnati, Ohio on 10.24.07
So, picture a TreeHugger writer getting home, exicted to watch Game 1 of the World Series on TV. Now, picture that same TreeHugger writer instead sitting through an hour of the reality TV series America's Next Top Model because he couldn't get to the remote in time. Sad, isnt' it? Anyway, it seems green messaging is now getting so far into the mainstream, it is even invading reality television. Tonight's Top Model episode featured the models doing a recycling-themed photo shoot as a way to highlight how modeling can be used for the forces of good. Models were decked out in sets featuring recycled newspaper, plastic bags, aluminum cans, etc. Apparently, this whole season is "green" themed, including both the model's housing and the transportation they use....
The Fire Tornado Kicks Up A Storm With Kids At Discovery's Young Scientist Challenge!
by Kenny Luna, North Babylon, NY on 10.24.07
If you haven't had the chance to be wowed by a fire tornado, then you're missing out on a great experience! And the truth is that it's not only cool to watch, but a great tool to teach kids and adults about the relationship between temperature and pressure. Helping them to understand the reality that even slight changes in those key variables in one part of the world can have tremendous consequences for another.
When presented in the context of the challenge it led to a discussion of how increases in global temperatures due to climate change will lead to more powerful storms. And the kids were actually charged with experimenting with the spinning apparatus to create the most powerful fire tornado possible by adding and removing a paper column which impacted the amount of cool air reaching the base of the fire and increasing the "chimney effect" as it warmed up and rose through the column...
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Think Before You Fall For Cause-Related Marketing
by Jasmin Malik Chua, Jersey City, USA on 10.24.07
Photo credit: festivefrog
Every October, we're assailed by a barrage of pink-ribbon products purporting to support breast-cancer awareness: Buy specially marked packages of frozen microwavable dinners and 50 cents goes to breast-cancer research, or pick up a pink blender and an unspecified portion of the proceeds will go toward advancing women's health. But are these companies fueling the cause or dragging it down?
"There are some products that have a pink ribbon on them, but might actually be contributing to the disease by producing toxins that have been linked to breast cancer," Katrina Kahl, a communications associate at the San Francisco-based Breast Cancer Action, tells TreeHugger....
Rock, Paper, Scissors Gives a Hoot, Goes Recycled
by Jasmin Malik Chua, Jersey City, USA on 10.24.07
We're fans of Rock Paper Scissors' whimsical and vibrant owl-themed paper goods, printed right here in the United States with soy inks on 100 percent Forestry Stewardship Council-certified recycled paper.
While the indie establishment has switched most of its cards, papers, and envelopes over to post-consumer recycled fibers, co-founder Heidi Bauer admits she needs to update some of the product descriptions. Prices start at around $4; you can get a pack of 10 personalized notecards (sans envelopes) for $20.
More luscious images below the fold. ::Rock, Paper, Scissors...
College Sustainability Report Card 2008
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 10.24.07
Colleges and universities are taking the task of going green seriously, according to the newly released College Sustainability Report Card 2008. The report, compiled by the Sustainable Endowments Institute, showed that more than two out of three schools showed improved performance over last year.
Still, as with last year, nobody aced it, with Harvard, Dartmouth, University of Washington, Middlebury, Carleton, and University of Vermont each receiving an A-; star stickers all around! The Juilliard School, Howard University, Regent University, and Samford University yielded overall “F” grades, followed by 21 schools carrying a grade of “D-” Ouch. Time to report to the college sustainability principal's office.
"Colleges are rising to the sustainability challenge, but there remains much room for innovation,” said Mark Orlowski, Executive Director of the Sustainable Endowments Institute. “Many schools are missing opportunities to ‘connect the dots,’ and bring leadership on the endowment side into alignment with existing campus sustainability efforts." Hit the jump for more numbers breakdown, download the 2008 report here [PDF] or download the executive summary here [PDF]. ::College Sustainability Report Card 2008...
Go Go Gadget Coffee Table: Hexa and Tetra Pull-Out Tables
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 10.24.07
This is a such a cool idea: similar to a keyboard tray on a desk, the Hexa coffee table has six hidden compartments that slide out to triple the available surface area, perfect for parties and when you want to have dinner on the couch, or just to have some fun with geometry. When you just want a regular table, all six slide and hide away beneath the table's top.
Designer Bernard Vuarnesson has also created a cousin to Hexa, called Tetra (picture after the jump) that's a square table with four extendo-sections, if symmetry is more your thing. Either way, go go gadget coffee table here via ::Freshome...
Quote of the Day: Devra Davis on Declining Male Births
by Jasmin Malik Chua, Jersey City, USA on 10.24.07
In the United States and Japan, there has been a significant decline in the birth of baby boys. What does this have to do with testicular cancer? Well, there's a theory of testicular dysgenesis, which means that there is something on the Y chromosome that is transmitted to boys that is affecting their overall health, and it may affect whether or not a boy sperm works to fertilize an egg.
Something is affecting fathers' ability to make baby boys, which may also be affecting the ability of the boys that are conceived to become fathers. It may be affecting sperm count, which is declining. It may also be affecting development of testicular cancer, which peaks in young men in their 20s. And these things are likely to be related to early life exposures to hormone-mimicking chemicals....
Natalie Portman Treks To Learn About The Endangered Mountain Gorilla
by Iris Coates, UK on 10.24.07
Actress Natalie Portman will be trekking deep into Rwanda’s rainforest to learn about the endangered Mountain Gorilla for a special Animal Planet documentary “Saving a Species: Gorillas on the Brink.” Natalie, who has apparently been involved in environmental causes from a young age (watch a video of her early green days here), will be accompanied by animal expert Jack Hanna to Congo’s Virunga National Park, which is along with Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in Uganda one of the last two refuges of this great ape.
According to the African Wildlife Foundation(AWF), the primary threat to mountain gorillas comes from forest clearance and degradation as the region's growing human population struggles to eke out a living, with only about 700 of this most endangered species of gorilla remaining. Other threats include human-induced injuries and illness associated with poaching and war, as well as naturally occurring health problems, says the Mountain Gorilla Veterinary Project. ...
Less is More: Aaron Tang's Wall Stairs
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 10.24.07
What will the building inspector make of this, the perfect stair for small spaces? Industrial designer Aaron Tang says
"Using simple mechanical hinges and pistons, this inventive staircase easily folds flush up against a wall to expand a lower space and/or to restrict access to an upper floor. The mechanics within the design allow any person to easily open or close the staircase from upstairs or downstairs. Inner pistons help slide the stairs back up swiftly to create a flush wall. The pistons also act as a gradient to lower each step individually after the stairs have been pulled out, creating a gradual, elegant wave-like pattern as the steps individually lock into place."
::Wall Stairs ; be sure to look also at his ::Design process; via ::Architectnophilia
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Pure Waste Challenge - Read, Commit, Act: the CFL Edition
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 10.24.07
The Hinkle Charitable Foundation (HCF) has issued the "Pure Waste Challenge" to help motivate individuals everywhere to become agents against global warming. For just a little work on your end, you can help turn the tide against global warming, and help fund a worthy organization at the same time.
Here's how it works: read the first of three primers on quick 'n easy actions that'll help reduce your carbon footprint and validate that you will consider pursuing them with an email confirmation to purewaste(at)thehcf(dot)org. For each person who reads the following primers (one today; the other two will follow this week) and considers pursuing them, HCF will donate $100 to the Solar Electric Light Fund (SELF), a great non-profit organization that simultaneously fights global poverty and climate change.
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Clashing Nordic Capitals Up CO2 Ante
by April Streeter, Gothenburg, Sweden on 10.24.07
Denmark and Sweden have warred through the ages, and for nearly as long Stockholm and Copenhagen have tried to claim the title of Scandinavia’s leading city. Stockholm is bigger, but Copenhagen claims it is more cosmopolitan and a junction for the Nordic region.
Stockholm’s taken the goal of becoming CO2-neutral by 2050, and introduced a road congestion tax and tax breaks for eco-friendlier cars to help reduce transport emissions.
Thus Copenhagen just upped the ante, saying it will introduce measures to reduce CO2 emissions before the 2009 UN Climate Conference (to be held in Copenhagen), and is aiming for CO2 neutrality more than two decades earlier, by 2025.
But as in Stockholm’s case, it is transport that is the toughest to turn CO2-free. ...
NASA Satellite Pictures Capture Wildfires' Breadth
by Jeremy Elton Jacquot, Los Angeles on 10.24.07
NASA's Terra and Aqua satellites have been busily recording the breathtaking scope and speed with which the Southern California wildfires have been spreading over the past few days, abetted in large part by strong, dry Santa Ana winds. The image, which was captured by the Terra satellite yesterday afternoon at 2:25pm EST, shows the area between Los Angeles and San Diego - with fire activity indicated by the red pixels.
According to the most recent report by the National Interagency Fire Center, 12 wildfires have burned over 335,000 acres so far. You can follow the fires' path and get continuous updates on NASA's Looking at Earth website.
Via ::NASA: California Wildfires Continue to Grow: NASA Satellite Images Show Fire’s Immense Size (agency website), ::The Great Beyond: California fires from space (blog)
See also: ::Wildfires Causing Further Deterioration of Southern California's Air Quality, ::Picture worth 1000 Words Dept: Chinese Trawlers...
Co-Working: The Perfect Compromise?
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 10.24.07
M&S Packaging not as Green as Competition
by Matthew Sparkes, London, UK on 10.24.07
Marks & Spencer has made a large effort to reduce their carbon footprint. Their Plan A project has seen many incremental steps move the chain towards a more sustainable model.
Unfortunately though, their packaging seems to be rather hard to recycle. A new report has shown that less of their packaging can be recycled than any other large supermarket chain.
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Dispatches from Designboost: On to the Exhibition
by Team Treehugger, Worldwide on 10.24.07
[Ed. note: This is the fifth in a series of guest posts by David Carlson, co-founder of Designboost, an inaugural event that's focusing on sustainable design. Read the first four posts here and stay tuned for more!]
Sustainable design is not only about "green" and environmentalism, even if it is an important part of it. Sustainable design is also very much about timelessness, new materials that push the envelope, storytelling, sensual experiences and cultural awareness.
For the Designboost exhibition (or Boost show as we prefer to call it) we have defined 7 different areas that by itself or in combination is important in the definition of sustainable design. We call it the "sustainable wheel". Each area will be presented separately in the Boost show with filmed interviews, texts and products. Today, we'll look at a project called the “Post Fossil Fuel project”. ...
Joe Tanney on the Swingline House
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 10.24.07
"It's too big. It's a second home in the Hamptons. Why is this green? Why is this on TreeHugger?"
There. I have saved everyone the trouble of posting comments. Or, you can go to Inhabitat and cut and paste the comments from there. It is an issue we face every time we show a Tesla Roadster or big modern prefab- the early adopters and the great architectural patrons of this world usually have a lot of money; they can afford to take risks on new technologies or unproven architects. We all hope for a sort of prefab Reaganomics, a trickle-down theory where the ideas, systems and love of modern design will move through the marketplace and make modern prefab affordable and accessible. In the meantime, we asked Joe Tanney of Resolution 4, the designer of the project, (and who was clearly hurt by the Inhabitat post) to answer the question- "Why is this green?" ...
Industries And Power Plants Downstream From Atlanta Also Need Water: Not Just For Endangered Species After All
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 10.24.07
When Governor Sonny Perdue of the US State of Georgia filed a legal complaint and then formally asked for the support of the Bush Administration to force the US Army Corps of Engineers to stop releasing water from Atlanta's Lake Lanier, perhaps he did not realize that the Corps had a duty to balance competing water demands far beyond protection under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) of 'a handful of mussels and a few sturgeon' in neighboring states. Perhaps, before his voice was trumpeted on broadcast news, blaming the ESA and the USAE for Atlanta's water crisis, the Governor's staff did not have means to discover the several water-consuming, job-producing industries on the Chattahoochee River, downstream from Atlanta. Perhaps he really didn't know about the nuclear power plant either.
We used this thing called "Google" (hoping CNN and the Governor's staff learn to give it a try) and soon discovered that Alabama's Farley Plant, a twin-reactor nuclear generating station, had recently been relicensed by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission, to withdraw from, and discharge water to, the Chattahoochee River, not too far downstream from the Alabama State line. Check out Jasmin's recent post if you want more detail on the twin Farleys....
Backgammon Set Made from Recycled Glass
by Kara DiCamillo, Newport, Rhode Island on 10.24.07
We found this backgammon set at Sillice and thought it would be a cool gift for those that are fanatics of the game (you know who you are). Made by designer Sol Mesz in California, who we introduced a few years ago, the pieces are made from clear recycled glass windows and even a few broken windshields. Mesz says “Because I make my own colors for glass, I do not need to use industrially colored glass. As a result, the only thing I need is transparent glass, so I consciously choose to work in a sustainable manner.” Mesz’s pieces are one-of-a-kind and she also designs beautiful jewelry, sculptures and cool pieces for the home such as wine glasses, serving ware and dishes. ::Sillice...
Home Depot Canada Gets Serious About Eco-Options
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 10.24.07
I am of two minds when I drive to the Home Despot,as we call it; I preferred to walk to the local small-mart hardware store a few blocks from home, but almost all the main street hardware stores are gone now, run out of business by the Depots, Lowes and Rona's. However, the local store couldn't stock all of Eco-Options that the Depot does. Last visit we saw complete Solera photovoltaic packages in the electrical department, and we learn from Tyler Hamilton at Clean Break that they are now stocking Power-Pipe heat recovery units in plumbing. This is major exposure for a pretty obscure product; John Laumer noted in an earlier post about the GFX, a competitive model, that it "makes the most sense for use with "on demand" hot water heaters," which is absolutely true; anything that reduces the temperature difference between what goes in and what goes out will save a lot of gas. That's why the Power Pipe is on our list of home improvement plans.
Only a small percentage of the local Despot is green, but they deserve hugs for giving us the eco-options; I may even start calling them by their proper name. ::Home Depot
See earlier posts on the Power Pipe and ::Eco-Options ...
How to Cool The Globe: Not
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 10.24.07
The New York Times must of had a big hole in the op-ed page, for it found room for a piece by Ken Caldiera called "How to Cool the Globe" that starts pessimistically: "Despite growing interest in clean energy technology, it looks as if we are not going to reduce emissions of carbon dioxide anytime soon." and then continues with a proposal to emulate Mount Pinatubo and fill the atmosphere with sulfur.
"If we could pour a five-gallon bucket’s worth of sulfate particles per second into the stratosphere, it might be enough to keep the earth from warming for 50 years. Tossing twice as much up there could protect us into the next century." He suggests that "naval artillery, rockets and aircraft exhaust could all be used to send the particles up. The least expensive option might be to use a fire hose suspended from a series of balloons."
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New York Times on Greening the Car Industry
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 10.24.07
If you like cars you will love the New York Times special section today, much of which is about the green car biz.
"NEARLY a century ago, Henry Ford declared a customer could have a car in any color as long as it was black. Now, carmakers around the world are trying to convince consumers that their lineups come in green." ::Getting to Green
"AS car commercials go, the ads for the Chevrolet Volt are a typical mix of children, blue jeans, cute dogs and folksy instrumental music. But they are different in one respect: the small print on the screen reads, “Not yet available for sale.” ::G.M.’s Electric Dream Awaits Reality
And, "with all the myths, misperceptions and hype surrounding green automobiles, even the Web is filled with potholes of inaccuracy. These 10 sites will help fill your knowledge tank" ::10 Web Sites That Avoid Hybrid Hype Guess who's first? More at ::New York Times...
Climate Change Could Wipe Out Half of World's Species
by Jeremy Elton Jacquot, Los Angeles on 10.24.07
If present global warming trends continue, the number of plant and animal extinctions we've witnessed over the past few years could be just the tip of the proverbial iceberg. A new study to be published in the Proceedings of the Royal Society B has suggested that rising temperatures could spark a wave of mass extinctions, claiming close to half of all species.
The team of scientists from the University of York and the University of Leeds studied the relationship between biodiversity and the climate over the last 520 million years and uncovered a disturbing trend - namely that during greenhouse climate phases, extinction rates rose dramatically. The converse - that biodiversity surged during so-called "icehouse" climate phases - held true. In fact, 4 of the planet's 5 mass extinctions were found to be linked to climatic regimes characterized by abnormally high levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide and methane - the largest ever wiped out 95% of all species 251 million years ago....
Most Energy Efficient Transportation Mode?
by Warren McLaren, Sydney on 10.24.07
Did you know that the bicycle is the most energy efficient transportation mode? It is 3 times more efficient than walking, 5 times more efficient than using the train and 15 to 20 times more efficient than driving a car.Transport & Mobility Leuven (TML), Belgium, studies the problems that occur with mobility and logistics. TML research focuses on traffic management, transport economics, environment, traffic safety and the consequences for society. This quote is taken from their October 2007 Newsletter. ::Transport & Mobility Leuven Just thought we'd throw a little more fuel on this particular fire. :-) See here and here for a few previous attempts....
Yahoo! Jumps Aboard the Carbon Offseting Bandwagon
by Jeremy Elton Jacquot, Los Angeles on 10.24.07
Now before you start rolling your eyes and muttering something about "greenwashing," hear the folks at Yahoo! out on this. The good news is that - unlike many carbon offsetting programs we've read/heard about - this one actually seems to be doing some good. According to Chris Page, its director of climate and energy strategy, Yahoo! has now gone carbon neutral (offsetting a 250 thousand metric ton carbon footprint in the process) by partnering with EcoSecurities and CantorCO2e to fund a number of hydro/windpower projects in Brazil and India.
In Brazil, it helped fund the construction of a run-of-river dam, which relies on an elevation drop and a natural flow to produce electricity (unlike conventional dams), in Catorce de Abril, a small village northwest of Sao Paulo. Meanwhile, over in Vankuswade and Tenkasi, two cities in India, the company is helping local businesses run 43 750-kW wind turbines. ...
A-Squared Michigan Installing 1000 LED Street Lights: A Less Than 4-Year Payback
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 10.24.07
We couldn't explain this upcoming project better than the LED lighting supplier to the City of Ann Arbor Michigan, USA.
The City of Ann Arbor, Michigan, the newest LED City™, expects to install more than 1,000 LED streetlights beginning next month. The City anticipates a 3.8-year payback on its initial investment. The LED lights typically burn five times longer than the bulbs they replace and require less than half the energy. The LED streetlights currently installed in Ann Arbor are based on the New Westminster Series made by Lumec, Inc., which contain LED light engines from Relume Technologies, Inc. The light engines are based on the performance-leading Cree XLamp® LED....
Unicycling on the Streets of Manhattan
by Sami Grover, Carrboro, NC, USA on 10.24.07
Wildfires Causing Further Deterioration of Southern California's Air Quality
by Jeremy Elton Jacquot, Los Angeles on 10.24.07
As if those of us living in Southern California didn't already have enough to worry about with the rampaging wildfires that have engulfed much of the region and prompted the evacuation of over 500,000 people, health officials are now cautioning residents to remain indoors as the already poor air quality continues to deteriorate. The wave of fires has stirred up large plumes of smoke that have been pumping soot particles into the atmosphere - the tiniest of which are responsible for aggravating several debilitating diseases, including emphysema, asthma and heart disease.
As Michael Kleinman, a professor of community and environmental medicine at UC Irvine noted, those particles "can penetrate deeper in the lungs and have harsher health effects," often causing "tissue damage, inflammation and irritation". The health risks of exposure are particularly acute since this is one of the first times so many Southern Californian cities have been blanketed by a combination of smoke and dust kicked up by stronger winds....
FreeRice: Play a Game and Feed the Hungry
by Bonnie Alter, London on 10.24.07
It's not exactly on-message but it's addictive and it's for a good cause. FreeRice is a computer "game" that tests your vocabulary and for every word that you get right, 10 grains of rice are donated through the United Nations to end world hunger.
Curious? It's simple: a word pops up with multiple choice answers. If you click the right one then a harder word comes up and the level of difficulty keeps increasing. For every click 10 grains of rice are donated to the United Nations World Food Programme. Since October 7, 2007 when it began, 164,650,960 grains of rice have been donated.
The site is funded by the advertisers: Macy's, Fujitsu, Timelife, Apple, Office Depot, Reader's Digest and many more whose names pop up as you play the game. The World Food Programme is the world’s largest food aid agency, working with over 1,000 other organizations in over 75 countries. Sounds good, so if you are bored, start playing and help the hungry while you're at it. :: FreeRice Via :: Hippyshopper...
BuyGreen: Women's Casual Shoes
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 10.23.07
TreeHugger knows that unrestrained consumerism, no matter how green the product, is no way to achieve sustainability. Still, we all have to buy stuff, from time to time, so for when those times come around, we want you to know that there are lots of greener options available. Today, it's all about the ladies, as we take a closer look at casual shoes for women.
Ideal for trips to the farmer's market or to afternoon coffee, there's something on the list for just about everyone, from chic slip-ons to shoes with soul, they'll can help you maintain your aesthetic while treading lightly on the planet. Remember: if the color shone doesn't really light your fire, shoes are often available in several color options, so look around until you find something that fits you. Hit the jump to find your new favorite pair....
Angeles Anonimos: Creating Fair-Trade Jewelry with Peru's Disabled
by Jasmin Malik Chua, Jersey City, USA on 10.23.07
Sponsored by Fair Indigo and produced by StoryBridge, this video profiles Angeles Anonimos (Anonymous Angels), a Lima, Peru-based group that trains the disabled and handicapped—regarded by locals as unemployable and often left to beg on the streets—to create fair-trade sterling silver jewelry.
When asked about the origin of the group's name, co-founder Maria Elena says, "Anyone who buys jewelry from us is an anonymous angel." ::StoryBridge...
A Greener Google Store
by Jasmin Malik Chua, Jersey City, USA on 10.23.07
Google swag has become a whole lot greener because of a new eco-forward initiative that has the company stocking organic cotton hoodies, bamboo tees, hemp travel organizers, recycled denim pencils, and soy candles—even a baby blanket made from recycled cotton for your future Web 5.0 mogul.
Eschewing plastic polybagging, the store now uses more eco-friendly recycled wraps and stickers for shipping orders. We're still considering launching an intervention over The Goog's blinky pin, though. ::Google Store...
Envirosax Grows Its Sustainable Collection
by Jasmin Malik Chua, Jersey City, USA on 10.23.07
Now that its hemp and linen designs are taking off, the Australia-based Envirosax is expanding its use of sustainable fabrics with a new collection of bamboo textile shopping totes.
Comprising 45 percent bamboo and 55 percent linen—and made under fair labor conditions in China—the 100 percent biodegradable carriers showcase the same mod aesthetic and tensile strength of its predecessors. Each bag folds into its own drawstring pouch for ease of storage, so you can keep one or two stowed away in your car's glove compartment or in your purse for future carrying needs. ::Envirosax...
Got Nuclear? Check Your Zip Code
by Jasmin Malik Chua, Jersey City, USA on 10.23.07
Which side of the nuclear smackdown are you on? It might help if you know which nuclear reactors are close to your hood.
If you're living in the United States, simply type in your zip code and Greenpeace's search engine will help you locate one of the 104 operating reactors in your vicinity. ::Greenpeace USA...
Spilled Heat Could Run Hot or Cold
by April Streeter, Gothenburg, Sweden on 10.23.07
A group of companies including Swedish steelmaker SSAB is building a pilot system to collect waste heat (spillvärme in Swedish) and move it by train or ferry to district heating systems a little further away from the steel mill's coastal location on the Baltic coast.
Using waste heat is not an entirely new idea, but one that is gaining traction in Sweden, where district heating is one of the more common forms of home and apartment heating, and where cutting dependency on fossil fuels is a lofty long-term goal.
Industrial waste heat here is estimated to be as much as 250 TWh, with 150 TWh in waste heat alone from Sweden’s nuclear plants (yup, they are still around). Sweden has expertise in waste heat technologies from its building lots of combined heat and power plants. Another Swedish cleantech company called Opcon is currently working on a way to get cost-effective electricity from waste heat. ...
Gimme Shelter: Designing for Disaster
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 10.23.07
So many architects have tried to design transportable housing for emergencies; not many work. Wired covers a few of them: "Shipping costs are prohibitive -- it can sometimes cost twice as much to ship a design as it does to build it," says Architecture for Humanity's Kate Stohr. "Designs that are scalable, built using local materials or can also be used as core housing -- as a hub for basic services like sanitation, communication, supplies -- that basic dose of shelter, are key."
Kate also notes that housing units are not the only thing that are needed; "You can’t design for disaster after the fact," notes Kate. "Unless it's strategically thought about in advance of disaster, these ideas don't work." Often, what’s needed most is a central station where basic necessities -- water, food, medical supplies and information -- can be doled out.
...
TreeHugger Radio: David Orr and the Science of Hope and Optimism
by Team Treehugger, Worldwide on 10.23.07
David Orr is a man of hope. Coming from a long line of preachers, Orr’s gospel is the science and sociology of human survival. Chairing Oberlin’s environmental programs department, Orr’s expertise ranges from the built environment to the educational environment. In our conversation, David shared his views on green design, denial over New Orleans’ true future, and the powerful differences between hope and optimism. With this interview we bring our weekly TreeHugger Radio segments to a close. We will continue to deliver in-depth interviews that explore climate change, business, art, design, and beyond. You can find Simran Sethi on NBC News, CNBC, The Today Show, and Sundance Channel. Stay tuned to TreeHugger Radio on iTunes or listen/right click to download. ::TreeHugger Radio ...
CO2 Challenge Requires Creativity, Teamwork at Young Scientist Challenge
by Kenny Luna, North Babylon, NY on 10.23.07
To create the CO2 challenge at Discovery's Young Scientist Challenge the designer's of the contest arranged to provide the teams with scoops of ice, a vast amount of pvc tubing, lights, duct tape, CO2, and plastic.
How those items ended up being utilized made all the difference in determining whether or not your team was able to complete the challenge. It sounds simple enough, build a couple of mini-greenhouse structures out of pvc pipe, cover them in plastic, prop a light source on top, and then seal off the ice and CO2 under the plastic....
Warming Temperatures Stunt Autumn Leaf Colors
by Sean Fisher, Cincinnati, Ohio on 10.23.07
Tourists and residents in New England used to receive a spectacular display of color on the second October of every year. However, in recent years, the show has been a bit duller and a bit later than usual. The culprit? What else - area temperatures consistantly warmer than average. The chilly fall nights needed to bring about the blanket of color aren't coming until much later now. What's more, the higher temperatures are making it easier for tree-hungry fungi to propogate.
According to the National Weather Service, temperatures in Burlington [Vermont] have run above the 30-year averages in every September and October for the past four years, save for October 2004, when they were 0.2 degrees below average....
It Slices, It Dices: Desk/Bookshelf Combo. Think About It
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 10.23.07
Just what was Belgian designer Bram Boo thinking when he conceived this desk/shelf combination for his Novela collection? Hard to say for sure, but we suspect it was an effort to follow his goal "to produce pieces that constantly surprise the user, with a focus on functionality and flexibility so that the object adapts itself to the surrounding space and to the need of the moment!"
We like its less-is-more/multi-functional aptitude, but what we like more is Boo's challenge to the user: to make it work and to make you think about how you interact with your stuff (and do so more efficiently). So, how would you use this in your home? ::Bram Boo via ::Yanko Design...
Green Architect Helps Kids See the Light
by Kenny Luna, North Babylon, NY on 10.23.07
One of the challenges here at Discovery's Young Scientist Challenge is for kids to create a structure making the most efficient use of lighting possible. That means balancing the need for natural light in a building while mitigating the amount of heat entering along with it on an average summer day.
To do it, kids are teaming up with green architect Craig Rhodes, who specializes in creating green structures across the country. As he points out, "When 25% of the energy usage in America goes towards lighting buildings during daylight hours, it's clear we can make a dent in our energy use through a greener blueprint." ...
Quote of the Day: Robert Hass on America's Rivers
by Jasmin Malik Chua, Jersey City, USA on 10.23.07
Photo credit: msspider66z
The history of this country is so much a history of the culture of rivers. ... Rivers are a deep sentimental part of American lore.
On the one hand, there is this almost religious and eschatological dimension to the idea of a river in American culture; on the other hand there are the actual rivers—canalized, abused, polluted, much used, and much denied. There's that joke, 'Denial is a river in Egypt.' Well denial is every river in America. We don't have to look at how we've treated them and what it says about our relationship to the land. In a way, a river is a kind of symbol of the repressed ecological problems in American society."
—Robert Hass, co-founder of River of Words and U.S. Poet Laureate (1995-1997), in Ecological Literacy: Educating our Children for a Sustainable World (2005, Sierra Club Books)...
Ever and Again - Experimental Recycled Textiles
by Leonora Oppenheim, London, UK on 10.23.07
We have been remiss in not letting you know about this inspiring exhibition before now. However, there's still time ('til Thurs, 25th Oct.) to have your views of sustainable textiles revitalised by Ever and Again. Borne from the Textile Environment Design (TED) research unit at the Chelsea College of Art + Design in London, this exhibition showcases the recent work of eleven textile designers and five guest artists and designers.
Curated by the innovative textile designer and senior research fellow Rebecca Earley, this show seeks to address ideas about ethical production, long/short life design, systems and services and new technologies. Amongst the designers included in the show are Lorna Bircham, Melanie Bowles, Kathryn Round and Gary Page. Natalie Chanin, bringing over her Alabama charm, is also taking part as a guest designer. ...
Giddyup Rocking Stool: Can We Get a YeeHaw?
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 10.23.07
With some similar benefits to sitting on a Swiss ball, and a great way to practice for your next mechanical bull ride, Giddyup is a fun rocking stool designed by New Zealand-based Tim Wigmore Design. Made from sustainably-grown hoop pine plywood and a repurposed second-hand saddle, Giddyup will scratch an itch for those of you too big to ride your kids' rocking horse (and might just improve your posture, too).
Says Wigmore, "The old, worn saddles often have a beauty and patina of age that I find really attractive and I often find myself thinking about who owned the saddle previously, where it has been, and what stories have happened around it. Where possible I have tried to obtain older saddles that are no longer in use, rather than taking good working saddles out of circulation."
Saddle up at ::Unless via ::Tim Wigmore Design...
Private Bike Rental Scheme Rolls Out in Beijing
by Alex Pasternack, New York, NY on 10.23.07
Though the bicycle in Beijing has slowly been going the way of the city's historic districts, with cars veering (figuratively and literally) into the city's luxurious bike lanes, the bell has not yet tolled on the two wheeled institution. Though China's no longer the Bicycle Kingdom it once was, there is little sign that the bell will ever toll: For millions of city dwellers, the bicycle is still an essential mode of transit. But for millions of others, the car is becoming an ever tempting option--despite the fact that traffic on the city's Second Ring Road is often slower than a bike.
Aiming to pull them back to the two-wheeled institution (and attract increasing numbers of visitors ahead of the Olympics) is a new city-wide bike rental scheme not unlike the schemes currently enjoying success in cities like Lyon, Stockholm, Barcelona and Paris. But unlike those programs, which have been spearheaded by the government -- and in a vivid symbol of China's strong capitalist leanings -- Beijing's scheme is run privately by a bike-loving entrepreneur. He aims to make it the biggest in the world....
Video Smackdown: NukeFree.org vs. Nuclear Energy Institute
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 10.23.07
A few weeks back, we mentioned that Bonnie Raitt, Jackson Browne, Graham Nash and others (including Ben Harper and Keb' Mo') had put together a video to support NukeFree.org, urging visitors to sign an anti-nuclear development petition with a rewritten version of the classic protest song "For What It's Worth". The musicians plan to deliver the petition to Capitol Hill later today.
The Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI) has responded with a video of its own, praising nuclear power as a safe, clean source of power that'll help mitigate climate change and cut back on other harmful atmospheric emissions, like sulfur dioxide that causes acid rain that comes from coal-burning power plants.
So far, Raitt & Co.'s video has been viewed 68,494 times, vs. 3,326 for NEI's rebuttal; these early returns suggest that NukeFree is winning this video smackdown. Watch both videos after the jump and decide for yourself. via ::NPR...
Greenwash Watch: Little Green Lies
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 10.23.07
We are shocked, shocked to find that "companies continue to assess most green initiatives with the same return-on-investment analysis they would use with any other capital project." So is Rocky Mountain Institute grad and Aspen Ski Resort "corporate sustainability" advocate Auden Schendler. After eight years of work, he tells Business Week: "Who are we kidding?" he says, finally. Despite all his exertions, the resort's greenhouse-gas emissions continue to creep up year after year. More vacationers mean larger lodgings burning more power. Warmer winters require tons of additional artificial snow, another energy drain. "I've succeeded in doing a lot of sexy projects yet utterly failed in what I set out to do," Schendler says. "How do you really green your company? It's almost f------ impossible."
Perhaps working at an Aspen ski resort was not the best career choice, with all those rich folk flying in on their Gulfstreams to stay in 10,000 square foot houses and get winched up the hills. Read this monumentally silly article at ::Business Week but also look at the ::very good slide show, with their take on who is going green and who is just a greenwashing poseur.
UPDATE: Triple bottom line didn't think much of the article either. ...
The E-Car: A Hit With Kids of All Ages
by Kenny Luna, North Babylon, NY on 10.23.07
Call it the "Electric Pickle", the "Whiz Car" or even "N8R BOI", but the converted 1972 Volkswagen that’s a part of the Young Scientist Challenge here in Washington, D.C. is a toy that the kids, hosts and judges just can’t seem to stop talking about.
Essentially, they took an old VW and converted it from gas to electric, and then painted it the coolest shade of green possible. Now it’s being used to help kids make the connection between the need for alternative fuels and ways of actually doing it.
...
Witnessing the Birth of an Iceberg
by Jeremy Elton Jacquot, Los Angeles on 10.23.07
Sure, it won't win any "cute" points, but the birth of an iceberg in West Antarctica was special in its own way for being one of the first times scientists have been able to track calving - the process of iceberg formation - over the span of a year. The European Space Agency's Envisat satellite tracked the baby iceberg (measuring a healthy 21 by 12 miles) as it broke away from its parent glacier, the Pine Island Glacier, from September 2006 to October 2007.
Typically prompted by wave/wind action or a collision with a larger iceberg, the calving of icebergs is a normal part of the life cycle of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet (WAIT). Past studies have shown that icebergs tend to break off every 5-10 years; the last major one calved 6 years ago. Pine Island Glacier, the WAIS's largest iceberg, accounts for about 10% of the massive ice sheet and is up to 8200 ft (or 2500 m) thick....
Aldo Leopold Legacy Center: the "Greenest Building on the Planet"
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 10.23.07
That's what the US Green Building Council Prez said about the new Aldo Leopold Legacy Center when it presented its LEED Platinum certification. "This building does things that people are dreaming about," said council president Rick Fedrizzi. "There are people out there saying, 'Somehow, somewhere a building will be able to do that.' This building is doing it today."
Celebrating the life of Aldo Leopold, considered by many as the father of wildlife management and of the United States’ wilderness system, the Wisconsin building has an amazing list of features; Kubala Washatko Architects note:
-Underground earth tubes supply fresh, tempered air to the facility in all seasons;
-Wood was harvested onsite from trees originally planted by Aldo Leopold;
-the zero net energy building generates over 50,000 kWh of electricity annually.
...
What’s the EPA Waiting for on Clean Cars?
by Union of Concerned Scientists on 10.23.07
Twelve states, representing a third of the U.S. auto market, have adopted clean car standards to reduce global warming pollution from vehicles—and even more are considering doing so. Yet, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has, for years, blocked the states from implementing their laws.
Despite overwhelming public support for the waiver, in the next few weeks, the EPA may attempt to quietly introduce conditions that would undermine states’ ability to implement their clean car standards. It’s imperative that EPA Administrator Stephen Johnson be reminded that the U.S. public is awaiting a decision and that he has the responsibility to unconditionally approve the clean car standards waiver.
Send him a letter today urging him to let the states move ahead with the laws they’ve passed....
Carbon Dioxide Production Much Faster than Originally Anticipated
by Jeremy Elton Jacquot, Los Angeles on 10.23.07
About all that carbon dioxide we've been spewing into the atmosphere - yeah, it's worse than we thought. That seems to be the main take-away message of a new study by an international team of researchers that found that current carbon dioxide production levels have been far exceeding the already pessimistic estimates being used by models to predict future climate trends.
A booming world economy has caused atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations to rise by a whopping 1.93 ppm a year - the fastest rate of increase since monitoring began in 1959. Just to give some context, carbon dioxide concentrations rose by an average of 1.58 ppm during the 1980s and an average of 1.49 ppm during the 1990s (hardly quiescent decades, economically-speaking)....
On the Stands: Innovative Home Fall 2007
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 10.23.07
Innovative Homes, which started with so much promise of "bringing together the leading architects, designers and building professionals to advance and effect change within the residential shelter industry," staggers to the stands again with it's weird and unfocused collection of houses, loosely grouped around the theme of "designing for disaster"- Floaters like Modern Marine Homes (TH here) Our beloved Loblolly House (TH here), an over-the-top floating home by Robert Harvey Oshatz clad in Brazilian Cherry, a neat LEED Platinum house by Gary Olp and a very nice green house by Carter+Burton.
There is also a good article on "The Green House Effect, explaining LEED residential, but then it is all set off by not very innovative and huge backyards with monster fireplaces and kitchens.
But it is all confused, unfocused, and short on real innovation. Content on the website gets thinner and thinner; they have not even kept up the payments on the URL for the Institute of Home Innovation. Overpriced at ten bucks a pop, this may be my last review....
Two Remaining Pieces To The Atlanta Drought Puzzle
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 10.23.07
Why a water crisis in Atlanta now? The cause is not climate alone, as Lloyd's post of today points out. Runaway growth - Georgia is the fastest growing US state east of the Rocky Mountains - and a seeming refusal to plan for the future seem to have been the other key factors.
Ah, but even the Grey Lady at her investigative best seems to have missed two key additional factors that, without some understanding, will keep long term solutions at bay.
Some of the water withdrawn from North Atlanta's Lake Lanier is truly "consumed": lost to evaporation, transpiration, or included in industrial products (like Gatorade or Coca Cola). What is the fate of the non-evaporated wastewater? One big answer:- Every day, many hundreds of millions of gallons of sewerage plant effluent pour into the Chattahoochee River, mostly downstream of Lake Lanier. ...
Wooden Longboards from the Long White Cloud
by Warren McLaren, Sydney on 10.23.07
Out of the woodwork (so to speak) appears another timber surfboard company. Based in the forestry focussed town of Putaruru, in New Zealand’s Waikato region, it seems logical that Roy Stewart might lean towards timber for his custom-made surfboards, which range in price from $2,500 to $8,000. (see pic after fold)
One of his favoured woods is Paulownia. A species of Chinese deciduous tree, its timber is said to be very light, fine-grained, and warp-resistant, qualities which suit aquatic adventures. The construction method for the boards was developed back in 1995 and employs the same principle as diving boards and longbows.
If you can avoid bruised thumbs around hand tools you might want to try out the DIY plans and templates available from Power Surfboards (a.k.a. Olosurfer) for making your very own wooden surfboard. Or simply use their handmade organic surfwax, comprised solely of of New Zealand organic pine resin and organic beeswax blended with cold pressed Fijian coconut oil. ::Olosurfer via a comment on our earlier post about Grain Surfboards. ...
Wanted: Illustrator for TH Project
by Meaghan O'Neill, Newport, R.I. on 10.23.07
Are you cool and creative? Do you know how to draw? Does this sound like one of those TV ads for art school? TreeHugger is looking for a graphic illustrator than can contribute to a special project. The right candidate is professional, deadline-driven and totally gets the TreeHugger aesthetic. Hopefully, you are available immediately and can work in a fast-paced environment, too. This is a freelance assignment that can be done from anywhere. Please send a brief cover letter and a link to your online portfolio or no more than three lo-res examples of your work to meaghan(at)treehugger(dot)com. ...
Australian IT Industry Can Save 27M Carbon Tonnes
by Warren McLaren, Sydney on 10.23.07
Information Technology (IT) is responsible for 2% of the world's carbon emissions, equal to aviation, according to the Sydney Morning Herald reporting last week on the ICT Sustainable Futures Forum held in Melbourne, Australia by the Australian Information Industry Association. SMH were referring to Fujitsu Australia’s release of a blueprint to help businesses green their IT strategy. The five step process required getting buy-in from the top brass. After that, the other initiatives might get the traction they need.
And as if to back up that proposal, the next day, Australia’s largest telecommunications business, Telstra, had their CEO, Sol Trujillo, involved in the launch of a report saying that telecom networks can help reduce Australia's greenhouse gas emissions by almost five per cent by 2015 and deliver up to $6.6 billion a year in cost savings for Australian businesses and households. Sol was quoted as saying such networks could “facilitate a reduction in Australia's carbon emissions by 4.9 per cent or around 27 million carbon tonnes per year by 2015. This is equivalent to the annual emissions caused by nearly two-thirds of Australia's passenger cars."...
Wal-Mart Hits Goal Of Selling 100 Million Compact Fluorescent Bulbs Early
by Justin Thomas, Virginia on 10.23.07
Last year, Wal-Mart announced an ambitious goal — they wanted to sell 100 million compact fluorescent light bulbs in one year. Wal-Mart's announcement generated a lot of discussion on TreeHugger. Now the company has announced that they've already achieved that goal. Wal-Mart estimates that these energy-saving bulbs will have the effect of taking 700,000 cars off the road, or conserving the energy needed to power 450,000 single-family homes. But, while I'm glad to see that sales of CFLs are brisk, Wal-Mart has not committed to recycling any of the bulbs they sell. By contrast, Ikea has a simple fluorescent bulb recycling program in place in all their stores....
USPS Goes Cradle to Cradle
by Sami Grover, Carrboro, NC, USA on 10.23.07
We’ve already seen the United States Postal Service making aggressive attempts to reduce its energy bills, and MSNBC has recently brought us news about Cradle to Cradle going mainstream. However, it wasn’t until we got chatting to the Cradle to Cradle folks from MBDC at the recent Wal-Mart Sustainability Summit that we discovered that they had been working with the USPS on greening their supply chain. As a result of the partnership, all Express Mail and Priority Mail packages and envelopes supplied by the service now meet Cradle to Cradle Silver certification.
More than 60 packaging items were examined, breaking those items down to 250 component materials and then further analyzing 1,400 individual ingredients. These were then assessed according to various criteria ranging for human and environmental health, including toxicity, renewable energy, water stewardship, recyclability and other manufacturing attributes. The postal service claims this initiative alone will save the equivalent 15,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide being released into the atmosphere. Bill McDonough, co-founder of MBDC, had this to say:
...
Atlanta: Watching the Trailer For The Bigger Movie
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 10.23.07
Val Perry of the Lake Lanier Association walking from his dock last week.
In our interview with Ted Nordhaus, he suggested that it is hard getting through to people who "aren't particularly interested in sacrificing their lifestyles and aspirations in the name of the planet." In Atlanta right now, we are seeing the trailer for the movie that we will all be watching, where people won't sacrifice their lifestyles for anything even if disaster is staring them in the face. As noted in earlier posts, they have been going through the worst drought on record over the last year; yet according to the New York Times,
For more than five months, the lake that provides drinking water to almost five million people here has been draining away in a withering drought. Scientists have warned of impending disaster. The response to the worst drought on record in the Southeast has unfolded in ultra-slow motion. All summer, more than a year after the drought began, fountains sprayed and football fields were watered, prisoners got two showers a day and Coca-Cola’s bottling plants chugged along at full strength. On an 81-degree day this month, an outdoor theme park began to manufacture what was intended to be a 1.2-million-gallon mountain of snow....
The TH Interview: Ted Nordhaus
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 10.23.07
Ted Nordhaus and Michael Shellenberger
At Treehugger we have read the book, done the interview and seen the lecture. Up first: Part 1 of our interview with Ted Nordhaus, author, researcher, political strategist and co-author of Break Through: From the Death of Environmentalism to the Politics of Possibility
TreeHugger: I will say up front that I like the book a lot, because it was optimistic; we at TreeHugger try to look for solutions and be positive. However the one thing that troubles me is your key position on that big breakthroughs in technology are needed, but I certainly can't see anything in the pipe that can deal with this, and you certainly don't say in the book.
Ted Nordhaus:This is a major criticism of the book and it was intentional. We did not write this book to offer our detailed analysis of new energy technologies. We wrote a book with the intention of laying out the broad philosophical outlines for a different kind of politics that can address the things that we have to do and address not only global warming but the other large issues that we have to deal with in this new century. That said we have looked at this a lot, including the IPCC and Stern review to see what it is going to take to reduce carbon emissions by 80%. People say that we don't need breakthrough technologies, we have them now, like solar and wind and geothermal, but right now, they cost too much and the performance is too low. When we say breakthrough we are talking about dramatic changes in the costs in the technologies we already have. This is even more important at the global level, in the developing world, where ultimately and very quickly these new technologies have to be cost competitive with coal in an environment where there is going to be a low price for carbon....
Delightful Dutch Designers
by Bonnie Alter, London on 10.23.07
It's Dutch Design Week, so it seems appropriate to highlight some of the stars of the country. Dutch design has traditionally been eccentric, intelligent and part of the culture of the Netherlands. It has evolved from being witty to becoming more grown-up and remains very individualistic. Some of the names are familiar: the work of Droog Design and Tord Boontje is readily and affordably available. Jurgen Bey has made a Tree Trunk Bench (pictured) that is literally a tree trunk with three bronze chair-backs inserted. There is one in the lobby of the Grand Palais in Paris and it is surprisingly comfortable. Last year Marcel Wanders created a Crochet chair, constructed from individual, hand-sewn crochet flowers that are stitched together, formed over a mould and stiffened with resin ($40,000 if you are interested).
Christien Meindertsma traces the connection between farmers and consumers in her work. She creates knitted sweaters, gloves and cardigans that show the provenance of the item. So each piece comes with the animal's ear tag, biography and details of its life, including year of birth. Starting with the fleece of a single sheep, she has now knitted a rug from the wool of 18 merino sheep and a pouf from woollen dreadlocks that looks like a fluffy white lozenge. Ineke Hans' furniture is made from recycled plastic used along Dutch canals, embedded with grains of fake wood. :: Financial Times...
British Green Grocer Plans U.S. Rollout
by Mairi Beautyman, Berlin, Germany on 10.23.07
Tesco, Britain's largest retailer--which also happens to be on Fortune magazine's list of top 10 Green Giants--is heading to the U.S. The initial rollout includes 122 store locations in Phoenix, Las Vegas, and Southern California. In Europe, Tesco has introduced sustainable business practices including wind-powered stores, high-tech recycling, and biodiesel delivery trucks. Although much of the U.S. plans are still under wraps, Tesco has pledged to reduce energy consumption by 30 percent when compared to a typical grocery store; source more than 60 percent of its products locally; open in underserved areas; and pay wages starting at $10 an hour. ...
Vacavaliente's New Leather Gadgets: Play, It's Allowed [+ News]
by Paula Alvarado, Buenos Aires on 10.23.07
Yesterday we told you how many cool green we found at Design Connection 2007, an annual exhibition taking place in Buenos Aires, Argentina, until next Friday, October 26th.
Today we present you our last highlight from the show: Vacavaliente's new line of accessories, called Jugar (Spanish for 'Play'). These little men are not only made from 100% recycled (bonded) leather but, as their name says, are such an adorable excuse to stop, take a moment and play.
In fact, this was the idea that gave birth to them. "This is not only about design or green, it's about giving the time to play and relax the value it deserves", says Matias Fernandez Moore, a designer for Vacavaliente. "These shapes have the quality to invite you to do that: maybe you have it in your pen, you change its place and find the guy is doing a new pose. All of the sudden, you're hang and playing with it", he adds. Nothing more true: all of those holes just make you want to try things.
They come in a few colors and sizes, from small pencil or book accessories to big friends to hang in your kids' room or a bunch of them to make your own soccer ball.
Keep reading for bigger and brighter images, places to buy and to find out about Vacavaliente coming to a Barney's near you....
Actics.com, the "Ethical Facebook”
by Petz Scholtus, Barcelona, Spain on 10.23.07
The recent craze about social networks like Facebook hasn’t calmed down a bit. On the contrary, even green social networks are popping up like mushrooms with a special theme for each interest. The question is which one to join? Which one will win the popularity contest?
Only last week we featured the latest community orientated network Tree-nation, and here’s another newcomer for this week: Actics.com, aligning actions and ethics.
Actics is the world's first online ethical rating tool pioneering the new trend in ethical awareness and social responsibility....
TH Forums Highlights: Water Conservation, Eating Out + More
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 10.22.07
Want to talk green? Vent your spleen at TreeHugger Forums; here are some recent highlights...
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) With widespread droughts and water conservation high on the list of hot topics these days, Forums user Wayneburg wants to know how to save the water that goes down the drain while waiting for the water to get hot. "In the past I've put a pot or bucket under the tap until the water has gotten to the right temperature. I plan to build my own home and I would like to know if there are products or ways of setting up the plumbing in my new home that will prevent this loss of water?" Shorter distance from heater to tap and insulated pipes have been suggested; anyone else?
2) User Wayneburg is back, hoping to save lots more water with an anaerobic digestion system instead of toilets. "Anaerobic who-what? It's a waste disposal system that is similar to a composting toilet, but it traps all the gases that are created when the sun heats up the holding tank and bacteria breaks down the organic waste...that gas can be bottled up and sold as 'BioGas,' an alternative to natural gas or methane." Interesting idea, but talking about it is a lot easier than implementing it, unfortunately, and Wayneburg is having a tough time finding more info or plans to get it done. Can anyone help?
3) Lastly, Forums user Wai wants to talk about the green pros and cons of eating out. "Is there any reason that eating out might be more green than cooking and eating at home? Suppose I can walk to a local restaurant, can I assume that the way a restaurant cooks is almost more efficent and thus more green? Or are restaurants almost always more wasteful overall?" Lots of "what ifs" here, and answers that come down on both sides of the debate, so far. Where do you stand?
Vectrix Electic Scooter Test Drive: It Really Works!
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 10.22.07
TreeHugger has had our eye on the Vectrix electric scooter for a long time, ever since we first spotted this super fast electric scooter up through its very first delivery earlier this month. The guys at LA Cityzine had the pleasure of test-driving this electric scooter, and were impressed with its performance. Here's an excerpt:
"The machine is easy to ride, and very pleasant. It is almost silent, and the wind/road noise is far louder than any sound the motor makes. When the scooter is stopped, there is no sound coming from it at all. The only indication that it is on comes from the instrument cluster, which gives the usual feedback one would expect from a motorcycle, with the exception that it tells you about your electric charge, rather than your gasoline reserve. This, of course, is the best feature."
...
Agriculture for Development: World Development Report Gets It Half Right
by Kimberley D. Mok, Montreal, Canada on 10.22.07
Last week’s release of the “2008 World Development Report: Agriculture for Development” by the World Bank urged for a renewed attention and increasing funding for agriculture in developing countries if the fight to end global hunger, poverty and instability is to prove successful. However, the report was neatly preceded by the convening of the World Bank Tribunal's "World Vs. Bank" public hearing in The Hague, Netherlands, which reviewed testimonies from various parties critical of the World Bank’s role in increasing global poverty rather than reducing it.
The report’s findings show that the 2.1 billion people earning less than $2 a day mainly live in rural areas, with their livelihoods hinging upon agricultural activities. However, only 4 percent of official development assistance to developing regions is actually allocated for agriculture, an astonishing decrease from 12 percent in 1990, considering the growth in global populations and a rising demand for crops.
The report predicts that world demand for crops – whether for food, livestock feed or biofuels – will double in the next 50 years, while natural resources necessary to agriculture are becoming scarce or degraded due to the impacts of global climate change....
Artek: Sustainability from Aalto to Dixon
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 10.22.07
From left: Henrik Duncker; Matti Pyykko; Henrik Duncker; Marco Melander
Courtesy of the NY Times, we get an up close and personal look at Finnish furniture company Artek, who've taken old-school notions of sustainability like durability and timeless longevity and updated them for the 21st century. Building on the legacy of co-founding designer Alvar Aalto, this longevity "has made Artek a Finnish institution, and Aalto a national treasure," and really shows how sustainable design is about more than green materials and efficient manufacturing.
Leading the charge these days is creative director Tom Dixon (he of the 1,000 CFL giveaway), who said, “'Aalto and his circle wouldn’t have used the word "sustainability,"' says Tom Dixon, the British furniture designer who became Artek’s creative director in 2004. 'But if you look at what they did at Artek with modern eyes, it has all of the underpinning characteristics.'"
Managing director Mirkku Kullberg is also on board, conceiving the brilliant 2nd Cycle project, where Artek's old chairs and stools were bought back from schools, libraries and other various homes to showcase the longevity of the products. “'The more patina they have, the dirtier they look, the more people seem to love them,'” she says....
Good News For Lake Superior and Minnesota
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 10.22.07
The National Weather Service announced Friday that the 18.91 inches of rain that fell in Northern Minnesota late summer and early fall surpassed the previous high record set for that State in the year 1900. It's wonderful news. Looks better in Wisconsin and in the Upper Penninsula of Michigan, too. We promise not to call Lake Superior 'Lake Inferior' any more.
But there's still no extra water to send a pipeline south or west. So, forget about that.
At the same time, the climatological observatory at the University of Minnesota's St. Paul campus reported that the first 16 days of October were the cloudiest stretch for that time of year in the 45 years the observatory has been measuring solar radiation, measuring less than three-quarters of average... Data published by the climatology office show that drought has been retreating, particularly in the past week, having largely disappeared along the Canadian border and the North Shore of Lake Superior.Via::StarTribune.com, "Rain washes out 107-year-old record, but is the drought over? Could be." Image credit:: USGS Drought Monitor, "Number of Rain Days in the past 30 days", Upper Midwest/Great Lakes Region...
Climate Carrots
by April Streeter, Gothenburg, Sweden on 10.22.07
Carrots, tomatoes, cucumbers and potatoes are likely to be the first foods to get a special climate-friendly label in Sweden, according to Swedish organic certifier KRAV and the quality control organization Svenskt Sigill.
Earlier this year, huge UK food retailer Tesco announced that it would introduce a climate labeling system. Tesco's plan is to climate rate on a sliding scale all of the more than 70,000 products founds on its shelves.
KRAV and Svenskt Sigill instead want climate-labeling to be a value-added certification for organic or sustainably produced food. The two organizations just got the blessings of Sweden's environment, agriculture and consumer affairs' ministers. And it seems of the Swedish public, too - a survey this summer showed 73 percent of consumers said they would always or often buy climate-labeled foods. Around 40 percent said they would be willing to pay 10 percent more for the label....
Kids Pulverize Trash With 40 Ton Shop Press: Learn Lessons of Sustainability
by Kenny Luna, North Babylon, NY on 10.22.07
You may not think that a 40 ton pneumatic shop press has much to teach students about trash, but you'd be amazed at the impact it makes when they get the chance to take a pile of standard trash and essentially flatten it.
Of course, "The Persuader," as some officials and team members here at Discovery's Young Scientist Challenge have wryly dubbed the machine makes short work of the trash. Condensing it in a fashion that amazes even me. Ever seen a quarter turned paper-thin by it's gaping jaws? I certainly have, and it's very cool...
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Dispatches from Designboost: Boost Chats on Cultural Sustainability
by Team Treehugger, Worldwide on 10.22.07
[Ed. note: This is the fourth in a series of guest posts by David Carlson, co-founder of Designboost, an inaugural event that's focusing on sustainable design. Read the first two posts here and stay tuned for more!]
Day two of Designboost was all about boost chats (formerly known as lectures). They took place at Europaporten conference center in Malmö, featuring some nice architecture by Sten Samuelsson. Twenty five invited boosters gave interesting talks on the 2007 main theme “sustainable design”. There where everything from designers, architects and professors to futurists and ethnographers on stage.
Satyendra Pakhale told us that consumers should be seen as individuals. Stephen Burks showed his new video from Peru and his work with integrating local craftmanship with international distribution. Kristina Börjesson talked about the important mechanism behind affection leading to attachment (and long time relationship between owner and product). Kristina Dryza told us how to use culture, traditions and beauty of a homeland as attributes for sustainable design.
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Fedex To Unveil New Diesel Hybrid-Electric Vans
by Justin Thomas, Virginia on 10.22.07
In a couple of days, Fedex will be unveiling its new diesel hybrid-electric van at the European Road Transport Show in Amsterdam. These vans will manufactured by the Italian company Iveco and based on Inveco's Daily Transport van. The company is aiming for a 30% reduction in fuel consumption (based on operating cycle) with the standard Daily Hybrid....
Quote of the Day: David Orr on "Biophobia"
by Jasmin Malik Chua, Jersey City, USA on 10.22.07
'Nature and I are two,' Woody Allen once said, and apparently the two have not gotten together yet. Allen is known to take extraordinary precaution to limit bodily and mental contact with rural floral and fauna. He does not go into natural lakes, for example, 'because there are living things there.' The nature Allen does find comfortable is that of New York City, a modest enough standard for wildness.
Allen's aversion to nature, what can be called biophobia, is increasingly common among people raised with television, Walkman radios attached to their heads, and video games and living amidst shopping malls, freeways, and dense urban or suburban settings where nature is permitted tastefully, as decoration. More than ever we dwell in and among our own creations and are increasingly uncomfortable with nature lying beyond our direct control.
Biophobia ranges from discomfort in 'natural' places to active scorn for whatever isn't manmade, managed, or air-conditioned. Biophobia, in short, is the culturally acquired urge to affiliate with technology, human artifacts, and solely with human interests regarding the natural world."
—David W. Orr in Earth in Mind: On Education, Environment, and the Human Prospect (2004, Island Press)...
The Good Human Hosts the 100th Carnival of the Green!
by Kara DiCamillo, Newport, Rhode Island on 10.22.07
Holy smokes! This week is Carnival of the Green # 100! It's being hosted by The Good Human 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 (we are now booking into 2009!), please click here to link to our previous post....
The 100MPG Biodiesel-Powered Motorcycle
by Justin Thomas, Virginia on 10.22.07
This is a biodiesel-powered motorcycle created by students in Adelaide, Australia. The "BioBike" gets around 100 mpg while burning biodiesel. It was built for the 2007 Panasonic World Solar Challenge, which got underway yesterday in Australia. In this event, 40 teams from across the globe compete in the 3000 kilometer race from Darwin to Adelaide in Australia. Motorcycles with diesel engines are rarely seen because diesel engines generally require heavier engine-casings. The BioBike, however, has an innovative diesel engine that has been optimized for a bike....
What Does a Volcano, a Paintball, and Your Bologna Sandwich Have in Common?
by Kenny Luna, North Babylon, NY on 10.22.07
That’s exactly the question that 14 year old Alyssa Cook asked kids everywhere when she stepped up to the camera to deliver her “Whelmer” here at Discovery’s Young Scientist Challenge in Washington, D.C. Then she told the crowd that the answer is “something you can pour out of a glass, but it’s not water!”
Now a “Whelmer” itself is, according to the contest’s very own Judge Jake, really a small science experiment designed not to overwhelm you with awe, but instead “Whelm” you into learning something.
And this teenager did a great job of doing just that during this leg of the contest. Helping kids to understand Co2 by demonstrating its necessity in the classic science project that creates a volcano, role when pressurized in propelling a paintball, and the way it helps fluff up bread with its tiny bubbles to make for a better sandwich.
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Targets Introduces "Mirel" Bioplastic Gift Cards
by Justin Thomas, Virginia on 10.22.07
Target has introduced a new version of their bioplastic gifts cards. The cards are made with a corn-based material called Mirel from Metabolix. This bioplastic is said to biodegrade more readily than rival materials and, unlike others, it can break down in a backyard compost bin. The Sustainable Is Good blog has a nice photo of the cards degrading after being in a compost for 40 days. The gift cards are currently only available at 129 Target stores nationwide....
How Green is Hollywood?
by Iris Coates, UK on 10.22.07
Earlier this month, there was a report in the Telegraph on eco-trendy Hollywood still being a major polluter.
The story highlights the business’s high energy consumption, despite doing its best to flaunt its green credentials, which range from A-list actors driving hybrid cars to red carpets made from recycled plastic bottles. According to campaigners however, it is all style and no substance as the entertainment industry remains one of the biggest polluters in Southern California.
According to a two-year study by the University of California, special effect explosions, vehicles and diesel generators make the film and television production second only to the oil industry in terms of polluting emissions as well as being incredibly resource and energy consuming. Then there’s also the waste produced from out-of-use sets....
The Search for America's Next Top Young Scientist is Underway in Washington, D.C.!
by Kenny Luna, North Babylon, NY on 10.22.07
Well, according to one of the candidates to be America’s Next Top Young Scientist, everyone in Louisiana is named Kenny Boudreaux! Or at least that’s what he quite humorously pointed out when he found out who I was, as he studiously tapped away on his laptop here at Discovery’s Young Scientist Challenge in Washington, D.C.
As I pointed out recently, this year’s Next Top Young Scientist is going to be a green one; and the search is definitely focused on looking for great young science communicators. Kids who can help others like themselves appreciate and understand science and the environment, with the kids in contention being among the sharpest scientific minds in the country at the middle school level. As you might expect they’re definitely a blast to watch in action. Working in teams to solve challenges, and moving themselves towards their share of the $100k that’s up for grabs in scholarships and prizes…
Take the “Carbon Footprint Challenge” as a perfect example. Within minutes of being presented with the challenge here at the University of Maryland the first group had already gotten down to work, assigning tasks, choosing a leader, and finding out how they were going to tackle this leg of the contest.
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Save Water; Shower Japanese Style
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 10.22.07
Sami made a splash with his post on Navy showers, where you get yourself wet all over, as soon as you turn the shower on, and then turn it off while you soap up before, finally, rinsing off. It saves lots of water, but reminded me of my time in Japan, using their wonderful public baths. Everyone talks about the bathing part, but the showering is equally interesting.
To clean yourself before you got into the bath water, you did not use a conventional shower, but sit on a stool with a wooden bucket and ladle, soap and a sponge, and in the more modern showers, a hand shower that was is used when needed for rinsing and never left on to run into the drain. Sitting while you shower is safer and I found a lot more relaxing; having no water running meant that I could take as long as I wanted....
Survey: Do You Watch Your Water?
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 10.22.07
We are not running around in stillsuits like the Fremen of Arrakis yet, but water is getting to be a problem on this planet. From Atlanta to Arizona, the pipes are running dry. There are lots of things we can do to cut back on water use, yet some in Atlanta are sneaking out at night to water their lawns. In the Southwest, The Colorado is a shadow of its former self and Lake Mead will soon be Pond Mead, yet there are still lots of green lawns in Las Vegas. In our guide for How to Go Green: Water, we have all kinds of suggestions for cutting your water use;
image: Sparth
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Dumpster Diving By Bicycle
by Warren McLaren, Sydney on 10.22.07
Ain’t it grand when two simple living worlds collide? Human-powered transport merged with the quiet art of gleaning. And yes, even the bike used here was salvaged from a dumpster.
In this 11 step lesson on bike-based skip dipping, as we call it down here, you learn dumpster etiquette useful guidelines for dealing with inquisitive passerbys or even law enforcement officers (”If the police ask what you are doing, tell them what you are doing and why. The recycling, the charity donations, the keeping some for your family, how you are clean, careful and considerate, your philosophy on how this is in keeping with community environmental goals, where dumpster materials go if you do not rescue them, etc. The officer will be squirming to get away from you after a minute.”), helpful tools, the carbon dioxide emissions load saved from salvaging discarded materials, locations to visits, and even the community service element of benign dumpster diving and so much more.
Some the instructors fave treasures rescued from a landfill burial include paint, coins, postage, autographed scripts from "The King of Queens", a new Navajo woven rug, a LCD computer projector, hand tools, and a folding bike. Get the full story from ::Instructables.
See also our ‘lil round up of dumpster diving posts....
Put This on Your Resume: Dell's Green Computing Competition
by Mark Ontkush, Boston, Massachusetts, USA on 10.22.07
Dell has issued a global challenge to help its engineers design the world’s most environmentally responsible computing technology. The competition, which is endorsed by the Industrial Designers Society of America, is designed to invigorate the academic and industry dialogue regarding designs for environmentally responsible computing. The competition is open to all, with a focus on students of universities and colleges that offer design programs. Dell is looking for ideas that demonstrate fresh approaches and responsible solutions for green computing technology.
Targeted at the ReGeneration - that's you and me - finalists receive 10 large ($10,000); the best idea via popular vote receives another 15 large. Finally, if you are a student at a university and you win the popular prize, your university gets another 15 large. The submission period spans from January through April 2008; jury-selected finalists will be announced in May 2008.
If you are a CS major, an entry to this event is just something you have to have on your resume; try a novel approach to telecommuting, redesigning a chip fabrication plant, maybe work on the next gen of the solar wifi project. Like the lottery, you have to be in it to win it. Entry details are available via Dell; winners will appear on their site in April where the public vote will also be recorded.::Wired
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Coastal Habitats Deemed Planet's Most Imperiled Ecosystems
by Jeremy Elton Jacquot, Los Angeles on 10.22.07
Given their close proximity to the open ocean, it probably shouldn't come as a surprise that coastal habitats have been particularly damaged by the combined impact of climate change and anthropogenic development. At a recent debate on conservation biology organized by the BBVA Foundation, a group of international scientists presented their findings on the causes and consequences of the deterioration of coastal habitats (HINT: they weren't good).
Carlos Duarte, the debate's coordinator and a researcher at the Spanish Council for Scientific Researcher said that coastal habitats are "disappearing at a rate of between 1.2% and 9% a year and are now the biosphere’s most imperiled systems, with rates of loss 4 to 10 ten times faster than those of the tropical rainforest.” He ticked off a long list of causes, including "the rapidly growing population of coastal zones, currently home to 60% of the planet’s inhabitants, along with the urban development, infrastructure works and ecosystem destruction this growth entails.”
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Consumerism! The Musical
by Sami Grover, Carrboro, NC, USA on 10.22.07
What Will Mark The Beginning of The End Of Global Trade? - Climate Change.
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 10.22.07
Few of us have thought much about the trade implications of climate change-induced coastal flooding. World Watch has clarified it for us. Flooded ports: all done. That's why they're called World Watch. Good stuff.
Cities around the world are facing the danger of rising seas and other disasters related to climate change. Of the 33 cities predicted to have at least 8 million people by 2015, at least 21 are highly vulnerable, says the Worldwatch Institute. They include Dhaka, Bangladesh; Buenos Aires, Argentina; Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Shanghai and Tianjin in China; Alexandria and Cairo in Egypt; Mumbai and Kolkata in India; Jakarta, Indonesia; Tokyo and Osaka-Kobe in Japan; Lagos, Nigeria; Karachi, Pakistan; Bangkok, Thailand, and New York and Los Angeles in the United States, according to studies by the United Nations and others. More than one-tenth of the world's population, or 643 million people, live in low-lying areas at risk from climate change, say U.S. and European experts.Just as an aside: how long before some cable talk show pundit equates coastal flooding with religious prophecy? We can wait. Via:: Yahoo News. Image credit::Gerwitz, "The Great Flood of Chitchen Itza" - a photo-shop fantasy....
Origin The London Craft Fair: Week 2
by Bonnie Alter, London on 10.22.07
Week two of Origin The London Craft Fair, the queen of all juried craft shows, has another 150 craftspeople displaying their wares. There is a different feel to the show this week: there are almost a dozen stands with exquisite delicate white Japanese ceramics, less wood furniture and more interesting clothing and as always some wonderful oddities.
Cathy Miles reinterprets old jewellery-making tools from Birmingham. She puts together found objects to make “new” “tools” (pictured left) that look grimy and dirty; almost Dickensian in feel. Jenny Walker makes use of old bits of Victorian pottery found in Manchester and creates sterling silver “cups”, jewellery and wall pieces that incorporate the familiar blue and white pottery pieces (pictured right).
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Clever Green at Design Connection 2007 in Buenos Aires
by Paula Alvarado, Buenos Aires on 10.22.07
The products pictured above are just three of the neat green designs we spotted at Design Connection 2007, an annual design exhibition that is taking place in Buenos Aires, Argentina, until Friday, October 26th.
The first is a sofa from bonded leather by Patricio Lixklett, who we knew last year at this same exhibition.
Even though in 2006 he was not interested in green, this year Lixklett was asked to develop a product with the material of one of the show's sponsors: Cueroflex, a company that makes a kind of flexible bonded leather in rolls. He came up with a sofa that comes rolled and is folded by the user at home, and then secured with a kind of belt in the base.
Not only a clever idea, but greatly executed: the chair looks very comfortable, flexible and light, and can be customized to look like almost anything you want. This one was painted by Tramando.
Keep reading to see more, bigger pictures and to find out about more designs....
Biggest Single Water User In Atlanta Is Gatorade Plant
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 10.21.07
Every large city has a few water intensive industries. Paper making, bottling, and canning are common examples of water intensive manufacturing. Obviously, there are jobs at stake for Atlanta if the plant has to cut back because of a drought-caused water shortage. But, look at the Gatorade plant in the larger regional context, and the overall situation looks...well, "man made crisis" comes to mind as the most apt characterization.
Water is apparently still relatively inexpensive in Atlanta, which lacks a conservation-tiered rate structure; water-intensive landscaping is widespread; and; and it is estimated that leakage from old water supply lines causes an 18% loss in the metro water system.
Weird side-bar:- Apparently a new kind of green lawn service has emerged in response. Always Green Grass Painting paints the lawns of homes and businesses for $250-$700 (see picture above of before/after results). Wonder if that's water-based paint?...
"Sustainable Cement is Like Vegetarian Meatballs"
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 10.21.07
That's what Professor of Engineering Julian Allwood told Elisabeth Rosenthal of the International Herald Tribune. "The big news about cement is that it is the single biggest material source of carbon emissions in the world, and the demand is going up," ..."If demand doubles and the best you can do is to reduce emissions by 30 percent, then emissions still rise very quickly."
" The cement manufacturers are trying, and have invested millions of dollars in programs like the Sustainable Cement Initiative. They have improved efficiency significantly but are up against the basic chemistry: The chemical reaction that creates cement releases large amounts of CO2 in and of itself. Sixty percent of emissions caused by making cement are from this chemical process alone. The balance is produced from the fuel used in production, which may be mitigated by the use of greener technology. So to "go green," cement makers try to cut the fuel side of the equation."
The industry says "Because of our initiatives, emissions are growing slower than they would without the interventions." But they are still growing like mad. ::International Herald Tribune
image: vegetarian meatballs by seitti...
Quote of the Day: Janine Benyus on Biomimicry
by Jasmin Malik Chua, Jersey City, USA on 10.21.07
Illustration credit: Alphachimp
Biomimicry [is] innovation inspired by nature. In a society accustomed to dominating or "improving" nature, this respectful imitation is a radically new approach, a revolution really. Unlike the Industrial Revolution, the Biomimicry Revolution introduces an era based not on what we can extract from nature, but on what we can learn from her. ...
"Doing it nature's way" has the potential to change the way we grow food, make materials, harness energy, heal ourselves, store information, and conduct business.
In a biomemitic world, we would manufacture the way plants and animals do, using sun and simple compounds to produce totally biodegradable fibers, ceramics, plastics, and chemicals. Our farms, modeled on prairies, would be self-fertilizing and pest-resistant. To find new drugs or crops, we would consult animals and insects that have used plants for millions of years to keep themselves healthy and nourished. Even computing would take its cue from nature, with software that "evolves" solutions, and hardware that uses the lock-and-key paradigm to compute by touch. ...
Earth Elevator Technologies are so Last Year
by Jeremy Elton Jacquot, Los Angeles on 10.21.07
Waste of Energy Dept: Silly Appliances
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 10.21.07
My favourite Talmudic aphorism is from the Rabbi who said "My life has been blessed, because I never knew I needed anything until I had it.". I do wonder how I ever got by without these two appliances. I mean, who could live without a marshmallow toaster? Modern Mechanics said in 1930:
"THE latest thing in electrical household appliances is an electrical marshmallow toaster which toasts both sides of the confection at once. Ladies will find this little device useful for entertaining at bridge parties, as they permit the preparation of dainty desserts on the dining table. Six marshmallows may be toasted at once, and enough of the tid-bits for a large party may be toasted in a very few minutes."::Modern Mechanix Then there is the Garlic Express.......
Bat House Competition Winner Chosen
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 10.21.07
Bonnie previously covered the Bat house Competition, "to design a wildlife-friendly house for bats. The project connects the worlds of art and ecology and encourages the public’s involvement with ecology issues. The winning entry will be built at the London Wetland Centre which is appropriate since there are ten bat species living in London alone."
The overall prize went to AA students Jorgen Tandberg and Yo Murata:"The unanimous favourite through every round of voting, this design raised palpable excitement in the room. Beautiful, poetic and unexpected, combining state-of-the-art technology with a rural and romantic aesthetic." ::Bat House Project
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Friedman of the Week Dept: Save the Planet, Vote Smart
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 10.21.07
Since the Times took down its fence two weeks ago we have wanted to print every word Thomas L. Friedman has said; he is on a roll. People often ask: I want to get greener, what should I do? New light bulbs? A hybrid? A solar roof? Well, all of those things are helpful. But actually, the greenest thing you can do is this: Choose the right leaders. It is so much more important to change your leaders than change your light bulbs.Read it all to show how leadership in New York City works, and how it could in Washington. ::New York Times Also in the Times: The Future is Drying Up: The West is the fastest-growing part of the country. It’s also the driest. And climate change could be making matters much, much worse.::The Perfect Drought...
Two Years Ago in TreeHugger
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 10.21.07
The housing industry was booming, and Toll Brothers, a large farmer of McMansions, planted eighty thousand. How things have changed! We learned that cigarette butts never degrade, leach cadmium, lead and arsenic, and create 500,000 tonnes of pollution per year. We first met Chris Jordan, (interviewed at pop!tech just two days ago) with his earlier show, Intolerable Beauty. We were so gaga about a new Honda fuel cell car that we did two posts on it. And where is it? Still waiting. The car manufacturers also promised the end of spark plugs; Still waiting. Colorado won the Solar Decathlon for the second time in a row. No threepeat for them! Then Warren spoiled it all by celebrating his 500th post with a description of his TreeHugger lifestyle that made all the rest of us look like poseurs. Still does.
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Divine Chocolate: The Big Winner
by Bonnie Alter, London on 10.21.07
It's yummy, it's fair-trade and it's a big winner. Not only with the choco-holics, but also of the Enterprising Solutions Award. This prize is given to the most innovative social enterprises in the UK and this fair-trade chocolate company co-owned by Ghanaian cocoa farmers is a wonderful example of how to use business to create solutions to social and environmental issues. The 45,000 members of the Ghanaian Kuapa Kokoo cooperative not only receive a fair price for their cocoa but also a share of the profits. They own 45% of the company, get a fair price for cocoa, training and in 2007 received their first dividend: a dollar each for every member. The rest of the profits were invested back into the business.
Other winners included Women Like Us (finds part-time jobs for women), Goodwin Development Trust (Hull-based community redevelopment project), McSence (community regeneration in Scottish mining towns) and Haven Products (meaningful employment for the disabled). Social enterprises are businesses with a social purpose to deliver lasting social and environmental change. The best known ones are Cafedirect, the Eden Project and Jamie Oliver's Fifteen. :: Social Enterprise Coalition Via :: The Observer ...
Deer Rescued Swimming 1.5 Miles Offshore
by Christine Lepisto, Berlin on 10.21.07
It was a big catch for Chad Campbell of Washington and Bo Warren of Virginia, even though the fish weren't biting. The bored fishermen were a mile and a half (2.4 km) offshore when they went to investigate what they thought was a seal. Fortunately for the deer, these fishermen were real cowboys. The deer was released into the wild after its rescue. File this one under eco-travel: deer on holiday? More pics and the full story over the fold.
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London's Paramedic Cycling Response Unit
by Sami Grover, Carrboro, NC, USA on 10.21.07
The Go Green Initiative’s School of the Week: Leo Croce Elementary in Livermore, California!
by Kenny Luna, North Babylon, NY on 10.21.07
Last week the Go Green Initiative kicked off their school of the week awards by honoring Harvest Park Middle School in Pleasanton, California. And Leo Croce Elementary in Livermore is right up there with them this week for making tremendous strides to protect the environment by taking action right where they live.
In fact, Leo Croce Elementary is one of the original Go Green schools, signing on way back in 2004 under the leadership of teacher Pam Ferrucci. She’s hard at work helping the students grow an extensive garden that, this time of year, produces a boatload of pumpkins for Halloween. Of course, pumpkins themselves have become a bit scarce across the country this year, but these kids have been fortunate enough to get a full harvest.
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Transition City Bristol to Plant a Virtual Orchard
by Sami Grover, Carrboro, NC, USA on 10.21.07
We’ve reported on Transition City Bristol before, one of the first city-wide Transition Town initiatives [Disclaimer: This author has good friends involved in the project, but we’d be writing about it even if we didn’t]. It looks like things are hotting up for this group. Aside from launching a program of autumn film screenings and talks, they have also announced the imminent birth of a ‘virtual orchard’ that will spread across the city.
The idea stems from a previous project of the Bristol Permaculture Group that was trying to promote biodiversity, food security and traditional agriculture within the city limits. When investigating the site for a potential community orchard in the Easton area, and coming up empty handed, members suddenly realized they were thinking too literally – land was all around them, only it was parcelled up into small lots in people’s back yards etc. They ordered a large number of local-variety fruit trees in bulk, and then organized discount sales, as well as tree-care workshops, for Easton residents. Over the course of a couple of years, the group arranged the distribution of hundreds of fruit trees, significantly increasing the amount of food grown in the neighbourhood while providing habitat for pollinating insects, and preserving some traditional apple varieties. The city-wide initiative will follow similar lines, and the group is looking for volunteers to help coordinate the effort – especially those with admin skills. ::Transition City Bristol::via site visit::
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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.
