- Vijay Vaitheeswaran (part one)
- Vijay Vaitheeswaran (part two)
- Vinay Gupta
- Alyce Santoro
- Mathis Wackernagel
- Tom Price
- Martha Marks
- Paul Hawken
- David Suzuki
- Wal-Mart's Green Gurus
- Alisa Smith and James Mackinnon, authors of Plenty
- Bob Perkowitz of ecoAmerica
- Ed Begley Jr.
- The Weather Channel's Dr. Heidi Cullen
Entries for December 30, 2007 - January 5, 2008
Total this week: 106
BBC on Safe Disposal of CFLs
by Sami Grover, Carrboro, NC, USA on 01. 5.08
The question of mercury in Compact Fluorescent Lamps (CFLs) has kicked up a debate on TreeHugger before, but now we hear from the BBC that the UK’s Environment Agency wants to put warnings on CFL packaging about safe disposal, and what to do if a bulb is broken. If anyone is freaking out right now, and yearning for the good ol' days of safe, warm incandescents, please don’t get too concerned. Even though safe disposal is important, leading toxicologist Dr David Ray agreed with the assessment in our post that there is little risk to the individual homeowner from single bulb breakages:
"Mercury accumulates in the body - especially the brain. The biggest danger is repeated exposure - a one off exposure is not as potentially dangerous compared to working in a light bulb factory. If you smash one bulb then that is not too much of a hazard. However, if you broke five bulbs in a small unventilated room then you might be in short term danger."...
PolyWhey™ Floor and Furniture Coatings From Vermont
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 01. 5.08
Got a dairy that makes cheese? If you do, you've also got whey which you likely pay to manage as a waste - unless you are a whey supplier of Vermont Natural Coatings, that is.
Vermont Natural has developed two whey-based coatings: one for wooden furniture; and, the other for floors. The results look good on their web site. Odor is reported to be less than for comparable synthetic coatings, such as urethane or epoxy; and, remarkably, odor is described as less than even other water based-coatings....
Motionbulb: The Motion-Sensing Light Bulb
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 01. 5.08
You always hear about how you should change to compact fluorescent lightbulbs and turn out the lights when you leave the room; with something like Motionbulb you can have both at the same time. A slick motion sensor is embedded in the bulb's housing, turning itself on when it senses motion within 25 feet, and switching off when you leave the room.
Details are a bit sparse on their site, but the CFL-style bulbs do screw directly into conventional light sockets; the repeated on/off cycling might make these a better solution in an attic or other lightly-trafficked room, though each bulb carries a 5-year replacement warranty. If these were LED bulbs, we'd have a truckload on the way; as it is, Motionbulb could be an easy way to cut back on energy use and worry less about flipping the switch when leaving the room. ::Motionbulb
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Human Poop and Urine Provide Cheap Biogas Source in Uganda
by Jeremy Elton Jacquot, Los Angeles on 01. 5.08
Image courtesy of ctsnow
In developing countries - where food is scarce and reliable energy supplies are even scarcer - necessity often becomes the mother of invention; so it is in Uganda, where farmers have resorted to using human urine and excreta - mixed in with banana peels, algae, water hyacinth and poultry droppings - as an inexpensive source of biogas. This cheap alternative is being pushed by Heifer International Uganda (HIU), an NGO working to reduce hunger and poverty around the world by sharing livestock and knowledge.
In an effort to stave off the growing threat of deforestation in Uganda, HIU is working with several partners to build biogas plants; the inflammable gas is typically produced by bacteria in an air tight container called a digester. Biogas made from excreta contains 60 - 90% methane - enough for it to burn without further purification. There are currently three available plant models: floating, polythene tubular system and Chinese fixed dome - the latter of which is most commonly used by HIU's beneficiaries. ...
Round-the-World Bicyclists Stop in Berlin
by Christine Lepisto, Berlin on 01. 5.08
Even if you offset the CO2 from your holiday caravan to Grandmas or flight to the islands, this report probably represents a guilt-threat level yellow. But if you want to be amazed at human tenacity and draw inspiration for what remains after peak oil, read on.
TreeHugger shared the idea behind warm showers in November: sign up to offer an overnight stay and take mutual advantage of this bicycling hospitality organization when you launch your own tour. Since joining warm showers last fall, with little expectation of seeing any bike tourists before the end of Germany's brisk and icy winter season, three hard-core winter bike tourists have knocked on our door: interesting people with adventurous stories gracing our dinner table before pushing on their fossil-fuel free journey over the horizon....
FDA Set to Clear Sale of Cloned Livestock
by Jeremy Elton Jacquot, Los Angeles on 01. 5.08
Frankenmeat and frankendairy may (unfortunately) be making an appearance at your local grocery store sooner than you think. Following six years of (supposedly) careful deliberation, the FDA is expected to announce early next week that it deems food from cloned livestock to be perfectly safe to eat.
Companies such as ViaGen Inc. - which have already been experimenting with cloning - would be expected to benefit from such a ruling; because cloned cattle would primarily be used for breeding, it will take another 3 - 5 years before consumers can buy milk and meat from their offspring. Many segments of the food industry, however, are solidly against this decision; they cite the lack of an enforceable tracking system to monitor the production of cloned items as a significant concern....
Wayback Machine: 1936 Creative Recycling
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 01. 5.08
Who says recycling isn't fun? ::Modern Mechanix...
The Perils of Being Thirsty While Being Green
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 01. 5.08
Alina Tugend drinks tap water, but needs a bottle to carry it around. She writes in the New York Times about the issues with various containers:
-Refilling single use PET bottles: possible leaching of antimony, more likely bacteria because they are hard to clean; (TreeHugger on Antimony)
-Poycarbonate: Bisphenol A.(TreeHugger on Bisphenol A)
-Glass (“Mom, I just sliced my finger”)
Stainless Steel (too expensive) (see TH on Klean Kanteen)
She finally asked expert Frederick vom Saal, who suggested “If I was to use plastic, I would stay with No. 2 and No. 5, No. 2 is high-density polyethylene; No. 5 is polypropylene." ::New York Times...
Competitive Enterprise Institute Digs Deeper Hole, Says CAFE Will Cost Lives
by Andrew Posner, Rhode Island, USA on 01. 4.08
We've covered the Competitive Enterprise Institute's (CEI) hole-digging statements before, from their "CO2: We Call it Life" ads, to their "complaining about Al Gore flying everywhere to promote An Inconvenient Truth,", to an op-ed piece blaming Rachel Carson for the global malaria crisis. Now, they've dug an even deeper hole AND buried themselves in it by claiming that not only will the new CAFE standards be a waste of taxpayer money, they will actually result in people dying! Yes, that's right, according to their logic, the new standards will lead to vehicles that are "less crashworthy in the case of an accident" because more efficient cars will have to be lighter. Now, keep in mind this is the same group that in 1992 claimed that global warming “looks pretty good. Warmer winters, warmer nights, no effects during the day because of clouding — sounds to [us] like we’re moving to a more benign planet.” They also asserted that the atmosphere needs more, not less CO2 (PDF).
Of course CAFE will result in lighter cars--that's the point! Somehow, the CEI has concluded that only heavy cars are safe (perhaps that's because they are partially funded by Ford, and until recently, they were also funded by Exxon). Under this line of reasoning, cars would need to become increasingly large to assure safety, to the point that we would all be driving tanks. (Some argue that, in many ways, we already do) Amory Lovins, inventor of the hypercar concept, and many others, have argued and demonstrated that extremely light cars can be extremely safe; making other cars on the road lighter not only increases efficiency, but increases safety. ...
First Conventional Light Aircraft Powered by Electricity Flies over France
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 01. 4.08
You think a Tesla Roadster is news? Try flying in the Electra, a single-seater airplane with a 25 horsepower motor and 47 (105 lbs) kilograms of lithium-polymer batteries. Anne Lavrand, the president of the APAME group, said. "This will be a real aeroplane that will have an airworthiness certificate. It's a machine built for anyone with a pilot's license."
The Google translated French website says "On Sunday, December 23, 2007 at 11:50 took place on the first flight of F-WMDJ ELECTRA, equipped with an electric motor of 25 hp and Lithium-polymer batteries. The pilot - test engineer Christian Vandamme has made this test history from the airstrip at about Buëch Aspres (Hautes Alpes)."
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7 Yr. Old With Heart of Gold to Be Youngest Ever to Summit Mt. Kilimanjaro
by Kenny Luna, North Babylon, NY on 01. 4.08
While I'm willing to bet that those two elephants make Keats Boyd, a 7 yr.-old from Sherman Oaks, California seem a whole lot shorter than he actually is, the truth is that he's got a heart of gold that's at least the size of each of them.
It began simply enough when he sat down and watched the video Volcano Above the Clouds and realized that he wanted to do something positive to make a difference. And having also watched legendary Primatologist Dr. Jane Goodall on television before meeting her in person had really left an impression too. So he resolved to summit Mt. Kilimanjaro to raise funds for both the Jane Goodall Institute and Kids of Kilimanjaro, his two favorite charities, and become the youngest person ever to reach the summit....
Architectural Cliché Goes Electronic and Green
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 01. 4.08
How many times have we had that architectural cliché, the design on the back of a napkin, foisted on an unsuspecting public? Toronto got it with the almost universally reviled Royal Ontario Museum by Daniel Libeskind; napkin shown on left. Perhaps architecture will change, and many trees will be saved, when Avery Holleman's Napkin PC. goes into production. "The Napkin PC is designed for group collaborations. Each pen transmits your doodles to the base station which is a PC in disguise. That information gets processed and displayed on the napkin like e-ink paper."
Now architects can send their napkin sketches directly to the CAD monkeys and speed up the process of going from wine bar to rebar....
Discovery of Suspected Carcinogen in LA's Water Could Affect National Monitoring Policies
by Jeremy Elton Jacquot, Los Angeles on 01. 4.08
Image courtesy of Modus Eundi
Don't look now, Angelenos, but city officials have just announced the startling discovery of unusually high levels of bromate, a suspected carcinogen, in two reservoirs. But it's not necessarily what you think: The bromate formed in sunlit water when chlorine spontaneously oxidized bromide from the groundwater. The city will have to drain around 600m gallons - the equivalent of a day's supply - from the Silver Lake and Elysian reservoirs. The measured bromate levels were 68 parts per billion (ppb) and 106 ppb, respectively; water suppliers are typically required to keep levels below 10 ppb.
Bromide, a natural component of most water supplies, tends to be oxidized to bromate when drinking water undergoes ozone disinfection; treatment plans that use this process are thus required to test for bromate levels before distributing the water. In this case, however, the bromide was oxidized in the reservoirs following the treatment process. Currently, neither state nor federal regulations require testing for bromate in water post-treatment....
Another One Bites The Dust: Bucky Fuller's Union Tank Car Dome
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 01. 4.08
It was, in 1958, the worlds largest clear span. The Union Tank Car Building was 384 feet in diameter, 128 feet high. “It was just big and magnificent,” Fuller biographer Jay Baldwin said to Kansas City Star reporter Mike Hendricks. “It was a shock to everyone,” says Elizabeth Thompson, executive director of the Buckminster Fuller Institute in New York. “It’s just a real loss to the architectural community.”
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Quote of the Day: Tom Seager on the Cost of Sustainability
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 01. 4.08
Sustainability requires cooperation. You have to discard the idea of Adam Smith economics, which says that it's better for society if everyone is working in their own self-interest, and move towards the economics of John Nash, which says we can find a better outcome if we work collectively. The question about whether it "costs the consumer" implies that sustainability is like some kind of add-on feature -- like power windows or side-impact air bags. That's not the right way to think about sustainability at all.
For example, it is true that abandoning coal-fired power plants would require an increase in electricity costs. But if everyone did it, we'd all be better off. The only way it "costs" is if some people do it, but others "cheat." Our economic system can't handle a cost discrepancy between green and black power. But it can handle a uniform cost increase for all power. Think of it this way: If you could run your manufacturing firm today on $25/bbl oil -- which is what we had just a few years ago—you would have an incredible competitive advantage. But you can't. All firms have to pay $80/bbl. That's more than triple the oil cost in three years. We still have rapidly expanding economies all over the world. So "cost" is not the big issue, at the moment -- it's "comparative costs."
Read the rest of Tom Seager's provocative Q&A over at ::Core77...
NPR Reports on, Fumbles Story on FTC's Investigation of Carbon Offsets
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 01. 4.08
Photo credit: davesag
From NPR's All Things Considered, we learn that the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) will begin to take a closer look at the "booming, unregulated 'carbon offset' market." We like to hear that there will be more regulation and heavier auditing coming to a market that has simply exploded in the past 18 months, and can be a bit vague and difficult to verify. Getting quality offsets now requires homework -- probably more homework than the average concerned citizen is likely to do -- so, if done correctly, standards and auditing would be a good thing. The FTC will be looking most specifically at verifying "double selling" and additionality. Stay tuned; hearings are scheduled to get underway next week.
What we don't like is NPR's myopic point of view on carbon offsets: that they're tools for those feeling guilty about their carbon footprint. "There is something new to feel guilty about: carbon," they say. "The guilty can now buy something called a 'carbon offset.' Essentially, you pay someone else to reduce or 'offset' carbon emissions equal to your own." While the second sentence is true, to characterize offsets as simply a tool for the guilty to help themselves feel better is shortsighted and naive....
Big Utilities Eye Central Solar
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 01. 4.08
The following narrative is borrowed directly from a conference promotion - directed at utility employees and financial types. It's rich with seminal ideas that we all need to assimilate.
TreeHugger comment: some forms of 'alternative energy' may soon lose that alternative quality, and others, like distributed versions of solar power, will keep that quality.
"Emissions-free centralized solar power is a good match against peak air conditioning load, and it becomes a more attractive source in view of its independence of shrinking water resources and rising fuel costs....
Cape Wind: An Audio Interview With Robert Whitcomb
by Meaghan O'Neill, Newport, R.I. on 01. 4.08
Full of politics, power, and deception, the story of Cape Wind, the 130-turbine offshore wind farm to be built five miles off of Cape Cod, is more turbulent than the waters of Nantucket Sound itself. Robert Whitcomb, a vice president and editorial page editor of the Providence Journal, is co-author with Wendy Williams of a new book, aptly called Cape Wind: Money, Celebrity, Class, Politics, and the Battle for Our Energy Future on Nantucket Sound, which delves into the drama of energy entrepreneur Jim Gordon's struggle to build clean technology in the backyard of the mega-rich and mega-famous—think Ted Kennedy, Bill Koch, and Jack Welch. In this extended interview, TreeHugger catches up with Whitcomb to discuss America’s most controversial alternative energy project.
Stream or download this interview:: Cape Wind ...
Welcome to the Matrix in Stockholm Central Station
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 01. 4.08
Morpheus showed us how effective the human body is at generating energy; now the Swedes are making it happen. So many people pass through the Stockholm Central Station each day, moving quickly and generating heat, that they are going to capture it and use it to heat a new office building nearby. According to Physorg: "We want to harness some of the warmth they produce to help heat the new building," said Karl Sundholm, of the Swedish state-held property administration company Jernhuset.
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Design Glut's Crude Necklace Released
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 01. 4.08
Back in November, Design Glut promised "When and if crude hits $100/barrel, Design Glut will produce 100 limited edition Crude Necklaces with a high gloss black surface finish." Most thought it would be a long wait.
Today they report that they have dated the 100 limited edition Crude necklaces to commemorate this date. Each piece is engraved with "$100" and "1-2-2008. They are black, powder-coated brass, a sign of our times. Oil has officially become a luxury.... One day, when you are charging your electric car with your children, you can say, “I remember when crude hit $100.” ::Design Glut
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Video: The Push-Button House in Action
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 01. 4.08
TH Update: Dead-Red Canal
by Jesse Fox, Tel Aviv, Israel on 01. 4.08
An ibex contemplates the shrinking Dead Sea.
Not since Moses parted the Red Sea has such an ambitious water engineering project been seen in Israel’s parched Negev desert. The “Peace Canal” is a $5 billion project to rehabilitate the Dead Sea (home of the original Sodom and Gomorrah) by pumping in seawater from the Red Sea (“Let my people go”). The centerpiece of the project is a 160 km water pipeline, around which would sprout railroads, hydroelectric power plants, mines, industrial parks, tourism around artificial lakes and the largest seawater pumping plant in the world....
Canuck Forests Reduce Emissions by 62 Per Cent
by Jenna Watson, Barcelona on 01. 4.08
The Vancouver Sun reports on the state of the pulp and paper sector in British Columbia, Canada. The Report by the big guys at PriceWaterhouse Coopers says that greenhouse gas emissions from manufacturing have been reduced by 62 per cent since 1990. That also means that pulp and paper companies have reduced their emissions by 10 times beyond the 6 percent reduction laid out in the Kyoto Protocol.
In the Sun article, Valerie Langer of the environmental NGO, ForestEthics, says that, “the Canadian forest industry has committed to a life cycle analysis in conjunction with the World Wildlife Fund.” Manufacturing is only one part of the life cycle of pulp and paper products as carbon is released through logging and methane is released when paper is buried in landfills.
This article comes not long after the announcement that the Canadian forest products industry was aiming for carbon neutrality by 2015 via a partnership with WWF. What an exciting prospect that the pulp and paper sector is going to start doing life cycle analysis. This could lead to great strides in energy reduction for that industry and it also sets a great example for forestry in the rest of the country. We’ll keep you informed as they release actual documents and results. Via:: The Vancouver Sun. Image credit: Tony Hisgett....
Green Baby Steps: Cup Noodle's Refill
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 01. 4.08
Disposable, single-serving bowls of noodles don't fit many (okay, any) TreeHugger values of minimizing packaging waste or resource efficiency. The ubiquitous "Cup Noodles," dietary staple of many a college student and lunch on the go, have taken a green baby step by offering reusable, refillable cups for their noodle soups.
Customers in Japan can buy the "Cup Noodle Refill Starter Pack," which includes a refill for Cup Noodle, a refill for Seafood Noodle, and an original cup exclusively for refill dubbed "My Noodle Cup." The product is the first of an environment friendly product series to be released by the company under the slogan "Enjoy eating in an eco-friendly style."
Though the gimmicky marketing borders on greenwashing -- the refillable cups are definitely "greener" rather than out and out "green" -- this is certainly a step in the right direction for a pretty wasteful product. Plus, the refills are kinda fun -- you can design and print your own cup liner (pictured below the fold) -- and allowing for this increased creativity might help push the green aspect to people who just want to eat instant noodles, and don't care about throwing away a polystyrene cup and plastic wrapping at every meal. Either way, it's greener than before, and that's something that always deserves attention. Read up on the history of the instant noodle and learn more about the refill cup at ::Japan for Sustainability via ::NotCot and ::Cup Noodle's Refill minisite (in Japanese)
Update: Thanks to eagle-eyed TreeHugger Lloyd, there are now more pics of the (rather excessively-packaged) refillable cup and the refills themselves, after the jump....
The Year Ahead With Jason Sperling
by Meaghan O'Neill, Newport, R.I. on 01. 4.08
Who: Jason Sperling, co-founder and CEO, ShipGreen and Prairie Tree Project
Eco-resolution: To help 1,000 businesses go green via ShipGreen, a program that allows online vendors to supply their customers with one-click carbon offsets to neutralize the emissions associated with shipping goods.
Outlook for '08: Social responsibility will continue to be a driving force for companies and for individuals. Investment in the green market will result in the development of technologies that offer real-time measurements of greenhouse gas emissions and energy consumption of products.
For a complete guide to neutralizing your own carbon emissions, read “How to Green Your Carbon Offsets .” To learn about one TreeHugger staffer’s views on the controversy about offsets, check out “My Views on Carbon Offsets,” by Michael Graham Richard.
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Wind Power Blows Into the North
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 01. 4.08
Globe and Mail
There is a lot of wind in the North, and not much in the way to stop it. Yet according to Katherine O'Neill in the Globe and Mail, almost all of its power now comes from very expensive diesel generators. Tuktoyaktuk Councillor Jim Stevens notes “We've got some of the most expensive fuel in the world arriving in our communities. We then produce outrageously expensive power,” he said. “That's got to stop.” In Nunavut, diesel costs account for 20 per cent of its entire budget....
Survey: Are You Voting This Year?
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 01. 4.08
The New York Times suggests that one reason for Barack Obama's victory in Iowa was "a massive increase in first-time caucusgoers, including many independent voters and younger voters." Yet young people are reputed to stay away in election time and to be under-represented. In 2004, under 60% of the eligible voters turned out and it was considered a good year. Is it going to be different this time? Are the issues important enough to get you out to vote?
Online Surveys
| Free Poll
| Email Marketing
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RGBG - Pedalling from Seattle to San Francisco for Affordable Green Housing
by Sami Grover, Carrboro, NC, USA on 01. 4.08
We have seen one or two examples of affordable sustainable housing, for example this apartment block in London or this $200,000 Oklahoma zero energy house, but overall environmentally sustainable architecture is still seen as somewhat of an elitist movement. However, all that must change if sustainability is to go mainstream – after all, niche sustainability is basically an oxymoron. It’s good then, that a movement is building to push truly green architecture for all income groups. From Brad Pitt’s efforts to rebuild New Orleans to the AIA’s highlighting of cutting-edge affordable homes, every new initiative and campaign brings us a step closer to green architecture as the norm, rather than the exception.
West Coast TreeHuggers can do their part for green affordable housing this summer by taking part in RGBG – or Ride Green, Build Green, a month-long awareness building and fund raising bicycle trip from Seattle to San Francisco. Details are sketchy at the present time, but the ride takes place from the 25th of July to the 25th of August, and those wishing to take part should check out this website or contact rgbgseattle@gmail.com. ::RGBG::via tipster Corey Heller, with thanks::
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Stockholm's Feeling...Pale Green
by April Streeter, Gothenburg, Sweden on 01. 4.08
Artist Eric Krizortz has emblazoned five of Stockholm's most famous (and in some ways, most reviled) skyscrapers, called the Haymarketscrapers (Hötorgetskrapor), with massive mood lighting. On a scale from deep purple (depressed) to bright red (happy), lighting on the five tallest buildings in the city center is meant to reflect how city citizens are feeling that day - voting is at emotionalcities.com. Since the turn of the year, the prevailing mood has been just slightly brighter than mid-scale, hovering at a pale, chartreuse green.
Perhaps the greenish mood is due in part to Stockholmers' high environmental awareness, and the looking back on the old year that inevitably happens at the start of the new year. Last year, climate awareness hit an all-time high, but at the same time consumption of (CO2 intensive) meat, cars and international flights also grew. Instead of chiding people for their seemingly inevitable habit of trying to get the most 'goods' for the cheapest price, daily paper Dagens Nyheter thinks 'climate smart' consumption via green taxes can solve the problem.
Good economic growth leads to resources for climate research and green investment, while stagnant growth would make people less engaged in climate issues, the paper reasons. New consumption in Sweden is said to be cleaner (the vast growth of the eco-car market is an example) than older patterns. Since politicians cannot seem to efficiently plan for climate-friendly transport, energy, and agricultural systems, DN editorializes, green taxes and an international emissions trading market are the best market-based systems to divide the burden of a climate and consumption friendly society semi-equally among businesses, states and citizens. Via ::DN (Swedish)
P.S. Other cities the world round - with Seoul, [correction] South Korea up first - are planning mood lighting!
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Recycle Your Cards: It's Easy
by Bonnie Alter, London on 01. 4.08
This one is a no-brainer, as they say. Collect all your Christmas cards, put them together and drop them in a specially marked bin at supermarkets and book stores. All the cards collected at these places will be taken to paper mills, where they are recycled into brand new paper products like corrugated cardboard, copier paper and more Christmas cards. The Woodland Trust, a charity which protects ancient forests and plants trees in new forests is aiming to recycle 100 million cards. Why the endorsement of Joanna Lumley, a former model, comedian and actress will add that extra incentive is a mystery to this ex-pat, but hey, she's a celebrity and it's London, so there you are.
It's all for a good cause. Recycling cards will allow the Trust to plant 24,000 new trees. The money saved by municipalities through recycling is paid to the Trust. And there is a lot of garbage created over the holiday: english households will have nearly three quarters of a million ton of extra waste over Christmas, generating 1.4 million tons of CO2. On average each family will throw out an extra five bags of garbage over the season. So start gathering up those cards. :: Recyclenow...
Tinok Yarok: Organic Israeli Babies
by Karin Kloosterman, Jerusalem, Israel on 01. 4.08
Within the same week, not one, but two organic baby clothing suppliers entered our radar over here in the Holy Land. The first, who we will feature today, is Tinok Yarok, Hebrew for "green baby." Sophie Ohana, the company's founder dropped us a line about a month ago, calling herself a big fan of TreeHugger.
She now supplies a range of organic cloth nappies, baby clothes, cleaning products and eco-tips for greening your life, in Israel. And here is the story behind Tinok Yarok: Sophie immigrated to Israel in 1997 from England where she grew up all natural and healthy-like on an organic farm and, "in a very ecologically minded household," she writes. The topic of conversation around the dinner table focused on issues, such as CFCs and the environment.
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Wine Grape Extracts Disrupt Disease Causing Bacteria
by Tim McGee, Helena, MT, USA on 01. 3.08
Cabernet Franc is the good stuff, according to a study published recently in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. Wine grapes, be they Cabernet Franc or Pinot Noir, contain high concentrations of polyphenols in their skins. The study found that extracts from the leftover skins of these wine grapes were able to interfere with the bacteria's ability to contribute to tooth decay. Cabernet Franc extracts performed the best.
Keep in mind this is not drinking the wine, but using an extract from the leftover grape skins. The waste of the wine industry may provide a new source for managing bacterial 'biofilm' infections, in everything from our own mouth and medical rooms to our farm animals. The best part is the extracts do not kill the bacteria, but instead simply interfere with their ability to cause disease, thus the bacteria are unlikely to develop resistance....
Jargon Watch: Solastalgia
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 01. 3.08
Solastalgia -- "a form of homesickness one gets when one is still at home," according to Australian philosopher Glenn Albrecht; in essence, it's pining for a lost environment. It's the mashup of the roots solacium (comfort) and algia (pain), which, when combined, forms a term (and an idea) reminiscent of nostalgia.
Coined from responses from interviews Albrecht conducted over the past few years, the word describes Australians' deep (and growing) sense of loss as they watch the landscape around them change. "They no longer feel like they know the place they've lived for decades," he says....
Today on Planet Green
by Jasmin Malik Chua, Jersey City, USA on 01. 3.08
:: Learn how to gussy up used jugs, canisters, and other containers into playful storage containers kids young and old will love.
:: Invigorate your skin with an easy-peasy rosewater spritzer that will draw out your inner Laura Ingalls.
:: Billions upon billions of batteries are purchased, used, and discarded in America every year. Find out how you can cut that number down, while keeping toxins out of the waste stream.
:: How much info is TMI when it comes to what's printed on your wine labels?
:: Help save the planet, simply by yakking it up as usual on your cell phone.
:: If you've been trying to persuade friends and family members to kick the bottled-water habit, forwarding them this post is a good start.
:: Are your kids begging you to buy that as-seen-on-TV Moon Sand? Make your own squishable, moldable version on the cheap.
:: Collin dishes on how you can eat local, farm-fresh foods all year round.
:: It's time to put your house on a detox diet and make it over into the non-polluting haven you've always envisioned. Here's a roundup of some of our favorite posts from 2007. ...
Army of Tiny Crustaceans is Destroying a Small Japanese Island
by Jeremy Elton Jacquot, Los Angeles on 01. 3.08
It's one thing to have swarms of giant jellyfish or squids preying upon local commercial fish populations; it's quite another to have a huge swarm of crustaceans - tiny ones at that - threatening to destroy an entire island. The uninhabited island of Hoboro, which lies about 1,650 ft off the coast of Hiroshima, has been under steady attack for the last few years; millions of crustaceans - relatives of crabs and shrimp known as "nanatsuba-kotsubumushi" - are boring into the island, a process dubbed "bio-erosion."
The surge in numbers was sparked by recent increases in the temperature of the surrounding waters, which contributed to huge plankton blooms - a staple of the voracious crustaceans. "The creatures make holes in the rock as they make nesting areas, which makes it weaker and very susceptible to weathering from the ocean and the wind," explained Yuji Okimura, an emeritus professor at Hiroshima University....
Eco Hero's Clever Idea to Clean Up the Bayou
by Christine Lepisto, Berlin on 01. 3.08
Fleurville
by Sean Fisher, Cincinnati, Ohio on 01. 3.08
Being a parent is hard enough in itself. Getting everything you need to have in order to be constantly prepared is even harder. Finding those things you need while staying at least somewhat stylish and minimizing the impact that "stuff" might have? Now there's a challenge. Luckily, unlike many other parenting tasks, you have help in this endeavor. Fleurville is a San Francisco-area company that provides a bevy of stylish, PVC-free bags for "modern parents." Moms (beach bags, sling totes), dads (DJ bags, messenger bags) and kids (lunch packs, kids messengers) are all covered. But, it is Fleurville's Re-Run line, with fabric made from recycled water bottles, that really gets TreeHugger's gears moving. ...
Berlin Drivers Don't Balk At Emission Badges
by April Streeter, Gothenburg, Sweden on 01. 3.08
In Berlin's 'green' zone, eventually only cars with a green badge will be able to pass go
Since the start of the year, drivers to the inner city of Berlin - the 88-square kilometer area inside the subway 'ring' - must display badges to show their cars meet new rules for particulate and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) emissions. Cars without badges are subject to the not-too hefty ticket price of 40 Euros (US$58) and a penalty point on the errant driver's license. Police say they will go easy on delinquents in the first couple of months. Altogether about 1.7 million older diesel cars and gas cars without catalytic converters will be too polluting to meet the new emission requirements and are thus banned from the heart of Berlin as well as Cologne and Hanover. Stuttgart, Frankfurt and Munich as well as 14 other cities will all deploy the system later this year.
In 2010 the emissions law will be further tightened, and only 'green badge' cars will be able to go into the inner city zones. Perhaps the measure will put even more Berliners on their bikes and help the city reach its goal of 15 percent of city traffic made up on cyclists. Via ::Berlin.de...
Green Stats: 32
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 01. 3.08
Oliver Munday for the New York Times
32 -- the average rate of higher consumption in the first world, when compared to the developing world. The average rate at which people consume resources like oil and metals, and produce wastes like plastics and greenhouse gases, are about 32 times higher in North America, Western Europe, Japan and Australia than they are in the developing world.
And, according to Jared Diamond's piece in the New York Times, "that factor of 32 has big consequences. Today, there are more than 6.5 billion people, and that number may grow to around 9 billion within this half-century. Several decades ago, many people considered rising population to be the main challenge facing humanity. Now we realize that it matters only insofar as people consume and produce."...
The Importance of "Fictional" Products
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 01. 3.08
Core77's editor in chief, Allan Chochinov, has published a great piece over at Adobe's Design Center Think Tank, all about the utility of "fictional" products. It's a thoughtful, eloquent answer to the question, "Why should we care about a product we can't even buy?" or "What difference does it make if it isn't real, or in production?"
Part of his argument goes like this: as (very TreeHugger) ideals like rapid prototyping and 3D printing come closer to everyday use, designers can change the way they think about (and the way they design) the things they design, because we won't need to "consume" them, in the traditional sense. The slow boat from China model is out, and the importance of "fictional" products -- that is, products that won't ever be manufactured -- is in, and with it, a whole new way of interacting with the world, with design, with stuff.
It's a fascinating, forward-looking piece, perfect for early-year consumption. Read the whole piece at Adobe Design Center and hit the jump for one of the more meaningful excerpts. ::Adobe via ::Core77...
Dutch Company Siphoning Heat from Asphalt for Energy Uses
by Jeremy Elton Jacquot, Los Angeles on 01. 3.08
Image courtesy of PhillipC
While most solar enthusiasts are busy focusing on building ever larger thin-film solar farms or ever more advanced concept solar cells, others have been relying on older, though no less innovative, technologies to supply households for years now. Ooms Avenhorn Holding BV, a Dutch civil engineering company, first conceived its Road Energy System 10 years ago; back then, a technology that aimed to siphon heat from roads and parking lots to heat offices and homes probably sounded a bit eccentric, if not outlandish.
Ten years on - with climate change and renewable energies featuring much in the news and in policy discussions - their once long-shot bet is looking like a shrewd one. Their thermal energy system, which collects solar energy from a 200-yard stretch of road and a parking lot, powers a 70-unit 4-story apartment complex in the small village of Avenhorn; the heat stored from 36,000 sq ft of pavement during the summer helps keep a 160,000 sq ft-industrial park warm in the winter....
Five Questions You Should Ask the Presidential Candidates
by Greg Haegele, Sierra Club on 01. 3.08
This next week is all politics, what with today's Iowa caucuses and the New Hampshire primaries on January 8. Most Americans are probably already tired of the election coverage, but we're hoping people stick it out and ask the these presidential candidates tough questions. Now is the time to make your voice heard.
The Sierra Club is on the ground in Iowa, New Hampshire and many other states making sure candidates talk about global warming and smart energy policies. Our local organizers and chapter members are attending the candidates' debates, press conferences and speeches - and the candidates are taking notice of the many people asking about these issues....
The Year Ahead With Alexandra Zissu
by Meaghan O'Neill, Newport, R.I. on 01. 3.08
This post is part of an ongoing series. To access all the profiles in this series, visit “The Year Ahead.”
Who: Alexandra Zissu, journalist, co-author of The Complete Organic Pregnancy, Kids’ Editor at New York magazine, and "Ask An Organic Mom" blogger at TheDailyGreen.com.
Eco-resolution: Oh there are many! Including:
• Master the worm bin, a.k.a vermicomposting. (This involves finding a place for it in my small New York apartment).
• Convince my daughter's new preschool to use nontoxic and environmentally friendly products (such as cleaning and art supplies, toys, etc.) and to serve organic snacks.
• Write as much as possible for as many publications as possible on green, environmental, and organic topics. ...
Who: Alexandra Zissu, journalist, co-author of The Complete Organic Pregnancy, Kids’ Editor at New York magazine, and "Ask An Organic Mom" blogger at TheDailyGreen.com.
Eco-resolution: Oh there are many! Including:
• Master the worm bin, a.k.a vermicomposting. (This involves finding a place for it in my small New York apartment).
• Convince my daughter's new preschool to use nontoxic and environmentally friendly products (such as cleaning and art supplies, toys, etc.) and to serve organic snacks.
• Write as much as possible for as many publications as possible on green, environmental, and organic topics. ...
Molten Salt As Solar Heat Battery
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 01. 3.08
United Technologies Corp.'s Hamilton Sundstrand unit, is teaming with US Renewables Group to commercialize a solar-power plant that will use molten salt to store the sun's heat and release it in a controlled manner for steady steam turbine power generation....
Project H Design: Initiatives for Humanity, Habitats, Health and Happines
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 01. 3.08
Ted Nordhaus said "to a hammer, the whole world looks like a nail". I responded "I am an architect and to me, the world looks like a big design problem". That's why I love the idea of Project H Design, "a charitable organization supporting product design initiatives for humanity, habitats, health, and happiness."- We all have our particular talents and capabilities, and we can all contribute, whether you are a hammer or an architect or a doctor or a plumber, you can effect change.
Project H plans to encourage the design industry to "Fund and deliver existing life-improving and life-saving products to specific global communities" and "Host competitions that encourage designers and communities to address and understand global and social issues, and use design as a tool to propose solutions."...
Platinum Theft: More On Recycling's Dark Side
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 01. 3.08
We recently posted about how theft of copper wire and tubing is a serious and growing problem affected by recycling and street drug markets - see Meth Heads Go For Recycling. Now that Platinum has become extremely valuable (up to US$1548/oz - preceding day market quote, per table), theft of catalytic converters also has emerged as a serious problem in the cities of California and several other US States. SUV's are primary targets. Apparently, welding the converter to the frame is the preferred deterrent.
This holiday season has seen an explosion in thefts of expensive, platinum-laced catalytic converters from parked cars, and authorities report that high-clearance sport utility vehicles are the targets of choice for thieves. With a common socket wrench and 90 seconds, they leave drivers stuck with cars that sound like Harley-Davidson motorcycles, and facing repair bills topping $1,000. The prize is a catalytic converter, a device used to reduce emissions. Platinum is more valuable than gold, and the contents of a typical converter are worth $40 to $50 to scrap-metal dealers. Some thieves use saws, but the preferred weapon in Southern California is a ratchet with a 14-millimeter socket. The thief crawls under the car and unfastens the bolts holding the converter, a process that accomplished crooks can complete in 90 seconds.Via::Los Angeles Times, "Thieves target vehicles' catalytic converters" Image credit::Kitco, live market quotes...
Now Free Cars For Paris
by Bonnie Alter, London on 01. 3.08
First they had the Vélib' in Paris--the scheme where you can pick up a bike, ride it, and drop it off somewhere else. Now the Mayor is proposing the introduction of Voiturelib'--2,000 electric-powered vehicles that subscribers can drive off without booking at dozens of sites, 24 hours a day, and then leave anywhere in the city. There will be a minimal charge, depending on mileage, and the theory is that people can do their errands or make short visits, without the hassle of renting a car. Almost 45% of all Parisians own cars, but a surprising 95% of them remain parked at any time. The Cleanova (pictured), with its Renault Kangoo body, is being named as the potential car for this scheme. It is not the chic-est looking car on the block for fashion-conscious Parisians.
There are some doubts about the idea. Some fear that people will start to choose cars over bicycles and the usage of the free bicycles will decline, thus defeating the purpose of the whole experiment. Others are noting the comparative expense of running free cars versus bicycles. Apparently the Vélib' system has some kinks--many are out of service due to disrepair and vandalism. There are not enough in the morning for all of the commuters flowing into Paris, and there is a lack of parking spaces for them. The Mayor is against imposing a congestion charge. This will be an interesting idea to watch. :: Times...
Julia Roberts Admits Having Kids Turned Her Into Something of An Eco-Warrior
by Kenny Luna, North Babylon, NY on 01. 3.08
While it's no surprise to Treehugger's everywhere that Julia Roberts hopped on the green bus awhile back, she recently pointed out to the British Sun that having children is what made her do it. And why not? Having kids means you've got a genuine stake in the future of the planet, for better or for worse.
As any free-marketeer will be more than happy to point out, people only do what they perceive as being in their own best interest. And reason dictates that they only value what they can understand.
So while many smart environmentalists have been trying to point out for a long while what she just said in a very short piece, some people are just a whole lot more likely to listen when a mega-star points out the obvious to all of us. Especially when they make it personal....
"God Does Not Do Waste", Says Archbishop
by Sami Grover, Carrboro, NC, USA on 01. 3.08
The Most Terrifying Video You'll Ever See
by Kenny Luna, North Babylon, NY on 01. 3.08
It's called The Most Terrifying Video You'll Ever See, and it's taking the web by storm. Essentially, it's little more than a high school science teacher named Greg Craven, set up in his home with a whiteboard and a felt-tipped marker.
But he's made the case to over 4 million viewers on multiple websites that An Inconvenient Truth simply didn't go far enough. And that's impressive. Particularly when you consider the fact that he's done it without the aid of anything more high tech than his YouTube account....
Plantable Desk Calendar 2008 by Botanical Paperworks
by Petz Scholtus, Barcelona on 01. 3.08
How about planting some wildflowers every month of this New Year? Canadian based Botanical Paperworks’ Plantable Eco Calendar guides you through 2008 with its handmade monthly desk calendar that “creates beauty and leaves nothing behind but flowers”. Simply place the seed embedded paper into soil, add water and wait for Bird's Eye, Clarkia, Coreopsis, Poppy, Catchfly and Snap Dragon to come to life.
The handmade paper is acid and tree free, made from recycled bond paper, cotton remnants and abaca, a renewable leaf fibre. The plantable calendar is illustrated by Kal Barteski and available for $19.95 ::Botanical Paperworks
Also check out Blissen’s 2008 Hidden Habitats Calendar and our 2008 Diaries. ...
Good News: SF's Oil Spill's Effects All but "Out of Sight"
by Jeremy Elton Jacquot, Los Angeles on 01. 3.08
Many environmental writers - this one included - have a tendency to focus on the latest scandal/natural disaster-related news, which make for more visible, high wattage stories; as a consequence, the eventual, often more meaningful resolutions to these stories tend to fall by the wayside. If you'll recall, oil spills accounted for a number of our posts last year, especially in the latter half. We're happy to report some good news in the case of at least one - the 58,000 gallon San Francisco Bay spill - which Bay Area authorities have managed to almost entirely clean up....
Young Asians Come Clean About Not Feeling Green
by Kenny Luna, North Babylon, NY on 01. 2.08
While children in some parts of the world count the environment as being among their top concerns, one study claims that Asia’s all-important next generation of global citizens are not nearly as concerned with the need for environmental protection as their Western peers.
And with unprecedented development occurring throughout Asia, there’s no doubt that presents a real problem.
Intriguingly, while just 15% of young Asians polled were very concerned about the need for action, their mother’s, who were also polled, expressed near unanimous concern for environmental action at roughly 95%.
...
Climate Change Expected to Drastically Alter California
by Jeremy Elton Jacquot, Los Angeles on 01. 2.08
Image courtesy of Californian Em
Droughts and wildfires may well turn out to be the least of Californians' worries if some scientists' projections of what climate change-induced effects will befall the state's landscape come to fruition. First to fall victim will likely be California's (already short) ski season; a shorter snowy season - with snow that will melt much faster - will reduce the ski season by a month in some areas and, in others, end it entirely. Battered by a string of wildfires and water shortages, Southern California's sky season has already begun to suffer.
While opinions differ among scientists over the specific changes global warming will effect, the general consensus is that temperatures will rise 3 - 10°F statewide by century's end, potentially leading to a drop in rainfall across Southern California; this would put at great risk a variety of animal and plant species that live in the deserts east of Los Angeles. In an effort to save the iconic Joshua trees from uncertain doom, scientists are already considering relocating their seedlings to areas where the plants might endure....
Mexico Struggles to Deal with E-Waste
by Eliza Barclay, Nomad on 01. 2.08
Mexico's National Institute of Ecology, or INE, recently released a study entitled "Diagnostic on the generation of electronic waste in Mexico" by the Interdisciplinary Center for Research and Studies on Environment and Development (CIIEMAD).
The study estimated that between 150,000 and 180,000 tons of electronic waste were generated in 2006, including laptop and desktop computers, recorders, fixed-line telephones, cellular telephones and televisions. Those products contain flame retardants and other toxics that can leach into the environment and affect human health.
According to the INE, there is no formal infrastructure in Mexico to manage these wastes. Greenpeace Mexico has called on the manufacturers in Mexico to assume responsibility for the full life-cycle of their products, by reclaiming used products and manufacturing cleaner and safer products.
"At the very least, companies should inform consumers about what they can do with electronic waste," said Luis Alberto García, director of Environmental Recycling, a company involved with recycling of electronics.:: Via El Universal (Spanish link)
...
California to U.S. EPA: We'll See You In Court!
by Andrew Posner, Rhode Island, USA on 01. 2.08
As promised, "California sued the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Wednesday for denying its first-in-the-nation greenhouse gas limits on cars, trucks and SUVs." At least fifteen states will support California in the lawsuit, "including 13 of those that have either adopted or are in the process of adopting the rules." As Jeremy Elton pointed out in his December 20 post, all told, these states represent roughly half of the U.S. population, "flying in the face of [EPA Administrator Stephen L. Johnson's] 'patchwork of state rules' argument" in defense of his decision to deny the waiver.
California Attorney General Jerry Brown explained to the AP the reasoning behind the lawsuit thusly: "there's absolutely no justification for the administrator's action. . ."It's illegal. It's unconscionable and a gross dereliction of duty." He's not the only one concerned about the legality of the EPA's decision. According to Wired Science, "the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, chaired by California democrat Henry Waxman. . .has launched an investigation" into why Administrator Johnson apparently ignored the recommendations of his own advisors....
Today on Planet Green
by Jasmin Malik Chua, Jersey City, USA on 01. 2.08
:: Drinking red wine, eating dark chocolate, and having more sex—now those are some New Year's resolutions we can really get behind.
:: Olé! Spice up your life by learning how to make this chili-and-black-bean salsa from scratch.
:: Get all of the glamor, but less of the sticker shock, by borrowing designer bags and bling from these Web sites.
:: Hello 2008! We've rounded up some of our favorite posts that should make shedding those extra pounds a cinch.
:: Set e-mail in-boxes everywhere on fire by making this burning topic go viral.
:: If you're tired of idling school buses and SUVs fouling up the air schoolchildren breathe, here's how to take some action.
:: Cut back on waste and improve your domicile's air quality by following our latest tip on greening your home for winter.
:: Pledged to trim your waistline this year? Discover how you can get into shape without leaving home.
:: Commitment-phobes rejoice: Volunteering has never been easier or more hassle-free.
:: Kick off the new year by eating better. Here's our guide to finding your way around the kitchen....
Software Helps Mexican Companies Reduce Paper Use
by Eliza Barclay, Nomad on 01. 2.08
Last year, we wrote about Greenprint, a software program that allows you see the whole document, easily click on what you want to keep and what you want to disappear, and then prints it. Not only does this save forests; it also saves money on paper, disposal and ink cartridges.
ONx Sistemas de Información is a Mexican software development company that has launched EQDZ Pro Content Management System, a Web-based program designed to help companies cut down paper use by eliminating the need to print reams of documents. The software spe