- 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 January 6, 2008 - January 12, 2008
Total this week: 156
High-Stakes Duel on the Sea Pits Environmental Ships Against Japanese Whalers
by Jeremy Elton Jacquot, Los Angeles on 01.12.08
Image courtesy of guano via flickr
Not merely content to allow Japan to resume its annual whale hunt sans humpbacks, Greenpeace has vowed to do whatever it deems necessary to prevent further killings - even if it means putting "ourselves between the whale and the harpoon." Its ship, the Esperanza (seen above), won't be alone in its efforts to thwart the Japanese fleet's activities, however. ...
Conceptualize this: GM Unveils Yet Another Concept Car
by Andrew Posner, Rhode Island, USA on 01.12.08
Believe it or not, the above vehicle with a solar panel built into its roof wasn't designed by an ambitious startup like Tesla or Aptera; no, the above vehicle was designed by the friendly folks over at General Motors as part of their "From Gas Friendly to Gas Free" ad campaign. Granted, most of GM's cars aren't even gas friendly, let alone gas free, but if their concept cars are any indication, GM is certainly looking in the right direction for the future. After all, GM has already generated a lot of buzz surrounding its Chevy Volt, a unique, all electric-gasoline hybrid concept car that may or may not be released in 2010. GM is also currently testing its Equinox Fuel Cell crossover in real-world conditions. And now, at this year's Consumer Electronics Show, they announced their new Cadillac Provoq Fuel Cell E-flex concept car.
Read more and see a short video about the car after the jump
...
E.P.A.'s Math "Faulty", Changes its Story on California Waiver Denial
by Andrew Posner, Rhode Island, USA on 01.12.08
California has been grabbing the headlines after the latest energy bill raised the CAFE standards to 35 MPG by 2020. First, the EPA rejected California's Auto Emissions Waiver, claiming that the new federal standards were stricter than those proposed by California. Then, as expected, California sued the EPA for denying the waiver, and in the meantime, the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee launched an investigation into why EPA Administrator Johnson ignored the recommendations of his own advisors in denying the waiver.
Now, it is becoming clear that the E.P.A.'s math was suspect to begin with. In response, the E.P.A. has begun changing its story as to why the waiver was denied. ...
Will The Real Cross-Over Vehicle Please Roll Forward
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 01.12.08
The Ford Explorer, arguably the Mother Ship of SUV design and icon of a fuel-excessive US life style, has been surpassed in sales by a mid-size hybrid. What more need we say?
Americans bought more Toyota Prius hybrid gas-electric hatchbacks last year than Ford Explorer sport-utility vehicles, the top-selling SUV for more than a decade. The change of fortune, buried in U.S. vehicle-sales data for 2007 and unthinkable a few years ago, will find an echo at this year's Detroit auto show, which starts Sunday.Via::MSNBC --> Financial Times, "Toyota Prius sales pass Ford Explorer. The icon of America's SUV passion falls victim to stubbornly high gas prices and an increasingly stringent regulatory climate."...
Are Women Greener Than Men?
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 01.12.08
Human Activity Culprit in Decline of Caribbean Coral Reefs
by Eliza Barclay, Nomad on 01.12.08
A study of 322 sites across 13 Caribbean countries found that coral reefs have suffered significant damage from over-fishing and run-off from agricultural land. The results showed that the number of people in close proximity to the reefs was the main factor governing declines in coral reefs.
While other studies have identified over-fishing, rising sea temperatures due to climate change, and pollution as local and global factors in coral reef degradation, the study, lead by Camilo Mora at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Canada, focused on regional factors.
"It is well acknowledged that coral reefs are declining worldwide but the driving forces remain hotly debated," Mora told The Guardian. "In the Caribbean alone, these losses are endangering a large number of species, from corals to sharks."
Mora estimates that the reefs provide $4 billion in ecosystem services - quantifiable benefits including fishing, tourism and protecting the coast from storms.:: Via The Guardian...
Greenwash Watch: The "Godfather of Green"
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 01.12.08
Rules For Riding Bikes in Japan
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 01.12.08
Cop ticketing kid in Japan. photo credit blasdelf
Controversy rages whenever we post about headphones and helmets on bikes, but in Japan it won't be open to discussion; new cycling rules come into force this spring that ban cyclists from from holding an open umbrella, listening to music, or talking on a phone.
Kids have to wear helmets, and "triple riding"- riding with children in both front and rear seats- is now illegal. Oh, and constantly ringing a bicycle bell while riding on a crowded sidewalk is a no-no. All with fines up to 20,000 yen. (US$183) ::Asahi via ::Tokyomango ...
Bride of Knut? A Lesson for Survival of Species
by Christine Lepisto, Berlin on 01.12.08
Death and drama in Nuremberg. Dag Encke, Director of the Nuremberg Zoo where cubs were recently born to polar mommas Vilma and Vera, was reported as recently as the 4th of January to have said that he would have let Berlin's famous polar bear, Knut, die rather than raise him with humans. Only three days later, the news broke: Vilma's babies are dead! And now, mother Vera roams and moans the loss of her cub, taken away to be “the next Knut”, or perhaps “Mrs. Knut” as the media whirlwind has tagged the still nameless cub. Is this a tempest in a teapot? Or a metaphor for man's place in nature? Which is best: trusting the goodness of mother nature or intervening with the superior intellect of man?...
Eames Gets a Stamp (Dad, What's a Stamp?)
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 01.12.08
When I mail my posts to the ink-stained wretches in the linotype department at TreeHugger HQ I am going to absolutely use the new Charles Eames commemorative stamps that are coming out this summer. ::Josh Spear
More on the Charles and Ray Eames Centennial on Treehugger here; see also the Power of Ten
...
Solar Homes Aren't Just for TreeHuggers
by Sami Grover, Carrboro, NC, USA on 01.12.08
Last year we noted that solar panels do not a green house make. Nevertheless, we are delighted to see that property developers who are not necessarily selling overtly ‘green houses’, are still seeing the value of adding solar – in the same way as the might add central air, or walk-in closets. Lennar Homes, for example, will be installing solar panels on 100% of new homes in the San Francisco Bay area, a step that will certainly help push solar within the mainstream housing world.
We were also encouraged to see that the developers of Hutton Mews, a recently finished development in South London, which features solar tiling provided by Solarcentury on 6 of the 13 housing plots, also do not seem to be going for the dark green audience. The original brochure for the development, for example, makes very little play of the solar panels. Most of the sales pitch revolves around the beautiful neighborhood, the good schools etc and then, tucked in among the list of features such as stainless steel appliances, is the statement that ”Solar panels [have been] installed to plots 1-5 & 11 providing up to 50% of all lighting and appliance running costs, depending on usage.”
...
Today on Planet Green
by Jasmin Malik Chua, Jersey City, USA on 01.11.08
:: Frugal readers can swap their dog-eared tomes for fresh reads at this Web site.
:: Download free plans to build a cardboard rocker for your favorite ankle-biter.
:: Is it finally time to lay the fax machine to its eternal rest?
:: Kelly shows us 15 ways to lose weight and keep it off permanently.
:: This cancer-fighting food is berry good for you and mighty tasty.
:: Is organic cotton all that cracked up to be?
:: We can't get enough of quizzes around here. Here's one that measures your green I.Q.
:: Searching for eco-friendly office supplies has never been easier.
:: Untether yourself from your desk by extending your Wi-Fi network with a solar-powered repeater. Here's how.
...
Netflix to Bring Downloadable Movies Straight to Your TV?
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 01.11.08
Photo credit: foreverdigital
Netflix is already an example of awesome packaging and a great product service system; now, they're talking about crossing over into the digital download realm. That's right: no more waiting at the mailbox for your next disc to arrive; according to the New York Times, "the company wants to strike deals with electronics companies that will let it send movies straight to TV screens over the Internet. Its first partnership, announced Wednesday night, is with the South Korean manufacturer LG Electronics to stream movies and other programming to LG’s high-definition televisions."
Said Netflix chief executive Reed Hastings, “We want to be integrated on every Internet-connected device, game system, high-definition DVD player and dedicated Internet set-top box. Eventually, as TVs have wireless connectivity built into them, we’ll integrate right into the television.” Slick. While it's true that TiVo and other digital video recorders allow you to do this now, Netflix's proposed deal would leverage their huge catalog via the internet, allowing you to watch just about any movie your heart desires, any time. And you don't even have to go to the mailbox to get it. ::New York Times via ::Unclutterer...
The Tata Nano Unveiled
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 01.11.08
No, they are not environmentalists burning the new Tata Nano in effigy, they are protesting the eviction of farmers to build the factory. But it has been launched and here is the poop on it from the BBC:
The four-door five-seater car, which goes on sale later this year, has a 33bhp, 624cc, engine at the rear. It has no air conditioning, no electric windows and no power steering, but two deluxe models will be on offer. Tata said the car had passed European emission standards and would average about 50 miles to the gallon, or five litres per hundred kilometres. It has a top speed of 43 MPH.
...
I went to the car park because I wished to live deliberately
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 01.11.08
Image credit Richard Barnes
Walden. You've read the book, now see the play. In Edinburgh, not exactly Walden Pond. Directed and adapted by Nicholas Bone. 31 Jan through 3 Feb. at Magnetic North. In a parking garage?
Thoreau said " I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived."
Geoff Manaugh added: "But what Thoreau didn't have was a good underground car park – that modern solitude of slanted floors and cold air.
Car parks will be the catalysts for our future evolution." ::BLDGBLOG...
Bauhaus Launches Award for Social Housing
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 01.11.08
In October 1929, visionaries from all over Europe, including Swiss architect Le Corbusier and Bauhaus founder Walter Gropius came together in Frankfurt to attend the second International Congress of Modern Architecture (CIAM). Attendees at the 1929 conference were urged to create housing for "society's poorest classes." This effort, according to the literature distributed to participants, was "at the forefront of the public interest in almost all civilized countries."
Now that the Bauhaus is back after its unfortunate interruption, it is picking up where it left off and sponsoring an architectural competition to encourage young architects to come up with "The minimum subsistence level housing."
...
A Useful and Agreeable Prefab
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 01.11.08
Those frequent fliers at travel site/mag/tv whatever Useful + Agreeable must be settling down, because they have commissioned a prefab (or is it?) from Neil Denari, who says "the u+a pre-designed mini hi-rise is not only a tightly designed house that uses every square inch of space wisely, it also attempts to express this economy in its smooth exterior surface shape, a form of industrial design at an architectural scale."...
Strickland-Ferris House by Frank Harmon
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 01.11.08
Houses can really muck up a site or they can tread lightly; Frank Harmon raised the Strickland-Ferris House off the ground on columns to preserve hydrological patterns and save surrounding trees. "We knew we had to raise the house up off the ground and let the water flow under it" says Harmon. It also helped preserve all the major trees in the 150 year old forest.
It also has a butterfly roof to collect rainwater, Hardipanel and sustainably harvested timber cladding, and houses a great collection of modern furniture. ...
Time Magazine's Earth Friendly House
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 01.11.08
Peek into bedrooms and everywhere else in a clever web thingie at Time. As you look in different parts of the house it tells you what you can do to become more earth-friendly and what impact it would have if everyone did it. It looks like a small res4 prefab but the furniture isn't as nice. Nothing new to TreeHugger readers but we don't have such cute ways to show it. ::Time via Preston at ::Jetson Green...
How Green was CES This Year?
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 01.11.08
This year's Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas has been big news this week; if you've been reading the non-stop coverage from Gizmodo or Engadget, or checking out the wrap-ups by Wired or DVICE, you know that there's been some pretty big-time announcements, debuts and demos. From 150-inch HDTVs to the triumph of Blu-Ray, the hits have been coming fast and furious; among all the noise, "green tech" and the environment was one of the big themes running through the conference this year. But how do you reconcile 150 inches -- that's 12.5 feet! -- of energy-sucking television with the notion of going green?
That's what NPR was wondering; after all, 15 - 20% of a typical home's energy use these days comes from electronic gadgets, and a 50-inch plasma TV uses as much as refrigerator, though manufacturers of these beasts still tout them as "green." They got a lot of marketing double-speak about "more energy-efficient" huge televisions, along with more genuinely green gadgets -- Voltaic's new solar-powered, laptop-charging bag, for example -- and efforts to green the conference as a whole: electronic press packets (instead of paper), biodegradable utensils and so forth. The verdict, then? Greener than before, for sure, but it's not quite time to anoint CES as a "green" event just yet. What do you think? via ::NPR
Update: Stay tuned for more final thoughts from CES; TreeHugger John had an opportunity to chat with the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA - the guys who put on CES) and will publish the interview and more final thoughts tomorrow.
...
Solar Village by Rolf Disch
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 01.11.08
TreeHugger wants to live in Freiburg, which has solar flair and green, car free communities. We like Rolf Disch and his Heliotrop house, too. Now we can get it all in one package at the Solarsiedlung or solar village. It is built to Passivhaus standards and is Plus Energy (produces more energy than it needs) ...
Highway Billboards = Visual & Spiritual Pollution?
by Jesse Fox, Tel Aviv, Israel on 01.11.08
Channel 10's Tali Moreno reporting just after midnight as billboards are concealed behind her.
A strange sight was broadcast live on the news in Israel on New Years’ Eve. Billboards along Tel Aviv’s central "Ayalon" highway were being covered with enormous pieces of semi-opaque black fabric. A long legal battle waged by road safety and environmental groups had finally brought down the distracting signs.
The fight went all the way to Israel's Supreme Court, where the legal basis for removing the signs was provided by a 40 year old law originally intended "to place a limit on abandoning open spaces to ugliness, so that the fields and hills will not be stained as well with objects foreign to them" according to Israeli author and former legislator S. Yizhar. ...
EEStor + Skunk Works = Big News
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 01.11.08
We have given ultra coverage to the ultra secretive ultracapacitor that was coming someday from EEStor, but it has been looking like Mr. Fusion might beat it to market. We might not have to illustrate our posts with grilled cheese sandwiches for much longer; Lockheed has signed "signed an exclusive international rights agreement to integrate and market Electrical Energy Storage Units (EESU) from EEStor, Inc., for military and homeland security applications." (read press release) Of course of it goes into its Skunk Works we may still be showing Mr. Fusion pictures....
First, They Came For the Thermostats
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 01.11.08
The California Energy Commission is introducing radio-controlled, "programmable communicating thermostats" (PCT) that can adjust temperatures in people's houses to manage electricity shortages, and the conspiracy theorists are agog, claiming Big Brother is invading and taking away civil liberties, saying "While nowhere in the Bill of Rights is there explicitly a right to set one's own thermostat to whatever temperature one desires (and is able to pay for), the new PCT requirement certainly seems to violate the "a man's home is his castle" common law dictum." and "Soon there will be thermostat police, then light bulb police."
According to the New York Times, The Commission says otherwise. "“You realize there are times — very rarely, once every few years — when you would be subject to a rotating outage and everything would crash including your computer and traffic lights, and you don’t want to do that,” said Arthur H. Rosenfeld, a member of the energy commission.
...
Survey: What Do You Wear?
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 01.11.08
Leonora wrote about how a designer "upcycles" last year's leftover stock by customizing it with appliqué and embroidery; most of the time this stuff ends up on the discount table.
But then some people love the discount table, others the used clothing store, and others don't care where it comes from as long as it is the latest look.
Online Surveys
| Free Poll
| Email Marketing
...
The Year Ahead With Laurie David
by Meaghan O'Neill, Newport, R.I. on 01.11.08
This post is part of an ongoing series. To access all the profiles in this series, visit The Year Ahead.
Who: Laurie David, founder of StopGlobalWarming.org
Eco-resolution: My resolution for 2008 is to say no to plastic bags and plastic water bottles to the best of my ability. But “Perfection is the enemy of Good,” some wise person once said, so if I’m in the grocery store and if I’ve forgotten my bag, I load everything up in my arms and carry it out. Okay, I do admit, I have to stop twice because I keep dropping stuff, but I didn’t take a bag! American’s throw away about 100 billion plastic bags per year; less than 1 percent of those are recycled! As for the plastic water bottle, 2.5 million are tossed in the trash every hour! I have traded them in for my lovely, aluminum SIGG bottle, which I refill every day. Just say no to plastic, whenever you can!...
Who: Laurie David, founder of StopGlobalWarming.org
Eco-resolution: My resolution for 2008 is to say no to plastic bags and plastic water bottles to the best of my ability. But “Perfection is the enemy of Good,” some wise person once said, so if I’m in the grocery store and if I’ve forgotten my bag, I load everything up in my arms and carry it out. Okay, I do admit, I have to stop twice because I keep dropping stuff, but I didn’t take a bag! American’s throw away about 100 billion plastic bags per year; less than 1 percent of those are recycled! As for the plastic water bottle, 2.5 million are tossed in the trash every hour! I have traded them in for my lovely, aluminum SIGG bottle, which I refill every day. Just say no to plastic, whenever you can!...
Big Three to Show Off Recycling Efforts in Detroit
by Jenna Watson, Barcelona on 01.11.08
“More than 84 percent, by weight, of the 12 to15 million vehicles dismantled each year are recycled. That makes end-of-life vehicles the most recycled product in America, both in volume and percentage.”Straight from the mouths of automotive manufacturers and an intriguing press release from the “Vehicle Recycling Partnership LLC” or VRC; a group managed by The United States Council for Automotive Research (USCAR). They will have a recycling exhibit at the 2008 North American International Auto Show in Detroit that “will showcase the collaborative efforts among Chrysler LLC, Ford Motor Company and General Motors Corporation to reduce the environmental impact of end-of-life vehicles.”...
96-Cent Utility Service Charge For CFL's Creates Stir In Maryland & West Virginia
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 01.11.08
Hedrick, an at-home pastry aficionado, said he bakes a mean chocolate chip cookie and plans on sending a tin full of them to Allegheny Power every 30 days - with an invoice equal to his monthly electric bill....
Recipe of the Week: Winter Herb Pasta
by Kelly Rossiter, Toronto on 01.11.08
Image credit: Romulo Yanes
This is one of those great little recipes that you can make with minimal time and effort. It's the perfect meal to make after a hard day at work. In the time it takes for the pasta to cook you can make a salad and you've got dinner.
Who knew bread crumbs could taste so good? I'm thinking as I write this that you could toss in some chopped walnuts or top it with browned pine nuts if you wanted some protein. You'll notice there isn't any parmesan cheese in this recipe. You can add it if you like, but it really doesn't need it. I will admit to sprinkling some sea salt over it though.
Oh, and feel free to crack out the old Simon and Garfunkle and sing along while you're cooking....
Finally: Environment Plays a Role in a Presidential Election
by Greg Haegele, Sierra Club on 01.11.08
For the first time in my lifetime the environment is a top-tier issue in a presidential race, as was clearly in evidence in the Iowa caucuses and the New Hampshire primary. It was next to impossible for a candidate to have any sort of press event without seeing the signs calling for action on global warming. And the candidates knew it--Republican and Democrat alike. They saw the signs, heard the questions, and knew they had to respond. Of course, some have far better plans than others, but we have a rare opportunity in this election: The candidates know they can’t win without articulating their plan on clean energy and global warming, so we can stop wasting our efforts trying to make them pay attention to the issue, and instead highlight the good proposals and shine a bright light on plans that are bad, flimsy, or greenwashed....
Britain Approves Construction of Nuclear Power Reactors, Public Could Foot the Bill
by Jeremy Elton Jacquot, Los Angeles on 01.11.08
Image courtesy of ilkerender
In a move widely predicted by both government watchers and environmental groups, the British government has approved the construction of a new set of nuclear power stations. John Hutton, the Labour business secretary, made the announcement yesterday, pledging that the first of the new plants should be built "well before 2020." "The view of the government is that it is in the public interest to allow energy companies the option of investing in new nuclear power stations and that we should therefore take the active steps to facilitate this," he said.
Despite assurances that the public wouldn't be forced to foot part of the bill through the issuance of subsidies, many MPs - including several from Hutton's own party - expressed doubts that any new nuclear reactor could successfully operate without public subsidies. They are particularly concerned about the voter backlash they could face if the public is saddled with the costs of decommissioning the stations and of disposing of the nuclear waste. ...
Upcycling fashion: How To Make Last Year's Dress Look Like New
by Leonora Oppenheim, London, UK on 01.11.08
Caroline Priebe, the talented designer behind the glamorous Uluru label, has come up with an ingenious way to upcycle the stock left over from her Spring/Summer Collection 07. In collaboration with Alabama Chanin each garment is being customized using appliqué and embroidery. The concept will be an ongoing project with each season relating to the theme of female heroes. For S/S 08 inspiration has been taken from Frida Kahlo, who has been chosen “for her fierce spirit, courage and dedication to justice and the arts,” says Priebe....
The TH Interview: Will Steger, Legendary Polar Explorer and Environmental Activist
by Kenny Luna, North Babylon, NY on 01.11.08
While his steely look in the photo above caught my eye on his bio-page, I must admit that I was a bit uncertain of what to expect when we recently connected by phone for a TH interview. But I quickly discovered that behind the frozen exterior is a fascinating human being with a heart of gold. He's a one-time high school science teacher who has spent the last 40+ years of his life exploring some of the most remote and unwelcoming reaches of the planet. And he's heading out again this spring along with a team of top young explorers like Sigrid Ekran, the Iditarod's most recent rookie of the year, and Sam Branson, son of Virgin's founder Sir Richard Branson, to help educate the millions of expected youth around the world who will follow their journey via the web.
His insight into the issues surrounding global warming and his personal take on the environmental movement are well worth reading. Enjoy. ...
When Bush Comes to Town, Take the Train
by Karin Kloosterman, Jerusalem, Israel on 01.11.08
U.S. President George W. Bush (they say Boosh in Hebrew) is in Israel this week, and what are Israelis talking about? The traffic jams, of course. Jerusalem was especially affected, with our neighborhood cordoned off in parts, yesterday and on Wednesday.
Former Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu, our neighbor down the street, was apparently snubbed by President Bush. But no matter. The streets were still clogged because, one street above lives Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, and a few streets higher is President Shimon Peres. Both met with Bush.
Cab drivers that we rode with were complaining about loss in business, and our friends who work in Jerusalem were given advanced late-passes for work. Around the clock helicopters were flying overhead. ...
Straw Bale Building at the Farm
by Bonnie Alter, London on 01.11.08
Hackney City Farm is a little agricultural oasis in the middle of the grim east end of London. There are chickens, ducks, cows and goats living amidst the apartment towers and forlorn shops. It must be the only place where roosters pick around an old London taxi cab. The farm is 20 years old and recently they have constructed a new education centre out of straw bales,an old fashioned building method originating in the U.S. about 100 years ago.
It is a low environmental impact form of building, using natural materials. Usually the buildings are in the countryside, closer to the actual materials. In this case, the straw bales came from a nearby farm and have only clocked up 37 'straw bale-miles'. The foundation is made of old car tires. The roof insulation is wool and comes from the farm's sheep. Much of the wood used comes from a salvaged 1930s teak boat--the cross-beam was once part of the Norfolk sea defences. The rest is coppiced wood from the farm manager's own farm in Kent. All waste straw from the building was reused for bedding on the farm.
...
Go Green, Go to the Pub: Carbonfootyprint.com
by Sami Grover, Carrboro, NC, USA on 01.11.08
Norwegian Cyclists Pedal Toward Vacation Time
by April Streeter, Gothenburg, Sweden on 01.11.08
Road Administration's vision of a safe (and vacation-happy) Norwegian cyclist
Norway's Public Roads Administration (southern region) is giving its own employees a vacation subsidy if they travel to work on their bicycles. For each week or five-day period that an employee rides a bike - or walks - to and from the office, Statens Vegvesen will compensate with four hours of vacation time. When the cyclist rides an entire year to work, that's equivalent to an extra week of (paid) vacation. The Administration points to increased health benefits to cyclists, but also is using the incentive to decrease road congestion.
In Denmark meanwhile, the Socialist Folkparty, one of the country's larger political groups, is proposing to offer cyclists almost two Danish crowns per commuting kilometer ($.36). Who knows how far the proposal may get: cycle-happy Copenhagen is considering banning heavy trucks from the inner city and is installing sensor-driven lights to alert vehicles to cyclists, but deputy mayor for environmental issues was criticized (though the Lady Mayor seems supportive) for his proposal to remove cars from one of the city's major arteries, Nørrebrogade, to make more room for cyclists and pedestrians. Thanks, Cycleliciousness, for the tip....
Good News: Solar Cell Diversity Continues to Increase
by Tim McGee, Helena, MT, USA on 01.10.08
Dye sensitized solar cells have been around for a while, not that many would have noticed. Dyesol, and Konarka are both blazing paths into new solar territory, but have had limited exposure. The typical solar cells we see on rooftops today are of the first generation silicon variety. In the news we hear about the second generation of solar cells that use exotic metals like copper indium gallium diselenide (CIGS), and achieve impressive results. We cheered when Nanosolar's first shipment went out last month, and we keep our ear to the ground for new technology on the horizon. So why are we excited about the new developments in dye sensitized solar cells?...
blueEnergy Electrifies Rural Nicaragua with Wind and Solar
by Eliza Barclay, Nomad on 01.10.08
While international aid groups are well-intentioned, they sometimes don't offer developing countries the greenest or most practical options for assistance. Take Nicaragua, where aid agencies have encouraged residents of isolated rural communities to use costly diesel generators for electricity. Enter blueEnergy, a pragmatic non-profit organization that is building hybrid wind and solar systems to power homes, schools and rural clinics in this region where nearly 80 percent of the population lacks electricity. Since 2004, blueEnergy has built eight turbines with 7.5 kW in installed capacity in six Nicaraguan communities, providing electricity to some 1,500 people.
...
Today on Planet Green
by Jasmin Malik Chua, Jersey City, USA on 01.10.08
:: Pressed for time? Make a quick and economical white-bean stew.
:: You don't need a yard to compost like a rockstar. Here are five ways you can make your own fertilizer without one.
:: Kelly introduces a new Web tool that will make choosing cancer-fighting fruits and vegetables a cinch.
:: Worried about fine lines on your face? Zap them the all-natural way with our wrinkle-busting cream.
:: Give your friends and family a gentle nudge in a greener direction with one of these starter kits.
:: All nature, all the time: Certify your backyard as a wildlife habitat.
:: If you're drowning in clutter but you can't stop hoarding possessions, it may be time to seek professional help.
:: Take an old door and turn it into a roomy, low-cost desk you can stow away easily.
:: Plant a garden in your backyard this spring. We've listed some valuable resources for getting started.
...
Cuba's Environment Threatened as Embargo's End Looms
by Eliza Barclay, Nomad on 01.10.08
The New York Times had a piece recently on what the end of the United States' economic embargo against Cuba could mean for the Caribbean nation's impressive successes in environmental protection. In a report last year, the World Wildlife Fund said that Cuba’s beaches, mangroves, reefs, seagrass beds and other habitats are most at risk by “the prospect of sudden and massive growth in mass tourism when the U.S. embargo lifts.”
Cuba has done “what we should have done — identify your hot spots of biodiversity and set them aside,” Oliver Houck, a professor of environmental law at Tulane University Law School, told the Times.
...
TreeHugger Picks: Smart Packaging Design
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 01.10.08
Often, we see poor examples of packaging design that lead to more junk for us to deal with and more waste in the landfill. In the spirit of taking your own bags to the grocery store, here are some picks for packaging that does a more than just wrap up your stuff.
...
 | 1) The television packaging designed by Tom Ballhatchet actually becomes the television stand. Putting wheels on it for easy transport home, Ballhatchet designed the areas that the screen occupied inside the package to be used as shelves for the TV stand (the wheels come off and go underneath), and the result is the first large appliance packaging we've seen that won't end up in the recycle bin or landfill when you get it unpacked. |
 | 2) The San Francisco-based designers at knoend have devised a functional lighting system that uses the packaging as the product, practically eliminating any waste that would ordinarily come with unwrapping or opening the packaging. The outer shell of the package becomes the shade for the lamp, leaving just a cardboard band and some hemp twine, both of which are either easily recycled or composted. |
 | 3) Dutch designer David Graas came up with a variety of cardboard furniture that uses its packaging as structure; he says, "You not only assemble this stool yourself, but, because product and packaging are both made from cardboard, also finish it yourself. Two parts of the stool are simply cut loose from the box where the remaining six parts are packaged in." Two more picks, beneath the fold... |
Surprising Number of UK Teens Support Total Ban on Air/Car Leisure Travel to Stop Global Warming
by Kenny Luna, North Babylon, NY on 01.10.08
In a survey of 16 to 19 yr.-olds done recently by the Future Foundation in the UK, a surprising number of green teens declare they want support some really radical steps to protect the environment. With one in eight going so far as to declare that they support a total ban on traveling by air for leisure purposes and one in ten vowing to support a ban on car travel for leisure purposes as well if global warming continues to worsen. And all of that’s not even what’s most surprising…...
The Year Ahead With Bill Mott
by Meaghan O'Neill, Newport, R.I. on 01.10.08
This post is part of an ongoing series. To access all the profiles in this series, visit The Year Ahead.
Who: Bill Mott, director of the Ocean Project, a Rhode Island-based non-profit that helps hundreds of zoos, museums, aquariums, and conservation organizations worldwide educate millions of visitors about protecting and conserving the oceans.
Eco-resolution: To constantly rethink business as usual on the work front, particularly as relates to sustainability, including consciously flying fewer times for work, buying an office bike for doing errands and that interns can use throughout the year for getting to and from our office, to strive toward a paperless office, and to make time for our small team of staff and interns to get out from behind our computers and explore our beautiful Blackstone River
Valley and Narragansett Bay watershed. ...
Who: Bill Mott, director of the Ocean Project, a Rhode Island-based non-profit that helps hundreds of zoos, museums, aquariums, and conservation organizations worldwide educate millions of visitors about protecting and conserving the oceans.
Eco-resolution: To constantly rethink business as usual on the work front, particularly as relates to sustainability, including consciously flying fewer times for work, buying an office bike for doing errands and that interns can use throughout the year for getting to and from our office, to strive toward a paperless office, and to make time for our small team of staff and interns to get out from behind our computers and explore our beautiful Blackstone River
Valley and Narragansett Bay watershed. ...
Honeycomb Lamp: Flat-Pack Lantern Lighting for a Life on the Go
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 01.10.08
TreeHugger loves all manner of flat pack; from furniture to Christmas trees and dish racks to flower vases, there isn't much that can't be designed for easy, flat packing and svelte, smaller shipping. Add to that list the Honeycomb Lamp, a lantern-esque light made of paper “denguri“, a product of Japan's Shikoku region. The delicate design opens like a book, from about 1 inch thick into a honeycomb pattern that’s held together with small clips in the back. Once unfolded, it presents a soft-yet-stable paper lamp.
It's a bit of DIY job -- you have to add your own bulb (compact fluorescent, of course) and cord -- but it'd look pretty awesome with some molo furniture or the incredible expanding K-Bench, and when you're done with it, just toss it in the recycle bin. Pretty soon we'll have seen everything, from the home all the way down, to have a flat-pack life. For now, the Honeycomb Lamp is available at ::Charles & Marie via ::Freshome...
Design Pod: All Your Home Office Needs, Now in a Convenient Pod
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 01.10.08
Bloggers, telecommuters and self-employed home-office dwellers, have we got something for you: the Design Pod, a complete home office that wraps up in a tidy little pod when not in use. Designed by Australia-based Andrew Maynard Architects, the sleek, self-contained office-on-wheels unfolds to reveal a chair, desk and storage space; when the clock strikes 5, everything goes back and you can use the pod to set your martini on.
Not for the claustrophobic, and more interesting concept than entirely practical idea, we love the idea that your home office can be so compact and self-contained, and truly be "put away" when you aren't working. Hit the jump to see the pod in various stages of function. ::Andrew Maynard Architects via ::The Design Blog...
Best Foot Forward for Radiohead to Reduce Their Ecological Footprint When on Tour
by Petz Scholtus, Barcelona on 01.10.08
As mentioned on Hugg the other day, Radiohead is concerned about their ecological footprint, and have partnered up with Oxford based company Best Foot Forward to reduce the carbon emissions. The band says “Touring is very important to us, a large part of the joy and passion of what we do, and we are committed to finding more responsible ways of doing it.”
After gathering lots of information about their own environmental impact, Radiohead wanted to include their fans’ footprint too. Best Foot Forward has analysed the two different types of tours Radiohead recently did in Amercia; the big gigs held out of town versus the smaller ones in city centres. This way they could find out which type of touring has the lowest impact ‘per person entertained’ as bassist Colin explains on their web site, based on transportation, food consumption and waste left behind by the fans. ...
Can You Track Me Now?
by Jeremy Elton Jacquot, Los Angeles on 01.10.08
Image courtesy of Eiman Kanjo
Here's a novel feature we bet even the latest high-tech cellphones don't yet have: the ability to track air pollution. A team of bicycle couriers in Cambridge, UK, has been using special sensor-equipped cellphones to monitor air pollution in the city and beam the data back to a research lab at Cambridge University.
Eiman Kanjo, a computer scientist who is leading the technical development for the project, explained that simple, ubiquitous devices like cellphones - which are increasingly being invested with more computing power - provide better alternatives to "expensive custom hardware" and can "report from places that otherwise aren't monitored." The cellphones connect to the couriers' sensors and GPS units via Bluetooth to provide a constant stream of air quality data that can be beamed back to servers in the lab....
A Safe(r) Way to Listen to Music on Your Bike
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 01.10.08
TreeHugger has documented the dangers of iPods and earphones on bicyclists before, and, though the survey said we're better off without the devices, for some, being on the road without tunes is like having peanut butter without jelly (or perhaps the Arctic without ice) -- it just isn't right. Fear not, tune-digging two-wheelers: iHome is here (hear?) to help; their 2GO iH85 is a bike-mounted stereo that plays your mp3s (it interfaces with your docking iPod -- sorry, Shuffle owners) from your bike's water bottle holder.
It's water-resistant, for anyone who enjoys long bike rides in the rain, and comes with a handlebar-mounted wireless remote for better, safer control, so you don't have to fumble around with the controls while changing lanes or anything. Get your road Radiohead on at ::iHome via ::DVICE...
Ugly Apartments Actively Seeking 'Passive' Renovations
by April Streeter, Gothenburg, Sweden on 01.10.08
The first requirement of a passive house (right): very little heat leakage
Sweden went on a big building spree in the early 1970's as part of the Social Democrats' Million Program housing project. Much of the resulting buildings were just plain ugly - boxy and dull low- and medium-rise apartment buildings that tried to realize utilitarian ideals of the Swedish 'Folkhemmet' (loose translation: "the people's home") on a low budget.
Now much of this practical but visually sad architecture is in shabby shape, wiht an estimated 400,000 apartments needing help. In the southwestern town of Alingsås a typical 70's apartment complex called Brogården is about to receive not only a needed visual facelift but also a drastic energy diet. Eighteen of the 112 apartments in the Brogården development will be thoroughly renovated to meet passive building standards, cutting energy use from 216 kilowatt hours per square meter to around 92 kWh per m2. How will the re-developers do it?...
Slow Cook Your Way Out Of A Drought-Stricken Electricity Bill
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 01.10.08
The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) is proposing a rate increase due to extreme drought having reduced their ability to ramp up hydroelectric generators in time for customers to turn on the bright kitchen lights and cook dinner - after 4:00PM.
Only 6 percent of TVA energy comes from hydroelectric, and TVA just finished spending $1.8 billion on a nuclear plant, but the utility blames drought for a rate surcharge this month. Hydroelectric accounts for a small part of the Tennessee Valley Authority’s energy portfolio, but it historically has played a major part in meeting peak demand... Increasingly, TVA is turning to natural gas to meet peak demand. Last week, it paid $180 million to a California company to begin the design and construction of “peaking plants” that produce electricity from natural gas.What can people do to help reduce "peak demand," and save money, when drought takes away the green hydro-power option? Getting "take out" food only shifts the electricity consumption from home to a restaurant; plus it adds the footprint of pickup or delivery. ...
TH Blog Love - Our Favourite Greens Of The Week
by Leonora Oppenheim, London, UK on 01.10.08
DeSmogBlog: DeSmogBlog Apologizes to Barack Obama by Jim Hoggan
"We at the DeSmogBlog would like to acknowledge a mistake in “awarding” presidential hopeful Barack Obama a 2007 SmogMaker prize for his position on global warming...Well, we succeeded in generating discussion, beginning in our own organization. Reacting to our news release, Chris Mooney jumped immediately to Obama’s defence."...
Big Surprise: People Like Saving Money and Energy
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 01.10.08
Here is a shocker: a study by the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory of the Energy Department (PNNL) demonstrated that if you give people control and tools to monitor and adjust their electricity use, they use them. If everyone had these tools, it could eliminate the need for 30 large coal fired power plants and $70 billion in construction and infrastructure.
For the PNNL it was a test of behaviour as well as technology. 112 homes were equipped with new meters, thermostats, water heaters and dryers connected by Invensys controls and IBM software. Homeowners could customize their energy use to maximize savings or comfort or convenience. Not surprisingly, when given such feedback tools they modified their lifestyle patterns to suit.
From the New York Times: “I was astounded at times at the response we got from customers,” said Robert Pratt, a staff scientist at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and the program director for the demonstration project. “It shows that if you give people simple tools and an incentive, they will do this.”...
Amidst A Cloud of Suspicious Data, China Vows To Find Sources of Pollution
by Alex Pasternack, Beijing, China on 01.10.08
China has announced it will begin a national survey of pollution sources in February, and not a moment too soon. Two weeks ago, Beijing saw its skies turn murky brown in one of the worst pollution weeks in recent history, and some 32 weeks away from the Summer Olympics. The results of the survey will not be linked to punishments, officials say, and for now that's probably a good thing: The goal is to get reliable data, not the fudged, finessed figures that are a result of local officials and bureaus wary of government reprisal.
(Incidentally, 2007 saw Beijing just manage to meet its target of 245 blue sky days--no more, no less. Cleverly, or not, writes Steve Andrews, officials appear to have moved their monitoring equipment in recent years from areas frequented by car traffic to quieter areas where sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide and PM10 are less common.)...
US Government Goes for EPEAT
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 01.10.08
It is like LEED for computers, and is mainly for business machines, but the EPEAT standards for energy efficiency and toxics just got a big boost from the American government. NASA, the Department of Defense and the General Services Administration all have committed to buying EPEAT certified machines.
Collin described EPEAT as covering eight criteria: materials selection, environmentally sensitive materials, design for end of life, end-of-life management, energy conservation, product longevity and life-cycle extension, packaging, and corporate performance.
The Feds buy 2.2 million computers per year, and where they go, businesses and computers follow. We look forward to all computers being EPEAT soon. Find out what you should buy at ::EPEAT and ignore the Greenpeace Mac-bashing- Mac Pros and desktops are all EPEAT silver. ::Greener Computing...
Antarctic Ice Grows as Arctic Ice Declines
by Jeremy Elton Jacquot, Los Angeles on 01.10.08
Image courtesy of zutalegh
With stories of melting glaciers and sea ice dominating the headlines, it may come as a surprise to some to hear that Antarctica - defying the unlucky fate of its northern cousin - has actually gained over the last two decades. Indeed, while scientists noted declines in the amount of sea ice between 2000 and 2002, satellite records have pointed to a steady half a percent yearly gain since 1978.
Climate models have consistently shown that Antarctica has responded much more slowly to global warming than has the Arctic. As Stephen Ackley, a scientist at the University of Texas, San Antonio, put it: "Arctic sea ice is well ahead of the models, and Antarctic sea ice is well behind what the models project." More recent studies have also determined that - outside the tropics - Antarctica displays the strongest climate response to the El Niño-La Niña cycles, suggesting the presence of many important feedbacks between sea levels, ice and air in the Southern Ocean that have yet to be elucidated - and serve to cloud the current climate picture....
Comparing CFLs: Any Other Bright Ideas?
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 01.10.08
Full photo from Tony Cenicola of New York Times here
You gotta love the New York Times for looking at both sides of a story, at how people justify their actions, or lack thereof. Julie Scelfo writes about one: “I want to use fluorescents, I try to live as green as possible. I telecommute, I recycle, I try to group all my errands together so I don’t have to needlessly burn extra gas.” But in her experience, compact fluorescents make her house look “dark, cloudy and cavelike.” The bulbs do not emit a “warm, comforting, inviting feeling,” she said. “Your home is your sanctuary,” she said. “It’s where you live and recharge, and it nurtures you.”
They then do a careful comparison of many of the CFL and other new bulbs and find many are awful, and that some are almost acceptable in colour and tone. None are perfect....
Whole System Approaches to Sustainable Design
by Warren McLaren, Sydney on 01.10.08
"By the time the design for most human artifacts is completed but before they have actually been built, about 80-90 percent of their life-cycle economic and ecological costs have already been made inevitable." This is a quote from Amory Lovins, co-founder, of the Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI). It is used by The Natural Edge Project to explain why we need Whole System Approaches to Sustainable Design to counter many of the issues that now confront us. ...
BioFuel Popularity Expanding - Will Ceetoh Prospects Be Compromised, Forests Be Clearcut?
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 01.10.08
Why would iron ore mining or other heavy industries want to purchase biofuel briquet's or "cubes" for combustion in boilers and process furnaces? To compensate for increased natural gas and coal prices, perhaps. But, there's much more involved.
The trade-off possibilities are mind numbing.
Benefits:- Burning briquets made of compressed switch grass and crop residue along with coal, or supplanting coal entirely, will significantly lower sulfur oxide and mercury emissions (90% and 50%, respectively) for heavy industry, making it easier to meet air permit limits and/or expand production while staying within permit limits.
There's the added future attraction of being able to sell C02 emission reduction credits on the Chicago exchange, assuming the next Congress passes, and the next President signs a bill allowing EPA to oversee and regulate such a program. ...
Every Step They Take...
by Bonnie Alter, London on 01.10.08
British rock and rollers have been rated on how eco-friendly they are and how carbon neutral their tours have been this year. The scores ranged from 0: as carbon neutral as Bob Geldof's bathwater to ten: as good for the Earth as an oil spill. The Police, fronted by green crusader Sting, topped the charts at 7 for causing massive pollution on their recent world tours. At their Dublin concert 82,000 fans racked up untold amounts of carbon emissions. Kasabian tied with them as a result of their nine month tour during which they played in Japan, Australia and Europe.
At the other end of the spectrum, Pete Doherty and Babyshambles rated a 4 because they play in small local venues and fans don't travel far to see them. As one blog put it: "Sting beaten to eco-friendly crown by puddle of pond scum." But the greenest band of all was Radiohead, weighing in at 2, particularly since they planted more than 50,000 trees to offset their last tour. The survey was carried out by NME in association with carbonfootprint.com. :: thelondonpaper...