- Emily Pilloton Discusses the Hippo Roller and other Designs for Humanity (Part One)
- Janine Benyus on Biomimicry in Design (Part Two)
- Janine Benyus on Biomimicry in Design (Part One)
- Andy Revkin - Climate in the Obama Age
- Fred Pearce - Confessions of An Eco-Sinner (Part Two)
- Fred Pearce - Confessions of An Eco-Sinner (Part One)
- Chris Goodall - Ten Techs to Save Our Butts (Part Two)
- Chris Goodall - Ten Techs to Save Our Butts (Part One)
Entries for January 20, 2008 - January 26, 2008
Total this week: 144
Shell CEO Admits Peak Oil Could be Here in 7 Years
by Jeremy Elton Jacquot, Los Angeles on 01.26.08
Image courtesy of LinBow via flickr
In a rare moment of candor, Jeroen van der Veer, the chief executive of Royal Dutch Shell, acknowledged what many have long considered a forgone conclusion: the end of the oil era is almost upon us, and sooner than you might think. The Oil Drum retrieved an e-mail sent to all Shell employees in which the CEO admitted the obvious (emphasis ours):
"Regardless of which route we choose, the world's current predicament limits our maneuvering room. We are experiencing a step-change in the growth rate of energy demand due to population growth and economic development, and Shell estimates that after 2015 supplies of easy-to-access oil and gas will no longer keep up with demand."...
Delayed Fall Colors a Positive Development for Forests?
by Jeremy Elton Jacquot, Los Angeles on 01.26.08
Image courtesy of *Micky via flickr
Scientists have been at a loss to account for why the traditional autumnal spectacle of disheveled trees and changing colors has gotten gradually pushed back over the last few years. Some have attributed the delayed autumnal senescence to increasing global temperatures; others have attributed it to the length of day.
David F. Karnosky, a professor at Michigan Technological University, believes rising atmospheric levels of carbon dioxide may be to blame — and, perhaps surprisingly, to thank. Karnosky explains that delaying senescence may in fact be good news for forestry industries since it prolongs the trees' growing season. The extra carbon dioxide taken up in the autumn, in addition to that taken up during the growing season, would also boost their productivity....
Amazon Deforestation Speeds Up Once More
by Sami Grover, Carrboro, NC, USA on 01.26.08
When we recently dared to be optimistic about news that destruction of the Amazon may be slowing down, our commenters were quick to step in an suggest the need for more scepticism about official figures. Sadly, it seems they may have been right. New satellite imagery released by the Brazillian government reveals an unprecedented increase in the rate of deforestation:
"Never before have we detected such a high deforestation rate at this time of year," said Gilberto Câmara, the head of the National Institute for Space Research (Inpe), which is responsible for monitoring the Amazon region. "We had never seen this before in Amazonia."
...
16 Year Old Builds Working Wooden Bicycle
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 01.26.08
Lee Valley Tools publishes the story of Marco Facciola, who built a bicycle out of wood and glue and absolutely no metal parts.
"I wasn't sure my wooden bicycle would actually work. I quickly realized the first pieces of the puzzle I needed to figure out were the chain and the sprockets (gears), since the design of all the other components depended on these."
...
Studio Lo: Flat Pack Fun from France
by Team Treehugger, Worldwide on 01.26.08
How smart is this? Yep, that's a whole chair, from a single flat piece of wood, without any left over. It's the work of the France-based Studio Lo, who have a thing for the suave simplicity of flat-pack designs. Wood isn't their only medium either, as they've applied their slim ethic to fabric and paper as well. Hit the jump to see their take on a birdhouse and a purse. ::Studio Lo (en Français) via ::NotCot...
A Picture is Worth...No Advertising, Please
by Jasmin Malik Chua, Jersey City, USA on 01.26.08
What would the world look like without advertisments? Succulent Landscaping Plants Gain Popularity For Drought Tolerance and Fire Resistance
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 01.26.08
LA Times has one of those stories where the words paint a lovely picture and the picture is worth a thousand words - about how drought-tolerant succulents are fire-retardant enough to protect homes in the path of a Southern California wildfire. The fire may cook the water laden exterior leaves but not enough to dry and burn them. Hence, the fire, out of fuel, just stops.
Shielding the most vulnerable corner of their home is a common, unassuming succulent that is common yet has no common name: Aloe arborescens. As it held off the flames, its fleshy leaves cooked and turned the color of putty.
Aloe arborescens, native to South Africa, grows throughout Southern California; dense plantings of it rim the cliffs of coastal communities. ...
Solarized in Israel's South
by Jesse Fox, Tel Aviv, Israel on 01.26.08
The south of Israel has long been famous for the world-class research institutes and companies it has produced in the solar energy field. Now it looks like the region will put its money where its mouth is, and set up its own renewable energy infrastructure, based mainly on solar power. ...
Renewable Energy Directive Proposed for EU
by Christine Lepisto, Berlin on 01.26.08
On Wednesday this week, the EU published the proposed directive establishing the means for meeting the targets of the EU Energy Plan. Three euros per week for every citizen of the EU is projected to cover the costs to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to 20% below 1990 levels by 2020. Most controversially, the setting of national goals based on a flat-rate reduction over current levels of renewable use has generated frustration in member states that started early progress in renewable energies. The best-in-class Swedish and Austrians are forced to make more progress than the laggards, who profit by starting on the low-hanging fruit only after being forced to it. Read on to learn the winners, the losers and the pleas for improvement in the wake of this ambitious new move by the EU....
Most Huggable: Carbon Reporting, McMansions, 100 MPG Engine Hack + More
by Team Treehugger, Worldwide on 01.25.08
Eleven of the world’s largest corporations have agreed to measure carbon dioxide emissions of several hundred companies in their supply chains as part of the Carbon Disclosure Project.
The Sierra Club is up in arms over California's high-speed rail plan.
Are McMansions partly to blame for the sub-prime meltdown and economic recession floating on the horizon?
Check out "The Story of Stuff": a 20-minute, fast-paced look at the dark underbelly of our consumption patterns, exposing the links between a host of environmental and social issues and showing you the real cost of that $5 radio.
Don't try this at home, but this company's fuel injection system that will let diesel engines run on regular gasoline; turning a standard 2.3-liter diesel engine that gets 50 miles per gallon to one that gets 100 miles per gallon when retrofitted.
Most Huggable is a regular roundup of some of the top stories from Hugg.com, TreeHugger’s user-generated green news site. Why not submit your own green news?...
TH Forums Highlights: Green Clothing, Green Cleaning + More
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 01.25.08
1) Forums user apilmouse starts a thread about cute organic t-shirts: "I think it is a great idea i bought 4 tshirts for myself and 2 baby ones saying save whats left.. awsome they even have a web site". A couple of users agree that people are great billboards for the green movement; a few other users disagree -- they aren't interested in advertising or being unofficial spokespeople, no matter how green the product. Interesting; where do you stand?
2) User MyGreenTalk says, "Cleaning supplies will always be harmful chemicals. Does anyone have any alternate ideas or green freindly supplies?" Several users have good ideas not only for their favorite brands, but for ways to make your own at home. A little baking soda, lemon juice or vinegar and some essential oil will go a long way toward green cleaning in your home; no harsh chemicals required, it turns out.
3) Forums user gitRgreen says, "I recently discovered that the recycling program in my area only accepts type 1 (PETE) and 2 (HDPE) plastic containers (with necks). I had been mistakenly placing yogurt tubs (type 5- PP) and similar items in the bin for quite a while. Now I feel guilty placing these items in the trash. My question to others is- are you able to recycle other plastic besides type 1 and 2 in your community? Is my recycler holding out on me?" Turns out this is a common predicament...
Today on Planet Green
by Jasmin Malik Chua, Jersey City, USA on 01.25.08
:: Teach your tiny tykes to love their veggies by knitting them a dish of greens.
:: Here's a quick tip for remembering to take your lunch to work in the morning.
:: In 2006, the ASPCA fielded more than 116,000 calls to its poison-control hotline, several of which involved seemingly innocuous household items. Learn how to maintain a poison-free home for your kitties and pooches.
:: The cheapskate's guide to celebrating Valentine's Day.
:: Discover why you should think twice before you flip the garbage-disposal switch.
:: Don't have $55 to spring for an Earth Box? Find out how to make your own self-watering container garden.
:: How should you spend the rebate money you're getting from Uncle Sam? Lloyd sheds some light on the matter.
:: Make a paper-recycling bin that you can easily tote to the curb on recycling day.
...
Clevr: Balkony, the Modular Sitting/Eating/Growing Furniture System
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 01.25.08
Stuck with a tiny balcony? Looking for a smart way to maximize space? Look no further than the design by Christian Lessing, whose modular furniture system adds clever multi-tasking to a previously useless (or less used) space. It's got modules for seating, tables and flat surfaces that are handy for plants, especially if it's out on a balcony or adjacent to a window; though it's designed for balconies, this design is a great way to maximize space anywhere.
We could see this doing good work in a breakfast nook or similarly small space; sit for a quick meal and then turn it over to your plants while you're gone all day. Clevr. ::Christian Lessing via ::Josh Spear...
Driver Sues Dead Cyclist for Damage To His Audi
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 01.25.08
Fred Conrad, New York Times
Melissa Arrington has nothing on Spanish businessman Tomas Delgado when it comes to being callous and cruel about killing cyclists. He killed 17 year old Enaitz Iriondo with his Audi A8 and had to pay 33,000 euros compensation because his insurance company acknowledged that he was driving too fast, but now he is suing the dead kid's family for causing $20,500 in damage to his audi and another 6,000 euros for the rental while his car was being repaired.
"I'm also a victim in all of this, you can't fix the lad's problems, but you can fix mine," Delgado said, ahead of a January 30 legal decision on his suit. ::Yahoo News thanks, eclary!...
Compostmodern 2008: All about Sustainable Design
by Vikash Singh on 01.25.08
The rains ceased just in time for Compostmodern in San Francisco last Saturday. No, it's not an event about the latest in composting innovations--let's get that straight. It's all about design, and the amazing stories told by leaders who have forged sustainable pathways for industry to follow.
Compostmodern is a one-day, interdisciplinary conference dedicated to sustainable design solutions. AIGA San Francisco, the professional association for design, hosted the biennial event at the California College of the Arts. This year's lineup was stellar.
Joel Makower emceed the event, and had the following to say in his opening speech:
"Sustainability is like teenage sex...everybody says they're doing it, but nobody's doing it well."...
I am Not a Paper Cup
by Jasmin Malik Chua, Jersey City, USA on 01.25.08
Riffing on Anya Hindmarch's now-iconic "I'm Not a Plastic Bag" tote, DCI's "I am Not a Paper Cup" is a 3.5x6-inch double-walled porcelain cup with a silicone top that will retail starting February for $20 a pop. It's also reminiscent of our fearless leader Graham Hill's "We Are Happy to Serve You" cup.
If you're not already trotting to the coffee shop with your own commuter mug, here's a wry and eco-friendly alternative to all those unnecessary paper cups. ::DCI ...
Hip Office: Ergonomic Workspace for Those on the Go
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 01.25.08
Those of us who are planted in front of a computer screen for most of our waking hours -- for work or play -- will appreciate this one. No matter how comfortable your chair is, we could all use more opportunities to get outside and play. If that isn't in the cards for your normal work week, the T Module "walking desk" might be the next best thing.
Walking on a treadmill at work would be great, but considering that treadmills suck (energy), providing a little human power would be a good way to go. As this walking researcher reminds us, people are designed to be mobile, and walking is better than sitting; might as well write some email at the same time. Hit the jump to see the module in action. ::HK Ergonomics via ::Product Dose...
Event: Eyebeam Open Source Sustainability Critique, Jan. 26, NYC
by Jasmin Malik Chua, Jersey City, USA on 01.25.08
Check out the winners and honorable mentions of Eyebeam's Eco-Vis Challenge, a contest that encouraged participants to create one or more informational graphics that could be used to make environmental concerns more visible. The art and technology center will be holding its Open Source Sustainability Critique tomorrow, Jan. 26, 2007, from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.
You'll also get to meet Sustainability Research Group members Brooke Singer, Michael Mandiberg and Ben Engebreth. Admission is free, although a donation is appreciated.
Eyebeam
540 W. 21st Street, (between 10th and 11th Avenues)
New York, NY 10011
Tel. 212.937.6580...
Shigeru Ban Builds Thirteen Storey High Green Wall
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 01.25.08
Jetson Green points us to Shigeru Ban's new Swatch headquarters in the Ginza, envisioned as "a hanging garden reminiscent of the ones found in ancient Babylon." it is really a series of separate stores stacked on top of each other; Jean Snow writes in Time Magazine:
"The building focuses on Swatch's luxury labels — Breguet, Blancpain, Glashütte Original, Jaquet Droz, Léon Hatot, Omega (plus a Swatch presence for the masses) — each with its own retail space. Each shop has a hydraulic glass elevator that lifts you directly to the shop's entrance and doubles as a showroom, offering a glimpse of what to expect when it stops and you step out."...
Winter Tips For Summer Bicycle Trips: Part 2
by Andrew Posner, Providence, Rhode Island on 01.25.08
If you are looking to take the ultimate, high efficiency, carbon-neutral road trip, then bicycle touring is tailor made for you. In part 1 of this series, I discussed the reasons for doing a trip by bicycle, and made several gear recommendations. In this part, I’d like to address training and safety issues, and tell a few tales from my own cross-country trip.
First of all, bicycle touring is not bicycle racing! Unlike the Tour de France, the success of a bicycle trip is measured, not in distance covered, but rather in distance enjoyed. That said, you are still doing physical activity, and the fitter you are to begin with, the more you will be able to focus on, and therefore enjoy, the view. The key to training for a bike trip is to keep in mind the terrain and distance you will be covering, as well as the weight of your gear. Typically, a touring cyclist will average around 12 MPH, and ride from 3-6 hours a day. Essentially, if you can keep a good, steady pace for long periods of time, then you are fit enough to do a bike tour of any length. Getting to that level of fitness can be done via hiking, swimming, or any sport, for that matter....
Car on a Stick by Ross Lovegrove
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 01.25.08
I mean, it's bad enough that cars clog the roads and consume fuel; when they are not running they need parking lots for storage and don't do anything useful. What the world needs is a solar powered all electric car. On a stick. That way, when you need to park, it frees up ground space. Oh, and once it is up there it acts as a streetlight....
Have a Ball of a Time with Plastic Bags
by Jasmin Malik Chua, Jersey City, USA on 01.25.08
Photo credit: whiteafrican
Here's a photo we recently stumbled upon: According to the accompanying caption, children all across Africa make these balls out of old trash, so they can play soccer. Necessity, meet invention. ::Flickr
For more recycled fun and games, see ::Make Your Own Ball Toss-and-Catchers, or find out what else you can do with plastic bags over at Planet Green....
The (Traffic) Calming Chicane
by Jesse Fox, Tel Aviv, Israel on 01.25.08
Derived from the German word for harassment, the "chicane" does not exactly harass traffic, but it definitely provides a calmer environment for pedestrians. This short clay animation piece by Elizabeth Press of StreetFilms simply and brilliantly illustrates the effect of the chicane on vehicle traffic, and its ability to expand space for pedestrians and landscaping....
Aston Martin Design Studio by Weedon Partnership
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 01.25.08
As the obnoxious Emma Parker-Bowles said in the Sun, "When you think about tree-huggers you would guess maybe Greenpeace or Friends Of The Earth. You certainly wouldn’t put your money on Aston Martin. Yes, they might be very beautiful cars but they are thirsty, and they leave a bigger carbon footprint than a genetically modified yeti."
Nonetheless, they have built a new design studio designed by Terry Lee of Weedon Partnership Architects that is just about as green as it gets, and prefab, too. ...
Point/Counterpoint: Michael Shellenberger vs. No Impact Man
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 01.25.08
TreeHugger likes both No Impact Man and Michael Shellenberger (half of the duo that brought us The Death of Environmentalism and its follow-up, Breakthrough); through their separate (and wholly disparate) efforts, they've both helped advance the cultural conversation about living green and creating a more sustainable world. They've done this in very different ways: No Impact Man -- aka Colin Beavan -- undertook the challenge to live without negatively impacting the planet for a year to prove that individual actions make a difference; Shellenberger thinks that, while those things are nice, we need a "10-year, $500 billion public-private investment into cutting-edge clean energy technologies to achieve energy independence and restore America’s economic competitiveness" (read our interview with his co-author Ted Nordhaus for more).
The two recently got into a friendly email debate about whose method was more effective; both make excellent points and both arguments aren't infallible. ...
A Safer Sippy for Your Little Green Angels
by Jenna Watson, Barcelona on 01.25.08
A little expectant mother bird sent us this website yesterday for The Safe Sippy by Kid Basix. This is a great new and greener approach for kids that are starting to drink on their own. It keeps contact between water and plastic to a minimum and all their plastics are certified free of Bisphenol A, phthalates and DEHA. The bottle itself is stainless steel and pretty sleek looking.
The straw shaped spout is said to be better for little growing mouths and speech development while also being spill safe. The wee handle has nubs on it for little hands and can be taken off when no longer needed. This feature also extends the life cycle of the product and subsequently helps reduce its overall impacts. This sippy cup looks like it was made with lots of heart and a green conscience. ...
The Magic Box
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 01.25.08
Don't know what it costs, don't know what it's made of, don't know even if I can use my standard answer "we promote small space living" to the question "why is this on TreeHugger?," so I will just say it is very pretty. Architect Hayahiko Takese says:
"The Magic Box is a versatile 'box' that changes the stereotypes of prefabricated houses and extension rooms by having qualities such as transparency and simplistic form with high versatility." ...
Elliptical House by Mihai Popa
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 01.25.08
Artist Mihai "Nova" Popa built the Elliptical House near Bridgehampton, Long Island, out of wood from a demolished Brooklyn church. It is based on an ecological idea: It's 40-by-40 in the middle and 20-by-40 at the base, "which means we are giving back half of the house to the planet."
According to Carol Polsky in Newsday, Popa also designs models of circular modular cities to float on the ocean, and to launch into space should humans face an exodus from a dying planet in an ecological apocalypse he believes is a possibility. ...
Guerilla Plumbing: Hack Your Friends' Toilets (NOT)
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 01.25.08
EarthThreat suggests that the next time you are at a party, hack your host's toilet by lifting the tank lid and bending the rod connected to the float so that the float is a little lower, shutting off the water a little earlier. "Think about all of the water that could be saved with this trick. Toilets get flushed a hell of a lot. If one gallon of water is saved per flush, and that toilet is flushed six times a day, you will be responsible for saving over 2,000 gallons of water per year. Abuse five of your friend’s toilets and you will save close to 11,000 gallons with a six flush daily average."
Um, maybe not.
...
A Picture is Worth...Global Worrying
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 01.25.08
Is global warming on your mind? Or do you have a case of global worrying?
By the Grey ad agency in Milan, Italy. Bravo.
::Eternally Cool via ::NotCot.org...
AVO Market: Connecting People, Cultures and Local Food
by Leonora Oppenheim, London, UK on 01.25.08
The amazing colours, the strange shapes, the pungent smells and the clattering sounds; there's no cultural experience quite like visiting a street market. Wherever you might be in the world the local market will tell you more about a place than any museum and of course there's no greater celebration of fresh local produce.
For these reasons we are loving AVO Market a new online collaborative work dreamed up by RISD design graduate Brittany Kleinman. AVO is a collection of images of markets all around the world and it invites everyone to get involved....
GM's Partner, Coskata, Using "Non-GM" Organism To Make Ethanol
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 01.25.08
A few weeks back, Jeremy posted about General Motors working with cellulosic ethanol start-up Coskata. See "GM Banks on Coskata's Cellulosic Ethanol Breakthrough".
"Coskata and GM expect to have a pilot plant up and operating by the fourth quarter of 2008; the ethanol will be used to test vehicles at GM's Milford Proving Grounds. The start-up expects to have a commercial-scale plant with the capacity to manufacture 50-100 m gallons of ethanol per year going by 2011."
Since word about GM's involvement with Coskata got out, we've been wondering what sort of super-model bacteria were being cultured to result in such a low water consuming, greenhouse gas reducing, and energy efficient means of Ceetoh production? What if a genetically modified (the other kind of GM) monster got out of Coskata's fermentation process and ate up our lovely trees? ...
Food Glorious Food
by Bonnie Alter, London on 01.25.08
Much sought-after Michelin stars have been announced for UK restaurants. Instead of rewarding pretentious, over the top french fancy restaurants, the Guide has acknowledged and praised the local and seasonal nature of British cooking. The Michelin editor said that "informal dining, greater use of locally grown produce and seasonality are the trends evident in this year's guide, customers are demanding more information about food provenance and sustainability, and chefs are responding by rediscovering local ingredients." This is very encouraging for all those small restaurants that have been working hard to develop links with local farmers, growers and fishermen.
The UK's best fish and chips shop has also been named, The Townhead Café, in Biggar, Scotland, and it too has returned to its roots and adopted sustainable practices. Their motto: "Ye Cannae Beat a Guid Fish Supper!" The owner is committed to "introducing customers to some of the delicious alternative species our hard-working fisherman have to offer. It’s an example that everyone should follow.” He said “we don't use cod; haddock from the Shetlands is in plentiful supply at the moment. I always check down the supply chain that everyone is conforming to sustainable practice." For the first time in the competition's history, entrants were judged on their commitment to building a sustainable future and points were given to shops according to their use of sustainable species and the measures they have taken to encourage customers to try something new. :: Times...
Anti-Wind Farm Group Heavily Criticized for Distorting the Truth
by Sami Grover, Carrboro, NC, USA on 01.25.08
UK sports car manufacturer Lotus made a high-profile commitment last year to build wind turbines at its headquarters, a move welcomed by many environmentalists, including ourselves. Not everyone was so excited. it seems an anti-wind farm group with the implausible name of RUNGA (apparently standing for R U Naïve, Gullible, Apathetic?) has been busy disseminating leaflets to local residents warning of dire consequences if the projects were to go ahead. However, the group’s publications have been slammed by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA), after a complaint was brought by developer Ecotricity over what they felt were deliberate attempts to distort the debate and stir up opposition. ...
Environmental Groups Lobby for Sin Tax on TV’s and Video Games to Fight Childhood Obesity with Outdoor Education
by Kenny Luna, North Babylon, NY on 01.25.08
In a creative twist that’s caught my attention, groups like the Sierra Club are lobbying for a sin tax to be levied on all new televisions and video games sold in New Mexico to encourage kids to get up off their duff and head outside to play.
But how does taxing a video game legitimately discourage kids from playing it?
...
The Power of Rain: Alternative Energy
by Tim McGee, Western Massachusetts on 01.24.08
We have seen wave power, wind power, and solar power, but rain power?
“We thought of raindrops because they are one of the still- unexploited energy sources in nature,” says Jean-Jacques Chaillout of the atomic energy commission in Grenoble, France.Chaillout and his colleagues realized that every time a drop impacts on a surface it is an opportunity missed. Each raindrop has an impact energy that is highly dependent on the size of the drop; from a small drizzle drop that has 2 microjoules on impact, to a downpour size drop that carries 1 millijoule of impact energy. ...
Clinton Global Initiative Expanding to Universities in March, 2008
by Kenny Luna, North Babylon, NY on 01.24.08
With all the madness leading up to the Democratic Primary down in South Carolina I’m not quite sure how President Clinton found the time to announce the expansion of the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) to college campuses through CGI U. But it turns out that his folks are hard at work building a presence in colleges and universities throughout the country by bringing students, academics, and social, political and cultural leaders together to discuss ways to bring about global change on issues like climate change and world poverty....
Today on Planet Green
by Jasmin Malik Chua, Jersey City, USA on 01.24.08
:: Whip up our soup of the week: Roasted celeriac.
:: Save money and fight mold at the same time. Plus, a recipe for an all-natural mold-killer that really works.
:: You don't need elaborate seed-starter kits to sprout your greens. Here are a few ways to make your own setup out of recycled materials.
:: What's your plastic I.Q?
:: Find out how to stop wasting money on disposable air filters for your car.
:: Give the gift of compassion and give the planet and its people a helping hand.
:: If you have the winter sniffles, learn how to make a potent antiviral tea to give your immune system a boost.
:: It's like Netflix...but for books....
Less is More: Case Coffee Table to Go
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 01.24.08
Looking for a little more utility from your coffee table, or a little more space where a table might fit? Check out the Case Coffee Table, named so for its handy foldability -- it folds down into the case pictured -- that allows it to downsize and all but disappear when you're not using it.
The hinges on the legs are a bit clunky, and it's not the sleekest coffee table we've ever seen, but it's a great idea; think about how much less space we could use if everything folded up and went away when we weren't using it? Hit the jump for more pics and go get one at ::Tiny Living via ::Freshome...
Shaq's Monstrous Carbon Footprint
by Sean Fisher, Cincinnati, Ohio on 01.24.08
It seems as if the only thing bigger than Shaquille O'Neal is his monthly gasoline bill. According to the Detriot Free Press, basketball star/actor (if you want to call Kazaam acting)/part-time Miami police officer Shaquille O'Neal spends $23,000 per month on gasoline for his harem of automobiles. This, in addition to $1,500 per month for cable television and $17,000 for clothing, are figures O'Neal (or more likely his attorney) came up with to calculate his monthly expenses in his recent divorce filings. So, even though these figures should be taken with a grain of salt, there is still quite a bit of consumption going on here. ...
Shining a Light on the RECs vs. Carbon Offsets Controversy
by Jeremy Elton Jacquot, Los Angeles on 01.24.08
On January 8, the Federal Trade Commission hosted a workshop to scrutinize the market for carbon offsets and RECs (Renewable Energy Certificates); the overarching aim was to discuss consumer protection issues and the validity of related advertising claims. It's no big secret that as the market for carbon offsets has surged over the past few years, so has the number of prominent greenwashing cases - many of which have received coverage here and in more mainstream publications like BusinessWeek.
The FTC, which has consistently adopted a "soft" regulatory approach to this issue, has yet to update its environmental advertising guidelines, the Green Guides, which it last did 10 years ago. The hearing, whose ostensible purpose was to solicit recommendations for updating the FTC's guidelines, exposed a longstanding rift in the environmental and business communities: the perceived discrepancy between RECs and carbon offsets. ...
TreeHugger Picks: Bottled Water
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 01.24.08
TreeHugger has covered lots of ground when it comes to bottled water, from examples of better bottles to bottles that left us scratching our heads. Here are some of our picks for the wide world of bottled water.
...
 | 1) To calculate the true costs of bottled water, Sustainability Engineer and MBA Pablo Päster did a thorough and exhaustive study of the cost of bring a liter of Fiji Water to America. He starts with the production of the bottle in China, taking the bottle blanks to Fiji, and confirming that it takes more water to make the bottle than it actually holds. He then transports the bottle to the States by ship. Not even including the distribution in the States, the numbers are absolutely staggering. |
| 2) If that weren't enough, the Union of Concerned Scientists gave us a world of reasons to ditch bottled water, including the cost -- 10,000 times more per gallon than tap water -- and the oil required to make the bottles -- approximately 1.5 million barrels -- that barely scratch the surface of reasons why we should be enjoying water from the tap instead of the bottled variety. |
 | 3) Artist Stuart Haygarth chose to let discarded water bottles make a statement with his chandelier series called "Drop." His work is always about both making recycled materials beautiful and functional, but also about exposing our overuse of those materials; with his treatment of bottled water, he's taken something that's a real problem in the waste steam (we haven't railed against plastic wine glasses or eyeglass lenses much) and put his personal spin on it. Boycotts and the industry fighting back, after the jump... |
Daryl Hannah Narrates New IMAX 3D Film Presented by Jean-Michel Cousteau
by Kara DiCamillo, Newport, Rhode Island on 01.24.08
Here’s exciting news for you IMAX lovers! Filmmakers Jean-Jacques and Francois Mantello (the Mantello Brothers) and film ambassador Jean-Michel Cousteau announced today that their new IMAX 3D Theatre film DOLPHINS AND WHALES 3D will feature our “Love Life” and Splash star fave Daryl Hannah as the narrator. The film explores the daily lives of small and giant animals of the deep, as they interact, play and communicate. This is the first time humpback whales, belugas, orcas, bottlenose dolphins and manatees have been filmed in 3D for the world’s biggest screens and, unlike other IMAX films, this was shot entirely in the water....
Ten Ideas For The US Congress: Seize The Initiative
by Greg Haegele, Sierra Club on 01.24.08
The precipitous drops in the world’s financial markets this week—with possibly more to come—have a lot of us worrying about the economy. It’s also got national leaders talking about an economic stimulus package.
Obviously, America is facing some stiff challenges: ensuring economic security and rising to the challenge of climate change loom large.
But we also have a rare and golden opportunity to move forward, so we face a fundamental choice: We could stick our heads in the sand and accept the high risks and costs that will come from business-as-usual—or we can figure out how America will seize the initiative and lead the world in transitioning to a clean and prosperous new energy economy.
To that end, the Sierra Club and other environmental groups sent a letter to Congress this week in which we outlined ten steps Congress can take to lead. Mainly, we’re asking leaders to include federal clean-energy tax incentives and weatherization assistance in any economic stimulus package they pass....
The TH Interview: Andy Kunz, New Urbanist
by Jesse Fox, Tel Aviv, Israel on 01.24.08
We are really at an incredibly important fork in the road: either we continue spending on roads and runways, and see our mobility decrease and get more expensive, or we could refocus our priorities on sustainability, mobility, prosperity and national security – and build a new national high-speed train network.Andy Kunz is an urban designer and town planner, and the director of the websites www.NewUrbanism.org and www.NewTrains.org . A veteran member of the Congress for the New Urbanism, Kunz's work focuses on the importance of green transportation and trains as a solution to climate change and peak oil....
What Some Drivers Think About Cyclists in Tucson
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 01.24.08
Melissa Arrington was going to jail for drunk driving; she hit cyclist Paul L'Ecuyer after swerving off the road and dragged him 800 yards. That would have got her four years; instead she got 10-1/2 because of a phone conversation between Arrington and an unknown male friend, a week after L'Ecuyer was killed, that the judge found to be "breathtaking in its inhumanity." According to AP,
During the conversation, the man told Arrington that an acquaintance believed she should get a medal and a parade because she had "taken out" a "tree hugger, a bicyclist, a Frenchman and a gay guy all in one shot."
Arrington laughed. When the man said he knew it was a terrible thing to say, she responded, "No, it's not."...
A Picture is Worth... Dude, Where's My Habitat?
by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada on 01.24.08
Habitat destruction is a process of land use change in which one habitat-type is removed and replaced with another habitat-type. In the process of land-use change, plants and animals which previously used the site are displaced or destroyed, reducing biodiversity. Urban Sprawl is one cause of habitat destruction. Other important causes of habitat destruction include mining, trawling, and agriculture. Habitat destruction is currently ranked as the most important cause of species extinction worldwide. --Habitat Destruction at Wikipedia::Original at the WVb. See also: ::Palm Oil: A Rainforest in your Shopping, ::Wood Construction vs Deforestation, ::So What Can Be Done To Save Primates?, ::Ten Things Wrong With Sprawl...
The Designers Accord: Showcasing Why Design Makes a Difference
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 01.24.08
Photo credit: hingeschmierter
Business Week has a great piece detailing the recent progress of The Designers Accord. Born from the "Kyoto Treaty" of Design, a manifesto for incorporating sustainability throughout the design process, the agreement aims to foster open source-style sharing and "co-opatition" among design firms, big and small, around the world; ultimately, they hope to create a network of best practices and strategies to make sustainability part of every conversation about design.
So far, it appears to be working; there are more than 3,500 signees thus far, and they aren't just committed to replacing conventional materials with more sustainable ones. The accord encourages designers to re-think the system and usability of any given device; this Cradle-to-Cradle-like approach is a big step for some, and a smaller one for others, but the bottom-up approach (rather than the top-down that would come with government regulation) might allow for more innovative solutions and totally new ways of doing things. Ultimately, we hope it'll help showcase that good design and sustainable design go hand-in-hand, and that good design really makes a difference. ::Designer's Accord via ::Business Week and ::Core77...
Unsafe at Any Price: Building the New ‘People’s Car’
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 01.24.08
We said about the Tata Nano: "Henry Ford unleashed a revolution that changed our world and gave us mobility, but at what price. Now we get to watch the rerun." Brendan Smith, Tim Costello and Jeremy Brecher write at CommonDreams and report all the negative coverage from around the world, but were forced to admit "Of course there is deep hypocrisy in developed countries criticizing the driving habits of the developing world." They quote Michael Renner of the Worldwatch Institute:
remember who has driven the planet to the edge of the climate abyss. People in Western countries and Japan–less than 15 percent of the world’s population–own two-thirds of all passenger and commercial motor vehicles in the world. Although they are rapidly expanding their fleets, India and China, with a third of the world’s population, so far account for only about 5 percent of vehicles. In 2005, China’s ratio of motor vehicles to population was at about the level the United States had reached some 90 years earlier. India’s ratio is less than half that of China.
They come to the inevitable conclusion:
...
The Film and Entertainment Recycling Initiative: Helping Movies and TV Productions Cut Back on Trash
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 01.24.08
TreeHugger has seen a handful of greening initiatives in the film and entertainment industry, from films like Syriana, An Inconvenient Truth and Sweet Land going carbon neutral to a new film studio going green from the ground up; while all these projects are beneficial, certainly, they leave lots of room for improvement when it comes to on-set waste management and recycling. That's what a new non-profit, called the Film and Entertainment Recycling Initiative (FaERI), is hoping to help tackle.
Their mission is to create a standard of environmental stewardship on every film, TV production and commercial shoot across the United States -- no small task, for sure -- to help manage the waste stream that results from film and television production; over half of the trash produced on a film set is either recyclable, reclaimable or reusable, after all. This will be accomplished by the "on-set recycler", a new position created by FaERI, which will hopefully become a permanent fixture to the film crew. The on-set recycler is needed to manage placing bins around set every day, keeping recyclable materials out of the trash, working with departments to continue finding new materials that can be recycled or reused and following through on ensuring all these materials get to a recycling facility. And though they're just getting started, they already have the support of a few big-time names in Hollywood....
Chapel Converted to Residence by ZECC Architects
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 01.24.08
ZECC Architects, beloved of their conversion of a water tower into a residence, are at it again with this conversion of a Dutch chapel into a single family residence. In some ways it is a bit sad, when formerly public spaces get converted to private residences, but not every church can be converted into a bookstore or other public use, and this chapel is a bit less dramatic than the church that became the bookshop....
Reinier de Jong's TUIN
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 01.24.08
Rotterdam designer Reinier de Jong notes:
"Housing in big city centres seems to consist of small apartments. Highrise equals apartments. Or so it seems. However many cities economically really need well-to-do middle class dwellers. They flee to suburbia as soon as salaries go up and kids arrive."
So he takes the standard suburban typology, the two storey house with a garden, and stacks them on top of each other, "so we will diminish the suburban sprawl that is swallowing up our precious land."
...
Minnesota Got Its Green Mojo Back
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 01.24.08
It's been an uphill slog, but it looks like Minnesota is going to catch up with Wisconsin and Illinois.
"Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty recently announced initiatives to encourage solar, wind and other renewable energy projects at the local level and to reduce global warming emissions...He proposed four changes, including one to authorize local governments to issue $10 million to $20 million in revenue bonds to provide low-interest loans to individuals for "microenergy" projects. Those might include installing solar panels to produce hot water, geothermal equipment to heat and cool homes or businesses, or small wind machines to power homes, farms and schools."
Here's the money quote:- "Randy Hagen, co-owner of SolarSkies, a firm in Starbuck, Minn., that manufactures and installs solar products, said it costs about $8,000 for a solar hot-water system in a typical home. Much of his company's business has been in Wisconsin and Illinois, he said, because those states have programs that make financing easier for homeowners."
Via::Star Tribune, "Pawlenty announces clean energy plan - The new initiatives aim to fight global warming, create jobs and encourage alternative energy projects." Image credit::Bikethrow.com, Minnesota Cycling News & Gossip VIA->SkinnySki...
Wal-Mart: The Next Steps Toward Sustainability
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 01.24.08
Image Credit- Jeff McIntyre-Strasburg at Sustainablog
Two years ago inTreeHugger we wrote about Lee Scott's October Surprise, his speech laying out the dramatic plans he had to take Wal-Mart into the 21st Century. He said at the time: "What if we used our size and resources to make this country and this earth an even better place for all?
We were skeptical and said " We will wait and see"
To our surprise, Lee Scott is still at the helm of Wal-Mart, and he has been meeting many of his commitments. Yesterday he made new ones; we provide a quick summary below and will follow up with greater detail. ...
Realtime Air Quality Mashup By AIRNow
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 01.24.08
Except for the area roughly circumscribing Olympia and Tacoma in the US State of Washington - depicted as small orange blob in the US Pacific Northwest (top left of the graphic) - air quality in the USA looks pretty good this week. AIRNow, source of this graphic information, also offers free access to graphic air quality reports by region, state, or locality (see Olympia/Tacoma detailed example below).
If I was looking for a healthier place to live, especially if I had asthma or other respiratory problems, this would be my starting information point. AIRNow is far more useful for that purpose than those top "greenest cities" stories that come out in a handful of magazines each spring. Also good for lobbying for better pollution controls or learning where green designs are most needed.
Not a bad place from which to copy/paste a map to send to your Senator or Representative on Capital Hill. "Dear Senator/Representative, just wanting to let you know how much I appreciate your vote in support of/or against upgraded CAFE/diesel emission standards. Have a look how our air quality is back home today!"...
B&Q Becomes One Planet Living Business, and Stops Selling Patio Heaters in the Process
by Sami Grover, Carrboro, NC, USA on 01.24.08
B&Q, the UK hardware retailers who have been busy erecting a 2MW wind turbine at their distribution headquarters, and the Bioregional Development Group, the folks who have been busy creating localized paper recycling schemes, TreeStations for urban forestry waste and giant One Planet Living communities around the world, are now teaming up. B&Q is the first business to sign up with Bioregional to become an official One Planet Living Business.
What this means, in practice, is that B&Q will work with Bioregional to both reduce their own environmental impact, and to provide products and services that help customers reduce their impact too. Consistent with Bioregional’s approach, the entire process will be informed by ecological footprinting as a means to identify key areas of action. B&Q have already announced some pretty impressive steps in the right direction, including ceasing sales of a best selling product line due to ecological concerns. Read on for the juicy details.
...
Gomi-style Gehry Chair Knockoff
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 01.24.08
The Year Ahead With Barton Seaver
by Eliza Barclay, Washington, D.C. on 01.24.08
This post is part of an ongoing series. To access all the profiles in this series, visit The Year Ahead.
Who: Barton Seaver, executive chef and partner of Hook in Washington, D.C., a restaurant serving responsibly-sourced seafood and local products. In October 2007, the Blue Ocean Institute, a national conservation group, honored Seaver along with explorer Sylvia Earle and filmmaker Alastair Fothergill for their commitment to preserving the world's seas. He is also active with Chefs Collaborative, Seafood Choices Alliance and the National Restaurant Association.
Eco-resolution: I spent 2007 trying to make sustainable seafood available in a niche market restaurant setting. Restaurants have a unique role to play in the process of learning for their patrons. I will continue to help create more demand for ecologically responsible ocean products. This is challenging at times because sustainable seafood is defined by so many processes and ideas that there is no easy way to label a product as such. Given this difficulty, it is my mission this year to work toward making sustainable ocean products not only more prevalent within the fishing community, but more accessible to all levels of society in the market setting. Sustainable seafood is not a luxury item, nor should it ever be. In order for seafood to be sustainable it inherently must be available to all of us, regardless of our social status. I am working on projects, including new restaurants, that do not seek to brand sustainable seafood as an alternative or different product but rather as the standard....
Who: Barton Seaver, executive chef and partner of Hook in Washington, D.C., a restaurant serving responsibly-sourced seafood and local products. In October 2007, the Blue Ocean Institute, a national conservation group, honored Seaver along with explorer Sylvia Earle and filmmaker Alastair Fothergill for their commitment to preserving the world's seas. He is also active with Chefs Collaborative, Seafood Choices Alliance and the National Restaurant Association.
Eco-resolution: I spent 2007 trying to make sustainable seafood available in a niche market restaurant setting. Restaurants have a unique role to play in the process of learning for their patrons. I will continue to help create more demand for ecologically responsible ocean products. This is challenging at times because sustainable seafood is defined by so many processes and ideas that there is no easy way to label a product as such. Given this difficulty, it is my mission this year to work toward making sustainable ocean products not only more prevalent within the fishing community, but more accessible to all levels of society in the market setting. Sustainable seafood is not a luxury item, nor should it ever be. In order for seafood to be sustainable it inherently must be available to all of us, regardless of our social status. I am working on projects, including new restaurants, that do not seek to brand sustainable seafood as an alternative or different product but rather as the standard....
Sunscreens Promote Coral Bleaching by Stimulating Viruses
by Jeremy Elton Jacquot, Los Angeles on 01.24.08
Image courtesy of jon hanson via flickr
You may not realize this, but that sunscreen you typically slather your back with at the beach - though beneficial to you - does tremendous harm to coral reefs. According to ES&T's Robert Weinhold, 4 ingredients commonly found in sunscreens that tend to wash off into the water - a paraben preservative, cinnamate, benzophenone and a camphor derivative (the last 3 are UV filters) - cause bleaching by killing zooxanthellae, the algae that form a symbiotic relationship with corals - even at very low levels.
The team of Italian scientists that carried out the study observed that the noxious ingredients killed the algae within a span of just 4 days; they do so by stimulating viruses typically found in coral-inhabiting algae. They measured a 15-fold increase in the number of viruses surrounding the coral samples, many of which were also in and around the zooxanthellae. ...
Apple's Unfixable Gadgets: That's Not Green
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 01.24.08
Last week were were all gaga over Apple's new "greener" MacBook Air, but this week it is back to reality as we learn from the eco-geek that the sixth generation iPods and the current iPod Nano have been designed to be 100% unfixable. Brett Mosely of ByMyTronics, who fixes and resells broken iPods, says:
The new generations of iPods and the iPhone are not designed to be opened. Because the Nano, iPhone and generation 6 "Classic" bodies are metal to metal the body gets completely trashed upon opening. In the Nanos and Shuffles, parts are actually soldered together, eliminating the possibility of simple repair. So, for me, it will be harder to fix these, increasing repair costs and diminishing their resale value after they have been repaired."
Lots more in::eco-geek and read the comments; just like in our post, it isn't a discussion, it is a culture war. ...
Got a Head For Lights? The 2CLight Solar Cap
by Warren McLaren, Sydney on 01.24.08
Remember those silly faux pith safari helmets with the weeny solar panel driving an ineffective fan? Well, the 2CLight might’ve finally found a more functional way to bring photovoltaics to headwear.
Spend the day in the great outdoors, working or recreating, protecting your noggin from the thermonuclear glare of dear old Sol, all the while charging the integrated nickel metal hydride battery, via a flexible solar panel on the caps brim. When the sun dips below the horizon you press a switch under the same brim and Sol’s captured energy is still with you, beaming out via a couple of bright light emitting diode (LED) bulbs....
Enough, Already. ‘Recyclable’ is Not Recycling
by Warren McLaren, Sydney on 01.24.08
Mostly this writer steers away from the negative aspect of a story because there are plenty of others already on that bandwagon. But some things just annoy me to the point of distraction. A case in point being companies selling products by proclaiming their materials are easily recyclable. Especially when their own product does not include any of these very same materials.
To my mind this is hypocrisy. It is “do as I say, not do as I do.” Recycling is a complete loop. A joined circle. You are only recycling when you are buying recycled. For example, it is a cop-out for Apple to claim as part of the green credentials for their new MacBook Air that its enclosure is “highly recyclable” aluminium. ...
Tata and Chrysler to Collaborate on Making Electric Vehicles
by Jeremy Elton Jacquot, Los Angeles on 01.24.08
Image courtesy of DjohEnInde via flickr
Having just unveiled its $2,500 Nano to much fanfare, India's top carmaker, Tata Motors, is already setting its sights on the U.S. market; Reuters' Rina Chandran and The Hindu Business Line's Alka Kshirsagar are reporting that the Indian company has just signed a development contract with Chrysler - specifically its Global Electric Motorcars (GEM) unit - to bring an electric version of its Ace mini truck stateside.
Kshirsagar's industry sources informed him that the vehicle has already "passed required safety and reliability tests," and that the prototype is now "ready for production." The fully built Ace units Tata plans on sending GEM will lack an engine or gearbox; the American company will be tasked with equipping the units with motors and controllers....
TH Blog Love - Our Favourite Greens Of The Week
by Leonora Oppenheim, London, UK on 01.24.08
EcoStreet: 2008’s most desirable eco-gadgets by Tracey Stokes
"My very first green gadget was a SavaPlug that I wired to an old freezer that was used to store my allotment produce. The old freezer saw its demise a few years ago and has been replaced with a super-efficient model, but it was the start of my love affair with green gadgetry."
The Tao of Change: The Faces of Bio-diesel by Tao Oliveto
"Bio-fuels are an encouraging concept for all countries, but reverting back to a mass-production mentality could land us back in utopia-minded pergatory. By producing bio-fuel from industrialized GMO corn soy or sugar cane, you have taken one step forward and another back."...
Fourth Plinth: An Eco Option
by Bonnie Alter, London on 01.24.08
Trafalgar Square has 4 plinths (columns), three have historic statues on them and the fourth has been empty since 1841. For the past 8 years there has been a changing exhibition of different sculptures by contemporary artists, each on display for almost a year. These have included a coloured glass hotel, a marble torso (pictured), a clear resin cast of the plinth, and a tree. The proposals for the next round are on display and one of them is an eco sculpture by treehugger favourite Bob & Roberta Smith (who is actually one man).
Their idea is an illuminated peace sign: 'Faites L'Art, pas La Guerre (Make Art, Not War)' . It would be powered by sun and wind. It is a collaboration using renewable energy specialists, structural engineers and an architect. Smith said "The plinth has no power and you can't drill into it so I wanted to battle with those things and make something very tall that had a light show on it. We have done all the science on it and it will work." The Smiths have a sly sense of humour and always cause one to question art and elitism. In this case their beacon would commemorate art, not the military past, as the other plinths do. ...
Matteriashop: Good Design + Smart Materials – a New Online Shop
by Petz Scholtus, Barcelona, Spain on 01.24.08
Here’s a new shop paradigm for you: Shop according to the revealed ingredients of every object. Because those ingredients sure look yummy with a range of products made from sustainable wood, cork, bamboo, organic and recycled materials. Monica Potvin in Barcelona and Anu Suominen in Finland have joined forces and created ‘a new version shop presenting a collection of objects for living made as sustainable as possible’. Matteriashop is finally a shop that guarantees eco-smartness as well as fabulous design.
Through close collaboration with designers all over the globe, the Matteriashop offers a unique transparency and behind-the-scene information on each carefully selected product, taking into account its entire lifecycle. Monica Potvin explains:...
India Sets Up Wildlife Crime Control Bureau
by Kimberley D. Mok, Montreal, Canada on 01.23.08
With half of the world’s remaining tigers within its borders, the Indian government has finally stepped up to domestic and international pressure to keep poaching in check, announcing the opening of a wildlife crime control bureau on Wednesday. India’s forests ministry said that the agency will consist of experts from multiple disciplines ranging from law enforcement, environmental organizations, revenue and customs departments. The bureau will also oversee efforts to conserve and prevent the smuggling of other endangered populations such as leopards and Tibetan antelopes, as well as medicinal herbs. ...
Most Huggable: Cohousing Save Cash, Big Green Purse, Recycled Tires in Playgrounds + More
by Team Treehugger, Worldwide on 01.23.08
Take cohousing and add renewable energy, and what do you get? Big-time reductions in energy costs.
Check out GenGreen, the latest MySpace-esque site for the green leaning.
EcoLibris brings us Big Green Purse - Use Your Spending Power to Create a Cleaner, Greener World, a book by Diane McEachern.
Before you buy any new boxes or throw out your old, there are alternatives to simply recycling all your old cardboard.
Learn how recycled tires can be reincarnated as a soft playground landing for the kids.
Most Huggable is a regular roundup of some of the top stories from Hugg.com, TreeHugger’s user-generated green news site. Why not submit your own green news?...
TH Forums Highlights: Vote Your Conscience, LEDs in Your Home + More
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 01.23.08
1) Forums user openmind has a trifecta of green assertions: "Nuclear power serves our needs better than oil or coal. We could be running 100 mpg hybrid electric cars within 10 years. Hydro carbons (plastic) are long chains that only get shorter. Recycling them is futile. They should be converted to fuel. New landfills could be the first step to converting them to shorter chains to be used as fuels. The only way we can embrace new, greener methods effectively is to be wealthy enough to afford the conversion. Laws that impact the economy only to shave a few percent off our emissions are short sighted." Try out the Forums' polling functionality and vote your conscience.
2) User dink is wondering, "Has anyone switched over to all LED lighting yet in there home taking it to the next step past CFL?" Task lights and desk lamps are definitely coming in to their own and coming into vogue, but it seems like built-in systems and larger bulbs (like recessed can lighting) haven't quite hit the big-time yet; is it availability or price (or both) that's keeping LEDs from becoming the new CFLs? How long will it take? Discuss.
3) Forums user dink is back with a question very apropos to current events in the US this week, surrounding the possibility of an economic recession looming on the horizon: "Just a friendly debate....this is something I recently started pondering.....when upgrading to energy efficent products to your home are you really saving money? Or are you recovering money?" Turns out, going green can be a great way to help you get recession ready.
Today on Planet Green
by Jasmin Malik Chua, Jersey City, USA on 01.23.08
:: Meet Paul Weinstein of Truly Organic Apparel and find out what makes him a change maker.
:: Should schools be teaching your kids how to cook?
:: Is your car recession-ready?
:: If you're still hanging on to the gift cards you received over the holidays, here's how to trade 'em for cash.
:: Find out how to make a kitchen still life.
:: Learn how to go further with Woody Harrelson and his friends.
:: Here's another tip to get recession-ready: Brown bag it to work.
:: We show you how to avoid hazardous substances when you're looking to buy a new PC or monitor.
:: Conventional dry cleaners use toxic chemicals that can do a number on your health. So what's a person who needs clean clothing to do?
:: Is antibacterial soap any better than regular soap?...
Mexico City to Build 186 Miles of Bike Paths by 2012
by Eliza Barclay, Washington, D.C. on 01.23.08
Last week, we reported the disheartening news that car use has doubled in smoggy Mexico City in the last seven years. But as we've also noted, the current Mexico City government, headed up by Mayor Marcelo Ebrard (pictured with glasses), has shown admirable leadership in beginning to transform Mexico City into a more hospitable environment for bicyclists and public transport riders.
Just this week, Tanya Muller, director of urban reforestation, parks and bike paths for the mayor's office, announced that the city government has committed to build 186 miles (300 kilometers) of bike paths, or ciclovías, complemented by weekly street closings to vehicle traffic (not unlike what Bogota does), by 2012. It's an ambitious goal, and the city will have to build 37 miles (50 km) of paths every year for the next five years. The city will also construct a series of bike parking lots, watched by security guards, adjacent to Metro station hubs and in the financial district....
Whole Foods Bans the Bag
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 01.23.08
Phil Marino for The New York Times
Joining San Francisco, China, Australia, IKEA and more in an effort to cut back on plastic bags, Whole Foods announced yesterday that they won't be giving out plastic bags in their stores anymore. After testing it out with good results in stores in San Francisco, Austin, Texas and Toronto, they'll ban the bags in all of the chain's 270 stores starting on Earth Day, April 22.
The idea of cutting out disposable bags at a place like Whole Foods seems like it'd go together like peanut butter and jelly -- though bringing your own bag has been a hot TreeHugging tip for awhile now, as many of us can attest, knowing to do it and remembering to actually bring the bag along are two (maddeningly) different things --
the retailer estimates that they give out around 150 million plastic bags each year, so more than a few of us have been forgetting.
So, does this move by Whole Foods solve the "paper vs. plastic" debate forever?...
Secondary Packaging – The Silent Killer of the Environment
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 01.23.08
It's just stretch film- that thin plastic that they wrap around packages or packages of packages on pallets to hold them together, not much to it, one would think. Except according to Dennis Salazar,
The stretch film market - that nearly invisible product used to wrap pallets - is over 1.5 billion pounds annually. Stretch film is used for load retention and containment to get a product from one place to another. But after the product is received and the stretch wrap removed, it may well be re-palletized and then, of course, re-wrapped in more stretch film. If it sounds silly and wasteful, understand that scenario is probably played out tens of thousands of times each day between manufacturers, distribution centers and retailers. Guess where most of these 1.5 billion pounds wind up?
He is in the packaging business and wrote an eye-opener for Sustainable is Good.
...
For PCs, Refurbishing is better than Recycling
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 01.23.08
Edward Burtynsky- China Recycling #12
TreeHuggers know that recycling doesn't cut it any more; that reducing and re-using are far better solutions. With computers it was not always an option; the phrase used to be "Intel giveth and Microsoft taketh away" as we kept upgrading our machines to keep up with operating system and software upgrades. But now the internet rules, not the operating system, and as our survey showed, people are keeping their computers for longer and longer periods than before. Not only that, one can now build a business out of refurbishing old computers rather than recycling them. ...
Winter Tips For Summer Bicycle Trips: Part 1
by Andrew Posner, Providence, Rhode Island on 01.23.08
When winter closes in, all but the most ardent of cyclists pack their wheels away, and await the return of warmer days. Of course, winter is no reason to stop cycling for fun or recreation: we’ve provided tips on winter riding here, here and here. But even if you do continue riding, winter is an excellent time to start planning a summer bicycle trip. Given my own experience planning for, and undertaking, extended trips by bicycle, I thought I would offer a two-part series on how to plan for that trip you’ve always wanted to take.
Three summers ago, I rode my bike 3,800 miles from Newport News, Virginia, to San Francisco, California. Along the way, I met a surprising number of people who, upon hearing about the trip, told me they had always dreamt of doing something like that, but had never had the time. So here’s the deal: I offer the tips, advice and encouragement, and you find the time to make the trip a reality!...
A Passiv Haus in Urbana, Illinois
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 01.23.08
Jonasrisen of Greenline turns us on to Katrin Klingenberg's house in Urbana, Ill, that was built to the German Passiv standard. “The program specifications were written for Germany,” she notes. “But the climate here in Illinois is way more severe.” The great thing about looking at this house is that it becomes apparent that it is not an impossible standard to reach, it just takes good design, careful execution and a s**tload of insulation. You start with a boxy house- “The surface/volume ration has to be very good… you do not want to have a lot of nooks sticking out of your house… because you lose energy.”...
Less is More: iwavecube Microwave
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 01.23.08
TreeHugger is always on the lookout for smaller, more space- and energy-efficient versions of the stuff we all use every day. Recently, iwavecube microwave from Sharper Image caught our eye; it's like the microwave you have now, but smaller. While the Sharper Image markets them as a convenient addition to your collection of appliances, we think it could replace your current microwave and save you some counter space and maybe even a little electricity. If you only use your microwave to reheat a bowl of soup, something like this might be for you.
Like many things at TreeHugger, using microwaves is not a simple yes/no proposition: there's evidence that microwaves are more energy-efficient for some things, but that they're not that hard to live without; conventional microwave popcorn isn't too good for you (or the people who make it), but it's easy to make your own. So, if you're a microwaver, but don't cook entire meals with it, and could use the counter space, it's not a bad way to get more from less. ::Sharper Image via ::Unclutterer...
Ontario Bans Bans on Clotheslines
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 01.23.08
It is a scandal. For 50 years the Government of Ontario promoted planning policies that encouraged the building of neat and tidy subdivisions with tight restrictive covenants that prevent all kinds of things that might be ugly, like wind turbines and solar collectors. Now, it's the thin edge of the wedge as they bring in legislation that abolishes restrictions on clotheslines for anyone who lives in a freehold detached, semi-detached or row house.
"We have a clothesline -- both at our home and at our cottage,'' [environment minister Gerry] Phillips said. "My neighbour has her clothes out all winter long . . . . Most homes right now can put up a clothesline and it's worked pretty well.''
Clothes dryers use about 900 kilowatt hours of electricity a year on average, or about six per cent of residential electricity consumption. By hanging one-quarter of their laundry loads out to dry, Phillips said consumers could save about $30 a year on their electricity bills while helping to reduce greenhouse gases.
"It's a no-brainer,'' he said. "It's a really good idea.'' ::Guelph Mercury
Next thing you know people will be allowed to rip up their driveways or put photovoltaics on their roof or build wind farms that I can see from my cottage dock. What is the world coming to?
See also Do Clotheslines Really Lower Property Value? , Get Ready for National Hanging Out Day and ::Fight For Your Right... to Dry...
Spinal Tap's Custom "Global Warming" Guitar for Sale on eBay
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 01.23.08
If you were inspired by Spinal Tap's reunion at last summer's Live Earth concert and "Warmer than Hell," their new single that accompanied the band's return to the spotlight, have we got something for you: Nigel Tufnel's one-of-a-kind, custom-made Ernie Ball Global Warming guitar that he played at the concert, now available on an eBay auction.
This piece of rock memorabilia won't come cheap -- current bids are up to $12,101 with seven days to go -- but if you couldn't make it to Live Earth, having a custom guitar that was might be the next best thing. No word on whether this one goes to 11, but it does have a functioning LED thermometer; hit the jump for a close-up pic and all the guitar-geek details. ::Ernie Ball via ::eBay...
Future Green: Prognostications For 2008 & Beyond
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 01.23.08
Perhaps you've seen our team post about what's coming: "2008: A Year Of Change For The Environment And Us" We're talking "Year of The Tree" of course. Also, Collin previously offered "2008 Consumer Trends: Green is the New Everything" to tempt us trend watchers.
Speaking of trends:- A Shell Oil executive from the UK has offered two fascinating 20+ year scenario views of climate and energy issues. One of them, called "Scramble," is the the gloomier of the two - but keep reading, please, until you get through to the happier scenario called Blueprints - and it certainly seems as if the last several years have us on a Scramble trajectory.
First, the general background as Mr Smith sees it. In the period to 2050, global energy demand is going to double under the pressures of population growth and economic development. Even if there is a fantastic increase in renewable energy it won't be anywhere enough to keep up with demand. As a result, fossil fuels – coal especially – will still constitute 60 per cent of the energy mix....
Global Warming Talk Scarce at Big Coal-Sponsored Debates
by Jeremy Elton Jacquot, Los Angeles on 01.23.08
Image courtesy of Isaac Brekken for NYT
Sure, preying upon peoples' sensibilities by using kids to push your product is a good start, but - when you're Big Coal - that type of PR work is just the tip of the iceberg. As we briefly mentioned in a prior piece, Big Coal has funneled $35 million into an organization called "Americans for Balanced Energy Choices" (ABEC) to counter the "smears" and "misperceptions" it alleges have wrongly tarnished its "reputable" name.
Kevin Grandia at DeSmogBlog recently unearthed a copy of the organization's request for proposals for PR assistance in Nevada, touting - among other dubious things - the importance of selling Americans on the benefits of "clean coal."...
Wayback Machine 1958: The Future of Glass
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 01.23.08
Philip Johnson's Glass House
Here is an interesting prediction of the future from Smith Rairdon, director of marketing for Owens-Illinois Glass Company, about the future of glass, made in 1958:
"In the year 2008 a bride will be carried over the threshold of a glass house. Her kitchen may be glass-walled with a glass refrigerator, glass chairs, shelves and cabinets.
"She'll cook with throwaway glass containers which she plucks from the supermarket shelves, uses as cooking utensils in an electronic oven and then places on a dining table as serving dishes." ::Paleo-Future...
Being Sustainable: Easy as 1-2-3, then 4, 5, 6 and 7.
by Marian Hopkins, Business Roundtable on 01.23.08
An inside look at actually making it happen
Once a company commits to ‘sustainability,’ then what? While many Business Roundtable members, like DuPont, Alcoa, and GE are leading the way implementing sustainable business practices, how do companies initiate this process if they starting at the beginning?
With pressure for action increasing from shareholders, policymakers and the public, many companies must balance the steep learning curve of implementing sustainable growth with the harsh realities of meeting the bottom line. This is where Business Roundtable is at its best. As an organization of 160 CEOs of leading U.S. companies, we have actively encouraged the cross pollination of ideas on sustainability for many years. And we have the guidance and resources to meet these challenges. For companies, “Doing well, by doing good” does not have to mean doing it alone.
Our “S.E.E. Change” (Social, Environmental, Economic) initiative is just one example of bringing together the enormous resources of the private sector, providing members learn-by-sharing venues, and comparing best practices. It is a platform to assist member companies from the drawing board to the realization of sustainable growth programs.
...But is it Vegan? The Chicken Fat for Biofuel Debate Heats Up
by Sami Grover, Carrboro, NC, USA on 01.23.08
While this TreeHugger’s local biodiesel supplier, Piedmont Biofuels, may get its hands dirty in everything from soap making to community supported agriculture in an effort to support local resilience and resource efficiency, that does not put it above criticism from some quarters. Recently a row has broken out in the local press over Piedmont’s use of poultry fat as a feedstock. On the one side stand the vegan-purists, who claim that any purchase of waste animal fats is inexcusable, due to the support it gives to the factory farming industry:
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Survey: Should We Promote "Better" Bottled Water?
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 01.23.08
Mairi pointed us to a new bottled water that eliminates the PET bottle in favor of a sort of bagged water that requires "75% less energy to produce, and is recyclable. Reports show that 77% of all PET water bottles end up in landfills, and if our packaging gets disposed of, it occupies 96% less landfill space." She also suggests that we would be kidding ourselves if we think that we could convince organizers of events like the Golden Globes to forgo bottled water completely, so that perhaps this is the lesser of two evils.
Online Surveys
| Free Poll
| Email Marketing
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More Cities Jumping on the Hybrid Bus Bandwagon
by Jeremy Elton Jacquot, Los Angeles on 01.23.08
Image courtesy of Aaron Gustafson via flickr
Even the prospect of a $100,000 plus price hike has proven insufficient in deterring public transit agencies from snatching up orders for diesel-electric hybrid buses. As USA Today's Jordan Shrader reported yesterday, the list of major cities to lap up hybrid bus fleets has seen its number increase by 4, with Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, Minneapolis and St. Paul recently ordering more than 1,700 new buses.
The two biggest competitors offering the hybrid bus systems are GM and BAE Systems - which recently sold another 850 to NYC's Metropolitan Transportation Authority (itself no stranger to clean air buses); GM has currently sold almost 1,000 systems to transit systems in over 70 communities while BAE Systems has sold over 1,100 units to transit systems in 6 U.S. and Canadian communities....
Hyundai i30: 2007 Green Car (and Car) of the Year
by Warren McLaren, Sydney on 01.23.08
If you can’t wait for the commercial arrival of Trev, the renewal energy vehicle, then roadsters in places like the UK and Australia may wish to consider the Hyundai i30, which picked up both the 2007 Car of the Year and 2007 Green Car of the Year in Australia.
Although claimed to have a fuel consumption of 4.7 litres per 100km, the i30 1.6-litre turbo-diesel managed to complete the 2007 World Solar Challenge conventional vehicle class (PDF) on a smell-of-an-oily-rag 3.2litres/100km (73.5 mpg!), while producing 97g/km of emissions. For comparision a Prius petrol hybrid averaged 5.6litres/100km with emissions of 146g/km....
The Secret Life of Cell Phones
by Leonora Oppenheim, London, UK on 01.23.08
What Does Bio Mean To EU?
by April Streeter, Gothenburg, Sweden on 01.23.08
"Choose local" says this headline.
Europe has fought back against the multiplicity of labels for organically produced foods by making it a law that by the first of next year all such foods must carry the new green Euro "bio" label, which will soon start to make an appearance on packaging.
While it will may confuse an already label-overburdened consumer, the EU label is designed to co-exist with other systems. Sweden's agricultural minister Eskil Erlandsson thinks it's a good idea that will lead to increased buying of organic food. But country-specific eco/bio/organic labeling systems think it's a hastily thought up and ugly graphic that will a) confuse the many consumers for whom "bio" doesn't mean much, and b) make inroads into their (sometimes pricey) certification systems. And it doesn't do much to promote locally produced foods that may be better from a sustainability standpoint, as Svenskt Sigill's award-winning recent ads try to do. Via ::Eko-Tänk (Swedish)
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Sneak Preview: Prouvé Prefab Rises Again
by Bonnie Alter, London on 01.23.08
This iconic house, which is an architectural and treehugger favourite, was originally erected in Brazzaville, Republic of Congo in 1951. Designed by the architect Jean Prouvé to serve as a model for flatpack houses in that city, it was found in a dilapidated state, riddled with bullet holes. The building was taken to France by Eric Touchaleaume, an antique dealer, and later sold to New York hotelier André Balazs for $5M.
Its appearance on the banks of the Thames was due to a chance meeting of Balazs, who was visiting the Prouvé show at the Design Museum, and its director. Balazs offered the loan of the house, then the head of the Tate Modern said sure, put it in front of my museum. That's how things happen in the art world. A team of 11 french experts is re-assembling the three-bedroom, 46-ton steel and aluminum house. The Tate is expecting 2 million people to pay to walk through it over a nine week period. :: Design Museum...
The TH Interview: Bill Nye the Science Guy
by Kenny Luna, North Babylon, NY on 01.23.08
Image credit: Planet Green
He’s one of the world’s foremost scientific educators and comedians, and if you’ve spent time in a science classroom recently there’s a good chance you’ve been exposed to the magic of Bill Nye. I caught up with him recently, and learned what he has to say about the growing green movement in America, his friendly eco-competition with neighbor Ed Begley Jr., the current group of presidential candidates, and why swing dancing (yes, swing dancing) is his favorite form of eco-friendly exercise. But mostly I found that he’s as fun in person as he is on TV. Enjoy!
TreeHugger: So many of us grew up watching you on television or have heard about your friendly eco-competition with Ed Begley. Can you tell us a bit about what you’re up to now, and how you’re making your own life greener?...
Inuit Kids March in Streets to Protest Pebble Bay Mine in Alaska
by Kenny Luna, North Babylon, NY on 01.23.08
So why are these 7th grade Inuit kids marching in the streets? Well, on first glance you might expect that they've taken to the streets to protest the relative indifference of many over the threat to their way of life posed by global warming. But they’re actually taking on another issue that strikes close to home, and they’re letting the world know about it…...
Reminder: Greener Gadgets Conference Coming Next Week
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 01.22.08
Solar-powered? Hydrogen fuel cells? Recycled? Recyclable? What does a green gadget look like? If you're planning on going to the Greener Gadgets Conference on February 1 (next Friday) in New York City, you'll catch a glimpse of a few different visions and versions of the future of green consumer electronics. And TreeHugger can help get you in with a discount.
Type "Treehugger20" in the coupon field as you register and you'll get 20% off the listed ticket price; your ticket gets you lunch, beverages and refreshments throughout the day, access to the Event Gallery space and a ticket to the post conference cocktail reception. But you'll have to hustle; the discount is only good through this Thursday, the 24th. ...
Cuba Bans Turtle Hunt to Protect Species
by Eliza Barclay, Washington, D.C. on 01.22.08
Recently, we noted that the end of the United States' economic embargo against Cuba could be bad news for the Caribbean nation's impressive successes in environmental protection. In the meantime, however, Cuba continues to enact cutting edge environmental policies, distinguishing it from its Latin neighbors and island nations around the world.
Setting yet another high standard, Cuba this weekend outlawed the hunt of endangered marine turtles, Reuters's environmental news service reported. For several years, Cuba has had a legal fishery quota of 500 hawksbill turtles a year to maintain its export of turtle shells, but has responded to entreaties from conservationists to ban hunting. According to the Cuban Fisheries Ministry's director of regulations, the ban will remain in effect until there is sufficient scientific evidence that the species is recovering.
Two fishing communities that still hunted turtles, Nuevitas in Camaguey province and Cocodrilo on the Isle of Youth, will receive funding from the Canadian International Development Agency to find alternative sources of income and modernize their fishing fleets. The World Wildlife Fund is also working with Cuban fishermen to develop new sustainable economic opportunities.:: Via Planet Ark...
Today on Planet Green
by Jasmin Malik Chua, Jersey City, USA on 01.22.08
:: Join the thrift revolution by bringing wartime money-savers back into vogue.
:: Try a new vegetable: This week, it's the knobby-looking celeriac.
:: What do green tea, chocolate, red wine, and citrus have in common?
:: Lloyd kicks off his new series on how to get recession-ready.
:: Make your own chipotle black bean burritos.
:: Forlorn because your laptop won't fit in an envelope like the Macbook Air can? Get a bigger envelope.
:: Here are our top 10 ways to tighten your belt in the kitchen.
:: Learn seven different ways you can make your tiny quarters look bigger.
:: Before you buy that shiny new toy, here are some questions you should ask yourself, first.
:: If you're a film buff, consider joining this DVD-of-the-month club with a difference.
:: Get kissably sweet skin, even in winter, with this easy-to-make honey moisturizer.
:: Are you really hungry, or is it just your thirst talking?
:: Instead of spending over a hundred bucks on a manufactured sled, consider building your own....
California's Flood Risks: A 'Disaster Waiting to Happen'?
by Jeremy Elton Jacquot, Los Angeles on 01.22.08
Image courtesy of Kevin via flickr
In an effort to avert another Katrina-level disaster, California officials recently commissioned a review panel to evaluate the flood risks facing the state's Central Valley. The results were less than encouraging: According to the panel, chaired by Gerald E. Galloway of the University of Maryland, the area between the Sacramento and San Joaquin river floodplains faces "significant risk of floods that could lead to extensive loss of life and billions of dollars in damages."
At fault, the panel's report indicated, are the area's levees - some built as far back as 150 years ago - which were either poorly built or positioned on unstable foundations. The panel's recommendations center on strategic integration with other basin water management activities and more effective land-use planning....
Let's Talk About Pellet Stoves
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 01.22.08
Photo credit: solangelem
Pellet and corn-burning stoves and furnaces are a hot (ha!) topic here at TreeHugger, for good reason; they can provide an alternative to gas or electric heating, and generally have fewer particulate emissions than burning wood. In some cases, though, the idea of replacing or augmenting your current heating setup with a pellet/corn-based option creates as many questions as it answers, as we found in an Ask TreeHugger column dedicated to the subject.
If you're keen to cut the fossil fuels out of your home heating equation, or are an experienced pellet burner happy to spread your knowledge around, check out the sites and forums at IBurnCorn.com and IBurnPellets.com; from pre-purchase questions to brand-specific questions, where to find pellets to the big picture of where stove use relates to global warming and the environment, there's lots of good tips and pertinent info for those who want to burn biomass instead of gas or coal. Check 'em out at ::IBurnCorn.com and ::IBurnPellets.com via tipster Gary
See also: Thinking of Buying a Pellet Stove? We Can Help!
Update: Check out our guide to Buy Green: Pellet Stoves over on our sister site, Planet Green. You know they're a great green way to heat -- learn where to get one and take action today!...
On the Stands: the New Dwell Magazine
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 01.22.08
We noticed changes in the works a while back- interesting and talented people, like Geoff Manough of BLDGBLOG and Sarah Rich of Inhabitat and Worldchanging (and others from prefabland who we can't confirm) were showing up for work at Dwell, leaving the pixel-land for the dead tree world. It seemed like inauspicious timing; with the shelter market crashing, whither shelter mags?
Dwell certainly is investing in the future and it's a greener one- new slender proportions to reduce paper use and soy-based inks and a complete redesign, right down to the typeface of the masthead, by Kyle Blue. Publisher Michela O'Connor Abrams told the San Francisco Chronicle : "These changes are completely in step with our driving philosophy that great design is sustainable design," the magazine had been looking for high-quality recycled paper stock for some time, she says. Abrams confirms that the recycled paper costs more but "because we need less of it thanks to the new size, we just reinvest those savings to cover the higher cost."
But what about the content?
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Eating Green: Locavore vs. Life Cycle
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 01.22.08
Yesterday, NPR's Here & Now program hosted author James McWilliams, to talk about "locavores" (it's the 2007 Word of the Year, after all) and some of the ins and outs of food miles vs. life cycle as a way to measure the impact of your eating choices. The gist: sometimes, it takes more energy to grow and harvest local food than it does to grow it far away and have it shipped in, e.g. if you're trying to reduce your carbon footprint, local food isn't always the best choice.
Though this isn't the first time we've discussed this idea, the whole segment is worth a listen. If you're looking for one takeaway, it should probably be this: there is no silver bullet, no one right way to consume food, all the time. Food miles, seasonality and energy inputs (was that chicken raised on grass pasture or fed engineered slop in a cage?) are all important considerations when sourcing your food; eating green is not about putting the blinders on to "eat local" at all costs, or "eat organic," or any other eating buzzword. Eating green is a lifestyle, a mindful way to approach how you fuel yourself without requiring too much fuel from the planet. ::Here & Now...
Treadmills Suck. (Kilowatts)
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 01.22.08
So the holidays are over and it's back to the gym and on to the treadmill. But it isn't one of those that we have discussed at TreeHugger that generates power from its machinery, it is a standard electric powered gym machine. Catherine Porter of the Star did a little research and "It turns out that the average treadmill uses around 1500 watts -- the equivalent of 15 of those old-fashioned light bulbs we've all chucked this week. So, over 30 minutes, you use .75 kilowatt-hours (logic= 1.5 kw x 0.5 hours) -- the same amount you'd use to light up your Christmas tree for six hours." And in the States, pumps out about two pounds of CO2, not including what you are exhaling. So pick a machine without a plug. ::The Green Life...
Skate Study House
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 01.22.08
Le Corbusier, Pierre Jeanneret Recliner
It's Case Study and mid-century modern furniture reinterpreted in skateboard decks. It appears to be for an exhibition in Paris starting January 28 at Colette called "Skate Study House," created by Pierre-André Senizergues (who appears to own Etnies) and Gil De Le Bon Lapointe, who reinterpret parts of the most famous contemporary design and pays homage to the famous Case Study House project.
Talk about repurposing and recycling!...
Hotelling: Its Baaaack!
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 01.22.08
It started with Jay Chiat who had a vision: "Take away employees' cubicles and desks, equip them all with portable phones and Powerbooks, and turn them into wandering nomads who could perform their tasks wherever they liked." He hired Frank Gehry to design the building. It died a squalid death in 1998 when the firm abandoned the building and the idea and moved back into cubicles.
But times change, technologies improved, and now hotelling- also called hot-desking- is back- where employees don't have fixed desks or offices but work on the road, at home or in groups supported by the equipment they need. It saves a lot of space and it could save a lot of energy. ...
Is it a Prefab or is it a Boat?
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 01.22.08
Protoype of Arctic housing unit, Rankin Inlet, Nunavut, October, 2007
Perhaps it is a bit of both; Brock Junkin of Rankin inlet was inspired by the traditional Inuit practice of turning a summer hunting boat upside down for a winter shelter. Covey Island Boatworks President John Steele says "He’s lived there for a number of years now and says housing we are used to just doesn’t work in that environment. It’s like taking something out of a southern subdivision and putting it up there. It just doesn’t work."
According to Renee Stevens in the Nova Scotia Chronicle Herald, The structure, which looks similar in style to the traditional upside-down boat, not only looks like a marine vessel but is built like one too. It was constructed using the same methods and supplies that the company uses to build any of its custom-design boats. Instead of drywall and vinyl siding, this home is made mostly of wood and epoxy....
2008: A Year Of Change For The Environment And Us
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 01.22.08
With US Presidential elections, a potential recession, and climate policy in the air, TreeHugger has put its collective head together to channel information from the great beyond about the year ahead. We’ve called up the most mind-rattling 2008 prognostications about all matters environmental.
What a tumultuous seance it was (as pictured). Our psychic predictions range from a more energy-efficient Latin America to an oral virus-pandemic. Forget the ‘waronterra.’ The Population Bomb is back.
Year Of The Tree: The US political simile of "grass roots" campaigning or "grass roots" efforts of any kind will get a new twist in 2008: "tree-roots.” Critics of carbon offsetting via tree planting or fostering sustainable forestry practices miss the point. People just love trees. They love planting trees themselves...or hiring someone to do it on the cheap.
Add a couple of bucks to the price of an airline ticket: has there ever been a cheaper more convenient, way to plant trees? Ignore the carbon offsetting aspect. Buy an offset (dedicated for tree planting) and you're good to go. Offsetting with trees will grow in popularity, not recede. The FTC and those cynical cable talk show pundits can take a hike. Hopefully, somewhere they can see the forest....
Ban or No Ban: The Debate over Plastic Bags in LA (UPDATED)
by Jeremy Elton Jacquot, Los Angeles on 01.22.08
Image courtesy of Zainub via flickr
Will Los Angeles follow San Francisco's lead and become California's second major city to adopt a plastic bag ban? After some initial progress, the measure seems to have hit a wall: As Emerald City's Siel recently noted, a vote by the LA County Board of Supervisors to determine whether disposable plastic bags should be taxed or outright banned has been cast into doubt after the supervisors made a last-minute decision to water down some of the pollution plan's key provisions.
Several local environmental groups, including Heal the Bay, are urging supporters to attend a rally at noon to protest the supervisors' decision to back down on the measure and to advocate for a complete ban. Heal the Bay has been a leading voice on this issue and was frustrated to see its efforts to curry an agreement with the supes fall apart....
Survey: How Old Is Your Computer?
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 01.22.08
A post on laptops vs desktops sparked a vigorous internal debate about how long computers last in the age of the linux and the browser, where internet speed is the limiter on our work, not the processor speed. One doesn't need to change their computers every two or three years any more, (Mark, our computer writer, chisels his messages on an eight year old laptop) but many still do. (If you have a Macbook Air urge, see Buy a Bigger Envelope on Planet Green)
Online Surveys
| Free Poll
| Email Marketing
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Beam Me Up Charlie: Prince Charles Makes Holographic Appearance at Energy Summit
by Sami Grover, Carrboro, NC, USA on 01.22.08
Sometimes, in our search for cool new green tech, the world starts to feel decidedly Sci-Fi. Prince Charles has previously graced our pages for both his attempts to cut his carbon footprint AND his exceptionally good sandwhich making abilities, but his latest headline-hitting green antics are probably the coolest yet. The heir to the British throne made an appearance last week at the Abu Dhabi World Future energy summit, but not in person or even through a video link up. His Royal Highness gave a speech as a hologram:...
Should We Promote the "Better" Bottled Water?
by Mairi Beautyman, Berlin, Germany on 01.22.08
The bottled water controversy: We can tell you the shocking fossil fuel and greenhouse gas figures, ponder the ethics, and give you a million reasons to ditch it. But right now, it is still out there, filling up our landfills. So do we compromise? Utah-based bottled water producer Park City Ice Water is selling that road--and celebs are jumping on board. The GlacierPak, according to the company, requires 75 percent less energy to produce, and is recyclable. If it is not recycled, it takes up 96 percent less landfill space. ...
Meet Trev, the Two-seater, Renewable Energy Vehicle
by Warren McLaren, Sydney on 01.22.08
Staff and students at the University of South Australia have designed and built a prototype of what they reckon might be the future commuter car for Australian cities. Trev sounds rather impressive. He goes from 0 to 100kph in 10 secs, has a top speed of 120 km/h, with a travel range of 150+km between charges of his 7kWh 44kg lithium ion polymer battery.
When charged from mains power he costs you $1 AUD per 100km to run, using what is said to be 1/5th of the energy of conventional car. Not that there is anything conventional about Trev....
Gisele Bundchen Launches Flip Flop Line Drawing Attention to Conscious Use of Water
by Paula Alvarado, Buenos Aires on 01.22.08
Brazilian supermodel Gisele Bundchen has designed a new line of rubber sandals for Ipanema brand, and for its presentation and advertising campaign, they have chosen to raise awareness about conscious use of water.
The model and brand are supporting a campaign by various organizations to protect the water of the Xingu river, which flows into the Amazon and is suffering from the deforestation in the region. They are also driving attention and supporting campaigns such as WWF's Springs from Brazil and Social-Environmental Institute's De Olho nos Mananciais, which are protecting several water resources near Sao Paulo.
On top of this, they have put up a website with domestic tips for people to save water at home and they have followed their premises in the spot that presents the sandals: all water used in it was re-used to clean the studio and irrigate gardens....
It is Art
by Bonnie Alter, London on 01.22.08
You are walking into a magical forest of pine trees, with the fresh smell of evergreens in the air. Part of the forest is dense, and claustrophobic with different paths leading in several directions. There are trees hanging from the ceiling, others are nailed to the floor. You end up in an opening with one dead, needle-less tree and one stark burned trunk in a shiny white room. Another path leads to an open space with a few hanging trees in front of a window, the light of the city flowing in.
Except this whole scene is an installation in a deserted office located in the commercial heart of London. The trees, all 200 of them, are old christmas trees, ready to be recycled, collected from the streets of London. The artists found and collected them all in one day after the holidays and some were delivered, courtesy of the local municipality.
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EU To Pump Up Hot Air Capture
by April Streeter, Gothenburg, Sweden on 01.22.08
It's not pretty, it's CO2 capture and storage
Tomorrow's a big day for Europe and the future of alternative energy development and regional climate efforts - the EU Commission will present its directive on the plan get 20 percent of energy from renewable sources by 2020 - plus fixed targets for GHG emission reductions. It's a bit of an uneven playing field - Sweden and Latvia already get around 40 % from renewables, the UK around 3%. The directive will try to fix the lame Emissions Trading System (ETS) which has given a lot of money to utilities and done little to lower emissions. It is also supposed to include a carbon capture (CCS) provision that any power plants of 300 MW or more must include a system to sequester its CO2 emissions.
In a world where the true costs of power were externalized for all to see, this might spell the death knell for King Coal and help bring solar and wind and tidal energies further to the energy spotlight. Instead, the EU will also ask for over $200 million to speed carbon capture's technological advancement and its cost-effectiveness. So the companies are lining up with carbon capture projects - Sweden's Vattenfall will be one of the first to unveil carbon capture at the Schwarze Pumpe coal-fired plant in Germany. Their are critics on both sides of the carbon capture question....
Big Coal Turning Kids Into Pushers This Primary Season
by Kenny Luna, North Babylon, NY on 01.22.08
With hotly-contested Primaries in full swing it may be no surprise to learn that some special interests are willing to stoop to the lowest level imaginable if they believe it will help make their message memorable. But Big Coal has certainly taken things a step too far…...
F*&king Recycle, a Poster Collection by Becky Redman
by Petz Scholtus, Barcelona, Spain on 01.22.08
F*&king Recycle is the latest poster collection by graphic designer Becky Redman. Designed to increase awareness and promote action, the 50 colourful and provoking posters do exactly that. With encouraging messages to get people to recycle everything that can possibly be recycled (glass, aluminium, paper, cans, etc.) and notes such as ‘one recycled aluminium can will save enough energy to power a television for three hours’, 'every eight months the UK produces enough waste to fill Lake Windermere’ or ‘plastic can take up to 500 years to decompose’, this is a great collection of typographic exploration, using intense colours to spread alarming facts and get people to recycle. All posters have been screen printed on 100% recycled paper and posted in public. Click here to see the full collection. (more posters after the jump)...
Another One Bites The Dust: Bata Shoe, The Movie
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 01.21.08
Les Moutons, They Are Full of Fire Retardants
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 01.21.08
Je ne sais pas -SHE DOESN'T KNOW- D'ou ils viennent- WHERE THEY COME FROM- Je les balaie- SHE SWEEPS- but the next day they are all over her house, Les Moutons- Dust Balls.
That 1974 chart-topper from Canada's little sparrow, Nancy White, kept running through my brain as I read about the latest study on dust bunnies that indicates that "a persistent and bioaccumulative flame retardant" known as Dechlorane Plus (more on this chemical in TreeHugger here) can be found in household dust. Although not much is known about its toxicity, "The chemical's structure is similar to that of organochlorine pesticides such as heptachlor, chlordane, aldrin, and mirex, all of which have been either banned or restricted in the U.S." ::ES&T, see also earlier ES&T
This joins previously found PDBEs (polybrominated diphenyl ethers), a gender-bender chemical that is a common fire retardant and is crumbling out of our couches and building up in the dust bunnies. A study by Miriam Diamond of the University of Toronto a few years ago determined that house dust was the main route of exposure to PDBEs.
The bunnies pass on the chemicals to children and are found in breast milk, can cause thyroid problems and newborn mice exposed to PBDEs have learning and motor-skill problems.
Like me, Nancy White hangs out on Freecycle and we met online; I asked her if I could share Les Moutons with TreeHuggers as the new anthem for fighting PDBE-laden dust bunnies to the death and she graciously agreed. Listen to it here and to more at ::Nancy White
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Ancient Antarctic Lake Could Reveal Clues about Early Life and Climate Change
by Jeremy Elton Jacquot, Los Angeles on 01.21.08
What secrets to life and climate change could lie hidden beneath the surface of Antarctica's ice sheets? Andy Smith from the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) - who believes an ancient lake there could reveal new insights on future sea-level rises and the evolution of life under harsh conditions - is leading an expedition to find out.
The lake in question - Lake Ellsworth - is located 3.2 km beneath the ice and is approximately 105 m deep; these criteria, Smith explains, make it an ideal study site for future investigations to examine early microbial life and climate records. If all goes as planned, Smith and his team next plan on building a probe that will drill down into the lake to sample the lake's water - possibly as early as 2012....
UK Deploying Armada of Robot Submarines and Sensors to Monitor Gulf Stream
by Jeremy Elton Jacquot, Los Angeles on 01.21.08
Image courtesy of UNC
It's not often that you hear scientists cite the latest Hollywood fare as inspiration for their work. Yet Meric Srokosz of the Southampton Oceanographic Centre, explaining the purpose of the $31 million Rapid Watch system he is heading up, does just that, citing the plotline of "The Day After Tomorrow" - specifically the collapse of the Gulf Stream - as a potential occurrence that warrants further investigation. The Observer's Robin McKie lays out the relevant details:
"An armada of robot submarines and marine sensors are to be deployed across the Atlantic, from Florida to the Canary Islands, to provide early warning that the Gulf Stream might be failing, an event that would trigger cataclysmic freezing in Britain for decades."...
Israel Says Shalom to Electric Cars
by Andrew Posner, Providence, Rhode Island on 01.21.08
When you are a tiny country with almost no oil, located in a volatile region, and your gasoline consistently sells for over $6 a gallon, electric cars are an especially attractive option. We recently told you about Shai Agassi, an American-Israeli entrepreneur, and his plans to make electric cars sell like cell phones. Under the innovative model, "purchasers get subsidized hardware — the car — and pay a monthly fee for expected mileage, like minutes on a cellphone plan, eliminating concerns about the fluctuating price of gasoline." When we first covered the story last November, "the Israeli government [had] recently given a vote of confidence in support" of the idea. Now, the NY Times is reporting that today "the Israeli government will announce its support for a broad effort to promote the use of electric cars, embracing a joint venture between an American-Israeli entrepreneur and Renault and its partner, Nissan Motor Company."
Any concern that this project will go the way of the EV1 should be allayed by the fact that Project Better Place, Mr. Agassi's company, "has put up $100 million for the project."...
TREEconomist Hosts Carnival of the Green
by Kara DiCamillo, Newport, Rhode Island on 01.21.08
This week is Carnival of the Green # 111 and it's being hosted by TREEconomist, a site that's dedicated to the analysis and discussion of environmental economic policy. So head on over to their site to check out a round up of green news and events from the past few weeks, submitted by other bloggers and green sites. To learn more about Carnival of the Green, where it will be and how to host (we are now booking into 2009!), please click here to link to our previous post. ...
Carabanchel Housing by Foreign Office Architects
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 01.21.08
Here is one way to make a building green: wrap it in bamboo. It makes sense in Madrid, where this apartment building was built on a north-south axis so it gets a lot of sun. Foreign Office Architects put a continuous five foot wide balcony around the building and covered it with bamboo louvres that the owners can operate themselves, creating " the possibility of a differentiated appearance of the units so that inhabitants would have the opportunity to acquire some form of personal identification with their residences."...
Model Ecopolis Called Masdar
by April Streeter, Gothenburg, Sweden on 01.21.08
Today the WWF and the city of Abu Dhabi released more details (here's our first story) of the 47,500 inhabitant eco-town called Masdar ("the source" in Arabic) that they plan to raise from the desert floor. WWF provided ten sustainable-city concepts, the UK's Foster and Partners is supplying the design, and a new Abu Dhabi corporation is contributing the cash for the walled Masdar City, which will stretch out 3.5 miles and is planned to be carbon neutral, zero waste and car free.
Like Dongtan near Shanghai, Masdar is to be created from the ground (or the sand) up. It's a little disturbing that in Dongtan's case, a bird haven is being encroached upon, and in Masdar's case a strip of fresh-water-free desert near the Abu Dhabi airport with daytime temps of up to 50C is the site. The WWF says it will independently verify Masdar's eco-performance. Electricity will come from photvoltaic panels, cooling from concentrated solar power, water from a solar-powered desalination plant, and landscaping irrigated with city gray water. Sound utopic? There are even more marvels, below the fold!...
The Go Green Initiative's School of the Week: E.R. Hughes Elementary, New Hartford, NY!
by Kenny Luna, North Babylon, NY on 01.21.08
When you’ve got committed teachers like Matt Arnold and Catherine Alessandrini, it’s no wonder that Hughes Elementary is a leader in the Go Green Initiative. In fact, their students have already cut waste usage by 50% and are just getting warmed up…
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Dining in 2015: Eco-cook
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 01.21.08
Kechenyi Camille from France won honourable mention with Eco-cook:
In 2015, environment problems from energy will become more and more serious. I believe that everyone’s life will be concerned. Thus kitchenware will be modernise to reduce energy consumption. My eco-cook is an object that helps to save water, energy and time. Everyday, everyone, has to cook pasta, rice or various vegetable. Therefore different pots are needed. In a unique pot, the eco-cook enables to divide 2 or 3 space and to boil different food at the same time....
Dining in 2015: Din-Ink
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 01.21.08
Designboom competitions are so much fun. The theme of the latest was Dining in 2015 and it got 4843 entries from 98 countries. Din-ink, designed by andrea cingoli + paolo emilio bellisario + cristian cellini + francesca fontana from italy, was one of the three winners:
Turn your favourite office tool from your desk in a common cutlery...this is din-ink. A set of pen caps, including a fork-cap, a knife-cap and a spoon-cap, that replaces the normal pen cap during lunch time! All caps are made by annually renewable resources, like natural starch and fibres, to be 100% biodegradable and atoxic, warranting the best alimentary use. Dispensing each set in a compostable packaging the whole set is designed to respect the environment. Now give your office ballpoint pen a good excuse to be gnawed by your teeth: use them for din-ink." ::Din-ink...
The Original Solar Trees (from Adelaide)
by Warren McLaren, Sydney on 01.21.08
All the acclaim afforded to Ross Lovegrove’s solar tree lighting in Vienna, Austria has made this TreeHugger turn a little parochial. ‘Coz, you see, that country with the confusingly similar name; Australia, already had gorgeous and fully functioning solar trees way back in September 2005. Known as the Solar Mallee Trees, (more pics below) because they bear a visual association to their tough eucalyptus namesake.
“Each of the solar trees produces an average of 864 kWh per annum but uses only 125 kWh of energy, returning excess energy generated to the power grid. That saves about two tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions each year and is the equivalent of planting six ‘real’ trees every year.” Said a state minister PDF, when she unveiled them just before the arrival of the photovolatic cars in the 2005 World Solar Challenge. ...
Sydney’s Rainwater Harvesting Goes Underground
by Warren McLaren, Sydney on 01.21.08
Although the east coast of Australia has been getting a does of wet weather recently its long term water sustainability is not secure. Especially around major population centres like Sydney, the country’s most populous city. Now it seems like an unusual rainwater harvesting scheme for the centre business district (CBD) is finally going ahead.
The project, which commenced last week, is to use large rainwater tanks built atop of Parliament House, the State Library and Sydney Hospital. These hold 60,000 litres each, but the water will be fed into St James Lake, which is really an old unused railway tunnel under the city. About 1km long, 10m wide and 5m deep, it’s expected to hold over 17 million litres of water, that will in time be pressed into service for the city’s gardens and toilets, instead of using vital drinking water....
Florida Counties Consider Test Of Murphy's Law With $200 Million Dollar Offshore Desalination Plant
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 01.21.08
Drought in northern parts of the US State of Florida is getting serious - leading to a proposal for an offshore, floating dealination plant.
Mandatory water restrictions for all water-use categories including residential, commercial, industrial and agricultural will become effective April 7 throughout the Suwannee River Water Management District. This action was taken due to extremely low groundwater levels throughout the 15 county region during the current drought and the predictions that the drought will only get worse during the next several months....
Burnt Siena
by Bonnie Alter, London on 01.21.08
Cheap flights to Europe and beyond are a British addiction. For the price of a sandwich (plus taxes which are often more than the cost of the flight), one can fly just about anywhere for a long weekend ("city break" as they are called). In this crazy world, travellers to Florence land in Pisa, Stockholm is Skavsta ( 65 miles away) and Vienna is Bratislava. Many previously unknown small towns welcome the new airports and commerce which the flights bring. However the residents of one smallish beautiful city--Siena, Italy, are up in arms about proposals to expand the airport to allow large airplanes and a possible 4 million tourists a year by 2020.
The area around Siena is also known as "Chiantishire" because so many wealthy Brit's have second homes there (Tony Blair visited often). Now tourists come by train or car through the magnificent Tuscan countryside with its vineyards, art, culture and great food. The proposed expansion of the pokey little airport, built for Mussolini, will mean that 15 airlines will fly tourists into town. The opposition to the project is an interesting mix of locals and rich English.
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Natalie Portman Launches Her Own Line of "Manolos"
by Karin Kloosterman, Tel Aviv on 01.21.08
Long known for her vegetarianism, Natalie Portman swears that she never wears leather shoes in general or at red carpet events.
This doesn't leave the diva too many options. Until now she's been wearing shoes from Target and Stella McCartney.
Like other celebs who design their own clothing line or perfume, Portman has designed her own stylish line of limited edition shoes which she now sells through the New York boutique te casan for about $250 a pair.
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Climate Tourism: Does Travel Create Environmental Awareness?
by Paula Alvarado, Buenos Aires on 01.21.08
(Picture by goneforawander, from Flick) A recent article published by Tierramerica warns about the growth of the so called ‘climate tourism,’ describing it as, “A mix of legitimate interest in protecting nature, the desire to see rare wildlife on the verge of extinction, and, of course, the search for profit.”
According to the article, tourism companies are now using climate change as a marketing tool, offering to take people to places endangered by global warming or with species in the verge of extinction. We know tourism is many times bad for delicate environments, but some sectors say this could also be a good way for people to grow an interest in protecting the planet.
Keep reading and tell us what you think, Do ‘climate tourists’ become ‘climate activists’?...
Marks and Spencer Offers Gift Vouchers for Thrifty Customers
by Sami Grover, Carrboro, NC, USA on 01.21.08
Marks and Spencer, the UK retail giant, already achieved some attention on TreeHugger before with their high profile commitment to the environment, known as Plan A (so named, because there is no Plan B). Now they are taking another step towards reducing their environmental footprint by offering £5 ($10) gift vouchers for anyone donating their clothes to Oxfam thrift stores. The vouchers will be valid for one month only, and donated bags of clothing must contain at least one item of M&S clothing in order to qualify. Unfortunately, given the number of Brits who buy their underwear at M&S, certain types of garment will not qualify:
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Edmund Hillary, Second Only to Dalai Lama as a Hero
by Warren McLaren, Sydney on 01.21.08
Sir Edmund Hillary will have a New Zealand state funeral tomorrow. But he will be remembered not only for standing atop Mt Everest with Sherpa Tenzing Norgay in 1953, but also for his humanitarian efforts over the past fifty or so years.
In 1960 he created The Himalayan Trust to give back to the Sherpa people, who had helped him attain global recognition. The principles of the Himalayan Trust reflect the man, who TV NZ called ‘humble, hard-working and honest.’ The principles are that the Trust provide basic infrastructure needs that the Sherpas really want (education, health, forests, monastery repairs and response to natural disasters). ...
Saving The Plants That Save Us
by Tim McGee, Western Massachusetts on 01.20.08
The Rosy periwinkle (Catharanthus roseus) pictured above increases a child's chance of surviving leukemia by 10 to 95%. Many plants save our lives; in fact 50,000 different species of plant are known to be used for medicinal purposes. But these plants are increasingly threatened for a host of reasons, and as they disappear so do our life saving resources. Botanical Gardens Conservation International (BGCI) has just published a report that looks at the state of medicinal plants from around the world....
Land-Based Carbon Mitigation Projects in Mexico
by Eliza Barclay, Washington, D.C. on 01.20.08
According to recent studies, deforestation accounts for about 20 percent of total greenhouse gas emissions. That's because trees soak up carbon dioxide when they grow and release it when they rot and burn. A UN climate conference in Bali last month agreed to launch pilot projects to grant developing countries credits for slowing deforestation under a new long-term climate pact beyond 2012.
That is sure to create new incentives for projects like Rainforest2Reef , an NGO that operates in Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula and is working to protect the forests of the Selva Maya, or Mayan Jungle. In just seven years, Rainforest2Reef has signed agreements to permanently protect more than 300,000 acres of prime jaguar habitat in the Southwestern Buffer Zone of the Calakmul Biosphere Reserve through conservation lease agreements with the ejidos, or local communal management groups....
Trees for Bush
by Jesse Fox, Tel Aviv, Israel on 01.20.08
The certificate presented to the President. At right, Bush's mom plants trees in Israel in the seventies.
It turns out George W Bush left more than just traffic jams in the wake of his visit to Israel this month. Thirty-six new trees will adorn the landscape in Bush's honor, courtesy of the Jewish National Fund, which presented the President with a certificate in honor of the occasion....
Light Rail or BRT?
by Jesse Fox, Tel Aviv, Israel on 01.20.08
BRT technology (left) and light rail (right).
LRT (Light Rail Transit) or BRT (Bus Rapid Transit)? That was the issue on the agenda Thursday night at a meeting of city planners, traffic engineers and activists in Tel Aviv. The question is particularly relevant in Israel as the country invests in setting up a nationwide mass transit system.
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New Urbanists Green Israel’s Periphery
by Jesse Fox, Tel Aviv, Israel on 01.20.08
Conceptual drawings created by the community.
Kiryat Shmona, a small and war-weary town of about 20,000 people along Israel’s northern border, is planning to transform its city hall into a green building. With natural lighting through sun-filtering windows, rainwater collection, solar ventilation chimneys and on-site water purification, the building will be the first green city hall in Israel....
Video: Dolphins Playing With Bubbles
by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada on 01.20.08
Quarter Of Chinese Wind Power Unplugged Due To Bad Planning
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 01.20.08
A good news, bad news story about wind power in China. The Chinese government's growing romance with wind remains significantly unrequited. Many of the recently erected wind turbines remain "unplugged." Either there's no grid connection nearby or grid owners don't want the power for reasons that can only be speculated on. Good green intentions and investments are of little value without social consensus, matched infrastsructure, and market mechanisms in place. Is China just too big and complex to be serious with renewable power?
China's wind power generating capacity surged to 5.6 gigawatts by the end of last year, but over a quarter of it is still not connected to the grid because of bad planning, an industry expert said on Wednesday. Shi Pengfei, vice-president of the Chinese wind energy association, said capacity growth in 2008 is likely to speed up, with another 4 GW expected to be added by the booming industry....
Costly Fuel Means Costly Calories
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 01.20.08
The New York Times covers the food vs fuel debate. "This is the other oil shock. From India to Indiana, shortages and soaring prices for palm oil, soybean oil and many other types of vegetable oils are the latest, most striking example of a developing global problem: costly food."
Poor people may be able to grow their own staple foods, but they have to buy oil, and the price is skyrocketing with demand, up 70% last year. And of course, "Farmers and plantation companies are responding to the higher prices, clearing hundreds of thousands of acres of tropical forest to replant with rows of oil palms." ::New York Times
Read Treehugger on A Rainforest in your Shopping , Southeast Asia Paying High Environmental Cost For Palm Oil, UN says Palm Oil Industry is Wiping out the Orang Utan Everything connects: How getting rid of trans-fats kills orangutans, Indonesia Fastest Forest Destroyer...
Airsick: An Industrial Devolution
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 01.20.08
Toronto Star photographer Lucas Oleniuk shot twenty thousand images in twenty days and splced them into a single message about the issue of global warming. ::The Star
Part of an entire section of meditations on the environment, with essays from Margaret Atwood on the death of Lake Erie, Christopher Dewdney on the sprawl apocalypse , Noah Richler on eating local and more in the ::Star
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Secret Report Threatens European BioFuels Strategy
by Christine Lepisto, Berlin on 01.20.08
A report leaked from inside the Joint Research Commission, the official scientific agency of Europe's lawmakers, warns just days before the EU plans to announce its new energy plan that the anticipated commitment to a minimum of 10% biofuels use in the transport sector may be a mistake. According to Frauke Thies, Greenpeace EU energy policy campaigner for renewable energies, who has seen the leaked report: It shows that the 10% target for biofuels in transport could even undermine the overall EU target for renewable energy, since it forces the use of biomass in an inefficient way.But if biofuels are a bad idea, where do we go from here?...
Sun Setting on UK Solar?
by Sami Grover, Carrboro, NC, USA on 01.20.08
It’s not uncommon for TreeHugger to praise the good green goings on in the UK, such as the recent announcement that all domestic electricity could be supplied by wind by 2020. But a report in the Telegraph newspaper casts some doubt on our enthusiasm. Exploring the reasons why Britain ranks last in Europe for solar power, reporter Sarah Lonsdale puts the blame squarely at the feet of government:
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TreeHugger breaks it down for you in a series of in depth how-to articles that will help you green your life. No time like the present!
Here are a few recommended websites.
