- 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 27, 2008 - February 2, 2008
Total this week: 156
First Lithium-Ion Car Battery Factory to Open in France
by Jeremy Elton Jacquot, Los Angeles on 02. 2.08
Image courtesy of donibe via flickr
John Reed in the Financial Times reports that Johnson Controls and Saft, a U.S. supplier group and French battery producer, respectively, are set to break ground on a factory dedicated to the exclusive production of advanced lithium-ion batteries for cars. The facility, which will supply a range of automakers, including GM, Chrysler and Mercedes-Benz, is based in Nersac, France; its yearly production capacity will initially be 5,000 battery packs with the option to scale up if demand warrants it.
Lithium-ion battery packs, which are about half the size and weight of nickel-metal hydride batteries, will power the next generation of hybrid, electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles. The factory plans to expand its operations over time to supply other facilities around the world, particularly in Asia. This follows recent announcements by Toyota, GM and Nissan that they plan on launching their own plug-in and electric vehicles within the next few years....
The Venice Beach Eco Cottages: The Building Process
by Jeremy Elton Jacquot, Los Angeles on 02. 2.08
Images courtesy of Eric Staudemeir
We continue our series looking at the Venice Beach Eco Cottages, a set of 3 homes built sustainably from the ground up. In this post, we will examine the cottages' building process, as told to us by the entrepreneurial duo behind the project, Karel J. Samsom and Cynthia Foster....
Spain's New High-Speed Rail Service Challenges the Airlines
by Sami Grover, Carrboro, NC, USA on 02. 2.08
It’s not just Eurostar, the rail service between London and mainland Europe, that is challenging the aviation industry in terms of both emissions and convenience. In fact, high-speed rail networks are expanding all over Europe. Now we hear from The Guardian that the new electrified rail link between Madrid and Barcelona is set to launch later this month, with the super-fast Ave S103 service set to reach speeds of 220mph, covering the journey of 410 miles in 2 hours and 35 minutes. And the offering looks set to make a serious dent in the aviation market.
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Thoreau Inspires High School in the Woods
by Kenny Luna, North Babylon, NY on 02. 2.08
When longtime teacher Matt Schlein started a foundation and began raising funds to buy the 260 acres of land necessary for his dream of a high school in the woods I imagine most people thought he was completely crazy. And if they ever saw the tent he’s using to house the student body during bad weather I suspect they might think they had him pegged from the start. But he’s pulled it off in amazing fashion, and now kids of all stripes who don’t see the wisdom of conventional learning are finding themselves a part of the Walden Project at what just may be the most unique environmental high school in America....
Adrian DiCastri, 1952-2008
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 02. 2.08
Photograph of York by Steven Evans
Ten years ago, before LEED even existed in Canada, Adrian DiCastri teamed up with Peter Busby to design the York University Computer Science Building. It has been called the first green building in Ontario, and it demonstrated for the first time that a sustainable approach could succeed in a cold climate.
Every aspect of the building minimized environmental impact: a highly efficient passive ventilation system, organized around ‘thermal chimneys’ and a bamboo-planted atrium; recyclable and low embodied energy materials; sun-shading devices on the south and west façades; and an extensive " planted roof" (the phrase "green roof" was not yet common). It was essentially heated by its computers and the sun, using half the energy of conventionally built equivalents. It was a revolutionary building for this country.
Adrian DiCastri, dead at 55.
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Dude, Where's My House?!
by Jesse Fox, Tel Aviv, Israel on 02. 2.08
No Trespassing & Do Not Demolish: A house in Nizhny Novgorod.
A Russian woman named Lyudmila Martemyanova returned home last month from a vacation out of town, only to find that her house had been completely leveled to the ground. "There was nothing left, not even a log," she later told the Russian press. ...
Don't Forget to Play: Aalto Designs Coming to Stockholm
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 02. 2.08
In addition to being a tremendous design, Alvar Aalto was one quotable guy; he once said, "I beg you, don't forget playfulness!" TreeHugger is a big fan of Aalto’s work -- we've covered one of his chairs, stools (and the stools again)and the bamboo work by Artek, the company set up in 1935 to market Aalto's furniture -- so we're always on the lookout for his classic designs. As it happens, in conjunction with the Stockholm Furniture Fair, which opens next week, Aalto's work will be on display at an exhibit at the Swedish Museum of Architecture, entitled Don’t Forget to Play!
Co-sponsored by Artek, the exhibit will celebrate the imagination of children, and Children and adults will be encouraged to play, and finger paint bold colors on Aalto designs, including the three-legged Stool 60, now celebrating its 75th year of production (how many other designs do you know that have passed the platinum anniversary?). Luckily for those of us unable to make it to Stockholm, Artek is producing a new collection of the Stool 60 with laminate seats in bold colors of red, yellow, and blue; they'll be available in the US market in May. Hit the jump for more pics. ::Artek via ::Dwell Daily...
How to Make Milk Jugs Lighter? Take the Handle Off
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 02. 2.08
File this in the "little changes make a big difference" file: British milk bottle producer Nampak is working with milk supplier Dairy Crest on a pilot project to take the handle off one- and two-pint plastic milk bottles. Why? The handle-free bottle would be about 10 percent lighter, according to the UK recycling organization backing the project, WRAP. That would mean cost savings to go along with a reduction in carbon emissions, and less waste. And if the design is taken up by the whole dairy industry in the UK, it could cut the use of high density polyethylene (HDPE) plastic by 5,000 tons a year.
Peter Skelton, from WRAP, said: "Plastic milk bottles are probably the most common plastic item found in household waste and manufacturers and brand owners have taken the current handled designs as far as they can go in terms of lightweighting. The vital next step is perfecting a handle-free design which works for the consumer." Who knew a little handle design change could make such a big difference? ::Food Production Daily via ::Core77...
Dematerializing Our Digital Needs - A Cultural Perspective
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 02. 2.08
"Mission creep" in the design of portable electronic devices has ushered in an an era of resource consumption polarity. For personal-scale electronics; less is truly becoming more in so many ways.
For television, however, the opposite seems true. Starting in the 1950's, televisions have stayed on a trend line toward bigger and heavier. Perhaps the most egregious trend in this regard is for the construction of Mega-home theaters with real theater chairs, and an internal broadcasting system to flat screens in all the major rooms, supplanting the wall spaces that portrait paintings held in the colonial and Victorian eras. Television is the fattening buffalo in the room - too big to stand on his own any longer - that must be mounted on the wall.
For the visionary designer, there is hope that these polar opposite consumption cases can converge, to where average annual per capita material consumption attributable to electronic devices decreases greatly from where it is today. See our examples and discussion below the fold....
Open Architecture Challenge Video
by Leonora Oppenheim, London, UK on 02. 2.08
Chevron Backs Solazyme to Develop Algal Biodiesel Technology
by Christine Lepisto, Berlin on 02. 2.08
The number 2 oil producer in the USA, Chevron, has signed an agreement with San Francisco based startup Solazyme to develop and test an industrial process for deriving biodiesel from algae. The Solazyme process is reported to solve one of the major obstacles to industrial production of biodiesel from algae. Algae usually rely on photosynthesis for energy to consume CO2 and produce oils. Biodiesel can be harvested from the algae, which can be composed of up to 50% oily matter. But getting sunlight to the algae in industrial-scale processes is difficult. So how does Solazyme solve the problem?
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Most Huggable: Free Range Falacy?, Super Bowl Goes Green, Biodegradable Bubbles + More
by Team Treehugger, Worldwide on 02. 1.08
A run of programms on British television has created a sudden upsurge of interest in free range chicken, but the supermarkets are still denying that there is a market for the more expensive meat.
Nominate your favorites in the inaugural Sunday Times Best Green Companies Awards – a project designed to encourage, acknowledge and publicize businesses going greener.
Super Bowl XLII is going green this Sunday, using renewable energy from wind, solar and geothermal supplied by the Arizona Salt River Project.
While we're talking football, get some tips on hosting a green Super Bowl party.
Take a gander at this new biodegradable bubble wrap, to keep your valuables safe without choking the landfill later.
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: Eating Less Meat, Going Green on the Cheap + More
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 02. 1.08
1) Forums user inkabinkaboo182 needs some help: "Eating meat is one of the worst things to do, when talking about the environment. At best, meat takes acres and acres of grass to raise and a small distance to ship. At worst, it causes Amazonian deforestation and pounds of grain to raise one pound of meat, and it is shipped across thousands of miles. Personally, though, I'm having trouble giving up meat and animal products." Any converted carnivores have any ideas or advice?
2) User crevis79 has a conondrum: "I am a college administrator and instructor. I am also someone looking to make my impact on mother earth smaller. I love the idea of finding dress clothes that have low impact on the environment. I have seen items like this on the web, but at GREAT cost. Working at a college is much more about the experience than the money, so I don't have a huge budget for clothing. Anyone have any experience with dress clothes that are earth friendly that are not going to force me to get a second job?"
3) In the same vein, Forums user wolfspirit is looking for more ways to go green on the cheap. "I believe there is a large portion of the country that does not want to hear the 'enviro-hippy bullcrap,' but would buy green if there was a tangible benefit to themselves ($$$, in this case). The goal is to come up with a list of items that fulfill both goals, being green(er), and being better on the wallet." Some of the low-hanging fruit -- CFLs, paper-maximizing printing, saving energy at home -- has been picked; what else can we do to save some bucks while going green?
"Freeconomy" Pilgrim Begins Walk From Britain to India
by Kimberley D. Mok, Montreal, Canada on 02. 1.08
In both settled and nomadic cultures there is a great tradition of walking itself as an act of freedom. As the legendary British travel writer Bruce Chatwin once quoted from an old Moorish proverb, “He who does not travel does not know the value of men” – a telling comment on the process and evolution of the journey – and not the destination itself.
In this age of planes, trains, cars, boats and carbon footprints, walking has lost its profounder connotations as a way to connect to a larger world and landscape, free of the alienating rhythm and speed of mechanized travel. But now, a former dotcom businessman from Ireland plans to revive walking's honourable status by making a journey from Britain to India on foot – except that he intends to accomplish this walk without money, relying entirely on the goodness of strangers.
Certainly, this takes some courage. Equipped with a few T-shirts, a bandage and spare sandals, the 28-year-old Mark Boyle just began his 12,000 kilometre (9,000 mile) walk on January 30th, on the sixtieth anniversary of Gandhi’s assassination. He will trek from Bristol, UK through the Balkans, Turkey, Iran, Afghanistan and Pakistan. He hopes to arrive in Porbandar, India, the birthplace of Gandhi, within two-and-a-half years.
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Compacta All-in-One Kitchen Island: It's All There
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 02. 1.08
Debuting at Casadecor Barcelona 2007, Spanish company Artificio's Compacta kitchen squeezes a sink, refrigerator, freezer and pantry into this compact, compelling structure. The smart, modular design allows for maximum functionality in a minimal space, similar to the Dy-rection Line concept and the Orgasmatron-esque Clever Kitchen we've seen before. Smart; more pics of Compacta below the fold. ::Artificio via ::Materialicious...
This Way to Treasure Island, Ecocity
by Jesse Fox, Tel Aviv, Israel on 02. 1.08
A map of the Golden Gate International Exposition (sponsored by Shell), held on Treasure Island in the 1930's.
Most of our readers are probably familiar by now with the latest worldwide trend in city building - the ecocity. Lately it almost seems as if plans for new ecocities (and eco-neighborhoods) are popping up like mushrooms after the rain - which we must admit makes us happy. The latest proposal (drawn up by the Arup firm) aims to breathe new life into tiny and neglected Treasure Island, located between San Francisco and Oakland, by rebuilding it as a sustainable community for 13,500 people. Groundbreaking is scheduled for 2009....
Mongolia on the Verge of Ecological Collapse: Warming Twice as Fast as Global Average
by Jeremy Elton Jacquot, Los Angeles on 02. 1.08
Image courtesy of tiarescott via flickr
It is a testament to the disproportionate impact of global warming on certain ecosystems to see just how far Mongolia has managed to slide towards ecological collapse. John Bohannon's sobering account (sub. required) of the Lake Hovsgol project, which appears in the latest edition of the journal Science, offers little hope that Mongolia will be able to avoid a climate-induced catastrophe.
Clyde Goulden, a researcher from Philadelphia's Academy of Natural Sciences who is studying the ecology of Lake Hovsgol, notes that higher temperatures have already begun thawing the permafrost and disturbing the soil structure around the region's fragile trees. ...
Green Blogger Does Winter Bike Move. Sort Of.
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 02. 1.08
I am a fan of Vanessa of Green as a Thistle, who is making one change a day to green her life and documenting it on her blog. She has sold her car, unplugged her fridge, and made 338 changes in her lifestyle so far. When she announced that she was moving with a mover, I sent her Sami's post on bike moves and told her "bicycle moves are all the rage! put out the word and I volunteer to join." She took up the challenge and put out the call in the National Post where she is a writer, and on her site. ...
It Slices, It Dices: Form Creates Function in New Arne Jacobsen Chair
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 02. 1.08
Dutch design team Huting & De Hoop have launched a new site to showcase their new work. Their collection includes this awesome Arne Jacobsen update, which they call "Added Values and Forms," which takes the classic chair up a notch or two with an integrated lamp and little table. We love how this one piece can create a little reading nook, all by itself.
Another piece that caught our eye is "Quarter," a modular shelving system that puzzle-pieces itself together to create a utilitarian, modern shelf/room divider (it's pictured after the jump). It's made from oriented strand board (OSB), and the jury's still out about its environmental impact; unfortunately, Huting & De Hoop don't say which side of the green fence their material comes down on.
Lots more good stuff to see at ::Huting & De Hoop via ::Core77...
Wayback Machine 1947: Electric Bike
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 02. 1.08
The perpetual motion bike! Perfect for San Francisco! Love the streamlining, though. ::Modern Mechanix
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Solar Tracking Skylights
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 02. 1.08
Here is a clever way to get more light, more consistently, out of your skylight: use mirrors to track the sun. The lightweight mirrors appear to be hanging from the control box on the top, and controlled by a photocell. It needs no external power.
"Solar Tracking Skylights consist of highly reflective mirror panels within a clear plastic enclosure, which move continuously to follow the sun's position in the sky."
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The Grass is Always Greener with Mindscape's "Peddy" Furniture
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 02. 1.08
Have a green thumb? Need something to sit on outside? Japanese company Mindscape has just the solution for you: their line of "Peddy" furniture creates a truly green place to sit in the garden. In true Chia Pet-style, the couches, benches and seats fro out and grow with a little water and light; like the various chairs and loungers we've seen before, they help prove that green is the new grass.
If you like the idea of growing stuff yourself, and need some outdoor furniture, too, this idea is for you. The larger pieces might require the services of a reel mower to keep them trimmed; the smaller ones can be given a regular "chaircut" with your garden shears. Watch out for grass stains and hit the jump to see how Mindscape "grows" a table. ::Mindscape via ::Freshome...
The Importance of Environmental Justice
by Greg Haegele of Sierra Club on 02. 1.08
This week we learned that the Federal Emergency Management Agency was fully aware of the formaldehyde problems in the trailers it provided for victims of Hurricane Katrina. It knew these trailers were dangerous; it knew they could poison those who lived in them; and yet it did nothing. The majority of those unfortunate enough to live in these FEMA trailers are low-income families and people of color with no place else to go and few ways to fight back.
Everyone deserves clean air and water and a healthy place to live. But too often, low-income neighborhoods and communities of color get picked as sites for polluting factories, while wealthier, predominantly white communities are left alone. The Sierra Club's Environmental Justice (EJ) program supports community organizations as they work for fairness and equality.
Rhonda Anderson is one of the organizers in our EJ program. When she looks around the south side of Detroit, she sees environmental inequality every day – and the injustice falls on low-income families and people of color....
Moving Down Parallel Tracks From Bali
by Marian Hopkins, Business Roundtable on 02. 1.08
The significance of the 13th Conference of the Parties in Bali and its implications for moving forward on climate change cannot be stressed enough. Last Thursday, January 24 the U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations summoned a full committee hearing,"International Climate Change Negotiations: Bali and the Path Toward a Post-2012 Climate Treaty" to discuss such matters.
We all followed the anticipation and media analysis of the United Nations climate change conference in Bali this past December. We heard the boos and disappointment in response to the United States’ "leadership" echo in the halls and spread like wildfire in the media. We saw David versus Goliath – Kevin Conrad, representing Papua New Guinea, earnestly request, "I would ask the United States, we ask for your leadership… But if for some reason you’re not willing to lead, leave it to the rest of us. Please get out of the way."
...Reinventing the Wheel
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 02. 1.08
TreeHugger has shown a lot of folding bikes, and most suffer from the same problem: smallish wheels because big ones take up too much space. So mountain biker and designer Duncan Fitzsimons invented a folding wheel. He told Bike Radar:
“The problem at the moment is that in order to get the weight down to a regular bike wheel weight, with the fact it’s got hinges and so on, it needs to be a carbon fibre wheel, which means that it’s quite expensive, so it’s a project that sets more challenges."
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VOLVO SportsDesign Awards: EcoDesign 2008
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 02. 1.08
The winners for the 7th VOLVO SportsDesign Awards were announced earlier this week in Munich; this year's theme, "EcoDesign," insured that green design would permeate the seven categories of outdoor gear: ski equipment, board equipment, outdoor equipment, apparel, wheelers, accessories, and concepts.
Shining the spotlight on sustainable design meant that all entrants would focus on systematically incorporating ecological factors at the earliest stages of the product planning, development and design process. Judging by the winners, each did a pretty good job; Patagonia, pictured above, was awarded "EcoBrand of the Year" for their continued commitment to sustainability, green design and corporate responsibility. As for the products themselves, there were some pretty interesting designs that were recognized with an award. Hit the jump for more on some of our favorites, including a bamboo snowboard, a modular wooden boatbuilding concept and more. ::VOLVO SportsDesign at ISPO 08 via ::Core77...
Screen-Printed Solar Cells Come in a Variety of Colors and Patterns, Ideal for Building
by Jeremy Elton Jacquot, Los Angeles on 02. 1.08
Keen on solar cells but worried about how to integrate them with your new ensemble? Fear not: a new type of screen-printed solar cells promises to come in a wide variety of colors and patterns, allowing you to tailor them to your individual demands - perfect for that home/room you're designing. As reported in ScienceDaily, the cells can even be incorporated into windows, simultaneously providing shading and generating electricity.
The semi-transparent solar modules combine the use of a special organic dye (similar to the one developed by scientists in New Zealand) and nanoparticles that allow for the conversion of sunlight into electricity. The current prototypes are amber in color, but it is possible to produce them in other ones; in addition, images or text can be directly printed on them. While they may be easier to integrate into building designs, their main drawback - compared to conventional silicon-based cells - is their low efficiency: only about 4%....
City Sues Man for Going Zero Waste
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 02. 1.08
San Carlos, California's municipal code requires all residences to get weekly garbage pickup from a private hauler. But Eddie House recycles paper, metal and plastics, regularly hauling them in his pickup truck to a recycling center. What little backyard waste he generates is ground into powder by his wood chipper and food scraps are either pulverized by his garbage disposal or eaten by his dog. House’s larger items are either sold or given to people on Craigslist.
Since he doesn't create any garbage, he cancelled his pickup. So the city is suing him.
“I don’t understand a city ordinance that requires you to fill up a can. That’s downright foolishness,” he said. http://noimpactman.typepad.com/...
Greenwash Watch: "Green" Bottled Water
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 02. 1.08
We do go on about the evils of bottled water, and have noted that no matter what kind of package it comes in, it is still a scam, costing thousands of times what tap water costs, and still requiring fuel for delivery. But listen to the language coming from big house brand bottler Cott, about its purchase of new water bottling equipment that uses a little less plastic to make a bottle:
"It benefits our business and the environment by enabling us to produce water in lightweight bottles at lower cost...It also allows our customers to lower their carbon footprint by shifting to lower weight bottles."
It gets worse.
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Derrick Jensen Speaks in Toronto
by Jenna Watson, Barcelona on 02. 1.08
A quick heads-up for all of our Toronto-area readers that wish to brave the snowstorm this evening at 7pm, Derrick Jensen will be gracing us with a talk entitled “Private Despair to Public Action.” Sponsored by Environmental Justice Organizing Initiative, Phoenix Community Works Foundation and Sustainability Network the talk by the activist, author, small farmer, philosopher and teacher will be held at the Church of the Holy Trinity (10 Trinity Square). From the flyer:
Derrick Jensens asks the question “Do you believe this culture will undergo a voluntary transformation to a sane and sustainable way of living?” No one has ever answered ‘yes.’ What would happen if we listened to such feelings of despair? Could they tell us what we’re doing isn’t working and so we should try something else? What is that different strategy?Via: Ecosanity.org. Visit Derrick Jensen’s website here. See you tonight! Image copyright Derrick Jensen's Endgame - published 2006 by Seven Stories Press. ...
On The Stands: Dwell on Small Spaces
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 02. 1.08
Last month, when Dwell unveiled its redesign, we noted that we "look forward to gifts inside that are as exciting as the wrapper in future editions." This month they delivered.
The entire March issue is full of our favourite kind of stuff: small, modern spaces (including the incredible 205 square foot boxhome); 3D printing of furniture (from FOC, shown on TreeHugger here); Geoff Manaugh writes about David Adjaye, (TreeHugger here) and DWMA (dead white male architect) of the month is Bertrand Goldberg, most famous for Chicago's Marina City.
But learning about the Boxhome was worth the price of admission. ...
Ohio to Chevy Tahoe Hybrid Drivers: Get Out of the Carpool Lane!
by Andrew Posner, Providence, Rhode Island on 02. 1.08
Over the last few years hybrid vehicles have become, for many within the environmental community as well as the greater public, a kind of panacea for problems ranging from climate change, to dependence on foreign oil, to air pollution. Of course, as we've discussed many times on this site, hybrids are not always the answer. For one thing, the most efficient vehicle in the world cannot address the rampant urban, suburban and exurban development that is built around automobiles rather than humans. Nor can it be of any use to those who cannot afford, or choose not to, drive a vehicle, and therefore rely on public transportation, walking, carpooling or cycling. Which brings us back to the fist point: car-centric planning makes alternatives to driving less attractive and less practical.
That said, the reality is that in America and, increasingly around the world, people love cars and aspire to own them. In the context of that paradigm, hybrids represent a real opportunity to improve efficiency and air-quality. ...
The Aerogenerator: 9MW Vertical Axis Turbine
by Sami Grover, Carrboro, NC, USA on 02. 1.08
We love wind turbines, and we get pretty excited when we hear about installations of the new generation of turbines already going up with generating capacities as high as 2MW. Imagine our thrill, then, when we see designs such as the Aerogenerator above, which is being developed by a Scottish firm called, imaginatively enough, Windpower (we can’t find a link to their site). We previously covered the design of this baby in its early stages, but according to a report in The Guardian, plans for its deployment have been developing rapidly since then. The Aerogenerator’s creators claim that it can not only generate as much as 9MW of power, it is also capable of harnessing wind from all directions without the need for the usual gearing mechanisms needed in regular horizontal axis turbines. They also claim the design overcomes many of the inherent problems associated with large horizontal axis turbines:
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Peak Oil + Peak Money = McMansion Meltdown
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 02. 1.08
Now there are websites that help you walk away from your mortgage, using the same stock photos that used to adorn the mortgage company websites. And where are they walking away from? Triple Pundit notes that the areas hardest hit by the subprime meltdown are:
Subdivisions built on the edges of urban areas where once arable land is bulldozed to make way for over-sized, energy-intensive houses, with landscaping consisting of grassy yards adorned with non-native species of trees and shrubs, the whole lot of it out of character with the natural surroundings and located so that most residents are forced to drive miles and miles to get to work, for too often there is no public transportation available."
-Houses that need too much energy to heat or cool, too much gas to get to, and too much money to pay for. No wonder people are walking away. ::Triple Pundit and ::Atlantic
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A Picture is Worth... Even with Global Warming, Sometimes it's Cold
by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada on 02. 1.08
In fact, it's very possible for large regions of the globe to get cooler while the average for the whole planet goes up as heat gets distributed differently. This is what is thought to have happened during a medieval "mini ice-age" when Europe got colder because of a variation in the strength of the Atlantic Gulf Stream current.
Via ::Reddit...
New (Bizarre) Mammal Joins the Family!
by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada on 02. 1.08
TreeHugger would like to welcome a new member in the very select club of mammals to which we belong (at least I think most of us do...)! The Rhynochocyon udzungwensis is about as big as a small cat, it looks kind of like a cross between a small ant-eater and a marmot. It uses its long snout to eat insects. Going back 100 million years, it has a common African ancestor with elephants, sea cows, aardvarks and hyraxes (that's quite the family tree - you think you have strange cousins?).
It was discovered in Tanzania's Udzungwa Mountains, a "biodiversity hotspot" that needs to be protected, according to Dr. Galen Rathbun who helped discover the Rhynochocyon udzungwensis. You can see more photos here and next week (Feb. 6) you can participate in a live chat with the expedition team that made the discovery.
::BBC News, ::Times Online, ::Conservation International. See also: ::Who Wants to Save the Aye-Aye?...
Israelis Do Bamboo Too
by Karin Kloosterman, Tel Aviv on 02. 1.08
TreeHuggers everywhere are already familiar with the environmental benefits of working with bamboo, and of course, the problems with recalls on Chinese toy imports.
That's why we were pleasantly surprised when our friend Ziva from Designist Dream dropped us a line this week, letting us know that Israeli designers from Tel Aviv's Shenkar College of Engineering and Design, are working with a Chinese toy manufacturer to design kids toys made from bamboo.
This several year long relationship has culminated in a conference and exhibition "Eco-Play With Bamboo" that happened in Israel this week; and which included Chinese, French and Chinese reps. ...
Climate Stage Right: Enter The French Nuclear Empire
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 02. 1.08
France's nuclear power industry has a really big sales territory and a head start on US industries. The action starts with a dozen "next generation" nuclear stations proposed for South Africa, and accelerates toward 300 new nuclear generation plants being proposed, globally, inside 22 years. 300 new nuclear stations. Wonder who'll take the carbon credits?
French nuclear giant Areva said on Thursday it was ready to build up to 12 next-generation power plants in South Africa, where massive electricity shortages shut down the key mining industry this month.
Areva said that in addition to an earlier plan to build two nuclear power plants in South Africa, announced earlier this month, it would now offer 10 more of its third generation systems through to 2025.
That's just the start....
Watch Out for Flying Heather
by Bonnie Alter, London on 02. 1.08
Helicopters are dropping bales containing billions of heather seeds on the peat bogs in the Midlands of England. Ordinarily and historically, peat bogs are natural storages for C02 and are an important aspect of the fight against climate change because they remove carbon from the air as they grow and store it in their wet, peaty terrain. But the problem is that they are now drying up and leaking the gas, in some cases as much as a town of 50,000 people would emit. Scientists attribute this to years of industrial pollution, overgrazing by sheep and fire. They call these land-based emissions a "ticking time bomb", potentially as serious as those from cars and airplanes.
The Peak District is one of the worst affected because of its location at the southern end. To combat against dryness the National Trust is bombing a 4,200 hectare area with over four thousand bales of heather seeds which should start growing in the spring. The seeds will also be spread by volunteers. They are also trying to grow berries and moss. A pity about the helicopters, but a novel solution nonetheless. :: Guardian...
Gecko Gription
by Tim McGee, Western Massachusetts on 01.31.08
Watch a gecko scramble up a wall and along the ceiling, and after a moment of amazement you might begin to wonder how they perform such acts of 'gription'. Similar amazement must have inspired scientists like Kellar Autumn, to investigate the gecko, and puzzle over the affable creatures incredible abilities.
While not all of the secrets of a gecko's ability are fully understood, we here at Treehugger have covered the score of attempts at creating gecko inspired glue, and gecko inspired tape. We would be remiss if we did not keep up on such developments. Engineers at the University of California, Berkeley, have developed a polypropylene microfiber that is likely the most inexpensive and accurate gecko mimic product yet created....
2008 Bloggies: Please Vote for TreeHugger!
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 01.31.08
The 2008 Bloggies -- the Weblog Awards -- are here, and TreeHugger is honored to have been nominated as Best Group Weblog and Best Topical Weblog. It's very gratifying to see our name up there with some of the legends in the blogging world, and we really appreciate the nomination.
Voting is on now, and if you like what you read here everyday, we'd love it if you'd go vote for us. You'll have to hurry, though; the deadline is 10:00 PM EST on Thursday, January 31. While you're there, show some love to our pals at Lifehacker (Best American Blog, Best Computers or Technology Blog, Blog of the Year), Apartment Therapy (Best Art or Craft Blog) and Gizmodo (Lifetime Achievement, Best-Designed Blog, Best Computers or Technology Blog -- ooh, head-to-head with LH...may the best blog win!).
2007 was a great year for TreeHugger, and we're very honored to have been nominated for the awards. Please, please, pretty please, go cast a vote for TreeHugger by tomorrow night. Thanks a bunch for your support! ::2008 Weblog Awards...
Today on Planet Green
by Jasmin Malik Chua, Jersey City, USA on 01.31.08
:: Score a gastronomic touchdown by making this vegetarian chili for Super Bowl Sunday.
:: Learn how to sew a diaper cover using recycled fabrics.
:: Encourage people to give up their fax machine and save paper by making this tip go viral.
:: Find a jogging route in your zip code, keep track of your training schedule, and plot your weight changes at this Web site for free.
:: Do you know what your cat or dog is really eating?
:: Host your Web site with a green hosting company. Find out how.
:: Discover how you can convert an old door into a dining table.
Psst...TreeHugger has been nominated for two Bloggy Awards—Best Topical Weblog and Best Group Weblog. Please vote for us now! (Hint: To find us, scroll toward the bottom of the page.)...
TreeHugger Picks: Get a Taste of Slow Food
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 01.31.08
The "slow movement" may be gaining steam around the house, but it all started with Slow Food, in Italy. Here are some of our picks for enjoying food after taking the pedal off the metal.
Psst...TreeHugger has been nominated for two Bloggy Awards -- Best Topical Weblog and Best Group Weblog. Please vote for us now! (Hint: To find us, scroll toward the bottom of the page.)...
 | 1) Sometimes it takes a slow cooker to get the most from slow food; take a peek under the lid of a ‘hay box,’ a cooking vessel lined with an insulative material that traps a lot of air. The heat contained in the food, especially water dense meals, continues to cook the food because the insulation reduces the ability of the contained heat to escape. The time it takes is offset by a very significant energy efficiency gain. Plus your stove/oven is freed up for other pots and pans, and you can't burn meals that are slow cooked! |
 | 2) The New York City arm of the Slow Food movement has unleashed its own seal of approval, or rather, snail of approval, as those gastronomic gastropods would have it. Awarded to restaurants, bars, food and beverage artisans, and retailers -- who have rated exceptionally in three categories (Quality, Authenticity, and Sustainability) -- the emblem is the non-profit's way of recognizing an eatery's contribution to the city's food supply. |
 | 3) Slow Food London's Christmas market, held on a frosty day, showcased what the movement is all about, featuring a wide and varied selection of producers and products described as "good and clean and fair." Local wild mushrooms, fried in olive oil, in a chunky roll, with grated parmesan on top provided the energy to check out the many vendors. Yum! Food, fashion and New Zealand, after the jump... |
Spring Into the Outdoors With Patagonia, Nau & REI
by Warren McLaren, Sydney on 01.31.08
The scent of spring is in the Northern Hemisphere air and outdoors company want their customers out there enjoying it. So they’ve begun rolling out new tempters. Patagonia have their spring line happening and it includes pieces like these Women’s Minimalist II Board Shorts, made from 100% recycled polyester and recyclable through their Common Threads Recycling Program.
Nau have a new recycled polyester garment too. The 2.5 layer Succinctshell waterproof/breathable jacket that weighs a scant 12.6oz (355g), as well as a rather curious women’s dress, known as the Chrysalis.
Psst! TreeHugger has been nominated for two Bloggy Awards—Best Topical Weblog and Best Group Weblog. Please vote vote for us us now! (Hint: To find us, scroll toward the bottom of the page.) Thanks!...
Indigenous Groups Document Environmental Destruction Using GPS and Google Earth
by Eliza Barclay, Washington, D.C. on 01.31.08
The Washington Post had an interesting piece out of Nuevo Jerusalem, Peru today highlighting how the Achuar Indians are using new tools against Occidental Petroleum, a California-based company that they say has polluted their local rainforest ecosystem. One activist carries a digital camera, notepad and a Global Positioning System (GPS) transceiver donated by the civic group Shinai, to document water pollution.
Last spring, U.S. lawyers representing 24 indigenous Peruvians sued Occidental in a Los Angeles court, alleging that the firm broke the law by dumping toxic wastewater directly into rivers and streams, generated acid rain with gas flares, failed to warn Indians of health dangers, and improperly stored chemical wastes in unlined pits. The company, however, has denied all allegations, but the new photos and GPS data may serve as fresh evidence of the environmental havoc....
As Cute As An EcoButton: Computer Energy Saver
by Warren McLaren, Sydney on 01.31.08
Plug the EcoButton into your computer via a USB port, load the software and henceforth any time you’re not using the machine, (gone to lunch, phoning your bookmaker, gathering around the water cooler to hear the latest gossip) you tap the button and it puts your computer into energy saver mode. Tap any keyboard key on your return, and it returns to where you left off. Plus it tells you how much CO2 and how many dollars you've thus saved.
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Transformer Furniture: Convertable by Lee Sinclair
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 01.31.08
One setup; five tables. That's what Lee Sinclair's Convertable offers, going from coffee table to occasional table to games table to large dining table for six to a drawing board/drafting table. Small space dwellers -- or fans of multi-tasking, clutter-reducing interior pieces -- will appreciate the UK-based designers' utilitarian sensibility; is there a better way to get more from less than with a table you can use five different ways?
Introduced in Europe in 1989, the table is still in production, available to order from Sinclair's website in a variety of woods and finishes; hit the jump to see the dining table, set for six, and the drawing table. The only question that remains: How many things can your current table do? ::Lee Sinclair via ::The Design Blog
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Citaro Hybrid Bus Wins 2008 DEKRA Environmental Award
by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada on 01.31.08
The Citaro bus, developed by Daimler AG's Mercedes-Benz division, is pretty high-tech as far as urban buses go. It's a series-hybrid, meaning that the diesel engine generates electricity instead of mechanically driving the wheels. This design means that in the future it would be relatively easy to replace the engine with a hydrogen fuel cell, thus making the bus completely zero emissions at the source. But even without a fuel cell, the specifications are pretty good....
The Greening Of The Capitol: Very Efficient Food Service
by Justin Thomas, Virginia on 01.31.08
Last week, the highly optimal Allison Rogers, invited me to survey the current state of the Greening of the Capitol. To get to the United States Capitol, I struggled out of bed, walked a couple miles to the bus stop, and then took a bus to the metro station, and then rode the metro to DC, and then walked a block to the Capitol. Upon entering, I was duly frisked by the Capitol guards, and proceeded into the building....
E. Coli: The Next Big Source of Hydrogen Fuel?
by Jeremy Elton Jacquot, Los Angeles on 01.31.08
Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
The lowly, ubiquitous E. coli, long given a bad rap for its association with food poisoning (see: spinach) despite its more common beneficial roles in the human stomach, could yet gain a broader measure of respectability if Thomas Wood's research pans out. Wood, a professor of chemical engineering at Texas A&M, successfully tweaked a strain of E. coli to get it to produce 140 times more hydrogen than it does naturally.
He and his colleagues selectively removed 6 genes from the strain's DNA to convert its cell machinery into a mini hydrogen-producing dynamo powered by glucose. The E. coli strain is able to convert sugar into hydrogen through a special fermentative process....
There Goes the Forest: Bush Administration Opens 3 Million Acres to Logging
by Jeremy Elton Jacquot, Los Angeles on 01.31.08
Image courtesy of markcbrennan via flickr
Any (admittedly dim) hopes that President Bush might choose to salvage his tattered - some might say non-existent - environmental credentials were dashed when his administration announced plans to open more than 3 million acres of Alaskan forests to logging, mining and road building. The Guardian's David Adam reports that the plan will open 3.4 million acres of the Tongass National Forest, a haven for a variety of vulnerable species, to logging and other development, 2.4 million acres of which are currently pristine. The area had previously been granted protection by the Clinton administration under its "Roadless Rule" provision.
Claims by supporters of the plan that it would help bolster and sustain Alaska's economy were quickly shot down by environmentalists, who pointed out that logging makes up only around 1% of the state's economy - a far cry from the much more significant share made up by other activities that will be put at risk by the move, such as commercial fishing and tourism....
Jargon Watch: Slow Design
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 01.31.08
Leigh Wells for the New York Times
A movement that started in the kitchen with Slow Food International is beginning to take over the entire house. Slow Design, much like its gastronomic predecessor, is all about pulling back on the reins and taking time to do things well, do them responsibly, and do them in a way that allows the designer, the artisan and the end user to derive pleasure from it.
Just like Slow Food, it's all about using local ingredients, harvested and put together in a socially and environmentally responsible way. Above all, it emphasizes thoughtful, methodical, slow creation and consumption of products as a way to combat the sometimes overwhelming pace of life in the bigger-faster-now 21st century.
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The Future Of Green Retailing: LOHAS Is So Yesterday
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 01.31.08
One of the ambivalent miseries of being a TreeHugger writer is getting email that ranges from the insight-provoking to absurd. This week's winner offers a glimpse into the intersection of the US' economic downturn and growing consumer interest in green products.
The Chain Store Age trade show wrap up publication just received included a short article, "A New Consumer Mind-Set, For most Americans, best practices are changing," which documented an increased rate of the mainstreaming of some fairly common TreeHugger ideals. And, of some mall and big-box store transforming developments just around the corner....
Got Organic?
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 01.31.08
Fast way to get an unpleasant reaction from Mom? Come to dinner with mud on your face and hands. You're full of germs...eeeww. March right into the bath young man!
The farm market bothers some at this visceral level: visible "earth" on fresh produce especially reinforces it. See what you did Ma? We're scared of organic.
The news that grade school aged children shed measurable pesticide residues in their urine is going to have parents "getting" more organic produce. A little mud on the hands, maybe not so bad in comparison....
The TH Interview: Sheryl Crow
by Jacob Gordon, Nashville, TN on 01.31.08
It’s been three years since Sheryl Crow’s last album, and the world has changed a lot in that short time. Crow’s new release, Detours, looks at war, oil, and climate change as hard as it looks at love, heartache, and hope. Sheryl spoke to us from her farm in Tennessee where she’s settled with her young son to live a greener, more peaceful life. She told us about her musical inspirations, her time touring with Laurie David and StopGlobalWarming.org, and even sets the record straight about the infamous one-square-of-toilet-paper remark that had us TreeHuggers scratching our heads. Listen to the podcast of this interview via iTunes, or just click here to listen, right-click to download....
CIA Goes Green, Or So They Tell Us
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 01.31.08
The Central Intelligence Agency's new facilities in northern Virginia are going LEED, with a 22,000 square foot green roof, 40% savings in water by using low-flush toilets and waterless urinals, 21% savings in energy use by using occupancy sensors and energy efficient equipment, while improving air quality with 60% more fresh air.
The first office building, which opened its doors in 2007, earned LEED Silver certification, while the visitor center and central plant each earned LEED Gold certification. Details on what they did below the fold.
This post will self-destruct in sixty seconds. ::CIA via ::Computer World ...
The Good and the Greasy: The Sustainable Biodiesel Summit Aims to Raise the Bar
by Sami Grover, Carrboro, NC, USA on 01.31.08
By now, most readers will be aware that biodiesel is not a magic bullet solution to climate change, and it does not come without its own problems and challenges. From unsustainable palm oil production, through fears of food vs. fuel, to vegans getting upset about putting chicken fat in their tanks, it seems the leading lights of the biodiesel industry certainly have more than enough to discuss as they convene for the Sustainable Biodiesel Summit this weekend. Held before the National Biodiesel Board’s annual conference, the summit certainly seems to have all the right intentions:
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TH Blog Love - Our Favourite Greens Of The Week
by Leonora Oppenheim, London, UK on 01.31.08
DHLoveLife: Valentines Gifts by Daryl Hannah
"Luscious love candle - super sexy red - honey smelling - 100% beeswax candle.
Chocolate lovers basket - chocolate oil!- pure head-2-toe organic cacao skin food.
Romantic roses bath tea - mmm…. smell sexy with a naturally beautiful bath tea.
Sweet Thoughts journal - a handmade notebook 4 writing down your sweet thoughts…100% recycled/repurposed."
TreeHugger has been nominated for two Bloggy Awards—Best Topical Weblog and Best Group Weblog. Please vote for us now! (Hint: To find us, scroll toward the bottom of the page.)...
20 Years of O2 Global Eco Design, Celebrating System Reload in Milan
by Petz Scholtus, Barcelona, Spain on 01.31.08
Happy Birthday O2 Global! The international eco design network that was established in 1988 has since given birth to O2 groups in over 82 countries and is counting more than 1200 members worldwide. What better place to celebrate and plan the revamp of O2 than the Milan furniture fair? After all this is where everything started 20 years ago, with a conversation in a coffee shop in Milan. So from April 16-21, O2 will be launching their new project, called System Reload, at the Salone Internazionale del Mobile de Milano in Italy, one of the most important design fairs in the world.
Psst! TreeHugger has been nominated for two Bloggy Awards—Best Topical Weblog and Best Group Weblog. Please vote for us now! (Hint: To find us, scroll toward the bottom of the page.)...
Low Emission Zone is Coming
by Bonnie Alter, London on 01.31.08
You've read about the congestion charge in London, well the Low Emission Zone (LEZ) is the congestion charge for trucks. As of Monday, diesel engined trucks over 12 tons will have to pay £200 ($400) a day to drive into the Greater London area, a much larger area than the one affecting cars. This is being done in an effort to improve air quality in the city, since London has the worst air pollution in the UK. Road transport is the single biggest source of particulate matter (soot) and nitrogen oxides, the main cause of respiratory illness and asthma. All trucks have to be fitted with an exhaust treatment systems up to a specific standard or they will be required to pay the daily charge. By the summer the fee will be extended to cover lighter trucks, buses, coaches and some minibuses.
Critics say that buses and taxis belch out the most fumes and should be included. Others say that it doesn't target C02 pollution. Some are furious that horseboxes(!) are included which affects rural lifestyle. Researchers say that over a 10 year period the zone would add 5,200 years to lives that would otherwise would have been cut short. There will be "important but relatively modest reductions" in harmful emissions. :: LEZ ...
Diabetes Potentially Linked to Environmental Pollution
by Kenny Luna, North Babylon, NY on 01.31.08
Long recognized as a disease that largely afflicts the residents of the world’s wealthier nations, Cambridge scientists are now advocating additional research into the little understood links between environmental pollution and type 2 diabetes.
PS: TreeHugger has been nominated for two Bloggy Awards—Best Topical Weblog and Best Group Weblog. Please vote for us now! (Hint: To find us, scroll toward the bottom of the page.)...
Freeze Expected in Hawaii Ahead of Super Tuesday
by Christine Lepisto, Berlin on 01.31.08
Starting Wednesday 30 January 2008, the USA is hosting the world's largest CO2 emitting nations in Hawaii for the second round of talks which President George Bush has promoted as an alternative to the obligatory emission reductions commitments sought under the Kyoto protocol. With US primaries ongoing and Super Tuesday looming, the BBC news reports that some EU delegates believe that Bush is simply gambling that lukewarm commitments can "neutralise climate as an issue in the forthcoming US elections." Nonetheless, the Europeans seem to be attending with more open minds. Will Bush freeze progress, or is there hope for advances before the next administration?
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Most Huggable: Glen the Global Warming Groundhog, The Green Marketing Manifesto, The State of Green Business + More
by Team Treehugger, Worldwide on 01.30.08
Glen, the Global Warming Groundhog wants to wish you a happy holiday with this cute video.
Want the low-down on Peak Oil, all in one place? Here it is.
Say hello to John Grant's new book, The Green Marketing Manifesto, which provides a roadmap on how to organize green marketing effectively and sustainably.
The Wall Street Journal joined the green blogosphere with "Environmental Capital," its first environmental blog.
How green are companies really getting? GreenBiz.com breaks it down with their report, The State of Green Business 2008.
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?
TreeHugger has been nominated for two Bloggy Awards -- Best Topical Weblog and Best Group Weblog. Please vote for us now! (Hint: To find us, scroll toward the bottom of the page.)...
TH Forums Highlights: Green Pet Owning, Reducing Heating Costs + More
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 01.30.08
1) Forums user inkabinkaboo182 has a question about a new member of the family: "I just got a new dog yesterday (adopted from a shelter, of course!), and I'm having trouble finding organic goods for him. He's a big, 70 lbs, dog, and not yet fully grown at ten months old. He needs some stuff, and I want it to be organic. Specifically, I'm looking for a dog bed and dogs toys made of organic materials, but that's just for now." Green pet owners, we need to hear from you!
2) User Falkon sez, "I need help from the Treehugger think tank. Here's my situation. I'm in a renovated historic house that I'm renting, and my electric bill seems to go down every month, but the bill for gas heat is terrible. I rent this place, so more efficient central heat is unfortunately not an option. I can make any changes that can easily be reversed. The only thing that runs on natural gas is the heating system...What else can I do?" Anyone?
3) Lastly, Forums user bluekathy is wondering about water. She says, "I have a question for all of you thoughful peeps. It is said that there is a severe drought across many of the states in the US. What I can't seem to wrap my head around is why? If water, turns to vapor or ice... how does it ever really go away?" As it happens, it's not so much a problem of it going away; it's just not quite as available (and clean) as we'd like it to be. What can we do about that?
Today on Planet Green
by Jasmin Malik Chua, Jersey City, USA on 01.30.08
:: Calorie-reduced, low in saturated fat, reduced fat—what do all these terms really mean? Kelly makes sense of it all.
:: If you want to start saving money, you'd better make friends with your freezer, first.
:: One company is making recycling clothing and shoes as easy as recycling newspapers, cans, and bottles.
:: If you needed another reason to shake your money-maker more often, new research suggests that physical activity may influence aging.
:: Here's a tip that will enable you to use less detergent, while giving you whiter whites and brighter colors.
:: Discover16 little-known ways you can reuse empty egg cartons.
:: Collin reviews Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver.
:: Clean your carpets and rugs without chemicals.
:: Can you drink hot water straight from the tap?...
Sea Lion Massacre in Galapagos Mystifies Authorities
by Jeremy Elton Jacquot, Los Angeles on 01.30.08
Image courtesy of mikebaird via flickr
In what can only be described as an utterly barbaric act, 53 sea lions were found dead earlier this week in the Galapagos Islands, their heads apparently bashed in. When they were initially discovered on Pinta, they were already in a late stage of decomposition; as Reuters UK's Alonso Soto and AFP are reporting, Ecuadoran authorities have started an investigation to determine the perpetrator(s) of these brutal killings.
Though it remains a possibility, the authorities have practically ruled out the involvement of traffickers, who typically kill the sea lions to salvage their organs; aside from their head wounds, the animals were left untouched. Winnowing down a list of possible culprits will be extremely difficult as tourism on the islands has flourished over the past few years; indeed, following calls for stricter controls by the UNESCO, Ecuador is now seriously weighing proposals to limit the amount of tourists flooding the Galapagos....
Plakbanterie: Refinishing Furniture, Recycling Becomes Art
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 01.30.08
Following the "It’s not what you are that counts, it’s what they think you are!" ideal, designer Johan Bruninx renews old furniture with an unusual medium: he covers scratched, dented pieces with paper packaging tape. Winding and weaving it into intricate patterns, the "refinished" furniture, which he calls "Plakbanterie," looks like more traditional wooden marquetry techniques; at a distance, it takes on the appearance of real wood.
Bruninx showed the project at the Design Academy Eindhoven graduation show 2007, held during Dutch Design Week. It's a great DIY idea for some of those Craigslist pieces -- we'd stay away from intricate patterns or detailed woodworking -- that you don't have the time, energy or space to properly refinish. Hit the jump to see more examples of this unique, artful (and easy!) reclaiming technique, along with some of the designer's thoughts about it, via ::dezeen
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Mattel Refuses to Officially Recall Toy with Lead Levels Eight Times Legal Limit
by Kenny Luna, North Babylon, NY on 01.30.08
Way back in September Mattel’s chief executive Robert A. Eckert said the company "will do the right thing" when it comes to lead in toys. But 56 U.S. Lawmakers recently signed a letter headed his way that reads, essentially, "Don’t pee on my leg and tell me it’s raining."
TreeHugger has been nominated for two Bloggy Awards—Best Topical Weblog and Best Group Weblog. Please vote for us now! (Hint: To find us, scroll toward the bottom of the page.)...
Bags of Change: Carrot Better Than Stick
by Warren McLaren, Sydney on 01.30.08
As we reported previously, folks like San Francisco, China, Australia, IKEA and Whole Foods are jumping aboard the ban wagon with regard plastic shopping bags. Ireland took a different approach years ago with their PlastTax of a several pence per bag, but consumers soon grew accustomed to this and the tax was increased.
But the UK’s ‘Bags of Change’ has really engaged the grey matter on this issue. Their creative out-of-the-box thinking avoids those stick type approaches. Instead, Bags of Change encourages responsible shopping bag use by dangling a tasty carrot. In short you get a discount at any participating store into which you to take their funky organic hemp-cotton or Amazonian latex bags. So far over 50 stores are involved. It’s such a simple, yet innovative idea that founders, school teacher Faith Simpson, and researcher Dr Hugh Willbourn scored big at the 2007 Green England Awards picking up ‘Best Green Company.’ Learn more at ::Bags of Change.
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SustainStyle: Biodegradable Umbrella, Classic Winter Looks, Vegan Cupcakes + More
by 1plus1 on 01.30.08
Welcome to SustainStyle, a new weekly digest from the writers at 1plus1, a blog dedicated to eco-friendly fashion. SustainStyle will run every Wednesday.
With non-stop rain in Los Angeles, we have started planning new ways to stay dry, one being to invest in an umbrella, specifically a brelli which is the first 100% biodegradable umbrella. To stay warm and still gorgeous, check out our "Dress Me" page, which is dedicated to a classic winter look with an organic wool coat paired with skinnys, vintage heels and to-die-for lip color. For those of you who vowed to stay inside we ventured into the kitchen for a yummy vegan cupcake recipe. We also read up on how to change the world with style, researched new inspirations, and of course did some online shopping. We noticed retailers have been busy getting ready for spring shipments, so we invaded the sales including Ashley Watson bags at half price and Loomstate for men. Also for men we found the uber-hip Livity brand, vintage-inspired volleyball sneakers made with organic cotton, and guitar straps made from old car seats. The MacBook Air was the subject of huge hype so we found something other than a manila envelope to protect ours. In other accessories buzz, we admired Anna Built jewelry and Hovey Lee's gumball cocktail ring. And if your closet is getting too full to even think about more clothing, give Planet Aid a visit to donate some of those ill-fitting treasures and free up some of your hangers.
With non-stop rain in Los Angeles, we have started planning new ways to stay dry, one being to invest in an umbrella, specifically a brelli which is the first 100% biodegradable umbrella. To stay warm and still gorgeous, check out our "Dress Me" page, which is dedicated to a classic winter look with an organic wool coat paired with skinnys, vintage heels and to-die-for lip color. For those of you who vowed to stay inside we ventured into the kitchen for a yummy vegan cupcake recipe. We also read up on how to change the world with style, researched new inspirations, and of course did some online shopping. We noticed retailers have been busy getting ready for spring shipments, so we invaded the sales including Ashley Watson bags at half price and Loomstate for men. Also for men we found the uber-hip Livity brand, vintage-inspired volleyball sneakers made with organic cotton, and guitar straps made from old car seats. The MacBook Air was the subject of huge hype so we found something other than a manila envelope to protect ours. In other accessories buzz, we admired Anna Built jewelry and Hovey Lee's gumball cocktail ring. And if your closet is getting too full to even think about more clothing, give Planet Aid a visit to donate some of those ill-fitting treasures and free up some of your hangers.
xo.
TreeHugger has been nominated for two Bloggy Awards—Best Topical Weblog and Best Group Weblog. Please vote for us now! (Hint: To find us, scroll toward the bottom of the page.) Thanks! ...Terrasoles: Do they Need More Soul?
by Warren McLaren, Sydney on 01.30.08
Apparently there is a footwear market known as the “casual after sport shoe” and Terrasoles want to redefine this niche. Some of these shoes (men and women styles) are made with bamboo, recycled polyester fleece and recycled microfleece.
The company say that environment is “top of mind” when they consider Terrasoles' components. “We utilize environmentally friendly elements wherever possible. Our packaging and other collaterals are being produced on recycled stocks with soy inks, and we are using high-quality fleece made from recycled materials in some travel and cold weather styles.” And concluded with, “We believe that small, environmentally smart steps like these are easy to implement from a business perspective and critical to implement from an environmental perspective.”
TreeHugger has been nominated for two Bloggy Awards—Best Topical Weblog and Best Group Weblog. Please vote for us now! (Hint: To find us, scroll toward the bottom of the page.) Thanks!...
Green Prototype Home Displayed at World Social Forum in Mexico City
by Eliza Barclay, Washington, D.C. on 01.30.08
A group of 16 Mexican NGOs put together a green prototype home as part of an eco-exhibit at the World Social Forum, which concluded Sunday. While not a complete house (it was missing a roof), the prototype home, set up on Mexico City's Zocalo, or central plaza, served as a kind of shell for demonstrating various eco-technologies and materials such as solar panels and hot water heaters, gray water filters, biodegradable cleaning products, composting, and dry toilets.
The project was headed up by Organi-K, a sustainability group dedicated to "Ecology in Action." According to Arnold Ricalde, director of Organi-K, the eco homes using the demo materials can be built with a mere budget of around 120,000 pesos, or about US$11,000.
The coalition's next step, according to Ricalde, is to push the Mexico City government to include ecological houses in their social housing programs. "This is another paradigm in understanding that the way in which we have lived, how we have understood well-being, comfort, abundance is wrong," said Ricalde. :: Via CEMDA (Spanish link). See also our recent coverage of the Mexican president's sustainable housing initiative.
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Presidential Debates Brought to You By Coal
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 01.30.08
Watching the GOP debate tonight and the Democratic party debates tomorrow? Just a reminder that as in other debates so far and noted earlier by Jeremy here, they are brought to you by Americans for Balanced Energy Choices (ABEC), a front for the coal industry.
Read our previous post and count the questions about global warming during the debates. via ::Think Progress
Now that we are talking about voting, TreeHugger has been nominated for two Bloggy Awards—Best Topical Weblog and Best Group Weblog. Please vote for us now! (Hint: To find us, scroll toward the bottom of the page.)...
President's Clean Tech Budget Add-On: How Big Is It?
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 01.30.08
The White House website details what President Bush outlined in his State of the Union speech this week regarding a "clean energy technology" budget addition in response to the risk posed by climate change.
President Bush is committing $2 billion over the next three years to create a new international clean energy technology fund to help confront climate change worldwide. Along with contributions from other countries, this fund will increase and accelerate the deployment of all forms of cleaner, more efficient technologies in developing nations like India and China, and help leverage substantial private-sector capital by making clean energy projects more financially attractive.
A favorite blog for keeping up on green tech developments, Greentech Media, has compared the President's new budget commitment to several other entities (graphic).
Looks like the US is IBM/Vigin league. But not to worry. US consumers have given much treasure to Dubai and it is positioned to make up for the US' lackluster showing. See Lloyd's "Dubai Jumps the Shark" post for some details.
Via::Greentech Media, "Bush's Tiny $2B Greentech Fund"...
A Picture is Worth...Homemade Applesauce
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 01.30.08
Yum...there's nothing like homemade applesauce. It always tastes better when you've made it yourself. Our question is: How many food miles will this DIY job add?
Have a fun green caption for this shot? Leave it in the comments section below (and, yep, that is Red Green behind the wheel). via ::MAKE: Blog...
Wayback Machine 1939: Mobile Home/Office
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 01.30.08
Move over, miniHome , this has got you beat: it's equipped with desks, typewriter, and electric dictating machine, it also provides the owner and his wife with satinwood-furnished living quarters, an upper-deck observation lounge, a tiled bathroom with hot and cold shower, and a stainless-steel kitchen with a range burning bottled gas. Telephones connect office, power car, and galley; and an air-conditioning plant maintains year-round comfort. As Charlie said, add an internet connection and this looks like a pretty spiffy place to live and work. ::Modern Mechanix...
Junkture Table: From Urban Junk to Urban Chic
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 01.30.08
Showcasing that beautiful things can be made from junk, Beth Fuller's Junkture Table rescues a magnesium wheel rim from a New York City junkyard to create an imaginative, unique coffee table. Going "from urban junk to urban chic" (Fuller's words), all materials for the table are locally sourced, reclaimed, 99% recycled and recyclable. It retains an urban edge while expressing a decidedly elegant form, a great combination that shows off its history as junk without looking junky.
We like this not because it's a table made from a wheel, but because of its imagination; the Junkture Table shows us that there is a second life for everything, and it can be as radically different as transportation transformed into interior furnishings. Not all wheels are equally suited to the task -- hey, it could have just as easily been a stupid, wagon wheel, Roy Rogers, garage sale coffee table -- but we always like to see beauty from unexpected sources like this. Hit the jump for more pics and more about the table, in the designer's words. ::Beth Fuller @ Coroflot via ::DesignSpotter...
Hot Water + Polycarbonate Bottles = More Gender-Benders
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 01.30.08
We have been saying for a while that polycarbonates bottles can leach Bisphenol A, a gender bender chemical, and that it was time to ditch them; now a new University of Cincinnati study shows that the temperature of the liquid inside has the most impact on how much BPA is released.
According to Martin Mittelstaedt of the Globe and Mail, "Adding boiling water to polycarbonate plastic bottles causes a dramatic spike (55 times as much!) in the amount of bisphenol A, or BPA, leaching from containers into drinks, according to a U.S. research team.
The finding suggests that parents sterilizing polycarbonate baby bottles by heating them in water or in a microwave may be inadvertently increasing the amount of the estrogen-mimicking chemical leaching from the containers. It also indicates hikers who use the bottles as a thermos to store hot tea or liquids may be doing the same."...
Care for a Drink... of Toilet Water?
by Jeremy Elton Jacquot, Los Angeles on 01.30.08
Now before you start reaching for that glass, know that we're not suggesting you actually go and follow Fido's example - no, what we're talking about here is indirect potable reuse (IPR) or, as it's most commonly known, "toilet-to-tap." You may remember seeing that term in Lloyd's post a few weeks ago when he described Orange County's Groundwater Replenishment System, a water-purification project designed to convert sewage water from the region into drinkable tap water.
In her recent Slate piece, Eilene Zimmerman provides a broader overview of the technology and some of the other cities/states that are slowly adopting it. As she recounts, indirect potable reuse (IPR) has actually been around for a while now - it has often been used in cities throughout the country for agricultural and landscaping purposes. Yet, despite their best efforts to move this technology to potable uses, public officials have encountered a tremendous amount of resistance from their constituents who, perhaps understandably, are wary of drinking water that "once had poop in it."...
First, They Came for the Geiger Counters
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 01.30.08
New York City Council, at the suggestion of the Department of Homeland Security, is looking at legislation that requires anyone who has or uses a detector that measures chemical, biological or radioactive agents to get a license from the Police Department.
According to the New York Times, "The purpose of the bill is to reduce unwarranted anxiety and damage from false alarms of terrorist attacks."
But the unintended consequence (or is it intended?) is that non-governmental groups, activists, environmentalists or anyone who monitors anything from greenhouse gases to PCBs has to get a licence and they know where you are. Evidently the right to bear arms is in the constitution but the right to know what is in the air is not. ...
Singgih Kartono's New Radio Now Available in USA
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 01.30.08
Last year we loved the minimalist, retro looking wooden radio designed by Singgih Kartono. The designer used sustainably harvested wood, but also wanted to revitalize craft industries, creating jobs for people who were making simple handicrafts, but now can supply the cases for a high tech, high value, "MP3 ready" product, redesigned with FM, AM and two short wave bands. (how retro is that?)
When we talk about how good design is the key to sustainability, products like this come to mind: sustainable materials, great design, creating decent jobs and building communities all at once.
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Super Bowl: A Greenhouse Gastravaganza
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 01.30.08
It is a new record; over 400 private jets are flying into Phoenix for the Super Bowl this weekend, carrying mostly corporate types and their clients. “The Giants in particular have a huge corporate fan base" said an organizer of corporate events in the New York Times, “And 99 percent of our clients are corporations that are looking to entertain clients at these events.” Some of those corporations may even be among those who make claims to being concerned about the environment. So what is the impact of all these flights?
We did a quick back-of-the-envelope calculation.
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Bleed Blue, Live Green: Duke vs. Climate Change
by Sami Grover, Carrboro, NC, USA on 01.30.08
Anyone who knows anything about fans of Duke University’s basketball team knows that they don’t give up their blue shirts easily. It is a measure of how seriously people are taking climate change then, that Thursday night’s game against NC State will see fans, and even the team mascot, wearing green t-shirts emblazoned with the slogan “Bleed Blue. Live Green.” in an effort to raise awareness around sustainability. The initiative is part of Duke University’s participation in Focus the Nation, a national teach in on global warming solutions. It’s not just the costumes that will be changing:
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Survey: Do Property Rights trump Environmental Policy?
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 01.30.08
It was just a silly story about a farmer hiding his faux chateau behind hay bales to flout the zoning laws, but it was in fact a much bigger issue. Zoning and planning rules are usually not random, but the result of policies designed to preserve greenbelts, watersheds and agricultural land for the good of all. Yet they are always challenged by those who say "it's my land and I can do what I want on it." These different views came out in the comments.
UPDATE: commenters remind us that zoning bylaws often serve other, less honorable purposes.
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Living With Water Extremes: A Juxtaposition Of Design Responses
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 01.30.08
Many people live with the daily fear of not having enough water. Take Atlanta, Georgia USA, for example. Atlanta is an inverse Atlantis. Until recently, Atlanta was legendary for rapid growth without limits. Its citizens ever willing to live with the misery of traffic jams, the Atlanta area now faces the prospect of economic decline for lack of water, as well as overcrowded highways.
The drought-adaptive measures talked about most in Atlanta area seem superficial by comparison to what's happening in Holland, where the threat of climate change-amplified floods have inspired a community scale design change....
A Recycled Ski Chair
by Bonnie Alter, London on 01.30.08
If you love skiing and want to think about it in every season, here is just the chair for your home or garden. A variation on the much beloved Muskoka (Adirondack) chair but made of recycled skis, or snowboards, these chairs will give you a lift any time. Hand crafted and set into certified cedar, you could also have a coat rack made out of snowboards, tables with inlaid skis, benches with snowboard backs and even loveseats with ski backs.
If you have a pair of skis that you want to remember forever, Green Mountain will custom design a chair or table around them. If you have old skis taking up space in the basement, they will take donated warped, cracked, out of date snowboards or skis and make them into something new and original. This small Vermont company is serious about its recycling; they offset their energy usage, purchase locally, reuse bindings and ship items in recycled bike boxes. :: Green Mountain Ski Chair Via :: Hippyshopper...
Great Moments in Advertising: This One's for You, Greenies
by Jeremy Elton Jacquot, Los Angeles on 01.29.08
Image courtesy of Guardian Unlimited
Not all green advertisements are created equal: Even as we've seen a few witty, inspired choices, we'd have to say that - for the most part - most eco-oriented adverts have either rung hollow or, at best, seemed laughable by comparison. And while the general trend for advertisers and businesses continues to be to appeal to their customers' green ethos, some companies appear to have opted for an almost diametrically opposed strategy - goading their newfound environmental sensibilities.
The Guardian's Leo Hickman has a great rundown of some of the more provocative adverts to appear in print of late; he mentions ClimateDenial.org, a website that "explores the psychology of climate change denial with observations and anecdotes about our weird and disturbed response to the problem," which has been encouraging visitors to submit examples of ads that fit the bill. ...
Is "Pink Gold" Coming To Your Local Grocery Store Soon?
by Kimberley D. Mok, Montreal, Canada on 01.29.08
Growing to a mere 2.4 inches in size, krill are the small shrimp-like creatures which are perhaps one of the planet’s most plentiful life-forms in terms of weight, and are now in increasing demand for use in fish feed (less need for those artificial colorants for pinker salmon flesh), fish oil supplements, soy sauce and medicines. And now, they may also appear as an ingredient in your food. Though krill are found in all oceans, they are aptly named “pink gold” for their abundance in the Southern Ocean. They are the keystone species of the regional ecosystems here – in effect, acting as the basic dietary staple for seals, whales, penguins and birds such as the tenacious snow petrels, which feed exclusively on krill and will fly more than 500 km (300 miles) from their inland nests to fish for them. ...
Mexico to Launch Sustainable Housing Initiative
by Eliza Barclay, Washington, D.C. on 01.29.08
We've lauded the initiative taken by Mexican developer Geo to provide eco-options like solar panels and passive solar water heaters, and now the Mexican government seems to be getting with the program as well.
Mexico's President Felipe Calderon is under pressure to address Mexico's chronic housing shortage and significant greenhouse gas emissions. This week, Calderon is slated to announce a new goal of building one million green homes that he claims will save one million tons in carbon dioxide emissions during the 16th Forum of Latin American and Caribbean Environment Ministers in the Dominican Republic. Environment Secretary Juan Rafael Elvira spilled some of the beans to Agencia Efe (Spanish link) in a recent interview....
Today on Planet Green
by Jasmin Malik Chua, Jersey City, USA on 01.29.08
:: Serve up this economical kale and white bean stew.
:: Say it with organic flowers. We have more options than ever.
:: Cook cabbage in two delicious ways.
:: Okay, ladies, let's talk about feminine hygiene and how it relates to your health and the environment.
:: Fix up your home to make it greener, not to turn a quick buck. Lloyd tells us why.
:: Fresh eggs galore! Learn how to raise chickens in your own backyard.
:: Save ink, paper, and money with this free download.
:: Is your desk a sprawl of paper clutter? Here's one way to address some of that mess.
:: Super Bowl Sunday is also the Super Bowl of snacking. Find out how to rustle up some healthier , yet tasty, fare.
:: Here's another reason to take cooler showers: It's better for your skin.
:: Earn rebates when you recycle electronics and gadgets. Find out how....
TreeHugger Picks: Mapmaker, Mapmaker, Make Me a Map
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 01.29.08
Mashing up different function with Google's mapping feature can yield lots of cool, green results, like the year-to-year tracking of solar photovoltaic installations in California. Here are our picks for other suave mashups.
...
 | 1) When searching for directions, Google Transit makes it easy to find public transit alternatives; just click "Take Public Transit" and your route, directions and even cost (with a comparison versus driving) will pop right up. So easy, it's not even a mashup, technically; you can use it with regular Google maps in selected cities. |
 | 2) Use Walk Score to determine how walkable your neighborhood is. Just type in your address and it scores it, with a map of everything that's around; 70 to 90 is very walkable; 90 to a hundred is a walker's paradise. What's the use? Remember, walkable communities promotes better health, reduction in greenhouse gases, more transportation options, increased social capital and stronger local businesses. |
 | 3) Garage Sale Tips & Maps helps connects the people with the sales; all you do is type in your address, and the map does the rest. All registered garage sales happening around you pop up, and it'll help you get directions, add your own garage sale, and chat about your experience (and all the great stuff you saved from the landfill) in the forums. The original mashup and bowling with topography, after the jump... |
Iraq Again Focuses Attention on U.S., This Time By Ratifying Kyoto
by Andrew Posner, Providence, Rhode Island on 01.29.08
Yes, that's right: the Iraqi government, which has been unable to provide many basic services and security to its citizens, has ratified the Kyoto Protocol. According to the Agence France-Presse,
The presidential council ratified in its session on January 23 a law according to which the Republic of Iraq will join the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and its Kyoto ProtocolThis bit of news will likely put the United States into an even more uncomfortable position with respect to climate change, especially given that Australia ratified the treaty in December, leaving the U.S. as the only industrialized nation yet to join. Oh, and then there was that mildly embarrassing incident in Bali, where the U.S. was told by the representative from Papua New Guinea to either lead or "get out of the way." After all, if Iraq can find the political will to ratify Kyoto, it's hard to believe that the U.S., with its more than 200 year history of democracy and a populace that is demanding action, can't do the same....
Gotta Have a MacBook Air? Get a Reusable Carrying Case
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 01.29.08
Early adopters of the thinnovative MacBook Air are no doubt lusting after the signature manila envelope that Apple's diminutive notebook conveniently slips into. We've seen the "AirMail" (ha. ha.) floating around the web -- Geekologie has a fun review of it -- which delivers on aesthetic but not so much on the materials; it's made from vinyl, which is a nasty carcinogen and TreeHugger no-no.
If you gotta have it (or already do), we recommend going for something like the Mac bag from Studio Leung; it takes a design note from the manila version while replacing the vinyl with cotton. DIYers handy with a sewing machine could (fairly easily) fashion one of their own, doing the bag one better with organic cotton or another sustainable textile. This version isn't perfect, but we know a Mac fan or two who'd spring for one in a second; if you gotta have it, at least have it last a long time. ::Studio Leung via ::NotCot.org...
Glow in the Dark Bike From Puma
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 01.29.08
We showed the Puma by Biomega a few years ago; it is an interesting folding bike with a tension cable instead of a tube, that you can disconnect so that nobody can steal your bike and ride it away.
Now they have introduced a glow-in-the-dark version- the frame's glowing paint sucks up sunlight during the day and lets it loose after the sun sets. We hope that it is not made with encapsulated tritium like the last glowing bike we saw. ::Device...
Green Stats: 29,628
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 01.29.08
29, 628 -- the number of grid-connected solar photovoltaic installations in California in January 2008, according to the California Energy Commission.
1,675 -- the number of grid-connected solar photovoltaic installations in California prior to 2002; that's a seventeen-fold increase over six years. Wow.
Inspired by these statistics, Cooler Planet decided to map this explosive growth in solar panel installations, to see where they were happening in California. The interactive map they created is a great way to visualize the growth of the solar industry, year by year and megawatt by megawatt. What will that map look like in another six years? ::Cooler Planet...
Who Needs Furniture?
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 01.29.08
That's the question asked by student designer Theo Zeniou in his work, on display at an exhibition by Buckinghamshire New University’s MA furniture design and technology graduates, on display at the Vitra showroom this week in London. Zeniou's imaginative work gives furniture a second home on the wall, giving it both dual purpose as 3D art and getting it up and out of the way when not in use.
His artful designs are a great space-saving solution, and include the small office setup above -- it's easy to see where the chair is, but can you figure out where the table comes from? -- and an ingenious stool that doubles as a flower on the wall. It's all functional art, fun to use and easy to put away; hit the jump to see the stool and what the office setup looks like on the floor. ::Theo Zeniou via ::Dwell Daily...
Pollen Robots
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 01.29.08
In North America we have the Weather Network. In Japan they appear to have the Pollen Channel, monitoring the spread of Japanese cedar and cypress pollen that cause hay fever.
To monitor this, WeatherNews is deploying two hundred beady-eyed robots with eyes that glow different colours according to the pollen levels, as well as uploading the information via the internet to the online pollen map.
Wouldn't it be great if it monitored a wide range of pollutants besides pollen. Except the eyes would always be red. ::Pink Tentacle ...
Wayback Machine 1937: Combined Swing and Clothes Dryer
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 01.29.08
We could make a fortune selling these in all those municipalities that prohibit clotheslines. They don't ban swing sets, do they?
On the other hand it would have been much more interesting if the energetic children spinning around actually dried the clothing. Instructions for building below the fold. ::Modern Mechanix...
Early Exposure to Lead May Accelerate Aging of Brain in Later Life
by Kenny Luna, North Babylon, NY on 01.29.08
In a disturbing study released recently, it appears that early childhood exposure to lead may, in fact, lead to an acceleration of the normal aging of the brain. As Dr. Brian Schwartz of John Hopkins University put it, “We’re trying to offer a caution that a portion of what has been called normal aging might in fact be due to ubiquitous environmental exposures like lead.”
And lead’s not the only pollutant you may have to worry about…
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The Celebrity Minute: High-Profile Moms Endorse Q Collection Junior
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 01.29.08
TreeHugger loves Q Collection's combination of carefully considered sustainability characteristics and ultra-sleek, modern style. They knocked our socks off with their collection of furniture and rocked our world with Q Collection Junior, which applies their rigorous approach to sustainability and great design sensibility to kids' furniture, and we aren't the only ones who noticed.
High-profile and celeb moms Gwyneth Paltrow, Sheryl Crow and Christy Turlington are all proud owners of Q Collection Junior; said Gwyneth, "As a mom, I was thrilled to discover Q Collection Junior. (It’s) truly beautiful furniture that’s not only healthy for my kids, but also good for the planet. We’re so happy with the crib and changing table. And I particularly love the bedding. It’s much harder than I would have thought to find organic bedding that’s also great looking. It really is an amazing line.” Gwyneth has also joined the company’s ongoing Advisory Board to help raise awareness on children’s environmental health issues....
FEMA Ignored or Buried Formaldehyde Research
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 01.29.08
As John wrote last year, FEMA trailers seem to have been designed to optimize formaldehyde exposure. FEMA pooh-poohed the issue, saying that the trailers were safe if properly ventilated. Now congressional Democrats are saying that FEMA "manipulated scientific research in order to play down the danger posed by formaldehyde in trailers issued to hurricane victims."
FEMA "ignored, hid and manipulated government research on the potential impact of long-term exposure to formaldehyde" on Katrina and Rita victims now living in FEMA trailers, Democrats on a House Science and Technology subcommittee wrote in a letter to Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff.
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¡Justicia Now! The Fight Against Big Oil Continues in Ecuador
by Leonora Oppenheim, London, UK on 01.29.08
The plight of the indigenous peoples in the Ecuadorian Amazon has received a lot of attention from artists and film makers over the last year. High profile activists such as Daryl Hannah, David De Rothschild and Trudie Styler have all travelled to the Rainforest in the past 12 months to see for themselves the damage that has been wreaked by oil pollution upon the environment and local communities there. After this TreeHugger's on the ground reporting from Ecuador last year, comes a documentary about the 'Artivist' John Quigley's epicly photographed organised protest at the original Texaco drilling site in Ecuador. ...
The Year of Living Efficiently
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 01.29.08
Karen Steffens for the San Francisco Chronicle
Anyone looking for a blueprint of how to live well in small spaces needs only to check out what Bobby Wise did to transform his 530 square foot studio from cramped and closed-off to comfy and chic. The San Francisco-based small business owner made a few key changes to maximize the space, adding suave space-savers like storage under the bed and slick built-in shelving for books, a stereo and TV.
When it came time to update the bathroom, Wise got new with old by going to Omega Salvage in Berkeley for a vintage pedestal sink and lighting for the bathroom. Overall, it's a really elegant application of the "less is more" thing we're always talking about; hit the jump to see what it looked like before. ::San Francisco Chronicle via ::Apartment Therapy: San Francisco...
All Your Ecobase Are Belong To Us
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 01.29.08
Ecobase is another "green" building system out of Europe complete with its green pitch: "Your house is also a lifestyle choice, your statement to the other. It expresses how and in what kind of environment you want to live. To live in EcoBase means to make a natural choice. To exist like a part of nature's cycle and state to the other that you are not indifferent to the environmental problems." Little green tips pop up on every page of the website.
But it is made of logs. No mention of where they come from or whether they are sustainably harvested, and then they are treated with "antiseptics" and a fire retardant additive. The roof appears to be a sandwich panel of steel and polystyrene. Parts of the exterior are clad in Alucobond, a composite sandwich of aluminum and plastic which is non-recylable. UPDATE: information from the designers has been added....
The Year Ahead With Tom Price
by Meaghan O'Neill, Newport, R.I. on 01.29.08
This post is part of an ongoing series. To access all the profiles in this series, visit The Year Ahead.
Who: Tom Price, executive director of Black Rock Solar
Eco-resolution: My personal goal is to stop driving my petro-Honda. (I'm giving it to a friend who's converting it to run on carbon-negative gasified biomass, but there may be some bugs in the process, so in the meantime he's giving me an old 1981 Mercedes I can run on biodiesel.)
In my professional life, I hope to build 500 kilowatts of low- or no-cost solar power for schools, hospitals, and community centers across Nevada, proving that solar power can be accessible to everyone. In the past, solar power has only been accessible to either large institutions with big pockets or wealthy do-gooders, but if we're going to address climate change, everyone has to do their part. By matching up large scale fiscal capital from our partner MMA Renewable Ventures and donated labor á la Habitat for Humanity, we're proving solar can be done in a way that saves money from day one. (And yes, until the cost of photovoltaics comes down, public rebates are a key piece of our strategy.)...
Who: Tom Price, executive director of Black Rock Solar
Eco-resolution: My personal goal is to stop driving my petro-Honda. (I'm giving it to a friend who's converting it to run on carbon-negative gasified biomass, but there may be some bugs in the process, so in the meantime he's giving me an old 1981 Mercedes I can run on biodiesel.)
In my professional life, I hope to build 500 kilowatts of low- or no-cost solar power for schools, hospitals, and community centers across Nevada, proving that solar power can be accessible to everyone. In the past, solar power has only been accessible to either large institutions with big pockets or wealthy do-gooders, but if we're going to address climate change, everyone has to do their part. By matching up large scale fiscal capital from our partner MMA Renewable Ventures and donated labor á la Habitat for Humanity, we're proving solar can be done in a way that saves money from day one. (And yes, until the cost of photovoltaics comes down, public rebates are a key piece of our strategy.)...
New Tricks in Illegal Building: Cover it in Hay
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 01.29.08
In many parts of the world there are development controls to preserve natural landscapes, watercourses and farmland, but there is constant pressure as well to build monster homes in the country and greenbelts are constantly under attack by devious developers or clever lawyers.
Or, as in the case of Robert Fidler of Surrey in the UK, one very patient farmer. Hiding behind 40 foot high wall of hay bales, he built himself a home and kept it tarped for four years to comply with a rule that if nobody complains about something for that period, it is permitted to stay, kind of like a statute of limitations. Then he pulled down the tarps.......
Humancar: Ready for Prime Time?
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 01.29.08
When we last looked at the Humancar, Collin noted "we aren't convinced it's the future of transportation, but it's a pretty cool application of technology and a dang interesting concept."
Now it is back, and going on sale this Earth Day for $ 15,000. It has more trademarks than you can shake a lawyer at, and is now the Imagine™ LMV HumanCar® with BodySteer™ chassis and SyncGuideway™ compatibility, an exoskeletal safety cage chassis, dual electric motors, variable human power input. "The Imagine™ LMV will rock the world."...
Survey: Should You Pay More to Drive a Gas Guzzler?
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 01.29.08
Jeremy asked that question in his post yesterday, discussing a California proposal to hit up hummers with a $2,500 registration fee and give rebates to purchasers of super-efficient cars. According to early estimates, 25% would be unaffected by the bill, while 35% would be charged a fee and 40% would receive rebates (paid for by the fees).
Online Surveys
| Free Poll
| Email Marketing
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Verdant Vocations: An Accountant?
by Warren McLaren, Sydney on 01.29.08
Here’s the third in a series of posts about that third of our day spent beavering away at our chosen craft.
[Verdant: green, lush, rich
Vocation: calling, life's work, mission, purpose, function; profession, occupation, career, job, employment, trade, business, line, line of work, métier.]
A Green Accountant (or as we read somewhere, a Mung Bean Counter) might:...
Give A Green Boost To The Economy
by Rebecca Wodder, American Rivers on 01.29.08
What our economy needs right now is a whole lot of green: Green jobs, green projects and green investments that will boost local economies while improving our environment and quality of life.
Congress is looking at ways to jump-start the economy and avoid a recession. Recently, we’ve been hearing from a lot of governors, mayors, and economists saying that infrastructure investments are among the most powerful and enduring things we can do to grow the economy. Investing in “green” upgrades to our nation’s sewage and drinking water systems may not sound sexy (know any Hollywood stars who want to speak up for sewage treatment?) but I’d argue it is the most important thing we can do to create jobs, improve clean water, protect public health and safety, beautify our communities, and revitalize our economy...
Algae Towers, Carbon Nanotubes Coming to a City Near You
by Mairi Beautyman, Berlin, Germany on 01.29.08
A hydrogen-producing algae tower is one of the Blade Runner-worthy visionary ideas for urban development that emerged during the City of the Future Contest San Francisco, sponsored by the History Channel. (Interest in algae as a biodiesel seems to be growing--read more here and here.) Incorporated in HydroNet, the grand prize winning concept by San Francisco-base design firm IwamotoScott, the towers are based on real science, according to partners Lisa Iwamoto and Craig Scott. The firm's project, designed in one week, also includes hydrogen-fueled hover-cars, geothermal steam baths, robot-drilled tunnels, walls "structured using carbon nanotube technology," and tunnels for transport of water and power. ::Via ArchNews Now ::The History Channel ::SFGate.com ::CNNMoney.com More on ::Biodisel ::Carbon Nanotubes Image courtesy of Flickr...
Land Girls and Lumber Jills Recognised
by Bonnie Alter, London on 01.29.08
During both world wars, women volunteered to help out in the fields and in the forest industry to keep the war effort going. Called Land Girls, members of the Women's Land Army played a vital role; eighty thousand women from cities and towns worked in forests, sand mills and farms producing invaluable food and material to keep Britain’s agriculture moving. They looked after animals, ploughed the fields, dug up potatoes, harvested the crops, killed the rats, dug and hoed for 48 hours a week in the winter and 50 hours a week in the summer. Their motto: 'For a healthy, happy job join The Women's Land Army'. Right.
The Women's Timber Corps members, Lumber Jills, worked in forestry; handling axes, saws, and felling trees to provide timber. As most were city bred and were unfamiliar with the wide-open spaces or the woods, being sent off to the countryside was a real shock. They turned the trees into telegraph poles, wood pulp for paper and mining props. At last these WW2 women are being recognised by the government for their services to forestry and agricultural work with a special badge. As one recipient said: "the badge was a powerful and touching gesture to thank us for what we did". :: BBC...
Mestiza: Repurposed Fabrics' Bags from Argentina
by Paula Alvarado, Buenos Aires on 01.29.08
Mestiza is a small brand founded by textile artist Rosa Arena, graphic designer Irene Guntsche and entrepreneur Maria Sarobe, whose main product is a line of bags from repurposed lycra remaining from a tights factory.
Each bag is hand woven with a technique similar to loom and then complimentary parts such as clasps or handles are added, but most of the pieces are constituted by lycra remains. The model from the picture has different uses by changing the length of the strap. Prices start at 60 Argentine pesos, which is about 20 US dollars.
More info and pictures in the extended!...
A Supermarket Powered By Tomatoes? Dream On.
by Sami Grover, Carrboro, NC, USA on 01.29.08
Chocolate, human waste, body heat - energy is starting to come from more and more unusual sources these days, and now it's the turn of the humble tomato, which is powering the checkouts, lights and fridges of a new Waitrose supermarket in Rickmansworth.
We couldn’t help but get excited by the introduction above for an article in the Guardian, breathlessly declaring how the new store is being powered by the very same tomatoes that are being sold to its customers. But wait a minute, if the tomatoes are being sold on the shelves, how the heck are they also powering the lights? It may not be as simple as all that after all…
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The TH Interview: Bicing, Barcelona’s Bike Sharing System (Part 3: Clear Channel)
by Petz Scholtus, Barcelona, Spain on 01.29.08
Image courtesy of Clear Channel
This week we interviewed Clear Channel Outdoor in Spain, the company behind the bike sharing system Bicing in Barcelona, whose success story you can read here. We previously interviewed Mayra Nieto from Barcelona’s City Council (Part 1) as well as some of its over 100.000 users (Part 2).
Clear Channel Outdoor is the world's largest outdoor advertising company, designing advertising displays for anywhere from airports and taxis to malls and including some of New York's Times Square displays. We learned that one of the most sustainable and innovative Product Service Systems like the Bicing, is the fruit of this company’s international street furniture division. Read what Jordi Sáez, regional director of Clear Channel in Catalonia, has to say about Bicing and sharing bikes....
First Transatlantic Voyage of Kite-powered Ship
by Christine Lepisto, Berlin on 01.29.08
The big day has finally come. After years of testing and development, and recent media build-up, a kite-powered cargo ship has hit the high seas on the first transatlantic voyage from Bremershaven (Hamburg), Germany to Guanta, Venezuela. The 160m2 SkySail kite wafting over the cargo at the bow of the 132m Multi Purpose Heavy Lift Carrier MS “Beluga SkySails" is a beautiful sight. For a tour of the best video links to see a new day in shipping dawn, see overleaf....
Most Huggable: Wind Power Rising, Ecolabels Rated, Bye-Bye, Bottled Water + More
by Team Treehugger, Worldwide on 01.28.08
Last week, the American Wind Energy Association reported record growth in wind power generation during 2007.
Green dorms are being built at the University of Illinois in Champaign that use geothermal energy to provide heat and hot water to residents.
Green or greenwashing? Ecolabelling.org screens over 285 global ecolabels in a search for real green goodness.
Make the office a greener place with this simple list of three tips to save energy at work.
New York City's tap water will be served at Olympus Fashion Week this year, saving up to 25,000 plastic water bottles.
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: Solar's Popularity, Green Advertising + More
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 01.28.08
1) Forums user deepcsuf has a burning question for the Forums: "We all know each technology has its pros and cons. What are your impression of solar power? Is anyone on this forum generating their energy from a solar power system? If not, what would push you to purchase one?" So far, everyone who has weighed in has great things to say about the power of the sun; is there anyone out there who thinks otherwise?
2) User ddonata2 has been hitting the books, and comes to the Forums with an interesting query: "I'm just writing my dissertation on 'green advertising' and if it has a desired impact on consumers. So it's all about YOU! Do you believe in Green advertising? Do you trust it? Does it influence your purchases? What's more important - green or value? Have you come accross greenwashing? What 'green' companies, brands you trust and which ones you don't?" As green continues to become more popular, green advertising will follow; how do you differentiate the real deal from the green fakers?
3) Lastly, user charityjunebug brings as interesting notion to the Forums: systems that discourage green consumer behavior. The example: a drive-thru coffee joint. "They tell me to pull up, and I hand them my mug. Turns out, they already had my coffee made and simply transfered the contents from the disposable (styrofoam!!!) cup to my mug. Which completely cancels out my objective... to cut down on senseless waste. I watched as she tossed that cup in the trash. That cup that had a life span of 45 seconds." When have your green intentions been thwarted?
New Perch! Ceramics: Vessels for Fun, for Life
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 01.28.08
TreeHugger has been a fan of perch! design for a while now, first spotting this fun birdfeeder back in 2004 and then noting updates to the collection last year that included lighting and some great vases. Now, in anticipation of the New York International Gift Fair that starts later this week, Brooklyn-based designer Amy Adams has added more fun pieces to her stable of modern ceramics with new bird and bunny-inspired vessels. We like.
Adams is proud that perch! makes all of their products by hand (and they plan to keep it that way!), right there in Brooklyn, with low-fire earthenware and non-toxic glaze. Like many of the perch! designs, these new vessels are suitable for many applications (they can be so much more than vases) and the clean, modern design can help make them at home in just about any space; hit the jump for more pics. ::perch! via ::design*sponge...
Today on Planet Green
by Jasmin Malik Chua, Jersey City, USA on 01.28.08
:: Here's a cancer-fighting food you may not be aware of: Seaweed.
:: Forget the fancy vacations. Save money by becoming a tourist in your own hometown.
:: Left with a box full of crayon stubs? Learn how to make them as good as new.
:: Find out what you can do to make your freshly baked cupcakes a treat for the planet, too.
:: Discover how to turn a broken CD- or DVD-ROM drive into a USB-powered cooling fan.
:: If you have an oversize sweater lurking at the back of your closet because it makes you feel frumpy, you'll want to check out this tip.
:: Recycle your old clothes with Patagonia.
:: Instead of letting it sit in a landfill somewhere, consider composting your pets' No. 2.
:: Collin walks us through deciphering those incomprehensible ingredient lists.
:: Save some cash by making your own fruit-and-veggie wash....
Wal-Mart's Leslie Dach on "The Company of the Future"
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 01.28.08
George Frey/Bloomberg News
Leslie Dach used to do government relations work for Environmental Defense and served on the Audubon Society board. He was an advance man for Senator Edward Kennedy in his failed run for the nomination in 1980, and, later, as communications director for Michael Dukakis’s campaign in 1988, (according to the New Yorker, he says he was thousands of miles away during the famous tank moment), and now he is the Executive Vice President of Corporate Affairs and Government Relations for Wal-Mart and "reports directly to CEO Lee Scott and also manages communications, government relations and the Wal-Mart and Sam’s Club Foundation for the company."
We have always been ambivalent about Wal-Mart, promoting as we do the local Small-Mart instead. Nonetheless they continue to say interesting things and hire interesting people. When Leslie Dach contacted us about doing a guest post about their recent initiatives we thought it might make interesting reading. The post he sent us follows.
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Video: Janine Benyus with 12 Sustainable Design Concepts Using Biomimicry
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 01.28.08
TH Interview: More on Intel's Renewable Energy Purchase
by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada on 01.28.08
We had a chance to discuss Intel's major clean energy purchase with Bill Calder, Intel's spokesman. We asked him if Intel had considered generating renewable energy in-house like Google with its solar initiative. His answer: For a very large industrial manufacturer like Intel, it would not have made sense to try to do it themselves. Or at least, they could not have done it for the 1.3 billion kwh that they ended up purchasing from Sterling Planet....
Myndology: Disc-Bound Notebooks for Organizational Versatility
by Jasmin Malik Chua, Jersey City, USA on 01.28.08
Myndology's line of memo pads and notebooks aren't your typical spiral-bound fare: The pages are held together by polypropylene (or aluminum) discs, so you can pull out and reorganize any sheet with ease. You're able to cull unwanted pages after they've served their purpose, as well as add in fresh new sheets, allowing your notebook to evolve with your needs.
The Brussels, Wis.-based company prints its Bare line on acid-free recycled paper, using soy inks, right in its hometown. And, whether you inscribe your thoughts on the 3x4-inch memo pad (blank sheets) or the 6.5x8.5-inch journal (lined sheets)—in your choice of clay, pine, or sand colors—you'll probably never want for another notebook again. ::Myndology...
Naked Cotton T-Shirts
by Jasmin Malik Chua, Jersey City, USA on 01.28.08
Naked Cotton had its genesis when founder Brandon Levey had trouble finding organic apparel that was "trendy, artistic, and sexy." "It became apparent to me that the only options were dull and rather unattractive clothing that was marketed towards women in their 40s and above," he writes on his Web site. (Trendy, artistic, and sexy 40-plus women, excepted, of course. You know who you are.)
Based in San Francisco, Calif., Naked Cotton is completely homegrown. Cotton that is grown on certified transitional and organic cotton farms in the San Joaquin Valley is processed and stitched into shirts in Los Angeles by American Apparel. In Livermore, only water-based inks and adhesives—not icky PVC-based plastisol that gets crusty and cracked—are used to manually hand-print every piece of clothing, so the inks saturate the actual fibers of each shirt. The result? Tees that are as lovely to behold as they are to wear.
Check out some of Naked Cotton's designs below the fold. ::Naked Cotton...
Discovery Headquarters Get LEED Platinum
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 01.28.08
Well if you are going to get bought by the big guys, it's nice to get bought by people who practice what we preach. The mother ship, Discovery Headquarters in Silver Spring, Maryland, just got LEED platinum for its operations and improvements.
It is one of only nine LEED platinum existing buildings in the USA, and got it for new lighting, HVAC controls that minimize off-peak use, a "top to bottom effort to become carbon neutral through the use of carbon offsets and wind power renewable energy certificates, and a robust employee engagement program to challenge and motivate employees to become involved in recycling and reduction programs." Discovery now saves over 24,000 gallons of water annually and reduces carbon emissions by more than 260 tons each year.
Now if they would only put up that new TreeHugger sign already. ...
How to Better Mitigate the Impact of E-Waste
by Jeremy Elton Jacquot, Los Angeles on 01.28.08
Image courtesy of art_es_anna via flickr
RFID tags — the ubiquitous little devices used in passports and in product tracking — could help reduce the environmental impact of discarded computers by providing more accurate information about which parts can be reused. Eric Williams, a scientist at Arizona State University's Global Institute of Sustainability and an expert on the life-cycle impacts of computers, is spearheading the effort; as he explained to ES&T's Kellyn Betts:
"The manufacturing phase takes up the lion's share of the resources used during the life cycle of computing equipment, so extending the lifetime of computers and other information technology equipment becomes an important environmental service. What people get rid of is a mix of usable machines, components, and junk. But in many recycling systems around the world (including Japan's), this is ignored and everything gets recycled for materials."...
Intel: Now Largest Purchaser of Green Power in U.S.
by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada on 01.28.08
Intel worker holding a CPU wafer, probably containin 45nm Penryn cores.
Intel is announcing today that it will purchase more than 1.3 billion kilowatt hours a year of "renewable energy certificates" (which is 46% of their total electricity usage). That will make it the largest buyer of green power in the United States and give a boost to clean energy production, leading to increased generation capacity and eventually lower costs for everyone. It will also indirectly make your computer greener if you buy Intel, and it will pressure competitors to follow suit....
Lush Holds Out From the Sellout
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 01.28.08
The founder of Lush Fresh Handmade Cosmetics spoke with Karen Mazurkewich of the Financial Post about the buyouts of companies like the Body Shop and Bare Essentials, all gobbled up by megacorps and hedgies.
"The deal that has Mr. Constantine rattled most is the recent sale of Burt's Bees to Clorox, a bleach manufacturer. "You couldn't have a more dramatic difference in image from a chemical bleach company and a natural cosmetics company based on honey and bees," he says.
Mr. Constantine says these deals are having a negative impact in the industry. "If all [natural-based companies] ever do is sell out to a large multiple, it gets very confusing, and in the end ethical consumption as a concept will just disappear," he says....
My Other Car is a Bright Green City
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 01.28.08
Today's cars are costly, dangerous and an ecological nightmare. What if the solution to the problems they create, though, has more to do with where we live than what we drive?
That is the question Alex Steffen asks at the start of a must-read essay about how much more important the design of our cities is than what is under the hood of our cars.
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Transformer Furniture: "Meander" by Talus Furnituer
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 01.28.08
Combining crafty geometry with smart utility, Talus Furniture's "Meander" ottoman/chair/whatever is designed to do just that: meander about your living space. Want to put your feet up? No problem. Need an extra seat? Gotcha covered. How about a bench? It can do that, too. Let your imagination (and recollection of high school geometry) run wild.
Meander's slick system combines polygonal shapes with a series of carefully-placed zippers, allowing for quick transformations between uses; the version above has casters for mobility, while a slightly different version (pics below the fold) leaves them out. This addition-by-subtraction design decision inspires a whole new set of uses, allowing for flipping and turning that expand its utility into some really cool seating and lounging possibilities. Hit the jump for more pics and info about Talus....
Dubai Jumps the Shark
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 01.28.08
We have covered the incredible construction boom in Dubai before, wondering where the energy will come from that will keep it cool and keep its inhabitants flying in and out. While neighbour Abu Dhabi is building a carbon free city with decent architects, the designers of Falcon City think that urban planning means that you design your city to look like a falcon from the air.
And in case you are homesick, it has an Eiffel Tower, a pyramid, a Taj Mahal and a Great Wall of China. ...
The Evangelical Ecologist Hosts Carnival of the Green
by Kara DiCamillo, Newport, Rhode Island on 01.28.08
This week is Carnival of the Green # 112 and it's being hosted by The Evangelical Ecologist a conservative Christian environmental blog. 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. ...
Should You Pay More for the 'Privilege' of Driving a Gas-Guzzler?
by Jeremy Elton Jacquot, Los Angeles on 01.28.08
Image courtesy of graeme_newcomb via flickr
A new bill under consideration by California's State Legislature would require citizens to pony up for the right to drive one of innumerable gas-guzzling vehicles helping to clog up the state's airways. As reported on by the Los Angeles Times' Margot Roosevelt, the California Clean Car Discount Act (AB 493) - which could become the nation's first "feebate" law if enacted - would impose fees or grant rebates based on a vehicle's emissions production:
"One-time registration fees of up to $2,500 would be levied on new gas guzzlers, such as Hummers, Dodge Vipers and Chevy Tahoes. Some cleaner sport utility vehicles, pickups and minivans would be exempt from any charge, while the Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, Nissan Sentra and other fuel-efficient cars would get hefty rebates."...
Edward Burtynsky on the Alberta Tar Sands
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 01.28.08
We have written many posts about the evil that is the Alberta oil sands, how it is stupid to the last drop, and how it is the highway to hell.
Now the Globe and Mail is running a week-long special report on it, including a photo essay by TreeHugger favorite Edward Burtynsky. For once they have dropped their stupid pay-per-view fence so that we can link to it. Burtynsky photographs are usually shown as huge prints; The Globe has put them in a tiny window with strange software but they are still amazing. ::Globe and Mail
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ThinkGreen: To A Virtual World Beyond Recycling's Curbside
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 01.28.08
Think about how your understanding of recycling affects your lifestyle - we generally drop the recyclables curbside, go back inside and literally wash our hands. For many of us, personal knowledge of what's beyond the curb is from the memory of a grade-school tour or college lecture.
I'm probably also safe in assuming that very few of our readers have seen the inner workings of a modern landfill or incinerator. More of us, I know, will have been to the loading dock of a recycling center. But, how much do we really understand about how leading edge recycling centers operate? The technologies they might use?
There have been many changes since that school tour. Your father's junkyard or tip no longer exist as you knew them. And, recycling centers near urban centers can have a wide variety of updated technologies.
Offering a Second Life-styled glimpse into the the post curbside world of waste management, Waste Management (the corporation) goes live today with ThinkGreen. Got an itchy click finger? Dive into the bowels of a landfill or tour the recovery center. When you return, we do have a bit more to say....
Meet Sara Snow: The Sticks and Stones of an Eco-Warrior
by Sara Snow on 01.28.08
When I was little I was called all sorts of names. “Four-eyes.” “Wimp.” “Bug eater.” I’ve blocked out the rest.
In recent years, however, I’ve been called some names that I’m proud of. “First generation organic” is a phrase that’s been used to introduce me, and it’s one I like. Born to a natural foods pioneer, raised on organic foods that we grew ourselves, running around barefoot in organic cotton T’s and the like—yup, I have to agree with that title. ...
The Water Cube, Bubble-Clad Olympic Wonder
by Alex Pasternack, New York, NY on 01.28.08
It looks blue, but it's green, and it's here. As big, eye-catching Olympics architecture goes, nothing may be as sustainable as the Beijing National Aquatics Center, or Water Cube, the latest cutting-edge building to open on the enormous construction site that is China. Taking the structure of soap bubbles as inspiration (and mimicking nature's way of filling 3-d space most efficiently), PTW Architects and Arup gave the $200 million Cube an elegant, light-weight design: a rectangular box covered in iridescent bubble wrap.
But it does more than look cool. The 100,000 square meters of the Teflon-like translucent plastic ETFE that make up the building's bubble cladding allow in more solar heat than glass, making it easier to heat the building, and resulting in a 30 percent reduction in energy costs. That's especially important for a swimming pool, which requires an enormous amount of heating. (Though the building's ETFE was manufactured abroad, meaning more pollution in construction than would there have been with locally available materials, designers emphasize that the energy savings are substantial, equivalent to covering the roof in solar panels.)
Dive below for more brilliant pictures -- and video....
ASAP House by Laszlo Kiss
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 01.28.08
The New York Times covers the ASAP (About Saving the Planet) house being built in the Hamptons by Laszlo Kiss, who is "combining his modular aspirations with alternative energy technologies to create a Hamptons house that he hopes will marry modernist design with reasonable cost."
When we first saw it in Inhabitat we wondered how a single family house in the Hamptons can be about saving the planet, but now that it is built, we see that it does have some interesting features, and it is not another vacation home but a full time home for the architect/owners.
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Survey: How Will You Spend Your Rebate?
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 01.28.08
As we noted on Planet Green, the House, the Senate and the President have agreed on a $150 billion dollar bailout that will keep the economic engine turning over by giving families rebates of up to $1200, which they will spend like mad and keep those cash registers ringing. But will a little more spending money stop a recession?
Online Surveys
| Free Poll
| Email Marketing
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A Bicycle That Creates Clean Air AND Clean Water!
by Andrew Posner, Providence, Rhode Island on 01.28.08
Reinbarnation: Reclamation with Integrity
by Sami Grover, Carrboro, NC, USA on 01.28.08
Searching through the offerings at Twig, a new shop selling sustainable clothing, accessories, and gadgetry in Chapel Hill, NC, this author came across some beautiful mirrors created from re-claimed barn wood by Roger Dinger of Reinbarnation. We are big fans of reclamation and reuse (see these beautiful kitchen islands, for example), but we did wonder about the dangers of reclaiming old barns and losing our architectural heritage in the process. On checking out the artist’s website, however, we were pleased to see that Roger not only creates beautiful frames, furniture and accessories from the wood, thus giving it another chance at life, but he also goes out of his way to preserve what he can of the building’s history:
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The Go Green Initiative's School of the Week: Holy Family School in Sheboygan, WI!
by Kenny Luna, North Babylon, NY on 01.28.08
If you’ve ever looked at a map of the U.S. and wondered what goes on in Sheboygan, you’re probably like the rest of us. But it turns out that they’ve got a school doing great green things. Because the Go Green Initiative’s top honors this week go to the Holy Family School in Sheboygan, WI. They’ve teamed up with the local Police Benevolent Society to start a paper recycling program, and getting some terrific results....
Plant that Pistol
by Mairi Beautyman, Berlin, Germany on 01.28.08
What a brilliant concept: Make a garden not war. Artist-activists Christopher Humes and Noah Scalin developed the Seed Gun, a 9mm 910 pistol that can be planted. The pistol, part of the Plant the Piece series, is actually a mixture of red clay powder, dry organic humus compost, and annual and perennial seeds--based on the city and state of the shipping address. ...
Biodegradable Plastic Basket, by Coza Brazil
by Paula Alvarado, Buenos Aires on 01.28.08
Brazilian home accessories brand Coza, specialized in 'cool' plastic designs, has launched its first 100% biodegradable plastic product. The baskets from the picture belong to the Coza Organic line and are produced with bioplastic: a commodity from potato starch which, according to the brand, decomposes completely after 18 weeks in contact with land.
The baskets come in three colors (green, blue and white) and three sizes, with or without cover. They can be found online at the Loja Coza (retail only in Brazil, contact them for bulk requests) and in several stores around the country, including the Museum of Modern Art's design store at Rio de Janeiro (Novo Desenho). Price online starts at 15 Reais (about 8 US dollars). Read more about the company in the extended.
Via Coza Magazine...
Eco-Food Heroes
by Bonnie Alter, London on 01.28.08
Sunday's Observer Food Monthly has compiled a list of 'top 40 eco foodies', some of whom are high profile types such as the Prince of Wales and David Cameron, Jamie Oliver and the head of Marks & Spencer, but the list also includes some unsung heroes who have influenced our buying and eating habits.
Former Formula One champion driver Jody Scheckter (pictured) has left behind his car racing days and become a proper organic farmer. He raises his sheep, cattle and poultry under the strictest bio-dynamic conditions at Laverstoke Park. He has planted 130,000 trees and 8 miles of hedgerow and grows 31 different grasses for his flocks to eat. He plans to be self sustaining in fossil-full-free energy in two years. His chickens are raised outside and he has a specially designed abattoir to minimise distress to the animals. ...
Soil Health: You Can Help
by Tim McGee, Western Massachusetts on 01.27.08
Franklin D. Roosevelt said, “The Nation that destroys its soil destroys itself.” Our civilization depends on the fertility of soil, yet soil scientist Daniel Richter says the soils of the world have been so changed by humans that it is now appropriate to call this the "Anthropocene (or man-made) Age". But what will this new stratum of soil foretell?
“Society’s most important scientific questions include the future of Earth’s soil.” says Richter. "Can soils double food production in the next few decades? Is soil exacerbating the global carbon cycle and climatic warming? How can land management improve soil’s processing of carbon, nutrients, wastes, toxics and water, all to minimize adverse effects on the environment? Each of these questions require long-term observation and analysis, and we know far too little about how to answer them in much detail," he said. "We need to work to sustain soils with a greater sense of urgency.”...
Corporations Open Up Eco-Patents
by Eliza Barclay, Washington, D.C. on 01.27.08
Image courtesy of Sony-Ericsson.
SciDev.net reports that a group of companies, including IBM, Nokia, Pitney Bowles and Sony, in partnership with the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD), have put together a portfolio of patents called the Eco-Patent Commons with environmental benefits.
The patents can be used in manufacturing and business processes, and will supposedly offer other companies ways to save energy and water, reduce the production of hazardous waste, increase recycling or cut back on materials or resources. Sony, for one, offered up a patent for recycling old cellphones into digital cameras and other electrical equipment, providing the electronics industry with a new reuse option.
Some experts are a tad skeptical about the initiative: Graham Dutfield, professor of International Governance at the UK-based University of Leeds, told SciDev.net, "One wonders if the patents [they are] supposedly giving up are the ones that are for genuine inventions or those that are not." :: Via SciDev.net...
The Mysterious Case of the Disappearing Austrian Bears
by Jeremy Elton Jacquot, Los Angeles on 01.27.08
Image courtesy of Shellie Raney via flickr
What — or who — is behind the mysterious disappearance of 20-25 Austrian bears? While that number may seem small, it in fact represents four fifths of the bear population that makes its living in the forests of Lower Austria and Styria. The disappearances, which started occurring in the late 90s, have caused sufficient consternation among local residents and environmentalists to lead to an investigation by the Austrian police.
Christoph Waldner of WWF attributes their disappearance to one of three reasons: natural mortality, migration or hunting — which is illegal because of the bears' endangered status. To Waldner, it seems pretty clear that hunters are to blame for the bears' disappearance....
A2: The Hydrogen-Powered Hypersonic Airliner
by Jeremy Elton Jacquot, Los Angeles on 01.27.08
Images courtesy of Nick Kaloterakis for Popular Science
Flying will never be faster — or greener. That's the message Reaction Engine hopes its customers will take to heart after riding the hydrogen-powered A2. Supported in part by a grant from the EU's Long-Term Advanced Propulsion Concepts and Technologies project (Lapcat), the Mach-5, or 3,400 mph, A2 concept is in many ways the spiritual successor of the late Concorde. It differs in two important respects: range and engine efficiency.
As Popular Science's Michael Belfiore reports, the A2 is designed to carry up to 300 passengers from Brussels to Sydney in under 4 hours. The speedy airliner will benefit from a 2-mode engine — turbojet and ramjet propulsion systems — that will make it both extremely efficient at slow speeds and able to reach top speeds with great ease. Used in quick succession, these 2 modes allow the A2 to seamlessly shift from Mach-2.5 to Mach-5; a cooling system wrapped around the engine — which includes an extra turbine compressor — prevents the turbines from getting excessively hot....
For GM, The Cars Are Greener on the Other Side
by Andrew Posner, Providence, Rhode Island on 01.27.08
GM's current offering of vehicles in the U.S. is decidedly unremarkable in the realm of fuel economy. However, if their lineup of prototype and limited production vehicles is any indication of things to come, GM seems to be catching up with what consumers want. The Chevy Volt, Equinox, Sequel and Cadillac Provoq are three promising prototypes that have been generating some buzz. We'd still like to see better cars from GM today, but to add to the excitement for the future, "The Chevrolet Equinox Fuel Cell has been honored with Green Car Journal’s Green Car Vision Award™, the first time the auto enthusiast magazine has recognized limited production vehicles for their forward-thinking technologies." The Equinox beat out Honda's FCX Clarity, BMW's Hydrogen 7, the Prius Plug-in Hybrid (PHEV), and the Phoenix Electric SUT.
So why did GM win-out over such formidable competition? Find out after the fold....
Trees Versus SPVs: Which Do You Hug?
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 01.27.08
You would think that a row of 10-year old Sequoia or "redwood" trees, with prospects of living hundreds of years, would hardly be able to grow fast enough to shade a nearby residential solar panel array, which has a design life of only 30 years. But, in California, legal precedent is being tested over just such a struggle. At the 'root' of the debate - and at the root of the law - is contention over which entities, trees or SPV's, have the greatest potential for climate mitigation.
In a case with statewide significance, the Santa Clara County District Attorney's Office is pursuing a Sunnyvale couple under a little-known California law because redwood trees in their backyard cast a shadow over their neighbor's solar panels...
"It's not that we think trees are more or less important than solar collectors. It's that our state's leaders have said under the following circumstances, solar takes precedence," said Ken Rosenblatt, supervising Santa Clara County deputy district attorney for environmental protection....
In the Sunday Papers: Meat and Water
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 01.27.08
Gary Kazanjian
Mark Bittman writes in the New York Times about the relationship among meat,fuel and food crops, and how we will probably be eating less of it. "Grain, meat and even energy are roped together in a way that could have dire results. More meat means a corresponding increase in demand for feed, especially corn and soy, which some experts say will contribute to higher prices....Though some 800 million people on the planet now suffer from hunger or malnutrition, the majority of corn and soy grown in the world feeds cattle, pigs and chickens. This despite the inherent inefficiencies: about two to five times more grain is required to produce the same amount of calories through livestock as through direct grain consumption." ::New York Times
Further north, Canadian writer Silver Donald Cameron does an excellent job of summarizing the problem of bottled water, calling it " a scam, a triumph of brilliant marketing and knavish politics." ::The Nova Scotian...
Under the Boardwalk, Where the Beach Used to Be
by Jesse Fox, Tel Aviv, Israel on 01.27.08
Tel Aviv's boardwalk - today (left) and as envisioned by city planners (right).
Everyone loves the beach, and everyone loves walking on the boardwalk next to the sea. So what happens when the city comes up with plans to expand the boardwalk - at the expense of the beach? The residents panic. At least, that is what happened last week at planning hearing in Tel Aviv....
True Hologram or Not, the Prince's Virtual Speech in Action
by Sami Grover, Carrboro, NC, USA on 01.27.08
Take a Week to Change Tomorrow
by Christine Lepisto, Berlin on 01.27.08
With the slogan, "Take a week to change tomorrow", the EU brings back sustainable energy week, 28 Jan - 1 Feb 2008, for the second year. The event places an exclamation point on the announcement of the proposed directive, published on Wednesday 23 January 2008, detailing how Europe will use renewable energies to meet the goals of the unilaterally aggressive EU Energy Plan. The proposed directive already provokes controversy by establishing ambitious renewable energy targets unequally between the EU states, potentially penalizing those countries which have made a head start towards sustainable energy efficiency. Certainly recent controversial reports regarding the risks of biofuels in energy policy will also be a topic of discussions. ...
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.
