- Vijay Vaitheeswaran (part one)
- Vijay Vaitheeswaran (part two)
- Vinay Gupta
- Alyce Santoro
- Mathis Wackernagel
- Tom Price
- Martha Marks
- Paul Hawken
- David Suzuki
- Wal-Mart's Green Gurus
- Alisa Smith and James Mackinnon, authors of Plenty
- Bob Perkowitz of ecoAmerica
- Ed Begley Jr.
- The Weather Channel's Dr. Heidi Cullen
Entries for February 10, 2008 - February 16, 2008
Total this week: 203
Three Ways to Piss Off the French
by Christine Lepisto, Berlin on 02.16.08
"Studies" that arrive at conclusions long since known raise a serious question: who finances this work? In one of the most egregious cases of not trusting the available wisdom and having to prove it to themselves, the French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS) and the Grenoble School of Management have published a paper in the International Journal of Automotive Technology and Management concluding that hybrids are only a stop-gap measure which create a risk that more innovative technologies may be disadvantaged by acceptance of the (ultimately) non-sustainable hybrid models. How can a reasonable person respond to such inanity? We suggest three options....
Wayback Machine 1934: Bike Moves By Pumping Action
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 02.16.08
This is actually extraordinarily clever, a bike even simpler than, dare we say it, a fixie! By putting the axle of the rear wheel off-center, one propels the bike by moving up and down on the flat board. You probably start it like a scooter and then do continuous carefully timed jumpsquats to keep it moving. Sort of a tribrid scooter, longboard and bike. No chain, no sprockets,Video: Michael Pollan, Taking a Plant's Perspective
by Michael Graham Richard, Gatineau, Canada on 02.16.08
Greenspan Hearts EVs, Nucs, & Carbon Bubble
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 02.16.08
In an informal address to Houston Texas area energy execs, former US Fed Chairman Alan Greenspan recently had this to say.Ethanol, he said, was a "politically-driven fuel" and a less efficient means of meeting demand for transportation fuel in the U.S. For this reason, Greenspan touted nuclear power as the way forward to generate electricity in the U.S. and urged the development of electric-powered cars. "Global warming is real," Greenspan said, stressing the need for alternative fuels....
Milk Jugs Recycled Into Green Toys
by Kenny Luna, North Babylon, NY on 02.16.08
When you send the milk jug in your fridge on to the recycler, it’s often the last you’ll think of it. But Green Toys, Inc. is busy recycling them for profit into their line of classic children’s toys. And as they point out on their website, every pound of milk jugs recycled means an energy savings equivalent to 3,000 AAA batteries, three weeks worth of the electricity needed to power a TV or enough to run your laptop for the entire month ahead.
Not to mention the fact that they’ll also provide a great way to teach your kids about the positive benefits of recycling waste products into something fun.
...
Lester Brown: Time's Up, Coal
by Jeremy Elton Jacquot, Los Angeles on 02.16.08
Lester Brown, president of the Earth Policy Institute (and a frequent contributor to this site), launched a shot across the bow of big coal - claiming that the dramatic shift in public opinion away from coal-fired power plants signaled "the beginning of the end of the coal industry." Coal-to-liquid technology, which we've taken a dim view of in the past, and carbon sequestration are mere feints, he asserted, and much too carbon-intensive.
The proper strategy for supplying our energy needs - whilst mitigating our global warming impact - would be to invest in energy efficiency solutions and alternative sources such as wind and solar energy. What to do with the estimated 200 years' worth of coal still in the ground? Leave it there, Brown said. Predictably, his latest call to arms has aroused the ire of the coal industry, which accused him of "grossly" exaggerating opposition to coal and of being on a "jihad." ...
Surprise, Surprise: Google Also a Big Fan of Cheap Electricity
by Jeremy Elton Jacquot, Los Angeles on 02.16.08
Image courtesy of Adrian Libotean via flickr
Google's recent decision to venture into renewable energy - while met with some skepticism by the press and its shareholders - was largely embraced by environmentalist groups and eco-oriented publications (including this one). Indeed, the move to support the creation of a gigawatt of renewable energy seemed to reinforce Google's image as that of a benevolent, forward-thinking giant - lending credence to its "Don't be evil" mantra. But is there more than meets the eye to the recent announcement?
Ginger Strand, an author and contributor to Harper's Magazine, certainly seems to think so. In a fascinating exposé, Strand confirms some longstanding doubts about Google's devotion to clean energy and the operation of its energy-intensive server farms. ...
TreeHugger + SMITH Six Word Memoir Contest: Get Your Entries In!
by Sean Fisher, Cincinnati, Ohio on 02.16.08
"Back to nature. Back to Life." "Tired of talking ready to change." "Always looking for a better way." These are just three of the many six-word green memoirs we have received already in our Six Word Memoir Contest. However, if we still haven't received your story, we want to hear it! Head on over to our contest page and tell us in six words about your green life. Not only will it give you a chance to reflect on your memoir-in-progress (and bone up a little on your editing skills), you will have a chance to win an iPod nano engraved with your memoir, a Planet Earth DVD set or SMITH's new book Not Quite What I Was Planning: Six Word Memoirs from Writers Famous and Obscure. ...
Organic Combat-Ready Balm Supports US Troops in Iraq
by Jasmin Malik Chua, Jersey City, USA on 02.16.08
Reverse China Syndrome: Poisoning America's Supply Chain Through Incompetence And Greed
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 02.16.08
America's poisoned supply chain melt-down started in China during mid-2007, and appears to be continuing into 2008. Running in a direction opposite of that suggested by the movie China Syndrome.
Poisoned dog and cat food first came to public attention in the summer of 2007.
Then came lead paint on children's toys; and, lead-laced PVC everything from China.
Just before Christmas of 2007, there was this plastic sculpting toy for kids that contained a dangerous drug, added for reasons only known to the minds of mad polymer scientists.
Now, it's the biomedical supply chain, with roots in Chinese pig farms. What's next?...
Nike Talks Trash With Shoe Made From Manufacturing Waste
by Jasmin Malik Chua, Jersey City, USA on 02.16.08
Steve Nash, the All-Star Guard for the Phoenix Suns, and Nike have teamed up to create the Nike Trash Talk, the first Nike performance basketball sneaker completely produced from manufacturing waste. Nash, who debuted the shoe last night in the Phoenix versus Dallas Mavericks game, appears to be quite a greenie himself: "Any opportunity to promote the environment and preserve our planet is a step in the right direction," he said in a press release.
Modeled after Nash's current shoe, the Nike Zoom BB II Low, the Trash Talk meets Nike's Considered design standards for sustainability, which we've discussed at length about, in the following ways:...
Emiliano Godoy's Arbol Lamps: Another LED Turn-On
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 02.16.08
Combining the warmth of sustainably-harvested birch plywood with the cool efficiency of LEDs, Emiliano Godoy (with help from Alejandro Castro and Alejandro Machorro) was a winner at the 2007 National Design Biennial in Mexico City for his Arbol Lamps. The trio created lamps that feature modular LED boards developed exclusively for this collection, which features a system of central joining that imitates the trunks and branches of trees, where the strength of the whole comes from distributing the work amongst all the limbs.
It's a smart way to design lighting like this; the pendant lamp pictured above is "assembled from eight identical pieces that join in a radial arrangement. This joining system was developed while looking for a way to distribute small sources of light (LEDs) in a three dimensional pattern, but using flat pieces which could be manufactured with low cost and minimal material use." Hit the jump for a free-standing version of Arbol and for more of Godoy's thoughts on sustainable design.
::Godoylab via ::Sustainable Design Update
See also: ::Emiliano Godoy's Biodegradable Knit Chair and ::Emiliano Godoy's Biodegradable Sugar Golf Tee...
Big Money Invests in Cleantech
by Jesse Fox, Tel Aviv, Israel on 02.16.08
Big Money seems to be getting the message: after Al Gore told an audience worth $20 trillion in capital that its polluting investments should be considered "subprime", US institutional investors pledged last Thursday to invest $10 billion over the next two years in emissions-reducing technologies. The investors also agreed to pressure companies to disclose climate change-associated risks and to incorporate green building standards into their investments....
Call for Entries: Electrolux Design Lab 2008, "The Internet Generation"
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 02.16.08
The forward-thinking gang at the Electrolux Design Lab are at it again. After crowning E-wash the winner of the 2007 competition whose theme was environmentally-sound, commercially viable products, they've announced a call for entries for the sixth edition of the design competition. This year's theme, for undergraduate and graduate industrial design students to ponder: products for the Internet generation....
Sasquatch Promotes Bike-Friendly Streets
by Sami Grover, Carrboro, NC, USA on 02.16.08
Most Huggable: Green(er) Fridges, the Million Tree-A-Thon, Decentralized Energy + More
by Team Treehugger, Worldwide on 02.15.08
Sub-Zero is working to make their huge products more efficient, but does that make them green?
Take a bite out of this review of the most and least contaminated produce, and get some tips on where to buy organic fruits and vegetables.
Check out this new initiative from Kedzie Press and Eco-Libris: the Million Tree-A-Thon. The goal: planting one million trees for one million books to be sold by Kedzie Press by the end of 2009.
Get the scoop on an alternative to using laundry detergent and softener when washing a load of laundry.
Plug in to this overview of decentralized energy: what it is, how it works and how it differs from the present (mostly inefficient) energy system.
...
TH Forums Highlights: Helping Others Go Green, Pellet Stoves + More
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 02.15.08
1) In an interesting twist on an old question, Forums user mikebeavis says, "Hi all, I was thinking about how we all talk about how we planted a tree, started recycling, installed CFL bulbs in our homes, etc. etc. etc. That is of course wonderful. But I wonder how many of us have helped someone else go green, whether they knew it or not? I'm a big believer that many people won't consider efficiency unless you can show them that it can positively benefit their wallets." What do you think: is it all about the cash? Is that a good enough reason to go green?
2) User kah has a pellet stove question for seasoned corn or pellet burners: "I have been thinking of trading in my large capacity wood stove for a pellet stove. I am finding the wood stove just too messy and even though I have the largest capacity that Pacific Energy makes, the burn does not last overnight. I had hoped that the pellet stove would cut my oil consumption costs and offer a longer burn rate over the wood stove. However, I have been told that if one is not mechanically inclined, that a pellet stove is not an option. This salesman said that the motors always need tweeking and it is difficult to find someone to service them." Yea or nay; true or false?
3) Forums user pdxuser wants to get technical: "Does anyone know if there's been an LCA to find out if using AA/AAA batteries is ever better than taking juice off the grid? As bad as a coal-fired power plant is, it seems like the production of an individual AA battery for its less than 3 watt-hours of electricity is very inefficient...The only setup I can think of that might beat the grid would be a battery recharged by a solar charger." We can almost hear the calculators calculating....
Today on Planet Green
by Jasmin Malik Chua, Jersey City, USA on 02.15.08
:: Watch climate change unfold before your eyes with Discovery's new Web app.
:: Get recession-ready by making use of leftovers.
:: Top 21 ways to reuse old tennis balls
:: Find out how you can keep your eyelids peeled open, without...gasp...caffeine.
:: Should you repair or replace your computer?
:: It's feathers flying, all day and all night, at this Web site.
:: Learn how to find the perfect contractor for your green remodeling and building projects.
:: Swap baby stuff for free!...
Victoria’s Secret Offers Itty Bitty (Recycled) Bikini
by Jessica Root - Brooklyn, NY on 02.15.08
Yesterday, during my post-work nosh ritual, I felt one Fig Newman too heavy as I surfed the Victoria's Secret 2008 Swimsuit must-haves, which had arrived in my inbox. Now, despite the name of their signature bra and scent, Victoria’s Secret hasn’t exactly been an angel when it comes to sustainable practices, but a Northeastern girl like myself (or any guy for that matter) can’t deny the promise of sun and sand that the brand's swimsuits bestow on a bleak February day. This year, however, feeling oh-so-over Valentine’s Day and not-so-bikini ready, I couldn’t relate. Not to Adrianna or Giselle nor their cup sizes, the glitz, the glamour--nada. ...
Handpresso: Get Your Java And Better Biceps, Too
by April Streeter, Gothenburg, Sweden on 02.15.08
This French-designed portable espresso maker, which requires hand-pumping to operate, may be just the kind of gimmicky gadget that looks a lot better than it works. At a cost of 100 Euros (about $145) and also needing special (and with their excessive packaging, eco-unfriendly) coffee "pods", the Handpresso has a single shining environmental attribute- that it is human powered. That's not only a plus for camping trips or any other kind of off-grid living, it is also just plain sustainably-minded.
But in spite of the smiling and sexy-looking hikers in the Handpresso infomercial enjoying what the web site says is "vintage coffee with a delicious aroma and a perfect crema" there's no exact explanation of just how long you'll need to pump to get enough pressure (the infomercial does note "just 16 bars") to produce espresso for two. Plus a source of pretty hot - 80 to 100C degree - water is needed for the Handpresso. Still, the idea of a shot of java anywhere is intriguing...what about the steamed milk? Via ::Handpresso.fr (French and English)
P.S. One organic brand of pods does seem to be available at podhead.com...but still!...
How to Green Your Kitchen
by Team Treehugger, Worldwide on 02.15.08
What’s the Big Deal?
The eco-friendly kitchen begins with eating green, but it doesn’t end there. Energy-efficient food preparation and cleaning habits, using equipment made from sustainable materials, and dodging toxic chemicals are also important if you want to have a truly healthy kitchen. Fortunately, making the right choices for your well-being is also good for the pocket and the planet. Our straightforward and simple suggestions for preparing earth-friendly meals--from fridge to food to cleanup--will turn you into a greener gourmet in no time.Powering 20,000 Homes: The World's Largest PV Solar Farm Opens
by Justin Thomas, Virginia on 02.15.08
With an installed peak power capacity of 20 megawatts, world's largest photovoltaic solar power farm has opened in Spain. This farm surpasses the solar farm at the Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada which is rated at 14 megawatts. The new solar farm consists of 120,000 solar panels and covers 100 hectares (247 acres) in Jumilla, a wine-producing region in southern Spain, where the local Mayor says 300 days of sun a year are guaranteed. The farm's total annual production will be the equivalent of the energy used by 20,000 homes.
...
Syntec Biofuel: Closer to Fuel from Waste
by Michael Graham Richard, Gatineau, Canada on 02.15.08
TreeHugger readers made some good points in the comments of a recent post about biodiesel. It's indeed always a dilemma between happy and sad when there's a step in the right direction in something that is far from perfect to begin with. In the mid/long-term, the internal combustion engine is on the way out. It's just not very efficient at converting liquid fuels into mechanical motion (most of the energy is lost as heat).
But what about the short-term? Biofuels are a minefield. Corn ethanol? No! Methane from bio-digesters and landfills? Yes, better use it than have it in the atmosphere. Waste cooking oil biodiesel or SVO? Yes! Algae biodiesel? Probably, when available. Soybean biodiesel? Maybe. Depends where and how it was made and what it replaces.
But what about other types of biofuels made from waste? There's some news on that front from Syntec Biofuel. Read on for more....
TreeHugger + SMITH Six-Word Memoir Contest: Contribute Your Story
by Sean Fisher, Cincinnati, Ohio on 02.15.08
We are getting some killer memoirs over at our Six-Word Memoir Contest page, but we still don't have yours! So, get over there and tell us in six words your green life story. You could come away with an iPod nano (engraved with your six words of course), a Planet Earth DVD set or a copy of SMITH's new book, Not Quite What I Was Planning: Six Word Memoirs from Writers Famous and Obscure. Just make sure you sign up on the contest page and enter by February 18th. More info and contest rules after the jump. ...
Smart Condo by Peter Busby
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 02.15.08
The standard Vancouver condo is a tall building with a small floorplate on a big podium. It has worked, but perhaps does not fit everywhere. Like in one of the more, um, shall we say "challenged" parts of town that has a great collection of older, lower buildings.
Peter Busby of Busby Perkins + Will is that rare bird with fabulous green credentials but can also design his way out of a paper bag, and has built an old-fashioned building with a traditional light well. ...
UCLA: New Super-Porous Materials Can Trap CO2
by Michael Graham Richard, Gatineau, Canada on 02.15.08
The atmosphere doesn't care how we do it, we just need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. So while you'll have a hard time finding people more opposed to coal plants than we are, we have to be realistic: Many of these power plants won't be closed for years and in the meantime anything that can mitigate the damage is good.
That's why these new materials created by Omar Yaghi and his team at UCLA are interesting. They are super-porous - 1 gram can contain up to 2,000 square meters of surface area - and absorb 80 times their volume in carbon dioxide while letting other gases pass through. The novelty compared to other similar materials is that it doesn't take much energy to release the CO2 afterwards, making it more energy and cost effective....
FEMA Formaldehyde Fiasco Festers
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 02.15.08
Last year John did a recipe of the week for optimizing formaldehyde exposure:
1. take small aluminum box;
2. fill with particleboard, composites, glues, carpet, luon plywood liner;
3. stuff tightly with jobless Katrina refugees with nowhere to go;
4. cook at high heat in southern sun until done.
FEMA was not happy with how it turned out, so they buried the critics' reviews and "ignored, hid and manipulated government research on the potential impact of long-term exposure to formaldehyde."
...
Exhaustburger Cooks While You Drive
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 02.15.08
Good TreeHuggers never waste a thing, yet so much heat is lost through the tailpipe. We have heard of cooking with your car engine before (there is even a book called Manifold Destiny about the subject) but when covering the Dining in 2015 competition we missed this clever trick for getting a little extra mileage out of your engine exhaust. ...
Ancient Findings Show Warmer Planet Could Mean More Insect Troubles
by Kimberley D. Mok, Nomad on 02.15.08
Could the planet experience a surge of insect migrations toward temperate climes brought on by the milder temperatures of a warming planet? The modern-day example of malaria-carrying mosquitoes moving to regions once too cool for them to survive is a telling precedent of what could come. Now, scientists studying another ancient climatological shift reported earlier this week that insects back then not only moved further afield, they also ate more plants and did more kinds of damage to them. Scientists speculate that 55 million years ago, a massive volcanic eruption or fires caused carbon dioxide levels to rise, resulting in a 9-degree Fahrenheit increase in global temperature over the course of 5,000 years – an event known as the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum. The earth remained warm for 100,000 years before cooling down, but not before atmospheric carbon dioxide tripled, making plants less nutritious and forcing swarms of tropical and subtropical insects to move into now-warmer temperate zones in search for food. ...
Best of Design Democracy '08: Accessories
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 02.15.08
We've been spotlighting Design Democracy '08 a lot this week; we love the idea of combining design, technology, mass customization and local manufacturing. The design competition that's looking at reconfiguring the way we consume things is confident enough that their point of view is a hit that they're offering the winning design a showcase at New York's International Contemporary Furniture Fair this spring. So far, we've seen some cool tables and seating; today is all about accessories.
Pictured above is the Objectify Fruit Bowl, designed by Adam Moody (who has licensed the design to New Zealand's Vanilla Design Store). The laser-cut bowl is made from sustainably-harvested hoop pine in four nearly-flat pieces in a design sensibility we've seen a lot in the rising tide of hyper-local manufacturing/downloadable designs: a design that can be easily created from flat(ish) pieces, a CNC router or laser-cutter, and a computer diagram; it's a really smart way to distribute design, localize manufacturing and use resources with frugal efficiency. Though designed as a fruit bowl, we could see this as a more utilitarian catch-all, from mail to magazines, keys and more. ...
Biodiesel: Even Better Than We Thought
by Michael Graham Richard, Gatineau, Canada on 02.15.08
A widely cited 1998 life cycle study by the U.S. Department of Energy and the Department of Agriculture concluded that "Biodiesel yields 3.2 units of fuel product energy for every unit of fossil energy consumed in its life cycle" while "petroleum diesel yielded only 0.83 units of energy per unit of fossil energy consumed". Time for an update: A soon to be published 2007 study by the USDA and the University of Idaho finds that the energy balance of biodiesel is "a positive ratio of 3.5-to-1".
What has changed? Was the first study wrong?...
Words Can't Describe It: Humans' Impact on the World's Oceans
by Jeremy Elton Jacquot, Los Angeles on 02.15.08
Image courtesy of B.S. Halpern
The verdict is in, folks, and, to no one's surprise, it ain't pretty: over 40% of the world's oceans are heavily impacted by anthropogenic activities with few - if any - left unaffected. The map, the product of four years' worth of meticulous research and number-crunching, was created by Benjamin Halpern and his colleagues at UCSB's National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis....
Under Water City Proposed for Amsterdam
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 02.15.08
It seems a bit counter-intuitive; we are used to seeing Dutch floating projects, not buried ones. Architect Moshé Zwarts says ""There has always been a lack of space in the city, so what we are doing is building a city under the city by using a new construction technique, which will not interfere with street traffic."- by draining and then building under the canals.
And what does he propose filling it with? Parking, shopping and "leisure"....
China and Africa and Us
by Alex Pasternack, Beijing, China on 02.15.08
As Steven Spielberg's withdrawal from Beijing's Olympics reminds us, China's resource interests in Africa are tied up in blood. But China's material hunger hasn't just protected unsavory governments. It's driven up the price of resources like oil and put strains on already fragile ecosystems. That's especially worrisome in war-torn and extremely poor sections of Africa, where environmental damage can lead to deadly, vicious cycles of devastation.
But let's remember why China is in countries like Sudan, which provides 40 percent of its oil supplies to China. There are the thousands of new cars that hit its roads daily. There's all that massive construction. And then, of course, there's all that stuff they make and do for the rest of the world. China may be exploiting the developing world's raw resources in ways that make former colonial powers blush, with little regard for good governance, human rights or the environment. But for those of us who depend upon cheap Chinese goods, China is in Africa on everyone's behalf.
It makes me wonder, why stop at the Olympics? What if Steven Spielberg "boycotted" his iPod, his computer, his furniture?
...U.S. Moving Toward Ban On New Coal-Fired Power Plants
by Lester Brown, Washington, D.C on 02.15.08
My colleagues and I at Earth Policy Institute have been looking at coal-fired power plants and have just released a report about what we see as a positive shift.
In a report compiled in early 2007, the U.S. Department of Energy listed 151 coal-fired power plants in the planning stages and talked about a resurgence in coal-fired electricity. But during 2007, 59 proposed U.S. coal-fired power plants were either refused licenses by state governments or quietly abandoned. In addition to the 59 plants that were dropped, close to 50 more coal plants are being contested in the courts, and the remaining plants will likely be challenged as they reach the permitting stage. ...
Survey: How Do You Deal With Old Electronics?
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 02.15.08
What do you do when your electronics die on their own or you have to put them down? It is less of a problem if you are orbiting Jupiter but New York is another story. There, they are considering legislation to make recycling of electronics by manufacturers mandatory, fed up with dealing with 25,000 tons of the stuff every year.
It is a big problem; old electronics account for about 40% of the lead found in municipal landfills as well as mercury, cadmium, and other toxic heavy metals in landfills and municipal incinerators.
...
Yet Another Of Ann Coulter's Dislikes: Electric Cars
by Andrew Posner, Rhode Island, USA on 02.15.08
Ann Coulter isn't shy about expressing her hatred of liberals in general and the New York times in particular, nor does she hesitate to proclaim that both climate change and evolution are hoaxes. Her inflammatory comments should come as no surprise; after all, she has done very well for herself as an author, columnist and commentator, and the basis of her success has been her willingness to speak her mind. What does come as a surprise, however, is another dislike she inadvertently expressed in a recent article about John McCain, the all-but-confirmed Republican nominee for president and strong supporter of climate change legislation. Comparing Senator McCain with Bob Dole, she said
Bob Dole from Kansas had a pretty good voting record, too. But no one fully believed he believed it. Another feather in his cap was that he didn't burden voters with a "Straight Talk Express," a means of conveyance even more useless and idiotic than an electric car.So Ann Coulter also hates electric cars. Never mind that Israel is hoping to sell them like cell phones, Google is actively testing plug-in hybrids, Tesla has just delivered their first production electric vehicle, and Miles Automotive Group, Aptera and others are looking to bring affordable electric cars to market. We've got some hypothesis as to what's behind her comments after the fold....
The Real Clean Coal? Former Mine Becomes Clean Energy Village
by Sami Grover, Carrboro, NC, USA on 02.15.08
With more than 50 proposed new coal plants being put on the back burner, it would seem that Big Coal is losing friends, even despite its recruitement of cute kiddies to push its message. But while any move away from coal would be a great thing for the environment, what about the communities that depend on coal for their economies? Coal mining communities may do well to start taking note of what’s been going on at the former Ollerton colliery in Nottinghamshire in the UK. Ollerton closed its doors in 1995, resulting in mass unemployment in the community. However, as we read in the ever informative Guardian, the locals were determined to create a brighter, cleaner future for their town:
...
Cohousing for Gen X and Y
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 02.15.08
Eastern Village, Silver Spring
TreeHugger loves cohousing, "a way for a group of people to work together to develop places to live that offer both privacy and community" and thought it particularly appropriate for aging boomers.
However Trendcentral notes that it is resonating with Gen Xers and Ys "who are starting families, searching for community and looking to pool resources. NY residents interested in becoming a part of such a community can join the recently formed Brooklyn Cohousing Group which is hoping to create a housing complex in the kid-friendly Park Slope area."
...
Time To Ditch Those Sub-Prime Carbon Assets
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 02.15.08
It's pretty easy to flag those sub-prime carbon assets too. They're the companies with the huge energy bills. They're the ones lobbying Congress to go easy on the carbon cap, and to"do something" to prevent power plants from burning up all the natural gas to generate electricity when they could be using "clean coal."
Nobel laureate Al Gore advised Wall Street leaders and institutional investors Thursday to ditch their "subprime carbon assets" - businesses too reliant on carbon-intensive energy - or prepare for huge losses down the road. "You need to really scrub your investment portfolios, because I guarantee you - as my longtime good redneck friends in Tennessee say, I guarandamntee you - that if you really take a fine-tooth comb and go through your portfolios, many of you are going to find them chock-full of subprime carbon assets," said the former U.S. vice president who won a Nobel Prize for his environmental work... Gore's remarks before a high-profile business crowd that collectively controls some $20 trillion in capital were intended to unleash a financial ripple effect that would force the entire world to start putting a price on carbon emissions and treating them as a scarce commodity.Via::Down Jones Newswires, "Gore Warns Business Leaders To Dump 'Subprime Carbon Assets'" Image credit::Responsible Investor...
It’s a Greenhouse Gas, Gas, Gas
by Karin Kloosterman, Jerusalem, Israel on 02.15.08
‘Jumping Jack Flash, it’s a greenhouse gas’ learned Israeli government, trade and NGOs this week during a two-day workshop on voluntary greenhouse gas accountancy at a pleasant Finnish-built village near Jerusalem.
The meet was appropriately timed to the announcement that 15 Israeli cities are making a plan of action to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions.
Present at the workshop, aimed to teach Israel how create a system for greenhouse gas measuring and reporting, were Israel’s Minister of Environmental Protection Gideon Ezra and a whole host of other officials from the governments of Germany and Mexico, plus some private firms and consultants from around the world. ...
WildlifeWorks Stalk the London Catwalk On Their Own Terms
by Leonora Oppenheim, London, UK on 02.15.08
The fashion label WildlifeWorks made themselves conspicuous during London Fashion Week as the only ethical brand that took to the catwalk to show off their AW08 collection. It must be said that this coup was not so much down to luck as to money, it is just not possible to get onto the main schedule of LFW shows without substantial financial backing; as the Junky Styling crew can confirm, they had to get Kiehls as a sponsor in order to put on their independent show. The founder of WildlifeWorks Mike Korchinsky and his partner Andrew Smith bring in funding from previous successful IT businesses, but their money doesn't just produce fashion, the motivation behind the label is African wildlife conservation and development....
Colin Firth's Eco Store
by Bonnie Alter, London on 02.15.08
Colin Firth (of Bridget Jones and Mr. Darcy/Jane Austen fame) and his wife (pictured) have opened a beautiful 3-storey store, called Eco-Age, in Chiswick (London) selling ecological products and accessories. The couple, with two partners, have gone all out to make sure every aspect of the development is environmental. The building itself has been renovated to a high ecological, sustainable standard, including limecrete and recycled wood flooring, recycled furnishings (the counter is made of woven rubber bicycle tires) and greywater lavatory. They hope to become self-sufficient, solar wise by next month. The roof garden will be open soon, complete with solar panels and a wind turbine, as well as gardening tools.
In the basement is a consultancy where customers can get advice about home decoration such as eco paints, wallpapers and fabrics, energy efficient appliances and solar panels. There are two advisors as part of the staff who can assist, show samples, and know the solar technology. ...
"Fight Terrorist Use Ethanol"
by Jenna Watson, Barcelona on 02.15.08
2008 Copyright Greg Gladman
An endlessly talented friend and photographer, Greg Gladman, was in Florida last month and took this photograph of an exuberant "activist" roaming the streets of the State-most-famous-for-navals. What do you think it means? Who is the singular “terrorist” that this dude is referring to? And what is up with all those flags?
Curiously, if you look really closely and zoom in on that truck (like we did) there is a Florida Farm to Fuel website and what looks like a State Department logo. Is that a Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services truck!? From what we can see it sure is. So much for keeping the church and state separate. What does "Remember me Jesus" have to do with fighting terrorists and ethanol? This will hopefully provide you with a little pick-me-up giggle to help you past the post Valentine’s Day blues. See more of Greg’s photos on his website here.
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Edun Fall/Winter 2008 Collection Preview
by Jasmin Malik Chua, Jersey City, USA on 02.14.08
Edun, the socially conscious apparel line by U2's Bono and his wife Ali Hewson, previewed its Fall/Winter 2008, known as "Nocturne", at the Desmond Tutu Center in New York City on a wintry Tuesday.
While several platforms served as a catwalk, no strutting was involved. Each model stood mannequin-still on his or her support, before stepping down and getting up on the platform directly in front, slowly wending his or her way to the last platform in ultra-slow-motion. While this was a clever twist on runway fashion, the gimmick also resulted in a show that stretched on for hours. (The audience, plied with wine and Fiji water, didn't look like they minded so much, though.) The outfits? Serviceable, if unspectacular, although a couple of pieces did stand out, such as the amethyst shirt dress with balloon sleeves pictured below. There might have been a few more, but your very-sober reporter decided she really needed some shut-eye. Also, one of her cats had to be force-fed his medicine. (Sorry, Bono.)
More pictures below the fold. ::Edun...
Green Basics: Carbon Footprint
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 02.14.08
In addition to metrics like ecological footprint, each of us (and each of the products and services we use and consume every day) has a carbon footprint; it's a way to measure the relative impact of our actions -- as individuals, as businesses, communities and countries, as we eat, work, travel, play, etc. -- in terms of the contribution made to global climate change. Measured in carbon emissions (usually in pounds, tons or kilograms), it's become an increasingly useful and popular tool to help contextualize global warming in our daily routines and lives.
A carbon footprint is the total amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) and other greenhouse gases emitted over the full life cycle of a product or service, and everything has one, from the computer you used to find this article to the next meal you eat (and the one after that, and after that, and so on...) to the shoe that will leave a physical footprint on the ground the next time you walk outside. But that's only part of the story.
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Today on Planet Green
by Jasmin Malik Chua, Jersey City, USA on 02.14.08
:: Slovenly Oscar from The Odd Couple was pretty darn green. Find out why.
:: Our soup of the week: Anthony Bourdain's mushroom soup.
:: Learn the secret to making great-tasting biscuits.
:: Make your own non-toxic finger paints for your ankle biters.
:: Should you repair or replace your hot water heater?
:: Declare your love for tap water and win cool prizes....
Are Ethanol Mandates Good Economics? Maybe Not.
by Warren McLaren, Sydney on 02.14.08
A few days before the story on oil from waste paper and other sources of lignocellulose hit the wires, the Australian Parliament released its research paper entitled, “The economic effects of an ethanol mandate.” It looks at the costs and benefits of proposals such as nation-wide petrol including a blend with 10 per cent by volume of ethanol (E10), such as is already mandated by some Australian states. Although the paper doesn’t spell it out in absolute terms it does suggest that in most cases there are more effective ways to achieve improved environmental and economic outcomes other than mandating ethanol fuel blends....
VIDEO HOW TO: Green Your Gifts #1
by George Spyros, New York City, USA on 02.14.08
Olivia Zaleski has a green gift-giving tip for you. Watch the ecoriginal hi-definition video after the jump..
Valentine's Day can easily become an 11th hour gift-giving occasion even when we've been encouraging you to give greener love with our gift guide. So if you're sweating it out, planning to run from work to grab some last-ditch goodies for your green someone, perhaps someone needs to have a good talk with you. Specifically, that potential gift recipient. We're not suggesting you eat V-day crow, rather, it's never too late for the giver to simply speak with the give-ee before hand. No, no it doesn't spoil the surprise, you can hint and beat around the bush and have a right good, flirty time of it (flirting not recommended for blood relatives as that might get a little weird). By knowing what that special susty someone truly wants or needs, you can ensure that your gift doesn't go to waste or wind-up in a landfill. And you just might wind up having the romantic time of your life....
Jewelers Join in Historic Pact to Help Stop Pebble Mine!
by Kenny Luna, North Babylon, NY on 02.14.08
When Eskimo schoolchildren in Alaska recently took to the streets protesting the opening of the proposed Pebble Mine for Alaska’s Bristol Bay watershed, the truth is that the prospects for their success looked grim indeed. But they got a welcomed boost this Valentine’s season from an unexpected group of benefactors with a newfound appreciation for what this particular mine will do to damage the world’s largest sockeye salmon run. ...
Busybody Microbes Clean Up Mexico's Dirty Water
by Eliza Barclay, Nomad on 02.14.08
Microbial organisms are an impressive and under-appreciated bunch, and scientists and entrepreneurs alike are increasingly realizing their potential for cleaning up after our environmental messes.
ALIBIO, a small biotech company based in Mexico City, uses a bacteria known as bacillus subtilis to improve wastewater treatment systems in rural communities, increase septic tank efficiency, and digest effluents from slaughterhouses and pig farms, rendering them less pernicious. The company also has a line of agriculture products that clean irrigation water and enrich deteriorated soils, and an aquaculture line to immunize and protect shrimp against disease....
Fuzzy Math Leads to a (Serious) Reevaluation of Shipping's Climate Impact
by Jeremy Elton Jacquot, Los Angeles on 02.14.08
Image courtesy of tinou bao via flickr
The Guardian's John Vidal has the scoop on a leaked UN study that reveals the extent to which previous estimates have low-balled - by almost two-thirds - the amount of emissions produced by the world's shipping fleet. Annual carbon dioxide emissions have now reached a whopping 1.12b tons - almost 4.5% of all global carbon dioxide emissions - a far cry from the 400m tons figure the IPCC had previously pegged.
In what must surely come as a slap to EU nations - which do not take these into account when calculating their emissions targets - the study suggests that shipping emissions will continue their meteoric rise - surging another 30% by 2020 - joining vehicles, housing and industry as one of the largest single sources of anthropogenic GHG emissions. To obtain these new figures, a team of international researchers, tasked by the International Maritime Organization (IMO), crunched the numbers collected from the oil and shipping industries. The results weren't pretty. ...
Clevr: Marta Antoszkiewicz's Kitchenette, for Urban Living
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 02.14.08
Apartment dwellers (and all those who think smaller is better) know that one of the keys to comfortable life in a small space is making it feel as spacious as possible; a few strategies for accomplishing this include keeping the clutter down, using individual items that serve multiple purposes and finding things that serve big purposes but have small footprints. Designer Marta Antoszkiewicz's "Kitchenette" collection falls into that last category; it's a cozy kitchen table whose chairs neatly slide away under the table when not in use. Out of sight, out of mind, right?
Quite reminiscent of Hans Olsen's Compact dining set (IKEA makes one as well, we're told), "Kitchenette" is smaller and replaces the warmth of the wood in Olsen's mid-century style with spare, clean, modern lines and a pop of red color in the seats. Antoszkiewicz, a recent graduate of the Industrial Design program at Carleton University, is looking for a design position to put this and other cool ideas to work. Hit the jump for more pics and see more at ::Marta Antoszkiewicz and ::Coroflot via ::Yanko Design...
Cromley Lofts: A Closer Look At The First LEED-Certified Condos In Virginia
by Justin Thomas, Virginia on 02.14.08
Last month, I wrote about Cromley Lofts, the condos in Virginia that received a Gold rating from the U.S. Green Building Council in 2007. Since then, I had to chance to visit the condos, and speak with William Cromley, the architect and developer of the lofts. William worked on the lofts from design to construction, so he was able to ensure that his green vision was completely realized in the finished homes, while still making the condos affordable.
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Ecocities of Tomorrow: How to Retrofit Your Downtown (The Abbreviated Course)
by Jesse Fox, Tel Aviv, Israel on 02.14.08
For those of you who are curious exactly how Richard Register's ideas would work in practice, here's what it could look like if Americans ever decided to retrofit their downtowns for true sustainability.
We know how to build the ecocity. It’s easy if you want to: up-zone for more density and diversity in the centers and withdraw from sprawl. We are replete with tools....
BYD F6DM: Will the First Plug-In Hybrid be Chinese?
by Michael Graham Richard, Gatineau, Canada on 02.14.08
BYD is China's largest battery maker. Chances are, if you have a cellphone or a mp3 player, you have one of their products. The company is getting into the auto world, a move that only a few years ago would have seemed illogical, but now that the future will probably go to plug-in hybrids and electric cars, being good with batteries has become a key expertise to have when making cars (we're sure GM would agree - it is mostly batteries that are holding back the Volt).
BYD's first plug-in hybrid for the Chinese market will be the F6DM mid-sized sedan in the second half of 2008. Top speed should be 100 mph (160 kph), with a range of 62 miles (100 km) in all-electric mode and 267 miles (430 km) total after the gas engine kicks in. A fully electric version called the F6E is planned for 2009....
Big Apple First US City to Require Electronics Recycling
by Warren McLaren, Sydney on 02.14.08
The wheels might turn slowly but they get to where they are going, eventually. Three years ago we reported that New York was contemplating the toughest laws in the nation on electronics waste. Today the City Council was to vote on what they call “trailblazing environmental legislation” to make manufacturers responsible for the ‘take back’ of their electronic products, no longer wanted by customers.
Apparently the city’s residents currently dispose of “more than 25,000 tons of discarded TVs, computers and other electronic equipment,” which is hardly surprising because it seems they also buy 12 million electronic gadgets and do-dads every year, amounting to about 92,000 tons in total. In applauding the legislation the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) points out that old electronics account for about 40% of the lead found in municipal landfills as well as mercury, cadmium, and other toxic heavy metals in landfills and municipal incinerators. ...
Ecocities of Tomorrow: An Interview with Richard Register
by Jesse Fox, Tel Aviv, Israel on 02.14.08
Author, theorist and philosopher Richard Register is one of the pioneers of the ecocity movement, with 35 years of experience advocating for cities that facilitate humanity's "creative and compassionate evolution" while contributing to the health of the planet. Richard is the author of several books, including Ecocities: Rebuilding Cities in Balance with Nature, and the founder of two nonprofits - Ecocity Builders and Urban Ecology.
This post is the first in a series of many examining current and future trends in ecological city building ahead of the 2008 Ecocity World Summit during Earth Day Week in San Francisco this April.
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An Electric Car That Dives Underwater: The Rinspeed sQuba
by Justin Thomas, Virginia on 02.14.08
The Swiss Company Rinspeed has developed a new concept car called "sQuba", which is the world's first green diving car. This zero-emission, electric vehicle (EV) is capable of driving on roads just like a normal car, yet it can also be turned into an amphibious vehicle capable of diving, reaching depths of up to 10 meters (33 feet). The car has three separate electric motors. One motor powers the roadster when it's on land, and the other two motors are used for underwater propulsion. When you dive beneath the surface, two fender-mounted Seabob jets appear to help you navigate through the currents. Since "sQuba" uses an electrical engine it will not pollute the sea when it dives Here's a Bond-style video of the car in action:...
Set the Mood, Save Some Energy with "Hollow"
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 02.14.08
Designed specifically for use with energy-saving compact fluorescent light bulbs, "Hollow" mood lights from UK-based designers Blue Marmalade are a great way to turn down the lights (and turn up the romance). It's available in a variety of color combinations ranging from cool white and gray to punchy orange and yellow, and it's smart, utilitarian shape allows it to be used in a variety of ways, including lying on its side, standing on its edge or suspended from the ceiling as a pendant.
We've featured Blue Marmalade's work before and are still impressed with their ability to create great shape and structure from a minimal amount of materials. Though it's a bit too late for this year's Valentine's Day-related mood-setting, we'll bet there's a few more times throughout the year you'll want to turn down the lights. Hit the jump for more pics. ::Blue Marmalade...
Depressed by Your SUV's Horrible Fuel Efficiency? Turn Off the Onboard Computer
by Michael Graham Richard, Gatineau, Canada on 02.14.08
Credit: The Christian Science Monitor/Bennett
Overheard on a discussion forum about big Toyota SUVs, from someone who bought a Scangauge II trip computer: "I never realized that I average 10 mpg. Even if I barely touch the gas to get up to speed slowly it drops to around 4 to 6 mpg. Cruise control will hold me steady at 12 on a flat road at 60mph".
He got all kinds of advice, some of it quite depressing can be summarized as "If knowing your crappy fuel efficiency makes you mad, turn that thing off man. You cannot change it so don't get so bummed!"...
DIY AeroCivic: It's Ugly, But it Gets 95 Miles Per Gallon
by Michael Graham Richard, Gatineau, Canada on 02.14.08
It won't win beauty prizes, but Mike Turner's modified 15 years old Civic beats the crap out of Honda's high-tech Civic hybrid when it comes to fuel efficiency. A member of EcoModder.com, "an automotive community where performance is judged by fuel economy rather than power and speed", Mike achieved his impressive results with some radical (as you can see) modifications and efficient driving. The 95 MPG figure is what he typically gets when "driving at a constant speed from 30 to 65 mph on a flat road in 80 degree F temperatures wi