- 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 May 18, 2008 - May 24, 2008
Total this week: 137
Vattenfall Promises More Carbon Capture At German Coal Plants
by April Streeter, Gothenburg, Sweden on 05.24.08
Carbon capture and storage (CCS) is fraught with so many difficulties, not least of which is its time frame, that it's hard to know whether the technology could be a real part of meeting global warming CO2 reduction goals, or whether it is simply a huge greenwash effort by investors in coal in order to keep investing in coal.
Sweden's state-owned Vattenfall is almost as eager as Norway's state-owned energy monopolies to see CCS accepted as a bona fide fix for CO2 belching on the part of both coal-fired and gas-fired plants. Vattenfall said it would build a demonstration 250 MW CCS at one block of the 3,000 MW brown-coal Jänschwalde plant, to be ready by 2015. The cleaned-up CO2 would be piped to a nearby empty natural gas field. The CCS will be built on the so-called oxyfuel technique, which Vattenfall is also using at its CCS demonstration pilot at the Scwarze Pumpe plant. Schwarze Pumpe's 30 MW installation is estimated to cost 70 million Euros, and is set to open this summer. Jänschwalde's price tag: 1 billion Euros ($1.57 billion). Internally, Vattenfall hopes to halve its CO2 emissions by half by 2030. Via ::Newsdesk.se
See also: EU To Pump Up Hot Air Capture, and Scientists Develop Low-Cost Version of Carbon Capture And Storage...
Tim Flannery: Plant Forests with eBay, Pump Sulfur into the Stratosphere to Fight Climate Change
by Jeremy Elton Jacquot, Los Angeles on 05.24.08
It turns out noted science writer -- and 2007 "Australian of the Year" (not to mention a TH favorite) -- Tim Flannery is an advocate of geoengineering. Specifically, he supports a scheme in which sulfate aerosols would be injected into the stratosphere -- essentially replicating the climatic effects of a volcanic eruption -- to reflect incoming solar radiation (see here for some background).
Global dimming, as it's known, may be necessary as "the last barrier to climate collapse," Flannery said, speaking at a sustainable business conference in Parliament House. "It would change the colour of the sky . . . We need to be ready to start doing it in perhaps five years time if we fail to achieve what we're trying to achieve."...
Jordan to Build Sustainable City for One Million
by Jesse Fox, Tel Aviv, Israel on 05.24.08
Masdar City, the United Arab Emirates' ambitious project to build the first zero-emissions city in the Middle East, is already spawning similar initiatives in the region. According to Abu Dhabi newspaper The National, Jordan is interested in building its own version of Masdar - ten times the size of the original.
Serge Younes, of the UK-based company WSP Group, which is involved in working out sustainability issues in Masdar, says Jordan's new ecocity would be built on the outskirts of Amman and eventually house a million people. (Note: Jordan's entire population numbers only around 7 million.)
Unlike its counterpart in Abu Dhabi, the new city, which has yet to receive a name, will not be zero carbon. It will, however, utilize many of the same elements: waste and water will be recycled and reused, housing will be built and orientated to take advantage of prevailing winds and maximize energy efficiency, efficient district-wide systems will handle heating and cooling, and electricity will come from planned wind and solar thermal plants, or be generated on site....
Sears Sells Bagir’s Recycled PET Bottle Suit on Father’s Day
by Karin Kloosterman, Tel Aviv on 05.24.08
If you were a child of the Seventies you might, like us, have fond childhood memories leafing through the thick Sears’ catalogue, choosing with your friends what you’d buy if you had a million dollars. Now that we have grown up and can’t bear to bring oversized catalogues into the home, it looks like Sears has grown a bit in the environmentally friendly direction too.
Come this Father’s Day, Sears has decided to take a chance with tailoring manufacturer Bagir and sell the world’s first suit made from recycled PET bottles. Bagir –– the same company which invented the IPod suit and the machine wash and dry suit (available through Marks and Spencer) –– has devised a new way to help fathers everywhere go green, without them having to realize it.
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The Frogs Still Need Your Help!
by Jeremy Elton Jacquot, Los Angeles on 05.24.08
Earthrace Eco-speedboat Record Attempt Slowed by North Pacific Garbage
by Christine Lepisto, Berlin on 05.24.08
The 78-ft. biofuel powered trimaran which recently launched a world record attempt to circumnavigate the globe in less than 74 days has run into an ugly mess. Captain Bethune, speaking from the Earthrace cabin said: "Our weather forecaster had warned us about this area of the Pacific. It's a giant rubbish dump of plastic and polystyrene the size of Texas, and we're currently on the southern tip of it."
Our course on this leg has been more like a drunken student weaving his way home after a bender, rather than a race boat in a straight line - it seems every hundred metres or so there's another load of rubbish in the water that we need to skirt around....
How the Economics of Renewable Energy Have Been Validated
by Jeff Siegel, Green Chip Stocks on 05.24.08
Image credit: T.J. Florian - Rainbow/Getty Images
Jeff Siegel is the cofounder and managing editor of Green Chip Stocks, an investment advisory service that focuses exclusively on renewable energy and organic food markets. He will be guest blogging on TreeHugger regularly.
As we get closer and closer to the next election, it’s becoming increasingly clear that the majority of the voting public is extremely concerned about energy security and climate change. How else do you explain the fact that all the candidates, on both sides of the aisle, are touting climate change and renewable energy initiatives?
But the reality is, no matter who moves into 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, and no matter how much legislation gets kicked around on the Hill, if the economics cannot support the large-scale integration of renewable energy, it simply will not happen.
So it should be with great enthusiasm that today, we can prove the economic superiority of renewable energy to non-renewable energy.
Show Me the Data!
Wearing the label of environmentalist has never been easy. Over the past few decades especially, just uttering the words global warminghttp://www.ipcc.ch/ or renewable energy brought forth an avalanche of skepticism and hostility. Most of which has been based more on social or political philosophy than on actual data.
...
Italian Kitchen Design Keeps Getting Greener with New Valcucine
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 05.23.08
Combining sleek design, greener materials and extreme durability (we're talking like "spans the generations" durable), we liked the looks of Valcucine's new kitchen this past week at ICFF. The Italian kitchen designer, whom we've covered before, has replaced stainless steel and wood with glass while maintaining the idea that you (and your kids, and maybe even your grandkids) won't have to buy another kitchen. Ever.
It's a good thing that timelessness is high on Valcucine's design to-do list, because they're sure built to last, and flat-packed to boot. Hit the jump to check out the video and see what we mean. ::Valcucine and ::ICFF 2008 ...
Today on Planet Green
by Jessica Root - Brooklyn, NY on 05.23.08
:: Pack up your pad the green way using recycled cardboard boxes.
:: Keep wine corks out of the landfills by recycling them instead.
:: Toast up corn bread for a tasty breakfast.
:: Reduce your food’s carbon footprint.
:: Hit up a popular electronics chain store to recycle your old gadgets....
The TH Interview: Wangari Maathai (Part One)
by Jacob Gordon, Nashville, TN on 05.23.08
Yes, Wangari Maathai, the founder of the Green Belt Movement, was the first to receive a Nobel Peace Prize for environmental work. But as she makes ever-so-clear, trees are not just ecological super heroes. They form a bridge to women’s rights, sustainable development, democracy, and (yes, indeed) world peace. Sound like a stretch? Coming from Dr. Maathai it all makes sense. ::TreeHugger Radio Listen to the podcast of this interview via iTunes, or just click here to listen, right-click to download. For Part Two, click here....
7 More Creative Ways to Build with Paper
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 05.23.08
Our buddies at Weburbanist do a roundup of paper houses and furniture, including a few TreeHugger favourites like the Molo Softwall, Sumer Erek's Newspaper house, and Shigeru Ban's paper shelters in Rwanda. We add a few that he missed, including David Graas' This SIde Up stools, shown above. ::Davidgraas: Furniture from Cardboard...
Hypermiling Couple Gets Two Entries in Guiness World Records Book
by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada on 05.23.08
Hypermiling to Save Gas and Beat a World Record
Helen and John Taylor drove around the coast of Australia in an un-modified Peugeot 308 HDi 110 (a non-hybrid, diesel car) for 25 days. Over the 9,062 miles (14,584 kilometers) that they and their luggage traveled, they averaged 75.6 miles per US gallon (3.11 liters per 100 kilometers), earning them their first world record. The second one is for traveling 1,192 miles (1,918 kilometers) on a single 60-liter (15.85 gallons US) tank of diesel. What makes this more impressive is that it was achieve in real-world conditions, not on a perfect road for a short distance.
"The Peugeot 308 HDi 110 hatchback now holds the World Record for both the highest average fuel consumption on a journey, a record previously held by a Peugeot 307 hatchback, and the record for the furthest distance travelled on a full tank of fuel." Congrats to the couple! This shows that more fuel-efficient technology is one part of the equation, but driving style is another very important aspect. We should avoid driving as much as possible, but when we do, we should squeeze as much as possible from every drop of fuel. ::ABG, ::Hypermiling Becoming More Popular as Gas Prices Rise...
Aftershock of China's Earthquake: A Grassroots Compassion
by Alex Pasternack, New York, NY on 05.23.08
At 2:38 pm on Monday afternoon, everything in China seemed to stop. It was exactly one week after the Wenchuan earthquake devastated parts of Sichuan province, flattening schools, endangering dams, and killing over 55,000 people. Trains screeched to a halt, work paused, people stood next to their cars, and everyone bowed their heads to take a collective breath for 3 minutes. Rather than silence, the moment was met with the deafening, chilling sound of the horns of thousands of cars.
For years, the government has been using propaganda to push the idea of a "harmonious society" and a "civil society" on the public. The vague advice to pay attention to the less fortunate sections of the country, end corruption, and stop spitting on the street have been plastered across cities like Beijing, amidst a growing rural-urban wealth gap and in time for the Olympics in August. But the horns seemed like a signal: having nothing to do with political ideology or saving face -- or the government's interests -- a civil, harmonious society had arrived....
BBC Video from the Sexy Green Car Show at the Eden Project
by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada on 05.23.08
The BBC has a short video overview of the Sexy Green Car Show at the Eden Project, Cornwall, UK.
They don't go in depth about much of anything, but it gives you an idea of what the show looks like and what some of the cars shown there are. We can see a few electric and hybrid vehicles, but flex-fuel cars are also numerous. You can see a list of all the cars here. If you are in the area and want to see for yourself, the show is open from May 23 to May 31. More details here. The BBC video is here....
Teen Finds Way to Decompose Plastic Bags in Just 3 Months!
by Kenny Luna, North Babylon, NY on 05.23.08
If ordinary plastic bags would rot away like banana peels there’s no doubt a host of environmental problems would be solved, the fate of the turtle above included. And one 11th grader from Canada set out to make that dream come true as part of his school science project. A wildly successful endeavor he figures will make them decompose in just 3 months.
But how did this extraordinary young scientist named Daniel Burd pull it off?
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The Amazon Jungle and a New York City Girl: Local Eats
by Jessica Root - Brooklyn, NY on 05.23.08
“You can arrive quickly but you aren’t there until you experience the journey.” This is a popular saying between Eugenio and the natives during my trip to the Brazilian Amazon Rainforest (As covered here and here.). Later, it becomes my mantra for local eating. ...
Jack Layton Keeps Driving Voters to the Greens and Liberals
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 05.23.08
I always used to vote for the left-leaning New Democratic Party and its leader Jack Layton, shown here on the famous Couch Bike with bike safety expert, Member of Parliament and spouse Olivia Chow. In the last election I voted for the Green Party for the first time and felt terrible after when the Green vote was greater than the margin the NDP candidate lost by to the Liberal.
I no longer feel so terrible; Layton has come out firmly against a carbon tax proposed by the Liberals. They planned a "revenue neutral" tax system where personal and corporate income taxes would be reduced as taxes on the production of CO2 are implemented. ...
New GMO Tomato has 31% Larger Price Tag
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 05.23.08
The Onion tells us: Geneticists at the California Institute of Technology announced Monday that they have developed a tomato with a 31 percent larger price tag than a typical specimen of the vine-ripened fruit. "By utilizing an exciting new breakthrough in gene-splicing technology, we've been able to manipulate this new tomato with recombinant DNA in such a manner as to make it nearly as pricey as a similarly sized tangelo," said Dr. Lee Nolan, who headed up the project. "Genetically modified crops such as this will be instrumental in helping average grocers keep pace with unaffordable organic stores such as Whole Foods." In addition to vastly surpassing similar produce in expense, the new tomato will reportedly wipe out four species of ladybugs. ::The Onion via ::Grist...
Obama Gets Out the Bike Vote in Portland, Helps Elect First Cyclist Mayor
by Jeremy Elton Jacquot, Los Angeles on 05.23.08
Share Your Shed and Win Prizes
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 05.23.08
some of the entries in this year's Shed of the Year competition
We have shown a lot of garden shed home offices on TreeHugger, but they take them far more seriously over in the UK, where Alex of Shedworking calls them "one of the cornerstones of British culture." There is, of course, a National Shed Week (July 7 to 13) , and a competition at ::readersheds. It is not too late to submit your own shed, and this year there is an international category as. There is even a special category for Tardis sheds.
This year's jurors are "property guru Sarah Beeny, wind-up radio inventor Trevor Baylis, Professor of beach huts Kathryn Ferry, Treehugger's eco-architect Lloyd Alter, Uncle Wilco from readersheds and Alex Johnson at Shedworking. " Last year's winner below the fold....
7 Ways Cities Can Make Your Bike More Secure
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 05.23.08
Designer Adam Thorpe, Councillor Paul Braithwaite and Rose Ades demonstrate the caMden bike rack
We have shown all kinds of bike stands on TreeHugger, but sometimes the simplest is the best. The Design against Crime Research Centre in London "aims to catalyse a design revolution in secure cycling provision for the 21st century. The research seeks to use creative solutions to overcome the adverse effects of bicycle theft on the achievement of sustainable transport objectives within European cities and to assist in the promotion of cycling and the benefits it offers society in terms of impact on health and improvements in the quality of the urban environment."
Or simply put, design a better, theft-proof bike rack. The simple M design lets a cyclist lock both wheels and the frame to the stand, and discourages cyclists from just locking the top tube to the stand, which they consider insecure. The city of Camden just rolled out two of the designs....
Most Huggable: Clean Diesel, Energy-Emitting Landfills, A Shaken China + More
by Team Treehugger, Worldwide on 05.23.08
U.S. dealerships welcome cleaner, more efficient diesel cars.
Landfills take on a new useful and energetic reputation.
A recent earthquake in China damages dams and leaves many questioning the country’s hydroelectric power.
Jim Carrey and Jenny McCarthy start a “Green Our Vaccines” campaign.
The USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) eliminates its pesticide data collection program.
Most Huggable is a regular roundup of some of Hugg's top green news stories. Why not submit your own green news?...
Help No Impact Man Have an Impact
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 05.23.08
We complain that politicians aren't doing enough about the environment, but Colin Beavan, aka No Impact Man, is actually doing something about it beyond just writing- He is hitting up his congressional representative to introduce "an effective global warming mitigation policy that is based not on what is politically possible but on what is scientifically necessary."
Colin is asking the House to set a goal of no more than 350 PPM of atmospheric carbon dioxide, the number that is called the red line for humanity. (read Bill McKibben here about Project 350)
He is asking for a little help as well- he wants to back it up with 3,500 emails of support. He has a cut and paste template all set up at his site. As a TH Blog Love - Our Favourite Greens Of The Week
by Leonora Oppenheim, London, UK on 05.23.08
Big Green Weekend: Welcome to the Big Green Weekend 2008 by Jason Elliott
"We have a variety of activities planned for you this year as well as bringing you the truly unique Big Green Market, with their blend of ethical, eco-friendly, Fairtrade and just plain wacky goods on offer in the Hebden Bridge Marina. 24th, 25th, 26th May"
DeSmogBlog: Power of 10 by Kevin Grandia
"The Desmog Project must raise $100,000 in 2008 to hire hot researchers, smokin' good writers, launch cool new web features and publish a book on the Climate Denial Industry. With your help the DeSmog Project will bring in 10,000 donations of $10 each. Its a small amount to ask, but the power of $10 x 10,000 is enough for us to take Project DeSmog to a whole other level."...
The Urban Aquaculture Center: Aquaponics Goes Big
by Sami Grover, Carrboro, NC, USA on 05.23.08
While traditional aquaculture comes with both benefits and drawbacks, many folks believe it may play an increasingly important role in feeding a hungry world. And with urbanization continuing apace world-wide, anything that can bring food production closer to centers of consumption merits close attention. We’ve already written a little about urban aquaponics, an innovative merging of hydroponics and aquaculture, and now we’ve just heard via one of our local free papers about a proposed Urban Aquaculture Center (UAC) in Milwaukee. The UAC intends to combine a 150,000-sq ft indoor aquaculture/agriculture facility with educational facilities, sustainable farming exhibits, a restaurant and fish market.
...
Recycled Survey: Should America go back to 55 MPH?
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 05.23.08
A year ago we asked readers if we should go back to 55 MPH; while a plurality said yes, 57% answered other questions. Gas prices have doubled since then, and now the Sierra Club has jumped on the bandwagon. We run the same poll to see if attitudes have changed. See also 55 MPH: It's time to bring it back.
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In Afghanistan, Bicycle Courier Service Provides Work For the Wounded
by Andrew Posner, Providence, Rhode Island on 05.23.08
Decades of war and internal strife in Afghanistan have left many Afghanis wounded, disabled and unable to work. In fact, so bad is the situation that "according to the United Nations an average of 60 people every month are killed or wounded by landmines or explosives left over from war in Afghanistan." However, in 2002 a local NGO started the Disabled Cycle Messenger Services (DCMS) which, like any other bicycle courier service, delivers letters and packages, you guessed it, by bicycle.
The difference is that, as the name implies, all of DCMS's employees are disabled, and they work in one of the world's poorest and most war-torn countries. Many ride with one leg, and must strap crutches to their bikes for use when they arrive at their destination. ...
Our Radical Gas-Saving Tip: Drive 55 (or whatever the speed limit is)
by Greg Haegele, Sierra Club on 05.23.08
Memorial Day Weekend is coming and -- in spite of crazy high gas prices --
more Americans than ever are planning to get away by car. But hey, it doesn't have to cost as much as you think.
As you probably know, there are lots of ways to save gas (checked your tires lately?), but the easiest and most effective way is to slow down -- even just a little bit.
It got my attention when I read the other day that jets are slowing down to save money -- it works for them, too. But how much can you save, really?...
Bees, Plankton, and Canaries: Who is to blame; Them or Us?
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 05.23.08
Please join us in welcoming a our special guest, Russ George. Russ has a completely out-of-the-hive idea to share with us: posing a hypothesis that is sure to get a buzz going.
Open letter to all those who love a roll with a little honey.
Like many I am struck by the catastrophic collapse of our bees. This year's surveyed beekeepers reported a total loss of 36.1 percent of their honey bee colonies, up 13.5 percent from the previous year. The crisis of the vanishing bees is worse and proceeding faster than anyone imagined it might. While I applaud all efforts of those working to preserve and protect our bees it seems to me that most are avoiding consideration of a plausible cause.
While many point fingers at the usual suspects, identifying 'them' who make and use pesticides and ravage natural habitats as the villains of bee colony collapse, in my view "they" are not the core of the problem: it is an "us," not a "them" causation. Our emission of the hundreds of billions of tonnes of CO2 from burning of fossil fuels has filled our and the bees atmosphere with a concentration of CO2 40% higher than in the previous century. ...
Chelsea Flower Show for Children: Edible Playgrounds
by Bonnie Alter, London on 05.23.08
This charming garden shows how a school could create a small kitchen garden for children. By planting, watering, composting, harvesting and then cooking what they have grown, children are able to develop a better understanding of where food comes from and the impact of the environment. It is sponsored by Dorset Cereals which makes a healthy muesli-like cereal. The programme started in San Francisco. Now it is being developed at schools in Dorset and is available through an attractive and accessible website.
The small garden is a gem, with a thirty year old apple tree from an orchard in Dorset as its focal point and a woven willow fence along the side. It has raised beds with vegetables in neat rows including salad greens, herbs and carrots. These are planted because they have a short growing season and can be harvested (and eaten) quickly. Runner beans on tall stick stakes add a contrast, as do the sun flowers which are bright and big and fun. There is a compost bin, and a trellis-covered water tank. Along the side of the raised bed is written a lovely snippet: sow it, grow it... eat it!. Posted on the school door is a list of duties to be carried out and little wellies (rubber boots) for the wet weather. The playground, which won the Gold medal for best Courtyard Garden, will be taken to a primary school in Dorset, where no doubt its produce will be gobbled up. :: Dorset Cereals Via :: RHS Chelsea Flower Show...
50 Ways to Help the Planet
by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada on 05.22.08
This scenario is familiar to all of us treehuggers. Someone, a friend, family members, random person, whatever, asks us for ideas of things they can do to do their part and tread more lightly on the Earth.
Of course, the number 1 thing to do is to point them to TreeHugger.com (and subscribe to our RSS feed)! Since we cover everything from design, architecture, transportation, science, technology, food, health, business, politics.. They're bound to find something that will interest them. Our guides for How to Go Green are also a good starting point if you want to focus on a particular topic. But if you're just looking for a bunch of quick tips all bunched together, 50 Ways to Help the Planet is a good place to check....
Rocket Powered Bike For Sale
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 05.22.08
For TreeHuggers interested in assisted bikes but finding the battery powered electric units don't have quite the zing you are looking for: Robert Maddox of Medford, Oregon is selling a rocket powered bicycle on eBay. It has absolutely none of the benefits of a regular bike, spitting out 140 decibels of noise and consuming a lot of kerosene, but goes like a bat out of hell. I suspect that the cars and pedestrians will get out of the way when they see this baby coming. Buy it on ::EBAY or watch the video of it in action below the fold. via ::Geekologie
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Avoid Reliance on the Evil Sun with Clean Coal
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 05.22.08
Today on Planet Green
by Jessica Root - Brooklyn, NY on 05.22.08
:: Meet Nicola Giuggioli, the founder of Eco, London’s sustainable design store.
:: Find out what our resident beauty expert, Summer Rayne, has to say about eco-friendly hair dye.
:: Substitute fatty Chinese fast food with Kelly’s healthy Dim Sum.
:: Make line drying your laundry easy with handy website, LineDryIt.
:: Get the full account of Lloyd’s low-impact trip to NYC. ...
Leanwall Provides Support in Public Spaces
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 05.22.08
As Mick almost said, We all need something to lean on, so Maruja Fuentes of San Juan, Puerto Rico, developed Leanwall for public spaces. It is composed of two molds made of recycled ABS plastic that are identically shaped. These pieces fit together like a puzzle. Together, they can transform a space, creating infinite patterns. They can be used either individually or in a composition. We are all in favour of anything that makes waiting for the bus more comfortable. ::Maruja Fuentes Studio
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Roasting Biofuel Crops Like Coffee Beans Could Boost Energy Yield by 20%
by Jeremy Elton Jacquot, Los Angeles on 05.22.08
Two British engineers have discovered a novel technique that could help make biofuel production cheaper and boost the energy content of some crops by up to 20%. The process, called "torrefaction," consists of slowly heating biomass in an inert atmosphere to a temperature of 300°C; it yields a solid product with a lower moisture content, minimizing transportation and storage issues.
While it's more commonly associated with coffee production, Jenny Jones and Toby Bridgeman of the University of Leeds, who led the study, published in the journal Fuel, think it'll work in a cinch for biofuel production too. They specifically tested willow, canary grass and agricultural residue wheat grass -- crops often used in the U.K. -- to see what happened when they went through torrefaction and how they performed as biofuels....
Green Star Creates Breakthrough Micronutrient that Boosts Algae Growth
by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada on 05.22.08
First Generation Biofuels Need to Go
While an almost universal scientific consensus is developing around the downsides of first generation biofuels (f.ex. corn ethanol), entrepreneurs and scientists are working on biofuels that require less energy inputs to make and don't compete for agricultural land with food crops. One of the most promising feedstocks is algae, with which biodiesel can be made.
One of the companies working on making algal fuels viable is Green Star, and they just announced the creation of a new micronutrient that can help boost algae daily growth rate by 34% and "increase the total biomass quantity in a harvest algae growth cycle by well over 100%."...
Come to the Greener by Design Conference
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 05.22.08
Attention green business gurus, product development pros, supply chain experts and product designers and engineers: the Greener by Design conference is coming to Alexandria, VA (just across the river from Washington, D.C.). On June 12 & 13, the conference will combine opportunities to network with companies of all sizes and sectors who are integrating environmental thinking into their operations with a chance to share thoughts with leading thinkers on the greening of mainstream products and the ability to walk away with a new outlook on green product development.
TreeHugger is happy to be a media sponsor, and we'll be there, learning about the latest in green product design and picking the brains of some of the smartest, most interesting individuals in green business. One of the things we're looking forward to most on the program is what they're calling Green Gurus @ Play; speakers and panelists from the program will hold roundtable discussions with a small number of participants, essentially answering one-on-one questions in a small group setting.
Keep reading to learn who'll be there and who should come to the conference. ::Greener by Design...
Small Lot Prefab From Resolution 4
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 05.22.08
When we last looked at a modern prefab from Resolution 4, we got a particularly loud round complaints about it being a big second home and therefore not very green. Visiting Joe Tanney in his New York office, I asked if he had anything small, green and urban that I could show and not take so much abuse?
Joe explained that while they build their work in a factory to get the advantages of prefabrication, they act as traditional architects, designing for particular clients' budget, site and needs. Their projects therefore cover a wide range of sizes and degrees of green-ness, because everyone is different.
They have done a small house in the Bronx recently that is still hush-hush, but Joe did show me a 1750 square foot house for an artist that was built on a 20 foot wide lot in Long Beach, New York....
Canadian Geographic June Issue to be Made with Waste Wheat Straw Paper
by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada on 05.22.08
Making Paper from Waste Wheat Straw
Some talk the talk and walk the walk. The June issue of Canadian Geographic is their annual 'environmental' issue, and it will be completely printed on paper made from wheat straw. They are the first magazine in North America to do that.
They call the resulting paper the "wheat sheet." It took more than 10 years to scientists at the Alberta Research Council to develop it. It's not completely straw, though: 20% wheat straw and 40% recycled paper. But with that mix, it rivals "any glossy paper made primarily from virgin timber" and "looks just the same as the other stuff", so we suspect that for non-glossy paper, a higher ratio of wheat straw could be used, saving even more trees....
Joey Roth Demonstrates His Sorapot
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 05.22.08
Designer and occasional TreeHugger contributor Joey Roth brought his Sorapot to ICFF; we love it because it turns tea time into showtime. As Joey said in an earlier post: "I’ve always been entranced by small, beautiful things that are so detailed, they seem like miniature worlds, yet so ordinary they’re often left unnoticed. I designed Sorapot to emphasize one of my favorite- the unfurling of tea leaves."
We used our sophisticated new video tools to catch a demo of of it, below the fold. See more ICFF coverage and ::Sorapot...
Big Blue Making Supply Chains Into Green Super-Models: No Floppy Disks Required.
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 05.22.08
Tongue-in-cheek headline aside, we really like this idea of IBM's. Here's why. A progressive business generally initiates climate action in the following steps: making a corporate commitment and stating it to stockholders and the public; measuring the baseline GHG footprint at company-controlled sites; setting reduction goals for energy use and the GHG footprint (of controlled sites); implementing goals and reporting progress against the "baseline"; and then, pushing suppliers to take these same steps and report their progress as well. The supply chain is where the magic is.
In the total set of all businesses, most are just exploring the idea of making a public commitment. So, while that carries forward, IBM has built a software model for the final climate action step, supply chain management, in a way that balances cost with climate objectives, and is mindful of the fact that one size does not fit all.
The magic of managing supply chains for climate action is this: suppliers, which by coincidence of location or by intent, become energy efficient, and/or utilize a high proportion of renewable power, can get recognition for it from progressive customers. This recognition feeds back to the State and local officials who set constructive energy and climate policies.
By enabling supply chains to become more efficient and less emissive of GHG, overall, those States or Countries hosting such green "suppliers," have set in motion a virtuous cycle that encourages the growth of more green business supply chains: in essence, creating a "green" economic development incentive. This growth can be expedited by tools such as the one being promoted by IBM. Look below for a few excerpts from IBMs promotional release....
Six-Foot-One, 255lbs Elementary Teacher Rides a Vespa Scooter... and Loves It!
by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada on 05.22.08
Used Whiskey Barrels Get New Life with Uhuru Design
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 05.22.08
TreeHugger is fascinated by the objects that good designers create from old objects. This often ad hocist-like approach has been exemplified in the work of Uhuru Design before -- we liked their "stoolen" and "love somebody" table designs from previous collections -- as they've found a great balance between showcasing their recycled materials and creating evocative, unique new designs.
Their newest collection, the Küpe line, follows this tradition by refashioning bourbon whiskey barrels from Bardstown, Kentucky (the Bourbon Capital of the world, we're told). The Bilge Lounge, pictured above with Uhuru's Jason Horvath, makes good use of the barrels' curvy lines to create a comfy lounger with a little spring in its step; the base is made from used truck springs.
There's lots of other good stuff to check out; tour the new line with Jason from Uhuru, in our video from the ICFF floor, after the jump. ::Uhuru Design and ::ICFF 2008...
SustainStyle: Free Organic Bedding, Free Cellphone Recycling + More
by 1plus1 on 05.22.08
Welcome to SustainStyle, a weekly digest from the writers at 1plus1, a blog dedicated to eco-friendly fashion.
Super hip bamboo home/office accessories with an affordable price tag.
Eco-Chick and Under The Canopy want to give you free organic bedding.
Rising Tide Fair Trade makes the perfect weekend bag for that quick summer getaway.
Fashion Ethic throws a 50/50 promotion giving us a little something and charity a little something.
Nokia offers free cellphone recycling (postage included).
Perfectly Imperfect's Shoshanna vest is a must have for all summer wardrobes.
Threads for Thought make t-shirts to change the world.
xo....
Super hip bamboo home/office accessories with an affordable price tag.
Eco-Chick and Under The Canopy want to give you free organic bedding.
Rising Tide Fair Trade makes the perfect weekend bag for that quick summer getaway.
Fashion Ethic throws a 50/50 promotion giving us a little something and charity a little something.
Nokia offers free cellphone recycling (postage included).
Perfectly Imperfect's Shoshanna vest is a must have for all summer wardrobes.
Threads for Thought make t-shirts to change the world.
xo....
Living With Ed Joins The Planet Green Line-Up
by Jessica Root - Brooklyn, NY on 05.22.08
TreeHugger loves Ed Begley Jr. We've covered his eco-shenanigans, interviewed him, and asked him to judge our Convenient Truths contest. Now, his reality show, Living With Ed—which formerly aired on HGTV—will live on Planet Green, officially making him part of the TH family. We're stoked and thankfully, so is Ed:
"I am so pleased Living With Ed is going to be a part of Planet Green," says Ed Begley, Jr. "I've had a great time making the series and look forward to continuing to share the show with its many fans."
The series chronicles Ed and his wife Rachelle's low-impact life in L.A., from Ed's bicycling adventures to green home improvements in their solar-powered home. Get inspired to do the same by checking out the show and the rest of Planet Green's line-up starting June 4th. ...
It's Official: Bay Area Passes Carbon Tax
by Jeremy Elton Jacquot, Los Angeles on 05.22.08
Image courtesy of http2007 via flickr
Despite widespread national ambivalence about its merits, air pollution regulators in the Bay Area have overwhelmingly approved the nation's second ever carbon tax (Boulder, CO, was first) -- voting 15-1 to require companies to pay 4.4 cents per ton of carbon emitted. The tax will cover 9 counties in the Bay Area and will take effect July 1.
Though a modest measure at best -- the fees will likely only generate an additional $1.1 million per year in revenues -- members of the Bay Area Air Quality Management District hope it will help set a national precedent, or at least get policymakers thinking the right way. ...
Canadian Supremes Throw Out Fly-in-Water Case
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 05.22.08
Windsor, Ontario hairdresser Waddah Mustapha became depressed and phobic after finding a dead fly in his Culligan water bottle. (who wouldn't?) So he sued the company and won, getting $341,775. The Globe and Mail notes of the first trial: Evidence showed that he became edgy, argumentative and depressed, could not sleep and refused even to drink coffee because it contained water. Obsessed with his fears, Mr. Mustapha had nightmares and great difficulty engaging in any activity that involved water – from drinking to taking showers.
Unfortunately, the Culligan Man appealed to the Supreme Court, which reversed the decision. ”Mustapha failed to show that it was foreseeable that a person of ordinary fortitude would suffer serious injury from seeing the flies in the bottle of water he was about to install,” Chief Justice Beverley McLachlin wrote for the Court. "Unusual or extreme reactions to events caused by negligence are imaginable, but not reasonably foreseeable.”
So the Culligan Man got off, possibly setting a dangerous precedent for those who care about what they drink. ::Globe and Mail
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From the Forums: Housing Market Crash Good for the Earth?
by Alan Graham, Portland, Oregon on 05.22.08
TheRainMaker:
Living in Southern California, it's painful to watch track homes and big box stores taking over every remaining inch of natural coastal sage scrub and chaparral. I'm kind of hoping that the housing market slow down also slows down the rate that new developments are going up. Unfortunately, new housing and development is a sign of growth and I'm sure many are hoping for it to return.yoder replies:
The housing market slump (or crash) is only temporary. As long as there are more homes for sale than can be sold, speculators will be waiting in the wings for the prices to drop to a critical level and the buying will begin in earnest. Once that price drop has been reached, it will not be individuals buying homes (banks are too skittish yet to loan to Joe Bloe), but developers. That's what I see when I look into my crystal ball anyway, but this darn thing is new and I haven't read the instruction manual yet.dink:...
FreeFunk Festival in Cradle to Cradle Haven Venlo (NL)
by Petz Scholtus, Barcelona, Spain on 05.22.08
The Cradle to Cradle enchanted Dutch town Venlo is hosting the 5th FreeFunk festival this year. Last year, the festival’s turntables and LED-lightshow were powered by 12 solar panels, home trainers (!) and wind turbines. This year, the FreeFunk Festival will reduce its environmental footprint even more with 60 solar panels on the main stage to power the audiovisual equipment. ...
Survey: How Do You Use Your Car?
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 05.22.08
Economist Paul Krugman says that we should be more like Germany , where they often own cars but usually smaller ones, and use them more sparingly.
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Graphic Of The Day: US Industry Sectors Most Affected By Climate Costs
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 05.22.08
WRI has published this graphic as part of its recent report: Leveling The Carbon Playing Field: International Competition and U.S. Climate Policy Design A footnote indicates that 'bubble' size indicates the total CO2 emissions from the industry in 2002. Two thousand two is fairly close to what many would use as a "baseline."
Take note of the highly climate cost-exposed sectors: chemicals, refining, ferrous metals, food and beverage, paper, etc. These are the sectors to watch closely on their Congressional lobbying positions, donations to politicians, and to Think Tanks and PACs. Of critical importance, will be opinion leader industries, per sector, making commitments to GHG reductions and energy efficiency.
Finally, consider the cost exposure linkage between the paper, chemicals, food and beverage sectors (tied by packaging and distribution cost impacts). Combine that with the global food price hikes driven by biofuels, in part, and it is clear that Food & Beverage is in for a world of climate cost pain (as are consumers). Although, peak oil and the growing demand for energy in China and India are of similar importance....
Biojoule: Mobile, On-Site Biomass to Fuel Processing
by Sami Grover, Carrboro, NC, USA on 05.22.08
We’ve already noted that wood pellets are a hot item when it comes to climate-friendly heating, and we’ve even given a run down of our favourite stoves. Unfortunately it’s not all good news - we’ve also had to report that the housing slow down has meant a shortage of sawdust for pellet manufacture. This is where the activities of UK-based Biojoule may come in handy – they have apparently developed a mobile pellet processing plant that can be moved from location-to-location, allowing forestry and agricultural waste, or dedicated biomass crops like willow, to be processed at source into easy to move pellets. Not only does this mean reduced transportation costs, it also means that wood or crops that might otherwise have gone unused can be economically transformed into a reliable, valuable fuel:
...
Monaco: Trouble in Paradise
by Bonnie Alter, London on 05.22.08
In recent years HSH Prince Albert II has become an environmentalist with the creation of his Monaco Foundation for the Environment and his recent award as Europe's "Champion of the Earth" by the United Nations. However all is not well at home in Monaco... First there is a little matter about the Grand Prix Formula 1 car races being held there this weekend. But even more pressing, the tiny tax-free haven for the super rich is over-crowded and has run out of space. Perched on the side of a cliff, the second smallest country in the world after the Vatican is in need of more land to expand.
The answer is the creation of an island on stilts, jutting out from the coast. In addition to the luxury apartments, designer shops and yacht club, there will also be a museum, all designed by the super-star architects of the moment such as Norman Foster and IM Pei. But what about the flora and fauna, the marine environment and potential damage to the ecosystem. The Terre Bleu NGO says that the project risks damaging the coral reserves and sea plants along the coast. They said "If a new development is simply placed on top of the sea where these ecosystems are, they will be starved of the light that gives them life. That is very difficult to defend." The official response is that the new neighbourhood will be built over areas where "nothing remarkable" grows. "Not only will we protect the ecosystem but we will actually better the environment by putting in man-made reefs to allow species to thrive." This will be one to watch. :: The Guardian
Discuss in the Forums...
Student Watt Watchers Save Tax Dollars, Environment
by Kenny Luna, North Babylon, NY on 05.21.08
They may have to stand on tip-toe to read an electric meter, but when students on the Watt Watcher team at Hollydale Elementary in Oregon started leaving little red tickets in classrooms where the lights were left on or other energy wasting activities were observed the savings sure began to add up. Now it seems they’re keeping roughly $800 a month from being wasted on energy no one is around to use, and learning a bit about grassroots organizing in the process.
Not surprisingly they’re a part of the Gresham-Barlow school district, the first school to win the EPA’s Energy Star award two times. And instituting a Watt Watcher team is just one of the strategies they’re utilizing to cut costs and pollution at the same time in their community.
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Saving Energy in Data Centers with Smart Sensors and Algorithms
by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada on 05.21.08
U.S. Servers and Data Centers Gobbled Up 61 billion kWh in 2006
We're now firmly in an interconnected and digital world, and that means lots and lots of servers. The EPA wrote a report for the US Congress about it in 2006, and they estimated that servers and data centers represented about 1.5% of total electricity usage in the country for that year. That's 61 billion (with a 'b') kilowatt-hours, and that's for 2006, back when most people were just starting to discover Youtube. It's probably more now.
Of course, lots of power means lots of money, so there's clearly an incentive to become more energy efficient. Microsoft Research's Networked Embedded Computing group is working on a very promising concept: A combination of physical sensors in the server room and software algorithms to make individual computers sleep or wake up depending on demand....
Cost Of Wind Power Turbines Is SkyRocketing
by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada on 05.21.08
Increase of 74% for Land-Based, and 48% for Offshore Wind Turbines
For years we've heard about how a shortage of silicon kept solar panel prices higher than they would otherwise be. Just as we're expecting supply to improve in that field, we learn that wind turbines are getting more expensive. Not just a little, but a lot:
"The price of offshore turbines rose 48 percent to 2.23 million euros ($3.45 million) per megawatt in the past three years, according to BTM Consult APS, a Danish wind power consultant. By comparison, land-based rotors cost 1.38 million euros per megawatt after rising 74 percent in the same period."...
D. E. Sellers Introduces New Flatpack Chair
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 05.21.08
We have shown the work of D.E. Sellers before, noting that he plays a CNC machine like a violin. His furniture is cut out of a single panel and fits together without nails or glue, and is a vision of a future where the work of good designers can be produced close to customers anywhere in the world. (See more of these at Treehugger in an Absolut World)
Sellers introduced a new chair at ICFF, and explains it after the jump....
Greenpeace Breathe In, Breathe Out Video
by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada on 05.21.08
Invasive Species: Another Reason to Worry about Biofuels
by Jeremy Elton Jacquot, Los Angeles on 05.21.08
A new report, entitled "A Risk Assessment of Invasive Alien Species Promoted for Biofuels," is calling on governments to carefully weigh the risks posed by biofuel crops that stand a chance of becoming invasive species against the perceived benefits. The report, authored by the Global Invasive Species Program (GISP), identifies all the crops being used or considered for future production and ranks them according to the likelihood of their becoming invasive.
According to GISP, the damage wrought by invasive species worldwide incurs yearly costs that top $1.4 trillion; the U.S. spends about $120 billion every year to control the populations of over 800 invasive species. Countries in Asia and Africa, in which so-called second generation biofuel crops are being introduced, lack the necessary resources to adequately contain invasive species....
From the Forums: Got a Garden? Win a Giftcard
by Alan Graham, Portland, Oregon on 05.21.08
Part of my ongoing mission in life is inspiring people to grow their own food...be it veggies, fruit, or herbs. You don't have to have a large plot of land or live in the country to pull this off. I've grown 40 pounds of tomatoes on a patio in San Francisco.
In that vein, whose got some great garden photos to share?
As long as it is your own, it can be a garden full of growth, a new design, grown in the city, on a patio, in containers, in the country, etc. It can be from this year or years past. Share your photos and a little story.
I'll throw in a $25 Discovery giftcard for 3 of my favorites. I'll make my decision June 22nd.
You can post your images in the forum....
Mystery Of The Day: Sturgeon Balls
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 05.21.08
Life is full of wonderful mysteries. And, society is full of inexpert experts trying to offer explanations to reporters. So, bucking the experts, we think the reason 60,000 Pacific or "White" Sturgeon are swimming around in a ball-like mass, forty feet below the surface, just downstream of Bonneville Dam, is to have fun. A bit of Acipenser erotica, perhaps. When sonar surveys spotted a vast pile of rubble in the Columbia River below Bonneville Dam a few months ago, officials suddenly worried that part of the dam structure was eroding into the river...What they found below the spillways in February was not a giant pile of rock at all, but a humongous pile of thousands upon thousands of sturgeon — some of them 14 feet long or longer — lounging together in frigid water at the bottom of the river....
Pedal-Powered Ecocabs Reach Streets Of Stockholm
by April Streeter, Gothenburg, Sweden on 05.21.08
The Ecocab, that jazzy three-wheeled improvement on the older pedicab/rickshaw idea, debuted the first of May in Toronto and has been seen in cities such as Dublin and in Berlin for last year's World Cup. In Toronto, advertising is to be the main revenue for cab company owners, at least at first. But while the new Stockholm-based fleet of eight Ecocabs trolling the inner city are brightly emblazoned with ads, they also cost cold hard cash, in some cases more than a regular taxi.
Stockholm's Ecocabs, which will run only from May though September each year, charge 40 Swedish crowns ($6.50) per rider per 15 minute period. The ecocabs have a small 12v self-charging battery-driven engine to help the driver power up hills and run the indicator lights, and can reach a maximum speed of 25 kilometers per hour, though the average speed is closer to half that. If these grow in popularity, perhaps they can encourage and adapted to some of the inner-city work of transporting and delivering goods as this very cool Parisian company La Petite Reine is doing (see photo after the jump)....
Paul Krugman On Being "Stranded in Suburbia"
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 05.21.08
Economist Paul Krugman writes in the New York Times about a very reasonable, middle-of-the-road approach to cutting fossil fuel consumption: Be more like Europe.
"Here are the two secrets of coping with expensive oil: own fuel-efficient cars, and don’t drive them too much.
Notice that I said that cars should be fuel-efficient — not that people should do without cars altogether. In Germany, as in the United States, the vast majority of families own cars (although German households are less likely than their U.S. counterparts to be multiple-car owners).
But the average German car uses about a quarter less gas per mile than the average American car. By and large, the Germans don’t drive itsy-bitsy toy cars, but they do drive modest-sized passenger vehicles rather than S.U.V.’s and pickup trucks."
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Survey: Do You Eco-Travel?
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 05.21.08
For a recent business trip to New York, this TreeHugger biked to the airport, flew turboprop, biked while in the city and then home from the airport. It probably saved a lot of carbon over taxiing and jetting, but is by no means perfect. Have you changed the way you travel to reduce your carbon emissions?
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Manchester Art Show Celebrates Guerrilla Gardening
by Sami Grover, Carrboro, NC, USA on 05.21.08
Guerrilla gardening has always got TreeHugger somewhat excited – from our introduction to the concept back in 2005 to our coverage of a guerrilla gardening handbook, and even a ‘manualfesto’, we've been quite taken by the idea of gardening as a means to rediscover our sense of place in the modern world. Now we hear via The Guardian that guerrilla gardening forms a key focus for a new art show in Manchester, UK, which is exploring the importance of gardening of all varieties in the urban environment:
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Deja Shoe Footwear: Ahead of Their Time?
by Warren McLaren, Sydney on 05.21.08
Deja Shoe is the third and final in our mini series on companies that blazed the trail for dedicated eco-businesses, long before the arrival and departure of Nau. The previous two case studies were Terrapax and Esprit Ecollection.
The Deja Shoe story is so similar to Nau that one could easily imagine they were twins separated at birth. A company nudged along by an industry elder, recruits experienced industry heavy hitters to produce a product line made completely from recycled or renewable/biodegradable materials. It donated 5% of takings to environmental causes and would create an unprecedented buzz in it’s industry, generating millions in free advertising. And just as it was getting into stride, ironing out business bugs, it failed to secure operational funds. Oh, and they were based in Oregon too....
Chelsea Flower Show Explores Climate Change
by Bonnie Alter, London on 05.21.08
With 157,000 visitors to the Chelsea Flower Show over a five day period, there is a huge opportunity to not only amuse but also educate the public. This year the Show is working hard to address environmental issues and improve its sustainability. Several displays in the large tent pavilion are addressing the theme of climate change and its impact on gardens of the future. The displays show what gardens will look like in 2050, particularly the plants that will be grown then as compared to now.
The 2050 Garden envisions a low emission garden (with a one degree change in the climate) and a high emission garden resulting from a 2 degree change. In that case study, the growing season will be longer with more extreme weather--more rainstorms and more drought periods. Succulent plants will be the most hardy during times of extreme drought and poppies will do well. There will be 26 more hot days per year, so tropical plants that would have needed greenhouse shelter in the UK climate will now be grown outside all year round. Growth of many more fruit trees such as apricot and fig will be possible, along with many more kinds of palms. With the hotter weather there will be more bugs and infestations in plants. Good ground cover is needed to prevent water run off during storms and the associated loss of nutrients. :: 2050 Garden Via :: RHS Chelsea Flower Show...
Gas Buddy's Map Shows How Expensive Your Gas Is
by Jeremy Elton Jacquot, Los Angeles on 05.21.08
So how much are you paying for gas (assuming, of course, you haven't yet gone car-free)? Those living on the West Coast (especially California) -- or in Hawaii -- probably already know that they're paying a nice premium over some of their fellow Midwestern drivers. If you've ever wanted a graphical representation of just how much more (or less) you've been paying, Gas Buddy has just the ticket for you: a customizable gas temperature map that allows you to see prices by county.
The website also features historical price charts and some useful tips for ways to reduce your gas consumption -- or, heck, stop driving altogether. Though we're of the mindset that high gas prices could prove beneficial -- revitalizing public transit, reducing our energy consumption and encouraging clean energy technologies -- we realize that some of you have little choice in the matter. Those of you on the edge, however, may now have an extra incentive to switch.
Via ::The Big Picture: USA National Gas Temperature Map (blog)
See also: ::Hypermiling Becoming More Popular as Gas Prices Rise, ::From The Forums: Cheering for high gas prices?
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The Go Green Initiative's School of the Week: Kawameeh Middle School in NJ!
by Kenny Luna, North Babylon, NY on 05.20.08
When you’ve got a committed group of TreeHuggers as part of the faculty and student body, it’s amazing what great green things you can accomplish.
Take Kawameeh Middle School in Union, NJ as a terrific example; where they’ve been recycling paper at record rates and keeping over 3.5 tons of tree out of the landfill in the process during the last year.
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Today on Planet Green
by Jessica Root - Brooklyn, NY on 05.20.08
:: Define your needs before picking out your perfect set of wheels.
:: Read Kelly’s thoughts on the future of farmers’ markets.
:: Go green without breaking the bank.
:: Learn about Living With Ed hosts, Ed and Rachelle Begley.
:: Consider outfitting your home with a wind turbine. ...
CSA/Organic Guide
by Alan Graham, Portland, Oregon on 05.20.08
In the forums we get a lot of requests for people wanting to know where they can buy organic foods or groceries. While we all know of places like Whole Foods (who I love), there are other alternatives as well. Many communities across the country have CSA's (Community Supported Agriculture), farmers markets, or organic suppliers. The trouble is that many of these groups don't have the marketing money to get their message out and people may not even know they exist.
So I started a thread in the forums to collect as many of these around the country as we can and later put it into a TreeHugger Buy Green guide.
CSA's, suppliers, farmers markets, co-ops are all welcome, as long as the food they sell is organic. If you use one of these services in your area, please come in and add to the list. ...
TreeHugger Book Hits Shelves, Staffer Falls in Love
by Jessica Root - Brooklyn, NY on 05.20.08
Disclaimer: I’m TreeHugger’s Editorial Assistant. I love the website. So yes, I’m partial.
If TreeHugger were a guy he’d be my match made in heaven; smart, sleek, idealist, good-looking and of course, green. Though, if there were one trait I could change (yes, I know—you can never really change someone), it would be his scattered, mysterious sort of ways. When I wish for him to make me a better, greener person, I have to dig deep into his computer soul, penetrating the bottomless archive, searching for meaning in his tiny little search box. With my busy schedule, sometimes I want green on my terms—whenever, wherever. And yes, sometimes even in bed.
Today it’s possible. All of the delicious eco-bits and pieces have been culled together in one comprehensive place—TreeHugger’s hot-off-the-press book, Ready, Set. Green: Eight Weeks to Modern Eco-Living. Founder, Graham Hill and Editor-In-Chief, Meaghan O’Neill lay down the steps to a low-impact life without just listing off tips. They debunk common eco-myths and provide handy tools and resources to make going green, easy.
While TreeHugger will always remain my steady, green beau—it’ll be nice having the book by my (bed)side.
Buy Ready, Set, Green at Amazon today!...
From the Forums: RANT!
by Alan Graham, Portland, Oregon on 05.20.08
charityjunebug has started a rant thread for biggest pet peeve. Here's a few:
People throwing trash into a recycle bin, or throwing cardboard into a "plastic/glass only" bin or plastic bottles into a "paper only" bin. I am always resorting things out in my apartment complex trash area. How everything that has to do with a new baby is suddenly disposable. Disposable bibs, placemats, changing pads, diapers, baby lunchables, EVERYTHING!!! Cigarettes being tossed out car windows. AAAAHHH!!!johnpwarren:...
Rice Most Water Intensive Crop Says Australian Stats Bureau
by Jenna Watson, Barcelona on 05.20.08
MASH/Getty Images
Via:: The Age. The Australian Bureau of Statistics released water usage numbers for 2005-06, showing that rice is the most water intensive crop per hectare; however, pasture for grazing is the largest overall consumer of H2O. Although pasture used for grazing is the biggest drain on water resources in Australian agriculture, it requires much less per hectare than hydro-intensive crops like rice, cotton and sugar cane.
In short, rice tops the water usage list at 12.3 megalitres/hectare, followed by cotton at 6.4 megalitres/hectare, then nurseries (5.3 megalitres) and sugarcane (5 megalitres)....
Pop Quiz: The Guy Behind Gaia
by Dominic Muren, Philadelphia, USA on 05.20.08
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Carbon Cap And Trade - A Looming Battle Among States
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 05.20.08
The script for Battle of Carbon Titans, a futuristic reality show, was approved for production, with shooting set to start this summer. Fortune Magazine has some good set coverage and quotes from the utility actors. It's no longer just about California taking the lead. A national battle is forming; and we're all embedded at the front lines. Here are a few script excerpts, followed by analysis. A climate-change bill that has widespread support as it heads to the Senate floor will create an estimated $150 billion of new assets in the first year it takes effect. Between now and 2050, regulating greenhouse gases could easily generate $3 trillion worth in value in the United States. Should that value go to utility companies, electricity customers who will face rising rates, government investments in new technology or tax cuts? Or should it be returned to all Americans?...
Michiel van der Kley's Globus Workstation
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 05.20.08
Patrick McGoohan would have put these everywhere in the Village, the remarkable Globus workstation that folds into a perfect orb. "The Globus will provide an inspiring working environment for today’s more flexible employee. At home and at the office." In fact it doesn't take up much less space folded up than it does when open, but Number Two would have been so much more effective had he had an actual work surface instead of just a chair.
We could use our usual "small spaces are efficient " argument about why this is on TreeHugger, but it really isn't. Perhaps it is just that everyone gathered around and smiled when Michiel demonstrated it for us, it is that kind of fun thing. Video after the jump....
Alkemi Recycled Surfaces Made From Aluminum Shavings
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 05.20.08
When I first saw Alkemi recycled surface material a while back, I questioned its value, thinking that aluminum was more valuable as a recyclable material rather than cast into a countertop. I was wrong; Demir Hamami of Renewed Materials tells us that flake aluminum milling scrap burns before it melts, and has to be expensively compressed before it can be recycled, so it usually goes into landfills. Hamami casts it into a solid surface material that can replace conventional counter materials with an unusual (and attractive) appearance and high recycled content. (35% by weight, 60% by volume). Demer Hamami explains in an video below the fold....
LED Lighting From Koncept With Natural Colors
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 05.20.08
LED Lighting just keeps getting better and cheaper. Koncept offered a 66-LED desktop unit two years ago; now they get more light and better color balance with just six. The price has dropped too, down to US$129. I am writing this post by the light of one, and can attest that the color is nice, the design effective and flexible, and it is cool as a cucumber. It is the 21st century version of my old Luxo- simple, well designed and affordable....
Table Goes Together Without Fasteners
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 05.20.08
How Italian designer brothers Francesco and Marco Gillia ended up in Lima, Montana, is probably a story in itself, but there they are, opening Bottega Montana. This refers to the Renaissance concept of the Florentine Botega, where artists worked in close association with their students and trainees.
They have invented a unique (and patent-pending) fastener system so that their furniture can be easily assembled and dissasembled with only a mallet. Watch Francesco in action after the jump....
Mio Introduces Their First Product Service System
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 05.20.08
The Salm brothers never cease to amaze TreeHugger. The pair, behind Mio's sustainable designs, are a great example of designers who really get it: how to design with the environment in mind; how to approach green design from a variety of angles; how to execute it with and style. Their Origami table, Nomad System room dividers, Shroom lighting, Soft Bowls, 3D wallpaper and cork flooring tiles are all great examples of each of these, and they've branched out even further.
The "Naked Line," made from formaldehyde-free particle board, is a modular storage system that Mio left without veneers to showcase the natural beauty of the product. We also liked "Loop," their first product service system, which is a wallpaper-like textile that comes with its own envelope, so you can simply and easily mail it back to Mio for replacement if it gets torn or just wears thin. Get the scoop on these and more from Mio in our video tour of the booth below the fold. ::Mio and ::ICFF 2008...
StreetFilms Covers Best of Bike to Work Day
by Sami Grover, Carrboro, NC, USA on 05.20.08
Lucy Renshaw Brings Old Spoons and Colour to ICFF
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 05.20.08
It was a bit out of place at ICFF, Lucy Renshaw's crafty "bespoke eco furniture and interiors." Her booth was an explosion of colour and old spoons, and, frankly, a nice break . Lucy is also bubbly and charming, and I am a complete sap for the accent.
Lucy "deliberately sets out to tackle environmental issues by working with recycled fabrics and reusing materials. She combines techniques of surface embellishment, embroidery and screen printing to produce imaginative and inspired interior products."...
Play with Your Home Lighting Fixtures, with Molo's Softlight
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 05.20.08
TreeHugger has been a fan of Vancouver, B.C.-based Molo for some time now. We love the way their ingenious, honeycomb-inspired paper designs, like the softwall and softseating, creates structure you can sit on and full, modern forms from just paper
They've outdone themselves with softlight--we heard rumors about itlast year--which is one of the most interesting, changeable home lighting design ideas we've seen; there are seemingly infinite variations and shapes it can take as it morphs from tall to short, skinny to fat, large to small, and back again. You really have to see it to believe it; hit the jump to see how it works in our video from the floor of ICFF. ::Molo and ::ICFF 2008...
2008 Goldman Environmental Prize Winners Pablo Fajardo Mendoza and Luis Yanza on their Fight Against Oil Giants
by Paula Alvarado, Buenos Aires on 05.20.08
It’s difficult to imagine the courage it takes to go against a huge corporation. Worse, an oil giant like Chevron. But Pablo Fajardo Mendoza and Luis Yanza are not afraid: They are convinced Ecuador and its people deserve a clean Amazon, and their conviction has led them to the final stages of what could be the largest environmental lawsuit ever filed in the world.
According to Fajardo, Yanza, and several communities in the area, Texaco (later bought by Chevron) dumped nearly 17 million gallons of crude oil and 20 billion gallons of drilling wastewater directly into the Ecuadorian Amazon between 1964 and 1990. The effects on the inhabitants were devastating: The cancer rate in the area is now seven times higher than the rest of the country's population, and people living in proximity to pollution have suffered increased incidences of skin disease, respiratory ailments, and reproductive disorders....
Areaware's Graffiti Table
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 05.20.08
Noel Wiggins of Areaware carries a wide range of designs that we have seen on TreeHugger, chosen with a sense of humour and "an emphasis on forward thinking technologies and original expression." TreeHugger favourites in the booth included Singgih Kartono's wooden radios and the prominent display of Strida folding bikes. (full disclosure: I bought my bike from Areaware.)
Areaware is offering a new table made from 100% recycled plastic, with graffiti from a New York bar pre-moulded into the surface. It's in our exclusive video after the jump.
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Ximena Orozco's Jacket Pillow
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 05.20.08
It is really quite silly. but I could not help but be charmed by Ximena Orozco and her Jacket Pillows, made from industrial wool felt. Ximena is co-founder and Creative Director of Urbanatics, "an independent design portal featuring unique, intelligent and expressive products," which looks like a very interesting source for good design from around the world.
Ximena describes the Jacket Pillow after the jump. ::Urbanatics at ::ICFF 2008...
David Trubridge's Home Interior Design Idea: Bring the Clouds Inside
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 05.20.08
Lloyd and I were interested to learn why the clouds were gathering above the booth of David Trubridge inside ICFF. Turns out it had nothing to do with the weather; David's latest collection--called Spiral Islands--was inspired by his observation that over lone, smallish islands in the Pacific, clouds gather in the same shape as the land mass below. He translated the idea into a clever seat and lighting combination, neatly accented by some platters made from sustainably-grown pine cut from a CNC router.
David also talked to us about his plans to continually keep sustainability at the top of his design priorities, exploring new materials options while maintaining a modern, airy feel and having fun creating new designs; get the lowdown with the video and pics below the fold. ::David Trubridge and ::ICFF 2008...
Peter Mabeo and Patty Johnson Unveil New Designs
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 05.20.08
TreeHugger first met Peter Mabeo two years ago, when he and designer Patty Johnson introduced a line of furniture "that balances local traditions with a contemporary sensibility, building a local industry and a design identity for Botswana. " Our biggest concern at the time was the carbon footprint that came from importing wood and exporting furniture, but Peter tells us that new, sustainable sources of wood are becoming available as more countries begin to harvest their forests under FSC rules. The new design line from Patty Johnson looks good, too.
Peter updates us in an exclusive video after the jump.::North South Project at ICFF 2008...
Book Review: Eco-Chic, The Fashion Paradox by Sandy Black
by Leonora Oppenheim, London, UK on 05.20.08
On one hand fashion can be accused of being superficial and frivolous, an industry of style and excess without substance, on the other there is a much deeper, more profound engagement with clothing that is seen across all eras and all cultures. As Sandy Black said, at the recent launch event for her new book, "adornment has always been part of the human condition." We also must not forget the enormity of the industry which incorporates millions of workers all over the world, from textile crop farmers, textile producers, dyers, garment designers and producers, and retailers. According to Sandy there are 2.7 million people working in clothing and textiles in the E.U alone. The paradox between the inherent lack of sustainability in fashion and the fundamental need we all have to clothe ourselves is the topic explored in this substantial book.
Sandy Black, Professor of Fashion + Textile Design at the prestigious London College of Fashion, is conscious of her book being the fourth published in the UK in the last year on the subject of Ethical Fashion, but as we mentioned in our recent review of Kate Fletcher's Book Sustainable Fashion and Textiles, each of the books has its own purpose and character and all are valid and informative in different ways. Eco-Chic, The Fashion Paradox is certainly the weightiest of the volumes, published with the appearance of a beautiful coffee table book, featuring plenty of full page colour photographs interspersed throughout the text, making it easily accessible on a number of levels....
Designed Conversation from Savannah College of Art and Design
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 05.20.08
There was a lot of student work at ICFF, but Collin and I were particularly impressed with the work of the Savannah College of Art and Design, which produced products with a purpose: to help the poor and the homeless. They worked with the Growing Hope program of Union Mission, which tries to "elevate the quality of life of Savannah's homeless through housing, job training, counselling and healthcare."
They used cheap, available materials to "embrace a definition of sustainability that looks beyond the green movement to incorporate a vision of socially constructive practice." Click below the fold to see not one, but two videos from ICFF about the inspiring project. ::SCAD and ::ICFF 2008...
Chelsea Flower Show: Opening Day
by Bonnie Alter, London on 05.20.08
Chelsea Flower Show opening day and the great, the good and the celebrities are out in full force. Imelda Staunton, Alan Titmarsh and Sir Terence Conran were spotted. As for the gardens...yesterday we reviewed the small urban gardens which mere mortals can aspire to. Today: the Show Gardens--over the top, decadent, expensive and glorious. The winner of the Best Show Garden is an exquisite green garden with water and 30 year old hornbeam trees.
Our all time favourite is Summer Solstice, which got a Silver-Gilt award, by Daylesford Organic. The Daylesford's rival Prince Charles in the organic royalty department--they have an organic farm, food store, butcher and clothing business and that's just their hobby. The garden is an organic dream, showing the gradation from wild flower field with green wheat and scarecrow, to a walled kitchen garden full of vegetables and herbs (pictured) and an architectural green-roofed picture windowed kitchen/pavillion (at right) for outdoor cooking and dining. Plant it, grow it and cook it. The display is lush, sophisticated, and luxuriously environmental.
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Mass Customization from Design Democracy '08
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 05.20.08
We love the idea of Design Democracy, where Bryce and Kerry Moore designers and artists can submit ideas for designs that can be built using mass-customization processes." The brought a few of the winners of the first competition to ICFF.
Joel Edmondson's DNA chair has some very interesting attibutes; it is moulded plywood, which tends to favour identical sizes and shapes. However Joel turned it into a bespoke chair, made to order in different sizes through the clever metal joint, which permits the height and depth to be adjusted. Pretty smart stuff.
Joel explains how his chair works, and the ideas that went into its conception, in our exclusive video after the jump. ::Design Democracy '08 and ::ICFF 2008...
Lulan Artisans Redefines Sustainability
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 05.20.08
Eve Blossom has one of the most sophisticated views of sustainability that we have seen; it is not just about being "green" or having a low carbon footprint; sustainability includes economic, cultural, environmental, and social factors. It must also demonstrate high levels of craftsmanship and use natural materials and processes.
She worked with Cameron Sinclair and Architecture for Humanity in Vietnam after earning a Masters in Architecture from Tulane, and "discovered a passion for the hand weaving traditions of the region and realized their unparalleled talents and spirit. The creation of a sustainable market, livelihood, and wage for the weavers and their villages became a dream that eventually led to Lulan."
Eve has some great things to say about sustainability and how she really leverages Lulan as a business promoting positive change; hit the jump to see our video interview and for more pics of the beautiful textiles. ::Lulan Artisans and ::ICFF 2008...
Flatpack Table from Planko Designs
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 05.19.08
We do love our flatpack furniture; cutting it out of plywood with a CNC machine and sliding it under a door reduces the amount of material used, the packaging, the shipping, everything is just more efficient. It can be fun too, as Dan Planko demonstrates with his new end table, which mixes traditional design elements with the latest manufacturing technologies, and even comes in its own canvas bag....
Simple Series from Karl Zahn
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 05.19.08
More humor in design from Karl Zahn, with his entry table made from sustainable pine, shown in the Charles and Marie booth. It is a place to put your shoes, your keys, whatever; he uses the extra wood left over to make axes and sledgehammers out of wood to use if your guests overstay their welcome.
The workmanship was lovely, and why shouldn't furniture be fun? Quick interview after the jump....
Bark for Peace! Organic Treats for Your Dog
by Erin Courtenay - Madison, WI on 05.19.08
Bark for Peace! dog treats are more than wholesome, organic, non-GMO, gluten-free, corn-free snacks packaged in natural, biodegradable cellophane with labels printed on 100% PCW paper that are carbon-neutral shipped and delivered – they embody a message about saving the world and the love that it will take to get us there. “We think peace is more than the absence of war, rather we hope and work toward the absence of suffering and the flourishing of all! Our dogs show us peace is: rambunctious joy, relentless love, abundant sharing, creative compassion and ever-extended forgiveness,” says B4P founder Lisa Knaggs.
Recently, I had the opportunity to share some of that B4P love. When I returned from last week’s Co-Op America Green Business Conference I was toting two different kinds of tasty eco-treats, one for me and a B4P sample for my puppy Paul. Item #1 contained 100% organic sweet potatoes, tamari, coconut oil, ginger, garlic, turmeric and cayenne; Item #2 was made of 100% organic dates, cashews, goji Berries, lemon juice, and vanilla (take a look after the jump to see which was which)....
Today on Planet Green
by Jessica Root - Brooklyn, NY on 05.19.08
:: Dress your greens in Kelly’s light and creamy buttermilk salad dressing.
:: Take the National Wildlife Federation Good Neighbor pledge to save energy and score sweet perks.
:: Keep baby’s tush tender with these soft, organic and fair trade trainers.
:: Slurp back this delicious spring vegetable and noodle soup.
:: Take that pedal off the metal and drive at a constant speed....
Treehugger Buys an SUV - Hell freezes, Arctic Melts?
by Mark Ontkush, Boston, Massachusetts, USA on 05.19.08
[Editor's note: It probably comes as no surprise that this has been a hugely controversial post here among the TreeHugger community--both internally among the TH staff and with our readers and commenters. While we don't love the fact that there is yet another SUV on the road (and--eek!--driven by one of our own!) we do applaud the idea of taking a realistic look at the decisions consumers must make every day, and trying to understand what it means to go green in the real world. The whole point of "thinking like a TreeHugger" is to be able to apply green principles to each of our individual situations. But let's face it, sometimes compromise is the best we can do. We know you've got opinions about SUVs, this post, and TH in general, so go ahead and lay it on us in the comments below or in the forums. If you've got a rant, a rave, or you want to let us know about your own eco-dilemmas and compromises, bring it on.]
Yep, I did it; this Treehugger bought an SUV. Actually it's a Honda CRV, a 'crossover'. But it's certainly not a Prius. This self-interview lays down the facts as to why it was the right decision for us.
MJO: So Mark, You bought an SUV. Feeling a little guilty?
MJO: Not really. But I want to add that it was not my first choice - I really DID want to get a Hybrid, or a Smart, or a Scooter. But as it turned out, these vehicles didn't fit our needs.
MJO: Why don't you explain that.
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Cameron Sinclair visits Lulan at ICFF
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 05.19.08
Architecture for Humanity's Cameron Sinclair is in town to speak at the Metropolis Conference at ICFF, and gigged a few hours as a booth babe for Lulan Artisans, (as you can see, working really hard at it) handing out his favourite organic fair trade chocolate from Kallari in Ecuador. (see Leonora's post here)
We had an opportunity to talk with him about events in Burma and China, following the jump....
Stilvoll's Amazing Transformer Stand-up Desk
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 05.19.08
I have been walking or standing for three days, and am working at TreeHugger founder Graham Hill's stand-up desk. True to his "less is more" aesthetic, Graham does not own a chair or stool, and my feet are killing me. Nonetheless, I have always wanted a standup desk, they are purported to be good for your back and for your productivity, and as an architect, that is how I used to draw.
Stilvoll of Germany makes one of the nicer ones I have seen, that has an unusual method of height adjustment, a pop-up sloping writing desk, pullouts and hidden trays, cable management and absolutely stunning workmanship. When my feet recover from this trip I want one. Video demo after the jump.
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Jet-Sharing Easing Celebrities' Eco-Guilt
by April Streeter, Gothenburg, Sweden on 05.19.08
Waxy Brad and Angie emit no carbon and do not procreate. Thanks DanieDVM at flickr
Celebrities aren't like the rest of us. They are generally prettier, their teeth are whiter, and they have a many-times bigger carbon footprint than we do. Many times bigger. Ask any carbon calculator - even one jet trip a year drastically skews your yearly total, and People-type celebrities seem always on the go. If you look at Madonna, her carbon footprint in 2006 was estimated to be 1,018 tons - or 100 times the average British citizen's. Not only do celebs fly a lot, the more famous they get, the more likely they are to want the convenience and luxury of a private jet. So now you know why Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt never look jet-lagged!
London-based Private Jet Club has launched a service to pair up different jet-setters going to some common cities to reduce their costs and (incidentally) their per-person carbon footprint - and calling it jet pooling. While jet pooling may sound like a ridiculous bit of greenwash, the CO2 load of flying solo in many jets is astronomical, making jet pooling better than nothing. Maybe this is why Angelina and Brad are concertedly going about increasing their brood. Via Guardian UK
See also: Earth Day:Latin Celebrities Give Green Advice and Celebrity Eco-Hypocritique...
Umbra Goes Seriously Sustainable
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 05.19.08
Umbra has always been famous for promoting good design at affordable prices, and introduced Karim Rashid to the general public many years ago. That meant that Umbra sold a lot of plastic, and would not have been a prime candidate for a TreeHugger post. Not anymore; we have done a number of them recently, including one on their wonderful new showroom in Toronto, and quite a few of their products. That's because co-founder and CEO Les Mandelbaum says that sustainability is no longer an option in design, but a necessity.
They have changed a lot of their materials and production processes, no making their iconic Garbini wastebasket out of PLA, or corn plastic; the pulp bulletin board is made from newspaper, sustainable woods include bamboo and plantation woods, and packaging has been revamped to eliminate stryrofoam and PVC.
We caught up with Les at his display outside the entrance to ICFF and grabbed a brief interview, after the jump....
From the Forums: Can't Afford Organic
by Alan Graham, Portland, Oregon on 05.19.08
A lot of people talk about how eating organic is too expensive, and how making that switch to healthier food is just not possible. While it is true that organics can costs more than typical food found in the grocery store, when you consider your health, the question really becomes how can you not afford it?
I propose that many people can afford to eat healthy and here's my example....
Deconstructing Wired Magazine's June Cover Story on the Environment
by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada on 05.19.08
Our friend Hank over at Ecogeek has done a bit of deconstruction on Wired Magazine's June cover story (which isn't online yet). We haven't got our hands on it yet, but from what we can deduce, it seems like one of those contrarian "everything you thought was true isn't!" pieces with a few nuggets of truth.
They seem to fail to keep things in perspective and see the big picture (f.ex. they suggest cutting down the last few pristine ecosystems in the US to maybe reduce carbon emissions a tiny bit), and they seem to think that global warming is the only problem we are faced with. We're all for more mainstream coverage of green issues, but trying to be too clever can be counter-productive. ::WIRED's Call to Environmentalists: True or False...
Ice Core Data Reveals GHG Emissions at Highest Level in 800,000 Years
by Jeremy Elton Jacquot, Los Angeles on 05.19.08
Image courtesy of the Niels Bohr Institute/University of Copenhagen
New data obtained from an analysis of trace gases locked in Antarctic ice cores has revealed that atmospheric GHG levels are at their highest point in the last 800,000 years. The results of the analysis, published in the latest edition of the journal Nature, have also shown that current methane levels are at a record high -- 134% above prehistoric highs. Carbon dioxide levels are 24% higher now than at any other period sampled by the cores. ...
NYC Photo Exhibit at United Nations: Climate Change, Poverty and Hope for Avoiding the Sixth Great Extinction
by George Spyros, New York City, USA on 05.19.08
A photographic exhibition entitled Hard Rain: Our Headlong Collision with Nature is on display at the United Nations May now through June 12th.
Hard Rain is a photo essay by Mark Edwards, a photographer and founder of the photo agency Still Pictures, which brings together images shot over the past 40 years or so that are set against lyrics from Bob Dylan's A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall. Dylan!?? That nasal-folksy-crunchy-'60s dude? Hippy-haters fear not as Edwards and crew are accomplished photographers with sharp aesthetic sensitivities unblunted by any potential aestheticization of their subject matter. Images from Edwards’ personal archive plus contributions by Sebastião Salgado, Chris Steele-Perkins and others are powerful vehicles for connecting our human souls with the souls of a planet and its life forms that, even in their passion, deserve to be portrayed beautifully as a means toward visualizing joyful solutions to our many ills. ...
Reusable Shopping Bags Support NOLA
by Christine Lepisto, Berlin on 05.19.08
Fashionable, Flexible, and Socially Responsible
Designed in New Jersey, sourced and manufactured in New Orleans; these reusable shopping bags support Americans as well as a green lifestyle, with emphasis on style. "What'S ur Bag" was dreamed up by Susan Princiotto (designer, founder and CEO) and Joan Elmore-Nutting (Business Development and Marketing specialist) because they could not find a reusable bag that met their expectations.
After many prototypes, a happy coincidence occurred: the fabric selected for its bright green flair was the perfect combination of light, small when empty and able to contain a lot when full. Even better, the gentle bounce of the elastic fabric harmonized with each step, making the bag seem a lighter load. The fabric application was trademarked as its-laS-tik(TM), as in "it's not paper, it's not plastic, its-laS-tik!" And a bag was born....
Most Huggable: Natural Tea For Mamas-To-Be, Solar Water Lilies, Alaska By Candlelight
by Team Treehugger, Worldwide on 05.19.08
Eco Child’s Play offers up an au natural prenatal tea recipe.
Solar water lilies turn unoccupied waterways into functional, energy-generating space.
A blackout in Juneau, Alaska reminds the city’s residents that it’s easy to be green.
Chill out with some cool cucumber dill soup.
Dell creates a bamboo-cased computer.
Most Huggable is a regular roundup of some of Hugg's top green news stories. Why not submit your own green news?...
Rock Star Physicist Brian Greene Brings World Science Festival to New York
by Bonnie Hulkower, New York, New York on 05.19.08
This week Treehugger (TH) had the opportunity to speak with rock star physicist Brian Greene, who is well known for his best selling books, The Elegant Universe and The Fabric of the Cosmos, his NOVA special, his appearances on the Colbert report, Late Night with David Letterman, and his TED lectures. We spoke about the World Science Festival (WSF), which Greene will be bringing to New Yorkers May 28th through June 1st and about his general mission of bringing science to the people.
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CA High-Speed Rail Initiative - "If We Don't Pass This, We Will Never Have High-Speed Trains in the US"
by Jesse Fox, Tel Aviv, Israel on 05.19.08
Pop Quiz: World's Tallest Tree
by Dominic Muren, Philadelphia, USA on 05.19.08
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Ecotricity CEO's Electric Car Is "Not Another Tesla"
by Sami Grover, Carrboro, NC, USA on 05.19.08
Under Fuel Sanctions, Gazans Power Taxis With Falafel Oil
by Karin Kloosterman, Tel Aviv on 05.19.08
The leftover oil from falafel, a yummy fried Middle Eastern snack, is now powering taxi cars in Gaza. Faced with fuel sanctions, petrol stations in Gaza are empty. While leftover cooking oil from street vendors, mixed with turpentine doesn’t drive like the diesel they are used to, it helps pay the bills.
"It takes time to get it going in the morning," said Hassan Amin al-Bana, 40, at Gaza City's main taxi stand: "I know it's bad for my car, but I have to pay for food for my kids so what can I do?"
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Survey: Do You Like Looking at Designer Furniture?
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 05.19.08
IKEA doesn't show furniture at ICFF; it is mostly high-end and expensive. But you can bet IKEA has the place covered with designers checking things out; like TreeHugger, they are there to see the trends and where the market is going. We think our readers are interested too, but commenter Jason wrote : "Why is it every time furniture gets posted to this site, we have the same conversation? "Nice, but man is that too expensive." Maybe the editors should actually read the comments, and take the hint. No tree hugging is going on at $5000 for a coffee table. Impractical solutions are no solutions at all."
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Stair of the Week: Alberto Mozó's Demountable Spiral
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 05.19.08
While we showed Alberto Mozó's Demountable BIP building earlier, we saved the stair for our Stair of the Week. Like the rest of the building, it is designed so that it can be taken apart and reassembled elsewhere.
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Marina Silva's Resignation to Brazil Environmental Ministry: Causes Start Emerging
by Paula Alvarado, Buenos Aires on 05.19.08
(Picture credit: Joedson Alves/AFP/Getty Images.) Former Brazilian Environmental Minister Marina Silva has finally pointed the finger at someone as one of the causes of her resignation last Tuesday: Blairo Maggi, one of the world's biggest soy producers and governor of the Mato Grosso State.
According to Pagina 12 newspaper, Silva said Maggi has made a fortune depredating the jungle three decades ago, when there were no environmental laws that defended the territory. At the same time, Maggi's State is one of the places where the biggest forestal fights have happened during the last semester; and Mato Grosso and Para States are the leaders in forest clearing....
In Humboldt County, Cyclists Get Bicycle Training
by Andrew Posner, Providence, Rhode Island on 05.19.08
We've previously covered the bicycle traffic school in Santa Cruz, California, but what about teaching cyclists the rules of the road before they get a ticket for unsafe riding? After all, while cyclists have the same rights--and responsibilities--as vehicles, they are not required to receive any training on the rules of the road, yet such training would be immensely helpful. Well, a new program in nearby Humboldt County is providing children and adults alike the chance to learn how to ride in a safe, fun and legal manner.
The courses are being put on by the Humboldt Bay Bicycle Commuters Association (HBBCA) in an effort to ensure that as high gas prices send more people looking for alternatives, there isn't an increase in traffic accidents as neophyte cyclists hit the roads. Here's how the program will work: "Participants will be given verbal instruction on the rules of the road and then will participate in an on-street training program. The program lasts two hours. Upon completion, participants will be familiar with bike laws, the importance of adhering to the laws, and how to ride defensively and responsibly on public streets." As cities try to be more bike-friendly, it's important that cyclists become more aware of the rules of the road, as well. Hopefully we begin to see similar programs take root across the country.
Via: ::EurekaReporter.com
See Also: ::Young Environmentalists Protest Anti-Bicycle Policy At Their School, ::Toronto's Love/Hate Relationship with Bikes, ::Cycle Commuting, Bike Buses and SUV Accidents, ::Cycle Lanes: Use Them Or Else, ::Helmets--for whom? Cyclists or Motorists?, ::It's More Dangerous NOT To Ride a Bike, ::Winter Tips For Summer Bicycle Trips: Part 1, ::Winter Tips For Summer Bicycle Trips: Part 2, ::Got a SuperComputer? Run it By Bicycle!, ::World's Smallest and Lightest Folding Bicycle, ::Guerrilla Bike Activists and ::Getting Students to Walk it Out...
Esprit Ecollection Clothing: Ahead of Their Time?
by Warren McLaren, Sydney on 05.19.08
The other day in profiling the company Terrapax, we suggested that Nau was not, strictly speaking, ‘ahead of its time’, but rather they were treading a path laid down by eco-pioneers, well over a decade ago. Today we take a peek at Esprit’s Ecollection.
Esprit has had a colourful history from its gestation in 1968, but we’ll just cherry pick the elements relevant to this story. In it’s formative years the company was owned and managed by Susie and Doug Tompkins. Doug was also the original founder of The North Face, when it was just a single outdoor retail store, He is presently the benefactor of Parque Pumalin in Chile, with his current wife Kris, who was once upon a time CEO of Patagonia. But we are getting ahead of ourselves -- back to Esprit in the 80’s....
Chelsea Flower Show: A Preview
by Bonnie Alter, London on 05.19.08
Preview day is a special treat--a chance to take an early look at the Chelsea Flower Show gardens whilst their designers are working frantically to finish them. There is such a hum of excitement, nerves and friendliness in the air in the midst of hundreds of pots of plants, tractors and mud. The themes this year seem to be very calm and restful gardens with muted colours, lots of green, cream flowers and water features.
Living walls of plants were featured in three small gardens. Vertical planting is a good way of increasing the areas for greenery upwards instead of impinging on limited ground space. It also provides a nice screen, often necessary in urban spaces. Green Living (pictured) has walls and the roof planted with a mixture of flowers, herbs (sage, thyme) and ferns. Inspired by Patrick Blanc, this one is small enough for an ordinary mortal to replicate at home. It is surrounded by water, and will have hand-made mosaics on the walls with pictures of the plants in the garden....
Students Plant Trees To Offset Emissions From School Bus
by Andrew Posner, Providence, Rhode Island on 05.18.08
We've seen great examples of high school students taking the green bull by the horn recently, perhaps most notably the young environmentalists that protested the anti-bicycle policy at their school in New Jersey. Now, a group of high schoolers in an environmentally-themed program in Ontario, Canada, have begun planting trees in order to offset the emissions from their school buses. The students attend two green education programs known as the Community Environment Leadership Program and the Headwaters Program, both of which encourage students to take a hands-on approach to solving environmental problems.
The offsetting program does just that, enabling students to learn about carbon emissions and offsets while getting outdoors and planting some trees. 1,100 trees were donated from a local nursery, and they will be planted on a site that had been wooded but was accidentally burnt last year.
Via: ::GuelphMercury.com
See Also: ::Pedal for Positive Climate Change, ::High School Senior Fights Flawed Climate Science Info in Popular Textbook, ::High School Homework: Make an Electric Car, ::The TH Interview: Taylor Schmidt, Student at Greensburg High School, ::The Go Green School of the Week: KingWood Park High School in TX!, ::Decatur High School Principal Rides His Bike, ::High School Student on Reef-Building Mission to Change World, ::Lightning Without the Thunder: Utah Kid Schools the World on Clean Cars and ::Plug-in Hybrid School Buses Introduced...
Compost Conundrum: Backyard Box, Indoor Bin Or A Can-O-Worms? (Part I)
by April Streeter, Gothenburg, Sweden on 05.18.08
Backyard bin image by Pete Baugh; worms by kafka4prez at flickr
Let me just say up front that I've got a black thumb and a lazy disposition. It's taken me about ten years to go beyond backyard gardening 101, with many frightful failures. The only thing that pushes me forward is the fact that there's nothing like plucking the greens you'll eat in the evening's salad right out of your very own plot.
So like it or not I've had a variety of backyard compost bins in my smallish yard. The results have always been less than satisfying. While I was very good at filling those cheapo black bins, I was never good at the follow-through - the turning and aerating, the emptying out and sifting required to actually use the earthy results. Keeping the green/brown ration right was always a struggle - I didn't start with Collin's great Green Basics: Compost. Rotating bins - been there, done that - without substantial improvements. Worms, I considered...but only considered. So when I read about the NatureMill indoor bin that promised to do all the work - no mess, no smell, no shoveling or turning - I was completely sold and put the item at the top of my birthday wish list....
New Contemporary Living Room Furniture from Akemi Tanaka
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 05.18.08
Lloyd and I were happy to see Akemi Tanaka and her new work at ICFF. After designing some really clever transformer furniture in 2006, she's re-imagining how furniture and space is used, maximizing its function by adding some cool design touches to everyday objects like credenzas and occasional tables.
In the video after the jump, she explains how she conceived some interesting new options and great ideas to better use space in furniture, and how she incorporates sustainability into her beautiful modern work. ::ICFF 2008 and ::Akemi Tanaka...
Domestic Aesthetic Bowls Us Over
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 05.18.08
Diane Ruengsorn believes "that you can have products that enhance your life while taking into account people and planet." While apprenticing in the furniture industry, she was shocked at the chemicals and materials that workers were subjected to every day. She produces products that are produced with "peoplefriendly materials that didn't harm anyone in the process" of manufacture, and won't hurt you in your use of it.
Catch a video of her after the jump.
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PARC Develops Low-Energy, Membrane-Free Water Filtration Technology
by Jeremy Elton Jacquot, Los Angeles on 05.18.08
Leave it to the brainiacs at the renowned Palo Alto Research Center (PARC) to devise a water filter that manages to do away with two of the technology's most vexing problems: a high energy requirement and the need to constantly replace used up membranes. Their device, called a spiral concentrator, is a 50 cm long, 1 mm in diameter piece of plastic tubing that separates particles as small as 1 micron in size by centrifugal force, reports Technology Review's Lee Bruno.
Those particles are in turn moved out of the clean water's path via diverging forks in the concentrator. No membranes are needed, and the required energy investment is low by comparison with conventional technologies. While the purifier needs a constant flow of water to ensure the particles continue moving in predictable patterns, this can be done using a low power pump; to further reduce its energy needs, the researchers hooked the pump up to solar panels. ...
Student Designs Chair Full of Garbage
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 05.18.08
Collin and I were so excited by the student work on show at ICFF; Nick Demarco of the California College of the Arts produced a wonderful (and surprisingly comfortable) XS chair that can be filled with anything you have in excess- old clothes, magazines or in this case, garbage and bottles. The prototype is made of vinyl, but Nick says the production models will be made of a recycled plastic mesh.
Hit the jump to see a video of Nick describing the chair, a close up of all the garbage inside it, and another video of Professor Corey Jones describing the project.
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Tel Aviv's Mass Transit System Still Decades Away
by Jesse Fox, Tel Aviv, Israel on 05.18.08
If you will it, it is no dream? An artist's rendition of the future light rail in Tel Aviv-Jaffa.
In the latest chapter of a seemingly endless saga, Israel’s Finance Minister has announced that he is considering withdrawing funding for Tel Aviv’s planned mass transit system and investing the money instead in the country’s periphery. According to Israeli news site Ynet, the Finance Minister plans to put the Tel Aviv subway/light rail plan on hold for the next ten years, leaving Tel Aviv residents stuck wallowing in traffic and air pollution.
The announcement is likely just another tactic in the ongoing war between the Transportation and Finance Ministries, which are putting up most of the money for the project, and the Tel Aviv Municipality, which has long been reluctant to implement any kind of solution at the expense of road space for private vehicles. ...
Modular Bathroom Tile Designs from Design Glut
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 05.18.08
Live from ICFF 2008
Lloyd and I are having a great time checking out the green scene here at ICFF--the International Contemporary Furniture Fair--happening this weekend in New York City. We had a nice chat with Liz Kinnmark of Design Glut--you may remember their clever "Crude" necklace, designed to "celebrate" when oil hit $100 per barrel early this year.
They've added some fun, provocative designs for the Fair this year; the "Hookmakers" are a modular bathroom tile system that replace standard 6"x 6" tiles with a built-in cup, to hold your toothbrush, toothpaste and whatever else you need within arms reach at the bathroom sink.
Hit the jump to see a video of Liz and to get more info on the "Slow Food Trays" that are also part of Design Glut's display here at the show, and find all of our coverage of ICFF 2008 here. ::Design Glut and ::ICFF 2008...
Designing a Climate Policy that's Easy on the Federal Budget (And Wallet)
by Jeremy Elton Jacquot, Los Angeles on 05.18.08
Charts courtesy of the CBPP
Global warming naysayers have often invoked the strawman argument of an excessive cost burden, particularly on lower-income individuals, in arguing against any substantive climate policy. And while it's true that a poorly designed policy could prove especially onerous for poor and middle-income families, there exist many effective options that could both significantly reduce emissions production and offset the higher costs by raising enough revenues to address their needs.
The Center for Budget and Policy Priorities lays out some of these options in its excellent climate change policy primer, making the case for either a carbon tax or a cap-and-trade system with 100% auction allowance....
Black + Blum Mix Humour and Function
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 05.18.08
Dan Black and Martin Blum must be fun to work with; they run a design consultancy in London, but also sell a line of products that they designed and produced. Their approach to sustainability is to develop clever ways to use less materials, and to design and build their products to last a long time. They manage to build a wine rack out of a strip of sheet metal, or a candelabra out of a piece of wire. They built a desk fan that uses all of thirteen watts.
Hit the jump for a video interview of Martin Blum of Black + Blum....
Pinhole Camera Photographer is Crazed Cyclist
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 05.18.08
While visiting the Union Square farmers' market I noticed an interesting display of small photographs, set up in front of an odd looking bicycle. Photographer Michel Bayard shoots with pinhole cameras, saying "now that digital is here, there isn't much point in using regular cameras anymore" and pedals his wares to market on an xtracycle converted bike. (Treehugger on Xtracycle here) He is shown here after trying out my bike....
Table Of The Day: Top US States For Net Summer Renewable Energy Capacity
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 05.18.08
The US Energy Information Administration has a fascinating information repository online, from which we excerpted this table: State Renewable Electricity Profiles. Note that the ranking data are for reporting year 2006 and that hydroelectric power is the predominant renewable energy source among the listed states.
Due to the severe protracted drought of 2007 in the US Southeast, it is reasonable to assume that Alabama, Georgia, and the Carolinas were, in 2007, producing much less renewable electricity than would have been considered "normal" in 2006.
Texas and California are unique in their high wind power capacities.
New York is a standout hydro-power state. Regional precipitation changes that shape hydroelectric capacity in New York are geographically 'smoothed out,' as the watershed driving New York's hydroelectric turbines spans portions of 6 states and Canada.
States with low existing renewable energy capacities, respectively, with low potentials for adding more renewable energy capacity, and which have a high projected coal power dependency, are going to be in a world of economic hurt, come a carbon "Cap & Trade" law. If you thought the "Culture War" scenario of 2004 caused a political upheaval in the USA, hang on. For the future dimension, compare this table with which way the wind is blowing in Government Study Claims Twenty Percent Of US Power From Wind By 2030....
Best Product Design Award: Eurobike Call for Entries
by Christine Lepisto, Berlin on 05.18.08
The International Forum Design (iFdesign) invites all members of the bicycle industry and interested students to submit entries to the international EUROBIKE AWARD 2008 by 25 July 2008. The Eurobike Awards aim to give consumers direction in a large market by pointing to touchstones of outstanding design.
EUROBIKE is gaining momentum as fuel prices rise. This year's brochure quotes reknowned futurologist Matthias Horx: "The first evolutionary winner of the climate change is -- the bicycle." Horx goes further to predict that the "boom of the bicycle in the general public will create a diverse service and lifestyle culture all revolving around the pedals."...
GE Can Take This To The Bank: T.Boone Orders 667 Turbines For Texas Panhandle
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 05.18.08
This is amazing. A wind farm by T. Boone Pickens at a scale that dwarfs all others. We have to wonder: which has more "green jobs" impact, GE selling its appliance division or fulfilling an order for the world's largest wind farm? Mesa Power LLP, a company created by legendary energy executive T. Boone Pickens, has placed an order with General Electric to purchase 667 wind turbines capable of generating 1,000 megawatts of electricity, enough to power more than 300,000 average U.S. homes. The agreement represents the first phase of the four-phase Pampa Wind Project that will become the world's largest wind energy project, with more than 4,000 megawatts of electricity, enough for 1.3 million homes. When all phases of the project are completed as projected in 2014, the wind farm will be five times as big as the nation's current largest wind power project, now producing 736 megawatts....
Looming Food Crisis Drives Strange Green Future
by Christine Lepisto, Berlin on 05.18.08
Image: Detail of photoillustration by Viktor Koen for Portfolio
Condo Sales Drop Drives Conversion of Star Architect Towers to Greenhouses
"A weak real estate market leaves hundreds of glass condo towers designed by star architects unsold and unpopulated." The futuristic vision in which these empty condos serve as greenhouses is just one of the potential solutions to a looming food crisis imagined and humorously illustrated by a slide show titled "In Case of Emergency" in Conde Nast's Portfolio....
