- 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 25, 2008 - May 31, 2008
Total this week: 125
Martin Liefhebber on Embodied Energy of Existing Buildings
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 05.31.08
"Scarcity is not a result of us not having enough, it is because of the way we use it." So says Martin Liefhebber, who was doing green architecture before there was a name for it; 12 years ago he designed Toronto's Healthy House that remains cutting edge; we have also covered his Wilson House. He was at the 2008 Heritage Conservation conference decrying the loss of a midcentury modern hospital in Toronto, calculating its embodied energy and the cost of the demolition of not just a perfectly good building, but actually a quite remarkable bit of design with a lot of interesting features, that took 13,576 megawatts of power to build, and will generate 40,000 yards of concrete waste, and will be torn down because of a complete failure of vison and comprehension of the value of what they have.
Below the fold: Martin explaining how long it takes for a building to pay off its initial energy investment....
U.N. to Mediate Arctic Dispute: "Carve-Up" Deal in the Works?
by Jeremy Elton Jacquot, Los Angeles on 05.31.08
Image courtesy of Stig Nygaard via flickr
A flashpoint of international contention in recent months, the race to lay claim to the Arctic's resources finally came to a head this past week when Greenland hosted a meeting between the five Arctic nations to resolve the dispute, The Guardian's Julian Borger reports. Lambasted as a "carve-up"deal by critics for barring several nations and environmental groups from participating, the U.S., Norway, Russia, Denmark and Canada agreed to abide by the 1982 Law of the Sea in managing the region's vast oil and gas reserves. ...
The TH Interview: Chris Luebkeman, Director for Global Foresight and Innovation, Arup
by Jesse Fox, Tel Aviv, Israel on 05.31.08
Trained as a geologist, engineer and architect, Chris Luebkeman describes his job as "helping people think constructively about the future." His official title is Director for Global Foresight and Innovation at Arup, a global engineering firm that is actively involved in several cutting edge projects around the world.
We caught up with him recently at the Ecocity World Summit in San Francisco to talk about his work at Arup, the future of the global economy, and his ubiquitous bow tie ("a regular tie is too long for an engineer to wear at his desk, it gets in the way").
Chris Luebkeman: It is my observation that by optimizing the now, we forget to pause periodically to question if what we are doing now is the right thing – could (or should) we be doing things differently?
In the corporate world, decisions tend to be made very quickly. Once a business person can see a context, they are required to make a decision. With the continued globalization of industries of all kinds, we need to change corporate mindsets. By doing so, I believe we will have the greatest impact in dealing with the challenges currently facing the world....
Scientists Develop Air "Scrubber" Capable of Sucking Up One Ton of CO2 a Day
by Jeremy Elton Jacquot, Los Angeles on 05.31.08
This sounds too good to be true: a machine that can vacuum the equivalent of a ton of atmospheric carbon dioxide a day in a cost-effective way. We've seen our fair share of CO2 "sucking" devices in the past -- everything from modified plastic membranes to industrial-scale paper mill "scrubbers" -- but they've typically tended toward the expensive or unwieldy. So how does this particular device stand out?
Well, for one thing, its inventors, a team of U.S. scientists led by Columbia University's Klaus Lackner, say they'll be able to get a prototype up and running within the next 2 years. Secondly, they claim that the device, which is small enough to fit inside a shipping container, will be able to capture a ton of CO2 a day from the air -- at a fraction of the cost of similar technologies. The initial cost of the device, roughly $200,000, would be more than offset by the amount of carbon each would trap, they assert. ...
Uncontacted Amazon Tribe Is Photographed
by Jessica Root - Brooklyn, NY on 05.31.08
After my trip to Brazil’s Amazon, I was wary when I caught glimpse of Thursday’s released photos of uncontacted Amazon tribe members toting bow and arrow in hand. Having been on their native soil and learned about the importance of keeping their culture in tact, the catchy headlines and photos seemed to objectify the forest natives. During my research though, I came to realize that these photos were made public for a better reason than mere exploitation. ...
Sales of Hybrid S.U.V.s Lower Than Expected
by Andrew Posner, Providence, Rhode Island on 05.31.08
The Chevy Tahoe hybrid may have won the Green Car of the Year award, and the Chicago Police is considering a switch to the vehicle for policing duties, but the response from the general public has been lukewarm at best: "G.M. has sold [only] about 1,100 of its Chevrolet Tahoe and GMC Yukon hybrids since their introduction in January," which is " well behind its goal of 12,000 sales a year, and a fraction of the more than 100,000 hybrids sold so far in the United States this year." There are several reasons behind the lackluster sales figures. For one, although the Tahoe hybrid "raises fuel economy for city driving to 20 miles a gallon from 14" compared to the non-hybrid Tahoe, it also carries with it a $4,000 cost premium. But the real nail in the coffin has been the cost of gas, which has led to a significant decrease in driving, as well as a change in the types of vehicles Americans purchase. In fact, "one in five vehicles sold now is a compact car."...
Jet Blue Reduces Its Carbon Footprint
by Kristin Underwood, Sacramento, CA on 05.31.08
Image courtesy of: SmartBusinessTravel.com
When big culprits of CO2 emissions, like the airlines, decide to go green, we at Treehugger take notice. We've reported on airlines eliminating flights to save fuel, and got some really interesting commentson the impact of air travel. Well, JetBlue has taken this one step further with their Jetting to Blue initiative, aiming to green both the airtravel as well as their supply chain. To launch this initiative, they also have a green sweepstakes online, complete with green prizes....
Donovan Rypkema: LEED stands for "Lunatic Environmentalists Enthusiastically Demolishing"
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 05.31.08
Donald Rypkema is a powerful and passionate speaker who had the crowd at the 2008 Heritage Conservation conference on their feet. The President of PlaceEconomics, a Washington D.C. based consulting firm specializing in the economic revitalization of city centers and the development of historic properties, is also deliberately provocative, challenging a wide range of sacred cows in the green design world.
He starts it with an elevator pitch/ "if you can't write it on a business card then you don't have a clear idea" and summarizes it in five points:...
Brit Study Says Organic Grass-Eating Cows Give Healthiest Milk
by April Streeter, Gothenburg, Sweden on 05.31.08
Photo gwire @ flickr
The debate still rages whether organic or conventionally handled foods are better for us. Don't believe it?
A new study (from Newcastle University) gives reinforcement to the idea that organically-produced milk is healthier than regular milk. The study showed organic (summertime) milk had 67 percent higher levels of vitamins and antioxidants, and 60 percent more conjugated linoleic acids than regular milk. It also had higher levels of good Omega-3s and lower levels of Omega-6s than conventional milk. The key was the grass factor - organic cows tend to get a lot more grass and clover, conventional cows get more grain. Now this may seem like a "yeah, duh" but after the study came out, the British Goverment's watchdog Food Standards Agency felt compelled to say there was little evidence to prove organic was better. It plans to study the Newcastle study. With food prices rising, it's good to get a little reinforcement that organic purchasing does offer tangible benefits. Via ::Telegraph...
Landmarks not Landfill: Sean Fraser on Building To Last
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 05.31.08
Landmarks Not Landfill: Prism Glass
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 05.30.08
I am at the 2008 Heritage Conservation conference in Collingwood, Ontario, where the theme is Landmarks Not Landfill: Heritage Preservation and Environmental Sustainability.
Romas Bubelis, architect for the Ontario Heritage Trust, did a presentation on how design and construction techniques from the 19th and early 20th century were naturally green, given that they didn't have much affordable artificial lighting or ventilation and had to develop zero-energy techiques. I almost fell out of my seat in the Gayety Theatre when he described prism glass, which I had seen on buildings for years but never understood the point. ...
Here are my: Top Ten Reasons You Should Email NHTSA Before July 1
by Greg Haegele of Sierra Club on 05.30.08
Perhaps today you looked at your Memorial Day Weekend vacation bills and fell out of your chair when you saw the gas station charges.
Last week we talked about driving the speed limit to save gas, but this week it's time to get a little more into policy and talk about vehicle fuel economy standards - simply put, how far the feds require automakers must make their average vehicle go on a gallon of gas.
The December 2007 energy bill that President Bush signed into law directs the Department of Transportation to set Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards to reach at least 35 miles per gallon in 2020. In April, the Dept. of Transportation's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA, which handles fuel economy standards) issued its proposed standards for vehicles sold in model years 2011-2015: Cars and trucks sold in the U.S. will average 31.6 mpg by the year 2015. That's better than today's average of 25 mpg, but NHTSA could do better.
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Most Huggable: An Undiscovered Amazon, Green Sunscreen, Super-Sized Climate Change + More
by Team Treehugger, Worldwide on 05.30.08
An un-contacted tribe is found in the Amazon—another forest community threatened by illegal logging.
The Green Parent dishes out the eco-scoop on sunscreen.
More links are made between the increase in waistlines and climate change.
A recent study predicts that the global carbon market will be worth 3.1 trillion dollars by 2020.
Plans are in order to power up planes with algae.
Most Huggable is a regular roundup of some of Hugg's top green news stories. Why not submit your own green news?...
Pop Quiz: What's Filling Your Landfill?
by Dominic Muren, Philadelphia, USA on 05.30.08
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The TH Interview: Wangari Maathai (Part Two)
by Jacob Gordon, Nashville, TN on 05.30.08
“How can the planting of trees threaten presidents and ministers and people in authority? It’s not the act of planting trees, it is the act of exposing the injustices…that people in office carry out.” Nobel Laureate Wangari Maathai empowers people around the world through the simple act of putting roots into soil. But she has been beaten, tear-gassed and imprisoned for her work. Telling truth to power is also the reason she recently declined the honor of being an Olympic torch bearer. In the second part of our in-depth interview, Dr. Maathai also tells TreeHugger how she greens up her own remarkable life. ::TreeHugger Radio Listen to the podcast of this interview via iTunes, or just click here to listen, right-click to download. For Part One of our interview with Wangari, click here....
Getting the G8 to Square Up to the Climate Crisis
by Jeremy Elton Jacquot, Los Angeles on 05.30.08
Image courtesy of Wikipedia
Warranted optimism or false hope? At a recent summit in Kobe, Japan, environment ministers from the G8 nations pledged to cut emissions in half by 2050 -- though they conspicuously failed to set a binding target for 2020 (thank you, Bush EPA). The ministers claimed there was "strong political will" to take decisive action against climate change -- enough to push for a successor to the Kyoto treaty at the G8 leaders' annual summit in Hokkaido in July.
Now let's (generously) assume the world community does successfully hammer out a successor treaty this July. Will it really make that much of a difference?...
Hollywood's Sexiest Vegetarians
by Terri MacLeod on 05.30.08
Just what the world needs; more Hollywood awards. PETA honors the hottest meatless celebs with its second annual Sexiest Vegetarian Contest. Past winners were Carrie Underwood and Prince. This year the competition is fierce! A few of the female green-bodied stars vying for the title are Natalie Portman, Alicia Silverstone, and Pamela Anderson. As for the guys – Paul McCartney, Michael Stipe, and Tobey McGuire are all up for the honor. Cast your vote at PETA and feed us your thoughts here at treehugger.com.
Via:PETA
Famed Panda Reserve Destroyed By China Quake
by Alex Pasternack, New York, NY on 05.30.08
China's massive earthquake this month killed as many as 80,000 people, leveled over 400,000 homes, and threatened dams and lakes, bringing out an unusual, grassroots goodwill in the process. It also affected a number of crucial sanctuaries for China's unofficial mascot, and one of the world's most beloved (and threatened) animals: the giant panda. While most pandas are safe at the famed Wolong Panda Reserve, which is part of a 7-sanctuary UNESCO World Heritage site, the sanctuary is so badly damaged that it will probably have to be relocated, staff told state media today. Nearly half of the base's 86 pandas have been evacuated to another sanctuary in Sichuan, eight have been sent to Beijing on a previously-arranged Olympic trip. and, after the capture of five escaped pandas, one is still unaccounted for. ...
Students Protest Lack of LEED
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 05.30.08
Students at Norwalk Community College in Connecticut are complaining that the new Mitchell-Giurgola designed Health and Science Center "isn't green enough."
The architects "think" that the project could be LEED certified (you can get the lowest level pretty easily) and the College President says budget conditions prevented them from submitting a LEED application. “We really have designed something that is sustainable,” he told the Stamford Advocate. “I feel convinced that we have done the best we have under the current constraints.”
Right. Then prove it. GreenbuildingsNYC writes "The tension between [sic] time, money, and sustainability is a constant battle that we see playing out in the green/LEED context." It is great to see students rallying and making an issue of it. One can whine about LEED being a pain, but it is the only credible currency when people say "Show us the green."...
The Simpsons Poke Fun at Discovery: Entire Labor Force is Unpaid Interns VIDEO 20 seconds WATCH >>
by George Spyros, New York City, USA on 05.30.08
Landfill Gas to Energy: A Growing Alternative Energy Resource
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 05.30.08
Please welcome once again, Wes Muir, Director of Communications for Waste Management, Inc. Wes is back with an overview of landfill gas to energy prospects for the USA - a 2,500 megawatt opportunity.
Many Americans are increasingly turning to alternative forms of energy, and one exciting source that has seen recent resurgence in use is landfill gas. This rise in the use of landfill gas can be attributed to a variety of factors. Higher energy prices make landfill gas cost-competitive, especially compared to other sources of renewable energy. Second, utilities are looking for new sources of renewable energy to meet renewable portfolio standards, and landfill gas is especially valuable to them because it provides base load power. There’s also a real demand from consumers for greener energy and many of them are taking part in voluntary programs and are willing to pay more for power derived from renewable sources.
What exactly is landfill gas? Landfill gas is produced when microorganisms break down organic material in the landfill, and is comprised of approximately 50-60 percent methane and 40-50 percent carbon dioxide. At most landfills in the United States, these greenhouse gases are simply burned off, or “flared.” (As pictured.)...
Big Oil Economics: The Greatest Welfare Scam Ever!
by Jeff Siegel, Green Chip Stocks on 05.30.08
Have you ever noticed that when gas prices shoot up, local news reporters like to recite laundry lists of things we can do to save money at the pump?
I’m sure you’ve heard them all by now…
• Don’t speed
• Keep your tires properly inflated
• Get a hybrid car
My favorite was one that involved staggering your work hours in an effort to avoid peak rush hours.
I don’t know about you, but I don’t know a lot of folks that really have that option. Not that any of this really matters, anyway.
The bottom line is, we’re running out of cheap oil. This is a sinking ship being held together by duct tape and misguided optimism. And no amount of tire inflating or work hour modifications can change that.
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Wisconsin Signs Great Lakes Compact
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 05.30.08
I know. It's a snore. But it is an important snore, another step toward protecting one of the continent's greatest resources. Why? Read this editorial from the Oshkosh Northwestern:
"For years, especially as the Baby Boomer generation has aged, we've seen our mothers, fathers, grandmother and grandfathers pick up stakes and pack their 25-mpg Conestogas for warmer weather – for Florida, for Arizona. They are our "snowbirds." Well, soon, if not already, the migration isn't exactly a no-brainer. In exchange for no snow shoveling, Wisconsin emigrants are moving into a danger zone, the lands of environmentally-unfriendly energy and water shortages, especially in the booming desert southwest.
Having the Great Lakes Compact in place assures these folks (and entire generations of eco-savvy, recreation-hungry younger Americans, too) will long have a Wisconsin to return to that harbors clean, abundant water – a Wisconsin that will welcome those who care to enjoy it and help sustain it. It's not unreasonable to expect that, in not too long, the state will see an eco-boom – a reverse exodus, a return." ::Oshkosh Northwestern via ::Great Lakes Blogger
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Re-thinking the Variability of Wind and Solar Power
by Rocky Mountain Institute on 05.30.08
As utilities, investors, and researchers gear up for next week's WindPower 2008 conference in Houston, the nascent wind industry's potential is on many people's minds. Just how much of future electricity demand will wind be able to meet? And what will the industry need to get there?
TreeHugger readers are probably already aware of a recent DOE study that projected wind supplying 20 percent of U.S. electricity by 2030. That's about as much electricity as nuclear power contributes to the U.S. mix today.
But bringing that much wind online means overcoming many hurdles....
House Made From Umbrellas by Kengo Kuma
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 05.30.08
A few years back TreeHugger built an entire website around dresses made from umbrella parts; now Kengo Kuma builds a house for the Milan Triennale. Designboom writes:
"Kengo Kuma used modified umbrellas, which have zippers along their outer edges are zipped together to create this modular shelter. Each umbrella has two extra 'flap's that hang from its central segments to allow for different compositions . The zippers are cut slightly longer than the umbrella's edges so that the excess material can be tied together to seal joints. The inside of the structure leaves the umbrella mechanisms exposed."...
Brighter Planet and 350.org Challenge Bloggers to Offset Carbon Emissions With Onsite Badge
by George Spyros, New York City, USA on 05.30.08
350 Blogger Challenge to Fight Climate Change from Brighter Planet
Brighter Planet, a Vermont start-up committed to fighting climate change and building a clean-energy future, will offset 350 pounds of carbon in the name of bloggers who post a nifty badge on their own blogs. It's like being in the Cub or Girl Scouts but not having to attend den meetings presided over by your friend's creepy dad nor being obliged to go door to door selling boxes of lethal cookies. Oh, and 350 pounds of carbon is like flicking off 100 lightbulbs for a day or going two full weeks without a car. The ultimate goal is to get 350 bloggers involved for a total of 122,500 pounds of carbon offset, or the equivalent of turning off the lights in Washington D.C. for five minutes (haven't the lights in D.C. been off for about the last eight years? *yuk yuk*) As important is simply spreading the good green word about the climate movement far beyond the typical “environmental” realm and into the norm. See the beautiful badge that could be all yours for the low low price of ZERO after the jump....
Barcelona Parties Under the Largest Urban Solar Structure
by Petz Scholtus, Barcelona, Spain on 05.30.08
This weekend, the summer festival season has officially kicked off in Barcelona with Primavera Sound. Like last year’s Kubick (the recycled pop-up club) and the upcoming Daydream festival (a tribute to Radiohead), this pop, rock, as well as underground electronic music festival also takes place in the Forum Park, right by the sea. One thing that is hard to miss is the massive solar panel located at the Forum Esplanade. It is said to be the largest urban solar structure in Europe, which is no surprise considering it has a surface of 10.500 m2. The electricity produced by this structure is delivered to the electric public utility system and achieves an annual reduction in emissions equivalent to 440 tons of CO2....
Solar-Assisted Rickshaw Easier on Drivers
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 05.30.08
We have seen eco-cabs, electric motor-assisted rickshaws in Toronto; Now London's Solarlab, the team that brought us the Solar boat that Bonnie sailed on the Serpentine, adds solar. "The solar generatior will create 80% of the total power needed to drive the vehicle, while the remaining 20% will be provided by the drivers' pedal-power. The physical exertion needed will be dramatically less than that of even a standard bicycle, much less than a traditional rickshaw, allowing any driver, not just athletes, to drive the vehicle."...
DIY Aquaponics: A Video Roundup
by Sami Grover, Carrboro, NC, USA on 05.30.08
Folding Greenhouse by Daniel Schipper
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 05.30.08
Dutch designer Daniel Schipper has developed this self-supporting folding greenhouse; he writes "A light-weight, flexible, modular greenhouse especially suitable for small spaces like cityhouses, balconies, roof terraces or town gardens. My folding greenhouse is a frameless folding construction made of different components of recyclable plastic which can be folded flat or expand when required."
Schipper is the king of origami; see below the fold for a folding shelter, made from misprinted milk packaging....
Peak Guano: Peru Posts Guards as Demand Soars
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 05.30.08
Tomas Munita for The New York Times
For thousands of years, seabirds ate anchovies and then crapped all over islands off the coast of Peru. It got up to a hundred and fifty feet deep and was the world's best fertilizer; wars were fought over it as thousands worked the quano mines. Soon they hit rock, Fritz Haber invented synthetic fertilizers and the party was over.
Now it is a sustainable industry, where they take guano at the same rate as the birds drop it. The New York Times writes "It is a minor miracle that any guano at all is available here today, reflecting a century-old effort hailed by biologists as a rare example of sustainable exploitation of a resource once so coveted that the United States authorized its citizens to take possession of islands or keys where guano was found."
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Peak Grease: Restaurant Thefts Rise
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 05.30.08
Pizzaria owner had his fryer oil stolen. New York Times
The Times picks up a story Mike covered earlier: People are stealing fryer grease to make biofuel. This pizza shop owner has been hit seven times and is installing video cameras.
The Times notes that processed fryer oil, which is called yellow grease, is actually not trash. The grease is traded on the booming commodities market. Its value has increased in recent months to historic highs, driven by the even higher prices of gas and ethanol, making it an ever more popular form of biodiesel to fuel cars and trucks.In 2000, yellow grease was trading for 7.6 cents per pound. On Thursday, its price was about 33 cents a pound, or almost $2.50 a gallon.::New York Times...
Brazil and India Top Greendex; USA, Canada and France Finish Last
by Jenna Watson, Barcelona on 05.30.08
National Geographic, together with our friends at Globescan, have released the Greendex. The international study, which covers 14 countries measures consumer progress toward environmentally sustainable consumption. The intent is “to give people a better idea of how consumers in different countries are doing in taking action to preserve our planet by tracking, reporting, and promoting environmentally sustainable consumption and citizen behavior.” The 14 countries included in the survey represent 55% of the world's population and include seven of the world's top eleven. In 2007, these 14 countries accounted for 75% of the energy consumed in the world that year.
The findings show that consumers in Brazil and India tie for the highest Greendex score for environmentally sustainable consumption at 60 points each. They are followed by consumers in China (56.1), Mexico (54.3), Hungary (53.2) and Russia (52.4). Among consumers in wealthy countries, those in Great Britain, Germany and Australia each have a Greendex score of 50.2, those in Spain register a score of 50.0 and Japanese respondents 49.1. U.S. consumers have the lowest Greendex score at 44.9. The other lowest-scoring consumers are Canadians with 48.5 and the French with 48.7....
Survey: Could you marry someone who doesn't share your green views?
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 05.30.08
The other day commenter Nichole said of our survey: "Lame poll. Think of something better". I was so shattered by the criticism that I put out the call to TreeHugger writers around the world to help fill this empty vessel, and they responded, filling the void while I go off to rehab. From Mike and Mark:
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‘Going Green’ A Great Primer For, Well, Going Green.
by Kristin Underwood, Sacramento, CA on 05.30.08
Today green is the new black. Or is it the new blue? Either way you look at it, green is the latest buzzword and everyone these days is coming out with a new book to help you exclusively go green. (including us. Shameless plug: Buy it here). Going Green by mother-daughter duo Dr. Sally Kneidel and Sadie Kneidel is a great, basic primer for anyone looking to understand subtle differences like what is the difference between veggie oil and biodiesel or what the heck is a yurt. ...
School Joins Frontlines of Energy Efficiency with Absorption Chiller
by Kenny Luna, North Babylon, NY on 05.30.08
It's not every day the more industrial inner workings of a school district are featured on the front page of TreeHugger, but if you’re looking for a school that’s on the cutting edge of energy conservation and making smart use of taxpayer dollars look no further than Branford High School in Connecticut.
To control heating and cooling costs they’ve implemented a device called an absorption chiller that runs off of the hot exhaust from the four natural gas powered micro-turbines used to create their electricity on-site. And the results are terrific. Achieving energy efficiency rates of 80-90% where the nationwide average from more traditional methods is closer to 33%.
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Victory Gardens: War on Waste
by Bonnie Alter, London on 05.30.08
It's not quite war time, although sometimes it feels like it... Endless articles on the "credit crunch", cutbacks and soaring food prices are putting a chill in the air. During WW2 the British were digging Victory gardens in squares and public parks across the country. They were growing their own food in very tight compact spaces as a response to food shortages due to the wartime restrictions on food imports. Wartime principles of eating seasonal food grown locally and organically have a message for us now.
In the heart of historic St. James's Park, the Dig for Victory allotment garden has been created to bring back the flavour of those times and encourage people to embrace the idea of growing your own. For the second year running, a small allotment garden has been created in the spirit of those from the war. Included is an Anderson Shelter (pictured), a bomb shelter made of prefab. metal sheets and secured with bags of sand. Zucchinis are growing around and over it as camouflage. The beds are raised to allow for deep rooting. Companion planting was encouraged--different plants side by side can repel insects or attract them. The approach was quite organic, although the intent was to produce crops with the highest nutritional value.
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Hong Kong's Real Recycling Blends Bin Collection With Street Sales
by April Streeter, Gothenburg, Sweden on 05.29.08
Household separation of waste is just getting started in Hong Kong, a special administrative region of China that is also a super-city with a population of 7 million people. Currently, just over 800 apartment buildings or complexes have joined the government's voluntary recycling program. The household recycling rate is about 10 to 14%, which the government hopes to take up to 26% by 2012. In apartments where common area bins have been implemented, the government says recycling is popular, and the addition of widespread street-based recycling bins in the last two years has also been well received.
Perhaps it's not surprising that Hong Kong residents have been slow to take up recycling, for while they are huge consumers (shopping is the number one past-time) they also retain a thrifty streak and a deep respect for the value of supposed waste. Interspersed in the city are collection trucks that form the unofficial "recycling" network. These privately-owned trucks, unconnected to any corporation, are where you can bring a bag full of old newspapers or a hundred kilos of used computer equipment and trade it in...for cold hard cash. There's a sliding scale - at one truck old CPUs that might have more precious metals fetch more, about US$.25 a kilo, while at the paper truck you get just $.15 per kilo. The trucks, of course, aren't sanctioned by the government - they are simply commodity trading on a tiny scale. But they point to an alternative view about resources....
Celine Dion's Florida House Guzzles 6.5 Million Gallons Of Water Per Year
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 05.29.08
This TreeHugger doesn't usually cover the celebrity beat and I would rather chew on ground glass than listen to her, but Canada's gift to the world, Celine Dion and her husband René Angélil, drink up 18,000 gallons of water per day in their modest 9,800 square foot Jupiter Island pile. And they are not even there. Drought or not, Jupiter Island officials defend her right :"Irrigation accounts for the bulk of any homeowner's water use. Since they have larger properties with an abundance of vegetation -- ideal for ensuring privacy, which is of special importance to well-known personalities -- it looks like higher-than-usual water usage. In reality, per acre, it's only a little above average," said Shannon Dunne, director of utilities for South Martin Regional Utilities, which provides water for Jupiter Island.
Sounds like they need a new Director of Utilities. ::ABC News
UPDATE: It was a water main break during construction, now fixed. read We're Sorry Celine: Not Such A Water Hog After All...
Wired On The Environment: PASS or FAIL?
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 05.29.08
My daughter grabbed our Wired before I knew it arrived, so I am late to the pile-on. The cover article is an attempt to challenge the cherished chestnuts of the green movement.
Hank at Eco-Geek did a section-by-section analysis which I think mostly gets it right, although I think Wired is cooking the books on Air conditioning; they say that it takes less energy to cool a house than to heat it, and that the carbon footprint of a house in Phoenix is less than a tenth of a house in the Northeast; a) I don't believe it and b) you can heat a house with all kinds of fuel, including that big unshielded fusion reactor in the sky; you can pretty much only cool with electricity. Hank also hides behind "nuclear neutrality" and is called out on it in the comments.
Dave Roberts crapped all over it, "This techno-futurist, hipster-libertarian, self-consciously contrarian shtick was fresh and interesting ... back in 1996, when Wired was founded. Since then, it has congealed into a set of knee-jerk mannerisms and affectations. It has lost its edge. At this point it just makes me yawn."
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Today on Planet Green
by Jessica Root - Brooklyn, NY on 05.29.08
:: Chow down on homemade onion rings.
:: Learn how Chicago’s Lincoln Park Zoo has gone back to the earth.
:: Join Kelly and hop on the gardening bandwagon.
:: Celebrate World Environment Day in one of 80 different ways.
:: Use the tuna calculator to make sure you’re not ingesting too much mercury....
Headliners In The Sun: A Solar News Roundup
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 05.29.08
Record Makes Thin-Film Solar Cell Competitive with Silicon EfficiencyResearchers at the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory have moved closer to creating a thin-film solar cell that can compete with the efficiency of the more common silicon-based solar cell. The copper indium gallium diselenide (CIGS) thin-film solar cell recently reached 19.9 percent efficiency, setting a new world record for this type of cell......
Send An Origami Whale From Greenpeace
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 05.29.08
Greenpeace Australia is running an extremely cute campaign against Japanese whaling where one gets to make an origami whale and send it swimming to the Japanese Prime Minister. Much easier than actually learning origami!
It's Official: Green is Sexy
by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada on 05.29.08
Study Shows Green is Hot
A national survey conducted in the US by Kelton Research for GM shows some encouraging trends:
Fuel- efficient -- The new chick magnet? "Close to nine in 10 women (88 percent) say they’d rather chat up someone with the latest fuel-efficient car versus the latest sports car."
How to win friends and influence people. "Eighty percent of American car buyers would find someone with the latest model fuel-efficient car more interesting to talk to at a party than someone with the latest model sports car."...
Put Your Waste Heat To Work With a Green Machine
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 05.29.08
Recently we discussed how It's the efficiency, stupid!- how 56% of the energy created is wasted. Electratherm goes after low-grade heat that is usually wasted with its Green Machine- making electricity from water that is only 200 Degrees F. (96 C) at a cost of under 4 cents a kilowatt-hour. (3 cents per horsepower-hour for those who don't use the metric system).
It is based on the organic Rankine cycle, where a high molecular mass organic fluid (in this case an EPA/Kyoto approved chemical) is vaporized, runs a turbine and then condensed in a closed loop, creating no emissions. How much waste heat is there that could run these things? Probably thousands of industrial and commercial sites. Hook them up to warm water coming from geothermal sites across America and you have both power and heat. Perhaps a bank of solar hot water heaters.
...
Report Finds Lexington Has Largest Carbon Footprint, Los Angeles Has Second Smallest (With Big Caveats)
by Jeremy Elton Jacquot, Los Angeles on 05.29.08
Image courtesy of Wikipedia
For a brief explanation of what a "carbon footprint" is, head on over to our primer
Imagine my surprise when the first headline I read in today's LAT Environment section blared: "Los Angeles' carbon footprint is a light one -- sort of." Yes, according to a new report released by the Brookings Institution, a Washington, D.C.-based think tank, Los Angeles ranked second only to Honolulu in having the nation's smallest carbon footprint. The city received plaudits for its strict buildings codes and tough utility pricing rules, which have helped moderate energy consumption. ...
Al Gore's Inconvenient Truth To Be Staged As Opera
by Karin Kloosterman, Tel Aviv on 05.29.08
We hope it's not a tragic one where all the main characters die in the end: The Associated Press is reporting that Al Gore's Inconvenient Truth is going to be staged as an opera. From lecture halls to film, okay we get it. From film to books, a natural transition. But opera?
According to AP, the Italian composer Giorgio Battistelli has been commissioned to produce an opera on Gore's international multiformat hit, for the 2011 season at the Milan opera house, La Scala.
We wonder if Gore will be cast in a part. Any ideas?
Somewhat related, watch Adam Sandler as Opera Man, sing about Al Gore.
::AP...
Survey: Should Drivers Who Give Out The Door Prize Be Charged?
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 05.29.08
Ron Bull, The Star
They erected another ghost bike in Toronto this morning, in memory of a 57 year old cyclist who got the door prize last week and fell in front of a cube van. The Highway Traffic act says that drivers opening the doors of parked vehicles are forbidden to do so “without first taking due precautions to ensure that his or her act will not interfere with the movement of or endanger any other person or vehicle,” but the cops didn't charge the driver. According to Eye Weekly:
Sgt. Tim Burrows of the Toronto Police seemed inclined to err on the side of sympathizing with the driver. In the Post report, he described the Volvo driver as “shaken,” and being in a state of “shock.” He said it’s difficult for a driver to see a cyclist even if they do look, and seemed to warn cyclists to take responsibility for their own safety. “If she didn’t look, would that be negligence? It’s very hard to label that as negligent.”...
SustainStyle: VolunteerMatch, Recycled Polyester Bikinis + More
by Kara DiCamillo, Newport, Rhode Island on 05.29.08
Welcome to SustainStyle, a weekly digest from the writers at 1plus1, a blog dedicated to eco-friendly fashion.
VolunteerMatch makes our holiday weekend more than just poolside and BBQ.
A "Simple Living" T-shirt ends up complicated when Louis Vuitton's lawyers are involved.
Urban Outfitters takes a step to making a difference.
Artist Josh Podoll puts his pieces of work on bamboo t-shirts for men and women.
Aaron Chang's bikini made from recycled polyester has us turned inside out!
Ecoetsy becomes the cliff notes to eco buys on etsy.com
A pocket pal saves the day and all of our most important digits.
Earth and Sky's Grey Gauze Tunic is a pretty pretty thing.
xo....
VolunteerMatch makes our holiday weekend more than just poolside and BBQ.
A "Simple Living" T-shirt ends up complicated when Louis Vuitton's lawyers are involved.
Urban Outfitters takes a step to making a difference.
Artist Josh Podoll puts his pieces of work on bamboo t-shirts for men and women.
Aaron Chang's bikini made from recycled polyester has us turned inside out!
Ecoetsy becomes the cliff notes to eco buys on etsy.com
A pocket pal saves the day and all of our most important digits.
Earth and Sky's Grey Gauze Tunic is a pretty pretty thing.
xo....
From the Forums: The Perfect House
by Alan Graham, Portland, Oregon on 05.29.08
greenteadrinker is asking, in your mind's eye...what's the perfect house?
For her:
Rammed earth 24"-36" thick walls,(so no heater and no a/c) a planted green roof solar array in yard......
Bisphenol A Is In Your Tomato Sauce
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 05.29.08
video: Hidden chemical in cans
We have discussed the danger of gender-bender chemical Bisphenol A from cans before; (see BPA Danger may be greater from Tin Cans than Water Bottles) Now the Globe and Mail and CTV have tested a range of canned foods and found that they are leaching more than double the amount of the stuff than the baby bottle and Nalgenes that everyone has been dumping. Tomato sauce had 18.2 parts per billion, kid's ravioli 6.2 ppb and tomato juice 14.1 ppb. "These results provide further evidence that we are marinating in this chemical on a daily basis," said Rick Smith, executive director of Environmental Defence....
Glowing Adhocism: Lamps From Recycled Materials
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 05.29.08
"Adhocism is the art of living and doing things ad hoc- using materials at hand, rather than waiting for the perfect moment or "proper" approach. As a principle of design, it begins with everyday improvisations, such as bottles for candle holders and tractor seats on wheels for dining chairs."
It also keeps a lot of stuff out of the garbage, like these yoghurt containers turned into a lamp. ::Re-nest...
Who Buried the Telectroscope All These Years?
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 05.29.08
New Yorkers and Londoners are agog about the discovery of the Telectroscope, which connects the Cities with a “device for the suppression of absence”.
The tunnel was apparently conceived by Paul St. George's great-grandfather during a rough sea voyage to look at the Brooklyn Bridge in 1884. His first idea was to build a tunnel for people, but in the end decided that one could travel without moving if one could see all the way to New York without having to leave London. Of course he had no idea of the resources and energy that such a device would save. And all these years, this incredible feat of engineering was hidden beneath our feet....
Survey: Should America Go Metric?
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 05.29.08
We got a lot of comments on our proposal that America go metric to avoid the hassle of changing gas pumps that cannot deal with the current high prices. Canada did it about when gas hit a buck a gallon (a bigger, imperial gallon too!) and kept those pumps going for years.
Discuss in the Forums
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The Rains Came To Atlanta This Spring: Lake Lanier Slowly Fills
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 05.29.08
This spring-born foal is feeling good about life. The sun and spring rains have returned and things are greening up. People of the drought-threatened Atlanta region of the US State of Georgia, too, are encouraged by the rains of late winter and spring, 2008. But, unfortunately, we have to look at the data rather than just let emotions shape our future. Lake Lanier, Atlanta's major water supply, is indeed looking better with every month that passes (see previous month's water level chart posting here). Then, check out the updated comparative water level chart below the fold....
World Environment Day and an Interview with UNEP's Achim Steiner
by Bonnie Hulkower, New York, New York on 05.29.08
Last week, Treehugger Writer Bonnie Hulkower interviewed Achim Steiner, Executive Director of the United Nation's Environmental Programme (UNEP). Steiner was unanimously elected to his position in 2006, and is in the middle of serving a four year term. Mr. Steiner has managed 1,000 people in 42 countries, and is especially known for building partnerships between the private and public sectors. Working at the grassroots level as well as at the highest levels of international policy-making to address the interface between environmental sustainability, social equity, and economic development, Steiner stresses the need for a more intelligent economic system that considers the GDP generated by nature. A recession, Steiner firmly believes, is precisely when we should be even more focused on combating climate change, and on creating an inclusive green economy.
Most recently, Steiner has been focusing attention on marine dead zones resulting from fertilizer use, and has been heralding the importance of drip irrigation, indigenous knowledge, agricultural biodiversity, and yes, the coral chomping parrotfish.
Treehugger gained insight on how living in five continents truly gives one a diverse and international perspective, and was impressed by Steiner’s admonition that developed countries "should shoulder their full responsibility for having used the atmosphere as a dustbin for some 200 years.” Mr. Steiner also outlined suggestions for strategic government incentive programs, as well as a preview of the environmental topics he will be discussing on World Environment Day, June 5th....
Electric Vehicle Charging Continues to Spread Across London
by Sami Grover, Carrboro, NC, USA on 05.29.08
The image above comes from Newride London, and shows just how easy it is for electric vehicle owners in London to find charging points. And despite a change in mayors, the expansion of infrastructure for electric vehicles in the city seems to be continuing apace, with many developments being pushed by individual boroughs within the city. Earlier this month we heard about 12 new on-street charging points in Westminster, and now we hear that the borough of Islington is making moves in a similar direction – opening two new charging stations. And for those who are concerned that electric vehicles are becoming the new “silver bullet” to transport issues, it’s encouraging to see that this is just one in a whole range of measures taken in Islington, from running an electric van to using GPS to reduce mileage. This from their website:...
Fantastic Plastic on Show
by Bonnie Alter, London on 05.29.08
A small but interesting show of handbags made of recycled plastic gives an idea of the full range of innovation and creativity going on today in England. Some of treehugger's favourites such as the " I am not a plastic bag" and the Modbury free bags and Kate Ward's handbag were on display, as they should be. Ryan Frank's stool, Ishongololo, made out of orange Sainsbury recycled plastic bags was front and centre (pictured). There was a delightful key chain, crocheted to hold 3 blue plastic bags by Cerys Marks, doing her bit by knitting and crocheting plastic because "the UK grocery industry uses enough carrier bags to carpet the entire planet twice a year." Emma Neuberg took an old denim skirt and made it beautiful by using applique design created by heat-pressing colourful pictures from plastic bags and packaging (pictured after fold). A little stiff to wear everyday but a party special. Emma Berry also used skirts; only she made soft handbags out of old pleated ones.
We loved the idea of morsbags: download instructions to make a bag in half an hour out of an old curtain or sheet. Nat Thakur's bag of stripy recycled leather pieces is eye catching and attractive. Bags2riches makes some great looking bracelets of recycled plastic.
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It's A Good Time For America To Go Metric
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 05.28.08
For some reason there are gas pumps in New York State that can't go above $3.999 per gallon. (I can understand $9.999, but 3.999? that makes no sense!). Syracuse.com writes that the "New York state Agriculture Commissioner Patrick Hooker today announced that gas stations with non-digital fuel dispensers can apply for half gallon pricing."
Why not solve the problem by using this opportunity to go metric, and sell the gas at about $0.90 cents per litre? You will have three or or four years to change the pumps before you hit $3.999 again. ::Groovy Green...
LED Street Lights are Coming
by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada on 05.28.08
New Foothold for LED Lights
Dusseldorf, Germany, has 17,000 gas street lamps. The city's power utility has decided to replace 10,000 of them with LED street lights, but that hasn't happened yet. So far, only about 25 of them have been installed.
Of course, LED are still kind of expensive, so there's a capital cost. But once they are in place, their operating costs are lower and they can last for a very long time. Another benefit is that you can direct light much more easily, so you can avoid sending light in all directions (people with a street light across the street from their bedroom window will understand...). The first bump in the road for LED street lights was that some people thought their white light was too cold compared to the red-ish glow of the old lamps, but that can easily be fixed by using colored LEDs. ::Replacing gas lamps with LEDs
More on LED lights
::Nanocrystal Coating = White LED Big Breakthrough?, ::Osram Claims Warm White Organic LED Breakthrough, ::Luxim Plasma Light Bulb Kicks Some Serious LED Butt...
Number of the Day: 20
by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada on 05.28.08
20 -- It's hard to estimate how much food is wasted at the supermarket level, but one estimate puts it at a $20 billions (with a 'b') value per year just for the US. That's 8-10% of total perishable goods in the country (and more is wasted after it is bought).
48 -- That's how many billions (with a 'b' again) the United Nations estimates that US retailers and consumers throw away each year.
1/2 -- European retailers waste half as much food as US retailers. Part of the reason for that is that food has to travel for longer distances in the US.
At a time when everybody's talking about higher food prices, reducing waste would be a good start. ::The Economist. ::Efficient Refrigerators...
New Car by Hybrid Technologies: 220+ MPG, Hybrid and Electric Versions
by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada on 05.28.08
Tesla, Fisker, and Now Hybrid Technologies
Hybrid Technologies is entering a niche currently occupied by Tesla Motors: The green(er) super-car. It's not for sale (it's not even clear if it has a name yet), but a drivable prototype should be ready by September, and Hybrid Technologies are planning two drivetrains: Gasoline-electric hybrid, a version that will compete for the Automotive X-Prize, and an all-electric version.
"Hybrid Technologies is aiming for a 150- to 180-mile range per charge from the all-electric model, while the lithium-ion-meets-gas hybrid needs to hit 220 mpg—minimum."...
Most Huggable: The TRIAC EV, Disney’s Earth Flick, Peel ‘N Stick Solar + More
by Team Treehugger, Worldwide on 05.28.08
The TRIAC EV electric car hits dealerships with a doable price tag.
Disney gets a head start on Earth Day 2009.
Will innovative solar roof adhesives stick around?
EatDrinkBetter serves up tasty tips to green your BBQ.
Terracyle and Office Max team up to create eco-inventive office and school supplies.
Most Huggable is a regular roundup of some of Hugg's top green news stories. Why not submit your own green news?...
Norwegian Wind Power Could Become Europe's Battery
by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada on 05.28.08
Norway and Wind Power, Sitting in a Tree...
What's the best thing you could buy with oil money right now?
Norway's Oil and Energy Minister, Aaslaug Haga, seems to think that wind turbines is a good bet. The scandinavian country is the 5th biggest exporter of oil in the world, but it also has the longest coastline in Europe and lots of strong wind. A 30-page report vy the Energy Council, comprising business leaders and officials, says: "Norway ought to have access to up to 40 terrawatt hours of renewable energy in 2020-2025, of which about half would come from offshore wind power."...
Are Vegans Plotting to Disrupt the Republican Convention?
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 05.28.08
Here is a job for TreeHugger readers in the Twin Cities: The FBI is looking for "friendly and personable" types with the perfect "look" to infiltrate vegan potlucks, to "rub shoulders with Republican National Convention protesters, schmoozing their way into their inner circles, then reporting back to the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force." Its mission is to “investigate terrorist acts carried out by groups or organizations which fall within the definition of terrorist groups as set forth in the current United States Attorney General Guidelines.” -which everybody knows includes vegans.
It evidently pays well. We can't find the number, but the article lists the names of a Police Sergeant and FBI Special Agent you can contact. And, if you go to any vegan potlucks before the convention, be careful who you talk to! ::CityPages
Discuss in the Forums
image: Flickr Read also FBI Alert for Treehugger Wackos and The Green Scare and Civil Liberties
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Preview Planet Green on Discovery Health Tonight
by Jessica Root - Brooklyn, NY on 05.28.08
The launch of Planet Green—the first ever 24-7 green television channel—is just a little over one week away (June 6)! If you’ve missed the sneak peaks, it's not too late to get a taste of what the programming is all about.
Tonight, airing at 10/9 central, check out or DVR an exclusive preview episode of the G-Word on Discovery Health. Just one of several series in the Planet Green mix, the G-Word is a magazine formatted show, where hosts SuChin Pak and Daniel Sielberg feature the hippest and hottest in green gossip, gadgets and news.
Sounds a little bit like TreeHugger, huh? That’s precisely why we’ll be watching! ...
Pop Quiz: Who Believes We Can Fix Global Warming?
by Dominic Muren, Philadelphia, USA on 05.28.08
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Another One Bites The Dust: Alma College Burns Down
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 05.28.08
Images from St. Thomas Times Journal
I sometimes wonder how people like Catherine Nasmith keep going. She is the President of the Architectural Conservancy of Ontario, fighting to preserve buildings around the province. Next week she is holding a conference on Heritage Preservation and Environmental Sustainability;(which we will be covering) on the agenda was the fight to save Alma Ladies College. Owners wanted to knock it down, the City was spineless, the Ontario Municipal Board approved its demolition, but Catherine kept fighting, writing articles, going after the Minister of Culture to intervene, getting Members to speak in the House, getting petitions signed to save one of the most important historic buildings in Ontario. As NDP Culture Critic Peter Tabuns said in the House, "if this building is not worth preserving, which building in Ontario is worth preserving?
Today, in one of those great coincidences that happen so often to buildings that people are trying to save, it burned to the ground. ...
TreeHugger Welcomes David Friedlander!
by David Friedlander, New York City on 05.28.08
Nano Vent-Skin of Micro-Wind Turbines
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 05.28.08
Some think big when it comes to wind turbines; designer Agustin Otegui thinks very small, at the nano scale, with his idea for Nano Vent-Skin, the ultimate green wall.
"Using nano-manufacturing with bioengineered organisms as a production method, NVS merges different kinds of micro organisms that work together to absorb and transform natural energy from the environment. What comes out of this merging of living organisms is a skin that transforms two of the most abundant sources of green energy on earth: Sunlight and Wind. There is another advantage of using living organisms: the absorption of CO2 from the air."...
From the Forums: Rainwater Containment Project
by Alan Graham, Portland, Oregon on 05.28.08
jcoffman
I started my rainwater storage system. I hung 70 feet of gutter today, and have 20 more feet to hang tomorrow. All of this gutter is going to be directed into a 150 gallon storage tank. I will then build an enclosure to match the house and put a small pump and battery in the enclosure. Once I get all of this hooked up, I will use the solar panel I built to charge the battery. Project costs so far:...
Brad and Angelina's New French Home
by Terri MacLeod on 05.28.08
Brad and Angelina have a new place to call home! The power couple are nesting on the French Riveria in a 35 bedroom palace, a perfect "little abode" for the pair, who are expecting their fifth and sixth child in August. ....A massive indulgence - yes! Yet, the 880-acre estate does come with an organic vineyard, according to Sprig.com - Sure that'll keep their eco-conscience in check!!! The Pitt-Jolie family, who signed a 3 year lease on the $70 million dollar chateau, will have plenty of playspace. ...Also on the grounds: an olive grove, 20 fountains, a private lake, and for their ultimate privacy, it's own forest.
...More eco-star tidbits on Leonardo Dicaprio, Sarah Jessica Parker ...
Quote of the Day: Bloomberg on The Tragic Lag Between What We Know and What We Do
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 05.28.08
New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, speaking at the opening of the World Science Festival:
[There is a] tragic lag between what we know and what we do. For example, in the 1950s, the head of the American Cancer Society and other respected scientists were already linking smoking and cancer. And as early as the 1970s, researchers predicted that increased greenhouse gas production was accelerating global warming, with the potentially catastrophic consequences that are playing out now, all over the world. Yet policy makers failed to heed these warnings. Why? Far too often, it’s because of what I call ‘political science’ – the willingness to disregard or suppress scientific findings when they don’t conform to a pre-determined political agenda.Full speech via ::Andy Revkin/ dot earth...
A Scorched Earth Shows its "Fire Scars"
by Jeremy Elton Jacquot, Los Angeles on 05.28.08
An area equivalent to the European Union -- roughly 3.5 to 4.5 million sq. km -- burns every year, according to a new study published in the journal Geophysical Research Letters (sub. required). Kevin Tansey, a geographer at the University of Leicester, and a team of international researchers have produced the first map showing the Earth's "fire scars" between 2000 and 2007....
Tiny House In Hokkaido is Big Inside
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 05.28.08
Here is a nice little house in Hokkaido by Jun Igarashi that shows how to live well with less. A "space-filter" captures sunlight and lets it permeate. Francesca Picci writes architectspeak in Domus: "This light box casts a very white, diffused light over every corner of the house, making it seem a spontaneous emission, an intrinsic presence in the space."...
Scary Fifties Bloody and Gory Filmstrip on Bike Safety
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 05.28.08
Great filmstrip on bike safety from Cathedral Films- no falling anvils but just about everything else. Lessons: Keep you bike in good repair, don't ride with no hands, don't hitch or draft, leave hands free for steering, watch people and traffic. Stop at lights and stop signs. No mention of helmets. Conclusion: "All such stories as these- they are sad from the start! But they never can happen to you IF YOU'RE SMART! 7 minutes of cartoon fun. ::Botsworld via ::BoingBoing...
Clean Air or Clean Hair? Palm Oil In Everything
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 05.28.08
Whenever I write about the evils of palm oil I get deluged with comments like "Give me a break, Lloyd. I'm gullible but not that gullible! Your views on palm oil smack of ignorance." and "Seriously, but all this palm oil bashing smacks of industry cartel action." Or I get told to read up about its wonders at the Palm Oil Truth Foundation. What is a TreeHugger to believe?
Glenn Hurowitz of Grist to the rescue. He wrote a great op-ed in the LA Times about the omnipresence of palm oil in everything from shampoo to cookies, finding rhino-killer in Oreos, Chewy Chips Ahoy!, Orville Redenbacher's popcorn, Hershey's Kisses "Hugs," Twix and more. And not just the mainstream stuff: it's in products from Burts Bees, Trader Joes, Whole Foods and other "green" sources.
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Survey: If We Can Do This, Can We Do Anything?
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 05.28.08
It was so exciting to see this photograph taken by the Mars Orbiter of the Mars lander Phoenix descending to the surface, a "speeding bullet photographed by another speeding bullet". I thought that if we could do this, we could do anything. Others were not so optimistic.
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The World Is No Longer Flat
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 05.28.08
Tom Friedman wrote "The World is Flat", suggesting that globalization had leveled the playing field between industrial and emerging countries. Jeff Rubin of CIBC World Markets suggests that this is perhaps changing because of the cost of fuel.
The cost of shipping a 40 foot container from Shanghai to the east coast of North America has gone from $3,000 in 2000 to $8,000 because of the cost of fuel, and for many products, the Asian cost advantage has virtually disappeared.
“In a world of triple-digit oil prices, distance costs money,” write Jeff Rubin of CIBC World Markets. “And while trade liberalization and technology may have flattened the world, rising transport prices will once again make it rounder.”
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Hydro Green Energy Plans Two, 70-megawatt, Current-Based, HydroKinetic Projects In Niagara River: Whose Power Is It?
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 05.28.08
The Buffalo News Opinion has been covering a proposal by Hydro Green Energy to deploy in situ' power generators in the Niagara River. Each facility, if built as envisioned, will produce 582,540,000 kWh a year, enough clean energy for nearly 39,000 homes.They are starting out small to evaluate environmental impacts and performance.
Hydro Green intends to utilize FERC’s hydrokinetic pilot licensing process and plans to have equipment in the water on a small-scale basis in 2010. The purpose of this approach is to first test our equipment and monitor the environmental, navigational and recreational impacts, if any, before deploying the full projects....
Bountiful Backyards: Edible, Urban Landscaping
by Sami Grover, Carrboro, NC, USA on 05.28.08
From Melbourne’s Permablitz to Peak Moment’s forrays into backyard permaculture, the idea of converting unproductive yards into beautiful, productive, edible polycultures is something very dear to us TreeHuggers. But where does one start? Designing and implementing your own edible landscape can be an intimidating business, especially if you have little or no training in the matter. Luckily residents of the Triangle region of North Carolina can take advantage of Bountiful Backyards, an “edible landscaping collective” based in Durham that designs gardens, provides ongoing training, and organizes workshops on everything from vermiculture (worm composting) to mushroom cultivation:
...
Anza Borrego And The Fight for Energy Security
by Kristin Underwood, Sacramento, CA on 05.28.08
When Former Mayor of Escondido, CA, Ernie Cowan began his career covering the Anza Borrego beat for the San Diego Evening Tribune, he never thought it would someday lead him back to quietly waging war to protect this desolated area.
In Anza Borrego, Cowan chronicles the many rare and wild species that thrive in the area. The photography book is beautifully done and includes a barren, isolated area that many people will never visit. Yet, this seemingly lonely land has a pretty rich history as California’s largest state park at 650,000 acres. Juan Bautiza de Anza found the first land route to California while crossing through the park. The park has also been named one of the top ten best parks for stargazing due to its unobstructed skyline....
A Year in the Woods Eating Wild Food
by Bonnie Alter, London on 05.28.08
Fergus Drennan is a t.v. star, best known for his show "The Roadkill Chef" and now, as of April Fool's Day, he is living for a year entirely off wild food found in the forest. Most notorious because he only eats meat from dead animals he finds along the road, he has a fascinating story to tell of commitment to the environment and sustainability. He used to earn his living finding and delivering exotic fresh wild ingredients to some of London's smartest restaurants. Now he runs seminars in the wild, teaching others to forage for themselves, has a blog, and is writing a cookbook.
His entire day is spent searching and preparing food. He gets up at 5 in the morning and thinks "Which woods am I going to today?" He snacks on hairy bittercress and eats nettle soup. Time management is an incredible issue. For example he spent four days just collecting rosehips. That makes a lovely syrup but then what? Juicing two baskets of apples to make vinegar takes precious time and this has to be balanced with the amount of energy expended versus caloric return. He is a thoughtful and introspective guy, as one would have to be to survive this regimen. He reads, meditates, practices Taijiwuxigong and wishes he had a girlfriend. As he says; "Real being? Awakening? Foraging Buddahood or perhaps just fool's gold?" Follow his progress day by day. :: Fergus Drennan Via :: The Ecologist
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Beloved NYC Science Teacher to Be Honored with Rooftop Eco-Center
by Kenny Luna, North Babylon, NY on 05.27.08
When beloved 34-year-old science teacher Eric Dutt died suddenly last June because of an enlarged heart there was little that could be done to stem the feeling of loss at school.
The kind of teacher who wore tie-dyed shirts to class, proudly proclaimed his vegetarian lifestyle and was able to reach kids in ways few can, Dutt often wished for an ecology center on the roof of P.S. 6, the school on the Upper East Side of NYC where he taught.
So as students and staff struggled to decide how they would remember the man who touched so many, the answer soon became crystal clear: They would fulfill his dream of a greenhouse and ecology center on the school's roof.
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Today on Planet Green
by Jessica Root - Brooklyn, NY on 05.27.08
:: Reuse old rubber tires with these nifty ideas.
:: Pretend you’re an expert chef with this elegant, in-season Fiddlehead Soup.
:: Wrap your mind around peak metal.
:: Lead by green example at the Indianapolis 500.
:: Be mindful when disposing of your used motor oil. ...
Solar iPhone? Solar iPod? Solar Macbook?
by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada on 05.27.08
Via our friend Joel Johnson at BoingBoing, we learn that Apple has applied for a very intriguing patent. As you can see from the image above, it is a combination of a LCD screen and solar cells. The clever part is that they are not both side by side, or on different sides of the electronic device. Instead, they are stacked on top of each other. The screen itself would be the solar panel.
Will they pull it off? Can they make it inexpensive enough for the consumer market? We'll have to wait and see, but it certainly look like quite a big technical challenge. In the meantime, check out our guide on How to Green Your Electronics. ::Solar LCD Powered iPods, iPhones and Laptops?...
Green "How-To" Community of Creative Citizens Launched
by Kimberley D. Mok, Montreal, Canada on 05.27.08
Ever wondered how many kilowatts of energy you could save by unplugging one appliance? Or how much waste is diverted when you switch to reusable bags, or avoid buying bottled water? What about posting your own, tried-and-tested eco-solution for others to see, or adopting or editing someone else’s? Now all this is a little easier with the newly-launched Creative Citizen, an action-based, how-to “wiki” site, which allows you to post, share and refine eco-friendly solutions and to quantitatively track your impact as part of a community of users dedicated to “going green” – all for free....
Toyota Prius Hybrid: 1 Million Served
by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada on 05.27.08
The Little Hybrid Car that Could
Toyota has recently announced that worldwide sales of its Prius hybrid gasoline-electric car have hit the 1 million milestone. More precisely, as of the end of April, the total number was about 1,028,000.
Sales have not been linear: The first generation Prius hybrid was introduced in 1997 in Japan, it was really the 2004 model year second generation that turned it into a hit, almost tripling sales in a year (from 43.2k in 2003 to 125.7k in 2004). ...
Franck de Las Mercedes Sends TreeHugger a Little Box of “Green” Peace
by Karin Kloosterman, Tel Aviv on 05.27.08
(TreeHugger Karin with her new box of green peace)
We were sure that when we went to the post office to pick up our box of “peace,” labeled FRAGILE, that the clerk would react strangely. Don’t you want to charge us for duty or something on this, we asked, shaking the box. It contains peace. The clerk looked at us like we were Borat and ushered us to move on.
Now sitting on my window ledge, this green box of peace (pictured above) has become an interesting show-and-tell item for friends and family. A box of peace, painted green. What’s that all about?
To honour Earth Day (in April), Franck de Las Mercedes, a New York based artist sent us –– all the way to Jerusalem –– a lime-colored hand painted box that contains much more than city air. It contains an idea and the idea is peace. Odorless, weightless, tasteless, and not making a peep, only arriving quite late for Earth Day –– the message was there: it is never too late for making a little peace, especially when the environment’s at stake.
And you know how much it cost this TreeHugger?
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London Olympic Stadium To Be World's Biggest Flatpack
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 05.27.08
Well, that is what the Guardian calls it. They say that the new stadium proposed for the 2012 Olympics is being designed to be demountable, so that it can be sold after the games. They note also that it could be "the first step in a new approach to the games, which could become more like a travelling circus to keep costs down and allow poorer countries to play host."
London is talking to possible 2016 host Chicago because "both cities have decided to build main stadiums with small numbers of permanent seats while erecting giant seating scaffolds for the two weeks of competition. Talks have focused on how London's stadium might be bolted rather than welded together, ensuring the materials used allow it to function properly in another country and climate, and how sections might fit on a cargo ship."...
More Accurate Air Pollution Computer Model by the Argonne National Laboratory
by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada on 05.27.08
New Algorithm Increases Accuracy of Air-Pollution Predictions
Scientists from the Argonne National Laboratory in the US, in collaboration with scientists from the University of North Carolina and Bristol University in the UK, have created a new air pollution computer model based on new algorithms that can generate more reliable forecasts based on observational data.
The model was made to predict carbon monoxide, but its underlying principles and innovations could also be used to work with CO2 and other greenhouse gases....
Peak Everything: Eight Things We Are Running Out Of And Why
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 05.27.08
Getty Images
Why is everything running out at the same time? We did a series on Planet Green where we looked at why those basic things that we take for granted, like water, food and fuel are getting expensive and scarce, all at once.
Peak Corn:
Blame Earl Butz. Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford's Secretary of Agriculture brought in the Farm Bill that dramatically increased the amount of corn produced in America. He encouraged farmers to "get big or get out," and to plant crops like corn "from fence row to fence row." Further billions in subsidies to farmers encouraged production, and soon America was awash in cheap grain, and with it cheap meat. Food costs as a portion of the American diet dropped to the lowest level in history; we became corn. Michael Pollan writes: "If you eat industrially, you are made of corn. It holds together your McNuggets, it sweetens your soda pop, it fattens your meat, it is everywhere. It is fed to us in many forms, because it is cheap- a dollar buys you 875 calories in soda pop but only 170 in fruit juice. A McDonalds meal was analyzed as almost entirely corn." ::More ...
Planet Green Drops by Indianapolis 500 Race
by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada on 05.27.08
Planet Green Goes to the Big Race
Two days ago, on May 25, the 92nd Indianapolis 500 Race took place. With a capacity of 400,000, it is the largest single-day sporting event in the world. In partnership with the Indy Series organizers, the Planet Green TV crew was present and shot footage for an episode of The "G" Word, a show that will air on the Planet Green network after it launches on June 4th. But the Planet Green crew wasn't just passive observers; they spent all day giving green tips to the hordes of racing fans and stuck around until the next day to provide volunteers for the massive clean up and make sure it was done using best practices, recycling everything that is recyclable, etc....
Pop Quiz: Why People Like Prius
by Dominic Muren, Philadelphia, USA on 05.27.08
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Peak Fertilizer, Chopping Trees for Lack of Labor
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 05.27.08
With Migrant Workers in Short Supply, a Farmer Looks to MachinesScores of Jim Bittner’s cherry trees are now just heaps of roots and sticks, piled in his fields here along Route 18. Some of the branches lying on the ground are dotted with small blossoms, the season’s earliest evidence that sweet cherries were on their way. But for Mr. Bittner, having sweet cherries would have meant hiring someone to prune the trees and harvest the fruit, and he was not sure that he could do it this year. So he cut his trees down. ::New York Times
Lofty Prices for Fertilizer Put Farmers in a Squeeze: At a time when food prices are soaring world-wide, so is the price of fertilizer, producing huge profits for leading fertilizer makers and stirring anger among farmers in the U.S. and India. ::Wall Street Journal
Read more about ::Peak Fertilizer in ::Planet Green and Kedrosky on the Nitrogen Fertilizer Perfect Storm...
Climate-Friendly Swedish Supper: Fennel, Bean and Tomato Stew
by April Streeter, Gothenburg, Sweden on 05.27.08
Climate-friendly Swedish cooking. Photos Stormz, Stevendamron, Morla @ flickr.
A dozen adventurous Swedish households in the country's southern Kalmar province have taken on a one-year climate challenge known as the "Climate Pilots" project. After first making an extremely detailed eight-week analysis of their purchasing habits and carbon footprint, each of the 12 families is being challenged to reduce their household's CO2 emissions significantly over 12 months.
The families' first task was to reduce the emissions from their own food purchases by 25% over eight weeks. Other challenges were to implement at least 7 of 10 ways to make water and energy use more effective, learn eco-driving, chase down vampire appliances, and even (surprisingly) track and try to eliminate at least one time-wasting activity! This month the 12 Climate Pilot families got together in four groups to cook dinner for four "host" families in order to show off what they've learned. The "winning" meal of the four - a white bean stew with tomatoes and fennel (and raspberry sorbet for dessert) caused just 3.28 kilos (nearly 7 lbs.) of CO2 emissions per person, while the "losing" meal (artichoke soup, chicken and vegetable wok, and white chocolate truffle) led to 5.79 kilos (almost 12 lbs.) of CO2 emissions per person. Sponsored by the Swedish municipality of Kalmar and local Coop supermarkets, the Climate Pilots are turning into local celebrities from media coverage - next month's challenge will involve greening participants' entertainment. Via ::Klimatpiloterna (Swedish only)
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Little Green Secrets Hosts Carnival of the Green
by Kara DiCamillo, Newport, Rhode Island on 05.27.08
This week is Carnival of the Green # 129 and it's being hosted by Little Green Secrets a blog that encourages us all to laugh, learn, and live more green and natural. So head on over to the site to check out a round up of green news and events from the past week, submitted by other bloggers and green sites.
To learn more about Carnival of the Green, where it will be and how to host (we are now accepting hosts to fill the available 2009 dates), please click here to link to our previous post....
If We Can Do This, We Can Do Anything
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 05.27.08
We keep hearing "if we could put a man on the moon, we can solve our problems" or we need a "moon shot" scale intervention to save the environment. It's time to pack that 40 year old chestnut away, we don't need it any more.
If we can send a robot 422 million miles to land on Mars and get another orbiting robot to casually snap a picture of it descending, glowing in the dark, (a "speeding bullet photographed by another speeding bullet") we can do anything. ::Planetary Society via ::Boingboing...
1955: Hot News About the Sun
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 05.27.08
Long and fascinating article in Modern Mechanix about the promise and possibilities of solar power, from Mechanix Illustrated in August, 1955....
Survey: Oil Costs Up, House Prices Down, Good News or Bad?
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 05.27.08
Simon Jenkins writes in the London Times Online: "The boom/bust in oil and house prices is, quite simply, good news, whatever the tangential pain. It shows that the good ship Gaia, planet Earth, is traumatising its passengers into husbanding its scarce resources." He points out that "Price always tends to bring supply and demand into equilibrium, if left free to do so within an intelligent regulatory framework."- so houses are becoming more affordable and people are driving less.
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Backyard Aquaponics: Bringing Food Production Back Home
by Sami Grover, Carrboro, NC, USA on 05.27.08
Update: Joel from Backyard Aquaponics informs us that issue two of the magazine is nearly ready, and issue three is on its way. We'll keep you informed!
The concept of aquaponics certainly seems to be capturing folks’ imaginations right now. Only yesterday we were reporting on Growing Power’s experiments in urban aquaponics and community farming in Milwaukee, and that in itself was a direct follow up thanks to Luke’s comments about our post on the proposed Urban Aquaculture Center. But Luke wasn’t alone in turning us on to new resources about this fascinating mix of hydroponics and fish farming. Dylan also chimed in, drawing our attention to Australian company Backyard Aquaponics (who were briefly mentioned in our original post on the subject) and their PDF magazine entitled Backyard Aquaponics: Bringing Food Production Back Home. The first issue is available free online, and includes an excellent introduction to the field:
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Anti-Plastic Bag Campaign, now in Buenos Aires
by Paula Alvarado, Buenos Aires on 05.27.08
A small communication firm called El Viaje de Odiseo has started Buenos Aires' first informal campaign to promote reusable bags and reject plastic ones (used extensively everywhere in this city and usually in large quantities since they're thin and break easily).
"We thought about this after reading how other countries have taken measures to ban these bags. In Argentina we still don't have any laws or rules on the subject so we thought it was a good time to start the conversation," say the organizers. To spread the word, they've set up a website with information and figures of plastic waste in Argentina, started a Facebook cause, and came up with an alternative reusable fabric bag with the phrase, "I do not use plastic bags, thanks." (Which reminds us of the extremely popular I'm not a plastic bag, by Anya Hindmarch.)
The bags are produced with natural cotton by a cooperative of unemployed people called La Juanita (link in Spanish), and stamped by the street art group Run Don't Walk with non toxic paint. They sell for just 10 pesos (3 USD). "Our main goal is not selling the bag, but making this grow and encouraging people to think about the subject in order to generate some changes in our everyday life", they say. ...
Seattle Incentivizes Residents To Ditch Their Cars
by Andrew Posner, Providence, Rhode Island on 05.27.08
While John McCain and Hillary Clinton are looking to a summer gas tax holiday to ease the pain Americans are feeling at the pump, Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels, a leader in the push to get cities to adopt the Kyoto Protocol, has taken a different approach: incentivizing drivers to ditch their cars with a "give your car the summer off" campaign, while at the same time actively promoting alternatives such as cycling, walking and public transit. Here are just a few of the incentives being made available:summer discounts at Woodland Park Zoo, the Museum of Flight, the Burke Museum, the Seattle Art Museum and the Pacific Science Center for patrons promising to drive their cars less. There also will be drawings for cash and gift certificates for residents pledging to reduce their car trips, stop commuting alone, sell or park their car for a month, and for those already biking, busing and walking.Okay, so clearly people can take advantage of this program by pledging to ditch their cars without ever actually doing so. However that's missing the point: when gas costs $4 a gallon, many people are actively looking for ways to avoid driving. ...
Ghost Bikes: A Memorial to Cyclists
by Bonnie Alter, London on 05.27.08
Treehugger writes about the benefits and joys of cycling but there is another sombre side: dangerous driving and drivers can mean death. Ghost bikes are a spontaneous memorial to lost cyclists; they are old bikes painted white and locked near the crash site, accompanied by a small explanatory plaque. They serve as a message to those who pass by and a reminder of the need for safe cycling.
They were first spotted in St. Louis in 2003 but since then they have appeared in 35 cities from Brighton to Sao Paolo with stories and locations noted. They have prompted meditations on life and death:
"With its poignantly flat tyres, the white bike was unmissable, and yet, even in the crowded streets of midtown Manhattan, it didn't get in anyone's way. Robert Musil wrote that nothing is as invisible as a monument; this un-monumental memorial was distinctly visible, and yet so discreet as to be almost not there. As they waited to cross the street, several people touched the bike: a casual version of the gesture made by Catholics, of crossing themselves when they pass over a threshold. By virtue of the white bike, a completely innocuous corner of Manhattan - one of thousands - had been imbued with a uniquely gentle aura. Perhaps I am being sentimental, but it felt as if this was the safest intersection in the whole of the city." :: Ghost Bikes ...
This Month in SEED: Carnivores Like Us and Paper Tigers in China
by Jeremy Elton Jacquot, Los Angeles on 05.26.08
Meat-lovers and vegetarians alike will find much to like about Paul Roberts' pièce de résistance, "Carnivores Like Us," in this month's SEED. The article, adapted from Roberts' new book, The End of Food (see Mother Jones' recent energy issue for his take on the 7 myths of energy independence), is a fascinating meditation on the past, present and future of carnivorism.
Proceeding from a bustling duck-processing plant in Weifang city, China -- one of the focal points of the country's new meat-eating revolution -- Roberts goes back in time to trace the very beginning of our carnivorous past. He explains that it is the act of meat-eating itself that has made us what we are now: Meat proffered more "calorie bang for the buck," which allowed our ancestors to get their daily food intake more easily, and helped fuel the development of our bigger (more calorie-dependent) brains. ...
TreeHugger Readers Improve European Green Capitals Website
by Christine Lepisto, Berlin on 05.26.08
Does this image look familiar? It might be because you saw it over the recently announced European Green Capitals award which will recognize European cities that are models of environmental programs and sustainability.
Sharp eyed readers at TreeHugger noticed an anomaly though. Can you identify the tower behind the field of red tulips? Read on for the answer and the full scoop on how TreeHugger readers helped out....
Now That's Sexy: LA County Lifeguards Get Ford Escape Hybrids
by Andrew Posner, Providence, Rhode Island on 05.26.08
We've seen Ford Escape Hybrid taxis in New York City, and now they are making the move to sunny Los Angeles, where they will serve as patrol cars for the Los Angeles County Lifeguard Headquarters. If only Baywatch were still on the air, they'd likely compete with Pamela Anderson for the attention of Treehuggers everywhere. Or not. Still, the lifeguards are happy to be receiving ten of the hybrid SUVs, with plans to expand the fleet to 45. The Escape hybrid will get 29 mpg in the city (presumably, however, driving on sand adversely impacts fuel economy) and 27 mpg on the freeway. Finally, the Escape will be easier on L.A.'s notoriously bad smog: according to one Ford sales manager, "[the Escape Hybrid] releases fewer smog-forming emissions into the atmosphere during a three-hour drive (about 180 miles) than grilling one hamburger in your back yard."
Via: ::Autopia (Wired Blog)
See Also: ::Eco-Limo Chauffeur Service in Los Angeles, ::Kermit the Frog and Escape Hybrid: Match Made In Heaven?, ::Popular Support For Hybrid Cabs in NYC, ::Using Solar Roofs To Power Hybrids, ::Green Basics: Hybrid-Electric Cars, ::Diesel-Hybrid Pickup Coming to U.S., and ::AT&T Greens its Fleet With 105 New, Efficient Vehicles...
Growing Power: Urban Aquaponics, Vermiculture and Sustainable Agriculture
by Sami Grover, Carrboro, NC, USA on 05.26.08
2nd Memo to Ben Stein: It's the Buildings, Stupid
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 05.26.08
In his New York Times article Ben Stein said we had to have a moon-shot scale drive to drill everywhere and turn coal into oil into gasoline. After our previous post commenter RC said "Only a numbskull treehugger could argue with this logic."
Well, call me a numbskull TreeHugger, but the last time I looked only slightly over a quarter of our energy was consumed by transportation, and almost half of it was consumed heating, cooling and lighting houses and buildings. So why do we spend so much time talking about cars? Take that "moon shot" money and spend it on fixing buildings. ...
Living the Green Lifestyle at Oberlin College
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 05.26.08
The New York Times visits Oberlin College's new SEED, or Student Experiment in Ecological Design, "a microcosm of a growing sustainability movement on campuses nationwide, from small liberal arts colleges like Oberlin and Middlebury, in Vermont, to Lansing Community College in Michigan, to Morehouse in Atlanta, to public universities like the University of New Hampshire."
Students time their showers, unplug their fridge, turned down the thermostat, composted worms, and got rid of the television. “It’s not about telling people, ‘You have to do this, you have to do that,’ ” [junior Lucas] Brown said. “It’s about fitting sustainability into our own lives.” And hoping, he added, “that a friend will come over, recognize that it’s fun, start doing it, and then a friend of theirs will start doing it.” ::New York Times...
Taking Back the Streets: Toronto Cyclists Occupy Major Road
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 05.26.08
Everybody and their dog was out yesterday with bells on for Bells on Bloor, a bike parade to promote the idea of bike lanes on the major crosstown street in Toronto. They were looking for a thousand cyclists, but it looked bigger than that to me, perhaps because it was the perfect day for a bike ride. They say "Cycling protects our environment, so let’s protect our cyclists with more bike lanes. Fighting climate change has never been so fun!"
There were some remarkable bikes out for the ride, including a recumbent rocket I caught a quick video of below the fold. ::Bells on Bloor
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The Go Green Initiative's School of the Week: St. Ann's School in NY!
by Kenny Luna, North Babylon, NY on 05.26.08
If your school hasn’t had a chance to hold a fashion show featuring outfits made out of recycled items, now just may be the time to consider it. As St. Ann’s School in NY recently demonstrated that they could take their recycling efforts to new heights by putting on just such an event to showcase how reusing various materials can help keep them out of the waste stream....
2008 Goldman Prize Winner Jesus Leon Santos on Bringing Desert Lands Back to Life
by Paula Alvarado, Buenos Aires on 05.26.08
Photo credit: Will Parrinello and Jim Iacona.In a time when "modern" agriculture is depleting many areas of Latin America as farmers seek higher yields, Jesus Leon Santos is taking the opposite route. He is using ancient agriculture systems and collaboration with peasant communities to turn drought lands into fertile ground for food production. His home in the region of the Mixtec, in Oaxaca, Mexico, used to have one of the highest rates of soil erosion in the world, affecting 83 percent of the land, according to a UN study. On top of that, in the 1980's, many local farmers adopted chemical-intensive techniques and saw their yields drop dramatically and deplete the soil. Raised with a vision of a bleak future in a family with few resources, Santos came to the realization only long term work could improve the region’s expectations. Over 25 years later, the effort paid off: Today's Mixtec reality is so different that it seems hard to believe. The region’s agricultural production has increased 50 percent, which means that where only 25 to 30 percent of land was arable, communities now farm 80 percent of the land. Santos and the Mixtec community have planted more than one million trees and reforested one thousand hectares. All of these improvements have directly benefited the families of the region and decreased migration....
In Spite Of Reduce And Reuse, Hong Kong's Plastic Passion Barely Dented
by April Streeter, Gothenburg, Sweden on 05.26.08
Hong Kong's 7 million citizens use about 3 bags each each day. Photo tboothhk @ flickr
In Hong Kong, long known as a shopper's paradise, everything you buy is swathed in plastic - plastic wrap covers each cucumber, and if you buy the cucumber you'll probably get offered another plastic bag to put it in. Plastic is so ubiquitous to daily life here that it's no surprise that 23 million bags get thrown away each day - 8.3 billion for the government to dispose of annually. Last year Hong Kong placed a levy on bags, and it is estimated that by this summer 1 billion fewer bags will be passed out, slightly slowing the filling of Hong Kong's dumps, which are estimated to reach capacity well within a decade.
There is a noticeable difference in the streets compared to a year or two ago - many more citizens are carrying cloth or at the very least some sort of reusable-looking bag, and at the upscale City Super grocery, customers are offered a panoply of chic reusable bags to purchase. However, shop keepers still seem uniformly surprised when you say, "No bag" at purchase, and Hong Kong lags behind its neighbor Taiwan, which has cut plastic bag use around 80 percent since 2002. Hong Kong's China parent is banning giving out free plastic bags starting next week. Ultra-thin plastic bags (less than .0025 millimeters) will be banned outright from that date - the country is hoping to save about 37 million barrels of oil from the ban.
See also: Handbag Hysteria Hits Hong Kong, and China Launches Crackdown On Plastic Bags...
Solar Powered Wheelchairs On the Run
by Bonnie Alter, London on 05.26.08
Here's the happy result of a meeting of the hearts and minds of an environmental activist and a small innovative company. A newly disabled woman realised that she was dependent on electric batteries to power her wheelchair around the countryside where she lived. Working with Beamer, a design and engineering firm, they modified an existing outdoor model, the Tramper, and made this partially solar--powered wheelchair. It was already heavy-duty and designed to travel over fields. The addition of the solar panels can extend its range by about 20%. The company is now researching the use of lithium iron batteries that could double the distance that it can travel.
As for its happy owner, she has now planned a solar-powered wheelchair cavalcade, the SolaRola. In order to publicise her campaign for solar powered wheel chairs, and sustainable energy sources, a fleet of solar powered vehicles will be travelling 120 miles from London to Bath, along back country roads. They will be accompanied by a solar-powered ice cream van from Yeo Valley Organic. In Bath at an agricultural fair there will be events highlighting ecology and sustainability, featuring the wheelchairs ridden by celebrities and Para-Olympians. :: Guardian...
Earth Policy Institute Updates Bicycle Stats for Bike Month
by Jenna Watson, Barcelona on 05.26.08
Image credit: In Love With it Amsterdam.
As you know, it’s Bike Month and in honour of our two-wheeled friends, the Earth Policy Institute has re-released some updated bike states and a report on the rise in cycling worldwide. They remind us that after a decline between 1989 and 2001, bike production has regained its momentum and has increased every year for the last seven years. They attribute much of that recent growth to the increase in the production of electric, or “e-bike” production, which has apparently doubled since 2004 to 21 million units! But since 1970, overall bicycle production has almost quadrupled, while car production has approximately doubled. ...
Green Eyes On: Organic Chocolates in South Florida Strip Malls
by Sara Snow on 05.26.08
A couple of weeks ago I found myself lounging on a beach chair next to my mom and my sister. Who am I kidding? I didn’t just find myself there, it took a great deal of planning and coordination, before finally, my mom, sister and I managed to escape for a six-day "long weekend" on the west coast of south Florida. It’s not a particularly "eco" destination but it's a spot we know well, where we can spend our days reading and talking under umbrellas, slathered in Dr. Hauschka and Alba sunscreens. A few long walks took us to favorite destinations: a beach close to where we scattered my grandmother’s ashes, a surf shop where we can find sandals by Simple Shoes and other cool or comfortable companies, and the lone natural foods store, Summer Day Market and Café, for fresh juices, more sunscreen, and other necessities. But a funny thing happened this trip. While one shop owner was crying out about the lack of organic foods in Florida, right around the corner another shop owner was whisking up batches of organic chocolates and crepes, proving that there is a market for healthy and natural no matter where you are. ...
The Great Arctic Ice Cap Break-Up: Scientists Discover Network of Cracks on Ward Hunt
by Jeremy Elton Jacquot, Los Angeles on 05.25.08
Image courtesy of CSA
Need more evidence that the Arctic ice cap is slowly going the way of the dodo? Traveling with a team of scientists and Canadian troops during a recent expedition on Ward Hunt, BBC Environment Correspondent David Shukman bore witness to the discovery of several major new fractures stretching for more than 10 miles (16 km).
Derek Mueller of Trent University, one of the accompanying scientists, described the ice shelf as being held together "like a jigsaw"; the shelf's "pieces are pinned together" and could "float away" at any moment -- forming "ice islands" and dramatically changing the region's geography. ...
Green Roofs at Doors Open Toronto
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 05.25.08
Doors Open Toronto is a wonderful program where once a year, buildings normally closed to the public swing open their doors and let citizens see what is normally hidden. In its ninth year, it is bigger than ever; we took the opportunity to have a look at some of the green roofs that were accessible for the occasion. Our first stop was the Horse Palace at the Canadian National Exhibition, a 1931 Art Deco gem designed by J. J. Woolnough and still redolent of horse manure. The green roof, a demonstration project dating back to 2004, was a bit of a disappointment considering the scale of what has been built since, but also on the roof was Canada's largest photovoltaic installation, where the CNE is testing different manufacturers, angles and methods of installation for a much larger two thousand kilowatt plan....
Memo to Ben Stein: It's The Efficiency, Stupid
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 05.25.08
Larger original here
Economist-comedian Ben Stein was uncharacteristically rational in his Sunday NYT article about America running out of oil, until he came to his conclusion about what we have to do:
We need to turn coal into oil into gasoline, to use nuclear power wherever we can, and to brush aside the concerns of the beautiful people who live on coastal pastures (like me). And we need to drill on the continental shelf, even near where movie stars live. This must be done, on an emergency basis. If we keep acting as if the landscape were more important than human life, we will make ourselves the serfs of the oil producers and eventually reduce our country to poverty and anarchy.As an economist, one might have thought that he would be familiar with the concept of "externalities"- the carbon dioxide and pollution all of that drilling and gasifying. Might we suggest Ben have a look at efficiency- the extraordinary amount of energy that is wasted simply because we transform our energy sources into useful work so badly because it was so cheap. There is more energy to be found here than in all the continental shelves and shale oil fields in all the world. ::New York Times...
Number of the Day: 11,000,000,000
by Jeremy Elton Jacquot, Los Angeles on 05.25.08
Image courtesy of Joe Shlabotnik via flickr
That, according to the Federal Highway Administration, is the decline in the number of miles driven by Americans since March 2007 -- at 4.3%, the sharpest yearly drop on record and the first fall in the month of March since 1979 (during a period of oil shocks).
While February 2008 actually saw a modest uptick (1 billion) in the number of miles driven over last year, cumulative vehicle miles traveled (VMT) has tumbled by 17.3 billion miles since November 2006. That said, given that the total VMT for 2006 topped 3 trillion miles, there's still a lot of room for improvement (or pain, depending on your take)....
European Green Capital Award
by Christine Lepisto, Berlin on 05.25.08
Four out of five Europeans lives in an urban environment. In recognition that preserving forests and conserving wildlife is not sufficient to resolve the environmental issues facing us, the European Commission will start announcing a "European Green Capital" every year starting in 2010. Stavros Dimas, EU Commissioner for the Environment says: I trust that this award will help us turn our urban centres into prosperous places to live and work....
Philip Johnson "Masterpiece" Too Small to Live
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 05.25.08
image: Rob Bennett for New York Times
The Ball House is thought of as a livable version of Philip Johnson's Glass House, (see Summer Sights: The Glass House) , a modest "jewel box" built in 1953 for Alice Ball, "a single woman with a passion for ruthless spatial efficiency."
Unfortunately, it is sitting on a big property in New Canaan, Connecticut, where 1773 square feet is about the size of a walk-in closet. Andy Newman writes in the New York Times that was bought by an architect-developer who wanted to use it as "a worthy pool house for a much more au courant dwelling to be built at the back of the property."...
AT&T Greens its Fleet With 105 New, Efficient Vehicles
by Andrew Posner, Providence, Rhode Island on 05.25.08
Greenbiz.com is reporting that AT&T will soon add 105 compressed natural gas (CNG) and hybrid vehicles to its fleet in order to "track fuel efficiency, greenhouse gas emissions, operating costs, performance and driver satisfaction of each vehicle" as well as "save more than 34,000 gallons of fuel a year and reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 124 metric tons." AT&T joins companies such as UPS, which recently deployed 167 compressed natural gas trucks and unveiled a more efficient delivery vehicle, and FedEx, which has added 75 hybrid delivery trucks, in trying to lower fleet emissions. The trend is being driving by surging gas prices and the need for positive environmental PR.
Of the 105 vehicles that will be added to the AT&T fleet, there will be "25 compressed natural gas vans, 65 hybrid electric Ford Escapes and Toyota Priuses, and 15 hybrid electric conversion work trucks." Of course, one can imagine that 105 vehicles is a drop in the bucket of what must a huge corporate fleet. So while we applaud the effort, we hope that if this initial trial is successful it will lead to more significant changes in fleet efficiency. And if AT&T has any doubts about the potential benefits of vehicle efficiency, they can look no farther than Wal-Mart, which has committed to doubling its fleet efficiency in the next ten years, saving the company over $300 million a year.
Via: ::GreenBiz.com
See Also: ::UPS To Spend $600 Million On Improving Efficiency, ::UPS Delivering Small Packages With Small Vehicles, ::FedEx To Unveil New Diesel Hybrid-Electric Vans, ::TNT To Launch World's Largest Electric Vehicle Fleet, and ::Take Your Natural Gas Vehicle to Utah!...
A Fisherman, the Inuit, and the Brooklyn Art Scene
by Bonnie Hulkower, New York, New York on 05.25.08
Jim Clark in his gallery with one of his favorite Inuit sculptures
As a young man looking for adventure, Jim Clark took a job as an Alaskan king crab fisherman. Fifteen years later, he had found as well a deep and abiding love for the land, the art, and the culture of the Inuit. A former first mate of two Alaskan king crab fishing boats, Clark now owns Look North Gallery, in Red Hook, Brooklyn. The gallery draws attention to Inuit art, and by extension, to the global warming crisis. Clark showcases both established and emerging Inuit artists in the gallery, and in 2008 Look North began representing the Polar photography of world-renowned fine arts photographer Rena Bass Forman. Treehugger recently asked Jim Clark about the gallery, the Inuit, fishing, and Red Hook's incoming Ikea....
TreeHugger breaks it down for you in a series of in depth how-to articles that will help you green your life. No time like the present!
Here are a few recommended websites.
- BTC Elements Blog
- Celsias
- Clean Edge - The Clean-Tech Market Authority
- Cleantech Investing
- SRB Marketing | CONSCIOUS CLICKS - The Blog
- Daily Green, the Blog of GreenForGood.com
- Endogenous preferences
- Environmental and Urban Economics
- Environmental Economics
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