- Vijay Vaitheeswaran (part one)
- Vijay Vaitheeswaran (part two)
- Vinay Gupta
- Alyce Santoro
- Mathis Wackernagel
- Tom Price
- Martha Marks
- Paul Hawken
- David Suzuki
- Wal-Mart's Green Gurus
- Alisa Smith and James Mackinnon, authors of Plenty
- Bob Perkowitz of ecoAmerica
- Ed Begley Jr.
- The Weather Channel's Dr. Heidi Cullen
Entries for June 29, 2008 - July 5, 2008
Total this week: 160
Movie Review: "Garbage Warrior" and Experimental Architect, Michael Reynolds
by Kimberley D. Mok, Montreal, Canada on 07. 5.08
Design is evolving, but according to “Garbage Warrior” (2008), a timely documentary on unconventional architect Michael Reynolds and his so-called “earthships”, it’s not evolving fast enough. Partly, it’s because the “powers that be” are afraid of making mistakes, of learning how to live sustainably through trial and error. But can Reynolds’ thirty-year long approach to self-sustaining building – which involves using discarded tires, plastic bottles, old beer cans, rammed earth, rain-harvesting, solar power and on-site food production – be a feasible solution to the slow development of green building in North America?
As director Oliver Hodge shows, the proof is in the pudding: by following Reynolds around (the film itself was three years in the making), we can see that Reynolds’ vision of self-sufficient, off-grid living has been potently realized in the distinctive and eloquent “earthships” nestled in the harsh landscape just outside of Taos, New Mexico. ...
A Picture is Worth... Northern California's Wildfires
by Jeremy Elton Jacquot, Los Angeles on 07. 5.08
Image from ESA
There is still no light at the end of the tunnel for fire-besieged Northern California. According to some reports, there are still over 1,000 wildfires burning in the region with little hope for improvement in the near future. Over 1,400 square kilometers of land have already been burnt, and there are more than 19,000 firefighters on hand, many from around the country, helping to put out the blazes.
The image was captured by the European Space Agency's Envisat satellite on June 25. ...
Another One Bites the Dust: University Closes Observatory, Evicts Famous Astronomer
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 07. 5.08
Tom Bolton discovered the first black hole using the 75 inch reflector at the David Dunlap Observatory just north of Toronto; how sad to see him sitting on the steps, crying, as the University of Toronto kicks him out and shuts it down, as they sell this green oasis to developers. The university says you can't do good work there anymore because of light pollution; they will take the hundred million or so dollars and invest it in the astronomy program. Bolton disagrees, telling the National Post: “If [the university] had talked to me, I would have told them how we could be doing world-class research,” he said. With a modest investment, the university could have returned the observatory to the “showcase” status it had 20 years ago, before “they started running it into the ground by systematically starving us for replacement faculty.”
One would think that universities would be custodians of their assets for the long term. Who knows, it may get too expensive and difficult to send their astronomers to Chile. Or maybe people will learn that it is silly to pay to light up the skies when well designed, focused lighting need not pollute. Over the long term, the low density suburbs of Richmond Hill might even revert to farmland. A University with long-term vision might think of those things. Instead they would rather take the money and run. ::National Post
See also: Ban Demolition, Especially by Greedy Universities...
New and Improved 2015 EU Biofuel Target in the Works?
by Jeremy Elton Jacquot, Los Angeles on 07. 5.08
Image from petrr
Given all the recent backlash, it seemed inevitable that the EU would be forced to revise its misguided biofuel targets. The final push may very well have been provided by a World Bank report concluding that biofuels may have caused global food prices to rise by up to 75 percent.
Four percent from renewable sources by 2015
In light of this, Claude Turmes, a EU lawmaker, has proposed changing the EU's target so that only 4 percent of vehicle fuels be derived from renewable sources by 2015, reports Reuters' Pete Harrison. Claiming broad parliamentary backing, Turmes said there would be a review in 2015 to decide whether to keep the 10 percent target for 2020....
Zeppelins Rise Again, The Upside of $200 Oil
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 07. 5.08
Why Fly When You Can Float? It has been more than 70 years since the giant Hindenburg zeppelin exploded in a spectacular fireball over Lakehurst, N.J., killing 36 crew members and passengers, abruptly ending an earlier age of airships. But because of new materials and sophisticated means of propulsion, a diverse cast of entrepreneurs is taking another look at the behemoths of the air. ::New York Times
See also Zeppelins are Back, Too
Earthquake and Fire Proof Floating Houses Coming to Los Angeles ...
The upside of $200 oil: Rising oil prices don't have to mean an economic apocalypse; it might reinvigorate our cities, and reward entrepreneurship. And it could make us a little skinnier, too. ::National Post
See also: What Happens When Gasoline Exceeds US$7.00 Per Gallon?
Stop Whining About Gas Prices
High Gas Prices Changing Society
...
Wal-Mart Now US' Largest Buyer Of Locally Grown Produce
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 07. 5.08
We know it sounds like putting a square watermelon in a round hole: but Wal-Mart claims it is the nation's largest buyer of locally grown produce. The scaling of centrally managed industrial agriculture in the USA will be transformed. More changes are coming. Wal-Mart Stores Inc. plans to buy and sell $400 million worth of produce grown by local farmers within its state stores this year, an effort the company says will only grow.One obvious upshot is diversification of the supply chain. Smaller contracts with more farmers & distributors. ...
Tricycle Super Hero in Fight for Cycle Safety Episode
by Christine Lepisto, Berlin on 07. 5.08
Well, dear readers, that mortal moment has come. My alter-ego, Super City Cycle Girl, has been struck low by the evils of traffic. But do not fear. Your heroine bravely battles on with one-handed typing and a new secret weapon: tricycles. Yes, after toppling the two-wheeler, Super City Cycle Girl has returned to the lab to get a closer look at an eco-vehicle which can skid across wet pavement without tipping. Of course, it has to be a cool tricycle -- stylish, sporty and sleek. ...
To Cut or Not to Cut? That's the G8 Question..
by greenz.jp, Tokyo, Japan on 07. 5.08
It's that time of year again, and with the official G8 Hokkaido Toyako Summit finally getting under way here in Japan next week, the question on everybody's lips is, "will the G8 see a formal commitment to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions cuts?"
The G8 Summit is the source of no end of speculation on this policy or that policy, but with news items like such as MSNBC's piece on the possibility of an ice-free arctic by the end of this summer, climate change is looming large on everyone's lips, and their keyboards.
We go on the hunt to see what the latest news and views are from around the world....
Penguins A Threatened Ecotourism Treasure
by April Streeter, Gothenburg, Sweden on 07. 4.08
Penguin life has gotten more precarious since this 1913 NOAA photo.
Penguin populations have been declining and shifting globally as a result of oil pollution, overfishing, guano mining (!) and increased coastal development, according to research by Dee Boersma from the University of Washington, published in the July-August edition of the journal BioScience.
Climate changes cause dramatic shifts
Boersma sees penguins as marine sentinels of the Southern Hemisphere. They depend on predictable climate for their breeding cycles and need high ocean productivity for the krill and fish they survive on. A warming Antarctic is causing varying changes - for some ice-requiring penguins like the Adelie it is detrimental, while for ice-intolerant species such as the gentoo and chinstrap it could be beneficial.
Penguins an ecotourism favorite
But Boersma contends that demonstrated declines in penguin populations overall show that humans aren't managing their ocean resources and habitats well enough. Penguins are a huge ecotourism draw - for example, as many as half a million people visit just one of the many penguin species, the blue penguin, on Phillip Island in Australia. But there is only sporadic, uncoordinated monitoring of the 43 different penguin colonies that make up most of the global penguin population....
The TH Interview: Ray Anderson—The Man with a Spear in his Chest (Part One)
by Jacob Gordon, Nashville, TN on 07. 4.08
Ray Anderson started his company, Interface, back in the 1970s to make carpet. Like any business man, he wanted to shake up the market and make a healthy profit, which he’s done, and Interface now has 17 manufacturing locations on four continents. But this is not business as usual. Not anymore. Since having a sustainability epiphany, as he calls it, Ray has starting steering Interface toward one hell of a goal: zero negative effects on the planetary ecosystem by the year 2020, a goal he admits no corporation has yet reached. TreeHugger has long found inspiration in Interface’s elegant design solutions—products like modular carpet and FLOR—and in Anderson’s own sagely words. ::TreeHugger Radio Listen to the podcast of this interview via iTunes, or just click here to listen, right-click to download. For Part Two of this interview, click here. Special thanks go to CraigMichaels, the organizer of the Sustainable Operations Summit, for arranging this interview. (Full text after the jump)...
Growkids Means Smart Green Fundraising for Schools
by Kenny Luna, North Babylon, NY on 07. 4.08
School may be out for the summer, but the truth is that many PTA’s and school organizations start planning for next year’s fundraisers a good deal in advance. And there’s an eco-minded fundraising company called Growkids that’s offering 50% of the proceeds to your school or organization, a vast improvement over some of the organizations offering much, much less that we told you about in a post called “Green Fundraising with One Big Caveat” not so very long ago....
Portland's Bike Share Program Put on Hold
by Andrew Posner, Providence, Rhode Island on 07. 4.08
Bike-Share Put on Hold
After eight months of reviewing potential contracts "aimed at finding a company to provide the service and maintain a fleet of rental bicycles," Portland, Oregon has put its bike-share plans on hold due to nagging logistical and funding issues. In essence, the city wants to spend more time studying other bike-share models in Europe and the U.S. before it starts its own program. Two companies--ClearChannel Outdoor and Portland Bike Co.--had already entered bids, but as the city moved forward with the proposals "it became apparent that the project could require more leg work than anticipated."
Good Idea--More Research Needed
The idea was to have a 500 bicycle fleet that would enable riders to rent bicycles from special kiosks throughout the city, with "a combination of rental fees, public subsidies and advertising on the bicycles or the kiosks" providing the funding for the initial purchase and maintenance of the system. Unfortunately, it doesn't seem that Portland thought through carefully all the costs and logistical issues surrounding the creation of a network of bike kiosks. However, Portland officials say that if more research reveals that a sustainable bike-share program can be established, then the city will consider giving the bidding process another try. They might look to Washington, D.C. and Tucson, Arizona and Montreal, Canada, for examples of American and Canadian cities that are starting up bike share programs.
Via: ::Portland Tribune
More on Bike Share Programs
University of Washington to Create Electric Bike Share Program
Waterloo Grad Students Win $25,000 for Bike-Share Program Proposal
San Francisco Moves Towards Bike-Sharing
Barcelona Has Gone Bicing Crazy: 30,000 Users in 2 Months!...
Cameron Diaz's Green Film Club
by Terri MacLeod on 07. 4.08
Brooke Shields and Kyra Segwick are also taking green steps.
…Cameron’s eco-documentary, “Power Shift,” which explores different energy sources, is making the rounds in a new green video club. The Earth Cinema Circle offers hers, plus a number of other films dedicated to increasing social & environmental awareness. Members get four eco-films every other month for $18.
Join: earthcinemacircle
...
…Cameron’s eco-documentary, “Power Shift,” which explores different energy sources, is making the rounds in a new green video club. The Earth Cinema Circle offers hers, plus a number of other films dedicated to increasing social & environmental awareness. Members get four eco-films every other month for $18.
Join: earthcinemacircle
...
Off the Grid & Eating Locally - What’s It All About?
by Deane Brebner and Don Bissonnette, Sutton, Quebec on 07. 4.08
Both Deane and Don expected that it would have been harder to do, both the off-grid experience and the local eating. We learned that food is available if you look around you and the internet is a big help in the research. In Sherbrooke there is the Marche de Solidarite promoted by Les Amies de la Terre de l’Estrie
(Les Amies de la Terre) You order on-line and then pick up local produce and products at a spot on King Street. A similar set-up, Les Amies de la Terre du Voisinage de Waterloo, is being developed in Waterloo, Quebec
(atvwaterloo.com). With a little creativity (sometimes a lot!), foods that are currently available can be made interesting in different forms. For example, once strawberries were ripe we ate them raw with yoghurt, with granola, in oatmeal with rhubarb, with pancakes, cooked in an up-side down cake on the top of the wood stove and finally mashed with mint for a refreshing tea!
...
Move to Canada if You Want to Avoid the Worst of Climate Change
by Jeremy Elton Jacquot, Los Angeles on 07. 4.08
Image from jpctalbot
At the risk of gross oversimplification, let me start by revealing the Climate Change Risk report's two main takeaways: Avoid living in most parts of Africa if you're especially risk averse (75 percent of the world's 20 most vulnerable countries are found there) and move to Canada to best hedge your bets.
The Comoros Islands: most at risk
The riskiest location by far, as The Independent's Michael McCarthy describes in his summary of the Maplecroft report's findings, is a small island cluster in the Indian Ocean, the Comoros Islands, which is most at risk of succumbing to agricultural failure, rising sea levels and other climate change impacts. ...
Pop Quiz: To Recycle, Or Not To Recycle
by Dominic Muren, Philadelphia, USA on 07. 4.08
...
Massachusetts Unveils Ambitious Renewables and Energy Efficiency Bill
by Jeremy Elton Jacquot, Los Angeles on 07. 4.08
Stealing some of California's thunder, which itself outlined a new plan to significantly reduce its carbon emissions, Massachusetts' governor, Deval Patrick, unveiled the Green Communities Act a few days ago to great fanfare. The bill's primary aims are to encourage businesses and homes to become more energy efficient and to stimulate clean energy development in the state.
The Green Community Act's major provisions
Some of the provisions detailed in the legislation, as reported by the Boston Globe's Beth Daley, include providing rebates to pay for energy efficiency measures, allowing homeowners and businesses to rent solar panels from utilities and easing consumers' ability to sell surplus energy from renewable sources to the grid. ...
Door Prize Lady Charged "To The Full Extent of the Law"
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 07. 4.08
Ghost Bike for Un-named victim, Toronto
We were appalled when, after yet another door prize death, a policeman discussed charging the woman who did it and said “If she didn’t look, would that be negligence? It’s very hard to label that as negligent." In our survey, 75% of the respondents agreed that " The driver broke the law and killed someone and should be charged to the full extent of the law."
Well it turns out, she has been charged, with "Open Vehicle Door Improperly", which carries a maximum punishment, if convicted, of demerit points and an approximate $110 fine.
Is this enough? "The consequences should reflect the severity of the crime," said Yvonne Bambrick, the assistant co-ordinator of the Toronto Cyclists Union. "We do not believe that this charge is adequate in this matter" ::The Star Press release from Police below the fold....
New Infrastructure Woes: Gas Tax Bringing In Less Money
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 07. 4.08
Because of the price of gas, Americans drove 1.4 billion fewer miles in April then they did in the same period a year earlier. Nearly 20 billion fewer miles have been driven this year than last. That is a problem for Mary Peters, the Secretary of Transportation, who is getting less gas tax money and complains "We're burning less fuel as energy costs change driving patterns, steer people toward more fuel efficient vehicles, and encourage more to use transit. Which is exactly why we need a more effective funding source than the gas tax."
What, change the fixed gas tax of 24.4 cents a gallon? How about making it proportional so that it goes up with the price of gas? How about cranking it up so that enough revenue comes in to actually fix the collapsing infrastructure? Isn't steering people to more fuel efficient vehicles and transit exactly what we should be doing? Not in America. She is probably planning to tax bicycles. Or maybe transit. ::Environmental protection...
Secret World Bank Report Says Biofuels Are Prime Cause of Food Crisis
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 07. 4.08
The Bush administration says it ain't so, blaming high food prices on higher demand from India and China. Brazil's Lula blames record oil prices and rich countries' farm subsidies. John Laumer blames genetically modified crops, among other things. Now a leaked report from the World Bank claims that biofuels have forced global food prices up by 75%. The Guardian writes: "Senior development sources" say the report was spiked to avoid embarrassing President Bush. "It would put the World Bank in a political hot-spot with the White House," said one yesterday.
The report contradicts Bush and says "Rapid income growth in developing countries has not led to large increases in global grain consumption and was not a major factor responsible for the large price increases Without the increase in biofuels, global wheat and maize stocks would not have declined appreciably and price increases due to other factors would have been moderate."...
Lycomato's Ingestible Sunscreen Based on Tomatoes So You Don't Turn Into One
by Karin Kloosterman, Jerusalem, Israel on 07. 4.08
Summer is in full force and so is our desire to head to the beach and pool. We've heard about the dangers of chemicals in sunscreens, and for many reasons want to avoid them or limit their use. TreeHugger has also reported that sunscreens are causing bleaching in corals -- another reason to limit their use. And that sunscreens can transexualize fish. Ew.
A company which focuses on plant extracts LycoRed thinks there are alternate solutions for protecting you from the sun's harmful rays. The company has used the help of Mother Nature to develop an extract from the tomato that has been found to protect the skin against harmful UV radiation.
The cosmeceutical called Lyc-O-Mato doesn't turn your skin red, but can prevent you from turning into a tomato. Available in Europe through Inneov, a joint venture of L'Oreal and Nestle, and by the French company Oenobiol, it is expected to be available in the US shortly, said the company when we interviewed them on ISRAEL21c. The company also develops a natural red food coloring additive.
...
Arrested in Tibet, Naked Photos: World Record Tandem Pair Tell All
by Christine Lepisto, Berlin on 07. 4.08
Bicycling in Lhasa, Tibet
After the news broke that all foreigners must leave Tibet, Mandy and Benny considered whether they would need to put their Hase Pino Tandem bicycle on a train. But things calmed, so they pushed on. Until their fears were realized: while mounting up after a night's rest hidden from view along the roadside, the police descended upon them. "Where had they slept? What were they doing?" Would the police understand that Mandy and Benny posed no threat on their peaceful tandem journey, circumnavigating the world and hoping to break the world record for the longest tandem bicycle tour?...
Cartoonists Find Climate Change Not So Funny
by Bonnie Alter, London on 07. 4.08
Here's the winner of Earthworks 2008, a global cartoon competition, with 600 entrants from 50 countries. Earthworks organisers " hoped that the competition would stimulate cartoonists to use their pens and wit to help combat environmental devastation and give new impetus to our desperate fight to stop global warming." The winning cartoon, "Coat Star", is by Mikhail Zlatkovsky from Russia. Judges felt that this cartoon of a man indecently exposing himself to a pure and pristine universe says " 'This is the disdain we've shown our world'...we felt the sleaziness was appropriate to the topic."
Often cartoonists are putting themselves on the line by depicting issues that go against the government's official policy. Despite the climatic disaster in Burma, two were sent from there, and China also sent some, despite its poor official reputation for cutting emissions.The works reflect the country of origin and its climatic issues, with some tragic and not so funny results. Shortages of food and clean water were depicted by cartoonists from Yemen and Syria, whilst water scarcity and desertification were common themes in cartoons from hot spots such as Africa, Australia and South America. Brazilian cartoonists depicted the loss of the Amazonian forest. As the organisers said " humour is often a valuable key in the struggle to win hearts and minds."
...
G8 Summit: Send Your Virtual Tanzaku Message
by greenz.jp, Tokyo, Japan on 07. 4.08
One million wishes - that is the goal of the Tanzaku Action! Making a wish is a part of the tradition of making a wish to the stars on Tanabata Day on July 7, a holiday.
Now you can send a message to the G8 leaders by writing your hopes on a Virtual Tanzaku.
Tanzaku is a slip of paper on which people write their hopes or wishes and hang it on a bamboo tree. For the G8 Summit, the NGO Forum will display all the Tanzaku messages to get global leaders to take the necessary actions to change the world for better.
...
Norway Proposes No New Suburban, Drive-To Shopping Malls
by April Streeter, Gothenburg, Sweden on 07. 3.08
Malls like this one in Oslo, accessible by tram and on foot, are still okay.
In Norway wages have kept pace with fuel and food price hikes, so car trips haven't yet dropped drastically. To discourage driving, Environment Minister Eric Solheim has now proposed a bill that would forbid shopping centers of 3,000 square meters or more from being built along highways in Norway's suburban centers. Norwegian research has shown that 95 percent of shoppers to suburban malls arrive by car. Shopping centers would still be allowed in areas where public transport is existing or possible. The regulation, if passed, would be retroactive to this July. That 3,000 meter size, according to newspaper Dagens Naeringsliv, is just 1/12th the square footage of the latest IKEA already approved to be built in a suburb of Bergen. The government has also considered forcing shopping centers to charge shoppers to park.
"We want to prevent cities and town centers from dying out because all shopping moves out of the downtown area," Solheim said to newspaper Dagens Nærinigsliv. "And we want to limit the use of cars. We need to change community structures."Via ::Aftenposten.no (English)...
Volkswagen to Make Limited Edition of 1-Liter Car (282 MPG!) in 2010
by Michael Graham Richard, Gatineau, Canada on 07. 3.08
VW's 282 MPG Super Fuel Efficient Car
The 1-Liter car has been around in prototype form since 2002 and greens everywhere have been drooling at its 282 miles per gallon fuel economy (or 1 liter of gasoline per 100 kilometers, hence the name). VW has finally decided to make more and sell them, and a limited edition (estimated in the thousands) should start selling in 2010.
1-Liter Car Technical Specs
The One-Liter car (or 1-Litre, over in Europe) weights only 660 pounds. The body is made from carbon composites and it is shaped to be extremely slippery, giving it a coefficient of drag of only 0.16 ("the average car comes in around 0.30 and the Honda Insight had a Cd of 0.25"). The prototype was powered by a 1-cylinder diesel engine, but the production model should have a 2-cylinder diesel (which means it could be powered by algae-biodiesel!), and maybe even a stop-start anti-idling feature (to cut the engine when the car is stopped)....
Happy Oil Independence Day
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 07. 3.08
If ever a picture told a story...
No matter what curve fitting equation you use to project a trend; no matter what mental model you frame this chart with; no matter what your employer demands, you can see where this slippery slope is heading. Up....
Got Mail? Here's How to Dump the Junk
by Team Treehugger, Worldwide on 07. 3.08
Photo by sgoralnick on flickr
The following guest post was submitted by Annabelle Gurwitch, host of WA$TED on Planet Green.
If you're like me, meaning you're a sentient being with a mail box, then I probably don't have to tell you what a horrible scourge junk mail is.
My personal favorite piece of unnecessary mail we received at our house this year is the letter my ten year old son received from Hugh Hefner inviting him to join the Playboy Club-printed on double heavy paper no less!...
Computers Use a lot of Energy, But Can Save Even More
by Michael Graham Richard, Gatineau, Canada on 07. 3.08
Good Computer, Bad Computer
The Global eSustainability Initiative has released a report showing that while information and communications technologies (ICT) use a lot of energy and have an impact on global warming, that impact might not be negative. It is true that electronic equipment worldwide is about on par with aviation for CO2 emissions with 830 million tonnes (or 2% of total), but the other side of the coin is that these technology could help avoid 7.8 billion tonnes of CO2 emissions by 2020, or 500% more than what they caused.
How Computers Make us Greener
The most obvious way that electronic equipment can make us greener is by reducing transportation emissions: Videoconferencing, email, audio calls, etc. That should all add up to between 140m and 220m tonnes of CO2 a year in 2020. But the real big improvements are elsewhere: Improving logistics (f.ex. planning better routes for delivery vehicles, managing supply chains better, etc) could save 1.5 billion tonnes of CO2, using data networking to create a "smart" grid could save 2 billion tonnes of CO2, and computer-controlled buildings that can manage lighting and ventilation depending on how many people are inside could save a further 1.7 billion tonnes of CO2....
Our Country’s Newest “Blue Trail” – The Congaree River In South Carolina
by Rebecca Wodder, American Rivers on 07. 3.08
As President of American Rivers, the nation’s leading river conservation organization, I get to enjoy our nation’s rivers more than most people. After all, it’s my job! But, I don’t come to work everyday just because I love rivers and want to protect them so our communities can continue to thrive. I come to work everyday because I want everyone to love and appreciate rivers. I want all Americans to have a stake in the future of our rivers and the best way to do that is to connect people with their local rivers and streams. To engage individuals with rivers and allow people to truly see what they have to offer. To many people, a river is just something to look at as they cross a bridge – if they even notice it at all. In order to change this, we need to give people the opportunity to personally experience a river - to witness its beauty, behold its grace and respect its power....
"Creation Care" - A Growing Movement
by Greg Haegele, Sierra Club on 07. 3.08
It is a common misconception that communities of faith and environmentalists have little in common. In the United States today, 67% of Americans say they care about the environment because it is "God's creation" - and close to half of our members say they attend worship services at least once a month. Most of the world's major religions have long-standing traditions and teachings that inform how humans should interact with the natural world.
So make no mistake - "creation care" is certainly a growing movement. In the face of unprecedented environmental challenges like global warming, people from all walks of life are coming together to make a difference.
We recently released our "Faith in Action" report, which highlights one exceptional faith-based environmental initiative from each of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. The report illustrates the growing momentum of the "creation care" movement....
TreeHugger Tip: How to Bike to Work (without all the sweat!)
by Chris Tackett, Fayetteville, Arkansas on 07. 3.08
Quote of the Day: David Brussat on Green Building
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 07. 3.08
David Brussat of the Providence Journal reviews Jim Kunstler's World Made By Hand more coherently than I did, and concludes with a lovely description of how buildings should be designed for a world without oil.
" We must start to think about an architecture that makes environmental sense, or someday we will indeed be forced to make our houses by hand. Architects must embrace new buildings with windows that open and close, rooms arrayed around courtyards, designed to take advantage of natural air and natural light. They should use natural materials that take less energy to make and transport to building sites. Houses with porches are “entertainment systems” that build community.
The green building movement needs to rethink its focus on fitting ever more energy-saving devices into increasingly goofy buildings. Architecture that instead taps into public tastes for tradition, familiarity and comfort will give us places that create their own natural preservation societies, because they are loved. Reusing old buildings is the true green architecture. Buildings designed for decades must give way to buildings designed for centuries." ::Providence Journal...
Giant Rubber Snake 'Anaconda' Could Bring Cost of Wave Power Down
by Michael Graham Richard, Gatineau, Canada on 07. 3.08
Wave Power Technology
Most wave power devices so far, like those from Ocean Power Delivery, are made of metal and contain many hydraulic rams, hinges and articulated joints. This makes them expensive, and the more things there are to break, the higher maintenance costs will be.
Introducing the Anaconda
Francis Farley, an experimental physicist, and Rod Rainey of Atkins Oil and Gas, have invented a new device that could help bring the cost of wave power down. They call it the 'Anaconda' after the species of aquatic boas (and a cheesy movie). It's basically "a large distensible rubber tube that is closed at both ends and filled completely with water [...] designed to be anchored just below the sea’s surface, with one end facing the oncoming waves." It is meant to be cheap to produce and maintain....
Back To The Land, New York Times Style
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 07. 3.08
The article starts off really badly, with a picture of farmer Dan Gibson's modest little farmhouse with a porte cochère big enough to park a combine harvester, and a description of how the former VP of Starwood Hotels raises Angus cattle but spends his spare time in house that "has a theater that wouldn’t be out of place in a Steven Spielberg residence, a wine cellar and a log cabin annex with a magnificent dry stack stone fireplace, a billiards table and a stuffed bear and bobcat glowering down between beams made of North Carolina pine — each beam an entire mature tree."
It gets slightly better though, as Ralph Gardner describes how "In recent years, as the local food movement has grown and farmers’ markets have proliferated, a new breed of back-to-the-landers has emerged."...
If Nothing Else Works, Pray for Lower Gas Prices
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 07. 3.08
Image source
Jim Morrison said "When I was back there in seminary school, There was a person there Who put forth the proposition That you can petition the Lord with prayer. Petition the Lord with prayer. Petition the Lord with prayer.
You cannot petition the Lord with prayer!"
Tell that to Rocky Twyman, who has been holding prayer vigils around the country; he says that since politicians have been unable to do anything about gas prices, its time for divine intervention. This week he is praying at the Saudi Embassy, to pray that they turn the taps on a little more.
"Bush can't solve it. McCain and Obama can't solve it. We're going to have to turn to God." People in Toledo think it can't hurt. "I'm praying right along with them. Because I miss my dollar gas," said one.
And I want a pony. ::NBC24 and ::CNSNews
...
Heat Wave Temperatures to Reach Record Highs by End of Century
by Jeremy Elton Jacquot, Los Angeles on 07. 3.08
Image from Jesse Bikman
Can you imagine a future in which current record high temperatures will be considered "lovely and cool"? If not, you might want to get used to the idea, says Andreas Sterl, a climate modeler with the Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute and the author of an upcoming study published in Geophysical Research Letters.
As the AP's Seth Borenstein reports, Sterl's model predicts heat wave temperatures will rise twice as fast as regular average global temperatures by 2100....
Veggie Burgers, Green BBQ Drinks and GPS Devices
by Jessica Root - Brooklyn, NY on 07. 3.08
:: Seek out your town's best veggie burger joint.
:: Sip on sustainable drinks at your 4th of July fete.
:: Save gas, cash and the planet by getting techy with mobile internet mapping.
:: Add flavor to an ordinary salad or pasta by tossing in some garlic scapes.
:: Learn why off-roading wreaks havoc for the desert. ...
Library Late Fees in Alberta Are 16 Times Bigger than Environmental Fines at the Alberta Tar Sands
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 07. 3.08
George Peridas, NRDC
The Alberta Tar Sands are called by some the most destructive project on earth, and their toxic tailing ponds kill birds and are poisoning downstream native communities. It has the worst air quality in the country, and companies regularly run afoul of exceedance limits, but in 2006 all of the oil companies were fined only $ 249,000. Library patrons in Calgary and Edmonton, on the other hand, were fined $4 million for overdue books.
"The Tar Sands is the largest fossil fuel project on the planet, home to toxic tailing ponds and Canada's worst air quality, and yet Albertans are fined more for returning their library books late" says Gillian McEachern of Forest Ethics. "The Federal and Alberta governments either lack the capacity or are willfully ignoring the need to enforce environmental laws in the Tar Sands. The Tar Sands look more and more like a safe haven for the world's largest and most profitable oil companies to do as they please." ::press release from ::Forest Ethics...
U.S. DOE Announces $30.5 Billion in Loan Guarantees for Renewable & Nuclear Energy Projects
by Matthew McDermott, Brooklyn, NY on 07. 3.08
photo: Getty Images
The U.S. Department of Energy has put a lot of money on the table lately. Last week saw $90 million for geothermal research. The agency's latest announcement brings much more, albeit in the form of loan guarantees and not outright grants.
Three separate solicitations announced
The U.S. DOE has announced three solicitations for a total of $30.5 billion in loan guarantees for “advanced energy technologies that avoid, reduce, or sequester air pollutants or greenhouse gas emissions.” There are three solicitation areas: energy efficiency, renewable energy and advanced transmission and distribution technologies; nuclear power facilities, and “advanced nuclear facilities for the “front-end” of the nuclear fuel cycle.”
...
From the Forums: Grocery Store Stupid Human Tricks
by Alan Graham, Portland, Oregon on 07. 3.08
jcoffman:
Ok... So I am at the grocery store the other day in the veggie isle. I am waiting for a lady in front of me to finish so I decide to watch her. She is looking at fresh corn on the cob. They are on sale. 10 ears for $2.00! I thought it was a decent price, and wanted to get some too. She is picking up this corn, turning it, peering cautiously into the top like something is going to jump out at her etc... She looks over and sees the prepackaged corn on the cob, looks back at the fresh one in her hand, and tosses it down, grabs the styrofoam/cellophane wrapped corn and walks off. I was shocked! First of all, I was saddened by the fact that she CLEARLY had no idea what she was looking at with the fresh corn, but secondly that she choose the plastic wrapped corn over the no waste corn... Last but not least, she passed up 10 ears at $2.00 for the packaged corn that cost $5.40 for only 4 ears!!!!Perhaps she just wasn't familiar with the bio-degradable packaging that fresh corn is sealed in from the farm? Have any similar stories to share?...
30,000 Farmed Salmon Make A Break For It
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 07. 3.08
We have noted before that farmed Atlantic salmon growing in pens in western waters in not necessarily the best idea, but it is a huge business in Norway, Chile and British Columbia. It is slightly smaller in BC today, after strong ocean currents moved a net near Campbell River, BC. The company says "One of the anchor lines ... apparently slipped to a low spot on the ocean floor and in so doing pulled down the corner of the cage so much the fish were able to swim out, which is really unusual." But it could be disastrous for the already threatened wild Pacific salmon stocks.
"You get juvenile Atlantics, they're not indigenous to the coast and they start competing with the wild salmon and they start putting the wild salmon at risk. Everything has to be done to stop having those Atlantic salmon in the ocean," says Jennifer Lash of the Living Ocean Society in the Globe and Mail. "Any time you bring in an invasive species or a non-indigenous species ... it poses a threat to the existing biological diversity."
...
Flat Screen TVs Worse For Climate Than a Big Coal Plant
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 07. 3.08
And not just because of all the people sitting there using electricity and eating corn chips. 4,000 tons of nitrogen triflouride is used each year in the production of flat screen TVs and monitors. Michael Prathner of the Environment Institute of the University of California in Irvine claims that the stuff is 17,000 times as potent a greenhouse gas as carbon dioxide, and writes in Geophysical Research Letters that it has "a potential greenhouse impact larger than that of the industrialised nations' emissions of perflourocarbons (PFCs) or sulfur hexaflouride (SF6), or even that of the world's largest coal-fired power plants". It survives in the atmosphere for 550 years, and if this year's supply got out, it would be equivalent to 67 million tonnes of CO2.
''Nitrogen trifluoride can be called the missing greenhouse gas. It is a synthetic chemical produced in industrial quantities, it is not included in the Kyoto basket of greenhouse gases, or in national reporting under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change,'' Professor Prather said in the Sentinel....
Biodiesel Byproduct Could Yield High-Value Chemicals, New Research Shows
by Matthew McDermott, Brooklyn, NY on 07. 3.08
Jatropha seed photo courtesy of Mali Biocarburant, a Malian collective biodiesel producer.
One of the byproducts of the biodiesel refining process is glycerin: For every 10 pounds of biodiesel, about 1 pound of glycerin is also produced. In certain countries, Mali in particular, the glycerin is being used in soap making, so as to increase the revenue from a given quantity of feedstock.
In most other places, the rapid increase in biodiesel production volumes has resulted in producers having to pay to get rid of their leftover glycerin, Rice University researcher Ramon Gonzalez told Science Daily. This led Gonzalez and his team to research ways to convert glycerin into higher value chemicals.
...
Save $2,100 Per Year In Gasoline Expense - Live Dense
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 07. 3.08
The Chicago-based Center for Neighborhood Technology, who we've featured previously [See: Center For Neighborhood Technologies Releases Cost Of Living Index] has extended their research on how lifestyle choice affects one's budget and environmental "footprint." Their latest work focuses on fuel expenses as a function of where you live. The findings are stunning. ..people who live close to transit, jobs, schools and retail – typically in cities and inner ring suburbs – spend up to $2,100 less annually on gasoline than residents of outer ring suburbs, where homes and amenities are generally more spread out and require more driving.That's considerably more than the tax rebate checks that large US families just got from the IRS. And, unlike a one-time give back from the Feds, the benefit of living denser is like the gift that keeps giving: it comes year after year....
Japan Hopes to Have Solar Power Transmission in Space by 2030
by Matthew McDermott, Brooklyn, NY on 07. 3.08
digital illustration: Getty Images
The future of air travel may not be gigantic turtle-shaped airships, but Japan hopes to test another idea straight out of science fiction, solar power stations in space, within the next two decades.
Scientific American is running a piece in their June issue which discusses the ambitious, orbital solar energy plans currently being discussed by Japan’s space agency. Without giving it all away, here are the main points:
...
TH Blog Love - Our Favourite Greens Of The Week
by Leonora Oppenheim, London, UK on 07. 3.08
DH Love Life: Worm Poop by Daryl Hannah
Daryl visits the amazing recycling superstars Terracycle to see their worm poop, their reused packaging and all the other inventive things they do with our waste.
Next Billion: Expo Zaragoza '08 and Other Reasons to Join the Water Conversation by Francisco Noguera. "If there was ever a good summer to be in Spain, 2008 was it. Not only because of the great celebrations that surely followed Torres' match-winning goal last Sunday, but also because of the remarkable Expo Zaragoza 08. Titled "Water and Sustainable Development", the Expo will be a three-month long venue... to celebrate water and raise awareness about its role in our planet."...
Survey: Do We Need To End Hidden Oil Subsidies?
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 07. 3.08
A recent study found that the United States subsidizes Big Oil with between $78 and $158 Billion dollars per year; Mike concludes "Many of us greens tend to lose perspective. Many will spend a lot of time and energy in getting small subsidies for their favorite green project, but the big target should really be ending these massive hidden oil subsidies to truly level the playing field....If it did, oil prices would definitely be higher, but people would also have more money in their pockets.[through tax savings]"
...
Air Should Be Free
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 07. 3.08
Dear Ultramar:
Yesterday TreeHugger ran a post reporting that if every driver slowed down, drove 5% less and kept their tires properly inflated, it would save twice as much gas as the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge oil could provide. Other sites report that proper tire pressure alone could save 4% of our gas consumption. I planned to write today that air should be free, a service provided to customers like water and paper towels for checking oil, to encourage people to keep their tires properly inflated.
I was going to illustrate it with a picture of your high tech, easy to use and free air pump south of Gravenhurst, Ontario. I had even switched to your brand because of it, filling up and checking my tires every time I went past. But when I got there, what did I find? You ripped it out.
...
Renewable Energy Powered Eco-Resort Planned by Richard Branson
by Matthew McDermott, Brooklyn, NY on 07. 3.08
photo by Chris Ford
Whatever secret superpowered personal energy source Richard Branson has in that body of his, I want some of it. Not content with his myriad other business ventures, the Virgin Group chairman is set to stake his claim in another market segment: Eco-Resorts. Note to those of you who may want to start down this career path, it helps to have two private Caribbean Islands to set you on your way.
Eco-Villas Planned for Branson's Two Little Spots of Heaven
Although it is not a done deal yet as the resort plans have yet to be approved, but the British tycoon has big green plans for his foray into resort development. Branson intends to create 20 exclusive villas and a beachfront restaurant all powered by wind turbines and solar panels. The planned buildings will be designed to make the most of the local wind patterns so as to avoid the need for air conditioning. All the food will be come from local, organic sources and all motorized transport will be powered by biofuels.
...
Children Labeled ‘at risk’ from Mercury in Dental Fillings
by Kenny Luna, North Babylon, NY on 07. 3.08
In a complete turnabout the Food and Drug Administration has issued a health warning over amalgam dental fillings after insisting for years that they were safe. A change in stance which is a major victory for activists who claim fillings can cause a range of problems, including heart conditions and Alzheimer's disease.
According to their website, the FDA now states that fillings contain mercury that "may have neuro-toxic effects on the nervous systems of developing children and fetuses".
...
High Density Vertical Growth (HDVG) Garden: by Valcent
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 07. 3.08
In Victorian times, houses were very narrow, multi-storied, and had a small "footprint" on the land. This left more land for private gardening, and commons, among other things. Then came the 1960s, and "ranch style" homes, with half-acre grass covered lots. By the 1970's anyone with a vegetable garden in a suburban or city back yard were "hippies," "weird," or "old fashioned."
The 1990's saw the boom of Mega-Mansions on postage stamp sized lots, weekly lawn-care crew visits, and still little vegetable gardening on a respectable scale, regardless of whether one lives in the city or the suburbs. Now we have an oil crisis overlain with a salmonella crisis: both of which the US Federal government seems incapable of dealing with. Vertical gardening might help change that. ...the system is designed to grow vegetables and other foods much more efficiently and with greater food value than in agricultural field conditions. The HDVG system demonstrates the following characteristics:...
Lost & Found: Barcelona Reinvents Second Hand Markets
by Petz Scholtus, Barcelona, Spain on 07. 3.08
Darning Clothes As an Art Form
by Bonnie Alter, London on 07. 3.08
The Royal College of Art Summer Show has a whole section featuring textile artists. Celia Pym loves darning clothes; she sees it as a way of reclaiming old clothes and recognising their intrinsic beauty. She has done it in Paris and the Orkney Islands and wants to mend her way around the UK. Now she is in London. For one project she invited people to bring in clothing with holes. Responding to signs stuck on posts, they brought in things that they treasured which may not have been particularly elegant, but were special to them. Then she repaired the pieces, making little embellishments by using unmatched colours and not-so-straight lines and squiggles. As part of her show, she will be inviting the public to come and learn how to darn, using old hospital sheets which will then be returned, all fixed up.
For her Graduate project she created a performance piece. She is knitting a pile of cream-coloured squares throughout the duration of the show. She intends to knit her height in them. She calls it "knitting until you're done" (that is until she graduates). In the old days knitted squares were used for blankets. For her knitting is productive, useful and meditative. Her other piece is based on her thoughts about legs; being an avid ocean swimmer. She has knitted a pair of long blue knitted legs with white lines of darning on them. :: Royal College of Art Show RCA...
Solar Photovoltaic Rebate Program Introduced into Senate
by Matthew McDermott, Brooklyn, NY on 07. 3.08
photo by KQED QUEST-some rights reserved.
The world of solar energy has been tumultuous of late in the United States: the BLM essentially bans solar power projects on public lands, then reverses its decision because of public outcry. Not to mention the inaction in the Senate on one set of renewable energy legislation, and the action in the House on another. Here’s another twist in the road of clean energy promotion.
Ten Million Solar Roofs In Ten Years
U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) has introduced a new bill into the Senate to help ease the cost for homeowners wanting to install solar panels. The 10 Million Solar Roofs Act of 2008 will offer rebates for up to half the installation costs of solar photovoltaic systems, and would be in place for the next ten years. In addition to private homes and businesses, non-profit organizations, and state and local governments would be eligible for the rebates.
...
Architectural Innovation and Energy Savings Could Result from Super-insulator Breakthrough
by Christine Lepisto, Berlin on 07. 3.08
Image credit: Roger Ressmeyer/CORBIS
Aerogel was invented in 1931. But at $3000 per kilogram, it's use has been limited to visionary projects and unique structural applications like reinforcement of tennis raquets. But that could change soon. Halimaton Hamdan, a Cambridge-trained professor of chemistry at the Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (Technical University of Malaysia), has announced the discovery of a cheap process for turning waste rice husks into aerogel. Actually into "Maerogel", as Hamdan has dubbed the "Malaysian aerogel"....
Stylish Green Product At Your Front Door To Utilize Rain Water
by greenz.jp, Tokyo, Japan on 07. 3.08
Starting from June to mid July is the rainy season in Japan and we can never leave without an umbrella. Many Japanese department stores and supermarkets have little plastic bags at the entrance of the store for customers to slip their wet umbrella and keep the place dry and safe.
However, according to Japan for Sustainability, Japanese consumers already use roughly 30.5 billion plastic bags annually, the equivalent of 420,000 kiloliters of oil. Adding more plastic bags to the mix is the last thing we want to do. So here is how the Kyoei Design team tackled this issue with their innovative and stylish, “umbrella pot”. ...
500 Square Miles of Montana Wilderness Bought Up, Protected From Development
by Matthew McDermott, Brooklyn, NY on 07. 2.08
photo by brklynnovember via flickr
I don’t think it’s enough of a pattern to be called a trend, but after Florida buying up a large chunk of the Everglades for restoration to its natural state, and now something similar happening in Montana, things are looking a little better for US wild spaces.
The New York Times is reporting that the Nature Conservancy and the Trust for Public Land have reached an agreement for the purchase of a patchwork of privately owned forest some 500 square miles in size—an area about a third the size of Rhode Island.
...