- 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 October 26, 2008 - November 1, 2008
Total this week: 202
Trees Are Nature's Climate Air Conditioners, Study Finds
by Jeremy Elton Jacquot, Los Angeles on 11. 1.08
Image from twoblueday
If you're reading this, I probably don't need to waste my time trying to convince you that trees are great. They absorb carbon dioxide, they can be used to power small remote sensors and they're pretty darn nice to look at too. Now a new study by a team of scientists from Germany and the UK has discovered another beneficial property: they can block out the sun (and not just by providing shade), as The Guardian's David Adam reports....
ExxonMobil Still Fighting Hard to Avoid Making Interest Payments in Valdez Oil Spill Debacle
by Jeremy Elton Jacquot, Los Angeles on 11. 1.08
Image from marinephotobank
For a company that supposedly prides itself on being more than just your "regular" oil firm (is it just me or was every other ad during the Beijing Olympics an ad for ExxonMobil's "softer" side?), ExxonMobil sure has a strange way of showing it. Indeed, while it continues to rake in record profits (most of which I'm guessing does not derive from its non-oil initiatives), it has fought tooth and nail in court to avoid making the interest payments it owes to the victims of the 1989 Valdez oil spill. The Center for Public Integrity's Marianne Lavelle, who got the scoop on the story, notes that the amount it owes, roughly $500 million, corresponds to about three days' worth of its profits. ...
GE Backs Plug-in Hybrids to the Tune of $55 Million
by Eric Leech, New York, NY on 11. 1.08
Photo by Lisa Williams
General Electric (GE) has announced their intentions to boost their initial $30 million investment for the manufacture of the lithium-ion battery, up to $55 million with a sixth contribution. This news makes them the single most largest corporate or personal investor involved in the production of the A123 hybrid battery system, with over 9 percent ownership in the project as of now....
Kiss My Face Launches Sheer Organic Shimmers & Shines Lip Care Line
by Emma Grady, New York, NY on 11. 1.08
Sheer Organic Shimmers by Kiss My Face
Kiss My Face founders Bob MacLeod and Steve Byckiewicz opened their Manhattan home for the launch of SOS Sheer Organic Shimmers (lip tint) and Shines (lip gloss) and Potent & Pure Organic Face Care, their new lip and skincare lines this past Tuesday.
Read on for party highlights as well as product pictures and reviews. ...
The TH Interview: Jerry Greenfield of Ben & Jerry's
by Jesse Fox, Tel Aviv, Israel on 11. 1.08
Between their Climate College, "global cooling" efforts and PETA's calls for them to use breast milk in their ice cream (say what!?), Ben & Jerry's have managed to stay several steps ahead of the game for years.
Last week, we caught up with Ben & Jerry's cofounder Jerry Greenfield at Maala's 2008 Corporate Social Responsibility Conference at the Tel Aviv Hilton, where he gave a lecture about his (& Ben's) fascinating journey into the world of responsible, and sustainable, entrepreneurship. Here's what he had to say......
Ad Campaign for Tap Water Proclaims Obama Victory
by Brian Merchant, Brooklyn, New York on 11. 1.08
Image courtesy of Tappening
In what’s being described as a ‘wild postings’ campaign, the anti-bottled water company Tappening will fill top markets, including Washington DC, with ads that congratulate Barack Obama on becoming the next President-elect. And the ads are debuting four days before the election. ...
Carbonfund.org Offsetting 3 Billion Pounds of CO2
by Brian Merchant, Brooklyn, New York on 11. 1.08
Photo courtesy of LA Streets Blog
Three billion pounds is more carbon dioxide than many countries produce in an entire year—and thanks to 400,000 individual contributors and 1,000 business partners, that’s how much the non-profit Carbonfund.org is offsetting right now. The total comes from a diverse range of global offset projects in renewable energy, reforestation, carbon credits and energy efficiency. And it’s one of the most momentous strides in combating climate change made so far....
Tar Sands, Banking Crisis, & Peak Oil - Mired At The Crossroads
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 11. 1.08
As expected, investment in Alberta Tar Sand (what the industry likes to refer to as "oil sands") developments are being cut back a bit; but tar sands developers still expect to remain profitable, even if oil hits US$60/barrel. Suncor Energy Inc., which last week rolled out massive spending cuts because of the credit crisis and slumping oil prices, said it will earn C$28 for every barrel of oil it produces should crude trade at US$60/barrel and Canadian dollar hover around US78 cents.Via:Financial Post, Oil sands still viable at US$60 a barrel: Suncor ...
A Green Retreat on a Greek Island
by Jennifer Hattam, Istanbul, Turkey on 11. 1.08
Photo: Hotel Americana
When you live in a place where three-fourths of the population makes its living from tourism, it only makes sense to try to preserve what people come to enjoy. At the popular beach destination of Kos, one of Greece’s Dodecanese islands, "the concept of 'going green' is still fairly strange," says Hotel Americana proprietor Chris Kordistos, but she's been taking small, steady steps to reduce her business's impact on the island’s natural environment.
...
Vice TV Tracks Down 2 of the Few Remaining “Gorillas in the Midst”
by Brian Merchant, Brooklyn, New York on 11. 1.08
Entire Staff of International Cosmetics Company Goes Vegan for World Vegan Day
by Brian Merchant, Brooklyn, New York on 11. 1.08
Photo courtesy of Indy Media IE
To celebrate World Vegan Day today, the 824 staff members of LUSH Cosmetics in North America will forsake meat and dairy in a company-wide bid to go vegan. LUSH is certainly no stranger to ambitious stunts—their staff did get naked to protest excess packaging, after all. This particular move is made in solidarity with the 700,000 practicing vegans in the US, and to generate publicity for LUSH’s vegan-friendly products which make up 76 percent of the company’s inventory. ...
Jacques Piccard 1922-2008
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 11. 1.08
In 1960 Jacques Piccard reached the bottom of the Mariana Trench , 6.78 miles down, in the bathyscaphe Trieste.
"Ahead of his time in his concern for environmental questions and with a lifelong passion for the study and protection of the seas, he spent a month in 1969 drifting 3,000 km underwater in 1969 exploring the current of the Gulf Stream. But his greatest achievement was his discovery in 1960 of living organisms at a depth of more than 11 000 m, leading to the prohibition of nuclear waste dumping in ocean trenches."Jacques Piccard, dead at 86. Via Solar Impulse, a project of his son, Bertrand Piccard ...
The TH Interview: Van Jones—The Green Collar Economy (Part One)
by Jacob Gordon, Nashville, TN on 11. 1.08
Do you love your hybrid, fear for the plight of the polar bears, dying to put solar panels on your roof? Then you might be a member of the eco-elite. Not that there’s anything wrong with you, says Van Jones, but for a green economy to be truly effective, it needs to be more inclusive. This is the thrust of The Green Collar Economy, Van Jones’ new book. The very quotable Jones is up there among the world’s brightest, seeking a green economy “that is strong enough to pull millions of people out of poverty.” Listen to the podcast of this interview via iTunes, or just click here to listen, right-click to download. Also check: Our recent interview with Van Jones Worldwatch Institute on green jobs The EJCC on race and climate change VanJones.net And Van on The Colbert Report, after the jump... ...
Yogoco Introduces a Yoga Bag Made From Discarded T-Shirts
by Sara Novak, Columbia, SC on 11. 1.08
Photo: Benjamin Segal
Yogoco has introduced an eco-friendly yoga bag that holds it all. It holds your mat, towel, water bottle, and whatever else you need for your practice and comes in whimsical and fun designs. Find out what makes this bag greener than most.
...
This Week In Huffington Post: Politics
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 11. 1.08
Shouldn't We Be Talkin' Sustainable, Green Mortgages?
Mortgages to help buyers take a bit of extra loan money to make energy efficiency improvements to their homes have been around since the Carter Administration. Yet these "green" mortgages have never really taken off - and aren't even a blip in the over $10 trillion mortgage market, says Sustainable Industries Journal. Graham Hill
What Would the Roosevelts Do?...
Royal Society Launches Large-Scale Review of Geoengineering Proposals
by Jeremy Elton Jacquot, Los Angeles on 10.31.08
Image from Nature Geoscience
Desperate times call for desperate measures -- and, no, I'm not talking about the financial crisis. Giving new legitimacy to the study of geoengineering, the Royal Society announced yesterday that it would conduct a large-scale review of the various proposed planetary engineering schemes, such as iron fertilization and space mirrors, reports The Guardian's Alok Jha. (It recently dedicated an entire issue to the controversial topic.)
The review will seek to determine which methods might be feasible to use (if any) and what their potential side-effects on humans and the environment could be. As John Shepherd, the chair of the Royal Society, put it, the review will try to "separate the science from the science fiction"; its objective is to provide recommendations on which methods deserve further scrutiny and funding by governments. ...
Ranking The 3 Rs
by greenz.jp, Tokyo, Japan on 10.31.08
I liked this cartoon by High Moon over at Japan for Sustainability. I never thought about it quite this way before. Ranking the 3 Rs in order of importance, they give Reduce the first place, followed by Reuse and a third place for Recycle. Or should they all rank the same?
JFS also has a cute website for kids, called Create Your Future. Do have a look!...
Mexico City Wins Health Award For Promoting Bicycling
by Eliza Barclay, Washington, D.C. on 10.31.08
Biking in Mexico City? No, it's not an extreme sport for thrill-seekers. It's a weekend pastime for families thanks to a program called Muevete en Bici program, or Get on Your Bicycle. Mayor Marcelo Ebrard's initiative, launched one year ago, closes approximate 6.2 miles (10 kilometers) of major thoroughfares to car traffic, temporarily transforming the traffic-clogged streets into a public park and cycling route, called the cicloton. The program was honored this month by the World Health Organization in the 2008 Active Cities, Healthy Cities contest.
The contest was designed to recognize the efforts of government, communities, and the private sector in Latin American cities to develop initiatives that promote healthier lifestyles. Between 40 percent and 60 percent of Latin American adults do not exercise, increasing their risk of chronic diseases like diabetes, heart disease, and cancer. We also like the program, of course, because it encourages residents not to drive....
Dream Village Needs Your Vote to Make Books for Kids
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 10.31.08
Photo via Arwen Abendstern
Feel like voting for a good idea and helping to make it happen? Dream Village has come up with a great idea for writing inspirational true-story books for kids that get them revved up about social change and environmental activism. The organization is a nonprofit that raises funds for activism, which the kids who read the books can decide how best to use.
They need your vote to win funding for their project. Read on to find out a little more and vote....
Jenny Hwa of Loyale is an Oprah "Leader in Training"
by Jasmin Malik Chua, Jersey City, USA on 10.31.08
Photo credit: Loyale
TreeHugger would like to congratulate Jenny Hwa, owner and designer of eco-chic fashion label Loyale, for making O the Oprah Magazine's White House Leadership Project.
More than 3,000 women applied for the contest last spring, and the 80 winners were invited to attend a three-day crash course in New York CIty on creating change in the world, with coaching from top women leaders in the country.
...
Solar Power to Provide 80% Of Bolthouse Farms’ Palmdale, Calif. Operation's Electricty
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 10.31.08
image: Bolthouse Farms
Wm. Bolthouse Farms, grower and marketer of a wide range of juices, salad dressings and carrots (including the organic brand “Earthbound Farm”), has announced that it has installed a solar power system at its Palmdale, California location which will supply 80% of the sites electricity needs.
The 1.9MW solar array will be owned and operated by MMA Renewable Ventures under a long-term power purchase agreement with Bolthouse Farms. Explaining the benefits of using a PPA instead of buying the panels outright, Bolthouse issued the follow statement:...
Happy Halloween! Protect Yourself From Vampire Power (Video)
by George Spyros, New York City, USA on 10.31.08
AT&T (Finally!) Installing Energy-Saving Software on Its Computers
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 10.31.08
Photo via MrBill
Apparently it only took the economy taking a tumble to finally get AT&T to install some “duh” energy-saving (and therefore money-saving) software onto 310,000 desktop computers at their US facilities. This tiny fix adds up to some huge numbers......
Green Jobs Can Bail Out the Environment, Rebuild Communities: Worldwatch Institute
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 10.31.08
photo: Green Jobs Now
In case you needed any more reinforcement of the idea that one of the best way to move out of the current financial morass is by promoting and expanding the green job sector, a new report from Worldwatch Institute called Green Jobs: Working for People and the Environment outlines the scale of green jobs already out there and advocates that a “bailout for the environment” can create jobs on a global level and “help rebuild communities amidst the ashes of the current economic crisis.”
So this is a bit of the overview of the green job sector the report gives, in terms of numbers of people employed: ...
Data Centers Will Run on Green Energy, But Boot the Little Guys Out
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 10.31.08
Photo via Barmala
Data Centers are greening up right and left thanks to the keeping-up-with-the-Joneses mentality of the IT industry.
A new report, Microsoft and Google: Cloud Computing Dominance Through Renewable Energy, however, states that computing companies that can buy green power in bulk will be the only ones able to keep running in the future, since green power will be cheaper than that from fossil fuels. ...
USB-Heated Fingerless Gloves Keep the Thermostat Turned Down
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 10.31.08
Photo via USB Brando
If you’re having trouble keeping warm as the weather cools but are reluctant to heat the whole house just to keep your digits intact while working on the computer, try out these cool gloves that plug right in to your PC. ...
Healthy Halloween Tips, Starbucks' Fill of Fair Trade and Eco-Savvy Holidays
by Team Treehugger, Worldwide on 10.31.08
Too much of a good thing (like fair trade, organic and homemade Halloween treats) can still be a bad thing. See how to prevent your kids--and yourself--from OD'ing on sugar this Halloween.
Starbuck's announces it will double its purchases of fair trade coffee to 40 million pounds in 2009--making the company the largest purchaser of Fair Trade Certified™ coffee in the world.
Just in time for the holidays, Eco-Libris reviews the book, Celebrate Green! Creating Eco-Savvy Holidays, Celebrations & Traditions for the Whole Family.
Sustainablog shares a paper-free book alternative.
The Cornucopia Institute's Organic Dairy Products Scorecard ranks organic milk producers. What's the grade of your favorite brand?
Most Huggable is a regular roundup of some of Hugg's top green news stories. Why not submit your own green news?...
7 Ways To Save the World with Google Earth on Your iPhone
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 10.31.08
Google Earth is an excellent tool for environmental activism. And of course it was only a matter of time before they developed an app for the iPhone – putting the tool right in your pocket (if you have an iPhone, of course).
So, if you have this amazing tool on your iPhone, wouldn’t it be great to use it to defeat the forces of evil, or at least have some fun? We’ve gathered up a few ways you can use the Google Earth iPhone app to save the planet. ...
Potent Greenhouse Gas on the Rise: Atmospheric Methane Levels Increasing Again
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 10.31.08
Siberian wetlands may be releasing more methane due to prolonged above normal temperatures. Photo: Weiting Liu.
After almost a decade of close to zero growth in atmospheric contcentration, methane (a gas 25 times more potent than carbon dioxide, and responsible for about 20% of global warming since the industrial revolution) levels have begun to rise again, scientists are reporting.
One suspected cause of the increase is additional methane being released from high northern latitudes, due to a year long warm spell in Siberia causing more methane than normal to be released from wetlands in the region. However, this would not account for similar emission increases in the Southern Hemisphere.
Whatever the cause, the news is not good for global warming, according to Dr Paul Fraser of the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation:...
Data Confirms Cycling On the Rise in New York City
by Andrew Posner, Providence, Rhode Island on 10.31.08
New York City has been working hard to promote cycling, for instance by unveiling a new plan to become more bicycle friendly, looking into creating a bike-share program, hosting a bike movie festival, and sponsoring competitions for the design of a better bike rack. While some of the efforts fall more into the promotion/awareness category, many of them have also involved real infrastructure improvements. And according to new data released by the NYC Department of Transportation, they appear to be paying off -- bicycle commuting has significantly risen.
...
Arran Stephens of Nature's Path on Independence in the Fast-Consolidating Food Industry
by Jeff Nield, Vancouver, British Columbia on 10.31.08
Arran Stephens is the CEO and co-founder, with his wife Ratana, of Nature's Path. The company is one of the leading privately owned and family operated organic food companies in North America. They sell their certified organic cereals, breads, cookies, and snack bars in 42 countries around the world.
Stephens opened Canada's first large organic supermarket in 1971 in Vancouver. The name of the store, Lifestream, was used for a successful line of natural products that was sold in 1981 and eventually bought by Kraft/Philip Morris. After launching Nature's Path in 1985 the company caught the first consumer wave of organic consciousness in experienced huge growth while maintaining it's core organic philosophy. In 1995, in a move that typifies how Stephens approaches business, he bought back Lifestream from Kraft so he could control the quality of the brand.
Click through for our Q+A with this organic food pioneer.
...
From the Forums: Healthy Food for a New Dog?
by Alan Graham, Portland, Oregon on 10.31.08
inkabinkaboo182 has a new dog:
I just got a new dog yesterday (adopted from a shelter, of course!), and I'm having trouble finding organic goods for him. He's a big, 70 lbs, dog, and not yet fully grown at ten months old. He needs some stuff, and I want it to be organic.Read More...
Hydrogen Fuel Cell Waste Water to Be Bottled & Sold in India
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 10.31.08
Though water is still often collected from taps in many places, as an estimated 1600 people die daily across the country from contaminated water supplies, the market for purified bottled water is growing. Water jugs waiting to be filled, photo by: McKay Savage.
Here’s a market synergy you might not have seen coming: Bottling purified waste water from manufacturing hydrogen fuel cells and selling it at fuel stations. That’s just what Indian firm Bharat Petroleum has indicated it will being doing. Shareholders approved the bottled water business earlier in the summer, and the Mumbai-based company says it has tentative plans to build a 1000 MW hydrogen fuel cell plant within the next three to five years (Cleantech). So, how much purified water will it be able to produce?
...
Chevron in San Francisco Court for Nigerian Human Rights Case
by Alex Smith, San Francisco, California on 10.31.08
Chevron Faces Torture, Wrongful Death, Assault, And Other Claims
Chevron is in San Francisco Federal Court this week, defending itself against charges that it helped kill two Nigerian villagers who were protesting the companies' lack of social responsibility and regard for the environment. At the heart of the case is the question of whether Nigerian protesters did so peacefully or with force. More below the fold....
TVs Meeting New Energy Star Standards Hitting Stores for Holidays
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 10.31.08
Photo via Elsie esq
The EPA will be helping holiday shoppers out with new Energy Star labels on TVs. Earlier this month we talked about Energy Star requirements toughening up on TVs, and new requirements going in place by November 1.
Well, also beginning November 1, TVs that meet EPA’s newer, more comprehensive specifications will be in stores and ready for green-minded consumers.
So, which TVs are getting new labels?...
Mountain Gorillas Caught in the Middle of DR Congo Fighting, Park Rangers Forced to Flee
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 10.31.08
photo: Gorilla.cd
In the midst of all the fighting going on in the Democratic Republic of Congo (background info on the conflict), in addition to all of the ordinary people being displaced by fighting, a further tragedy is taking place: The rangers of Virunga National Park, home to about 200 endangered mountain gorillas, were driven from park headquarters on October 26 by the forces of Laurent Nkunda and, according to their blog, “forced to flee into the forest for their lives.” With the park rangers displaced and fierce fighting continuing, the future of the gorilla population is in question.
More on the plight of the Virunga park rangers and the mountain gorillas:...
"Energy Star @ Work" Online Tool Launches
by Kristin Underwood, Sacramento, CA on 10.31.08
Image source: Energy Star @ Work
Two years ago US EPA's Energy Star Program released their Energy Star @ Home tool that allows users to go room by room, clicking on objects and learning about how to save energy left and right. Now the 2.0 version is now available - Energy Star @ Work - allowing users to take their energy savings to work. ...
Kromer Blizzard Cap: No Longer Just For Real Men
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 10.31.08
Kromer: The Original Working Man's Winter Hat
I've had an original navy blue wool "Kromer Blizzard Cap" since I bought it in a used clothing store back in the 1970's. It's the perfect winter hat: made of natural materials - principally wool and cotton - and thoughtfully designed. My Kromer never itched my ears or made my head feel crawly (like some wool hats do), because of the full soft cotton lining. The wool is pre-shrunken, so the fit lasts. Another Kromer design hallmark is the convertible wrap-around ear flap, which slides up and down without removing the cap.
Brand & Design Recycled By Stormy Kromer Merchantile
Years after the original Milwaukee-based Kromer went out of business Stormy Kromer Mercantile recycled the brand, remaining faithful to the original (perfect in my opinion) men's hat design. They've also expanded the market appeal, offering more colors and materials: clearly leveraging the hat's macho outdoorsy reputation in the banner ad (excerpt) pictured.
Which was why I was surprised a bit, yesterday, to see that Target had a knock-off version in the women's department. Made me recall giving a Kromer to a girlfriend to wear over her long blond hair - man did she look warm in it. Well...what women like, goes around and grows:- Stormy-Kromer now has a more "feminine" version called the IDA Kromer (shown below)....
New Search Engine Fights Climate Change with Trees
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 10.31.08
Planting trees as a way to offset carbon emissions is a bit controversial, since a lot more has to happen to change the plight of Arctic ice than putting trees in the ground. However, reforestation is an absolute must so planting trees is pretty cool, even if it is under the guise of reversing global warming.
Going farther than just a search tool bar, Ecocho is a whole search engine that plants trees based on search counts. And while green search engines are nothing new, Ecocho has a neat twist. ...
Using Life Cycle Analysis to Reduce Emissions and Encourage Video Conferencing
by Jenna Watson, Barcelona on 10.31.08
Image Credit: EMPA
We like to see life cycle assessment being used in everyday situations, especially when it comes to helping businesses reduce their environmental impacts (and even if it means looking at rather archaic looking graphs like the one above). The scientists at EMPA (Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science & Technology) – the creators of Ecoinvent, one of the most important life cycle databases – are using LCA to educate businesses that “being there is not everything where environmental issues are concerned.” Environmentally aware entrepreneurs must ask themselves if they really need to be physically present at meetings or if virtual conferencing or phone conferences will suffice.
The EMPA gang has evaluated the possibilities using life cycle assessment and their results say that the most important factor in a real journey is the energy consumed by the means of transport (trains, planes or automobiles), something we don’t find very surprising. But it’s nice to see the clear numbers. They also say that rail is by far the best transportation option. ...
On Moving Toward Vegetarianism: the Social Contract
by Kelly Rossiter, Toronto on 10.31.08
photo by Robert Ouellette
We are quickly approaching party season and people are starting to think about their events. Personally, I love giving dinner parties and twenty or more people is no problem for me at all. I realize that I'm a bit unusual in this and many people find entertaining quite stressful. It can, of course, be stressful for the guests as well, especially if you don't know the hosts or other guests that well. Here are a few things to think about it if you are hosting or attending a dinner party where vegetarians and meat eaters will be sharing the table.
...
Green IT For Dummies Puts Green Tech Advice in Print
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 10.31.08
Photo of data center via Robert Scoble
I’d like to think that here at TreeHugger, we give you all the Green IT run down you need to stay on top of things like data center improvements, smart grid info, green computer upgrades and whatnot – and all in real time, for free! But, if you feel the itch for something more, there happens to be a new reader-friendly resource coming your way in March of 2009. ...
Urban Cyclists: Stick Together, Don't Inhale?
by April Streeter, Gothenburg, Sweden on 10.31.08
Poor air quality (and even air that passes the World Health Organization's safe limits for ambient pollution) can significantly impair lung function of cyclists who are riding close to the tail pipes of buses and cars belching particulate matter, research of cycle messengers on the streets of London by Brunel University has found. The fact that the cycle couriers were exercising exacerbated the negative effect of the bad air, researchers said.
While the study recommends that cyclists choose times of less traffic to protect their lungs, it doesn't help those of us that are cycling commuters. Meanwhile a University of South Wales study finds that drivers take more care when there are more cyclists on the roads. What's a dedicated biker to do?
...
10 Eco-Horrors That Should Have You Scared
by Greg Haegele of Sierra Club on 10.31.08
It's the time of year for scary and spooky things, so I came up with a list to meet the requirement. Here are my:
"Ten Things That Scare Me More Than A Horror Movie"
1- John McCain mocking Barack Obama on nuclear power safety.
Senator McCain is very pro-nuclear power, and it gives me the heebie-jeebies that the safety of it is not important to him. Senator McCain's quote:
"You know, the other night in the debate with Senator Obama, I said his eloquence is admirable, but pay attention to his words. We talk about offshore drilling and he said he would quote, consider, offshore drilling. We talked about nuclear power, well it has to be safe, environment, blah, blah, blah."...
Pedal Your Way to a Cold Beer
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 10.31.08
Clever Austrian engineers connected a heat pump to an exercise bike; you drop a can into the copper coil and start pedalling. If you have had enough beer, you can drop a coffee into the other coil on the hot side. Nice way to end a hard exercise session!
PEGE...
How Far Would You Go, Literally, For Sex?
by Mark Ontkush, Boston, Massachusetts, USA on 10.31.08
Once upon a time they were known as HTH's - HomeTown Honeys. This was the acronym ascribed to those undergrad, freshman dorm-dwellers who had had The Conversation with their high school sweetheart and decided that they were going to stick together, the thick and thin thing, even though they were now 1200 miles apart, in separate colleges, and would be for (at least) 4 more years.
The magnanimous valor of the afflicted parties cannot be underestimated; airdropped into the college environment, burning with hormones, enduring ungodly peer pressure, and surrounded by nothing but booze-fuel as far as the keg stand can see, these intrepids must endure 5 weekdays of this nonsense to have their 16 and a quarter hours together on the weekend. They must be given credit - I know for a fact that some of them actually made it work - but it came at a price; thousands of dollars in plane tickets, car rentals, mid-point hotels, per diem expenses, and the clincher; thousands of pounds of CO2 blasted into the atmosphere. And let's not pretend; conversations and breakfasts aside this environmental unholiness was committed, in large part, in the name of sex. As Barron YoungSmith from Slate suggests, this is where the locasexual adventure may begin.
...
DIY Solar Collector from Old Satellite Dish
by Sami Grover, Carrboro, NC, USA on 10.31.08
New Carbon Footprint Standard Launched in the UK
by Jenna Watson, Barcelona on 10.31.08
BBC News reports that the Publicly Available Specification 2050 - PAS 2050 - a newly created audit scheme to help companies measure the carbon footprint of their goods, was launched in the UK by BSI British Standards. The effort aims to provide consistency and transparency for British companies to communicate their products’ carbon footprints to consumers. DEFRA, the UK Department of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, co-sponsored the voluntary system with the Carbon Trust in response to companies looking to count their carbon emissions and consumers wanting to know what how companies are doing just that.
PAS 2050 is an audit system that will help companies calculate the life cycle greenhouse gases emissions of goods and services like food, buildings and electronics. It considers all the life cycle stages of a product from raw materials extraction to end of life (waste management). According to the BSI, the methodology includes six greenhouse gases identified under the Kyoto Protocol and can be used by all sizes and types of organizations. ...
Groovy Gift Baskets from The Groovy Mind
by Kristin Underwood, Sacramento, CA on 10.31.08
Image source: The Groovy Mind
Gift baskets like "Get Your Groove On," "Espress Yo'Self" and "Happy Hour" will lift anyone's spirits. Thinking about getting a "welcome home" "congratulations" or "here's a little extra energy with that new baby" gift from traditional eco-stores and you will have to make the basket yourself. The Groovy Mind now offers 23 different, creative gift baskets for literally just about any occasion, or simply "just because." Gift wrap and a card are included with your purchase of each gift basket. ...
Bear Skin Rugs for the PETA Crowd
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 10.31.08
For those who can't bear to shoot the real thing, Lise Lefebvre takes old Dutch blankets from thrift shops and turns them into her version of the classic bear skin rug....
MagLev Trains By 2025 In Japan, Could Reach 361 MPH!
by greenz.jp, Tokyo, Japan on 10.31.08
(Photo from the Yamanashi MagLev Test Line)
Remember the record test run speeds for Japan's new maglev trainsets? Right answer: 581 km/h (361 mph). Plans to connect Tokyo with Nagoya and Osaka by these new trains that run using magnetic levitation are getting more support in Japan as tests show that it is possible to build the railway in a straight route through the Southern Japanese Alps. Asahi Shimbun is throwing its weight behind the project in an editorial noting that the construction can start within two to three years and the line can open in 2025.
The superconductive maglev train, which holds the world speed record in rail travel at 581 kph, is a product of advanced transportation technology. In the envisioned commercial operation, it will link Tokyo and Nagoya in 40 to 50 minutes, traveling at a maximum speed of 500 kph.Asahi also asks a number of questions:...
Survey: Do You Celebrate Halloween?
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 10.31.08
$5.8 billion was spent last year on crappy candy (see John's list of substances allowed in American food here) and cheap toxic costumes to celebrate this kiddie extortion racket called Halloween.
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Winner of Prix Pictet for Sustainable Photography
by Bonnie Alter, London on 10.31.08
You've seen the shortlist for this new global photography prize that focuses on sustainability. The award is sponsored by Pictet & Cie,a Swiss bank, in association with the Financial Times newspaper. Each year a different theme is the focus of the prize; this year's theme is water. The prize is $100,000 and the chance to work on a water-related project.
The mandate for the photographers is: "works that are of outstanding artistic merit that also communicate messages of urgent global significance." There were 18 finalists chosen from the 200 photographers from 43 countries. The winning photo is by Benoit Aquin, a Canadian from Montreal, Quebec. The winning series was about the desertification in China and called The Chinese Dust Bowl. He says that it is "One of the greatest environmental disasters of our time: The Chinese 'Dust Bowl' is probably the largest conversion of productive land into sand anywhere in the world."
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Used Book Sale Supports OCAD Environmental Essays
by Kristin Underwood, Sacramento, CA on 10.30.08
Image source: Mercer County Library
The OCAD Student Press will be holding a Used Book Sale, Sunday November 2, 2008 at the Gladstone Hotel to raise money for their upcoming publication Shift Perspective - a collection of student essays, many of which focus on the humanitarian and environmental responsibility of designers....
3 Eco-Haute Designers, 7 Foods You Must Eat Organic and One Man Making a Difference
by Jessica Root - Brooklyn, NY on 10.30.08
:: Ladies, glam up your green wardrobe with these three upscale designer labels.
:: Refresh your memory with the seven food items you should always avoid buying in their conventional form.
:: Meet change maker Andrew Field, the Founder and CEO of the eco-positive company PrintingForLess.com....
Head Scratcher of the Week: Sarah Palin Speaks at Solar Panel Manufacturer, Promotes Fossil Fuels
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 10.30.08
photo: McCain-Palin 2008
In case you missed it, Sarah Palin gave a speech on energy policy yesterday at the Xunlight Corporation in Toledo, Ohio. In the speech she called for a break from the Bush administration’s energy policy. Too bad the break from policy that she and John McCain advocate really doesn't move us towards a greener renewable energy future, nor towards meaningful energy security.
Frankly, though her rhetoric on energy at Xunlight is little different than what’s been said so far on the campaign trail—check out Palin’s prepared remarks and how she made ad lib modifications—she really amped up the confusion with some of her statements:...
San Diego Fun Runs Support Solar Projects in Africa
by Kristin Underwood, Sacramento, CA on 10.30.08
Image source: Sun Strides
Sun Strides is merging two things that southern Californian's love - the sun and athletic activities - to raise funds for solar projects in Africa. 5, 10, 15K, whatever your passion or punishment, there is a spot for you at the starting line. This past summer, Sun Strides put solar panels on a junior primary school in Arusha, Tanzania. Their next "hurdle" is to raise funds to create a sustainable volunteer camp in the same community....
Video: Jared Diamond on Why Societies Collapse
by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada on 10.30.08
Al Gore and Power Vote Team Up to Get Out The Green Vote (Video Clip)
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 10.30.08
Lima's Water Source Threatened by Mine Tailings
by Eliza Barclay, Washington, D.C. on 10.30.08
Gold mine tailings + a water source for 10 million people = Bad News. Reuters has a story on the wires today about the Peruvian government's fears that with the looming rainy season, 744,000 metric tonnes of toxic tailings from a processing plant could wash into the Rimac River, which provides drinking water to Lima. The tailings belong to Gold Hawk Resources of Canada, which processes its gold at a plant close to the river.
"With the rains, there could be filtration on the hillside and cause a disaster that would affect the central highway, a mining facility, a hydroelectric plant, and the tailings would reach the Rimac River, causing a big disaster of contamination," Environment Minister Antonio Brack told Reuters....
Grassland: Flying Green Tribbles
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 10.30.08
Just the thing for your standard dismal cafeteria with no windows: Real grass, albeit no longer alive.
The grass grows not on soil but on various materials – using water, light and the power of the seeds only. The roots intertwine and form a joint area that, with the aid of the special technique of drying, will stick even on stainless steel. The grass is conserved through the process of drying only....
5 Years From Now Peak Oil Pinch Could Devastate the UK Economy, New Report Warns
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 10.30.08
Here’s today’s addition to the growing list of groups and people warning that the problems that financial recession may bring will pale in comparison to the coming nexus environmental and energy problems. (I won’t say describe them as crises, as we throw around that word that it’s become lessened in impact.)
Peak Oil Greater Threat Than Terrorism
A report titled The Oil Crunch says that the risk to the UK from peak oil, is greater than that from terrorism, and has potentially devastating consequences for the UK economy. Published by the Peak Oil group (which counts Virgin, Stagecoach and Scottish and Southern as members), here are the report’s key findings and recomendations:...
8 Halloween Costumes That Will Scare Environmentalists
by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada on 10.30.08
You could always go as a CO2 molecule...
Because being green doesn't mean losing your sense of humor, we thought this tongue in cheek (we hope) list of 8 Halloween Costumes That Will Scare Environmentalists was kind of funny. Okay, not very funny, but maybe our readers can do better?
If you have ideas of Halloween costumes that would truly be scary to greenies, please share your ideas in the comments. The US News list can be found below....
Frugal Green Living: Freezer Sales are Way Up
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 10.30.08
There is nothing in our freezer but martini glasses; we shop every day. But lots of people are buying freezers now to sock away bargains. Consumers Reports says that annualized sales of upright freezers sales jumped 17%, chest freezers 10%.
This is great if they are packing in vegetables and healthy foods, not so great if it is the frozen stuff that is full of fat and calories. One shopper told the Wall Street Journal about her stockpiling of discounted frozen foods: "In the past, if it was a killer sale, I'd buy a few. Now, when they're on sale, I'll buy a lot." Consumers Reports did another story on how appliances can make you fat that is worth reading.
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Neil Young Wants his 20-Foot 1959 Lincoln to get 100 MPG and Win the Automotive X-Prize
by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada on 10.30.08
Linc Volt Project
Neil Young currently drives a 1982 Mercedes coupe diesel that runs on vegetable oil he buys from a restaurants, but that's just a "band aid", according to him. His real goal is more ambitious: He hired a team to modify his 5000 lbs, 20-foot long 1959 Lincoln Continental to make it run on "on natural gas, electricity or some other form of clean energy". He would like it to get over 100 MPG equivalent and win the $10 million Automotive X-Prize.
Read on for more details....
Five Ways To Green Your Mortgage
by April Streeter, Gothenburg, Sweden on 10.30.08
photo tifotter @ flickr
Amazingly, green mortgages go way back to the Carter Administration. But now that the bottom has fallen out of the subprime mortgage market, lenders are spooked. So finding a green lender is not exactly straightforward - you'll have to research and ask a lot of questions. Still, it seems like green mortgages - giving buyers a lower rate or a discount for efficiency measures - could also help cause that hoped-for trickle down of new green jobs and industry.
More green building, why not more green mortgages?
Even though there's a building slowdown, green building is continuing to grow - it's considered a competitive advantage in a slumping economy. Consumers should also get some advantage in their mortgage from buying or building greener abodes. Read on for five sources in the U.S. and abroad that are offering consumers some type of incentive in a green mortgage. And apart from the actual mortgage, if you think this is the time to take on efficiency, check this great state-by-state database of rebates and incentives for alternative energy and efficiency improvements.
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New High-Tech Ford Hybrid Instrument Cluster 'Rewards' You for Efficient Driving
by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada on 10.30.08
MPG Feedback to Help You Save Gas
We've said it often, when it comes to reducing our environmental footprint, knowledge is power. If you could find a nice big screen in every living room with information about how much water and electricity were used in the past week, and how much all of that costs, most people would use that feedback to become more efficient. It's the same thing with hybrid cars and their LCDs with MPG information; the feedback makes people better drivers.
So it's a good thing that automakers are looking for new ways to keep drivers informed of fuel economy. Nissan has the ECO Pedal with tactile feedback, and now Ford has a new instrument cluster, the SmartGauge with EcoGuide, in its Fusion and Milan Hybrids. Read on for more details....
Plastic Logic Previews New e-Reader, But Is It Better Than Paper?
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 10.30.08
Photo via Plastic Logic
Plastic Logic is previewing its e-reader and it looks pretty darn sweet. I for one seriously dig e-readers, but there is a nagging in the back of my mind about whether or not they're really better than printed materials, and it continues to grow at the same pace as the e-reader market.
A CNN news video on Plastic Logic's homepage (click through to watch the news video) boasts that the e-reader could cut down on the production of newspaper, therefore saving trees, saving on fuel and emissions from the transportation and delivery of all those newspapers, and saving the ink and emissions from printing them.
It is also geared towards businesses, helping to cut down on the significant amount of paper used for business purposes. Instead of printing everything, execs can carry a massive number of documents on the readers and can write on them, share them and store them all on one device. That right there saves a ton of trees.
All of that sounds like some excellent pros. But we also have to take a look at some of the cons. Read on for more analysis, and video from the CEO of Plastic Logic. ...
Can It Really Be Called Carbon Sequestration? Aquaflow Bionomic to Use Power Plant Emissions to Grow Algae
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 10.30.08
photo: Aquaflow Bionomic Corp.
New Zealand’s Aquaflow Bionomic Corp—one a a growing number of companies working on producing commercial quantities of algae-based biofuels—has announced a new partnership that it hopes will allow the firm to bring its algae biofuel to market more quickly.
In a press release, Aquaflow says that it will be partnering with UOP (formerly known as Universal Oil Products, and now owned by Honeywell) to work in two areas:...
From the Forums: Average Summer Energy Use
by Alan Graham, Portland, Oregon on 10.30.08
This fall I asked people in the forums to track their electricity use to have a comparison between different size homes, different sized families, and different areas of the country.
June was my lowest month coming in at 566. July climbed to 632 as the month got hotter towards the end and Aug was blazing hot so we had 737. we have 1100 sq ft and central air. I keep the shades closed during the day and close the windows before the outside temp gets close to being hotter than the inside. Even so, we had many many days in the 90's and 100's and I'd have the AC kick on at 80 degrees in the late afternoon. Luckily the nights here cool off so we were able to open the windows and get some ventilation going.
I can't imagine, however, how bad it could have been without all our insulation and double pane gas filled windows.
Read More Stories and Tips...
Scientists Report Global Warming Good for California
by Kristin Underwood, Sacramento, CA on 10.30.08
Image source: Getty Images
Well maybe not all aspects of global warming, but researchers at UCLA are now reporting that climate change is reducing the Santa Ana winds, which exacerbate fires along the coasts of southern California each year. These are the fires that you hear about on the news ever year threatening citizens, burning down entire neighborhoods and obliterating forests. Losing the winds that fuel those fires sounds pretty good. But before you pack your bags and head west, just remember, this is the same area that is overcrowded, struggling for water resources and has poor, smog-filled air quality - can climate change cure these things in the region? ...
GE Reinvents the Fridge
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 10.30.08
Over the past few years we have waited for GE's ecomagination to change from pretty pictures to reality, and now we are beginning to see the results. In 2009 they are rolling out "Smart" Energy Management Enabled Appliances that can talk to the electric utility to manage loads and reduce peak power demand. VP Kevin Nolan explains:
''Peak hour energy demand is growing faster than total energy demand. It is imperative that we begin to shift some of the energy load from peak hours to other parts of the day -- helping to avoid the need to build new power plants to meet the demand."Which is impressive, considering that GE also builds power plants. ...
7 Cheap and Easy Vegetarian Meals
by Kelly Rossiter, Toronto on 10.30.08
Many of us lead pretty busy lives these days and, especially those of us with families, are always trying to get dinner on the table as quickly and easily as possible. Occasionally we fall back on using prepackaged meals from the grocery store or calling for takeout. Those meals have more fat, salt and sugar than we need in our diet, they produce a lot of garbage from the packaging and they are more expensive than cooking from scratch.
In these uncertain economic times we really need to look at our food costs and start to spend more wisely. Here are seven recipes that will cover your dinners for a week, with some leftovers for your lunch. They are as quick as takeout, as easy as many processed dinners, and more economical and nutritious than both.
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Henry David Thoreau as Climatologist: Scientists Use Field Notes Taken in 1851 to Track Plant Species Loss
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 10.30.08
Walden Pond at Sunrise, photo: Storm Crypt
It’s not just tree rings, ice cores and satellite data that can provide a record of how the planet’s climate has changed over the years, decades and centuries... The notes of American writer and philosopher Henry David Thoreau, written during his two years spent living on Walden Pond, Massachusetts in preparation for a book on the seasons, are now being put to use by scientists tracking how climate changes have affected plant species in the region. Thoreau’s notes from Walden began in 1851, just before the industrial revolution began to increase atmospheric greenhouse gas concentrations.
The New York Times goes into more detail about both Thoreau's and the modern methodology involved, but this is the general conclusion:...
Nanotech Dirty Manufacturing May Cancel Out Eco-Gains
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 10.30.08
Photo via Milosz1
Nanotech has some seriously cool potential for products that help us live greener lives. However, we know that how these products are made is just as important to the environment as what they help us to accomplish.
So while nanotech helps us in water purification, solar power generation, power storage and more, it seems that the dirty methods of the creation of nanomaterials could negate any environmental gain the products could produce....
Thirty Percent Of Global Fish Catch Wasted On Livestock
by Jeff Nield, Vancouver, British Columbia on 10.30.08
School of Sardines via Monterey Bay Aquarium
Whenever it feels like the fishing industry is making steady progress to become more sustainable another destructive trend is exposed. Published in the November 2008 issue of Annual Review of Environment and Resources "Forage Fish: From Ecosystems to Markets" demonstrates how mismanagement of the pelagic (mid ocean) fishery results in the catch being wasted on farmed fish, pigs, and poultry. The researchers say forage fish include anchovies, sardines, menhaden, and other small- to medium-sized fish species which are the primary food for ocean-dwelling marine mammals, seabirds (especially puffins and gulls) and several large fishes....
4 Million Tons of Olive Pits Could Be Turned in Ethanol
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 10.30.08
photo: Kristy
It sometimes seems that researchers will try to turn anything into biofuels these days. One new feedstock being tested, in Spain, is the leftover pits from olives after the fruit is pressed into olive oil or, (gasp) de-stoned before being sold to eat. As the pit takes up about a quarter of the total fruit, and some 4 million tons of them are generated each year, the hope is that this waste product can be made into something more useful, like ethanol.
Here’s how the researchers are transforming olive pits into biofuel:
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Saying Goodbye to Oscar Grimm, Leonardo Di Caprio Asks You to Vote, Green Thing Wallchart, and More
by Leonora Oppenheim, London, UK on 10.30.08
Freshtopia: Saying Goodbye to Oscar by Tanja Andrews
It is with great sadness that I have to report that our friend Oscar Grimm, co-founder of the inspirational raw food vlog Freshtopia, has passed away after bravely battling brain cancer. I feel immensely privileged to have met and spent time with this amazing man. In a very a short space of time he enriched my life beyond measure. Here you can read beautiful tribute words from his wonderful partner Tanja and many devoted friends. Oscar, you will be missed....
I.V. Bags for Your Potted Plants by Vitamin
by Petz Scholtus, Barcelona, Spain on 10.30.08
We know drip irrigation is probably the most efficient way to water plants in terms of saving water. So here is a new quirky design by London-based studio Vitamin, A Life Less Ordinary, who has taken the drip system quite literally and created I.V. Plant Pots. ...
12 Warriors, Adventurers With Really Loud Green Messages
by Bonnie Hulkower, New York, New York on 10.30.08
Photo: David de Rothschild via Men's Vogue There are some powerful voices that have paved the way for us here at TreeHugger. Voices that rose above the chatter and made huge waves, felt around the world. Many of these voices come from people are close to nature, the outdoors; people who are risk-takers and thrill-seekers and wow us with their fearlessness, their ability to pioneer the way. These are the eco-warriors, the environmental activists and adventurers who fight for causes and demand change, heedless of costs to themselves. Here are 12 that we really admire....
Sound Mirrors
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 10.30.08
David Barrington
The computer that used to fill a room or the stereo system that took up a whole wall now fit in your pocket; technology continues to get small. A dramatic demonstration of how big things used to be are the sound mirrors built in the UK during and after World War 1. ...
At Least Some American Infrastructure Investment Doesn't Involve Cars
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 10.30.08
"The Poughkeepsie railroad bridge was the first bridge to be built over the Hudson River from the ocean all the way up to Albany. It was a technological wonder. Opened in 1889 soon after the Brooklyn Bridge opened, it is not only higher above the water than the Brooklyn Bridge, and founded deeper in the water, but also longer. When it opened, its promoters claimed it was the longest bridge in the world."At its peak, 3500 cars passed over it every day. Like most of the nation's rail infrastructure, it fell into disrepair and disuse and the last train crossed it in 1974. Then in 1992 a group of volunteers started a campaign to turn it into a pedestrian bridge, connecting scenic trails on both sides of the Hudson River....
Mitsubishi LaserVue TV: Best Image for Least Energy
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 10.30.08
Photo via Mitsubishi
Laser TVs are here, and Mitsubishi is leading the charge. The company announced on Tuesday that they’re releasing the world’s first laser-powered TV.
The massive 65” model is priced at an equally massive $6,999. But there is a reason people are willing to pay so much for this particular technology. ...
China's Innovative Traffic Lights: How China Is Already "Light" Years Ahead of the West
by Alex Pasternack, New York, NY on 10.30.08
An article in the IHT last week raised China's billion-dollar, billion-ton-of-CO2 question: how will a country known for its inimitable capacity for imitation manage to switch to an economy based on innovation and invention?
Note that the question is not "Will," but "How." China's not only arguably better poised than any country to leapfrog the developed world, with loads of cash and a government bent on innovation, but its environmental situation is so dire that it simply must skip over the conventional solutions and rely on new approaches.
To find out the answer, design writer Alice Rawsthorn travels to Tianjin (the port city recently linked to its neighbor Beijing by the fastest train in the world). There she sees the light. The traffic light, to be exact.
It's "a new type consisting of a rectangular strip of energy-efficient light-emitting diodes (or LEDs) that switches between the three colors." But this light, first introduced in 2000, is just the tip of the iceberg....
Human Powered Vending Machine Coming to Times Square
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 10.30.08
Finally, a purpose for mimes: lock them in a glass box and turn them into a human vending machine. Alas, it is not completely human powered. Uniqlo tells New York Magazine:
"Basically we’re going to have two mimes. A male and a female mime inside the machine. And the public can see them through glass. When you get there, we’re going to have Uniqlo reps dressed in the silver bodysuits. And they’re going to hold a thermograph scanner — think of an airport security machine. The thermographer identifies cold spots in your body. After you go through that, you go to the vending machine and push a button and the mimes are going to do a synchronized choreographed routine and then your outfit comes out."...
Survey: Do You Read a Newspaper?
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 10.30.08
The CSM just announced it is cancelling its print edition; newspaper subscriptions are declining almost everywhere. TreeHugger readers are a pretty computer-literate bunch so this will be a skewed poll, but many say it is an age thing, one article said "nobody under 35 reads a newspaper anymore." Let's try this by age:
...
Solar Cooking Extreme - Eggs in Ten Seconds
by Sami Grover, Carrboro, NC, USA on 10.30.08
Drawing The Water And Energy Connection
by Rocky Mountain Institute on 10.30.08
In the necessary flurry to reduce carbon emissions, water issues are arguably taking a back seat. Scarcity and quality of water present cause for concern, but saving water doesn't seem to excite like saving energy does.
Consider what must happen for water to reach your sink. First, it must be extracted, lifted, and pumped. Then it is treated and pressurized for distribution. Once water reaches the vicinity of your house, further energy is used to circulate, heat, and cool it. Then as water slips down the drain, it is collected and treated by a wastewater system, and the process starts over again.
In states that desalinate or transport water over long distances and heights, energy consumption is even greater. ...
MINIGAS Could Be Cheaper, More Accurate Greenhouse Gas Detector
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 10.30.08
Photo by Nortinirt
Monitoring greenhouse gasses could be made more easy and effective by governments with the MINIGAS. And companies from all over Europe are coming together to create the technology for a super tiny, super sensitive greenhouse gas detector. ...
'Life Can Be So Sweet, On The Sunny (Green) Side Of The Street'
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 10.30.08
There's been much worry over the credit crisis limiting investment in renewable energy and more efficient vehicle development. There's also a fair amount of concern over the 2X+ carbon debit of Tar Sands oil extraction and processing. So much darkness. So little to smile about.
With oil prices falling and with widening awareness of a climate crisis, gilding could soon be peeling off the tar sands facade. John Sauven, executive director of Greenpeace, said his organization had always known that tar sands were a risk to the climate "but now it's becoming clear that they're a risk to the bottom line as well". ..The NGOs also point to an "unrealistic" reliance on untested carbon capture and storage technology, which has been highlighted by Shell as a means for reducing CO2 emissions.Via::Guardian UK, Environment: Tar sands - the new toxic investment But wait...there's more....
Sustainability Quiz Tests Your Knowledge
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 10.30.08
We at TreeHugger love us a good game, especially a green one.
So you think you’re sustainability savvy and have a knack for designing solutions?
You have the opportunity to test out just how much you know with a very cool new green tech IQ quiz that pushes your limits on environmental ingenuity at home, work and on the road.
But fair warning - it's just a bit addictive. ...
500 Places to See Before They Disappear
by Bonnie Alter, London on 10.30.08
Arthur Frommer usually writes guide books about where to eat and visit in Paris, but even this super-enthusiastic traveller is getting worried about the state of the world's environment. To explain the rationale behind the latest guide book, called "500 Places to See Before They Disappear", the author says: "The devastation wrought by climate change and direct man-made interference is familiar to all of us. But this book is a carefully chosen list of last-chance destinations that eco-conscious travellers can enjoy - if they move sharpish - for possibly the last time." So put aside guilt about the flying for the moment and let's dream about the most beautiful, striking and unspoilt places to be visited on this last trip of their lifetime.
Locations are listed by topic, not country, so there are subjects such as Sea & Stream, From the Mountains to the Prairies, Big Skies, Going to Ruins,City & Town, Where History Was Made, Tarnished Gems of Architecture, and Disposable Culture. This one includes vanishing structures like wigwam motels in the southwest of the USA. The natural wonders include the Hill of Tara (pictured) in Ireland which is under threat due to a proposed highway running close by, and the Dead Sea in Israel because it may run dry. ...
Did a Deadly Algal Toxin Inspire Hitchcock's 'The Birds'?
by Jeremy Elton Jacquot, Los Angeles on 10.29.08
Image from exfordy
Alfred Hitchcock may not have been a marine biologist, but he was a keen observer of the news. So it was that the famed horror movie director may have found inspiration for the 1963 film, "The Birds," from a mass bird casualty that occurred near his home on August 18, 1961. That morning, the residents of Capitola, California, awoke to the sight of hundreds of dead sooty shearwaters strewn across the streets and the sound of others ramming themselves into their roofs.
A mystery at the time it happened, scientists now believe the cause for this bizarre display of behavior was domoic acid, a deadly toxin released by algae exposed to urea pollution, reports Nature's Amy Coombs. The discovery was made by Raphael Kudela, an oceanographer from the University of California, Santa Cruz, who was studying Pseudo-nitzschia australis, a common species of algae. ...
100% Organic Baby Tees Save Endangered Species, Stop Global Warming
by Mairi Beautyman, Berlin, Germany on 10.29.08
Photos via Swell Foop
Learning how to be earth-conscious can be one uphill battle: How about we start the next generation early? In one tiny adorable onesie by new clothing company Swell Foop, baby can take on some major global problems, from global warming to endangered species. Formerly known as Darwin Design Clothing Company, Swell Foop is dedicated to "saving the world in one swell foop." Offerings include t-shirts for babies, toddlers, kids, and adults. The company still donates 10% of all proceeds to a select list of green non-profits and uses animals that are rare or endangered in designs: The difference is all clothing is now made from 100 percent organic cotton....
"Nude" Climate Calendar Pulled From London Museum: Should Nudity Be Used in Environmental Campaigns?
by Kimberley D. Mok, Montreal, Canada on 10.29.08
Image: Too hot to be natural history? (Flipside Vision)The Natural History Museum in London has refused to sell an educational calendar featuring a year’s worth climate change-related images due to reservations that parts of the calendar are “not in line with the message of the museum,” though the “offensive” images are relatively small. Of course, nudity can come in many forms, and the line between artful and distasteful can be rather hazy. In glossy ads of idealized female (and male) bodies, you’ve got suggestive advertisements that subtly take advantage of our insecurities (or worse) and are typically objectifying in one way or another. (Huge and explicit American Apparel ads, I'm talking about you.) Then you’ve got what seems to be gaining traction in some environmental circles these days – a more tasteful nudity that bares the urgency of the issue at hand – from “Ecobabe” calendars to PETA’s recent anti-fur campaign. But what about this particular calendar?...
Halloween Scare: Could Your Costume Cause Cancer?
by Jessica Root - Brooklyn, NY on 10.29.08
If you’re like me, you wait until the day before Halloween to pull together a costume. I’ve learned to embrace my last-minute back-of-the-closet rummage—pulling together whatever zany costume concoction I can come up with. Last year I paired an old leopard print blouse (a hilarious hand-me-down from my mom) with a classic pair of black pants and stiletto heels. I added a splash of red nail polish and lipstick and used some blue eye shadow to create a fake bruise on my cheek. I instantly transformed into a stereotypical Italian mafia chick a la The Sopranos in almost no time flat! I’m constantly amazed at what I can create using up stuff that I already have.
I’m pretty sure my old, crusty makeup is anything but chemical-free but I’m also pretty certain that reusing is better than contributing to the waste problem by investing in a plastic mask or synthetic costume—something even the greenest greenie could fall victim to during a last-minute Halloween frenzy. To ensure that doesn't happen, we’ve compiled a few Halloween costume ideas in our newly dispatched TreeHugger Holiday Guides page. It offers a plethora of green tips for Halloween and festivities beyond!
Also be sure to check out more hair-raising Halloween how-to's on How Stuff Works....
Planet Facing an ‘Ecological Credit Crunch’, WWF Says
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 10.29.08
An increasing number of voices in the past two weeks are reminding people that though many nations are facing some serious financial problems at the moment, collectively we’re facing a problem with longer lasting and greater existential consequences than anything we have seen before. In short we are destroying our planet’s natural capital at rates which will create ecological insolvency on a scale with dire implications for humanity and many other species. Reenforcing this idea is the latest Living Planet Report by WWF.
This is how James Leape, director-general of WWF International describes the problem:...
Biokube: A Septic Tank That Waters Your Lawn
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 10.29.08
Photo via GreenLight
Most days when I wash my dishes, I cart bowlfuls of water out to my hopelessly brown California yard and dump it, the whole time snarling at the neighbor’s bubbling sprinklers and thinking that even if the yard won’t green up past a pale yellow, at least the water isn’t going down the drain. I know, it'd be easier to use a take-away sink. But while carting bowls, I’m also thinking of all the different ways I could use gray water for irrigation.
Run a hose from the washing machine out to the lawn. Check.
Rig the shower pipes to flow out to the yard. Check.
But, here’s one idea that definitely hadn't crossed my mind. ...
Conflict's Unexpected Link to Conservation
by Jennifer Hattam, Istanbul, Turkey on 10.29.08
Satellite image of İmralı Island via Google Maps
"War is Not Healthy for Children and Other Living Things" was a popular slogan among peace activists protesting the Vietnam War. And of course, the destructive power of war and other armed conflicts, both to people and the environment, is not to be taken lightly. But in a strange twist, nature has been seen to thrive in areas kept off-limits to people because of conflict and related events--most recently, in the waters around İmralı Island, home to a high-security Turkish prison....
Best Buy Names Oct 30th As Vampire Day - Vampire Power, That Is
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 10.29.08
If you need a little help getting into the Halloween spirit for Friday, Best Buy is helping you out by encouraging you to kill vampires on October 30th.
Showing a sense of humor and naming tomorrow National Vampire Awareness Day, the company is hoping to show consumers the scary hidden vampire power problems lurking in their very own homes. ...
Nuclear Power “Economics Are Just Not There”: Lester Brown, Earth Policy Institute
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 10.29.08
photo: Jason Hickey
In a press conference call yesterday that’s how Lester Brown of the Earth Policy Institute described nuclear power, “the economics are just not there”. In the hour long briefing Brown went on to describe the myriad challenges facing expanding nuclear power and, the real, serious environmental issues aside, how it simply does not make financial sense compared to investing in renewable energy. Here’s the rundown on Brown’s argument:
...
Dell's New PCs Use Recycled Plastic Equivalent to Three Water Bottles
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 10.29.08
Dell’s new OptiPlex 960 uses a little post-consumer recycled plastic in its casing. According to OptiPlex’s product manager, it equates to about three plastic water bottles recycled into each PC casing.
All that eco-minded consumers have to do is fight the urge to say, “Ho hum…”
Okay – sarcasm aside, there are some great elements to the OptiPlex 960 that make it actually interesting as a greener computer option for big purchasers. ...
Schwimmhausboot: A Green Modern Floating Home
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 10.29.08
Flo Florian and Sascha Akkermann of design firm Confused Direction have designed a lovely floating home. it is ecofriendly, too, with zero-emissions, a green roof, and materials such as 250 year old larch wood salvaged from an old farmer's shed.
More beautiful pics after the jump.
...
Green Geek Opportunity: Intel, ASUS Open Community for User-Created Dream PCs
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 10.29.08
Ever wish you could to tell a computer company exactly what a “dream computer” is supposed to be like? Well here is your opportunity, thanks to Intel and ASUS - both of whom have had greener computers on the brain for awhile now.
The duo is launching a project that will allow consumers to offer input, discuss with each other, and design the computer of tomorrow. Sounds like an excellent opportunity for eco-minded computer nerds to sound off. ...
As the Financial Crisis Hits Home, is T. Boone Pickens Selling Wind Turbines?
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 10.29.08
What was that about zebras not changing their stripes? photo: José Eduardo Pachá
RUMOR WARNING: Though nothing can be confirmed about this rumor at this point, over at Solve Climate David Sassoon is passing on some overheard info that T. Boone Pickens may be looking to downsize his much touted largest wind farm in the world, owing to financial difficulties.
This is what Sassoon inadvertently gleaned, as well as some of his comments coming out of a recent green business conference in New York where Pickens was speaking:...
Mini Donuts Get a Little Sweeter
by Kristin Underwood, Sacramento, CA on 10.29.08
Image source: Dee's Mini Doughnuts
Thanks to Daily Candy for their tip about Dee's and her tasty mini organic donuts. Handcrafted in their facility in San Rafael, CA, all preservatives and artificial flavorings are left out in favor of thrilling glazes like cinnamon sugar, toasted coconut, raging raspberry, and (YUM!) Dagoba orange chocolate. Sprinkles available upon request....
Green Millennials Change the World, Starting With the US Election
by Alex Smith, San Francisco, California on 10.29.08
From the Forums: Cut Power Bills With Timers
by Alan Graham, Portland, Oregon on 10.29.08
From the HowTo Forum comes a tutorial on saving electricity and money by using timers:
I'm guilty of turning on a light or fan and forgetting it. The most common one is the walk-in closet where I often grab the clothes needed and forget to come back. There are four 40 Watt bulbs in there. That could easily cost $2 a month in wasted electricity. One of the biggest electricity wasters is forgetting to turn something off, especially if you have kids. For example a bathroom light (generally several lights) and a fan could be forgotten and left on for hours. Multiply that by more than one bathroom, bedroom closets, laundry rooms, etc. and you are literally burning away money. In this economy with projected energy costs going up, investing in some hardware now can save you big money down the uncertain road.Read More...
Largest US Pillow Maker To Have Zero Waste by 2010
by Kristin Underwood, Sacramento, CA on 10.29.08
Image source: Getty Images
You may not know their name, but there is a high chance that you have their products in your home if you've ever purchased a pillow from Bed, Bath and Beyond, Sears, Ikea, Bloomingdale's, Costco, Wal-mart, Target or Marshalls. Hollander Home Fashions makes one out of every three pillows on the market today and Sustainable Business reports this morning that they plan to become a zero waste company by 2010....
Quote of the Day: Prince Charles on Climate and the Economy
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 10.29.08
Prince Charles meets Asimo
Prince Charles is current champ in our quote of the day count, beating out Tom Friedman and our beloved Michele Bachmann. While in Japan on a visit he delivers another:
"It is not an exaggeration to say that we face the biggest challenge our planet has ever seen, literally a battle for survival. "Given the current turbulence in the international financial system and the immediate and damaging effect it is having on the whole world, the credit crunch is rightly a preoccupation of vast significance and importance. "But we take our eye off the climate crunch at our peril. "While we hope and pray that the underlying strengths of the global economy will once again enable it to bounce back, the effects of climate change will be far, far from temporary and will indeed be irreversible."...
Marquiss Wind Turbines: Turning Large Flat-Roofed Buildings Into Wind Farms
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 10.29.08
Lessons in Biomimicry - Part 3 Natural Processes
by Leonora Oppenheim, London, UK on 10.29.08
Natural processes was the third theme of the Biomimicry in Design course at Schumacher College last week. This built on Part 1 - Natural Forms and Part 2 - Natural Systems by taking us deep into the biological processes which can help us re-evaluate traditional engineering methods.
Professor Julian Vincent, an expert in biomimetics at Bath University, calls human engineering the "heat, beat and treat" method, where we "destroy the information in materials by homogenizing them through the application of energy, then use even more energy to impose a new structure". He believes that by studying biological processes we can challenge the status quo in engineering and design. In order to explain his ideas further Professor Vincent took our group out for a walk on Dartmoor and down to the river where we found out how the caddisfly (pictured above) builds its case....
Dow Chemical Challenges Canadian Chemical Ban
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 10.29.08
Former Republican Massachusetts governor and Ambassador to Canada Paul Cellucci tells us that an Obama presidency:
"would present a "danger" to Canada because he could renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement, imperiling the future economic integration of the continent."After losing control of their oil and the softwood lumber debacle, many Canadians might look forward to renegotiating NAFTA. Here is another good reason: The province of Quebec banned the herbicide 2,4-D after studies linked it to cancer and reproductive problems. Dow Chemical didn't like that, and is using NAFTA to challenge it....
Formula Zero Racer: Day Dreaming by Mercedes-Benz
by Warren McLaren, Sydney on 10.29.08
If the podracing in StarWars I was tempered by the grace of the Greenbird’s land yacht design then you might have something that Mercede-Benz designers are saying in 2025 would be called Formula Zero. (Except, of course that we already have Formula Zero racing.)
In the Mercedes-Benz conceptual model the racer combines electric hub motors, an aero-efficient solar skin and a high-tech rigid sail. The idea, apparently being, that teams all set off with equal quantities of stored energy. To win you need not only be the swiftest, but also the one with the most energy still in reserve. Oh, and spectators see the race through a transparent race track.
Might just be more grown men spending too much time playing with their CAD rending tools or it might lead to real vehicle breakthroughs. More pix after the fold. ...
Australian Households Paid $15,000 to Go Green
by Warren McLaren, Sydney on 10.29.08
For some time now, governments at the federal, state and local level in Australia have been trying to tempt their constituents to go green, via the financial incentive of rebates. Just yesterday, the state government of New South Wales announced it would be providing $62 million AUD to help low income households (specifically pensioners, people in public housing and indigenous people) become more energy efficient. Apparently those millions will pay for home visits by energy auditors, who’ll advise householders how to become more energy wise.
The new plan comes atop an already crowded field of government funded rebates for the purchase of photovoltaic panels, solar hot water systems, insulation, non-petrol/gasoline cars, rainwater tanks, washing machines, shower heads, fridges and more. Added all together these rebates can net $14,985 AUD for green savvy households, as we detail below....
3D Printers Now as Cheap As Laser Printers Were in 1985
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 10.29.08
We do go on about the possibilities of downloadable designs, where you can pick the best from around the world and get it printed up at some form of 3D Kinko that might some day be in every neighbourhood.
Perhaps that vision isn't wild enough; the Ponoko blog notes that the desktop publishing revolution was born when the Apple LaserWriter was released in 1985 for $6995. Now Desktop Factory is launching a 3D printer that isn't much bigger than that laser printer, and at $5,000 in 2008 dollars a whole lot cheaper. ...
Permaculture Activist
by Sami Grover, Carrboro, NC, USA on 10.29.08
Having written yesterday about Edible Landscaping - a mail order nursery specializing in disease-resistant edible perennials, I took to googling around a little to find out what other resources are out there for under-used useful edible and medicinal plants. In the process I came across this fantastic and comprehensive directory of nurseries and suppliers put together by the good folks at Permaculture Activist. Covering the USA and Canada, the directory is arranged by region and includes links, contact details and a short list of the products available from each supplier. Of course I should mention at this point that Permaculture Activist is much, much more than a directory of suppliers - it's a huge treasure trove of information for anyone looking for alternatives to our current food system. ...
Jargon Watch: Bikeism
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 10.29.08
cyclist and driver interaction in Toronto a few years ago. Photos Adam Krawesky via Spacingwire
We have seen it many times in the comments in TreeHugger: Drivers complaining that cyclists are generally irresponsible "lycra lizards" who ignore traffic signals and are rude to drivers. Tom Vanderbilt quotes an Australian writer who calls it Bikeism -
"tarring an entire class of people with the extreme acts committed by a few (or a stereotypical image of that behavior). “Unfortunately, many motorists who don’t ride bikes and don’t understand cycling seem to think that all cyclists are ego-driven menaces who run red lights."He quotes an earlier report from the UK: ...
Work From Home? What Do You Call it?
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 10.29.08
More of us are working from home, but fewer of us are telecommuting. The word was coined in 1971, from telephone and commuting, but many do neither, not having an office that they might have commuted from and rarely using the telephone in this computer age. What do you call it? If the term you use isn't here, please add it to the survey in the Other box.
...
New Thatched Roof for the Globe Theatre
by Bonnie Alter, London on 10.29.08
It's London's only thatched roof, and it is on a reproduction of London's oldest theatre: the Globe which dates back to Shakespearian times. The open-air theatre is based on the descriptions of the original design from 1559 where Shakespeare worked and presented his plays. The reproduction was built in 1996, funded by Sam Wanamaker, who dedicated 20 years to its creation.
But it's time for some restoration work so the original Master Thatchers have come back with a team of ten men to work on the iconic roof for the next 4 weeks. They will use 800 bundles of sedge (a grass-like plant from the Norfolk Broads), 10,000 English hazel spars, 2,500 feet of liggers (thatching strips) and 600 litres of fire retardant fluid. ...
World Will Struggle To Meet Oil Demand, Says International Energy Agency
by greenz.jp, Tokyo, Japan on 10.29.08
(Photo of IEA director Nobuo Tanaka visiting Russia)
Ready for peak oil, anybody? The Financial Times has gotten hold of a draft of the International Energy Agency's annual report, which states that the rate of output decline is 9.1 per cent at the world's biggest oil fields. This is the first ever authoritative public study of oil reserves - most countries such as Saudi Arabia prefer to keep the data as well-kept state secrets.
The IEA, the oil watchdog, forecasts that China, India and other developing countries’ demand will require investments of $360bn each year until 2030. The agency says even with investment, the annual rate of output decline is 6.4 per cent....
Bonnaroo Festival Given Outstanding Green Festival Award, No Word on if Acid Flashbacks are Eco-Friendly
by Marissa Moss, Manhattan (Lower East Side) on 10.28.08
Credit: Bonnaroo Music Festival
Bonnaroo Music and Art festival has been given the “Outstanding Greener Festival” award by agreenerfestival.com, “authority on all things green in the live music industry around the world.” ...
Poll Shows The Pickens Publicity Plan Is Working
by Andrew Posner, Providence, Rhode Island on 10.28.08
Pickens is Campaigning for Energy Independence
As the presidential campaign enters the home stretch, and the candidates continue hammering home their messages on the key issues of the day--among them, of course, energy independence and energy prices--it is easy to forget there's another wealthy and influential person who is campaigning for American energy independence as well. Unlike Senators Obama and McCain, however, this person isn't running for public office; rather, he is a wealthy oilman looking to make a lot of money in emerging energy markets--and help America in the process. We've been hearing a lot lately about T. Boone Pickens and his now famous Pickens Plan, which calls for producing 20% of America's electricity from wind energy, switching our auto fleet to natural gas and expanding offshore drilling. At the same time, Pickens has been using his considerable wealth to spread the message about his plan.
Much as Obama and McCain have been spending large sums of money to sway voters, Pickens has been trying to convince Americans about the efficacy of approach to energy independence. A new poll by Rasmussen Reports shows that the Pickens Plan may be effectively swaying public opinion....
How to Go Green: Wine, Old School Halloween Crafts and Tasty Indian Stew
by Jessica Root - Brooklyn, NY on 10.28.08
:: Toast to a sustainable future using our How to Go Green: Wine and Buy Green: Organic Cabernet Sauvignon guides.
:: It's not too late! Get old school this Halloween with these three crafty ideas.
:: Not so crazy over cauliflower? Give it another go in Kelly's Cauliflower Eggplant Stew. You might be pleasantly surprised!...
Have a Future-Crucial Design Solution? Enter the Earth Awards and Win $10,000!
by Jessica Root - Brooklyn, NY on 10.28.08
In the market for $10,000 cash, an all-expense trip for two to NYC and the opportunity to pitch your ideas to Fortune 500 business leaders? Then you’re in luck! ...
Could There Ever be Such a Thing as Eco-Gambling?
by Eric Leech, New York, NY on 10.28.08
Photo by Jeff Kubina
In the midst of all that glitz, glamor, blinking, flashing lights, flushed wattage, excessive air-conditioning, and greenhouse gases galore, can we really make a gambling town an environmentally friendly town? The popular Rocky Mountain tourist attraction, Central City, in Colorado thinks that it can.
Buddy Schmalz, the mayor of the town of some 500 citizens, has become increasingly concerned about the future of the environment. He has made it a goal to make Central City become one of the first eco-gambling tourist attractions in the US. How exactly does he plan on accomplishing such a feat? By saving energy of course!...
Microsoft to Google: My PUE is Getting Better Than Your PUE
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 10.28.08
Record 10-19% Declines Seen in Arctic Sea Ice Thickness Last Winter, Satellite Data Reveals
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 10.28.08
photo: fruchtzwerg’s world
Now that Arctic sea ice has begun its annual winter freeze, you might think that climate change gloom and doom coming from the northern climes might take a seasonal hiatus, but you’d be wrong. According to new data regarding the thickness of Arctic sea ice from last winter, the thickness of ice in some regions of the Arctic declined by as much as 19% , compared to the previous five years.
Published in Geophysical Research Letters, the results of research conducted at University College London found that:
...
30 Different Ways to Put A Roof Over Your Head In These Tents Times
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 10.28.08
Around America tent cities are springing up as people are losing their houses and their jobs. And it isn't just the drunks and the disturbed; at this tent city in Reno, Seven in 10 were from the area, where the housing market has cratered, the tourism industry is in the dumps and construction jobs have disappeared. They are the modern Hoovervilles (Bushburbs?) filled with economic refugees.
Yet is this the best we can do? For years TreeHugger has been showing low impact, portable and movable housing that could do a better job than this. Yurts, trailers, emergency shelters. Lets look at some of the alternatives for portable, movable housing that a small slice of the bailout could buy.
1. Shelter Cart Housing
...Get the Green Web 3.0 Experience on Truevert
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 10.28.08
Why the Next President Should Use the Clean Air Act to Administer a National Carbon Cap-and-Trade Program
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 10.28.08
EPA headquarters in Washington DC, photo: Dave Myers
Though the United States has (at best) sat on its hands and (at worst) actively hindered constructive action to combat climate change for the past eight years, with the changing of the guard coming (not soon enough), the next president can jump start action on climate change by employing the well established Clean Air Act to unify state carbon projects and administer a national cap-and-trade program. That’s the argument being put forth in a new piece in Yale Environment 360 by authors Michael Northrop and David Sassoon.
This is why and how such an approach could work:...
Photo of Tesla Model S Electric Sedan
by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada on 10.28.08
Attend Opportunity Green in Los Angeles at a Discount
by Kara DiCamillo, Newport, Rhode Island on 10.28.08
Welcome to our new "TreeHugger Deals" column, which will run every Tuesday and is exclusively for TreeHugger readers. TreeHugger never receives monetary compensation or proceeds from these promotions.
This week’s TreeHugger Deals comes to you from Opportunity Green, a conference that will take place November 8th & 9th in Los Angeles. Speakers include movers and shakers in the green industry, such as: Josh Dorfman, Joshua Onysko, Zem Joaquin and Tom Szaky. Additionally, Planet Green’s very own Annabelle Gurwitch from Wa$ted and Boise Thomas from Alter Eco will be speaking.
A discounted rate will be available to the first TEN TreeHugger readers that sign-up making the attendance fee just $475.00. Coupon code: treeHwer4. Opportunity Green...
Epson's New LCD Display is High-Reflect, Low-Power
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 10.28.08
Photo via Tech On and Вася Артёмов . Note:The iPod Touch shown here doesn't have the new Epson technology; it's an example of a device that could use it.
In an effort to improve the energy efficiency of mobile device displays, Epson released their Photo Find High Reflect (HR) transflective amorphous silicon TFT (a-TFT) LCD. I know, acronym galore, right?
Basically it is a technology that will help make the screens of mobile devices highly visible even in direct sunlight, while not consuming very much energy. So you can actually read your cell phone screen while outside and your battery life is extended.
So how do they do it?...
China Being Submerged in Sand: Desertification Spreads 1,300 Square Miles Per Year
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 10.28.08
photo: Josh Chin
Many TreeHugger readers probably know the now-familiar sobering statistics regarding the nature of China’s economic rise and its toll on the environment: 14,000 new cars on the roads each day, 52,000 miles of roadways under construction, 70% of electricity generated from coal, a new coal-fired electric plant coming online nearly every week; 75% of China’s urban residents breathe polluted air which kills 750,000 people annually; 20% of water used in in urban China lost to leaky pipes. Grim stuff even with the best of spin.
But what really caught my eye in a recent article on CNN.com is the spread of desertification, aquifer depletion and general land degradation in the country:...
MIT Boosts Methanol Fuel Cells Efficiency by 50%
by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada on 10.28.08
Making Methanol Fuel Cells Better
Many researchers and engineers have wanted to replace batteries in consumer electronics with methanol fuel cells for a while, but their big weakness so far has been the proton membrane. "The more protons cross the membrane, the more power is generated. But the polymers that conduct protons well also tend to let the methanol solution into the other compartment. The resulting loss of fuel lowers the cells' power output." Kind of a catch 22. Until now!
Read on for more details....
NEC Shows Off Latest E-Paper Advancement
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 10.28.08
Photo via PhysOrg
E-Paper seems to be coming out of the woodwork these days. Manufacturers are in some sort of race to show of their latest and greatest in the up-and-coming technology.
NEC is the newest company in the line-up to debut their new displays that are an alternative to newspapers, minus the squinty headache hours of computer screen reading can create.
NEC also threw in an extra cool feature that will make buyers want more. ...
Teaser Photo of Tesla's 'Model S' Electric Sedan
by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada on 10.28.08
Another Option in Home Wind Turbines: The Swift Rooftop Energy System
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 10.28.08
photo: Swift
Though in urban settings small scale or roof-mounted wind turbines probably aren’t the best way to generate renewable electricity, in more rural settings they are a more realistic option. In that light, the latest entrant to the home wind power market comes from Grand Rapid, Michigan’s Cascade Engineering and its newly announced Swift Rooftop Wind Energy System.
According to Swift, the thing that really sets its turbine apart is that it is dead quiet, “quieter than a whisper” according to their press release. Here are the details:...
Quote of the Day: After the Credit Crunch, the Rainforest Crunch
by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada on 10.28.08
Protecting Biodiversity
The Economist recently had a great piece about the loss of biodiversity around the world. It seems like all families of life are at risk: Mammals, amphibians, reptilians, birds, fishes, etc. Forests need help too. According to Andrew Mitchell of Global Canopy Programme:
“Rainforests work as a giant natural utility company. If we don’t start paying for it, we will get cut off. Instead of simply preventing the next global credit crunch, it is time to start thinking about averting the rainforest crunch as well.”...
Green Smokers: Never Litter But Still Chuck Butts?
by Mairi Beautyman, Berlin, Germany on 10.28.08
Photo: Dmodzelewski via Flickr
Let's confess: Sometimes, say a pack a week, I smoke. And when I've finished the dirty deed -- well aware of the health and environmental consequences -- I'm left with my hands full. Between my fingers is the smelly, smoldering remnant of a habit I'm trying to kick. And the temptation for some really schizophrenic behavior. In most facets of my life, I'm pretty green: From the way I live, to the way I get around. I certainly don't throw anything else on the ground. But when it comes to cigarettes, it's a struggle. And frankly, I'm not alone: I can't count how many times I've met some truly green people who don't think twice about tossing a butt on the street or out of a car. ...
22 Fix-It Videos: Prevent E-Waste, Save Money, and Keep Your Stuff
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 10.28.08
Photo via JandonFIN
E-waste is bad. This we've known for awhile now.
We toss toxic gadgets left and right, often thinking they'll be recycled and therefore e-waste is prevented. But many times our e-waste is shipped off to other countries for them to have to deal with. The EPA does little to ensure the safe recycling of materials. Or, only a fraction of the device can actually be recycled and the rest ends up in a landfill.
And while companies are picking up efforts to improve gadget recycling programs, it is still ultimately up to us to keep a gadget for as long as it is possibly useful. And that means repairing it when needed.
Thankfully, repair tips are endless and free advice is everywhere.
These videos are not meant to be the be-all-end-all of gadget repair, but rather will hopefully solve a few problems and ultimately inspire you to search our answers from others before ditching your device. A huge sense of accomplishment and confidence comes with fixing something you thought was over your head. Turns out - you can do it!
So - save money, be green, fix it yourself. Here’s how. ...
Gotta Get Outta the House? Consider Co-working
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 10.28.08
TreeHugger is big on Homeworking (I hate the word Telecommute) and thinks that it makes more sense than ever, but for some, the home environment just isn't conducive to productivity or they just need a bit of time away and the wifi coffee shop doesn't cut it. Greg at Workalicious reminds us of co-working, showing us Sandbox, a San Francisco "coworking space for freelancers, entrepreneurs and anyone in need of a flexible and affordable place to work or meet." it's got "hot desks, private desks, a comfortable lounge with an espresso service, conference rooms, and a company of like-minded professionals."
For the person who need company and a continuous espresso drip, co-working provides an affordable option. We wrote last year: "co-working as a whole is generally defined by four major values: collaboration, openness, community and sustainability."...
Myanmar, Japan to Cooperate on Jatropha Biodiesel Production
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 10.28.08
photo: Rebecca Stanek
As if the sustainability issues are first generation biofuels weren’t substantial enough already....
Japan and Myanmar are set to cooperate on production of biodiesel, website news.balita.ph is reporting. Under the joint venture Myanmar Bio Energy Company, the Myanmar Ministry of Agriculture, the Japan Development Institute, and the Japan Bio Energy Development Cooperation will be expanding cultivation of Jatropha curcas, establishing a refining/trading center and conducting education and training.
More on the project:...
Aviation Biofuels Could Be Commerically Used Within 3 Years: Boeing
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 10.28.08
photo: Francois Roche
Considering the rising awareness of the growing impact on aviation on greenhouse gas emissions, developing a biofuel suitable for use in airplanes and which can be produced in large enough quantities seems to be the holy grail for a number of firms.
And though they themselves don’t produce any fuel, in a move which perhaps they hope is a self-fulfilling prophesy, airplane manufacturer Boeing has said that within three years using biofuel blends to power commercial aircraft could become normal (The Guardian).
Interestingly, a Boeing representative framed the issue in the context of cerfitification rather than supply:...
Greenwash Watch: Pitney Bowes Chairman on the Benefits of Junk Mail
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 10.28.08
Smith & Wesson were unavailable to talk about gun control, so instead the New York Times got Michael Critelli, Executive Chairman of Pitney Bowes, to defend junk mail against attempts by Leonardo, Oprah and others who consider junk mail an environmental problem and are supporting legislation to have a do-not-mail list, similar to the do-not-call list.
Q. What is the argument that Oprah Winfrey and Leonardo DiCaprio are making?...
Samsung Unveils Ultra-Low Power Carbon Nanotube E-Paper
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 10.28.08
Image via Gizmag
Improved battery life for handheld gadgets and lower energy consumption are two major selling points for Samsung’s new e-paper.
The company has unveiled what it is calling the world’s first carbon nanotube-based color active matrix electrophoretic display, or EDP for those of us eager for yet another acronym for new display technology. But Samsung’s release does indeed have revolutionary appeal for e-paper devices. ...
Edible Landscaping: Mail-Order Useful Perennials
by Sami Grover, Carrboro, NC, USA on 10.28.08
Fantastic Resource for Unusual Edible Perennials
While it might not get as many hits as posts on scantily clad doom mongers, or sexy sustainable sports cars, permaculture still crops up regularly on the pages of TreeHugger. Basically a design system that models itself on nature, permaculture gardening draws heavily from traditional agricultural methods, and lays a strong emphasis on edible perennials and native plants. From the design services of North Carolina-based Bountiful Backyards, to a short movie about greening the desert, we have tried to cover stories and products that appeal to the permaculturally minded. However, as a permaculture enthusiast myself, I still find it hard to get hold of the kind of diversity of useful plants you need if you’re designing low-input edible gardens – or I did until I discovered Edible Landscaping.
...
Survey: Do You Use an Electric Heater?
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 10.28.08
Controversy du jour is whether an electric space heater has a place in a green home. It is a bit early in the season, but Eric reviewed 5 different space heaters and raised the temperature quite a bit.
...
Wind Power Is Getting Bigger All The Time: 2,000 MW Project Planned For North Dakota
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 10.28.08
Eva: Wood, CFLs-Only Lamp from Argentina
by Paula Alvarado, Buenos Aires on 10.28.08
Photo: Paula Alvarado.
Last week it was time for the national annual innovation contest in Argentina, Innovar, and we were happy to know that the environment was one of the main interests behind the products presented this year.
In this occasion we highlight this cool looking lamp, which was designed exclusively for CFLs. The lamp is made with very few parts and is very easy to disassemble for recycling: a set of layers with a cut in the middle for the lamp, hold by two metal sticks. The lamp is surrounded by a thin plastic square that can be changed for color customization (a picture of this in the extended)....
Inhabitot's Baby-Tee Shirts
by Bonnie Alter, London on 10.28.08
Who could resist a face like that! So cute. Or his tee-shirt that says " I give a hoot". They are both, baby and tee, courtesy of Inhabitot, TreeHugger's favourite new baby design website. The shirt is made out of 100% organic cotton, printed by hand with eco-friendly, water-based inks. It features their mascot, the green owl, and has a nice green message for the world.
If you want a more subtle and matching look for child and mother, Inhabitat's award-winning design of an upside down tree in pale green and white comes in a tee-shirt and one-piece cotton onesie. Its tag line is "I am the root of the solution". To win one, hurry and take part in their green Hallowe'en contest: send in a photo of your clever costume or homemade Hallowe'en treats, and who knows, your child may be the proud owner of an adorable new shirt. Inhabitot...
Lessons in Biomimicry - Part 2 Natural Systems
by Leonora Oppenheim, London, UK on 10.28.08
Image courtesy of Paul Villecourt - http://paul.villecourt.com/photos
Last week I reported direct from Schumacher College in Devon, where I was attending a course entitled Biomimicry: New Directions in Sustainable Design. The first part of the programme discussed natural forms using examples such as the Eden Project. Today I continue with part 2 of Michael Pawlyn's course examining natural systems and tomorrow you can read the final part in this series which looks at natural processes.
Biomimicry as the study of natural systems can help design and architecture work more effectively, but it can also work on social development and business structures. The image above was taken on a coasteering holiday run by TYF in Wales. The founder of TYF, Andy Middleton, explained why it was fundamental to engage people in nature in order to help them connect with the environment. He also described his intriguing theory of 'winkle thinking'......
Guayaki's Maté - "Carbon Subtracting" Beverage in Biodegradable Packaging
by April Streeter, Gothenburg, Sweden on 10.28.08
Biodegradable only good if it's being degraded
Biodegradable packaging is a bit like carbon offsetting - of dubious value if it is only a band aid for our guilt. We actually must be biodegrading the packaging to make the premise work. Guayaki, which imports organic and Fair Trade loose Yerba Maté, the Argentinian tea-like drink, was attempting to improve its product's shelf life freshness. But foil, the common choice, is not very eco-friendly. Guayaki eventually chose old-fashioned cellulose film (which also happens to be biodegradable) that is "metallized" with super thin aluminum film. Thus Guayaki says it has perfected a "carbon-subtracting" packaging - biodegradable, and at the same time, the growing the maté soaks up more CO2 than processing, packaging, and transporting the product. So each 16 oz. pouch of maté is "reducing" CO2 573 grams. TreeHugger asked some detailed questions about the Guayaki maté's true capacity for CO2 soak-up and the bag's ability for breaking down in the backyard pile....
Energy [R]evolution Now! Greenpeace Outlines Renewable Energy & Climate Change Plan
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 10.27.08
Global Green Cuts the (Green) Ribbon on Eco-Friendly School
by Marissa Moss, Manhattan (Lower East Side) on 10.27.08
Photo credit: Global Green
Global Green, Hollywood's favorite environmental non-profit, is showing they have the substance to back the style: last week, they launched their pilot program to create five green schools serving low income children in the Los Angeles area. Along with Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC), Global Green unveiled two of the finished projects with a ribbon cutting ceremony. Of course, the ribbon was green. Pics of the school after the jump....
Vanno Launches User-Generated Company Reputation Index Website
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 10.27.08
OK TreeHuggers - feel like reading news articles about companies and putting in your two cents about their reputation? You're officially invited to do so.
Vanno has just launched a website that puts up user-submitted news content that helps or hinders a company's reputation. Users can vote on whether or not the information in good or bad for the company, and find out where companies rank on issues of concern to customers.
Think you might want to play along? You're invited to be beta testers. Read on to find out how you can take part. ...
Philips and Starwood Green Up Hotel TVs
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 10.27.08
Getting a contract with a hotel chain is a pretty big deal for a TV manufacturer. And going green is also a pretty big deal for a hotel considering the push for more eco-conscious lodgings by travelers. So Philip and Starwood are probably both pretty happy signing what is thought to be the biggest “green TV” deal in history. ...
Junk in the Trunk Eliminators
by Kristin Underwood, Sacramento, CA on 10.27.08
Image source: Elizabeth McGowan/Junk in the Trunk
Junk in the Trunk, a woman-owned trash-collection business in Washington, DC is available to collect any excess baggage (large home or business or construction items) that you need to get rid of but don't know what to do with. You've heard of freecycle and other item-recycling services, but JITT takes the headache out of you having to coordinate and move the item yourself. Perfect for getting rid of large (heavy) items or things that you just don't know how to recycle, for a fee....
Design 21 Hosts Carnival of the Green
by Kara DiCamillo, Newport, Rhode Island on 10.27.08
This week is Carnival of the Green # 151 and it's being hosted by Design 21, a network committed to improving life by inspiring social consciousness through design. Design 21 seeks to connect people who want to explore ways that design can positively impact our communities.
So head on over to this week's Carnival to find 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, please click here to link to our previous post.
PLEASE NOTE: Because the Carnival of the Green books so far in advance (thanks to all of you!), we are currently not accepting hosting requests. Please stay tuned - we'll open 2010 soon!
...
Solar-Powered Lamp Sticks to Window for Charging, Anywhere Else for Lighting
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 10.27.08
Photo via SCMP
A post-it style light that sticks to the window during the day for solar charging and sticks to, well, anything else at night for ambient lighting.
That sounds awesome.
Hong Kong inventor Keikko Lee has designed the magazine cover-thin light that uses 100% solar power to run, and could significantly cut down on raw materials for lighting production. While many concepts are futuristic and yeah-rights, this one sounds like it has some practical potential. ...
Love Goddess 80% Biodegradable Shoes from Bourgeois Boheme
by Kristin Underwood, Sacramento, CA on 10.27.08
Image source: Bourgeois Boheme
Bourgeois Boheme, the eco-boutique in London now has their Love Goddess line of shoes available and they come in 6 flashy styles. Strappy, flat moccasins; purple wedge heels; evening shoes; plain office pumps and, best of all, boots can all be found the collection this fall. ...
Green Eyes On: Natural Products Expo East Shows Bright Future for Green Products
by Sara Snow on 10.27.08
Image courtesy of Natural Products Expo East
I can’t really explain my unexpected and sudden optimism, in spite of the mud puddle economy we’re all apparently still living in and the mud slinging political race we’re still slaves to. But there are at least three things that have contributed to it. Despite the Economy, People are Still Shopping for Natural and Organic Food First, I just attended Natural Products Expo East in Boston (a twice-yearly conference for the natural products industry) and found an unquestionably strong product offering. Despite the pinch so many are feeling in their pocketbooks, research shows people are continuing to buy natural and organic foods and choosing instead to cut back on gym memberships and other ancillaries. This is especially true when it comes to food for their children and the most basic foods for themselves. Great news! Strong Trends: Probiotics and Vitamin C Packs Some trends I was seeing out of Boston: Probiotics are the unsung heroes (a personal favorite of mine is GoodBelly, which I wrote about earlier this year); the gluten-free category continues to grow (especially good news as large numbers of people are discovering they have gluten sensitivities and even Celiac disease); still there are waters, waters everywhere, but now there are more and more of the Emergen-C type vitamin/flavor packets or pellets that you add to the filtered tap water you carry around in your Sigg or reusable water bottle of choice (a new favorite of mine is called Zenergize); and honey products are making a strong comeback (save the bees!!!). ...
Emergency Response Studio by Paul Villinksi
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 10.27.08
Artist Paul Villinski has done a fab refab of a prefab, stripping out the guts of a 30' Gulfstream Cavalier FEMA Trailer of all formaldehyde-contaminated materials and rebuilding it with recycled denim insulation, reclaimed wood floors and bamboo cabinetry.
...
Blowing Smoke: Joe Camel And King Coal
by Greg Haegele of Sierra Club on 10.27.08
You know how tobacco companies have fashioned their advertising pitches over the years to make smoking look cool and fun and like the popular thing to do -- even though it's a smelly, nasty habit that's likely to kill you? Who wouldn't like Joe Camel? Maybe smoking isn't so bad!
We got thinking about this and decided to launch a website called "Coal Is Not the Answer," where we've posted a video that counters the coal industry's happy claims. There are also foot-noted facts that shine a light on the industry's bogus information.
The coal industry's recent $40 million advertising campaign that touts coal as the next great thing to solve the energy crisis reminds me of Joe Camel and his ilk. King Coal is telling us that coal really is clean -- and abundant, and cheap, and the answer to the oil crisis. Well, it's also the source of 30% of our global warming pollution (and even our goofy cartoon character Stinky can see the downside of that). One method of mining coal rips the tops off mountains and dumps the dirt into rivers and valleys, leaving a moonscape where a spectacular ecosystem once thrived. And burning it produces mercury that is wreaking havoc on our waterways, fish populations, and our own bodies....
Bizarre Pet Store Opens in New York
by Kimberley D. Mok, Montreal, Canada on 10.27.08
OLED Market Poised to Hit $2.7 Billion by 2015
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 10.27.08
Not too long ago, we pondered when OLED TVs would become widely available. Apparently, it’s a bit of a wait, but there is a time frame.
According to NanoMarkets, the OLED market is set to take off and reach a whopping $2.7 billion within about 6 years.
...
The Lesson of the Financial Crisis for Climate Change, ‘Tackle Risk Early’: Nicolas Stern
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 10.27.08
photo: Ikhlasul Amal
Though if you’ve just seen the money in your retirement account disappear this may not be the time to bring this up, but I will anyway. We mustn't lose focus on the absolute importance of moving away from fossil fuels (no matter how low their price goes) and tackling climate change. We also have an opportunity to reassess how we incorporate environmental externalities into the prices of goods, and in the process tilt the scales towards greater ecological sustainability.
But just don’t take it from me. Advocates and economists far more pedigreed than I are also continuing to ring the “inaction on environmental issues will cost us” bell. Here’s Nicholas Stern on climate change and wall street woes:...
SEED [pod] Incremental Housing from Binary Studios
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 10.27.08
Binary Studios suggest that their Small Energy Efficient Dwelling is like a plant: "As the seedpod protects and nourishes the seed in the initial stages of the embryonic plant, the SEED [pod] equivalently recognizes the social contract of architecture to serve those in need by providing high quality affordable dwelling units to the large population that is typically underserved by the design community."...
ECO Showerdrop Times and Measures Your Showering
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 10.27.08
Image via Smart Planet
As we head into winter (in the northern hemisphere, anyway) one of the hardest things to do in the morning is get out of a hot, relaxing shower. Actually shutting off the hot water and facing the chilly air is…well, tough. However, for those of us in need of help, there is the Eco Showerdrop....
Colleges Missing Their Climate Targets Goals, Says CSM
by Kristin Underwood, Sacramento, CA on 10.27.08
Image source: University of Vermont
Not to be Debbie-Downer this Monday morning, but the Christian Science Monitor reports that colleges and universities, not unlike countries that made climate commitments, are having a hard time meeting those goals. Don't get us wrong, colleges big and small have made huge strides compared to where they were five or ten years ago in reducing their carbon footprints. According to their climate commitments, though, their work has only just begun....
Ethanol Industry Still Dodging Blame For Role In Global Food Crisis
by Jeff Nield, Vancouver, British Columbia on 10.27.08
via UVM Transportation Center
In order to counter claims that ethanol production is a major cause of the global food crisis, the Renewable Fuels Association recently released a report called "Will the Plunge in Grain Prices Mean Lower Food Prices at the Supermarket?". John covered this story earlier in the year when he recognized that media reports were quick to blame ethanol without weighing other factors. On the other hand, Lloyd reported on a World Bank report that blames ethanol as a prime cause for the crisis.
The possible negative effects go beyond this year's food crisis. Below is some insight on ethanol production from two food system watchers, Wayne Roberts and Michael Pollan....
Algae For Biofuels Grown on Waste Water in Austin, Texas: Video Clip
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 10.27.08
$50 Off a Kindle Purchase, Thanks to Oprah
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 10.27.08
We've often talked about e-readers here at TreeHugger. Some folks are fans, calling out the greener elements of reading from something like a Kindle versus buying a paper book. Others are not so much the e-reader fans, pointing towards libraries and borrowing from friends as the best way to greenly read.
But, if you've been itching for a Kindle, you can get an extra $50 off thanks to Oprah and her crush on the gadget. It is officially her latest "favorite gadget" and Amazon is all excited at the publicity and at getting a leg up on competing e-readers.
Thanks to her massive influence on book sales, such an endorsement for an e-reader could me a whole lot of trees are equally excited about the news.
Read on for how you can save $50 on your purchase. ...
Frugal Green Living: Have We Been Brainwashed To Avoid it?
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 10.27.08
Printing a nice message on a piece of plastic wrap and putting it in the bin does not make it green, nor does it do much for the environment, but it does make one feel better about using it and probably sells some extra plastic. Much of recycling is like that- a feel-good way of shifting producer responsibility for their own waste to the taxpayer, who pays to have it picked up and recycled.
And while we at TreeHugger stress the positive effects of small steps, thinking that they lead to bigger steps and to political change, UK environmental writer Keith Farnish serves some food for thought over at the Sietch. ...
53% of Global Carbon Emissions Come From the Developing World: Oak Ridge National Laboratory
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 10.27.08
image: Carbon Dioxide Information Analysis Center
It’s no secret that even though we’ve made strides in raising awareness (if not increasing action enough...) about global warming, carbon emissions just keep on rising. You probably also saw that earlier in the year China became the world’s number one greenhouse gas emitter. What we can now report—thanks to new research done at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory—is that not only are global carbon emissions rising, the source of those emissions is shifting towards Asia. That may be intuitive to some readers, but this is what ORNL has found:...
BPA Update: How Science Works at the FDA
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 10.27.08
Parents are throwing away the bottles, but what about the cans?
When it comes to covering the Bisphenol A beat, Susanne Rust and Meg Kissinger of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel deserve a lot of credit and maybe even a Pulitzer for their wall-to-wall expose on how the Food and Drug Administration has done its job. They broke the story about how the subcommittee chair Martin Philbert's institute received a cool $5 million around when he was appointed, which has led to a congressional inquiry.
But wait, there's more! Now they write that the report "claiming that bisphenol A is safe was written largely by the plastics industry and others with a financial stake in the controversial chemical. "...
Electoral Energy
by Marian Hopkins, Business Roundtable on 10.27.08
It has been a long election season with countless twists and turns and changing poll numbers, but we’re almost to the finish line. As Americans prepare to cast their votes, it’s time to sharpen our focus and take a closer look at where the major party candidates stand on some of the most pressing issues facing our country: promoting sustainable growth and improving our energy infrastructure.
At Business Roundtable, we believe enacting sound energy and environmental policies should be a top priority for the next administration, and we’re thrilled that both Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL) and Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) have made tackling energy and climate change top priorities of their campaigns. As we learned in July when we hosted the candidates’ advisors at our Energy and Environment Forum, Obama and McCain share some common policy positions.
On environmental policy, for instance, both favor “smart grid” power lines and have promoted cap-and-trade plans to combat global climate change. Both oppose oil exploration in ANWR. Both favor a combination of tax incentives and public investments to spur development in clean coal and alternative energy sources like wind and solar.
...Buddhist Temple Built from Beer Bottles
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 10.27.08
Fifty years ago the Heineken Beer company looked at reshaping its beer bottle to be useful as a building block. It never happened, so Buddhist monks from Thailand's Sisaket province took matters into their own hands and collected a million bottles to build the Wat Pa Maha Chedi Kaew temple. It puts every other bottle building we have shown to shame. ...
Farmed Scottish Seaweed Should Be Be Turned Into Biogas: UK's Crown Estate
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 10.27.08
photo: SteveB!
A few weeks ago it was announced that an association of Italian biodiesel producers was investigating the potential of seaweed as a non-food crop feedstock for biofuel.
Now, the UK’s Crown Estate is getting in on the act, saying that Scottish seaweed should be investigated as to its potential for creating biogas for using in heating and electricity generation. Although they quite plainly state that more research needs to be done before farming algae, creating biogas from it via anaerobic digestion and then distributing that gas as fuel is commercially viable in Scotland, the Crown Estate says that doing so has several advantages over using terrestrial biomass:...
Boulder County Vehicle to Grid Program Initiates "Phase One"
by Eric Leech, New York, NY on 10.27.08
5 Great Portable Electric Space Heaters
by Eric Leech, New York, NY on 10.27.08
Photo used courtesy of Vagawi
The U.S. Department of Energy has established that in many cases using an electric space heater in one room is much more efficient that heating an entire home efficiently with a gas furnace (especially an older unit). With so many space heater options out there, it is not so much a question of using one, but which one to use.
There are a lot of great options out there, so while we can't cover all the great ones, we are going to focus on a few models which have either been praised by online reviews (such as Amazon, Viewpoints, Epinions, etc), Consumer Reports, and/or Good Housekeeping.
We have separated these units out to the more common forms of portable heat. You have your basic convection heater, fan forced convection, oil filled heater, mica panel, and radiant heater. Each of these offer a slightly different means of heat to meet your needs, and we shall describe their pros and cons along with their unique features....
Arthur Dent Meets the US Department of the Interior
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 10.27.08
Secretary Kempthorne of the Department of the Interior's favourite scene from Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy, where the official from the government explains how Arthur Dent had all the time in the world to view and comment on the plans for a bypass:
Official:"The plans have been available at the planning office for the last nine months"
Arthur Dent: On display? I had to go down to the cellar.
O: that's the display department.
A: with a torch!
O: the lights were probably out.
A: so were the stairs.
O: but you did see the notice, didn't you?
A: Oh yes, it was on display in the bottom of a locked filing cabinet stuck in a disused lavatory with a sign outside the door saying "beware of the leopard!" Ever thought about going into advertising?
This appears to be the model for the Department's Communication Strategy when it comes to the proposed changes to the Endangered Species Act.
...
Wired Says Blogging is Dead; Nonsense, We Are Just Getting Started.
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 10.27.08
Wired's Paul Boutin thinks blogging is over. “Scroll down Technorati's list of the top 100 blogs and you'll find personal sites have been shoved aside by professional ones. Most are essentially online magazines: The Huffington Post, Engadget, and TreeHugger. A stand-alone commentator can't keep up with a team of pro writers cranking out up to 30 posts a day." While I should be thankful that this august Condé Nast publication acknowledges us as "pros" (did they not used to refer to us as losers hacking away in our pyjamas?) I won't gloat about this, I will just point out that he is completely wrong. Smaller blogs thrive in niches and feed the big blogs; I could not get through a day without standing on the shoulders of Preston or Justin or Harry or Jill. Furthermore, blogging is changing and evolving; in the words of Randy Bachman, you ain't seen nothing yet.
A great example is what is happening at the Re-imagining Cities conference in Philadelphia next week. ...
School Remembers Fallen Cyclist with Free Helmets and a Rodeo
by Sami Grover, Carrboro, NC, USA on 10.27.08
Forget Hot Tubs and Saunas - The Most Relaxing Room is Green and Blue
by April Streeter, Gothenburg, Sweden on 10.27.08
It seems almost silly, but British researchers at the University of Hertfordshire have announced they have designed a room that they say gives its stressed out occupants a feeling of relief - if only for 15 minutes. Billed as the most relaxing room in the world, the main elements in the environment are: the smell of lavender, deep green lighting to simulate deep green nature, and a "sky-like" screen to "turn thought inward." Why not just go outside and get some nature...the real thing?
"The pace of modern-day life, credit crunch, and financial crisis is making many people feel very stressed and so we have created this space to help them relax”, noted Professor Richard Wiseman, creator of the room....
Survey: Do You Buy Fair Trade?
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 10.27.08
One can get a lot of fair trade products these days; coffee and chocolate are common and now you can even get sugar. However it costs a lot more, and I was surprised the other day to find out that I was paying twice as much for my Kicking Horse Kickass as I might have paid for conventional beans. In these times that is a worry. What to do?
...
New Ramsar Sites Added as Korea Hosts Its First Meeting
by greenz.jp, Tokyo, Japan on 10.27.08
(Photo courtesy Suncheon-si, from Ramsar.org)
This week, South Korea hosts its first Ramsar Convention Meeting in the city of Changwon, near the spectacular wetland site seen in the photo above. The good news is that several countries, including Japan, will add more sites to be protected under the 1971 UN convention. The streams in Kume-jima, for example are in Okinawa, where they flow from Mt Uegusuku creating an important habitat for endangered species under IUCN Red List and National Protected Species lists. Surrounding communities also use stream water for liquor production! Tundra Swans (Cygnus columbianus), Steller’s Sea Eagle (Haliaeetus pelagicus) and native fish species will also get better protection at other new Ramsar sites in central Japan....
MDI Unveils Radically Designed Air-Powered Concept Car
by Andrew Posner, Providence, Rhode Island on 10.27.08
A Radical Design for A Simple Idea
Vehicles powered by compressed air, much as plug-in hybrids and hydrogen cars, seem to be perennially stuck in the concept car phase, with talk of commercial releases just around the corner. However, the promise of air cars--which, as the name implies, run on compressed air--is in some ways greater than any other vehicle, as the only energy they need is the electricity required to compress the air that goes into the tank. Of course, air cars currently are limited in their range and speed, but just as we've seen with electric cars such as the Think and the ZENN, there are numerous applications for low-mileage, low-speed cars. Clearly, air cars could fill that niche quite well....
Stairway to Heaven: Kew Tree Top Walkway
by Bonnie Alter, London on 10.27.08
Kew Gardens, properly known as the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, is a 300 acre garden, a World Heritage Site and the (newly voted) best public garden in Britain. With 1.4 million visitors a year, they have to keep introducing new attractions as well as maintain their reputation as a national centre for botanical research and training. The Gardens hold examples of three quarters of the country's endangered plant species as well as being a stunning place to wander.
The newest development is the Rhizotron and Xstrata Tree Top Walkway, an ethereal "bridge" that lets you meander, literally, through the tree tops. It is 59 feet high and a winding 220 yards long and floats over fifty mature trees, butterfly sanctuaries and around random birds such as tawny owls, woodpeckers, kestrels and parakeets (we saw a green one). Not to mention mosses and lichen, insects and bats at dusk.
...
Hate Something, Change Something – Garrison Keillor Sings About Clean Diesel
by Brian Merchant, Brooklyn, New York on 10.26.08
Canadian Government an "Avid Cheerleader" for Asbestos (But Not In Its Own Backyard)
by Kimberley D. Mok, Montreal, Canada on 10.26.08
Photo: Woman sifting asbestos into powder, Bangladesh (Greenpeace)Though there have been efforts to phase it out at home, it is anticipated that the Canadian government will be lobbying against the inclusion of a type of asbestos on a watch list of the world’s most dangerous substances in UN negotiations later this week. In a harsh editorial published in its latest issue, the Canadian Medical Association Journal (CMAJ) is condemning what it calls the Canadian government’s "death-dealing charade" in exporting and promoting asbestos outside of Canada – mostly in developing nations. Tomorrow’s talks in Rome will focus on whether chrysotile asbestos should be recognized as a hazardous substance on a list known worldwide as the Rotterdam Convention. Though this doesn’t ban the stuff outright, it means that countries must give their informed consent prior to importation. In the last round of talks during 2006, Canada partnered with Iran, Zimbabwe and Kyrgyzstan to spearhead a successful campaign to prevent the addition of asbestos to the list - the only western nation to do so. ...
Proper Nuclear Safety? Blah, Blah, Blah, Says John McCain. Literally.
by Brian Merchant, Brooklyn, New York on 10.26.08
Downtown Houston Rediscovers Green with New Eco-Centric Park
by Trevor Reichman on 10.26.08
image by trevor reichman
What was a large downtown parking lot in Houston just a year ago, is now Discovery Green, downtown Houston’s new urban park. Underneath the park, an underground parking garage now accommodates the same number of cars as before…no more, no less. An above ground portal, designed by Austin artist, Margo Sawyer, takes drivers from their cars below the Earth up to almost a dozen acres of new centrally located parkspace. ...
Cycling-Induced Helmet Hair May Contribute to Climate Change
by Josh Peterson, Los Angeles, California on 10.26.08
photo by Andy Gates
Bicycling is a great way to get to work without using gasoline or other non-renewable resources. It strengthens the body, bolsters the immune system and adds to the overall well-being of the cyclist, but a new poll shows that some may not be utilizing pedal power for the wrong reasons.
...
A Grim Future for Yosemite's Glaciers
by Jeremy Elton Jacquot, Los Angeles on 10.26.08
Image from glennwilliamspdx
McClatchy News' Tom Knudson has a lengthy, sobering piece on the impact of climate change on Yosemite National Park that is well-worth reading for anybody who has ever had the chance to traipse through its beautiful vistas. As I've noted before, the warmer temperatures have taken a harsh toll on the Sierra Nevada's snowpack, California's largest surface water reservoir (it supplies about 65 percent of the state's freshwater needs), and many of Yosemite's best known glaciers have been equally affected. The park's second-largest glacier, Lyell, could be gone by the end of the century, according to Pete Devine, a glacier observer affiliated with the nonprofit Yosemite Association, and the remaining 100 could suffer a similar fate.
...
Michigan Teens Build Butterfly Houses and Plant 26,000 Native Plants through the Zaagkii Wings and Seeds Project
by Sara Novak, Columbia, SC on 10.26.08
photo: Greg Peterson
The hundreds of thousands of Monarch butterflies that migrate through Michigan's Upper Peninsula en route to Mexico every year can thank Marquette teens and the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community (KBIC) youth for their future survival. As part of the Zaagkii Wings and Seeds Project in Marquette they are protecting these and other pollinators dying across the world, especially in the Midwest, with Colony Collapse Disorder. Check out how these teens reached out to help our critical pollinators survive....
On Global Food Crisis, Bill Clinton Says "We Blew It"
by Alex Smith, San Francisco, California on 10.26.08
Photo Credit: Jason DeCrow, The AP
Earlier this week, Bill Clinton said at the UN that, "we all blew it, including me as president" by treating food crops as commodity rather than a right of the poor. Addressing attendees to the week's World Food Day, Clinton took to reprimanding the World Bank, IMF and other global institutions, that with pressure from the US forced Africans to via market models to invest in fertilizers and GMO seeds, leaving them further away from food self-sufficiency. More below the fold....
Joe Could Be A Green Plumber
by Brian Merchant, Brooklyn, New York on 10.26.08
Photo courtesy of Reuters
If Joe the Plumber one day hopes to pull in that $250,000 a year salary, here’s a tip that might help him out in the very near future: he should become a Green Plumber....
Local Businesses, Government Officials and Environmental Agencies Unite to Protect Maryland Wetlands
by Brian Merchant, Brooklyn, New York on 10.26.08
Photo courtesy of Terry McTm
The state of Maryland has already shown a proclivity towards environmental programs—it has embraced wind power via positive legislation, for one. Now, it’s going to clean up its wetlands. ...
Wholesome Sweeteners Celebrates $1 Million Dollars In Fair Trade Premiums Paid To Sugar Cane Farmers
by Jeff Nield, Vancouver, British Columbia on 10.26.08
Wholesome Sweeteners
Since 2005, when Wholesome Sweeteners helped develop Fair Trade Certification for sugar products, the company has raised over $1 million in certification premiums for the sugar cane farmers and beekeepers it works with in Malawi, Costa Rica, Paraguay and Mexico. The company announced the milestone this October, in conjunction with Fair Trade Month. ...
70% of All U.S. Drivers Change Habits for 2008
by Eric Leech, New York, NY on 10.26.08
Photo by Chris Piascik
The INRIX National Traffic Scorecard Special Report revealed this month that the Impact of the rising fuel costs over this past year has significantly changed both traffic and consumer driving habits in the US. With the gradual rise in population every year, we are used to seeing traffic increase, but this year tells a different story.
The survey was conducted this October, 2008, so interestingly it is actually taking into consideration the recent gas price breaks we have been enjoying. The average retail price of gasoline increased dramatically from $2.29 in January 2007 to $4.09 in June 2008, then prices began to plummet in the third quarter, with an average of $3.30 during the week of October 10, 2008.
Proof that Good Driving Habits are Forming Across the US
It appears as if habits of eco-responsible driving may actually be forming across just about every city in America. The most influenced cities being Atlanta, Miami, Las Vegas, and L.A., while New York, Washington D.C., and Chicago remain much less so. The researchers were actually shocked to find that the cities with such a strong public transportation infrastructures, like New York and D.C., were not taking more advantage of them.
We have to take into account the basic social, political, and economic demographic differences. These differences were shown by the 76 percent of those earning less than $35,000 a year who reported a decrease in their driving, while those earning $75,000 a year or more, only 57 percent reported the decrease. Such demographics would explain some of the differences, however, across the board, most all cities and groups reported a reduction in their daily driving.
Conditions of the Survey
The survey was taken using a random group of 2,212 adults age 18 and older (1,977 of whom owned a vehicle). These results were then organized by age, sex, ethnicity, education, educational background, and average household income. Here are some of the most significant findings in the report:...
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.
