- 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 December 21, 2008 - December 27, 2008
Total this week: 137
Kentucky Environmental Groups Battle Bush Administration’s Midnight Rulemaking
by Brian Merchant, Brooklyn, New York on 12.27.08
Some mountaintops removed for mining, photo courtesy of the NY Times
You’ve got to love all these “Midnight Rules” that keep popping up—whether it’s the lifting of poultry farm regulations, or the latest egregious legislation: a repealing of the stream buffer zone rule, which has prevented surface coal mining from taking place a scant 100 feet from flowing streams since 1983. Yes, as we reported earlier, the EPA overturned this vital law, acting against the advice of some of its own scientists. The rule's elimination will likely lead to serious environmental hazards like more mountaintop removal mining.
But the environmental organizations in Kentucky—including Kentucky Waterways Alliance, the Sierra Club, and Earthjustice—won’t let this midnight rule go quietly into the night.
...
Trees Have Rights Too Campaign Branches Out on Facebook
by Brian Merchant, Brooklyn, New York on 12.27.08
Image courtesy of the Sietch
In the first week of its existence, the Facebook group Trees Have Rights Too has apparently attracted some 2,100 new members—all who share the ambition of urging the United Nations to create a Bill of Planetary Rights. We’ve hit on Polly Higgins’s general Trees Have Rights Campaign as a worthy cause and it appears the Facebook component has taken root (ahem) with equal success.
The group points to the fact that every Christmas season, around 6 million Christmas trees are disposed of—some that are recycled, and most that hit the landfill—in order to highlight a seasonal relevancy to their mission.
...
Top 10 Answers to the Statement: You Might be a Hypermiler If...
by Eric Leech, New York, NY on 12.27.08
Photo credit to Macca
Jeff Foxworthy may have top billing when it comes to the You Might be a Redneck jokes, but today we try our hand at our own brand of You Might be a Hypermiler humor. Be gentle, we're not comedians, just die hard hypermilers with obviously way too much time on our hands......
Greenpeace Stages Greenwashing Award Ceremony in BP Headquarters Lobby (Video)
by Brian Merchant, Brooklyn, New York on 12.27.08
Waiting On A Green Renaissance
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 12.27.08
Roasted Cinderella Pumpkin
Using 2008 as a reference point, 2009 promises a blizzard of political debris, lofted by an un-closeting of science. And, if history be any guide, the chatterboxes of US radio and TV will try to bury the ideas of a barely-formed green sub-culture in drifts of insensible talking points.
The prospect of a Green Renaissance is faint indeed, seen through the lens of 2008. No wonder I am reluctant to let go of this fall's imagery: like the roasted pumpkin on my stove top, pictured here. And others....
Welcome to the 19th Century: Coal Comes Home Again
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 12.27.08
Filling the coal-fired stove in Sugarloaf, PA; Laura Pedrick for the NYT
The New York Times covers the return of coal as a heating source in American houses.
Problematic in some ways and difficult to handle, coal is nonetheless a cheap, plentiful, mined-in-America source of heat. And with the cost of heating oil and natural gas increasingly prone to spikes, some homeowners in the Northeast, pockets of the Midwest and even Alaska are deciding coal is worth the trouble.John Taplin noticed this in the same edition as Elisabeth Rosenthal's article on passivhaus designs in Germany, and wondered:
Isn’t it rather embarrassing that we are falling back on 19th Century dirty technology while the Europeans are embracing 21st Century methods of keeping themselves warm?...
Quiz: How Well Do You Remember 2008?
by Greg Haegele of Sierra Club on 12.27.08
Image credit:AdventureBlog, Pop Quiz, animation excerpt
I'll say this about 2008: It was mighty memorable. Some very discouraging stuff went down -- decisions affecting endangered species, coal mining, beloved wild landscapes. That said, some great things happened, too. Like the promise of science being welcome in the White House again. Like the decision by the EPA's Environmental Appeal Board that the EPA has no valid reason to refuse to regulate the CO2 emissions that come from new coal-powered plants (too bad Stephen L. Johnson is now going against that ruling).
But I'm not telling you Treehugger readers anything you didn't already know.
Or am I? Let's find out. Take our current events quiz that asks ten questions about environmental news from 2008. See how you do - and let us know what you think.
Happy Holidays, and here's to an environmentally excellent 2009....
Quote of the Day: New York Times on Why We Need A Gas Tax
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 12.27.08
A New York Times Editorial looks at what happens when you mix cheap gas with fuel efficient cars.
The multibillion-dollar aid package for Detroit’s carmakers approved by the White House (with Mr. Obama’s support) fails to address one crucial question: Who will buy all the fuel-efficient cars that Detroit carmakers are supposed to make? The danger is that too few will, especially if gasoline prices remain low. Therefore, it might be time for the president-elect and Congress to think seriously about imposing a gas tax or similar levy to keep gas prices up after the economy recovers from recession. Americans did not buy enormous gas guzzlers just because Detroit marketed them relentlessly. They bought them because they wanted big cars — and because gas was cheap. If gas stays cheap, Americans would be less inclined to squeeze their families into a lithe fuel-efficient alternative.More in New York Times. ...
Passivhaus in the New York Times
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 12.27.08
Family in Passivhaus; Rolf Oeser for The New York Times
Elisabeth Rosenthal visits a Passive House in Germany and describes their construction:
Using ultrathick insulation and complex doors and windows, the architect engineers [sic] a home encased in an airtight shell, so that barely any heat escapes and barely any cold seeps in. That means a passive house can be warmed not only by the sun, but also by the heat from appliances and even from occupants’ bodies. And in Germany, passive houses cost only about 5 to 7 percent more to build than conventional houses....
Introductory Talk on Climate Change to be Held at New York's American Natural History Museum
by Brian Merchant, Brooklyn, New York on 12.27.08
Photo by Agaton Strom
Earlier this year, the American Natural History Museum in New York City unveiled its much anticipated Climate Change exhibition. And soon, they’ll be ringing in the new year with an important talk on global warming that will either get you up to speed on the most recent scientific attitudes and discoveries regarding climate change, or comfortably introduce you to the subject altogether.
It’s called “The How and Why of Climate Change and What it Means for the Future,” and the presentation will be given by Earth and Planetary Sciences curator Edmund A. Mathez.
...
Norman Bel Geddes Predicts the Future
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 12.27.08
It is that time of year that everyone makes predictions, and looks at predictions made a year ago; here is one that was made quite a bit earlier. It is sad that we live in a world where Norman Bel Geddes is more famous for being the father of Barbara Bel Geddes, Miss Ellie in a successful 80's TV show, than for his industrial design. Be that as it may, Norman made some interesting predictions for the future in the 1931 Ladies Home Journal, dug up by Enrique Ramirez of Archinect....
Green Kitchen Giveaway Helps Holy Rosary Soup Kitchen Meet Growing Demands
by Sara Novak, Columbia, SC on 12.27.08
photo: Holy Rosary Soup Kitchen
There's no doubt that charities have taken a substantial hit in the recent economic downturn. According to CBS News, six million people asked the Salvation Army for help last year. This year that number has almost doubled to between 10 and 12 million. But with more people in trouble, there are fewer donations to go around. For Holy Rosary's Soup Kitchen, however, there's a green light at the end of the tunnel....
Björk Gets Her Own Sustainable Investment Fund
by April Streeter, Gothenburg, Sweden on 12.27.08
Photo deep_schismic @ flickr.
Singer and celebrity Björk has become something of a sustainability whirlwind. Björk's already been vocal about her opposition to a proposed aluminum smelter for the economically-challenged country of Iceland. After she did an environmental benefit concert earlier this year called Nattura and became depressed at the thought that the show would do little to deter aluminum smelter proponents, she wrote a chaotic song (also called Nattura) and launched it on ITunes in October. That led her to a trip round Iceland to find sustainable business ideas and tell the government about them. Finally, this month, Björk gave her name, her image, and an undisclosed sum of money to a new venture capital fund dedicated to getting money to the best and brightest local businesses.
...
Sea Shepherd Scores One for the Whales, Gets Terrorist Status
by greenz.jp, Tokyo, Japan on 12.27.08
(Photo from Hokkaido Shimbun)
Sea Shepherd, the international conservation organization and focus of Animal Planet's Whale Wars, has managed to stop the Japanese whaling operation in the Antarctic Ocean. For now. No whales have been killed yet this season, according to several news sources, including IBTimes.com. While that's good news for the whales, the way media is reporting about Sea Shepherd, calling it a "terrorist organization," makes me doubt if the general public here in Japan is going to suddenly start supporting the actions and steps taken by Paul Watson and his compatriots. ...
De-facto Commercial Construction Moratorium: What Good May Come For Sustainable Development?
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 12.26.08
The slowing of construction in the USA has created a once-in-a-generation opportunity for driving significant, positive environmental change. Although I hesitate to even use the word because it has so little currency in the USA, an opening exists for a nation-wide consideration of sustainable development.
The construction slow-down reduces pressure on endangered species and prime farmland surrounding urban areas.
Were the US Congress to place a moratorium on taxpayer-supported loans for commercial construction, while it considered amendments to improve the Endangered Species Act, political wars would ensue. Yet, as a consequence of the widening financial crisis, we have exactly that: a near-moratorium on construction projects. Never will there be a better time to look objectively at how to improve the ESA and farmland preservation measures.
What other unexpected opportunities flow from the de-facto moratorium ?...
My 3-inch Holiday Tree
by Earthwatch Institute on 12.26.08
On a recent visit to the newly renovated, hyper-green, and absolutely marvelous California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco, I strolled into the museum store and bought a tiny tree in a plastic mailing tube. The tree sat on my rental car dashboard as I visited friends and family throughout California and Oregon, and then traveled in a shoulder bag on a Southwest Airlines flight back to Maynard, Massachusetts.
Now my tree resides on a tabletop under a grow light with a few dozen orchids, where it is misted and praised daily. (The snow shot was merely for publicity – no trees were harmed in the making of this blog.)...
American Lithium Ion Battery Makers Form Alliance
by Andrew Posner, Providence, Rhode Island on 12.26.08
Image Credit: kqedquest via Flickr
A Bailout of Sorts for Battery Makers Too?
Though the Big Three will end up getting their much sought bailout, no one-except, apparently, for Congress and the White House-is under the illusion that the Big Three are on firm footing, especially relative to Toyota, Honda, BMW, and others. Part of the reason behind the Big Three's current ills is that they fell so far behind foreign competitors in developing new manufacturing and propulsion technologies. Well, it turns out that America isn't just behind in making new cars, but also in developing the battery technology that will power the hybrid and electric vehicles of the future. In fact, American companies "are five years behind Asians in [their] ability to manufacture the cells.” In order to catch up and overtake foreign competitors, 14 companies have formed an alliance to push for federal funds.
There has been a lot of innovation in advanced battery technology lately. Read on for some of the highlights, and to learn how the new lithium ion battery maker alliance hopes to make America the leader in developing advanced batteries....
LEED Platinum is Bustin' Out All Over
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 12.26.08
TreeHugger doesn't show as many LEED buildings as it used to; they have become almost common, and many, LEED notwithstanding, have "issues," such as being overly large, strange uses, (a LEED airplane hanger?) or Power Up Canada Offers Citizens Easy Activism
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 12.26.08
Canadians have a great way to voice their concerns about the environment to federal officials.
Power Up Canada offers news, information, statistics, and easy ways to take action and write to political leaders. ...
Biomimicry Yields Bone-Healing Superglue from Sea Worms
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 12.26.08
Photo credit: keone @ Flickr
Broken bone? Soon, you'll be able to have the break superglued back together, all thanks to sandcastle worms and biomimicry. Researchers at the University of Utah have been inspired by the sea worms, who secrete their own natural glue that they use to build underwater houses; the researchers have been able to copy and synthesize the glue, and hope it can someday replace pins, screws and such in mending broken bones....
Away We Go Green: Focus Features Production Embraces More Sustainable Filmmaking
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 12.26.08
Among the greener filmmaking practices employed on the set were using refillable water bottles and biodegradable plastics, as well as using biodiesel in location vehicles. Images: Film In Focus
Though there are plenty of films out there spreading green messages, if you’ve even been on a film set you know that there are generally more immediate issues at hand than the eco-friendliness of the filmmaking process itself. Well, on the set of Focus Features’ Away We Go, directed by Sam Mendes, green concerns played a more central role.
As part of a pilot project lead by Earthmark/Green Media Solutions (and supported by NBC’s Green is Universal initiative) the production team tried to increase implementation of better sustainability practices in the four areas: Energy, transportation, construction and set materials, and waste. Here’s how they did it; it’s a pretty impressive list:...
Turning Street Trash into Eco-Fash(ion)
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 12.26.08
Survey: What Are You Doing Today?
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 12.26.08
Many Americans are getting the day off because Christmas fell on a Thursday and only an Ebeneezer Scrooge would make Bob Cratchit come in to work between Christmas and the weekend; the rest of the English-speaking world is celebrating Boxing Day. Our survey division is taking a light day as well so we recycle last year's:
...
Transition Towns Training Reaches the US
by Sami Grover, Carrboro, NC, USA on 12.26.08
Community Peak Oil Training Tour Underway
Way back in my early days for writing for TreeHugger, I made a prediction for the year 2007 – arguing that we would see a huge increase in community solutions to climate change and resource depletion. It’s been a wild and bumpy ride since then, but we’ve seen the emergence of all kinds of community groups planning for a better future – from the Fifth US Conference on Peak Oil and Community Solutions, through to new guides for local authorities on peak oil. But the Transition Towns movement stands out as a shining light in community organizing - we’ve seen Transition Towns reaching New Zealand, Japan and more recently the birth of Transition Towns USA. And as I already reported - a Transition Towns Training world tour is currently underway. (Yes, a fossil-fuel powered Transition tour is ironic, but the organizers reckon that trainers travelling is better than trainees.) Here’s an update on the US leg of the Transition Towns tour:...
Computer Ownership Chart Offers Surprising Breakdown
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 12.26.08
Make Boxing Day the Real Buy Nothing Day
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 12.26.08
Lining up in Melbourne
In the English speaking world outside the USA, it is the biggest shopping day of the year. In Australia they were lined up at 4:45 AM, waiting for the stores to open. Boxing Day traditionally was the day that the rich would provide for their servants, perhaps boxing up the leftovers; The Regina Leader-Post defines it differently.
As the name implies, Boxing Day is a day of battle. A day of blood and sweat, when regular people turn into gladiators in an arena of consumer combat, all fighting desperately for a cheap plasma TV or a good deal on a bedroom suite....
Jargon Watch: IR3S (Integrated Research System for Sustainability Science)
by greenz.jp, Tokyo, Japan on 12.26.08
Does your college have a B.A. in Sustainability? IPOS, the Intensive Program on Sustainability is an educational course on global sustainability in Asia. This course stared in 2004, looking at Asia as the key region in achieving global sustainability:
On one hand, solutions to Asia's regional problems are an essential requisite for global sustainability. On the other hand, Asian traditions and perspectives should be introduced to other parts of the world and contribute to global sustainability much more. IPoS is a challenge to develop an educational program that enables such goals.A great way for students to get together to discuss important issues that will shape our future here in Japan, China, India - and a lot of other great places to live, if you are ready to make the leap....
NASA Loses 90 Rubber Duckies in the Arctic, Offers Reward for Return
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 12.26.08
photo: (CC) Gaetan Lee
I admit that this one isn’t the deepest piece of news out there, but I find it too funny (and somehow interesting) to pass up repeating. The Guardian is reporting that NASA wants its rubber duckies back. And if you happen to be a sailor, fisherman or cruise passenger in the Arctic could you please send any you find bobbing out at see back to them. Oh, there’s a $100 reward for the first person to find one.
That’s the funny part; this is how the US space agency lost 90 bathtub toys:...
One Cure for Year-End Account Statement Blues? A Guaranteed Investment "Note"
by April Streeter, Gothenburg, Sweden on 12.26.08
In the last few months, reading your savings and investment account statements is a depressing business, even if you have been dedicated to green investments. Calvert Foundation's Community Investment Note - defined as an unsecured security - says it has a guaranteed rate of return and a socially responsible twist: Buyers of the 1,3,5, 7 or 10 year versions of the note get to choose their interest rate (up to 3%) and also get assurance that their money will be working to help make micro-loans to nonprofit and social enterprise organizations. Calvert also allows investors to specifically target their money to be put to work close to home - an investor can earmark funds go strictly to Alaska projects, for example, or to the Midwest, or to only International projects.
But here's the 3% question: Why would any right-minded investor choose lower than the 3% return rate, and are these investments safe?...
Green Jobs Advocate to Head Labor Department
by Jennifer Hattam, Istanbul, Turkey on 12.26.08
Photo via the official website of Congresswoman Hilda L. Solis
Most of the press about Barack Obama's nominee for Secretary of Labor, Rep. Hilda Solis (D-Calif.), has centered on the four-term Congresswoman's pro-union reputation, with folks like Andy Stern, the president of the Service Employees International Union, calling her "as strong a voice for justice for SEIU workers … as we've ever had." But this longtime labor advocate is just as passionate a supporter of environmental causes....
Make Your Home Green Home with Mod Green Pod
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 12.26.08
Image: Mod Green Pod
The triumvirate of hip ladies from Mod Green Pod is at it again. They've been busy since we saw them last, working hard behind the scenes to update their offerings and services. They're bringing their new (though still U.S.-based) printer in compliance with Global Organic Textile Standards -- a standard they're helping to establish -- and have added a fun new product: totes made from fabric remnants or discontinued patterns or colors.
Two things really stand out at the 'Pod, though. ...
Bill Nye’s Paper Recycling Factory An Eco-Minded Toy Aimed at Kids Near You
by Kenny Luna, North Babylon, NY on 12.26.08
Photo Via: Discover This
While Christmas morning has come and gone, there’s no doubt that many kids across America are feeling flush with cash as a result of the holiday; and there’s a great, fun toy put out by Bill Nye that’s aimed at helping kids understand the process of recycling paper that the young, eco-conscious consumer in your house may be interested in....
Recycled Toyota 4Runner Could Prevent Millions of Newborn Deaths
by Kenny Luna, North Babylon, NY on 12.26.08
With approximately 3.9 million infants dying within a month of birth each year throughout the developing world, and 25 percent of those deaths due to complications of being born prematurely like heat and water loss, a group of innovative engineers at Design that Matters are finding a way to recycle cars into infant incubators and hoping to ensure that millions of kids live to see their first birthday as a result of their efforts.
According to Dr. Jonathan Rosen, a former director at the Center for Integration of Medicine and Innovative Technology (CIMIT) which is now promoting the program, he learned from doctors working in developing countries that no matter how remote the community there always seemed to be a working Toyota 4Runner that around. So the challenge became to “start with a 4Runner and take away all the parts that weren’t an incubator.”
...
See Innowattech Collect Energy From the Road, In Action
by Karin Kloosterman, Tel Aviv on 12.26.08
Green sites have been commenting on the "energy parasite": Innowattech, including our own Lloyd. The Israeli company has developed a system using energy harvesting piezoelectric crystals to sequester the mechanical energy generated on highways, the runway and the railway.
On December 30th, the company opens its tech to you the public to come see for yourself. ...
Thanks, But No Thanks for That Gift
by Bonnie Alter, London on 12.26.08
The big day is over and you've got a pile of wonderful and not-so-wonderful gifts. For the ones that you don't want there are lots of options. Re-cycle them to someone who might want them, donate them to a charity, swap them with some one else or give them away.
But for all of them, no matter what you think, don't forget to thank the person who gave it to you. They have taken the time to buy, wrap and deliver the present, even if it isn't your cup of tea. Debrett's, which calls itself "the modern authority on all matters of etiquette, taste and achievement", has a list of how to handle a horrible gift or what to do for the thank you. Get very polite after the fold.
...
We All Live in Pottersville Now
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 12.25.08
The classic Capra film, It's a Wonderful Life, is the topic of many articles this year, as a parable for our times. Consumerist asks Was George Bailey Just A Subprime Lender? and the New York Times writes Wonderful? Sorry, George, It’s a Pitiful, Dreadful Life.
We have used the Christmas classic as an analogy a few times, to varying degrees of success. ...
Heat Your Home With...IBM's Waste Heat?
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 12.25.08
Image of IBM’s Zurich Research Lab System, via IEEE Spectrum Online
If you’re going to be online and using data centers, you might as well use their waste heat to warm up the room in which you’re web surfing, right?
IBM thinks so – they’re figuring out how to use the waste heat from their data centers to warm up neighboring buildings. ...
Bamboo Lap Desk a Portable Eco-Option
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 12.25.08
Photo via Natural High Lifestyle Store
For someone who works from random locations, and is lucky to find a decent flat surface upon which to set up a laptop, I was happy to see this product on the radar. ...
What We Want for Next Christmas: Indulgence Shower
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 12.25.08
TreeHugger has pretty well gotten its fill of gifts for the year, but it's never too early to start looking forward to next year's festive holiday season. And we've already found what we want: the Indulgence Shower.
Half way between the navy shower and the low flow showerhead, this smart concept cuts way back on water consumption -- 56 percent less than a regular showerhead; 26 percent less than a low-flow model -- without sacrificing much warmth or comfort. Anybody who's taken a navy shower -- the kind where you turn the water off while soaping up -- on a chilly December morning will appreciate being able to stay warm the whole time you're showering, while still saving bucketfuls of water. How does the Indulgence Shower do it?
...
Indigenous Designs Sport Resort Collection
by Sami Grover, Carrboro, NC, USA on 12.25.08
Organic Apparel for Home or Travel
If you spend much time listening to the radio or watching the news, you’d be forgiven for thinking that shopping is dead – and certainly the environment may benefit from a little less blind consumerism as we pass the holiday season. But the good folks at Indigenous Designs, whose organic, fair trade apparel has long been available in stores like REI, and have even hit the pages of the Wall Street Journal, are clearly hoping there are enough green clothing enthusiasts out there to support their new line in organic clothing – the Sport Resort Collection for women, which is being released for Spring 09. Here’s a little more about the collection:
...
Yes, West Virginia, There is a Santa Claus
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 12.25.08
Desmogblog brings us Rob Cottingham's cartoon, but cut his great headline, which we repeat above.
Our previous post on coal and Christmas: Coal now too Expensive to Put in Stockings and for a little cheer, listen to the only surviving recordings of Clean Coal Carolers from an Industry Run By Morons...
In California, Santa’s Elves Took to Streets to Check Tots' Toys for Lead
by Kenny Luna, North Babylon, NY on 12.25.08
Photo Via: New America Media
As part of an outreach program to help parents better understand the effects of lead on their children, there’s a great group of folks that deserve a bit of recognition this holiday season for their efforts to educate and protect kids in California from lead poisoning.
It turns out they’re working off part of a $1.5 million settlement between major toymakers and the state of California after the public outcry over lead in toys that turned into a nightmare for parents, legislators and toymakers not so very long ago.
And in particular, this group of educators from the Center for Environmental Health is focused on those who need the most help understanding what all the fuss is about when it comes to lead in toys by working to educate parents who often don’t speak English by taking their lead testing equipment to the streets in locations they often frequent.
...
Cod Confusion: More Fishing, More Farming, the End of Baltic Cod?
by April Streeter, Gothenburg, Sweden on 12.25.08
Luckily, Christmas dinner is already over in Scandinavia (celebrated most often on the 24th) so those of us required to take a portion of stinky, slimy lutefisk, a dried and soaked cod, are safely past our obligations at the buffet-like Christmas table.
The lutefisk ritual is just one of many cod-based traditions. In Sweden torsk, as cod is called, is one of the most popular white fishes, and it shows up in a multitude of traditional dishes, stews and soups (and the ever popular fish stick). It is also nearly fished to extinction in the Baltic Sea and the body of water between Denmark and Sweden known as Kattegat. So it is a bit schizophrenic that at the same time that the Danes and Swedes have been hard at work establishing a no-fishing zone for local cod to help them survive, EU ministers are pointedly ignoring international scientific advice on how much fishing is sustainable....
Oh Bike-Powered Christmas Tree, How Are Thy Leaves So Solar!
by Petz Scholtus, Barcelona, Spain on 12.25.08
This year, Barcelona city council decided to set an example and opt for low energy Christmas lights around town. The most intriguing ones are the 6 metal Christmas trees that are either solar or bike-powered. The Barcelonans however believe they are being tricked…...
Lucky Turkey Too Ugly to Eat
by Bonnie Alter, London on 12.25.08
Wilbur the turkey
Meet Wilbur, the luckiest turkey in England, perhaps the world. He was raised, along with 49 other friends and family, on a pick-your-own turkey farm. His goal in life: to be eaten on Christmas Day. But alas, or should we say, happily, that was not to be. Customers rejected him: "underweight" they said, a "misshapen" body, no tail feathers, he has a limp. Others complained that he looked too sad and bedraggled.
So Wilbur has the last laugh. His owner is keeping him as a pet. Henceforth and forever more he will roam free on the farm and spend the rest of his days happily and peacefully. As his new best friend said: "Wilbur will become one of the family. He might be an ugly old thing, but we think he is lovely." Merry Christmas One and All. The Telegraph...
Earthrise: The Photo that Launched a Movement
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 12.24.08
It has been said that the pictures taken on Christmas Eve forty years ago created the environmental movement, that for the first time people really could see that we really were all together on one little boat floating in space. This was the first, the black and white shot. Historian Christopher Riley writes in the BBC that Frank Borman saw it: "Oh, my God! Look at that picture over there!" Then they ran for the colour film. ...
Ecologist Josh Donlan on Bringing Sexy Animals Back via "Rewilding"
by Neil Chambers, New York City on 12.24.08
Image Credit: Yves Roumazeilles
Josh Donlan wants conservation biology to have teeth. He's at the forefront of a hot new discipline called REWILDING. If he has his way, the bump in the night might be a lion or cheetah stalking you for dinner, and deer crossing signs will needed to be replaced with African Elephant caution lights. Rewiliding promises to restore North American ecosystems to a more appropriate state - but does it fly in the face of the new green movement? You'll have to decide for yourself, and please don't touch the animals, you could lose a finger. ...
2.6 Million Cubic Yards of Toxic Coal Ash Slurry Released in Tennessee Dike Burst
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 12.24.08
Fox News Launches Green Website
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 12.24.08
We are pleased to welcome a new entry into the green blogosphere; TreeHugger hero Rupert Murdoch, fresh off our "CEOs Who Made an Environmental U-Turn" post, has launched How Green? on Fox News. In it's trademarked Fair and Balanced style (seen earlier in it's exposé of working conditions and insufficient clothing for PETA workers) it covers green living, green tech, and since imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, we cannot help but love their homophonic "plan it green section."
Our source EcoRazzi thinks it Hilarious: FOX News Starts A Green Website.
I don't think it is a joke at all; I think they are deadly serious....
Top Beverage Companies Receive Mediocre, Failing Grades for Recycling Efforts
by Kenny Luna, North Babylon, NY on 12.24.08
Photo Via: East Tennessee Clean Fuels
When you think of success in any endeavor the simple truth is that a grade of “C” is rarely considered top-notch. Mediocre is perhaps more like it, but that’s just what Coca-Cola, called the top U.S. beverage maker, received when As You Sow, a corporate watchdog group, released their findings recently as the result of an investigation into the recycling practices of the top 23 U.S. beverage companies. Unfortunately, many more failed, with 16 of the 23 surveyed receiving an "F." Did your favorite beverage maker top of the “somewhat nice” list? Find out below the fold.
...
Forget Smart Grids, We Need Genius Grids! Says Developer
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 12.24.08
Photo: Stefan
I’m not sure if its naming is brilliant (it does roll off the tongue) or pathetic (what’s next ‘genius bombs’?) but Optimal Technologies International, who develops electric grid technologies, is advocating not for a ‘smart grid’ but a ‘genius grid’ as an integral component of any transition towards greater renewable energy in the United States. We’ve gone over the need for better electric transmission on a number of occasions, but this is how OTI describes a genius grid:...
Recycled Cans Create a Festival of Christmas Lights
by Kenny Luna, North Babylon, NY on 12.24.08
Photo Via: Darrell Sapp/Post-Gazette
If you’re looking for a more eco-friendly way to create a festival of holiday lights in the future, consider what Pennsylvania homeowner Jim Berroth has taken on as a more environmentally friendly approach to dealing with holiday decorations that’s stopping traffic in his neck of the woods. It’s a unique twist on your tired old Christmas tree, and his six grandkids, already schooled in the necessity to recycle what once filled landfills, call the creative display "Pap's pop can trees."
...
Arctic Sea Ice Melt 20 Years Ahead of Schedule, Scientist Maintains Tipping Point Assertion
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 12.24.08
image: Goddard Space Flight Center
You may find this hard to believe considering the wintry weather across much of the US, but the long term trend is still for warmer ice-free summers in Arctic. In fact we have probably already passed a tipping point and are 20 years ahead of schedule on the melting front, according to Mark Sezzere of the National Snow and Ice Data Center in Boulder, Colorado. Sezzere recently presented new evidence supporting his case:
...
Europe to Ban Cancer Causing Pesticides
by Christine Lepisto, Berlin on 12.24.08
Pesticides have been found in half the foods eaten by Europeans, with six of the most dangerous consistently in the top ten measured. But the battle to act against the risks of pesticides pits productivity, reductions in disease vectors, and other benefits against the difficult to prove risks of developing cancer or the hypothesis that sharp declines in bee populations can be attributed, at least in part, to pesticide contamination in the environment.
Now, spurred on by a political commitment to the precautionary principle, German green representative Hiltrud Breyer has stewarded a proposal for a directive on sustainable pesticides through the compromise process to an outcome that will phase out 22 pesticide ingredients....
Quote of the Day: Tom Friedman Calls for Reboot
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 12.24.08
We don't always agree with Tom Friedman, but he nailed it in the New York Times with his holiday message and his call for a reboot of America. Inspiring stuff. Top pull-quotes below the fold.
...
A Little Christmas Eve Tale for You
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 12.24.08
FOX News Rants About PETA While Eating KFC
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 12.24.08
On the Stands: Dwell's Prefab Issue
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 12.24.08
I remain a fan and subscriber of Dwell Magazine. It was the biggest promoter of my previous gig, prefab housing; it almost invented modern prefab with its 2001 issue covering the subject. For full disclosure I will note that I have been quoted in it a couple of times and was a speaker at two Dwell conferences.
So I was very excited to see their new Prefab issue; it is a must for anyone following the industry. TreeHugger friend from Inhabitat and Worldchanging Sarah Rich covers ZeroHouse, carefully treading about the concept of prefab vaporware; Debra Prinzing covers garden sheds, many of which we covered here. There is good coverage of Marmol Radziner, builders of the most beautiful prefab I ever saw, Geoff Manaugh of BLDGBLOG fame gives Fuller his due. DWM of the month is Konrad Wachsmann, and the smartest guy in the prefab room, FabPrefab's Michael Sylvester, writes an excellent introduction to prefab.
But as interesting as what is in the issue is what is left out. ...
5 Features That Would Make Smart Phones Really Smart
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 12.24.08
Sunlight Illuminated LCD Display by LG Uses 75% Less Power
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 12.24.08
press photo via LG Display
More news of cool items to be shown off at CES.
LG is unveiling a display that is illuminated by sunlight while outdoors, which means it helps decrease power consumption of notebooks by 75% while outside. ...
Survey: Can a Burger and Fries Be Green?
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 12.24.08
In Kristen's post on the Burger Lounge, she notes that they use sustainably raised happy meat, transfat free oils for the fries and onion rings, and you can follow it up with a cupcake "baked daily from real ingredients, by real people" for dessert. It is all certified green. But nowhere do they list the nutritional content of their offerings, and one can't help but think of Michael Pollan's dictum: Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants. Seriously,
...
Car Talk Calls for a Higher Gas Tax
by Sami Grover, Carrboro, NC, USA on 12.24.08
Image credit: Car Talk Holiday Card
NPR's Motoring Gurus Get Political
I'd love to see greener cars, but I must admit I am no great petrolhead, and rarely follow the motoring media. But I consider NPR’s Car Talk an exception to that rule – not only does it deliver useful, practical advice for the regular motorist, it also manages to be good entertainment (the hosts even crack themselves up!). Tom and Ray Magliozzi are also not averse to dispensing important green info too – often advocating for smaller, fuel efficient cars, exploring whether ethanol is energy efficient etc. This last weekend they even called for an immediate raise in the gas tax – though if our own debate on raising the gas tax is anything to go by, they’ll have stirred up some controversy. Read on for Ray Magliozzi’s eloquent case for why a gas tax would even benefit the average motorist – or click through to Car Talk to hear the week’s full show:
...
Adjustable Vision for 1 Billion of World's Poorest People
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 12.24.08
Planting New Trees: The Gift that Keeps on Giving
by Jennifer Hattam, Istanbul, Turkey on 12.24.08
Photographs via Türkiye İş Bankası
If the throwaway trinkets that individuals buy for holiday gifts are ruining the planet, how much bigger a problem are the ones that corporations send out by the thousands? This year, one of Turkey's major banks has a better idea: Instead of giving logo-adorned mugs or pens to its customers, Türkiye İş Bankası will spend the money planting trees.
...
Bike Sharing System for Buenos Aires Moving Forward
by Paula Alvarado, Buenos Aires on 12.24.08
Photo: Bicing bike sharing in Barcelona, by emprul.
When a project to build a bike sharing system in Buenos Aires was approved last year, locals thought it was going to be another idea that would end in nothing. But it was recently announced that a network of bike lanes has been put to tender by the city government, the first step to bring the system to life, since the streets of Buenos Aires aren't a safe place to ride right now....
Lonely Man Leaps Into Polar Bear Cage Because “He Looked Lonely”
by Eric Leech, New York, NY on 12.24.08
Photo credit to René Ehrhardt
We all would like to save the polar bear, but this method would seem, well, perhaps a little suicidal. This past Monday at the Berlin Zoo in Germany, police escorted a 37-year-old male off the zoo's property after he was seen leaping over the polar bear exhibit fence and landing into the bears outdoor swimming enclosure....
Congestion Charge Loses the Vote in London
by Bonnie Alter, London on 12.24.08
The congestion charge has run into some serious opposition in England lately. It's the charge on drivers entering the central core which has been such a success in cutting down traffic in London and other big cities. The first defeat was a decision by voters in Greater Manchester to reject the charge by an overwhelming majority. Four out of every five voters voted no to the scheme to charge £5 a day at peak times. It's a shame because the federal government was offering generous tax and loan incentives which would have been put back into improving public transport. ...
Two Old Nuclear Reactors To Be Closed in Hamaoka, Japan
by greenz.jp, Tokyo, Japan on 12.23.08
Sunset at Hamaoka. Photo: rigapowv
The nuclear power plant debate in Japan has suddenly reached a new level with the announcement that Chubu Electric will close its two oldest reactors at Hamaoka, in Shizuoka prefecture near Tokyo. These reactors have not been up and running for a long time due to fears about earthquakes in the region, and the electricity company also announced that instead, they will replace them with a new, bigger reactor at the same location. Local residents have tried to get all five reactors shut down permanently. To echo John's view about coal mines: the best nuclear power plant is a closed nuclear power plant. If things were only that simple....
A Hybrid Coal-Wind Project That Works
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 12.23.08
Wind turbines on a ridge near Centralia, Columbia County, Pennsylvania, "a town that lived and died by coal production." Image: Reading Eagle.
The best coal mine is a closed coal mine. And a closed coal mine is a great mine if there are trees and a wind farm up top. A State that makes it's own wind turbine equipment to top off its abandoned mines and surrounding ridges brings jobs to replace the anthracite life and delivers wind power to the people. Look below for an example....
Green Cars of 2008: Mega-Ginormous Summary of the Year
by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada on 12.23.08
Looking Back on Green Transportation in 2008
It's the time for a year-end wrap-up of the green car happenings of 2008. We can't possibly included everything here, but we'll try to cover most of the major announcements. To better organize things, we'll look at them by carmaker, from Aptera to Volkswagen. Read on....
Are Trade Shows Worth the Waste? Maybe, if They Can Cut Down on It
by Tom Szaky of TerraCycle, Trenton NJ on 12.23.08
Image courtesy Eco Gift Festival
Did you know the tradeshow industry is second only to the construction industry in the amount of waste it generates? Garbage from discarded packaging, samples, handouts and more piles up for days creating countless tons of unused of garbage! So, as someone deeply into reducing waste, I’ve been drawn away from participating. A few weekends ago, though, I actually had a great trade show experience, and my views have shifted.
...
57,000 New Jobs Could Be Created in US National Parks
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 12.23.08
Glacier National Park, photo: B D
With the economy foundering at the moment, it’s not surprising that many people are proposing projects to the incoming Obama administration that will create new jobs and benefit the economy as a whole. A new report from the National Parks Conservation Association does its part for promoting reinvestment in the US National Parks system as another worthy area for green investment.
The report says that they are $2.5 billion worth of job-creating projects in the National Parks, and furthermore that for every dollar invested there it could bring back four dollars in value to the public. Here are the sort of jobs which could be created:
...
7 Last-Minute Green Gifts, Change Maker Jill Palermo and So Very Veggie Lasagne
by Jessica Root - Brooklyn, NY on 12.23.08
:: At a loss for last-minute gifts? Find inspiration in seven sustainably simple ideas.
:: Meet the change maker using t-shirts to combat climate change.
:: Luxuriate in an easy, crowd-pleasing Lasagne dinner....
Around the Gingerbread World 2008: Hot and Not
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 12.23.08
We cover the thriving green gingerbread architecture scene, where architects still can find work, the ingredients and the mortgages aren't toxic and meltdowns are expected if you carelessly leave your work outside. We also show the occasional un-treehugger entries:
NOT: If you are not moving toward vegetarianism yet, you will be after contemplating Linda Duffy's "Low Carb" Gingerbread House. She asks "who says a gingerbread house has to include gingerbread?" and uses Slim Jim and cheese walls, jerky strip roofing and holds it all together with a delectable mortar made from cream cheese, a quarter cup of palm oil and a package of onion soup mix. No wonder newspapers in Denver are dying, if this is what their columnists eat. Denver Examiner via Geekologie
...
OK Grasshopper, This Is What You SHOULD Have Done to Prepare
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 12.23.08
Creative Commons: Invisible Hour
It would be no big deal if this photo were taken in Buffalo or Montreal, but Seattle? There is climate chaos everywhere; In Canada, it is the first coast-to-coast white Christmas in thirty years, and parts of the Northeast are still without power from the storms. Now you are freezing in the dark. Collin advises how to Weather the Storm with These 6 Green Tips, but what could you have done to prepare?
Over the years, TreeHugger and Planet Green have suggested a few things....
Four Green Trends Set in 2008 Which Set Us on a Better Eco-Path for 2009
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 12.23.08
Baby New Year photo: Will Powell
As 2008 draws to a close it seems natural that a post looking back on some of the trends in green thinking was in order. Since I mostly cover issues related to energy, I’m going to focus on those; I’m sure frequent TreeHugger readers can pick out others and I encourage them to discuss at will in the comments.
Though the financial meltdown in the fall (which as Lloyd pointed out James Kunstler correctly predicted) has changed the trajectory of these somewhat here are four broad trends in green that took shape in the past year and which I think are decided steps forward:...
Weather the Storm with These 6 Green Tips
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 12.23.08
Photo credit: moohaha @ Flickr
The persistent snow and other bad weather that has blanketed the northern U.S. and much of Canada has ground several cities to a halt and made many everyday activities all but impossible for folks from Seattle to Boston and Toronto to Portland. But just because you're snowed in doesn't mean you have to start burning your furniture for heat or trapping neighborhood squirrels (if you can find any) for food.
Read Lloyd's post on what you should have done first, and keep reading for our tips for surviving the storm....
Better Burgers at Burger Lounge
by Kristin Underwood, Sacramento, CA on 12.23.08
Image source: Burger Lounge
The Burger Lounge, which opened in 2006, now has 3 locations across San Diego offering organic and healthy burger alternatives for one of the healthiest, if not greenest, of cities. Created by Dean Loring and Mike Gilligan, the two see the Lounge as a "bridge between bloated corporate "fast food" culture and the "less is more, quality is everything" approach. Oh, and did we mention they make fresh cupcakes? ...
VHS Tapes and CDs Take Final Bows...No Encore.
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 12.23.08
Thumbs Up! The Top 20 TreeHugger Stories You Stumbled Upon in 2008
by Chris Tackett, San Francisco on 12.23.08
Last week, I brought you our Top 10 TreeHugger Stories of 2008, which represented our posts that got the most traffic overall. But for people interested in social media and the how it's shaping our green future (as I am), it's also interesting to break it down and look at how TreeHugger stories did with various social media sites. I recently took a look at our top stories on Digg in 75 Stories You Dugg: A Year of TreeHugger on Digg.com; today, I bring you our top 20 posts among StumbleUpon users.
Thanks to all those that gave our stuff a thumbs-up on StumbleUpon. And now, onto the list! (*Not sure what StumbleUpon is or not sure how to use it? Click through and scroll to the bottom of this post to find out.)...
UK Government Building Carbon Emissions Greater Than Nation of Kenya’s
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 12.23.08
It’s well known that heating, cooling, and lighting buildings accounts for a large part of carbon emissions—about half of the heat and electricity produced by the power sector in the UK—but the following is truly sobering statistic: The Guardian is reporting that public buildings in England and Wales emit some 11 million tonnes of carbon dioxide each year; which means that these emissions are greater than the entire nation of Kenya’s carbon emissions.
This figure is equivalent to all of the emission savings from the entire UK wind power industry (or maybe double... I wonder if they used the old or new BWEA figure). Here’s how the stat was established:...
9 "Green" Gadgets of Questionable Repute
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 12.23.08
This year brought some incredible improvements in green gadgetry. From breakthroughs in OLED techonology, to better solar chargers, to improved battery capacities, we saw some exciting advances. However, there were also some electronics and gadgets that weren’t so impressive.
We’re taking a quick look back at 2008’s gadgets of questionable green repute. ...
New E-Waste Problem: People Want to be Buried with their Cell Phones
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 12.23.08
British Wind Farm Claims of Emission Reductions Slashed in Half
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 12.23.08
photo: Martin P
Even those of us who follow renewable energy sometimes can get perplexed trying to figure out how statements about the carbon emission reduction potential of a given project are calculated. There’s always the ambiguity about what constitutes an “average” house, about how much power will actually be produced from a project as opposed to its rated capacity, for example. What doesn’t make it any easier is when a standard figure for emission avoidance for a technology gets revised, as in this case...
With the proverbial stroke of a pen British wind turbines now reduce half as many emissions as they did previously. The British Wind Energy Association was forced by the UK’s Advertising Standards Authority to revise the figure after complaints:
...
A Swedish Commercial Featuring the Tesla Roadster
by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada on 12.23.08
90% Chance That Temperature Rise Can Be Held to 2 Degrees Celsius, If Nations Spend 2% of GDP On the Problem
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 12.23.08
Global warming is going to hurt pretty much every nation’s economy. Whether directly through expenditures necessary to deal with climate changes, environmental refugees, or indirectly through loss of ecosystem services due to changing ecosystems, global warming could have devastating financial effects to accompany the environmental ones. This message has been put out there numerous times.
What hasn’t been so well presented is that the financial costs of reducing greenhouse gas emissions to safe levels are probably lower than feared. A new report lays it out:
...
Gas Cubby A Great Last Minute Green Gift
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 12.23.08
Image via Gas Cubby's iTunes page.
Gas Cubby is a super cool iPhone app that helps users monitor their driving habits and get a little greener.
It has also gone on a 24-hour sale at the iTunes store for just $0.99 (regularly $4.99) which means this could be a great last minute gift for an iPhone-lovin' loved one.
More about Gas Cubby after the jump...
Lighter Footstep Hosts Carnival of the Green
by Kara DiCamillo, Newport, Rhode Island on 12.23.08
This week is Carnival of the Green #159 and it's being hosted by Lighter Footstep, a blog that's all about promoting a healthier family, a cleaner planet and making the most of your weekly budget. Now that's greener living!
So head on over to this week's Carnival, the "Red and Green Christmas Edition," 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! ...
1947: Scoot-Mobile Gets 75 MPG
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 12.23.08
Corunna, Michigan is only 90 miles up the road from Detroit; maybe someone should pay a visit and see if they can dig up a scoot-mobile. It is made from scavenged parts, gets 75 MPG and looks really aero. According to a commenter at Modern Mechanix, "Knee action is a suspension type. If I recall, it’s a pair of mechanical arms similar to the human knee joint, with friction and resilience (rubber) in the joint. It flexes and absorbs motion like a spring/shock absorber system." Another noted that it looks "like the Aptera’s great-grandfather!" Modern Mechanix
More high mileage wonders in TreeHugger:
The Future is Here: Aptera's Prototype Unveiled
Meet Trev, the Two-seater, Renewable Energy Vehicle...
Sucking Waste Out of Sight, Out of Mind
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 12.23.08
Here is an infrastructure investment America should consider: an Envac waste disposal system. Instead of filling our streets with garbage bags and waiting for trucks to pick them up, many European cities (they invest in infrastructure that isn't for cars there) are trying out these clever underground vacuum systems. Garbage is separated into "fractions"- paper, organics, or other garbage, deposited in chutes where it is held until a computer opens the gate at the bottom of the tube and sucks a particular fraction down the pipe to a processing center. The result? "...A drastic reduction of road transportation of waste, improved hygiene and enhanced occupational health and safety standards." And better looking and smelling cities. ...
Last-Minute Green Shopping: Via Nativa Fair-Trade Store
by Paula Alvarado, Buenos Aires on 12.23.08
Photos: Via Nativa.
In our recent How to go Green Holidays, we’ve made the point: this time of the year is not about presents and errands, but about sharing with your beloved. Keeping that in mind, if you still need to get some presents and didn’t find anything in our Green Gifts Guide, here’s a last minute option to shop while doing some good.
Via Nativa is an online store that markets responsible products by Argentine and Nicaraguan artisans under fair trade practices, but with reasonable prices as well. Some of the products include bags and purses starting at 20 USD and adorable kids booties at 28 USD. The initiative also has a base in Brooklyn, at the design shop and art gallery Urban Alchemist.
Find out more about the project and more of the products you can find in the extended....
Pedal-Per-Minute With Bike-Powered Cell Phone Charger
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 12.23.08
Survey: Do You "Cling to Stubborn Nostalgia?"
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 12.23.08
Psychology professor Jason Leboe tells the National Post that people can be "quite aggressive" about maintaining their holiday traditions because we get a slight emotional boost when our brains encounter anything familiar.
Christmas is especially susceptible to stubborn nostalgia because it's a time when people wrap themselves in the comfort of familiar ritual in an effort to step away from a complicated world, he says. "We just like what's familiar, it carries sort of a rosy tinge," Mr. Leboe said.So even though Bonnie and Jaymi have shown alternate ways of wrapping presents, and we have shown greener trees and suggested making your own presents, do you stick to tradition? ...
Free Bike Cages Offer Safe Parking for Commuters
by Sami Grover, Carrboro, NC, USA on 12.23.08
Norway's TH!NK Is Thinking Bankruptcy or State Bailout
by April Streeter, Gothenburg, Sweden on 12.23.08
Clever, Pretty Eco-Wrapping for Your Christmas Presents
by Bonnie Alter, London on 12.23.08
Our friends at Inhabitat posted this ingenious list of eco-friendly ways to wrap presents and we had to pass it on. Called Future Present, they are the result of a challenge to fellow designers to find alternatives to the waste that is our usual Christmas wrapping.
Twenty of the best ideas -- all tape-free -- are shown, on the design agency's website. For anyone still packing up presents tonight, there are some very creative ideas. The wrappings include foil, clothes pins, socks, string, brown paper and fabric. Get inspired by the cool pics after the fold. ...
Toyota Announces First Operating Loss in 70 Years: $1.7 billion USD
by Warren McLaren, Sydney on 12.22.08
Image source
As Mike wrote a while back, even the Prius can’t save Toyota. On Monday the world's biggest car-maker announced that, in contrast to 2007‘s 2.3 trillion yen operating profit, for the past year the company made an operating loss of 150 billion yen.
Furthermore Toyota confirmed they are freezing the scheduled opening of their new Mississippi factory, which was expected to produce new Prius models for the US market. However, the Australian Federal Government believe their deal with Toyota to build a hybrid Camry plant in Victoria is still on track. They are kicking in $35 million AUD on the proviso that it does proceed....
If NY Times Columnist Tierney Thinks Holdren Is Bad Science Advisor Pick, He’s Definitely the Right Choice
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 12.22.08
I don’t know if you saw the John Tierney’s piece in the New York Times on Barack Obama’s pick of John Holdren to be presidential science advisor, but its a doozy.
Structured around quotes from climate change deniers (or as Joe Romm calls them denier-equivalents) it tries to paint Holdren as a flawed choice. This quote by Romm from Climate Progress sums up the absurdity of this idea:...
Mass Customization: Design Your Table on Your Cell Phone
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 12.22.08
TreeHugger readers don't appear to share my fascination with mass customization, the idea that you can order exactly what YOU want, made to your specifications, instead of having to take what Mr. Big Box offers. One recent extreme example was [me]&gogi cereal, which most commenters considered un-TreeHugger. They might say the same about M-Shape's custom table that you can build on your Nokia cell phone. Why would one want to do such a thing?
...
6 Different Ways the Waves & Tides Can Generate Electricity
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 12.22.08
photo: Hamed Saber
When people talk about types of renewable energy they normally say something like “wind power, solar power, geothermal” and list wave power almost as an afterthought. Though it certainly isn’t as developed as these other renewable energy sources, significant potential exists.
Though I wouldn’t go so far as to say that the reason wave power plays second fiddle to other sources is because with most ways of generating power from the ocean the technical aspects take place out of sight, below the water, maybe that’s part of it.
In any case, check out this slideshow showcasing: 6 Different Ways the Waves & Tides Can Generate Electricity...
Secretive EEStor Granted Patent for Ultracapacitor Technology
by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada on 12.22.08
Not So Secret Anymore
EEStor has been playing the reverse psychology trick on most of us; the less they tell us about their supposedly revolutionary EESU (electrical energy storage unit) based on ultracapacitors, the more we want to know about it. But recently, part of the veil has been lifted when the company was granted a fairly detailed patent. Read on for more....
Last Minute Downloadable Designs and Decorations
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 12.22.08
Much of North America is socked in solid and getting out to shop is even less attractive than it was when all you had to worry about was paying for for the gifts. TreeHugger recently showed a range of downloadable presents in our design gift guide, but here are a few last-minute Christmas-themed ideas, starting with the most complicated: a downloadable nutcracker man from Paper Replika. ...
1959: Your Watt-Sucking World of Tomorrow
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 12.22.08
Jaymi's recent post on the green-ness of a Roomba versus an upright vacuum did not mention the option of a broom; perhaps it is ingrained in us to look for the high-tech solution. Back in 1959, the Sarnoff Labs of RCA predicted a Roomba-like "Mechanical Maid" and a few other wonderful labour-saving devices, all sucking watts to make our lives easier. ...
Corn Ethanol Is Stupid: 13 Year Old Weighs In On Renewable Energy
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 12.22.08
photo: Ricky
Apparently we’ve reached some sort of tipping point on the issue of corn ethanol as our children are now writing letters to the editor on the subject... Though the nitpickers amongst us will undoubtedly find fault with 13 year old Madeleine Stewart’s letter in the Concord Monitor on why “Ethanol is stupid” it certainly hits near the center of the target, if missing the bulls-eye itself.
Perhaps deconstruction of the writing of a barely-teenager is a bit much, but since the only comment on her letter was a quick introduction to the often less-than-civil world of blog commenting I feel the need to come to Madeleine’s defense:...
Dell Says Apple is Greenwashing Its Gear
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 12.22.08
Screen capture from Apple's Green Ad
There's a hot debate out in the enviro-sphere on whether or not Apple is as green as it says it is, or green at all. Well, Dell tends to side with the nay sayers.
Unless you've been under a rock, or are utterly uninterested in computers, you haven't missed Apple's latest ads touting the greenness of its products. Dell, however, says that's a bunch of huff and puff. ...
Is the Architecture Fun Over Or Just Getting Started?
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 12.22.08
Nicolai Ouroussoff writes about architecture in the New York Times that "It Was Fun Till the Money Ran Out"-that before the financial cataclysm,
the profession seemed to be in the midst of a major renaissance. Architects like Rem Koolhaas, Zaha Hadid, Frank Gehry, and Jacques Herzog and Pierre de Meuron, once deemed too radical for the mainstream, were celebrated as major cultural figures. And not just by high-minded cultural institutions; they were courted by developers who once scorned those talents as pretentious airheads.But what about now, that the only money for building will be coming out of Washington for infrastructure investment? Does the work go to the pretentious airheads? ...
Christopher Parr, Consumer Marketing VP for Sub-Zero and Wolf, on Green Appliances and Kitchens
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 12.22.08
As the Consumer Marketing Manager of Sub-Zero and Wolf, Christopher Parr knows what people want in their kitchens, and knows what it takes for a fridge to be green. We had a chance to chat with him about Sub-Zero's idea of green, the green kitchen inspiration video series -- we recently interviewed architect Michael McDonough about the same -- and how to get the greenest performance out of your appliances.
TreeHugger: We talk a lot about taking meaningful green action to reduce our collective and individual footprints. Where should kitchen appliances fit in to that model?...
Is it Greener to Use a Roomba or an Upright?
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 12.22.08
Roomba photo via Dano; Upright photo via Butkaj
When it comes to cleaning the floors, we wondered which is better: A Roomba or a Dyson upright vacuum.
On the one hand, the Roomba runs all the time, cleaning floors like Cinderella and charging up when it runs out of juice. An upright, however, only uses electricity at the specific times you choose to run it. So which is better for the environment and your wallet?...
Sea Level Rise Predictions Too Low, No Abrupt Release of Methane: US Climate Change Science Program
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 12.22.08
image: NASA via Space and Astronautics News
Will abrupt climate change happen in the 21st century? The US Climate Change Science Program certainly considers that a possibility and has released a new report, appropriately titled Abrupt Climate Change, detailing its findings.
Defining ‘abrupt’ climate change as those which “can occur over decades or less, persist for decades or more, and cause substantially disruptions to human and natural systems,” the report addresses four major questions (the possibility of abrupt changes in sea level, in land hydrology, in the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation, and in atmospheric methane) and comes to the following conclusions:...
Landfill-Bound Garlic Salt is De-Icing Roads in Iowa
by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada on 12.22.08
Mmmm, Delicious Garlic Slush!
Parents will have more trouble keeping their small children from eating snow in the Des Moines suburb of Ankeny. The city is using garlic salt to de-ice its road, thanks to a generous donation by Tone Brothers Inc., a spice producer headquartered in Ankeny. Read on for more details....
Most Discussed TreeHugger Stories of 2008
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 12.22.08
No good blog goes a year without stirring readers up on certain subjects. So, which stories got you talking the most? We looked at all the topics we cover, and while discussion was sparked in every corner, there is one area where it dominated.
Read on to find out which are some of the most discussed posts we’ve published in 2008. ...
Rock Row: Green LA Townhouses
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 12.22.08
Not a few real estate development projects have been iced because of the real estate meltdown; I hope that Rock Row in Los Angeles will not be one of them. It has a lot of things to admire, including a really tight site plan that gets 15 townhouse-like units on to one property with a common service lane between them. The units are appropriately scaled at 1300 to 1540 square feet, what looks to be reasonably priced from $475K, and have
"many environmentally conscious features, ranging from a permeable driveway of grass pavers to instant hot water heaters. LEED Certification also guarantees excellent indoor air quality, very low utility bills, and an energy efficient and sustainable design and construction. An ecological viewpoint is carried from schematic design to the finishes and fixtures."...
Green Eyes On: 9 Great Last-Minute Green Gift Ideas
by Sara Snow on 12.22.08
Last week, I did a segment for The CBS Early Show on green gift ideas, and Harry Smith, co-anchor of the show, remarked that it was the best green gift segment he’d ever done. I won’t take credit for that: There are simply fantastic green goods out there now. Gone are the days of only organic socks and crunchy looking handbags (although I have my share of those and treasure them dearly), we’ve welcomed in a new era of attractive solar bags, water-powered clocks, beautiful handcrafted cosmetics and perfumes, and adorable organic stuffed animals. There is now something green and good for everyone on your list. And don't forget to check out TreeHugger's fantastic Gift Guide!...
PV Sunglasses Convert Rays to Energy with Style
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 12.22.08
OK, Kunstler Nailed this Recession, What Does He Suggest Now?
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 12.22.08
During GD1, prairie farmers hooked their cars up to horses and called them "Bennett Buggies" after the Prime Minister that they blamed for the depression.
It's time for all the Kunstler Kritics to get over Y2K, it is so almost ten years ago. And whether you agree with him about peak oil or not, the fact is that he predicted this economic crash, and the reasons behind it, with absolute accuracy. (see his predictions for 2006 in Treehugger here) For years he has been saying that the American economy was essentially one of building houses and building big box stores to fill with imported stuff to fill the houses and big cars to move between the stores and the houses, all predicated on an infinite supply of funny money and cheap energy. So now that he called this, let's look again at his other predictions of what we have to do to survive it. Grist points us to an article he wrote with some suggestions; we pick a few favorites.
...
Six Green Hangover Remedies
by Marissa Moss, Manhattan (Lower East Side) on 12.22.08
Credit: Danny Williams
Some might say if you have a hangover, you might already be green (not the environmental kind of green, ahem). But if you want to cure that throbbing headache from last night’s Christmas party or holiday get-together, take a few suggestions from TreeHugger’s list of the top green hangover remedies. Because if you are going to be green in the face, you might as well be green all the way. ‘Tis the season…...
Quote of the Day: Building Green Houses is Like "Polishing a Turd"
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 12.22.08
Nic Darling of the 100K house project was asked why houses designed to LEED standards cost more than normal houses and responded that, well, actually, they don't have to, and that they were building a LEED Platinum house that was going to cost less.
The next question of course is why? Why do production home builders and established developers, people who have been building homes for many years, have to spend 15% more to get to LEED Platinum while us rookies are getting there at a discount? It was a question I had no concise answer to until a few days ago when an acquaintance, who wishes to remain anonymous, gave me a piece of her grandmother’s wisdom in explanation . . . “It is because they’re polishing a turd.”...
12 Milkbottles Recycled into One Lamp by Droog
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 12.22.08
A few years back we criticized Droog Design's famous 85 lamp fixture, noting "TreeHugger has suggested Ban the Bulb; Perhaps it is also time to Ban 85 Bulbs as well, at least until they bring out the LED version. "
Here is an equally humorous and much more efficient fixture, with a recycled content: the Milkbottle Lamp.
The individual parts of this lamp are completely plain but the combination makes of them an opulent chandelier. Less and more, united in a single product. The milk bottle chandelier is a cluster of 12 old-fashioned milk bottles. The bottles are sandblasted and have a chrome top. The milk bottles hang on long cables, 12 at a time - three rows each of four bottles, just like the Dutch milk crate in the old days....
Energy-Harvesting Radio Could Make Bridges Safer
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 12.22.08
Press Photo via Kansas State University
Its amazing the things we forget, or don’t know exist. Most people wouldn’t realize the effort and expense that goes into changing batteries in sensors on bridges that tell us the health of the structure.
Kansas State University is flying to the rescue, working to create an energy-harvesting radio that can transmit the data needed, minus the battery changes....
Bike Co-ops Thrive in LA
by Sami Grover, Carrboro, NC, USA on 12.22.08
Survey: Do You Go To Movies?
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 12.22.08
When Josh listed 5 environmentally themed blockbusters of 2008, it begged the question: How many have people actually gone out and seen? Do people actually go to theaters any more or do they just exist as a waystation to the Blockbuster or Netflix? Since a few in the list are stinkers, let's take one hit of the bunch and ask what people have done.
...
New Double Decker Buses To Hit London Soon
by Bonnie Alter, London on 12.22.08
the Foster/Aston Martin bus
London has a new Mayor who has started filling some of his campaign promises. One of the main items on the list was the pledge to bring back the iconic and much-missed double decker bus.
The design for the new bus was the subject of a competition with 700 entries. The remit was to create a new design for a bus that would be environmentally friendly, accessible and hearken back to the much-loved Routemaster (as it was called). The old bus had two levels and one could jump on and off at will. Two winners shared the prize: one version by Foster + Partners and Aston Martin and another by Capoco.
...
Environmental Education: Recycle Your Used Hachimaki
by greenz.jp, Tokyo, Japan on 12.22.08
Over 1000 years ago, a scholar in Kyoto made such an impression that there are some 12,000 shrines dedicated to his memory. His name was Sugawara-no-Michizane and today, when kids want to enter the college of their choice, they still go to pray at one of his shrines. In Japan, students will sometimes wear a hachimaki, a kind of cotton bandana tied around their head, with a message written expressing a wish - such as entering a certain university.
In Yamaguchi prefecture, Hofu shrine takes this custom very seriously. The shrine maidens collect the used bandanas, wash them, and send them to anyone who asks for a used piece of cloth, for good fortune. A good idea, which seems to be catching on as we are now in the UN Decade of Environmental Education for Sustainable Development (based on proposals by Japan and Sweden in December, 2002)....
Further Proof of Life on Mars
by Eric Leech, New York, NY on 12.22.08
Photo Credit to Bluedharma
For awhile now there has been talk of humans becoming the future inhabitants of Mars before the centuries end. With this in mind, recent evidence now shows that Mars may have indeed had life on its surface at some point in its existence....
What Does it Take to Turn Any Vehicle into an EV? We Ask Seth Leitman, Author of “Build Your Own Electric Vehicle”
by Eric Leech, New York, NY on 12.22.08
Book Cover: McGraw-Hill
Electric vehicles are a hot topic right now, but the problem is there really isn't much to choose from other than a handful of hybrids and NEVs (neighborhood electric vehicles). But did you know that for the price of a new, bottom of the barrel, no thrills or frills subcompact car, you could turn just about any vehicle into an EV?
We had the opportunity to speak with Seth Leitman, consulting editor of the Green Guru Guides, founder of Green Living Guy, and author of Build Your Own Electric Vehicle, and asked him exactly how someone with minimal armchair mechanical knowledge, ability, and tools could fabricate their own EV. We think you'll be happily surprised by some of his answers......
Crappy Christmas Presents Are Literally Ruining the World
by Brian Merchant, Brooklyn, New York on 12.21.08
Photo courtesy of ClintJCL
Remember when you were a kid, and you didn’t quite get exactly what you wanted for Christmas? And then you whined and complained like it was the end of the world? Well, it turns out that nasally-voiced, impossibly immature younger you might have been onto something. Every year, crappy Christmas presents are literally ruining the planet....
Smelly Pillows Help You Sleep, Have Better Sex
by Brian Merchant, Brooklyn, New York on 12.21.08
Natura Lavender Pillow
Trouble sleeping? “Underperforming” in the sack? Turns out all you need is a better pillow, according to Natura, an online “natural” bedding emporium. They’ve come out with a new line of aroma-infused pillows designed to alter your moods—depending on which pillow you’ve got under you’re head, apparently you’ll either be knocking boots in no time, or falling asleep so fast you might forget to take them off....
Scientists' Top 10 New Year's Resolutions for 2009
by Brian Merchant, Brooklyn, New York on 12.21.08
Image sourtesy of firstclassproducts.biz
Some of the top scientists in the US are taking their New Year’s resolutions extra-seriously this year—it is, after all a year when we could see both some revolutionary pro-science political change and some major funding evaporate thanks to that pesky “worst recession since the Great Depression.” So when the respected group the Union of Concerned Scientists drafts up resolutions, expect some practical, important proposals. (No room for the mundane or the lofty here—“Try to call the folks more often” nor “Obliterate global warming with an iron fist” make the cut).
The resolutions are, yet again, aimed at the new administration. And while we all know that Obama’s suggestion box is already overstuffed, these resolutions have a particular resonance—if only because they’re brief, pointed, and wise. Here’s the scientists’ top 10 New Year’s resolutions:
...
The Latest Bold Initiative to Halt Population Growth: Daytime Soap Operas?
by Brian Merchant, Brooklyn, New York on 12.21.08
Photo courtesy of Telenovela Garden
Did Judy sleep with Alejandro? Even though she’s married to Sebastian, who’s in a coma from leaping in front of a bullet fired at her by Don Curio, Alejandro’s jealous evil twin brother? Will she learn the error of her ways, and that promiscuity and unprotected sex are dangerous global threats that lead to overpopulation and health woes?
She might if the production happens to be helmed by the Population Media Center, a Vermont organization that creates serialized radio and television dramas that use “entertainment education” strategies to positively influence the social behavior of audiences in third world countries around the world. The shows’ creators believe these soap operas, which currently air in 15 countries across 4 continents, will slow population growth, increase HIV/AIDS awareness, and promote family communication. Basically, PMC hopes to be a sort of General Hospital to the world.
...
5 Environmentally Themed Blockbusters of 2008 and How They Rate
by Josh Peterson, Los Angeles, California on 12.21.08
photo by gailf548
Hollywood has been slipping environmental messages into their blockbusters lately. I’m not talking about smart indy films or well-researched documentaries. I’m talking about movies that are marketed to a mass audience and have dizzying special effects, plenty of bad-guy punching, unchecked vehicle chases and expensive things that explode. You know, the stuff good clean family fun is made of. ...
Could Large-Scale Oxygen Pumps Fix the Baltic Sea's Dead Zones?
by Jeremy Elton Jacquot, Los Angeles on 12.21.08
Image from NASA
It seemed like just yesterday geo-engineering was one of those taboo subjects you couldn't touch with a ten foot pole. Now, though still far from being widely embraced, it has been recognized by many governments and reputable research institutions as a potential last ditch alternative to conventional climate mitigation strategies. One consequence has been that more and more scientists have been turning to these highly unconventional methods as a way to address other seemingly intractable problems, like dead zones. ...
Dangerous Levels of Air Pollution in Ankara
by Jennifer Hattam, Istanbul, Turkey on 12.21.08
Traffic is a contributor to dirty air in Turkey's capital. Photograph by bddemir via flickr.
In December 1952, the city of London was beset by what is now known as the Great Smog or "killer fog." It was a particularly chilly winter that year, so residents were burning a lot of coal, which got trapped under a dense layer of cold air. In the following weeks and months, up to 12,000 people died of respiratory diseases and related illnesses. During this incident, pollution levels rose over 4,000 micrograms per cubic meter. Last week in Ankara, the capital of Turkey, they topped that.
...
Before Christmas Tribute To Sustainable Development - "SD"
by Danielle Carpenter Sprungli, WCSBD on 12.21.08
This poem is offered to encourage joining the "good fight" for sustainable development (SD). Done in good spirits, with credit to Clement Clarke Moore, author of A Visit from St. Nicholas, now known as "Twas a night before Christmas."
‘Twas a night of sustainability'
‘Twas a night of sustainability, when all through the house
Not a creature was stirring, not even a louse;
The badges were hung by the entry with care,
In hopes that participants soon would be there;
For they were all nestled all snug in their beds
While visions of climate change clanged in their heads;
And climate with regulations and carbon with caps,
Had just started discussing long-suffering maps,
When out in the parking lot there arose such a clatter,
We sprang to the door to see what was the matter....
What is Funny About Flirting with Nature?
by Christine Lepisto, Berlin on 12.21.08
Image: detail of photograph, © Staffan Widstrand
Does the word “environment” trigger fears, worries and guilt? Then take the time for a peek into the beauty, the awesomeness, the restorative glory of nature. For those of you who do not yet regularly feast your eyes over at Wild Wonders of Europe, the blog is a great entry point. Hot off the presses: one of the project founders, Staffan Widstrand, shares his humorous observations on the sex life and art of flirting of the Spanish Ibex.
I guess most girls wouldn’t find an old goat wagging his tongue about sexy. But in the mountains of Spain, the ritual marks the first steps towards true love. Girls, if you are fed up with the bathroom habits of your guys, Staffan’s story will really amuse you. ...
I Speak for the Trees: New Law Protects Trees from Developers in Israel
by Jesse Fox, Tel Aviv, Israel on 12.21.08
Israel is not the only place in the world where building and development come into constant conflict with flora and fauna, but a lack of respect for trees in this semi-arid country has long been a thorn in the side of environmentalists. One oft-heard complaint relates to the tendency of contractors to leave not a single tree or bush standing on new building sites in the wake of their tractors.
However, luckily enough for the Israeli tree, Israel's current legislature contains some very energetic green lawmakers, who have been awfully busy over the past few years making up for the indifference of their predecessors. One such Member of Knesset, Ophir Pines-Paz, recently got a law passed that will protect urban trees from the tractors of land developers and building contractors. ...
Sushigate: Jeremy Piven Leaves Show Due to Fishy Mercury Poisoning
by April Streeter, Gothenburg, Sweden on 12.21.08
Photo Marshall Astor @ flickr.
Two "facts" are repeated endlessly in the Internet-based news stories about Jeremy Piven, the celebrity and actor who left the David Mamet production "Speed the Plow" due to his doctor's report that he had exceedingly high levels of mercury in his blood and possible mercury toxicity. The first "fact" is that Piven got high mercury levels from recently eating too much sushi and unnamed Chinese herbs. He reportedly experienced extreme fatigue, heaviness in his limbs, dizziness and neuro-muscular dysfunction. The second "fact" given in most stories is that Mamet spoke to the actor after he had left the show and then pronounced that Piven was "leaving show business to pursue a career as a thermometer." Ha ha.
...
Gaia, Asheville's First Green Community Weathers the Economic Downturn
by Sara Novak, Columbia, SC on 12.21.08
photo: Eco Concepts
You can't help but to love Asheville, an eco-fabulous haven tucked into the picturesque mountains that consume the western portion of North Carolina. Recent construction in and around the community, however, has begun to cloud the character of this bohemian paradise. In response, the creators of a new "urban village" are attempting to set a new tone for Asheville construction. But how is this moderately priced community coping with the worst economic downturn since the Depression?...
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.
