- 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 January 11, 2009 - January 17, 2009
Total this week: 213
Obama's Chrysler 300C Comes Back to Haunt Him on eBay
by Eric Leech, New York, NY on 01.17.09
This is NOT Obama's Chrysler 300C
credit: WilVision Photography
First it was a half eaten waffle and now this... what's next, a non-florescent light bulb found in the White House dumpster, or perhaps a previously chewed piece on non-dentist recommended bubble gum showing up on eBay's doorstep.
Barack Obama must have thought he'd seen the last of his old Chrysler 300C. But just like a bad penny, it has turned up again on eBay. But we're getting a little ahead of ourselves. Let's start from the beginning, as the story is so much better that way......
Oldest Organic Produce Company in the US Gets a Solar-Powered Upgrade
by Brian Merchant, Brooklyn, New York on 01.17.09
Photo via Sustainable Design Update
Veritable Vegetable, a San Francisco-based company that has distributed organic produce since 1974, has just gotten an upgrade that will promote its sustainable agenda even further: it's had a 560-panel, 106 kilowatt solar electric system installed on top of its main warehouse in the city. And it's poised to help make one of the first green voices in the American business community even greener....
185 Hybrid Electric Coke Delivery Trucks to Hit the Road in 2009
by Brian Merchant, Brooklyn, New York on 01.17.09
Photo via edmunds
In the grand tradition of corporations making tiny green steps in the right direction, Coca Cola has announced it will be deploying 185 hybrid electric delivery trucks in 2009. While it's certainly a far more substantial move than Coke's mostly-lame unveiling of compostable cups at the University of Washington, it still has "For PR Purposes Only" written all over it.
That said, a step forward is a step forward, and the addition of hybrid electrics to the delivery fleet will make a discernible difference. Here's the lowdown on the trucks.
...
First 100-Days Climate Policy: Who Might Dispatch A Plane To The Coming Dogfight?
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 01.17.09
Beautiful Handbags - From Your Cat's Fur
by Kimberley D. Mok, Montreal, Canada on 01.17.09
The Ultimate Obama Memorabilia? Recycled 2008 Ballot Necklaces
by Brian Merchant, Brooklyn, New York on 01.17.09
Image via Uncommon Goods
So you were the first one of your friends to get an Obama button, and you wore it proudly. But then your friend put up a yard sign. Naturally, you bought yourself a t-shirt, not to be outdone. Then your friend got an Obama tote bag and matching Obama scarf. So you bought an Obama hoodie and some Obama shirt-wrap that was later revealed to actually be a woman's garment.
But now the election is over, and you've decided quietly to call it a draw. It might be time to move on to purchasing non-Obama related goods again. It's not like there's some piece of memorabilia out there that could definitively prove once and for all that you're the most dedicated Obama supporter ever, anyways. What's that, now? Some jeweler is recycling the actual ballots from Election Day into necklaces, and selling entire voting booth ballots as framed posters?
Oh sweet victory. How near you are.
...
Bush Removes Wolves From Endangered Species List. Again.
by Brian Merchant, Brooklyn, New York on 01.17.09
Alarmed gray wolf pup. Photo via First People
The Bush Administration must have something against gray wolves. On a personal level. That might come off as a partisan, bleeding heart lefty sort of thing to say—the big bad government hates wolves!—but this time, it's not. It simply may be the only explanation. Either that or Cheney just wants more stuff to shoot in the face. Seriously though—this is the fourth time they've tried to remove gray wolves from the endangered species list. That's right; that third time's a charm adage evidently didn't hold up in court—last summer, as with every single other attempt, the removal was struck down in federal court and the wolves maintained their endangered status .
Will the delisting hold this time? Will hunters in Montana, Wisconsin, Michigan, Idaho, and Minnesota be able to hunt the still-struggling wolf population in open season this year?
...
Turkey Needs Wind, Solar for Energy Security, Expert Says
by Jennifer Hattam, Istanbul, Turkey on 01.17.09
Photo: EMD International A/G via RenewableEnergyWorld.com
Though the dispute between Russia and Ukraine, in which the former cut off the latter's gas supply, left Turkey relatively unaffected, the stories of people freezing in neighboring Bulgaria should not go unheeded. Turkey, dependent on Russia for 65 percent of its natural gas--a major source of power as well as heat--needs to diversify its energy sources, the chief economist of the International Energy Agency warned recently....
Final Draft Environmental Impact Study Issued For Cape Wind Energy Project
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 01.17.09
The long-awaited impact assessment by the US Department of Interior, Minerals Management Service has finally been published. If all goes well, a Record of Decision (ROD) could come as early as the end of February. On the basis of impacts described, prospects do seem favorable. ...
Shiraleah's Reclaimed Railroad Tie Accessories Provide Seriously Earthy Interior Decor
by Sara Novak, Columbia, SC on 01.17.09
photo: Shiraleah
TreeHugger has seen railroad ties used before in a sleek set of dining room chairs. Now Shiraleah has introduced the same innovative green thinking in the form of some savvy earthy interior accessories. ...
Now Even You Vegetarians Can Get Your Daily Allowance of Antibiotics
by Sara Novak, Columbia, SC on 01.17.09
photo: Foodnet
I cut way back on my consumption of meats mostly for sustainability reasons. Living in an area where restaurants with grass fed and antibiotic-free meats are few and far between, I decided not to take the chance. But a new study says that even vegetarians may not be safe from an ample serving of antibiotics....
Couture Recycle Runway Collection by Nancy Judd (Slideshow)
by Jessica Root - Brooklyn, NY on 01.16.09
Image credit: Sandrine Hahn
Michelle Obama could wear one of these green gowns to the Inaugural Ball or she can really make a statement wearing one of Nancy Judd’s dresses from the Recycle Runway Collection.
Judd, a Santa Fe-based artist, has spent the last seven years transforming trash into treasure by hand sewing elegant garments from garbage. Her work has exhibited in airports across the US and will also appear at the The Green Inaugural Ball taking place in D.C. tomorrow (Jan. 17). If you can’t check out her wacky yet utterly inspiring work in person, take a peek at our Couture Recycle Runway Collection slideshow to see a cocktail dress made out of Obama campaign yard signs, a bikini made out of plastic detergent bottles and more! ...
Leonardo DiCaprio or Brad Pitt: Who's the More Timely Eco-Hunk? Plus Mickey Rourke Fights Again!
by Terri MacLeod on 01.16.09
Leonardo DiCaprio lost the Golden Globe, but he’s always a winner on the green activist front. The eco-champ has signed on to be the celebrity face of watchmaker TAG Heuer. Replacing fellow eco-hunk Brad Pitt. But, Leo isn’t pocketing a cent of his multi-million three-year deal; instead, all the money earned is going to support major environmental initiatives. “Tag and I will be making donations to some of most influential and effective environmental organizations around. These organizations are doing important work to ensure our planet’s resources for future generations,” states Leo.
Via: ecorazzi...
Kansas Senator Calls Small Farmers GQ-Reading Shrimpy Dilettantes
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 01.16.09
Apparently Human Hair is a Great Green Fertilizer
by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada on 01.16.09
Cut Hair to Go Please, I'm a Gardener
Those of us that compost know that human hair, as well as cat & dog hair, is safe to throw in the heap. But Discovery News reports on a study published in the journal HortTechnology that shows that human hair might be a better - and greener - fertilizer than we thought. ...
Half of Americans Already Making Energy Efficiency Improvements, Few Get Out of Their Cars: New Survey Finds
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 01.16.09
Light rail train in Tempe, Arizona. Photo: Rail Life via flickr
Most regular TreeHugger readers probably try to do as much as they can to live greener lifestyles (even if we all probably could do more...) but what do people in general do? If you’re interested in what people in the United States are doing in terms of saving energy in their homes and in their transportation choices then a new survey done by Yale University and George Mason University has the answers. It covers a lot of ground in terms of the actions people are taking, would like to take, and why or why not they are doing them. Here’s a brief summary of the findings:...
New York City to Test 10 Electric MINIs
by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada on 01.16.09
10 MINI Es for NYC
New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg has announced that his city would get 10 electric MINIs out of the 500 that BMW will produce and lease, mostly in California (see links at the end). But some will be put to the test in fleet conditions. How will New York use its MINI Es?
Read on for more details....
Graph of the Day: You Are Where You Eat
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 01.16.09
Everybody knows that restaurant portions are too large, too laden in fat and salt, too expensive. Yet look what has happened in the last 50 years, appropriately laid out in pie charts. Paul Kedrosky wonders what it will be five years from now. What do you think?
...
Photos of the BYD F3DM & F6DM Plug-in Hybrids and E6 Electric Car
by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada on 01.16.09
Click on the image above to see the slideshow.
A Closer Look at BYD's Electric Cars
BYD, the giant Chinese-battery-company-turned-automaker, didn't have much new to say in Detroit (F3DM in USA in 2011, E6 Electric MPV, we already knew all that), but they certainly had a lot to show. We've put together a slideshow of the BYD electric cars that were on display (the F3DM and F6DM series plug-in hybrids, and the E6 electric MPV).
Click here for the BYD electric cars slideshow.
...Absolutely Greener, Relatively Speaking: A Closer Look at CSR Reporting
by Tom Szaky of TerraCycle, Trenton NJ on 01.16.09
I was recently exchanging e-mails with a dear friend, Melissa, who works in the CSR , or corporate social responsibility, department of a major US corporation. We were talking about traditional national and global economic growth rates (which, of course, may not be achieved in times such as the current global slowdown) and how improved environmental standards could go beyond previous relative standards, but still result in cumulative negative impact. ...
Ken Eklund, Creator of World Without Oil on TreeHugger Radio
by Jacob Gordon, Nashville, TN on 01.16.09
It’s just a game, right? World Without Oil brought people from all over the globe into an alternate reality, a near-future in which we’re sucking the last silted drops from the planetary oil barrel. We’ve seen in the past how games can touch critical issues like climate change, hunger, and obesity, but World Without Oil is different in that it is a “historical pre-enactment,” crowdsourced from the minds of global citizens who know this scenario is all but upon us. This is not escapism, says Eklund, this is playing it before we all live it. Listen to the podcast of this interview via iTunes, or just click here to listen, right-click to download....
Obama EPA Head Nominee Lisa Jackson Says She'll Put Science Back Into the Agency
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 01.16.09
Considering the less than stellar record of the EPA under the Bush Administration, I suppose virtually anyone that Barack Obama might propose will be a vast improvement. Well, in Lisa Jackson’s confirmation hearings this week some statements were made that were encouraging, and some, from climate change denier extraordinaire Senator James Inhofe, which leave me with some doubts:
...
Dubious Dubai Hits Pause Button
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 01.16.09
Donald Trump in Chicago
As John noted earlier, a dropping tide sinks all boats. Spiegel Online tells us that The Donald's hotel on Dubai's Palm Jumeirah island has been "postponed." A lot of other projects are tanking as well, perhaps bringing to an end an era of gaudy, glorious excess. ...
The Big Deal With Citizen Science
by Earthwatch Institute on 01.16.09
Learn More About Birds—Become a Citizen Scientist! Image credit:Cornell University, Lab of Ornithology
By: George Grattan (NOTE: The opinions expressed here are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Earthwatch.)
In the “Wild Side” column this week in the New York Times, biologist and author Aaron Hirsch outlined the growing trend of what’s been called “Big Science”: the centralization of research on the most obviously exciting scientific questions of our time into the hands of fewer—and ever more massive—scientific organizations....
Roofs are for People
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 01.16.09
Bernard Rudofsky is well known for his book Architecture without Architects, but he also wrote that Streets are for People. Perhaps the same thing can be said about roofs. ...
Biomimicry: Shark-Inspired "Skin" for Cars Claims to Improve MPG
by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada on 01.16.09
Turning Your Car Into a Golf Ball
We're always careful with companies that claim to have products that greatly improve your MPG. Most of them don't work (magazines like Consumer Reports have tested a lot of them), and we often think "If it was that simple, carmakers would be doing it to have a competitive edge." But once in a while we come across an idea that seems to make a lot of sense, in this case, a car wrap that mimics shark skin.
Read on for more details....
Biofuels Cannot Be Called Sustainable in UK Advert: Board Upholds George Monbiot’s Complaint
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 01.16.09
Rapeseed field. Photo:John via flickr
The debate over the true ecological sustainability of biofuels, the effects on global food prices, and their oft-heard claims of carbon-neutrality has been played out on TreeHugger in great detail. Adding a new item to the discussion is a recent ruling by the UK’s Advertising Standards Authority, which has upheld a complaint by journalist George Monbiot that ads by the Renewable Fuels Association were misleading in their claims that biofuels were “sustainable”. The exact wording found to be objectionable and the reasoning is as follows:...
Tim Gaudreau's Self Portrait as Revealed by Trash
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 01.16.09
All photos courtesy of Tim Gaudreau
Earlier this week we talked about how taking stock of your trash can help you figure out what habits to change to get closer to zero waste. But what if you wanted to make sure that the effect lasted beyond a day of dumpster diving? You might try photographing it all.
That's what artist Tim Gaudreau has done. Check out his incredible artwork created by photographing everything he through out for a full year. ...
Beans, Beans, the Magical Fruit: How To Eat Them Without the Flatulence
by Kelly Rossiter, Toronto on 01.16.09
I was chatting with my cousin about some health and weight problems she was having and I was stunned to discover that she almost never cooks vegetables for her family dinner. Too much trouble she said. I suggested that not only should she add vegetables every day, she should significantly reduce her meat intake and add legumes to her diet. She was vehement about not eating beans at all. Her reason? Gas....
‘Energy Super Ring’ of Offshore Wind Farms Could Mean Europe’s Energy Independence
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 01.16.09
Northern Europeans, do you want to be energy independent? Then OMA Zeekracht has a plan for you. Though just a concept, a newly released master plan, commissioned by the Netherland’s Society for Nature & Environment, shows how by building an “energy super ring” of wind turbines in the North Sea enough energy could be generated to entirely replace that coming from oil imports from the Persian Gulf. Here’s what the plan calls for:...
Environmental Working Group Study Shines Light on Best and Worst CFLs
by Naturally Savvy on 01.16.09
Image credit: Paul Keller / Flickr.com
Want to make the switch to energy efficient, long-lasting Compact Fluorescent Lamps (CFLs) but don't know which brand is best for you and the environment? The Environmental Working Group has the answers you're looking for.
The EWG just released a study listing the top earth-friendly CFLs on the market. Lighten Up in '09 features the top brands (and where to buy them), what to do when a bulb breaks (CFLs contain mercury), and annual savings on energy and utility expenses. Seven bulbs with the lowest mercury content and the best longevity—lasting 8,000 to 15,000 hours (the EnergyStar standard is 6,000 hours)—got top honors in the study. The cream of the crop?...
ReCharge America Day of Action on Monday (Video)
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 01.16.09
ecoAmerica and Clean Tech for Obama have put together the service program for the environment called ReCharge America. On Monday, you can take action on energy savings and climate change by implementing a few easy changes you've been probably meaning to do for awhile.
Read on for what the easy steps include, and a video with Lisa Ling....
Treehugging Turbine is Totally Tubular
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 01.16.09
Sridhar Condoor of Saint Louis University has developed a tubular turbine for tight spaces; it has no central shaft, so it can be mounted over existing structures like chimneys, cell-phone masts, or yes, as Ariel at CleanTechnica put it,
Its hollowness allows it to be placed around existing objects— so you could literally have a tree-hugging turbine....
10 T-Shirt Designs That Do the Talking for You (Slideshow)
by Emma Grady, New York, NY on 01.16.09
Credit: Ban T-Shirts
What catches sweat at the gym, is trendy under a blazer, keeps you warm in winter, and can sum up your personality in 5 seconds flat? The good 'ol t-shirt. With messages like "Praise seitan" and "There is no Planet B," these tees are sure to fire up conversation--and maybe even score you a date. Without further ado, our 10 Custom T-Shirts, or How to Use Your Body as a Billboard slideshow.
...
You Shall Have Bike Lanes Wherever You Go
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 01.16.09
Some cities are slow getting around to approving bike lanes; others don't bother. Here is a way to carry your bike lane with you wherever you go: project it onto the road with fricking lasers. Alex Tee and Evan Gant of Altitude write:
...
Florida’s First Commercial-Scale Cellulosic Ethanol Plant to Begin Construction in 2009
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 01.16.09
Verenium’s demonstration-scale plant. Photo: Verenium
A bit over six months ago Cambridge, Mass.-based Verenium opened up its first demonstration-scale cellulosic ethanol plant in Jennings, Louisiana (which was also, at the time, the first in the US). Now Verenium has announced that it is ready to begin construction on its first commercial-scale cellulosic ethanol plant later this year. This is what the plant will consist of:...
13 Really Cool Lighting Ideas (Slideshow)
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 01.16.09
Photo via daan
While we sometimes try to deny it, we all love staring at things that are shiny. Especially things that shine in strange and unique ways. We've gathered a few really cool lighting ideas for your ooooohhing and aaaaahhing pleasure.
Click through to check out the slideshow of some of our favorite light designs....
Quote of the Day: Just Send a Cheque to Caterpillar
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 01.16.09
We have noted previously that "shovel ready" projects need more shovels than people. Dr. Jim McNiven, professor emeritus and former dean of management at Dalhousie University notes in the Globe and Mail that the way we build things has changed in seventy years:
"A lot of this ethos of infrastructure-equals-jobs comes from the 1930s when you put a lot of guys to work digging ditches and shovelling gravel. And we don't do that any more." "You can't just take unemployed people off the street and have them build roads and overpasses," he said. Much new funding may well wind up being spent on new machinery rather than hiring, he added. "You might as well just send a cheque to Caterpillar in Illinois."...
80% of Bird Strikes Are Not Reported to FAA, Biologist Says
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 01.16.09
Canada geese are particularly hard to scare away from airports. Photo: Mike Baird via flickr
After yesterday’s plane crash into the Hudson River, and hearing that it resulted from birds being sucked into both of the Airbus 320’s engines—OK the NTSB hasn’t confirmed that, but that’s what it looks like happened by all accounts—most people are probably wondering just how many birds get hit per year by aircraft, and what can be done about it.
Well, Richard Dolbeer, a biologist who studied the problem for the USDA, was interviewed by CNN and has the answers:...
Cooking Lessons from World War II (Video)
by Sami Grover, Carrboro, NC, USA on 01.16.09
Fox Guarding Henhouse Dept: Congressman from Caterpillar to Be Secretary of Transportation
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 01.16.09
These are exciting times; a new "green dream team" in Washington; Billions of dollars to be invested in infrastructure. In this new world one of the most important positions will be the Secretary of Transportation, overseeing investment in rail, technology, alternative fuels, and yes, roads.
And who is up for this position? Ray LaHood of Peoria, also home of Caterpillar, one of the world's largest manufacturers of road building equipment and technology. And when you look under LaHood, you find he's Cat-Powered. ...
Old Car Batteries' Deadly Toll in Africa
by Jennifer Hattam, Istanbul, Turkey on 01.16.09
Car-battery recycling was previously carried out in this flooded area in Thiaroye Sur Mer, Senegal. Photo: The Associated Press
If you had only heard that 18 children had died in a West African town, you would likely have thought the news tragic, but unrelated to your daily life. In the case of Thiaroye Sur Mer, outside of Dakar, that assumption would have been sadly untrue....
Sun-Reflecting Crops May Help Cool the Planet
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 01.16.09
Photo via reebs'
British researchers have determined that if farmers were to plant crops that reflect more sunlight back into space, the effect would cool the earth enough to impact and deter heat waves and droughts.
We think they might be missing the bigger picture....
Most Cage-Free Eggs Are Now From Producers Certified as Humane
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 01.16.09
Photo via ariana12182
If you spend too much time scouring the racks of eggs at the grocery store trying to figure out the most environmentally friendly purchase, you have one tiny thing going in your favor.
Now, nearly two thirds of all cage-free eggs sport the American Humane Certified (TM) label, showing that they're from producers that practice humane treatment of their animals. ...
Survey: Do You Send Snail Mail Any More?
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 01.16.09
When Bonnie showed the new British stamps honouring great British design, I thought "how quaint." It is a good thing that they are the new style without a price on them, because it might take years to go through all six- who uses the mail anymore?
...
(Some) People Have Spoken, and They Want an Organic Garden on Obama's Lawn
by April Streeter, Gothenburg, Sweden on 01.16.09
Photo comes by way of EattheView.
Democracy can be a tricky thing. Take the results of recent voting at Change.org and OnDay1.org. These two social network sites let users express concerns to bring to the Obama Administration and then vote on their own Top Ten. The results are wacky and weird and in their way, wonderful. Change.org's top pick as of yesterday with over 19,000 (of a total of 600,000) votes is legalizing the medical and recreational use of marijuana. Over at OnDay1, the top voted idea (3,994 votes) is Roger Doiron's plan to turn the White House lawn into an organic Victory Garden. Now, before you sharpen those commenting quills, it has been charged that social networks have some liberal bias. Taking that into account, it is still worth noting Obama could make many people happy with two fairly simple actions. Video of Doiron's own front lawn victory garden after the jump....
US Senate Goes With The Flow: Wild & Scenic Rivers Act Passed
by Rebecca Wodder, American Rivers on 01.16.09
Runoff From Mount Hood, Oregon Image credit:Tim Palmer
The second largest Wild and Scenic Rivers package in history passed the US Senate yesterday, safeguarding over 1,000 miles of rivers in Oregon, Idaho, Arizona, Wyoming, Utah, Vermont, and Massachusetts. New Wild and Scenic rivers will include rivers on Oregon’s Mount Hood (as pictured), the Snake River headwaters in Wyoming, and the Taunton River in Massachusetts....
Buy a Stamp and Get the Best of British Design
by Bonnie Alter, London on 01.16.09
image from Royal Mail
British stamps don't just show the Queen's profile--they cover the whole range from endangered species to the Mini. The latest issue--British design classics--shows ten of the iconic images of British life in the twentieth century. The K2 telephone kiosk, created in 1932 and on the verge of disappearing due to mobile phones, is one that will always symbolise England to tourists. And the double-decker bus--the Routemaster--another disappearing species, is remembered.
Penguin book covers have been modernised beyond recognition now, so it is good to see that they have been recognised. And what about the mini skirt from the Swinging '60's. Mary Quant declared herself to be "hugely flattered and simply bowled over with delight. I think the mini-skirt is something that makes one feel happy and enjoy life."...
Agriculture Sustainability Metrics Need Work: Can You Help?
by Tim McGee, Western Massachusetts on 01.15.09
photo Venex_jpb @ flickr
How important is sustainable agriculture? It is expected that by 2050 the world's population will need a doubling of agriculture productivity. Can we meet this demand without destroying the systems we depend on for life? Are the current methods of food production sustainable? If you asked Bill Mollison or Michael Pollan I would suspect they could point to many problems of our current agricultural system. As we have shown on TreeHugger they could also point to many solutions. The tough part comes when you have to make a policy decision that impacts global food supply, you don’t want to make the wrong choice.
The Keystone Alliance for Sustainable Agriculture is an unlikely gaggle of industry giants, nonprofit organizations, and conservation groups that are working to build a set of metrics in order to guide agriculture into a sustainable future. They just released a report on these metrics, and by the looks of it they have a lot of work left to do. A column this week in the New York Times by Aaron E. Hirsh left me wondering if the gap in these metrics can be filled in by you?...
Mexico's Driving Restriction Law Under Fire
by Eliza Barclay, Washington, D.C. on 01.15.09
Some time back, we reported that Mexico City Mayor Marcelo Ebrard had decided to extend the controversial "Hoy No Circula" (Today Don't Drive) plan, a program where drivers are prohibited from using their vehicles one weekday a week based on their license plate numbers, to Saturday. The plan's objective, since its launch in 1989, has been to force drivers off the road and ostensibly reduce pollution. But many question whether the policy actually works. Some studies have shown that wealthier drivers simply take another car to work on the days when their principal car is banned.
This week an academic from the Mexican Academy of Sciences called Ebrard and other city politicians out on the failings of Hoy No Circula. "Simply put, the pollution in the city has not seen any effect correlated with the Hoy No Circula measure," said
Héctor Rivero Rotgé, researcher at the Physics Institute at Mexico's National Autonomous Universtiy. ...
Get a Subscription to ReadyMade for Just $10
by Kara DiCamillo, Newport, Rhode Island on 01.15.09
Today's TreeHugger Deal comes to you from ReadyMade Magazine. We’ve covered them several times over the years (see further reading links after the fold) because we think it’s a great reference that will be sure to enlighten you, entertain you, and inspire you to give your space the look and feel of you. Whether it’s a big space or small, or whether you live in a city or suburb - your place will be a better place with ReadyMade. And because the projects you make with ReadyMade will have you rethinking, re-using, and reinventing uses for objects and materials that might otherwise be discarded the planet will be a better place with ReadyMade too! ...
Detroit Auto Show 2009: Mercedes BlueZERO Concept in the Flesh
by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada on 01.15.09
Click image above to see Mercedes BlueZERO slideshow.
Last month we covered in much detail the Mercedes BlueZERO trio of electric concept cars by Mercedes (which it now says are production-ready, and that it will make a low-volume EV in 2010), but back then we only had computer renderings. We had a chance to see it up close and personal in Detroit and took some photos:
Click here for the Mercedes BlueZERO electric car slideshow.
...Check Out the Aeolus Airship: Human-Powered Blimp Can Stay Aloft for Two Weeks
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 01.15.09
Setting the bar pretty high for airship design is this one from Christopher Ottersbach: Called the Aeolus Airship (named after Aeolus, the Greek wind god) it is designed to be aerodynamic than conventional airship designs, and stay aloft for up to two weeks on a supply of helium and, furthermore, is pedal-powered by the crew of 2-4 people. That’s about all the tech detail I’ve come across; it’s certainly made the rounds in the past couple of days but no specific website or contact info seems forthcoming. Christopher, I’d love to talk to you if you come across this.
In any case, here are lots of cool photos of this sleek new human-powered aircraft:...
Detroit Auto Show 2009: Lexus Reveals Hybrid-Only 2010 HS 250h
by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada on 01.15.09
Toyota's Second Hybrid-Only Model After the Prius
The Lexus HS 250h hybrid is a first: The first dedicated luxury hybrid (at least if you don't count the Fisker Karma plug-in hybrid, which is nearing production). It will also be Toyota's second hybrid-only model after the Prius, and should be on sale this summer.
Read on for more details and lots of photos....
Obama’s Sustainable Development Challenges
by Danielle Carpenter Sprungli, WCSBD on 01.15.09
As January 20th ushers in a new era for America and indeed for the world, Barack Obama will have a cartload of sustainable development challenges to deal with if his presidency is to be all that he and the public want and expect. While the “Great Recession” could make addressing these challenges perilous and hard fought, with convincing rhetoric and bold action, Obama would do well to address economic concerns through sustainability.
Obama has already taken steps in that direction. During his campaign he pledged to spend US$ 150 billion over the next decade on clean energy, creating an estimated 5 million jobs. While he hasn’t given full details, he is expected to aim for doubling alternative energy production by 2012 and to build a new electricity “smart grid”, all-the-while modernizing 75% of federal buildings and improving energy efficiency in 2 million homes to reduce consumer energy bills. ...
Kokage House Built from Tree-Shaped Parts
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 01.15.09
"Kokage" means shade of a tree. Hirokazu Suemitsu and Yoko Suemitsu of SUEP have designed a house built from structural partitions that spread out like a tree to carry a canopy that acts as the roof. Each "tree" also is part of the mechanical system of the house, carrying cool water from the ground up to the top. ...
US Climate Action Partnership Releases Climate Change Strategy Report for Legislators
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 01.15.09
The fact that some of the USCAP members have been involved in projects in the Alberta Tar Sands, widely called one of the most environmentally destructive projects on the planet, makes me skeptical...despite the involvement of some great green groups such as NRDC, EDF and the Nature Conservancy. Photo: Wikipedia
Considering all of the reports that have come out about climate change, the amount of reductions needed, the best means of doing so, and the costs of inaction on every nation’s economy and environment I do find it slightly odd that another report has been released on the subject (which says essentially similar things to previous reports), nonetheless the US Climate Action Partnership has just released its Blueprint for Legislative Action. Two years in the making, the report makes the following recommendations:
...
Detroit Auto Show 2009: GM to Manufacture Volt Battery Packs in Michigan
by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada on 01.15.09
GM Increases Battery Investments
We already knew that the Chevy Volt would use lithium-ion cells made by LG Chem (and not A123 Systems - or at least, not at first), but now GM has announced that while the cells will come from South-Korea's LG Chem, the actual T-shaped battery packs will be made in a new plant in Michigan. Rick Wagoner has also announced a new GM battery lab and a partnership with the University of Michigan.
Read on for more....
Domestic Transformer: 24 Rooms Packed Into One
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 01.15.09
all photos: Marcel Lam for The New York Times
Apartments are small and expensive in Hong Kong, so architect Gary Chang designed his 344 square foot unit to change into 24 different designs, just by sliding walls and panels around. He even calls it a "Domestic Transformer."...
Quotes of the Day: Conran, Starck and Allsopp on Design in a Recession
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 01.15.09
Sir Terence Conran, Kirstie Allsopp and Phillippe Starck. Photograph: David Levene
Fascinating interview in the Guardian, discussing the question: "What is the role of the designer now, when we are taking a beating both economically and environmentally?" Starck is pompous.
Perhaps in 30 years it will be interesting to come back and speak about the beauty of a chair or a lamp, but today that seems a bit obscene. Even during the time it takes to do this interview, people will die from a lack of water. We must try to stop design for design's sake. Design has always been political, and now more than ever we focus on new goals, which I call democratic ecology....
Detroit Auto Show 2009: Tesla Announces Deal with Daimler for Smart EV Batteries
by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada on 01.15.09
Smart EV Gets Smarter
Tesla Motors will supply the lithium-ion battery packs for the first 1,000 electric drive smart cars produced by Daimler in 2009 and 2010, said Tesla CEO, Elon Musk. If all goes well, the deal might even be renewed. What's most impressive about this is that Daimler has huge engineering resources, yet they decided that small start-up Tesla was better positioned to make the batteries.
Read on for more....
Would You Pay More To Buy Clothes Guaranteed For Ten Years?
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 01.15.09
It is a nice looking jacket. It is well made too. So well made that:
This product is guaranteed for a minimum of 10 years from the date of original purchase. The chances are it will last a good deal longer than that. So now you have to decide whom you’d like to hand this product down to?The hook is that it costs £400.00. ...
From the Forums: Things I Save
by Alan Graham, Portland, Oregon on 01.15.09
Image Credit: Joe Shlabotnik
I am sure a lot of green folks like me hoard or save things because you:
a) Don't like waste
b) Never know when you'll need said items again
c) Have some psychological disorder
d) Like me...all of the above
So here's a partial list of things I save. I definitely got this trait from my grandparents, who as adults in the depression, never threw away anything. And I mean anything.
The moment you toss it...you'll need it.
----------------
Nuts, bolts, screws, nails, etc - It doesn't matter where they come from, I never throw away this stuff. Even the oddest screws end up finding use at some point.
Scrap metal - I keep almost all of it. I remember on the farm, my grandfather kept all the old tin cans...I even made a wall mount for the LCD iMac in our kitchen out of a scrap piece of tin. Saved me over $100 by not having to buy a specially made wall mount.
Read More/Share Your List...
Global Biofuel Crop Yields Often Severely Overestimated, New Research Finds
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 01.15.09
photo: Mike Locke via flickr
You’ve undoubtedly seen estimates about the crop yields of various plants for use as biofuels. Indeed, when comparing the potential of different crops you need these numbers to make informed agriculture and renewable energy policy decisions. The problem is, according to a new report published in Environmental Research Letters the estimates we’re currently using are way too high. Here’s why:...
The Recession Can Make You Fat
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 01.15.09
Walker Evans
You don't see a lot of obesity in pictures from the Depression. But over at Planet Green, Kelly quotes a woman who is changing her shopping habits:
"If I buy four litres of milk it's costing me almost $7.00 but if I can go buy two-litre bottles of Coca Cola, it's going to cost me two and change. That's a problem that I have... ."...
Tar/Oil Sands Industry Readying Public Relations Campaign
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 01.15.09
Solar Panel Toxic Manufacturing Byproducts, Product Disposal Needs Greater Oversight, Report Urges
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 01.15.09
Sure, they generate clean electricity, but what about how they were made and disposed of? Photo: dirvish via flickr
Every TreeHugger worth their roots loves solar power. After the (not always low) upfront costs are paid back you get free power from the sun, without emitting greenhouse gases or supporting continued extraction of fossil fuels. What’s not to like, right? Well, according to a new report released by the Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition at the manufacturing and disposal stage of those über-green solar panels’ life there’s a whole bunch not to like, and little oversight to boot. This is what report recommends be done to remedy the situation and why it need be done in the first place: ...
Jargon Watch: "Workforce Ready" vs "Shovel Ready"
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 01.15.09
Stewart Hudson at Solve Climate makes a good point: Everyone is talking about Shovel Ready projects to get the economy moving, but in modern new construction and infrastructure, a lot of the work is done by heavy machinery and the labor input isn't that big compared to the material input. Mary Anne the steam shovel can move tons and build cities but it just needs Mike to operate it. Hudson writes:...
Help Support A Sustainable Dozen For Influential USDA Positions
by Jeff Nield, Vancouver, British Columbia on 01.15.09
Mark Ritchie, one of the dozen. Via Flickr by Laura Askelin
There was much excitement in the sustainable agriculture world that Barack Obama would appoint a truly progressive Secretary of Agriculture. Obama's nod to former Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack was met with mixed reviews. His support for biotech crops and ethanol production was met with screams of horror from the organic crowd, while others took a more balanced view and felt that Vilsack's support for the family farmer makes him a candidate worth supporting.
Since Vilsack's appointment the sustainable ag community has turned it's attention to promoting a "Sustainable Dozen" for, the possibly more influential, Under Secretary positions at the USDA. Read on for the list.
...
Arizona Hires Goats to Clear Brush
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 01.15.09
Photo via Jon Stammers
Mesa, Arizona has decided that rather than whip out the weedwhackers and chainsaws, they're going to employ goats to do their thing and clear out 30 acres of brush around a wastewater treatment plant. ...
Freeplay's ZipCharge Means Super Fast Charging
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 01.15.09
Image via Dvice
If you're looking to recharge your smaller devices like a cell phone or MP3 player, the ZipCharge is a speedy way to do so. It can gather enough energy in just 10 minutes to power a hand-held gadget. ...
UK Gladiators Cut Carbon Footprint by 35%
by Sami Grover, Carrboro, NC, USA on 01.15.09
Image Credit: The Guardian
TV's Gladiators Go Green
When I search for gladiators on TreeHugger, all I find is a post on recycled sandals (who ever heard of an environmentalist wearing sandals!?). But now there may be another kind of green gladiator, namely the televisual kind. As a part of British TV network BSkyB’s impressive sustainability efforts, the show is aiming to cut its carbon emissions this year by as much as 35%. Lucy Siegle, over at The Guardian, brings us some think-outside-of-the-box thoughts on how the Gladiators can further cut their carbon footprint:
...
Wood Stove Sales Up In UK: Logs Being Imported From As Far As Eastern Europe to Satisfy Demand
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 01.15.09
photo: Rachael Voorhees via flickr
Considering the global recession and, more recently, conflict over natural gas flowing into Europe from Russia, this next tidbit is probably to be expected: The Guardian is reporting on how sales of wood-burning stoves have risen recently, in turn causing shortages of firewood forcing some suppliers to go so far as Eastern Europe to find good seasoned wood. Here’s the gist of the situation:...
Watch the Impact of Global Warming: "Tibetan Plateau in Peril"
by Alex Pasternack, New York, NY on 01.15.09
What Lies Beneath: The Flat-Out Truth About Mattresses
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 01.15.09
AOL
People spend a lot of time on mattresses; John and Yoko famously didn't get out of bed for days on end. Julie Scelfo at the New York Times looks at what goes into a mattress, and in particular, what “organic,” “natural” or “eco-friendly” mean, and came to the conclusion- not much. ...
Five Ways Obama's Inauguration Festivities Will Be Green
by April Streeter, Gothenburg, Sweden on 01.15.09
Photo of the presidential seal by eschipul @ flickr.
Let's just say up front that nobody claims the Inauguration will be deep green - events like this, by their very nature, require a huge amount of car and plane travel, entailing a corresponding belch of CO2. The Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank, reportedly says efforts to make the Inauguration green are just a joke. Just as Jimmy Carter did back in 1977, however, Obama is at least making an effort to follow some green event principles...you've gotta start somewhere, right?
...
Un-TreeHugger: The TowelSpa
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 01.15.09
Photos via Brookstone
Sometimes the attempt to get luxury to the masses leads to making things that are just plain old silly. ...
Blob Architect Jan Kaplicky 1937-2009
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 01.15.09
Architects are often late bloomers. Frank Gehry is in his prime at 79; Ralph Rapson died at his drafting board last year at 93.
Jan Kaplicky was just coming into his own when he died yesterday at 71. He recently won the competition to build the controversial National Library of the Czech Republic, which he called "an eco building in the park" (TreeHugger readers pronounced it ugly)....
Detroit Auto Show Reveals Opportunities For Sustainable Investment
by Jeff Siegel, Green Chip Stocks on 01.15.09
So what will it take to get the big auto-makers to manufacture new, more fuel-efficient vehicles? How about massive losses, uncertain oil prices, and a big fat recession.
While the auto industry should have been on this like white on rice at least ten years ago, it looks like arrogance and complete disregard for long-term planning may finally be giving way to the reality of an oil-strapped future.
...
Homeless Chateau: A Little Privacy
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 01.15.09
all images from James Westwater
In New York City a lot of artists live in warehouses, almost in boxes; James Westwater tries to make it greener and more comfortable with his Homeless Chateau. It is designed to be used inside, but provides some privacy and security. He says that it has "cooking and toilet facilities" but both are pretty sketchy in a small unventilated space.
...
Concept Trashcan for Sorting Recyclables
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 01.15.09
Photos via ConstanceGuisset.com
A clever concept for a trash can would make sorting recyclables and compostables easy, maybe. It'd at least be a space-saving way to sort them....
Finding Some Clarity in the Muddy World of Eco-Labeling
by Shayne McQuade, Voltaic Systems CEO, NYC on 01.15.09
Survey: Are Cars Still Status Symbols?
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 01.15.09
In Japan, kids don't want cars any more. Young Japanese men and women are ditching the car as a status symbol, sparking concern for car companies. Richard Florida says the same thing is happening in America. I see it in my own life. I am a child of the car culture. Growing up in New Jersey, older kids used to rebuild their GTOs and Barracudas on our street. The head of domestic sales for Toyota says "Young people's interest is shifting from cars to communication tools like personal computers, mobile phones and services"
...
De Smog Blog on Tar Sands, Inhabitat Loves Wine Cask Hotel, TeensyGreen Goes to the Carnival, and More
by Leonora Oppenheim, London, UK on 01.15.09
De Smog Blog: Are Canada's Tar Sands in Peril? by Mitchell Anderson
"Stephen Harper could be in for rude awakening. For years, he has been dealing with likeminded climate change deniers in the Bush Administration who were only too happy to buy as much oil from the filthy Alberta tar sands as they could get their hands on....
Energy Hog Plasma TVs Getting Banned From EU
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 01.15.09
Photo via Booleansplit
California isn't the only place taking energy-sucking Plasma TVs off the store shelves. The European Union is also instituting a ban on plasma TVs that are on the higher end of energy consumption. ...
Pssst! Michelle Obama, Consider These Green Ball Gowns
by Bonnie Alter, London on 01.15.09
What will Michelle Obama wear to the Inaugural ball? The fashion pages are full of frenzied speculation about which designer will be chosen to design her dress. Oscar de la Renta (Laura Bush and Hilary), or Narcisco Rodriguez ( Obama's victory rally)? Or what about something green and eco-friendly. We have a few suggestions.
Why not a dress of recycled tee-shirts (pictured) by Angela Johnson--completely one of a kind since each dress is created from tee-shirts which have been hand picked from whatever is at hand at the time of making. Perhaps Michelle's could be made of left-over Obama campaign tee-shirts....
...
World's First Street Legal Flying Car Really Flies in London Unveiling
by Christine Lepisto, Berlin on 01.15.09
Eco-chefs Gather at VII International Summit of Gastronomy
by Petz Scholtus, Barcelona, Spain on 01.15.09
Eco this, eco that, now we also have eco-chefs! They are those professional cooks that have their own vegetable garden, prepare seasonal dishes from local produce and are possibly into slow food. At Madrid Fusion 09, the VII international summit of gastronomy held in Spain next week, quite a few of these eco-chefs gather to join this year’s show of science and cuisine. Here the kitchen prepares business models for times of crisis and offers environmental cuisine. It’s time for a change, even in the kitchen- after luxury and exquisites come informal gastronomy and eco-consciousness....
Economists Stirring Climate Action Pot: Bubble Bubble Socialist Trouble
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 01.14.09
Symposium: Alternative U.S. Climate Policy Instruments, Via:Review Of Environmental Economics & Policy.
Improving prospects for multilateral climate action in 2009 are sure to give economists of the world something to publish on besides the popped financial bubble (that most of them failed to see coming). In fact, one likely side-effect of a strong US climate- leadership position is that it will serve as a full-employment guarantee for economists and think tankers.
Here it comes: a press release from Oxford Journals (accessible here) covers three new academic research reports on carbon management - economist style. What a tangled web these would weave in the US Congress....
Patrick McGoohan 1928-2009
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 01.14.09
It is hard to describe the impact Patrick McGoohan's television show The Prisoner had. It came out in a time of upheaval and revolution, and he was the ultimate revolutionary, who just wanted to resign and go away.
...
German Research Ship Polarstern Sails to Experiment with Ocean Iron Fertilization
by Christine Lepisto, Berlin on 01.14.09
Images: AWI
The German research vessel Polarstern is making way from Cape Town towards the Southwest Atlantic Sector of the Southern Ocean where scientists intend to dump iron into the ocean in an experiment to determine the effects of fertilizing algae growth on the ecology and carbon uptake. The ship carries an international team of scientists from Germany, India and Chile. The cooperative project is named LOHAFEX, after the Hindi word for iron, LOHA, and FEX for Fertilization EXperiment. The experiment entails spreading 20 tons of iron sulphate over 300 square kilometers of ocean. Some raise charges of "rogue" science while others laud controlled research they believe warranted by the urgency of climate change. What can be learned and what could go wrong?...
Two-Headed Fish Spark Concern Over Pesticide Contamination
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 01.14.09
Alaskan Gold Mine Wants to Fill Lake With Mine Waste: Supreme Court Hears Oral Arguments
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 01.14.09
For those with a penchant for following the Supreme Court, or frankly anyone who cares about waterways in the United States, there’s a case just begun which could set a precedent for how mining waste can or cannot be disposed of in rivers, streams or lakes. The case in question (or more properly cases) is Coeur Alaska v. The Southeast Alaska Conservation Council, and Alaska v. The Southeast Alaska Conservation Council. At issue is whether Coeur Alaska, which operates the Kensingtonˆ Gold Mine can dump mine tailings into nearby Lower Slate Lake. Here’s a quick synopsis of the first day’s testimony:
...
Six Tips From Al Gore For George Bush's New Dallas Mansion
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 01.14.09
The Smoking Gun
Congratulations to George and Laura on their new 8501 square foot Dallas Digs on a lovely 1.13 acre lot. Although it is pretty big, we would not begrudge an ex-president (or vice-president, for that matter) a little room to move around. Since you did such a good job of going green on your Crawford ranch, we thought you might be interested in some tips from Al Gore's house.
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Hunting & Fishing Regulations Have Serious Unintended Consequences on Animal Size
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 01.14.09
photo: Danielle via flickr
Ask 10 TreeHugger readers their opinion on hunting and you’ll probably get a wide range of answers ranging from enthusiasm to horror. Whatever your beliefs on the matter, a newly published paper shows how current hunting and fishing regulations, which encourage targeting of larger individual animals, is having some serious unintended consequences on those animals not killed. Our colleagues over at Discovery News have the full story, but here’s a snippet to get you going:...
Portland Hosts First VeloSwap
by Kristin Underwood, Sacramento, CA on 01.14.09
Image source: Portland Veloswap
This past weekend Portland, OR played host to the first "freecycle" or "swap-o-rama-rama" of bike parts dubbed the VeloSwap. Veteran and novice bikers alike were allowed to hang out, get good deals, sample some good organic food and bask in the glory of their own common pursuit - getting around on two wheels instead of four....
Grand Canyon Visitor Center to Get New Solar Power Array
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 01.14.09
Artist rendering of the completed system (above and below): APS
The spectacular scenery and ecosystem of the Grand Canyon will soon not be the only thing visitors to the National Park will be able to enjoy: Once completed in a few months, guests at the Grand Canyon Visitor Center on the south rim will be able to learn more about solar power, thanks to a donated solar panel array currently being installed. Here are the details:...
Waste Veggie Oil: Good For Your Hands?
by Kristin Underwood, Sacramento, CA on 01.14.09
Image source: Flickr
How many uses can we find for waste veggie oil and its byproducts? Let us count the ways...The New York Times reports that husband and wife duo Megan & Marshall Dostal want to bring it into your home, in the form of hand soap. Further Soap blends the glycerin leftover from the production of waste veggie oil along with bergamot, olive and other grass oils to make a soap that reuses a reused product....
London Youth Theatre Celebrates The Legacy of Chico Mendes
by Leonora Oppenheim, London, UK on 01.14.09
Image: Amazonia-London.com
20 years after the brutal assassination of environmental activist Chico Mendes the legacy of his life is being celebrated in a cross cultural arts project connecting youth in Brazil and London. A theatre performance entitled Amazônia is currently running at the Young Vic in London. The show was conceived by Paul Heritage, of community arts group People's Palace Projects, through working closely with Chico Mendes's daughter Elenira, who has taken on her father's cause of protecting the Amazon rainforest. Last night she was in London to celebrate the memory of her father......
The Dark Side of Solar Panels
by Kristin Underwood, Sacramento, CA on 01.14.09
Image source: Author's collection
The Los Angeles Times reports that we may be trading one evil for another with all of the potential waste generated from the life-cycle of a solar panel. While maybe not as harmful as mountaintop removal from coal or emissions emitted from the millions of cars on the road, the generation of electricity from solar does have its own dark side....
Save Energy, Move in With a Friend
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 01.14.09
Source
Paul Anka nailed it when he wrote "You are My Density"- A new study by SMR on "Consumer Energy Spending And The Demographics Of Over-Consumption" presents some pretty disturbing results about the subject. Basically, just about everything anyone does to save energy and build more energy efficient housing is overwhelmed by the consistently increasing number of square feet per person. ...
Quote of the Day: Republican House Leader on Bikes and Beautification
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 01.14.09
John Boehner, Republican House leader, pretends to care about alternative fuel vehicles but clearly doesn't think that bicycles qualify.
“I think there’s a place for infrastructure, but what kind of infrastructure? Infrastructure to widen highways, to ease congestion for American families? Is it to build some buildings that are necessary?” He stated. “But if we’re talking about beautification projects, or we’re talking about bike paths, Americans are not going to look very kindly on this.”...
The Earth Awards Announce Their Winner
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 01.14.09
The Earth Awards held their ceremonies and announced the winning contestant for their search for the best future-crucial design idea.
Check out all the finalists and the winner after the jump. ...
Miss America Contestant Uses Stage to Promote Green Garb
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 01.14.09
From the Forums: Ed Begley's New Water Filtration System
by Alan Graham, Portland, Oregon on 01.14.09
The World's Top 5 Greenest Spa Escapes
by April Streeter, Gothenburg, Sweden on 01.14.09
Steamy waters at the Vulkania spring in Austria. Photo courtesy Rogner Bad.
Bet you didn't know that spa is a possible* Latin abbreviation--derived from "Sanus Per Aquam" or health via the water.
There's a million definitions for what might constitute a 'green' spa--including a tub with an overgrowth of algae! So instead of concentrating on the treatments or ingredients that give most spas their green tinge, we'll take our cue from the Latin and dish up five great spa escapes from around the globe (with some extra honorable mentions) using, quality, healing properties of the waters, and the dedication to sustainably as our guide. Of course, while this list is neither exhaustive nor officially audited or certified by anyone, you can rely on the fact that a visit to any of them will leave you feeling...well, at the very least, squeaky clean. So dive in....
Norwegian Electric Car Maker THINK Stays Alive! Receives Interim Funding
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 01.14.09
photo: THINK
Back in December, Mike wrote about how Norwegian electric car manufacturer THINK had the rug pulled out from under them when the government wouldn’t guarantee several million dollars in loans that the company hoped would pull it through a rough financial patch. Well, there’s some good news to report on that front. THINK announced Monday that it had secured financing that could allow it to restart production:
...
Wretched Excess Dept: A House Designed For Cats
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 01.14.09
Now I will confess, there are a lot of ideas to love in this house, including the alternating tread stair and some terrific details, but for cats? We have shown a Stair of the Week for Cats before, but nothing as elaborate or over-the-top like this. ...
Roadkill and Litter: How Tossing Your Trash Kills Animals
by Sami Grover, Carrboro, NC, USA on 01.14.09
Image credit: Squirrel Queen
Litter Creates Roadkill Creates More Roadkill - The Chain Reaction
Roadkill is a perennial problem in our car-addicted society. And while some people may be finding creative, if creepy, applications for recycling our non-human brothers and sisters (dead squirrel decanter, anyone?), the fact is that road kill creates more road kill. Bill, a good friend who sits on the board of the Wildlife Center of Virginia, recently told my colleague TAO (yes, I work with hippies!) that 80% of owls in rehabilitation have been injured in car accidents, and that they are often attracted to roadsides because of the mice, birds and other scavengers that are feasting on the dead deer, dog, raccoon or whatever that was originally hit. But what can we do about that, you ask? It turns out that this reaction starts a little further up the food chain with us humans. Click below the fold to read more.
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Tribe Weaves Floating Islands, Homes and Boats on Lake Titicaca
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 01.14.09
Image: jennifrog
TreeHugger has shown a few ideas for floating homes and even floating islands, but as so often happens, what we show turns out to have been done for years, perhaps centuries. Linda McCormick of Environmental Graffiti tells us that the Uros people of Peru build floating villages "from layers of bundled tortora reeds, which are fastened to a floating base structure, like a pontoon. The result is one massive, deep raft able to withstand surprisingly heavy loads."...
Big Apple is Big Winner for Its Transit Improvements
by Jennifer Hattam, Istanbul, Turkey on 01.14.09
Bicyclists in New York City. Photo: Walter Hook, ITDP
New York City's sustainability efforts under its comprehensive PlaNYC 2030 boosted it above Beijing, which scrambled to clean up its air before hosting the Olympics, and three other international nominees for the Sustainable Transport Award.
...
Malls Get Help with Water Management from WeatherTRAK
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 01.14.09
Photo by hermanturnip
We don't normally think of malls as having a whole lot of landscape to water, and yet even their relatively tiny strips of grass and shrub beds are potential sources of water savings. WeatherTRAK, the smart water system developed by HydroPoint Data Systems, is helping malls in the Western US implement water conservation programs. ...
Vintage Furniture Revamp Ideas from Raval Warehouse
by Paula Alvarado, Buenos Aires on 01.14.09
Photos: Raval Warehouse.
One of the basics of green living is reducing waste, and one of the best ways to go green when thinking about furniture is buying vintage. Of course vintage is not always attractive and sometimes it's hard to make it look modern and cool if you're not into it. Enter Raval Warehouse, a design shop in Buenos Aires that refurbishes old pieces of furniture and objects into modern items by mix and matching styles to make them look edgy. But even if you're not in the city, their designs are a great source of inspiration for revamping old furniture.
Find out more and check larger pics in the extended....
The Simple Explanation of Why e-Waste is Bad (Video)
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 01.14.09
Photo via Celesteh
If you're unsure about why sending e-waste to developing countries is bad and what can be done about it, click through to watch this very short yet effective video. ...
8 Vegetarian Celebrities We Love: Macho Men Who Don't Eat Meat (Slideshow)
by Emma Grady, New York, NY on 01.14.09
Manly-man and vegetarian Forest Whitaker in The Last King of Scotland. Image via Guardian UK
Think you've got to go all steak-and-bacon to gain 50 pounds for your dream role (like Forest Whittaker, above) or to get buff like hottie Joaquin Phoenix? Guess again. Our list of eight irresistible vegetarian guys proves you can be manly and meatless all at the same time. Studies show that eating a meat-free diet is better for your health; it's also better for the planet: Raising, processing, and transporting cattle, sheep, pigs, and other livestock for human consumption creates pollution, greenhouse gases, and typically uses more resources than farming veggies. If you're not ready to cut out meat entirely, thinking about simply cutting back. We've got a slew of delicious vegetarian recipes over at Planet Green that can help; or you can tuck into some advice from our On Moving Toward Vegetarianism column. In the meantime, dig in to our Vegetarians We Love: Macho-Man Who Don't Eat Meat slideshow for a full helping of delicious images. ...
Survey: Should Restaurants Take More Responsibility For Their Litter?
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 01.14.09
In the UK, Keep Britain Tidy activists want fast food chains to reduce packaging and have more garbage cans. Vendors like Subway reply that it is up to the customers to find a bin. In Canada, they are considering bans and deposits on disposable containers. Who is responsible? (Image Flickr)
...
Google Launches New Transit Layer to Maps
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 01.14.09
Image via Google
Google has added a Transit Layer to their maps, and 50 cities are already easier to navigate via public transportation because of it.
It offers more than what the Google Maps "public transit" option provides, helping tourists and locals alike. ...
Did Darwin Invent Environmentalism? What Evolution and Green Revolution Share
by Neil Chambers, New York City on 01.14.09
Image credit: Thebobblehead.com
Charles Darwin introduced the hot topic of natural selection back in the 19th century, but the debate of whether it's true or false has yet to be put to rest. As the intelligent designers and evolutionists fight it out, aren't there other questions we should be considering about creation theory? Like, is green building, government, and economics still based on creationism? Or, did Darwin say that humans evolved from monkeys, or is he calling us monkeys? Well, Mr. Darwin, name-calling will get you no where!...
Fast Food Leaves the Most Litter
by Bonnie Alter, London on 01.14.09
image from flickr.com
It turns out that garbage from McDonald's is the most prevalent litter found on the streets of England. Next comes rubbish from Greggs, a bakery, then KFC and Subway. With a soupcon of abandoned coffee cups, kebab and fish and chip wrappers on the side. Keep Britain Tidy carried out a survey of the garbage in a number of cities. It revealed that fast foods make up a quarter of all the litter found on the streets. It's pretty disgusting and the sidewalks show it....
George the Lobster is Free!
by Eric Leech, New York, NY on 01.14.09
This could have been good old George! Photo Credit: ImNotQuiteJack
A 20 pound lobster going by the name of George was saved this past Saturday, as PETA brought him out to the Atlantic and set him free. George had been living at City Crab Restaurant in Manhattan as a tempting dinner entrée for one very hungry customer. George was said to be around 140 years old by PETA's calculations, which involved adding 7 to 10 years per pound of his body weight....
Promoting Train Travel In Japan
by greenz.jp, Tokyo, Japan on 01.13.09
Photo: JR East
We noted previously that PR campaigns to make trains fun, sexy, and romantic include posters and TV commercials here in Japan, with well-known actors and actresses at scenic locations. For people over 50, Japan Rail makes a special effort:...
British Journalists Take On Skeptics, Liars and Incandescent Bulbs
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 01.13.09
It gets tiresome, responding to those who say this cold winter proves global warming a hoax, or that compact fluorescents only belong in Stalinist work camps. That doesn't stop some of the better British writers from trying, even though they are talking to a wall. James Randerson does a great job of demolishing the anti-CFL cranks who clearly have not seen one since 1999:...
Burts Bees Saves $25,000 a Year After Dumpster Diving
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 01.13.09
Photo via Burt's Bees
Burt's Bees employees stocked up two weeks of trash. They then suited up in Haz-Mat gear and dove in.
What they found is now saving them $25,000 a year and brings them much closer to their goal of sending zero waste to landfills by 2020....
Masdar, Abu Dhabi: Dubious No More
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 01.13.09
Daryl Visscher for The New York Times
We have shown so many awful projects in Dubai and Abu Dhabi that it was hard to take projects like Masdar seriously; are they real or greenwashing? Now it appears that Lord Foster's Masdar is under construction and they are getting serious. Elisabeth Rosenthal quotes Khaled Awad, a director of Masdar, in the New York Times:...
Scorecard for Alternative Transport Energy Ranks Wind-Electric First, Ethanol In Last Place
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 01.13.09
Green Inaugural Ball Announces Rockin' Musical Headliner
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 01.13.09
The Green Inaugural Ball, presented by Planet Green, is kicking off on January 17th, and there's a special musical treat for event attendees. We're very excited that one of our Top 5 Buzzworthy Green Musicians was selected to play at the Ball!
Read on for which Grammy Award-winning musician will play, and more details about this very cool event. ...
From the Forums: Questions for Steve Thomas of Renovation Nation?
by Alan Graham, Portland, Oregon on 01.13.09
Do you have any questions you'd like to ask Steve Thomas of Renovation Nation?
Thinking of a Green Project? Need some tips or tricks? Saw something in the show you'd like to know more about?
Bobmez asked:
"We are looking to improve the thermal efficiency of our Boston area 1920's gambrel colonial. The house has little insulation and the wall issues are pretty straight forward (blown in), the attic is the issue... ...My concerns are centered around humidity. The gospel has always read that attics should breathe. This would prevent that. Are these still valid concerns considering I have bath and kitchen exhausting?"Please post your questions here and I'll pass them on. No account required....
How to Go Green: Work from Home
by Blythe Copeland, Great Neck, New York on 01.13.09
Photo credit: Graham Hill
Working from home sounds like a sweet deal: trade work clothes for sweats, skip rainy and crowded commutes, and set a schedule that fits you best—whether you’re an early bird or a night owl. And while there are some obvious environmental pluses to giving up commutes, take-out lunches, and weekly printer paper deliveries, setting up a home office comes with its own opportunities to cut back on energy use, trim waste production, and condense your carbon footprint.
Planet Green’s How to Go Green: Working from Home guide gives you all the information you need to green your daily grind, from where to look for comfortable chairs made from recycled materials to how to arrange your workspace for maximum productivity. Click below to read the whole guide, and find a few quick suggestions after the fold.
...
Time to Move to Detroit?
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 01.13.09
image: Cardcow
Detroit is on a lot of people's minds these days, what with the bailouts and the auto show. TreeHugger has looked at Detroit real estate before, questioning how such a valuable asset could be left to rot like this. Economist Ryan Avent has an idea: "a bunch of us new media types should pack up and head to Detroit, where we could all buy mansions for $1000." ...
Deadly Ghost Net Removed from Sunken Ship
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 01.13.09
Public Domain image via Wikipedia
Ghost nets are nets that are lost at sea and continue to kill wildlife. Off the California coast, a 9,000 pound ghost net is being removed from a ship sunk in 2006, thanks to a group of SCUBA divers and the Ocean Defenders Alliance....
20,000 Gallon Per Year Cellulosic Ethanol Pilot Project Opens in South Dakota
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 01.13.09
POET’s cellulosic research center. Photo: POET
Yeah, it’s true. A combination of factors related to the current global recession are taking their toll on the US ethanol industry. Some major players have declared bankruptcy and predictions about the imminent demise of others have circulated. That said, the new US top ethanol producer, Sioux Falls, S. Dakota-based POET seems to be weathering things a bit better than others at the moment, announcing on Monday the opening of a pilot plant to produce cellulosic ethanol from corn cobs. Here are the details:...
Detroit Auto Show 2009: New 2010 Toyota Prius Hybrid Will Get 50 MPG, Optional Solar Roof
by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada on 01.13.09
Photo: Michael Graham Richard. Click to see 2010 Toyota Prius Slideshow.
2010 Toyota^ Prius Hybrid: Hello World
After some not too suspenseful waiting, here it is. The official debut of the 3rd generation Toyota Prius hybrid! You can see tons of pictures by going to our 2010 Prius Slideshow (click here or image above), and you can find out all about the new features and technical specs below.
Read on for more!...
Apple Says No to Publishing Sustainability Report
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 01.13.09
Apple's shareholders are requesting broader reporting of the company's sustainability and green efforts. Specifically, shareholders As We Sow proposed that Apple provide details about toxins, recycling, greenhouse gases, and similar environmental areas of concern. Apples response is disappointing. ...
Green to Grow Offers 15% Off Baby Bottles + Products
by Kara DiCamillo, Newport, Rhode Island on 01.13.09
Today's TreeHugger Deal comes to you from Green to Grow, a company that makes baby bottles that are made from a BPA-free plastic named Polyethersulfone (PES). PES is known for its ability to remain stable over a wide range of temperatures and for its exceptional durability, making Green to Grow’s bottles a great alternative to the traditional baby bottle. The bottles are available in a few different sizes with several colored designs. The packaging is as minimal as possible and is made from 100% recycled material with soy-based inks....
Small Scale Wind Turbine Power Claims Grossly Overstated: New UK Report
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 01.13.09
Every time I’ve written about small-scale wind turbines, it’s always couched in language about them not being appropriate for all locations, in some not ever generating enough energy to offset their embedded carbon emissions, et cetera. They still may have good use in some applications, but for general home usage there are probably better ways to get green power. Well, a new study which The Guardian is highlighting details how home wind turbines actually perform. It doesn’t look so good: ...
Detroit Auto Show 2009: Fisker Unveils Karma S Convertible Plug-In Hybrid
by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada on 01.13.09
Photo: Michael Graham Richard
New Hard-Top Convertible Plug-in Hybrid
Fisker Automotive has just doubled its lineup: It now has two range-extended electric cars, though the new Karma S (read on for more pics) won't be available until 2011. The good news is that it shares the Q-Drive Powertrain of its sibling, allowing it to go 50 miles in electric mode before a gas engine kicks in....
What Will Save the Suburbs?
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 01.13.09
google image via New York Times
Allison Arieff asks the question in the New York Times, and reminds us that we should no longer be worrying about how we are going to design communities in the future; Right now we have to worry about what we are going to do with the communities we are left with....
Detroit Auto Show 2009: Chevy "Beat" Microcar Concept Turns into "Spark"
by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada on 01.13.09
New Global Car for 2011
The Beat concept microcar (which is actually not that small when you see it in person - see the pics below) has been selected to become a global car called the Spark in 2011 (but available in Europe in 2010). GM says it will get at least 40 MPG, and apparently it will appear (either in Beat or Spark form) in the big Hollywood sequel to Transformers.
More pics of the Beat below....
Teensy Green Hosts Carnival of the Green
by Kara DiCamillo, Newport, Rhode Island on 01.13.09
This week is Carnival of the Green #162 is being hosted by Teensy Green, a blog that shares a wealth of information about alternative toys and products for your kids, including how to really have fun with your kids.
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....
Frosty Receptions: Snow Palaces and Ice Hotels Around the World
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 01.13.09
From 1888 in Montreal, Quebec to 2009 in Jukkasjärvi, Sweden, buildings made of ice have been the rage. We take a slideshow tour of some of the most interesting ones at Frosty Receptions: Snow Palaces and Ice Hotels Around the World...
Prehensile-Tailed Porcupines Face Layoffs at New York State Budget Cuts Hit Home (Video)
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 01.13.09
Airplot! British Celebrities & Greenpeace Buy Heathrow Land To Stop Third Runway
by Leonora Oppenheim, London, UK on 01.13.09
Image: Greenpeace.org.uk
After last night's picnic flash mob the escalating battle over the proposed third runway at Heathrow Airport in the UK has reached a new level today with Greenpeace taking direct action. They have bought up a small piece of land slap bang in the middle of the site where the runway would be built. With the help of the celebrated British actress Emma Thompson, the comedian Alastair McGowan (pictured above) and Zac Goldsmith, director of The Ecologist Magazine, Greenpeace are trying to create a legal headache for the Government and Heathrow planners. Click over to find out how the Airplot! scheme will work......
Tips for How To Hide in a Closet from Adam Norton
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 01.13.09
We do love demonstrations of adapting and living in small spaces; it is interesting how many of them come from artists, such as Andrea Zittel or James Westwater. Now Australian artist Adam Norton presents the Generic Escape Capsule, a complete machine for living hidden in an old wardrobe. ...
Heathrow Flash Mob Picnic Occupies Terminal (Video)
by Sami Grover, Carrboro, NC, USA on 01.13.09
Seven Grams CO2 per Google Search? Not True or Relevant, but Fun To Repeat
by Mark Ontkush, Boston, Massachusetts, USA on 01.13.09
Image from One of a Kind Antiques
Many of us will remember the whole seven grams of CO2, kettle of tea thing with Google, and guess that it probably isn't quite right; the dude that supposedly said it now supposedly denies it, apparently blaming it on London Times ax grinding against Google. At this point, who really knows what's going on - maybe TechNewsWorld has an ax to grind for the Times too - but one thing is for sure; all day today, the entire audience following this story will get their pleasures from figuring it out. And that, environmentally, is 100% exactly the problem.
...
8 Weird (and Somehow Cool) Things from Reclaimed Puma Trainers
by Paula Alvarado, Buenos Aires on 01.13.09
Seems like Chilean designers are really embracing the reuse culture and taking it to whole new levels. After discovering some really cool boots from plastic bags and a set of clothes with (yes) cigarette butts reuse from Chilean creators, now we stumbled upon these eight weird but somehow attractive products from reclaimed Puma trainers.
Keep reading to find out more and for large, great pictures (there's even a blender!)....
Quote of the Day: Earl Blumenauer on Cyclist Behaviour
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 01.13.09
Whenever we write about bicycles in cities we get a letters from drivers complaining about how rude cyclists are. As biking becomes more popular the complaints become louder. Congressman Earl Blumenauer, a big proponent of cycling in Washington, brushes this off in the New York Times:
“They are burning calories, not fossil fuel, they are taking up much less space, they are seeing the world at 10 miles per hour instead of 20 or 30,” he said. “And even though there are occasionally cranky or rude cyclists, they are no greater a percentage than cranky or rude motorists.” Plus, he added, “they have really fought for their place on the asphalt.”...
Survey: Laptop or Desktop?
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 01.13.09
We have discussed it in the forums, and we asked this question almost two years ago, but a lot has changed in the meantime; web services are better, netbooks have arrived, prices have dropped. So we ask again:
...
The Best Job in the World: Earn 6 Figures as Caretaker for Tropical Islands
by Christine Lepisto, Berlin on 01.13.09
Image: IslandReefJob
Six Figure Salary for Fun and Sun
Is it real? Or just a huge hoax? Judging by the speed of the website, it appears that a lot of people are at least checking it out. The AFP followed up with acting Queensland Premier Paul Lucas, who confirms that Queensland is seeking applicants who want to be "paid to explore the islands of the Great Barrier Reef, swim, snorkel and generally live the Queensland lifestyle." The best job in the world pays 150,000 Australian dollars (US$103,000) for six months of this demanding labor. So what is this job, really? And how do you apply? ...
Award Winning Carafe is for Tap Water
by Bonnie Alter, London on 01.13.09
image from London on Tap
This carafe is called the "Tap Top" and it is the winner of a competition to design a container to serve drinking water at London restaurants. As they say: "Tap Top is tip top for London's tap water." Won by industrial designer Neil Barron, the container will come in four colours and will be available to bars and hotels at a minimal price, with all profits going to WaterAid, the water charity.
It's all part of the London on Tap campaign, launched last year to urge restaurants, hotels and bars to serve tap, not bottled water. And to encourage patrons to order the same. It's sponsored by the Mayor and Thames Water to emphasize the point that London's water is cleaner, tastier and cheaper than the bottled stuff. Not to mention more environmentally friendly: emitting 300 times less CO2 to process than bottled alternatives. ...
Making Trains Fun, Sexy, And Romantic in Japan
by greenz.jp, Tokyo, Japan on 01.13.09
Is Wine in a Pouch Better Than the Bottle or the Box?
by April Streeter, Gothenburg, Sweden on 01.13.09
Putting a picture of a bottle on the pouch signals a bit of insecurity...by The Company of Wine People
There's something romantic and beguiling about a bottle of wine. And glass, bless its old-fashioned heart, is one of the most recycled materials around. Also, as our trusty correspondent Lloyd has pointed out, refillable is truly the most sustainable container. Yet a debate continues to rage as winemakers migrate to the Tetra Pak and now the wine pouch over the traditional bottle. While we wait for smart green minds to start offering BYOB wine at local stores, consider the advantages (or not) of the pouch. Let's see if they are sufficient to get you to put a wine pouch on the Valentine's Day table this year....
Busting Crime (And Climate Mysteries) with Algae
by Jeremy Elton Jacquot, Los Angeles on 01.12.09
Image from Peter Siver)
Crime-fighting doesn't typically fall within a botanist's job description but, then again, Peter Siver is hardly your typical botanist, as Julie Wernau makes clear in her nice profile. Siver has spent his entire career studying diatoms and chrysophytes, microscopic photoautotrophs that are commonly found in oceans, lakes and other bodies of water. In the process, he has traveled around the world looking for clues about climate change events stretching back millions of years--and, occasionally, has helped solve the odd murder case. ...
Why "Daylighting" Crosswalks Improves Pedestrian Safety (Video)
by Sami Grover, Carrboro, NC, USA on 01.12.09
Economic Downturn Affects California High Speed Rail Project
by Andrew Posner, Providence, Rhode Island on 01.12.09
Image: Calhighspeedrail.org
Another Negative Impact of the Economic Downturn
The global economic downturn has already contributed to a major deficit at the New York MTA, lowered the value of recycled materials, and of course hurt individuals and businesses around the world. Another victim, it seems, is now the California High Speed Rail Initiative, which Californians approved on November 4th. The ballot measure approved investing "nearly $10 billion in a statewide high-speed rail system," but unfortunately "the agency charged with getting it built is running out of money." Read on to find out why. ...
Solvatten: The Water Container Which Harnesses the Sun to Purify Drinking Water
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 01.12.09
photo: Solvatten
Though its really not as glamorous an environmental issue as some of the others out there (no high profile wind turbines, no hockey stick graphs and Keynote slideshows) access to clean drinking water is a major problem for many of the world’s people. Now a relatively simple device called the Solvatten hopes to provide a solution to the issue. Though I’m not really sure it's accurate to call it a solar-powered device, at least in the sense that most people would conceive it, here’s how it works:...
TreeHugger Welcomes Adam Lowry of Method!
by Adam Lowry, Method on 01.12.09
Solar Thermal Power + New Direct Current Electric Grid Could Make US Renewable Energy World Leader
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 01.12.09
photo: Ausra
Fred Pearce has framed his latest opinion piece in Yale Environment 360 as one about Europe fiddling around with its climate change commitment (with German Chancellor Angela Merkel as lead violin), while the US is poised to reengage with the world under the Obama administration. What it’s really about though is what the US would need to do to take that lead, and it all has to do with renewable energy. Though some of this may be recap for avid TreeHugger readers, it’s worth repeating:
...
Xeriscaping, Healthy Bean Stew and Cooler Showers
by Jessica Root - Brooklyn, NY on 01.12.09
:: Kick your healthy dinner routine back into gear with Braised White Beans with Chard.
:: Get the scoop on xeriscaping--what it means and why it's important.
:: Brave a cold shower to benefit your beauty routine and your bank account....
76% of Federal Renewable Energy Support Went to Ethanol in 2007
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 01.12.09
image: EWG
Considering that the incoming Obama administration’s energy policy looks to favor second generation biofuels, wind, solar and geothermal power to a greater degree than previous policy, these statistics cited by the Environmental Working Group as much a reminder of things past as much as a warning on how not to do things in the future. Nonetheless, it is useful to, as the EWG puts it, “take a hard, clear-eyed look at...corn-based ethanol’s stranglehold on federal renewable energy tax credits and subsidies. This how things looked in 2007:...
CES 2009: It's a Wrap! A Review of TreeHugger's Trip to CES
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 01.12.09
In wrapping up TreeHugger's trip to the Consumer Electronics Show, we wanted to review the ups and downs of the green presence at the trade show.
Read on for a recap of everything we saw at CES this year. ...
Half of World Population Could Face Food Shortages by 2100: Another Dire Global Warming Effect
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 01.12.09
Rice fields in Bali, photo: edie209 via flickr
You only have to have had a cursory introduction to possible effects of global warming to have heard that rising temperatures are going to effect both water supply and crop yields. A new report indicates that by 2100 up to half of the world’s population could face food shortages, if we don’t actively work to adapt to rising temperatures. This is what the University of Washington’s David Battisti’s research discovered:...
Independent Fisherman Stays Afloat With Community Supported Fishery (CSF)
by Jeff Nield, Vancouver, British Columbia on 01.12.09
Photo of Skipper Otto by Shaun Strobel
We TreeHuggers are fans of purchasing our food from as close to the producer as possible. Up here in the great white north this means buying our free-trade organic bananas at a retailer, that probably got them from a wholesaler, who, hopefully, bought them direct from the banana farmer or farmer coop. But, with food that can be grown, raised or caught closer to home our favorite way to buy food we don't grow ourselves is through what we'll call community supported buying.
The most common form of this is community supported agriculture, which we've talked about many times before. I was excited to find another option will be starting up in my neck of the woods this upcoming season. Read on to find out about Skipper Otto's Community Supported Fishery. ...
From the Forums: Desktop or Laptop
by Alan Graham, Portland, Oregon on 01.12.09
Image Credit: Squallwc
JonRob asks:
Reading around the TreeHugger site I found a link to a guide about greening your office where it recommended using a laptop instead of a desktop because the power:price ratio isn't so great any more, and that laptops are massively more energy efficient than desktops. But I'm not so sure this is entirely true, is it? For starters, the power:price ratio is still a pretty significant different IMHO, especially if you build a system yourself. Secondly, the energy efficiency of your desktop depends largely on the parts you buy and use... ...The main thought I had, was that if you buy a desktop that you can keep the majority of parts for five plus years, and at the end switch one or two parts and extend its life further, you're making even more savings in terms of the manufacturing of the components. I don't know if any of this is that accurate, but I hope somebody could confirm/confute my thoughts on this?Comments? Experiences? Thoughts?...
Two Thirds of Oil Industry Execs Think We Should Have Limits on Carbon Emissions
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 01.12.09
photo: ezioman via flickr
For the average TreeHugger reader I would be willing to bet that oil company executives don’t rate too highly in terms of perceived environmental awareness. That may not be true, but it doesn’t mean that people who’ve made their fortune in fossil fuels don’t think about cleaner sources of energy and limits on carbon emissions.
AP is reporting on the results of a survey of the chief financial officers of 100 US oil and gas exploration and production companies. The results are worth pondering:...
Mercedes Fined Over $29 Mil For Lousy Mileage
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 01.12.09
Autoblog green
Whenever I suggest that perhaps one reason Detroit got into trouble is that they were building the cars that people actually wanted in a country with cheap gas, I get told to move to Europe or Japan if I like expensive gas so much. Or that the transplants and foreign manufacturers are so much more responsible in offering smaller, more efficient cars.
That's why Mercedes-Benz just got hit with a whacking $ 28.9 million fine for failing to meet the CAFE standards last year. That other paragon, Volkswagen, got hit with $ 4.5 million dollars.
...
Detroit Auto Show 2009: Cadillac Converj Range-Extended Electric Concept
by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada on 01.12.09
The Volt has a Big Brother
For a car that won't be on the market for quite a while, the Chevy Volt sure is making waves. GM is already raising expectations through the roof by hailing it as the future of automotive transportation, and now at the Detroit Auto Show 2009 it is unveiling a Cadillac concept electric vehicle based on the Volt's powertrain (now called "Voltec").
Read on for more details....
Detroit Auto Show 2009: Smart Shows Electric Drive Fortwo
by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada on 01.12.09
Very Nice, But Won't Be on Market for a While
smart had the new fortwo electric drive on display at the Detroit Auto Show 2009. "At the end of 2009, smart will begin producing the smart fortwo electric drive equipped with a lithium-ion battery." But people in the US probably shouldn't hold their breath, because our sources tell us in might take until 2010-2011, and even then, numbers might be low.
Read on for More....
Drive-Throughs Come to the Ferris Wheel
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 01.12.09
Amusement parks are sick, but they are just not efficient, like you have to drive around to find a spot and park your car and then walk everywhere. I mean, they have figured out food and money with drive-throughs, man can drive on the moon, why can't they solve amusement parks? Wait- it seems that they have. ...
Detroit Auto Show 2009: First Look at Toyota FT-EV Electric Car Concept
by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada on 01.12.09
Diminutive but Electrifying
The Toyota FT-EV electric car concept that debuted at the 2009 Detroit Auto Show is based on the platform of the 57 MPG Toyota iQ microcar that recently went on sale in Europe and that is apparently already a hit in Japan.
Read on for more details....
PUUR Magic Chair Stacks Up
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 01.12.09
Dripta Roy of Puur designs makes the perfect chair for mama, papa and a couple of baby bears- a set of chairs that fit together to take up less space when you are alone......
CES 2009: ecoNEW Offers New TakeBack Program
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 01.12.09
ecoNEW launched a new electronics takeback program that gives customers something back for their used gadgets, and they were excited to show it off at their booth at CES. ...
Green Façade Covers Chilean Building by Enrique Browne
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 01.12.09
Enrique Browne has designed an interesting green façade for an office building on an important site in Concepción, Chile....
500 MW Wind Farm in Washington County, Iowa Announced: Construction to Begin 3-5 Years
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 01.12.09
To grasp the scale of this project envision 384 more of those turbines, spaced a bit less than a quarter mile apart, and transplant them to Iowa fields instead of Massachusetts... Photo: Stephen Gore via flickr.
Though announcements of new large renewable energy projects have slowed to little more than a trickle in the past two or three months, both in the United States and abroad, there still are some noteworthy new plans being announced. In that category is a newly proposed wind farm in Iowa which, if completed as Trade Wind Energy plans, will have a capacity of 500 megawatts. Here are the details:
...
Detroit Auto Show 2009: All-New Toyota Prius to be Unveiled Soon (But We've Already Seen It)
by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada on 01.12.09
Update: See our article on the official launch of the new 2010 Toyota Prius!
The Best-Selling Hybrid Car Gets a Makeover
It might not be very suspenseful because we've all already seen leaked shots of the 3rd generation Toyota Prius hybrid (see below - Toyota has apparently confirmed the authenticity of these pics), but I'm still very curious to see the real thing up-close and personal. I'm also looking forward to more technical info on the new Prius....
CES 2009: eco Take Back Program
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 01.12.09
Eco Take Back had a great booth in the Sustainable Planet zone and I stopped in to find out more about their recycling efforts. ...
Survey: Are the new Lead and Phthalate Regulations Heavy-Handed?
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 01.12.09
The racks will be bare in the kids department at the Goodwill next month, when the new rules on phthalates and lead testing come into force. Many people are upset, saying that it will put the thrift stores out of business and kill the handmade toy industry. Our own John Laumer says "The government (Federal or State) could easily be made to look heavy handed and unreasonable on this issue, when it's not. The new rule is basic."
...
CES 2009: Smart Lite Changes the Bulbs, Not the Ballast
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 01.12.09
The Smart Lite is an interesting approach to cutting down how much of a light bulb you replace when it burns out. Ditch the bulb but keep the ballast. ...
CES 2009: ReCellular Takes Back Mobile Phones
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 01.12.09
Recellular had a booth at CES encouraging people to sell or donate their old phones rather than toss them, and buy used for their next mobile phone purchase. ...
Recycled Fashion Moves Forward: Preloved Starts Again After Devastating Fire
by April Streeter, Gothenburg, Sweden on 01.12.09
Photo of Preloved's Toronto store by Preloved.
Even if you don't always love Preloved's results, you've got to love their approach. Preloved's designs are one-of-a-kinds constructed from recycled, reclaimed fabrics and even pre-constructed bits - button-down shirt panels, sweater sleeves - and fashioned into new pieces with a modern aesthetic.
Toronto-based Preloved has been around in one form or another since 1995. The company suffered a devastating fire last February - see photos of the blaze after the jump - and has rebuilt from the ashes, opened a new store (there are Montreal and Sydney locations, too) just down the street from the old one, revamped the web site, and will soon open an online boutique. ...
CES 2009: The ASTAK EZ Reader
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 01.12.09
We've talked about the ASTEK EZ e-readers before, and I had a chance to play with their devices for awhile at their booth. Turns out, the readers are pretty darn cool. ...
5 High Speed Trains that are Changing the Face of Rail
by Sami Grover, Carrboro, NC, USA on 01.12.09
Image Credit: Good Clean Tech
Record Smashing Speed and Efficiency Will Challenge Airlines
Trains and TreeHugger are a natural fit. But as Eric pointed out in his recent exploration of high-speed, low emission trains over at Planet Green, recent innovations are slashing travel times and cutting emissions at the same time, making our favorite mode of transportation even more attractive. From the bullet trains of Japan, to the latest high-speed, low emission networks of Europe, trains have got the airlines in many countries worried. Read on for some of the latest innovations, including a few more utilitarian freight trains too. And for rail fans in the US who bemoan this country's lack lustre networks, there's hope here too. ...
CES 2009: PowerFilm's Battery Chargers and $1,000 Solar Blanket
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 01.12.09
Rechargeable batteries are much better than disposable. And recharging them via solar power is much better than using fossil fuel power from the grid. Of course doing the same for laptop batteries is great too. But at what point do you draw the line at price and size?...
CES 2009: ThermaPAK Keeps Laptops Cool in a Greener Way
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 01.12.09
ThermaPAK's catch phrase is "Be Green. Be Cool." After testing out their product and checking out their press conference, their heat-shifting laptop pad does seem like a much greener solution for hot laptops. ...
Got a Good Off-Grid Story?
by Kristin Underwood, Sacramento, CA on 01.12.09
Image source: iT House
As the world seems to spin at an increasingly fast pace, there are also increasingly more stories of folks opting to "take it down a notch", slow down, and choose simpler pursuits. Author Nick Rosen has taken on the task of covering these "off-grid" folks and wants to give you five-seconds of fame if you count yourself among their numbers....
Big Green Ideas for the New Year
by Bonnie Alter, London on 01.12.09
image from earthfirst.org.uk
In celebration of the ingenuity of the Green movement, the Observer magazine has chosen to highlight 20 of the best ethical ideas around right now. They say that "We need big ideas – and it is at times like these, when there is widespread disruption, that we see innovation and new thinking."
They have divided the ideas into categories. Some of the ideas are big and likely to rescue the planet. These include concepts like biochar--a way of trapping carbon with "green coal." Radical Eco Activism is another--green direct action to make people and governments take notice. The world community grid, using our spare computer capacity for the common good, is an important initiative. ...
Boost Your Vehicles Efficiency for Free with Garmin ecoRoute: Coming this February!
by Eric Leech, New York, NY on 01.12.09
Photo credit: Jimmy Joe
GPS units offer improved efficiency with your vehicle by offering you a one shot route to your destination. In other words, there is no more of the “hunt and peck” method of finding the nearest gas station, or the “drive-by and sigh” method of finding a friend's new house after moving.
As efficient as these units are by themselves, Garmin has announced that it will be supplying a new update for two of their models called ecoRoute. The new software update is set to come out this February, 2009, and will allow drivers to choose the most fuel-efficient routes to take, rather than just the fastest and the shortest......
2008 U.S. Gas Price Year in Review
by Eric Leech, New York, NY on 01.12.09
Photo Credit: Simon Davison
Gas prices have always been an up and down proposition. This year has been as especially rocky year, with prices reaching the highest in history, then plummeting to a 5-year low within only a matter of months. Graphs and charts just don't quite seem to do these extraordinary events justice, so lets look back through this years most pivotal moments, one day at a time......
Cubans Use Much Less Energy to Produce a Much Higher Organic Food Yield
by Trevor Reichman on 01.11.09
Image Via: The Power Of Community
While there are many factors when it comes to determining what contributes to human health and longevity, there is no debating that access to good quality food is a key ingredient. What is fascinating is that there is no clear evidence that human health and longevity is improved, or even that more people have access to food, when an abundance of fossil fuel energy is available. ...
A Primer on Global Warming-Caused Marine Dead Zones
by Brian Merchant, Brooklyn, New York on 01.11.09
Photo via BBC
Over the past couple years, biologists and fishermen have noticed an increase in marine dead zones off the West Coast—shellfish, starfish, rockfish, and other marine life have been washing up on shore in astonishing numbers. According to the Contra Coast Times, a dead zone discovered recently off the Oregon coast lead a California climatologist to examine coastlines there, with a specific culprit in mind: climate change.
And while dead zones have been covered in TreeHugger before, here's a primer on how dead zones come about, using the current case off the Oregon and California coast as a case study--and why the fact that tropical ones are set to increase by 50 percent worldwide is alarming news indeed.
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Project Transit: Restoring the Romance of Public Transportation
by Brian Merchant, Brooklyn, New York on 01.11.09
Photo via Project Transit
Project Transit is a newly launched website that aims to upgrade the general conception of public transportation through art and dialogue. Needless to say, it's a daunting challenge—many people, especially those who don't live in major public transit-friendly metropolises like New York or Chicago, still perceive taking a subway or a bus as unseemly.
With a little love, and a lot of artistic inspiration, (and long-term ever-rising gas prices) Project Transit hopes to change that.
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Toyota to Launch 10 New Hybrids by Early 2010s, Battery-Electric Vehicle Confirmed for 2012
by Brian Merchant, Brooklyn, New York on 01.11.09
The Toyota FT-EV Battery Electric Vehicle, image courtesy of Toyota
Seems shrinking gas prices haven't deterred Toyota's need for hybrid developin' speed. Starting with the third generation Prius and the new Lexus hybrid, the HS250h, which are being unveiled at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, the car company has announced that it will launch as many as 10 new hybrids by the early 2010's.
Some of highlights from the incoming hybrid lineup? News that the Plug-in Prius will launch by the end of this year, and confirmation that Toyota will release a Battery Electric Vehicle, the FT-EV urban commuter vehicle, by 2012.
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CES 2009: The 6-in-One Solar Toy Kit
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 01.11.09
This boarders on plasti-crap. I admit it right away. But the fact that it shows off solar energy to kids means it deserves a mention. Plus, there's a cool Transformers aspect to it. ...
CES 2009: Powermat Sports Green Charging, Or Does It?
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 01.11.09
Powermat has an exclusive looking booth at CES. I got an appointment to go in and see what their technology has in store for charging gadgets. ...
Handmade Toys And Clothing: Threatened With Extinction Under US Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 01.11.09
CES 2009: Liquavista Demos Ultra-Low Power Displays
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 01.11.09
Liquavista made an appearance for the first time at CES, demoing their ultra low power displays that use electrowetting technology. ...
CES 2009: Eco-Mount a Carbon Neutral Company?
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 01.11.09
Green is thankfully leaking into all sorts of areas, but when I saw this company, Eco-Mount, I was skeptical. So, I stopped in to ask what exactly made their TV mounts "green."...
CES 2009: Horizon Renewable Energy Science Kits
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 01.11.09
If we're looking to make our kids smarty pants about renewable energy, these kits seem like a really cool way to get them excited about it. ...
CES 2009: Green Is Here, But It's Sent to Stand in the Corner
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 01.11.09
While there's an eco-presence to most of the booths of major electronics manufacturers, it's relegated to small sections of the very, very large booths.
Read on for impressions of companies and their corners. ...
CES 2009: ZigBee's Zone is Hoppin'!
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 01.11.09
ZigBee had a small zone on the trade show floor with tables for the companies that work with the technology. While the zone was small, the audience was reassuringly large....
CES 2009: Fun with iGO Chargers (Video)
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 01.11.09
iGO, as we mentioned last week, is excited about launching a new laptop charger with "green technology" embedded in it to help combat vampire power.
Click through to see a video of the technology, as well as another cool-looking ...
CES 2009: Panasonic's Eco Ideas Carnival (Video)
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 01.11.09
A giant sign proclaiming “Eco Ideas” caught my attention at the Panasonic booth, so I went over to see what it was about. What I discovered felt a little bit like a fair ride.
Click through for a video tour of their eco-ideas booth. ...
CES 2009: TV Zombies Do the Thriller Dance (Video)
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 01.11.09
The Electronics TakeBack Coalition's crew of zombies did a special dance performance at their press conference. Who knew undead TVs had such rhythm!
Click through to watch a video of TV Zombies getting down to Michael Jackson's Thriller....
CES 2009: LG and GotWind's Mobile Phone Charging Station (Video)
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 01.11.09
LG partnered with GotWind and has erected a solar/wind cell phone charging station. We're well familiar with GotWind around here, and it's great to see them head to the states to help LG create the first renewable energy charging tent a US cell phone provider has ever put up in the states.
Click through to watch a video tour on how it works. ...
CES 2009: Solar and Wind Hybrid Charger from Kinesis Industries (Video)
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 01.11.09
Kinesis has created a solar/wind hybrid charger - the K2 - for use with USB devices such as cell phones. It's literature touts the ability to recharge a cell phone 5 times on one full K2 battery.
Click through to watch a video demo, and for more details. ...
CES 2009: Trickle Star Combats Vampire Power With Simple Device (Video)
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 01.11.09
It might be one of the sleeker devices we've seen so far to combat vampire power. It's from Trickle Star and reportedly helps fight vampire power from accessories associated with your computer or entertainment set-ups.
Click through for a video demo of the device....
Bush Pardoned Triple-Eagle Killer: Was Justice Served?
by Josh Peterson, Los Angeles, California on 01.11.09
photo by mae.noelle
In November 2008, President George W. Bush pardoned a Missouri soybean farmer who accidentally poisoned three bald eagles in 1995. The eagles were considered an endangered species at the time—They were taken off the list in 2007 but are still protected under the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act—The farmer was forced to pay $10,000 dollars and spend two years on probation. He also lost the right to vote, hold office and bear arms until pardoned. But was justice served?...
The TH Interview: Stacey Frost of Urban Re:Vision
by Jesse Fox, Tel Aviv, Israel on 01.11.09
“A block is to the city as a cell is to the human body.”
Stacey Frost is an interesting woman, to say the least. When this former cattle rancher, neuropsychologist and options trader decided to focus on renovating historical buildings, she became acutely aware of the need for greater sustainability in the urban environment.
The result was Urban Re:Vision, a two-year, six-part international design competition to stimulate innovative thinking about the components of a sustainable city. After collecting hundreds of original ideas, Frost set out to make her vision a reality.
Last month, a design charrette was held in Dallas, where Urban Re:Vision is leading the creation of a fully sustainable city block, complete with on-site energy, food production and affordable micro-lofts. ...
CES 2009: Toshiba's Environmental Initiatives
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 01.11.09
Comparing power draws of current Toshiba TV model with future model
Toshiba was kind enough to invite TreeHugger over to their booth to show off what they're doing to prove their commitment to the planet and the people on it. Guided by Craig Hershberg, director of environmental affairs for Toshiba America, I was able to learn about a handful of the the business practices, goals, and products Toshiba has in place. ...
A Google or a Cup of Tea: Which Warms the Globe the Most?
by Christine Lepisto, Berlin on 01.11.09
Image: Google and a little imagination
Note: please see the correction at the end of this article.
Which adds more to global warming: a Google search or a cup of tea? Now, thanks to the UK Sunday Times, millions will be eco-guilt tripping on the environmental impact of turning to our computers to answer every question.
Not so long ago, people would open an encyclopedia, call their doctor, or ask Grandma when an enigma arose. Now, one can hardly get through a dinner party without consulting the web to resolve some dispute of great importance. So just how many cups of tea would you have to take a pass on to compensate for an instant answer?...
Jargon Watch: Precycling
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 01.11.09
Creative Commons image by Irrational cat
The Guardian's Lucy Siegle puts together a list of 20 Big Green Ideas, including some great useful new jargon like Precycling and Transumption.
In a nutshell: The bottom has fallen out of the recycling market, so make it your last resort....
First Couch Surfers, Now Garage Campers in This Swedish Peer-to-Peer Scheme
by April Streeter, Gothenburg, Sweden on 01.11.09
Atypical Swedish camping under a six-lane road in Stockholm by Peter Fristedt @ flickr.
It's either quite strange or totally appropriate that it is a Swedish company that has come up with this idea for a network of 'Single Spot' camping sites. The concept is that if you've got even the smallest piece of land - a 'garage entrance' is okay - you might as well take advantage and rent it out to traveling campers.
This is a good way to foster a community feeling around camping among traveling types - it's like the camping version of the very popular couch surfing idea, and kind of an extension of the old courtesy-of-the-road ideal. Swedes are already used to that concept - an old Swedish law called 'allemansrätt' - Every Man's Right - turns the idea of trespassing on its ear and lets Swedes wander freely on anyone's land, as long as they don't disturb the nature, stay a set distance from houses and buildings, and request if they want to set up camp. Single Spot is simply a way to capitalize on that golden rule....
Can You Have Your Vegan Truffle and Eat it Too?
by Sara Novak, Columbia, SC on 01.11.09
photo: Allison's Gourmet
Allison's Gourmet thinks so. If you're trying to give up animal products in 2009, Allison's Gourmet has come up with a nice way to thank you: yummy vegan truffles. They are great for your vegan Valentine, but if you're like me, you don't need some overblown holiday to indulge in a truffle....
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