- 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 April 12, 2009 - April 18, 2009
Total this week: 211
When Nature Declares War for its Survival
by Eric Leech, New York, NY on 04.18.09
Photo via: kaibara87
When nature sets its mind to survive, it does so in a variety of means. Adaptation, however, is one of its primary weapons. Natures adaptability is all around us, whether we choose to take notice or not. If anything is going to see the world through another thousand years, it will be the adaptability of the organism. We have seen glimmers of this adaptability in recent news, such as the Spruce tree which became lodged in a man's lungs, surprising both scientists and medical doctors. Amazing, yes, but surprising, no!
...
Social Designer: Creating "Goods for the Greater Good"
by Kimberley D. Mok, Montreal, Canada on 04.18.09
Entry by JDS Architects, Social Designer websiteLeveraging the success of their collaborative and socially-conscious design network, Design 21, Felissimo Design House has introduced another social design initiative called Social Designer. It’s an interactive online design and fashion marketplace for people who not only want to make a difference, but want to try their hand at designing products for a greater good. ...
Majora Carter Wins Sustainablity Award
by Daniel Kessler, San Francisco, California on 04.18.09
How Carbon Offsets Really Work: The Onion
by Alex Pasternack, New York, NY on 04.18.09
Carbon offsets won't save the planet. But, as the Onion points out [click to enlarge], it might make us feel a little better, at least before a new coal-fired factory in China comes online....
14 Things You Probably Never Considered About Making Trucks More Efficient
by Rocky Mountain Institute on 04.18.09
Denver, CO, RMI's Transformational Trucking Charrette: After three days' discussion by trucking suppliers, OEMs, drivers, and industry experts, the technological potential for drastic trucking efficiency gains—as well as the complexity of the barriers preventing their adoption—has never been clearer.
We've created a list of some essential and perhaps counterintuitive facts on advancing heavy-duty trucking efficiency.
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EPA’s 5th Annual National Sustainable Design Expo
by Sara Novak, Columbia, SC on 04.18.09
photo: EPA
The next generation of eco-design is coming together in Washington DC this weekend for the 5th Annual EPA National Sustainable Design Expo. The expo will draw more than 40 college teams from all over the country to showcase the future of sustainable technology and will feature exhibits like generation of ethanol from coffee production wastewater and entrenching small glass spheres in house paint to deflect heat in the summer.
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'Green Drinks' Comes to Istanbul on April 28
by Jennifer Hattam, Istanbul, Turkey on 04.18.09
Image via Green Drinks
It started, like so many good ideas do, with a couple of folks chatting over a beer. Twenty years later, that's still really about all there is to it, just with more people and more drinks, in a whole lot of different places, talking about their environmental interests. This month, the "Green Drinks" concept finally makes it to Istanbul....
Hayden Begley and Green Kids on Nick News
by Alan Graham, Portland, Oregon on 04.18.09
Ed Begley Jr. with his daughter Hayden
When you think of Nickelodeon and the word "green," your first thought might be slime, however this Sunday at 9pm (EST/PST) Nick News is taking a look at kids who are living in energy efficient households.
Called "A Kid Off the Grid," Linda Ellerbee will be exploring a number of households around the nation whose kids are truly part of the solution and not the problem. One of our favorites, Ed Begley Jr., will be showing up with his adorable daughter Hayden. She'll talk about what it's like being a kid living in a home where:
you get your energy from solar panels, recycle, use biodegradable soaps and detergents, and grow your own vegetables. Hayden says, “It’s our responsibility to protect the environment because we are the people of the world.”Very true...maybe we need a show on Nick called, "Living With Hayden." Also featured on "A Kid Off The Grid"...
City of Angels Greens It Up for Earth Day
by Roberta Cruger, Los Angeles on 04.18.09
A River Runs Through It. Kind of. Photo via Flickr by KLa4067
Long ago they paved over the parking lot of LA’s sprawling metropolis in the desert. But besides the ubiquitous Prius, the Southland is greening its arid land with native greenery, urban gardening, green buildings, solarizing the port, and of course, there are all the eco-celebs. As one of the Green Apple Festival locations, the city has lots happening both this weekend and next, Wednesday the 22nd, and beyond, to celebrate Earth Day. It’s a town that always loves a party and a theme....
Noon Solar, Shawnimals Rustle Up 100 Organic Ninjas For Earth Day
by Jasmin Malik Chua, Jersey City, USA on 04.17.09
Photo credit: Shawnimals
Man, ninjas. You can trust those sneaky bastards as far as you can throw 'em. And eco-friendly ninjas? Well they're just a whole other bag of shurikens altogether.
Proving that two minds are wackier than one, an unlikely partnership between Noon Solar and Shawnimals has yielded the best Earth Day tie-in ever: a Forest Spirit Wee Ninja plush. The little guy even has a back story; it was once a regular ninja that melded with the forest, transforming into an elemental guardian that presumably rids the world of environmental evil-doers with exquisitely choreographed flying kicks before digging into a bento lunch of twigs, berries, and tofu.
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Introducing Earth Day Tokyo 2009
by greenz.jp, Tokyo, Japan on 04.17.09
Image: Earth Day Tokyo
This weekend Earth Day Festival kicks off in the trendy Shibuya and Harajuku districts of Tokyo. Some 130,000 people are expected to attend and the preparations have been going on for months. This is the 9th annual Earth Day event here in Japan and some are calling it the world's largest. I like that it is youth focused with more volunteers and less crass commercialism, although many corporate sponsors are also strong supporters of the green cause....
Eco-Friendly Bags Abound at BagTrends' Green Arm Candy Party
by Jasmin Malik Chua, Jersey City, USA on 04.17.09
Rachel Lincoln Sarnoff of EcoStiletto.com
If bags are your bag, then Monday night's BagTrends Green Arm Candy Party would have been your Mecca. Co-hosted by the effervescent Rachel Lincoln Sarnoff of EcoStiletto.com at Union Square Ballroom in New York City, the schmooze-booze-and-fondle-the-goods fest served up purses, totes, satchels, clutches, duffels, backpacks, hobos, and messengers galore, all with a sustainable schtick for guilt-free schlepping.
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SunChips to Introduce Completely Compostable Bags
by Brian Merchant, Brooklyn, New York on 04.17.09
In 2010, we'll be throwing chip bags in there. Photo via the Green Debate Team
In a fine example of a major corporation taking a solid eco-friendly stride, SunChips has announced that by 2010, the company will begin selling their snacks in compostable packaging. The new bag will be comprised of a plastic made from renewable, plant based materials (PLA) and you'll be able to compost it in your home compost pile—after you eat the chips, of course....
Jon & Kate Plus 8 Go Green
by Blythe Copeland, Great Neck, New York on 04.17.09
Photo via TLC
Think your family uses a lot of carbon? You’re probably right: in America, the average individual carbon footprint is nearly 25 tons per year. Multiply that by the number of people in your family, and you’re looking at a substantial environmental impact—but that’s still a drop in the bucket when compared to the footprint of the Gosselin family on Jon & Kate Plus 8. With twins and sextuplets—all under the age of 9—the Gosselins use more of, well, everything, from diapers and bottles to craft supplies and clothes. But this week, Renovation Nation host Steve Thomas breaks through the chaos to help the family become more eco-friendly; click through for a look at the changes he has in mind....
Donna Karan, Tonic.com Design Eco-Friendly T-Shirts for Charity
by Jasmin Malik Chua, Jersey City, USA on 04.17.09
Photo credit: Tonic.com
I know, I know—$65 for a T-shirt? In these lean-as-sin, credit-strapped, hanging-on-by-the-edge-of-our-pink-slip times? Is this sartorially obsessed writer—and by extension, TreeHugger—off her rocker? But the fact that we're talking about a designer as influential as Donna Karan and organic anything in the same breath is nothing short of shout- (and blog-) worthy. So call a bandwagon a bandwagon if you must, but today's hip and happening trend could well be tomorrow's way of life. And that, dear readers, deserves talking up.
And then there's Tonic.com, an online store with a social responsibility bent. A portion of sales from every product in its inventory goes to a charitable cause, whether it's malaria nets for families in Malawi, Africa, or musical instruments for schools affected by Hurricane Katrina. And the celebrity attention it's garnered hasn't hurt either; A-listers like Scarlett Johansson, America Ferrara, Rachel Bilson, and Catherine Zeta Jones are said to be fans. ...
Study Says Canada's Boreal Caribou Herds are Dying Off
by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada on 04.17.09
Reports Says Better Habitat Protection is Required
Environment Canada released a report (six months after it was finalized by scientists, thanks to the Conservative federal government): "The study concludes 29 of the 57 remaining herds of boreal caribou are not self-sustaining. Several are at risk in northern Alberta and Saskatchewan, where logging, mining and energy development has been booming in the last decade." Will the government do something? Probably not. It went to the trouble of adding a preface to the 254-page report saying it's not detailed enough to "identify critical habitat" to protect......
EU Greenhouse Gas Emissions Decline in 2007... Due to Warmer Weather
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 04.17.09
photo: Jenni Douglas
Some new stats are in greenhouse gas emissions in the EU: In 2007 emissions fell 1.2%, a good thing for sure, but nothing that happened though actions anyone actively took to curtail use of fossil fuels, consumption of natural resources, more efficient use of energy, or any of the other ways we can combat climate change. It was all because of a warmer winter:...
Seventh Generation CEO Jeffrey Hollender on "Big Green Lies" and Earth Day
by Jessica Root - Brooklyn, NY on 04.17.09
Seventh Generation's President Jeffrey Hollender. Photo courtesy of Andrew Walker/Getty Images.
This past Tuesday, I had the fortune of attending a premiere party hosted by my favorite green cleaning brand, Seventh Generation. Partying in the penthouse suite of Tribeca’s newly famed Riverhouse luxury eco-condominium; we mingled sipping on organic, biodynamic wines from Lapostolle.
But the penthouse views weren’t the only things worth celebrating; we were there to preview and applaud the next big thing from the squeaky clean and green company—a pilot television show called Big Green Lies airing this Earth Day. I had the chance to get the dirt directly from the head honcho himself, Seventh Generation’s President, Jeffrey Hollender. ...
Pope to Build the Biggest Solar Power Plant in Europe
by Brian Merchant, Brooklyn, New York on 04.17.09
Photo via the Florida Catholic
The tiniest state in the world—that'd be the Vatican—has some big plans for solar power. The Pope, an outspoken proponent of fighting climate change, is moving to build the largest solar power plant in Europe on 740 acres of land near the medieval village of Santa Maria di Galeria. ...
Nikon's Green 'Ecobins' Binoculars
by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada on 04.17.09
Photo: Nikon
Why Not? Optical Equipment Should be as Green as Possible Too
Like Michael d'Estries, I can't say that I ever thought about binoculars are contributing to environment degradation before, but looking at what Nikon did with its Ecobins "green binoculars", it seems like a definitive improvement over the status quo. First, they start with the lead and arsenic-free lenses and prisms (which they call Eco-Glass), then there's the rubber which is chloride free, and doesn't contain toxic inks or dyes. ...
Greenwash Watch: Dell Hijacks Earth Day Bandwagon
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 04.17.09
Everyone uses the term greenwashing now, and we have previously coined greenwrapping, for putting solar panels on fossil fuel power plants. Now we have a new one: Greenbaiting, or green bait and switch. That is what Dell is doing in their advertising right now.
Dell Canada is running ads that are covered in Green graphics and a sale that runs to Earth Day, but in the entire ad, there is not a single word or link that explains a single green claim that they make when they say "go green with Dell."...
Preservation Green Lab Opens in Seattle
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 04.17.09
The National Trust for Historic Preservation keeps saying that the greenest building is the one that is already built, and they are building a lab to prove it. Its goal is to to find ways to promote green development by re-using and retrofitting existing structures and to encourage the integration of new structures into neighbourhoods without destroying the local character, a very big issue in historic districts around North America.
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It's Official: EPA Finds Greenhouse Gases Endanger Public Health
by Brian Merchant, Brooklyn, New York on 04.17.09
Photo via Apollo Alliance
News broke earlier today that the EPA was getting ready to make its long awaited announcement--that carbon dioxide is a threat to human health. Well, the moment has come, and now it's official: the EPA has found that CO2 and six other greenhouse gases contribute to air pollution that may endanger public health and welfare. This is huge news--it will completely revolutionize the way the US views carbon emissions, and it opens the door for the government to take action against greenhouse gases. And it's perhaps the biggest victory in the fight against climate change in US politics yet....
New York City's First On-Street, Two-Way, Physically Separated Bike Lane
by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada on 04.17.09
Image: NYCDOT
Let's Not Stop There...
New York City's not quite Copenhagen (one of our 2009 Best of Green winners!) when it comes to being cyclist-friendly, but we'll take any progress we can get. Yesterday, the transportation committee of Brooklyn Community Board 6 voted unanimously in favor of a plan to redesign Prospect Park West to make it more cyclist-friendly....
Jargon Watch: Is "Sustainable" Over?
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 04.17.09
Zaha Hadid's temporary "eco-pavilion" for Chicago's celebration of the Burnham Plan Centennial has been described as "sustainable." Inhabitat wondered why and asked; they were told that
Hadid’s curvilinear pavilion will be constructed out of fabric stretched over an aluminum frame. The tent-like form has been designed to be collapsable and easily re-installed. The goal is that after its debut in Chicago, the Hadid pavilion will travel to other locations such as a university or maybe even the Olympic Games in London....
Bees Rejoice: One Potential Cause of Colony Collapse Disorder Identified
by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada on 04.17.09
Photo: Flickr, CC
The Mystery of Disappearing Bees
Before we get to colony collapse: If you haven't seen Sami's post about installing a bee hive, check it out. Okay, back to our regular programs.
Colony collapse disorder has been attributed to all kinds of things like pesticides, cell phones, fungus, different viruses, GMOs, etc. But according to a study published in the journal Environmental Microbiology Reports, the sole culprit (at least in the cases studied) seems to be the parasitic fungi Nosema ceranae. Read on for more details....
BREAKING: EPA Declares Greenhouse Gases Threat to Human Health
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 04.17.09
Though the EPA hasn't yet put up the formal announcement on their website, word is coming in from a variety of sources that agency head Lisa Jackson has announced that the EPA will be moving forward with plans to declare that carbon dioxide as well as five other greenhouse gases are a threat to human health. This will allow the EPA to begin acting on the 2007 Supreme Court ruling that stated the Clean Air Act can be used to curb climate change emissions:...
British Columbia Election: Green Issues Challenge the Left vs Right Traditions
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 04.17.09
NDP Leader Carole James
It's election time in British Columbia. Traditionally the NDP has been the party with the strongest environmental platform, although across the country they have been losing the environmentalist vote in droves. In Ontario we recently declared a Liberal leader the best regional politician in North America, and now in British Columbia, the usually right-wing Liberals have introduced gas taxes and carbon taxes, which the NDP are fighting. It is an election worth watching: Jim Hoggan at Desmogblog says
The outcome could have important implications all over North America and, ultimately, around the world....
Jewelry with an Old School Twist
by Naturally Savvy on 04.17.09
Aroha Silhouettes' Vapour necklace. Photo courtesy Aroha Silhouettes.
Vinyl records are still admired by many music lovers, but when they break or get scratched, they're pretty much junk—unless you get creative. Designers have come up with lots of inventive ways to use old vinyl records: Here on TreeHugger, we've seen bowls, more bowls and circular earrings. (Even Urban Outfitters is cashing in on the repurposed vinyl record trend.)
But Aroha Silhouettes takes repurposed vinyl records to another level....
US and Mexico Form Partnership to Fight Climate Change
by Brian Merchant, Brooklyn, New York on 04.17.09
Photo via Cleveland
Obama met with Mexican President Felipe Calderon yesterday, and one outcome of their talks was a partnership to combat climate change and promote clean energy. According to Reuters, the aptly named "US-Mexico Bilateral Framework on Clean Energy and Climate Change" was designed to foster political and technical cooperation on a slew of green issues between the two nations....
9 Iconic Foods From 5,000 Miles Away or More (Slideshow)
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 04.17.09
I love local produce. Whatever's in season at the moment is guaranteed to be the tastier than something trucking, shipped or flown in from some far off land where the seasons are reversed. The added benefit is that bringing something a hundred or two hundred miles (even in a relatively fuel inefficient truck) cuts down on emissions when compared to sending something, say nectarines, from California all the way to New York City. And that's not even going into the benefits that having diverse regional agriculture brings economically, which in some cases may outweigh strictly carbon concerns.
The tables get turned though when things get sent by ship, and if you're talking about items that really are only grown in isolated places. Though they are polluting in their own right, ships still beat trucks for long distance shipping. With that in mind, lets look at 9 foods that travelled 5,000 miles or more to get from where they were grown to New York City...foods that are really associated with where they were grown.
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Room in a Box: You Can Take it With You
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 04.17.09
We have previously shown the Casulo apartment full of furniture in a box and beds in a box; now the Office for Design and Architecture tosses in the room too. It is a
"modular dwelling system that can be retrofitted to existing spaces. Designed to be an adjustable yet tailored solution, the ROOM consists of three elements: the Pod, the Media Station and the Satellite."...
Using Waste Heat to Charge Your Cell Phone (Video)
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 04.17.09
Instructables has an awesome tutorial on generating energy from waste heat. If you've ever been curious about what goes in to being able to charge a gadget like a cell phone with waste heat, you've got some easy-access answers. ...
There’s Something About Dairy, Say WorldWatch
by Warren McLaren, Sydney on 04.17.09
The WorldWatch Institute have published the first in a two-part series examining the potential environmental and economic impact of greater localization of food. And, as always, they’ve put together an interesting read for the current issue of WorldWatch Magazine. One that summarises the local food movement, including Food Miles, 100 Mile Diets and Locavores. Then they unearth a bunch of farming and transport studies and poke into their findings. After which they pull back a bit, so they can see the paddock from the peas.
We suggest you read the full article. But some of the juicy titbits are noted below....
Rising CO2 Levels Alter Plant Growth World Wide: Human & Ecological Impacts May Be Significant
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 04.17.09
Saharan dust blowing off west coast of Africa, over the Canary Islands, Nov. 11, 2006. Image credit:NASA
At the outset of this post, I want to be clear that I am not simple-mindedly spinning increased atmospheric CO2 as a net positive for plants. Growth-spurring impacts of excess atmospheric CO2 are not uniform by plant type, and certainly plant growth will be limited by other factors. However, evidence is mounting that, for some terrestrial plants, trees in particular, growth is currently being spurred by increased atmospheric CO2, and/or by wetter growing seasons. For example, the Telegraph reports on a study published in the peer-reviewed scientific journal Nature that Trees are growing faster and could buy time to halt global warming Read on for details, and evidence of negative secondary and tertiary impacts, as well.
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98% of Green Labeled Products are Actually Greenwashed
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 04.17.09
We're all familiar with the prevalence of greenwashing. But the newest statistic is still staggering. According to TerraChoice Environmental Marketing, only 2% of products labeling themselves as green are completely legit in their claims. The remaining 98%, not so much....
Plastic Labeling System Often Confused for Recyclability of Plastic Products
by Tom Szaky of TerraCycle, Trenton NJ on 04.17.09
Have you ever noticed on the bottom of a plastic product one of these 7 symbols? It's a number inside a recycling logo. In seeing a label like this you might have thought, "Oh isn't it nice this product is recyclable..." I’m sorry to inform you that if you had that reaction, you, like most people who see that symbol and number, would be mistaken in your assumption....
Solar from Space? PG&E Agrees to Buy Power from Satellites
by Sami Grover, Carrboro, NC, USA on 04.17.09
Not the actual Solaren system, but the concept is the same - Image credit: Inhabitat
Major Utility Promises to Buy Solar Energy from Space
Every now and then on TreeHugger, we find projects that seem so far out that they just have to be a joke. That's what I thought when I came across an article in The Guardian about Pacific Gas & Electric Company (PG&E) agreeing to buy 200 megawatts of solar electricity beamed down from satellites. And yet, looking back through our archives, PG&E aren't the only ones who think it might work. We've heard Ben Bova of the National Space Society calling for an armada of solar power satellites, we've seen India planning to launch a solar power station into orbit, and the Pentagon has plans for a small demonstration solar satellite. But as far as I know, this is the first time that a major utility has agreed to buy solar energy beamed down from a satellite. So when is this futuristic scheme going to happen? Sooner than you might think....
Is Global Climate Change Happening Or Not? White Evangelical Christians Split on the Issue
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 04.17.09
Framing Science is highlighting a graphic that represents the results of a Pew Forum survey on how global climate change is perceived in the US by various Christian groups and the entire US population. Post author Matthew Nesbit spins it as there not being much of a difference between evangelicals and the population as a whole when it comes to whether global warming is due to human activity, natural cycles, or not happening. But it really seems that there is a difference:...
Kyocera Dreams Up Flexible Cell Phone Charged By Kinetic Energy
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 04.17.09
Photo via Core77; credit Jeffrey Sass
A cell phone that is flexible, folds up in thirds, with nano-scale piezoelectric generators throughout to take the movements of a person using it and translating it into a full battery charge. Hummm...a dream? Maybe, but Kyocera's industrial designer Susan McKinney has turned it into a concept device....
Survey: Do We Run Too Many Surveys?
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 04.17.09
A comment on yesterday's survey Should the Color of Cars be Regulated?
Hey, I would suggest that maybe TreeHugger should stop having a daily poll because it seems like you are stretching to come up with ideas like this one. Maybe have a poll a couple of times a week when something suitable comes up. Polls like this one affect the overall feel of the site and its journalistic integrity....
Costa Rica's Kopali Going 'Beyond Local' to Build Sustainable Communities
by April Streeter, Gothenburg, Sweden on 04.17.09
Pumping gardens at Kopali.
There's a debate at Mother Jones that slings some mud and arrows on our collective idea of local, organic food and the problems with scaling up sustainable production.
Instead of slinging words, Stephen Brooks and his compatriots at Kopali Communities are slinging dirt, doing their best to make a lush patch of Costa Rican riverside land into a self-sustaining tropical community. TreeHugger caught up with Planet Green's G Word contributor Brooks to get a better idea of the commitment and toil it takes for a group of farmers and artists, architects and dreamers, entrepreneurs and and teachers to sculpt a livable eco-village. ...
Tea Time: Educating a Workforce
by Kelly Rossiter, Toronto on 04.17.09
Photo credits: Kelly Rossiter
In order for any company to be certified sustainable by the third party organization The Rainforest Alliance, there are certain areas in which they must be compliant. One of those areas is in the treatment of their work force and the benefits those workers receive. As I mentioned in my post on tea pluckers, the Lipton tea plantation work force is paid what we in North America would think of as ruinous wages, but they accrue a huge benefit through the company's policy of paying for housing, education and health care and providing a ready supply of clean, potable water. The Lipton tea plucker makes three times the average worker in Kenya.
...
Every Empty Park Bench has a Story
by Bonnie Alter, London on 04.17.09
How many times have you passed an empty park bench, sat down and pondered the world's, or your own, problems. And maybe wondered about the cryptic plaque on the back that tells a small but unknown story.
Stephen Emms was walking in Hampstead Heath a few years ago and discovered a bench with the inscription 'They Could Do With A Bench Here.' He became hooked on finding out the stories that lie behind these plates and began photographing and writing about the benches and investigating their history. ...
Disneynature launches "Earth" on Earth Day
by Roberta Cruger, Los Angeles on 04.16.09
Disneynature launches Earth premiere on Earth Day. Photo: Walt Disney Company
Considering the huge promo campaign surrounding Earth, the movie, the first film release from Disneynature, a new brand from Mickey’s company, most everybody knows that the feature hits theaters on Earth Day April 22. With the TV spots and postcards, many already know (we notified you, too), that for every ticket bought during the first week, Disney will plant a tree to help restore the Brazilian Atlantic Forest, one of the world’s most endangered. Tickets went on sale April 8th through Fandango....
Maker Faire Heads to Africa
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 04.16.09
We've been a fan of Afrigadget for a long time now, which highlights the ingenuity and resourcefulness of people in Africa. We also are big fans of the Maker Faire, which is the hub of cool hacks and mods, sparking the creativity that drives our tech into better, greener places. Now, the two are combined...Maker Faire is going to Ghana! ...
Will Renewable Energy Outrun the US National Electric Grid?
by Brian Merchant, Brooklyn, New York on 04.16.09
Photo via Earthfirst
It could, according to an agency charged with monitoring and assessing it. A Climate Wire report notes that the North American Electric Reliability Corps is worried that the aging US electric network may have a tough time handling an influx of energy from new sources—energy that would have to be monitored and transferred in entirely new ways. So, even though Obama is planning on doubling renewable energy production in the US—will we be ready?...
Yesh, "Mutts" Cartoonist Patrick McDonnell Makes Every Day Earth Day
by Jasmin Malik Chua, Jersey City, USA on 04.16.09
Photo credit: Patrick McDonnell/King Features Syndicate
The state of our planet isn't funny business, but dozens of King Features' cartoonists will be inking the change they wish to see in the world for the comics syndicate's second annual Earth Day event on April 22.
Among them is Patrick McDonnell, the creator of the popular comic strip Mutts, which appears in more than 700 newspapers and 20 countries and was hailed by Peanuts creator Charles Schulz as "one of the best comic strips of all time." Starring a dog and a cat named Earl and Mooch and a madcap menagerie of supporting characters, Mutts also serves as a platform for the award-winning and New York Times-bestselling author's environmental and animal-rights advocacy work. We recently spoke to McDonnell—who has been lauded by the Humane Society of the United States, the Ark Trust, PETA, and the Sierra Club—about the lessons comics can teach us, how he feels about the First Puppy, and why he's still a hippie at heart.
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Obama, You Know You're The S**t When Lichen Is Named After You
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 04.16.09
Caloplaca obamae growing on Pleistocene soils on Santa Rosa Island. Credit: J. C. Lendemer
That's right. A species of lichen was discovered by lichen curator of University of California, Kerry Knudsen, who decided to name it after President Obama in appreciation for his support of sciences. ...
To-Go Ware Offers 20% Off to Celebrate New "RePEat" Bamboo Utentsils
by Kara DiCamillo, Newport, Rhode Island on 04.16.09
Stephanie Bernstein’s favorite slogan is “reduce your forkprint.” Her company, To-Go Ware, provides consumers the tools to reduce the amount of single-use plastics and other disposable foodware products that are so prevalent and toxic in today’s society. To-Go Ware’s offerings include stainless food containers, bamboo utensils and many other hand-crafted accessories for all of us that have such busy lives.
This week, To-Go Ware launched a new utensil set to add to their collection called RePEat. Enclosed in a holder made from recycled soda bottles, the RePEat is perfect for anyone on-the-go. Don’t let its convenient compact design fool you -- it holds a fork, knife, and spoon making it an essential accessory for anything from the office, to school, to travel, to camping....
Meet The Faces of the Food Movement
by Jeff Nield, Vancouver, British Columbia on 04.16.09
In the lead-up to the conference Food and Society 2009: Gathering for Good Food the organizers have released an online slide show highlighting 75 portraits of people in the food movement who attended last year's event. Electronic communications have been integral in connecting divergent food and agriculture based activities into a cohesive movement. The flip side of that is the oft-cited lack of personal connection. Meet some of TreeHugger's favorite leaders in the sustainable food community after the jump.
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MicroPlace and How Micro Loans Make a Big Difference (Video)
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 04.16.09
Micro loans might be a great way for people to get back into the investing game. By giving microloans, you grow your money in small amounts, but help people in big ways. We're big fans of micro financing around here, and this heartwarming clip from CBS calls out MicroPlace, and outlines how microlending works and what kind of a difference it can make for a struggling entrepreneur. ...
Pearl Jam, R.E.M. and U.S. Olympic Swimming Champs Line Up at Sea Turtle Race Finish Line
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 04.16.09
Interactive Map of the Great Turtle Race via National Geographic
Conservation International has started up this year's Great Turtle Race. Eleven Leatherback sea turtles are pitted against each other in a "race." The turtles are on their migratory journey and the organization has put up a website where viewers can watch the virtual race in order to bring awareness to the species and their need for protection. Waiting for them at the finish line will be Pearl Jam, R.E.M, Amanda Beard, Jason Lezak and other amazing Olympic swimmers. ...
50 Most Hazardous Waste Sites in US Get Stimulus Funds for Cleanup
by Brian Merchant, Brooklyn, New York on 04.16.09
Photo via USGS
The EPA announced that 50 of the most polluted, most hazardous waste sites in the country will be cleaned up, thanks to $582 million in stimulus funds. Each of the sites is heavily contaminated with mining waste, out-of-control landfills, and chemical spillage—just to name a few. As you might recall, Superfund cleanup was one of the green projects included the stimulus--here's how it's going to help....
10 of the Best Green Designs Launching at Milan's Mega Furniture Fair (slideshow)
by Mairi Beautyman, Berlin, Germany on 04.16.09
It's that time of the year again: when the design movers and shakers pack their bags and head to the world's biggest contemporary furniture fair, Salone Internazionale del Mobile. Now in its 48th edition, the 2009 fair will run April 22-27 in Milan--and TreeHugger's Mairi Beautyman will be on-site, gleaning the best of green things to come from some of the world's most cutting-edge designers and manufacturers. To kick things off, we have a sneak-peak at products set to debut, compiled from press releases and some of our favorite design sites (including designboom and Dezeen), and ranging from recycled eggshell stationary to polished biodegradable dinnerware to paper furniture by architect Shigaru Ban.
Check out these and more in our:
10 of the Best Green Designs Launching at Milan's Mega Furniture Fair Slideshow
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Crop Failure Drives 1,500 Indian Farmers to Suicide
by Alex Pasternack, New York, NY on 04.16.09
To some, environmental damage might sometimes seem like a distant, long-term issue. Not in India.Over 1,500 farmers in the Indian state of Chattisgarh committed suicide after being driven to debt by crop failure due to plummeting water levels, the Belfast Telegraph reported today."The water level has gone down below 250 feet here. It used to be at 40 feet a few years ago," Shatrughan Sahu, a villager in one of the districts, told Down To Earth magazine "Most of the farmers here are indebted and only God can save the ones who do not have a bore well."...
Mercury in Your Mouth Could Be Coming From Old Aussie Light Bulbs
by April Streeter, Gothenburg, Sweden on 04.16.09
Without "silver" mercury fillings, gold and composite materials are the choices. Photo via DeaPeaJay @ flickr.
Hot on the heels of the TreeHugger post on Italian nuclear waste being imported to the Utah desert, here's a frightening story from Lismore, New South Wales.: a device known as the Bulb Eater, looking like a cross between a 40-gallon drum and a snorkel, is being used to crush fluorescent bulbs and extract the mercury at a recycling center. That's all to the good, as it keeps the mercury from the landfill. Guess where the highly toxic mercury goes once it is sucked from the old light bulbs, however? According to this article, it ends up in the U.S., where it will be used for dental amalgams - known to you and me as fillings....
Is High Speed Rail Coming to a City Near You? A Guide to Obama's Plans
by Brian Merchant, Brooklyn, New York on 04.16.09
Photo via EBBC
It's one of Obama's greenest ideas--even though it may be underfunded--but news broke today that a massive high speed rail is officially on the way. The president's announcement included an outline of 10 corridors around the US that will each likely see rail begin construction. So buckle up. Obama's serious about getting our transportation system up to the cutting edge—here's a guide to his plan, and a breakdown of the cities slated for a high speed transit future. ...
The World's Largest Forest of Rare Black Coral Found in Mediterranean
by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada on 04.16.09
Photo: ISPRA
Hidden Treasures in the The Strait of Messina
A new survey of the Mediterranean sea bed discovered what is thought to be the world's largest black coral forest, a rare species. It's located in the strait of Messina, between Italy and Siciliy, in the Mediterranean sea. "Using an underwater robot, marine biologists at Italy's Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA) found almost 30,000 colonies of Antipathella subpinnata coral at a depth of between 55 and 100 meters (180 and 328 feet)."...
GoCycle: The Electric Assist Bike We Have Been Waiting For?
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 04.16.09
TreeHugger has shown a lot of electric bikes, but this one is different. Richard Thorpe was frustrated riding a regular bike, and was tired of "arriving at work hot and sweaty, having to change from cycle to office clothing, getting dirty chain grease on his pants, fixing a messy flat tire, having to bicycles stolen within six months, and being heckled for riding "one of these funny looking fold-up bikes."
So he quit his job designing race cars at McLaren and developed "a new class of powered-two wheeler" from his one bedroom London flat. ...
Half a Million Virtual Cars Added to UK Road Due to Bad Biofuel Policy, Report Claims
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 04.16.09
photo: Alex Roberts via flickr
You've probably heard that land use changes associated with biofuels can sometimes seriously bring into question their carbon-neutral claims. That forest chopped down to grow soybeans or create a palm oil plantation did a better job preventing global warming as trees than it does as liquid fuel. A new report shows just how poor a job certain biofuels can be in this regards. UK biofuel requirements have inadvertently created emissions equal to putting an additional 500,000 cars on the roads:...
Vectrix Hit Hard by Recession, 60 Layoffs, Company May be Sold
by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada on 04.16.09
Photo: Vectrix
Let's Hope this is Not the End of the Road for Vectrix...
Vectrix, makers of fine electric scooters, don't seem to be immune from the current global recession. Maybe if they had screwed up really badly they'd be getting a bail out? But let's not get into that... The latest news are that the company is seeking "strategic alternatives" which might include a merger or a sale and that it will "significantly" reduce its workforce by laying off 60 people....
Brian Keane of SmartPower, Renewable Energy Marketer: "Our Thinking is Twenty Years Behind"
by Alex Pasternack, New York, NY on 04.16.09
Few would disagree with the idea of clean energy: it can help reduce global warming, air pollution, energy shortages, the national debt, and our reliance on foreign oil. But America isn't exactly putting its money where its mouth is. How to get average people to know that "clean energy is here, and it works," is the task of Brian F. Keane. The head of SmartPower, the country's leading non-profit devoted to marketing clean energy, Keane is using Madison Avenue thinking and grassroots efforts -- like giving away thousands of dollars to the greenest college campus or to the best homemade ad -- in order to hawk clean energy "like it's Coke or McDonalds." ...
You Wouldn't Eat a Tiger, So Why Would You Eat Endangered Bluefin Tuna?
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 04.16.09
photo: Greenpeace
As the Atlantic bluefin tuna season opens, environmental groups are warning that due to overfishing there's only about 3 years left for the large fish. In an effort to shift public opinion around eating bluefin, Greenpeace is characterizing eating the endangered fish like eating a rhino or tiger:...
It's About Time: Power Towers that Look Good
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 04.16.09
When Iceland had an economy, they held a competition to design a more elegant tower for a new power transmission network. Architect Dietmar Koering of Arphenotype designed these, where every one is different, the shape varying according to longitude and latitude....
Dean Kamen on Clean Energy, Clean Water, and Commuting in the Mega City (Part Two)
by Jacob Gordon, Nashville, TN on 04.16.09
With his planes, helicopters, and other fuel-hungry pets, Dean Kamen admits that he takes a lot out of the world. This just means that, in keeping with his immigrant grandfather’s advice, he has to put more back in. In the second part of our conversation, Kamen shares his obsession with the Sterling engine, telling about the one rigged into his electric car, the ones stationed in Bangladeshi villages, and the 80,000-pound Sterling sitting in his living room. The maverick inventor also lets us in on his vision of the future, which will see many of our problems evaporate, and new ones born. Listen to the podcast of this interview via iTunes, or just click here to listen, right-click to download. Catch Part One here. Full text after the jump....
United Nations Officially Makes June 8 World Oceans Day
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 04.16.09
Photo by Jaymi Heimbuch
In all the hubbub of Earth Day, it's easy to get caught up in land-bound activities and conservation, and forget about the oceans. But here is one announcement that the oceans will particularly be thankful for. The United Nations, after 16 years of tabling it, have finally made June 8 World Oceans Day. ...
Australian Carbon Capture and Storage Research Institute Opens: Just PR Spin?
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 04.16.09
Australia currently uses coal for about 44% of all its energy usage and 79% of its electricity. Photo: Benjamin Newman via flickr
Australia's got a new carbon capture and storage research center: The Global Carbon Capture and Storage Institute. At the launching, prime minister Kevin Rudd said that this showed Australia was facing up to its responsibilities as the world's largest coal exporter. TreeHugger recently did give Rudd a Best of Green award, but I wonder if Rudd hasn't made a deal with the devil here:...
DH Love Life Films Edible Estates, Green Living goes to the Carnival, Worldchanging gets Graphic, and More
by Leonora Oppenheim, London, UK on 04.16.09
DH Love Life: Edible Estates by Daryl Hannah
Daryl meets Fritz Haeg to talk about turning front lawns into edible landscapes. This DH Love Life episode coincides nicely with the arrival of the new vegetable patch on the White House lawn....
Carbon Capture and Storage "Oversold as Panacea" by Tar Sands Industry
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 04.16.09
All the cool graphics in the world, such at this one from Bellona, won't make CCS commercially or technologically viable any faster.
Carbon Capture and Storage has been thrown around by tar sands developers as the solution to their pollution problem. Namely that getting oil out of the tar sands is a hugely carbon intensive process that results in fuel with a carbon footprint 5-8 times as bad as conventionally produced fossil fuels. A new piece in Canada's The Hill Times shows how dissent is emerging regarding CCS and tar sands:...
Western Great Lakes States On "Green Power Express" By 2020: Transmission Lines Approved
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 04.16.09
Conceptual Map, Green Power Express. Image credit:ITC Holdings
Greenwire reports, via the New York Times, on a favorable decision by the US Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, (FERC) for construction of high-power transmission lines from wind farms on the tall grass prairie states to more easterly metro areas. There remains a decade-long slog before the Green Power Express is strung up; but, when the job is done, cities powered from the major load centers (pictured) will have taken a major step toward sustainability. Read on for more layers to the sustainability dimension....
More Efficient Cook Stoves Could Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions by 18%
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 04.16.09
photo: World Resources Institute
Though CO2 gets all the press and is the number one greenhouse gas, causing 40% of warming, black carbon comes in at number two. It's responsible for 16-18% of warming, depending on who's doing the calculations, and thankfully dissipates in the atmosphere pretty quickly, in a matter of weeks if the sources are removed. Which is why more efficient biomass cook stoves, such as used in many places in developing nations, could have a big climate change impact and be comparatively inexpensive and quick to implement:...
Nokia Is Serious about Avoiding Conflict Minerals
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 04.16.09
Images via Nokia
Unlike a lot of major computer and gadget companies, Nokia tends to keep mum about the environmental work they do, out of a culture of modesty. A lot of good things the company is doing can slip past the radar, including its stance on ethical sources for raw materials. ...
Toronto Considering Making Green Roofs The Law
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 04.16.09
Green roof on Mountain Equipment Coop, Toronto. More in TreeHugger
You usually can tell that you have hit a balance in politics if everybody hates your legislation. Not so with Toronto's new proposed bylaw that would make green roofs mandatory. It just gets it wrong.
The developers hate it because they say it is expensive. Green roof proselytizer Steven Peck of Green Roofs for Healthy Cities says it falls short of the mark. He says "We're very concerned ... that there's been a watering down of these requirements and this will set a very negative precedent for other jurisdictions across North America." ...
Should the Color of Cars be Regulated?
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 04.16.09
John tells us that a light colored car can be as much as 20% more efficient in air conditioning country. That's a lot. Should California or our new Car-Dealer-In-Chief do something about this?
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Is Rural Green Living an Elitist Illusion?
by Sami Grover, Carrboro, NC, USA on 04.16.09
Image credit: Monty Python - via Fox Sports
Is Downshifting Elitist?
When I posted on George Monbiot's denegration of the war on plastic bags last week, it created quite a stir. Now Monbiot is at it again - defending his assertions that reducing plastic bag waste is good, but focusing on plastic bag waste is a distraction. You'll find no argument for that position here - I've lost count of how many press releases I've received for fancy new reusable shopping bags this Earth Day. What caught my attention though, was a comment on that post from Joolzz, a disgruntled resident of rural England, complaining about the waves of 'middle class nitwits who then preach to us about the virtues of their organic cotton ponchoes'. Besides being a highly entertaining read - this comment highlights the challenges that environmentalism faces in shedding its elitist image. Read on for more from Joolzz, the 'working class peasant':
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Cool Cars: Give Me Liberty Or Give Me Efficiency
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 04.16.09
Adam Stern at TerraPass outlines a looming debate over new ways to make all vehicles more fuel efficient, in his post: More ways to cut car emissions: reflective glass and paint.
Summing the debate: More efficient, comfortable cars are light-colored. Dark colors up the carbon footprint. The "coolest" cars are both light-colored and would have solar-gain reducing window coatings. Government involvement in making these choices would be 'socialist.'
California is working with the auto industry, and has, for several months, been looking for ways promote the combination of light colors and solar-gain cutting window glazes.
In terms of existing consumer choices, light colors cumulatively make up almost half of what consumers prefer, as the Dupont color report (pictured) indicates. (45%, roughly, are light toned.) Read on for details....
MEC Become Transparent with PVC-Free DryBags
by Warren McLaren, Sydney on 04.16.09
Recently I penned a scathing post about a move by the USDA to designate PVC as “organic vinyl”. However, I didn’t publish the post. Because, on double checking my sources, I discovered it was an April Fools joke. I’m therefore very pleased to have a positive (and factual) story in the same realm. Mountain Equipment Cooperative (MEC) in Canada have released a line of new transparent PVC-free drybags....
MELLO Bamboo Stool by Ekobo
by Petz Scholtus, Barcelona, Spain on 04.16.09
You probably came across some of Ekobo's elegant and colourful kitchen accessories made from bamboo. If you like their work, which incorporates ethical production and eco-friendly materials, check out the MELLO stools. Glossy, minimalist and funky looking, the bamboo poufs are stackable, come in two sizes and the many bright colours that are typical for Ekobo products.
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Andy Hughes Makes Garbage Beautiful
by Bonnie Alter, London on 04.16.09
All Images from Andy Hughes
Andy Hughes has lived in Cornwall, surfing headquarters of the UK, so he knows his beaches. And he knows all about the rubbish and jetsam and flotsam that ends up on the coastline.
As a photographer his response to the garbage that appears is to photograph, document and exhibit. As he says "these mass-produced items become aesthetic forms within the open theatre of the beach."
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Germany Bans Planting of Monsanto GM Corn
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 04.15.09
European corn borer larva. Image credit:excerpted from photo by Marlin Rice, Iowa State University
The European Union has long allowed the commercial planting of genetically modified crop seeds (regulatory details available here). However, Germany, according to a report in Spiegel Online, has specifically banned sale or planting, for the 2009 planting season, of the Monsanto corn variety called "MON 810" a.k.a. " Yieldgard®," on environmental grounds. Ironically, this GM corn variety was developed in the USA to be resistant to the European Corn Borer (pictured)....
Oh Joy For O'BON Eco-Friendly School and Office Supplies
by Jasmin Malik Chua, Jersey City, USA on 04.15.09
Photo credit: O'BON
Who doesn't love the smell of freshly sharpened pencils, the crinkle of crisp sheets of blank paper? A paperless office may be au courant, but the tactile pleasures of analog writing tools will never go out of style. O'BON takes the edge off any ecological guilt—which, face it, is as much fun as a paper cut—with its stash of recycled stationery, including what it hails the "world's greatest pencil."
Like the aromatic Smencils, these wood-free (and no-fragrance) implements are made by rolling used newspaper tightly around a graphite core, a process that the company claims better protects the lead from splintering after being dropped.
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Green Living Online Hosts Carnival of the Green
by Kara DiCamillo, Newport, Rhode Island on 04.15.09
This week is Carnival of the Green #175 and it's being hosted by Green Living Online, the e-version of Green Living Magazine. From food, to fashion, to energy, to transportation, Green Living has got the Canadians covered!
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. While you're there, check out the very cool feature of the best green shops and services in Canada's most popular cities.
We are now accepting host requests for 2010! Read on to find out how to host....
Rarest Cat in the World Photographed in the Wild
by Christine Lepisto, Berlin on 04.15.09
Image: Wild Wonders of Europe
Rare Iberian Lynx Photographed in Natural Habitat
Wild Wonders of Europe has done it again. This month, photographer Pete Oxford undertook the mission to photograph the world's rarest cat -- the Iberian Lynx -- in its natural habitat. The Iberian Lynx is the only feline to be categorized by the IUCN as Critically Endangered and in danger of extinction. These cats are so rare, that a shepherd Pete questioned while attempting to hone in on his "prey" responded, in a thick rural accent: " “I cum ‘ere every day, Never seen a lynx in mi life.”
But Pete fulfilled his mission. The cat in the photo above, coyly peeking out from the brush, is just a teaser. To see the Iberian Lynx in its full glory, click to the extended.
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Sewing Green by Betz White Ups the Ante on Eco Crafting
by Jasmin Malik Chua, Jersey City, USA on 04.15.09
Photo credit: STC Craft
Sewing in and of itself is already pretty darn green. Footprint, schmootprint, there's just no substitute for rolling up your proverbial sleeves and taking the DIY route, without having to navigate the quagmire of ethical sourcing and fair compensation. But in Sewing Green: 24 Projects Made With Repurposed & Organic Materials, felting queen and crafter extraordinaire Betz White—have you swooned over her luscious cupcake pincushions?—sees your seam ripper and raises you a pile of deconstructed thrift-store sweaters.
An old men's dress shirt is magically transformed into a winsome café apron; a plastic-bottle ring, wrapped in woven fabric and festooned with vintage buttons, becomes an adorable napkin ring; wool suiting, felt scraps, and plastic-bag stuffing sprout a whimsical woodland draft-dodger; while boiled woolens are refashioned into a kicky forest-inspired foliage scarf. ...
Smart Grid Tech Taking Hold in Australia
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 04.15.09
Photo via respres
Smart grid technology is expanding in Australia and quite a few companies are finding a place for themselves within a government-mandated Advanced Metering Infrastructure program. Most recently, IBM and Silver Spring Networks have found themselves at home helping Australia update its electrical grid....
Sex-y Giveaway for Earth Day from Good Vibrations
by Daniel Kessler, San Francisco, California on 04.15.09
Photo via Green Zone Online
San Francisco-based Good Vibrations is having a green giveaway for Earth Day. Enter to win a collection of eco-friendly sex toys and goodies and celebrate Earth Day in sustainable style with someone you love....
Brazil's New Plan to Fight Climate Change: Coal and Oil Companies Must Plant Trees
by Brian Merchant, Brooklyn, New York on 04.15.09
Photo via CITIC International
In an unusual plan to combat climate change, the Brazilian government will require coal and oil companies to plant thousands of trees in order to offset their carbon emissions. If the companies don't comply? They lose their operating licenses. ...
3D Printing Comes to Pottery
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 04.15.09
We have shown a lot of plastic 3D printing, but pottery? Every arts and craft lodge at summer camp is out of business as the Solheim Rapid Manufacturing Laboratory figures out how to make a computer throw a pot.
With most 3D printing, an computer object is sliced into layers and either a laser or an inkjet print out a 2D layer of something, which is built up into 3D layers.
Mark Ganter, Duane Storti and Ben Utela explain the process in pottery in Ceramics Monthly:...
More on Toxic Waste Dumping & Illegal Fishing Helping Get Us Into a Piracy Mess in Somalia: Some Background Info
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 04.15.09
A U.S. Navy rescue and assistance team travels to provide humanitarian and medical assistance to the crew of the Taiwanese-flagged fishing trawler Ching Fong Hwa. Photo: Navy.mil
When Brian wrote about the connection between overfishing and piracy in Somalia he got mostly pilloried in the comments. So, I'm going to lead by saying that no one is advocating piracy, or that strong measures shouldn't be taken to prevent it, but failing to look at the origins of the problem will only lead to defeat.
In that light, Amy Goodman from Democracy Now! just did a good interview with Mohamed Abshir Waldo, in which he goes into detail about how toxic dumping and illegal fishing have led to the current situation. Here are some excerpts:...
I Am What I Eat In Israel, Take A Peek In My Fridge
by Karin Kloosterman, Tel Aviv on 04.15.09
We are what we eat, goes the old saying. So looking inside my fridge can tell you quite a bit about my values, and how I put my green ideas into action. Fridge voyeurism, or fridge watching, whatever you want to call it, people around the world are opening up their fridges for the world to see. What am eating? Organic food, food that's grown locally, cheese, meat, veggies or processed food? Take a take a peek. It will give you the same kind of pleasure, like looking inside someone's underwear drawer. I promise.
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Is It Better to Hire a Moving Truck or Use Your Car?
by Blythe Copeland, Great Neck, New York on 04.15.09
Photo via Merelymel 13 @ flickr
There’s no question: moving is a hassle. But while packing, loading, unloading, and unpacking are far from fun, they don’t have to be bad for the environment—though sometimes it’s hard to figure out which choices are better. From transportation and packing materials to hiring movers and making donations, click through for the greener options....
Bloom Into Style With Giant Dwarf's Rosette Headbands
by Jasmin Malik Chua, Jersey City, USA on 04.15.09
Photo credit: Giant Dwarf
Gray today, gray yesterday, gray tomorrow; obviously the Jersey weather forecast is in denial about spring. Where are the pink-nosed, twitterpated bunnies frolicking among fields of daffodils? The freewheeling bluebirds dovetailing in merriment over the post-winter thaw? The quiet whirring sounds of young men's fancies turning to thoughts of love?
But just because the local meteorological gods didn't get the memo—much fist-shaking at the sky takes place at this writer's perch—it doesn't mean that your wardrobe has to stay in mourning. Not for the faint of heart, Giant Dwarf's Rosette Fascinator headbands offer one colossal burst of color to fend off any weather-related doldrums. ...
Planet Forward: Viewer-driven Show on PBS Tonight
by Roberta Cruger, Los Angeles on 04.15.09
National Renewable Energy Lab's demo of hydrogen fueling station moving the Planet Forward? Photo via: PBS
Interventions interrupt the talking heads on the stage with viewers' videos. Reactions from a live audience in the studio interject commentary. The experts debate how to proceed with alternative energy solutions, covering the full spectrum from solar to transportation. And the ringleader of this environmental forum, Planet Forward, Frank Sesno, a CNN veteran, leads the brigade by inserting online commentary, showing the latest advances, as well as regular folks' innovative methods of impacting global warming.
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Greenhouse Gas Emissions Up 1.4% in 2007, Says EPA Report
by Brian Merchant, Brooklyn, New York on 04.15.09
Photo via PANDArchitecture
Emissions in the US keep on risin', according to the EPA's new Greenhouse Gas Inventory Report. Greenhouse gas emissions totaled 7,150,000,000 tons in 2007, showing a 1.4% increase from 2006—bringing the overall rise from 1990 levels up to 17.2%. If that rise keeps constant, we're likely to see a 20% increase by 2010—not exactly good news for many who'd hoped we'd be on a path to emissions reduction by now.
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Spam Sucks Up As Much Power as 2.4 Million US Households
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 04.15.09
Cover of McAfee Report
There's a whole new reason to hate spam. Not only is it annoying, it also is a big energy consumer. Anti-virus software specialist McAfee reports that it comprises over 80% of all email traffic...and it's growing....
Tees for Change Offers 25% Off Bamboo T-Shirts
by Kara DiCamillo, Newport, Rhode Island on 04.15.09
We love when we find wardrobe staples like Tees for Change that we can live in on a daily basis. When we search for t-shirts, not only do they have to feel good (check!), but they have to look good (check!) and be good for the planet as well (check!). Tees for Change designs eco-friendly t-shirts adorned with positive messages such as LAUGH OFTEN, CHOOSE HAPPINESS, TODAY MATTERS and CHASE DREAMS. Their mission is to inspire you to live life with passion, purpose and positivity. The super soft bamboo tees have a great fit, are manufactured in a sweatshop-free environment and are fair trade. Bonus: they’ve also partnered with Trees for the Future to plant a tree for every tee they sell!...
New Chinese Biomass Power Plant Will Use Native Plants to Replace 80,000 Tons of Coal a Year
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 04.15.09
Common sea-buckthorn photo: Wikipedia
If grown, harvested and used under the right conditions, electricity generated from biomass can have seriously lower carbon emissions than fossil fuels, sometimes up to 98% lower than coal. Which is good because China's Baotou Kaidi Sunshine Energy Investment has announced that it will be building a biomass-fueled power plant in Inner Mongolia that will be able to prevent the burning of 80,000 tons of coal annually:...
Sarah Palin Now Wants to Fight Global Warming - By Drilling for Oil
by Brian Merchant, Brooklyn, New York on 04.15.09
Photo via the Telegrah
Is Sarah Palin turning over a new leaf? After all, when the Alaskan Governor publicly denied global warming during the 2008 presidential campaign, it was the cause of yet another headache—not just for environmentalists, but for John McCain, himself a firm believer in global warming. So it came as something of a surprise when she said outright that climate change is now harming Alaska, and that's why she wants to start drilling for natural gas in its outer continental shelf. ...
High Tech Dinosaur Show in Itself a Dinosaur
by Mark Ontkush, Boston, Massachusetts, USA on 04.15.09
Image by Dinosaur LIVE!
The Low-Tech times reports on a novel self-recursive high-tech dinosaur show touring the globe that appears to be more enviro-trouble than it's worth. First, click the link and endure the crazy high bandwidth site design that breaks nearly every rule of application usability (the shaking resized browser is not often seen these days), then follow up with the staggering array of materials to run this thing....
4 Nations Happier than the U.S., With Half the Carbon Emissions
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 04.15.09
Denmark is one happy country. Photo via Flickr.
Although it may come as a surprise, research shows a larger carbon footprint doesn't lead to happiness. While the United States ranks near the top of both per capita and aggregate carbon emissions, it's not in the top 10 when it comes to happiness. In fact, many nations ranked happier than the U.S. also tread much more lightly on the planet. Read on to find out where the U.S.'s carbon emissions come from and which countries are doing it right....
UPDATE: Phoenix Area Concentrating Solar Power Plant "On Line" In 2011
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 04.15.09
Solana Generating Station, Gila Bend Arizona USA. Image credit:Business Wire.
Power Engineering reports progress on the Arizona Public Service (APS) concentrating solar power (CSP) plant to be built and operated by Abengoa, 70 miles southwest of Phoenix Arizona. The 280 MW Solana Generating Station will use a 60/40 alloy of molten Sodium and Potassium Nitrate salts to store the sun's concentrated heat energy, buffering solar input changes to meet 24/7 power demand. Read on for details of how the molten salt storage will affect capacity....
48 Megawatt Solar Power Plant Expansion in Nevada Will Be (Maybe) Nation's Largest
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 04.15.09
photo: First Solar
Some good news coming from the solar power sector: First Solar has announced that it will be building onto an existing Boulder City, Nevada solar power plant to transform it into what it claims will be the largest solar PV plant in North America:...
Celebrate Earth Day with Leonardo DiCaprio via eBay
by Neil Chambers, New York City on 04.15.09
Photo by squarehippies
If you’ve ever tried to figure out how to support important projects like green schools while combating climate change AND meet a movie star all while shopping online, wonder no more. eBay and Global Green USA is holding an auction for a lucky somebody to meet Leonardo DiCaprio. ...
TreeHugger Nominated for a 2009 Webby! We Need Your Votes!
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 04.15.09
Yippee! TreeHugger has been honored with a Webby nomination for best blog in the Culture/Personal category. We're eligible for not only the Webby Award, but also The Webby People's Voice Award! And that means we need you to voice how much you love TreeHugger by voting!
Click through for details on voting, and why we really, really want your help. ...
AIA/COTE Top Green Buildings of the Year (Slideshow)
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 04.15.09
The AIA (American Institute of Architects) and COTE (AIA Committee on the Environment) once again publish their selections of the top ten green projects of the year, and it is an interesting mix of the high-tech and the simple, elegant, low-key solutions. Some TreeHugger regulars are there, and some we have never heard of before.
Metrics used to make their choices include everthing from "Intent and innovation" to "Energy Flows & Energy Future"- check out the metrics here, and have a look at our slideshow summary:
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New Cattle Pastures Far Bigger Problem Than Soy For Amazon Deforestation
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 04.15.09
Photo: Leonardo F. Freitas via flickr.
We know that cattle pastures in what once was the Amazon rainforest are now the size of Iceland. But adding to that is a Reuters report that relays the information that cattle ranchers are far outpacing soy farmers on newly deforested land:...
Chinese Battery-Maker BYD "Could Be World's Biggest Automaker"
by Alex Pasternack, New York, NY on 04.15.09
Berkshire Hathaway's David Sokol with BYD's Wang Chuanfu in Detroit (Reuters)
Buffett on Board
BYD, the Chinese battery maker-turned-automaker that stunned the world with the first mass-market electric plug-in car late last year, remains something of a wild card. The car, the F3DM, goes 62 miles on a single charge -- farther than other electric vehicles -- and sells for around $22,000, less than the plug-in Prius and much-hyped Chevy Volt are expected to cost when they come out in late 2010. But a number of questions remain, like when the car will come to the US (if at all), and how safe are its batteries.
But as we've noted before, super investor Warren Buffett's a fan, and the Chinese government is pouring huge subsidies into clean cars. According to a feature in Fortune this week, Buffett thinks BYD "has a shot at becoming the world's largest automaker, primarily by selling electric cars, as well as a leader in the fast-growing solar power industry."...
Mother Jones Debates the Future of Our Food Systems
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 04.15.09
Photo via Iowa Spirit Walker
A debate is going on over at Mother Jones about our food systems, sparked by a piece written Paul Roberts pointing out that sustainable food systems aren't all that easy to obtain when it comes to feeding billions of people. Three contributors to Mother Jones take on the idea and pose their own opinions about it. ...
North Carolinians, Help Stop the Construction of the Cliffside Coal Power Plant
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 04.15.09
ShopGreen Lets Online Retailers Incorporate Carbon Offsets into Purchases
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 04.15.09
There are a few apps out there that help us shop green by sending us to the best stores, or telling us all about a product before we buy it. But what about offsetting the impact of the products we're purchasing. GreenWorld has stepped up with their web application called ShopGreen. ...
The Population Debate Continues: When Economics and Environmentalism Collide
by Sami Grover, Carrboro, NC, USA on 04.15.09
Image credit: The Guardian
To Breed or Not - Economic Versus Environmental Concerns
Almost nothing stirs up as heated debate among environmentalists as the subject of over-population and whether or not to have kids. Even limiting your children to below the replacement rate is seen by many as inadequate, even selfish. Many environmentalists I meet argue that we must stop breeding all together until the population stabilizes. As an expecting first-time father myself, I've always felt that encouraging folks to limit the number of kids they have, and stopping the social stigmatization of those who choose to not have children, has much more chance of success than simply demonizing those of us who do want kids of our own. That's why I was delighted to read Zoe Williams' blog post over at The Guardian, which takes the population debate way beyond environmentalism - looking at the contradictions between short-term societal and economic needs for a 'healthy' birthrate, versus environmental pressures for a drastically reduced human population. Maybe this is another argument for pragmatism when it comes to population?
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A Visit To A Very Different Michigan Central Station
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 04.15.09
Yesterday I wrote about the possible loss of Michigan Central Station in Detroit, which I considered a tragedy. Citizens of Detroit disagreed, saying that there was no money, there were other greater needs, and that it was too far gone to be saved. Coincidentally, last night I found myself 110 miles down the track in another abandoned and deteriorated Michigan Central Railroad Station, in another economically depressed town, St. Thomas, Ontario, that is following a very different trajectory. ...
David de Rothschild and The Real Cost of Living (Video)
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 04.15.09
David de Rothschild is up to more than the upcoming adventure on the Plastiki. He also has a show on the Sundance Channel coming out called Eco Trip: The Real Cost of Living. While at a screening of the show in San Francisco last night, he stopped to talk with us about consumables and environmental activism. Click through for video. ...
Get With the Times, Turkey: Coal Plants are Sooo Last Century
by Jennifer Hattam, Istanbul, Turkey on 04.15.09
The Afşin-Elbistan power plant in southeast Turkey. Photo via Yeşil Afşin Gazetesi
It's always amusing to see young Turkish guys, too young even to remember the 1980s, strutting down Istanbul's streets in their acid-wash jeans and elaborately spiked, feathered, or structured hairdos. But retro behavior is nothing to laugh at when it comes to energy. While the U.S. has canceled or postponed more than 100 proposed coal-fired power plants, Turkey is paving the way to build more--despite the damage caused by the ones already existing in the country....
Should the USA Import Foreign Nuclear Waste?
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 04.15.09
An American company wants to import 20,000 tons of Italian nuclear waste and bury it in Utah. Italy isn't very big, and does not have a good record in the garbage handling biz, so does it make sense?
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5 Great Rain Barrel Designs, Plus Top Tips for Using Them
by Bonnie Hulkower, New York, New York on 04.15.09
Photo from tampa bay aquarium rain barrel painting contest
Droughts and possible water rationing have been in the news recently in California, Israel, Mexico, and Australia. As much of the water used is these regions is for watering gardens and lawns (residential irrigation can account for up to 40% of consumption) an efficient way to help alleviate the burden of water shortages is to use good old-fashioned rain barrels. With spring hitting its stride and people looking to get back in their gardens and cut back on spending, it is the perfect time to explore rain barrels and other tools for capturing water.
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Social-Environment Friendly Tourism in Argentina: Anda
by Paula Alvarado, Buenos Aires on 04.15.09
Photos: Anda Travel.
Most travel experiences aren't complete without having a taste of local flavor, bonding with a person from the area and exchanging viewpoints about the country or city you're visiting. Now what if you're a devoted environmentalist? You're sure going to be interested in getting in touch with the place's environmental and social situation. Well, if you're visiting Argentina, tourism agency Anda is what you're looking for.
This firm offers travel tours that combine traditional touristy places with visits to social organizations and environmental subjects. But it's not like a show to give people your pity, not at all. Keep reading to find out what the deal is about....
A Red LED Light to Turn Greenhouses Greener...and More Effective
by April Streeter, Gothenburg, Sweden on 04.15.09
Live in Northern Europe and eat tomatoes, peppers, chilies in winter? Chances are sky-high your nightshades were grown in one of the vast landscape of greenhouses covering the low-lying Netherlands. These greenhouses are big energy hogs, and the Dutch toil to cut both energy use and emissions from these food factories. Now Japanese chemical and consumer goods company Showa Denko claims to have come up with a red LED that is "optimized to accelerate plant photosynthesis" (fancy speak for making the plants grow faster, at the same time that it can cut energy use by up to 70 percent - compared to 'regular' or current use red LED lights. How do they do it?
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Organic Winery Planted in Central London
by Bonnie Alter, London on 04.15.09
It seems strange to be planting a vineyard in central London, but wine does grow in bad and rocky soil...so who knows. It may end up being the next Robert Parker 100: Chateau Alara. Even if it doesn't quite reach that height, it's a point well made: encouraging people to explore the possibilities of turning wasteland into productive food (and wine) growing areas.
An enthusiastic group of hard-working wine growers showed up behind Alara Wholefoods' warehouse on an industrial site near King's Cross train station. Alara Wholefoods make organic muesli and are the first food company in the UK to go zero waste, as well as making a pledge to be carbon neutral by 2010.
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GM Volt, Bankruptcy, Recalls, Summer Gas Prices, and the IIHS Slams the Economy Car
by Eric Leech, New York, NY on 04.14.09
Photo via: Kevin Dooley
It has been a pretty depressing week in the automotive world. Not only has GM announced its possible plans for a quick bankruptcy, but it has also experienced a media leak announcing the recall of 1.5 million vehicles due to engine fires. In other news, reports on summer gas tell us to expect price to remain in the low $2 range, but the smaller vehicles that would have been able to take the best advantage of this, have been slammed by the IIHS as being twice as likely to cause death in an auto accident.
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Honoré des Prés: Organic Perfume That is Truly Sniff-Worthy
by Jasmin Malik Chua, Jersey City, USA on 04.14.09
Photo credit: Honoré des Prés
Honoré des Prés propelled onto the Parisian scene in November 2008 with the motto "rich is simple." The French perfume house, which derives its name from the aristocratic Faubourg Saint-Honoré and Saint-Germain-des-Prés quarters in Paris, offers a line of cruelty-free, 100 percent certified-organic fragrances that are free of phthalates, colorants, petrochemicals, synthetic perfumes, and, in the words of the tres quirky perfumer, "no elements which aggress the skin. Of course!"
According to Professor Leonard des Prés—one of the fictional characters that populate the Honoré des Prés universe—conventional perfume is a non non that even spies fear to dab. Mon dieu!...
From Russia With LNG: US-Bound Natural Gas Piped Across Mexican Border
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 04.14.09
Russia hearts LNG. Via:superpoop
Unknown to each other, two world script writers have helped ensure the long term reliability of cheap US natural gas supplies. Hollywood celebrities won't suffer LNG depots in sight of their lovely coast. That's plot #1. Russia, the new big kid on the natural gas block, wants to diversify it's customer base so that, you know, no more fights over pipelines in the Stan countries. That's #2. The upshot, via Hard Assets Investor, is that "Gazprom [is] to export liquefied natural gas (LNG) to Shell's terminal in Baja California. The gas will then be transported via pipeline to Southern California." ...
Backyards Being Converted to Community Gardens in Santa Monica
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 04.14.09
Photo via ItzaFineDay
We can file this under "Duh Solutions," but it simply took the right mix of demand for space and awareness about local food to get the "frontyard and backyard" registry started up in Santa Monica, helping to turn what is essentially the wasted farm land of urban yards into community gardens through land sharing....
Spring/Summer Fashion 2009: Sublet
by Jasmin Malik Chua, Jersey City, USA on 04.14.09
Photo credit: Sublet
Sublet steps out for Spring/Summer with tulip sleeves, cascading pleats, dainty collars, and floppy ribbons. The New York City-based label, which uses organic cotton and bamboo for its made-in-the-U.S. threads, is all about coquettishly bared shoulders and exposed decolletages this season.
Always sweet, yet never saccharine, Sublet daubs its vestments in a palette of canary yellow, mauve, and teal to warm up our winter pallor....
Dolphins "Protect" Chinese Vessel From Pirates
by Alex Pasternack, New York, NY on 04.14.09
China Radio International
Thanks to Brian, we now know how overfishing landed Capt. Phillips (and a band of pirates) in hot water. According to Chinese state media, it seems that we have another feedback effect: marine life in the Gulf of Aden is joining the pirate fight.
The Chinese merchant ships escorted by a China's fleet sailed on the Gulf of Aden when they met some suspected pirate ships. Thousands of dolphins suddenly leaped out of water between pirates and merchants when the pirate ships headed for the China's. The suspected pirates ships stopped and then turned away. The pirates could only lament their littleness befor the vast number of dolphins. The spectacular scene continued for a while....
Plan to Import 20,000 Tons of Italian Nuclear Waste into Utah Approved by US Gov
by Brian Merchant, Brooklyn, New York on 04.14.09
Photo via Taipei Times
Here's a troubling plan—the ironically named US company EnergySolutions is seeking approval to import 20,000 tons of radioactive waste from Italy. The waste would be processed in Tennessee, then shipped on over to Utah, where it would be buried in the desert. Given that Yucca Mountain is such a controversial issue, it's surprising that this plan—which the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission says it won't halt—isn't more hotly debated. Can this caravan of nuclear waste be stopped?...
Ship or Truck Transport Makes All the Difference in Wine's Carbon Footprint
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 04.14.09
If you live in New York City, French wines beat out Californians by a wide margin in terms of carbon footprint. Photo: Dr Wendy Longo via flickr
There's no link yet for the online version, but the print version May issue of National Geographic features a cool article on the carbon footprint of wine. Though not authors of the article, the heavy lifting on the carbon calculations was done by Tyler Colman of DrVino and TreeHugger contributer Pablo Paster, and the results are very interesting:...
Green Apple Festival Concerts Near You - Volunteer for Free Show!
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 04.14.09
Here is the perfect opportunity for you to combine your love of free shows with your desire to volunteer for the greener good on Earth Day. The Green Apple Festival is hosting free concerts in major cities for people who volunteer to help out a group or organization in their community for Earth Day. We have the perfect tool for you to use to find a volunteering opportunity - but you have to act ASAP. Click through for details. ...
Already 3,300 Reservations for the BlueCar EV by Pininfarina and Bolloré
by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada on 04.14.09
Photo: Pininfarina/Bollore
Coming to Europe in 2010
The BlueCar EV by Pininfaria and Bolloré has attracted a lot of attention in the past month. It's attractive design and promising technology (f.ex., the power storage combines an advanced li-ion battery with supercapacitors, and the car has solar cells on the roof and hood) probably helped it gather 3,300 reservations since the beginning of March....
Canada Becomes First Country to Officially Declare BPA a Health Hazard
by Brian Merchant, Brooklyn, New York on 04.14.09
Photo via Daily Green
This Saturday, Canada will become the first nation to formally declare that bisphenol A is a hazard to human health. The country already placed a ban on using the chemical in baby bottles, but this move will land BPA on the Canadian government's list of toxic substances. It will also result in a limited ban of other BPA products. More than that, it's a symbolic victory in the fight to regulate BPA--a fight that's contuining to gain momentum around the world....
Every California House a Zero Net Energy Building?
by Daniel Kessler, San Francisco, California on 04.14.09
Photo via Flickr
Every home in California will have to be zero net energy or better by 2020 if a California assemblywoman has her way. San Diego Democrat Lori Saldana's bill would require homes to emit no carbon and give power back into the grid.
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"Just 15 of the world's biggest ships may now emit as much pollution as all the world's 760m cars"
by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada on 04.14.09
Photo: Wikipedia, CC
Holy Cr...
The Guardian has a pretty shocking piece about giant cargo ships and the pollution they emit. The title of this post is a line from "confidential data from maritime industry insiders", and according to them, the low-grade ship bunker fuel that powers cargo ships has up to 2,000 times the sulphur content of diesel fuel used in US, and European automobiles and emission control is practically non-existent....
114 Anti-Coal Activists Preemptively Arrested by UK Police
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 04.14.09
photo: E.ON
As demonstrations against airport expansion plans and coal-fired power plants grow in the UK, it seems police are increasingly looking to nip these disruptive actions in the bud. The Guardian has documented growing surveillance of environmental groups over the past few years.
In the latest instance, 114 people have been arrested in a pre-emptive raid. It's believed to be the largest such raid on environmental activists in UK history:...
Tiny Nettop All-in-Ones May Start Pushing Bigger Desktops Aside
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 04.14.09
Photo of Dell All-in-one via CNET
Netbooks are the greener, more practical version of notebooks. Now we're seeing the same concept applied to desktops. Smaller, simpler, cheaper versions of desktops are becoming a hot item. ...
How To Deal With Rising Water Levels: Build an Ark
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 04.14.09
Sun Hung Kai Properties
Hong Kong's Kwok brothers built an ark to biblical specifications, 300 cubits long, 50 wide and 30 high (Bill Cosby: Riiiight. What's a cubit? About 18 inches), but theirs doesn't go anywhere, it is built on land. The Wall Street Journal does a photo essay of some of the others floating around:...
Bike Rack Competition in Toronto: Which Do You Like?
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 04.14.09
OCAD, the Ontario College of Art and Design, sits in a wonderful Will Alsop building, right next to a pretty fabulous Frank Gehry Building, in what is becoming Toronto's "Art Corridor." So its gotta have arty bike racks, and is holding a competition to design a special one for the entrance to the area. They have narrowed it down to ten, some of which are interesting and some of which are pretty derivative of David Byrne's and some of the others in the New York Design Competition. ...
TED: Shai Agassi Shares His Vision for 100% Electric Cars & Clean Energy
by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada on 04.14.09
POET Uses Zero-Liquid Discharge System to Reduce Ethanol's Water Demand
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 04.14.09
photo: Drew from Zhrodague via flickr
With the water required to make corn ethanol again coming into question, this one's apropos: Ethanol producer POET has announced that its Bingham Lake, Minnesota biorefinery is using a new zero-liquid discharge process that cuts back on the water intensity of the ethanol production process:...
So Thirsty: Corn Ethanol Uses Up to 300% More Water than Previously Thought
by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada on 04.14.09
Image: Environmental Science and Technology
University of Minnesota Researchers Find Huge Differences Between States
We already knew that corn ethanol production used lots of water, but according to a new study published in the journal Environmental Science and Technology, it's both worse than we thought, and more confusing then we suspected. Read on for more details....
Fantastic People-Friendly Urban Planning in London (Video)
by Sami Grover, Carrboro, NC, USA on 04.14.09
NYU Encourages Dorms to "Switch Off" for the Environment
by Jasmin Malik Chua, Jersey City, USA on 04.14.09
Photo credit: NYU
Here's a shout-out to my alma mater (go Violets!): New York University is giving it up for Earth Day 2009 with its second annual residence-hall energy-reduction challenge.
NYUnplugged, which takes place this month, awards a trophy and a "party in the dark" to the hall that manages to slash its electricity use by the greatest percentage against a baseline of historical usage. (BitTorrent addicts, get up and step away sloooowly from your computers.)...
Inventor Working on a Machine to Talk to Dolphins
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 04.14.09
Photo via News & Star
A Cumbrian scientist is working on machine that he believes will be able to translate specific dolphin sounds into words so we can talk to dolphins. We already know they understand hand signals clearly, but we can't understand what they're saying back. That might all change....
Air India's Fuel Efficiency Efforts Save $9 Million in Six Months
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 04.14.09
photo: Timothy Dauber via flickr
We're always talking up the benefits of energy efficiency and here's a concrete example of it: Air India has been operating under a new program of fuel efficiency measures for the past six months, with the goal of reducing fuel usage by 12 billion gallons over the year. It's all resulted in $9.26 million in savings. Here's how they did it:...
Edible Fashions That Make a Tasty (or Tasteless) Statement (Slideshow)
by April Streeter, Gothenburg, Sweden on 04.14.09
What could staunch vegetarian activist Cloris Leachman have in common with the people who create meat hats? Edible fashion, of course! Leachman recently dressed up in cabbage leaves to show her love for pets, while the folks at the Meat Hats site, well, do exactly what you think they might...design headwear from hamburger and pork chops. This is the slideshow that bares all - beautiful, offbeat and even frightening examples of edible fashion.
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Biomass Can Only Offer Major Emission Reductions if Best Practices Are Followed, New UK Report Says
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 04.14.09
Short rotation coppice chips were cited as offering significant emission reductions over fossil fuels. Image: Wikipedia
A new report from the UK's Environment Agency shows that using biomass to generate heat and electricity can offer major carbon emission reductions compared to burning fossil fuels, if best practices are followed and efforts are made to ensure that it is genuinely low carbon:...
Do Something For Earth Day, Win Eco-Jewelry From Figs & Ginger
by Jasmin Malik Chua, Jersey City, USA on 04.14.09
Make a Neil Young Video, Singing the Praises of Dual Fuel Guru: Johnny Magic
by Warren McLaren, Sydney on 04.14.09
We observed last month that Neil Young is out and about promoting his new album, Fork in the Road.
But here is lovely twist. He’s inviting fans to enter a contest to make a better music video than his own, to accompany the song, ‘Johnny Magic.’ This particular tune is a homage to Johnathon Goodwin, the so-called Motorhead Messiah, who worked with Neil Young on the LincVolt project. This was converting a 2.5 ton Lincoln Continental Mark IV into a biodiesel/electric hybrid vehicle, that now gets 100 miles to the gallon....
What Are Your Favorite Green Documentaries?
by Alan Graham, Portland, Oregon on 04.14.09
If I were asked what my favorite environmental movie was it would likely be a tie between "The Real Dirt on Farmer John" and "Who Killed the Electric Car." But what about you? ...
Atlantic Bluefin Tuna Will Be Gone in 3 Years At Current Fishing Rates
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 04.14.09
photo: José Antonio Gil Martinez via flickr
At current rates of catch, driving up by increasing demand from Japan for use in sushi, Atlantic bluefin tuna stocks will be gone within 3 years. That's the word from WWF:...
The Bay Vs The Bag - Getting Plastic Out of Bay Area and Everywhere (Video)
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 04.14.09
Save the Bay launched a new campaign today to help get plastic bags out of the bay area. The city of San Francisco has already done a lot to banish plastic bags, but there's still a lot of work to be done in other bay area cities. As part of the effort, The Bay Vs The Bag created a cool video. Check it out after the jump. ...
Michigan Central Station To Be Demolished With Stimulus Money
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 04.14.09
Creative Commons: Shane Gorski
Anyone who cares about architecture should be just sick about what is going on in Detroit: The mayor wants an "emergency demolition" of one of the city's greatest buildings, the Michigan Central Station, designed by the same firms that built Grand Central Station in New York. To add insult to this extreme injury, they want to use $3.6 million in Stimulus funds to do it. Stimulus funds that could put thousands to work restoring the building, instead of calling it a "dangerous building, open to the elements and open to trespassers."
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Kimberly Clark Adds High Recycled Content "Scott Naturals" Product Line
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 04.14.09
Scott Naturals. Image credit:KC/Scott.
KC has received plenty of criticism for marketing only toiletries produced with virgin pulp from old-growth forests. Recycled content was low. That has changed, now, on a large scale. The company has just introduced the Scott Naturals line of toiletries (as pictured).
It's a first in this sector to have a full line with relatively high recycled fiber content in all entries. Reuters reports that competitors such as Charmin and Procter & Gamble Co lack multiple product offerings with high recycled content. This could be a transformational debut.
Details and discussion below....
NextWorth Expands BuyBack Service to More Gadgets
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 04.14.09
NextWorth is a gadget buyback program we've had our eye on ever since they offered iPhone owners enough of a value for their old phones that they could upgrade to a 3G. Now, the company has expanded the types of gadgets it'll accept for resell. ...
Could Boston's Big Bike Share Plan Create Kinder, Gentler Drivers?
by April Streeter, Gothenburg, Sweden on 04.14.09
Some say Boston's too cold for bike sharing. Here's Milano's bike share by Luci Ombre Colori @ flickr.
"Riding a bike in Boston traffic requires a fundamental decision: Play it safe or go for broke,"says Boston Globe reporter Tom Matlack in a recent article. Boston is on the verge of implementing a bike-share program to rival the biggies such as Paris' Vélib. Boston's bike advocate Nicole Freedman of Boston Mayor Thomas Menino's office hopes to choose a vendor this June for a program to debut next year with at least 150 stations and 1,500 bikes. Some opponents commenting on the article say bike sharing won't work in Boston's gritty city driving conditions....
Slow Freight: Sail Power Doesn't Need a Cast of Thousands
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 04.14.09
Yesterday our post Slow Freight: Sail Power is Actually Faster Than Containerships Today asked the question: Is it time for a new age of sail?
Commenters noted that the labour requirements for sail were far too high to make it efficient. In response, Kris De Decker of Low-Tech Magazine, who normally "refuses to assume that every problem has a high-tech solution", collected some of the slickest high-tech solutions on the planet.
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Do You Use "Green" Cleaning Products?
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 04.14.09
Grist Tries to Explain its Screw Earth Day Campaign
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 04.14.09
Grist has never been crazy about Earth Day, but this year decided to milk it with a Screw Earth Day campaign. Two years ago David Roberts was complaining about it, noting that it wasn't enough, saying “Yup. The time for "small steps" is long past. It's time for people to wake the hell up.” This year they turned it into a contest.
Now they finally get around to explaining their position:
Screw Earth Day was born from mixed emotions about a day that we purists think doesn’t do enough to get the message across about what individuals can and should be doing to protect the environment. While even the most jaded Grist staffer gets a little excited on Earth Day, as lots and lots of people gather together in communities around the world to do something good for our dearly loved Mother Nature, in the back of our heads we’re thinking, “It’s not about a single day, dude, it’s about living green every day.”...
Updating Nemo Equipment’s GRN Endeavours
by Warren McLaren, Sydney on 04.14.09
Nemo Equipment and their ambition to make green lightweight camping gear, especially tents, first scored a mention back in August 2008. Their recent winning of an Outside Magazine’s 2009 Gear of the Year Award (for the Losi 3P Tent) prompted us to check in on their progress in crafting a recycled tent and bamboo tent poles....
Rescuing Native Communities Craft Through Design: Caranday Quinua
by Paula Alvarado, Buenos Aires on 04.14.09
Photos: Quinua Studio.
As we've shown before with initiatives like Oficina Nomade, design partnerships between studios and native artisans have proved to be a great way to empower local work and materials in small communities. By using their techniques in new, more modern products, artisans gain a new sense of self-esteem while improving their income.
A new project that is doing this in Argentina is Caranday, an initiative by architecture studio Quinua that is rescuing and re-interpreting the tradition of palm-trees-leaves-knitting from the interior of Cordoba province.
Check the interesting products and more about the project in the extended....
Architecture For Humanity UK Completes First New Build Project in London
by Leonora Oppenheim, London, UK on 04.14.09
Images by Nathan Willcock via: AFH UK
A few weeks ago, just in time for Architecture For Humanity's 10th birthday celebrations and before Cameron Sinclair brought his verbal whirlwind to London, AFH's UK chapter rather quietly completed their first major new build project, an accomplishment which we certainly think is worth celebrating in its own right. We announced the FareShare project almost exactly a year ago and now the training centre is in full use by this UK charity, which supports communities to relieve food poverty and reduce food waste. Click through to see inside......
David de Rothschild Sets Sail on Plastic Ship
by Bonnie Alter, London on 04.14.09
Image from the Guardian
In a few weeks David de Rothschild, one of the world's most desirable eco-warriors, will set sail across the Pacific Ocean on a plastic catamaran, called the Plastiki. He will be headed towards the Great Pacific Garbage Patch which is a garbage -covered region of the ocean, several hundred miles wide.
He is doing this, along with a crew of six, to alert the world to this hideous "natural" phenomenon which has been collecting there at least since 1999 and is killing seabirds and fish in the area....
Honda FCX Wins Green Award
by Daniel Kessler, San Francisco, California on 04.13.09
Photo via Honda
Honda's FCX, a hydrogen-fuled fuel-cell car, has won the World Green Car award. The panel said it's "an utterly real, hydrogen-fueled luxury sedan that provides the amenities people expect in a premium car with (more than 280 miles of) range, fuel consumption of about 72 mpg equivalent and zero tailpipe emissions." ...
Recycled, Rigid Board Material for Furniture, Product Design and Architecture: X-Board
by Matt Grigsby of Ecolect.net on 04.13.09
Ever wonder why IKEA furniture is so light? Want to know what’s inside a hollow core door you might find at Lowe’s or Home Depot? In the production process, many manufacturers of inexpensive furniture will add a structural core of paper or fiberboard support. X-Board is a material which is comes in sheet form employing this construction method. It’s composed of recycled honeycomb material which is sandwiched between two layers of thick paper. When the seemingly flexible and flimsy core material is adhered to the paper surfaces, it gives the material structure and incredible rigidity....
How Overfishing Almost Got Capt. Phillips Killed by Pirates
by Brian Merchant, Brooklyn, New York on 04.13.09
Photo via War is Boring
By now, you've surely heard the engrossing story of Captain Richard Phillips, who was taken hostage by pirates off the coast of Somalia, and freed by a swift Navy sharpshooting operation that left three dead. But what you probably haven't heard is that the true root of this crisis isn't bloodthirsty pirates—it's overfishing. ...
Surf’s up for Oceana
by Roberta Cruger, Los Angeles on 04.13.09
Surfer Shaun Tomson and surfing actress Tanna Frederick "Save the Surf" for Oceana.
Ted Danson was nowhere in sight for his baby, Oceana, but his Hollywood colleagues caught a wave for Project S.O.S. (Save Our Surf), an inaugural event on behalf of the ocean conservation org. Jeff Garlin of Curb Your Enthusiasm and 24’s Eric Balfour were among the many showing support for the surf-a-thon and gala last Sunday. Launched by surfing actress Tanna Frederick (Hollywood Dreams) with champion surfer Shaun Tomson, it was a day (and night) at the beach. ...
Refining the Reel Lawnmower: The Brill Razor Cut
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 04.13.09
Mike has extolled the virtues of reel mowers, also called push mowers and cylinder mowers, noting that they are easy to use and fun. Stephanie at the Metro Home Show in Toronto shows off the new Brill Razorcut, that takes it to a whole new level- it is lighter, (17 pounds) it never needs sharpening (special steel blades) and the handle makes it fold up and store really easily.
It is also a lot quieter (yes, reel mowers do make noise) due to "touchless cutting"...
Okay, We Know You Love Polar Bears, But Please NEVER DO WHAT THIS WOMAN DID
by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada on 04.13.09
Installing a Bee Hive: A Nervous Beginners' Experiences
by Sami Grover, Carrboro, NC, USA on 04.13.09
A typical package of bees - Image credit: TheBeeYard
How to Install a Bee Hive: It Really Isn't Scary
I got pretty excited about news that the Obamas were including bee hives in the White House garden. After all, honey bees are one of the most important pollinators for our modern food system (and a great source of, errrm, honey). But many people are still very wary of bees - after all they sting like crazy, right? Well having been preparing for a few weeks now, I finally picked up my first bees over the weekend. I'll be the first to admit that I was more than a little nervous - but those nerves proved unfounded. The experience was a sheer delight and I'd recommend it to anyone. For those who are curious about amateur beekeeping - here's a little account of what was involved in getting started, and a few resources (including a great video) for those tempted to try it. ...
One More Reason Oil Spills Are Bad: Surface Cleanup can Make it Worse for Fish Below
by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada on 04.13.09
Photo: Getty
Out of Sight, Out of Mind, Right?
A study published in Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry points to something pretty shocking: One of the usual methods of cleaning up an oil spill can help save birds and marine animals on the surface of the water, but it makes things worse for life below. The culprits are chemical dispersing agents that are used to make the oil "bead up into tiny droplets that can mix into the water and disperse into deeper layers. Underwater currents can then theoretically dilute the oil and its risk to the environment." ...
Endangered Elephants Are Main Seed Dispersers of Congo's Forest: Study
by Kimberley D. Mok, Montreal, Canada on 04.13.09
Forest elephants in Kenya (Meisjesanne via Flickr)Shy and reclusive, the forest elephants of Congo, Central Africa are being pushed to the brink of extinction by the loss of habitat and illegal poaching for the ivory and bushmeat trades. What may not be apparent is the fact that if the forest elephants disappear - the forests might vanish as well. It’s because indigenous plant species may rely heavily on forest elephants to ensure that their seeds are spread far and wide – and in fact, that’s what a new study of seed dispersal has found - that forest elephants may be responsible for spreading and planting more seeds in the Congo than any other species or genus....
Where Does Obama Stand on Climate Legislation?
by Brian Merchant, Brooklyn, New York on 04.13.09
Photo via Time
Obama's Cap and Trade is Out of the Budget
Okay, so we heard time and again over the course of that campaign a few months back that we'd see some "swift" and "comprehensive" action on climate change. Yet Obama's proposed cap and trade was removed from the version of the budget passed by both the House and Senate—with little to no protest from the president. Now, let's not start panicking yet, since the man's been in office not even three month yet—but as the NY Times points out, there's reason to believe that climate legislation is sliding down Obama's priority list. ...
Cash for Clunkers Debate Continues - Details Needed
by Neil Chambers, New York City on 04.13.09
Photos: Clunker from fitsnew.com, Ford Fusion Hybrid from gogreenpark.com
There are currently four bills in Congress focused on stimulating car sales by allowing people to trade an old car for a new one. There’s been lots of buzz, but not so many details. That's starting to change as people such as Rep. Betty Sutton goes on the offensive for her own proposal .
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Hitler's Electric Car Dilemma
by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada on 04.13.09
Iowa Moves Into Second Place, Behind Texas, In US Wind Power Capacity Race
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 04.13.09
photo: Towle Neu via flickr
Texas still holds its lead in installed wind power capacity, with 7,118 megawatts, but according to the latest industry data, Iowa has edged pass California as the United States' number two wind power:...
3rdWhale's iPhone App for Easy Green Shopping
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 04.13.09
Images via 3rdWhale
A free iPhone app from 3rdWhale is bent on making your shopping trips easier and greener. You can search for the greenest businesses near you so that you know just which stores to patronize. Over 20,000 business listings for over 30 major cities in Canada and the US are already hooked in to the app, with more being listed every day....
Black Rhinos Killed by Dart Guns and Chinese Drugs, All For Their Horns
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 04.13.09
Photo: Peter Burkel via flickr
Considering all the social and economic upheaval in recent years in Zimbabwe, you may not be aware of the immense threat that black rhinos face there. Illegal poaching has gotten so serious that some rhinos there are under round-the-clock armed protection, Discovery News reports: ...
Bringing the Art Out of Managua's Trash Dump Community
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 04.13.09
Rich Countries' Greenhouse Gas Emission Targets Unambitious, UN Official Says
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 04.13.09
photo: Erin Faulkner via flickr
Despite strong talk from the Obama administration on climate change—to be fair just reengaging with the international community on the issue and not being an utter obstruction is a major shift over the policy of the previous administration—the message coming out of the latest talks in Bonn, Germany which concluded last week, isn't all that encouraging:...
Stop Slandering Scooters!
by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada on 04.13.09
Vespa LXV 150, with 4-stroke engine. Photo: Flickr, CC
Do Gasoline Scooters Pollute More than SUVs?
Ex-TreeHugger contributor and Ecogeek-in-chief Hank Green caught a pretty blatant error about how much pollution gas scooters produce. Over at Ecogeek he writes: "I just read an article at the Huffington Post that said scooters pollute more than Hummers. That article cites a US News and World Report blog post which, in turn, cites a Chicago Tribune advice column." Continued below......
Survey Indicates Americans Deluded On Energy Conservation. Are They Really?
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 04.13.09
Can you find the energy Waldo in this picture? Image credit:USGS, oil shale extraction process.
Quoting here from reports of a consumer energy use survey by the Tennessee-based Shelton Group: "...53 percent of Americans think they're using less energy than they were five years ago..." UPI covered the survey story, stating, "In reality, though, U.S. electricity consumption has steadily risen, increasing 10 percent in the last 10 years, according to the Department of Energy." So where is that increase coming from?...
12 Fruits with the Most Pesticides (Slideshow)
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 04.13.09
"Eat organic," you hear, over and over again. But it can be tough to find organic versions of your favorite fruits and vegetables all the time, so, how do you know which are most important to eat organic?
Thanks to the Environmental Working Group, whom we recently named as Best Natural-Health News Website, who've created the Shopper's Guide to Pesticides, we know which fruits are found to have the most pesticides; click through to see which 12 fruits have the heaviest pesticide loads, so you'll know which fruits you should definitely buy organic.
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Bike Commuting Is On the Rise, In Toronto Anyways
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 04.13.09
Interesting data from the last census: during the five year period ending in 2006, bike commuting increased by a dramatic 32%. In some parts of town it is now almost 30% of the commuters. This isn't just a downtown core thing only, but a pretty wide swathe of the city, covering most of the old City of Toronto before amalgamation. ...
Back to the Earth on Earth Day! Urban Homesteading on the Upswing
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 04.13.09
Photo via David Owen
What better way to celebrate the earth on Earth Day than to get back in touch with it through our daily living habits. Over the last few years, we've watch a strengthening trend in urban homesteading - people turning their urban setting back into fertile farms that feed the family. From gardening to keeping livestock, from small scale renewable energy to food preservation skills, folks are turning back to self-sufficiency. ...
Arch Rock Collects Building Energy Use Data Wirelessly
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 04.13.09
Sensor attached to data center rack, and dashboard screenshot. Images via Arch Rock
Life for managers of large buildings just got a little easier. Arch Rock just launched a wireless energy monitoring system. It collects data for energy use in the building, right down to which office room is using the space heater too often, all in real time and without sucking up much energy to run the system. ...
$2.1 Million Given to UCLA Professor for On-Campus Hydrogen Fueling Station
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 04.13.09
photo: Gene Lee via flickr
The oft-touted hydrogen economy may still be a bit over the horizon, but a new $2.1 million grant given to UCLA professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering Vasilios Manousiouthakis will give the university and the general public a glimpse of things possibly to come:...
KPMB Make the Old Work With the New in Denver
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 04.13.09
All photos by Tom Arban
George Bush once said "I don't do nuance" and most big name architects don't either, subtlety not being a virtue among the stars of the profession. This was never true of Kuwabara Payne McKenna Blumberg, who manage to weave their interventions tightly into the existing fabrics of historic buildings and districts. Their new mixed use project in Denver's Lower Downtown Heritage District (LoDo) demonstrates the point, picking up design cues from the neighbouring 1904 Sugar building....
Direct Action Against Whalers Works! Japan's Whale Catch Falls Short of Targets
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 04.13.09
Minke whale photo: René Ehrardt via flickr
Say what you like of Sea Shepherd's tactics, but they are working. And that's not a bit of PR from the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society itself, it comes from the Japanese Fisheries Agency. This year's Antarctic hunt fell well short of its target:...
Eco-Palms NAFTA Outgrowth: Fair-Trade, Sustainable & Spiritual
by George Spyros, New York City, USA on 04.13.09
Brahea berlandieri leaflet, transverse section
Native range: Mexico
Planted 15 JUN 1969, photographed 20 JUN 2006 by Jay W. Horn
Currently alive in Fairchild plot 101B-E-8
Yesterday was Palm Sunday for Eastern Orthodox Christians whom worship under the guidance of the number one eco-leader of faith "the Green Patriarch." We told you about concerns over illegal harvesting and trafficking of Central America palms to Churches for Palm Sunday. On the susty flip side are "eco palms" from the Chamaedorea Palm Certification Project which certifies palms harvested from the forests of Mexico and Guatemala for sale to Christian congregations in the United States and Europe....
Chinese Drywall Update: Mainstream Media Takes Notice
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 04.13.09
corroded two year old air conditioner coil
TreeHugger has been on the Chinese drywall story since it started in Sarasota, (Toxic Drywall Rotting Houses, Sickening Occupants in Florida) when the government and the builders all said it was harmless. We even looked at some of the possible contaminants.
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Book Review: Love God, Heal Earth by Rev. Sally Bingham
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 04.13.09
The Rev. Canon Sally Bingham certainly knows a thing or two about how to connect environmental concern and spirituality. Founding the Interfaith Power and Light campaign a decade ago, which has grown in the past decade to include more than 4000 congregations, mosques and temples across the United States, her work has brought religious communities together, regardless of dogma, to engage both the ethical and practical aspects of climate change.
In her new book Love God, Heal Earth, published by St Lynn's Press, Bingham has collected a great series of inspirational essays from Christian, Jewish, Muslim and Buddhist leaders that address the the moral responsibility we all have to protect the Earth, prevent climate change, and ultimately create a new humanity which acknowledges the interconnectedness of all life: ...
Re-Growth Pod Goes From Concept To Reality
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 04.13.09
Images from 1:1 architects
We previously covered the Re-Growth Pod, the concept of a prefabricated dwelling that can be delivered quickly after a disaster, can in the short term stand alone, and in the longer term, "from little things big things grow." It had the virtue of acting as a fireproof safe room with a two hour rating.
Now it is past the concept stage, as we see the prototype being installed. ...
10 Strange Solar Powered Gadgets
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 04.13.09
Solar powered gadgets are everywhere now, and the ways solar power is incorporated into gizmos is fun to follow. Oh sure we've seen the double-take items like solar bras, and the cooler devices like cell phones. But so many are just down right strange. We've gathered up a handful of the odder solar powered devices that have made their way on to the scene. Click through to check them out. ...
Amory Lovins Was Right. Small Cars Deemed Efficient, Safe
by April Streeter, Gothenburg, Sweden on 04.13.09
Photo of crashed cars via Mr Wabu @ flickr.
Swedish cars have long been cherished for their supposed safety - think of those tank-like Volvos serving as soccer mamas' kidmobiles. And of course, Volvo has delicately played on consumer anxieties and charged a premium for supposed safety - SUV makers, too. Now Swedish insurance carrier Folksam says that modern fuel-sipping economy and eco-cars test just as safely as a 13-year-old "safer" Swedish-made competitor. Small cars have gotten safer in the last 20 years, Folksam shows....
History of Earth Day in a Nutshell
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 04.13.09
For anyone in the green movement under 30 in the US, Earth Day has always just...been. It's existed as a day when you head to the park or zoo with your parents for activities that have to do with recycling, gardening, and saving endangered animals. Or if you're in high school or college, it's the day you go plant trees or participate in a river clean-up and get some extra community service credits. But, how did it start? Really, it's an example of grassroots environmentalism at its best....
Slow Freight: Sail Power is Actually Faster Than Containerships Today
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 04.13.09
Image credit
The always fascinating Low-Tech Magazine notes that the big container ships are taking it very slow these days, cruising at ten knots instead of their usual 26 knots, to save fuel. They point out that this is actually slower than sailing freighters travelled a hundred years ago.
The German Preussen (picture above), the largest sailing ship ever built, was launched in 1902 and travelled mainly between Hamburg (Germany) and Iquique (Chile)....The best average speed over a one way trip was 13.7 knots....
Do You Care About the First Puppy?
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 04.13.09
As Gawker put it, A Nation Sighs as Obama Puppy Crisis Finally Ends. Google News lists 1,406 articles on the subject this weekend. Treehugger declared the puppy green. In other countries like France, what goes on behind the walls of the Palais de l' Elysée is kept private. In Canada I doubt there is anybody outside of their classrooms who can name the Prime Minister's kids. (Benjamin and Rachel). Is this obsession with the private lives of First Families a bit much?
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Sailing For Cause: Marine 'Odd-Ventures'
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 04.13.09
Ice cream stick replica of Viking ship. Image credit:RedOrbit
Sail-World.com recently profiled several transoceanic sailing adventures, designed to draw attention to important causes, including the ocean environment. Use of recycled materials in boat design is a popular theme. I was particularly fond of the ice-cream-sticks-glued-together Viking ship replica (pictured); but, the plastic-bottle catamaran "Plastiki" - named for the legendary Kontiki - also is pretty cool (pictured below)....
How To Get Chicks
by Pablo Paster, San Francisco on 04.13.09
Some of the author's chickens going outside for the first time
Dear Pablo, I am thinking about getting some chickens but I don’t live on a farm. Can you raise chickens in the suburbs without causing trouble in the neighborhood?...Vote Now for Inhabitat's Spring Greening Contest
by Bonnie Alter, London on 04.13.09
All images from Inhabitat
Inhabitat is having a Spring Greening Contest--challenging entrants to clean out their closets and remake some old dusty household item into a found object. The response has been fantastic, with all kinds of creative and innovative designs popping out of...the closet.
Voting ends on Tuesday at midnight, so here is a chance to take a peek at some of the coolest competitors: the top 15 out of more than 100 entrants. As a start: the dog's rain jacket (above) is made out of stripped down, recycled umbrella fabric. More after the fold....
Yale’s Environmental Film Fest opens with Food, Inc.
by Roberta Cruger, Los Angeles on 04.12.09
Festivals screening environmental films are happening year-round from Washington, DC’s Fest in March to Colorado’s in November, UK and Australia offerings, Toronto’s Planet In Focus: Film & Video Festival, Earth Vision in Japan, EcoFilm in Czech Republic, Green Vision in Russia, and Italy’s 12th annual Cinemambiente Environmental Film Festival in Torino. Before school’s out, Yale is hosting its first eco-film fest at its LEED-Platinum Kroon Hall headquarters, April 16-19. ...
Green Puppy in the Obama White House
by Christine Lepisto, Berlin on 04.12.09
Image: Pete Souza -- The White House Photo on WashingtonPost
Political Puppy Pleases
If anyone had any doubts about Obama's abilities to navigate delicate politcal situations and finesse an optimal outcome, these reservations must now be dashed: the White House puppy choice has been announced. Call it a dog decision that required more planning than D-day! And it is a choice intended to satisfy politicos, greens, animal activists, and just about everyone. Read on to learn the hot gossip on the intrigue behind the introduction of the new first dog, see some more photos and for some green pet tips....
This Grass Aint Greener: The Uncertain Fate of the Middle Eastern Lawn
by Jesse Fox, Tel Aviv, Israel on 04.12.09
Photo source: Wikipedia.
In England, where the manicured lawn came into fashion in the 17th century, natural rainfall is generally enough to keep the grass growing all year long. In contemporary America, where lawns cover an area roughly the size of New York State, lawns are hardly ecological: unproductive monocultures, lawns account for more than half of domestic water consumption and require polluting fertilizers, pesticides and lawnmowers.
In recent years, lawns have become fashionable in other parts of the world as well, including the Middle East. However, in this parched region, where water is perennially in short supply, lawns may now be on their way out of style....
Persian Gulf States Go For Plastic Recycling
by Jennifer Hattam, Istanbul, Turkey on 04.12.09
Three new recycling bins at the Fujairah Women’s College in the United Arab Emirates. Photo via Experiencing the Emirates
Plastic recycling is making inroads in Abu Dhabi, where a pilot program in the city of Al Ain that has students collecting and compressing up to 50,000 water bottles a month could be expanded nationwide next year, eventually encompassing up to a fourth of the Gulf state's schools....
The Cleaning Quiz: Which Methods of Cleaning are Healthiest and Most Effective?
by Eric Leech, New York, NY on 04.12.09
Photo via: Evil Erin
Do you think you know how to keep your home clean, while also keeping yourself, your family, and the environment safe while doing it? Let's put your knowledge to the test...
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Mercedes-Benz Retro Electro Roadster Sets New Standards
by Christine Lepisto, Berlin on 04.12.09
Image: E-Mercedes Benz
Retro Electro Roadster Riddle: An Easter Hunt for Adults
This car is exciting, really exciting. Maybe the most exciting electric car of 2009. But it is not the killer retro-modern look that I am praising. Sure, stagecoach meets Formula One achieves a wham-bam-this-is-new-ma'am effect. But there are a lot of mind-boggling concept cars if you just want eye candy.
So why is it so exciting? Not because of its speed 0-60. Nor because of breakthrough technology nor cutting edge power options. But I am not going to just tell you. You will find four clues sprinkled among more photos in the extended. Can you figure it out before the last photo?...
Vespanomics 101 in Costa Mesa
by Josh Peterson, Los Angeles, California on 04.12.09
Photo: Vespa
Piaggio, the parent company of Vespa, held a “scooter salon” in Costa Mesa, California on April 6 in order to publicize the opening of the Piaggo Technical Center. The salon featured scooter rides, a little wine, some chocolate-covered strawberries and a speech by Vespa CEO Paolo Timoni.
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Touting Factory Pig Farming Safe, Really?
by Sara Novak, Columbia, SC on 04.12.09
photo: Seven Trees
In an age where nearly 70 percent of antibiotics produced annually are given to some form of livestock and mass production of livestock has led to widespread animal mistreatment and serious environmental repercussions, it seems flippant to claim that factory farming is done for the safety of consumers....
2009 Recession: Putting Roadkill Back on the Menu
by Eric Leech, New York, NY on 04.12.09
Photo via: Cindy Funk
The L.A. Times recently published a wonderful article on the many lessons that can be found from depression era cooking. While having not fallen far enough yet to compare ourselves to the extreme hard times of The Great Depression, there are some very interesting and important lessons that can be learned from this era...
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Cristalino Jungle Lodge: A Resort ACTUALLY Saving the Rainforest
by Kristin Underwood, Sacramento, CA on 04.12.09
Image via: Alexander Yellen
When you see the Southern Cross for the first time….Actually, when you see the Southern Cross for the first time on a moonlit boat ride through the Amazon after a full days drive across Brazil, you’ll know that you’ve either hit the Jackpot or that you’re on a trip with Team Green Living Project. This spring GLP took their crew down to South America to capture sustainability in action, learn from the stories of the people on the front lines of conservation and prove that something can be done to improve the planet. Brazil, Peru and Ecuador were the target countries for this trip, and I was asked to tag along and over the next few weeks I will be reporting from the front lines. Our first stop was the Cristalino Jungle Reserve in Alta Floresta, Brazil in the Southwestern Amazon. If you want to see the Amazon first hand, if you want to support local communities in their efforts to preserve the rainforest and all of its treasures and you want to keep your footprint barely visible then look no further than the Cristalino Jungle Lodge.
More images and info after the jump....
Organic chocolate baskets and free-range egg hunts
by Roberta Cruger, Los Angeles on 04.12.09
Skip the baskets and raise the organic bar. Photo via: Flickr by Sister72
Whether celebrating Easter, Ishtar or Baisakhi—the Hindu festival of rebirth and renewal—skip the marshmallow peeps, tinfoil-covered chocolate eggs and hallow bunnies. Feast on organic chocolate bars. Pioneers like Green + Black and Dagoba have spawned lots of fellow chocolatiers. And now that Cadbury’s has gone fair-trade and Mars committed to sustainable practices, perhaps fair-trade support of farmers and safety of the cocoa plant will make eating chocolate even more delicious. There is a dizzying array of green chocolate available, so here’s a sampling of many with organic cocoa:
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