- 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 19, 2009 - April 25, 2009
Total this week: 243
Canada Government Whining Over California Transportation Fuel Standards: Stuck In The Tar Sands
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 04.25.09
Canada's Natural Resources Minister, Lisa Raitt. Image credit:Ottawa Citizen
The California Air Resources Board, perhaps unintentionally spring-boarding from their acronym, "the CARB," voted nearly unanimously in favor of a rule to require "low carbon" or "Low-Carb" fossil fuels increasingly be sold in California.
The proposed requirement is based not just on vehicle-emitted CO2. It requires an accounting for a transportation fuel's upstream CO2 burden. Hence, those 'oil majors,' heavily vested in Alberta Tar Sands projects, as well as a builder of pipelines to carry Alberta's carbon burdened oil southward, are singing the Neglected North Blues for California's Governor.
...
Low-Cost Green Household Tips from the Cupboard
by Roberta Cruger, Los Angeles on 04.25.09
Cleaning up with Banksy's graffiti. Photo via Flickr: by Give Peace a Chance
Don’t need any more tips about greening your house, apartment, loft, garage, or tent?
How about easy, cheap ways to fix everything from floors to frying pans and dealing with furballs? Haley’s Hints Green Edition suggests 1,000 unlikely solutions for stuff like removing mud stains with potatoes. With summer coming there are ingenious ideas for the garden, pest control, and camping. Nontoxic and clever, this guide shows lots of ways that items in your cupboard do unexpected tricks.
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NASCAR Goes Green? Not So Much
by Daniel Kessler, San Francisco, California on 04.25.09
Photo via BusinessWeek
Toyota and Lowe’s Motor Speedway will utilize an environmentally friendly Toyota Camry Hybrid as the Coca-Cola 600's pace car. Of course, the other race cars chasing each other around a circle will not be hybrids. ...
AMEE's Future Scenarios Radar
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 04.25.09
Image via dgen
A couple months ago we talked about AMEE - the Avoiding Mass Extinction Engine - which has the goal of giving everything on earth an energy identity. We covered the organization at ETech, along with some scary future scenarios to be avoided by getting our acts together now. The group has come up with an interesting radar graphic, and wants a little feedback....
Climate Change Deniers' Own Scientists Said Global Warming Was Real
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 04.25.09
photo: Jesse Yardly
The New York Times has broken the story that even as far back as 1995, a few years after climate change denier the Global Climate Coalition began lobbying against doing anything about climate change (read: anything that might hurt their backers = industries which will get the short end of the stick as we cut carbon emissions), their own scientific advisors told them that global warming was real:...
Sonoco Packaging And Power Company Share Biomass-Fired Combined Heat & Power Plant
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 04.25.09
Container made from Sonoco cardboard tube segment. Image credit:Art See.
This is as good as industrial ecology gets. On one shared site Hartsville SC gets Sonoco, a maker of high-recycled content cardboard packaging; a new biomass-fired power plant by Peregrine Energy; and, 30 new green jobs. Why is this green? Not only is the fuel not-coal, but Sonoco will be boosting its process efficiency with low-pressure steam from the power plant . Peregrine will build and own the 50-megawatt capacity facility that can power 14,000 homes....
What's New is Old Again: Traditional Food Storage in Earthenware
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 04.25.09
The poster on the wall of Barbara Taylor's booth at the Green Living Show says "What's new is old again"- a phrase I have used to discuss building technologies of a hundred years ago. Barbara is a potter, and makes clay jars that keep mushrooms fresh for a month, and French style butter keepers that keep butter fresh without refrigeration, cooling it by evaporation of water through the unglazed clay.
But most intriguing were her wine cups, which she describes as a "revolutionary old technology" that gives wine a "dramatically smoother flavour." ...
NY Post "Food" Writer Rants Against Local, Organic, and Sustainable
by Sara Novak, Columbia, SC on 04.25.09
In a recent NY Post editorial, Carla Spartos dares the locavore movement to meet her at the middle school flag pole by lashing Michael Pollan, Alice Waters, and Tom Colicchio for being “gourmonsters” hell bent on a bourgeoisie crusade to tell America what to eat, and how to eat it....
Weekend To Do: Vivavi Clearance Sale in NYC
by Jasmin Malik Chua, Jersey City, USA on 04.24.09
Photo credit: Vivavi
Josh Dorfman must be feeling our recession pain. First the blogger/author/business owner/radio host/Sundance Channel star followed up his literary raison d'etre with The Lazy Environmentalist on a Budget: Save Money. Save Time. Save the Planet to put more cash in our pockets, and now the guy is giving away the store—literally.
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Matt & Nat Introduces Samsara, a Collection of Vegan Bags, Accessories With Heart
by Jasmin Malik Chua, Jersey City, USA on 04.24.09
Photo credit: Samsara by Matt & Nat
The best things in life come in pairs, like Ben and Jerry, Chip and Dale, Siegfried and Roy, and Batman and Robin. Another coupling that should never be torn asunder: Matt & Nat, the much buzzed-about Canadian purveyor of luxury vegan goods that will not only be swearing off PVC come fall, but has also upped and popped its very own mini-me, with more-diminutive price tags to match.
The bouncing baby collection has been christened Samsara, which means "rebirth" in Sanskrit and plays off "Sam & Sara," another twosome we could get down with. ...
European Union to Ban Goods that aren't Energy Efficient
by Brian Merchant, Brooklyn, New York on 04.24.09
Photo via DELERI
In a move that could ban the sale products that aren't energy efficient, the EU has agreed to set environmental standards on "energy-related" household goods. Stuff like showerheads and windows will now need to meet an energy efficiency standard in order to be sold or imported to Europe, according to Bloomberg. In other words, soon citizens will have no choice but to buy certain energy efficient products. The initiative is a bid to reduce energy consumption across European countries—and it could help improve energy efficiency 20% by 2020. ...
Joel Makower on Recycling and Industry Responsibility
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 04.24.09
TreeHugger recently covered Joel Makower's article in Mother Jones where he wrote:
Green consumerism, it seems, was one of those well-intended passing fancies, testament to Americans' never-ending quest for simple, quick, and efficient solutions to complex problems.We caught up with him in Toronto at the Green Living Show and followed up with an short interview....
Al Gore Says Climate Change Deniers Are Victims of the 'Bernie Madoffs of Global Warming' (Video)
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 04.24.09
Aquatic Energy to Open Demo-Scale Algae Biofuel Facility in Louisiana
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 04.24.09
Algae paste, photo: Biofuels Digest
Lake Charles, Louisiana-based Aquatic Energy has announced that it is ready to move beyond its initial pilot-scale algae biofuel facility, and will be expanding to an 30-acre demonstration project using the company's open pond system, which is achieving yields on 2500 gallons per acre without an external CO2 source:...
Al Gore Vs Newt Gingrich: Climate Change Showdown
by Brian Merchant, Brooklyn, New York on 04.24.09
Photo via Bloomberg
Earlier today, Al Gore testified before Congress on the importance of passing climate change legislation. He's thrown his support behind the Democrat's climate and energy bill that would include a carbon cap and trade, a national renewable energy standard, and would cut US greenhouse gas emissions by 83% by 2050. But next up to testify is GOP heavyweight and potential 2012 presidential candidate Newt Gingrich—who fervently opposes the bill. ...
Adventures on Earth Day with TreeHugger's Writers (Slideshow)
by Team Treehugger, Worldwide on 04.24.09
TreeHugger loves having voices from all over the globe, especially on big green days like Earth Day, when a bunch of us can chime in and give perspectives from all over the planet. We gathered up a few from earlier this week -- Earth Day and the Green Apple Festival included -- so we could see how we all spent the day designated for Momma Earth. From The Flaming Lips in Washington D.C. to an electric tractor in Oregon, here are some of Team TreeHugger's experiences on Earth Day.
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U2's The Edge Upsets Malibu Neighbors
by Roberta Cruger, Los Angeles on 04.24.09
The Edge considers building a Malibu compound. Photo via Flickr: by U25150’s photostream
It’s not the first time members of U2 have encountered building permit problems. When the band announced erecting U2 Tower, the tallest structure in Dublin, the Irish revolted, with conservationists in an uproar over the demolition of historic buildings in the industrial docklands. Now The Edge is forging ahead with plans for a mini-development of five homes in Malibu, California causing outrage among his neighbors.
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Dangerous Environmental Terrorist/Animal Rights Eco Extremist on FBI's Most Wanted List
by Brian Merchant, Brooklyn, New York on 04.24.09
Photo via Political Warfare
Earlier this week, news broke that for the first time ever, the FBI added a domestic terrorist to its famed international Most Wanted list--the suspect planted nail bombs outside buildings in 2003 to deter animal testing and cruelty. That was big news, sure--but the bigger news seemed to be that this pioneering American offender was an "environmental terrorist." Or an "extreme animal rights activist." Or an "eco-terrorist." Depending on which paragraph of the Wall Street Journal article you read. Point is, all that loaded language effectively lumps together many different hot button terms people associate with the extreme side of the green movement. Is there really no separation between environmentalism and animal rights extremism? Is there an agenda being pushed to corral all such activism into the same category? Or is there just a general confusion about what the green movement actually is?...
Congrats to StreetFilms! 100k Views on their Classic Video: "The Case for Physically Separated Bike Lanes"
by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada on 04.24.09
Fiat Working on Advanced Hybrid Drivetrain for Small Cars
by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada on 04.24.09
Wants to Share this Technology with Chrysler
According to an article in an Italian magazine (via our friends at ABG), Fiat is working on a hybrid drivetrain that could be fitted to its small cars, like the Fiat 500. But even more interesting for us North-Americans, Fiat would apparently be willing to share that hybrid technology with Chrysler, if the deal between them works out....
Milan Furniture Fair Day 3: Are Your Bed's Metal Parts Dangerous to Your Health?
by Mairi Beautyman, Berlin, Germany on 04.24.09
Riletto bed by Kai Stania. Photo courtesy of Team 7.
There's light green and there's dark green--and when it comes to large-scale furniture manufacturers, it's usually the former. Unless we are talking about the award-winning Team 7, which we've gushed about before on TreeHugger. This firm's environmental philosophy goes all the way down to the nuts and bolts. Take the new Riletto bed by Kai Stania that launched this week at Salone Internazionale del Mobile. It's made of sustainable lacquer-free European hardwoods and, like all of Team 7's beds, it doesn't contain a drop of metal--just rather beautiful wooden joints which seem both high-tech and reminiscent of a day long gone by. Why? "We avoid Electromagneticfields (EMFs) with just wood components," says Jacob Strobel, Team 7's head of design. So will EMFs floating out from the nails and metal plates in your bed really fry you while you are sleeping?...
Making PCs Talk in Their Sleep to Save Energy
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 04.24.09
Photo via PhysOrg
A common reason people do not shut down their computers at night is because they want them to be able to access updates, or be accessible by other machines. However, that's a big power waster. A new device might solve the issue, allowing PCs to talk in their sleep. ...
Book Review: Mom, Will This Chicken Give Me Man Boobs?
by Naturally Savvy on 04.24.09
Book cover courtesy of Greystone Books. Photo by Ville Miettinen/Flickr.com.
I have to admit, I was drawn in by the title. But I would challenge you to find me one person who wouldn't want a closer look at a book titled: Mom, Will This Chicken Give Me Man Boobs?
So I flipped the book open, read the first page, and I was hooked....
Cricket Gives Out Free Shipping Labels for Easy Phone Recycling
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 04.24.09
Cricket, a wireless voice and broadband Internet service provider, points to the fact that Americans toss about 130 million cell phones a year, totaling about 65,000 tons of waste annually, and yet only about 5% of that is recycled. So they're hoping to make it easier to recycle, and therefore boost those rates by offering printable pre-paid postage for sending in your old cell phone for recycling. ...
Mazda Delivers Hydrogen-Powered RX-8 RE to Norway
by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada on 04.24.09
Could That Guy Look Any Less Excited to be Getting a Hydrogen Car?
Mazda has delivered the second hydrogen RX8, but the first one to have Norwegian-specs, to the Norwegian government. 29 others are to follow and will be used in HyNor, a government-backed national hydrogen project. This particular hydrogen RX8 RE will in ceremonies and media events on May 11th when the country's hydrogen refueling stations officially open. Read on for more details on HyNor and Mazda's hydrogen RX8 RE....
Un-TreeHugger: Zebrawood iPhone Case
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 04.24.09
Image via Etsy
We love to support craftsmanship and products that last forever, but not when they're made from a threatened species of tree, and are pretty much pointless. ...
Espresso Book Machine Prints a Book Faster Than You Can Make A Cup of Coffee
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 04.24.09
Photo via Daily Mail
The trend right now for books may be taking us towards e-readers and paper-like versions of our old best friends. But there's a Kindle rival that aims to keep books around after most people switch to digital. The Espresso Book machine prints, slices, binds and spits out a copy of a book on demand. ...
Honda Changes Its Mind, Will Invest More Into Advanced Hybrids
by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada on 04.24.09
Only Fools Never Change Their Minds
Honda is one of the pioneers when it comes to hybrid cars. The original Insight (not to be confused with the new 100% redesigned Insight hybrid) would still hold the hybrid car MPG record if it was still in production, and hypermilers have been getting averages of over 120 MPG with it. But until recently, Honda seemed to think that hybrids were just a "short-term technology bridge" between the past and whatever would come next ("any day now!"). When it turned out that things were moving slower than the engineers at Honda expected, a change of strategy became necessary......
India Looks to Expand Aquaculture With $123 Million Investment
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 04.24.09
photo: NFDB
Aquaculture just got a big boost in India. The National Fisheries Development Board is investing some $123 million in the expansion of intensive raising of fish in freshwater ponds and tanks. The goal is to optimize fish yields from about 2.41 million hectares of fresh water:...
Cosentino Launches New ECO-Friendly Countertop
by Neil Chambers, New York City on 04.24.09
Images from ECObyCosentino
Cosentino, one of the world’s largest natural stone importers, announces the launch of ECO™, a new line of countertops. The material is composed of 75% recycled-content including mirrors salvaged from houses, building and factories; glass from windows and bottles; granulated glass from consumer recycling practices; porcelain from china, tiles, sinks, toilets and decorative elements; and industrial furnace residuals from factories in the form of crystallized ashes.
...
Go Meatless On Monday: Even Just One Day a Week Makes a Difference (Video)
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 04.24.09
Fight for Climate is Like Civil Rights: Gore in Today's Capitol Hill Debate
by Alex Pasternack, New York, NY on 04.24.09
Watch now on CSPAN.
The debate over the cap-and-trade climate bill before the House is getting some star power today: Former Vice President Al Gore & former House Speaker Newt Gingrich (R) will be questioned today about the legislation before the House Energy Subcommittee.
Gore began his comments by comparing the effort on climate change to the civil rights legislation of the 1960s. “I believe this legislation has the moral significance equivalent to that of the civil rights legislation of the 1960s and the Marshall Plan of the late 1940s.” We need, he said, to "restore America's leadership" by answering the "moral imperative" of climate change mitigation through cap-and-trade, smart grid development and research on carbon capture technologies, alongside job protection for those in conventional energy industries.
Next up was former Republican Senator John Warner from Virginia, who seemed to be calling for more stringent policy than that being discussed....
How to Grow Shiitake Mushrooms
by Sami Grover, Carrboro, NC, USA on 04.24.09
OK, not the greatest picture - but man was it a tasty mushroom!
Growing Shiitake on Oak Logs
I've confessed before that I am a little obsessed with mushrooms - from growing oyster mushrooms in coffee grounds, to learning about edible wild mushrooms. (I'm still too nervous to eat them though!) Yesterday I finally got a reward for one of my more long term mushroom projects - growing shitake on oak logs. It's way easier than you might think.
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Bicycle Library
by greenz.jp, Tokyo, Japan on 04.24.09
Photo: greenz.jp
Here at Treehugger, we sometimes forget the simple approach to change. We file away stories about corporations and governments and the UN doing this and that. But often, the local impact is what matters the most. How about the bicycle library, a truly small scale project, initiated by Mr Doi. And his bike. And a few books. It doesn't get more personal, as he travels around this country....
Jennifer Aniston's Eco-Makeover, Kelly Ripa's Green Kids, and More
by Terri MacLeod on 04.24.09
Photo via e-how
Jennifer Aniston often gets mocked by the eco-crowd for her light green pledge to make a difference by taking three-minute showers, which include a teeth-brushing. Now, she’s getting serious and stepping up her green game by spending $15 million on an eco-makeover for her Beverly Hills mansion. As part of her green renovations, she will add solar panels, a reflective metal roof to conserve energy – plus her garden will include drought-resistant plants. The cash-heavy star reveals, “When you become aware of all the things you do, and all the effects those things have, you want to make small changes." Thanks: Green Daily
...
Tea Time: Health Care for a Work Force
by Kelly Rossiter, Toronto on 04.24.09
Photo credits: Kelly Rossiter
In my last post about my trip to Kenya to visit the Lipton Tea plantation, I talked about the benefits to the workers of the education of their children, and how the treatment of workers is one of the cornerstones of certification from the Rainforest Alliance. The other huge benefit that the workers receive from Lipton is their health care. As a Canadian, I have universal health care and yes, sometimes there are problems with the system, but I know that if I am sick, I will be taken care of without any cost to me or my family. What that means in real terms is that I don't wait to seek treatment until my symptoms are so bad that I am in significant pain, or perhaps beyond reasonable care, as many people who must pay a fee will do....
California Low Carbon Fuel Standard Could Effectively Ban Corn Ethanol
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 04.24.09
photo: Jeffrey Beall
By a 9-1 vote the California Air Resources Board has voted in support of the Low Carbon Fuel Standard. What's more, the standard includes a penalty for the carbon emissions caused by indirect land use changes associated with the production of biofuels. When the regulations take effect in 2011 this is what will be mandated:...
Apple Going With OLED in New Notebooks?
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 04.24.09
Photo via SOCIALisBETTER
Word on the street is that Apple is looking at getting 15" OLED displays from LG to use in its new notebooks due out in June. Apple is barreling on to be the greenest in the land, so this announcement isn't too surprising considering OLEDS are the next big thing in energy efficient display technology. June seems awfully soon to be getting 15" OLEDs into notebooks, however. ...
EEStor Makes Tiny Announcement About Big Achievement
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 04.24.09
A dielectric permittivity spectrum over a wide range of frequencies. A little confusing, right? Maybe that's why EEStor still doesn't have a product announcement... Image via Kenneth A. Mauritz via wikipedia
EEStor is a bit of a specter in the energy storage industry - we can always feel its presence, yet we can't see it. That's still the case, though the company has made an announcement that they've achieved some really impressive storage results....
Staying Ahead in Green Business: What Makes You Special?
by Jerry Stifelman, The Change, Chapel Hill, NC on 04.24.09
Image credits: Denbompa and MedicMedia
Selling Green Products vs Selling YOUR Green Products
On the TV show, "Mad Men," ad man Don Draper saves Lucky Strike cigarette account by ignoring research about cigarettes causing disease (he literally throws it in the trash) and instead playing up the brand's "Toasted Tobacco" flavor. But wait, what does this have to do with green branding? ...
Quote of the Day: J. Sterling Morton on Arbor Day
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 04.24.09
It is Arbor Day today in much of the USA. Nebraska journalist Sterling Morton advocated tree planting to keep soil in place, act as windbreaks and provide fuel and building materials. In 1872 he promoted a tree planing holiday; in 1874 it was proclaimed by the Governor of Nebraska and Morton's birthday, April 22, was selected as the day of observance. Now it is celebrated in most states on the last Friday in April (it varies according to climate) and has pretty much been overshadowed by Earth Day, which has also co-opted the April 22 date. So go out and plant a tree and remember Sterling Morton's words:
Each generation takes the earth as trustees.See also: Today is National Arbor Day!...
Are Reusable Shopping Bags Becoming a Blight?
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 04.24.09
I am off to the Green Living Show, where no doubt I will be given another pile of reusable shopping bags. Jaymi asks: "Raise you hand if you have as many reusable bags coming out your ears as you did plastic bags a few years ago."
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Israeli Cyclists Pump Up The Earth Day Voltage With Pedal Powered Concert
by Karin Kloosterman, Tel Aviv on 04.24.09
National Beanpole Week is Good for the Environment
by Bonnie Alter, London on 04.24.09
Image from coppiceapprentice.org.uk
It's National Beanpole Week and after you roll your eyes in wonder, stick with this for a moment. You will discover another unknown and cherished aspect of English culture and its love of the land.
Coppicing is the traditional form of small forest management. Tree stumps are cut down to ground level. New shoots and suckers grow out from them while the root system is untouched . The new growth can grow to more than 2 metres long. The underlying habitat is a haven for mice, birds and bugs and the shoots are harvested for...beanpoles. ...
Obama's Earth Day Push for Renewable Energy
by Brian Merchant, Brooklyn, New York on 04.23.09
Photo via NY Times
Obama spent Earth Day in Newton, Iowa for a reason: to make an example of the transformative power of renewable energy. According to the NY Times, Newton was a town run by Maytag. Since Maytag has gone, and left a depressed economy there in its wake, hope for new jobs lay in newly opened wind turbine manufacturing plants. Obama was there to point out the "win-win" situation that he hopes will save both the economy and the environment....
Republicans' Climate Change Confusion is Good News for Earth
by Brian Merchant, Brooklyn, New York on 04.23.09
Photo via CNN
John McCain believes we have to fight climate change, but not with Obama's cap and trade. Senate Minority Leader John Boehner thinks the idea that carbon dioxide is causing global warming is "comical". Sarah Palin, who once said that climate change isn't caused by man, now believes it's hurting Alaska and wants to drill for natural gas. RNC leader Michael Steele is a flat out climate change denier.
The biggest climate and energy bill ever to hit Congress is now taking center stage--and the GOP seems entirely unsure of how best to address global warming....
Heart of Green Awards Honor Famous (and Not-So-Famous) Environmentalists
by Blythe Copeland, Great Neck, New York on 04.23.09
Logo via The Daily Green
We know a few things about honoring the people, organizations, and companies that are at the top of their game when it comes to spreading the green message (see our Best of Green package for details). But we always like to see where our peers stand, too—and tonight The Daily Green offers up its own favorites in categories from Eco-Original to Ground Breaker. And, okay: we were pretty thrilled to see our sister site, Planet Green, receive the Influencer Award for its television programming....
Why is Eco Fashion So Expensive?
by Jasmin Malik Chua, Jersey City, USA on 04.23.09
Photo credit: Getty Images
It's a question I've been asked more times than I care to count--even if I could count that high: Why is most eco fashion so effing expensive? So, prompted by an excellent story on EcoSalon.com on the why and wherefores of costly green duds, I figured it was time to finally put the matter to bed (and a PBDE-free one at that).
1. Time and effort is money
It may seem counterintuitive that sustainable crops such as organic cotton, free from the trappings of GMO, chemical pesticides, and synthetic fertilizers, would actually cost more to grow, but the truth of the matter is that these toxic shortcuts are precisely what enables farmers to keep their costs down. Harvesting organic cotton is also more labor intensive because it's done without the use of chemical defoliation aids.
...
President Obama's Guide to Going Green
by Brian Merchant, Brooklyn, New York on 04.23.09
Photo via the Telegraph
Obama issued an Earth Day proclamation yesterday, which sounded a call for protecting the environment, developing renewable energy, and creating measures to fight climate change. According to his statement, "no issue deserves more immediate attention than global warming." But Obama didn't stop there--he also went on to include a list of practical advice American citizens can follow to green their lives. Here, organized into a list of actionable tips, is Obama's guide to going green--in the words of the president himself....
New York State to Investigate Offshore Wind Farms in Great Lakes
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 04.23.09
photo: Matt via flickr
Michigan has on more than one occasion touted the untapped wind power resource of the Great Lakes, and now New York is getting in on the act as well. On New York Power Authority announced a Request for Expressions of Interest for development of offshore wind power projects in Lake Erie and Lake Ontario:...
Bill McKibben on Why Cap-and-Dividend is the Best Approach to Setting a Price on Carbon
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 04.23.09
photo: BillMcKibben.com
Yale Environment 360 is running a new interview with Bill McKibben on why he's no focused full time on organizing a citizen's movement around climate change which is interesting in the whole (as McKibben's thoughts most often are), but the really poignant thing in it is why he thinks a cap-and-dividend approach to setting a price on carbon is the right way to go:...
No One Will Know Except You.
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 04.23.09
Franke James is an author, artist, photographer and writer who has been on TreeHugger and Planet Green before with her illustrated essays like MySUV and Me Say Goodbye. They were recently published in her book Bothered By My Green Conscience, where the printer made a mistake and didn't print the inside covers red. (Which frankly is probably a good thing evironmentally, it saves a lot of ink) The printer said sorry, but said "no one will know except you." That got Franke thinking. ...
Jurlique Is a Science of Natural Beauty
by Kara DiCamillo, Newport, Rhode Island on 04.23.09
Photo courtesy of Jurlique.
We are all familiar with the words “organic” ingredients and “all natural” ingredients when referring to beauty products, but it’s very rare to see “biodynamic” in the mix. But that’s exactly what Australian company, Jurlique, focuses on: biodynamic beauty that delivers dynamic results.
For over 20 years, Jurlique has been a pioneer in the “farm to bottle” process – growing, processing and formulating pure, potent extracts directly from their own self-sustaining biodynamic farm in South Australia. From herbs to flowers, we found that Jurlique’s targeted skincare products restored and rebalanced our skin effortlessly....
Best of Green: Best in Show -- Vote for Your Favorites
by Team Treehugger, Worldwide on 04.23.09
TreeHugger’s inaugural Best of Green awards have been an amazing, inspiring way to celebrate Earth Month, and, now that we’ve celebrated Earth Day with all the winners, it’s time to pick the “Best in Show” for the Best of Green.
After narrowing the field from the entire world of green down to our favorites -- over 175 winners, all told -- we need your help to pick an ultimate winner. Now that your votes have been cast to pick your favorites in each category, those category winners are going head to head to determine who will win the “Best in Show” for this year’s Best of Green awards. See who came out on top before heading to Planet Green to cast your votes.
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Quote Of The Year: "We may not need any (new nuclear or coal plants), ever..."
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 04.23.09
Portrait of Jon Wellinghoff. Image credit:FERC
Scientific American presents some provocative and wonderful insights from the Chairman of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Jon Wellinghoff.
He thinks it may be possible that no additional nuclear or coal plants will needed in the United States.
"We may not need any, ever," Jon Wellinghoff told reporters at a U.S. Energy Association forum.
Even if he were only half-correct in this assertion, it would be a delight.
Stretch goals; and, optimism about the climate future: more like that please!
Catch some of Mr. Wellinghoff's rationale below....
Sustainable Agriculture Leaders Recognized By Natural Resources Defense Council's Growing Green Awards
by Jeff Nield, Vancouver, British Columbia on 04.23.09
Chef Ann Cooper by Craig Lee via The Chronicle
After years of toiling in relative obscurity, leaders in the sustainable agriculture community are being recognized for their efforts. The latest national group offering food system awards is the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC). Vying for the First Annual Growing Green Awards are nine nominees in three categories, some of whom are already national figures and others whose hard work is just being recognized nationally. And the nominees are......
Old Car Scrappage Incentive Scheme Announced in UK
by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada on 04.23.09
Photo: Flickr, CC
10 Years Old and Older Cars = £2,000
UK Chancellor of the Exchequer Alistair Darling announced in a budget statement that the UK will start an incentive scheme to encourage people with vehicles older than 10 years to scrap them. "Average new car CO2 emissions in the UK have dropped 16% over the last ten years. The number of cars in the UK vehicle parc over ten years old to the end of 2008 is 9,528,582 and the number of light commercial vehicles is 993,731." Older vehicles also tend to have worse smog-forming emissions, partly because the regulations weren't as strict a decade ago, and partly because pollution controls can fail with time....
Indigenous People's Climate Change Summit Giving "Unified Voice"
by Kimberley D. Mok, Montreal, Canada on 04.23.09
Aboriginal rangers assessing sea rise level damage in Kowanyama, Australia (Photo: Citt Williams) In anticipation of December’s Convention on Climate Change in Copenhagen, over 500 delegates from 80 countries gathered at this week’s Indigenous Peoples Global Summit on Climate Change have declared that indigenous rights must be included in future global agreements on climate change. Hosted by the Inuit Circumpolar Council and sponsored by the United Nations, the five-day conference is being held in Anchorage, Alaska. The goal is to give a stronger political voice to indigenous peoples on climate change issues, in addition to sharing traditional knowledge and adaptive techniques. ...
"The Largest Assault on Democracy and Freedom in this Country": Rep. Shimkus on Cap-and-Trade
by Alex Pasternack, New York, NY on 04.23.09
When it comes to talking about climate change and the costs of fighting it, not all Republicans find it easy being green. Yesterday's opening of hearings on the draft bill on climate change before the House included this grandstanding gem from Rep. John Shimkus (R-Ill.): This is the largest assault on democracy and freedom in this country that I’ve ever experienced. I’ve lived through some tough times in Congress. We’ve seen two wars, terrorist attacks. I fear this more than all of the above.We've heard of the risks of climate change hype and fear-mongering, but this takes it in a whole new direction. The House's biggest emitter of tragicomic relief had other, ahem, compelling points to make too....
This Needs More Attention: Making Streets Safe for Seniors
by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada on 04.23.09
MIcrosoft Cutting Social Responsibility PR Budget
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 04.23.09
Bill Gates spreads malaria-fighting message by releasing mosquitoes at TED Conference Via:TED, excerpted still from video.
Three cheers for Microsoft. They are cutting their corporate social responsibility (CSR) public relations ("PR") budget, which means one less source of potential green-wash to be on guard against. We need action, not press releases and adobe downloads. Anyway, Bill Gates can show the PR Dept. a more cost-effective way to get a "buzz" going (as pictured). PRWeek has the goods....
Microbe-Powered 'Fart' Machine Could Help Store Wind and Solar Energy (For Real!)
by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada on 04.23.09
Photo: Bruce Logan, Pennsylvania State University
It Smells in Here... Who Shocked the Microbes?
Using microbes to generate energy, or convert it from one form to another, has a long history. We've written about it many times... But this one is different. It could actually help store the energy produced by clean sources that have the downside of being intermittent, basically taking the electricity and turning it into more easily stored methane. Read on to find out how this 'fart machine' works....
Cisco Puts out Urban EcoMap of San Francisco, Asks For Your Feedback
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 04.23.09
Yesterday on Earth Day, Cisco and San Francisco unveiled Urban EcoMap, a tool that works to educate people on the importance of living sustainably within cities. It's a pilot project that began back in the fall of 2008, and gathers data for various elements of the city, from GHG emissions to waste management. It tells residents exactly how green their city is. The project is still undergoing tweaks and Cisco wants your feedback. Click through to watch a video demo and find out how you can put in your two cents. ...
Grist Screws Earth Day, Jonathon Porritt Blogs UK Budget, MNN Goes to the Carnival, and More
by Leonora Oppenheim, London, UK on 04.23.09
Grist: We screwed Earth Day—get over it by Grist
"Another Earth Day has come and gone... What now? Well, if you’ve been hanging around Grist lately, you would know that that’s the question we’ve been asking all along. What now? What happens the day after Earth Day? How do we extend our green commitment all year long?"...
Summer Rayne Oakes and Payless Launch Zoe & Zac, the First Affordable Green Footwear Line
by Jasmin Malik Chua, Jersey City, USA on 04.23.09
Photo credit: Payless
TreeHugger's favorite eco-model/author, the bodacious Summer Rayne Oakes, is helping Payless Shoes make strides with a new sustainably stylish collection of shoes and accessories. Zoe & Zac, which is available in 1,000 Payless stores nationwide and at Payless.com, is a bona fide shoe-off of eco-friendly materials, including organic cotton, linen, hemp, jute, recycled rubber, and water-based glues. And pocketbook-weary recessionistas can rejoice; nothing costs over $30.
Packaged in 100 percent recycled boxes printed with soy inks, the affordable, ultra-cazh kicks for women and girls—fret not, gents, a men's line is in the works—will take an "invisibly green," fashion-first tack with seasonally fresh updates that reflect the hottest trends in terms of silhouettes, colors, and detailing. Translation: You can get your Birkenstocks somewhere else, you dirty hippies....
Venezuelan Oil Company, CITGO, Donates Island Nature Preserve To New Jersey
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 04.23.09
Petty's Island New Jersey, aerial view with blue overlay indicating wetlands and environmental sensitive areas (provided by NJDEP). Image credit:Pennsauken Green/Photobucket.
Where was the Fox News crew when hands were shaken over this deal?
Via:YahooNews/AFP we see that "Venezuela's oil company CITGO marked Earth Day Wednesday by formally donating an island it owns to the US state of New Jersey for a nature preserve..Petty Island, which is 214 hectares (528 acres) in the Delaware River not far from Philadelphia, was bought by Venezuela's state oil giant PDVSA in 1990."...
Number of the Day: 9% of the World's Fresh Water
by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada on 04.23.09
Photo: Flickr, CC
9% -- The average withdrawal of fresh water by humans around the globe. This breaks down to 8.4% in North-America, 18.1% in Asia, 6.4% in Europe, 2% in Latin America, and 5.6% in Africa, according to the UN World Water Development Report from 2000.
1,664 -- That's how many cubic meters of water that the average North-American uses in a year, the highest amount per person in the world by far. In second place is Asia with 644 cubic meters. The world average is 626 cubic meters of water per person/year....
How Stuff Works Does Green Building
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 04.23.09
Our Discovery Network sister site How Stuff Works does one of their thorough analyses on How Green Building Works, trying to answer the question:
"Green building" and "sustainable development" are the hottest terms in construction right now, but what do they mean, exactly?It's a real challenge, because nobody has come up with a satisfactory answer yet. But they do cover green building materials and more ways to go green. There are no perfect answers and so much of this is new and hasn't stood the test of time, but here are some more ideas to throw into their wonderful resource: ...
Obama Promotes Wind Power on Earth Day (Video)
by George Spyros, New York City, USA on 04.23.09
Dirty Clean Coal Lobby Gave $240,000 to Obama Presidential Campaign
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 04.23.09
Let's hope Obama's clean coal position has been compromised. Photo: Steve Rhodes
Undoubtedly you've seen plenty of pro-clean coal ads running on TV in the past year. But you may not be aware of the behind the scenes lobbying activity and campaign contributions of those ads' backers, the American Coalition for Clean Coal Electricity. The Center for Public Integrity is running a good piece which details the history of ACCCE and how in 2008 they liberally funded both Democrats and Republicans, including both John McCain and Barack Obama:...
Incredible Panorama of a Street in Detroit
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 04.23.09
Every time I write about Detroit, its promise and its great architecture that should be saved, people who live there post comments suggesting that I don't know what I am talking about. JDG at Sweet Juniper, a website written by " just two more people raising their kids in the most dangerous city in America" stitches together a panorama of both sides of a single street in Detroit that perhaps proves they are right....
moe. on Green Touring: "Start Small and Spread the Word..." (Video)
by Alex Pasternack, New York, NY on 04.23.09
Nau Offers 20% Discount for TreeHugger Readers
by Kara DiCamillo, Newport, Rhode Island on 04.23.09
What can we say, we love Nau. And as our longtime readers know, we’ve been following the company through their launch, closing, and re-launch. Based in Portland, OR, Nau is a technical and lifestyle outdoor apparel company. They are dedicated to making unique, stylish and highly functional clothing in the most environmentally and socially responsible manner possible. After their re-launch, Nau is once again committed to their “Business Unusual,” philosophy, which is “the power of business as a force for positive change, and seeking to balance the triple bottom line: people, planet, and profit.” ...
Could Food Shortages Bring Down Civilization?
by Lester Brown, Washington, D.C on 04.23.09
an empty plate is a sad plate. Image credit:flickr,Masala Cha's photostream, excerpted.
In the May issue of Scientific American I discuss how food shortages could be the weak link that brings down civilization. For many years at Earth Policy Institute and before I have studied global agricultural, population, environmental, and economic trends and their interactions. Although I long resisted the idea that food shortages could bring down not only individual governments but also our global civilization, I can no longer ignore that risk.
...
New Website Lets Green Geeks Say No to New Gadgets
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 04.23.09
Finally, a website that sums up the connection between being a gadget geek, and being green. A new websites called Last Year's Model provides a resource for geeks to say why they're saying, "No!" to the newest models of gadgets....
Sustainable Construction – one of the main themes at the 30th Construmat in Spain
by Petz Scholtus, Barcelona, Spain on 04.23.09
Construmat, one of the biggest construction trade fairs in Europe, held this week in Barcelona, Spain, has chosen sustainable construction as one of the main remedies to successfully tackle the crisis in the sector this year, as well as other challenges of the future....
First Renewable Diesel Fuel (Not Biodiesel...) Approved for Sale in United States
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 04.23.09
Amyris' renewable diesel can be distributed through the existing petro-diesel infrastructure. Photo: ThreadedThoughts via flickr.
Amyris Biotechnologies has announced that their renewable diesel (not biodiesel, more on that below...) has been approved and registered for commercial sale by the EPA. Intended to be blended in with petroleum-based diesel, this is the first time a hydrocarbon-base fuel made from plant-derived resources has been approved for sale:...
Southern Californians, You Too Can Get Online Solar Power Cost Quotes
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 04.23.09
photo: Sungevity
If you live in California, getting a quote on how much it will cost to install solar power for your home really doesn't get much easier than this... Give Sungevity your home address and an email address and just sit back:...
TH EXCLUSIVE: Amazing Newtown Pippin Apple, New York's Heirloom Hero (Video)
by George Spyros, New York City, USA on 04.23.09
World's Major Rivers Are Drying Up
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 04.23.09
Photo via Jaymi Heimbuch
Major rivers around the world are drying up due to climate change, according to US National Center for Atmospheric Research, which has released a study showing that a third of the world's biggest and most vital rivers have suffered significant changes over the last half century. And the study is pinning it on climate change. ...
Quote of the Day: Joel Makower on Green Consumerism
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 04.23.09
Writing in Mother Jones, Joel Makower waves the white flag.
Green consumerism, it seems, was one of those well-intended passing fancies, testament to Americans' never-ending quest for simple, quick, and efficient solutions to complex problems. It's only a matter of time before...the public recognizes that for every pound of trash that ends up in municipal landfills, at least 40 more pounds are created upstream by industrial processes—and that a lot of this waste is far more dangerous to environmental and human health than our newspapers and grass clippings. At that point, the locus of concern could shift away from beverage containers, grocery bags, and the other mundane leftovers of daily life to what happens behind the scenes—the production, crating, storing, and shipping of the goods we buy and use....
Matthew Modine on Why BMXing Can Be Subversive & Bicycle For a Day's Trojan Horse
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 04.23.09
photo: Matthew McDermott
Among the other green advocates at yesterday's Earth Day festivities in Times Square, Matthew Modine made an appearance. You may be more familiar with his films, but he's also the founder of Bicycle For a Day and an enthusiastic cyclist. I had a chance to ask Modine if he had any tips for NYC residents who might be afraid of setting out on the Big Apple's crowded and often chaotic streets, as well as what's we might see this year from BFAD: ...
Can The Environmental Divide Be Healed? Whatever Happened to Civil Discourse?
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 04.23.09
When Jasmin wrote her post No Kidding, One in Three Children Fear Earth Apocalypse it got picked up by the Drudge Report and we got deluged with over 200 comments calling us envirowacko commies who brainwash children. Then we cover Rush Limbaugh's Earth Day celebrations and are calling them wingnut teabaggers.
Can the political divide be repaired, the quality of civil discourse improved, or as Jack Nicholson said in Mars Attacks, "Why can't we all just get along?" I don't have good answers for the survey, so I hope you leave them in comments.
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Honeybee Research Gets Vital Boost
by Sami Grover, Carrboro, NC, USA on 04.23.09
UK Government Announces Grants for Pollinator Research
Despite Haagen Dazs' Help the Honeybees campaign, despite Burt's Bees efforts to save the bees, despite the fact that Barack Obama has become a beekeeper - honeybees are still in trouble. Even the fact that yours truly has made some amateurish attempts at installing a bee hive has failed to stem concerns about Colony Collapse Disorder - a mysterious phenomenon where whole colonies are simply disappearing. Now, according to The Guardian, the UK government is stepping up to the plate with a substantial offer of assistance for honeybee research - and let's not forget that there is plenty we can do ourselves to help the bees too:...
Inhabitat Bloggers for Booty
by Bonnie Alter, London on 04.23.09
All images from Inhabitat
Inhabitat is having a bloggers contest to spread the world on the beauty of the booty on their on-line shop. Besides writing about great design items, they also sell them and here's your chance to win your favourite one.
Write a review about anything in the Inhabitatshop, including the clothes and jewellery. The blogger (or facebooker, or twitterer) who sends the most traffic to the Inhabitatshop will win the very item they chose to write about. How cool is that and what a choice...
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Use Left-Over Wool as Packaging Material
by Bonnie Alter, London on 04.23.09
Image from Woolcool
It was one of those moments of inspiration: farmers were complaining about their surplus wool to a woman who was interested in developing ethical packaging methods. She thought "If you can use wool to insulate a loft, why not to keep food cool?" And a new concept, and company was born: Woolcool.
Developed by Angela Morris, Woolcool is a a range of boxes using recycled, recyclable cardboard with pads of sheeps' wool insulation lining. The plastic lining is recyclable and the sheared wool is compostable. How simple is that....
Filmmaker Gives a FRESH Take on Sustainable Agriculture
by April Streeter, Gothenburg, Sweden on 04.23.09
Milan Furniture Fair Day 2: Glowing Inflatable Furniture Made of Recycled Materials
by Mairi Beautyman, Berlin, Germany on 04.23.09
Photo: via Meritalia
Inflatable furniture, venues, and decorative elements--leagues ahead of that blow-up bed you once spent a terrible night sleep on--seem to be a hot trend for 2009 in Milan, and thanks to how light and easy to ship it is, it comes with a slashed carbon footprint. Glowing inflatable furniture made of recycled materials topped my second day tackling Salone Internazionale del Mobile. While browsing through some of the downtown showrooms participating in the design festivities, I came across Via Lattea, a luminescent air-filled line by Mario Bellini for Meritalia. Find more after the jump, and check out the sofa made out of Veuve Cliquot Champagne Boxes in Milan Furniture Fair Day 1 and our green product preview slideshow....
Israelis Go For Falafel Power at Earth Day Celebrations to "Bio" Fuel Concert
by Karin Kloosterman, Tel Aviv on 04.23.09
(Some human pedal power mixed with falafel oil to power up Balkan Beat Box tonight)
This year Israel was caught with its pants down and instead of participating in Earth Hour, which Tel Aviv did so terrifically last year, the country was busy watching an "important" soccer match between Israel and Greece instead. Making good on Earth Day this year tonight Israelis will celebrate with an hour of lights out in cities throughout the country.
The most fun will be a free used falafel oil powered concert, along with some human pedal action, tonight at Rabin Square in Tel Aviv.
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Project Earth Day Eco Fashion Show - APRIL 23RD - 6PM (Video)
by George Spyros, New York City, USA on 04.22.09
Discover How Rickshaw Bagworks' Zero Messenger Bag Produces Zero Waste
by Jasmin Malik Chua, Jersey City, USA on 04.22.09
Photo credit: Rickshaw Bagworks
Less is definitely more for Rickshaw Bagworks' Zero messenger bag. Its minimalist angle? The bag is crafted in San Francisco from four rectangles of fabric and produces zero manufacturing waste, the happy result of optimal fabric cuts and some legerdemain with leftover scraps—OK, that last part is a bit of a cheat, but it does the trick. (Watch the video below the fold to learn how it's done.)
Available in small, medium, and large sizes, the Zero is made in its entirety from domestically sourced Codura nylon, which facilitates recycling at the end of the bag's life. To coordinate with your rock 'n roll lifestyle, the messenger comes in a bevy of colors and contrasting trims, from wallflower (black/black, chocolate/clay, flannel/celery) to LOOK-AT-ME (red barn/chocolate, amethyst/peacock, pink/celery). Prices start at $40, which gets you two below-the-flap front pockets, a Velcro flap closure, and an adjustable shoulder strap. No foolin'. ...
Win a Prius: Pledge to do One Thing That’s Green Sweepstakes
by George Spyros, New York City, USA on 04.22.09
Okay, we checked the fine print and it seems legit. JetBlue is spearheading this green sweepstakes for the grand prize of a 3rd Generation Toyota Prius along with some other very cool eco prizes. Seems easy enough to click over to the website and make your pledge, perhaps more difficult to stick to it, so please allow us to be the first so encourage you with a big Obama-era "Yes you can!" See a list of promises you'll have to make (and keep) as well as the complete list of prizes when you choose door number three to click through....
Funny Pages Go Green For Second Annual Earth Day Event
by Jasmin Malik Chua, Jersey City, USA on 04.22.09
Photo credit: Sherman's Lagoon/King Features Syndicate
Does Mother Earth have a sense of humor? Thirty-seven of King Features' cartoonists are tickling the planet's funny bone by dedicating their strips to the environment on Earth Day.
Participating strips span the gamut, from America's most popular dailies, such as Blondie, Hagar the Horrible, Mutts, and Dennis the Menace, to up-and-comers like Arctic Circle, Pajama Diaries, Ollie and Quentin, and Sherman's Lagoon. Click below the fold for some of our favorites.
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Triumph Elm Tree Arrives in Chicago's Downtown for Arbor Day
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 04.22.09
Photos via Morton Arboretum
The Triumph Elm is being set up on Michigan Avenue in downtown Chicago in honor of Arbor Day this Friday (and you thought the fun ended with Earth Day!). The tree is part of a project by the Morton Arboretum to enlighten people on the benefits of trees and the important roles they play in our social, physical and environmental health. There's a particular recent historical event that sparked choosing the planting location for the tree on April 25th. Can you guess it?...
Goldman Environmental Prize Winners Open Up in Exclusive Interviews
by Blythe Copeland, Great Neck, New York on 04.22.09
Photo via Goldman Environmental Prize
Seven winners of the Goldman Environmental Prize will be honored tonight in Washington, D.C., for their grassroots activism across five continents. TreeHugger writer Jaymi Heimbuch sat down with some of the winners earlier this week to hear their reactions to their win, their passion for their cause, and what keeps them inspired in these exclusive videos.
In Bangladesh, lawyer Rizwana Hasan has dedicated herself to fighting the environmentally harsh ship-breaking industry, in which untrained laborers take apart decommissioned ships to save the metal for scrap. Still, she thought her win was a dream:...
Will We Be Celebrating the Passage of US Climate Legislation Next Earth Day?
by Brian Merchant, Brooklyn, New York on 04.22.09
Photo via Pew Climate
That's the optimistic opinion put forth by Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi--she issued that statement as Congress set about the "mother of all climate weeks" to debate revolutionary climate and energy legislation that could potentially land the US a cap and trade system to cut nationwide carbon emissions. Could she be right? Could the US government get a major plan to curb greenhouse gases passed by next Earth Day?...
BREAKING: Offshore Renewable Energy Regulations Announced by US Interior Department - Good News for the Cape Wind Project?
by George Spyros, New York City, USA on 04.22.09
Obama welcomes "bold steps toward opening America's oceans and new energy frontier."
The United States Interior Department just issued regulations governing offshore renewable energy projects that use wind, ocean currents and wave power for producing electricity. The offshore leasing rules for electricity production had stalled for two years over of a turf dispute as it were between governmental agencies, but that bottleneck has been broken. Advocacy organizations Clean Power Now and TheClean hail the Obama administration move as the biggest federal step forward for clean energy to date. But what about that nagging Cape Wind controversy? Details of the new rules of the water when you dive below....
Earth Day 2009 NYC: Iconic Times Square New Years Eve Ball Now Lit by LEDs
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 04.22.09
Though frankly I try to stay as far away from Times Square as I can on New Years Eve, and have always found the tradition of watching the ball drop to be singularly anti-climactic, this Earth Day I got to climb to the top of One Times Square to view "The Ball." Why? Because it's now be kitted out with brand new LED lights that make it about 20% more energy efficient than before.
32,000 LEDs Use Same Amount of Power as Two Home Ovens
Though it looks small on television The Ball is really a 12' diameter geodesic Waterford crystal sphere. And now it's power by 32,256 LEDs from Philips which can create a palette of more than 16 million colors—blue and green in honor of Earth Day—consuming a similar amount of energy every hour as about two home ovens. A big improvement over halogen lighting used in years past.
As you can see in the photo credit (below), it was a bit of green celebrity event:...
A Kid-Friendly Earth Day in South Carolina
by Sara Novak, Columbia, SC on 04.22.09
photo: The Woodlands Green
Children that grow up green are more likely to pass that knowledge on to their children and Earth Day is the perfect opportunity to instill some great green info. This Earth Day was no exception, with kid-friendly activities in South Carolina....
Victory for Animals: A Roaring Earth Day Tribute
by Jasmin Malik Chua, Jersey City, USA on 04.22.09
Photo credit: Getty Images
It's been another rough year for the animal kingdom—all that rarefied air at the top of the food chain must be leaving us brain-addled—but a few small victories for our furred, feathered, finned, hooved, and scaled cohorts make us wonder if there's hope for us all yet. Below, just some of the wins we've seen in the past year:
1. Earth Day present for Coachella Valley habitat
The federal government has approved a $6 million grant that will finance the purchase of hundreds of acres of new land for the Coachella Valley Multiple Species Habitat Conservation Plan, an incredible victory for the more than two dozen endangered and protected species who live in the critical habitat in Southern California. ...
New York City To Make Old Buildings Refit for Conservation
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 04.22.09
You can pass by many old industrial, commercial and residential buildings in the middle of winter and find the windows wide open, since the controls on the old steam heat systems are so primitive. They can have steel sash windows that barely keep the heat in. Andy Revkin writes that there are 22,000 buildings over 50,000 square feet in New York alone that could use energy upgrades. And now New York City is going to make building owners do it. Van Jones likes the idea:
“Getting buildings to waste less energy results in job creation and cutting carbon pollution,” Mr. Jones said. “Money that was literally going out the window can be reinvested in businesses, in consumer purchases or savings.”...
"Anything's Possible": A Video Interview with Wayne Coyne of the Flaming Lips
by Alex Pasternack, New York, NY on 04.22.09
Wayne Coyne on the National Mall (Credit: Alex Pasternack)
Wayne Coyne, the gonzo front-man of the Flaming Lips, is a storehouse of renewable energy, a super musical dynamo who sometimes seems more suited for Mars than Earth. But when Coyne and company landed on the National Mall in grand style to close out Sunday's celebration of Earth Day at the Green Apple Festival concert in Washington, DC, he didn't need to preach environmental responsibility, which he thinks tends to divide people: his music was always about fighting for a good cause, consciousness and love. He wants a world, he told TreeHugger before hitting the stage, where "the hippies aren't doing it, the green people aren't doing it. it's just everybody doing it." In the interview below, he talks about responsibility, music and his support for green things (no, no that trees, at least not the TreeHugger kind)....
Rush Limbaugh Celebrates Earth Day – By Saluting Coal and Overconsumption
by Brian Merchant, Brooklyn, New York on 04.22.09
Photo via Media Bistro
Rush Limbaugh—a man about as far from an environmentalist hero as could possibly be imagined—nonetheless set out to celebrate Earth Day on his radio show today. Of course, he did so by extolling the virtues of coal, plastic bags, and overconsumption. ...
Green Eyes On: Buying for Earth Day
by Sara Snow on 04.22.09
Though I’ve never been a proponent of rushing out to buy all the latest green gadgets just in the name of “going green” it is comforting to read that sales of organic foods and other green goods are not declining despite the economy, and that people are continuing to invest in those things that ultimately can lead to better personal and environmental health.
In particular, there's been some tremendous growth with organic food makers in the Bay Area. Barbara’s Bakery, makers of all natural and organic cereals and snacks, is seeing double-digit growth in its private label business. And Amy’s Kitchen, known for their organic and vegetarian prepared meals, is expecting to jump from their current revenues of $240 million to becoming a billion dollar company in five years.
This is strong growth in tough economic times. But what do people do who are just starting to make changes? How do they know where to start? ...
Chrysler Unveils Electric Minivan for US Postal Service
by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada on 04.22.09
Photo: Chrysler
Making the Last Mile of Mail Delivery Greener
Chrysler is celebrating Earth Day by unveiling an electric minivan... that you won't be able to buy (yet). They're making them for the US Postal Service, and so far 4 out of an eventual 250 have been built. The electric minivan is based on the Chrysler Town & Country EV that we wrote about last year, and the powertrain will be very similar except that the USPS version is a non range-extended version because postal routes generally are only around 20 miles....
NASA's Earth Gazing Video: Carl Sagan's Pale Blue Dot... Up Close
by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada on 04.22.09
Matthew Modine, DJ Spooky and Boris Kodjoe on Earth Day
by Alex Pasternack, New York, NY on 04.22.09
Nissan, Oak Ridge National Lab Hook Up Over Electric Cars
by Daniel Kessler, San Francisco, California on 04.22.09
Photo via Wired
Nissan, which plans to mass market electric vehicles in the U.S. in 2012, announced today a new partnership to promote electric vehicles with Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Tennessee, the Department of Energy’s largest multi-purpose research lab. ...
Cornell Researchers on the Trail of Low Power Memory for Computers
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 04.22.09
Image via Daily Tech, Credit Jeremy Levy, University of Pittsburgh
What if computers didn't require a boot time, but just switched on and off, with instant access memory that consumed little power? That could be a possibility if researchers at Cornell are on the right track with new research that puts a fresh spin on old predictions. ...
George Monbiot Says "Don't Blame the Fatties"
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 04.22.09
Headline in the Sun
Matt recently wrote Eat Like It's 1975 to Save the Planet: New Report Links Obesity, Energy Consumption & Climate Change, which said
We need to be doing a lot more to reverse the global trend towards fatness, and recognize it as a key factor in the battle to reduce emissions and slow climate change.But George Monbiot says that it isn't fair to blame "the fatties." He writes: ...
11 Environmentalist Heroes: an Earth Day Tribute
by Brian Merchant, Brooklyn, New York on 04.22.09
Photo via UWGB
Many of us having been celebrating Earth Day for as long as we remember--but it hasn't always been this way. As evidenced by this photo from a march on the first Earth Day in 1970, it's taken the dedication, cunning, and the unflinching love of the environment of some very passionate people to bring about the awareness we have today. Now, we all know that we've got a long ways to go, but Earth Day is about celebrating the progress we've made--and a big part of that should be honoring the environmental heroes who've helped get us this far. This is by no means a comprehensive list, but here are some of the great men and women who've defined modern environmentalism--these green heroes deserve a huge Earth Day salute.
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Accidental Architecture: Cutting Buildings To Suit the Economy
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 04.22.09
In hard times, it can take a while to finish a building. The Norman Foster designed Hearst Tower sits on top of the original Hearst building designed by Joseph Urban, but cut off halfway up by the Great Depression. While it got topped off in a green tour de force, we are not always so lucky....
Denmark's Climate Change Expert in Washington Talks Copenhagen
by Alex Pasternack, New York, NY on 04.22.09
The Consumer Scoop on SunChips' 100 Percent Compostable Packaging
by Jessica Root - Brooklyn, NY on 04.22.09
Here on TreeHugger, there’s been tons of mention about Ingeo—the renewable material being used in products like high-end clothing, pens, lipstick tubes, computers and other electronics.
Some companies are dabbling with the idea and others are taking it full throttle—like the snack brand, SunChips—who has teamed up NatureWorks, a company creating Ingeo products—to create 100 percent compostable packaging by 2010.
So what exactly is Ingeo? And is it really any good? Read ahead to get the dirt from NatureWorks’ Director of Communications, Steve Davies—who tells us what Ingeo packaging means for us hungry consumers in this exclusive interview. ...
Creative Recycling: Bunker to Apt Rms w Vu
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 04.22.09
What do you do with a bunker like this? Archivolver put a house on it. Of course their site is in stupid flash so I can't translate it. And they have something else going on so I cannot even copy the link to the page. Why do architects do these things?
...
Quote of the Day: Bill Clinton on Earth Day
by Jasmin Malik Chua, Jersey City, USA on 04.22.09
Turning Earth Day into Every Day
by Roberta Cruger, Los Angeles on 04.22.09
Campaigning for Earth Day every day. Photo via Flickr: by Alexindigo
It’s easy being green on Earth Day with everybody jumping on the green train from supermarkets to big box stores offering eco-friendly marketing campaigns. It’s a little like helping out food banks only on Thanksgiving Day. So what about the other 364 days of the year? The question of the day: how do we keep up the eco-spirit 24/7? Even Wal-Mart’s campaign is called "Earth Day, Every Day," but will its green goodies still be sold at the under $10 discount next week?
...
Greenerschnitzels Finds a Funny Way to Talk About Serious Stuff (Video)
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 04.22.09
If you're a greenie with a taste for sketch comedy, Greenerschnitzels is up your alley. It is a brand new series of SNL-style documentary episodes that address issues like man-made versus cow-made green house gas emissions...an episode you can check out when you click through. ...
Your Energy Savings Sold on Carbon Market?
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 04.22.09
Image via Earth Aid
Last week Earth Aid launched a free online service that encourages households to conserve energy wherever possible. The service looks at the home's energy bills, calculates the energy savings, bundles it to be sold as a carbon credit, and then sends cash payments to consumers. The more a user saves, the more they're paid. If there's a big question mark hanging above your head, we felt the same way when we heard about the service. ...
EPA Research Director Talks Innovation on Earth Day [Video]
by Alex Pasternack, New York, NY on 04.22.09
Seven Green Sins of the City: Ben Jervey & NY Daily News Help the Earth
by George Spyros, New York City, USA on 04.22.09
Eco-consultant and author Ben Jervey (The Big Green Apple: Your Guide to Eco-Friendly Living in New York City ) offers some eco-friendly suggestions to the New York Daily News. While we don't see anyone's current missteps as sins, we do heartily encourage taking any next green steps that one possibly can. So just what are those tiny, little steps?...
Introducing Discovery Green for Earth Day
by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada on 04.22.09
Happy Earth Day!
For Earth Day this year, Discovery is launching a new page called Discovery Green, and I have the pleasure to be in charge of it. For those of you who don't know me, I've been with TreeHugger since 2005. Between 2006 and 2008, I was editor-in-chief, and I'm now editor of the Science & Technology and Cars & Transportation categories. I also write for PlanetGreen.
But Discovery Green won't be about just those categories, or even just about TreeHugger.com and PlanetGreen.com. My goal is to be your guide for all things green across all the Discovery sites. The page will be updated frequently with the stories that I find most interesting at the moment. I hope you will like it....
Shrinking Forests: The Many Costs
by Lester Brown, Washington, D.C on 04.22.09
Paul Bunyan, legendary North American clear-cut logger. Image credit: King of the Road Music
In early December 2004, Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo "ordered the military and police to crack down on illegal logging, after flash floods and landslides, triggered by rampant deforestation, killed nearly 340 people," according to news reports.
As I have written in Plan B 3.0: Mobilizing to Save Civilization, 15 years earlier, in 1989, the government of Thailand announced a nationwide ban on tree cutting following severe flooding and the heavy loss of life in landslides. And in August 1998, following several weeks of record flooding in the Yangtze River basin and a staggering $30 billion worth of damage, the Chinese government banned all tree cutting in the upper reaches of the basin. Each of these governments had belatedly learned a costly lesson, namely that services provided by forests, such as flood control, may be far more valuable to society than the lumber in those forests....
The BiniShell is Back
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 04.22.09
Dante Bini is a visionary in the Bucky Fuller mode, an engineer experimenting with different technologies, construction techniques and scales, including vast cities in towers and in space. In the sixties, his ideas for lifting and shaping wet reinforced concrete poured at ground level with low air pressure to create concrete domes competed with the geodesic dome for mindspace among those experimenting with "organic architecture". In Australia they built many schools and shopping centers using his technology.
Like the geodesic dome, the concept sort of fell off the table as people stopped worrying about efficiency when materials and energy were cheap, and when such experimentation went out of fashion with bell bottoms and tie die. But a Binishell is very efficient, using only 18% of the resources and 25% of the energy required for conventional buildings, and is very much back in play....
Earth Day Festival at Grand Central, New York!
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 04.22.09
Earth Day celebrations are lasting well beyond today, and there's a great festival this weekend at Grand Central that will help those in the New York area keep up the festivities. Click through for the what and when. ...
Milan Furniture Fair Day 1: Veuve Cliquot Champagne Box Sofa and More
by Mairi Beautyman, Berlin, Germany on 04.22.09
Couch made out of recycled Veuve Cliquot champagne boxes by Front Design. Photo: Courtesy of Veuve Cliquot.
Is this couch made out of recycled Veuve Cliquot champagne boxes comfortable? Here in Milan the 2009 Salone Internazionale del Mobile is now in full-swing (Check out our green product preview slideshow), and last night, at Veuve Cliquot's debut of its Designbox series, the designers at Front Design said, "surprisingly so." ...
Family Tweets Their Power Consumption for Earth Day (Video)
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 04.22.09
Peter Troast, like most everyone savvy about energy efficiency, believes that knowing a home's energy use is key to reducing it. So today, he and his family are putting their energy use online via Twitter, turning Earth Day into an efficiency experiment. ...
Air Krete: Green Insulation from Cement
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 04.22.09
Gore Residence, insulated with AirKrete
When it comes right down to it, most insulation is simply some form of entrapped air, whether in foam or in fiberglass or in cellulose. The greenest one is going to have the fewest chemicals that can outgas, the lowest impact during manufacture, good stability so that it doesn't settle and good fire resistance. I was really surprised to find that it might also be made from cement.
Cement is not one of TreeHugger's favourite materials, given that a ton of CO2 is emitted for every ton of cement produced. But materials made with it have some great attributes, including longevity and fire resistance. If you mix it with air and foam it up with special equipment, you get AirKrete, a foam-in-place insulation that looks like shaving cream and has an R value of 3.9 per inch, which is pretty good.
I had never heard of it but Al Gore had- He insulated his house with it. ...
Microwave or Toaster Oven, Which is the Greener Kitchen Gadget?
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 04.22.09
So you've noticed that you can save a lot of energy by switching from ovens to smaller cooking devices like a microwave or toaster oven when reheating food. But...which is better, the microwave or the toaster oven? We're taking a closer look to see which is the better of the two. ...
Tourism to Antarctica to be Finally Restricted
by Paula Alvarado, Buenos Aires on 04.22.09
Photo: Scott Wilson.
The 28 country members of the Antarctic Treaty have concluded they will limit tourism to the region in order to prevent it from environmental damage.
The decision was reached at the end of a two-week meeting in Baltimore, USA, in which the countries with interest in the region backed up the American proposal of strengthening regulations.
What are exactly those restrictions? Keep reading....
Cement Kiln Mercury Emissions Regulated - In Time For Earth Day!
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 04.22.09
Rotary Portland cement kiln. Image credit:Wikimedia.
I doubt if any other nation regulates mercury emissions from cement kilns the way USA is about to. USEPA's just-announced progress on this front took a decade of work, several lawsuits by activists, a new EPA Administrator willing to obey the law, and a new Congress that doesn't (yet) bow to lobbyists and interfere with EPA. With all that build-up, the new, final USEPA cement kiln mercury control regulation is indeed a "sea change." More about that down page....
Transition Towns USA in the New York Times
by Sami Grover, Carrboro, NC, USA on 04.22.09
New York Times Offers Profile of Transition Towns
I need to read the New York Times more often. Doing one of my regular check ins on Transition Culture, the blog of Transition Towns founder Rob Hopkins, I find that the NYT just ran a 5000 word article profiling the Transition Towns movement, and getting to meet the folks behind Transition Town Sandpoint, Idaho. I've probably made it pretty clear by now that I am a huge fan of the Transition movement - it may well be the most important social movement of our time. So it is great to see the word spreading far and wide in the US. The NYT article, by Jon Mooalem, is a great example of exactly why the movement is succeeding in preaching way beyond the choir (and highlights, I think, some pitfalls too).
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Should Earth Day Be On a Weekend?
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 04.22.09
In her History of Earth Day in a Nutshell, Jaymi tells us that
Senator Nelson thought the week of April 19-25 would be ideal for ensuring college students would take part, hoping to achieve an environmental teach-in during a time between exams, spring breaks, and religious holidays. Narrowing it down, he chose Wednesday, April 22. Very practical.But lots of holidays, like Presidents Day, Labor Day and Thanksgiving, float around for the convenience of citizens. Today people are at work or at school and many don't get to do much about Earth Day. ...
Book Review: The Cyclist's Manifesto
by Warren McLaren, Sydney on 04.22.09
The Cyclist's Manifesto: The Case for Riding on Two Wheels Instead of Four has a title that may evoke images of some earnest treatise, a dry rant. Oh, but it is nothing of the sort. It’s the inverse opposite. A wonderfully whimsical exploration of America’s transport choices. A rollicking account of how those decisions were made (and why people elsewhere travelled in other directions) and what all that means for the future of getting from A to B. Central to Robert Hurst’s story is the hugely significant influence the humble bicycle has had on personal transport. For as he points out, with all seriousness, “We almost had camels.”...
Earth Day: Listening to My Garden Grow
by Kelly Rossiter, Toronto on 04.22.09
photo credits: Kelly Rossiter
A number of years ago I was walking home on a warm spring evening and I kept hearing rustling. When I got to the front of my house the noise was quite loud, so I stood for a few minutes looking into my garden to see what was making the noise. Insects, mice? Turned out, much to my surprise, that I was hearing the bulbs breaking through the earth and moving the dead leaves that were lying on top of them.
...
7 Popular Tourist Destinations to See Before it's Too Late
by Eliza Barclay, Washington, D.C. on 04.22.09
Photo credit: TravelBlog
There's a new kind of eco-tourist on the prowl, one who seeks out the places and experiences threatened by global warming: the climate tourist. The following seven popular tourist destinations may not be the world's most endangered ecosystems, but they all have one thing in common: a particular attraction--be it reefs or snow or beaches--under assault. From the Great Barrier Reef to the Maldives, visit these 7 destinations that are rapidly becoming less alluring vacation spots before climate change takes its toll. ...
Four Ways to Keep Gardening Costs Down
by Bonnie Alter, London on 04.22.09
Gardening is a hot topic now with news about it everywhere: allotments, grow your own, vegetable patches, apartment and balcony gardens, containers, and victory gardens. It's great but the truth is it can also get quite expensive.
Here are some tips to keep the spending down while still enjoying the thrill of seeing little shoots popping up from your careful tending. After the fold: four ways to cut costs....
Would You Travel 20 Light Years for a Habitable Planet if Earth Gets Too Warm?
by Christine Lepisto, Berlin on 04.22.09
Image: ESO
ESO Announces Lightest Planet Ever Found Near Possibly Habitable Planet
European scientists announced yesterday that they have determined the plant Gliese 581d may be habitable. At a minimum, its orbit lies within the "habitable zone," a band at a distance from the planet's sun in which the planet is warm enough to support life, but not too warm. In fact, scientists on the team that made the discovery went so far as to speculate that the planet may have a "large and deep" ocean.
Gliese 581d is just a short 20 year hop away (once we master that travel at the speed of light thing). And by the theory of time dilation, those who chose to make the leap would barely age during the trip. Of course, such news on an eco-blog can only lead to one obvious question:...
Stephen Colbert Report: MACA Urges Obamas to Use Pesticides in Organic Garden
by George Spyros, New York City, USA on 04.21.09
Planting Trees in New York City's Biggest Park - Green Apple Festival 2009
by Brian Merchant, Brooklyn, New York on 04.21.09
What Not To Do on Earth Day
by Jasmin Malik Chua, Jersey City, USA on 04.21.09
Photo credit: Getty Images
Switch to compact fluorescent light bulbs. Tote cotton bags to the grocery store. Drink out of a reusable water bottle. We've heard more Earth Day tips than we can shake a Forestry Stewardship Council-certified stick at. But what about the environmental no-nos? Diane MacEachern, author of Big Green Purse: Use Your Spending Power to Create a Cleaner, Greener World, offers a top 10 list of things we shouldn’t do to protect the planet....
Wholearth by Danny Seo Body Wash and Body Lotion Do a Body Good, But Underwhelm
by Jasmin Malik Chua, Jersey City, USA on 04.21.09
Photo credit: Wholearth by Danny Seo
You can't unscrew an incandescent light bulb these days without running into one-man green machine Danny Seo. Brace yourself, because the multihyphenated eco-expert-author-blogger-columnist, who has aligned himself with marquee names like Better Homes & Gardens, Method, JC Penney, and Simmons, is now making a foray into your powder room with a collection of certified-organic bath and beauty products.
Debuting at select Anthropologie stores on Earth Day, Wholearth by Danny Seo is as conscientious about what it puts into its potions, lotions, and scrubs as what it leaves out—you won't find parabens, phthalates, propylene glycol, petrochemicals, synthetic dyes, or silicones in this lot. Still, the products I sampled lacked the same pizazz I've come to expect from Seo's endeavors. ...
Congress Begins "Mother of All Climate Weeks"
by Brian Merchant, Brooklyn, New York on 04.21.09
Photo via the New York Times
Designed to coincide with Earth Day, Congress has begun three full days of hearings on climate and energy bills in the House and the Senate—according to Politico, it's the "mother of all climate weeks." A parade of 54 witnesses, including EPA head Lisa Jackson, Energy Secretary Steven Chu, trout fishermen, Catholic priests, green business leaders, and yes, Al Gore, will testify on global warming while Congress deliberates on the massive new climate bill that could launch a carbon cap and trade system as soon as next year. Whew. Mother of all climate weeks indeed....
Quote of the Day: Gaylord Nelson on Earth Day
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 04.21.09
Notwithstanding their Screw Earth Day campaign, Grist has the grace to publish posts like this one by Bill Christofferson, entitled Screw Earth Day? Not so Fast. He quotes Earth Day founder, Wisconsin Senator Gaylord Nelson.
Our goal is an environment of decency, quality and mutual respect for all human beings and all other creatures—an environment without ugliness, without poverty, without discrimination, without hunger and without war. Our goal is a decent environment in its deepest and broadest sense.Nelson had some other interesting things to say, like this about greenwashing:...
Ed Begley Jr. On QVC This Earth Day
by Alan Graham, Portland, Oregon on 04.21.09
Ed Begley, Jr., star of the award-winning hit series “Living with Ed” and author of “Living Like Ed: A Guide to the Eco-Friendly Life,” is scheduled to make his QVC debut this Earth Day at 7 PM (ET) and 10 PM (ET), to demonstrate and share ways to reduce impact on the planet.
----
I had lunch with Ed yesterday and I have to say he's the real deal. As many times as he's talked about the environment, he just never gets tired of sharing his thoughts and passion about making a better planet. So check it out and help the economy at the same time....
The 6 Greenest Republicans in Office
by Brian Merchant, Brooklyn, New York on 04.21.09
Photo via Buffalo Geek
There have been few times in recent memory when Republicans have gotten as bad of a rap they do now—especially on the environmental front. It's easy to point fingers and blame the entire party for the US being late to the table on important green issues like climate change, and renewable energy. But that just wouldn't be accurate. True, attempting to address such issues has often meant breaking from party lines for Republican politicians--but that's all the more reason to give credit to those who do. So, in the interest of saluting Republican politicians who are doing good green work, here are 6 who've gone against the grain to fight for the environment. ...
Cool the Earth Teams Up with the Climate Project to Reach More Youth
by Daniel Kessler, San Francisco, California on 04.21.09
Photo via the Climate Project
Score another one for "An Inconvenient Truth." The founders of Cool the Earth, a group that does climate education in the San Fransisco Bay Area, started the project after being inspired by Al Gore's hit film. Now Cool the Earth is partnering with Gore's Climate Project to grow their influence and reach even more young people with their green message....
TranquiliT Adds Something Green to Your Wedding With Eco-Friendly Bridal Gowns
by Jasmin Malik Chua, Jersey City, USA on 04.21.09
More Earth Day Events: Fill Your Calendar with These Green Happenings in New York
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 04.21.09
Photo via greenbk
Looking for more ways to spend time celebrating Earth Day? We have a few good ideas for those in the New York area. ...
Preserve Offers Free Shipping to Celebrate Earth Day
by Kara DiCamillo, Newport, Rhode Island on 04.21.09
Over the years Eric Hudson’s company, Preserve (formerly Reycline), has done some great things that we here at TreeHugger have been following. It all started with the launch of the Preserve toothbrush and the product list has grown from there. From the Preserve Jr. Endangered Species toothbrush to the Preserve razor, to their newest line, Preserve Kitchen, the company is no stranger to the environmental world. All Preserve products are made from 100% recycled #5 plastics in the USA, are BPA free, and fully recyclable after use. The company is powered by the recycling efforts of individuals and companies via its Preserve Gimme 5 program with Whole Foods. ...
Innovative Ways To Save Water:The Inflatable Shower Curtain
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 04.21.09
We love showing innovative ways to save water. When Elisabeth Buecher of Central Saint Martins College was given the design brief "How can your shower fight water overconsumption in either a disturbing or a gorgeous way, using innovative materials, printing techniques and inflatable technology?" She responded:
This shower curtain slowly inflates around you while you shower. It leaves you only a few minutes to take your shower before trapping you. She claims "My Shower curtain is a green warrior"...
Bill Ford Supports a Gas Tax Increase
by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada on 04.21.09
Photo: Ford
Stability Now!
Bill Ford, the great-grandson of Henry Ford and Executive Chairman of the Board of Directors of Ford Motor Company, recently said onstage at the 2009 Fortune Brainstorm Green conference that he would support a beefier gas tax in the US. His reasoning is that this would make it much easier for car companies to predict demand in a few years, something that wildly varying gas prices make hard, and that this stability would actually be good for business....
Rasmussen Survey: Nobody Listens to Scientists, Only 34% of US Voters Believe Global Warming is Caused by Human Activity
by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada on 04.21.09
Glacier in Patagonia, Argentina 1928 & 2004. Photo: Greenpeace
No Theory About Complex Future Events is Perfect, But We Should Use The Best We Have...
It's strange how in some cases, people accept that experts probably know more than they do on their subject of expertise, if only because they've actually spent years studying it and thinking about it and reading the published literature. If an astronomer tells the public something about exoplanets, or if a mathematician talks about Andrew Wiles' proof to Fermat's last theorem, people tend not to disagree unless they have a really solid counter-argument. But with climate science, it seems that everybody thinks their own convenient theory (notice how people rarely make up theories that are inconvenient to them) is as valid as anything else, and suddenly, who cares about experts? Is it because we can all look outside at the local weather that we think it's easy to understand the global climate? Okay, enough venting... Back to the Rasmussen survey....
Ivy League Wins EPA's 2008-2009 Green Power Challenge
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 04.21.09
photo: Wikipedia
For the past academic year the EPA has been tracking green power purchases by colleges and universities, dividing them up along collegiate athletic conferences, and the winners have just been announced:...
The Clean Coal Wars Heat Up – Who Will Win?
by Brian Merchant, Brooklyn, New York on 04.21.09
Photo via Eco Scraps
Lobbyists, advertising, propaganda, O my! It's a crucial juncture in the road for so-called clean coal. The coal industry knows it, politicians know it, and environmentalists know it. They all see a huge opportunity—and thus they've all become embroiled in what Greenwire has come to call a Propaganda War. With millions of dollars flying around, celebrity heavyweights joining the fight, and an uncertain future for Big Coal, to say that things are heating up is a massive understatement. ...
Toyota to Cut New Prius Hybrid Base Price to $21,000, Offer 5 Trim Levels
by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada on 04.21.09
Photo: Toyota
Competition is Good: Thank You Honda
Here's something that should have happened years ago: Actual competition for the top spot in the dedicated-hybrid market. Thanks to the new Honda Insight which undercuts the Prius in price, Toyota is announcing a $1,000 price cut on the upcoming 2010 Prius, bringing the base price to $21,000, or $1,200 more than the $19,800 Insight hybrid. More details on 2010 Toyota Prius hybrid pricing below......
SRS Energy Launches Building Integrated Photovoltaic Panels for Clay Tile Roofs
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 04.21.09
photo: SRS Energy
If you want to put solar panels on your roof but live in an area where either historic district regulations or just aesthetic concerns prevent you from installing conventional panels there are already building integrated photovoltaic panels available. But if you've got a clay tile roof, they only sort of blend in. Now SRS Energy has launched a thin film panel that better mimic curved clay tiles:...
Folia Helps Urban Homesteaders Keep Track of Their Gardens
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 04.21.09
Dashboards are already an important part of smart homes, smart driving...but what about smart gardening? Folia provides a dashboard to help users know what plants are being sown and harvested, as well as weather forecasts, seed organizing, and photo organizing so that your garden can grow at its best....
Virgin America Becomes First US Airline to Report Its Greenhouse Gas Emissions
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 04.21.09
photo: Virgin America
California-based Virgin America (which is an entirely separate company than Virgin Atlantic, by the way...) has announced that it has become the first US airline to join The Climate Registry, committing to report all of its greenhouse gas emissions:...
Eight Things I learned At the Brewers Plate Local Food Fest
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 04.21.09
When the Brewers Plate idea was first floated, one had to wonder what they were thinking, scheduling an event with half a dozen of Toronto's best chefs a month before any fresh vegetables are available in Ontario. But in fact, that was entirely the point; to show that one can eat well, eat local and eat green, even in April. And last Friday night, at Hart House in the University of Toronto, they proved it. Things we learned:
...
New Definition of Waste Explored in a Webseries (Video)
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 04.21.09
Tomorrow Christopher Swain Starts 1,000 Mile Swim of Atlantic for Clean Water
by April Streeter, Gothenburg, Sweden on 04.21.09
Photo of Swain swimming the Columbia via Basil Childers @ toxtour.org.
Imagine it yourself - waking up at daylight on Earth Day, downing a calorie -rich breakfast and squeezing yourself into a wet suit to throw yourself into the none-too-warm Atlantic - an estimated chest-constricting, goosebump-inducing 38 degrees - ready to swim 1,000 miles all in the name of clean water. Would you do it? Yes, Christopher Swain is a bit crazy, perhaps, an activist's activist, a family guy with two young daughters and a passion to fulfill a big goal: fishable, swimmable, drinkable waterways for future generations. So right now you are probably asking: What about sharks?...
SunRun Expands Solar Power-as-Service Program to Massachusetts
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 04.21.09
photo: Jeremy Levine
Massachusetts residents, want to put solar panels on your house but can't afford the initial price? Then SunRun and its solar power-as-service program may be for you. Though you do still have to pay a (comparatively) small upfront fee of $1000, it's a heck of a lot cheaper than paying for the panels and installation yourself:...
Goldman Environmental Prize Winners Take the Stage in San Francisco (video)
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 04.21.09
The winners of the Goldman Environmental Prize were presented with their trophies last night in San Francisco, with such notables as Al Gore, Christiane Amanpour (both shown above with the prize winners), Robert Redford, and Tracy Chapman. The evening was filled with inspirational men and women taking a moment to be rewarded and enjoy the recognition they deserve for their incredible work. Click through for more images of the evening. ...
"The Most Important Decision in the History of Environmental Decisions": Ed Markey On CO2 As Pollutant Finding [Video]
by Alex Pasternack, New York, NY on 04.21.09
Congressman Markey and EPA Chief Lisa Jackson at Green Apple Festival in DC
On Sunday, Republican leader John Boehner said he thinks the idea of CO2 as a pollutant is "almost comical." Later that day Democratic congressman Ed Markey, a co-author with Henry Waxman of the massive renewable energy draft bill before Congress, told TreeHugger something quite different: the EPA's finding that greenhouse gases were harmful to humans is "the most important decision in thie history of environmental decisions." The video's below....
Hit or Miss: The iHouse Smartfaucet with Face Recognition
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 04.21.09
Using facial screening application, the SmartFaucet recognizes the user and automatically turns on the water to you preferred temperature and flow. In addition the touch screen on top of the faucet can be used to access emails, check the outside temperature, check your calendar etc.Around the water cooler, Jaymi said "Ahahaha! that's is so something the Onion should take on." But in fact a good automated tap could prevent scalding, reduce waste of water, control the spread of bacteria if it was handsfree, and more. The email access is a bit superfluous, but it has possibilities..... ...
Why We Need to Reset Capitalism to Put the Environment at the Center
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 04.21.09
Cairo air pollution photo: Nina Hale via flickr.
While talking about internalizing externalities, ensuring greater transparency and more complete information for consumers isn't quite as flashy a green topic as some of the other things that TreeHugger reports on, in many ways ensuring that our post-financial meltdown economic system gets reset to place sustainability at the center (to take Daniel Esty's terminology from the Huffington Post) leads the list of things the green movement ought to be discussing.
Most simply, the environmental impact of the goods produced by companies absolutely can no longer be passed off onto society as a whole:...
Mother Nature Network Hosts Carnival of the Green
by Kara DiCamillo, Newport, Rhode Island on 04.21.09
This week is Carnival of the Green #176 and it's being hosted by our friend Shea Gunther over at Mother Nature Network (MNN), a website that's your one-stop resource and an everyman's eco-guide offering original programs, articles, blogs, videos, and how-to guides along with breaking news stories.
So head on over to check out MNN and read this week's Carnival, which includes a round up of green news and events from the past week, submitted by other bloggers and green sites.
We are now accepting host requests for 2010! Read on to find out how to host....
Climate Change Causing Ocean Dead Zones to Grow
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 04.21.09
"Underwater video frame of the sea floor in the Western Baltic covered with dead or dying crabs, fish and clams killed by oxygen depletion"; Photo via Wikipedia
It's not breaking news - we've been talking about the dead zones of our oceans expanding for some time - but it's well worth listening to the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute when they tell us that the dead zones are likely to grow as our climate changes. The problem is that each contribute to the other....
Does Getting Richer Mean Getting Greener?
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 04.21.09
Hurray, we can all go back to bed! John Tierney predicts in the New York Times:
There will be no green revolution in energy or anything else. No leader or law or treaty will radically change the energy sources for people and industries in the United States or other countries. No recession or depression will make a lasting change in consumers’ passions to use energy, make money and buy new technology.That's because we will all get rich and the planet will get greener because of it. The Kuznets Curve proves it....
The American School In Japan Installs Solar, Reduces Energy Consumed
by greenz.jp, Tokyo, Japan on 04.21.09
Photo: ASIJ
Students and teachers at the American School in Japan teamed up with sponsors to achieve a rather impressive energy reduction target: the school in Tokyo aims to save 40% on their energy bills. ASIJ's solar panels were installed on the roof of the high school gym and pool in March. The unveiling of the panels marked the successful culmination of ASIJ's fundraising campaign to promote environmental initiatives on campus. Well done!...
Microsoft MSDN Goes Loband
by Mark Ontkush, Boston, Massachusetts, USA on 04.21.09
Image from Jon Galloway
Anyone who has tinkered under the hood of a Windows machine is fully appreciative of the Microsoft Developer's Network (MSDN), a clearinghouse of information for all Microsoft products. Recently - and perhaps through a little Treehugger prompting - a new ultra-low bandwidth of MSDN has just been released that cuts page size by over 80 percent, insuring lightning-quick access to this heavily-used resource. Praise for the new site has been extreme; the hardcores from StackOverflow simply love it, and here's why you will too.
...
Another 200 Megawatts of Solar Thermal Power Coming to Arizona
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 04.21.09
photo: Albiasa Corp
Here's a bright spot on the solar scene: Albiasa Corporation has announced that it will be building a new 200 MW solar thermal power plant in Kingman, Arizona. The $1 billion project is expected to be completed by 2013:...
Urban Farming Struggles Into Buffalo
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 04.21.09
Derek Gee / Buffalo News
Where is Grant Wood when you need him, to paint this scene of a reverse migration, two farmers from Wyoming who want to want to farm on the East Side of Buffalo. But the planting season is running out from under them, as they argue with the City about whether they can buy it or only lease the land. The City, which has five thousand empty houses, insists on leasing so that it can save the land- for housing. Mark and Mary Stevens don't want to invest the time and money in farming the land if the City can then just take it back from them. City Council President Franczyk munches metaphors as he tries to broker a compromise:
“I would prefer a straight-out sale. But you have to get your tiller in the ground.”...
Earth Day hits Buenos Aires with Music Festival this Saturday
by Paula Alvarado, Buenos Aires on 04.21.09
Image: Earth Day Buenos Aires.
It was finally announced that this Saturday the capital of Argentina will have its second major Earth Day celebration (first was in 2008): a festival that will include several concerts, organic food, yoga classes and more. If you're in town, this is the place to be in order to be a part of the change.
Find out the details in the extended....
Top Tweets of the Week on: Earth Day 2009 (Slideshow)
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 04.21.09
Tomorrow is Earth Day, and we are taking a look at the activism surrounding this special holiday for greenies. Twitterers are doing a great job of keeping perspective, lending tips, and providing camaraderie, and we've pulled out some of the top tweets coming through the wire to share with you.
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Ethical Fashion Forum Launch Innovation Competition
by Leonora Oppenheim, London, UK on 04.21.09
Image via: www.christopherraeburn.co.uk
Calling all young fashion entrepreneurs. This is your chance to get yourselves in the fashion industry spotlight. The UK non profit organisation the Ethical Fashion Forum launches its Innovation Competition tomorrow - April 22nd. This is the fourth season for the EFF awards, with previous winners including Christopher Raeburn (pictured above, Julia Smith and MIA (pictured overleaf). The competition celebrates social and environmental innovation in fashion design and is open to all designers who have been in business for less than 3 years. Click through to find out what opportunities winning an EFF Award affords... ...
Wooden Pipes Have a Place in the 21st Century
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 04.21.09
I often suggest that there are lessons to be learned from the way we used to build, and that the modern technologies are not always the greenest or most effective. Yet I forgot that when yesterday I was appalled that some Americans still get their water in wooden pipes. A commenter corrected me gently:
Yet this is truly where Alter betrays his jaw-dropping ignorance. Wood stave piping systems are in fact a proven, robust and versatile contemporary technology, with many commercial and industrial applications. Of course, he wouldn't know this, feeding himself on a narrow diet of Huffington Post and New York Times, but that doesn't seem to stop him from running his pie-hole.And when it comes to pipes, he's right. ...
Global Standard Charge Plug For Electric Vehicles
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 04.21.09
Electric vehicle charging cord interface. Image credit:GM-Volt.
Everyone has experienced the frustration of cell phone designers changing the recharging interface (wire-to-phone) on almost a yearly basis. It is as if the intent is to make more money from expensive replacement recharging units needed if the original becomes lost or left behind at a friend's house.
With the future of transportation looking to be increasingly wired, we have some good news on the "common plug" front. Leading car makers, meeting in Europe this week, have agreed on a standard plug interface. Read on for details....
UK EV Retailer Slams Electric Car Grants
by Sami Grover, Carrboro, NC, USA on 04.21.09
Image credit: Hereschell Hershey on Flickr
London EV Retailer Rejects Government Grant Program
GoinGreen, the London company selling the funky G-Wiz (pictured above in a fetching leopard skin pattern), has long been a pioneer of electric vehicle retailing in the UK capital - we've even seen the G-Wiz being used in a last ditch attempt to save Lehmann Brothers! But GoinGreen and the G-Wiz (or REVA) are no strangers to attracting controversy - most notably from Jeremy Clarkson who claims the G-Wiz is both unsafe and impractical. But you'd have thought that an electric vehicle retailer would be delighted at news that the UK government is putting its substantial weight behind electric vehicles. Not so say the folks at GoinGreen who argue that the devil, as usual, is in the detail. ...
Would You Voluntarily Go For Deposit/return Instead of Recycling?
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 04.21.09
OK, I am lucky and get to pay a dime deposit on a beer bottle and two bucks on my milk bottle and take them back. (see Refillable Bottles for Better Tasting Milk and Beer) Most people don't have the option, but would you do it if you could?
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Catlin Arctic Mission Runs Into Bad Weather
by Bonnie Alter, London on 04.21.09
All Images from Catlin Arctic Survey
It's not easy being an Arctic explorer--here's a picture of one en route to the north pole to examine the effect of climate change. With daily temperatures of -40C, it is cold and miserable.
The Catlin Arctic Survey mission, consisting of three hardy Brits--two men and a woman, set out on February 28 and will be travelling about 600 miles on foot to the north pole. Their goal: to ascertain how long the Arctic Ocean's sea ice cover will remain a permanent feature of our planet. However the extreme weather conditions that they have encountered have disabled much of the equipment that was to be used to measure ice thickness. ...
No Kidding, One in Three Children Fear Earth Apocalypse
by Jasmin Malik Chua, Jersey City, USA on 04.20.09
Photo credit: Getty Images
There's a new bogeyman lurking in the closet, and this one isn't imaginary. Us. One out of three children aged 6 to 11 fears that Ma Earth won't exist when they grow up, while more than half—56 percent—worry that the planet will be a blasted heath (or at least a very unpleasant place to live), according to a new survey.
Commissioned by Habitat Heroes and conducted by Opinion Research, the telephone survey polled a national sample of 500 American preteens—250 males and 250 females.
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Denver Green Apple Festival Snowed Out, But Thank You Concert Rocked! (video)
by Eric Leech, New York, NY on 04.20.09
Photo by: Erica Leech
This year for the Denver Green Apple Festival, volunteers were set to xeriscape, plant gardens, restore the woodlands of Boulder County Parks, protect trees from beavers at the South Suburban Parks, clean trash along Bluff Lake, restore the parks of South Platte River, and organize many other restoration and educational activities and programs throughout the Denver/Boulder area. But then the snow came in... and snowed... and snowed... and snowed... and just when we though we might get a break, it snowed some more!...
Overfishing Means Marine Animals Are Starving: Report
by Kimberley D. Mok, Montreal, Canada on 04.20.09
More fisheries are relying on smaller prey fish such as anchoveta - with more than 10.7 million metric tons pulled in, depriving seabirds and other marine animals of food (FAO "Ten Biggest Fisheries in the World" 2006)It seems that humanity’s voracious appetite for fish – be it wild or farmed – is depleting the ocean so much of its smaller “prey fish” and krill that marine predators, such as dolphins, seals, whales, are facing starvation. A new report by ocean conservation group Oceana describes how "scrawny predators – dolphins, sea bass and even whales – have turned up on coastlines all over the world", including seabirds "emaciated from lack of food, vulnerable to disease and without enough energy to reproduce". ...
Corn Ethanol Worse than Oil? California Rules Yes
by Brian Merchant, Brooklyn, New York on 04.20.09
Image via Renaissance Ronin
In what would certainly be a huge blow to the US' formidable corn-ethanol industry, the California Air Resources Board is readying a report that says ethanol is worse than oil in terms of greenhouse gas emissions. According to the Daily Climate, the California regulators are prepared to go as far as to declare that biofuels cannot help the state fight climate change--could this be the beginning of the end for ethanol?...
China Considers Putting a Lid on CO2 -- Well, Sort Of
by Alex Pasternack, New York, NY on 04.20.09
Chinese climate negotiator Su Wei at a UN conference
A member of the Chinese delegation to this year's talks at Copenhagen have said that China could "cap" greenhouse gas emissions, an approach that up until now has been left off the bargaining table, according to the Guardian. Chinese officials have said that as their country continues to industrialize, capping CO2 and other greenhouse gases is at odds with the push to raise living standards, and was instead the responsibility of Western nations. Those countries have countered that if China didn't cap its emissions, caps elsewhere would prove ineffective.
But there's a difference between a cap on carbon intensity -- which is what the negotiator floated -- and overall carbon emissions....
US Steel is Better than Steel from China
by Neil Chambers, New York City on 04.20.09
Photo from Caleb Kenna
The production of steel in the United States is much better for the environment than the Chinese steel when comparing the environmental footprint. From greenhouse gases to energy intensity to recycled-content to regulations, American steel is the greener option of the two. ...
The 10 Best US Cities to be in for Earth Day
by Brian Merchant, Brooklyn, New York on 04.20.09
Photo via Sustainability Digest
In case you hadn't heard, Earth Day's a-comin'. Which means there will be a slew of fantastic festivals, informational events, green concerts, and volunteer opportunities in cities across the country. Duh. But which cities are the greenest of the green? Which cities are already doing great green things that make for all the more reason to celebrate? Where will the best events in the country be going down? Which towns will have the best opportunities for you to lend a hand? In other words, where should you want to be this Wednesday?
Here are 10 of the greenest cities you could hope to be in on Earth Day....
Flaming Lips and Raised Fists: Thousands Celebrate Earth Day at DC's Green Apple Festival
by Alex Pasternack, New York, NY on 04.20.09
Wayne Coyne of the Flaming Lips rolls onto the Mall in his giant bubble © C. Taylor Crothers
After a weekend of green volunteer service, yesterday's Green Apple Festival in Washington, DC, was the nation's biggest environmental "thank you," an awesome gathering of activists, politicians and celebrities who came out to rally what organizers called a new "green generation." Meanwhile, visitors enjoyed booths along the mall for a range of organizations, like PETA (which featured a cute walking ball that could have been a chick or a chick pea), Motorola (touting a phone made of recycled plastic) and NASA, whose flimsy brown plastic tote bags (!) drew long lines. But by far the better use of plastic -- and the highlight of the show -- was the entrance of Wayne Coyne, the oddball dynamo behind the Flaming Lips. ...
44 Anti-Coal Activists Arrested at North Carolina Power Plant Protest
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 04.20.09
photo: Stop Cliffside
Police arrested 44 anti-coal activists engaged in acts of civil disobedience today to protest expansion of Duke Energy's Cliffside coal-fired power plant. Those arrested will likely be charged with second degree trespassing. Event organizers Stop Cliffside have declared to protest a success:...
Quote of the Day: Jim Kunstler on High Speed Rail
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 04.20.09
James Howard Kunstler thinks the new high speed rail proposal is a mistake, part of "a massive campaign to sustain the unsustainable."
One very plain and straightforward example at hand is the announcement last week of a plan to build a high speed rail network. To be blunt about it, this is perfectly f*****g stupid. It will require a whole new track network, because high speed trains can't run on the old rights of way with their less forgiving curve ratios and grades. We would be so much better off simply fixing up and reactivating the normal-speed track system that is sitting out there rusting in the rain -- and save our more grandiose visions for a later time....
Vestas to Make Custom Wind Turbines for China
by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada on 04.20.09
Vestas wind turbine. Photo: Wikipedia, CC
The Wind is Always Greener Over There...
You'd think that by now wind turbines would become commoditized. After all, wind is wind, right? Well, apparently not. Vestas, the wind turbine maker from Denmark, is offering custom-made wind turbines to China. They say that they are specially adapted to "Mongolian wind". Read on for more details on how that works......
Philippe Cousteau at the Green Apple Festival [Video]
by Alex Pasternack, New York, NY on 04.20.09
EU Closes Car Air Conditioner Regulatory Loophole, Earth's Climate Wins
by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada on 04.20.09
Photo: Flickr, CC
It Took a While, But They Did It...
The European Union just closed a loophole that would've allowed European carmakers to keep using climate-hurting chemicals in their vehicle's air conditioners. "The European Union ruled in 2006 that from 2011 it would ban the use of fluorinated chemicals, such as the industry standard known as R134a, which have a powerful climate-warming effect when released into the atmosphere." But the loophole would've allowed these chemicals to be used until 2017. Was it just an honest mistake, or the result of lobbying?...
TV Networks Honor Earth Day and Night
by Roberta Cruger, Los Angeles on 04.20.09
PBS airs Frontline's "Poisoned Waters" in recognition of Earth Day. Photo via PBS
If you’ve watched anything on NBC this weekend, you’ve noticed the green peacock and eco-messages: “Green Lives Here.” It’s the second annual Earth Week with 100 hours of “green-themed” shows, PSAs, etc. How’s it going to green the Miss USA pageant? Contestants share “go green” testimonials and will compete for a crown made with eco-friendly precious gemstones. Meanwhile, PBS is addressing global warming day and night, from kid’s shows to its worthwhile specials and series all evening. What to watch if you’re in front of a TV:
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Smart Meters, Smart Grid, Green Jobs & More: Mayor Diaz Unveils Energy Smart Miami Program
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 04.20.09
At a press conference today Miami Mayor Manny Diaz unveiled the $200 million Energy Smart Miami program. Done in conjunction with Florida Power & Light, GE, Cisco Systems, and Silver Spring Networks, the program will install wireless smart meters and a smart electric grid, expand solar power at local universities and schools and expand use of plug-in electric hybrid vehicles. Not to mention create 800-1000 new jobs. Here are the details:...
Another Cell Phone Goes Solar
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 04.20.09
Image via Akihabara News
Another cell phone is getting a solar panel slapped on its surface, showing that going solar is juuuust starting to become all the rage among mobile phone makers. At least in a limited way. ...
Star Architect Frank Gehry Fights Genetic Diseases With Recycled Bench
by Mairi Beautyman, Berlin, Germany on 04.20.09
Photo: via Emeco
Star architect and designer Frank Gehry, perhaps best known for adding steel and aluminum curves in unexpected places, is no newbie to the green scene: He has a prefab under his belt, and, in the late 1960's, he was a pioneer in the cardboard furniture movement. He has even had some of his classic pieces knocked-off in greener renditions. This week, at Milan furniture fair Salone Internazionale del Mobile (which we are covering live!), he'll help fight hereditary diseases with the Tuyomyo bench, made of 80 percent recycled aluminum....
Garbage Moguls, the TerraCycle Reality TV Show!
by Tom Szaky of TerraCycle, Trenton NJ on 04.20.09
After 3 years of pitching networks, meeting with various producers, and all of the other Hollywood headaches,TerraCycle finally has our own Reality TV Show. Garbage Moguls, which debut's on National Geographic Channel on Earth Day, April 22, at 9pm EST and 9pm PST, follows our team at TerraCycle as we take waste like Oreo Wrappers and Coca-Cola Billboards, figure out how to upcycle them into products like kites and messenger bags, and finally sell them to a major retailers like Wal-Mart and Office Max. Check out more info after the jump.
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Toyota Claims Over 20,000 Pre-Orders for 2010 Toyota Prius Hybrid
by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada on 04.20.09
Photo: Toyota
A Number that Should Reach 40,000 by the Time the Prius is in Dealerships
Well, the celebration at Honda didn't last long. They were quite happy in February to announce that the new Honda Insight hybrid had outsold the Toyota Prius, but as we predicted, it seems like Prius buyers were just waiting for the new model to come out. In 2008, Toyota sold 73,100 previous-generation Prius hybrids, so the claim of reaching 40,000 pre-orders before the car is even available is pretty impressive (especially in this economy)....
Americans Still Getting Water in Wooden Pipes
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 04.20.09
UPDATE Commenter db is right about one thing: Wooden Pipes Have a Place in the 21st Century
One would think with all the teabag protests against high taxes and government spending last week that somebody might point out where taxes actually go. Like to fix things. Like to replace 18th century infrastructure with 21st century infrastructure. And while good wood can last a long time, it is a bit third world. Who would have thought that such a thing could be ignored or put off for so long?
But according to the New York Times, they still use wooden pipes in parts of Alaska, Pennsylvania and Washington State....
Eat Like It's 1975 to Save the Planet: New Report Links Obesity, Energy Consumption & Climate Change
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 04.20.09
image: Joe 13 via flickr
You've undoubtedly seen umpteen reports detailing the myriad health problems associated with obesity, and probably have read how our industrial food system sure supplies calories, but not so many that are actually healthy. Now a new report goes one step further, linking increased energy consumption and people being overweight:...
Just Weird: Boehner Says It's 'Comical' to Say Carbon Dioxide is Dangerous
by Daniel Kessler, San Francisco, California on 04.20.09
Starbucks Makes Big Investment in Fair Trade
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 04.20.09
CoopeTarrazu co-op
We love our Small-Marts, independent bookstores, locally owned coffee shops. But you can't get around the fact that when the big boys like Walmart or Starbucks make a move, it has impact. We also love Fair Trade, and you can't get around the fact that while only ten percent of the coffee sold at Starbucks is Fair Trade Certified, that still makes them the largest purchaser in the world, buying forty million pounds of it this year. It can't get enough of the stuff.
So now Starbucks is setting up a $20 million Small Farmer Sustainability Initiative (SFSI) to crank up the volume....
Breathtaking! First Crossing of the Alps by a Solar Plane
by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada on 04.20.09
A Big First for a Solar Aircraft!
We recently wrote about the Sunseeker II solar plane (see that post for more details). Well, they did it! "99 years after the first crossing of the Alps in an airplane by Geo Chávez flying a Blériot XI, Eric Raymond completed the first crossing of the Alps made by a solar airplane! 'The most scenic flight of my life,' as he put it, also had its intense moments. After the flight, he recounted the adventure."...
Should Humans Assist Animals Migrate So Climate Change Doesn't Kill Them?
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 04.20.09
The American pika is one species which may need a helping human hand according to some conservation biologists. Photo: Justin via flickr.
You probably seen reports on how global climate change is going to force migrations of animals into new ranges where the climate is more favorable to them. But what about humans assisting with this habitat shift? Not inadvertently, as we've seen happen with invasive species, but rather giving some species (who may not be able to migrate quickly enough on their own) a little helping hand. A new piece in Yale Environment 360 examines the pros and cons on assisted migration:...
US$600 Billion-Plus World Carbon Trade Market Projected By 2013
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 04.20.09
Carbon trades interface. Image credit:Nick Gogerty
SBI has made a US$679 billion annual carbon market projection for its market intelligence report, being offered to prospective carbon traders. The number is worth discussing, even if only as an order of magnitude esitmate, to frame our understanding of the global, and hopefully well-managed, carbon trading regime that is to come. For the SBI announcement of report availability see Carbon Emissions Trading Markets Worldwide. (As the full report costs almost US$4,000 we won't be reporting on the details.)
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Greenpeace vs Kleenex: More Than a Feeling (Video)
by Sami Grover, Carrboro, NC, USA on 04.20.09
Green Apple Festival San Francisco: Thank You Concert a Success
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 04.20.09
As a thank you to all the volunteers who participated in Green Apple Festival events across the city of San Francisco, a concert featuring Bassnectar was held last night. Graham Hill took a moment to talk with the crowd and shared three ways to cut your carbon footprint in half. ...
Refillable Bottles for Better Tasting Milk and Beer
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 04.20.09
We have suggested before that there should be deposits on everything; there aren't, but at least where I live I can drink both beer and milk from refilled glass containers. In the Now Magazine Earth Day Edition, Paul Terefenko looks at both beer and milk, and explains why it is better. ...
TreeHugger Talks to Lisa Jackson, EPA Chief on New EPA, Youth, CO2: "We Have a Moment" [Video]
by Alex Pasternack, New York, NY on 04.20.09
Solar Subsidies In Japan
by greenz.jp, Tokyo, Japan on 04.20.09
Images: Japan Photovoltaic Energy Association
Sarcasm, snarcasm. When Reuters notes that solar subsidies are "failing" in Japan, you had better read between the lines. Big media may be in big trouble, but why do they always have to put a negative spin on everything?
Japan Photovoltaic Energy Association told Reuters that over 20,000 households has recently applied for a ¥70,000 ($700) subsidy per kW of solar panel equipment. "Failing"? I don't agree: things are looking more bright here than ever.
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Who Knew? Tasmanian Wombat Poo Turned Into Handmade Paper
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 04.20.09
I can admit now that for a period in my childhood I was really obsessed with wombats... photo: Phil Whitehouse
Here's an alternative paper source you probably haven't considered: Wombat poo. Entrepreneurs in Wales have been turning sheep droppings into paper, and now some ingenious antipodeans in Tasmania have started turning out handmade paper from one of Australia's iconic marsupials:...
Book Review: The Carbon Free Home
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 04.20.09
It is the first time I have ever been excited by a Table of Contents. Most books just list the chapters and the page number; in Stephen and Rebeka Hren's The Carbon Free Home they list their thirty-six projects, but also on that one page list the time it will take, the cost, the energy saved whether it is renter-friendly and the skills you need. Whew.
The whole book is like that; a well-thought out explanation about how to make your house carbon free from people who have walked the walk and really done it. ...
Green Apple Festival 2009 in New York City: Spreading Compost in Tompkins Square Park
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 04.20.09
Earth Day, Call2Recycle's 50-Million-Pound Milestone, and You
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 04.20.09
Image via Call2Recycle
We want to take a moment and congratulate Call2Recycle on hitting a big milestone. Since starting up in 1994, the recycling program has succeeded in collecting over 50 million pounds of rechargeable batteries, helping to divert them from landfills. With some cities now requiring rechargeable batteries be recycled, Call2Recycle is an important resource. Make an Earth Day action out of helping Call2Recycle hit its next milestone - click through to find out how you can utilize it. ...
Green Apple Festival 2009: Added Value at Red Hook Community Farm, Brooklyn NY
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 04.20.09
Mobile App Takes Coupon Clipping Paperless...Sort of
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 04.20.09
Clipping coupons is an appealing idea when you're trying to save money, but what if you're also trying to be green and avoid using paper? If you've skipped getting the newspaper or signed on to the no-junk-mail list, then you might miss out on quite a few opportunities. You can capture at least a few of them with a mobile app called Coupon Sherpa. ...
A Tour of the Michigan Central/ Canada Southern Railway Station (slideshow)
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 04.20.09
Last week we posted on the revitalization of the Michigan Central/ Canada Southern Railway Station in St. Thomas, Ontario. Model railroader Tim Warris visited the station for a show, and took some extraordinary photographs of the building, which he graciously shares for our slideshow.
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17 Examples of Pedal Power and Propulsion
by Warren McLaren, Sydney on 04.20.09
If the bicycle is the most efficient means of transport ever devised, it's not surprising that humankind, the great toolmaker, has sought to leverage pedal power into other vehicles and apparatus. Here we look back over some of our past posts that’ve paid homage to the mighty cranking energy inherent in a bicycle.
(It's not a definitive listing, just a gathering of a few we've seen on TreeHugger. Feel free to leave links to any other pedal-powered projects in the comments box.) Enjoy....
Quote of the Day: Rob Walker on Refurbishing Normal
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 04.20.09
Part of illustration by Peter Arkle
The Green Issue of the Sunday New York Times included Why Your Brain May Not Be Green, and also an interesting article by Rob Walker about Green renovations. He suspects that green renovations may be "the new normal." Unfortunately, the customers still seem to go for style over substance:
That said, there are hurdles to this theoretical new normal. For one, remodelers who specialize in eco-friendly projects say many homeowners still tend to focus on green stuff rather than green performance. It’s easier to imagine friends being impressed by the virtue of your recycled-glass bathroom tiles than by properly sealed air-conditioning ducts, even though more systemic projects have “orders of magnitude” more impact....
CircuitBox: Transformer Furniture in a Shipping Container
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 04.20.09
There isn't a lot of room inside a shipping container to accommodate different functions, so Italian designers Studio X Design Group came up with a way of sliding elements in and out according to the needs of the moment. ...
To Shred Or Not To Shred
by Pablo Paster, San Francisco on 04.20.09
Image via Spectrum Data Dear Pablo: I work for a large company. For our secure document disposal, we have a large paper shredder. On a regular basis, these shredded files are then emptied and recycled. Unfortunately, this is the only way we currently have for recycling documents, so many people put all of their paper into the shredder for recycling. I am curious, though, whether the savings we get from recycling is worth the energy it costs to shred the paper?...
Can We Trust Corporations When They Use Words Like Sustainable and Green?
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 04.20.09
On Friday we reported that 98% of Green Labeled Products are Actually Greenwashed, Accused Dell of Green Bait and Switch, and wondered if the word "sustainable" was over. Really, can we trust business when it comes to their statements about sustainability and green?
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Why Your Brain May Not Be Green
by April Streeter, Gothenburg, Sweden on 04.20.09
In the New York Times Sunday Magazine, author Jon Gertner theorizes why, despite pretty good information available to us all, we generally continue as a species making decisions that are fairly bad for the planet's environment, and generally unable to slow climate change. It turns out to be simple, and at the same time fantastically complex: our brains just aren't green! Plus why a carbon tax could be a good idea (as long as we don't call it that).
Note: Green brain photo Gaetan Lee via flickr....
TV Turnoff Week: Switch it Off
by Bonnie Alter, London on 04.20.09
Image from White Dot
It's TV Turnoff Week, so just do it. From April 20 to 26 join millions of people worldwide and switch off your set. Find a more rewarding and active life--at least for a week.
Last year 5 million people in the USA alone turned off the box and found that they had all sorts of extra time to do things they had been meaning to do. Like talk to their friends, read a book, take a walk......
5 Natural Survival Tactics to Defend Against Terrorist Attack
by Eric Leech, New York, NY on 04.19.09
Photo via: Slagheap
Threat from weapons of mass destruction, espionage, high security among the worlds airlines... what do these all have in common? They are all worldwide adopted means to protect ourselves from the possibility of terrorist attack. While new weapons and war strategy is constantly in the making, one researcher from Duke University tells us in order for mankind to survive, we need only to follow the same survival techniques nature has relied on for hundreds of millions of years....
Green Apple Festival 2009 San Francisco: Graham Hill Heads to Koshland Park and Garden (Video)
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 04.19.09
Graham Hill waiting for orders at the Koshland Park and Garden improvement event
We can't underscore enough the importance and impact of community gardens on getting people to go green. That's why of the many events taking place in San Francisco, TreeHugger founder Graham Hill wanted to be sure and help out at the Koshland Park and Garden, along with many other great volunteers. Click through to find out about how this garden has helped the local kids learn green and eat healthfully, as well as more about the Green Apple Festival. ...
Green Apple Festival 2009 San Francisco: Clear2Go Swaps Disposable for Filtered Water Bottles
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 04.19.09
Kiddo taking the Clear2Go pledge at Green Apple Festival in Golden Gate Park
Clear2Go, a sponsor of the Green Apple Festival, held a great event at Golden Gate Park. Bring in 6 plastic water bottles for recycling and get a free Clear2Go filtering water bottle. Not only did the booth bring in people of all ages to pledge to use less bottled water, it even brought in people from other states! Check out a video of how the water bottle works, and why it was such a draw for Green Apple volunteers....
Green Apple Festival 2009 San Francisco: Cleaning Up Golden Gate Park
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 04.19.09
Photo via Kris Marx
One of the key themes of the events of the Green Apple Festival is park, preserve, and natural habitat clean-ups. Golden Gate park in San Francisco was a lucky recipient of a group of 160 volunteers helping to improve the landscape and remove invasive plant species. Click through to hear from Kris Marx with the Green Apple Festival on the impact the clean-up will have on Golden Gate Park and the people involved. ...
J.G. Ballard 1930 -2009
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 04.19.09
The Guardian
Most people knew of JG Ballard from films like Crash or the story of his childhood in Empire of the Sun, but I first learned of him reading science fiction novels like 1962's The Drowned World, where "solar radiation has caused the polar ice-caps to melt and worldwide temperature to soar, leaving the cities of northern Europe and America submerged in beautiful and haunting tropical lagoons." ...
Ten Cool Things About John Muir
by Greg Haegele of Sierra Club on 04.19.09
Portrait of John Muir. Image credit:Sierra Club
As American environmental heroes go, John Muir was among the most fascinating - and I'm not just saying that because he founded the organization I work for, the Sierra Club, in 1892, and helped protect places like Yosemite. For instance, before he was a treehugger, he was an inventor who exhibited his work at a state fair. He was blinded in an accident but regained his sight. He was a world-traveler long before JetBlue. He's got a planet named after him. And, hey, he's on the California quarter!
In honor of his birthday on April 21, I bring you "Ten Cool Things About John Muir."...
Escaped Circus Bear Shot by Police
by Christine Lepisto, Berlin on 04.19.09
Image: Die Welt
Awww, What a Cute Bear
In the wake of a woman jumping in with the polar bears at the Berlin zoo, Germany is once again in a whir over bears. Two brown bears escaped from a circus encamped near downtown Kassel. The police were soon alerted about two bears wandering through a busy intersection, and responded to the site. What happened next was a tragedy, laying open the debate about the relationship between humans and wild animals, and perhaps reinforcing the apparently lost human instinct that such animals are more dangerous than cute.
Please be warned: the article below contains graphic pictures of Nena the Circus Bear's tragic end. ...
Green Apple Festival in Seattle: Cleaning up the Angel Morgan P-Patch Community Garden
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 04.19.09
Photo: Collin Dunn
To help celebrate the Green Apple Festival this year, I volunteered to help clean up the Angel Morgan P-Patch Community Garden in Seattle. With the weeds starting to poke through last year's mulch in the flower beds, the garden needed a bit of TLC, but helping prepare the community for another summer growing season wasn't the most interesting part of the day.
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Thousands Of Lithium Battery Jobs Coming To Michigan: Trade & Immigration Policy Linkages
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 04.19.09
Made-In-USA, GM Volt Battery Pack, with Ex-GM CEO Rick Wagoner. Image credit:EVBeat
Michigan’s sagging manufacturing base is getting a big employment boost from makers of lithium-ion batteries. The four Li-O car-battery making operations taking root in the state illustrate how instrumental supply chain management and government incentives can be in "home sourcing" significant numbers of green jobs. Environmental Leader covered the story in:- Four Lithium-Ion Battery Makers Setting Up Shop in Michigan . Money quote follows....
On Elizabeth Hasselbeck, Bikes on the Sidewalk, and Morons
by Daniel Kessler, San Francisco, California on 04.19.09
Image via Open Salon
As you may have heard, a very pregnant (with a baby, right along with her conservative pugnacity) Elizabeth Hasselbeck of the View was struck by a cyclist this week while walking on the sidewalk in NYC. The world found out via Twitter and Hasselbeck, as far as I know, has thus far avoided any ragging on cyclists, instead saving her fury for the president. That's unlike this dude, who the NYCBikeSnob has been using as a virtual punching bag, and deservedly so....
Sail Your Bike with Whike
by Christine Lepisto, Berlin on 04.19.09
Image: Whike Test Days
A Dutch company, Whike, has put a sail on a three-wheeler recumbent bicycle. The results: Extreme. Fun. And yet another excuse to start talking about an infrastructure where the many new alternative forms of transport can move about together safely. Like bike paths wide enough for tacking? Whike is legal for use both on streets and bike paths, so the promise of arriving at work without dripping pedal-power sweat beckons. But for now the Whike is being marketed as the newest extreme sport. Video of the Whike in action and technical details can be found below.
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“Cool Globes” traveling exhibit arrives on Earth Day
by Roberta Cruger, Los Angeles on 04.19.09
Cool Globe in San Francisco journeys to Los Angeles. Photo by Terri Spath
A 5- foot round and 7-foot tall globe encrusted with crumpled plastic bottles sends a large-sized message about the gargantuan problem of plastic in landfills. A sphere covered with tire gauges makes a statement about car maintenance helping to improve fuel efficiency. There’s a globe with hanging laundry stretched across continents, one with cars piled up, another smothered in vegetables or filled with facts and figures about climate change. It's all a reminder of the multi-faceted ways we can contribute to solving global warming. This Cool Globes project involves artists creating dramatic, innovative, aesthetic and goofy earth sculptures, the Cool Globes with three-dimensional meaning.
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2009 Goldman Environmental Prize Honors Grassroots Leaders
by Blythe Copeland, Great Neck, New York on 04.19.09
A Saramakan village meeting in Suriname / credit: Will Parinello
The Goldman Environmental Prize may not get the same coverage as some more famous awards, but its recipients are no less influential—in fact, many of them go on to elected office (or to Nobel Prize honors, like 1991 Goldman winner Wangari Matthai). This year’s honorees, announced this morning, include anti-mining activists from West Africa and West Virginia; a Russian scientist who’s cracking down on toxic chemical stockpiles; and an environmental attorney from Bangladesh, among others....
A Chat with Peapod Designer Peter Arnell
by Josh Peterson, Los Angeles, California on 04.19.09
Via Peapod
The Peapod, a neighborhood electrical vehicle, will be available to consumers on Earth Day. It costs $12,500. It goes 25mph, has a travel range of thirty miles and is not allowed on highways. These are fairly typical statistics for an NEV. But why then did Fast Company name the Peapod as the number two way to jump start the auto business? It has a lot to do with the design and the marketing. ...
Milwaukee’s First Rooftop CSA
by Sara Novak, Columbia, SC on 04.19.09
photo: Five Leaves
Urban areas leave little room for gardening and greenery. Community gardens and green roofs give city dwellers the opportunity to enjoy greenery and gardening and now a rooftop farmer in Milwaukee started Milwaukee’s first rooftop CSA.
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Rough Road Ahead? A Review of Chris Luebkeman's "Drivers of Change"
by Jesse Fox, Tel Aviv, Israel on 04.19.09
Consider this: 95% of the urban growth over the next 20 years will be in the less-developed world, where migrants from rural areas are already busy building precarious homes in “informal” slum settlements, often without any legal rights to the land they occupy. Today, a full third of the world’s population lives in places defined by the UN as slums; in Africa the figure is 70%.
This is the (somewhat grim) forecast that emerges from just two of the almost two hundred cards contained in Drivers of Change. Arranged like a set of flashcards, and neatly packaged in a case made from recycled contact lens packaging, Drivers of Change is nothing less than an attempt to systematically classify the factors, large and small, that are expected to change the way we live over the next several decades. ...
