- 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 June 7, 2009 - June 13, 2009
Total this week: 170
IBM Building Railway Innovation Center In China
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 06.13.09
Honoring Railroad Engineers Of America - "Casey Jones Stamp", Image credit:Wikipedia
It's an exciting time for railroads, and so it was with hopeful interest that I read IBM's announcement of a railway innovation center in China. The press release is titled "IBM Opens New Center In China To Drive The Development Of High Tech Railroads."
Obviously, they won't be hiring RR engineers in the USA. But, could there be indirect benefits?...
Can a Small Footprint Lead to a Small Willie?
by Eric Leech, New York, NY on 06.13.09
Photo via: The Prodigal Untitled13
James Price, a retired U.S. Army attack helicopter pilot, used to drink three quarts of soy milk every day. Now he believes that ding so may have had an effect on the size of his genitals. “I won't say it atrophied,” said Price in a recent interview with Men's Health Magazine, “but it was so flaccid—it looked very small in comparison with the way it used to be." Could it have been the soy milk? ...
Railroads Considering Use Of Rail Corridors To Carry Wind-Produced Electricity
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 06.13.09
Bombardier TRAXX, dual-power high speed locomotive. Image credit:Wikipedia
US railroad companies are considering an idea that will help the nation meet renewable electricity goals and make rail freight even more environmentally desirable. Railway Age reports that BNSF Railway and other rail companies are exploring the possibility of electrifying rail networks and hauling freight trains with dual-fuel electric/diesel locomotives. Bombardier already makes such engines....
New York Times: China-US Climate Talks are New Cold War
by Alex Pasternack, New York, NY on 06.13.09
Cold War II: Warm War
Near the top of a recent New York Times piece on negotiations between Chinese and American climate negotiators in Beijing, the authors compare a climate treaty between the two countries to such a treaty between the U.S. and Russia, "with gigatons of greenhouse gas emissions replacing megatons of nuclear might as a looming risk for people across the globe."
By some estimates, the two threats are connected: a nuclear war would unleash 700 million tons of carbon dioxide. And last week, the introduction of an "environmental crime" hotline in China led us to speculate on a Beijing-Washington "green phone" that would replace the old Moscow-Washington "red phone."
The dangers of not lowering emissions now are huge. But is it correct to compare discussions between the US and China over climate change to the standoff between the US and Russia over nuclear weapons? ...
Sour Grapes Griping About the High Line Already Starting
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 06.13.09
all photos: Matthew McDermott
In case you missed it, Manhattan's newest park, The High Line just opened up its first section this week. After a quick excursion to photograph it for a TreeHugger slideshow, I have to say it's for the most part pretty friggin great. While walking along it though I wondered how long it would be before some spoilsport came along and said 'It isn't that cool." It didn't take too long. I got home to find a link to 9 reasons why the high line sucks in my inbox: ...
DIY Vertical Axis Wind Turbine (Video)
by Sami Grover, Carrboro, NC, USA on 06.13.09
Repaying a Sultan By Replanting a Forest
by Jennifer Hattam, Istanbul, Turkey on 06.13.09
Photo by k e r i'm via Flickr.
One of Istanbul residents' favorite green spots, the Belgrad Forest northeast of the city, was--or so the story goes--burned down by Sultan Mahmut II in the late 1820s to flush out escaped members of the mutinous Janissary corps. But not all of the old Ottoman rulers were so blithe about the effects of destroying nature. Seventy years later, Sultan Abdülhamit II sent aid money to the United States to help victims of a forest fire--a debt that is just now being repaid....
The Naked Binder: Recycled, Recyclable Folders For the Green Office
by Jasmin Malik Chua, Jersey City, USA on 06.13.09
Photo credit: The Naked Binder
Made from 100 percent recycled board (97 percent post-consumer waste) and completely recyclable, The Naked Binder's range of no-frills ring binders are designed to last forever—well OK, 10 years, but for office supplies, it might as well be an eternity. The folders' durability was confirmed by an independent lab that subjected the hinges to flex tests of more than 50,000 openings and closings, with no discernible change, according to the company.
...
Pangea Organics Radiance Gift Set...Going, Going, Gone!
by Jasmin Malik Chua, Jersey City, USA on 06.12.09
Only three days remain for you to get your mitts on Pangea Organics' Radiance Gift Set, valued at $167, at a special price of $100, along with free shipping.
Packed with skin-pampering goodies galore—facial mask, facial cleanser, facial scrub, eye cream—the Radiance Gift Set offers a great introduction to Pangea's stellar handcrafted bodycare collection, which eschews parabens, petroleum, sulfates, synthetic preservatives, GMOs, and artificial colors or fragrances in favor of organic, cruelty-free, and fairly traded ingredients. ...
Caribbean Coral Reefs 'Flattened' Over the Past 40 Years
by Naturally Savvy on 06.12.09
A coral reef off the coast of Haiti. Photo by Franco Caruzzo via Flickr.com.
You know those underwater pictures of pretty branched coral rising up from reefs in the Caribbean? Well that lovely coral is all but gone. Not disappearing, gone—on more than 75 percent of coral reefs in the Caribbean.
Recent research suggests branched coral, which looks like underwater trees, has been replaced by short, rival species. The culprit? ...
US Won't Demand China Commit to Binding Emission Reductions Targets, Envoy Says
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 06.12.09
Instead, green development commitments will be asked for. Photo: David Schroeter via flickr.
This week saw some public chest puffing and finger pointing by both the United States and China regarding what each thought the other should be doing in regards to climate change commitments. And at the end of the week it looks like all of the tough talk was more for the public in both nations rather than for the negotiators in Bonn. The Guardian reports that the US will not demand that China commit to binding emission reduction targets, but rather commit to improving energy efficiency and greater development of green technologies:...
Today is Digital TV Switch Day, Don't Turn it Into Toxic E-Waste Day
by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada on 06.12.09
Photo: Flickr, CC
Digital Switch: Please Recycle Your Old Television
Last November, John wrote about the potential dangers of a surge of toxic e-waste caused by the switch to digital TV (this affects people who get their signal over the air and don't have a digital converter box). Back then, the digital switch date was supposed to be February, but it was extended by lawmakers because people were not ready. Well, ready or not, today is the date. What will this mean for electronic-waste and the environment?...
Dumb Quote of the Day, on the Effectiveness of Working From Home
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 06.12.09
Spikes represent time wasted in traffic, from the Atlantic
Derek Thompson of the Atlantic quotes some CEO about why tecommuting, or working from home or whatever, is not as good as the real thing.
For starters, all the telecommunications tools and document-sharing systems in the world are no substitute for the simple act of walking over to someone's desk and pointing to something on a screen or asking a question. It's almost always quicker than any technological alternative, and there's little room for confusion.Right. Like walking down the aisle is faster than hammering a few words into skype. And typed answers are more confusing than oral ones. But Thompson points our the real benefits of e-work, in the smart quote of the day:...
TerraCycle Goes Global, Rides the Big Business Wave to Brazil
by Tom Szaky of TerraCycle, Trenton NJ on 06.12.09
Images via Terracycle
This week, TerraCycle officially launched in Brazil! The new global launch comes just six months after launching with Frito-Lay in the US, and now the expansion into Brazil - with other countries to follow - makes an important point: Big business isn't always a bad guy. In fact, it can help small business grow via sustainability....
Design Competition Looks for Innovative Ideas for Infrastructure
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 06.12.09
Interesting Design Competition: "Whoever Rules the Sewers Rules the City". More at WPA 2.0 (http://bit.ly/d9i4S)
More Design Competitions Still Open:
The Chain of Eco-Homes Competition for Greensburg
New Skins for Old Towers: The Z-Prize For Low-Carbon Retrofit
Shed of the Year Competition Voting Opens...
Pop-Up Restaurant Pops Out of a Shipping Container
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 06.12.09
The Muvbox makes more sense than Kalkin’s Pushbutton House. It is an entire restaurant in a box. Via Inhabitat (http://tinyurl.com/ljcrel)
More on crazy containers:
Bicycle For a Day & Adam Kalkin Turning Shipping Containers Into Afghani Bike Shop
Shipping-Container "Box Office" Breaks Ground in Providence...
Tropical Deforestation Brings Economic Boom, Followed by Human & Ecological Bust
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 06.12.09
photo: Samuel M Beebe/Ecotrust, Creative Commons Attribution 3.0, via a href=flickr.
As light increasingly gets shined on the impact of deforestation on accelerating climate change, we have a new report published in today's issue of Science which show that not only in deforestation bad for the planet, the economic gains some ascribe to the conversion of land to agriculture are very much short-lived:...
Why the New Stricter Cigarette Laws Coming to the US are Good for the Environment
by Brian Merchant, Brooklyn, New York on 06.12.09
Photo via TVgasm
The US Senate just passed a law that will impose way stricter regulations on smoking and the tobacco industry—it's expected to pass the House, and Obama has said he'll sign the bill as soon as it reaches his desk. And even though smoking is seen first and foremost a health issue—no one need be reminded of the catastrophic effects of the habit—it has a disastrous effect on the environment as well. Here's how the new smoking laws could provide some serious relief to US ecosystems. ...
5 Building Code Changes That Absolutely Cannot Wait Until 2030
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 06.12.09
The Building Code of Hammurabi, 3700 years old via
For at least 3700 years, since the code of Hammurabi, builders of houses have had building codes, a government minimum standard intended to protect the health and safety of its citizens. Possibly in all that time, the majority of builders have considered it the maximum as well- don’t do any more or build any better than you have to.
Now it looks like builders might actually have to build better, as building codes move beyond health and safety and get serious about energy efficiency. Everybody loves to talk about increasing the efficiency of cars, but buildings are boring. Even though Edward Mazria and Architecture 2030 tell us that buildings are responsible for almost half of our energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions, and over three quarters of our electricity consumption, radical and significant measures have not been taken. Yet.
But there is action on two fronts: the Waxman Markey Bill "establishes enforceable “national energy effficiency building codes,” and the New Buildings Institute and the American Institute of Architects are proposing big changes to International Code Council.
But they both do too little, too late, and too slow.
...
Babcock & Wilcox Shrinks the Nuclear Reactor, But Not the Waste
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 06.12.09
Ta da! We have another entrant in the 'Honey, I Shrunk the Reactor' category of nuclear power. Babcock & Wilcox has announced a new small-scale nuclear reactor which they say will eliminate many of the economic problems holding back nuclear power at the moment.
125 MW, One-Tenth the Size
The 125 MW units are about one-tenth the size of a normal reactor. Quite a bit large than the only other entrant in this race Hyperion Power's 27 MW 'nuclear hot tub'.
The idea is to manufacture them in US factories—a point made no doubt to tap into the idea that green energy jobs are more difficult to export than other manufacturing—and then ship them to where ever the unit is to be installed.
Babcock & Wilcox says that the units will cost "less than $5,000 per megawatt."
Waste Stored On-Site for Product's Life
Environmental Capital really hits on what I see as the environmental problem with this. Nothing like pushing off nuclear waste on future generations to satisfy current gluttonous energy needs:...
Environmental Criminals: Coming To A Market Near You
by Earthwatch Institute on 06.12.09
Ruby Lane, Antique Tortoise Shell Jewelry Box - From 1901
Tiger bones, tropical birds, tortoise shells, and rare palms - these are the currency of environmental criminals.
Environmental crimes abound - but not in the places you might think. Environmental criminals steal in broad daylight and sell in open markets. They rob from forests, swamps, deserts, beaches, and coral reefs. Their illegal bootie can be found in plant nurseries, aquarium and pet stories, home decorating businesses, and jewelry, fashion and trinket shops, right around the corner from our homes and businesses.
...
Abrupt Climate Change Could Drag Monsoon Over the Ocean, Decreasing Vegetation Growth
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 06.12.09
photo: Ken Bosma via flickr
About three months ago we learned of new research from Purdue University showing that climate change is likely shift the onset of the monsoon 10-15 days later in many parts of South Asia and in many places decrease its intensity. Now research coming out of Oregon State University shows that abrupt climate changes in the past have already played havoc with the monsoon:...
Highline Opening, Biking During London's Tube Strike + 5 More Transport Stories of the Week
by Leonora Oppenheim, London, UK on 06.12.09
This week the public were finally able to walk on the beautifully renovated disused railway line that is the Highline in New York. On the other side of the pond abandoned railway tracks were also making headlines due to the Tube strike in London. As Bonnie Alter has reported, London has seen many novice bikers taking to the roads in an attempt to get to work on time. With these events in mind we travel around the blogosphere this week looking for green rail transport stories......
Redemption Thong by Reef Made from Nontoxic Materials, Gets Close to Zero Waste
by Kristin Underwood, Sacramento, CA on 06.12.09
Notice Anything Different about TreeHugger This Week?
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 06.12.09
When TreeHugger was a gleam in Graham Hill's eye five years ago, it was going to be a cheeky "green lifestyle filter" that would make sustainability hip. We have evolved since then, as has the internet and the sustainability movement.
This week we have been doing an experiment, our contribution to the slow movement by sitting back, trying to make our content more original and thoughtful, passing it around before we put it up. We did a series on greener flying, looked at weatherization, deforestation and beehive fences in greater detail than we usually do. But we are also still good at finding things, and are trying different ways of still being a filter with attempts at short, timely posts.
Tell us what you think in comments!
...
Turkish Locals: No More Coastal Concrete Jungles!
by Jennifer Hattam, Istanbul, Turkey on 06.12.09
A large seaside hotel development in the Bodrum area.
Of all the places I've been in Turkey, by far my least favorite is Bodrum, a tourist mecca on the Aegean coast that is full of noisy discos, tacky souvenir shops, and, well, tourists, to the point where finding a full English breakfast seems easier than getting some good Turkish food. These days, locals are also getting fed up with the development that is rapidly turning a small fishing town into a beton şehir, or "concrete city."...
Take the High Line! Check Out Manhattan's Newest Park (Slideshow)
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 06.12.09
photo: Matthew McDermott
TreeHugger has been covering The High Line since the very start of our existence—all the way from 2004, when we called it New York's Agritectural Space, to various benefits Friends of the High Line had along the way. Well, now the first section of the park is open, from Washington & Gansevoort Streets to 20th street. I had a chance to stroll along Wednesday afternoon and check it out, and in short The High Line is pretty amazing.
...
The Top 7 Republicans Obama Listens to are Also the Greenest Ones
by Brian Merchant, Brooklyn, New York on 06.12.09
Photo via Sneakerboxx
In an illuminating piece over at the Atlantic, political reporter Marc Ambinder runs down a list of the Republicans who are most influential in the White House. Predictably, they’re mostly the more moderate GOPers that get Obama’s ear—but there was something else that formed a common theme amongst them. And that's the fact that most of the Republicans that Obama listens to just so happen to be the greenest ones of the lot....
Instant Vegetable Gardens for UK Foodies
by Sami Grover, Carrboro, NC, USA on 06.12.09
Image credit: Natural Colection
Instant Edible Gardens by Mail
Everybody loves homegrown produce. But while the First Family might find time to plant a vegetable garden at the White House, those of us with more pressing responsibilities than merely running a country often find it hard to find time to grow our own. Or we're intimidated by the sometimes finicky process of starting seeds, transplanting them etc. That's where UK-based Rocket Gardens can help. The company is offering instant vegetable, salad and herb gardens for those of us with the will, but not necessarily the time, skills or courage to start from scratch.
...
Organic and Natural Cosmetics Ingredients Aren't Necessarily More Eco-Friendly
by Jasmin Malik Chua, Jersey City, USA on 06.12.09
Photo credit: Getty Images
Or at least, so insists Katie Bird in an op-ed on Cosmetics Design Europe. Take palm oil, for instance, she says, which has resulted in deforestation to make room for expanding plantations.
Although petroleum is not renewable, it is clear that the sudden switch to a supposedly greener natural alternative has had untold environmental consequences that could have been avoided with a more intelligent approach....
Get Ready for a Green Jobs Explosion, New Study Says
by Brian Merchant, Brooklyn, New York on 06.12.09
Photo via Alternative Energy
Are there any other words that people are more tired of hearing than ‘green jobs’? I mean, they’re a great thing, and a key to our nation’s future economic success, but the term gets tossed around so much, people are starting to wonder where they actually are. And where is that? Put simply: on the way. According to a new study, we’re poised for an unprecedented explosion of green jobs that will boost the US economy and create a revolution in clean tech development.
...
Batwomanesque Bike Cape Mates Wool and Recycled Polyster
by April Streeter, Gothenburg, Sweden on 06.12.09
Seen at the London Cycle Chic blog is the Orenna Reversible Pleated Cape by designer Claire Smith from the London College of Fashion. Designers large and small are starting to create bike-friendly fashion. At TreeHugger we think neither women nor men necessarily need special clothing to ride in cities - but it is great when fashion designers concoct stuff suitable for biking (more pics after the jump). Smith created this poncho from wool on one side and water-resistant recycled polyester on the other (subtle Scotchbrite reflective tape provides some visibility when night riding) and she wants to hear from TreeHugger readers - could you see yourself riding in this style-meets-function versatile cape? (The black-cat eye markings are completely optional, of course)...
Wind Turbines Fear For Life: Scientists Say Wind Speeds Slowing Down
by Kristin Underwood, Sacramento, CA on 06.12.09
Broken and Dead Wind Turbines on Wind Farm in Hawaii. Image via: Treedork on Flickr.
In the first study of its kind, two reserachers from the midwest are reporting that they are noticing a slowing of wind speeds in the US, particularly along and east of the Mississippi River, reports the Associated Press. With all of the hype around renewable energy, this isn't good news, especially since the culprit may be that nasty climate change again....
Venice Biennale Has Artists' Boat and an Eco Note
by Bonnie Alter, London on 06.12.09
Image from Swoon
It's the Venice Biennale again, the celebrity and champagne studded art fair, where it's not clear whether the parties or the art are what's on show. Each country has a pavilion on the shores of the magical city, and each pavilion features a famous artist.
Floating along the shores will be a fleet of three intricately hand crafted vessels, The Swimming Cities of Serenissima . Designed by the artists' group SWOON, the boats are built from salvaged materials, including modified Mercedes car motors and assorted recycled pieces. Venice is a floating city that shouldn't exist and you could say the same thing about this mystical creation....
Bad-Sport Boulder Tells Naked Cyclists to Keep Their Clothes On
by April Streeter, Gothenburg, Sweden on 06.12.09
Mode Designs Clean, Sleek System to Organize Recyclables
by Kristin Underwood, Sacramento, CA on 06.11.09
Mode All In One Recycling Center Features. Image via: Mode
For communities that don't allow you to just toss all of your recyclables in one bin and leave them by the curb comes the Deluxe All-in-One-Recycling Center by Mode. It combines, it organizes, it eliminates odors and it even reminds - what will they think of next when it comes to organizing rubbish?...
Alaskan Natives Use Internet to Connect About Climate Change
by Kristin Underwood, Sacramento, CA on 06.11.09
Alaskan fish caught with internal discolorations. Image via: Nunat.net
Living in northern Alaska in winter can be a bit like living in no-mans land. So what do you do when you notice weird things going on in nature and want to know if you're not alone? You create a website, of course, and connect virtually with your neighbors, reports the Cordova Times....
Convergence on Zero Conference Brings Welsh Climate Thinkers to U.S. for Climate Dialogue
by Daniel Kessler, San Francisco, California on 06.11.09
A collection of Welsh scientists, engineers, architects, researchers and business people are coming to the U.S. to have a dialogue about transitioning to a world with zero global warming causing emissions. The conference is a part of the Smithsonian Folklife Festival 2009 and it is sponsored by the Centre for Alternative Technology. It will take place June 25th and 26th at the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History's Baird Auditorium and entrance is free....
First Solar-Hybrid Power Plant Opens in Israel
by Kristin Underwood, Sacramento, CA on 06.11.09
Image of Aora Solar Tower with Heliostats. Image via: Aora
Like something out of a sci-fi film, this solar flower (tower) is the first of its kind to combine concentrated solar power with a hybrid-microturbine to ensure production of power 24 hours a day without the need of a grid....
Low Levels Of Arsenic In Drinking Water May Suppress Human Immune Response To Influenza
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 06.11.09
Chronic drinking water Arsenic exposure increases capillary leakage at day 7 post infection. Image credit:EH Perspectives, excerpted from Figure 3.,in "Low Dose Arsenic Compromises the Immune Response to Influenza A Infection in vivo."
Arsenic can occur at very dangerous levels in raw, potable water supplies that depend in part, or completely, on water wells. A serious arsenic problem seldom arises from surface waters, however. When USEPA last proposed lowering maximum contaminant levels (MCL's) for arsenic in finished potable water, in 2001, there was much howling and screaming from US municipalities about cost. (See EPA website for details.) Many felt they could not afford to treat water to meet the more stringent standards being proposed. That was before it was shown that low-level arsenic ingestion, via drinking water, may potentially compromise the human immune response, decreasing the ability of people to fight off influenza. Read on for details. ...
The FUEL Film: Where We Came From & Where We're Going With Renewable Energy (Review)
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 06.11.09
Electric Car Soap Opera: Tesla’s Founder Martin Eberhard Sues Tesla’s CEO Elon Musk
by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada on 06.11.09
Photos: Tesla Motors, Space X
Oh Boy! This Can't End Well...
Tesla Motors founder Martin Eberhard filed a 22 page suit against Tesla's current CEO, Elon Musk, accuses him of "taking control of the company, orchestrating his ouster in 2007 and attempting to 'rewrite history' to take credit for developing the pioneering electric Roadster the two men worked together to create." Libel, slander, breach of contract, bad management... Eberhard even says that Tesla wrecked his car (and denied him the #1 production Roadster despite a signed deal)! It's all in there. Read on for more details....
We'd Like a Little More Muscle, Please
by Greg Haegele of Sierra Club on 06.11.09
Image credit:Flickr, Jusup'Biceps Logo November 2007, by "Gass2002"
I'm thinking today about three guys I know about who run their electric cars on batteries powered by solar panels on the roofs of their houses. I'm thinking about my friend's cousin whose wind power company is going great guns. I'm thinking about Leo Gerard, president of United Steelworkers, and how upon gazing up at wind turbine in Cleveland that was made of 26 tons of steel, immediately began mentally calculating how many manufacturing jobs that equalled.
...
Greener Flying: Alternatives to Flying (Part 3 of 3)
by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada on 06.11.09
Photo: Flickr, CC
Hold On, Don't Order These Airline Tickets Yet!
This is part 3 of a series. In part 1, we looked at how not all flights were created equal, and in part 2 we looked at the top 20 most popular flying routes based on data from the TRX Carbon calculator. But any discussion of flying wouldn't be complete without at least an overview of alternatives to flying, because whatever you do to optimize your flying habits, best is still to avoid flying in the first place. Read on for some tips!...
EPA to Regulate Mountaintop Removal Coal Mining More Stringently
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 06.11.09
photo: Ellie Van Houtte via flickr.
In case you missed it, for the past couple of months a public squabble has been going on between the Environmental Protection Agency and the Army Corps of Engineers over permitting of mountaintop removal coal mining projects. The EPA's stance being that the Corps all too often hasn't done it's job in protecting water quality. Which it hasn't and hasn't for some time, at least since the administration of Bush II. Well, the EPA, the Dept of Interior and the Corps have kissed and made up, today issuing a Memorandum of Understanding on the issue:...
Fiber Arctic: Seattle Fiber Artists in Stitches Over Global Warming
by Jasmin Malik Chua, Jersey City, USA on 06.11.09
Photo credit: Heidi Kenney
Seattleites are in for a luscious, though-provoking treat: Tomorrow marks the opening of "Fiber Arctic," a group installation featuring 20 fiber artists pondering climate change and the way it's reshaping the Arctic landscape.
Exhibiting at Schmancy Gallery until July 9, the show will include artists like Jenny Hart, Heidi Kenney, Nicole Licht, Vivienne Strauss, and Craft's Becky Stern. Details below. ...
Field Lab: A Modern Off-Grid Tiny House
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 06.11.09
A modern Thoreau: Man goes off grid, builds modern house with solar and composting for $1600, blogs about it here (http://bit.ly/rtEvi)
via Tiny House Design
More Tiny Houses and Small Spaces:
Tiny Transformer RV Camper Turns From Truck To Two Storey House
What's New in Modern Prefab
Is Living in Small Spaces Cruel To Children?
aerieLOFT: A Prefab Sanctuary in the Woods
...
China Will Not Commit to Binding Emissions Reduction Targets, Official Says
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 06.11.09
Raising living standards is laudable in any country. But to do that at the expense of ecosystems both locally and globally, which could easily happen without serious emission reductions commitments, does no one any good. Photo: Paolo Vasta via flickr.
Yesterday I went on about how comments from the US regarding how China ought to making deeper commitments to reduce their CO2 emissions. My take was that no one really has a right to point fingers on this issue, every nation's commitments being below what the science indicates is needed. Well, an AFP article reprinted by World Business Council for Sustainable Development is no more encouraging. This time it's China's turn:...
Brooklyn Cohousing Project to be Designed on Passivhaus Principles
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 06.11.09
Can this be? Two of my favourite concepts in one building? In an urban setting like Brooklyn, yet. Cohousing is based on the idea of "intentional neighbourhoods" where people consciously commit to living as a community. Or as Meaghan wrote in our first post on the subject: "In some ways, they hark back to the ideas of a kibbutz, a co-op, or commune, but in a more modern, Euro-style, not-so-hippy way."
And Passivhaus? It is a European standard for building that uses 90% less energy while maintaining healthy air quality. Together for the first time, in Brooklyn Cohousing....
China Pollution Tax Considered (Again)
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 06.11.09
Air pollution impacts bicyclists in China. Image credit:Acid Cow, excerpted.
Chinese government agencies are reported to be considering taxing polluting businesses, including, but apparently not limited to, carbon dioxide. According to a story in the Himalayan Times, "'Collecting environmental taxes from (polluting) companies is one of the directions of China's tax system reform,' Zhang Lijun, deputy head of the Environmental Protection Ministry, told reporters." ABC News, covering the same story, reports that "In 2006, the World Bank said that 16 out of 20 of the world's worst polluted cities were in China." However, this is just the latest in a series of e-tax announcements, made over the last several years....
Have You Plugged In a Ford Lately? EVs, Plug-ins, and Hybrids Live on in Detroit (Part Two)
by Jacob Gordon, Nashville, TN on 06.11.09
Nancy Gioia is a big wheel at Ford where she oversees sustainable transportation projects. In the second part of our chat, Gioia illuminates the future of diesels, Obama's new MPG standards, and the lackluster promise of the hydrogen highway. She also looks into the future at mobility in the mega city. Listen to the podcast of this interview via iTunes, or just click here to listen, right-click to download. Check out part one of our interview here....
Introducing the Super Huge, Super Fuel Efficient . . . Semi Trailer Truck?
by Brian Merchant, Brooklyn, New York on 06.11.09
Images via Tuvie
Well, this might be a new one--a green semi truck? Sure, we've seen algae powered locomotives and super efficient high speed trains. But the semi trailer truck is the bane of clean air everywhere--right? Maybe not. Kenyan designer Kioko Muthui has come up with a truck that's not only extremely fuel efficient, but extremely huge, too. Here's a closer look at the ultra slick, oversized vehicle . . ....
5 Ways to Make Consumer Electronics Green, or Better Yet, Obsolete
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 06.11.09
Kyle Bean makes a statement about our electronics consumerism and disposable technology. Photo via Unplggd
It's a common complaint that technology advances so rapidly, new products hitting the shelves are outdated the second they arrive there. Before we even purchase a device, new versions and varied models are under production. Consumers are easily overwhelmed and confused with the differences in manufacturers' crowded product lines. We're especially experiencing that now in the realm of netbooks and smart phones, but it's true for all consumer devices. However, we also see that consumer whim has a lot of influence - perhaps all the influence - over how manufacturers introduce and carry on release of new gadgets. So, how do we exercise that clout to get manufacturers serious about creating heirloom devices that can adapt to new technology without all of the e-waste? Or is it even possible?...
Green Roofs are Changing Architecture and Planning, Not Always For the Better. (Slideshow)
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 06.11.09
This used to be the vision of the future of green roofs: Conventional architecture with a green lid. It is turning out very differently, as green roof technology changes the role of the architect, the way they design buildings, the way they present them, and the places they put them. Like every other tool, there is the potential for abuse. Are green roofs being used as a form of "greenwrapping" to put buildings where they shouldn't be? Or are they actually creating opportunities for better planning?
...
"Bear's Cave" Office By Paul Coudamy
by Kimberley D. Mok, Montreal, Canada on 06.11.09
Front meeting room (All photos: Benjamin Boccas)Who said you couldn’t hibernate in an office? Instead of a sterile and corporate interior, the comfy and cavernous spaces of French architect Paul Coudamy’s “bear cave” office design are inviting and built from wood off-cuts rescued from sidewalks, dumpsters and trash. Employing a spontaneous-looking aesthetic of found objects and interesting textural overlaps, spaces each have their own feel and unique treatment, depending on their use (more photos after the jump). ...
Chile Announces New Wind Power Projects, Solar Farm, and Thermal Plant
by Paula Alvarado, Buenos Aires on 06.11.09
Mirrors from a solar plant in Spain. Chile is announcing what could be the first solar thermal plant in South America. Photo: Alex Lang.
Seems like a good week for South America in terms of encouragement of renewable energies. Yesterday we mentioned the announcement by a Spanish company to build in Argentina what could be the world's largest wind park. Now, we bring you the news that Chilean president Michele Bachelet has said that by 2010, the country will have doubled its installed capacity of clean energy generation.
According to SciDev, Chile is incorporating seven new projects of wind power generation with a capacity to generate 850 megawatts. The country is also calling for a contest to install a solar farm of 500 kilowatts and a solar thermal plant of 10 megawatts in the north of the country. ...
Belgian Biofuels Company Secretly Developed Algae Cultivation System
by Christine Lepisto, Berlin on 06.11.09
Image: Proviron
Working under the radar of the media, Belgian biofuels company Proviron has quietly developed a new approach to algae cultivation. At the first general assembly and conference of the newly founded European Alga Biomass Association, Proviron announced a "controlled, simple and cheap way to grow algae." What is the breakthrough and will it change the future of biofuels?
...
From Lettuce to Beef, What's the Water Footprint of Your Food?
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 06.11.09
TreeHugger has been highlighting various aspects of the worldwide water crisis for the past few weeks, so it seems appropriate to look at the water footprint of common food items. Keeping in mind that the water footprint of you food is only a part of the environmental impact of your diet—land use, fertilizer use and whether those are chemical or organic, how far and by what method your food is shipped, social considerations regarding land use are all also components—here's how much water your food consumes:...
China's Stunning New Renewable Energy Standard: 20 Percent by 2020
by Alex Pasternack, New York, NY on 06.11.09
China's impressive target for renewable energy could be getting a serious upgrade. "We are now formulating a plan for development of renewable energy," Zhang Xiaoqiang, the vice-chairman of China's National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), told the Telegraph, in London. "We can be sure we will exceed the 15 per cent target. We will at least reach 18 per cent. Personally I think we could reach the target of having renewables provide 20 per cent of total energy consumption."
The upping of the target is not necessarily news. China's been talking about it for years, recently proposing, for instance, that 40 percent of its energy use would come from renewable sources by 2050, or that 35 percent would be standard by 2020. But the strong wording here, and the messenger, indicates more serious moves, and at a politically shrewd moment. ...
Is Peeing in Public Green?
by Sami Grover, Carrboro, NC, USA on 06.11.09
Image credit: almbfa2004 on Travel Shots
Peeing in Public Saves Water - But is it Gross?
I seem to be in the habit of sharing my bathroom habits with the world - whether it's the Selective Flush or the Navy Shower. (Perhaps worryingly) people seem to enjoy reading about what I get up to in the privacy of my own home - or at least it usually stirs up a vigorous debate. So here's another one I've been musing about lately - peeing in public is an environmentally responsible thing to do.
...
7 Low-Cost, Low-Emissions Foods
by Sara Novak, Columbia, SC on 06.11.09
Veggie Pizza By Sara Novak
Did you know that our food system is responsible for 1/3 of our green house gas emissions? So yes, there can be serious harm in grabbing a quarter-pounder, fries, and a Coke. You may have been there: You’re starved, the drive through is right there, and you're tempted to succumb to that deliciously salty, greasy fry smell -- don't do it! Your personal carbon footprint depends on it. Find out the cold, hard numbers on how much you can reduce your numerical carbon footprint and your grocery bill by switching to these seven low emission eats....
Top 10 Buyers of Organic Cotton (You Won't Believe Who's No. 1!)
by Jasmin Malik Chua, Jersey City, USA on 06.11.09
Photo credit: Gene Bowker
Despite the lagging global retail market, international retail sales of organic cotton apparel and home-textile products soared to an estimated $3.2 billion in 2008, according to Organic Exchange's Organic Cotton Market Report 2007-2008, a hefty 63 percent increase from 2007's $1.9 billion market.
Likewise, the amount of organic cotton farmers grew worldwide in 2007-2008 jumped 152 percent, notes the O'Donnell, Texas-based non-profit, resulting in 145,872 metric tons grown on 161,000 hectares in 22 countries. But which brands and retailers are snapping up all that inventory? Click on through for answers that may surprise you. ...
Coal Becomes West Virginia's State Rock
by Brian Merchant, Brooklyn, New York on 06.11.09
Photo via ETF Trends
West Virginia sure loves coal--first it was featured there in a hilarious, old timey ringtone, and now they've gone and made it their state rock. Yes, states can have 'state rocks', evidently--and why not? Flowers, animals, even rock songs--states have a llong history of picking their favorite stuff and proclaiming it to the world. But coal? This is 2009, right? And last time I checked, coal burning was still the biggest cause of pollution and largest contributor to greenhouse gas emissions in the world. So what gives?...
Ties Aren't Just For Boys: Lilian Asterfield Upcycled Ties Are Wearable Art
by Jasmin Malik Chua, Jersey City, USA on 06.11.09
Photo credit: Nicole Deponte
Here's a fresh take on the perennial menswear-inspired trend: Designer Nicole Deponte scavenges for vintage silk and poly neckties, then stitches them into one-of-a-kind ascots, necklaces, scarves, and wristlets bursting with an edgy, avant garde vim that makes the originals barely recognizable. ...
Who Wants Some Coal Ash? Tennessee's Mess Getting Shipped Out of State
by Brian Merchant, Brooklyn, New York on 06.11.09
Photo via NY Times
Ooh me, pick me! I want a slew of toxic coal ash from Tennessee's notorious spill imported into my backyard! Too bad I don't live in Georgia or Alabama, the two lucky states so far selected to receive the fallout from the Tennesse Valley Authority's famous environmental catastrophe....
Barcelona Forever Goes Copenhagen, a Recycling Project
by Petz Scholtus, Barcelona, Spain on 06.11.09
In a local recycling station, Mette Bak Andersen from Copenhagen Forever is surprised about the lack of interest to recycle plastics in Copenhagen and shows Mayor Klaus Bondam a piece of recycled plastic made in Barcelona.
After Barcelona Forever in 2008, a design installation of a house built from materials found in the streets of the city, designer Mette Bak Andersen and her team are now moving north and planning Copenhagen Forever. Barcelona Forever’s aim was to draw attention to those materials that have become waste but which could easily be given a second life though a creative approach. Now the team wants to see what materials and products in the Danish capital can be rescued from ending up as landfill....
Bike Tube Replaces Striking Tube
by Bonnie Alter, London on 06.11.09
The Tube, London's subway system, is on strike. And cyclists are taking to the roads in an attempt to get to work on time. But many are new and nervous and the jammed roads are far from safe.
So the London Cycling Campaign has organised a "Bike Tube". In five different locations around town, cyclists can "buddy-up" and join an organised ride into town with other more experienced cyclists. In addition, thousands of cycling maps are being distributed and an extra 1,000 cycle parking spaces will be provided around the city....
Global Warming Makes Syrian Villages Ghost Towns
by Jennifer Hattam, Istanbul, Turkey on 06.10.09
A Syrian man sits in the village of Ain al-Tineh. Photo via AFP.
Residents of sinking tropical islands and flooding Alaskan villages are the dramatic examples of global-warming refugees that come most readily to mind. But a dearth of water is just as dangerous as a deluge, as the 160 Syrian villages emptied out by climate change in 2007 and 2008 attests....
Black Pixel: Is it possible to Save Energy one Pixel at a Time?
by Paula Alvarado, Buenos Aires on 06.10.09
Image: greenpeaceblackpixel.org.
Greenpeace Brazil has a simple proposition: let's save energy by annulling a square of 50x50 pixels of our computer screens (on CRT and plasma monitors). The campaign presentation is claiming that if one million people join, they can save up to 57 thousand watts an hour.
But keep reading and tell us, Do you think this can make a difference?...
The Chain of Eco-Homes Competition for Greensburg
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 06.10.09
McLaughin Design Group's Homestead Eco-Home via Jetson Green
TreeHugger and Planet Green have been covering the rebuilding of Greensburg with posts and TV; TreeHugger has also watched closely the development of FreeGreen, which produces and then gives away house plans. (Why? I try to explain in Free Green Turns House Design Business On Its Head)
Now they and their partners at Greensburg GreenTown are giving away money too,in a design competition to build The Chain of Eco-Homes ( video with sound will start). Three houses will be built in the town as demonstrations of affordable, durable and innovative homes....
Video: Smart Power Outlets Could Save Energy, Buildings, and Lives
by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada on 06.10.09
Greener Flying: Top 20 Most Popular Airline Routes (Part 2 of 3)
by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada on 06.10.09
Photo: Financial Times, Globalization and World Cities Research Network.
If You're Going to Fly, At Least Do it Right
The Financial Time published a list of the 20 most popular airline routes based on a study by the Globalization and World Cities Research Network. We think this is a good starting point to see what kind of difference picking flights with awareness could make, at least according to the TRX Airline Carbon Emissions Calculator (not perfect, but as good as any we could find, and with good reviews from the Stockholm Environment Institute and by ICF International, as well as being used by Terrapass). So how big a difference does airline ticket choice make for the top 20 airline routes? The answer might surprise you....
What?!? Green Coalition Calls For Forests to Be Left Out of Carbon Offset Programs
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 06.10.09
photo: Eric Molina via flickr
Though there's growing agreement that protecting the world's forests from deforestation and degradation is a crucial component of combatting climate change, there is some serious squabbling however over whether to allow industrial nations to offset their pollution by preserving forests elsewhere in the world will be effective and is the right approach philosophically. Recently a broad coalition of environmental groups presented a consensus statement to climate negotiators in Bonn which asserts that forest carbon offsets will do not help forests:...
New York Times on Cohousing, Green Concierge Services
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 06.10.09
NY Times on co-housing: "To your left, a better way of life?" A basic introduction. More
Arrgh. "Green concierges" tell you to change your light bulbs for a fee. "Make me greener, please"
More on Cohousing:
Brooklyn Cohousing Project to be Designed on Passivhaus Principles
Cohousing for Gen X and Y
...
Transformer Camper Pops Up and Out
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 06.10.09
Did you like the Japanese popup camper? Andrew Dutton designs one that goes up and out as well. via Doornob.
See also: Living Is .Be Whatever That Means...
Japan: "Extremely Ambitious" 15% Emissions Cut
by greenz.jp, Tokyo, Japan on 06.10.09
Image from NHK World
With Copenhagen on the horizon to replace the Kyoto Protocol, the Japanese government knew it had a legacy to protect. Even children here know what is at stake. Today, prime minister Taro Aso announced what he called "extremely ambitious" greenhouse gas emission cuts of 15%. We wrote about the manga campaign here to get him to make even deeper cuts, such as 25%.
Aso stressed that Japan's mid-term target of 15% has been calculated solely on domestic energy-saving efforts, unlike those set by the US and Europe, which include emission rights purchased from other countries....
World's Nastiest Lakes and Rivers (Slideshow)
by Kristin Underwood, Sacramento, CA on 06.10.09
Image via: Getty Images - ChinaFoto Press
Before you go dipping your toes in the first lake or river you come across this summer, make sure it's not on our list of the world's dirtiest lakes and rivers.
More on improving water quality after the jump....
US Posturing on China's Carbon Emissions Scarier Than the Emissions Themselves
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 06.10.09
Smog over the Pearl River. Photo: J Aaron Farr via flickr.
Now here's a scary thought: If we don't see significant cuts in China's carbon emissions by 2050, even if every other country reduced theirs by 80%, the world will still see a 2.7°C rise in average temperature. That's what Assistant Secretary of State for Energy David Sandalow said in The Guardian:...
6 Reasons The World Needs More Girls on Bikes
by April Streeter, Gothenburg, Sweden on 06.10.09
Photo thedigitel via flickr.
Most bike commuters find that the negative assumptions they had about bike commuting are mostly false. This goes double for women, who might find that riding in high heels is easier than walking in them; a special wardrobe is not necessarily required (though fun); and that biking boosts a sense of freedom in ways a car no longer can. Benefits to women are multiple, and the benefits to society are just as big. Read on for how we all get dividends when women take to their bikes....
7 Celebrity Couples Using Their Babies For the Greater Good
by Kristin Underwood, Sacramento, CA on 06.10.09
Two of the world's most famous do-gooder parents with their latest babes. Image via: Blogspot.com
Not only do celebs get lots of free stuff, but now their babies are cashing in on the gravy train as well, with extravagant baby showers and lots and lots of free giveaways. Some celebrities are choosing to sell their baby's photo to the highest bidder and keep the winnings for college and insurance against ever getting a job. Others are choosing to turn this rat-race on its head and use the money to help those who could really use the funds. Here are the seven best celebrity couples using their babies for the greater good....
"Recycling" the Bricks of St. Louis: Coming to a Town Near You
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 06.10.09
Image: Rob Powers, Built St. Louis
Two years ago, when gas was expensive and resources were in demand, we talked not only of Peak Oil but also of Peak Metal, Peak Copper and wrote posts with titles like Meth Heads Go For Recycling. Not much of that is happening right now as the recession has wiped out the economics of both legal and illegal recycling, but like gas prices, this will come back. One of the most extraordinary examples of the extremes that people went to during the last round of resource shortages are these photographs of St. Louis, where bricks are being "recycled" from standing buildings.
...
Un-TreeHugger: USB-Powered Mini Microwave
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 06.10.09
Photo via Crunchgear
This totally falls into the realm of un-TreeHugger and we're posting it as such. But not with out a side order of "that is friggin funny." Since most of us TreeHuggers work from home (read: home or any place that has a table and free wifi and hopefully half-way decent free-trade/organic/shade-grown coffee...) we think this USB-powered microwave is hilarious, but still a hunk of unhealthy plasticrap. You'll never guess what company created it......
How to Go Green to Bonnaroo, the "Greener Festival"
by Alex Pasternack, New York, NY on 06.10.09
Make it a Good Trip
If, like us, you're headed to Bonnaroo this weekend -- the granddaddy of American music festivals -- it probably has something to do with the fact that Phish, Bruce, Snoop, Erykah and David Byrne are headed there too. Or maybe it's just all that green: last year, Bonnaroo won the "Outstanding Greener Festival" award, the highest eco-accolade that a huge festival can receive.
As organizers turn up the green to 11 -- and as everyone from west coast hippies to east coast hipsters seeks to economize -- getting there in smart, green fashion is key. (And sorry, telecommuting is not an option.)...
Why is Water Such a Big Deal? Global Water Challenge Pres. Paul Faeth Sets Us Straight (Part 2)
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 06.10.09
China's Li River normally fills the entire area to the trees. Photo: Andrew Turner via flickr
In the first part of my interview with Paul Faeth of Global Water Challenge, we discovered how both top down and bottom up approaches are needed to deal with the water crisis. In the second part, we cover some serious subjects: What areas of the world will have their water supplies worst hit by climate change, water privatization, water intensity of biofuels. As well as the lighter, if no less important subject of what GWC is doing this year at Bonnaroo:...
11 Eco Upholstery Textiles Revolutionizing the Global Market
by Mairi Beautyman, Berlin, Germany on 06.10.09
Hardy Organic Hemp. Photo via O Ecotextiles
"High-tech" isn't what you'd normally think of when it comes to fabric, but in recent years, that's exactly what it has become. Innovation has brought about revolutionary new materials and processes, and one rapidly changing industry. The 11 textiles below are some of the greenest and smartest now available to the residential and contract furnishings market. ...
Should Cigarette Butts Be Banned?
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 06.10.09
And what is one of the Two Biggest, Deadliest Kinds of Marine Trash? Cigarette butts. "About 40 percent of the litter in the Mediterranean Sea is smoking-related from butts and wrapping, the UN agency said . . . In Ecuador, smoking-related refuse accounted for more than half of coastal garbage."
When I used to smoke, the occasional unfiltered Camel was a treat. For a while, Gauloises and Gitanes were trendy among designer types who wanted to stand out in a crowd. And filters don't actually do anything. So why not just ban filters and solve the butt problem? (image: bitpicture)
...
Soul Majestic Empowers the Green Movement With a Reggae Beat
by Kristin Underwood, Sacramento, CA on 06.10.09
Image via: Soul Majestic
"The Better World," the latest album by Soul Majestic, takes an often depressing subject - the state of the world - puts it to a reggae beat, blends in empowering lyrics and helps you get back on that horse to ride another day into battle. This 7-member band does more than talk the talk by bringing their green act to a green fest near you in their biodiesel bus....
Towards Carbon-Neutral College Campuses
by Rocky Mountain Institute on 06.10.09
Participant Yale University is taking significant steps towards carbon-neutral buildings. Photo by Michael Kinsley.
"Can you name a college that was not founded to exist into perpetuity?" David Shi, President of Furman University, asks the room rhetorically. "Sustainability is the most precious endowment," he says, explaining his reasons for participating in RMI's June workshop on campus climate initiatives - a follow up to research mentioned previously....
Buckle Up With Buncombe's Industrial-Chic Scrap-Metal Belt Clasps
by Jasmin Malik Chua, Jersey City, USA on 06.10.09
Photo credit: Buncombe Buckles
Look elsewhere for rhinestone-pitted skulls and bald eagles soaring against a backdrop of the American flag; Buncombe Buckles holds its own sartorially—as well as your pants up.
The one-woman, Asheville, N.C.-based company makes its industrial-chic, gender-neutral belt buckles from discarded metal parts looted from scrapyards, flea markets, and thrift and antique stores. (Belts are sold separately.)...
reMade USA Reclaimed-Leather Handbags Give Upcycling a Good Name
by Jasmin Malik Chua, Jersey City, USA on 06.10.09
Photo credit: reMade USA
For San Francisco designer Shannon South, a worn leather jacket, aged to perfection, presents the ultimate blank canvas. The founder of reMade USA mines thrift stores for preloved leather clothing that she upcycles into foxy, one-of-a-kind clutches and purses. ...
Man Auctions Own Carbon Offsets on Ebay
by Kristin Underwood, Sacramento, CA on 06.10.09
Image via: Getty Images
We're not sure if this is legal, or if it's the first of its kind, but thanks to Tipster Jason for the scoop on this latest in carbon offsets. Seems where there is a need, there is a market and one man has decided to test this theory out and make a few bucks on ebay in the meantime....
Pirate Fishing Feeds European Markets
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 06.10.09
The Guardian reports on a 3-year study by the Environmental Justice Foundation which concluded that "Pirate fishing is out of control, depriving some the most world's most vulnerable communities of food and leading to ecological catastrophe,..." On reading it, what came to mind was corroboration of the argument that some of the Somalian fisherman (those who had become pirates) had been deprived of their livelihood as fishermen - by pirate fishing.
...
Mass Migrations From Climate Change Forecast by Report
by Daniel Kessler, San Francisco, California on 06.10.09
Photo via www.worldculturepictorial.com
By 2050, climate change will cause mass migrations from rising seas, floods, and drought, says a new report authored by researchers at Columbia University’s Center for International Earth Science Information Network (CIESIN), the United Nations University and CARE International. The report was released today at the international climate negotiations in Bonn, Germany....
Bunny Rabbit Trash Can is Super Contemporary Design
by Bonnie Alter, London on 06.10.09
London's Design Museum asked 15 top designers to show what the city means to them through design. The Museum commissioned this creative group to give back something to London that would celebrate the "the creative magnetism of London and its enduring reputation as the heart of contemporary design."
The results are less than satisfying. Among them is a bunny rabbit trash can by the famous super designer Paul Smith. It's big (5 ft.) and green and stands on its hind legs, holding a large custom-designed plastic garbage bag. Every time someone throws litter in, the bunny’s ears perk up and beam a light. Hmmm, apparently there are 2 more placed around town....
You're Invited: DC's First Earth Ball
by Kristin Underwood, Sacramento, CA on 06.10.09
Image via: Getty Images
It's a party for the planet and for just USD$25 you too can get in on the action at DC's First Annual Earth Ball. Mark your calendars for June 19, 2009 and be prepared to be amazed by all the green in the district. ...
Out of Water? How We Might Make More
by Blythe Copeland, Great Neck, New York on 06.10.09
Photo via Darwin Bell @ flickr
Stand at the edge of a reservoir, river, or ocean and it’s hard to imagine that the planet could ever run out of water; even just a day at the beach makes your one small shower a day seem like less of a threat. But with overuse an ever-growing problem, it may be just a matter of time until we find ourselves murmuring that old lost-at-sea refrain, “Water, water everywhere, and not a drop to drink.” Of course, technology can do anything—which means making more water might not be as hard as it sounds with these future-forward breakthroughs....
What's the Eco-Impact of California's Plan to Ditch School Textbooks for eBooks?
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 06. 9.09
Photo via House of Sims
Governor Schwarzenegger has announced plans for California high schools to start ditching textbooks in favor of digital media, starting with math and science books this August. The claim is that with so much information available in digital format, why waste precious little budget money on textbooks that just get outdated and tossed? There's a point, but is the switch nearly as green?...
Joey Totes Offers 10% Off Reusable Bags
by Kara DiCamillo, Newport, Rhode Island on 06. 9.09
Ever get all the way to the store only to realize you’ve left your reusable bag at home? After years of collecting new paper and plastic bags because their 99 cent, store-branded bags were forgotten, worn out or too small, Chris and Kate Charbonneau decided to develop their own solution – Joey Totes. They are durable and convenient reusable bags designed to hold up to a whopping 40 pounds each.
We like that they stow into a tiny built-in pouch (so it’s hard to misplace) and they easily fit into a purse or coat pocket. Even better, each pouch can also store at least one other tote (two for the “Big Joey”), so all of the bags are kept in one place....
Why is Water Such a Big Issue? Global Water Challenge Pres. Paul Faeth Sets Us Straight (Part 1)
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 06. 9.09
photo: Global Water Challenge
Having given Global Water Challenge a Best of Green award earlier this year for their innovative work on the issues of drinking water and sanitation, it goes without saying that TreeHugger is a fan of their work.
Recently I had a chance to sit down with GWC president Paul Faeth and pick his brain about what water issues we ought to be paying attention to, how bad an impact is climate change going to really have on water supplies, water privatization, desalination, and much more. Both of us being verbose people we went on for some time. This part one of that conversation:...
Logic 101: Why Matthew Modine Doesn't Wear a Bicycle Helmet
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 06. 9.09
Matthew Modine via guest of a guest
As our Matthew noted earlier, Matthew Modine is the founder of Bicycle For a Day and an enthusiastic cyclist. As I have noted earlier, there is some evidence that mandatory bicycle helmet rules may actually do more harm than good because people hate them so much that they don't ride. So there is a case to be made that it should be a matter of personal choice and education rather than legislation.
But if you are founder of a bike promotion organization, should you not try to set an example? And should you not have better logic than this?
...
Mr. StreetsBlog Goes to Washington
by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada on 06. 9.09
Photo: Streetsblog
Covering Sustainable Transportation Policy-Making on Capitol Hill
Our friends at Livable Streets have just created a new sub-site: Streetsblog Capital Hill. Congrats guys & gals! I know you'll do a good job of "mapping the political landscape that keeps transit under-funded and new road projects flush with federal cash" and serve as a place for "community residents and livable streets advocates to connect with the often daunting bureaucracy in the nation's capital."...
Gas Prices Have Risen 41 Days in a Row: Is It Good for the Environment?
by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada on 06. 9.09
Photo: Flickr, CC
How Much Green Mileage Do We Get Out of Pain at the Pump?
The price of gasoline in the US has been going up for 41 straight days (more than the traditional summer increase), bringing the national average to $2.62 a gallon, according to the New York Times. That's still pretty far from the $4/gallon average from last summer, but with crude oil doubling since the beginning of the year and the end of the recession somewhere down the line (who knows when), gas prices are bound to get much higher. While that's not good for people's wallets, the question we're asking today is: What are the implications of higher gas prices on the environment?...
Greener Flying: Not All Flights are Created Equal (Part 1 of 3)
by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada on 06. 9.09
Photo: Flickr, CC
Same Flight, 450% Difference in CO2 Emissions Between Airlines...
According to 700-page Stern Report on the economics of climate change, CO2 emissions from aviation are about 600-700 megatonnes per year, or about 2-3% of total global CO2 emissions. The single digit percentage might not seem like much, but there are aggravating factors: Aviation is currently the fastest-growing source of CO2, and is expected to keep growing rapidly in the next 20 years. Also, those emissions are not spread evenly across world population. For some people, flying might represent a huge portion of their individual carbon footprint (do you recognize yourself?), and so any improvement can have a big impact. Get ready to green your flying: Let's look at what makes a difference!...
Missing the Trees for the Forest: Carbon Emissions from Forest Degradation Can be Just as Bad as from Deforestation
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 06. 9.09
photo: mattmangum via flickr
The full impact of deforestation on global carbon emissions is only now (finally) becoming more widely acknowledged (about 20% of global emissions) and strategies envisioned to stop or at least slow the destruction. However, as a new report from The Nature Conservancy points out, land use changes causing degradation of the carbon storage capacity can not only lead to deforestation, but have a large global warming impact all on its own. The policy brief Don't Forget the Second D spells out why this is:...
China-US Talks: Tea, a Photo Op and Two Big Question Marks
by Alex Pasternack, New York, NY on 06. 9.09
Teapots, No Tempest
The upshot of U.S. climate envoy Todd Stern's three-day visit to Beijing to discuss an agreement on greenhouse gas emissions? The two countries are still talking.
Both sides have, not surprisingly, agreed to "push forward the Copenhagen climate change conference to yield positive results," China's foreign ministry spokesman said Tuesday, adding that both sides will continue to boost cooperation.
An agreement between the two countries -- something Stern has called a deal-breaker for a new climate accord at Copenhagen -- still rests on two big, unresolved and interrelated questions....
Tiny Transformer RV Camper Turns From Truck To Two Storey House
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 06. 9.09
When one designs a boat, trailer, mobile home or RV, it can be fabulous test-beds for designers to show how one can live with less space, how to squeeze every cubic inch out. They also have to deal with many restrictions in weight, shape and dimension. They can also challenge our assumption that we have to live in a fixed location, when one might have a smaller footprint if we lived in smaller spaces and were not so tied down.
The "two-storey campingcar" built by three Japanese students is full of clever ideas, and a great demonstration of how to get more out of less....
Instructables Earthjustice Efficiency Winners Announced
by Alan Graham, Portland, Oregon on 06. 9.09
Instructables and Earthjustice are happy to announce the winners of the Earthjustice United States of Efficiency Contest! We asked you to provide Instructables in the name of energy efficiency and the outpouring of ideas was fantastic! Thank you all for submitting your entries. Some of the biggest ideas are also the smallest and the grand prize winner is all about providing power for an iPhone or iPod wherever the sun is shining. With such an appealing idea it has already sparked a lot of discussion from others who have recreated the Instructable and made their own modifications to it. We hope that the idea continues far into the future.More Winners After the Jump...
Oil Giant Pays $15 Million to Settle Lawsuit Brought for Environmental Activist's Murder
by Brian Merchant, Brooklyn, New York on 06. 9.09
Photo via the Poor Mouth
In one of the many tragic tales of environmental heroism, Ken Saro-Wiwa stood up to the oil giant Shell with peaceful demonstrations and vocal opposition—until he was executed by his own government on false charges. A legal battle was then waged for nearly 15 years, in which Saro-Wiwa's fellow Ogoni people charged Shell with funding the government backed security forces that lead to the violence against them. Now, Shell has just agreed to pay $15 million to settle the case out of court—though the company still says it did nothing wrong.
...
Beehive Fences Help African Elephants and Farmers Not Hate Each Other
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 06. 9.09
Member of the construction team with the beehive fence built for the pilot study. Photo via OU/Lucy King
Furadan is a powerful poison. A quarter of a teaspoon can kill a human. African farmers and ranchers are using it to kill lions and elephants that threaten their crops and herds. Luckily, it is under review to be banned in Kenya, but that won't do much to stop people from using it. Even organizations trying out buy-back programs with ranchers are seeing little success. What might turn them around, however, are ideas for using effective natural fencing. One idea being tested out with success is a fence made of beehives. ...
Study Reveals Two Biggest, Deadliest Kinds of Marine Trash
by Brian Merchant, Brooklyn, New York on 06. 9.09
Photo via Pathways of Altruism
A new study done by the United Nations Environment Program has revealed some pretty frightening stuff: just two kinds of trash make up more than half the marine debris in the world. One is predictable enough—we're all well aware of the horror stories involving sea life choking on plastics. So it's no surprise that plastic is one of the two deadly debris in the world's seas. The other, however, may come as more of a shock....
Is Energy Saving Weatherization Being Wasted in Florida?
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 06. 9.09
Porches. Trees. Shade. Big Windows. Thomas Edison didn't need no weatherization.
One should never be surprised to see politics trump logic every time, but Brian's post $5 Billion in Stimulus Cash to Help US Cut Back on the A/C was so depressing. He quotes the New York Times:
An unusually large share of the money will be spent not on keeping cold air out but on keeping cold air in. As a result of a political compromise with Sun Belt lawmakers last decade, the enormous expansion of the weatherization program will....help states in hot climates, like Florida, save on air-conditioning.But that is backwards; in hot climates you don't want to keep the cold air in, you want to keep the hot air out....
Pawlyn Astonishes Lomborg with Economics of Biomimicry + Restorative Design (VIDEO 3 of 3)
by Leonora Oppenheim, London, UK on 06. 9.09
The diligence with which the Exploration team did their research for Michael Pawlyn's debate with Lomborg comes into full effect in this third and final part of the presentation at the British Council for Offices 2009 conference which took place in Edinburgh last month. As in Part 1 and Part 2 Pawlyn takes apart the theories from Lomborg's book Cool It, most particularly the proposal that cutting carbon costs $20 a tonne. He concludes with the inspirational use of biomimicry in design, urging us to look to nature to fulfill our potential and create a positive future to "astonish the gods". Click through to watch the final part of Pawlyn's presentation......
Bicycle For a Day & Adam Kalkin Turning Shipping Containers Into Afghani Bike Shop
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 06. 9.09
all images © Adam Kalkin
Back on Earth Day I got the scoop from Matthew Modine about Bicycle For a Day's plans to send shipping containers full of bicycle parts to Afghanistan and sent up shop. Once there the containers would be assembled into store where local kids could learn to assemble bikes and the rudiments of being bicycle mechanics. Well, the project is taking a little more shape and at last Thursday's BFAD fundraiser architect Adam Kalkin was on hand showcasing his plans for the shipping container store:...
Pawlyn Continues to Amaze Lomborg With Power of Biomimicry + Restorative Design (VIDEO 2 of 3)
by Leonora Oppenheim, London, UK on 06. 9.09
In Part 1 of Michael Pawlyn's presentation debate with Bjorn Lomborg at the British Council for Offices 2009 conference, he sets out to dismantle Lomborg's theory that it's impossible to cut carbon emissions and save money. Pawlyn makes a clear and successful argument for being able to do this through restorative architecture. Click through to Part 2 to continue watching Pawlyn's presentation...
...
Failure to Recycle to be Punishable by $500 Fine in San Francisco
by Brian Merchant, Brooklyn, New York on 06. 9.09
Photo via SF Chronicle
San Francisco already has one of the highest recycling rates out of any city in the country—but apparently, it's not high enough. Unsatisfied by its nearly unparalleled progress, city officials are now about to make recycling and composting mandatory for each and every San Franciscan. And if they don't comply? They can say hello to a $500 fine—it's the first time in the US that a citizen could be fined for failing to recycle....
Lomborg Caught off Guard by Pawlyn's Robust Argument for Restorative Design (VIDEO 1 of 3)
by Leonora Oppenheim, London, UK on 06. 9.09
As you can imagine TreeHugger is always keen to hear of someone taking influential climate change skeptic Bjorn Lomborg down a peg or two, whether it's Stephen Colbert or Joe Romm or, as happened most recently, the British architect Michael Pawlyn of Exploration. Pawlyn, he of the incredible Sahara Forest Project, caught a visibly shaken Lomborg off guard at the British Council for Offices 2009 conference with an unequivocal dismantling of Lomborg's economic theories of cost of climate change by arguing for restorative architecture inspired by nature. Click through to check out Part 1 of Pawlyn's presentation......
iRobot Says Just Throw Your Broken Scooba In the Garbage. We have 5 Better Ideas!
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 06. 9.09
Throw all this away?! There are electronics in there, let alone all that plastic!
UPDATE: Click through (and scroll down) to read the progress made on iRobot's recycling practices after they saw this post.
TreeHugger Graham Hill recently bought a refurbished Scooba from iRobot. Upon arrival, the gadget didn't work. iRobot said they'd ship a new one, and while they've teamed up with Call2Recycle for recycling the batteries, they said to just go ahead and toss the Scooba and charger. In fact, not only did they say to toss it, but that it is "safe" to do so. Wait...say what? Put electronics in the trash?! Instead of razzing the company about this very un-eco-friendly lack of electronics recycling policies, we've decided to help out by recommending possible solutions. Here are five ideas for what iRobot can do to green up their e-waste, and we also want to know what ideas you have so we can present them with a set of savvy solutions. ...
The Incredible Story of Conflict Mineral Mining (Slideshow)
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 06. 9.09
Photo: Mark Craemer
The Democratic Republic of the Congo, scene of the deadliest conflict since World War II, remains mired in violence in significant part because of the international demand for electronic products that requires minerals found in the eastern Congo. Armed groups finance themselves through the illicit conflict mineral trade and fight over control of mines and taxation points inside Congo. Photographer Mark Craemer has captured what life is like at the Bisie mine, one of the largest sources of cassiterite (tin ore) in Congo.
...
Woolly Pocket Garden Company Combines Plants, Recycling, and Nudity for Fantastic Botanical Design
by Sami Grover, Carrboro, NC, USA on 06. 9.09
Image credit: Woolly Pocket Garden Company
Recycled Plastic Holders Make Easy Instant Gardens
"No woolly mammoths were harmed in the making of your Woolly Pockets," boasts the website of the Woolly Pocket Garden Company. Instead, these breathable, flexible and modular planters are made from recycled plastic bottles and can be either wall mounted or placed directly on the ground. Click below the fold for more details on how to create your own living wall, and some of the best product photography I've seen in a long time. ...
Survey: Would You Pay More on Flights to Fund Climate Change Adaptation?
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 06. 9.09
Matt asks: Would You Pay 1% More on Flights to Fund Climate Change Adaptation? I looked at my last plane ticket purchase and saw that I paid $105 in landing, security, airport upgrade, and other fees as well as sales taxes on a ticket of $282, a whopping 37% on top of the ticket price, and the offsets on an upcoming trip are costing me about 6% of the ticket price. In the face of that, 1% seems picayune.
...
World's Largest Wind Power Park To Be Built in Argentina
by Paula Alvarado, Buenos Aires on 06. 9.09
Photo: Jorge Vicente.
Spanish group Guascor has announced plans to build what is being reported as the largest wind park in the world in the Argentine Patagonia.
According to AFP, the park will have an installed capacity of between 600 and 900 megawatts and will demand an investment of 2,400 million US dollars. Voices from Guascor say the largest wind park in the world is in Ireland and generates 400 megawatts.
The announcement was made after only two weeks since the government launched a new law to offer benefits for investments in alternative energy. Find out more details in the extended....
Brooklyn's Polluted Water Worries Run So High, You Can Get Arrested for Swimming
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 06. 9.09
Photo via ZIGFIL
It's one thing to have the frustration that the only water around to play in on a hot day is filthy. It's a whole other frustration to be arrested for even trying! But that's what happened when two Brooklyn beaches closed down thanks to suspected sewage spills. ...
Self-Powered Laser For Safer Night Cycling (Or A Beam-Me-Up)
by Kimberley D. Mok, Montreal, Canada on 06. 9.09
Leonardo Manavella's bike-safety Laser, via EcoFriend)
Bicycling at night can be a dicey proposition. This is especially true if you’re equipped with the standard-fare reflectors that may or may not reflect properly, depending on the angle of the car headlights hitting you. Bike lights don’t always do the job, since they aim only front and back, and having your bike wrapped up in retro-reflective vinyl like the Bright Bike may not necessarily appeal to you. So here’s another illumined idea we learned about from EcoFriend: industrial designer Leonardo Manavella's self-powered laser that is not only very visible but responds to traffic around it....
Get Your Fish-Ray Glasses and See What's Really for Dinner (Video)
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 06. 9.09
Rose-colored glasses make everything seem a bit happier, a shade jollier. But Greenpeace is giving you a set of spectacles of a different sort. Fish-Ray glasses that give you the ability to see where and how the fish at your local market are sourced. They've even come up with snappy commercial to help sell the specs. Check it out after the jump....
Survey Says: Companies Fall into the "Green Gap"
by Roberta Cruger, Los Angeles on 06. 9.09
Global carbon footprints at Oxfam Climate Change campaign. Photo via Flickr by net_efekt
Not surprisingly, companies going “green” lack follow-up on measuring efficiency. What may be surprising is that this “news” comes from IBM. The company conducted its second annual survey of business execs about Corporate Social Responsibility policies with sustainability practices around the globe and discovered there was a lot lacking. In IBM's survey, the 224 responses indicate a widening gap between companies establishing goals and achieving them. ...
Nice Solar Panels. Now Where's the Clothes Line?
by Sami Grover, Carrboro, NC, USA on 06. 9.09
Image by the author.
No Clothesline after a Year of Green Living?! Bad Hippy.
I moved house almost exactly a year ago. Since then my wife and I have done our best to take some big green steps to sustainable living. We've installed a solar water heater, I've taken up beekeeping, we have chickens, we're growing mushrooms, and we are composting on a massive scale. So I'd hardly call myself lazy when it comes to being green - yet something's been bugging me recently. Where the heck is our clothesline!!?? ...
Via Spectacular Aerial Art, 350.org Tells Climate Negotiatiors Time is Ticking
by Daniel Kessler, San Francisco, California on 06. 9.09
The Latest in Green Burials: Be Buried In a Coral Reef
by Kristin Underwood, Sacramento, CA on 06. 9.09
Image via: Getty Images
When it comes to death, this is a topic most people don't like to talk about, but when environmentalists get involved, there is a debate to be had. Are you tossed overboard? Are you buried in a biodegradable cardboard box? Are you cremated? Each of these has weighty pros and cons, and now you can add being memorialized in a coral reef to the list....
Observer Ethical Award Winners Reveal Inspiring Stories
by Bonnie Alter, London on 06. 9.09
Lucy Siegle, Sir David Attenborough, and Colin Firth at the award ceremony. Image via The Observer.
The winners of the Observer's Ethical Awards competition are a group of people whose commitment to the environment is an inspiration for all of us striving to be greener in our daily lives. The stories behind the awards reveal lifetimes spent in dedication to the cause. For example, this year's Lifetime Achievement Award goes to Sir David Attenborough. At 83 years old, he is someone whose curiosity and passion for the natural world has alerted so many people to the perils threatening it.
The Big Idea Award went to Naturepaint: paint free of solvents and formaldehydes, and water(!). Instead it comes in a package and you mix it. So it is light, easily transported and has no chemicals. A very big idea. ...
Fair Trade Super Woman: She's Danish, Dedicated, and Under 35
by April Streeter, Gothenburg, Sweden on 06. 9.09
Fair Trade has gone far beyond coffee and bananas - now there is everything from body scrub to hand towels, soccer balls to vanilla beans. You wouldn't know this in any normal U.S. store, but in Denmark, Fair Trade goods are fairly easy to find. Copenhagen is a Fair Trade city since last year, and it's easy to find a Fair Trade choice in nearly every major category at the local supermarket. But here's the kicker - are Fair Trade Danish superwomen, who buy body scrubs from Costa Rica and rafts of certified bananas, doing the world any good? Click forward for a five-minute update on Fair Trade, plus a video clip of frenzied Fair Trade shoppers.
Image freely adapted by Max Havelaar Denmark of Joe Prado's Supergirl....
Fabien Cousteau: Ocean Exploration, Industry & You
by George Spyros, New York City, USA on 06. 8.09
Let's Raise $100,000 in 1 Week! Summer of Social Good Has Given Us a Challenge
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 06. 8.09
Last week Mashable kicked off the first Summer of Social Good, which aims to leverage social media to raise money for The Humane Society, Oxfam, Livestrong and WWF. Well, now they're shifting into high gear for the $100K in 1 Week Challenge. Here's how it'll work:...
Barbarians at the Gates: Jellyfish Are Taking Over the Oceans
by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada on 06. 8.09
Photo: Brian Sterling, CC
Happy World Oceans Day 2009!
What happens when you wipe out a species? Usually, another moves in the vacated space and takes over (sometimes making it hard for threatened species to recover). So it's not too surprising to learn that researchers are finding that overfishing and other human activities are not only making many marine ecosystems collapse (or close to it), but are also enabling jellyfish to attempt nothing less than an oceanic hostile takeover! Read on for more details....
City of Austin Mandates Home Energy Audits To Avoid Building New Power Plant
by Kristin Underwood, Sacramento, CA on 06. 8.09
Image via: Getty Images
Homeowners in Austin, TX are now required to have an energy efficiency audit prior to listing their house for sale. While this is not the first city in the US to mandate such a program, that isn't making it any easier for residents to swallow, reports the Wall Street Journal....
ooffoo Hosts Carnival of the Green
by Kara DiCamillo, Newport, Rhode Island on 06. 8.09
This week is Carnival of the Green #183 and it's being hosted by our dear Carnival founder, Al Tepper, over at ooffoo. Have you visited the site yet? The term "ooffoo" itself is the html code for the color green and it has been created to help like minded people participate in this philosophy; to network, communicate, help, advise and share.
So head on over to 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. Also, as we recently announced, this week's Carnival makes the debut of our new #bestgreentweets feature from Twitter. Find out which ones made the cut - enjoy!
We are now accepting host requests for 2010! Read on to find out how to host....
Green Eyes On: Feast Local...Really Local
by Sara Snow on 06. 8.09
Photo courtesy of Elle Wedding Photography
A week ago I had the delightful task of throwing a dinner as part of a sweepstakes put on by heating and cooling company, Lennox Industries. It was called the Get a Green Life Sweepstakes, and a winner was chosen at random out of thousands of entries to win a green party for the winner and seven friends, thrown by me.
Once the winner and location were chosen (though a resident of Canada, Grace, the winner, decided to hold the dinner party in Gainesville, FL where her daughter now lives) I set about determining the location and menu.
I certainly could have scoped out some hip, chic restaurant or other venue and held the party there, but there’s something cooler going on in the food scene that I wanted to glom onto.
...
In San Diego? Sample the City's Green Scene on the Cheap
by Kristin Underwood, Sacramento, CA on 06. 8.09
Image via: Go Green Book
While San Diego was not considered a very green city just a few years ago, this sunny patch of paradise is quietly coming into its own by leaps and bounds. Enough businesses are seeing the light, and new green ones are opening all the time, that this year heralds their very own Go Green (coupon) Book, which offers over 100 coupons to local environmental stores, eateries, services, recreational activities and an entire category for "other." Read on to find out how to get one. ...
John Masters Organics Introduces New Mineral Sunscreen SPF 30
by Jasmin Malik Chua, Jersey City, USA on 06. 8.09
Photo credit: John Masters Organics
Sunny days are here again, which means it's time to load your skin up with plenty of quality SPF before you venture into the great outdoors. John Masters Organics is all aboard for summer with a new broad-spectrum mineral sunscreen designed to deflect attacks from both UVA and UVB rays, while pampering and hydrating your epidermis with certified-organic green tea extract, Shea butter, and jojoba oil.
...
Retooling the Auto Industry for a Smaller (Yet Profitable) Future
by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada on 06. 8.09
Photo: Flickr, CC
If Small Cars Become More Profitable, We'll Have Better Small Cars
Toyota announced something interesting: The company is restructuring and retooling so that it can make more profits on small cars (more details below). To some this might sound like just some cost-cutting caused by the recession and massive drop in car sales, but I don't think that's all there is to it (or at least, I hope not). In fact, I think this is probably the way out (or at least the least bad option in the short-term) for the auto industry. Allow me to explain......
Jeff Rubin: Peak Oil Will Make Our World A Whole Lot Smaller
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 06. 8.09
Why? Peak Oil. Jeff Rubin is a regular supplier of great quotes to TreeHugger (like his description of the tar sands: "You know you are at the bottom of the ninth when you are schlepping a tonne of sand to get a barrel of oil" )
For almost twenty years he was chief economist for CIBC World Markets, but has left that comfortable world to spread a not so comfortable message: Our lives are about to change, as the title says: Why Your World Is About To Get A Whole Lot Smaller. It is much the same message as delivered by James Howard Kunstler in The Long Emergency, but with more math and better credentials....
Gap Between Train & Airplane Environmental Impact Narrows in New Life-Cycle Analysis
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 06. 8.09
photo: Richard Masoner via flickr.
We all know that the amount of greenhouse gas emissions varies widely whether you're taking a bus, a train, or flying; by the fuel efficiency of your car and by how many people are in the vehicle. But one thing which gets overlooked is the environmental impact of all the infrastructure, vehicle maintenance, fuel production, and all the other things that encompass the full life-cycle of each mode of transit. A new piece in the journal Environmental Research Letters attempts to rectify that for transit in the United States. The results knock train travel down a peg, but it still comes out a solid green travel choice:...
Wired About World Environment Day
by Earthwatch Institute on 06. 8.09
W.E.D. symbol. Image credit:UNSW, WED Network
Happy Belated World Environment Day, 2009! (The official date was 5 June 2009)
First things first: if you've got a Twitter account (or if you've been on the fence and need a good excuse to sign up), go to @UNEPandYou and become a follower. You just may be the one to help 100,000 trees get planted.
Now, let's clear something up-or try to. World Environment Day (WED) isn't, of course, Earth Day, though both date back to about the same period. WED, always celebrated on June 5, was established by the UN General Assembly in 1972; Earth Day officially kicked off its annual April 22 efforts to celebrate and raise awareness in 1970, due to the efforts of US Senator Gaylord Nelson. (Nor is WED the UN's own official Earth Day, celebrated on or about March 20 every year since 1969.)
...
Electric Bike Review: We Ride the Pacific Electric E-Bike Terra 7-Speed
by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada on 06. 8.09
Photo: Pacific E-Bike
See also: Awesome Idea: Copenhagen's Cyclist Counter (#500,000 Gets a Free Bike)
Graham Hill Shares His Experience with the Terra Electric Bike
It is said that the bicycle is the most efficient mean of transportation. Yet some people who would like to commute by bike are scared off by hills, long distances, sweat, etc. That's where the electric assist bike comes in! Add a little electricity to the mix, and you have a super-charged bicycle that makes most common excuses melt away. TreeHugger founder Graham Hill rode a Terra electric bike around San Francisco for a month and shares his experience with us below. Keep reading for the juicy stuff!...
Would You Pay 1% More on Flights to Fund Climate Change Adaptation?
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 06. 8.09
photo: Vox Efx via flickr.
It's well ingrained within the green community that frequent flying really is a huge part of your personal carbon emissions. You already probably purchase a carbon offset for all your flights, but would you pay a surcharge of about 1% on long-haul flights if that money would be used to help poor nations adapt to climate change? The Guardian is reporting that's what's being proposed by 50 of the world's least developed countries in the latest round of UN climate change talks in Bonn:...
World Naked Bike Ride: Baring it All for the Bike (Slideshow)
by April Streeter, Gothenburg, Sweden on 06. 8.09
Like Critical Mass, the World Naked Bike Ride (WNBR) which now takes place in 70 cities and 20 countries and is happening this year on the weekend of June 13, has its detractors. For one, any movement that declares itself to be a protest against oil dependency can rub people who simply love cars the wrong way. For another, and this is the question you are might be asking yourself, is it really legal to be bike riding naked? Well, the answer is, no...but. The laws regarding "indecent exposure" are vague and hard to enforce, especially when the WNBR bikers come out in mass. Most riders occur without legal intervention, but arrests are not unknown. Click for a sneak preview of colorful photos from past rides.
...
The Ocean Has Issues: 7 Biggest Problems Facing Our Seas, and How to Fix Them
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 06. 8.09
The oceans are among our biggest resource for life on earth, and also our biggest dumping grounds. That kind of paradox could give anyone an identity crisis. We seem to think we can take all the goodies out and put all our garbage in, and then expect them to keep happily ticking away indefinitely. However, while it's true the oceans can provide us with some amazing eco-solutions like alternative energy, they're are undergoing some serious stress factors. Here are the seven biggest problems, plus some light at the end of the tunnel. ...
5 Boundary-Pushing Ways to Generate Renewable Energy
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 06. 8.09
photo: Jim Frost via flickr.
We all may still be suckling at the fossil fuel teat, but renewable energy certainly has broken into the mainstream at least in concept. There's still a long, long road ahead of us to bring enough green power online to really supplant large amounts of the carbon-emitting fuels we've grown used to using, but at this point large commercial wind turbines and rooftop solar panels aren't seen as wild and alternative ways of doing things any longer. But that doesn't mean things have become staid, not by a long shot. Here are five projects creating green energy that are still pushing the boundaries:
...
Tiffany's Dedicates Store Windows to Coral Conservation
by Jasmin Malik Chua, Jersey City, USA on 06. 8.09
Photo credit: Joe Schildhorn
Tiffany & Co. has splashed out for coral conservation in a huge way, decking its store windows all over the globe with an "Under the Sea" theme to raise awareness about the damaging consequences of coral harvesting.
According to Tiffany's:
Each window offers a different view—and a different hue—of the ocean floor. The topography of hills and valleys is shaped by glittering sand and bathed in deep blue, pristine white, lavender or turquoise. Gossamer fabric forms waves of color and bubbles swirl around vibrant coral shapes sculpted in resin....
Child's Bed by H20 Archtectes Is Also Play Area and Room Divider
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 06. 8.09
Images by Stéphane Chalmeau via Dezeen
We have noted before that in Paris, apartments are often quite small; they often don't have room for a private kid's bedroom. H20 Architectes dealt with the problem of accommodating children with this structure that puts an elevated bed on top of a play and storage area. ...
Father's Day Green Gift Guide: 10 Presents Dad Will Adore
by Jessica Root - Brooklyn, NY on 06. 8.09
We love dad (or hubby or grandpa--insert your preferred Papa Bear-figure here) and know that he deserves the best. So why not choose a gift that reflects style, substance, sophistication, and sustainability? Make him swoon with a dashing gift that's delectably green in obvious ways (a beginner's beekeeping kit, a deluxe bike bag system) or one that's secretly sustainable (all-natural BBQ charcoal, an energy-efficient iPod clock radio). Wherever your dude falls on the green spectrum, this guide will help you do your part for Dad on Father's Day. ...
When Carbon Neutral Buildings Don't Add Up
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 06. 8.09
via Mario Cucinella
Mario Cucinella is one of the greener architects in Italy; I loved his Casa 100K euro that we featured earlier. His Satander building is interesting too, billed as the first "Zero CO2 office building in Milan." But the three storey building sits on stilts, so everyone will probably take the elevator, which they might not have done if it sat on the ground like a conventional building. The Centre for Interactive Research on Sustainability in Vancouver, on the other hand, takes carbon neutral to another level....
Majority of DVD Packaging To Use 20% Less Plastic
by Brian Merchant, Brooklyn, New York on 06. 8.09
Photo via Lifehacker
Got to love that double bottom line: by reducing the packaging weight of its DVDs by 20%, Warner Home Video--the undisputed king of worldwide DVD distribution--is going to slash carbon emissions by an impressive 31%. And it's going to save a load of money in the process....
Why August is the Best Month for the Oceans
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 06. 8.09
Photo via DavidK-Oregon
Today is World Ocean Day. Not only is it World Ocean Day, it's the first official World Ocean Day. So what better day to announce that our sister site Planet Green will be embarking on a month-long effort in August to bring you everything you ever wanted and needed to know about the oceans. Check out all the amazing stuff in store for you during Blue August....
Cap and Trade Won't Break the Bank: Climate Bill Would Actually Cut US Budget Defecit
by Brian Merchant, Brooklyn, New York on 06. 8.09
Image via Stand Up for America
A new report from the US Budget office revealed that the ever controversial Waxman-Markey climate bill would actually end up cutting the budget defecit--not causing it to skyrocket, as its fiercest critics contend. Revenue from the cap and trade would end up adding over $846 billion to Obama's budget....
With Green Roof, Nanyang University School of Art Tries to Disappear
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 06. 8.09
Nanyang University Photo Credit CPG Consultants via Greensource
I noted in an earlier post on Zaha Hadid's design museum in Seoul:
Green roofs are wonderful things, and they are introducing a whole new design aesthetic where roof meets grade, and a whole new presentation style where we look down at buildings instead of up. If only we had wings.Most of the new green roof-driven designs we see now are still just renderings, but in Singapore, the Nanyang University School of Art, Design and Media opened in 2006, and you don't need wings to take it in....
$5 Billion in Stimulus Cash to Help US Cut Back on the A/C
by Brian Merchant, Brooklyn, New York on 06. 8.09
Photo via Charles and Hundson
We already knew that the stimulus bill included provisions to weatherize homes and government buildings across the country. But how exactly that weatherizing was going to get done (aside from some great tax rebates) remained undecided. Now, a controversial decision has been made to use a huge chunk of the stimulus cash to help hotter states use less energy on air conditioning during the summer....
Oceans of Change: Protecting the Planet's Life Support System
by Guest on 06. 8.09
The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park was established in 1975 and originally included 5.6% of its area in no-take zones. That was expanded to over 33% in 2004. Photo by Ove Hoegh-Guldberg/University of Queensland
This year’s World Oceans Day has the theme “one ocean, one climate, one future.” This couldn’t be a more timely focus. With so much attention on the climate change impacts we can see from land, the drastic changes occurring beneath the waves often go unnoticed. But the Great Barrier Reef is unraveling a tale we need to listen to. ...
Do We Have Too Many Special Days?
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 06. 8.09
It is World Oceans Day today, and we are trying to make a big deal of it. Last Friday was World Environment Day, theoretically the rest of the world's version of Earth Day, but it passed without a peep just about everywhere. Don't get me started about missing Mole Day last week. In this modern age, where we parse seconds but should be doing the right thing every day, not just special days, do they make sense?
...
Sowing the Seeds of Sustainability: Victory Gardens are Back!
by Pablo Paster, San Francisco on 06. 8.09
During World War II ordinary citizens across the country did their part for the war effort by planting victory gardens to lessen the demand on the food system caused by the war. Some have suggested that sustainability is about returning to the more efficient ways of the past and, until now, the concept of widespread victory gardens had been lost to history. ...
Hummer Helper Builds Nests In Your Own Backyard
by Kristin Underwood, Sacramento, CA on 06. 8.09
Image via: RedWhisk at Flickr.com
It's that time again - Spring - when all of the flowers bloom, the sun comes out and migrating birds make their way through your city. Well if you live in a hummingbird fly zone, chances are you've got a red, nectar feeder in your yard to encourage these active guys to stop by. But there's something else you should have too....
Celebrities Tell Nobu Not to Serve Bluefin Tuna
by Bonnie Alter, London on 06. 8.09
Image from zimbio
Some hot celebrities have told Nobu, the famous sushi restaurant, not to serve bluefin tuna. The news of the near extinction of the fish has just hit big-time due to the release of the new movie The End of the Line.
Thirty-one stars including Sting, Elle Macpherson, Woody Harrelson, Charlize Theron and Sienna Miller have written a letter to the owner asking him to take it off the menu so that they can "dine with a clear conscience." Under pressure, the London branches of the sushi bar have agreed to put a note on the menu informing patrons that the fish is endangered....
The Best Protection Against Global Warming is Better Hurricane Insurance, says CEI
by Eric Leech, New York, NY on 06. 7.09
Photo via: St. Louis Garage
Katrina Beats it off the Line
CEI, otherwise known as Competitive Enterprise Institute, has taken a bold stance against global warming and is recommending better risk-based insurance, stronger buildings, and improved methods of land use, over that of government restrictions on greenhouse gases......
How to Make Just About Damn Near Anything... Last Longer
by Eric Leech, New York, NY on 06. 7.09
Photo via: anomalous4
Duct tape is wonderful stuff! While there are some individuals who will tell you that you can fix just about anything with it, the best way to ensure your things last a long time is through plain old fashioned common sense and proper care. Here are a few preferred ways to take care of all your stuff......
EU Prioritizes First Set of Chemicals for Ban Under Strict New REACH Law
by Christine Lepisto, Berlin on 06. 7.09
Image: ECHA
REACH, the European Directive for Registration, Evaluation and Authorization of Chemicals, set out guidelines for the types of chemicals which should be progressively banned: - CMRs: Carcinogens, Mutagens or Reproductive Toxins
- PBTs: Persistant, Bioaccumulative and Toxic chemicals
- vPvBs: chemicals which are very persistant and very bioaccumulative.
Search for Air France Flight 447 Hindered By Garbage
by Josh Peterson, Los Angeles, California on 06. 7.09
Photo: jdj150 via Flickr
Air France Flight 447 crashed into the Atlantic ocean near Brazil this week. Rescue workers and officials are pessimistic that they will find the downed craft or the black box. The first major obstacle was that the aircraft was not on radar when it went down. That meant rescue workers had to look for floating debris and work their way back to the plane.
John Perry Fish of American Underwater Search and Survey on Cape Cod
They'll have to work with flotsam. You get the wind and current data and work back. You have to distinguish between the light material that is on the surface and exposed to the wind, and the buoyant material, which is floating, but just under the surface and not exposed to the winds.But the ocean in that area is so garbage-filled that rescue workers are having trouble locating any signs of the plane among the floating piles of waste. ...
Don't Leave Us Homeless, Turkish Villagers Say
by Jennifer Hattam, Istanbul, Turkey on 06. 7.09
Photo of Hasankeyf protest via Doğa Derneği.
“I was born [in Suçeken] and I want to die there," says Behiye Kepti. "I will stay in my village--in a tent, if necessary."
That was the message the 54-year-old Kurdish villager, a mother of six, delivered to European ambassadors late last week on a visit to the Turkish capital of Ankara. Kepti and six other members of the Initiative to Keep Hasankeyf Alive met there with representatives of two of the countries that are financially supporting construction of the $1.7 billion Ilısu Dam, which would flood their villages in the southeast of Turkey and force the relocation of 10,000 area residents....
Slugger Ryan Howard Tours the White House Garden
by Daniel Kessler, San Francisco, California on 06. 7.09
Ultra-Green Block Coming to Central Dallas
by Jesse Fox, Tel Aviv, Israel on 06. 7.09
"Forwarding Dallas" - one of the winning designs.
The folks at San Francisco-based Urban Re:Vision weren't kidding when they announced their intention to build America's first fully sustainable inner city block in Dallas, Texas. After receiving 176 proposals from 26 countries, three winning designs have been chosen. One of them will be selected for implementation later this year, and groundbreaking is scheduled for fall 2010. Featuring affordable housing, extensive food and energy production and a host of other ultra-green features, the project will be built in place of a parking lot across from City Hall. Here are the winning proposals... ...
ASES Solar Tour: Massive National Event for Solar Education
by Sami Grover, Carrboro, NC, USA on 06. 7.09
Image credit: ASES
Largest Grassroots Solar Event in America: Register Now!
Imagine 140,000 people participating in a national tour of solar-powered homes and institutions - all in one day. That's what happened last year at the American Solar Energy Society (ASES) National Solar Tour - and this year looks set to be even bigger. Whether it's DIY solar homes and solar cars, new homes with solar as standard, or utility-scale multi-megawatt solar installations, TreeHugger is not short of stories about how solar power is leading us away from fossil fuel dependence and helping to stem climate change. But while change is beginning to happen, it's not happening anywhere near fast enough. That's why the ASES tour is so important - getting people in front of real, live solar installations, showing them how they work, and encouraging folks to go solar themselves. Read on to find out how you can participate. ...
Bedding Industry To Regulate Green Bedding
by Sara Novak, Columbia, SC on 06. 7.09
photo: Earth Friendly Shopping
Shopping for ecologically responsible bedding has always been a bit of a mystery because of a lack of regulation regarding industry standards. But that could change now that the bedding industry is working to define green bedding....
TreeHugger breaks it down for you in a series of in depth how-to articles that will help you green your life. No time like the present!
Here are a few recommended websites.
- BTC Elements Blog
- Celsias
- Clean Edge - The Clean-Tech Market Authority
- Cleantech Investing
- SRB Marketing | CONSCIOUS CLICKS - The Blog
- Daily Green, the Blog of GreenForGood.com
- Endogenous preferences
- Environmental and Urban Economics
- Environmental Economics
- EQUITY GREEN
- gDiapers: the early years...
- Gil Friend
- The Green Giraffe
