- 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 21, 2009 - June 27, 2009
Total this week: 148
Colorado Firefighter Training Goes Green
by Eric Leech, New York, NY on 06.27.09
Photo via: Amagill
While not often a target of environmental groups due to the increased preparation and safety it promotes, a firefighters training regiment is anything but green. Such training often involves the controlled burning of vehicles, hay, and wood structures. The byproduct of such a rigorous training schedule results in thick, black, billowing clouds of toxic smoke and fumes, which not only simulates the danger to the firefighters and victims, but also the environmental catastrophe these types of fires promote....
"Go Dry" Movement Spreads, As Californians Rip Up Their Grass Lawns
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 06.27.09
"Jacobs says this landscaping requires no mowing, no edging and no weekly maintenance, just a little weeding and trimming about once per month." Image credit:KPBS, Angela Carone
Cut the grass will you?...Are you done edging?....Time to water the grass...Grass is too long!...Feed the grass...Grass is too high. Suburban US teens of an earlier generation will remember hearing these very expressions, having grown up with acres of the Kentucky blue. Now it's pretty much the landscaping service that gets an earfull.
Things are changing, though, in places where water is increasingly scarce and costly. Californians, in fact, have good incentives to rip it up. Los Angeles Times reports on this with their story: The Dry Garden: L.A. offers rebate for ripping out your lawn. ...
Climate Forced Migration: Pathways Of Future Conflict
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 06.27.09
Major contemporary human migration routes.
Image credit:NPR/Economist, via PAP Blog
Here's the latest climate impact prognostication to turn my head. 'Climate refugees can't afford to move very far so we have to just accommodate that reality.' That's from a spokesperson for the International Institute for Environment & Development, as quoted in a report titled: Radical shift needed to end alarmism over climate-related migration. Also, according to the spokesperson, “There is growing concern that climate change will force hundreds of millions of people to migrate, but many policymakers see this purely as a problem when in fact it can be a key part of the solution...” ...
Dwell on Design Conference: Dispatch from Day One
by Roberta Cruger, Los Angeles on 06.27.09
Turn your wall into a white board with IdeaPaint. Photos by RCruger.
Gorgeous green homewares, scintillating sustainability forums, abfab prefab displays, green designs and architecture are the focus at "dwell on design," dwell magazine's fourth festival of modern design and it’s second in LA (where its biggest chunk of subscribers dwell). With lots of exhibitions, panels, interviews, home tours, films, innovative environmental ideas, and enticing events, the first jam-packed day kicked off the weekend show in green style. With so many enticing speakers, I tried to be in a few places at once, and managed to catch a batch of illustrious designers and forward thinkers. Here's some highlights:
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Gordon Brown Pitches $100 Billion Climate Finance Plan
by Daniel Kessler, San Francisco, California on 06.27.09
Photo via Flickr
The world is down to about 160 days until the international climate talks in Copenhagen begin. On the table are short-term and long-term targets for emissions reductions in both the developed world and in developing countries, forest protection, and financing for climate change mitigation and adaptation. To address the financing problem, the UK's Prime Minister Gordon Brown has put forward a proposal for a $100 billion dollar fund....
California To Require Heat-Reflecting Vehicle Windows, Starting With 2012 Model Year
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 06.27.09
You won't need this any more. And neither will baby need a sunscreen.
Image credit:Alohakine.com, window sun shade.
This past spring California Air Resources Board (CARB) was actively considering a regulation that required new vehicles to be painted with coatings formulated to reduce absorption of the sun's heat, lowering the vehicle's air conditioning load, and thereby improving vehicle efficiency. (Opposition to the paint rule was strong for technical and for political reasons; but, it's still under consideration.) See Cool Cars: Give Me Liberty Or Give Me Efficiency for details. In its latest move to control heat input to cars, CARB has now approved a proposed requirement for solar gain-reducing windows. Besides boosting mileage, heat controlling windows would make cars a lot more comfortable on hot days. However, some argue that the technology will 'interfere with wireless communications'. Read on for details.
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Can a Green-Power Underachiever Reach its Full Potential?
by Jennifer Hattam, Istanbul, Turkey on 06.27.09
Turkey's national energy grid. Image via Global Energy Network Institute
Although only a paltry 1 percent of Turkey's power is currently provided by renewable sources, the country's sunny and strategic location, large surface area, and young population give it great potential as a "leading green power nation," Levent Bas writes this week on business blog CleanTechies. But how far is that potential from being realized?...
World Heritage Lists the Dolomites and Wadden Sea as Its Newest Natural Wonders
by Sara Novak, Columbia, SC on 06.27.09
photo: Martin Price
The Dolomites and the Wadden Sea, have deservingly been nominated as World Heritage Foundation sites. See what makes them it so wonderous. ...
McCartneys' Meat Free Monday Campaign Rolls On
by Sami Grover, Carrboro, NC, USA on 06.27.09
Meat Free Monday is not about vegetarianism
I posted already on Paul McCartney's support of Meat Free Monday. Given the undeniable links between meat and climate change, the former Beatle's calls for people to give up eating meat just one day a week seem eminently reasonable. However, I can't help but wonder if this part-time vegetarianism is a sneak attack by the animal rights lobby - hoping that Monday-night tofu is a gateway drug for a more permanent move away from animal protein. Not so, says Stella McCartney at least - she's actually trying to distance herself from the vegetarian debate on this one. ...
Sainsbury's "People Powered" Checkouts: Aren't They Petroleum Powered?
by Sami Grover, Carrboro, NC, USA on 06.27.09
Is Harvesting Energy from Passing Cars "Free"?
Whether it's delivering produce by barge, or turning waste food into electricity, UK supermarket chain Sainsbury's has certainly pushed the envelope when it comes to green initiatives. Their distribution center was even featured in our slideshow of urban wind turbines. As part of their latest effort - an innovative eco-store that also features solar power, rainwater harvesting and recycled construction waste - the chain is boasting that checkout tills will be "people powered". The only trouble is, the term "people powered" seems to mean running the tills on gasoline... ...
Historic Climate Bill Passes House of Reps
by Brian Merchant, Brooklyn, New York on 06.27.09
Photo via Cash for Clunkers
It's official: the House of Representatives has just passed--narrowly--the Waxman-Markey climate and energy bill. The controversial, historic climate bill makes the first ever move towards limiting greenhouse gases in the US in order to combat climate change. The vote was 219-212--about as close as it gets. And though it's a huge step--and a hard won victory--the road remains long and daunting for the US's first legislation bent on curbing emissions and making a national shift towards clean energy. ...
Revel Seven: New Line Takes Pride in Organic Clothing
by Kristin Underwood, Sacramento, CA on 06.26.09
Images via: Revel Seven
Coming to eco-luxury stores this July is Revel Seven, the new 100% certified organic clothing company by founder Joe Tomlinson and wife Amy. Patriotic and environmental themes adorn each of the tees and the jeans come in vintage and broken-in, comfortable fits, the way jeans should be....
On Pulling Weeds With Salazar - Outside Jobs Versus Flipping Burgers
by Greg Haegele of Sierra Club on 06.26.09
US Department of Interior, Secretary Ken Salazar, with members of the Youth Conservation Corps. Image credit:Jackie Ostfeld, Sierra Club staff.
This scares me: Kids get outside 50% less today than they did 20 years ago, and if they’re not being taught to explore, enjoy, and protect wilderness and wildlife habitat - then who will take that on 20 years from now? Who will fight for protections in courtrooms and Congress?
Turns out that Interior Secretary Ken Salazar is bothered by this situation, too. That’s why on Monday, when the Obama administration - led by the First Lady - rolled out United We Serve, Salazar set up an event involving members of the Youth Conservation Corps, Student Conservation Association, NPS employees, and Virginia’s first lady Anne Holton....
Was Michael Jackson the World's Biggest Environmentalist?
by Alex Pasternack, New York, NY on 06.26.09
Green Beauty Products Abound at (You Guessed It)...GreenBeauty.ca
by Naturally Savvy on 06.26.09
Photo via GreenBeauty.ca.
Looking for green beauty products can be a nightmare. Some so-called "green" products are about as eco-friendly as bottled water, and many products that are great for the environment just don't stand up to our hectic lives (particularly in the sweltering summer months). Wouldn't it be lovely if a store just did all the filtering and testing for us?
Enter GreenBeauty.ca, a new online retailer that specializes in environmentally friendly, healthy beauty products—and, we're happy to report, they ship to the United States....
Mountain Bikes Empower Cacao Farmers in Congo
by Jeff Nield, Vancouver, British Columbia on 06.26.09
Image: Original Beans
A few months ago I posted about Original Beans and the true cost of chocolate. The company is has committed to planting a tree in the country of origin for every bar sold. And now, Original Beans is celebrating a partnership with mountain biking legend Hans Rey's Wheels4Life foundation, that will allow cacao farmers in the Congo much needed mobility. ...
Culturata Introduces First Certified-Organic Cotton Designer Dress Shirts to North America
by Jasmin Malik Chua, Jersey City, USA on 06.26.09
Photo credit: Culturata
Italian luxury shirt-maker Culturata has added 100 percent organic dress shirts into its fold, and they're expected to make landfall on U.S. and Canadian shores this month. (Check the company's blog for local stockists.)
Touted as the first 100 percent certified-organic cotton designer dress shirts in North America—although Culturata might have to duke it out with Boll Organic for that honor—each shirt is cut, pressed, and sewn by hand in Italy using Italian-made textiles. ...
Rainforest Alliance Partners with North America's Largest Cocoa Processor
by Kristin Underwood, Sacramento, CA on 06.26.09
Image via: ParsecTraveller on Flickr.com
Oh chocolate, how we love you, let us count your names...let's see, there's M&M's, chocolate fondue, Mars, Nestle, German Chocolate Cake, Green&Black's, Scharfenberger, Death by Chocolate, Chocolate chips, Cadbury's, Chocolate Brownies, Chocolate Fudge, Godiva Chocolate and their chocolate dipped strawberries, hot chocolate, chocolate pudding, churros & chocolate, chocolate cake and how could we forget the Hershey's Kiss? Now someone you may not have heard of, Blommer, the largest producer of cocoa in North America, is partnering with the Rainforest Alliance to make all that chocolate a little sweeter....
Kaia House Nail Polish Makes For Clean Manis and Pedis
by Kristin Underwood, Sacramento, CA on 06.26.09
Image via: Kaia House
Giving a french manicure to yourself or your little girl is easy with the new line of Organic Bio-Polishes from Kaia House. These 6 colors (plus top/base coat) are free of 20 toxins commonly found in nail polish and they also have soy-based polish remover....
Take Action: Tell Hillary Clinton to Stop Tar Sands Pipeline Into US
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 06.26.09
image: ForestEthics
Despite efforts to use carbon capture and storage as a distraction, there's no getting around the massive environmental impact of Canada's tar sands: At least 5 times the carbon emissions as conventional oil, huge water pollution problems, boreal deforestation, etc. etc. etc... Not to mention that the US has shown no inclination to take a stand against potentially tapping into this energy source. ForestEthics would like that to change and is urging Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to act:...
Peak Emissions by 2020? The UK Energy and Climate Change Secretary Thinks So
by Kristin Underwood, Sacramento, CA on 06.26.09
Image via: UK Independent/Getty Images
It's been speculated and even demanded that emissions have to peak by 2020 if we are going to avoid irreversible damage. Well, Ed Miliband, UK Energy and Climate Change Secretary, took the leap at the Major Economies Forum this week to say it can and will be done, reports the UK Independent. Here's why: ...
Robin Chase on the Birth of Zipcar and the Future of Transportation (Part One)
by Jacob Gordon, Nashville, TN on 06.26.09
To Robin Chase, parked cars and solo drivers just look like a great big mess of wasted capacity. It’s this kind of thinking that inspired her to start Zipcar (now the world’s largest carsharing company), and GoLoco, the Facebook of ridesharing. It’s also the kind of thinking that got her invited to speak at TED and put her on TIME’s 100 list for 2009. Chase took some time from her frenetic life to tell us about the birth of Zipcar, the progress of GoLoco, and where she’s headed next (hint: cars that talk to each other). Listen to the podcast of this interview via iTunes, or just click here to listen, right-click to download.
Music comes from Nightmares on Wax. Listen to part two of our interview here. Full text after the jump. ...
Is the Climate Bill Really a Step Forward or Merely Marching in Place?
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 06.26.09
photo: Ishikawa Ken via flick
With the American Clean Energy and Security Act set to go before a vote in the House later today, and expected to pass, many in the environmental community have taken the position represented by the NRDC, that we need to pass the bill and that it's a (small) step forward. Only a few voices, such as Friends of the Earth and Greenpeace, are saying what I think many supporters are probably feeling, that the bill simply isn't strong enough. Here's the gist of both arguments:
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Discovering The True Power Of Your Trash
by Wes Muir, Waste Management, Inc. on 06.26.09
Waste-to-energy facility in Broward County, Florida, situated at the Central landfill that also has a landfill gas to energy facility.
Image credit:Waste Management
Last week mayors from across the United States gathered in Providence, Rhode Island for the annual meeting (pdf) of the U.S. Conference of Mayors. From the many resolutions heard proposed at this year’s Conference, it’s clear that waste and energy issues are generating increased interest.
Though probably not front and center on their agenda, implementing progressive solutions to managing municipal waste directly addresses several of the local and national energy and environmental resolutions proposed by mayors across the country. When towns and cities take a smart approach to managing waste, an inherently regional issue, they also help solve national challenges the mayors will be addressing this weekend.
Take the need for locally generated renewable energy. Mayors across the country are demanding new sources of clean energy that are insulated from price volatility. Wind and solar receive the most attention, but waste-based energy uses a local resource to generate clean energy. ...
U.K. Sees Launch of First Certified-Fair Trade Beauty Products
by Jasmin Malik Chua, Jersey City, USA on 06.26.09
Photo credit: Fairtrade Foundation
The Fairtrade Foundation has announced the first beauty products to bear the fair-trade seal of approval in the United Kingdom. Beauty buffs across the pond will now be able to bag lip balms, face masks, body butters, and shower gels from five companies: Boots, Bubble & Balm, Essential Care, Lush, and Neal's Yard.
Considering that at least 5 billion units of cosmetics—including beauty products, toiletries, and fragrances—are sold in Europe each year, using roughly 1.5 million tons of ingredients, this savvy move has consequences that are not insubstantial, especially when it comes to reducing poverty in Africa, Asia, and Latin America....
Obama's Nominee for Director of Fish & Wildlife Service Ignored Endangered Species Act
by Brian Merchant, Brooklyn, New York on 06.26.09
Photo via FWS
As a 30 year veteran of the US Fish and Wildlife Service and the head of the entire 10-state Southeastern Region, Sam Hamilton seems like a pretty standard pick to be the Director of the government agency in charge of administering the Endangered Species Act. Just one thing: Hamilton has only worked to enforce the Endangered Species Act once in his entire illustrious career. ...
When it Comes to Green Building, Does Size Matter?
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 06.26.09
"One of the greenest homes ever built"
A while back I wrote in Can a Big House in the Country Be Green? "we need affordable green design..... and the methods, materials and technologies will result in houses that are a lot smaller, cheaper and closer together. I hope that we will show more of the latter and fewer of the former."
We had pretty much concluded that big can't be green, but over at Green Building Advisors, the debate continues....
Cycle Fever In Tokyo
by greenz.jp, Tokyo, Japan on 06.26.09
Photo: Cover of Kobunsha Publishing Co book by Hikita Tomo
Two out of three tokyoites use bicycles, according to a report released by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government. This spring, R25, a popular magazine introduced bicycle commuting, noting that this is now officially a trend. They even have a newly coined Japanese word for it: tsuukin-isuto and it is seen as both stylish and "sporty" to ride your bike to work in Tokyo. Tsuukin is the Japanese word for commuting, and add the -ist, and voila, there you have it: tsuukin-i-su-to or tsuukin-ist. Do catch the fever....
Refab Prefab For Sale on eBay with Proceeds to Habitat for Humanity
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 06.26.09
We mentioned Reclaimed Space in our review of What's New in Modern Prefab slideshow, noting that it deserves a full post. This isn't it; this is recognition of their very clever and generous way of unloading the prefab they took to Dwell on Design: auction it off and donate half of the proceeds to Habitat for Humanity....
City Dwellers Emit 70% Less Carbon from Transit than Suburbanites
by Brian Merchant, Brooklyn, New York on 06.26.09
Photo via Zimbio
This news might not comes as much of shock, but a new study reveals that people living in urban areas emit 70% less carbon emissions in transit than folks living in the suburbs do. Well obviously, you might think--better public transit, less distance to travel--of course you'll have fewer carbon emissions. But 70% less is a pretty staggering number. Here's why the study helps invigorate the case for more urbanized, sustainable living....
Ethanol Lobby 1, Environment 0: Compromise Struck to Move Climate Bill Forward
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 06.26.09
Two months ago, the California Air Resources Board voted to include greenhouse gas emissions from indirect land use changes in calculating a biofuel was truly carbon neutral. Naturally, this sent the US ethanol industry into a fit; under many analyses corn ethanol wouldn't fare too well. Now, the ethanol lobby has managed to do on the Federal level what they couldn't in California, convince Congress to put industry interests ahead of the environment. The details coming out from a couple different sources aren't entirely clear, but this is what we know:...
A TreeHugger's Dilemma: Is 'Doing Something' Doing Enough?
by Sami Grover, Carrboro, NC, USA on 06.26.09
Nice electric mower, but why the lawn? Image credit: Sami
Environmentalists Could Always Do More, But Should They?
When I wrote about Coke's giant recycling sculpture on Monday, a commenter (rightly) took me to task for misrepresenting the debate between those wary of greenwashing, and those championing corporate social responsibility, as simply being an argument between "purists" and "pragmatists". As usual, the truth is much more complex than that - there are very real, and very major, benefits to corporate giants taking significant steps toward sustainability. But equally, the idea that a major piece of public art and some funding for recycling bins is enough to counteract the massive environmental impact of a company like Coke is pretty far fetched. All this got me thinking about parallels in our own lives - because while each of us is doing something to green our impact, it's almost certain that we are not doing everything we could. The question is, should we?
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Climate Bill Vote is Today: Everything You Need to Know
by Brian Merchant, Brooklyn, New York on 06.26.09
Photo via Dip Dive
The Democrat's climate bill is heading for a vote in the House of Representatives today. A lot has been staked on its passage: Obama's political capital. Pelosi's prestige, and, oh yeah, the future security of the world's climate. There are plenty of representatives who are undecided on how they'll vote, and the chances of the bill passing are still uncertain even in the 11th hour. Here's a quick rundown of where the bill stands now, and what you need to know in order to join the rest of us green wonks in biting our nails whilst perched on the edge of our seats . . ....
Sticks For Sale: The Silliest Idea Ever?
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 06.26.09
Short and to the point, this survey. Jasmin presents three sticks for thirteen bucks and asks: So what do you think, kids? Doggone brilliant or barking mad? Which of our readers do you agree with?
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Bike Backlash from Boulder to Long Beach But a Big Day at SF City Hall
by April Streeter, Gothenburg, Sweden on 06.26.09
Artists Turn Water Into Masterpieces (Slideshow)
by Jennifer Hattam, Istanbul, Turkey on 06.26.09
Image credit: David Carlson, Betsy Stewart, and Ashraf Fouad, video still from "Watering" (2008)
The myriad and sometimes contradictory qualities of water -- both life-giving and destructive, powerful and serene, a barrier and a bond between people -- make it a fertile subject for fine art, as you'll see in the work of these painters, sculptors, photographers, and other artists, many part of the "Take Me To The River" project, an international artists' collective that uses water as its unifying theme. Their inspiring interpretations of one of life's most basic elements are by turns surprising, humorous, poignant, and just plain pretty -- stroll through our gallery and see for yourself.
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Natalie Imbruglia Invites Ecover + WaterAid Into Her Home (VIDEO)
by Leonora Oppenheim, London, UK on 06.26.09
The gorgeous + green musician Natalie Imbruglia got up close and personal about water conservation recently when she invited ecological detergent brand Ecover into her English home. In the short film Natalie talks about the benefits of Ecover products and the brand's partnership with WaterAid. Earlier this year I was fortunate enough to travel to Ethiopia with Ecover and WaterAid to highlight the issues around safe water + sanitation in Africa. Now Natalie Imbruglia and Ecover are showing us what we can do at home to help conserve water for those who desperately need it. Click through to watch the video......
Philosophical Messages for Aggravated Commuters on the Subway
by Bonnie Alter, London on 06.26.09
Image from tfl
Hot, sweaty and over-tired commuters on the London Tube system are being treated to philosophical messages on their journey. In addition to being told to "mind the gap" and "stand clear of the closing doors", they may be urged to remember that "Beauty will save the world" (Dostoevsky).
Drivers on the Piccadilly line, which carries 650,000 passengers a day, (it's the one you may have taken from the airport into town), have been given a booklet of profound sayings entitled 'What is the city but the people?' (Shakespeare) and they are being encouraged to read them over the intercom during peak hours. The quotes include pearls of wisdom from the likes of Shakespeare, Gandhi, Engels and Einstein.
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Spring/Summer Fashion 2009: Prairie Underground
by Jasmin Malik Chua, Jersey City, USA on 06.25.09
Photo credit: Prairie Underground
No matter what the season, Prairie Underground is always a delicious melange of rustic and romantic, fusing designers Camilla Eckersley and Davora Lindner's Midwest roots with their veneration for London's New Romantic music movement and the '80s East Village art scene.
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Less Toxic Waterproof Boots From Hi-Tec
by Kristin Underwood, Sacramento, CA on 06.25.09
Image via: Hi-Tec
If you've ever been hiking and stepped down to hear that splash and felt that momentary "oh crap" spasm when you realize you're about spend the rest of your hike walking around in waterlogged boots, only to realize that they're waterproof, (Hooray!), then you can appreciate the value of a good set of waterproofed boots. Well, Hi-Tec shoes has come up with a new space-aged technology that now makes even the environmental footprint of waterproofing something to cheer about. (Hip Hip Hooray!)...
"Inert" Pesticide Ingredients Toxic To Human Cells
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 06.25.09
Weed infested corn. Image credit:Crop Life Foundation
When it comes to toxicity testing, what you don't know can hurt the most. For example, Monsanto has done a credible job of establishing that the active ingredient in it's Roundup weed killer is harmless enough to mammals. However, the "inerts" mixed into the Roundup formulation apparently weren't tested for mammalian toxicity - until now. Environmental Health News reports on some recent research conducted at France's University of Caen that demonstrates human cell mortality from pesticidal mixture "inerts;" and, the issue encompasses pesticide formulations in general: not just Monsanto....
Melting German Glacier Gets Sunscreen, Again
by Roberta Cruger, Los Angeles on 06.25.09
Germany gives its national treasure, the Zugspitze, the deep freeze. Photo via flickr by Stephen A
A couple weeks ago, Germany's highest mountain, the Zugspitze, got dressed in a sun shield to protect its melting glacier during summer. The mountain's ski resort, Bayerische Zugspitzbahn, covered the north side with reflective tarps to reduce the amount of shrinkage of the ice sheet. Is this working? ...
How Communities Grow Free Food (Video)
by Sami Grover, Carrboro, NC, USA on 06.25.09
Image credit: GROFUN
Neighbors Come Together for Gardening and Free Produce
Growing your own veggies is great. But the process can be intimidating and time consuming. That's why it's so important to help newbies learn new skills and meet like-minded, experienced gardeners. Whether it's instant veggie gardens by mail or Australian Permablitz's collaborative urban permaculture gardens, a little community can go a long way. In Bristol, England, (my old home town) an award-winning scheme is helping neighbors come together to create beautiful backyard spaces, to share skills, labor and homegrown produce, and to make new friends in the process. Click below the fold to see an expiring example of how much can be achieved in a matter of hours when neighbors pool their resources. ...
Lap Dancing vs the Local Economy: Two Different Approaches to Recession
by Sami Grover, Carrboro, NC, USA on 06.25.09
Image credit: The Telegraph
Conservative Newspaper Eyes Transition Movement
Only recently I was writing about Leo Hickman's concerns that the Transition Movement might remain a marginalized, left-leaning throw back to hippy days. Yet evidence keeps mounting that this community-led response to peak oil and climate change is uniting folks across all kinds of political and cultural divides. Take a recent article on the financial crisis in the conservative-leaning Telegraph newspaper, which explores how two towns are responding to recession in very different ways. It's a journey that takes in lap dancing, $3000 bags, and local currency. And the result is a highly favorable exploration of the end of luxury. ...
Road Raging Fox News Writer Arrested for Dragging a Cyclist Through Central Park
by Brian Merchant, Brooklyn, New York on 06.25.09
Image via Gawker
You may have heard this one before--a cyclist goes biking in New York City. Cyclist gets cut off by a driver who's irritated by having to share the road with cyclists. Cyclist rides up to driver at next stop, positions himself in front of the vehicle and tells him to please observe the speed limit. Driver rams cyclist and drags him 200 feet through Central Park. Driver is a writer for Fox News....
Daryl Hannah Gets Arrested + 5 More Activism Stories of the Week
by Leonora Oppenheim, London, UK on 06.25.09
In the week when Daryl Hannah and James Hansen were arrested for protesting against mountain top removal TH Blog Love gets all fiesty and goes out marching in the blogosphere to find 5 more green activism stories of the week. Click through to find out whose protest banners we picked out......
Fetchstix: Mother Nature's Dog Toy Made From Actual Wood
by Jasmin Malik Chua, Jersey City, USA on 06.25.09
Photo credit: Fetchstix
In a world saturated with flashy, electronic whatsits and geegaws, sometimes you've got to throw an old-fashioned dog a bone. Or in the case of the urban pooch who's pining for his own personal Walden, a wooden stick.
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The Sears Tower Goes Green, Gets Wind Turbines in $350 Million Renovation
by Brian Merchant, Brooklyn, New York on 06.25.09
Photo via Top News
The tallest building in the Western Hemisphere is getting a new high profile addition: a $350 million retrofit that will include wind turbines and extensive energy efficiency improvements. The Sears tower is on track to become the biggest, greenest building in the US....
Why Passing the Climate Bill is an Ethical Necessity
by Brian Merchant, Brooklyn, New York on 06.25.09
Photo via Infranetlab
Coal and oil state politicians are worried that the climate bill will be too hard on industry. Republicans (misleadingly) accuse the bill of raising taxes. Democrats from rural areas say it'll be too much of a burden to big agriculture. Words have been flying, tensions rising, and allegiances shifting--it's been a loud, chaotic conversation over on Capitol Hill. But there's been one thing sorely missing from the debate--a sense of ethics. The fact that inaction on climate change will have disastrous consequences remains curiously absent from the dialogue. Here's why politicians need to start considering the ethical necessity of fighting global warming--and why they need to do it now....
Four Boutique City Hotels That Let You Use the Bikes for Free
by April Streeter, Gothenburg, Sweden on 06.25.09
Photo via Hotel Occidental San Diego.
More and more, urban biking has become one of the best ways to see a lot of a city in a short span of time, so it's a no-brainer that more hotels are offering free bikes along with the price of the room. In Copenhagen, tourist biking is easy - just put a 10 Danish kroner coin into the lock and you're off, on a low-slung cruiser bike. Bike sharing is also an option in some cities. But if biking is high on your priority list for inner-city transport, check out these five hotels that offer free loaner bikes as amenities. If you know of others, please, add them in the comments....
Do You Buy Local, Organic, Or Cheap?
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 06.25.09
Timothy of the Rodale Institute says "There is no such thing as local vs. organic. When it comes to consumer choice, we should be buying local and organic, though for mostly different reasons."
Others make different choices.
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Green Eyes On: Your Doctor Says, “Eat Local, Eat Organic”
by Sara Snow on 06.25.09
Image via foleyfeatures.
A remarkable policy resolution came out last week during the American Medical Association’s (AMA) annual meting. They voted to support “practices and policies…that promote and model a healthy and ecologically sustainable food system.” The health part is expected, but the “ecologically sustainable” portion is a surprising huge step forward for organic and local food advocates and producers around this country. ...
5 Documentaries You Must See to Understand the Water Crisis
by Blythe Copeland, Great Neck, New York on 06.25.09
Photo via Randy Son of Robert @ flickr
There's a lot to know about the world's water crisis--as you can tell from the month of posts we've been doing on just this one topic. But if you're new to the discussion, catch up in one weekend with these five documentaries. From in-depth background on the political, social, and economic factors that are causing the crisis to personal stories from people affected by it, you'll understand the problem in a whole new way....
Bike Clothing that Doesn't Suck: How Government Does Fashion
by Sami Grover, Carrboro, NC, USA on 06.25.09
Image credit: Transport for London
London's transportation authority tries fashion design
In the US this might awaken the age-old debate about the proper role of government, but back over in 'socialist' Europe, Transport for London (TfL), the authority responsible for running the capital's transportation system (including a whole bunch of fancy new hybrid buses), is not averse to doing what it can to make cycling easier - and that apparently includes fashion design (we can't all bike naked!). OK, so the designs above aren't exactly at the cutting edge of cat-walk fashion - but they are also not ridiculous lycra outfits in neon colors. And let's face it - if the brief was to design practical, comfortable bike clothing for urban commuters, we'd hardly want them to go too cutting edge. There are others out there, however, who are less afraid to make a statement. ...
Rocket Fuel On Your Salad: How Did That Happen?
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 06.25.09
Irrigation well head. Image credit: Arizona Dept of Water Resources.
A New York Times guest piece by Greenwire's Sara Goodman, said it well:- "The defense and aerospace industries are lobbying the White House to prevent U.S. EPA from tightening a health advisory for a rocket-fuel chemical." She speaks of the tax-payer funded sectors most responsible for purchasing, storing, using, and replacing the common rocket propellant "ammonium perchlorate" or "AP." Roughly half the nation's drinking water comes from groundwater sources, which is where rocket fuel residues tend to end up. The exposure risk of those residues is, as Sara points out, that "The chemical can inhibit the thyroid gland's iodine uptake, interfering with fetal development."...
Dakine Oceana Backpack: PVC Free And Tough As Nails
by Kristin Underwood, Sacramento, CA on 06.25.09
I recently used a Dakine backpack on my trip through South America with Green Living Project. Now I've tried my luck with many backpacks but all I can say about this one is, man that mother can pull it's weight and hold up through the rigors of just about anything that I put it through....
Spud Plantable Raincoat Made from Potatoes Closes the Loop
by Petz Scholtus, Barcelona, Spain on 06.25.09
More images below
Now here’s something happy for rainy days: the Spud Raincoat, made from potatoes and designed by the guys from Good for Environment! Under the brand name Equilicuá, they make thought provoking products such as the Econo, a water saving device for potted plants. The Spud Raincoat is for times when plenty of water is falling from the sky, and will definitely cheer you up on a grey day. The coat educates every by-passer on bioplastics by telling them “I was a potato”. And indeed, this waterproof coat is made entirely of bioplastic derived from potato starch and other natural resources, which makes it a 100% biodegradable and compostable product. And to give it the final touch at the end of its product life, the coat has integrated seeds so that plants grow out of it once it is returned to the earth!...
Free Pianos All Around Town: Play Me I'm Yours
by Bonnie Alter, London on 06.25.09
Image from Play me I'm Yours
Never mind downloading free music, get out there and play it for free. This month there are 30 "street pianos" strewn around London as part of the Play Me I'm Yours and Sing London festival. All over town people are sitting down and playing a tune. People have been jumping from their bus just to take a look. Others are dancing, or watching, and talking to strangers about this wondrous spontaneous event.
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What We Got Out of the Major Economies Forum
by Daniel Kessler, San Francisco, California on 06.24.09
Photo via Ralph Orlowski/Getty Image
The Major Economies Forum in Mexico has come to an end with no public agreements about what the world's biggest polluters will do about climate change. The lead US negotiator, Todd Stern, did make news by saying that the US doesn't believe that 40 percent emission reductions are possible by 2020, despite the fact that scientists recommend that figure for industrialized nations in order to stave off catastrophic climate change....
Cancers Threaten Wild Animal Populations
by Christine Lepisto, Berlin on 06.24.09
Image: Green Turtle Face, by Sharon Deem, courtesy of WCS
Sad Green Turtle
If this Green Turtle appears sad, perhaps it is pondering the newest threat to its endangered species. Green turtles belong to the groups of marine denizens known to suffer from high levels of cancer in the wild. Cancer kills about one in every ten humans; now a new study done under the auspices of the Wildlife Conservation Society reveals that some wild animal species are dying at similar rates. Tazmanian devils, turtles, whales, sea lions, dolphins and fish are some of the species shown in the study to be suffering from elevated rates of cancer, in some cases threatening the very survival of the species. ...
Darryl Hannah & NASA Scientist James Hansen Arrested
by Kristin Underwood, Sacramento, CA on 06.24.09
Image via: Chris Horst/Charleston Gazette
Yesterday afternoon Darryl Hannah, NASA Scientist James Hansen and former Congressman Ken Hechler were among 30 people arrested protesting mountaintop removal for coal mining in the West Virginia town of Sundial, reports the Charleston Gazette. ...
Visible Light Solar Combines Solar With LEDs For Big Savings
by Kristin Underwood, Sacramento, CA on 06.24.09
Makes sense to combine technologies like solar with LED to get the greatest bang for the buck, which is exactly what Visible Light Solar is doing. Even if the lighting works for unsexy things like exterior building lights around business parks, saving up to 85% on your energy usage sounds pretty sexy indeed....
Fog Mountain Makes First California Wine Sold in PET Bottles
by Kristin Underwood, Sacramento, CA on 06.24.09
Image via: Getty Images
And you thought drinking wine out of a box was a social faux pas. Now you can buy wine in cardboard boxes, glass bottles, glass jugs, aluminum cans and shocker of all shockers Fog Mountain lets you buy wine in 1-Liter PET Plastic Bottles. ...
Surfers Without Borders: Catching and Cleaning Waves Throughout Central America
by Kristin Underwood, Sacramento, CA on 06.24.09
Co-Founder Aubrey Faulk catches a wave in El Salvador. Image via: Surfers Without Borders.
Dream of someday throwing your boards in the back of your truck and heading south for a week of perfect waves, cheap local food and sleeping under the stars? Well you can, and help build sustainability projects in the communities that you meet, when you travel with Surfers Without Borders....
Spring/Summer Fashion 2009: Feral Childe
by Jasmin Malik Chua, Jersey City, USA on 06.24.09
Photo credit: Feral Childe
Alice Wu and Moriah Carlson of Feral Childe are taking us on a road trip this summer, destination Yosemite National Park. Designed, cut, and sewn in Brooklyn from sustainable fabrics (organic cotton, soy, hemp, mill-end scraps), then hand-dyed and hand-painted, the designers' Spring/Summer 2009 collection includes hand-cast buttons, so no two exactly alike. ...
How Many Gallons of Water Does it Take to Make . . .
by Brian Merchant, Brooklyn, New York on 06.24.09
Photo via Chem1
A worldwide water crisis is a-comin'. Don't believe me? Violence over water rights is already breaking out in regions of the world where water is scarce. Along with political tensions--and maybe wars--we're going to see food production affected, and more people flat out hungry and thirsty. And it's all because we're simply using too much water. We use too much when we shower, when we do the dishes--but mostly, we use too much to produce all the stuff we buy. In fact, you'd be surprised how many gallons of water it takes to create the products that make our lives comfortable. Here's a rundown of some of the most shocking . . ....
There's No Such Thing as Local vs. Organic Food
by Timothy J. LaSalle, Rodale Institue, Kutztown, PA on 06.24.09
Photo via stock.xchng by ortonesque
Let’s clear up one issue: There is no such thing as local vs. organic. When it comes to consumer choice, we should be buying local and organic, though for mostly different reasons....
Artificial Trees: Could They be Better Than the Real Thing?
by Blythe Copeland, Great Neck, New York on 06.24.09
Photo via pfly @ flickr
Fake plants generally don’t give off huge environmental benefits—especially when they’re the plastic kind that just barely cheer up offices and waiting rooms. But a synthetic tree now in development may be better for the environment than its natural counterparts; click through to see why....
The Global Water Challenge Comes to Bonnaroo: Video
by Alex Pasternack, New York, NY on 06.24.09
Flickr user ben_keller
Bonnaroo's cup runneth over with music, but chances were that the cup was biodegradable. Or rather it was a reusable water bottle, refilled at one of the festival's water stations.
As we noted earlier, water was this year's major theme. The non-profit Global Water Challenge, one of TreeHugger's Best of Green this year, was on hand to dip the toes of festival-goers into the world water crisis. Video below....
Bonnaroo 2009: How Green Was Your Festival?
by Alex Pasternack, New York, NY on 06.24.09
Flickr user joshunter
Solar Array Planned for Next Year
"Responsibility" and "cleanliness" might not be synonymous with the world's biggest music and culture festival, which turns a Tennessee farm into a four-day party for 80,000 hippies, hipsters, baby-boomers and even the occasional baby.
Sure -- and forgive the stereotype -- peace, love, caring are baked right in. But amidst all the good vibes, what of Bonnaroo's massive carbon footprint?
"They should do everything they can" to shrink it, folkster Andrew Bird told us before performing last week, "besides not having it exist."
...
Can a Coffee Cozy Be Green?
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 06.24.09
Roberta writes that "Yeah, its best to bring your own ceramic mug with a handle to the café to fill your cup with coffee or tea." But suggests an alternative: a reusable coffee cozy. But is it really green?
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UPDATE: iRobot Still Saying Just Throw Your Broken Scooba In the Garbage?
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 06.24.09
Throw all this away?! There are electronics in there, let alone all that plastic!
15 days ago we posted about iRobot's shoddy recycling policies. They've responded. Click through to read the progress made on iRobot's practices after they saw this post....
Beekeeping In Ginza, Tokyo, Next To Gucci And Apple Store
by greenz.jp, Tokyo, Japan on 06.24.09
Ms. Yamamoto, a happy beekeeper in Ginza Tokyo, from the Ginza Honeybee blog
I was really surprised to learn that beekeeping is illegal in New York. I had assumed that this amazingly eco-friendly hobby was not only popular, but also actively encouraged in the Big Apple.
Here in Tokyo, the Ginza district is famous for its trendy stores, like the Matsuya department store, Gucci or the best Apple Store in the world. Land is famously expensive. Yet, here on the rooftop of the most urbanized area in Japan, an NPO, Ginza Mitsubachi Project started beekeeping and has succeeded in keeping some 150 thousand bees with 260kg of honey gained each year. The honey is used in sweets by a famous confectionary shop that can be bought only in Ginza, and they were so popular that it took little time to be sold out....
Huge Geothermal Power Project Could Cause Quakes
by Brian Merchant, Brooklyn, New York on 06.24.09
Photo via Amer-Tech
That's not some obscure way of saying the deep-drilling geothermal project could make waves--though come to think of it, it'd likely do that too. No, the massive new experiment to harness geothermal energy that's under way north of San Francisco could literally end up causing real-life earthquakes. ...
Plastic Irrigation Trays Make The Most of Dew and Weeding Obsolete
by Karin Kloosterman, Tel Aviv on 06.24.09
They don't look pretty, and not what you'd imagine when you skip through an apple orchard but new plastic irrigation trays make the most out of limited water resources. We've already posted on fog and dew collectors. Here's something new: The company Tal Ya - for God's dew in Hebrew – have devised a simple and why-didn't-I-think-of-that solution for collecting dew.
Made from recycled materials, and recyclable, using them means your farm or orchard (yes they come in tree size too), may never have to weed again. Blocking the sun from allowing weeds to form, the trays also make the most of fertilizer since it funnels right down to the root. We want some. How much do they cost?
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100mph in an Electric Car: The Wind-Powered 'Nemesis' Finally Hits the Road (Video)
by Sami Grover, Carrboro, NC, USA on 06.24.09
Image credit: Ecotricity
Dale Vince's Wind-Powered Car Driven for First Time
In my last post about Dale Vince's prototype electric sports car, the term "wind-powered" clearly raised some hackles who felt this was a deceptive marketing ploy. I continue to think that a man who has struck rich building wind turbines, and who will be charging his car on renewable energy, has every right to use the term. But really, semantics aside - the big question is how does the car perform? Now, finally, (in episode 10 of 6!) we get to find out as Dale and friends take the "Nemesis" onto the track - the results, despite some hiccups, are pretty astounding!
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We Use How Much Water? Scary Water Footprints, Country by Country
by April Streeter, Gothenburg, Sweden on 06.24.09
Each American uses an Olympic pool's worth of water annually. Photo Jonathan Ziapour via flickr.
A country's water footprint, as opposed to simple water use, is the total amount of H2O needed for the production of goods and services. Figuring out a country's water footprint means adding all the water used plus the water inherent in products imported, then minus the water in exports. Using this top-down method, the average water footprint in the world is 1,243 cubic meters a year. As you already might have guessed, in the U.S. we are water hogs - we use more than twice the world average, or 2,500 cubic meters. That's equivalent to an Olympic-sized swimming pool for each and every one of us, or 2.5 million liters each. The Chinese, to compare, use 700 cubic meters annually. Read on for the water burden of American beef eating, Italian pasta slurping and India's vegetarianism....
Russia to be Particularly Screwed by Climate Change
by Brian Merchant, Brooklyn, New York on 06.24.09
Yes, this is an actual photograph of Moscow. Via Wold Front Page
According to a new report from the World Bank, Russia is screwed. And in case you hadn't inferred, that's not quite a verbatim quote from the report. But it's more or less apt, unfortunately: the study finds that Russia's outdated infrastructure, Soviet "environmental mismanagement," and the extreme nature of its climate, the nation is particularly vulnerable to the threat of climate change. It's screwed....
elmoto; Electric Bike for Urban Lifestyle Mobility
by Warren McLaren, Sydney on 06.24.09
When we reviewed a Pacific’s Terra electric bike recently, one of the commenters said, “Not very attractive but a cool idea. I'd get one if it was a bit more stylish.” We wonder if the GoCycle caught her eye? If not then she might be tempted by the Elmoto HR2, a German made electric bike, that has a range of about 65 -70 km and can be charged (with their supercharger) in just 4 hours....
It's Criminal Not to Compost: Mayor Newsom on Compulsory Composting
by Sami Grover, Carrboro, NC, USA on 06.24.09
Mayor Newsom Speaks Out on Nation's First Mandatory Composting Law
I love compost - I really do. I'm hard pushed to think of one single practice that does more for the planet. From sequestering carbon to preventing methane emissions to reducing landfill waste to promoting soil fertility - it's insane that composting is not more widespread. As Brian noted the other day in his post on San Francisco's new recycling laws, the city, which is already famous for its city-wide collection of organic waste, is taking a step further. Mayor Gavin Newsom has signed legislation that makes composting of food waste compulsory for all residents and businesses. In a blog post over at Greenopolis, Mayor Newsom sets out the thinking behind the new mandatory composting legislation. ...
Seeing a Greener Future in a Garbage Dump
by Jennifer Hattam, Istanbul, Turkey on 06.24.09
Photograph of a Calgary, Alberta, landfill by D'Arcy Norman via Flickr.
Not long ago, visitors driving into Turkey's capital city of Ankara from the airport were greeted by a horrendous smell: the decomposing waste at the Mamak Landfill alongside the highway. Today, the same facility is being praised as a model for the entire country--a source of heat and energy, and the type of green jobs that could help Turkey climb out of the global financial crisis....
Urban Beekeepers Fight to Lift Bee Ban in New York City
by Brian Merchant, Brooklyn, New York on 06.24.09
Photo via NY Times
Urban beekeeping. Just the name alone oozes the trendy eco-chic that's apt to catch on with the latest generation of green-goers. The practice itself has been around for ages, but with a front page New York Times profile popping up on the Beekeeper's Ball held last Monday, it's safe to say it's seeing a strong renewal of interest. Urban beekeeping has one significant bump in the road to clear before it joins the ranks of community gardening and CSAs, however--it just so happens to be illegal....
7 Fabulously Green Celebrity Homes
by Blythe Copeland, Great Neck, New York on 06.24.09
Credit: Eamonn McCormack/Wireimage
Most celebrities use their fortune to buy outrageously extravagant homes--think multi-car garages, huge pools, more bedrooms than a hotel, state-of-the-art kitchens, and massive grounds--without giving much thought to the increase in their carbon footprint. (Note to these offenders: Your hybrid isn’t exactly canceling out your home energy use.) But we found seven celebrities whose homes reflect their passion for all things green--even if the square footage isn’t especially modest. And while we'd love to show you all the solar panels, sustainable-wood flooring, and environmental technologies these celebs have installed, most of them are (understandably) private about their homes--so you'll just have to take our word for it....
Let's Do Lunch All Together on July 19
by Bonnie Alter, London on 06.24.09
Image from the Big Lunch
Mark the date in your calendar--it's the Big Lunch. It's a party on your street, and every street in the country, planned and organised by neighbours, both known and unknown. With the food, entertainment and decorations grown, cooked and made by the folks who live on their street. It's a brilliantly simple way for people to come together, talk to each other and connect with their community.
...
Customize Your SIGG Bottle at CafePress
by Jasmin Malik Chua, Jersey City, USA on 06.23.09
Photo credit: CafePress
A little birdie told us—well, OK, it was Jacob Gordon—that CafePress has added SIGG bottles to its range of print-on-demand, user-designed clothing, stationery, and accessories. ...
Post Retraction
by Meaghan O'Neill, Newport, R.I. on 06.23.09
Anti-Fashion Designer Philippe Starck Creates Sustainable Fashion Collection
by Jasmin Malik Chua, Jersey City, USA on 06.23.09
Photo credit: S+arck With Ballantyne
Better known for bringing swanky hotels, restaurants, and luxe objets d'art to life, French designer Philippe Starck is broadening his reach to include ready-to-wear clothing for men and women. Just don't call it "fashion," s'il vous plait.
"Although the work of [its] creators is fantastic, I will never be idiotic enough to do fashion," the father of the Juicy Salif juicer and the Louis Ghost chair told Le Figaro newspaper just before the collection launched in Florence last week. "The public will take maybe three years to understand the concept. It's not fashion. We won't be very big in the newspapers. The clothes are non-photogenic. But intelligent people will know to discover us."...
Finally! Organic Cotton Slipcovers From SureFit
by Kristin Underwood, Sacramento, CA on 06.23.09
Image via: SureFit
Instead of purchasing a new couch, why not give that old, sad couch a second chance with 100% organic cotton slipcovers from Surefit. It's cheaper than buying a new living room set and comes in both solids and stripes....
Know The Difference Between Strategy & Tactics? - Sustainable Change Coming To Roadless Areas
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 06.23.09
Rutted logging road with silt curtain to control erosion.
Image credit:Hancock Forests
For decades, US road-less areas have been getting fewer and existing ones progressively smaller. So, it is understandable that conservationists have expressed dismay about a recent Obama administration decision to 'actively oppose new protections on about 60 million acres of roadless federal woodlands in a case being considered by the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals.'
Working for a single court decision that may apply accross the nation is a high-stakes tactic that could easily go the wrong way. And it would be sure to enrage dedicated Federalists. As reported by the LA Times:- "Administration officials say they are committed to protecting roadless areas but have decided to pursue the goal through policy making rather than in the courts.."
That certainly sounds like a long-range strategy that could produce more sustainable and politically palatable results. But is it?...
Live Life Organics Offers 25% Off Organic Clothing
by Kara DiCamillo, Newport, Rhode Island on 06.23.09
Image via Life Live Organics.
We appreciate it when apparel companies are more than just another “organic brand.” Take Live Life Organics for instance. Their mantra is “to believe in oneself, live life to the fullest and keep dreams alive, while helping to keep our planet clean and green.” They believe in and strive to foster a positive and sustainable lifestyle and every aspect of Life Life Organics’ garments is created with a purpose and a positive hand. ...
Thoreau's Legacy Lives On in Interactive Anthology on Climate Change
by Kristin Underwood, Sacramento, CA on 06.23.09
Image via: Thoreau's Legacy
Thoreau's Legacy: American Stories on Global Warming is the new, interactive ebook available now, which chronicles stories from 67 Americans across the United States and their personal reflections, in word and image, of how climate change is affecting the landscape they love. The best part is that it's free and available to anyone....
Reusable Coffee Cozies: Upcycled, DIY, and Silicone Sleeves Reduce Cardboard
by Roberta Cruger, Los Angeles on 06.23.09
Dump the disposable sleeve. Photo via flickr by Mykl Roventine
Yeah, its best to bring your own ceramic mug with a handle to the café to fill your cup with coffee or tea, but when it’s left at home and you’re in line waiting for your fair trade organic soy latte, at least BYOC (bring your own cozy) instead of using a cardboard sleeve, even if it is recycled. Here’s how to remember: just skip the disposable one and see if your burning fingers don’t remind you next time. All that paper waste is a big pet peeve of mine. Reuse them, sure, but there are better ideas:
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Love Your Farmers Market? Help Them Win Some Moola This Summer
by Kristin Underwood, Sacramento, CA on 06.23.09
Care2 and LocalHarvest.org are sponsoring the Love Your Farmers Market contest to encourage people to get out to area farmers markets, as well as, put a little money back into the market for the most popular venues. So show your favorite weekly spot a little love by giving them your vote. Here's how:...
The Day After Zipcar Makes a Profit – Part II
by Rocky Mountain Institute, Rebecca Cole on 06.23.09
ZipCar has used a variety of innovative advertising techniques for a new market (Image Via PSFK.com)
The day after ZipCar turns a profit will find us asking some big questions about the potential split between smart growth, the next generation of electric vehicles – and the possibility of a completely different path. As I pointed out in my last post, car sharing has become a serious force in mobility - and with ZipCar going public in 2010, we might change how we think about getting from A to B....
Recyclable Pod Planters by Pad
by Kristin Underwood, Sacramento, CA on 06.23.09
Image via: Pad Outdoors
While maybe not as good as biodegradable planters, these recyclable "Pods" by Pad will bring a modern touch to your backyard or to your living space. ...
Help Stop Three More Bad Energy Decisions
by Greg Haegele of Sierra Club on 06.23.09
The Big Day is Coming: House to Vote on Climate Bill this Friday
by Brian Merchant, Brooklyn, New York on 06.23.09
Image via the Guardian
The day has finally come--the much-discussed, much-derided, and much-needed climate bill will be up for a vote on Friday the 23rd. Tensions are running high in the House, as many Representatives are still undecided on which way they'll cast their votes--and that uncertainty is sure to snowball until Friday, as environmentalists around the world wait to see what happens. And a lot can....
Pimp Your Eco-Ride: Win a Strida SX Folding Bike
by Brian Merchant, Brooklyn, New York on 06.23.09
Isn't it about time you upgraded your (bike)ride? Got a dusty 3-speed that won't stay in gear propped up in the corner of your garage, or an old Huffy mountain bike you outgrew along with POGs (yes, I just referenced POGs)? In other words, have you been meaning to get a cleaner, greener set of wheels? Then it's high time you entered Inhabitat's Pimp My Eco-Ride Contest to win a cutting edge, top-of-the-line bike--but hurry on up, tomorrow's your last chance. ...
In Australia, Drying Lakes Means Acidic Dust, Potential Health Threats, and Major Bioremediation Efforts
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 06.23.09
Photo via aloshbennett
As water levels drop in two Australian lakes, the threat of pollution from sulphuric dust arises. Officials are starting to worry that as the artificial pumping of freshwater into two protected lakes at the mouth of Murray River, which has helped keep the lakes' water levels high enough, becomes less of an option, along with continually decreasing water levels, the lake-bed soils that turn acidic when exposed to the air could be an ecological disaster, and a health threat to people living near the lakes. ...
Yes, a Tragic Accident Rocked DC's Metro System. No, You Shouldn't Get Off the Train.
by Brian Merchant, Brooklyn, New York on 06.23.09
Photo via the NY Times
As you've likely heard, at least 9 people were killed and up to 70 were injured in when one train rammed into another on Washington DC's Metro's Red line. The precise cause of the crash is so far unknown, though it's thought to be either a technical failure or a possible driver error, or a combination of the two. And yes--as you've probably seen in the headlines--it's the worst accident in the history of the Metro system. But no, you most certainly should not stop riding the subway. Here's why....
Marca Carcel: Cool Design Produced by Prisoner Women with Recycled Materials
by Paula Alvarado, Buenos Aires on 06.23.09
The never stopping Argentine project Satori Lab has come up with a new initiative: Marca Carcel, a brand of products handmade by women who are prisoners in jails in Buenos Aires with recycled materials and low technology.
Even when helping people who has committed felony may come as a complex subject, the fellows behind the initiative are hoping this will help change these people's realities and create a social-sustainable future, apart from the good of recycling materials. Can this be possible? Keep reading for more....
The Daily (Maybe) Hosts Carnival of the Green
by Kara DiCamillo, Newport, Rhode Island on 06.23.09
This week is Carnival of the Green #185 and it's being hosted by The Daily (Maybe), a blog that covers the adventures of a socialist within the Green Party. Here you can find political news, world news, and reading materials in between.
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....
13 Hot Eco-Cars That Go Zoom
by Jerry James Stone, San Francisco, CA on 06.23.09
Photo by Concept Climax
Who says a green car has to be shaped like a sneaker to save the planet? These 13 hot supercars sure don't.
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Newt Rips Climate Bill With Silly, Scary Commercial
by Daniel Kessler, San Francisco, California on 06.23.09
Supreme Court Shock: Ruling Says Lethal Mining Waste Can Be Dumped in Lakes
by Brian Merchant, Brooklyn, New York on 06.23.09
Photo via Flathead Basin
In a ruling that will shock and dismay environmentalists everywhere, the US Supreme Court decided that the Clean Water Act shouldn't prevent mining companies from dumping their toxic waste into lakes--even with full knowledge that doing so will exterminate every trace of life within....
Fatboy Slim and Friends Go Blue in the Face Fighting Climate Change (Video)
by Sami Grover, Carrboro, NC, USA on 06.23.09
Image credit: Oxfam
Oxfam Launches Celebrity Summer Climate Campaign
There was a time when environmental charities and development charities seemed to be fighting each other for public attention. But as the links between poverty, environmental destruction and security become increasingly evident (and with climate refugees on the move here and now), it's clearer than ever that we can't save the climate without tackling development issues, and we can't ensure economic development issues without tackling environmental sustainability. That's why Oxfam's 2009 "Blue In The Face" campaign is so important. ...
Dublin Still Waiting for 'Invisible' Bike Share
by April Streeter, Gothenburg, Sweden on 06.23.09
The small print: "Enjoy your invisible shite ass bikes" via infomatique @ flickr.
Cities continue lining up to ease transport congestion and get people bike riding via a bike share program: Melbourne is looking to put in 600 bikes by next summer (though helmet laws may discourage riders), and San Francisco is still expecting to get a bike share program this year. But poor Dublin has been waiting awhile for JCDecaux to get its bike share together - nearly three years in the making, the 450-bike program now due in September has taken so long that bemsed Dubliners have put together their own protest stickers. ...
Radical Nature Comes to the Art Gallery
by Bonnie Alter, London on 06.23.09
Radical Nature, Art and Architecture for a Changing Planet is an exhibition that examines how nature has inspired artists and architects. The show takes a historical look at strange and experimental buildings since the 60's that have changed the way we see the world.
Sitting happily outside, like a geodesic spaceship is a little tea house called " I am so sorry. Goodbye" by Heather and Ivan Morison. It was inspired by all those utopian hippy communes in the 70's, but it has an upbeat and urban feel to it. Plus hibiscus tea is served inside.
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The Secret To A Delicious Soy Sauce? Organic Ingredients, Traditional Brewing
by greenz.jp, Tokyo, Japan on 06.23.09
Photo of traditional soy sauce brewing from Kenyu Trading
It is difficult to imagine Japanese food without soy sauce. The small containers with the black, fermented liquid are on every table. The best stuff is aged in cedar wood kegs and made in small batches with organically grown soy beans. It should be unpasteurized to not kill the tasty enzymes and beneficial bacteria (like lactobacillus).
If you have bought soy sauce in the past without checking the list of ingredients, do go and take a look right now. Many cheap types contain all kinds of additives and preservatives that should not be needed and certainly do nothing to improve a bad quality soy sauce. With a high quality soy sauce, you really just need a drop to get that fantastic flavour!...
Timberland Introduces Earthkeepers 2.0, a Boot Fit to be Recycled
by Jasmin Malik Chua, Jersey City, USA on 06.22.09
Photo credit: Timberland
Here's a sneak peek at Timberland's latest offering, which won't be unveiled to the general public until early next week: The Earthkeepers 2.0 boot, the first shoe the company has designed to be disassembled and recycled—rather than tossed into the trash—when its pavement-pounding days are over. ...
Mount Allison U Students Vote to Increase Tuition With Green Fee
by Kristin Underwood, Sacramento, CA on 06.22.09
Image via: Tripping Betsy on Flickr
In what we can assume probably won't be the last of its kind, over 80% of the voting students at Mount Allison University (Canada) chose to pay $10 more each year to save the planet, reports the Sackville Tribune Post. ...
Quote of the Day: Marion Nestle on the Elitism of Organic Food
by Jasmin Malik Chua, Jersey City, USA on 06.22.09
Photo credit: Peter Menzel
I once heard Eric Schlosser answer a similar question aimed at his book, "Fast Food Nation." He pointed out that social movements have to begin somewhere and that several began with elites but ended up helping the poor and disenfranchised—the civil rights, environmental and women's movements, for example....
Ecoholic by Adria Vasil
by Kristin Underwood, Sacramento, CA on 06.22.09
Image via: Getty Images
The "how to go green" book, Ecoholic by Adria Vasil, gives you a quick and dirty yes/no list for all green aspects of your life. But does it offer anything "new"?...
Bonobos Pants Are Tailored to Perfection
by Jasmin Malik Chua, Jersey City, USA on 06.22.09
Photo credit: Bonobos
Still on the hunt for the perfect lean, green men's trouser? Bonobos offers several sustainable options for the discerning, well-tailored gent, including wool, cashmere, and organic cotton twill....
Coke 'Trashes' English Coastline - Giant Recycled Sculpture Unveiled (Video)
by Sami Grover, Carrboro, NC, USA on 06.22.09
Image credit: Coca Cola UK
UK Recycle Week Launched with Giant Aluminum Can Sculpture
Posts about Coca Cola are always likely to be contentious here on TreeHugger. Whether it's negative stories about Coke's alleged pesticide misuse or efforts to disrupt Israeli recycling legislation, or positive ones about electric delivery vehicles or wind-powered soft drink manufacturing plants - this is definitely one company that is likely to stir up the age-old environmental purist versus pragmatist debate like no other. So how about news that Coke has covered a beautiful English cliff top with discarded aluminum cans? ...
Fungus from WWII + Elephant Dung = Cheaper, Better Biofuels?
by Brian Merchant, Brooklyn, New York on 06.22.09
Photo via Wired
You know what they say about wartime fungi and elephant dung. You can't have a--okay, so as far as I know, nobody has ever said anything about the pair. But that could change soon; people might be talking about how both can help churn out cheaper biofuels that might be able to excel where corn-based ethanol has come up short. At least, that's why a couple European firms have such high hopes for an old fungus from World War II and some elephant poop.
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Give Bugs the Cold Shoulder With Vermont Soap Organics Insect Armor
by Kristin Underwood, Sacramento, CA on 06.22.09
Image via: Frankieleon on Flickr.
Vermont Soap Organics is now branching out to the world of pest prevention, namely mosquitoes and ticks, with their new Insect Armor. Made with natural oils and non-toxic ingredients, this bug spray is safe for kids, pets, you, just not bugs....
Obama Must Show More Personal Leadership on Climate Change: 20 Leading Scientists Say in Open Letter
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 06.22.09
photo: Anna via flickr.
If there's one thing that continues to stand out to me in the politics of climate change is the yawning chasm between what scientists say is needed in terms of emissions reductions to prevent catastrophic climate change and what politicians are proposing. Finally though, scientists are speaking up; 20 of the United States' leading climate and environmental scientists have written an open letter to President Obama and Congress highlighting the gap between what science says is necessary and what politics deems feasible. The full letter is available from The Woods Hole Research Center, but here's the gist of it:...
Fate of Whaling Ban Hangs in the Balance as Pro and Anti-Whaling Countries Face Off
by Brian Merchant, Brooklyn, New York on 06.22.09
Photo via Wikipedia
We'd like to think of whaling as an outdated practice, largely frowned upon and done only by a handful of persistent nations around the world. And so it is, for the most part--whaling has declined dramatically over the last 20 years. But all that could change. The International Whaling Commission is meeting in Portugal, and the focus of the conference is likely to revolve around the increasingly contentious worldwide whaling ban that was adopted by the IWC in 1986. Nations that still actively engage in whaling, led by Japan, Norway, and Iceland, are leading the charge to keep whales off endangered species lists--and for a full on return to legal whaling....
JUNKride Bikes 2,600 Miles to Point Out Plastic in Pacific
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 06.22.09
Billabong B9 ("Benign") Wetsuits Made From Used Fishing Nets
by Kristin Underwood, Sacramento, CA on 06.22.09
What Would the Perfect Dress Look Like If 1,000 Women Created It Together?
by Jasmin Malik Chua, Jersey City, USA on 06.22.09
Photo credit: One Dress
Credit (or blame) the recessional zeitgeist: It seems like everyone is hot on the heels of that one inspired piece of clothing with not only enough chameleon-like versatility to morph from one look to another, but also hangs flatteringly on poker-thin and zaftig figures alike.
Sisterhood of the Traveling Wrap Dress
New York designer Malcolm Harris' one-size-fits all One Dress--designed with the input of more than 1,000 women worldwide--is perhaps the first instance of complete fashion democracy, one that happens to be Angelina Jolie-approved. ...
There's No Way to Stabilize CO2 Without Tackling Coal Emissions: MIT Study
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 06.22.09
photo: tomsaint11 via flickr
The Wall Street Journal reports that a new study coming out of MIT confirms what every climatologist worth their salt has been saying for some time: "There is today no credible pathway towards stringent GHG stabilization targets without CO2 emissions reduction for existing coal power plants." Not only that, but reducing those emissions is going to be darn expensive:
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Green Challenge Puts Up Major Money for Your Top Green Ideas
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 06.22.09
It's time again. Green Challenge is on the prowl for the best ideas to solve climate change through products or services that reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and that are ready or close-to-ready to launch in the market place. Last year saw some interesting ideas that have already gone far, and this year hopes to gather even more brilliant concepts. And a big fat reward hangs at the finish line. ...
Louisiana to See Biggest Levee-Busting Operation in North America
by Brian Merchant, Brooklyn, New York on 06.22.09
Photo via University of Maryland
And that's a good thing, believe it or not. Mentioning levee-busting and Louisiana in the same breath may seem like a faux pas, even vulgar, with repercussions of the Hurricane Katrina tragedy still afflicting the state. Talk of stronger levees, more levees, is the common practice. So why are two brothers carrying out the largest levee busting operation in North America right in Louisiana?...
Climatologist James Hansen Urges Obama to Ban Mountaintop Removal Coal Mining
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 06.22.09
photo: Ohio Valley Environmental Coalition
There's no getting around the fact that there is absolutely no way mountaintop removal coal mining and environmental protection can go together. Unfortunately though the Obama administration and the EPA don't see things that way, recently merely tightening regulations on the practice. Now eminent climatologist and increasingly outspoken activist James Hansen, in an opinion piece for Yale Environment 360, sets out the case for banning the practice entirely:...
Wend Magazine Goes Into Bat for World Bicycle Relief
by Warren McLaren, Sydney on 06.22.09
You might recall us mentioning how in the latest issue of Wend magazine, they not only asked if wave farms might attract sharks, but also gave over their Platform section to F.K. Day, President of the World Bicycle Relief . WBR are the guys who are on a mission to see 50,000 bicycles donated to Asian and African countries, alongside 450 locals trained as bike mechanics.
Anyhow to help them along their way, Wend magazine recently threw a Bicycle Bash, including a table tennis tournament, to raise a penny or two for the cause. They enlisted the assistance of a veritable Who’s Who of eco outdoor and cycling companies, most of who have previously graced the pixels of TreeHugger. ...
Cool Eco-Innovations Highlighted at Intel's Research Day
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 06.22.09
Allison Woodruff talks to Intel Labs VP Andrew Chien about how individuals and communities will be able to contributing to help the environment with the new personal mobile device prototype which senses and collects air quality data. Photo via Intel
Last week Intel held a Research Day in Mountain View, California where all the latest projects were on display, including those specifically designed with the environment in mind. Check out some of the ideas that could lead to some exciting advances in green technology....
Beijing's Olympic Pollution Solution: Luck + Data Manipulation
by Alex Pasternack, New York, NY on 06.22.09
Flickr user dtraleigh
At last summer's Olympics, Beijing came out on top in the medal count and on the balance sheets. But as the city's air pollution again pushes dangerous levels, two new reports point out that pollution during the Games was concealed by poor measurements and mitigated more by weather than by the government's massive interventions.
While pollution levels appeared to reach record lows for Beijing, the Olympic air was actually 3.5 times worse than that of recent Olympic cities like Athens, Atlanta and Sydney, and often exceeded what the World Health Organization considers safe....
What Can The World Expect Out of the Major Economies Forum?
by Daniel Kessler, San Francisco, California on 06.22.09
Photo via watersecretsblog.com
Outside of Mexico City, delegates from the world's 17 biggest economies are meeting this week to further negotiate international climate agreements. Issues on the table include funding for forest protection, mid-term and long-term emission reduction targets, and financing for adaption and mitigation. The outcomes from these talks remain in doubt and other questions fester, like to what will the U.S. commit to?...
Seasonal Fruits & Vegetables for Summer (Slideshow)
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 06.22.09
The sun in shining, the birds are singing, and delicious local food is growing, and, while everyone's backyard (or local farmers' market) produces different treats at different times, here's a quick list of treats you can expect to see on a table near you. Now that summer is officially here, be on the lookout for these tasty fruits and vegetables at your local farmers' market, in your CSA subscription, or at your local grocery store.
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Which is More Environmentally Friendly: Storebought or Homemade Yogurt?
by Pablo Paster, San Francisco on 06.22.09
Image Source: Rebecca Bent
Dear Pablo: I eat a lot of yogurt, about a quart a week, so I'm accruing a lot of containers. I've thought about making my own yogurt, but it seems then I'd just be trading a plastic yogurt container for a cardboard milk container. Taking into account the production and recycling of each container, is one environmentally any better than the other?...The Low Down on Home Water Makers and 7 to Choose From
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 06.22.09
Photo via jenny downing
As the water crisis becomes more real, with droughts, pollution, depleted snow packs and other issues shortening our fresh water supplies, there is one technology that you'll want to boost your water IQ with - atmospheric water generation. While it sounds like something for a distant, drastically different future, there are actually residential water generators on the market today. Find out how the technology works, and what options are out on the market if you want one for your home. ...
realfood festival Supports Local Campaigns
by Bonnie Alter, London on 06.22.09
Who wants a Tesla When You Can Drive an Electric '49 Bentley By Tom Dixon?
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 06.22.09
Tom Dixon is a TreeHugger fave for his work making compact fluorescents elegant; now he does the same for electric cars, converting a 1949 Mk VI Bentley to electric power. He likes it because the body can be easily separated from the chassis.
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Recycled Tire Logs Say to Pressure Treated Lumber, “Anything You Can Do, I Can Do Better...”
by Eric Leech, New York, NY on 06.21.09
Photo via: www.EricCastro.biz
“I Can Do Anything Better than You!”
RTP Re-Tread Products is in the testing phase of a series of recycled rubber tire products designed to one day take the place of some of the applications where pressure treated lumber has traditionally been used. The benefit of such a trade-off would be less chemicals to leach into the ground (from the treated lumber), improved flexibility, and increased overall durability. The tire logs are believed to be a very appropriate substitute for such applications as heavy equipment platforms, logging roadways, boat ramps, hurricane-prone building construction, highway separation, and flood-control barriers....Are Shredded Tires Polluting Our Playgrounds?
by Josh Peterson, Los Angeles, California on 06.21.09
Photo: Mykl Roventine via Flickr
The EPA is reexamining whether crumb rubber, made from shredded tires, is safe for playground applications. Previously, the EPA had okayed shredded tires for civil engineering and public recreation projects, but pressure by the Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility has caused the EPA to reassess the possibility of health risks.
Where we are right now is, we just don´t have a recommendation," EPA spokesman Dale Kemery said. "I wish we did....
Closed Car Dealership Finds New Life as an Art Gallery
by Eric Leech, New York, NY on 06.21.09
Image courtesy of artist, Elisabeth Subrin, Lost Tribes and Promised Lands, 2009
The saying should go, When the going gets tough... the tough show art. The sight of empty car lots is nothing new these days. The lack of sales during the recession has not been as easy affair for most dealerships. Many have succumb to the fate of closing their doors due to the practically nonexistent market for new cars....
Obama Administration Suspends CHAMP Chemical Assessment Program
by Christine Lepisto, Berlin on 06.21.09
Image: Bubble Monster at Flickr, Audi insperation
Only a few months ago, EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson announced that the U.S. Environmental Protection Administration would pick up the pace of the Chemicals Assessment and Management Program (CHAMP), partly in response to the barrage of activity in the EU under REACH (Registration, Evaluation and Authorization of CHemicals). Now the EPA has thrown Industry and Citizens into confusion with an announcement that all activity to screen and prioritize hazardous chemicals under CHAMP is to be suspended, effective immediately. How is it possible the EPA finds doing nothing better than doing something -- especially in the face of increasing concerns about the chemicals in our bodies, and even in the everyday products sold for our kids? And how long before EPA is doing something again?...
Preview: Rhodes Ecofilms Festival Begins This Week
by Jennifer Hattam, Istanbul, Turkey on 06.21.09
Image via Rodos International Films + Visual Arts Festival Ecofilms.
New films about Canada's tar sands, the damage caused by extractive industries in the Amazon rainforest, and Aristotle's philosophy on nature will be among the opening-day fare Tuesday at the Rodos International Films + Visual Arts Festival Ecofilms, held annually on the Greek island of Rhodes....
LA Film Festival Abuzz with Green Documentaries
by Roberta Cruger, Los Angeles on 06.21.09
With 200 films from 30 countries, the Los Angeles Film Festival (June 18 to 28) in Westwood near UCLA, seems far from Hollywood. The non-profit that organizes the event “champions the cause of independent films,” and though Public Enemies with Johnny Depp and the new Transformers movie will be premiered, the rest of the schedule has little connection with show biz. Among the screenings, a few high-profile documentaries cover environmental issues. So now it’s time they leave the nest of fests and play in theaters for all of us to see: ...
Canada's Prairie Provinces: Drought; And A Spring Without Green
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 06.21.09
2-Month Standardized Precipitation Index Map Of Canada: yellow/red/brown colors indicate progression of relatively decreased precipitation from normal, over the period. Canada Drought Watch.
While long and severe drought in the US State of Georgia is officially "over", and water restrictions going "off" across the US Southeast, the Canadian prairie provinces (Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba, as pictured) are suffering an historic drought that may have serious impacts on farmers and food production. The Globe & Mail reports that "In portions of the hardest-hit region, which stretches in a triangle pattern from Saskatoon to Edmonton and Calgary, 2009 marks the driest spring Agriculture Canada has seen in the 70 years records have been kept in the area." They quote a farmer who said he's never before seen a spring with out the grass turning green. Can you imagine?...
GoCycle's Revolutionary Electric Bike: Another Glowing Review
by Sami Grover, Carrboro, NC, USA on 06.21.09
Image credit: GoCycle
GoCycle Electric Bike Turns Heads in London
Lloyd got all excited about the GoCycle electric bike a couple of months ago, suggesting that it might just be the electric assist bike we've all been waiting for. But can it live up to expectations? The Times newspaper had already reviewed the GoCycle favorably, and now The Guardian weighs in with its own verdict. Click below the fold for the scoop on a machine that may change the image of electric bikes for good.
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Take the 10 Percent Shift Challenge to Boost Your Local Economy
by Sara Novak, Columbia, SC on 06.21.09
photo: Jon Lugoff
Local economies could certainly use any sort of a boost that they can get right now and we all know the benefits of buying locally for the planet. In these times of economic hardship consider the benefits of buying locally on your community’s own economy. The 10 percent shift is an initiative which pushes the individual not to do buy cheaply in bulk, funding the Walmarts of the world, but rather to fund local producers....
Recycled Funeral Stationery: Remembrance Tree Papers
by Sami Grover, Carrboro, NC, USA on 06.21.09
Handmade, Wildflower Seeded Memorial Stationary
When I wrote a guide on How to Green Your Funeral, it was received with skepticism from some readers who felt it was taking environmentalism 'too far'. Yet if we try to live our lives as greenly as possible, then surely we would want our deaths to be handled in the same manner? Thankfully, the options are improving for those seeking a greener way to go. From jute coffins to biodegradable urns, there's no reason to spend eternity in a concrete mausoleum anymore. Heck - one guy even wants to compost his own corpse. Now Twisted Limb Papers - the folks who have been making stunning handmade wedding invites and other stationary for years - are coming out with their own line of memorial stationary. Perhaps wisely, they're doing so under a different name....
First Biomass Pellet Mill in US to Receive FSC Certification
by Daniel Kessler, San Francisco, California on 06.21.09
Photo via CleanTechnica
As fossil fuels get more expensive, some are talking about using more wood to generate energy. A New York-based company, Curran Renewable Energy, LLC, is saying they are the first Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) Chain-of-Custody certified producer of wood pellets for national and international markets. FSC is the global standard-setter for sustainable forest management. The pellets are made by compressing pulverized wood. ...
Guerrillas Bullish on the New Green Economy
by Christine Lepisto, Berlin on 06.21.09
Image: Leaserad
Contemporaneous with the LOHAS Forum in the USA, activists and green thinkers came together for the third annual Karma Konsum (Karma Consumption) conference in Frankfurt Germany. A guerrilla action greening the Bull on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange raised attention for the event. (Unlike the persecuted barrel monster artist, Joseph Carnevale, the guerrillas kept their identity secret in the YouTube video (over the fold). This year, the first annual Karma Consumption Green Entrepreneur's Award was granted. And it is a model that we hope to see spreading. ...
Obama's Transportation Secretary: America is One Big Pothole
by Jesse Fox, Tel Aviv, Israel on 06.21.09
Image via The New York Times.
"I think we're doing great things right now," says Ray LaHood, the Obama Administration's Secretary of Transportation. A former Republican Congressman from Illinois, many advocates of sustainable transport were initially unsure what to make of his appointment. Several months later, LaHood is shaping up to become one of the administration’s more activist figures....
