- 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 July 5, 2009 - July 11, 2009
Total this week: 209
Portland Mayor Joins Commuters’ Low-Car Diet
by Roberta Cruger, Los Angeles on 07.11.09
The mythical "Mollie," the Zipcar Mini, organizes block parties. Photo via Flickr by Joe Behr
For one month, Mayor Sam Adams joins 30 Portland, Oregon residents taking part in Zipcar's Low-Car Diet. The car sharing service has convinced these Portlanders to leave their vehicles in the garage for a month and test drive one of 238 Zipcars scattered throughout the city. Next Wednesday, the mayor kicks off this car-less experiment at City Hall (where a Zipcar parking spot is conveniently located around the corner). You, too, can sign up if you live in one of 13 Zipcar cities involved. See how it changed the lives of last year’s participants....
Bill Gates, Infected By Geoengineering Virus, Patents Hurricane Mitigation Devices For Gulf Of Mexico
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 07.11.09
Schematic drawing of hurricane mitigation concept. Image credit: patent filing
Hurricanes are fed most of their energy from sun-heated ocean waters. When upper atmospheric air-flows are not too turbulent, hurricanes are able to add enough energy to send storm surges over breakwaters and levees of coastal cities. Could some entrepreneur figure out a way to make money off preventing this? Seattle-based TechFlash reports that Bill Gates is recently listed as co-inventor "on a new batch of patent applications that propose using large fleets of vessels to suppress hurricanes through various methods of mixing warm water from the surface of the ocean with colder water at greater depths." TechFlash writer, Todd Bishop, contacted an expert who nailed the generic problem with this, and similar ideas....
Sierra Club Stops 100th Coal Plant
by Daniel Kessler, San Francisco, California on 07.11.09
Photo via Flickr
If you're in the anti-coal movement, then you've likely been a long-time admirer of the Sierra Club's efforts to stop new coal plant construction. Last week, Intermountain Power’s coal plant in Utah became the 100th new coal plant to be stopped or abandoned since 2001, a truly amazing feat. ...
Vegan Organic Agriculture: Is Your Carrot Really Vegan?
by Sami Grover, Carrboro, NC, USA on 07.11.09
Image credit: Vegan Organic Network
Agriculture With No Animal Inputs
I am no vegan, but I do understand that with the environmental impacts of meat being such a concern, a vegan diet can be very sustainable. Even cutting back on consumption with meat free Mondays, or becoming a weekday vegetarian, can make a huge difference (although let's not forget that some say grass fed beef can help fight climate change too!). But one thing has always bothered me - if vegans are advocating the elimination of all animal agriculture, then how do we maintain soil fertility? After all, no livestock means no (non-human) poop. So is that carrot really vegan after all?...
The Dream DOT Director? DC's Gabe Klein Interview (Video)
by Sami Grover, Carrboro, NC, USA on 07.11.09
Image credit: StreetFilms
Capital's DOT Director Discusses "Leveling the Playing Field"
As I said in my post about the San Francisco intersection turned park, the best thing about StreetFilms videos is that they don't just show you cool things - but they help you understand why they are cool and how they are done. The same goes for their recent film about a pedestrian-only street in Curitiba. The latest offering from Clarence and Co. is an equally insightful interview with Washington DC's Director of Transportation Gabe Klein.With a background in bikes, Zip Cars, and electric vehicles - Gabe seems like the dream candidate to be running the capital's transportation system.
...
Bisphenol A Found in Baby Food in Glass Jars
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 07.11.09
Organicmania
OK, So you have given up on canned baby food and switched to glass to avoid the endocrine disruptor Bisphenol A (BPA), right? Well, maybe not. Health Canada (which last year banned BPA in baby bottles) tested baby food bottled in glass and found BPA in 84% of the samples.
Martin Mittelstaedt of the Globe and Mail notes that while glass doesn’t contain BPA, a plastic making compound, it is often used on the liners of metal jar lids. ...
'I Ride My Bike, I Love Nature,' Say Turkish Cyclists
by Jennifer Hattam, Istanbul, Turkey on 07.11.09
There's plenty of room for cyclists on the roads outside Van. Photo by Bryce Edwards via Flickr.
"You notice a flower blooming near the road [when] riding a bicycle, but you cannot see it driving a car," says Mustafa Sarı, the president of the Turkish Nature Watchers Society. Though cycling is not a common pastime in Turkey, the group is trying to build interest in it through a project called "Bisikletime Biniyorum Doğayı Seviyorum" (I Ride My Bike, I Love Nature)....
The Milk Police---Smuggling Raw Milk across State Lines
by Sara Novak, Columbia, SC on 07.11.09
Photo gwire @ flickr
I first heard of raw milk from my yoga teacher in Asheville. She swore by the stuff claiming that not one of her three kids had ever even had a cavity and she was sure it was a result of the milk. I have to admit I was a bit skeptical at first. The raw food diet is one thing, but raw milk? But the fact of the matter is that it is rightfully gaining popularity. People are even breaking the law for it, trucking in raw milk in states where it’s still illegal. ...
Xerocoat Invisible Coating That Makes Solar Panels 3-5% More Efficient
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 07.11.09
Reflective transmission increase as a function of incident light angle. Image credit:Xerocoat
Workers at XeroCoat certainly have a visible effect on the company's bottom line; and Xerocoat's product, a coating applied to fully assembled solar panels, benefits the customer's electricity bill. But Xerocoat, which makes solar panels 3% to 5% more efficient, is invisible to both the workers and the company's customers. Good thing the US Department of Energy could see the benefits....
Outdoor “Tree Museum” Celebrates a Community Centennial—and Trees
by Roberta Cruger, Los Angeles on 07.10.09
100 plus trees grow on the Bronx Grand Concourse. All photos by Katie Holten 2009
Living sculptures that defy gravity, that’s how Yann Arthus-Bertrand describes trees in his inspiring environmental documentary Home, released on World Environment Day. Among the many benefits of trees, they slurp up CO2 and dish out O2, crumble into soil, prevent erosion, insulate homes, provide homes for wildlife, make fruit and flowers, and offer beauteous views. We at treehugger embrace them as our moniker. So if one grows in Brooklyn, 100 grow in the Bronx, and Katie Holten lets us hear their tall tales in her living “Tree Museum” along Grand Concourse Boulevard. ...
Short Documentary Shows Toxic Trail of "Recycled" E-Waste Leads Overseas
by Naturally Savvy on 07.10.09
A man sorts e-waste in Guiyu, China. Photo courtesy of Allison Cross.
Ever wonder what happens to all your old PCs, broken keyboards and ink cartridges? If you take your electronics to recyclers, you probably have visions of workers in well-ventilated buildings wearing masks and gloves as they take apart the toxic components of your electronics ... But that's not the reality.
Ghana: Digital Dumping Ground, a 20-minute documentary that recently aired on PBS's FRONTLINE/World (you can view it online), reveals a shocking amount of e-waste from North America ends up in the developing world where children and adults scavenge for components they can sell or melt down motherboards for gold scrap.
The doc is the work of Frontline correspondent Peter Klein and a group of graduate students at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada. The journalists set out to follow e-trash trail and it took them first to Ghana, then to China and India. I e-mailed Allison Cross, a friend who worked on the documentary, to ask her a few questions about how the story unfolded....
CitySol Solar Powered Concert in NYC - Saturday July 11th, 12-10pm - Be There!
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 07.10.09
Hey New Yorkers, if you're looking for something to do tomorrow, Saturday July 11th and have a hankering for either supporting the efforts of Solar One and Digiwaxx Media, or just checking out some great music, head over to the East River at 23rd Street anytime between 12 noon and 10pm for the CitySol Concert:...
Global Peace Film Fest Promotes Peace and Environmental Justice
by Kristin Underwood, Sacramento, CA on 07.10.09
Peace, and discussions around peace, tend to focus on exactly the opposite topic: war. Anti-war demonstrations, activism, etc, but this year the Global Peace Film Festival plans to move the "idea" of peace beyond this negative debate to a more personal level and focus more on how peace promotes sustainability....
What's Your Country's Climate Target?
by Brian Merchant, Brooklyn, New York on 07.10.09
Photo via G8
This week saw the G8 nations pledge to cut carbon emissions 80% by 2050--meaning that the world's biggest, richest countries (the US, UK, Germany, France, etc) have all set some pretty tough climate targets. In theory, at least. Actions, of course, speak louder than words. So let's take a look at those actions--here are the actual, current climate targets of the biggest economies in the world....
Bus Rapid Transit Featured in the New York Times
by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada on 07.10.09
Photo: Flickr, CC
Let's Hope that US Urban Planners Are Paying Attention
It's always good to see modern, efficient mass-transit in the spotlight, and there's no bigger spotlight than the New York Times. They have a piece featuring Bogotá's TransMilenio bus rapid transit (BRT) system, and it's quite positive though they mostly frame it as a way for developing countries to cut down on smog and CO2 emissions (the US would benefit too!). Read on for the choice cuts....
LA Vows to be Coal-Free by 2020 - Can it be Done?
by Brian Merchant, Brooklyn, New York on 07.10.09
Photo via SB Report
Yesterday, Los Angeles mayor Antonio Villaraigosa announced his intention to make the city entirely coal-free by 2020, and turn to clean and renewable energy instead. Inspiring? Yes. Possible? Maybe not so much....
Greenwashing Watch: GM Considering Changing Its Logo from Blue to Green [Updated]
by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada on 07.10.09
Don't Judge a Book by Its Cover
According to MSNBC, GM is considering (nothing decided yet) changing the background color of its logo from blue to green. Literally, I don't think it would be possible to change GM in a more superficial way than that. It would almost be the textbook definition of greenwashing. Come on GM, let your actions speak for themselves. If you want to be seen as greener, you have to earn it. No logo change is going to accomplish that....
How Chic is Your Ride? Show Off Your Bike, Win This Exclusive Topshop-Designed Two-Wheeler!
by Jasmin Malik Chua, Jersey City, USA on 07.10.09
Photo credit: TopShop
Because Topshop hearts chic cyclists, the fashion retailer has partnered with Chictopia.com to reward folks who have traded in their gas-guzzling autos for pedal-powered two-wheelers.
Fashion-forward cyclists—April, your wish for better-looking world with more chicks on bikes is about to come true—are invited to submit photos of their freewheeling hot rods for a chance to win a special TopShop-designed bike valued at $3,000. (Dudes are welcome, too.)...
A Nation Watches Its Heritage Rot Away
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 07.10.09
Bellevue House, Amherstberg ON: Built in 1816 by officer returning from War of 1812, developer wants to build condo on site, has left it empty and abandoned since 2001.
I do go on about how the greenest brick is the one already in the wall, how old buildings are green, and that fixing them puts people to work. Imagine my surprise to find that Canada's National Post, home to climate deniers and various other right-wing cranks, says much the same thing, even coming out for stimulus investment in them. Their editorial board writes:
At a time when governments are looking to bolster employment through infrastructure stimulus, one option that should be considered is for the federal government and the provinces to restore a wide range of Canada’s historic buildings. It would seem more worthwhile to protect our heritage than, say, buy a failing company....
Gadget for Fishing Nets Could Save Sea Turtles, or Could Be Useless Junk
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 07.10.09
Photo via Cliff1066
Sea turtles have a far higher chance of surviving being caught in fishing nets if those fishing nets are pulled up within 50 minutes. A 7-inch long silver cylinder attached to fishing nets that gauges how long the net has been underwater could potentially save the lives of sea turtles and easy future fishing restrictions. Or it could potentially be a useless piece of junk that does nothing but add to the e-waste piling up on our planet. It's all up to the fishermen who would use the technology only out of the goodness of their hearts, not out of requirement....
Scientists Make Progress on Salt-Tolerant GM Crops
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 07.10.09
The top plants are the non-GM plants, the bottom ones are. Photo: Australian Centre for Plant Functional Genomics/University of Adelaide
One key part of ensuring adequate food supplies as the world's climate changes, especially in places where water supply and water salinity changes are likely to be large, is developing crops with higher salt-tolerance. Scientists at the University of Adelaide in Australia are doing just that, using a form of genetic modification to help plants hold the salt in parts of the plant which do the least harm. Science Daily describes the procedure:...
Submit Your Best Green Tweets for Carnival of the Green
by Kara DiCamillo, Newport, Rhode Island on 07.10.09
We here at TreeHugger recently announced that the Carnival of the Green will now include a Twitter section.You can still submit as normal via email, of course, but this new part of the Carnival will be called "Best Green Tweets." So, if you use Twitter and have a recent (i.e. in the last couple of days) green tweet that rocks make sure to submit it for Monday's host, Kids Discover Nature (@KidsDscvrNature).
Read on to find out how you can submit to the Carnival each week and drive more viewers to your site....
Just What We Needed: Russia Building Another Floating Nuclear Power Plant
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 07.10.09
image: OPK via NYT
Yes, more floating nuclear power plants in Russia. The New York Times reports that United Industrial Corporation (abbreviated OPK from the Russian) has announced that the first of its floating nuclear power plants will come online in 2012 and be used to help power Vilyuchinsk on the Kamchatka peninsula:...
New York City's Waterfront Gets Extended With Wave Power
by Jerry James Stone, San Francisco, CA on 07.10.09
Photo by Metropolis Magazine Richard Garber and Brian Novello of GRO Architects have designed an extension to New York City's piers that would harness tidal power from the city's rivers. The design concept, called Docking Stations, not only captures clean tidal energy, it also provides a public green space and tidal pools for wildlife. Of course, the hopes of harnessing Manhattan's renewable energy sources is nothing new. Recently a study from the Carnegie Institution and California State University found that high-altitude winds such as those found above New York City could power the world a 100-times over. ...
NOAA Head Jane Lubchenco Speaks Her Mind on Climate Change, Stopping Overfishing, More
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 07.10.09
Lubchenco stressed that people really want to know how climate change will impact their lives. Photo: Andi Szilagyi via flickr
Yale Environment 360 just put up a good interview with NOAA head Jane Lubchenco in which she talks about two topics close to the collective TreeHugger heart: Climate change and overfishing. Taking a page out of her book, in terms of how to effectively communicate the science and solutions to the the public. Here are some relevant specific examples of Lubchenco's thoughts on these issues:...
New Australian Desalination Plant Will Use 100% Renewable Energy
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 07.10.09
Photo via jez.atkinson
Australia is hurting for water, so a new $780 million desalination facility that is planned for Western Australia, which was approved late last month and will boost water supplies for the area by 20% upon completion in 2011, is a really big deal. However, despite advances in technology, desal plants are also energy intensive. So this plant is getting attention from groups and politicians who want to ensure it is run entirely on renewable energy. ...
Passive Design Goes Mainstream With The "Marken Passive LEED® Platinum Home"
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 07.10.09
images via Houseplans.com
It is exciting to see Passive House design come to North America; it makes so much sense to design a house so that it doesn't need a lot of technology to keep warm or cool, just careful design and siting, lots of insulation and sealing, and good ventilation. It works really well in temperate climates like British Columbia, where Alexander Maurer of Marken Projects is building a demonstration home.
...
75 MW Solar Power Plant & Solar Panel Factory Coming to Washington State
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 07.10.09
photo: Teanaway Solar Reserve
The Pacific Northwest may be famous for a lot of things, but overly abundant sunshine probably isn't on the top of most people's lists. But never mind that. Just announced is a solar power project which, when completed in 2011, could well be the largest in Washington. Enter the 75 MW Teanaway Solar Reserve: ...
Revolution Organics' Freedom Glow Multi-Tasking Beauty Balm Does It All
by Jasmin Malik Chua, Jersey City, USA on 07.10.09
Photo credit: Revolution Organics
Like everyone else in the land of the free market, I'm not just busy anymore; I'm crazy-busy, head-barely-above-water busy, busier-than-a-hive-full-of-buzzing-bees busy. So anything with the barest whiff of multifunctional ability instantly gets my attention—while I'm rocking a baby to sleep with one hand and dashing off an e-mail to my editor with the other, of course—and that goes double for my beauty products. Who has the time, let alone energy, to haul around a 60-pound makeup bag just to get through the day?
Think of Revolution Organics' Freedom Glow Multi-Tasking Beauty Balm ($34) as the Megatron of makeup. ...
Senate Puts Off Climate Bill Until Fall - Due to a "Firestorm of Opposition" from Americans?
by Brian Merchant, Brooklyn, New York on 07.10.09
Photo via Schema Root
Well, just as soon as senators had plunged into committee hearings about crafting a parallel climate bill to the House's recently passed Waxman-Markey, they've decided to put if off. Could it be, as Sen. Boxer says, that it's been pushed back so that senators could focus on national health care reform? Or because it's going to be tough to pass, and more time needs to go into crafting negotiations? Or could it be that a terrifying "firestorm of opposition" that "arose from across the country this week," has sent the Democrats running for cover?...
Corn State Senators Want to Shove Ethanol Down Our Throats, Whether We Like It Or Not
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 07.10.09
photo: Sen. Tom Harkin
When the Senate finishes writing their version of the climate bill—when they get back from summer recess and not a moment sooner—expect it to contain similar if not stronger love for corn ethanol than the House's version. At least if quotes Senate Agriculture Committee chair Tom Harkin (D-IA) in the New York Times are anything to go by: ...
Cutting Back on Colors for OLED Screens Boosts Cell Phone Battery Life by 40%
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 07.10.09
a map of the US rendered using both normal colors on the lower half, and energy-minimizing colorson the upper half; Image via OLED Display
Cell phone companies have been looking at the transition to OLED technology for mobile screens in no small part because of the energy-saving possibilities. Samsung has been leading the way with LG and others not far behind. But OLED displays themselves might get an energy makeover through a limitation on the number of colors used on the screen. A power savings of as much as 40% can be seen when using limited colors. ...
Book Review: Bothered By My Green Conscience by Franke James
by Kimberley D. Mok, Montreal, Canada on 07.10.09
Inspiring others to go green can be an uphill battle, judging from the blank looks of non-comprehension that one may receive at times. However, Toronto-based artist Franke James shows that this doesn’t have to be the case. With her delightfully quirky style, James has been chronicling her personal journey in going green through a series of illustrated online essays for some time now, and her latest book, Bothered By My Green Conscience, finally brings five essays together in one edition.
...
ZenLight LED: Japanese Tradition with Photo and Motion Sensors (Video)
by Sami Grover, Carrboro, NC, USA on 07.10.09
Image credit: Datexx
3W LED Lamp Detects Movement
Before I started writing for TreeHugger, I never knew how excited people could get about LED lighting. I'm more of a compost guy myself. Whether it's this 9W LED bulb replacement for incandescents, or this remote controlled tunable LED Bulb from Sharp, posts about LEDs (even ugly ones) create both traffic and discussion here at TreeHugger. I wonder if this will be the case for the ZenLight LED - a lighting solution for hallways and bathrooms that adjusts to lighting conditions and motion to provide light when needed.
...
Will Barcoding Trees Save Tropical Forests? (Video)
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 07.10.09
In tropical forests across South America, Africa and Southeast Asia, over a million hardwood trees have had plastic barcodes hammered into them, with the hope that IDing the trees will help with sustainable forestry practices and importation to countries like the US, as well as prevent illegal logging of the coveted hardwoods. Could going the grocery store route slow worldwide deforestation? Check out a video on how the technology works. ...
Top 5 posts on the G8 Summit Across the Green Blogosphere
by Leonora Oppenheim, London, UK on 07.10.09
Calls for serious environmental leadership from the heads of state gathered at the G8 summit in Italy have rung out across the blogosphere this week. Here at TreeHugger Matthew McDemott implored Obama to live up to his promises, Grist got poetic about it, whilst Greenpeace, in their inimitable style, took direct action at Mount Rushmore. Click through to see who else got involved......
Emission Cuts By G8 Nations: Good Enough?
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 07.10.09
So the G8 leaders agreed for the first time to cut greenhouse gases 80 percent by 2050; TreeHugger Brian was not impressed. Are you?
...
D.R. Congo's Sustainable Cacao Industry (Slideshow)
by Jeff Nield, Vancouver, British Columbia on 07.10.09
Image: Original Beans
We've told you about Original Beans a couple of times. We first wrote about their quest to become the first truly transparent chocolate company by basing their pricing on the true cost of sustainable chocolate production. The second time we caught wind of their collaboration with Wheels4life, where they supply mountain bikes to empower cacao farmers in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Now, the company has shared with us a series of photographs highlighting the region and people in East Africa where they hope to develop a truly sustainable agricultural economy based around cacao production.
Click through to see how Original Beans is helping create a sustainable future in the Virunga region of the Congo.
...
Istanbul's 'Accidentally Ecofriendly' Architects
by Jennifer Hattam, Istanbul, Turkey on 07.10.09
The light-filled offices of the Turkcell R&D building. Image courtesy Erginoğlu and Çalışlar Architects via DesignBoom.com.
Architect Hasan Çalışlar says he doesn't incorporate "green" features in his buildings because they're environmentally friendly -- he only uses them if they "make you feel better in the space." For his firm's design for a telecommunications building on the outskirts of Istanbul, that meant working with the slope of the site, maximizing natural light, creating an open architectural style, and adding some rooftop green space. Perhaps you could call it accidentally eco-friendly architecture....
Youth Outdoors Programs Benefit From Donated NEMO Tents
by Warren McLaren, Sydney on 07.10.09
We’ve previously mentioned innovative tent maker, NEMO Equipment,r for their recycled backpacking tent and bamboo tent poles. We also noted how they donated over 150 tents to Kashmiri earthquake victims. Now they are at it again with the donating thing. This time generously forking over $13,000 USD in backpacking and mountaineering tents to youth outdoor programs....
Heatwave Recalls Thousands of Green Volvos
by April Streeter, Gothenburg, Sweden on 07.10.09
As long as your Volvo's going to the frozen north, no problem. Photo via miljobil.se.
This week, a massive Baltic storm dumped rain all over Sweden and returned us to the damp and chilly summers we've come to expect. But last week? Last week Sweden seemed more like Mexico - warm, truly hot actually, with tons of sunshine. Swedes, who traditional flee their jobs for the month of July, were hoping against hope that the weather would hold as they got in their cars and sped off to their summer stugor. Well, the weather held (for awhile) but if they were unlucky enough to be driving off in a Volvo Flexifuel eco-car, they might just find themselves stranded by the side of a sunny Swedish meadow. ...
The Fourth Plinth Goes Live in London
by Bonnie Alter, London on 07.10.09
Image from the Guardian
It's plinth madness in London, starting this week. That's plinth as in the fourth, empty column in Trafalgar Square that has been statue-less since 1841. Artist Anthony Gormley won the competition to put something on it and his "something" is a person, one per hour, for the next 100 days.
So who has been up there and what have they done? This cyclist is making an environmental statement during his hour. Another dressed as a toilet in support of sanitation and WaterAid. Others have promoted their favourite charities; diabetes, Childline, and causes: Morris dancing, female genital mutilation....
Design Students Build Prosthetic Arm: Core77's Allan Chochinov Shows How
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 07. 9.09
We're fans of Core77, "a gathering point for designers and enthusiasts alike". Clogger Allan Chochinov also teaches at the School of Visual Arts in New York, in a course called "MFA Designer As Author" where they look at the issues of design and-
Our focus is on authorship in the broadest sense: Beginning with a viable concept we encourage students to write, edit, film, compose, fabricate, produce, and ultimately market their intellectual properties....
With Help from Species Survival Plan, Red Wolves May Have a Future
by Neil Chambers, New York City on 07. 9.09
Photo from Gregory Koch
Red wolves are one of the rarest mammals in North America. They are a mere 100 strong in their native habitat of North Carolina’s Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge. But with the help of the Wolf Conservation Center (WCC) in South Salem, NY, the Canis rufus may grow in number…first in New York, and then in North Carolina....
Coal State Electric Bills Rising 7% To 100% - Even Without Cap & Trade
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 07. 9.09
Monthly US Natural Gas Electric Power Price. Image credit:US Energy Information Administration.
As the title indicates, some of the nation's most coal-dependent states face dramatic price increases for electricity without a Cap & Trade mechanism in place. One cause is the de-regulation of electrical utilities, a process begun while Congress was also busy deregulating the financial industry. More recently, investments in new coal-fired plants became a contributing factor, as did price increases in the best grades of coal. What's with coal-state congressional delegations resisting and warning us about the dangerous impacts of Cap & Trade?...
And We're Taking a Break... Senate Won't Take Action on Climate Bill Until September
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 07. 9.09
photo: Doug via flickr
Don't expect any action from the Senate on a climate bill until September, after the summer recess. That's the word from Senate Environment and Public Works Committee Chair Barbara Boxer. However Reuters quotes Boxer as saying that "We'll do it as soon as we get back."...
The Dutch Master Bike (Super Duper Limited Edition) by Core77
by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada on 07. 9.09
Photo: Core77
The Secret Ingredient is Love
Our friends at Core77 know beautiful design, but they're really surpassed themselves with the Dutch Master super-duper-limited edition bike. The goal is to celebrate New York bike culture, and an heritage of local manufacturing. Only 25 Dutch Master bikes have been made, all hand built by in Brooklyn by KT Higgins. More details and photos below....
A Picture is Worth...Recessionista's DIY Chanel Bag
by Jasmin Malik Chua, Jersey City, USA on 07. 9.09
Photo credit: Jak and Jil
The economic caldera we're still digging ourselves up from under has put a whole new spin on the definition of "luxury." (This fall's New York Fashion Week will be an eye-opener for sure.) With consumer spending in the hole, and chi-chi brands like Hermes tightening their croc-skin belts, we might be witnessing the end of luxury goods as we know them. What does a brand, in the end, boil down to? A used paper bag, some talent with a Sharpie, and a link chain. Karl, who?
[Via The Frisky]...
President Obama, Please Live Up to Your Climate Change Rhetoric & Truly Lead!
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 07. 9.09
photo: G8Photos/Ansa
The G8 meeting in L'Aquila, Italy is just ripe with quotes for the picking. Unfortunately, apart from statements of agreement that we must indeed hold global average temperature rise to 2°C, most of what was said seems a bit hollow. Case in point: President Obama's talk about the need of the wealthy nations of the world, and the US in particular, to take the lead on climate change.
Surely Obama is far, far a head of his Oval Office predecessor in his attitude on climate change, but sometimes the words don't quite align with actions:...
Greenpeace's Mount Rushmore Stunt from Behind the Scenes (Video)
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 07. 9.09
Alguita's Journey to the Center of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 07. 9.09
Photo via Drew Wheeler
The Pacific Garbage Patch is drawing in quite the rush of explorers and scientists, from David de Rothschild to Project Kaisei and the research team's efforts to explore clean-up options. It's also drawing in Algalita Marine Research Foundation's research vessel the Alguita. The crew is on a two-month mission to get to the center of the vortex, and they're already having some amazing, and sometimes worrisome, experiences. Thanks to updates from Drew Wheeler who is on board, we get to follow along....
UN Secretary General Rebukes G8 Nations for Weak Climate Change Commitments
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 07. 9.09
Secretary General Ban Ki-moon speaking in Copenhagen on climate change. UN photo/Eskinder Debebe
The G8 nations may have agreed to some sort of climate change action in Italy, but it's really not what the science says is required. I said it, as well as other writers more seasoned such as myself (Fred Pearce writing for Short Sharp Science, for example). But don't just take it from us: UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon also was less than thrilled with the commitment of the G8 to tackle climate change. Ban didn't mince words:...
Tsuru, Yamanashi (Japan) Finding Off-Grid Solutions To Solve Their Energy Needs
by greenz.jp, Tokyo, Japan on 07. 9.09
Photo: New Energy Foundation
Small towns and communities all over the world are looking for solutions to their energy needs. Going off-grid is not just a choice for individuals, the way it sometimes seems here at Treehugger. No, you will never be able to live totally away from anyone else. Off-grid doesn't mean you are on your own, out there in the wilderness. Hey, not even Thoreau was able to achieve that kind of level of gridless living. You need to have good neighbours, or else.
Tsuru, a small town in Yamanashi prefecture in Japan, has implemented strategies to harness some of the resources at their disposal. They are promoting micro-hydro, small scale water power, and moreover, they are focusing on education as a way forward....
Improved Solar Power Dish with Stirling Engine Made by Car Parts Suppliers
by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada on 07. 9.09
Photo: Stirling Energy Systems
New and Improved Solar Thermal Collection Dish
While a lot of people think about photovoltaic panels when "solar power" is mentioned, solar thermal must not be underestimated. One of the players in that field is Stirling Energy Systems (SES), who we've written about before when they set a new world record for "solar-to-grid system conversion efficiency" (31.25 percent, beating the previous record of 29.4 percent). Well, in collaboration with Sandia National Laboratories, SES has refined its SunCatcher design. Read on to find out how the new version compares to the old one....
In Defense of the Cow: How Eating Meat Could Help Slow Climate Change
by Timothy J. LaSalle, Rodale Institue, Kutztown, PA on 07. 9.09
Photo via stock.xchng by bouwm019
Should we be eating more beef in order to slow global warming? It sounds counterintuitive, but it may be so: Cattle could be part of the whole ecological equation to solving climate change and restoring healthy, bio-diverse ecosystems. I am a vegetarian, but I maintain there is a place for grass-fed beef on family menus—and pasture-raised cattle in global warming solutions. Cows can help more than harm if they are sustainably raised. ...Rhino Poaching at 15 Year High as Asian Demand Increases
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 07. 9.09
Indian rhino in Kazaringa national park, Assam, India. Photo: Lip Kee Yap via flickr
Asian demand for rhinoceros horn for medicinal use has driven poaching in Africa and Asia to a 15 year high, WWF reports. This is of course despite the fact that trade in rhino parts from any species is banned under international treaty. In some places it has gotten so bad that a decade's worth of successful conservation efforts are being reversed:...
20 Green Fashion Designers You've Never Heard Of—But Oh You Will (Slideshow)
by Jasmin Malik Chua, Jersey City, USA on 07. 9.09
Photo credit: Label
Karen Stewart and Howard Brown, Jenny Hwa, and Linda Loudermilk are household names—well, okay, if you live in the kind of home where green togs regularly crop up in dinner conversation—but there's a rising phalanx of upcoming designers ready to vie for your sartorial affections.
In this slideshow, we feature 20 environmentally savvy fashion designers who haven't quite achieved the same level of acclaim as the big guns of sustainable style, whether it's due to their label's youth, geographic locale, or lack of attention from the media. (Us included. Mea culpa!) We guarantee, however, that you'll be hearing more about these haute-to-trot talents before long—in fact, we'll bet our Olsen Haus vegan pumps on it.
With thanks to the fab Amy DuFault for her brilliant suggestions.
...
G8 Nations Agree to Cut Emissions 80% by 2050 - Developing Countries Still Skeptical
by Brian Merchant, Brooklyn, New York on 07. 9.09
Photo via NY Daily News
Okay, so it turned out not to be a total failure--the G8 nations (the US, UK, France, etc) ended up pledging to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions 80% by 2050, and to work towards keeping temperature levels from rising 2 degrees Celsius. As for the developing countries, led by China, India, and Brazil--they pretty much said, 'We'll get back to you.'...
Beautorium Offers 20% Off + Free Shipping + Free Cleanser
by Kara DiCamillo, Newport, Rhode Island on 07. 9.09
It’s always nice when you can one-stop shop. Such is the case with Beautorium, a natural and organic beauty emporium that carries some the most ethical and effective beauty brands, all in one place. There are 20 brands and about 650 products available on the Beautorium’s website and each has been carefully hand-picked based on certain criteria. ...
100 Abandoned Houses: Photographs of Detroit
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 07. 9.09
The New York Times tells us about 100abandonedhouses.com, a website with stunning photographs of abandoned houses in Detroit, shot with an old Hasselblad....
Coal-Loving Missouri Senator McCaskill Doesn't Think Strong Climate Bill Will Pass Senate
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 07. 9.09
Missouri coal train, photo: Scott Granneman via flickr
You know how I said a few days ago that not every state in the US was dependent on coal? Well, that's entirely not the case in Missouri and that little fact is having some repercussions already. Like any climate bill of strength not ever passing in the Senate, at least if the statements Huffington Post is running by Senator Claire McCaskill (D-MO) are anything to go on. Here she is on the possibility of a climate change bill actually making it through the Senate:...
Using Augmented Reality to Change The Way We See Our Green World
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 07. 9.09
The above video shows what augmented reality - taking in the real world on a device and layering computer generated data over it - could mean. Essentially, you can point your phone at something and the data for whatever it's seeing pops up on your screen. Here, houses are scanned and information for those for sale or for rent pop up. Or you can scan the neighborhood to find which bars you might like to walk into before walking up to the door. But, as Tom Raftery of GreenMonk points out, this is just the very tip of the iceberg of how augmented reality could impact green. ...
From Ed's Forum: Dishwashing Dilemma
by Alan Graham, Portland, Oregon on 07. 9.09
curryz: On one episode, Ed mentioned that using the dishwasher rather than washing the dishes in the sink was better for two reasons. First, the energy used came from his solar panel and second, the dishwasher uses less water than what a human being would use. Sounds right. On the episode where he and his lovely wife were replacing the counter top in their kitchen, his wife is shown washing the dishes in the bathroom sink and she said, if I'm not mistaken, washing the dishes in the sink uses less water. Was she mistaken? Did I just get it wrong?Wow, people really pay attention to TV shows. Has Ed been caught? Does he have an answer for this? Is there a dishwasher/sink conspiracy? No, but you can read Ed's response here....
WatCleaner Robot Is the Roomba for the Ocean
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 07. 9.09
Images via JDF International Design Competition
What might happen with the Great Pacific Garbage Patch if we were to sic an army of robot ocean scrubbers on them? This concept by Chinese industrial designer Ye Yao just might be the start of that very possibility. It's a robot that could detect the difference between trash, fish and oil, and clean up the junk from the open seas. ...
Plantagon Develops Vertical Farm That Can Go Anywhere
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 07. 9.09
Plantagon is more than just another vertical farm. We learn from PSFK that it "will dramatically change the way we produce ecological and functional food. It allows us to produce ecological with clean air and water inside urban environments, even major cities, cutting costs and environmental damage by eliminating transportation and deliver directly to consumers. This is due to the efficiency and productivity of the Plantagon® greenhouse which makes it economically possible to finance each greenhouse from its own sales."...
Sugarcane to be Turned into Conventional Diesel Fuel at Brazil Biorefinery
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 07. 9.09
photo: Cliff via flickr
Brazil's widely know for running a whole heck of a lot of cars on sugarcane-based ethanol. There are lot's of problems to be pointed out in growing it, but sugarcane is one thing that the country definitely has in spades. Which is why Colorado-based Amyris Biotechnologies is opening up a demonstration plant in Campinas which will convert sugarcane into diesel fuel, Technology Review reports. Not biodiesel, conventional diesel fuel: ...
Great Green Job Alert! Be a Bike Commuter Guide
by April Streeter, Gothenburg, Sweden on 07. 9.09
The Council of Economic Advisors estimates 700,000 green jobs will be created this year from federal stimulus funds. That's encouraging, but here's something even better - a man with a plan who decided to create his own green job and business after he and his fellow training team were laid off from Target Corporation earlier this year. Meet Bill Delano, bike commuter guide extraordinaire, who is just starting a company called "Bike With Bill" in Minneapolis/St. Paul, which Delano says is a "paradise for cyclists" (sorry, Portland)....
G8 Pledges to Support Deforestation & Forest Degradation Reduction Efforts, Stop Illegal Logging
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 07. 9.09
Spreading deforestation in Malaysian Borneo, photo: Ben Sutherland via flickr
While the G8 was collectively patting itself on the back for passing what are, from a scientific standpoint, some pretty wishy-washy emission reduction pledges, it did add an encouraging section into its statement on climate change: One acknowledging the huge impact of deforestation on climate and pledging to take strong action to prevent deforestation and forest degradation. Here's part of the text of that statement:...
Italy's Trash Robot is a Real-Life Wall-E
by Alex Pasternack, New York, NY on 07. 9.09
In the computer generated waste land of Wall-E, a garbage-collecting robot is the last survivor on Earth, hoarding quaint treasures from the trash in a dogged attempt to find some slice of happiness amidst the ecological devastation left behind by consumerism. In real-life Italy, where a noxious mafia-run waste industry has turned some landscapes post-apocalyptic, scientists have proposed a new solution to picking up the trash: the googly-eyed Dust Cart robot.
It may not solve Italy's garbage problems, but its inventors hope it might make garbage collection cleaner and more efficient, and reduce trash pile-ups. But would it actually work? Video below....
Stretchy Salt Discovery May Improve Desalination Processes
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 07. 9.09
Photos via Sandia National Laboratories
Researchers at Sandia National Laboratories and the University of Pittsburgh have found that salt can be stretchy, and not as brittle as previously thought, in the absence of water. This can affect not only our current desalination processes, but also how we look at cloud formation and ozone destruction....
350 Square Foot Apartment is "The Bohemian Dream"
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 07. 9.09
Piotr Redlinski for The New York Times
TreeHugger loves the idea of small spaces; the New York Times shows a particularly lovely apartment in Greenwich Village that packs a lot into just 350 square feet. They write:
As floor plans go, there isn’t much: one medium-size room; a galley kitchen tucked behind a wall; a bathroom; and, in lieu of a bedroom, a sleeping loft up a ladder from the living area, under the sloping roof.But what a difference design makes....
High Expectations For Organic Food Could Be Off
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 07. 9.09
Biggest Dogfighting Raids in US History Saves 350 Dogs
by Brian Merchant, Brooklyn, New York on 07. 9.09
Photo via NHSPCA
In a series of simultaneous raids, a staggering 350 dogs were seized from dogfighting rings in 5 states around the country. Some 30 people have been arrested so far for a range of heinous violations--it all amounts to the biggest dogfighting raid in US history. ...
An Idea That Won't Go Away: Standing-Room Only on Airplanes
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 07. 9.09
New York Times, from an earlier proposal for standup flying
Three years ago we wrote about the Airbus proposal (quickly denied) for standing-room seating (Now We Know Why They are Called Airbuses) noting that there might be TreeHugger benefits:
We suppose there could be a TreeHugger case that more people crammed in means less fuel burned per person, and we also suspect that it will end deep vein thrombosis, but generally we think it gives new meaning to Flying is Dying.Now the idea is back. ...
Un-TreeHugger: Designer Spaghetti Measurer
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 07. 9.09
Images via A+R
The mantra of green is "Less is More" and that includes kitchen devices. Which is why this special designer spaghetti measurer is one of those things that makes me stop and ask, "Seriously? One more kitchen device that does something pointless?"...
84 Recycled PET Bottles to Make ECOALF Cabin Trolley
by Petz Scholtus, Barcelona, Spain on 07. 9.09
Here is something that is 100% recycled, but doesn’t look it. ECOALF is the new fabric developed by the Spanish company fun&basics, made from recycled PET bottles. It is a high quality textile: flexible, tension resistant, long lasting, waterproof and lightweight. The first bags made from ECOALF are a toilet bag, a small bag, a cabin trolley and a large, wheeled luggage bag. The fun thing about them is the visualisation of the recycled bottles. Each bag tells you exactly how many 75cl PET plastic bottles were needed to make it. ...
Gigantic Solar Plants in Nevada Slated for Fast Tracking
by Sami Grover, Carrboro, NC, USA on 07. 9.09
Image credit: NextLight Solar
407MW Solar PV Plants to be Followed by Many More
The idea of utilizing deserts to generate solar power is an attractive one. Of course, they would come with their own ecological price, but some claim that solar power stations in a few deserts could power the entire world - and that's got to be an improvement on mountaintop removal and tar sands. Mike has already written about a 500mw solar thermal plant slated for the Mojave desert, and we've even seen claims from one analyst (disputed by our commenters) that a 12MW solar plant in Nevada has reached grid parity with coal. Now US Interior Secretary Ken Salazar is hoping to fast track construction plans for huge solar photovoltaic plants - and permits for two plants supplying 407MW of power have already been applied for. All being well construction could be underway by 2010 - and that would just be the beginning. ...
Why Some Greens Wish Sarah Palin Wasn't Resigning
by Brian Merchant, Brooklyn, New York on 07. 9.09
Photo via Babble
Sure, she wants to open ANWR up for drilling, she's fought to keep endangered species delisted, and she supports the practice of hunting wolves from helicopters--but believe it or not, there are some environmentalists who will be sorry to see Gov. Sarah Palin go. Why? Precisely because she supports things like aerial wolf hunting....
Tesla, Hybrids, Fuel Cells: Positive TV Visits Eco Rally (Video)
by Sami Grover, Carrboro, NC, USA on 07. 9.09
Image credit: Positive TV
Positive TV Highlights Solutions Not Problems
Back when I lived in the UK, I used to occasionally pick up issues of Positive News at festivals or activist gatherings. While the concept of a newspaper dedicated to covering upbeat, optimistic stories was appealing - ultimately the print format meant that stories were not covered in great enough depth to give the details of what was going on (a critique that could equally be applied to blogs I suppose...). That's why I'm delighted to discover Positive TV - an online video channel which, much like Peak Moment TV, is dedicated to reporting "what’s breaking through rather than what’s breaking down." Click below the fold to see their coverage of the London to Brighton Revolve Ecorally. ...
Guerilla Gardening Goes Nano
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 07. 9.09
Spacing Toronto
The City of Toronto is home to many flying squads of Guerilla Gardeners, usually attacking neglected planters, traffic medians and forlorn strips of dirt. Some, finding those too few and far between, commandeered empty flower boxes. Now they have hit a new low, at urban intersections where there is not a patch of soil to be seen: nano-planting on poles. Spacing Toronto describes it....
Hey Kids, Unplug, Get Outside, Because Nature Rocks
by Warren McLaren, Sydney on 07. 9.09
A quick, if belated story, from my rather overburdened in-tray. Here we’re catching up on the launch of the Nature Rocks campaign. This national program has as its aim “to inspire and empower families to play and explore in nature.”
Why? Well, one reason is because, children who play and learn on a regular basis in the outdoors, are said take enhanced skills with them to school—and tend to have higher school achievement and test scores. ...
Change the World And Win $10,000 with Nau’s Grant For Change
by Warren McLaren, Sydney on 07. 9.09
We’ve long been a fan of the verve and social conscience shown by eco-apparel company, Nau. (see our archive of previous posts below) But they’re not content with just making stylish, well crafted, functional, outdoor clothing from responsible materials and donating 2% of sales to not-for-profits selected by customers. Now they want to give away $10,000 USD.
However Nau and its customers will be a discriminating with regard to whom will be the the recipient of this largess. The Grant for Change, as it known, is to support those who instigate lasting, positive change in their communities....
Is Pet Airways Un-TreeHugger?
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 07. 9.09
When Kristen wrote about Pet Airways, which ships Fido and Fluffy around America by turboprop, she put it in the Un-TreeHugger category and called it frivolous and a waste of energy. To our surprise, commenters disagreed vehemently, calling us UnFun TreeHugger and worse.
...
Renewable Energy Could be Cheaper Than Coal
by Warren McLaren, Sydney on 07. 9.09
A report compiled for Australia’s peak scientific research body, the CSIRO, has come up with the startling conclusion that contrary to the common view, electricity costs to Australia’s most populated city, Sydney, may work out less, if more renewable energy was deployed, instead of building traditional coal-fired power stations.
Picking up on the study, titled Meeting NSW Electricity Needs in a Carbon Constrained World, the Sydney Morning Herald report that “building baseload power using coal was much more expensive than focusing on energy efficiency and tapping into a network of small "co-generation" power sources sprinkled in the suburbs.”...
Architectural Pavilions Grace London's Parks and Squares
by Bonnie Alter, London on 07. 9.09
Image from the Guardian
Each summer for the past nine years, the Serpentine Gallery commissions a different architecture firm to design a pavilion on the adjacent park lands. It serves as an inspirational place to hang out, hear lectures and have a drink.
This year's is designed by Japanese architects Kazuyo Sejima and Ryue Nishizawa of the Japanese architecture practice SANAA. They describe it as "floating aluminum, drifting freely between the trees like smoke."
...
Micro-Hydro Power Picking Up Spead As More Rural Towns Want To Go Off-Grid
by greenz.jp, Tokyo, Japan on 07. 8.09
Photos from Agua y Tierra Network in Kochi prefecture, Japan
Many rural towns and communities can benefit from hydroelectric power solutions, especially small scale projects that don't require massive investments. In Kochi prefecture, one town decided to go micro-hydro and install small power plants. They found that it took some effort, but after town meetings and a focus on education, people liked the idea of self-sufficiency and the environmental benefits. Hydroelectric power is Japan's largest energy resource, and these projects are a "small-is-beautiful" kind of deal that rings true with communities that don't want huge dams or more concrete, just a clever way to produce energy....
Can Coral Reefs be Healed by Wave Power?
by Roberta Cruger, Los Angeles on 07. 8.09
Oh buoy! Could this ocean energy converter save coral reefs? Photo from SwellFuel
With almost half the world's coral reefs threatened with extinction and the rapid decline in the oceans’ biodiversity, according to a recent report from the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), it’s going to take more than cloning reefs to save the seas. Enter an ominous-looking little buoy. ...
Drink Clos LaChance Wine to Save Endangered Hummingbird
by Kristin Underwood, Sacramento, CA on 07. 8.09
This is neither a Honduran Emerald or Clos LaChance, but it is a hummingbird drinking nectar from a wine glass. Image via: HummingbirdsLiberty on Flickr.com
It may not be organic or biodynamic, and it might not be saving the planet, but drinking Clos laChance endangered hummingbird series wine will (help to) save one hummingbird species a year....
Save Our World Helps Save Our Hair
by Kara DiCamillo, Newport, Rhode Island on 07. 8.09
Photo courtesy of Save Your World.
At some point throughout a woman’s endless struggle (or so it seems) with her hair, we decide to do something drastic. Like color it. Whether that means dying it or highlighting it, almost every woman has done something to alter her true color. And yes, we are included (summer highlights, anyone?).
When we found Save Your World and their new Save Your Hair color-safe products, we jumped at the chance to lather up. But then we learned that Save Your World is so much more than just hair products we were even more intrigued....
EPA Wants to Clean Up Large Ocean-Going Ships
by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada on 07. 8.09
Canada Could Also Adopt an Harmonized Regulation
In a similar vein to what California is doing with ocean-going ships, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has proposed a new set of rules under the Clean Air Act that would require all U.S. flagged ocean-going vessels to meet stricter diesel engine and fuel standards, leading to cleaner air along the coasts of the US (and Canada, who's also working on a similar regulation)....
Climate Change Too Abstract For You? Dengue Fever Could Spread to 28 U.S. States
by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada on 07. 8.09
In red are counties that have one of the 2 Dengue mosquito vector species. Blue are are vulnerable areas. Image: NRDC
That's Pretty Concrete and Scary
Matthew recently wrote a post about the climate change induced expansion of the tropics and the consequences of it. One of the main ones is the Northward movement of certain tropical diseases. The NRDC has just released a report on the subject (subtitle: "Mosquitoes Known to Spread Dengue Fever Now Found in More than Half of US States"), and it shows that 28 US states are at risk of being affected by Dengue Fever. Trust us, it's not a fun disease to have; in fact, TreeHugger founder Graham Hill got it while in South-America and he shares his experience below....
And We're Off: Senate Gets Busy on Climate Bill
by Brian Merchant, Brooklyn, New York on 07. 8.09
Photo via How to Help Stop Global Warming
After the Waxman-Markey climate bill historically passed the US House of Reps, many saw their hopes renewed that legislation, however flawed, could actually be passed to combat climate change. But there's a long road ahead--now, the Senate must craft its own climate bill that parallels the House version. And, like proceedings in the House--it'll be tough, maybe even tougher, going. Here's how the Senate climate bill is beginning to shape up....
Preserving Biodiversity Helps Prevent Disease Spread from Animals to People: New Research Spells It Out
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 07. 8.09
photo: Jasja Dekker via flickr
New Scientist shows us another reason why preserving biodiversity is so important: Preventing the spread of diseases from animals to humans. A new paper from scientists at Portland State University looks at the spread of the Sin Nobre Virus, otherwise known as the Hantavirus (which kills about 500 people per year in the US) and found that increased biodiversity limited the spread of the virus among deer mice. It's the droppings of the deer mice which spreads the disease among humans:...
WaterLife Documents the Incredible Story of the Last Big Fresh Water Supply, the Great Lakes
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 07. 8.09
35 million people rely on the Great Lakes for water. In fact, the lakes comprise one-fifth of the world's fresh surface water supply and nine-tenths of the U.S. supply. That's why their survival is of prime concern. WaterLife is a film documenting everything impacting the lakes, from water abuse to invasive species, introducing viewers to some of the amazing people interacting with the lakes, as well as some very unique vantage points of the waters. ...
What Exactly Is A Smart Grid?
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 07. 8.09
24 Republican Representatives Lied & Continue to Lie About Climate Bill Costs
by Brian Merchant, Brooklyn, New York on 07. 8.09
Photo: Sustainability Digest
We knew something a couple months ago, when it seemed some Republican representatives were willfully distorting the facts on the climate bill. Yet even after the figure was officially debunked, with the help of Factcheck.org and even the author of the study where the GOP claimed to have gleaned their figures, many Republican members of the House continued to parrot the line that the climate bill would cost each American $3,100 a year. Now, the verdict is clear: They flat out lied....
Cape Farewell 2009: Artists Inspired by Trek Through Andes
by Kristin Underwood, Sacramento, CA on 07. 8.09
Cape Farewell Andes Expedition Members Measuring Carbon in Soil at Wayqecha Station. Image via Cape Farewell.
We reported last year on TreeHugger founder Graham Hill's trip with Cape Farewell to the Arctic. This year you can feel like you're part of their latest expedition, an 18-day trek through the Andean Rainforest, thanks to Twitter and a helpful GeoTracker....
Evolt Bull1 MX: An Electric Motocross from Italy
by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada on 07. 8.09
Photo: Evolt
A Dirt Bike Without the Noise and Fumes
The Zero X is probably the electric dirt bike that has been getting the most attention lately (there's also the Zero S street-legal version), but others are tossing their hats in the ring. Evolt from Italy showcased its Bull1 electric dirt bike at the Milan International Cycle and motorcycle Exhibition, and they've now released some videos of the electric motocross in action. You can see them below, as well as technical specs....
Greenpeace Drapes Obama Poster Over Mount Rushmore to Call for Climate Action
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 07. 8.09
Big Climate Change Fail: Major Nations Fail to Agree to 50% Emission Cuts by 2050 (UPDATED)
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 07. 8.09
L'Aquila, Italy. Photo: Michael Sineni via flickr
Climate change negotiations in Italy between the 17 nations of the Major Economies Forum, whose emissions make up about 80% of global greenhouse gas emissions, broke down last night on the issue of reducing emissions 50% by 2050. China and India refused to agree to such a limit, without greater commitment from wealthy nations to stronger mid-term cuts, and to pledges of aid and technology transfer. Reuters reports the following: ...
Panasonic Using Lasers for Faster, Better CRT Recycling
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 07. 8.09
Photo via takomabibelot
As of last year, 704.9 million cathode ray tube (CRT) televisions have been sold just in the USA since 1980, according to the EPA. 42.4% were estimated to still be in use. But when the switch to digital TV was announced, worry about the e-waste impact of many of those remaining TVs surfaced. Only 18% of CRTs were being recycled, but awareness has tightened over the last year thanks to groups like the Electronics Take-Back Coalition and their push to get manufacturers to take back and recycle TVs. Well, Panasonic has been known to be gruff with the group, yet it's come up with a technology to recycle CRT TVs that might make the company a little friendlier towards being responsible with their end-of-life products. They're using lasers! ...
Announcing Ed Begley Jr's New Forum on TreeHugger
by Alan Graham, Portland, Oregon on 07. 8.09
If you are anything like me you, can't get enough of that lovable eco-icon Ed Begley Jr. I've met Ed and seen his house in person, and he's the real deal. Hey, we even went out to lunch and walked a mile or so in the 110º LA sun to get vegan Thai. Is this guy dedicated or what?
Well if you've ever wanted to know more about Ed, his lifestyle, or his ideas, we're happy to announce a new forum here on TreeHugger dedicated to the man himself. And when I say dedicated, I am not referring to a community where we just talk about Ed...no, this forum is a place where you can actually talk to Ed. That's right, he's participating in the new forum personally.
And we're giving some stuff away!...
UnTreeHugger: Pet Airways.
by Kristin Underwood, Sacramento, CA on 07. 8.09
Image via: Pet Airways
Thanks to the gang over at Daily Candy for this little tip. For just USD$149 each way (starting price), you can ship Fido, Fluffy and all of your four-legged family members around the US on the newly minted Pet Airways. ...
Lunch Time Quiz Break - Foreign Policy Magazine Tests Your Water Knowledge
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 07. 8.09
Image via Foreign Policy Magazine
Foreign Policy Magazine's latest issue lists a water quiz that not only tests your knowledge about water, but provides some startling statistics on worldwide water use. ...
Community Votes To Become Australia’s First Bottled Water Free Town - Updated
by Warren McLaren, Sydney on 07. 8.09
An Australian country town, Bundanoon, has voted at a community hall meeting to overwhelmingly support a proposal that it become Australia’s (if not the world’s) first bottled water free town.
And the news seems to have spurred on the Australian state of New South Wales (NSW) to announce a ban on bottled water from all state offices and agencies....
Kate Quinn Organics is All Grown Up With New Women's Collection
by Jasmin Malik Chua, Jersey City, USA on 07. 8.09
Photo credit: Kate Quinn Organics
My, they grow up so quickly! Better known for its darling ensembles for the pint-size crew, Kate Quinn Organics is now reaching out to an older clientele, with a new women's collection that shoots and scores with the Washington-based company's signature flair. ...
NASA Confirms Dramatic Thinning of Arctic Sea Ice - Multi-Year Ice Area the Size of Alaska Lost
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 07. 8.09
Visualization of Arctic sea ice thickness in 2008. The white patches are 13-16' thick, deep blue are 0-3' thick.
New satellite data from NASA confirms what research released a couple months of go said regarding the thinning of Arctic sea ice. Namely that it has thinned dramatically in the past four years and that for the first time in recorded history seasonal sea ice cover has replaced multi-year ice as the dominant ice type. In fact, multi-year ice cover the size of the Alaska has been lost just between 2004-2008:...
Shed of the Year Competition Winner Announced
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 07. 8.09
It is always great fun to participate in the Shed of the Year competition, run by Uncle Wilco at Readersheds. I get to help choose the best of this very British obsession, the garden shed. Thousands of people vote, then a panel of judges picks the best of the lot from the readers choices. I was asked to be on the jury again this year, and admit that the winner was not my top choice. But it does have some very nice touches. ...
5 Ridiculously Over-the-Top, Extravagant Celebrity Weddings
by Blythe Copeland, Great Neck, New York on 07. 8.09
Photo via Madeline's Weddings and Events/ Cakella
All you really need to get married is love--and maybe a ring, and a marriage license. But that doesn't stop celebrities from going overboard when they're ready to tie the knot, hosting parties decorated with thousands of exotic flowers, serving food flown in from all over the world, and donning wear-once gowns to celebrate with 200, or 500, or 1,500 of their closest friends. Of course these weddings are incredibly beautiful, but the sheer quantity of energy and resources that go into them highlight a love for each other--not for the planet....
Japan Passes US and Becomes Biggest Market for Hybrid Cars
by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada on 07. 8.09
Photo: Toyota
8% of New Car Sales in Japan Were Hybrids in June
Until June 2009, the USA was the biggest market for hybrid cars. But now Japan has taken the lead, in good part thanks to factors such as higher fuel taxes (gasoline costs about $4.50/gallon) and tax exemption for hybrids. 30,000 hybrids have been sold, a number that represents about 8% of new car sales in the country, and that's despite a 7-month waiting list for the Toyota Prius, the most popular hybrid model. By comparison, 26,205 hybrids have been sold in the US in June, or about 2.6% of new vehicles....
Wool, Organic Cotton Coffins Encase You in Downy Softness For All Eternity
by Jasmin Malik Chua, Jersey City, USA on 07. 8.09
Photo credit: Getty Images
In today's Department of We Can't Make This Stuff Up (by way of the Beeb): A U.K. textile firm better known for making military uniforms has launched a range of woolen and organic cotton caskets made locally in West Yorkshire.
...
Toronto Architect Proposes Greenwrapping Elevated Highway
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 07. 8.09
In Seoul or San Francisco, they took down their expressways. In New York, they built the High Line on top of an abandoned elevated rail line. In Toronto, they don't have the guts to tear down the Gardiner expressway, so architect Les Klein has come up with the typical compromise solution: Put a High Line on top of the expressway....
Pro-Coal Thugs Crash Peaceful Anti-Coal Event in West Virginia - This is Getting Ugly (Video)
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 07. 8.09
Removing Highways Can Reduce Traffic Jams
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 07. 8.09
Yonah Freemark and Jebediah Reed at the Infrastructurist look at four major urban highways that were demolished, creating lovely waterfronts and parks. There is the Cheonggyecheon highway in Seoul, Harbour Drive in Portland, the Embarcadero Freeway and the Central Freeway in San Francisco.
In every case , the city was a lot prettier. What is surprising their claim that the traffic actually now moves better than it did before.
...
75% Decline in Monsoon Rainfall Leaves Mumbai High & Dry
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 07. 8.09
photo: Sajjad Lambe via flickr
Having only received 25% of the
monsoonal rainfall normally expected by this time of the year Mumbai, India is experiencing "acute water shortages" for the first time in living memory, the BBC reports. This has caused city officials to reduce water supplies by 30%, impacting households as well as hospitals and hotels: ...
Burger King Installing Speed Bumps That Generate Electricity
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 07. 8.09
Al Gore Takes on . . . the Nazis?
by Brian Merchant, Brooklyn, New York on 07. 8.09
Photo via Newsday
Al Gore recently called on people everywhere to do as the Britons did in WWII and stand up to the Nazis. Or was it climate change? Or both? It's a little hard to say judging from the recent Times piece, Al Gore likens fight against climate change to battle with Nazis. So did Gore really equate climate change to an approaching Nazi army? ...
New World Record Rooftop Solar Power Array to be Built at Milan Trade Fair
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 07. 8.09
Entrance to Fiera di Milano, photo: ...FX... via flickr
Milan will soon be able to boast that it hosts the world's largest rooftop solar power array, taking the crown from Zaragoza, Spain and its 12 MW array on top of a General Motors factory. The new array will be built on top of the Milan Trade Fair, cover about 270,000 square meters (2.9 million square feet), and have a capacity of 18 MW, Reuters reports: ...
Should Parks Have Wifi?
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 07. 8.09
The best entertainment comes from Minnesota; first Michele Bachmann, then Al Franken, and now State Parks with wireless internet. Evidently "The effort to boost state park use came after a survey confirmed what parks officials had been suspecting for years, that the number of young adults who used state parks was dropping" and they think WiFi by the lake will bring them back. But one writer thinks "state officials are trying too hard to please those who are addicted to their iPhones, laptops and gas-powered generators."
...
French Electricity Giant Greens British Flag - Ecotricity Protests
by Sami Grover, Carrboro, NC, USA on 07. 8.09
Image credit: Zero Carbonista
Ecotricity and EDF Clash Over Green British Flag
While the conflict between UK wind energy suppliers Ecotricity and Good Energy continues, another battle seems about to open up on the UK utility front. Ecotricity, who have been flying a green Union Jack since CEO Dale Vince challenged Gordon Brown to step up his fight against climate change, are now finding the giant EDF electricity supplier using a strikingly similar symbol. To make matters more interesting, EDF would like to trademark the green Union Jack symbol - a move that is likely to raise eyebrows, given that EDF stands for Électricité de France, and some would say they are very far from green.
...
Would You Take a Shower With Tyvek?
by April Streeter, Gothenburg, Sweden on 07. 8.09
Photo via Grain.
An off-gassing shower curtain with its 108 volatile organic compounds, is an affront to your health and your senses. So it's natural to want to applaud the efforts of four designers, grouped together at a fledgling design firm called Grain, as they attempt to create an alternative to PVC-based plastic shower curtains. Yet swapping out the PVC plastic for the wonders of Tyvek may not be the right move. Tyvek isn't truly recyclable and is basically a petroleum-based product. Designers get pretty enamored with versatile Tyvek - click forward for Grain co-founder Chelsea Green talking about the justification for creating with Tyvek....
Yann Arthus Bertrand's 'Home' Through Images and Facts (Slideshow)
by Paula Alvarado, Buenos Aires on 07. 8.09
Photos: ©Film “Home” - A coproduction Elzevir Films/Europacorp.
It's been little more than a month since its worldwide premiere, and Home continues to amaze people around the world. A collection of unique aerial footage from over 50 countries, the movie tells and shows the evolution of the Earth and analyses its current state, to make us understand the great challenges sustainability is facing.
In this slideshow we revisit some of the amazing images and impressive facts from the film. If you haven't seen it, this is a must before heading to the online-cinema (as Home is available for free online in several languages). But even if you have, going through this material to refresh your memory is well worth it (says the person who's watched it twice).
Go ahead now!
...
Green Vision for a Place With a Grim Past
by Jennifer Hattam, Istanbul, Turkey on 07. 8.09
Artist Joyce van den Berg's vision for the former No Man's Land in Berlin includes walking paths, composting areas, and plenty of greenery.
An area once called a "death strip" wouldn't seem to harbor much in the way of recreational potential, but when Dutch landscape artist Joyce van den Berg looks at the former No Man's Land that once separated East and West Berlin, that's exactly what she envisions. And by presenting her artistic interpretations of what that might look like at the German Center for Architecture (DAZ), she hopes to get Berliners to see the same thing....
Beginnings Nursery School Wants What You Don’t
by Warren McLaren, Sydney on 07. 8.09
Beginnings, a Toddler Program and Nursery School in New York strives, as they say, “to create a nurturing and stimulating environment grounded in respect for children and the ways that they learn.” As part of this premise they work with the Reggio Emilia philosophy that evolved for children’s education in Italy after the Second World War. One of the key principles of which is that, “children have a relationship with other children and with material items in the world.”
As the New York Times reported last month, the Beginnings Nursery endeavours to get their youngsters engaging with a wide range of reused and repurposed materials. Their newly renovated loft has become a Materials Center holding a wealth of society’s discards that are perfect for young children. “With their strong inclination towards symbolic play and their tendency to transform objects based on their own interests and imagination, these materials are ripe with possibility.”...
Geothermal Iceland Generates Its Own Electricity
by Bonnie Alter, London on 07. 8.09
Iceland is sitting on boiling hot water--it's a volcanic island with geothermal fields spread across the country. They have harnessed that heat, tapped from the hot rock layers lying just beneath the surface, and now geothermal plants provide all of the electricity, heat and hot water for the entire country.
The Hitaveita Suðurnesja power plant is the largest hot water generator plant where drilling for the geothermal fluid takes place. They drill as deeply as 2000 meters and the fluid's temperature is 243°C. The plant provides 17,000 people with hot water for central heating and electricity for 45,000. More on hot tubs after the fold.
...
Strongmen Storm the Capitol For A Stronger Climate Bill
by Daniel Kessler, San Francisco, California on 07. 7.09
Photo via Action Factory DC
The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee hearing on climate legislation took place today, officially kickoff the Senate's consideration of a climate and energy bill. To underscore the message that we need "strong" legislation, a group of young activists, dressed in musclemen outfits, came to the Capitol to demand action....
University NM - Taos Celebrates Energy Independence Day
by Kristin Underwood, Sacramento, CA on 07. 7.09
Image via: UNM-Taos
July 1, 2009 will forever be known as Energy Independence Day as the University of New Mexico - Taos is now officially 100% powered by the sun - the first community college in the United States to meet this goal....
WanderLust Festival Unites Sustainability With Simplicity in Tahoe
by Kristin Underwood, Sacramento, CA on 07. 7.09
Video: The Making of a Pedestrian-Only Street in Curitiba, Brazil
by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada on 07. 7.09
Rua XV de Novembro
We've already written about Curitiba's great Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system, but that's not all the Brazilian city has to teach us. Our friends at StreetFilms write: "In 1972 under the direction of then Mayor Jaime Lerner, it became the first major pedestrian street in Brazil. The first phase of closing the street took place in only 72 hours. At first the project was unpopular, but today is seen as a success and spans 15 blocks." Check out the video below!...
London Gets 6 Hybrid Double Deck Buses From Volvo
by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada on 07. 7.09
Photo: Volvo
Saving Fuel, Cleaning Up the Air, Reducing Traffic
Six new hybrid double deck buses will provide service on Route 141 in London. The B5L Hybrid Double Deck is made by Volvo and uses the company's I-SAM (Integrated Starter, Alternator, Motor) technology, which was developed for use across the whole group's heavy vehicles. No specific figure yet on fuel economy, CO2, or NOx emissions, but a Volvo 7700 Hybrid Single Deck in Gothenburg has been showing better than expected fuel economy (around 30% improvement). London might show even better results since the stops are closer to each other....
Replay Clothing Reopens Florence Store, Now With 100% More Eco Design
by Jasmin Malik Chua, Jersey City, USA on 07. 7.09
Photo credit: Replay
After a protracted stint under wraps, Replay is finally taking the scaffolding down and reopening the doors of its store in Via De’ Pecori, Florence.
Fueled by a desire to "go beyond the traditional concept of a shop as a mere container," according to a press release, the Italian denim label's revamped 2,690 square-foot digs have undergone a massive eco-friendly makeover....
Pickens Plans For Texas Wind Farm Scaled Way Back
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 07. 7.09
Image credit:Frances Maire's Portfolio, Best Laid Plans film poster.
T. Boone Pickens, well known for oil and wind power development (and a Plan By His Name) still has to take delivery on a bunch of GE Turbines, but it looks like the Biggest Wind Farm Ever idea he had for west Texas came with the dust and is now gone with the wind. TBP indicates that his mega-wind farm plans fell through because the price of natural gas tanked. Could it have something to do with not being able to deliver West Texas groundwater and electricity to Dallas, leveraging a government built utility corridor? The Dallas News has some interesting details. ...
The 2010 Toyota Prius Hybrid Got a Bladderectomy
by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada on 07. 7.09
2010 Toyota Prius. Photo: Toyota
Adieu Low-Emission Bladder
Anyone with a working sense of smell who has been to a gas station knows that gasoline is volatile ("Over 147 million gallons of gas evaporate from tanks each year."). To keep evaporation to a minimum, the previous generations of the Toyota Prius hybrid were equipped with a special "bladder" gas tank that kept the fumes to a minimum by expanding and contracting with the fuel volume, minimizing the air gap over the fuel, thus reducing the fumes that can find their way into the atmosphere. But not all Prius drivers appreciated the bladder; in cold weather it shrunk and could be hard to fill to the 11.9 gallons stated capacity. Well, that's a thing of the past......
Six Flags Creates Green Theme Parks
by Kristin Underwood, Sacramento, CA on 07. 7.09
Image via: Ezeiza on Flickr.com
Earlier this year the Six Flags Inc. is adding green throughout their 20 theme-park locations, but many are so behind the scenes that you may not have noticed. ...
Can the Incandescent Bulb Be Saved From Energy Efficiency Regulations?
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 07. 7.09
Photo via gregoriosz
We recently talked about Obama's new lighting efficiency standards, and a couple years ago, the buzz was about new energy regulations with such strict standards that the incandescent bulb looked to be on the way out the door. However, the New York Times points out that thanks to these government energy efficiency regulations set to take effect in less than 3 years, the incandescent is getting a lot of attention from innovators who aim to keep the product alive in a market place increasingly geared toward survival of the most efficient. ...
Brazil to Build Solar-Powered Charging Stations for Electric Vehicles
by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada on 07. 7.09
Photo: Flickr, CC
"Electric Vehicles" Mostly Means Electric Bikes, So Far...
Petrobras, the semi-public Brazilian oil giant (the government of Brazil owns 55.7% of Petrobras' common shares with voting rights), has just built the first of what it hopes will be many electric charging stations. It is located in the Barra de Tijuca neighbourhood of Rio de Janeiro because that area has the most electric motorcycles and bikes in circulation in the country....
Making Solar Panels Sustainably: Niagara Falls To Power New Solarworks Plant
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 07. 7.09
Niagara Falls. Image credit:State University of New York
What is the ultimate green solar panel? A true-green solar panel must have the following characteristics: design life of major components of equal length (functionality lasts as long as the shortest-lived component); renewable energy used to produce the energy-intensive materials as much as possible (silicon slices, backsheets, aluminum frames, etc.); green chemistry used to produce components and adhesives; and, finished panels easy enough to disassemble that recycling is cost-effective. With that as background, I have good news on one of the four listed precepts. The New York State Power Authority has "awarded a large block of low-cost hydropower to a fledgling California company that plans to build a plant in Western New York to manufacture solar panels."...
Play Lone Ranger With Plant-Fueled Horse (Tonto Not Included)
by Jerry James Stone, San Francisco, CA on 07. 7.09
Photo courtesy of Coroflot Project Nomad is a mechanical vehicle concept by designer Jason Battersby. The vehicle--designed like a horse--can climb steep grades and even navigate rocks and boulders. Best part, it finds its own fuel. Using a built-in GPS system, the horse seeks out vegetation which it then consumes and converts to fuel....
Hand-Carved Wood Case Gives iPod Mini Heirloom Appeal
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 07. 7.09
Photos via The Sydney Morning Herald; Credit Josh Darrah
We have a thing for wooden gadgets around here, or at least sustainable wood-covered gadgets. They're prettier than plastic, and have that DIY appeal. Here's another perfect example of exactly what appeals to us - an iPod mini dressed up in the warmth of wood. ...
McDonald's New Green Built Restaurant with EV Charging
by Sami Grover, Carrboro, NC, USA on 07. 7.09
Image credit: Novacharge and Mcdonalds
McDonald's Opens New "Green" Restaurant with Electric Vehicle Charging
"I'll take a Big Mac and a full charge to go" - that may be the new refrain at a Cary, NC restaurant that is offering charging points for electric vehicles, among other green features.
McDonald's doesn't tend to get too much love from TreeHuggers - the McDonald's contribution to Earth Hour was underwhelming to say the least, and given the potential for vegetarianism to fight climate change, Ronald and co are hardly at the top of the list for companies changing the world for the better. Yet efforts are underway to make changes - and when added up together, they start to feel like they rise above the level of complete greenwash (although I am sure many commenters will disagree)....
From Coffee Grounds to Fabric: Fashion That Gives Us a Buzz
by Jasmin Malik Chua, Jersey City, USA on 07. 7.09
Photo credit: Getty Images
We've seen some pretty funky feedstock for fabric in our time, from chicken feathers to discarded cigarette butts. Now get set to look at your morning mud in a whole new light because a Taiwanese company has pioneered a method to weave waste coffee grounds into interlaced fibers. The result? A textile that dries quickly, protects against UV rays, and dampens odors, while meeting Swiss bluesign standards for sustainable fabrics. ...
New Research Gives Hope for Plant Species Preservation in Deforested Amazon
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 07. 7.09
photo: Ventura via flickr
Current rates of deforestation in the Amazon will have markedly less impact on the number of plant species to likely go extinct by mid-century, new research shows. Rather than the 20-33% predicted by some studies scientists from Wake Forest University say that 5-9% of species are likely to be extinct, Mongabay reports:...
10 Overlooked Low-Tech Ways of Keeping Your Home Cool
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 07. 7.09
Ontario Archives
Summer is here and the air is full of the the sound of whining air conditioners, all seriously sucking kilowatts. Yet much of that air conditioning load could be reduced or the air conditioning season shortened if we did simple things, many of them common before air conditioning was common in North America. Here are some low-tech tips for keeping cool.
The best ideas are those that keep the heat out of your home in the first place, rather than paying to pump it out after it gets in....
Canadian 200 MW Commercial Tidal Power Project Announced
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 07. 7.09
photo: abdallahh via flick
Big new developments in tidal power have been pretty weak of late, but here's one which could amp things up a bit. World Energy Research and Blue Energy Canada have signed an agreement to develop a 200 MW commercial tidal power project, Renewable Energy World reports. The cost is $500 million; the location isn't entirely clear. The technology? Blue Energy's vertical axis tidal turbine:...
Beautiful Objects from Brazilian Native Communities through Imaginario Pernambucano
by Paula Alvarado, Buenos Aires on 07. 7.09
Photos: Pagina 12 and Museu do objeto brasileiro.
Imaginario Pernambucano is one more project in which the skills of artisan people from native communities are empowered with the help of design. An extended practice in South America, we've seen this done on initiatives like Oficina Nomade and Caranday Quinua.
This one is promoted by the Federal University of Pernambuco, Brazil, and its results are exquisite objects that mix ancient techniques with sleeker shapes.
Take a peek in the extended!...
Focus on Rich People of All Nations First: New Carbon Emission Reduction Method Proposed
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 07. 7.09
photo: Matt Mordfin via flickr
The idea that nations with high greenhouse gas emissions ought to reduce them by a greater percentage than those whose emissions are more moderate is solidly established. However, there's a percentage of the population of every nation whose lifestyles are responsible for more emissions than their poorer neighbors—even in places where per capita emissions are low or moderate. How to account for that and establish more equitable emission reductions targets? A new paper published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences proposes a way around the problem:...
Chinese History Museum Literally Recycled From History
by Alex Pasternack, New York, NY on 07. 7.09
Iwan Baan
Wang Shu's Mountain-Like Ningbo History Museum Made of Recycled Bricks
At first glance, the brand new Ningbo Historic Museum looks like it has been there for centuries, left behind by natural forces.
But in a nod to local building practices and to the archeological finds it contains, the museum's facade is constructed of recycled brick from the area, a ravaged patch of former farmland turned development district on the outskirts of the booming southern city of Ningbo. ...
Planet Threads Offers 20% Off Eco-Friendly Fashion
by Kara DiCamillo, Newport, Rhode Island on 07. 7.09
We all know that earth friendly fashion is just one piece of the puzzle, but we also know that sustainable shopping is an important piece. Enter Planet Threads, an online-only earth-friendly shop that offers a wide range of fashionable, eclectic, high quality eco-friendly clothing and accessories made by socially responsible companies and hard to find brands. TreeHugger faves include Canopy Verde, Doie Designs, Mission Playground, and Vy & Elle.
...
Theater Space Built From 28 Shipping Containers
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 07. 7.09
Images from Platoon via Archdaily
I have always been a bit dubious about shipping containers as architectural elements; my dad used to make them and I grew up around them, and thought that the dimensions were all wrong for people; there was not much that you could do in a 7'-6" interior (or so I thought). Also, they are monocoque construction; the walls are the structure. So when you start taking the walls out and replacing them with beams, pretty soon you have little more than the idea of a shipping container. That was my first thought when I looked at Platoon Kunsthalle , an arts facility by Graft Architects in Seoul, Korea, built from 28 shipping containers.
...
What It Looks Like When the Water Crisis Slaps You In The Face - Less Food
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 07. 7.09
Australia's rice production drops to practically zero because of water shortages; Image via SF Gate
We talk about drought in California, rainwater capture issues in Colorado, and fresh water troubles in the South East. But, as water expert Peter Gleick pointed out yesterday, we haven't a clue about what a real water crisis looks like. Australians do. As we discussed during June when we examined Peak Water, Australia has some serious water woes, and the reality of it is playing out in their food production. This is more what it looks like to have a water crisis on your hands. ...
Another Reason to Keep Your Houseplants Alive...They Tell Time!
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 07. 7.09
Photos via Inhabitat
Last year we showed off a cool mud-powered LED lamp by Dutch designer Marieke Staps. Well, she's done it again only instead of brightening a room with dark mud, she's designed a beautiful clock that runs off your house plants. ...
85,000 Seal Pups to Be Clubbed to Death in Africa
by Brian Merchant, Brooklyn, New York on 07. 7.09
Photo via Action Against Poisoning
Just as media coverage of the Canadian seal hunt seemed to be dying down, news comes that Namibia is kicking their hunting season into high gear--and this one seems especially cruel. The target of the hunt is 90,000 seals--85,000 of which will be young pups. And the Namibian's weapon of choice? Why, the club of course. Yes, Namibians will literally be clubbing 85,000 seal pups to death over the next few months....
Brand New, Extra Green Auto Startup to Hit the Scene: General Motors
by Brian Merchant, Brooklyn, New York on 07. 7.09
Image via CDN
Remember that huge, obstinate American car company that consistently lobbied the governmetn to avoid stricter emissions standards, killed its own electric car, refused to seriously develop fuel efficient vehicles while the Japanese car companies surged ahead, and instead brought us gas guzzling classics like the Hummer? The one that begged for bailout funds a couple times before collapsing entirely and filing for bankruptcy? Remember that? Neither do I. But I do hear there's an exciting new auto company start-up that's backed by the government, and it's going to be really green! It's called--give me a minute, it's on the tip of my tongue . . . General Motors! ...
Global Warming Versus the Volcano: Could Eruptions Slow Climate Change?
by Brian Merchant, Brooklyn, New York on 07. 7.09
Photo via eHow
Here's an interesting question: could volcanoes fight global warming? Volcanic eruptions have indisputably been responsible for global cooling in the past, after all. Large scale volcanic events like the one in El Chicón, Mexico back in 1982, and the Mount Pinatubo eruption in the Philippines in 1991 caused global temperatures to drop--so it follows that volcanoes could feasibly help take on climate change. Right?...
Weasel Word Watch: Tire & Trash Burners Lobby For "Renewable" Status
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 07. 7.09
Scrap tire stockpile. Image credit:En-Tek
It might be efficient to unlock the energy in old tires, which are, after all, derived from petroleum. It might be relatively non-polluting to recover heat from burning tire bits if adequate emission controls are deployed. But, who would propose a law defining something made from petroleum as "renewable?" Some Ohio State legislators did, apparently. ...
Montreal has Bixi and a Great Bike Lane System
by Bonnie Alter, London on 07. 7.09
As noted before, Montreal has its own public bike-sharing programme, Bixi, which is proving to be a great success with 3,000 bicycles in 300 different locations.
But Montreal was already a cycling-friendly city, with the Bixis complementing an already energetic scene. Not that many people seem to wear helmets but the city's highly sophisticated system of 4 different kinds of bike lanes make cycling seem almost to be a safe and friendlier thing to do. ...
Green Ways to Light Up Your Bike: Good, Bad, Out There (Slideshow)
by April Streeter, Gothenburg, Sweden on 07. 7.09
Photo of a red Reelight via 36widgets @ flickr.
Seeing and being seen is really important when bike riding - TreeHugger Lloyd quotes a stat from the NY Times that says 45% of fatal bike accidents are in "low-light" situations. But can you be well-lit and green? A trip to the TreeHugger archives reveals myriad bike light solutions that haven't made it past the pilot stage. But the answer is yes - if you are an urban rider, click forward to see the greenest ways to light up your bike ride (as well as a couple of not-quite-there concepts). But note: for long nighttime commutes or mountain biking, you'd likely want very strong lighting solutions, or at least to combine some of the following.
...
Ethanol Lobby Grows As Senate Energy Debate Looms
by Daniel Kessler, San Francisco, California on 07. 6.09
Photo via Flickr
The ethanol industry, long a source of controversy within the green movement, was granted a sort of reprieve when the House voted on the Waxman-Markey climate and energy bill. House Ag Committee Chairman Collin Peterson (D-Minn) looked out for the industry's best interest, but sensing trouble the industry has hired two new prominent lobbyists to make sure the Senate continues to protect corn fuel--despite the environmental consequences. ...
Greygoods Wants You to Say It With T-Shirts, Not Flowers
by Jasmin Malik Chua, Jersey City, USA on 07. 6.09
Photo credit: Greygoods
I've personally never been a fan of cut blooms, organic or otherwise. Sure, they look pretty for a day or so, but then the inevitable path to entropy sets in: the drooping, the wilting, the petals and leaves scattered across your table like spent New Year's confetti, and the pungent perfume of decay and rot.
You won't confuse Greygoods' 100 percent organic cotton T-shirts for actual flowers, even if they are rolled up into rosettes. But for erstwhile bouquet senders who prefer their sentiments to have an extra dimension of utility, a four-pack of tees makes a quirky yet practical gift or college care package. ...
Climate Change Means Hunger, Disaster, Disease Will Be the New Normal: Oxfam
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 07. 6.09
The impact of extended drought in Gansu, China on vegetables is clearly visible. Photo: Oxfam Hong Kong.
A new report from Oxfam tries to put a human face on the suffering that climate change will cause in the future, even if we muster the political will to hold global average temperature rise to 2°C, as well as what's already happening around the globe. Suffering the Science: Climate change, people and poverty goes into greater detail, but in short the report says that hunger, disaster and disease will be the "new normal":...
NYC Event: Rogan/Loomstate Sample Sale July 9-12, 2009
by Jasmin Malik Chua, Jersey City, USA on 07. 6.09
Photo credit: Rogan
Attention Big Apple bargain hunters! Watch Rogan and Loomstate go all Crazy Eddie on us as they slash the prices on their organic cotton wares by up to 70 percent this weekend—we're talking about $160 jeans reduced to $40, $60 tees whittled to $20, $350 frocks on sale for $90—with nary an item over $100.
Click below the fold for the complete details....
Current Emission Reduction Targets Spell Death by 2100 For World's Coral Reefs
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 07. 6.09
photo: Jon Hanson via flickr
Atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations of 450ppm by 2050, something likely to happen with current emission reductions proposals put forth by the wealthy nations of the world, mean that the world's coral reefs will be put on the path to extinction in the latter half of the century, Reuters reports scientists as saying:...
Toyota to Mass-Produce Plug-In Hybrid in 2012... For $48,000!
by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada on 07. 6.09
Photo: Michael Graham Richard
Too Bad the Electric Range is Pathetic
Certainly, it's a good thing that Toyota will start mass-producing a plug-in hybrid. But once you look at the numbers and specs, the news doesn't sound quite as good anymore. The company plans to produce about 20,000-30,000 plug-in hybrids (almost certainly based on the 3rd generation Toyota Prius), but sadly, the PHEVs will only have a range of 20-30 km (12.4-18.6 miles). What the hell is that, Toyota? A smaller electric range than the Chevy Volt at a price almost as high as a Tesla Model S!...
Massive 40 GW Three Gorges of Wind Power Project to Start Construction
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 07. 6.09
photo: Diego Silvestre via flickr
They're calling it the 'Three Gorges of the Land' and when completed the massive wind power project will have a capacity of 40 GW. That's what Xinhua is saying. What's more, 5 GW of that will come online by 2010, and 12 GW by 2015. Not to mention it will be constructed amazingly inexpensively, which is what raises some eyebrows over at the Wall Street Journal:...
Nobody Has To Know if You Go Vegetarian; You Can Eat Meat Made From Candy
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 07. 6.09
Here is an interesting way to go vegetarian; who needs Tofurkey if you can buy meat that is made from nutritious candy. ...
The US and Russia Agreed to Disarm Hundreds of Nukes - But Where Will They Go?
by Brian Merchant, Brooklyn, New York on 07. 6.09
Photo via Spectrum
In what's being hailed as an historic accord, Obama and Russian president Dmitri Medvedev have agreed to scale back the number of nuclear weapons each country deploys by nearly a third--now, each side will cut their supply from 2,200 to between 1,500 and 1,750 nukes. Which is a good, small step for nuclear nonproliferation. But of course it takes a skeptical environmentalist to rain on the parade--but come on, aren't you curious? Where's that massive pile of nukes going to go, anyways?...
Rainforest Destroying Palm Oil Hiding in Far More Products Than Previously Thought
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 07. 6.09
Oil palm plantation in Indonesia, photo: Achmad Rabin Taim via flickr
A bit more than a year ago, Lloyd wrote about how palm oil is in everything and since then more and more voices have detailed just how environmentally devastating the Indonesian and Malaysian palm oil trade has become. What's more, according to The Independent palm oil may be in many common food items you buy, and you may not even know it:...
Biomimicry FTW: Leaf-Eating Ants, Fungi and Bacteria Can Teach Us How to Make Better Biofuels
by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada on 07. 6.09
Photo: Wikipedia, Public domain
Heigh-Ho! Heigh-Ho! Breaking Down Dead Leaves!
Leaf-cutter ants, fungi and bacteria are playing as a team when it comes to extracting the most energy possible out of dead leaves, and scientists think that by studying this 50-million years old "symbiotic bioreactor" they can figure out how to make biofuels more effectively. But they can't just study the ants, or the fungi, or the bacteria in isolation; they have to look at the whole thing together and sequence the whole community genome (17 different organisms). Read on to find out how these three groups work together....
Microsoft Ready for You to Give Hohm a Test Spin
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 07. 6.09
Microsoft has launched it's beta Hohm for users to start testing out and they're hoping you'll sign on and give a little feedback. And from what I gathered through my quick run through, they need a lot of feedback. ...
Nanopillar Solar Panels Could Cost 10x Less than Crystalline Silicon Solar Cells
by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada on 07. 6.09
Photos: Ali Javey, UC Berkeley
Yet Another Promising New Kind of Solar Panel
It seems like lab breakthroughs are happening all the time when it comes to solar power. The latest one comes from the University of California, Berkeley, and involves putting small 'nanopillars' on aluminum foil with a new method that could be about 300% more efficient than previous methods (such as the nanowire solar cells) that used similar nanostructures. The panels could also be made flexible by embedding the cells in transparent polymer. Read on for more details....
Common Eco-Myth: The Whole United States is Dependent on Coal
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 07. 6.09
Coal barge on Ohio River, photo: MoToMo via flickr
Undoubtedly you've heard someone cite the statistic that the United States gets half its electricity from coal. It's been repeated so many times that it often goes unexamined. Which is a shame because when you look at how individual states get their electricity the nation really shows a great range of coal usage. I wouldn't go so far as to say that the national statistic is inaccurate, but it certainly blurs the details of our national energy usage to the degree that I'd categorize it as an eco-myth:...
Give Your Feet a Summer Getaway You Can Afford With 4 Easy, Eco-Friendly Pedi-Cures
by Jasmin Malik Chua, Jersey City, USA on 07. 6.09
Photo credit: Le FP Green Body Care
With sandal weather upon us, isn't it time to acknowledge (and reward) the labors of our oft-neglected, not-so-happy feet? Whether you're slipping your shleppers into a wedge, thong, gladiator, or peep-toe slingback, those tootsies deserve nothing short of primped and polished perfection.
Spring for a summer escape you can actually afford in these cash-strapped times and set your toes twinkling before you take your show on the road—or sidewalk, as the case may be....
Composting Toilets on the Rise: Are They Coming to a City Near You?
by Brian Merchant, Brooklyn, New York on 07. 6.09
Photo via gliving
Most environmentalists are more than familiar with composting. Most are also familiar with pooping. So it makes perfect sense that composting toilets would be a favorite among greens--they save drinking-quality water from being flushed needlessly away, and they create nutrient rich soil in the process. But it just seemed like one of those good ideas that wouldn't likely catch on with the masses, much less governments. But lo and behold, that's exactly whats beginning to happen--cities around the US are beginning to implement composting toilets into public parks and buildings. Will your town be the next to get a gov-approved composting toilet?...
PG&E Turns Away from PowerMeter, Hohm and Others In Favor of Open Smart Grid Standards
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 07. 6.09
PG&E's Andrew Tang at Green:Net earlier this year speaking on smart grid standards
Rather than jumping to sign up with myriad smart grid start-up programs like Google's PowerMeter, Microsoft's Hohm or any of the many others, Pacific Gas and Electric of California is waiting around for the big fish - a standardized interface approved by the Open Smart Grid group. And this waiting game might prove to be the smartest strategy for a utility for a few reasons....
Creative Recycling: The Standard's Floor of 50,000 Pennies
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 07. 6.09
Lloyd Alter
After I toured the Standard Hotel, straddling the new High Line Park in New York, I could not show photos of the floor in the new café because it was not yet opened. I learned from NOTCOT that the embargo is over and offer my own picture of the floor (and my shoes) above....
Green Eyes On: Local Schools Go Beyond Green
by Sara Snow on 07. 6.09
We call this column “Green Eyes On” because it’s supposed to be about the stuff that I lay my green eyes on. My last piece was about exciting recommendations coming out of the American Medical Association's annual meeting to eat more local and organic food. Sometimes it’s about places I’ve been and people I’ve met who are doing incredible things to promote health and protect our environment. But I have to say, my favorite moments are when my green eyes land on a team or group who is helping and inspiring the next generation of thinkers, greenies, and environmental warriors.
Such was the case about a week ago when I went upon invitation to check out a new charter school in Indianapolis.
...
In Britain, Cheap Food Beats Organic
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 07. 6.09
Kelly Rossiter
We ran a poll last week asking Do You Buy Local, Organic, Or Cheap?; it was pretty much a dead heat. But in Britain, a new study shows that people are "turning their backs on buying ethical in favour of cheaper shopping bills."
The head of the consultancy who did the study puts it bluntly in the Guardian:
"The recession has shaken off the moral veneer of consumers, and a more prudent shopper is emerging. Consumers are now turning away from ethical products, especially higher-priced green goods like organic in favour of a cold, hard bargain."...
Climate Change to Make the World Lazier, Study Finds
by Brian Merchant, Brooklyn, New York on 07. 6.09
Photo via Flickr
Climate change is causing weather patterns to grow more severe, sure, and sea levels are rising. Such consequences of global climate change are well known--but here's an effect of climate change that few consider: it will make workers around the world lazier. Well, 'lazier' isn't the right word, but a new study finds that global warming will cause workers everywhere from Delhi to Vietnam to be less productive--by a staggering 30% in some cases. So how is climate change going to make workers around the world lazy?...
Plant a Tree USA Hosts Carnival of the Green
by Kara DiCamillo, Newport, Rhode Island on 07. 6.09
This week is Carnival of the Green #187 and it's being hosted by Plant a Tree USA and their blog, Treechic. Plant a Tree USA is an ecologically friendly reforestation company and, through a well-structured education plan, responsible planting, and corporate alliances, they are planting over 18 billion trees.
Plant a Tree USA's program specifically helps and encourages farmers who are dedicated to reforestation. Lands across the country are used for farming, but Plant a Tree USA helps farmers see the value in reforesting and their plantings go to encouraging more farmers to plant trees on their lands.
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. Enjoy!
We are now accepting host requests for 2010! Read on to find out how to host....
VW Announces Electric Car for 2013, Warns Against "Electro-Hype"
by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada on 07. 6.09
Photo: VW
What's Worse: Electro-Hype or Electro-Apathy?
During a speech in Münich, Dr. Martin Winterkorn, the Chairman of the Board of Volkswagen AG, said that VW would introduce its first electric car in 2013 and that it will be based on the same as the Up! New Small Family concept that was unveiled in 2007 (see the pics below). He didn't talk too much about the technical specifications of that VW electric car, but rather warned people against the evils of "electroc-hype", estimating that electric vehicles would have a "global market share of 1 to 1.5% in 2020." Let's take a closer look at his arguments......
"DIY" Eco Speakers and 5 Greenwash-free Alternatives
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 07. 6.09
Image via Urban Outfitters
These "eco" speakers, packaged in a fairly large box of the now standard unbleached cardboard with a big green recycling symbol, are possibly a greener alternative for those looking for a set of cheap-y speakers for their iPod. But it's tough to get past the smack of something gone amiss with their eco-edge. ...
Solar Panel Theft is Rampant in California Wineries
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 07. 6.09
Honig Winery solar panels; image via Sunlight Electric
We have noted before that solar panels are hot, and our resident solar panel expert Kristen has shown us how to prevent theft. Her recommendations probably do not include putting large arrays of panels at ground level in remote areas.
But that is what a lot of wineries did, and guess what, they are losing them to theft at an alarming rate. Honig Wineries, shown above, lost 39 of them (worth a grand each) last November.
...
Wind-Powered Knitting Machine Puts a New Spin on Wind Socks
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 07. 6.09
Image via Craft
Talk about an easy way to make scarves. Using an old sock knitting machine and a wind turbine set-up, Merel Karhof has come up with an interesting way to knit like the wind, or rather, with the wind. ...
Carré-d'Etoiles Mini-Prefabs For Green Vacations
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 07. 6.09
They call it "a new idea in "get away from it all" tourism. Carré d'Etoiles is a tiny vacation prefab that can be dropped anywhere, is designed to "protect the environment" with "designer bio-ethanol heating, recyclable wood, etc."
And every unit comes with a telescope and a star chart....
Melting Ice Could Lead to Massive Waves of Climate Refugees
by Lester Brown, Washington, D.C on 07. 6.09
Wave. Image credit:Science Blogs, making waves.
As the earth warms, the melting of the earth’s two massive ice sheets—Antarctica and Greenland—could raise sea level enormously. If the Greenland ice sheet were to melt, it would raise sea level 7 meters (23 feet). Melting of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet would raise sea level 5 meters (16 feet). But as I note in Plan B 3.0: Mobilizing to Save Civilization, even just partial melting of these ice sheets will have a dramatic effect on sea level rise. Senior scientists are noting that the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) projections of sea level rise during this century of 18 to 59 centimeters are already obsolete and that a rise of 2 meters during this time is within range....
Chinese Government Raises Fuel Prices by 10% (That's Good!)
by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada on 07. 6.09
Those prices are in Yuans per liter, I think.
Fuel Subsidies Punish Virtue
The Chinese government has recently decided to raise fuel prices by about 10%, the third increase in the past few months, following a 6-7% increase on June 1st, and a 3-5% increase in March. The stated goal is to bring the price of fuel in China closer to what the market price is. From a green point of view, this is good because subsidized fossil fuels only encourages waste, over-consumption, and the buying of vehicles that aren't fuel efficient. It also artificially reduces the competitiveness of technologies that aren't based on fossil fuels, slowing down their adoption....
Global Warming is Shrinking the Soay Sheep of Scotland
by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada on 07. 6.09
Photo: Wikipedia, CC
The Incredible Shrinking Sheep!
Could the changing climate be shrinking animals? That seems to be the case for the Soay sheep of Scotland. "The island of Hirta, on the western coast of Scotland, is home to a special breed of sheep. Soay sheep, named after a neighbouring island, are the most primitive breed of domestic sheep and have lived on the isles of St Kilda for at least a millennium." These sheep are already smaller on average than other breeds of sheep, but according to a recent study, they have been getting even smaller......
Climate Change Already Expanding Tropics, Sub-Tropical Arid Zones and Disease
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 07. 6.09
photo: Tim via flickr
While much of the media focus on the effects of climate change has been on the Arctic, a review of peer-reviewed scientific literature done by researchers at Australia's James Cook University reveals that in the past 25 years there's been a expansion of the world's tropical zones and that human activity has contributed to it:...
The Greenest, Coolest Stadium: Toyo Ito On His Sun-Powered Stunner
by Alex Pasternack, New York, NY on 07. 6.09
Exclusive: The Architect Behind the Solar-Powered Stadium
As if the U.S. wasn't going to look bad enough at this month's World Games, with sports like tug of war, netball , orienteering and Latin dance: the host city of Kaohsiung, Taiwan, will be debuting its new stadium -- the world's first to draw most of its energy from the sun.
Almost every inch of the stadium's dragon-scale roof is covered by 8,844 solar panels, providing 1.14 gigawatt hours of electricity every year while turning the page on solar architecture, as Lloyd noted in May. But, as the designer, Japanese master Toyo Ito, explained to TreeHugger, the stadium has other, perhaps greater ecological implications too....
Brad Pitt's "Make It Right" Unveils New Duplex Designs
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 07. 6.09
Descriptions and images from Make it Right: Hitoshi Abe is Chair and Professor of UCLA Department of Architecture and Urban Design. More...
Brad Pitt's "Make It Right" Foundation has released a new set of duplex designs for New Orleans, by yet another round of big name architects from around the world. The designs had to be flexible, with "interchangeable floor plans that allow the families to change the size and configuration of the two homes as their family size, needs or economic situation changes."
As in the first round, some are pretty extreme examples of modern architecture. What do you think of them? Vote for your favorite in our poll....
Brompton World Championships: Open for Entries (Video)
by Sami Grover, Carrboro, NC, USA on 07. 6.09
IT Leaders in Britain's Public Sector Pessimistic About Green Tech Goals
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 07. 6.09
Photo via Johan Larsson
Ask public sector IT professionals in Britain how they feel about the goals put in place to reach the government's Green ITC strategy - a goal of having a carbon-neutral IT sector by 2012 - and you're going to get a glass-half-empty response. 150 senior public sector IT managers were surveyed by Global Action Plan, and results show that over two thirds are unsure of their ability to reach the goals set forward. And a failure to adopt green strategies in IT may be hindering the adoption of green strategies elsewhere....
DOYOUVelo: Chic Reversable Clothing for Cyclists
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 07. 6.09
Cyclists who own their own bikes carry a lot of paraphernalia; locks, helmets, sometimes reflective vests. But with a bike-sharing program like the Velib in Paris, what do you do with the stuff? We showed an attempt at a folding bike helmet earlier; it was developed for DOYOUVelo, a company that makes chic, reversable clothing that looks good on the street and looks loud on the bike.
...
Can Rock Festivals Get Green? Denmark's Roskilde Certainly Tries
by April Streeter, Gothenburg, Sweden on 07. 6.09
Packaging Design at Its Worst (Slideshow)
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 07. 6.09
Photo credit: scrapthispack @ Flickr
Packaging design can take some pretty weird forms -- individually-wrapped everything, super-over-packaging in the name of safety -- and when it's bad, it's really bad. From individually-wrapped bananas (and prunes!) to plastic inside of cardboard inside of more plastic, here's a photo tour of the worst of the worst when it comes to packaging design.
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Do You Really Need Deodorant?
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 07. 6.09
It was a hot topic of discussion last week. April wrote that "An informal survey of the global TreeHugger gang revealed an interesting (and perhaps slightly redolent) tendency to move away from the use of deodorant each and every day. In fact, the majority of responding THers have partially or even wholly given up on deodorant."
But then everyone knows that bloggers are antisocial misfits in pyjamas in their parents' basements. What about the rest of the world?
...
Does Recycling Waste Precious Water?
by Pablo Paster, San Francisco on 07. 6.09
Photo credit: jcheng @ Flickr We recently received the following comment from a reader: "The greatest saver of water for families is to stop trying to recycle. Each time you wash out a can, bottle, or plastic container, you are wasting over half a gallon of water. In California, 37 million people can easily waste 37 million gallons of water daily." My fellow writers asked me to take this question. So, does it use more water to recycle than to simply throw something in the trash?...
Loyal Loot Bowls from Canadian Logs
by Bonnie Alter, London on 07. 6.09
Image from loyal loot
These bright and shiny Canadian wooden bowls must be all the rage: last month the Guardian wrote them up and this week Cool Hunting has them. Each bowl is created from various and different Canadian trees that have fallen or been cut down for other reasons.
They are hand-crafted into bowls of all different sizes and finished with water based paint and high gloss finish. So gorgeous! ...
Two Years Ago In TreeHugger: Holiday Stats, The Ampere Strikes Back
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 07. 5.09
Number of people injured by fireworks in 2006: 9,200
Dollar amount of fireworks imported to the US from China in 2006: 212 million
Dollar amount of American flags imported into the US from China in 2006: 5 million
More in 4th of July by the Numbers...
While Print Media Declines, Internet Based Reporting Thrives, and Independent Voices are Empowered
by Trevor Reichman on 07. 5.09
image via: blog.communiquepr.com
We've been hearing a lot about the decline of print media. Some call the lessening demand a crisis, as it results in a reduction of jobs within the major media organizations who have become large employers, as well as the loss of an iconic and nostalgic door delivery service. Others agree that one of the most avoidable waste streams is now undergoing a positive and long overdue transformation into the digital age, and with it, a shift towards fresh, independent voices. ...
Wild Wonders of Europe Featured in National Geographic
by Christine Lepisto, Berlin on 07. 5.09
Image: Wild Wonders of Europe, detail of European bee eater, by Markus Varesvuo
Our friends at Wild Wonders of Europe have proudly announced the appearance of a collection of photos capturing some of Europe's rare and awesome wildlife in National Geographic. Don't miss these amazing exclusive photos...ranging from cute and cuddly to comic with some solid spectacular in between.
To get a routine feast for the eyes, join Wild Wonders of Europe on Facebook....
Want to Live a Long, Happy, Sustainable Life? Consider Central America
by Jesse Fox, Tel Aviv, Israel on 07. 5.09
Happy, healthy & sustainable: Green countries scored the highest, yellow and orange in between, red the worst. Image via happyplanetindex.org.
What if, instead of comparing different countries on the basis of things like GDP, we measured the health, happiness and ecological footprint of people living in those countries? Would the map look different – or does economic well-being encompass everything else? The Happy Planet Index, an alternative development index just released by the New Economics Foundation, is an attempt to do just that, and the results are fairly unexpected. ...
Should Al Gore Take on Hunger Next?
by Daniel Kessler, San Francisco, California on 07. 5.09
How Gas Leaks Stop Fuel Cells and What To Do
by Christine Lepisto, Berlin on 07. 5.09
Image:
Flickr, David Tolnem
Is Your Gas Leaking?
What does natural gas smell like? If you said, "rotten eggs," think again. Natural gas is completely odorless. The stink that alerts you to a leaky stove or bad connection on the barbecue grill is an additive. The sulfur-based additive is put in natural gas on purpose, to avoid the countless deaths and destruction that undetected gas leaks would otherwise cause. But the sulfur additive is poison to fuel cells. Currently, fuel cell manufacturers have to use a filter to remove the sulfur compound.
Removal is inefficient: why add a thing just to take it out again? And it raises the question about consumer protection in case leaks develop downstream from the filter. Researchers in Germany are hard at work on a solution to the dilemma. And now the first German gas customers are experiencing the scent of success. What a stinky scent it is!
...
Recirculating Marine Aquaculture: Farmed Fish Minus the Pollution
by Sami Grover, Carrboro, NC, USA on 07. 5.09
Image credit: UMBI Center of Marine Biotechnology
Fully Contained, Indoor Fish Farming
Update: Karin has reported on this initiative before under Fish Farming Moves to the Condos, and Lloyd also covered it under the Future of Food. Great to see it still goind strong.
The dire state of global fish stocks is pretty well known by now - with costs of poor management of fish stocks running to $50 billion a year. Yet what's the alternative? Sea-based fish farming carries dire environmental risks, and while a few brave souls are experimenting with urban aquaculture, a solution to feeding the world's appetite for seafood without depleting the world's seas still seems a long way off. The Baltimore Sun brings us news from the UMBI Center of Marine Biotechnology in Maryland, who have developed a system for supplying sustainable seafood from on-land farms.
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Cycling in Detroit, LEED-washing and Debating Sustainable Development
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 07. 5.09
Toby Barlow writes about making Detroit a city for cyclists instead of cars.While bike enthusiasts in most urban areas continue to have to fight for their place on the streets, Detroit has the potential to become a new bicycle utopia.New York Times An online debate:
This house believes that sustainable development is unsustainable.The Economist...
UK Electronics Retailer Offers Free Electric Car Charging (Video)
by Sami Grover, Carrboro, NC, USA on 07. 5.09
Image credit: Autoblog Green
Comet trialling free EV charging
Every time we talk about electric vehicles (EVs), nay sayers always bring up the question of range - after all, how can a car with a range of 100 or 150 miles hope to compete with the internal combustion engine? Of course, advocates for EVs argue that the vast majority of journeys are short trips to work or to the store that can be achieved on one charge, and with a little investment in charging infrastructure that range can be extended further. The UK has already seen utilities installing EV charging points and a map of London's electric car charging points looks a little like my face did in highschool. Now UK retailer Comet - the British equivalent of Best Buy - has installed a prototype charging station at one of its stores. Click below the fold to see the system in action. ...
Ankara Garden Plots Going, Going, Gone...
by Jennifer Hattam, Istanbul, Turkey on 07. 5.09
A vegetable garden outside Istanbul's thousand-year-old city walls.
In the shadow of Istanbul's old city walls, enterprising urban farmers have carved out small plots of land to grow vegetables, adding a welcome bit of greenery to the roadside as they make, or at least contribute to, their own livelihoods. Green-thumbs in the capital city of Ankara once had a similar opportunity -- before the land started being sold out from under them....
Prefab on Water, MetroShip Introduces Sustainable Houseboats
by Sara Novak, Columbia, SC on 07. 5.09
photo: MetroShip
Larger boats can have a tremedous impact on the planet, so former prefab construction powerhouse David Ballinger has turned his attention to the water. His new design attempts to combat the conventional wisdom regarding houseboats. MetroShip is a sleek, more sustainable reinterpretation of those clunking houseboats of yesteryear....
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.
