- 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 September 20, 2009 - September 26, 2009
Total this week: 200
Plush Toilet Paper: Soft on Your Butt, Hard on the Environment
by David Friedlander, New York City on 09.26.09
Might this be the most dangerous bear on the planet? Photobucket
A recent Washington Post article tackles the tender issue of toilet paper softness. The article reported the market is glutted with super-plush toilet paper; they cited Quilted Northern Ultra Plush as emblematic of the trend toward super-softening toilet paper. But there is one big problem: the softer the toilet paper, the more likely it is made from old growth and virgin trees. But as Allen Hershkowitz, senior scientist with the NRDC said, "We don't need old-growth forests . . . to wipe our behinds."...
North Face Environmental FAIL: Disease-Preventing Footwear Claims Retracted
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 09.26.09
North Face men's "Hedgehog" model shoe, with "AgION® antimicrobial footbed covering Lightweight, compression-molded EVA midsole." Image and caption credit: North Face
If a manufacturer claims that a consumer product suppresses bacterial growth to the benefit of human health, it is, in effect, asserting that there is a pesticidal or "anti-microbial" property. Which tiptoes up to "antibiotic." As a matter of Federal law, firms must not make that claim in the USA, with promotional materials or on packaging, unless the pesticide has been registered for that type of application. The logic is impeccable for this requirement: ignorant product designers have been tempted to put hazardous substances in contact with human skin. Without proper registration, consumers might end up paying a premium for an unsubstantiated foofoo dust claim. Or, there could be unanticipated, adverse environmental consequences after use of the pesticide becomes widespread - poisoning out a sewerage treatment plant, for example. North Face apparently skipped the registration check for a large footwear line before such a claim was made. EPA noticed in a San Francisco shoe outlet!...
SAD Fate In Store For Rocky Mountain Aspens?
by Jennifer Hattam, Istanbul, Turkey on 09.26.09
Aspen's famous trees are at risk. Photo by Jennifer Hattam.
Every year around this time, "leaf peepers" from all over the world descend on Colorado's mountain towns to gape at the white-trunked aspen trees as they don their fall colors, setting the hillsides ablaze with bright swaths of yellow and orange foliage. But a mysterious syndrome may leave the Rocky Mountains aspen-free by 2090....
Get Ready: Senate Climate Bill To Drop This Week
by Daniel Kessler, San Francisco, California on 09.26.09
Photo via Flickr
After much speculation and a summer spent debating health insurance reform, the Senate is finally ready to begin work on its climate bill. On Wednesday, Senate Democrats will release draft legislation to cut greenhouse gas emissions, picking up on the work completed by the House earlier this year. The bill will be co-authored by Sens. John Kerry and Barbara Boxer....
REDD Copenhagen Countdown - North-South Agreement in Place, Immediate Need for Countries' Financial Commitment & Higher Targets
by Federica Bietta, Coalition for Rainforest Nations on 09.26.09
photo: tommorphy via flickr.
The UN Summit on Climate Change, convened this week in New York by Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon, brought together more than 100 heads of state and dignitaries to tackle the urgent need for action and to mobilize real momentum and actionable commitment among the highest level of power brokers to reach a fair and effective global climate deal at the UN Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen this December.
Leaders of developed and developing countries including Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare of Papua New Guinea, President Bharrat Jagdeo of Guyana, Prime Minister Kevin Rudd of Australia and President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva of Brazil participated in substantive talks on reducing emissions from deforestation and degradation (REDD), the keystone post-Kyoto protocol that may very well be the best solution for incentivizing rich and poor countries to leave living trees standing:
...
Safe Water and Easy Transport: ROSS Emergency Filter and Carrier
by Sami Grover, Carrboro, NC, USA on 09.26.09
Image: Red Button Design
We've already been wowed by the difference a decent water carrier like the Hippo Roller can make in the developing world. As inventor Emily Pilloton explained in a TreeHugger interview,design should be about solving the world's most pressing problems. Now a group of young inventors from Glasgow, Scotland, are taking the idea of a rolling water carrier a step further, using the motion of the wheels to drive a reverse osmosis filter through the water. The combination of easy carrying and safe purification mean that users in the developing world could not only transport water easily - they could do so from the nearest, not necessarily the safest, water source. The idea is capturing a lot of attention. ...
REVA Combats Electric Vehicle Range Anxiety (Video)
by Sami Grover, Carrboro, NC, USA on 09.26.09
Image credit: Reva India
From REVA's multi-million dollar expansion to its state-of-the-art Indian electric car factory, REVA India is definitely stepping up its game when it comes to serious electric vehicle manufacture. But when I wrote about the launch of REVA's NXR and NXG cars at Frankfurt, the technical illiterate in me questioned their new "Revive" program - a system that promises a limited remote recharge via text message to get you home if your charge runs short. Now the company is revealing more - and it looks pretty neat. ...
The French Have Big Plans for U.S. High-Speed Rail
by Jeff Kart, Bay City, MIchigan on 09.26.09
Credit: Yonah Freemark and The Transport Politic.
Major cities in the United States may be saying "bonjour" to high speed rail. A French national railroad operator known as SNCF has submitted detailed descriptions to the U.S. Federal Railroad Administration for creating 220 mph trains in four corridors: California, Florida, Texas and a Chicago/Midwest hub.
...
Another One Jumps From The Chamber Pot: New Mexico Utility Leaving US Chamber Of Commerce
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 09.26.09
Pots de chambre. Image credit:Wikipedia.
Because of the US Chamber of Commerce's intractable record on climate change, PNM, New Mexico's largest electricity provider, a company which serves nearly a half-million customers, is ending its membership with the Chamber.
Following PG&E's fine example, linked below, they have found more appropriate organizations on which to spend membership dollars.
Green, Inc. covered the story, including a key quote for perspective. Don Brown, a PNM representative, said in a statement that PNM would not renew its membership in the Chamber when it expires at the end of this year. PNM, he said, views climate change as "the most pressing environmental and economic issue of our time."Apparently, the Chamber has found something more pressing....
Celebs and Activists to Summit Mount Kilimanjaro to Raise Water Crisis Awareness
by Emma Grady, New York, NY on 09.26.09
Mt. KIlimanjaro in Tanzania, view from the air. Credit: Charles J Sharp, CC
As a fan of Hemingway's The Snows of Kilimanjaro, my ears perked when I heard Kenna, a Grammy-nominated musician and philanthropist, organized Summit on the Summit: Kilimanjaro -- an expedition to raise awareness of the global clean water crisis. He invited environmental activists and some famous friends -- actresses Jessica Biel, Isabel Lucas, and Singer Lupe Fiasco -- along for the trek and will depart for Tanzania's Mount Kilimanjaro in January 2010. Hear from Kenna, and find out how you can take part virtually -- after the jump....
Man Builds 100 MPG Lotus Replica that Runs on Homebrewed Biodiesel
by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada on 09.25.09
Photo: Kinetic Vehicles
Kudos to Kinetic Vehicles!
There are tons of project cars all around the internet, but my favorites are DIY green super-efficient cars, especially those made for very little money. The 95 MPG Aerocivic is a good example, but MAX (short for Mother's Automotive X Prize), a 100 MPG Lotus Seven replica (kind of) that runs on biodiesel, is something else altogether! ...
The Clinton Global Initiative 2009: The Week's Green Highlights
by Brian Merchant, Brooklyn, New York on 09.25.09
Photo via CGI
Once every year, the Clinton Global Initiative gathers world leaders, CEOs, celebrities, nonprofit groups, and, yes, journalists in Manhattan to address the world's most pressing problems. I reported on the events all week, and there were a slew of compelling discussions, announcements, and breaking news involving the likes of Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, Kofi Annan, Al Gore, and of course, the former president. Here are some of the week's highlights....
The Best of GOOD: A Reading List for Social Entrepreneurs, Celebrating Van Jones's Departure, Which Countries Eat the Most Meat
by Alex Pasternack, New York, NY on 09.25.09
Each week, our GOOD friends will be offering up some of the best of their site on TreeHugger ... starting now!
Our intrepid business columnist Joe Ippolito recommends reading as much as you possibly can, and offers a suggested online reading list for aspiring entrepreneurs in the social venture space....
Trusty Trustmarks, Going Blind for Your Lashes, and the Age of Stupid
by Nick Aster of TriplePundit on 09.25.09
A weekly wrap up of green and socially minded business news from the gang at TriplePundit.com
Are Trustmarks Badly Designed? - BBMG's Mitch Baranowski weighs in on the design of "Trustmarks" - Energy Star, Recyclable, USDA Organic and so on. There's a lot of evidence they fall on deaf ears, and poor design is part of the problem - but an easy one to fix.
Latisse vs Lumigan: What's the difference? - Nothing actually, one's a branded drug to give you bigger eyelashes, the other brand treats glaucoma. Hilarity ensues when the FDA issues conflicting warnings.
50% of Americans Want to Work in a "Green" Company - The gang from Fairridge looks at yet more reasons companies can and should go green. Potential employees are far more likely to check them out, and existing employees are better motivated.
Does the "Age of Stupid" Mean Envrionmentalism is Alive and Well? - Ryan and I disagreed about the benefits of the tone of the new film Age of Stupid, but the success of the film could certainly reinvigorate old school environmentalism.
Columbia Sportswear Succeeds in Reusing Packaging - TreeHugger readers know that reusing is better than recycling, and evidently so does Columbia who provide an option to get shipments in reused boxes- 66% of customers choose it. But why isn't this the default?...
Students Shout 'Go Blue' and Plan Green Tailgate
by Jeff Kart, Bay City, MIchigan on 09.25.09
Credit: Robert S. Donovan via Flickr.
Tailgating before the big game is fun, no doubt. It can also leave a pile of trash. Those plastic cups, for instance.
Students and alumni at the University of Michigan are attempting a zero-waste tailgate on Saturday morning, Sept. 26, before a pigskin battle against Indiana....
Hillary Clinton Announces Obama's New Global Food Security Initiative (VIDEO)
by Brian Merchant, Brooklyn, New York on 09.25.09
In the closing session of this year's Clinton Global Initiative, the Secretary of State took to the stage to explain the Obama administration's ambitious new global food security initiative. After Bill Clinton preempted the talk by saying he regretted not providing funding to small farmers around the world during his presidency--he'd also mentioned this was a huge mistake in the blogger's round table I attended earlier this week--Hillary went in depth on how Obama plans to help small farmers produce and sell food in the world's poorest nations. Watch the rousing video of her speech after the jump....
Volvo to Make Plug-in Diesel Hybrid Car in 2012
by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada on 09.25.09
Above is a Volvo V70 diesel plug-in hybrid demonstrator being crash tested (you can see that the battery pack is intact even after the "full scale" crash). Photo: Volvo
To Launch in Europe at First
Volvo has announced that it would introduce a diesel-electric hybrid in Europe in 2012. We don't know everything about it, but the information that is out so far makes it sound promising: "It will be able to be driven up to 50 kilometres [31 mile, sufficient to cover the daily transport needs of 75% of European drivers] on pure electric power and when running on the battery, emissions from the exhaust pipe will be non-existent. If the battery is recharged using electricity from renewable sources, the net emission of CO2 will be close to zero, even in a lifecycle perspective." Volvo dealerships, in a deal with Vattenfall, will even offer their customers special contracts to purchase green power from their utility....
Climate Week Was One Big Expectation Management Exercise... And Call to Grassroots Action
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 09.25.09
'What's the Worst That Could Happen?' A Book Review of a Rational Response to the Climate Change Debate
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 09.25.09
'A Rational Response to the Climate Change Debate'
Do you know everything there is about climate science and the debate about global warming? Stop reading this.
Everybody else: Think you know all the ins and outs of climate change? Still plowing through all the models and possible scenarios for our climate's future? Leaning one way (or the other) about what to think about global warming? Not sure who to trust? Pick up a copy of "What's the Worst That Could Happen? A Rational Response to the Climate Change Debate" by Greg Craven (that's right -- the same guy behind the wildly popular YouTube video called The Most Terrifying Video You'll Ever See. 7 million people can't be wrong), and decide for yourself....
thredUP: Like Netflix, But With Clothes
by Kristin Underwood, Sacramento, CA on 09.25.09
Image via: thredUP
Women on the Great American Apparel Diet might want to turn away from this next article. Today launches the debut of ThredUp and the ability to swap clothes in your wardrobe that you never wear for clothes you will wear. You can swap textbooks. You can swap regular books. Why not swap your wardrobe?...
Hyper-Sensitive Nanotube Sensors Could Detect Toxins Inexpensively
by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada on 09.25.09
Photo: Mark Roberts
What You Can Measure, You Can Improve
Researchers at Stanford have created a kind of inexpensive sensor based on carbon nanotubes (these things are so useful!) that can detect traces of TNT and the nerve agent Sarin in water. This can be useful to detect terrorist attacks on the water supply or leaching from munition making or storage facilities, but I bet this type of sensor could also be used to detect other kinds of toxins and help us track down polluters. ...
The L Prize: A New Look at an Old Bulb
by Kristin Underwood, Sacramento, CA on 09.25.09
Image via: the8rgrl at Flickr.com
These days with CFLs (compact fluorescent lightbulbs), and LEDs (light emitting diodes) and everything else, it seems hard (or maybe just taboo) to remember a time when we used something as inefficient as the standard 60-watt incandescent lightbulb. Yet, they still make up 50% of the market share and the US Energy Department wants companies to take a new look at this old standard. For whomever can come up with a highly-efficient yet comparable alternative they win $10 million, and that's just the tip of the iceberg. Turns out, a Dutch company may have just the answer, reports the New York Times....
A Modern Fixed Gear with 80s BMX Style
by Jacob Gordon, Nashville, TN on 09.25.09
As a scrappy kid you couldn't keep your mind off your BMX--today, as a well-rounded hipster, you salivate over single speeds. If this is you, then your ship has come in. Bike-maker SE Racing and DC Shoes have melded their nostalgic brain matter to create a fixed gear bicycle that embodies the unmistakable 1980s glow a classic BMX, the PK Ripper. This aluminum-framed ride has a flip-flop hub (can alternate between single speed and fixed gear), a classic looptail rear end, "floval tubing," and--if I'm reading this right--a bottle opener built into its saddle. The Standard Hotel in New York caught wind of this retro sensation and picked up 20 of these PK Ripper fixies for its own. After being customized to its own liking (Standardized, if you will), 15 will be made available to patrons of the New York hotel for city jaunts. The other five are being sold through the Standard's online store ($1250). Via Highsnobiety...
January Jones Makes an Impact, Harrison Ford Needs You, and More
by Blythe Copeland, Great Neck, New York on 09.25.09
Photo via InStyle
Everyone's favorite Mad Men wife may not have won herself an Emmy nomination this year, but actress January Jones--who plays Betty Draper--recieved a very different kind of honor this week when Variety included her in its annual Women's Impact Report for her work with Oceana....
Should US Commercial Nuclear Power Plants Be Located On Military Bases?
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 09.25.09
The SM-1 Nuclear Plant was the first US nuclear power plant to be designed as
a training facility for military personnel. It was in operation from 1957 to 1973. Image credit: Fort Belvoir
National Review Online has a short but fascinating post on the pros and cos of the notion to 'mandate' that new nuclear power plants be located on US military bases instead of having locations determined based on market demands, and the rules of the NRC, National Environmental Policy Act, and so on.
The reasoning behind this idea to militarize nuclear power siting procedures? You guessed it: keep those nasty protesters at bay and minimize the NIMBY factor. There's probably a "free" security argument to be made as well. Further commentary below; but, first, go read planet gore, Go Nuclear in New England...
World's First Shark Sanctuary Set Up in Palau
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 09.25.09
Photo via fishpickdiver
Shark finning - the practice of catching sharks, cutting off their fins, and tossing the still-living fish back in the water to die a slow death - removes over 40 million sharks per year from the oceans. Half a million are finned each year in Ecuador alone. Finning aside, humans are responsible for killing 100 million sharks per year, through fishing and by-catch. In other words, the incredibly important apex predator is being hunted into oblivion. That's why this world's first shark sanctuary is a big move forward for protecting them. ...
Dear Big Ag: World Hunger Is Not for Sale
by Timothy J. LaSalle, Rodale Institue, Kutztown, PA on 09.25.09
We Should Focus on Global Emission Totals, Not National Percentage Reductions: Lord Nicholas Stern
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 09.25.09
photo: World Economic Forum/Sebastian Derungs via flickr.
There were some exceptions, but most world leaders, current and past, who spoke during Climate Week seemed to deliberately avoid talking about specific emission reduction targets. Given the wide gap between attitudes in the developed and developing world on this issue, perhaps that was wise diplomacy, but it's poor science. However, as The Telegraph reports, economist Lord Stern suggests that perhaps a change in language here can break the climate deadlock:...
How Brad Pitt Could Spark a Green Building Revolution
by Brian Merchant, Brooklyn, New York on 09.25.09
Brad Pitt started the Make It Right foundation in 2007 to rebuild homes for residents in New Orleans who lost theirs to Hurricane Katrina. Which would have been plenty admirable if that was the extent of the mission. But the foundation figured, since all eyes are on the rebuilding of Katrina, wouldn't this be a fine chance to make an ironclad case for green building?
Brad Pitt, Tom Darden (the CEO of Make it Right), and S. Richard Fedrizzi, the President of the US Green Building Council, all attended the Clinton Global Initiative this year to report on the progress of their project, which so far has brought 13 affordable, super-green LEED certified homes to the 9th Ward. I caught up with Darden and Fedrizzi to find out how, with Brad Pitt's help, their project could help spark a green building revolution....
Biomimetic Robotic Fish Boosts Submersible Efficiency for Studying Ocean Life, Pollution
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 09.25.09
Photo Credit: Nic Delves-Broughton/University of Bath via CNET
A clever design for a submersible "fish" mimics the wave-like movement of freshwater knifefish. We've seen robotic fish that try to mimic the movement of fish, but nothing quite like this one. Its creators at the U.K.'s University of Bath call it Gymnobot. The prototype could lead to more energy efficient submersibles for ocean exploration....
Underwater Observatory is First to Put Livestream Online
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 09.25.09
Photo via PhysOrg
That Harbour porpoise carcass up there is the bait for scavengers being studied by researchers. The observatory where it is viewed is the first to be hooked up to livestream online, thanks to a team of researchers from the Natural History Museum, University of Gothenburg, Maritime Museum and Aquarium Gothenburg, Scottish Association of Marine Science, OceanLab Aberdeen, and Bangor University. Now we can get our fix of underwater watching, minus the livingroom aquarium. ...
Check Out the Green Brooklyn, Green City Fair... Composting, Recycled Clothing Sculptures, Green Roofs and More (Slideshow)
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 09.25.09
photo: Matthew McDermott.
While much of Climate Week NY°C focused on making sure all the leaders attending the UN Summit on Climate Change heard the growing grassroots movement demanding stronger action to preserve the climate, over at Brooklyn's Borough Hall, the Council on the Environment of New York City put on the Green Brooklyn, Green City fair and symposium. Bringing green action down to the personal lifestyle level, there were demonstrations on composting, green roofs, renewable energy, local activities in city parks, a sculpture made of 3,615 pounds of recycled clothing, and more. To get a taste of what went on, check out this slideshow:
...
Tonic Top Stories: Matt Damon's Promise, Brad Pitt's Report, River Respect
by Tonic, the "good news" site on 09.25.09
Image via Steve Enders
This week, Tonic was bringing our readers up-to-the-minute reports from the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI). While we were busy devoting our attention to Bill himself, our writers were digging up green stories outside of the Metropolitan Ballroom. Check out these highlights from CGI and beyond.
- Matt Damon stood his own next to Bill Clinton at this week's Clinton Global Initiative. Katherine Gustafson explains his new commitment, through his nonprofit Water.org, to provide clean water to 50,000 people in Haiti.
- Relive the hands-down most high energy, fun-filed session: not surprisingly, Brad Pitt's report on Make It Right and his organization's work in New Orleans.
- Is buying carbon offsets our best solution? Give it some thought in Lisa Jo Rudy's "Carbon Credits for the Climate Conference."
- See how Amphibious Architecture is "Bringing the Urban River to Life;" then follow up with "Drawing Light From the Urban River" and see how New York is looking to respect its rivers - and draw clean energy in the process.
- In the enviro-credit where credit is due department, David Bois hits us once again with a really cool post about rooftop gardens in big cities in "Study Gives Green Light to Green Roof." They're not just smarter, they're purty to boot.
NTT DOCOMO Introduces Cell Phones Made of Waste Wood
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 09.25.09
Images via NTT DOCOMO
There is just something about a wood case that gives electronics an heirloom feeling. Perhaps if cell phones were a bit warmer, a little heavier, a little earthier, people might keep them longer than the average 18 months before upgrading again. NTT DOCOMO might be wondering the same thing, as the company has introduced two prototype cell phones encased in waste wood. ...
Sky Sail and Helicopter in 'Near Miss': A Danger to Aircraft?
by Sami Grover, Carrboro, NC, USA on 09.25.09
Image credit: Sky Sails
It's been a while since we heard about Sky Sails kite propulsion system, which was promising that its retrofitted system could save anywhere between 20-40% on fuel costs on your average ship. (You can check out video of Sky Sails in action too.) While progress seems to have been good (three new ships were fitted with Sky Sails in August) , their latest press release does point to a minor glitch. Helicopters. ...
Newsweek Ranks America's Greenest Companies
by Jacob Gordon, Nashville, TN on 09.25.09
It wasn't easy. In fact, Newsweek's Deputy Editor Kathy Deveny admits that if she knew how hard it would be, she probably wouldn't have. But what's done is done: Newsweek spent more than a year vetting the 500 biggest companies in America and ranking them from greenest to brownest. Deveny breaks down the grueling process for us, explaining why the winners won and the losers lost. Listen to the podcast of this interview via iTunes, or just click here to listen, right-click to download....
The Week in Pictures: UN Summit on Climate Change, PARK(ing) Day, Frankfurt Auto Show, Green Fashion, and More
by Emma Grady, New York, NY on 09.25.09
From the news that E. coli can be used to recover uranium from tainted waters and clean up nuclear waste to the first 'living' building grown in Germany, a lot happened this week in green. Matt heard from Barack Obama, Al Gore, and more at the UN Summit on Climate Change and Brian sat down with Bill Clinton at the Clinton Global Initiative in New York; Jacob checked out the 2009 Frankfurt Auto Show in Germany, and around the globe artists, activists, and citizens transformed metered parking spaces into public parks and other social spaces, as part of an annual event called PARK(ing) Day. Find out what else happened in the world of green this week in our photo roundup of most popular, most important, and most oddball stories. And if you missed it, view last week's The Week in Pictures: Tick Saliva May Cure Cancer, Isabella Rossellini's Insect Sex, Green Fashion, and More.
...
Eco Harvest Wood: From Disaster To Sustainable Success
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 09.25.09
In 2007 Hurricane Felix tore through Nicaragua, destroying thousands of acres of prime forest. Greg Marsh knew the area well; he had been working with the indigenous Miskitu people since 1999. He set up a business to harvest the red laurel and cocobolo knocked down by the hurricane and export it....
Apple Adds More Environmental Impact Information to Website
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 09.25.09
Image via Apple
Yesterday, Apple updated more information about the environmental impacts of its products on its website, bringing a little more transparency to consumers. That added information includes life cycle analysis of greenhouse gas emissions for its products. Yesterday we were just noting how carbon footprint measurements can be sticky business because it all depends on how far down the supply chain, how broad across the business operations, and how far into future impact a business decides to measure. Apple's information, however, is relatively impressive. ...
Liberal Media Elites Attack EPA Whistleblower
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 09.25.09
Goodbye Lego House: Next Time Get Planning Permission
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 09.25.09
A few weeks ago the Lego House was on all the blogs; it was built for BBC personality James May's TV show at a vineyard in Dorking, UK. It wasn't really built out of Lego, more just clad in it (it has a wood frame) and isn't really green (how can three million plastic bricks be so) but in the end, demonstrated a feature of Lego that could be called sustainable: it comes apart really easily for reuse, as demonstrated by its unfortunate demolition....
Climate Change in Alps to Leave Europe High and Dry
by Jennifer Hattam, Istanbul, Turkey on 09.25.09
The Alps provide 40 percent of Europe's fresh water. Photo by rKistian via Flickr.
Picturesque views of the snow-covered Alps may soon be relegated to picture books due to increasing climate change, a new European environmental report says. And it's not just skiers and tourism officials who are getting nervous about the fate of the continent's famous mountains....
Parasite Prefabs Cling To Walls, Bridges
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 09.25.09
Images Lara Calder via Archdaily
Buildings don't have to just sit on the ground; Australian architect Lara Calder's Parasite Prefabs just grow wherever they can get away with it, on the sides of bridges, rock faces or old buildings. Designboom says "It finds value by turning dead public space into lively private space."
...
Yellowstone Grizzlies Back on Endangered Species List
by Naturally Savvy on 09.25.09
A grizzly bear in Yellowstone National Park. Photo by Fidelis Orozco via Flickr.
Two years after the grizzly bears of Yellowstone Park were removed from the Endangered Species List, a federal district judge in Montana has ordered the bears be placed back on it. According to United States District Court Judge Donald Molloy's 46-page ruling, the re-listing of the bears was necessary to protect the species from the inadequate population management regulations, and the poor attention to the decline in whitebark pine, the seeds of which are a key source of food....
London Design Festival is an Eclectic Mix
by Bonnie Alter, London on 09.25.09
The London Design Festival is all over town--there are small pockets of exhibitions everywhere and some wonderful surprises to be found.
As in this display, Field, by Dominic Wilcox. Using 400 pairs of Terra Plana ethical shoes, the laces rise up together like blades of grass and "grow" towards the light....
NASA Satellite Laser Images Reveal Extreme Polar Melting
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 09.25.09
Image credit H. Pritchard, British Antarctic Surve, via CBS news
After analyzing 50 million laser measurements from a NASA satellite, British scientists at the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) have painted a frightening picture for Greenland and Antarctica, with glaciers melting at extreme rates. While the fact that polar ice is melting is not breaking news, the rate at which it is moving, and the method for gathering the technology is surprising. ...
Town Prepares to Celebrate Going Bottled Water Free
by Warren McLaren, Sydney on 09.25.09
Saturday, 26 September 2009 is a big day for a little town. Bundanoon, 1.5 hours south west of Sydney, will hold the official launch of its initiative to make the quiet village of about 2,500 people, Australia's First Bottled Water Free Town.
As we reported in July, the community turned out for a town meeting, voting 355 to 1 in favour of a proposal to support the town's businesses and events, should they withdraw commercial bottled water from sale. It was such an audacious idea that the world's media lapped it up, with the plan getting coverage from the Middle East to Canada, from Ireland to Japan. The concept of a tiny town taking on the behemoth of the beverage industry resonated with people across the globe. Congratulations came pouring in from Qatar and Siberia, from Brazil and the Czech Republic, and everywhere in between. ...
The Obama Adminstration's Sustainable Infrastructure Strategy
by Brian Merchant, Brooklyn, New York on 09.24.09
Image via Wired
"There's a lot of money in play."
Of course, we all know this--the stimulus bill has provided a lot of opportunities to fund green projects in American cities. Thus, it's hardly news that a lot of that money has yet to be allocated. But at a special session at the Clinton Global Initiative today, Obama's Deputy Secretary of Housing and Urban Develop did reveal some interesting insights on how he plans on using those funds to further sustainable development in the US....
Schwarzenegger Would Work for Obama. For Free.
by Warren McLaren, Sydney on 09.24.09
California Governor, Arnold Schwarzenegger, is prepared to align his green vigour with that President Barack Obama, according to Reuters. Arnie apparently said, this Thursday just past, that he's ready to either assist Barack on the environment.
"I've made very clear that any way I can help the Obama administration to be successful, I will do so. I don't need to get paid for it, I don't even need to have an official position," he said.
Speaking in an address at the Commonwealth Club on the issue of climate change he remarked, "Did we say China, you go first with human rights, and we will follow you? No. We led." ...
Once-Parched Atlanta Is Swamped With Floodwater, Sewerage, And Repair Bills
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 09.24.09
"Rising water from the Chattahoochee River flooded out Atlanta's R.M. Clayton Water Reclamation Center..., causing a massive dump of sewage..." Image credit:Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Elissa Eubanks
Atlanta Georgia had just begun to relax about water management issues, having recently come out of an extended and severe regional drought. There were water-use restrictions, lawsuits with neighboring states over water rights, and national media tracking of water-levels in the City's only drinking water reservoir. Heck, it even got so bad at one point that the Red Cross advised citizens to keep 5 cases of bottled water on hand for emergency use (not aware, apparently, that most of the bottled water sold in the area was sourced from the same reservoir that was drying up). ...
Why Kofi Annan is Skeptical About Electric Cars
by Brian Merchant, Brooklyn, New York on 09.24.09
Kofi Annan, the former UN Secretary General, has some good reasons to be skeptical about all the ambitious plans and ideas floating around the Clinton Global Initiative. There's a lot of talk about exciting, futuristic ideas: the mass deployment of electric cars with matching infrastructure! Gigantic solar power plants in the Sahara Desert that pipes clean energy to Europe! But as a panelist on a discussion on developing infrastructure today, Annan articulated some very reasonable concerns about all these grand schemes. You could sum up those concerns in two words:...
EPA Looking at Regulation of Gender Bender Chemicals in Drinking Water
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 09.24.09
The Environmental Protection Agency continues to surprise and amaze; after eight years of sitting on the science and doing very little protection, it is on the move. Now it is looking at what is in our drinking water, and considering regulating chemicals used in hormone replacement therapy and in birth control pills, where about 85% of the hormone is peed out into the waste water system. Some scientists believe that these hormones can affect children in the parts per trillion level, and are causing men to have smaller penises, low sperm count, bigger breasts, testicular cancer and even possibly fewer boys being born. Girls get obesity and early puberty. As one scientist said on the program the Disappearing Male,
"We are conducting a vast toxicological experiment in which our children and our children's children are the experimental subjects."...
Canada's Prime Minister Prefers Donuts to Diplomacy
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 09.24.09
Office of the Prime Minister
Everybody who is anybody in politics was in New York to discuss climate change, world peace, listen to Obama and watch Gaddafi hog the mike. But not Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper; he was doing a photo op in a donut shop. Many are outraged, demanding that Harper apologize for putting donuts before the planet. Jamie Biggar and Sean Devlin have started a Facebook page and a petition....
HollyBeth's Natural Luxury Offers 20% Off Refreshing Natural Products
by Kara DiCamillo, Newport, Rhode Island on 09.24.09
HollyBeth's Natural Luxury has a great start-up story. And we love when people incorporate personal stories with their businesses and seem to go back to their "roots." As a little girl, during long walks in the woods with her Grandmother, HollyBeth began a lifelong affair with the natural world. She learned that flowers, trees and herbs had names - and uses. She discovered that ordinary looking plants could be made into scented soaps, aromatic teas and flavorful salads.
Now, all the ingredients that HollyBeth uses in her products are simple, easy-to-pronounce natural ingredients, just as her grandmother would have made them....
Honda Rolls Out Electric Unicycle
by Roberta Cruger, Los Angeles on 09.24.09
Electric Cars for All: REVA and GM India to Join Forces
by Sami Grover, Carrboro, NC, USA on 09.24.09
Image credit: Reva India
The flagship REVA electric vehicle (marketed as the G-Wiz in the UK) may have drawn scorn from some circles, most notably Jeremy Clarkson of BBC's Top Gear, but this plucky EV has also been hugely popular in cities like London. The company is now stepping up its offerings in a big way. Having just launched two new electric cars at the Frankfurt Motor Show, and not too long since REVA announced securing $20m in funding, their latest announcement is bound to signal the company moving firmly into the mainstream of motoring. GM India and REVA have entered into collaboration agreement to develop electric vehicles for the Indian market....
GE CEO: "We Must Put a Price on Carbon" to Succeed
by Brian Merchant, Brooklyn, New York on 09.24.09
Jeff Immelt, the CEO of General Electric, spoke out in favor of putting a price on carbon to instigate the "entrepreneurial spirit" in the US. He was one of the panelists at a key session at the Clinton Global Initiative today, where he shared the stage with the former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, and the CEOs of Cisco and Nissan. The topic was developing infrastructure, and Immelt talked at length about his faith in a clean energy economy: he said a mass shift to electric cars is imminent, that businesses no longer have the 'luxury' to not be efficient, and more....
Transformers: The Genya Chair Folds Up Into Elegant Sloping Slab
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 09.24.09
Seen at IIDEX: The Genya Chair is designed for auditoria, but I think would fit well into small apartments. This elegant sloping slab opens up to a very comfortable chair.
A cushioned gas device automatically retracts the arms and seat and folds them into a sleek, rectangular compartment that also functions as the structural framework....
Hydration Station Replaces the Water Cooler
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 09.24.09
The water cooler with the big polycarbonate bottle is so outré, but is also expensive. But nobody likes water fountains any more and lots of people carry Quote Of The Day: On How Global Investors Respond To Government Energy Policy
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 09.24.09
Image credit:SolveClimate, via Deutsche Asset Management
SolveClimate tells us that Germany created 300,000 new jobs since 2000 in the renewable energy sector, with supply more than doubling over 6 years, resulting in "only modest electricity price rises." Here's the money quote that Congress should be thinking about. Capital is a free-flowing system," Bruce Kahn a Deutsche Asset Management senior investment analyst and co-author of the report told SolveClimate. "If the U.S. is not an attractive place to invest in renewable energy, capital will flow elsewhere. The German example shows how capital can be attracted when there are a clear set of policies....
Ecouterre Launches + Other Top Sartorial Statements From Fashion Week
by Leonora Oppenheim, London, UK on 09.24.09
This was the week where Climate Week in New York battled for media attention with both New York and London Fashion Weeks, and on top of that Inhabitat launched the sparkling new ethical fashion site Ecouterre. As Tamara Giltsoff argues in her post for PSFK, the fashion world and climate policy world are totally at odds with each other and yet inextricably linked. While mainstream fashion is completely unsustainable, it does know, unlike those dry policy advisors, how to create a following. If only the two could have a positive influence on each other! The great news is the ethical fashion industry continues to grow in stature and influence, even Dame Vivienne Westwood made an environmental statement with her show this week....
World's First Carbon Footprint Certified Television - Is Energy Efficiency Old News?
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 09.24.09
Yesterday we talked about the hubbub surrounding California's move to ban from store shelves any televisions that don't meet particular energy efficiency requirements. The move signals a growing consciousness around electronics and that to be both economically practical and environmentally friendly, they need to lay off the juice. But as energy efficiency was once the "green" angle for TV manufacturers in selling their wares, there seems to already be a new wave just starting to form that will take the place of energy efficiency. Behold, the first television with Carbon Footprint Verification. ...
7 Food Certification Programs You Need to Eat Green
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 09.24.09
Photo credit: lyzadanger
Labels on food items are as numerous as the aisles they're sold in, and many proclaim that they're helping you be healthy, helping the planet, or both. The truth is that there are myriad labels out there that aren't worth the shiny sticker they're printed on; certifications that promise to be "all-something" or "whatever-free" that aren't under any government or third-party oversight, free to be molded and marketed by anyone who puts a product on a shelf.
You don't have to put up with that, though. Here are seven certifications that'll help guide you to green food enlightenment....
Weird Solar Powered Phone Concept Gets You to Quit Upgrading...Or Not
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 09.24.09
Images via Yanko Design
This idea has its heart in the right place, but unfortunately completely ignores human nature. The solar powered phone concept attempts to get users to realize how much energy goes into each electronic component of a phone - and realize the number of components it takes to get a phone to operate - and with that realization turn their gadget-lovin' heart into gold. They suddenly won't want to upgrade to a new phone because they'll realize the environmental impact of e-waste. And it'd do it all with stickers! ...
Just Two Cents From Every New Yorker Could Build Carteret Island's Climate Change Refugees New Homes
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 09.24.09
Ursula Rakova screen-grabbed from the trailer for the documentary Sun Come Up, explaining the impact of climate change on the Carteret's.
I didn't initially schedule it this way, but yesterday at Climate Week NYC turned out to be one spanning the breadth of people trying to affected by climate change. In the morning was Dr Rajendra Pachauri, chair of the IPCC; the evening ended with Ursula Rakova, who is leading the efforts to relocate her people on the Carteret Islands, which are already being submerged by rising sea levels. In case you don't know, here's the story (in brief) and what can be done to help (it won't cost anyone of us that much):...
Convince Your Boss to Send You to The Feast Conference and Become Empowered to Create Change
by Petz Scholtus, Barcelona, Spain on 09.24.09
Rarely there are conferences so meaningful, important and fun as the Feast, held by All Day Buffet in New York next week. No matter what sector you are working in, creativity, business and social responsibility are valuable things to apply to whatever you do. With conscious consumerism, social responsibility and environmental sustainability becoming more and more mainstream, you don't want to stay behind. So to inspire you to creating world-shaking change, All Day Buffet has organised a full line-up of cross-disciplinary speakers that can provide key insights and teachings regarding challenges, successes and best practices. And of course a good part of the Feast Conference is meeting hundreds of passionate innovators like you. ...
San Jose Closer to Banning All Bags, Both Paper and Plastic
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 09.24.09
Stores will need to find another way to say "Thank You," though not handing out things that pollute the planet is a big start. Photo via jonathan.youngblood
San Jose and San Francisco are two cities in constant battle to one-up the other on sustainability. That is one competition we don't mind sitting back and watching unfurl. From electric cars to waste diversion, the two cities are always working to top one another. Now, the battle moves to bags. San Francisco has worked to ban plastic bags from stores. But now San Jose has decided to look into banning not only plastic, but most paper bags too. ...
Trend Watch: Wisconsin Electric To Upgrade Century-Old Hydroelectric Power Plants
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 09.24.09
Heathstone. One of the first US homes powered by commercially distributed electricity. Image credit:Wikipedia.
One of the earliest examples of a home powered by a commercial power station is located in Appleton Wisconsin. The house, called "Hearthstone," is a museum piece; but, in 1882 the 12.5kW DC hydroelectric plant it was connected to ran papers mills, and was the source of much hope about the future. Although commercial hydroelectric plants no longer sell direct current, numerous Century-old hydroelectric facilities, orders of magnitude larger in capacity, and generating reliable "base load" AC current, are scattered throughout the US. Many of them would benefit from upgrading to far more efficient, contemporary turbine designs. Typical of the upgrade trend, Wisconsin Power and Light (WPL) announced plans to inspect and upgrade 40MW worth of old hydroelectric plants on the nearby Wisconsin River. Details downstream....
William Kamkwamba Moves on From DIY Windmills to DIY Water Well Drills
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 09.24.09
William Kamkwamba has been a source of inspiration for us ever since he created his own working wind turbine from scratch in 2007. With zero money, zero new parts, and zero experience, he managed to devise a wind turbine that could power four lights and two radios. He later gave a talk at TED about his experience. Now, he offers up this excellent interview about his endeavor, hoping to spark others in similar into creative action. He's also moved on from windmills and has another big project up his sleeve. ...
New Products in Old Boxes: Columbia Sportswear's Reuse Program
by Sami Grover, Carrboro, NC, USA on 09.24.09
Image credit: A Box Life
As every good greenie knows, reuse comes before recycle. That's why it's so exciting that Columbia Sportswear Company has started shipping purchases from its online store in reused boxes! (HP's packaging department could learn a thing or too!) But shipping in reused boxes is just the start - the company is also sponsoring an online community that helps folks track the path of their packaging. ...
Three Turbine Types To Be Tested in Bay of Fundy
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 09.24.09
Globe and Mail
They have been talking about getting power from the tides in Nova Scotia's Bay of Fundy forever; once they even thought of damming the whole thing. More than 100 billion tonnes of water, more than all the world's rivers combined, rush in and out every day; that is a lot of potential power.
Now the provincial government is dipping its toe in the water, with three test turbines. Three different companies are dropping turbines into the bay to see what happens to the ecosystem and if they survive the winter....
Best of BlogHer: Great American Apparel Diet, Hunger Challenge, Green Fashion Week
by Jasmin Malik Chua, Jersey City, USA on 09.24.09
Photo credit: Rainforest Action Network
Not shopping for clothes, for an entire year—would you, could you, try the Great American Apparel Diet?
Of course, swapping clothes locally has zero carbon footprint. Instead of hitting the stores, try a Swap-o-Rama-Rama event (complete with DIY stations), instead.
Tell your senators how much you love the climate and win some awesome prizes, too!
Could you eat on $28 a week? Here's why food bloggers are taking the Hunger Challenge.
What do New York Fashion Week, a sheep sanctuary in Britain, and destruction of the Indonesian rainforest have in common? The first-ever GreenShows.
Eating garbage: Why I became a freegan last winter.
Remember that Simpsons episode about Big Sugar? It's not looking like such a joke anymore...
Dear Pig: An animal lover thanks the four-legged donor of her mother's heart valve transplant—and keeps the promise to give up meat after the operation.
BlogHer is the leading participatory news, entertainment and information
network for women online. Follow us on Twitter (@Blogher), on Facebook, and at BlogHer.com....
13 Great Solar Concepts Inspired By Plants (Slideshow)
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 09.24.09
Photo via Blurb.tv
Solar cells are a form of biomimicry of plants in that they convert sunlight into energy. The plant world offers up a vast array of shapes, sizes, colors, and styles from which designers can create their cool, crazy and creatively mimicked solar powered concepts. Check out some of the amazing solar power creations inspired by their flora counterparts.
...
London Fashion Week's Estethica Features Beautiful Fabrics Recycled in Bags and Clothes
by Bonnie Alter, London on 09.24.09
Estethica is the showcase at London Fashion Week for green and eco designers. Now in its third year, it promotes the eco fashion design industry as an important and integral part of fashion.
This year several of the designers were using beautiful old and vintage fabrics in interesting ways. Globe Hope, a Finnish label better known for using materials such as old hospital textiles, army wear and work outfits, had large and small handbags made out of old Finnish fabrics....
Thousands Of Tons Of Potentially Toxic Iron Dust Dumped In Ocean Without Permit
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 09.23.09
Giant Trevalley fish off Australian coast, expressing the full horror of being geoengineered by a bit of rust in the dust. Image credit:wikipedia
News filtering out of Australia indicates a massive geoengineering of the Southern Oceans, done without the necessary government approvals, and with no regard whatsoever to potentially adverse 'ecosystem impacts.' Iron oxide laden dust, originating from the Lake Eyre Basin area of central Australia, reportedly has blanketed the ocean surface from the Australian coast to New Zealand. The iron-fertilizer-in-the-ocean "dump" came on so suddenly, even Greenpeace was caught off guard. (Otherwise, there surely would have been banners of protest.) At least we can rest assured this poor Trevally fish, a plankton feeder found off Australia's coast, probably never knew what hit him. New Zealand's Business Scoop has the gory details....
Li-Ion Battery Breakthrough: Silicon Nanotubes Boost Capacity 10x
by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada on 09.23.09
Making Super Lithium-Ion Batteries with Silicon Nanotubes
Researchers from Stanford University and Hanyang University in Ansan, Korea, in collaboration with LG Chem (makers of the Chevy Volt battery), have made a breakthrough that could change the future of electric cars. It's too early to know for sure, but what we know so far is very promising. They have shown that by replacing the conventional graphite electrodes in lithium-ion batteries with silicon nanotube electrodes (silicon nanotubes, not the more common carbon nanotubes), 10 times more charge could be stored. This could not only greatly extend the range of electric cars, but it would also make gasoline-electric hybrids more efficient by allowing them to run in electric mode for longer periods....
Industry Leaders Consider Why America has Fallen Behind at the National Climate Summit
by David DeFranza on 09.23.09
Image credit: David DeFranza
Recent announcements that China would be dramatically curbing carbon emissions and investing heavily in nuclear and renewable energy highlighted a central theme of the Council on Competitiveness' National Energy Summit: that the United States had fallen behind in important industries shaping the world's future.
Indeed, parts of Secretary of Energy Steven Chu's presentation were downright gloomy, with slide after cramped slide of downward-trending graphs. And he was not alone. In fact, Secretary Chu's presentation summarized the laments of many of the panelists, specifically the country's diminished manufacturing capacity and excessive production of carbon emissions....
EPA Poisons Prairie Dogs; Then They Bleed to Death & Harm Endangered Species
by Kristin Underwood, Sacramento, CA on 09.23.09
What, no love for prairie dogs? Image via: Umschauen on Flickr.com
Geez louise, could that sound any more gross or excruciating? Apparently pesticides approved by the EPA for ridding prairies of their dogs are both a horrible way to die and also then infecting other endangered species. Now several groups have filed a lawsuit to do something about it....
And Now the Bad News: 11 New Sites Added to Superfund
by Kristin Underwood, Sacramento, CA on 09.23.09
Bass caught at Superfund Site in Okalahoma. He claims he threw it back. Image via: Topato on Flickr.com
First the good news: 366 Superfund sites have been deleted from the Superfund National Priorities List since it was created back in 1980. The bad news: We're still finding more sites and 11 more were just added to the list (with an additional 10 more awaiting approval). Click thru to find out of there's a site near you. ...
Ecuador Says Show Me the Money, Or the Rainforest Gets It
by Kristin Underwood, Sacramento, CA on 09.23.09
Image via: Green Living Project
And not just amy amount of money will do, Ecuador has determined that it will cost $360 million USD a year to protect their rainforest, which just happens to sit on 900 million barrels of oil. Fortunately, Ecuador had a global audience this week in which to float their proposal, just in case anyone is listening, reports Reuters....
The Next Innovation Al Gore Most Wants to See--You May Be Surprised
by Brian Merchant, Brooklyn, New York on 09.23.09
Talking Innovation at the Clinton Global Initiative
The unique ways we can harness innovation for sustainable development in the 21st century was the topic for the third major session at the Clinton Global Initiative. The dominant theme, unsurprisingly, was the use of innovation to emerge from various crises--of the economic, health, and, yes, climate variety. Al Gore was on hand to issue another call to action on climate, and he revealed the surprising innovation he'd most like to see develop next. ...
Obama's UN Climate Speech Lacked Details to Lead World Forward: Bill McKibben
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 09.23.09
Barack Obama at the Clinton Global Initiative 2009, photo: a natural sound via flickr.
President Obama is certainly having a busy week -- addressing the United Nations not once but twice; speaking at the Clinton Global Initiative; the G20 in Pittsburgh. And while yesterday's speech on climate change at the UN Summit on Climate Change certainly was a leap forward compared to what we might have heard from past presidents, it wasn't quite as strong as many in the green movement would've liked. 350.org founder Bill McKibben's comments really ring true:...
Waste Reduction and Recycling Can Cut CO2 by 345 Million Tons Year
by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada on 09.23.09
Source: EPA
Don't Underestimate Good Ol' Recycling!
When it comes to reducing CO2, we almost always talk about power plants and vehicles. But a new study by the EPA (pdf) shows that, if you consider the whole life-cycle, a huge chunk of greenhouse gas emissions (42%) are caused by the way people in the US "procure, produce, deliver and dispose of goods and services". It concludes that waste reduction and recycling are very powerful tools to reduce CO2 emissions: According to the report's projections, if we were to reduce packaging in general by 50%, reduce non-packaging paper products by 50%, extend the life of computers by 25%, increase recycling of construction and demolition debris to 50%, and increase solid municipal waste composting and recycling to 50%, we could cut US CO2 emissions by about 354 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (MMTCO2E). Each year....
David Byrne on Changing Road Behavior: "There's No Poop On the Streets"
by Alex Pasternack, New York, NY on 09.23.09
Can't We All Just Get Along?
In his new tour of the world by folding bicycle, Bicycle Diaries, David Byrne acknowledges that few cities have blazed a bicycle path quite like his hometown of New York. At a Barnes and Noble event last night, someone asked how the city might fix New Yorkers' aggressive attitudes towards bikers - particularly those of surly delivery truck drivers. Other talking heads present, Bicycle advocate Paul Steely White of Transportation Alternatives and the city's bold transportation commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan, had been describing how a continued increase in bike lanes and bikers would help shift the culture.
But the white-haired bike-rocker had another upbeat take on the likelihood that New York's famously fast and furious drivers, pedestrians and bikers could get along -- and the chances that anyone might make lifestyle changes that benefit others....
Congestion Charge Cuts Waiting Time 50% and CO2 by 18% in Stockholm
by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada on 09.23.09
Photo: Wikipedia, CC
Pay to Play
Stockholm, Sweden, has had a congestion charge since January 2006. Cars that enter the city center must pay a congestion tax which varies depending on the time of day (from nothing at night to 20 SEK during rush hour). Now that enough time has passed to gather lots of data on the impact of the congestion charge, the Stockholm City Traffic authorities have released some interesting numbers: "The Stockholm Congestion Charging System, created by IBM (NYSE: IBM) has significantly improved access to the Swedish capital by halving queuing times on access roads to the city in the mornings. City traffic is down by 18% and CO2 emissions in the inner city have been cut by between 14 and 18 percent. "...
TreeHugger Has Breakfast with IPCC Chairman Dr Rajendra Pachauri
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 09.23.09
Dr Pachauri speaking at the World Economic Forum last year, photo: World Economic Forum/Remy Steinegger via flickr.
OK, OK, it was TreeHugger, plus a bunch of the other bloggers participating in the Climate Voice project, representatives from Bahá'í International (where we all chowed down), and a slew of people wearing blue UN credentials. But nonetheless it seemed like an intimate gathering, where IPCC chairman Dr Rajendra Pachauri was quite forthcoming in answering questions on where the climate negotiations now stand, what comes after Copenhagen, the ethical issues of climate change, and more. Here's a taste of the discussion: ...
We Must Engage the Ethical Dimension of Combating Climate Change, Religious & Civil Society Groups Urge
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 09.23.09
There is a specific Gandhi reference here... scroll down. Photo: Jérôme via flickr.
It sometimes seems that all of the convincing that's done to try to get faster action on climate change has to do with the 'what's in it for me' aspect of the issue -- create green jobs, profit from the new green economy, stop sea level rise from overtaking your city -- or on the stats of the issue. But as a new plea to world leaders under the banner of Bahá'í International Community, but signed onto by 20 or so other groups, rightly says there's also a very important moral and ethical dimension to preventing climate change. The full text of the Moral and Ethical Dimensions of Climate Change Appeal to World Leaders is at that link, but this is the crux of it:...
Fuel Cell Gadget Chargers Hit Electronics Stores
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 09.23.09
The Medis Fuel Cell chargers have been mentioned on TreeHugger a few times, last getting reviewed nearly a year ago. They're an option for instance power for charging gadgets in off-grid and emergency situations. And now, they're headed for store shelves, putting fuel cell chargers in front of consumers in a far more obvious way. ...
Investing in Women and Girls to Fight Poverty, Climate Change
by Brian Merchant, Brooklyn, New York on 09.23.09
Photo via Women's RIghts
The opening session on the second day of the Clinton Global Initiative focused on an under-examined issue in the green movement--women's rights and empowerment. When I sat down with Bill Clinton the night before CGI began, he mentioned that investing in women and girls was a good way to invest in fighting climate change. Providing education to women in developing nations has been proven to combat overpopulation and lead to more sustainable societies. ...
C.R.O.C. Parody Puts Carbon Offsets in Crosshairs
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 09.23.09
Carbon offsets. Did the hair on your neck stand up a little? Most people brace themselves for a bit of debate, or at least defense, when the topic comes up. On one side of the issue sit people who see carbon offsets as a way to negate what impact they have on the planet through daily activities. On the other side sit people who think carbon offsets are a complete C.R.O.C., like Greenpeace. They've created a parody of carbon offset promoters that will likely raise hares...er, hair. ...
Hazardous Waste at Fender Instruments Hits a Sour Note
by Kristin Underwood, Sacramento, CA on 09.23.09
Image via: Mercury State on Flickr.com
Fender Musical Instruments Corp and Goodrich Aerostructures Group were both fined by the US Environmental Protection Agency for improper storage and handling of hazardous waste. Yuck! How do you make sure your axe can grind with the best? We've got a few tips to help you out....
More Minimal Hosts Carnival of the Green
by Kara DiCamillo, Newport, Rhode Island on 09.23.09
This week is Carnival of the Green #197 and it's being hosted by Chris Baskind of More Minimal, a newly re-launched blog that focuses on reducing cosumption and making more of less. More Miminal is a resource for living a simpler, healthier, low impact lifestyle. A huge thanks goes to Chris, who stepped up as a last minute host this week.
So head on over to this week's Carnival, which includes a round up of green news and events from the past week and your best green tweets, submitted by other bloggers and green sites. Enjoy!
We are now accepting host requests for 2010! Read on to find out how to host....
Maldives President Mohammed Nasheed Endorses 350 Target
by Daniel Kessler, San Francisco, California on 09.23.09
Solar-Powered Mailbox: Visible From Half a Football-Field Away
by Kristin Underwood, Sacramento, CA on 09.23.09
Image via: Guiding Light Mailbox
Upon first thought, this seems like a silly invention. Who needs a solar-powered mailbox anyways? Then again, if you've ever been lost in the dark looking for a house in the middle of nowhere, you might appreciate an illuminated number that you can see "from half a football field away."...
Fisker Gets Half-Billion Dollars (!) Loan from Department of Energy
by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada on 09.23.09
Photo: Michael Graham Richard
Big News for Plug-In Hybrid Maker Fisker Automotive
First, Tesla got a low-interest loan ($465 million) from the Department of Energy (DOE), and now it's Fisker's turn. Energy Secretary Steven Chu announced a $528.7 million (!) conditional loan for the development of two lines of plug-in hybrids. The DOE says that "the project will result in approximately 5,000 jobs created or saved for domestic parts suppliers and thousands more to manufacture a plug-in hybrid in the U.S."...
Shipping Container Home Prototype in Buenos Aires
by Paula Alvarado, Buenos Aires on 09.23.09
Photos: Marca Futuro and Paula Alvarado.
How much do we love shipping container houses? They're built inside recycled structures, encourage people to live with less and let's face it: they look cool.
Here's a new prototype from Buenos Aires, built for the interior design exhibition Casa FOA. Basic on the outside, creative on the inside.
Take a tour inside the post....
California Releases Proposal for Tightened TV Efficiency Standards, Manufacturers Grumble
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 09.23.09
Photo via cpchannel
Back in January, California made a splash in the electronics sector by saying that it wanted to relieve potential burden on the grid by banning energy hog televisions from store shelves. The state has now released a proposal for efficiency standards that would go into effect in 2011, and tighter standards to follow in 2013. The consumer electronics industry has mixed reactions. ...
Ecouterre Brings Eco-Fashion to the Forefront
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 09.23.09
Photos via Ecouterre
'Green Fashion is More than Just a Passing Trend'
That's what Ecouterre is banking on; the brand new site, just launched today, has arrived to highlight the critical environmental impact of clothing design. From the same folks who gave the world the always wonderful Inhabitat.com, Ecouterre will try to dispel the disparaging stereotypes that still cling to "eco fashion" and reverse the frivolous connotation associated with fashion design. ...
Are China and U.S. Really Headed For a Copenhagen Deadlock?
by Alex Pasternack, New York, NY on 09.23.09
Even after President Obama's firm acknowledgment of American responsibility for climate change and Chinese President Hu's announcement of a carbon intensity target yesterday, the prospects for a deal on carbon emissions at Copenhagen in seventy days remain murky.
Hu and Obama also met privately yesterday, ahead of the President's visit to Beijing in November. But will this week's meetings lay the groundwork for a linchpin agreement between China and the U.S.? And can a significant agreement at Copenhagen be forged without a U.S. climate bill?
"Negotiations are dangerously close to deadlock at the moment," European Commission President Jose Barroso said yesterday. ...
Big Business Wants 85% CO2 Cuts: Now Who Do We Blame?
by Sami Grover, Carrboro, NC, USA on 09.23.09
Image credit: Copenhagen Communique
There was a time when we environmentalists would routinely bash big business for standing in the way of real change. But with Wal-Mart pressuring suppliers to go green and even McDonalds installing EV charging points, the picture is getting muddier. Now a group of over 500 major international businesses including Nike, GE, HP, SC Johnson and many others have gotten together as signatories to the Copenhagen Communique - demanding commitment to massive CO2 cuts of 50-85% at the Copenhagen Summit. (Crucially, many small to medium sized enterprises are included too - including TreeHugger favorites The Bioregional Development Group.) So does this mark a paradigm shift? ...
WMF1 One-Cup Coffee Maker is Good Design Gone Un-Green
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 09.23.09
It's still early morning in California and I have coffee on the brain, so I have to point out this WMF1 One-Cup Coffee Maker. See, there's a conundrum for those folks who don't want to get their coffee via cone filter or French press. A coffee pot is the solution, except that you have to make a minimum of about four cups of coffee for the smallest coffee maker readily available in stores. That's where one-cup coffee makers come in handy. Except this particular one has a conundrum all its own. ...
The Best of Fast Company: Jellyfish-Infused Space Candy, Household Upcycled Robots, and a High Line for San Francisco
by Ariel Schwartz of Fast Company on 09.23.09
This week at Fast Company, Japanese students crush up invasive jellyfish into candy, Adoptabot upcycled robots make great pets, architects propose a High Line for San Francisco, and PNC Bank finishes the largest green living wall in North America.
Japan's Fukui prefecture is plagued by swarms of Nomura's jellyfish, a 450 pound species that keeps fishermen from making their daily rounds. But a group of Japanese high school students have found a use for the giant jellyfish: caramel candy mixed with ground up Nomura's jellyfish powder.
Ever longed for an environmentally sound pet that doesn't require food, water, or attention? Check out the Adoptabots, a series of upcycled robots made from found objects.
New York's High Line park, built on an abandoned elevated railway, has been a big hit ever since it opened in June. Now a San Francisco architecture firm wants to make a copycat High Line, dubbed "the Bay Line", on the abandoned east span of the Bay Bridge.
PNC Bank's Pittsburgh headquarters is the new owner of North America's largest green living wall, a 2,380 foot-tall wall made from 602 panels of soil and plants that form a PNC logo.
Fast Company sets the agenda, charting the evolution of business through a unique focus on the most creative individuals sparking change in the marketplace....
Local Currency Causes a Stir in London: The Brixton Pound (Video)
by Sami Grover, Carrboro, NC, USA on 09.23.09
Image credit: Positive TV
From the beginning, alternative currencies have been central to the Transition Movement. But just as the Transition Movement itself has to stay relevant - so too local currencies need to find wide circulation and broad community acceptance to have any real impact on how money is spent. So the turnout at the launch of the Brixton Pound - the UK's first complementary currency specific to an urban neighbourhood - is an awesome sign of how important these initiatives are in tough times. Their choice of design, however, may leave some people feeling left out. ...
An Ink-Wasting HP Ad for...HP Ink
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 09.23.09
Who designed this, who approved it, and who let it get out of the marketing department at HP? This company just can't seem to stay out of the spotlight for doing utterly mindless, un-green things. Despite the fact that they're shooting to lighten the carbon footprint of their products and operations, they're bound and determined here to ensure their consumers don't lighten their footprint, at least when it comes to printing. ...
7 Best Green Vacations in Canada
by Roberta Cruger, Los Angeles on 09.23.09
The Rocky Mountains
From British Columbia to the Maritime Islands and across the Yukon tundra, Canada's landscape of glacial expanses, Boreal forest, and spooky badlands cover vast protected wilderness. National parks are home to endangered caribou, puffins, musk ox, and polar bears. For environmentally-minded traveling, there are tons of options, thanks to a thriving rail system, local slow foodies, heritage culture from aboriginals to French, and organized eco trips. Get ready to hike, bike, and paddle through the glorious outdoors with seven of the best green vacations in Canada....
Green Robots Destined to Be Our Overlords (Slideshow)
by David DeFranza on 09.23.09
A future populated by robot armies working tirelessly to complete our most mundane jobs is a staple of science fiction. Increasingly, however, engineers, inventors, and scientists are developing robots that could make such a vision a reality. Many have big implications for the environment as well. Indeed, they could be our allies in a bright green future but only if they don't take over first.
...
Should Chrysler Get Rid of Dead Tree Owner Manuals?
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 09.23.09
Chrysler always has crazy ideas; my dad once had a talking Chrysler that would complain "a door is ajar" every time it opened. When asked why he would drive a car that nagged him so much, he replied "It makes me feel at home." Now Mike tells us that they are doing something that might be equally silly; in the interest of saving 20,000 trees they are supplying a DVD instead of an owners manual. Good idea?
...
Poor Planning Behind Istanbul Deluge
by Jennifer Hattam, Istanbul, Turkey on 09.23.09
Floods caused heavy damage in the Istanbul region. Photo via Today's Zaman.
The devastating, tragic floods in Istanbul and northwestern Turkey earlier this month--which killed at least 41 people and did $70 million to $80 million in damage--offered yet another reminder of the danger such incidents pose to the country. Floods are the second most destructive type of natural disaster in Turkey, after earthquakes, causing an estimated 2,000 deaths and displacing an additional 100,000 people over the last century. This time around, even as city residents were just starting to pick up the pieces and assess the damage, the floods also caused fingers to point in every direction as to who, or what, was to blame....
It's Time To Rip Out The Stop Signs And Stop Blaming Cyclists
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 09.23.09
Lloyd Alter
Many years ago the residents of this residential street were upset about speeding cars. They went to their city councillor, who managed to get some stop signs added to control traffic. The lots were not that deep on the cross streets, so there is now a stop sign every 266 feet. It was perhaps the first use of 4 way stops for speed control, but not the last; now every intersection in Toronto is signed this way.
Whenever I write a post about cycling, inevitably there will be comments that cyclists don't respect the rules and should stop at stop signs. Even our own April says so. But what is the purpose of those signs, on a quiet residential street? I am surprised that the cars pay any attention to them, let alone the cyclists....
Holding Pattern: What To Do With Stalled Building Projects
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 09.23.09
What do you do with a building that died? The Boston Globe asked architects to come up with some solutions for stalled projects around town. Höweler + Yoon Architecture suggest turning a stalled Filenes project into a "temporary vertical algae bio-reactor" with a big robotic arm to "reconfigure the modules to maximize algae growth conditions", but perhaps more importantly, look busy.
The continuous construction on the site will broadcast a subtle semaphore of constructional activity and economic recovery....
London Design Festival Kicks Off with a Ban
by Bonnie Alter, London on 09.23.09
London Design Festival has kicked off with a bang, oops Ban. It's a new temporary structure by Japanese architect, and TreeHugger favourite, Shigeru Ban. He has worked with a cardboard manufacturer to create this 22 metre high tower made out of compressed cardboard tubes.
As part of the the Size +Matter project, architects and designers are commissioned to push the limits with their use of a particular material. This one shows cardboard's structural strength--the same material used for boxes has turned into a tower. ...
Trend Watch: "Green Wrap" Virus Spreading As Major Bank Turns Plant Wall Into Billboard
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 09.22.09
Looks like it's design flu season.
PNC Financial Services Group, based in Pittsburgh PA, has built a plant-covered exterior wall, "to make its headquarters building more energy-efficient." Looking like one of those huge billboards seen along an interstate highway (as pictured), PNC's green wall "features a variety of regional plants grown into living art." Designers estimate it will be cooler behind the wall, which will cut the air conditioning load some, in summer. Otherwise, it is a billboard.
No way to tell from the press release if the water that supports this living billboard is supplemented by storm water or if it is a net water consumer, how much electricity is consumed pumping water, or if it is flood-lit at night.
Pittsburghers...let us know, won't you?. ...
Clinton, Obama, and Rudd Talk Climate Action, Global "Spirit of Partnership"
by Brian Merchant, Brooklyn, New York on 09.22.09
Clinton Global Initiative 2009
The Clinton Global Initiative kicked off today with some words from Bill Clinton, a discussion from a panel of luminaries including Kevin Rudd, the Prime Minister of Australia and the CEOs of Coca Cola and WalMart, and a speech from President Obama. One of the primary topics of the day was using climate action to create a clean energy economy--an agenda that I got a sneak peak of when I sat down with Bill Clinton last night. Here's what unfolded when I headed to the fifth annual CGI in New York today....
Update: Cooler Planet Says (Despite Recession) 35,000 Americans Want Solar
by Kristin Underwood, Sacramento, CA on 09.22.09
Green Guide Network Launches New Cities and Job Board
by Kristin Underwood, Sacramento, CA on 09.22.09
Image via: Retail Environments
The Green Guide Network, an online city-specific guide to green in your area has just added a few more cities to the loop. Not in one of those cities? No problem, you can use the guide for travel tips if you happen to be heading their way. They also launched a Green Job Board with solar jobs, apparel jobs and non-profit jobs on the board right now....
TckTckTck Campaign: An Interview with Kumi Naidoo
by Tom Szaky of TerraCycle, Trenton NJ on 09.22.09
Photo by Remy Steinegger
This week something fairly monumental is taking place: It's Climate Week NYC, where among other things, top government leaders from 90 countries are gathering for the United Nations climate session. It's also time for things to kick into high gear for TckTckTck, an innovative global alliance of people, businesses, even faith groups, with a singular purpose: Make it abundantly clear the great importance they see in their country's leaders coming together for the pinnacle of this series of high level climate change focused discussions, COP15, happening in Copenhagen in December of this year....
Zappos.com Now Sells Recycled Glass Dishware
by Kristin Underwood, Sacramento, CA on 09.22.09
Image via: Zappos.com
Zappos.com, that gigantic shoe website where you can get tasteful and tasteless (and even vegan) shoes at cheap prices, now sells Recycled Glassware? Yep, and with a name like Highbury Collection of Recycled Glassware Serving Pieces, they're catering to the elite greenies with pieces like this. Surprise: the name may be highbrow, but the prices aren't. ...
The Business Plan of the Last 30 Years Has Failed: Union of Concerned Scientists' President
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 09.22.09
UCN's Kevin Knobloch (second from left) speaking as part of Climate Week NYC, photo: Matthew McDermott
Among the public events during Climate Week NY°C was a rally last night at the New York Society for Ethical Culture for "Jobs, Justice, Climate" -- which as you might gather from the title was about the intersection of the labor movement, green jobs, social justice and climate change. A number of labor notables were in attendance -- Roger Touissant from the Transport Workers Union, former president of Ireland Mary Robinson, ILO director-general Juan Somavía -- but perhaps the most concise statement about how weak emission reductions targets and unambitious action on climate change really mean a stifling of job growth came from the Union of Concerned Scientists' Kevin Knobloch: ...
TreeHugger Talks Climate with Bill Clinton
by Brian Merchant, Brooklyn, New York on 09.22.09
Bill Clinton and TreeHugger's Brian Merchant
Bill Clinton has become one of the most influential, ardent supporters of climate action of our time--and within five minutes of his walking into the small conference room at the Sheraton New York, it was clear why. His passion on the subject is infectious, his logic crystal clear, and his thinking fresh and forward-looking. Along with a handful of other bloggers, I sat down with the former president to discuss the most serious problems facing the world in honor of the fifth annual Clinton Global Initiative. Naturally, climate change rose to the top of the agenda. ...
PG&E Says See You Later To Chamber of Commerce
by Daniel Kessler, San Francisco, California on 09.22.09
Clarence Darrow, defense attorney in the Scopes evolution case, and William Jennings Bryan, associated prosecuting counsel.
The big California utility PG&E Corp announced today, the same day that President Obama addressed the United Nations on the importance of climate action, that they'll be leaving the U.S. Chamber of Commerce over the business group's objections to the global warming bill now moving though Congress and what the PG&E Corp top chief called the Chamber's "extreme position on climate change."...
Augmented Reality + iPhone + Your Bike Helmet = Futuristic Cycling (video)
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 09.22.09
Image via Zeptotools
Augmented reality has been making its way onto our radar more often, especially with its potential for greening up our use of everything from public transportation to choosing shops and restaurants. It's also gotten the attention of some cycling gadget geeks who have done something really cool with it - or at least with the idea. They've turned it into a hands free navigation system for cyclists. ...
Meanwhile, Outside the Ivory Tower of the UN... Recap of Monday & Tuesday's Climate Week Announcements
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 09.22.09
Low-lying nations such as the Maldives called for stronger action to protect their nation and their lives. Photo: Christian Jensen via flickr.
If you weren't following along, this morning was the main official diplomatic show of Climate Week NY°C, the UN Summit on Climate Change -- but a number of other important developments and statements were made that didn't figure into the carefully worded statements by heads of state. Here are some of those:...
SolarCity Announces Sun-Powered EV Fast-Charging Stations in California
by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada on 09.22.09
Photo: SolarCity
Gotta Start Somewhere...
Having many accessible fast-charging stations is a prerequisite to a wider adoption of electric cars. Most EV owners will charge their cars in their garage most of the time, but if you need to drive a longer distance, it's important to know that you'll be able to find a charging station (even better if it's high-amperage). So it's good news that SolarCity, a company backed by Tesla Motors CEO Elon Musk, along with Rabobank, has announced that it is building a corridor of solar-powered fast-charging stations along Highway 101 between San Francisco and Los Angeles....
Vote in the Chain of Eco-Homes Competition
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 09.22.09
I am in shock. I agreed to be a juror in the Chain of Eco-Homes competition for Greensburg along with a few other outstanding architects, writers, and Greensburg residents and just had a look at the extraordinary quantity and quality of the entries. It is overwhelming; how can we possibly get through all this? Fortunately we have help with the public vote, which counts as an equal juror in the competition. In six days, 16,000 people have voted; Voting closes on the 30th.
Three building technologies have been chosen for this competition, and a winner will be chosen from each. (details of each in a previous post here)
At time of writing, the most popular is the Grasshopper House....
China Will Cap Emissions Intensity: Your Move, U.S.
by Alex Pasternack, New York, NY on 09.22.09
With the world watching, China's president Hu Jintao offered his country's biggest climate change initiative yet at the UN this morning, saying China would establish emissions intensity targets --not absolute targets, but cuts in emissions per unit of GDP.
Amidst a testy US-China climate dance, the targets represent a peace branch and a signal to other developing countries. They could achieve emissions reductions that are "measurable, reportable, and verifiable" -- a Copenhagen goal -- and could establish a framework for future emissions caps. But the carbon efficiency pledge lacks numbers, is not mandatory, and, while it would cut carbon output per GDP by a "notable margin" by 2020 compared to 2005 levels, it is not likely to cut China's overall emissions.
The China-U.S. carbon-cut dance continues. Now it's up to the U.S. to take the lead....
Wind Turbine Makers Lobby U.S. for Green Energy Mandates
by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada on 09.22.09
Photo: Acciona
Will the Wind Still Blow?
Wind turbine makers think that the only way to keep their industry growing at a good rate is for the US government to impose a green energy mandate and require that a certain percentage of electricity come from renewable sources (like the wind). The federal stimulus money has helped keep things going, but looking ahead, orders for 2012 and beyond are said to be "extremely light". ...
Oops! Montreal Protocol Solutions May Be Causing Global Warming
by Kristin Underwood, Sacramento, CA on 09.22.09
Old refrigerators line sidewalk in Havana, Cuba - to be replaced by new ones from China. Could these guys be partly responsible for our climate change problem? Image via: Marco Traverso on Flickr. com
The Montreal Protocol, signed in 1987, had the very large responsibility of eliminating CFCs and other chemicals that destroy the ozone layer. And it did a pretty good job at it too. Unfortunately, it seems that now those same alternative chemicals that were thought of as solutions are now contributing to global warming. Darn it! More on this story by NPR's All Things Considered after the jump....
Modified Honda CRX HF Wins Fuel Economy Competition with 118 MPG!
by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada on 09.22.09
Photo: EcoModder
No Clunker Here: 20 Years Old Car Shows Us What Can be Done
Seems like the 95 MPG DIY Aerocivic has met its match! Chang Ho Kim took part in a fuel economy rally with his modified1989 Honda CRX HF, and he won with an impressive 118 MPG (over 104 miles of winding roads through the southern Adirondack mountains). In fact, his MPG score was so good - especially since it was his first time competing in a MPG rally - that the judges had to verify more than once that they hadn't made a mistake at the pump when calculating how much fuel had been used....
Electric Supercharger Boosts Torque 50% and Reduces CO2 by 20%
by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada on 09.22.09
Photo: Controlled Power Technologies
Making Gasoline Engines as Efficient as Diesel
The most common type of hybrid car uses electricity stored in batteries to power an electric motor. But what if instead of going to a motor, that electricity was used to power an electric supercharger? That's exactly what UK firm Controlled Power Technologies (CPT) is doing, and the results are promising. Tests on various engine types have shown that a gasoline engine equipped with this tech can compete with a diesel, and torque has been increased by 40-50% and CO2 emissions have been reduced by around 20%. ...
TreeHugger Live at the UN Summit on Climate Change
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 09.22.09
image: Gabriel Rodriguez via flickr.
Note: This post will be updated throughout the day. Check back for updates as events unfold.
12:00 EDT -- Monitoring Expectations & Staking Out Positions
Nothing really spectacular actually came out of today's statements, though I'm not sure anyone expected otherwise. The mood so far definitely seems to be of monitoring expectations and laying out positions, with pains taken not to appear adversarial, prior to the big show in December. Everyone is on board with the idea that something has to be done about climate change, and sooner rather than later, but among the big players, no one seems really to be willing to give that much ground -- at least at this stage and in this biggest of public forum. ...
Taking Volvo's Electric C30 for a Spin (Video)
by Jacob Gordon, Nashville, TN on 09.22.09
(Images: Dick Gilbert)I recently had the pleasure of taking two of Volvo's latest prototypes for some blissful laps around the test track in Gothenburg, Sweden. This is the first time Volvo has presented its all-electric C30, a technology still in the research phase, and I got a good feel for where the company's stands with its EV and plug-in hybrid projects. Seen in action in the video below is the BEV (Battery Electric Vehicle), based around the already-in-production Volvo C30. The car has a fantastic feel: tight handling, satisfying pickup, and a beautiful sound during acceleration. The car is outfitted with two lithium-ion batteries, one under the hood, the other beneath the trunk, giving the car a range of 150 km (about 93 miles). I also sampled a plug-in diesel hybrid, a technology that Volvo will bring to commercialization in 2012....
IBM Proves Smart Grid Reduces Energy Use By At Least 15%, Reveals Key to Success
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 09.22.09
For the last six months, IBM has been testing a pilot project in Fayetteville, North Carolina, that aimed to find out what kind of energy savings could be realized by utilizing the smart grid and implementing simple habit changes. Yesterday they revealed the results so far, and found that the project showed an average of 15% energy savings at homes and businesses, and as much as a 40% savings in some homes. The trick to success is that very tool we've been watching develop and stake its claim as an invaluable piece of the energy conservation pie: The real-time user dashboard. ...
Amazing! Bike Faster than Helicopters, Running Faster than Car in Sao Paulo
by Paula Alvarado, Buenos Aires on 09.22.09
Photos: Delcio G.P. Filho and Matthew Maaskant.
Do you want more proof that encouraging car use in a city is only going to lead you to traffic hell? Take a look at Sao Paulo: the city of ridiculous car jams, where there are more privately held helicopters than anywhere else in the world.
The thing is, not even the air has solved the traffic problem, and the new highways that are being planned for the city won't solve it either. It seems so obvious that the right way to go is to discourage the use of cars (like Bogota or Curitiba did), but now we have proof (a great treat for World Car Free Day).
A group of cyclists have put up a test and had 18 different combinations of transport travel a distance of about 10 kilometers (over 6 miles) during rush hour. Guess what? Two of the cyclists turned out to get to destination faster than the helicopter, and all the cyclists, a runner, the bus and, ¡a skater! took less time than the car. This last one took a nerve-racking 82 minutes to cover that distance.
More details in the extended....
Making a Case for the Cardboard "Recession" iPhone Skin
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 09.22.09
Image via Case-Mate
Red Ferret pointed us to this 99 cent iPhone skin, saying it's the iPhone's ugliest, cheapest accessory. While that may be true, it actually is a really cool case for at least three reasons. ...
Omega Hydroponic Garden Gets Five Times As Much Food Per Watt
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 09.22.09
We often wonder about the benefits of indoor hydroponic gardening, given that the sun is free. After all, Illegal hydroponic installations are often discovered by their abnormally high electricity use. Last month Sami introduced us to the Omega Garden system; looking at it a bit more closely I wonder, can it make high tech urban gardening economically feasible and actually more energy efficient than growing outdoors?
But Vancouver based Omega Garden's Carousel system rotates the plants around the bulb. They claim that it yields three to five times the weight of plant per watt of electricity used, compared to conventional flat systems. Their commercial carousel system produces as much as a 1500 square foot greenhouse in only 150 square feet, and their LED system just sips electricity.
...
Fake Tour De France Pranksters Surprise Sunday Cyclists (Video)
by Sami Grover, Carrboro, NC, USA on 09.22.09
Image credit: NQTV via YouTube
What would you do if you were out for a Sunday ride and you were suddenly accosted by hundreds of screaming fans, a support car, and even a male streaker? If you're anything like me, you'd pedal like heck to escape these lunatics. Not so in France - where prankster Remi Guillard has been surprising Sunday cyclists with their very own 'tour' victory celebrations - and from the looks of the video that's been making the usual viral rounds, folks seem to generally take it in good humor. ...
Let's Get Small
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 09.22.09
There is a lot to be said for being small. I am comfortable in economy airline seats; I often get clothing really cheap (and still wear hand-me-downs from my nephew Dan), I need fewer calories to survive and get happy on less beer. Over at Slate, William Saletan suggests that it might help save the planet if more people were small, and suggests a little selective breeding and genetic engineering.
Smaller people consume fewer resources, live longer, and are cheaper to transport. They can fit in a Hyundai. Forty-five years ago, if you were 6 feet tall, you couldn't fly in a NASA space capsule. Now, you can barely fly coach. Blessed are the short, for they shall inherit the earth.In another post he says "Don't tell me it's impossible. Look what we've done to dogs." He suggests that it we could save a lot of resources this way. He has a point. ...
If We All Do Compact Fluorescent Bulbs, the Mercury Will Drop
by Graham Hill, New York, NY on 09.22.09
Dimmable CFLs now available - photo via Velo Steve @ flickr.
Today's compact fluorescent lights are now light-years ahead of their ancestors of just a few years ago, in terms of the range of styles available and their lower price points. True, LED lighting is nipping at the heels of the lighting industry, solving a lot of lighting needs with very low energy use, and possibly a better life-cycle profile. But at TreeHugger, we've long agitated for CFLs, and we still do. Now that the European Union has banned incandescent bulbs, perhaps we'll be able to see that a CFL world will be still bright enough, and with billions of dollars saved in energy costs as a bonus.
Yet some of us can't quite forget about the dangerous drop of mercury in CFLs....
Infrastructurist on Solar Roadway: FAIL
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 09.22.09
When Jeremy first wrote about the Solar Roadway two years ago, the comments were pretty uniformly damning, running the gamut from "This is the kind of idea I'd expect to see a 12 year old write a poster on at a science fair." to "ok, finally caught my breath, I was laughing so hard after reading this. "
When it came around again like a bad penny (or should we say bad $100K) this summer and was seen on Inhabitat and Grist and just about every other green website we lay low. The Infrastructurist did no such thing, going so far as to call the idea "totally batshit crazy"...
Former Bush Environmental Expert To Speak At Bank of America, Merrill Lynch-Sponsored Conference
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 09.22.09
Copenhagen with a different layout. Image credit:NextSmallThings, layout by CoolChaser.
Bankers are tempted for some hot climate action. Maybe not so hot. James L. Connaughton, former Chair of Bush's Council on Environmental Quaity and Director of the [Bush] White House Office of Environmental Policy...currently Executive Vice President, Corporate Affairs, Public and Environmental Colicy at Constellation Energy (NYSE:CEG) got top billing at a "power leader" gathering.
News Blaze reported: Constellation Energy Executive Vice President James Connaughton to Present at the Bank of America Merrill Lynch 2009 Power & Gas Leaders Conference...
PARK(ing) Day 2009: San Francisco and New York Reclaim Urban Spaces (Slideshow)
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 09.22.09
Photo credit: Jaymi Heimbuch
The fifth annual PARK(ing) Day was last Friday, and promised to be the biggest and best one yet, but we wanted to get out and see for ourselves. TreeHugger previously looked at how previous years stacked up, so to speak, but how would this year's compare?
Intrepid TreeHuggers in San Francisco, where it all started, and New York City, set out to have a look and see how PARK(ing) Day worked in their cities. First up -- Jaymi Heimbuch, in the city where it all began: San Francisco.
See also: StreetFilms Covers PARK(ing) Day in NYC and San Francisco
...
Readers, Send Us Photos of All Your Electronics In a Pile - How Many?
by Emma Grady, New York, NY on 09.22.09
We might just cry if your pile looks anything like this. Credit Gizmodo
Do you still rock out to a walkman or walk down the street with a boom-box slung over your shoulder? Buy your tapes from thrift stores and electronics second-hand? Still gabbing away on a cell phone from the mid-90s? Has your computer lasted for years on end like Trevor's ten year old Powerbook? Or have you replaced/ ecycled them all with the iPhone? Prove it! We want to see photos of all your electronics in a pile -- you might have more than you think -- how many? Click through for details and if you haven't already -- view this week's slideshow: Readers' Best Refashioned Clothing Projects. ...
Mercury in Mascara May Make You Want to Put Down That Wand
by April Streeter, Gothenburg, Sweden on 09.22.09
Photo .Baz via flickr.
You may not want to do what I did. In a spare moment of organizational fervor, I decided to clean out my makeup bag. The result wasn't pretty -- a pile of tubes, sticks, and cases that didn't exactly look their best after months of jostling in the messy makeup bag. But what was much, much uglier was the shock I got when I started to check my motley pile of eyeliners, shadows, blush and mascara against the Environmental Working Group's Skin Deep Cosmetic Safety database. ...
Schools Made From Mud, Campers on Shopping Carts, Cool Camera Projects and More!
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 09.22.09
LA Landscape Looks Like War-Torn Landscape: This video shows what the southern California landscape looks like after the fires. It never fails to be jarring, even though it happens every year.
DIY fisheye lens: Check out this cool hack for turning your digital's lens into a fish eye lens.
Pop-up camper on a shopping cart: Talk about having everything you need on wheels, in miniature. Artist Kevin Cyr is building a pop-up camper atop a shopping cart. This is a follow-up to his Camper Bike, a 3-wheeler bicycle with a truck camper on the back.
Star Wars considered as an environmental feel-good movie: In "What If Star Wars Was Made By Environmentalists?" the movie is reimagined as "Star Non-Violent Resistance" and puts some humor into environmentalism.
Handmade mud school in Bangladesh: This school in Bangladesh takes a great spin on beautiful hand-crafted architecture, built by people within the village, and even the kids can help out. ...
The Inside Scoop on Renault's New Electric Cars
by Bonnie Alter, London on 09.22.09
Renault's Zoe Z.E.
The Frankfurt Motor Show is the world's biggest, with 753 exhibitors unveiling their shiniest and brightest and best cars. Last week at the show, Renault announced their decision to roll out a series of 4 all-electric cars, with the first one ready for the road in 2011.
This TreeHugger attended the Show, at the invitation of Renault, and was invited to a series of presentations about the car, and its development, as well as a thrilling test-drive. After the fold: (almost) everything you ever wanted to know about the future of electric cars. ...
London Fashion Week: Plight of Bees Inspires Stunning SS10 Collection
by Leonora Oppenheim, London, UK on 09.22.09
All photos via Paul Persky www.persky.co.uk
A fashion collection dedicated to the plight bees is creating a buzz at London Fashion Week. Talented young designer Ada Zanditon, who we championed at Estethica earlier this year, has created a beautiful collection inspired by Colony Collapse Disorder. Surely when environmental issues become key themes of fashion collections we must know that we're getting somewhere! After hives were welcomed into the new White House garden and the success of the Tweehive experiment on Twitter, the plight of our buzzing friends really is the height of fashion! Click through to see more images from Ada Zanditon's Spring/Summer 2010 collection....
StreetFilms Covers PARK(ing) Day in NYC and San Francisco
by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada on 09.21.09
China and the U.S. Could Fix Climate -- If Leaders Let Them: Duke Energy CEO at Climate Week NY°C
by Alex Pasternack, New York, NY on 09.21.09
Chinese and American companies are eager to find ways to cooperate and work with each others' country, provided their governments support them, Jim Rogers, CEO of Duke Energy, said at a Climate Week NY°C panel discussion on China-US energy issues today. He was sitting next to Sen. John Kerry, who is leading the push in the Senate to pass climate legislation.
It will someday be "hard to tell if these companies are Chinese or American," Rogers said, referring to two China-based, US-linked renewable energy companies represented at the event, solar giant Suntech and Broad, which makes non-electric air conditioners. Issuing his firm support of a US climate bill for its power to finance clean energy, Tracy R. Wolstencroft. Managing Director, Goldman Sachs, said that a climate solution will depend upon a "three-legged stool" of policy, technology and capital. "All of those will need to move at the same speeds."...
Google Maps Earth's Carbon Cycle
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 09.21.09
Image via NASA
Google Earth has a new application that shows carbon dioxide in different layers of the earth's atmosphere. Tyler Erickson, a geospatial researcher at the Michigan Tech Research Institute in Ann Arbor, responded to a competition call from Google asking scientists to present research results using KML, a data format used by Google Earth. This is what he came up with - an app that illustrates for us the carbon cycle, a deeper understanding of which can impact everything from mainstream understanding of carbon emissions to environmental policy. ...
Undisturbed, Prehistoric Sand Dune Discovered at Michigan State University
by Jeff Kart, Bay City, MIchigan on 09.21.09
Photo: Courtesy MSU.
The sprawling campus of Michigan State University takes in 5,200 acres. There are trees that shade the landscape and a Red Cedar River that runs through it. Researchers have just found a 16,000- to 20,000-year-old sand dune on the campus, too, beneath a grove of pine trees....
Does Organic Also Mean Sustainable or Just Non-Toxic?
by Kristin Underwood, Sacramento, CA on 09.21.09
Family farm versus corporate farm. Image via: Chumlee10 on Flickr.com
Did you know quite a few, if not most, of organic food companies these days are actually owned by major labels that you stopped supporting years ago? Is that really a problem, since it means that organic is available just about everywhere these days, or does it mean the movement has lost part of its soul? New article by the Reading Eagle delves into the issue....
Newsweek's Green Ranking: Who Topped the List?
by David DeFranza on 09.21.09
Photo credit: Señor Codo/Flickr
As a tool for quick comparison, Newsweek's Green Ranking is a commendable effort. But who is actually at the top of the list and what did they do to get there?...
Newsweek Releases a Green Ranking of America's Biggest Companies
by David DeFranza on 09.21.09
A cap-and-trade bill in Congress and the UN Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen this December have serious implications for the way businesses treat the environment.
Already, many companies have made an effort to reduce resource consumption and green house gas emissions. In response, Newsweek has created a ranking to recognize such efforts....
"A Better World by Design" Conference: Students Rethinking our Planet, Coming Soon
by Matt Grigsby of Ecolect.net on 09.21.09
A group of Brown University and Rhode Island School of Design students have organized the second annual "A Better World by Design" Conference in Providence, Rhode Island. It's being held between both campuses which are in close proximity to each other from Friday, October 2nd to Sunday the 4th. The conference will focus heavily on design, integrative thinking, and social and environmental change, to excite professionals and students alike on the potential of ideas and collaboration across disciplines....
Recycled Truck Tarp Hats Used in Zombieland Movie
by Kristin Underwood, Sacramento, CA on 09.21.09
Want to fight zombies and look like a badass at the same time? Well, now you can with the hat worn in the Zombieland movie. It's made from repurposed materials so you can protect the planet from zombies and excess waste at the same time. ...
U.S. Gives 2.5x More Subsidies to Fossil Fuels ($72 Billion) Than Renewables ($29 Billion)
by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada on 09.21.09
"Subsidies to fossil fuels, a mature, developed industry that has enjoyed government support for many years, totaled approximately $72 billion"
A new study (pdf) by the Environmental Law Institute (ELI) reviewed fossil fuel and energy subsidies in the U.S. for fiscal years 2002 to 2008. It concludes, sadly but unsurprisingly, that fossil fuels are still getting a lot more help from the government than renewables despite the recent increases. But what's worse is that the majority of those subsidies and tax breaks are going to "sources that emit high levels of greenhouse gases", and many of the subsidies to renewables are going to controversial things like corn ethanol....
We Can't Have Just Any Deal in Copenhagen - We Need a Fair, Ambitious, Binding Deal: TckTckTck Chair
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 09.21.09
TckTckTck chair Kumi Naidoo (left) speaking in the press scrum after the Climate Week NY°C opening ceremony. Photo: Matthew McDermott.
While most of the speeches at the Climate Week NY°C opening ceremony were your normal diplomatic fare -- earnest with carefully chosen words -- those of TckTckTck chairman Kumi Naidoo really stood out. Though politely agreeing with the notion expressed by Tony Blair and others that we must not make the perfect the enemy of the good in Copenhagen, he went on to lay out what a future global climate deal needs to look like, regardless of the exact emission reduction targets included:...
Climate Week NY°C Kicks Off with Crossed Arms, Wagging Fingers & Symbolic Technical Difficulties
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 09.21.09
photo: The Climate Group
Climate Week NY°C began officially with an opening ceremony in the New York Public Library in Bryant Park. Attended by distinguished diplomats such as UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, former UK prime minister Tony Blair, US climate negotiator Todd Stern, India's environment minister Jairam Ramesh, and others (plus Hugh Jackman...), in many ways the event itself seemed a representation of the state of climate negotiations:...
Harvard Receives More LEED Certs Than Any Other University
by Kristin Underwood, Sacramento, CA on 09.21.09
Harvard green buildings conserve enough water to fill five of these pools each year.
Harvard just earned itself one more (green) distinction this week with its 20th LEED certification, more than any other university in the world (and more than the rest of the ivy league combined. Take that!). The Zhuang Lab was the happy recipient of green renovations and upgrades, and helps the school save a total of $680,000 in utilities annually....
Isoude: Gorgeous Green Fashion That's Built to Last (Slideshow)
by Meaghan O'Neill, Newport, R.I. on 09.21.09
Image courtesy of Isoude
A couple of years ago, I made the New Year's resolution that my new clothing purchases would be limited to green garments. With the quality and selection of green fashion that's become available recently, it's been a promise that has been increasingly easy to stick to. But although selection has increased drastically, the majority of stylish designs have centered on the downtown hipster look. That's all well and good for keeping green mainstream and hip...except for one thing: Hip trends come and go with the seasons. And what good is a pair or ruched organic cotton leggings if you can't wear them past next Tuesday? The truth is that to be truly sustainable, clothing -- whether it's made from peace silk or conventional wool -- must stand up to the test of time. That means pieces should not be only durable and well-made, but also designed to drape well and remain stylish and beautiful even after your whim for skinny pants or spiky bangs has fizzled. Enter Katie Brierley of Isoude, whose stylish sensibilities are built for the long haul.
Click through to read more, or go directly to the slideshow.
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US Carbon Emissions Down 9% Over Last Two Years
by Brian Merchant, Brooklyn, New York on 09.21.09
Since 2007, emissions in the United States have dropped a startling 9%, ending an entire century of rising emissions. And while many will be quick to point to the recession and high gas prices as the main cause for the flagging emissions, other factors, like increased energy efficiency and much more power coming from renewable sources, have played a prominent role as well. ...
Dow Jones Names Nokia the World's Most Sustainable Tech Company
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 09.21.09
Now here's something to stretch your imagination: Nokia as the world's most sustainable technology company. Maybe, maybe not - something like this is sure to entice debate. But according to Dow Jones Sustainability Indexes, that's how it rolls out when looking at how over 2,500 companies in 50 countries incorporate sustainability into their practices. ...
Nissan Leaf Electric Car to Emit Sound Similar to Blade Runner's Flying Cars
by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada on 09.21.09
Leaf EV Photo: Nissan
Ridley Scott's "Spinners" Still Inspire
After spending decades trying to make cars quieter, engineers are not faced with the opposite problem; electric cars (and hybrids when they run in electric mode) can be very quiet, leading to safety concerns (more on that below). Nissan's sound engineers are currently working on the Leaf EV, and they announced something that movie geeks are sure to appreciate......
Chrysler Replaces Dead Tree Owner Manuals with DVDs, Saves 20,000 Trees
by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada on 09.21.09
Photo: Chrysler
Next Step: Online-Only Manuals?
The owner manuals of many vehicles are 500 pages long and can weight up to 4 pounds. Chrysler has decided to save some trees (and cash) by going all digital for 2010. DVDs will be provided will all the information expected from a paper manual, but video tutorials will also be included to make things extra clear (in case the vehicle is so badly designed that you can't figure out how to do something by yourself...). Chrysler predicts that this move will save about 20,000 trees per year....
US Reluctance Looms Large Over International Climate Events
by Brian Merchant, Brooklyn, New York on 09.21.09
Photo via Raw Story
This month is absolutely packed with vital talks, summits, and meetings between the world's most important climate players. Climate Week just kicked off in New York City, and the Clinton Global Initiative begins tomorrow. Then the G20 summit in Pittsburgh gets underway, where climate policy is sure to be a focus of discussion. Heads of state from around the world and the most prominent climate action advocates are pushing for a unified treaty to succeed Kyoto in Copenhagen this December. But there's one major shadow looming over the proceedings: the US, the country that's hosting all of these events, again appears reluctant to undertake significant climate policy....
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Diverts Almost 100% Stormwater Runoff
by Kristin Underwood, Sacramento, CA on 09.21.09
Sample Stormwater Runoff into Pond. Image via: Stark Environmental
Through a neat program, the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee is diverting 84% of their stormwater runoff and keeping it for use around campus, reports the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel. They're also getting part of it paid for through grants. Find out where and how after the jump....
Slideshow: Green Wheels of the 2009 Frankfurt Auto Show
by Jacob Gordon, Nashville, TN on 09.21.09
This year's Frankfurt Auto Show was an explosion of new green vehicles. With extravagant displays and more than 80 world-premiers, this year's show lived up to its reputation as the auto event to watch. It was also the year of green transportation: we venture to say that no major car show has been more jam packed with electric cars, hybrids, fuel cells, low-carbon diesels, and hybrids of every imaginable species. So take a browse through our slideshow of Frankfurt highlights and pick your favorites.
Also check out:
9 Electric Cars That Were The Buzz of Frankfurt Auto Show
Test-Driving Renault's All-Electric Car at the Frankfurt Motor Show ...
HP Announces Commitment to Reduce GHGs by 40% by 2011
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 09.21.09
Photo via daylife
Computer and electronics manufacturer HP announced today its goal to reduce its energy consumption and green house gas emissions of its products to 40% under its 2005 levels, all by 2011. As the Greenpeace tagging incident underscored, HP doesn't always stick to its target dates; however, it plans on meeting not only that goal, but also another big goal for 2013 that targets one giant C02-spewing area of its operations. ...
Gimme A Thermal Break: Get Rid of Radiator Fin Balconies
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 09.21.09
Image via archtechnik
Writing this morning about Studio Gang's Aqua Building, I was reminded of my discussion with Alexander Krenczik, who is trying to introduce thermal break systems that would eliminate the heat loss through balconies. He complained that nobody was interested in North America:
...
PICNIC'09 in Amsterdam: Green Challenge & Cradle to Cradle Amongst Other Inspriations
by Petz Scholtus, Barcelona, Spain on 09.21.09
September is PICNIC month in Amsterdam! This year's media, technology, entertainment, art and science festival seems yet a little bit greener than last year, and promises to be inspiring with Cradle to Cradle workshop labs this week....
Aqua Tower Gets Proggy from PETA for Being Bird Friendly
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 09.21.09
Edward Lifson
PETA isn't just worried about fur; they care about birds, too, and just gave a PETA "Proggy" award to Studio Gang for the bird-friendly features on its Aqua Tower....
Is Kevin Rudd The Climate Hero We've Been Looking For?
by Daniel Kessler, San Francisco, California on 09.21.09
Photo via Flickr
Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has positioned his country and himself as a honest broker in the international climate negotiations, and he is in New York this week to help get the stalled talks moving again. Australia is said to working behind-the-scenes on the legal framework for a new climate treaty and on methods to finance developing countries' efforts to adapt to climate change and the technology to develop in a low carbon way....
Awesome Tour of a Permaculture Allotment (Video)
by Sami Grover, Carrboro, NC, USA on 09.21.09
Image credit: EmbodyBruce
From permaculture design principles, to close mimicry of natural ecosystems, Permaculture is usually taught as a fairly methodical design discipline. But I learned about it somewhat differently. I make no apologies here for my bias in writing about my friend Mike Feingold - teacher, gardener, and co-conspirator who has been introducing the world, and Bristol, England in particular, to permaculture, sustainability and some fantastic varieties of fruit. It's my earnest belief the world could learn a lot from Mike - so I'm delighted to see a video on YouTube that explores his somewhat haphazard, yet incredibly productive, approach to permaculture gardening. It's also a first-hand example of why the allotment gardens that still pepper every UK town and city are such a vital resource. Read on to learn more. ...
On Climate Change 'We're Screwed'! - The Yes Men Spoof New York Post
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 09.21.09
If you don't live in New York City or otherwise know the style of the New York Post's style of headline and coverage, you may not get how serious cool this is, but trust me it is. Activist group The Yes Men have taken the Post's no-nonsense approach and really laid out what likely to happen should the international community really get its collective act together on climate change. Basically we're screwed:...
5 Places Riding Your Bike is Banned or Illegal (You'll Be Surprised)
by April Streeter, Gothenburg, Sweden on 09.21.09
Photo by ascendeddaniel via flickr.
Because the bike is one of the most efficient forms of transportation ever devised by man, it is sometimes hard for us hard-riding bicycle proponents to remember that not everybody loves bicycles. In fact, escalating road rage shows just how much some people can't abide bikes. What's amazing is that so many places exist in the world where it is actually illegal to ride a bike. Perhaps the funniest example is Baldwin Park, California, where it is prohibited to ride a bike in a swimming pool, while the saddest is the injunction against Saudi Arabian women bikers. Read on for wild and crazy rules keeping bikers from their bikes....
Joules, the Tandem Bike Robot that Pedals for You (Video)
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 09.21.09
Images via Endless Sphere
If you have a tandem bike but no one to ride it with you, perhaps Joules could be your partner. The robot's creator, Carl, devised Joules after being challenged to create a tandem electric bike based on actual pedal pumping, plus try to make it effective enough to manage the steep hills in Carl's neighborhood. Turns out, Joules does all the pedaling! Check out the robot in action after the jump....
Technology on International Space Station Will Map Out Earth's Coastlines
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 09.21.09
Photo via Ethan Hein, CC BY 2.0
When it comes to mapping out Earth's coastlines and getting a detailed record of them globally, what better spot to set up shop than 225 miles overhead? The Hyperspectral Imager for the Coastal Ocean (HICO) - new technology that has just reached the International Space Station - is expected to give scientists their first detailed look at the planet's coasts, helping us to monitor and measure environmental characteristics. But who will use the information is a bit of a mystery......
Good Front Porches are Science as Well As Art
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 09.21.09
Steve Mouzon
Front porches are wonderful inventions; they provide an intermediate buffer zone that let you actually build more closely to the street, and they help bind neighbourhoods together. They are also often hit-or-miss; sometimes they work and sometimes they just sit there empty.
Steve Mouzon at The Original Green channels his inner Dr. McCoy as a qualifier (I'm an architect, Jim, not a social scientist!) but comes up with a formula for getting it right, changing what used to be an art into a bit of a science.
He describes his research:...
Team Earth Uses Social Networking to Save Tropical Rainforests (Video)
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 09.21.09
Photo via Daquella manera
Social networking and social media are proving to be among our most powerful tools for mobilizing people to action. Twitter has helped groups engage followers for good causes, such as charity: water's twestival, and there are even social networks created specifically for green causes like WiserEarth and MakeMeSustainable. A new group of people are looking to make social networking key for stopping Amazonian deforestation - Team Earth. ...
Do You Play "Thermostat Chicken"?
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 09.21.09
image via Icanhascheezburger
I never knew the name for the game we play every year about this time, when it starts getting cool and we see who breaks down first to turn up the thermostat. Will it be me because I can't type? Or my wife because she can't play the piano? Sami introduces us to Thermostat Chicken- "a term used for the practice of avoiding heating in winter, or cooling in summer, and competing - implicitly or explicitly - with other household members to see who can hold out the longest."
...
Low-Carbon Goods And Services Revenues Top Aerospace & Defense, Globally
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 09.21.09
Over the past two decades, US nuclear power plants have achieved increasingly higher capacity factors with the same or greater levels of safety. Image credit:Nuclear Energy Institute
HSBC Bank is reporting higher cumulative global revenues from "low-carbon" businesses than for the combined 'jets, rockets, and bombs' sector. While HSBC's inclusion of nuclear power in the low-carbon "sector" likely overlooks the energy inputs needed to extract and process uranium, it directs attention to the fact that the nuclear industry has consistently raised productivity (as indicated by US data, above) with low rates of new nuclear plant construction. Revenue growth was especially strong for renewables in 2008. Cumulative result: revenues from the total "low-carbon" sector rose very strongly during 2008, surpassing aerospace and defense, in spite of the recession, and in spite of the fact that government also supports the A&D sector. See selected data below....
Quote of the Day: Witold Rybczynski on The Green Case for Cities
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 09.21.09
The Atlantic
Witold Rybczynski is a terrific writer, and puts together the green case for cities in a short essay in the Atlantic, with a few digs at the green gizmo approach to sustainable design:
The problem in the sustainability campaign is that a basic truth has been lost, or at least concealed. Rather than trying to change behavior to actually reduce carbon emissions, politicians and entrepreneurs have sold greening to the public as a kind of accessorizing. Keep doing what you're doing, goes the message. Just add a solar panel, a wind turbine, a hybrid engine, whatever. But a solar-heated house in the burbs is still a house in the burbs, and if you have to drive to it, even in a Prius, it's hardly green.He continues with a demolition job on most of the posts we have done on building materials and technologies: ...
Curry Stone Design Prize Finalists Announced, Include TreeHugger Fave Rob Hopkins
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 09.21.09
Orquideorama
Designers can be an instrumental force in improving people's lives, and the Curry Stone Prize is given architects who do the kind of work that normally would not make the conventional design scene, but that can have huge impact. (Last year we were all over the Curry Prize winner MMA for his sandbag housing)
Kate Stohr of Architecture for Humanity, an advisor to the program, wrote to tell us that this year's finalists have been announced. First up are public works in Medellin, Colombia instigated by Alejandro Echeverri and Sergio Fajardo, the former director of public works and mayor, who used architecture and design as one of their tools to clean up the notoriously deadly city....
Ask Pablo: What is the most efficient use of solar power?
by Pablo Paster, San Francisco on 09.21.09
Image Source: greenlagirl
Dear Pablo: I was wondering what is the most efficient use of solar power? is it small arrays of panels used to heat water, large residential arrays used to power homes, or large solar thermal arrays in the desert? The answer to this question is a complex "all of the above." The use of solar for hot water and electricity on a residence, as well as the use of utility-scale Concentrating Solar Power (CSP) in the desert, are not mutually exclusive....9 Electric Cars That Were The Buzz of Frankfurt Auto Show
by Bonnie Alter, London on 09.21.09
In addition to Renault's four electric concept cars, lots of other car companies had electric concept cars on display at the Frankfurt Motor Show too. But will they have the nerve or commitment to go ahead with them? The answers are far from clear.
Renault is counting on the rising price of gas to make us turn electric. Other car dealers are betting on hybrid because the combination of gas plus electric will make buyers feel safer. But many still had an electric concept on show. Mini had this cutie on display, but stated flat-out that they had no intention of ever building it. More questions after the fold....
E. Coli Can Be Used To Clean Up Nuclear Waste
by Jerry James Stone, San Francisco, CA on 09.20.09
Picture courtesy of Hulu.com
Researchers have found that E. coli can be used to recover uranium from tainted waters and can even be used to clean up nuclear waste.
Using the bacteria along with inositol phosphate, the bacteria breaks down the phosphate--also called phytic acid--to free the phosphate molecules. The phosphate then binds to the uranium forming a uranium-phosphate precipitate on the cells of the bacteria. Those cells can then be harvested to recover the uranium. ...
Gordon Brown: I'm Going to Copenhagen, World Leaders Should Too
by Daniel Kessler, San Francisco, California on 09.20.09
Photo via Flickr
UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown will announce in Newsweek tomorrow that he will personally attend the international climate negotiations in Copenhagen in December and that he encourages other world leaders to join him. Brown is in New York for Climate Week, a series of events centered around the UN General Assembly's session on climate change. ...
"Beds'r Burnin:" the New Green "We Are the World"
by Roberta Cruger, Los Angeles on 09.20.09
Midnight Oil's Peter Garrett, now Australia's Minister of the Environment. Photo by mushroom and rooster via Flickr
Hands across the globe everybody, sing along: "The time has come/a fact's a fact/It belongs to us all/Let's give it back." The 1987 Midnight Oil hit, "Beds are Burning" has been tweaked and re-recorded by 55 artists to be released October 1, when it will be available for free downloading. No doubt, the video will be on YouTube. Duran Duran, Bob Geldof ("Live Aid" organizer and former Boomtown Rat reprises his "Do They Know It's Christmas" idea), The Scorpions, and others revisit the '80s to call attention to climate change.
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Off Grid Couple Answers Questions about their Mortgage Free Life
by Trevor Reichman on 09.20.09
image via vela creations
Last week, we introduced you to Abe and Josie, a young couple in the Chihuahuan Desert who built their own home with virtually no experience, designed a popular and inexpensive wind turbine, and raised their newborn without diapers. Last week's article was a very basic introduction to the wonderfully successful off grid life of Abe and Josie and we urge you to explore the specifics from their site and blog, Vela Creations.
Last week's article was boing boinged, and many interesting comments and questions have been triggered, mostly how's and why's about their unique lifestyle and choices.
Please read further for an in depth and fascinating interview with Abe Connally of Vela Creations as he answers questions on behalf of himself and his wife Josie....
Hey David and George, You Might Want To Ask the President About Climate Change and Energy
by Daniel Kessler, San Francisco, California on 09.20.09
Photo via Flickr
President Obama today made the rounds on the Sunday talk show circuit, but I only had time enough to watch ABC's "This Week," hosted by George Stephanopoulos, and NBC's "Meet the Press," hosted by David Gregory. Following their pattern, neither host asked the leader of the country with the biggest economy and the most greenhouse gas emissions about climate change or energy policy. What's doubly perplexing is that Obama is set to address the United Nations this week on climate change....
Supermodel Gisele Bündchen Becomes UN Environmental Goodwill Ambassador Today in NYC
by Emma Grady, New York, NY on 09.20.09
Gisele Bündchen named next UNEP Goodwill Ambassador. Credit Guardian
Brazilian-born Supermodel and enviromental activist Gisele Bündchen became a United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Goodwill Ambassador today at Washington Square Park in New York City. Gisele -- one of our 7 hot female models who are also Environmentalists -- joins fellow Goodwill Ambassador Yann Arthus-Bertrand, French photographer and creator of HOME -- in taking on climate change and environmental degradation. Hear from Gisele -- after the jump....
EPA Study: Up to 62% of Greenhouse Gas Emissions Are Influenced by Materials Management and Land Management
by Sara Novak, Columbia, SC on 09.20.09
photo: J. Novak
It wasn't until very recently that the EPA declared that carbon dioxide poses a threat to human health. With the government's stated goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 83 percent by 2050, a recent EPA study examines the actual impact of carbon dioxide emissions. While the study considers the impact of carbon dioxide emissions in broad terms, it provides a general idea of which areas control the largest pieces of the impact pie....
US Green Building Council Wants Structures Labeled for Air Quality & Energy Efficiency
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 09.20.09
Nutrition Labels as Universal Home Labels. Image credit:Jetson Green
Measuring a building's environmental performance is sensible, assuming stakeholders, including tenants and owners, can agree with and understand metrics and measurement protocols. Among the many obstacles to understanding: there are multiple building types, in widely varying solar gain and weather extremes to be represented. Another is that no building owner wants a data billboard or clashing color swatch on the wall. Houston doesn't even have a zoning code, for heavens sake. Those sorts of obstacles aside, the USGBC is pushing for whole-building performance metrics (pdf file), and for taking it to the next level - every building gets a label that indicates environmental performance. I won't discuss proposed metrics or label protocols, as they don't yet exist; but, I will outline the US political context as affects prospective acceptance....
Thomas Friedman: Don't Be a Wimp, Support a Gas Tax
by Daniel Kessler, San Francisco, California on 09.20.09
Photo via Flickr
Is there a newspaper columnist today who has the influence of Thomas Friedman? Maybe George Will, but Will uses his platform to try to sow doubt about climate change, while Friedman uses his to be an evangelist for clean energy. In his Sunday NY Times column, Friedman returns to his idea that our national security and economic health are dependent on solving the twin problems of energy and climate. This week, Friedman suggest a gas tax, and uses our failure to adopt one as proof that maybe we're not as tough as we think we are. ...
Pearl Jam Backspacer Tee-Shirt for Target Available Today, Help Feed Hungry
by Jeff Kart, Bay City, MIchigan on 09.20.09
Image courtesy Pearl Jam/Target
Seattle grunge rockers Pearl Jam, set to release a new CD album "Backspacer" today, Sunday, Sept. 20, are making it easy to help feed the hungry in America. Working with the green fashion designers at Loomstate, the band has produced a limited edition tee-shirt being sold exclusively at select Target stores nationwide, beginning today. You can also get the shirts online....
Arms and Barnes: Upcycled Furniture from Farm and Factory
by Sami Grover, Carrboro, NC, USA on 09.20.09
Image credit: Arms and Barnes
Upcycled furniture is nothing new here at TreeHugger. From chairs made of reclaimed window blinds to furniture made from old water towers, the idea of taking something old and defunct and breathing new life into it is a beautiful manifestation of sustainability. The latest design house practicing material reincarnation to come our way is Arms and Barnes - makers of luxury furniture constructed from discarded factory and agricultural waste. Click below the fold for a video of their creative process. (It also raises a question about their carbon footprint.)...
Final Footprint: Colorful, Expressive Funerals for a Better Future
by Sami Grover, Carrboro, NC, USA on 09.20.09
Image credit: Final Footprint
I was once told by a commenter that writing about green funerals was taking environmentalism too far. But with 500,000 deaths in the US alone every year - the funeral industry has a huge environmental impact. Luckily, there are plenty of companies out there looking to make a difference. From jute coffins to sleek paper caskets to woodland burials - our end-of-life options are expanding. So much so that I even wrote a complete guide on How to Green Your Funeral. Now another company has come to my attention - offering not just greener funeral options, but a unique way to celebrate the life of the departed too......
Europe Celebrates Green Ways of Getting Around
by Jennifer Hattam, Istanbul, Turkey on 09.20.09
Young cyclists take to the streets in Requena, Spain, as part of a previous European Mobility Week event. Photo by European Mobility Week via Flickr.
From Almada, Portugal, where residents will be able to swap recyclable materials for free rides on public transportation, to Budapest, Hungary, where a major boulevard will be closed to all motorized traffic -- except for public transit vehicles and hybrid cars -- and turned into a "living street" with green grass that hosts sports and theater events for three days, cities and towns all over Europe are celebrating European Mobility Week....
Ethanol in the Classroom: Industry Wants Kids' Ears
by Jeff Kart, Bay City, MIchigan on 09.20.09
Photo: hoyasmeg via Flickr.
The Renewable Fuels Association, a trade group for the U.S. ethanol industry, is taking its message to high school classrooms.
This association --- representing an industry that primarily uses corn, a food, to make fuel --- has partnered with teachers and the National FFA Organization to provide tens of thousands of high school students with information "about the opportunities available to them in the field of renewable fuels."...
HealthyStuff Tests for Toxins
by Christine Lepisto, Berlin on 09.20.09
Easy Info Source for Products You Buy for Your Kids, Your Pets and Yourself
The Ecology Center, a nonprofit environmental research organization, has announced the results of product testing and the creation of a website HealthyStuff.org to help consumers make choices and encourage support for controls on the toxins in everyday products.
For example, out of 100 women's handbags tested, over half contained more than 1,000ppm (0.1%) of lead, a neurotoxin that builds up in the environment. But we can hear you thinking: you've heard it all before, about so many products....why should you bookmark HealthyStuff? Whether you are lured by the good reasons or by the interesting trivia below, we suggest you at least take a look.
...
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.
