- 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 October 11, 2009 - October 17, 2009
Total this week: 183
From the Forums: What Do You Think of Zoos?
by Alex Davies, New York City on 10.17.09
Image Credit: gumuz-online
TreeHuggerForever writes:
I have always loved the zoo. I love to see wild animals up close that I might not otherwise see in their natural habitats...Still, a small part of me can't help but feel skeptical. It bothers me to see that although the animal's habitats look fitting to their natural biomes, some still aren't big enough (for example: in my zoo, the leopard that always paces back and forth, the rhinos, etc.) I am very against circuses, as animals are turned into over worked robots forced into doing ridiculous stunts for the entertainment of the ignorant. Should I be against zoos too, or am I wrong in doubting them?What do you think? Join the discussion....
Congress Approves DOE Funding for Three-Wheeled Vehicles
by Brian Merchant, Brooklyn, New York on 10.17.09
Photo via Gas2
Three wheeled vehicles may have just gotten the boost they need to get off of the drawing board and onto US roads: Congress just approved a bill that will allow three wheelers to get funding from the Dept. of Energy. Which means we might be sharing the commuter lane with three-wheelers like the XR3, or the Aptera 2e a lot sooner than anyone thought....
Waste-Based Energy: One Piece Of The Sustainable Energy Puzzle
by Wes Muir, Waste Management, Inc. on 10.17.09
Spittelau waste to energy plant provides district heating in Vienna. Image credit:Wikipedia
In the past few years, there's been much talk about the variety of available and developing technologies that could help secure a more sustainable energy future. Since October is Energy Awareness Month, the discussion of these energy alternatives is even more pertinent. You've probably heard about these developments, such as wind and solar power, as they have dominated headlines in the news and broad-scale discussions about renewable energy. But one technology that is both sustainable and consistently available yet rarely mentioned as an alternative to fossil fuels is waste-based energy. ...
Seventh Generation's Hollender Calls Out Chamber On Their Climate Position
by Daniel Kessler, San Francisco, California on 10.17.09
What Remains After the Continued Leveling of Appalachia
by Sara Novak, Columbia, SC on 10.17.09
Click to view the Leveling Appalachia: The Legacy
of Mountaintop Removal Mining.
One of the most advanced eco-systems in the world is being systematically destroyed as we speak leaving behind more devastation than the Exxon Valdez and Three Mile Island according to a recent video by Yale Environment 360. ...
ICVolunteers: IT + Education = A Better World
by Jennifer Hattam, Istanbul, Turkey on 10.17.09
A selection of photographs from the La Galerie exhibit. Image via ICVolunteers.
The work of professional art photographers and amateur volunteers hangs side by side at La Galerie in Geneva, creating a picture of the environment (and the people who are working to help protect it) around the globe, from China to Peru through India, Kazakhstan, and Nigeria....
Mitsubishi MiEV Test Drive Review (Video)
by Sami Grover, Carrboro, NC, USA on 10.17.09
Image credit: Llewtube
Yesterday I was musing about the green pros and cons of Robert Llewellyn's Carpool internet TV show, in which he drives around in a hybrid or EV with notable business people, celebrities and tech heads. True, it does involve some perhaps unnecessary driving around—especially when the conversation isn't about cars—but he is also promoting some of the most advanced motoring technology around. And green questions aside, I'm increasingly enamored with the relaxed, revealing conversations that result. Yesterday he interviewed Dale Vince of Ecotricity, revealing a little more about how he went from living in a truck to being one of the richest men in the UK by harnessing the power of the wind. This next episode is a little more car centric, as Robert takes the Mitsubishi MIEV electric car for a spin, and boy is he impressed!...
The Scat is Out of the Bag: The Adventure of Our Butts and Toilet Tips from TreeHugger
by David Friedlander, New York City on 10.17.09
Fecal Flags: A Global Standard For Combating Doggie Doo Pollution
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 10.17.09
"Pile looking for its owner" Image credit:The Local, Germany's News In English
In Germany private citizens have been flagging dog droppings as a prank to embarrass dog owners into cleaning up their mess. Across the Atlantic, city workers officially mark the doo doo with fecal banners in Wilmington North Carolina's Halyburton Park, where the effort is designed to reduce the pollution impacts of the large volumes of dog waste which tends to accumulate in city parks. Diverting dog waste to the landfill is important because, left on the land, it gets carried into streams, ponds, and lakes by stormwater runoff, contaminating beaches with fecal coliform and stimulating algae growth....
LA Fashion Week Spring 2010: Popomomo
by Emma Grady, New York, NY on 10.17.09
Lizz Wasserman showed Popomomo's (short for post-postmodern movement) Spring 2010 collection -- the confluence of geometric details, cutout shapes, pops of color, and abstract prints -- during LA Fashion on Broadway, this past week. Garments are made with sustainable fabrics -- hemp, organic cotton, and bamboo -- in L.A., click through for photos from the installation: Popova & the Constructivists. ...
Ireland Says Not in this Country: Bans Genetically Modified Crops
by Naturally Savvy on 10.16.09
Ireland has taken the bold step of banning the cultivation of all GM crops. Photo by ellievanhoutte via Flickr.
Prince Charles has called it the "biggest environmental disaster of all time," while Monsanto and others maintain it's safe for humans and the environment. Genetically modified foods are a contentious issue, but Ireland is erring on the side of caution, placing a ban on growing any genetically modified crops....
350.org Organic Cotton T-Shirts for October 24th International Day of Climate Action
by George Spyros, New York City, USA on 10.16.09
Don some do-gooding duds for the 350 International Day of Climate Action with organic cotton t-shirts. Click through to purchase and folks in New York: please plan your day accordingly for the BROOKLYN BRIDGE WALK. When: Saturday, October 24th, 2009 at 12pm Where: Manhattan side of the Brooklyn Bridge (there is an open plaza area across from the entrance to the bridge)...
Las Gaviotas: A Sustainable Community Cut Off From the World Almost 40 Years Ago
by Kristin Underwood, Sacramento, CA on 10.16.09
Image via: Thundercloudkid on Flickr.com
It sounds like something out of a fairy tale or a children's book, a community deep in the wild jungle of Colombia, cut off from society almost 40 years ago. Then, after the rest of the world turned their back on them, they suddenly take great interest as it turns out this community has found something the rest of the world needs. Energy. And not just a new supply source but something even better. They've figured out how to be sustainable without outside influence or resources, reports The New York Times. ...
Stella McCartney Thinks Smaller, Tilda Swinton Takes on Trump, and More
by Blythe Copeland, Great Neck, New York on 10.16.09
Photo via Fashionista
Designer Stella McCartney's new clothing line hits stores in November, but this fall fashion offering comes with a twist: the line, produced with Gap Kids and Baby Gap, is aimed at the eco-friendly weehuggers in your life. So what should you expect?...
Obama Plans Climate Bill Push, Supports Nuclear and Drilling Compromises
by Brian Merchant, Brooklyn, New York on 10.16.09
Photo via the Washington Post
In New Orleans yesterday, Obama said that after health care reform debate wraps up, his administration is getting ready to give climate legislation a major push. Sensing the bipartisan consensus that's starting to form around the bill, the president appears ready to throw his weight behind the climate bill--and behind the compromises that would allow for more nuclear power and domestic drilling for gas and oil. ...
Team Germany Wins 2009 Solar Decathlon! Video of Their Home & More...
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 10.16.09
Alleyways: the Key to Better Urban Design and Meeting Emission Reduction Goals?
by Kristin Underwood, Sacramento, CA on 10.16.09
Image via: somenametoforget on Flickr.com
Last night I attended the monthly Sacramento Sustainability Forum meeting, with special guest Graham Brownstein, Executive Director of the Environmental Council of Sacramento (ECOS). Pretty soon into the meeting he struck a chord when he emphatically stated that in order to meet our carbon reduction goals, we have to stop sprawling. period. There is no way we will meet these goals any other way. Next thing, lets put the over 600 unused alleyways in our city to work to help us meet these goals....
New NatureMill XE Series of Automatic Composters
by Jacob Gordon, Nashville, TN on 10.16.09
Image: NatureMillMounding kitchen scraps in the backyard is all well and good, but we've got nothing against letting technology speed up nature's progress. NatureMill first blipped on our radar back in 2005, and has been steadily improving its automated composting machines ever since. The San Francisco company just came out with the newest version of its home composting system, the XE series....
New Record: Hydrogen Fuel Cell Plane Flies 23 Hours With Zero Emissions
by Brian Merchant, Brooklyn, New York on 10.16.09
Photo via Ecofriend
Hydrogen Fuel Cell Plane Sets Record in Zero Emissions Flight
The Ion Tiger, an unmanned, hydrogen fuel cell-powered plane developed by the Naval Research Laboratory, just set an unofficial flight record--it flew for 23 hours and 17 minutes on a test run. And it did it all with zero emissions. ...
Is it Wallpaper? Is it Wood? 15 Reasons to Look Twice at Tile (Slideshow)
by Mairi Beautyman, Berlin, Germany on 10.16.09
Photos courtesy of Florim
With roots dating back to the Egyptians and the Romans, why do we always try to stick tile in the bathroom or the kitchen? After attending Italian tile trade show Cersaie, it became clear that this construction material is seriously underrated. And that's too bad, since with a little attention to the details, tile can be darn green. But tile manufacturers have a smart idea: Let's make tile incognito. Tile as wood, tile as stone, tile as wallpaper, tile made of tvs, and more in:
Is it Wallpaper? Is it Wood? 15 Reasons to Look Twice at Tile Slideshow
...
What Will Happen After COP15? Three Possible Scenarios
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 10.16.09
photo: Ann Baekken via flickr.
Considering that there remain some serious differences yet to be worked out before the COP15 climate talks (now less than two months away), including the fact that there's a good chance the US won't get around to passing a climate bill by December, there are many possible outcomes of the Copenhagen summit. Well, Reuters is presenting three scenarios that are worth considering: ...
Dead Bunny Rabbits Burned for Bioenergy in Sweden
by Brian Merchant, Brooklyn, New York on 10.16.09
Photos via the Local
Everyone loves bunny rabbits--they hop around gleefully, their noses twitch in that adorable way, and after they're dead, you can burn their corpses for bioenergy. At least, that's what they're doing in Stockholm, Sweden. See, they have a rabbit overpopulation problem in the Scandinavian capitol--the bunnies keep doing what they do best, and they're overrunning the plant life. So the resourceful Swedes came up with a solution: they kill the overabundant bunnies, toss their cadavers into a local heating plant, and keep the locals warm with dead rabbits....
Want to Kick Start Your Community Solar Power Program? DoE Launches Guide to Help
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 10.16.09
image: DoE
I have to say, the Department of Energy has been showing a lot of love for renewable energy in the past nine months and that's a very very good thing. The latest example of that is the newly released . Aimed at communities that want to make the most of their solar power resources, from putting panels on public buildings to ways to make it easier for homeowners, it's all in there:...
Water Drops on Leaves Inspire Wind Turbine Coatings That De-Ice Themselves
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 10.16.09
photo: Kyknoord via flickr.
There's lots of cool stuff going on with biomimicry these days and on Wednesday I got to see one of the coolest things I've seen in this arena in a while: Experimental superhydrophobic coatings for wind turbine blades. Inspired by the way water balls up on certain types of leaves, these promise more efficient renewable energy, safer airplanes, and more:...
From the Forums: Bunny Biofuel?
by Alex Davies, New York City on 10.16.09
Image Credit: peterastn-online
Mikev posted a link to this story, about Stockholm burning the bodies of killed rabbits for biofuel, and wants to know:
So the question... Is it green?What do you think? Join the discussion....
Quote of the Day: Marcel Coutu Buries Head In Oil Sands
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 10.16.09
Marcel Coutu is CEO of Canadian Oil Sands Trust, which owns 36% of Syncrude. He tells the Globe and Mail where Canada's priorities should be:
"What we have to do is prioritize what is most important to the economy and our quality of life. At the end of the day I don't think there is a single element of our economy that is more important than energy."
He also played down the oil sand's contribution to the climate change problem....
The War on Cyclists and Pedestrians is Getting Ugly
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 10.16.09
Tom Reel/Express-News via Tuscon Bike Lawyer
That's Kylie Bruehler at a memorial service for her parents, killed while riding on the shoulder of a highway by a pickup truck that somehow drifted off the road, hit them from behind and dragged them two hundred feet. Although the driver was speeding, no charges were laid; he wasn't drunk and it was considered an "accident." Meanwhile, the Governor of Texas vetoed a bill that would have mandated a minimum clearance from "vulnerable road users", saying that the existing laws give enough protection. The Governor wants to be fair to everyone:
...
Impressive: This is What a 15 Tons Illegally cut Tree from the Amazon Looks Like
by Paula Alvarado, Buenos Aires on 10.16.09
Photo: Ibama.
We're talking about deforestation in the Amazon all the time, but can we really understand the magnitude of what we're saying? This is where an image is worth a thousand words: this is how a 15 tons, 40 meters tall, ¡250! years of age, fallen tree from the Amazon looks like.
According to O Globo, this beautiful piece of nature was illegally cut down at Novo Mundo, in the state of Mato Grosso, Brazil; and will be showed at the country's capital, Brasilia, for an environmental exhibition next November....
Striking Rich on Wind: How Dale Vince Built Ecotricity (Video)
by Sami Grover, Carrboro, NC, USA on 10.16.09
Image credit: Llewtube
From his wind powered electric super car to his intellectual property battles with a French nuclear giant over a green British flag, Dale Vince is always good for stirring up grand green visions, and a little controversy along the way. As a man who struck it rich developing wind energy, who went from living in a truck to building some beautiful urban wind turbines, he's usually worth listening to. Which is why it's worth checking out this interview with Robert Llewellyn (of cult BBC sitcom Red Dwarf fame), in which Dale busts some myths about wind turbine load factor, the UK's wind generating capacity, and explains how Ecotricity got started. Only one question. Isn't it more than a little ironic to do the interview in a car? ...
Adaptive Reuse: Turning a Pumping Station into a Monster Home
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 10.16.09
Images by Mark Simon for the New York Times
We have shown many projects built into water towers and WWII bunkers; there seem to be so many spread about Europe. Michael Elmgreen and Ingar Dragset hang their hats in a former water pumping station, and perhaps it is too much of a good thing, the monster home meets adaptive reuse....
Crow Thought To Be Extinct Is Found, But People Are Hunting It
by Jeff Kart, Bay City, MIchigan on 10.16.09
Credit: Philippe Verbelen via MSU.
The Banggai crow was thought to be extinct, and only found in a museum. A Michigan State University species sleuth recently confirmed the existence of the black bird on a remote, mountainous Indonesian Island.
The only problem now: The bird needs protection. It looks a lot like a more common slender-billed crow called the Corvus enca, and the endangered version is being hunted by local residents. ...
A Chinese Photographer's 'Infernal Landscapes'
by Jennifer Hattam, Istanbul, Turkey on 10.16.09
Photograph by Lu Guang via National Press Photographers Association.
Freelance photojournalist Lu Guang's unflinching images of AIDS victims in China's Henan province, honored in the World Press Photo contest for 2003, successfully prodded a reluctant Chinese government to take action against the epidemic. In giving the photographer this year's W. Eugene Smith Award, jury members expressed their hopes that his latest work would do the same for the country's industrial pollution....
More Fabulous Necklaces from Origin Craft Fair
by Bonnie Alter, London on 10.16.09
What is it about necklaces this year? The second week of Origin: The London Craft Fair features tons of jewellery and more gorgeous natural and recycled necklaces.
These delicate and old fashioned pieces are all made from teacups, artfully combined with silver. The handles have been turned into rings, the back stamp has been mixed with pearls to make a necklace and the bracelet is cut from the rims. Even the little left-over bits have been turned into pendants. ...
Elroy Offers 25% Off Chic, Timeless Designs
by Kara DiCamillo, Newport, Rhode Island on 10.15.09
Choosing clothing made of sustainable materials should not mean a complete change of lifestyle, which is why Elroy designs for living. The company works to ensure that they include pieces that are better versions of what we may already have in our closets, along with chic, unexpected wonders that just might become our new favorites. ...
US Wind Industry Follows "Starbucks Rule" For Turbine Siting
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 10.15.09
Germany: Unveiling Our Energy Future Before Our Eyes And Putting the Power Back In Our Hands
by Kristin Underwood, Sacramento, CA on 10.15.09
Is this a scene from the future? Nope, it's happening now....in Germany. Image via: tristam_sparks on Flickr.com
In a four-part series by Der Spiegel, the paper explains how Germany is taking charge of the future energy revolution and it is all happening today. From mega projects like smart grids and deserts covered in lakes of solar panels, to the smaller house-hold projects like cutting edge appliances and mini-power plants in every basement, Germany is taking this whole efficient energy production idea very seriously, and as The Environment Report reports, they have managed to cut their carbon emissions 23% since 1990 by supporting and taking a chance on many of these ideas. While American energy markets are almost fearful of what that knowledge might mean, preferring to not allow consumers to have any idea even how much electricity they are using from day to day. Germany on the other hand is putting all of the power back in the hands of the consumer and allowing them to produce their own electricity and make an extra buck or two if they are proactive enough....
Blog Action Day 2009: If We All Just Do Two Things We Can Prevent Climate Change
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 10.15.09
photos: Alan Cleaver (L); rusvaplauke (R).
In addition to it being Global Handwashing Day it's also Blog Action Day 2009 and the theme is climate change. Personally, it's always climate change action day for me on TreeHugger, but it never hurts to re-emphasize the importance of climate change and what actions you can take to do your part. If you only have time to do two things regarding climate change (besides bombarding your representative with calls/emails urging political action) this is what you need to do:...
Yale Reduced Emissions 7% While Growing by 5.5% Since 2005
by Kristin Underwood, Sacramento, CA on 10.15.09
They've done more than just change out a few lightbulbs to meet this goal, and in fact this is only the beginning. Their ultimate goal is to reduce Yale University's greenhouse gas emissions to 43% below 2005 levels by the year 2020. Sure, you say, but I'm sure they have a huge endowment and near-endless means to pay for such drastic reductions. Nope, in contrast, they plan to meet their goal by spending less than 1% of their annual operating budget on upgrades and retrofits.
So if in the last 4 years the University has been able to reduce it's greenhouse gas emissions by 7%, and they have an additional 36 percentage points to go in the next 11 years, they have their work cut out for them. These numbers currently take into account two power plants, 3 campuses (central, medical and the West Campus) as well as emissions for fuel purchased for buildings not connected to these power plants. ...
Tiny Robot Trash Harvesters to Clean Streets of the Future
by Brian Merchant, Brooklyn, New York on 10.15.09
Images via Tuvie
Move over Roomba, you've just met your match. It's called the Scarab, and it's an automated robot that's been designed to efficiently and quickly clean much larger areas, like shopping centers and neighborhood streets. Could these little robots be the future of urban waste collection? More pics, design schematics, and info after the jump....
It's Global Handwashing Day: Do You Know How Safe and Effective Your Soap Is?
by Adam Lowry, Method on 10.15.09
Image via: Method
Oct 15th is Global Handwashing Day, and since I happen to be in the handwashing business, I wanted to examine the simple act of washing our hands from a design perspective. When you apply a design lens to how we wash our hands, you realize the current model is deficient. And applying that design lens offers insight to a healthier, greener way to live....
From the Forums: How to Deal with Bee Keeping Dangers?
by Alex Davies, New York City on 10.15.09
Image Credit: NoMindsVision-online
Greenvert wants to know:
I'm thinking about starting keeping bees, but I'm worried because I'm allergic to bee stings. I'd like to know if there's a way to be sure that I won't get stung (in the event that I do, I always keep some Benadryl with me just in case)- extra precautions, maybe. Any suggestions? Is this possible, or is it just not worth the risk?Got ideas? Post them here....
So Rude: "When was the last time you did something that inconvenienced 200 people?"
by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada on 10.15.09
EPA to Clamp Down on Water Polluters
by Brian Merchant, Brooklyn, New York on 10.15.09
Perhaps in response to recent revelations that hundreds of coal plants across the country are dumping waste into lakes and rivers where Americans get their drinking water, the EPA has announced it will be getting tough on enforcing the Clean Water Act. Here's what it's planning to do to keep our drinking water safe....
We're Now Committed to 1.4 - 4.3°C Warming by 2100 - But That's No Reason Not to Act!
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 10.15.09
New UNEP analysis serves as an update to the last IPCC report on climate change from two years ago and really should serve as a wake-up call to anyone who thinks climate change isn't happening and fast: After reviewing more than 400 studies done in the past two years, the report concludes that because of faster-than-predicted carbon emissions growth we are now committed to at least 1.4°C of warming by 2100 and as much as 4.3°C.
Saying that the "pace and the scale of climate change is accelerating, along with the confidence among researchers in their forecasts," the UNEP stresses that scientists are increasingly saying that some climate changes are really becoming commitments. In other words, even once we stabilize emissions these changes will still occur:...
Green Jobs: Now Better Paying than Non-Green Jobs
by Brian Merchant, Brooklyn, New York on 10.15.09
Photo via Stachowski
Green jobs now pay as well as, or better, than other jobs in similar sectors, a new report from PayScale and CleanEdge has found. This of course is good news--lawmakers, clean tech companies, and the unemployed are banking on such jobs to fill the void left by all those lost in the recession. Here's how much green jobs are paying, and why there still should be some buzz behind the term, even though it may be as overused as "Waaasuuup" once was....
Top Stories From Tonic: Denying Climate Change Deniers
by Tonic, the "good news" site on 10.15.09
This week Tonic participates in Blog Action Day, the one-day, worldwide blog focus on climate change. To celebrate, you should read Tonic giving climate change deniers some frank talk, take note of the alterna-Nobel prizes (no Obama involvement, thankyouverymuch) and partake in some truly green tea.
Check out this week's highlights from Tonic.
- David Bois has had it with climate change deniers. In honor of Blog Action Day, he vents.
- We heard a lot of hullabaloo over the Nobel Prize recently, but we didn't hear about the alternate version: The Right Livelihood Award. They recognize scientific research and education; who's going to argue with that?
- Tonic surfed the Earthwave, kinda.
- National Parks got some good news from the Department of the Interior: oil drilling got put on hold near the parks.
- Drink some truly green tea. You won't believe who's making it.
1.5 Million Children Die a Year From Diarrhea - Unsafe Drinking Water, Lack of Handwashing to Blame
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 10.15.09
That brownish liquid, that's actually drinking water... photo: HDPT Central African Republic via flickr.
Today may be Blog Action Day, with the focus on climate change, but it's also Global Handwashing Day (who knew...?) and as part of that UNICEF has just released a report on the great tole diarrhea takes on children in developing countries. Is there a green angle in it? Most certainly:...
"Tres Amigas" Superstation Could Connect the 3 US Electrical Grids
by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada on 10.15.09
A Bigger Market for Renewable Electricity
Currently, the US is sub-divided into three electrical grids (East, West, and Texas). This means that electricity produced in one of the grids cannot be transmitted to the other grids. For example, solar power from Arizona cannot reach Oklahoma, wind power from Texas cannot be used in the East, and so on. But this could change if the "Tres Amigas" project for a superstation connecting the three grids in Clovis, New Mexico, goes ahead. This could be a good thing for renewable energy, thought problems are also on the horizon....
US Headed For Massive Decline In Carbon Emissions: 9 Percent Drop In Last Two Years
by Lester Brown, Washington, D.C on 10.15.09
Carbon Peak Image credit:Natalee Parochka, Fine Art America
For years now, many members of Congress have insisted that cutting carbon emissions was difficult, if not impossible. It is not. During the two years since 2007, carbon emissions have dropped 9 percent. While part of this drop is from the recession, part of it is also from efficiency gains and from replacing coal with natural gas, wind, solar, and geothermal energy.
At the Earth Policy Institute, we believe that the United States has ended a century of rising carbon emissions and has now entered a new energy era, one of declining emissions. Peak carbon is now history. What had appeared to be hopelessly difficult is happening at amazing speed. (Read our full report.)...
GOP Senator Called "Half-a-Sissy," "Wussypants," "Asshat" for Supporting Clean Energy Reform
by Brian Merchant, Brooklyn, New York on 10.15.09
Photo via Kiev News Blog
Tough crowd. Say what you will about the so-called Teabagger crowd, but they sure know how to lay into a guy with insults right out of the 1950s. After Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) pledged to work together with Sen. John Kerry (D-MA) to pass comprehensive climate legislation, the reaction from fellow Republicans was, well, let's say--varied. While the move served to bring more GOP senators to the negotiating table, some of the more the more, er, opinionated Republicans lashed out, calling Graham an "asshat," a "wussypants," "half-a-sissy,"--and worse. Video of some of the insults after the jump....
City of Los Angeles Approves Waterless Urinals for All Buildings
by Kristin Underwood, Sacramento, CA on 10.15.09
And not just any urinals, the lucky winner is the H2Zero waterless urinal by Caroma, which beat out the competition to win this huge endorsement from one of the largest cities in the United States. Plus, green builders looking to get their permit approved now have one more ally on their side as this system has already been stamped off by the city.
In a city that has long had its battles with water conservation, this is just one more way to save lots and lots and lots of water. So just how did this "vitreous china urinal" clear all of the hurdles? Well, by making a product that outperformed the other urinals in operation, odor management, durability and waste build-up. If the city was going to approve a system that might make some people a little queasy, they had to find something that wouldn't leave a mess for anyone to have to deal with.
...
Author Margaret Atwood on The Year of the Flood
by Jacob Gordon, Nashville, TN on 10.15.09
Photo: George WhitesideMargaret Atwood is one of the most respected authors of our time, with dozens of books of poetry and fiction to her name, among them Cat's Eye, The Handmaid's Tale, and Oryx and Crake. Her latest book, The Year of the Flood, is set in a fallen future: society has crumbled, climate change and pandemics ravage the planet, and people are forced to rediscover their relationship with the land. Miss Atwood chats with TreeHugger about the God's Gardeners (the book's rooftop-gardening eco cult), her pantheon of ecological saints, and the greening of her book tour and her own life. (Our apologies for the sound quality--we did our best.) Listen to the podcast of this interview via iTunes, or just click here to listen, right-click to download. Music from Piers Faccini. Full text after the jump....
Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells Coming to a Handbag Near You
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 10.15.09
Image via G24i
Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) are super thin, cheap solar cells that can operate indoors. Created by G24 Innovations, the first batch of the new solar cells have found a home in fashion, heading to Hong Kong-based consumer electronics bag manufacturer Mascotte Industrial Associates for use in backpacks and bags. And the best part...the bags aren't ugly. ...
Greenpeace Says Bolivian Offset Project is One Big Carbon Scam & US Electric Companies Behind It
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 10.15.09
photo: Greenpeace
Here's a good example of how not to do carbon offsets, as well as the potential danger in relying on sub-national REDD offset programs rather than reducing emissions at the source: Greenpeace USA has just released a new report highlight the failures of the Noel Kempff Climate Action Project in Bolivia, sponsored by American Electric Power, BP, and PacifiCorp. Basically, not only is it reducing emissions 90% less than promised, deforestation has actually increased elsewhere:...
"Coal" Is A Dirty Word In Troubling New Documentary
by Greg Haegele of Sierra Club on 10.15.09
Image credit: Photo of mountaintop removal coal mining at Kayford Mine, West Virginia. © 2006 B. Mark Schmerling, courtesy Sierra Club Library
A new award-winning film premiering on Planet Green on November 14 will change the way you think about coal. It will make you sick -- it might also make you cry -- to see entire mountaintops blown apart to reach the coal inside. This practice has destroyed folks' lives and sparked a civil war among residents of Appalachia -- all so we can turn our lights on at night....
UK Zero Waste Policy Might Mean Waaaaay Too Many Sort Bins
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 10.15.09
Photo via Samuel Mann
The UK is looking to tighten up their zero waste policy, which means sorting will start at home. However, that also means that households could be required to use as many as 6 bins to properly sort materials. ...
IPCC Head Says Aspirational Statements Not Enough, We Need Deep Emission Reductions by 2020
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 10.15.09
Political leaders have made all sorts of back slappingly good 2050 commitments for emission reductions, but without the right short- and mid-term targets those long-term goals don't entirely cut it. That may be just my opinion, but it seems to be shared by IPCC chairman Rajendra Pachauri -- who was just quoted by AFP on the matter.
Pachauri said,"It is not enough to set any aspirational goal for 2050, it is critically important that we bring about a commitment to reduce emissions effectively by 2020."
Reinforcing the point he added, if the G8 commitment to keep global temperature rise to 2°C is to be met that global emissions must peak by 2015....
From the Forums: What to Read?
by Alex Davies, New York City on 10.15.09
Image Credit: gadl-online
TreeHuggerForever writes:
I am kind of a book nerd, and lately have been reading any books about our environment, the green movement, endangered species or human/ animal relationships. (Now reading "Wesley the Owl.") Any suggestions for other good books to read that fall under one of these categories? The more I can learn, the better. And yes, I get them all from the library.Suggestions? Post them here....
Earth on Fire: The Awesome Power of Volcanic Eruptions, Captured in Pictures (Slideshow)
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 10.15.09
Photo credit: Bernhard Edmaier
Our planet is a complex, wild, constantly changing system, and sometimes the stuff that's hiding inside the planet, under the Earth's crust, bubbles up (or explodes!) in dramatic volcanic fashion. Photographer Bernhard Edmaier has captured some of the more interesting, fascinating, and scary volcanic eruptions around the globe and collected them in a fabulous forthcoming book.
Here's a sneak peek at Earth on Fire: How Volcanoes Shaped Our Planet by Bernhard Edmaier, text by Angelika Jung-Hüttl, Phaidon 2009 -- a look at geothermal regions in Europe, the Americas, Africa, New Zealand, the Indian Ocean and the Caribbean, including many of the world's well-known volcanoes such as Mount St. Helens in the USA, Kilimanjaro in Tanzania and Krakatoa in Indonesia.
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On the Way to COP15: Battling an Unlevel Playing Field
by Federica Bietta, Coalition for Rainforest Nations on 10.15.09
...but some progress has been made on REDD text. Photo: Angelique via flickr.
As was expected, the bar for progress and positive outcomes was set quite low for the Bangkok Climate Talks. Contentious issues--such as defining "common but differentiated responsibility" and financial support from Annex I countries to developing countries to adapt to and mitigate climate change--were largely unresolved after two weeks of discussions. Most parties maintained old and rigid positions and did not seek a common ground:...
Say No to Phonebooks Campaign Works to End an Old School Waste of Paper
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 10.15.09
Image via Say No to Phonebooks
Phone books are massive chunks of paper that get delivered to your door every year whether or not you actually use it. And really, who uses phone books anymore? Practically everyone looks up everything online, or with FREE411 at the very least, and rarely is a phone book cracked open. And yet, every year, they arrive on your door step. That's why 192.com and Global Action Plan have teamed up to end the madness, and make receiving a phone book an opt-in option. ...
The US Consumes 1500 Plastic Water Bottles Every Second, a fact by Watershed
by Petz Scholtus, Barcelona, Spain on 10.15.09
MSLK, a New York based graphic design firm, uses art to raise awareness on the consumption of plastics. Their most recent project, Watershed, has been touring New York City during Climate Week and set the scene for benefit performances by Moby, Thom Yorke of Radiohead, and a speech by Kofi Annan during the world premiere of "The Age of Stupid". Guess what the 1500 plastic water bottles used to construct this eco-installation represent? (see video and more images below)...
Urban Farming in West Oakland: Goats, Veggies and Backyard Slaughter (Graphic Video)
by Sami Grover, Carrboro, NC, USA on 10.15.09
Image credit: Chow
I find myself increasingly taken with the term "urban farming". From the awesome permaculture allotment of Mike Feingold to the Carrboro Urban Farm Tour to the urban aquaponics of Growing Power, these pioneers can't be described as gardeners. They are growing serious amounts of food for themselves and their fellow human beings. They are farmers. I've just come across a video that provides an inspiring illustration of the importance of urban farmers, not just in growing food, but in revitalizing traumatized neighborhoods and reinventing the urban landscape. (Warning, there is some graphic footage of animal slaughter!) ...
LG POP Cell Phone Goes Solar Powered
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 10.15.09
Images via LG
The latest entry into the market of cell phones with embedded solar cells is the POP from LG. The slick phone - very similar to the LG Dare - boasts an optional battery cover that is a solar cell, letting users charge up the battery with sunlight. ...
Will the Smart Grid Be Watching You?
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 10.15.09
When I first read Mike's post From Smart Grid to Big Brother? I thought wow, these people are paranoid. Then I read the comments and find that some Americans think they are living like Will Smith in Enemy of the State.
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Multinational Companies Are Breaking China's "Most Basic" Pollution Law
by Alex Pasternack, New York, NY on 10.15.09
Top multinational and Chinese companies are not reporting what pollutants they are releasing into China's air and water, as a new law requires, according to a report by Greenpeace.
Among the eighteen companies cited were eight of the world's top 500 companies -- Shell, Samsung Electronics, Nestle, LG, Kraft, Motorola, Denso and Bridgestone -- and 10 major Chinese companies, including industry leaders such as PetroChina and Shenhua....
Japan's High Tech Graveyard Solution as Burial Space Grows Scarce
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 10.15.09
Green (or not so green) burial rituals routinely catch our eye, one of the reasons being the carbon footprint of coffins being built just to go into the ground or the amount of lawn that has to be manicured. Japan has come up with a novel, high-tech and space-saving solution that reuses warehouse building space as a place to mourn the dead. ...
Top 5 Reports on US Chamber of Commerce + Impact of Its Climate Policy
by Leonora Oppenheim, London, UK on 10.15.09
As the US Chamber of Commerce comes under more and more pressure for its out of touch climate policy our own Daniel Kessler reported on the Chamber's bad PR week and TH Blog Love took a tour of the blogosphere to see just how bad the flak is. So let's see who is saying what about the CEO's who are taking a stance on Climate Change and the exodus of top flight companies from the Chamber. ...
The Princess and the iPod
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 10.15.09
Images via Creative Pro
In her wonderful presentation at Explore Design, Dimitra Doufekas noted that the Princess phone was the iPod of its day, the "must have" accessory. it is an interesting story about design; it was more than just a phone, but a complete change in the way we used phones. ...
News From Mother Jones: October 15 - The Incredible Shrinking Chamber of Commerce! and More...
by Mother Jones on 10.15.09
Hello there, TreeHuggers, and welcome back to the weekly roundup of Mother Jones' environment news.
You've likely heard that the US Chamber of Commerce is shrinking as its members balk at the organization's Draconian climate policies. That's too bad for the Chamber, especially since, as Josh Harkinson reports, the Chamber wasn't as big as it claimed it was. Three million businesses strong? Not by a long shot.
Meanwhile, in California, Gov. Schwarzenegger steals the spotlight from the real stars of solar power legislation. But Bill McKibben makes the case that it'll take more than politicians to fix the climate before time runs out.
This week's Econundrum sheds new light on an age-old chestnut: Do snot-nosed kids trample all over the planet? And speaking of snot, the latest symptom of climate change is floating islands of mucus in the Mediterranean. Read all the charming details here.
That's all for this week. For more greenish news from Mother Jones, check out the Blue Marble blog. ...
The Poo Project and Other PortaPotty Adventures
by Warren McLaren, Sydney on 10.15.09
Winter is inching inexorably closer for our Northern Hemisphere readers, and for a few hardy souls (skiers, snowboarders, snowshoers and alpinists) this will bring with it the excitement of days and nights spent in the snowy backcountry. The wilderness may beckon, but nature also calls. What to do our human waste in these pristine environments? Because, come the spring thaw, the evidence, once hidden from view, becomes very exposed. And soon finds itself contaminating nearby waterways.
A couple of years ago the Cairngorms National Park, in Scotland, developed a rather elegant solution to the problem of winter waster or frozen faeces....
Recycling Makes Old Become New at Origin Craft Fair
by Bonnie Alter, London on 10.15.09
At Origin: The London Craft Fair the definition of craft cuts across all boundaries. From necklaces made of driftwood to jigsaw puzzles turned into brooches, recycling of old and natural materials is an important aspect of many artists' work at the show.
We loved these handbags and suitcases made by Lisa Tilley. She collects old suitcases, vintage fabrics and paper, bags and boxes from all the usual places--charity shops, flea markets and garage sales--and gives them a whole new life. ...
Procrastinator's Guide To Ocean Acidification: You Are The Alien
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 10.14.09
Aliens. Image credit:Fox Movies poster, via WikipediaProcrastinators are remarkably consistent in their addiction to the "strategy" of last-minute response. They cram all night before final exams. Wait to propose marriage until they think they may have seen him/her flirting with another. Don't buy groceries until forced to eat fast food for days on end. The rub is, with climate change, "Mañana," the strategy, doesn't work. There can be no last minute response. Only total expiration. A death-fascinated expiration over a generation or two. Would it grab a procrastinating guy's attention if Sigrourney Weaver wrote about Swimming in a Sea of Acid?...
Canada's First Grain CSA Transports Via Sailboat and Triples Demand in Second Year
by Kristin Underwood, Sacramento, CA on 10.14.09
Image via: Jon Steinman, Deconstructing Dinner
Jeff reported on the launch of this unique(ly) Candadian CSA, Urban Grains, that brings grain to shareholders, roughly this time last year. While a grain CSA is unique, this one is extra special because all of the grain is transported via sailboat - talk about cutting their carbon footprint and their fuel costs. What he and they didn't count on was that the program would be so wildly popular that they are tripling their supply in only their second year....
For the Founders of Guayaki the Future isn't Just in the Tea Leaves
by David DeFranza on 10.14.09
Image credit: tracyshaun/Flickr
We've talked about Guayaki, a company focused on bringing premium Yerba Mate to the North American market, several times before. Their business, which encourages local communities to reforest threatened rainforest areas to produce shade-grown Mate tea, is as unique as its beverages are on store shelves.
Early advocates of the "triple bottom line" business model, founders Alex Pryor and David Karr have proven that slow growth with a conscience is a sustainable business strategy. Their next move, however, might be more revolutionary....
GreenCookingPots Offer Le Creuset Designer Style Without the Designer Price Tag
by Kristin Underwood, Sacramento, CA on 10.14.09
Creators Cafe and Mica McMullen. Image via: GreenCookingPots
Thanks to the folks at Daily Candy for this awesome tip! With the holidays coming up, and that inevitable office party or family gathering, maybe it's time to freshen up your kitchen cookware. Or, maybe you want to ask for some decent cookware for your first new home, but don't know where to get green items that won't make your family laugh out loud? Thanks to GreenCookingPots, you can get all of these things checked off of your holiday wish list. ...
Five Million Dollars for Five Millimeters of Plastic
by Christine Lepisto, Berlin on 10.14.09
Image: The Coca-cola Company
Everyone knows Coca-cola company is huge, and getting huger. Growth plans in the 2008 Annual Report include statistics estimating 800 million population growth and over a billion people joining the "coke-buying classes" as incomes expand. The chart above shows that US Americans drink more than a coke per day on average. Of course, more than half of the "coke" is water; less than half is Coke's cornerstone "sparkling beverages".
Romania won the coke-guzzling startups race, going from 0 coke products per year in 1988 to 223 cokes per year, putting them just behind Canada in the global rankings. But the stat that caught our eye as we followed up a tip from some guy proud of his prose was five million dollars. For five millimeters (less than a quarter inch) of plastic....
Another Bad PR Week for the Chamber of Commerce Over Climate Policy
by Daniel Kessler, San Francisco, California on 10.14.09
The much beleaguered U.S. Chamber of Commerce is having another bad PR week after Mother Jones revealed yesterday that they have inflated their membership numbers and that the holding company owned by multi-billionaire Ronald Perelman is thinking of leaving the Chamber because of their policy on climate change action. Two weeks ago, Apple left the Chamber saying they were out of touch on the need to do something about global warming....
California to Ban Power-Sucking Big Screen TVs Next Month
by Brian Merchant, Brooklyn, New York on 10.14.09
Photo via Plasma Big Screen TV
In what's sure to be a contentious issue, California is moving to ban on energy-hogging big screen TVs. The idea first picked up steam earlier this year, but now it's looking more and more like a sure thing: the Golden State will be the first in the nation to enact such a ban....
Dairy Farmers Come Together to Deal With Cow Farts and Climate Change
by Kristin Underwood, Sacramento, CA on 10.14.09
Image via: pascalk on Flickr.com
Seems like the topic of climate change can bring around some of the strangest, and best stories. Corporations turn their back on each other for not believing in it. And yet others are banning together, like the sailing club that is helping grain coops in Canada bring their goods to market, just for the fun of it. Now dairy farmers are all banding together to face up to their role in changing the climate and help each other out with some of the best practices in dairy farm management, energy efficiency and resource management....
Public Option is the Cap and Trade of Health Care and We Need them Both
by David DeFranza on 10.14.09
Image credit: leoncillo sabino/Flickr
With the climate debate shifted over to the Senate for the time being, the House of Representatives has occupied itself with developing a health care reform plan. Recently, a consensus on this plan has slowly begun to emerge. It calls for the establishment of a public option but allows states to opt-out if they choose.
Like all things that pass through the legislature, lots of people think this is a great idea while a sizable minority think it's evil. It reminds me of a similar mechanism that was recently the subject of hot debate: cap and trade....
From Smart Grid to Big Brother?
by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada on 10.14.09
Image: Apple's famous 1984 Ad
She Usually Draws a Bath at 8:15...
Smarts grids and smart appliances are gaining a lot of mindshare these days. The main stated benefits are: A more efficient use of energy, and a higher capacity to handle intermittent renewable power sources (such as wind and solar). But there is another important issue that gets shoved under the rug: Privacy. These smart meters and appliances will be sending lots of data to power companies. What will happen to it is an important question that needs to be answered....
Cap and Trade a Success! 103 Million Americans Now Breathe Cleaner Air
by Brian Merchant, Brooklyn, New York on 10.14.09
NOx-reducing air towers. Photo via Freeport LNG
Well, it looks like the cap and trade is a success--since it was implemented in 2003, smog levels have gone way down, and over 100 million Americans breathe cleaner air. All thanks to a system put into action that allowed polluting companies to find market-based solutions for lowering their emissions. Their Nitrogen Oxides emissions, that is. Yup, I'm talking about the effective cap and trade that has drastically reduced NOx emissions over the last five years--though of course, it makes a strong case for a cap and trade for CO2 as well....
From the Forums: What to Do About Overpopulation?
by Alex Davies, New York City on 10.14.09
Image Credit:
We've already discussed whether or not the world is overpopulated, but Pilon wants to know, what can we do?
In the 'Population Control' topic about 95% of the comments are made by people convinced that the world is overpopulated and the other 5% of the comments are made by people who are arguing that people simply consume too much. Less than 1% of the comments on either side of the debate are backed up by anything that could be considered peer reviewed academic material. As far as I'm concerned people can continue this endless discussion in the 'Population Control' topic. However, if you're as sick of this back and forth as I am and you want to discuss the solutions to overpopulation (assuming the world is overpopulated) then do so here.What do you think? Join the conversation....
9 Best Eco Apocalyptic Science Fiction Films of All Time
by Mairi Beautyman, Berlin, Germany on 10.14.09
Photo left via tvtropes.org; photo center via allposters.com; photo right via impawards.com.
There's nothing like a vision of a world gone to hell to get the point across.
Movies--especially fantastic movies--have the power to hit messages home with people around the world, regardless of class, race, or socio-economic background. In these nine post-apocalyptic movies (and one tv episode), ranging from the 1960's until next month (one's not released yet) the death destruction, and general bleak futuristic visions are all based on environmental disasters. A note on the selection process: Don't expect to see "Waterworld". Bombs, even with savvy green messages, didn't make the cut. Disagree or think I missed something? Fire away in the comments. Oh, and this list is filled with spoilers. ...
The Best of GOOD: the Awesome GOOD 100, Hope for Copenhagen, and Abandoned Gas Stations
by Alex Pasternack, New York, NY on 10.14.09
What our GOOD friends have been up to this past week...
We continue to roll out the GOOD 100 (entries will be posted daily through October 22), our annual list of the people, projects, and ideas moving the world forward. Included this week were Dead Aid author Dambisa Moyo, San Francisco conceptual artist Jonathan Keats, and a woman who is secretly storing thousands of pounds of human waste (for gardening purposes, of course)....
Readers' Fall Foliage Photos (Slideshow)
by Emma Grady, New York, NY on 10.14.09
Fall foliage; Delaware Water Gap in Pennsylvania/New Jersey. Credit: Randy Kato
The weather is turning and so are the leaves; from aspens in Wyoming to maples in Tennessee, fall into this weeks readers' slideshow: Fall Foliage Photos. If you missed last week's Readers Photos it's not to late to enjoy our tasty Fall Harvest slideshow, and stay tuned - later today we'll be asking for more of your photos.
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ASR Reef Restoration, Loved by Surfers and Sea Life Alike
by Kristin Underwood, Sacramento, CA on 10.14.09
Image via: ASR Ltd.
ASR Ltd, the leader in recreating coral reef ecosystems, has created a new multi-purpose reef system that not only decreases beach erosion, but also provides killer waves. Surfers around the world will be stoked, as will marine life, who now have a new place to call home....
THTV: Pro Surfer Rob Machado on Indonesia, Wells & Drinking Water Part 2 (Video)
by George Spyros, New York City, USA on 10.14.09
Cheetah's Return in the Cards for India?
by Jennifer Hattam, Istanbul, Turkey on 10.14.09
An African cheetah in Kenya. Photo by Mara 1 via Flickr.
After widespread hunting of both the cheetah and its prey, along with the converting of grassland habitat to farmland, caused the big cat to disappear from India nearly a century ago, the world's fastest land animal may once again start zipping around the country....
The Dyson Air Multiplier: A $300 Bladeless Cooling Machine
by Jacob Gordon, Nashville, TN on 10.14.09
Image: Dyson
The Air Multiplier fan from Dyson has no visible blades--just a ring, one-foot across, mounted on a circular base--but out of it flows a strong, turbulence-free cylinder of cooling air. Vacuum magnate Sir James Dyson has done it again, or so it seems. The Air Multiplier fan is a piece of home cooling technology with a potent wow factor and, quite likely, the potential to save quite a lot of energy.
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Secret Report Revealed: Bush Admin Determined CO2 to be Public Threat in 2007
by Brian Merchant, Brooklyn, New York on 10.14.09
Photo via Photobucket
In December 2007 the Bush administration found that greenhouse gases, especially those emitted by motor vehicles, were a danger to public health, and therefore should be regulated by the Clean Air Act. This finding was sequestered for years, the story of its suppression was well known. The 29-page report (pdf) by Bush's EPA itself was only seen by a select few, copies were not allowed to be made, and the White House's Office of Management and Budget blocked an effort to make it public. The document has only now been released for the first time to the American public. ...
Waterless Carwash Held by Green Teens in La This Weekend
by Kristin Underwood, Sacramento, CA on 10.14.09
Image via: greenambassadors on Flickr.com
Kids these days, what'll they think of next. Instead of loafing around and getting in trouble, several teens in Los Angeles are running their own non-profits and spending the weekends teaching people how to save the planet. This weekend, you too can get invovled and show them a little green love by supporting the Green Youth Movement (GYM) and attending their Waterless Carwash, not that's not a joke, in the Brentwood area of Los Angeles....
Walk21 NYC: It's All About Walking, Baby
by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada on 10.14.09
David Suzuki Wins 'Alternative Nobel' from Right Livelihood Foundation
by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada on 10.14.09
Photo: Flickr, CC
For "Raising Awareness on Climate Change"
Canadian eco-hero David Suzuki might not be getting a Nobel prize like Barack Obama, but his life's work has not gone unnoticed. The Right Livelihood Foundation, which was founded in 1980 by Swedish-German philanthropist Jakob von Uexkull to "recognize work that he felt was ignored by the Nobel Prizes," will give an honorary award to Suzuki. The prizes will be handed out at the Swedish parliament on Dec. 4, a week before the actual Nobels....
Belgrave Trust on Carbon Offsets for the Affluent
by Neil Chambers, New York City on 10.14.09
The dirty, stinking rich! Yeah, I said it! They are always getting called-out for their imbalanced percentage of environmental destruction. For example, the average American's carbon footprint is 2000 times bigger than the average person living in Chad. The average Brit emits more carbon in a day than the average Kenyan emit in a year. It gets worse! Did you know that the top 20% wealthiest people contribute 80% of greenhouse gases? Or that the top 7% are responsible for half of all carbon emissions? Most people see this as a reason to loathe the affluent, but wouldn't it make more sense to see them as an enormous opportunity to create fast and dramatic change for global warming? If the 20% well-to-do offset their CO2 emssions by 50%, that would mean an overall decrease of 40%. That's huge! Jeff Stewart and Nicholas Baily, the founders of Belgrave Trust are aiming to do just that- target the luxury class with a retail carbon offset service which cleans up the environment and lets them live guilt-free! I had a chance to talk to them about their idea....
Green Eyes On: Cold Weather Reads for Families & Foodies Alike
by Sara Snow on 10.14.09
Images via Amazon.
The weather outside is lovely, but before long we'll be ready to curl up inside with a good book and catch up on our reading. I am always looking for good book recommendations and thought that I would pass along a few that I've enjoyed.
So here are four recommended reads to educate and indulge you over the winter months.
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Is The AMiiVA More Than a (Folding) Bike?
by Warren McLaren, Sydney on 10.14.09
The AMiiVA was officially introduced to the world last month. Though contrary to what your eyes might lead you to believe, the "AMiiVA is a more than a bike, it's a Personal Mobility Assistant (PMA)." Where's an airline sick bag when you need it? Come on guys, sure it's snappy, small wheel, folding bike, but let's not complicate things with another silly three letter acronym. The name itself is derived from the initials, Assistant de Mobilité Individuelle, indicating it's French origins.
Setting aside my language conniptions, I should point out the good things the AMiiVA has going for it....
From the Forums: So What's a Car Good For?
by Alex Davies, New York City on 10.14.09
Image Credt:
Miala writes:
Speed and distance of travel, safety. These supposed benefits that the car has over walking or bicycles were created by the car itself. So the auto is a poser, it's created its own benefits to promote its use and convince us how great it is. Then, of course people will say that we are stuck with them and it's unrealistic to try to change that. Yet there are changes made every day, that's how we got here. There is no good reason to not start changing the city landscape and auto infrastructure.What do you think? Post here....
40-Year Time Window To Avert Abrupt, Severe Climate Shift & Widespread Economic Pain
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 10.14.09
Image credit:National Academy of Sciences
This post addresses those elected officials and industry executives with personal vision, power, and the desire to collaborate on lowering the risk of an abrupt Climate Crisis. Researchers at Scripps have constructed a critical path for climate action that requires a leveraging of the existing Montreal Protocol Treaty with prospective revisions to the existing climate agreement.
Thinking beyond "the carbon," they state that 40 years of time can be bought before the carbon dioxide threat is tackled head-on. Specifically, cutting back on non-CO2 contributors to climate change would provide an economic impact buffer to the world community while lowering the immediate risk of catastrophe. Initial economic pain would be concentrated, instead, on the HVAC and refrigeration supply chains, for example. ...
Ode to Women and Nature: Lessons for a New Green Dad
by Sami Grover, Carrboro, NC, USA on 10.14.09
Image credit: Jenni Grover
Call me a cynic, but I've never really understood the idea—promoted or at least implied, in my experience, by many a new parent— that having kids somehow magically wakes you up to the urgency of protecting our environment. Or that if you're already a green minded soul, that parenthood will somehow take you to the next level of green goodness. As was demonstrated by the storm of comments unleashed after my piece on why eco-activists still have kids, or by the continued concern over ever rising global population figures, there are plenty of childless greens who are likely, somewhat justifiably, to call hypocrisy at any breathless diatribes from new parents about protecting the earth for our precious new generation as we evangelize about the wonders of organic onesies and reusable diapers. Yet as I return from paternity leave, and as I adjust to being the father of Lilia Maven Butler Grover (who is of course beautiful. unique, borderline genius etc etc etc), I do find myself looking at the world with fresh eyes. Here's what I've learned......
Facebook HQ Recycles 60s Computer Factory
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 10.14.09
Computers used to be about hardware, when Aligent made electronic measuring devices at this factory in Palo Alto. Now it is headquarters for the 850 employees of Facebook, and what a transformation it is. Studio O+A left as much of the old building as they could, recycling old lab desks and reusing cranes. ...
What is Brazil Planning to Propose at Copenhagen
by Paula Alvarado, Buenos Aires on 10.14.09
Photo: Rodolfo Clix.
Brazilian president Luis Inacio 'Lula' Da Silva is not only going to this year's Copenhagen summit, he's also actively participating in negotiations. Which is a good thing, since the country is one of the most carbon emitting developing nations in the world.
As Lula continues to prepare Brazil's proposal for Copenhagen along with his ministers, Environmental Minister Carlos Minc announced yesterday some of the measures the country is considering to include in the document, which is supposed to be finished this month....
With Each Passing Month the Situation Gets More Desperate: Climate Change Sinks Carteret Islanders
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 10.14.09
all photos courtesy Jennifer Redfearn
Though it may be a number of years before your life is personally impacted by climate change, for people in low-lying island nations and the world's great river deltas rising sea levels and saltwater ruining land is already a fact of life. One such place is the Carteret Islands off the coast of Papua New Guinea. TreeHugger recently interviewed documentary filmmaker Jennifer Redfearn about her work-in-progress Sun Come Up, which chronicles the efforts of these people to uproot their lives and find new homes: ...
A North American Journalist Describes Cycling in Copenhagen
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 10.14.09
Mikael at Copenhagen Cycle Chic
Globe and Mail journalist Gary Mason visits a city where they really do put bikes ahead of cars; it is city policy in Copenhagen. He interviews Andreas Rohl, suggesting that the bicycle program manager's job is to "ponder the daily question: How can he make life hell for the car drivers of this Scandinavian capital." But Mr. Rohl never actually says that, it's just Mason playing to his poor, suffering "war on the car" audience in Toronto. But Rohl does admit to trying to make a commute on two wheels more attractive than four....
Playing the Climate Wild Card: The Global Movement for 350
by Bill McKibben, 350.org on 10.14.09
["350 supporters rally on Capitol Hill, March 09" - ed.] photograph courtesy of 350.org
Here's the thing. We've tried almost every approach in dealing with climate change: the scientists have told us what needs to be done, the engineers have told us how to do it, the economists have certified that we can afford it (and that we can't afford not to). We've had great political leaders like Al Gore, and we've had movie stars like Leonardo DiCaprio. And we've basically gotten nowhere--...
Best of Ecouterre: 7 Eco-Fabrics That Could Change the Future of Fashion
by Jasmin Malik Chua, Jersey City, USA on 10.14.09
Photo credit: Mark Aldane Tumang
What does the use of cork fabric have to do protecting the Iberian Lynx? Plenty, it seems.
The seaweed-derived SeaCell is said to promote a sense of well-being, but it also incited its own tempest in a teacup over its far-fetched claims.
Big on bromeliads? Piña fabric, made from pineapple leaves, is one to watch.
As soft as cashmere, Lenpur gets its silky hand from sustainably cultivated white fir wood.
This Southeast Asian fabric doesn't monkey around--it's made from the cast-off stems and leaves of the banana tree.
We're torn about this fishy leather. On the one hand, it uses a byproduct of the salmon-processing industry that would otherwise get landfilled. On the other, it's not exactly vegan-friendly.
Could Tencel replace cotton one day? Or will its chemical-intensive production negate any benefits?
Ecouterre is a website devoted to the future of clothing and textile design. We're dedicated to showcasing and supporting designers who not only contemplate cut, form, and drape, but also a garment's social and environmental impact, from the cultivation of its fibers to its use and disposal. Follow us on Twitter @ecouterre or join us on Facebook....
Best of BlogHer: Happy Cows, Blog Action Day, Vegan Month
by Jasmin Malik Chua, Jersey City, USA on 10.14.09
Photo credit: law_keven
Milk bottle labels picture happy cows on rustic farms with plenty of space to roam. Is that true? I took a trip to an organic dairy farm to visit the cows that produce my milk and the humans who package it.
Last time I checked, over 5,000 bloggers from 126 countries are participating in Blog Action Day for Climate Change this Thursday. Here's what you can do.
A whole year without buying a single piece of clothing. Could you commit to it?
But that is one of the things I like best about the challenge to eat locally: Everyone has something they can enjoy because it's very local to their foodshed.
Don't have the outdoor space to grow your own food? Yard sharing to the rescue.
It's the Vegan Month of Food--aka Vegan MoFo! Find recipes and discover new vegan and vegan-friendly food blogs.
BlogHer is the leading participatory news, entertainment and information
network for women online. Follow us on Twitter (@Blogher), on Facebook, and at BlogHer.com.
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Natural Necklaces from Origin Craft Fair
by Bonnie Alter, London on 10.14.09
There were some very natural necklaces at Origin: The London Craft Fair this year. It's the annual juried fair where some of the most sophisticated craftspeople from around the world show their wares. In week one there was an emphasis on natural materials in many of the pieces.
These simple and beautiful necklaces are made of found pieces of drift wood and shells from the beaches of northern Iceland. The artist, Helga Morgensen, collects the bits for her work on a special hideaway place where her family has been going every summer since she was a child. ...
'Earth Under Fire' Photograph Exhibit Comes to DC, Just in Time for Senate Debates
by Kristin Underwood, Sacramento, CA on 10.13.09
Image via: Earth Under Fire
Opening in November and running through March 2010, the American Association for the Advancement of Science will feature an entire exhibit on the climate crisis as it affects people and places around the globe. The exhibit, titled, "Climate Change in Our World," will be the only exhibit on climate and energy in Washington, DC during the Senate's debate on climate change, prior to Copenhagen. ...
THTV: Pro Surfer Rob Machado is 'The Drifter' in New Surf Flick, Part 1 (Video)
by George Spyros, New York City, USA on 10.13.09
How To Go Greening in LA This Week, What About Your Town?
by Roberta Cruger, Los Angeles on 10.13.09
"Into Each Life Some Rain Must Fall" photo by VMiraMontes via Flickr
Alas, it does rain in Southern California. Today's wet weather is a welcome relief and a fitting welcome for World Rainforest Week. Lots of green events happening across the Southland, from designers presenting sustainable clothing shows for LA Fashion Week (actually, it's a month) to architectural lectures, workshops, and symposiums. Too much to list, in fact, so here are some highlights:
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Paperspring: Stationary So Nice, You'd Never Know it Comes From Trash
by Kristin Underwood, Sacramento, CA on 10.13.09
Paperspring, the new, online stationary retailer has a new line of brilliantly decorated cards to highlight any occasion or announcement. Cards can be kind of an eco-bummer since you're cutting down trees for a one-time-use activity, fortunately the gang at Paperspring makes cards out of waste, something you can be excited about. They feature photo birth announcements, and just in time for the season, holiday cards. ...
Alexandra Cousteau, Jessica Biel & Pete Wentz Announce Dow Live Earth 'Run For Water' (Video)
by Emma Grady, New York, NY on 10.13.09
Jessica Biel, Pete Wentz, Alexandra Cousteau join Live Earth in Run for Water announcement in New York. Credit: Stuart Ramson, courtesy of Live Earth
This morning Live Earth, Global Water Challenge, and Dow -- joined by Alexandra Cousteau, explorer and activist; Jessica Biel, actor and Live Earth supporter; Pete Wentz, artist (of band Fall Out Boy-fame) and activist; Angelique Kidjo, Grammy award-winning artist and UNICEF ambassador; and Jenny Fletcher, athlete and model -- announced Run for Water. The global solutions-based initiative will feature a series of 6km runs/walks -- the average distance children and women walk to access water -- and will kick off Earth Week on April 18, 2010 with live musical performances and water education activities -- in an effort to ignite a global movement to end the water epidemic. ...
From the Forums: What To Do With Paperboard?
by Alex Davies, New York City on 10.13.09
Image Credit: TheNickster-online
Dee67 writes:
Our area is VERY behind in recycling and such and there is no place for us to recycle our paperboard (cereal boxes, etc). We've been keeping it for quite a while and have a lot. The wife and I have been asking around but our audience is nothing like you folks. Would appreciate any and all ideas for green solutions to get rid of our collection.Ideas? Suggestions? Post them here....
Is LEED Breaking Up with FSC-Certified Wood?
by Neil Chambers, New York City on 10.13.09
Photo from Coastal Treated Products Company
After a long-lasting and loving monogamous relationship between the US Green Building Council and the Forest Stewardship Council, it seems the USGBC is considering, not a break up, but definitely thinking about seeing other sustainable woods. FSC-Certified wood has been the yardstick to which the LEED rating system has awarded points for its Certified Wood credits for nearly ten years. The USGBC/FSC relationship has been so tight, that the forest-focused organization is one of the only product-labeling criteria mentioned anywhere in the wildly popular rating system. But things change...people change...sustainable markets change...and well, you know, criterion change, so in classic USGBC fashion, they put the change out for public comment. ...
Captured Carbon from Coal Plants to Help Pump Oil 500 Miles Away?
by Brian Merchant, Brooklyn, New York on 10.13.09
Photo via LelyVeld
The two dirtiest energy industries in the US have just teamed up to help each other get a little cleaner: when oil companies pump carbon dioxide into wells in a process called 'enhanced oil recovery', they suck out up to 60% more recoverable oil. Meanwhile, coal plants in the Midwest are getting outfitted with carbon capture technology, which removes between 50-90% of the carbon from their emissions and collects it for storage. So, the coal companies have an overload of CO2 on their hands, and oil companies desperately need more of it for their operations. There's just one thing missing . . ....
We Need to Produce 70% More Food in Next 40 Years
by Kristin Underwood, Sacramento, CA on 10.13.09
Image via: micronirav on Flickr.com
And the estimates of what it would take to get such a volume of food produced don't get any better. The money it would take to increase food production by that large amount is in the billions and even with best estimates, hundreds of millions of people will still starve by 2050, reports the BBC. Is there anything that can be done?...
Hannity Says "The Debate's Over. There's No Global Warming."
by Daniel Kessler, San Francisco, California on 10.13.09
Have you heard the good news? There is no global warming. Sean Hannity said so. On his Fox News show last night, Hannity covered a confrontation between a journalist and Al Gore at the Society of Environmental Journalist conference in Madison, WI. The journalist went after Gore over inconsistencies in his film "An Inconvenient Truth." Never shy, Hannity, let loose with, "The debate's over. There's no global warming."
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Michael Pollan's Dietary Rules To Eat By
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 10.13.09
Rules to live by in the New York Times
The New York Times devotes an entire issue of the magazine to food, and of course, Michael Pollan has a place on the menu. He takes our our beloved KFC double down sandwich, Froot Loops being a smart choice, and how science often gets it wrong (as he insists about margarine).
He posts his favourite reader-submitted tips, many of which are good common sense, but I think some might question his main proposition, that our cultural accumulated wisdom is better than science:...
US Coal Plants Dump Thousands of Gallons of Waste Into Drinking Water Supplies a Day
by Brian Merchant, Brooklyn, New York on 10.13.09
Photo via Mr. Joe
Why is anyone fighting to save these things again? A detailed report in the New York Times just revealed that hundreds of coal plants across the country are routinely dumping thousands of gallons of waste water into rivers and lakes--rivers and lakes that millions of people get their drinking water from. ...
Canadian Transportation Agency Rules In Favor of Air Canada Over Intermodal Cyclists
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 10.13.09
The Strida folding bike is designed to meet the internationally agreed rules for luggage dimensions, and many people travel all over the world with theirs. Yet when I flew to Boston for Greenbuild last year, Air Canada decided that it was a bike, not a bag, and charged me fifty bucks for the privilege of having me carry it through customs and putting it on the ramp with all of the other luggage. I complained; they said drop dead. I went the next step and took them to the regulator, the Canadian Transportation Agency.
In the end, they completely ignored the issues involved and said drop dead too. And I really thought I had it in the bag.
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Architecture and Market Viability Awards Kick Off the 2009 Solar Decathlon Competitions
by David DeFranza on 10.13.09
Image credit: krossbow/Flickr
With the houses assembled and the team dinners shared, the focus of the 2009 Solar Decathlon has switched to competition. While the goal of the event is to educate students and the public on the potential of solar building and whole-systems design, once the houses are up and running teams want to prove their designs are successful by winning contests.
Already, awards for architecture and market viability have been handed out....
Remote-Controlled Cyborg Beetle Spies to Run on Solar Power?
by Brian Merchant, Brooklyn, New York on 10.13.09
If PETA gets upset when somebody swats an fly, I wonder what they'd have to say about somebody turning an insect into a deadly assassin for the military. Because though it seems outlandish, we're about halfway there. The Pentagon has funded a project at UC Berkley in which scientists have successfully grafted electrodes and tiny radio antennae to flying beetles--allowing researchers to steer the beetles by remote control. ...
Vegetarian Spider Hides From Ants So It Can Eat Leaves (Video)
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 10.13.09
Tiny jumping spiders are already cute - er, well, at least to some people - but one feature putting the Bagheera kiplingi (besides that awesome name) is its diet - it's vegetarian. It actually spends much of its life hiding from ants so it can eat tender leaves in peace. ...
World's First Drive-Through Museum Coming to China
by Alex Pasternack, New York, NY on 10.13.09
From the Just What We Needed Dept.
Combining China's growing enthusiasm for private museums with its increasing appetite for driving, the new Nanjing Automobile Museum is set to be the world's first drive-through museum.
Visitors drive their cars around the building's angular origami-like spiral to the roof, where they park and continue by descending through the building's exhibits on foot. When they get to the bottom, an elevator shuttles them back up to their waiting cars.
Why didn't someone think of this sooner?...
Buying Music Online Can Cut Carbon by 80%, Study Says
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 10.13.09
Photo via dusk-photography
A new report put together by Carnegie Mellon University, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and Stanford University examines how environmentally friendly digital music distribution is in comparison to traditional methods. Turns out, carbon emissions and energy use can be cut by 40% to 80%, depending on a few factors, including packaging, shopping methods and delivery methods. ...
Nation's First TV Energy Efficiency Standards Will Cut CO2 By 3.5 Million Tons
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 10.13.09
Photo via Crucsou-Barus
Today, the California Energy Commission is holding a hearing on the proposed energy efficiency standards for televisions sold in California stores. We've been tracking the controversy, as the Consumer Electronics Association and many manufacturers balk at the proposal. However, the standards will go a long way in keeping energy sucking sets out of homes, and with the possibility of saving 3.5 million tons of CO2, and saving enough electricity to power nearly 1 million homes annually, environmental groups - and even utility Pacific Gas and Electric - are going to bat for the improved standards. ...
More Than 100 iPhone Apps For Green Shopping, Eating, Travel and Fun
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 10.13.09
About a year ago, we put together a list of 20 iPhone apps that would help you live a greener life. The number of apps we've seen come across the radar since then has exploded to the point where we wonder how on earth anyone can keep track of them.
As Ron Williams, President of 3rdWhale, a green app developer, states, "The iTunes App Store is a big part of the reason [there are so few great green apps] -- it does not do a good job of encouraging their millions of visitors to look beyond the small number of apps featured on their homepage..." He suggests even adding just a "sustainability" tag would be a big help. Well, until we get that, we figured we should start pulling them together for you. So here are our old favorites, new additions we think are cool, and some interesting oddball apps that we're curious about.
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Pedal-Powered OLPC Laptop for Kids in Afghanistan (Video)
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 10.13.09
Image via OLPC Afghanistan
A prototype for a pedal-powered charging option for OLPCs was created OLPC Afghanistan so children can still have access to the computers even during power outages. The station charges the laptop while it is being used, and can be run without difficulty by typical 3rd and 4th grade children. ...
Donkeys Painted as Zebras Are a Cheap Option for One Down and Out Zoo (Video)
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 10.13.09
A little on par with a flea circus, visitors to the Marah Land Zoo in Gaza city will feast their eyes on black and white...donkeys. After the zoo's two zebras died of starvation earlier in the year during the Israel-Hamas war, the only option for the budget-strapped zoo was to take a couple buckets of hair dye to some donkeys. ...
From the Forums: Life in an Earth Sheltered Home
by Alex Davies, New York City on 10.13.09
Image Credit: nimbu-online
llcarlino wants to know:
We are trying to purchase an earthshetered home. I know about the green aspects, but I want to know how people like living in one.Thoughts? Ideas? Post here....
Spooklight: Wireless Bicycle Light Senses When You're Braking
by Warren McLaren, Sydney on 10.13.09
Using technology similar to an iPhone, the Spooklight relies upon a three-axis accelerator to determine when the bike is slowing down. It then displays central rear red LED brake lights to alert other road users.
Additionally you a touch sensitive pad mounted to your handle bars can be activated to show that you're turning left or right. A wireless signal is sent to the rear LED lights to blink the appropriate amber turn lights. But that's not all the 90g (3.17oz) can do. It has a couple more tricks up its sleeve. ...
Can Hunting Be Green?
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 10.13.09
We have called Teddy Roosevelt the greenest President for establishing so many National Parks, and he loved to hunt. In the forums, a hunter writes "perhaps the most interesting thing to me is how much common ground your average hunter shares with your average environmentalist." Really?
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Chile: Largest Wind Park in the Country Inaugurated
by Paula Alvarado, Buenos Aires on 10.13.09
The new park. Photo: EolicaMonteRedondo.cl
Chilean president Michelle Bachelet inaugurated last week the country's largest wind park. The Monte Redondo project took a 100 million USD investment and will have a production of 38 megawatts, which will power 57 thousand homes.
According to Bachelet, never before had Chile invested so much in clean energy as in her government period. And the numbers are impressive....
Jango Flik: The Folding Bike You Can Ride, Push or Stow
by Warren McLaren, Sydney on 10.13.09
Two years we noticed that Mercedes were selling a cute folding bike. Now it's resurfaced again. Though this time by the name of Jango Flik.
A product of the Topeak design studio, -- they of the Bikamper tent and Chainbot -- the Jango Flik will be available in five models, which are mostly variations of a T or V shaped handlebar set; rigid or suspended front forks; and eight or nine speed gearing. Pricing is said to range between $1,199 and $1,599 USD. and we understand they'll be readily available in 2010, after having currently loitered about on the bike trade show circuit....
Stairs Designed to Keep You On Your Feet
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 10.13.09
Iwan Baan
We noted earlier that if stairs are designed to be inviting, then more people will use them. This is good for our health as they are great exercise, and good for saving energy as they use little, compared to escalators and elevators. Where most stairs are hidden behind fire doors, dreary concrete lined uncomfortable spaces with harsh lighting and often alarms on the doors to keep people out of them, Architects are beginning to give stairs the attention they deserve.
Thom Mayne designed the stair at Cooper Union in New York; Alex visited it and noted that "movement by foot rather than by machine also encourages a "vertical campus" feel and the kind of lively social connectedness not typically found in tall structures."
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Amanda Little Takes a Power Trip Across America (Exclusive Interview)
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 10.13.09
images: Harper Collins Publishers
If you've ever come to TreeHugger and after perusing posts for a while just wondered to yourself "How did we get ourselves into this environmental mess in the United States," then Amanda Little's new book Power Trip: From Oil Wells to Solar Cells, Our Ride to the Renewable Future is definitely worth a read. Little gives a well-written, engaging account of how cheap and abundant energy is the long-running constructive theme in the US' rise to world dominance.
But this really isn't about a book review -- just, trust me, it's a worthwhile read; and even know-it-all greenies will get some new info out it --TreeHugger recently had a chance to talk with Little. We covered the change in communication style that a move from New York to Nashville brought about, how to speak with people new to the green way of thinking, peak oil, and more:...
Documentary Team Win Nau's Inaugural $10,000 Grant 4 Change
by Warren McLaren, Sydney on 10.13.09
Benjamin Drummond and Sara Joy Steele are a Seattle-based documentary team specialising in multimedia stories about people, nature and climate change. They are also the just announced recipients of $10,000 from the eco outdoor clothing company Nau, who through their Grant 4 Change campaign, which ran from 7 July to 31 August, exposed the work of over 280 very worthy nominees to a broader audience.
Ten finalists (five selected by the public, and five by Nau staff) were chosen, and Benjamin Drummond and Sara Joy Steele have emerged as the winning grantees. As Nau put it in their media release, "Working together for over a decade, Benjamin and Sara have told stories through photography, field audio recordings and words. From semi-nomadic reindeer herdsmen in the Arctic to wildfire fighters of the American West, the two have documented the lives of people on a regional level, understanding that in order to mobilize a global effort we must first generate local will."...
Good News: Great Dane-Size Manatee Droppings Smother Florida's Humiston Park Beach
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 10.13.09
Florida Manatees at the beach. Image credit: Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Tom Reinert, Via National Geographic
While the sight of nearby excrement on the beach generally causes a visceral revulsion, the possibility of other people stepping in it is fascinating. Manatees being an endangered species, news of a Florida beach closure from their washed up endangered feces, is presented for your reading pleasure, and also as demonstration that Florida manatee populations have recently increased - Nature's Way of telling us something's right, perhaps?...
More "Design for the Greater Good" Speakers at Explore Design
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 10.13.09
We previously noted how Explore Design Comes Back To Toronto and TreeHugger is There, curating a series of speakers under the heading Design for the Greater Good. The speakers were chosen for their ability to expose teenagers who are interested in design to fields they may not have known about, and who have interesting work that hasn't received a lot of exposure. We profiled three of the speakers here, and the rest are: ...
"In Praise of Shadows" Low-Energy Lighting Exhibit at London Design Festival
by Leonora Oppenheim, London, UK on 10.13.09
Image by author - Fragile Future by Drift
One of the most magical experiences during the London Design Festival last month was 'In Praise of Shadows', the fantastic low energy lighting exhibition on show at the Victoria & Albert museum. From start to finish this show was an illuminating adventure, which slowly revealed hidden treasures in the mysterious depths of this wonderful museum. The British curator Jane Withers, she of the 1% Water exhibition, made the unusual choice of showing her selection of works by 21 European designers in a darkened gallery. To look around the exhibition, and indeed to find the exhibits, we needed the assistance of a hand powered dynamo torch. ...
Making it Fun To Take The Stairs
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 10.13.09
For a long time we ran a regular post series called "Stair of the Week" devoted to the premise that if stairs were designed with more care and flair, then people wouldn't take the elevators and escalators so much, saving energy and getting a healthier population.
PSFK shows us Volkswagen's "Fun Theory" project, and proves the point with this stairway in the Odenplan Station in Stockholm. The stairs were turned into a musical instrument, each tread wired up to sound like a piano key.
The results were impressive....
The Best of Fast Company: Farm-Fresh Vending Machines, Obama's Agri-Biz Ties, and the Carbon War Room
by Ariel Schwartz of Fast Company on 10.13.09
German vending machines offer farm-fresh produce and dairy products, Obama nominates bigtime agri-biz execs to key agriculture posts, Richard Branson's Carbon War Room tries to slow down climate change, and eco-friendly roofs go mainstream, all this week at Fast Company.
Would you buy eggs from a local farm out of a vending machine? Peter-und-Paul-hof farm hopes so, which is why the German farm has teamed up with vending manufacturer Stuewer to sell its butter, eggs, cheese, and sausage in vending machines scattered throughout 13 towns.
Upon his inauguration, Obama promised that lobbyists wouldn't find a place in his administration. But now the president has gone back on his word and nominated lobbyists from Monsanto and CropLife USA to key agriculture posts. Why?
Environmentalism has traditionally been a grassroots endeavor, but as climate change and energy concerns become more pressing, green initiatives are increasingly being pursued by wealthy entrepreneurs. That's why the creation of the Carbon War Room, a big money-backed philanthropic initiative pushing to have ships lower their carbon footprints, is no surprise.
In the market for an upgraded roof? We've rounded up five recent attempts at producing roofs that stay cool, generate power, and even grow plants.
Fast Company sets the agenda, charting the evolution of business through a unique focus on the most creative individuals sparking change in the marketplace....
Vogue Magazine (UK) Features Bargain-Priced DIY and Eco Fashion
by Bonnie Alter, London on 10.13.09
Image from Trendhunter magazine
That's right--it is Vogue (UK edition) and it is tea towels... Fashion designer Peter Jensen stitched this casual shirtdress together from some very good looking dish towels and it only cost $25.00. It's part of a tongue-in-cheek series called Make Do and Mend, featuring stylish clothes made with tape, scissors, a needle and thread and lots of nerve.
Not everyone will be up to taking 35 plastic bags and taping them together to make a sophisticated looking (on the model that is) pink and white striped jacket and trousers. But the playsuit made out of tea towels is a possibility... After the fold: a dress made out of 45 mop heads.
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From the Forums: What to Do With Old Socks?
by Alex Davies, New York City on 10.12.09
Image Credit:
Andrew Arnold asks:
I have a plethora of old socks that have been upcycled to the point that I have unusable rags. I thought that cutting them up/shredding them would help with composting, but that's not working. I figured there must be a place to send them or something I can do on my own to can make them decompose. Any suggestions?Got ideas? Post them here....
Kentucky Now Collects Styrofoam for Recycling; National Park Really Excited
by Kristin Underwood, Sacramento, CA on 10.12.09
Image via: complexify on Flickr.com
Turns out, those foam (aka styrofoam) take-away containers (#6) that really make your green heart cringe can actually be recycled into baseboards and moldings for your home. The only problem - who is going to take them back and recycle them? Solution: There are now has 8 bins across the United States that collect the stuff for Dart Corporation, with the latest in Kentucky....
Smart Grid Gets Trial Run in Maui
by Kristin Underwood, Sacramento, CA on 10.12.09
Image via: t.benedict on Flickr.com
Hoping to reduce fossil fuel dependence in one of the most dependent US states, Hawaii, General Electric Co is now testing out Smart Grid technology in Wailea, a luxury resort community. By timing electronics better and adding a mix of solar and wind power, GE is hoping to reduce energy consumption 15% by 2012, reports the Associated Press. ...
California Now First State to Charge Polluters for Greenhouse Gas Emissions
by Brian Merchant, Brooklyn, New York on 10.12.09
Photo via Now Public
It no longer pays to pollute in California. The state, which passed ambitious climate change legislation in 2006 to reduce greenhouse gases by 25% by 2020, has launched a fee on its most polluting companies--15 cents for each ton of CO2 they emit. ...
Is Clean Tech Becoming A Socialist Plot?
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 10.12.09
What do Sharks Have to do With Sustainable Seafood?
by Kristin Underwood, Sacramento, CA on 10.12.09
Image via: Shark Safe
You've probably seen the lists floating around denoting which fish are safe to eat. These lists are based on a variety of factors - overfishing, mercury toxicity, and rarity. Eating sharks or shark fin soup is a no-no and clearly not on those lists. So, if you're not eating sharks, why do you have to worry about shark safe food?...
Senate Climate Bill Gets Bipartisan Support
by Brian Merchant, Brooklyn, New York on 10.12.09
Photo via Zimbio
In case you missed it over the weekend, there's been a huge development in the saga of the climate bill--it's now got some serious support from Republican senators. High profile GOP senator Lindsey Graham (SC) has co-authored a game-changing op-ed with Sen. John Kerry (MA) that ran in the New York Times. In it, they discuss the importance of working together to get the important legislation passed as soon as possible. The dimming hopes for seeing a climate bill passed this year have just been rekindled--the prospect of seeing US energy reform take place just got very, very real....
Pepsi Launches Eye Roll-Worthy iPhone App for How to Score With TreeHuggers
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 10.12.09
There's a reason why this app didn't make it into our list of iPhone apps that help you live a green life. Mainly because it's an app that only incredibly offensive or down right pathetic iPhone users would admit to having on their phone. It tells you how to score with various "types" of women, including TreeHuggers. ...
Cork Recycler and Shoe Company SOLE Team Up
by Kristin Underwood, Sacramento, CA on 10.12.09
Image via: SOLE
Ever wonder what happens to all of those corks you see collected in the bins at grocery stores? Seems like a great recycling program, if you can remember to bring the corks with you, but where do they go after that? Certainly not to get stuffed back in new wine bottles, right?...
Fight to Legalize Clotheslines Sweeps the US
by Brian Merchant, Brooklyn, New York on 10.12.09
Photo via Flickr
Running a clothes drier sucks up 6% of a household's energy usage. So, as Americans across the country sought to save money and conserve electricity, many turned to clotheslines--only to discover that they weren't allowed in their communities. In fact, hanging clotheslines was against the rules in so many communities nationwide that state governments are being forced to step in and make it against the law to ban them. And states like Vermont and Utah have already succeeded. But the fight for the right to hang clotheslines is just getting started....
From the Forums: Can Hunting Be Green?
by Alex Davies, New York City on 10.12.09
Image Credit: jcherski-online
Aitrus writes:
Is there really any difference between hunting and buying burgers at a restaurant or grocery store? I personally feel (and its a reason I want to hunt) that its morally irresponsible to be willing to eat meat without being willing to kill an animal for food. Now perhaps the most interesting thing to me is how much common ground your average hunter shares with your average environmentalists. Hunting associations are all about protecting natural habitat and ensuring there are sustainable populations of game. I suppose its the conservationist link.What do you think? Join the discussion!...
Greenpeace UK Activists Occupy Roof of Parliament to Protest Climate Change Inaction
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 10.12.09
Weird Solar Device of the Day: Solar Powered Bluetooth Headset
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 10.12.09
Image via iTech Dynamic
Okay, so it isn't exactly weird, but it certainly falls into the list of random gadgety places we see solar cells being applied. It's the iTech Dynamic SolarVoice 908 Bluetooth headset, and it claims to have "infinite standby time under sunlight."...
House Flies at Everest Base Camp Effect of Warmer Temps
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 10.12.09
photo: Rupert Taylor-Price via flickr.
Here's a pretty concrete effect of warming temperatures and long-term glacier melting in the Himalayas: The Guardian is reporting that climbers waiting to ascend the world's highest peak are seeing house flies at the 17,585' high base camp:...
How Will Designers Shape The Future of Digital Reading?
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 10.12.09
Image via myuibe
We've seen our share of e-reader news the past few days, showing that the trend towards digitizing books isn't going anywhere - in fact, it's on the uptake. But we book lovers have a hard time letting go of actual paper pages and embracing devices that put thousands of paper books into one small, portable device that can hopefully last for many years. It'll still be awhile before digital books are widely embraced, and the future of digital reading will be in designers' hands - it is designers who will translate the experience of reading a paper book into the experience of reading digitally. Core 77 is running a design challenge that will bring in some of the best ideas for how digital reading will shape our literary pastime, and the requirements include making sure reading feels like reading. ...
Google Maps Adding More Green Locations, Gets More Cyclist-Friendly (Video)
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 10.12.09
Google makes no qualms about wanting to be ever more green when it comes to their maps. The company has been building up the features shown off in Google Maps, and has been working hard on adding in green park spaces, water bodies, and even more detailed trails for cyclists. So far they've been using data from many different sources, including the USDA Forest Service's Forest Boundaries and the US Geological Survey's National Hydrography Dataset. Now, you can also provide input, making suggested changes and edits to the maps. ...
Post-Bangkok Q&A with Antonio Hill, Oxfam's Climate Envoy: We Need a "Major Turnaround"
by Alex Pasternack, New York, NY on 10.12.09
Civil societies protested in front of the UN conference center in Bangkok, demanding rich nations to step up efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Photo credit: Mongkhonsavat Luengvorapant/Oxfam.
By the time climate talks in Bangkok wrapped up last week, developing nations hadn't only accused the world's richest (Annex I) countries of sabotaging the framework for a serious climate treaty in Copenhagen: they had put them on (mock) trial too. With less than 60 days to go before the big Copenhagen conference, I asked Antonio Hill, Oxfam's climate representative, for his inside take on the tensions at Bangkok and the potential for a real deal.
Developing countries (G77/China) say they have written proof that rich countries are attempting to derail climate talks. What kind of proof are we talking about?
They are referring to a collection of textual proposals that featured in "non-papers." These are proposed or draft texts that are pulled together by the Chair and facilitators of different subgroups and negotiating strands on the basis of interventions and consultations with governments......
World's Airlines Pledge to Cut Emissions 50% by 2050
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 10.12.09
photo: Mike Powell via flickr.
Aviation accounts for only 3% of carbon emissions from the global transport sector, but it's a number that's growing. Not to mention that those emissions often have a higher warming potential than ones emitted elsewhere. Radiative forcing anyone? Well, to address these concerns the International Air Transport Association committed Saturday to new emission reductions targets and fuel efficiency improvements:...
Gone in 17 Seconds. The Bigfish Bike Folds and Unfolds Fast
by Warren McLaren, Sydney on 10.12.09
In working through a backlog of posts we should've brought to you earlier, we present the Bigfish folding bike. In a strange reversal or trade, the bicycle was designed in Slovenia and is made in Italy. Yet sells for just £495 in the UK, €600 in Europe and $549 in the US, which is quite decent for a folding bike, particularly one made in Europe.
It's main claim to fame is that it can be either folded or unfolded in 15 seconds. without need of any tools, and without any hinge points in the frame itself. This time seems accurate, as the YouTube video, later in this post, demonstrates the Bigfish being unfolded in 17 seconds. ...
Save Kids. Take 250,000 Cars Off US Roads: Wend Magazine Tells How
by Warren McLaren, Sydney on 10.12.09
Wend Magazine's latest issue is out. As is expected from this fine publication, there is much to engage the grey matter and inspire the reader to ditch the sofa for a bike or board.
Sure, there are the usual exotic destinations that travel magazines that filled with, but somehow Wend finds stories that go beyond the What To Do pages of Lonely Planet. And writers who see the environmental and social aspects of faraway locales or journeys. This issue is no exception. We explore remote regions, whose very names conjure images of windswept adventure: Mongolia, Kashmir, Peru, and Antarctica.
To help readers get in the right mood, the Wendex gathers together scary statistics, which seem to equally reflect another world. ...
LG Introduces Solar Powered e-Reader
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 10.12.09
Photo via LG Display
Well we thought we had all the latest about e-readers rounded up in one place for you, but turns out the weekend gave us another cool development. LG has introduces a solar powered e-reader, so you can take your books off the shelves, and off the grid. ...
Permaculture Principles: Nature's Design for Our Living World (Slideshow)
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 10.12.09
Photo credit: e pants via Flickr
Permaculture is one of those great TreeHugging principles. It integrates everything in a balanced, living system, takes many cues from Mother Nature, and works great when everything is executed properly. It's a zero-waste cycle, a green system that defines 'solar energy' with sun (but not necessarily solar panels) and 'carbon offsets' with soil instead of renewable energy credits, printed on paper. It's a fascinating, green way to grow food, build systems, and live green. Here's a tour of the 12 guiding principles of permaculture, in photos.
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Readers, Send Us Photos of Fall Foliage!
by Emma Grady, New York, NY on 10.12.09
Fall foliage in Central Park, New York City. Credit Alaskan Dude,CC BY 2.0
Did you hike amidst the maples in Maine's Acadia National Park? Watch the autumn colors of oak leaves in Ontario? Visit Vermont's birches and beeches for their biggest tourist attraction; leaf peeping? View quaking aspens in Colorado or dogwoods in Delaware? Prove it! We want to see your photos of fall foliage -- pretty leaves, trees, and landscapes -- for our next readers slideshow. Click through for details and see the potential for your photo in today's Readers' Fall Harvest Photos. ...
From a Green Car Subsidy to a Green Diaper Rebate in Sweden
by April Streeter, Gothenburg, Sweden on 10.12.09
Swedes say cloth is more friendly - image via Imse Vimse.
In Sweden a motion has been submitted to Parliament to give families that choose cloth diapers for their newborns a $75 subsidy for their green efforts. A group of Swedish moms say the Swedish green car program was a huge motivator for people to purchase "ekobilar," and thus a green diaper program is a natural follow up. According to Marie Walleberg of the Imse Vimse cloth diaper company, in Sweden a switch to cloth could reduce the country's trash mound by 63,000 tons and take scores of trash trucks off the roads.
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Does Peeing Before Boarding an Airplane Really Save Carbon Emissions?
by Pablo Paster, San Francisco on 10.12.09
Image Source: Specialkrb
Dear Pablo: Can Airlines really save fuel by asking their passengers to empty their bladders before boarding?
Although their website makes no mention of it, Japan's All Nippon Airways (ANA) has been widely reported to be trying an experiment for the month of October: they are asking their passengers to "lighten the load" by visiting the restroom before boarding....
It's Pandamonium for the World Wildlife Fund
by Bonnie Alter, London on 10.12.09
Pandada table by Nigel Coates
What's happened to the pandas? The WWF asked 15 famous British artists to turn the old panda collection boxes into serious "art" and create some Pandamonium. The panda logo, designed almost 50 years ago, has become a recognised and beloved symbol for conservation.
At first it's almost shocking to see the sweet cuddley black and white pandas transformed into gold sign-carrying protesters, ice statues and drawings. Then the idea grows on you and it's fascinating how this iconic image has been re-interpreted. More pandas after the fold....
World's Longest Solar Footbridge Also Powers the Main Grid
by Jerry James Stone, San Francisco, CA on 10.11.09
Rendering courtesy of Eco Friend
The world's largest solar-powered footbridge has now opened in Brisbane. The panels not only power its LED lighting but they also feed the main grid: this will save 38 tons of CO2 annually!
Connecting South Brisbane and the city center, it's expected about 36,000 people will use the new Kurilpa Bridge every week to walk or bike across the Brisbane River. A must have as 1,500 people move into South East Queensland every week! Brisbane is in fact the fastest growing urban region in Australia.
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From the Forums: Is Eco-Tourism a Sham?
by Alex Davies, New York City on 10.11.09
Image Credit: ReneS-online
EcoInteractive writes:
Let's be honest! Jet travel leaves a very large carbon footprint. How is it possible for any form of tourism to be truly "Eco"? Eco tour companies talk about leaving a small footprint, the fact is, much of it is just marketing...What works and what is snake oil?What do you think? Join the conversation....
Superfoods a Super Waste?
by Sara Novak, Columbia, SC on 10.11.09
photo: J.Novak
From açai to goji and raw cocoa to spirulina, superfoods have blossomed into an industry that's expected to reel in upwards of $10 billion by 2011, according to Small Footprint Family. I admit at first I was in awe of such luxurious ingredients, day dreaming of being wrinkle-free at 100 and doing headstands into my nineties. But recently I've been having second thoughts about the fossil fuels used to fly these often tropical tastes to my doorstep. ...
This Exercise Machine is not as Ridiculous as the Others. It is Self Powered.
by Trevor Reichman on 10.11.09
Precor EFX 546
In an ideal human condition, where cities and neighborhoods are planned out with the pedestrian in mind, the calories we use with our bodies wouldn't be wasted on vain or useless activities, such as exercise. Instead, we would use precious calories to power our bodies or bicycles to get to work, or school, or the grocery store, or other locations that are mostly accessed today by automobiles. Exercise would be a side effect, not something we have to do in order to offset inactivity....
Fashion Icon Gale Parker Launches Eco-Fashion Line Clothespin
by Kristin Underwood, Sacramento, CA on 10.11.09
The name Gale Parker might not ring a bell, but we are willing to bet that you've probably heard of Yves Saint Laurent, Valentino and perhaps Andy Warhol. Well, she's right up there with them when it comes to fashion, and now she's taking her icon status and fashion-forward style into the eco-fashion world. But will mere mortals be able to afford it?
Eco-fashion these days may be fashion forward, but it is far from perfect. There is always something missing - too expensive, sizes don't quite fit right, clothes wear out too quickly, not enough variety in the cuts or styles, and on and on and on. Now, if someone, say, spent the last 25 years in the fashion world, with some of the biggest names, and was even a fashion muse for YSL and Valentino, would they maybe be able to get it right? Would they be able to blend beautiful colors with trendy styles to give your bland wardrobe a little pop, without busting your wallet? ...
BMW Revives C1 As Electric Motorcycle
by Christine Lepisto, Berlin on 10.11.09
Image: BMW Press Release
No one will disagree that the BMW C1 motorcycle was ahead of its time when it was introduced ten years ago. Many bemoaned the fact that BMW overestimated bikers' desires to be rid of helmets or their willingness to trade off the thrill of risk in favor of being four-point belted into a covered motorcycle -- or to acquire a bike that costs as much as a car. And auto drivers did not beat down BMW's doors to buy into their vision for beating the hectic city streets. Only 30,000 units of the one-man car were sold; it never made inroads in the U.S. market.
But wait! The C1 is back, this time as an electric vehicle. "This is what a safe, environment-friendly and highly practical single track vehicle for city traffic could look like in the future," the BMW press release reads. Does the electric C1-E scooter on the drawing boards mean that BMW is ready to take another run at it? ...
Arizona Art Museum Seeks to Define Sustainability
by Jennifer Hattam, Istanbul, Turkey on 10.11.09
Carrie Marrill, Be Realistic Demand the Impossible, 22x30 gouache on paper, 2009, part of the exhibition Nowhere to Hide at ASU Art Museum, Oct. 2009. Photo courtesy of the artist.
From a painter's satirical take on 1950s images of a bucolic world to functional recycled mega-sculptures to a major public-works design competition, the Arizona State University Art Museum is tackling environmental issues from all angles with its fall exhibition theme, Defining Sustainability....
From the Forums: Is the World Overpopulated
by Alex Davies, New York City on 10.11.09
Image Credit: James Cridland-online
SgtMajor asks a simple question: Is the world overpopulated right now?What do you think? Post here....
Portland Fashion Week Spring 2010: Janeane Marie, Paloma Soledad, and IDOM (Video) - Part 2
by Emma Grady, New York, NY on 10.11.09
Janeane Marie spring 2010 collection at Portland Fashion Week. Credit: Ed Kavishe / Fashion Wire Press.
West coast eco-fashionistas and green fashion enthusiasts unite -- it's Portland Fashion Week! Earlier today we brought you runway looks from Suzabelle and Sweet Skins -- and now we're showing you Janeane Marie's classic and minimalist dress designs, Paloma Soledad's corsets, and IDOM's looks made with hand-loomed silk. Click through for photos and runway videos....
Is New Biodegradable Plastic the Answer?
by Christine Lepisto, Berlin on 10.11.09
Image: Flickr, stevendepolo
Another claim for "sustainable bottled water" landed in the in box today. Leaving aside the merits of publicizing a Berkshire mountain water as "locally sourced" via an international forum like TreeHugger, it is the claim of an "environmentally friendly packaging" that demands review. Usually a quick once-over lands these claims in the virtual trash.
But this press release has something new: a plastic bottle that will decompose in landfills or municipal composting, and which is also recyclable. Is it possible that biodegradable plastic has reached the breakpoint where the benefits are outweighing the risks? And what does all of this have to do with spaghetti?...
Portland Fashion Week Spring 2010: Suzabelle and Sweet Skins (Video) - Part 1
by Emma Grady, New York, NY on 10.11.09
Suzabelle (left, middle) and Sweet Skins (right) at Portland Fashion Week Spring 2010. Credit: Ed Kavishe / Fashion Wire Press
Portland Fashion Week (PFW) is the place to be for west coast eco-fashionistas. Thanks to PFW videos, we're highlighting what's good in Oregon's green fashion scene. From Mira Fannin's designs for Sweet Skins -- made with with hemp, organic cotton and wool, low impact dyes, and recycled fabrics -- to Suzabelle's sweatshop-free clothing; spring 2010 fashion looks like high-waisted shorts, belted waists, black-and-white-striped dresses, and more ethically-conscious trends. Click through for our videos of the runways shows....
DIY Superfood Chocolates: Good and Good for You, Too?
by Roberta Cruger, Los Angeles on 10.11.09
I'm a total fan of chocolate. The taste, its antioxidant properties, and the endorphin benefits. And when the organic cacao butter treats come with goji berries, gooseberries, and cacao nibs, the chocolate seems like a healthful holistic remedy. With Navitas Naturals' chocolate confections, this added nutrient-packed hit of bioflavonoids, carotene, trace minerals, vitamins, and protein transform the candies into bite-size sweets of longevity and well-being. But do the flavanols contain good chocolatey flavor, too? ...
