- 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 November 22, 2009 - November 28, 2009
Total this week: 188
Three Letters That Mean A Lot--MRV
by Daniel Kessler, San Francisco, California on 11.28.09
China made big news this week when it announced that at the upcoming climate negotiations it will offer to reduce its "energy intensity by 40-45 percent by 2020, relative to 2005 levels. Some see this as a positive development while others are left scratching their heads and asking, "What does 'energy intensity' even mean?" Well, first a definition. Energy intensity refers to energy output per unit of gross domestic product. So the Chinese are saying that as their booming economy continues to boom, they will reduce the amount of energy it takes to create one yuan. ...
Attention Green Shoppers: Buy Nothing Day on Cyber Sunday, Too?
by Roberta Cruger, Los Angeles on 11.28.09
"Sit and Spin" submitted by Pearse O'Halloran to Adbusters Media Foundation
Yesterday was the recommended "Buy Nothing Day" in North America. Today, November 28 is "Buy Nothing Day" for the rest of the world, when consumers (that means most of us) "participate by not participating." The Adbusters BND campaign has been written about in Treehugger with good points about the idea, from why only one day to buying green as an alternative. There are a lot of people facing financial difficulty who still want to play Santa for their kids and need the bargains. But who would want to face that crazy scene at big box stores at 5 a.m.? ...
Who Wants To Try The Non-DEET Mosquito Repellant?
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 11.28.09
As you can see by glancing over USEPA's list (short excerpt shown above), of 618 registered, brand-name mosquito and tick repellent products sold in the USA, "DEET" is the sole active ingredient in 553 (89%) of the products, ranging in weight percent from five (5%) to ninety eight (98.3%). There is no apparent correlation between "protection time" in hours and the DEET content, per EPA listing data. As for the other 65 registered products which use non-DEET active ingredients...read on....
Should We Battle Blood-Sucking Bed Bugs with Banned Pesticides?
by Jeff Kart, Bay City, Michigan on 11.28.09
Credit: Cornell University.
Itchy scratchy bed bugs are getting so bad around parts of the United States that they're becoming a plot line on TV comedies like "30 Rock" and "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia." And some folks in the real world are calling on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to lift a ban on pesticides that could fight the critters. ...
From the Forums: Is the Going Green Just a Fad?
by Alex Davies, New York City on 11.28.09
Image Credit:IntangibleArt via Flickr
geek342 writes:
I was just posting a reply to one of the threads in this forum when my brother found me on my PC and decided to see what i was up to. he read a few of the posts, rolled his eyes and then said the above comment. the environmentalist in me suddenly roared, ready for battle, but then i stopped short and let the statement sink in...i thought i would let you guys give your thoughts on the subject: Is this "going green" wave that has washed over the globe just a fad that will quickly fade away?So what do you think? Where is the green movement (fad?) headed? Join the conversation....
Readers, Send Us Photos Of Your Green Thanksgiving Feast!
by Emma Grady, New York, NY on 11.28.09
Thanksgiving day feast: roasted pumpkin salad. 101 Cookbooks
Was the centerpiece to your meal an organic turkey on tofurkey? Did you serve the meal with antique cutlery on an organic cotton tablecloth? Were the yummy sweet potatoes from the local farmer's market? Did you toast with organic or local wine? Prove it! We want to see photos of your green Thanksgiving day feast. We want to know what you cooked yourself, and any other green tidbits you'd like to share. Click through for details, and see the potential for your photo in today's Readers' Favorite Antiques and Heirlooms slideshow. ...
Suspected Eco-Terrorist Justin Franchi Solondz Nabbed in China for Drugs
by David Friedlander, New York City on 11.28.09
Image: FBI
Justin Franchi Solondz, a fugitive American environmental radical, was convicted Thursday in Dali, China on charges of manufacturing drugs according to the New York Times. Solondz was living in Dali, a backpacker haven in the Yunnan Province, as part of a multiyear flight from US authorities.
After the 3 years Solondz will serve in a Chinese prison, he will be extradited back to the US to face charges surrounding his involvement in a series of 2001 arson attacks that he and the Earth Liberation Front (or ELF), are thought to have perpetrated. ...
Is India Set To Announce Emissions Targets?
by Daniel Kessler, San Francisco, California on 11.28.09
photo via AFP
Let's play a game of "Find the large economies that have put emission reductions on the table for Copenhagen." Yay! Let's see. U.S.? Check. China? Check. E.U.? Check. India? Hey India, where you at? Well, it seems India might be willing to make firm commitments after Indian Premier Manmohan Singh said for the first time today that his country of 1.2 billion people might be willing to commit carbon emission cuts if--and this is a big if-- other countries share the responsibility....
How Much Carbon Can Organic Agriculture Sequester?
by Sami Grover, Carrboro, NC, USA on 11.28.09
Image credit: Soil Association
I may not have been a huge fan of the promo video for its organic farm school, but the UK's Soil Association has been a tireless advocate for sustainable, planet friendly farming for years. And in looking at everything from the irony of air freighted organic produce to the idea of One Planet Agriculture, you can usually count on these guys to keep an eye on the bigger picture. Now their claiming that converting the UK to organic agriculture could result in massive cuts in atmospheric carbon. ...
Saving the Pearl Mullet, and People Too
by Jennifer Hattam, Istanbul, Turkey on 11.28.09
The alkaline waters of Lake Van support just one species of fish. Photo by Bryce Edwards via Flickr.
In the early 1990s, eastern Turkey was a hotbed of conflict, as violent acts by members of a separatist organization took thousands of lives. Given this climate, it's not too surprising that a young professor in the city of Van didn't exactly get a warm response when he tried to urge authorities to protect an endemic fish....
Environmentalism: Movement, Philosophy, Ethic, or What?
by Sami Grover, Carrboro, NC, USA on 11.28.09
Image credit: ReGeneration & The Change Creation/Not For Sale
OK—I've argued that environmentalism is not a religion. It is based on an observable scientific fact—that the Earth's carrying capacity is limited, and that unless humans learn to live within that carrying capacity, our species is in for big trouble. But if it's not a religion, what is it? Somehow, as shown in comments on my post about science, evidence and the importance of action, the term 'movement' keeps landing me in trouble. And on reflection, that's not without good reason. ...
CA Event: Rachel Leigh Cook Hosts Sustainable Shopping Event to Benefit Toys for Tots
by Emma Grady, New York, NY on 11.28.09
Credit: Gifts Giving Back
Rachel Leigh Cook, of teen classic She's All That fame, is hosting "Gifts Giving Back," a sustainable shopping event and toy drive to benefit Toys for Tots at Fred Segal in Santa Monica, California. The event, presented by online eco-mag Coco Eco, ethically-conscious Love Heals Jewelry, and creators of eco-friendly boots Greenbees, is open to the public. Just bring a new unwrapped toy ($10+ value) for entry and browse Linda Loudermilk's latest sustainable fashion designs, enjoy a mini-makeover by Tarte Cosmetics, gnaw on 100% organic min-burgers by O!Burger, and get down with DJ Ref Brown's solar-powered jams. Click through for the official invite.
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How Will We Eat When Peak Oil Hits? Tofu, Tree Farms and Electric Tractors
by Sami Grover, Carrboro, NC, USA on 11.28.09
Image credit: Bountiful Backyards
As the wonderful BBC documentary A Farm for the Future has shown us all too clearly, modern agriculture is woefully dependent on fossil fuels, and oil in particular. And with International Energy Agency (IEA) whistleblowers suggesting peak oil may be nearer than we think, and even the IEA chief saying time is not on our side, we'd do well to start designing our way out of an oil-based food system. So what might that transition look like? ...
Buy Nothing Day Parody of Amazon
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 11.27.09
An absolutely brilliant parody by Do the Green Thing of an Amazon page, promoting a new product called Nothing in honour of buy nothing day.
Shopping is a buzz, an energy, but it uses energy too, all the energy needed to make all the things we shop for. So if you've got to shop but want to see the global temperature drop, buy the green thing that took lots of love to create but zero energy to make. Shop your sustainable heart out and Buy NothingTM .Be sure to scroll down to the Customers Who Viewed This Item Also Viewed section for "Cinematic masterpieces - the Matthew McConaughey edition" See it all at GreenThing, found on Unsuitablog....
The Battle of the Bike Lanes In Toronto
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 11.27.09
The Toronto Sun is not the kind of paper that would care much about the troubles of cyclists trying to navigate the Fedex lane or the donut lane or snow lane or the lets-rip-it-up-for-services-because-it's-just-a-bike-lane. But they do rise up to defend the public when they see somebody getting away with something they can't, like parking for twenty minutes to get lunch right in front of a restaurant when Joe Public would have been fined sixty bucks. Now that's worth getting worked up about. The Sun got on the case, and got a quick response. They write:
Instead of protecting their own, Toronto Police brass called the officer's parking actions "stupid" and "unacceptable." "That's not kosher at all. It's right in our procedures that, outside of exigent circumstances, you do not park illegally, and that includes in bike lanes," said Sgt. Tim Burrows, of the force's traffic services department. He added higher-ups at the force were "incensed" when they heard about the Annette St. incident. "It's very unfortunate that the officer decided to do this, but from the top on down, it's something that will not be tolerated," he insisted.Councillor Pam McConnell, who is vice-chairman of the Police Services Board, didn't think much of the Cops putting themselves above the law. ...
Ed Begley, Jr., Takes on Fox, Martha Talks Turkey, and More (Video)
by Blythe Copeland, Great Neck, New York on 11.27.09
Under Attack, Michael Mann, In His Own Words
by Daniel Kessler, San Francisco, California on 11.27.09
Penn State's Michael Mann
You know the story by now. Last week, emails between climate scientists stored on servers at the University of East Anglia were stolen and displayed on a Russian FTP. Some of the emails involved prominent climate researcher Michael Mann, and it's his name that has been used in many of the news stories on the theft. Rush, Beck and other "noted" scientists are running Mann's name through the mud, and now he's fighting back. Mann gave an extensive interview with the DailyKos that clears up many of the questions raised by his emails....
From the Forums: Why's Obama in Copenhagen?
by Alex Davies, New York City on 11.27.09
Image Credit: robertlafond2009 via Flickr
greenvert writes:
Obama recently announced that he would in fact travel to Copenhagen in a few weeks for the international global warming talks. He had up until now been unclear on whether or not he would go. But it seems a bit late for an announcement- or at least not totally sincere. So, is Obama really dedicated to cutting global warming, or is he just playing the part?So what do you think? Join the discussion....
MVRDV Proposes Artificial Mountains as Green Cities of the Future
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 11.27.09
Dutch architecture firm MVRDV presents an interesting concept for a high density self-sufficient city of the future in China, at the Beijing Centre for the Arts and shown in Designboom. The architects call it "a scale model of a future Chinese city which offers alternatives to the current urbanization in China. The plan offers space to accommodate up to 100,000 inhabitants and a well balanced mix of urban program and nature, agriculture and energy production; all in the shape of a Chinese mountain landscape: realizable with todays technologies."
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The End of the Road for Modern Prefab? This Just Might Be The Beginning!
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 11.27.09
A few weeks ago I wrote The Glidehouse Is At The End Of The Road For Green Modern Prefab, my thoughts on the rise and, I thought, fall of the modern prefab movement. Joe Tanney is partner in Resolution: 4 architecture and architect of the original Dwell House and a master of modern prefab. He disagrees; As evidence, he sent pictures of a recent project, The Peconic Bay House, which he calls a "Power Plant" because it produces more energy than it consumes. Joe says:
"End of the road for green prefab? In fact, I think this just might be the beginning." He continues:
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Spring/Summer 2010: Toggery
by Emma Grady, New York, NY on 11.27.09
Toggery spring/summer 2010. Credit: Toggery
Toggery by Kate D'Arcy has versatile pieces at reasonable price points--like a smaller H&M for green fashion--the entire collection is under $40 USD. For spring/summer 2010, Toggery keeps it simple with staple pieces, including figure hugging tanks and loose fitting tees; dresses that can double as tops, in bold colors with bursts of zebra print. Click through for photos of the organic cotton, bamboo, and recycled poly collection--made stateside in Pennsylvania.
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Ungreen in the USA: Black Friday
by Sami Grover, Carrboro, NC, USA on 11.27.09
Having posted yesterday, as part of my ongoing ramblings on things I love about America, on the green joys and virtues of Thanksgiving, I couldn't let today go by without some mention of Black Friday. After all, it makes a perfect addition to my thoughts on things I hate about this country too. C'mon, you didn't think I'd gone completely soft, did you? ...
This Origami Sounds Good: Recycled, Foldable Speakers
by Jeff Kart, Bay City, Michigan on 11.27.09
Credit: Courtesy OrigAudio.
Origami is about more than creative napkin folding. And listening to music is about more than bulky speakers. A Chicago company calls it OrigAudio—A foldable, self-powered speaker made from recycled paper. ...
Climate Change Puts the Reality in This TV Show
by Jennifer Hattam, Istanbul, Turkey on 11.27.09
The Sahara is advancing southward by five square kilometers a year, burying productive land under sand dunes. Photo by Celso Flores via Flickr.
At first it sounds like any other reality show: "Candidates will be put through a series of tough physical and mental endurance exercises, extreme driving tests, and group tasks measuring their ability to bond with their team-mates in pressurized situations." But this group of "Desert Warriors" won't just be squabbling, scheming, and showing off -- they'll be helping Nigeria's most famous environmentalist spread the word about global warming and desertification....
Forget Black Friday or Buy Nothing Day, it should be Jdimytai Damour Day
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 11.27.09
It is Black Friday, when everyone mobs the stores, chasing bargains. It is a big economic deal; all the financial media are watching the size of the lineups. It is also Buy Nothing Day, set up in reaction to this fiesta of consumerism by the Adbusters Media Foundation. According to Kalle Lasn, co-founder of Adbusters:
"Our headlong plunge into ecological collapse requires a profound shift in the way we see things. Driving hybrid cars and limiting industrial emissions is great, but they are band-aid solutions if we don't address the core problem: we have to consume less. This is the message of Buy Nothing Day"But most importantly, it is the first anniversary of the death of Jdimytai Damour, who was trampled to death by the opening rush at a store in Valley Stream, NY. He was 6'4" and 270 pounds, a "gentle giant to his friends" but that wasn't enough. According to the New York Times, "Just before the store's scheduled 5 a.m. opening the doors shattered under the weight of the crowd. Mr. Damour was thrown to the floor and trampled."...
Are We Running Out of Uranium? Let's Hope So
by Naturally Savvy on 11.27.09
Could uranium mines like this one in Australia's Kakadu National Park be facing a shortage? Photo by Alberto OG via Flickr.com.
Can a nuclear weary TreeHugger really believe what she's hearing? Could uranium mines be facing shortages? Earlier this week, New Scientist reported that nuclear power may be faced with a double blow: Uranium mine owners are talking shortages, and estimates for the amount of uranium that can be economically mined may be lower than once thought.
It's bad news for all those nuclear power plants being built around the world (at great expense to tax-payers, I might add), but it may be good news for green energy....
Knitted by Grannies, Supported by Supermodels
by Bonnie Alter, London on 11.27.09
What a combo: supermodels, wool from rescued rare breed sheep and knitting. The North Circular is a new on-line fashion knitwear label that specialises in warm, soft and cozy wool scarves, hats and gloves.
So what's the gimmick? Well, the label was inspired by super stylish English model Lily Cole, an art school graduate, the wool comes from sheep that have been rescued from slaughter and the goodies are knit by grandmothers... Get ready for a stylish winter....
All We're Really Thankful For: A Blue Pixel (Video)
by Alex Pasternack, New York, NY on 11.26.09
Take Action: 350.org Organizes Candlelight Vigils During the Copenhagen Negotiations
by Daniel Kessler, San Francisco, California on 11.26.09
Copenhagen is weeks away and it's clear that our leaders need to keep hearing from us that now is the time for real action on climate change. 350.org is organizing candlelight vigils in the middle of the climate negotiations, right after President Obama visits Copenhagen and addresses the world. 350.org is asking people to select an iconic place in their community and gather family, friends and neighbors to send a message. ...
Stuffed? "Kind" Recipes for Thanksgiving Any Day
by Roberta Cruger, Los Angeles on 11.26.09
Though Tofurkey isn't my idea of a Thanksgiving meal, I understand why it's a great alternative to the bird. I'm just as happy with all the sides. It's an appropriate day to speak about a kind foods vs. nasty foods and actress Alicia Silverstone has shared recipes for lots of conscientious dishes fit for the holiday, like cornbread stuffing for her Thanksgiving Dinner, Cuban-style roasted sweet potatoes, pumpkin bread, candied ginger pears, and cranberry sauce tips that are all healthful. In her book, The Kind Diet: a Simple Guide to Feeling Great, Losing Weight, and Saving the Planet, she reveals her slow path to veganism--with compelling reasons why. If you're already stuffed today, check out her recipe for Warm Spicy Wine:...
Poor Jim Kunstler Even Gets Attacked By Captchas
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 11.26.09
A lot of people think James Howard Kunstler is a bit dire, and he takes a fair amount of abuse in comments. But who would have thought that the Captchas share the views of the commenters? That they have opinions about people like the controversial author? Yet that is what I screen-captured in Now Magazine in an unrelated article.
I am sure Jim wouldn't be surprised that computers think of him this way, he doesn't think they have much of a future. But where else could it come from? After all, Now has has called Kunstler a bitterly sarcastic social critic and hilariously bombastic (and dead-on). It doesn't sound like them.
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Local Motors: Crowdsourcing the American Car
by Jacob Gordon, Nashville, TN on 11.26.09
Image: Local MotorsHere's how it works: designers submit their concepts online, the community votes, then Local Motors works with the winners to bring these cars to life. This process, says founder Jay Rogers, has more in common with the way Mozilla makes Firefox and American Idol picks stars than the way Detroit has traditionally made automobiles. Rogers tells TreeHugger Radio about the first crowdsourced car, the Rally Fighter, and what Local Motors can mean for sustainability. Listen to the podcast of this interview via iTunes, or just click here to listen, right-click to download. Special thanks to the Pop!Tech conference for helping arrange this interview. Full text after the jump....
US Federal Trade Commission Proposes CFL Labels For Light Output, Color, Mercury, & More
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 11.26.09
Example of lighting facts label requirement for CFLs. Image credit: proposed rule, Federal Trade Commission, US 16 CFR Part 305, [RIN 3084-AB03]
As the headline states, a recently published FTC proposal would mandate a uniform label format to inform US consumers on color temperature and bulb life, for example. From the Notice of Proposed Rule Making: "The Lighting Facts label would provide information about brightness, energy cost, the bulb's expected life, color temperature (for example, whether the bulb provides "warm" or "cool" light), as well as wattage. The label also would require disclosures for bulbs containing mercury. The bulb's output in lumens--and a mercury disclosure for bulbs that contain mercury--would also have to be placed on the bulb itself."
If you are a US citizen, download the proposed Federal rule here (pdf file), read it, and then log in here to provide written comments electronically. Read on for my opinion on a rule option that would make this labeling requirement a means for reducing product packaging....
China Announces Emissions Reduction Targets (But They're Not Really Reductions)
by Daniel Kessler, San Francisco, California on 11.26.09
Well, everyone has their cards on the table now. Following the US's announcement yesterday that it will bring an emissions reductions target "in the range" of 17 percent of 2005 levels to Copenhagen, China has announced its own commitment: a 40-45 percent reduction of 2005 levels in what it calls "carbon intensity." The pledge is being met with tepid acceptance. ...
From the Forums: The Truth Behind the Turkey
by Alex Davies, New York City on 11.26.09
Image Credit: EraPhernalia Vintage via Flickr
TreeHuggerForever wants to rethink Thanksgiving:
Growing up, along with the stuffing and the cranberries, most of were also fed lies each Thanksgivng...Imagine if kids knew the truth: that our country was founded on greed, lies and taking what wasn't ours...I love Thanksgiving, but maybe we need to have a different meaning behind this holiday...This holiday is simply a harvest festival, and a day in which to reflect on all that we are thankful for, and perhaps express our gratitude to those we take for granted. It's a day of loved ones coming together to share a feast, a symbol of bounty that can reflect on the bounty in our lives.So what do you think? Is it time to redefine what Thanksgiving's all about? Join the conversation. And don't worry: no one's saying get rid of the mashed potatoes. Plus, check out TreeHugger's guide to keeping Thanksgiving green....
Just What We Needed Dept: Plastic Disposable Wishbones
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 11.26.09
Ken Ahroni, inventor of the plastic wishbone. Photo credit Puget Sound Business Journal
Finally, the answer to one of life's great problems, the annual Thanksgiving fight over who gets the wishbone! Unclutterer shows us the Lucky Break Plastic Wishbone.
This is a huge advance in manufacturing and marketing; Back in the day we just had planned obsolescence, or just made products so cheap that people threw them away instead of fixing. Now we actually have a product that is designed to be broken and thrown away as soon as you open the package!
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Things You Don't Have to Buy on Black Friday If You Have A Smart Phone
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 11.26.09
Photo via chrisdlugosz
Unless you're living in a cave or as a survivalist in Montana, you've noticed that phones have become incredible all-in-one devices. Recombu has a great article about gadgets that smart phones have made or are making obsolete. But the list is a little short. If you're planning on shopping on Black Friday, here's a list of things you can cross off your list of things to look for. ...
Waste Solutions Play Key Role In Green Building
by Wes Muir, Waste Management, Inc. on 11.26.09
Dumped construction debris. Image credit:BLM
Earlier this month, construction and building professionals from around the globe met in Phoenix, for the annual Greenbuild International Conference and Expo. Green building has grown dramatically in recent years and according to the latest SmartMarket Report from McGraw-Hill Construction, Sustainable Construction Waste Management: Creating Value in the Built Environment, by 2013, the green building market will be up to 25% of all new construction starts and along with an increase of 20-30% in retrofit and renovation activity, which will equate to a $140 billion market....
Green in the USA: Thanksgiving
by Sami Grover, Carrboro, NC, USA on 11.26.09
Image credit: Chelsea Bay
Having pleased a few people with my post on 5 Things I Love About America, and having annoyed a few more with my ramblings on 5 Things I Hate About America (the folks at GlockTalk.com will likely never forgive me)—I thought I'd add one more to the love side.. So let's hear it for Thanksgiving!...
NYC Event: Parsons Presents "Reuse, Recycle, Reconstruct"
by Emma Grady, New York, NY on 11.26.09
Credit: Parsons
Following close on the heels of Pratt's exploration of green fashion; 'Ethics + Aesthetics = Sustainable Fashion', Parsons The New School for Design presents an installation of ecologically and socially conscious work by fashion design students in its Associate in Applied Science (AAS) program. Click through for details.
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Back on the Bottle for Christmas - and the Tap, Too
by April Streeter, Gothenburg, Sweden on 11.26.09
Photo via tap water bottle.
Remember when every celebrity hand in nearly every celebrity picture was clutching an expensive plastic water bottle? Hydration was the byword. Bottled water is up to 2,000 times more energy intensive than the tap, giving it a big carbon footprint. Rob from Toronto is leading the trend back to the bottle - the reusable glass bottle. Toronto company tap water is selling sturdy rubber-stoppered bottles, and Rob says it's a breeze to get merchants everywhere to refill that bottle for free: "I want to see everyone using glass water bottles instead of those throw-away plastic things.. and I love products that have a sense of humor that makes helping the environment fun."...
If People with Lawnmowers Were Treated Like Cyclists
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 11.26.09
Anyone who watches Mad Men is aware of the dangers of lawnmowers; in the UK, 6,500 people are injured every year by them. Yet there are no big lawnmower safety campaigns. Many bike advocates think that cycling safety campaigns, helmets and separate bike lanes are plots to discourage and frighten cyclists, and to get them off the road so that cars can go faster instead of learning to share the road. UK Website Real Cycling! imagines the kind of campaign Don and Peggy might come up with to treat the lawnmowing community like cyclists:...
Are You Skipping the Trip for Thanksgiving?
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 11.26.09
2.3 million Americans are flying in for Thanksgiving. More are taking the train (a whopping 125,000). And 33 million are out driving to Mom's. All of the planes, trains and automobiles in the USA are crowded.
But "only" 38 million people are on the move this year, compared to 58 million in 2005, down 25%. What are you doing?
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Grolar Bears Evolving Along Natural Selection Principles Due to Warming Climate
by Warren McLaren, Bundanoon, Australia on 11.26.09
Photo Credit: www.kewlwallpapers.com
Charles Darwin's On the Origin of Species, was published on 24 November 1859, almost exactly150 years ago. This seminal book is widely considered to be a scientific landmark, in the way it changed humankind's anthropocentric belief that we were of divine creation and all plants and animals were put here simply for us to rule over.
Darwin was able to demonstrate a more likely proposition. That man was indeed interrelated to all other animals, having also evolved by the law of Natural Selection. This being where those of a species that evolve a stronger, or more adaptive, genetic variation can be more expected to carry forward, compared to those with a less adaptive genetic variation....
Spring/Summer 2010: Mociun (Womens)
by Emma Grady, New York, NY on 11.26.09
Mociun spring/summer 2010. Credit: Mociun
Caitlin Mociun, the designer behind eco-fashion brand Mociun--whose Native American-inspired red coat we covet--has a knack for designing colorful and striking patterns. Her talent in textile design is fully executed with stripes in her spring 2010 collection, made with organic fabrics; tencel, silk, organic cotton, and recycled poly buttons. Click through for bold prints and sustainable suits for summer. ...
New Zealand Gets A New Emissions Trading Scheme. Before Australia.
by Warren McLaren, Bundanoon, Australia on 11.26.09
South Island, New Zealand. Photo: Warren McLaren / INOV8.
New Zealand has a new emissions trading scheme (ETS). In many ways its passage through the NZ parliament is like a parallel universe to the climate change shenanigans that have been occurring across the Tasman Sea in Australia.
According to the Sydney Morning Herald (SMH), this ETS is also a watered down version of a previous model. It too provides easier options for the big polluters. It too gives the agricultural sector a get out of jail free card. (although they will have to eventually come to the party, whereas in Australia, the ag industry has permanent exemption). It too was vehemently opposed by the main opposition party. And by the Greens. It was also made possible by a last minute deal to secure the vote numbers....
California Proposes Own Cap & Trade Rule: Wad'ya Say We Crystal Ball US Climate Action
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 11.26.09
Western Climate Initiative, Partners and Observers. Image credit:WCI
For decades California has been the US environmental trendsetter and regulatory proving ground. They propose a rule; a year or two later NPR profiles the effort. One of the Times (LA, Washington, NY) does a feature story. Industry reps say it will bankrupt the universe. Couple of years after that, at most, the Cal-reg becomes the model for a Federal law. Life goes on. It's like clockwork.
California Air Resources Board has just posted a preliminary draft rule for California-style Cap & Trade. I'll let others cover the details, which can be downloaded here. My bet is this. ...
Don't Tell Us It Can't Be Done, Timberland Says To Cophenhagen Delegates
by Warren McLaren, Bundanoon, Australia on 11.26.09
Image: Timberland
Don't Tell Us It Can't Be Done is a global campaign by the 54 year old boot maker, Timberland. They say it gives the public a forum to let their voices be heard, to challenge world leaders at the United Nation's Conference on Climate Change (COP15), in Copenhagen next month, to commit to reducing global emissions - even if that means a cap and trade system.
26% Carbon Reduction
Timberland doesn't want to hear that action on climate change can't be done because they know - and provide proof - that it can be done. Timberland report that they've reduced their own direct carbon emissions by 27% since 2006 and say they are well on the way to carbon neutrality. ...
Experience The Economics of Happiness at Schumacher College
by Leonora Oppenheim, London, UK on 11.26.09
Image via Schumacher College
Are you fed up with being depressed about the recession? We've spent so long suffering the effects of the credit crunch have we forgotten how to look on the bright side? At a time time when many worry that we're just going back to using the 'business as usual' operating manual, surely we need to take action on creating an economics of well being and happiness not just economic growth. Thankfully Schumacher College is providing you with a new year's resolution to reform and renew, with their upcoming course entitled The Economics of Happiness....
Horny Toad and Goodwill Share the Warmth
by Warren McLaren, Bundanoon, Australia on 11.26.09
Photo: David McLain for Horny Toad
In the Christmas carol 'Good King Wenceslas,' the king looks out and see snow all about. He also notices a poor man gathering winter fuel, though the frost be cruel. He sets out into the night to save the man from his plight. The carol concludes "be sure, wealth or rank possessing, ye who now will bless the poor, shall yourselves find blessing."
In this same vein, outdoor lifestyle clothing company, Horny Toad, of California are offering their customers a 15% discount when they donate gently pre-loved apparel to Goodwill secondhand clothing stores across the US. If Goodwill receive 100,000 pieces of donated clothing by the end of 2009 then Horny Toad will also donate $10,000 USD directly to Goodwill Industries International....
National Trust to Sell Their Own Food Products
by Bonnie Alter, London on 11.26.09
Image from the National Trust: Cotehele, Cornwall
The National Trust used to just preserve old and historic country houses so that the public could visit them and soak up their history. But the Trust has come a long way (baby) lately. They have become champions of the best of Britain's foods. They are putting allotment gardens in some of their properties, running healthy food campaigns and having travelling displays of vegetables. Now they are going to start making and selling their own food products.
They will be celebrating the best of traditional British staples, using recipes from the archives of the kitchens of historic houses and producing the food at the properties. Yummy products will include new potatoes from Wales, three traditional breads, including one baked with beer and Viceroy India Pale Ale made in Kent....
The Open Source House Project, Sharing Eco-Affordable Housing Solutions (Video)
by Petz Scholtus, Barcelona, Spain on 11.26.09
Over a Hundred Massive Icebergs Heading Towards New Zealand (Photos)
by Brian Merchant, Brooklyn, New York on 11.25.09
Photo via New Zeal
Ships passing through the southern Pacific Ocean have been issued a warming: beware of hundreds of massive icebergs. Seems that they've broken off of an Antarctic ice floe and are now drifting towards New Zealand. Pics after the jump....
From the Forums: Can Nuclear Be Green?
by Alex Davies, New York City on 11.25.09
Image Credit: Lyndi&Jason via Flickr
Sumbody writes:
One of the more frustrating things about being politically liberal and employed in the nuclear power industry is possessing the knowledge that they are the most non-polluting large base load power plants in existence while observing the derision nuclear power receives from the green community. One must accept the fact that large base load power plants are essential due to the large amounts of energy our society consumes...Yet there continues to be strong resistance to building new nuclear plants. Go green! Go nuclear!So what do you think? Is nuclear power really a green option? Join the conversation....
Confirmed: Obama Sets US Emissions Reductions Targets, Will Attend Copenhagen Talks
by Brian Merchant, Brooklyn, New York on 11.25.09
Photo via the Telegraph
News broke this morning that Obama will attend the COP15 climate talks in Copenhagen after all, boosting the hopes that a more effective climate agreement will be reached. Now, the White House has issued a statement that includes the United States' new carbon emissions reduction targets, along with more details. ...
Obama Protecting Fewer Endangered Species than Bush
by Brian Merchant, Brooklyn, New York on 11.25.09
Photo via Leland Rucker
President Bush was certainly not known for his dedication for protecting endangered species--his delisting of gray wolves, for example, caused a furor among environmentalists, and he notoriously dragged his feet in adding threatened species to the protected list. In contrast, George H.W. Bush added an average of 58 species to the endangered list every year during his presidency. Clinton added an average of 61. Bush added only 11. But Obama is doing even worse--so far, with only two species added, Obama is coming up last....
Best Green Home Resources from Apartment Therapy
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 11.25.09
TreeHugger founder Graham Hill has been asking for advice on his tiny green house of the future, so Max at Apartment Therapy put together a list of the Best Green Home Resources: Our Go-To List for Renovations.
It has websites, books, architects, stores and appliances, but I think there are some oversights, not the least of which is TreeHugger. So I will add a few, and urge readers to leave suggestions in comments....
White House Releases Turkey Pardon Spoof Then Does The Real Thing
by Daniel Kessler, San Francisco, California on 11.25.09
First State Dinner at Obama White House Inspired by First Lady's Garden
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 11.25.09
Photo credit: KRSPO via Flickr
The Obama White House held its first official state dinner last night, for visiting Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. Thanks to input by First Lady (and First Gardener/First Locavore) Michelle Obama, the evening had a decidedly green theme.
Inspired by, and including foods from, her very successful White House garden, the event showcased "the Obamas' dedication to green and sustainable elements." ...
Do Urban Chickens Dream of Glass and Steel Coops?
by David DeFranza on 11.25.09
Image credit: Good
Do urban chickens dream of glass and steel coops? We don't know, but chickens have taken roost in cities across the country. From Portland to San Francisco to Brooklyn, urban farmers young and old are embracing local food by raising it in their backyards....
Instead of Walking Miles, Indian Farmers Use Cellphones to Operate Irrigation Pumps
by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada on 11.25.09
Photo: Flickr, CC
Better for Farmer and Saves Lots of Water
Tata Teleservices Limited (TTSL), a telecom company in India, has launched a new service that allows farmers to operate their irrigation pumps remotely using a SMS-capable cellphone. This is extremely useful because the alternative often is for the farmers to walk many miles to the pumps, often at night because the electricity supply is a bit more reliable then (and sometimes after walking for hours, they arrive to find out that the electricity is out)....
ReBurbia Winner Reimagines McMansions as Suburban Living Machines
by Jacob Gordon, Nashville, TN on 11.25.09
Image: ReBurbiaWhen Ken Eklund created his alternate reality game World Without Oil, one of the emergent themes of the "historical pre-enactment" was that the suburbs became ghost towns. As populations ballooned and fuel prices surged, the distant burbs no longer made sense. New York Times writer Allison Arieff paints a beautiful image of a suburbia reimagined as a network of intimate, functional communities, and Lloyd Alter adds that those generous backyards could be combined into farmland for sub-urban homesteaders. In this spirit, ReBurbia challenged designers to re-envision our dysfunctional suburbs. The winner, a concept called Frog Dream, turns oversized McMansions into multi-stage, water-purifying ecosystems, complete with clam beds in the garage and freshwater shrimp in the living room....
Flatpack Instant Office Built Like Pop-Up Book
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 11.25.09
The Best of Fast Company: SocialCycling, Wal-Mart's Sustainable Pizza Box, and GMO Soybeans Get Healthy
by Ariel Schwartz of Fast Company on 11.25.09
This week at Fast Company, we looked at an upcycling service for unrecyclable items, Wal-Mart's small strides towards big advances in sustainability, Monsanto's fish oil-filled soybeans, and the future of virtual doctor care.
DMD Green's new SocialCyclng service is like a Craigslist for unrecyclable items, taking things like PVC scrap and giving it to artisans who can turn it into lining for backpacks. It's a commonsense service, so why don't we see it in every major city?
Wal-Mart is thinking big with its planned supply chain sustainability index, but the company has been working on smaller items--like the deli pizza box--for a long time. And these small strides have made a major impact.
Monsanto is demonized for shilling GMO foods, but could it be that the biggest of the Big-Ag vendors is finally doing something right with fish oil-filled soybeans?
Are virtual doctor visits the future of healthcare for the elderly? Probably, if Intel has anything to say about it.
Fast Company sets the agenda, charting the evolution of business through a unique focus on the most creative individuals sparking change in the marketplace....
Why is Phase-Changing Drywall in the News Instead of in the Home Depot?
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 11.25.09
Americans think of themselves as innovators, but when it comes to green products they are not even in the ballpark. Take phase-changing drywall; we wrote about it almost five years ago in TreeHugger. It works by embedding "phase-changing microcapsules" from BASF and called Micronal into drywall, and is sold in Europe as KNAUF PCM Smartboard.
Now National Gypsum is making it in America; Alex Wilson of Greenbuilding Advisor saw it at Greenbuild. But they are not selling it, just doing field trials. ...
Want to Blog from Copenhagen? Enter the Hopenhagen Ambassador Contest
by Brian Merchant, Brooklyn, New York on 11.25.09
Image via Hopenhagen
Faithful TreeHugger readers and greens already know that the global climate talks in Copenhagen this December are a very big deal--but much of the world does not. Which is why the Huffington Post and Hopenhagen have a fantastic contest underway to help an ordinary citizen help spread the word about the climate talks. And yes, it could be you--here's how you could get a complimentary trip to Copenhagen and a chance to report on one of the biggest events of our time....
Mayor of Downey, CA: Deal with Tesla for Model S Factory "99.9% done"
by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada on 11.25.09
Photo: Tesla Motors
City Council Needs to Approve Memorandum of Understanding
Mario Guerra, the mayor of Downey, California, recently said that a deal between Tesla Motors and his city was "99.9% done". The only thing left to do is apparently for the city council to approve a memorandum of understanding, and this could be happening today (according to the Associated Press). So if all goes well, Tesla's factory for the upcoming Model S would be located very close to Los Angeles on a 80-acre plot (the city was involved in the deal because it owns 20 of those acres). The factory could employ about 1,200 people....
Fighting Water Scarcity with GPS
by David DeFranza on 11.25.09
Has your GPS ever led you to water? Image credit: pizzodisevo/Flickr
The western United States has a problem: water. Droughts brought on by climate change and population explosions have already had shocking effects on agriculture and drinking water reserves and things are expected to get much worse.
The chances of finding or creating a new reservoir for the region are slim: The only solution is better management of the resources already available. New research is showing that GPS might be one part of the management solution....
Ford is Retraining Automotive Engineers for Electric Car Work
by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada on 11.25.09
Photo: Courtesy of Ford
A Partnership with the University of Detroit Mercy
We always hear that electric cars are coming, but someone has to actually design and build the things. There are lots of automotive engineers out there, but only a small portion of them have any experience or training with electric cars. That's why Ford has decided to partner with the University of Detroit Mercy to retrain what it calls "traditional automotive engineers." Together they created the Advanced Electric Vehicle Program, a graduate-level curriculum that emphasizes core electric and hybrid vehicle engineering expertise, such as power electronics, power flow, energy management and system architecture....
Man Gets 120 Days for Shooting Cyclist in the Head
by Brian Merchant, Brooklyn, New York on 11.25.09
This is downright infuriating. Perhaps you recall this story: while driving down the road one day, Charles Diaz grew upset at seeing a man riding his bike on a busy street with his 3 year-old son. So he shot him in the head. Thankfully, the bullet narrowly missed his skull, instead getting lodged in the cyclists' helmet. Well, Diaz has just been sentenced for admitting to nearly murdering a man by firing a gun towards his head--and he's received a paltry 4 months in jail.
That's right. 120 days. For coming as close to killing someone in cold blood as you possibly can without actually doing so. ...
Jargon Watch: Boomerangers
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 11.25.09
They are not all slackers living in their parents' basements; a recent survey by Pew finds that "13% of parents with grown children say one of their adult sons or daughters has moved back home in the past year. Social scientists call them "boomerangers" -- young adults who move in with parents after living away from home. This recession has produced a bumper crop."
Daniel Indiviglio at the Atlantic notes that a lot of people are living with less space- "a whopping 24% of respondents 18-24 years-old have moved in with a roommate as a response to the recession, while only 6% have moved back in with parents."
...
Forget About Climate Change, Cutting Greenhouse Gas Emissions Has 'Major Direct Health Benefits'
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 11.25.09
Air pollution in Tehran, photo: Hamid Najafi via flickr.
Forget about climate change for one moment, a series of six papers appearing in The Lancet says that reducing CO2 and other greenhouse gases has "major direct health benefits." The papers examine case studies in electricity generation, household energy use, transportation and food and agriculture and the health implications for each in both high- and low-income nations:...
One For The Road: A Home in a Shopping Cart
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 11.25.09
The Road opens this week, with Viggo Mortensen pushing a shopping cart through a post-apocalyptic world. Kevin Cyr was thinking about Cormac McCarthy's novel when he designed the Camper Cart. "That cart is almost like a character in the novel," Cyr told the LA Times. "It's essential to the characters' survival."
...
Cute Copenhagen Cargo Bike Storage System
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 11.25.09
images via goodmorning technology
There are a lot of cargo bikes in Copenhagen, and they take up a lot of space to park. Since they take the attitude there that bikes are better than cars in cities, they take away a parking space for one car to make garages for 4 cargo bikes. Goodmorning Technology designed it and the Mayor loves it:
"The many Copenhageners who invest in a cargo bike help make Copenhagen a more sustainable and liveable metropolis. We must, of course, take the cargo bikes into consideration when planning. And we do that by offering them some proper parking spots"....
BREAKING: Obama to Attend COP15 Climate Summit
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 11.25.09
photo: Alex Johnson via flickr.
We don't have many details on this one yet, but the Washington Post says President Obama will indeed be attending the COP15 climate change summit.
"President Obama will travel to Copenhagen Dec. 9, a day before accepting the Nobel Peace Price in Oslo, to help launch a U.N.-sponsored global climate change summit, a White House official said."
In recent weeks the President has said that he would attend the UN talks if it would help seal the deal on a global climate change treaty.
TreeHugger will have more details as they become available. ...
It's Finally Official - India's National Solar Mission Aims for 20 Gigawatts Solar Power by 2022
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 11.25.09
photo: Ryan D'Souza via flickr.
Rumors and draft reports have been circulating about India's National Solar Mission plan since early summer, but the program has finally been officially announced. Approved just in time for Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's visit with President Obama, the plan aims for 20 gigawatts on solar power capacity by 2022:...
Menini Nicola Makes The Kind of Furniture you'll Use Forever
by Paula Alvarado, Buenos Aires on 11.25.09
Photos: Menini-Nicola.com
Sustainable design is not just about incorporating green materials, but about making things that will last forever, physically and aesthetically. A great example is the classic Charles and Ray Eames furniture line, which includes items that more than thirty, forty years after their breakthrough are still desirable and cool.
We're not sure if Menini Nicola's furniture will still be around in thirty years, but with their classic lines and use of local, sustainable wood, they're certainly up for a good start. Take a look at the beautiful photos inside....
Un-TreeHugger: ActivIon For Transforming Water into...Water
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 11.25.09
ActiveIon's Ionator HOM is one of those gadgets that just screams infomercial. It's a device that the company claims will forever free you from needing cleaning chemicals. Instead, this device ionizes water so that it becomes super dirt-attracting. Sounds green, for a second - then you realize that they want you to buy a special (and expensive!!) device so you'll clean your house...with water. ...
Chocolatier Cadbury Delivers 5,000 Bicycles to Ghana, Africa
by Warren McLaren, Bundanoon, Australia on 11.25.09
Sand Dams An Answer To World's Water Woes? (Video)
by Kimberley D. Mok, Montreal, Canada on 11.25.09
Have You Become More Skeptical About Climate Change?
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 11.25.09
Jason Permenter Design
Reading the comments lately, you would never know that all TreeHugger readers are committed environmentalists. Climate skepticism seems to be growing by leaps and bounds. George Monbiot says "we're losing. Climate change denial is spreading like a contagious disease." Inhofe proudly declares 2009 to be the Year of the Skeptic." And the stupid emails didn't help.
...
Acid Tests for Sustainability: Does it Work, and What's the Alternative?
by Sami Grover, Carrboro, NC, USA on 11.25.09
Image credit: Sami Grover
I thought I'd illustrate this post with some rare footage of me doing something practical. Because I'm increasingly convinced that practicality and pragmatism are the order of the day. Having explored whether greens really are anti-progress, and asked how we distinguish between contradicting scientific claims (and no, I am not talking about a few stolen emails!), it occurred to me that deciding whether or not a particular environmental action or technology is a step forward boils down to two simple questions......
Designer Spotlight: Meiling Chen, "Fearless Dreamer"
by Emma Grady, New York, NY on 11.25.09
Meiling Chen Free Float Blanket Coat, organic wool and made in NYC. Credit: Meiling Chen
New York City-based Meiling Chen premiered her sustainable collection "Fearless Dreamer" in 2008. She says, "I am constantly adding new pieces to my collection and I aim to create season less clothes. I also do not follow common trends." Her designs have been shown with "House of Organic" during New York Fashion Week and at the GreenShows. Meiling follows waste-free processes, mixes her own plant-based and low-impact dyes, and works with carefully procured organic cotton, hemp, hemp silk blends, and organic wool. Click through for her timeless collection.
...
Readers' Favorite Antiques and Heirlooms (Slideshow)
by Emma Grady, New York, NY on 11.25.09
Readers' favorite heirlooms, a Movado watch. Credit: Aaron Rosenberg
From a 14k gold Movado Automatic to an old mine cut diamond in a unique setting, readers sent in photos of their favorite heirlooms and antiques. Click through for a 100 year-old oak desk, a 67 Mustang Fastback--that doesn't leave the garage much--and a festive oak commode dressed in Yuletide finery. And if you missed last week's Readers' Photos it's not to late to enjoy our Readers' Green Objects They Can't Live Without slideshow, and stay tuned - later today we'll be asking for photos of your green Thanksgiving feast.
...
Happy Panda News for Australia - China Sending Two Pandas Downunder
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 11.25.09
Photo via popofatticus
Australia will be the home to two pandas - a 4-year-old male and 3-year-old female - for the next ten years. On loan from China, they'll be sent to Australia on Friday. Wang Wang (the boy) and Fu Ni (the girl) were offered by China's President Hu Jinta in 2007 as a sign of good will towards Australia, and now they will be calling Adelaide Zoo home for (hopefully) a good long stretch of their lives. ...
New McKinsey Report Warns of Rising Demand on Water Resources
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 11.25.09
Photo via futureatlas.com
We had a brief reprieve from dire water news when Mike posted about US water use in the US in 2005 lower than most years since 1975. Thanks to efficiency measures in industrial and agricultural sectors, it seemed like we were on a good path. However, a report released on Monday by McKinsey shows a global water demand that brings us right back into a frightening reality. We are running out of arguably the single most important resource the planet has to offer, and yet we're demanding more of it. ...
Rhino Horn Now Worth More Than Gold - And You Wonder Why Poaching Continues...
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 11.25.09
Black rhino photo: Neil via flickr.
The problem of rhino poaching continues to grow, with poaching levels at 15-year highs. Part of the reason according to WWF is rising demand in Asia, where the horn is used in traditional Chinese medicine, but Mongabay points out an undoubted contributing factor. Rhino horn is now worth more than gold:...
From the Forums: Oh Christmas Tree!
by Alex Davies, New York City on 11.25.09
Image Credit: Celine... via Flickr
TreeHuggerForever could use a few tips:
Okay, so this is my first Christmas being an official "green" member of society...Now we might need a new tree. I just learned that artificial trees are terrible for the environment but here's the kicker: I am highly allergic to pine! My parents are set on artificial, for good reasons I suppose. But does anybody know if there are any eco friendly artificial trees?Have any suggestions? Post them here. Plus, check out this green holidays guide, from Planet Green....
CNN Türk Spotlights Organic Farming Pioneer
by Jennifer Hattam, Istanbul, Turkey on 11.25.09
Nazmi Ilıcalı (top right) was featured on a Turkish TV series about people working "in pursuit of a better tomorrow." Image via "Turkey's Changemakers."
Poverty and unemployment are rife in Erzurum, a city where the weather is so inclement that Turks use the expression "as cold as Erzurum" to describe somewhere particularly bone-chilling. But one local farmer saw in these difficulties a lucky circumstance -- the chance to go organic....
Best of Ecouterre: 7 Bizarre, Creepy, and Gross Examples of Eco-Fashion
by Jasmin Malik Chua, Jersey City, USA on 11.25.09
Photo credit: Polly van der Glas
From solid canine-encrusted signet rings to delicate molar-embellished earrings, Polly van der Smith's toothy trinkets are a Tooth Fairy's dream.
Put your dearly departed pet on ice—the bejeweled kind, that is—by turning its ashes into wearable diamonds.
Azumi & David's quirky Hat Bag is a twofer: a bag that you can wear as a hat, or vice versa.
Unbelievably monstrous, designer Shin Murayama's wildly inventive fabric masks will keep you cowering under your blanket at night.
Would you wear clothing made from a built-up of your body's bacteria?
We're all for creative upcycling, but RP/Encore's macabre medley of jewelry and accessories made out of preserved rat heads, guinea pig feet, pigeon feathers, and whole mice give us the heebie jeebies.
This wackadoodle dress is made not from fabric, but from 120 upcycled zippers, each of which can be pulled apart or drawn together at a moment's notice to produce the desired effect.
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....
Look Mum, No Hands: Bike Surfing (Video)
by Warren McLaren, Bundanoon, Australia on 11.25.09
Heritage Turkeys and Their Journey from Farm to Table
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 11.25.09
Photo credit: ExperienceLA via Flickr
Heritage turkeys are a pretty good option if you aren't in to Tofurky or other non-gobbling traditional main dish choices for Thanksgiving, but how much do you know about how these turkeys get from farm to table? In a fascinating piece in The Atlantic, food writer Lisa M. Hamilton takes a closer look at a small-time operation in Sonoma, California that's trying to bring heritage breeds back in to the food culture of this often turkey-centric holiday....
Australia, Drunk on Coal, Remains World's Largest Carbon Emitter
by Warren McLaren, Bundanoon, Australia on 11.25.09
Photo: ABC Online
The other week both Brian and Matthew posted on the report from the Global Carbon Project that showed carbon dioxide emissions had risen 2% in 2008, even when the economy was supposed to be slowing.
What their posts didn't mention, was that Australia has retained it's unenviable position as the world's worst carbon emitter, per capita. Those Australian politicians bickering over climate change action often say we shouldn't do anything, because we only make up 0.32% of the global population, with 54 nations having more citizens than Australia. Or that our carbon emissions are just 1.43% of the worldwide total. But that view is only one side of the coin....
7 Gorgeous Eco Celebrities We Can't Believe are Single
by Kara DiCamillo, Newport, Rhode Island on 11.25.09
Photo via shaolin1990.
They're hot, they're celebrities, and they believe in saving the Earth. But what's better is that they all have one thing in common (besides the environment) -- they're single! We've listed some of our favorite eco-hotties below because, well, we could have a chance, right? Heck, we do share the same interests. So catch them while you can, they won't be single for long!...
Join Hunter Lovins In London at The Road To Ecotopia Conference
by Leonora Oppenheim, London, UK on 11.25.09
Images via Fair Knowledge
Hunter Lovins, Director of The Rocky Mountain Institute, is just one of many great environmental thinkers and strategists who will be speaking at The Road to Ecotopia conference taking place in London next week. This Cineforum event has set the ambitious target of creating "a strategic vision of a sustainable future" in just one day. This seems like a tall order given the examples of climate summits all over the globe running a ground as we approach Copenhagen. So how are they going to do it?...
Green Walls are Growing Inside and Outside in London
by Bonnie Alter, London on 11.25.09
TreeHugger loves green walls--they are beautiful, environmental and good for nature and the world. Suddenly they are popping out all over in London.
The American store Anthropologie just opened and they have installed a 3 storey high, 1500 sq. ft. living wall made of 14,000 plants and 15 varieties. Designed by BioTecture, it is meant to represent a piece of plaid woven fabric.
...
New Smart Electric Drive Caught in Spy Photos
by Christine Lepisto, Berlin on 11.25.09
Images: author
Daimler Gears Up New Smart Electric Car
With production of the second generation electric Smart just starting at the new Smart Electric Drive production line in Hambach, France, it looks like Daimler is ramping up its marketing strategy. At least, that is what these spy shots (more photos overlead) of the Smart ForTwo Electric Drive making filming runs past famous Berlin landmarks would indicate.
Here is a quiz to test if you are a hard-core electric car buff: whose batteries power the new Smart Electric Drive?...
Decision Time for Australia's Emission Trading Scheme
by Warren McLaren, Bundanoon, Australia on 11.24.09
Photo: Australian Parliament House by noodlesnacks via wikipedia.
The Australia Labor Government want to front up to the Copenhagen with their backpocket sprouting an emissions trading scheme (ETS) approved by the Australian parliament. The Liberal/National Coalition party in opposition are in turmoil as to whether they'll approve such a thing. Because politically they are over barrel, no matter which way they vote.
They know Australians want action on climate change. The Opposition leader, Malcolm Turnbull, has even declared publicly (and maybe prophetically), "I will not lead a party that is not as committed to effective action on climate change as I am." ...
Tweeting Middle Class Joins Major Environmental Protests in China
by Brian Merchant, Brooklyn, New York on 11.24.09
Photo via the Telegraph
There are more protests in China every year--an estimated 100,000 of them--than any other nation. Most of these are orchestrated by the poor, demanding human rights and economic equality--and most are stamped out and covered up by the Chinese government. But now the middle class is getting fed up, too. In this case, with better access to resources like computers and Twitter and the help of hackers who broke through the Chinese government's firewall, hundreds of well-off Chinese caught the attention of international media with a protest against a garbage incinerator being put up too close to their homes....
SuperFreakonomics Author Goes On Fox To Rip IPCC, Sow Doubt
by Daniel Kessler, San Francisco, California on 11.24.09
'Mutually Assured Construction' - Multiple Nuclear Power Plant Additions Aligned With Energy Security, Defense, & Now Climate Strategy
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 11.24.09
South African Nuclear Plant, 2005. Image credit:AFP, Gian Luigi Guercia
There is so much planned nuclear power development in Europe, Africa, and the Middle East, these days. In the Middle East, Iran is just the tip of nuclear 'iceberg'. Arab Emirates, for example, also is planning nuclear power plant construction in the near future.
Not only are the foreign policy implications of such developments head-spinning; it's hard to imagine where the cooling water will come from. Add to that, needed changes in treaties and practices for high level radiological waste management and for prevention of nuclear arms proliferation.
According to UPI "United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia have signed nuclear cooperation deals with the United States. Kuwait is considering developing nuclear power with French help and in June Egypt signed a deal with Russia to build the first of four planned nuclear power stations."
There is much more nuclear power expansion planned for Britain, Turkey, & Africa....
New Species Discovered Thanks to Vomiting Snake
by David DeFranza on 11.24.09
The newly-discovered Magombera chameleon. Image credit: Andrew Marshall/African Journal of Herpetology
Dr. Andrew Marshal did not venture into the lowland forests of Tanzania looking for a new species. He does not study reptiles or amphibians. In fact, the new species of chameleon he discovered, now named Kinyongia magomberae or the Magombera chameleon, was delivered to him, in a way, by a startled snake....
Learning About Food Waste has Never Been so Fun
by David DeFranza on 11.24.09
Good tells us the "average American wastes more than half a pound of food each day." This is bad for the planet and it's bad for our fellow people, many of whom are going hungry.
But what can we do about it?...
The World's 3 'Carbon Neutral Nations' Gear Up to Cut Emissions
by Brian Merchant, Brooklyn, New York on 11.24.09
Photo via Samapan
It's not easy being carbon neutral--that's what the world's most exclusive carbon-cutting club is finding out fast. Only three countries have pledged to become entirely carbon neutral: Costa Rica, the Maldives, and Norway. They may not have much in common geographically, in government, or even socially--but they're all looking for ways to cut their carbon use to nil. And fast....
From the Forums: Why Grow Food Inside?
by Alex Davies, New York City on 11.24.09
Image Credit: Kamil Porembiński via Flickr
greenvert writes:
So I feel like the idea of growing food in high rise buildings has come up from time to time in the last few years, most recently here. They say they have the technology to make it work, but I'm assuming that that technology involves heating lamps to provide "sunlight" inside- heating lamps that need electricity: lots of electricity. Isn't this just a big step, if not backwards, at the best sideways?What do you think? Is this a step forwards, backwards, or sideways? Join the conversation....
50% More Civil War In Africa by 2030... Thanks to Climate Change
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 11.24.09
image: Future Atlas via flickr.
I'm sure you've heard estimates someone say how civil strife is likely to increase because of climate change. It's an oft-cited notion, but until now the linkages hadn't really been examined in a systematic, causal way. A multi-university team of researchers has now determined that in the case of sub-Saharan Africa climate change could increase the likelihood of civil war by more than 50%:...
New Study Sends European Carbon Sinks Down the Drain
by David DeFranza on 11.24.09
Image credit: juanRubiano/Flickr
Forests and peat land, oceans and grasslands are hungry for carbon. In fact, these areas readily absorb up to half of all carbon emissions, making them a favorite target for scientists and engineers searching for a fast fix to the planet's rapidly increasing climate problem.
Unfortunately, new research indicates that, at least in Europe, these natural carbon sinks are being completely overloaded....
Dangerous, Potentially-Irreversible Climate Change Happening Faster Than Scientists Thought
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 11.24.09
photo: Loco085 via flickr.
A lot's happened with climate change science since the last IPCC report. With the general consensus (hacked CRU email non-revelation brouhaha aside) being that things are happening much faster than we expected and that the uncertainty regarding human causes being over whether it's 90% certainty or 99% certainty more than anything else. With the COP15 conference just two weeks away a group of UK scientists has taken the time to distill the current state of climate change for us. The picture is clear and stark:...
True Cause of Road Rage: Exposure to Gas Fumes?
by Brian Merchant, Brooklyn, New York on 11.24.09
Photo via Shane in NYC
A lot of things can make people angry when they head to the gas station: the outrageous prices, having to wait in an awkward car-line, bad smells, and so on. But there's actually one thing that may be making you really mad without your even knowing it: exposure to the gasoline itself. A recent study has revealed that exposure to fumes from unleaded and leaded gas can cause heightened aggression. ...
Cute Biodegradable Flowerpot has More to it Than Just Looks
by Paula Alvarado, Buenos Aires on 11.24.09
Photo: Courtesy of Diseño Sustentable.
This biodegradable flower pot is the cutest thing, we know. But it also has a good story and design idea behind it, having been designed for a flower producers community in the outskirts of Buenos Aires. Take a closer look inside....
The Favorite Energy Gadget Kill A Watt Gets an Upgrade
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 11.24.09
Image via Think Geek
The Kill A Watt is a TreeHugger favorite - a plug-load power monitor that allows you to track energy consumption for a particular device and find out how much money you're spending on running that piece of equipment. The familiar device has just received an upgrade with the Kill A Watt Graphic Timer, a new version that has a few extra bells and whistles that if you've been considering getting a Kill A Watt, you'll want to know about. ...
CCS: A Pathway To Cleaner Coal And Enhanced Energy Security?
by Marian Hopkins, Business Roundtable on 11.24.09
UPDATE: This post, contributed by one of TreeHugger's guest authors, has generated some significant controversy among our readers, and we want to address that.
We run several guest posts each week, representing a variety of news topics and points of view that we think our readers should be aware of. Regarding this post, we want to be perfectly clear: The views expressed in this post are those of the author, Business Roundtable, and not those of the TreeHugger editorial staff.
We value the input of all -- readers, writers, and guest authors alike -- who are interested in helping create a green future. Thanks for reading.
Take a second to list the top green energy sources.
I bet coal didn't make your list. It should. New technologies being developed - including carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) - have the potential to make coal not just our most abundant and affordable energy source, but a green one too.
Today coal provides approximately half of our nation's electricity and employs thousands of Americans. Contrast that with renewable sources of energy, which supply only a tiny portion of our current energy mix, about 7 percent. In the near - and even distant - future, technologies like solar and wind will not be able to meet our country's energy needs alone. Renewable and alternative fuels and technologies are vital tools in our quest to improve our nation's carbon footprint and energy security, and Business Roundtable is strongly supportive of their development. However - as we recently outlined in our Unfinished Business report - in order to develop a cost-effective and realistic path to sustainability, we also need to leverage the domestic resources that currently provide power to millions of Americans in the cleanest, most efficient way possible. ...
From the Forums: Get McDonald's Out of the Rainforest!
by Alex Davies, New York City on 11.24.09
Image Credit: adotjdotsmith via Flickr
gaiaisi has a bone to pick:
So few people know this, but of equal importance as a cause of global warming is deforestation. But while most people associate the chainsaws with paper demand, the leading cause of the disappearance of the Amazon (mostly by slashing and burning) is beef. McDonald's and other Fast Food Restaurants lead the way in purchasing low-grade beef from the rain forest, one quarter pounder of which is equivalent to 25 square feet of the most precious land on Earth destroyed.What do you think? How do we get McDonald's out of the rainforest? Join the conversation....
PETA Ad Tells the Truth About Factory Farmed Turkey - But NBC Refuses to Run It
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 11.24.09
Surviving Thanksgiving Dinner with (Not-So-Green) Family
by Greg Haegele of Sierra Club on 11.24.09
Thanksgiving -- it's the best of times, it's the worst of times. Like most Americans, I look forward to Thanksgiving every year. There's the great food, the family traditions, and the fact that it's all about community and being thankful rather than about how much stuff you can buy (that's the day after Thanksgiving). But it's also a time when many of us environmentalists butt heads with some of our more distant relatives. Imagine it now: Showing up to the table and the only open seat is the one next to Uncle Bert, a guy who hasn't missed a tea party protest all year....
After California Nixes Energy-Sucking TVs, What's Next in the Crosshairs?
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 11.24.09
Photo via nexthttp
California recently passed a ban on the most energy sucking TVs, pulling them from store shelves in an effort to decrease how much electricity goes to the devices. It is expected to save enough energy to power 1 million homes and will cut CO2 emissions by 3.5 million tons. That's a big deal, but a quick glance at the average American's entertainment system tells us that it's not the only place a ban like this could be effective. PC Magazine takes a half joking jibe at a few devices - but their choices of examples actually show a bright red arrow pointing at a particular group of gadgets. ...
Electricity Out Of The Blue - World's First Osmotic Power Plant Opens in Norway
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 11.24.09
all images: Statkraft
If you haven't heard of osmotic power, you're very much forgiven. Though Norway's Statkraft has been researching the technology -- which generates power by exploiting the hydrostatic pressure created when fresh water passes through a special membrane into salt water -- since 1997, only now has the world's first osmotic power plant prototype been opened: ...
Man Invents Electric Lobster Taser...and It's PETA Approved
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 11.24.09
Image via MAKE
Supposedly, zapping a lobster is more humane than boiling them as they scream. So says company CrustaStun, purveyor of the lobster electrifier. Inventor Simon Buckhaven has labored for two years with Department of Food Animal Science at the University of Bristol and the Silsoe Research Institute in England to come up with a better way to prepare lobster meat and so far, claims are that this invention is not only more humane, but also makes them tastier. ...
Solar in the Wrong Place - Rocking the FM Stereo Headset
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 11.24.09
Image via ecotopia
There are some places solar just shouldn't go. For instance, on things that you really shouldn't leave in the sun, like netbooks. Or on things you really shouldn't wear, like badly designed clothing. Or these FM radio headphones.
...
hessnatur Offers 30% Off Eco-Fashion + Free Shipping
by Kara DiCamillo, Newport, Rhode Island on 11.24.09
Image via hessnatur.
Recently, we teamed up with German-based fashion company hessnatur to encourage aspiring designers to enter the Eco-T-shirt Design Challenge (congrats again to Lindsay Seligman!). But you may not have known that hessnatur is so much more than just organic cotton t-shirts.
hessnatur offers a wide variety of clothing and accessories for women, men, children, and even babies too, all made from Peruvian alpaca, Australian wool, Mongolian cashmere and yak wool, along with hemp and mohair. Buttons are of such materials as ivory nut, wood, horn, or mother-of-pearl. Metal components are nickel-free and chrome-free. And what's very cool is that hessnatur can trace every step of the process in creating their clothes. So what this means is that when they say their clothing is pure and natural from start to finish, they can prove it too.
...
Wind Energy Pioneer Answers Your Questions: Dale Vince in Guardian Q&A
by Sami Grover, Carrboro, NC, USA on 11.24.09
Image credit: Ecotricity
Yesterday's announcement that UK green energy pioneer Ecotricity will start selling biogas was just the latest in a long line of headlines from Dale Vince and his team. Say what you like about the man, but from attacking other green energy suppliers to launching a 'wind-powered' electric sports car (yes, some people object to his description), Mr Vince is not backwards about coming forward. Nor is he worried about ruffling a few feathers in the process. Heck, he's even made the UK's rich list building wind turbines. But now there's an opportunity to put your questions to the man himself. ...
Where Will the World's Biggest Wind Farm Be Built? (Hint: Head North)
by April Streeter, Gothenburg, Sweden on 11.24.09
Organic Undies for Oceana
by Emma Grady, New York, NY on 11.24.09
Oceana organic undies. Credit: Pact
Online underwear retailer PACT has launched organic panties, boxers, and briefs designed by Yves Behar to benefit--10% of proceeds--Oceana's efforts in ocean conversation and Global Green USA's sustainable building projects. Click through for the full package (cute bums, too). ...
Interview With Jeremy Jones - Founder of Protect Our Winters
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 11.24.09
When you've spent the better part of two decades out in the backcountry riding some of the toughest lines in snowboarding and developing a deep desire to protect mountain environments, global warming is undeniably a pressing and personal concern. When you're Jeremy Jones how do go about transforming that concern into action? You start by founding Protect Our Winters, a non-profit dedicated to uniting the winter sports community:...
Daylighting Is Making a Comeback
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 11.24.09
A hundred years ago there were all kinds of sophisticated technologies to manage, direct and control natural light. Cheap electricity made such variable and hard-to-manage sources unnecessary; just throw in a couple of fluorescent fixtures and it didn't matter how far you were from a window. But electricity isn't so cheap any more, and daylighting is making a comeback. Add some computers and controls and you get the new world of daylight management, where shading devices, heliostats and skylights are integrated with interior lighting systems to get the best and cheapest light possible....
Black Friday or Buy Nothing Day?
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 11.24.09
All the stores in America are getting ready for Black Friday, where people line up at dawn to trample each other for bargains. Others, by choice or necessity, are participating in Buy Nothing Day. There is also a third option- buy responsibly.
...
Study Debunks our "Fetish Of The Fresh"? Not.
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 11.24.09
Photo of farmed Norwegian salmon NatalieMaynor via flickr.
Canada's National Newspaper claims that a new study proves that buying local is not as Earth-friendly as it seems. It starts off with a loaded and offensive line, calling the local food philosophy "a guilt-reduction approach adopted by many environmentally confused but well-meaning shoppers"
Then the reporter, Jessica Leeder gets environmentally confused, and I hope guilt-ridden for her bait-and-switch journalism. She gets a quote from one of the authors of the study:
"Fresh is a big problem over long distance. If it's fresh, it's being air-freighted," he said, adding: "And air freight comes at a huge environmental impact."
Except that isn't what the study was about....
Motherboards Remade Into All Sorts of Random Unexpected Things
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 11.24.09
Photo via Jaymi Heimbuch
Spotted at San Francisco's Green Festival were these coasters made of reclaimed motherboards. Turns out, these are just the tip of the iceberg of things made at Motherboard Gifts & More, an online shop that transforms reclaimed motherboards into a surprising number of knickknacks. ...
See How Patagonia Spent $3.8 Million This Year
by Warren McLaren, Bundanoon, Australia on 11.24.09
Photo: Via Patagonia - Photographer Tim Davis
Patagucci is the mocking term sometimes used to label the outdoor clothing company, Patagonia, in reference to what some people view as high priced goods. We don't know what Gucci do with their money, but Patagonia's customers are transparently informed where a sizeable chunk of their spend is headed. To initiatives that help make the world a saner place.
In the past fiscal year Patagonia gave away $3,816,750 in grants and in-kind donations. That makes $34 million USD they've put back into the environmentally and socially responsible community since 1985. ...
What Would The Humble Oil Ad Look Like Today?
by Pablo Paster, San Francisco on 11.24.09
From a 1962 edition of Life Magazine available on Google Books With 2 People on Board (Unlike Photo Above) Last week many of us derived some pleasure from the irony of a Humble Oil Company advertisement in a 1962 edition of Life Magazine. It was rediscovered recently by a Grist reader, and subsequently covered by TreeHugger. Humble Oil Company became Standard Oil before becoming Exxon. We know that Exxon spends more money on lobbying than the entire clean energy industry combined, much of it on framing climate change as a myth, was fined $1 billion dollars for sabotaging its own oil wells, pled guilty to killing protected birds, and who could forget (or forgive) the Exxon Valdez? With such a long history of egregious offenses against the environment and a seeming disregard for what anyone thinks about it, it would hardly be a surprise if Exxon were to print this add today, as part of some climate change denial campaign. But what would the ad say today?...
Global Sourcing Marketplace Draws Sustainable Designers and Suppliers
by Emma Grady, New York, NY on 11.24.09
Global Sourcing Marketplace in London, November 20-21, 2009. Credit: EFF
Over thirty ethical and sustainable suppliers from around the world came together in London this past weekend (November 20-21, 2009) for the Ethical Fashion Forum's first ever Global Sourcing Marketplace, a non-profit initiative dedicated to supporting sustainable practices within the fashion industry, reducing its impact on the environment, and creating fair conditions for garment workers. Click through for photos and highlights.
...
Top 10 Green Tourist Destinations for 2009 (slideshow)
by Kristin Underwood, Sacramento, CA on 11.24.09
Image via: Anthonyko on Flickr.com
In need of somewhere to travel for New Years? Want to start planning your summer vacation? Now in it's fifth year, National Geographic Traveler magazine has choosing the top green destinations in the world to a science. Many of the locations were chosen for their relative isolation (and thus minimal human impact), while others were major metropolitan areas that have managed to implement a successful environmental protection and preservation plan for their city, despite a growing population and pollution. Without further delay, here are the top 10 tourists destinations chosen by National Geographic Traveler. Time to pack your passport and your boots, or is it your bikini? Read on to find out which.
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Recycled Telephone Books are an Artist's Canvas
by Bonnie Alter, London on 11.24.09
Images from Project Gallery
Old telephone books are the canvas for an artist who carves portraits out of them. What a good way to make use of one of the great wastes of paper. Something ephemeral is turned into an object that will be kept and cherished for years.
Alex Queral has been carving and painting portraits, or "phone book heads" for several years. He believes that creating them from recycled telephone directories celebrates "the individual lost in the anonymous list of thousands of names" that make up the community. ...
Massive Civil Disobedience in Australia Over Climate Inaction
by Daniel Kessler, San Francisco, California on 11.23.09
Photo via Flickr
The international climate negotiations that begin in just a few short weeks may be in trouble, but that's not stopping activists around the globe from showing their leaders that they demand strong action. This was evident today in Australia after police arrested approximately 150 climate protesters taking part in a sit-in at Federal Parliament....
The Truth Behind the Hacked Climate Email Controversy
by Brian Merchant, Brooklyn, New York on 11.23.09
Image via Tech Daily
When news broke that a leading climate research unit had been infiltrated by hackers last Friday, it (of course) lit up the blogosphere. Thousands of emails exchanged between a few of the top climate scientists in the world were posted online, and eagerly sifted through by those eager to find errors in judgment or evidence of great conspiracies behind global warming. Predictably, those hungry to stir controversy found a few sentences (out of perhaps hundreds of thousands) that appeared to fit the bill, and immediately hailed the emails as 'smoking gun' proof that global warming was fake. Here's what they really mean....
US to Announce National Carbon Emissions Reduction Target
by Brian Merchant, Brooklyn, New York on 11.23.09
Photo via ABC
It's about time. Just about every other developed nation has already set at least tentative, nonbinding carbon emission reduction goals. Many have done more. It took the USA this long to get even this far: the White House has announced that next month, it will set the first national carbon reduction target for the United States....
Sandor Katz: The Self-Taught Wild Fermentation Experimentalist (Interview)
by Guest on 11.23.09
37% of All US Sewers Are Polluting Rivers and Lakes (Video)
by Brian Merchant, Brooklyn, New York on 11.23.09
An overflowing sewer in Georgia. Photo via USGS
Troubling news has surfaced about sewage systems in the US: over the last three years, 9,400 sewers--more than 37% of the all sewers across the nation--have illegally dumped untreated human waste, hazardous chemicals, and other dangerous materials into clean rivers and lakes. The results are often disastrous, as some damning video evidence proves....
Getting All Shook Up to Produce Electricity
by David DeFranza on 11.23.09
A piezoelectric device. Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons
As you drive down the road, your vehicle wastes large amounts of energy through friction, wind resistance, and vibrations. But what if there was a way to harness some of this wasted energy and use it to produce electricity?
Scientists at the City University of New York are working on a system that would do just that....
Cost of Renewable Energy Dropped in 2009, But...
by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada on 11.23.09
Photo: Flickr, CC
But Financing is Harder to Come By
The good news is that the cost of renewable energy has gone down in 2009, but the bad news is that this decline was offset by higher financing costs caused by the global financial meltdown. What's harder to determine exactly is what portion of that decline in cost was due to lower demand/overcapacity, and the end of a shortage of silicon for solar panels, and which part was due to real technical progress in the manufacturing process. It's the latter that will really matter in the long term....
Terrific Green Tool: Precautionary List From Perkins+Will
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 11.23.09
Architects usually keep their proprietary research locked up and closely held. Perkins + Will has done the opposite and made it a public service. Launched at Greenbuild the Precautionary List is a compilation of available data on chemicals and materials that may well become "a catalyst for marketplace change". Jetson Green quotes P+W's Robin Gunther:
"Amazingly, it's hard to fathom that as architects we don't always know what (chemicals) are in the building materials we use. It's time for this to change; time to bring a standard for care to building design and construction by starting with the elimination of toxic chemicals in building materials." ...
Rust Belt to Clean Energy Industry: Help Us Help You
by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada on 11.23.09
"A mirror facet for a solar dish is cut on a machine at Tower Automotive in Livonia, Mich." Photo: Stirling Energy Systems
From Rust Belt to Green Belt
Economic development officials from U.S. states that have been hit hard by decline in manufacturing (especially auto part makers), collectively known as the rust belt, are now trying to attract green manufacturing jobs. After all, representatives of those states claim, if we're going to make enough solar panels, solar collectors for solar thermal plants, wind turbines, etc, we'll need factories and a skilled workforce....
Cheap 3D Solar Cells Are 6x More Efficient, Work Underground
by Jerry James Stone, San Francisco, CA on 11.23.09
Image courtesy of Gizmag
Scientists from the Georgia Institute of Technology have created the world's first 3-D photovoltaic solar system that actually works underground.
Using optical fibers common to the telecommunications industry, researchers seeded them with zinc oxide nanostructures--much like the white stuff found on a lifeguard nose. Those nanostructures were then coated with a dye-sensitized material that converts light into electricity. The electricity is then captured using a liquid electrolyte surrounding the nanostructures.
So only the very tip of the cable needs to be exposed to actual sunlight.
...
Goodbye Cruel World - Ants Save Mates from Danger & Macaque Grandmas Nurse Their Grandchildren
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 11.23.09
Green Eyes On: Cook Up Some Change With MicroPlace
by Sara Snow on 11.23.09
Image via Sara Snow.
Earlier this year, I had one of the best experiences of my life. I traveled to Kenya, Africa with a small team from the Micro-finance group, MicroPlace.
I first became fired up with the idea of micro-lending a couple of years ago when my family decided to finance a bank and numerous micro-loans in lieu of gifts to one another at the holidays. It's a beautiful schematic: your loan of a "micro" amount ($20, $200, or anything above or in between) can completely change the life of someone living in a developing country. What seems like a little to us, is a lot to them.
...
Sugar Cane Waste to Replace Coal in Coal-Fired Power Plants?
by Brian Merchant, Brooklyn, New York on 11.23.09
Via Green Inc
Here's a promising project: Brazilian and Italian entrepreneurs are investing $114 million in a plan to convert bagasse, a waste product from sugar cane, into pellets that can be burned as fuel at your average, run-of-the-mill coal plant. By next year, utilities around the world will likely be getting thousands of megawatts of power from sugar cane waste....
Is Algae the Fuel of the Gods?
by David DeFranza on 11.23.09
Image credit: Good
Is algae the fuel of the gods? Well, on paper, it very well could be. Industry evangelists predict a bright future in which algae farms produce the equivalent of the entire amount of petroleum the United States' currently uses in a year. Even better: Algae could potentially do this using just one percent of the country's land mass and might actually remove carbon from the atmosphere in the process.
Sounds great, but there are some problems....
UK Charging Ahead with £30 Million Investment in EV Charging Stations
by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada on 11.23.09
Apologies for the Bad Wordplay
UK Transport Secretary Andrew Adonis (nice alliteration) has announced that his government would be investing £30 million in charging stations for electric cars. The initiative is called "Plugged-In Places" and the stations will be located on streets, in car parks and in commercial, retail and leisure facilities in 3 to 6 cities/regions of the UK. Mr. Adonis said: "Our aim is for electric and low carbon cars to be an everyday feature of life on UK's roads in less than five years. There is still a lot of work to be done, however Plugged-In Places is one very significant step putting us firmly on the path to a low carbon future." ...
Voices from Hopenhagen: Andrew Winston
by Guest on 11.23.09
Image credit: Hopenhagen
Editor's Note: This post is written by Andrew Winston, a globally recognized expert on how businesses can profit from thinking green and the co-author of the best-seller Green to Gold.
Why Going Green—and the Climate Negotiations in Copenhagen—Matter Now More than Ever
For the past few years, the business world has been swept up in a green wave—a rising tide of interest and concern about environmental issues. The Great Recession has not stopped the pressure pushing this wave. Environmental crises such as climate change and water shortages continue to evolve. Mega-forces such as technology-driven transparency and the rise of the consumer in India and China—which will force the price of oil and other resources up over time—continue to advance....
Drool-Worthy Wooden Mouse Has Debatable Eco-Credentials
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 11.23.09
Photos via AlestRukov
This absolutely gorgeous AlestRukov wooden mouse is usually the type of gadget we love to see, but unfortunately we're on the fence about just how eco-friendly it is. All the wood components are from a single piece of wood, it has a 5-year warranty which is impressive, and the electronic components are as minimized as possible to keep the level of e-waste down. But there's a problem... ...
Is There a Future for Compressed Air Cars?
by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada on 11.23.09
Photo: Wikipedia, CC
We Must Look at Complete Life-Cycles
A new study published in Environmental Research Letters pours some cold water on those who think that compressed air cars are the future. The technology does sound very good on paper: Simpler than fuel cell vehicles and electric cars and there are no tailpipe emissions. But if you dig a bit deeper than this and look at the whole picture, the picture becomes less rosy......
Andrew Maynard on Sustainable Design and Teen Sex
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 11.23.09
Photography by Peter Bennetts
We have long been fans of the work of Australian architect Andrew Maynard,(doing nine posts!) who does smart, green work with a sense of humour. The always gorgeous Sanctuary Magazine covers his latest, a renovation in Melbourne, Australia, and interviews him about his philosophy of sustainable design. He quotes as well as he designs; some of the better ones:...
The Human Face of Hunger Demands Climate Action at Copenhagen
by Timothy J. LaSalle, Rodale Institue, Kutztown, PA on 11.23.09
Photo credit: IRRI Images via Flickr
As I prepare to attend the United Nations conference on climate change in Copenhagen, I am reminded of the people I've met while working in 85 countries around the world. I've seen global suffering first-hand, and it shapes the way I approach the challenge of global climate crisis. For me, the purpose of the conference is about hunger and starvation as much as anything else, as changing weather patterns will affect how humans grow food....
Help Wanted: Extreme Green Consultant to Help TreeHugger Founder Renovate 420-square-foot Apartment in NYC
by Graham Hill, New York, NY on 11.23.09
Ask Pablo: Electric Kettle, Stove, or Microwave Oven?
by Pablo Paster, San Francisco on 11.23.09
Image Source: Velo Steve
Dear Pablo, For boiling water what is the most efficient, an electric kettle, a pot on a stove, or a microwave? Whether you are making tea or cooking pasta, knowing which of these three options is the most efficient way to boil water can help you become a better tree hugger and might even save you a bit of money. Through some quick measurements and calculations I hope to provide a definitive answer to this question. A large mug is around twelve ounces, or 350 ml, so I will use 350 ml of room-temperature water (17° C). I will be using an electric kettle made by Black & Decker, an electric stove made by General Electric with a Circulon 2 quart saucepan, and a 900W microwave with a turntable. The electricity use of each will be measured using a Kill-a-watt meter until the water reaches the boiling point, or 100° C....Readers, Send Us Photos of Your Favorite Heirloom or Antique!
by Emma Grady, New York, NY on 11.23.09
Antique fire engine. Credit: caitlinator / CC by 2.0
Is your Grandmother's China or charm bracelet your most valued possession? Is your ten-year old MacBook still serving its purpose? Did you rescue a Mad Men-era living room from Goodwill? Is the Nineteenth century painting in your living room still in its original frame? Prove it! We want to see photos of your favorite antique or heirloom in your home (or in your family)--that has lasted through the centuries--for our next readers slideshow. Click through for details and see the potential for your photo in today's Readers' Green Objects They Can't Live Without . ...
Razor Clams are Inspiration for RoboClam, a Robotic Sand-Digging Anchor (Video)
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 11.23.09
Photo via MIT
Biomimicry is again at the heart of new technology, this time for a solution to creating a better anchor. "The best anchoring technology out there is an order or magnitude worse than the clam - most are two or three orders worse," says Anette (Peko) Hosoi for MIT. She and graduate student Amos Winter have taken a keen look at the mighty clam and have come up with a robot that can mimic how the clam digs itself into the sand, named, aptly, the RoboClam. ...
East Antarctic Ice Loss Accelerating Since 2006 - 'Large Impact' on Future Sea Level Rise Possible
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 11.23.09
photo: Eli Duke via flickr.
With all the focus on the West Antarctic Ice Sheet melting, we could always take a small bit of comfort in knowing that the eastern part of the continent was comparatively stable. New research published in Nature Geoscience shows that comfort was misplaced: From 2002-2009 East Antarctica has been losing 5-109 gigatonnes of ice annually. And from 2006 that rate has been increasing:...
Biogas Direct to the Consumer: UK Households Offered Green Gas
by Sami Grover, Carrboro, NC, USA on 11.23.09
Image credit: Ecotricity
UK residents have long been able to choose green electricity for their homes. But what about the millions of homes that heat and cook with natural gas? With half of the country's natural gas supplies coming from foreign sources like Russia, clean, domestic supply of gas should be a top priority for anyone interested in energy independence. Now UK households can indeed purchase clean, green gas for their homes, and drive up the supply of biogas in the process. And it's all thanks to Ecotricity - the folks who brought us stunning urban wind turbines, and whose CEO Dale Vince became one of the country's richest men building renewables. Here's how it's going to work. ...
From the Forums: A Conspiracy Theory
by Alex Davies, New York City on 11.23.09
Image Credit: idovermani via Flickr
sooperburd writes:
IIt always seemed to me that there is an incestuous relationship between universities' global warming scientists and their funding. I've thought that it was quite plausible that scientists skeptical of global warming have had a harder time getting funding... It seems that some hackers have released some very damning emails between scientists that may prove that there indeed was a loose conspiracy to make everyone believe that 1) global warming was real, 2) global warming was dangerous, 3) there's something we can do about it, and 4) we need to spend trillions of dollars to mitigate it.So what do you think? Is this a scientist conspiracy or just another attack from non-believers? Join the conversation. Read the whole story here....
TED Talk - 13th Century Astrolabe, the First Popular Computers
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 11.23.09
Image via TED
Sometimes event the newest gadgets are overshadowed by really, really old gadgets. Ancient technology is amazing, and Tom Wujec shows the astrolabe, one of the earliest computing gadgets. With the capability of telling time, mapping the night sky, and hundreds of other functions that were high tech for the 1200s (and earlier), the device shows us that not everything has to be electronic and battery powered to do some cool things. ...
On a Wind and a Care. The Sail Transport Company Freight Food By Yacht
by Warren McLaren, Bundanoon, Australia on 11.23.09
Photos: Culture Change
Previously we've talked about a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) carbon neutral project to ship grain from paddocks to pantries via sail-craft. That was in Canada's British Columbia. For the past year the Sail Transport Company (STC) have been following a similar ethos -- although a little further south -- moving vegetables across Puget Sound, from farmer's fields in Sequim to the produce markets in Seattle, with yachts.
Using only "wind, tide, and a little human muscle power," the Sail Transport Company has spent not a single cent on liquid hydrocarbon fuel. They even transport the boxes of vegies from the docks to the markets with electric-powered cargo trikes....
Amazing Malmö Puts Us All To Shame
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 11.23.09
All over North America, people complain about deteriorating cities, dysfunctional governments, decline of industrial base and loss of jobs. That pretty much describes Malmö twenty-five years ago, when the shipping industry collapsed and there was 25% unemployment.
In North America, we just let cities fend for themselves and rot; in Malmö, Sweden, they reinvented the City and built a template for the future.
...
From the Forums: Help Start a Bike Share Program
by Alex Davies, New York City on 11.23.09
Image Credit: Quinn Dombrowski via Flickr
outsidethebox could use some help:
I lined up 100 new bikes for a free bike program I am looking into if the interest is there...I basically just want to be the spark to get it going and hand off the program to students. I don't want to spend much time on this just get it going. Has anybody out there done this successfully? Has anybody tried this and failed if so how? Any good suggestion would be appreciated.Have suggestions? Want to start a bike share program yourself? Join the discussion. And check out these bike share programs in big cities: Montreal | San Francisco | Washington, D.C. | Paris...
Dress Embroidered with Wind-Sensitive Lights for Illuminating Fashion Statement
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 11.23.09
Photos via Fashioning Technology
Dutch designer Stijn Ossevoort has created a dress sure to catch people's attention. Embroidered with wind-sensitive lights, the wearer needs only to walk down the street and the dress glows in brilliant patterns, with lights popping right off the dress. ...
So How Much Agricultural Land Will We Need to Keep Global Aviation Aloft with Biofuels?
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 11.23.09
photo: Ed Lushcei via flickr.
With a continuing stream of announcements regarding the aviation industry's drive to keep on flying while being a bit greener about it -- KLM is making the first aviation biofuel test flight with passengers today -- TreeHugger wondered how much land will be required to power the global aviation industry with biofuels. We did some quick calculations and this is what we found out:...
Denim Trends: Vietnamese Factory Plans for Sustainability in 2010
by Emma Grady, New York, NY on 11.23.09
Credit: bsdfm via Flickr, CC.
Considering it takes around 1,800 gallons of water to grow enough cotton to produce one pair of blue jeans--not accounting for the amount of water used to reach the appropriate wash--we're all ears when progress is made in the sustainable denim sector. Vietnamese denim factory and wash house Saitext is building a plant in Ho Chi Minh City, with the environment in mind, WWD reports:
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Qualcomm's Upcoming e-Reader Will Mimic Butterfly Wings for Energy-Sipping Color Displays (Video)
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 11.23.09
Photo via Slashgear
One of the primary aspects of e-Reader devices that are driving competition against one another is the display, with manufacturers looking at how energy efficient, how easy on the eyes, how readable in daylight, and how colorful they can make it. Qualcomm is now putting out an e-reader that uses Mirasol technology - something we've mentioned only in passing when discussing biomimicry. But this technology which uses butterfly wings for inspiration for creating ultra low energy, ultra bright color displays will play a prominent role in the new e-reader, which might just give the Kindle and Nook a run for their money. ...
Green NBC: Jimmy Fallon's Bamboo Set, Sustainable Production Guides, Green Week Programming, and More (Photos)
by Emma Grady, New York, NY on 11.23.09
Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" set, fall 2009. Credit: Dana Edelson, NBC Universal, Inc.
NBC Universal and company-wide environmental initiative Green is Universal is paving the way for sustainable film and television production. From greening the set of Saturday Night Live and Late Night with Jimmy Fallon to cutting carbon emissions on the feature film Away We Go, their Film and Television Production Guides outline environmental practices, from pre to post production, and are available to the industry at large for download. This past week they spread environmental awareness across television production arms; Universal Media Studios (UMS) and Universal Cable Productions (UCP), during their annual Green Week--if you missed it, watch Al Gore on 30 Rock, and more on NBC.com. Click through for highlights from the 39-page sustainable production guides and photos from green set construction at Jimmy Fallon and SNL. ...
Linking and Pageviews 1850 Style: The American Bookbinders Museum
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 11.23.09
Everything is electronic these days; even if you read a book in paper form, it has been typeset on computers, printed and bound by computerized machines. One can forget that putting a book together used to take a lot of people with a lot of different skills, including the trade of bookbinding. Tim James still binds books, but is also gathering the tools, samples and manuals of the trade in a small, quirky San Francisco museum that is open on Saturday afternoons. It specializes in another printing revolution, when cast iron, steam and electricity changed the industry in the late 1800s.
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Are Cities Green, Or Are We Just Pigs in a Factory Farm?
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 11.23.09
Every year the Trudeau Foundation holds a conference around an idea; this year the theme was about cities, about rethinking the urban commons. While issues of governance, homelessness and immigration were discussed, much attention was paid to the greening of cities. The speakers and guests were a mix of politicians, policy wonks, philosophers and professors, with a sprinkling of architects and planners.
Kicking off the morning session of the conference was John Robinson of the Institute of Resources, Environment and Sustainability, who set the environmental tone.
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Feetz Tribike: The Kid Carrying, Cargo Hauling, Folding Trike
by Warren McLaren, Bundanoon, Australia on 11.23.09
Photo: Feetz.
Last week we posted a round-up of 22 extended frame cargo bikes. Previously we've also collected up a passel of 16 tricycles. Yet still we've managed to neglect a few. The Feetz is such a vehicle. It's trike for transporting kids or cargo. One that folds up into a shopping trolley, without adjusting the cargo hold or child seat....
Brandeis U. Students Create Green Peer Progress Program For Dorms
by Kristin Underwood, Sacramento, CA on 11.23.09
Image via: sKai Heitz on Flickr.com
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Many schools started off the 2009 school year by hosting green welcoming events for new students and incoming freshmen. All these wide-eyed co-eds were treated to different ways the school is going green and how they personally can get involved. Students at Brandeis University are taking this tactic a step further by creating a green committee that monitors the green progress of individuals in the student body, reports the Brandeis Hoot. Big brother? Maybe, but maybe this is also students taking climate change personally and demanding action from the ranks, not just lip service....
The Sound of the Earth is Music--To Some
by Bonnie Alter, London on 11.23.09
Image from Olle Corneer
Musicians have been making music out of weird and wonderful instruments forever and we have seen many of them: vegetable orchestras, bicycle parts, ice and recycled drains and bed springs. And now another addition to this esoteric form of music: the Terrafon.
It's a huge wooden gramophone-like instrument which is dragged across the Swedish countryside by a dedicated and strong group of choristers. It amplifies the sound of the earth that it is ploughing. Hmmmm......
Meditation: Heart Healthier Than Organic O's?
by Jessica Root - Brooklyn, NY on 11.22.09
Photo via: Randy Wick/flickr
Here's my kind of sans-sweat, sustainable exercise: my body, seated comfortably on a cushion or folded up blanket. There's no one to compete against, no cheesy loud music or energy-sucking stair masters, treadmills, or flat-screen televisions tuned into fear-mongering news stations. It's just me--meditating my way to bliss. No waste of electricity or fancy performance gear required.
I didn't learn until recently that my favorite peaceful AM activity just so happens to come with a heap of cardio positive benefits. Quite possibly as much as my morning bowl of slow-cooked oats......
French Nuclear Energy Policy - A Cake The US May Do Well To Not To Consume Too Much Of
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 11.22.09
Still life with Brioche. Image credit:Wikipedia, Jean-Baptiste Siméon Chardin,
Remember the whole "Freedom Fries" thing following France's refusal to support the US 2003 military incursion into Iraq? My how time flies. US politicians now cite the French energy policy example with excitement; claiming that nation's high reliance on nuclear power is exemplary. (Inference that support for climate and energy legislation is more likely if nuclear power expansion incentives are included.) It doesn't seem to matter to that France is roughly the size of Texas and that the existing US nuclear fleet already is far larger than what France has or will ever have. Nor, that the French government controls the nuclear power industry (socialized electricity). ...
The Country's Cleanest Air: New Jersey?!
by Jeff Kart, Bay City, Michigan on 11.22.09
Credit: oquendo via Flickr.
Nothing against New Jersey, but it's not the first place that comes to mind when you think of clean air in the United States. Maybe that's just not fair to the Garden State.
In a 2009 "Best Places to Live" list of small towns from Money magazine, Jersey has nine cities in the Top Ten when it comes to "cleanest air:"...
The Week in Pictures: Rot-Proof Apple, Surprises at GreenBuild, Bacteria Lights Up Landmines, and More
by Emma Grady, New York, NY on 11.22.09
From the news that scientists have created a bacteria that lights up around landmines to the development of a rot-proof apple--that stays fresh for 4 months--a lot happened this week in green. A new study called The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity (TEEB) shows that putting money into protecting wetlands, coral reefs, and forests is a better investment than gold, Lloyd visited GreenBuild 2009 in Arizona, and readers sent in photos of the one green object they just can't live without for our weekly slideshow. Find out what else happened in the world of green this week in our photo roundup of most popular, most important, and most oddball stories. And if you missed it, view last week's The Week in Pictures: Trawler Sunk by Jellyfish and More.
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CMYK Folding Electric Bike: Award Winning Prototype Available in 2010?
by Sami Grover, Carrboro, NC, USA on 11.22.09
Image credit: Manuel Saez
From the eZee Quando to the Panasonic Time Off to an electric assist Brompton, electric folding bikes are becoming more common. The folding capacity for transportation, combined with electric assist to avoid a sweaty arrival at work, is an enticing combination for commuters in particular. Now there's a new kid on the block. And it's winning some major awards. I just need to know where I can get one......
Al Gore On Acting Crazy: "What Up With That?"
by Roberta Cruger, Los Angeles on 11.22.09
From the Forums: Does Oil Have a Role to Play?
by Alex Davies, New York City on 11.22.09
Image Credit: david jonze via Flickr
Capitalist Pig writes:
I have invested in companies, which make crude oil from waste. Recently I have talked to environmentalist type people, I suppose here they might be tree huggers, who tell me that crude oil, even carbon-neutral crude oil, must be forbidden. Is that the way environmentalists feel about hydrocarbon fuels?What do you think? Join the conversation....
Photos of Strange Deep Sea Creatures from Marine Census Beyond Sunlight
by Christine Lepisto, Berlin on 11.22.09
Image: Courtesy of Mike Vecchione
Astonishing
Simply astonishing. The diversity of species that live beyond any hint of sunlight has astounded the team of international scientists as they near the end of a ten year deep sea census of marine life. The team has finally released a treasure trove of new photos and video from the deep sea census that will awe and amaze. Above, scientists appear to be examining -- or maybe cuddling and petting -- one of the largest and cutest of the deep sea species: a dumbo octopod, named for the oversized, dumbo-like ears it uses for swimming (photo overleaf). Our pick of the best of the photos, released today, of some 17,650 species now known to thrive in the watery depths follows....Where Have You Gone, John McCain? Our Climate Turns Its Lonely Eyes To You
by Daniel Kessler, San Francisco, California on 11.22.09
photo via AP
Some climate activists are losing faith in both President Obama's ability and commitment to clean energy and battling climate change. But what if John McCain were president? Where would we be today? Not in a good place, if his rhetoric on the Senate climate bill is any measurement. McCain, once a leader on climate change, is now a roadblock even through his best buddy in the Senate and constant campaign companion, Lindsey Graham, is out front working on compromises. ...
Learning Organic Farming: Looking Back or Moving Forward?
by Sami Grover, Carrboro, NC, USA on 11.22.09
Image credit: Soil Association
From its Organic Products Awards to debating whether air freighted produce can be organic, the UK's Soil Association has long been both an advocate for, and a pioneer of, organic foods. Now their Organic Farm School initiative is offering farmers, small holders and food enthusiasts alike the opportunity to learn the ins and outs of growing crops, rearing animals, and preparing food. I just wonder if it needs to feel so folksy. ...
'Green Patriarch' Takes Enviro Message Online, to US
by Jennifer Hattam, Istanbul, Turkey on 11.22.09
Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew sprinkles Holy Water over the Mississippi River. Photo by GANP/Dimitris Panagos from Ecumenical Patriarchate via Flickr.
A 69-year-old man with a long white beard and big black robes may seem like an unlikely role model for teenagers, but Greek Orthodox youth in the United States apparently found Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew's message on the environment "pretty cool."...
Vaute Couture's Made to Order Vegan Jewelry
by Emma Grady, New York, NY on 11.22.09
Vaute Couture vegan jewelry. Credit: Vaute Couture
We've covered Vaute Couture by Leanne Mai-Ly Hilgart before--her haute vegan winter coats for winter and her spring/summer 2010 collection during Chicago Fashion Week--and we recently met Leanne at the Humane Society's Cool vs. Cruel Awards (where we admittedly recognized her Vaute Couture dress first), so we were delighted to find that she has collaborated with Christy Robinson in a vegan jewelry collection. Click through for photos of Leanne's adorable designs. ...
NYC Event: Spirit Beauty Lounge in SoHo with Mini Makeovers by Jessa Blades
by Emma Grady, New York, NY on 11.22.09
Image credit: Spirit Beauty Lounge (left), Jessa Blades
Spirit Beauty Lounge, a carbon-neutral online boutique specializing in organic, cruelty-free, and green lifestyle products, is popping up in New York City at the Green Finds Eco Holiday Market Place. Enjoy organic treats and cocktails during their "Eco-Beauty Happy Hours," mini makeovers by natural beauty expert and makeup artist Jessa Blades (above) of Blades Natural Beauty, and manicures by Green Spa on the Go, now through December 23, 2009. Click through for details. ...
Trout Fishing Causing the Demise of...Frogs
by Sara Novak, Columbia, SC on 11.22.09
photo: Vance Vredenburg
I wrote about the plight of California frogs back in August as a result of a pesticide cloud blowing into California's Sierra Mountains, deforming and killing off California's Pacific tree frogs and foothill yellow-legged frogs. Now another threat to California's frog population comes in the form of a non-native fish....
TreeHugger breaks it down for you in a series of in depth how-to articles that will help you green your life. No time like the present!
Here are a few recommended websites.
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