- 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 January 10, 2010 - January 16, 2010
Total this week: 228
Forget Fish Oils. Are Algae Oils an Omega-Rich Solution to Overfishing?
by Jessica Root - Brooklyn, NY on 01.16.10
Image via: TheAgonist.org
To fish oil or not to fish oil has been the ongoing question among wellness- and eco-minded folks such as myself. For good reason, too. The benefits from omega-3 supplements are hard to give up: healthy skin, hair and joints in addition to their ability to fight heart disease, Alzheimer's, and depression. But the benefits hardly justify the fact that our fondness for fatty acids are threatening our ecosystems and depleting our fish populations.
Luckily, according to TIME.com, there's a fish-free solution in the works that still offers both DHA and EPA acids (unlike vegetarian-friendly flax)....
From the Forums: Green Home Buying
by Alex Davies, New York City on 01.16.10
Image Credit: seier+seier+seier via Flickr
MikeZ is looking for home buying advice:
So I'm starting to look for a home and plan on doing some energy efficiency renovations once I buy it. The question I have is are there any good guides on how to evaluate a home's energy efficiency as I look at them (checklists, questions to ask)? Are there ways to determine the efficiency of the windows that are installed, insulation?Have any advice? Post here. Plus, check out these tips from Planet Green! How to Go Green: Home Buying...
The Lance Effect Draws 5,000 Cyclists in Australia
by Daniel Kessler, San Francisco, California on 01.16.10
photo via Flickr
The "Lance Effect" refers to the influence Lance Armstrong has had on the popularity of cycling worldwide. It's seen in how people treat people on bikes--commuters and cyclists alike--and on the number of bikes sold. Armstrong's popularity was evident this weekend when he sent out a tweet inviting people to come ride with him and Australian cyclist Robbie McEwan. Over 5,000 people showed up, creating chaos....
Let The Electric Bill Outrage Begin: As Two-Month Cold Snap Overlaps Disappearing Utility Rate Cap
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 01.16.10
Inside of the Ground Water Heat Pump. Image credit:NewCastle University miniblog.
Electricity bills are rising steeply all over the USA. In some of the most coal-dependent states, increases are in the 7% to 100% range, and signs of consumer outrage are surfacing. This is before any Cap & Trade for climate protection. A major contributing factor is deregulation of the power industry, initiated by Congress in the free-market fervor of the mid-90's, which called for post-dated phase out of electricity 'rate caps' a.k.a. removal of price controls.
Why so much? Steel got more expensive. Coal got more expensive. Demand increased. And, pollution controls had to be figured in. Coal ash had to be better managed. That's not all. The historic low temperatures experienced since December 2009 have thermostats on high from Florida to Maine, west to Texas and North Dakota. What's next?...
New Scientific Concerns Beg for End to Mountaintop-Removal Coal Mining
by Sierra Club on 01.16.10
Mountain top removal coal mining at Kayford Mine, West Virginia. Image credit:© 2006 B. Mark Schmerling, courtesy Sierra Club Library
A recent article in the journal Science provides still more arguments to the call for an end to mountaintop-removal coal mining. The Sierra Club has long opposed this destructive form of mining where the tops of ancient Appalachian mountains are literally blown off to get to coal seams below; the waste is then dumped into valleys and waterways.
Instead of giving you my perspective on the science, I called on Dr. Donald Kennedy, the former editor in chief of Science and the Bing Professor of Environmental Science and a former president of Stanford University. He has served as chairman of the Sierra Club's Climate Recovery Partnership since 2008.
...
Solar Panels to Help Light Up the Night for Haiti Earthquake Relief
by Jeff Kart, Bay City, Michigan on 01.16.10
Courtesy Sol Inc.
The Jan. 12 earthquake that hit Haiti has mobilized relief agencies, who are working around the clock to aid survivors. One thing lacking is electricity. There are reports of people burning tires to light up the night. Solar-powered lights that charge during the day are a better idea, a Florida company says. ...
Faith Leaders Hold No-Fly Climate Summit
by Sami Grover, Carrboro, NC, USA on 01.16.10
Image credit: Faith Climate Connect
From Copenhagen's gargantuan carbon footprint to Al Gore's emissions there's no shortage of people complaining about the carbon emitted by those who want to cut carbon. But many are trying to keep this in check. A group of religious leaders just an interfaith no-fly summit, exactly one month after Copenhagen, to discuss the practical role that faith, and in particular sacred texts, can play following the disappointment of COP15....
Cask Beverage Delivery: Booze by Trike?
by Sami Grover, Carrboro, NC, USA on 01.16.10
Image credit: Change Your Life, Ride a Bike
Amsterdam may have its bike-powered pub, but in general it's accepted wisdom that bikes and booze don't mix. Not unless you are Cask Beverage Company of San Francisco, that is—which has joined the long and illustrious tradition of cargo bikes (or trikes, really), delivering artisanal beverages to bars and restaurants across the city by tricycle. At least, we think they do. ...
NY Event: Pratt Sums Up the "Sustainability Equation" with Barneys SVP Julie Gilhart
by Emma Grady, New York, NY on 01.16.10
Uluru recycled appliqued sweater, Courtesy of Pratt Institute
In conjunction with "Ethics + Aesthetics = Sustainable Fashion" exhibition, Pratt Manhattan Gallery presents "The Sustainability Equation: Ethics and Aesthetics in Contemporary Fashion," a free panel discussion later this month featuring Barneys New York Fashion Director and SVP Julie Gilhart--who recently spoke at the Copenhagen Fashion Summit--and American fashion designers. Click through for details: ...
Developing Cities from India to Colombia Leapfrog Ahead With Clean, Green Bus Rapid Transit Systems
by Jennifer Hattam, Istanbul, Turkey on 01.16.10
Traditional modes of transportation meet high-tech ones in Ahmedabad, India, which just won an award for its bus rapid transit system. Photo by Emmanuel Dyan via Flickr.
Ahmedabad, India, leads the pack as cities in developing nations race ahead of their richer counterparts in adopting eco-friendly transit solutions, according to the Institute for Transportation and Development Policy (ITDP), which last week gave the western Indian city its 2010 Sustainable Transport Award....
Monsanto Has Farmers Cornered
by Sara Novak, Columbia, SC on 01.16.10
photo: J.Novak
I've written extensively about genetically modified organisms (GMOS). Farmers are essentially giving up the wheel to corporate entities that research, develop, and mass produce seeds. But a recent story on NPR brings to light how rigorous seed licensing is sticking it to the farmer, or their wallet for that matter....
Aerolabe Flying Machine: Solar Powered Future of Aviation?
by Roberta Cruger, Los Angeles on 01.15.10
A variation on the old blimp as new solution to jets? Photo by Wire Lizard via Flickr
Part of the blimp rebirth movement, a cigar-shaped airship is under development at a French mechanics institute. Dubbed the Aerolabe, the vessel is designed by painter and sculptor Gaspard Schlumberger, who seeks to devise a green alternative to air transport. It's clean, pollution-free, and solar-powered. The latest in a series of zeppelin resurrections, is this a new and improved version of the old dirigible or just another balloon boy dream? ...
Wyclef Jean Raises $2 million for Haiti, 24 Saves the Planet, and More
by Blythe Copeland, Great Neck, New York on 01.15.10
Photo via Gather
Musician, rapper, and record producer Wyclef Jean founded the Yele Haiti organization in 2005 to raise funds and support projects in his home country, with a focus on education, health, community development, and environmental issues--especially reforestation. But this week's earthquake brought the organization into the spotlight as Jean and his team joined up with AmeriCares, Friends of the World Food Program, and other fundraising groups to form the Haiti Earthquake Alliance....
Florida Hunters Urged to Use Cold Weather to Kill Invasive Pythons and Reptiles
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 01.15.10
That's a 10' rock python trying to eat an entire deer. Photo: Alex Griffiths via flickr.
Brian just reminded us that Florida's ongoing problem with invasive and dangerous pythons has some people worried that a new hybrid constrictor might come out of their interbreeding. But as the Christian Science Monitor reports, recent cold weather may help quell those fears:...
From the Forums: Global Warming, I'm Freezing!
by Alex Davies, New York City on 01.15.10
Image Credit: foxypar4 via Flickr
Mr Berner is a bit confused by the weather:
Forget long hot summers here in Wales, its rained almost non stop since we moved here and now we have had snow on the ground for weeks...We are in contact with a small farm in Adelaide Australia, while we are freezing to death (one of our ducks froze solid and a sheep died from the cold) they are suffering 40 degrees, water shortages and have had their hottest night ever recorded.How has climate change thrown off your local weather? Join the conversation....
Consumer Electronics Show 2010 Wrap-Up: Best and Worst of Green
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 01.15.10
The Consumer Electronics Show 2010 (CES) was quite a whirlwind event this year. With over 112,500 attendees in the first two days alone, electronics manufacturers had their hands full showing off the newest technology and gadgets. And I had my hands full running from floor to floor to gather up what was happening on the greener side of things. Here's what CES 2010 had to offer - the good and the bad.
...
Incredible New Species Discovered in Ecuador
by Stephen Messenger, Porto Alegre, Brazil on 01.15.10
Photo via Paul Hamilton / RAEI
One look at a newly discovered species of gecko, small enough at its full-grown size to rest comfortably on the eraser of a pencil, and it's difficult not to be mesmerized by the seemingly boundless forms of biological diversity--while simultaneously reminded of its fragility. For the last seven years, the Ecuadorian Biodiversity Project has scoured the Amazon to observe and record the rainforest's unique wildlife, and to draw attention to the imperiled ecosystem in which they live. So far, the organization has catalogued almost 6,000 species, taking roughly 25,000 photographs. Recently, 30 new species of reptiles and amphibians have been discovered, though sadly they could all become extinct due to the various factors that have long threatened the region....
A Slow Theory of Investing
by David DeFranza on 01.15.10
Image credit: Good
If a near total global financial meltdown didn't cause you to pause and take a second thought about how you've invested your money, it's unlikely anything will.
Reeling from the crisis, some people have sewn the remainder of their life savings into a mattress. Others have gone "all in" to the stock market and hope for the best. But Venture Capitalist Woody Tasch is offering a slower idea: Invest your money into a local food economy....
Tatoo Helmet is Lightweight and Low Cost. But Does It Work?
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 01.15.10
Julien Bergignat and Patrice Mouille have designed a new kind of bicycle helmet that folds flat. They wanted it to be simple to make with rapid assembly and low cost. They also suggest that being flat facilitates transport and storage. "This bike helmet is very light and airy because it does not consist of a single block but in a multitude of small cushions that can bend and reduce the material used for its manufacture."
But does it work?...
New Jersey Supermarkets Get US's Largest Solyndra Cylindrical Solar Panel System
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 01.15.10
photo: Solis Partners
It's been nearly 18 months since Solyndra's innovative solar panels first debuted and, after a whole bunch of sales announcements, a half billion dollar loan from the DOE, we're starting to see some projects being completed. The latest is the installation of Solyndra systems on six Foodtown supermarkets in New Jersey. ...
Today on Planet 100: The Top 5 Superhero Animals (Video)
by David DeFranza on 01.15.10
Fisker Raises $115.3M, Makes Battery Deal with A123 Systems
by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada on 01.15.10
Photo: Michael Graham Richard
Goodbye EnerDel, Hello A123
Last year, Fisker was negotiating a battery supply deal with EnerDel, but it looks like it didn't go anywhere because A123 Systems is now announcing that it will be supplying Fisker with batteries for the Karma PHEV and for the "Project NINA" second model. A123 will also invest $23 million in Fisker, which is part of a larger package of $115.3 million raised by the company to access the $528.7 million U.S. Department of Energy conditional loan. Other investors include Ace Investments and Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers....
New 'Super Snake' Python Hybrid May be on the Rise in Florida
by Brian Merchant, Brooklyn, New York on 01.15.10
Florida has long battled an invasive population of Burmese pythons in the Everglades. But a new species of invasive snake--the African rock python has recently been found on the loose as well. At least five rock pythons, one that measured 14 ft long, have just been captured in Miami-Dade county. Now, experts' fears are mounting that the Burmese and African rock pythons will begin breeding--and give rise to a new, dangerous 'super snake.'...
Cult of Consumerism at Root of Planet's Environmental Degradation & Destruction
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 01.15.10
photo: Ben Ostrowsky via flickr.
The Worldwatch Institute's State of the World 2010 report has just been released and takes square aim at what's at the root of the planet's current environment woes, be it climate change, biodiversity loss, natural resource overconsumption. It's consumerism (green or not). In short, and you've heard TreeHugger and many others say it before, but it bears repeating: There are simply not enough resources on the planet to extend what is considered a normal, even essential, level of material consumption in wealthy nations to a planet with 6 billion and growing people:...
2010 Detroit Auto Show: GM Will Make a 100% Electric Version of Chevy Volt
by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada on 01.15.10
Photo: Michael Graham Richard
To Compete Against the Nissan LEAF, Tesla Model S, Ford Focus Electric, Etc..?
GM Vice Chairman Bob Lutz (yes, he's still around) said that GM would make a 100% battery-electric version of the Chevy Volt by removing the gas engine and expanding the battery pack. He wouldn't say when that will happen, but it's apparently "trivial" to do from a technical point of view (after all, the Volt is already a battery electric car for the first 40 miles). ...
Water Hyacinth, Rattan, and LED Lighting: The Bulb Chair from Onyx
by Jacob Gordon, Nashville, TN on 01.15.10
Images: OnyxWoven from natural rattan and water hyacinth, the Bulb chair from Onyx looks like its namesake, but also integrates one: an LED light is nestled in its proboscis, giving the occupant a gentle halo of illumination. Conceived by Belgian designer Gaëtan Van de Wyer and made by Onyx in Thailand, the Bulb draws on the flexible (and rapidly renewable) properties of water hyacinth and rattan, a plant that resembles bamboo but more flexible....
Harry Reid: Expect Climate Bill to Pass this Spring
by Brian Merchant, Brooklyn, New York on 01.15.10
Photo via Messenger and Advocate
It "may be the most important policy we will ever pass."
I know there's been plenty of talk about the climate bill's prospects in the Senate as of late--how the exhausting health care reform efforts have drained the Democrats' will, how it's an election year and it's "risky," and that some moderate Democrats are complaining. Well, Harry Reid has some strong words for all the naysayers (who happen to be in the minority):...
Wild Bird Charity Turning to Insects, Reintroducing Four Endangered Bugs Into UK
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 01.15.10
Photo via Bumblebee Conservation Trust
The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, or RSPB, is turning its attention and charitable efforts towards insects - four insects in particular. The organization is looking into plans for breeding and reintroducing endangered hoverflies, moths, bees and crickets back into to UK habitats.
...
CEA Report: Stimulus Bill Created 52,000 Clean Energy Jobs
by Brian Merchant, Brooklyn, New York on 01.15.10
Well, it's been nearly a year since the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (the stimulus bill) has passed. And what do we have to show for it? Well, according to a report from the White House's Council of Economic Advisers, it's saved or created 2 million jobs, for starters. And 51,700 of those created were jobs in the clean energy sector, according to USA Today....
Get Ready for 7 Foot Sea Level Rise by 2100 + Antarctic Glacier Past Tipping Point
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 01.15.10
British Antarctic Survey camp on Pine Island Glacier. Photo: Wikipedia.
A quick update on the state of sea level rise projections. As you can tell from the title, it's not so good. Basically, by 2100 coastal areas should being prepared for about 7 feet (2.13 meters), that's what scientists from Western Carolina and Duke universities are saying. And, according to new research done at the universities of Oxford and Cambridge, the Pine Island Glacier in Antarctica has reached a melting tipping point, which alone will eventually contribute about 9 inches (24 centimeters) of water to the world's oceans. ...
Hi-Tech, Satellite-Controlled Robot 'Gliders' to Scour Ocean Depths Up to 3,280 Ft
by Brian Merchant, Brooklyn, New York on 01.15.10
Photos via IMF-GEOMAR
Sure, they look like torpedoes. But they're so much more useful. They cruise the ocean, exploring depths of over 1000 meters (3,280 ft)--and they use only as much energy as bike light in the process. A fleet of these robot gliders, which move across the ocean's surface like a sailplane, is being massed for their first 'swarm' mission in the tropical Atlantic. ...
MIT's Food Printer: The Greenest Way To Cook?
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 01.15.10
Images from MIT Fluid Interface Group
Everyone is talking about local food, farmers markets and like, cooking? Who has time for that? And really, is Michael Pollan serious with his Rule #2- "Don't eat anything your great-grandmother wouldn't recognize as food." Why bother even having an MIT if you are going to think that way?
Make shows us how Marcelo Coelho and Amit Zoran of the Fluid Interfaces Group at MIT propose a much greener, more efficient, waste-free process: Print out your dinner....
Acer Unveils New Aspires As Their Greenest Laptops
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 01.15.10
Image via Acer
Acer has launched two new notebooks, Acer Aspire 3811TZ and Aspire 3811TZG. They're part of the Timeline series, which touts a 40% energy efficiency improvement over traditional laptops, and these two notebooks are free of two toxic materials that many companies either have, or are working to eliminate from their laptop lineups as well. ...
Piet Hein Eek Hides Garden House In Pile Of Logs
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 01.15.10
via Mocoloco
Mocoloco shows us a musician's studio in Hilversum, designed by Piet Hein Eek, known to TreeHuggers for his scrap wood furniture. ...
From the Forums: How About Taxing Non-Organic?
by Alex Davies, New York City on 01.15.10
Image Credit: Kai Hendry via Flickr
TreeHuggerForever has an idea for fighting pesticides in food:
If we do put a sin tax on soda and cigarettes, why not on non -organic produce? When you consider the pesticides, herbicides and other toxic chemicals used on food that's supposed to be healthy and natural, shouldn't there be a "punishing tax" for that?...Eventually, wouldn't non organic farmers change their methods if they saw a greater demand for pesticide free, clean produce?What do you think? Join the conversation....
Top Stories from Tonic: Helping Haiti, Survivor Zohn Goes Home, Facebook Status Colors Revealed, Goldman Bonuses, and More!
by Tonic, the "good news" site on 01.15.10
Photo credit: Matthew Marek/American Red Cross
The earthquake that rocked Haiti this week may have devastated much of the country, but it's also quickly bringing out the best in many people who want to help. Celebrities and charities are stepping up to help Haiti. KC Baker tells us how you can help.
We recently brought you the exclusive story of "Survivor" winner Ethan Zohn and his effort to give back while fighting cancer. We're happy to report now that Zohn is home from the hospital and resting after a harrowing stem cell transplant.
If you've spent any time on Facebook recently (who hasn't?) then you've almost certainly seen your friends updating their statuses with various colors. So what gives? We'll give you a hint: Boobs, bras, and cancer awareness. What's your Facebook status color?
Speaking of status updates ... we told you about the dozens of sea lions that went missing recently from San Francisco's famous Pier 39. They've been found, in Oregon. But did they skip town to escape the tourists? Not quite. Dave Bois has the answer: It's the anchovies, stupid!
American taxpayers have shelled out hundreds of billions of dollars to bail out troubled banks and Wall Street firms. Now some of these companies are ready to dish out bonuses to employees and executives. Infuriating? Yes. But could there be a silver lining to Goldman Sachs' bonuses? Absolutely. ...
The Story of a Hemp Bicycle and a Bamboo Bike Bus
by Warren McLaren, Bundanoon, Australia on 01.15.10
Photo: Spiegel (Bamboo utility bike in Africa)
Spiegel International have a wonderful write-up (in English) on bamboo bikes. It covers how Craig Calfee's dog inspired him to make a bike from bamboo, How he subsequently won trade shows awatds "Best Road Bike," "Best Off-Road Bike" and "Peoples' Choice" for his bamboo designs, how they were lab tested tougher than carbon fibre.
Andrea Reidl's article goes to explain how Calfee is now passing on his secrets to African villagers so they might have durable, locally made bike frames. Which, in turn, has lead him to his next challenge -- designing a bamboo school bus bike which an adult will steer, whilst transporting half a dozen or so kids with everyone pedaling.
But it was talk of a hemp bike that was news to us....
Climate 'Skeptics' Playing Victim? Cold Snap Stirs Heated Debate
by Sami Grover, Carrboro, NC, USA on 01.15.10
Image credit: The News in Photos
TreeHugger has been no stranger to heated climate debate in recent times. From bringing up climate conspiracy theorist Nick Griffin's past of holocaust denial, to suggesting that false balance does not equal good reporting, some angry commenters have accused us of behaving like Nazis for daring to side with the scientific consensus on climate change. (I was compared to Leni Riefenstahl by one angry reader.) It seems we are not alone. The inevitable debate about what the cold snap in the UK means for climate science has seen Sociology Professor Frank Furedi comparing "climate alarmists" like George Monbiot to 16th Century witch-hunters. Monbiot hit back, suggesting skeptics are trumpeting free speech when it suits them, and claiming victim status when it doesn't. ...
Tiny Wasps Could Be Natural Alternative to Pesticides
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 01.15.10
Photo via Science Daily
Or it could be an ecological disaster, as introducing one species to combat another species often turns out to be. However, after a "detailed" study, scientists are looking at using tiny parasitic wasps as a natural solution to pesticide to protect crops. ...
Sleep Anywhere, Any Time, In the Hermit
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 01.15.10
Bedrooms just take up so much space, and they are not always convenient to today's round-the-clock work or study environment. Designer Kerry Jia Yi Lin takes a different approach than Forrest Jessee with her Hermit.
The designer describes the idea: "I was working in the lab and workshop in the University, when I felt tired, I wanted to transform into a hermit crab or snail and hide inside the shell to have a rest."...
New Certification Makes it Easier to Find Green California Wines
by Naturally Savvy on 01.15.10
A new sustainability certification will make it easier for consumers to choose eco-friendly and ethically produced California wines. Photo by jimg994 via Flickr.
Guest blogger Cara Smusiak is a journalist and regular contributor to NaturallySavvy.com's Naturally Green section.
Finding sustainably produced California wine is about to get a whole lot easier.
Forbes.com reports that the Wine Institute is set to launch what it's calling the Certified California Sustainable Winegrowing Program -- a third-party certification program that will make it easier for consumers to buy sustainable wines. The terms? No pesticides, grow cover crops, reduce waste and energy use, provide all workers with health insurance, and be "mindful" of non-agricultural neighbors. ...
Sleep Anywhere, Any Time, In The Sleepsuit
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 01.15.10
images from Blogitecture
Buckminster Fuller practiced Dymaxion Sleeping, where one has four 30 minute naps over a period of 24 hours. Architect/ Artist/ Scientist/ Graphic Designer Forrest Jessee thought that he would give this a try, but found that getting to a bed and ready for sleep took almost as much time as the sleep itself. So he developed a "transportable and adjustable cocoon that allows for constant air flow in a variety of different positions and environments." You can get in and out of it in less than a minute and then sleep just about anywhere.
...
Bird Spotted Just Twice in 139 Years Found Breeding in Northeastern Afghanistan (UPDATED)
by Jennifer Hattam, Istanbul, Turkey on 01.15.10
Large-billed reed warbler (Acrocephalus orinus) in hand, Zebak, Afghanistan, 14 June 2009. Photo credit: WCS-Afghanistan.
The remote and rugged Pamir Mountains surrounding the Wakhan Corridor in northeastern Afghanistan are among the planet's highest peaks. Known as the "Roof of the World," the region supports a small population of nomadic herders -- and, as it turns out, the first known breeding area of a small bird previously spotted just twice in nearly a century and a half....
Emma Watson Designs with People Tree
by Bonnie Alter, London on 01.15.10
Image from People Tree
Last year TreeHugger had the scoop that Emma Watson, that's Hermione Granger from Harry Potter, was going to launch her own line of eco-clothing. But who with? She wasn't letting on. Now the word is out: she has teamed up with People Tree to design a new line of clothes which will be coming out in February, reports the Times Online, which also has images from the collection.
She is the Creative Advisor for the sporty basics that will be aimed at the casual wear market. It's great that she is working with People Tree as they were the first big ethical fashion designers, making clothes from organic cotton, using artisanal skills in its production and establishing relationships with Fairtrade groups around the world. ...
Avalanche Study Will Bury Pigs in Snow to Watch Them Die
by Stephen Messenger, Porto Alegre, Brazil on 01.14.10
Animal rights activists are up in arms about a proposed experiment which would try to better understand what factors may help people survive an avalanche--by burying pigs in snow to monitor their slow deaths. While researchers defend their study, asserting that it could help save lives, those in opposition say that the deaths would be nothing short of cruel and senseless....
From the Forums: Landscapers v. Ducks
by Alex Davies, New York City on 01.14.10
Image Credit: kiwinz via Flickr
Hydrotopia is fighting a losing battle:
Our pond has an island where the Florida ducks nested each year because of its isolation and protection from predators...Suddenly a couple of years ago I looked out the window to see landscapers mowing and trimming the island right in the middle of nesting season. Apparently one of the suburbanatti didn't like the wild growth on the island...So the ducks nested the first year and had a good brood to show how correct suburban wisdom is and how silly environmentalists are...Last year, however, they didn't. I think they realized their little sanctuary is gone and too invaded to be considered safe anymore.Have any ideas for fighting suburban landscaping and bringing back wildlife? Post them here....
Advocates for Electronics Producer Responsibility Speak Out Against NYC e-Waste Lawsuit
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 01.14.10
Photo of e-waste collection event via Tekserve
The consumer electronics industry associations have railed against a New York City regulation that puts the responsibility back on producers to recycle their products. While there are 20 states that have e-waste recycling laws that require manufacturers to collect and recycle their products, it's this New York City law that has gotten members of the industry up in arms. Specifically, it's the requirement that for heavy items, producers need to provide the city resident with a "convenient collection" option. Doesn't sound so bad, but the industry has decided to interpret that requirement to the extreme, saying that it means expensive home pick-up services. While that isn't, in fact, the case, it was enough to push the industry to sue the city. And if the plaintiffs get their way, it could have impacts that weaken other state e-waste regulations....
Could Organic Aquaponics Make a Big Splash?
by David DeFranza on 01.14.10
Image credit: Good
For regular readers of TreeHugger, aquaponics—an agricultural system that combines hydroponics and aquaculture—is nothing new. Though numerous home-based and DIY systems are on the market, the concept has yet to make a big splash as an urban food source.
The time for that to change, Good writes, has come....
2010 Detroit Auto Show: BYD Confirms Sale of E6 Electric Crossover in Late 2010
by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada on 01.14.10
Photo: BYD
"Build Your Dreams"
According to certain metrics, BYD is quite successful. They've recently received an investment from Warren Buffett, and Wang Chuanfu (in Chinese: 王传福), BYD's boss, has been ranked as the richest man in China. But if you look solely at the number of electric cars they've put on the road, they haven't done much yet, with only a very limited numbers of BYD EVs sold in China. That could change in 2010, though. The company has confirmed that its E6 electric crossover is coming to the U.S. around the end of this year (a bit sooner than planned)....
China To Allow More Foreign-Made Wind Turbine Parts
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 01.14.10
North Carolina-made wind turbine bearing. Image credit:Ohio.com
China, Inc. has reversed a 2005 policy and will now allow wind turbines made in China to include lots of imported parts. From the FreeLibrary: "The decision by the National Development and Reform Commission...means wind farms in China no longer have to source at least 70 percent of turbine parts from the domestic market, the China Business News said Monday." It's too early to know if the decision will mainly benefit European versus North American parts makers. But, a people need hope for employment, so let's remain optimistic. ...
2010 Detroit Auto Show: Ford Invests $450M in Michigan for Hybrids & PHEVs
by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada on 01.14.10
Photo: Michael Graham Richard
Will Also Design Battery and Hybrid Transmission Development In-House
Ford, who just unveiled the new Focus, has also announced that it would invest an additional $450 million in its Michigan Assembly Plant in Wayne, Michigan (formerly a SUV plant). That's on top of $550 million already invested to turn that plant into a factory for the new Focus and Electric Focus. On top of this, Ford must have realized that it will very soon be a big competitive advantage to have its own battery and hybrid transmission technology, so they've decided to bring that development in-house....
Clean Energy Reform Opposition Bankrolled by Oil-Rich Nations
by Brian Merchant, Brooklyn, New York on 01.14.10
Photo via Surety International
Old news: oil companies are bankrolling the efforts to stop clean energy reform from taking root in the Senate. They've spent millions on lobbying campaigns alone--this is old hat. Even fellow foes of clean energy reform can't deny big oil is trying its best to muck up the climate bill. Well I guess they could. But they'd be wrong. New news (does that phrase even make sense?): much of the money for such opposition, including the phony 'grassroots' movements like Energy Citizen, has come directly from oil-rich nations abroad....
Today on Planet 100: California Auctions Carbon to Reduce State Emissions (Video)
by David DeFranza on 01.14.10
Past Decade the Hottest on Record
by Lester Brown, Washington, D.C on 01.14.10
Egg cooking on sidewalk. Image credit:Bullhead City Blog
The first decade of the twenty-first century was the hottest since record keeping began in 1880. With an average global temperature of 14.52 degrees Celsius (58.1 degrees Fahrenheit), this decade was 0.2 degrees Celsius (0.36 degrees Fahrenheit) warmer than any previous decade. The year 2005 was the hottest on record, while 2007 and 2009 tied for second hottest. In fact, 9 of the 10 warmest years on record occurred in the past decade.
Temperature rise has accelerated in recent decades. The earth's temperature is now 0.8 degrees Celsius (1.4 degrees Fahrenheit) higher than it was in the first decade of the twentieth century, and two-thirds of that increase has taken place since 1970.
Pickens Plan Putters Out - Cheap Natural Gas + Lack of Transmission Pull Pampa's Plug
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 01.14.10
photo: Center for American Progress Action Fund via flickr.
It's been a slow fall for the highly touted, much anticipated, it'll save us all from foreign oil, climate change, Mapping Shipping Routes May Help Combat Invasive Species
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 01.14.10
Photo via runhmc
Invasive species hitching rides on cargo ships has been an issue for decades, but it's been getting increasing attention as species like zebra mussels take over rivers and lakes and nudge out native species. So far, no one can decide what regulations should be in place so that the impact of shipping on an area's ecology can be minimized. But mapping shipping routes is one area where there's hope in tracking, and decreasing, the number of invasive species spreading to new areas via cargo ships. ...
2010 Detroit Auto Show: Volkswagen NCC Hybrid Coupe Concept
by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada on 01.14.10
Photo: Michael Graham Richard
New Compact Coupe (What an Original Name)
Volkswagen had a pretty nice-looking hybrid coupe to unveil in Detroit. It's just a concept for now, though unlike many other concept cars, this one actually looks like it could be turned into a production model with only small modifications. VW's approach to squeeze the most miles from every gallon of fuel is to combine its already-existing fuel-saving technologies. Read on for the technical details. ...
Wood-Devouring Clams Infest 100 Sunken Ships in Baltic Sea, Continue to Spread
by Brian Merchant, Brooklyn, New York on 01.14.10
Photo via Science Daily
'Dreaded' Shipworm Can Devour a Shipwreck in 10 Years
The shipworm, which isn't a worm at all, is a maritime archaeologist's worst enemy. The unusual saltwater clam is known for boring into underwater wooden structures--eventually destroying them entirely. The shipworm can destroy an entire historical archeological site like a sunken ship in just ten years. Pretty impressive for a clam. It also commonly 'attacks' docks and piers. And now, thanks to rising ocean temperatures, it's spreading--researchers have spotted the shipworm in the Baltic Sea for the first time. Could it become a worldwide threat?...
Climate & Energy Quick Takes: US Wants Diminished UN Climate Roll, Madagascar Sanctions Illegal Logging, Hindu Epic Recitation Helps Plant Trees
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 01.14.10
photo: Julian Rotela via flickr.
Lots of newsworthy stuff coming through in that last 48 hours, so here's a quick recap:
US Says Diminished UN Climate Roll Would Help
The Guardian and others have reported that US climate negotiator John Pershing has said that the UN should relinquish its central role for future climate change negotiations. ...
10 Million Tons of Chemical Fertilizer Discharged into China's Water Every Year
by Brian Merchant, Brooklyn, New York on 01.14.10
Photo via Yasmin's Water Resources Blog
Fertilizer Pollution Must Stop
When most people picture China as a polluting giant, the image of smoke-spewing coal plants comes to mind (that, and the statistic that a new coal-fired power plant opens every day in China). But the truth is that the majority of China's pollution comes from agriculture--and that the excessive use of chemical fertilizers have become a huge problem. A new report finds that Chinese farmers used a stunning 40% more fertilizer than necessary, resulting in 10 million tons being discharged into China's water. The report urges China to cut its fertilizer use by at least 50%. ...
European Bats Resistant to Deadly Fungus
by David DeFranza on 01.14.10
A little brown bat afflicted with white-nose syndrome. Image credit: Wikimedia Commons
Since 2006, bat populations in the northeastern United States have been decimated by a mysterious condition known as "white-nose syndrome." Caused by a fungus, Geomyces destructans, the syndrome occurs after hibernating bats develop the powdery-white fungal coating around their nose and on their wings. Victims wake and fly from the cave, burning precious fat stores and eventually starving to death.
The syndrome has lead to 90 percent or greater reductions in hibernating populations in some caves and for many species researchers have resigned themselves to predictions of extinction. New reports from Europe, however, indicate that bats across the Atlantic have found a way to live with the fungus without developing the deadly syndrome....
Replicable Ultra Green Renovation? Looking for NYC Board of Advisors
by April Streeter, Portland, Oregon on 01.14.10
Photo credit Graham Hill.
Green renovation is no easy road. TreeHugger founder Graham Hill is downsizing from 750 square feet to closer to 420 - working on a tiny, ultra-green yet extremely functional, sometimes luxurious and financially smart, renovated apartment in New York city that is to serve as a replicable model for others. And he needs help! Read on.
...
From the Forums: Humane Mice Removal
by Alex Davies, New York City on 01.14.10
Image Credit: jakub_hla via Flickr
bambiluv is looking for some tips:
Any ideas for humanely & naturally ridding a bedroom of rats (or mice) after being empty for a couple weeks? They have been all over the bed and possibly in the mattress and in other areas of the room. I'm helping a friend that lives in a room that was built above their garage...she would prefer to have them humanely removed and kept out by natural means if at all possible.Have any advice? Post here. For a really green solution, why not get a giant rat-eating plant?...
2010 Detroit Auto Show: Honda CR-Z Hybrid Coupe Unveiled (Come On, Honda, You Can Do Better)
by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada on 01.14.10
Photo: Michael Graham Richard
It's Official, Honda Needs to Go Full Hybrid
A lot of people have been not-so-patiently waiting for the production version of the Honda CR-Z hybrid ever since the concept version was introduced a couple years ago. Fans of the original CR-X HF have been drooling all over themselves and hoping for a worthy successor to their favorite fuel-efficient sporty compact coupe. Well, the wait is over! Or is it? Honda's main event in Detroit was the unveiling of the production version of the CR-Z hybrid, but sadly it left a bad taste in my mouth, and I really think that Honda needs to change course when it comes to hybrids....
Toronto Treehouse By Nicko Björn Elliott
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 01.14.10
I have figured out what you have to do to succeed as design blogger these days: set your watch on London time so that you are awake when Marcus and Rose of Dezeen put up their posts. This cute little number is probably around the corner from me in Toronto but gets published in London first. I google the designer, Nicko Björn Elliott, and there are already three full pages of design websites that have picked it up. ...
2010 Detroit Auto Show: BMW ActiveE Electric Car
by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada on 01.14.10
Photo: Michael Graham Richard
Will be Available in Limited Numbers for Leasing
Most of you probably know about the MINI-E, an electric version of the MINI made by BMW to do real-world EV testing (and exploit a CARB loophole, some say). BMW says that it will repeat the experiment, but this time with the ActiveE, a converted BMW series 1 coupe....
The US Imports 1.5 Billion Barrels of Oil a Year from "Dangerous or Unstable" Nations
by Brian Merchant, Brooklyn, New York on 01.14.10
You may have heard this song before, but it's one well worth replaying: the United States imports 4 million barrels of oil a day--adding up to 1.5 billion a year--at a cost of nearly $1 billion a day. That's $1 billion dollars a day that we're sending to nations with governments that are listed as "unstable or dangerous" by the US State Department. This is not a sustainable practice on any level--just look at the infographic above to get a more distinct grasp of how much money we're spending, and where it's going. ...
TONIGHT: Lucid Food Book Release Party to Benefit Just Food!
by George Spyros, New York City, USA on 01.14.10
Just Food is an organization that connects local farms to New York City neighborhoods and communities to bring city folks of all economic backgrounds fresh, seasonal, sustainably grown food. In celebration of Just Food and the launch of Louisa Shafia's beautiful new cookbook, Lucid Food: Cooking for an Eco-Conscious Life, there's going to be a delicious shindig this evening in NYC. Click thought for details....
Minke Whale Genetics Study Shows Faulty Logic in Japan's Pro-Whaling Argument
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 01.14.10
photo: Kike Calvo via AP Images
One of the justifications the Japanese whaling industry gives for violating the international ban on whaling is that killing minke whales will help larger baleen whales recover. Well, a new study in Molecular Ecology, conducted by scientists from Stanford and Oregon State universities refutes that argument:...
Ethiopia Wants to Export More Electricity Than Coffee - But Has It Checked Future Climate Projections?
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 01.14.10
The Omo River, future site of gigawatts of hydroelectric dams. Photo: Seth Lieberman via flickr.
At least it's not a coal power plant... According to a new BBC article Ethiopia has inaugurated the second 400 MW phase of a controversial hydroelectric scheme on the Omo River. Issues of displacement of people, potential water conflict, and environmental problems aside, the original piece says that within the next decade Ethiopia plans on being a net-exporter of electricity because of the project--and have it overtake coffee as the nation's largest export. But what about the decade after that?...
Exploring Costa Rica's Mangrove Swamps
by David DeFranza on 01.14.10
Mangroves in Costa Rica. Image credit: Matthew McDermott
On a recent trip to Costa Rica, Boing Boing's science writer Maggie Koerth-Baker had the opportunity to explore a mangrove swamp. While floating amidst the trees, she reports, it was hard not to imagine them to be sentient, Ent-like, creatures, lying in wait for the moment in which they could stand up and walk away.
Around the world, she explains, mangrove forests perform essential functions to maintain nearby ecosystems. These vital, if oft-forgotten, swamps, however, are increasingly threatened....
Laptop or Desktop: What Do You Use?
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 01.14.10
Computers certainly have gotten a lot smaller since the Prime, to the point where laptops have pretty much taken over. On TreeHugger we have thought this to be a green trend, as they are smaller and use less power. But at the New York Times, they write that there is a lot of life left in the desktop, and that the trend might be reversing. Lifehacker did a survey of its readers, and I found the result surprising, split almost right down the middle, 51% desktop and 49% laptop. I wondered if our readership split the same way, but have added netbook to the list.
...
The 3Rs for Haiti: Response, Recovery and Reconstruction
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 01.14.10
Red+Housing Emergency Housing by OBRA Architects
TreeHugger is full of ingenious ideas for rapidly deployable designs that can be shipped, dropped or inflated to house the homeless after disasters. One might think that an organization called Architecture for Humanity would be home base for this kind of thing, but AFH founders Cameron Sinclair and Kate Stohr emphatically say NO.
Cameron writes in the Huffington Post:
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Anything But a Carbon Tax! Psychology Reveals How to Better Price Pollution
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 01.14.10
photo: Alan Cleaver via flickr.
I've long said people have reflexive reactions to the word tax and now have a psychological study to prove it, thanks to Mother Jones. Released back in December, the research, published in Psychological Science, examines reactions to two identical hypothetical programs based on whether it was called a 'carbon offset' or a 'carbon tax'. ...
Mast Humidifier Works Without Electricity, Smells Lemony
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 01.14.10
Here is the kind of simple, minimalist, elegant design that just makes me smile. Mast is a humidifier designed by Shin Okada and crafted by Masuya Koubou out of Japanese cypress. "Known for its high-quality timber, rot-resistant qualities and lemony scent, the thinly sliced Hinoki mast absorbs water from the hull and diffuses it, and its intrinsic aroma, into the room."
Instead of electricity and a fan, just capillary action....
Researchers Study Polar Bear Poo To Find Out About Superbugs
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 01.14.10
Photo via zyphbear
Researchers went all the way up to the Arctic to study the droppings of polar bears who have little to no contact with humans in order to find out if the spread of antibiotic-resistant superbugs among animals are the result of human influence. It seems like this might have been just a handy excuse to get an awesome trip to the Arctic, since only a tiny leap of logic would tell us that yes, antibiotic-resistant superbugs are the result of contact with human-made antibiotics. Turns out, the researchers found out some great news...for polar bears. ...
After Haiti Earthquake Disaster Urgent Appeals For Aid Spread Across Blogoshpere
by Leonora Oppenheim, London, UK on 01.14.10
As the full scale of the tragic earthquake disaster in Haiti becomes apparent there is a mass mobilization effort to get aid and support to the stricken island as soon as possible. Planet Green have posted on 10 Ways to Help the Haiti Earthquake Relief Efforts while yesterday Warren posted on Help For Haiti Earthquake Aftermath. Giving Green, highlighting a post from Worldchanging, as well as noting the green organisations that are operating on the ground there that need support. Today TH Blog Love selects articles from around the blogosphere which explain the terrible impact of this earthquake in one the world's poorest countries....
Living Homes Retools For Lower Prices, Wider Distribution
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 01.14.10
Living Homes have been TreeHugger regulars, with their LEED Platinum ratings and great modern Ray Kappe designs. But a big complaint was that they were really expensive. They were also designs that were very much part of their environment, very California.
Now they have gone back to first principles, and come up with a simpler, boxier wood framed design that has some very interesting features, and comes in at a different price point. ...
RCA Airnergy Claims Fast Gadget Charging Using Ambient WiFi Signals (Video)
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 01.14.10
Image via Gizmag
RCA has put forward a charging device that they claim is capable of harvesting energy from WiFi signals and converting them to DC battery power, and according to Oh! Gizmo, they were able to demo it charging up a Blackberry battery from 30% to full in just 90 minutes using only ambient WiFi signals. It's a mighty big claim for a technology that even innovation giant Intel has not yet made pan out for a consumer product. Yet, they had a demo device on hand at CES, and were eager to talk about the tiny energy harvester. ...
Santa Monica Buys Electric Trucks After Suing Owner (Video)
by Sami Grover, Carrboro, NC, USA on 01.14.10
Image credit: Gas2Electric Conversions
From London's massive commitment to electric vehicles to British Colombia's partnership with Nissan Leaf, city and regional governments are getting behind electrified transportation in a big way. Now the City of Santa Monica is getting on board too—announcing that it has taken delivery of its first all electric Ford Ranger pickup trucks, despite earlier suing the maker of the very same vehicles. ...
Cardboard PC Concept Case Becomes Reality, Goes Into Mass Production
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 01.14.10
Image via ReCompute
Remember a year ago when we showed you the ReCompute cardboard PC case dreamed up by designer Brenden Macaluso? We didn't think it was too hot of an idea, especially because of, well, heat. In fact, one of you stated, "Stupid stupid supid. This is idiotic. When your house burns down to an electrical fire, you're the only one to blame if you bought this" among some not so supportive other comments. Well, looks like it got the support from elsewhere because the ReCompute has gone into mass production. ...
Independent Sustainable Designers to Showcase at NOW During NYC Market Week
by Emma Grady, New York, NY on 01.14.10
Credit: Jai, NOW
Emerging and independent fashion designers in New York City are coming together for the sake of green fashion to show at the apparel tradeshow co-op NOW Showcase, which occurs during NYC Market Week, alongside D&A, Coterie, and Train. We visited last year and saw innovation in design from reigning green queen Linda Loudermilk to to notable newcomer Sarah Dixons Nova (SDN) -- and their fab shoe pants -- find out which designers are set to show their fall 2010 collections in February: ...
Climate Shifts Contribute To Serious Electric Power & Water Shortages For Venezuela
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 01.14.10
Image credit:USDOE
Venezuela is a major exporter of oil to the USA, and large trading partner with the US State of Florida, itself highly reliant on burning oil to generate electricity (an oddity among US states). A changing climate in Venezuela - resulting in loss of hydroelectric capacity - could mean bad news for Florida, as Venezuela may have to burn more of it's own oil production simply to meet its own demand for electricity. Of course, Chavez blames the lack of rain, and the resulting fall off in power output, on 'EL Nino' (none of that climate change talk from a major oil producer); but, the fact remains they are in deep trouble with continuing drought.
...
StreetStrider: Cross Country Skiing on Stand-Up Trike (Video)
by Warren McLaren, Bundanoon, Australia on 01.14.10
Remember those stories about how bike seats apparently caused havoc with male sexual performance? And how no-nose seats like the X-seat ? Well, David Kraus, an associate professor in Biology and Environmental Health Sciences at University of Alabama at Birmingham reckons he might have the solution for you. The StreeStrider.
Basically it's a NordicTrack elliptical exercise machine on three wheels, so you can take it outdoors. (Imagine that -- exercising under the sky not a gym roof. What will they think of next?) As you pump the foot platforms they turn the crank and eight speed gearing on the rear wheel. Riders stand up with no seat to pinch their delicate parts. It does look intriguing in the video....
On Sandbanks Dorset, It's Tree Mugging Now, Not Hugging
by Bonnie Alter, London on 01.14.10
Image from Mail online
It's called tree mugging, not treehugging, and it's not nice. Property values are at the root of it. In exclusive Sandbanks Dorset, the better your view of the harbour and the sea, the more your apartment is worth.
So if big ugly trees block the vista--get rid of them. And that's what people have been doing, despite a fine of £20,000 (US $32,500). The trees are mature and protected by preservation orders by the Council but what the heck. Over the past six months there have been 8 recorded attacks so far and many more attempts....
News from Mother Jones: Help Haiti, Whole Foods' Ungreen Ways, Gross Tap Water
by Mother Jones on 01.14.10
Yesterday, TreeHugger rounded up a few green charities that are helping the recovery effort in Haiti after Tuesday's earthquake. MoJo's human rights reporter Mac McClelland has a few more suggestions for how to help one of the poorest and least politically stable countries in the world (thanks in no small part to the Bush administration) recover from a catastrophic natural disaster. For more updates on Haiti, follow Mac on Twitter.
Elsewhere on Mother Jones: The hoopla over Cape Wind has reached a fever pitch of late: To recap, earlier this month the National Park Service determined that the sound could be considered for listing in the National Register of Historic Places in response to a request from local Native American tribes. But the tribes were just the wind farm's newest opponents: A campaign backed by dirty energy interests has been trying to thwart the project for nearly a decade.Now, it looks like Interior Secretary Ken Salazar is finally poised to make a decision on whether the proposed wind farm will be built on Nantucket Sound.
Whole Foods CEO John Mackey has come under fire for questioning whether humans are causing global warming. But are the grocery chain's practices actually bad for the planet? A recent study of grocers and their sustainability efforts says yes. The report documents just how little the company actually does when it comes to climate and related environmental issues.Released in December 2008, the study from sustainable business group Ceres assesses what 63 companies are doing to prepare themselves to face the challenge of climate change, with a focus on board oversight, management execution, public disclosure, greenhouse gas emissions accounting and strategic planning and performance. Whole Foods earned a pitiful 27 score on the assessment (out of a possible 100)—flunking in basically every category.
Plus: Is your tap water too dirty to drink? ...
Ronen Kadushin's LYTA Chair: lightweight and 100% recyclable
by Petz Scholtus, Barcelona, Spain on 01.14.10
(more images below)
What makes a chair eco-friendly? Well, it takes quite a lot of things such as recyclability, reduced weight, longevity, both technically and emotionally, and the possibility to repair it before tossing it away. An eco-friendly chair cannot be thrown out because of a broken leg, or a wine stain. It seems that Israeli-born, Berlin-based designer Ronen Kadushin has archived these requirements in his LYTA chair. ...
When African Dwarf Frogs Attack: Caged Creatures Spread Salmonella in 31 States
by Jeff Kart, Bay City, Michigan on 01.13.10
Credit: CDC.
The African dwarf frog, a tiny little creature that's become a popular aquarium pet in America, is now linked to an outbreak of salmonella poisoning in 31 states. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says the outbreak, which sickened 85 people, mostly children, is all linked to one California breeder, according to WebMD. Maybe it's also linked to the idea that we can keep wild animals as pets. Cats and dogs are one thing. But two-inch long amphibians from Africa? Is this frog revenge?...
Key Nations to Meet as Copenhagen Accord Deadline Looms
by Stephen Messenger, Porto Alegre, Brazil on 01.13.10
Despite the disappointment felt in the wake of COP15 last month, which ended with less than 30 of the 192 nations present pledging to sign the resulting agreement, representatives from Brazil, China, India, and South Africa will be meeting this month to discuss the future of the international treaty. With the January 31 deadline for uncommitted nations to endorse the Copenhagen accord approaching, the quartet of developing nations will be urging others to indicate their support for the agreement, which, according to UN law, requires a consensus to be legally binding....
Automotive X-PRIZE Competition Announcement at Detroit Auto Show
by Roberta Cruger, Los Angeles on 01.13.10
X Prize booth at Detroit Auto Show. Photos courtesy of Progressive Insurance Automotive X Prize
The Automotive X Prize, a $10 million competition for super fuel-efficient vehicles, announced at the North American Auto Show in Detroit this week that its much anticipated on-track competition will finally kick off April 26 and continue through August 2010. It will be hosted by the state of Michigan, which "put the world on wheels," as Governor Jennifer Granholm put it. Partnered with the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, this should give the beleaguered Motor City region a shot in the arm. But will it drive the former Big Three US car manufacturers to consider these auto designs?...
Saul Griffith Talks About Heritage Design
by David DeFranza on 01.13.10
Image credit: Good
Saul Griffith, Good explains, has "spent a lot of time thinking about how to make useful things." Along the way, he has grabbed onto an idea that is not new or unique, but remains powerful none the less....
Thought Jaws was Scary? 10 More Fish to Inspire Nightmares (Slideshow)
by Jeff Kart, Bay City, Michigan on 01.13.10
...
Invasive Tilapia Threaten Fiji's Natives
by David DeFranza on 01.13.10
Image credit: Wikimedia Commons
Tilapia—a fast-growing, highly palatable, fish native to Africa—has become a favorite among sustainability-minded diners. Indeed, when sourced from U.S. fish farms, the Monterey Bay Aquarium gives it a "best choice" rating.
But tilapia's hardiness, its versatility, its ability to grow quickly with little protein—the very things that make it so successful in aquaculture—mean that it is a dangerous invasive species when allowed to escape into new ecosystems....
India Outlines First Phase of 22 GW National Solar Mission = 1.3 GW by 2013
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 01.13.10
photo: hiroo via flickr.
Back in November India approved a National Solar Mission--officially the Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission--which aims to get 22 GW of solar power online by 2022. Well, more has come out about the implementation of the first phase of that, 1.3 GW by March 2013:...
2,000 Endangered Sea Turtles Killed or Injured by Frigid Waters in Florida (Photos)
by Brian Merchant, Brooklyn, New York on 01.13.10
All photos via Georgianne Nienaber's column at the Huffpo Green
Investigative journalist Georgianne Nienaber has been covering the devastating effect the exceptionally frigid waters in Florida are having on the marine life. According to her reports, innumerable fish have been washing up dead and at least 2,000 endangered sea turtles have been injured or killed by the unusually cold temperatures. Heartbreaking photos of the sick turtles and the rescue attempts after the jump . . ....
Help For Haiti Earthquake Aftermath. Giving Green.
by Warren McLaren, Bundanoon, Australia on 01.13.10
Photos: Deforestation, (OGL Haiti) and Earthquake (AFP Twitpic)
UPDATE There is a good post on Worldchanging about how to follow the Haitian earthquake online. "early reports suggest that thousands are likely to be reported dead. Major landmarks, including the Presidential Palace, National Assembly and Port au Prince cathedral have been destroyed." Architecture for Humanity has recent photos. (LA)
Haiti is in chaos after an earthquake registering 7.0 on the Richter magnitude scale has crumbled much of the country's buildings and infrastructure. Considered one of the poorest countries in the Americas, Haiti has, in recent years, had to contend with catastrophic floods, mudslides, hurricanes and the like. Now add earthquake to add to their many woes. Our heart goes out to Haitians and we commend all those who can donate to aid organisations, to contribute what assistance they can.
Yet, while humanitarian aid, including food, clean water, shelter, sanitation and suchlike will be the immediate priorities, we thought it worth noting the good work of green organisations in Haiti, as they will also need support to get back on their feet....
From the Forums: Help Some Volunteers Out!
by Alex Davies, New York City on 01.13.10
Image Credit: The U.S. Army via Flickr
Help Dan CS help out!
A large group from my company has been making volunteer trips the past 5 years. We will likely be a group of 30 - 60 able bodies and hard working and fun volunteers. We are aiming for a couple days in May, probably a Wed - Fri type of thing...I was thinking we could possibly help out a community move towards a more sustainable future and maybe help prevent the next disaster.Have any ideas for where this group can help out? Post them here!...
California Mulls Cap-and-Dividend Program - Families Could Get $1000 Back Per Year
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 01.13.10
photo: The Consumerist via flickr.
Alternatives to the ascendant cap and trade method of setting a price on carbon and hopefully reducing greenhouse gas emission are slowly building. Example: The Wall Street Journal reports that a California state panel reviewing the best way to allocate funds from a carbon control plan set to begin in 2012 are considering giving it straight back to the people--a cap and dividend program:...
Pepsi Throwback Uses Real Sugar, But Is It Better For You?
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 01.13.10
We at TreeHugger are no fans of high fructose corn syrup (HFCS); as Daniel Engber writes in Slate, "A growing body of research has led some scientists to wonder whether the increased consumption of fructose over the past few decades might be responsible for rising rates of obesity." Studies have also linked it to linked it to diabetes and hypertension.
Being made from highly subsidized corn, it was also cheap, so manufacturers of foodlike substances were happy to use a lot of it. In the 1980s, the soda pop companies switched over to it. Now Pepsi is offering Throwback, sweetened with real sugar. Is this a good thing?
...
Freshwater Stingrays Solve Problems with Tools
by David DeFranza on 01.13.10
Image credit: ellenm1/Flickr
Fish have long been thought to be "simple reflex animals" but new research has shown that at least one species is capable of high-level cognition and even the use of tools. The abilities of the fish in question, the freshwater stingray, even rival that of birds and mammals, researchers report....
In Age of New Media, Scientists Must Hone PR Skills to Save the World
by Brian Merchant, Brooklyn, New York on 01.13.10
Image via Climate Progress
Now that people receive their information from more sources than ever--what we consider 'the media' has coalesced into an amalgam of blogs, radio, cable TV, news articles, and magazines that incite, play off of, and inform one another--it's more difficult than ever for a single voice or report to shine through with clarity. Unless you happen to be a celebrity or a politician. Which is why, in the face of so much regurgitated dis- and misinformation on subjects like climate change or human health, scientists are being encouraged to take a more proactive stance in delivering their findings. ...
Butterflies Not Coping Well With Double Whammy of Climate Change and Habitat Loss
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 01.13.10
Photo via quijonido
Butterflies are having a rough time of things thanks to climate change. That isn't necessarily news. But in the most comprehensive analysis to date of the factors impacting butterflies, UC Davis butterfly expert Arthur Shapiro found that habitat loss is providing a fatal punch to butterfly diversity. And surprisingly, it's the "junk" species (the pigeons of the butterfly world) that are getting hit the hardest.
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The Causeworld Mobile App: Go Shopping, Earn Karma, Save the Planet
by Jacob Gordon, Nashville, TN on 01.13.10
Image: CauseworldIt's called Causeworld and here's how it works: download the app for your iPhone or Android device, walk into a store and "check in" on your phone (geotagging helps determine where you're at), as you earn Karmas you spend them on causes like carbon offsets and tree planting. You don't actually have to buy anything, just divulge that you've set foot in that particular department store, grocery, hardware store, Abercrombie, etc. Corporate sponsors pony up the dough, you just decide how it's divvied up....
Should Manufacturers Disclose Secret Chemical Ingredients?
by Christine Lepisto, Berlin on 01.13.10
Image: Flickr, xmatt
Study on Top Secret Chemicals
Parents want to know. Schools want to know. Workers want to know. Nearly everyone wants to know: What dangerous chemicals lurk in products we use? A new study by the Environmental Working Group (EWG), shows the extent to which industry keeps their chemical ingredients top secret. And EWG is demanding the industry be forced to tell all. Is that the best solution?...
Data Highlights: America's Century-Long Love Affair with the Car May Be Coming to an End
by Lester Brown, Washington, D.C on 01.13.10
Between 1950 and 2008 more cars were added to our roads virtually every year as the total fleet expanded steadily from 49 million to 250 million vehicles. In 2009, however, 14 million cars were scrapped while only 10 million cars were sold, shrinking the fleet by 4 million vehicles, or nearly 2 percent. With record numbers of cars set to reach retirement age between now and 2020, the fleet could shrink by some 10 percent, dropping from the all-time high of 250 million in 2008 to 225 million in 2020.
...Silverpac Brings Energy Data to Touch-Screen Thermostats, Remote Controls
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 01.13.10
Image via Silverpac
Using the thermostat as a home's energy meter is gaining popularity. It's a quick way to add another useful function to an existing system. Ecobee is one such example, but the latest contender is Silverpac's rather massive 7-inch touch-screen thermostat. ...
LEED Home Award Winners are Walkscore FAIL
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 01.13.10
The Keesler Air Force Base project in Biloxi, Miss., by Hunt Yates currently has 792 registered single-family homes pursuing LEED for Homes certification, making it the largest LEED-certified project in the nation and the first Air Force installation to have LEED-certified homes.
I have been gearing up to do a rant about the 2009 LEED for homes award winners. They are, with an exception or two, extraordinarily silly; Steve Mouzon wrote on the Original Green that "I've gotta confess that when I first saw some of these, I checked the calendar to make sure it wasn't April Fool's Day." Like Steve, I was going to look at each of the houses, but over at NRDC, Switchboard, Kaid Benfield did it by the numbers- he Walkscored them.
...
Today on Planet 100: Climate Killers, Secret Chemicals (Video)
by David DeFranza on 01.13.10
Apple Board Opposes Shareholder Petition Request For Broadly Scoped CSR Report
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 01.13.10
Best practice in narrative reporting? Image credit:Radley Yeldar Services
EE Times, a trade journal of record for the electronics sector, reports that "As You Sow" wants Apple to produce a report on how they will "reduce greenhouse gas emissions and address other environmental and social impacts such as toxics, recycling and employee and product safety," according to the proxy statement." Apple's Board of Directors says no, maintaining it has made plenty of progress on matters of environment and makes it public on the company website. I'm with the Board on this one. Few people but petitioners ever read these CSR reports; and, it makes no sense to kill trees and spend tens of thousands printing something that will go out of date in a month or two....
Study Finds Monsanto's GMO Corn Causes Organ Damage in Rodents
by Brian Merchant, Brooklyn, New York on 01.13.10
Photo via Daily Mail
Few subjects attract more ire and debate than genetically modified foods--and Monsanto reigns over the entire industry. The very idea of genetically engineering crops has always made many queasy--and now, literally so. A breakthrough report from the International Journal of Biological Sciences has just found that three separate kinds of Monsanto's genetically modified corn causes organ damage in rats....
Seriously? Battery Powers Mobile Phone By Sipping on Soda
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 01.13.10
Images via Yanko Design
The latest in crazy designs to run on alternative power sources comes out of designer Daizi Zheng, who has dreamed up a reusable-bottle-meets-cell-phone concept. The user adds a can of soda, and can talk on the phone for four times longer than if they were using a lithium ion battery. Um...say what?
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20,000 Americans Killed in their Homes by Radon Last Year
by Brian Merchant, Brooklyn, New York on 01.13.10
Photo via Genspeclic
This month, the World Health Organization released its mortality statistics--never a fun document to read. But one stat stood out, and was pounced on by the EPA: 20,000 Americans were killed from simply living in their homes last year. The culprit? The under-publicized--and underestimated--radioactive gas radon that emanates from rocks and soil. Radon kills more people every year than drunk driving, fires, and carbon monoxide....
Record Highs Beating Record Lows in US by 2-to-1, Redux
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 01.13.10
image: UCAR--much bigger image here
Back in November scientists from the National Center for Atmospheric Research and other equally prestigious organizations informed us that since the 1980s record highs have been outpacing record lows. And last year the ratio was more than 3:2--a normal ratio over time is about 1:1. Well, since the recent snows across Europe and cold snaps across much of the United States have brought the "it's cold today so global warming must be a scam" crowd out in droves, I thought (through Joe Romm's inspiration) that bringing back the graphic above is appropriate. ...
Sortify - It's the Spotify of the Trash Set for Recycle-Loving Types
by April Streeter, Portland, Oregon on 01.13.10
Photo via Sortify and F. Slivka Lederer.
Skype was a Swedish invention, ditto Spotify. So know there's Swedish Sortify, which will hopefully sweep the trash world and show up on every city street soon. For what is more truly irritating to a city street pedestrian type than a recyclable paper or plastic item in hand and nowhere to recycle it? Sortify to the rescue....
Self-Assembling Solar Cells Take Cue From Salad Dressing
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 01.13.10
photo: John Mayer via flickr.
The principle behind these self-assembling solar cells is one which I imagine every person who reads this is familiar with: Until you mix it together salad dressing stays neatly separated. Now take that idea--the hydrophobic and hydrophilic qualities of two liquids--apply it to manufacture of solar cells and you get a glimpse of the genius of this. Heiko Jacobs and Robert Knuesel, writing in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, demonstrate that it can be done. The quick version goes like this:...
More BPA in Adults Could Mean More Heart Disease
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 01.13.10
Is it the Spam, or is it the can?
At some point, even the people at Stats.org are going to have to acknowledge the growing pile of studies from all over the world adding to the case against Bisphenol A (BPA). The latest, From the University of Exeter, looked at the CDC (American Center for Disease Control) data and found that 60 year old men with the highest levels of BPA have about a 45% greater risk of heart disease than those with lower levels.
Rick Smith of Environmental Defence responded in the Globe and Mail:
"The evidence is now overwhelming that human exposure to bisphenol A is at the root of significant human disease, and that one of the most important things we could do for public health is to reduce human exposure to this chemical."
...
Ecuador's Plan to Protect the Amazon Gets Deadline, Minister Resigns
by Paula Alvarado, Buenos Aires on 01.13.10
Fander Falconi, Former Foreign Affairs Minister of Ecuador. Photo: Reuters.
Fander Falconí, Foreign Affairs Minister of Ecuador, has resigned due to differences with president Rafael Correa in the issue of the country's plan to protect the Yasuni reservation at the Amazon forest. The president of Ecuador has also set a deadline for the project. If expectations not met, the Amazon gets it....
Endangered US Jaguars Catch a Break - Will Get Their Own Recovery Plan from Fish & Wildlife Service
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 01.13.10
photo: Tambako the Jaguar
Though there's nary a word of it yet on the US Fish and Wildlife Service website, conservation group Defenders of Wildlife is reporting that the handful of remaining jaguars in New Mexico and Arizona will finally get a recovery plan, including setting aside protected habitat, a crucial first step in saving the animals from extinction within the United States:...
An Edible Schoolyard in Durham: How Kids Grow (Video)
by Sami Grover, Carrboro, NC, USA on 01.13.10
We're big fans of edible schoolyards. From Alice Waters' original edible schoolyard efforts in California to one school's garden in the arid deserts of Arizona the concept is reconnecting kids with their food and each other. Kids in my neck of the woods are getting their hands dirty too, and they've even created a great video to show the world the fruits of their labors....
Greening Up Video Walls - Laser Phosphor Displays Cut Energy Use by 75%
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 01.13.10
Image via Prysm
Video walls are big energy consumers, but they're popular for billboards, concerts and other events. While we have greener options such as LED technology, Prysm, Inc points out that the largest LED video walls can still suck up as much as $1 million worth of electricity per year. So the company has launched what they're calling the greenest solution for video walls - Laser Phosphor Display, or LPD. It is heralded as the most eco-friendly option with low power consumption, long life span, high picture quality and zero toxins used in manufacturing. ...
From the Forums: Air Travel Solution?
by Alex Davies, New York City on 01.13.10
Image Credit: Diego Cupolo via Flickr
saresiam wants to know what you think:
Do you guys worry about the environmental impact of the air travel? I was reading about this partnership between Expedia and TerraPass (they create carbon offset bundles to fund clean energy and carbon reduction projects). I love to travel and am not selfless enough to give it up- so I think this is great!So is this the solution to the negative impact of air travel? Join the conversation....
Just How Bad Are The Canadian Tar Sands? According to the Conference Board, Almost Benign
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 01.13.10
The Tyee
The Conference Board of Canada (not BoingBoing's favourite think tank) has released a report that says, well, yes, there is a lot of CO2 that comes out of the oil sands, but:
a) on a "wheel to wheel" basis it is not that much worse than any other kind of fuel (because the bulk of the CO2 comes out of the tailpipe)
b) More growth in Canadian CO2 production came from the shift over the last ten years in Canadian tastes in transport, the switch to pickups, light trucks and SUVs, than actually came from the tar sands.
So why is everyone picking on poor old Alberta and the tar sands?...
New Yorkers! Drop Off Your Old Electronics Free on Saturday at Tekserve in NYC
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 01.13.10
Photo via Tekserve
Tekserve is hosting a free e-waste drop off on Saturday, January 16th in New York City. The last event saw 23 tons of old electronics collected and kept out of landfill. Services like this are more important than ever now that NYC's "Build It Green" recycling drop-off program was suspended and the city's law to have manufacturers foot the bill for door-to-door collection has sparked up a lawsuit from the Consumer Electronics Association. And you get the chance to win a MacBook Air just for doing the right thing and clearing out your office drawers!...
7 Creepy, Crawly, Endangered Reptiles With Weird Genetic Traits
by Blythe Copeland, Great Neck, New York on 01.13.10
Photo Credit: Chris Mattison/ww.nhpa.co.uk via Arkive
If snakes, lizards, skinks, and reptiles in general give you the creeps, then we've got seven reasons to give them another chance: From tiny turtles to massive dragons, these endangered reptiles have one-of-a-kind personalities, camouflage techniques, and coloring that make them different from your average creepy-crawly....
Show Us Your Best DIY Electric Bicycle, Says Renew Magazine
by Warren McLaren, Bundanoon, Australia on 01.13.10
Photo: Solar Bike Project
The print-based magazine, Renew, is running a competition to find the best DIY electric bicycle. For which they're offing bragging rights to the winner, in an upcoming issue of the magazine, as well a gift voucher at an online eco-store. (full details after the jump.
We've covered DIY hybrid electric/pedal powered vehicles in the past. You might draw some inspiration from them for the competition. For example, there was the solar powered tandem trike-trailer combo (pictured above), from the Solar Bike Project. Or the DIY electric mountain bike that used power tool batteries. And although its not pedal assist, like a bicycle, we were taken with the verve of the solar scooter. ...
Best of Inhabitat: Reporting From CES 2010!
by Jasmin Malik Chua, Jersey City, USA on 01.13.10
Everyone was buzzing about CES 2010 this week and we were psyched to see even more greener gadgets on the tradeshow floor this year than ever before. And they weren't the dinky-looking, crayon-green colored specimens of yore either.
From the sexy and powerful Sony Vaio W Series Eco Edition laptop to Casio's ultraslim mercury-free LED video projectors, there were quite a few new products at the show that were capable of seducing consumers to the greener side.
And if you're looking for something really titillating, check out the amazingly thin, OLED smartphone bracelet that Asus unleashed at the show. Called the Waveface Ultra, it's still a concept, but certainly gives us a glimpse into what the phones of the future could look like.
On the solar and wind energy front, we came across a bevy of new and improved greener gizmos. MiniWiz's hybrid wind or sun chargers and Solargenix's solar device sleeves, were just some of the handy (and quite affordable) examples we saw on the floor.
For more newly unveiled greener electronics from the show, check out our Top 5 Greener Gadgets from CES 2010. And stay tuned for our coverage of this year's upcoming Greener Gadgets conference in NYC!
Psst, don't miss you chance to score your very own greener gadget—a super handy HYMini Portable Wind and Solar Charger—in our weekly giveaway!
—Written by Yuka Yoneda
Inhabitat is a weblog devoted to the future of design, tracking the innovations in technology, practices and materials that are pushing architecture and home design towards a smarter and more sustainable future. Follow us on Twitter @inhabitat or join us on Facebook....
Just Say No To Coal?
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 01.13.10
Matt wonders, why don't we just ban coal? Other jurisdictions are trying this; Ontario, Canada is trying to ban coal by 2014, although the date keeps slipping and it started from a much smaller base of only 14% coal-fired power. But the principle is there: pick a date and start investing in alternative sources of energy to pick up the slack.
...
Tiny Arctic Tern's Incredible Pole-to-Pole Migration Mapped for the First Time
by Jennifer Hattam, Istanbul, Turkey on 01.13.10
Even Arctic terns need a break now and again. Photo by alllyballly via Flickr.
Living overseas, I find that no matter how much I miss family and friends, the thought of a trip home -- nearly 7,000 miles, two flights, and 10 time zones -- seems absolutely exhausting. (Not to mention guilt-inducing.) But the annual travel of the Arctic tern puts that of even my most frequent-flying friends to shame....
WaPo Raises Concerns About Biomass To Energy, Farm Bill Subsidies
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 01.13.10
Sawdust, Tacoma, 2004 Image credit:Chris Jordan, KopeikingGallery
Not that I love the 2008 farm bill in all it's porkish splendor. But, the Washington Post crying about the poor composite panel board makers paying more than they are used to because Farm Bill-subsidized biomass conversion plants are outbidding them for sawdust is just so...toolish sounding. Of course, the forest products industry is going to whine about any added demand for wood that might increase raw material costs. Tough luck: it's that or get all our fuel from countries that hate us. While we're focused on unintended consequences of biomass subsidies, how about reduced exposure to formaldehyde off-gassed from the resins used to hold that panel board together? FEMA/Katrina trailer dwellers...stand up and cheer for that farm bill!...
Building a New Green Buckingham Palace
by Bonnie Alter, London on 01.13.10
Image from epogee.co.uk
Buckingham Palace is leaking heat and energy. It comes top of the "dirty dozen" league of London's most environmentally damaging buildings. An analysis of this thermal photo gave it a score of 0 out of 10. But help is near: a group of civil engineers have worked out how much it would cost to build a new modern, green, replica of Buckingham Palace.
They have calculated that for a mere £330M, not including the land, you can get 19 state rooms, 78 bathrooms, and 52 principle bedrooms, with 775 separate areas including hallways and staircases in total. Given the Palace's tourist and historical value, this hardly rates the wretched excesses department.
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Solar Bonus Scheme Allows Householders to Farm Energy
by Warren McLaren, Bundanoon, Australia on 01.13.10
Photo: Warren McLaren / Inov8
1 January 2010 might've be hangover recovery day for many people. But in the Australian state of New South Wales it was commencement day for the Solar Bonus Scheme.
Under this NSW government program, residential owners of grid-connected solar photovoltaic systems (and wind turbines) up to 10kW capacity will be paid a gross feed-in tariff (FIT). For every kilowatt hour their systems feed into the state power grid they'll score 60 cents (AUD). This is the most generous FIT scheme in Australia, and is planned to run for a minimum of seven years. This should allow most households to not only pay off their solar or wind power investment, but also become renewable energy farmers. ...
Bolivia Enters the Cola War With New "Coca-Colla"
by Stephen Messenger, Porto Alegre, Brazil on 01.12.10
Bolivian President Morales is the first to openly chew coca leaves in the UN. Photo via MercoPress
Bolivia has a standing army of around 55,500 soldier. Coca-Cola has a workforce of 71,000 worldwide. Being outnumbered, however, is not discouraging the government of the small South American nation from tossing its hat into the ring of the 'Cola Wars'. Bolivian President Evo Morales left little doubt which refreshment empire he had his sights set on with the decision when he made the announcement last week that his country would begin producing a new beverage, called Coca-Colla. ...
EPA Leader Jackson Lays Out 2010 Priorities
by Daniel Kessler on 01.12.10
Photo Via Flickr
The Environmental Protection Agency sure has changed a lot since President Obama took over the government and installed Lisa Jackson as head of the EPA. The agency has issued new mileage standards for vehicles, which requires car makers by 2016 to make their fleets achieve a combined average fuel-economy standard of 35.5 mpg--39 mpg for cars and 30 mpg for light trucks and SUVs--a 40 percent improvement over current standards; and they are taking on climate change by putting out new Endangerment Finding which holds CO2 to be a regulated pollutant. ...
Wallpapered Dumpsters: A Sight for Sore Eyes?
by Stephen Messenger, Porto Alegre, Brazil on 01.12.10
Photos via C. Finley
There's nothing unsightlier than a graffiti emblazoned dumpster, filled to the brim with all manner of trash--a common sight in cities across a world which produces so much of the stuff. The griminess of the dumpster, for some, is such that it immediately endows whatever objects may be placed inside it with the same unappealing, valueless quality--a fallacy recently highlighted with the discovery of how some retailers dispose of their unsold products. One artist is hoping to change this perception of dumpsters by beautifying them with wallpaper, to surprising effect. Perhaps by recasting these urban-eyesores as objects of, dare I say, inspiration, our attitudes towards what fills them will change as well....
Nimli Offers 20% Off Online Eco Marketplace
by Kara DiCamillo, Newport, Rhode Island on 01.12.10
Image via Nimli.
Today's TreeHugger Deal$ comes from Nimli, a comprehensive and eco online shopping site. It offers everything from shoes (men's and women's) to beauty products to home decor and so much more from independent designers who combine their effortless creativity with our environmentally conscious ethics. All of Nimli's offerings are ecologically friendly products that are natural, organic, recycled, sweatshop-free, and cruelty-free. They are firmly aligned with a lifestyle that cultivates a green conscious mind, body, and soul.
But what we find to be cool is that Nimli is striving to be one of the most environmentally mindful retailers.
...
Today on Planet 100: Climbing Kilimanjaro and Google Energy (Video)
by David DeFranza on 01.12.10
Deadly Scorpion Venom Used to Create New, Safer Pesticide
by Brian Merchant, Brooklyn, New York on 01.12.10
Scorpions are notorious for harnessing a powerful, debilitating venom in their tails. Some species harbor venom potent enough to kill a human being. But other parts of that venom cocktail are only intended for other insects--and only affect other insects. If the strains of venom that do so were to be isolated, that could be a pretty potent insecticide, right? One researcher thought so--so he concocted a brand new, ecologically safe pesticide from the deadly venom found in scorpions....
Possibility of EPA Regulating CO2 Has Big Ag & Energy Scared
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 01.12.10
photo: TJM via flickr.
Since the path has been cleared for the EPA to step into the breech and regulate CO2 as a pollutant, even if Congress doesn't think it a worthwhile thing, the possibility has been hanging out there as a trump card. Well, all as two recent articles show, Big Agriculture and Dirty Energy certainly don't like that possibility one bit. Farmers first:...
2010 Detroit Auto Show: Ford Introduces New Focus, Electric Version Production Starts in 2011
by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada on 01.12.10
Photo: Ford
A More Focused Effort
Ford's star has been rising lately. It wasn't always like that among green-minded industry observers: Not so long ago, they were widely seen as one of the main pushers of gas-guzzling SUVs that people don't really need, and their average fleet MPG was pretty embarrassing. But then, things started to improve. Ford made investments in green tech and it started making more small fuel-efficient cars. The Fusion hybrid is widely considered best in its segment, the Fiesta is bringing a much needed European-style quality small car to North-America, and 'ECOboost' technology promises a downsizing of engines across the company's whole lineup. What's next? The new Ford Focus, which will offer one more fuel efficient compact, and will be the foundation of the Focus battery electric car (and possibly a hybrid). Read on for more details....
Transformer Furniture: Boxetti All Folds Up Into Boxes
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 01.12.10
The essence of minimalism- a place for everything and everything in its place. Latvian designer Rolands Landsbergs gives us Boxetti, where everything just goes away when you are done with it, leaving you with nothing but....boxes. He says that the "collection is driven by three basic design principles - functionality, advanced technologies and contemporary aesthetics of minimalism. Each of Boxetti modules is designed to achieve maximum efficiency of particular demands for functionality and suitability."...
2010 Detroit Auto Show: Toyota FT-CH Hybrid Concept Might Join Prius Family
by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada on 01.12.10
Photo: Michael Graham Richard
Prius Might Become a Family, 8 New Hybrid Models Coming
Maybe the rumors that have been floating around for a long time were true... Toyota said during its press event at the 2010 Detroit Auto Show that they are considering turning the Prius brand into a family of vehicles. Things are still very hazy, but what we know is that the company plans to introduce 8 new hybrid models in the coming few years (new models, either dedicated or hybrid versions of existing gas vehicles, but not refreshes of existing hybrids), and that the FT-CH hybrid concept is one of the models under consideration right now. Read on for more details about it....
Forget Market Mechanisms, Why Don't We Just Ban Coal?
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 01.12.10
photo:
Bear with me on this one: Greentech Media has a new piece on cap and trade where economist Dr Severin Borenstein says "You have to drive coal out of the market. You have to drive the price of coal down until it isn't worth mining anymore." Which brought up something to me which I've long thought, why don't we just ban coal? It would have to be a controlled phase out, with support for people negatively affected in the transition, but since it is becoming more and more clear that we're not going to get a handle on climate change or pollution without stopping using coal, why don't we just say no? ...
Barack Obama and the UNFCCC
by David DeFranza on 01.12.10
Image credit: Good
The reaction to the COP15 conference has ranged from optimistic to desperate, but, mostly, the reaction has been one of uncertainty. If anything, the conference served to generate a lot of questions.
Good focuses on a few of them and asks: Did Obama kill the UNFCCC with the Copenhagen Accord? Is that a good thing?...
From the Forums: Is Green Architecture Possible?
by Alex Davies, New York City on 01.12.10
Image Credit: ChappellStudio via Flickr
mschwartz5 is having an identity crisis:
Right now, I'm an Urban Designer (BFA), and only 22, but have quickly become conflicted about what to do with my life. I prefer to be in a natural environment than a man-made one. And I would rather save the trees than cut them down, but in this profession, I'm my own enemy. I need career guidance!Have advice? Post here....
DOE Gives $115 Million for Development of Efficient 'Super Trucks'
by Brian Merchant, Brooklyn, New York on 01.12.10
Photo via Roadtransport
US Energy Secretary Steven Chu announced yesterday that the DOE is awarding $187 million in funding to nine programs designed to make cars and trucks more efficient. $53 million of that will be directed to Cummins, Inc for two specific projects, according to the NY Times. One is improving the Class 8 vehicles, or 'super trucks', with cleaner, more efficient diesel engines. In fact, a total of $115 million will be directed towards 'super truck' efficiency projects....
Newly Discovered Cricket Sips Nectar and Pollinates Orchids (Video)
by David DeFranza on 01.12.10
Image credit: RBG Kew/Michenau and Fournel
While researching orchids on Reunion Island in the Indian Ocean, Claire Micheneau noticed that the flowers were being pollinated from an unknown source. Unable to find the culprit during the day, she set up motion-activated cameras and surveilled the flowers at night.
What she discovered was that a species of cricket, formerly unknown to science, was engaging in some peculiar behavior for its order....
Support the Climate Bill: Join Senate Call-In Day and Call Your Senator Now
by Brian Merchant, Brooklyn, New York on 01.12.10
Photo via United Families International
Seriously, call!
We have the power to do more than pick apart the latest climate legislation, cover global climate summits and make fun of Glenn Beck in the world of green politics. I promise. The Senate is set to debate its clean energy reform legislation in just a couple months. And the forward-thinking group 1Sky is in the middle of a Senate Call-In Day that allows you to contact your Senator's office to tell him or her that you support strong climate legislation, free of charge. It just takes a couple clicks. Seriously--I just got off the phone from calling Sen. Kate Gillibrand (D-NY). Help steer our nation to a cleaner, safer, more prosperous future--here's what you can do....
Beetle Mania Spreads From Canada, Comes To Denver
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 01.12.10
Interior Design writes about wood harvested after a pine beetle infestation, with its distinctive blue striping that comes from a fungus that accompanies the beetle. Designer Drew Witmer likes the stuff, and used it in the design of Jiberish, a store in Denver:
"The final product," he notes, "is a fixture that is not only beautiful but also very sustainable. I am making it my mission to promote the use of this resource locally and have several furniture designs in the works."
There is so much of it in Colorado that they have created a website to promote the stuff, with a dreadfully unattractive name, The Beetle Kill Trade Association. Like, that makes the stuff sound attractive. Canadians tried to brand the stuff as Denim Pine, which sounds better but didn't catch on either.
...
Harry Wakefield On The Year Sustainable Design Became Simply Design
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 01.12.10
Harry Wakefield of Mocoloco writes:
For me 2009 was the year that sustainable design and architecture became simply design and architecture. Sustainable materials and techniques are plentiful, so much so there is now very little that a designer and/or architect cannot create sustainably, given the opportunity to do so.Oh, I wish it were true, but I don't believe it. He gave some examples: ...
TreeHugger Goes to Antarctica, Meets Penguins, Seals, and More (Slideshow)
by Eva Jacobus on 01.12.10
Photo by Eva Jacobus
Last November, TreeHugger experienced first-hand the magnificent scale of Antarctica, with its towering peaks of rock and snow and vast seas that can barely be done justice by photographs; the sense of remoteness and isolation is hard to duplicate looking at images back home. (Although, on the plus side, photographs mean you can view penguins without the accompanying strong smell of decaying fish, so some might call it even.)
This slideshow zeros in on the nature and wildlife of Antarctica -- and some of the people who want to preserve it.
...
Ohio Growing Its Economy, Adding Jobs, With Green 'Goesintas'
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 01.12.10
Wind turbine bearing manufactured at Timken Corportation, Tyger River, SC plant, from steel produced in Canton, Ohio. Image credit:Ohio.com
What is a green goesinta? Colloquially, it might be a wire or pipe that feeds 'into' something: as in bio-diesel blend 'goes into' the truck from the pump. Of course, only the biodiesel component of the blend is the 'goesinta' in this example. But it makes the vehicle and it's owner 'greener:' hence it is the first green piece in the value chain. In the professional world, 'goesinta' a catch-all term, used with a bit of humor, for a component or raw material that goes into something bigger but which by itself does not share the final product's name recognition. A ball bearing race on a wind turbine; the bedding compound that holds a solar panel on its frame; and a coating that makes the tower or rack, respectively, last longer, all are green 'goesintas.'
If it makes a final product more efficient, longer lived, less toxic, or more recyclable it's a "green goesinta.' Easy right? Well...not so easy for the mainstream media, which continues to focus exclusively only on green jobs and economic growth associated with final products: wind turbines for example. Ohio gets it, as reported by Bob Downing of the Beacon Journal....
All Alaskan Tundra Gone by 2100 as Fires and Permafrost Melting Change Vegetation
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 01.12.10
One day this could well be transformed with trees... photo: Billy Lindblom via flickr.
While recent weird Arctic weather may have more to do with natural variability than upward trends in temperatures, the fact of the matter is the Arctic is warming faster than other places on the planet, with dire consequences for tundra. As a new piece in Yale Environment 360 shows though, it well may not be incremental changes that do in tundra, but dramatic events like fires that push the vegetation in the in the region over the edge:...
Using Bees to Battle Crows in Japan
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 01.12.10
Photo via fishermansdaughter
Crows are considered a menace in Japan and for the last 10 years, the country has been waging a war against them. There's been a range of tactics, but one that catches our eye is using one animal species to ward off another. Specifically, bees. ...
GOP 'Expert' Witness Testifies that He'd Eat Coal Ash on Cereal (Video)
by Brian Merchant, Brooklyn, New York on 01.12.10
Somebody get the man a spoon.
If you ever wondered what a crooked 'expert' witness looks like, look no further, friends. During last month's Congressional hearing over the health impacts of the massive Tennessee ash spill--the one that covered hundreds of acres and people's homes in toxic, mercury and arsenic-ridden coal ash--big coal-backing GOP dug up an 'expert' witness to testify to Congress that coal ash is perfectly safe. There's nothing wrong with it at all--in fact, he'd eat it. In a bowl of cereal. Seriously. Video after the jump....
Solar Powered Dog Sweater Gathers Power From Your Pooch (Video)
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 01.12.10
Screenshot via YouTube
How can you make your dog earn it's keep? Tape a solar cell to its sweater and add a battery pack to its collar, then send it outside. That's what Erik Schiegg has done with his Solar Dog prototype invention. Check out how your dog could be the solution to your charging woes. ...
Digging Into Urban Outfitters' Perfectly Good Trash
by Alex Pasternack, New York, NY on 01.12.10
The other night around 9.30 pm, I was walking up 14th st. and 6th Ave. when I passed a bunch of boxes next to the trash outside Urban Outfitters. The boxes were all marked "Broken" or "Broken Glass." With my suspicion that their definition of "broken" was different from mine -- and with the H&M saga fresh in my mind -- I pried one open.
Inside were all manner of your typical Urban Outfitters ephemera -- gag notepads, a disco ball, mugs, hipster tchotchkies, even an iPod speaker system. The stuff wasn't brand new -- some of it, like the mugs, was damaged; most of it was just worn or rough around the edges, and totally usable. I took some of it, including a hamburger phone (it worked), and kept on walking, expecting other passersby to partake. I didn't realize just what was still inside, and what would happen next....
42 Tips To Help You Ride Your Bike All Winter
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 01.12.10
Me on my bike this morning
It is really cold out there, and from Florida north it is the winter biking season. Over the past few years TreeHugger and Planet Green have done a number of posts on the subject of how to dress for success in winter biking. It isn't always easy, and very much depends on the kind of bike riding you do.
For instance, I have completely changed my winter wardrobe since I got my Strida, with its more stately pace, and since I started reading Copenhagenize, which makes the point that bikes are transportation, not sport, and you should feel comfortable in whatever you want to wear, you have the freedom to be in the street in whatever you want, just like a driver or a pedestrian. And no doubt some will criticize me for being in all black, but I have lights for night, and I am an architect before I am a cyclist, and everyone knows that architects always wear black.
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Oh So Cute Wool Felt Boots and Slippers from Oveja Llena
by Paula Alvarado, Buenos Aires on 01.12.10
Photos: Courtesy of Oveja Llena.
Thinking about warming up those feet without involving mainly leather? Oveja Llena has a new line of boots, slippers and hats made from natural wool felt. Take a closer look to the many models inside....
Jump Rope With Flash Light in Handle Harvests Energy While You Skip
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 01.12.10
Images via Yanko Design
Ahhh...another kinetic energy concept design. This time, designers Hyun Joo Lee & Eu Tteum Lee have put a flash light in the handle of a jump rope so you can skip your way to a brighter life. Handy new gadget, or more electronic junk?...
From the Forums: Why Not a Urinal in Your Home?
by Alex Davies, New York City on 01.12.10
Image Credit: iamcootis via Flickr
MikeZ makes a good point:
I reckon that would save plenty of water, yet is very simple and inexpensive solution. It is also more hygienic. So ladies, get your men to work!What do you think? Join the conversation....
Germany Stands Up For Science - Maintains 40% by 2020 Emissions Reductions Pledge
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 01.12.10
photo: Jason via flickr
Some nations are already backpeddling on greenhouse gas reduction commitments in the wake of Copenhagen, but not Germany. According to Reuters the world's sixth largest carbon emitter will be standing by its target of 40% emission reductions by 2020, regardless of what other nations do:...
Interview with Tom Chappell, Founder of Tom's of Maine and Rambler's Way
by Emma Grady, New York, NY on 01.12.10
While home for the holidays in Kennebunk, Maine I had the opportunity to sit down with Tom Chappell, founder of Tom's of Maine -- which sold to Colgate for $100 million in 2006 -- to discuss his new business venture, Ramblers Way wool undergarments. What started as a pilot project on a sheep farm grew into a small business with ethical and sustainable standards at the forefront of its practice. Find out how Tom is revitalizing the American textile industry, providing consumers with quality garments, and what he believes "the biggest issue of our time" to be, in our exclusive interview:...
Permablitz UK: Neighbors Reinvent Backyards (Video)
by Sami Grover, Carrboro, NC, USA on 01.12.10
Image credit: Transition Derby
The idea of near-instant 'permablitz' edible garden creation is an attractive one. When communities come together to grow food we learn so much about ourselves and each other, and we start envisioning ways we can do things differently. The folks at Transition Derby recently got together to thoroughly overhaul a typical backyard into a productive food growing space. And they took the opportunity to connect some dots around industrial agriculture too. ...
"Eco-Estate" Rises Next To Vienna's Gasometers
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 01.12.10
Images from Atelier Albert Wimmer via World Architecture News
TreeHugger previously noted the conversion of gas storage tanks built in 1896 into housing by some of Europe's best architects; Now, right next door, Albert Wimmer Architects is has built an "ecological housing estate" built with "low energy construction."...
Is The Era of The Big Trade Show Over?
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 01.12.10
CES was supposed to be greener than ever, but as Jaymi says, "Let's put aside the fact that CES is a massive tradeshow held in the middle of a desert, attracting a majority of people who could care less about the environment. We could go on about bottled water, plane flights, and organic food options all day long." At the International Builders Show, they are building virtual homes because they can't find the money to do the real thing. In November, 28,000 people flew to Phoenix to Greenbuild, something of a contradiction. Really, are these things an anachronism in this digital age?
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Interview with Bamboo Furniture Designer Jair Straschnow at Tent London (Video)
by Leonora Oppenheim, London, UK on 01.12.10
At the London Design Festival last year this TreeHugger was invited to join the DeTnk TV team at Tent London. At the 2008 show I had been interviewed by Max Fraser, but at Tent 2009 the shoe was on the other foot, so to speak, and I got to take the role of interviewer. The fun part was choosing the most exciting sustainable design to showcase. My first choice was the Amsterdam based designer Jair Straschnow and his amazing new collection of bamboo furniture called Grassworks. Click through to hear what he had to say about his acclaimed show at London's Aram Gallery....
Jane Goodall's Chimpanzees Win Prizes
by Bonnie Alter, London on 01.12.10
Images from Jane Goodall Institute
Jane Goodall has been around forever. Back in 1957 she was studying the habits of wild chimpanzees in Tanzania, under the tutorship of Sir Louis Leakey, the famous archaeologist and paleontologist. She never left...and in 1977 she set up her own institute, the Jane Goodall Institute which is still going strong, with her at the head. Its mission is protect chimpanzees and their habitats. It also is widely recognized for establishing conservation and development programs in Africa.
In recognition of the Institute's work, they have now received 2 grants and are in the money. One is from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) to expand programmes to help local people become more involved in the conservation work, thus improving their lives and the chimp's as well. The Royal Norwegian Embassy in Tanzania has also given grant money to work on the sale of carbon credits with local community people. ...
California Might Auction 100 Percent of Emissions Credits
by Daniel Kessler on 01.11.10
While Congress dithers, California is moving ahead with its cap and trade plan. Today the state's Economic and Allocation Advisory Committee, which is comprised of economists and environmental experts, made a series of recommendations for the program, including that it auction 100 percent of its emissions allocation allowances. The California Air Resource Board must now decide whether to accept to Committee's recommendations....
EcoNewMexico Hosts Carnival of the Green
by Kara DiCamillo, Newport, Rhode Island on 01.11.10
Today marks Carnival of the Green #210, and it's being hosted by EcoNewMexico. Did you know that living in New Mexico and the American Southwest has special ecological considerations? We sure didn't. You can learn all about it at EcoNewMexico. The site addresses simple, practical steps you can take to lead a more environmentally sustainable life, no matter where you live.
So head on over to this week's jam-packed Carnival, which includes a round up of green news and events from the past week and your best green tweets, submitted by other bloggers and green sites. From the Vancouver Olympics to reuse ideas for coffee grinds - enjoy!
We are now accepting host requests for 2010! Read on to find out how to host....
Fashion NYC 2020 to Bolster Disposable Buying Cycle?
by Emma Grady, New York, NY on 01.11.10
Mayor Bloomber, Fashion's Night Out in NYC. Credit: Jimi Celeste, Via WWD
Fashion NYC 2020 kicks off tonight at Macy's Herald Square. Over 75 retailing and fashion leaders along with Mayor Bloomberg's office will discuss how to preserve New York as America's garment capital and as the global center of the fashion industry, amidst outsourcing and international competition, WWD reports. On the plate for discussion: pop up shops, sustainability and--on the opposite end of the spectrum--fast fashion. ...
CES 2010 - Just How Green Was It? 5 Impressions and Suggestions
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 01.11.10
The Consumer Electronics Tradeshow wanted to be greener than ever this year. Was it? Here are our impressions of not only how CES did on green, but what position green seems to have in the electronics industry.
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Cittaslow Moves Out of Europe
by David DeFranza on 01.11.10
Image credit: Good
The slow cities movement started in Italy in 1999 when Mayor Paolo Saturnini chose to stay small and protect local business instead of courting industry and growing larger. With the help of three other Italian towns and the Slow Food organization he founded the Cittaslow movement....
Himalayan Glaciers Entirely Gone by 2035?!? Probably Not.
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 01.11.10
photo: Barry Silver via flickr.
You've probably read claims about how the glaciers in the Himalayas are melting at such a fast pace that some of them could be entirely gone by 2035. I know I've made reference to the statement, made by Indian glaciologist Syed Hasnain and repeated around the internet, as have other posts on TreeHugger. Well, it seems according to a recent article in New Scientist by Fred Pearce, that Hasnain is backtracking on his assertion, saying that the statement was "speculative" and that he's never made that claim in any peer-reviewed journal. Yet it made it into the IPCC report of 2007:...
Bringing No Impact Education into the Classroom
by David DeFranza on 01.11.10
Image credit: No Impact Project
In 2007, Colin Beavan led his family into a year-long adventure that would change their lives. During the No Impact Experiment, the Beavan's challenged themselves to live, in the middle of New York City, without making a net impact on the environment. It required a lot of changes, and a few sacrifices, but in the end taught them to appreciate a lifestyle the never knew existed.
Now, Colin has made the No Impact Project available to teachers as a free curriculum complete with lesson plans and activities....
Was Barack Obama's First Year a Breath of Fresh Air?
by Brian Merchant, Brooklyn, New York on 01.11.10
Photo via UFOBC
This will be news to no one: some have soured on Barack Obama. The list of his missed opportunities and non-accomplishments thus far irks his supporters and gives ammunition to his enemies. But before we all get too disappointed, it's worth remembering that he actually accomplished a lot his first year, too. For every not-so-abolished Don't Ask Don't Tell law, there's a promising national auto emissions standard, for each not-closed-yet Guantanamo, there's an EPA mobilizing to regulate greenhouse gases. Here are some of his best accomplishments of 2009....
Doctor Gets Five Years For Assaulting Cyclists With His Car
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 01.11.10
LA Times
Brian noted earlier how Charles Diez got four months in jail for shooting (and barely missing) a cyclist who was in his way, and considered it an embarrassment. In California, they are a bit tougher: In July 2008 Christopher Thompson, passed two cyclists and got in front of them and jammed on the brakes. Ron Peterson went face first into the rear window, breaking his teeth, slicing off his nose, and cutting his face; he needed ninety stiches.
He was sentenced last week to five years in prison for mayhem; assault with a deadly weapon, his car; battery with serious injury; and reckless driving causing injury. ...
Humans Now Wiping Out Species at 1,000 Times the Natural Rate
by Brian Merchant, Brooklyn, New York on 01.11.10
The Borneo Orangutan, one of the most endangered species in the world.
Eight years ago, world governments made a pledge to put a halt to growing biodiversity loss by 2010. They have not succeeded. The ongoing loss of biodiversity has instead become even more severe of a threat to the planet's once-balanced ecosystems--it's become a full-on extinction crisis. Thanks to human development and expansion, species are now going extinct exponentially faster than ever before--they're dying out at the frightening speed of 1,000 times the natural rate....
CES 2010 - Sharp Shows Off Solar Powered Car, New LED TVs, and Lovely LED Lights
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 01.11.10
Sharp was happy to show off its greener products at CES, starting with a big display for the Tokai Solar Car, pictured above. This vehicle is equipped with triple junction solar cells, which are incredibly efficient (and expensive). There was a tiny cell on display that was called the "Hope Diamond of solar cells" and it boasts an efficiency rate you may have a hard time believing. Check out that, plus other goodies from the Sharp booth....
From the Forums: Affordable Green Business Wear
by Alex Davies, New York City on 01.11.10
Image Credit: pretendtious via Flickr
crevis79 could use some advice on greening his closet:
I love the idea of finding dress clothes that have low impact on the environment. I have seen items like this on the web, but at GREAT cost. Working at a college is much more about the experience than the money, so I don't have a huge budget for clothing. Anyone have any experience with dress clothes that are earth friendly that are not going to force me to get a second job?Have ideas for finding green business wear on the cheap? Post them here....
Are Zoos Prisons? Habeas Corpus Filed for Chimp
by Stephen Messenger, Porto Alegre, Brazil on 01.11.10
Photo via flickr
Jimmy is a 26 year old chimpanzee who has spent several years alone in a cage, where he's on exhibit at a zoo in Niterói, Brazil, just outside of Rio de Janeiro. Just last week, animal protection groups filed a motion to have Jimmy released on grounds of Habeas Corpus, arguing that he is being denied his rights to freedom of movement and to a decent life, in Rio's Criminal Court. If the appeal is accepted and Jimmy is allowed to go free, it will not be the first time such a legal maneuver is successful, however. Slowly, courts around the country are beginning to consider chimpanzees like Jimmy a legal 'party' with rights and not merely objects....
Green Design Comes To Park Model and Manufactured Housing
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 01.11.10
Five years ago I toured a Palm Harbor Homes factory in Austin Texas. The houses were towed down the assembly line by a chain drive; I almost got run over by a house. When I asked talked about the use of sustainable, healthy materials, I was told that they never even think about it, that the market won't pay for it.
Much has changed in five years. Nationwide Custom Homes, a subsidiary of Palm Harbor, is showing the Osprey at the International Builders Show in Las Vegas. It is "designed to meet the needs of Baby Boomers, Echo Boomers and RV enthusiasts seeking an affordable Green weekend retreat" but is as big as a lot of one bedroom apartments....
CES 2010 - Nielson Fact Sheet Reveals Surprising Statistics About American Gadget Use
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 01.11.10
In preparation for CES, tech bloggers were sent a fact sheet from Nielsen about gadget use in American households. Some of the stats used are positively jaw dropping, and shine a whole new light on the technology seen at the tradeshow. ...
Japanese Researchers Create Printable Lithium Batteries
by Brian Merchant, Brooklyn, New York on 01.11.10
Photos via EcoFriend
A Japanese research group has just begun developing lithium polymer batteries that can be manufactured en masse--with roll-to-roll printing technology. The new lithium battery, designed for use with "a flexible solar battery or display," will be fully printable--and therefore thinner, and subject to cheaper, more efficient production. ...
DDT Concentrations May Be Increasing in Northern Oceans
by David DeFranza on 01.11.10
U.S. soldiers applying DDT-based insecticide during WWII. Image credit: Wikimedia Commons
An estimated 1.5 million metric tons of DDT were used between the 1940s and the 1970s, when strict restrictions were placed on the chemicals worldwide. Though the use has been cut dramatically since then, new research has found that DDT is still being emitted by the world's oceans, and that concentrations in the northern oceans may actually be increasing....
Bees Equiped With Microchips Help Explain Hive Declines
by Stephen Messenger, Porto Alegre, Brazil on 01.11.10
Photos: Philippe Psaïla / DoubleVue.fr
In hopes of better understanding why bee populations are in decline, scientists are attaching microchips to bees to monitor their movements. The tiny device is glued to the back of the bees works with equipment installed at the entrance of their hives to record different data. Researchers say that the insight provided by this unprecedented observational technique will help them better understand the behavior of the insects throughout their entire lifecycles--and may shed light onto the reasons why bee populations have been steadily declining over the last 20 years....
CES 2010 - CEA Offsetting Energy Use of Tradeshow With Renewable Energy from EarthEra
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 01.11.10
Image via EarthEra
NextEra, the largest provider of wind and solar power, has put together EarthEra, a program that connects companies with consumers. With EarthEra, companies can purchase renewable energy certificates to offset the carbon footprint of their energy consumption. 100% of the money is put into a trust, and that money goes toward building more renewable energy facilities. There's a triple bonus for businesses when they do this - which CEA has recognized and that's why they're using EarthEra to offset the entire electricity consumption of not only the tradeshow, but the hotel rooms of every single attendee. And with over 112,500 people attending the first two days alone, that's a lot of hotel rooms. ...
Carbon Free From Stem to Stern: B9 Shipping Runs on Wind, Biomass
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 01.11.10
Here's the cargo ship to catch a ride on if you want to reduce your carbon footprint: B9 Shipping is building a wind-powered freighter to transport wood chips and biomass. The 3000 DWT ship is 100 meters in length and will be powered by a mix of 60% wind and 40% liquified methane produced from biogas running in Rolls Royce engines designed for liquified natural gas. EcoGeek tells us they are part of B9 Energy, the largest independent operator of wind farms in the UK.
But wait, there's more: the hulls are made from "recycled steel, melted down by the heat from torrified wood, which releases virtually no fossil carbon into the atmosphere." So there isn't even much carbon dioxide produced building the ship.
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Rolling Stone Calls Out the 17 Worst 'Climate Killers' in the US
by Brian Merchant, Brooklyn, New York on 01.11.10
The grandaddy of music culture mags and the one-time hotbed for gonzo journalism, Rolling Stone is still courageous and trailblazing in much of its investigative reporting. Age be damned. Take climate change, for instance--few media giants are willing to recognize and stand behind the scientific consensus and report on global warming honestly and incisively. Proving it still has cajones, Rolling Stone has rounded up the 17 worst 'Climate Killers': those contributing most to the ongoing warming--or the continued inaction--that's placing our planet in peril....
Newly Discovered Sand Spider Threatened by Mining
by David DeFranza on 01.11.10
Image credit: Photo by Yael Olek, courtesy of the University of Haifa
While conducting research in the Sands of Samar in the southern Arava region of Israel, a team from the department of biology at the University of Haifa-Oranim discovered a new species of sand spider. The spider, which has a leg span larger than five inches, is thought to be the largest of its type native to the Middle East.
The spider's home, however, is in danger of disappearing, placing the newly discovered species in threatened status....
Builders' Show Presents "The Most Innovative Home Never Built"
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 01.11.10
Every year the home builders get together for the monster International Home Builders Show; last year they moved it to Las Vegas because Orlando wasn't big enough, just in time for the biggest meltdown of the residential construction industry ever. Now they could hold it in a triple garage in Peoria. At TreeHugger we always had great fun criticizing the New American Home, the model homes that are the highlight of the show. But not this year; the developer building the big model ran out of money and it is unfinished, and they didn't even try to build "The home for the New Economy", a modest 1700 square foot, four bedroom, 3.5 bathroom house. (and why does a modest house need 3.5 bathrooms?)
Designer and TreeHugger fave Marianne Cusato says "I'm excited to be part of the most innovative home never built."
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From the Forums: Help Me with My Dishes
by Alex Davies, New York City on 01.11.10
Image Credit: mind on fire via Flickr
greenvert could use some tips:
I live with three housemates and no dishwasher, and we go through a lot of dishes. I'm looking for ways to cut down water usage while doing dishes. I try not to keep the sink running the whole time, but then I end up piling clean soapy dishes back with the dirty ones before they're dry. What's the best way to keep water usage down?Have any ideas? Want to cut down your own water usage? Post here. And check out these 5 easy steps to maximizing dishwashing efficiency!...
CES 2010 - eCoupled Brings Wireless Charging to Everything from Laptops to Hot Pots (Video)
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 01.11.10
Wireless charging was a popular technology being shown around CES. I stopped to talk with eCoupled, a wireless charging company working to put wireless charging in households and businesses everywhere. Basically, imagine being able to cook on your counter top more quickly and energy efficiently than current electric stovetops, or taking your laptop to the corner cafe and charging it from the table top where you work - no hunting for a free outlet for your charger. Sounds nice! While we're quite a way off from seeing this on the market, eCoupled is already showing off their technology and what we can expect to see in the future. ...
Rainbows: Nature's Ephemeral Illusions (Slideshow)
by David DeFranza on 01.11.10
Image credit: Nicholas_T/Flickr
If you follow a rainbow to its end, the story goes, you will be rewarded with a leprechaun's hidden pot of gold. Though a more natural path could not be imagined, following such a multicolored-arc to its source may prove to be impossible.
With climate change already increasing and decreasing precipitation around the world, rainbows may be much more common in some places and far rarer in others.
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Agent Smith Was Right: We Are At Least Partly Virus
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 01.11.10
As Agent Smith noted in the Matrix, transcribed by Next Big Future:
You move to an area and you multiply and multiply until every natural resource is consumed and the only way you can survive is to spread to another area. There is another organism on this planet that follows the same pattern. Do you know what it is? A virus.Turns out he's right; according to Science Daily, about 8% of the human genome comes from viruses, and they have been there for millions of years....
Coral Can Recover from Climate Change Damage... In Marine Reserves
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 01.11.10
photo: Marc via flickr.
Ocean acidification is only likely to be a growing problem in the coming years as the world's oceans continue to warm. One severe effect is the bleaching and death of coral reefs, one of the most biodiverse and economically important ecosystems on the planet. New research, however, offers a ray of hope that marine reserves can help corals recover:...
Today on Planet 100: Clean Energy Jobs, State of the World (Video)
by David DeFranza on 01.11.10
JPMorgan Chase Cashes in on Destroying Appalachian Mountains
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 01.11.10
photo: Rachel Molenda via flickr.
In light of last week's EPA ruling giving the go ahead to another mountaintop removal coal mine, and the subsequent report from a group of eminent scientists saying, in essence, that no remediation is ever enough to repair the damage mountaintop mining causes, it's worth reminding people that it's not just coal companies that stand to profit from the practice. Banks like JPMorgan Chase also are making a pretty penny from destroying Appalachia, as Gloria Reuben points out in an op-ed for Huffington Post: ...
How To Cycle In Winter: Carry Lots of Kleenex
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 01.11.10
Richard Lautens, Toronto Star
That is the advice Catherine Porter got from Yvonne Bambrick, while learning how to cycle in winter. "Some people do the, what do they call it, snot rockets. Yuck."
Bambrick is the executive director of the Toronto Cyclists Union and practices what she preaches. She is of the Copenhagen Cycle Chic school; "tall, long black coat, chic red hat dotted with a delicate bicycle pin, dark sunglasses. She could be shopping in Paris. Her bike is a grey Dutch seven-speed, the front basket adorned with bulrushes, white plastic flowers cascading off the back."
And she bikes year round....
New Green Touch Consortium Wants to Make Mobile Networks 1000x More Efficient
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 01.11.10
Image via Green Touch
Mobile networks coming together to be green and 1000 times more energy efficient? Well, that's the goal of Green Touch, anyway. Green Touch is launching today as a global consortium organized by Bell Labs. It is bringing together leaders in the industry, academia and governments, including AT&T, CEA-LETI, China Mobile, Freescale Semiconductor, Samsung Advanced Institute of Technology and many others, with a goal of creating the technologies needed to improve the energy efficiency of communications networks by 1000 times....
CES 2010 - Are Liquileds Liquid-Filled LED Bulbs Next Generation of LED Lighting?
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 01.11.10
The cooler an LED bulb, the more efficient, which is why so many LED companies are focused on technologies that cool LEDs. And that is why we get some pretty funky designs, from bulbs with strange spiral casings, and... bulbs filled with liquid. Liquidleds Lighting showed off their liquid-filled incandescent-shaped LED bulbs at CES. ...
Vertical Farming System Among Best Inventions of 2009
by Sami Grover, Carrboro, NC, USA on 01.11.10
Image credit: Valcent
John already wrote about Valcent's vertical farming systems back in 2008, and I was excited to learn about a pilot vertical farm project at a UK zoo. So news that Valcent's vertical farming system has been named as the 16th best invention of 2009 by Time Magazine was bound to catch our interest. Valcent's innovative growing solutions even featured at the unveiling of the World's tallest building in Dubai, though don't worry, it doesn't seem to have been a pitch for what Adam Stein calls "pie-in-the-sky" skyscraper farming. ...
CES 2010 - Navteq Makes Drivers and Pedestrians More Efficient
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 01.11.10
Navteq, a digital mapping firm owned by Nokia, has some handy applications. One of them provides drivers with real-time traffic information, which helps them to avoid congestion and so have a more efficient trip. Another provides pedestrians with ways to discover the city around them, getting more people to get out of cars and into greener methods of transportation, without the headache.
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From the Forums: How Are the Democrats Doing?
by Alex Davies, New York City on 01.11.10
Image Credit: shareski via Flickr
ask-the-dust wants to know what you think:
I am curious how people would grade Obama and the Dems on their 2009 policy accomplishments with respect to nature conservation. For reference here is an article that lists their accomplishments. Personally I would give it a B+, especially when comparing it to Bush's 1st year.What do you think? Join the conversation....
Qatar Airways Enters the Aviation Biofuel Ring - Starts Biomass-to-Liquids Project
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 01.11.10
photo: Brian via flickr.
And then there were... well, I've stopped counting how many airlines are trying to develop a biofuel that will enable them to keep on flying and become carbon neutral(ish), but Qatar Airways is the latest to enter the ring. The project will be a joint affair between Qatar Airways, Qatar Science & Technology Park, and Qatar Petroleum: ...
CES 2010 - Nanosys Using Nanotechnology to Make LED Lighting More Beautiful
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 01.11.10
Jason Hartlove, CEO of Nanosys, met with me at CES to talk about the work he and his company is doing to make the colors of LED displays more colorful and attractive with process-ready technology that electronics and lighting companies can easily add to their current LED manufacturing lines. The trick is in nanotechnology, creating nanomaterials out of semiconductor materials to layer over blue LED lights (the most energy efficient LED color), forming better quality white LED light with a range of hues. And the result is far more vivid colors with the same energy efficiency of current LED technology. ...
CES 2010 - Up Close With LG's OLED Television
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 01.11.10
LG we sure to show off its recently released 15" OLED television at CES. The incredibly thin television drew crowds, but the most common comment I heard from passers-by, other than "geez, that's thin" was, "Those things are expensive." Indeed, priced at about $2,300 and only available in South Korea so far, they aren't for the average Joe. But, they're still eye-catching. Check out more photos after the jump. ...
Do You Use Phone Books?
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 01.11.10
Pablo looks at the question: What Is The Impact Of All Those Unwanted Phone Books? and notes that "we have Blackberries and iPhones, and we have increasing access to the internet via video game consoles and web-enabled appliances, so why would we need this wasteful relic from the past?"
Somebody has to be using them for more than furniture. I have a 2004 yellow pages propping up my desk. What about you? Image: College Humor
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Smile Plastics Made From Cellphones, CDs and More
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 01.11.10
Way back in 2005 Petz and Leonora wrote about Plastic Fantastic! - Smile Plastics:
"A chair made from kids wellies, a table made from mobile phones, a sink made from CDs, bowls made from coffee cups and a guitar made from yoghurt pots! These are just some of the products people have been inspired to make from the recycled plastic sheeting produced by UK based Smile Plastics."
They noted that not all of the products will be to everyone's taste; it was loud and garish then and it remains so today. ...
Jessica Biel, Emile Hirsch, and Alexandra Cousteau Climbing Kilimanjaro - Day 5
by Emma Grady, New York, NY on 01.11.10
Jessica Biel, Emile Hirsch, Isabel Lucas, Alexandra Cousteau, and Summit on the Summit crew in Tanzania. Credit: courtesy photo
Environmental activists and celebrities have embarked on a week long trek up Mount Kilimajnaro (19,341 ft) in Tanzania to raise global awareness of the clean water crisis. Alexandra Cousteau, granddaughter of the legendary Jacques-Yves Cousteau, explorer, and activist--whom you may recognize from Planet Green's Blue August or TreeHuggerTV----is joined by actors Emile Hirsch, Jessica Biel, Isabel Lucas; singers Kenna--the mastermind behind the climb--and Lupe Fiasco, and others are climbing high for a Summit on the Summit: ...
Where New York's Unsold Clothing Is Supposed To Go
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 01.11.10
Fred R. Conrad/The New York Times
Last week Jim Dwyer of the New York Times wrote about destroyed clothing found behind the H&M and Walmart, and their subsequent promise never to do this again. Walmart sent us a press release:
"Recently we were informed that several bags of samples were found on 35th Street in Manhattan, left by a supplier without our knowledge .This action was not in compliance with the Walmart apparel office's long-standing practice of donating all wearable samples to an extensive array of local charitable organizations, many of which have benefited tremendously."
One of those local charitable organizations has an interesting story....
Chinese-Made Children's Jewelry Found To Be Mostly Toxic Cadmium
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 01.11.10
Cadmium ingots. Image credit:NEYCO
Who has not heard of the recall of Chinese-made toys and jewelry containing high levels of lead? Which US importers of Chinese-made charm bracelets and such, having learned a lesson the hard way, were simple minded enough to specify only that "no lead" be used in production instead of specifying "no heavy metals" or "no other highly toxic materials?" Several of them, apparently. The story is all over the news now: kids jewelry actually manufactured mostly out of the extremely toxic, elemental cadmium. Why are Chinese manufacturers doing this?...
Ask Pablo: What Is The Impact Of All Those Unwanted Phone Books?
by Pablo Paster, San Francisco on 01.11.10
Image Source: Lulu Vision
Dear Pablo: I received my annual More Ways to Recycle Plastic: Make a Quilt Square
by Bonnie Alter, London on 01.11.10
Image from Leave No Plastic Behind: Amy Chovnick and 4H
Quilts are as American as apple pie. Pioneer women made them out of scraps of leftover and unwanted bits of fabric out of necessity, but they are also an art form with wonderful patterns. Lately they have become huge communal projects, with people contributing squares on a particular theme to make up the whole.
The National Plastic Quilt Project is a variation but continues the long line of community involvement and using leftovers. Its 24 squares were drawn from across the United States, are all made of plastic and all have a common theme of using recycled plastic. ...
Police Shoot Bull in Face to Prevent Car Accidents
by Stephen Messenger, Porto Alegre, Brazil on 01.10.10
An officer opens fire on a bull in the roadway. Photo: Cristiano Couto
Lawyers for the International Union for the Protection of Animals (UIPA) are hoping that charges will be sought against an officer of the Brazilian Federal Highway Police for breaking animal protection laws when he shot and killed a bull on a highway road in the country last week. The questionable incident and shocking photograph above have propelled the story throughout South American news sources--leading some to wonder if the officer's actions were justified.
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Oh, Give Me a Home: Bison Relocation Controversy
by Roberta Cruger, Los Angeles on 01.10.10
"Bison Lane" photo by V Man via Flickr
Eco-baron and media mogul Ted Turner has placed a bid to "borrow" 74 wild bison from Yellowstone National Park at the request of Montana's Governor Brian Schweitzer. But opposing forces to the plan claim the animals are being used for private profit instead of conservation, in violation of promises made. Should they stay or should they go? ...
How to Exterminate a Great White Shark
by Christine Lepisto, Berlin on 01.10.10
Image: Flickr, hermanusbackpackers
How do you kill a shark? Well, you don't. Sure, sharks are responsible for the deaths of six humans swimming off of Western Australia. But WA law prohibits killing sharks. They are protected species. Even the widow and son of one shark victim, Brian Guest, have stated publicly that they believe sharks belong in the marine environment and should not be killed.
That may not stop the WA Government's Shark Hazard Committee, which -- according to the Perth Now Sunday edition -- has "put down in policy" a method for killing great whites that have attacked a human and hung around to get caught red-handed (red-toothed in this case, I guess)....
School for Shamans to Save Culture from Extinction
by Stephen Messenger, Porto Alegre, Brazil on 01.10.10
Photo via Mongabay
While environmental groups and governmental policies are aiming at reducing deforestation and development in the Amazon rainforest to help preserve the world's most diverse terrestrial ecosystem, traditional indigenous cultures in the region are being rescued from extinction as well. For native tribes of the Northwest Amazon, shamans have long played an important role in daily life, acting as spiritual leaders and medicinal healers. Throughout the twentieth century, shamans faced such intense persecution from Roman Catholic and Protestant missionaries that some feared their ancient wisdom would be lost to the ages, but a new school in the Amazon is working to make sure that doesn't happen. ...
From the Forums: Is Having a Soul Good for Business?
by Alex Davies, New York City on 01.10.10
Image Credit: drz image via Flickr
ed wants your opinion:
Do "caring" companies make more profits? Korean Hyundai's offer a year ago to let buyers hand back their cars if they lost their jobs...The company's U.S. sales rose 7% last year. India's Tata Motors saw whole families killed in accidents on motor bikes, created a car, that they can afford. During a time of financial crisis, both companies are doing well. Is it because people perceive these companies as caring about their customers welfare?Do you prefer buying from a company that seems to have your interests at hear? Join the conversation....
Obama Announces New Tax Credits For Green Jobs
by Daniel Kessler on 01.10.10
Image via Flickr
New job figures are out and the results are not good. The economy continues to shed jobs, but critics of the administration who say that Obama is not doing enough about job creation should look toward his green jobs plans. On Friday, the Administration announced the award of $2.3 billion in tax credits for clean energy manufacturing.
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Lighten up Winter Blues with Vintage Sari Silk Scarves
by Emma Grady, New York, NY on 01.10.10
Credit: GreenSewn
Need a burst of color to brighten up winter blues? GreenSewn's collection of scarves are made entirely by hand with multi-colored vintage silk saris at a workshop in New Delhi, India--and the bright colors will make any outfit pop. More photos:
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Recycled-Pen Chandelier Illuminates Plastic History
by Jennifer Hattam, Istanbul, Turkey on 01.10.10
The clear polystyrene barrels of 347 Bic pens let the light shine through. Photo via the Science Museum.
Crafted by Spanish design company enPieza "as a tribute to a classic plastic design," this limited-edition chandelier on display at the Science Museum is London is equally a testament to clever recycling -- it's made from 347 polystyrene Bic Cristal pens and 347 paperclips....
CES 2010 - Solar Powered iPhone Skins Getting More Popular
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 01.10.10
One of our very popular posts from this fall was news about solar powered skins for iPhones and iPod Touch products. And when I say popular, I mean REALLY popular. It's clear this is the kind of thing readers can get excited about. But at CES, it was also clear that it's not just TreeHugger readers who get excited about it - everyone does. Solar powered chargers capable of charging Apple devices are already around, but coming up are more solar powered skins, like this one from eVogue. ...
CES 2010 - Bamboo Keyboard, Mouse and Headphones from Impecca
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 01.10.10
When you're surrounded by plastic, metal, and other man-made materials all day long, something made of a natural substance like bamboo calls you to it. I had to stop and say hello to these lovely computer peripherals by Impecca. They go a long way in warming up the experience of using computers. Check them out up close after the jump. ...
CES 2010 - Whirlpool's Upcoming Super Efficient Washer, Home Energy Monitor, and Super NOT Efficient Oven
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 01.10.10
This is Whirlpools's newest oven. It's the Jenn-Air 30, a high powered convection oven with a touch sceen panel that allows you to input what you're cooking, in what type of cooking dish, and how you'd like it to be cooked, and Voila! It cooks your meats, casseroles or cookies to perfection. So how much energy do you use to get better cookies without the skill? 6800 Watts. Did your heart stop a little bit? Yes, 6800 Watts is required to power the convection oven and all its features so that you can cook dinner. This isn't an oven we'd encourage people to use. But, Whirlpool also showed of a couple very cool new green products, including an exciting new home energy management system that is helping to herald in the new smart grid, and the prototype of a new washer and dryer that I do think we'll be recommending when it comes out. ...
CES 2010 - Electronic Housekeeper Automates Your Lights, Gives You Weather Reports...Not Much Else (Video)
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 01.10.10
Over at the Z-Wave Alliance booth at CES was the Electronic Housekeeper, a device that made its rounds in the green blogosphere a month or two ago. It was one I wanted to check out, as it seemed to be an easy way to integrate device automation and energy awareness into homes. Here's a video demonstration of the touchscreen device. ...
CES 2010 - YoGen Makes a Splash in Pull-String Charging (Video)
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 01.10.10
The YoGen hand-held charger is one we talked about back in October, and I finally got to see it in action at CES. It was one of the more popular booths in the Sustainable Planet section, and after trying out the product, I could see why. I also got a demonstration of their prototype pedal-powered charger for laptops, which is reportedly capable of a 50 Watt charge, with just an easy push of a pedal. Check it out. ...
UK Solar Pioneer Expands to Middle East
by Sami Grover, Carrboro, NC, USA on 01.10.10
Image credit: Solarcentury
From installing solar on hundreds of UK schools to developing a unique combined solar thermal and solar electric roofing system, Solarcentury have always been pioneering and ambitious. In fact it's this ambition that led them to be named "Britain's fastest growing energy company", and saw them opening Solarcentury offices in Spain. Now the company is spreading even further afield—teaming up with Enviromena Power Systems, the leading developer of solar projects in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) to deliver solar to the United Arab Emirates.
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Facebook Application Bids You to Choose Your Favorite Sustainable Foods Nonprofit for 2010
by Sara Novak, Columbia, SC on 01.10.10
photo: J. Novak
Whole Foods has introduced a Facebook application which bids you to vote on your favorite sustainable foods nonprofit by downloading the Facebook app. Choose from three nonprofits which include the Non-GMO Project, Mission Organic 2010, and Growing Power. And your choice makes a difference. Each organization will be receiving a $10,000 donation from Whole Foods Market and the nonprofit with the most votes will have that donation doubled....
