It's Been Proven: Women are Greener Than Men (In Some Countries)

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 05:03:27 GMT

Image from stephaniehern.wordpress.com The good news is that women in industrialised countries are greener than men. A new study from the United Nations confirms that we have a lower carbon footprint and are better for the world's future health. Where to start, let me count the ways... Women drive and fly much less than men. We are more likely to buy ecologically friendly and organic goods, recycle and be energy efficient. ... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Dieter Rams and His Design Ethos at the Design Museum

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 05:04:25 GMT

KF 20 Coffee Machine, 1972 "Question everything generally thought to be obvious." That's the motto of Dieter Rams. You may not know his name but you have probably owned something that he designed--he was the former head of design at Braun for forty years. Considered one of the most influential industrial designers of the late 20th century, an exhibition at the Design Museum in London shows the range of his work. More than 500 products were created whilst he was a designer and then head of design at Braun. The pieces are elegant but simple in function, with no extraneous details or decoration. ... Read the full story on TreeHugger

An Artist's Journey to the Cleanest and Dirtiest Cities in the World

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 05:05:24 GMT

Image from BBC The artist Angela Palmer decided to try and capture the essence of climate change by visiting the most polluted place on earth and the purest. She had a dream that she would wear a white suit in these two far-flung places and see how the air affected it. Her choices were the smoggy, coal-producing city of Linfen, China and the pristine and serene Cape Grim in Tasmania, Australia. She spent a week in each, collecting air samples, puddle samples and studying the effect of the air on her pure white outfit. The exhibition, Breathing In, is an exploration of what she found in these two extreme environments. ... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Massive Tree Trunks Come to London en route to Copenhagen

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 05:09:41 GMT

Ghost Forest has arrived in London, from Ghana, on its way to the UN Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen. Ten eerie and massive tree stumps are lying in state in London's Trafalgar Square, a bit like fallen warriors. The show, designed to raise awareness about the depletion of the rainforest, has been put together by an artist, Angela Palmer. The tree trunks are huge and many have their roots still attached. They come from nine different types of trees: mahogany, denya, dehuma, celtis, wawa, hyedua, danta, and dahoma. They were chosen from a regulated commercially logged primary rainforest in Ghana and transported here by crane, truck and boat. ... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Cadbury's Gives Up the Tin and Turns to Cardboard

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 05:02:53 GMT

Image from the Times: In with the New With all the interest focussed on Kraft's thwarted (so far) attempts to take over Cadbury, a little noticed but shocking announcement has been made elsewhere. Cadbury's is replacing their famous candy tins with cardboard boxes. They are calling it "an experiment" because some customers love the traditional tin boxes and there is a fear of backlash. The metal containers remind people of their childhood, and more importantly, are used for storing postcards, sewing needles, earrings, nails or old cookies. But the replacement will save 201 tons of steel a year and cut back packaging by 45%. Plus the price of steel is rising.... Read the full story on TreeHugger

How to Revive an Extinct Butterfly

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 05:01:06 GMT

Image from bbc TreeHugger was invited to a press conference by Holland & Barrett to celebrate 25 years of conservation. The UK's largest health food store chain announced that the stores will be giving up plastic bags as of the new year and customers will be sold jute and cotton carrier bags instead. Kudos to Holland & Barrett; the more stores that give up the bag the fewer bags out there to pollute the world. Also speaking at the event was a professor who told a fascinating story about how the Large Blue Butterfly has been saved from extinction. It's like a detective story--only with botanists instead of CSI. ... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Estethica Previews New Green Fashion

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 05:03:28 GMT

Image from goodone This small version of Estethica was an opportunity for designers to show their stuff in an intimate setting after the hype of London Fashion Week. Given the current economic climate there weren't many new labels, but rather this was a celebration of our favourite eco designers who keep on working. Goodone is a fashion label working in hand-picked recycled jersey. They get their colourful stretchy jersey fabrics from ends of rolls and factory ends. The whole product is made within a 4 mile radius of London so their carbon footprint is lower than low. The designer is committed to green fashion and showing that it can exceed expectations. ... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Too Much Drink is Going Down the Drain

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 05:05:33 GMT

Waste not, want not, that's what our grandmothers said... didn't they? Anyhow, we are all pouring too much wine and other drinks down the drain. According to a new study by Wrap, a government agency, the British are throwing out 470M ($752M ) worth of wine every year. That's a lot of wine! It seems that most people can't be bothered to finish off the bottles or cartons of drinks and they don't store them in the fridge either. The most wasted drink is milk, then fizzy soft drinks, fruit juices and smoothies. Even making a pot of tea when you aren't planning to drink the whole thing results in wasted food. All together the drinks account for almost half of all the waste that could be avoided through better planning or better storage. What to do? Hints for saving wine after the fold.... Read the full story on TreeHugger

New Report Puts Supermarkets On Notice to Get Greener: See How They Rated

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 05:05:16 GMT

Image from Guardian A report card by a government agency has rated 9 of Britain's supermarkets on their environmental standards and slammed some of them for their "dismal" performance. At the top of the "A" list was Marks & Spencer and Sainsbury's, Waitrose got a B, Tesco a C and Asda a D. The stores with top grades had fresh fruits, good recycling and sustainable fish. The failing stores had too much non-British, out-of-season fruits and vegetables, didn't inform shoppers whether the fish were from sustainable sources or not and had open freezers, wasting energy. ... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Choose a Name for Vancouver's Baby Beluga Whale, Quickly

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 05:01:05 GMT

Image from Vancouver Aquarium Veteran (as in since 2007) readers of TreeHugger may remember the earth-shattering and controversial competition to name Greenpeace's humpback whale. Mr. Splashy Pants was voted the most popular choice. The suggestion that this was a dubious moniker prompted 206 irate comments from readers who disagreed. Now whale watchers have another chance. This adorable little baby beluga was born at the Vancouver Aquarium in British Columbia on June 7th. The aquarium is looking for a name that "reflects the Arctic origin of belugas and Inuit culture." Since the aquarium is so politically correct, Mr. Splashy Pants probably won't win too many votes this time round.... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Is Liz Hurley the World's Most Glamorous Farmer?

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 05:05:40 GMT

Image from Elizabeth Hurley You've come a long way baby... Liz Hurley, of the Versace safety pin dress (after the fold for that one) and former girlfriend of Hugh Grant, sigh, (after the fold for him too....) has abandoned the London celebrity scene for the countryside. Not life on just any 400 acre farm, but one that is working and organic, complete with sheep and cattle. But being a farmer doesn't mean that she is letting herself go. She may wear jeans and rubber boots but she is still watching her weight. So she has created an organic snack bar which contains oats from her own fields and is less than 100 calories. Just the thing when you are milking the cows.... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Cycling Mayor Saves Environmentalist

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 05:06:25 GMT

Image from Mail online London's cycling mayor, Boris Johnson, is the "knight on a shining bicycle" after he foiled three girls who were attacking a woman late at night. The victim, director of the film The Age of Stupid , was walking home when she was pushed up against a car by 3 young female hoodies with an iron bar. She called out for help to a passing cyclist, and much to her surprise it was the Mayor! He chased after the girls, calling them "oiks", a unique english word for obnoxious people. They dropped the bar and took off. He then went back to the woman who was one of the creators of the 10:10 campaign and insisted upon walking her home. He said that he ended up having a very good chat with her about the environment.... Read the full story on TreeHugger

The Alliance of Religions and Conservation Goes Green as the Queen Goes Vegan

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 05:04:58 GMT

Image from The British Monarchy Tonight Her Majesty The Queen is serving the first-ever vegan meal at Windsor Castle to the Alliance of Religions and Conservation. Included in the royal banquet for 200 people are high-profile representatives from nine different faith groups. The guest list includes the UN General Secretary Ban Ki-moon, the Grand Mufti of Egypt and Archbishop Valentine Mokiwa, President of the All Africa Conference of Churches. They are gathered together to discuss long term initiatives to "Protect the Living Planet." In keeping with the gravity of the occasion, the royal dinner has to be as ethical, faith-consistent and environmentally-friendly as possible. The castle's regular caterers weren't quite up on the latest in glamorous food for vegans so a cookery writer from the Telegraph was called in to consult. ... Read the full story on TreeHugger

London Pedestrians Cross at New Japanese-style "Scramble Crossing"

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 05:05:16 GMT

Image from Metro In a bid to make pedestrians' lives easier and safer, Oxford Circus, one of the busiest street crossings in London, has been redesigned. Today a copy of the Japanese "scramble crossing" design was unveiled, complete with Japanese drummers. When the traffic lights turn red, cars in all directions have to stop and let pedestrians go. There is a 30 second window when walkers can cross in any diagonal configuration, not just corner to corner. Studies have shown that an X-shaped crossing is far more efficient. Given that thousands of shoppers cross at this busy intersection every day, it is hoped that this will alleviate congestion and make walking easier in the compact and busy area. ... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Recycled Tree Trunk Chairs are So Appropriate for TreeHuggers

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 05:03:18 GMT

Image from Skram As TreeHuggers how could we resist the chance to bring a real tree into the living room. Especially if it is made of reclaimed timber that would otherwise be discarded. Several new designers are giving us just this opportunity. The Wood Drop is a stool created from chunks of timber found in North Carolina. The pieces still have the original cracks and flaws and these add to the warmth and appeal. The designer, Jacob Marks, calls them an exercise in "deliberate imperfection." ... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Keep the Rain Off with an Eco-lovely Umbrella

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 05:15:36 GMT

Image from London Undercover It's autumn and the rain just keeps on coming. With one grey day after another, these delightfully British umbrellas will keep your spirits up. Take cover under (too) vividly coloured pictures of fish and chips (wrapped in newspaper, of course), or a yummy full English breakfast. For the uninitiated that means baked beans, fried eggs, bacon, grilled tomatoes, toast and sausages. All over your head. Made from recycled materials, these jolly brollies are environmentally sound, so they protect more than your hair-do.... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Britain's Oldest Trees are Becoming Endangered Species

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 05:06:39 GMT

Image from the Guardian Who knows if the British were the first treehuggers but they certainly have a lot of them: there are over 100,000 ancient trees in the country. Seventy percent of all of the oldest trees in Europe are in the UK, and many of them are in trouble. The Ancient Tree Hunt is a five-year project led by the Woodland Trust, which is recording every ancient tree in Britain. So far they have logged 38,000 ancient trees through the work of ecologists and ordinary members of the public.... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Mules Instead of Tanks Used in Balkan Peace Keeping

Wed, 28 Oct 2009 05:07:01 GMT

Image from typicallyspanish.com We don't often write about using less cars and trucks in wars; somehow nature and the environment don't come up in those debates. But NATO is switching from using high-tech vehicles to mules in the Balkans because the mules do a better job. When it comes to navigating the treacherous mountain passes, sturdy little (5ft. tall) mules from Murcia, southern Spain are just the ticket. They can go places where vehicles with GPS and state-of-the-art weaponry can't make it.... Read the full story on TreeHugger

All UK and Irish Tetra Pak Packaging to be FSC Certified

Tue, 27 Oct 2009 05:04:15 GMT

Image from Tetra Pak Tetra Pak is the world's largest packaging company so when they decide to do something environmental it has a big impact. They have just announced that all of their UK and Irish packaging will be FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) certified. That means that all the products using the Tetra Pak system will now be using environmental packaging with the FSC logo. How big is big? This development will see supply increase from 200 million FSC-certified packs available across the world in 2008, to over 1.5 billion packs in the UK and Ireland alone. ... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Nadav Kander is Winner of Prix Pictet Photography Prize 2009

Mon, 26 Oct 2009 05:03:14 GMT

Image from Prix Pictet: Chongqing IV (Sunday Picnic) The Prix Pictet is the new global photography prize that focuses on sustainability. Sponsored by Pictet & Cie, a Swiss bank, and in its second year, this year's theme is the earth. Last year it was water. A shortlist was announced in July and the winner is Nadav Kander, an Israeli photographer living in London. He beat out the heavy hitters on the list such as Andreas Gursky and the Canadian Edward Burtynsky. His theme and obsession is the Yangtze River, 4,100 miles long, where "more people live along its banks than live in the USA, one in every eighteen people on the planet." ... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Green Garbage Bags in Art and History

Fri, 23 Oct 2009 05:06:40 GMT

Image by Scott Kilgour Here's a sorry thought: Canadians invented the green garbage bag. Yes folks, it's true--one of our unique contributions to the environmental destruction of the world. Scott Kilgour, a Scottish artist living in the USA, discovered this little known fact and became so fascinated that he incorporated the dreaded bag into his art. And he published a little book entitled "the good life" to illustrate his views on our consumer, throwaway culture.... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Green Blogger Crowned Greenest Voice in the UK

Thu, 22 Oct 2009 05:08:45 GMT

The winner of the competition to be the Green Voice of the UK is a green blogger, Piper Terrett. She beat out 100 other applicants and 3 other very impressive finalists. As the Brit's say "Piper pips the post". It's the culmination of the Energy Saving Trust's campaign to find a person who will represent the people as an advocate for green issues to the government. She will highlight the challenges faced by the man on the street in going green and make these known to those in positions of power and the Trust. ... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Gorillaz Artist Paints Climate Change in Bangladesh

Wed, 21 Oct 2009 05:02:21 GMT

Image from Oxfam It's one thing to sit in London and worry about climate change. It's another to visit and experience it first hand. That's what Jamie Hewlett, an animator renowned for his work with Gorillaz, the virtual band and the Tank Girl comics did. He went with the charity Oxfam and drew this series of 9 watercolours which depict the beauty and fragility of life in a Bangladeshi village under siege. Hewlett visited Char Atra, an island of seven towns and 10,000 people in the middle of the Ganges River. They are experiencing serious flooding due to climate change. His paintings depict everyday life and the people who live there. The limited edition of the paintings will be for sale through Oxfam.... Read the full story on TreeHugger

The Future of Green in 8 Fast Lectures

Tue, 20 Oct 2009 05:01:44 GMT

Image from Green Tomato Cars If you want to learn where the future is for green business and entrepreneurs, here's the place. It's a speed lecture by 8 green leaders on the direction of their industry. Speed means that each one gets 8 minutes for their slide show and only 5 words per slide. Talk fast guys. There is quite a prestigious collection of presenters for this green social event: Green Tomato Cars will give their view on the future of sustainable transport, Ed Gillespie from Futerra will speak about ethical communication and consumer attitudes. Terra Plana will comment on how its ethical footwear will evolve. ... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Bus Powered by French-fry Fat Reaches Asia

Mon, 19 Oct 2009 22:29:00 GMT

Image from Biotruck Expedition Andy Pag, an environmental activist, has been travelling around the world in a bus powered by french-fry fat. He left London on September 19, 2009 and has covered 3,000 miles so far. Part of the Biotruck Expedition, he is attempting to drive around the world emitting less than 2 tons of CO2. What's it like driving in a bus powered by chip fat: "It smells like a bus driver's armpit, but when you are using rubbish you can't expect too much" he said today in Istanbul. ... Read the full story on TreeHugger

More Fabulous Necklaces from Origin Craft Fair

Fri, 16 Oct 2009 05:16:20 GMT

What is it about necklaces this year? The second week of Origin: The London Craft Fair features tons of jewellery and more gorgeous natural and recycled necklaces. These delicate and old fashioned pieces are all made from teacups, artfully combined with silver. The handles have been turned into rings, the back stamp has been mixed with pearls to make a necklace and the bracelet is cut from the rims. Even the little left-over bits have been turned into pendants. ... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Recycling Makes Old Become New at Origin Craft Fair

Thu, 15 Oct 2009 05:09:34 GMT

At Origin: The London Craft Fair the definition of craft cuts across all boundaries. From necklaces made of driftwood to jigsaw puzzles turned into brooches, recycling of old and natural materials is an important aspect of many artists' work at the show. We loved these handbags and suitcases made by Lisa Tilley. She collects old suitcases, vintage fabrics and paper, bags and boxes from all the usual places--charity shops, flea markets and garage sales--and gives them a whole new life. ... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Natural Necklaces from Origin Craft Fair

Wed, 14 Oct 2009 05:46:40 GMT

There were some very natural necklaces at Origin: The London Craft Fair this year. It's the annual juried fair where some of the most sophisticated craftspeople from around the world show their wares. In week one there was an emphasis on natural materials in many of the pieces. These simple and beautiful necklaces are made of found pieces of drift wood and shells from the beaches of northern Iceland. The artist, Helga Morgensen, collects the bits for her work on a special hideaway place where her family has been going every summer since she was a child. ... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Vogue Magazine (UK) Features Bargain-Priced DIY and Eco Fashion

Tue, 13 Oct 2009 05:07:01 GMT

Image from Trendhunter magazine That's right--it is Vogue (UK edition) and it is tea towels... Fashion designer Peter Jensen stitched this casual shirtdress together from some very good looking dish towels and it only cost $25.00. It's part of a tongue-in-cheek series called Make Do and Mend, featuring stylish clothes made with tape, scissors, a needle and thread and lots of nerve. Not everyone will be up to taking 35 plastic bags and taping them together to make a sophisticated looking (on the model that is) pink and white striped jacket and trousers. But the playsuit made out of tea towels is a possibility... After the fold: a dress made out of 45 mop heads. ... Read the full story on TreeHugger

It's Pandamonium for the World Wildlife Fund

Mon, 12 Oct 2009 05:13:50 GMT

Pandada table by Nigel Coates What's happened to the pandas? The WWF asked 15 famous British artists to turn the old panda collection boxes into serious "art" and create some Pandamonium. The panda logo, designed almost 50 years ago, has become a recognised and beloved symbol for conservation. At first it's almost shocking to see the sweet cuddley black and white pandas transformed into gold sign-carrying protesters, ice statues and drawings. Then the idea grows on you and it's fascinating how this iconic image has been re-interpreted. More pandas after the fold.... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Recent Posts by TreeHugger's Bonnie Alter, London