What Happens to Cold Blooded Animals in a Warming World (Slideshow)

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 09:10:00 GMT

The European Green Lizard, Lacerta viridis, shows off a blue head while catching some rays. Lizards and other so-called "cold-blooded" animals have complex biochemistry: sometimes they have 4 to 10 different enzyme systems where humans would use only 1. Cold-blooded critters need this complexity so that their bodies function no matter what the weather forecast brings. To learn more about how that fantastic genetic diversity is at risk from global climate change along with more gorgeous photos of these climate-dependent ectotherms, click the slideshow. ... Read the full story on TreeHugger

What Happens to Cold Blooded Animals in a Warming World

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 08:22:12 GMT

The European Green Lizard, Lacerta viridis, shows off a blue head while catching some rays. Lizards and other so-called "cold-blooded" animals have complex biochemistry: sometimes they have 4 to 10 different enzyme systems where humans would use only 1. Cold-blooded critters need this complexity so that their bodies function no matter how hot or cold they are. Photographer Dietmar Nill caught the lizard in the Rhodope Mountains on mission to photograph the birds and bats of Bulgaria.

Photo credit: Wild Wonders of Europe

... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Vattenfall Wakes Up to VattenFAIL Reputation: Did Twitter Help Topple CEO?

Sun, 15 Nov 2009 11:26:07 GMT

Image: Vattenfall Vattenfall, the Swedish national energy concern named after waterfalls, will announce a new CEO in the coming weeks. Apparently caught by surprise with a candidate who has not yet entirely been confirmed, the company is fighting a stalling action but admitting the truth of the rumors that have taken over headlines in German newspapers. Is it a story of intrigue, politics and a crisis of trust? Did Vattenfall VattenFAIL, as the twitter group claims? Or is this, as Vattenfall claims, just the normal succession planning for Joseffsons' depature on his 60th birthday in October 2010?... Read the full story on TreeHugger

St. Olaf Regents Hall Sets Record as Largest Academic Facility to Achieve LEED Platinum

Sun, 15 Nov 2009 09:10:14 GMT

Image: St. Olaf Press Release Share Here is an update on the largest science center ever to strive for LEED Platinum certification: They made it! The St. Olaf Regents Hall of Natural and Mathematical Sciences has been granted the highest level available from the respected Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System. St. Olaf thereby cements the record for the largest academic facility in the USA to hold the LEED Platinum status. ... Read the full story on TreeHugger

The Truth Behind the Study Finding Hybrids More Likely to Hit Pedestrians and Bicycles

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 13:55:00 GMT

Image: Center for Neighborhood Technology, I-GO Lies, Damned Lies, and Statistics Do you want the good news or the bad news first? The good news: Hybrid registrations were up 38% in 2007, over 350,000 hybrids replacing internal combustion motors on the US roadways. The bad news: Headlines are touting a new study by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) finding that hybrids are hitting pedestrians and bicyclists more than traditional cars, especially when operating at low speeds, presumably with the engine in electric-only mode. Are hybrids a hazard? Or should we consider the opinion of Mark Twain, that statistics cannot be trusted? For example, if hybrids spend more of their kilometers driving in metro areas, does that change the conclusion? What if hybrid drivers are more likely to report minor accidents than ICE drivers, being naturally more civic-minded? Conversely, what if hybrid owners are so smug about driving their eco-car that they feel entitled to ram the occasional walker or sever a bicyclist's leg? ... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Manure Sculpture "Nick Smith in the Shit" Sold at Auction

Sun, 08 Nov 2009 10:33:55 GMT

Image: TradeMe Bullshit Bust Pokes Kiwi Minister A manure sculpture of New Zealand agricultural minister Nick Smith has sold on the Kiwi auction site TradeMe. The sculpture by artist Sam Mahon, who traditionally works in bronze, immortalizes Mahon's opinion that Nick Smith has not taken sufficient action to protect New Zealand waters from pollution by agricultural run-off. How much would you pay for such a masterpiece?... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Japan Space Solar Plans: Of Laser Beams and Solar Streams

Sun, 08 Nov 2009 09:27:53 GMT

Image: Japan USEF, SSPS project Space Solar Power System Closer to Reality Japan's space agency, USEF, is in the news again with their plans to build a space solar power station, equivalent to a medium sized nuclear plant, by 2030. Inspired by hope that such a sci-fi vision becomes reality, we have some advice for the Japanese space agency, some wisdom learned in the trenches of the fight against global warming. The nugget of knowledge that could make the difference between success and failure for the ambitious space-based solar station is this: ... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Join The Wave to Spread the Word Before Copenhagen

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 14:00:18 GMT

The Wave at Stop Climate Chaos Coalition This is a relatively benign stunt by the standards of the Stop Climate Change Coalition, which has stirred up excitement with a nude climate change calander and in the context of Copenhagen, where one group plans to get 10000 people arrested in a climate change protest. But it is cute, and fun, and certain to succeed at the intention to "drive traffic to the-wave.org.uk where people can find out how to get involved in the march, as well as spread the word to friends and family". So what's it all about? ... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Pimp Your Bike - Pump Your Light

Sun, 01 Nov 2009 14:00:00 GMT

PUYL Tire Pump as Bike Light If good design were a calling card, PUYL would be in a lot of rolodexes and the name of its designer, Kai Malte Roever of Formpasch, on a lot of lips. The strange name PUYL can only be an acronym, perhaps PUmp Your Light, which describes the function the perfect gadget to pimp your bike. The PUYL serves both as a bicycle tire pump and as a headlight, an efficient combo it its own right. But it gets better: the PUYL's battery recharges while you pump! This is the part where you ask yourself: What is the catch? And where do I get one?... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Do Wild Pigs Know the Daylight Savings Time?

Sun, 25 Oct 2009 17:54:58 GMT

Animals Shocked by Daylight Savings Time Change You bet animals know what time it is! Wild pigs have a highly acute sense of time. What they don't know is this: humans swing their daily schedule up an hour in the Spring and back an hour in the Fall. And this can lead to conflicts. Wild pigs accustomed to enjoying their usual evening acorn-snuffle in the lonely dusk may be surprised to find the two-legged naked animals up and about. And a surprised wild pig is a dangerous wild pig.... Read the full story on TreeHugger

8 Worst Man-made Environmental Disasters of All Time

Wed, 21 Oct 2009 07:29:30 GMT

Image: Flickr, The Giant Vermin Bhopal. Chernobyl. Love Canal. Seveso. Just a few of the names that have entered the lexicon of devastation wrought by the foolishness of mankind. Ecological travesties afflict the seas: the dead zone at the foot of the Mighty Mississippi, the Exxon Valdez or the North Pacific Gyre. Other disasters we have engineered intentionally: Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Land mines. No one can change history, but how have we learned from the past? Are the laws named after these disasters effective? And is there a lesson here that can change our path into the future?... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Wildlife Photographs from the World's Most Dangerous Tidal Maelstrom (Slideshow)

Tue, 20 Oct 2009 08:51:02 GMT

Photo credit: Wild Wonders of Europe What kinds of creatures would you expect to find in the world's most powerful tidal maelstrom? Named from the Scandinavian words for "grinding current," the tides storm in and out of the Saltstraumen sound, near the city of Bod, Norway. While that makes for some wild looking seas, the really interesting stuff is happening beneath the frothy swirls. Check out this slideshow of wildlife below the surface of the most dangerous tidal maelstrom on the planet. ... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Wildlife Photographs from the World's Most Dangerous Tidal Maelstrom

Tue, 20 Oct 2009 07:29:22 GMT

What kinds of creatures would you expect to find in the world's most powerful tidal maelstrom? Named from the Scandinavian words for "grinding current," the tides storm in and out of the Saltstraumen sound, 30 km east of the city of Bod, Norway. But as is so often the case, amazing and beautiful creatures thrive in this environment where it is said that only the "hellboys" dive, much less stick around and take photographs. This monstrous fish goes by the meek name monkfish. Evolutionary biologists have long wondered at the "fishing pole" on this guy's face: an extension of the dorsal fin with a meaty tip used to lure prey straight to the monkfish's mouth.

Photo credit: Wild Wonders of Europe

... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Raw Milk Risks and Benefits Explained

Sun, 18 Oct 2009 16:12:49 GMT

Raw Milk is Dispensed at a Dairy in Berlin (photo: author) The debate over raw milk is growing according to USA Today. People connected with environmental causes, in particular, are drawn to products like raw milk due to the connection with natural processes and as part of a local or animal-friendly diets. So we thought it worth exploring the facts: is raw milk better for you? Is it better for the animals? And what are the risks of drinking raw milk?... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Five Million Dollars for Five Millimeters of Plastic

Wed, 14 Oct 2009 17:50:27 GMT

Image: The Coca-cola Company Everyone knows Coca-cola company is huge, and getting huger. Growth plans in the 2008 Annual Report include statistics estimating 800 million population growth and over a billion people joining the "coke-buying classes" as incomes expand. The chart above shows that US Americans drink more than a coke per day on average. Of course, more than half of the "coke" is water; less than half is Coke's cornerstone "sparkling beverages". Romania won the coke-guzzling startups race, going from 0 coke products per year in 1988 to 223 cokes per year, putting them just behind Canada in the global rankings. But the stat that caught our eye as we followed up a tip from some guy proud of his prose was five million dollars. For five millimeters (less than a quarter inch) of plastic.... Read the full story on TreeHugger

BMW Revives C1 As Electric Motorcycle

Sun, 11 Oct 2009 14:37:17 GMT

Image: BMW Press Release No one will disagree that the BMW C1 motorcycle was ahead of its time when it was introduced ten years ago. Many bemoaned the fact that BMW overestimated bikers' desires to be rid of helmets or their willingness to trade off the thrill of risk in favor of being four-point belted into a covered motorcycle -- or to acquire a bike that costs as much as a car. And auto drivers did not beat down BMW's doors to buy into their vision for beating the hectic city streets. Only 30,000 units of the one-man car were sold; it never made inroads in the U.S. market. But wait! The C1 is back, this time as an electric vehicle. "This is what a safe, environment-friendly and highly practical single track vehicle for city traffic could look like in the future," the BMW press release reads. Does the electric C1-E scooter on the drawing boards mean that BMW is ready to take another run at it? ... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Is New Biodegradable Plastic the Answer?

Sun, 11 Oct 2009 07:45:37 GMT

Image: Flickr, stevendepolo Another claim for "sustainable bottled water" landed in the in box today. Leaving aside the merits of publicizing a Berkshire mountain water as "locally sourced" via an international forum like TreeHugger, it is the claim of an "environmentally friendly packaging" that demands review. Usually a quick once-over lands these claims in the virtual trash. But this press release has something new: a plastic bottle that will decompose in landfills or municipal composting, and which is also recyclable. Is it possible that biodegradable plastic has reached the breakpoint where the benefits are outweighing the risks? And what does all of this have to do with spaghetti?... Read the full story on TreeHugger

USEPA Issues Voluntary Meth Lab Cleanup Guidelines

Wed, 07 Oct 2009 07:39:28 GMT

Image: EPA Meth Lab Remediation Guidelines The Volunteers Who Clean Up Meth Labs The DEA estimates that over 100,000 illegal methamphetamine (meth) labs operate in the United States. The guys working in clandestine labs obviously have accepted the risks of handling chemicals that destroy skin and blind eyes while reacting with moisture, or that ignite spontaneously in air and burn violently with explosions splattering hot material, or have effects like tremors, convulsions, liver, kidney or central nervous system damage. (In fact, enforcement authorities discover almost one in five labs after a fire or explosion, often killing or injuring emergency responders as well as meth cooks). But what about the property owner or law enforcement officer who finds the abandoned lab, and the guys called in to clean up the mess? These are the "volunteers" that will use the new Voluntary Guidelines for Methamphetamine Laboratory Cleanup. What will they learn on how to safely clean up the mess meth labs leave behind and how to determine when the property is clean enough for the next residents to move in?... Read the full story on TreeHugger

See Where Stuff Comes From with SourceMap

Sun, 04 Oct 2009 12:30:13 GMT

Image: SourceMap You have certainly heard that buying local is "greener". You have probably also heard counter-arguments: a product made more efficiently but shipped some distance may beat out a local product. But all that talk is merely theoretical if you don't know where your stuff comes from anyhow. And in the new global economy, the "made in" tag on a product does not tell half the story. What is the discerning consumer to do? Imagine a future in which pointing a PDA at a product bar code returns an instant readout of product source and environmental footprint to inform the buyer's decision. This future could be reality with SourceMap. Designed as a "collective tool for transparency and sustainability," SourceMap aims to be the Wiki of visualizing supply chains. ... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Green Roof School Disappears into Hillside

Wed, 30 Sep 2009 08:27:18 GMT

Image: OFF Architecture Green Roof School in Revin, France Some lucky students in Revin, France, will soon be attending a cool school. With undulating, grass roof buildings terraced into the hillside, the Lycee Jean Moulin is practically invisible when seen from a distance (image overleaf). From the inside, students will enjoy an environment with a natural feel, and plenty of exercise climbing to their next class (image overleaf).... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Gorillas in the Streets of London

Sun, 27 Sep 2009 10:04:38 GMT

Sad gorillas, mad gorillas, crazy pirate gorillas, all running through the streets of London. What is going on? It is the annual Great Gorilla Run, sponsored by The Gorilla Organization. Here is the sad thing though: there were almost as many runners costumed as gorillas in London this weekend as there are mountain gorillas left in the wild. Click the extended to see the best photos and learn seven ways The Gorilla Organization is working to help gorillas survive in the wild. ... Read the full story on TreeHugger

HealthyStuff Tests for Toxins

Sun, 20 Sep 2009 05:39:41 GMT

Easy Info Source for Products You Buy for Your Kids, Your Pets and Yourself The Ecology Center, a nonprofit environmental research organization, has announced the results of product testing and the creation of a website HealthyStuff.org to help consumers make choices and encourage support for controls on the toxins in everyday products. For example, out of 100 women's handbags tested, over half contained more than 1,000ppm (0.1%) of lead, a neurotoxin that builds up in the environment. But we can hear you thinking: you've heard it all before, about so many products....why should you bookmark HealthyStuff? Whether you are lured by the good reasons or by the interesting trivia below, we suggest you at least take a look. ... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Golf in the City: New Dialog On Sustainable Urbanism

Wed, 16 Sep 2009 08:45:00 GMT

Image: The Ghost Hole, The Putting Lot What used to be a parking lot in Bushwick, Brooklyn, is now a mini-golf course, The Putting Lot. The course consists of 9 holes, each designed by a different artist or architect. Golfers start at hole number 1, "the ghost hole", designed by Ben Roosevelt. A heavy-duty decal of a photograph of the location of hole number 1 before clean-up connects the player to the history of the lot, celebrating new utility by bridging to the forlorn past. Looking down, it still appears that the site is littered with plastics, cans, and waste. Take a tour of the course at the video link below.... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Mountain Monarchs (Slideshow)

Tue, 15 Sep 2009 07:50:45 GMT

The next of our series of image galleries featuring photos collected as part of the Wild Wonders of Europe project shares pictures of the majestic creatures inhabiting the mountains of Europe. From rare raptors to prehistoric oxen, creatures cavorting in the snow or stoically enduring the cold, these photos further prove that conservation of our wilderness treasures is a worthy goal. Click to be rewarded with the efforts of some of Europe's finest professional photographers seeking to "capture the unseen moment, the animal and the movement that would otherwise pass unnoticed." ... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Mountain Monarchs

Tue, 15 Sep 2009 06:30:06 GMT

Long-legged Buzzard (Buteo rufinus) at the Aerie, Feeding its Young Dietmar Nils left nursing behind to pursue photography full time. As a professional photographer, Dietmar's driving force is "to capture the unseen moment, the animal and the movement that would otherwise pass unnoticed." It looks like he must get to unseen places to achieve his goal.

Image: Wild Wonders of Europe

... Read the full story on TreeHugger

London Drugs Customer Styrofoam Recycling

Sun, 13 Sep 2009 10:53:39 GMT

Image: still from London Drugs, YouTube Packaging made from expanded polystyrene (EPS), brand named Styrofoam by Dow, saves tons of emissions during transport, due to its lightweight, impact absorbing capabilities. Styrofoam is so lightweight, that it has been called "engineered air." But the question of how to recycle expanded polystyrene has plagued municipalities and responsible businesses making packaging decisions. London Drugs, a major retailer in Canada, offers a solution. Customers can return styrene foams to their local stores for recycling. If you can disregard the condescending introduction by "your London Drugs Green Deal Blogger," and the annoying toast-shaped vignette technique, the video below provides some real insights into the challenge of styrofoam recycling.... Read the full story on TreeHugger

6 Ways to See Endangered Species Without Endangering Them More

Wed, 09 Sep 2009 06:17:11 GMT

Image: courtesy of Sven Martin Photography Some do it with photo trips, others on nature Safari. Cool types do it on scientific missions to the Antarctic. Teachers do it with turtles. Not greening their sex lives, but seeing the earth's rarest critters without further threatening these endangered species. What are the limits? We give you advice and options on how to enjoy the awesome beauty of nature -- in some cases without even leaving footprints behind. ... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Breakthrough 1 MW Battery Promised by Mystery Manufacturer

Wed, 09 Sep 2009 06:14:12 GMT

Guess What the First Application Will Be Prepare to be played. The Swiss Micro Finance firm, Micro Finance Investment AG, knows how to use new media. The are now feeding out tiny tidbits of bait to generate a whirlwind of interest in what promises to be a fantastic breakthrough in battery technology. A few days ago, the company hinted that they are the money behind an unnamed firm or consortium that will be taking their breakthrough 1 MW battery on tour starting mid-2010. Hot on the heels of that teaser comes the press release on the first joint venture contract for use of the new battery technology. You will never guess what indispensable need will be filled by this technological advance.... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Hatchery Horrors: Readers React

Mon, 07 Sep 2009 08:21:19 GMT

Image: Still from YouTube, Mercy for Animals A couple days ago, we published a piece on the secret spy video of chicks being ground up alive captured by an undercover investigator from the organization Mercy for Animals. If you missed the video, you can check it out in the original article: Hatchery Horrors: Video Shows No Mercy for Baby Chicks. We asked: "How much cruelty must be tolerated? What can be done to deliver food with respect for the animals that give their lives to be part of our food chain?" Readers have reacted passionately. Their arguments make fascinating reading. Whether they are raising chicks themselves, eating eggs, or entirely vegan, the reader reactions reflect a struggle to rationalize our impacts and responsibilities. If you don't have time to read all 65+ comments, we summarize the most interesting and provocative points here.... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Charge Any Electrical Device While Riding Your Bike

Sun, 06 Sep 2009 15:27:23 GMT

Photo: Messe Friedrichshafen, www.messe-friedrichshafen.de Eurobike closed a successful week in which records were broken for trade visitors, public attendance, and submittals for the esteemed Eurobike awards. For the second year, a Eurobike Green Award was given to a product that "exhibits particularly significant ecological and sustainable value." This year's green award goes to a gadget a lot of people have been waiting for: a universal charger for harvesting pedal power to charge any music player, mobile phone, GPS or other electrical device. More on specs and availability of the charger for powering any gadget you own below.... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Recent Posts by TreeHugger's Christine Lepisto, Berlin

What Happens to Cold Blooded Animals in a Warming World (Slideshow)

What Happens to Cold Blooded Animals in a Warming World

Vattenfall Wakes Up to VattenFAIL Reputation: Did Twitter Help Topple CEO?

St. Olaf Regents Hall Sets Record as Largest Academic Facility to Achieve LEED Platinum

The Truth Behind the Study Finding Hybrids More Likely to Hit Pedestrians and Bicycles

Manure Sculpture "Nick Smith in the Shit" Sold at Auction

Japan Space Solar Plans: Of Laser Beams and Solar Streams

Join The Wave to Spread the Word Before Copenhagen

Pimp Your Bike - Pump Your Light

Do Wild Pigs Know the Daylight Savings Time?

8 Worst Man-made Environmental Disasters of All Time

Wildlife Photographs from the World's Most Dangerous Tidal Maelstrom (Slideshow)

Wildlife Photographs from the World's Most Dangerous Tidal Maelstrom

Raw Milk Risks and Benefits Explained

Five Million Dollars for Five Millimeters of Plastic

BMW Revives C1 As Electric Motorcycle

Is New Biodegradable Plastic the Answer?

USEPA Issues Voluntary Meth Lab Cleanup Guidelines

See Where Stuff Comes From with SourceMap

Green Roof School Disappears into Hillside

Gorillas in the Streets of London

HealthyStuff Tests for Toxins

Golf in the City: New Dialog On Sustainable Urbanism

Mountain Monarchs (Slideshow)

Mountain Monarchs

London Drugs Customer Styrofoam Recycling

6 Ways to See Endangered Species Without Endangering Them More

Breakthrough 1 MW Battery Promised by Mystery Manufacturer

Hatchery Horrors: Readers React

Charge Any Electrical Device While Riding Your Bike