6 Ways Agriculture Impacts Global Warming

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 14:11:43 GMT

Photo credit: SugarCreekPhoto via Flickr Sure, agriculture provides us with the food we all eat every day. But do you know how those agricultural practices impact global warming? Turns out there's some pretty big impacts, on both the sustainable and industrial sides of the equation; employing sustainable practices, like organic agriculture, has huge potential to help in the fight against global warming, and maintaining the status quo with widespread industrial agricultural practices will continue to be terribly detrimental for the climate. Dig deeper to learn more about the ways agriculture impacts global warming.... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Better Ways to Celebrate America Recycles Day: Practicing the 7 Rs (Slideshow)

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 08:40:30 GMT

Yesterday was America Recycles Day, which isn't a bad thing as an idea -- certainly, more recycling is better than less -- but do we really need a day for it? Last year, Lloyd called recycling "bullsh*t" as a big picture solution, and reiterated it this year, and he's right. Do we really need a day dedicated to reminding us to recycle? Let's work a little harder and celebrate Zero Waste Day instead. To do so, all you have to do is follow the 7 Rs. ... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Better Ways to Celebrate America Recycles Day: Practicing the 7 Rs

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 06:42:09 GMT

Yesterday was America Recycles Day, which isn't a bad thing as an idea -- certainly, more recycling is better than less -- but do we really need a day for it? Last year, Lloyd called recycling "bullsh*t" as a big picture solution, and reiterated it this year, and he's right. Do we really need a day dedicated to reminding us to recycle? Isn't it time to move beyond the inefficient model that supports single-use and disposable items like plastic bags and bottled water? Can't we do better than this?

Credit: America Recycles Day

... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Attitudes Toward Genetically Modified Foods are Changing, According to World's Largest Purveyor of GMOs

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 16:09:41 GMT

Soybeans are one of the world's most genetically modified crops. Photo credit: Clearly Ambiguous via Flickr Food security is becoming a bigger and bigger part of the global food discussion, and for good reason -- it's a big challenge that's only going to continue to grow, and there's even a dedicated conference for it next week. As the understanding of the problem grows, attitudes toward genetically modified crops -- perceived to be part of the solution to some -- are changing, and changing for the better, according to Dr. Harvey Glick. He's the director of research for Monsanto, the world's largest purveyor of genetically modified foods. Curious.... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Scientists Develop Rot-Proof Apple that Stays Fresh for 4 Months

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 14:30:51 GMT

Photo credit: Abhijit Tembhekar via Flickr Scientists in Australia have developed an apple that won't rot. Or, won't rot for a long, long time. The delicious-sounding RS103-130 apple is a rare cross-breed 20 years in the making, cooked up by researchers at Australia's Queensland Primary Industries and Fisheries. They claim the shiny red apples will stay fresh, delicious, and crispy for four months. But, wait; aren't things like apples supposed to rot?... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Can India Achieve Food Security?

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 07:44:11 GMT

Photo credit: antkriz via Flickr The World Summit on Food Security convenes next week in Rome, and the buzz leading up to it has focused on what it will take to produce enough food to feed the world. It's an issue that sounds simple enough on the surface -- humans have been growing food and feeding themselves for millenia -- but each locale around the globe presents a unique challenge. Factors like the climate, government, economy, culture, and food traditions all play a role, in differing levels, in each foodshed around the globe. When it comes to food security, though, a real hotspot in the 21st century is India, where Reuters continues it's extended special report. Can it achieve food security?... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Eat Meat, Ditch Factory Farming, Save the Planet, says Friends of the Earth Report

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 16:01:13 GMT

Photo credit: FotoosVanRobin via Flickr You don't have to be a vegetarian to eat green. Not only that, we can feed the fast-growing population of the planet, and slow down (and eventually stop) climate change, and stop destruction of the world's forests, all without the deleterious effects of factory farming. So says a new report from Friends of the Earth, which lays out a model for food production and consumption that includes fair, healthy diets for the entire planet's population, and sustainable management of the planet's resources, too. Sounds pretty good. But is it too good to be true?... Read the full story on TreeHugger

The Fight Over the Future of Food: Monsanto, GMOs, and How to Feed the World

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 18:45:34 GMT

Photo credit: KevinLallier via Flickr On the eve of the World Summit on Food Security, Reuters has an excellent two-part special report about the future of food. Specifically, it covers the intersection of two notions that are being linked with increasing frequency: Feeding the skyrocketing world population, expected to hit 9.4 billion people by 2050; and the perceived benefits (things like increased yields and drought resistance) by some of genetically modified seeds and foods. So, will (or should) genetically modified foods be a big part of the future of food? ... Read the full story on TreeHugger

7 Highlights (and a Few Lowlights) in Food Since President Obama Was Elected

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 13:06:50 GMT

Photo credit: foxypar4 via Flickr Just about one year ago, Barack Obama was elected to be the 44th President of the United States. Proclaiming change across the board, Obama swept in to office on a wave of hope and optimism for millions of people, and his mandate for change created some pretty high expectations for fast, meaningful change. Those passionate about food, food safety, and the politics of safe and sustainable food production were certainly among those counting on the President to put his presidency where his promise had been. A year later, these are the highlights (plus a few lowlights) of his time when it comes to food.... Read the full story on TreeHugger

More than 12 Billion in Food Waste Goes in the Garbage Every Year in U.K.

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 07:53:52 GMT

Photo credit: sporkist via Flickr 5.3 million tonnes of food and drink that could have been consumed goes in the trash every year in the U.K., according to a new report. Household Food ad Waste in the UK [pdf] details the "food waste mountain" effectively growing in landfills from the wasted food and drink. That's an awfully big number. To scale it back to something a little easier to put into context, that waste adds up to a cool 480 per household per year, bumping up to 680 per year for families. But wait, there's more: Think about all the greenhouse gas emissions numbers associated with this.... Read the full story on TreeHugger

1,200 Acres of Arable Land Found in Oakland; What Does that Mean for Local Food?

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 06:29:33 GMT

Photo credit: davidsilver via Flickr One common lament about local food is that there simply isn't enough of it. The best part about it -- that it's different in every foodshed, location to location -- also means that the supply can have a hard time keeping up with demand. That's especially true when it comes to larger, more dense urban centers, where locavores greatly outnumber farms and farmers. Oakland, California is no exception. Almost one-third of the population is food insecure, meaning they aren't always sure where the next meal will come from; even more have limited access to nutritious, affordable food. A new report may help provide a solution, and an answer to the question, "How can urban food production be increased?"... Read the full story on TreeHugger

UK Supermarkets Told to 'Green Up Their Act'

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 18:23:36 GMT

Photo credit: yisris via Flickr Organic food and the Slow Food Movement are big parts of the green food experience in the United Kingdom. Unfortunately, the supermarkets that help supply the movement are lagging behind, according to the government. The Herald Scotland reports that the government, academics, and regional NGOs are ratcheting up the pressure on supermarkets to do a better job providing green food options for their shoppers. Despite increasing awareness and demand from consumers for environmentally friendly, low-carbon food options, three of the U.K.'s largest supermarkets are turning in failing grades when it comes to putting green food on their shelves. What's the deal?... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Future Food, a Show About Changing the Way We Think About Food, Coming to Planet Green

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 13:17:40 GMT

What do you get when you combine downloadable design (and the internet) and food, and splash in some molecular gastronomy? Just ask Homaro Cantu and Ben Roche: Two renowned chefs, successful restaurateurs, patent-owning mad scientists and celebrated futurists who are bringing their unique, fun, wacky brand of food to Planet Green's airwaves. The new original series, Future Food, will feature these two technology-obsessed chefs looking for solutions to some of the world's most pressing environmental issues from a completely unexpected place - the kitchen. Series host Cantu, and co-host Roche, and their team of chefs / gastronomists at Moto restaurant in Chicago will give viewers an inside look at their world running a real life restaurant business set in a theatre of lasers, chemical powders, flash freezing, meat glue, centrifuges, ion particle guns, liquid nitrogen, and effervescent proteins. In short, they're working with ideas on how to redefine the nature of food.... Read the full story on TreeHugger

8 Sustainable Sources of Farmed Fish & Seafood

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 14:41:06 GMT

Photo credit: ellievanhoutte via Flickr Farmed fish and seafood has sort of a bad reputation in some green circles. Sometimes -- as with, say, Atlantic salmon -- it's for good reason. But there are a number of cases where farming can actually be a good thing -- for water quality, the health of the fish or seafood in question, and the aquatic environment as a whole. As with lots of food-related issues, location has a lot to do with determining how green the process is; while a farm in the U.S. might be a good option, one from, say, southeast Asia might not, even if the species being farmed is the same. With that in mind, these are the greenest ways to go when it comes to farmed seafood.... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Super Green Seafood List Connects Ocean and Human Health (in Pictures)

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 15:42:58 GMT

Photo credit: NOAA Finding sustainable seafood has always been about balancing the health of a given fishery with the health effects of consuming that fish. Some that can be sourced sustainably are also high enough on the food chain that they accumulate toxins in their flesh, transferring those to us humans when we eat them. The Super Green List from the Monterey Bay Aquarium's Seafood Watch program balances the two considerations, providing a list of the healthiest seafood that comes from sustainable sources. ... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Super Green Seafood List Connects Ocean and Human Health (in Pictures)

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 13:19:21 GMT

Albacore Tuna

Finding sustainable seafood has always been about balancing the health of a given fishery with the health effects of consuming that fish. Some that can be sourced sustainably are also high enough on the food chain that they accumulate toxins in their flesh, transferring those to us humans when we eat them. The Super Green List from the Monterey Bay Aquarium's Seafood Watch program balances the two considerations, providing a list of the healthiest seafood that comes from sustainable sources. First on the list: Albacore tuna that's troll- or pole-caught, from the U.S. or British Columbia.

Photo credit: NOAA

... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Green Materials Guide: An Intro to Green Flooring

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 11:16:45 GMT

Photo credit: Getty Images / flashfilm We all walk on it every day, but don't often think of it. It's underfoot, and, for many of us, out of mind. But just because you trod on it doesn't mean you shouldn't pay close attention to the materials that make up your flooring. Here are a few tips to find the best green material for the job; check out the full Green Materials Guide for Home Flooring over on Planet Green to get all the details.... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Flush Less Water Down the Drain with Greener Bathroom Materials

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 10:53:54 GMT

Image credit: Dieter Spannknebel / Getty Images Despite being one of the smaller rooms in most homes, the modern bathroom serves many purposes. It's a sanctuary, a room for pampering, and where we clean ourselves, but it's also where myriad household toxins lurk, and where much of the average home's water goes right down the drain. But don't fret. There are so many ways to green your bathroom design, you'll never have to waste water or pollute the environment again. Read the Green Materials Guide for Bathroom Designs over on Planet Green to learn more about the ideas and materials that'll make your bathroom more about zen relaxation than wasting water; here are a few tips to get you started.... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Green Kitchen Designs, Countertops, Cabinets, and Flooring

Wed, 28 Oct 2009 11:28:57 GMT

Photo credit: palindrome6996 via Flickr Your kitchen is the heart of your home, so it's easy to see why so much time, energy, and money gets spent on just that one room. From floor to ceiling (and the cabinets and countertops in between), there's a lot that goes in to making a green kitchen, and a lot of choices out there; while that can make greener materials a little easier to come by, it also means there are more decisions to make, and more factors to consider. Read the Green Materials Guide for Kitchen Design over at our sibling site Planet Green to help you narrow down the materials available to you.... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Green Materials 101: Your Guide to Green Building, Remodeling, and Home Improvement

Thu, 22 Oct 2009 11:29:51 GMT

Photo credit: Dieter Spannknebel / Getty Images When it comes to building or renovating a home, there are few simple choices. From styles and colors to location and design, there's an awful lot to consider. Thankfully, you don't have to settle for materials that have big-time negative impact on the planet. Here to help is the Green Materials Guide, over on our sister site, Planet Green, which has eight robust sections to help guide you through the process of finding green materials for every green project in your home.... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Green Materials Guide: Your Guide to Materials for Green Home Improvement, Remodeling and Renovation (Slideshow)

Mon, 19 Oct 2009 09:51:09 GMT

Image credit: Getty Images / Dieter Spannknebel There are few simple choices when it comes to building or renovating a home. From colors to style, location to design, there's an awful lot to consider; part of that consideration is the impact each step will have on the planet. Thankfully, you don't have to settle for materials whose production or use has a big-time negative impact on the planet. Enter the Green Materials Guide, a new feature over on our sister site, Planet Green. We've put together information and resources on the materials you might need for any home construction, renovation or remodeling job. From the building blocks of a structure, to the system you use to heat and cool it, to the decorations and decor you choose for the walls, the guide is stacked full of green info to help navigate the increasingly busy world of green home improvement; here's a quick peek at everything the guide contains. ... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Green Materials Guide: Your Guide to Materials for Green Home Improvement, Remodeling and Renovation

Mon, 19 Oct 2009 09:20:12 GMT

When it comes to building or renovating a home, there are few simple choices. From styles and colors to location and design, there's an awful lot to consider, but, thankfully, you don't have to settle for materials whose production or use has a big-time negative impact on the planet. Enter the Green Materials Guide, a brand-new feature over on our sister site, Planet Green. We've put together information and resources on the materials you might need for any home construction, renovation or remodeling job. From the building blocks of a structure, to the insulation to keep it comfy, to the flooring you'll walk on every day, the guide is stacked full of green info to help navigate the increasingly busy world of green home improvement; here's a quick peek at everything the guide contains.

Photo credit: Getty Images / Dieter Spannknebel

... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Earth on Fire: The Awesome Power of Volcanic Eruptions, Captured in Pictures (Slideshow)

Thu, 15 Oct 2009 10:30:25 GMT

Photo credit: Bernhard Edmaier Our planet is a complex, wild, constantly changing system, and sometimes the stuff that's hiding inside the planet, under the Earth's crust, bubbles up (or explodes!) in dramatic volcanic fashion. Photographer Bernhard Edmaier has captured some of the more interesting, fascinating, and scary volcanic eruptions around the globe and collected them in a fabulous forthcoming book. Here's a sneak peek at Earth on Fire: How Volcanoes Shaped Our Planet by Bernhard Edmaier, text by Angelika Jung-Huttl, Phaidon 2009 -- a look at geothermal regions in Europe, the Americas, Africa, New Zealand, the Indian Ocean and the Caribbean, including many of the world's well-known volcanoes such as Mount St. Helens in the USA, Kilimanjaro in Tanzania and Krakatoa in Indonesia. ... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Earth on Fire: The Awesome Power of Volcanic Eruptions, Captured in Pictures

Thu, 15 Oct 2009 07:36:23 GMT

Mount Etna - Italy

At 10,922 feet, Italy's Mount Etna is the highest and one of the most active volcanoes in Europe. The eruption of 2002-2003, which lasted five months, was one of the most violent of the last 350 years. Mount Etna spewed vast quantities of ash out of the crater that had opened up on its southern flank, about 1600 feet below the summit. The cities and villages in the area surrounding Etna suffered recurring spells of falling ash. Within hours of the eruption, five centimeters -- almost two inches -- of ash had already fallen on the small town of Nicolosi, around 9 miles away.

Photo credit: Bernhard Edmaier

... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Permaculture Principles: Nature's Design for Our Living World (Slideshow)

Mon, 12 Oct 2009 08:35:25 GMT

Photo credit: e pants via Flickr Permaculture is one of those great TreeHugging principles. It integrates everything in a balanced, living system, takes many cues from Mother Nature, and works great when everything is executed properly. It's a zero-waste cycle, a green system that defines 'solar energy' with sun (but not necessarily solar panels) and 'carbon offsets' with soil instead of renewable energy credits, printed on paper. It's a fascinating, green way to grow food, build systems, and live green. Here's a tour of the 12 guiding principles of permaculture, in photos. ... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Permaculture Principles: Nature's Design for Our Living World

Mon, 12 Oct 2009 07:43:31 GMT

Permaculture is one of those great TreeHugging principles that integrates everything in a balanced, living system, takes many cues from Mother Nature, and works great when executed properly. It's a zero-waste cycle, a green system that defines 'solar energy' with sun (but not solar panels) and 'carbon offsets' with soil instead of credits printed on paper. It's a super-fascinating, super-green way to grow food, build systems, and live green. Here's a tour of the 12 guiding principles of permaculture.

Photo credit: e pants via Flickr

... Read the full story on TreeHugger

'What's the Worst That Could Happen?' A Book Review of a Rational Response to the Climate Change Debate

Fri, 25 Sep 2009 15:29:45 GMT

'A Rational Response to the Climate Change Debate' Do you know everything there is about climate science and the debate about global warming? Stop reading this. Everybody else: Think you know all the ins and outs of climate change? Still plowing through all the models and possible scenarios for our climate's future? Leaning one way (or the other) about what to think about global warming? Not sure who to trust? Pick up a copy of "What's the Worst That Could Happen? A Rational Response to the Climate Change Debate" by Greg Craven (that's right -- the same guy behind the wildly popular YouTube video called The Most Terrifying Video You'll Ever See. 7 million people can't be wrong), and decide for yourself.... Read the full story on TreeHugger

7 Food Certification Programs You Need to Eat Green

Thu, 24 Sep 2009 12:20:40 GMT

Photo credit: lyzadanger Labels on food items are as numerous as the aisles they're sold in, and many proclaim that they're helping you be healthy, helping the planet, or both. The truth is that there are myriad labels out there that aren't worth the shiny sticker they're printed on; certifications that promise to be "all-something" or "whatever-free" that aren't under any government or third-party oversight, free to be molded and marketed by anyone who puts a product on a shelf. You don't have to put up with that, though. Here are seven certifications that'll help guide you to green food enlightenment.... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Ecouterre Brings Eco-Fashion to the Forefront

Wed, 23 Sep 2009 10:55:33 GMT

Photos via Ecouterre 'Green Fashion is More than Just a Passing Trend' That's what Ecouterre is banking on; the brand new site, just launched today, has arrived to highlight the critical environmental impact of clothing design. From the same folks who gave the world the always wonderful Inhabitat.com, Ecouterre will try to dispel the disparaging stereotypes that still cling to "eco fashion" and reverse the frivolous connotation associated with fashion design. ... Read the full story on TreeHugger

PARK(ing) Day 2009: San Francisco and New York Reclaim Urban Spaces (Slideshow)

Tue, 22 Sep 2009 07:27:59 GMT

Photo credit: Jaymi Heimbuch The fifth annual PARK(ing) Day was last Friday, and promised to be the biggest and best one yet, but we wanted to get out and see for ourselves. TreeHugger previously looked at how previous years stacked up, so to speak, but how would this year's compare? Intrepid TreeHuggers in San Francisco, where it all started, and New York City, set out to have a look and see how PARK(ing) Day worked in their cities. First up -- Jaymi Heimbuch, in the city where it all began: San Francisco. See also: StreetFilms Covers PARK(ing) Day in NYC and San Francisco ... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Recent Posts by TreeHugger's Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA

6 Ways Agriculture Impacts Global Warming

Better Ways to Celebrate America Recycles Day: Practicing the 7 Rs (Slideshow)

Better Ways to Celebrate America Recycles Day: Practicing the 7 Rs

Attitudes Toward Genetically Modified Foods are Changing, According to World's Largest Purveyor of GMOs

Scientists Develop Rot-Proof Apple that Stays Fresh for 4 Months

Can India Achieve Food Security?

Eat Meat, Ditch Factory Farming, Save the Planet, says Friends of the Earth Report

The Fight Over the Future of Food: Monsanto, GMOs, and How to Feed the World

7 Highlights (and a Few Lowlights) in Food Since President Obama Was Elected

More than 12 Billion in Food Waste Goes in the Garbage Every Year in U.K.

1,200 Acres of Arable Land Found in Oakland; What Does that Mean for Local Food?

UK Supermarkets Told to 'Green Up Their Act'

Future Food, a Show About Changing the Way We Think About Food, Coming to Planet Green

8 Sustainable Sources of Farmed Fish & Seafood

Super Green Seafood List Connects Ocean and Human Health (in Pictures)

Super Green Seafood List Connects Ocean and Human Health (in Pictures)

Albacore Tuna

Green Materials Guide: An Intro to Green Flooring

Flush Less Water Down the Drain with Greener Bathroom Materials

Green Kitchen Designs, Countertops, Cabinets, and Flooring

Green Materials 101: Your Guide to Green Building, Remodeling, and Home Improvement

Green Materials Guide: Your Guide to Materials for Green Home Improvement, Remodeling and Renovation (Slideshow)

Green Materials Guide: Your Guide to Materials for Green Home Improvement, Remodeling and Renovation

Earth on Fire: The Awesome Power of Volcanic Eruptions, Captured in Pictures (Slideshow)

Earth on Fire: The Awesome Power of Volcanic Eruptions, Captured in Pictures

Mount Etna - Italy

Permaculture Principles: Nature's Design for Our Living World (Slideshow)

Permaculture Principles: Nature's Design for Our Living World

'What's the Worst That Could Happen?' A Book Review of a Rational Response to the Climate Change Debate

7 Food Certification Programs You Need to Eat Green

Ecouterre Brings Eco-Fashion to the Forefront

PARK(ing) Day 2009: San Francisco and New York Reclaim Urban Spaces (Slideshow)