Submerged is the New Black: 'Aqualta' Envisions Flooded Cities

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 09:30:37 GMT

Aqualta: Times Square at Night, NYC. Images via Studio Lindfors If nothing happens in Copenhagen, if greenhouse gasses continue to spew unabated, if the glaciers melt, and sea levels rise, New York City based architectural firm Studio Lindfors has envisioned a fatalistic, and more-than-slightly idealized vision of the future cityscape. "Aqualta" takes familiar New York City and Tokyo urban scenes as they'd appear submerged under 4 stories of water. ... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Vegetarian's Rebuttal to 'The Carnivore's Dilemma'

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 09:00:34 GMT

Eat Me. You might possibly, perhaps be doing something good for the environment. Credit: Clara Molden via Telegraph.co.uk Last week's NY Times featured an op-ed entitled "The Carnivore's Dilemma"--an ostensibly enlightened response to the chorus of voices promulgating a vegetarian diet as a way to significantly reduce one's emission of greenhouse gasses (not least amongst these voices is Michael Pollan, author of "Omnivore's Dilemma"). Unlike "The Omnivore's Delusion"--a fluff piece by the industrial agriculture lobby that defends the status quo--the author of the Times' piece, Nicolette Hahn Niman, is no great defender of current industrial agricultural practices; she's a rancher and advocate of "traditional", grass-fed livestock production. Hahn Niman's argument focuses on debunking the notion that vegetarianism is inherently the most beneficial way of eating for the environment. While Hahn Niman has several valid points, her arguments often fall short of a sale. She frequently compares best-case scenario meat consumption and worst-case scenario vegetarianism. She states, "It could be, in fact, that a conscientious meat eater may have a more environmentally friendly diet than your average vegetarian." First off, she doesn't say that this theoretical conscientious carnivore will be more environmentally friendly, she merely uses the more hopeful "could" and "may". Moreover, she never deigns to compare a conscientious meat eater to a conscientious vegetarian.... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Chasing the Junk Food Dragon: How Junk Food Affects Brain Like Heroin

Sat, 31 Oct 2009 13:33:46 GMT

A snap of a dazed and skeletal addict after copping. Credit: Religion Compass Before you or your child dig into that plastic jack-o-lantern (or its post-consumer equivalent) full of sugary snacks, you might do well to check out former FDA Commissioner David Kessler's new book The End of Overeating. The book highlights the addictive nature of junk food, showing how these processed, nutrient deprived products are consumed to overcome a craving rather than sate hunger. A piece in Science News that highlights a study done by the independent, not-for-profit Scripps Research Institute, seems to bore out Kessler's claims. The study shows how brains respond to sweet, salty and fatty processed food the same way it does heroin. ... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Boho Bodega Reinvents New York City's Beloved Corner Deli

Sat, 24 Oct 2009 09:30:03 GMT

If you've been to, or lived in, New York City you are likely familiar with the city's ubiquitous bodegas. They are generally characterized by an ample selection of pork rinds, blaring salsa music and round-the-clock hours. The bodega has never been a bastion for greenness, but a pop-up shop called Boho Bodega wants to change that. Running in conjunction with the CMJ Music Festival from October 20-25th, the Boho Bodega has had and will have free events and parties to promote and showcase the shop's organic and fair trade vendors like Organic India Tea and Green Forest paper products. All of the proceeds of goods sold will go to the Council on the Environment of New York City (CENYC), who runs the city's farmers markets among other things. According to a press release by MakeMakes, the firm that conceived the project, the point of the shop isn't to turn a profit, but to "instill a new reality by placing green foods, beverages and products in the universal everyday format of the urban corner store, deconstructing the common misconception that green is only available to the white collar hippie."... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Chris Jordan Takes Shots at the Trash Patch

Sun, 18 Oct 2009 07:30:56 GMT

Chris Jordan, whose past photographic compositions create dizzying perspectives on the cumulative effects of consumer culture, now has a new muse: The Great Pacific Garbage Patch. Jordan visited the Midway Atoll, right in the heart of the Patch to get these sobering pictures of albatrosses stuffed with plastic detritus. ... Read the full story on TreeHugger

The Scat is Out of the Bag: The Adventure of Our Butts and Toilet Tips from TreeHugger

Sat, 17 Oct 2009 08:30:48 GMT

After writing a post a few weeks ago about the environmental impact of plush toilet paper production, "The Adventure of Our Butts" was brought to my attention. This Story of Stuff-like video gives a graphic--but not too graphic--narrative of Billy, a pre-fecal cartoon boy who is shown how his choice of plush toilet paper causes the destruction of hundreds of thousands of virgin trees. He is also transported to foreign lands where squat toilets with buckets of water are the only way to clean up to show that most of the world doesn't use the amount of resources Americans like Billy do. Since "The Adventure of Our Butts" and mainstream media like the New York Times and Washington Post are starting to broach this messy topic, I thought I'd compile some ideas about how to green your toilet habits besides using recycled toilet paper. ... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Video: Bad News and Trash Prevade Pacific Gyre

Sun, 27 Sep 2009 17:42:36 GMT

In this video, Mother Jones interviews scientists from the recently returned Project Karsei, a ship sent out to explore ways of cleaning up the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, the twice-the-size-of-Texas-gyre in the middle of the Pacific Ocean where much of the world's plastic garbage collects. If you were waiting for good news from the field, you might not want to watch the video. ... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Plush Toilet Paper: Soft on Your Butt, Hard on the Environment

Sat, 26 Sep 2009 20:53:35 GMT

Might this be the most dangerous bear on the planet? Photobucket A recent Washington Post article tackles the tender issue of toilet paper softness. The article reported the market is glutted with super-plush toilet paper; they cited Quilted Northern Ultra Plush as emblematic of the trend toward super-softening toilet paper. But there is one big problem: the softer the toilet paper, the more likely it is made from old growth and virgin trees. But as Allen Hershkowitz, senior scientist with the NRDC said, "We don't need old-growth forests . . . to wipe our behinds."... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Stanford University Hospital: Come for Surgery, Stay for the Food

Sat, 12 Sep 2009 12:48:12 GMT

Image: Posci Props to Stanford University's Hospital and Clinics (SHC) for their Farm Fresh Program, which offers inpatients locally sourced, organic cuisine during their hospitals stays. SHC is working with restaurateur and food writer Jesse Cool, who stands to be the world's first celebrity hospital chef. In addition to the food, the program incorporates tray liners, bowls, cups and utensils that are all made from reusable, compostable or recyclable materials. Stanford's program is part of a larger movement toward promoting both individual and environmental health in the world of healthcare. The movement's chief proponent is Health Care Without Harm (HCWH), who has been promoting a broad set of initiatives to make sure that international medical institutions are curing more ills than they are creating. Their "Healthy Food in Health Care Pledge" has been embraced by both the American Medical Association (AMA) and the American Nurse's Association (ANA) and other medical institutions. ... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Questionable Intelligence Surrounding "Smart Choices" Food Label

Sun, 06 Sep 2009 18:04:09 GMT

A New York Times article "For Your Health, Froot Loops" uncovers the absurdist logic of a new food-labeling campaign called the "Smart Choices Program." The label is a "front-of-package" designation whereby consumers can see if their food purchases meet the criteria set forth by the program for healthy eating. The title of the article is based on the fact that Kellogg's Froot Loops meets those criteria. Other smart choices include Fudgsicles, Lunchables and Mayonnaise. The purpose of the campaign is, according to the Smart Choices president Eileen Kennedy, to designate a "food item [that] is a 'better for you' product, as opposed to having an x on it saying 'Don't eat this.'" With Froot Loops' first ingredient being sugar--a substance that comprises 44% of its caloric composition--and other fun stuff like partially hydrogenated vegetable oil and 4 different types of food coloring, the question to Dr. Kennedy is: better than what? ... Read the full story on TreeHugger

American Apparel Bag-O-Scraps: Green, Gimmick or Both?

Sun, 06 Sep 2009 09:08:45 GMT

American Apparel, peddler of made-in-the-USA t-shirts and semi-pornographic ads, has introduced an innovative new product: the Bag-O-Scraps. It reminds me of Dan Aykroyd's Saturday Night Live skit where he sells a Bag O'Glass as a child's toy. Like the Bag O'Glass, the Bag-O-Scraps is not a nuanced product: it's a bag of scraps of leftover fabric. ... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Survey Shows Environment No. 4 on Consumers' Minds

Sun, 30 Aug 2009 10:38:16 GMT

image: environmental leader In a study conducted by the Shelton Group, the environment ranked 4 out of the 6 top things American consumers' top concerns. Drawing from 1,007 consumers who "at least occasionally buy green products," the survey sought to confirm or debunk the existence of the "Green Consumer", i.e. a consumer who is primarily concerned with the ecological impact of his or her purchases. According to a Shelton Group press release, the environment's toehold on the American consumer's psyche is a shaky one. Give it a few years-that'll surely change.... Read the full story on TreeHugger

US Fish and Wildlife Service Shows Kids Wonders of Outdoors with New Video Game

Sat, 29 Aug 2009 15:27:49 GMT

Image USFWS The US Fish and Wildlife Service has concocted a plan to encourage children to spend more time outside and take an interest in the environment: describe it in a video game. "Neighborhood Explorers" targets outdoor-deprived children aged 8-11; it's 3 characters-Mia, Steve and Lucy-teach children about various species and all the cool things that happen when one is not glued to the computer screen. While the Service is undoubtedly well intentioned, the strategy seems a bit suspect. For one, there's the obvious paradox of using an implement of sedation to encourage activity. It's like "Drink Responsibly" stickers on a beer pong table. ... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Omnivore's Delusion and the Joy of Industrial Agriculture

Sat, 22 Aug 2009 08:31:35 GMT

photo: DH Wright A recent post in The American called "The Omnivore's Delusion" seeks to rebut the "agri-intellectuals" like Michael Pollan et al, whose rarefied opinions do not accord with the experience of real farmers like author Blake Hurst, a self-professed industrial farmer. The essay is well written and makes a number of solid points, chief among them seems to be that if we are to sustain our current population and its trajectory for growth, if we plan to continue to furnish the world's populations with the cheap calories that they have become accustomed to, and if we are going to continue consuming meat in the quantities we do now, we need to continue industrial farming methodologies. Hurst's folksy voice makes it easy to empathize with this man who will "spend the next six weeks on a combine," and who-if this is not just some well-cloaked ploy by an ag. lobby group-is just trying to feed the world. Empathy breaks down when his arguments are parsed out. From a rhetorical standpoint, Hurst's arguments are weakened by their dependence on anecdote. Anecdote with statistical/scientific substantiation is compelling analysis. Analysis derived from anecdote is conjecture. ... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Receive Free Neurological Disorder with Your Swine Flu Vaccination

Sun, 16 Aug 2009 17:47:18 GMT

Photo from Flikr In another case where the cure is worse than the disease, concerns have arisen over a link between the new Swine Flu vaccine and a neurological disorder called Guillain-Barre. Actually, the link is a rehashing of the first time the Flu hit in 1976. Like today, there was a huge public panic, with many concerned that the new Flu could be like the 1918-19 pandemic that killed 20 million people worldwide. When a massive vaccination campaign ensued, the vaccine's safety was insufficiently weighted against its risks. As such, the Flu claimed one death and complications attributed to the vaccine killed 25. This dark spot in the annals of US public health has been immortalized as the Swine Flu -Debacle.'... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Fiji Water: The Earth-Friendly Choice for Military Juntas Everywhere

Sat, 15 Aug 2009 20:05:39 GMT

Image from Beverage World A recent expose in Mother Jones called "Fiji Water: Spin the Bottle" confirmed my common sense notion that drinking bottled water shipped from the South Pacific is a silly and wasteful idea. It also added myriad other reasons to not to drink Fiji Water. Junta-Aid Fiji has had 4 military coups in the last 25 years. The government du jour is lead by Commander (and now prime minister) Frank Bainimarama and President Ratu Josefa Iloilo. Because of a ruling last spring declaring the current government illegitimate, Iloilo suspended their constitution, appointed himself president and declared there wouldn't be elections until 2014. This totalitarian approach to government recently earned Fiji an expulsion from the Pacific Island Forum, an inter-governmental organization that represents the many independent island nations in the Pacific. ... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Freedom: Mac Application Leaving You Nothing Left to Choose

Sat, 15 Aug 2009 15:55:00 GMT

A Mac application called Freedom is for people like me who have a dicey relationship with being online: I am at once fond of the boundless information at my fingertips, but troubled by my frequent and unintentional excursions down information highways and byways, waking up hours later, mind clouded and original task incomplete. If you're thinking I just need to exercise some will power, please go to the next post (I heap enough judgment upon myself without yours). If you're thinking, "Boy, I have that same problem," read on. ... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Automotive "Methadone Program" (AKA Cash for Clunkers) Leads to Relapse in Germany

Sun, 09 Aug 2009 18:42:12 GMT

Photo via NY Times Update: Top 10 Most Fuel Efficient Cars to Buy with "Cash for Clunkers" Money While the spotlight has recently shown brightly on the US iteration of the Cash for Clunkers program, Germany-whose program Abwrackpramie or "wreck rebate"-has been going at it since January. According to a NY Times article, Germany has dwarfed the US's efforts, with a $7 billion dollar budget and timeframe through the end of the year. All this is swell except for one detail: many of the polluting cars are not being scrapped. ... Read the full story on TreeHugger

You Know What They Say about Corn Syrup...that It has Mercury in it.

Sat, 08 Aug 2009 16:22:00 GMT

Despite claims by the Corn Refiner Association to the contrary, there are in fact problems with high fructose corn syrup (HFCS). In addition to being a major contributor to epidemic obesity and diabetes rates, you can add the presence of mercury to the growing list of reasons why HFCS is dangerous in any amount. According to a recent Mother Jones article, in 2004 when FDA researcher Renee Dufault found mercury in HFCS samples from leading manufacturers, they did what any agency looking to protect public health would do: they asked her to stop her inquiry. ... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Suggestions for Whole Foods CEO Mackey for Promoting Healthy Body and Planet

Sat, 08 Aug 2009 08:30:52 GMT

Photo via WSJ In a recent interview with the Wall Street Journal, Whole Foods CEO John Mackey admitted the national supermarket sells "a bunch of junk." Mackey was promoting Whole Foods' impending Healthy Eating Education initiative-their response to the American obesity epidemic. While he didn't frame the program in environmental terms, healthy eating has obvious environmental implications. As we've stated in the past, obesity is very carbon intensive with an estimated 1.0 gigatons of greenhouse gas emissions per billion people released into the atmosphere annually.... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Stagnation at White House May be Attributable to Sewer Sludge in President's Produce

Sun, 02 Aug 2009 14:24:00 GMT

Image by Guardian UK Poor Obama: not only does he have to contend with Blue Dogs, but now it seems he is being poisoned by lead found in the People's Garden at the White House. In truth, the levels, while not ideal, are far from unusual or unsafe for an urban garden. The Guardian states:

The soil in the garden had lead concentrations of 93 parts per million of lead. Health experts say it is safe to raise leafy vegetables in soil with concentrations of 10-50 parts per million, and urban gardens typically have raised lead levels. However, it is advised for young children to be tested for exposure to lead if they play in areas where lead concentrations exceed 100 parts per million. The Environmental Protection Agency puts the threshold for dangerous lead levels at 300 parts per million.

More interesting is one of the possible sources of contamination: sewer sludge. ... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Yale Essay Says Sustainability and Open Immigration are Often at Odds

Sat, 01 Aug 2009 12:54:00 GMT

Image by YaleGlobal A recent essay in YaleGlobal online by Jamie Chamie explores the controversial connection between immigration and overpopulation-a subject that is constantly framed morally or economically, but rarely environmentally. The essay states:

They [the White House] concluded that there is hardly any problem confronting America whose solution would be easier with a larger population. Moving toward population stabilization would contribute significantly to America's ability to solve its domestic problems as well as many of those abroad, especially energy and resource consumption, climate change and environmental sustainability.

... Read the full story on TreeHugger

How Californians Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Global Warming

Sat, 01 Aug 2009 08:00:44 GMT

Photo by Nasa A recent study by the Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC) shows that Californians are less than concerned with global warming than in years past. Moreover, their diminishing concern is increasing faster amongst those mellowed-mooded Republicans. A press release reports of the survey:

Most residents (66%) support the 2006 California law (AB 32) that requires greenhouse gas emissions to be reduced to 1990 levels by 2020. Support has declined 7 points from July 2008 (73%) and 12 points from 2007 (78%). The decline is sharpest among Republicans (57% 2008, 43% today).

... Read the full story on TreeHugger

EATR: The Vegetarian Robot that Kills

Sun, 26 Jul 2009 13:00:05 GMT

Photo by RTI The Energetically Autonomous Tactical Robot (aka EATR) by Robotic Technology Inc. is a proposed military robot that can do all sorts of things according to the company's brochure. It can perform long-range reconnaissance, surveillance, and "target acquisition"; all of this it can do with minimal or no fueling. The one thing it cannot do is eat human flesh. ... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Commuter Couture by Outlier Tailored Performance

Sat, 25 Jul 2009 08:00:00 GMT

Photo via Outlier If you're a bike commuter (or just a vain rider), and you don't want to abide by the traditional archetypical aesthetic (rearview mirror on glasses, 1985 Bell helmet, rubber-bands around your pant cuff), check out Outlier Tailored Performance clothing company. They make eco-friendly, boutique-quality clothing specifically designed for bike riding. ... Read the full story on TreeHugger

No Impact Man Documentary Film Is Low on Carbon, High on Awareness

Sat, 20 Jun 2009 08:53:49 GMT

TreeHugger attended a pre-release screening No Impact Man, a documentary made about Colin Beavan (aka No Impact Man) and his family's yearlong experiment to live a zero waste lifestyle in New York City. We were happy to see that the movie treated its premise with a great deal of self-awareness, addressing the fact that the no impact conceit could easily be labeled as gimmickry rather than an earnest experiment to see what one can and cannot live without. ... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Author of Whole Earth Catalog Favors Nuclear, GMOs, and Geoengineering at Off-Site TED Conference

Tue, 16 Jun 2009 05:00:00 GMT

On June 3rd, TreeHugger was able to attend TED@State, a one-day mini-conference sponsored by the US State Department, and organized by the folks over at TED Conference. As part of their Global Partnership Initiative, TED@State was meant to reflect Secretary of State Hilary Clinton's assertion that the department is "opening its doors to a new generation of public-private partnerships." A good idea we think. ... Read the full story on TreeHugger

TreeHugger Welcomes David Friedlander!

Wed, 28 May 2008 13:38:31 GMT

David Friedlander believes community is the key to many of our human and environmental problems. Having lived in many different communities-from his suburban-Chicago birthplace, to his many years in the foothills of Boulder, Colorado to the streets of his current New York City home-David has observed how our increasing need for space has lead to interpersonal alienation and dire environmental consequences. Presently, he runs an event company called Sustainable Events, where he combines years of experience in the NYC event and party scene with his desire to create community. David, who graduated from Columbia University majoring in English literature and creative writing, also writes for several print and online journals. He sees writing as a necessary complement for community formation-generating conversations to transform our planet and our lives. When David is not writing or producing events, he likes injuring himself through running faster than necessary and vegetarian cooking.... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Recent Posts by TreeHugger's David Friedlander, New York City