France: Chirac Plans His Last International Event

Wed, 13 Dec 2006 14:36:37 GMT

Next year, France will be going through the last months of Chirac's presidency: next May, after the second row (6th), a new president will be in charge of international affairs. Treehugger, with ecoloPop (based in France), has already covered the unusual player that wills to change the game: Nicolas Hulot. Former TV star, he's doing his best - and threatening to go for the election if other candidates don't sign his "ecological pact" - to influence candidates towards greater incorporation of environmental issues in their programs. Being one of the most serious counselors on the subject, Hulot was invited today by Jacques Chirac, along with ex-prime minister Alain Juppe. The plan: organize an international conference in February, gathering representatives from more than 60 countries. Objective: talks on a new international organization that would deal with environmental issues. Our question is the following: would the creation a new subsidiary of the UN be really efficient? There are already many organizations in charge of environmental and development issues on the international level: UNEP (environment), GEF (Global Environment Facility), UNICEF (children), FAO (Food & Agriculture), UNIDO (Industrial)... If 60 countries are going to meet next February (schedule is 2nd and 3rd), should talks be targeted towards institutions, or rather towards a more efficient way of making current organizations more powerful? ... Read the full story on TreeHugger

French Presidential : Nicolas Hulot, A New Game

Thu, 30 Nov 2006 09:35:17 GMT

Remember April 2002 in France? Did you enjoy extreme right's Le Pen running fast against Chirac? Looking for more action as the 2007 presidential election race is getting warm in France? This year you might well enjoy a furious ecological row as Nicolas Hulot, ex TV star, is splashing the game, doing his best to move candidates to make environmental issues a top priority for the years to come in France. Nicolas Hulot's message is clear like a Gore movie : we cannot afford to wait.... Read the full story on TreeHugger

TH Web Roll : French Eco - Enthusiasm

Mon, 08 May 2006 06:23:08 GMT

Remember the early days of Treehugger, when interviews were performed via email, when video was only an idea, and Vanity Fair had not joined the recent magazine earth issue fashion? Well a few years have turned a lot of minds to a better understanding of green issues, not only in America. Our French correspondant Erwan has gone through the enthusiastic community of french webmasters, and reviewed local initiatives: video is not on the agenda yet, but blogs, wikis, and forums are flowering all over the world of francophonia.... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Carbofil : a solution for the famous 12 million pound of ...

Sat, 29 Oct 2005 09:53:38 GMT

Do you remember the 12 million pounds of excrement, flowing from agrobusiness industries, polluting small community surroundings, as described in the Meatrix ? Based on a world wide patent, a new biological treatment, for fats, manure or sewage is available for agriculture "industries", where the need for efficient and cheaper treatment processes is growing.... Read the full story on TreeHugger

AMD's energy goes renewable

Wed, 26 Oct 2005 05:05:50 GMT

We know that making a computer is one of the most polluting industrial operations : lead, phosphor, barium, and a basketfull of crap float around your favorite desktop. Well if all chip makers start behaving like AMD, the industry could get cleaner.... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Solid Wood's reclaimed Douglas products

Sat, 15 Oct 2005 08:03:59 GMT

Bio-carpenters know about Douglas Fir species for building : highly durable, requiring very little, if none, artificial preservation treatment. At TreeHugger we were wondering "what are the furniture makers doing with Douglas Fir" ? Inexpensive, though not as hard and heavy as oak , Douglas Fir is a good compromise for good value indoor and outdoor furniture products. Solid Wood, a Canadian company, has designed this nice blend of natural materials, such as natural slates inlay. ... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Ethical Fashion Show 2005

Sun, 09 Oct 2005 04:04:19 GMT

We missed it in 2004, today we report from Paris where the most avant-garde world textile designers gather for the weekend. Located in the heart of trendy "temple" quarter of Paris, the event promotes the work of designers that take their inspiration, materials, textiles from southern hemisphere countries -or for most them, designers who create, live and work in southern countries.... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Arbor Vetum reclaimed teak sofas

Sat, 08 Oct 2005 03:54:16 GMT

Based in Gloucestershire, UK, Arbor Vetum makes furniture within a strong commitment to save tropical forests that once produce the reclaimed teak they use : Arbor Vetum guarantees that each of their products is 100% made from carefully salvaged and reclaimed teak timbers without the need to cut down living teak trees. ... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Drink and Drive : the new ethanol paradigm.

Thu, 06 Oct 2005 09:58:24 GMT

Don't get us wrong : We're not advocates of drunk driving. But one article in the October 6, 2005 edition of the New York Times definitely caught our attention : did you know that french wine sales had dropped dramatically, and that as a consequence France asked the European Union to approve the distillation of 150 million liters of the country's high quality Appellation d'Origine Controlee (AOC) wine ? ... Read the full story on TreeHugger

MAGMO Recycle Dolls

Sat, 03 Sep 2005 04:11:57 GMT

Their bright colors bring a deliciously frightening feeling when they are exhibited in waste and garbage background ! In fact, the constrat is even stronger when you think that these dolls are actually full of the stuff : felt fabric remains, plastic bottles and plastic bags. The photo gallery from shows dolls walking back to their motherland after being cut from scratch. Their mean expressions are a perfect metaphor of the dirty side of our societies. Go and enjoy some conversation with those strange characters at the "Destroy You, NYC" Show running till 18th Sept at Orchard Street Gallery, in NY. :: Before you go, get to know the virtual dolls'gallery... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Dalum Papir, one print ahead

Sat, 27 Aug 2005 09:05:44 GMT

North Europe countries are known to be among the most advanced in terms of environmental practise. It should not be a surprise that Natural Home & Garden Magazine chose to print their magazine on Cyclus paper from Odense-based Dalum Papir company (Denmark).... Read the full story on TreeHugger

World Challenge, by Newsweek, BBC News, and...

Sun, 21 Aug 2005 13:52:57 GMT

And it seems that oil companies are trying to embrace the treehugger way : BP goes solar with is new slogan 'Beyond Petroleum', and Shell sponsors the World Challenge, a competition with now 12 finalists that will promote the best entrepreneurs working for their communities and the environment.... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Boku's paperback journals

Sat, 20 Aug 2005 09:51:33 GMT

Not ready yet to go E-Paper ? No worry, you can save your conscience while keeping your beloved pen and paper habits : BokuBooks, based in Oakland, holds more than just aesthetics and quality commitments. Inspired by museum and galleries printbooks, the new Bokubooks line delivers simplicity within an environmental friendly process : text paper in their books uses a mix of tree-free kenaf fiber (30%) and recycled sheet (70%).... Read the full story on TreeHugger

David Colwell's Trannon TS series table

Sun, 14 Aug 2005 09:26:08 GMT

We've already reported David Colwell's chairs. Today we'd like to focus on David's three legged tables that we classify as masterpiece. As any piece of furniture designed by David, sustainability is on the agenda, not only within the use of materials -local uk ash- but also within the idea of creating objects that people wish to sustain. ... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Does wine taste better in a recycled glass ?

Tue, 09 Aug 2005 14:09:37 GMT

The Metro Wine Glasses, designed and distributed by the "By Nature" London e-shop, enjoy a blending design using 100% recycled glass. If you were wondering where your bottles and various broken pieces go after you've dropped them in the specialized container, here is an example of the final product that comes from a full sustainable process. As illustrated by the various models available for order online, there are no technical restrictions on shapes and volumes created from recycled glass. Great news indeed. :: By Nature... Read the full story on TreeHugger

IfGreen : can sustainable be stylish ?

Fri, 05 Aug 2005 04:25:14 GMT

More than IfGreen's slogan, we like the meaning behind the IF : Integrity Furniture. With a catalog of chairs, beds, built from reclaimed or FSC wood, IfGreen guarantees that every piece of furniture, made in the Portland/Oregon Workshop, is formaldehyde free. IfGreen has good knowledge of unual renewable material : sunflower boards, palm wood.... Read the full story on TreeHugger

The year of Brazil at La Villette (Paris)

Mon, 01 Aug 2005 09:39:17 GMT

If you happen to stay a while in Paris, we strongly recommend a visit to the Cite des Sciences et de l'Industrie in La Villette, one of the world's largest and most visited science museums, in the northeast of the city. Treehuggers were delighted to encounter the "Autre Bresil" exhibition, mainly focused on fairtrade and environmental products. At the bar, we were treated with fair tastes, ethical fashion shows, and conferences on the subjects.... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Ministry's blog

Thu, 28 Jul 2005 17:00:50 GMT

No this is not a hoax. yes we'd been complaining about French governement beeing kind of backwards on environmental issues. Well the newly nominated Ministry of Ecology and Sustainable Development's has decided to move on with a new blog featuring educationnal content, mainly on the subjects of water and climate change.... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Escalante bamboo speakers

Sun, 24 Jul 2005 10:17:38 GMT

Have you ever thought of something like 'ecological sound' ? Well if you're a serious treehugger you've probably already read about Escalante eco effective speakers. Well it's good and unusual enough for a sound company to try to use best materials and promote environmental business trips...... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Nature & Decouvertes : chain stores with a heart

Wed, 20 Jul 2005 11:50:14 GMT

You might find a 100% bio product list in one of the 60 giftware shops of the Nature & decouvertes brand, but that's not exactly the only issue here : well established in more than 50 french cities, Nature & Decouvertes has high expectations in term of sustainability and plans to raise public awareness on the subject are clearly the priority on the premises. And that's no hoax : visitors (shoppers) clearly encouter a fresh spirit when being welcomed by the soft glitter of indoor solar powered fountains. With 4 millions customers and 600 employees, Natures & Decouvertes is probably one of the biggest environmental firms in France (and around the world ?).... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Everlight : public solar light for everyone

Sun, 17 Jul 2005 10:05:51 GMT

There's no denying that public lighting is bound to remain an unavoidable evil in modern cities of the world. A quick zoom at the "Earth at night" map, sold by National geopraphic won't contradict this very basic truth. Imagine the energy needed to enlight the earth like that : in an article about the city of Albi who has started reducing electricity costs, french research institute CNRS estimates that global consumption of lighting equals more than 2,000 TWh in electric energy per year, which sums more than one-tenth (approximately) of global electricity production. ... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Permadeck boards : Fantastic Plastic ?

Tue, 05 Jul 2005 09:25:53 GMT

Treehuggers don't like plastic. Is this because we instinctly feel plastic has a high environmental cost (who ignores that it's made primarily from that non renewable black stuff). Well what about recycling it ? That's a good point after all. Plastic recycling is actually one of the big issues of the years to come : The world's annual consumption of plastic materials has increased from around 5 million tonnes in the 1950s to nearly 100 million tonnes today (source : wasteonline). Cascade Replast (Montreal, Quebec), with its product Permadeck, is one of those companies that thake advantage from this largely available waste to process what they call 'plastic lumber'.... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Simple, smart & efficient : Ecofan Self Powered Woodstove Fan

Sun, 03 Jul 2005 08:57:01 GMT

Would you need more than heat during cold winter nights when your ultra efficient woodstove (Rais , Topolino, etc...) is running at full capacity ? Well ecofan won't require more wood but will add efficiency to the heating process as a whole by distributing hot air faster, without asking for plug, batteries or any kind of outsider's energy : Ecofan runs silently by itself when left at the top of the stove, wings powered by a side effect of the heat known as the Peltier effect. The hotter your stove, the faster it spins.... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Sustainable design at D.Day Expo in Pompidou, Paris

Sat, 02 Jul 2005 13:26:49 GMT

Those who have already climbed the famous glass tube stair of the Pompidou Centre in Paris will be delighted to discover the themes of the D-Day exhibition running from June, 29th to Oct, 17th 2005. For newcomers, that might be the occasion to enter the world of contemporary design from a sustainable perspective. Covering many areas of design such as well being, interactive communication or biotechnologies, DDay expo also puts a strong focus on humanitarian and sustainable issues.... Read the full story on TreeHugger

ladeco.fr : international business with strong ethics

Tue, 14 Jun 2005 09:45:59 GMT

Interview of Thierry Cayot, vibrant founder of ladeco.fr, online shop that offers all sorts of goodies for the house, from the smallest candle holder to huge teck cabinets. Thierry has a strong background of international import / export business. Like many managers in rich western countries, the root of his business model is find, buy, ship, and distribute. But Thierry's convictions go beyond the simple 'make money' paradigm. Anticipating forest management restrictions and fundamental social practise in South Asia, ladeco.fr is keeping an eye on the whole manufacturing process, from reforestation to the furniture factory. ... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Book : Around the world with 80 men

Wed, 08 Jun 2005 10:02:51 GMT

What differenciates Sylvain Darnil & Mathieu Le Roux (23 and 26 years old) from thousand of high school management students around the world ? Well after their exam, they just forgot to start conventional work in conventional multinationals. Instead, they methodically prepared, found sponsors, and achieved a world tour of sustainable initiatives and positive businesses, proving that being a lucrative entrepeneur also allows to contribute to positive social and environmental impact.... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Chambery inaugurates biggest solar farm in France

Fri, 03 Jun 2005 09:12:00 GMT

It is a well known fact that France is behind most european countries in terms of renewable energies development, especially electricity production. Of course the battery of french nuclear reactors provides more than needed for the country and neighbours. But it is not a secret to affirm that uranium is going to peak at some stage and frenchies have not proven to be reactive on the issue.... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Erwan Pianezza

Thu, 03 Jun 2004 05:41:33 GMT

Reporting from West Brittany, Erwan tries to keep a focus on everything that happens in this area of the world where people are facing the strong cultural heritage of a centralistic state that seems to be having a hard time with necessary environmental decisions. With a webdesign background and environmental architecture involvement (check this strange fascination for reclaimed materials including -seemingly- rotten 18th century wood beams) , Erwan endlessly scans the internet and press releases for new ideas to be enjoyed. Erwan can be contacted at erwan(at)treehugger(dot)com... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Recent Posts by TreeHugger's Erwan Pianezza, Locronan, Brittany