Skip The Spray-on Sunscreen? Widely Used Nanoparticles Could Cause Cancer: Study

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 09:42:38 GMT

Photo: Getty Images It's a fact of life that nanoparticles are everywhere: from sunscreen to underwear to performance wear - they are an invisible part of everyday life. Nanotechnology has made some promising inroads, but could these undetectable bits of material be harmful to our health? Recent studies however have raised serious concerns about the health impacts of nanoparticles in a plethora of consumer products and now, researchers at UCLA's Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center have discovered that titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanoparticles could cause genetic damage.... Read the full story on TreeHugger

"Experimental" Cow Dung Project To Heat 1,100 Dutch Homes

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 09:41:28 GMT

Photo: CleanTechnica From chickens to cows to algae, energy generated from biomass is making a big impact worldwide. With last year's launch of the world's largest biomass plant in the Netherlands - running on chicken manure - another Dutch biomass energy project has now launched to provide 1,100 homes with heat converted from cow dung. ... Read the full story on TreeHugger

"Angry Mermaid" To Honor Biggest Greenwasher At Copenhagen Talks

Sun, 15 Nov 2009 09:35:29 GMT

Photo: The Little Mermaid statue, Copenhagen (AP) Move over Disney and Hans Christian Andersen, here comes the Angry Mermaid. Thankfully, this new spin is not at all a postmodern rehashing of a fairytale classic, but rather a new environmental award launching tomorrow, ahead of December's climate talks at Copenhagen. Based on Denmark's famed Little Mermaid statue, the dubious honour will be decided by public vote and given to the feckless organization that is "doing the most to sabotage effective action on climate change". Top nominees include:... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Desert Soils Losing Nitrogen & Fertility Thanks to Global Warming

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 21:48:14 GMT

Photo: Device measuring outgassing of nitrogen from desert soil (Cornell University) You may have heard of nitrogen being lost through processes such as soil erosion, but according to a new study from Cornell University, warming climates are also causing soils to lose nitrogen as a gas. Arid soils are particularly affected - and with nitrogen being one of the key nutrients for plant growth, the study predicts that deserts could support even less plant life in the future. "This is a way that nitrogen is lost from an ecosystem that people have never accounted for before," says Jed Sparks, co-author of the study and associate professor of ecology and evolutionary biology. ... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Book Review: Toolbox for Sustainable City Living By Scott Kellogg & Stacy Pettigrew

Wed, 29 Jul 2009 15:47:12 GMT

For those who are bored stiff of green lifestyle books that only seem to offer fluffy solutions indicating which product to buy, then Toolbox for Sustainable City Living book may be your new best friend. Written with urban-dwellers in mind, Toolbox is a guide that covers a broad spectrum of do-it-yourself topics, from vermicomposting to rainwater collection, to planting edible food forests to chicken-raising and making your own biogas digester. Plus, authors Scott Kellogg and Stacy Pettigrew have definitely walked the talk: as members of the Austin-based Rhizome Collective, they helped transform a vacant warehouse into an experimental urban sustainability training center in 2000. Toolbox is the end result of nearly a decade of trials, brownfield remediation, community outreach and a $200,000 grant from the EPA. The book begins by serving up some serious food for thought: ... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Book Review: Treedom by Takashi Kobayashi

Wed, 15 Jul 2009 17:44:48 GMT

Treehouses lately have been looking less and less like kiddie constructions and more like designer structures fit for elven royalty, or for people looking for more naturally harmonious habitats. You may ask, why treehouses? But there's a lot more to treehouses than you may think. As Japanese treehouse builder Takashi Kobayashi declares in his new autobiographical book, Treedom, there's a global "treehouse culture" that is taking root, born out of a yearning for a closer connection with some of the world's largest organisms.... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Book Review: Bothered By My Green Conscience by Franke James

Fri, 10 Jul 2009 09:33:05 GMT

Inspiring others to go green can be an uphill battle, judging from the blank looks of non-comprehension that one may receive at times. However, Toronto-based artist Franke James shows that this doesn't have to be the case. With her delightfully quirky style, James has been chronicling her personal journey in going green through a series of illustrated online essays for some time now, and her latest book, Bothered By My Green Conscience, finally brings five essays together in one edition. ... Read the full story on TreeHugger

"Bear's Cave" Office By Paul Coudamy

Thu, 11 Jun 2009 08:44:07 GMT

Front meeting room (All photos: Benjamin Boccas)
Who said you couldn't hibernate in an office? Instead of a sterile and corporate interior, the comfy and cavernous spaces of French architect Paul Coudamy's "bear cave" office design are inviting and built from wood off-cuts rescued from sidewalks, dumpsters and trash. Employing a spontaneous-looking aesthetic of found objects and interesting textural overlaps, spaces each have their own feel and unique treatment, depending on their use (more photos after the jump). ... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Self-Powered Laser For Safer Night Cycling (Or A Beam-Me-Up)

Tue, 09 Jun 2009 07:05:38 GMT

Leonardo Manavella's bike-safety Laser, via EcoFriend) Bicycling at night can be a dicey proposition. This is especially true if you're equipped with the standard-fare reflectors that may or may not reflect properly, depending on the angle of the car headlights hitting you. Bike lights don't always do the job, since they aim only front and back, and having your bike wrapped up in retro-reflective vinyl like the Bright Bike may not necessarily appeal to you. So here's another illumined idea we learned about from EcoFriend: industrial designer Leonardo Manavella's self-powered laser that is not only very visible but responds to traffic around it.... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Squared Toilet Paper = Less Waste

Mon, 25 May 2009 17:06:00 GMT

via Lintcoat
Whether it's quilted, cottony-soft or recycled, toilet paper still has a long way to go before it eschews the dubious honour of being an ubiquitous symbol of a wasteful society. So it's always a good idea to: a) not use too much; b) to get treeless TP; or c) to just get a bidet (psst... it's actually cleaner). It's also worth repeating that if everyone used toilet paper like we did, there would be no forests left. But this humble roll can change. ... Read the full story on TreeHugger

FEMA Trailer Transformed Into "Garden On Wheels" & Donated To Mobile Art Center

Fri, 22 May 2009 18:30:17 GMT

Image of The Armadillo's retractable shell which conceals a hybrid composter, and vertical planting walls (via Side Street Projects)
We've brought the innovative, mobile art education non-profit Side Street Projects to your attention before and now, the Pasadena-based community organization is embarking on its next exciting adventure - can you say "road trip"? Side Street Projects is going cross-country to Boston to pick up The Armadillo, a FEMA trailer that was transformed into a mobile, vertical community garden by MIT students and faculty. Mmmm. Art, architecture, nomadic sustainability and permaculture: could it get any tastier than that? In a word, yes!... Read the full story on TreeHugger

DIY: Making Your Own Eco-Envelopes With Found Materials

Wed, 20 May 2009 16:44:22 GMT

Brown bags - sewing machine - voila! Pretty envelopes (by Cassandra of SunlitOrchard)
Blank envelopes are just that - blank and bland. Thankfully, they don't have to be, as these cool, crafty and smart ideas for transforming found materials into one-of-a-kind envelopes prove (thanks to Jackie of Crafting a Green World for finding these). Old grocery bags, magazine catalogues, nature books, maps - really, the proverbial sky is the limit. Giving envelopes a unique, personal touch is something you can easily do at home too for thank you cards, invitations and packaging for your small business, as these imaginative projects after the fold show. ... Read the full story on TreeHugger

A Tale of Two Will Allen's: "Industrial Agriculture One of Most Polluting & Dangerous Industries"

Sat, 16 May 2009 12:50:47 GMT

Left: Will Allen, founder of urban farm non-profit Growing Power (Photo: Kate Croft via The White House Organic Farm Project); Right: Will Allen, author of War on Bugs (Photo: Chelsea Green Publishing)
Urban agriculturalist extraordinaire and MacArthur Fellow Will Allen predicts that the new generation of farmers will not come from rural communities, rather, they will come from the cities. So what struck me as I wandered around my local grocer yesterday was: if this is the wave of the future, why are governments still subsidizing big agribusiness? The same industry that discharges millions of tons of pesticides into our air and water, advocates genetically modified food, wastes vast amounts of energy and hauls our food an average of 1,500 to 2,500 miles before it reaches our plates? Equally compelling is another Will Allen, organic farmer, expert and author of The War On Bugs (not to be confused with Growing Power's Will Allen). This is this Allen's take on an industry he sees as "seriously damaging to our public health": ... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Police Arresting & Recruiting Protestors As Informants: Where Is The Line?

Wed, 13 May 2009 16:26:37 GMT

Juliana Napier, Matilda Gifford and Dan Glass with some of the recording equipment they used. (Photo: Murdo Macleod via The Guardian)
Though she had been just released on bail after a peaceful protest at an airport, U.K. activist Matilda Gifford was approached by undercover police attempting to recruit her as an informant on her organization's activities, in exchange for cash. Police claimed that they could help Gifford with her student loans, and that any information she could give on strongly "ideological" groups would be helping to diffuse any potential "hotheaded" situations. But instead of signing on, the 24-year-old woman recorded their conversations on a hidden cell phone, exposing how local police are actively enlisting spies to disrupt the lawful activities of climate change organizations. Unfortunately, Gifford's case is not isolated. ... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Indigenous Climate-Affected Communities Using Film to Highlight Plight & Solutions

Mon, 11 May 2009 16:49:26 GMT

Local solutions on a sinking paradise, Carterets Islands, Papua New Guinea from UNUChannel on Vimeo.

We recently told readers about the world's first climate change refugees - the residents of Carteret Islands - who will soon see their small island home completely submerged by the rising sea's "king tides". Beginning in 2009, about two-thirds of the island's population will be relocated to a nearby Papua New Guinean island. However, as you can see from this video brief from the United Nation University's Our World 2.0 webzine, there's an update on the situation as islanders are finding interim ways to cope. But they are not the only indigenous community with a story to tell.... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Papergirl: Free Art Delivered To You - By Bicycle

Fri, 08 May 2009 12:19:18 GMT

Papergirl #3 from Papergirl on Vimeo.

What could be more delectable than art delivered to you - out of the blue - on a bike, other than it's free? That's the premise behind Berlin's art project called Papergirl, founded by Aisha Ronniger, where "paperboys and papergirls" go around the city on bicycles bestowing wrapped packages of art pieces - prints, posters, etc. - onto unsuspecting passerby. The concept is imaginative and fun, but also bike- and pedestrian-friendly. So how do actions like these that make our cities more livable and connected?... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Flu Fears Lands Afghanistan's Only Pig In Quarantine

Wed, 06 May 2009 19:45:53 GMT

Photo: The pig in question, from a photo taken in 2002 (Reuters/Radu Sigheti)
Regrettably, the global swine flu panic has not spared Afghanistan's only known pig. A resident of Kabul Zoo, the little porker has been locked up in a room since Sunday because visitors have voiced concerns about a possible swine flu infection risk. This unfortunate turn of events could be the freshest example of misinformation and overreaction to the specter of a pandemic. ... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Women We Love: 11 Environmental Heroines (Slideshow)

Tue, 05 May 2009 15:30:15 GMT

When we talk about environmentalist heroes, does the image of noble environmentalists like John Muir may come to mind? Probably. But what about the inspiring faces of environmentalist heroines past and present, who've worked hard to transform our collective ecological consciousness? In appreciation of Mother's Day, we drew up a list of women who have made an enormous difference with their work as activists, community builders, sustainers, nurturers, artists, politicians, scientists and teachers alike. While some may remain unnamed and relatively unsung, women are nevertheless an integral part of environmentalist history. Without their tireless efforts, the green movement would not be the same. Read more about these courageous women of heart, strength and action. ... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Women We Love: 11 Environmental Heroines

Tue, 05 May 2009 03:30:31 GMT

Wangari Maathai

Our first choice for our eleven environmental heroines is Wangari Maathai, who is a woman of many firsts: not only is she the first African woman and first environmentalist to bring home a Nobel Peace Prize, she was also the first Eastern African woman to receive a Ph.D. in 1971 and the first woman to hold a professorship at one of the universities in Nairobi, Kenya. Her inspiring story is one of incredible tenacity and purpose. Her work ranges from women's rights, to combating poverty, to the struggle for democracy in Kenya. Maathai is also famous for being the frontwoman of the United Nations Billion Tree Campaign.

Photo via German Academic Exchange Service

... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Antiviral Tamiflu Stockpiling Fast, Despite Unclear Health and Environmental Effects

Fri, 01 May 2009 19:50:45 GMT

Tamiflu capsules (Photo: Moriori via Wikimedia Commons)
Amid media hype, speculation and alerts tweetin' faster than a virus, sales of antiviral drugs marketed as "effective" against the hybrid form of H1N1 "swine flu" virus have shot up dramatically. Governments and individuals around the world are now stockpiling antiviral drugs, leading investors to snap up shares of Roche, the Swiss maker of the antiviral Tamiflu, and GlaxoSmithKline, maker of Relenza. But this antiviral-stockpiling frenzy begs the question: are drugs like Tamiflu effective against swine flu? How is Tamiflu made and are there any side effects? What are the long-term implications of manufacturing and releasing pharmaceuticals on the environment? ... Read the full story on TreeHugger

The Truth Behind Swine Flu: Have Cheap Drugs & Greed Created a Pandemic?

Wed, 29 Apr 2009 18:14:00 GMT

Pigs confined in gestation cages (Photo: Farm Sanctuary on Flickr)
Even if global coverage on the potential swine flu pandemic may be an over-reaction, it's clear that the outbreak is still a serious issue (which you can now follow via Google Maps). All things considered, the outbreak seems to be the tip of the proverbial iceberg. In addition to the other questionable agribusiness practices of "confined animal feeding operations" - a new study by the Soil Association suggests that the overuse of antibiotics could also be a major factor in creating antibiotic resistant super-pathogens (aside from the mutant strain of viral swine flu wreaking havoc now). These bacterial "superbugs" include:... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Plastic Bags to Contain 40 Percent Recycled Content by 2015?

Mon, 27 Apr 2009 22:30:20 GMT

Plastic bags in Japan (Photo: Sekihan on Flickr)
The American Chemistry Council - the same industry trade association that funded two studies "misrepresent[ing] the hazards of bisphenol A" - is setting its sights on making plastic bags with 40 percent recycled content by 2015. It's both good news and a shrewd public relations campaign, but according to the ACC, there are two major factors that must be first addressed: ... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Indigenous People's Climate Change Summit Giving "Unified Voice"

Thu, 23 Apr 2009 14:14:13 GMT

Aboriginal rangers assessing sea rise level damage in Kowanyama, Australia (Photo: Citt Williams)
In anticipation of December's Convention on Climate Change in Copenhagen, over 500 delegates from 80 countries gathered at this week's Indigenous Peoples Global Summit on Climate Change have declared that indigenous rights must be included in future global agreements on climate change. Hosted by the Inuit Circumpolar Council and sponsored by the United Nations, the five-day conference is being held in Anchorage, Alaska. The goal is to give a stronger political voice to indigenous peoples on climate change issues, in addition to sharing traditional knowledge and adaptive techniques. ... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Overfishing Means Marine Animals Are Starving: Report

Mon, 20 Apr 2009 20:45:32 GMT

More fisheries are relying on smaller prey fish such as anchoveta - with more than 10.7 million metric tons pulled in, depriving seabirds and other marine animals of food (FAO "Ten Biggest Fisheries in the World" 2006)
It seems that humanity's voracious appetite for fish - be it wild or farmed - is depleting the ocean so much of its smaller "prey fish" and krill that marine predators, such as dolphins, seals, whales, are facing starvation. A new report by ocean conservation group Oceana describes how "scrawny predators - dolphins, sea bass and even whales - have turned up on coastlines all over the world", including seabirds "emaciated from lack of food, vulnerable to disease and without enough energy to reproduce". ... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Social Designer: Creating "Goods for the Greater Good"

Sat, 18 Apr 2009 16:15:26 GMT

Entry by JDS Architects, Social Designer website
Leveraging the success of their collaborative and socially-conscious design network, Design 21, Felissimo Design House has introduced another social design initiative called Social Designer. It's an interactive online design and fashion marketplace for people who not only want to make a difference, but want to try their hand at designing products for a greater good. ... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Endangered Elephants Are Main Seed Dispersers of Congo's Forest: Study

Mon, 13 Apr 2009 15:27:55 GMT

Forest elephants in Kenya (Meisjesanne via Flickr)
Shy and reclusive, the forest elephants of Congo, Central Africa are being pushed to the brink of extinction by the loss of habitat and illegal poaching for the ivory and bushmeat trades. What may not be apparent is the fact that if the forest elephants disappear - the forests might vanish as well. It's because indigenous plant species may rely heavily on forest elephants to ensure that their seeds are spread far and wide - and in fact, that's what a new study of seed dispersal has found - that forest elephants may be responsible for spreading and planting more seeds in the Congo than any other species or genus.... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Social Network "Ooooby" Connects Locavores & Food Growers

Sat, 11 Apr 2009 15:07:33 GMT

We love the idea behind Ning, a site which allows people to create their own social network for anything - from anime to baking, but including stuff of a more sustainable flavour such as local bartering and skillshare networks to permaculture meet-ups. We came across Ooooby - Out Of Our Own Backyards - a Ning social network dedicated to connecting for food growers and locavores, and working towards a "goal of food interdependence". The site also features some hot pictures of chicken tractors (apparently also called "chicken burees"). ... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Goodbye Maple Syrup: Climate Change Pushing Sugar Maple Out of Northeast U.S.

Wed, 08 Apr 2009 17:34:29 GMT

Photo: Can of maple syrup from Quebec (via One Whole Clove)
Having lived in the northeastern U.S. for some time before moving to Quebec, certainly some of the best things in these parts include colourful fall foliage and tons of locally-harvested maple syrup. Sadly, thanks to increasingly -weird' and warming weather, the long-standing tradition and $65 million business of "maple sugaring" in the northeastern U.S. is in danger of becoming a historical footnote. ... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Dead Malls: Tragedy or Opportunity?

Mon, 06 Apr 2009 17:42:50 GMT

Photo: Eastland Mall, Tulsa, OK (Tom Baddley of Lost Tulsa via Deadmalls.com)
Is the era of the enclosed shopping mall over? With changing consumer habits (such as increased online shopping) and the advent of "big-box" specialty stores and discounters like Home Depot, Target and Wal-mart, the deepening recession is merely delivering the coup de grace for hundreds of shopping malls across the U.S. For some, the end is coming none too soon. As icons of excessive consumption and shortsighted urban planning, malls represent everything that has gone wrong with our car-based consumer culture. For others (especially in smaller towns), malls represent one of the last few sanctioned public spaces in our society where communities can gather. So what happens (or could happen) when a shopping mall dies?... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Must "Craftivism" (Craft + Activism) Have A Politically Liberal Bent?

Sat, 04 Apr 2009 16:41:37 GMT

Photo: Gideon Tsang on Flickr
We know that the concept of the "buy and sell handmade" blog Etsy has revolutionary implications for consumer culture and what it means to be part of a creative community. But does politics have a place in crafting social change (and by crafting, we mean the act of making things - knitting, forging, sewing, sculpting, etc.)? Well, for the Etsy Craftivism Team (which recently underwent an upheaval due to an ideological disagreement of the definition of "craftivism") - yes, it does. Etsy Teams are groups of sellers that come together for a common purpose, and for some other more apolitical members of the Craftivist team, the term evokes the idea of personal empowerment, rather than a USA-centric political principle. This division is interesting because not only is Etsy a wonderful experiment - creatively and socially - but it also points to an interesting paradox between art and activism - even as the handmade industry faces weird issues of legality and "safety". ... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Recent Posts by TreeHugger's Kimberley D. Mok, Montreal, Canada