CMYK Folding Electric Bike: Award Winning Prototype Available in 2010?

Sun, 22 Nov 2009 16:18:54 GMT

Image credit: Manuel Saez From the eZee Quando to the Panasonic Time Off to an electric assist Brompton, electric folding bikes are becoming more common. The folding capacity for transportation, combined with electric assist to avoid a sweaty arrival at work, is an enticing combination for commuters in particular. Now there's a new kid on the block. And it's winning some major awards. I just need to know where I can get one...... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Learning Organic Farming: Looking Back or Moving Forward?

Sun, 22 Nov 2009 09:55:31 GMT

Image credit: Soil Association From its Organic Products Awards to debating whether air freighted produce can be organic, the UK's Soil Association has long been both an advocate for, and a pioneer of, organic foods. Now their Organic Farm School initiative is offering farmers, small holders and food enthusiasts alike the opportunity to learn the ins and outs of growing crops, rearing animals, and preparing food. I just wonder if it needs to feel so folksy. ... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Eating Roadkill: Vegan, Veganish, or Just Plain Gross?

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 09:50:21 GMT

Image credit: Homegrown Choppers and Vagabond Journey OK, I'll admit it. I am a thoroughly confused TreeHugger. On the one hand, I recognize that sustainability needs to appeal to the masses if we have any hope of cutting carbon emissions at the rate necessary. So palatable mainstream solutions like Zip Car, high-tech organic farming, integrating solar with agriculture, or simply encouraging urban density have more chance of saving us than hoping we all start growing our own vegetables and learning how to hunt. On the other hand, there's a lot to be learned from intrepid back-to-the-landers about efficiency, waste and reprioritizing what is truly valuable. So it's in this spirit that I offer up my next post. And the subject, dear readers, is the delightful topic of how to eat roadkill. ... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Science, Evidence, and the Importance of Action

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 09:31:16 GMT

Image credit: Cedar Consulting Contradictory science is nothing new within the green movement—from those who claim that solar energy could power the world to those who argue that nuclear power could solve the energy crisis, from those extolling biochar for carbon sequestration and soil improvement to those who say it could destroy the biosphere. In fact, it's in the very nature of science to constantly question, deliberate and reexamine the evidence available, and consequently there are almost always differing opinions and seemingly contradictory studies. But at some point we have to make decisions based on the science we have. At some point we have to act. ... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Supermarket Launches City-Wide Electric Vehicle Charging

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 09:58:08 GMT

Image credit: Webecoist From turning waste food into energy to delivering food by barge, UK supermarket Sainsbury's has been exploring alternative energy and transportation for some time. They even recently unveiled "people-powered" checkouts, though on closer inspection they appeared to be gasoline driven. Now the company is taking a significant step toward real, far-reaching electric vehicle infrastructure across London. ... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Are Greens Anti-Progress? Eco-modernity vs Green Traditionalism

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 09:49:35 GMT

Image credit: FusedFilm.com Along with the idea that environmentalism is a religion, another irritating notion seems to keep cropping up recently—that environmentalism, or some environmental solutions, are just about taking us back to the past. When I wrote about homemade bone meal fertilizer, for example, commenter Richard responded to the idea that vegetarianism can be more efficient by asking if "we should just go directly back to living in trees and eating whatever roots and berries we can find lying on the ground?" It's a common refrain. And it's one that I find particularly irritating, mostly because it has at least a grain of truth to it. ... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Are Aquaponics 'Kits' a Rip Off?

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 09:11:58 GMT

Image credit: Friendly Aquaponics Instant feedback is nice. No sooner do I write a post about Hawaii-based Friendly Aquaponics—praising their work, but noting that their plans for aquaponic systems don't come cheap—that I get an email from them telling me I'm right, and that's why they've launched one of the most affordable DIY aquaponic options out there. And they are less than complimentary about their competition!... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Can Green Funerals Be Fun?

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 09:24:20 GMT

Image credit: Liz OConnell It's funny how uptight people can get about death. Yet it's one of the very few things, along with birth, taxes, breathing etc, that we all have in common. For the green minded, there are plenty of more sustainable end of life options cropping up, from jute coffins to woodland burials. But beyond the material issues of burial, I think there is an argument for a cultural reconnection with, and reimagining of, death and dying—including, I would argue, a need to lighten up. ... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Is Male Pee Better than Female Pee? The Compost Conundrum

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 12:49:26 GMT

Image credit: National Trust Ahh, pee—From the selective flush to the shared flush to peeing in public to peeing in the shower, there's almost nothing that seems to bring up a livelier discussion here on TreeHugger than how to treat human urine. And from "why not, peeing in drinking water is gross anyway", to "ugh, could environmentalists get any more disgusting"—reactions to urination alternatives seem to be sharply divided. Now the UK's National Trust, a national charity responsible for the upkeep of some of the country's most precious stately homes, gardens and parks, is wading into the discussion. And they're likely to upset the feminists as well as the pee-phobic, claiming male superiority when it comes to urine. ... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Award-Winning Human Powered Vehicle (Video)

Sun, 15 Nov 2009 09:54:05 GMT

Image credit: Peak Moment TV From four-wheel-drive human-powered SUVs, to pedicabs, to cargo bikes, pedal-powered transportation is evolving. Students at Chico State University are determined to speed up that evolution with their Human-Powered-Vehicle challenge. Peak Moment TV took a ride on the winning entry. Check it out—I want one.... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Solar as a Commodity: How Can Manufacturers Differentiate Their Brands?

Sun, 15 Nov 2009 09:28:30 GMT

Image credit: Tor Valenza/RenewableEnergyWorld From SunPower's super-efficient solar cells to Lennar Homes going 100% solar in California, it's clear that more and more rooftops will be sporting solar PV and solar thermal panels as households seek to generate some of their own energy. Renewable Energy World raises an interesting question in this regard—as solar gets increasingly common, even commodified, how will solar manufacturers differentiate their brands? Or, to put it another way, will homeowners care who makes the panels they install?... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Homemade Bone Meal: A Partial Solution to Peak Phosphate?

Sat, 14 Nov 2009 09:51:29 GMT

Image credit: Asymmetric A looming peak oil crisis isn't the only thing we have to worry about. Jeremy has already noted that the world could be facing a severe phosphorus shortage over the coming century, a shortage that would seriously curtail our ability to grow food. (Phosphorus is a vital plant nutrient used as fertilizer.) Warren has already pointed out that recycling human urine could help preserve this precious resource, a task that's easy enough for the home gardener. But what other measures can we take at home to keep the phosphrous in our gardens? It turns out that part of the answer may lay in the bones. (The other part may lie in leaving the bones well alone.)... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Awesome Recumbent Folding Trike Video

Sat, 14 Nov 2009 09:36:13 GMT

Image credit: Greenspeed As the former owner of a Brompton folding bike, I know how convenient a human-powered vehicle that packs up small can be. But while the Brompton was great for commutes, it wasn't the finest touring bike in the world. So imagine my intrigue when I came across a folding recumbent trike. And then I saw a video of this thing doing some serious downhill action, and I fell in love.... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Crop Mob One Year On: NC Land 'Raids' Continue

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 09:48:20 GMT

Image credit: Crop Mob News of a large group of landless young people invading a farm tends to bring images of revolution. And NC-based Crop Mob does indeed have revolution in mind, but the group's methods are more about giving than taking. As I noted in my original post on Crop Mob, the organization is part of a wider resurgence of young people taking up farming. It was borne out of a discussion group on the problems facing young farmers, but rather than sit around talking about challenges, the group decided it was better off getting things done. So, armed with hoes, shovels, wheelbarrows, and bucket-loads of good will, the Mob has been descending on local farms to offer a helping hand. And after a full year of Mobbing, the idea is spreading. (Usual Disclaimer/Declaration of Bias: As always, when I write about my community, I know some of the people involved and am honored to call them my friends. I try not to let that cloud my judgment, but nobody is perfect.)... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Friendly Aquaponics: Commercial and Home-Scale Fish and Vegetable Production

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 09:40:04 GMT

Image credit: Friendly Aquaponics It always appeals to me when I see a business that lists, as one of its goals, to "put ourselves out of business as soon as we can" by spreading its knowledge as freely as generously as possible—especially when Leonard Nimoy is quoted as inspiration. But I suspect Friendly Aquaponics in Hawaii will be in business for some time to come. And that's no bad thing. If their website is anything to go by, their aquaponics system is one of the most impressive I've seen. ... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Climate Campaign Turns Down Airport: "Eco-Snobbery" or Drawing the Line?

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 09:26:17 GMT

Image credit: 10:10 Campaign The 10:10 Campaign has been receiving massive attention in the UK, signing up everyone from government ministers to major corporations with pledges to cut their own CO2 emissions 10% by 2010. It almost won a vote in parliament to reduce the entire country's emissions by 10% too. So you'd think think they'd be pleased when they receive an application from the country's third largest airport, an institution that is creating power with biomass grown and burned on site; running an experimental electric car; installing energy efficient lighting, and buying all of its electricity from renewable sources by 2015. Don't count on it. In a move that's brought accusations of eco-snobbery, 10:10 turned the Manchester Airport Group down. Here's why. ... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Will "Green Religion" Save Us or Sink Us?

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 09:34:40 GMT

Image credit: Saint Julia of Corsica, found on DeaconLaz.org (artist unknown) When I posed the question of whether leading by green example can be passive aggressive preaching, I was surprised when commenter Joey claimed that I had eluded that I was a "member of a religion." To me environmentalism is anything but a matter of faith, but rather a question of sound scientific understanding that material resources, and the Earth's ability to support life, are both limited. And that it's in our own self interest to live within our planetary means. But it proves how much attention I've been paying to headlines—as Kristin already reported, a UK court has determined that belief in global warming is indeed akin to a religious or philosophical conviction. Depending on who you talk to, this could either be good for environmentalism, or very, very bad indeed. ... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Massive Refrigerated Trains: Is Railex the Future of Produce Freight? (Video)

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 12:45:40 GMT

Image credit: Railex Last week I wrote about the Stobart Refrigerated Train shipping produce from Spain to the UK via the Channel Tunnel, providing an alternative to hybrid trucks or slowing down freight as a means to saving gas. But while it was impressive, commenter Andrew pointed out that the "first-of-its-kind" headline may have been misleading. In fact, four 55 car state-of-the-art refrigerated train have been shipping refrigerated produce from Washington State and California to Albany, NY. The entire operation is incredible. ... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Factory Farms, Deforestation, Subsidies and Soy: UK Campaign Connects the Dots (Video)

Sun, 08 Nov 2009 09:48:19 GMT

Image credit: FOE From Meatless Mondays to Weekday Vegetarianism to going raw food vegan to adopting the 100-Mile Diet, there are plenty of individual actions we can take to reduce the impact of our meals. But personal action is not enough, and with the complex, interrelated clusterf**k that our food system has become, individuals can feel powerless to make positive change on a systemic level. Luckily, a new campaign from Friends of the Earth UK is connecting the dots for you. ... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Community Planning for Peak Oil: This Doesn't Look So Dark (video)

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 09:57:49 GMT

Image credit: Transition Whidbey I posted on Friday about Worldchanging's critic of the Dark Side of Transition Towns, in which Alex Steffen argued that the Transition Town movement is effectively burying its head in the sand—promoting ineffectual, perhaps folksy [I paraphrase], individual action instead of systemic or political change, and maybe even gleefully anticipating a social collapse. No sooner do I finish writing about the ensuing debate, that I come across a video that, I think, shows the true heart of Transition. ... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Green Living: Leading by Example or Passive Aggressive Preaching?

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 09:14:24 GMT

Image credit: South Park/Comedy Central As I noted in my post on The Art of the Eco-argument, we're often better off leading our own lives than telling others how to lead theirs. In fact, if eco-snobbery is left unchecked, it could lead to a major backlash against the environmental movement. But, having recently noted some negative reactions to folks who are very much just 'doing their own thing', another question bothers me. Can leading by example become a subtle but passive aggressive form of preaching? Can we, and should we, mitigate the way we communicate our own lifestyle changes, or should folks who get annoyed by our prius driving, bike riding, plastic bag eschewing ways just get a life? ... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Massive On-Site Composting: The Eden Project Raises the Bar

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 11:34:06 GMT

Image credit: The Eden Project The UK's Eden Project has long had our attention as a Treehugger's wonderland. From the 124 acre biome conservatories, to the rock concerts from Moby, Brian Wilson and PJ Harvey, to the recycled glass flutes they sell, created from bottles at their own restaurant, to hosting the premier of the Age of Stupid—this is much more than your average tourist attraction/conservation exhibit. And the team at Eden has just passed an important milestone—composting over 100 tonnes of its own food waste. As usual with these guys, it's not just what they do, but how they do it.... Read the full story on TreeHugger

The Dark Side of Transition Towns? Worldchanging Slams Transition Movement

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 09:57:40 GMT

Image credit: Narocroc We TreeHuggers have long been inspired by the Transition Movement's positive response to peak oil. From planting nut trees for food security to launching local currencies, Transition Initiatives are promoting real, boots-on-the-ground action. But they have not been without their critics, arguing that Transition feels like a rebranding of the back-to-the-land movement, or hinting that it is deeply skewed to the left-leaning, hippy end of the cultural spectrum. Now Alex Steffen of Worldchanging has weighed into the debate, claiming that Transitioners exhibit a "casual eagerness for the death of others."... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Revolutionary Cable Suspended Solar: Cost-Effective Solar Structures (Video)

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 09:33:21 GMT

Image credit: REM eyewear Only the other week I posted about an innovative project to integrate solar power with food production, and while the photo-shopped graphics for that post may have left something to be desired, a new installation may give a better idea of what's possible. In what's billed as the "first, cable-suspended free span solar energy system" REM eyewear and P4P Energy have created a patented system that could help expand the potential for integrating solar with other types of land use. ... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Selling Gas to Build Wind Turbines: A Green Step Forward?

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 09:38:54 GMT

Image credit: Ecotricity UK wind energy developer Ecotricity's stance on green energy supply has long been controversial. Instead of guaranteeing that it purchases all of its energy from green sources, as most of its rivals do, it has instead guaranteed it will invest its profits into building new generating capacity - arguing that this is the most effective way of cutting carbon emissions. Now it looks set to take a further step into the fossil fuel arena - supplying customers with natural gas, and channeling those profits into greener supply too. The question is—will it fly with customers? Is this a logical step toward greener energy, or a muddying of the waters?... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Hunting, Fishing and Hypocrisy: Store-bought Meat was Killed Too (Video)

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 09:34:49 GMT

Image credit: Jenni Grover (with thanks to Kris, and the fish, for the fish.) The gun rights advocates who got upset at my post about 5 Things I Hate about the USA may be surprised at this, and the vegans who despised my post on urban farming and backyard slaughter will be no happier, but I am an increasingly big fan of hunters and fishers. In fact, (responsible) hunting and fishing may make it on my next list of 5 things I love about America. Here's why. ... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Living Without Cash for a Year: Hypocrisy or Heroism?

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 11:11:04 GMT

Image credit: Enterprise UK When I wrote about 5 things I hate about America (in my defense, I also wrote 5 things I love about America!), I lamented a lack of entrepreneurialism or initiative in the UK. But generalizations are almost always dangerous. Mark Boyle, founder of the Freeconomy Community, is a case in point, although he's not your average idea of an entrepreneur. He's hitting the headlines once again, blogging over at The Guardian about his quest to live without money for a year. The ensuing debate is fascinating. ... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Gorgeous DIY Living Walls: Woolly Pocket Garden Company (Video)

Sun, 01 Nov 2009 09:03:45 GMT

Image credit: LXTV Remember Woolly Pocket Garden Company's recycled planters for DIY living walls? Using 100% recycled plastic bottles, the company provides a cheap and durable way to plant plants in almost any vertical or horizontal space. Used right, the result is an affordable, do-it-yourself version of the living walls so popular in modern architecture. (See also ELT's living wall kits.) Now LXTV has created a short piece showing how Woolly Pockets work. The inventor also explains,, much to his own surprise, why plants grow better in these containers.... Read the full story on TreeHugger

The Youth Voice on Climate Change: We'll Listen, But Will We Act?

Sun, 01 Nov 2009 08:47:13 GMT

Image credit: Consider Us The UNEP's Consider Us campaign is one of those initiatives that has me totally inspired and utterly depressed at the same time. Inspired because the idea of giving youth a voice in advance of the Copenhagen climate summit is about as important task as I can think of. Depressed because we've given youth a voice many times before. Collectively, we're actually quite good at listening to the youth voice. It's just acting on it that seems a little more difficult. ... Read the full story on TreeHugger

First-of-its-Kind Refrigerated Rail Expedition Cuts Carbon

Sat, 31 Oct 2009 09:48:23 GMT

Image credit: Stobart Group Hybrid trucks may cut carbon, and even slowing down road freight may save gas, but truckers still have a long way to go before they can beat the efficiencies offered by rail. But road freight does have its place—perhaps most notably in allowing perishable goods to be transported from farm to warehouse to store with minimal risk of delay. Traditionally, fruit and vegetables grown in Southern Europe and sold in the UK have been shipped by road for this very reason. Until now. But an iconic UK freight company is launching a first-of-its-kind refrigerated rail service that will dramatically cut the carbon footprint of imported veggies. ... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Recent Posts by TreeHugger's Sami Grover, Carrboro, NC, USA