on 09.29.09
John wonders if 400 Green Labels Do Anything But Confuse The World's Consumers? "Four hundred competing labels is a near-perfect way to devalue the whole idea. Green Globes and Green Leaves: every body's got 'em. Makes me wonder if industries in opposition are donating money to label originators."
on 09.28.09
Sami rants that Green Doesn't (Always) Come Cheap and notes that we get a lot of complaints whenever we show the green, organic handmade baby and kids stuff that costs five times as much as the offshored Wal-Mart equivalent. He asks "isn't cheap and ubiquitous what got us into this mess?"
on 09.23.09
Chrysler always has crazy ideas; my dad once had a talking Chrysler that would complain "a door is ajar" every time it opened. When asked why he would drive a car that nagged him so much, he replied "It makes me feel at home." Now Mike tells us that they are doing something that might be equally silly; in the interest of saving 20,000 trees they are supplying a DVD instead of an owners manual. Good idea?
on 09.21.09
image via Icanhascheezburger
I never knew the name for the game we play every year about this time, when it starts getting cool and we see who breaks down first to turn up the thermostat. Will it be me because I can't type? Or my wife because she can't play the piano? Sami introduces us to Thermostat Chicken- "a term used for the practice of avoiding heating in winter, or cooling in summer, and competing - implicitly or explicitly - with other household members to see who can hold out the longest."
on 09.17.09
According to Next Generation Food, 25% of Americans eat fast food every day, getting in one meal almost the full recommended dose of fat, sodium and calories. Do you?
on 09.15.09
Jaymi loved this kitchen thing that did many functions instead of one; she wrote "A big part of quality, sustainable design is that whatever you're creating should have more than one use, so that you only need one consumable item to accomplish multiple tasks" and concluded that "it seems like we've finally hit upon a kitchen device that isn't eye-roll-worthy." But commenters eyes were rolling as they questioned whether this was a jack of all trades or a master of none.
on 09.14.09
We have described Tassimo as "a machine that creates a captive audience for an overpriced coffee system that creates unnecessary waste" and a prime example of "design for unsustainability."
Now we learn that they are going to start accepting used coffee pods for recycling in the UK. This isn't easy; Bill McDonough called this kind of thing a "monstrous hybrid".
on 09. 9.09
Tim LaSalle writes in Why GM (Genetically Modified) Foods Have Failed at Producing Healthy Food for More People that "no currently available transgenic varieties enhance the intrinsic yield of any crops" and questions whether they are healthy. But 89% of soybeans in America are GM, 60% of the corn and 75% of the canola. So unless you follow a strict organic diet you are eating lots of the stuff. Do you care?
TreeHugger wasn't supposed to be political, but the discussion on every post we write, from SIGG Bottles and Bisphenol A to fuel economy in cars to whatever, let alone Van Jones, has turned into a reflection of the culture wars that seem to divide America. What can be done?
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Alex writes in How Cell Phones Are Helping (and Occasionally Harming) Us -- and How We Can Use Them Better: "In the space of a decade, cell phones have gone from novelties to arguably the most central objects in our lives." A lot of people I know would argue that point; because of the cost, the possible health hazards, or just the annoyance, they refuse to have one.
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I was completely shocked by Christine's post Hatchery Horrors: Video Shows No Mercy for Baby Chicks, where the cute fuzzy things are ground up alive. I was almost as shocked by the comments, where many thought that this was no biggie at all, that this is how food is made and we should get over it. Who do you agree with?
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We need to use every trick in the book to increase awareness of environmental issues, but really, bikinis and boobs? Jaymi writes in Angry Green Girl Puts Boobs and Sex Appeal Front and Center to Sell a Green Message "While we're certain a lot of the viewers are there to see something other than which low-flow shower head to use, there's still got to be some amount of green awareness being picked up." But at what cost?
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A new study concludes that by the time you read 23 books on your Kindle, it has a lower environmental inpact than the production of books. Other people are jumping into the E-book biz and soon they might be common, affordable and even DRM free. Would you get one?
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David is shocked by a survey that finds far more people worried about the economy, healthcare and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan than they are about the environment. I am not surprised at all; the graph was titled "top concerns sorted percent ranking #1, so we are not seeing people's second choices, but what is top on their mind at the time of the survey. I would be surprised if a survey of our own, more committed readership turned out much differently; let's see.
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Not a few TreeHugger readers (and writers) almost had a core meltdown over Brian's post The Next Nuclear Renaissance is Already Underway. Others think it is the only realistic solution for carbon free electricity. Who do you think got it right?
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Americans don't pay much of a gas tax, as Brian notes in his post Is the United States Ready for a Higher Gas Tax? It also is no surprise that there is a direct correlation between the price of gas and the fuel efficiency of the cars people buy. It also covers the cost of infrastructure repairs and could fund alternatives. Is it time to crank it up?
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Jaymi writes about a survey that shows that the under-24 crowd is guilty of being the most energy and water wasteful demographic. Now we know something about surveys; TreeHugger polls are accurate within 4% 19 out of 20 times, and this one doesn't smell right. The survey says kids don't know which appliances use the most energy and take long showers. But is that all there is?
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After the news came out that SIGG was being, shall we say politely, a bit disingenuous with statements like those in the ad above, I suggested that people might as well keep using them, suggesting that this was an issue of trust and transparency, not safety. Others disagreed. What are you doing?
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Bike lanes might be useable on Saturdays if the US Postal Service eliminates Saturday delivery as Pablo suggests. Up in Canada, they haven't had Saturday delivery for decades, even since pre-internet times; they get by. After all, what is in it beside bills and junk mail?
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Image Credit: rick-online
SJWyman asks:
I do an excellent job of remembering to use my reusable bags when I go shopping, but when I need to buy produce...I'm stumped as to what I should do so I don't have to use the plastic produce bags provided by the grocer.Got ideas? Post them here....
Image Credit: simon_sees-online
EcoInteractive writes:
Let be honest! Jet travel leaves a very large carbon footprint. How is it possible for any form of tourism to be truly "Eco"? Eco tour companies talk about leaving a small footprint, the fact is, much of it is just marketing. What about Carbon Credits? Many tour companies are offsetting their Carbon Footprint with Carbon Credits. The fact is, many of the Carbon Offset programs out there do not offset any Carbon at all. What are the issues around Carbon Credits? What works and what is snake oil? Since I am involved in the industry, (and upon special request), I will lead a thread on the issues surrounding Eco Tourism. What's good? Whats Bad? What is just plain Bull? What should you be looking for when choosing your next environmentally friendly travel experience?What do you think? Post here....
Image Credit: soundfromwayout-online
yoder writes:
Just got off the phone with a customer service rep, from our recycling program and have to say I'm almost ready to throw in the towel and throw everything in the trash. From cryptic and nonsensical "yellow tags" when they won't pick up, to website instructions/policies that are unrealistic. How many thousands of people are they pushing away from recycling with their ill conceived and even iller implemented program?Where do you draw the line? Post here....
Image Credit: Marcel030NL-online
lunarstudio asks:
I saw a program on television about one of the latest, most environmentally destructive methods of fishing. It basically involves "raking" the ocean floor by large commercial fishing vessels. According to the television show, 1/3 an area the size of the entire United States is "raked" this way every year leaving a massive amount of destruction in it's wake. Now, I'm not completely positive that salmon is caught this way, however assuming that it is - what would actually be the better choice for the environment if you HAD to make one. Farm raised Salmon or Wild?What Do You Think? Post here. ...
I am constantly amazed at the level of political discourse in the US. So a debate about health care degenerates into scares about "death panels" and boycotts of Whole Foods because their CEO is against it. It is all a bit much, and a complete mystery to citizens of every other developed country in the world who take universal health care for granted. At the end of his post on the subject, Brian asked:
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Image Credit: (a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/f-r-a-n-k/">frankh-online
Valhalla writes:
As, I've stated here before, forget Fuel cells, hydrogen, propane, CNG, etc. Battery cars like the Volt and Tesla are the future. With China already delivering plug in hybrids, Tesla shipping, the Volt announced, and now the big Ford push its game over for competing technologies. This is great news not only for the environment but also for the industry that has finally agreed on a path forward. Now that a direction has been chosen, the benefits of focused research and development as well as economies of scale will drive this technology down to the point that everyone will be able to afford a plug in in a few short years. Another big plus is the knowledge gained when these first products begin to ship. That can really accelerate the knowledge base so as to build even better and more reliable cars. To be sure it's been a long haul with many fits and starts but it looks like battery technology, along with advances in LED lighting and other high efficiency advancements, has finally progressed to the point of economic viability.What do you think? Post here....
Image Credit: hibino-online
Clay03 writes:
The average low/middle income workers may likely never reap the benefits of having a good paying green job. And for those of you that are unemployed, what do you think your chances are of getting a good paying green job? This issue was recently brought to my attention, and I couldn't resist the challenge of proving my friend wrong. I hope we didn't make a bet on this, because I'm afraid I'll lose it. Doing the random queries over the Internet, I've come to find out that good paying green jobs really are out of reach for many, especially the unemployed. The reason? It's always been said and it's apparently true today, "It takes money to make money."Got ideas? Post them here....
Image Credit: hoyasmeg-online
ml2620 asks:
I just put an offer in on a house in Massachusetts (Metro West) that has a "babbling brook" running through the property. In the 18th century, there was a mill here so the brook runs between granite blocks about 7 feet high, with two feet of gently running water in between (think "perfect place to stick a water wheel"). One of the selling points of the property was the possibility of harnessing this source for some power. Can anyone recommend some good books and resources for harnessing this spot for some hydropower? Things to consider? Experiences?Got ideas? Post them here....
Here are a few recommended websites.
