Interact

Image Credit: oporder via Flickr

greenferret has a call to action:

Right now, the most ambitious climate bill in Washington calls for reducing greenhouse gas emissions 7% below 1990 levels by 2020. That's pathetic.
According to the Nobel Prize-winning International Panel on Climate Change, the world must reduce emissions far more aggressively -- 25-40% by 2020 -- to have a 50/50 chance of avoiding runaway climate change.
Tell President Obama and your Members of Congress to support an emissions reduction target of 40% by 2020.

So what does Obama need to hear? Join the conversation.

Business & Politics

Image via Menassat

The email system of one of the world's leading climate researchers was just reported to be infiltrated by hackers. Protected information and email messages sent from climate scientists at the University of East Anglia's Climatic Research Unit (CRU) began turning up on public websites today. Why the CRU was targeted is still unclear--though there's speculation that with the global climate meeting in Copenhagen nearing, opponents of climate action may be going so far as to be doing illegal reconnaissance.

Business & Politics

Photo via Change

If James Brown had been around to witness the rise of the green jobs sector and learned of the news from this recent study, he'd shake his head and say, "It's a man's world. Ow! After all these years and so much progress, even in a sector dedicated towards achieving the noble aim of an emissions-free economy, it appears some prejudices still plague us." Well, he might not have said it exactly like that. But it appears to be the unfortunate truth: women--especially minority women--are getting largely left out of the green job market.

Design & Architecture

Wall Street Journal

Is it just the economy or is there a real change going on? Michael Phillips writes in the Wall Street Journal about how builders are offering smaller houses than they have in years. The Scarlett O'Hara stairs and two storey halls are out, and the plans are simpler, square-er, and way more efficient. Some might say that it is simply a response to the economy; as one commenter said " In a down economy smaller houses sell, and in a good economy bigger houses sell. Unless we have all become rabid anti-materialists this is just a phase."

But perhaps there are bigger changes afoot.

Science & Technology

Photo via Maurice

When did water fountains become more of a novelty than an expectation in urban areas? And when did their restoration become news? It seems to say something about the state of free clean drinking water in cities - perhaps we've realized we've gone too far towards bottled water and are finally, finally making our way back to the tap. Either way, London has restored a drinking fountain in famous Trafalgar Square, and hopes that it starts a trend of renovating fountains across the city, returning free clean water to citizens who are out and about enjoying their public spaces.

Cars & Transportation

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.

Culture & Celebrity

Wrapped government buildings and surrounded islands, endless fences and saffron gates: This is the work of Christo and Jean-Claude. Famous for their large-scale installations, the couple has drawn controversy throughout their career, but the goal, but simply, has always been to make people happy with expressions of beauty.

As Jean-Claude explained, when people come to see their art, "They start smiling at each other, they start talking to each other, they are in a completely different state of mind. Is very rewarding for us, because they feel that freedom and they feel that they are witnessing something that happens once in a lifetime."

On November 18, 2009, Jean-Claude, wife and artistic collaborator of Christo, died in the couple's apartment. Following, is a celebration of the work she helped create.

Fashion & Beauty

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.