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The Dirt on Soil Erosion
Photo credit: MontanaRavenSoil erosion runs far deeper than we might think. In fact, we could be looking at a "silent global crisis"one that is undermining food production and water availability, not to mention responsible for 30 percent of greenhouse gases."We are overlooking soil as the foundation of all life on Earth," Andres Arnalds, assistant director of the Icelandic Soil Conservation Service, told IPS News. "Soil and vegetation is being lost at an alarming rate around the globe, which in t...

The Weather Channel Adopts Sustainable Practices
Photo credit: Trek EarthOver the past year weve heard of many networks looking to make their practices more sustainable. Now we have another to add to our list. The Weather Channel, as part of its green initiatives, has built a new high def studio which will be completed in February 2008. This studio is expected to earn the LEED certification with on-air production by April 2008. In addition, the network has a few other environmental plans, such a...

TH Forums Highlights: Biofuels, Gas Prices, Recyling + More
We believe in miracles, since you came along, you sexy TreeHugger Forums...1) Forums user saxon68 thinks (as TreeHugger does) that "biofuels, hailed by many as the green solution to offset a coming oil shortage and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, are not a cure-all solution," because, in part, they "requ...

How to Make Your Own Microwave Popcorn
Photo credit: MalingeringWe now know that chronic exposure to diacetyl, the artificial-flavoring chemical in microwavable popcorn, causes a debilitating and sometimes-fatal lung disease known as bronchiolitis obliterans, or "popcorn lungs." But what's an armchair cinephile with a jonesing for lightly puffed snacks to do?It actually couldn't be easier (or less inexpensive) to make your own at home, using popcorn kernels you might find in the bulk-foods section of your grocery store. Place a serving of kernels into a brown paper bag, smear some butter on the...

Towards A More Pedestrian-Friendly Mexico City
The car-free lifestyle is still far from trendy in this city of 20 million people where most people still yearn for a car but can't afford one. Yet traffic and poor air quality are increasingly determinants in the nascent but growing culture of walking and biking, despite the inherent danger in doing either.Those brave souls who opt to take Mexico City by foot face some of the most perilous streets in the world. An average of 9.4 out of every 100,000 inhabitants die in car accidents per year here, according to the Institute for Transportation and Development Policy. In 2006, 861 pedestrians died in car accidents.The figur...

23 Percent Of Americans Dont Recycle
Photo credit: kingdesmondQuick fact: Recycling materials can take as little as 5 percent of the energy you'd wind up expending if you produced them from virgin sources, as is the case with aluminum, which means you not only conserve already-limited resources, but you also curtail potential atmosphere-warming carbon emissions95 percent, in some cases.But almost one-quarter of American adults don't recycle, according to a new Harris Poll. And while you might think the young'...

Cold Rush: Here Come the Americans
We showed a Canadian icebreaker in our earlier post on the battle for the melting north; here is the US Coast Guard Healy, which according to Robert Lee Hotz in the Wall Street Journal is "are gathering the data legally required to extend national territories across vast reaches of the mineral-rich seafloor usually blocked by Arctic ice. Fathom by fathom, multibeam sonar sensors mounted on the Healy's hull chart a submerged plateau called the Chukchi Cap, in a region that may contain 25% of the world's reserves of oil and natural gas."The Journal continues: "In an era of climate change, these frozen assets are up for grabs, ...

Wretched Excess Dept: Aspen Vacation Homes
It is not surprising to find that vacation homes in Aspen use more energy when occupied than the average Aspen home of 3,272 square feet; what is really surprising is that they are vacant on average 277 days per year and still generate 43.8 tons of carbon dioxide a year compared with 32.4 tons by each full-time, single-family residence."Many energy demands are unnecessary and egregious, such as driveway heating, roof-melt systems, hot tubs (and) towel-bar heaters," said Richard Heede, who did a study for the Sopris Foundation. He noted there are also necessities like cigar humidors and wine cellars, and the flicking on and off of 24/7 floodlights."Rich people ju...

Nothing Says Green Like an Electric Leafblower
Or as BoingBoing titled it, "Irony, Thy Name is Amazon." Nothing more need be said, but to fill out this space we can direct you to Mike testing a human powered lawn mower, Jasmin's How to green your gardening, and Bonnie's ten commandments of eco-gardening. ...

Nothing Says Green Like an Electric Leafblower
Or as BoingBoing titled it, "Irony, Thy Name is Amazon." Nothing more need be said, but to fill out this space we can direct you to Mike testing a human powered lawn mower, Jasmin's How to green your gardening, and Bonnie'sten commandments of eco-gardening. ...

Bend It With Love: Flat-Pack Home & Office Products
Start with a bunch of flat sheets of aluminum, bend them "with love" and what do you have? If you're Swedish design firm "Form Us With Love," you might have a set of home and office accoutrements like the tabletop set pictured above. Aside from producing cleverly-designed, functional objects, the collection showcases the utility and efficiency of flat-pack design as you turn paper-sized aluminum sheets into stuff you can use every day. Some of their products come pre-bent, which takes some of the fun out of it, but it's still neat to think that they all started as simple, flat sheets. Now if they'd just use recycled aluminum...

Eco-Groups and FSF Meld - Freedom and Greenery for All
Tree hit free this week; several environmental groups (the Green Party, New Internationalist, Friends of the Earth International, and People and Planet) signed a statement with the Free Software Foundation (FSF) to promote their common interests. You may not have heard of the FSF but you are almost certainly affected by them; their products compose most of GNU/Linux, a popular alternative operating system used to host web servers and the like.The statement outlines a two point plan (1) reject Microsoft's Vista operating system, and (2) encourage the adoption and use of free software. From the E-standpoint, point one is obvious - the

Quote of the Day: David Suzuki on Genetically Engineered Crops
We have been told that genetically engineered (GE) material just disperses in nature, but in fact, it is remarkably permanent. Biologically engineered genes and DNA have been found to persist in soil organisms, in insects, pollen, and especially water, and have been found in agricultural ditches as much as a kilometer from the original site. The antibiotic-resistant marker genes used in the process have survived digestion by cattle and even bees, and therefore post a threat of increased antibiotic resistance up and down the food chain. This is one reason why the technology is under a de facto ban in Europe. The genes themsel...

US Mayors Sundance for Climate Protection
On September 9, 2007, sixty United States mayors will converge on Sundance, Utah to attend the Sundance Summit . The Sundance Summit combines the foremost tools and expertise with the influence of visionary local leaders to mitigate global warming, one of the greatest threats to the health and prosperity of communities today. Cities and citizens tangibly experience the impacts of global warming firstrising sea levels, shrinking snow packs, ravishing droughts, floods, and hurricanes. U.S. mayors are the political leaders closest to the solutions of climate change and cities taking action are boosting their economies al...

Porch House by Archteam
We do go on about how less is more, keep it simple, keep it minimal. Most of the modern designs we show have flat roofs, which are not simple. Sloping roofs are generally cheaper and last longer, and offer additional space within the rafters, but are not usually part of the modern kit of parts. (with perhaps the exception of Hugh Newell Jacobson).Justin found this simple, classic Porch House (Rodinn dm na louce) in Semily, Czech Republic, by Archteam. ...

The TH Interview: John Bradburn, Senior Environmental Project Engineer at General Motors
We certainly haven't been shy about criticizing GM for its gas-guzzling SUVs (our extensive Hummer post archive alone is worth browsing through) and for continually dragging its feet on improving fuel economy standards. That doesn't mean, however, that we can't also dole out some praise for its environmental initiatives when praise it deserves: in the areas of recycling and wast...

Edible Skincare: Fresh Tomato Skin Cleanser
Photo credit: manjithkainiTis the season of the tomato: Plump, juicy sacs, in a myriad of ripening red and orange hues, are melting off their vines ready to be crunched, savored, and simmered. But you can also share summer's rich bounty with your skin, as well as your bellies. Packed with complexion-nourishing antioxidants (such as Lycopene), potassium, magnesium, and Vitamins A and C, the luscious fruit also contains natural acids that slough off dead cells, shrink pores, and tone skin. Here's a recipe for a homemade tomato skin cleanser, excerpted from

Time to Dump the Outboard Motor
This is how I got to work this morning: a Johnson 9.9 horsepower that was old when I got it 20 years ago. I don't use it very much so didn't give it much thought, until I learned this morning that :-Old two-strokes like this put out as much pollution in an hour as driving a modern car 5,000 miles;-40% of the oil and gas goes straight into the lake.Regulations on outboards are getting tighter all the time, but nobody gets rid of the old motors. "They are so dependable that people keep using them until they die" said a Ministry of Environment representative. "and I mean the people, not the motors, which go forever." There is talk that perhaps a moratorium on 2-strokes might...

Bioregional Solutions: Further Reading
The Bioregional Development Group was already well known to many Treehuggers for its work on sustainable housing and community development see our posts on BedZED, for example, or on their huge One Planet Living communities that are planned on five different continents around the planet. However, this week weve been looking at some less well-known aspects of this inspiring organizations work, including their

Like A Bat Outta Heaven
Mosquito season has been a bit out of whack in Tel Aviv for the past few years. Instead of dying down, as they normally should, swarms of them are lingering on in bedrooms and come nightfall are attacking with a vengeance. Some locals report using high-speed fans or nets at night to keep the bloodsuckers at bay others resort to nasty chemical sprays and plug-ins. Using integrated pest management and more specifically biological control, a suburb of Tel Aviv has enlisted an insectivorous bat population to do the dirty work of eating unwanted mosquitoes. In partnership with Tel Aviv University, the Ministry of the Environment and the city of Ramat Gan, the tri...

Seen Before Slumbers: Recycled Sleeping Bags
Whats with the little flurry of outdoor gear posts, you might wondering. Well, the summer trade shows have now passed, and the detail of upcoming goodies is slowing seeping out into the world wide ether. The goss is that Green is big. And only going to get bigger. Take for example, the rush of recycled content sleeping bags that Alicia MacLeay of Trailspace spied at the Outdoor Retailer show. Big Agnes, of Colorado, will soon have some sleeping bags that are 97% by weight. The missing percentage is the zipper. So the insulation (Climashield HL Green), ripstop...

Survey: The 11th Hour
Our reviewer Neil thought it packs a punch. Olivia says bring your kids. The directors say this isnt about changing a light bulb anymore. View MicroPollWeb Survey

Green Experts Answer Questions on China at New York Times
We know a good deal about the devastating effects of Chinas full-speed development, but the New York Times has assembled some excellent experts for an enlightening Q&A series at its Choking on Growth site, the centerpiece of which is this week's lengthy piece on the topic (there's also an

Billie Jean King Serves A GreenSlam
Tennis is not something you see everyday here on TreeHugger. Okay, so weve had recycled tennis balls used for sound proofing in schools, old style tennis shoes made with hemp, and tennis stars as ambassadors for the Global Water Foundation charity. But by-and-large its not a common occurrence. Revered tennis legend, Billy Jean King, would like to change that. On 28 August 2007 she launched an eco-sports initiative called GreenSlam, with the statement, Im challenging m...

This Month in Fast Company: Adam Werbach Sells Out
At least that is what his former friends and clients say. "To this day, they won't speak to me," says Adam Werbach, former wunderkind head of the Sierra Club at 25, who complained in 2004 that "If they [environmental groups] don't have a plan to activate the values we share [with] the majority of Americans, then they need to move on" which is exactly what he did- to Wal-Mart. Read Jacob's (pre-Wal-Mart) interview of Adam here, the ::Fast Company article online here. Is Wal-Mart succeeding at going green? Charles...

Recipe of the Week: A Few Things to try with Roasted Garlic
For the past six weeks we have been buying all of our vegetables from a woman down the road from our cottage. Her huge garden contains the crops familiar to generations of Ontarians, beets, potatoes, beans, carrots, onions, tomatoes. The standout crop for me this year has been her garlic. Most grocery store garlic now comes from Mexico and China and is cheap as dirt, but at $2.00 for 8 heads our local garlic is worth every penny. The environmental benefit is obvious, but the quality, freshness and taste are also far superior to anything you can get in the supermarket. With so much garlic on hand I have started tor roast it on the barbecue and use it for all kinds of...

Theatres are Getting Greener
Theatres are by nature both green and not green. Green because they have little money, so they re-use costumes and props. Not green because they have huge power demands (lighting), travel requirements and throw-away programmes. But the times are changing. The Arcola Theatre has announced itself as the "world's first carbon neutral theatre". A small off-off "Broadway" venue, it is embarking on a new challenge "Arcola Energy". Plans include a biomass heating system which will burn wood pellets instead of gas, solar panels on the roof, and fuel cells that create electri...

New Energy Plan for Ontario: No Coal
Well, it's a plan. Greenpeace didn't like it, and chained themselves to a bulk carrier bringing coal to Nanticoke in protest, painting on the side of the ship: "No coal," "No nuclear" and "Clean energy." (::The Star)But unlike other jurisdictions that shall remain nameless that are in the never-never land of carbon sequestration and hydrogen, it is a twenty year plan that includes ten billion dollars in incentives to conserve 6,300 megawatts, $15 billion for renewable energy and the number that scares us all, $26 billion for nukes. However most of the nuke money is for refurbishing existing CANDU plants tha...

Buy Underwear, Win a Hummer
UK department store Selfridges and Hummer have teamed up to offer the chance for one lucky underwear-purchaser to win a Hummer H3. How this seems like a wise PR move, I have no idea. I think that putting one more Hummer on London streets (yes, there already is quite a few) is a terrible move. I find it interesting that marketers believe that the same insecure people who buy Calvin Klein underwear, perhaps in a futile attempt to look like the man above, are the same demographic as those who aspire to owning a Hummer. The competition has been planned to celebrate 25 years of Calvin Klein underwear, and the launch of the new Steel rang...

High CO2 Increases Flooding Risk Because Plants Are Less Thirsty
The picture above is of a stoma. Stomata are small (microscopic) structures in the leaf of a plant that can open and close. The plant uses the stomata for gas exchange, to take in CO2 and let out O2 during normal photosynthesis. The subtle yet important bit to recognize here is that when the stoma opens to take in CO2 it also loses water vapor which has to be replaced through the roots of the plant. According to an article written by Richard A. Betts et al. and published in this weeks Nature, the billions and trillions of stoma the world over have a large impact on continental water runoff. The new model pr...

Live in a Landfill, Win 20,000
Normally I try to avoid reality TV at all costs, but a new show in the UK has caught my attention. Dumped will appear on Channel 4 from Sunday, and will document 11 contestants trying to live for three weeks on a landfill site.Contestants had to make shelters from rubbish, but modern health and safety laws prevented the producers from making them forage for food, which is a shame. Any contestants who managed to stick it out to the end of the show shared a 20,000 prize, but youll have to watch to find out how many made it....

Kubik Barcelona: Djs & Funky Lights in a Recycled Pop-Up Club.
This summer Barcelona, along with Berlin and Lisbon, has yet again added a unique experience to its party scene, this time with a green touch. What happens when you stack 275 reused water tanks on top of each other, put a separate light in each one and connect them to the DJs beats? Youve got Kubik, an open-air nightclub currently pepping up the Forum Park, a so far fairly unused site in Barcelona, right under the massive solar panel. This lightroom installation has been designed by German Modulorbeat. With a view out on the sea and a cool breeze ...

Electrocity: Teaching Kids to Manage Energy, Human Needs Responsibly Through Gaming
With all of the very real concerns about the future of energy usage on the planet, Genesis Energy, an energy supplier and retailer in New Zealand has come up with a terrific way of helping kids develop a strong basis on which to develop future knowledge about the issues surrounding global energy usage without overwhelming them with every sophisticated detail... Essentially, they've come up with a game not too unlike SimCity, where kids get to develop their own city in a game that features 150 "turns"; each of which is a chance to make a wide array of decisions about the usage of energy, natural resources, and ultimately the future of the population withi...

Ford Europe Publishes Sustainability Index
Ford has published a Product Sustainability Index based on life cycle assessment studies carried out according to ISO 14040 Standards (life cycle assessment ). The report covers and compares the Ford Mondeo, Ford S-Max and Ford Galaxy. The company says that further models at Ford of Europe will be developed and designed using the same PSI criteria, including the 2007 Ford Mondeo. The report says ...