Home / treehugger.com rss archive / October-02-2007


Kelp Takes Our Breath Away
Andrea Ottesen, a botanist and molecular ecologist at the University of Maryland, College Park, won first place (tie) for the fifth annual Science and Engineering Visualization Challenge. The fractal otherworldly image is of Irish moss (Chondrus crispus), a common seaweed species on the Atlantic coast. This particular specimen was captured off Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia, while cataloging the use of kelp products as fertilizers for a sustainable agriculture experiment. As we have seen before, kelp is showing up as an intriguing product that literally harvests itself by washing up on shore. Used in everything from

Dropping In On Finisterre: Eco-Technical Surfwear
When we first encountered Finisterre in February we said wed be back after their even greener collection hit the shelves. Well, this Cornish eco-apparel-for surfers company has been busy unpacking deliveries the past few weeks, so here we are again. The news is that they arent manufacturing in China any more, have introduced beewax impregnated poly-cotton fabrics, garments of traceable merino wool, and embraced recycled polyester fabrics, whilst simultaneously dropping laminated waterproofs in favour of what they see as a biomimetric alternative. No, not the much vaunted

Envirofit, Shell Battle Against 'Silent Killer In The Kitchen'
Photo credit: allspawIt's been a red-letter week for Envirofit International. The environmental non-profit is collaborating with the U.K.-based Shell Foundation to reduce the number of global deaths caused by indoor air pollutionor more precisely, the smoke the billows forth from traditional fires and stoves used in homes in developing countriesby distributing cleaner-burning cook stoves. More than 3 billion people cook in their homes burning biomass fuels such as wood, dung, and crop waste, notes Envirofit in a press release, producing "lethal flame...

Ethanol Boom? What Boom?
The biofuel goldrush may be petering out, says The New York Times, along with hopes of a new future for rural America. Companies and farm co-ops have built so many distilleries so quickly that the ethanol market is facing a glut, in part because the means to distribute it have not kept pace with its production. The average national ethanol price has plunged 30 percent since May, with the decline escalating sharply in the last few weeks of September. "While generous government support is expected to keep the output of ethanol fuel growing," writes NYT's Clifford Krause, "he poorly planned ov...

Number of the Day: 80
80 -- percent of the global market share for solar hot water owned by China.80 million cubic meters -- the amount produced in China each year.1 in 10 -- the number of Chinese households who have solar hot water heaters.via ::CNN International; for $5, you can make your own solar water heater....

Happy Trails: Take the National Solar Tour
Solar homes across America will be throwing open their doors this Saturday as part of the American Solar Energy Society's National Solar Tour. Find out more about home-scale renewable energy systems as homeowners share their own personal experiences rigging up solar panels or installing wind turbines.The official 2007 tour date is Saturday, Oct. 6, although some tours may take place as early as September or as late as November. Tours are scheduled in dozens of locations ...

Mexico to Fire Up ONIL Stoves in 2008
The first plant to manufacture efficient, wood-fired stoves called ONIL, named for Don O'Neal, an engineer with HELPS International, an Christian, U.S.-based NGO, will be located in Mexico, according to the organzation. For centuries Mayan Indians in Mexico and Guatemala have cooked their meals using an indoor fire pit located on the house floor called a "three stone fire." Indoor wood-fired stoves can cause respiratory problems and burns, and the high demand for fuel to supply them can contribute to deforestation. To eliminate smoke in the combustion process, the ONIL stove converts energy in the wood to ...

Get Involved in International Cleanup Weekend
Google is proclaiming October 13 and 14 International Cleanup Weekend, with Google employees and people they've managed to strongarm into joining them heading out to parks, beaches, and other natural spots all over the world to pick up litter and other polluting trash. To start your own cleanup project, Google suggests grabbing some friends and picking a spot first. Then, create a map (using Google maps, naturally) to organize your cleanup route. Submit your map to ge...

Sea Change: Alaska's Shishmaref Village Tumbles into the Water
In a chilling photo essay by Julia Whitty and Robert Knoth of Mother Jones, the plight of a remote Alaskan village is underscored by images of buildings falling into the sea. With what was once terra firma melting beneath Shishmaref, a village of 600 Inupiaq on the fragile barrier island of Sarichef, two houses have already slipped into the water, while another 18 have been moved back from the "encroaching ocean." The $10 million spent on seawalls has only been in vain, and residents have concluded that permanent resettlement is their only recourse.Shishmaref is only one of 184 Native Alaskan villages battling floods and erosions; Alaska will require $6.1 billion to repa...

Designer Emulation Kits: Flatpack Homage to Classic Modern Lighting
Created by designer Mark McKenna as a homage to modern lighting design, these Designer Emulation Kits are a great example of why TreeHugger loves flatpack design. Stamped from a single sheet of metal (that could fit in an envelope for easy shipping), the classic designs come to life with a few bends from the flat sheet. Once assembled, they're powered by a single (rechargeable, of course) 9V battery. It won't light your living room, but that's not really the point; they'd make a fun desk lamp, and show that real function and structure can come from a simple sheet of stamped metal. Another fun example is below the fold.

Kohl's Department Stores Catch Some Rays
With its Laguna Niguel, Calif. store now running partly on sun juice, Kohl's is well on its way to completing its switch to rooftop solar energy. The store chain is installing solar electric systems at 63 of its 80 California locations, which at completion, will represent 15 percent of the state's photovoltaic setups, to date.At 25 megawatts, the total projected capacity of Kohl's solar arrays will outstrip that of the top five largest completed photovoltaic systems in the United States combined, says Clean Edge News.Once completed in 2008, Kohl's estimated 138,000 ...

The Indoor Fabric Garden - JAM + Ted Baker
This installation at 100% Design in London was a refreshing change from the plethora of overly sleek and shiney products that surrounded it. We loved the curvaceous forms and textured fabrics, not to mention the concept of an indoor rockery and hanging garden. This collaboration between British brand consultants JAM and the fashion label Ted Baker "began as a quest to reinvent the quintessential British hanging basket".We're told that, "JAM and Ted had been having exploratory conversations for a while about new and different...

The Miniature Earth
Percentages rarely hit homethey're statistics, not real people. But what would the planet look like if we transmogrified the population of Earth into a small community of 100 people, while maintaining the same proportions we have today? Well, besides appearing a lot more verdant and unravaged, anyway.Just think about it: Although 12 of you would own a PC, only three of that elite group would be hooked up with the necessary Internet connection to even read these words. This village would have spent $1.2 trillion on military expenditures and only $100 billion on developmental aid. And if you have a bank account, you're one of the 30 wealthiest people in the world.The text that originated ...

Hey! Psst! Check out our Newsletters...
Many of you - almost twenty thirty thousands on some days - are keeping track of the latest new posts on TreeHugger via RSS (our feed is here, select your subscription option from the drop-down menu near the top of the page. You can also subscribe to the Hugg feed and the TreeHugger Radio feed), but for those who prefer the old-school way, we also have two email newsletters. The daily is sent, well, daily. It's compact and delicious with 4 featured posts. It's not everything, but ...

Good Design Awards 2007: Solar Rules!
For anyone looking for proof that design can make a positive difference and point us toward a greener world, look no further than the Good Design Awards 2007. After culling a list of over 1,000 entrants, the awards and accompanying "G-Mark" have been bestowed on 15 of the best, including several noteworthy sustainable designs.Nominated for the Grand Prize (to be chosen later this month) is the Eneloop Solar Charger, above right, featured here...

Call for Entries: Metropolis 2008 Next Generation Design Competition
Designers, listen up: it's time for the Metropolis 2008 Next Generation Design Competition. The 5th annual competition (we've covered previous years here and here) is focusing on one of the world's most precious resources: water."With up to one third of the global population living without reliable access to clean water, we need better design solutions that account for potable water, gray water, black water -- its us...

Lateral Architects Present the Deployable Condo Unit
Lola Sheppard and Mason White of lateral architecture developed the A.I.R. unit, conceived with artist Sara Graham and her Canard Development Group installation, the A.I.R. unit is exactly what the condominium-crazed city has been craving ... a deployable condo unit ... that is light as air. They have real estate marketing 101 down pat: An exciting new freehold residential unit from Canard Development Group offering spectacular value and breathtaking views, and constructed to BuiltGreenTM specifications, A.I.R. represents cutting-edge technology in residential planning-a portable unit that can be attached to any building. ...

Clinton Global Initiative 2007: Overall Impact
Now in its third year, the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) managed to collect 245 commitments over its recent three-day annual meeting, adding to the more than $10 billion in pledges pooled toward world causes in its first two conferences.Heads of state, public officials, and businesses that don't fulfill their pledges have their CGI membership refunded and their invites withdrawn, according to CGI spokesman Ben Yarrow in a press conference last Wednesday. He noted that there were five people this year who weren't invited back, although he declined to "out" them, saying that the organization was...

Post A Phone by Priestman Goode
When it comes to phone technology, North Americans are still in the stone age. In Europe, many people don't have land lines anymore, so what happens if your cellphone dies? Quick, reach for your post A phone. Designed by Priestman Goode, It is a "new product concept, Post A Phone, to supply a simple and cheap landline phone, made from recyclable materials that can be sent in the post.(mail)"From the press release:Post A Phone is made from recyclable cardboard or plastic and pops out of a A5 envelope, just 4mm deep. If your wireless phone breaks down, you can have Post A Phone sent to you, knowing that it will fit through your letterbox, en...

Most Huggable: NGOs that Use Your Money Best, CFL Recycling, Hairy-Nosed Wombats, and More
CFLs rock the socket, but what about when theyre dead? Heres five ways to recycle that little swirlyWhens the last time you saw a northern hairy-nosed wombat? Thats what we thought. Here are the ten rarest animals left standingFundraiser Insight looks at top environmental groups and tells you which use your money bestEco-Libris dishes out an unofficial guide to the Peoples Choice Award for Green Biz of the YearMicrosoft has a green Xbox for your carwell not really. The

Keen's Modernature Art Event in NYC, Oct. 19
"Plastic Bottles" by Chris Jordan depicts two million plastic beverage bottles, the number used in the United States every five minutesKeen Footwear is launching an art exhibit, held in conjunction with the company's Hybrid. STAND campaign, that will showcase artists whose work focuses on environmental and social issues, including TreeHugger perennial Chris Jordan, as well as Jason Lascu, Barbrara Yontz, Lucretia Troncoso, Marcus Kenney, McKay Otto, Vadis T...

Absolut Downloads: Shirley Pui-Yu Cheung's Laptop Table
Over at Absolut Downloads, another great laptop table from Shirley Pui-Yu Cheung : An occasional side table that functions like a study or laptop table with an extra height space for a glass of juice or a book. When not in use as a laptop table it can be easily transported by grabbing on to the oval cutouts. Not only is it multifunctional but its non-conventional form makes doing work more fun!You can download miniatures of them all as a demonstration of how downloadable designs will work when, as Bruce Sterling says, "The future will see a new kind of object we have the primitive forms of them now in our pockets and briefcases: user-a...

Quote of the Day: William McDonough on Design Humility
How sophisticated are we as designers? If we think about humility and design, it is unfortunate that the word humble and the word architect have not appeared together since The Fountainhead.But, I think if anybody here has trouble with the concepts of design humility; just reflect on the fact that it took us 5,000 years to put wheels on our luggage. We are not that smart. And we have a big job ahead of us here....

HOK's Bill Valentine on Using Less Stuff
We covered Cameron Sinclair's appearance at HOK Canada's tenth anniversary event earlier; the next night I heard HOK chairman Bill Valentine speak. As head of such a big, corporate firm, I did not expect much, thinking it a courtesy to the chairman before the panel discussion; in fact is was the highlight of the evening. His major message was that we should be more efficient; he told John Bentley Mays in an interview: :"I'm really interested in using less stuff - less drywall, less steel, less concrete," Mr. Valentine said. "We waste [materials] like there was an endless supply of everythin...

Earthships Cross the English Channel: Unusual Vacation Rental in Northern France
Earthships have been around for some time. While some comments on our first post suggested there is something a little cult-like about the movement, they still seem to be cropping up everywhere, having now crossed the Atlantic to Brighton, UK. But the spread doesnt end there reading the latest newsletter of the Permaculture Association UK we learned that there is now an Earth Ship Normandy project, taking the concept to the northern sh...

Toxie the Cat Now Speaks Spanish, Still Educates Kids About Home Environment
If youve ever spent time in my classroom as a student youll know exactly why I kept clicking on the cat, but this charming feline has apparently, and mysteriously, learned to speak Spanish! In fact, Toxie may be a great way to get students in your class thinking about their own homes and observing the things that go on in them through a whole new set of furry sunglasses.Thats because ToxMystery is a brief, fun, and educational game for kids from the National Library of Medicine that takes them through an entire house with their entertaining host, Toxie, locating all the things that are creating an environmental hazard w...

To Go Green, Live Closer to Work
flanneurs on the Toronto Psychogeopgraphic WalkA new study by the Urban Land Institute called "Growing Cooler: Evidence on Urban Development and Climate Change" confirms what many TreeHuggers already knew: compact development -- mixing housing and businesses in denser patterns, with walkable neighborhoods -- could do as much to lower emissions as fuel economy increases and other measures now being contemplated. The report notes that the expected 59% increase in the number of miles Americans drive between 2005 and 2030 will outpace any reduction in greenhouse gases from better fuel efficiency of cars and trucks."We can no longer afford to ignore land use," said Steve Winkelman, dir...

Following Crude's Incredible Journey
How much do you really know about oil? Sure, we're all familiar with the concept of "peak oil," its contribution to anthropogenic global warming and fuel alternatives, but what about its history? The reason why it is usually found in deserts or Arctic regions and its impact on anoxic ocean events? Well, even if you can answer all these questions, you owe it to yourself to check out ABC TV's excel...

Fair Trade Coffee In Bloom
Lalo de Almeida for The New York TimesFair Trade coffee is everywhere now; according to the New York Times, Sam's Club, Dunkin' Donuts, McDonalds and yes, Starbucks. . Not everyone approves; some say that fair trade coffee is as exploitive as the conventional kind, especially in countries that produce the highest-quality beans like Colombia, Ethiopia and Guatemala. Others note that it works for co-operatives but shuts out employers and landowners who treat their workers and their coffee right but can't be considered fair trade. But farmers are getting more money, using fewer pesticides, improving their farming techniques and even have to show that their children are...

World is Green Hosts Carnival of the Green
This week is Carnival of the Green # 97 and it's being hosted by World is Green! So, head on over to this week's Carnival to check out a round up of last week's green news and events, submitted by other bloggers and green sites. To learn more about Carnival of the Green, where it will be and how to host (we are now booking into 2009!), please click here to link to our previous post....

St Athans Hotel: London on a Budget Can Still be Green
Eco-tourism seems to be all the rage these days, with everywhere from Mexico to even Libya getting in on the act. More often than not though, the eco-tourism sector tends to be geared up towards the wealthier end of the market. Heres a nice sign of the times though, St Athans Hotel, a family run B&B in central London, is looking to go green - and not just because they can price themselves up into the luxury market. The following is from a recent article in the newsletter of the Permaculture As...

2017: The Workplace- Missing the Boat?
We were intrigued by some of the press we were reading about this conference at the University of Waterloo starting October 14. Interesting concept: "The rapid growth of the knowledge economy, globalization, changing demographics, new technologies, increasing worker mobility and the millennial generation have created significant challenges in the world of work." Interesting speakers: Richard Florida, Malcolm Gladwell, Roger Martin, Daniel Pink. Interesting quotes: "Peter Drucker once asked, "Why would any company pay (in salary and time) to transport a 190-pound body when all it needed was the body's three-pound brain?"Yet while going through pages about technology ...

Denver Colorado Airport Adding 2 Megawatt Solar System
"WorldWater & Solar Technologies Corp., developer and marketer of proprietary high-power solar systems, today announced it will engineer and construct a 2 Megawatt solar system at Denver International Airport (DIA). MMA Renewable Ventures LLC, a subsidiary of Municipal Mortgage & Equity will finance the installation through a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA). WorldWater will begin construction of the project immediately for completion in 2008. MMA Renewable Ventures will own and operate the system under a long-term PPA contract." "Operated by the City and County of Denver, DIA is the fifth busiest international airport in the U.S. and served nearly 50 milli...

EPA To Rebuild Supreme Court Building To Green Standards
Just kidding about the headline. USEPA has produced a green building tool that works for commercial projects of any sort. (But, a metaphor is there for you politicos.) Given this Administration's demonstrated reluctance to take climate issues seriously, we hope the team that added C02 as a design variable to Portfolio Manager does not find this to have been a career limiting move (CLM)."The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has added greenhouse gas emissions factors to its online energy rating tool for commercial build...

Young Marketing Whiz Creates Lemonade for Chimp Aid
When youve got a great slogan and greater cause good things will happen At least thats the lesson 9 year-old Amanda Ketterer learned recently, inspired to whip up a batch of seven gallons of lemonade and spend the next six and a half hours working feverishly in the hot sun to sell the batch in support of chimpanzees.Of course, it was no small effort, and she was inspired by none other than Dr. Jane Goodall to step up to the plate. In fact, she points out that Goodall automatically became my hero, after learning about her in kindergarten. Now, three years later she came up with the terrific slogan Lemonade for Chimp Aid and set to work. As says about the id...

WhatGreenCar?'s Top 10 Gas Guzzlers
Those of you shocked not to see GM's Hummer featured front and center based on the title of this post can rest easy: though it (easily) made the list, we thought we'd showcase a different gas guzzler for variety's sake. Put together by Ben Lane, WGC?'s director, the list includes several of the newest entries to the "coveted" gas guzzler category - arranged by vehicle class and total environmental impact. The latter measure is expressed as a score between 0 and 100 - the lower it is, the more eco-friendly the car (though, for the sake of this list, Lane made an exception to the rule).Wh...

Can a Flat Panel TV be Green?
A murky question...but if nothing else, the market is changing. The most recent news is from Philips. This electronic manufacturer has launched a Green campaign that offers environmentally friendly" screens. The flagship 37PFL9732D model sports an LED system which slashes energy consumption by 40 percent (offering about 80 percent of the brightness.) Another bonus? It doesnt contain environmentally hazardous mercury. ...

Clean-Tech Jobs are Getting Hot
In the last housing and construction downturn, if an architect asked you a question, you answered "big mac and fries." This time the answer may well be "gallium indium phosphide, with a germanium topping." It appears that all kinds of engineers, scientists and architects are jumping into the green economy. According to Newsweek: ...With oil prices near record highs and more companies concerned about their carbon footprints, workers are finding job opportunities in the emerging green economy. Companies are hiring scientists to work on renewable-energy technology and business people to market earth-friendly produ...

Clean Up Your Front Yard
We are making use of the front yards of our houses in different ways now. It used to be a space to demonstrate respectability: grass, pathway, hedges. Now we have to accommodate multiple recycling bins, garbage cans, bicycles, car and a garden. The Front Yard Company aims to provide some order to front yards with well-designed and functional furniture. The PlantLock is a metal planter with locking bars, accommodating two bicycles that can be secured by using any lock of choice. It's heavy, so that it can't be easily stolen and comes in green or red. Any kind of plant can be grown in it--herbs and vegetables or flowers and shrubs. It can be "parked" in back gardens,...

Specialists Call for Political Action on Conservation in Latin America
With the goal of analyzing the state of green spaces in the region, the II Latin American Congress on National Parks and Other Protected areas is taking place in Bariloche, a popular touristic city about 1600 kilometers south from Buenos Aires. Some of the themes being discussed so far are sustainable development of tourism, conservation vs. development and economic resources, but most specially the issue about national politics around protected spaces. According to the Program of United Nations for the Environment (Pnuma), there have been some improvements with a growth in the amount of protected areas, but it is not enough: there are 300 million hectares of pr...

Ingle & Rhode -No Blood Diamonds, but Ethical Jewellery
After David Rhode struggled to find his fiance an ethical engagement ring, he not only proposed to her, but also to Tim Ingle to set up a luxury ethical jewellery company. Tim said yes and together they launched Ingle & Rhode last month in the UK. All their jewellery is procured and produced in a socially and environmentally responsible way. Now what does that mean in an industry where exploitation of Earth and people is almost conventional? It means Ingle & Rhode are tackling the three main problems in the jewellery industry: human exploitation, conflict (or blood) diamonds and environmental damage. The key lies in having cr...