Home / treehugger.com rss archive / September-05-2007


Mod Green Pod Sprouts New Fabrics
Fresh from the sister-in-law duo of Mod GreenPod comes an elegant new line of hand-silkscreened organic-cotton home textiles. The aptly named Sprout collection comprises patterns named for the designers' own children: Lisa Mim's six-year-old daughter Clara and Nancy Mim's newborn twins, Adelaide and Atticus. Each design has a distinct personality of its ownAdelaide is descended from Eastern nobility, Atticus likes to lose itself in recursive mathematical equations,

Fair Indigo Introduces Fair Trade Organic Denim
For its fall collection, Fair Indigo is introducing a line of fair-trade, organic cotton denim apparel in four different styles: a stretch blazer and a seamed skirt, along with Authentic Fit and Slim Fit jeans. (Prices start at $69.)The company, which was formed by four former Lands' End execs, says all its pieces are manufactured in a fair-trade factory in San Jose, Costa Rica, using 100 percent organic cotton grown in the United States and woven in North Carolina. "Customers loved our jeans last fall. Being able to provide the same great fit while taking better care of our...

U.K. District Gets Solar Parking Meters
Photo credit: sampanalbumMore than 50 new parking meters are being installed in the Mendip District of Somerset in southwest Englandand half of them will be solar powered.The meters are part of a 170,000 investment by the local council after vociferous public demand for more user-friendly machines. (Some of the current parking meters are a good two decades old.)Britain's first solar-powered meters were installed in Nottingham in 2001, but the machines were plagued by gloomy weather, which often resulted in drivers getting away with free parking. Yay, technology! ::BBC ...

Fish Lips Recycled Wrapping Paper
While recycled-wrapping-paper options have tended toward the, how shall we say this, rustic, California-based Fish Lips Paper Designs breaks with tradition to reveal an arsenal of bold, modern patterns saturated with color. Each 22x33.75-inch sheet is designed and printed in the United States on 100 percent post-consumer recycled paper using soy-based inksThe woman-owned biz also has a seasonal collection of holiday designs, plus an assortment of reuse ideas, so your bestowal can be the gift wrap that keeps on giving. ::Fish Lips Paper DesignsSee also:

Make Stuff Last, Save a Bundle
Photo credit: lhoonHere's a surefire way of making sure you don't fritter away your hard-earned clams, say the experts at Consumer Reports: Spend less. Taking care of what you already ownand postponing the bank-account-draining day you'll have to replace themmakes your money stretch further, which is almost as good as making more, with the added bonus that Uncle Sam doesn't get to partake of your theoretical riches.Regular maintenance checks on appliances such as air conditioners and refrigerators go a long way to extending their lives, as does good ...

Multitask with Baking Soda
Photo credit: iamthebestartistThere's more to baking soda than unclogging drains and fluffing up cakes and muffins. (Mmm, cakes and muffins.) Strange but true: More than 100 tons of the popular refrigerator deodorizer were used to clean the Statue of Liberty's inner copper walls during its 1986 restoration, primarily because of baking soda's ability to attack grease by turning it into, well, soap.Some of the white powder's more-unexpected applications: exfoliating your skin...

Getting Students to Walk It Out
Want a sure sign of our growing auto dependency over the last 30 years? Look at how many kids now walk to school. A 2003 study by the Surface Transportation Policy Project showed that although 71 percent of parents with school-aged children walked to school themselves, only 18 percent of their children do, while 53 percent are driven to school. This coincides with a tripling of the percent of school-aged child obesity over the last 20 years. Luckily, some U.S. states are starting to use federal transportation money to urge students to walk or bike to school again. For instance, Wisconsin is putting a $4 million federal grant towards bicycle and walking safety in an effort to get ...

How to Pack an Eco-Friendly School Lunch
Photo credit: e_hmmUsing reusable containers, instead of single-use disposable brown bags, of course, is a garbage-reducing no-brainer, especially considering that U.S. residents, businesses, and institutions produced more than 245 million tons of trash in 2005 alone, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.If you want to give your future honors student a real head start, forget the mini-packs of Cheetos and Doritos. Apples, oranges, bananas, and other fruit are heathful, waste-free sna...

domino Magazine's Decorating Contest: We Say "Go Green!"
Our pals over at domino magazine are holding their first-ever decorating contest this month, and they want you to show off your decorating chops by uploading a photo of the best-decorated room in your home. If you've cobbled together a fab room with vintage finds (and maybe splashed some no-VOC paint on an accent wall) or otherwise incorporated some modern, green interior design, here's your chance to show the world that green can be sexy, too; if you've been meaning to update your look, here's a great opportunity to put a little green bounce in your step and add a few green touches to your home. Check out

Barbie, Don't Blame China
Poor Barbie is disconsolate as her dream house is emptied and her furniture recalled by Mattel for lead paint remediation. We hope that when she refurnishes she will do it with a bit more style and shop local. She will find it a bit more expensive, but perhaps it wouldn't hurt to go minimal and try living with less. And don't go blaming the Chinese for the required makeover; Professor Shih-Fen S. Chen of the Richard Ivey School of Business notes that:The reality is that U.S. importers have failed to install a quality control system and reject any outsourced product that does not meet the benchma...

TH Forums Highlights: Going Green at School, Green Flooring in the Basement + More
1) Now that forums user atheos13 is back at school, it's time to get the 'Student for a Better Earth' club rolling. So far, the list of objectives includes school-wide recycling, biodiesel in the buses, a garden for the cafeteria, increased energy efficiency (like with energy-saving lightbulbs and computer equipment) and much more. " I would love some f...

Most Huggable: Icelands Call on Whales, Places to See Before Theyre Gone, Swimming the N. Pole, and More
A sigh of relief comes from Icelands blowholes. The country announced it wont issue any more quotas for whalingIf you love something... LighterFootstep muses over the graceful art of giving stuff awayOffice Depot cut back its emissions by 10%, without the use of offsets or fancy solar panelsKilimanjaro, the Amazon, and lemurs in Madagascar. These are some of the things to see before theyre gone. But treat lightly, my sonThe new ice-free North Pole has created plenty of new opportuniti...

Wired Home Installation Live on Webcam
Steve Glenn is letting it all hang out in public again, with webcams so that we can all watch the installation of the Wired Home by Living Homes modern prefab. Last time we tried to count the people without hard hats in places where they shouldn't be; what excitement will happen this time? Tune in at ::Living Homes webcam (sometimes watching paint dry is more exciting but then some big module flies in front of the camera.) More on ::Wired Home by Living Homes...

City Running Tours: See the Town Carbon Free
A lot of travellers wake up early and hit the pavement, whether out of excitement, habit or jet lag. But where to go? Here is a terrific idea: Guided running tours. "Ideal for the business traveler who is tired of on the hotel treadmill, the marathon runner who is training for a race and is looking to continue or spice up their regular routine, or the recreational runner who wants to explore new and interesting routes, City Runners Tours offers both set tours as well as customized runs to accommodate any athletic ability, style, training regimen or specific landmarks." Founded by Michael Gazaleh in Washington DC: "A health, sports and exercise enthusiast his entire lif...

Hey Members of Congress: No More Leasing Gas-Guzzlers
Although it went largely unnoticed in the broader tussle over the energy bill, an amendment authored by Rep. Emanuel Cleaver that was approved right before the Congress' summer recess by a 218-196 vote would allow congressmen to only lease eco-friendly cars. The Missouri Democrat estimates that the new provision will only affect about 100 of his colleagues those who have been spending upwards of $1 million in taxpayer money every year to lease ginormous, gas-guzzling luxury cars. Cleaver himself leases a big van retrofitted to run on used cooking...

Holy Ceiling Fan, Batman!
We've known for awhile that ceiling fans are a great way to maximize the energy efficiency in your home (remember, using them is one of our 25 Ways to Save the Planet), and they can save you some cash since they operate at a fraction of central and window air-conditioning units (and they can work great in tandem with your A/C if global warming has you sweating it out). As Energy Star reminds us, ceiling fans help keep you cool (rather than cooling the entire room), but we've never seen a fan that can help keep you cool in mo...

No More Arctic Ice Cap by 2030?
Just how bad has the situation in the Arctic gotten? In the past week alone, scientists estimate that an area almost twice the size of Britain disappeared as a result of the unprecedented heat. So much ice has now melted, in fact, that the Northwest Passage has become fully navigable for the first time in history, and the Northeast Passage which straddles Russia's Arctic coast could follow suit by the end of this month.If present trends continue, scientists predict that the Arctic could become ice-free within 23 years. To put that into context, it took the last 30 years for...

Fight Global Warming and Get a Big Mac
As Jasmin noted earlier, "Your average quarter pounder, siphons 600 gallons of water, 1.2 pounds of feed grain, and 6 square feet of former prairie landplus the loss of five times the patty's weight in topsoileven before it gets slapped on a grill." Collin noted that a cheeseburger has a carbon footprint of about 6.5 pounds of emissions. So what are they doing in Japan? The Environment Ministry and McDonalds are giving half-price Big Macs to people who pledge to fight global warming. So many people took up the offer that the website c...

Nuclear, Tech and Solar Duke It Out for Rare Metals
Metal scarcity is pushing some of the world's biggest industries into a regular Battle Royale, as they struggle to obtain enough raw materials to continue operations. Metals are chemical elements, and prized for their unique properties; usually no synthetic replacement can be developed. New Scientist magazine reports that the world is running out of several rare metals used to form key components in high-tech devices, including cell phones and semiconductors. The article mentions that supplies of indium, used in liquid-crystal displays, and of hafnium, a critical element for next-generation semi...

Back to School with Wrap-n-Mats
With all the kids returning to school over the past week, we found this great idea and wanted to share. Adding on to Jasmins Back to School ideas, these alternative baggies, called Wrap-n-Mats, are well worth the money. They are compact and fold up easily to fit in your childs lunchbox. Simply place the sandwich or other snack foods in the center of the wrap and fold left to right, top to bottom and close the hook and loop fasteners. Added bonus: they are reusable and machine washable as well. Not to mention they are a great education tool f...

An Early Green Roof. With Houses.
During World War II there was some concern that the Japanese might attack the Lockheed Burbank Aircraft plant, so they decided to camouflage it- by turning it into a subdivision. It looks quite bucolic, with streets, cars and houses. ::Core77 calls it "largest trompe l'oeil ever made. It's Christo meets Carpaccio...meets G.I. Joe."Enough with just building green roofs, let's put housing, trees and playgrounds on factory roofs everywhere- this looks quite charming. ::eatliver via ::Core77...

GreenKnickers: Now With Official Fair Trade Logo
Some time back we posted on London-based designer Sarah Lucy Smiths sassy GreenKnickers project, and have since brought you news when these handcrafted, ethically produced undergarments have gone on sale. Well the GreenKnickers concept has continued to go from strength to strength. We have just heard, for example, that some of the companys collections can now carry the much coveted Fair Trade logo no mean feat for a small enterprise such as this, as the GreenKnickers newsletter explains:...

Patagonia Mixes Its Drinks: Reviewing their Rum & Cola
Many moons ago, when this TreeHugger use to sell hiking boots he was often asked, "which brand do you recommend?" The response: The one that fits the best. Advice gleaned from enduring many long, blister-filled days in the hills. Recently we were lucky enough to test drive some new Patagonia footwear to see where they stood. At first glance we found the Rum & Cola clunky looking, and a little heavy, but shrugging that off, we pulled them on and subjected ...

Eurostar vs. Planes: It's Not Just About the Green
Eurostar, the operator running trains between London and Paris, and London and Brussels, is increasingly painting itself as the green alternative to flying. Weve previously written about their study claiming 90% fewer emissions than equivalent flights, and weve also featured their ambitious goal of reducing these already meager emissions by a further 25% and offsetting the rest. Now it seems that they are competing with airlines on more than just greenness. Trains on the new...

Chefs, Cassava and Cows Down on 'The New Farm'
Here are just three of the many thought provoking stories we spotted, a bit late, in the August rendering of New Farms online offerings. According to a survey of 1,000 U.S. chefs by the National Restaurant Association locally grown produce ranked second on their list of hot items. Organic produce came in third. Both were beaten for first place by bite-sized desserts. Apparently 71% of U.S. adults told survey collectors that they were trying to eat healthier when eating out....

Quote of the Day: Colin Beavan on Using Less
I think that the climate crisisnot to mention the planets numerous other environmental problemscalls for us to use less. Use less power, use less oil, use less stuff.As I write, its dark out. There is one100-watt equivalent, solar-powered LED light on in the living room of our apartment. There are no other lights. When we want to read in bed, well move the light in there. Theres a beeswax candle in the bathroom for tooth brushing.No TV is blaring. No video game is bleeping. No air conditioner is humming. Last month, we got a nearly $400 rebate from the electric companythey finally got around to reading our meter after sending us estimated bills for a few...

How to Become a Vegetarian
Photo credit: paolavelasquezVegetarianism is a highly emotionally charged issue, no matter which side of the fence you're on. Soy production has its problems, too, but the fact remains the cost of mass producing cattle, poultry, sheep, and pigs is highly unsustainable due to our inefficient use of freshwater and land, along with soil erosion and heavy pollution from livestock waste. Your average quarter pounder, for instance, siphons 600 gallons of water, 1.2 pounds of feed grain, and 6 square feet of former prairie landplus the loss of five times the patty's weight in topsoileven before it gets slapped on a grill.Becoming vegeta...

We Can't Make This Stuff Up Dept: Recycled Airplane Trolley Kitchen Cart
We already know how to recycle a 747 (sort of), but if you've got a small (maybe even round) house, you'll have a need for extra storage. Enter German company Bordbar, who recycles actual airplane trolleys -- they have the dings from when the "fasten seatbelt sign" should have been on to prove it -- into home storage on wheels. Choose from tons of patterns and colors to adorn your new kitchen cart, and wow your guests when you serve them Ginger Ale and pretzels at your next party.Okay, so this one...

Just What We Needed Dept.: A $499 LED Flashlight
OK, it is pretty and we do love our LEDs. It is an "Ultra compact (pinky-sized), mini flashlight that establishes a whole new class of illumination tools: luxury flashlights. The Titan is the world's only fully variable-output flashlight, with an operating range from zero to 65 lumens and all points in between. No preset levels; just total, seamless controlover 1,000 possible output levels. The Titan features an all-titanium body with an elegant satin finish, a no-look control bezel for precision operation, a virtually indestructible LED, a scratch-resistant sapphire window, an Acme-threaded tailcap, and a quick-connect/disconnect interface that easily attaches to its incl...

Build a Green-Roofed Dog Veranda
Provide a shaded spot for Fido to chill with his homies in the backyard, while supplying some real estate for a bee- and butterfly-friendly garden. "My dogs are spoiled rotten and sleep in bed with my wife and I," says the Instructable writer. "This is a spot for them to rest when playing in the yard, it is not designed for a dog to live in." Arf! ::Instructables...

Contradiction in Terms Dept.: a LEED Certified Spaceport
Foster+Partners have won the competition to build the world's first private spaceport in New Mexico. Tourists and passengers will drive into the middle of the desert, where Richard Branson and others will literally burn rubber, mixed with nitrous oxide, to fire people into space for seven minutes at $ 200,000 a pop. And guess what? It is designed to be LEED Platinum. To be "both sustainable and sensitive to its surroundings." What an oxymoronic gesture. Next thing you know we will have LEED certified coal fired power plants. ...

"Killacycle" Heats Up The Pavement
We mentioned the Killacycle, a hot new custom electric motorcycle, back in April, after encountering it on another blog. Here's an update based on newspaper coverage: an indication that rad green tech is catching on. "As Scotty Pollacheck, a 38-year-old pro racer from Medford, Ore., heated the KillaCycle's tires on the track before he ran, he disappeared in an acrid, white cloud of scalded rubber. The bike sounded like a blender crushing ice, and it shot from the starting gate like a bullet fired without a bang. The track's fence birds hooted their appr...

Get 'Em Started Early with InModern's EcoTots
Parents: want a quick 'n easy way to help turn your kids in to TreeHuggers? Help 'em learn their ABC's ("FSC stands for 'Forest Stewardship Council'") and botany and forestry ("Birch trees grow for 30 years before they're harvested sustainably") with InModern's EcoTots furniture. The diminutive, modern furniture follows the same model as the rest of InModern's collection: FSC-certified SmartWood with a 100% non-toxic water-based finish is assembled without tools and is constructed with only three pieces of wood, keep materials and shipping (since they flat-pack) low. We love to see examples of better ma...

Open House London: Architecture in the Flesh
Get on your running shoes and get going: it's that crazy weekend again. On September 15 and 16, hundreds of private and public buildings across every London borough will be open to the public for two short days. Figuring out where to go first and what to see is a major logistical challenge since the queues are long--especially for those achingly minimalist private homes. This year several houses have been identified as "green sustainable" houses, including one by David Cameron's ever-so fashionable green architect Alex Mi...

Reducing the Tourism Footprint: Kayak and TreeHugger Team Up
TreeHugger is no stranger to discussions on how best to travel lightly on this earth. While weve posted on alternatives to flying before, we are aware that many folks will continue to travel by air for the foreseeable future. We were delighted, then, when the folks from online-travel site Kayak contacted us asking for tips to help their customers travel greener [theyve already published details of some top eco-tourism destinations]. Heres what we put together for them:...

Survey: Would You Pay A Premium To Go Green?
In a review of former Treasury Secretary Robert Reich's new book Supercapitalism, Stephen Kotkin of the New York Times writes that we are hypocrites. "One of the books examples of consumers hypocrisy has to do with canned tuna. J. W. Connolly, former president of Heinz U.S.A., which was the parent comp...

Water: Measure It; DO It
Welcome to the Global Water Tool. Developed by the World Business Council For Sustainable Development, the Water Tool allows companies and organizations to map their water use and assess their impact on the availability of water. Although penned over 200 years ago, Coleridges Water, water, everywhere, Nor any drop to drink could well describe the global situation today; and all the more so if we consider the rainfall that drenched much of Northern Europe and South Asia this summer, leaving many places under a ...

Ontario Election 2007: And They Are Off
Do voters really care about the environment? In Ontario, Canada it is the official start of the first fixed-date election. Until now, the Government got to pick the date and drop the writ whenever they felt they had the biggest advantage; then they passed a law fixing the date every four years, which takes away a big advantage for the ruling party. Ontario is big, with almost 40% of Canada's population and 52% of its manufacturing, and Provinces have more power than States do, controlling, among other things, their own energy resources. Another difference in a parliamentary system is that the leader is a sitting member of the house, unlike a Governor who runs on ...

Kegger Time in Bradburn Village
Bradburn residents wheel their portable keg cart to one of their weekly park partiesIn New Urbanist communities, garages are at the rear, the houses are close to the street and they all have big, useable front porches. We have found in our old Toronto neighbourhood that it really does encourage social interaction among neighbours to party together; In Bradburn Village in Westminster, Colorado, they do it every week. Sober reporting from Fermentarium notes: Standard suburban design, with housing separated from retail and office uses, forces people to drive for their every need, no matter how small. One glass of wine in a nice establishmen...

The Down-to-Earth Guide to Global Warming
With kids across America heading back to school, The Down-to-Earth Guide To Global Warming is hot off the presses and ready to roll into classrooms and school libraries everywhere. But how do you take a relatively difficult subject area and make it so kids can understand it without being overwhelmed? Easy Just make it fun, factual, irreverent, and even a bit entertaining to read. Then pack it with boatloads of great photos and diagrams, ideas on how kids can actually get involved in the fight, and even a few inspiring examples of people whove already taken steps to make a difference Of course you m...