Green News

photo by Matthew Chatfield Perhaps its because of our monkey roots—their lack of inhibition when it comes to handling their own filth must be lurking in us somewhere—that many of us find poo jokes and toilet humor so funny even as we, cough, mature. While excrement may elicit laughs, snickers and giggles from some, it really is serious business when it comes to energy. For those that don't know, the way all of these projects work is they take the human or animal waste and convert it into biogas via anaerobic digestion. Then the gas is either fed into the exisiting natural ga...

image: AGEA Yesterday Google announced that it was getting into the geothermal power game, investing over $10 million into researching Enhanced Geothermal Systems. It is estimated that using this technology, just 2% of the heat below North America would easily supply all of the United States’ current energy needs. Now, a new report shows similarly large geothermal potential in Australia: An Australian government scientist told Reuters that 1% of the nation’s unta...

Photo: Seth Joel/Getty Images One of the exciting advances in renewable energy is solar thermal power. My colleague Jonathan G. Dorn writes in a recent Earth Policy Institute release, “Solar Thermal Power Coming to a Boil” that 100 megawatts of new capacity came online worldwide in 2007. Escalating concerns about global climate change--and fresh economic incentives--are renewing interest in this technology. Considering that the energy in sunlight reaching the earth in just 70 minutes is equivalent to annual global energy consumption, the potential for solar power is virtually unlimited.

Bruno Taylor, completing his Masters in Industrial Design at Central Saint Martins in the University of the Arts in London, writes: “71% of adults used to play on the streets when they were young. 21% of children do so now. Are we designing children and play out of the public realm?" ...

Bread – Stanley Saitowitz | Natoma Architects Slow Food Nation is a celebration of food in America, taking place in San Francisco over the Labor Day weekend. It is "the first-ever American collaborative gathering to unite the growing sustainable food movement and introduce thousands of people to food that is good, clean and fair." It is also an architectural event; two dozen San Francisco area architectural firms contributed services to work with the food curators and develop booths and displays. TreeHugger has talked about slow design before; here it is in slo-mo . Advisory Committee head…

Mayor Envisions Wind Turbines on Skyscrapers, Bridges and Offshore

Like the Moon, There's a Man in the Ozone Hole

Rainy Season, Already Short, Keeps Shrinking: Study

Asthma and Allergy Rates Are Up to 50% Higher Near Highways

Regine Debatty: The REACTIVATE!! exhibition at the at the Espai d' Art Contemporani de Castelló, near Valencia (Spain), being an almost endless source of wonders i tried...

Regine Debatty: I first came across the name of this extraordinary place in one of the BBC's Imagine-documentaries about German director Werner Herzog, who asked to be...

WorldChanging Team: We just got our fall catalog from our German publisher, and look what they put on the cover: We were so excited that we could...

Clark Williams-Derry: Downtown housing affordability is an international problem. Interesting article:  Alan Ehrenhalt argues in The New Republic that cities throughout North America are undergoing a "demographic...

WorldChanging Team: As much as we'd love to, we can't be everywhere that interesting discussions, conferences and events are taking place, even nearly as often as...

Dear Umbra, I've noticed lately that Method cleaning products are now being sold in a number of different retail outlets, whereas before they were only sold in Target. This shouldn't seem too weird in our every-store-sells-the-same-thing world, but seeing these products on the shelves in Whole Foods got me wondering more about them. You see, I went looking for some trusty Bon Ami cleaner the other day and found it gone from the shelves and many Method products in its place. The Method stuff seems a little too good to be true (though they don't seem to offer an elbow-grease product like Bon…

When it comes to waste, Americans are notoriously squeamish. Most of us are praised from an early age for taking out the garbage -- not hoarding it and keeping food scraps on the kitchen counter. But growing numbers of converts are hot to rot, and composting is taking off. Wondering how to get started? Check out our tips today.

Dear Umbra, I saw an infomercial late at night about these foot pads that you wear to sleep and they will "remove toxins from your body." I didn't know who else to ask, so you win that lottery. Do we actually have that many toxins in our body? And does wearing silly pads on our feet really pull them out so we can easily throw these toxins in the trash? I think you should do an experiment and let me know if I'm missing the boat by not ordering right away -- or if I should save energy that will be used by ordering, shipping, and discarding used foot pads. Elizabeth, Washington, D.C.

From Goode to Bad-ass.

Dear Umbra, In all sorts of corporate environmental reports, you see claims that compare apples to oranges -- "By reducing our emissions by X pounds this year, we've saved the equivalent of 17 gazillion trees." Or "If every person in the U.S. bought our eco-friendly product, we could save all the baby harp seals." OK, perhaps I exaggerate a little bit. But where do people come up with these eco-unit conversions? I'm making a presentation to our board of directors and I wanted to use a similar easy-to-visualize comparison of our annual energy use. I've Googled to no avail. Can you point me in…

"How do we begin reorganizing the industrial economy?" Umair Haque asked in his Edge Economy essay "A Manifesto for the Next Industrial Revolution." Haque answers his own question: "By using markets, networks, and communities to alter the way resources are managed: to weave a fabric of incentives for sustainable growth and authentic value creation into the economy – a new economic fabric that's meaningful to people."I've been thinking a lot about this call to action while developing my new idea to "organize" (to use Haque's term) the green energy financing space. And I've been wrestling…

Okay, this is outside my usual subject matter, but I've been a fan of Twitter ever since Fred Wilson sold me on the microblogging service over a year ago. (You can follow me at greenskeptic) I know a lot of people who don't get Twitter, including some who are near and dear to me. Most think it's an unnecessary distraction; some actually think it's evil. I used to think the former, but then I became addicted. After many months of using it, I realized the best answer to Twitter's simple question, "What Are You Doing?" is NOT, "Having a sandwich" or "Drinking my 3rd cup of coffee." It's also a…

Four Sonoma and Napa County, California, wineries are trying to power their operations with renewable energy. Now you can help them by loading the "Green My Vino" application on Facebook."Green My Vino" allows Facebook users to promote environmental change in the wine business. The application, developed by Village Green Energy, creates three free gifts in Facebook, representing 1, 5, and 10 minutes of renewable energy.When a user gives the gift, Village Green Energy purchases an equivalent amount of renewable electricity from a wind farm or solar array on the Facebook user's behalf,…

"In a revolutionary leap that could transform solar power from a marginal, boutique alternative into a mainstream energy source, MIT researchers have overcome a major barrier to large-scale solar power: storing energy for use when the sun doesn't shine."Read the full story by Anne Trafton from MIT and watch Dan Nocera's video description: http://tinyurl.com/5uu53h Click To Play (Composed on BlackBerry; UPDATED with embedded video content.)

Is the high price of oil due to oil speculation? Opinions differ on the impact of investors looking to make a buck on limited supplies and rising demand. Some point out that while the White House would like to blame supply shortages, that's the same argument given back when Enron was fleecing California by manipulating energy prices. "Many members of the media have forgotten how in 2001 the White House deflected any blame for California's suddenly stratospheric electrical costs away from their Houston friends," wrote Ed Wallace in his Business Week Viewpoint piece on 27 June 2008. "Likewise,…

The golden rule of going green is to have copious amounts of reusable bags strategically located in your car, at home, at the office, etc. To this end, building up that initial collection can take some time. But fear not! We’re here to help get you started or add to the bag arsenal — just promise us you’ll actually use ‘em! Today’s giveaway comes courtesy of Rume — makers of stylish, affordable reusable bags for the environmentally-conscious consumer. These are strong, (capable of carrying up to 50lbs!) versatile bags that can appeal to either men or women.

“I’m the healthiest I’ve been all my life. My diet has a lot to do with my getting into shape. I have no sugar. I don’t eat fruit or even fruit juice because of the sugar. I eat chicken and salmon and rice. I eat avocados. I’ll have egg whites for breakfast and sometimes turkey burgers for lunch. I try to do just 1,200 calories a day. It may sound like it’s not much, but it’s actually a lot of food if you eat the right things.” -Britney Spears talking about her new protein-filled diet to OK Magazine. Doctor Atkins would be so proud. Copyright…

Hayden Panettiere has runied the dreams of creepy stalkers everywhere and drawn the line at what she’ll donate to save the whales. For her new charity website, Panettiere Closet, the actress has been throwing up her used clothing in an effort to raise money for the “Save The Whales Again” campaign — a partnership between The Whaleman Foundation and the Animal Welfare Institute. Hayden’s mom, however, was a little too eager to throw up just about anything from her daughter’s warddrobe. “You acquire a lot of stuff so I decided to put it on the…

Big news!! 14 of the world’s most popular female singers are getting together for one big charity-supporting diva fest. That’s right, stars like Mariah Carey, Beyonce Knowles, Fergie (and Ecorazzi superbabes) Leona Lewis, Carrie Underwood and Sheryl Crow are planning to record Just Stand Up for the Stand Up To Cancer charity, which will be released to download from September 2nd. Not only are these lovely ladies laying down the track, they’ll also be performing the song at the Stand Up To Cancer benefit show, which is set to air simultaneously on three US television networks - ABC, NBC…

Matthew McConaughey has put together a VIP package to auction off on Ebay to help raise funds for his j.k. livin foundation. The organization is dedicated to helping boys and girls transform into men and women through programs that teach the importance of decision making, health, education, and active living. The package includes Matthew’s custom-made orange-and-white bike (suggested retail price: $40,000), tickets for two to a college football game in Austin, TX, and other autographed collectibles — including headshots, “If you want ‘em!” the actor quips. With…

It’s never a good idea to be left in the dark; (I know, because my friends do it to me all the time). With the hurricane and tornado seasons fast upon us it’s a great time to update your home’s emergency systems and the Freeplay Light Center is a great addition to your home emergency gadgetry. The [...]

Designer with a conscience, Anna Mkhitarian now branches out from designing beautiful eco couture dresses and eco bridal gowns to eco jewelry, as well. Her peace, love and earth themed necklaces and bracelets are all created from 0.925 recycled pure sterling silver and designed to inspire change. Each piece is hand made in L.A., and devoid [...]

Reusable bags by Bags On The Run are a good solution to the growing menace of plastic and paper bags – washable, recyclable, and offered in a wide range of colors and styles. Bags on the Run green bags are available in different sizes, with or without the logo. Each can carry twice the weight carried [...]

Look out Florida…Fay Looks Like Boomerang Storm - cnn Logical. NYC Mayor Calls for Wind Turbines Atop Skyscrapers - reuters You knew this…(video) Bigfoot Find is Monkey Suit on Ice - bbc Everyone has to do their part…Air Force to Convert Coal for Jets - cs monitor It’s just plain wrong when Exxon, Chevron and the EPA are on [...]

I just happened upon the website of the new electric car manufacturing company, BG Automotive.  A quick scan of their web page (yes it’s a single page) revealed that they’re introducing a new, a zero emissions, all-electric sedan in October 08, with a range of 80 to 150 miles.  The car comes in a wide [...]

The federal appeals court ruling is the most recent in a series of judicial setbacks to the Bush administration’s efforts to reshape federal policies under the Clean Air Act.

Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg is seeking to put wind turbines on New York City’s bridges and skyscrapers and in its waters as part of a push to develop renewable energy.

The U.S.S. Oriskany was sunk by the Navy in May 2006 under a pilot program to convert decommissioned vessels into artificial reefs.

Nina V. Fedoroff is science adviser to the secretary of state and contends that genetically modified foods help the environment.

Lance Armstrong’s household has been revealed as one of the biggest individual users of water in a city definitely short on rain.

I've seen a number of comments, both at TheOilDrum and elsewhere, suggesting that the US is now less susceptible to supply disruptions because we have reduced our demand for oil by several hundred thousand barrels per day over the past year. In general, I get the sense that people think we can insulate ourselves from supply disruptions, from our dependence on potentially unreliable foreign sources of oil, by improving our efficiency and eliminating "unnecessary" oil consumption. In my opinion, this is backward. In this post, I will argue that, because the demand that is destroyed first in a…

This is a guest post by Adam Dadeby (Adam1). Adam is currently studying towards an MSc in Renewable Energy and the Built Environment with the Centre for Alternative Technology in Wales, UK. What is EROEI? Energy returned on energy invested (EROEI or EROI) is a concept that mirrors the financial metric, return on investment (ROI). In order to make an energy gain or “profit”, energy or work must be consumed or exerted (Cleveland, C.J., 2001, p.11). The energy gain or profit often referred to as “net energy”. EROEI is usually expressed as a ratio, or occasionally as a percentage. EROEI…

OPEC Oil Production Cut `Is an Option,' Libya's Ghanem Says (Bloomberg) -- OPEC, the supplier of more than 40 percent of the world's oil, may decide to cut production at a meeting on Sept. 9 because the market is oversupplied, Libya's top oil official said. ``We will study Venezuela's call for lower production, and the logic behind it,'' Shokri Ghanem, the chairman of Libya's National Oil Corp. said in a telephone interview from Tripoli today. ``The market is now oversupplied. If a cut helps bring it to balance, then why not? It's an option.'' [break] A revolution in the transport economy If…

When I first went to talk to someone about investing in stocks, it was carefully explained to me that I should not be concerned over daily fluctuations but rather should look at longer-term outcomes of events. So it has been with the recent price fluctuations with fuel, in that I haven’t really been that concerned with the causes of daily, or even weekly ups and downs, since those moves were often in reaction to transient events, but have rather tried to pick out more long-term changes that will have more of a permanent impact. Thus it was just over a month ago that I wrote about a quote…

The Great Oil Bubble? The markets are rejoicing as the “great oil bubble” loses air and rapidly heads back to its proper double-digit price. The rejoicing may be a bit premature as the underlying supply and demand fundamentals do not appear to support “proper” prices for oil. Between 2004 and 2007, global oil consumption grew by 3.9%, driven by emerging giants China and India (40% of the world’s population) and other rapidly growing emerging economies. While consumption has exploded, production has not kept pace. Non-OPEC production growth has slowed well below historical averages.

Schott will deliver over 10 megawatts of photovoltaic modules to PermaCity under the three year contract.

The company plans to invest £300 million in the biomass power station at the Port of Bristol.

A $100 million deal helps cement the relationship between Suntech and the Russian polysilicon maker.

The 44 turbines will be used in the Keenan wind project in Woodward County, Okla.

Applied Materials will provide precision wafering systems to support LDK's next phase of production expansion.

I’m a regular at the local café down the street, and, when I told the barista that I like my coffee as strong as it gets, she insisted that I sample the robust flavor created by a French press. Ever since that day, I abandoned the bland, and my coffee maker at home has lazed in retirement in my cabinet. With the Personal French press, you don’t need a pricy espresso machine to make your taste buds dance. This double-decker contraption is bold and eco sleek, not to mention the fact that it is significantly less expensive than traditional coffee makers. (Available at sponsor VivaTerra for…

Where do you park your iPod? Is it thrown on the bed, like my 9-year-old daughter's? Or, perhaps you prop your Nano in a toxic, laminated modern box that looks cool but isn't exactly healthy for your environment. Well, turn off the tunes and listen up. Here's the first hand-crafted, real wood iPod speaker (read: useful) that looks retro and is made with wood from sustainable plantation sources. The Vers 2X plays and charges most iPod models (Nano, Video, Mini, iPhone). Its adaptor and Class D amplifier use up to 70% less energy than traditional speakers, according to Feel More Human which…

Next time you see someone tossing a beer bottle into the ocean - cheer him on. While it's always better to recycle, this is a rare instance where thoughtlessness usually results in something good. The bottle fragments will be tumbled and pounded in the surf until their edges are smoothed and their surface becomes milky. Glass is unreactive (hence glass test-tubes) and the restless sea will eventually reduce it to unusually beautiful sand. But some of it will end up above the shoreline - and that's where we come in. I spent many childhood hours collecting beach glass, rubbing it with a wet…

Where's the (eco) beef? If you're not a vegetarian but you're interested in hosting a more eco-friendly BBQ, it can be difficult to determine what's best. There's organic. Grass fed. Humane. Grass finished. Free range and foraged. Animal Welfare approved. Food Alliance Certified. And of course, conventional hormone-injected antibiotic-laden animal-protein-fed caged and mistreated meat. Here's what it all means.USDA Certified Organic The animal will be fed 100% organic grass, corn, and grain. That means it's not necessarily good for you (grass is cattle's natural diet). Also, the rules about…

What do Zaha Hadid, Vivienne Westwood, the Campana brothers, and Alexandre Herchcovitch have in common? The answer: Melissa Plastic Dreams. In support of their commitment to cutting-edge design, these talented individuals have partnered with the Sao Paulo-based shoe company focused on technological innovation and sustainability. By challenging industry norms, the company has developed a loyal following among the crème del la crème of internationally recognized designers. I know I have been on a shoe kick lately, but I just have to share this. Launching 400 new products annually, Melissa…

Not to worry folks....ummm.....it's all part of the ..uh...tour!

When you consider that only 24 books are produced for every tree felled, it makes sense to spread the love by passing our books onto other people.

In the excitement of the Olympics, the run-up to the presidential conventions and the flurry of late summer vacations, it was easy to miss the Bush administration's stealth attack on the Endangered Species Act last week. A proposed regulation would simply eliminate independent scientific reviews that have been required for over 30 years.

Kite Boarder off Fort Lauderdale beach tastes some sand and the pavement up against Tropical Storm Fay.

Geothermal energy has finally hit the big time. Google.org, the philanthropic arm of Google, announced today that it is investing $10.25 million in an energy technology called Enhanced Geothermal Systems (EGS). The funding will also go towards geothermal resource mapping, information tools, and a geothermal energy policy agenda.

SocialVibe raises awareness and donations for Stand Up To Cancer (SU2C). We've all heard the saying, "It's serious as cancer." The expression is used in many ways. It's become cliché. But there's a reason why clichés are formed. Like the universal feeling of being stuck between a rock and a hard place, there's a deeper truth. In this case, it achieves cliché status because cancer presides over all things serious. It is the king and queen of seriousness. Cancer is deserving of this respect, and yet this tyranny calls for any and all action to…

With the organic movement still picking up steam, many products and designs are being created on a small scale and sold independently by small companies.  One of the best places to find unique, organic, sustainable products is Etsy--a cooperative site with thousands of independent stores selling everything from clothing to jewelry and other hand crafted items.  I've scoured Etsy and come up with a list of some of the best organic bath and beauty shops.  These are high quality, all-natural, and best of all--AFFORDABLE products!  Since you have to buy soap and shampoo…

The Green Girls Weekly Wrap Up for 8/17/08. Buying green for any occasion, a launch of a newbie sustainable mag, a night with some cool green folks, & why WE HEART MASHABLE.

Many chemicals make up a bottle of hairspray.  Some of them unpronounceable like the toxic chemicals found on The Dirty Dozen. By creating your own hairspray from your kitchen, you avoid those harmful chemicals. Far from your grandmother's aerosol hairspray, this is actually edible. Photo by: Gabriel Cravajal Orange and Rum Hairspray It doesn't sound like much of a beauty product but hairspray is nothing more than chemicals that tighten the curls a little by making your hair a little sticky. The bonus from our homemade concoction is that good feeling knowing that there are no…

We love meeting & shaking hands with fellow greenies! Last night we got our fix. We attended a Green Business Networking event held at the award-winning, sustainable Ambrose Hotel  in Santa Monica, CA.  The ambience was chic, the organic chardonnay, buttery & the company, an interesting bunch!   We  hang out too much with the boys of CreativeCitizen.com, but they host such great parties. Can't help it! Other hosts for the event also included Pink Cloud Events, The Vector Group, Enright Premier Wealth Advisors and Greenopia.  …

Shipping newspaper and plastic bottles around the world to be recycled in China is far more beneficial to the environment than landfilling them in Britain and producing new items, according to a British government study. The Waste Resources Action Program said that shipping plastic bottles and paper 10,000 miles to China still creates far fewer greenhouse gases than producing new products, in part because many of the container ships carrying exported goods from China to the U.K. would be returning empty anyway. In the past decade, annual exports of paper and old plastic bottles from the U.K.

The effectiveness of rooftop gardens — an important element in green design — varies widely, and countries and municipalities should establish uniform standards to ensure that the roofs function properly. That’s the conclusion of a new study by an ecologist at the Zurich University of Applied Sciences, who said that many green roofs fail to retain rainwater, fully absorb solar energy, and provide a good habitat for birds and insects, often because builders do not lay down enough soil for the gardens to thrive. The study found that more than half of the rooftop gardens in Zurich had less…

Google is investing $10 million in a new geothermal technology as part of its campaign to stimulate development of alternative energy sources that will produce electricity more cheaply than coal. The technology, called enhanced geothermal systems (EGS), involves drilling down to hot layers of the earth’s crust and pumping in water to create steam, which is used to power turbines. EGS is an improvement on century-old technology that taps into geysers, hot springs, and volcanoes. Roughly $6 million of Google's investment will be in an EGS company, AltaRock Energy, which also has received…

Building on strict anti-pollution measures that have helped Beijing enjoy its cleanest air in 10 years, Chinese officials have vowed to institute permanent regulations that will assure relatively clear air over the capital after the Olympics end this Sunday. “Beijing will be built into a livable city,” the deputy director of the Beijing Environmental Protection Bureau told reporters. Thanks to a host of measures — including shutting down or relocating hundreds of factories and cutting traffic on city streets by half — Beijing’s air quality has been rated excellent to fairly good for…

A Louisiana State University chemist has reported the discovery of a new class of pollutants known as “persistent free radicals” that are produced during combustion and can last a long time in the atmosphere. H. Barry Dellinger, speaking at a meeting of the American Chemical Society, said the persistent free radicals are produced when incomplete combustion from a factory or car engine produces fine particles such as soot. As gases from the combustion cool, altered versions of chemicals from the exhaust attach themselves to the soot, creating long-lasting free radicals. Most free radicals,…

The National Advertising Division of the Council of Better Business Bureaus has told Clorox it should alter some of the claims about its Green Works cleaning products.

The newly launched service is based on the Lean Six Sigma strategy and will target water and energy use wherever these resources are used, such as in transportation, data centers, IT systems, manufacturing and distribution or retail facilities.

Sam's Club will offer solar panels and an array of energy saving products at nine Southern California locations, where the company has created Home Efficiency Centers to focus customer attention on goods for greening their dwellings.

The two California utilities have announced plans to invest heavily in wind and solar energy projects, giving a boost to clean energy for the state.

Big U.K. firms should give employees more of a say in greening their workplaces, and U.S. companies need to live up to their eco-friendly business practices internally as well as externally, according to findings from two worker attitude surveys.

OSLO (Reuters) - More than 150 nations meet in Ghana from Thursday trying to speed up sluggish talks on a new climate treaty and plug big gaps in a "vision" of leading industrial nations of halving world greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.

SYDNEY (Reuters) - Hopes of saving a baby whale abandoned by its mother in a bay north of Sydney faded late on Wednesday as the calf continued to try to suckle from a moored yacht. International experts said it had just days to live.

OSLO (Reuters) - North Sea gas pipeline operator Gassco has awarded Swedish Marine Matteknikk AB a contract to survey 636 km of seabed for potential pipelines to carry carbon dioxide to offshore burial sites, it said on Wednesday.

(Reuters) - A U.S. federal court on Tuesday overturned a rule that prevented state and local authorities from raising emissions monitoring requirements for polluting units such as chemical plants and oil refineries.

SYDNEY (Reuters) - Australia scientists estimate that only one percent of the nation's untapped geothermal energy could produce 26,000 years worth of clean electricity.

According to East Coast Kitsch, the cardboard sleeves you put on your morning coffee cup can add up to 6-10 lbs. of paper waste a year! Wowser! ...much better to use one of these lovely eco-friendly unique and cool coffee cozys. Keep your paws from getting scorched while looking oh so earth saving chic! (Made from recycled sweaters) $8.00 at East Coast Kitsch’s Etsy Shop

Love these Fair Trade handbags made from recycled newspaper and organic cotton. Created by a co-op of 32 women in Brazil. Ecoist are the folks that made the candy wrapper bag famous….their bags are great quality and fashionably earth friendly. Prices vary from $129.00 to $249.00 at Ecoist

VivaTerra works with an artist who contacts can factories to take their misprints off their hands. You know the ones that are not quite the right color, or the registration is off, or the logo may not be exactly center. This artist then makes all kinds of wonderful eco friendly household objects. Flatware, lanterns, garbage cans, tea chests, magazine racks and watering cans. Check it out! Various prices at VivaTerra.

Made from 100% recycled PET plastic bottles with a big ole earth friendly saying on the side for you to lug your stuff while showing your colors. Wavyo is a women-owned company started by three friends who love to create and are striving to do something to help the world in which we live. $46.00 at Wavyo

Shoes and moccasins made from new and repurposed materials. A great selection is available from Etsy artist, KaBoogie Shoes who is a stay-at-home mom of 6 kids. Her styles vary and she works her magic with suede, leather and fabric and wool. Prices vary at KaBoogie’s Etsy Shop Adult mocs are sometimes available, give her a shout. For more eco-friendly baby ideas, visit GreatGreenBaby.com

New York's Mayor Michael Bloomberg is proposing putting windmills on city bridges and rooftops as part of an ambitious push for renewable energy.

A Bush administration rule barring states and local governments from requiring more air pollution monitoring is illegal, a federal appeals court ruled Tuesday.

Republican presidential candidate John McCain visited an oil platform in the Gulf of Mexico on Tuesday to call for increased offshore drilling that he claims would lower the cost of food and heating homes.

In June, the state of Florida agreed to buy the U.S. Sugar Corp. for $1.75 billion in a bold effort to accelerate restoration of the Everglades. The Everglades Foundation, a tiny conservation group, was a major factor in getting the deal done.

The doughnut stand's exterior was plastic and studded with incandescent lights. It had its own humming generators. And the cold water for sale came in plastic bottles.

A family of Washington, D.C.-area developers is quietly spending a big chunk to green up a 1950s-era apartment complex in Silver Springs, Md. The Washington Business Journal reports that the Tower Cos.’ Abramson family is spending nearly $100 million to retrofit The Blairs apartment community in the suburbs of Washington. The rehab is part of the [...]

All new vehicles will have some kind of hybrid drive 12 years from now, an IBM study asserts. If so, automakers may want to include incentives to buy the greener generations of cars; a consumer survey shows buyers are highly motivated by incentives to go green.

Google, the web giant that’s been doubling as a cleantech venture capital firm, has made another set of investments. This time, Google’s put $10.24 million into geothermal companies, Earth2Tech reports.

Massachusetts cleantech leaders are looking to strengthen ties to Israel, the Boston Business Journal reports. Among those taking recent trips to Israel to look into cleantech opportunities are some of the leading lights on the Boston-area scene, including Andrew Friendly of Advanced Technology Ventures and Mintz Levin Cohn Ferris Glovsky & Popeo PC attorney Tom Burton. “I [...]

A California marketing company that was already green by design is further decreasing its carbon footprint through a carbon credit deal, and the company’s CEO hopes that sends a message to his high-tech giant clients. “We wanted to try and show the community that being green isn’t only fun … it’s quite profitable if you [...]

This is a perfect solution for that blown out tire from the morning commute…fashion it into a belt! Velo-re furbishes beautiful belts from old bike tires. They incorporate all sorts of treads and sizes from knobby mountain tires to smooth slicks. Velo-re has two stock styles, Beltoe and Beltie, which are slick and semi-slick treads. [...]

Remember our post about paying to sleep in an old drain pipe?  Well now next time you go to London, you can sleep in an old shipping container.  Travelodge is getting their recycle on with this hotel made completely of old shipping containers.  It may sound like a gimmick but besides the fact that they [...]

We need to take advantage of the renewable power of the sun… no brainer.  How?  There are new breakthroughs every week that go beyond tradition solar panels, and WPI researches announced a great one yesterday:  Use the a massive system that we already have collecting rays everyday… roads and parking lots! I read over at CleanTechnica [...]

Milkit is a creative way to turn milk bottles into kickin’ table lamps. The kit is sold by Play Design and was developed by Alexandru Adam and Steven Koch. The nature inspired graphics come with the kit along with the hardware (cords, sockets, fittings, etc). It’s up to you to provide the milk bottles, of [...]

The story of the barque Belem is filled with romance. Today it is being put to use as a working cargo ship to deliver sustainably produced wines from France. Built in 1896, and named for the Brazilian seaport at the mouth of the Amazon, the Belem originally shipped chocolate in its hold from Brazil [...]

AFP - Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd joined Pacific island nations Tuesday in a call for immediate help to cope with the impact of climate change in the region.

LiveScience.com - Editor's Note: Each Wednesday LiveScience examines the viability of emerging energy technologies - the power of the future.

AP - Support for climate-change proposals may be growing among investors in big U.S. companies.

AP - Federal officials accuse five Midwest states of violating a new pollution standard for tiny soot particles that can cause respiratory distress in children and the elderly.

AP - Electric and hybrid vehicles may be better for the environment, but the California Legislature says they're bad for the blind.

The Hotel Metro is deploying a Telkonet SmartEnergy management system at its 63-suite property and is the most recent of several similar projects at five-star hotels in the area, illustrating the growing demand in the hospitality industry for energy efficiency solutions.

The Olympic Village, temporary home to more than 16,000 athletes at the international games in Beijing, has been awarded LEED Gold status.

The demand for green building professionals is sharply rising as eco-friendly, energy efficient homes become more of a market norm than a market novelty.

J.C. Penney Company is advancing its environmental program by hosting solar power systems and a wind turbine and by setting a goal of attaining Energy Star status at 200 or more stores by 2011.

Regulators have historically tended to look the other way when it comes to water captured as rain. But as water becomes more scarce, regulators are more closely scrutinizing the increasingly popular practice of rainwater harvesting — collecting rainwater in barrels, buckets and tanks.

Bamboo Salad Bowl Bamboo Salad Bowl-with Handles -Fair Trade Gifts Everything you make looks more delicious in this bowl. Made by Craft Link, a Vietnamese non-profit organization dedicated to helping artisans by providing them access to markets, design assistance, and business training - what could be better? Artisans in the Cat Dang Village use the long tradition of hand coiled bamboo work and then collaborate with various workshops around town. Dress your table in style knowing you also help dress theirs. at Amazon.com

Recycling has always been a great way to get rid of trash in a way that won’t fill up the already over flowing land fills.  Its something that’s easy to do and now with more and more states and cities requiring that people recycle, there have been some great new products that have shown up on the market to help us out. I have listed 3 different recycling bins that are each unique and have great customer reviews.  Here’s a quick summary of each one: Stainless Steel Recycling Bin 3 Compartment Recycling Bin - Stainless Steel $84.95 Help save the planet with ease and…

Richell 3-Bin Recycling Tower Richell 3-Bin Recycling Tower Store your recyclables out of sight with this Three Tier Recycling Tower. Keep the Recycling Tower in the utility room or garage, and easily sort your plastic, glass and aluminum before recycling day. The Recycling Bin Tower features heavy plastic construction, making it durable and long-lasting. The three generously sized bins tilt out for easy access and are removable to allow you to clean them in the sink or with the garden hose. Keeps recyclables in one easy-to-reach convenient location Foot pedal provides easy access to lower…

Solar StringLights Beautiful gardens and patios look even better when there’s ambient lighting.  However, lighting the outside of your home drains electricity and costs money.  With these Solar StringLights, you’ll not only save money on the cost of electricity but you’ll never have to turn them on or off.   They automatically turn themselves on at dusk and off at sunrise. You can enjoy up to 8 hours in your garden or patio without worrying about the cost.  What a great way to enjoy the outdoors at night while still being Green. for StingLights now!

This series, titled “10 Ways To Be An Eco Friend“, was inspired by this site.  Part 1, Part 2. 21. SECOND-HAND DOESN’T MEAN SECOND-BEST Consider buying items from a second-hand store. Toys, bicycles, roller blades, and other age and size-specific items are quickly outgrown. Second hand stores often sell these items in excellent condition since they are used for such a short period of time, and will generally buy them back when you no longer need them. 22. BUY LOCAL Consider the amount of pollution created to get your food from the farm to your table. Whenever possible, buy from…

With oil prices skyrocketing, the search is on for efficient and sustainable biofuels. Research published this month in Agronomy Journal examines one biofuel crop contender: corn stover. Corn stover is made up of the leaves and stalks of corn plants that are left in the field after harvesting the edible corn grain. Corn stover could supply as much as 25 percent of the biofuel crop needed by 2030.

New research, reported in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, finds that coal burning, primarily in North America and Europe, contaminated the Arctic and potentially affected human health and ecosystems in and around Earth's polar regions.

Scientists have taken a sample of Lake Washington mud and successfully sequenced a complete genome for an unknown microorganism. Their method provides a way to discover new microscopic life in complex communities.

Tetra-Amido Macrocyclic Ligands are environmentally friendly catalysts with a host of applications for reducing and cleaning up pollutants, and a prime example of "green chemistry." Carnegie Mellon University's Terry Collins, the catalyst's inventor, believes that the small-molecule catalysts have the potential to be even more effective than previously proven.

Since the terrorist attacks of 2001, the Bureau of Reclamation, which operates and manages dams that provide water and power to millions of people, has invested significant resources in security and is better able to protect its facilities and personnel, says a new report from the National Research Council.

The campaign from HP, Citrix and Intel plans to make Wednesday, August 27 a demonstration day to highlight the easiest way to lower an office's energy usage.

Data centers are energy-hungry beasts. But virtualization software reduces the number of IT assets needed in a data center, thereby lowering energy costs and your company's environmental impact.

A survey of IT professionals said that, while almost all want their departments to be more energy efficient, not even half of their organizations are currently employing green IT practices.

Wanting to green your data center is one thing; actually doing it is another thing entirely. If you're looking for help, IBM has a new consulting service that might be the ticket. IBM calls it "Green Sigma" because it's based on the well-known Lean Six Sigma principles of efficiency.

The federal General Services Administration has announced a program to purchase discounted licenses of BigFix computer power management software, with potential savings of up to $750,000 per year.

Looking like something out of an Arthur C. Clark novel, the Lilypad is a large-scale ecotectural concept designed by Belgian architect Vincent Callebaut, for housing the potential future victims (50,000 within each structure) of climate change in coastal areas.  From Callebaut’s description of his intention on his website, it is quite clear that he takes [...]

A startup company from Canada, Day4 Energy, has introduced new solar panel technology which will increase energy efficiency while decreasing costs by 25 percent. President of Day4 Energy, George Rubin, has estimated that the cost per watt of solar power from his products would be about $3 compared to $4 for conventional panels. After months [...]

Today’s news, tomorrow’s textiles. A graduate from Design Academy Eindhoven, Greetje van Tiem, has found a distinctive and creative way to recycle old newspapers that have been sitting around. As part of a school assignment, van Tiem completed a project that turns newspapers into yarn, and although not quite the same as regular yarn, it [...]

For anyone who missed it, Nau (the cutting-edge, amazing eco-friendly clothing brand) who closed their doors this May, have announced they will re-open this October. Their new line will release for the fall and holiday season, incorporating the same design philosophy of balancing beauty, performance, and sustainability. The re-opening of Nau is being taken on [...]

SKATE STUDY HOUSE, also known as ‘SSH’, is a line of products conceived through the eyes of a skateboarder. The furniture aims to mix contemporary lifestyle, art and sports culture, and align with some of the bestselling modern furniture, while paying tribute to the renowned Case Study House. “The SKATE STUDY HOUSE finds its inspiration [...]

Google sinks $10 million into geothermal energy technology; Fiat readies a stylish new hybrid; and soon you’ll be able charge your cellphone with kinetic energy.. Geothermal Energy: Google puts $10 Million Into New Technology: After stepping out early on solar nanotech and windpower, Google is turning its attention to geothermal energy. The company announced Tuesday that it will sink $10 million into Enhanced Geothermal Systems (EGS). The technology rests on drilling for subterranian “hot rocks,” then pumping in water to create steam. Google’s main partners in the…

Consumers get a temporary reprieve from pump prices as gasoline prices drop to a 14-week low. And can cow poop help meet world energy needs? Gasoline prices fall to lowest level in 14 weeks: Good news for motorists and consumers — gasoline prices continue to decline. The U.S. Energy Information Administration says fuel prices slumped another 6.9 cents last week, driving the price of gasoline to an average price of $3.74 a gallon. That’s the lowest since last spring, though still about a dollar higher than in August, 2007. While the pain at the pump is decreasing, Americans still…

Toyota turns up its nose at all-electric vehicles; a big setback for a Seattle biofuel manufacturer; and House Democrats surrender on offshore drilling. Toyota wants hybrids across the board, remains dubious of plug-ins: Toyota’s “can’t do” attitude toward electric vehicles remains in full bloom. Toyota powertrain systems manager Justin Ward told a Michigan gathering last week that while the company plans on offering hybrids across its entire line, it remains deeply skeptical of the current capabilities of plug-in vehicles. Ward said an all-electric range of 40 miles…

The Week in CleanTech, Pt. 2: Forbes theorizes the Russia/Georgia war is about energy. And GM puts the final touches on its Chevy Volt electric roadster. Georgia On Our Minds: An op-ed article by Dan Fisher in Wednesday’s Forbes paints this week’s conflict in the Caucasus region as a straightforward energy war. Fisher asserts that Vladimir Putin’s primary aim in the affair was to rule out Georgia as a safe transit point for shipping oil from the region beyond Russia’s reach. Fighting quickly shut down the Baku-Sipsa pipeline, which moves oil from Azerbaijan to the Georgian port of…

The Week in in CleanTech, Pt. 1: Easing gasoline prices defy war concerns — and India queues up the largest and most expensive solar power project yet. Gasoline prices may continue to drop as low as $3.50: Despite early jitters over Russia and Georgia’s hostilities in the Caucasus, oil prices continued to retreat Monday. The U.S. Energy Department reports that gasoline prices have followed suit, declining to a national average price of $3.809 a gallon. That’s down over seven cents from last week, and represents a new 90-day low. Oil Price Information Service analyst Tom Kloza thinks…

The Australian coal-seam gas producer has made a takeover offer to Sunshine Gas, a smaller rival, anticipating to use its reserves as feedstock for an LNG project in conjunction with BG Group.

Latest hike of wholesale electricity rates is too little to induce power producers to expand capacity in the face of profit-destroying coal prices.