Green News

Store Wars! Revolution is in the air, as the Swiss Government's Federal Ethics Committee on Non-Human Biotechnology concludes that plants have rights, and we have to treat them appropriately. A majority of the panel concluded that "living organisms should be considered morally for their own sake because they are alive." The Weekly Standard, which is appalled, gives an example of how a farmer mowing his field is OK, but if he carelessly decapitates flowers while walking home, that is immo...

UK architecture website BD online asked Austin Williams, author of new book The Enemies of Progress, and Pooran Desai of BioRegional Quintain. We excerpt a bit: Austin Williams says YES: "The mantra “less is more” has gone from being a defining moment in modernist thought to the unquestioned orthodoxy of our environmental age. Unfortunately, its progressive content has been stripped away. Efficiency used to encourage us to design creatively in order to, as Buckminster Fuller implied, do more and more. Now, environmental efficiency states that using less is an end in itself. Sustainability…

I’ve found a way to save the bees and save your itchy, watery, allergy eyes. And, no, it doesn’t come in an orange prescription bottle or costly over-the-counter remedy. It comes from my favorite source –- nature. Yesterday I was outside at a shoot for the cover for my book, surrounded by blooming trees and shrubs, with pollen flying freely all around us. I, who have never suffered from allergies, suddenly had watering eyes and a cough that wouldn’t quit. My makeup artist was thankfully on hand to catch the running mascara (come on -- I have to look...

Image courtesy procsilas at flickr There are now oodles of guides to buying green gifts for your mom on Mother's Day. Here's our take on this year's fabulous finds. And while the organic flowers-organic chocolate-organic spa basket thing is all well and good, what if your dearest wish is not to just buy green for mom but find ways to get her to be green, or greener? Every mom is different - and some of your moms may be your personal inspiration - but if you want to offer your mom a service rather than just give her a gift, we've collected some TreeHugger ideas for off-beat ways to sh...

Image courtesy of JackVersloot via flickr When in Rome: Joining its fellow top polluters -- China, India and the U.S. -- Russia has signaled it would rebuff the imposition of tougher emission standards, casting doubt on the prospects for a future U.N.-mediated climate treaty, reports Reuters' Alister Doyle. Government officials said last week that the country wouldn't accept binding caps under a new deal to succeed the Kyoto Protocol, set to expire by the end of...

2008 U.S. Tornado Count Setting Unprecedented Pace

U.N. Warns of Plummeting Bird Population Worldwide

Charities Appeal for Donations to Help Relief Effort (UPDATE)

U.S. Policy: Plow Up Fields to Build More McMansions

Junta Seizes U.N. Aid: Should the U.N. Force Relief on Burma?

Hassan Masum: We recently had a chance to talk with Mark Anielski, Albertan and author of The Economics of Happiness: Building Genuine Wealth. Mark has been working...

Regine Debatty: The documentary i was dying to see at the Homo Ludens Ludens exhibition at LABoral in Gijon was Gold Farmers, by Ge Jin. Image courtesy...

WorldChanging Team: What do you get the globally conscious grad who has everything? If you're looking for something unique, you're probably stalling out somewhere between the hemp...

WorldChanging Team: Posted by Clark Williams-Derry for Sightline WORDS No point, just cool: The New York Times shows what Americans spend their money on -- and how...

Ben Block: A newly formed watchdog of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) is proposing that the U.N. establish a new authority to...

You already know that organic agriculture yields pesticide-free products that are better for you and for the planet. But did you know it could play a key role in carbon sequestration and battling climate change? Anna Lappé talks with Timothy LaSalle of the Rodale Institute about why farmers could be climate-change heroes, which fungi could save the world, and how he surmounted his own chemical-saturated past.

From Death to Life.

Few things make a foodie's taste buds flutter like the thought of extra-virgin olive oil -- especially if it comes from unripe olives grown under that famous Tuscan sun. Mmmmm. [Pause for reverie.] But that stuff can cost a fortune -- how should it best be savored? And what's up with that recent extra-virgin olive scandal in Italy? With EVOO on the brain, Roz Cummins sought answers -- and came up with a picnic-perfect recipe for showing off good olive oil.

Sincere sentiments straight to the inbox. Um, we mean straight to the heart.

Dear Umbra, I asked about fava beans about two weeks ago, and have not had a response back. I have had no luck researching it myself, and would really appreciate a response. I asked at what point in the plant's life did it produce nitro for the soil? For fullest nitro replenishment, should I let the plant seed? Die off? If I pull the plant out, will the nitro stay in the soil? I thank you for your time. KLK, Aptos, Calif.

Americans are less green than consumers in India, China, and Brazil, according to a new study by National Geographic and the international polling firm GlobeScan, measuring and monitoring consumer progress toward environmentally sustainable consumption in 14 countries around the world.Check it out here: GreendexAccording to NatGeo, it's a "quantitative consumer study of 14,000 consumers in a total of 14 countries asked about such behavior as energy use and conservation, transportation choices, food sources, the relative use of green products versus traditional products, attitudes towards the…

This from Ella Delio of NextBillion.net - Development Through Enterprise:Do you run a small-to-medium size enterprise operating in India, Indonesia, China, Brazil or Mexico? Does your company have an innovative business model that delivers strong environmental and social benefits? Are you seeking debt or equity capital in order to grow your business?If so, apply for the New Ventures program in these countries. The New Ventures program of the World Resources Institute supports the growth of businesses that deliver social and environmental benefits by providing business advisory services and…

Thanks to Paul Kedrosky @ Infectious Greed for these NASA satellite images that illustrate the impact of the Myanmar Cyclone. I hear death toll range of 22,000-66,000. And no early warning for many of these people.In this day and age of technological advances, one would think major destruction of human life could be avoided through communication.I know no single event can be tied to global warming, but we probably need to get used to these events happening more frequently with climate change.As Paul said, "Jaw-dropping."

Our minivan now cost over $70 to fill. We don't even drive it that much, but it still hurts.Here's a Wallstrip "Julie in the Street" episode on oil and gas prices in New York. I'm with Julie, don't know whether to laugh or cry:The saddest (but truest) comment is the Brit who says he'd pay whatever it takes for a gallon of petrol and just have to do without something else. OPEC take note!

Readers of this blog will note that my "Three Take-Aways" exercise is becoming more formalized. Here are my three from this week's Salzburg Global Seminar "Towards a 'Green Revolution' in Africa?"1.) A Green Revolution in Africa must be people-centered, including farmer households, consumers, and local communities.2.) A range of solutions must be considered and deployed, including a judicious use of inputs (inorganic fertilizer, improved seed), as well as a longer-term view that promotes organic inputs to improve soil health and structure and increase production. We also can't rely on…

As promised, here is the video interview of Ecorazzi’s Anna Griffin and electric-car star Chelsea Sexton at the Elle Eco Spa Bus tour. For additional details on the event, read our full article here. Copyright © 2008 ecorazzi.com :: the latest in green gossip. This Feed is for personal non-commercial use only. If you are not reading this material in your news aggregator, the site you are looking at is guilty of copyright infringement. Please contact legal@ecorazzi.com so we can take legal action immediately.Plugin by Taragana

Wow. Want to see a perfect example of what can go horribly wrong with celebrity public service announcements? Since it started last week, we’ve been profiling the new campaign “Burma Can’t Wait“, which features 30 days of celebrity PSAs urging people to support political change in the country and get involved. We’ve seen some funny and light-hearted messages from actors and actresses like Jennifer Aniston, Will Ferrell, Jorja Fox, and Woody Harrelson — but none of them have come across as completely insulting and scripted as this one from the Kardashian…

We’ve pretty much reached the saturation point in covering Jessica Alba’s green nursery plans. But just to cap it all off (and kudos to the media for promoting her eco-ambitions), Celebrity Baby Blog have posted a full scan from US Weekly of Alba’s completed baby room. They also have a nice list of almost everything inside and where to buy it. Her baby girl is due late May/early June. [Check it here…] Al Gore is once again under attack with claims that he’s pushing forward an “alarmist agenda” after he spoke on NPR’s Fresh Air. In the interview,…

Check out the hilarious promos below for Shia LaBeouf’s hosting of Saturday Night Live tomorrow night. Who knew NBC has such a lush roof garden? Copyright © 2008 ecorazzi.com :: the latest in green gossip. This Feed is for personal non-commercial use only. If you are not reading this material in your news aggregator, the site you are looking at is guilty of copyright infringement. Please contact legal@ecorazzi.com so we can take legal action immediately.Plugin by Taragana

Well guys it looks like we’ve lost another one. Supervegan.com just alerted me about some “fishy” news regarding hip-hop star Common. Common recently told The University Daily Kansan, “Yeah, I eat fish, man. I needed some protein. I’ve been eating fish for like two years now, two and a half years. It’s great too. I’m glad to be eating it. It was tough being a vegan. I salute all vegans and vegetarians” Red Rover, Red Rover bring Common back over. Ya’ll this is bad news on the veg front!! In case you’re a little late to the party,…

Brooklyn artist, Eric Johnston makes fine art and wall sculpture out of reclaimed wood. see more of Eric’s work @ eric johnston industrial arts his pieces are also being shown May 9th - 11th @ the Brooklyn Design Show

For you gadget-heads that have a taste for items with quichey style and a tint of green we present you with the Hello Kitty Solar powered charger. You will have to liberate the charger from your designer purse for 6 hours of exposure to the sun or an hour plugged into the wall to [...]

I’ve posted about these folks before because I like their style and they’re from Brooklyn. The kid’s chair on the left is a nice representation of their aesthetic. They sell individual furniture pieces and do both furniture design and interior design on commission. They make every effort to use ‘found,’ local materials [...]

Some products that caught this eco-dog’s eye. lycra body suit - Do I really want to look like the K-9 version of David Hasselhoff circa Bay Watch 1986? Fur has worked pretty well for a millennium or two. I guess if you’ve got a skin condition or you’re ‘hanging 10′ with Keanu Reeves this [...]

That steak may be killing the planet. Meat in a Low Carbon World - bbc She’ll start getting Social Security checks next month. Oldest Gorilla in Captivity Turns 55 at Dallas Zoo - yahoo! news Pass the sugar. Kick the Oil Habit and Make Your Own Ethanol - reuters World’s Dirt Deteriorates - msnbc Salmon Gone, Fishermen Tries [...]

Almost all of the Tejon Ranch will be kept permanently free of development under the terms of a deal between the ranch corporation and five major conservation organizations.

The mayor of San Francisco wants to make the recycling of cans, bottles, paper, yard waste and food scraps mandatory instead of voluntary, on the pain of having garbage pickups suspended.

Blackouts are just one of the problems caused by an explosion in Japan’s population of crows, which seems to compete with humans for space in this crowded nation.

Air travel is the fastest-growing source of global greenhouse gases, making the race to find an alternative to kerosene crucial.

Generations of Russian scientists have produced an extraordinary record of the largest body of fresh water on earth.

The government is putting up $181.3 million for research and development projects.read more

The Connecticut wind power company operates 282 megawatts of electrical generating capacity.read more

Ballard's fuel cells will provide backup power for the wireless telecom market in India.read more

The solar installer will start trading today after pricing 5.5 million shares at $10 per share.read more

The fuel cell maker plans to work with the camera OEM to adapt its technology for use in imaging applications.read more

Here's your green roundup: Wire & Twine has created this super-useful list of 50 Ways To Help The Planet -...

Let's face it: no matter how much we may pride ourselves in keeping rooms tidy with our superior organization skills, it's simply not possible to maintain the perfect appearance of a stylized home magazine shoot (amazing how those homes have no need for wires, socks, dry cleaning sacks and cell...

Sometimes the solutions are so simple. No need to give your kids a throwaway brown paper bag when a reusable, washable organic cotton lunch bag will do the job. I like ...

We've got to give credit to Tammy Roy at One Eighty Design for scouring the junk yards in her noble mission to make use of discarded materials....

I'm a sucker for white gliders, a wanna-be Ann Lamott style novelist who dreams of slow summer nights sipping lemonade on my wrap-around porch, sharing excerpts of finished chapters with my husband and daughters. The chapters may be off schedule, but I have found the outdoor...

Obama needs only 169 more delegates for the nomination.

Political bloggers on Clinton and other issues.

This is a sad and dangerous time for Hillary Clinton.

Robert Redford poses it at the end of The Candidate, but you know every presidential victor has asked it on election night: "What do we do now?"

Web socialites could automatically share MySpace data with profiles on Yahoo and eBay.

Thanks to TOD reader Tim R. for pointing out this piece on the food v. fuel problem in the Seattle PI yesterday. One takeaway message (but is it a valid one?) is contained in this chart from a group at The University of Washington (click to enlarge): UNDER THE FOLD, you will find two youtube videos that are worth your time. The first is from Fast Money (CNBC) yesterday entitled "It's Supply, Stupid." After a bit of discussion on the panel, Joe Terranova provides a really nice discussion (about 4 mins) of the reasoning behind why the price oil is rising: supply and demand. Sure, it's a little…

'Peak oil' is here. Now what? What does it mean that crude oil is peaking? Essentially it means that the world has used half the oil available to extract and will enter a permanent decline, even as world energy demand is rising, with new economic powerhouses China and India growing at an alarming rate. Peak oil does not mean we are on the verge of running out of oil; the overriding implication is that we are entering a period of relentlessly rising prices and ultimate shortfalls. This is ominous for economies and for individuals facing a seeming perfect storm of hardships financial and…

The logo of the ASPOItaly-2 conference. It shows, superimposed to the classic ASPO peak, the mythical "post peak car", the battery powered, retrofitted Fiat 500 Conference report, many links and some pictures below the fold. [break] The second national conference of the Italian section of ASPO, ASPO-Italy, was held in Torino on May 3rd. Among the speakers, many were well known to readers of TOD. We had Euan Mearns as guest of honor, but also Ugo Bardi, Pietro Cambi, Marco Pagani and Eugenio Saraceno; all of them have signed posts on The Oil Drum. The conference's language was mainly Italian.

Animal rights group PETA recently announced a $1 million reward for the first person to make in-vitro meat (leading Bruce Sterling to dub them "People for the Ethical Treatment of Alien Lumps of Flesh"). While PETA's aim here seems to be to be to publicise their opposition to the consumption of animals (as shown in the quote below), there is another angle to this story which is perhaps more interesting for those interested in energy issues - which comes back to "the oil we eat." "Why is PETA supporting this new technology? More than 40 billion chickens, fish, pigs, and cows are killed every…

Analysts Neil McMahon and Ben Dell from Bernstein Research are back with more analysis. When we last heard from them, they were looking for Haradh in all the wrong places and reporting on the widespread dismantling and bulldozing of oil wells in Ghawar, the super giant oil field in Saudi Arabia. As promised, they have returned with a study purporting to show that Ghawar is not rapidly depleting because it is not sinking. Using the the technique of Synthetic Aperature Radar (SAR) Interferometry, which is capable of measuring millimeter vertical movements via satellite, they found not…

Through a partnership with the National Governors Association, the "Greening State Capitols" program will provide energy audits in 20 U.S. state capitols to identify ways in which they can reduce energy consumption.

Under criticism from bloggers during Earth Week over the use of oversized boxes to ship tiny products, Dell sought the advice of its customers this week to help the company improve its packaging.

The "Trucks Deliver a Cleaner Tomorrow" program offers six recommendations that will help the industry shrink its carbon footprint and preserve its livelihood during a time of skyrocketing fuel prices.

As part of a multi-pronged approach to clean up the air at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, about half of the 16,000 diesel trucks that serve the waterfront will be replaced with ones that run on liquefied natural gas.

Millipore Corp. unveiled a goal on Wednesday to reduce its carbon footprint by 20 percent during the next five years. The initiative will take aim at the its consumption of non-renewable resources and production of waste, as well as introduce programs that will foster behavioral changes conducive to environmental sustainability.

GENEVA (Reuters) - Myanmar's recovery from a deadly cyclone could be hindered by strong winds and rain over the coming week, the U.N. weather agency said on Friday.

COLOGNE, Germany (Reuters) - The European Commission says it is standing by a desire to overhaul UN-led carbon trading rules to make it more difficult for developing nations to earn carbon offsets from cutting greennhouse gas emissions.

BRASILIA (Reuters) - Brazil will contest any attempt by the European Union to place limits on biofuel exports because of environmental concerns, a senior Brazilian official said on Friday.

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Conservation groups and a California real estate company on Thursday reached a long-fought deal to conserve and protect an area eight times the size of San Francisco from developers.

LONDON (Reuters) - A new study suggesting a possible lull in manmade global warming has raised fears of a reduced urgency to battle climate change.

Folk Art South Africa was born out of a passion for South African folk art and a strong desire to contribute to the needs of those living with HIV/AIDS and to help those living with the disease to attain a sustainable income. A good portion of their site is made up of products made from recycled materials…so, of course, that’s why we love ‘em! OllyMolly Recycled Wallet Mirrors framed in plastic bottle tops or flip flop circles and decorated using recycled rope. Wallets carefully handcrafted using recycled paper labels and laminated plastic. These colorful money holders are…

Handcrafted by Etsy artist, Loran Scrugg, these whistles are colorful and utilitarian. Created completely from recycled or vintage tin and bottle caps. Lots of colors available. $14.00 each at Lorna Scrugg’s Etsy Shop

Finally a way to reuse tired and scratched up camera lenses. These are hand crafted into bracelets —perfect for that eco-friendly photographer in your life. AU $200 at Oy Modern Thanks to John T. Unger for the link.

Recycled knitting needle bracelet. Get your eco friendly jingle jangle on! $45.00 at Sassafras Creation’s Etsy Shop Earrings are $18.00 at Sassafras Creation’s Etsy Shop This necklace is made from vintage knitting needles. $50.00 at Liana Kabel’s Etsy Shop $25.00 at Liana Kabel’s Etsy Shop

This is for you with your perfect life and your hammock underneath the elm tree and a big iced pitcher of lemonade keeping you cool as a cucumber. Made from recycled glass and hand-painted, in Mexico. $49.00 for a pitcher and six glasses at Great Green Apple — FREE Shipping!

A group of environmentalists and the owners of a large stretch of wilderness have reached a deal that would set aside the largest parcel of land for conservation in California history.

Major oil companies' multimillion-dollar payment to 153 public water systems to cleanse wells of a potentially carcinogenic gasoline additive could grow if more tainted wells are discovered over the next 30 years.

Cayman Island authorities are investigating the violent deaths of a half-dozen giant blue iguanas that are among the most imperiled creatures on the planet.

Brazilians and Indian consumers ranked the most environmentally friendly in a new study that put Americans in last place.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said pressure from the auto industry will not deter California from attempting to impose strict emission rules for vehicles sold in the state.

Through a partnership with the National Governors Association, the "Greening State Capitols" program will provide energy audits in 20 U.S. state capitols to identify ways in which they can reduce energy consumption.

Under criticism from bloggers during Earth Week over the use of oversized boxes to ship tiny products, Dell sought the advice of its customers this week to help the company improve its packaging.

The "Trucks Deliver a Cleaner Tomorrow" program offers six recommendations that will help the industry shrink its carbon footprint and preserve its livelihood during a time of skyrocketing fuel prices.

As part of a multi-pronged approach to clean up the air at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, about half of the 16,000 diesel trucks that serve the waterfront will be replaced with ones that run on liquefied natural gas.

Millipore Corp. unveiled a goal on Wednesday to reduce its carbon footprint by 20 percent during the next five years. The initiative will take aim at the its consumption of non-renewable resources and production of waste, as well as introduce programs that will foster behavioral changes conducive to environmental sustainability.

AFP - State-owned French power company EDF has submitted an offer for nuclear power operator British Energy, the BBC reported Friday on its website.

AFP - A biofuels backlash has erupted in major ethanol producer the United States, as lawmakers and experts debate the merits of converting food to fuel to support America's age-old love affair with the automobile.

AP - There isn't anything metropolitan about this tiny unincorporated town in southwest Wyoming, where a few single-family homes and a volunteer fire station stand against a skyline of snowcapped mountains.

Reuters - Just as Canada is set to launch a domestic carbon emissions trading scheme in a bid to curb its rising greenhouse gas emissions, a number of issues have surfaced, casting doubt on the country's plans.

Reuters - A new company hopes drivers will kick the oil habit by brewing ethanol at home that won't spike food prices.

Research done by the US Department of the Interior to determine if global warming threatens the polar bear population is so flawed that it cannot be used to justify listing the polar bear as an endangered species, according to a new study. The Interior Department has been ordered to make a determination by May 15.

The newest version of the Greenhouse gases, Regulated Emissions and Energy use in Transportation model will provide researchers with even more tools to evaluate and compare the environmental impacts of new transportation fuels and advanced vehicle technologies. The newest update released May 9 will allow scientists to model combustion of ethanol produced from Brazilian sugarcane and used by U.S. automobiles; production and use of bio-butanol as a potential transportation fuel; and production and use of biodiesel and renewable diesel via hydrogenation, coal/biomass co-feeding for…

In a study of the molecular mechanisms by which plants protect themselves from oxidation damage should they absorb too much sunlight during photosynthesis, researchers have discovered a molecular "dimmer switch" that helps control the flow of solar energy moving through the system of light harvesting proteins. This discovery holds important implications for the future design of artificial photosynthesis systems that could provide the world with a sustainable and secure source of energy.

Great hopes are being placed on undeveloped technology. Capturing and storing carbon dioxide is predicted to be one of the most important measures to counter the threats to our climate. But the technology still hasn't been tested in full scale, and the complications and risks it entails may have been grossly underestimated.

Since ancient times, locust plagues have been viewed as one of the most spectacular events in nature. In seemingly spontaneous fashion, as many as 10 billion critters can suddenly swarm the air and carpet the ground, blazing destructive paths that bring starvation and economic ruin. What makes them do it? In a word, cannibalism.

Virtual Worlds such as Second Life are largely dismissed as trivial and a waste of time by many people (myself included until recently!). However a recent conversation with Pierre-Olivier Carles changed all that for me. Pierre is the co-founder and CEO of Stonefield Inworld - a company which builds things for people in virtual worlds. For example, the photo above is a training room for the French banking group Crédit Agricole. According to their Wikipedia entry, Crédit Agricole are the 8th largest bank in the world! Stonefield have purpose built training rooms for Crédit Agricole on the…

When building our hyper energy-efficient data center, CIX we used many strategies to lower our carbon footprint. One such strategy was to source energy efficient infrastructure, such as the GE Super ECO UPS’. However, obviously one place we chose poorly was in our switches. We went for Cisco switches. Why was that a poor choice? I just recently came across the Nortel Energy Efficiency Calculator. This document does a direct comparison of the power ratings, energy efficiency, and carbon footprint of Nortel vs. the equivalent Cisco kit. The independently verified results are astounding.

Flock launched an Eco edition of their browser the other day. What way is it Eco? It has a nice green theme, it comes pre-loaded with links to green sites, blogs, and media but far more importantly, 10% of the search revenue will be donated to a green organization that readers select at the end of the year. Well done Flock for out of the box thinking. Download here.

photo credit: UrbanPhotos Las Vegas I am headed to EnergyCamp - the world’s first unconference on Green IT. It is on this coming Monday, April 28th in Las Vegas and before you laugh too much at the thought of a Green Energy conference in Vegas maybe you should read James’ post on this. I’m very much looking forward to the event, especially as Microsoft’s Rob Bernard will be keynoting. If you are going, please do come up and introduce yourself. If you are not planning to go, maybe you should re-consider. Some of the top people in the sector will be there.

I mentioned previously that Dopplr were about to add Carbon Footprint data to your travel data, well they made it live today. I got a serious fright when I checked it first as it had mistaken my trips to Dublin last year as trips to Dublin CA (there’s a Dublin in California?). How likely was it that I was flying to California for a day? Seriously? Having gone in and edited both the destination and the mode of travel (train instead of plane) my carbon footprint dropped dramatically but is still at around 6.7 tons for the last year! This is something I’ll have to work on reducing…

Volkswagen’s radical 238mpg concept car may actually reach production; another blow to first generation biofuel; and a low-energy, strikingly green city takes root in the heart of Big Oil. The weekend is in sight — welcome to the Friday edition of The Daily Five. VW to Sell 238mpg, 650lb Carbon Fiber “1L” Diesel in 2010 : Volkswagen — the original People’s Car — figures people would like to keep driving, despite dire predictions of runaway energy prices. The German auto manufacturer says it intends to bring a 238mpg, ultra-lightweight, ultra-aerodynamic…

Antarctica may not be warming as fast as computer models project; windpower and solar companies boom; and Wal-Mart offers state government free expert energy audits. It’s your Thursday edition of The Daily Five: Climate Models Overheat Antarctica: Sometimes being wrong is good news. A new report from the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) suggests concern about warming in Antarctica may be overstated. NCAR scientist Andrew Monaghan says that while warming is clearly happening elsewhere, the best climate models consistently show greater heating than has been historically…

New concept may provide a powerful platform for climate science. Researchers at U.S. Department of Energy’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory are hoping to build a supercomputer a thousand times more powerful than any currently available. That’s the sort of computational horsepower required for advanced climate modeling. Climatologists would like to simulate cloud behavior down to a single kilometer. Building a conventional computer on this scale is possible, but such a system would literally require enough power to light a small city. There’s also the expense: an estimated…

A climate supercomputer made of iPod chips; $2.2 billion for CleanTech VC in 2007; and a new (and great looking) and a sexy electric car from Italian design firm Pininfarina. New Breed Of Supercomputers Proposed To Improve Climate Change Prediction Accuracy: The problem with making hard-and-fast pronouncements about climate change is that long-range weather models are frighteningly complex. But now a group of scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory are proposing a new supercomputer design which might lend more power to the calculus of climate. The…

Pressure on oil prices underlines the urgency of renewable energy development. Oil prices stormed to a new record Tuesday after a Goldman Sachs report suggested crude could rise to $200/barrel in the next 24 months. Light, sweet crude for June delivery topped $123 on the New York exchange before retreating slightly at yesterday’s close. Analysts say continued fear about the U.S. dollar’s stability and production cutbacks in Mexico and Russia contributed to market jitters. The upside to higher prices is reduced demand. The U.S. Energy Department now predicts the daily appetite for…

Huaneng Power reported to be one of the firms interested in the proposed privatization of electric power-generating assets and retailing networks by New South Wales government.

New Saudi projects could boost output by 1.3 million barrels a day, a report explains.

The solar laminate maker turns a profit and gives strong guidance, sparking 43% rise in shares.

The French oil major fails to match big beats from BP and Shell.

Higher customer base helped the company post better than expected earnings despite higher operating costs.

After the cyclone hit Burma earlier this week, it is estimated at at least 100,000 people have died. Remember Katrina? Remember 9-11? The entire world came to our aid, and now it’s our turn to do something for these poor impoverished people who are getting no help from their own oppressive government. If you have a few bucks, consider donating them to the International Burmese Monks Organization, which is opening the doors of all their monasteries to house and feed the homeless, sick and injured. I sent them some money, and I am sure they could use a lot more. Thanks so much. We can…

As I promised on Tuesday, I wanted to write more about the earthship that we rented for a few days while we were in Taos. I received a few comments and even more emails about them, so it seems that people are interested in hearing about our experience. I cleared it with the homeowner, Jill, so that I could post pictures and talk about her exact home, so let’s take a look at our stay in the HelioHouse earthship, about 15 minutes from Taos Plaza, past the gorge bridge out on the mesa: The home is in a subdivision of earthships west of town, where every home is off the grid and catches…

Congratulations to the winners of the 2 Envirosax kids reusable bags! The winner of the pink pig bag, Christina, had this to say - “My kids would be thrilled with either one! The Envirosax I use for shopping are a bit too big for my little ones to carry so these would be perfect. They love to help, and why not encourage eco-friendliness from the start?! My kids and I never leave the house without something we need to haul around and having their own special bag that they can carry would be a great help to me too.” The winner of the dinosaur patterned bag had this to say - “I…

I used to be a big supporter of The Sierra Club - we gave them money every year, we received their magazines, we signed their petitions. But that all stopped not too long ago when I heard that they were endorsing Clorox’s new line of “non-toxic” cleaners…supposedly in exchange for an undisclosed amount of money. Clorox has a long history of making incredibly toxic chemicals, damaging the environment, and continuing to test their products on animals while the rest of the world moves away from the practice. This is what The Sierra Club has come to stand for and endorse?

No more hiding it from our family and friends or you guys - my wife Amy and I are moving to Taos, New Mexico on July 1. I am sure this will come as a surprise to some people in the family that read this website, but I figure as long as our moms and bosses know we are leaving, we are safe to spill the beans to everyone else. We just spent almost a week there looking at homes to rent, and we got very lucky in finding the perfect house for us - it is right in town (so I can still walk everywhere I will need to go while working from home), has 2 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms, and ready for this? A…

Chris James, Chief Farming Officer of Fresh Earth Farms in EcoMetro cities Minneapolis/St Paul, offers readers this recipe for later in the summer, when all the ingredients will be ready at the same time. Voula's Greek Salad 2 Medium Cucumbers Peeled and cut into wedges 4 Medium Tomatoes cut into wedges 1 Medium Sweet Red Onion sliced 1 package Feta Cheese soaked in water 2 Tablespoons Fresh Greek Oregano (whole leaves or chopped) ½ Cup Olive Oil ¼ Cup Red Wine Vinegar Salt & Pepper to taste Combine cucumbers, tomatoes and onion into a bowl. Crumble Feta Cheese over…

That’s right, Mother’s Day is right around the corner.  If you are like me, you want to remember and honor your Mom, but maybe you just don’t know how to go about it? I think most Mothers are trying to downsize their piles of THINGS and minimize their trips to the Goodwill.  Who wants more frivolous, random things to take care of?  Do you feel the pressure now?   There is no need to get your self into panic mode because there are tons of things you can do to honor your Mother, even GREEN things.  If you are completely stumped, without a clue, go to your…

On Friday, May 2, Nau announced that "due to crisis in the capital markets" the company was unable to obtain enough funds to move forward. They did it with their typical charm, even nabbing the best headline, "Goodbye for Nau" for their press release. Through their 5% donation program, Nau donated $223,000 to non-profits in just under one year of business. That's an admirable achievement for a little company struggling to stay afloat. I covered Nau twice before they launched, first for Ultra PDX in November 06' and later for Plenty Magazine, so this is the death of…

Seattle’s winter 2008 has been too long, too gray, and too cold for this transplanted soul. But one day of sunshine can erase the memories of the drab and dreary days past and induce a euphoric state of optimism. Saturday was just that sort of day as I left home for a romp in the Washington Arboretum Annual Plant Sale. Gazing across the lawn, I noticed a soft blurry blanket of white dandelion fluff hovering six inches above most of my lawn. As I backed out of the driveway I noticed more dandelion foam cresting over the front slope. I confess I’ve been harboring thoughts of chemical weed…

Farmers Market Events Chef in the Market at the Portland Farmers Market Check out the exciting lineup of Chef in the Market cooking demonstrations for the month of May: May 3, Scott Dolich, Park Kitchen May 10, Jack Yoss, ten 01 May 17, Leather Storrs, Rocket May 24, 10am John Gorham, Toro Bravo, 11am Marco Shaw, Fife, 12pm Tommy Habetz, Meriwether's May 31, Billy Schumaker, d.f. & Tacqueria Nueve Demonstrations begin at 10am. Portland Farmers Market, Park Blocks btwn SW Montgomery & SW Harrison, Portland *Save $5 on any Portland Farmers Market merchandise purchase of $15 or more…

No, you’re eyes are not deceiving you. This vehicle really runs on genuine horsepower, and it even has a patent! Whoever thought mankind would return to the horse as inspiration for transportation alternatives, in the effort to free us from oil dependency? Well, Dubai-based Iranian inventor Abdolhadi Mirhejazi has done just that with [...]

Designers have an enormous impact on the state of the planet, especially in the realm of Graphic Design with the vast natural resources and energy that get consumed in the production of printing paper. The work that Graphic Designers do for their clients, the way they run their studios, and the persuasive impact of their [...]

In light of the spring season, I’d like to point out one little detail that has been brightening your environment and is also a symbol of a healthier planet. Where dandelions grow, you can be pretty confident that no pesticides have been used to battle them away. This struck me as I was biking [...]

Among all of the intense, ultra serious eco talk happening these days, it’s a bit refreshing to see someone thinking about playful ways to address sustainability through design in an unconventional way. This is the world’s first “Suburb Eating Robot.” The project was done by Australian architect Andrew Maynard for Critical Visions 2008 (CV08). His [...]

When we read about low wage workers in unsafe conditions sifting through piles of discarded computers and cell phones in some far off country, many of us find ourselves asking if there is a way to make electronic devices sustainable, and how we can reverse the process of making the Third World a dumping ground [...]

A Canadian scientist says university research should be added to the list of human activities that contribute to global warming. Professor Hervé Philippe from the University of Montreal has discovered that his own research produces 44 tons of carbon dioxide a year. The average American citizen, in contrast, produces 20 tons of carbon dioxide annually. According to Philippe, his computers produce 19 tons of carbon dioxide a year, the air-conditioning in his lab produces 10 tons and transportation to and from his many environmental meetings produce another 15 tons of carbon dioxide every year.

Joe Romm at Climate Progress has the results of a new Pew Research Center public opinion study showing that there still remains a major discrepancy between public opinion and what the scientific community worldwide is saying about the causes of global warming.For those who think the denial industry is dead, take a look at these numbers:71% of Americans say there is solid evidence of higher global temperatures, compared with 77% at the beginning of last year. Roughly half of Americans (47%) say the earth is warming because of human activity, such as the burning of fossil fuels.

Matthew Reichbach of the New Mexico Centre for Independent Media contributes another name and another quote from scientists objecting to being added to the Heartland Institute's overcooked list of scientists who deny climate change.From what I can tell, the list was compiled mostly from reviewed scientific articles in which authors proposed or identified various sources of natural variability in climate; in my case solar irradiance and cosmic ray flux. I’m not sure of the intent of the compilation of 500 names, but the supplied information seems to suggest 500 authors have questioned…

Corporate apologists, politicians (and their media stooges) are twisting the language and misrepresenting the truth in an effort to deflect responsibility for a global food crisis that is being exacerbated by biofuel farm subsidies.The issue dusted up last week when U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and the European Union Commissioner for Agriculture Marian Fischer Boel blamed the global food shortage on people in India and China who are shifting their diet toward meat and away from vegetables.But the facts get in the way: the UN Food and Agriculture Organization reported in response…

Even us Polar Explorers are on Facebook! While this is where you can find all the updates on my preparations for the trip and daily dispatches when I'm in the South Pole, you can also find them on here on the Expedition Earth Facebook group. Please join and help spread the message by asking all your friends on Facebook to join up as well!Thanks! todd carmichael expedition earth antarctic antarctica global warming climate change south pole 2008

While driving across BC this last week, one things that stands out in my mind is the removal of rails. Sure, in some corridors there are rails on both sides of the river; but in others, all that is left is the rail grade and a walking trail to commemorate an old mode of transportation. I recently came across this celebration of all things Rail, (if you're in the States, its on May 10th. 2008)... Home | National Train Day The first-ever National Train Day is on its way, and there’s never been a better time to celebrate. With passenger ridership growing every year, more and more people…

Water is the giver of life. Clean water is the essential element in a sustainable society. For years, people all around the world have lived with poor quality water - and as a result infant mortality, sickness, disease were rife. In the past two centuries, the link between clean water and health was confirmed and shown again and again., yet even with that knowledge - the world faces an uncertain water future. Having just returned from the BCWWA Conference in Whistler - and hearing the many stories of troubles, challenges, improvements, and interventions that water practitioners around BC are…

Some interesting news out of the Australian Agriculture scene this month... A fresh new innovation in Australia’s urban agriculture - Free-Press-Release.com The launch of Urban Ecological Systems (UES) on Wednesday April 2nd 2008 will include a public information session on “The Future of Food" - a view to urban agriculture and feeding our cities via sustainable food production systems. If you've never head of UES, here's a one minute primer, sounds like a name to keep your eyes on, (they won the episode round on the ABC Australia program New Inventors... UES is responsible…

Seth Godin, has a great idea to help market the greenliness of a product or service - and a way to avoid the usual greenwashing that plagues our supermarket shelves... Here's what's missing: a number. When you buy a fridge, there's a big yellow sticker with a number about relative energy consumption. Now, we could argue all day long about how to figure out the right number (should the number on the fridge include data about the amount of energy needed to make the fridge in the first place?) but an imperfect number sure seems better than no number at all. Drive to Philadelphia: 150. Take…

A couple of generations ago, having Chickens was a key part of your family's health and food security. However, in recent generations, many cities have enacted bylaws to prevent chickens or other farm animals from being raised in an Urban or Suburban area. This article from today's Toronto Star.... Toronto bylaws forbid keeping poultry, for health reasons. On the other hand, pigeons raised for sport are allowed, provided they rest, roost or perch only on their owner's property. Oddly, by raising a few chickens in the city, Alice is in step with a do-it-yourself food movement that is thriving…

ORIGINAL CONTENT! I’m NOT proud of the content I have created over the last six weeks. And there you have it. I’ve learned a lot about blogging and business in general during this endeavor. Originally, I set out to bring original content, interviews, and videos about my business and how I’m changing the direction of it’s growth to include a more environmentally sensible interaction with our natural (or not so natural) surroundings. I’ve admittedly strayed from the objective of originality due to lack of clarity, coupled with lack of planning. I have learned…

This should be an interesting picture for any New Yorker More than eight million people live in New York City — 26,000 New Yorkers per square mile. The buildings are tall — many more than 70 stories — and the streets are busy 24/7. But did you know that the city bustles below ground, too? More than 600,000 manholes give workers access to the world beneath the streets. City water starts out in country streams upstate that flow into 19 reservoirs. The water is then run through more than 6,000 miles of water pipes to reach homes and businesses in NYC. Some pipes date to…

del.icio.us Catalog Choice - Eliminate unwanted catalogs you receive in the mail stop the junk mail catalogs to greensite … saved by 1997 other people Unscrew America light bulbs…to lightbulbs … saved by 313 other people 100 Ways to Save the Environment even better than 50 ways! to green site … saved by 868 other people 20 Things You Can Use Twice Before Tossing - Tipnut.com use stuff twice to green site … saved by 118 other people Inhabitat - source on the future of design cool site to green site … saved by 4448 other people Treehugger the big daddy of…

Where is this beautiful street? Click HERE to find out.

BP BP 72.18, +3.20, +4.6%) (UK:BP: news, chart, profile) said its first-quarter earnings rose to $7.62 billion from $4.66 billion. Adjusting for the impact of energy-price changes on unsold inventory and other charges, BP would have earned $6.49 billion, trumping analyst estimates by over $1 billion. Royal Dutch Shell RDS.A 80.19, +3.47, +4.5%) (UK:RDS.A: news, chart, profile) net profit rose to $9.08 billion from $7.28 billion. Adjusted for the impact of energy-price changes on unsold inventory and $77 million in charges, Shell said it would have earned $7.7 billion, up 5% from a year…

Filed under: Food, HomeThis marks the final installment of The Suburban Farmer's chicken series, but don't fret! The Suburban Farmer will be back with many more topics to come in the near future.So for this last piece, I'm going to talk a bit about what other animals can get along with chickens, typically. Now remember, as with any animal, they all have their own personalities and traits. Cats and dogs are said to traditionally not get along, yet many pet owners know this isn't the case.The most obvious companion choice for chickens is other chickens. Even though they may peck at each other…

Filed under: Local, NewsGood news, a huge chunk of California is now protected from becoming suburban sprawl. Conservationists and developers finally came to an agreement this week after a long running standoff over what to do with 265,000 acre ranch north of Los Angeles. As the largest contiguous stretch of privately owned-land in California, the ranch has been highly sought after by developers and conservationists alike for its rich biodiversity and its proximity to LA. Thursday, the Tejon Ranch Co. agreed to protect 90% -- or