Bugs Ate My Garden

Homegrown Evolution — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 10:26:36 -0700

A letter from one of our readers:

Endangered Ice

Morgan Maher — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 07:49:48 -0700

By August of 2007, a record 65 percent of the ice cover in the Northern Hemisphere had been lost. Reports suggest this was due to a combination of warm ocean currents, fluke winds, and unusually sunny weather.

There had been some hope that the ice would recover but now scientists report the North Pole may melt this summer.

Aliens in the Home World

Antonio Lopez — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 06:14:02 -0700

Crisis Averted

Morgan Maher — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 06:24:26 -0700

To eradicate the light brown apple moth in California, known to damage apple, grape, orange and pear crops, the state had planned to continue aerial spraying of pesticides every 30-90 days, for 9 months of every year, for at least 3-5 years.

Our Family Tree: Learning Balance from the Heart of the World

Morgan Maher — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 11:22:57 -0700

“For our people, Cerro Gonavindua is the center of the universe and the mountain’s health controls the health of the entire planet. Our entire social organization and spiritual and cultural foundation are based on sacred practices carried out throughout these traditional lands. We believe that the Sierra Nevada is the “Heart of the World.”

The Earth vs. John McCain

Stephen Hershey — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 09:45:21 -0700

Rethinking GDP/GNP...

Greg Wendt — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 10:07:54 -0700

If we're going to convert our economy to a sustainable one, we must first and foremost begin to measure our economic activity in a way that is connected to reality.

GNP and GDP are outmoded measures of economic growth. These measures are out of touch with the natural resources and well being upon which our very economy depends for growth. As such, these measures can not be considered sustainable because they do not account for depletion of either human or natural capital.

Plastic Eaters

Morgan Maher — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 07:51:34 -0700

The problem and plague of plastic bags was eating away at Daniel Burd. So, for his science fair project he decided to find out what eats away at plastic bags.

Green Citizens

Bridget Algiere — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 07:09:35 -0700

Have you ever wondered how much water and money you would save if you turned off the faucet while washing your hands? How about the energy saved if you knew what you were reaching in the fridge for instead of zoning out on all of your choices with the door wide open? Creative Citizen knows, and should you choose to adopt these and other sustainable solutions, you can watch your savings soar.

The Snowball Effect

Erin Shaw — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 07:24:57 -0700

A research team based in Riverside, California suggests that global warming could release “long-dormant stores of methane gas . . . causing an abrupt and catastrophic climate change like one that occurred 635 million years ago.” The research findings, published in Nature, are based on past geologic records, the most reliable way to understand climate change. Led by Martin Kennedy, the research team looked for stable

Times Will Tell

Erin Shaw — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 08:31:59 -0700

Blue Gold

Bill Machon — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 06:38:51 -0700

Virtual Ecology

Stephen Hershey — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 07:27:36 -0700

The online calendar Envirovents hopes to bring awareness to green projects across the country. Acting as a “meta-calendar,” users are free to submit events, search multiple databases for blogs and projects, and add Envirovents to their own website. Events will then be dispersed through online networks such as Upcoming and Eventful, helping to spread environmental awareness.

Just Add Fungi

Erin Shaw — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 08:21:55 -0700

Boogie for Bonobos

Debra DeSalvo — Fri, 30 May 2008 06:36:17 -0700

Reality Sandwich and Jivamukti Yoga School will rock Saturday, May 31 with a second annual benefit concert for the bonobos, headlined by Wynne Paris & Groovananda with legendary prog bassist Tony Levin (Peter Gabriel, King Crimson, Pink Floyd).

Global Food Wastage

Morgan Maher — Tue, 27 May 2008 07:36:49 -0700

Many places on the planet are currently faced with food shortages and food riots. Meanwhile, other regions throw away enormous amounts of food each year.

Americans waste more than 40 percent of food produced for consumption. A study by the Waste and Resources Action Programme (Wrap) reports British consumers throw out a third of all food bought, including 1.3 million unopened yogurt containers, 5,500 whole chickens and 440,000 ready meals.

Guerilla Gardening

Antonio Lopez — Thu, 22 May 2008 07:27:17 -0700

In a strange intersection between gardening and marketing, recently Adidas created a little action movie about rebel urban farmers with GPS, night vision and an assortment of other TV crime show devices. The video is accompanied by quasi-seventies-era bongo suspense music and Friends-like TV camaraderie.

Eco Equity

John X — Wed, 21 May 2008 09:16:19 -0700

Green for All founder Van Jones is holding a telephone conference on May 27th to discuss how to use media to push for eco equity with the upcoming "Climate Security Act."

Kirtan Rocker Wynne Paris Helps "Hippie Chimps"

Debra DeSalvo — Tue, 20 May 2008 14:12:24 -0700

"Wynne Paris blends an Eastern heart and a Western head for a great mix." -- Krishna Das

Teal Farm: Living the Future Now

Anya Kamenetz — Thu, 15 May 2008 19:32:18 -0700

When my friend Greg and I drove to Teal Farm, we crossed the border from the New York State town of Paradox. In the month of February Lake Champlain was still dotted with icehouses, with the fishermen inside making the most of a golden afternoon. As we drove over, a double rainbow mirrored the arc of the high bridge, and we felt we were crossing into a fairy kingdom.

Extreme Solar

Morgan Maher — Thu, 15 May 2008 06:20:26 -0700

SUNRGI's Xtreme Concentrated Photovoltaics (XCPV) uses a simple method to produce large amounts of solar energy: a magnifying glass. Each unit is fitted with a lens that magnifies the sun’s rays 2,000 times and focuses it onto a solar cell that converts more than 37% sunlight to energy.

Flowers Losing Their Scent

Bill Machon — Tue, 13 May 2008 07:30:57 -0700

Estonia's Quick Clean

Morgan Maher — Tue, 13 May 2008 07:27:17 -0700

Using GPS, Google Earth and satellite photos 10,656 illegal garbage dumping sites across Estonia were located and mapped. On May 3rd, 50,000 volunteers set out to clean it all up in one day.

Biofuels and the Rise of Nationalistic Environmentalism

Alexis Zeigler — Fri, 09 May 2008 12:46:46 -0700

The current food crisis was terribly predictable, and has been anticipated for several years now. Starting about seven years ago, the world started using more food than it was producing, steadily eating into stored supplies. As grain stores have shrunk year by year, the biofuel movement has taken off like a virus. Rapid biofuel expansion has been propelled by a concern over American dependence on imported oil, as well as concerns about "sustainable" energy supplies and carbon emissions.

Green Gorillas

Bill Machon — Tue, 06 May 2008 07:13:29 -0700

Gorilla In The Greenhouse is a new cartoon and interactive website intended to educate kids about the enviroment. From global warming to recycling, Gorilla In The Greenhouse aims to inform kids about the health of the environment, and every individual's role in preserving our planet's health.

Up and Away Down Under

Morgan Maher — Mon, 05 May 2008 06:07:11 -0700

Responding to the challenges of global warming, rising oil prices, declining housing affordability and growth, Sydney, Australia unveiled Sustainable Sydney 2030.

The plan, essentially a "transition town" for mega-cities, suggests five Big Moves to make Sydney more sustainable, vibrant and successful. Initiatives involve water and energy efficiancy, liveable green networks and integrated, sustainable public transport.

Plastic Stew

sati — Thu, 01 May 2008 06:46:52 -0700

Rumors of a plastic stew brewing in the Pacific Ocean have been floating around the Internet for a few years now. Rory Ahearn of VBS.tv conducted an investigation to discover the truth about the environmental disaster and document it.

The Tipping Point: A Global Death and Rebirth Story

Jim Fournier — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 13:17:54 -0700

For anyone who has any grasp of the multiple global trends accelerating toward crisis points, it is not difficult to imagine end-of-the-world scenarios. Indeed, the problem is to imagine a plausible future in which humanity ultimately arrives at a positive outcome. This is an attempt. I view this very much as an act of creative intention rather than prediction.

Undersea Subway

Morgan Maher — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 07:02:17 -0700

Provided free by New York City, the iconic, maroon Redbird subway cars, once a favorite of graffiti writers, are being used to transform "a barren stretch of ocean floor into a bountiful oasis, carpeted in sea grasses, walled thick with blue mussels and sponges, and teeming with black sea bass and tautog."

The Green State of Ecuador

William McGillis — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 06:35:36 -0700