Green Daily

A giant sinkhole opened up in Daisetta, Texas Wednesday, swallowing up oil tankers, oilfield equipment, cars, and a few telephone poles. Officials aren't quite sure what caused the huge, 600-ft. across piece of earth to give way, but I'm pretty sure I know why it happened: the Earth is really pissed off. All of that abuse to our environment has really come home to roost and now Mother Earth is fighting back.

In case you need reminding about why the increasing number of plastic bag bans are probably good for all involved, here's an image captured from one of Google Street View's cameras in Alaska. Just when you thought you'd get a closer look at the address you needed to find on Minnie St, you discover that it's been eaten by a large, angry sack from the local supermarket. Fie!

And honestly, that's probably the least of your worries. If you remember, there's an entire "island" of discarded plastic crap that's twice the size of the continental US currently floating off the coast of Hawaii. Plus, if you believe Edward Norton, over 500,000 billion plastic bags are used every year worldwide, the majority of which never fully biodegrade.

So maybe it's time you picked up a cute reusable bag? (Or any reusable bag, for that matter.) Sure, it's a small change, but it's an easy one to make.

[via Gizmodo]

Sure, changing the light bulbs in your house to compact fluorescents can cut your energy bills a bit and save you a few bucks. But if you're a municipal agency like the New York Metropolitan Transit Authority, with 60,000 lights to replace, those savings can add up fast.

The MTA is in the process of changing the lights in the New York subway system to LEDs. So far, the agency says it's changed 47,000 signal lights. When the upgrades are complete, the change could save the city up to $4.8 million per year, while reducing greenhouse gas emissions. And the LED lights are 150 percent brighter than the old light bulbs to boot.

The MTA is also replacing incandescent bulbs at subway stations with compact fluorescent lights.

[via Good Clean Tech]

This post is part of a series about environmental justice, or EJ for short. The easiest way to understand EJ is to ask: Broadly speaking, are the costs of environmental degradation distributed consistently with the benefits? For instance, are the countries who are creating the most CO2 emissions suffering the lowest air standards? For a more in-depth definition, visit the EPA, Justice Net, or the Sierra Club.

This New York Times article about the Gullah/ Geechee people's fight to keep their land in Sapelo Island, Georgia, brings up some of the more difficult aspects of environmental justice. Who doesn't think it would be wonderful to live in a beautiful place? Sometimes in our quest to do that we over look those who already live there, whether they are human or more-than-human.

The members of the Hog Hammock community on Sapelo Island are fighting a battle familiar to anyone who has lived in a coastal area: rising property values based on second home and vacation property prospecting. Sapelo, accessible only by limited ferryboat shuttle, has maintained its salt marsh ecosystem, anthropologically valuable shell middens, and its cultural heritage more than most islands. Nearby Hilton Head, Tybee, and St. Simon's islands have all been nearly razed over in builders' attempts to get the most vacation homes possible on the desirable island real estate.

I remember back when I was a young whippersnapper, Ma and Pa used to keep chickens in the house, which we treated just like family, except we ate 'em. Course that was afore we found oil out in the yard and moved to Beverly Hills.

In recent years, urban poultry farming has declined in popularity, but with food prices rising and people becoming more interested in eating locally, the practice may be making a comeback.

The Toronto Star reports that more and more city-dwellers are turning towards personal chicken coops for fresh eggs and even meat (even here in Toronto, where it's technically illegal to raise poultry other than pigeons for "sport".)

In other jurisdictions, including many US cities, raising chickens is legal so long as basic hygenic precautions and specific regulations around the size of coops and runs are observed. If it's something that interests you, check out backyardchickens.com, or Green Daily's own resident expert to help you get started.

Next week, the coming trend: backyard cattle ranches.

In a city that has no official recycling program, New Orleans' Jazz Fest organizers took it upon themselves to set an example and provide recycling for the thousands of attendees. This event takes place for seven days over a two week period and all beverages must be bought on site.

Millions of cans and plastic bottles that would have flooded into local landfills were collected and trucked 90 miles or more to recycling centers. Festival goers could drop their beverage containers into plastic bins all around the grounds with huge banners reading, "Reuse, Rebuild, Rebirth."

I'm sure that there was recycling in past years but never has it been as visible as it was for 2008. Recycling might seem like a "no brainer" for event planners nowadays but in New Orleans where many are still focused on putting a roof over their heads, this is a pretty big deal and a strong step forward.

In recent months, many of California's vigilant environmentalists have been pointing out that -- when it comes to the environment -- the Govenator talks the talk, but he doesn't necessarily walk the walk. In fact, he doesn't walk much at all, he prefers to take his private jet. Not exactly the most carbon-conscious decision.

Here's the controversy: the Schwarzeneggers live in posh neighborhood in Brentwood, and Arnold works each day in Sacramento -- 380 miles away. Usually flies his Gulfstream IV from his mansion to work, but a new ban might close the town's small airport to all jets. The 300 runway was designed for propeller-driven planes and many are concerned about the potential for a disastrous overrun by a jet into the nearby houses. A federal judge will rule on whether to ban the jets. So far, Arnold doesn't seem moved by the criticism of his carbon spewing commute.

The Pirates may be leading MLB's charge to go reduce its environmental impact, but it looks like the the steelers are holding them back. Not the NFL Steelers mind you, I'm talking about the city's trademark steel industry.

For the first time on record, a non-California city has taken the top honors in 1 of the 3 categories rated by the American Lung Association. People of Pittsburgh, your air barely edged out LA's to take the prize for worst short-term particle pollution in the country.

Despite how long ACE Hardware has been supplying the nation's neighborhoods with building supplies, competition with the home improvement giants is fierce. ACE has struck a deal with the Department of Environmental Services that may thin it from the herd. ACE will now accept your compact fluorescent lamps at any of its locations nationwide for recycling. Broken bulbs will also be accepted as long as they are sealed in a plastic bag.

CFLs should not be thrown out with your regular household trash due to a small amount of mercury in the bulbs that can contaminate soil or expose workers to dangerous levels.

This is great news for me since I have an ACE Hardware store within walking distance from my house. I also think that this is a step in the right direction and soon we will see more retailers accepting CFLs for recycling.

With the growing concern over greenhouse emissions and rising fuel costs, conditions are right for a golden age in mass transit. That's certainly the case in Britain, where the number of people riding trains is smashing all previous peacetime records. After concluding the latest study on train travel in the UK, researchers were blown away by the sudden growth in ridership. Only during WWII -- when massive troop movements were taking place over the railways -- have levels been so high.

Since 1994, the number of Brits taking the train has shot up 67%, and researchers are predicting that rail capacity is going to have to double by 2030. That's a lot of cars off the road. It's no secret that the British people are some of the most environmentally aware, but it also doesn't hurt that they have an adequate railway system -- something we lack here in the States. Guess we'll have to settle for bikes.

[via Treehugger]

This post is part of a series about environmental justice, or EJ for short. The easiest way to understand EJ is to ask: Broadly speaking, are the costs of environmental degradation distributed consistently with the benefits? For instance, are the countries who are creating the most CO2 emissions suffering the lowest air standards? For a more in-depth definition, visit the EPA, Justice Net, or the Sierra Club.

In Marty, South Dakota a local Native American group is protesting the state's licensing of a large hog farm -- and some individuals have been arrested for attempting to prevent construction work on the farm. The native community is worried about the farm's proximity to a community Head Start center-- a federal grant-supported preschool development program aimed at leveling the academic and developmental playing field for economically disadvantaged children. So what if that playing field smells like pig poop?

Only a few weeks after the congestion charge put forward by Mayor Bloomberg got denied by state legislators, NYC is back on the attack with a plan to ease traffic congestion on Manhattan's crowded streets.

What's the crux of the new plan? A bike-friendly makeover to help encourage New Yorkers to make their daily commute two wheels. Details after the jump.

I thought it was a fluke when I bought a pastry from Starbucks and they gave it to me in a white box rather than an unbleached paper bag. After all, the Starbucks around here are always running out of things. But then after another visit to a different Starbucks I realized that the company had done away with their simple to go bags and had replaced them with cardboard pastry boxes.

I can't quite figure out the reasoning behind this shift as pastry boxes weigh more, take up more space and most likely are made from bleached pulp. For a company that claims to be reducing their waste, this comes as a surprise.

When I contacted Starbucks, asking why they had changed to the more wasteful boxes, I got an email back thanking me for my comment. Nothing pleases a customer more than knowing that their carefully thought out question warrants them a form letter.

It's hard to imagine a more perfect scenario. You pull into your local gas station, grimacing at the thought of dropping $40 (or more) to fill up your tank, muttering about how lonely you feel thanks to the fight you just had with your wife, when surprise -- totally hot, half-naked women appear before your eyes! And even better -- they're giving out free gasoline!

Sounds like an odd (and kind of pervy) dream, but in fact it's yet another sans-clothing stunt by your friends at People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals.

The rumor mill had it right: there will be a Live Earth this year. Only, this year's simultaneous concert event will be more like a Live US than a Live Earth. Saturday night at the GoGreenExpo in New York City, Live Earth founder Kevin Wall confirmed rumors that the festival will be coming to cities across the US on October 5 -- and yes, Al Gore will be tow. Apparently, this year's slightly less ambitious Live Earth will take place at college campuses across the US and will take aim at 2008's presidential election, encouraging people to "rock the green vote." Now, what exactly does that mean?

Aside from Gore -- who is not a candidate or cabinet appointee -- the lineup of performers has yet to be announced. Heck, even the college campuses that are supposedly hosting the event are still under wraps. Organizers have 5 months to round up the bands, locations, and fans to put together another unprecedented simul-concert. I hope they're more prepared than they appear to be.

[via Ecorazzi]