Green Daily

Celebrating Britain's cleaner lakes and rivers

Shawn Schuster — 2008-05-08T18:01:00 00:00

Filed under: Movies, TV and Books, Travel and Vacation, Climate Change

Have you ever heard stories from your parents or grandparents about how they'd take a dip in a local pond, or grab an inner tube and float down the river for hours without a care in the world? That's almost unheard of these days. Sure, you could still do it, but you had better make sure you've had all your shots.

To showcase the improving state of natural waterways in the UK, photographer and travel writer Daniel Start recently released a new photo-guide book entitled "Wild Swimming: 150 Hidden Dips in the Rivers, Lakes and Waterfalls of Britain". In this book he explores the freshest of the freshwater "wild swimming" spots across the country. In a time when we hear more and more about the contamination of our water, it's nice to hear some good news for once.

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Shark-powered surfing

Jonathon Morgan — 2008-05-07T14:46:00 00:00

Filed under: Travel and Vacation

Sharks aren't doing too well. Humans have been using them for food and cosmetics (or just accidentally killing them) for far too long, which has left over 200 shark species in danger of extinction. Even if you're not a big fan of large, scary-looking sea monsters that can slice you open with their teeth, it's important to remember that sharks are a vital part of the ocean's fragile eco-system (not to mention that they make for really awesome nature documentaries!).

So, any attempt to bring attention to this endangered animal is commendable.

However, I'm not sure that's what this guy had in mind. The above video shows some lunatic surfer as he first baits a shark with raw , bleeding meat, and then proceeds to take a ride on his surfboard -- pulled by the flesh-eating fish.

Wow. Just. Wow.

[via VideoSift]

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Bamboo To-Go!

Laura Malesich — 2008-05-07T12:37:00 00:00

Filed under: Food, Shopping Guide, Travel and Vacation

I hate it when I go to a take-out restaurant or I'm grabbing a bite in the airport (where I seem to be frequently these days) and I have nothing else to use but plastic silverware. Fortunately, while reading FitYoga magazine today I came across something portable and most likely airport friendly. To-Go Ware Bamboo Utensil set includes a fork, knife, spoon, and chopsticks for your eating pleasure without the guilt over the waste of plastic. It comes in a fold-and-wrap cotton holder which is handmade by a women's cooperative on the Thai-Burma border. There are some other great reusable products from To-Go Ware, featured in the gallery below, which makes eating on the run much more green!

Gallery: To-Go Ware

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New green Simpsons ride: Yay or D'oh?

Ellen Slattery — 2008-05-05T14:28:00 00:00

Filed under: Movies, TV and Books, News, Travel and Vacation

As exciting as a new donut at the Kwik E Mart, as thrilling as Lisa's new science project, and as tantalizing as a steak from Ned Flanders' grill, behold: The Simpsons Ride.

No kidding, it's finally happened. Universal Studios is opening a Simpsons Ride, in which riders will sit in a vehicle and be pitched and titled in sync with a video featuring all-new Simpsons animation, complete with the original character voices.

It will also feature new green technologies, and Universal claims that the ride will be illuminated by 2,582 LED lights, and save over 55,233 watts per hour and 662,796 per day, compared to similar simulation rides. The ride's energy usage will also be strictly controlled, making it as energy-efficient as possible.

As Homer would say, Woohoo! It's nice to see a theme park at least taking small steps toward greening their ways. Normally, amusement parks are incredibly wasteful, from the food and paper waste to the water and electrical usage to power the rides and run the A.C. But can a huge, energy-sucking ride really be considered green? Doubtful, though it doesn't make me love Homer, Marge, Bart and the rest of the gang any less.

via [grist]

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Can airlines save fuel by simply slowing down?

Shawn Schuster — 2008-05-02T13:06:00 00:00

Filed under: Travel and Vacation

We've heard that if you drive more slowly in your car, it will help you to save fuel. The idea is to accelerate gently and keep your speed lower to reduce wasted gas. Recently, this idea has carried over to the airlines, who are currently suffering one of the worst financial crises since 1945.

Southwest Airlines learned that they will save $42 million in fuel this year by adding one to three minutes to each flight. Northwest Airlines cut their speed 10 MPH on a flight from Minneapolis to Paris and saved $535 in fuel, adding only 8 minutes. It's unfortunate that these cost-cutting measures won't trickle down to the people most inconvenienced by these changes, but the savings in fuel, and potentially the environment, is certainly a positive step.

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Asian travel industry indifferent to climate change

Patrick Metzger — 2008-05-01T11:05:00 00:00

Filed under: News, Polit-eco, Travel and Vacation, Climate Change

You'd think that at a meeting held by a group called the Pacific Asia Travel Association, most of the delegates would be from, you know, Asia. However, AFP reports that at a recent conference held by PATA to discuss greening up the travel business, Asian airlines and tourism companies were woefully underrepresented.

Officials from PATA, who declined to be named, said they had invited more Asian companies, but faced overwhelming disinterest. The impression that they had was that many Asian businesses don't have climate change or other environmental issues on their radar screen yet.

Air travel is thought to account for between 2 and 4 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions.

The article speculates that Asian airlines and other travel businesses will probably become more eco-conscious as they come under pressure from overseas partners, and also as they become influenced by the next generation of kids who've learned about climate change in school. And if that doesn't do the trick, the increasing frequency of massive typhoons, floods, and sandstorms in various places around the continent might attract their attention.

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The hazards of burning paper and cardboard

Shawn Schuster — 2008-04-30T17:02:00 00:00

Filed under: Travel and Vacation

Camping season is almost upon us, and with it comes the staple of any successful night in the wilderness: the campfire. I know how much I enjoyed roasting hot dogs or marshmellows over the fire as a child, while my father threw in anything remotely flammable to keep that fire blazing. Well, these days we realize that burning anything man-made is highly toxic to ourselves and the environment. Not only that, burning some forms of wood is also highly toxic as well, especially wet wood, treated woods or particle board.

So what is safe to burn? Well, if you burn clean, dry wood with plenty of oxygen, you're doing alright. Most modern wood-burning stoves are designed to be most efficient with lowered smoke emissions and increased oxygen intake. Of course you can't haul your hefty wood-burning stove on a camping trip, but just be aware that burning anything man-made, or wood that is wet can cause more harm than you might expect.

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New train toilets get tested in India

Eugene Sandhu — 2008-04-25T16:00:00 00:00

Filed under: Cars and Transportation, Travel and Vacation

The last time I was in India, back when I was an easily annoyed, totally westernized 14 year-old, I appreciated the amazing things I saw but secretly longed for a Big Mac, any less-than-spicy food, American television, and a North American toilet. The train toilets, especially, were often nothing more than a smelly room with a toilet cut into the floor allowing you to see the tracks zipping by (seriously not fun after eating spicy food!).

Well, times have changed since that trip in '87. Now, I love everything spicy, I swore off McDonald's, and new bio-toilets are being tried out on Indian Railways.

A number of experimental bio-toilets are being installed in different trains across India, a country that is bustling with a lot of people that use trains (and being human, have biological necessities). With two million Indian passengers using train toilets daily, Indian Railways plans to have every one of its 9000 trains equipped with cleaner commodes by 2001-13.
One toilet being tried out was developed by Indian Railway's Research, Designs and Standards Organization (along with a US firm) and has been tested on the Delhi-Allahabad Prayagraj Express. In this system, the waste is broken down by bacterial culture and treated with chlorine before disposal. Okay, that doesn't sound very green and the kilogram of waste that accumulates in a year does have to be cleared manually (think about that the next time you complain about your job!). On the plus side, it does use much less water than other systems.

Another experimental toilet, developed by IIT Kanpur, claims to be cheaper and is classified as "zero-discharge" (the toilet separates 90% of the liquid from the waste in order to reuse it for future flushes).

While this is a huge improvement, the system presently in place hasn't changed much since my adventures on the subcontinent - a hole that leads to the tracks is often the main train plumbing system. The tracks at stations are cleaned manually and the nastiness is sent to drains that get quickly clogged and backed-up. I guess I don't need to explain why Indian Railways is looking for better systems.

The new India has McDonald's everywhere, American media all over the place and train toilet improvements. So even though I'll probably miss the old India when I go back, I'm positive no one is going to miss those toilets.

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Sustainable tourism still a while away

Eugene Sandhu — 2008-04-24T15:01:00 00:00

Filed under: Travel and Vacation

Here are two fun business section facts: Tourism is one of the world's largest growth industries and ecotourism, specifically, is growing three times faster than the industry in general.

Before you grab your snorkeling gear and celebrate you may want to read this report from ClimateChangeCorp.com.

Turns out, while sustainable tourism can help with things like conservation and helping out local populations, the reality of this type of green-friendly traveling is not close to where it needs to be. What makes things even worse is that the tourism industry is not ready for climate change even though they will get hit very hard by it - more hurricanes and rising seas make daiquiris on the beach so much less enjoyable.

The report quotes the United Nations Environmental Program by pointing to tourists who pollute way more than the locals and are rarely required to pay anything to offset ecosystem damage when they visit that sandy beach (maritime tourism is singled out as being especially hit). And what about helping the locals? Popular all-inclusive resorts are often isolated from local populations and the benefits of tourism are not always felt by those living beyond the security fence past the seafood beach buffet.
Okay, so it's not all doom and gloom when it comes to getting away for a couple of weeks. The report does go on to site things like the Caribbean Planning for Adaptation to Climate Change project that talks about developing inland tourist destinations (to reduce the resource-crush on coastal areas) and sites the idea of small island states becoming very eco-friendly and carbon neutral to attract a niche, eco-conscious crowd.

The report also singles out Costa Rica as possibly heading in the right direction (they aim to become carbon netural by 2020). A bunch of Costa Rican tourism companies are demanding to be certified as sustainable to attract this hopefully growing ecotourism market.

On an individual level, it would be swell if we could offset that carbon-spewing flight or look for operators that are making an effort to protect the environment. Of course, ecotourism is more than just the physical environment - it's also about paying attention to the local population and culture. So drop that mohito and try visiting a sustainable farm or an animal sanctuary and meet the people that are trying to protect what you came to enjoy.

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Toronto getting cost-free, CO2-free EcoCabs this summer

Patrick Metzger — 2008-04-23T12:02:00 00:00

Filed under: Cars and Transportation, Local, Travel and Vacation, Fitness

While I'm a little tired of the current trend towards slapping the prefix "eco" in front of everything ("Eco-coal-fired power, now with more eco-mercury!"), the EcoCabs coming to Toronto on May 1 seem to actually fit the bill.

The new vehicles, which are already cruising the streets of a number of cities around the world, seat two people plus a driver and operate principally on human pedal-power. However, they also feature a small, rechargeable electric motor for hills or just chilling'.

EcoCabs normally travel at a leisurely 6 km/h, but in a pinch ("my wife is having a baby, get us to the hospital - stat!") can race along at up to 12 km/h.

The EcoCabs will be offering rides to the weary and the lazy all summer at Toronto events and hotspots, and rides will be free, thanks to corporate sponsorship. Presumably that means there's soft drink ads on the sides of the cab, not that the driver is going to try and sell you a timeshare.

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Coming soon: flying the carbon-neutral skies

Josh Loposer — 2008-04-23T09:30:00 00:00

Filed under: News, Travel and Vacation

Will carbon-neutral air travel be a possibility in the near future? A group of aircraft manufacturers, airlines, air-traffic controllers, and airports agreed today to take the industry in that direction. Over the last year, the airline industry has been beat up in the media for being unresponsive to global warming. While some of the criticism might have singled out the airlines a little bit unfairly, the pressure seems to have really got to them. It looks like now the airlines industry in Europe is prepared to take some evasive maneuvers when it comes to climate change.

From cleaner fuel technology and more efficient jets, to more carbon-friendly routing of air traffic, airlines are committing to "greenhouse gas reductions wherever they are cost-effective." If the group gets its way, the bulk of the carbon 'neutralizing' will come from an aviation specific emissions trading program. That way, airlines can avoid a carbon tax that's are being kicked around in the EU.

Air travel is considered by the IPCC to be the cause of 3% of the world's greenhouse gases. So, any carbon trading organization the pops up would most likely be highly lucrative -- and a huge boost for the development of alternative energy. Hopefully, airlines in the US will follow suit.

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Coral reefs love nuclear fallout

Josh Loposer — 2008-04-15T12:01:00 00:00

Filed under: Travel and Vacation

If you were to dive into an underwater crater caused by the largest nuclear device that the US has ever detonated, what would you expect to see? An deathly quiet and lifeless landscape that resembles pictures taken by the Mars Rover maybe? Some deformed fish? Two-head sea-snakes?

Anyway, what you probably wouldn't expect to see is a thriving coral reef ecosystem bustling with life, but that's the scene that greeted a team of international scientists when they paddled down into the mile wide Bravo crater in the Marshall Islands. Bikini Atoll, as the site is known, is unfit for human inhabitation above the water, but underneath it's actually not much different than any other coral reef in the area.

It's an unexpected example that illustrates the resilience of the coral reefs, but scientists are careful to point out that this is not evidence that humans don't have a large impact on reefs. Quite the opposite, part of the reason that the reef is so pristine is that humans have been completely absent from the area -- due to the fact that it's been blow up by a nuclear bomb 1,000 times more powerful than the dropped on Hiroshima.

Ironically, the intense above the water pollution has allowed the coral flourish. That might change soon, however. The team of scientists had been hired by the Marshall Islands to find out whether the area was safe enough for commercial diving operations.

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Olympic update: China closes factories for the games

Josh Loposer — 2008-04-14T16:41:00 00:00

Filed under: Health, News, Travel and Vacation, Activism, Climate Change

The run up to this year's games in Beijing has already been overflowing with controversy. Whether it's human rights violations in Tibet, the Chinese government's ties to Darfur, or just the fact that Beijing has a nasty smog problem -- it's been one black eye after another for China's reputation on the world stage.

Chinese officials may look the other way when it comes to issues like Tibet or Darfur, but when it comes to the smog problem they have a plan that they hope will turn it all around. China will shut down the heaviest polluting industries during the Olympics (July 20th - September 20th). That ought to work, right?

Apparently, officials couldn't come up with a compromise that's less draconian than literally ordering their citizen to stop working for two months. That ought to look really good on their human rights scorecard -- citizens be damned, we've got company.

The government is placing a ban on all digging and concrete pouring in the city, and 19 heavy polluting companies have been told to lower their emissions by 30%. Similar restrictions are to be place on industry in the surrounding provinces.

Other measures include banning about half of Beijing's 3.3 million vehicles, closing gas stations, and banning outdoor spray painting -- good luck at enforcing that last one. All this, just for the summer games that the rest of the world is boycotting.

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Demand for green business travel growing

Patrick Metzger — 2008-04-11T16:30:00 00:00

Filed under: News, Travel and Vacation

If you fly, you know that business class is the place to be for comfort, but not the good of the planet. After all, the more square footage you give each Armani-wearing champagne-swiller in the sleeper-seat section, the fewer people you can move for each pound of carbon emitted by the plane .

However, road warriors are starting to find their environmental conscience.

Speakers at a conference sponsored by the National Business Travel Association in Toronto this week said that more and more organizations are looking for green credentials from their travel suppliers. Michelle White, Director of Environmental Affairs for Fairmont Hotels (who have lately been greening up their act considerably) says that around 20% of the enquiries they receive for business travel agreements ask questions about what the hotel chain is doing to reduce their carbon footprint.

The downside is that the trend is still in its infancy, and while many travel companies talk the green talk, specific plans and hard numbers are often hard to come by.

The other challenge is that many people traveling on behalf of employers are expected to watch costs, so if a hybrid car rental or an eco-friendly hotel comes at a premium, the accounting department might give you a hard time. But hey, it they question your expense report, just show them a picture of a baby seal and start to cry. It always works for me.

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5 Worst US cities to drive in

Josh Loposer — 2008-04-11T13:08:00 00:00

Filed under: Cars and Transportation, Health, Local, News, Travel and Vacation, Alternative Energy

As far as I'm concerned, every minute spent sitting in traffic is not only time wasted, but the stress and pollution it creates takes a minute off the end of your life -- maybe two. Look, I'm not a doctor and this formula is totally not scientific -- but it seems pretty believable. So, if you find yourself spending time in one of the top 5 best/worst cities for wasting your life in traffic, you might want to get your hands on a bike. It may add minutes to your life.

Think you're city made the grade? Click the gallery below to find out.

Gallery: 5 Most Congested Cities

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Tips for greener travel this summer vacation

Patrick Metzger — 2008-04-10T17:02:00 00:00

Filed under: Travel and Vacation

Travel, apart from being noisy, inconvenient, and occasionally life-threatening (damn you, Burmese customs officials!) is also a pretty dirty business, planet-wise. Still, we love it anyway, and with summer coming, consider these greener travel tips:

Pee before you fly. Apparently each airplane flush uses enough fuel to drive a car for six miles. Plus if you hit turbulence while you're going, it can get pretty ugly.
Choose your hotel wisely. Look around for eco-friendly lodging that has efficient power and water systems, alternative fuel vehicles, and that recycles. It'll be worth it.
Greenify your luggage. You don't need all those potentially cancerous, oil-based plastic bags, when you could have handsome, durable luggage made of hemp or other eco-friendly materials. It'll also be easier to recognize on the carousel.
Rent the right car. Ask for a hydrid, or if they don't have one, something that at least gets good gas mileage - with the price of gas skyrocketing, it's not only earth-friendlier but it'll help keep a little more folding money in your fanny-pack too.
Bottle your own water. When touristing around in the hot sun, you can easily go through several bottles of water. Bring your own refillable container instead of buying plastic bottles that are going straight to the landfill when you're finished.

For more tips and ideas, check out out Divine Caroline.

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Can a casino be green?

Josh Loposer — 2008-04-10T11:30:00 00:00

Filed under: Local, News, Travel and Vacation

It's official: the largest LEED-certified building in the world is the Palazzo Casino and Resort in Las Vegas -- it's 4 times bigger than its closest competitor. For all of its blinking lights and high-dollar entertainment, the Las Vegas Sands' project has somehow made the cut. It's important to keep in mind here that the honor being bestowed is 'Largest Green Building,' not 'Greenest Large Building.' That's crucial to keeping the Palazzo's great achievement in context. It's kind of like electing the Hybrid Tahoe the 'Green Car of the Year.'

Gallery: 15 Green Buildings from Around the World

For a casino, the Palazzo does have some admirably green water and energy saving features. First off, the developer wisely chose artificial turf for most of the grounds -- thus eliminating the need for water-intensive lawn farming. Air-conditioning in guest suites automatically resets back up a few degrees when guests go out. The plumbing in the Palazzo uses 37% less water than conventional buildings. And, last but not least, the building's structural steel is made from 95% recycled materials and the concrete is 26% recycled.

I know a lot of you are going to think: by definition, a casino can't be green -- especially in Las Vegas. I have to admit, I kind of agree with you. Building a 50-story gaming establishment in a desert city that's expected to run out of water by 2021 is hardly a clear cut victory for the environment. Still, like it or not, there will always be casinos in Vegas. So, I guess it's about time the started trying to figure out how to make it somewhat sustainable.

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Marriott pays Amazonians not to chop down their trees

Rebecca Onion — 2008-04-09T16:37:00 00:00

Filed under: News, Travel and Vacation, Climate Change

Fortune magazine just ran an article about a sort of unexpected sustainability initiative that Marriott International is undertaking. After the CFO of Marriott met the governor of Amazonas, a state in Brazil, at a Super Bowl party, they hatched a plan: Marriott would donate money to a fund, which would then flat-out pay people who live in the Amazon not to chop down their trees. (I'm assuming this meeting didn't occur at this year's Super Bowl party, because that game was way too exciting to allow for any such wheeling and dealing.)

So, the Amazon gets to keep some of its trees, the people who live there get money, and Marriott gets to advertise its greenness (to be fair, they also have been greening their golf courses, so this isn't the extent of their efforts). But there's a reason, as the author of the article points out, why these types of offsets, called "avoided deforestation," can't be used by companies regulated in Europe and Japan toward their own carbon quotas: nobody can be sure that the trees that are kept would have been chopped down, and the whole system gives the Brazilian government little incentive to enforce their own anti-logging laws.

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Torino gets grass-powered lawnmowers

Josh Loposer — 2008-04-09T12:30:00 00:00

Filed under: Local, News, Travel and Vacation, Alternative Energy

If you're looking to bypass the super-filthy emissions of a traditional lawnmower, you could go with a solar-powered lawnmower from Husqvarna that will set you back about $4,000. Or, you can pick up a more economical model that runs on grass-power -- and I'm not talking about the hippie kids from the local co-op. The city council in Turin, Italy decided to ditch their gas-powered fleet in exchange for a herd of 700 chlorophyll-munching sheep. The biggest dilemma so far seems to be the lack of available shepherds.

Some are hailing the decision as a win-win scenario for both the environment and the city's budget. According to the manager of the project, Frederico Tombalato:

"Using sheep is not only cheaper and more environmentally friendly, but we also get to sell them at the end of the process to raise more money."

Using a herd of sheep to mow the city's green spaces is a cool idea, but like any other, it has its pros and cons. The cops in Torino have been doubling as shepherds since the town hired on the 700 grazers. Keeping them out of the road is becoming a full-time headache for drivers and police -- who probably wonder if they'll get a raise to offset their new responsibilities. Other complaints have come from people who like to picnic on the grass, since it's now covered in digested lawn clippings.

Do you think it's worth the hassle to go with living lawnmowers?

[via Treehugger]

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Canada founds a new national park

Josh Loposer — 2008-04-08T16:20:00 00:00

Filed under: Local, News, Polit-eco, Travel and Vacation

Canadian officials have set aside 1.9 million acres this month, as part of pledge to expand the protection of their abundant wilderness resources. The new park is called the Naats'ihch'oh National Park Reserve -- which means "stands like a procupine" in the aboriginal Dene language. I would have probably opted for simpler name. Still, while most nations are plundering their wildlife areas, it's good to see that the Canucks are still busy putting theirs in the lock box.

The park will be located adjacent to the Nahanni National Park Reserve, covering most of the watershed of the S. Nahanni River -- if that means anything to you. Suffice it to say, it's in the vast wilderness of the Northwest Territories, BFE. Will you ever go there? Probably not, and I guess that's the point.

Of course, the government did mention that the 1.9 million acre swath is a very low-interest spot for oil, gas, and mineral mining -- so it's not exactly a hotly contested area like the ANWR province. But who cares? It's still a huge chunk of wilderness that is protected well into the future. That is, until Peak Oil, the cannibals, and then the colorful robots emerge.

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