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Global Green Challenge: Car Racing Gone Green in Australia

by Cat Lincoln (Subscribe to Cat Lincoln's posts)
Oct 28th 2009 @ 12:01PM


If you're into cars that run on alternative fuels, then this is your lucky week. The Global Green Challenge is a 3,000 kilometer race through the center of Australia that starts in Darwin in the north, finishes in Adelaide in the south, and takes the participants through desert, rainforest and coastal plains.

The race, which began as the World Solar Challenge in 1987, is held every two years. Teams come from around the world to race their kooky looking solar-powered cars that resemble space ships. Most of the teams are made up of engineering students, and the competition is quite earnest.

This year, in addition to the solar concept car competition, there will be a second race called The Eco Challenge, which will include alternative fuel cars that are actually in production around the world.

Continue reading Global Green Challenge: Car Racing Gone Green in Australia




Filed under: Cars and Transportation, Alternative Energy

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Eco-Beat, 10/27

by Josh Loposer (Subscribe to Josh Loposer's posts)
Oct 27th 2009 @ 3:00PM

When was the last time you saw Madonna holding a shovel? Will Japanese whalers kill Kenny? Are you handing out carbon offset stickers instead of candy this Halloween? Today's Eco-Beat has the scoop on all the latest green news and tips.


Madonna planting a tree, credit: AFP, Getty ImagesMadonna Plants a Tree in Malawi
The Queen of Pop returned to her favorite developing country yesterday to break ground on her $15M girls school in the village of Chinkhota. She wasn't just there to cut ribbons and dig holes, she also planted a Moringa tree (aka a "miracle tree") in the future school yard.

South Park, credit: Amazon.comSouth Park Spoofs Whale Wars
Who better to explore the ethical and cultural implications of "The Cove" and "Whale Wars" than Stan, Kyle, Cartman, and, of course, Kenny. Tomorrow night, South Park's highly inappropriate satire meisters take on whale hunters and the people who hunt them.

jackolantern, credit: Euart, FlickrFive Tips for a Greener Halloween
Going green this Halloween doesn't mean you have to be the weird house on the block who gives out organic apples instead of candy. You could promote green power by turning your yard into a haunted wind farm. Or you could check out Inhabitat's green Halloween tips.

clothesline, credit: Grant MacDonald, Getty ImagesDo You Use a Clothesline?
Good news! By doing nothing particularly drastic, Americans could cut our collective carbon footprint by about the size of France's total output. All we have to do is to take 17 steps, the most drastic of which is to end our love affair with dryers. Can we live without dryers?

blue ice cream, credit: WintrHawk, Getty ImagesKnow Your Senate Climate Bills
According to Grist, Senate climate legislation is kinda like Baskin-Robins, except there are more than 31 flavors. If you wanna learn about all of the crazy concoctions that legislators have mixed up, grab one of those little tester spoons and sample Grist's flavor guide.
Green in a Flash:


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Chris Jordan Photographs Plastic Inside Dead Birds

by Cat Lincoln (Subscribe to Cat Lincoln's posts)
Oct 27th 2009 @ 12:01PM


Photojournalist Chris Jordan's latest stunning/sobering project, called "Midway, Message from the Gyre," is a series of photos of dead birds, stuffed full of plastic trash.

No, it's not some kind of post-modern statement about man's relationship with nature and consumption, although it does deliver a pretty strong message on that topic.

The Midway Journey is a project Jordan undertook with four other media artists to document the effect of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch on the birds of the Midway Atoll in the Pacific, 2,000 miles away from the nearest continent.

Continue reading Chris Jordan Photographs Plastic Inside Dead Birds




Filed under: Activism, Plants and Wildlife

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Eco-Beat, 10/26

by Josh Loposer (Subscribe to Josh Loposer's posts)
Oct 26th 2009 @ 3:00PM

Wanna support green charities while also supporting Jack Johnson's relaxing, harmonious grooves? Will PETA turn Elvis' ranch into a vegetarian education center? Which veggies are the most eco-friendly: Frozen or canned? Today's Eco-Beat has the scoop on all the latest green news and tips.


Jack Johnson, credit: Lucas Dawson, Getty ImagesJack Johnson Green Tour, Now with Eco-DVD Footage
Not only has was Jack Johnson's "Sleep Through the Static" tour carbon-offset and biodiesel-powered, everyone who buys the DVD will be supporting green charities. Johnson's "En Concert" video features concert footage, interviews and a positive environmental impact.

old fashioned theater, credit: gail548, FlickrAnd the Oscar for First LEED Movie Theater Goes To ...
Chattanooga? It kinda blows my mind that there isn't already a green movie house somewhere in the US, but with its solar panels and recycled building materials, the Carmike Majestic 12-plex in Chattanooga will set the standard for eco-friendly movie watching.

Elvis and Priscilla Presley, credit: Keyston, Getty ImagesPETA Leasing Elvis Ranch?
The oft-naked animal rights groups has reportedly made an offer to lease the historic, 155-acre cattle ranch where The King took Priscilla on the couple's honeymoon. Apparently, the ranchers aren't interested in becoming landlords, but they've offered to sell for a cool $6.5M.

frozen veggies, credit: Stevendepolo, FlickrCanned vs. Frozen Veggies
Let's face it, the vast majority of us don't have the ability to get all of our produce from the farmers market. When it comes to veggies with a longer shelf life, which is a more eco-friendly: cans or frozen? Check out Grist's breakdown of the nutritional and environmental angles.

350.org demonstration, credit: 350.org, FlickrInternational Day of Climate Action in Pictures
In case you missed it, Saturday was Climate Action Day. Were you holding a "350" sign at one of the planet's 4,000+ mass gatherings? If so, you might have gotten your picture on the 350.org's photostream on Flickr. It's like the Rolling Stone cover for eco-activists.
Green in a Flash:


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Honest Foods: An Upbeat Way to Promote a Natural Food Item

by Cat Lincoln (Subscribe to Cat Lincoln's posts)
Oct 26th 2009 @ 12:01PM

Sometimes the whole conversation about eating natural foods can get strident and scary. From "Fast Food Nation" to "Food Inc.," there are loads of people ready and willing to terrify you into putting down the french fries.

The other day this video for Honest Foods bars turned up in my email. It's charming, and light-hearted, and gets the message across about choosing natural, wholesome foods.

What a concept! A happy natural food ad! In addition to making me hungry, and want to go out dancing, the Honest Foods video got me thinking about how rare it is to have fun singing and dancing in commercials for wholesome things.

Continue reading Honest Foods: An Upbeat Way to Promote a Natural Food Item



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Eco-Beat, 10/23

by Josh Loposer (Subscribe to Josh Loposer's posts)
Oct 23rd 2009 @ 3:00PM

Wanna watch vegetarian Natalie Portman torture prospective Top Chefs in a world renown steakhouse? Should we feed dogs and cats a pet shop version of Soylent Green? Are you green enough to let your kid poop on the floor just to avoid using a diaper? Today's Eco-Beat has the scoop on all the latest green news and tips.


Natalie Portman, credit: Jason Merritt, Getty ImagesNatalie Portman on Top Chef
To commemorate Vegetarian Awareness Month (I assume) "Top Chef" has taken contestants to a world renown steak house, given them free reign over the marvelous meat selection, and instructed them to cook for Natalie Portman, a vegan. Check out the teaser.

Dog and kitten, credit: Yukaj*, FlickrDo You Know Your Pet-Print?
An eco-minded New Zealand couple has written a book in which they estimate that the average dog's eco-paw print is greater than the impact of driving an SUV 10,000 kilometers. Crazy. Their recommendation: recycle deceased pets as dog and cat food.

Mayim Bialik, credit: Michael Buckner, Getty ImagesMayim Bialik Goes Diaper-Free for the Planet
Bialik (aka Blossom) is potty training her 14-month-old son with a holistic technique called "elimination communication," which entails reading a child's signals to know when they've gotta go potty -- no diapers. And you thought you were hardcore.

fresh produce, credit: Flow Photography, Flickr10 Ways to Go Green and Save Green
Not all that glitters is green. Just because it has the words "eco-friendly" on the package doesn't mean it's worth the extra cash. SavvySugar has put together some awesome tips for how to maximize your resources while minimizing your eco-footprint.

Playmobile Shell Station, credit: mwboeckmann, FlickrShell Sponsors Green Alternative Vehicle Challenge
Oil giant Shell is the official sponsor of something called the Eco-marathon, a contest to design the world's most energy-efficient, gasoline-hating vehicle with the lowest emissions. Kinda ironic for a company that depends on both fuel consumption and emissions, right?
Green in a Flash:


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It's Finally Almost International Day of Climate Action!

by Cat Lincoln (Subscribe to Cat Lincoln's posts)
Oct 23rd 2009 @ 12:02PM


Tomorrow is the big day! International Day of Climate Action Day, when activists around the world are staging major protests to send a message to world leaders about climate change.

What do we want? Less CO2! When do want it? ASAP, preferably before the glaciers melt, the rain forests burn down and civilization as we know it collapses!

Greenpeace and 350.org are helping to organize the protests, demonstrations and "actions," which will probably involve at least two out of the following list of protest activities:

Continue reading It's Finally Almost International Day of Climate Action!




Filed under: Activism, Climate Change

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Eco-Beat, 10/22

by Josh Loposer (Subscribe to Josh Loposer's posts)
Oct 22nd 2009 @ 3:00PM

If a university was to award Woody Harrelson an honorary doctorate, would that make you more or less likely to apply for admission? Would you brush your teeth with dollar bills, in this economy? Are you on high alert for vampires this season? Today's Eco-Beat has the scoop on all the latest green news and tips.


Woody Harrelson, credit: Kevin Winter, Getty ImagesDr. Woody Harrelson, Courtesy of York University
For his steadfast dedication to recycled headgear, organic toothbrushes, and making awesome zombie movies, York University in Toronto has elected to bestow its greatest honor upon Woody this Saturday: An honorary PhD. I'll spare you the Canadian jokes.

Source toothbrush, credit: Radiustoothbrush.comSpeaking of Hippie Toothbrushes
The Source toothbrush cuts down on 4/5 of your teeth-brushing waste by offering replaceable heads and a permanent handles. Handles are made of either recycled wood, recycled flax, or even recycled dollar bills -- yes, recycled U.S. Dollars.

Kyoto protestor, credit: Cpt. Obvious, FlickrTips for a Totally Awesome Climate Action Day
Saturday is going to be huge, and not just for college football fans. It's Climate Action Day on planet Earth and Grist has put together a guide on how to make your day as revolutionary and civilly disobedient as possible. l'm going with mud stencils, because I hate handcuffs.

vampire lady, credit: Christopher S Penn, FlickrSlaying Vampires in the Home
In honor of it being Halloween season and all, it's time to have a serious chat about vampires ... energy vampires, that is. GeekSugar has put together a list of the top 10 vampires you should be looking out for this season, where they live, and how you can stop the sucking.

Joe Biden, credit: Alex Wong, Getty ImagesNo Money Down, No Payment Solar
Joe Biden is working on a plan to make solar roofs available to virtually all homeowners for a down payment of $0. The plan will offer loans that attach to your property taxes, replacing part or all of your electricity bill with an equal charge added onto your taxes.
Green in a Flash:


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Eco-Friendly Halloween Costumes

by Cat Lincoln (Subscribe to Cat Lincoln's posts)
Oct 22nd 2009 @ 12:12PM

Halloween costumes

Ghost costumes are easy! Photo: Getty Images/TOSHIFUMI KITAMURA/Staff

So what's your Halloween costume this year? Oh, you don't have one? That's okay, we have some eco-friendly and oh-so-clever ideas for you!

Being sustainable doesn't mean you have to wear an unimaginative, boring, hemp bag. Just the opposite, unless you're going as a Wet Blanket Environmentalist.

Get out your creativity, roll up your sleeves, and prepare ready to wow your friends and neighbors with these environmentally smart Halloween costumes.

Continue reading Eco-Friendly Halloween Costumes




Filed under: Home, Kids and Parenting

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Eco-Beat, 10/21

by Josh Loposer (Subscribe to Josh Loposer's posts)
Oct 21st 2009 @ 3:00PM

What could be tastier than a burger made from beef-fed beef? Do you have a life-saving Survivaball in your closet? Do you have plans for the International Day of Climate Action? Today's Eco-Beat has the scoop on all the latest green news and tips.


Simpsons Poster, credit: Hollywood North ReportThe Simpsons Poke Fun at Big Food
If you missed The Simpsons' annual Halloween special, you missed one of the show's most hilarious swipes at the beef industry yet. One of the segments revolved around the new Krusty Burger², made from beef-fed cows. Don't worry, you can still catch it on Hulu.

Captain Paul Watson, credit: Frederick M Brown, Getty ImagesAustralia Gives Captain Watson a Visa
After a few weeks of red tape, Australian officials granted Sea Shepherd Paul Watson permission to come aboard ... their continent. Immigration officials insist that the delays were completely routine, but Captain Watson says they were bowing to pressure from Japan.

the Yes Men will survive, credit: Theyesmen.orgMore Yes Men Hijinks
Continuing their relentless onslaught of hilarious pranks, the Yes Men took the the Capitol steps yesterday -- decked out in Survivaballs -- to heckle Sen. Arlen Specter for his "wishy-washy" stance on climate legislation. All of this is just a buildup to Saturday's main event.

mud stencil, credit: Jesse GravesEco-Conscious Graffiti
Wanna be a part of this weekend's civil disobedience but you can't quite bring yourself to go full rampaging vandal? Try vandalism-lite with mud stencil graffiti. Mud stencils make a statement, then slowly wash away, keeping your protest-print small.

Chipotle Burrito, credit: Yummiec00kies, FlickrChipotle Burritos, Now with Less Guilt
Next time you find yourself chewing on one of Chipotle's iconic burritos the size of you head, don't feel bad about your over-consumption, you're investing in a green company. Chipotle is about to become the leading renewable energy producer in the restaurant industry.
Green in a Flash:


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Fear the Halloween Candy

by Cat Lincoln (Subscribe to Cat Lincoln's posts)
Oct 21st 2009 @ 12:01PM

Fair trade chocolate from naturalcandystore.com

When you're a kid, Halloween is your chance to get a ton of candy, for free, which you then eat until you get sick. And when you're an adult, it's a reason to buy all the candy you'd normally never let in the house ... which you then eat until you get sick.

Here's the truly scary part: it's not just overeating that makes you sick, it's the stuff in most commercially produced candy bars that will make you turn green, even if you're only reading the label!

I was checking out Fitsugar, and was reminded that most candy contains high fructose corn syrup and food coloring. Bad, but if you're only indulging once or twice a year, not going to kill you. But then there are the hydrogenated oils, which are so bad they even cause miscarriages!

Continue reading Fear the Halloween Candy




Filed under: Food, Health, Kids and Parenting

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Eco-Beat, 10/20

by Josh Loposer (Subscribe to Josh Loposer's posts)
Oct 20th 2009 @ 3:00PM

Is Mel Gibson becoming a tree hugger? Will you join Joe Biden's Middle Class Task Force? Are all those solar panels heating up the planet? Today's Eco-Beat has the scoop on all the latest green news and tips.


Mel Gibson, credit: Jewel Samad, Getty ImagesMel Gibson Stars in a New Eco-Thriller
Conspiracy theorists, start your engines. "The Edge of Darkness" features Mel as a detective who's investigating the mysterious death of his own activist daughter. It's a tale that weaves cover-ups, nuclear espionage and even James Lovelock's Gaia Theory.

The Yes Men, credit: Amazon.comUS Chamber of Commerce Changes Course, Not
The Yes Men struck again yesterday, issuing a fake press release and even holding a fake press conference at the real National Press Club, posing as the US Chamber of Commerce. Their fake message: The COC backs climate legislation. They fooled a few networks.

caulk man, credit: Mtsofan, FlickrWhat the Heck is the Middle Class Task Force?
Terrible as the name may be, it's actually a good thing for the environment and our nation's energy consumption. The MCTF (I can't stand to write it out again) is Joe Biden's incentives plan to basically weatherize/retrofit a nation's worth of inefficient homes.

Magpie chandelier, credit: Anthropologie.comSasha and Malia Get a Recycled Chandelier
Trying to keep up with the First Family? President Obama bought his daughters a eco-chic chandelier to help them deck out their bedroom in the White House. Upsides: It's made from found objects and looks awesome. Downsides: It costs $4,800. Yikes!

solar panel closeup, credit: TaranRampersad, FlickrDo Solar Panels Intensify Global Warming
It sounds heretical, right? Not only do PV panels release greenhouse gases through their production, but there's new hype surrounding the idea that -- because most panels are blue or black -- they absorb tons of heat. Treehugger's Pablo breaks down the myth.
Green in a Flash:


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Starbucks: What Were You Thinking With That Via Packaging?

by Cat Lincoln (Subscribe to Cat Lincoln's posts)
Oct 20th 2009 @ 12:01PM

Starbucks.com

An Open Letter to Starbucks:

Dear Starbucks,

We have our love-hate relationship. Sure, the pumpkin spice latte is hard to resist. But your inability to put compostable -- or even recyclable -- cups in stores until 2012* makes me see red. If I can buy compostable hot cups at the supermarket, then you can order them in bulk with your logo printed on them!

Even giving you credit for the "cup summit" in May, when you brought together recycling experts to talk about The Cup, it's despicable for you, the largest specialty coffee company in the world to be so bad, and so late to the game, at managing your waste stream.

Besides the cup issue, many of your stores don't even offer recycling. Just last month, you launched a pilot recycling program in Manhattan with Global Green USA's Coalition for Resource Recovery. That's definitely the right thing to do, but you don't deserve praise for it. More like, "Hello, it's 2009! It's about time you dealt with recycling the literally billions of cups your customers produce each year. WTH took you so long?"

Continue reading Starbucks: What Were You Thinking With That Via Packaging?




Filed under: Food, Activism

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Ed Begley, Jr. Talks to GreenDaily About Going Green for Cheap

by Josh Loposer (Subscribe to Josh Loposer's posts)
Oct 20th 2009 @ 10:00AM

wolf

Photo: Kevin Winter, Getty Images

If you're a "Living With Ed" die hard, you already know that Ed's green living show was picked up by Planet Green for another exciting and environmentally-friendly season. With the premiere already locked and loaded for October 21st at 9PM EST (that's tomorrow!), I was lucky enough to catch up with Ed for a few minutes to chat about the upcoming season, as well as Ed's green living philosophy.

GD: I heard a rumor that you guys are undergoing some major home renovations. Can you tell us whether or not you'll achieve your dream of living completely off the grid this year?

EB: No, I still can't do it. There's a good side of the problem; there's a lot of shading on my roof. I can never get fully off the grid unless I built a second story because of the shade from my neighbors' houses. But the shade actually keeps the heat off the roof, so that's good.

I've got our energy bill down to about 300 or 400 bucks a year. Now that we have three people in the house and I'm putting about 10,000 miles on my electric car doing speeches, the demand is higher than what it used to be. Even on the grid, the power I've got at my house is completely renewable. For only three cents extra per kilowatt hour, I buy power that comes completely from renewable sources through the LA power grid.

Continue reading Ed Begley, Jr. Talks to GreenDaily About Going Green for Cheap




Filed under: Celebrities, Home

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Eco-Beat, 10/19

by Josh Loposer (Subscribe to Josh Loposer's posts)
Oct 19th 2009 @ 3:00PM

Are being famous and looking hot really the best qualifications for becoming an environmental guru? Are you participating in this year's annual turkey slaughter? What's more important: Football or the environment? Today's Eco-Beat has the scoop on all the latest green news and tips.


Gwyneth Paltrow, credit: Pascal de SegretainFive Hot Green Celebrities
What do Gwyneth Paltrow, Alicia Silverstone, Rachel McAdams, Julia Stiles and Tricia Helfer have in common? They've all got their own eco-living websites ... and they're movie stars. Grist takes a stab at determining which, if any, of these websites are worth your time.

turkey farm, credit: Martin Pettitt, FlickrAre You Adopting a Turkey This Year?
Corey Feldman, Alicia Silverstone and Kevin Nealon are juts a few celebs who are promoting the Farm Sanctuary's Adopt-A-Turkey program. If there's a scarier thought than the slaughter of 45M turkeys each year, it's a world overrun with turkeys. They can be mean!

arnold schwarzenegger, credit: Ethan Miller, Getty ImagesFootball Vs. the Environment
Arnold Schwarzenegger says he plans to sign an environmental exemption bill to block eco-lawsuits and clear the way for the construction of a new NFL stadium in LA. Despite protests, the state senate approved the bill in hopes of attracting a team and creating jobs.

Smart cdi, credit: Andreas Rentz, Getty ImagesWanna Get 80.61 MPG?
If you wanna duplicate Mick Linford's MPG Marathon winning mileage, you'll have to go to the UK and buy a fuel-sipping Smart cdi. If you wanna practice his techniques with your own set of wheels, watch his Top 10 Smart Eco Driving Tips.

dog poop flag, credit: Ozon9999, Duke and Sarge, FlickrDo You Flag Poo?
Dog poo is a topic heated debate on the hike and bike trails where I live. In Europe, people have gone to even greater lengths to shame dog owners into bagging the poop. Clean water activists are putting little flags (hopefully biodegradable) on each pile they find!
Green in a Flash:


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