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BP Biofuels Buys Ethanol Plant (Could They Actually Be Learning Something?)
In an uncharacteristic smart move, BP committed to buying a technology and ethanol plant in Jennings, Lousiana. The plant uses bagasse, the residue from sugar cane processing, to make ethanol, which then mixes with gasoline. The new CEO of BP Biofuels says that the purchase will help speed the delivery of a low carbon, low cost, sustainable biofuel.
Well, at least this is one step in the right direction after BP’s marathon debacle in the Gulf of Mexico. Could the (oily)… More »
J.R. Ewing Is Back: Selling Green Energy, Not Oil
If you were a fan of Dallas back in the day (and who wasn’t?), you know that J.R. Ewing as a big-wig oil tycoon who only associated the color green with money – and got shot. But now, J.R.’s back, singing the praises of green living through solar energy in a commercial for SolarWorld. Check out the commercial here, and an interview with Larry Hagman (the man behind J.R.), at his real-life solar powered mansion, below.
Perhaps next, Homer Simpson will… More »
BP-ify Your Computer Screen: Instant Oil Spill
If you need something to occupy yourself today while BP is trying to put a new cap on the leaking oil well in the Gulf, we’ve got just the thing. It’s called Instant Oil Spill, and it’s an interactive site that brings the murky toxins of the oil spill right to your computer screen.
The site is brought to you by A Cleaner Future, a nonprofit that focuses on creating awareness about alternative and cleaner energy sources. We thought that adding… More »
Haiti Relief: Earthship Biotecture Builds Sustainable Home for Earthquake Victims
Earthship Biotecture is a company that builds 100% sustainable homes that deliver their own electricity, maintain temperature, use solar energy, gather and recycle their own water, and grow their own food. Uber-eco-friendly. Recently, the Earthship team took a trip down to Haiti to build a sustainable building for the victims of the January earthquake.
Their trip was a total success: They built a structure completely out of garbage (not kidding), and fed Haitians who helped with the construction. Plus, they have… More »
Eco-Friendly Fashion: Designer Bags for Charity
Nine fashion houses (including Diane von Furstenberg, Tommy Hilfiger, Loeffler Randall and Vena Cava) have come together with Elle magazine and the Portable Light Project to create chic solar-powered purses that supply both light and power. The bags are being auctioned off on eBay, and all of the proceeds will benefit Portable Light’s mission of using energy-harvesting textiles to deliver power to developing communities. Check out a few of our faves:
Tommy Hilfiger
Loeffler Randall
Vena Cava
via Ecouterre… More »
Anti-BP Living: 12 Ways to Use Less Oil and Save the World
Oh, the oil spill. If you’re getting sick of hearing about it (we’re kind of sick of writing about it), we’d better just get used to it. The devastation happening in the Gulf region is cluing more Americans than ever into our dependency on oil. If BP and its reaction to the spill rubs you the wrong way, we’ve got 12 ways to reduce your oil consumption, thanks to The Daily Green. If BP doesn’t rub you the wrong way,… More »
Solar Companies Receive $2 Billion: President Obama has promised two billion dollars in loans to the two most prominent solar companies in order to kick-start the solar industry in the U.S. (via Inhabitat)
Green Your Grill: Eco-Friendly BBQ Tips
We hate to rain on your BBQ parade, but we’re entitled eco-friendly do-gooder jackasses, so we will. All the sizzling charcoal grills igniting over the next three days of the July 4th holiday weekend will release 225,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, which could power 20,000 homes for a year. And now that we’ve guilted you into serving dry cereal at your July 4th party, check out this video on how to lighten your carbon load when… More »
America’s Energy Sacrifices: A Cartoon That Makes Us Sad
There’s really not much else we can add – this cartoon says it all. If only we could just laugh off this comic strip.
via Reddit… More »
Blimps: The Future of Eco-Friendly Air Travel?
If you’re anything like us, you often dreamed of riding in a blimp as a kid. So you’ll be thrilled to know that blimps may be the eco-friendly transportation of the future. Using blimps instead of airplanes would cut global carbon emissions considerably.
Travel by blimp (or “airship,” as scientists are calling it) also would be cheaper than plane travel, but a little slower. That really doesn’t matter to us. We’ll take a greener, cheaper means of transportation over a quick… More »
Gone Glamping: Eco-Friendly Trend of the Week
While it’s great to connect with nature and take a break from technology, camping definitely has its downsides. We’re not sure how you feel about peeing outside (or in your wedding dress), but we don’t find it liberating. If you don’t think you and camping make a good couple, we’ve got an even stranger pairing for you: glamping (glamorous and camping). While it seems impossible that these oxymoronic words should ever appear in the same sentence, and equally impossible that… More »
FIFA World Cup Nonprofit We Love: Solafrica
Although Nairobi is as soccer-crazed as the rest of the world right now, residents of Kibera, the largest slum in Africa, didn’t think they’d be able to watch the 2010 FIFA World Cup, because they don’t have electricity. That is, until Solafrica, a Swiss nonprofit, provided them with a portable solar power station to run a large TV.
And Solafrica didn’t stop there. In partnership with Greenpeace, they trained local young people to make simple solar-powered LED lamps to replace the… More »
World Naked Bike Ride Day Is This Saturday!
This Saturday is World Naked Bike Ride Day in cities across the Northern hemisphere. The event aims to promote cycling as a means of saving the planet from pollution produced by cars. Cyclists in their birthday suits are also advocating for local economies, community-building, and positive body image, which would explain the no-clothes thing. And promoting exercise isn’t a bad thing, either. Nudity isn’t mandatory, but it’s obviously encouraged. If you’ve got the gumption to bike in the raw this… More »
Eco-Friendly Stadiums for South Africa’s 2010 World Cup
The World Cup is rapidly approaching, and South Africa is keeping it eco-friendly. Five stadiums that will be used in the games all embody some environmentally-friendly practices. Two are new, two are old, and one is remodeled, but all are leaning toward being as “green” as possible in their own specific ways.
The new stadiums were built with solar power capabilities; are flexible enough to be used for other events in the future; and one even has a rainwater collection system…. More »
Bike to Charge Your Phone: Nokia Announces Pedal-Powered Phone Charger
Bicycle-powered electronics might seem like a science fiction fantasy, but Nokia announced today that it’s releasing a new bike-powered dynamo mobile phone charger. The charger uses a dynamo that attaches to the bike and can be plugged into any phone using a 2mm phone jack. Though charging times will vary, Nokia says that a cyclist completing a 10 minute journey at 6mph (10 km/h) will produce enough power for 28 minutes of talk time or 37 hours of standby… More »
Our friends at The Alternative Consumer told us about this new residential wind turbine (called Eddy) made by Urban Green Energy. And it doesn’t just blow hot air – Eddy is small, quiet, easy to install, integrates with solar-powered systems, qualifies for a 30% federal tax credit, and should spin for 20 years. Bring on the breeze. (starts at around $5,000)
