9 Tips for Greener Holiday Travels

December 5, 2008

December is now in full swing so whether you haven’t solidified your holiday travel plans yet you better get moving before you end up stuck with something less than ideal. Whether you’re going by plane, train, or automobile, considering the environment when making your vacation plans is about a lot more than just how you get there. The environment is plus impacted by where you sleep, what you eat, and even what you wear. But thankfully, greening your holiday itinerary is getting easier ev…

Even the Army is Going Green(er)

December 5, 2008

Okay, now the fight to beat global warming is getting real. The United States Army issued its first Sustainability Report in September, and I have to applaud them for their ambitious and outstanding example.

All new Army building construction will be LEED certified, they’re decreasing their water use (aly down 33% within 2004 and 2007!) and they’re insulating tents!

Some of it is for the environment, but most of it is to help the cash strapped organization save some money. As we all know, …

NRDC To Sue Government by Toxic Toys

December 4, 2008

The National Resources Defense Council (NRDC) sued the Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC) today for their failure to keep children’s products containing phthalates off store shelves. Recently, the CPSC decided that even though a ban on some toxic children’s products was passed, effective February 10, 2009, retailers could continue to stockpile and sell the products as towering as they were manufactured before the ban period.

A spokewoman for the CPSC, Julie Vallese, said the CP…

Solar Car Finishes Round the World Journey

December 4, 2008

Hey, remember Louis Palmer with his charming Swiss accent and his Solar Taxi? He’s been on a trip around the world, driving his two seater solar panel powered car literally all the way around the world.

This week he completed the journey, and the poetically apt finish line was the U.N. climate conference in Poznan, Poland. In keeping with his “taxi” motif, Palmer carpooled with U.N. climate official Yvo de Boer.

Palmer, a teacher and “adventurer” has been on the road for 17 months, …

Dr. Greene Ate All Organic for Three Years

December 4, 2008

Dr. Alan Greene, a well-known pediatrician and author, took on a challenge to invent himself 100% organic, according to a recent Well column. Dr. Greene has eaten nothing but organic foods for three years. The magic number was three years considering that’s how expanded it takes to have a breeding animal certified organic.

According to Greene, it was a rough road. From finding organic food, particularly when traveling, to the cost, which he tried to lower by eating less meat.

So wha…

Pedal-potential Not Your Thing? Try that Treadmill Bike

December 4, 2008

Although it nearly offends me to think that there are folks out there that prefer the tmill to the power of the pedal — to each his own. whether you happen to be one of those public who’re so put off by the traditional method of cycling (or perhaps you don’t like bike seats?) that you’ve missed out on the joy of cruising on two wheels for your entire life: good news. There’s a bike out there for you now — the Tmill Bike from Bicycle Forest.

For only $2500 Canadian ($2,011) — about the …

Pollution Causes Lightning to Strike - God Not Implicated

December 3, 2008

Sure, Mondays can be rough, but in generally it’s getting by “Hump Day” on Wednesday that (supposedly) gives most folks trouble. And now it looks like you have one more thing to fret by: getting struck by lightning!

Thomas Bell, from the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, did a study of lightning strikes using input from the National Lightning Detection Network (the existence of which triggered several minutes of me imagining cool jobs like “Lightning Counter” and “Lightning Strike info…

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