Tuesday, July 29, 2008

Worst Recycler

Houston Resists Recycling, and Independent Streak Is Cited - NYTimes.com:
The city’s shimmering skyline may wear the label of the world’s energy capital, but deep in Houston’s Dumpsters lies a less glamorous superlative: It is the worst recycler among the United States’ 30 largest cities.

Houston recycles just 2.6 percent of its total waste, according to a study this year by Waste News, a trade magazine. By comparison, San Francisco and New York recycle 69 percent and 34 percent of their waste respectively. Moreover, 25,000 Houston residents have been waiting as long as 10 years to get recycling bins from the city.

Thursday, July 24, 2008

Bangladesh Bag Ban

Los Angeles to ban plastic bags by 2010 | Environment | guardian.co.uk:
San Francisco, which uses less than half as many plastic carriers as Los Angeles, became the first American city to ban plastic bags last year. China unexpectedly followed suit in January by ending production of bags and barring shops from giving them away.


Bangladesh was the first nation to ban plastic bags in 2002 amid rising worries that disposed bags were blocking drains during the monsoon season.

Tuesday, July 22, 2008

Green Ideas

International Listings Blog » Top 100 Real Estate Blogs

Green Ideas

As a realtor, investor, homeowner, or homebuyer, you might be interested in some of the newest innovations in environmental architecture and design. The following blogs provide ideas and inspiration for a greener habitat.

  1. Apartment Therapy: Don’t let the title fool you. Although this blog attempts to save the planet, “one apartment at a time,” the authors bring resources to light that would delight any homeowner.
  2. Equity Green: A real estate tax advisor who focuses on public REITs, homebuilders, energy companies and real estate transactions (including like-kind exchanges), conducts an exploration of everything green as it relates to real estate.
  3. Green Build Blog: Green Build Blog posts about everything related to green building, with some entries devoted to answering readers’ questions.
  4. Green Buildings NYC: Stephen Del Percio, a New York attorney and a LEED accredited professional, attempts to stay on top of the latest news and developments in green building through his gbNYC blog. His site also links to the Green Buildings sites in Los Angeles, Washington D.C., and Miami.
  5. Inhabitat: Future-forward design and a daily source for innovations in sustainable architecture and green design for the home.
  6. Jetson Green: Preston D. Koerner focuses on advance trends in green building with an eye to the confluence of modernism and environmentalism.
  7. Living Green: Aaron Doyle, who believes that “everyone should be able to experience the pride and privilege of homeownership,” shares her thoughts on energy, environmental, and health issues that affect real estate today.
  8. Offbeat Homes: The unique, odd and freaky homes of today and tomorrow is brought to you by a freelance environmentally conscious Jennifer Chait.
  9. Sustainable Cities Blog: The CUNY Institute for Sustainable Cities in New York City blogs about moving cities toward sustainable practices.
  10. Sustainable Green Communities: Ram Shrivastava, a CEO and professional engineer, writes on environmentally friendly building design with discussions on climate change, green roofs, flood control, storm water recycling, LEED compliance, and alternative fuels.
  11. Treehugger: This blog attempts to be a one-stop shop for green news, solutions, and product information. Although more of a lifestyle-type blog, the focus is on living environments.

Monday, July 21, 2008

Lazy Locavores

A Locally Grown Diet With Fuss but No Muss - NYTimes.com:
“The highest form of luxury is now growing it yourself or paying other people to grow it for you,” said Corby Kummer, the food columnist and book author. “This has become fashion.”


The author Barbara Kingsolver, whose book “Animal, Vegetable, Miracle” was a best seller last year, did not have the lazy locavore in mind when she wrote about the implications of making her family spend a year eating local. But she celebrates the trend.

“As a person of rural origin who has lived much of my life in rural places,” she said, “I can’t tell you how joyful it makes me to hear that it’s trendy for people in Manhattan to own a part of a cow.”

Monday, July 14, 2008

Plant a Row for the Hungry

Gardeners New and Old Make Way for Vegetables - NYTimes.com:
Some of Ms. Howard’s increased harvest will also go to food pantries through an organization called Plant a Row for the Hungry, which encourages gardeners to plant extra vegetables to share with the poor.

State Landfill Free Tours

State landfill announces free tours of facility | Rhode Island news | projo.com | The Providence Journal:
Rhode Island Resource and Recovery Corporation, the independent state agency that operates the landfill, is offering a free 90-minute tour and educational session July 26 and Aug. 16 on a first-come, first-served basis.

Reservations for the tour can be made by calling Pat Russo at Resource Recovery, at (401) 942-1430, ext. 121. The maximum capacity is 25 people per session.

Saturday, July 12, 2008

pay-as-you-throw

Providence takes steps to adopt new trash system
As a part of the new system residents would be required to buy special city
garbage bags. Residents would then have to pay according to how much trash they
throw out. Mayor David Cicilline and the City Council members are supportive, of
the new system

T. Boone Pickens

Monday, July 07, 2008

Saturday, July 05, 2008

Totes From Trash

Totes From Trash - NYTimes.com:
A New Jersey-based eco-friendly plant food company has struck a deal with Kraft Foods (NYSE: KFT) to turn its used packaging into purses, backpacks and other merchandise, company officials announced this week.

Under the partnership, TerraCycle, which already packages its own worm-waste fertilizer in recycled plastic bottles, will expand its waste collection sites to include Kraft brands such as Capri Sun, Chips Ahoy! and Oreo cookies. The companies will also sponsor teams to collect trash and will donate two cents per item to local community groups and schools.

Plants Can Relate

Plants Found to Show Preferences for Their Relatives - NYTimes.com:
The sea rocket, researchers report, can distinguish between plants that are related to it and those that are not. And not only does this plant recognize its kin, but it also gives them preferential treatment.

If the sea rocket detects unrelated plants growing in the ground with it, the plant aggressively sprouts nutrient-grabbing roots. But if it detects family, it politely restrains itself.
“Plants,” Dr. Dudley said, “have a secret social life.”

Friday, July 04, 2008

Solar Thaw

Government lifts solar project ban on public lands - SiliconValley.com:
Companies planning to build huge solar power plants in the desert will be able to file new applications to use federal lands after the Bureau of Land Management reversed its position on the issue Tuesday.

National Security

Climate Change May Challenge National Security, Classified Report Warns
Source: The Earth Institute at Columbia University
The National Intelligence Council (NIC) has completed a new classified assessment that explores how climate change could threaten U.S. security in the next 20 years by causing political instability, mass movements of refugees, terrorism, or conflicts over water and other resources. Among the major outside contributors of data was the Center for International Earth Science Information Network (CIESIN), a member of Columbia University’s Earth Institute. While the NIC assessment itself is confidential, the CIESIN data is public, and is posted here (PDF; 4.5 MB).