Month: May 2008

A Good Reason for the British Royal Family

- Adam Clare

Celsias has an interesting piece on how the British royals can serve a good purpose- protecting the environment. And, no this is not an ironic post.

The Prince has also long promoted small, local, organic farming. Leading by example, his own Gloucestershire farm has been organic since 1986 and was among the first to provide organic products in Great Britain long before it was eco-chic. His Duchy Originals brand is made from products grown on his farm in a sustainable manner, with special attention to crop rotation and soil management with the proceeds going to charity, including environmental and alternative health organizations that he has founded. He’s kind of like the Paul Newman of Great Britain!

Have Your Coffee in a Ceramic Cup

- Adam Clare 1 Comment

Using paper cups for our coffee is absolutely ridiculous, a Canadian writer proposes we use some really awesome ceramic cups.

We have some amazing technology developing here in Canada. Homegrown high-tech whiz-bang — Nobel Prize material, really.

This system is too good to be true: it can provide fuel, or be easily processed into one of our most versatile building materials; it can sequester CO2 to slow global warming; be harvested for food; increase ecosystem health and biodiversity by providing habitat for animals, birds, plants and insects; slow damaging storm-water runoff; purify water; and help remediate contaminated soils. The feedstock is free and abundant, and maintenance on the system is negligible.

Urban Living Better than Sub-urban Living

- Adam Clare

From the blatantly obvious department comes a short piece on how people can be kinder to the environment by living in an urban setting. The suburban lifestyle isn’t the best for the environment for many reasons, so everybody move downtown to show the world some love!

The fact is, urban living is kinder to the planet, and Manhattan is perhaps the greenest place in the US. A Manhattanite’s carbon footprint is 30 percent smaller than the average American’s. The rate of car ownership is among the lowest in the country; 65 percent of the population walks, bikes, or rides mass transit to work. Large apartment buildings are the most efficient dwellings to heat and cool.
And guess what high-speed means of transportation emits less atmospheric carbon than trains, planes, and automobiles? The humble counterweight elevator put into service in 1857, which has made vertical density possible from Dubai to Taipei.

Video on NY Environmental Artist

- Adam Clare

This landed in my email today from Parisa:

I’d like to share with you a video from Current.com that I thought you and your blog would appreciate; in the piece, Fritz Haeg–green architect/artist, discusses his current art project called Animal Estates where he makes homes for animals where people live in cities, suburbs, private properties, institution, etc. Based on the Manhattan Project, Fritz’s intention is to make homes for animals that used to live four-hundred years ago on locations where he’s placed his art. In the video, Fritz discusses his inspiration, roots, concepts and the ideas behind this project

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Plastic Bottle Island Ready for the Public

- Adam Clare

We’ve looked at Spiral Island before and now people can actually visit the island made out of old plastic bottles.

Ecoble has more info on the island and looks into some controversy around the island (if it gets destroyed all the plastic bottles become litter again).

Find more photos like this on Richie Sowa's Spiral Island

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