Environment

Voting for REAL Action on Climate Change

- Adam Clare

In Vancouver, a blogger of the informative DeSmogBlog saw a sign that read “Next Election I’m Voting for REAL Action on Climate Change – Please Reduce Emissions Now”. Voters Taking Action on Climate Change’ (VTACC) is a grassroots organization that is putting their vote where they live (within the climate).

VTACC are based in Vancouver, but let’s hope that they encourage other groups to start up!

His group is called ‘Voters Taking Action on Climate Change’ (VTACC) and it’s made up of a group of local neighbourhood residents who are concerned about global warming and are calling for political action on reducing emissions.

Oscar the Grouch gets dream home

- sohorobin

Everyone’s gotta have a dream. If you were Oscar you’d likely want something like this.

Last year’s trash could become next year’s model home, thanks to the invention of a new type of construction material made entirely from waste products.

“Bitublocks,” created by engineer John Forth of the University of Leeds in England, are composed of recycled glass, sewage sludge, incinerator ash, the by-products of metal purification and pulverized fuel ash from power stations.

“Bitublocks use up to 100 percent waste materials and avoid sending them to landfill, which is quite unheard of in the building industry,” Forth said. …

… Plans also are now under way to develop a “Vegeblock” using waste vegetable oil.

Paper or Plastic or Biodegradable?

- Adam Clare 2 Comments

People in the states are asked if they would like paper or plastic when they buy groceries, and San Francisco has decided that people in San Fran will get something biodegradable. This is a big win for the environment, it would be great if every city followed their lead.

Advocates say biodegradable bags are stronger than conventional petroleum-based polyurethane plastic bags. In his office before the news conference, Mirkarimi produced a biodegradable bag holding 55 pounds of rocks.
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By a 10-1 vote, the Board of Supervisors required the use of compostable or recyclable bags — a move officials predicted could soon be imitated by other cities nationwide. One supervisor voted against the ban, saying the issue needed more study.

Each year businesses here dispense an estimated 180 million plastic bags, killing marine life and clogging landfills, said Supervisor Ross Mirkarimi.

Eco-Coffins for the Eco-Dead

- Adam Clare

Plan on dying some time? Well, now you don’t have to take the planet with you; instead you can help the planet on your way out. You can use:

A coffin made from recycled paper

Ecopod is a revolutionary design in coffins made from naturally hardened, 100% recycled paper. The time and consideration gone into the concept and design of the Ecopod we feel has culminated in a product with much to offer.
Made from 100% ecologically sound materials the Ecopod is the ideal product for a non toxic burial or cremation. Perfect for use in greenfield sites.

A coffin made out of cardboard

They are made from cardboard, but are unlike any other cardboard coffin on the market. Made from 90% recycled material, a rigid honeycomb construction provides strength and stability whilst being 100% biodegradable. Our product has been tested at crematoria and at traditional burial sites and are suitable for both

Toronto Realizes Environment Exists, Does Stuff

- Adam Clare

Here in Canada people love their unsustainable lifestyles, and the City of Toronto realizes that these lifestyles actually hurt – so they’re going to do something about. Toronto has announced their plan to fight climate change, and Spacing has a good write up on it with some interesting comments.

The Toronto Star, has an article on how old apartment buildings can be turned green in Toronto by copying what’s been done elsewhere in the world.

Built in an era when energy efficiency was not a big consideration, these buildings are energy pigs. Counterintuitive to the accepted theory that density aids sustainability, the city’s stock of aging slab apartments demands more energy per square metre than any other housing type – a full 30 per cent more than a contemporary detached house.
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But the slabs have their plus side. Due to their relatively straightforward structure and boxy facades, upgrades can be achieved with relative ease. This has not been lost on two members of the University of Toronto’s Faculty of Architecture, Ted Kesik and Ivan Saleff. After running numerous simulations, they have concluded that this building type may be the most cost-effective candidate for retrofit

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