Happy Earth Day

Innovation

Just imagine drinking from a cup made from human hair, or looking into a mirror designed with a bioplastic crafted from actual human locks. It may sound a little rich for some but the innovative new material is challenging designers to think about sustainable materials – what could be more sustainable than using materials shed from our own human bodies?

Sanitize the hair and sand the edges so they aren't fuzzy, and this strangely doesn't bother me at all.

Without Regulations

In the early 1970s, an amazing photojournalism project called Documerica captured a polluted nation in the midst of establishing its first major environmental protections. Documerica was sponsored by the fledgling E.P.A., which hoped to document and examine the extent of the country's environmental troubles. A team of talented photographers was assembled to shoot, in breathtaking, uncompromising detail, the unchecked air pollution, contaminated waterways, hazardous coal mines, and some truly disturbing waste issues across the U.S.

The image above is of the George Washington Bridge towards New Jersey. So clear!

Paper Wine

A newly created paper booze holder that is biodegradable with a foil bladder, and takes less than 10% of the energy to produce? I'm in. I already love the wine bladders you can buy from camping stores, but hate they are made from plastic, so this is a wonderful alternative.

Al Gore at the Aspen Institute Forum

“Unnoticed in Washington and New York as the debt-ceiling debate was going on, the ratio of television advertisements was nine to one on the 'Don't-lift-the-debt-ceiling debate. Spending is the problem.' And now we're going to tip the country back into recession. It's absolutely insane,” Gore said. “Mark my words on this we became the greatest country on earth because we made better decisions than any other nation. And we made better decisions because we used shared consciousness-shared reality rule of reason best evidence democratic discourse free debate to figure out what's more likely than not to be the best decision here. It didn't always work but it worked a hell of a lot better. Since we adopted this new system we are making catastrophic decisions that have massive consequences. The Iraq invasion. What just happened with macro-economic policy. It really is extremely difficult.”

Recycling: Flash Mob Style!

Quebec flash mob and a plastic bottle. I did not see this with audio, so results could be a bit different than I saw, just as a warning.

..via Re-nest

Whiskey Power!

It is the spirit that powers the Scottish economy, and now whisky is to be used to create electricity for homes in a new bioenergy venture involving some of Scotland's best-known distilleries.

Contracts have recently been awarded for the construction of a biomass combined heat and power plant at Rothes in Speyside that by 2013 will use the by-products of the whisky-making process for energy production.

Go Starbucks!

Starbucks says “disposing of the cups is the top environmental concern of its customers. The angst over the problem has reached the highest levels of the company.”

Supposedly, eco-focused CEO Howard Schultz has promised that by 2012 all Starbucks cups will be recyclable.

Guess I'll have to start using plastic bottles for the next Christmas tree......and get more room in my car to carry all of the recycled cups.

Upcycling!

So, I drink espresso. A lot of espresso. Yes, if I were smart or followed all of my own ideals on recycling, then I would be using a reusable cup instead of the throw away ones. However, that's besides the point.

The point is that I felt it was a waste to leave all of the cups. So instead, I decided to do something completely unnecessary, and created a Christmas tree. This really is better than some of my past Christmas trees, which were really just other fake trees that had nothing to do with evergreens either. Instead, this year, I totally can say that I wasted an afternoon poking holes and super-gluing 45 cups together. Personally, I like it.

..Thanks for the inspiration.

Grenada's Underwater Museum Update

So, back in 2007, I had seen an art installation by Jason deCaires Taylor and posted about it, but recently saw an update on how some of the art has fared over the last few years since it was put in place.

Buy Nothing Day 2010

So, I failed at Buy Nothing Day. Foodstuffs were a requirement, although I managed easily on the normal avoidance of superfluous objects I don't really need. Instead, I opted for: Silk Light plain soy milk, Orowheat Health Nut bread loaf, mild cheddar cheese, Cheerios, Crispix, and one 6 pack of unbuttered, unsalted, unflavorful natural microwave popcorn.

Upon reflection of my shopping list, I really need to get back into snack food and junk stuff. If the worst thing I have on my list is cheese, I really need to rethink my priorities.

..

Also, the best method to counteract the super-over-abundance-Thanksgiving belly is to totally go run 4 miles. And then follow up the next day with a brisk 3 miler in 55° weather. It really feels amazing. Retail therapy cannot even begin to compare.

Earth Muffin

Today at work, I was having a discussion with a few co-workers, and one stated to the other that he was environmentally conscious, but that he wasn't any tree-hugger. Bare in mind, this is the guy that has attempted multiple times to get our company to begin a recycling program, etc. The other co-worker laughed, and then they both looked at me. I said nothing and then was told that I was, of course, a tree-hugger. What's more I was an 'Earth Muffin'. At this point, the other co-worker and eye exchange a look and start laughing, as this doesn't sound like anything but a terribly inappropriate term. Perhaps we just have dirty minds. So, with safe search engaged, we had to Google the term, coming up with this from Urban Dictionary:

1. earth muffin
Environmentally conscience, socially aware, recycles when she can, prefers organic or natural products, and will drive out of the way to support mom and pop before large consumer corporations. She’s a modern hippy but also has a practical side. She’s cute, showers regularly, and encourages others to do the right thing without being judgmental or critical.
Store Checker: Would you prefer paper or plastic?
Earth Muffin: I brought my own reuseable duffle! It's made out of recycled materials, too.
granola hippychick vegan liberal hippy relaxed
by JennX Mar 27, 2008 share this
2. earth muffin
hippie/enviro/tree-hugger girls, especially the cute ones, and with a good connotation.
I'm gonna head down to the Green Festival and try to pick me up an earth muffin.

Needless to say, I haven't laughed this long in a while when I discovered this was a 'real' term. Better, I like the presumption of 'cute' in both definitions, and as was pointed out, I am totally not unjudgmental or uncritical about other people's choices. Personally, I don't see how badgering other people into recycling or eating less meat or banning bottled watter can be bad, but then, it seems totally redundant that I am judgmental. Totally.

Slowly Changing a Red State

Coulomb Claims to Install First EV Charging Stations Bought by Apartment Builder.
I find it incredibly interesting that Dallas happens to be the location of not one, but two of a reported first EV charging stations for an apartment complex. Now, if only my company would allow me to afford to live in a LEED certified building. Yes, paying an obnoxious amount of money to afford to live in The Belmont or The Savoye compared to where I currently live (cost benefit analysis of new versus reusing versus rent versus continued lower costs?) I will not be moving soon. However, I can dream. I can also dream that my next car will be an EV and my friends (Hil) will be able to drive (Hil) to the far away destinations for shows (Hil) or camping (Pel).

Things I Wish I'd Seen

Crimson Collective's Solar Origami at Coachella Festival.

Long Boring Post About Running Shoes

So today I got to retire my first pair of running shoes. It is a good feeling to do so, meaning I have put enough miles on them that it is time before I jack up my legs even more than I already have. I decided this time to move from the END Footwear PBnJ that I bought the last time to move to a shoe that would be more fitting for both trail and road running, since I hit the trails once or twice a week, and the PBnJ really were not so fantastic for that.

I have been having some issues of late from upping my mileage since the beginning of the year where I have managed to give myself shin splints, knee pain and hip pain respectively, and so I wanted this time to take the initiative and make sure that I got shoes based on my actual arch/pronation/suppination versus what I think I personally need. So I went to a local running store where they had me walk up and down the squishy black runner to make sure I walk correctly, and it seems I am mostly normal, just dumb about giving myself time to heal before I decide I am good to go again.

Twenty minutes after entering the store, I left with new shoes, the name and card of a podiatrist if I have any issues, and the assurance of said same podiatrist these shoes are the bestest thing since sliced bread for someone who trains on multiple surfaces. And after an hour out at Arbor Hills Nature Preserve this evening, i have to agree that as of now, these are pretty damn nice shoes. Firm in the ball of the foot, forces you to run correctly from outside heel to inside of the balls, cushioned well across the back of the heel, unlike the Asics I tried that dug into my Achilles tendon something terrible even for the moment I had them on at the store.

Broken in once, running some pretty muddy trails, and almost nothing on the bottom of the shoe. Plus, while my last shoes were from as company called Environmentally Neutral Design and I can't quite beat that, Brooks are one of the most green companies for shoes out there, and the Cascadia have BioMoGo, biodegradeable midsoles.

So if you read this entirely too long post about shoes, I apologize. All I can end this on is that I am quite happy with my purchase, and can't wait until I am ready for the next pair. And I am glad they aren't pink. And I am a dork.

Happy 40th Earth Day

Recycled Island - Reinventing the North Pacific Gyre

Flaunting mixed-use environments, the island with the coverage of 10.000Km2 will seek to provide an inhabitable space for the urban masses. The resources of power, the island will rely on, are solar and wave energy. As the island bears a floating character, it will avoid long transports. You would see the island doing on-site recycling, and supporting self-sufficient plantations with seaweed and compost toilets.

Earth Hour 2010

March 27, 2010. 20:30 to 21:30 local time. Turn off your lights.

Read by candlelight. Go outside. Take a nap. Enjoy the people around you. Turn on your long exposure manual setting on your camera.

World Water Week #2

The truth about bottled water

To continue the week.

..via Nag on the Lake

Tapped #2, World Water Day

World Water Day March 22, 2010. Or, as Tapped the movie would have it, World Water Week, because one day isn't enough. I have to agree.

"The wars of the 21st century will be fought over water." —Ismail Serageldin, former vice president of the World Bank