Algae is considered the next big break through in bio fuels. That slimy, slippery stuff might also be a key to paper thin biodegradable batteries according to researchers at Uppsala University in Sweden. These batteries could soon compete with commercial lithium-ion batteries.
According to Inhabitat.:"Conducting polymers have long been thought to be a solution in developing lightweight, flexible, nonmetal batteries. But up until now, these polymers have had been impractical because regular paper can’t hold enough of them work effectively. Now Uppsala researcher Maria Stromme and her team has found that the smelly algae species that clumps on beaches, known as Cladophora, can also be used to make a type of cellulose that has 100 times the surface area of cellulose found in paper. That means it can hold enough conducting polymers to effectively recharge and hold electricity for long amounts of time."
"The algae-based paper sheet batteries hold up to 200% more charge than regular paper-based cellulose batteries, and they can recharge in as little as 11 seconds. Eventually, they could be used in any application that requires flexible electronics — for example, clothing or packaging that lights up. Perhaps most importantly, the algae batteries could one day cut down on e-waste from conventional metal batteries."
Vintage Clothes can have a multitude of stains as a result of their journey over the years, this does not mean that the garments are no longer good, it just means that is time to buck down and be smarter than the stains. The following are tried and proven techniques to getting some of those common 8 pesky stains out of that one of kind garment.
Acrylic Paint: Remove acrylic paint from clothes with pine cleaner. Soak, scrub, repeat. Takes some time, but it works. You can also try hairspray. Test a small spot on the item and then spray on hairspray and use your fingernail to remove the paint. Occasionally you have to wash twice.
Berries: Blot the stain and dip it in cold water. Rub the spot with a cut lemon, rinse, and air dry. Use prewash stain remover and then launder with warm water.
Blood: An easy and quick way to remove blood is to spray the area with Windex and rub a little. Then just throw it in the wash. You may also use saline solution for contact lenses to remove blood stains. Put paper towel under the fabric and squirt solution onto it. Blot to remove any left over. It draws the blood into the solution and doesn't harm the fabric like hydrogen peroxide may.
Chocolate: Blot or scrape off the excess chocolate, then flush with club soda. For a tough stain: Sponge with liquid hand soap and ammonia; launder as usual. Or you could try to soak the stained article in milk.
Grease: Mix Dawn Dish Soap and a little Simple Green into the wash, and launder as usual. Or try Cheese Wiz smeared generously on a grease stain, takes it right out in the laundry.
Ink: First, put a paper towel or a rag under the stained area to absorb the excess ink. Spray on a non-oily, alcohol based hair spray. Saturate the ink stain with the hairspray. Blot with a rag and repeat until the stain is gone. Apply prewash stain remover and launder as usual. Or you can try milk! Yes, put the piece of cloth into a cup with milk and you'll see it vanishing... then wash or dry clean as usual.
Lipstick: Get it out by rubbing the stain with a generous amount of petroleum jelly, then wash as usual.Or you could try a non-oily, alcohol based hair spray.
Ring Around the Collar:Wet the collar with warm water, sprinkle liberally with cream of tartar and rub in well. Launder as usual. or you can soak the collar with an oven cleaner, this works good as well.
Ever need an excuse to go surfing? Well on June 2oth you finally have one. International surfing day created by Surfing Magazine, this unofficial, official surfers holiday gives us to promote and celebrate the sport while bringing awareness to the state of our oceans and beaches.
The goal is simple, take the day, or at least part of the day to go down to your favorite surf spot to catch a wave or two, or watch your your favorite agro local grom snake you, whatever it takes. While your at it take some time to clean up your local beach. Surfrider Foundation will be organizing a hand full of official beach cleanups, but that shouldn’t stop you from fixing up your own stretch of sand.
Seriously, can you please tell me that this is made up and the city of San Diego is not so manically desperate that they would stoop this low to retrieve some much needed funds that their leaders have so carelessly spent over the past 12 years. Fox news reported that a family having a home Bible study was intruded upon by a city worker and then they were set with a fine that required them to get a mix use permit in order to meet again. I don't care if it is a Qur'an Study, Gay Rights Hoedown or a Klan Rally, the city has no right interfering with a group a friends getting together. Think for a second about the implications here, religion aside, the city is trying to say that if you have more than 10 people over to your home you need to get a mixed use permit. Cancel your next Saturday bbq, call off your sisters baby shower, and be sure to phone aunt Suzie and tell her she can't bring her kids to Christmas, you don't want to get slapped with a fine by a desperate city worker. The leaders of San Diego are obviously bent on the fact that the Supreme Court wanted nothing to do with them, and wasn't about to listen them cry over the fact that they didn't want to have to be like the rest of California and acknowledge the fact that Marijuana was going to be legal for those that had a prescription, now they did an about face and are going after groups of friends getting together to study on a Friday night. Seriously... the city leaders ought to be ashamed of themselves...while this countries founders turn over in their graves!
See News Report: http://thekelpbed.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/desert-point.jpg
This following information was found at The RAW STORY, and touches upon a subject that is very true and worth considering. "You have never before seen -- nor will you ever see again -- FBI director Robert Mueller so thoroughly humbled in a discussion about drug policy before the United States Congress."
In this instance, Rep. Steve Cohen (D-TN) gets Mueller to admit that marijuana has never killed anybody, then smashes into tiny bits the decades-old "gateway drug" argument with a unique analogy of milk and bourbon.
"If we are going to get this thing off of the ground then we had to find a place to start." says one of the founders of the Kelp Bed Project. Three guys from three different industries. One from a web designer and project manager background, the other a sales rep for action sport brands and the third from a recycled apparel distributor and retailer background. They all run their own independent companies but that isn't the only thing that they have in common. "I think all of us have bean surfing for over 30 years." says RC "We had all been wanting to interlude some kind of project with surfing and distribution. But not just any distribution, we wanted to make a difference with what we did and how we ran the business. After getting together for a morning surf / brainstorming session the concept came together. "
Retailers took a huge hit during the past holiday seasons, clothing brands and product distributors also took a hit as retailers cut back and canceled orders. Warehouses were stuck with way more overstock product than they were accustomed to as the retailers adjusted to the new economy "recession". The Kelp Bed Project interacts with different brands and finds ways to distribute their overstock product through charities or outreaches to different communities. "There are so many people in need, and with earthquakes and natural disasters becoming pretty consistent in today's planet, too many people need immediate supplies and there are not as many organizations out there as you might think to access what is needed." said LC an active member in the Kelp Bed Project, " The KB not only feels the gap between the large distribution companies and the shirtless kids in the streets of El Salvador, but they have all kinds of resources and outlets to raise awareness and gather funds for local people in need as well"
What started with outsourcing new surfboards that were turning yellow as they sat in a warehouse, has gained momentum into New Sustainable business model changing minds as to how overstock product from our personal closets to distribution warehouses should be handled. We look foward to what the guys at The Kelp Bed Project come up with next.
Some people need visualization to understand things, and others just don't care. A friend sent us over this video on the Credit Crisis and we thought that it was worth posting for those that care but still do not quite understand what is going on or what they mean when they say "Credit Crisis"
A note from the creator of the video: "The goal of giving form to a complex situation like the credit crisis is to quickly supply the essence of the situation to those unfamiliar and uninitiated. This project was completed as part of my thesis work in the Media Design Program, a graduate studio at the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, California.
For more on my broader thesis work exploring the use of new media to make sense of a increasingly complex world, visit jonathanjarvis.com."
A friend directed us to an interesting article in the guardian.co.uk Posted on February 26, 2009. It turns out that American's Love for a soft tissue to wipe there buttocks with is worse for the environment than their love for driving gas guzzling Hummers.
According to Suzanne Goldenberg, US environment correspondent guardian.co.uk,"The tenderness of the delicate American buttock is causing more environmental devastation than the country's love of gas-guzzling cars, fast food or McMansions, according to green campaigners. At fault, they say, is the US public's insistence on extra-soft, quilted and multi-ply products when they use the bathroom."
She goes on to quote Allen Hershkowitz, a senior scientist at the Natural Resources Defence Council"This is a product that we use for less than three seconds and the ecological consequences of manufacturing it from trees is enormous," he goes on to say, "Future generations are going to look at the way we make toilet paper as one of the greatest excesses of our age. Making toilet paper from virgin woodis a lot worse than driving Hummers in terms of global warming pollution." Making toilet paper has a significant impact because of chemicals used in pulp manufacture and cutting down forests."
Susan also points out that Paper manufacturers such as Kimberly-Clark have identified luxury brands such as three-ply tissues or tissues infused with hand lotion as the fastest-growing market share in a highly competitive industry. Its latest television advertisements show a woman caressing tissue infused with hand lotion.
The New York Times reported a 40% rise in sales of luxury brands of toilet paper in 2008. Paper companies are anxious to keep those percentages up, even as the recession bites. And Reuters reported that Kimberly-Clark spent $25m in its third quarter on advertising to persuade Americans against trusting their bottoms to cheaper brands.
But Kimberly-Clark, which touts its green credentials on its website, rejects the idea that it is pushing destructive products on an unwitting American public.
Americans already consume vastly more paper than any other country — about three times more per person than the average European, and 100 times more than the average person in China.
Barely a third of the paper products sold in America are from recycled sources — most of it comes from virgin forests.
"I really do think it is overwhelmingly an American phenomenom," said Hershkowitz. "People just don't understand that softness equals ecological destruction."
If you don't know what Rose bowl weekend means and you sell vintage clothing for a living, then you better pay attention. Each Month on the second Sunday of the month hundreds of vintage dealers gather together in a crowded parking lot next to the Rose Bowl to unload their freshest vintage finds for the month. Everyone from the migrant family bringing clothing up south of the border, to the antique denim collector from El Paso gather in the foothills of Pasadena to take part in this event. You will see dealers just selling vintage rock tee's, some selling vintage leather goods, and another one selling retro frocks from the 50's. If you have never been the best way to describe is it to picture the parking lot at your local university packed with vintage clothing. It is hands down the largest collection of vintage clothing in one given place at one given time, and it happens every month. Buyers from all around the world know about the famous Rose bowl and come to stock their stores with sleek vintage finds.
The Rose Bowl Flea Market opens to the Public at 7 am, but all the real deals are done before the sun even rises. If you plan on coming out for the event then it is good to have a little local knowledge. Most serious buyers purchase tickets to be vendors. This way they can shop while the vendors are putting out their latest finds. It also gives the buyers an opportunity to view the goods before the public shows up for their afternoon Sunday Stroll.
It has been said that the everything that happens in the vintage clothing industry starts and ends at the Rose Bowl. Prices in the industry go up and down depending on the demand of the buyers at this gathering. Not only does it predict what happens in the vintage industry, but it also has an effect on the fashion industry as a whole. Many designers use the Rose Bowl to source the goods that they will knock off for next season. They may not want to admit it, but you will find designers from Urban Outfitters to Calvin Klein Jeans strolling through mounds of clothing for their inspiration.
The Japanese Buyers on the other hand are some of the most interesting sites to partake in at the Rose Bowl. Many of them are digging through cars at 4am with flashlights mounted to their forehead long before vendors have the opportunity to get their product out. They don't always buy allot, but they do have a well tuned eye for what they are looking for. They are often purchasing vintage that will take a minimum of five years before little hipster thrift finders in the UK or States will dare wear it in public. This in part keeps the industry thriving expanding the market each year as to what is considered vintage.
If you are a hand picker, or have limited market as to what you can sell than the Rose Bowl is the place for you to start. You will get an opportunity to learn how the industry works and meet allot of other buyers just like you from all around the world. Hey you just might even find those impossible to locate 1984 Van Halen Rock tee or Fry boots from the sixties that you are looking for.
Most people enjoy a cup coffee every morning to get them going. If you are composting your coffee grounds you are already off to a good start. But what else could we do with those coffee grounds you might ask? The folks over at RITI found just the thing with their invention of the RITI Coffee Printer. Yes indeed, they have found an ingenious way to turn your old coffee grounds into a sustainable source of ink for your printer. Too good to sound true you might think, who would think that coffee stains could be considered useful?
According to the description page at Greater Green Goods all you have to do is the following:
Use:
1. Insert a paper in the middle of the printer 2. Put the coffee or tea dregs into the ink case on the top of the printer 3. Move the ink case left and right as you draw on a paper 4. When the print finishes, pull out the paper from the printer and wash the ink case
The design team at Apple recently debuted their latest line of sleek notebooks, even showing the greenest Macs ever! To do this they’ve removed many of the harmful toxins found in computers including mercury, arsenic and PVC and made the remaining parts nearly all recyclable. The software has also been redesigned to run on 30% less power than previous models, earning them Energy Star certification. And finally, Apple cut out nearly half of the bulky packaging to streamline their distribution and create less trash to bring home.
The new screen, switches from CCFL backlighting to LED-lit displays eliminating mercury and arsenic and requiring less energy to run. The new macs also incorporate automatic energy saving devices including hard drives that spin down and a display screen that dims when you enter a dark room. Their reduced packaging size allows for 25% more boxes to fit on a shipping pallet, meaning fewer trips and fewer emissions. Apple is also taking many of these design ideals and applying them to their full range of products, including the iPod and iPhone G3.
We are not necessarily for or against Chuck Norris, he in our minds is just another dude with his own opinions, most of them pretty wacky. However lets not forget that we are allowed to have our own opinions in America, this is part of what makes us free, or so we thought.
In the U.S. we have a right to our views, they translate into our votes. If we can get enough people to think along the same lines that we do, then we might be able to vote on issues that reflect our opinions. If we win great, if we don't, well that is a shame, but we are still entitled to our views as others are entitled to theirs.
One thing that the independent voters in this nation have learned since Nov. 4 is that the protesters of Prop. 8 apparently are not so much in support of Tolerance or Gays having the right to marriage, as much as they appear to be supporting Americans not having a right to their opinions and the Democratic Process.
If I teach tolerance, and I want the Gays to have a right to their views, wouldn't it be wrong, hypocritical, and a double standard for me not to let a conservative Holy Underwear wearing Mormon the right to their views? Prop 8 protesters have taught me, apparently not.
This time old right flyin' elephant riding Chuck Norris might have an actual point in an article If Democracy Doesn't Work, Try Anarchy posted on TownHall.com :
"Protestors of Proposition 8 in California (the marriage amendment) shoved aside a 69-year-old woman who was bearing a cross. They reportedly spit on her and stomped on her cross. They then aligned themselves in a human barricade, blocking the media from getting to or interviewing the woman.
Prop. 8 supporter Jose Nunez, 37, was assaulted brutally while distributing yard signs to other supporters after church services at the St. Stanislaus Parish in Modesto.
Calvary Chapel Chino Hills was spray painted by vandals after they learned that the church served as an official collection point for Prop. 8 petitions.
Letters containing white powder (obviously mimicking anthrax) were sent to the Salt Lake City headquarters of the Mormon church and to a temple in Los Angeles. (Thankfully, the FBI said the substance was nontoxic.)"
The post goes on to say
"A pro-homosexual, pro-anarchy organization named Bash Back marched into the middle of a church service and flung fliers and condoms to the congregants. They also hung a banner from the balcony that featured two lesbians in provocative positions at the pulpit.
And lastly, the tolerance-preaching activists also have taken their anger to the blogosphere, where posts have planted ideas ranging from burning churches to storming the citadels of government until our society is forced to overturn Prop. 8.
What's wrong with this picture? Lots.
First, there's the obvious inability of the minority to accept the will of the majority. Californians have spoken twice, through the elections in 2000 and 2008. Nearly every county across the state (including Los Angeles County) voted to amend the state constitution in favor of traditional marriage.
Nevertheless, bitter activists simply cannot accept the outcome as being truly reflective of the general public. So they have placed the brainwashing blame upon the crusading and misleading zealotry of those religious villains: the Catholics, evangelical Protestants, and especially Mormons, who allegedly are robbing the rights of American citizens by merely executing their right to vote and standing upon their moral convictions and traditional views.
What's surprising (or maybe not so) is that even though 70 percent of African-Americans voted in favor of Proposition 8, protests against black churches are virtually nonexistent. And everyone knows exactly why: Such actions would be viewed as racist.
I agree with Prison Fellowship's founder, Chuck Colson, who wrote: "This is an outrage. What hypocrisy from those who spend all of their time preaching tolerance to the rest of us! How dare they threaten and attack political opponents? We live in a democratic country, not a banana republic ruled by thugs."
"The truth is that the great majority of Prop. 8 advocates are not bigots or hatemongers. They are American citizens who are following 5,000 years of human history and the belief of every major people and religion: Marriage is a sacred union between a man and a woman. Their pro-Prop. 8 votes weren't intended to deprive any group of its rights; they were safeguarding their honest convictions regarding the boundaries of marriage.
On Nov. 4, the pro-gay community obviously was flabbergasted that a state that generally leans left actually voted right when it came to holy matrimony. But that's exactly what happened; the majority of Californians -- red, yellow, black and white -- voted to define the margins of marriage as being between one man and one woman. California is the 30th state in our union to amend its constitution in doing so, joining Florida and Arizona in this election. Like it or not, it's the law now. The people have spoken."
Since the election the actions of the radical protesters of Prop 8 have showed us nuetral voters that this Proposition was not so much about society's definition of marriage, but American's right to their own views. These actions will undoubtedly cause many independent supporters that they once had to now question the tactics and true agenda of the protesters.
When ol' Bushy Jr. was voted in for a second term, we didn't start assaulting Bush supporters, or attacking Republican campaign buildings because we didn't like their views. Why Not? Because we respect our Democracy and the freedom for people to have their own opinion. Not to mention it is hypocritical, it would set a bad example of what we stand for, it would most likely cost us future elections, and the most obvious, it is WRONG.
In my opinion the protesters of Prop 8 need to come up with their own term or brand for their union. The conservatives are hung up on tradition, well so was everybody with mailing letters before email came along. Email became its own thing, and snail mail became its thing. If their was a new union, lets say 'Life Connection', or 'Love Union' (I know the names are lame but hopefully you get my point) with a new brand we wouldn't be changing the constitution and 5,000 years of tradition, but instead passing new equal rights laws to obtain the same state and federal breaks that the Christians get with their brand Holy Matrimony AKA Marriage. Most likely Non-Christian heterosexuals and atheists will prefer a Love Union over an old fashion marriage anyway. The conservatives can have their old traditions, the independents can have their views and traditions, and the youth can learn about tolerance and freedom through understanding not hypocrisy.
We found some great photos and information at http://www.theglobalintelligencer.com. The pictures show how many plastic bottles the US disposes of every five minutes. An American Self-Portrait by Photographer/artist Chris Jordan Plastic Bottles, 2007 60x120"
Depicts two million plastic beverage bottles, the number used in the US every five minutes. Partial zoom: Detail at actual size: There are also great images of how many paper bags we use, office paper, aluminum cans, logos and more. It is pretty eye opening and upsetting. Check it out at http://www.theglobalintelligencer.com
The worlds first commercial wave farm was launched live at the end of September in Agucadoura. Located a few miles off of the coast of Portugal. Designed by Pelamis Wave Power, the farm employs three Wave Energy Converters - snakelike, semi-submerged devices that generate electricity with hydraulic rams driven by waves. This first phase of the new renewable energy farm is rated at 2.25 MW with 3 machines, and the the second phase will add an additional 25 machines to bring the capacity to 21 MW - enough to power 15,000 homes!
According to an article written in Inhabitat by Bridgette Steffen last month, "Pelamis Wave Energy Converters are tethered to the ocean floor by cables and are pointed perpendicular to the coastline. Each device is composed of several sections connected with articulated joints. As the waves roll in past the device, each section is driven up and down, while the hydraulic rams inside resist the motion. This resistance pumps high pressure fluid through hydraulic motors, which drive electric generators, thereby producing electricity. This electricity is then transmitted via underwater cables to the mainland."
Waves are as common as the rising sun. This is a great way to produce energy and something that we will keep our eyes on at Born Activist. Source Courtesy of Inhabitat Image Courtesy of Inhabitat
This Saturday It's on… VINTAGE CLOTHING BY THE POUND.
Our monthly SECOND SATURDAYs vintage clothing Warehouse sale for our friends in San Diego, is going on this weekend, SAT 9/13/08. We have got some Amazing vintage clothing at wholesale prices. Get ready to dig, and bring your buddies. There is DEFINITELY something for everyone at WHOLESALE PRICES. Always a great inventory of one of a kind Vintage Product like LEVI'S 501 and 517's, VINTAGE T'S, PEARL SNAP WESTERNS, WRAP SKIRTS, COTTON SHIRTS, DRESSES, SCARVES, COWBOY BOOTS, FEDORAS, BLAZERS, FASHION BOOTS, MEMBERS ONLY JACKETS AND much, much more.
The Dust Factory Warehouse is open to the public from 11:00am to 6:00pm the Second Saturday of every month.
We look forward to seeing you this Saturday!! Your friends at http://www.dustfactoryvintage.com
Don't forget that our Factory Vintage showroom is now open to the public 7 days a week. We are located in Bay Park at: 4120 Napier RD. San Diego, CA 92110 (Just off Moreno Rd. between Garnet Ave & Sea World Drive)
The folks over at ECO SALON have reminded us that Composting isn't just for food. You'll be surprised at all the strange, random junk you can toss in the compost bucket. Don't draw the line at peach pits and coffee grounds - start chucking the following items into that bucket and watch your garbage bill go down while you create top-drawer dirt (and help the planet, of course).
Bills - because somehow it's a lot more satisfying shoving bills in with melon rinds and egg shells than the recycle bin. Trust me.
Latex condoms - both latex and sheepskin condoms are biodegradable; note that sheepskin does not protect against STDs.
Junk mail - if you're like me not even the Do Not Mail list has managed to alleviate the jubilant deforestation companies are undertaking on your personal behalf.
Catalogs and magazines - just shred them first.
Old fish food and stale catnip
Abandoned hide/bone dog chews
Worn out rope and used masking tapeAny old leather - shoes, gloves, wallets, belts, "sexy" Halloween cat costume from college. Note: the leather should be fairly worn out, otherwise you'll be dead before it degrades. Composting does not guarantee that your friends will stop calling you Cat Woman, however.
Old Halloween candy - when the chocolate tastes like Jelly Bellies, it's time to part ways. Good times.
Holey cotton underwear - come on!
Dirt, crap and grime from your shoes or boots
Cardboard cereal boxes - shred them up first.
Vacuum cleaner bag/bin contents and dryer lint
Skunked beer, ancient candy bars, expired protein bars
Cotton tampons and cardboard applicators - really!
Expired dairy and moldy cheese - but hold the meat.
Used tissues and paper towels
Aquarium plants and wilted flower bouquets
Cat fur, dog hair, and nail clippings
Your hair - you could even bring the clippings home from your hair dresser. If you want.
Matches
Any old leather - shoes, gloves, wallets, belts, "sexy" Halloween cat costume from college. Note: the leather should be fairly worn out, otherwise you'll be dead before it degrades. Composting does not guarantee that your friends will stop calling you Cat Woman, however.
Wood chips from the BBQ
Fireplace and campfire ashes
That cute little brie cheese box
Cardboard toilet paper and paper towel rolls
Hamster/guinea pig/rat/bird cage cleanings
It may seem like weird science, but all of the above objects are fully compostable.
You can compost anything of organic origin: fruit peels and pits, sandwich crusts, gluey pasta, oatmeal that's gone the way of cement, soggy cereal, stale pastries, nut shells, orange rinds, tea bags, coffee filters, onion skins, melon rinds, seeds, cores, old milk, stale potato chips...
Wait...you compost, right? Composting is free, easy, and one of the best things you can do for the environment, next to cutting down on fossil fuel consumption and minding your three R's - reducing, reusing, recycling. Call me juvenile, but I also feel like I'm somehow getting away with something. Burying bills in the dirt? Great!
Even if you aren't a gardener, your green thumb neighbors will be glad to reap the benefits of all your bizarre biodegrading - and you'll cut down on your garbage pickup fees.
Do you want to know the quickest way to eliminate over 75% of your waist by turning into a substance that will make your garden thrive? How about building a compost pile in your yard. Composting is the decomposition of plant remains and other once-living materials to make an earthy, dark, crumbly substance that is excellent for adding to houseplants or enriching garden soil. It is the way to recycle your yard and kitchen wastes, and is a critical step in reducing the volume of garbage needlessly sent to landfills for disposal. It's easy to learn how to compost. There are a number of different options for containing your compost. Some people choose not to use a bin, simply building a compost pile in a convenient spot on the ground. Others build bins from materials such as recycled pallets, or two-by-fours and plywood. And, of course, there are many commercial bins on the market. Composting is not a new idea. In the natural world, composting is what happens as leaves pile up on the forest floor and begin to decay. Eventually, the rotting leaves are returned to the soil, where living roots can finish the recycling process by reclaiming the nutrients from the decomposed leaves. Composting may be at the root of agriculture as well. Some scientists have speculated that as early peoples dumped food wastes in piles near their camps, the wastes rotted and were terrific habitat for the seeds of any food plants that sprouted there. Perhaps people began to recognize that dump heaps were good places for food crops to grow, and began to put seeds there intentionally. Today, the use of composting to turn organic wastes into a valuable resource is expanding rapidly in the United States and in other countries, as landfill space becomes scarce and expensive, and as people become more aware of the impacts they have on the environment. Some believe in ten years, composting will probably be as commonplace as recycling aluminum cans is today, both in the backyard and on an industrial scale. Many states in the USA have stated goals or legislative mandates to drastically reduce the volume of waste being sent to landfills. Utilizing yard and kitchen wastes (which make up about 30% of the waste stream in the USA [1]) is a big part of the plan to minimize waste overall. You can contribute to the 'composting revolution' by composting your own yard and kitchen wastes at home. If you have a large yard, you might prefer the ease of composting in a three-bin system out by the back fence. Cities and towns can promote composting through home composting education efforts and the collection of yard wastes for large-scale composting. Whatever your style of composting, there's plenty of room to get involved! Learn How To Compost Learn What To Compost Learn What Not To Compost Composting Bins & Systems To Use
Music, Art, Clothing Drive? That might sound a little off beat, but why not, is what the folks at Factory Vintage in San Diego decided when they through a summer donation drive at their new retail store in Bay Park.
On Saturday July 12th the Factory Vintage opened their retail showroom featuring a collection of authentic vintage apparel, albums, accessories; as well as one of a kind vintage reconstruction pieces. In their back warehouse/gallery they featured a diverse collection artwork from local San Diego artists Cowboy, Terry Diamond & Jonny Mac. During the entire event they had a local DJ crew spinning classic reggae and ska from a rare and admirable collection. Then at 7pm local legendary Ska band Self Made Men played a lengthy set for an excited crowd of fans and onlookers.
Great Art work, dancing, and shopping was all happening while a summer clothing drive was taking place. Anybody who brought in old clothes to donate to local charities would get 20% discount or gift card for their store.
We found yet another great piece that was worth mentioning on INHABITAT, these guys have great articles worth checking out. This particular article was written by Moe Beitiks on Aquaculture. It was so cool that we thought we would re-post it. "Who doesn’t love a nice water installation? The bubbling and gurgling of things like fountains has an undeniably relaxing effect - and yet, there’s the nagging guilt that comes from running a pump for the sheer purpose of recirculating water. How much power does it draw? What’s the carbon footprint of your meditative state? What has that water feature done for you, aside from making that ridiculous noise? No so relaxing anymore. Fortunately, artists Amy Youngs and Ken Rinaldo have devised a way to create guilt-free water pleasantries while producing food and providing oxygen. The Farm Fountain, which uses aquaponics to fertilize plants with the waste produced by fish, is a bubbly oasis of greenery and aquaculture. The concept of aquaculture involves delivering nutrients to plants in a soilless medium with water. In this case, the plants are growing in clay balls encased in reused 2-liter soda bottles. At the base of the Farm Fountain is a pond containing koi and tilapia, the latter being an edible fish acclimated to pond culture. Waste water from the pond, sullied by the fish, is circulated up to the topmost planters then cascades down through the rest. The plants, which include basil, baby watercress, tomato and baby lettuce in this prototype, filter the nutrients from the water and return it to the pond ready for the fish. One system’s waste is another system’s food. The plants are lit with LED growing lights in bases dissected from an inexpensive floor lamp. The artists provide step-by-step how-to instructions for anyone interested in making their own Farm Fountain, and growing own own food in peace.
The Farm Fountain was just awarded a Green Leaf Award (2008) from the Natural World Museum."
Wow what a great idea, i can't wait to get one started. You can check out the original article at Inhabitat.
When people think about alternative transportation, the focus is often on more eco-friendly based land or air travel. After all, the open ocean provides the prevailing winds as a very sustainable power source. We have seen wind-powered cargo ships from the beginning of exploration times, and even more recent a wave-powered boat. However, use of solar power for boats had not been explored very much, let alone in speedboats. Until now. The Czeers Mk1 prototype is, according to their designers, the first ever solar powered speedboat. Based on the 2006 Nuon Frisian Solar Challenge winner, this marine speedster is making quite a splash. According to Inhabitat, "The prototype is capable of achieving speeds of up to 30 knots, and is fully powered by the integrated solar cells. It is absolutely gorgeous; the deep carbon fiber hue, combined with the orange interiors, and the sleek form give off an incredible James-Bondian vibe. It is also, quite likely, very expensive, as no price has been given, and only a limited number will be produced."
Smart meters are just, well, smart. They allow real-time pricing (f.ex. off peak electricity is less expensive than during peak demand), something that has a big impact on people's behavior. It basically rewards virtue: If you pay attention, you can save more, and if you don't, you'll pay more.
Texas utility Oncor is working with Swiss smart-meter company Landis+Gyr to roll out 3 million advanced meters by 2012. The bill is expected to be $690 million dollars, and will be first paid by customers (directly or indirectly), but over time it will more than pay for itself in electricity savings and a reduced need to built new power plants.
We found this this information on the Y bottle at core77.com, and felt it was definitely worth mentioning. "Bottled-water-drinkers have surely noticed Poland Springs making the switch to lightweight bottles; once empty, the easily-crushed containers remind you that what was a vessel five minutes ago has now become garbage.
Yves Behar's fuseproject and L.A.-based Y Water--targeting vitamin-enriched water at children--are moving in the opposite direction, with a distinctive Y-shaped bottle they're hoping will stick around a while longer.
Behar's innovation was to give the bottle two lives: its first is as a vessel for the product, and when empty, it gains a second life as a toy. The sturdy 9-ouncers "can be linked with other bottles through biodegradable rubber 'Y Knots,' connectors that help to create spaceships, animals, robots, or whatever else a creative child can imagine."
"We look to this repurposing of the Y Water bottle to not only encourage children to be creative, but to encourage children to think about reuse rather than simply discarding these into the trash," says Behar. "We want to create a new paradigm for children's products that encourages unique new behaviors and a productive afterlife for the product."
Of course, kids will grow up someday and toys will eventually go in the trash; but not to worry, Y Water bottles are 100% recyclable. Once finished with the product, parents can log onto www.ywater.us and receive a free mailer to send the bottle back for recycling."
Costa Rica Aims to Become First "Carbon Neutral" Country
This may be old news to some of you, but for those of you that did not know, we thought it would be worth mentioning.
The news service La Nación reported back in February that The Costa Rican government is developing plans to begin offsetting all of the country’s carbon dioxide emissions. Environment and Energy Minister Roberto Dobles said Costa Rica aims to reach this goal using budgeting, laws, and incentives, including measures to promote biofuels, hybrid vehicles, and clean energy. Another key component of the national strategy will be a “C-Neutral” label to certify that tourism and certain industrial practices mitigate all of the carbon dioxide they emit.
Under the new certification system, tourists and businesses will be charged a voluntary “tax” to offset their carbon emissions, with one ton of carbon valued at $10, according to La Nación. The money will be used to fund conservation, reforestation, and research in protected areas. To augment the development of C-Neutral, the country is cultivating a carbon certificate market that aims to not only boost carbon capture and storage in the nation’s forests, but also help maintain their scenic beauty.
In 2002, Costa Rica’s carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuels totaled 5.8 million metric tons, according to the Carbon Dioxide Information Analysis Center, ranking it 108th in the world. Delegates at a recent United Nations meeting in Nairobi, Kenya, noted that they were watching Costa Rica’s initiative and hope to replicate it in other regions.
We found this on Inhabitat.com and thought that it was worth re posting: Always quick to act, Architecture For Humanity is quickly pulling together efforts to offer design services to the survivors left in Cyclone Nargis’ wake this past Saturday. With more than two million people now displaced in Myanmar, even small donations will be a big help in AFH’s effort to rebuild. More than 85% of the donations go directly toward innovative design and construction solutions.
At the time of writing, $13,500 have been raised (and 25% matched) by more than 240 donors who believe in the power of design to rebuild communities. If you would like to contribute to the cause or volunteer follow the link below:
We found this Post at Treehugger.com and thought it was worth a mention. So what can be done about Canada’s blight of mountain pine beetles who are savaging forests turning them from carbon sinks to emitters? Well, at least from an economic point of view the Government of Canada think hemp might be one of the solutions. They are investing $235,665 CD to help the District of 100 Mile House launch a hemp production pilot project. This project will “assess the viability of an industrial hemp processing facility, and includes the production of 200 acres of industrial hemp crop demonstrations, product development and test marketing. An alternative source of fibre, industrial hemp can be used in the development of construction products such as particleboard, insulation materials, and countertops.” We have read elsewhere that hemp consumes about 1.7 times its dry weight in CO2 during its growth cycle, but haven’t yet been able to track down a scientific study confirming this. Though we keep looking. One of the sources quoting such a figure, also suggests that “each hectare of hemp could immediately sequester some 22 tonnes of greenhouse gases. Bast crops are able to sequester more carbon than trees in a short 150 day season cycle and yet leave arable land available for food and other crop production in the remainder of the year.” In the meantime the Government of Canada are pursuing this project as “one step closer to a more sustainable, diversified local economy." ::Federal Mountain Pine Beetle Funding for Hemp Pilot Project.
We wanted to update you on the fight to Save Trestles. Please take time to read the following. Posted at savetrestles.com
Surfrider Foundation Action Network Deny the Toll Road Appeal
The Transportation Corridor Agency is trying to revive its plan to build the 241 Foothill-South Toll Road through San Onofre State Beach. They have asked the U.S. Secretary of Commerce to override the California Coastal Commission's denial of the road. Remember, on February 6, 2008 the California Coastal Commission voted to deny the 241 Foothill South Toll Road through San Onofre State Beach. Following thousands of pages of written comments and a 14 hour hearing attended by thousands, the Commission listened to reason and to the law by rejecting the toll road application. Unfortunately the agency planning this Toll Road has appealed the Coastal Commission’s decision to the U.S. Secretary of Commerce. The Secretary is accepting comments from the public on this appeal until May 28th. The people in D.C. need to hear from Californians and people from all over the world who care about San Onofre and Trestles!
Your voice is needed! Don't let the TCA's lobbyists be the only influence on this important decision!
Fatal Shark Attack Closes N. SAN DIEGO Beaches This Weekend
With the weekend forecast promising dry winds and summery temperatures — classic Southern California beach weather — the thousands that typically would be expected to throng the Pacific shoreline will have to decide whether ignoring authorities and taking a dip is worth risking the danger officials believe still exists.
I guess that it was bound to happen some time, but no one new just when. Friday Morning at 7 a.m. a shark arose from the deep and snagged a swimmer about 100 yards of the California coast, at Fletchers cove in Solana Beach, just 15 miles North of San Diego. It is the first time that such an attack has occurred in Southern California in nearly fifty years.
The victim - David Martin - was swimming with a group of tri-athletes off Solana Beach at the time. Martin, 66, died on the beach Friday morning after a shark, presumed to be a great white, lifted him out of the water with his legs in its jaws, leaving deep lacerations and shredding Martin's black wetsuit.
Martin, a retired veterinarian, was the first shark fatality in San Diego County since 1994. Prior to that, the last known fatal attack in the area was in 1959.
Even die-hards said word of the attack gave them pause. Sharks are rare in Southern California, though female great white sharks sometimes come south from their usual territory in the cooler waters of the central and northern coast to pup. Few make the mistake of attacking humans instead of seals or sea lions, their usual prey.
Earlier this year, stories of shark sightings swept the coast from San Diego County north through Orange and Los Angeles counties, the Los Angeles Times reported in late March.
The last fatal shark attack in California, according to data from the state Department of Fish and Game, took place on Aug. 15, 2004, off the coast of Mendocino County. The victim was a man diving for shellfish with a friend. On Aug. 19, 2003, a woman swimmer was killed by a great white at Avila Beach in San Luis Obispo County on the central California coast.
Overall, shark attacks are extremely rare. There were 71 reported worldwide last year, up from 63 in 2006. Only one attack, in the South Pacific, was fatal, according to the University of Florida.
The university's International Shark Attack File has counted an average of 4.1 people killed by sharks annually worldwide in the past seven years.
The Scottish Government has created the opportunity to award one of the biggest international innovation prizes in history through its plans for the Saltire Prize - a £10 million ($20 million) challenge prize for advances in clean energy.
The Saltire Prize draws inspiration from great innovation prizes of the 20th century including aviation prizes that led to the first crossings of the English Channel and the Atlantic, the Ansari X Prize that led to the first private spacecraft launch and, more recently the Virgin Earth Challenge which saw Richard Branson challenge scientists around the world to come up with a way to remove CO2 gases from the atmosphere.
The details of the prize are still being worked out, so if you have got any great ideas you better get to work.
Anyone interested in a car that costs $3 to fill up, goes 125 miles between fill-ups and does not emit any pollution? Oh yeah, and it only costs about $7000. Any takers?
We found this post on treehugger and thought that it was worth mentioning. The BBC reported this weekend that French company MDI has signed an agreement with innovative Indian automaker Tata Motors to begin production of just such a vehicle. The car, designed by a former Formula One engineer, is a completely rethought-out vision of the automobile, and uses compressed air to propel itself. Other interesting features include brake power recovery and an exhaust pipe that emits clean air. The first few models should be available in India and in Europe by the end of 2008. In the future, the body of the car may be created out of hemp fibre and coated with natural varnishes.
Meanwhile, Tata Motors, is planning to unveil the world's cheapest car during the coming week in New Delhi. The "Peoples' Car," priced at around $2500, will initially be marketed to Indian's rapidly expanding middle class, but may soon conquer other developing markets.
Of course, a car is still a car. Even an air car needs an electric engine to compress the air it runs on, and is made out of materials will require plenty of energy to produce. However, if successful, the air car could prove more sustainable than the electric car. If these concepts catch on, expect it to affect car prices and efficiency worldwide. Who knows, you may even see a few of the little buggies next time you're stuck in traffic.
Mairi Beautyman over at Tree Hugger had a great point, something to think about in 2008. She noted that you better think twice before tossing 'organic' into a sentence. The word is one of 19 words or phrases on Lake Superior State University's annual List of Words Banished from the Queen's English for Mis-Use, Over-Use and General Uselessness. "['Organic' is] overused and misused to describe not only food, but computer products or human behavior, and often used when describing something as 'natural,' says a quote on the university's Web site (attributed to Crystal Giordano of Brooklyn, New York). After seeing it refer to bottled water and pancake batter in a spray can, we're going to have to agree.
Other words and phrases on the list: Perfect storm; waterboarding; wordsmith; back in the day; and sweet. via ::Yahoo News Also see ::USDA Waters Down Organic Standards
This Christmas Did you get what you wanted? Did you give more than you had too? Did family and friends come to your side showering you with gifts like you were a child lying in a little manger strategizing your mission to save the world? Are you in more debt now that when you started?
Well if you are not, than you probably weaseled your way out of partaking in this great Consumer Holiday called Christmas. Visa and Wal-mart would like you know just How unchristian you are. Or are you? Think about it. You don't have to believe in the Christ to know the only recorded time the Rabbi lost His temper was not when they falsely accused Him to death, but when the temple was turned into a CONSUMER market place. What do you think He would do if he saw His church on Christmas?
A new Movie came out that hits on this topic. What Would Jesus Buy? is the title of a documentary film produced by Morgan Spurlock and directed by Rob VanAlkemade. The title is a play on the phrase "What would Jesus do?" The film debuted on the festival circuit on March 11, 2007, at the South By Southwest (SXSW) conference in Austin, Texas. It is scheduled for wide release on November 16, 2007.
Although the film is a little lengthy and slow at times the topic can not be ignored. The film focuses on the issues of the commercialization of Christmas, materialism, the over-consumption in American culture, globalization, and the business practices of large corporations, as well as their economic and cultural effects on American society, as seen through the prism of activist/performance artist Bill Talen, who goes by the alias of "Reverend Billy," and his troupe of activists, whose street theater performances take the form of a church choir called "The Church of Stop Shopping," that sings anti-shopping and anti-corporate songs. The film follows Billy and his choir as they take a cross-country trip in the month prior to Christmas 2005, and spread their message against what they perceive as the evils of patronizing the retail outlets of several different large corporate chains.
If this is what it will take to open peoples eyes than GO SEE IT.
Your unique spirit and individual personality are not mistakes; there is a plan and a purpose for your life. Pay Attention, when you are being lied to. Please do not be fooled, each one of us is responsible for the decisions we make and the actions we do or do not take.
Algae is considered the next big break through in bio fuels. That slimy, slippery stuff might also be a key to paper thin biodegradable batteries according to researchers at Uppsala University in Sweden. These batteries could soon compete with commercial lithium-ion batteries.
