Copenhagen Wraps Up With An Agreement As Thin As Gruel – Cold gruel at that

Posted on December 18, 2009 by Doug Nicodemus

First it is Jam Band Friday – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qVs6X9yIM_k

Things have gone pretty dismally in Copenhagen. The Developed Countries tried to bully the Developing Countries. The Newly Industrializing Countries sniffed at the DeIndustrializing Countries. The US yelled at China and China yelled back and jingled the coins in its pockets. After all that excitement I must say:

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0t291-e4FLs

GRUEL

Gruel is a food preparation consisting of some type of cereal— oat, wheat or rye flour, or also rice— boiled in water or milk. It is a thinner version of porridge that may be more often drunk than eaten and need not even be cooked. Historically, gruel, often made from millet or barley, or in hard times of chestnut flour and even the less tannic acorns of some oaks, has been the staple of the human diet, especially that of the peasantry. The importance of gruel as a form of sustenance is especially noted for invalids^[1] and recently weaned children.

Gruel consumption has traditionally been associated with poverty. Gruel is a colloquial expression of any slop that is of unknown character, e.g. pea soup; soup is derived from sop, the slice of bread which was soaked with broth or thin gruel.[2

( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eM77dUW-DBI )

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/blog/2009/dec/18/copenhagen-climate-change-summit-liveblog

Copenhagen climate change summit – final day live blog

World leaders are still trying to thrash out a last minute compromise climate deal. These are the final day’s main developments:
• In a disappointing speech Obama admitted that the talks are in the balance.
• Leaked documents showed a draft agreement is extremely weak.
• Obama held two crucial talks with the Chinese premier Wen Jiabao.

Posted by Matthew Weaver Friday 18 December 2009 08.14 GMT guardian.co.uk

4.43pm:
Greenpeace has expressed its disgust at the draft Copenhagen accord currently doing the rounds.

Its climate campaigner Joss Garman said:

This latest draft is so weak as to be meaningless. It’s more like a G8 communique than the legally binding agreement we need. It doesn’t even include a timeline to give it legal standing or an explicit temperature target. It’s hard to imagine our leaders will try to present this document to the world and keep a straight face.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2dnrosVyamY

All this haggling is going to get us right where the top 500 POLLUTERS want us, sucking up their soot and poisons:

4.57pm:
A third draft of the climate is agreement being considered by world leaders, according to AP. But they are some way off the pace, according to our environment editor John Vidal – he’s looking at sixth version.

For what its worth the third version reinstates targets omitted from earlier ones. It says rich countries should reduce their greenhouse emissions by at least 80% by the year 2050.

It adds that developing countries’ emissions should be 15-30% below “business as usual”.

Stay tuned for more details on that later version.

( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s8jw-ifqwkM )
This not the way that JESUS would have acted:

5.28pm:
Tim Jones climate policy officer from World Development Movement, joins the chorus of disgust.

This summit has been in complete disarray from start to finish, and now appears to be culminating in a shameful and monumental failure that will condemn millions of people around the world to untold suffering. The leaders of rich countries have refused to lead and instead sought to bribe and bully developing nations to sign up to the equivalent of a death warrant. The best outcome now is no deal. Leaders of rich countries should go home and adopt new year resolutions to become low carbon economies and pay their climate debt. Then we may have a chance of a properly just and effective agreement in 2010.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3354flS1KJs&feature=related

On A Happier Front:

Energy-thrifty White House turns deeper shade of green

By Mimi Hall, USA TODAY

WASHINGTON — The White House complex and the federal government are going green — and not just with Christmas trees and holly.

As President Obama meets with world leaders at the United Nations climate conference in Copenhagen today, the government he runs at home is quietly engaged in an unprecedented effort to reduce its carbon footprint, increase energy efficiency, conserve water, cut waste and more.

In the complex that includes the White House, that means more efficient heating and cooling systems as well as organic paint, low-flow toilets and lights that turn off by themselves. Even the 800 Christmas ornaments adorning the 18-foot tree in the White House Blue Room were recycled from previous administrations in a nod to the environment and the bad economy.

GREEN HOUSE: Eco-friendly living tips

In many of the federal government’s other 500,000 buildings, the effort to go green includes cutting the amount of garbage produced in half and installing more efficient lights.

“This is a big leap forward for the federal government,” says Nancy Sutley, chairwoman of Obama’s White House Council on Environmental Quality. And the effort will be “sustainable itself beyond this president.”

Sutley says the federal government is the country’s single largest energy consumer, using 1.6% of all the power used nationwide, so reducing energy consumption will mean big savings.

The nation is the world’s second-largest producer of greenhouse gases, behind China, and the cuts could help there, as well, environmentalists say.

Erich Pica of Friends of the Earth says, “There are many economies of scale that President Obama can achieve by forcing the federal government to rethink its energy habits.Dot Dot Dot (as they say)

Environmental groups say Obama’s efforts go far beyond what’s been done before. “There’s real substance behind the rhetoric,” says Joel Makower, editor of GreenBiz.com, which reports on the greening of mainstream business.

Under a 15-page executive order Obama signed in October, government agencies must implement a host of changes, Sutley says. Among the requirements:

• Agencies must reduce waste by 50% by 2015.

• Agencies must show a 26% improvement in water efficiency by 2020.

• All new buildings and any major renovations to existing buildings must be eligible for LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification given by the U.S. Green Building Council to environmentally responsible buildings. In and around Washington, the Pentagon and the ornate 121-year-old Eisenhower Executive Office Building adjacent to the White House are in the process of becoming LEED-certified.

• The government’s 600,000 vehicles must operate with 30% less petroleum by 2020.

Pentagon officials, Sutley says, are “thinking about how they can power their vehicles in different ways, so they don’t have to transport as much fuel,” a change that would save money and improve safety for servicemembers.

So Copenhagen was pretty much a bust but it’s Christmas so let’s rock out!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YQXMT_QhguI&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YYcCnL7cu10&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mBKPhD1LIqA

Technology That Will Take Us From A Carbon Based Economy – And makes the world smell better too

Posted on December 16, 2009 by Doug Nicodemus

This just in “let’s create electricity using the wind and NO Moving Parts”. Yes indeed. Though this has to be some kind of “static electricity thingy” if they can liberate enough electrons then why not. They can not say because it is proprietary but I must say:

This is pretty amazing and it is a sign of what is to come. As I said before when an old source of energy runs out or loses favor there is a flurry of innovation and creation. This happened right as whale oil was running out and the car was being developed. This could be really revolutionary though as reported here:

http://www.annarbor.com/business-review/model-t-of-wind-energy-accio-energy-lands-250000-darpa-contract/

and here:

http://blog.mlive.com/businessinnovation/2009/02/ann_arbor_tech_companies_chall.html

Wind energy device without moving parts

‘Model T of wind energy’? Accio Energy lands $250,000 DARPA contract

Ann Arbor-based Accio Energy recently won a $250,000 federal contract to continue developing its potentially revolutionary wind energy device, which would generate electricity without the moving parts associated with a traditional wind turbine.

Accio General Manager Jeff Basch said the firm received the contract with the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) to continue the design and creation of its prototype device.

“It’s a real vote of confidence in us,” Basch said.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dIWTRwM9UKc

Basch said Accio (pronounced AK-SEE-OH) is considering expanding its laboratory facilities 5-fold to support the startup company’s growth. He declined to discuss the company’s personnel count but said the firm is hiring engineers.

The contract comes as Accio executives have been reluctant to discuss the details behind their potentially explosive technology until the “aerovoltaic” device is ready for a wider spotlight. The technology has yet to be proved on a wide scale.

But Accio President Dawn White, who also founded Ann Arbor-based defense technology firm Solidica, recently revealed some details about the technology in a speech to an entrepreneurial group in DetroiDot Dot Dot

Accio executives have said they believe their device could generate electricity at twice the rate per square meter of solar panels.

Among the details White revealed:

-The device, which wouldn’t using any moving parts or generate noise, uses the wind to separate electrical charges on thin engineered tubes and create electricity.

“Opposing electrical charges, just like magnets, are attracted to each other,” White said. “It takes energy to pull those charges apart. That energy is provided by the wind and we convert it directly to electricity in the same way that a solar panel takes sunlight. And we convert that directly into a current. It’s very much like what happens inside a thunderstorm actually.”

Dot Dot Dot

Accio is still reluctant to discuss the history behind its technology. Accio’s scientific developers have said they’re enhancing intellectual property that expired years ago, which would lead to competitive concerns that the technology could be duplicated elsewhere.

The basics of the technology, however, have impressed experts. The National Science Foundation in February distributed a $97,000 grant to Accio in an award generally seen as a validation of the device’s technological concepts.

The company also received $80,000 in early-stage venture capital financing from the student-run Frankel Commercialization Fund at the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business.

I would be willing to bet that it is something like this:

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/4146800.html

The invention relates to apparatus for and method of generating electricity from wind energy.

The apparatus comprises means such as a foraminous condenser plate and a condenser surface, e.g., the earth, for producing an electrostatic field in the open through which wind can blow, means such as needle points and balls or fine wires and cylinders capable of creating a corona discharge or equivalent ion or electron generator for producing charged particles to be entrained in and carried by the wind against the direction of movement imposed on the particles by the field, which results in an increase in the electric potential across the field, means such as a second foraminous plate or the earth for collecting the charged particles and means such as a high voltage power regulator and converter for making the increased potential available for utilization.

The method comprises operations corresponding to the means, viz., producing an electrostatic field in the open through which wind can blow, generating charged particles to be entrained in and carried by the wind against the direction of movement imposed on the particles by the field, resulting in an increase of the charged particles and making the increased potential available for utilization.

This was proposed in 1979…wonder what happened to it? What if they were made out of nanotubes?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbon_nanotube

Electrical

Because of the symmetry and unique electronic structure of graphene, the structure of a nanotube strongly affects its electrical properties. For a given (n,m) nanotube, if n = m, the nanotube is metallic; if n ? m is a multiple of 3, then the nanotube is semiconducting with a very small band gap, otherwise the nanotube is a moderate semiconductor. Thus all armchair (n = m) nanotubes are metallic, and nanotubes (5,0), (6,4), (9,1), etc. are semiconducting. In theory, metallic nanotubes can carry an electrical current density of 4 × 10⁹ A/cm² which is more than 1,000 times greater than metals such as copper.

Multiwalled carbon nanotubes with interconnected inner shells show superconductivity with a relatively high transition temperature T_c = 12 K. In contrast, the T_c value is an order of magnitude lower for ropes of single-walled carbon nanotubes or for MWNTs with usual, non-interconnected shells

OHHHHH I like that…

AltaRock’s Project Blows Up In Their Faces – Hot Rocks Goes Bust

Posted on December 15, 2009 by Doug Nicodemus

Ever since June, I have struggled with how to write this headline. This concept, Deep Hot Geothermal, has so much potential. It promises limitlessness pollution free energy BUT its execution requires great care. It also probably means more cost in drilling and a closed loop system rather then the current use of open loop rock fracture like for hot swimming pools or basements. The real issue was should I do a fun title like the above or a more serious title? But first I must say:

First there was the shut down of the Swiss project, (I mean really, deep well drilling in a historic district?), because of alleged earthquakes. Then there were Earthquakes off Jamaica caused by another smaller project. Finally there were the Earthquakes attributed to a deep well injection and rock fragmentation project in Texas. So it was only a matter of time. Tick Tick Tick. You know that drilling anywhere in earthquake prone California was going to be fraught with nightmares. Courtney Roby tackled the headline issue like this:

http://www.greenmomentum.com/wb3/wb/gm/gm_content?id_content=2930

AltaRock’s Little Earthquakes

Maybe, possibly, engineered geothermal systems like those being demo-ed by AltaRock bring an increased risk of small earthquakes. It’s not a reason to abandon their promise as an energy resource.

By Courtney Roby

June 25, 2009

AltaRock Energy, a California-based company specializing in engineered geothermal systems (EGS), was the subject of a story in today’s New York Times which was certainly alarmist, if not genuinely alarming. AltaRock is currently preparing to put into action a design for a demo geothermal project in California’s NCPA Geysers Geothermal Field area. This area, which has been producing geothermal energy from steam wells since 1983, is located in the seismically shaky San Francisco Bay Area. The same geological factors that make the area a good place for geothermal energy extraction make it a high-risk area for earthquakes, and it is on these fears that the Times article centers.

The article does not have much to say about the particular risks involved with AltaRock’s project. Instead, it recounts the story of a 2006 project run by the Swiss company Geothermal Explorers, which aimed to extract geothermal energy from the bedrock near Basel. Geothermal Explorers used a technique that involved shooting a jet of water into drilled holes, which then produced fractures (a technique known, to the delight of Battlestar Galactical fans everywhere, as “fracking”) in the hot bedrock below, where the water was heated, rose back to the surface, and upon expansion emerged as steam, which powered turbines to produce usable energy. The result was an always-on source of non-polluting, waste-free energy, which seemed like a good bargain until reports of small earthquakes started coming in. In response to these reports, the project was immediately shut down.

Then in September this:

http://news.cnet.com/8301-11128_3-10344441-54.html

September 3, 2009 6:59 AM PDT

Geothermal start-up AltaRock suspends drilling

by Martin LaMonic A new company pursuing an advanced geothermal energy technology has had to suspend its first attempt to drill a deep well in Northern California.

AltaRock Energy on Wednesday said it ran into problems during drilling for a demonstration project, “resulting from geologic anomalies particular to the formation” at the Geysers Geothermal field.

The project, said to be budgeted at $17 million, was partially funded by a Department of Energy grant given to several companies to explore the viability of enhanced geothermal systems. Sausalito, Calif.-based AltaRock was funded by Google and venture capital company Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers.

dot dot dot

(Credit: AltaRock Energy)

Although technical difficulties are normal in drilling projects, the progress of AltaRock is significant because it is one of few companies pursuing enhanced, or engineered, geothermal systems. It’s a technology that holds great promise but that has raised safety concerns.

Traditional geothermal power draws on naturally occurring underground hot-water reservoirs to make electricity. With enhanced geothermal systems, wells are dug a few miles underground, and rock formations are fractured. Then water is injected into the wells, heated by the rock, and pulled back up. That hot water is converted to steam to turn an electricity turbine.

A Massachusetts Institute of Technology study two years ago found that using this enhanced method of geothermal power generation could supply 10 percent of the electricity in the United States. It could also be done in a wide variety of locations, rather than just the limited number of locations that have traditional geothermal resources.

In its statement, AltaRock didn’t offer many details on why it suspended drilling but said it is evaluating other locations to build a demonstration facility, including other spots at the site where it had been working.

Martin LaMonica is a senior writer for CNET’s Green Tech blog. He started at CNET News in 2002, covering IT and Web development. Before that, he was executive editor at IT publication InfoWorld. E-mail Martin.

Then this 2 days ago:

http://www.theoildrum.com/

Drumbeat: December 13, 2009

Posted by Leanan on December 13, 2009 – 10:02am
Topic: Miscellaneous

Geothermal Project in California Is Shut Down

The company in charge of a California project to extract vast amounts of renewable energy from deep, hot bedrock has removed its drill rig and informed federal officials that the government project will be abandoned.The project by the company, AltaRock Energy, was the Obama administration’s first major test of geothermal energy as a significant alternative to fossil fuels and the project was being financed with federal Department of Energy money at a site about 100 miles north of San Francisco called the Geysers.

But on Friday, the Energy Department said that AltaRock had given notice this week that “it will not be continuing work at the Geysers” as part of the agency’s geothermal development program.

The project’s apparent collapse comes a day after Swiss government officials permanently shut down a similar project in Basel, because of the damaging earthquakes it produced in 2006 and 2007. Taken together, the two setbacks could change the direction of the Obama administration’s geothermal program, which had raised hopes that the earth’s bedrock could be quickly tapped as a clean and almost limitless energy source.

There’s more… (3458 words) | Comments (173) | Permalink | Without comments | PDF version

Too bad too because it has such promise…Still I like the title, AltaRock Energy Drills Dry Hole for all kinda reasons. For condolences please go to:

http://www.altarockenergy.com/

Alice In Greenland – Guest poster Jed Morey has his say

Posted on December 14, 2009 by Doug Nicodemus

I rarely have “guest posters”, mainly because nobody asks but also because I like to run my mouth. I forget how I found Jed’s Column but it makes so much sense in such a short space that I actually ASKED Jed if I could use it. How rare is that? So far that would be 2 people Jed and Dan Piraro soooo without further ado (I always wanted to say that…damn).

http://www.longislandpress.com/2009/12/09/alice-in-greenland/

Alice In Greenland

Written by Jed Morey on Dec 9th, 2009 and filed under Columns, Off The Reservation. You can follow any responses to this entry through RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry

Want to take a trip down the environmental rabbit hole? Spark a discussion about climate change and watch human warming reach extremes far greater than any place on the globe.

To the right you have the laughable stance adopted by the conservative movement that humans are having no effect on climate and the atmosphere. At the other extreme are non-scientist policy makers and pundits holding “The End Is Near” signs on every street corner claiming that Iowa and Chad will be beachfront property by the end of next year.

Personally, I’m not qualified to discern which side is closer to representing the truth.

What I do know is that the debate should remain in scientific circles because I have yet to meet anyone qualified to entirely explain the variances in global temperatures. While world leaders are dithering in Copenhagen and arguing over hacked e-mails about tree rings versus thermometers, the public needs to close its ears to the noise produced on both sides of the global warming debate and focus on the tangible aspects of industrial pollution.

You don’t need to be an expert on carbon emissions or reference “parts per billion” to understand that we are seriously screwing up the planet. Public health has been compromised by the rise of industry. While there are several factors that contribute to the decline in public health, much of the discussion centers on energy production and sources because it’s the baseline driver of industry. So let’s look at it.

First of all, there is no such thing as clean coal. True, you can clean coal emissions, but the process of scrubbing coal to burn cleaner is just as much of an environmental disaster. There is no such thing as clean nuclear energy either, for that matter. True, the emissions are carbon neutral, but at some point every nuclear facility must dispose of the spent fuel used in production. The spent fuel must be stored somewhere and wherever that place is, it’s no place you want to be near.

Large wind farms in lakes and oceans are unrealistically expensive and remarkably inefficient. The Danes will tell you differently and espouse the virtues of wind power—just look at the marvel that is Copenhagen—but the fact remains that they are the largest manufacturers of wind turbines and have a vested economic interest in, shall we say, massaging the numbers. However, wind, solar and geothermal energy present viable options on a micro level and should be encouraged in every corner and backyard of the world. Individuals and small businesses need affordable access to clean energy solutions, not just municipalities.

Economically, there is no such thing as cheap oil anymore. Whether or not the Saudis or Venezuelans care to admit it, we have hit peak oil in the largest, most accessible oil fields around the world. Period. Are there places on Earth with large reserves of oil and natural gas? Yup. Is it easy to get to? Nope. Expensive to retrieve? Yup. Environmentally secure to extract? Nope.

As far as Cap and Trade is concerned—please. Giving large corporations and polluters the ability to buy their way out of cleaning their emissions is a lousy practice. Lisa Jackson from the EPA is on the right track by simply drawing a line in the sand and taking it out of the hands of Congress. The message from the Obama administration is clear: Clean it up. If Cap and Trade is allowed to continue one can only imagine Goldman Sachs creating a derivatives market that bundles pollution credits in with mortgages on homes with inefficient boilers and selling them to school boards in Greenland. No more government-backed securities bought by large corporations and sold on opaque markets, especially if they contain something as ethereal as carbon credits.

This is it folks. We have reached the tipping point. The only option heretofore is conservation.

If you wish to comment on “Off the Reservation,” send your message to jmorey@longislandpress.com.

Can’t say it any better than that. By the way those who know me know I disagree with Jed about renewables, broadly stated, to replace fossil fuels but as he says “Cheap nope, time consuming Yup”. Thanks Jed.

Iceberg Attacks Australia After Destroying New Zealand – Get out the Nukes it is the end of the world

Posted on December 11, 2009 by Doug Nicodemus

It is Jam Band Friday Delbert style – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PxNnEEK6uG0

OK now that I have everybody’s attention. The people who do not accept Man Caused Global Atmospheric Destabilization (some people call it Global Warming I don’t) are insane or delusional. They just don’t want people to notice the obvious. They try to draw the arguement so far back into the clouds because if they admit MANKIND is contributing to the mess then the rest of their rhetorical walls begin to tumble. But to ignore this is pretty hard to do.

( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kdXzJaCeHP8 )

Australia shipping alert over massive iceberg

Fri Dec 11, 2:34 am ET

SYDNEY (AFP) – Australian authorities Friday issued a shipping alert over a gigantic iceberg that is gradually approaching the country’s southwest coast.

The Bureau of Meteorology said the once-in-a-century cliff of ice, which dislodged from Antarctica about a decade ago before drifting north, was being monitored using satellites.

“Mariners are advised that at 1200 GMT on December 9, an iceberg approximately 1,700 kilometres (1,054 miles) south-southwest of the West Australian coast was observed,” it said, giving the iceberg’s coordinates.

“The iceberg is 140 square kilometres in area — 19 kilometres long by eight kilometres wide.”

Experts believe the iceberg — known as B17B — is likely to break up as it enters warmer waters nearer Australia, creating hundreds of smaller icebergs in a hazard to passing ships.

“It’s still 1,700 kilometres away, so it’s quite a long way away, it’s not really on our doorstep yet but it’s been heading steadily towards us,” glaciologist Neal Young said Thursday.

( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YeNNBUhobNg&feature=related )

http://www.cbc.ca/technology/story/2009/12/11/tech-iceberg-australia.html

This satellite image shows several icebergs breaking off the Antarctic ice shelf in 2000. The iceberg B17B on the left has been spotted 1,700 kilometres from Australia. (Australian Antarctic Division/Associated Press)

Scientists say that ice shelf calvings such as the one in 2000 happen about once every 30 years.

( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZMwpHkQlrtQ&feature=related )

Wish they would make up there minds…is this a once every 30 years experience or once every 100 year event…but in a way it is so monumental that it is amazing that there is a Climate Summit going on and the deniers have everyone talking about stolen emails and NOT this. Cover your ears and go lalalalalalala.

( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AUgzsdqY1uE&feature=related )

This chap’s post is in the same vein as mine but alas he is a Denier.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/filmblog/2009/dec/11/australia-iceberg-casting-the-news

Casting the news: The Blizzard of Oz, the Australian iceberg disaster movie

This week we need your help producing the big-screen version of the smackdown between one big island and one mammoth iceberg

Strewth! An iceberg passes under Sydney Harbour Bridge. Photograph: Dennis Degnan/Corbis

A crowd of suntanned Australians stand at Sydney harbour. As is traditional, they are having a barbecue. Someone has set up a cricket wicket in the middle of the road. The mood is a happy one. Then, all of a sudden, the light disappears from the sky. Men and women alike turn round to find a 50bn-tonne iceberg where the sun once was. This is B17B, the superberg, and it’s headed right for them, bringing with it a nightmare microclimate: cyclones filled with swirling tinnies, raining wombats and vicious blizzards (to enable the title).

The latest Guardian/film/films production – working title: The Blizzard of Oz – promises to take the disaster movie where it’s never been before. Australia. Inspired by latest events, we plan to tell a tale of ecological disaster that will keep you on the edge of your seat for pushing three hours and guarantees a flying CGI kangaroo every 15 minutes.

To clarify: the latest news seem to suggest that B17B, a 140 sq km block of ice that has broken free from the Antarctic ice shelf, looks set to miss Australia altogether. What’s more, it was heading for the west coast, not the east, so featuring Sydney would be a stretch, too. But this is the movies; rules get bent. Which is how we came to cast Stefan Dennis in the lead role.

( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9qY1e2hGQ2o&feature=related )

After Australia it is probably headed towards India and they are concerned…

http://trak.in/news/iceberg-19-km-by-8-km-drifting-towards-australia/33597/

Iceberg, 19 km by 8 km, drifting towards Australia

2009/12/09Tags: australia news, australian antarctic division, neal young, ross ice shelf

in India News, International

Sydney, Dec 9 (DPA) An iceberg twice the size of Sydney Harbour is heading towards Western Australia, news reports said Wednesday.

They don’t have too much else to say about it. They must emit one hell of a lot of green house gases…do you think?

( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xEYuo5jxuzQ&feature=related )

The Top 50 Environmental Blogs – All good things must come to an end

Posted on December 10, 2009 by Doug Nicodemus

People have been saying to me, “There is climate summit going on, oil speculators about, and the EPA just declared it will regulate CO2 and other noxious gases because they threaten human health under the Clean Air Act and you are wasting your posting on the Blog about web sites. That’s just wrong.” To which I say nana nana toddle do” or something equally intelligent. I mean I will get to that but today we will finish up this list and then get to the HARD news reporting. Today’s post literally fell into my hands. But first I have to say:

As I said, this story literally fell into my lap. I was at a site that I have already sited in this series of posts. It is an accumulation of some of the most popular environmental sites around. There was a site listed there that I had never seen before but it was to cool to be true. When I clicked on it I went to a list of environmental sites and I though my work for the day is done:

Cool Site:

http://www.hippiemagazine.com/

Cool List:

December 9th in Resources by Cyrus .

18 excellent green blogs to follow

These are some of our favorite blogs that deal with the climate crisis. We strive to bring you excellent resources to incorporate into your green lifestyle. If you have your own eco favorites, feel free to add them as comments below!

I feel gratified that many of my faves are on the list but here are a few I overlooked.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/green/

ALL EYES ON COPENHAGEN

Island Nations Fight For Survival.. WATCH: The Powerful Big Ag Lobby That Rarely Makes News.. WATCH: Climate Denier Lord Mockton Calls Activists “Hitler Youth”.. Follow The Events LIVE On Twitter

This name says it all:

http://poorplanet.blogspot.com/

Monday, December 7, 2009

“I am sorry” – Greenpeace 2020 Banners

The UN summit on climate change kicks off in Copenhagen as I write this. Many people have stopped believing in the head of developed countries as having the power and courage to take the right decisions, even if this means sacrifice. Barack Obama received the nobel peace price but ironically decided to send an extra 30,000 soldiers to war in Afghanistan. Let’s see if he can do better in terms of environment. The USA have to lead the world in taking action against global warming and other issues. How could we ask China or India to reduce their CO2 emissions if the leading countries are not doing the expected efforts?

Greenpeace, along other associations, are putting pressure on the leaders, or at least trying to. Since last week, travelers arriving in the Copenhagen’s international airport will come across the following banners. These depict different leaders of developed nations apologizing in 2020 (ten years from now) for not taking the right decisions. I’ll let you judge by yourself.

This is a very happy and upbeat site.

http://www.environmentastic.com/blog/

This past weekend (November 2o, 2009, to be exact), filmmaker Robert Stone introduced a showing of his newest film, Earth Days.

In Robert’s own words, he wanted to make a movie “not about the present, not about the future, not doom and gloom, but about how we got here.” In doing so, he hoped to show how today, politics tends to be the issue when it comes to environmentalism, and he also hopes that movie will “point a way forward.”I’m not a professional movie reviewer, in fact, I go to movies less often than your typical hermit, but I’ll do my best here to give this film it’s due.Stone immediately lays politics out as part of his statement, as the opening scene shows statements about the environment being made by presidents starting with John F. Kennedy, all the way through George W. Bush (who’s statements on the environment for his entire eight-year tenure in office were limited to, apparently, “We are addicted to oil.” Duh.).

Stone then introduces nine “pioneer” environmentalists, each with a different background and modus operandi:

“The Radical” – Stephanie Mills
“The Conservationist” – Stewart Udall
“The Astronaut” – Rusty Schweickart
“The Biologist” – Paul Ehrlich
“The Motivator” – L. Hunter Lovins
“The Futurist” – Stewart Brand
“The Organizer” – Denis Hayes
“The Politician” – Paul (Pete) McCloskey
“The Forecaster” – Dennis Meadows

The film speaks of some of the typical “demons” of the environmental movement, including the interstate highway system and automobiles, and theorizes that one of the core problems of the environmental movement is that it asks human beings to move outside of their instinctual “reaction” mode. Early humans faced many risks, and those who survived were the ones who, when faced with immediate threats or opportunities, made a choice rooted in the moment – without having to consider the long-term consequences of their actions. In other words, “cavemen,” when faced with a woolly mammoth, ran. They didn’t have to consider where to run, nor what they would do once they escaped the creature. Conventional business works – even today – in much the same way. Short-term considerations are most important, if the long-term is even thought about at all.

Many many many people will say that this should have been higher on my list, but it is just a catalog..I mean a damn good catalog:

http://www.inhabitat.com/

GREEN GIFT GUIDE: Gifts That Give Back

by Yuka Yoneda, 12/10/09

The holidays are a time for fun and family, but they’re also about the spirit of giving selflessly and charitably to those who are less fortunate. So this year, why not give a gift that is both meaningful and special to the recipient and gives back to a cause that is near to their heart? It won’t cost you any extra and if you need ideas, we’ve got a ton in our Gifts that Give Back Guide. Whether you want to give a stylish reusable water bottle that supports the environment or delight someone with an adorable rescued doggie or cat, check out our guide for our top picks!

This is another site that people would place a lot higher…again this is just stuff and if you have seen the stuff movie –http://www.storyofstuff.com/ you know that stuff is problematic still I can’t leave em off the list:

http://www.ecotoolbox.com/blog/index.php

4 Battery Solar Charger

No operating cost, charging by solar is safe, fast and easyWith unique design and can charge 4pcs “D”/”C”/”AA”/”AAA” size rechargeable batteriesWith all weather durable fiber glass board 7V solar panelFull set of multi-plug and cable wire is provided for easy connection to many appliancesWith adjustable stand for adjusting the best angle to absorb maximum sunlight for faster chargingA blocking diode is built into the circuit to prevent the reverse flow of electricity at night timeEquipped with a portable handle for easy carryingAll weather resistant:}

And Finally TADA

http://www.worldchanging.com/

http://www.worldchanging.com/archives/010868.html

Letter from Copenhagen: An Update from Alex

Alex Steffen, 9 Dec 09

I’m in Copenhagen, where I’m speaking at the Bright Green Expo (NYT coverage here) and the Copenhagen Climate Summit for Mayors, delivering a lecture for the Blekinge Institute of Technology, participating in several other events and giving a lot of media interviews. Meanwhile, the full mayhem of the COP15 summit itself is unfolding here.

COP15 is a pretty astonishing event, with thousands of delegates, journalists and advocates swarming around (or at least standing in lines in) Copenhagen’s large convention center. (You can get the flavor of the event by reading the dispatches from Katie Fehrenbacher, Jonathan Hiskes and Kate Sheppard.)

Though Worldchanging isn’t covering breaking news — I’m here in Copenhagen more to be quoted than quote others — I am updating my Twitter feed frequently, keeping folks abreast of the happenings. You can find follow me at @AlexSteffen.

That was harder than it looked

50 Top Environmental Blogs – We broke 35 yesterday which makes this the biggest list on the internet

Posted on December 9, 2009 by Doug Nicodemus

It is true. I started this meditation on Environmental Blogs in part to make fun of the idea, to also show that experts only really have their opinions about what is the Best Blog and to point out the question – where do you stop? See now that I have done a list of 50…someone will surely come along and do 60 or maybe 75 and 100 of the best of the web. Before I start though I must say:

OK today it is the lawyers. No I do not believe lawyers are bad or should be made the butt of jokes. In a society where we have a hit TV show about ad men call MAD MEN, where we tolerate used car salesmen and cosmetic sales women, I don’t think lawyers are at the bottom of the dung heap. The good hearted ones actually make the world a better place. As for the oft used quote, “first we kill all the lawyers”, that is proceeded by “how shall we recreate the world of kings”…so please get off it. All of you who have been through a bad divorce or been sued need someone to blame…right?

First up, what is not to like about an attorney who is LEED certified:

http://www.greenbuildinglawblog.com/

The 50% Rule or Why Emails and Statistics Don’t Matter

Posted on December 8, 2009 by Shari Shapiro

We have heard a chorus of voices over the past few days raising the moribund concept that climate change is not happening, and is some global liberal conspiracy to devalue oceanfront property in Palm Beach.

At the center of raising the hydrahead of the Palm Beach Conspiracy was the discovery of some emails from the University of East Anglia where climate change scientists were engaging in the age-old academic practice of arguing with one another. For a “pro” climate change perspective, Gawker explains the situation here, for an “anti” climate change perspective, the Weekly Standard provides this analysis.

I was guest lecturing at Princeton a few weeks ago, and I used the opportunity to propogate one of my favorite ideas–I call it the 50% Rule. It can be used to explain the Palm Beach Conspiracy, statistics about climate change, and as a means of deflating your brother-in-law’s wild stories about catching a 45 foot trout during holiday meals. Here it goes–when you hear a statistic or a scandal or a wild trout fishing tale, assume the information is off by 50%. One-half. Then determine whether the information still matters. If your brother’s trout was only 22.5 feet, not 45, that’s still a mighty large fish. Similarly, with climate change, if scientists’ statistics about sea level rise or drought are off by 50%, we are still looking at a serious problem. The result? We still need to do something about it.

With respect to the Palm Beach Scandal, Micheal Oppenheimer from Princeton on NPR explained it beautifully. The consensus of hundreds of scientists, using many different methodologies, all in competition with one another have reached a consensus that climate change is real and caused largely by man’s actions. Even if 50% of the data is wrong or subject to bias or manipulation, that is still hundreds of the world’s best scientists coming to a consensus (which if you have ever had two scientists in a room is a feat in and of itself) coming to the same conclusion.

She is cute too. Oh sorry.

http://www.greenenergyanddevelopmentlaw.com/

Posted on December 4, 2009 by Brad Mondschein

Centerbuild 2009

Hello from the ICSC’s Centerbuild 2009 conference in sunny Scottsdale, Arizona. While it is certainly cold here at night, the great weather was an added bonus to a conference that was chock full of great information. The theme this year “Get Smart” lived up to its billing. The speakers, workshops and roundtables did not disappoint the conference-goers. The focus of every event was to share information with the latest technologies and Green issues.

I was fortunate to have the opportunity to host a workshop on incentives for green shopping centers. At the conference, I promised to post our PowerPoint presentations on this blog. Here is my presentation along with Kent Jeffreys and Greg Stark. I will post Jim Westberg’s next week. Due to technical limitations, I cannot post that now.

I know these are hard core sites but you asked for the BEST right? Why China you ask? Well that is where the action is going to be for the next 100 years if our species lasts that long.

http://www.greenlaw.org.cn/enblog/

he Prospects for Global Cooperation to Address Climate Change at Copenhagen and After

Filed Under Climate Change, Feature Article By Greenlaw · December 8, 2009 · Leave a comment

Download Article (PDF, 141KB)

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Representatives from China, the US and all of the other countries of the world will soon gather in Copenhagen, where they will work towards an international agreement to address climate change for the period after 2012. While there has been enormous progress this year, many observers have begun to worry that countries will be unable to fully bridge their differences in Copenhagen. Taking both the progress and remaining difficulties into account, we are optimistic that the global community will succeed in creating an international structure for equitably, effectively, and collectively addressing one of the greatest threats to humanity. Progress will be made at Copenhagen, but for a number of reasons, hammering out the full international agreement may take into next year.

Then there is the movie star:

http://www.brockovichblog.com/

Million Baby Crawl

Remember when the million man march, a vast grassroots movement, conveyed to the world a different picture of the African American man?

Move over men, it’s baby time.

There’s another march on the way, only it’s not for a million men. It’s not a march either–it’s the Million Baby Crawl.

Seventh Generation has invited me to be a spokeswoman for the Million Baby Crawl, a movement to focus public attention on toxins in household products.

Currently the government only tests 200 of the more than 80,000 chemicals on the market. Who knows how many dangerous ingredients are sitting on our own shelves?
This movement is around to focus attention on protecting our families from toxins secreted in products on the shelves in every American home.

Yes, under our kitchen cabinets, there’s a hotbed of toxic chemical soups marketed as cleansers, polishes, insecticides, etc.

I periodically tout a Blog that appears to have died or become fixed in time. I don’t really care why that happens, it is the content that matters and this site is pretty good:

http://www.sustainabilitylawblog.com/

August 18, 2009

Portland and Seattle Among Test Markets for Electric Vehicle Program

The U.S. Department of Energy has funded a pilot program by eTec Corporation and Nissan North America to deploy up to 5,000 electric vehicles (EVs) in five U.S markets in 2010, including Portland and Seattle. Program participants will have the opportunity to buy new Nissan EV’s at about the cost of an average family sedan, which are expected to be able to travel about 100 miles on a single charge. The federal money is part of a $2.4 billion program to fund battery research and manufacturing, EV development and installation of EV infrastructure.

Portland General Electric (PGE) has already installed 20 EV charging stations in the Portland Metro area and Salem. The program will work with PGE and three Seattle utilities to install an additional 2,550 charging stations in Portland and Seattle, and will install personal charging stations at no cost in the homes of program participants. ZipCar, a popular car sharing service, will also participate in the EV program in Seattle.

I already use ZipCar and love it. I think I’ll look into participating in the pilot program.

Anyway I wish I already had a ZipCar, damn it. These guys focus on New England but again very very into the actual law:

http://renewableenergylaw.blogspot.com/

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Carbon Harvest Energy

Carbon Harvest Energy’s proposal to turn old landfills into no-waste energy producers has been in the news lately, with stories both in the Burlington Free Press and on Vermont Public Radio. Carbon Harvest Energy will be taking a defunct landfill-based methane facility in Brattleboro and turning it into an active, zero-waste, energy-producing facility. According to the Free Press article, the electricity, heat and carbon dioxide produced by the methane-fueled generator will all be utilized. The former landfill will be able to sell the electricity, heat a greenhouse and a fish tank, and use the carbon dioxide as a contribution to an algae farm. The Vermont Food Bank will be the main recipient of the food and fish raised in the facility, and the University of Vermont’s Rubenstein School of the Environment and Natural Resources is partnering with Carbon Harvest to study the algae produced.
:}

Some of these I got from:

http://www.criminaljusticeusa.com/blog/2009/50-best-blogs-about-environmental-law/

50 Best Blogs About Environmental Law

See I am not the only one.

The Top 50 Environmental Blogs – This is business day

Posted on December 8, 2009 by Doug Nicodemus

I plan on breaking 35 Environmental Blogs viewed today. Today we are going to focus on Blogs that take a “business” point of view. This is a tough category and I picked these Blogs for their content more then that they are they the BEST. Everyone knows the place you have to start is Wall Street. But first I must say:

As I said all business practices start in New York City and it gets no better than this:

http://greeninc.blogs.nytimes.com/

December 8, 2009, 3:57 am ‘People’s Summit’ Sets Alternate Agenda

By LARS KROLDRUP

Lars Kroldrup Sandbags are part of a display highlighting the threat of rising seas in India and Bangladesh, at KlimaForum09 in Copenhagen — the “people’s summit.”

As the formal United Nations climate talks got under way in the belly of Copenhagen’s Bella Center on Monday, just up the road, a broad coalition of Danish and international environmental movements, civil society organizations and freelance campaigners were busy launching a self-described “people’s summit.”

“The Bella Center is the biggest case of disaster capitalism,” Naomi Klein, the author of a book on corporate backlash and the guest of honor at the opening, declared. “The deal we really need is not even on the table.”

KlimaForum09, as the event is called, is positioning itself as a shadow summit to the far more conspicuous one that has drawn tens of thousands of government officials, business leaders and environmental organizations for 12 days of talks in Denmark.

“We don’t represent vested interests such as bureaucrats, politicians, business or civil servants,” the Web site for the event has touted for weeks. “We do represent scientists, grassroots activists, academics, writers, artists and people from all walks of life.”

http://www.greenbiz.com/blog/2009/12/07/10-best-practices-building-green-teams

10 Best Practices for Building Green Teams

By Deborah Fleischer

Published December 07, 2009

GreenBiz.com and Green Impact have partnered to release a new report, “Green Teams: Engaging Employees in Sustainability.” Based on interviews with green team leaders from Intel, Yahoo!, eBay and Genentech, as well as a review of the latest literature on employee engagement and green teams, the report provides an overview of the best practices companies are using to support and guide green teams.

It is divided into four key sections: making the business case for green teams; getting started; four emerging trends; and green team best practices.

It is a great resource for companies and organizations just beginning to think about creating a green team and for those ready to take their existing program to the next level.

What is a Green Team?

Green teams are self-organized, grassroots and cross-functional groups of employees who voluntarily come together to educate, inspire and empower employees around sustainability. They identify and implement specific solutions to help their organization operate in a more environmentally sustainable fashion. Most green teams initially focus on greening operations at the office, addressing such issues as recycling in the office, composting food waste, reducing the use of disposable takeout containers and eliminating plastic water bottles.

This focus on operations is evolving and some green teams are beginning to focus their efforts on integrating sustainability into employees’ personal lives, while others are bringing consumers into the equation and aligning their efforts to support broader corporate sustainability objectives.

http://www.businessweek.com/investing/green_business/

Israel’s cleantech advantage

Posted by: Yoni Cohen on November 25

As Business Week recently reported, Israeli cleantech is red-hot. Need additional evidence? On Nov. 15, both authors of the House-passed cap and trade bill participated in conversations about the burgeoning Israeli cleantech sector. Congressman Henry Waxman spoke at the Saban Forum in Jerusalem while Congressman Ed Markey addressed a packed house at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government in Cambridge.

But can a tiny nation really be a global cleantech leader? Absolutely. There are several reasons to believe that Israeli cleantech is here to stay.

First, human capital. “Israel has one of the world’s highest concentrations of scientists and engineers. It is similar to Boston and San Francisco. Within a fifty mile drive, you’ve got a half dozen of the world’s top research universities, ” said Jonathan Shapira, a business lawyer at Goodwin Procter and the founder of the Boston-Israel Cleantech Alliance.

Second, natural resources and lack thereof. Israel has plenty of sun, which enables it to serve as a laboratory for solar innovation. It lacks water and oil, which provides a strong and persistent incentive for the country to be a world leader in desalination and wean itself off fossil fuels.:}

http://blog.businessgreen.com/

Obama’s cool climate moves leave opponents floundering

I know this is hardly original an original observation, but President Obama really is one very cool customer.

The administration’s ability to steadily advance its low carbon agenda while facing conflicting pressures from Republicans (and some Democrats) angry at the proposed US climate bill, and diplomats in Copenhagen demanding the US shows more ambition, has been little short of a master class in political positioning. There is a long way still to go before he can declare victory, but you get the impression Obama will see some form of climate legislation passed early next year – and what is more, his opponents will not be quite sure how he did it.

The influential political blogger Andrew Sullivan has repeatedly observed how throughout both his campaign and his first 12 months in the White House, President Obama has outmanoeuvred rivals through almost preternatural displays of calmness and detachment.

Echoing Muhammad Ali’s famous rope-a-dope strategy, Obama has let opponents expose their own position, unleash wave after wave of ill-conceived attacks, and reveal their strength and weaknesses, while all the time he quietly and coolly weighs up his options. Then, just when his rivals think they are heading towards victory, he has acted with swiftness and no little ruthlessness to land his own decisive blows and end up with exactly what he wanted.

http://webecoist.com/

Real-Life Water World: 12 Futuristic Offshore Building Projects

real-life-waterworld-main

As rising seas overtake the shores and the human population continues to grow, some experts believe we’ll eventually have no choice but to live in a real-life ‘water world’, building hotels, homesteads and even entire cities on the open ocean. Forward-thinking architects are already planning for this possibility, and their futuristic designs range from Star Wars-inspired marine research facilities to luxurious undersea hotels.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/georgemonbiot

The denial industry case notes

My Guardian Comment column this week is about how the climate denial industry achieves its aims. What follows is a list of footnotes and references to go with that article

1 The public persuasion campaign

In 1991 the Western Fuels Association, National Coal Association and Edison Electric Institute set up a group called the Information Council for the Environment (Ice). Its founding documents were leaked. The text has been made available online by the scientist Naomi Oreskes. The strategy was spelt out in a document produced by the Western Fuels Association: to “reposition global warming as theory (not fact)”.

Ice was given $510,000 to test its messages in key markets, all of which happened to be the homes of members of the energy and commerce or ways and means committees of the US House of Representatives. The purpose was to “demonstrate that a consumer-based media awareness program can positively change the opinions of a selected population regarding the validity of global warming.” If it worked, Ice would “implement program nationwide”.

It identified “two possible target audiences”: “Target 1: Older, less educated males”. These people, Ice said, would be receptive to “messages describing the motivations and vested interests of people currently making pronouncements on global warming – for example, the statement that some members of the media scare the public about global warming to increase their audience and their influence … ”

Business can sometimes be exciting.

Top 50 Environmental Blogs – Going where no man has gone before

Posted on December 7, 2009 by Doug Nicodemus

Let me start with a little house keeping. By my count and it is the only one the matters I have posted 24 Environmental Blogs that I think are the best on the planet and a little chunk of each blog. This includes 4 lists of Blogs many of whom I did not think were all that great or at least belong say in the last 25 of the best. I also included one Blog that has not been updated for nearly a year. However its content is still one of the best on topic – in this case Biomass. I do not even know if that person died, got bored or got a real job and I do not really care.

Today we tackle the issue of disposable diapers or more importantly Mothers and Babies. There is nothing more dangerous then to comment on women pumped on hormones or little cute tikes. Also HUGE disclaimer, I have no kids. I must say however that Disposable Diapers are just wrong. Before elaborating, first I must say:

To continue this rant, first using oil for anything should be carefully regulated. IT IS A FINITE RESOURCE. We need it for things like Moon Rocket Parts, and medicines. Not plastic shopping bags and disposable diapers. Second the garbage dump is the last place for feces and urine (pay attention pet owners). We have elaborate water treatment plants set up to handle that stuff and that is where it should go. This is no “carbon” argument. Washing and drying diapers takes a lot of energy. Even if you use a clothesline to dry them it is still a huge energy bite. I am not unmindful of the labor that this requires for already harried mothers BUT making them out of biodegradable materials doesn’t solve the problem. 14 cloth diapers should get a kid to other forms of underwear and they probably should last through 2 kids, so there! I have said my piece. Plus if we were using all the pee and poo that exists on this planet to fertilize the Earth we would be off of oil based fertilizers all together but we would have to create a system for that with careful monitoring…People really do learn to “throw stuff away” and “burn stuff up” at an early age.

OK so back to what I call Mommy sites BUT many people call Parenting Sites:

Here is a list:

http://www.reducereuserecycle.co.uk/greendirectory/kids_green_sites.php

Here is another list:

http://www.thedailygreen.com/living-green/blogs/organic-parenting/7701

I by the way like the Green Daily people a lot but they are awfully pure. Here is another:

http://www.wellsphere.com/wellpage/green-infant

I will give you 4 sites that I like and you can go from there

http://www.gogreenbabyshop.com/

Welcome to Our New Website!!

If you’re new to Go Green Baby Co. (GGBC) – please take a moment to learn more ‘about us‘. We are a family owned retail store in Salisbury, MD. We compiled all of our favorite natural & organic baby products and put them all in one place for you.

We’re so excited to bring you so many new products. We have the BRAND NEW Thirsties Duo Diaper…this is a fabulous new diaper! The Flip & Econobum diapers are IN STOCK! Smartipants?! They’re in stock too! Kate Quinn Fall/Winter collection is here and so is Under the Nile’s fabulous Fall line along with brand new plush toys. Looking for holiday gifts? We just re-stocked all Plan Toys!!

Don’t forget to join us on Facebook and Twitter!

Why do I like them? They sell cloth diapers right up front. Next up

http://www.greatgreenbaby.com/

This isn’t a cap for bamboo babies as the title might suggest, but a baby cap manufactured from 95% bamboo.

The big advantages of bamboo are it’s antimicrobial properties as well as giving protection to 98% of harmful UV rays.

Apart from that, they stay in place on the head and they look great.

Available from Babybambu

Price $5

http://www.babybambu.com/Bamboo-Baby-Hat-p/bamboo-baby-cap.htm

This isn’t a cap for bamboo babies as the title might suggest, but a baby cap manufactured from 95% bamboo.

The big advantages of bamboo are it’s antimicrobial properties as well as giving protection to 98% of harmful UV rays.

Apart from that, they stay in place on the head and they look great.

Available from Babybambu

Price $5

Why do I like them besides the Bamboo cuddly apparel. they suck on ever nuck before they recommend them. Next up:

http://mindfulmomma.typepad.com/

Fair Trade Gift Ideas + $165 Worth of Giveaways!!

As you rack your brain trying to come up with the ‘perfect’ gift for Grandma or that little something for your favorite babysitter, it’s important to remember that there is more to gift giving than the gift itself. There are people behind the gift. People who work in the fields, operate machines, package it up and send it on its merry way.

So when you make a purchase, you’re really making 2 decisions. One for the gift itself and the other for the manner in which it was made. When you buy Fair Trade you can be assured that the people who made the product were treated fairly and the process was an equitable one. Some of the benefits for buying Fair Trade include:

Fair wages for workers
Safe and healthy working conditions
Equitable partnerships between producers and marketers
Long-term working relationships
Environmentally sustainable practices followed

To create a little excitement about buying Fair Trade, I contacted some of my favorite Fair Trade vendors about doing a giveaway. And WOW did they ever come through with some wonderful prizes!! Read on to learn out about these terrific companies and some of the really great Fair Trade products they have to offer.

Fair Trade and Babies? WOW Finally:

http://eco-chick.com/ Eco-Chick · The modern girl’s guide to living green & fabulous.

Smoky Eyes How To with Christopher Drummond Natural Makeup

^ More

Into the Hermitage: Low-Impact Gypsy Life on the Road

No Comments

by Stephanie Rogers · 12/07/09

Few of us can even begin to imagine whittling our possessions down to just a few boxes full of items and living in a room that measures barely eight feet wide. But what if that room was a recycled gypsy home on wheels, with an ever-changing view of the Scottish countryside out of reclaimed leaded glass church windows?

Welcome to the utterly enchanting reality of artist Rima Staines and her partner Tui, a musician. The talented pair live a nomadic existence in their wooden horse box turned charming miniature home, complete with a double bed, rows of bookshelves and a wood stove – all documented on their blog, Into the Hermitage.

OK everyone is going to holler, the Eco-Chick has nothing to do with babies, or being a mother or educational programs for kids. To them I say, Exactly. There is more to being a woman then being a mother. Eco-Chick is slick, entertaining, sophisticated and FUN. Every Mother (excuse me) Parent should have one.

The Top 50 Environmental Blogs – What about the media mopes

Posted on December 4, 2009 by Doug Nicodemus

Its Jam Band Friday – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2yc2leWX56A

But first I gotta say:

( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J7olsf7IlRI )
It seems like everyone has lists of green blogs. There is list for babies, mothers, products and even the media gets into the act:

http://www.greenedia.com/

Home

Expert Blogs

Group Blogs

Videos

Podcasts

Latest Environmental Headlines

December 04, 2009

Conservative Appears to Have Won in Honduras

Porfirio Lobo’s main opponent conceded in the presidential election that many hoped could help Honduras after the crisis caused by last summer’s coup.

Markets Rally Across Asia as Dubai Fears Recede

Key indexes in the Asia-Pacific region rebounded Monday, as investors’ worries about potential fallout from Dubai’s debt troubles eased.

Greenbuild 2009: Monumental – Building Priorities Briefing

GREENBUILD 2009– The Empire State Building plans to trim 38 percent from its monumental 11 million dollar annual energy bill with an energy efficiency retrofit. This month we hear from a person who’s

( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H7lHHF7-kNY )

These are their favorite Blogs (notice Hugger and Mill are 2 and 3 so this list is pretty good):

http://green.autoblog.com/

Fisker Karma – Click above for high-res image gallery

What does Joe Biden have to do with Fisker Automotive? On the surface, the answer would seem to be nothing at all.. or at least it did until the Vice President himself revealed the startup automaker’s plans to introduce a new series of electric vehicles under the Project Nina banner. Not only that, Fisker just so happens to have decided to build cars in Biden’s home state of Delaware. Coincidence?

According to Fisker spokesman Russel Datz, coincidence is exactly what it is. There were a number of good reasons to choose the former GM plant in Wilmington, Deleware, and the fact that it’s Biden’s home state is not one of them. First, the plant is relatively new and hasn’t been shuttered for a long period of time, meaning that it’s in good shape.

Second, the plant is about the size Fisker was looking for. Further, the plant is already set up to install GM’s 2.0-liter Ecotec engine, which is what will be installed in the Karma sedan and convertible. Moving along, GM had recently upgraded the plant’s paint shop, leading to the quality kind of paint jobs that Fisker is looking for. Finally, the plant has easy access to shipping lanes and a UAW workforce that will require very little training.
:}

( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=58bWg0_nTOc )
http://news.mongabay.com/bioenergy/

Thursday, December 11, 2008

From bioenergy to smart conservation

People come and go, and so do websites. With Biopact, we have tried to promote bioenergy in Africa as a way to help small farmers make a better living. We did so by pointing at possible strategies to use natural resources in as intelligent a manner as possible, and by connecting initiatives dealing with agriculture, forestry and bioenergy. We hinted at the role Europe could play by re-writing trade rules, farm subsidies and international development policies.

The small group of dedicated people who wrote for Biopact have learned a lot during these past few years. We learned, for example, that large-scale biofuel production may do a lot of harm, while small-scale, locally rooted bioenergy initiatives may change lives for the better. We gained an insight into new farming techniques, like biochar, which may help tackle key problems in the developing world. We changed perspectives when it became clear that the interrelated threats of climate change and energy insecurity require far more action on the part of individuals, communities and governments. And above all, we came to think that the few patches of untouched nature we have left on this planet, need to be conserved.

( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aYeJRiaRSK4&NR=1 )

http://www.desmogblog.com/

The oily echo machine behind “climategate”

The most vocal organizations around the University of East Anglia hacked email story (aka. “climategate”) have been involved in a decade-plus campaign to delay action on climate change.

The goal of this campaign, which began around the time of the first Kyoto Protocol negotiations, was to assemble a group of like-minded “free-market” think tanks and pseudo-experts that would bring into question the scientific realities of climate change, create doubt with the public and politicians and effectively delay the introduction of clean energy policy in the United States.

It’s no coincidence that the groups pushing this story the hardest have a long history of taking money from oil and coal companies to attack the conclusions made by climate scientists.

What I wouldn’t do to have a few of these organizations private emails over the years!

Here’s a few of the groups I’m talking about and a very brief background on their previous activities, as well as funding sources:

Center for a Constructive Tomorrow: owns and operate ClimateDepot.com, which has been a main clearinghouse for the right-wing climategate echo chamber. ClimateDepot.com is managed by Marc Morano, former aide to Republican Senator James Inhofe. CFACT has received grants from Exxon Mobil, Chevron, and well-known right-wing foundations like the Carthage Foundation and the Sarah Scaife Foundation.
Read more: The oily echo machine behind “climategate

I knew it! Sooner or later I would be able to put up a picture of that schitzoid lieing worthless Glenn Beck. Thankyou Green Media.

So now for something different

( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TB0scwvIuI8&NR=1 )