Environmental Reality TV

A local cable station in Boston has created Energy Smackdown a reality TV show about families competing to see who can reduce their carbon footprint the most. You can watch episodes of the series HERE. And find out who won and how they did it HERE.

News Roundup

Several great articles have appeared in recent issues of the Christian Science Monitor:

Ugandan women improve their lives making paper beads.

Green roofs appearing on New York houses.

Trash ovens in Kenya save trees.

Reducing the racist disparity between crack and cocaine sentencing.

And from Mother Jones:

Chinese toy imports and the lack of U.S. safety regulations.
Which is followed by a short list of stories about the problems with a self-regulating industry including this gem:

HASBRO EASY-BAKE OVENS In 2006, Hasbro overhauled its iconic oven with a new design and heating system. By the following February, the company had to recall nearly 1 million ovens because children had suffered burns after getting their hands caught in them. Rather than taking the ovens back, Hasbro got the cpsc [consumer product safety commission] to sign off on an easier fix: It would send a repair kit to any consumer who requested it. The ovens were recalled again this July, after 77 kids had gotten burned; one five-year-old had to have a finger amputated. This time, consumers got to return their ovens—for a voucher, good only for another Hasbro product.

News Roundup

Getting caught up here from a very busy spell, I have lots to post, plus it's Blog Action Day so definitely want to get some environmental links out there. Here's a smattering to start you off...

From the Christian Science Monitor:
Amazon Farmers work with Corporations to Save the Forest
New Yorkers Using Biodiesel for Heating

From Ode Magazine:
Sesame Street working for Middle East Peace
Organic Agriculture CAN Feed The World
How Hospitals Make You Sick

From Mother Jones:
The Problem with Plastics (including a handy chart for your fridge)

Clothesline Activism

It may seem ridiculous, but homeowners in many areas are actually restricted from doing a simple activity that can help the environment while saving money and energy. Yep, the old fashioned clothesline has been banned in communities across the US as an ugly blight on neighborhoods (and more specifically on property values). Happily there are some folks that are working change the situation. Project Laundry List is spreading the word about the benefits of air drying and the bigger issue of unsustainable energy consumption, while working to change the laws that prohibit drying clothes outside. Find out more and how to get involved here.

The First Zero Emissions Computer

EcoGeek has a review of the Zonbu, the first zero-emissions computer. The small PC, which has no moving parts and runs on Linux seems to be a good choice for basic computer users. The one catch is that you are required to subscribe to their service for storing files online, since internal memory is limited (though they explain why this might not be a drawback). Read the full review here.

What's wrong with Ethanol.

Co-op America's new exposé on corn ethanol gives a detailed explanation of why it will not be the environmental panacea that the U.S. government touts it to be and how it could actually make the situation much worse. Get the facts here.

A billboard I don't hate?

This billboard for South African Nedbank actually has solar panels on it that generate electricity for the kitchens of a neighboring elementary school.

Full details and more pix at Houtlust.

The Yes Men do it again!

Oh if only I could've been at the Gas and Oil Exposition 2007 in Alberta earlier this month where the collected audience of fossil fuel bigwigs were treated (unknowingly) to another brilliant prank by the Yes Men. Despite the fact that they're much more recognizable after the major release of a documentary chronicling their previous stunts (including announcing the closure of the World Trade Organization) the Yes Men still managed to make a major presentation about turning dead bodies into a new fuel source called Vivoleum and distributing candles supposedly made from a dead Exxon employee before finally being escorted off by security.

Read more of the story on Wired's Blog and also on the Yes Men's site as well.

via Boing Boing

To Carbon Offset or Not To Carbon Offset

I've been debating the merits of carbon offsets and whether they are really helping to encourage greener living, or just encouraging people to throw money at a problem rather than acting differently (especially as I have been reviewing green hosting options). So I was happy to discover an article about just this topic in the current issue of Mother Jones (May/June), "Practical Values: Paying for My Hot Air" :

Because air travel is my biggest vice, I started by plugging a year's worth of flights into various online travel calculators. The cost of redemption for 34,000 air miles: $168, according to NativeEnergy; $160.89 per MyClimate; or $64.95 on TerraPass. When I added up my total carbon footprint (air travel, auto, and home energy), the price tags ranged from $180 to $408 per year. Why would anyone spend $408 when she could choose a $180 offset instead?

"As a tendency, the cheaper the program, the more likely it is that the quality is not very good," says Wolfgang Strasdas, who recently completed a study on carbon offsets for the International Ecotourism Society. Strasdas judged carbon-offset companies on three main factors: how credible they are, how they spend your money, and how they calculate emissions. The latter accounts for the major discrepancies in price, especially regarding air travel.

Read the entire article (along with a handy carbon offset comparison chart) here.