CAP-and-TRADE, is it the way to go?

A Cap-and-Trade program to reduce carbon emissions has been in discussion for many years, and even after the Kyoto Protocol it is still not in place. Simply put, this is a program of 'emissions trading' in which governments set an upper limit on emission permits and allow businesses and other organizations to purchase and trade the permits. Through time, the upper limit is lowered with the long term goal of cutting emissions.

So is cap-and-trade the way to go...I'm not so sure. Essentially, it allows developed countries to purchase emissions credits from developing countries, and as a result, the biggest polluters continue business as usual.

Rather than continuing down this dim path, perhaps we should address the root of the problem and incentivize innovation.

Here is an interesting article that goes further into this discussion.

Image Credit:http://nicedeb.wordpress.com/2009/06/26/kansas-city-cap-and-tax-protest/

The Natural Step...what is it?

Looking for a framework to help you, your business, your university, your community move toward sustainability? Watch this video and find out more about The Natural Step.

Image Credit: http://www.naturalstep.org/

COMPOST for a good cause

Things that I miss about living in Sweden...the Batlic Sea, my stylish commuter bike, the convenient train system, endless hours of dayight in the summer....and....composting!

Image Credit: http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/swfa/compost/graphics.html

The Swedes have it easy, they are provided with biodegradable paper bags that they simply fill with food waste and throw into a 'recycle' bin where the city collects it. It is not so easy in the US though, in fact, my current landlord refuses to let me set up a composting system in my building.

And then I learned about counter composting, and am thinking about investing in some worms! It may sound less than attractive at first but it is actually quite simple - the worms eat the food waste, poop it out and you are left with a mineral rich soil for gardening....and hungry worms!

Try it, I will. Here are some resources and a video to help you get started.
http://www.howtocompost.org/cat_generalinfo.asp
http://www.greenyour.com/home/lawn-garden/gardening/tips/make-your-own-compost
http://nymag.com/guides/summer/2009/57476/

the story of CAP and TRADE

Annie Leonard, who brought us the amazing animation 'Story of STUFF' has done it again. This time with 'The Story of CAP & TRADE.'

And keep an eye out for upcoming animations on bottled water and electronics, coming soon to The Story of Stuff Project website.

Image Credit: http://groups.gaia.com/ecc/conversations/view/437854

Take it off for Climate Change

Supermodels did it in this 350.org video - it's one way to get the message across.

Image Credit: http://www.350.org/

And for 24 MORE compelling reasons why you should be concerned about climate change click here.

COP 15...

...is right around the corner. With thousands of world leaders, activists and scientists attending, just who should you keep an eye out for? Grist has conveniently made some suggestions for you. Watch '15 People Worth Watching in Copenhagen' to learn more.

So what is all the hype about anyway? It's not too late to get informed, read 'Copenhagen 101: The Essentials on the Climate Talks.'

Green MBA's

The Green Economy Post has published an interesting article around green MBA's. Within just a few years it seems that sustainability is the trend in education and with so many programs to chose from it is becoming more and more difficult to determine which porgram aligns with your educational and professional goals.

If you are looking to go back to school "discover the 10 most important factors you should be using to select a green MBA program and how to use them to select the right program to put you on a successful career track" here.

"Changing the World One BITE at a Time"

Image Credit: http://www.foodincmovie.com/

Food Inc., a recent film bringing light to the reality of our industrial food system. If more people stopped to consider where the food on their plate came from they would seriously reconsider their eating habits....(and we would most likely have more vegetarians in the world)!

Uncover the filthy facts about factory farming and learn why eating local and organic food is not only healthier for you but better for the planet.

Go see this movie, then help "change the world one bite at a time."

Why Not Oil Sands?

This video explains precisely why...watch it to learn more about the tar sand debate taking place in Alberta, Canada.

Image Credit: http://www.treehugger.com/files/2008/01/_we_have_writte.php

Project Laundry?

That's right, Project Laundry List (not Runway)!

Image Credit: http://www.smallfootprintfamily.com/2009/08/10/eco-tip-tuesdays-air-your-clean-laundry/

Have you ever stopped to think about just how much energy your modern day washer and dryer consumes?  Consider how often you do laundry, and your neighbors, and all the people in your region, your country and around the globe and well, it adds up pretty quickly.

Project Laundry List is bringing back clotheslines. Why waste electricity to dry your wash when you can hang it out in the sun? And don't forget that cold water washing is more efficient as well.

So, let it all hang out....your clean laundry in the sun that is!

Read more at Grist.

Strategic Sustainability

STACK Coordination:  An up and coming sustainable consultancy with an all around informative website providing useful information on strategic sustainability, regenerative development, needs based design and much more.

Add it to your favorites.

100% Clean Energy by 2030

Is it possible?

Scientist's Mark Jacobson from Stanford and Mark Delucchi from UC Davis believe so. They even created an interactive presentation, Powering a Green Planet, to show how.

They are relying on exisiting technologies that are proven to work, and have devised a plan to phase in a WWS (wind, water and sun) infrastructure.

Image Credit: http://www.topnews.in/wind-water-and-sun-beat-biofuels-nuclear-and-coal-clean-energy-297577

The technology is there, it is a huge investment but one that is economically feasible when considering the long-term...now it is up to politicians to make it happen!

This presentation on Scientific American is the best I've seen so don't skip it! For a ranking of energy sources along with brief explanations, pro's, con's and sometimes audio explanations, check out slide 5.

Stop Putting BPA in Canned Food!

Did you know that the metal liner in your canned green beans contains BPA (Bisphenol A)?

BPA - a compound that is thought to be harmful to humans - used to package our food, where is the logic in that? And not only is it found in the packaging but recent studies have found that it is leaching into the food preserved within the can. Perhaps your canned peaches aren't so peachy afterall!

So what can you do...switch to frozen food or dried products, but most importantly try to purchase fresh food whenever possible.

Read more at Grist

Calculating CARBON

There are numerous on-line Carbon Footprint Calculators to assess your business's or household's green house gas (GHG) emissions....to name a few:

The Seattle Climate Action Plan Carbon Footprint Calulcator

The Sierra Club Clearwater Carbon Calculator

The Berkeley Institute of the Environment Cool Climate Carbon Footprint Calculator

It is not so important which calculator you chose, but that you go through the process itself. The first step to a brighter future is to benchmark where you currently are, and this is an easy and quick exercise that everyone should make time for. From there you can set goals and start taking the necessary steps to reach your envisoned future!

Environmental Impact of your Printer

The Sustainability Calculator developed by Xerox helps you determine the environmental impact of your printer. This tool is a simple and easy to use checklist that considers the energy consumption, GHG emissions and waste generated by your printer.

SourceMap --> Open Supply Chains

In our society, we filter through products like they are going out of style. Do you ever wonder what the environmental impact is of all this stuff that goes from "make to waste" so quickly?  It is more involved than just the products we purchase, each step in the supply chain is a contributer and should be considered.

That is where SourceMap comes into play, "a platform for researching, optimizing and sharing the supply chains behind a number of everyday products."

This tool utilizes a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) calulator in determining the full impact of products from raw material distraction and manufacturing through product use and end of life disposal. 

Anyone can join and contribute to the rapidly growing database of assessed products. Read more about this tool at TreeHugger.

BioCITY

What is this interesting graphic you ask....BioCity!

"The biocity is an urban planning model arising from landscape architecture and biological theory that proposes cities be reconceptualised as ‘urban biotopes’ that are supported by a myriad of interconnected ecosystems. The model has a purpose to shift critical debate in city planning away from fossil fuel led decision making to secure a better future for urban areas under climate change impacts. It is built upon a collaborative, transparent, open source intelligence across twelve major urban systems into which critical data is progressively captured. The data is available as a comparative metric to highlight strengths and weaknesses of different urban conditions."

"The model adopts a biomimicry agenda that considers the relative equity of the biotope’s twelve constituent systems as paramount. The biocity concept defines twelve interconnected systems that determine the condition of the urban biotope" (as seen in the graphic above).

Window Farms

Hopefully, in the not so distant future, when I finally attain my dream, downtown loft condo, this is the the first thing I am going to invest in!

Window Farms for the urban dweller - grow your own food, eat healthy and rely less on the industrial food system. "Window Farms are vertical, hydroponic, modular, low-energy, high-yield edible window gardens built using low-impact or recycled local materials."

Create some edible window art in your own apartment! Check out some images and a video of an experiment in urban agriculture.

History, Science, Spirituality...

Guy Dauncey speaks of all this and more in his talk 'Spirituality, Hope and the Future'.

He is a strong voice in the Vancouver, British Columbia community and is worth listening to. His unique persepctive on sustainability involves quantum physics and the power of intention, suggesting that we need to visualize the future clearly to make it happen (similar to the concept of backcasting).

Open Sustainability

"Open-sustainability is an approach that applies best practice principles from modern software development and management consulting to drive sustainable development in complex organizations. Using open source software we are creating Sustainability 2.0, or as we call it FISDev, a Framework for Integrated Sustainable Development. FISDev is a tool for a collaborative, open source methodology for Sustainable Development or simply sustainability that anyone can use."

I have not wrapped my head around this yet as it is quite extensive, but the potential is impressive.

GREEN BUILDING Market and Impact Report

The Green Building Market and Impact Report 2009 suggests that green buildings are the only bright spot in the construction industry...green buildings are more profitable, healthier and provide a better ROI.

With over 7 billion square feet of LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) space in 2009, LEED has reached target market saturation. Most LEED certified buildings reside in the USA, though this program is gaining momentum on a global scale.

Most public interest in LEED revolves around energy efficiency - a market in which LEED has provided a transformative impact. Almost 60% of credits are related to energy, based on a broadened definition of energy consumption in buildings - beyond just operational energy (embodied energy, transportation, etc).

LEED buildings DO save energy but not enough...and they recognize this. The USGBC (United States Green Building Council) is currenting developing a zero footprint standard, beyond LEED platinum.

To view a previously recorded webinar on this topic click here, and scroll to the bottom of the screen to register.

SOLAR Shingle unveiled

"The Dow Chemical Company unveiled its line of DOW™ POWERHOUSE™ Solar Shingle, revolutionary photovoltaic solar panels in the form of solar shingles that can be integrated into rooftops with standard asphalt shingle materials. The solar shingle systems are expected to be available in limited quantities by mid-2010 and projected to be more widely available in 2011, putting the power of solar electricity generation directly and conveniently in the hands of homeowners."

These innovative BIPV's (Building Integrated Photovoltaics) have been long anticipated and are expected to revolutionize the solar industry.

Intro to Green Building

Interested in learing more about Green Building but not sure where to start? Watch this one hour video presented by Green Building Education Services.

Energy Efficiency Tax Incentives

The Green Tax Guide 2009 is your official e-reference for green tax incentives.

There is a fee involved ($29.00), but this small investment will provide a means of big savings for your green-minded business!

It is also worth while to check out DSIRE, the Database of State Incentives for Renewables & Efficiency. Established in 1995, "DSIRE is a comprehensive source of information on state, local, utility, and federal incentives and policies that promote renewable energy and energy efficiency."

Eco SYSTEM Services Review

The World Council for Sustainable Development, with support from Meridian Institute and World Resources Institute has developed the Corporate Ecosystem Services Review (ESR).

"The Millennium Ecosystem Assessment - the first global audit of the world’s forests, wetlands, and other ecosystems - found that ecosystems have declined more rapidly and extensively over the past 50 years than at any other comparable time in human history. Left unchecked, this degradation jeopardizes not just the world’s biodiversity, but also its businesses. This is because companies depend on the services healthy ecosystems provide such as freshwater, wood, genetic resources, pollination, climate regulation, and natural hazard protection."

"This publication provides corporate managers with a proactive approach to making the connection between ecosystem change and their business goals. It introduces the Corporate Ecosystem Services Review - a structured methodology to help businesses develop strategies for managing risks and opportunities arising from their dependence and impact on ecosystems."

Moms Against Climate Change

"If our children knew the facts we do they'd take action. Shouldn't you?"

Watch this video and think about not only your future but the future generations of our children.

Why we Need HONEY BEES

Honey bees are rapidly disappearing from nature, a phenomenon known as the Colony Collapse Disorder. Honey bees are one of the most important pollinators of both agricultural crops and natural ecosystems and with their disappearance the effects are widespread.

The reason why this is occuring is unknown but some scientists suggest that pesticides play a role...makes sense, we spray harmful chemicals on plants, bees polinate these plants and the toxins are contracted ultimately leading to death.

Whatever the cause, it is an alarming situation, one which requires more research and attention.

A website offering a comprehensive list of green building materials.

Organized by category,  you can search and compare over 2300 products!

Al Gore's new Plan for the Planet

The long awaited sequel to Al Gore's An Inconvenient Truth has finally arrived in the form of a book, "Our Choice: A Plan to Solve the Climate Crisis".

An Inconvenient Truth raised global awareness around climate change while his new book provides solutions on how to move forward.

Read this Newsweek article for more in depth information.

Education in Sustainability

Academic programs in sustainability are becoming more common and widespread as interest in the topic soars. The AASHE (Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education) has defined a list of programs in sustainability that is quite comprehensive and useful for those who are interested in studying this topic.

SOLAR Christmas Lights

As the holidays are quickly approaching keep these Christmas Solar String Lights on your list! Recharge by day and save energy by night!

PROBE for Sustainable Business

"PROBE (PROmoting Business Excellence) is one of the world's leading business assessment and best practice benchmarking tools, used in 40 countries to promote and support the pursuit of Business Excellence."

PROBE for Sustainable Business is a new tool developed in collaboration with TNS (The Natural Step). It can be used by businesses of any type, scale and location in conjunction with TNS framework to help businesses move toward sustainability.

View this PowerPoint presentation for more in depth information.

What is the Carbon Content in your Food?

Sweden is leading the charge once again...they are the first to administer food emissions calculations to help consumers make more informed decisions about the food they eat. "New labels listing the carbon dioxide emissions associated with the production of foods are appearing on some grocery items and restaurant menus around the country."

Food production is an energy intensive industry, responsible for emitting GHG's into the atmosphere resulting in climate change. Altering ones diet by selecting foods with lower embodied energy can greatly reduce your footprint.

Read more in this New York Times Article.

Labels here, Labels there, Labels everywhere

Having a difficult time sifting through the endless sea of 'EcoLabels'.

Look no further...GreenerChoices.org has created a comprehensive guide to Eco-Labels.

What does CARBON have to do with it?

All this talk about the greenhouse effect and climate change, but what does carbon have to do with it?

When the sun heats the earth, the atmosphere naturally retains some of the heat while the rest escapes back into space. GHG's (Green House Gases), such as carbon dioxide (CO2), help capture this heat so as carbon and other GHG's systematically increase in the atmosphere, the amount of heat in the atmosphere systematically increases as well.

Human activities have enhanced this process by emitting a tremendous amount of GHG's from burning fossil fuels such as coal, natural gas and oil to power our cars and buildings. Cutting down trees (the most efficient cabon sinks in nature), generating waste and farming also produce GHG's.

As a result, the earths average temperature has increased causing more frequent natural catastrophies and subjecting the earths natural cycles to imbalance. For thousands of years, carbon has naturally cycled through the atmosphere. Today the levels of CO2 are quickly approaching 400ppm whereas scientsists agree that the safe upper limit of CO2 in the atmosphere is 350ppm.

Now if only a global climate treaty would recognize this number...then nations would have a common goal and local governments could start forging policies and standards to ensure a safer climate future!

Largest Climate Action Event EVER!!!

On 24 October 2009, people held rallies around the globe to bring attention to the most important number of our time, 350. Over 4000 events simultaneously took place in 175 nations, making this the largest climate action event the world has even seen.

So what is it all about? "350.org is an international grassroots campaign that aims to mobilize a global climate movement united by a common call to action. By spreading an understanding of the science and a shared vision for a fair policy, they will ensure that the world creates bold and equitable solutions to the climate crisis. 350.org is an independent and not-for-profit project."

"350 is the number that leading scientists say is the safe upper limit for carbon dioxide in our atmosphere. Scientists measure carbon dioxide in "parts per million" (ppm), so 350ppm is the number humanity needs to get below as soon as possible to avoid runaway climate change." Watch this video to find out more.

In Madison, we had around 100 activists participate in a human '350' formation on the Capitol lawn. A videographer captured the event on film, watch here.

InterCONNECTED

All things on earth are interconnected just as all things in nature are. We are all part of the same system which is composed of nature, humans and the things we create and dispose of. As part of this system, what we do as humans directly effects the environment. If you do not agree then look at the graphs from this article - clearly the two are linked.

Therefore, there is no one solution to sustainability. Rather than looking at individual problems, it would be much more effective if we took a step back for a broader perspective. We need to take a whole systems approach to analyzing the issues and strategizing solutions for a safer and sustainable future.

Passive House Movement

Super-efficient.

Cost effective.
Carbon-neutrality within reach.
Today.


This is the slogan of The Passive House Institute US (PHIUS), a consulting and research firm working to further the implementation of Passive House standards and techniques nationwide, which is much more evident throughout Europe at this time.
 
PHIUS has developed software and tools to aid in this effort along with a Passive House certification to award projects that meet their strict energy efficiency standards.

To Feed a City

As more people around the globe are moving into cities each year, the Western diet is becoming more readily apparent - a diet that is not necessarily healthy nor sustainable.

How we produce our food and feed our cities is an escalating problem. Agriculture and cities are bound together and are dependent on eachother. The modern food system has distanced us from nature. Rather than importing food from far-off, massive monoculture fields we need to produce more food within the cities we reside.

For more information, listen to Carolyn Steel talk about "How food shapes our cities" on TED Talks.

What is Your Footprint

Carbon footprints are the talk of the time and people seem to be more concerned about the amount of GHG emissions being emitted into the atmosphere, in particular carbon which contributes to climate change. There are numerous carbon calculators available on the web, some which analyze your personal footprint while others look at carbon footprints of entire nations.

These tools were created to raise awareness on the issue and to simulate change. As you are probably aware, North America has an astounding footprint in comparison to most other continents in the world. As Americans, it is our responsibility to bring this statistic down by knowing our numbers and living lighter on the earth.

Cities: A Source of Innovation

The Martin Prosperity InstituteCities recently published an instersting article, CO2 - Bigger is Better. "Their findings suggest that our largest cities are not only centres of innovation but also energy efficiency as well, and will be a key part of our economically and ecologically sustainable future."

Nuclear...the Necessary Evil?

NO! I recently read the article The Necessary Evil of Nuclear Power which prompted me to delve into the topic further. This article suggests that nuclear power is a huge part of our green energy future...simply because it is a low emission alternative to fossil fuels, unlike coal and natural gas power plants which emit carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, contributing to climate change. This perspective seems a bit one-sided to me. Granted, carbon is the talk of the time and an issue to be addressed, it is certainly not the only criteria for green energy.

We need to take a whole systems perspective on the matter and analyze the process from beginning to end. In looking at nuclear in this way, it becomes grossly apparent that this is NOT a viable long term solution.

Uranium, the source of energy for nuclear power, is a scarce natural resource. This metallic chemical occurs naturally in low concentrations but when it is mined to a large degree higher concentrations are brought to the earth's surface, at rates faster than nature can cycle through it. Therefore, the concentration of urnaium builds up over time essentially as toxins to our earth.


Not to be overlooked are health concerns, afterall, uranium is radioactive. Perhaps it is only weakly radioactive at best but when in high concentrations this becomes a concern. Ever wonder why workers in nuclear power plants wear safety gear and have higher rates of cancer....hmmmm


And, the biproduct of this so called green process is plutonium, highly radioactive waste that has no use other than for nuclear bombs!

For a more well rounded perspective of this subject refer to this article:Time for Change

The POWER behind the electrical grid

Is the massive electrical grid that provides power to all things we know, including the laptop I am typing on, sufficient enough to take on renewable energy sources? As population continues to soar, the exisitng electrical infrastructure becomes more stressed and less reliable. Just as our natural resources are not infinite energy sources, the power lines are only capable of carrying a finite amount of energy, oh the irony of this all.

Rather than continually repairing this obsolete grid (the easy option), perhaps it is time to focus on a Smart Grid that will take us into our renewable energy future. Though this huge undertaking will not happen overnight, it is a necesity of our times, one that we need to invest in NOW.

And in the meantime, we should be more aware of the amount of energy we consume, and take steps to reducing this load in each household, each office building and each community.

The Botany of Desire

The apple, the tulip, the marijuana plant and the potato are the stars of the film adaptation of journalist Michael Pollan's best-selling book, The Botany of Desire.


These four famous plants have evolved to take advantage of the human desires for sweetness, beauty, intoxication and control. The interconnected relationship between plants and humans is what Pollan terms "The Botany of Desire."

The Whole truth about MILK

With all the mixed messages about dairy today, how do we know if milk is a healthy option for us? Most farmers would like you to believe it to be, though some people are concerned. The conventional process of producing milk has led rise to so many health issues that simply were not apparent in the generation of our grandparents. So the question is, is milk the real issue or is it the highly pasturized and homogenized process that should be of concern? Watch this video and decide for yourself.

Then ask yourself, is raw milk a viable option? It is a more natural approach.

They say you are what you eat (and drink)...wouldn't you prefer to drink milk from a happy cow :)

e2

e2 is an ongoing PBS series about The Economies of Being Environmentally Conscious. The series looks at design, energy, transport and various other topics through a sustainability lens.

Powering the Future in a Finite World

Climate change aside,  the real issue at hand is that we are quickly running out of the natural resources that our global economy depends upon. Rather than focusing on bandaid approaches to sustainability, we need to think upsream and address the actual symptoms. Rather than sequestering carbon underground (which has unforeseen long-term consequences), we need to stop drilling, stop burning and stop depending on the Earth's finite resources to support our societal needs.

Sometimes it takes a crisis....and I think the global economic crisis will spawn more innovation, creativity and leaders than ever before.

Dave Hughes’s guide to The End of the Fossil Fuel Age paralells just this, read on!

Mission Zero

Ray Anderson, CEO and sustainable visionary for the world's largest (and quite possibly greenest) carpet manufacturer Interface, is at it again. He is a leader extraordinaire in this movement, and his latest quest, to create an online platform for like-minded people to connect, share and move forward is up and running. With some of the most prominent sustainability figures behind this, Mission Zero is sure to be a success.

One of the early adopters of TNS (The Natural Step), and a personal inspiration of mine, Ray Anderson has so much to share about his journey of leading a corporation toward sustainability. So many videos, so little time, this is one person not to lose sight of!

My next read, Anderson's latest book, "Confessions of a Radical Industrialist: Profits, People, Purpose - Doing Business by Respecting the Earth."

Stand Up and Be Heard

24 October is an International Day of Climate Action. Activists around the globe are organizing events in their community through 350.org. Scientists say that 350 ppm CO2 in the atmosphere is the safe limit for humanity, and we want to assure that the people representing us at COP15, the United Nations Climate Change Conference, in December support this.

350 photos from around the world will be displayed on the massive screens in Times Square, in the heart of New York City, with global media standing by to broadcast the story worldwide!

The photos will all have the number 350 depicted in them somehow, and will act as a huge visual petition that will be sent to world leaders. On the Monday after October 24th, the 350.org crew will be visiting UN headquarters to hand-deliver the photos to diplomats and delegates the world over.

Join people from around the world in this historic event. Visit 350.org to find out what is happening in your hometown. If you live in Madison contact me, I am looking for people to form a huge 350 formation on the Capitol lawn!

tcktcktck....

The tcktcktck campaign is a brilliant example of mass mobilisation towards the climate talks in Copenhagen - which we desperately need.

Check out this inspiring video that they creatively produced to bring people together and take action!

Sustainability Primer - Step by Natural Step

If you don't want to take 9 months off and move to Sweden to rigorously study sustainability as I did, read the Sustainability Primer, developed by The Natural Step Canada (TNS).

The document is a succint explanation of sustainability from a whole-systems perspective, including a very clear definition of TNS Framework, the Sustainability Principles and the ABCD Methodolgy for moving forward.

Find a Walkable Place to Live

Do you live in a walkable neighborhood...one where you can use your two feet for transportation rather than having to hop in a car everytime you want to go somewhere. Walking not only improves your health but it reduces GHG emissions which are contributing to climate change. Also, those who walk tend to shop, eat and play closer to home, supporting their local economies.

Take the Walk Score test, it is as easy as typing in your address, and find out just how pedestrian friendly your neighborhood is.

Surprise Sustainability Index

Much to my surprise, the for so long evil conglomerate of Wal-Mart is taking a bold move and developing a sustainability index. How in depth is this index you ask, and just how relevant will it be....we all want to know. What I do know is that Wal-Mart, being one of the largest retailers in the world, has an incredible opportunity (not to mention responsibility) to influence the retail sector all the way through the supply chain.

This is a HUGE step in the right direction, let's just hope they get it right. I am not about to start shopping at Wal-Mart just yet, but the future is hopeful....

Net Zero is Next

For the first time in history, more than half of the global population now resides in cities. The evolution of cities therefore has a huge impact on our future and can be viewed as a leverage point for developing a sustainable future.

In recognition of this, Sitra, the Finnish Innovation Fund, in collaboration with the City of Helsinki, has launched a sustainable development design competition.

The Low2No Design Competition consists of three parts. 1 Design a Strategy 2. Design an Indicator 3. Design a Vision. Seems simple enough, right? Not exactly...click here for brief presentations by selected entries to see just how involved and complicated it is. What an incredible opportunity to shape the way we develop cities in the future!

Countdown to Copenhagen

The Copenhagen Climate Change Conference is quickly approaching in December. Here is a beginner's guide to COP15, what is happening and what it all really means.

We all need a little inspiration every now and then, check out this amazing video.

Doing Well by Doing Good

Chris Laszlo was the keynote speaker at a Green Economy Conference in Madison that I recently volunteered for. He is a partner and co-founder of Sustainable Value Partners, a firm helping companies create value for shareholders and stakeholders.

His presentation was very engaging, and his book even more so. The business world is changing and now more than ever before organizations are learning that stakeholders are driving the marketplace. It is no longer just about making money for the shareholders, Laszlo explains that organizations that have integrated sustainable strategies into their core business objectives have a competitive advantage.

It is quite simple....

Sustainable Value = Stakeholder Value + Shareholder Value

I highly recommend this book. It not only provides a toolkit for helping organizations move toward a sustainable future but it also offers in depth case studies of organziations that have successfully gone through this journey. There are many valuable lessons to be learned from this text.

Presentation Graphics

Are you putting together a presentation on sustainability and looking for visual cues to help illustrate your points? There are literally thousands of graphics on the web to chose from but this site displays some of the best.

Take your pic!

http://computingforsustainability.wordpress.com/2009/03/15/visualising-sustainability/

The Age of Stupid

The generations that came before us could not predict the climate change crisis we are currently facing and for all future generations it will be too late to do anything.....it comes down to our generation to make this shift in society toward a more sustainable future. This is the most tremendous opportunity of our time, the question is, are we up for the challenge?


Franny Armstrong discusses this concept along with others in her interview with Grist as her independant documentary The Age of Stupid is sweeping the globe. The film takes the persepctive of what the world would be like if we do not act fast enough, if we cross the tipping point and civilization finds itself in a downward spiral.


Go see this film, the global premiere is 21 September.

Keep it Parked...

...for World Car Free Day on 22 September.

We live in a car-dominated society, that is the current reality but not the perfect reality. Imagine, just for one day, your city without cars....and participate in this event.

Cycle, walk, bus or carpool - every car off the road counts!

POLLANating Madison, WI

Michael Pollan

Thursday, 24 September, 7:00 pm, UW-Madison Kohl Center.


Sponsored by the UW Center for the Humanities. Free and Open to the Public!


Michael Pollan is the author, most recently, of In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto. His previous book, The Omnivore’s Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals, had a huge impact on the way I thought about food - what I was eating, where it came from and how it was affecting my health. Needless to say, I have become a much more concientious consumer.


"Real food--the kind of food your great-grandmother would recognize as food—is being undermined by science on one side and the food industry on the other, both of whom want us focus on nutrients, good and bad, rather than actual plants, animals and fungi. The rise of “nutritionism” has vastly complicated the lives of American eaters without doing anything for our health, except possibly to make it worse. Nutritionism arose to deal with a genuine problem--the fact that the modern American diet is responsible for an epidemic of chronic diseases, from obesity and type II diabetes to heart disease and many cancers--but it has obscured the real roots of that problem and stood in the way of a solution. That solution involves putting the focus back on foods and food chains, for it turns out our personal health cannot be divorced from the health of the soil, plants, and animals that make up the food chains in which we take part. In this talk, Pollan explores what the industrialization of food and agriculture has meant for our health and happiness as eaters, and looks at the growing national movement to renovate the food system."

"It's All About the Soil..."

...as agriculturalist Will Allen continually repeated throughout his urban agriculture lecture in Madison on 17 September. He convinced the overcrowded room of people that you simply do not need a green thumb, or a rural farm for that matter, to grow local, fresh, organic, delicious food. Rather, all you need is good soil, community engagement and a little direction.

He has been building sustainable food systems in urban environments for over 20 years and has initiated projects all over the world through his non-profit Growing Power Inc based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

For the first time in history, more than half of the world's population resides in cities, yet very little food is actually produced in cities to support this population. Will Allen educates people on the importance of urban agriculture and local food supplies.

The Story of Stuff

One of my all time favorite videos...EVERYONE should watch The Story of Stuff...share this...teach this!

"From its extraction through sale, use and disposal, all the stuff in our lives affects communities at home and abroad, yet most of this is hidden from view. The Story of Stuff is a 20-minute, fast-paced, fact-filled look at the underside of our production and consumption patterns. The Story of Stuff exposes the connections between a huge number of environmental and social issues, and calls us together to create a more sustainable and just world. It'll teach you something, it'll make you laugh, and it just may change the way you look at all the stuff in your life forever."

Innovative Architecture

This is the most innovative architecture I have seen in some time...leave it to the Danish! Architects Bjarke Ingels have designed the masterplan for a carbon-neutral resort and residential development on Zira Island in the Caspian Sea. The island, the first of its kind, is designed to be completely self-sufficient, relying entirely on renewable sources for energy. This is truly cutting edge design, innovation at its best!

More on Ted: Ideas Worth Spreading , do NOT skip the last few minutes of this video!

Ever wonder what to do with used light bulbs?

Just a friendly reminder...

Do not throw away used CFL's (compact flourescent lamps) in the trash because they contain trace amounts of mercury which is harmful to the environment. Bring your CFL's to Whole Foods, Ikea or Home Depot for proper recycling.