Good News About The Environment:
Jan-Mar 2009 Archive
Environmentalists Hail Earth Hour as a Big Success
(AP) For environmental activists, the message was clear: Earth Hour was a huge success. Now they say nations have a mandate to tackle climate change. "The world said yes to climate action, now governments must follow," the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) said Sunday, a day after hundreds of millions of people worldwide followed its call to turn off lights for a full hour.
Can't see the forest for the solar panels?
(Mary Beth Lane, Columbus Dispatch) The Wayne National Forest headquarters in Nelsonville will use the sun to generate up to half the building's electricity when more than 250 additional solar panels are installed on the roof this summer, a forest spokesman said yesterday.
Five Beginners’ Steps to a Greener Home
(Julie Scelfo, NY Times) A recent Amazon.com search for “green home” pulled up more than 15,000 book titles. Who has time to read them all? So this week, The Green Home tracked down Eric Corey Freed, the author of "Green Building & Remodeling for Dummies," and asked him to distill this growing cottage industry of green advice into five must-do steps.
Wind power makes village the ‘greenest in Scotland’
(Rebecca McQuillan, The Herald) Is the Stirlingshire community of Fintry the greenest village in Scotland? It could gain the unofficial title after four householders - who some dismissed as dreamers six years ago when they imagined a future powered by free, green energy - turned their plans into reality.
Fueled by coffee
(Economist) Biofuels: A novel form of biodiesel is derived from an unusual feedstock that is more commonly used to fuel mental activities: coffee
Garbage turns into gold in Bangladesh
(Christian Science Monitor) Maqsood Sinha and Iftekhar Enayetullah like to talk trash, but that’s because they’re pioneers in Bangladesh’s organic-waste recycling. They are the founders and directors of Waste Concern. Since 1995, this NGO has reduced the amount of urban garbage produced here, created jobs and healthier living environments for poor residents, provided for more-sustainable farming, and cut down on greenhouse-gas emissions.
From Tons of Manure, a Growth Industry
(Gerri Hirshey, NY Times) In almost-spring, as itchy gardeners drag out grow lights and seed-starting flats, it seems a fitting moment to trace the germ of a new and very green gardening idea. It first took root beside a reeking, unspeakable lagoon in the northwest corner of Connecticut and is blossoming sweetly nationwide.
Simple elixir called a 'miracle liquid'
(Marla Dickerson, LA Times) It's a kitchen degreaser. It's a window cleaner. It kills athlete's foot. Oh, and you can drink it. Sounds like the old "Saturday Night Live" gag for Shimmer, the faux floor polish plugged by Gilda Radner. But the elixir is real. It has been approved by U.S. regulators. And it's starting to replace the toxic chemicals Americans use at home and on the job.
Homemade cleaners get the job done
(Susan Carpenter, L.A. Times) Something green and drippy is growing on store shelves. It's the assortment of "green" cleaning products many people are spraying, scrubbing and wiping all over their homes in an attempt to keep things fresh, sanitary -- and environmentally benign.