lfokp's story links

Global dimming is the gradual reduction in the amount of solar radiation reaching the Earth's surface that was observed for several decades after the start of systematic measurements in 1950s. The effect varies by location, but worldwide it has been estimated to be of the order of a 4% reduction over the three decades from 1960–1990. It is believed to be caused by an increase in particulates such as sulfate aerosols in the atmosphere due to human pollution.

Most foods are still packed in plastic, which not only fills landfills and pollutes oceans, but also perpetuates petroleum consumption. Now we are beginning to see more prominent use of biodegradable disposable food packaging, particularly at green-oriented festivals and natural groceries. These "Bioplastics" are becoming a burgeoning industry as the cost of oil climbs and the disastrous nature of petroleum-based plastics is revealed in full effect.

The perennial grass Miscanthus X Giganteus could be more than two and a half times more productive than corn or switchgrass in producing ethanol, according to researchers. In addition to being more productive, it does not need to be planted every year like corn, thriving also in poor soil conditions and leaf out earlier than corn. The US is looking to replace 20% of gasoline with ethanol, and planting Miscanthus would only take up 9.3% of food production cropland to grow, compared to 25% being required to grow corn or switchgrass to produce equal amounts of ethanol.

The plastic card industry is growing very strong and won't be going anywhere anytime soon. These ubiquitous items are used every day from credit and debit cards to gift cards and hotel keycards. In an effort to reduce the number of plastic cards that will end up in landfills, Sustainable Cards LLC, a Colorado based business, has created wooden hotel keycards. These have been used in Europe for years and are now being introduced in the US.

Researchers at a giant panda reserve in southern China are looking for paper mills to process their surplus of fiber-rich panda excrement into high quality paper. Liao Jun, a researcher at the Chengdu Giant Panda Breeding Base in Sichuan province, said the idea came to them after a visit to Thailand. They thought panda poop would produce a fine quality paper, he said. The center's 40 bamboo-fed pandas produce about 2 tons of droppings a day.

Wave power refers to the energy of ocean surface waves and the capture of that energy to do useful work — including electricity generation, desalination, and the pumping of water into reservoirs. Wave energy will be part of the renewable energy mix. It’s not going to take over from wind, but it does have certain advantages. Waves are continuous; wind stops. Waves are predictable; wind isn’t. Water is much denser than air, so the amount of energy you can generate is potentially much greater.

Unless you personally have deep pockets, such as inherited wealth, figuring out where you’re going to get the money to start your own green business and getting the financing in place beforehand is one of the most important components of planning your business. Or is it? If you have no money, no business experience, and absolutely no idea about how to start, what can you do? Keep on reading...

Being a fashionable and yet environmentally responsible woman can be more than challenging at times. This is especially so when dealing with quests for cute specialty clothing... like bikinis. Luckily for all of us, though, eco bikinis are getting easier to find each day and they're becoming hotter every season.

 more than 900 UK online retailers offer customers the opportunity to earn reward points on a green loyalty card which can then be redeemed against environmentally friendly products and services.

Junk mail is advertising of one sort or another that arrives in your postal mailbox along with the mail you really want or need. It's impossible to eliminate all of it. They're ugly and a waste of ink and paper and we toss them in the trash at the first chance (some 4 million tons, nearly half of which is never opened). Even if you recycle there are still enormous environmental costs in terms of ink, energy to produce, deliver and recycle the paper.

The Potomac Energy Project is an effort to develop and distribute the most advanced energy technologies currently available through unclassified research projects. These technologies will streamline private and government efforts to reduce dependency on hydrocarbon resources, while also reducing the negative impact of energy consumption on the environment.

Our current school systems are threats to our children’s health, models of unsustainability, and significant contributors to society’s broader environmental and health problems. However, they could provide a healthy environment for students and staff, while promoting ecological sustainability. Although there are plenty of schools out there with green practices among their goals, ones with entrepreneurially green from top to bottom are only slowly appearing.

Green investments are traditional investment vehicles (such as stocks, exchange-traded funds and mutual funds) in which the underlying businesses are involved in operations aimed at improving the environment. This can range from companies that are developing alternative energy technology to companies that have the best environmental practices.

An innovative spa has been cultivating fish to gently suck rough skin, calluses, and skin flakes off your feet. The toothless fish, termed garra rufa but known as “doctor fish”, nibble away at dead skin while leaving healthy flesh untouched, providing what advocates say is a natural alternative to potentially unsanitary razors, clippers or pumice stones.

With rising grocery prices and a desire to be self-reliant, eating locally produced fresh food is the latest trend in sustainability. This urban agriculture movement has grown vigorously. Hundreds of farmers are at work in Detroit, Milwaukee, Oakland and other areas that, like East New York. Local officials and nonprofit groups have been providing land, training and financial encouragement.