Daily Archives: December 10, 2008
NASA Satellites Help Track Natural Oil Slicks as Potential GHG Sources
Image from NASA
It may seem unusually high, but almost half of the oil that makes its way into the ocean (i.e. gets dumped) derives from natural sources. To find these oil slicks, scientists have long made use of satellite radar instruments. Upon reaching the surface, oil has a tendency to spread out into a thin layer, which causes a glint that can easily be seen by radar, explains the New Scientist’s Catherine Brahic (see a shor
When Teachers Trek Across the Galapagos: A Photo Gallery
Teacher Eduardo del Solar scanning the Galapagos horizon. All photos by Pete Oxford
What does it look like when 29 acclaimed US teachers embark on a study tour of the Galapagos?
As I’ve mentioned before, the unusual grandeur of the Galapagos Islands is difficult to put into words. Thus, as part of my effort to recap the rather amazing journey I recently completed with some of our nation’s top educators, I thought another image gallery was in order. From mingli
HP Laptops Get Awesome New Lithium-Ion Batteries
Remember how Boston Power reported that notebook users wanted greener laptops that have longer lasting batteries? Well, they’re now prepared to give improved batteries to those hopeful users.
The battery company has partnered with HP to provide their Sonata batteries as an upgrade to the Enviro Series notebooks. And boy do they sound worth the upgrade.
Mass Customization: Mix Your Own Breakfast at [me]&gogi
A while back I admired MyMuesli, a german company where you mix up your own blend of cereal online and they ship it to you. I suggested that it was an example kind of technology that could dramatically reduce waste and save a great deal of energy.
Mass customization could mean less waste, as products are made to order rather than in the big lots that come with mass production. No more shelves of jeans to cover all sizes, or parking lots full of unsold cars waiting to be discounted. Or having to add fruit to my muesli.
Now it has come to America with [me]&gogi, who “collect the he
166 MW Solar Power Plant Will Be China’s Largest
photo: Kevin Houle
Rack up another largest record in the solar power world: China Huaneng Group, China’s largest electricity producer, has announced that is has begun construction on what will be China’s largest solar power plant, a 166 MW project in Yunnan province. The cost for the project is expected to be 9.1 billion yuan ($1.3 billion), with the plant coming online in 2010.
What’s more, China Huaneng has also announced that it will building a windfarm in Yunnan Province:
Fast & Funny Video Comparing the Latest Lightbulb Technologies
Hank Green from EcoGeek has put together a very entertaining video taking a quick look at the latest in light bulb technologies.
Read on for more about awesome new lighting tech.
Restoring Natural Areas = Economic Stimulus & Job Creation
photo: Dean Forbes
Everybody and his brother in the green movement seems to be recommending that President-elect Obama make investing in clean energy and improving the United States’ infrastructure by making it more energy efficient and eco-friendly. The Nature Conservancy has taken the idea of green infrastructure one step more and is recommending that the federal g
Un-TreeHugger: Twist & Spout
Photos via Green Upgrader
Plasticrap alert. Most of us are making an effort to remove plastic bottles from our lives. And we certainly don’t want anything around us that encourages their use. But that seems to be exactly what this greenwashed oddity is doing.
Remember the Gift of the Magi
There’s a strange, heart-wrenching side effect of gift-giving and receiving: not the thought of unwrapping another ugly sweater you don’t need, but the knowledge that someone who truly cares about you went to the trouble of getting it in the first place. You realize then it’s the thought that counts — and that the thought alone is often more than enough.
As we take a deep breath to dive into our holiday shopping lists — our breaths made shorter by our tense economies and ecologies — it’s a good time to read or reread (or <a href=”http://librivox.org/the-gift-of-the