Daily Archives: January 2, 2009

Globe and Mail
TreeHugger readers will know of the Pacific Gyre, the “island of garbage twice the size of Texas” slowly spinning in the ocean. Like everything in life, it can be seen as a serious problem, or an opportunity. Michael Barton, in his graduating thesis at the University of British Columbia, proposes to gather it together for “the construction of a synthetic land commodity.” He won an award of Excellence from in the Annual Canadian Architect Awards for “The Enthalpy of Empty Space.”

Hertz, the world’s largest car rental company, is entering the burgeoning car-sharing market with a new offering called Connect, as first reported in Budget Travel. Connect will first be available in New York City, London, and Paris, and will add 20 additional cities this year, challenging <a href=”http://www.treehugger.com/files/2006/05/carsharing.ph

Image via ExtremeCraft

ExtremeCraft.com is working on a project, gathering 1,000 creative ideas for reusing materials, and your ideas are wanted. But the deadline is fast approaching.

Read on for how you can contribute.

Toyota Goes Bold
Even Toyota, the maker of the much revered Toyota Prius, has been unable to escape the fallout from the economic downturn. In fact, Toyota just posted its first operating loss in 70 years, and the company is respond

Based upon the spate of cleantech VC interviews I’ve seen lately and what my fellow investors are saying, it’s clear that “capital efficiency” is the new watchword as we head into 2009.
So expect to see some $25mm Series B rounds into cleantech-related software plays.
On a related note, here’s my latest column from the Mass High [

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For well over two years we have been wondering why they still allow chemicals like triclosan in products like soap, creams and even toothpaste. We know people are crazed about using antibacterial products, even though they do more harm than good. They are possibly gender-benders and may be responsible for killing amphibians. So why are they still so ubiquitous? Because the EPA continues to think that they are just fine.

Photo via D’Arcy Norman

If you received new gadgets during the holiday and are wondering what to do with your old devices, Tekserve and the Lower East Side Ecology Center are providing a solution.

Mike Olson and Pete Saari, founders of Mervin Manufacturing. Image: Annette Veihelmann

Can a snowboard be green, or is that an oxymoron like a hybrid Hummer? As was noted previously, a sport where you a) drive two hours, b) get electrically winched up a hill to c) slide down artificial snow, d) repeat is questionable, but as an avid shredder (or as they used to derogate us grownups, “grays on trays”) I will take anything I can get. Like Burton’s new Eco Nico, which the New York Times tells us is:

Photo via PC Magazine

Blu-Ray is starting to get popular, and while we greenies encourage keeping what you have before buying new gadgets, folks who want to adopt the new technology have a greener option for a Blu-Ray player.

The Sony BDP-S350 received a PC Magazine green thumbs up. Read on for why

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