Image: Telegraph The apparently sagging quality of the American education system is a topic of much debate. Most of us are aware that our place as one of the world’s preeminent educators is slipping — but the decline is especially sharp in the subjects of math and science. Miller-McCune has a piece on why this may be. It contains nuggets like this: “Only 28 percent of teachers consistently present the evidence for evolution as a unifying theme in biology,… Read the full story on TreeHugger
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Image: LeftjabRadio Maybe, maybe, maybe. But before you scoff — the GOP has adopted near-unity in opposing climate action and nationwide environmental protections — let’s take a look at this one possible, though highly implausible scenario: Where a Republican becomes the presidential candidate most likely to advance climate action in a political environment that’s currently toxic to the subject. Hear this out. … Read the full story on TreeHugger
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Images credit MBDC Part of a series looking at green labels: what they mean and how they work. See Understanding Labels Part 1: Are They Green or Greenwash? Yes. and Understanding Labels Part 2: Separating Green Building from Greenwash I mean, what’s not to love about Cradle to Cradle, the certification system founded by William McDonough and Michael Braungart? Who wouldn’t share their goals of “a delightfully… Read the full story on TreeHugger
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Photo: withassociates , CC Letting People Choose?! What a Strange Concept! We’ve had some phonebook coverage recently (see the links at the end of this post) and it caused quite a reaction from you, our dear readers. It’s understandable: While phonebooks aren’t that important in the grand scheme of things, they are a very obvious and concrete (you can touch it, unlike wasted energy or CO2) example of waste for the people who get them and don’t need them. But the city of San Francis… Read the full story on TreeHugger
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Image credit: all images in this post are courtesy of Silverado Power. Have you noticed. as I have, that widely reported solar projects in the USA have spectacular or controversial attributes? Computer simulations of huge projects in desert settings were very big in 2010 – creating a stereotype, I’d say. Extra reporting points for protests by environmentalists, charges of government socialism, or a suitably-phallic central heat collection tower. Could the USA miss important opportunities to mainstream renewable energy by focusing on novelty aspects of big solar projects? Yes! Are there subtle public policy choi… Read the full story on TreeHugger
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Photo: Michael Graham Richard But Aiming High Was the Right Thing to Do Obama has set a goal for the U.S. of having 1 million plug-in cars (that can include plug-in hybrids and fully electric cars ) on the roads of the country by 2015, a target that was mentioned in the most recent
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Yes, we’ve heard all sorts of tales of the Koch brothers’ malfeasance — donating huge sums to institutions that spread scientific disinformation, funding the organizing of anti-regulatory (and pro-freedom! Freedom!) grassroots events, and lobbying Congress hard to pass (or more often, stall) policies amenable to their heavily polluting industrial operations, and so on and so forth. Do they do all of these things? Yes. But do you ever consider why they go to such lengths? It’s self interest, of course, pure and simple. T… Read the full story on TreeHugger
Continue reading …Biodegradable Plastic Venture Hits a Stumbling Block: The Recycling Industry
February 2, 2011 No Comment
Image: cornell.edu Danny Clark quit his communications job a few years ago to collaborate with microbiologists and polymer chemists to establish a company, ENSO Bottles, that would make recyclable and biodegradable plastic bottles. But since launching the company in 2008, he has come up against a hurdle in a surprising place: the $400 billion recycling industry. … Read the full story on TreeHugger
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Tin-can earrings from the Czech Republic are among the recycled goods for sale on Yiuco. Photo: REforma . The website Etsy has become wildly popular by connecting consumers with small-scale craftspeople making original jewelry, artwork, home-décor items, and other goods — many of which are more environmentally friendly than their mass-produced counterparts. Now a new site based in
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Photo: Kelly Rossiter In keeping with my post yesterday, I am returning to the winter salad theme, this time using Jerusalem artichokes . The Asian Winter Slaw was vegan, and had quite a refreshing taste. Today’s recipe has a bit of dairy in it, and is closer to a traditional creamy slaw. A little different from each other, but still nice and crunchy and satisfying…. Read the full story on TreeHugger
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