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1. Reading Between the Labels
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2. GREEN DEETS 013 Greener Gadgets Wrap Video
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3. 3 Big Ideas to Avoid Recession AND Green the Economy
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4. SustainStyle: Lighter Looks, Grow-A-Note, 365 Days of Eco-Fashion + More
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5. Starlightz: Earth Friendly Lighting for the Star in Everyone
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6. California Proposes No Fishing Zones
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7. HP makes MCS liquid-cooling rack twice a nice
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8. Toyota iQ: Less is More for Small Urban Car
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9. GM's Chevy Volt Price Goes Up, Stereo, Wipers to Blame
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10. Las Vegas Strip Could Run Dry by 2021
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11. Stairs as Storage: The Upgrade
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12. Just cruisin'
Reading Between the Labels
materials
Greenguard meets all the tests for a good green label. It is a true independent third-party certification and is recognized by LEED and just about everyone else, "helping customers choose healthy, low-emitting products and materials and demonstrating a commitment to the environment through better indoor air quality." So we were surprised to see an ad for Owens Corning's pink fibreglass insulation saying that it had Greenguard certification. We thought it had a formaldehyde binder in it. So how did it get Greenguard?... 
GREEN DEETS 013 Greener Gadgets Wrap Video
TreeHugger TV
Conference organizers Marc Alt and Jill Fehrenbacher sum up the events of Greener Gadgets 2008. Watch the exclusive TreeHugger Hi-Definition video after the jump. :: GREEN DEETS :: :: 400 million consumer electronics are discarded every year :: E-waste is the fastest growing category of municipal waste :: Electronics account for 25% of home electricity use :: The $150 blllion consumer electronics industry is one of the fastest growing industries on the planet... 
3 Big Ideas to Avoid Recession AND Green the Economy
Business & Politics
Big Media seems interested in stories that link economic recession and the environment: Our piece about 4 Reasons Why Recession is BAD for the Environment was picked up by both the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal. Well, it's a good thing they're listening because we have a lot to tell about how to both avoid recession and make our economy much greener. The first thing... 
SustainStyle: Lighter Looks, Grow-A-Note, 365 Days of Eco-Fashion +...
Fashion & Beauty
We're not sure if the groundhog saw its shadow, but we definitely feel spring is in the air. We started packing up our wool blends and replacing them with a lighter look in this week's "Dress Me" outfit. Also new this spring, Stella McCartney for LeSportsac with a full collection made from 100% recycled polyester! Other cool finds: 
Starlightz: Earth Friendly Lighting for the Star in Everyone
Design & Architecture
Combining a variety of shapes, colors, patterns, and materials, "Starlightz" by Earth Friendly are a fun, versatile way to bring some star light into your home. Silk-screened by hand on chlorine-free, wood-free paper -- they use cotton fibers -- and packed flat into an envelope for shipping (which we love), each pendant and lamp is unique, thanks to the hand-made construction. There's a huge variety of prints and colors here, so whether you're in to modern prints or ethnic patterns, black or white, monochrome or multi-colored, there's a combination that'll (star) light up your life; just... 
California Proposes No Fishing Zones
food
This is a transformational idea: one that hopefully will "catch on" all over the world. Maybe even around the "Third Coast" ( Great Lakes). California is proposing a series of new "marine protected areas" where fish are given enough refuge to reproduce and develop stable populations - populations with a normal age/class distribution. At meetings in Pacifica today and Thursday, state officials get a first look at plans for "marine protected areas" along 360 miles of the Pacific Coast between Santa Cruz and Mendocino. It is the second phase of a multi-year effort to eventually cover the entire coast with zones where fishing is banned or re...
HP makes MCS liquid-cooling rack twice a nice
Ted Samson - HP
Toyota iQ: Less is More for Small Urban Car
Cars & Transportation
The Toyota iQ was still a concept car at the Frankfurt Motor Show last September, but things are moving fast and the production model is scheduled to debut at the Geneva Auto Show next month. All the details are not yet known, but what we can reliably expect to get is a tiny city car (less than 3 meters in length, or about 20% longer than a Smart) with an innovative 3+1 seating layout (1 adult and 1 child seat or luggage in the back). The engine will likely be 1.0 liter gasoline, possibly with stop-start capabilities like the Citroën C2. Read on for Toyota's press release and a photo of the iQ conce... 
GM's Chevy Volt Price Goes Up, Stereo, Wipers to Blame
Cars & Transportation
The GM Volt plug-in hybrid was supposed to hit showrooms in 2010 for $30,000. Well, apparently it's not that easy to redesign wipers, stereos and other electrical accessories so they drain as little juice as possible from the battery. GM has announced that the first generation Volt will be "closer to $35,000". The good news is that the late 2010 deadline hasn't been officially pushed back, though GM says that if it can't make it, the car might be delayed until the Spring of 2011.... 
Las Vegas Strip Could Run Dry by 2021
Business & Politics
Image courtesy of http2007 via flickr While the odds of winning it big in Las Vegas may still be (excruciatingly) low, the odds that the bustling Strip will run dry in 13 years are getting better by the day. A new study by researchers at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography estimates there is a 50% chance the Strip will run out of water by 2021 if no significant cutbacks are made - and a 10% chance it could run out as soon as 2014.... 
Stairs as Storage: The Upgrade
Design & Architecture
Last year just about every design website and magazine showed a set of stairs with storage built into each riser; over at Planet Green we even give instructions on how to build it. Holger Kehne and Eva Castro of London's Plasma Studio have done a very elegant version of the storage stair in their Esker Haus, a renovation and addition in San Candido, Italy. It has an exterior stair that is a killer, too.... 
Just cruisin'
Transportation
It's one of the great aspirational vacations: visiting the major cities of the world while living in luxury aboard a cruise liner. These days, with satellite TV you don't even have to miss the big game. It's just a shame about the environmental issues.
Cruise lines are working hard to improve their image. Advanced water purification systems and engines that burn biodiesel are making a dent in their environmental impact, which can be considerable. According to data recently released by cruise line owner Carnival, the carbon footprint of a trip works out to over 400 lbs of carbon per passenger per day.That's equivalent to burning about 20 gallons of gasoline for every day of your journey. On a per mile basis, this is over three times higher than the carbon footprint of long-distance plane travel.
Somehow I'd assumed that the slower seafaring trip would be more environmentally efficient than the high speed airborne equivalent. But the numbers tell a different story. A popular cruise route is from London, England to Lisbon, Portugal. The chart shows a comparison of the emissions from one traveler using different methods of transportation:
Of course, the comparison isn't completely fair. Cruise ships are more than just transportation. They're also entertainment, lodging, dining, and all the other elements of a vacation. If passengers weren't enjoying these amenities on a ship, they'd be enjoying them on land instead, and still using energy to do so.
Nevertheless, cruises are undeniably carbon intensive. All the more so if you have to fly to meet your boat. We don't begrudge anybody a fun vacation. But understanding your impact is important, and figuring out ways to reduce your footprint is vital.
More efficient engines and alternative fuels are great steps forward for these ships. I'm sure there are also opportunities for solar energy and more recycling -- your suggestions are welcome!
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