Latest Articles

Why China's winning the cleantech contest

One Block Off the Grid, a company that organizes collective purchasing for green home improvements, put together a very loooong infographic about, in their words, "Why China is Kicking Our Ass in Clean Tech." Fast Company very helpfully chopped that infographic up into digestible pieces. But here is the only picture you really need to understand:


 

Manchester turns a disused building into a vertical farm

We know that some people don't think much of the idea of urban farming, in part because it takes up space that could otherwise be used to house people more densely. But what if an urban farm was a) vertical and b) using an otherwise abandoned space?

That's the plan for Alpha Farm, to be built in the Wythenshawe area of Manchester, England

How do you design a bike that will make people give up cars?

Oregon Manifest is a challenge, sponsored in part by Levi's, to bike designers and constructors to build "The Ultimate Modern Utility Bike." The bike must have features like built-in anti-theft devices, fenders, lighting, load-carrying capability, and kickstand. Bikes entered into the contest will be tested on a 50 mile course that covers city and dirt roads, asphalt, gravel, hills, and stairs. The winner receives a $3,000 prize.

Billionaire carves his name on island

Hamad bin Hamdan al Ahyan is a real-life Chairface Chippendale. He owns a private island near Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates, but what fun is that if everyone doesn't know it's yours? So he wrote his name on it, in letters a third of a mile long that are visible from space.

Critical List: DeChristopher gets two years; cities are screwed by climate change

A Utah judge sentenced climate activist Tim DeChristopher to two years in prison. A few people were a bit pissed off by this, and 26 protesters were arrested.

A new NRDC report concludes that cities are going to be screwed by climate change.

The Department of Energy is funding a $85 million project to study carbon sequestration in an underground rock formation called Kevin's Dome. Injecting CO2 into the porous rock could be a way to store it harmlessly.

Va-va-vintage: An a-Dior-able find

Somebody call the Antiques Roadshow! I found a vintage designer piece in my mom's closet. Blouse goddess, indeed.

Don't dam Atlantic fisheries to extinction

Removing abandoned river dams across the Northeast will revive Atlantic fisheries, boost East Coast economies, and help bring the ocean back to life.

More links and thoughts on the medium chill

David Roberts has gotten all kinds of great feedback on his "medium chill" post. Here's a round up of links and stray thoughts.

Ice crisis: How disappearing glaciers devastate communities [VIDEO]

Upcoming documentary Glacial Balance shows the human consequences of glaciers receding faster than we'd like to think about.

Tim DeChristopher sentenced to 2 years in prison, taken immediately into custody

(Cross-posted from peacefuluprising.org) Tim DeChristopher was sentenced to 2 years in prison today at the Salt Lake City federal courthouse. He was taken immediately into custody, being denied the typical 3 weeks afforded to put his affairs in order and say goodbye to his friends and family. Federal prosecutors asked for Tim to receive an […]