Climate Culture

Alex Steffen on carbon-free cities [VIDEO]

I hope that everyone will watch this short, excellent presentation on the promise of sustainable cities from Alex Steffen, proprietor of the late, lamented Worldchanging and all-around smart dude.

Seeing cities as the environmental solution, not the problem

The best way to save wilderness is through strong, compact, beautiful communities that are more urban and do not encroach on places of natural value.

Trade your house for a pet dinosaur

T-rex courtesy of Ryan North

Here's what the new post-crash barter economy looks like: People are trading housing for dinosaur services.

From Vancouver Craigslist:

Do you own more than one property? Do you have so many rental homes with no mortgage payments, yet you still feel unfulfilled? Tired of your illegal tenants whining that there are rats in the walls? Have you always wanted your own dinosaur? Now is your chance my friend.

Is your cheese killing the planet?

Cheese can take a heavy toll on the climate, according to a report from the Environmental Working Group. Get hints for eco-friendly cheese consumption.

Critical List: Wind turbines get bigger and better; tree-killing fungi are thriving

Wind turbines are becoming bigger, more efficient, and more powerful.

Drilling in the Arctic is not such a hot idea, as any spill will be tricky to clean up.

The Southeast is the only region in the country that hasn’t put renewable energy mandates in place.

Holy sheet! Ask Umbra on printers

Inkjet? Laser? What’s an eco-conscious person to use when hard copy is a necessity? Ask Umbra spells it out for you.

Environmentalists need to care about abortion [VIDEO]

You can't have a sustainable society if women are having children they don't want. This video from the Guttmacher Institute looks at who's having abortions in America.

Barbie Dream House has solar panels, low-flow toilets, four stories, giraffe

The American Institute of Architects has picked a winning design in its Barbie Dream House contest, and it's green as well as pink. The four-story edifice, presumably built with input from Architect Barbie, features solar panels, low-flow toilets, EnergyStar appliances, a greenhouse, eco-friendly bamboo flooring, and "decidedly NO parking garages and driveways." It also has a meditation space, a home gym, and a 1,500 square foot entertainment area. It's hard to reconcile green design with a client so into overconsuming that she's actually a plastic toy.

When collaborative consumption goes bad

Sharing networks are all the rage, but sometimes things go awry, as in the recent case of a woman who rented out her apartment via Airbnb and returned to find it trashed.

Green party: Driving dunces

I figured out a way to handle the guests who insisted on driving to my green party. Let's just say they'll take public transportation next time.