Latest Items from TreeHugger

Woman Reunites With the Bike She Lost 40 Years Ago (Video)

Stephen Messenger — Thu, 24 May 2012 23:58:43 -0400

"It was like finding a long lost friend."

Climate Change is Frying Our Cities

Brian Merchant — Thu, 24 May 2012 17:11:00 -0400

Rising temperatures will increase the deaths

1/3 of U.S. Homes Now Have Smart Meters

Megan Treacy — Thu, 24 May 2012 17:02:54 -0400

A new report highlights the quick roll-out of smart meters by utilities, stating that half of homes will have them by 2015.

From A to Zierfische; Obsolete Signs are Being Saved from the Dump at the Buchstabenmuseum in Berlin (Photos)

Petz Scholtus — Thu, 24 May 2012 16:55:11 -0400

The Buchstabenmuseum is an NGO dedicated to preserving, restoring and exhibiting old signs from Berlin and around the world. Its owners save obsolete letters from the dump and instead tell their stories. It is a museum like no other!

Obama Goes to Bat for Clean Energy

Brian Merchant — Thu, 24 May 2012 16:41:00 -0400

The president talks up clean energy on the campaign trail.

Why Are We Putting 21st Century Light Bulbs in 19th Century Sockets?

Lloyd Alter — Thu, 24 May 2012 13:14:00 -0400

Christopher Mims looks at the issue of "Path Dependence and the Stupidity of LED Light Bulbs"

Solar Backpacks to Charge Marines in the Field

Derek Markham — Thu, 24 May 2012 12:35:00 -0400

Marines deployed at forward operating bases may soon get their power in the field through solar backpacks, cutting their fuel use up to 50%.

BBC Launches Facebook App "Meet Your Planet"

Jaymi Heimbuch — Thu, 24 May 2012 12:32:00 -0400

A new app from BBC allows you to explore content from their great nature documentaries.

Natural Gas Industry Worried Green Building Regs Will Damage Its Reputation

Mat McDermott — Thu, 24 May 2012 12:10:00 -0400

The American Gas Association has been aggressively lobbying against efforts to zero-out fossil fuel use in federal buildings. It's painfully typical corporate behavior.

Emergency Solar Cooker Design Unfolds In Seconds

Jaymi Heimbuch — Thu, 24 May 2012 11:40:00 -0400

In an emergency or disaster relief setting, you want something that is as basic to use as possible. This design is perfect for that.

Living Room Set Is Made from Repurposed Industrial Materials

Alex Davies — Thu, 24 May 2012 11:20:50 -0400

A small design show featured chairs, a table and more made from old industrial materials.

Sweeping Up After New York Design Week

Lloyd Alter — Thu, 24 May 2012 11:20:00 -0400

It takes a while to absorb everything from New York Design Week; Here are a few more highlights

Global Greenhouse Gas Emissions Rose 3.6%, Hit New High in 2011

Mat McDermott — Thu, 24 May 2012 10:32:00 -0400

Large increases in China offset decreases in the US and Europe, new data from the IEA shows.

"Inexact" Computer Chip is 15X More Efficient By Making a Few Mistakes

Megan Treacy — Thu, 24 May 2012 10:08:29 -0400

Researchers have designed a microchip that is faster, smaller and far more energy efficient by allowing it to make occasional errors.

Pinball Wizardry Earns Kiddies Kinetic Knowledge

EarthTechling.com Staff — Thu, 24 May 2012 08:00:00 -0400

A design for a kid's game has won a James Dyson Award, and for good reason. It teaches kids about kinetic energy all through a pinball-style game.

How Permaculture Could Transform Campuses Across the Globe

Sami Grover — Thu, 24 May 2012 06:58:44 -0400

An international conference looks at how permaculture could be applied to transform university and school campuses into food producing, nature-friendly sustainable spaces.

How to Tattoo a Banana: A Non-Toxic, Waste-Free Art Project

Melissa Breyer — Thu, 24 May 2012 05:00:00 -0400

For those who can't stop playing with their food, here's how to turn a banana into a green, fleeting work of art.

5 Must-Read Books for Small Space Organizing

Blythe Copeland — Thu, 24 May 2012 04:00:15 -0400

Make the most of your home with these guides, offering clever space-saving tips.

Los Angeles Becomes Largest U.S. City to Ban Plastic Bags

Stephen Messenger — Wed, 23 May 2012 23:58:24 -0400

Under the measure, passed by a 13 to 1 vote, stores throughout L.A. will be required to phase out the bags by the end of the year, significantly reducing the amount of landfill fodder and environmental pollutants.

There Will be Another Nuclear Meltdown Every 10 Years, Report Says

Brian Merchant — Wed, 23 May 2012 16:50:00 -0400

There's going to be a major nuclear reactor meltdown every 10-20 years, a new report argues. But that doesn't necessarily mean we need despair.

Louisville, Detroit, Cleveland May See Nearly 20,000 More Heat-Related Deaths Each Year by 2100

Mat McDermott — Wed, 23 May 2012 15:17:00 -0400

NRDC has just released a new report showing how many more heat-related deaths may happen in the US each year if we don't rein in our climate pollution.

Man-made Pollution Shifting Tropics and Sub-Tropics Poleward

Mat McDermott — Wed, 23 May 2012 14:20:00 -0400

"If a poleward displacement of the mid-latitude storm tracks also occurs, this will shift mid-latitude precipitation poleward, impacting regional agriculture, economy, and society."

Next Generation Wastewater Treatment Uses Hydrodynamic Forces to Clean Water

Derek Markham — Wed, 23 May 2012 14:15:00 -0400

Instead of using a physical barrier, such as a filter, a new water treatment technology uses a combination of centrifugal and hydrodynamic forces to separate biomass and recover water in wastewater treatment.

WantedDesign Outshines ICFF in New York Design Week

Lloyd Alter — Wed, 23 May 2012 13:50:00 -0400

It wasn't exactly counterculture, but Wanted Design was just a bit edgier.

Pollution-Hunting Robot Fish Head to Sea for Test Swim

Jaymi Heimbuch — Wed, 23 May 2012 12:40:00 -0400

They've gone from the lab to the ocean, and these robotic fish are stretching their fins to see how they do in gathering information on pollution.

Caught Red-Snapper-Handed: New Identification Technique Could Stop Fish Poachers

Christine Lepisto — Wed, 23 May 2012 12:30:00 -0400

Scientists prove a new means for safeguarding world fish stocks and ensuring customers buying sustainable fish get what they want.

Tiger Poachers Can Now Be Shot on Sight in Indian State of Maharashtra

Mat McDermott — Wed, 23 May 2012 11:45:00 -0400

But it's really the 5 million rupees in payments to informers that are hoped to bring results in slowing tiger deaths.

Owl Smartlight Lets You Adjust Everything From Intensity to Color Temperature

Lloyd Alter — Wed, 23 May 2012 11:17:00 -0400

Fishtnk designs a lamp that you control with your smartphone or tablet.

Riding the Serra Verde Express: World's Only Train to Cross the Atlantic Forest

Paula Alvarado — Wed, 23 May 2012 11:00:00 -0400

It seemed like an impossible task in the 1860s, but a train still travels the 610 kilometers long railways everyday, allowing travelers to appreciate a vast reserve of native Atlantic Forest.

Architects at ICFF: Building furniture instead of Buildings

Lloyd Alter — Wed, 23 May 2012 10:47:00 -0400

In these tough times, more and more architects are turning to furniture design. Here are a few we saw at ICFF