(Images via: PhotoBucket, Ecollo, Guzer, PhotoBucket)

For some people, there’s always room to make their pets even cuter. Hence the fascination with pet costumes, an apparently popular way to add a little spice to the look of pet dogs, cats, guinea pigs, rabbits and even monkeys. At least with pets, as opposed to kids, there’s no worry about getting any static about the clothes you’re forcing them to wear. From the highly creative to the absurd, you may be a bit surprised by some of the pet costumes below. But hey, it’s all in good fun, right?

Being Man’s Best Friend Apparently Isn’t Enough

(Images via:ABC News, Costume Dogs, IC Mag)

Just as there are many breeds to choose from when seeking a man’s best friend for a pet, there are many costumes to take your dog from ordinary to extraordinary. You may already think your dog is a superstar, but now the proof is in the pudding. If dressing up your dog as Darth Vader or Superman isn’t to your liking, you can always dress it up as a wannabe baller (dogs can do more than stupid pet tricks). But how do you think this small pooch feels about his costume? Guess, it’s better than peeping out of a purse all day, a la Paris Hilton’s poor pup.

The Many Lives (and Looks) of the Domesticated Cat

(Images via: Freakin Weird, Flickr Guzer, Flickr)

Cats have been known for having nine lives, but apparently they have many alter egos as well. For some reason, some cat owners seem fascinated with making their cats something they’re not – that is a frog or a dinosaur. While some of these owners can’t be Harry Potter or Little Red Riding Hood, their cats can. While you may have never been able to play the guitar, that doesn’t mean your cat can’t. What do you think of this cool cat rocking the southpaw ax? And it doesn’t even seem that horrified.

Coming Soon to a Mall near You: Guinea Pig Gap

(Images via: Telegraph, Zimbio, Flickr, Image Shack)

Did you know that a Peruvian festival celebrates the guinea pig in several unique ways? Some guinea pigs are dressed up in elaborately crafted costumes while others are eaten as a delicacy at this festival. Kind of defeats the purpose, one would guess? Back in the United States, one guinea pig seems disappointed about being a bumble bee for Halloween, while another looks like it would make a wonderful maid. Here’s a couple of interesting questions: how much time does it take to make these guinea pig clothes and how do people get these costumes on these little buggers?

Silly Rabbits: Kicks are for Kids

(Images via: PhotoBucket, Flickr)

Not all rabbits are candy, fun and games like the Easter Bunny, Bugs Bunny and the crazy Trix rabbit. These two guys are trying to overcome these stereotypes from their famous predecessors by showing off another side: that is one of seriousness and all business. Oh wait. Looks like this fella on the right is literally a Playboy Bunny. Apparently you can’t teach an old bunny new tricks.

Monkey Business

(Images via:Monkey Monkey Fun Fun, API, Flickr)

And Rodney Dangerfield thought he got no respect? Poor monkeys and chimpanzees. Always the butt of the joke. Ah, who are we kidding? Even when this guy on the left tries to look seroius, it can’t be taken seriously. Cheer up bud. At least you’re not the as ridiculously dressed as the two next to you.

For many folks, summertime means the opportunity to attend any one of the hundreds of large music festivals held across the globe. But when 50,000 to 100,000 people gather for any purpose, there will undoubtedly be large carbon and resource-use footprints. Recognizing that, several large summer music festivals are pushing the envelope in terms of environmental and sustainability initiatives.

Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival – Tennessee, USA

(images via Brookage, Yardena 2009, Bonnaroo; Tim Hurst)

In just seven years, the Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival has emerged as the preeminent music festival in the United States. With festival attendance averaging somewhere around 70,000 people per year, festival organizers have had to come up with some unique ways of making a gathering of that size more sustainable. Ranging from massive recycling programs to traffic improvements and water infrastructure overhauls, Bonnaroo continues to push the envelope in large-scale festival organizing.

Fuji Rock Festival – Japan

(images via chalky lives; tallkev)

The Fuji Rock Festival aims to be “The cleanest festival in the world”. And with a billing like that, festival organizers have their work cut out for them. Held in the last weekend of July on the slopes of the Naeba Ski Resort, Fuji Rock hosts approximately 100,000 music fans. With recyling numbers unmatched anywhere on the festival circuit, and considering the size of the event, festival organizers have done a commendable job keeping the whole site virtually spotless. Organizers also claim Fuji Rock to be carbon neutral by investing in carbon offsets.

Telluride Bluegrass Festival – Colorado, USA

(images via Rob Lee)

Set in a high-altitude box canyon in southwestern Colorado, the Telluride Bluegrass Festival has emphasized a sustainability ethic since its inception 36 years ago. Held every year in mid to late June, the festival attracts dedicated “festivarians” of all ages. One of the cleaner festivals you will ever attend, Telluride also prohibits the use of cars in town over the course of the week (unless you are a resident or have obtained one of the few passes made available to visitors).

Glastonbury Festival – Glastonbury, UK

(images via Matt Cardy; wonker)

Every year the Glastonbury Festival employs a team of 1,200 volunteers – who work for four, six hour shifts for a festival ticket, sorting up to 2,000 tons of solid waste generated during the festival. The recycling of all the cans, plates, cups, plastics and food waste produced by 140,000 festival attendees begins at the outset of the festival, in the last weekend of June, but the complete clean-up of the festival site can take until August.

10,000 Lakes Festival – Minnesota, USA

(images via 10KLF)

Music. Nature. Euphoria. The 10,000 Lakes Festival (also known by its shorthand name, 10KLF) this year will begin on July 22 and run through July 25. The grounds at Soo Pass Ranch are used only 2 weeks out of every year, allowing the abundant Minnesota plant and wildlife to thrive there. Festival efforts to reduce solid waste last year resulted in 79 tons less waste in the local landfill, including capturing over 50 tons of recycling.

ROTHBURY Festival – Michigan, USA

(images via Jeff Kravitz; Tim Hurst; Michael Weintraub)

Bursting onto the scene in 2008, the ROTHBURY Festival in Michigan, held over the Fourth of July holiday quickly established itself as a major player in the U.S. festival circuit. But beyond building a star-studded lineup of entertainers, ROTHBURY organizers have also made sustainability a central theme of the event, organizing a Think Tank with key leaders and thinkers in the environmental movement. In its inaugural year, ROTHBURY’s aggressive solid waste efforts were impressive, but festival organizers hope to improve upon their 2008 showing with stepped-up recycling efforts and more volunteers to help that goal along.

Bestival – Isle of Whight, UK

(images via iJammin; I’mClaude)

Because of its island setting, Bestival faces a unique set of sustainability problems. Festival organizers have clearly stated environmental goals, including: to promote the use of public transport and car sharing; to source local produce and services as much as possible; to reduce energy usage while increasing the use of more alternative energy sources, and; to reduce waste and to utilize the island’s waste facilities as best they can. Bestival is held on the second weekend in September.

High Sierra Music Festival – California, USA

(images via High Sierra Music Festival; Blurt)

Another festival that competes for your Fourth of July business is the High Sierra Music Festival held annually in Quincy, California.  Greening programs at the festival include a “Green Ticket” which adds a carbon offset to the price of your ticket; aggressive recycling and solid waste collection efforts, and; a competition for the greenest campsite.

The Burning Man Project – Nevada, USA

(images via  Tristan Savatier; Savatier)

Though not exactly a music festival, this list would not be complete without a mention of the annual Burning Man Project in the desert of Southern California. No, the burning of the man itself is not a low-carbon activity. But, by and large, the festival’s environmental and self-reliance ethics are promoted throughout the festival community. The Burning Man event has always asked participants to Pack-it-In/Pack-it-out. “This is not a convenience society,” say festival organizers. “There is no daily garbage pick up, and there never, ever will be.”

Coachella – California, USA

(images via rieh; Coachella)

Although a relative newcomer on the festival circuit, Coachella Fest organizers have already received praise for their recycling, carpooling and other sustainability efforts. In particular, carpoolers have the opportunity to win lifetime festival tickets. For those folks who need to charge their cellphones, charging stations powered by bicycles have been a hit since their inception in 2007.

(images via r-z, netstate, organpipecactus)

Desert topography seems especially alien.  Rugged, seemingly lifeless, terrain and plants that share very few traits with their temperate or tropical cousins dominate most arid landscapes.  It is no surprise that some of the world’s most unusual and spectacular flowers, shrubs and trees are found in desert regions.

Joshua Tree and Beavertail Cactus

(images via mason bryant and kretyen)

The Joshua Tree is a member of the Yucca family found in the Southwestern US.  It is a fast growing desert tree and an iconic symbol of the deserts of the US.  There is concern that this particular species is especially at risk because of climate change.

Another icon of the Southwest is the Beavertail Cactus.  It consists of many flat pads with small, sharp barbs.  These plants are also known for their intensely purple flowers, which bloom in the spring.

Dragon’s Blood Tree

(image via growler)

This tree is native to the Canary Islands, Cape Verde and Morocco.  It is easily recognized because of its umbrella shape.  Some of Dragon’s Blood Trees on the Canaries are thought to be more than 600 years old.  The bark produces a deeply red resin when it is scratched, hence its unusual name.

Barrel Cactus and Chain Fruit Cholla

(images via flakeparadigm, DominusVobiscum and Dave Pape)

Barrel Cactus are stocky plants found in Mexico and the US.  Their sharp spikes make them unmistakable.  This cactus grows quickly but doesn’t produce flowers or fruit until it reaches full size.

Chain Fruit Cholla, found in the Sonoran Desert and the Chihuahua Desert, is a cactus that resembles a small hardwood tree.  This is because it grows in thin sections that hang down like branches.  The sharp, cactus-like spines are still evident.  Bright flowers hang from the end of the branches during the summer months.

Saguaro Cactus

(images via laszlo-photo and kevindooley)

Saguaro is arguably the most unusual looking growth in the cactus family.   This tree-sized plant has thick branches that grow upwards towards the sky.  Actually, the trademark branches take time to develop, only appearing after the tree reaches the ripe age of 70.

Opuntia, Agave, and Desert Hyacinth

(images via pizzodisevo, raelb and °Florian)

Opuntia is the name of a species of cactus that include the edible Prickly Pear.  These plants are eaten in Mexico, where they were first used as food by Native Americans.

Though they are most known for as the main ingredient in tequila, many parts of Northern Mexico’s agave plant are edible.  The sap, flowers, leaves and stalks find their way to the table.

The Desert Hyacinth is desert plant that boasts colorful flowers.  It is a parasite plant.  Because it is unable to produce its own chlorophyll, it must leach sustenance from the roots of other desert plants.

Date Palm

(image via CairoCarol)

This Middle Eastern icon is known for the sweet fruit it produces.  It first grew naturally near desert water sources, but has been heavily cultivated and is now found across North Africa and West Asia.  Several trees can grow from one root system.

Peyote Cactus

(image via Sandahl)

This round, spineless cactus is known in the US for its hallucinogenic properties.  However, it is protected and only allowed to be harvested for Native American religious ceremonies.

Yucca

(images via mauroguanandi, mason bryant and respres)

This species of cactus is known for its sharp, knife-shaped leaves.  The Joshua Tree (see above) is the most recognizable species, but there are more than 30 other plants in the family as well.  Many of these bear edible fruits.

Saxaul Tree and Camelthorn Tree

(images via Tiarescott and Jeppestown)

The Saxaul Tree is found in Central Asia.  In many parts of the Gobi Desert, it is the only type of tree found.   It retains water well and its bark can be pressed to obtain drinkable liquid.

The Camelthorn Tree is found in the Kalahari Desert.  It is seen throughout Namibia and is used for everything from shade to firewood.

Quiver Tree

(image via Sara&Joachim)

The Quiver Tree is native to South Africa and Namibia.  Its well shaped trunk and branches make it seem like a gigantic bonsai tree.  Historically, native hunters used the hollow branches as quivers for their arrows.

(images via claude74, itsnature, gravitydude99)

Mountains are some of the most inhospitable places on earth.  Thin air, lack of vegetation and harsh weather highlight that fact.  But some creatures have adapted to mountain life.  For them, negotiating rocky terrain, breathing thin air, and finding food in such a scarce environment is second nature.

Snow Leopard

(image via newagecrap)

Snow Leopards are at home in South and Central Asia.  They are an especially stocky cat, weighing up to 120 pounds.  Despite their ferocity (snow leopards have been known to kill animals three-times their size), they are endangered, with the worldwide population estimated around 10,000.

Indian Rhino and Yak

(images via Wonker and thomaswanhoff)

The Indian Rhinoceros is one of the most unusual mountain creatures.  They thrive in the foothills of the Himalaya Mountains in Northeastern India and Nepal.  They can weight more than 3 tons, easily the largest mountain animal on earth.

The yak is a woolly, strong creature that has made life possible to humans in the Himalayas and the Tibetan Plateau for centuries.  They have larger hearts and lungs than their other bovine cousins and can survive at up to 18,000 feet above sea-level.

Mountain Goat

(image via mikefats)

There are actually several species that are often tagged as Mountain Goats.  The shaggy, sure-footed Rocky Mountain Goat is frequently sighted in Colorado and Wyoming.  Other species are equally sure-footed and able to survive by eating whatever the mountains have to offer.

Himalayan Griffon, Andean Condor, and Tibetan Snowcock

(images via reurinkjan, Ester Inbar and Otto Plantema)

The Himalayan Griffon Vulture is a scavenger that can often be seen soaring over the mountains of South Asia.  With a wingspan that approaches 10 feet, this is one of the largest birds to be found at high altitudes.

The Andean Condor is the Griffon’s Western Hemisphere cousin.  It has a similar size.  This South American species can live up to 50 years.

The Tibetan Snowcock is not as large as the two scavengers above, but it is arguably as tough, carving out an existence high on the Tibetan Plateau.

Alpine Marmot

(images via leo-seta)

Alpine Marmots are the largest relative of the squirrel.   They have an ideal set of skills for life in Central Europe’s mountains.  They are able to dig through hard, rocky ground with ease and can escape harsh conditions by hibernating (sometimes up to nine months per year).

Vicuna and Llama

(images via Rico Hubner and eschipul)

The rare Vicuna is a cousin of South America’s most famous domesticated animal, the llama.  It thrives in the same high-altitude conditions, but is considerably harder to find.  At one point, there were only about 10,000 left in the wild.  Protection has brought the number back to more than 100,000.

The Llama has become of necessity of life for people living in the high Andes.  These relatives of the camel have are used for labor, for their thick wool, and even for food.

Alpine Ibex

(image via Earth explorer)

This species of goat is easily recognized by its long, curving horns (which can be more than three feet long).  Despite the menacing appearance this gives them, the horns are mainly used for protection against predators.  Like most other goats, the ibex is strictly a herbivore, surviving on sometimes scarce mountain foliage.

Water-holding Cabbage

(image via Esculapio)

This unique plant species is one of the many unique ones that grow high on Mount Kilimanjaro.  The flowering tops make it seem top-heavy and completely alien.

Bharal and Deer Mice

(images via reurinkjan and kwantlen park)

The Bharal is yet another goat-like animal that thrives in sparse, rocky terrain.  Its sure footing and ability to ingest anything that is vaguely edible make it an ideal mountain dweller.  Bharal are a major food source for another animal on this list, Snow Leopards.

Deer Mice are found high on many of the world’s mountains.  These creatures can adapt easily to a number of environments, including the extreme cold of the Andes Mountains.

(images via: Pandiyan, PhotoProfiler, Living in the Whine Country)

It has been little more than a year since a 122 pound cougar – originally thought to be a released pet, but actually a wild animal that had migrated from South Dakota – made its way into Chicago’s trendy Roscoe Village and news headlines across the country. While the idea of someone having a cougar as a pet in a heavily-populated, urban area may seem crazy to most, it actually is not as unusual as you may think. From cougars and other large cats to crocodiles and alligators to hippopotamuses and rhinos, it’s surprising to see what exotic animals some people own as pets and just how these creatures co-habitate with their owners and more traditional pets.

From Swamps to Pet Shops: Gators and Crocs

(images via:Purgatorio, InsideSoCal)

Imagine the surprise that shoppers at a Michigan PetSmart experienced a couple of years ago when two men led their nearly 5 foot, 50 pound pet alligator into the store on a spiked leash. After freaked-out customers called the police, the men had to turn the the gator over and put it in the back of a squad car. It is legal to own an alligator in Michigan as long as you have an exotic pet license, but these men didn’t and were arrested for possession of the wild animal. While pet alligators and crocodiles may seem more suitable as pets on  gator farms, they’ve appeared in other weird places. Just this week, a 3 foot pet alligator was found inside a 22-year-old college student’s bag on a train traveling from Sweden to Norway.

Feisty Felines: Lions and Tigers, Oh My!

(Images via For the Love of Blush, Panoramio, Exotic Catz)

While large cats like lions and tigers would seem best reserved for their native habitats, they are cherished household pets to some die-hard pet enthusiasts. Christian the Lion was raised as a cub to a year of age by two men before being released into the wild. Later, the men were reunited with the lion in Africa. Christian quickly recognized them and expressed his fondness by essentially hugging them and introducing them to his wife. One avid lover of large cats has everything in between white tigers to lion cubs on her sprawling property in California. Other wild, strong and yet large felines that people keep as pets include pumas, cheetahs, lynx, spotted leopards and the next selection on our list.

Cougar Town: Not the 40-somethings on Network TV

(Images via: AltPet, Exotic Catz, Exotic Catz)

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has been recently exploring the possibility of banning cougars as exotic pets. After the Chicago cougar fiasco, people would have to be crazy to have a full-grown cougar as a pet, right? Actually, some people keep cougars in their house (who needs a watch dog anymore?), and apparently, some cougars are just as big of babies as teeny, tiny, domesticated cats. This full-grown pet cougar apparently likes to play in his owner’s lap and apparently chill out to the soothing tunes of 1990s alternative music. A perusal of other pet cougars on the Internet shows some of these large cats coexisting and sleeping with household dogs. Talk about wild stuff!

Hi, Nice to Meet You Mr. Hyena

(Images via: Jaunted)

Another animal that may be banned as a pet in Florida is the hyena. Earlier this week, a South Carolina trial involving a man who allegedly had a pet hyena on his property was put on hold. According to news reports, the man has argued that he did nothing wrong based on his interpretation of state law, in which he says it is illegal to own a hyena with the intention to sell or display the animal. Based on what the man is saying, the hyena was living in a cage in his yard where it was not visible to the public, thus leaving him innocent of any alleged wrongdoing. We’ll let the court decide.

Hungry, Hungry Hippos and Rhinestone Rhinos

(Images via: NeatoRama, Tree Hugger)

Perhaps you have seen the cable television show detailing the friendship of a South African man and a hippo named Jessica, which has been raised by the man since it was a baby and now, more than five years later, weighs 1 ton. Back in the sixties, a rhinocerous named Rupert decided to shack up with a family in Rhodesia. Rupert took a liking to the family’s couch before becoming way too big for the house and returning to the wild.

Animal Farm: Don’t Forget These Jaw Droppers

(Images via: Flat Rock, Nancy Around the World,)

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission maintains an amazingly-cool animal database in which you can hunt down the names of people in the state with exotic, wild animals. A quick search of the database reveals that people actually own apes, bears, buffalo, new world monkeys and many other jaw-dropping animals. Seems like the days of the lovable dog, curious cat and content goldfish as satisfying family pets have gone to the wayside.

While some crop circles can be explained, others remain a mystery. The crop circles that cannot be proven to be man-made often exhibit peculiar characteristics that are difficult or impossible to duplicate.

The First Crop Circles: Work of the Devil

(images via: the telegraph, ufocasebook, wikipedia)

The earliest recorded account of a crop circle was in the 17th century. A woodcut image portrays a devil cutting circles in a field with a scythe. The accompanying pamphlet explained that the farmer was furious with the price the mower was charging for his work and said he would rather have “the devil himself” do the mowing. As the story goes, that night the crop lit up as if it were on fire.  In the morning there was a crop circle, courtesy of Satan.

Crop Circles Blamed on UFOs

(images via: exhibitionoftheuniverse, usgs, thinkquest)

As time went on, people started seeing lights in the sky that they could not explain. Finally Satan was cleared of the crop circle mischief and the blame was placed squarely on aliens and their spaceships. To this day, crop circles are often associated with UFO sightings. In 1966, in Tully, Queensland, Australia, a farmer said he saw a flying saucer rise 30 to 40 feet up from a swamp. When the craft was gone, the spot where it had landed had reeds woven clockwise on top of the water.

The video above purports to be raw footage of UFOs creating crop circles. The camera is shaky right up until the action begins and it lines up perfectly to film a focused clips of flying saucers zapping fields. Judge the authenticity for yourself. UFO hoaxes are incredibly common.

Many of those who believe flying saucers created crop circles also believe that the patterns in the fields are actually messages from an intelligent life form – perhaps a warning about the environment and the fate of the planet we call home.

The Phenomenon Spreads

(images via: current, retrovision)

In the 1970s many crop circles popped up across the English countryside. By the 1980s the phenomenon became more widely publicized and crop circles appeared around the world.

Early crop circles were generally simple circular patterns. However, as time passed the designs became more intricate and symetrical and some even have 3-D effects from a bird’s eye view.

Man-Made and Crop Circle Hoaxes

(images via: uberview, thecontaminated, shawnrandall)

In 1991 two men announced they were responsible for crop circles and that the idea had been a prank they thought up in a pub back in 1976. Doug Bower and Dave Chorley demonstrated how they used only four-foot planks, rope, hats and wire to create flattened crop circles.

John Lundberg founded Circlemakers.org in 1995 and his group has proven that “authentic” crop circles can, in fact, be faked. Matt Ridley, another crop circle maker, has written about simple techniques used to create crop circles that fool even the “experts.” Instructions on how to create crop circles are widely available online and crop circle competitions are regularly held in the UK.

Advertisers have also gotten in on the crop circle action. Now crops that are regularly seen from the air are valuable ad space and custom-color crop designs cover the fields.

Too Complex to Be Man-Made?

(images via: ufo-reports, exhibitionoftheuniverse, kentheberling, spiritualcentre, xari, )

Despite plenty of evidence and confessions of crop circle makers, some people still believe they are an unexplained phenomenon. The argument is often made that the designs are too complex and perfectly executed to be man-made.

Crop Circle Research

(images via: bltresearch)

The Discovery Channel commissioned five aeronautics and astronautics students from MIT in 2002 and asked them to create crop circles. Crop circle researcher Nancy Talbott consulted with the Discovery team and advised that there are three common identifiers that set “real” crop circles apart from man-made or faked ones.

According to Talbott, unexplained crop circles feature elongated apical plant stem nodes, expulsion cavities in the plant stems and the presence of 10–50 micrometre diameter magnetized iron spheres in the soils, distributed linearly. The team failed to create a crop circle that met these three requirements.

Recent Crop Circles

(images via: ufo-reports)

In 2009, there have been many new crop circles reported across Europe. One of the most notable was a 600ft jellyfish that stretched across a barley field in Oxfordshire. It was one of the largest and most unusual crop circle designs seen to date. Is this a message from another galaxy, a warning to protect our planet – or simply a reminder from other residents of earth? You decide.

(images via charliejb, eldiablosledge, and tambako the jaguar)

Animals have been domesticated and put to work for centuries.  Some, like certain species of dog, have been bred with a specific task in mind.  However, there are other species that retain some or all of their wildness while still performing tasks that benefit humans.  These creatures – pest killers, food producers and cleaners – are simply being themselves.  The benefit that people reap is no more than a happy side effect of these natural habits.

Barn Owls: Deadly Rodent Hunters

(images via Stevie-B, Seabamirum, and Richard.Fisher)

Some farms in Europe and North America have installed nesting areas in their barns for these nocturnal predators.  That is because they are prolific hunters of rodents.  It is a mutually beneficial relationship, the birds eat their fill and live in safety while the farm’s pest population is kept under control.

Spiders: Snagging Pests

(image via Benimoto)

Though they are often tagged as the most ugly and menacing creatures in the bug world, spiders actually catch and eat more harmful insects.  Mosquitoes, termites and bees find their way into webs more often than they end up on the business end of a fly-swatter.

Bats, Cormorants, and Dragonflies

(images via mikebaird, Jessicajil, and _PaulS_)

Bats and dragon flies are two more animals whose diets consist of mosquitoes.  Certain species of bats can consume hundreds of the disease-carrying insects per night.  Though dragonflies are not as prolific, they can help control a mosquito population, especially during summer months.

In the past, cormorants have been used by fisherman to catch fish on China’s Lijiang River.  Though the practice is less popular now, some birds can still be seen catching fish with great skill.

Striped Hyena: Canine Garbage Disposal

(image via Just chaos)

Unlike its more predatory kin, the spotted hyena, this subspecies does not often kill its own meat.  Rather, it feasts on the decaying flesh of animals that have already been killed or died naturally.  This helps prevent the spread of disease and disease carrying insects.

Coconut-Picking Monkeys

(image via apes_abroad)

Monkeys in Thailand and Malaysia are used to help farmers collect coconuts.  The domesticated macaques are at home in the trees and can pick 10 times more coconuts than a human laborer – sometimes more than 1,000 per day.

King Snake: Farmer’s Slithering Helper

(images via tkksummers and Just chaos)

The King Snake is a constrictor, but its colorfully patterned body sometimes leads people to mistake it for a poisonous species.  Because it is immune to many types of venom, this serpent is a natural predator of poisonous snakes.  It also consumes rodents and other pests that sometimes harm farmers’ crops.  In addition, King Snakes are quite sociable and make good pets when domesticated.

Civet Cat and Earthworm:

(images via denn, benketaro, and pfly)

Sometimes, animals can be helpful by simply digesting.  Earthworms are a welcome species in many organic gardens because the help aerate the soil and their waste is beneficial as a fertilizer.

Luwak coffee is considered a delicacy.   The beans for this coffee are fermented in the digestive system of the civet cat.  The beans are collected from the cat’s waste and sold for high prices.

Falcons and Passenger Pigeon

(images via Stevie-B and Ryan Somma)

Falconry is a traditional method of hunting that is not often used today, except as a sport.  These naturally swift, sharp-eyed predators have been trained to take their kill back to their owner.

Another traditionally used bird is the passenger pigeon.  Before the advent of more advanced communication devices, pigeons were used to send messages over long distances.  Like falconry, this is mainly a hobby today.

Bacteria that Eat Garbage

(image via Next Nature)

Certain species of microscopic bacteria have been used in garbage dumps, compost sites and sewage treatment plants because of their ability to consume these types of waste and change them from harmful to harmless (or at least less harmful).  Scientists are even studying ways that the bacteria’s waste can be used for energy.

Elephants: Muscle and Meat

(images via TheLizardQueen, belgianchocolate, and exfordy)

Elephants have been trained to do heavy lifting in Southeast and South Asia, as well as in some places in Africa.  These creatures are the largest domesticated animal on earth.  Unfortunately their wild kin are often being hunted in poorer parts of Africa, not for their ivory, but for their meat.

Algae: Oil Producer of the Future

(image via ArthurJohnPicton)

Algae cells have been found to produce extremely high amounts of oil.  These tiny organisms may hold the key to a renewable energy revolution.  Scientists and energy companies are studying this type of energy as a viable alternative to gas and diesel.

(images via coda, solutionassoc, and waine)

Physical power, sharp teeth, and speed are characteristics of some of the most fearsome creatures in the animal kingdom.  However, there are other animals who survive because they are physically tough and able to adapt to difficult situations with ease.  There are many unlikely animals that are able to endure or adapt to harsh environments.  Here are some of the greatest of these survivor species. 

Camels: Ultimate Desert Dwellers

(images via angeloux, faceymcface1, and xikita)

Camels are an obvious addition to this list.  The two-humped Bactrian Camel thrives mostly in Asia, while the one-humped Arabian Camel (a.k.a. dromedary) is found in Western Asia and Northern Africa.  Not only can these creatures go without water, they are not affected by wild change in body temperature and can sweat 25% of their water content without becoming dehydrated.

Tardigrades: Microscopic Survivors

(image via Goldstein lab – tardigrades)

These eight-legged microscopic animals can live virtually anywhere, though they are most often found on moss and lichen.  Sometimes called Water Bears, they can survive in boiling water and freezing arctic conditions.  They are also able to withstand 1,000 times more radiation that humans.

Cockroaches, Mosquitoes, and Earthworms

(images via jpockele, tanakawho and pfly)

Cockroaches are difficult to kill with bug sprays, poisons, and even high doses of radiation.  Legend has it that this prehistoric creature will be one of the only survivors in a nuclear apocalypse.

Mosquitoes lack the hard shell and menacing appearance of the roach, but they are prolific breeders and, with their penchant for carrying diseases, are probably the most universally feared creatures on earth.

Earthworms have the rare ability to regenerate.  It is theoretically possible to pull a worm in half and, eventually, have each segment completely regenerate.  Worms are also prolific breeders, which each animal having both male and female sex organs.

Cassowary: Deceptively Deadly Birds

(images via Joshua Davis and takomabibelot)

Though it is smaller than an ostrich or emu, this flightless bird, found in New Guinea and Australia, is more menacing.  Their sharp claws and swift kicks can cause puncture wounds that can be fatal for animals and humans.  These normally shy creatures have also been known to run after victims and attack even after the victim is no longer a threat to the bird.

Crows and Sparrows: Urban Survivors

(images via wolfpix and Tambako the Jaguar)

Everyone is familiar with the carrion crow.  This large bird thrives in the human realm, not allowing oncoming cars to interrupt its meal of roadkill until the last possible second.

Urban sparrows are also able to thrive in the vicinity of humans.  They have developed the ability to sniff out an easy meal at an outdoor cafe or in a parking lot and can survive harsh winters.

Siamese Fighting Fish, Lungfish, and Remoras

(images via richard ling, Paul Matthews in Korea and tanakawho)

Remoras thrive off of the seas’ most feared creatures, sharks.  These sucker fish attach on to sharks and other large creatures for transportation and also for protection.

Not only are Siamese Fighting Fish able to survive in small bowls and rip other tank-mates to shreds, these fish are able to survive in shallow puddles and ponds in the wild because of their ability to breath air because of an organ called a labyrinth.

Lungfish are so named because of their un-fish-like organ.  These fish, found mostly in Africa, use their lungs when they burrow into mud and survive during the dry season without water.

Coyotes: Able City Dwellers

(image via ru_24_real)

Unlike their larger cousins, wolves, these canines have shown the ability to survive on the fringes of cities.  They have been sighted frequently in suburban areas and even in urban neighborhoods.

Hyenas: Menacing Omnivores

(image via Arno & Louise)

These omnivorous animals are tough enough to steal a lion’s meal and even challenge a human.  The spotted subspecies is a skilled hunter, while other varieties eat whatever is available, usually already-dead animals.

Camel Spider: World-Class Sprinter

(images via Dolor Ipsum and Arno & Louise)

This spider is actually a close relative of the scorpion.  It thrives in arid regions and is impressively fast, able to raise its body and sprint at speeds of 16 km per hour, outrunning most predators easily.

Black Mamba: Fast, Big and Deadly

(images via Fen Oswin and Turkinator)

This deadly snake is common in Southern Africa.  It is one of the world’s fastest snakes, despite also being one of the world’s largest snakes, averaging 8 feet in lenght.  Add to the speed and size the mamba’s venom, which is strong enough to kill 50% of the humans that it bites.

Peter Cook and Becky Northey met in 1995, became partners and began shaping plum tree suckers into living art they call Pooktre. During their first year they started shaping the young trees into a coffee table and a mirror frame – and it has grown from there.

The Tree People

(images via: Pooktre)

The Pooktre tree people are an interesting and ongoing part of the Pooktre garden. The final use and location of many of the living tree people is undetermined, sometimes for years. Some will be harvested, while others will be permanent residents in the Pooktre garden. The Hello Man Pooktre ended up as the mascot for the Growing Village.

Mature Trees: After Years of Shaping…

(images via: Pooktre)

Over the years the trees are shaped and formed into tables, hat and coat racks, chairs, beds, mirror frames and anything else Peter and Becky decide. The parts of the trees that are pruned off during the shaping are often rooted and are grown into more living art. The furniture is often used in the garden, long before harvest.

Shaping Trees into Furniture

(images via: Pooktre)

The shaping process takes years. New trees are planted in the Spring and Peter and Becky harvest completed pieces in the Fall. After harvesting, the stumps usually sprout new growth, which can be again sculpted into living art or sustainable furniture.

Sustainable Furniture from Shaped Trees

(images via: Pooktre)

After trees are carefully sculpted for years into the desired shape, the mature pieces are harvested. Peter saws the trees at the base and begins the work of removing the bark to create naturally beautiful and unique art furniture. After a six-month to three-year period of drying, the Pooktre is sanded and smoothed and the finished work is oiled or stained and given new life as a treasured heirloom.

Before the Pooktres: Intricate Wood Carvings

(images via: Pooktre)

Peter is no stranger to working with wood. Before he and Becky began shaping trees he made amazingly intricate carvings from single pieces of wood. He still enjoys sculpting different types of wood and also works with sandstone. All of his unique artwork is always derived from nature.

Getting people to change their ways isn’t an easy thing to do, and while the green-living initiative has been gaining speed, it’s been at a painfully slow pace. It’s this reason that designers the world over have been working, mostly as unpaid side-projects, to bring the consumer populace reasons to go green. Breaking the hum-drum paradigms of the past is difficult work, but many new and potentially effective ideas are born each day now. These examples are of some of the newest, most adventurous, mostly practical green product designs floating around studios or stores today.

Green for Greenery

(images via Ji-Hye Park, Ashley Marsh Croft, Daniel Schipper)

Since even small efforts can pay off, the Flower Clock is a great spirit-lifting way to boost the green atmosphere of your home or office. No batteries are wasted, as it uses a solar charge. The Droplet lawnmower is an idea for getting more people to go electric on their lawn care; innovative design makes it appealing to the eye as well as the pocketbook. The Folding Greenhouse could vanquish any excuses that once stood against micro-gardening, since it’s lightweight, small, and infinitely reusable as it’s made of only plastic.

Clever Metering

(images via Adam Kereliuk, Katrine Knudsen)

There are all kinds of new methods in the works for getting people to actively monitor their utilities usage nowadays, and for good reason. Unfortunately, many of them are too complicated for most people to commit their time to learning. That’s where products like the Personal Water Meter come into play; installed in water fixtures such as sinks and showers, it gives an accurate reading for water usage in real time. The Flower Pod doubles as home decor while it reflects power consumption, the digital flower wilting with waste and vibrant with conservative efforts.

Row, Row, Row Your…Car?

(images via Da Feng)

Marketing to the ever-growing fitness demographic, the GYM concept car takes roadtripping to a new level by allowing the driver to charge its power-cells by working out. There is no tedium to this, as equipment is built into the cockpit-like cabin to emulate a rowing machine, stepping machine, curling weights, pull-up emulator, and a bench-press. The car itself uses carbon-fiber and green materials, and the battery is wall-chargeable.

Paper, Plastic or Stylish?

(images via Yanko Design)

While this very simple issue is often overlooked, it’s really quite serious. Countless millions of people go grocery shopping every day, and they all use bags. Nearly all of those bags, whether they be paper or plastic, wind up in the garbage, and despite best efforts only a small fraction of those make it to recycling centers or get otherwise reused. The Flip & Tumble Loopt bag aims to help alleviate that issue. It’s a washable, reusable, heavy-duty plastic bag that’s been made to last, and stylishly at that. Many grocery stores in urban areas are beginning to offer discounts for shoppers who bring their own bags, efforts like that would go well hand-in-hand with a product like this.

Soylent Feeders

(images via Nadine Jarvis)

Sometimes a good shock is in order, at least that’s what designer Nadine Jarvis thinks when she goes to build a greener bird-feeder. The concept is shocking at first glance, but after it sinks in, it’s really quite beautiful that these feeders are made from people. Bird seed is mixed with human ashes into the dew-drop form surrounding a wooden perch that will remain once the seed is all eaten. That perch would have an inscription memorializing the person whose ashes helped feed the local birds. Strange, yes. Strangely poetic, also yes. It’s definitely zero waste.