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| Headline |
Author |
Published |
Section |
On Your Mark, Get Set ...
Preparing for Olympics, Beijing takes government cars off roads |
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23 Jun 2008 |
News |
| Posted at 2:14 PM on 23 Jun 2008 In preparation for hosting the Olympics and Paralympics from Aug. 8 to Sept. 17, Beijing has officially kicked off its plan to clear the air by keeping cars parked. Starting Monday, half of Beijing's 22,800 government vehicles will stay off the roads until July 19. From July 20 to Sept. 20, 70 percent of government vehicles will be idled, and non-governmental vehicle owners ... |
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| Topics: air pollution, cars, China, green living, news, Olympics, sports (all these topics) |
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Making cities less dumb
Select Committee examines the benefits of smarter urban planning |
Kate Sheppard |
20 Jun 2008 |
Gristmill |
| The House Select Committee for Energy Independence and Global Warming held a hearing on Thursday about the opportunities for better urban planning to reduce energy use and greenhouse-gas emissions. 'Planning Communities for a Changing Climate' brought together a panel of experts on 'smart growth,' clean air policy, and transit. Witnesses included Dr. Sultan Al Jaber, who works in smart growth in Abu Dhabi; Steve Hewitt, administrator of Greensburg, Kan., the town ... |
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| Topics: green living, Muckraker, news, placemaking, politics, urban planning (all these topics) |
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Any Way You Slice It
Corn utensils not helpful without widespread public composting |
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18 Jun 2008 |
News |
| Posted at 1:47 PM on 18 Jun 2008 As an alternative to non-recyclable plastic and Styrofoam, some restaurants have begun offering corn-starch-based utensils and takeout containers. But does cornware really provide a guilt-free way to eat your vegesustainorganaturalocal meal? Though touted as compostable, corn-based utensils can't just be thrown into your garden; they don't biodegrade unless professionally compost ... |
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| Topics: food, green living, news (all these topics) |
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Clarity Begins at Home
Honda produces new fuel-cell car |
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16 Jun 2008 |
News |
| Posted at 10:47 AM on 16 Jun 2008 Honda Motor Co.'s hydrogen-powered FCX Clarity rolled off the line Monday and will be leased to high rollers in California. The Clarity -- an update of Honda's original FCX, a handful of which were leased in 2005 -- runs on hydrogen and electricity, emits only water, and is twice as fuel-efficient as a gas-electric hybrid. Actresses Laura Harris and Jamie Lee Curtis, filmmaker Christopher Guest, and Little ... |
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| Topics: Big Auto, California, cars, celebrity, green living, hydrogen, news, placemaking (all these topics) |
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C6 of One, Half Dozen of the Other
Replacement for nasty chemical may be no less nasty, says EWG |
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10 Jun 2008 |
News |
| Posted at 4:40 PM on 10 Jun 2008 Under pressure from the U.S. EPA, eight chemical companies are phasing out perfluorooctanoic acid in nonstick, oil-resistant, and stain-resistant products -- but industry-favored substitutes may be no safer, says a new report from the Environmental Working Group. The chemical, known for brevity as PFOA or C8, has been linked to cancer, reproductive problems, and immu ... |
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| Topics: green living, health, news, toxics (all these topics) |
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The Road to Recovery
Commuting can drive you crazy -- no, literally |
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09 Jun 2008 |
News |
| Posted at 3:04 PM on 09 Jun 2008 Think your commute drives you crazy? Well, you might be right. In a culture so accustomed to being on-the-go, sitting immobile in traffic for hours each day can take a toll on mental health, researchers say. "If you're stuck in traffic, there's a feeling of being out of control," says psychologist Laura Pinegar, who says she's hearing more and more complaints of traffic anxiety in her ... |
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| Topics: cars, green living, insanity, news, placemaking (all these topics) |
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Flock Together
New climate campaign aimed at U.S. consumers |
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05 Jun 2008 |
News |
| Posted at 3:30 PM on 05 Jun 2008 A European campaign to raise consumer awareness of climate change has made its U.S. debut. The Together campaign -- not to be confused with the similarly named-and-agendaed "we" campaign -- was initiated by the nonprofit Climate Group and kicked off in the U.S. by California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, and United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon. Var ... |
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| Topics: Arnold Schwarzenegger, climate, consumerism, environmental movement, green living, messaging, news (all these topics) |
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A Lung Time Coming
Ozone-depleting asthma inhalers being phased out |
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02 Jun 2008 |
News |
| Posted at 10:27 AM on 02 Jun 2008 Asthma inhalers containing ozone-depleting chlorofluorocarbons will be phased out by the end of 2008, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced Friday. The phaseout of CFCs is required under the Montreal Protocol, an international treaty that the United States actually deigned to sign on to. Alternatives to CFC inhalers use hydrofluoroalkanem as a propellant; HFA inhalers may taste differe ... |
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| Topics: Food and Drug Administration, green living, health, international treaties, news, ozone (all these topics) |
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When Casual Friday Means Pajamas
More employees encouraged to telecommute, work short weeks |
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30 May 2008 |
News |
| Posted at 3:20 PM on 30 May 2008 Employers across the country are offering workers the option to telecommute or work a four-day week to help cut down on fuel costs. Compressed work weeks are particularly attractive to employees who work in places without reliable mass transit -- especially since a 10-hour day can mean coming in early and leaving late enough to avoid rush hour traffic. As an added bonus, ... |
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| Topics: green living, news, placemaking (all these topics) |
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Metro Effectual
City residents emit less CO2, study says |
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29 May 2008 |
News |
| Posted at 6:58 AM on 29 May 2008 Residents of the 100 largest metropolitan areas in the United States emit less carbon dioxide pollution per capita than the U.S. average, according to a new study. The Brookings Institution analyzed data on household and transportation energy use and found that the average U.S. resident was responsible for about 2.87 tons of carbon pollution a year, but that residents of the U.S.'s 100 largest metro areas ... |
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| Topics: green living, news, placemaking, United States, urban planning (all these topics) |
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Whatever Speeds Your Boat
Hybrid speedboat makes its debut |
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19 May 2008 |
News |
| Posted at 1:28 PM on 19 May 2008 You knew it had to happen sometime -- luxury speedboats have gone green! Well, at least one has: California resource officials got a ride Friday in what Austrian manufacturer Frauscher Bootswerft says is the world's first hybrid recreational boat. The speedy, sleek 25-footer has a combo electric-diesel engine. California Resources Secretary Michael Chrisman's reaction after his ride around San Francisco ... |
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| Topics: green living, hybrids, innovation, news (all these topics) |
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Getting Their Message a Cross
Conservative Christians launch skeptical climate campaign |
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16 May 2008 |
News |
| Posted at 5:21 PM on 16 May 2008 Conservative religious leaders have launched a "We Get It!" campaign that just goes to prove that saying something doesn't make it so. The campaign aims to gather a million signatures on a petition opposing climate-change action, with the argument that tackling global warming will hurt the world's poor. "Our stewardship of creation must be based on Biblical pri ... |
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| Topics: climate, climate change skepticism, green living, news, religion and spirituality (all these topics) |
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The Old College Try
U. of Washington to create big eco-college |
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15 May 2008 |
News |
| Posted at 4:36 PM on 15 May 2008 The University of Washington is planning to create the largest environmental college evah. The proposed College of the Environment would become the 5th-largest of U-Dub's 17 colleges, combining its current schools of forestry, fishery sciences, atmospheric sciences, earth and space sciences, marine affairs, and oceanography. "Certainly, higher education in general has a responsibility to tackle ... |
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| Topics: education, green living, news, Washington (all these topics) |
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Where Many Have Gone Before
Prius sales top 1 million |
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15 May 2008 |
News |
| Posted at 3:17 PM on 15 May 2008 Worldwide sales of Toyota's Prius hybrid have passed the 1 million mark, the auto company announced Thursday. The world's first mass-produced hybrid was introduced in Japan in 1997 and in other markets in 2000. While it was at the time a risky business venture, it didn't take long for the word Prius -- Latin for "to go before" -- to become synonymous with popular hybrid technology (and yuppie enviro ... |
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| Topics: Big Auto, cars, green living, hybrids, news, placemaking, Prius (all these topics) |
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Winning: The Poo
Recycling sewer water into drinking water growing more popular |
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15 May 2008 |
News |
| Posted at 11:39 AM on 15 May 2008 Cities and counties across the United States have increasingly been turning to recycled sewer water as one way to meet growing drinking-water demand. Recycling sewer water, or turning toilet water into drinking water via purification, has often repulsed opponents due to the high costs of treatment and the drinking-former-toilet-water gag factor. However, despite sometimes vocal oppo ... |
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| Topics: green living, news, recycling (all these topics) |
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BCause I Told You So
Eco-parents unimpressed by 'green' Barbie accessories |
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12 May 2008 |
News |
| Posted at 1:09 PM on 12 May 2008 Barbie BCause, toymaker Mattel's attempt to appeal to the green-minded tyke, has turned out to be not so popular with green-minded parents. The line of patchwork-y Barbie accessories made from cast-off fabric has inspired a blogging backlash. "The eco-conscious young girls I know of steer clear of Barbie," wrote Jennifer Lance on blog Eco Child's Play. "Truly green families ... |
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| Topics: business, green living, green products, greenwashing, news, parenting, recycling, shopping (all these topics) |
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Lye and Let Die
Dissolving your corpse is the green way to go |
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09 May 2008 |
News |
| Posted at 12:18 PM on 09 May 2008 Concerned about the environmental impact of your burial or cremation? Well, don't die. But if you must, consider a third option: have your corpse dissolved. In a procedure called alkaline hydrolysis, the deceased is put into a stainless-steel cylinder resembling a pressure cooker; application of lye, 300-degree heat, and 60 pounds of pressure per inch produces a brown, syrupy liquid that can be uncere ... |
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| Topics: green living, news (all these topics) |
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Where in the World?
Brazilians and Indians are the greenest, says survey |
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08 May 2008 |
News |
| Posted at 12:29 PM on 08 May 2008 Brazilians and Indians are the most eco-friendly folks in the world, and Canadians and Americans are the least, according to a new survey done by the National Geographic Society. Consumers in 14 countries, representing more than half of the world's population and about three-quarters of its energy use, were ranked on their sustainability in the areas of housing, transportation, food, and co ... |
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| Topics: Brazil, Canada, China, consumerism, green living, India, news, United States (all these topics) |
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Be Like Nike
Big biz ranked on greenness |
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07 May 2008 |
News |
| Posted at 12:47 PM on 07 May 2008 Takeaways from a new ranking of eco-friendly practices in big biz: Consumer companies are getting greener, but there's plenty of ground to gain. In its second annual scorecard, nonprofit Climate Counts ranked 56 companies on their measurement, reduction, and disclosure of greenhouse gases. Eighty-four percent of the companies scored higher this year than they did in 2007, but the average score was still only 40 out of a p ... |
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| Topics: business, climate, green living, greenhouse-gas emissions, greening biz operations, greenish companies, news, shopping (all these topics) |
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Word of Bronner
Dr. Bronner's says competitors aren't really organic |
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29 Apr 2008 |
News |
| Posted at 4:53 PM on 29 Apr 2008 Dr. Bronner's Magic Soaps has filed a lawsuit accusing competitors in the personal-care industry of falsely advertising products as organic. The word "organic" is not federally regulated for personal-care products. Dr. Bronner's, the soap company known for its basic ingredients and rambling messages, voluntarily follows the USDA organic standard for food, which requires 95 percent org ... |
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| Topics: business, green living, green products, litigation, news (all these topics) |
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Reunion Tour
Live Earth is back, so get ready to rock |
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28 Apr 2008 |
News |
| Posted at 10:02 AM on 28 Apr 2008 Mark your calendars for Oct. 5: Live Earth is back and ready to rock. Kevin Wall, founder of last summer's international concert extravaganza, says that the October shows will be held on U.S. college campuses, and the focus will be on pushing the presidential candidates to address environmental issues. Locations, bands, and all other specifics are yet to be determined, but will Dreamy Al be involved again? Sa ... |
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| Topics: Al Gore, climate, green living, music, news (all these topics) |
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Do Not Pass Go
Monopoly game gets hip to renewable energy |
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23 Apr 2008 |
News |
| Posted at 4:31 PM on 23 Apr 2008 Photo: goat_girl via Flickr Refuse to play Monopoly because you fear Electric Company sources its power from coal? Fear not! Game-maker Hasbro is updating everyone's favorite interminable game, and in the Here and Now: World Edition, Water Works and Electric Company will be replaced with Wind Energy and Solar Energy. It's "a nod to the efforts of countries worldwide to increase the effectiveness and ... |
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| Topics: energy, green living, news, renewable energy (all these topics) |
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How Does Your Garden Grow?
Ontario plans to ban garden pesticides |
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23 Apr 2008 |
News |
| Posted at 1:14 PM on 23 Apr 2008 Photo: Laura Gibb The province of Ontario plans to ban the sale and use of garden pesticides. The legislation would keep lawn-owners in Canada's most populous province from using more than 70 chemicals present in more than 300 products. Critics cry double standard, though, as Ontario's golf courses, farms, and forests would be exempt from the ban. If approved, Ontario's pesticide regulations will ... |
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| Topics: Canada, gardening, green living, news, regulation, toxics (all these topics) |
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Bambi Would Be Proud
Walt Disney Co. gets into nature |
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22 Apr 2008 |
News |
| Posted at 1:40 PM on 22 Apr 2008 The Walt Disney Company has announced a new film division that will focus on nature documentaries. The creatively named Disneynature will aim to produce two films every year starting in 2009, hoping to catch the interest of some of the viewers who flocked to Warner Bros.' March of the Penguins and the Discovery Channel/BBC series "Planet Earth." Keep your eyes out for the Disney-produced Earth in 20 ... |
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| Topics: business, green living, movies, news (all these topics) |
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Pet Scan
Cats and dogs contaminated with chemicals, says study |
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21 Apr 2008 |
News |
| Posted at 9:18 AM on 21 Apr 2008 Fido and Fluffy are contaminated with higher levels of toxic chemicals than humans are, according to a report from the Environmental Working Group. In a test of the blood and urine of dozens of cats and dogs, researchers found 48 industrial chemicals. The contamination likely comes from such actions as gnawing on plastic toys, sleeping on fire-retardant-covered furniture, frolicking on pesticide-lade ... |
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| Topics: animal welfare, green living, news, toxics (all these topics) |
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