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Earth

Keeping It Green

Sustainability

Three Components of
a Sustainable Society

• Of Interest

Page Updated:
April 7, 2024

• Check out our Green
Buildings page for
similar information

• • What Forests Can Do for You

  Tropical Forest Functions

  We present a graph from Biointegrity.net that shows the eight climate functions of a tropical forest.

  Click now to see the graph.

• • Waste to Energy

  Waste to Energy
  Municipal Solid Waste,(MSW)

  It’s often called garbage, used to produce energy at waste-to-energy plants and at landfills in the United States.

  MSW contains:biomass, or biogenic (plant or animal products), materials such as paper, cardboard, food waste, grass clippings, leaves, wood, leather products nonbiomass combustible materials such as plastics and other synthetic materials made from petroleum noncombustible materials such as glass and metals.

• • Greenest Cities Quiz

  Dedicated to Saving
  All Life on Earth

   With eco-minded government officials and residents, even a concrete jungle can be green. Discover which cities are really looking out for the planet.

  Click now to participate.

• • World Wildlife Day

  Take the Greenest Cities Quiz

   On 20 December 2013, at its 68th session, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) proclaimed 3 March – the day of signature of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) in 1973 – as UN World Wildlife Day to celebrate and raise awareness of the world’s wild animals and plants.

  The UNGA resolution also designated the CITES Secretariat as the facilitator for the global observance of this special day for wildlife on the UN calendar. World Wildlife Day has now become the most important global annual event dedicated to wildlife.

  The day will be celebrated in 2020 under the theme "Sustaining all life on Earth", encompassing all wild animal and plant species as key components of the world's biodiversity. This aligns with UN Sustainable Development Goals 1, 12, 14 and 15, and their wide-ranging commitments on alleviating poverty, ensuring sustainable use of resources, and on conserving life both on land and below water to halt biodiversity loss.

• • Earth Overshoot Day

  Was August 22, 2020

   Earth Overshoot Day marks the date when humanity’s demand for ecological resources and services in a given year exceeds what Earth can regenerate in that year.

  To include the impacts from the coronavirus pandemic this year, Global Footprint Network combined the most reliable data and formed the most reasonable assumptions to assess humanity’s current resource situation.

  Changes in carbon emissions, forest harvest, food demand, and other factors that could impact global biocapacity or the Ecological Footprint from January 1 to Earth Overshoot Day were evaluated. The main drivers were the carbon Footprint (reduced 14.5% from 2019) and the forest product Footprint (reduced 8.4% from 2019). Check out the highlights and/or the detailed research report explaining how the date of this event was calculated.

  Click for details (including a 7 min. video).

• 10 Apps for Green Living
• Organic Eating
• Carbon Footprint Reduction
• Sustainable Developement Goals
• Institute For Advanced
Sustainability Studies

• • Where Sustainability Happens

  Sources of Sustainability

   A list of the sustainability companies and places that you should know about…

• • Great Environmental “APEEL”

  Sources of Sustainability

  Apeel Sciences We use our natural plant-based technologies to protect crops and harvested produce, helping to eliminate food spoilage and reduce reliance on chemicals.

  Our Purpose

  Accomplishing our mission means we will waste less food, water and energy, helping to preserve our natural ecosystems while creating economic opportunities for the 500 million small family farms worldwide.

  Our Vision

  In the future, less food will be wasted, we will use smarter, more natural methods for growing and protecting crops, and there will be an abundance of fresh food for everyone.

  Click for a website with much APEEL.

• • Greening of the Desert Video

  The Greening of the Desert

   The farm has been surrounded by nearby fire, in the midst of historic, ongoing drought and heat, for months. You are, no doubt, familiar.

  Australia's drought fires are expected to continue into February or March. But Geoff's farm is doing pretty well. Largely because of these permaculture strategies:
  °Capture and store all rainwater
  °Plant fortifying trees and vegetation
  °Contour lands to direct moisture flows
  °Countour and enrich soils for soakage
  °Use soil ecosystem as the main moisture-storage facility

  Click now to watch video.

• • IKEA's Sustainable Products

  From IKEA to to Your Home

  IKEA has become a household name because you can buy just about everything you need for your home there. Not only does this company make every piece of furniture you could want, IKEA actually makes many amazing sustainable products.

  Click now for the list.

• • People's Plan for Nature

  If the People Won't,
  Then Who Will?

  The People’s Plan for Nature is a plan created for the people, by the people of the UK – a vision for the future of nature, and the actions we must all take to protect and renew it.

  With input from thousands of people from across the UK, the People’s Plan for Nature calls for urgent, immediate action – from governments, businesses, charities, organisations, farmers and communities – to protect and fundamentally change how we value nature.

  Click now for the list.

• • The Leather That's Self-Dying

  Plastic-Free and Vegan — and More Sustainable Than Current Alternatives
  
  

  Apr. 4, 2024 -In the quest for sustainable solutions within the fashion industry, scientists have made an important advancement. They’ve genetically engineered bacteria to produce self-pigmenting bacterial cellulose. Essentially, this offers a promising alternative to traditional dyeing methods fraught with environmental hazards.

  Leather has a massive environmental impact and it’s not just the CO2 from cattle rearing. There’s also the use of chemicals in tanning processes, the water usage, and the air pollution associated with all of this.

• • Check Out This Organic Pesticide

  It's Made From Rose Essential Oil
  
  

  Apr. 3, 2024 -As our world modernizes and urbanizes, the need for sustainable cities becomes increasingly important. To ensure our communities thrive holistically, we must prioritize renewability in all city planning and development aspects.

  By definition, a sustainable city focuses on meeting the needs of its present population while safeguarding the resources and environment for future generations. This means creating environmentally conscious, socially equitable, economically viable, and resilient cities.

• • Their Farm Wasn’t Generating Any Profits

  So, They Turned it into a Wildland
  
  

  Apr. 3, 2024 -What would you do if you inherited 3,500 acres (~1,400 hectares) of land? You could develop it into profitable agricultural land, a fancy resort, or a lavish home, right? But what if you turned it into a biodiversity haven — and made money in the process? That’s what Charlie Burell and his wife Isabella Tree in the UK did.

  Click now for the complete story.

• • Indoor Farms Are Remaking the Produce Market

  But There's a Catch
  
  

  Mar. 27, 2024 -No one would argue that the climate in North Texas is ideal for growing lettuce, a crop that thrives when there’s a chill in the air. But the region’s broiling summers are of no concern to Eddy Badrina, chief executive of Eden Green Technology, a vertical, hydroponic greenhouse company just outside Dallas.

  Click now for the rest of the story.

• • Did That Snake Taste Good?
  

  Try the 13-Footer
  
  

  Mar. 14, 2024 - They’re scaly, fork-tongued and can measure upward of 20 feet long. Pythons may also be one of the most Earth-friendly meats to farm on the planet.

  A group of researchers studied two large python species over 12 months on farms in Thailand and Vietnam — where snake meat is considered a delicacy — and found that they were more efficient to raise than other livestock.

• • Coming Soon to Manhattan, a Brand-New Tiny Forest
  

  Pocket-Size Forests Filled With Native Plants Embraced Worldwide for their Environmental Benefits
  
  

  Mar. 11, 2024 - A trend that’s gaining momentum around the world is set to finally arrive in Manhattan. It’s a tiny forest, to be planted on the southern end of Roosevelt Island, in the East River, this spring. According to its creators, it would be the first of its kind in the city and would consist of 1,000 native plants, trees and shrubs, covering just 2,700 square feet.

  Click now for the details.

• • She Built One of the Most Energy-Efficient Homes in D.C.

  Lessons From the City’s First ‘Net-Zero’ Accessory Dwelling Unit
  
  

  Mar. 5, 2024 -In the spring of 2020, Aurora Ferrari looked at the plot of land sandwiched between her D.C. backyard and an alley, and saw potential. Today, it’s the site of the city’s first “net-zero” accessory dwelling unit — meaning the 600-square-foot apartment that Ferrari built there produces more energy than it consumes.

  Click now for the rest of the story.

• • Plasma Can Protect Hydroponic Crops From Pathogens

  Cutting Edge Agriculture
  Just Got a Bit Better
  
  

  Mar. 4, 2024 -For thousands of years, humans have grown crops the same way: you plant the seeds in the soil, nurture them, and harvest when the time is right. But increasingly, the hydroponic approach is becoming more and more popular.

  Hydroponic agriculture involves a method of growing plants without soil, typically using mineral nutrient solutions in a water solvent. In this system, plants can be grown with their roots in the nutrient solution alone. This technique allows for precise control over the plant’s environment, leading to faster growth, higher yields, and less water usage compared to traditional soil-based agriculture.

• • Oceans Are Crying Out For Help
  

  How We Can Answer
  
  

  Feb. 27, 2024 -The ocean is the lifeblood of our planet. It’s an extraordinary and largely unexplored place covering over 70% of Earth’s surface, teeming with over a million marine species. Species on which the livelihoods of billions of people depend. The ocean nourishes us, connects people, and brings immense joy.

  It doesn’t matter where you live — whether you’re near a beach, in the countryside, or in the middle of a big city — the ocean still profoundly affects your life every day.

• • Lab-Made Meat?
  

  Florida Lawmakers Don’t
  Like the Sound of It
  
  

  Feb. 17, 2024 - Start-up companies around the world are competing to develop technologies for producing chicken, beef, salmon and other options without the need to raise and slaughter animals. China has made the development of the industry a priority. In the United States, the Department of Agriculture has given initial blessings to two producers.

  Now, a measure in Florida that would ban sales of laboratory-grown meat has gained widespread attention beyond state borders.

• • Earth Could Benefit From a Dietary Shift
  

  Even a Modest One
  Could Be Significant
  
  

  Feb. 16, 2024 - Researchers have made a novel case for consuming less dairy and meat: it could free up land to grow bioenergy crops—enough, in fact, to replace the fuel currently generated by polluting coal plants worldwide.

  Typically, biofuels haven’t been seen as a clearcut win for the environment, because the crops may compete with agriculture or wild habitat for space, heaping pressure on food security and biodiversity in the process. But...

• • Could a Rice-Meat Hybrid Be What’s For Dinner?
  

  A New Take On Lab-Grown Meat Infuses Cow Cells Into Rice Grains
  
  

  Feb. 14, 2024 -Foodies of the future may be dining on beefed-up rice.

  A new lab-grown meat product merges rice grains with cow cells, scientists report February 14 in Matter. The rice acts as a scaffold that supports the growth of fat or muscle cells. Together, the ingredients form a rice-meat hybrid that steams up to a pinkish-brown mash.

• • Factory Farms Continue to Grow In Number
  

  A New USDA Revealation
  
  

  Feb. 13, 2024 -The largest factory farms that are bad for farmers, the environment and public health keep growing in number, according to new data

  For cattle and broiler chicken farms, the number of the largest factory farms has grown since 2012. In 2012, there were 1,124 cattle farms in the U.S. with 5,000 cattle or more per farm. But that increased to 1,270 mega factory farms in 2017 and 1,453 in 2022, according to the USDA’s Census of Agriculture data – a 29 percent increase.

• • Untangling Norway's Mess
  

  If Not, Norway’s Blue Industry Will Never Be Green
  
  

  Feb. 13, 2024 -For the first time, researchers have investigated how ropes and fishing lines are handled by the Norwegian commercial fishing industry. The fishing fleet loses almost 400 tonnes of rope in Norwegian waters every year.

  Lost fishing lines and ropes are a growing problem. As a leading fishing nation, Norway, with its long coastline and fish-rich waters, is particularly vulnerable to marine litter. A new study from NTNU shows that only a third of all ropes produced and sold in Norway can be recycled in a sustainable way.

• • More Than 100,000 Trees to Be Planted in Devon

  Object: To Boost
  the Celtic Rainforest
  
  

  Jan. 29, 2024 - More than 100,000 trees are being planted in north Devon as part of efforts to boost temperate or Celtic rainforests, some of the UK’s most magical but endangered environments.

  The trees are being planted close to surviving pockets of rainforest at two spots close to the coast and one inland.

• • Turning Plastic Waste Into Super-Strong Spider Silk

  This Bacteria Does It
  
  

  Jan. 25, 2024 -Scientists have engineered bacteria capable of converting plastic waste into a versatile and eco-friendly form of spider silk. On the one hand, scaling this method up could address the growing global challenge of plastic pollution. On the other hand, it also provides an extremely valuable material.

  Click now for the rest of the story.

• • Nature's Lawn Mower

  Earning the World's
  Ugliest Lawn Award
  
  

  Jan. 19, 2024 -For years, yard work was at the bottom of Kathleen Murray’s to-do list.

  She had intended to buy a lawn mower and finally trim the overgrown acres surrounding her home on the island of Tasmania. But as a single mom raising four children, there were always more pressing matters.

  So instead of landscaping her yard, she watched as it became home to “nature’s lawn mowers,” she said.

• • Shark Finning is Not the Way to Go

  Might Be Helping
  Fuel a Global Shark Crisis
  
  

  Jan. 17, 2024 -Shark finning—cutting off a shark’s dorsal fin for soup while discarding the rest of the animal—has become a posterchild of unsustainable fishing. Governments around the world have banned the practice. Conservation groups have launched ad campaigns to stigmatize it as a wasteful menace to dwindling shark numbers.

  Click now 'FINish' reading.

• • Selby Gardens New Energy-Efficient Campus

  First Phase Has Been Launched
  
  

  Jan. 10, 2024 -After years of controversy, neighborhood protests, negotiations with the city of Sarasota, revised plans and delays caused by the COVID pandemic, Selby Botanical Gardens opened the first phase of its remodeled downtown Sarasota campus Tuesday with a ribbon-cutting ceremony, tours and toasts led by garden leaders, major donors and Sarasota city officials.

  The opening, which board of trustees chair Joel Morganroth called a “momentous day in the history of Selby Gardens,” came two and a half years after a groundbreaking in June 2021

• • Boosting Plant Disease Resistance

  Engineering the Microbiom
  
  

  Jan. 8, 2024 -The plant microbiome refers to the complex community of microorganisms, including bacteria, fungi, and viruses, that live on and within plants, playing crucial roles in their growth, health, and resilience to environmental stresses and diseases. For the past decade, scientists have been looking at the microbiome to better understand its impact on plants’ well-being and susceptibility to diseases. Now, we may have some answers.

  For the first time, scientists have genetically altered the microbiome in rice plants, increasing the prevalence of “good” bacteria that protect the plant from diseases...

• • A Transparent Wood Stronger than Glass

  Could Replace Glass
  in a Number of Places
  
  

  Jan. 5, 2024 -Thirty years ago, a botanist in Germany had a simple wish: to see the inner workings of woody plants without dissecting them. By bleaching away the pigments in plant cells, Siegfried Fink managed to create transparent wood, and he published his technique in a niche wood technology journal. The 1992 paper remained the last word on see-through wood for more than a decade, until a researcher named Lars Berglund stumbled across it.

  Click now for more.

• • Decarbonizing UK’s Industry Is Worth the Price

  It Would Only Make
  Things 1% More Expensive
  
  

  Jan. 4, 2024 -The whole world is talking about decarbonizing and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Talking. But oftentimes, what it all comes down to is money — and that’s where the talking stops. If a decarbonizing approach is cheap or cost-effective, then it’s far more likely that it gets implemented; if not, it gets axed. This is exactly why this study is so important.

  Learn more by clicking now.

• • Growing Houseplants That Help — Not Hurt — the Planet

  Indoor Agriculture?
  
  

  Jan. 3, 2024 -There are plenty of benefits to raising indoor houseplants: They beautify your home or office, they have been correlated with lower levels of stress and anxiety, and they may slightly improve air quality.

  But, ironically, greening indoor spaces can also come at an environmental cost. The trucks that transport plants spew carbon emissions, plastic pots and synthetic fertilizers are made from petroleum and the harvesting of soil components like peat can tear up slow-forming habitats...

• • Solar Panels Meet Saffron In New Agrivoltaic Project

  Enlisting Bifacial Solar Panels and Saffron in the Effort to Save Small Farms With New Specialty Crops
  
  

  Jan. 2, 2024 -The rarefied world of saffron cultivation is about to encounter a solar makeover. About 90% of the global saffron supply comes from Iran, but the allure of raising a spice crop that retails for $5,000 a pound could widen the territory. That includes the unlikely state of Vermont, where a new agrivoltaic experiment is under way.

  If all goes according to plan, it could pave the way for for a saffron boom in the US and help save small farms, to boot.

• • A Meat Tax Can Be Environmentally Friendly

  Exploring the Balance Between Environmental Goals and Social Fairness in European Meat Taxation
  
  

  Dec. 28, 2023 -Our current agriculture is not sustainable. We’re using too much land, too much water, and producing too many emissions. The meat industry is one of the biggest environmental culprits of agriculture. Almost invariably, meat production uses up more resources inefficiently so if you want to start somewhere, meat is one of the best places to do so.

  An idea that keeps popping up is that of a meat tax. Basically, you’d tax meat for the negative environmental effect it has...

• • Making Fake Meat Taste Better

  Age-Old Food
  Science Could Do the Trick
  
  

  Dec. 25, 2023 -There’s a growing category of foods using an age-old technique that experts say could be a dark horse in the race to create more affordable and tasty meat alternatives: Fermentation.

  Protein-rich products made from fermenting tiny organisms called microbes could play a significant role in supporting a shift away from more resource-intensive ways of producing food.

• • A Small Spanish City Rejected Cars

  Here's How They Did It
  
  

  Dec. 20, 2023 -Decades ago, when many other European cities were building more road capacity, Vitoria-Gasteiz took a very different path

  They call it the anillo verde, the green ring, a 30km (19 mile) series of parks and cycle lanes that encircle Vitoria-Gasteiz, the capital of the Basque region in northern Spain.

• • Solar-Powered Clothing?

  The Future of Fashion
  
  

  Dec. 15, 2023 -Soon the Apple Watch you have on your wrist might not be the most technologically advanced part of your wardrobe.

  In a development that could redefine the landscape of wearable technology, researchers have introduced an innovative solar-powered clothing system. According to a study published in Science, this new technology combines a flexible solar cell with an electrocaloric device. This makes it possible for the device to adapt to changes in the temperature of its surroundings. It promises not only enhanced comfort and safety but also supports human endurance in extreme environments such as the Arctic, deserts, or space.

• • Agrivoltaics

  Combining Agriculture
  With Solar Power

  Pager Power, Oct. 6, 2021 -Agrivoltaics is the practice of using the same area of land for both solar photovoltaic power as well as for agriculture, which implies that solar panels and crops will share sunlight.

  This type of co-development is not new to the industry. Often terrain used for agriculture purposes is also used by wind developers to harness the power of wind, or animals grazing in farms help controlling the height of the grass in solar photovoltaic fields.

• • Latin America Sustainability Index

  The Biodiversity Heritage Library

  June, 2021 -Costa Rica was considered the most sustainable country in Latin America in 2021, according to a ranking evaluating a series of indicators in selected countries in the region, with an index score of 77.5. Uruguay ranked second, with a score of 74.8, while Colombia trailed in third, with 65.3 points.

  The ranking was compiled based on standard indicators within twelve categories, referring to data ranging from 2017 to 2020 (latest data available). The index score ranges from 0 to 100, where 100 represents the best performance within a category.

• • Designing Sustainability With
  Building Information Modeling

  AKA: BIM

  June 9, 2022, INEIGHT.com -Sustainability isn’t a trend, it’s an imperative. Traditionally, sustainability centers around protecting the natural environment and its resources. With respect to construction, however, there’s more to it than that.

  This is because it’s not enough that the structures themselves and their materials be sustainable. The technology and processes involved in building such structures should also proactively work to support sustainability. Where that’s especially apparent is in major capital projects that require vast amounts of resources and energy to construct and maintain. That’s where building information modeling (BIM) can help.

• • Sustainable Utilities

  Based on a Circular Economy

  energy central, Sep. 8, 2022 -If we parse the title of this paper we end up with two words that may or may not be related. “Sustainable,” in the context used here means “…relating to, or being a method of harvesting or using a resource so that the resource is not depleted or permanently damaged.” A utility (again, in this context) means “A commodity or service, such as electricity, water, or public transportation that is provided by a public utility.

• • Regenerative Food and Farming

  Survival and Revival

  Sep. 28, 2021, (Organic Consumers Association), -Regenerative agriculture and holistic livestock management represent the next, crucial stage of organic food and farming, not only avoiding toxic pesticides, fertilizers, sewage sludge, GMO seeds, and excessive greenhouse gas emissions, but regenerating soil fertility, water retention, carbon sequestration, and rural livelihoods as well.

  Regeneration has now become the hottest topic in the natural and organic food sector. At the same time, climate activists regularly discuss the role of organic and regenerative practices in reducing agricultural greenhouse gas emissions and sequestering excess atmospheric carbon dioxide in soils and agricultural landscapes.

• • Plans for $400-Billion New
  City In The U.S. Desert Unveiled

  A New Urban Model

  Sep. 7, 2021, (The Mercury News)-The cleanliness of Tokyo, the diversity of New York and the social services of Stockholm: Billionaire Marc Lore has outlined his vision for a 5-million-person “new city in America” and appointed a world-famous architect to design it.

  Now, he just needs somewhere to build it — and $400 billion in funding.

  The former Walmart executive last week unveiled plans for Telosa, a sustainable metropolis that he hopes to create, from scratch, in the American desert. The ambitious 150,000-acre proposal promises eco-friendly architecture, sustainable energy production and a purportedly drought-resistant water system. A so-called “15-minute city design” will allow residents to access their workplaces, schools and amenities within a quarter-hour commute of their homes.

• • Benefits of Living Green Walls or Vertical Gardens

  Here Are the Top Ten

  April, 2019, (ecobnb.com)-As the same name suggests, a living wall is literally something alive. The exact definition for this special kind of agriculture or urban landscape is art. In fact, they have been successfully adding value and beauty to interiors around the world since the 1970s.

  Living green walls are profound testimonial to excellent design, plant selection, engineering, and horticultural plant care.

• • The Environmental Benefits of Walkable Cities

  The Can Benefit the Environment,
  the Economy, and Your Health

  July 8, 2021 (Climate Reality Project) - Imagine this: working, eating, learning, shopping, and relaxing all without ever having to sit behind a wheel of a car.

  For those living in many American cities, a walkable neighborhood like this seems out of reach. However, for city dwellers residing in Europe or Asia, strolling from place to place is a way of life. Why is that the case?

  The term “walkability” means exactly what it sounds like: how easy it is to travel around a neighborhood on your own two feet. Walk Score, a website that rates and ranks the walkability of cities, reports that 141 cities in the United States have an average score of 48 out of 100. On the other side of the world, 95% of Chinese cities achieved a Walk Score of 60 points or above.

• • Why ‘Tiny Forests’ are Popping Up in Big Cities

  The Forests are Becoming More
  Common Around the World

  June 22, 2021, (National Geographic)-It’s a warm June afternoon, and in a thicket of elm and willow trees, a magpie chatters. A beetle crawls over a leaf. The forest, next to an 18-story building and a train line, is about the size of a nearby basketball court; before it was planted in 2018, the area was a parking lot.

  But now...

• • Build Your Eco-Friendly Green Home

  Green Homes Are a Green Trend
  That Is Gaining Popularity in the U.S.

  Dec. 18, 2021, (greener ideal)-A green home is one that uses sustainable design and construction materials, has efficient appliances, relies on renewable energy sources for electricity and heating, minimizes water use with low-flow fixtures, and encourages healthy lifestyles.

  By living in a green home, you will be reducing your carbon footprint while increasing your quality of life. This article discusses the benefits of having a green home and offers 15 green home ideas to help get started down the path towards living greener!

• • Plant-Based Leather Bags

  Leather's Version of the Impossible

  June 4, 2021 (INHABITAT), -Leather is at the top of the toxic list when it comes to manufacturing practices for textiles. Plus, traditional leather is not an acceptable option for animal-lovers. Synthetic leather alternatives have not been particularly Earth-friendly, either. Miomojo, a premier Italian fashion brand, set out to change all that with vegan leather bags made from sustainable and natural materials.

  The article includes a slideshow.

• • 7 Sustainable Business Ideas for Eco-Entrepreneurs

  Start a Business and Save
  the Planet at the Same Time

  Nov. 15, 2021, (Center for Biological Diversity)-Green industry business is a booming opportunity for eco-entrepreneurs around the world. In developing countries, many people are turning to green business as a way to provide sustainable livelihoods and improve their quality of life.

  Sustainable businesses have been shown to be more profitable than traditional ones because they require lower startup costs and don’t incur the same high operating expenses.

• • Colorado's First Geosolar Development

  Homes Will be Fossil Fuel Free and
  Produce More Energy than they Consume

  (GEOS Neighborhood)- The Geos Neighborhood combines a traditional neighborhood living with the most advanced sustainable design and building practices. Community members will enjoy a pedestrian lifestyle with front porches, tree-lined sidewalks, community gardens, fruit trees, corner stores, and neighborhood services.

• •  The Era of the Wood Skyscraper Is Arriving

  'Wood' You Believe It?

  Mar. 8, 2021, (reasons to be cheerful)-At Vancouver’s University of British Columbia, the Brock Commons Tallwood House, sheathed in sleek blond wood, stands out among the neighboring gray concrete towers. This striking facade isn’t just an aesthetic choice.

  When it opened in 2017, the 18-story residence hall was the tallest building constructed of timber in the world. Erected from prefabricated components in just 70 days, it was faster and cheaper to build than a conventional building. What’s more, its material saved over 2,400 metric tons of carbon emissions.

• • Plate and the Planet

  Shifting Towards a “Planetary Health Diet” Can Nurture Both People and Planet

  October, 2021, (Harvard School for Public Health)-Human diets inextricably link health and environmental sustainability, and have the potential to nurture both. Increased food production over the past 50 years has helped improve life expectancy and reduce hunger, infant and child mortality rates, and global poverty. However, such benefits are now being offset by shifts towards unhealthy diets.

• • Kickstarting Your Vegan Lifestyle

  The Five Amazing Ways

  Sep. 17, 2021, (greener ideal), -Transitioning to a vegan lifestyle isn’t always easy, but it’s worthwhile. More people are switching to vegan diets because of their proven health and environmental benefits.

  Whether you’re motivated by improving your health, reducing your environmental footprint, or preventing animal pain and suffering, a vegan lifestyle is one to be proud of.

• • Wood Can Now Be Lab-Grown

  This Could Curb Global Deforestation

  Mar. 5, 2021 (ZME Science) -You’ve probably heard about lab-grown meat, sparing animals from slaughter, and lowering greenhouse gas emissions. Well, it turns out this isn’t the only thing researchers are trying to recreate at a laboratory. A team at MIT in the United States is already working on “growing” wood without relying on sunlight or even soil.

  Click now to read or listen to the story.
• • 17 U.N. Goals for Sustainability

  The 2030 Agenda
  for Sustainable Development

  September, 2021, (SDGS_un.org)-It was adopted by all United Nations Member States in 2015, providing a shared blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet, now and into the future. At its heart are the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which are an urgent call for action by all countries - developed and developing - in a global partnership.

  They recognize that ending poverty and other deprivations must go hand-in-hand with strategies that improve health and education, reduce inequality, and spur economic growth – all while tackling climate change and working to preserve our oceans and forests.

• • Microbes and Solar Energy
  Could Make Make Foods Sustainable

  Microbes Could Produce 10 Times
  More Food than Plants, Researchers Find.

  June 23, 2021 (ZME Science) -Population growth and changes in the world’s dietary patterns are placing more and more stress on the environment. This means have to find new ways to feed the world without destroying the environment — and we have to do so sooner rather than later.

  For a team of researchers, a possible solution lies in microbial biomass cultivated to yield protein-rich feed and food supplements.

• • How Sustainable is Your Business?

  The 10 Questions You Need to Answer

  June 18, 2021 (greener ideal) -Business sustainability has shifted from a mere talking point among executives to actionable to-do’s in offices.

  A past measure of “green business” was how fast executives could pontificate intelligently about sustainability matters, alas, that has changed.

  These days, customers, employees, investors, and other investors want to know, specifically, what you’re doing to create a greener business. You only need look at the activist investors pursuing bold green changes in today’s corporate sphere to appreciate the urgency.

• • Students Can Go Green in College

  Here Are Four Ways
  to Make That Happen

  (greener ideal), May 21, 2021 -Modern students are ready to make ethical, organic, and environment-friendly product choices and they have a strong desire to live more sustainably than their parents do.

  Here are several ways how students can go green in college and start living in accordance with their values.

  1. Cook Fresh Meals

  2. Reduce digital carbon footprint

  3. Opt for reusable items

  4. Buy second-hand furniture

• • The Silicon Valley of Agriculture

  Step Inside

  Oct. 16, 2017, (National Geographic)-How did the Netherlands, a country better known for its tulips, become a leading tomato producer and the top exporter of onions and potatoes? With more than half its land area used for agriculture, the nation is a pioneer in greenhouse horticulture. Dutch farmers are trail-brazing innovative methods that result in producing more food with fewer resources—methods that are increasingly relevant as climate change and more dramatic cycles of drought and flooding wreak havoc on traditional farming, coupled with a global population on target to reach 10 billion by 2050.

• • Creating a Healthy Balcony Garden

  Don't Let Being an
  Apartment Dweller Stop You

  (greener ideal), May 21, 2021- When you think about gardening, you probably imagine a house with a huge garden in the back or front of it. And indeed, this is the most common picture people have in their minds when they imagine a garden.

  However, if you live in an apartment building, you might yearn for a piece of tranquility and nature in your flat. Even though many people think they cannot make their own garden while living in a flat, this is not true.

• • Killing Weeds Without Harmful Chemicals

  Is the Thought of Spraying Florasulam and Glyphosate Around the Yard Abhorrent to You?

  Apr. 28, 2017 (greener ideal) -

  As an alternative, let’s look at 4 commonly practiced alternative methods. They’re not necessarily as fast-acting but are effective and completely safe — except for the weeds, of course.

  To learn what they are, click now.

• • Toyota's Hydrogen Fuel Cell-Powered City of the Future

  Groundbreaking Planned in Early11
  2021 for 175-acre Woven City

  February, 2020 (FREIGHTWAVES) -Toyota Motor Corp. will build a 175-acre hydrogen fuel cell-powered city of the future at the foot of Mount Fuji in Japan, populating it with employees and their families, retirees, scientists, and researchers, the automaker said at CES 2020.

  Called Woven City, the undertaking will be a fully connected ecosystem. The name harkens to Toyota’s early 20th-century origin as a manufacturer of automatic looms.

• • The Future of Farming

  The Netherlands Has
  Become an Agricultural Giant

  Sept. 2017(National Geographic)-In a potato field near the Netherlands’ border with Belgium, Dutch farmer Jacob van den Borne is seated in the cabin of an immense harvester before an instrument panel worthy of the starship Enterprise.

  From his perch 10 feet above the ground, he’s monitoring two drones—a driverless tractor roaming the fields and a quadcopter in the air—that provide detailed readings on soil chemistry, water content, nutrients, and growth, measuring the progress of every plant down to the individual potato. Van den Borne’s production numbers testify to the power of this “precision farming,” as it’s known. The global average yield of potatoes per acre is about nine tons. Van den Borne’s fields reliably produce more than 20.

  
  Click now for the story
  and some fabulous photos.
• • Ovo Vegetarian: Not Quite Vegan But Almost

  It's Mostly Vegetarian

  (greener ideal), Nov. 7, 2020 -Ovo-vegetarians are people who follow a vegetarian diet that also includes eggs and egg products such as mayonnaise.

  The ethical motivation for choosing ovo-vegetarianism, i.e., excluding dairy products from the diet, is usually based on the fact that the dairy industry resorts to extreme cruelty to sustain itself. Animals raised and maintained for milk are often kept in highly congested spaces that result in several animals dying or living with painful ailments.

  These animals are forced to be pregnant for as long as possible to procure milk from them, which means that the calves born out of these pregnancies don’t get access to their mother’s milk.

  
  Click now to become Vegywise.

• • Healthy Eating Habits for Life

  Learn the 11 Secrets

  (greener ideal), -Oct. 10, 2020, If you’ve felt like healthy eating habits are out of reach, you’re not alone. A lot of the time we know the basics of eating well, but we fail to implement them.

  With that said, we’ve found eating healthy doesn’t have to be hard or restrictive!

  These simple tips will help you feel your best and still enjoy your favorite foods!

  Click now to see all eleven.

• • A Miniature Fuel Cell That Works on Urine

  Urine Turned Into Sustainable
  Power Source For Electronic Devices

  April 18, 2016,(ScienceDaily) -Researchers at the University of Bath have developed an innovative miniature fuel cell that can generate electricity from urine, creating an affordable, renewable and carbon-neutral way of generating power.

  In the near future this device could provide a means of generating much needed electricity to remote areas at very little cost, each device costs just £1-£2. With growing global pressures to reduce reliance on fossil fuels and the associated greenhouse gas emissions, microbial fuel cells could be an exciting alternative.

• • Does the World Have Enough Wood For Sustainability?

  Forest SOS: Earth's
  Green Lungs Disappear

  Jan. 5, 2020 (Deutsche Welle) -According to the latest figures from the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), global forest production hit record levels in 2018. Up 11% on the year before.

  "We see an increasing demand for almost all of our products," says Göran Örlander, strategist at Södra, Sweden's largest association of forest owners. "The most obvious demand is for biofuels at the moment. Everybody wants to have biofuels to replace fossil fuels."

  The idea is that burning wood becomes close to carbon neutral if the forests from where it is taken are replenished at the same rate as they are felled for fuel.

• • Here are 13 of the World’s Best New Green Hotels

  13 of the World’s Best
  New Green Hotels

  Feb. 12, 2020 (National Geographic) —as the scope of sustainable travel has grown, remote ecolodges have inspired new ways to tread lightly and care for local communities and the environment. The paradigm now embraces geothermal energy, upcycled furniture, and sourcing food directly from farms, initiatives found in lodgings that range from safari camps to urban hot spots.

  Big players in the hospitality world—such as Hilton Hotels & Resorts, with the new LEED Gold-designed Lodge at Gulf State Park—are catching up with pioneers such as the award-winning Cayuga Collection, often using their scale to sway guests and staff to focus on responsible travel. Whether you’re headed to the backcountry or the big city, these new accommodations offer overnights that put sustainability in style.

  Click now for the story and a slideshow.

• • Green Kanha Initiative

  An Environmental Initiative by the Heartfulness Institute Committed to Nurturing India's Mega-Biodiversity

  Forests by Heartfulness (FBH) is an initiative aspiring to conserve the threatened, rare, and endangered species of our tropical forests. There is increasing evidence that green cover can improve human, physical, and mental well-being. In cities, tree plantations help to combat air pollution and temperature stabilization.

  Thus, there is a need to plant more trees to conserve wildlife, support local communities, combat climate change, improve human well-being, and benefit future generations. FBH is an ecological movement aims to create spaces where humans coexist in harmony with Nature.

• Sustainability Excellence Awards

3rd Annual Awards for
Excellence in Sustainability

American Planning Assoc. The American Planning Association’s Sustainable Communities Division (SCD) announced the third annual Awards for Excellence in Sustainability at the National Planning Conference in Phoenix, AZ. The awards honor project, plans, policies, individuals, and organizations whose work is dedicated to supporting and growing sustainable communities.

• • How to Tackle the Population Problem

  Tackling the Population Problem

  Dec. 23, 2019 (Center for Biological Diversity)-Every day we add 227,000 more people to the planet — and the UN predicts that human population will surpass 11 billion by the end of the century. As the world's population grows, so do its demands for water, land, trees and fossil fuels — all of which come at a steep price for already endangered plants and animals.

  Unsustainable population growth and lack of access to reproductive health care also puts pressure on human communities, exacerbating food and water shortages, reducing resilience in the face of climate change, and making it harder for the most vulnerable communities to rise out of intergenerational poverty.

  We can reduce our own population and consumption to an ecologically sustainable level in ways that promote human rights; decrease poverty and overcrowding; raise our standard of living; and allow plants, animals and ecosystems to thrive.

• • Myco Composite Packing Material

  It's C2C Gold Certified

  (EVOCATIVE DESIGN) —Patented from biomaterials utilizing mycelium as a self-assembling biological binder for hemp agricultural product.

  Among its features: Flame Resistance, Biodegradability and Water Resistance.

• • Can We Collect Water From the Atmosphere?

  Lighting the Way to
  Harvest Water From Air

  July 29, 2018 (Phys.org)- A low-cost method for collecting water from the atmosphere could be used to provide potable water to dry, inland regions.

  Commonly available salts and sunlight can harvest water vapor from the air to provide potable water to arid and land-locked regions of the world.

  Many parts of the world, such as the sub-Saharan countries of Africa, have little or no access to surface water or ground-water supplies and often have to rely on the transportation of fresh water over long distances, which is costly and inefficient.

• • The Benefits of Vertical Farming

  Agriculture Reimagined

  (From intelligentgrowthsolutions.com)

  
  Grow Local, Globally,
  Better Quality,
  Saving Natural Resources,
  Declining Cost

  Click now for detailed explanations.

• • How to Make Your Bathroom EcoConscious

  Guide to an Environmentally
  -Friendly Bathroom

  Greener Ideal, Dec. 1, 2018 - The bathroom is probably the most overlooked area of an eco-conscious home. The simplest measures can go a long way to reducing both water and energy wastage in the bathroom.

  The article focuses on nine points to bring your bathroom up to eco-friendly standards.

• • What is Regenerative Agriculture?

  Why Regenerative Agriculture?
  Glad You Asked

  Regenerative Agriculture describes farming and grazing practices that, among other benefits, reverse climate change by rebuilding soil organic matter and restoring degraded soil biodiversity – resulting in both carbon drawdown and improving the water cycle.

  
  Click now for more
  from Regeneration International.

• • Beers That Won't 'Ale' the Planet

  After a Long Day of
  Fighting Climate Change,
  This Grain Is Ready For a Beer

  - National Beer Day is the day that brew-loving Americans raise a glass (or several) to commemorate when the sale of beer was legalized in the United States after 13 years of Prohibition. In honor of that occasion, we've picked six eco-friendly beers from our favorite sustainability-minded American brewing companies for you to enjoy. We promise they will make you hoppy!

  Click now to sip on this story.

• • Plant-Based Diet Leads to Good Health

  The Power of Plant-Based Eating

  - A YouTube presentation by Dr. Joanne Kong on the benefits of plant eating,and the the dangers when we don’t.

  Removing animal consumption from our diet can not just save us, but our planet as well.

  Click now for the video.

• • The Delta Works Project

  The Holland Delta Works Project

  The Delta Works, consisting of 13 sections, together form the largest flood protection system in the world and are definitely worth a visit. This imposing project, also referred to as one of the seven wonders of the world, illustrates how the Dutch deal with water. Furthermore, they lie in a gorgeous environment with wonderful beaches, beautiful nature and many culinary spots.

• • Canning For the Climate

  Tips on Minimizing Food Waste

  Making small changes on where you source your food, planting a container or backyard garden, and learning to preserve the seasonal harvest can reduce the amount of carbon your household emits. You can also help reduce your carbon footprint by reducing waste of food at home and cutting the transportation emissions of your food by buying local.

• • The Best Places to Survive Global Societal Collapse

  Study Citing ‘Perilous State’
  of Industrial Civilization Ranks
  Temperate Islands Top For Resilience

  July, 2021, (The Guardian)-New Zealand, Iceland, the UK, Tasmania and Ireland are the places best suited to survive a global collapse of society, according to a study.

  The researchers said human civilisation was “in a perilous state” due to the highly interconnected and energy-intensive society that had developed and the environmental damage this had caused.

• • Cities 100 - Sectors, Cities and Solutions

  Cities 100 and What it All Means

  learn about the 100 solutions for climate actions in cities and the people behind the movement.

• • Water from Desert Air

  New Solar-Powered Device Can Pull
  Water Straight From The Desert Air

  April 13, 2017 -You can’t squeeze blood from a stone, but wringing water from the desert sky is now possible, thanks to a new spongelike device that uses sunlight to suck water vapor from air, even in low humidity. The device can produce nearly 3 liters of water per day for every kilogram of spongelike absorber it contains, and researchers say future versions will be even better. That means homes in the driest parts of the world could soon have a solar-powered appliance capable of delivering all the water they need, offering relief to billions of people.


• • Chefs Can Save the Bees

  Chefs and Restaurants
  Can Help Save the Bees

  Mar. 29, 2017 - Environment America gets that ”No Bees = No Food” is not a good idea.

• • A Moore’s Law to Reduce CO2

  What If There Were a Moore’s
  Law for Reducing Carbon Emissions?

  Mar. 24, 2017 - Researchers hope that a simple rule could help governments around the world achieve the goal of zero emissions.

• • Landscaping’s Price in Water Usage

  Outdoor Water Use
  in the United States

  WaterSense The average American family of four uses 400 gallons of water per day, and about 30% of that is devoted to outdoor uses. More than half of that outdoor water is used for watering lawns and gardens.

  Nationwide, landscape irrigation is estimated to account for almost 1/3 of all residential water use, totaling more than 7 billion gallons per day.

  Other residential outdoor uses include:
  washing automobiles, maintaining swimming pools, and cleaning sidewalks and driveways.

• • Drinking Straws: Bamboo Can Replace Plastic

  A Sustainable Way
  to Make Drinking Straws

  Life Without Plastic-1 billion plastic, petroleum-based, non-biodegradable straws are used every day worldwide.

  These bamboo drinking straws are a fun and eco-friendly alternative to plastic that can be used with any beverage. The straws are made from real whole bamboo stalks – nothing re-compressed or processed. They are washable and reusable. Use a jar of warm water with soap to shake them clean, or clean with a pipe cleaner.

  A purchase of bamboo straws is a vote for sustainable materials. The straws come packaged in a bag that is made from plants that is compostable in commercial facilities, with a tag made from paper. Each straw is 10 inches in length. The straws can last for years and years when properly cared for.

• • The Biodiversity Heritage Library

  The Biodiversity Heritage Library

  Feb. 5, 2020 -The world’s “largest open-access digital library for biodiversity literature and archives” has made 55 million pages of literature and at least 150,000 illustrations open for the public to enjoy.

  Do you like life, science, cool art, or all three? Then the Biodiversity Heritage Library (BIH) has a treat for you. The BIH pools together diagrams, sketches, studies, and data pertaining to life on Earth from hundreds of thousands of journals and libraries, some of them from as far back as the 15th century. You can see it all, and download it all, without paying a dime.

  A purchase of bamboo straws is a vote for sustainable materials. The straws come packaged in a bag that is made from plants that is compostable in commercial facilities, with a tag made from paper. Each straw is 10 inches in length. The straws can last for years and years when properly cared for.

• • Something Good Out of Plastic Waste

  Turning Plastic Waste Into Green Energy

  Oct. 15, 2018,(The Conversation) -In the adventure classic Back to the Future, Emmett “Doc” Brown uses energy generated from rubbish to power his DeLorean time machine. But while a time machine may still be some way off, the prospect of using rubbish for fuel isn’t too far from reality. Plastics, in particular, contain mainly carbon and hydrogen, with similar energy content to conventional fuels such as diesel.

  Plastics are among the most valuable waste materials – although with the way people discard them, you probably wouldn’t know it. It’s possible to convert all plastics directly into useful forms of energy and chemicals for industry, using a process called “cold plasma pyrolysis”.

• • France Really Wants to Go Green

  France Passes Green Rooftop Law

  March 31, 2020,(AENews) -France keeps making green headlines lately… the Eiffel Tower’s wind turbines, the tree-shaped wind turbines being installed in Paris, and now an exciting new law that is sure to have a huge environmental impact in urban centers.

  Every new commercial building in France must meet a new building requirement; the roof must be at least partially covered in either solar panels or plants. Environmental activists had originally called for all for all rooftops to be 100% green, but the Government limited the scope of the law to include commercial buildings only. In an effort to make it less onerous for businesses, the rooftops will also only have to be partially green. But better than nothing!

• • The Disney Conservation Fund

  Protecting The Magic
  of Nature Together

  -Disney Conservation is committed to saving wildlife and building a global community inspired to protect the magic of nature together. Since 1995, the Disney Conservation Fund has directed $100 million to support nonprofit organizations working with communities to save wildlife, inspire action and protect the planet.

  Disney Conservation Team Wildlife leads best-in-class scientific programs to conserve wildlife in Disney’s backyard and beyond, connects people to build a network for nature, and cares for the planet through everyday actions.

• • Thirst For Power: Watch the Documentary

  Thirst For Power: - The Documentary

  — Shown at several environmentally-focused film festivals in 2019.

  Water and energy are the two fundamental components of a society, and they areinterconnected. Thirst for Power, shot on location across France, California, and Texas, explores the history of civilization’s quest to procure abundant water and energy — from ancient Roman aqueducts in Europe to modern America’s vast hydroelectric infrastructure. The film explores our dependence on water for energy as well as vulnerabilities in our current systems. Changing the way we think about water and energy can secure the long-term sustainability of both precious resources.

  The documentary is adapted from Dr. Michael E. Webber’s book Thirst for Power: Energy, Water, and Human Survival. Combining anecdotes and personal stories with insights into the latest science of energy and water, both the book and the documentary identify a hopeful path toward wise long-range water-energy decisions and a more reliable and abundant future for humanity.

• • Lab Grown Meat - Good or Bad Thing?

  Critical Questions on Laboratory-
  Created Animal Product Alternatives

  -Most recently, significant investment has been made in the research and development of non-plant based products in an attempt to mimic animal-based products, ranging from animal tissue grown from animal cell cultures with animal serum, to proteins produced by genetically engineered algae and yeast.

  The makers of this new wave of products claim to minimize the environmental impact of industrial factory farming by replacing animal products with synthetic products; but these engineered substances may also be resource intensive in their use of energy and water, as well as using feedstocks, like sugar and methane, and chemicals. The new animal replacement products are being marketed or promoted as “clean meat,” “animal-free,”“plant-based” or “climate-friendly,” but with questionable substantiation.

  Click now to learn more on this
  subject from Friends of the Earth.

• • Yes, It's Cricket to Eat Insects

  A Sustainable Method
  to Get Your Protein

  (EXO)- They make nutrient-dense real food bars, combining cricket flour protein, minimally processed. A healthful snack for pre or post exercise.

  
  Click now learn more, and
  maybe get some for yourself.
• • Five Zero-Waste Cities?

  Cities Working Towards Zero Waste

  Oct. 12, 2019  (TIME)- Communities around the country are looking to recover the lost value in their waste streams. This is not limited to paper and plastics, but rather a comprehensive analysis of the most prominent landfill-bound items (including food waste and other organic materials). By implementing initiatives such as landfill bans, source separation incentives, and mandatory composting, these cities have been able to impact their waste diversion rates.

• • The ™Apeel of Working With Nature

  Technology by nature

  Apeel Sciences- We’ve finally arrived at a new frontier where we can use natural materials and design principles to produce food in a way that works with nature — rather than against it. And it turns out, plants provide all the ingredients we need to keep produce at its best from vine to kitchen. Watch how Apeel keeps produce fresh at ambient temperatures.

  Click now to learn how your
  vegetables can have more appeal.

• • The World’s Most Environment Friendly Airports

  The World’s Most
  Environmentally Friendly Airports

  Airport Technology -Airports are going green in response to increasing pressure regarding the aviation industry’s environmental impact. We locate the world’s most environmentally friendly airports and find out what elements of their design help them to offset carbon emissions.

  The aviation sector is facing increasing pressure to clean up its act when it comes to climate change, but gas-guzzling airplanes aren’t the only culprits. As airports expand, so too does their carbon footprint, with more energy required to power new terminals, ground transport vehicles and the creation of infrastructure. Building capacity for additional aircraft can also create a backlash amongst environmentalists – see, for example, the frenzy over a potential third runway at the UK’s Heathrow Airport.

• • Reduce Your Lawn and Plant Native Species

  The Importance of Lawn Reduction

  National Wildlife Federation (NWF) -Traditional American landscaping focuses on maintaining a manicured green lawn. However, native trees, shrubs, ground cover, prairie or meadow patches, flower beds, and attractively mulched areas are better environmental choices, for people and wildlife

• • Dubai: The Improbable Green City

  The World's Most
  Improbable Green City

  April 4, 2017 - To plunge headlong into the audacity of Dubai—the sprawling efflorescence of concrete, glass, and steel that has sprung up over the past three decades on the scorched sands of Arabia—you could start by going skiing.

  Smack in the middle of the flat city, the slope looks like a silver spaceship impaled in the ground floor of the Mall of the Emirates. Inside, you can window-shop at Prada, Dior, and Alexander McQueen before pushing through the glass doors of Ski Dubai. Passing a mural of the Alps, you zip up your parka, pull on your gloves. You begin to marvel then at what air-conditioning can do, when pushed to its limits.

  Click for a story you
  won't want to miss.

• • Attainable Sustainable is Maintainable

  Self-reliance at Home

  The whole idea behind this site it that sustainability at some level is within our reach. Sure, we’ll all still have to buy things at the grocery store. And maybe some aspects of living a more self-reliant lifestyle just aren’t your cup of tea. But look around your home or your office. There’s so much room for improvement. And that’s what brought this website’s creators here.

5 Gyres

Did you know that in the past decade,
more and more personal care are products
sold in around the world contain micro-
plastic particles employed as exfoliants?

These tiny plastic beads are washed
directly down the drain and into our
water systems, where they harm our waterways and the animals that live there.

41pounds.org

Reclaim your mailbox! -

Stop junk mail — the impact of 41pounds.org
stops your junk mail and catalogs
— protecting the environment.

Junk mail wastes an incredible amount of
natural resources and contributes to global warming.

Aruba

By 2020, Aruba's Smart Island Strategy will
transition the island to 100% renewable energy,
increase housing choices and neighborhood
quality, strengthen social cohesion, reduce
traffic congestion and improve mobility, reduce
obesity and improve public health, improve
water conservation, and diversify
an expanding island economy.

Azotic Technologies

The future in sustainable nitrogen

Azotic Technologies specialises in natural nitrogen
which helps address the problem of nitrogen pollution.

With approximately 700 brands of bottled
water available in stores, it can be tempting
for consumers to opt for packaged water instead
of more environmentally-conscious choices.

Canon's Environment-friendly Approach

Read all about Canon's environmental
activities through the product life-cycle:

Check out their 'Think Outside the Bottle'
campaign, which will ween us off our
destructve thirst for bottled water, when
you can carry your own refillable container.

It's much cheaper for you,
and far better for the environment

Davies & Company

A Comprehensive Website Created by a Consulting
Forester to Provide Complete Forest and Forestry
Information for Western Massachusetts and the World.

Dow Chemical

The company will produce plastics from
sugar cane, rivaling the petrochemical
producers. It is building the world's
largest faclity employing this methodology
in Brazil, where sugar cane has long
been a source for bio fuels.

The project will begin with the construction of a 240-million-liter ethanol plant, a joint venture with Mitsui, that is set to begin later this year.

By the beginning of next year, Dow will
finish engineering plans for facilities that
will convert that ethanol into hundreds
of thousands of metric tons of polyethylene,
the world's most widely used plastic.

Earth Action Network (EAN)

A non-profit, environmental/social justice
organization dedicated to promoting the healing of
our society and our planet. It was founded in 1989.

Promotes sustainable development by
identifying and implementing innovative
technologies that balance human and
natural systems. delivering viable,
replicable models to government,
industry, and communities nationwide

Ecovative Mushroom Packaging

Performs like foam -a high-performance alternative
to molded or fabricated EPS, EPP, EPE and more.

Renewable, natural, home-compostable -delight your customers with environmentally responsible packaging.

Cost competitive 
(healthy for the planet and your budget)

Thousands of species risk extinction fromdisappearing
habitat, changing ecosystems and acidifying oceans.

According to the IPCC, climate change will
put some 20% to 30% of species
globally at increasingly high risk
of extinction, possibly by 2100.

Florida Power & Light

Just click on the logo to watch a video on what
FPL is doing for sustainability, and job growth in Florida.

The world's smallest laptop adaptor. • Read the article.

Forestry Degree.NET

Promoting Forest and Woodland Conservation

Forests and woodlands provide a great deal of
economic value by filtering the water and air
we breathe, providing habitat for creatures
that are vital to the continued balance of the
ecosystem, and providing the raw materials
for wood and paper, which are integral to
the manufacturing of many products.

Conserving and maintaining healthy forests
and woodlands is in the best interest of anyone
working in the field of forestry, or any field
that depends on forests, such as:

• Forestry, agroforestry, and land management
• Logging and timber industries • Construction

Learn more by clicking on the logo.

Genesis Farm

Attempts to address the basic issues
of our time in concert with other
people. It was founded to make
this land and its facilities
available to all people of good will.

Here we raise serious questions about
the global crises and evoke the rich
spiritual insights that are already within
the hearts of all people.

GEN offers inspiring examples of how people
and communities can live healthy, cooperative,
genuinely happy and meaningful lifestyles
--- beacons of hope that help in the transition
to a more sustainable future on Earth.

We foster a culture of mutual respect, sharing,
inclusiveness, positive intent, and fair energy exchange.

GMZ Energy specializes in ThermoVoltaics; economically viable energy solutions based
on direct heat to electricity conversion.

It's one of the 10 companies General
Electric is funding through it's venture capital
partners program, to promote alternative
energy and energy efficiency. • Read all about it.

Company Statement: Clean and affordable energy
is a growing need for our company,
so we’re excited about launching RE&D

Its' a strategic initiative whose mission is to
develop electricity from renewable sources
cheaper than electricity produced from coal.

Initially, this project to create
renewable energy cheaper than coal will
focus on advanced solar thermal power, wind
power technologies, and enhanced geothermal
systems – but we’ll explore other potential
breakthrough technologies too.

Consumer friendly lighting platform utilizes NXP’s
JenNet-IP Internet-based wireless technology.

Click the image for more on this new technology.

Historic Eco-friendly Village

Mike and Lizzie Thrasher discovered the 100-year-old
Island City of Anna Maria in 2005 on a vacation.

Since then they have spent most of t• he past
five years developing seven luxury vacation
villas under the Pineapplefish name.

They have also begun to invest in Pine Avenue
– ‘Main Street’ for Anna Maria City, where they
are looking to restore and renew some of the
historic island cottages and group them into
a Green Village. More by clicking on the logo

(How Much Energy
Does the Sun Generate?)

The Sun is the star at the center
of the Solar System. It is almost perfectly spherical and consists of
hot plasma (state of matter) interwoven with magnetic fields. It has a diameter of about 1,392,000 km, about 109 times that of Earth, and its mass
(about 330,000 times that of Earth) accounts
for about 99.86% of the total mass of the Solar System.

Scientists calculate our Sun and solar system formed
at the same time - a whopping 4.56 billion years ago.
Sun's average distance from Earth is 150 million
kilometers (93 million miles).Sun is made of gas.
Sun will shine as it is for about another 3 to 5 billion
years! It will then evolve into a Red Giant over a
few more billion years. Scientists arrive at this
estimate by calculating how fast the hydrogen
in the Sun's core is being converted to helium.

Approximately 37% of our Sun's hydrogen
has been used since it formed four and a half billion
years ago. Every second, the Sun produces 400
trillion watts, which is the same amount of energy
as about a trillion 1 megaton bombs!

That's a lot of enrgy we could be using.

IKEA - All About Sustainability

From IKEA's Chief Sustainability Officer, Steve
Howard: To us it’s about taking care of people
and the planet – from tackling the problem of
children living in poverty to creating renewable energy.

You can see evidence of this work through innovative
IOur co-workers, suppliers and partners have been
working on these issues and more for a while.

IKEA products and solutions, and through
the way we do business. If we all take small
actions, we can all contribute to big results.

It's s a non-profit organization that works
to develop a just and sustainable food system
in the New York City region.


We do this by fostering new marketing and
food-growing opportunities that address
the needs of regional,rural family farms, NYC
community gardeners, and NYC communities.

Invest in the Planet — and Your Organization's Future
Resources to Help Your Oorganization Set,
Measure, and Manage its Sustainability Goals

At LinkedIn, our mission is to help every member of our global community connect with economic opportunity. This includes helping companies and their workforces prepare for the green transition. That’s why we created this curated collection of resources that can help your organization on its sustainability journey, no matter what stage you’re in — from getting executive buy-in, to reducing your footprint, to scaling your impact with internal and external stakeholders.

Get involved. Go to their website to see how
you can have an impact on your community.

Most Innovative Companies for 2019.
Takes you to a list of top energy innovators,
the technologies used, and why they were selected.

NextEra Energy, Inc. is a leading clean
energy company with consolidated revenues
of approximately $17.5 billion and approximately
14,300 employees in 27 states and Canada
as of year-end 2015, as well as approximately
45,000 megawatts of generating capacity,
which includes megawatts associated with
noncontrolling interests related to NextEra
Energy Partners, LP (NYSE: NEP) as of April 2016.

The Organic Consumers
Association (OCA)

It's an online and grassroots non-profit 501(c3)
public interest organization campaigning
for health, justice, and sustainability.

Pervious Concrete Pavement

It's a unique and effective means to address
important environmental issues and support green, sustainable growth. By capturing stormwater and
allowing it to seep into the ground, porous
concrete is instrumental in recharging
groundwater, reducing stormwater runoff,
and meeting U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) stormwater regulations. Click the icon to read more.

Planet Forward, a project of the Center for Innovative
Media at the George Washington University School
of Media and Public Affairs, teaches, celebrates,
and rewards environmental storytelling by
college students. It is the premier engagement
tool for GW’s many sustainability initiatives.

Emmy Award-winning journalist Frank Sesno formed
Planet Forward in 2009 to empower new voices and
lead a global conversation on the planet’s future.

You can learn more about
Planet Forward by clcking on the logo.

Post Carbon Institute

Founded in 2003, Post Carbon Institute
is leading the transition to a more
resilient, equitable, and sustainable world.

They provide individuals, communities, businesses,
and governments with the resources needed to
understand and respond to the interrelated
economic, energy, environmental, and equity
crises that define the 21st century.

They envision a world of resilient
communities and re-localized economies
that thrive within ecological bounds.

High tech design, low tech assembly. While products
may have improved in the last 100 years, the process
to deliver a building is nearly identical.
Project Frog's mission is to change all that.

It's one of the 10 companies General Electric is
funding through it's venture capital partners program
to promote alternative energy and energy efficiency.
• Read all about it.

Renewable Oil -

for fuel, for food, for life™

Solazyme makes oil.

Their unique technology transforms low-cost
plant sugars into high-value renewable oils
that our world so urgently needs.
• Read More

Directs environmentally responsible investors
to specialists who can offer guidance to the
companies with the fitting profile.

Using what is in abundance to produce
that which is not.

Click on the icon for the full story
along with some very informative videos.

SELF's mission is to design and implement
solar energy solutions to assist the 1.5 billion
people living in energy poverty with their economic, educational, health care and agricultural development.

Since 1990, SELF has completed projects in more
than 20 countries and pioneered unique applications
of solar power such as for drip irrigation in Benin,
health care in Haiti, telemedicine in the Amazon
rainforest, online learning in South Africa
and microenterprise development in Nigeria.

Star Island Resort

- The Bahamas - Make your next vacation a green
one at this carbon neutral, LEED certified resort.

Their energy requirements are supplied by solar
panels and wind . Truly a vacation without Eco guilt.

The Story of Stuff

It's a 20-minute, fast-paced, fact-filled
look at the underside of our production
and consumption patterns.

Sustainable Cities

Intelligent traffic solutions, green buildings,
wastewater management, and smart grid infra-
structure are just a few of the helping to
steer today’s urbanization toward sustainability.

The challenges presented by sustainable urban
development are immense. In 2010, 82% of
Americans lived in cities; by 2050 it will be 90%.

Cities are responsible for around two thirds
of the energy used, 60 percent of all water
consumed and 70 percent of all greenhouse
gases produced worldwide. Sustainable cities
are looking at ways to improve their infra-
structures to become more environmentally
friendly, increase the quality of life for their
residents, and cut costs at the same time.

Because Every Planet Needs One

It is a fail-safe seed storage facility, built to
stand the test of time — and the challenge of
natural or man-made disasters.

The Seed Vault represents the world’s
largest collection of crop diversity.

Click on the image for an interactive visit.

Synthetic Genomics
-The Global Challenge:

Sustainably meeting the increasing
demand for critical resources

The world facies increasingly difficult challenges
today. Population growth resulting in the growing
demand for critical resources such as energy, clean
water, food and medicine are taxing our fragile planet.

To fulfill these needs we need disruptive technologies.

We believe genomic advances offer the world
viable, sustainable alternatives. Synthetic
Genomics is creating genomic-driven commercial
solutions to revolutionize many industries.

They started by focusing on energy, and imagine
a future where science could be used to produce
a variety of products, from synthetically derived
vaccines to prevent human diseases to efficient
cost effective ways to create clean drinking water.

UPS Innovative Fleets & Facilities

From retrofitting aircraft with advanced technology
and fuel-efficient engines that reduce noise...
to developing a powerful computer network
that efficiently dispatches their vehicles...
to using alternative fuels to run them...
these are just some of the ways UPS isensuring
the long term viability of our company for our
customers, employees, shareholders and communities.

UPS collaborates with manufacturers,
government and non-profit organizations to
promote sustainable product transportation.

UPS is a charter member of the EPA Smartway
Transport Program, a voluntary partnership to reduce
freight and fleet sector energy consumption,
pollutants and greenhouse gas emissions. In 2008,
UPS became the first shipping company to join
the EPA's Climate Leaders program.

Climate Leaders is an industry/government
partnership that works with companies to develop comprehensive climate change strategies.

WindAid is a social entrepreneurship project
that provides wind turbines to communities
in Peru who are in need of electricity and light.

Volunteers who join our WindAid placement
program get to build and install a wind turbine
in just five weeks. It is the financial contribution
and work of the volunteers during the WindAid
program that covers the cost of the wind turbine
and installation such that the completed wind turbine
is presented to the recipient community for free.

Cell phones, game controllers, laptops, mobile
robots, even electric vehicles capable of re-charging themselves without ever being plugged in! Flat
screen TV’s and digital picture frames that hang on the wall—without requiring a wire and plug for power.

Their technology will deliver power
ranging from milliwatts to kilowatts.

It's one of the 10 companies General Electricis
funding through it's venture capital partners program,
to promote alternative energy and energy efficiency.

Read all about it.

World Environment Day

The theme for this year’s World Environment
Day celebrations is Think.Eat.Save. This is an anti
-food waste and food loss campaign that
encourages you to reduce your foodprint.

According to the UN Food and Agriculture
Organization (FAO), every year 1.3 billion
tonnes of food is wasted.This is equivalent
to the same amount produced in the whole
of sub-Saharan Africa. At the same time,
1 in every 7 people in the world go to bed
hungry and more than 20,000 children under
the age of 5 die daily from hunger.

Their work revolves around the transition
to an environmentally sustainable and socially
just society—and how to achieve it.

We think this is one of the most egregious
sources of plastic pollution, and need your
help to ban these products from commerce completely.