Image source: Nature.comEditor's note: This week, Shirley and Jimmy take on the subject of radical environmentalism. Are acts of vandalism, break-ins and civil disobedience always wrong, or do they sometimes serve a greater purpose?

Shirley: Fake blood tossed onto socialites wearing fur coats. Late-night liberation of laboratory animals. Wholesale destruction of Hummers and gas-guzzlers in California parking lots. The lists of exploits by some radical animal-rights and extreme environmental groups reads more like rap sheets than a honorable curriculum vitae. For reasonable stewards of the Earth, breaking and entry, theft, destruction of physical property and other mayhem serve no purpose.

Or do they? I don't condone violence or criminal acts as a means of conveying a message, however well-intended the message might be. But I have to admit that, sometimes — just sometimes — a crazy or even slightly illegal (as if there is such a thing in the eyes of the law) act by a group like, say, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) brings to light a practice that's been kept in the dark largely because it's unpleasant, harmful or cruel. The act of sneaking hidden cameras into poultry processing plants, for example, opened a lot of people's eyes to just how unnecessarily inhumane the methods of turning chickens into wings and nuggets actually are. So is there an argument to be made that maybe, just maybe, the occasional whack attack by radical vegans or Luddites is a justifiable act of civil disobedience? I'd have to say, cautiously, yes.

Eaten in a school cafeteria lately? Chances are you'll be dining on processed, reheated food that helps tiny school lunch budgets stretch their pennies. In an attempt to make lunches healthier and more sustainable, the state of Oregon is taking significant steps towards increasing the amount of local food that goes into public school lunches.

One legislative bill, awaiting Gov. Ted Kulongoski's signature, that will limit caloric, sugar, and fat content of foods sold in vending machines and school stores. Three more bills currently being debated that would promote, among other things, utilizing food from Oregon farmers, bakeries, and other processors. HB 3476 allocates seven cents per meal served in Oregon public schools to incorporate Oregon agricultural products. HB 3307 creates a Farm to School program within the Oregon Deparment of Agriculture, and HB 3185 awards mini-grants to schools creating gardens and other agriculture/food-based learning. The three bills would cost the state approximately $10 million.

Yes, today is World Environment Day (the UN says so). Official theme is “melting ice”. Coincidentally, the G8 summit in Germany starts tomorrow. We’ve got a team on the scene, and you can follow their work here. But this update isn’t about Bush, Merkel or even Harper. It’s about the melting glaciers of the Himalayas, and the nearly 1 billion people whose water supply could be affected.

Recently a Greenpeace expedition went to the Himalayas to document the retreat of these glaciers. There’s a feature story here by a Chinese journalist who joined the expedition (along with an audio slideshow by the expedition photographer).

Or check out this mini-documentary (it’s under five minutes)….

Continue reading Happy World Environment Day G8 leaders!…

Always on the lookout for new green events, I’m excited to have found something that promises to be more than just networking (not that there’s anything wrong with that!) On Thursday, June 7th, the Los Angeles Net Impact chapter, in partnership with SustainLane, is hosting an event dedicated to sustainability.

The event features guest speaker Gillian Christie. As founder and CEO of Christie Communications, a communications and public relations firm, Christie works to promote the products and services of ethical companies. She will discuss her perspective on environmental messaging and the opportunities and challenges of differentiating green products in an increasingly crowded market. Christie will also share examples from Sri Lanka and Sudan, detailing how her company gives back in its global quest to promote sustainability and human rights.

Though Net Impact is one of the sponsors, you don’t need to be a member to attend. Both professionals and students are welcome, though there is a fee for entry ($25 for professionals, $20 for students). Dues-paying professional and student members receive discounts ($22 for professionals, $17 for students). Drinks and light snacks will be served.

Negotiations leading up to the Group of Eight (G-8) summit that begins in Heiligendamm, Germany on Wednesday stalled when the U.S. bluntly objected to the host country’s global warming declaration.

Germany’s proposal calls for limiting the global temperature rise this century to 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit (2 degrees Celsius) and cutting global warming emissions to 50 percent below 1990 levels by 2050. But Bush administration officials rejected those mandatory emissions targets, as well as calls to raise energy efficiencies 20 percent by 2020. They also opposed a statement that reads, “We acknowledge that the U.N. climate process is an appropriate forum for negotiating future global action on climate change."

So late last week, President Bush went on the offensive and proposed his own climate change goal. He urged 15 major nations – including China and India – to agree by the end of next year on a global target for reducing greenhouse gases. Rather than a specific goal like Germany’s 3.6 degrees reduction, Bush called for nations to hold a series of meetings, beginning this fall, to set a global goal and then each nation then would decide how to reach that goal. At the same time, the White House specifically registered its opposition to a global cap-and-trade program.

Although German Chancellor Angela Merkel welcomed Bush’s “new determination” to fight climate change, any goal must absolutely be part of a U.N. framework. Furthermore, she said in an interview with the German magazine Der Spiegel that her proposals for a 3.6 degrees cut in emissions “are non-negotiable as far as I am concerned.”

Documentary film by Union of Ecoforestry in Finland and Saami Council is available as DVD. You can order your copy from Union of Ecoforestry website. Short introduction can be viewed in YouTube

Editor's note: Pets are on everyone's minds, it seems! Today, GNMParents writer Heike Boehmke-Sharp adds to the discussion with her ideas on buying pet food and waste disposal bags. Don't forget to take a look at Jennifer's contribution at GNMParents.

Pets are a man’s best friend! They can be “green” too :)…

I have a 17 year old Husky/Shepard mix, and recently we adopted a new “little” Shepard puppy into our lives. Due the sensitive skin of our Husky, I have always been aware of what kind of food I feed him. Given the recent pet food scare, I am no longer the only person reading pet food labels in the store.

You may think by buying the more expensive brands you are doing your pet a favor. The recent pet food contamination put that myth to rest. Even some of the expensive brands put unfavorable ingredients in their mix. Ingredients you want to steer away from are: animal digets, animal render, or anything with “parts” attached. There are some great brands out there that only use real ingredients and no animal left overs or slush in their food. We have recently switched to “BLUE” (BlueBuff.com), and both my senior and my puppy love it. I only feed dry dog food. Another bonus of good food that is not enhanced wth fillers is “little poops” :)…You can also make your own dog food in a slow cooker. Depending on preference you can cook beef, lamb, or chicken. Add rice, or barley and veggies. If you have a good butcher, you can ask them to save you the waste cuts to mix with a regular cut of meat. One pot is good for about 2 days.

There are also natural treats that do not contain unwelcome by-product. You can get them at doggie bakeries, and Newman’s Own also makes wonderful doggie treats that are affordable. My dogs both like carrots and veggies, so we give them those as treats :).

Photo Credit: Silicon Solar Inc.We are pretty familiar with most of the ways solar energy is collected. There are photovoltaic panels (PV) which directly convert sunlight into electricity. Solar hot water systems are another widely known system. Water circulates through a series of tubes or through a pipe to be heated by sunlight. And solar concentrators use mirrors to focus sunlight on a narrow area, either for direct heating, or to boil water to make steam for electrical generating purposes.

Evacuated tube heaters are another method of collecting solar energy. Rather than running the water through a long circuitous course, each tube is a separate heat collector. It is made of a clear glass cylinder which allows sunlight to pass through, and a central heat collector tube. The evacuated tube insulates the collector element, which makes it more efficient in colder environments. The collector itself is typically filled with an antifreeze mix rather than just water. The top of the tube has a heat exchange element which is prevents contamination of the water being heated. The tubes are collected together in an array, with a manifold across the tops, containing the heat exchangers.

Google Transit was already the best thing that ever happened to online public transit trip planning, and now it’s grown to a whole new level. Even better, it’s starting to be incorporated into the default Google Maps and Google Earth. The new features and the integration into normal map queries will make public transit more accessible and easier for everyone to understand; and in doing so, it will certainly increase transit ridership and reduce driving.
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(Posted by Jeremy Faludi in Transportation at 10:31 PM)