Posts tagged with "environment"

Environment 04/30/2009

Famous Wax / project BLUE

Famous Wax has joined project BLUE with their new eco-friendly wax, Green Label, which is 100 percent petrochemical free, made with high-grade Earth friendly/organic ingredients and completely biodegradable. It even comes wrapped in FSC certified packaging and is available in five temperatures, including basecoat.

Environment 04/10/2009

Swimming Ponds

Saw this post on a Kohler website. I’m just going to copy-paste their article, since I can’t write it any better or different, but now all I want to do is build a swimming pond.

If you’ve ever owned a swimming pool you know it’s a chore, all the cleaning and maintenance, and you know the chlorine can’t be good for you nor the planet. So what to do? Convert your pool to a natural pond. If you have an existing in-ground swimming pool you can now transform it into a natural swimming pond. More on conversion in a bit. And if you’re considering getting a pool, consider getting a pond, you can eliminate expensive heating and maintenance bills, harmful chemicals, those weekly chores and allergic reactions. There is no need to fear infestations of mosquitoes or an invasion of frogs, a natural swimming pond is nature perfected, all the small creatures live in the plant zone while you relax in the swimming zone. So instead of killing every living thing that comes into contact with your pool, you can now save and encourage wildlife in your pond.

How does a conversion work? In sum, the edge of your existing pool gets lowered and a new shallow section gets added for a plant zone. It’s the plant regeneration area that does the natural filtering and cleaning. In two short months an algae-less pool will develop without effort; within the first month suspended algae will disappear and after two the water will be clear. Surprisingly, the installation of new natural ponds are price competitive with new swimming pools and the maintenance costs of a pond are lower than conventional pools. There are even DIY kits available.

A number of companies have emerged as leaders in this new field, particularly in Europe where naturals pools are increasingly popular. From a design standpoint, the possibilities for natural swimming ponds are infinite, check out the galleries at these websites to see for yourself; clear-water-revival.com (the source for images in this post), naturalswimmingpools.com (for information on pool conversion) and totalhabitat.com in the U.S..

Environment 04/03/2009

Project S.O.S. - This Weekend

If you’re in L.A. this weekend:

The Project S.O.S. Surf-a-thon is a way for surfers, non-surfers, families, and communities to become involved in giving a little time and having fun while helping out in our own backyard, the Pacific Ocean. The event will benefit Oceana, the world’s largest organization dedicated to marine conservation.

World champion surfer Shaun Tomson and ‘Hollywood Dreams’ actress Tanna Frederick will co-host the event, which will be held Sunday, April 5th, 2009, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Celebrity surfers in attendance include Michelle Rodriguez, David Chokachi, Peter PT Townend, Chris Rydell, Jonnie Mill and David O’Donnell. Activities will include surfing competitions, a celebrity freestyle session, Oceana speakers, children’s activities, and more!

The Project S.O.S. Celebrity Gala at Shutters on the Beach will begin at 5 p.m. after the conclusion of the Surf-a-thon. Director Henry Jaglom and actor Noah Wyle will co-host a live auction benefiting Oceana. The gala will also feature a blue carpet walk, cocktails, tapas buffet dinner and a live band.

Environment 03/18/2009

Boxed Water Is Better

Part sustainable water company, part art project, part philanthropic project, and completely curious. Boxed Water Is Better, is a boxed water company.

“Started with the simple idea of creating a new bottled water brand that is kinder to the environment and gives back a bit – we found that it shouldn’t be bottled at all, but instead, boxed. So we looked to the past for inspiration in the century old beverage container and decided to keep things simple, sustainable, and beautiful.”

“About 90% of the Boxed Water container is made from a renewable resource, trees, that when harvested in a responsible, managed, and ethical way serve as an amazing renewable resource that benefits the environment even as it’s renewed. Our carbon footprint is dramatically lower as our boxes are shipped flat to our filler and filled only as demand is created, opposed to most bottled water companies that ship their empty bottles across the globe to be filled, then shipped back for consumption. The flat, unfilled boxes we can fit on 2 pallets, or roughly 5% of a truckload, would require about 5 truckloads for empty plastic or glass bottles. Our cartons can also be broken down to their original flat state, are recyclable in most areas, and will be everywhere shortly. We’re also giving 20% of our profits back to the resources our product is composed of – water and trees. Not only does it simply make sense, but we really enjoy supporting water and forestation organizations as it’s part of our company’s ethos and way of thinking to give back and participate. All that and an over-arching focus on simple and beautiful design that compliments our brand as well as the spaces it’s sold and consumed in. “

Environment 11/24/2008

Where to Recycle ANYTHING: Earth911.com

Quickly find the nearest place to recycle anything lying around your house—dead batteries, ink cartridges, computer monitors, cardboard boxes, etc.

In the search fields you just type in a) what you’ve got, and b) your zip code, and the site spits out the nearest locations complete with a map and listings of what else that particular institution will take off your hands.

EARTH911.com

Industry 11/13/2008

Ecolounge

I got an email from Matt at trunq.com about a new event he’s putting on called Ecolounge that focuses on overlap between action sports & sustainable living. The first one is happening at the Arbor Snowboards headquarters in Venice next Thursday, November 20th.

That’s the same day as the Slater book signing in Santa Monica, so if you’re coming to (or live in) L.A. anyway, you can kill two action sports birds with one stone. There will be live music, beer, and a premiere of a new eco-snowboard film called My Own Two Feet.

For more info, email Matt.

Environment 11/12/2008

Malwitz Surfboards + Surfrider Foundation

Go to malwitzsurfboards.com to donate, and while you’re there, be sure to check out the photos of their sweet hand-shaped custom boards.

malwitz surfboards / Surfrider Foundation

Gear 10/29/2008

Tesla Model S

Tesla is making some big moves, literally. The company is planning to relocate from its current headquarters in San Carlos, California, to a $250 million facility in San Jose, California, the construction of which will begin in the summer of 2009. The reason? The Model S, an all-new 4-door 5-passenger zero-emissions luxury sedan powered by a lithium-ion battery pack. Unlike the Tesla Roadster, which is built in partnership with Lotus in the U.K. and based on a stretched Elise platform, the Model S will ride on a platform developed by Tesla.

Tesla says the Model S will get about 240 miles per charge while still offering “exceptional performance.” Numbers being bandied about include 0–60 mph in less than 6 seconds. The Model S will have a base price of about $60,000 (versus the Roadster’s $109,000 price tag) when it goes on sale in late 2010. Tesla recently hired Franz von Holzhausen as its chief designer; he was formerly the director of design for Mazda North America. His first project is to put the finishing touches on the Model S.

[ via: Road and Track ]

Gear 10/21/2008

This is the 2010 Prius

Speaking of eco-cars, Toyota confirmed that this leaked photo of the re-designed 2010 Prius is real. So that’s what it will look like.

Environment 10/21/2008

The Electric MINI E

We’re moving the right direction people.

BMW has released the first images of the all new fully Electric Mini E! It’s got a 204hp fully electric engine, a regenerative braking system, and a range of 150 miles.

The Electric Mini will be use a lithium-ion battery to power a 204 horsepower electric motor. Instead of a gas tank, the mini comes equiped with an electric socket for charging. To save energy, the mini’s top speed will be limited to around 95mph, and a single charge will take you 150 miles.

BMW has decided to conduct a limited test run of 500 vehicles to investigate the viability of such a vehicle in New York, Los Angeles, New Jersey, and possibly London.

The Electric Mini will be officially unveiled next month at the Los Angeles Auto Show.

Gear 09/26/2008

Zero Electric Motorcycles

We’ve told you about electric motorcycles before but this one is ready for the dirt. Check out the awesomely environmental ZERO X.

The ZERO X is no toy. It’s a full powered off-road motorcycle with unmatched performance and durability. You can have all the performance of a traditional gas dirt bike, but without all of the noise, pollution and maintenance hassle.

The ZERO X accelerates from 0-30 in under 2 seconds! The Zero’s electric motor delivers over 20 horsepower and similar performance to a 250cc gas powered off-road motorcycle. With an electric motor you get 100% torque at all times for instantaneous throttle response and incredible off-the-line performance.

Best of all, the ZERO X opens up all kinds of riding opportunities where noise is a problem. Get on a Zero and silently cruise through the outdoors landing killer stump-jumps and catching wildlife in its natural, undisturbed, awesome surroundings.”

A Zero motorcycle will produce less than one-tenth the pollution at the power plant than a gas powered motorcycle.

Yeah, they sound pretty great. That’s why the 2008 models are SOLD OUT. Luckily, the new and improved 2009 models are available and shipping soon.

Where to Buy

Zero X $7450

Gear 08/27/2008

Waldmeister Bikes

Check out the amazing Waldmeister Bike!. It’s produced by Supernova Design, they only make one per month, and they cost about $15,000.

Click-thru for more pictures, and a lot more information about how great & environmentally positive (although not cruelty-free) the bikes are.

Read on…

Gear 08/26/2008

Enertia Electric Motorcycle

Check out the new electric motorcycle from Brammo

The Enertia motorcycle is an urban commuter bike that exceeds 50mph and 40 miles on a single 3-hour charge. At roughly $.32 a fill-up and under one-cent a mile – it is positioned to be the compelling green alternative for the new urban consumer.

And it looks really nice too. Not exactly a bargain though.

Where to Buy

Enertia Bike $12,000-15,000

Environment 08/08/2008

The Air Car is Coming.

I’m not going to re-write th whole CNN story, but you should check it out.

Some bullet points though:

• The car would be powered by a combination of compressed air and fuel and will achieve 100+ mpg.

• Zero Pollution Motors out of New York are pledging to deliver the first models in 2010 at a price tag of less than $18,000.

• The six-seater planned for the U.S. market would be able to reach speeds of more than 90 mph and have a range of more than 800 miles thanks to a dual energy engine.

• It would run purely on compressed air when driven at speeds less than 35 mph.

• An on-board compressor would refill the air tank while the car is running, or owners could refill it by plugging it into a power outlet for four hours.

Environment 08/05/2008

Burn

Someone set the “somewhere” boat on fire. That can’t be good for the reef or environment in any way.

Why didn’t Rip Curl pay a tug boat to pull that thing off the reef? Where was the fleet of Indies Traders? Couldn’t they tug it out?

According to photographer Greg Weatherall, “It was hit with a Molotov cocktail moments after several WCT surfers were on board doing photo shoots. The entire thing is fully alight and will burn throughout the night.”

Check out the story on Surfline for more info.

[ photo: Greg Weatherall ]

Gear 07/28/2008

Ronn Motors Scorpion - Eco-Exotic

Austin-based automotive design and manufacturing company Ronn Motor’s has built the Scorpion; a hydrogen fuel injected hybrid.

The vehicle utilizes new ‘hydrogen on demand’ technology, which, simply put, generates water from the inbuilt tank, turns it into hydrogen and then injects this into the car’s system.

Not only does this approach allow fuel mileage to increase by between 20 to 40%, it also reduces carbon emissions to nearly zero. Couple this with its exclusive styling, and the Scorpion is sure to be a strong contender in the exotic performance car segment.

The Scorpion is out early 2009 and can be yours for a tidy $150,000.

[ via: coolhunter ]

Environment 04/02/2008

Dirty Harry Terminated

In a move that surprised Clint Eastwood, Governornator Arnold Schwarzenegger formally dismissed the legendary actor from the state parks board. The removal comes in the wake of Eastwood’s opposition to a plan to build a toll road through San Onofre State Beach, a park in Orange County that is popular for its surfing and scenery. Throwing some additional drama into the mix, the Governor also dismissed his brother-in-law Bobby Shriver — another individual that opposed the construction plans.

“‘You’re not going to get people who are interested in state parks who want to build freeways through state parks,’ Eastwood said. ‘So I don’t know what the big surprise was there.’ Several environmental groups, including the Natural Resources Defense Council, the Surfrider Foundation and the California State Parks Foundation, said they submitted a letter to state Senate leaders Tuesday requesting a hearing into the oversight of state parks. They based their request on Schwarzenegger’s treatment of the two commissioners, his proposal to close 48 parks because of the state’s fiscal crisis and his support for development in parks.”

Of course, Eastwood’s conservationist ways can sometimes be compromised. Readers will remember his plans last summer to build a golf course in an area of protected forest along the California coastline — with up to 18,000 trees slated to be removed. That proposal was eventually shot down by the California Coastal Commission. Still, his overall record is what counts to most.

“From everything I saw, he was a terrific parks commissioner,” said Peter Douglas, the Coastal Commission’s executive director. “It just happened that when he was calling the shots on that project at Pebble Beach, he wasn’t listening to what we were saying about what the law allows and doesn’t allow. But that’s behind us now.”

[ via: ecorazzi ]

Gear 03/18/2008

Volkswagen’s TDI Hybrid - The Prius Killer?

Some car manufacturers, like Toyota and their uber-trendy Prius, are cranking out new models that represent the hybrid car of the future. Others, like Volkswagen, are working with what they’ve got, making their existing cars cleaner and greener. Volkswagen has just recently unveiled a TDI hybrid version of their cute and sporty Golf model that can achieve 83mpg. Will this be the one to de-throne the Prius?

While at the moment, this is a concept, the Golf TDI Hybrid is a 1.2 liter, 3 cylinder advanced diesel engine with an electric motor that produces no more than 89g/km of CO2. Like other hybrids, as soon as the vehicle drops below a certain speed, it switches to its electric motor, essentially turning into an almost emission free vehicle.

The zippy little car comes with a recovery system to recharge the battery using the cars braking system. The car’s design is slightly different from the standard Golf model, with a slightly different grill design and small air intakes to improve the aerodynamic qualities of the car.

So how does it compare to the Prius? According to VW, this vehicle is capable of achieving 83mpg while the Toyota Prius only reaches 55mpg. That’s a pretty impressive difference. But now rumors are flying around of a 100mpg plus Prius model. Needless to say, this is a competition that we are happy too see.

[ via: inhabitat ]

Gear 03/16/2008

"Dry Leaf" Eco Skateboard

Brazilian innovation group Let’s EVO and materials developer Fibra Sustainable Design have joined forces to create a sustainable skateboard. We’ve seen green skates before from Arbor and Sector 9, but besides this one being one of the first to be developed in Latin America, it was built with innovative materials developed by Fibra.

The cover layers are from Papunha Veneer, produced from the waste of the sustainable palm-heart industry. The second layer is a composite formed by 70% natural fibers (jute, malva and curaua) and 30% post-production recycled polypropylene. The natural fibers of this material are also produced on a fair trade model. Finally, the heart of the board is from 3-ply Organic Mosso Bamboo, grown without chemicals and in a sustainable model.

All of these materials are bonded with a vegetable-based adhesive extracted from species like castor oil plant, soy and corn.

Keep reading for more and a close up on how these materials look.

Read on…

Environment 02/20/2008

2008's Meanest and Greenest cars

The ACEEE (American Council for an energy Efficient Economy) has named 2008 Meanest and Greenest cars, and it’s bad news for all you Touareg fans (all 6 of you). With gas now over $100 a barrel, no wonder the Honda Civic GX is completely sold out and back-ordered.

Greenest Vehicles of 2008
01) Honda Civic GX
02) Toyota Prius
03) Honda Civic Hybrid
04) Smart ForTwo
05) Toyota Yaris
06) Nissan Altima Hybrid
07) Toyota Corolla
08) Mini Cooper / Clubman
09) Ford Focus
10 Toyota Camry Hybrid
11) Honda Civic
12) Honda Fit

Meanest Vehicles for the Environment in 2008
01) Volkswagen Touareg
02) Bugatti Veyron
03) Mercedes-Benz GL320 CDI
04) Jeep Grand Cherokee
05) Mercedes-Benz R320 CDI
06) Lamborghini Murcielago / Murcielago Roadster
07) Mercedes-Benz ML320 CDI
08) Mercedes-Benz G55 AMG
09) Hummer H2
10) GMC Yukon 2500
11) Bentley Azure
12) Bentley Arnage

[ via: autobloggreen.com ]

Environment 02/07/2008

Trestles Saved! For Now. . .

Surfers and environmentalists threw a roadblock in front of a proposed toll road through one of the world’s best surf breaks — but backers say they will fight on.

The California Coastal Commission voted 8-2 late Wednesday against the project, which critics said would wipe out about a dozen endangered or threatened coastal species, decimate an ancient Indian burial ground and block sediment that creates world-class waves at San Onofre State Beach.

The panel’s vote means that commissioners found the project doesn’t meet with the legal requirements of the federal Coastal Zone Management Act and California’s Coastal Act.

But toll road officials said they will file an appeal next week with the U.S. Secretary of Commerce to keep the $875 million project alive.

“It’s not over yet,” said Lance MacLean, chairman of the Foothill Eastern Transportation Corridor Agency. “We still believe firmly that our project as proposed provides the best traffic relief in the most environmentally sound way.”

An estimated 3,000 people — surfers, environmentalists, commuters, union activists and tribal members — showed up for the marathon commission hearing, some with surfboards in tow.

[ via: ap.google.com ]

Read on…

Environment 01/31/2008

Patagonia named EcoBrand of the Year

Patagonia wins Volvo Sport Design Award for EcoBrand of the Year at ISPO ’08

Over the past 12 months, Patagonia has supported environmental activist groups around the world with a total of US$2.5 million. This amount adds up to the “earth tax,” which the founder and owner of Patagonia, Yvon Chouinard, committed himself to pay. Since 1984, Patagonia has been actively saving the environment by attributing one percent of the company’s annual profit to projects in the fields of natural preservation and re-naturalization. As part of the program, Patagonia so far has contributed more than US$25 million to environmental causes.

Read on…

Patagonia