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British hemp - Solution to climate friendly homes?
British Hemp The Solution To Climate Friendly Homes?
News from the Centre for Alternative Technology
Europe's leading eco-centre, The Centre for Alternative Technology (CAT)
is hosting the Hemp and Lime conference on Saturday 28th April 2007.
The conference will seek to investigate whether hemp and lime insulated
homes have the potential to be carbon neutral.
Conference organiser, Ranyl Rhydwen, said "To build and run our
buildings currently accounts for 50% of the UK's carbon dioxide
emissions. Therefore using materials that reduce emissions seems
sensible, and hemp hurds (currently being used for horse bedding) mixed
with lime (Hempcrete) is a material that potentially causes none at all.
Houses built from hempcrete have been found to create less waste and
need less fuel to heat than conventionally constructed homes, both
saving carbon dioxide emissions associated with a building.
"The hemp crop already has a multitude of uses, although using hemp
hurds for buildings is a potential new and large market for builders and
farmers in the UK. Fast growing hemp captures and stores carbon from the
atmosphere during growth and overall the CO2 balance of the hemp crop
means that CO2 may actually be removed from the atmosphere and locked
away into the fabric of hempcrete homes.
"To be a carbon neutral building material, hemp needs to be British hemp
and therefore the potential of hemp being a profitable crop to the UK
farmer will also be investigated by John Garstang (ADAS advisor and
Co-author DEFRA: Hemp and Flax report 2005) and Bodil Pallersen (Danish
Agricultural Advisory Service Hemp and Flax advisor)."
The conference will host a wealth of expertise in the area of hemp and
lime construction, including architect Pat Borer, who is currently
building CAT's Wales Institute for Sustainable Education (WISE), Ralph
Carpenter (architect for several hempcrete builds) and lime expert
Stafford Holmes (co author "Building with Lime"). British Hemp The Solution To Climate Friendly Homes? News from the Centre for Alternative Technology ... more -
Next Generation Energy : The Second Coming of Chemurgy
Biofuels—like cellulose-based ethanol—may be frontrunners in the race to replace fossil fuels, but as a recent Economist article points out, plant-based technology has the potential to take over in other industries as well. Agricultural raw materials were once used to make paint, plastic, rubber, even cars- but the wide availability of petroleum and its versatility in manufacturing led to its quick ascendancy over soy and cellulose after World War II. Now that petroleum is undeniably on the way out, agriculture-based industrial technology may have a second chance. And it has a name: Chemurgy.
paint2edit.jpgIt may sound like a specialized branch of alchemy or the science-for-English-majors course you took in college, but chemurgy was all the rage in the 1930s. Its most famous practitioner, George Washington Carver, developed over 300 products using peanuts alone (though he ultimately patented only three of them). He and close friend Henry Ford also experimented with sweet potatoes, soybeans, cowpeas and pecans. A National Farm Chemurgic Council was formed in 1935 and lasted until 1977; the science enjoyed a particular swell during the second World War when corn, hemp, milkweed and other plants were used to supplement rationed materials.
Now, industrial biotech companies are coming back with a vengeance as part of an overall expansion of biotechnology. Genetic engineering can fix many of the problems chemurgy faced in the past, and the products emerging now are more refined than their earlier prototypes, better able to compete in the petroleum-dominated market. As the article states, they must be "clearly superior (and not just greener)" to what's already available. Some companies are confident they've already achieved this; DuPont thinks its new biofiber, called Sorona, will be "the next nylon," and Dow is investing heavily in bioethylene made from Brazilian sugarcane. Ethylene is the most widely produced organic compound in the world. A successful plant-based version could have far-reaching effects in industry.
While competition from existing products is certainly the biggest obstacle facing industrial biotechnology right now, manufacturers also fear that current interest may subside if oil prices drop. For now, they're not letting it stop them; over 20,000 patents were granted in the industry last year, a figure to make George Washington Carver proud. Many products have been in development for years and will soon be available for commercial use; whether these forerunners sink or swim may indicate whether the market is ready for them. What do you think? Is chemurgy back? Are these products really more sustainable? Biofuels—like cellulose-based ethanol—may be frontrunners in the race to replace fossil fuels, but as a recent Economist article point... more -
10 of the greenest colleges in America
America's institutions of higher learning are some of the best incubators of sustainable solutions to myriad problems, and they are molding and inspiring the bright minds that will inherit the environment from the current generation of polluters.
Hopefully these bright students will help generate the political will it will take to implement these technologies on a national level. America's institutions of higher learning are some of the best incubators of sustainable solutions to myriad problems, and they are mo... more -
Billionaire Texas oilman spends $58m on alternative energy campaign
The billionaire Texas oilman T Boone Pickens today unveiled a $58m PR campaign aimed at convincing Americans to replace petrol with natural gas and wind.The Pickens Plan, as the 80-year old has dubbed his effort, would involve an estimated $1tn government investment to substitute wind for the 22% of US electricity now derived from natural gas. The next step would be using the excess natural gas to power vehicles, a capacity already available to automakers but rarely used. Pickens claims the plan would reduce oil imports by hundreds of billions of dollars while creating thousands of new jobs in the US."I've drilled more dry holes and also found more oil than just about anyone in the industry," Pickens wrote in a Wall Street Journal column today announcing his plan. "With all my experience, I've never been as worried about our energy security as I am now."One undeniable beneficiary of the Pickens Plan would be Pickens himself. He has bet $12bn on a massive new wind farm in rural Texas and his BP Capital hedge fund is heavily invested in the natural gas industry.Pickens told reporters this week that his new push is not motivated by profit, but he acknowledged to the Guardian in April that his new wind farm is a business move: "Don't get the idea that I've turned green," Pickens said then. "My business is making money, and I think this is going to make a lot of money."But Pickens has found unlikely encouragement from environmental groups, with Sierra Club executive director Carl Pope proclaiming that he "is out to save America".His new PR campaign, which taps Facebook and YouTube to build support for the Pickens Plan, aims to prod the presidential candidates into an in-depth discussion of the global energy crisis. Commercials featuring Pickens are blanketing the US airwaves.Pickens is an avowed Republican, bankrolling the "Swift Boat" adverts that helped George Bush defeat John Kerry in 2004, but he has kept the new alternative-energy effort free of politics."We have a golden opportunity in this election year to form bipartisan support for this plan," Pickens wrote in his Journal column.Consistently ranked among the world's richest people, Pickens has also dabbled in corporate gamesmanship. He grabbed 10m shares of Yahoo in May and supported raider Carl Icahn's effort to persuade the company to merge with Microsoft.He earned the nickname "oracle of oil" for correctly predicting that prices would rise to $100 per barrel when such high prices seemed unthinkable for most. Pickens has warned investors to prepare for $150 oil in the near future. The billionaire Texas oilman T Boone Pickens today unveiled a $58m PR campaign aimed at convincing Americans to replace petrol with na... more
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Bamboo bikes have benefits
The LAtimes had done a wonderufl interview with Craig Calfee in the past, but their archives are only free for a certain time.
Today, The San Francisco Chronicle published a great article about Craig Calfee (his bamboo designs, custom frame bikes and Ghana travles/programs)
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"It is wonderful to work with natural materials that just grows out of the ground"
adjacent post in today's paper about Calfee and 2 other bike makers (here in the Bay Area):
http://current.com/items/89077180_cyclists_favor_handma... The LAtimes had done a wonderufl interview with Craig Calfee in the past, but their archives are only free for a certain time. ... more -
Boycott corporate produce and seeds - plant a victory garden
Worried about corporate control of the food supply? Resist and stop buying their products. Boycott corporate produce and Monsanto's control of seeds. Plant a kitchen or victory garden.
It's the New Moon now, and a good time now to plant more corn (every 2 weeks until June 20th in N.New Mexico) and you can plant cold weather plants like brachiads into July and August for autumn harvest. In our area, where the summer monsoons have started early, it is also a great time to plant fruit trees and berry bushes to feed your family for generations.
Americans, well into the mid- 1950s, planted kitchen gardens for fresh produce with no transportation costs. The Victory Gardens during World War III helped Americans be more self-sufficient.
You can grow lots of food on a very small area of earth, or even start with an empty coffee can, a few seeds and a bit of soil. A raised bed and intensive farming techniques can yield even more produce.
Nothing is more local.
There are no transportation costs or greenhouse gases used when you grow fresh greens, vegetables, berries and fruit outside your kitchen door like our grandmothers and early Americans did.
Kitchen gardens also eliminate the need for petroleum based plastic and other packaging that adds to the environmental impact and cost of store-bought food.
Check out this link to www.kitchengardeners.org for ideas, news and tips from Kitchen Garderners International - Promoting the "localest" food of all Globally.
www.kitchengardeners.org
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from TouchArt.net and OneEarthBlog.blogspot.com
in Santa Fe, New Mexico where the lavender flowers are purple, fragrant and
ready for harvest.
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Photo "Sunflowers in Carl Gawboy's Kitchen Garden Overlooking Lake Superior" by Charleen Touchette 2006. Worried about corporate control of the food supply? Resist and stop buying their products. Boycott corporate produce and Monsanto's ... more -
Eco-town protesters march on Parliament
Hundreds of environmental campaigners from the 15 sites earmarked for England's 'eco-towns' held a demonstration at Parliament to protest the plans. The Campaign to Protect Rural England say building new towns is the least sustainable way of developing houses and list the following concerns about the proposed eco-towns:
-The schemes risk being car-dependent housing estates
-Most are predominantly in greenfield sites, and two are in the Green Belt
-Most go against local plans agreed with communities
-The sites have been chosen by developers, rather than fitting in with planning in the wider public interest
-Lack of evidence to suggest schemes will offer truly sustainable models of living and working
-Three bids are in the east of England where, according to CPRE, water supply and sewerage have already reached maximum capacity Hundreds of environmental campaigners from the 15 sites earmarked for England's 'eco-towns' held a demonstration at Parliament to prot... more -
The Big Green Bus Rolls On With Its Timely Eco-Message
For the third time, the Big Green Bus will traverse the country with its eco-message of “Change your fuel-change your world”. Running on a converted diesel fuel system that, with a flick of a switch changes its fuel to waste vegetable oil, while new rooftop solar panels power everything inside. These 12 Dartmouth College students are so passionate about getting their message out, that they will travel over 12,000 miles across America’s highways in an attempt to educate as many people as possible about global climate change. They have already met with members of Congress in Washington D.C. & participated in the Bonnaroo Music Festival in Tennessee drawing 80,000 people.
This is a golden opportunity to show what technological options already exist with both solar possibilities & fuel alternatives to help Americans wean off their insatiable appetite for oil as prices skyrocket. The next generation isn’t wasting precious time, or their education, about spreading their urgent message in order to initiate overdue lifestyle changes that certain industry leaders would rather not discuss nor disclose. This state-of-the-art traveling “show & tell” model allows people to see firsthand how they can make a difference in their own community & in their own way no matter where they live. The group also plans to stop at museums & science institutes as well.
For the third time, the Big Green Bus will traverse the country with its eco-message of “Change your fuel-change your world”. Running... more -
Whole-house thinking
The ‘whole-system thinking’ approach means working to find natural solutions to reduce our dependence on energy-intensive systems. Nature offers so many opportunities to heat, cool and illuminate our buildings
The ‘whole-system thinking’ approach means working to find natural solutions to reduce our dependence on energy-intensive systems. Nature offers so many opportunities to heat, cool and illuminate our buildings. The ‘whole-system thinking’ approach means working to find natural solutions to reduce our dependence on energy-intensive systems. Nat... more -
Greenpeace: Supermarkets harming ocean wildlife
The environmental group says the grocery stores, need to own up to their share of blame for "the collapse of the fish and seafood stocks." The environmental group says the grocery stores, need to own up to their share of blame for "the collapse of the fish and seafood stoc... more
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Super Swank Chairs Made From Car Intertube
Tire inner tubes were used to form a comfortable seating surface on this anything-but-ordinary, steel framed chair.
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Stop Global Food Crisis: 48 hours to sign AVAAZ Petition
Petition to Rome Summit leaders:
We call on you to take immediate action to address the world food crisis by mobilizing emergency funding to prevent starvation, removing perverse incentives to turn food into biofuels and managing financial speculation.
We need to tackle the underlying causes by ending harmful trade policies and investing massively in sustainable agricultural productivity in developing nations. Petition to Rome Summit leaders: ... more -
Converting Garbage to Gas (Bio-diesel)
Watch the video. Yeah, car tires being made into bio-diesel, crazy stuff. And this plant really does just use the energy it creates to run itself.
In the website: http://www.libertyfromoil.com/?p=25
They explain how they have sent 40 plus letters to congress informing them of this and yet still we don't hear anything about it and subsidies continue to be poured into growing corn. Also check out the following articles for more info.
Changing World Technologies:
http://www.changingworldtech.com/where/philadelphia.asp
http://discovermagazine.com/2006/apr/anything-oil
And read this article:
Archer Daniels Midland: A Case Study In Corporate Welfare
http://www.cato.org/pubs/pas/pa-241.html Watch the video. Yeah, car tires being made into bio-diesel, crazy stuff. And this plant really does just use the energy it creates ... more -
How green is your back yard?
After building my house, my existing neighbors expected a better view of their own. I managed to leave most of it to nature... The deer still come, flora grows naturally wild and birds flock everywhere... Ignorance towards the planet abounds and I may be losing the battle front, but ... Take a look! Victory is in my back yard!
P.S. I'll be off the grid one day soon... After building my house, my existing neighbors expected a better view of their own. I managed to leave most of it to nature... The d... more -
It's time to revolt
A proposal for a twenty-first century revolution.
A universal constitution for the rights of Earth.
Based upon the needs of Earth. A proposal for a twenty-first century revolution. A universal constitution for the rights of Earth. ... more -
MAKE: Blog: The Sciencebarge - NYC
Continuing on the list of things to do, MAKE and learn about in NYC for Makers, I visited the Sciencebarge in NYC, here's a bit about it and my photos!
The Science Barge is a prototype, sustainable urban farm and environmental education center. It is the only fully functioning demonstration of renewable energy supporting sustainable food production in New York City. The Science Barge grows tomatoes, cucumbers, and lettuce with zero net carbon emissions, zero chemical pesticides, and zero runoff.
The Science Barge Education Program focuses on sustainable food production and renewable energy resources. Following an introductory discussion on food systems and the concept of urban farming, students are led through an inquiry-based tour of the Science Barge, focusing on three main topics – food, water, and power. Topics on the tour include renewable energy, Hudson River ecology, reverse osmosis purification systems, pollination, integrative pest management, plant life cycles, hydroponics, greenhouse climate controls, aquaponics, vermiculture composting, oyster gardening, and constructed wetlands.
From May to October 2007, the Science Barge hosted over 3,000 schoolchildren from all five New York boroughs as well as surrounding counties as part of our environmental education program. In addition, over 6,000 adult visitors visited the facility along with press from around the world.
The Science Barge is currently open to the public and located at Pier 84, Hudson River Park (West 44th Street & 12th Avenue). Guided tours of the Science Barge run six days a week at the following times:
Public Tour Schedule:
Tuesday: 4.00pm
Wednesday: 4.00pm
Thursday: 4.00pm
Friday: 4.00pm
Saturday: 12.00pm, 1.00pm, 3.00pm, 4.00pm
Sunday: 12.00pm, 1.00pm, 3.00pm, 4.00pm
Public tours are free and operate on a first come, first serve basis. The tour duration is approximately 45 minutes. Continuing on the list of things to do, MAKE and learn about in NYC for Makers, I visited the Sciencebarge in NYC, here's a bit about ... more -
Where art and engineering meet
Theo Jensen, Kinetic sculptures are lyrical, inspirational...mesmerizing. And I have to say, I'm always a sucker for this kind of advertising...6 months later, and I remembered that BMW sponsored this guy! Theo Jensen, Kinetic sculptures are lyrical, inspirational...mesmerizing. And I have to say, I'm always a sucker for this kind of adv... more
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Genetically Modified Terminator Mosquitoes
Millions of transgenic mosquitoes are to be released into the fishing village of Pulau Ketam off Selangor, Malaysia, as part of an international series of field trials to fight dengue fever [1].
The technique, which has won Oxitec the Technology Pioneers 2008 award at the World Economic Forum, involves releasing transgenic male Aedes mosquitoes carrying a ‘killer' gene to mate with wild female mosquitoes, which causes (nearly) all their progeny to die. This is a variant of the Sterile Insect Technique (SIT) that has been successfully used in wiping out other insect vectors in the past [2], though the sterile males were created by X-irradiation, and not by transgenesis.
The release of sterile males is considered “environmentally benign” [2], as only female mosquitoes bite and suck blood and transmit the disease-causing virus; not the male mosquitoes.
This is taken from an article posted on the website I-SIS (Institute of Science in Society). Please read the whole article....it is really crazy. Millions of transgenic mosquitoes are to be released into the fishing village of Pulau Ketam off Selangor, Malaysia, as part of an int... more -
HillaryClinton.com - Mother's Day Speech in West Virginia
HillaryClinton.com
Senator Hillary Clinton gives Mother's Day Speech near West Virginia town where Mother's Day was started 100 years ago....
Senator Hillary Clinton said, "I wanted to begin by saluting my own mother who couldn't be here, because my mother, as some of you may have heard me say or read in my book, didn't have the benefit of a stable family growing up. Her parents were unable to care for their two young daughters and were divorced in the 1920s which wasn't very comment back then. My eight year old mother and her five year old sister were sent away on a train all by themselves from Chicago to California to live with grandparents who had little interest in raising them.
So when my mother was about 14, she left that home and was hired as a live'in helper by a woman who encouraged and supported her. My mom took care of the children in the morning, got them off to school, then she could go to high school, she would come right back and take care of them when the kids got home from school. She never had the chance to go to college, but she was determined that her own children would have that chance.
As I grew older and learned more about my mother's own story, it really impressed upon me more fully what it took for her to forge ahead in the face of life's challenges. I saw how hard she worked every single day to support my father and our family, to raise me and my brothers, and to be involved in teaching Sunday School to helping out at the neighborhood school.
My mother didn't have the luxury to put up her feet and take a breather. She just kept going, kept working, kept meeting her responsibilities and pursuing her dreams for her children so that we could have opportunities that she, and prior generations, never ever dreamed of. She wasn't alone.
Judging from the mothers I meet across our country, I've come to believe that hard work, determination and resiliency are encoded in our DNA. We know we have the "worrying" gene. We know we have the "put your coat on because it's cold outside" gene. Well, we also have the "stand up and fight for what you believe in" gene...."
Read full speech at link.
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from TouchArt.net and OneEarthBlog.blogspot.com HillaryClinton.com ... more -
WorldChanging: Tools, Models and Ideas for Building a Bright Green Future: Green C...
Green City China
Jamais Cascio
September 13, 2005 3:09 PM
dongtan.jpgBritish design consultancy Arup has announced that it has been tapped by the Chinese government to lead the construction of an "eco-city" expansion to Shanghai. Dongtan, the expanded development near Shanghai's airport, will eventually cover about 8,800 hectares -- roughly the size of Manhattan island. Shanghai claims that the Dongtan project will be "the world's first genuinely eco-friendly city," using recycled water, cogeneration and biomass for energy, and striving to be as carbon-neutral as possible.
The first phase, a 630 hectare development including a mix of transport facilities, schools, housing and high-tech industrial spaces, will begin construction late next year, and is expected to be completed by 2010....
More at link above.
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from TouchArt.net and OneEarthBlog.blogspot.com where we think every place destroyed by natural disasters and war should be rebuilt GREEN.
Green City China Jamais Cascio September 13, 2005 3:09 PM ... more
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