Environment and Green Living News
Photo via marcmc
Sheepdogs have helped to guard a colony of fairy penguins, and proven themselves to be very good at their job. So good, in fact, that conservationists are pondering what other threatened animals these K9s can protect. …
Continue reading " Sheepdogs Used to Guard Troubled Penguin Colony "
Video recommendation engine ffwd has just released its completed API to developers, allowing them to incorporate some of the service’s core functionality into their sites.
Using the API, developers will be able to make calls to ffwd for video content, and will also be able to incorporate ffwd user profiles and news feed items into their sites. In conjunction with the release, ffwd has also announced that Boxee, the widely acclaimed media hub that runs on devices like the Apple TV, will be incorporating its service in future releases using the API. Developers interested in using the API can apply here, and will be able to use it for free for now (though it will eventually have an as-of-yet undetermined licensing fee).
Continue reading " ffwd’s Web Channel Surfing API Goes Live, Is Coming To Boxee "
Coconut crabs are among the species inhabiting one of the newly proposed marine preserves. Photo: Mila Zinkova via Wikipedia
Though the outgoing Bush administration seems like it has done its darnest to vandalize the environment, sometimes something good comes out of unlikely quarters. Announced today, three newly proposed marine monuments in the Pacific Ocean would create protected ecosystems nearly 50% larger than all US National Parks combined. The total area to be protected will be 195,000 square miles. These are the …
Dress model photos by Orkan Lia.
Tiny Swedish design firm Orkan Lia, consisting mostly of fashionista Karolina Svensson, has been part of the Swedish vintage revival and doing one-of-a-kind dresses and other fashion clothing using recycled and reclaimed textiles for nearly three years. But in a bid to make a good living, keep her company growing and overcome sustainable fashion’s ability to reach the masses, Orkan Lia’s Svensson has begun delivering her fashions by subscription, based on a …
Continue reading " Netflix for Fashion? Orkan Lia Delivers Recycled-Fabric Dresses to Your Door "
Hong Kong Air Gone Wrong Image credit:Flickr, Paul Chan, Smog
A recent survey of 1000 Hong Kong residents indicates 1 in 5 are considering moving away because of worsening air quality. There’s good news: factories in the neighboring Guangdong province, which are the source of much of the city’s pollution, might be slowing production due to the current world economic downturn. The Bad News: the local economy is affected by both air quality and the global downturn in trade. Stringent air quality standards, strongly enforced, with costs passed along to US and EU customers, are the best solution. If…
Continue reading " Twenty Percent Of Hong Kong Residents Consider Fleeing Bad Air Quality "
Image: South Australian Zero Waste
As of 1 January 2009, South Australian retailers and shoppers have four months to become accustomed to life without lightweight checkout style plastic bags. The government in that state will as of 4 May 2009 impose fines of up to $5,000 AUD on retailers using that form of bag. Even 100% degradable plastic bags will be banned, as they just break down into smaller plastic shards of plastic anyhow.
Although there were moves for this to be a national campaign (like that of the world first incandescent bulb ban), only South Australia had the balls …
Continue reading " South Australia Bans the Bag - Plastic Checkout Bags,That Is "
We just talked about libraries experiencing a booming business thanks to the recession. And it looks like the crummy economy could lend a helping hand to another business - toy rental.
Rent-A-Toy is a new company that helps parents cut cost and clutter by renting out toys. …
Continue reading " Rent-A-Toy Offers Solutions for Frugal Green Parents "
Photo via cpchannel
California wants to get tough on power-hungry LCD and Plasma TVs, telling retailers that they can only sell energy efficient models starting in 2011.
But that push doesn’t come without some shoving back from the TV makers….
Continue reading " California Wants to Kick Energy-Sucking TVs Out of Stores "
