The kind of megapolises we live in makes us wonder what is going to be like after a few decades. We may imagine crowded streets without enough space to move our toes. However, Nobel-Prize winner Dr. Daniel Kammen believes the cities can in fact be self-sustaining eco hotspots and can allow people to lead a healthier lifestyle than we do today.

Any of the polluting and energy consuming devices and technologies may be phased out and the cities would be blessed with cleaner air and water. Urban gardens could provide as an alternative to farm products, which strip the soil of its nutrients. Alternative fuels, good waste disposal systems, and also mass housing may help our future cities sustain themselves and not leave ugly carbon footprints. In fact, carbon footprints are left by each individual, even when one drives to the supermarket.

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Using the advanced techniques of airoponics, which helps grow plants without soil, various scientists from the USA and Israel have decided to create tree abodes for the future, a very eco-friendly housing solution for the future. The whole project is being supported by Plantware, and the first prototype home could be ready in just 10 years. They have already experimented in creating bus shelters, park benches and traffic lights from their unique growing techniques.

These homes will be constructed from actual tree roots to any design specification and will come equipped with a host of eco-friendly features such as solar panels and wind harvesting fans. The self-sufficient dwellings will draw power from clean energy sources and recycle human waste into valuable nutrients for the living trees. With this you can expect to have reduced heating bills, because when the deciduous trees shed the leaves, these homes will have more heat. And in the summer, the leaves will provide shade and shelter.

A very smart and practical “green” concept .Just what our poor little earth engulfed in pollution needs. A very scientifically natural way to purify the air .breathing fresh already? You can hold that thought for a decade though. But this wait will be worth the results.

It seems that unlike their beloved president, the Department of Energy (DOE) does indeed practice what it preaches. The body that is supposed to monitor the energy needs of the nation and encourage people to turn towards clean energy is also turning into the eco-friendly corner just about now. Energy Secretary Samuel W. Bodman led the inauguration of a large solar power system at the top of the DOE?s Forrestal Building today.

This is interpreted as a gesture that both symbolically and practically shows the DOE?s commitment to solar power. They could use a few wind turbines as well though. The photovoltaic (PV) system will generate 200 MWh of electricity?enough to provide eight percent of the building?s energy during peak hours. The system will also save up to $26,000 in energy costs during its first year of operation.

The DOE?s new PV system, which was developed by the SunPower Corporation, is 40-50 times larger than a residential system, and is integrated into the Forrestal building?s current roof. While the step is indeed positive, you expect the DOE to do a lot better than just 8% and probably encourage other government buildings to go green as well in some capacity. How about the White House?

Via: Cleantechnica

The State of California is celebrating the delightful Festival of Roses and the festival surely gets and extra tinge of green with an announcement as major as this one. Biofuel is a major fuel provider and is emerging as a fuel that is here to stay despite all the protests against it. The fuel not only is encouraging researchers to explore new and cheap sources to produce energy from, but is also filling in a crucial gap in the supply chain. The city of SF is now all set to add to that production in a huge way with its new Biodiesel Plant.

The Mayor of San Francisco revealed a proposal between Darling International and the Port of San Francisco to retrofit an old rendering facility to produce biofuel. The new plant will recycle fats, waste grease, and tallow to generate 7.5-10 million gallons of biodiesel per year. San Francisco?s proposed biodiesel plant would be situated within on old rendering facility in the Hunter?s Point district owned by Darling International. Under the plan the facility will be renovated to turn grease waste into useable, sustainable energy.

While no official word is yet out on it, the feeling is that the State will purchase all the fuel produced by the plant to fulfill the energy needs of the Bay area. This will mean more green energy and a decrease in Carbon Footprint and that is something California has been trying hard to achieve.

Via: Inhabitat

That day is not far-off when nations all over the world would be exploiting renewable solar energy for their every single trade. Bearing pros of this naturally on hand solar resource in psyche one step ahead has been forwarded in this green area by a Miami’s based media company recognized as Fuel Outdoor based in Miami, LLC.

This green media company is actually setting up to mount specifically designed solar panels on 600 bus shelters existing in Miami. This perfectly environmental and energy saving mission would salt away around two tons of detrimental carbon dioxide secretions along with supplying power to the advertisement panels found on bus sheds.

Although it looks as if an unruffled project yet the city authorities need to put constraints and check around these solar powered bus shelters keeping in view the security and safekeeping of these valued solar boards. I just hope that Miami’s people may soon work out the line of attack to scuffle against this setback so that the worth of this concept could be extended globally.

Via Ecolocalizer

Sometimes it is important to mix fun with a serious cause not just to relax and take your mind on a joy ride, but it also helps initiate the young minds in to the eco-cause. What better way to introduce the concept of recycling and reuse to young kids than by building a Hovercraft with nothing but used household materials that are destined for the trash can! It is not as hard as you think and when the amphibious toy is done, one can have loads of fun with it both indoors and outdoors.

We all would like to go out and get a fancy new R/C Hovercraft toy and play with it, but it is not cheap and comes with a heavy burden to your pocket. So we decided to save both the planet and your bank account by presenting this DIY R/C hovercraft which both looks good and comes off as something that works very well. The stuff that is used to design this is nothing beyond the ones you find in your own garbage bin and maybe a few additions that you can pick up at any electric store. So Click Here and get started with the fun. It will truly be worth the effort once you are done with it.

For the lazy ones though, here is a more simple solution from personal experience. Just take the Styrofoam, make a hole in the center and make sure that it has a stem to which you can attach a balloon. Make the hole real thin and when you attach the balloon filled with air it glides because of air pressure. It won’t last long, but is a quickie!
Via: Gizmodo

Majestic news for all foodies out there in Los Angeles as the city’s leading, organic fast food court: O’burger has been recently opened up. At O’burger we will hit upon utterly organic things starting from food preparation to the food packaging and lastly going to the interiors of the restaurant as well.

Accordingly, apart from being luscious, the food items dished up here would be macrobiotic and unadulterated in true sense. This lately set up fast food square would bestow us with extremely sanitized and vegan-friendly cuisines which would be significantly enriched with Omega-3’s, Vitamins A & E and antioxidants. Also in place of usual cold drinks O’burger offer exclusively green and vigorous soda drinks and kombucha teas.

Furthermore recyclable and eco-friendly stuff like corn and sugarcane would be utilized for safe and non-hazardous packing of food products. In addition non deadly NO VOC and lead free paints would be employed for inner domesticated wooden walls which would hold up in maintaining untainted and clean surroundings to a great extent.

If at O’burger anyone senses an organic burger figuring $7.99 to be a lavish feast then he or she may probably stumble on other snack’s categories like hot dogs, fries, salad, grilled-cheese, cookies and variety of vegetarian shakes as the entire fast food items listed on the menu is cuddled with green and organic value.

Via Treehugger

Americans have become quite upbeat about recycling what with the extra bucks coming into their wallets. Recycling facilities are doing great business as people keep pouring in with scraps of metal in the hope of making some extra money. David Trombley shared, “The recycle deal works great for my gas tank.” Incidentally, he made 133 dollars for turning in scraps left over from remodelling his basement bathroom.

There are two factors for this sudden rush. One, the skyrocketing metal prices caused by a demand in developing countries, such as China and India. Then again, the rising food and fuel costs are stretching paychecks to the limit, making people want to earn a li’l more. Another thing to note is that most of the scrap sellers are plumbers, electricians, construction workers. But then are also a whole number that is willing to scour garages and basements for junk and save cans.

Via� msnbc� �

Now a days crimes are increasing very rapidly so when children go outside parents are in worried about them but now is a solution to make your rec room with all there favorites. This technique is best to keep your children inside. It is very safe therefore most of the parents are paying more money to built rec room.

It is designed with such a nice things like a big T.V., pool table and such a nice things that are of kid’s interest. It provides a cool place in which kids do fun but the fact is that going outside, riding bikes, walking are the healthy exercise to maintain your health. Rec room has advantages but disadvantages too.

Via

Sensitivity and love for the environment are the main theme of eco-beaches born in 2003 thanks to some lifeguards and the Province of Rimini. And there are many initiatives proposed. Among these, until July 30, 2008, ecospiagge (here is the list of those who have joined) to give customers the energy saving kit consisting of:

3-saving light bulbs energetic
4 reducing flow (or rompigetto)
1 borsina completely biodegradable MaterBi

But this is not just welcome gifts. A beach to be called eco must meet certain standards that are powering with photovoltaic panels (see photo will see an example); collection; environmental education; saving water. Thanks to the contribution of the Province of Rimini, in the biennium 2003-2005 were carried out 20 water systems for the recovery of drinking water used by showers that after being filtered is reused in toilets and to irrigate.

As stated in the website:

This good practice ecologist has allowed us to save over 5,000 cubic metres of water, in other words a tower base 1 mt x 1 metres high 5,000 meters (5 km) of drinking water.