It’s summer in the Southern Hemisphere, the right time of year to cook up a brew of solar tea. Remember, your kettle is one of the biggest energy vampire gadgets you’ve probably got, so change the way you make your… Read More »How to make solar-tea
For an eco-friendly Xmas, make your own decorations out of garden and household waste. Twigs make an excellent Xmas tree, the bottoms of plastic bottles make gorgeous stars, and aluminium drink cans make sparkly baubles. Make miniature Christmas trees from… Read More »Eco-friendly Xmas crafts
We’re giving away two tickets to see ‘Radical Nature‘ at the Barbican in London. It’s the first exhibition to bring together key figures across different generations who have created utopian works and inspiring solutions for our ever-changing planet. Radical Nature… Read More »Win tickets to see ‘Radical Nature’ at the Barbican
Ever wondered what the future of green looks like? Insider Trends has, and it’s set up an event to find out the answer. It’s called ‘Interesting Things For Interesting People: The Future of Green’, and it’ll be a fast, furious… Read More »Find out the Future of Green from those in the know
The most distinctive quality of the urban environment lies in its landscape. Each individual city has its own sense of character, unique infrastructure, and physical presence. As the urban setting becomes increasingly advanced, we are leaving behind our roots – the tree canopy coverage in the developed city is declining. At present, many of world’s greatest cities lack substantial plant life. This observation isn’t just aesthetic, it is harmful on many levels. An increase in tree canopy coverage may require some painstaking effort to succeed, but could have enormous benefit if it does. Incorporating trees into the urban environment would serve to reduce the amount of fossil fuels we burn and ease the damage of deforestation – the two main roots of climate change. Right now, homes and other buildings account for 30% of the greenhouse gas emissions in the North America. Design and sustainability, both significant community objectives, can’t be sacrificed for one another. They must work together.
The city doesn’t “breathe” as well as a forest, contributing large quantities of carbon to the atmosphere with few sources of absorption. The earth, in order to give warmth to support life, needs a reasonable amount of greenhouse gases. Carbon dioxide appears naturally in the atmosphere, exhaled by humans and involved in the photosynthesis of plants. Carbon is kept in check by a natural carbon cycle, a system which creates a balance between the carbon emitters (humans), and the carbon absorbers (plants). Oceans, land and air are all involved in the process.
Are you one of those people who would prefer not to have a car but aren’t quite sure how life would work without one? Or maybe you’re just dreaming of ways to be greener but don’t have a clue how… Read More »Book giveaway: Do Humans Dream of Electric Cars?
The global recession has finally caught up with us here in South Africa and we are starting to feel the pinch. I’m putting some work into finding ways to cut our expenses, all the while staying green, and in some… Read More »Getting frugal and staying green
Piper and I have been sowing seeds for winter vegetables this afternoon. It’s fun to do with children of any age when outside is stormy and wet, and inside is a much nicer prospect. Northern hemisphere folks sow summer veg… Read More »Rainy Day Kids’ Activity: Sowing winter veg