thrive » environment

Inspirational Recycled Trash Art

Andy — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 23:39:14 +0000

We throw too much stuff out, that’s a given. I try my best to minimise what gets dumped in landfill, but it’s impossible to recycle everything. Some people look at the problem differently though: check out this cool recycled garbage art.

Where Are The World’s Highest Waterfalls?

Andy — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 23:19:34 +0000

One of the things I aspire to do during my lifetime is to go and see Victoria Falls, one of the most impressive waterfalls in the world. This list of the highest waterfalls is just beguiling, some of them are truly spectacular!

Urban Life Is More Eco-friendly Than Suburban?

Andy — Tue, 20 May 2008 13:07:10 +0000

When you think about it, that’s quite a broad statement but there is a kernel of truth in there at least from my point of view. Ever been in London? Most of the people who live in the center of that city, while well-to-do, don’t own a car and rely on public transport or their own 2 legs. They live in small apartments, they have all the amenities they require close by. Compare this to the suburban lifestyle where everything is a drive away and you can see that this report from Wired could be onto something.

Telecommuting As A Way To Reduce Carbon Footprint?

Andy — Mon, 19 May 2008 10:26:44 +0000

I’m on a total green roll right now, but hey! I was reading this list of the best cities for telecommuters and it got me to thinking: is telecommuting part of the problem or the answer to the question of how to reduce our carbon footprints?

Personally I think there are massive benefits for the environment, primarily from reduced emissions from commuters in traffic jams. However, there are numerous cons: telecommuters need to eat and stay warm at home all day. Reports also suggest that a society of telecommuters would also be highly fragmented.

Is it environment or social cohesion? Take your pick.

Fusion Power: An Answer To Our Energy Needs?

Andy — Mon, 19 May 2008 10:22:12 +0000

Hot on the heels of news that wind power is seeing a surge in the USA comes a report from the University of Rochester on an attempt at sustainable fusion, a technology which could provide huge amounts of power with very little environmental impact and no runaway nuclear reactions or core meltdowns.

The Pacific Ocean Has A Huge Rubbish Problem

Andy — Tue, 13 May 2008 14:53:25 +0000

Numerous bloggers and newspapers have been carrying stories on the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, a huge floating mess of rubbish caught in a current in the north Pacific. Unfortunately this is a death trap for wildlife and as it degrades it will cause even more problems. What’s worse is the complete lack of effort to clean it up or at least stop making it any worse!

Ontario Goes Full Bore For Solar Energy

Andy — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 21:54:19 +0000

Ontario decided to subsidise solar energy in that energy produced from solar could be sold for 42 cents per kilowatt. They thought that contractors would build 88 kilowatts worth of solar-generated energy but now have 400 megawatts under contract. Build it and they will come, sort of.

A small square in an unpopulated region …

Ryan — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 15:27:28 +0000

A small square in an unpopulated region of an African desert could power the entire world. It’s true.

Rogue Waves Debunked By ESA Satellites

Andy — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 11:17:54 +0000

As an avid surfer I’ve always had a fascination with waves, but not necessarily rogue waves. For years sailors have talked about the mysterious rogue wave, a wave so big that it can easily sink a ship. The worrying thing about these massive waves is that they can’t be predicted and therefore data on them is lacking. Until now.

Greenpeace Founder On Why He Left

Andy — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 09:22:07 +0000

The founder of Greenpeace, Patrick Moore (not the stargazing Sir Patrick Moore) details why he decided to leave the organisation he set up in a WSJ report. Here’s a snippet:

“At first, many of the causes we championed, such as opposition to nuclear testing and protection of whales, stemmed from our scientific knowledge of nuclear physics and marine biology. But after six years as one of five directors of Greenpeace International, I observed that none of my fellow directors had any formal science education. They were either political activists or environmental entrepreneurs. Ultimately, a trend toward abandoning scientific objectivity in favor of political agendas forced me to leave Greenpeace in 1986.”