thrive » environment

Green Office Blocks Reduce Carbon Footprint & Might Even Make Work Interesting

Todd — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 09:56:00 +0000

When you spend 8 hour days at a desk, it doesn’t take long to get thoroughly bored with your surroundings. Especially if those surrounding are a typical office cubicle in a typical bland office building. It’s even worse when you consider their jumbo-sized carbon footprint. But there is a new breed of office block with more green credentials than you can shake a rather large stick at. These green office blocks show just what can be achieved when architecture meets sustainability, breaking free from the characterless and insipid working environments of the past.

Add Value: Create An Outdoor Room

Todd — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 00:47:50 +0000

If you live in a part of the world where you are fortunate enough to actually have a climate, ie. distinct seasons, and not ‘weather’ then you should consider creating an outdoor room. Some people like to bring the outside in by incorporating large expanses of glass in their homes, flooding the interior with light and visually connecting with the outdoors. While that’s a great option if you live somewhere wet and windy most of the year, taking the inside out is ideal for reliably sunnier climes. Here are seven examples of what your outdoor room could look like.

Green Companies

Ryan — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 00:26:54 +0000

Kudos to these businesses who are taking the risk on real green solutions: 25 Most Promising Green Businesses

Environmentally Friendly Cars

Ryan — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 11:17:11 +0000

Time for the weekly link roundup. Today we’ll get started with this list of the most environmentally friendly cars for the future. Admittedly, some of them are still concepts, but it is cool to think about how much progress we can make in the auto-industry going forward. Plus, the Tesla is already available to those who have a few extra grand.

Can you really save the earth with a credit card?

Ryan — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 12:45:07 +0000

I’m a little skeptical of the green movement. It’s not that I don’t want to go green. It’s not that I don’t want alternative energy… What I’m skeptical of is the attempt to market anything and everything as “green” – in something you’d expect straight out of The Onion, there are now green credit cards which give you a magical superpower: they let you help the earth by shopping. Can’t we call BS when we see it? Think about it for a second. First of all, consumption of any besides natural food cycle consumption is environmentally disruptive. Anytime you purchase and consume a product, you are hurting the environment – and this fact doesn’t change when you use the magical green credit cards either.

The fact of the matter is that you will be much more helpful to the environment by cutting back on your shopping than by getting a green card. This is the height of marketing fraud and deception in my mind. And it’s what I hate about the green movement.

Inspirational Recycled Trash Art

Todd — 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?

Todd — 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?

Todd — 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?

Todd — 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?

Todd — 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.