Vertical and urban farming taking root

Posted on September 6, 2010 by quest

This amazing vertical farm recently took first place in the recent HP Skyline 2020 Competition to reinvent India’s skyline. Dubbed “The City and the Skyline”, the project responds to the growing crises of water, housing, food and energy. The multi-tiered self-sufficient vertical farm is composed of modular housing units that can be added as needed. The competition yielded some truly noteworthy designs that challenge our traditional notions of what a skyline is supposed to look like. The objective was

not just a meandering line etched in the sky. Not just a cutout or silhouette. Beyond restricting definitions, skylines can be seen as infusions of perception, imagination and desire. Every time a building mushrooms in a city, the skyline is altered. But transformation, not change, is the goal of invention. We invite designs concepts for an iconic structure — building, tower and institution — that can change the perception of the urban skyline.

See the objectives of the campaign here

Winners were:Participants – Anto Gloren, Sayali Athale, Pune – Jury Comments

Sen Kapadia : New image of future cities with high density but loose clustering. Very sociable and humane living. Circulation needs clarification. This seems the ideal direction for changing the skyline, not visual but really culturally and ecologically sustainable. Variable elevations of different clusters promise also a future visual delight. Vary attainable proposal without demand on high technology.

John Hantz

Hey Detroit, the world is watching. The city has been the poster child for a lot of things, and now it is in the spotlight for urban agriculture. It’s like a fascinating science experiment: take vast swaths of vacant land, add an under-employed populace and a dash of food desert, and who knows what you might end up with. Growing food in the city is not new. Many African Americans who migrated here from the South for factory jobs in the ’20s had green thumbs, as did immigrants from European countries like Poland and Malta. Read on

On Labor Day, How We Can Give Both Workers and Our Environment a Chance

Kimberly Freeman Brown and David Foster

This Labor Day, America is facing a dizzying array of problems, none more acute than the twin crises of how poorly we treat our workers and how appallingly we treat our planet. In case anyone believes these issues are distinct and need to be addressed separately, let’s remember some of this year’s grisly headlines: Read on

Living In America – James Brown

Ecotourism at work

Posted on September 5, 2010 by quest

A Tale of Two Deltas

by Roddy Bray

In northern Botswana we found areas like the Okavango Delta and the Chobe teeming with wildlife, and ecotourism making a major contribution to the economy. Yet just to the north, across the rivers in Namibia’s Caprivi region we hardly saw a single animal or bird… not even the ubiquitous monkeys. We began to ask why the contrast should be so stark.

As we have travelled through Africa, we have seen the potential of ecotourism to preserve wildlife and tackle poverty. Nowhere is this better illustrated than in northern Botswana. The north of the country is almost entirely reserved for wildlife, and is famous for its predators and home to over 120,000 elephants. In particular, the Okavango River fans into the Kalahari desert, creating a vast region of rivers, islands and waterways. This delta was referred to dismissively as ‘the swamps’ at the time of independence, of no economic value. Today it has become the premier wildlife area in southern Africa, with lodges charging as much as $1,000 per person/ night. Tourism recently became the No.2 earner for Botswana (after diamonds) overtaking its strong cattle industry. But over the border, in the Caprivi region of Namibia, the contrast is striking.

Namibia’s Caprivi, a corridor of land that separates Botswana from Angola and Zambia is, if anything, even better suited to wildlife than northern Botswana. It too has a delta system, Mamili. It shares the Chobe and Kwando rivers with Botswana. On the south bank, in Botswana, there are huge herds of elephant and large numbers of other species, but in the two weeks we spent in the Caprivi we saw hardly any wildlife. The Caprivi, in fact has advantages over the land to the south. It has large grasslands and the Zambezi River on its northern border. The Caprivi should be even more abundant in wildlife than Botswana, and huge herds should be migrating across the rivers. Yet Caprivi statistics from 2008 shows that wildlife numbers are tiny – most species in the Kwando region, home to most of the nature reserves, have less than 100 members. Only 0.1% of the population were employed in ecotourism full time, and the total income from all safari concessions was little more than $500,000 p.a., and almost all of this was from hunting. The contrast with Botswana could not be sharper. Read on

Tales and Traditions of Southern Africa

LISTEN TO: Book 3 The Zulu, Part I History

Let the environment guide our development

Johan Rockstroem

TEDis a small nonprofit devoted to Ideas Worth Spreading. It started out (in 1984) as a conference bringing together people from three worlds:Technology, Entertainment, Design.

Power from trains braking and Grace Jones

Posted on September 5, 2010 by quest

Viridity Energy, a Philadelphia-area smart grid company, today announced that it had received a $900,000 grant for its innovative pilot project with the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA), the nation’s sixth largest public transit organization. As part of the project, Viridity Energy will deploy its software optimization system to allow SEPTA to recycle the energy created from the regenerative braking ability of trains and trolleys at a high-use propulsion substation in Philadelphia, which will in turn improve power quality, produce energy savings and generate revenues.

The State of Pennsylvania awarded the Viridity Energy “SEPTA Recycled Energy and Optimization Project” funding through the 2010 Pennsylvania Energy Development Authority (PEDA) grant program.
“We are pleased to partner with Viridity Energy on this project under the PEDA grant program”The project will pair the latest 21st century technologies and energy optimization practices with one of the country’s oldest transportation systems, dating back to the deployment of electric trolleys in 1892. Mass transit systems across the country are striving to maintain high quality service while facing growing fiscal challenges which are further compounded by rising energy costs. The pilot represents a large and untapped potential for transit systems to help meet these challenges and at the same time improve grid reliability in highly populated urban neighborhoods.

The project calls for Viridity Energy and SEPTA to install a large-scale battery to capture the energy from regenerative braking of trains along a portion of the Market-Frankford Line, the highest ridership line in SEPTA’s system. The Viridity Energy-SEPTA project will result in numerous economic, operational and environmental benefits.

GRACE JONES

Clothing recycler USAgain wants your old clothes

Posted on September 4, 2010 by quest

Chicago, IL: Used clothing collection company USAgain (pronounced “use again”) announces today it will roll out 100 collection bins in the Bay Area this September, providing a convenient and practical solution for local residents to discard unwanted clothing, shoes, linens and other textiles. USAgain diverts millions of pounds of clothing from landfills, generating new revenue streams for local businesses and non-profits, and fueling local economies in emerging countries. In 2009 alone, the company diverted 54 million pounds of used clothes.
USAgain’s goal is to significantly bolster the diversion rate of textiles in the region.

Textiles are the 7th most discarded material in the area, and as landfill costs rise, cities are supportive of new solutions. Installing USAgain textile collection bins at convenient drop-off sites enables cities to most effectively gather reusable clothing that might otherwise go to waste. USAgain is actively seeking to partner with local municipalities.

“We’re excited to debut our service in the Bay Area, a densely populated region highly motivated to keep waste to a minimum,” said Mattias Wallander, CEO of USAgain. “Given the enormous success of our program in other markets, we expect to directly impact the local environment and economy by helping the region responsibly dispose of millions and millions of pounds of used clothes.”

In anticipation of its Bay Area launch, USAgain is actively hiring. Positions include those on a sales team of nearly 20 employees on the ground, including sales representatives, a division manager, transport supervisor, and warehouse staff positions. The company opened an office and warehouse this month in the city of Hayward, CA. USAgain already operates in 10 major U.S. markets, including Milwaukee, Seattle and Atlanta. It is headquartered in Chicago.
“Vu Management, Inc. is very excited about partnering with USAgain. By giving our customers an easy option to recycle textiles, we’re helping to green our corporate profile. Plus, it’s a great feeling knowing that these clothes will get reused — and not dumped in landfills,” said Mai Trinh, Senior Property Manager of Vu Management, Inc.
USAgain recently supported California state legislation to regulate clothes collection bins. In compliance with all local and state guidelines, the company will install its bins at area businesses, schools and other convenient locations. Individual business owners agree to host a bin, and in return, collect part of the proceeds generated from clothing collected on site. The host can then choose to keep the additional revenue, or donate it through USAgain to one of five charities, including Children’s Miracle Network. USAgain will collect and bundle the used textiles at its local warehouse, and resell them in the U.S. and abroad to thrift store chains, wholesalers and graders/recyclers.

LISTEN: A GREEN RENAISSANCE II – PODCAST

NEW: RECYCLING

Eco fashions sustainable and chic

Posted on September 4, 2010 by quest

Eco fashion keeps getting more of the spot light in the fashion world these days. From New York, London, San Francisco, Los Angles and Vancouver. The beat is catching on. Designers and many throughout the supply chain are paying attention to fair trade policies and conditions which effect the bottom line price to the buyer.

In Southern California alone the business kicks in about $35 billions a year. It just isn’t about cost however, these new designers and eco conscience artists, models and textile producers are keyed into the chemical make up the material they’re using. Eco fashion shows roll out around the globe. In New York coming up for its third season, The GreenShows Eco Fashion Weekwill present ten fashion designers committed to environmental and social responsibility, September 12-14 during New York Fashion Week. The GreenShows will take place at Metropolitan Pavilion’s new eco-conscious venue, The Metropolitan Suite, centrally located in the heart of Chelsea at 123 West 18th Street, 2nd Floor.
The GreenShows at Metropolitan Pavilion is the only premiere fashion event exclusively committed to eco-friendly, ethically sound, fair-trade fashion during New York Fashion Week. This 3-day event will feature a selection of fashion designers who have been given the opportunity, support and resources to show their collections under one roof.

The Gallatin School of New York University

Gallatin Eco-Fashion Week not only recognizes environmentally and socially responsible fashion, but also critically examines what the terms “eco” and “green” really mean within the fashion world. The event is organized by a diverse committee comprised of students, alumni, faculty, and administrators.

The Gallatin School of Individualized Study, a small innovative college within New York University, gives students the opportunity to design a program of study tailored to their own needs and interests. When students choose Gallatin, they take on the exciting challenge of creating their own curriculum and unique plan for learning. They pursue their individual interests from a personal perspective by taking courses in the various schools of New York University, engaging in self-directed education through independent studies, and participating in experiential learning through internships at New York City’s countless institutions, businesses, and arts organizations. Undergraduates experience a thorough grounding in the history of ideas and great books, and graduate students pursue advanced study in interdisciplinary modes of thought.

LISTEN: A GREEN RENAISSANCE II - PODCAST

NEW

RECYCLING

Going green going electric

Posted on September 3, 2010 by quest

Electric vehicles are already out there and more are on the way. Tesla and Toyota have made headlines as has
ZAP which has signed fleet agreements in China and with the US Postal Service.

An interesting area for growth in the electric vehicle (EV) field is the business of car conversions and fleet management. AMP Holding Inc. is a company engaged in the emission-free electrification of OEM vehicles, hosted “Making Your Fleet Green.”
Their program offers two viable solutions for fleet operators: 100% electric new vehicles such as the AMP’d GM Equinox, and the upfitting of existing or retired fleet vehicles.
Steve Burns, CEO of AMP (interviewed with the New York Times), said, “Historically speaking, fleets have been early adopters of alternative fuel solutions; it seemed only natural to create a Fleet Vehicle Program that affords real world solutions for these transportation planners.

Aside from the obvious environmental appeal these vehicles garner, various government grants and incentives available to fleet operators make the economics quite compelling. Upfitting just one vehicle previously deemed for retirement could yield savings of up to $15,000 by year five, just on that one vehicle alone. Imagine the implications for a large government agency or municipality that has thousands of vehicles in its fleet, it’s just mindboggling; not to mention the massive reduction in carbon footprint in saving these vehicles from the scrap yard. AMP’s game-changing technology allows us to help these fleets meet and exceed the ever-growing environmental standards being dictated.”