Driving is far from the most sustainable way to get around, but current trends in scientific research seem to point to a reduction in its carbon footprint thanks to an unlikely partner: food waste. First, we saw food waste finding its way into the gas tanks of British delivery trucks, and now, Ohio State University scientists have discovered a way to use food waste to partially replace the petroleum-based filler used in car tires.

This discovery responds to a rapidly escalating problem in tire manufacturing. While tires are made of rubber, about 30 percent of a typical car tire is made of carbon black, a filler that makes the rubber durable. But carbon black is problematic for a number of reasons.

This material is made with heavy petroleum products, which means that its production isn’t just unsustainable, it also requires American tire makers rely on foreign oil. Add to this the fact that carbon black has been deemed possibly carcinogenic by the International Agency for Research on Cancer, and an alternate solution has been a long time coming.

The answer, it seems, was in uniting two sustainability issues: Katrina Cornish, an Ohio Research Scholar and Endowed Chair in Biomaterials at Ohio State, has created a new filler that replaces carbon black, made with porous, mineral-rich eggshells and heat-stable tomato peels. This new filler not only allows the rubber to stay both strong and flexible but also exceeds industrial performance standards. The added bonus: it keeps these food byproducts out of landfills.

Different studies put our national food waste at between 30 and 40 percent of the food supply, or an estimated 70 billion pounds of food every year, according to non-profit Feeding America. And while we could all do our share at cutting back on waste at home, some of the biggest food waste culprits aren’t individuals – they’re commercial producers.

According to the USDA, Americans consume nearly 100 billion eggs each year, about half of which are used by commercial food factories, and 13 million tons of tomatoes per year, most of which are canned or processed. Cornish and her team are sourcing the eggshells and tomato skins for their product from these commercial producers, cutting down on landfill waste in the process – and that’s a huge deal.

A 2012 report from the NRDC noted that only about three percent of discarded food is composted in the United States; the rest ends up in landfills, where it creates about 23 percent of U.S. methane gas emissions. Replacing carbon black with these food byproducts that would otherwise be contributing to that 23 percent improves our carbon footprint on all counts. (Just be sure to carpool, too!)

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The National Basketball Association is quickly becoming just as famous for getting bottles in bins as it is for balls in hoops. That’s because the NBA has partnered with the National Resource Defense Council to drastically reduce the carbon footprint of the world’s preeminent basketball league. From green building to grassroots activism, the NBA is showing initiative in making professional sports a more sustainable venture.

On February 12, as part of the lead up to this month’s All-Star game in New Orleans, the NBA hosted a star-studded event promoting cell phone and electronic recycling. Former NBA players PJ Brown and Dikembe Mutombo met fans and signed autographs at the Sprint Store in Harvey, Louisiana. The two former players helped fans recycle their old cell phones and left with positive reviews about the NBA’s green initiative. The Times-Picayune quoted Dikembe Mutombo saying, “This is a great initiative to help America go green.” Also during this month’s All-Star week, the NBA will host a Discover Green event which will feature bicycle-powered cell phone charging stations and simple tips to help reduce your daily environmental impact.

Last April, as part of its partnership with the NRDC, the NBA pledged to offset 10 million pounds of CO₂ emissions. Also during Green Week, players wore special t-shirts with the NBA’s green initiative logo to help raise awareness for its programs. And the green initiatives are not confined to the 30 teams in the NBA, as minor league teams such as the Santa Cruz Warriors have teamed up with non-profits to promote the community’s environmental health.

Aside from these community greening events, the league is also taking steps to ensure its games have as small an impact as possible. The NBA’s newest arena, Brooklyn’s Barclays Center, recently became the first sports and entertainment venue in the New York metro area to achieve a LEED silver status. Barclays Center achieved this distinction through its installation of low-flow toilets, 91% sustainable wood features, and a Cor-Ten steel framework.

The NBA is working hard to green its game, and it appears that other professional sports leagues such as Major League Baseball and the National Hockey League are trying to do their part as well. Because of the unique platform that these leagues possess, their contributions to environmental awareness and alternative energies are invaluable, and we hope that they continue to lead the way. – Callum Beals

This article originally appeared on Sierra Magazine

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The post The NBA Hits a Three-Pointer with a Small Carbon Footprint: Green Initiatives Take Center Court appeared first on EcoSalon.

Former Vice President and climate change crusader, Al Gore, was in Los Angeles recently for “24 Hours of Reality: The Cost of Carbon,” an annual live-streamed multimedia show dedicated to sparking action on climate change.

He took a break from the action to answer some questions on Reddit AMA, where he was asked:

“What specific things are you doing in life to lower your personal carbon footprint? And what is the biggest one specific thing I as an individual can do to reduce mine?”

Gore responded by saying, “I use only carbon-free electricity. Have 33 solar panels on my roof, seven deep geothermal wells under my driveway, LED lights and highest-grade energy-saving windows, max insulation, hybrid plug-in car, etc. No fountains, btw. What you can do? Make smart choices for low-carbon options in the marketplace, make sure you divest from carbon-intensive stocks; be a smart and active citizen! Let politicians know the climate crisis MATTERS to you — A LOT — that you will WORK and contribute to candidates who really champion solutions — and that you will seriously work hard to DEFEAT candidates who ignore climate or take the wrong positions on climate. Help put a price on carbon in the market and put a price on denial in the political system.”

He also urged everyone to assess the carbon pollution risks they’re exposed to by visiting www.thecostofcarbon.org.

This article appears courtesy of Ecorazzi

Ecorazzi covers news and gossip on celebrities and notables in support of the environment and humanitarian causes. You can follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

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The post 5 Ways Al Gore Offsets His Family’s Carbon Footprint appeared first on EcoSalon.

These couriers and delivery services are getting your goods to your front door with a minimal carbon footprint.

Whether you need farm fresh produce, a surprise gift for that special someone, office supplies for the boss or even cargo loads of restaurant ingredients, these 6 urban delivery options are sure to power pedal your item of choice to you, without the carbon footprint common with most delivery services. Found all along the west coast, in NYC and D.C., these bike, rickshaw and electric car delivery options trump toxic, fossil-fuel dependent vehicles with their quick, affordable and efficient services.

1. B-Line Urban Sustainable Delivery

Founded and based in Portland, OR, B-Line is a sustainable, city-wide delivery service that functions on tricycles. However, these aren’t any ordinary tricycles, but electrically assisted ones with the capacity to transport up to 600 lbs. of cargo. Not only does this reduce the company’s carbon footprint in a livable downtown environment (alongside Portland’s numerous other ‘greening’ schemes), B-Line also delivers donated food from partners like Whole Foods, New Seasons Market and Dave’s Killer Bread to non-profits that provide for those in need.

2. Revolution Rickshaws

Originally started as a pedicab rental company, Revolution Rickshaws now offers rapid and eco-friendly delivery in the New York City area. These rickshaws, or ‘trikes’ are ideal delivery vehicles for the traffic congested city, offering  a completely viable and much more sustainable service the fuel guzzling trucks and vans.

3. Chicago Cargo

Chicago Cargo operates a local delivery business on their specially designed Bullit Bikes, to connect local, sustainable businesses to their customers. This unique bike has a built in holding flat in between the front and back wheels, making cargo transport efficient and easy. Chicago Cargo’s custom delivery options allow small local businesses to be in control of how and when their products are delivered, which is especially important in the case of fresh produce and other perishable goods.

4. Urban Delivery

Operating on uber-cool online platform (that is also downloadable as an iPhone app), this Washington D.C. based delivery service operates entirely on two wheels. Customers can enter any item from any business within the city into the online portal, and Urban Delivery’s speedy cyclists will purchase and deliver it within an hour. Their “Shop Locally” option even allows you to reduce your carbon footprint further by seeing what’s available in local stores and restaurants.

5. GeaZone Eco-Courier

Based in Victoria, BC, GeaZone Eco-Courier operates its sustainable delivery service on electric cars and human-fueled bikes and tricycles. GeaZone has partnered with local businesses, large and small, helping companies and individuals reduce their emissions and carbon outputs. The business also helps raise awareness of ecologically friendlier options within the community by promoting their ethos in everything they do.

Image: B-Line

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The post Zero Carbon Footprint Delivery: 5 People-Powered Urban Delivery Options appeared first on EcoSalon.

EcoSalon chats with Keya Chatterjee, Senior Director for renewable energy and carbon footprint outreach at the World Wildlife Fund, and author of a new book about carbon-free parenting.

Before getting pregnant, Keya Chatterjee and her husband lived the type of low-carbon lifestyle that most of us only dream of. No car, no refrigerator, and 100 percent of their home’s energy supplied by solar panels. Once their baby Siddarth arrived, Chatterjee knew they were going to have to make some changes, but still wanted to keep their carbon footprint minimal.

Doing so took a lot of research and dedication, something that’s probably far down the list of priorities for expecting parents who’ve had their lives turned upside down. Thankfully, Chatterjee chronicled the entire process and put it into a book that can serve as a guide for the rest of us.

We recently caught up with Chatterjee to ask her some questions about the book and what she learned while writing it. Keep reading to find out what she had to say.

Eco Salon: What inspired you to write this book?

Keya Chatterjee: As a person who works on climate change, it was a tough decision to decide to have a baby– I was worried about the kind of world I would be bringing my baby into, and I was worried that having a baby would mean having to give up on our relatively sustainable lifestyle. I did tons of research while I was pregnant about the carbon pollution associated with different decisions we were making– about whether to move, what kind of birth we wanted, how to diaper (or not!), how to feed our baby, and even what type of child care to secure. It was harder than I thought it would be to find out what the most sustainable options were, so once I compiled it I really wanted to share it with other parents who might have the same interest in protecting the future for their babies.

ES: What aspect of having or raising a baby would people be surprised to hear carries a large carbon footprint?

KC: It’s electricity and transportation that makes the biggest difference– much bigger than diapers, which are nonetheless top of mind for many new parents. Parents could make a huge difference by deciding to move to a smaller home that is close to public transportation, or deciding to switch to a more efficient vehicle. Our carbon footprint actually got negative by giving up air travel, so transportation makes a huge difference even when it is for vacations!

ES: How do you respond to those who say the greenest thing we can do is not have kids at all?

KC: It’s a fair point, which is why I have a chapter on adoption in the Zero Footprint Baby. That said, as a parent, however you become a parent, you have a much bigger personal stake in the future of the planet, and that has made me even more engaged and committed. Also, I crunch the numbers in the book and show that it is possible to reduce your carbon footprint as you add a new bundle of joy to the family!

ES: What’s the most useful green parenting tip that you discovered while writing this book?

KC: What was most useful for me was finding out what changes had a huge impact on my carbon footprint and what changes had a more modest impact. Diapers are on our minds a lot, but solar panels make a bigger difference. I also discovered that the cost of solar panels has come down 75% since we bought ours in 2008, and that many homeowners today would save money immediately installing them, whereas it took us four or five years to get to the point where our electricity is basically free.

ES: We recently reported on Alicia Silverstone’s breast milk-sharing program “Kind Mama Milk Share.” Are there other types of peer-to-peer sharing or swapping can help parents raise a low-impact kid?

KC: Oh yes, ThredUp is a great website for helping parents share clothes, and so is Encore baby registry, which helps new parents register for second hand items. I also used Craigslist a lot, and our neighborhood listserve.

The Zero Footprint Baby is available on Amazon for $12.97.

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The future is so bright, you might want to 3D-print yourself some shades.

Amid worries about what untraceable, printable firearms mean for the future of our society, don’t be fooled into thinking this is all the world of 3D printing has to offer. In fact, thanks to a community focused on open-source design, and the collaborative powers of the internet, 3D printers have already begun to change our world for the better.

Robohand

Richard van As is a carpenter who tragically lost two fingers in a woodworking accident. When he began searching for a prosthetic replacement that would restore the use of his hand, he was shocked to learn that the only market options started at $10,000. Determined to find a more affordable alternative, van As took to the internet, where he soon encountered Ivan Owen–a DIY enthusiast who posted a YouTube video about a mechanical hand he’d made for fun. A few Skype conversations later, the two became a team. The pair used their Makerbot 3D printers to send ideas back and forth. Within a year, they had a working protype they called “Robohand.” To celebrate the fruit of their collaboration, the pair donated the first 3D printed Robohand to Liam, a five year-old boy who was born without any fingers on his right hand. The design plans for Robohand are available on the internet for anyone to use, and many other disabled children have already benefited.

3D-Printed Food

If there’s one thing our culture loves, it’s customization. We want our name, face, and personality infused into everything–including food. A recent report from TechNewsDaily asserted that creating customized novelty food will be one of the main reasons for a crossover into 3D printed edibles. Last year, designer Ralf Holleis unveiled a 3D-printer that can be used to whip up a batch of intricately-designed, perfectly-shaped sweet snacks in a jiffy (pictured above). But not all 3D printed foods would be novelties. NASA recently invested $125,000 for the development of a 3D printer that could automate food creation in space, and eventually, here on Earth as well. The device will use cartridges of sugars, complex carbohydrates, and protein to assemble a nutritionally acceptable meals that never spoil.

Cleaner, More Self-Sufficient Cities

Transportation–of ourselves and the goods we need to survive–is a major source of planet-killing pollution. The interdependence caused by a global economy can backfire when a natural disaster or war interrupts the normal flow of things. In order for future cities to become more self-sufficient, we’ve got to restore the ability to make things around the corner from where they’re sold, something that 3D printing makes possible for just about anyone.

“3D printing creates its final product in one process – unlike conventional manufacturing which often demands extensive casting, forming and molding and assembling up to thousands of parts, some from distant locations,” writes Neal Pierce for the Washington Post Writers Group.

“This could spell big cutbacks in massive container ships and their ports, together with fuel-guzzling truck rigs crisscrossing continents,” Pierce adds. “The United States’ heavy reliance on overseas manufacturing, especially from China, could be cut back dramatically. The carbon footprint of today’s manufacturing and transport could be reduced substantially. 3D involves dramatically reduced waste and use of toxic materials in manufacturing and can ease the demand for such nonrenewable resources as rare earth minerals.”

Images: Watz, Robohand, Ralf Holleis, 666_is_money

The post 3 Ways 3D Printing Is Changing The World (For The Better!) appeared first on EcoSalon.

Your carbon footprint is determined by the amount of carbon dioxide that you emit as you ago about your day-to-day activities. Even the most menial of tasks, like turning on the TV and driving a car, add to your carbon footprint.

Some more obvious contributors, such as air travel, are also a huge burden – air travel alone accounts for 3.5 percent of the human contribution to global warning – but it is more so the compounding effects of continuous simple, mindless tasks, such as turning on the lights in your house, that is making the difference. The following 8 ways to reduce your carbon footprint and save the world are just a few ways you can turn the difference in Mother Nature’s favor.

According to the most recent research, the earth’s glaciers are melting some  ten times faster than previously predicted and greenhouse gases are at the highest levels ever. This has caused species to increasingly go extinct, weather conditions to reach new extremities, sea levels to rise and the incidence of long-term droughts. In 2011, the US set a record with $14-billion worth of weather disasters.

According to the UN, each American is, on average, responsible for some 20 tons of carbon dioxide emissions per year. The world’s average under 10 tonnes per capita. Clearly, Americans can get by on fewer emissions, if the rest of the world serves as an example, and there are many ways to both reduce and offset output.

All it takes are a few simple tips to reduce your carbon overload. Start with these 8 tips:

1. Turn down your thermostat 2 degrees in the winter and up 2 degrees in the summer to save 2,000 pounds of carbon dioxide (and nearly $100 in heating and cooling bills).

2. Replace three bulbs in your house with energy-efficient fluorescent bulbs and save $60 a year. If every household in the U.S. did this, it would cut a trillion pounds of carbon dioxide from the earth’s atmosphere.

3. Unplug electronic devices, even when they are turned off, to save drawing power throughout the day – 1 watt per hour per plug.

4. Weatherize your home. Weatherization is essentially weather-proofing, or protecting the interior from outdoor elements. This can save hundreds of dollars and 1,000 pounds of carbon dioxide per year.

5. Install double-pane windows to save 10,000 pounds of carbon dioxide per year.

6. Buy local produce to reduce the demand for fruits and vegetables that require thousands of miles of transportation to get to your local supermarket.

7. Walk or bike for short distances. For longer distances, try to share a ride or purchase an energy-efficient car. Consider carpooling with a work buddy to work in the morning and home in the evening or with friends when going out to reduce fuel costs and emissions.

8. Offset your emissions by calculating your output at Go Zero, where you can then donate to plant the equivalent number of trees needed to compensate for your carbon footprint.

Photo Credit: Twicepix

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Planes, trains, and automobiles.

Memorial Day marks the official start of summer, the season of long weekends, road trips, and frequent excursions to the closest body of water. To aid in your summer travel planning, we’ve compiled a collection of transportation-related infographics, covering everything from carbon footprints to plane safety to the health benefits of sunshine. Now get out there and have an adventure!

The Greener Way To Get There: a guide to the most eco-friendly transport modes for your next trip.

5 Stages of Travel Interactive Infographic: from planning to booking to sharing, Google investigates the Internet’s role in travel. [click for interaction]

From Train to Tweet in 171 Years: a brief history of the travel industry as we know it.

Travel Insurance: Do I Really Need It?: an investigative look from none other than tripinsurance.com.

2012 Travel Bucket List: assuming the Mayans are right about 2012, how would you spend your last year on earth? Many said travel, and here’s where they’d go.

Road Trip: Advice from the Road’s Most Seasoned Pros: the best tire brands, truck stops, and smartphones for your next family road trip.

Techie Traveler: a look at how social media has fundamentally changed the way we travel.

Find The Best Airline Fees: in this day and age, airline fees are inevitable. This infographic helps you find the most economical travel solution.

Plane Travel the Healthy Way: it’s a dangerous world out there.

Sunshine & Happiness: as if you needed another reason to book a beach getaway.

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Image: Vox Efx

The post 10 Travel Infographics To Spark Your Wanderlust appeared first on EcoSalon.

While they might want to reconsider the air miles it took for them to find it, this bamboo vase from Phillips Collection gets a sky-high rating.  

Designers Mark and Julie Phillips of Phillips Collection specialize in what they call Globally Sourced Home Décor. Hmm, sounds like a mighty big footprint to me. Nevertheless, this abstract-modern vase is made by hand from pressed bamboo. Let’s hear it again for fast-growing, durable and pliable bamboo.

To give them some leeway, the Phillips Collection is a traveling duo that has been traversing the globe over a period of 30 years. Taking them all over the planet in their relentless search for talent, innovative production techniques and globally inspired organic décor.

What do you think of their globe-trotting ways: a forgivable means to an end or not so cool, even if it is bamboo?

The vase retails for $147.

Look for Lustables daily at EcoSalon. 100% gorgeous green finds, and never sponsored. Submit your favorite to tips@ecosalon.com

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Adidas’ global strategy includes Better Cotton and a host of other environmental initiatives.

According to Sustainable Business Oregon, Adidas AG  has announced a global strategy to reduce its environmental footprint by 15% by 2015. A big portion of the change will come from utilizing sustainable cotton as part of the Better Cotton Initiative, increasing by 40%  all its cotton consumption by 2015 before going all in by 2018.

Frank Henke, Adidas’ director of social and environmental affairs, told Sustainable Business Oregon in an interview: “We think that supporting this approach helps us to mainstream the sustainability agenda within the global cotton market.”

As a founding member of the BCI, Adidas, as well as other well-known brands including Levi’s, Gap, and Marks And Spencer aim to reduce the usage of pesticides used in traditional cotton farming as well as employ effective means of tending crops with efficient water use, crop rotation and sound working conditions.

Better Cotton is not to be confused with sustainable cotton, fair trade cotton or organic cotton, designations specific to cotton produced without pesticides, genetic modification, or with fair labor involved, yet Better Cotton accounts for 1.3% of global cotton production and includes pieces of each. The main incentive for Adidas to lessen their carbon footprint is to grow cotton in a way that will help alleviate the stress on the local environment and improve the livelihoods and welfare of farming communities.

Other environmental reductions Sustainable Business Oregon highlights include Adidas incorporating a 50 percent reduction in the amount of colors used within the Adidas Sports Performance division by 2015, excluding colors required by clubs outfitted by the brand, A 10 percent to 15 percent drop in energy emissions by product output at core suppliers by 2015, a 20 percent drop in energy consumption, 30 percent reduction in carbon emissions, 20 percent water savings per employee and 25 percent waste reduction per employee by 2015.

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