Posted by Wills Glasspiegel
wills@greenowl.com

We've been praying for a study like this to come along for some time now.

Posted by Benjamin Bronfman
Ben@greenowl.com

Adam Goldstein, better known as DJ AM was just found dead in his New York City apartment.  Our collective hearts go out to his family.

Posted by Benjamin Bronfman
Ben@greenowl.com

"DDT enabled the conquest of insect pest in agriculture and of ancient insect borne diseases just as surely as the atomic bomb destroyed America's military enemies and dramatically altered the balance of power between humans and nature."

Back in the 1950's, concerned with synthetic pesticide DDT and the consequences from using it, a marine biologist from Pennsylvania wrote a powerful book called Silent Spring. Rachel Carson's book is still a major curriculum read in university classes related to geology, ecology, environmental justice, design and agriculture. For those who have not had the fortunate opportunity to experience the almost eerie predictions of Rachel Carson's book, we would like to share some quotes from Silent Spring:

“The earth’s vegetation is part of a web of life in which there are intimate and essential relations between plants and animals. Sometimes we have no choice but to disturb these relationships, but we should do so thoughtfully, with full awareness that what we do may have consequences remote in time and place.” 

Posted by Ashley Rambo
rambo@greenowl.com

via CARLOSCHARLIEPEREZ

via BRUCEWEBER

Posted by Wills Glasspiegel
wills@greenowl.com

via NICEKICKS

Posted by Wills Glasspiegel
wills@greenowl.com

See the dark red? That's where shit is going to hit the fan

The Nature Conservancy recently did an analysis on what regions would be most affected by climate change. The study concluded that the Midwest will be hit the hardest with climate change and its consequences. Farming states such as Kansas, Nebraska and Iowa may find their soil to be significantly less useful as the deadly heat is estimated to rise 10 degrees by 2100.

You'd think that this issue would be one that could unite our dreadful two-party system but it just doesn't seem to be happening that way especially on the "right" side of the isle. Sen. Sam Brownback has already opposed legislation relating to climate change. Sen. Pat Roberts doesn't seem to be thrilled about alleviating the drought forecast either. If carbon emissions continue to increase at the current rate, the soil in these Midwest farmlands will transform into the kind of soil found in  Texas and Mexico. 

Jonathan Hoekstra, the director of climate change for The Nature Conservancy, made a  powerful statement highlighting the attitudes of these senators: "In many states across the country, the weather and landscapes could be nearly unrecognizable in 100 years."

Picture of Nebraska's current conditions

Full article here.

Posted by Ashley Rambo
rambo@greenowl.com

For the last thirty years, pockets of rural farmers in Nicaragua, Honduras and Guatemala have been creating a vast, grassroots network of local, independent farmers, referred to as campesino a campesino (farmer-to-farmer) spreading the need for sustainable agrarian methods. Rather than bow to the pressure of soy-beef imperialism and the mega-crop industries, these farmers have been going town-to-town all across Central America, teaching the effectiveness, profitability and preservation of sustainable farming.

Although these farmers have done a great job of spreading sustainable environmental techniques, they’ve done little in making a dent in the prohibitive structure of agricultural development and the farming economy. Most of the farmers in these developing countries are trying to contend with their own government, who will continue to employ wasteful farming methods to keep up an export flow to pay off their own debt to developed nations. In other words, the movement hasn’t yet reached its potential.

Which means, it’s up to the good folks in developed nations to lobby and reform against the dumping of excess subsidized crops (let’s start with US corn) and let up the strong-arm tactics of dictating how and what should be farmed in developing economies.

Right now, http://viacampesina.org/main_sp/ has been spearheading a global movement for farmers’ rights, but need more help and support since they have come under recent fire, principally due to being headquartered in the current rogue country of Honduras. They’re keeping track of the agrarian slack that the World Bank has yet to pick up. 

Posted Shilpa Nadhan
shilpa.nadhan@gmail.com

Bottles,  Booties,  Sugu with a Walkie-Talkie, lines around the block, what else do you want?

Posted by Benjamin Bronfman
Ben@greenowl.com 

Centre Ecologic Ilemena Hostel in Girona, Spain

Some of us find it perfectly acceptable to quit our jobs and jet-set to a far-off land. In case you are one of these individuals, we want to provide you with the info to do it in sustainable style. Treehugger recently let us in on some sustainable secretes: eco-friendly hostels for travelers, backpackers and err wild people that have snapped in their stressful lives and need a safe escape for themselves and the safety of others.

Deepdale Backpackers Hostel in North England

Organic farms, meditation and yoga, biking, hiking, local and vegetarian foods, fair trade flower markets, lighting that is motioned censored, canvas bags for shopping, solar hot water and rainwater flushing toilets are the norm for these hostels. Some of the hostels, like the Deepdale Backpackers Hostel on Deepdale Farm, in North Norfolk, England, even work with local universities to take fauna and flora inventory and provide specimens for students to research. The Adventurers' Escape is a  brownfield site -- an old garage and petrol station -- made from reclaimed timber, locally grown wood, and stone from around the property.

Gyreum Eco-Lodge

Sligo, Ireland is home to Ireland's first eco-lodge, Gyreum. Constructed with sustainably harvested scrap wood and roof insulation made from a mixture of sheep's wool and fiberglass from an old mushroom farm in the area. The lodge even hosts a "build your own wind turbine" workshop.

Krumlov House

Eastern Europe's Krumlov House (a 400 year old stone house) is located in a medieval riverfront town about 100 miles south of Prague.  The place is not only beautiful but beefed up in the area of supporting local businesses, installing solar panels, radiator reflectors, and  Energy Star-certified appliances. Reclaimed wood, and organic cotton sheets lessen the eco-footprint of the house, too.  They air-dry all the laundry, support other locally owned businesses, and have even contracted with a wind-powered internet provider to host their Web site. Is this Bono's house?

Enigmata Treehouse Eco-Lodge in Camiguin, Phillipines offers biodiversity workshops and progeams for kids on eco-guiding

Kulturgården Guest House in Bratadal, Sweden

Check out the full article and peep other boss hostels practicing sustainability, these are some amazingly enchanting getaways. Maybe even quit your job and head to one of them.

Posted by Ashley Rambo
rambo@greenowl.com

via KING JAMES V OF SCOTLAND

Posted by Wills Glasspiegel
wills@greenowl.com

Build your own at the Bamboo Bike Studio in Brooklyn.   It's a movement.

Bubu music on bamboo flutes in the stream.

Posted by Wills Glasspiegel
wills@greenowl.com

pictures of Barrow Island, an Australian Nature Reserve

LNG is Liquified Natural Gas - it occurs when natural gas is chilled into liquid form at minus 161 degrees Celsius (minus 259 Fahrenheit), reducing it to one-six-hundredth of its original volume for transportation by ship to destinations not connected by pipeline. On arrival, it’s turned back into gas for distribution to power plants, factories and households.

Australia has approved Chevron Corp.'s $50 billion LNG venture - Gorgon - on Barrow Island. Gorgon has contracts to supply fuel to China, India and Japan and is among more than 12 LNG projects in the region competing for Asian buyers. Barrow Island, dubbed "Australia's Ark" for it's unique range of endangered species, is home to flatback turtles, along with the burrowing bettong, a type of small kangaroo that lives underground and has died out on the mainland. Chevron must submit plans for approval covering the protection of animals such as the spectacled hare-wallaby, the bettong and the golden bandicoot among 28 additional conditions for the project, says Environment Minister Peter Garrett.

The venture, which Chevron says has enough gas to last 40 years, will pipe the fuel to Barrow Island from 11 fields that contain about 40 trillion cubic feet, Exxon says on its Web site. Carbon dioxide generated as the gas is turned into liquid form will be captured and stored underground, reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 40 percent, Chevron says on its Web site. The federal and Western Australian governments have agreed to jointly pay any long-term liability arising from this plan.

Posted by Vanessa Bronfman
vanessa@greenowl.com

Don't know what do do this Saturday afternoon? I do! Spike Lee is bringing back the Brooklyn block party for Michael Jackson's Birthday!! Spend the day Off The Wall in Prospect Park. I wanna Rock With You.

posted by Vanessa Bronfman
vanessa@greenowl.com

Oh no, it is much too sexy....Dead sexy

In an earlier post about bicycle co-op's, one thing that deters people from owning and riding bikes is the high theft rate. Fear no more, Olympic cyclist Chris Boardman has developed a solar powered concept bike that is theft-proof, puncture proof, and self inflatable! Its carbon frame body and built-in automatic lock anti-theft mechanism (which unlocks by the activation of the owners fingerprints) make it an ideal investment for those who want to rely less on fossil fuel guzzling automobiles. As far as the sleek bike being ready for purchase now, Mr. Boardman said “It could be built now if there was a will. All the technologies are already there, it’s just that nobody’s put them all together before.” How can we prove there is a will for mass production of this little treasure????

Maybe in 20 years, if the earth hasn't exploded, you too can own this super awesome bicycle without the worry of chasing down some thieving kid with a baseball bat.

Posted by Ashley Rambo
rambo@greenowl.com