In its annual World Energy Outlook report, the International Energy Agency states that an immediate investment in sustainable energy is the only hope in preventing a global crisis in the complete depletion of oil. According to the report, the intensification of worldwide energy usage will, within a generation, create an immense global climate change, threaten energy security, and bring on the possibility of oil shortages worldwide.
Because of the enormous economic growth of China and India, the IEA has become more concerned about the situation at hand, and feels that we must find a way to move beyond fossil fuels in order to ward off such a crisis.
According to the 675-page report, China will surpass the USA as the world energy leader. By 2015, their energy needs will grow 5.1% annually. Their need for fuel will also quadruple for their growing fleet of vehicles which is estimated to reach 270 million by 2030. India’s projections are just as frightening. Even though the growth of these two countries has improved the lives of billions of people, the consequences create an alarming global energy demand. The IEA states that there is enough oil to last us through 2030. Yet oil in Mexico, Canada and the North Sea are rapidly depleting, causing an increase in global dependence on the unstable Middle East.
Raw food author Natalia Rose lays out a case why even the biggest of the thick header drones amongst us should go a little raw. Her reasoning is, if they don’t they will start to fall apart, period. What does she suggest the drones should start with, juicing of course.
Here is a very interesting interview we did with John Picard, one of the Advisors for the BP Oil company. His job was to help them go green. See how he explains their thinking at the time and how they changed the companies name for British Petroleum to Beyond Petroleum. A name they thought would announce their new direction as world leaders in the new clean renewable energy market. Clean and green, is what BP wants to present, but reality is a whole other thing. Just ask the people living in the Gulf Coast.
John Picard is a name that you may not be familiar with… yet. This pioneer in sustainability has been quietly revolutionizing homes and businesses across the country. Here’s a brief history of his achievements:
– He started out as a builder and entrepreneur and is now a renowned building efficiency and sustainability expert.
– He was a core member of President Clinton’s “Greening of the White House” team.
– He’s president and founder of E2 Environmental Enterprises, whose clients include Microsoft, BP, eBay, Sony, Ford, The Gap, MGM, CAA and Live Earth, to name a few.
A look back at Pearl Jams Concert Protest against BP Oil to protect the Great Lakes. BP has a long history of being the root of major oil disasters. The current major oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico isn’t the first evidence of BP making bad choices in the name of making a quick buck.
Pearl Jam frontman Eddie Vedder was once quoted as saying that when he saw himself on the cover of magazines at the supermarkets, he “hated that guy”. Not sure how the rest of the band felt about him, but one thing is certain: you can add BP Amoco to the list of things Vedder and Pearl Jam hate.
While the oil giant is often considered more enviro-conscious than their oily competitors, their Whiting Refinery in Indiana has a new permit that gives them permission to dump over 1,500 lbs. of ammonia and almost 5,000 pounds of suspended solids into area lakes. And Pearl Jam doesn’t approve.
Pearl Jam has done one better. At Lollapalooza, they performed a new song, “Don’t Go To BP Amoco”, which you can see in the video below, shot by someone in the audience.
Medlock Ames Winery has vin-dicated my Granny’s gardening methods. Her approach was unusual to say the least, and we all thought the lush product of her idiosyncrasy was pure coincidence. Now I’m delighted to discover an up-and-coming family vineyard whose dynamic methodologies have put an ecologically modern-day spin on the age-old wisdom of Granny.
In 1996, two young men formed a partnership to make great wine. At the time, the success of California wines had created a glut of property purchases by owners who razed the land of the natural flora and fauna to put in their steel and grid rows of grapes, greedily using up every bit of space in order to maximize profits. But Christopher Medlock James and Ames Morison had other ideas.
From the onset, the Medlock Ames Winery embraced unusual techniques by utilizing Biodynamics, a radical method in which natural occurring plant and animal interaction replenishes the living soil, creating a vitality that supports and affects the quality and health of the plants that grow in it. Sounds pretty simple, but it isn’t. The exact science has numerous factors to take into consideration and the growers must be grounded in the precise ecological knowledge of nature.
Everyone should know by now I live in London, but I am not really English. I am what you would call a mutt, if I was a dog. I have a little bit of blood from almost every type of culture on the planet. A pinch of French, a dash of English, a smig of Spanish, and a whole lot of other strains I couldn’t even identify, but I know they are in there. All this blood mixture has made me a bit more dark, than your average English girl. You see, the girls around me tend to be more the English purebreds dull types. You know them when you see them on the street, they all have that chocky, blump, and grim face look. For a long time I thought that was just what my fellow mates looked like, but I was wrong. It’s all the dairy, beer and fried fish they suck down. As soon as I started hanging with the G Living crowd, everyone started looking a bit more human or should I say Monkie.
My point is, and I have one, is that G Women just seem to look better and when you look better, you feel better. And when you feel good, you also, feel a whole lot sexier. Which leads me to my point. G Women may feel sexy, but when it comes to vegan / organic options in the Lingerie department, we are completely left out in the cold. We don’t want chemical laden fabrics, we want soft organic sexy fabrics and designs.
Lucky for all of us, dark brooding, 1950 loving “G” club hopping girls, Jennifer Ambrose has created Enamore Limited a vintage Lingerie / Fashion House.
Julia: Why did you start with a eco / green lingerie line? Did you have experience designing lingerie?
Jennifer:Enamore started as a clothing label in 2004 and in 2006 I decided I wanted to create lingerie with the same principle as my clothing range. I didn’t have the skill to make lingerie myself so I approached designer Ayten Gasson to collaborate. The first collections were a mix of hemp/silk and vintage prints, which were a big hit with my customers. In the beginning we were fulfilling all the order from Ayten’s studio so each piece was hand made. Further down the line we parted company to focus on our own ideas. I took over the design work and started to work with a production unit in South Wales.
Most of my friends are halves. I didn’t seek them out. It just turned out that way. One of my nearest and dearest is Nikki Bedi, half Indian, half British, a voice of the BBC and perfectly positioned to provide insight on the differences between East and West, developed and developing.
Take recycling. This concept has only really been around in the West since the ‘70s. Nowadays of course, we’re actively encouraged to recycle, to think before we toss something into the ever expanding landfill of our disposable society. We still have a long way to go, but at least recycling is a choice. In India, it’s a necessity that results in almost everything imaginable being recycled, from bottles to newspapers – even toxic metal from the World Trade Center.
Next up: global warming, the effects of which have been felt around the world, including on the Indian sub-continent. Heavy monsoon rains have caused severe flooding (which brings with it disease and hunger), and glacial retreat has been recorded in the Himalayas.
I always LOVE getting an amazing shoe or piece of clothing that is vegan & cruelty-free. I am always on the lookout for products like this. I continue the process of phasing out products that do not adhere to these principles from my life & closet.
For this reason I was over the moon about discovering Olsen haus and it’s wonderful collections. So much so that I immediately ordered what has quickly become my favorite new pair of shoes.-The Brazil shoe with the eggplant heel. These are great for running around all over Santiago, Tokyo, Mumbai, Los Angeles, Miami, Manhattan and all the other cities I get to spend time in when I am singing.
Here is a small bit of Olsen haus’ philosophy taken from their website:
Business as Usual? More like Business Unusual.
The philosophy of olsenHaus is anchored in the universal truth, respect for all beings, with a dedication to the expression of truth in the material world. We are committed to being 100% animal-free / cruelty-free, producing functional goods, with a high standard of ethical social responsibility in animal rights, human rights, and the environment.
I am happy to say I found a new oh so sexy bike. Yes, sexy, will you look at the Big Ass on this thing! If that isn’t sexy, I just don’t know what is. I have to admit, I am a big ass man, when it comes to bikes, (not women). There is just something special about being able to take anything, anywhere, at anytime. That is what you get when you have a cargo bike like this one by Madsen. A bike with built in function, abilities and style.
Here is the official pitch by the company ” After hauling six neighbor kids around in a wheel barrow bucket bolted to the front of our first prototype, we started to realize what a bicycle can really do. But the bucket on the front, like the box of the European design, creates an awkward center of gravity. So we stretched the chassis and put the bucket on the back. With the natural feel and balance of the rear bucket, you can ride with confidence knowing your load is secure and your cargo is protected.
Tim VanOrden hits the road with his digital camera and heads down to Florida. In this adventure he finds free baby coconuts falling the trees and ending up in the trash. He shows us how rescue the coconuts how to easily get to the fresh juice inside. Plus he takes us to the Veggie Magic Cafe and checks out the Tampa Grass Roots vegan cafe. Continue Reading / Additional Photos / Videos
Another Hybrid motorcycle type of vehicle, which just might appeal to the masses. This one comes from Peugeot. A fairly big automaker in Europe, has come up with the HYmotion3. This machine provides some protection from the weather with a glass canopy and also allows the drive to have some fun, with its ability to really lean in to the curves. The HYmotion3 is also extremely fuel efficient, recording 118 miles per gallon.
Here is the official press release:
Occupying a half-way house between the world of the scooter and the car, the HYmotion3 compressor is a highly original proposal designed to facilitate urban mobility. Attractive thanks to its dynamic, streamlined and futuristic style; it is an interesting concept combining numerous benefits (size, safety and comfort) with “HYmotion” hybrid/petrol technology. This new generation technology creates a three wheel drive vehicle, benefiting safety and driveability and combining economy with an environmentally-friendly specification (CO2 emissions of only 47 g/km in the combined cycle, zero in electric only mode).
I don’t know if there’s such a thing as one-stop shopping for the fashion-forward “G” set, but Eco Citizen is definitely the most earth friendly find of the week. This new boutique, located in San Francisco’s Russian Hill, caters to eco-fabulous fashionistas in search of high-end, sustainable style.
(From their website) “Eco Citizen strives to offer high quality, fair trade, classic fashion design and construction to the eco-conscious consumer. Our mission is to support the planet and its people while encouraging and implementing fair trade practices, sweatshop-free merchandise, and organic fashion products. Eco Citizen promotes a lifestyle choice that goes beyond the traditional allure of fashion, by transcending the self through transparent business practices, while providing fashion-forward and classic clothing for the 21st century woman.”