Archive for Miscellaneous
The 82nd Academy Awards, even Oscar is greener
Posted by: | CommentsSo did you watch the 82nd Academy Awards last night? Did you notice (when you weren’t grinning at images of George Clooney or Keira Knightley) that a number of the nominated films had an eco-theme to them? You probably spotted at least one as it was nominated for almost everything (9 nominations in all) including best picture but there were four films in total that had a semblance of green or environmental messages contained within.
Hollywood gathers every March to honour the most creative and talented movie-makers in the industry but last night marked the first Oscars ceremony that so many films which asked their respective audiences to consider matters green were all nominated. In years past the closest we tended to get to films with a global message about sustainability were typically apocalyptic in nature but last nights nominations asked questions both large and small about the way in which we live. So before I get started can you think of the four films that went before the Academy for consideration?
I’ll start with the most obvious, that being James Cameron’s blockbuster Avatar. The film that has now broken all global box office records didn’t win the biggest prizes on offer for Best Picture or Director but in terms of influence you have to acknowledge the audience worldwide. In just 12 weeks the film has grossed some $2.6 billion and remarkably more than 70% of that is from markets outside the US making the film a record breaker in all markets. Has the green message of the film been lost on those who were captivated by the special effects? Research suggests no and that it was impossible to disregard the message in relation to the future of our planet - Cameron suggests the film was to be ‘motivational and ‘a cautionary tale’.
The second film you may have seen, as it received just the one nomination (best documentary feature) and also won it. The Cove was more than a film, it serves as a call to activism which you can certainly support via their website. I won’t give away everything as it’s a film that should be explored on a personal basis but the synopsis is as accurate as can be:
Utilizing state-of-the-art techniques, including hidden microphones and cameras in fake rocks, the team uncovers how this small seaside village serves as a horrifying microcosm of massive ecological crimes happening worldwide. The result is a provocative mix of investigative journalism, eco-adventure and arresting imagery, adding up to an unforgettable story that has inspired audiences worldwide to action.
Our third green Oscar nominated film was a documentary that I reviewed on the blog back in November, and like ‘The Cove’ I heartily recommend that you take the time to rent or download a copy of ‘Food Inc’. It’s a film that at best will change the way you consume food or at worst will make you suggest others watch the film. We have to review the way we gather, raise and process our food. It really is as simple as that.
Finally something a little lighter but no less pertinent. I’ll even give you a clue that it was created from the book by the wonderful (and marginally subversive) Roald Dahl. Dahl had an uncanny knack of combining children’s stories with messages that reflected just how much the adults have taken us away from our goals as a society. If that seems a lofty goal for a kid’s film its because you’ve yet to see the ‘Fantastic Mr Fox’ which manages to combine both. The film, nominated for best animated feature film and best original score features Mr Fox leading a campaign against a collection of evil farmers. You need to see it!
So if you are hoping to see the Oscar nominated films one wet weekend, why not start with these four?
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Green Gazette (Issue 39) Eco-mice, horses and a great way to green your music
Posted by: | CommentsHello again, like many others I have the occasional weakness for ‘gadgets’ although I’m more tempted to just say ‘that’s pretty cool’ as opposed to purchasing one it doesn’t change the fact that I admire the innovation. On the other hand we have gadget consumers, those of us who live to purchase new tools and ideas that change the way we do things and hopefully make life that tiny bit more efficient. Today I thought I’d look at some fairly simple but certainly innovative gadgets that have a legitimate green benefit - each of which has yet to be released on the market. Off we go!
Wireless mouse - you can’t beat a wireless mouse once you’ve made the transition from the more common garden variety of mouse with a cord. It does make me wonder though is it still a ‘mouse’ when it no longer has a tail? At that point isn’t it more like a chipmunk or a marmot. However, if you love your wireless mouse but tire of replacing the batteries every 3 months or so there is now a green option. Meet Corky - he/she is made entirely of recycled cork and doesn’t need batteries. The kinetic energy caused by normal use when scrolling and clicking provides the energy source of our keyboard accomplice. No more batteries and plastics needed - what a great idea.
Discarded car tires/tyres - a blight of rubber wastage and something you rarely see any innovation attached to. This sounds like a bet an 
inventor took and won as he created the Automan 500 - which is an ottoman speaker (subwoofer) made from a standard automobile tire. In addition to being very eco friendly in design it apparently does the task assigned to it very well:
Designers Carolyn Butts and Hans Honegger say that the circular/cylindrical shape allows the subwoofer to have a better sound quality, and its unique construction helps it to emit all the bass notes.
The non audio components include a car tire, bicycle tire and wheat straw fiber board. This ranks as one of the more unlikely gadgets I’ve seen and when did you last see a round speaker?
Finally how about something a little different for the children which will serve a dual purpose by being eco-friendly while helping educate the kids about green issues and clean energy. You can accomplish both at once if you meetIf you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!
Green Gazette (Issue 37) G.E. gets renewable, using your green loaf and solar fencing
Posted by: | CommentsHello again, February already would you believe? For those of you in colder climes don’t worry the worst of Winter will soon be behind you and the Spring thaws will start before you know it. It’s been a topsy turvy Winter with traditionally mild places being snowed in and colder regions experiencing warmer weather than usual. The ostriches say ’so much for global warming’ whereas the informed among us know the difference between climate change and weather change. These things are measured in 50 year increments so seasonal deviation means nothing really, what does mean something is weather in general being more unsettled as occurrences of drought and flooding are changing rapidly due to a complete change in the ferocity/frequency of storms around the planet. However I’ve gone on a tangent for I am here to bring you some eco-news for the latest Green Gazette so let me do just that.
General Electric (G.E.) have announced their intent by dedicating a brand new $45 billion facility in Schenectday New York as their “Renewable Energy Global Headquarters”. Such a statement of change sends a very positive message from the corporate giant, you can have any number of new and smaller alternate energy companies start at the grassroots level but when the muscle of G.E. is getting behind the drive toward renewable energy we’ll find that we reach our destination that much quicker. The building itself is of course a model of green efficiency and it creates 650 new jobs and was completed a year ahead of schedule. To learn more the building and the corporation’s growing commitment to renewable energy please visit this Business Wire story.
“The dedication of our new, state-of-the-art global headquarters represents our ongoing mission to provide renewable energy solutions that will help meet both the world’s energy and environmental needs,”
Victor Abate, VP of renewable energy for GE Power & Water
I’m always amazed (impressed) by the fact that almost every type of industry can make a difference in environmental matters by moving toward sustainable practices. The more I read and research the fuller my understanding of the fact that applications that can have a positive impact 
exist almost everywhere and at the heart of much of the needed change will remain consumer awareness. Sara Lee are yet another example of a company that have baked up a good idea. The bread giant announced this week that they are trying to capture a slice of the green market with a new ‘eco-wheat’. The new green loaf will hinge on more than just a concept as a new ‘eco-grain’ has been specifically developed by Cargill and CHS for Sara Lee. The wheat will be grown using farming practices that reduce fertilizer and it requires less land than organic farming. Best news of all is that you don’t have to be from the upper crust to try the new product as it will be priced equivalently to the company’s existing product line. I’m not buttering up the fact that I hope sales will bring in extra dough versus the non green competition. Look for the bread to be in stores this spring.
Solar Fence
I wanted to close with another example of remarkable innovation. Solar energy seems to be usually associated with rooftops and solar farms but here is one avenue I wouldn’t have considered although you may well see it around a farm or indeed a homestead. A solar fence (but of course!) has been developed by a company called Earth Sure out of New Jersey. The fence is fully functional as a…well as a fence but also collects the suns rays from dawn until dusk and then transforms the solar rays into energy for your home. It’s a natural idea in my books and wins the Gazette award as green innovation of the week. Learn more about the solar fencing here. At last a legal fencing operation that will pay for itself in little time.
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Green Gazette (Issue 33) Eco Scout and the One Can of Trash Family
Posted by: | CommentsWelcome back to the Green Gazette, I’ll get back on track today with some shorter stories that may capture your thoughts as I’ve been running a bit long winded during my last few posts.
Cynthia Onorevole
Here’s a feel good story that makes you realise that good habits learned early can raise the awareness of a child to such a point that they excel in helping out others. In this circumstance Cynthia Onorevole of Rockaway Township, New Jersey has earned the highest accolade afforded within the Girl Scouts - The Gold Award, the pinnacle award for any Scout. Cynthia’s achievements had a very distinct eco-flavour attached which is encouraging (and I think reflects the changing overall awareness amongst those younger than myself about the environment). Cynthia earned the award by conducting a two-week long eco camp for students from 4th to 8th grade. Her curriculum included hands-on activities, such as making bird feeders, recyled materials being transformed into art, painting flower pots, and planting flowers. She also conducted daily included informational and Q/A sessions to provide the students with facts and strategies for protecting the environment in their daily lives. Her personal interest was sparked when she became a scout at the age of 5 and her dedication to all things environmental ever since led to her creating the eco-camp. She is currently at Junior College and hopes to join the EPA when schooling is complete. I hope she makes it as that sort of passion should be matched by a profession that suits it perfectly. Cynthia had this to say:
“My main goal was to raise awareness and provide information about environmental issues for students in grades four through eight,” said Onorevole. “I love working with children and making a positive impact on the environment. This was an excellent opportunity to utilize my knowledge in an effective and valuable way.”
Onto a very different topic, can a relationship flourish when one partner is very eco focused work if the other is more of a bystander? (for want of a better word). Of course it can and this article in the San Francisco Chronicle spotlights a couple who face that question every day, better still they’ve been doing it for 18 years and look set to continue. My sentiment? Better that half a couple are active and concerned with the environment than neither. A green lifestyle doesn’t need to be force fed to someone, hopefully awareness and education will create the same results with time and dedication.
One trashcan of waste for the entire year!
Finally a story that is really humbling, however I don’t know that matching the achievements of this family is a goal so much as evaluating some of the practices you have in your household. From the Daily Mail in England comes a story about a family who completed 2009 with an eco-plan that reduced their waste to one trash can for the entire year!! The full article makes for a great read but they were inspired to cease using plastic bags under any circumstances but also implemented the following which caused the amazing results of almost zero waste for an entire year:
- Growing as much of their own food as possible
- Using only reusable bags when they shop
- Composting whenever possible
- Ensuring 99% of all that they purchased could be recycled
They have created their own website which highlights their methods - myzerowaste.com - and this year they plan to reduce their waste to even less. I’m not sure if my predominant feeling is inspiration or guilt!
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