Microbes transform sewage sludge into plastic
POOP PLASTIC PUTS WASTE TO WORK It’s ultimate dream: Take human waste and turn it into one of the most ubiquitous materials around, plastic. The Sacramento-based startup Micromidas has the technology to do it. And no, their polymer doesn’t stink. When Micromidas CEO John Bissell and his colleagues were undergrads at UC Davis, they recognized […]
Does New Public Transit Increase Gentrification and Lower Ridership?
Smart Planet points us to a report (PDF here) from Dukakis Center for Urban and Regional Policy at Northeastern University that concludes that new transit can lead to gentrification. My first response was well, duh, isn’t that the point? It has always been a rule in real estate development that investment follows infrastructure; if you […]
Rich and Poor alike respond negatively to increasing inequity
UT professor finds economic inequality is self-reinforcing When the gap between the haves and have-nots gets larger, one would think the have-nots would want more help, most likely in the form of government programs, to fight rising inequities. Not so, says Nate Kelly, assistant professor of political science at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Kelly, […]
Treasure trove of information for new farmers
Beginning Farmers has developed a website that is “… a compilation of resources related to urban agriculture and farming”. The page has three parts: 1) a list of resources for learning more about a broad range of urban farming and gardening issues, ideas, activities, events, organizations, and networks; 2) a list of local resources which provide […]
More U.S. families garden than previously thought!
US Households Grow Home Food Gardens By: Jennifer Kongs You may be surprised to learn, according to the National Gardening Association, 31 percent of all U.S. households participated in food gardening in 2008. All too often we are bombarded with discouraging news about our food system: rising rates of childhood diabetes, salmonella outbreaks and genetically […]
Change in Mexican Irrigation Can Be Seen From Space
An area of Mexico recently underwent a change in agricultural practices that has had an impact on the region so great that it can be seen from space. The images taken by the Landsat satellite show how increased use of water from a major reservoir has affected the state of Chihuahua, and has also affected native […]
Focus on low carbon way to meet the need the quickest way forward
Mexico City, Mexico – A focus on satisfying needs is a better basis for a low carbon economy than a focus on improving technologies for delivering the same goods that have met the needs so far, according to case studies delivered to business leaders in Mexico City today. A report issued by the Low Carbon […]
Interested in a Green Career? Check Out the Green Economy Map
How to Find a Green Job: The Green Economy Map By: RP Seigel Green jobs are out there right now with plenty more on the way, but finding one might not be as simple as looking in the in the classified ads. That’s the message I got from speaking with Carol McClelland, founder and Executive […]