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 […]

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 […]

US Gives $50 Million for Clean Burning Stoves in Developing World

by Brit Liggett Yesterday, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton announced a public-private partnership called the Global Alliance for Clean Cook Stoves to which the US government will donate $50 million to increase the number of clean burning cook stoves in the developing world. In less developed nations, most people cook on stoves that use […]

Compost: Be Careful What you put in your Pile

One [Mother Earth News] Reader Shares Personal Experience With Killer Compost on Her Homestead By: Jennifer Kongs Killer compost has negatively affected farms and gardens across the country. Toxic herbicides containing the chemical aminopyralid have become more common on ranches and lawns. Since aminopyralid is resistant to breaking down, many small-scale organic farmers have suffered […]

Mother Earth News Conducts Nationwide Pest Survey

Nationwide Organic Pest Control Survey: Take the Survey, Plus Read Results If you’re a gardener and you haven’t taken our Pest Control Survey, we’re hoping you can spare about 10 minutes to give us your valuable feedback. We’re working on an exciting project to provide region-specific advice about the most common garden pests and the […]

Can Charcoal Slow Climate Change and Improve Agriculture?

Adding biochar to soil might be a good way to cut pollution from agriculture while improving fertility. By: David Biello, Scientific American The ancient inhabitants of Amazonia knew how to keep fragile soils fertile—and may have hit upon a way to combat present-day climate change. That technique? Biochar, or any plant or animal waste turned […]

Location-efficient mortgages make Smart Growth affordable

How to make Smart Growth affordable by Jonathan Hiskes, Grist.org Let’s say you want to live in one of those fancy Smart Growth developments that green urbanists are always going on about. Let’s say you want to live in any neighborhood with transit service and a grid that encourages walking and biking. Great. Living in […]