Science & Technology

Have you ever wondered what we look like in infrared? What the warmest part of a sheep is? Where your home leaks heat? What an infection looks like according to its heat? Dutch group World of Warmth has created a collection of infrared images and videos, covering topics like housing, food, clothing, buildings, equipment, people and animals. The latter forms the largest part of the series because animals are very good-looking in infrared. World of Warmth explains that animals have very interesting stories to tell about how they create comfort in a very energy-efficient way. We can still learn a lot about thermoregulation from certain animals. Read how Trees For Grannies is all about thermoregulations after the jump.

Business & Politics

Image from dsearls

While it remains to be seen whether California will be able to successfully meet the rigorous guidelines it laid out in its landmark AB 32 bill, the state is on the cusp of taking a huge step forward with the imminent adoption of SB 375. The bill, which would reduce sprawl by requiring California's 17 metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs) and its regional transportation plans to meet strict GHG emission targets, was sponsored by Darrel Steinberg (D-Sacramento), the incoming state Senate Leader.

As LAT's Margot Roosevelt reports, the bill could go before the full Assembly as soon as tomorrow, to the Senate this Friday and on to the Governator's desk for his signature.

Science & Technology

Image source: SF Solar Map

This cool, interactive solar map put out by the San Francisco Department of the Environment lets you identify exactly where and how many solar panels are on houses in San Fran. Even better than that, the site has a search tool where you can enter your address and it will identify how much roof surface your house has, the potential size of a pv system and an estimated cost to max out your roof with solar.

What a great selling tool for people interested in purchasing PV, but are unsure whether they have the right roof for solar. Neighbors can see who in their area has solar, take a peek at their system, and decide whether they think it was a clean install, compare with other installs and determine whether its even going to be visible from the street.

Science & Technology

Image source: Digital Home Thoughts

Digital Home Thoughts recently posted several reviews on new devices aimed at eliminating phantom power losses. (Phantom power, you may remember, is the electricity you're paying for from all of the appliances plugged in but turned "off.") The Bye Bye Standby and the SmartHomeUSA's Smart Strip Power Strip offer a meet-in-the-middle-solution for folks interested in going green but frankly don't want a bunch of extension cords everywhere and are not ready to plug and unplug appliances every 5 minutes.

Recent Comment by TheBigGroundhog : "I'm still trying to find something exactly like the Bye Bye Standby that is controlled ..." [read]

Cars & Transportation

Image source: Race Monday Night

What started with just an idea to get women back in to bicycle racing with monthly bicycle racing clinics for women has turned into a dozen women screaming at top speeds at the Portland International Raceway in 2009 - a 1.9 mile big and wide loop racetrack. The clinics, held the 2nd Monday of each month (May-August, 2008), were to introduce women to the sport of bicycle racing, including an introduction to the sport, a race and then a debrief.

Organizers got a very positive turnout and interest with roughly 10-15 women participating in the clinics each month. Kendra Wenzel, one of the coaches, says of the practices, "So many women are afraid of being dropped their first time, and instead find that they can stay with the group and are actually contesting at the end."

Science & Technology

Cheap Do-it-yourself Wind Turbine
Have you been putting off your dream of building a gadget that will change the world? Max Robson's father knows how you feel. Ashley Robson seeded the desire to design a cheap, sustainable energy source. Now his son has made the dream reality.

Max Robson's prototype wind turbine cost him only £20 (US$37) to build, using rubbish he collected from skips (or dumpsters, as they are called in the former colonies). The do-it-yourself turbine reportedly includes a bike frame and bearings, a Vespa magneto and a Ford Fiesta battery. Max claims unskilled workers in developing countries could build the turbines for less than it cost him, although one must ask how many Vespa magnetos and auto batteries are lying around in the skips where cheap wind turbine technology could be really useful.

Recent Comment by Anthony : "That is silly, we ARE the means to harvest the power of good intentions. We may not alw..." [read]

Science & Technology

Jatropha curcas photo by Dinesh Valke

One teething problem in the burgeoning biofuel industry is the issue of sustainability: Some biofuels actually increase greenhouse gas emissions while being claimed to prevent them; others add to food price inflation pressures; in some parts of the world, the labor conditions of biofuel crop farm workers have been called into question.

In one of an increasing number of efforts to codify what it means to make a sustainable biofuel, the Sustainable Biodiesel Alliance has released a draft of its "Principles and Baseline Practices for Sustainability".

There are a number of criteria which are fleshed out in the document, but here are some of the more wordy/evolved ones:

Recent Comment by Anthony : "It is mostly a no-brainer that technology can harvest the sun's energy more efficiently..." [read]

TH Exclusives

:: Get crafty with old, mis-matched kitchen bowls.

:: Avoid mall madness. Show the kids that cool, unique back-to-school clothes can be found at thrift stores.

:: Tour the Midwest mindfully. Eco-tour Chicago with help from our Green City Guide: Chicago.

Recent Comment by mehulkamdar : "As a resident of the Chicago suburbs who used to live in Chicago, I must caution that t..." [read]