2011 August 22

The Department of Saving the World

The idea of "saving the world" is now too cliche to throw around loosely, but sometimes it is warranted. While not as sexy as saving the whales or reusable water bottles - both important in their own way - one deathly important component of creating a safe, sustainable world is preventing the ingredients for a nuclear bomb or "dirty bomb" from entering the black market. Call me old fashioned, but I like my highly enriched uranium and other radioactive material nice and secure and not in the hands of international terrorists. That's hard to fit on a bumper sticker, I know, but most people would probably agree that is sti...Read the full story on TreeHugger

Blog Debunks 13-Year-Old’s Solar Power Breakthrough

image via American Museum of Natural History Last week, EarthTechling let us know that a 13-year-old came up with a solar breakthrough, noticing that using the Fibonacci sequence to organize solar cells could boost efficiency. The news story was big on TreeHugger, as well as on dozens of other news outlets around the nation. Everyone was excited for a teen to do such an interesting science project, and to be recognized with a Young Naturalist award by the American Museum of Natural History. However, the teen's glory is short lived -- a science blog has debunked the project. ...Read the full story on TreeHugger

Dr Who Embraces Solar Power

Given that Robert Llewellyn, the former star of the cult comedy Red Dwarf, is now creating the popular online electric car series Fully Charged, and is raving about his own solar-powered car charging set up, British sci-fi has already contributed to a greener world. But now comes news that the Timelord himself is taking some very concrete steps to save the planet (as if he hasn't saved it a few times already). Business Green reports that Read the full story on TreeHugger

Positive Child Labor: Learning Business & Life Skills on a Farm (Video)

Image credit: The Perennial Plate From demanding an end to child labor in cocoa farming, to iPhone apps that help you spot brands that use abusive child labor practices, we've seen plenty of initiatives that seek to end the exploitative use of under-age workers to cut costs and circumnavigate regulations. But it's easy to forge...Read the full story on TreeHugger

Amazing Ad Watch: "DDT Is Good For Me-e-e"

Oh for the fabulously optimistic fifties, when nuclear power was going to make electricity "too cheap to meter", our houses were going to be made of plastic and we could look forward to Better living through Chemistry. Oh, and DDT was so wonderful that you could buy wallpaper impregnated with it for your kid's bedroom. With Donald Duck and Pluto on it! What could possibly go wrong?...Read the full story on TreeHugger

10 High-Function, Low Impact Birdfeeders (Slideshow)

Photo: redyellowandblueink.etsy.com Make your backyard a haven for local birds with these chic feeders -- some of which are aimed specifically at certain breeds, and all of which use recycled, upcycled, or biodegradable materials. ...Read the full story on TreeHugger

5 Financial and Environmental Benefits of Working from Home

It’s no secret that offices are powerhouses and can have an incredibly negative effect on the environment. The realms of wasted paper and abundance of computers that may not even be in use are wreaking havoc with the Ozone layer and contributing to climate change. Working from home is now becoming more popular than ever, due to the advances in technology and communication. Not only is it a convenient alternative for many employees, it also carries environmental and financial benefits.

Commuting

The drive to and from work each day is accountable for a large amount of CO2 emissions. Axing the drive to work reduces this effect, reducing the damage to the Ozone layer. The financial aspects mean the employee no longer has to pay extortionate prices for fuel in an attempt to get to work. Even if the employee doesn’t drive, they may have to pay for public transport which can be equally as cost for long distance commuters.

Renewable Energy Options

When an employee works from home the benefits of renewable energy sources such as solar panels can be even greater. Solar PV panels can be extremely beneficial to home workers who may need to have their computer and other electronic devices plugged in all day. They have the ability to produce clean, green energy whilst supplementing their income with the feed in tariff rates.

Green Office

When working from home, the employee has the ability to choose which accessories and stationery to use in their office. This allows them to be able to buy green accessories which will help the environment such as energy saving light bulbs, recycled office supplies and solvent-free adhesives. When working in a company office, the employee rarely has much control of what kind of office supplies are used, meaning the ones being purchased could be potentially harmful to the environment. Although the employee will have to buy their own stationery, there are office supplies companies which sell stationery at cheap, discounted prices to keep costs low.

No Work Wear

Many office workers buy an entirely new wardrobe for a section commonly referred to as “work wear”. Employees may not have control over what’s acceptable to wear in the workplace, forcing them to pay for more clothing. Working from home, this problem is non-existent. The worker may choose to stay in their pajamas all day if they wish, cutting costs and reducing the likelihood of buying clothes from retailers who don’t support Fair Trade.

Childcare

This is one of the main reasons people choose to work from home. Childcare costs can be extortionate and the worker may not be able to provide sufficient funding. Also, working from home gives the employee the opportunity to bond with their children in between working, which could improve productivity and family relationships. Working from home carries many benefits, making it an extremely attractive alternative to the daily office grind. Employees have the ability to manage their own workload, choose green products and services and save money in the process.