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Examining Killer Whales after the Tragic SeaWorld Attack

Chris — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 02:06:00 +0000

(Images via: South Villa Orlando, Flickr, Wikimedia)

Since the sad and shocking death of a SeaWorld trainer who was attacked by a killer whale earlier this week, much speculation has ensued about what would happen to Tilikum, the 12,000 pound orca in question. Earlier today, SeaWorld’s president announced that Tilikum will not be euthanised or punished for the death of trainer Dawn Brancheau, who suffered multiple injuries and drowned after being grabbed by the ponytail and dragged into the water by the whale during a session of SeaWorld’s Shamu Believe Show on Wednesday.

In a press conference this morning, SeaWorld added that the controversial Tilikum, which had been linked with two prior human deaths, will continue to be featured in the park’s upcoming shows, set to resume on Saturday. While a review of the killer whale attack is ongoing, SeaWorld said that trainers will not be allowed to swim with any of the park’s killer whales, which have been cast into a national spotlight following this tragedy.

The Misleading Name of the Killer Whale

(Images via: Yale, Yukul, Nature Crusaders)

Here are a few surprising facts about killer whales before examining this week’s stunning attack in more detail. Killer whales, or orcas, are not actually whales but the world’s largest dolphins. Powerful predators that stalk seals, sea lions, and even other whales and sharks for food and survival, killer whales are generally not seen as a threat to humans. While there have been several killer whale attacks on humans in confined settings over the years, these situations have often been described as isolated and rare incidents.

So What May Have Prompted the Killer Whale Attack?

(Image via: Julie Fletcher/Orlando Sentinel/Associated Press)

While SeaWorld has not admitted human error on behalf of Brancheau (seen above), her mentor has indicated that she likely made a mistake by getting too close to the whale’s face. According to some reports, Brancheau was lying in rather than standing in an area meant to interact with the whale. It is suspected that Brancheau’s hair may have brushed Tilikum’s face and even its mouth, which may have confused the whale and caused it to attack the trainer. Sadly, this event happened in front of an audience that was initially unsure what was occurring until the orca started violently thrashing the trainer.

Tilikum’s Controversial Past Adds to Mystery

(Images via: Free Webs, MySpace)

Even before this week’s attack, SeaWorld trainers reportedly were not supposed to be in the water with Tilikum due to the killer whale’s history. Tilikum was one of three killer whales that drowned a SeaWorld trainer in Vancouver, British Columbia in 1991. Eight years later, a dead man was found floating on Tilikum’s back. It was later determined that the man sneaked into the whale’s tank and drowned. With the whale’s history in light of this week’s death, there has naturally been some people who’ve wondered if Tilikum is a danger to its trainers and should be killed. Apparently, SeaWorld does not feel that this is the case, as evident in its decision to keep the killer whale a part of its shows and its explanation that the circumstances surrounding all three deaths varied.

Early Reaction to SeaWorld’s Handling of Tilikum

(Images via: Thunda Funda, Answers in Genesis, SMH)

According to those close to Brancheau, she would have never wanted Tillikum to be harmed, thus suggesting that she would have been happy with the park’s decision. Likely not as happy with the decision, PETA and other organizations have argued that this killer whale attack is further evidence of the dangers of taking animals out of their natural habitats, and then called for Tilikum to be released gradually into the wild, a scenario that others say is not viable since the whale has become so dependent on humans for its survival. Whatever the case, it will be interesting to monitor when Tilikum is incorporated back into SeaWorld’s shows and to gauge how killer whales in general are viewed in terms of audience attendance and public opinion. Also worth noting, SeaWorld has said that Tilikum has not been separated from the park’s other orcas since the attack, although the whale was not present in a glass tank of killer whales that was directly behind today’s press conference.

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Attention: Calling All Explorers for a Martian Treasure Hunt!

Angie — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 18:00:21 +0000

Space . . . the final frontier. In the past, we’ve been awed with images from the Hubble. But now mankind can now tweet from outer space. The time has come for us to delve deeper into the unknown. Attention: Calling all explorers for a Martian treasure hunt! No spacesuit is required. The human race can help discover new alien landscapes from the comfort of their computer chairs. Ready, set, click! Mars or bust…

Mars and Phobos

(image credit:TopTechWriter.US)

Once upon a time, this was all the closer we had ever come to Mars. The smaller object is little more than an asteroid, but Phobos is the biggest of Mars’ two moons. Phobos has no atmosphere and very little gravity. President Obama did not give a good review to NASA’s human space exploration policy. With limited funding, neither man nor rockets may be going to the moon, nevertheless Mars, anytime soon. Is Phobos really all the closer mankind will come to Mars in the future?

Rover Spirit About To Bite the Big One

(image credit:NASA/JPL-Caltech)

Red Rover, Red Rover, your mission is nearly over. The above image is from the front hazard-avoidance camera on NASA’s Mars Exploration Rover Spirit, taken on Jan. 23, 2010. It was the 2,154th Martian day of the rover’s mission on Mars. After six years exploring the Red Planet, NASA’s Rover Spirit is no longer a free roaming robot. Rover is reduced to a stationary science platform. Although it is not yet dead, its final resting place will be the sand trap where Rover Spirit is stuck.

So what does that mean for mankind? It means it’s time for us to step up to the plate and investigate Mars ourselves.

Did you snort with disbelief? We can do it with the help of High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment, or HiRISE, and an online tool called HiWish. HiRISE is one of six instruments on the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO). And now the public has been invited to propose imaging targets to see your favorite spot on Mars at people-scale resolution. We can pick pixels to view images the size of a desk.

Candidate Landing Site in NE Syrtis Major

(image credits:NASA/JPL/University of Arizona)

Fasten your seatbelts and prepare for landing. This image lies in the middle of a candidate landing site near a huge shield volcano and a giant impact basin. The bedrock could be more than 4 billions years old! This is but one recently released HiRISE image that is suggested as an excellent place to explore early Mars . . . when the environment might have been favorable for life. Men may be from Mars and women may be from Venus, but with the help of HiWish, we can unite to discover new treasures on the Red Planet.

Mars: Then and Now

(image credits:NASA/JPL-Caltech/University of Arizona,ESA,NASA,NASA/JPL/University of Arizona,NASA/JPL/University of Arizona)

The top furry looking picture was taken by HiRise and is of the Starburst Spider. Before HiRISE kicked into high gear on Mars in 2006, the Mars Express Orbiter provided the HRSC image on the upper right. It was one of the first good shots of ice in a Martian crater. The image on the middle left was captured by Spirit’s panoramic camera during its 1,892nd Martian day. It is three images combined to show the soft soil exposed when wheels of NASA’s Rover Spirit dug into a patch of ground dubbed “Troy.” At the bottom left is a digital terrain model of Victoria Crater, a possible Opportunity Rover Landing Site. On the right are contortions on the floor of Hellas Basin, a basin often hidden by atmospheric haze and dust. This clear shot shows that materials like ice appear to have flowed in a viscous manner.

Digital Terrain Models

(image credits:NASA/JPL/University of Arizona)

HiRISE DTMs are stereo pairs, made from two images of the same area on the ground, but they are taken from different angles. The three basic stages of creating a DTM are complicated tasks, involving sophisticated software, long computing times and lots of man-hours. Above, from left to right are the following DTMs:1)Layered rock outcrops in southwest Candor Chasma. 2)North Polar Trough with curved exposure. 3)Ring and cone structures, plus dunes and other landforms in Athabasca Valles. 4)Putative salt deposits in Terra Sirenum. 5)Potential new gully with bright deposits. 6)Dissected wall of Mojave Crater. 7)Mars Exploration Rover landing site at Gusev Crater. 8)Eroded scallops with layers.

Colorful Streaks

(image credit:NASA/JPL/University of Arizona)

HiRISE captured these colorful streaks in the central pit of an impact crater, located in the ancient Martian highlands. The HiRISE camera onboard the MRO is the most powerful one of its kind ever sent to another planet. Its extremely high resolution allows us to see Mars like never before, helping other missions choose a safe landing site for future exploration. NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the MRO, but the HiRISE camera is operated by the University of Arizona.

Megabreccia in Toro Crater

(image credit:NASA/JPL/University of Arizona)

This false color image covers the western half of Toro Crater’s central peak. This 42 kilometer diameter crater is in Syrtis Major. Colorful patches of megabreccia make Toro Crater a great target for HiRISE. Scientists think that megabreccia may have formed during a period of frequent impact craters in Mars’ early history. HiRISE frequently targets the central peaks of craters because these features tend to bring up rocks like megabreccia that are usually buried under the surface. So far, HiRISE has found megabreccia in more than a hundred places on Mars.

18 Science Themes

(image credits:HiRise)

To join in the hunt, go to the HiWish Public Suggestion Page. Use the online tool HiWish and place your rectangle on the map of Mars where you’d like to look. Anyone, regardless of education, can nominate a target. First identify the location on a map, give an observation title, and then explain the potential scientific benefit of HiRISE photographing the site. Lastly, put the suggestion into one of the camera team’s 18 science themes that can be found above and voilà! Submit your potential Martian treasure. Our suggestions are looked at, science themes are prioritized, observations are validated, and if imaged, then released to the public.

Cool Mars HiRISE Images

(image credits:NASA/JPL/University of Arizona)

Not all of the HiRISE images have spectacular names, but the pictures are astounding. You could help with that and submit your choice, your wish, with HiWish. Without further ado, here are some more cool pictures of Mars. The top left is titled USGS Dune Database Entry (ESP_014426_2070). On the top right is The Dark Spot on Mars. Those blotchy spots at the middle left are of the South Polar Carbon Dioxide Ice Cap. The middle right image is the Sand Dunes and Ripples in Proctor Crater. On the bottom left is Jezero Crater. At the bottom right, Falling Material Kicks Up a Cloud of Dust on Dunes.

More Awesome Martian Landscapes Captured by HiRISE

(image credits:NASA/JPL/University of Arizona)

The top image is of the Mars Endurance Crater. The image in the middle shows dune symmetry inside a Martian crater. The photo on bottom shows dunes again, but these are frost-covered dunes inside a crater.

More From Mars

(image credits:NASA/JPL/University of Arizona,NASA/JPL/University of Arizona)

It is at this time unknown if mankind will ever take an outer space adventure on the scale of moving to and inhabiting Mars. How mind-blowing would it be, however, to live there and to look out over such alien landscapes? That scaly looking image on the top left is of bright layered deposits with clues of acidic water. On the top right is an oblique view of the Victoria Crater. The middle right image gives us a closer look at water-related geologic activity on Mars. The bottom left is a meter-scale morphology of the north polar region of Mars. At the bottom right, that bizarre image has an uninspiring title, USGS Dune Database Entry.

Conspiracy Theory: Man on Mars?

(image credits:NASA/JPL/University of Arizona)

We’ve all heard of crop circles and pyramids designed by aliens, possibly Martians. There are also “ancient landing strips” theoretically created by ancient aliens who once lived on Earth. We’ve also heard of the “man in the moon,” but this USGS Dune Database Entry Number seems to resemble a man’s outline on Mars. Or it is a Martian’s outline? Conspiracy theories will never die, so if you are a conspiracy theorist then you too had better get busy using HiWish to get the view you most wish to see on Mars. Despite the thousands of pictures already taken, less than 1% of the Red Planet’s surface has been imaged. The HiRISE science team will evaluate suggestions and put high-priority ones into a queue. Thousands of pending targets from scientists as well as the public will be imaged.

Earth & Moon As Seen From Mars…Our Future?

(image credit:NASA/JPL/University of Arizona)

This is the view from Mars, looking out at Earth and the moon. Will it someday be the view of some brave souls who moved to the Red Planet? Here’s your Martian treasure map, HiRISE online image viewer, to get started. Take part in HiRISE and HiWish. If your children or grandchildren someday ask, wouldn’t you like to say you answered the call and helped explore Mars?

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Holiday Food Coma? Top 5 Food + Nutrition Stories

Delana — Sun, 27 Dec 2009 18:00:26 +0000

The biggest period of overindulgence of the entire year is nearly behind us now. With only the New Year celebrations to go, many of us find that our jeans are fitting a little tighter and our dietary rules are getting a little lax. It’s the perfect time to take a look at what’s happening in the world of food, farming and nutrition.

Human-Powered Vending Machine

We’d all be a little better off if we were forced to confront just how many calories are in those holiday snacks we enjoy so much. Spanish inventor Pep Torres has created an extremely clever vending machine that only gives up the goods once you’ve burned calories equal to the calories in the treat. The candy inside the machine, currently on display at a shopping center in Barcelona, is free once the user hops onto the exercise bike and pedals off the calories in his chosen confection. Torres hopes to educate children and adults about the nutritional cost of empty calorie sweets; he’d like to see his machine installed in schools and metro stations.

Grocery Waste Feeds London

On December 16th, hundreds of people waited in line to eat garbage in Trafalgar Square. More accurately, they were lining up to eat a delicious, nutritious meal made entirely of food that would have otherwise been wasted by grocery stores, farmers and other food distributors. The fruits and vegetables were all perfectly safe to eat, but because they were the wrong size, shape or color, or a day beyond their “sell by” date, they couldn’t be sold. The event was meant to raise awareness of the horrifying amounts of edible food wasted every day by stores and restaurants, and to call for government regulations on retailers’ food waste.

Promiseland Livestock Loses Organic Certification

In the latest part of a long-reaching organic industry scandal, Promiseland Livestock has had its organic certification suspended for four years. While they aren’t accused of directly defrauding consumers, the organic livestock giant is accused of blocking the USDA from inspecting their facilities as well as their financial and organic records. The suspension comes as a victory for organic industry watchdog The Cornucopia Institute, which has filed complaints against Promiseland as well as many “organic” dairies and distributors.

Helping Sustain Kenya, One Backpack at a Time

A new program may help Kenyans grow their own food and maintain the delicate ecosystem in which they live. Backpack Farm provides everything a new farmer needs to start growing food, and it’s all contained within a backpack. Each pack carries drought-resistant seeds, a collapsible drip irrigation kit, plant food, mosquito pesticide, farm tools, a chemical sprayer, training manuals, and a diary for keeping track of the farm’s progress. The goal is to feed every hungry person and engender a sense of community while teaching self-reliance through farming.

Too Fat to Serve

We all know that Americans are trending more and more toward obesity every year, but what effect is that having on national security? According to a new study from Mission: Readiness, 1/3 of young Americans are too fat to serve in the military. With current troops being overextended and sent on multiple grueling deployments, the military is forced to turn down 15,000 potential new recruits every year based on their body weight.

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Stars of wonder: Top 23 Hubble Discoveries

Angie — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 18:00:09 +0000

Once upon a time, there was a star made famous by Christian tradition. The Star of Bethlehem, also called the Christmas Star has no concrete evidence to this date of an astronomical object. Nowadays we have NASA and the Hubble to record great astronomy and bring us breathtaking photos from space. Here are 23 famous Hubble discoveries and NASA heavy hitters.

Hubble Ultra Deep Field

(image credit:NASA)

Hubble Ultra Deep Field peers deeper into space and farther back in time than any other before it. It shows around a billion years after the big bang. The universe was filled with dwarf galaxies but no formed galaxies like the Milky Way. Stare at this until you feel small and are in wonder of the mighty universe, and then peace on Earth doesn’t seem quite such an impossible feat.

SN 1006 Ribbon of Gas

(image credit:NASA)

More than 1,000 years ago a supernova exploded and left behind this ribbon of gas. In about AD 1006, astronomers from Europe, the Far East and Africa saw the light of the supernova. It is believed to be the brightest star ever seen by humans, even brighter than Venus. It was visible even during the day and stayed visible to the naked eye for at least two and half years. It’s not called SN 1006. If something like this was the cause of the Bethlehem star, there is no yet valid scientific proof of it.

Space NASA

(image credits:NASA)

The top image is of the Whirlpool, also known as spiral galaxy M51. Young stars live inside the curving spiral arms while older stars reside in its yellowish core. On the bottom is the Sombrero galaxy or M104. The galaxy is tilted on its side and can been seen through small telescopes at the southern edge of the Virgo cluster. It is 50,000 light-years across and is located 28 million light-years from Earth. This massive object is equivalent to 800 billion suns.

Space NASA

(image credits:NASA)

The Hubble peered into the Sagittarius Star Cloud, a narrow, dust-free region, providing this image of some of the oldest inhabitants of our galaxy. On the right, a dense swarm of stars and dust near the nucleus of spiral galaxy NGC 300 brought to us up close and personal by the Hubble even if the galaxy is 7 million light-years from Earth. On the bottom left, two clusters form MACS J0025 which is about a whopping quadrillion times the mass of the Sun. The Hubble was used map the (blue) dark matter, while the Chandra x-rayed hot (pink) gas.

Eagle Nebula

(image credit:NASA)

Perhaps the most well-known image the Hubble has taken is the Eagle Nebula. This picture was taken on April 1995. The color image is constructed from three separate images taken in the light of emission from different types of atoms. Red shows emission from singly-ionized sulfur atoms. Green shows emission from hydrogen. Blue shows light emitted by doubly- ionized oxygen atoms. Eagle Nebula shows a nearby star-forming region 6,500 light-years away in the constellation Serpens.

Light Echo

(image credits:NASA)

This sequence of pictures was captured by the Hubble to demonstrate the echoing of light through space and reflecting off surrounding shells of dust to reveal a bull’s-eye. This shows the changes in the stellar dust as different parts are illuminated in an effect called ‘light echo.’ From the sequential images, the nebula appears to expand from 4 to 7 light-years and creates an illusion that the dust is expanding into space faster than the speed of light.

The Eyes of Space

(image credits:NASA)

MyCn18 is one of the many eyes in space staring back at us, a young nebula about 8,000 light-years away. The nitrogen appears red, hydrogen looks green, and oxygen glows blue. The Cat’s Eye Nebula is on the upper right. When NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope was launched in 1990, we mere human had no idea how many eyes would be found in outer space. On the bottom left, this sun-like star is dying, casting off its outer layers of gas. It’s called NGC 2440, a white dwarf that glows with ultraviolet light. The “Eskimo” Nebula on the bottom right is supposed to resemble a face surrounded by a fur parka. It is about 5,000 light-years from Earth in the constellation Gemini.

Nebulae

(image credits:NASA)

The Carina Nebula is located roughly 7,200 light-years from Earth in the constellation Carina. Nebula appear colored and cloudy, yet another one of the spectacular and mind-boggling wonders that the Hubble has discovered. The Cone Nebula which appears red is a gaseous pillar about 2,500 light-years away. On the right, the shot of the star cluster Pismis was found in the direction of the Scorpious constellation.

Galactic Cannibalism

(image credits:NASA)

The top image was taken after the public voted where the Hubble should next aim. These interacting galaxies are called Arp 274 and was the public winner after a vote to mark the International Year of Astronomy. On the bottom, a pair of galaxies located 300 million light-years away in the constellation Coma Berenices were nicknamed The Mice because of their long tails of gas and stars. Eventually, this pair will merge into one giant galaxy.

Space NASA

(image credits:NASA)

At top left, Hubble peeked inside the cavern of roiling gas, dust and forming stars of the Orion Nebula. To the right, Hubble captured the Antennae, a pair of small galaxies smashing together. On the bottom left, Hubble delights us with a galaxy that may be powered by a black hole at its core. Spiral galaxy NGC 7742 shows a yellow core of active starbirth. Finally, piercing the heart of a glittering swarm of stars, NASA’s sharp-eyed Hubble Space Telescope zooms upon the central region of the globular cluster M22. It is a 12- to 14-billion-year-old grouping of stars in the constellation Sagittarius. The cluster’s core measures 3.3 light-years across.

Peace on Earth and good will to men.

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Very Alternative: 5 Unusual Alternative Energy Sources

Delana — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 18:00:52 +0000

Solar and wind energy seem to get most of the attention from alternative-energy supporters, but there are plenty of other alternative fuel sources being explored. Some of them are entirely possible, some of them are dangerous or impractical, and some are downright silly. These five unusual alternative fuel sources are just a few of the possibilities currently in development.

Tornadoes

(image via: Iwa519)

Tornadoes are usually seen as very destructive forces, but one Canadian engineer believes that we can one day harness the power of the tornado to power entire cities. Louis Michaud believes that by pumping warm, humid air into his Atmospheric Vortex Engine (AVE), a chamber 200 meters wide with 100 meter tall walls, he can create an artificial tornado. The rotation of the tornado would then power wind turbines at the chamber inlets, creating enough electricity to power a small town. Michaud proposes using waste heat from power plants since they typically reject more than half of the heat they generate. He admits that the tornado would probably cause some extra precipitation in the surrounding area, but says that the whole setup would be inherently safe.

Dead Bodies

(image via: left-hand)

At least one UK crematorium is using the gases released from the cremation process to warm the mourners in attendance. While it may seem morbid, it’s actually an eco-friendly use of an energy source that is currently wasted. A lot of talk has been flying around about environmentally friendly burials, so why not extend that environmental consideration to cremations as well? The energy inherent in cremated bodies is already being captured in a way, since it has to pass through filters to remove the mercury in the deceased’s fillings. The only change would be pumping that energy into the building’s heating system rather than allowing it to escape.

Dancing Bodies

When was the last time you made the world a better place by clubbing all night? Sustainable Dance Club was formed in the Netherlands with the idea that dancing bodies could create enough kinetic energy to actually power a building. Club WATT in Rotterdam was the first to install the Sustainable Dance Floor, but SDC is looking forward to taking their technology all over the world to other clubs, festivals, and wherever there are people willing to dance for the good of the Earth. They hope to spread the knowledge that living a greener lifestyle isn’t all about sacrificing the things you love.

Chocolate

(images via: Science Daily and eszter)

This racing car isn’t remarkable only because of how it’s fueled – it’s also made entirely from sustainable materials. The body is made from recycled carbon fiber, recycled resin and woven flax, the steering wheel is made of carrot pulp, and it’s lubricated with plant oils. The car is fueled solely with biofuel made from a mixture of chocolate and animal oils. Biofuel has been around for a long time, but it hasn’t been seriously considered as a long-term fuel source until the last decade or so. While it may not be ready to power entire cities just yet, biofuel is currently being used in plenty of vehicles, either as an additive or as a sole source of fuel.

Ancient Mudstones

(image via: Andreas-photography)

300 million-year-old mudstones could one day reduce our dependence on conventionally-obtained fossil fuels, according to researchers at the University of Leicester. Shale gas can be found in the stones, much as it’s been found in sandstone for many years. But mudstone yields up to four times as much gas as sandstone. However, extracting the gas from the stones could be challenging since the stones aren’t consistent in their gas retention.

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Easy Being Green: Eco-Friendly Istanbul Building

Delana — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 18:00:38 +0000

Green design is on the lips and fingertips of designers all across America, Europe and other parts of the world. But one place where it hasn’t quite caught on with such fervor is Turkey. While architects there want to maximize the profitability and usability of a building, they don’t necessarily incorporate eco-friendly features or designs into their buildings for the sake of being environmentally aware. At least one firm in the area is inching toward green designs, but probably not for the reasons you’d expect.

(image via: Designboom)

Erginoglu & Calislar recently designed a telecommunications building on the outskirts of Istanbul that turned out to be pretty eco-friendly. But firm co-founder and architect Hasan Calislar insists that the features that make the building so “green” are in place simply because they feel right and they add a positive element to the space. A big consideration in the building’s design was the fact that workers often end up staying in the building for days on end while working on a project. The architects wanted to make the structure as pleasant as possible while still encouraging productivity.

(image via: Designboom)

One of the most important factors in making the workspace a happy and healthy one was incorporating plenty of natural light. Sunlight not only keeps workers in better spirits; it cuts down on electricity costs as well. One side of the building is composed of a large bank of windows. Windows on two other sides are optimally placed to allow in even more natural light. Double-glazed windows help to keep the temperature even, and if the sun becomes too bright and glaring, adjustable shutters on the roof can be moved to block the worst of it.

(image via: Designboom)

The architects took full advantage of the site’s natural slope rather than reshaping the area. The entrance side of the building is single-story and features a green roof that you can walk right onto. The grass-covered roof helps provide natural insulation for the building as well as a relaxing grassy break area for workers. And if you can resist the lure of the green roof and actually get into the building, the sloping, open floor plan is truly remarkable.

(image via: Designboom)

At the far end (from the entrance) the building is a full four stories high, with an airy movement that allows workers to see what’s happening all around them on all levels. To keep the building’s occupants in good spirits and good health, the building features a fitness center, dorms (for those long projects) and a movie screen over the main stairway. The architects may have set out to make this building just worker-friendly, but with several factors that contribute to both a healthy planet and healthy workers, it’s turned out Earth-friendly as well. It just goes to show that green design is somewhat intuitive; by doing what feels right for a building and its inhabitants, architects can create a livable, eco-friendly space.

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Greenwashing So Absurd, It’s Almost Funny

Steph — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 18:00:47 +0000

When companies like Exxon-Mobil and McDonalds think “green”, they’re thinking of cash, not the earth. And after all, what matters to unscrupulous marketers isn’t so much the reality of their brand or product, but how the public perceives it – which often results in greenwashing so absurd, it’s almost funny. These 15 examples of extreme greenwashing range from woefully ignorant to downright malicious.

McDonalds Literally Greenwashes its Logo

(image via: GreenBiz.com)

McDonalds wants everyone to know they’re going green…ish. The fast food monster is swapping the red in their logo for green in an effort to convince Europeans that they care about the environment. To be fair, the company has made some important strides – like using environmentally-friendly refrigeration and converting used oil to biodiesel – but this is still fast food relying on distinctly un-green factory farms for their supplies, to say the least.

As GreenBiz.com put it, “This strategy is essentially the textbook definition of greenwashing: Promoting green in the abstract, literally re-painting your signage with the color green, while simultaneously making sparse, vague claims about environmental action.”

“Eco Smart” Hummer

(image via: Fail Blog)

Recipe for a whale of a fail: Take one Hummer, the most environmentally unfriendly personal vehicle known to man. Plaster it with images of glistening green leaves and phrases like ‘EcoSmart’, which just happens to be the name of your company. Watch your company lose credibility instantaneously, and become an internet laughingstock among the very people you were hoping would become your customers.

Even if this particular behemoth were somehow greener than your typical Hummer, that wouldn’t mean much – but would still be more forgivable than using one of these vehicles to advertise an “eco-smart” company.

“Even Our Store Bags are Disposable!”

(image via: The Good Human)

When this New Mexico pet shop decided to “go green”, they apparently didn’t bother finding out what that actually means – hence, their proud declaration that “even our store bags are disposable!” Though the people responsible for the ad probably didn’t mean to deceive anyone, ignorance can be just as bad – it’s seriously confusing for consumers who are already not too clear on what makes a product green.

Cover the Earth with Toxic Paint

(image via: Inhabitat)

Want some tips on how to greenwash? Ask Sherwin-Williams. They’ve built an entire marketing campaign around a supposedly green line of paint which, according to Inhabitat, isn’t actually all that green – all while plastering billboards with their head-scratching logo that seems to advocate covering the entire world in toxic Sherwin-Williams paint.

Fox News + Going Green = ?

(image via: Ecorazzi.com)

Wait a minute, is that a Fox News logo being hugged by a commie recycling symbol? Indeed, the undeniably conservative news network seemed to completely forget who their audience is with their “How Green” website, an apparent attempt to maintain that “fair and balanced” illusion.

The site was about as authentic as a backdrop on a middle school theater set, with uninspired articles and a sloppy design. It became pretty clear that Fox News’ heart wasn’t exactly into it when the site went without updates for months on end, prompting Ecorazzi to liken it to “a zombie that won’t die”. The website was finally taken down in Fall 2009.

CO2 is Actually Good for the Earth

(image via: YouTube)

“There is no scientific evidence that CO2 is a pollutant.” So proclaims an ad called “CO2 is Green”, which backed up this dubious claim with statements like “higher CO2 levels than we have today would actually help the Earth’s ecosystems.” It may just be the most ridiculous example of greenwashed propaganda yet, and who else could possibly be responsible but oil & coal interests.

The ad was generated by a veteran oil industry executive and a Houston-based owner of coal resources as part of a campaign to undermine the EPA’s ruling that CO2 should be classified as a pollutant. It didn’t work, of course.

Buy Local at Your Neighborhood Citgo

(image via: Grist.org)

When you dedicate yourself to spending more of your hard-earned dollars at local businesses, the first place you think of is naturally your neighborhood Citgo. That is, if you live in Venezuela. But being an international oil giant didn’t stop Citgo from putting up billboards in towns all over America – including this one spotted in Durham, North Carolina – that say “Local. Loyal. Like it should be.”

Eco-Conscious Barbie

(image via: Mattel)

They’re plastic wrapped in more plastic, and send the message to little girls that they should be plastic, too. But that didn’t stop Mattel from trying to market Barbies as “green”, with a line of accessories made from repurposed excess fabrics and trimmings left over from other Barbie products (and assembled in China using what amounts to slave labor).

“Barbie BCause is for eco-conscious girls who believe that being environmentally-friendly is the right thing to do,” said Mattel in the press release accompanying the “Barbie™ Bcause” line of products. Right. Because glamorizing constant consumption of non-recyclable products is so eco.

‘Sustainable’ Iceberg Lodge… In the Desert

(image via: Inhabitat)

What could be more sustainable than placing a gigantic luxury hotel hewn from ice into the ocean in the arid desert climate of Dubai? German design duo Frank and Sven Sauer envision the Blue Crystal as a year-round ice lodge that will require massive amounts of energy to keep it frozen – energy that, according to the architects, will come from renewable sources.

Even if the Blue Crystal managed to power itself with solar energy, using so much energy for such a ridiculous purpose stretches the meaning of the world ‘sustainability’ to its breaking point.

Pure & Natural Disposable Diapers

(image via: The Good Human)

Disposable diapers are a huge tax on the environment, adding some 3.5 million tons of waste to America’s landfills every year. And, concerned parents are all too aware of the chemicals they contain, including carcinogens like dioxin. So, when Huggies debuted their “Pure & Natural” line of diapers, perhaps some parents thought they were actually – well – pure and natural.

Not so much. The difference between regular Huggies and the greenwashed version is a small piece of organic cotton that doesn’t even come into contact with baby’s skin – it’s on the outside of the diaper. Talk about capitalizing on a technicality.

Big 3 Auto Executives Drive Hybrids to D.C.

(image via: Dot Earth)

In the midst of begging the government for financial assistance, Detroit’s ‘Big 3’ auto executives – Alan Mulally of Ford, Rick Wagoner of GM and Robert Nardelli of Chrysler were ridiculed for flying to Washington D.C. on mega-expensive, climate-killing private jets. So how did they respond to the criticism? By driving their companies’ respective hybrids to Washington after they were called out for the hypocrisy. Apparently, driving a hybrid once totally erases all of your environmental (and financial) sins.

Exxon-Mobil, Green Company of the Year

(image via: Dallas Observer)

Exxon-Mobil doesn’t exactly have a stellar reputation for caring about the environment. In fact, the oil giant has been called the ultimate anti-green company, as much for its own outrageous environmental offenses as for its efforts to undermine climate change action. But that didn’t stop Forbes Magazine from naming Exxon-Mobil “Green Company of the Year” in 2009.

Forbes claims that recent efforts by the company – including investment in renewable energy and natural gas – is enough to merit the title. But the magazine is left holding a giant green paintbrush in the face of decades’ worth of evidence to the contrary. Steve Forbes, billionaire head honcho of the magazine, probably doesn’t mind, though – he’s a well-known climate change skeptic.

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What’s New Pussycat? 10 Alluring Animal News Stories

Delana — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 18:00:12 +0000

The animal world is inextricably linked to the human world. Often, we get answers to our tough questions from observing or studying animals. And if nothing else, they provide great stress relief and often a bit of entertainment. Here’s what’s been happening in animal/environmental news lately.

Birdfeeders Cause Evolution of New Species

The British love their birdfeeders, and it turns out they’ve caused the evolution of a new species of European blackcap. The new species has rounder wings (because it no longer winters in Spain), longer beaks (for digging seed out of birdfeeders) and different plumage than its migrating cousins. But don’t worry that the change has created a disadvantage for the new birds; scientists say they’re better off for being able to winter close to home.

Kangaroos May Help Beat Cancer

Could kangaroos hold the secret to beating skin cancer? Scientists at the Melbourne University seem to think so. They’re looking at an enzyme produced in kangaroos that helps them avoid cancer by repairing DNA that’s been damaged – the kind of damage caused from UV radiation due to sun exposure. If the team’s hunches play out, we could eventually see some kind of cancer-prevention cream that you just smear on after a day in the sun to repair your damaged DNA. Sounds like it’ll be a hot commodity in tanning salons.

Ocean Acidification Causing Thicker Shells

Ocean acidification has often been cited as the culprit for mollusk and crustacean shells getting thinner, but new research indicates that some species may react to acidification by developing thicker shells. While it may sound like a good thing for those species, the long-term effects on the entire ecosystem are yet to be seen.

Blue Whale Songs Changing

Anytime an endangered or threatened animal population changes its behaviors, scientists rush to figure out what’s going on. But in at least one case, it’s indicated something positive. The songs of blue whales have been decreasing in frequency all around the world, the cause of which was a mystery at first. But after some investigation, it seems that the whales just don’t need to sing like they used to; increasing whale populations have made it easier for them to find mates, so the long-traveling high-frequency songs are no longer necessary.

Man Smuggles Lizards in Underwear

In a story that sounds rather like a set-up to a bad joke, a German man was recently arrested trying to smuggle 44 rare lizards from New Zealand to Europe – in his underwear. The man pled guilty and will hopefully receive a stiff penalty for contributing to the far-reaching, multi-billion-dollar animal smuggling industry.

Damselfish Have Volatile Personalities in Changing Water Temperatures

Will the meek animals inherit a hotter Earth? Maybe so, if they’re the type that get agitated in a warmer environment. Scientists studying damselfish in Australia recently found that some become far more aggressive and active in warmer water. But the interesting thing is that the results weren’t consistent over the entire population; each fish responded differently. Which means that not only do fish have personalities, but those personalities may change in unexpected ways if their habitat undergoes significant changes.

Star Fish May Not Survive Global Warming

Fish aren’t the only sea animals who will be affected by global warming. Sea stars have a fascinating mechanism that allows them to survive low tide: they suck up cold water in preparation for being exposed to the sun. If ocean temperatures rise significantly, this mechanism may no longer keep the sea stars safe when they’re exposed to low tide.

Rhino Poaching Hits 15-Year Peak

The horn of the endangered rhino is now more valuable than gold, literally. A kilogram of gold will get you $40,600, but a kilogram of rhino horn is worth $60,000. It’s no wonder that rhino poaching has now spiked to a 15-year high. Due to poor poaching controls and nearly nonexistent prosecution, along with increased technology in the hands of poachers, these animals are disappearing at an alarming rate.

Animals Care for Each Other, Show Compassion

Scientists have observed two heartwarming examples of animal kingdom compassion recently: ants who help their nestmates with no possibility of reward, and female macaques who care for their grandchildren.

Hermit Crab Lives in Trashy Home

In a picture that is both adorable and kind of scary, this hermit crab has adopted part of a broken bottle as its new home. Though it’s great to see animals making use of what’s available, it’s scary to think that they may be forced to use human garbage as shelter.

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Natural (Fashion) Selection: 9 Top Sustainable Style Stories

Delana — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 18:00:32 +0000

Environmentally friendly fashion? It used to be an oxymoron, but designers are finally catching up to those of us who want to look great while keeping the Earth a happy, healthy place to live. From our friends at Treehugger, here are 10 of the most interesting “green fashion” stories from the past few weeks.

Sustainable Fashion

(image via: COP15)

The United Nations Climate Change Conference starts December 7th in Copenhagen, and the world is watching anxiously. In preparation for the big event, the Center for Responsible Design and Copenhagen Fashion Fair teamed up to present the “Innovating Sustainable Fashion” show on December 3rd. Prizes were awarded to designers who excelled in one of three categories: Design for Inclusion, Design Considering Use, and Design for Environment. Among the designs presented: rainwear made of recycled plastic bottles.

Sustainable Jeans

(image via: Treehugger)

Sustainability is a big movement in fashion at the moment, but it’s hard to know where to start for more sustainable everyday clothing. Raleigh Denim is a company that’s starting right at home. Every pair of their jeans is hand-stitched by one of the two company founders, and all of the material used comes from within 200 miles of Raleigh, North Carolina. Their designs are sold in very limited quantities, so if you fancy looking awesome and distinctive, here’s your chance.

Fashioning the Future

(image via: Guardian)

The London College of Fashion Design recently held an international design competition for students called “Fashioning the Future.” They called for designs which were sustainable, and they got amazing entries from around the world. Some of the leading designs were made with recycled fibers, reworked from existing discarded clothing, and designed to require less laundering. The goal of the competition was to prove that “being sustainable does not mean compromising style or quality.” More information, including notes from the designers, can be found at the Guardian.

Solar Winter Wear

(image via: Treehugger)

If you can just never seem to stay warm enough in the frigid winter months, this solar-powered hat and gloves concept could be just the thing to up your comfort levels in the coming months. The integrated thin solar panels provide small amounts of power to heat the hat and gloves, keeping you toastier than ever. Of course, there’s that pesky problem of lower amounts of sunlight in the winter, but hopefully the devices wouldn’t need too much solar power to work. It’s only a concept at the moment, but someone is bound to manufacture it (or something very similar) eventually.

Solar Jacket

This is one piece of solar-powered apparel that you can buy right now – if you have $750 to spare, that is. The Zegna Ecotech Solar Jacket is pretty stylish, especially when compared with previous generations of solar coats that looked downright nerdy. The solar panels are removable and the wiring is washable, meaning that you just have to pop those panels off and you’ve got an easy-care coat that can power all of your must-have gadgets.

Sustainable Amazon Jewelry

(image via: Treehugger)

Some of the most beautiful sustainable jewelry we’ve ever seen is coming from natural, sustainable materials in Brazil. The seeds, nuts, leaves, stones and wood used by Haia Trading are all sustainable and indigenous to the Amazon rain forest. But besides being stunning and eco-friendly, they’re assembled by local artisans. The jewelry trade helps to improve their communities and the artisans’ quality of life.

Sustainable Style Primer

Sure, you’re seeing sustainable fashion on the runway, but how does it translate into what you might find in the stores? Treehugger TV went on a tour with green style blogger Jill Danyelle as she revealed how the fashion world is incorporating more sustainable materials and practices into their lines.

Learning to Reuse

(image via: craftgossip)

Of course, sustainable style isn’t just about buying new or recycled items. It’s also about making what you have last as long as possible. Planet Green gives us a short rundown of how to patch jeans and sweater elbows, two very important skills for any eco-minded clothing lover to learn.

Making, Not Buying, Holiday Gifts

(image via: Planet Green)

Here are another five projects for the eco-friendly do-it-yourselfer. With just one old coat, you can make these five lovely and fashionable stocking stuffer gifts. For coats that have outlived their usefulness or been ruined by rips or stains, this is the perfect way to ensure that their materials won’t be going to waste in a landfill.

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Fanning the Future: Kids Bring Wind Farm to Utah Town

Delana — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 18:00:37 +0000

Most of us know that there are ways to make the world a greener place, but we get frustrated when we don’t see our actions making an immediate difference. A group of high school kids in rural Milford, Utah, are seeing the benefits of their efforts, and in a big way. The kids and their teacher Andy Swapp are responsible for bringing a 200 megawatt wind farm to their town – that’s enough energy to power 44,000 Southern California homes. The resulting increase in tax revenue has revitalized the town’s economy, and the whole project has given the town’s residents an increased sense of pride in their community.

Milford High School teacher Andy Swapp’s curiosity was piqued one day when he was plowing a field on his farm. The wind blew so hard that the soil he’d plowed up effectively sandblasted the side of his barn. Seeing the wind’s power made him wonder just how hard it was blowing, which led to him obtaining an anemometer to measure its strength. The teacher couldn’t let this unique learning experience go to waste, so he invited his students to his farm to help him put up the tower. Within weeks, energy companies showed an interest in the project and Swapp’s data.

That little class project eventually turned into a 200MW wind farm backed by First Wind. Already, the town of Milford is reporting increased revenues in service and retail segments of their economy. A new hospital is being built with the tax funds generated by the farm. And maybe the best part of this project is the reaction from the students and other Milford residents. They have a renewed sense of pride in their hometown and the knowledge that they can do great things that will impact countless other people. Their wind farm isn’t just an environmental achievement or a community service project – it’s an inspiration to everyone who ever thought that they couldn’t make a difference. What started out as a fun field trip has turned into a project that stabilized a town’s economy, renewed the residents’ sense of community, and moved the entire country one step closer to clean power.

The first phase of the Milford Wind Corridor Project became operational in October 2009. According to the Salt Lake Tribune, the 97 towers and wind turbines cover more than 40 square miles and connect to an 88-mile-long transmission line providing power to Southern California. The entire project cost over $400 million and invested about $84.5 million in Utah businesses and laborers. The project created 240 related jobs in construction and operation. There’s more information about the Milford project and other First Wind projects at their website.

(Thanks to Jean for the tip!)