If you were asked to name a truly wonderful British film, chances are it was filmed at Pinewood Studios. Its great reputation has resonated worldwide, the scene for a thousand iconic images. Pinewood Studios recently had an inspiring exhibition, Water on Lens. It featured underwater photographs from movies such as The Da Vinci Code, Casino Royale, and Elizabeth: The Golden Age, as well as television features and music videos. Here are 23 images taken from those underwater shoots as well as a few extra underwater stage filming photos.

Pinewood Studios

(image credits:Mirror,livejournal,Mirror,Pinewood Group)

Filming in water can be a complex and costly exercise, but Pinewood Studios does not excessively waste precious water. Instead they keep their underwater stage permanently filled. The water tank is sized 20m x 10m x 6m deep, holding 1.2 million litres of water. This a globally unique water-filming facility captured images for Water on Lens  to share with us like The Golden Age at top left. Beneath that photo is actor Alan Davies in a scene shot underwater for the TV series Jonathan Creek. Both the top right and the bottom pictures were captured as actors and actresses performed underwater with a complete filming crew.

From Motorcycle Stunts to Commercials

(image credits:BBC)

James Blunt plunged into the water to promote his performance on the British Awards show in 2005, the same year Pinewood Studios started…after after 5 years of being in concept and design. He is in the top two photos. Many advertisements have been filmed at the worldwide prestigious studios, including a commercial for The Quays Shopping Centre in Northern Ireland, shown on the bottom left. In the bottom right image, EastEnders filmed a dramatic car accident involving Peter Beale.

The Studio

(image credits:Mirror)

For a deeper insight into the craft that goes on to film underwater, here are more images to impress you with the work done at Pinewood. The top left photo is from Houdini while the top right picture was taken during filming of Mr. Nobody. Also included above are filming shots from an Oil of Olay commercial, Jaws, and Atonement.

From Sports to Fashion

(image credits: image credit:BBC)

Rugby is a beloved sport to many fans worldwide. The top image was taken in an advertisement for rugby. Underwater action sequences give the impression of weightlessness when bubbles are removed in post production. In the bottom photo, Hollywood actress Kiera Knightley submerged in water while dressed in haute couture dresses and jewelery as part of a charity shoot for Fresh 2o.

Baby to Blue Screen

(image credits:shortlist,Pinewood Group)

Water facilities available at Pinewood Studios include numerous stages with tanks incorporated into the floors, an exterior tank with a blue screen backing measuring 240 x 60 feet, and an underwater filming facility. Amazing results can be achieved for films, TV and commercials from underwater blue screens that are permanently on site to “wet for dry” appearance. The photo with the baby, upside down and submerged underwater, is a stunner. Also pictured above is the famous blue screen which can make any image at all seem to be the background. It takes a large group of people to successfully shoot and film a car falling into the water and sinking.

Imagine

(image credit:short list)

The capsule collection from Water on Lens provided a rare and behind-the-scenes view into one of the world’s most prestigious film and television studios and its underwater stage. Commercial diver and underwater photographer Phoebe Rudomino captured all the iconic moments on camera for Water on Lens, including the graceful and intriguing shot above. She stated, “U Stage provides such a secure and comfortable water filming environment that we’re able to produce almost any type of underwater production shoot. From working with horses and fire to the world’s top actors and models, the scenes are truly fascinating to capture.”

Boxing

(image credit:shortlist)

In this underwater boxing match, synchronised swimmers Emily Kuhl and Asha Randall of Aquabatix showed off their competitive streaks. What you don’t see in the shot is the massive crew for lighting and filming and even for holding the oxygen tanks.

Bond & Golden Age

(image credit:short list)

The photo on the left was a famous filming moment when the elevator plunged into the water during Jame Bond: Casino Royale. The frantic horse trying to swim in the choppy water was captured in this photograph during the filming of Elizabeth: The Golden Age.

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(Images via: Animal Pictures Archive, It’s Nature, Photo Bucket, It’s Nature, PBS)

With the endless run of horror movies, spook houses, candy, pumpkin seeds and other perks, Halloween is about as good as it gets in terms of a holiday that keeps you on the edge of your seat. Now just don’t think that Halloween is for little kids and “adults” like me who may still be considered children. The deep sea has its fair share of scary creatures who were made for this day and are sure to send a chill down the spine. In celebration of the 31 days of October, here are 31 deep sea monsters — some quite large and intimidating, others much smaller but equally or even more dangerous — that could have starred in the B-rate horror flicks getting major play today. For all you ghosts and goblins and trick or treaters out there, enjoy learning about these freaky creatures while having a safe Halloween.

Don’t  Swim in the Deep Sea

(Images via: Deep Sea Anglerfish, China Sea, Star Bulletin, Nette Key If)

Let’s begin our journey of the sea monsters that inhabit the mysterious, cold waters of the oceans, beginning with the deep sea anglerfish in the upper left-hand corner and eventually swimming our way to the fangtooth in the lower left-hand corner. Looking as if it was just shot out of the fiery gates of hell, the small but vicious deep sea anglerfish is also known as the common black devil, which makes sense considering that it deceptively uses the appendage at the top of its head to emit a blue/green light for luring prey into its big mouth. Another ferocious predator despite its diminutive size, the deep sea dragonfish is known for its large, hinged teeth while the longer and slender, female black dragonfish also produces its own light in addition to possessing fang-like teeth that would make Dracula jealous. Speaking of dangerous teeth, the appropriately-named fangtooth features the largest teeth of any fish in the ocean in proportion to its size, and is also known as the “ogrefish” or common sabrefish. No word if this fangtooth wants to suck your blood, but for other fish in the ocean, look out when crossing this bully.

Danger, Danger: Beware of the Bright Shining Lights

(Images via: Wolaver, Sreeh, It’s Nature)

Just as heeding the call of the Sirens was a bad idea in Greek mythology, the same goes for being drawn to the bright lights in the deep sea. Many other scary fish are capable of producing their own light (a process known as bioluminescence) to either distract predators or tempt prey. With the pale apparition of a ghost, the one-to-six inch hatchetfish not only produces light to hide from predators but resembles the blade of…you guessed it…a hatchet, the preferred weapon of Lizzy Borden. As for the Lanternfish, they emit light to attract smaller fish to feed on, and judging by their bright, blue eyes, they may also have telekinetic powers. Last but not least, the small predator fish known as lizardfish may not be the brightest bulb in this bunch, but they certainly make up for it with mouths and even tongues that are comprised of sharp needles rather than teeth. Like a zombie reaching its hand through the ground, the lizardfish sit on the bottom of ocean floor and wait for prey to swim by before ambushing them with their powerful jaws.

The Deadly Bite of the Viperfish

(Images via: Ibiblio, Sumedh, Neat-O-Rama)

What do you get when you combine the fang-like teeth of a vampire with the breakneck speed of a werewolf? The viperfish, of course. Viperfish fangs are so large that they don’t fit in the fish’s mouth but rather curve back to the eyes. Lucky for the viperfish, it avoids poking its eyes out; however, for smaller prey, they are not so lucky. Swimming at its victims at high speeds, the viperfish is believed to impale its competition before feeding on them. So not only does the viperfish act like 80s slasher star Jason Voorhees but it looks like the Camp Crystal Lake favorite without the hockey mask, as evident by the picture in the upper right-hand corner.

Some Deep Sea Monsters Are Just So Disgusting

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Remember the cute but oh so messy Slimer from Ghostbusters? The Atlantic hagfish is the “Slimer” of deep sea monsters. Looking like an eel but not an eel, the hagfish sneezes slime that contains strong fibers and is thus difficult to remove. Furthermore, the hagfish can emit enough slime to fill a milk jug. At least the hagfish isn’t the bizarre and depressed blobfish, with its large nose, two eyes and sad expression that can make residing in the saltwater coasts of Tasmania and Australia a real downer. Once thought to be extinct, the prehistoric coelacanth is actually still alive, although it is worthless to eat since its tissues spew oil and a nasty odor following death. Speaking of foul smells, the giant grenadier fish is not only known for its giant mouth but a smelly chemical compound that would make Peanuts’ Pigpen embarrassed. And to cap it off, these slow-as-molasses grenadiers love to feed on smelly carcasses. Makes sense, you think?

Night of the Living Dead Fish

(Images via: Vanaqua, Dave Harasti, Flickr, Mex Fish)

Appropriately-named given the theme of this Halloween-related post, the bottom dwelling coffin fish features fins that act like legs and allow it to crawl and walk on the bottom of the sea floor. In a similar light, the rare Australian fish known as the spotted handfish features pectoral fins that act like hands for deep sea walking. As long as these day and night walkers don’t start talking and clamoring for “Brains” like zombies, things should be all good. Speaking of brains, the eyes of stargazers are located near their brains, on top of their heads to be more precise. This may be hard to tell with the above stargazing monster buried in the sand, but is more apparent with the land-based example of this fish. In addition to the weirdly-positioned eyes, stargazers are venomous, with two large poison spines behind the opercle (the upper bone that helps form the gill) and above their pectoral fins. Even more shocking, stargazers can cause electrical shocks, making it very irresponsible for other fish to have their attention diverted to the heavens when a stargazer is around.

Certainly Not James Woods’ Short-Lived TV Series “Shark”

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A list of deep sea monsters would be lacking without the “Jaws” of the sea. While we all know about great white and hammerhead sharks, don’t sleep on the megamouth shark and sixgill shark. Not discovered until 1976, the rare megamouth shark is a mystery, with its large mouth and small teeth, rounded snout that makes it look like an orca whale, and luminous photophores around the mouth. Like the megamouth shark, the sixgill shark can reach up to 18 feet in length, but is distinctive in that it has six rather than five gills and only one dorsal fin (located closer to its tail). A close relative to sharks, chimaeras are kind of what you think sharks would look like in hell. Judging by the bottom images of the fiery red chimaera and the long-nosed chimaera, it’s not wonder these deep sea creatures are also referred to as ratfishes and ghost sharks.

Getting Overwhelmed by Other Sea Giants

(Images via: Fish Govt., Shnock, Pixdaus, One Inch Punch)

When you can reach up to 60 feet in size like the colossal or giant squid, you don’t need any extra advantages. Yet the world’s largest invertebrates grip prey with sucker rings on the ends of their limbs, which also feature sharp hooks for good measure. The only known enemy of the giant squid is the mammoth sperm whale, with males reaching 60 feet and weighing 40-50 tons. It is believed that sperm whales are able to feed on colossal squid because of a dark, waxy substance similar to cholesterol (called ambergis) that is produced in their lower intestines and protects them from squid stings. Now just how tough and intimidating are sperm whales? They’ve been documented attacking and feeding off the mammoth and elusive megamouth shark.

Scaring (and Gripping) the Life Out of Me

(Images via: MLML, What’s the Crack,Flickr, Aqua Views)

If there’s one thing that holds true with deep sea monsters, it’s that size does not always the matter. Only three inches long, the firefly squid is able to flash blue lights on and off, attracting smaller fish and then attacking them with their strong tentacles. Similarly, Dana octopus squid feature glowing arms that lure, stun and blind prey. Once mistaken by researchers to be an octopus, the six-inch vampire squid is equipped with eight arms that can be used like a webbed cape and thrown over its body for protection. Within this webbing are two jaws that are strong enough to crack the shells of crustaceans. Only the size of a golf ball, the blue-ringed octopus is extremely poisonous and capable of killing a human in minutes. Unfortunately, this octopus does not make its blue rings apparent until its ready to attack, putting unknowing humans and prey in danger, especially when considering that there is no known antidote to this poison.

A Creepy Feel for These Eels

(Images via: Flickr, Alloom, Flickr Weird Sea Monsters)

Talk about a deep sea monster that looks like a scientific experiment gone madly wrong, the gulper eel will make you gulp with its abnormally large mouth that is much larger than its body. With 750 vertebrae in its spine, the snipe eel has more vertebrae than any other animal on Earth in its five-foot long body, which is 75 times more long than wide. Adding to the creepiness of the snipe eel, its anus is located on its throat. Rarely seen, the oarfish looks like a mythological sea serpent even though it isn’t one (despite what its 36 foot length may tell you otherwise).

Rounding Out Our Deep Sea Monsters

(Images via: It’s Nature, Flickr, Flickr, Reef Suckers)

How the tables have turned. Small sunfish are often caught in our lakes, but in the ocean, specific types of sunfish called molas can reach up to 600 pounds. As rare as catching these fish are, equally weird is the fact that molas look like they’ve been chopped in half. Despite dwelling at the bottom of the sea, wing-like sea robins look like birds in flight as they swim, specifically because of large pectoral fins that open and close akin to a flying motion. While in the same family of shrimps and crabs, the relatively large giant isopod ranges from 12 to 16 inches in length and is a bit unsettling to look at even for a scavenger, particularly due to its deep sea gigantism and resemblance to an “Alien vs. Predator” creature. Also inhabiting the ocean floor, sea cucumbers are in the same classification of starfish and sea urchins. Now if  you get a sea cucumber when trick or treating, give it back as they are equivalent to eating a very bad fruit. For more information on deep sea monsters, visit the highly informational and interactive Web site, SeaSky.

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Around Halloween, pumpkin wizards create extreme pumpkin carvings in every category you could imagine. Patterns can even be downloaded or carved on the fly. Give a carving knife to a geek, gamer, or gory movie lover and watch out! They create what they most enjoy. Gamer fans of the Xbox 360, Playstation 3, Nintendo Wii and even the hardcore old school retro games go for video game themes. Some pumpkins are carved into characters from scary, sci-fi, or gory movies. And geeks off the computer and focused on a pumpkin can create what reflects their favorite objects. This is a Halloween tribute to geeks, gamers, and gory flicks watchers. Trick or treat? Here are 114 treats, or cool pumpkin art as jack-o-lanterns with intricate carvings from freaky to geeky.

Geeky Pumpkin Carvings

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Geeks, we are both logically left-brained as well as creatively right-brained. Give a geek a carving tool and look at the cool pumpkin art that can be created. We love our RSS feeds so much that now we subscribe our pumpkins to them. Linux lovers carve cute Penguins. To many, only Firefox will do. But then you have big Microsoft fans like the ones who carved Bill Gates and IE pumpkins. A little Google android will light the way for some lucky trick-or-treaters.  Then there are Mac fanboys like the ones who created a likeness of Steve Jobs and the Apple icon. Last but certainly not least, one crafty soul created little tux and no doubt loves Linux.

Horror & Gore Pumpkins

(image credits:walyou)

The Predator pumpkin is amazingly detailed and must have taken great skill and patience. Next in tribute to horror movies and sometimes gore are The Mummy, the Werewolf character Wolfman, and the Texas Chainsaw Massacre. Pennywise from It destroyed the idea of happy clowns from many minds. Then comes Leatherface from the Texas Chainsaw massacre which can attribute the revving sound of a chainsaw with the desire to run in the other direction. “Here’s Johnny!” also known as Jack Nicholson from The Shining. And if you ever dream of Freddy Krueger from Nightmare on Elm Street, you had better wake up pronto. Knifes carve more than pumpkins like in the horror film Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers.

Classic Horror Movies: Pumpkins

(image credits:walyou)

Some horror flicks are classics like Psycho, so the first three pumpkins show tribute to Norman Bates, to the Bates Motel, and to the shower scene. Pinhead from Hellraiser was both creepy and freaky, but people have differing opinions on if it was a classic movie. The next pumpkin’s character was first written about in 1818 and is of course the Frankenstein monster. The last three carvings depict a German vampire film, Symphony of Horror and another classic horror character, Nosferatu.

Evil Stars: Pumpkins

(image credits:walyou)

The pumpkins once again were carved by talented fans as tributes to horror flicks. From left to right the movie and characters are: Frankenstein and his Bride, The Exorcist, Joker, Dracula, Dracula David from Lost Boys, Chucky times two, and the infamous hockey mask from Friday the 13th.

Video Games Pumpkin Carvings

(image credits:jjgames,walyou,gaygamer)

Jack-o-lanterns do not have to be scary. In fact, give a gamer a carving knife instead of a controller and look at what they come up with as cool, creative pumpkin art. These video game themed pumpkins are a tribute to WOW, World of Warcraft Alliance, Stormrage, Transformers Optimus Prime, and Pyramid Head.

Gaming Systems: Pumpkins

(image credits:jjgames,walyou)

Gamers love their gaming system as well as their games. Here are what a few hardcore gamers carved: Xbox logo, Xbox 360 power button, the always dreaded Xbox 360 Red Ring of Death, a pumpkin Playstation, several pumpkins to depict Playstation controller buttons, Wii, Will controller, and a Wii console.

Pacman Pumpkins

(image credits:walyou,jjgames)

Like in games, carving pumpkins comes in many skill levels. For these, the many pumpkins and creative carvings show that Pacman will always be a favorite for many gamers.

Gamers Tribute To Their Favorite Games

(image credits:jjgames,walyou)

Some games have extremely devoted players who don’t grow tired of their favorite game. These carved creations on the pumpkins represent a few of those favorite games. There are five Halo 3 pumpkins, Portal,  BioShock,  Gears of War and Shadow of the Colossus.

Old School Games: Pumpkins

(image credits: jjgames,walyou)

Old school gamers and even new gamers still love Tetris. This retro video game is among the most popular games ever and are the top two carvings. Space Invaders is another old favorite. The rest of the carved pumpkin art includes tributes to Sonic, Metroid, Link from Zelda, and Okami.

Pumpkins Rated E for Everyone Games

(image credits: walyou,jjgames)

And then there are the “happy games” that appeal to gamers young and old. These carved pumpkins are welcoming to trick-or-treaters. Many kids would recognize Belmont Castle, or the two of Little Big Planet’s Sackboy, Pikachu, Mario and Bowser, and who wouldn’t smile back at Mario? The houses with Mario pumpkins will no doubt serve up more treats and experience fewer tricks.

Movie Heroes or Villains

(image credits:,Screen Junkies)

Movie heroes and villains always seem to live forever. These characters have inspired more than pumpkin art. They’ve been made into movies, cartoons, comic books, lunch boxes and about anything that can be commercially marketed. From left to right, they include: Hellboy, two Spiderman pumpkins, The Hulk, Wolverine, Iron Man, Optimus Prime and Megatron, The Punisher, and Transformer Autobot Decepticons pumpkin-faces.

Even More Movies: Pumpkins

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We love to be entertained. We are great fanboys of movies and comic books.  Some of those include: The Birds, Wizard of Oz, Ghost Rider, Batman, Green Lantern, Gollum from Lord of the Rings, Spock and Star Trek.

If you can imagine it…

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If you can imagine it, then it has probably been carved into or fashioned with a pumpkin around Halloween. Some people are patriots above all else and create a pumpkin Statue of Liberty. The math equation was carved and meant to  truly scare those who see it. Some people love food above all else and can change a pumpkin into a hotdog or hamburger. The big-toothed creature is scary yet creative. Then there are cat lovers with an artistic flair as well as castles carved into pumpkins.

Star Wars: Pumpkins

(image credits:walyou)

Say no more than Star Wars and the fans start flocking out from every corner to pay tribute. These pumpkins are more than art, they were created with love. From left to right: Death Star, Princess Leia, R2D2, Chewbacca, Darth Vader, Master Yoda, Dark Lord of The Sith, and Boba Fett.

Happy Halloween!

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Scientists have said for years that it takes thousands of years for plastic to decompose – so how did a 16-year-old figure out how to make it work in just three months using local and household materials? The short answer is: a science fair, bacteria, a desire to see plastic bags put back into planetary cycles more quickly and, perhaps, a broader-than-usual sense of what is possible in the world.

In a small high school in a small town, teenager Daniel Burd made a simple mixture of water and landfill dirt and added a plastic bag, only to discover that a rapid rate of decomposition resulted. After experimenting with temperatures and other variables he isolated the microbacteria that made this miraculous process possible.

The inputs are inexpensive and the outputs have low environmental impact. In short: this is a potentially scalable solution to one of the biggest environmental problems on the planet – plastic bags we produce at a rate of 500 billion per year that clog our oceans, pollute our land, kill animals and take up landfill space the world over.

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You don’t have to suffer with pests or harm the environment trying to get rid of them just to enjoy all of the outdoor activities of the season. There are many eco-friendly ways to approach pest control, whether the problem is slugs on your patio or a snake in the pool. We no longer have to rely on harsh chemicals to enjoy the summer.

Natural Insect Repellants

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Cedar oil is a natural, non-toxic insect repellent. It can be used to repel mosquitoes, fleas, ants, cockroaches and other insects. It’s safe for your skin and even has a pleasant smell. Pets and pet bedding can also be treated with cedar oil to control fleas. Citronella oil is another natural mosquito repellent and is often used in outdoor candles, while the Mosquito Plant, or Citrosa Geranium, is often grown on patios for its mosquito-repelling qualities.

Beneficial Insects

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Beneficial insects are natural predators of other insects that can cause damage in the garden. Live specimens and eggs are available commercially, but by providing a favorable habitat through plantings that provide cover for these insects, you can attract them to your property. Create the right environment and you can have an army of beneficial insects go to work for you.

Solar-Powered Repellents

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Solar powered pest control products are a relatively new green product on the market. Solar panels on the top of the unit collect energy from the sun while the spike is buried underground. The device periodically shakes, sending vibrations through the ground to disturb and frighten animals. Models are available to repel moles and other vermin and at least one company makes a solar powered snake repellent. However, many gardeners are happy to see snakes in the garden, as they are natural predators of the smaller mammals that cause the most damage.

Humane Relocation: Trap and Release

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A very humane way of dealing with a pest problem is the trap and release method. There are a variety of no-kill traps available to safely capture an unwanted animal so that it can be relocated in the wild. Special care must be taken when relocating animals to ensure their survival. They should be relocated early in the day to an area that provides plenty of food, water and shelter. Glue traps are also available to help capture and relocate snakes. When it is time to release the snake, vegetable or mineral oil loosens the glue.

Wash Bad Bugs Away

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Aphids can often be removed from ornamental plants simply with a blast of water from the hose. The tiny mouths of the aphids remain stuck to the plant, while the bodies wash away. To control scale and other parasitic insects in the garden, Neem oil or insecticidal soap can be sprayed directly on the plant and insect-infestation. These products are safe for the plants and the environment.

Banish Snails and Slugs

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Snails and slugs can destroy delicate plants overnight. These soft-bodied pests come out after dark and wreak havoc in the garden. To control the population, a shallow dish of beer can be placed among the plants that need protection. Slugs especially love beer and will fall in and drown. Diatomaceous earth and crushed eggshells sprinkled among plants also help prevent slug and snail damage as they will not cross a barrier that will damage their soft undersides.

Attract Birds

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Many wild birds are natural predators of the insects we wish to eliminate. You can attract wild birds to your home by creating a favorable habitat for them. By providing water in a bird bath, hanging bird feeders filled with food for the bird species you wish to attract and planting brightly colored flowering plants for hummingbirds, who like nectar, you can lure birds in to do your dirty work for you – naturally.

Skunks: Handle with Caution

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If you have a skunk problem, there may be no pleasant way to solve it. Baby skunks have a functioning scent gland from the time they are born, so care must be taken not to startle them. Skunks are nocturnal animals and usually will visit you in the night to find a meal. You can discourage skunk activity on your property by making sure all garbage is secure inside a lidded trash can and putting away all pet food before turning in for the night.

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In theory, the benefits of organic gardening far outweigh the disadvantages.  Foregoing chemical fertilizers and pesticides is not only a healthier option, it is cheaper as well.  However, for novice gardeners, chemicals can help make up for inexperience and lack of a green thumbs.  But, certain plants can make organic growing less frustrating (or, in some cases, ridiculously easy).

‘Shrooms

(image via The Age)

Mushrooms are magic…for organic gardening newbies.  Mushroom spores, sawdust and a cool, dark place are the only ingredients needed for a successful growing season. Online retailers sell kits that are already injected with spores.  All it takes is a few hours of soaking the base in water and then a bit of patience.

Rhubarb and Mint

(image via Moosey’s Country Garden

For those whose thumbs only show traces of green, the general rule is, the hardier a plant, the better.  Take rhubarb, for example.  The leaves are poisonous, but the stems tart and tasty.  Better yet, it is easy to grow, and can often be found wild, thriving without any human intervention at all.

The same could be said for mint.  Under good conditions, it grows well without outside influence and will pop up year after year.  Gardeners who want to move on to other herbs might have a hard time actually getting rid of their mint.

Potted Vegetables

(images via Culinary Fool and Grace Magazine)

While some vegetables need room to spread out, others do well in confined spaces like pots.  Potted vegetable plants can be moved to maximize contact with sunlight and can be weeded and watered easily.  Tomatoes and chili peppers both fall into the easily-potted category.

Garlic and Basil

(images via Berkeley Daily Planet and noveleats)

Like other leafy herbs, basil grows well indoors and out.  The sweet-leafed plant responds well to both pot life and a spot in a garden’s general population.  Forgetting to water does not spell the end of a basil-growing endeavor.  The wilted plant is often able to perk up with a healthy dose of water and a few days of sunlight.

Garlic likewise does well in the absence of a gardener’s care.  In addition, it is used as a natural pesticide and fungicide, making it a staple for experienced organic gardeners as well.

Sprouts

(image via sundance moods)

If poor soil, uncooperative weather and pests are keeping your vegetables from thriving, why not take those variables out of the equation.  Growing bean sprouts requires nothing more than some beans, a jar and a dark, cool place.  The process takes only a few days; not enough time for much to go wrong.  That is as close as gardeners can get to instant gratification.

Pumpkins

(image via thehickories.org)

Bigger is seldom better in the world of inexperienced growers, but a few simple steps can make pumpkins one of the easier plants to grow organic.  They respond well to soil mixed with compost and do not need to be watered often.  Tricks like placing straw under maturing pumpkins to keep them off of the dirt go a long way towards a successful season.

Radishes and Carrots

(images via Texas A&M and tiny farm blog)

Radishes are forgiving of imperfect weather and inconsistent watering.  Pests find them attractive, but lightweight garden row covers keep these bugs at bay.  Carrots perform even better in sunny, mildly dry spots.  This vegetable can maintain its vitamin content and trademark sweet taste even if it does not grow to its full potential.

Sweet Potatoes

(image via Vegan Soapbox)

Sweet potatoes do well in soil that is not fertilized.  There is no need to buy seeds, simply cut the slips (sometimes known as eyes) out of an old potato and plant them in the garden.

Peppers

(image via gardenplotter)

Peppers are a favorite of urban gardeners who do most of their growing in pots.  Again, the more controlled environment of a pot allows for easy weeding and watering.  Most species of pepper respond well to sunlight and warm weather and attract relatively few pests.

Rosemary and Fennel

(images via seedfest and tasteful garden)

Fennel is considered both a vegetable and a herb.  It is not difficult to grow and is a popular addition to organic gardens because it attracts ladybugs, which are natural predators of some of gardens’ most insidious pests.

Rosemary is a delicate herb once it is harvested, but in the pot, it performs quite well, as many herbs do, with only basic watering and access to sunshine.  It is possible to salvage a neglected rosemary plant by giving it a few intensive watering and sunshine session.

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Some of today’s coolest green technology is being developed not by corporations, but college students. Be it for contests, class projects, or just plain old curiosity, students around the world are creating awesome energy-saving devices with wide-ranging consequences. Here are some of the most eye-catching examples.

Solar-powered fridge

(Images via DailyMail)

One of many problems facing developing countries is the difficulty of keeping food refrigerated under extreme weather conditions and fluctuating electricity. In response to this widespread problem, 21 year-old Leeds University student Emily Cummins has developed a solar powered refrigerator in hopes of helping starving Africans. According to DailyMail, Cummins’ eco-friendly fridge is powered by evaporation, can keep perishables cool for days, and holds a temperature of 6 degrees Celsius without using any power.

DIY solar cell oven

(Images via CleanTechnica, Zedomax)

While solar technology has been all the rage in developed countries, the fact that photovoltaic cells are typically produced in large manufacturing plants limits its availability in developing countries. However, if University of North South Wales PhD student Nicole Kuepper’s technology becomes widespread, this may no longer be a problem. The young student has developed a way to inexpensively create photovoltaic cells using, of all things, a pizza oven!

Scrap heap wind turbine

(Images via Mail Online)

Wind turbines aren’t exactly the simplest of green technologies, but thanks to the efforts of a 22 year-old college student, the one seen here “can be built by unskilled workers in less than a day anywhere in the world.” Using such common scrap items as bits of wood, wheel bearings and an old bicycle frame, Max Robson built a turbine capable of putting out 11.3 watts of electricity, or enough to power lights for almost 3 days. The cost of assembling this impromptu turbine? A mere 20 Euros. Not bad considering the next cheapest alternative costs roughly 2,000!

“Ventomobile” wind-powered car

(Images via ScienceDaily, Iconoclast)

It took 20 top aerospace engineering students at Stuttgart University, but the Ventomobile (shown here) took home top honors at August 2008’s Dutch Aeolus Race. The three-wheel wind powered vehicle is an encouraging glimpse into the future of alternative transportation!

Sustainable automated gardening

(Image via MIT)

One of the more physically-demanding and time-consuming aspects of gardening is all the manual labor. Since the dawn of time, a prosperous and bountiful garden has meant many man hours of toil across months. That may not be the case for much longer thanks to “precision agriculture”, a budding technology developed by MIT students that uses robotic arms and other “mechanical harvesting” techniques to more or less automate the process of keeping a garden.

Plastic bag eating microbe

(Image via Wired)

16 year-old Daniel Burd was not content to accept that plastic takes thousands of years to decompose. After some research and experimentation, Burd found that the process can indeed be sped up by isolating the bacteria responsible for the decomposing and mixing more of it with plastic. According to Wired, Burd’s quick decomposition solution should be relatively simple to roll out on a larger scale, “all that’s needed is a fermenter, a growth medium and plastic, and the bacteria themselves provide most of the energy by producing heat as they eat. The only waste is water and a bit of carbon dioxide.”Burd placed first in his science fair, earned $10,000 in prize money and snagged a $20,000 college scholarship for his efforts.

Biofuel producing algae

(Image via Bellingham Herald)

How great would it be to turn waste into something useful? If the amazing waste-into-energy system developed by three Bellingham high school students is any indication, the wait may be over. Calvin Atkins, Dylan Albrecht, and Sam Lewis split first price at Washington University’s highly competitive Imagine Tomorrow science competition. Their creation? An ingenious tubing system that uses algae to recycle carbon dioxide emissions into biofuel.

700% more efficient water desalination

(Image via TreeHugger)

Mohammed Rasool Qtaisha, a PhD student at the University of Ottawa, has created a water desalination system so amazing that there isn’t even a publicly available picture of it yet. All that is currently known is that Qtaisha’s system utilizes patent-pending membrane technology and solar power to produce “50 kilograms of water per metre square of the membrane per hour“, whereas current technology would be hard pressed to churn out even seven or eight kilograms.

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It’s all well and good to theorize about using less energy and read about people who are doing it, but what about our own energy use? How many people truly pause and take stock of the energy being used in their own homes? The picture here is not always so rosy, but facing the reality of one’s own energy consumption is the first step toward minimizing it. So what better time than now to perform an eco audit of the most energy consuming device’s in a geek’s home?

Following is a revealing look at several categories of common geek-owned devices, the energy they consume, and how to use less without giving up the gadgets one loves. Let’s find out how much juice those plasma TVs, computers, and video game systems are really sucking down!

Video Game Systems

(Image via Gizmodo)

The System: PlayStation 3

The Energy Use: According to Gizmodo, the PS3 sucks down twice as much electricity as the X-Box 360, a whopping 380 watts compared to 160 watts (and a paltry 45 watts for the PS2.) What does this mean for the wallet? Running the PS3 for just 2 hours a day will cost $40 per year in electricity fees. Consider the epic, all-night gaming marathons geeks are so famous for and this cost could easily look more like $100-$150!

(Image via C/NET)

The System: X-Box 360

The Energy Use: Geeks who do most of their game play on the X-Box 360 have less reason for their environmental conscience to be bothered, using “only” 160 watts. Still, extended X-Box game play can take a significant bite out of one’s finances! TeamXbox.com estimates that the total annual cost of running an X-Box 360 is $20.10 – and bear in mind, hardcore gamers are likely to be using their system for much longer (and paying much more) than that!

(Image via Eco Salon)

The System: Nintendo Wii

The Energy Use: Green geeks can use the Nintendo Wii with pride, as the latest console from Nintendo consumes a meager 16 watts when active. Unfortunately, at least one website has noted that each of these 3 consoles pose environmental risks unrelated to their energy consumption: namely, that each contains harmful chemicals like bromines and phthalates.

The Fix (for all three): Understandably, most wont rush to jettison their favorite game system just because it uses a lot of electricity. Fortunately, this is not necessary! One easy way to reduce the energy consumed by a game system is to turn it off when it is not being used. How many people are in the habit of putting their games on pause for hours at a time to eat, sleep, or run errands? Simply shutting the systems off during these extended periods is enough to save serious energy!

Computers

(Image via ForeverMac)

The Computer: iMac (2o in.)

The Energy Use: The super-sleek 20 inch iMac uses surprisingly little energy for its size: only 180 watts. One of the major reasons Apple stated for switching to Intel chips was energy efficiency, and so far it appears to be paying off! One would be hard-pressed to find a bigger and more visually appealing computer system using such little electricity.

(Image via TechnoTricks)

The Computer: Apple MacBook Pro

The Energy Use: MacBook users will be delighted to learn that their laptops consume a slim 26-38 watts according to UPenn. Long celebrated for their minimal power use, the MacBook Pro is just the latest in a proud tradition of Apple laptops that leave other brands far, far behind.

(Image via C/NET)

The Computer: Dell Inspiron 710m

The Energy Use: Sadly, not all geeks are fortunate enough to own a Mac, and many of those turn to Dell. A downside is that Dell laptops suck much more energy than Macs. For example, the Dell Inspiron 710m consumes 65 watts of electricity, and some of their higher-end laptops guzzle 90 watts or more.

The Fix (for all three): Here, again, few geeks are so passionate about green living that they will sacrifice their choice of computer systems. There are ways to use them more intelligently, though – such as the power-saving options that exist for both laptop and desktop systems. These options, when enabled, generally save energy by using a dimmer screen setting or similar measures. Try to use these whenever possible!

Plasma TVs

(Image via Beat That)

The TV: LG 42PG25 42 inch plasma

The Energy Use: The LG 42PG25 42 inch plasma requires a whopping 429 watts to power the beautiful 42 inch plasma display that makes video games and movies come to life. While this no doubt seems like a lot of power, it is not even the most energy-consuming plasma on this list.

(Image via PlasmaTVBuyingGuide)

The TV: Samsung PN58A650 58 inch plasma

The Energy Use: The Samsung PN58A650 58 inch plasma will display all kinds of digital content in all their crisp, majestic glory, but it’ll take 453 watts of electricity to make it happen. You could run every single computer in this article plus the Nintendo Wii and still not be using as much power as this plasma does alone!

The Fix (for both): Both of these TVs sit atop Plasma TV Buying Guide’s “Top 10 Plasma TVs” list, and they’re on there for a reason. The best that can be done to reduce their energy consumption is to only leave them on when they are actually being watched. Many of us fall asleep with the TV on, and using a sleep timer is a great way to ensure it does not needlessly run and waste electricity all night while we sleep.

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(Image via Inhabitat)

First, what is guerrilla gardening? Hipsters and housewives alike are part of the rapidly growing underground – or rather, rightintheground – political activism movement to beautify bedraggled corners and unkempt spaces of public places, from streets to curbs to corners and stoops. This surreptitious environmental warfare is fought with pick and hoe; its ammunition, seeds and saplings. That’s right: the unlawful (sort of) guerrilla movement sprouting out and cropping up in a city near you is all about gardening. You, too, can be a lawless hooligan bettering your neighborhood’s walkways, highways and byways by way of pending marigold circles and nascent juniper hedges. Here’s how to do it. You civilly disobedient thing, you.

Step 1: Define Personal Brand

(Image via Mac Fixer)

Will you be part of an organized team, launching your green thumbs in an unstoppable offensive of rose bushes at 7th and Westcott? Or will you work alone, vigilante style, bedding down poppies with abandon at 12th and Orchard? Determine your personal guerrilla gardening style and plan accordingly. Working publicly in a group is considered the creation of “graffiti with nature” and there are groups in nearly every major city, while late-night forays to increase the pleasing odors emanating from the back alley with a thorough planting of bleeding hearts would be considered standard-issue, albeit solo, guerrilla gardening and doesn’t require joining up with any group. Define yourself, and stick to it. Or don’t. Whatever, just plant something already. Remember that affixing “ninja” to anything is practically guaranteed to lend to success in all you do. Now that you have reputation management and brand identity squarely underfoot, you’ll need to develop:

Step 2: Your Battle Strategy, Etc.

(Image via compact impact)

Technically, guerrilla gardening is illegal. If you’re doing so much as pulling weeds from someone else’s land, especially Uncle Sam’s, you’re unlikely to get points for being considerate and helpful. This isn’t the UK. That said, you’re also highly unlikely to go to jail for the audacious crime of improving neglected crevices and crannies, making this the perfect act of political environmentalism for those too burdened with such things as offspring, student loans and/or impressive Twitter followings to commit more serious crimes of civil disobedience that might land one in the slammer.

Now, strategy. You’ll want to pick a method that should inform your choice of location. Questions to consider: will you be a one-time azalea assassin, or will you be making this a regularly scheduled habit of daisy debauchery? Is there a certain spot in your town that you’ve been in agony about and you’re tired of petitioning the city commission to once and for all remove that blasted rusty fence guarding a sagging mailbox of ill repute? Or are the street corners in your area all composed of mud and in need of a little germinal love? Think about this and make a determination of supplies and their corresponding costs, and decide how much crime you can really commit to. Decide if you want to garden in the middle of the night, which decreases your odds of being seen but increases your odds of being questioned, or in the early morning or evening, when you’re more likely to be considered sane but also more likely to be identified.

Intention is important. No general takes the battlefield without first harnessing his chi. Take a moment to manifest the positive energy of the universe and/or  connect with your deity of choice. Humming kumbayah and telling the plants you love them is also recommended.

Step 3: Logistics and So Forth

(Image via meridian)

Plants? Check. Event scheduled, for least busy time of week at a preferably late-night hour? Check. Bags for cleanup? Check. Tools: headlamp, plastic baggies fastened around boots, gloves, supportive non-drunk friend(s)? Check. You’ve chosen your spot; go forth and garden. Note, Trader Joe’s has the cheapest plants. Birds eat seeds and children delight in trampling any mesh netting you might set up to deter avian meddlers. Consider yourself warned; go for sprouts at the very least. Finally, be sure you manage to leave the spot in better condition than you found it – the whole point is to be caught bettering the world, not grubbing it up, if you should be caught.

Step 4: Doing the Deed Requires a Chick

(Image via Washington City Paper)

You’re far more likely to avoid trouble if you bring a female of the species with you. This lends credibility to your act and averts passerby fears of potential catcalls should they come within 50 yards of you as you flail around in the dirt, since clearly your fine guerrilla acting skills have got you convincingly portrayed as a city employee and unfortunately being a male occupied with a task involving movement of dirt makes you, obviously, a hornballish pervert incapable of anything but apish gestures and whistling. So bring a girl.

It’s not likely that anyone will think you’re actually a guerrilla gardener – who’d be lunatic enough to garden at their own expense on land that isn’t one’s own? – so bringing a lass along is more to ease the psychological anxiety and reduce stereotypical assumptions about your obsession with your doubtless overpetted trouser mouse in the minds of passerby than anything else. If you have to make a sudden escape, do not worry; women, especially the young ones, can run surprisingly fast and rarely stumble despite what is depicted in popular cinema. A warning: women are paranoid and will be convinced their sixth sense has detected impending discovery and subsequent prosecution that will inevitably result in social ruin and financial disaster in addition to a rather undesirable relationship with a hairy large inmate, so come armed with plenty of soothing yet ruggedly masculine and most importantly very convincing platitudes deposited in your memory bank.

Step 5: Additional Advice

(Image via BoingBoing)

Make sure you’ve chosen hardy, preferably perennial plants that are easy to maintain since you’re going to have to return to the scene of your crime to maintain them. Why yes, that’s right! If you’re going to garden a patch of land that’s not yours, you have the responsibility to keep those greens at full chlorophyllic capacity.

Note: The author blames the ill effects of the internet at large for the contents of this post. For more reputable information about guerrilla gardening, see this post at our sister site, WebUrbanist.

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7 Steps to a More Eco-Friendly Office

These 7 products can help transform your office into a greener, more eco-friendly and energy efficient office in no time flat!

It is common for environmentalists to disparage businessmen, corporations, and the very idea of profit-driven production. However, these two philosophies need not be at odds! With some ingenuity and common sense, office buildings and boardrooms everywhere can become eco-friendly, conducting their affairs at a bare minimum of environmental expense. Here are 7 ways any office can be quickly and easily transformed into a green office!

Soy-based inks

(Image via Missouri.edu)

Every office needs ink for memos, reports, presentations, and the myriad of assorted documents created in the day-to-day running of a business. But that doesn’t mean petroleum ink is the only option! Soy-based ink offers several significant benefits: lower levels of volatile organic compounds, easier removal from paper come recycling time, and even brighter, sharper colors!

Recycled binders

(Image via TheDailyGreen)

Binders are an office essential, used to shield important documents and papers from the unforgiving menaces of messy filing cabinets or spilled coffee. Fortunately, these staples of corporate productivity can now be purchased in entirely recyclable form. Binders such as those sold by Green Line Paper can be used with a clean conscience!

Refillable pens

(Image via Uxcell)

In addition to being among the most commonly used office items, pens are almost among the most frequently thrown away. For this reason, no office could claim to be green if they were relying upon the same, wastebasket-bound Bic pens for their correspondence. A far more eco-friendly option are refillable pens such as the one pictured here. Rather than tossing the pens and the ink inside them, these pens can be used and refilled indefinitely. Plus, as this pen shows, just because the pen is refillable doesn’t mean it has to look cheap or flimsy!

Biodegradable cups and plates

(Image via Tinokyarok)

Office kitchens necessarily use disposable cups, plates, and cutlery (after all, it’s hard enough getting co-workers to return phone calls, never mind wash dishes!) The problem comes in when these disposable items are made of landfill-stuffing Styrofoam that cannot be easily broken down. The solution:  biodegradable cups and plates such as those shown here!

Worm composting

(Image via Worm Composting Tips)

For the truly radical office manager with a green vision, worm composting offers a collaborative way for everyone to pitch in. Co-op America tells the story of how they maintain a sealed worm composting container in their office kitchen. Employees take turns bringing the week’s compost home to add to their own personal piles, and the office disposes of all its food waste safely.

Eco-soft toilet paper

(Image via GreenLine Paper)

In his classic book “Open Book Management”, Jack Stack shares the story of a company-wide study which found that during slow times (ie, now!), toilet paper use skyrockets. Being that this is the case, it makes sense to use the most eco-friendly toilet paper available! That would be the eco-soft toilet tissue sold by GreenLine Paper, which is comprised of 100% recycled fibers. According to the Natural Resources Defense Council,424,000 trees would be saved if every US household replaced just one 500 sheet roll of normal toilet paper with a roll of this instead!

Peace Coffee

(Image via GreenLine Paper)

Finally, no office would survive for very long without the boost of energy a hot cup of coffee provides. This Fair Trade-certified Guatemalan organic dark roast will keep your employees buzzing with productivity without any of the moral qualms encountered by less enlightened brews.

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