Stuff We Found Today - 04.23.13

Deep Dark Chocolate Tart Recipe - gluten-free and vegan!

Family, Kids & Health Stuff

• 5 Amazing DIY Forts! - (Inhabitots) These are pretty cool.
• How nature can help us heal from grief - (Mother Nature Network) "It's no accident that many children's books on grieving follow nature-based themes." A timely article in the wake of recent tragedies.
• 3D Ultrasound That Reveals a Baby in Utero Like Never Before - (Inhabitots) How cool is this?!!! Anyone having gone through pregnancy, how much would you have loved to have had this technology when your kid was in utero???

Food Stuff

• Regular cocoa flavanol intake could help maintain brain health - (ConfectioneryNews) Hmmmm...would that make us chocoholics smarty pants??
• Deep Dark Chocolate Tart Recipe - (Mother Nature Network) ...and it's gluten-free and vegan!
• Mediterranean comfort food recipes - (Mother Nature Network) Love the "Chicken with Orzo Pasta" recipe...great way to use up leftover rotisserie chicken.
• Frankenapple: Bad News No Matter How You Slice It - (Organic Consumers Association) New GMO apple that won't turn brown expected to be approved by USDA
• The Easiest Beet Chips You'll Ever Make - (MindBodyGreen) Seriously, this is that easy.
• EWG's 2013 Shopper's Guide to Pesticides in Produce - (Environmental Working Group) Yes, there's a smartphone app too...perfect to take to the grocery store with you.

Home Stuff

• What's in a home? Our housing choices and the environment - (Mother Nature Network) "... the United States' obsession with big houses and the general lack of concern of what impact that has on the community." Very interesting read.
• Natural and Innovative Materials at the 2013 Milan Furniture Fair - (Inhabitat) Especially love the Gu Paper Chair and the coconut fiber material that can be used for food packaging.

Tech & Science Stuff

• 3,587 MPG Hypermiling Vehicle Wins 1st Place at the 2013 Shell Eco-Marathon! - (Inhabitat)
• New, Cheaper Tesla EV to Hit the Market by 2017, Says Musk - (Inhabitat) Hmmm...how much cheaper??

Nature & Environment Stuff

• Storm hits Mayflower, Arkansas site of Exxon oil spill. Contaminated water pumped into Lake Conway as citizen journalists report live. - (TreeHugger) Gotta check out the video in this article.
• CICADAPOCOLYPSE: Billions of Red-Eyed Cicadas to Swarm Tri-State Area - (Inhabitat) This should be quite the event for bug lovers!
• Inhabitat: 12-Year-Old Girl's Letter to Mayor Helps Save a City Forest in Canada - (Inhabitat) Love acitivist kids!

Arts, Entertainment & Travel Stuff

• San Francisco's Exploratorium Reopens as the Country's Biggest Net-Zero Energy Museum - (Inhabitat) We've always loved the Exploratorium... now even more!

Other Random Cool Stuff

• Boston Marathon: Good Samaritans shine in time of tragedy - (Mother Nature Network) As the city reels from the marathon bombings, an outpouring of love and altruism prevails.
• Trash Cafe: Newcastle Students Unveil Pop-Up Coffee Shop Made from Recycled Cardboard - (Inhabitat) "...cafe will be dismantled and flat-packed at the end of the week to be moved to other locations..." Cool!

Stuff We Found Today - 03.28.13

Do The Green Thing: The Same As Oil by Andrew Rae 16/23
Artist and illustrator Andrew Rae wanted to convince people to choose tap water by highlighting the sheer madness that is mineral water. 

Family, Kids & Health Stuff

• 4 activities to wean your kids off TV - (Mother Nature Network)  Love the arts & crafts corner filled with "stuff" that kids can use to make whatever.

Food Stuff

• Industry pledges reach $10m on cocoa child labor but ‘job is not done’ - (ConfectioneryNews.com) Hershey is once again way behind the other chocolate companies when it comes to child labor/slavery in the cocoa industry.
• HOW TO: Make Vegan, Organic Marshmallow Peeps for Easter - (Inhabitots) No questionable (artificial) ingredients here!
• World's largest indoor vertical farm opens in Chicago - (Mother Nature Network) "FarmedHere, a new 90,000-square-foot indoor farm, just opened in the suburbs of Chicago and is now the largest facility of its kind in the world."
• 'Honey laundering' an international scandal - (Mother Nature Network) "Food experts have found that much of the honey sold in the U.S. is a concoction of corn or rice syrup, malt sweeteners and a small amount of genuine honey."
• Use baking soda for easy-to-peel hard-boiled eggs - (Mother Nature Network) Great tip...just in time for Easter egg making season.
• DIY Diva: Natural food dyes for Easter - (Mother Nature Network) "Fruits and vegetables give Easter eggs and foods safe, healthy color."

Home Stuff

• EWG's Guide to Healthy Cleaning - Great guide to check on all those cleaning products we use at home. Interesting...not all "green" product rate well.
• 5 Materials from Your Home Repair You Should Recycle - (Earth911) Good to know as you plan for this summer's fixit project.

Beauty & Fashion Stuff

• Will At-Home 3D-Clothing Printers be the Future of Fashion? - (Ecouterre) Whoa...that could be pretty cool! Even cooler - "Unwanted garments can be returned to the unit to be cleaned, broken down, and recycled, eliminating waste."
• Marc Jacobs Faux Furs Revealed To Be Dog - (GirlieGirlArmy) Nasty.

Tech & Science Stuff

• Scientists Develop Robobees To Pollinate Flowers As Bee Populations Decline - (Inhabitat) Cool... but sad that this even needs to be done.
• 17-Year-Old Builds Algae Biofuel Lab in Her Bedroom to Win $100K Intel Science Talent Search Prize - (Inhabitat) Smark kids rock!
• Scientists Develop Wonder Nanomaterial that Can Produce Energy, Clean Water and Hydrogen - (Inhabitat) Hmmm, interesting stuff.
• Detroit Electric to Debut Battery-Powered US-Made Sports Car Next Month - (Inhabitat) Another new sexy electric car coming our way??

Nature & Environment Stuff

• Monster mosquitoes about to invade Florida - (Mother Nature Network) Watch out... "Gallinippers are 20 times the size of normal skeeters and their bite feels like you're being stabbed."
• Starfish rush hour: Delightful video shows traffic jam at bottom of the ocean [video] - (Mail Online) Super cool video!

Other Random Cool Stuff

• New Flood-Proof, Prefab Beach Buildings NYC Plans to Roll Out This Summer - (Inhabitat)
• 7 Creative Ways to Decorate Easter Eggs - (Inhabitots)
• 39 Insanely Cool Vertical Gardens - (BuzzFeed)
• Upcycle a Dinosaur Toy into a Succulent Planter - (Inhabitot) Cool idea...can see these lining the wall of an office cubicle too.
• 10 Things You Can Recycle Through the Mail - (Earth911) Wow...who knew?!

Stuff We Found Today - 01.29.13

Valentine crafts for kids

Family, Kids & Health Stuff

• Valentine's Crafts for Kids - (Parenting.com) Some great ideas to do with kids...love the paper heart wreath and the heart paper clips. So clever!

Food Stuff

• Blue colors in lollipops present health risk to kids, say researchers - (ConfectioneryNews.com) "Health risks of these dyes are mainly attributed to their inhibitory effects on mitochondrial respiration of human cells." No artificial colors in our food please!!
• Bubble Gum Flavored Apples Hit Grocery Store Shelves - (Inhabitots) WTF!!!!
• Sustainable cocoa: Action needed in two years, not ten - (ConfectioneryNews.com)
• Flaxseed: How to Use This Wonder Ingredient - (MindBodyGreen) Always forget how easy it is to add this stuff to cooking, especially when ground.

Beauty & Fashion Stuff

• Top 7 Bizarre Eco-Fashion Stores of 2012 - (Ecouterre) Yup, some of these are crazy.
• "Good Morning America" Finds Traces of Lead in 55 Percent of Lipsticks - (Ecouterre)

Tech & Science Stuff

• Yeti 150: Goal Zero Unveils A Plug-And-Play solar Generator For Emergencies Or Off-Grid Adventures - (Inhabitat) Love this for camping!
• Ingenious 14 Year-Old Invents Solar-Powered Water Purification System for Developing World - (Inhabitat) Love smart kids!!
• Altoids Tin DIY Solar USB Charger - (Instructables) Cool project!
• The ELF: A Half-Bike, Half-Car Solar and Pedal-Powered Urban Vehicle by Organic Transit - (Inhabitat) Would love to try this.
• New Report Finds that Solar Power Could Serve All of the World's Energy Needs - (Inhabitat)

School, College & Student Stuff

• 10 of the best college environmental programs in the U.S. - (Mother Nature Network)
• Headmaster Upcycles Retired Passenger Plane Into Playful Kindergarten Classroom - (Inhabitots) What little kid wouldn't want a classroom like this?

Nature & Environment Stuff

• 2012 Was the Hottest Year Ever for the Contiguous United States - (Inhabitat) Hello climate change!
• Dazzling comet of 2013 may be among brightest ever seen - (Mother Nature Network) "Comet ISON could put on an amazing show when it passes close to the sun in November." Mark your calendars!
• 7 reasons why Arctic sea ice matters - (Mother Nature Network) Just in case you didn't know...
• Sperm Whales Adopt Deformed Dolphin - (ScienceMag.com) Animal friendship...love.
• 2012 The Year The Climate Changed [VIDEO] - (Eco Tube) "2012 may be remembered as the year Climate Change got real for Americans."

Arts, Entertainment & Travel Stuff

• Mind-Blowing Paper Sculptures Look Like Gothic Cathedral Windows - (Inhabitat)

International Stuff

• Amazing Tetra Brik Pavilion Made with 45,000 Milk Cartons Wins Guinness World Record - (Inhabitat) Built in Spain to honor World Recycling Day.

Other Random Cool Stuff

• Nation's Second Largest Bike Share Program Coming to Los Angeles This Spring - (Inhabitat) Curious to see how well this goes.

Stuff We Found Today - 01.24.13

Antony Gibbon's Roost Treehouse

Family, Kids & Health Stuff

• 7 Healthy Family New Year's Resolutions for 2013 - (Inhabitots) Boy...need to get working on the "get organized" one!

Food Stuff

• EWG Shopper's Guide to Pesticides in Produce Video - (YouTube-Envrionmental Working Group) Quick little video about EWG's shopper guide for produce.
• Cocoa economy in 'critical state', says Mars sustainability chief - (ConfectioneryNews.com) the big chocolate companies may recognize it, but how much will they actually do about it???
• Thrive Foods Direct - Organic vegan meals delivered to your door...anywhere in the US. Great for travelers!
• Overfishing Causes Pacific Bluefin Tuna Numbers to Drop 96% - (EcoWatch) Boooo!!!

Home Stuff

• The NanoLight Touts Itself as the World's Most Efficient LED Light Bulb - (Inhabitat) "...the first 100 watt comparable device... the NanoLight claims to be 87% more efficient than a standard incandescent and it uses 50% less energy than a compact fluorescent."
• Antony Gibbon's Lord of the Rings-Style Treehouses Could Offer Elvish Accommodations for Humans - (Inhabitat) How cool to have one of these in your backyard?!
• How To Start an Oder-Free Freezer Compost Bin as a City or Small Space Dweller - (Inhabitat) Good little tip here.
• National Do Not Call Registry - Get rid of annoying sales calls...yes!

Tech & Science Stuff

• Seven Sizzling Hybrid and Electric Cars from the 2013 Detroit Auto Show - (Inhabitat) Kind of excited about the new Leaf.

Nature & Environment Stuff

• Dispersant makes oil from spills 52 times more toxic - (NBCNews.com) Ughhh...great.
• Video: Close encounter with humpback whale off Australian coast captured on camera - (The Telegraph) What would you do if a what was this close to you??
• Great white shark photographed mid-air - (NYDalyNews.com) Pretty awesome pic.
• First Video Footage of Giant Squid in Natural Habitat Emerges - (Ecorazzi) "...eyes the size of dinner plates..."
• Flushing Nemo? Pet fish pose ocean threat - (NBCnews.com) Don't dispose of aquarium fish in our waterways.

Arts, Entertainment & Travel Stuff

• German Hotel Invites Beer Lovers to Cozy Up Inside a Recycled 19th Century Beer Barrel Bed - (Inhabitat) Bet there are quite a few beer lovers that wouldn't mind having one for themselves!

International Stuff

• Bosco Verticale: The World's First Vertical Forest Nears Completion in Milan - (Inhabitat) Cool!
• The Australian Outback is So Hot that Drivers Are Unable to Pump Gas - (Inhabitat) "...Mother Nature seems to be showing her displeasure for the use of fossil fuels by making it so hot that the liquid evaporates before it even hits the tank."

Other Random Cool Stuff

• Concord, Mass. Becomes the First US City to Ban Single-Use Plastic Water Bottles - (Inhabitat)
• 'Plastic micro beads' to be removed from soap - (CNN.com) These plastic particles end up in the ocean and ingested by sea animals.

Stuff We Found Today - 12.03.12

Eco-friendly Christmas Trees

Family, Kids & Health Stuff

• 7 Eco-Friendly Hanukkah Goodies For Kids - (Inhabitots) Love the crayons!

Food Stuff

• Organic Miniature Pumpkin Cheesecake Cupcakes - (Inhabitots) Thanksgiving may be over now, but these would be perfect to make all season long...mmmm!
• Sustainable Cocoa: Action needed in two years, not ten - (ConfectioneryNews.com)
• 7 health benefits of drinking hot cocoa - (Mother Nature Network) Of course, depends upon what you put into your hot cocoa.
• Vegan Almond Cookie Recipe - (Inhabitots) Get the xmas cookie cutters out...these are perfect to do with the little ones!

Home Stuff

• 8 Festive LED Christmas Lights To Save You Energy & Green Your Holidays - (Inhabitat) Love the "champagne" mini LED bulbs.

Beauty & Fashion Stuff

• Greenpeace Exposes Toxic Chemicals in Zara, Other Fast-Fashion Brands - (Ecouterre)

Tech & Science Stuff

• One-Man electric Helicopter - (Inhabitat) for a mere $375,000 how'd you like to fly to work in one of these babies?!!
• Chevrolet Announces 2014 Spark EV Will Be Priced Under $25,000 - (Inhabitat) Affordable EVs need to keep coming.
• SpaceX Founder Elon Musk Hopes to Establish 80,000 Person Colony On Mars - (Inhabitat) Wow...seriously?!!!

Nature & Environment Stuff

• World Meteorological Organization Reports Greenhouse Gas Emissions at a Record High - (Inhabitat) "...global CO2 levels are the highest they have ever been in human history, reaching 391 parts per million." Not good!
• Study Finds Sea Levels Rising 60% Faster Than Expected, U.S. Costal Towns at Risk - (Inhabitat) "...New York, Los Angeles, and much of the state of Florida are now considered "hot spots" where water levels are increasing at twice the rate of the rest of the planet."
• Sea snail's shells dissolving in Earth's increasingly acidic oceans - (CNN.com) Serious effects for the ecosystem and food chain.
  
  
  Read more: World Meteorological Organization Reports Greenhouse Gas Emissions at a Record High | Inhabitat - Sustainable Design Innovation, Eco Architecture, Green Building "

Arts, Entertainment & Travel Stuff

• Top 6 Cabins for a Green Retreat this Winter - (Inhabitat) Snow or no snow, any of these would be awesome...any time of year!

Other Random Cool Stuff

• Fast Track Trampoline Sidewalk Takes Your Commute to a Whole New Level - (Inhabitat) Ohhhh...this looks like fun!
• Live Share Grow Vertical Farm Could Generate 10% of San Diego's Produce - (Inhabitat) This would be great in any urban city.
• 14 Eco-Friendly Christmas Trees - (Inhabitat) If you're not a traditionalist, some of these "modern" trees are pretty cool.

Stuff We Found Today - 10.26.12

Zombie pumpkins at New York Botanical Garden

Family, Kids & Health Stuff

• Breasts: A Natural and Unnatural History - (Seventh Generation Blog) Book about how environmental toxins are affecting breasts and breastmilk...connections to breast cancer.

Food Stuff

• Hershey outlines details of cocoa child labor pledge - (ConfectioneryNews.com)
• Whole Foods Drops Drops Hershey's Scharffen Berger Brand over Child Labor Concerns - (Sustainablog) Interesting... reason why Hershey is finally stepping up (albeit slowly)??
• Mars, Nestle and Mondelez talk cocoa sustainability - (ConfectioneryNew.com) Notice who's not talking among the chocolate giants... Hershey!!!

Home Stuff

• Bamboo Homes in Bali's Gorgeous Green Village - (Inhabitat) Imagine having one of these for your vacation hideaway!
• Cocoon Tree: A Lightweight, Spherical TreeHouse for Sustainable Living - (Inhabitat) Backyard getaway anyone???

Beauty & Fashion Stuff

• 10 Great Looking Non-leather Riding Boots Under $200 - (GirlieGirlArmy) OK...we suckers for cute boots!

Tech & Science Stuff

• British Firm Produces Liquid Fuel From Water and Thin Air - (Inhabitat) For reals??? Will be curious to see how this pans out.
• Electric cars get ready to take over the road, quietly and powerfully - (Sierra Magazine) Buyer's guide to EVs and hybrids.

Nature & Environment Stuff

• High Levels of Plastic and Debris found in Waters off of Antarctica - (Smithsonian.com) Our plastic junk is everywhere!!
• Pictures: Vampire Squid - (National Geographic) These creatures are cool!
• Octopus Steals Food From Researchers, Fends Off Shark - (The Scuttlefish) That's one crazy cephalopod!
• Sperm whale: death by 100 plastic bags - (While Things) Very sad.
• The Cost of Coal - (Sierra Club) Pics and videos of those living with the effects of coal mining.

Arts, Entertainment & Travel Stuff

• Army of Ghastly Zombie Pumpkins at the New York Botanical Garden - (Inhabitat) Creep & gruesome, but pretty cool at the same time.

International Stuff

• World's First Algae-Powered Building for Germany - (Inhabitat) Love the cool green color the algae give it.

Other Random Cool Stuff

• 8 DIY Cardboard Costumes That Are Outside the Box - (Inhabitots) These are insanely amazing.
• Chicago Unveils the "Greenest Street in America" with Permeable, Smog-Eating Pavement - (Inhabitat)

VIDEO: "The CNN Freedom Project: Ending Modern-Day Slavery" looks at child slavery and chocolate

"Chocolate's Child Slaves" - The CNN Freedom Project

Early last year, CNN started a project that takes a hard look into the reality of slavery in today's world. The CNN Freedom Project: Ending Modern-Day Slavery investigates all types of human trafficking occurring around the world from the sex trade to forced labor. Most recently, it has turned its focus on the issue of child slavery in the cocoa industry. Their recent documentary, "Chocolate's Child Slaves" aired this past Friday, Jan 20th. Below are some clips as well as other CNN videos relating to the topic...

Chocolate's Child Slaves

Working in cocoa fields at 10

Admitting slavery exists in cocoa fields

Teaching fair trade practices to kids

The ethics of chocolate

Paying more for fair-trade chocolate?

How to buy ethical chocolate

Stuff We Found Today - 01.12.12

Wonders of Nature

Family, Kids & Health Stuff

• Johnson & Johnson's Responds to Pressure and Agrees to Remove Cancer-Causing Chemicals from Baby Shampoo - (Greenwala)

Food Stuff

• Infographic: The Anatomy of Genetically Modified Turkey - (Greenwala) Not a pretty picture.
• Nestle To Investigate Child Labor On Its Cocoa Farms - (NPR) Hey Hershey... maybe you guys could take a cue from this...hello!!
• Mountain Dew: First Flame Retardant and Now It Dissolves Mice? - (Greenwala) Uh...ewww! Check out what this post has to say.
• One hot idea: Coffee cup concept eliminates plastic lid - (Mother Nature Network) Good idea...for when you forget to bring your reusable mug, that is!
• Sugar in Children's Cereals - (Environmental Working Group) "Popular brands pack more sugar than snack cakes and cookies"... parent must read!
• [VIDEO] Monsanto's Micro-Monster Could Kill Us All - "Monsanto's genetically engineered 'RoundUp Ready' crops are responsible for a new micro-monster that's causing an outbreak of new plant, animal and human diseases." Sort of a long video with science speak...but so important for us all to understand how GMO foods are hurting us.

Home Stuff

• 10 of the smallest homes in the world - (Mother Nature Network) Hmmm...talk about down sizing!

Beauty & Fashion Stuff

• The Lorax: A Fast-Fashion Cautionary Tale - (Slow Fashioned) Probably the first environmental story we were exposed to as kids...and we still love it.

Tech & Science Stuff

• 10 images from NASA's Spitzer telescope - (Mother Nature Network) Some cool space pics.
• Build a Solar Powered USB Charger in an Altoilds Tin for $17 - (Greenwala) OK...who thinks this would be a super cool project? We do!!
• 7 Electric Cars to Watch in 2012 - (Mother Nature Network)

Nature & Environment Stuff

• The World's Most Dazzling Hot Springs - (Greenwala) Close your eyes and imagine soaking in one of these...
• New 7 Wonders of Nature: The 7 Winning Wonders - (WebEcoist) Wow...these are beautifully amazing!
• The best environmental photos of 2011 - (Mother Nature Network) Sort of a pictoral recap of nature's glory and fury over the past year.

Arts, Entertainment & Travel Stuff

• Send a message through art: hazel bryce's recycled paper mache seahorse - (The Alternative Consumer) Wow this sculpture is amazing.

International Stuff

• Africa's First Plastic Bottle House Rises in Nigeria - (Inhabitat)

Political, Social & Economy Stuff

• Plastic Bag Bans Spreading Across The United States - (The Huffington Post) Woohoo!

Other Random Cool Stuff

• 25 Rad Items Made from Reclaimed & Recycled Tires - (WebEcosit) Lovin' the playground stuff.
• How to market deforestation - (Joe Mohr's Cartoon Archives) Virgin tree fibers to wipe our rear ends with?? C'mon people!
• Infographic: Why green is the most cost-effective way to live - (Mother Nature Network) save money??? We like that!

Stuff We Found Today - 10.23.11

"Macquarium"

Family, Kids & Health Stuff

• Stress and Toxins Can Combine to Increase Illness in Children - (Greenwala) Interesting study... (makes sense to us!)
• Child Slaves Made Your Halloween Candy. Stop Buying It. - (GOOD) Start spreading the news...
• Kids' Brains Absorb Twice as Much Cellphone Radiation as Adult Brains - (Inhabitots)
• 10 Ridiculous "Pinkwashed" Products That May Actually Cause Breast Cancer - (Ecouterre)

Food Stuff

• Infographic: Unexpected Chemicals in Your Food - The Health Risks of Pesticide - (Greenwala) That's why it's best to get organic whenever you can.
• 'No magic bullet' can protect cocoa from climate change - (ConfectioneryNew.com) Will chocolate become a true luxury item??
• Chocolate That Feels As good As It Tastes - (Green Energy TV) Video by Fair Trade USA.
• 12 healthy homemade candy recipes - (Mother Nature Network) Some fun ones to try...and to taste!

Beauty & Fashion Stuff

• Fair Trade Fashion: Ridiculously Inexpensive Jewelry from Morrocco - (EcoStiletto) Gorgeous gold "silk" and silver bead necklace and bracelet.
• The Company That Wants You to Buy Less - (New American Dream) Patagonia would rather you repair or buy used clothing instead of buying new...cool!
• 14 Eco-Friendly Women's Boots to Kick Fall Into Gear - (Ecouterre) Lovin' the Cri de Coeur boots!
• 14 Eco-Friendly Men's Boots For Ushering Fall - (Ecouterre) ...and, the men's selection...

Tech & Science Stuff

• Virgin Atlantic Announces Plans to Fuel Airplanes With Waste Gas - (Inhabitat) "Airline mogul and billionaire Richard Branson just announced that in three years Virgin Atlantic airplanes will be fueled by waste gas from power plants, steel works, and aluminum plants."
• Macquariums: Iconic Candy-colored Apple iMacs Recycled into Aquariums - (Inhabitat) Kinda cool and nostalgic.

Nature & Environment Stuff

• Extraordinary Toroidal Vortices [VIDEO] - (Eco-Tube) This is a pretty cool video... especially of the dolphins and whales making and playing with bubble rings.

Arts, Entertainment & Travel Stuff

• Magic Mountain Lodge is a Hill-Like Hobbit Highrise - (Inhabitat) Gotta see the picture. How cool would it be to spend a few nights here?!!
• Tell Disney: Get the Lead Out of Disneyland! - (Center for Environmental Health) "For nine months, Disney has known about dozens of lead-tainted brass and stained glass items at Disneyland, yet the company has failed to act to protect children!"

Website Stuff

• How Many Slaves Work for You? New Online Tool Measures Your Impact - (Ecouterre) Almost scared to try this one out...

International Stuff

• Bosco Verticale in Milan Will Be the World's First Vertical Forest - (Inhabitat) Now if all high rise condos could be like that.

Other Random Cool Stuff

• WTC Complex Aiming for LEED Gold, Will Be The Largest Green Project in NYC - (Inhabitat) Nice!!
• HOW TO: Make Flying Ghosts from an Upcyvled Sheet for Halloween - (Inhabitots) Fun times!

Stuff We Found Today - 08.29.11

Floating micro-country funded by Paypal Founder

Family, Kids & Health Stuff

• Why Pregnant Women in California Have High Levels of Toxic Chemicals - (TIME) Hmmm, definitely not good!
• Alternatives to Toxic Hands Soaps at your Kid's School - (Greenwala) "Most hand soaps used by schools contain nasties like fragrance, triclosan and other nasty chemicals."
• 9 habits that my do more harm than good - (Mother Nature Network) A few things here we never really thought about before...

Food Stuff

• Keep Pesticide-Ridden Corn Off Your Dinner Plate - (Center for Environmental Health) "Monsanto’s new GMO corn, intended for the frozen and/or canned corn market. This experimental corn will not be labeled, so consumers cannot know when they may be eating a GMO food that contains a toxic pesticide in every bite." Take action.
• Cocoa's benefits linked to anti-inflammatory potential: Human data - (Confectionery News) Cool beans... cocoa beans, that is - haha!
• Hershey's Chocolate Sweatshop Sullies its Image - (InvestorGuide.com) Right here in the good ole US of A! C'mon Hershey's... it's bad enough that you don't use Fair Trade chocolate.
• The Bicycle Coffee Company: Sustainable From Bean To Cup - (Dowser) We are huge fans of these guys...and their coffee!
• Cargill pays premium millions to cocoa farmers as sustainable sourcing grows - (ConfectioneryNews.com)
• Salmon Fish Cake [Recipe] - (Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution) Mmmm...going to have to try this out this weekend!

Home Stuff

• Cat Hammock in a Box - (CatAbove.com) For cat lovers, this has to be the coolest cat gadget/accessory ever... and it's made of corrugated cardboard!
• 8 lush green rooftops from around the globe - (Mother Nature Network) These are neat to look at!

Beauty & Fashion Stuff

• Christie Brinkley Launching Vegan Skin Care Line - (Ecorazzi) Set to launch this summer...keep an eye out!
• Stick Your iPad Down Bernie Madoff's (Recycled) Pants - (Ecouterre) iPad cases made from Madoff's auctioned off pants...kind of funny.

Tech & Science Stuff

• GE's Solar Powered Carousel Opens at the South Street Seaport! - (Inhabitat) Fun!!
• Lightning Motorcycles Break 200 MPH Electric Bike Speed Record! - (Inhabitat) For all you speedster bikers...

School, College & Student Stuff

• Announcing the Global Green USA Green School Makeover Competition: A Chance to Win $65,000 to Green Your School! - (Global Green USA)
• Enter to Win Inhabitat's Green Back-To-School Contest - (Inhabitat) "Worth a whopping $1155, our back to school prize package includes a HP Pavilion dv6 laptop with Windows 7, a set of notebooks from ecosystem, a creative bundle from Behance, some sweet recycled newspaper pencils from TreeSmart, folders, tabs and more courtesy of Naked Binder, and a Voltaic Converter solar backpack to put all of it into!"

Nature & Environment Stuff

• Shell Oil Leak in North Sea Raises Memories of BP Gulf Oil Spill - (Treehugger)
• Moving Planet: A Day to Move Beyond Fossil Fuels - Coming Sep 24th... check it out!! From the guys over at 350.org.

Arts, Entertainment & Travel Stuff

• Constance Hockaday's Boggsville Boatel Turn Defunct Boats Into Floating NYC Hotels - (Inhabitat) Maybe a fun getaway with kids??

Political, Social & Economy Stuff

• Fair Trade Chocolate Activists Upload Protest Photos On Hershey's Facebook Page - (Huffington Post)

Other Random Cool Stuff

• Apple Unveils Exciting New Pictures of It's Foster & Partners Designed Green Headquarters in Cupertino! - (Inhabitat) Self-sufficient curved glass building... cool!
• Paypal Founder Peter Thiel Invests $1.25 Million to Create Floating Micro-Countries - (Inhabitat) "...building his very own start-up countries in the far off, open ocean..."

VIDEO: Chocolate The Bitter Truth - Ivory Coast Child Trafficking (BBC Investigation)

*Documentary in 5 parts...

"Chocolate - The Bitter Truth 1 of 5 - Ivory Coast Child Trafficking - BBC Panorama Investigation, recorded 08.05.2010 We spend more on chocolate each year than investors spend on gold - but as Easter approaches, how much do we really know about where it comes from or how it is made?

Panorama reporter Paul Kenyon goes undercover as a cocoa trader in West Africa and discovers children as young as seven working long hours on cocoa farms, helping to make the chocolate we love so much. He buys a tonne of cocoa made with child labour, and sees how easy it is to sell it into the supply chain which leads to our high streets.

He also helps rescue a 12-year-old boy - trafficked across borders - to pick cocoa as a modern-day slave and reunites him with his mother. For the first time, we meet the kids who harvest our cocoa but who have never tasted chocolate.

Tracing the bitter truth of chocolate and child labour, Panorama reporter Paul Kenyon poses as a cocoa dealer to uncover the extent of child labour in the chocolate trade.

Read more at http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00rqm4n."

1 of 5

2 of 5

3 of 5

4 of 5

5 of 5

Stuff We Found Today - 04.24.11

Energy-Absorbing Trap Light Never Needs to be Plugged In

Family, Kids & Health Stuff

• 7 Unique Eco-Friendly Spring Break Activities - (Inhabitots) Because you gotta keep the kiddies busy!

Food Stuff

• The Soy Debate Rages On - (GirlieGirl Army) Interesting article...
• RECIPE: Fresh Berry And Earl Grey Tea Tarts - (GirlieGirl Army) Mmmm...looks and sounds delish (and it's a vegan recipe!).
• Monsanto is Poisoning Us All: Famous Scientist, Don Huber Exposes Hazards of Monsanto's Roundup Herbicide - (Organic Consumers Association)
• Sustainability of West African cocoa growing questioned - (ConfectioneryNews.com) Why organic farming methods are so important.
• Sustainable Agriculture Can Feed the World - (CCOF) Read new report released by the UN... (download PDF file by clicking on the link)

Home Stuff

• Beautiful Norwegian Homes Topped with Lush Green Roofs - (Inhabitat) Not just a garden, but a whole forest on some these houses!
• Gorgeous Energy-Absorbing Trap Light Never Needs to be Plugged In - (Inhabitat) Oooohhhh, how pretty are these for the patio or backyard?!!

Beauty & Fashion Stuff

• Roma Rain Boots - These are like Tom's, but for rain boots... buy a pair, then they give a pair to a child in need. Plus these boots are made from natural latex rubber!
• Need Space? "Portable Home" is a Skirt That Transforms Into a Tent - (Ecouterre) Oh... just a little fun green fashion whimsy...

Tech & Science Stuff

• MIT Scientists Create Artificial Solar Leaf That Can Power Homes - (Inhabitat) Awesome!!
• Chicago's Willis Tower (formerly the Sears Tower) to Become a Vertical Solar Farm - (Inhabitat) "...turning North America’s tallest building into a huge urban vertical solar farm."
• Researchers create car that can be steered by thought - (Mother Nature Network) Say what??? (video in post)

School, College & Student Stuff

• Unexpectedly Green: Los Angeles Elementary Schools Embrace Eco-Friendly Education - (EcoMom Blog) This makes us happy...
• Middle School Students Tell LAUSD: No More Styrofoam! - (GOOD) Thank goodness kids are the future...

Nature & Environment Stuff

• A New Oil Spill in the Gulf of Mexico - and Insight into the Causes of the Old Spill - (TIMES.com) Just great...
• Endangered Hawaiian Sea Turtles Surfing, in Stunning Underwater Photos - (TreeHugger.com) Beautiful pics of some beautiful creatures...
• HOW TO: Make a Recycled Glass Terrarium - (Inhabitots) This is a great kids project...think spring break!!
• Ocean Noise Pollution Blowing Holes in Squids' Heads - (DiscoveryNews.com)

Arts, Entertainment & Travel Stuff

• Great inns open only to those with good hiking shoes - (Mother Nature Network) For all you hikers out there...

Website Stuff

• The Water Family - Did you know the average American home uses over 120,000 gallons of water a year? That’s enough to fill nearly six swimming pools. Check out this great online game designed to help families learn how to reduce their water footprint.
  

• Organic Deals - Cool site to get great deals on green & organic items!

Political, Social & Economy Stuff

• Despite Gulf oil spill, rig owner executives get big bonuses - (CNN.com) Great...just lovely.
• Longtime oil industry champion now calls BP liars, almost a year after oil spill - (NOLA.com) Did anyone really expect the oil company to live up to their promises???