TresSugar

UN Climate Change Meeting Not So Easy on the Environment

LibertySugar — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 09:30:16 -0800

Thanks to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, 13,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide will join the Earth's atmosphere. More than 10,600 people plan to attend the two-week summit in Poznań, Poland, where delegates will discuss issues such as the greenhouse effect and weather pattern changes. Energy used to get the attendees to the talks, or used to heat and light the venue, will contribute to the very problems they seek to solve.

This doesn't mean participants aren't trying to be green - many traveled long distances by train or bus to keep emissions down. Delegates who skipped air travel will reduce their greenhouse emissions by six times. In addition, Poland plans to buy carbon offsets for the conference, meaning the government will pay to reduce pollution elsewhere.

Do you think purchasing carbon offsets helps quiet accusations of hypocrisy, or would delegates find an alternative to a pollution heavy conference if they really practiced what they preach?

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Dancing For Energy! Partying Powers Dutch Nightclub

LibertySugar — Sat, 25 Oct 2008 07:00:47 -0700

All music is ~~electronic~~ electric at Rotterdam's Club Watt. A newly installed dance floor traps energy generated from dancing, and then converts it to electricity.

Yesterday's New York Times profiled the sustainable dance club, explaining that people can see the results of their energy creation. The floor powers a light show displayed around the dancers. At Watt, other green innovations help keep the party going: rainwater fills the toilets, and everything from the bar is recycled. When it's cold, band amplifiers and other musical equipment generate the heat.

The head of the group behind the Dutch club says: "Our idea is that there’s enough energy in this world, you just have to use it the right way. If you have a full dance club, there’s lots there, you just have to turn it into a usable product.” Sounds like a great idea to me!

The Terminator Fires Dirty Harry Over State Parks

LibertySugar — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 13:00:46 -0700

Well this only-in-California story involves Clint Eastwood, a Kennedy, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and environmentalists. Governor Schwarzenegger let go conservationist/ex-mayor/actor/director/producer Clint Eastwood from his position as a California park commissioner. Arnold's brother-in-law, Bobby Shriver, also got terminated.

Arnold says he just wanted to give other people a chance, but Clint thinks it's politics. Eastwood and Shriver suspect they were fired because they opposed a toll road through an Orange County beach. Clint said: "Somebody got a bee under their bonnet at the right moment, so there we are. I guess he felt we were going to be guys who were going to be obstructionists for anything through state parks."

Enter the environmentalists, just read more. Several groups have submitted letters to the state Senate, asking the legislature to save the parks. The environmentalists are not pleased with Arnold's dismissal of Clint and Bobby, and are especially concerned about the governor's plan to close 48 parks in order to balance the state's budget.

Arnold isn't prepared to let family or Hollywood friends get in the way of his plans. Do you think his decision is strictly business, or very personal?

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Do Tell: How Do You Live Green?

DearSugar — Fri, 22 Jun 2007 07:00:00 -0700

We live in a time where everyone must do her part to help save our environment. Stars are speaking out and doing everything they can to gain momentum and raise awareness. While most of us are comfortably set in our ways, slightly changing our day to day actions can make a huge difference over time. Whether it is swapping out your light bulbs to energy saving bulbs or recycling, taking public transportation or re-using grocery bags, ladies, do tell, how do you pitch in to save our one and only planet Earth?

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Girl Crush of the Day: Isabella Rossellini

GiggleSugar — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 12:00:00 -0700

The divine Isabella Rossellini is not only beautiful (getting genes from Ingrid Bergman didn't hurt) and talented (Blue Velvet, anyone?), but also totally offbeat and funny. Here she is on the Sundance Channel's second installment of its Green Porno series telling us about the fascinating sex life of the limpet sea creature.

Get a load of this: The limpet (a sequential hermaphrodite) starts off sexless. Then it turns female. Next, it's joined by another sexless limpet that turns male. (Are you still with me?) They mate, the female dies, and then the male closest to her turns female himself. Wow. Honestly, Isabella could read the directions on a shampoo bottle and I would be rapt in fascination. And note, all ye who think you need to Botox, lift, and collagen your way into beauty after 40 - this is what gorgeous after forty looks like. (Click here to watch more awesome Green Porno videos.)

The Obama Girls Go Green at School

CitizenSugar — Sat, 06 Dec 2008 08:00:00 -0800

On Friday, CasaSugar let you know about the American Institute of Architecture's offer to help the White House become an international model of energy efficiency. If President-elect Barack Obama takes AIA up on the offer, he'll really be getting somewhere with his aforementioned green building goals. But, as it turns out, Obama has already begun to walk the walk: after much ado, he and Michelle have decided to send their daughters, Malia and Sasha, to an environmentally friendly, LEED-platinum school, the Sidwell Friends School in D.C. To hear about the school's eco-friendly architecture, read more.

When Sidwell decided to construct a new middle school, which was completed in September 2006, the school opted for sustainable design to express its commitment to environmental stewardship. Some of its eco-friendly components include constructed wetlands, water-efficient landscaping, use of local, regional, and recycled materials, a green roof, natural ventilation, and solar panels. In March 2007, it was awarded a LEED Platinum rating, making it not only the first K-12 school in the United States to have such a rating, but also the first LEED Platinum building in all of D.C.

Sidwell Friends also offsets electricity and gas for all buildings on both campuses as well as employee travel through the purchase of carbon offsets, and 50 percent of its energy purchased is from wind energy. The school also practices green housekeeping, food service, and composting. Now, that's walking the talk! Maybe Sidwell Friends' architects, KieranTimberlake, can show the White House a thing or two.
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Shades of Green - A Disney Resort For Military Families

CitizenSugar — Sat, 17 May 2008 11:00:09 -0700

I can't believe I had never heard of this place until I cracked open the Times yesterday - Shades of Green. It's a vacation spot for soldiers on active duty (and other eligible service folks) to call their own when they come home to visit their families or need a vacation.

Nestled within Walt Disney World in Orlando, FL, the name is inspired by camouflage colors and features everything you'd expect from a fun-in-the-sun resort - all housed on property leased by the Army. Shades of Green is one of five Armed Forces Recreation Centers (the other fun-spots: Hawaii, Germany, South Korea and Virginia) where servicemen and women can reunite with families.

The resort has the usual - swimming pools and tennis courts - but there are some service-specific goodies as well. The pond has radio controlled boats emblazoned with service insignia so branches can compete with one another, and strict attention is paid to making the resort ADA-accessible. To see the other perks, read more.

There's the Disney attention to detail. Keeping the resort family-friendly, video games are not permitted to have any blood, gore, or foul language. Staff uniforms, nail polish, and mustache length are all regulated and potentially dicey magazines have all inappropriate material edited out before they're put on display. And adult beverages? The Shades of Green's cocktail lounge, Eagles, closed due to lack of business.

Spending time with family is only one bonus of the resort - as a military haven, it gives service members a chance to spend time with sympathetic strangers who understand the challenges of being in uniform. One Army MP just back from Iraq said: “You can enjoy the esprit de corps of being with other military.” Another attraction? The price. A room at Walt Disney world can cost as much as $350 a night while an "oversized" room at Shades of Green is available for $89. Oh, and lines for rides? Taken care of. Sea World has a special Heroes line on popular rides getting them to the goods that much quicker.

Have you been to one of the Armed Forces Recreation Centers? Did you know they existed?

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Green Day + Kelly Clarkson = Ponk Rock

GiggleSugar — Sun, 07 Oct 2007 03:00:00 -0700

Most punks don't really think Green Day is punk, but compared to Kelly Clarkson, they're pretty hard core. Who would've thunk that their musical stylings could blend? Some genius came along, mashed up one of Green Day's live performances with one of Kelly Clarkson's, and created a new hit ~~pop/punk~~ ponk song. (It's not Run DMC meets Aerosmith, but it's pretty good, and it's still more punk than Avril!)

Will Ferrell Goes Green

GiggleSugar — Fri, 23 Nov 2007 01:30:00 -0800

Do not piss off Will Ferrell and his environmentally-friendly Green Team, cuz they are not so friendly if you litter. (Thanks for sending, Casa!)

Seth Green: Extreme Britney Fan?!

GiggleSugar — Mon, 17 Sep 2007 01:00:00 -0700

Chris Crocker, the extreme Britney fan, has officially reached internet celebrity status. He's got people impersonating him left and right. Even legitimate celebrities like Seth Green have joined his cry-hard fan club. So cheer up Chris! Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, you know. (Hee, hee, hee...)