Hamburg Floats Its Boat

Construction of Hamburg's first fuel-cell powered hybrid passenger ferry, the 100-passenger Zemship (Zero Emissions Ship) is underway and expected to begin crusing the city's Alster lakes for the ATG touist company by this summer. The Zemship's advantages are zero air emissions (the hydrogen used for its two 50 kW fuel cells is derived from natural gas, so it is not emissions free in its life-cycle), a quiet engine and less water pollution to the Alster. Germany-based Proton Motor designed the hybrid battery/fuel cell system and purports that it is nearly twice as efficient as a conventional diesel-powered ferry - and definitely cleaner than the coal-fired steamer ferries originally running on the Alster. ::More

Humanure & Bananas Equals Biogas

In developing countries - where food is scarce and reliable energy supplies are even scarcer - necessity often becomes the mother of invention; so it is in Uganda, where farmers have resorted to using human urine and excreta - mixed in with banana peels, algae, water hyacinth and poultry droppings - as an inexpensive source of biogas. Heifer International Uganda (HIU), an NGO working to reduce hunger and poverty around the world by sharing livestock and knowledge. In an effort to stave off the growing threat of deforestation in Uganda, HIU is working with several partners to build biogas plants; the technology is being used for cooking, lighting pressure lamps and in various engines. ::More

Kitchen Eco-Islands of Reclaimed Wood

TreeHugger has previously interviewed TV chef Michael Chiarello, and we've even given away prizes from his Napa Style website and catalog in our 100-Mile Thanksgiving Challenge. Flicking through his catalog recently, we came across two gorgeous examples of reclaimed-wood kitchen islands - one made from recrafted barrel staves, another built from reclaimed timber from an old barn. While they are not exactly cheap, they are not as outrageously priced as many similar islands. They also look like they are built to last. The barrel stave island boasts several shelves and comes with a solid wood stool. Meanwhile the American Barnwood option features knife holder and maple cutting board. ::More

Voltaic's Laptop Charging Solar Bag

We've been waiting for this: our pals at Voltaic Systems are ready to pull the curtain back on a new laptop bag that can charge up your laptop with the power of the sun. The solar-powered Generator bag uses a single solar panel to produce up to 14.7 watts of power, compared to about 4 watts on the first generation of backpacks and other bags. The setup of the Generator bag appears to be similar to the older bags where the panel charges an internal battery, and the solar panel and battery can also charge many other consumer electronics like iPods and cell phones. The Generator is constructed from fabrics, made with recycled soda bottles, which are tough, weatherproof and UV resistant. ::More

Eco-friendlier Leather From India

Though it is a material with lots of toxic by-products, leather is probably not going to go away soon (and probably not soon enough for those who understandably see it from the animal rights perspective). And though you may ask, whatever happened to sacred cows, leather aficionados nevertheless have an eco-friendlier choice now: scientists based near Chennai, India have now developed a more environmentally-friendly and cost-efficient method for tanning leather. They reduce the chemical pollutants by 82% (about 250 different chemicals are used) and increased energy efficiency by 40%, without observable reduction in quality merely reversing the order of tanning and post-tanning steps. ::More

PolyWhey Floor & Furniture Coatings

Got a dairy that makes cheese? If you do, you've also got whey which you likely pay to manage as a waste - unless you are a whey supplier of Vermont Natural Coatings, that is. Vermont Natural has developed two whey-based coatings: one for wooden furniture; and, the other for floors. Odor is reported to be less than for comparable synthetic coatings, such as urethane or epoxy; and, remarkably, odor is described as less than even other water based-coatings. At first glance, the price, in excess of US$60/gallon, seemed high. But it gives half again as much coverage as most stains and has a cured hardness twice that of other water-based finishes which means it is hard wearing on heavy traffic floors. ::More

Playing in the Dirt

a. A study has shown that switchgrass, a possible ethanol crop, yields 540% more energy than is used to grow it.

b. The United Nations want you to know that it is International Year of the Potato, the planet's No. 4 food crop.

c. Seems particular grass crops, like wheat and sorghum bind carbon into silica balls that they draw up from the soil.

Bloomin' Bulbs

a. The UK's Environment Agency on packaging warnings for safe disposal of Compact Fluorescent Lamps.

b. "But I will have a hard time telling my children that I didn't ... alleviate climate change because of [CFL] aesthetics."

c. Motionbulb is a new CFL bulb that senses motion within 25 feet, also switching off when you leave the room.

Kidz Stuf

a. A survey of 16 to 19 yr olds in the UK, found green teens want support really radical steps to protect the environment.

b. Another found that raising a kid's self esteem reduced their longing for the perceived security of material possessions.

c. Will Steger will be blogging for schools, (& general public) from an arctic expedition showing climate change impact.