Which would you rather eat: sustainable food or poison from China?

Seems like we have a choice, but it means paying attention to where our food comes from, how it got to us and who was involved in the process. Check the Reader article "Principle 18: Sustainable Food" against "Poison used in China is found in U.S.-made animal feed", also in the Reader.

Eco-tecture

Today's NYT Magazine has several interesting articles, including "Why Are They Greener Than We Are?" "They" are Europeans, of course. There's also an interview by Deborah Solomon with William McDonough, "Calling Mr. Green."

Ecological Footprint

I stumbled on this quiz. I actually tested more favorably than average in the area I live, but still use around 5 times more acreage than I should.

Eco-friendly Kitchen Counters

I put a link to a new notebook I'm building -- "Eco-friendly Kitchen Counters". There are a few links within the notebook to sources for recycled glass, end-grain bamboo, recycled paper, sustainable wood and reecycled aluminum.

Recycled glass counters are made from colorful recycled glass mixed into a cement, concrete, or resin base. Counters can be integrally colored or stained for more variation and color coordination with cabinetry or painted surfaces. It's green because it diverts used glass from the waste stream. The cement in some counters is mixed with fly ash, a waste product of coal-burning that would otherwise end up in landfills; this reduces greenhouse gas-producing cement manufacturing.

End-grain bamboo counters are basically chopping blocks made of slender rectangles of end-grain bamboo glued into panels. It's a substitute for wood because its fast growth makes it more renewable. Low off-gassing glues don't harm indoor air quality.

Recycled paper counters are made with recycled paper in a resin base and are available in a variety of thicknesses and colors. They're heat and stain resistant. They're considered green because they use postconsumer recycled paper certified by the Forest Stewardship Counsel, and nonpetroleum, formaldehyde-free resins.

Sustainable wood counters are butcher-block counters, some from reclaimed or recycled lumber, others from sustainably harvested tree species. These are considered green because using reclaimed wood reduces the need for harvesting new trees. Moreover, recycled old-growth lumber often has tighter grain and better quality.

Some recycled aluminum counters are made from postindustrial scrap aluminum in polymeric resin. These are considered green because, not only do they utilize scrap, they can be recycled at the end of their useful life.

NY Home Receives LEED Certification

A home outside Syracuse, New York reportedly received a Gold LEED Certification in the LEED pilot program. Here's a link to the article.

Prefab/Modular -- Mikano

I stumbled on this site. Farnsworth?

Green Quiz

From the Sundance Channel. Here's the result of my test.

Wal-Mart Slapped For Misleading Organic Consumers

Somehow, I'm not surprised be the article.In a letter to Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., based in Bentonville, Arkansas, the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection stated they'd found numerous instances of conventional food products improperly labeled as organic by the retail chain

Zero Carbon House

Ok. I've been building and rebuilding the Notebookz I've linked to when I stumble on the Zero Carbon House. It's reportedly a low energy demonstration project, designed to be self sustaining in 3 years.

Ethos Water & Corporate Responsibility

I stumbled on this, and am not sure whether it's real but it makes you think twice about a company's claims to be helping the underprivileged.

McGraw-Hill Construction Announces Release of its Greening of Corporate America SmartMarket Report

Based on research provided to MH by Siemens -- including a poll of mostly CEOs and CFOs on sustainability and green building issues, there appears to be growing recognition that it makes economic sense to embrace sustainability (including green building) in corporate practices. The Report itself isn't free, but here's a link to the Building Online piece.

Alternative Energy Fund Newly Listed On NYSE

For you investors interested in alternative energy, New York-based investment adviser Van Eck Global today launched Market Vectors-Global Alternative Energy ETF , a new exchange-traded fund (ETF), listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) The ticker is GEX. Here's the link to the press release.

Condominium Design From Munich

Richard Horden, a professor at Technical University of Munich, designed a self-sustaining micro compact home. It's all about living more with less. Here's the link to the article in 4-27-07 Wired.

When Carbon Is Currency

The NYT published an article today discussing the fact that 10 states have joined to create the first mandatory carbon cap-and-trade program in the US. Here's the link.

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change -- Summary

The IPCC recently published a 35 page summary of a huge study saying the world must significantly cut emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases by sharply improving energy efficiency in buildings, vehicles and even kitchen appliances; shifting from fossil fuels to nuclear, wind, solar and other renewable energy sources; saving forests as "carbon sinks"; capping agricultural emissions, and taking many other steps. Here's the link to the summary.

Greener Apple

Steve Jobs' open letter outlines Apple's environmental policies, including plans for removing toxic chemicals from the company's products. Here's the link.

Poison-Free Lawn

I hate my lawn. But, it may as well be poison-free. Here's a link to an article in GreenHomeGuide by landscape architect Sherri Osaka.