GE released a new credit card that promises toinvest 1% of consumer purchases to emission reduction projects. Consumers can opt for half of 1% as cash back and the other half to fund offsets. Each year on Earth Day you will recieve a report showing how your off sets balance will reduce emissions.  read more »

A sixteen year study has revealed an invasion in the North Eastern Pacific of large aggresive squid. The pack hunting predators are 2 meter Humbolt squid (Dosidicus gigas). The previously rarely seen squid were previous spotted in conjunction with El Nino weather events but they always retreated to their regular territories when the warming events ended.

The squid are credited with the drop in the populations of several commercial fish including hake, and anchovies. Their recent expansion into a new range coincides with both climate related changes in ocean temperatures, and with the reduction of tuna. The Tuna both compete for food with the squid and also feed on young squid.  read more »

The Green Electronics Council released its first report estimating the benefits of purchasing desktops, laptops and monitors registered by its EPEAT database. EPEAT (Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool) is an online tool which allows organizations to compare and select computers based on their environmental attributes. EPEAT ranks qualifying products in three tiers, Bronze, Silver or Gold with the lowest meeting all requirements and the strictest (Gold) meeting 75% or more optional criteria.:  read more »

My hope is that we can finally put a nail in the coffin of the idea that you can’t produce enough food through organic agriculture -- co-author Ivette Perfecto

A three year study from the University of Michigan concluded that organic farming could yield as much as three times as much food for developing countries without putting additional farmland into production.

This finding refutes the widely held belief that organic practices would be detrimental to farming in developing nations. Organic farming would not only be more profitable and productive, but also more cost-effective, sustainable, and more ecologically friendly.  read more »

Researchers have confirmed that human activities have affected the distribution of global rain patterns resulting in the drying of areas such as India and sub-Saharan Africa while Canada, parts of Russia and parts of Europe have seen an increase in rainfall. The results will be published in the journal Nature on Thursday.

There have been suggestions and debate regarding the nature of changes in weather patterns and whether or not human activity is to blame. Natural factors as well as the consumption of fossil fuels and other other human activities are know to influence the atmosphere. Proponents argue the changes are part of the planet's continually shifting climate patterns.  read more »

In a first for the American presidential debate, eight Democratic candidates answered questions from users. The questions were selected by CNN from almost 3000 submissions via YouTube. the questions differed from traditional debates. One question aimed at Clinton asked "how would you define the word 'liberal?' And would you use this word to describe yourself?" A broadly directed question later asked "All of you say you will be able to work with Republicans. Well, here's a test. If you had to pick any Republican member of Congress or Republican governor to be your running mate, who would it be?"  read more »

After its chairman, Craig Barrett previously made negative comments about it, Intel has decided to join up with the One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) project. Craig Barrett called the laptops a "gadget". The new partners announced that Intel will join the non-profit's board and contribute funding for the program.

The project is also referred to as the $100 laptop program, in reference to the intended cost of the items . Currently the actual cost remains $175 USD. The laptops are intended for distribution to children in poor and developing countries.  read more »

Think about what would happen if you lost everything you had. How much of it would you not even want back? How much of it is just crap or has become crap over the years?

What is discardia?

Discardia is a floating holiday created by Dinah Sanders that celebrates using less, and getting rid of the things that don't provide our lives with value -- from relationships to furniture; from habits to old bank statements. It celebrates letting go of what you don't need or don't want anymore. More simply, it celebrates nothing. It is a holiday with absolutely no obligations and no need for stress. On discardia you can simply "decide that you won't buy anything or bring anything into your home and that you will instead just enjoy the fact that you have enough."  read more »