Green Options

An Australian scientist has developed a new method of manufacturing solar cells using nothing more than some nail polish remover, a pizza oven and a standard inkjet printer.

The iJET technique is so easy and cheap to carry out that it could revolutionize access to solar technology in the developing world.

In a recent radio interview (audio), Nicole Kuepper, a 23 year-old PhD student at the University of New South Wales, explained the process.

Apple finally listens to Greenpeace. The iPhone maker is rumored to release their next-gen MacBook with eco-friendly aluminum.

AppleInsider claims that the next version of Apple’s MacBook is ready to start production stateside, and that the iPhone maker has upgraded the laptop eco wise. The notebook’s plastic parts have been replaced by more eco-friendly aluminum. This news comes on the heels of announcing a greener iPod Nano last month -  which also comes in [...]

Many parents are concerned about the safety of childhood vaccines, and my attention was caught by Mothering’s action alert about “Green Vaccines”. What the heck is a green vaccine? It sounds like an oxymoron to me.  Jenny McCarthy, spokesperson for Talk About Curing Autism (TACA), and Jim Carrey are calling for support of the Green Our Vaccines Rally for Autism.

On June 4, 2008, the Green Vaccines rally will be held in Washington, D.C. The rally cry is:

• We are not anti-vaccine, we are anti-toxins.

• Green our Vaccines!!

• Change the schedule, babies are getting too much too soon.

• We support informed consent for all families

• To give the moms and dads around the world a day to be heard. This is their day. This will be their moment.

Updated editor’s note (9/7/09): We were extremely disappointed to find out that SIGG hadn’t been completely honest about the presence of BPA in its “water-based, non-toxic coating” mentioned later in this article. I thought hard about taking this one down; instead, I encourage you to take a look at Simran Sethi’s post on the revelation that SIGG bottles made before August 2008 do contain BPA.

The reduction in the use of plastic bottles in our lives is an aim I think most of us share. It’s all too easy to pick up a new plastic bottle of water rather than carrying your own, over 100m in the US alone are ending up in landfills every day. There are a few schools of thought, using aluminum bottles, steel bottles or corn based biodegradable plastic bottles (with or without a water filter). This review looks at one of those choices, a SIGG aluminum water bottle.

It’s an aluminum bottle. That’s pretty much it, it carries about 1 litre of liquid and does a fine job of it. At about 22.5cm (9 inches) in height, not including the cap (more about them in a minute) it’s a decent size to use on a walk, picnic, or gym, and just about fits in an average car cup holder. The bottles are fully recyclable at the end of their, probably long, life.

Who are SIGG? SIGG Switzerland dates back to 1908 when metal processing specialist Ferdinand Sigg established an aluminum product factory about 30 kilometers outside of Zurich. Still manufactured in Switzerland, they’ve been called the world’s toughest water bottles. Available in 144 designs with 22 bottle lids, some of the bottles are also displayed in the Museum of Modern Art in New York. SIGG is also a member of 1% For The Planet - donating 1% of all sales to helping to preserve our environment.