Over the last few months, several big car makers, including Nissan, Subaru and Mitsubishi, have announced plans to produce all-electric cars before the end of the decade, or soon after. Now Daimler has announced that it to plans to jump on the growing EV bandwagon, with plans to roll-out a Mercedes-Benz electric car in 2010. According to Chief Executive Dieter Zetsche, the company also plans to offer an electric Smart car in the same year.

At this stage, it’s unclear whether the cars will be based on an existing model, or on a completely new platform. If the former, it’s likely that the Mercedes EV will be based on either an A-Class or B-Class, as is the case with their fuel-cell prototype (pictured below).

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This striking empire-line Jeanie Halter Dress is made from a blend of hemp and Tencel®. It has delicate strawberry shaped organic cotton lace detail and ruby-red satin bow detail.

Know that Tencel® is a cellulosic fiber made from wood pulp and is the brand name for Lyocell by Lenzing Fibers. Designers love the desirable properties, such as drape.

Jenny’s Enamore UK fashion label consists of a variation of garments made from the finest organic and sustainable fabrics. Additional examples are bamboo, soya, and silk sourced from accredited suppliers. The brand is a diverse collection of dresses, separates, and an exciting range of organic lingerie with a new twist on modern Pinups.

The Jeanie Halter Dress is made to order, so step on it for the summer heat! If interested in seeing more Enamore collections, restricted travelers and American homebodies have no fear. Ready-made designs can be found in worldwide cities such as London, Milan, Paris, Munich, Washington DC, and of course on the web.

Jenny moved her biz to the picturesque city of Bath, where the brand continues to grow and flourish. She works with fashion and textile students and graduates from all over the UK, offering unique opportunities for work experience with a creative young business.
Love you Jenny!

Thames Water Utilities will now be allowed to continue building a plant on the north bank of the Thames River in the London Borough of Newham and begin construction of another plant in Beckton, East London.

“Today’s news is a victory for common sense,” stated Thames Water CEO David Owens in a press release. “The desalination plant is a vital part of our response to this situation, and we are committed to getting it built as quickly as possible, so it is available to provide more safe, clean drinking water to Londoners by 2010.”

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Events unfolded when an unusually powerful gust of wind swept along the Thames, picking up debris and in so doing, blew a hole in the face of Big Ben.

The ensuing gale caused the iconic bell to monstrously chime in the wind – a knell that shuddered and brought the capital to a standstill - the normally ignorant Londoners actually pausing from earning obscene amounts of money and contemplating their existence.

But it was a wake-up call for more than Joe Public. Realising the enormity of events, our prime minister called an emergency press conference.

The normally stoic Scot, tears visibly welling, announced he was leaving office, citing the weather as, and I quote “the wind of change.”

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Source:  Treehugger 

Air Pollution

Aviation tax proposals have been outlined by the government. Under the new guidelines, due to come into effect in November this year, it will be the planes, not the passengers, that will be taxed.

New Government figures released showed that emissions from air travel are continuing to rise. Between 1990 and 2006, emissions from aviation fuel use more than doubled.

21 per cent of the UK’s carbon emissions will be attributable to air traffic by 2050, and the Treasury report insisted the proposed tax system would, “introduce fairer duty, more in line with the environmental impact of flights, including the distance travelled”.

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Entitled LONDON AWARE 08, the exhibition gives people a chance to meet and talk with the exhibitors.

And as the website tells us:

LONDON AWARE 08 will be a meeting point for everyone - businesses, charities and experts, as well as people who are taking their first steps into a greener world.

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London is often called the Big Smoke by those not living there. An almost reverent and hushed tone is applied to our country’s largest city.

The clue’s in the name. Big Smoke. Whilst London may well be an internationally vital centre for commerce, a city rich in culture, it is far from being an environmentally friendly corner of the world.

Perhaps this is about to change.

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This comes mere weeks after Gordon Brown, the UK’s new prime minister, gave his first speech on the environment. Whilst not being exactly radical, it did at least entertain some hope that we finally had a leader with green credentials.

Until London Heathrow that is.

Airport bosses must be dancing a jig at the moment because the government has decided to give the green light to a third runway. And yes, I use the word “green” witheringly.

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What do Singapore, Oslo, Toronto, and London have in common? They are among a number of cities to adopt traffic-reducing legislation. Popularly known as congestion charging, this legislation aims to improve the health of urban areas.

If your city suffers from congestion, stuffiness, poor air quality, slow public transportation, and irritating gridlock, you may be able to benefit your community by recommending congestion charging to your local officials.

What wouldn’t we give for clean air, less asthma and lung and heart disease, safer streets, and a healthy environment? But these are only a few of the perks of pushing for this legislation in your hometown or city.

Toronto commuters can now get home from work twice as fast (and surely with fewer bumper-to-bumper headaches). Londoners enjoy lower fairs on better-funded public transportation and a 20% drop in polluting carbon emissions, which will benefit health as well as the environment. In Melbourne, 86% of motorists said that the toll enabled them to get around the city more easily. Even in Norway’s Trondheim, where congestion charging met with initial resistance, public approval climbed from 26% to 64% in the first four years after the legislation was implemented. In other words, by all accounts this is exceedingly popular and effective legislation. (Commission for Integrated Transportation)

Here’s where we come in. We all know that the United States is the biggest per capita emitter of climate-altering CO2 and that much of this pollution comes from the vehicles we drive. As Environmental Defense puts it, “If U.S. cars and light trucks were a country, they would be the fifth most polluting nation in the world.” Now we can hang our heads, count our toes, and feel guilty, or we can do something much more interesting and exciting. And this is where the fun starts.

Contact your local mayor and city council to let them know how great it would be to see a congestion charge implemented in your city. This is a great chance to improve funding for city streets and public transportation, benefit the physical health of your city’s residents, reduce the number of auto deaths and injuries each year, clean your air, fight global warming, and do it all by getting involved in the governance of your city. It’s good, old-fashioned activism in a positive, inspiring way.

Some more good news: you may find more support than you would think for congestion charging in your city or town. Across the U.S., municipal leaders are already showing willingness to look for ways to reduce carbon emissions. Over 500 city mayors have already signed the U.S. Conference of Mayors Climate Protection Agreement. Congestion charging is a great way to meet their climate goals (and yours).

Other Eco-Creativity Opportunities

If a congestion charge doesn’t feel quite right to you, consider what other solutions your city could find to its traffic troubles and pollution problems. In Trento, Italy, my Trentino friends tell me, cars take turns sharing the road: one day only cars with odd-numbered license plates are allowed on the road, followed by cars with even-numbered plates. Because Trento is in a valley, auto exhaust pollution poses an even more serious health risk, so this legislation helps keep people healthy and drivers happily traffic-free.

Another solution is to leave letter writing behind and join a local bicycle group and turn your commuting and errands into healthy and fun bike rides. This accomplishes traffic calming as well with one less car.

Taking Activism International

The London congestion charge has succeeded in improving public transportation, safeguarding health, cleaning the air and environment with reduced CO2 and particulate emissions, made commuting easier, and become more even popular today than it was when it was first signed into law.

However, the U.S. Embassy decided several years ago to stop paying this road charge, angering city officials and causing general international unrest. While this is nothing particularly new for U.S. foreign relations, wouldn’t it be nice if for once we could just get along with the rest of the world? (This story was the subject of an article by my fellow blogger, Heidi Strebel: “London Mayor Wants to Crush American Ambassador for Refusing to Pay.”)

So here’s another great activism opportunity. Feel free to contact Ambassador Robert Tuttle by phone at 442074999000 ext. 2211, or at the following address, to request politely that the U.S. Embassy repay its accrued debt to the London government and resume its payment of the London Congestion Charge. Always remember that when you call or write someone to take action, kindness and courtesy are important attributes. There’s an old adage that you catch more bees with honey than with vinegar. Personally, I would think that pollen or flowers would work best, but who am I to rewrite wisdom?

Before you contact the U.S. Embassy in London, you can also listen to both the argument of the London city Mayor, Ken Livingstone, who insists that the U.S. Embassy settle its tab with the city, as well as the defense of U.S. Minister David Johnson that the “charge” should be considered a “tax,” which would exempt foreign officials from obligation.

Ambassador Robert Tuttle
Embassy of the United States in London
24 Grosvenor Square
London, W1A 1AE
United Kingdom

Dear Ambassador Tuttle,

Sir, I just read a news article about your unwillingness to pay the London congestion charge on any of the vehicles used by the American Embassy in London. I understand your concern that the Embassy not be subject to foreign taxes in accordance with the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations. However, it is in the best diplomatic interest of Americans at home and abroad that the American Embassy in London comply with the city of London and pay the congestion charge, which is, after all, a charge and not a tax.

It is of the utmost importance to Americans at home and abroad that ambassadors of this country build a positive political image. In order to maintain a positive image, the American Embassy and its employees must perform their duties with a sense of responsibility for the city and the country where they work. Flouting city laws and angering elected city officials is definitely not good press for America, especially when the law being broken concerns the health of local residents.

The London congestion charge is designed to benefit and protect the residents of London. Health officials, like the American Lung Association, are quick to remind us of the obvious connection between car exhaust and respiratory and cardiovascular health. By reducing the number of commuter vehicles used daily, the congestion charge helps to reduce harmful air pollution. Among the congestion charge’s other contributions to London are safer city streets with 38% fewer private cars, better public transit through much-increased ridership, 2 billion pounds a year to serve the city, and a 20% reduction of carbon emissions, according to Mayor Livingston’s office.

By ignoring the congestion charge, the American Embassy undermines this important legislation, which helps to protect the health and wellbeing of London residents. It is doubly surprising that the American Embassy should show such little respect for laws governing the capitol city of England, which has been a steadfast supporter of American interests.

I respectfully ask you, Sir, to consider the best interests of London residents and the good image of the United States of America, which you represent abroad, and to comply with the London congestion charge.

Sincerely,

Happy Activism!

Photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/fictiondreamer/523447351/

London-based brand Hug, well known for their womens wear, recently re-released their unique children's line called Little Green Radicals. Available for babies and toddlers, all items are made from organic, certified Fair Trade, and sweatshop-free cotton in Egypt and India. Also noted on the brand's website: all prints "have been produced using the most ecological water based inks available."

While basic items like bibs, t-shirts, playsuits, denim are available, they are beyond boring. Graphics featuring phrases like "panda-monium," "I recycle my tantrums," "I only eat organic turnips," and "give peas a chance" come in vibrant shades of red, pink, blue, green, and yellow. Prices range from £5-£28 (roughly $10-$55) and items are available on the company's website. I did some searching and have not yet found an online store in the States that sells the line, so unfortunately, items would still have to be shipped from the UK.

Over 2,000 square meters of living turf will be placed in the square transforming the icon into London's "Village Green". For two days, people are encouraged to take advantage of the living space with picnics and other recreational activities. The turf itself comes from a company outside of York called Lindum that specializes in sustainable grass growing practices. The turf is harvested as a vegetative mat of roots and leafy plant with very little soil attached. One of the main fertilisers is an organic material made from recycled waste from Yorkshire Water.

After its use on the square, the turf will be moved to Bishops Park in Hammersmith and Fulham, where it will be planted beneath "an avenue of majestic plane trees close to the River Thames and Fulham Palace."

Personally, I love this idea. The concept of taking urban areas generally devoid of natural beauty and adding something organic and grand is impressive. I think people in cities generally avoid nature; and in doing so, miss out on the connection that's needed for us to actually care about the big picture; to work in harmony with everything beyond our two bedroom pads. While these additions are temporary, one hopes that if such creations can inspire, then permanent solutions that offer a mix of urban and nature are not far ahead.

Did you get to Trafalgar this week? What did you think of its new look?

VisitLondon.com