Green Options

The algae! Yes – the same slimy brown-green ‘plant’ that makes a pond or a lake look yucky – is the creating a great buzz as the most promising source of alternative energy. And now nanotechnology is being leveraged to add some more zing to the promise!

When it comes to algae, the only thing that Venetian authorities can be certain of is the fact that this problem is not going away. But the newest plan just might solve any number of problems. In collaboration with Enalg, the Venice seaport will build a power plant that uses algae as fuel.

It’s plentiful, it’s homegrown, and it could help clean up the environment while powering our cities. The idea of transforming algae into a fuel is a reality. Nowadays there are numerous implementations of algae into the renewable energy market.

Flooding has been a fact of life in Venice, Italy for over 700 years. However, the frequency and severity of the floods is increasing steadily.

This past week in Vegas ushered in new designers and a new category, the ECOllection, at the steadily growing, highly anticipated annual Magic fashion event.

One of this year’s standouts was Loka Kouture. The rocker chic collection by Paloma Posford and Dahiana Cedeno, launched in 2007 from a small studio in Venice, CA and line brings a new edginess to the glam rock look by blending sexiness and socially responsibility. The line is eco-conscious, vegan and sweat shop-free. Rock on ladies.

Italy’s failure to apply EU directives is not only related to the garbage emergency in Naples. A recent article by Fulcro Pratesi, President of the environmental group Wwf Italy, makes a plea to save one of the most enchanting Italian cities from degradation. Summer is coming and big cruise liners are devastating the Venice lagoon creating a health hazard for residents.

Tourism has been part of the life of Venice for centuries; however, in the last years, the city has faced grave problems due to the tremendous volume of tourists each year. Residents say that whereas the centre of Venice was once full of shops selling ‘real things’ but now most shops sell souvenirs such as Merano glass and carnival masks.

When the US Green Building Council’s LEED® rating system became the standard for green building in the US a few years ago, it provided a way for builders and homeowners alike to have an immediate and measurable impact on the environment. Though certified buildings are increasingly common in commercial design, few platinum-certified homes exist in the US. Now, one of the most environmentally-friendly homes in California will be open to the public.

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The Canary Project is banking not only on the old saying, "A picture is worth a thousand words," but that the right picture — or pictures — can resonate and inspire viewers to take action against global warming.

Founded in 2006, The New York-based Canary Project initially set out to build public awareness of climate change by photographing landscapes around the world that are already feeling the impact. It has

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