Coconuts have a very hard shell that can be used in many different ways, a new suggestion by a team of researchers says that the really good part of the shell is the coconut’s husk which can be turned into car parts.

The approach has potential because coconuts are an abundant, renewable resource in all countries near the equator, including the Philippines, Indonesia and India. The husks are burned or thrown away, generating garbage. This is the first time that coconut fibers have been used to make these automotive products, said Walter Bradley, an engineering professor who is leading the project.

In Ghana, as one of Bradley’s students told him, the discarded husks pile up in mounds, creating a health hazard because they collect water where malaria-causing mosquitoes can breed.

“We are trying to turn trash into cash to help poor coconut farmers,” Bradley said, adding that the long-term goal is to increase demand for coconuts to millions of pounds, and thereby raise their market price.

Currently, there are about 11 million coconut farmers in the world making an average annual income of $500, he said.

San Francisco airport is trying out a neat idea- selling carbon offsets in the airport. It’s one way that you can make flying a little greener.

“We’d like people to stop and consider the impacts of flying,” said Steve McDougal, executive vice president for 3Degrees, a San Francisco firm that sells renewable-energy and carbon-reduction investments and is teaming up with the airport and the city on the project. “Obviously, people need to fly sometimes. No one expects them to stop, but they should consider taking steps to reduce their impacts.”

San Francisco’s Airport Commission has authorized the program, which will involve a $163,000 investment from SFO, but is still working out the details with 3Degrees. Because of that, McDougal said, he can’t yet discuss specifics, such as the cost to purchase carbon offsets and what programs would benefit from travelers’ purchases.

A grad student on her way to Yale did some math and discover that living there would cost ~$14,000. She figured she could take that same amount and built her own sustainable tiny house.

Elizabeth’s Tiny House will have a sleeping loft, storage loft, study nook, kitchen area, living area, and a bathroom. When complete, she’ll tow the entire home to New Haven for the start of the academic year.

You’ll notice the simple passive design. During the winter, the side with all the windows will gather sunlight. During the summer, she’ll turn the trailer around and leave the slanted roof facing the sun. Three solar panels will power her computer, lights, and other electronics in the home. The tiny house has a small shower, composting toilet, and propane to heat the home when necessary

Inhabitat has a breakdown of what they see being the most significant trends in transportation in 2008.

3) IT’S NOT JUST ABOUT FUEL EFFICIENCY
Everyone is looking at emissions as the greatest contributor to global warming, but there is so much more that we can do to improve our methods of transportation. This past year Mazda showcased the Kiyora, a car that cleans water, while BMW showed a car that not only ran on hydrogen but also cleaned the air as it moved through the city. But none was as exciting to us as the super-environmentally friendly Eco-Elise, which was revealed by Lotus in July of this year. The vehicle was not just an energy-efficient vehicle, but was created with the greenest materials that the company could find. It’s like they read our minds!

Watch this video

From ABC4All: A chance for anyne receptive to read a New Year Wish from YUBUPA that can mean a better world for all. Please CLICK! here for another Wish for Peace in the New Year! Thank you YUBUPA! Thank you Yuel Bhatti, ABC4All Peace Advocate! Burt/ABC4All

CLICK! New Year Wish and Special Video by YUBUPA!

"This is a brilliant, exhilarating and breathtaking New Year Wish.
Certainly a must read for young people in transition
from school to the world of work."

Regards,

Richard Bbaale
ABC4All Mentor of the Week

Co-Founder, Local ABC4All / UGANDA

El copista está de cumpleaños! En años normales, ha cumplido sus 27 navidades y en años copísticos, ya vienen siendo... como 700.

¡Me regalo a mí misma este libro! Virtualmente este año, pero el objetivo es comprármelo realmente durante el 2009.

Y que feliz navidad a todos. Y que el niño y los Reyes sean generosos. Y que no abunde el carbón sino los dulces en las medias.

¡Saludos!

Merry Christmas from the whole bambúTeam and a Happy New Year 2009 !

A recent study found that people who exercise on work days suffer less stress, and are fitter, happier, more productive (Radiohead). The Daily Mail has more on the study.

People who exercise on work days are more productive, happier and suffer less stress than on non-gym days, scientists revealed today.

University of Bristol researchers found that employees who enjoyed a workout before going to work - or exercised during lunchbreaks - were better equipped to handle whatever the day threw at them.

It also found that people’s general mood improved on days of exercise but they became less calm on non-exercise days.

A cafe in Australia is made from 100% recyclable material and other sustainable materials.

We all want a comfortable life and why not? Many people see the good life as a consumerist dream, but there’s no need for that. Here’s a nice article exploring ways to make the most of the world.

On waking

With less time spent working, the choice is yours — sleep in, go for a run, read a novel. Having rediscovered the real meaning of a good life, previously overconsuming rich countries have now cured most cases of work addiction. In this “downshifted” world the phrase “rush hour” has become a half-remembered curio. Our society has begun to get the hang of how computing and IT can make for smart work, rather than generate slave work.

Those choosing the early morning run enjoy fresh air and clear paths as dramatic reductions in traffic have transformed city air and streets.

Well, here’s some good trivia to impress your friends when they are tired or bored:

If your head is overheated, there’s a good chance you’ll yawn soon, according to a new study that found the primary purpose of yawning is to control brain temperature.

Forbes has the result of an international survey that set out to find the friendliest countries. From the full article:

Canada is the most welcoming; almost 95% of respondents to HSBC Bank International’s Expat Exploreer Survey, released today, said they have made friends with locals. In Germany, 92% were so lucky and in Australia 91% befriended those living there. The United Arab Emirates was found to be the most difficult for expats; only 54% of those surveyed said they’d made friends with locals.

Planet Save has their top ten victories for the environmental movement in 2008. Their list is very much centered on the USA, but a victory for the environment anywhere is a victory for everyone everywhere.

5. Greenpeace Activists Acquitted in the UK

A jury in the UK acquitted six Greenpeace activists of criminal damage charges after they trespassed, scaled, and vandalized a 650-foot smokestack at the Kingsnorth coal plant in Kent. The defense argued that they were acting in defense of the planet and that the damage done by the coal plant’s daily 20,000 tons of carbon emissions will result in damage from climate change much worse than any graffiti. Unfortunate side-note: activists tried the same argument in the United States recently without success.