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[breyn-i-keyn] Brainstorming on a Higher Level

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Archive for January 14th, 2009

Surgical checklist ’saves lives’

Using a checklist during major operations can cut deaths and complications by more than a third, research shows.

Vintage Furniture Revamp Ideas from Raval Warehouse

Photos: Raval Warehouse.
One of the basics of green living is reducing waste, and one of the best ways to go green when thinking about furniture is buying vintage. Of course vintage is not always attractive and sometimes it’s hard to make it look modern and cool if you’re not into it. Enter Raval Warehouse, a […]

Tribe Weaves Floating Islands, Homes and Boats on Lake Titicaca

Image: jennifrog
TreeHugger has shown a few ideas for floating homes and even floating islands, but as so often happens, what we show turns out to have been done for years, perhaps centuries. Linda McCormick of Environmental Graffiti tells us that the Uros people of Peru build floating villages “from layers of bundled tortora reeds, which […]

Save Energy, Move in With a Friend

Source
Paul Anka nailed it when he wrote “You are My Density“- A new study by SMR on “Consumer Energy Spending And The Demographics Of Over-Consumption” presents some pretty disturbing results about the subject. Basically, just about everything anyone does to save energy and build more energy efficient housing is overwhelmed by the consistently increasing […]

Six Tips From Al Gore For George Bush’s New Dallas Mansion

The Smoking Gun
Congratulations to George and Laura on their new 8501 square foot Dallas Digs on a lovely 1.13 acre lot. Although it is pretty big, we would not begrudge an ex-president (or vice-president, for that matter) a little room to move around. Since you did such a good job of going green on your […]

Big Apple is Big Winner for Its Transit Improvements

Bicyclists in New York City. Photo: Walter Hook, ITDP
New York City’s sustainability efforts under its comprehensive PlaNYC 2030 boosted it above Beijing, which scrambled to clean up its air before hosting the Olympics, and three other international nominees for the Sustainable Transport Award.

Norwegian Electric Car Maker THINK Stays Alive! Receives Interim Funding

photo: THINK
Back in December, Mike wrote about how Norwegian electric car manufacturer THINK had the rug pulled out from under them when the government wouldn’t guarantee several million dollars in loans that the company hoped would pull it through a rough financial patch. Well, there’s some good news to report on that front. THINK announced […]

Quote of the Day: Republican House Leader on Bikes and Beautification

John Boehner, Republican House leader, pretends to care about alternative fuel vehicles but clearly doesn’t think that bicycles qualify.
“I think there’s a place for infrastructure, but what kind of infrastructure? Infrastructure to widen highways, to ease congestion for American families? Is it to build some buildings that are necessary?” He stated. “But if we’re talking […]

Portland Hosts First VeloSwap

Image source: Portland Veloswap
This past weekend Portland, OR played host to the first “freecycle” or “swap-o-rama-rama” of bike parts dubbed the VeloSwap. Veteran and novice bikers alike were allowed to hang out, get good deals, sample some good organic food and bask in the glory of their own common pursuit - getting around on two […]

Scorecard for Alternative Transport Energy Ranks Wind-Electric First, Ethanol In Last Place

A recent research report by Mark Jacobson (pictured), updated and available for public review in Energy And Environmental Science, ranks several alternative transportation energy sources against key criteria. Among the criteria used, are those typically overlooked by proponents of, and investors in, the various propulsion technologies being actively promoted as alternatives to the […]