Tasha Eichenseher
of National Geographic
The United Nation’s General Assembly voted Wednesday to make water a basic human right. But 41 countries, including the United States, opted out, saying they were waiting for more data. What isn’t in question is the lack of clean water and sanitation for millions around the globe. According to the U.N., 884 million people lack…
Cleaner energy sources could help solve Western U.S. water shortages, according to a report released this month by the nonprofit Western Resource Advocates. In many arid western states, water is already a precious commodity rationed among farmers, cities, recreational areas, and critical habitat for hundreds of species–many of them threatened or endangered. As climate change…
New York–At her New York City show last night Melissa Etheridge rocked the United Palace Theater and peppered her performance with an environmental message. The Grammy-winning singer-songwriter announced support for Alexandra Cousteau’s 14,500-mile, five-month tour dedicated to documenting water stories from around North America. Cousteau opened the show for Etheridge, engaging the…
Alexandra Cousteau, Jacques’ granddaughter, and a National Geographic Emerging Explorer, can be found these days crisscrossing the country in a biodiesel-fueled bus decorated with decals and logos about water. Not the ocean water her grandfather so brilliantly explored with his camera, but the kind that flows out of our taps at home and fills the…
We have passed the point of “peak water”–or the end of cheap, easy-to-access water–in several places around the globe, experts say. Those places include the Great Plains in the southern and central U.S., California’s Central Valley, northern China, the Nile River Basin in northern Africa, the Jordan River Basin in the Middle East, India, and…
A WaterAid photo montage for their campaign to End Water Poverty recently caught my eye. The image was released at the end of last month during the first annual meeting, in Washington, D.C., of the United Nation’s (UN) initiative on Sanitation and Water for All. According to a UN report released around the same time,…
If you’re looking for ways to invest your money in 2010, you’ll get a return on companies building wastewater treatment plants, according to United Nations (UN) experts speaking to journalists gathered today at UN offices in Nairobi, Kenya. Satinder Bindra, director of communications for the UN Environment Program (UNEP), said his financial advisor told him…
Sustainable Seduction
Posted by Tasha Eichenseher of National Geographic on February 12, 2010 Green Guide writer Eliza Barclay lays out plans for a sultry green Valentine’s Day. Read her tips on certifiably sustainable oysters, organic and upcycled couture lingerie, Earth-friendly and chemical-free foreplay, and more. Then read our wine and chocolate buying guides, for suggestions on pleasing your palate. –Tasha Eichenseher
Car Exhaust Linked to Thickening Arteries
Posted by Tasha Eichenseher of National Geographic on February 10, 2010 An international team of researchers based at the University of California at Berkeley have linked exposure to car exhaust with thickening arteries, adding a new item to the list of health problems caused by car pollution. The study involved almost 1,500 people near Los Angeles, which has a reputation for some of the worst smog…
Demystifying De-Icers
Posted by Tasha Eichenseher of National Geographic on February 10, 2010 Since we are still under several feet of snow here at National Geographic headquarters in Washington, DC, with more snow on the way, now is as good a time as any to talk about the chemicals used to de-ice the roads. The most commonly used, and least expensive, de-icing chemical is sodum chloride (or rock…
Sustainable Sun in Costa Rica, India, and the Virgin Islands
Posted by Tasha Eichenseher of National Geographic on February 2, 2010 Nearly 200 sustainable tourism experts are gathered today at National Geographic for the second annual Geotourism Change Summit. Coming out of the summit is a trustworthy list of top sustainable-travel destinations and providers. So, if you are planning a midwinter escape, consider: • Nature Air. It is a 100 percent carbon-neutral airline in Costa Rica…
The New Green Apple (iPad) Tablet Computer
Posted by Tasha Eichenseher of National Geographic on January 27, 2010 The much-hyped Apple tablet, called the iPad, was revealed today, and… it may be your greenest option yet if you’re in the market for a tablet computer, e-reader, netbook, or smartbook. At the launch, Apple CEO Steve Jobs pointed out that the iPad, which looks like a larger version of the iPhone, is arsenic free,…
Dispatches From the Consumer Electronics Show: 10 Green(ish) Products to Look for in 2010
Posted by Tasha Eichenseher of National Geographic on January 11, 2010 Green Guide scoured the 2010 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) for eco-friendly gadgets and devices. From batteries and solar chargers produced by (sometimes cheesy) small start-up companies to TVs and entire home-energy systems including manufacturing giants such as Panasonic and LG, these items stand out among thousands as having some real environmental benefit, or at least…
Dispatches from the Consumer Electronics Show: What Does Green Mean?
Posted by Tasha Eichenseher of National Geographic on January 8, 2010 Top manufacturers of phones, televisions, computers, and gaming consoles have a ways to go before being “green,” according to a Greenpeace report discussed at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas this week. Of 18 companies ranked on their reduction of toxic chemicals, recycling programs, and energy-efficiency efforts, Nokia and Sony Ericsson rise to…
Dispatches from theCopenhagen Climate Conference—Smart Bike Unveiled
Posted by Tasha Eichenseher of National Geographic on December 16, 2009 A new hybrid “smart bike” technology that can push you up hills and warn you of pollution hot spots was rolled out today in the heart of this city of cyclists. Called the Copenhagen Wheel, the sleek, circular device is packed with a Swiss army knife of motors, GPS, modems, and sensors that…
Dispatches from theCopenhagen Climate Conference—Smart Bike Unveiled
Posted by Tasha Eichenseher of National Geographic on December 16, 2009 A new hybrid “smart bike” technology that can push you up hills and warn you of pollution hot spots was rolled out today in the heart of this city of cyclists. Called the Copenhagen Wheel, the sleek, circular device is packed with a Swiss army knife of motors, GPS, modems, and sensors that…
Dispatches from theCopenhagen Climate Conference—Acting Now
Posted by Tasha Eichenseher of National Geographic on December 15, 2009 As I stood shivering outside the Copenhagen Cathedral this afternoon, listening to global religious leaders tell us why we should save God’s green earth from climate change, an elderly man walked to the front of the crowd with a (misspelled) sign that read “Bla bla bla ACT NOW.” With his long white beard and portly…
Dispatches from theCopenhagen Climate Conference—Acting Now
Posted by Tasha Eichenseher of National Geographic on December 15, 2009 As I stood shivering outside the Copenhagen Cathedral this afternoon, listening to global religious leaders tell us why we should save God’s green earth from climate change, an elderly man walked to the front of the crowd with a (misspelled) sign that read “Bla bla bla ACT NOW.” With his long white beard and portly…
Sustainable Eating This Thanksgiving
Posted by Tasha Eichenseher of National Geographic on November 20, 2009 If you are looking for a few green tips this holiday season, check out Green Guide writer Eliza Barclay’s new story on returning to green and grateful this Thanksgiving. We often hear that going vegetarian is the single best thing you can do to help the environment. Well, it may be true. But if you…
It’s World Toilet Day–Yes, That’s Right
Posted by Tasha Eichenseher of National Geographic on November 19, 2009 Chances are you have a toilet that is easily accessible and fully functional. Thank your lucky stars, because 2.5 billion people around the globe don’t, according to experts on such things. November 19 was designated World Toilet Day by the World Toilet Organization (WTO) to bring awareness to a lack of sanitation service, and its…
Meat Farms, Solar Shingles, Tank-Farmed TunaAmong Some of the Year’s Best Inventions
Posted by Tasha Eichenseher of National Geographic on November 13, 2009 Along with teleporting technology, electronic eyes, and HIV immunization, a handful of green innovations that could change the way we eat, heat, and drive made Time magazine’s 2009 list of best inventions, released today. Coming in at number two: Tank-bred southern bluefin tuna that successfully spawned in Port Lincoln, Australia. Southern bluefin, sought after for…
Endocrine disruptors. They are the chemicals often found in pesticides and plasticizers (and detergents, food, toys, and cosmetics) that have been known to interfere with reproductive and immune function in both humans and wildlife. And now a new report highlights their prevalence in the Potomac River system–the primary source of drinking water for the Washington,…
230 MPG… Can It Be True?
Posted by Tasha Eichenseher of National Geographic on August 11, 2009 General Motors (GM) announced today that the new Chevy Volt electric car could get up to 230 miles per gallon (MPG) under new U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) guidelines for electric cars. (The EPA gave the Toyota Prius a 51 MPG rating, according to washingtonpost.com.) The Volt, expected to launch in 2010 and cost around…
Whitewashing… Roofs, That Is
Posted by Tasha Eichenseher of National Geographic on August 6, 2009 There has been a lot of talk lately about whitewashing. (See Monday’s post on the benefits of white roofs.) Federal energy leaders are advocating for reflective rooftop coatings, and several of the Green Effect entries we received during the contest suggest there is already a ground swell for the idea at the local level: •…
Where to Find Green Energy
Posted by Tasha Eichenseher of National Geographic on July 27, 2009 The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency released an updated roster of green energy superstars today. This top-20 list ranks businesses, government agencies, and universities that are using renewable resources to power buildings and production. Coming in first is the Kimberly-Clark Corporation, a nearly $20-billion bathroom and kitchen paper-product and diaper business headquartered in Dallas. Seven percent,…
