Photo Credit: James Jordan

Although it has been touted as a successful alternative to gasoline, some scientists and environmentalists are raising questions about the effectiveness of ethanol as a viable ‘clean’ energy option. Researchers are finding that producing and using the corn-based fuel alternative may not be as great as it sounds. Read more…

Itʻs time to talk about a 4 letter word that you may be a little squeamish discussing: poop. In places where the daily process surrounding the removal, disinfection, and processing of fecal matter is taken care of by miles of pipes, millions of gallons of water, and expensive treament plants, I suppose it makes sense that many ignore this unsightly activity. But in places where toilets are harder to find than cellphones, itʻs time to approach this “impolite” conversation to save millions of lives and turn tons of raw pollution into compost. Read more…

Photo credit: Infrogmation

A new nationwide New York Times/CBS poll reveals that there is a major disconnect between Americans’ expectations about finding alternative forms of energy to replace oil and an unwillingness to pay high gasoline prices. The poll was conducted by telephone from June 16 to 20 with 1,259 adults and examined the public’s reaction to the oil leak in the Gulf of Mexico. Read more…

Photo Credit: Austin Parker

Wagwan everybody, it’s Austin checking in from Jamaica.  It’s been almost three months since I left home for Kingston, and my time here has been both incredible and difficult. So what I’m doing here in Jamaica, if you’re wondering, is the United States Peace Corps. So far the process has taken me from the struggles of being a trainee to being a full fledged volunteer in the southern Parish of Clarendon. I have been an official Peace Corps Volunteer for about a month now and I have been placed with an environmental NGO called the Caribbean Coastal Area Management Fund (CCAM). Read more…

The EPA has partnered with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development along with the U.S. Department of Transportation to develop a vision that is set to green the nations capital cities. The program will assist three to four cities a year with the first projects beginning in late 2010. Read more…

Photo Credit: Carlos Carvajal

Bogotá, Colombia’s capital city, and most populated city in the country, is being watched and mimicked by cities worldwide for it’s significant efforts to upgrade the city’s infrastructure. With a population of about 8 million, Bogotá’s rapid growth has placed a huge strain on its roads and highways. However, within the last decade, former Mayor Enrique Peñalosa has challenged the city’s congestion and lack for public space with his revolutionary ideas. Read more…

Photo Credit: Nidzk

We have all seen Kevin Costner emerge as the hero in movies such as Water World, The Guardian, and Tin Cup. However, he is now gaining recognition beyond this fictitious realm of Hollywood plots as he demonstrates his passion for nature and science. Costner, and his brother, have developed a centrifuge  device that is capable of removing 98% of contamination from 200 gallons of water every minute. Read more…

Photo Credit: Rhonda Johnson

I recently took a trip to Tennessee to be a part of a four-day music festival called Bonnaroo, along with 100,000 other people! This large crowd, combined with record breaking temperatures and unbearable humidity, meant thousands of plastic water bottles, cups, and other various trash items littered the grounds of the festival. However, thanks to the volunteers belonging to Clean Vibes, each morning the grounds looked like they hadn’t been touched by people, and by the end of the festival it was as if Bonnaroo never even happened. Read more…

Photo Credit: Tambako the Jaguar

Researchers at the Wildlife Conservation Society at the Bronx Zoo made an interesting discovery when trying to lure cheetahs and other big cats to camera traps.  Of 23 different scents tested, Calvin Klein’s Obsession for Men was able to attract the cheetahs for 11.1 minutes!  Described as “the pure essence of masculinity,” CK Obsession may have better results on the felines rather than the ladies. Read more…

Photo Credit: Fibonacci Blue

The worst natural disaster in the history of the United States, which is still currently taking place in the Gulf of Mexico, has illuminated the complications that arise when corporations, in this case BP, are held accountable for their actions. It’s common knowledge that BP’s Deepwater Horizon oilrig exploded in the Gulf while drilling… However, what’s not common knowledge is that the Deepwater Horizon was built in South Korea, operated by a Swiss company contracted by BP, and regulated by the Republic of the Marshall Islands, a tiny developing nation, in charge of overseeing the Deepwater Horizon’s main safety inspections. Read more…