In an uncharacteristically honest report, China, the world’s second-leading source of greenhouse gas emmissions, has acknowledged it is failing in its efforts to make environmental progress.

“Compared with social and economic modernisation, China’s ecological modernisation lags far behind,” said the research group’s director, He Chuanqi.
more from the BBC story

For all you writers out there with retro-style here’s a handmade bracelet constructed from the classic round keys of real typewriters from 1900 to 1950. The eleven keys are set in a stainless steel bezel joined by rhodium nickel loops.

$90 @ uncommongoods.com

Pure bamboo fiber sheets that are eco-friendly and silky smooth. Sounds like the makings of a perfect night’s sleep. From vivaterra.com

This beautifully constructed hemp bedframe is made with the finest all-natural environmentally friendly, non-toxic materials. Upholstered with organic hemp fabric, sustainable American Well Managed Hard Woods, natural latex, and organic cotton is used to make these beautiful frames. The sustainable wood has an environmentally friendly natural stain finish.

Get more info on this product @ ecobedroom.com

I suddenly got the urge for a relaxing vodka and cranberry juice. Unfortunately I have the organic cranberry juice but no organic vodka. Perplexing. So I took a look around the net and found Square One Vodka. This distinctive, limited-production vodka uses 100% organic American rye. Their water is drawn from deep aquifers, located way below the pristine Teton Range of Wyoming. Sounds good already. I’ll be back with a report as soon as I quench my thirst.
Square One’s website tells you where buy it. Cheers!!

If you’ve ever tried to explain sustainability to your dry cleaner, you might have experienced a little of Ed Begley’s life. Not everyone in Hollywood gets “green” like Ed does.

On “Living with Ed“, Begley’s light-hearted docu-soap on HGTV, you can experience Ed’s efforts to integrate green into his daily existence. You’ll also see the challenge faced by Ed’s wife, Rachelle, who struggles to hold everything together. Think “Curb Your Enthusiasm” without the pain and anxiety — but with a fun, green tone. This week we encounter Ed’s birthday party — replete with vegan dinner, solar oven, and the birthday boy’s surprising take on a birthday cake!

Sunday night 1/28 at 10p ET/PT, For more visit HGTV.

UPDATE:  March 2009 – Ed’s moved, you can find him on Discovery’s Planet Green now.  Check your local listings.

Interested in alternative approaches to building? On Salt Spring Island in British Columbia SIREwall hosts two-day introduction to rammed earth building courses. SIRE subscribes to the Stabilized Insulated Raw Earth method of constructing rammed earth walls, and their site provides a lot of good info on it.

To learn more about rammed earth, and the PISE approach to constructing rammed earth walls, visit the site of the pre-eminent advocate for this approach — Stanford-educated inventor, author, teacher, and builder David Easton. There’s a resurgence happening today, “but modern applications demand higher standards and greater care in construction than in the past,” according to Easton. His site offers publications, workshops, videos, links and an overview of FACTS on rammed earth. Many landscaping projects and adobe-style homes in Napa, as well as Arizona and other desert areas have been constructed via this eco-friendly way. (photo, courtesy of rammedearthworks.com)

Monsanto says consumers are being misled by claims that milk from cows not treated with Monsanto’s biotech hormone supplement, Posilac, is safer or healthier than other milk. Monsanto conducted a recent study in which it had analysed 213 samples from 95 milk brands from 48 states, using third-party testing facilities and an independent auditing firm.

“The analysis found no difference in concentrations of Posilac bovine somatotropin (bST), insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1), progesterone or nutrients in conventionally produced milk and conventionally produced milk labeled as coming from cows not supplemented with Posilac, Monsanto said. No antibiotic residues were found in any samples, it added.”

Only one problemo.  Of the 213 samples from 95 milk brands collected from 48 states which Monsanto had analysed it was not determined if any had actually received Monsanto Posilac hormone.  Only about one-third of the dairy herds in the United States are given the Monsanto supplement.  Monsanto did not determine if any of the milk used in the comparisons actually came from cows that received the hormone, according to Monsanto spokesman Andrew Burchett.

More on this from ENN/Reuters

My in-laws recently installed a hot tub. I am not, and never have been, a “hot tub guy”. No late-night, naked cavorting in a vat of bubbling H2-O for moi (not that there’s anything wrong with that). All this talk of relaxation got me to thinking about the environmental impact of their fun. Hence, the Solar Hot Tub Kit from ABC Solar. You can take your hot tub away from that deck and onto any water-accessible, sunny nook of your estate. The kit comes with a 12v circulation pump, a solar thermal panel, and there’s an optional inline UV sterilization cannister to keep everything clean and pure.

Check it out @ solarhottub.com