• “Dark matter and underground lairs…no, this isn’t the plot of the next Austin Powers flick…Work Begins on World’s Deepest Underground Lab – myway
• Probably hydrogen-based tech…Toyota Plans Fuel-Cell Car by 2015 – yahoo! news
• They say it will be cost competitive…Alternative Feedstocks for Ethanol Production – sciencedaily
• I bet Kraft could market this stuff…Neanderthals Made Mammoth Jerky – discovery news
• Far more profitable than hunting…Whale Watching ‘Worth Billions’ – bbc
• When your population growth is out of control the choices get tough.  China Arable Land Fears End Reforestation Drive – reuters

A Santa Fe, New Mexico start-up company called Bluenergy, has developed a hybrid vertical axis wind turbine that is covered with solar cells.

The 5kW Bluenergy Solarwind’s double-helix design is stated to perform at wind speeds as low as 4mph and as high as 90mph.  Other performance attributes include: dual energy capture; low maintenance; and silent, safe operation for birds, humans and bats.

The blue colored photovoltaic cells are also noted to provide some measure of aesthetic appeal.  The turbine stands 18′ high by 6′ wide and looks like a sculpture from some 1960′s World’s Fair.

The company appears to be pursuing financing and venture capital and given the dated nature of the info on their website I would hazard a guess that this may just remain a very interesting concept for the foreseeable future.

via: mywindpowersystem.com

Not everyone has a green thumb; and by the same token, not everyone who has a green thumb, happens to own land.

New to the green scene is a site that helps bridge that gap — sharingbackyards.com.  Connecting folks in an ever-growing number of cities, it’s also a great idea that you can try on your own, with friends or family in your own community.

Why not turn more of our lawns into edible gardens; eat home-grown, local fare on-the-cheap, and ensure that the food we’re eating is fresh (and hopefully, organically grown)?  Before planting those seeds, just be sure that you and your gardening partner have a fairly flexible perspective at the outset, and a clear understanding of how it will work.  Here’s a sample backyard share in Portland, Oregon.

via:  body + soul (July/Aug ’09)

Need a wedding gown in a hurry and can’t afford a new one?  Go to iLetYou.com and find that wedding frock or over 100,000 other items to rent and reuse.

You can list your Porsche to rent, or find one to rent for that special date.

These days, I’m all about ease and comfort when it comes to dressing, here’s a stylish number that’s all that.

This kicky one-piece romper by Perfectly Imperfect is built for fun — racer back, kangaroo front pocket and a gently elasticized waist.  Perfectly cool and comfy year round; made with 100-percent organic cotton and low impact dyes, right here in the USA.

Perk up your eco wardrobe and receive an exclusive 15% discount through the end of July 2009 on any regularly priced merchandise.  Just use coupon code ALTCON15 at checkout. (one detail, note the low V-front of the romper; under garment not included, $84 before discount.)  find @ embodies.com/

A foot note for all you shoe lovers, those booties (R, above) can be had via embodies as well.  Po-Zu Elm Boot, 60% coconut husk and 40% natural latex rubber foot mattress, (sale price, $258).

• I thought it was Elton John…The Weirdest Object in the Solar System – livescience
• Epicenter of Timber Wars Shows Signs of Peace – msnbc
• What’s the compromise? Just stop.  Whaling Talks Target Compromise – bbc
• Odd and sad…Dog Walker Trampled to Death by Cows – cnn
• 7 Man-made Substances That Laugh in the Face of Physics – cracked.com
• I love a good scientific reference…Great White Sharks Hunt Just Like Hannibal Lecter – myway

If it rains any more here in the northeast we’re going to start growing webs between our toes – making it a great time to store precious water for the inevitable dry spell to come.  A rain water capture system connected to your home’s gutter downspout can provide chemical free rainwater for a multitude of outdoor watering tasks.  This handsome 60 gallon Great American rain barrel can fill itself up on as little as a 1/4″ of rain, depending on your roof size and gutter system.   It’s easy to attach to your home’s downspout, and two or three can be linked together for extra storage capacity.

Remember, rainwater is better for your lawn, garden and plants than the chemically treated stuff that comes out of many faucets.  Another green feature is that the barrel is made of food grade, recycled polyethylene.

pictured in Nantucket grey, it also comes in green and black $129.99. Here’s a link to this one, as well as a nice selection of others @ rainbarrelsource.com.

Related: greenhouse environmental management – the green house provides businesses with tailored waste management programs to minimise their waste output and costs.

Life’s many hiccups and curves may have prevented you from getting your dad an expensive Father’s Day Gift.  Not to worry.  Here are a few low cost, high reward gift solutions.

• Reconnect: Offer to spend a day doing what dad enjoys.  A Dodger’s game, bowling, bird watching, tinkering around the basement, hitting the golf course, it’s all good.
• Help your papi around the yard, or garage.  Clean those gutters and touch-up the trim in the kitchen, you know, spend some time with him while lightening his load.
• Cook the old man a healthy meal.  Doesn’t need to be today.  Just put it on the schedule.
• Forget the booze, cigars and toys.  Get pops something alive that he can put in his garden or on the patio.  Emphasize going green without being a pain in the ass.

Remember — it’s not about what you spend; it’s about showing you appreciate what he’s done and how he’s done it.  Keep it personal.

related: previously on altCon – hip gifts for eco dads

A green stimulus package for your eyes, ears and mind…

• 4th Annual Sustainable Planet Film Festival and Fundraiser – TODAY 12n-6p.  Tix $30, (limited number), $60 and $100. Bohemian National Hall @ 321 E. 73rd St, NYC
• Book Signing of Make Me Something Good to Eat by Author Tamra Davis of the TamraDavisCookingShow.com. TODAY, 3-5p @ Conran’s, (407 E. 59th St, at First Ave)
• Stop ‘n Swap TODAY, 11a-3p, Shabazz Center, B’way & 165th St., NYC
• Five boroughs of outdoor musicians, orchestras, singers and even some DIY-music types — hope for no rain.  TOMORROW, Sunday, JUNE 21; more @ makemusicNY.org
• FREE Celebration of Miss Katherine Dunham’s 100th Anniversary, Symphony Space’ Peter J Sharp Theatre – Sunday, Jun 21
• Take dad on a free, Solar Water Heating Tour & Exhibit and show him how to cut carbon emissions from his home heating.  Sunday, JUNE 21 10a-2p.  Biodiesel buses depart from Justin Herman Plaza in San Francisco, and shuttle to five sites. more info @ solarday.org
• Eco Salon brings us gardening from on high, The Sky’s the Limit for Edible Rooftops
  
• Loving the mouth-watering recipes of The Best of Fine Cooking‘s FRESH (July ’09) issue.
• Food, Inc. released in NY/LA/SF is a must-see.  Love your body, feed your head.
• cnet tv green show (click on video for green gadgets)
• Volunteer to save the planet (now thru 7/22/09) @ AudubonTogetherGreen and win some eco prizes
• THE COVE opens in theaters Friday, JULY 31. Catch the preview. Dive in @ the official Website.
• Free sewing classes, all ages welcome, every Friday 1-3:30p @ Lefferts Historic House, Prospect Park