I saw a gumball vending machine, put in two quarters, turned the knob, and out rolled a brown seed bomb??  Wait a second…this isn’t a gumball machine!

Recently, seed bomb vending machines have been popping up in San Diego and New York areas thanks to Jim Mumford at Greenscaped Buildings’ brilliant idea for unofficial planting.  He uses repurposed dispensers that hold little seed bombs of native flower seeds and compost held together by clay.  How cute is that?!  A little ball of flower seeds perfect for a mini explosion of native wildflowers on a neighbors’ lawn or between cracks in the sidewalk.

“Guerilla gardening” is prompting the community to easily become involved in planting flowers in and around the cities for only fifty cents per bomb.  It’s a great way for children and lackadaisical adults to see and make changes to their environment.  Daniel Phillips, creator of the Green Aid program and Culver City designer, said, “Seed bombs are a kind of gateway drug in expanding your awareness that you have the ability to do something.”

Hopefully these seed bomb dispensers start showing up around your area…and at fifty cents a pop why not let out our inner flower child :)

(photo credit:  thecommonstudio.com/)

The teeny-tiny Honda Fit hatchback is getting a green makeover.  While we won’t be privy to a new powertrain here in the U.S., both Europe and Japan will have access to a hybrid version of the five-door mobile, which will be called the Honda Jazz.  Announced last week and slated for debut at the Paris Motor Show, the Jazz will not surprisingly share features with the Honda Insight and Civic Hybrid, while using a hybrid system slightly different than that in the sleek, new Honda CR-Z hybrid two-seater that hit U.S. dealer lots a few days ago.

Why won’t we be feasting our eyes on the Jazz here at home?  Some cite American’s notorious propensity for large vehicles as one reason, while others speculate that the automaker’s Insight currently fills the gap for drivers seeking a small, eco-minded ride.  In truth, the vehicle, with its super-small size and 1.3-liter four-cylinder engine, already gets excellent gas mileage.  Adding an electric hybrid component to the gasoline engine is like icing on the cake.  And that’s Lime Green cake.  Honda has added the yellowy-green hue as an exclusive paint option for the car, along with revised headlights, a new grille and optional leather seats.

One of our favorite all around eco etailers, VivaTerra, has several specials going on now and for the next few weeks.  In honor of VivaTerra’s 6th Birthday, they’re offering 2 specials which end today Monday, August 30, 2010 at midnight Pacific Time:

• Spend $500, save $100 use code:  birthday100
• Spend $100 and save $20 use code:  birthday20

Be sure to check out their Annual Furniture Sale – up to 25% off, (ends September 30).  You can always find a good selection eco-conscious home furnishing and gifts @ VivaTerra.com

• Going to the beach for Labor Day?  Pack your foul weather gear.  Storm path projected to track up the East Coast…Earl Strengthens, Expected to Become ‘Major Hurricane’ – cnn
• There’s plenty of room under this bus…BP’s Internal Probe Faults its Own Engineers – yahoo! news
• My gurgling intestines say, ‘No!’…Kangaroo Testicles? Chefs in Serbia Say, ‘Yes!’ – myway
• Tiny Gulf Sea Creatures Could Shed Light on Oil Spill’s Impact – sciencedaily
• In hard times people are prone to believe in a lot of shit – note one Glenn Beck…Belief in Magic, Witchcraft Widespread in Africa – livescience
• Biofuel Demand Driving Land grab in Africa – reuters

This guest post is contributed by Frank van der Linde director of Fairfood International, a non-profit campaign and lobby organization, which encourages companies in the food and beverage industry to increase the level of sustainability of their products. Fairfood is in contact with more than 1300 companies in over 60 countries worldwide.

In bottles, from the tap, sparkling or flat, from an idyllic spring or a mountain creek: many of us take the ubiquity of safe drinking water for granted.  However, 1 billion people do not have adequate access to safe drinking water.  In order to help achieve the Millennium Development Goal of halving that number by 2015, let’s take a closer look at this precious resource this World Water Week (Sept. 5 – 11).

We may well live on the Blue Planet, but some populated regions are getting dangerously dry, pushing people into thirst, hunger and poverty.  Although we do not face a global water crisis yet, advocating a more sustainable use of water resources in agriculture is fundamental if we want to improve access to fresh water for all. Why agriculture?  Simply because 70% of global water use is related to agricultural activity, according to the Food and Agricultural Organizaton.  Rice is the thirstiest crop, with an annual production estimated to account for about 21% of global crop water use, followed by wheat at around 12%.  Problems with the unsustainable use of water also occur in many other crops including maize, mango, oranges, pineapple, sugar cane, coconut, ginger, etc.

Sustainable use of water in agriculture implies more efficient management, especially of irrigation practices.  In many dry regions of the globe, high crop yields and consequently food security and income gains are dependent on irrigation, which accounts for 60% of total available water resources in the Near East and North Africa.  Sustainable use of water also means a reduction in waste water production, and minimizing water pollution.  Since all water on earth is part of the natural water cycle, even water used for agricultural processes will at a certain point need to be accessible for drinking and sanitation.

Access to clean and drinkable water are crucial for alleviating poverty and hunger.  When water is polluted or scarce living conditions worsen dramatically and so do economic conditions for those active in agriculture.  Not surprisingly, the FAO reminds us that the highest concentration of rural poverty coincides with the areas where water and sanitation are dramatically lacking.

So far, the goal of clean and healthy water accessible to all is far from being achieved.  But a number of innovative solutions are coming out of international efforts, such as the idea of international standards of water sustainability, proposed by the Alliance for Water Stewardship, or a water footprint label on the products on supermarket shelves, stating the total amount of fresh water used in their production.  You might be surprised to learn that it takes 200 litres of water just to produce your morning cup of coffee latte!

Fairfood International believes that if the ideal of more sustainable use of water is to become a reality, the food and beverage industry has to commit to this goal, take its responsibility and share knowledge and good practices concerning sustainable water use.  Every drop counts: by adding individual improvements in water use made by brand owners in the food and beverage industry, large and small, a real change can be made.  Let’s beat hunger with water!