External Hard Disks Come In Green?

I need to back up my files on my computer.

I want to be an Eco Hero.

Whaddayado?!

You go to www.greenyour.com where they have information on just about everything.

And I mean everything. On top of which, its very web 2.0 and easy to use.

10 Things I Bet You Didn’t Know

The Arctic.

It:

1. Is the largest inhabited region on Earth
2. Is the most productive marine ecosystem in the world
3. Has the largest deep-water coral reef on the planet
4. Is predicted to have no summer ice by 2040
5. Controls the conveyor-belt current system which keeps UK temperatures mild
6. Contains four of the 10 world’s largest fisheries
7. Has seen the thickness of the ice fall by 10%-15% during the 1990’s
8. Will become ever more acidic as more CO2 is absorbed
9. Is claimed by Russia, America, Canada, Iceland, Greenland and Norway
10. Is thought to hold huge amounts of oil and gas

Fortune

For some reason, I got Fortune through my letter box this week.

It’s one of those things life coaches tell you to do – ‘read a magazine which you’d never usually buy’.

Well, after learning which is the largest corporation in the States (Wal*Mart), I read a piece about oil and gas in the Arctic…

Over a seven page article, the environment is mentioned once!

‘And then there are the environmental concerns: A recent filed suit claims drilling in the Chukchi will destroy polar bear habitat.‘ (Fortune Magazine, May 5th 2008, p.63)

That was it.

In an article about oil and gas in the Arctic.

After I got over my initial confusion, I was so angry!

Is it any wonder that big business is slow to move on climate change?! This is what they read, and they respect – of course they’ll end up thinking climate change is just some minor issue for the PR department!

By burying the issue and making it seem peripheral – the author, and the energy sector are being so utterly short-sighted that it beggars belief.

Unfortunately the article is not available online – but do feel free to write to the author, Barney Gimbel (bgimbel@fortunemail.com), and give him a piece of your mind.

UPDATE: Just got a reply from Barney,

‘Thank you very much for your comments on my story. I really appreciate your insight.

Cheers, bg’

Wow. Great personal reply, bg (?!)

And Another One…

I couldn’t help it, sorry :)

This one features real Bollywood style song and dance!

Too Good To Be True

I’ve spent the last half an hour trying to embed the following video, but it ain’t happening for me.

So watch it here.

Have a go at making your own – its a GENIUS site :)

Hard Work

I’m beginning to realise that this whole thing is pretty serious:

Full days of lectures, continual learning and recording of what we’re doing, plus training on how to be the most effective Ambassadors for Change.

It’s going to be amazing, but also a lot of hard work.

 

Bring it on :)

World Service

As I rush my breakfast each morning, the BBC World Service accompanies my wholemeal bread and delicious dutch hazelnut and raisin spread.

Today, an interview with a Harvard Med Director really struck me. He started with saying that a problem we have as people – is that we don’t see the link between the climate and our health.

And its true. He went on to say,

‘With the loss of plant, animal and microbial diversity, we’re losing the chance to discover new medicines that could end the suffering of millions of people and save national economies billions of dollars each year.”

Further, half of the medicines we use are either directly taken from plants, or made to follow plant and animal patterns.

That sounds important.

Save The Airport!

This week sees a major choice for residents in Berlin.

The historic airport of Tempelhof (which was the site where American planes flew in food and supplies for over a year during the Berlin Blockade), has a special place in West Berliner’s hearts.

And I mean special.

It does make me wonder… a new wind farm arriving, or an old airport going, surely they’re worth the end goal.

Aren’t they?

Earth Day

Happy B-Earth Day!

No, I know, comedy should be left to comedians – but I couldn’t resist.

We all know, that as you get older, birthdays become less and less interesting (unless you organise a Regency Ball)…

But this Earth Day is pretty exciting. All over the internet – businesses are drawing attention to the environment. Google (of course) and YouTube (now owned by Google, remember) have changed their logos – but further afield to. Great Stuff.

I came across this video from the Blue Man Group, with a pretty scary message on climate change. I always thought they were sinister, but at least they’ve got a purpose to it now!

Must Read

I’d read Michael Pollan’s manifesto about food at Change This and thought is was superb.

But this is something else.

A balanced, inspiring, empowering and sensible piece on how we each handle climate change – in terms of what we do, but also how we feel about it.

I found myself nodding vigorously the whole time, with some strong mumbling also.

Here‘s the piece, published in the New York Times Magazine yesterday.

Enjoy!