the complete works of charles darwin

For the past few years the University of Cambridge has been compiling the largest publication of Darwin's papers in history. On the Darwin-Online site, you can browse all of his writings, illustrations, and an audio book of his diary from the trip aboard the Beagle. Included are his first drafts on evolution, his field notes (although not in a Field Notes brand notebook), and 150 supplementary texts.

via bbc news

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i need a cabin to get away to. like this one.

Owning land usually isn't a problem. But when your land has some of the most stunning views in Canada, a lot of people want to come spend weekends. In order to escape the guests, a couple in Ontario had to build a getaway cabin on their own property. And thank goodness they did--now I get to look at pictures of it, wish I had one, and run down to QuikTrip to buy lottery tickets. What started as a little annoyance for the couple has turned into a completely modern structure that still fits in with its natural environment. And its rustic feel is going to get better with age, as the exterior wood will turn grey. Designed by Taylor Smyth Architects, this one room cabin has won awards and is proof that big things can come in small packages--190 square feet.

via thecoolhunter

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dwr recycled tire planters. perfect for a rubber tree, or, as wikipedia told me, hevea brasiliensis

Everyone who's anybody just got their Design Within Reach catalog this week. Page 124 intrigued me. Keeping with the ever so trendy theme of "What is Green?", DWR is now offering planters made out of recycled rubber tires. Honestly, I don't know how much these do to save the environment (they're made in Egypt, Ill go ahead and say the fuel used to get to America is hurting more then the space they take up in a landfill) but they look very cool.  Really, despite questioning how "green" they are, they are about as chic as a planter can be.  Seriously, everything I type sounds sarcastic.  What's up with that?

On a side note, in looking for these planters online I found out that DIY recycled tire planters have a big presence in the south. Who Knew? They don't look anywhere near as cool as the DWR, but they probably do more to save the planet. FULL POST

petition-car for greener living

In Ontario they'll be rolling this petition-car into Legislature on Earth Day as a declaration for their desire for greener living. It's a cool concept, and about 4,000 signatures have already adorned the auto. Along with the car contains a message:

“We the undersigned do hereby demand that not one more dollar go to promote, support, or perpetuate car culture. We want bike lanes, public transit and a train system. We want our public space back. We want local food, clean air, sustainable industry, a liveable future for our children, and an end to oil wars. We want to dance in the street. We want a government that values life over money.”

Although I'd hate to burst Canada's bubble and say that people aren't this rational, I must. But, hey, here's to hoping their legislature is a receptive audience.

You can sign the petition in person, or here.

(Found via TreeHugger) FULL POST

Irony: Nintendo Last in Greenpeace Electronic Rankings

Thanks to Joystiq for the find, Nintendo was recently given a 0.3 rating by Greenpeace on their environmental friendliness. This is almost four full points from the nearest company.

Now, I don't own a Wii, nor do I plan to, but I am fully aware of its place in contemporary culture. The Wii is to video games as what Apple is to computers, and perhaps what indie films are to, well, films. That is, it's trendy, fits within a certain aesthetic, and is apart of a crowd that probably comprises much of our readership--in a roundabout way, I assume you want the planet to be in good shape.

This, I think, touches on an aspect we should start looking to when discussing environmental responsibility. Some of us may be doing all the right things, or at least a few of the right things, but are we inadvertently supporting companies that are against our moral stance? The answer is obviously yes, as it's impossible to fully separate yourself from the big, bad corporations. However, I think it shows that we need to be pushing companies that hold a place in our culture to adopt policies that we agree with. After all, we are the ones making these companies successful. Sure, Nintendo makes a great system that a lot of people love, but why can't they have better policies on toxic chemicals and recycling?

Once the time comes that what we can be less conscious in our buying habits because companies take on responsibility, we're going in the right direction. FULL POST

Architecture Meets Nature: Madrid's Vertical Garden

Treehugger has posted a cool finding: Madrid's new vertical garden. Like our post about the sale of the Kaufmann House in Palm Springs, California, this is just another example of the evolution of architecture, design and art, showing that big, brooding buildings can be quite artistic (and ecological, too).

The vertical garden scales up Madrid's new museum, CaixaForum. It consists of "15,000 plants of 250 different species" and is 24 meters high.

Created by Patrick Blanc, expect to see these vertical gardens spring-up in a variety of places, including subway stations, parking lots, and other places where vegetation is typically nonexistent. FULL POST

GOOD Magazine is honorable

95total likes societal contribution--and why not? The evolution of ecological and humanitarian norms as of late has spawned some honorable companies performing their social duty. GOOD Magazine is another to add to that growing list.

GOOD Magazine concerns itself with going green, creativity, and all things outside mainstream culture. A subscription costs $20 for 6 issues. The catch is, though, that all of that cash goes straight to the nonprofit of your choice. Very cool.

The magazine's mission statement:

"We see a growing number of people tied together not by age, career, background, or circumstance, but by a shared interest. This revolves around a passion for potential mixed with fierce pragmatism and creative engagement. We sum all this up as the sensibility of giving a damn. But to shorten it, let's call it GOOD. We're here to push this movement and cover its realization.

While so much of today's media is taking up our space, dumbing us down, and impeding our productivity, GOOD exists to add value. Through a print magazine, feature and documentary films, original multimedia content and local events, GOOD is providing a platform for the ideas, people, and businesses that are driving change in the world."

A magazine for the "creative pragmatist". We know that's all of our readers, and so we thought we'd pass this along to you.

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They could make you feel better than wearing Shox

There's not much to them, but they could mean more than any other shoe you have ever purchased. TOMS shoes are simple. Very simple. They're inspired by traditional Argentinean shoes and they look it. And what's going to be better for summer than a shoe made for South America?

What the actual shoe lacks in, uh, pizzaz, it makes up for with humanitarianism. For every pair of TOMS Shoes you buy, they donate a pair of shoes to kids in need. They have been around for a couple years now, but now they have a bunch of new options in material and color. I, however, am still fond of the basic canvas in navy.

If shoes aren't your thing, and you were so inspired by the plastic bag post, check out the TOMS Shoes FEED project Bag. Keeping with the same thought of helping a kid in need, each FEED bag bought will provide a school year of meals for a child. For under a hundred dollars you can give a child some of the most basic necessities of life, food and clothing.

Do some good, and look good doing it. FULL POST

They aren't bad if you use one every 1,000 years

This year the government of South Australia is banning plastic bags. They may be the first of their states to encourage a national ban on the landfill clogging throw-away bags. Likewise, Great Britain is considering a similar ban, and even if the nation doesn't make a national ban, their largest supermarket, Tesco, has already stopped giving them away. Putting in his two cents, Prince Charles has backed the ban by teaming up with another chain, Booths, by giving out eco-friendly bags.

If you're not going to be using plastic bags, and you're a chick, now you may be wishing you had picked up one of those I'm Not A Plastic Bag bags when they were cheap and trendy. If you don't want to pay a ridiculous amount for the INAPB on eBay, or don't have female parts, pick up a reusable bag at ecobags.com and save the planet. They have a ton of types and styles for every occasion! With eco bags and your young person's environmentally friendly conscience, helping heal the planet has never been easier! And remember, It's the thing to do.

p.s. check out the photo essay at the guardian

p.p.s. more on the bags and them lasting 1,000 years is here

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Driving on air

Looking for a new car? “But, Rich, I want a car that gets decent mileage, can hold my friends, and doesn't putter its way up a hill,” you say? Seriously, you're not attractive when you whine. Just wait a year for the Zero Pollution Car to come out. Oh yeah, as the name says, it emits zero Co2 at under 35 mph, and slightly more Co2 from 35 mph to its top speed of 95 mph. That decent mileage you asked about… try 106 mpg. Of air. Its Compressed Air Technology engine was developed by a Formula One engineer and will get you over 800 miles on a single tank. This looks to be one of the most revolutionary cars to go from prototype to purchase for under $20,000. It looks kinda goofy, but apparently that's the trend with eco friendly cars. FULL POST