Parking Spaces Transform into Parks

The annual event where metered parking spaces are temporarily transformed into parklets is almost here!  Park(ing) Day, started in 2005, celebrates public spaces in cities around the globe.  Anyone, from everyday citizens to landscape architects, can participate in this altruistic event which begs, “To call attention to the need for more urban open space, to […]

Toxic Driveway Sealants

In my previous post, I showed the top 5 ways to make a driveway, yes driveway, more environmentally friendly.  Even our driveways can be more green!  Now there’s evidence that sealing our driveways and other blacktops with coal tar sealants is toxic.  These sealants not only contaminate our soil and drinking water supplies as rain […]

Turning Parking Spaces into Award-Winning Parks

Thanks to the collaborative efforts between one San Francisco community and a generous Design/Build firm, a new public parklet is now being enjoyed by all.  The Noreiga Street Parklet encourages pedestrian travel rather than automobile traffic by consuming three parking spaces, a novel idea? While it might seem counter-intuitive to place a park directly on […]

Top 5 Permeable Driveways

Driveways and other parking areas are typically paved with asphalt or concrete, and are not only unattractive, but detrimental to the environment. When it rains, debris and pollutants flow off these impervious surfaces into our waterways, many times via the sewer system, which contributes to stormwater runoff pollution. Paved parking areas also prevent rainwater from […]

Green Your Ride with an Eco-Friendly Auto Club

Whether you drive a car, RV, motorcycle or bicycle, there may come a time when you need roadside assistance.  Why not support an auto club company that cares about the environment?   They even offer insurance, travel discounts and carbon offsets to help lessen your impact on the earth.  Memberships also make great gifts.

Furniture Artfully Created from Junk Cars

It may sound hard to believe, but artist Joel Hester and his crew at Dallas-based company, The Weld House, salvage steel panels from junk automobiles to create marvelous pieces of functional furniture.  The rough and ravaged pieces of weathered steel are transformed into cool coffee tables, beds, armoires, and artwork.  Some of these modern masterpieces […]

Is Chocolate the New Fuel for Race Cars?

I don’t typically write about cars, but this one caught my eye!  An eco-friendly race car in the works in England claims to be the world’s fastest biofuel vehicle using vegetable oils and waste from chocolate factories as fuel.  Parts of the car are even constructed from plant-based materials.  See the Associated Press article here.

World’s First Green Airplane Hanger

Construction of Hangar 25 at the Bob Hope Airport in Burbank, California was built to high performance, sustainable design standards.  Now complete, the new facility is the first of its kind in the world to earn the U.S. Green Building Council’s highest award — LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Platinum certification.

Eco-friendly Auto/Travel Club

If you’re worried about a loved one possibly needing roadside assistance or help with other aspects of travel, a thoughtful holiday gift might be a membership to an auto/travel club. But keep in mind, not all clubs are the same, especially when it comes to environmental issues.

Brad Pitt Narrates PBS Series e2 About Sustainability

The critically acclaimed PBS series e2, now in its third season, explores environmental challenges that global societies face with a look towards innovative solutions. Brad Pitt narrates e2 Transport which debuts today and delves into sustainable transportation alternatives such as:

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