21 December, 2011
15 December, 2011
California Gov. Brown's Conference on Extreme Climate Risks Says Agriculture, Including Wine Will Be Affected
At today's Conference on Extreme Climate Risks and California's Future put on by Gov. Jerry Brown featuring speakers: Former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sir Richard Branson, Nancy Sutley and many more, it was widely acknowledged that with the combination of environmental factors of climate change and rising sea levels, California's agricultural industry will be negatively impacted, including its multi-billion dollar wine industry. Follow the Green Blog Network for full report and analysis.
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10 December, 2011
Sustainable, Edible Holiday House
“Not one piece of our structure will end up in landfill,” says Smallworks president, Jake Fry. The gingerbread dwelling is fully sustainable and environmentally responsible with net zero impact on anything aside from your belly. “Every peppermint swirl, candy corn, and multi-coloured jujube will be stuffed into someone’s gob, probably at the end of a huge holiday dinner.”
Who hasn’t decorated their dining table or sideboard during the festive period and wanted to fit in an extra miniature Christmas tree, shiny bauble, or even one more entire gingerbread house? Smallworks has launched this increased density action for better and more efficient space use for your holiday table. Designed to fit on a standard-sized, appropriately-zoned holiday decorating space, the Gingerbread Laneway House works as a stand-alone structure or an additional dwelling to the rear of your traditional Gingerbread House.
Founded 6 years ago, Smallworks is Vancouver’s first and most established laneway house builder. They specialise in building small, beautiful homes and exceed the green building practices of Vancouver’s Green Home program. Inspired by Smallworks' West House laneway house developed for the LiveCity site at the 2010 Olympics, this is their first foray into baked goods. The Gingerbread Laneway House was constructed by Kreation Artisan Cakes, experienced builders in fine gingerbread architecture.Metro Vancouver residents can visit their Facebook page at www.facebook.com/smallworks.homes between now and December 15 for a chance to win The Gingerbread Laneway House.
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23 November, 2011
Wine And Climate Change In The International Herald Tribune
Dear Readers, Wine Lovers and Environmentalists: Please have a look at my recent article which originally appeared in the International Herald Tribune. It is also online at NYTimes.com with full LINK HERE.
by Paige Donner
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Eco Consulting * Eco Media
18 November, 2011
Renewable Energy Goes Round...And Round
In Paris, in the shadow of the Eiffel Tower, on the banks of the Seine, there is a Carrousel that is now powered by renewable energy.
All photos by Paige Donner copyright 2011
This City of Light is filled with carrousels. You can find them across the street from the Eiffel Tower, on the other side of the river at the foot of Trocadero, in the vast courtyard of the Hotel de Ville and many more locations throughout the city. But this one, just underneath the Eiffel Tower, is the city's flagship Renewable Energy Carrousel. Its LED lights are the same color as the flickering lights that have the Tour Eiffel twinkling on the hour every evening.
On a recent sunny, Autumn day filled with the scent of fallen leaves, the carrousel was itself twinkling in the afternoon sunlight. And FYI - during the Christmas Holiday week, many of the carrousels are free for children to ride on.
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27 October, 2011
Environmental Investment Organisation
“The required emissions reductions and investment in low carbon technologies can be achieved by creating a system which influences share price according to the environmental costs of a company’s actions. This is precisely what Environmental Tracking seeks to do,” added Sam Gill, Operations Director, Environmental Investment Organisation.
The Environmental Investment Organisation (EIO), a UK based NGO supported by a global research network, aims to persuade more companies to reduce Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions and report to higher standards with the launch of four new regional Carbon Rankings this week.
The series of Environmental Tracking (ET) Global Carbon Rankings, featuring over 1,200 of the world’s largest companies, is part of a broader strategy to create a global market mechanism designed to tackle climate change.
By pioneering an open source approach to collaborative working the EIO has made it easy for those eager to be part of the climate solution to contribute, hold the world’s biggest companies to account, and, implement a powerful mechanism.
Kicking off with the release of the ET North America 300 today at 11am (GMT+1) Monday 24.10.11, the EIO will be releasing a regional Ranking each day this week. The ET Asia Pacific 300, ET BRICS 300 and an updated ET Europe 300 will follow on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Each of these Rankings has been designed to put the spotlight on standards of public GHG emissions reporting across the world.
The Regional Rankings act as a precursor to the eagerly awaited ET Global 800, which looks purely at the largest 800 companies across the world without any geographical bias. This will go live at 11am (GMT) on Tuesday 1.11.11.
With the introduction earlier this month of the long awaited New Scope 3 Standard from theGreenhouse Gas Protocol (released 4.10.11), the EIO has taken a proactive approach to incentivise companies to adopt this important new standard in GHG Reporting. The finalised standard has been the result of a three year global multi-stakeholders process that included more than 2,300 participants and road-tested by 60 companies in 17 countries.
- The ET UK 100 Index can be viewed on Bloomberg by searching “ETETUKP:IND”; and,
- The ET Europe 300 Index can be viewed on Bloomberg by searching “ETETEURP:IND”.
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Eco Consulting * Eco Media
Dying To Be Beautiful
Peter Lamas shed light on the dangers of harsh chemicals hidden in common beauty products on October 22nd and 23rd, 2011 in Vancouver, B.C. At The West Coast Women's Show
As one of the leading international make-up artists and beauty experts in the world, Mr. Lamas began his career at Vidal Sassoon in NYC 30 years ago and quickly became a go-to for such classic beauties such as Jacqueline Onassis Kennedy, Elizabeth Taylor, Grace Kelly, Audrey Hepburn and Gloria Vanderbilt. Today the Peter Lamas brand is known worldwide for its line of 100% percent vegan, natural products with a cult following which boasts a number of beauty editors and celebrities.
Celebrity beauty advisor and innovator in the natural beauty industry, Peter Lamas spoke at the largest and most successful women’s event in British Columbia, the West Coast Women's Show. The show, which took place in Vancouver, is one of the only events in B.C. where women can build relationships with literally thousands of other women and business professionals in one venue.
Lamas discussed his popular book, “Dying to be Beautiful,” which aims to educate women on the dangers of hidden chemicals used in the beauty industry. Every day we all use an array of hair, skin, body and beauty products without ever asking ourselves whether they are safe or not. We incorrectly assume the Food and Drug Administration have tight regulations on these products. Unfortunately, there is little attention given to the fact that there are many potentially harmful ingredients that are widespread throughout the beauty industry. We go about our daily routine, applying products and ingredients directly to our skin, unknowing that they contain potent systemic toxins that are easily absorbed and can remain in our body for a very long time.
Through extensive research and a passion to create healthier beauty products, Mr. Lamas founded the Peter Lamas brand with the overriding mission to deliver high-performance beauty products containing only healthy and natural ingredients, free of harmful chemicals. Peter Lamas offers hair-care, skin-care, body-care and anti-aging products formulated with exotic botanicals, certified organic and natural ingredients. Lamas will also discuss the importance of using vegan and natural ingredients in products and reveal how they aid in enhancing one’s beauty – naturally.
16 October, 2011
Revenge of The Electric Vehicle
Friends! I'm pleased to announce that our new doc, Revenge of the Electric Car, begins its national theatrical rollout next week starting October 21 in LA and NY and then in 20+ cities over the next month (see list below). If you're in Los Angeles, please join us for our opening week launch at Landmark's NuArt and our Opening Weekend Airstream Lounge Party! Opening Week Screenings Fri–Sat-Sun: 12:30 PM, 2:50, 5:10, 7:30, 9:50 (Oct. 21-23) Tickets available now via this site: Opening Weekend Airstream Lounge Party To support our opening weekend in LA on October 22-23, we're bringing in the electric cars from the movie and setting up shop in a vintage Airstream around the corner from the NuArt Theater. You'll find us next to Sideshow Books at 11323 Idaho Avenue. The Airstream Lounge is our all weekend drop-in cast and crew party for friends, media makers, and well-wishers. Come on by anytime from 2:30PM to 9:30PM to say hello to Gadget, Scarlett and other stars from our team, check out the EVs (Tesla, Leaf, Volt and Porsche), and hang out with us between screenings Co-Host a Screening at a Theater If your group would like to co-host one of our public screenings at the NuArt (or anywhere else during run of theater), we'll try to set it up with you. Choose a show-time from the list above (if LA), then send us an email and let us know about how many people you'd like to host. We'll try to arrange to have a Q&A with someone from the film there with you at your show. So far we have screenings with Causecast, Bioneers, GADA, LA Burning Man, the Black Rock Yearbook, Plugin America and Global Green. Thanks to everyone for spreading the word and making our opening week a success! Best, CHRIS PAINE
11272 Santa Monica Blvd, West LA, CA 90025
Mon-Thurs: 5:10 PM, 7:30, 9:50 (Oct. 24-27)
https://tickets.landmarktheatres.com/ticketing.aspx?theatreid=209
Sat-Sun: 2PM - 10PM
Director
08 October, 2011
Leymah Roberta Gbowee Nobel Peace Prize Winner
Nobel Prize Winner 2011! Leymah Roberta Gbowee
<p><a href="http://vimeo.com/30118633">
Leymah Roberta Gbowee</a> from ALOUDla on Vimeo.
In a personal account of the communal power of women to change history, the founder of the Women of Liberia Mass Action for Peace chronicles the unthinkable violence she’s confronted living through civil war and the peace she helped to broker by empowering her countrywomen and others around the world to take action.
Monday, October 03, 2011
Mighty Be Our Powers: How Sisterhood,
Prayer, and Sex Changed a Nation at War
In conversation with Reverend Dr. Gwynne GuibordIn a personal account of the communal power of women to change history, the founder of the Women of Liberia Mass Action for Peace chronicles the unthinkable violence she’s confronted living through civil war and the peace she helped to broker by empowering her countrywomen and others around the world to take action.
02 October, 2011
Paris For Peace And Yoga
Today, on the International Day of Non-Violence, Paris celebrated its first White Yoga Session on the Champ de Mars, under the elegant gaze of La Grande Dame, the Eiffel Tower. Already in its 7th year, this was the first time that event had taken place on the Champ de Mars.
Modeled after the NYC Day of Yoga, free and open to willing participants, Paris organizers of the event admitted they'd had 6,500 people sign up on the website to attend this morning's hour-long practice in the 7th Arrondissement, en plein air. They had organized for and expected 2000 participants.
The practice was led in both English and French and an elegant Cellist played on stage, accompanying the entire session with live sitar-like music. Practitioners were from all ages, mature to the young, and attendees included mothers with infants, families with children, young couples, men, women and even a few of our furry friends.
Sponsors of the event which included BeYoga, Go Sport, SportForUs.com, Soy Joy, Lole, VaiVai and the Mairie de Paris, passed out complimentary yoga mats, t-shirts, energy bars, coconut water and tea and re-usable tote bags.
On this gorgeous October Sunday morning of Paris Fashion Week, a yoga respite en plein air was a welcomed and stimulating detox! Namaste!!
All photos by Paige Donner c. 2011