If all goes according to plan in Raleigh, North Carolina, LED-lit street lamps might be the future of streets and neighborhoods across the country. Raleigh is currently conducting a test study to determine the lights’ durability, sensitivity to rain and severe weather conditions, as well as their overall effectiveness and longevity.
Although LED street lamps cost $500compared to $70 for the traditional ones, they last at least twice as long and expend about 40% less energy.
Just in time for Halloween, Google released a haunted house full of energy-saving suggestions, calculating the corresponding amount of money and carbon emissions saved if followed.
If you’re looking for a guilt-free reason to buy boots this winter, consider investing in a pair from eco-chic London boutique, Bourgeois Boheme. With its slogan declaring that “one should not trade ethics for fashion, nor sacrifice style for conscience,” Bourgeois Boheme boots are 80% biodegradable and strictly vegan, meaning that they are made from 100% animal-free material.
If boots aren’t your thing, Bourgeois Boheme offers a plethora of other environmentally conscious accessories for both men and women. To shop or learn more about their philosophy and mission, visit their site.
Want to go mountain trekking but don’t want to carry your own gear and supplies? Try trekking with llamas, aka “llamaneering,” where these social and gentle creatures carry the weight for you.
And because llamas are not only relatively light animals, therefore not trampling or harming surrounding vegetation, but also light eaters, only eating what is available, they are considered “environmentally friendly.”
Jackson Hole Llamas offers several llamaneering options ranging from 2 to 5 days.
Sustainable travel no longer seems to be something that only the hemp-wearing, granola-eating crowd engages in, but rather it’s a concept that has gained so much traction that even the pope promotes it. At last month’s World Tourism Day 2008, Pope Benedict XVI called for sustainable and eco-tourism in which travelers respect the environment and the cultures they visit.
The pope, known as the “green pope,” declared that “experience teaches that the responsible management of creation is, or should be, a part of a healthy economy and sustainable tourism.”
In an effort to lighten its own carbon footprint, the Vatican is installing 2,700 solar panels on the roof of the Paul VI auditorium, which will conserve the equivalent of 35 tons of oil every week during the winter months. Read the BBC article to learn more about the Vatican’s solar power.
While many celebrities practice green living and have lent their name to the green cause, whether it’s arriving at the Oscars in a Prius, taking commercial flights (Leonardo DiCaprio), promoting solar energy (Robert Redford), or advocating oil independence (George Clooney), Hollywood itself hasn’t been quick to adopt the green movement.
In an effort to change this, iHollywood Forum is hosting its second annual “Hollywood Goes Green” event in which media, entertainment, and advertising executives will converge to learn how Hollywood can “increase its profitability and at the same time plan a meaningful sustainable strategy.”
Visit their site to find out what specific topics will be discussed.
If you’re looking for a taste of summer this holiday season, consider traveling south of the equator to Argentina’s Estancia Peuma Hue. Located in Argentina’s largest national park, this resort boasts several different lodging options, all taking full advantage of the beautiful nature that encompasses the grounds.
Activities include trekking, horseback riding, kayaking, and fly fishing among others. With its mission to “foster a deep contact with nature;its preservation and care,” and its dedication to sustainability, Peuma Hue is the perfect holiday escape.
Santiago Dunn, the Executive president of Ecoventura, has shown a strong commitment to sustainability since 1990. A family owned company based in Ecuador that operates four expedition yachts in The Galapagos Islands, Ecoventura is modifying the engines of its fleet to create hybrid boats.
These boats will be powered by diesel and solar/wind energy. Mr Dunn’s mission is to inspire others, including Ecoventura’s passengers, to be part of the solution for the issues facing The Galapagos. Modifying the fleet’s engines is just one of the many steps the company has taken in the right direction. [More]
Greenpeace came out with its second edition Energy [R]evolution Scenario outlining exactly what needs to be done in order to avoid a “catastrophic climate change.”
Tired of having to endlessly listen to your neighbors’ cell phone conversations on your daily train ride? C2C, a British train company, might have found the perfect solution. While British train companies already have cabins designated as quiet and cell-phone free, ensuring that riders abide by these rules is costly and nearly impossible. This is where C2C’s new technology comes into play.
Currently in beta and being tested on trains traveling between Essex and London, C2C has created cabins that are technologically unable to receive cell phone signals. The windows in these cabins have been painted with a high-tech coating that blocks wi-fi, radio, and cell phone signals from both entering and leaving the cabin, rendering cell phones useless.
And because only certain cabins have been dedicated as quiet zones and coated with the high-tech film, passengers have the choice between riding in silence or spending time on the phone.
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In The News, Technology and Gadgets, Whole Travel Blog | Tagged: durability, Energy, energy efficient, LED, Raleigh, street lamps | 
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Posted by Francisca Blendstrup
