Earth In Bloom

Hemp

2009-07-21T09:44:00.000-07:00

I know that the word "hemp" for many people still conjures up images related to the drug, Marijuana.

But if we care about the environment, we should change our association to this magnificent plant.
See Industrial hemp is an extraordinarily useful plant that can provide environmentally friendly food, fiber, fuel, medicinal and building products.

Some varieties are very hardy and able to thrive in saline and heavily degraded soils. So it can grow almost anywhere! It's these characteristics that make it a great candidate to replace crops such as cotton and you can even make paper out of it, and it grows faster then trees do. So we would get 10 times more out of the same area growing hemp in comparing to growing trees.
Hemp is also a water miser and can be processed into many useful products with little energy and without requiring toxic chemicals.

Here's some other fast facts about hemp

* Hempseed has high levels of protein, carbohydrates, fiber, vitamins, essential fatty acids and trace elements.

* Hempseed oil comprises nearly a third of the seeds' weight; making it a viable source for cooking oil, lighting and bio-fuel.

* Hempseed oil is also beneficial as a body care product and can be made into soaps, conditioners and lotions.

* The stalk provides an incredibly strong, durable and rot resistant fiber that's been used in the shipping industry for centuries. As hemp can grow over ten feet tall, the long fibers are perfect for rope.

* The short fibers of the stalk can be used in textiles as a replacement or blender fiber for cotton.

* The core of the stalk can be used to make paper and organic plastics.

* The core fiber can also be utilized in producing a fiberboard that is twice as strong as wood-based fiberboard.

* The woody core, known as hurds, can be mixed with lime, sand, plaster and cement to create a very strong concrete or building bricks.

* The stalk can be used to make methanol and ethanol. (even if wind and solar power is a better option)

* The flowers and leaves are used to make medicines for treating many illnesses such as glaucoma and cancer sufferers can be prescribed it to ease pain.

* Given its fast growth, hemp may also be useful in carbon sequestration - taking carbon out of the air and putting it back into the earth.

* Hemp is a great insulation material that can be applied in the wall cavities and roof spaces of houses as a replacement for fiberglass batts.

.. and this is just a short list. If you want to know more about this incredible plant, it's history and uses, check out John McCabe's fantastic book, Hemp: What The World Needs Now, the entire contents of which can be read online for free.

Hemp is truly an amazing plant that We should be making far more use of in an effort to reduce our impact on the environment. Start looking for and requesting hemp products in your hometown, We can make a change.
I found a lovely store in Dalarö (a beautiful island South of Stockholm) called Hampavruhuset. They have a great web shop (in english/swedish) were you can buy hemp made cloths and other hemp products.
If you live in Stockholm I would recommend that you take a trip out to this beautiful Island to enjoy the stillness and eco friendly shopping.

The earth is in bloom!

Check out these wicked hemp shoes....

Rubbish Competition

2009-06-25T08:50:00.000-07:00

Studio Crank is offering all you budding ‘creatives’ out there the opportunity to design one of their cool new wasteless wastepaper baskets and see it added to the product range. Made from recycled cardboard and printed with earth-kind inks, the eco-ficient Chuck requires no tools or glue to assemble.

The rules are simple: submit up to three original designs and include 100 words to explain the inspiration behind your idea and why you think it would be marketable.

Closing Date 4th September

Contact: www.chuck4life.com

Vote Green

2009-06-03T14:37:00.000-07:00

Peter Sunde Kolmisoppi the co-founder of the Pirate Bay wants you to vote green in the upcoming European elections.

The upcoming European Elections are just a few days away. If you wan to make change in Europe and the worlds "green" policy get out and vote!!

If you want to know who you should vote for? Green Blog got a great list.

Travel Green

2009-05-22T15:01:00.000-07:00

It's amazing how little you can do live a little greener.
You have probably heard a lot about how bad it is for the environment when you travel etc.
It's not nice to have that kind of cloud hanging over you head when you are planing you vacation ;) But there are small thing that you can do that will feel good for you as well as this planet.

Here is a top 5 list on how to travel a little greener.

1. Pack lightly. The heavier a plane is the more fuel it needs to get off the ground. Take one bag. That’s all you need. You can wash your clothes abroad.
You can read more on how to pack lightly here.

2. Stay with a friend. Your friend is heating or cooling his/her house anyways. Staying with them uses significantly less energy than staying in a hotel. You will probably have more fun and it’s usually cheaper.

3. Stay at a green hotel. There are plenty of hotels out there that cater to the green lifestyle. If you are going to stay in a hotel, stay at one of those.

4. Pick and choose your souvenirs. Kitsch can be cool, but it’s not cool when you bring a seven miniature, steel Eiffel Tower statues across the Atlantic via airplane. You are wasting gas to give people stuff that is less valuable than our resources, our environment and our future.

5. Take the train. The train may not get you there very fast, but you meet interesting people. You can sit by the window and watch the beautiful countryside unfold in front of you.

Let The Earth Bloom ;)

Go Veg!

2009-05-13T12:45:00.000-07:00

If you truly care about the environment, you can start helping this planet by becoming a vegetarian! The meat industry is the single biggest villain that is causing the greenhouse effect.
So visit PETA and order you FREE Vegetarian Starter Kit!
Let the earth bloom ;)

www.charityfocus.org

2009-05-04T12:25:00.000-07:00

I found this while I was surfing for change ;)
What I love about this organization is that they only focus on the positive, and their various projects make small but segnificant changes locally as well as globally.
It's all about the joy of giving.
This is how they describe the organization:

CharityFocus is an experiment in the joy of giving. It is an experiment that is working. Our idea is to create small miracles, to be an instrument of that inspiration, and to celebrate the gift of service. Our tool is the world wide web.
CharityFocus volunteers build websites for nonprofits. To learn more please visit www.charityfocus.org

Bamboo Bicycle

2009-04-28T15:44:00.000-07:00

I found this on Sustain Lane, you guys have to check it out.
it's a manual on "How to build a bamboo bicycle"
When creativity is unprohibited humans can achieve solutions for everything.
Imagine everyone you know riding on a bamboo bicycle. Pretty cool huh?
What's next. A solar powered car made of bamboo?

Bamboo is such a great material due to it's fast growth and strength. In fact it's the fastest growing plant on earth.
I think I have to try to build a Bamboo bike myself, hmm where do I get some bamboo.

Earth Day Every Day

2009-04-28T15:22:00.000-07:00

GreenPeace stive for Earth day, every day from now to December.

This Earth Day, GreenPeace is using their new video to drive a worldwide mobilization. They are looking to turn 3 million people into climate activists. Starting with you. So watch the video and visit greenpeace to join the green movement.

Stand up for your rice!

2009-04-20T16:38:00.000-07:00

Are you a big rice eater? If yes visit Greenpeace and sign a petition for gmo FREE rice :)
Let's keep this planet green and natural!

Ett Klick för skogen

2009-04-20T16:28:00.000-07:00

This one is for all you Swedes out there... but they also have an english version so everybody come on let's just click on one button to save the ancient forest :)

http://www.ettklickforskogen.se/

Happy News

2009-04-15T09:37:00.000-07:00

I believe that positive thinking is the biggest step to any constructive change. If you only focus on the problem you will never find the solution.
So I'm happy that people have begun noticing the beautiful things that happen everyday.
http://simplyhappynews.com/

Enjoy And Stay Happy :D

Solar Ride

2009-04-15T09:20:00.000-07:00

Japanese scientists have taken a standard gas-powered car (the legendary Mazda MX-5 in this case) and converted it to rely purely on solar power to run. This was made possible by the Total Mobility Project, as the team removed the MX-5's engine and gas tank in lieu of an electric motor and battery. Seven solar panels were also installed across the hood of the car, and this setup enabled the vehicle to run at a top speed of 100km/h with a maximum range of 30km.

There is a very bright future for solar energy to power our transportation needs and we're just scratching the surface of the possibilities.

Imagine a world without smog and pollution!

2009-04-05T13:17:00.000-07:00

Tesla Motors are taking orders on their new electric car. The Model S will be available with a variety of battery packs, yielding a range of 160, 230 or 300 miles. It can be recharged using a standard 120-volt outlet or a 240-volt outlet), but it can be recharged in only 45 minutes if the owner has access to a 480-volt outlet. The car is equipped with a floor-mounted battery pack so it is designed to be changed out in only a few minutes, allowing for battery-swap services.
Many "smart" countries are already preparing for the transition to the electric car by setting up recharge stations.
This is a economy and earth saving option....

The Incredible Sahara Foresst Project

2009-02-23T09:06:00.000-08:00

Charlie Paton, Michael Pawlyn and Bill Watts dare to think outside the box.
They have initiated a project called the Sahara Forest Project. They want to produce enough water in Sahara to grow crops and and by harnessing sufficient quantities of solar power they believe we can supply electricity to cities in Africa and cities in Europe.
Sound interesting huh?
Read more about this magnificent project here...

Solar Power is the future

2009-01-23T14:29:00.000-08:00

Millions of poor people around the world, and especially in Africa and parts of South America, are faced with hunger. A problem for farmers is that due to climate change their precious crops die and they are left with nothing.

The solution:
In many places, groundwater is often accessible at relatively shallow depths but to raise water using a hand-pump is hard work.
Maize growing at the height of the season on a small plot needs about 5,000 liters per day.
To lift this amount of water from a modest 10 meter depth would take one person about six hours. But this amount of water can easily be delivered by a small solar panel.

A company named Solar Aid has developed a new form of solar rope pump, that could have huge benefits for poor people. They urgently need funds to trial the pump and evaluate its effectiveness.

This is fantastic! Helping people and the environment at the same time!
Solar power is a great way to a sustainable future. So if you have a few coins please invest them in a project that benefits our lovely planet :)

You can read more about Solar- Aid projects at:
http://solar-aid.org/

Yes We Can....

2009-01-20T09:59:00.000-08:00

The earth is changing and so are you. I have created this place for everyone who wants to contribute to this planets positive transformation.

You'll find a lot of positive news, links and updates on this page.
I know that everyone wants to contribute to the well being of this planet.
That is why I'm going to blog about "sustainable growth" projects frequently, so as many people as possible can read about a cause that they would like to get involved in and support.

Together we can make the earth bloom :)

ENJOY!