Eco-friendly Yoghurt Shop at Sno:la

Frozen yoghurt is a topic we've already covered on a few different occasions: first the Korean-style frozen yoghurt trend, as exemplified by shops like Pinkberry and Red Mango, and then the arrival of self-serve contender Yogurtland. Now adding further differentiation to the industry is Sno:la, a Beverly Hills-based shop that bills itself as a socially conscious alternative.

Sno:la's shops—it just opened one in Kyoto as well, with another due to launch in Santa Monica soon—are designed to be eco-minded and plastic-free. All containers are biodegradable and compostable, with yoghurt cups made of sugar cane, verrine cups made of corn, and spoons made from wood and potatoes. Sno:la's countertops are crafted from recycled computer chips, and tabletops are based on eucalyptus, a fast-growing and sustainable tree. Wall decorations are made from recycled wood, and the concrete floors are soy-painted. Then too there's Sno:la's support of social causes: It gives 1 percent of its gross proceeds to Slow Food USA, which supports sustainable farming, and 1 percent of proceeds from its Chocolate Cremita flavour to the United Nations World Food Program, which helps children worldwide. All that on top of a range of seasonally flavoured yoghurt treats made with organic dairy products, "sweetened only by nature" and accompanied by a choice of some 40 toppings.

Need further proof that the frozen yoghurt industry is maturing? Red Mango recently launched Club Mango, a loyalty program that rewards customers for their purchases. Make no mistake: the era of differentiation has begun. Something to keep in mind for your own next big, yoghurty venture....?

Website: www.snolayogurt.com and www.snola.co.jp

Spotted by: PSFK via Raymond Kollau for Springwise

Fund Rising with email signature

If e-mail signatures can be put to work to help support a political candidate, just imagine the impact they could make for charity. That's essentially the rationale behind Replyforall, a site that uses custom e-mail signatures to raise not just awareness but cold, hard cash for a select group of charitable causes.

replyforall is a new way to support causes in a simple, practical, and sustainable way. we all want to support our favorite causes, but don't always have extra cash to give. however, we do have something very valuable - the relationships with the people who we email every day. replyforall recognizes the power of a broad base of supporters to both have an impact and attract sponsor revenue. so we take what we have and turn it into something we can do.

how replyforall works; you email. we get sponsors. when you email with your friends and family, you're reaching real people who care about what you've got to say. we use this simple but powerful dynamic to get sponsors. after you join replyforall, the messages you send will show the cause you support and a financial sponsor as your signature. the sponsor pays to reach you and the people you email, and we share the sponsor's payment with the causes you select. so you do what you already do. and the more people who join the mission, the more sponsors pay, and the more we can give to causes.

Source:
www.replyforall.com
www.springwise.com

Jungle Camera Traps Reveal Secrets of World’s Rarest Rhinos

The Javan rhino is critically endangered and faces an extremely high risk of extinction with fewer than 60 left in the wild. The largest population of these rhinos, an estimated 50 animals, is found in some of the world’s most lush and dense rain forests inside Indonesia’s Ujung Kulong National Park.

Getting to know Javan rhinos
To better understand these rarely-seen animals, WWF and staff from Ujung Kulong launched the first project to install video cameras in strategic locations in this protected area in the south-western tip of the island of Java.

The team completed the installation of 34 video camera traps in each of the known habitat blocks. A review of recent footage revealed a wealth of new information on these elusive animals. The cameras recorded both male and female Javan rhinos sharing the same mud wallow, proving that the sexes share the same territory. It also revealed rhino aggression towards another species, which had never been seen before.

The Indonesian project team has recorded video of nine individuals – including a mother and calf. Despite the footage, scientists are concerned. They have not seen any very young calves for several years.

Of the two populations left, the Indonesian population in Ujung Kulon National Park has the better chance of survival since it is the only one that still has proof of breeding. There have been no verified signs of Javan rhinos breeding in Vietnam’s Cat Tien National Park.

Hope for Javan rhinos
These video camera traps will continue to be an invaluable scientific tool for us to better understand the behavior and needs of this endangered species.

To conserve Indonesia’s Javan rhinos the government launched a rhino conservation strategy with WWF, the International Rhino Foundation (IRF), Asian Rhino Project (ARP), Yayasan Badak Indonesia (YABI), and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The goal is to secure a future for Javan rhinos by translocating individuals from Ujung Kulon to another suitable site to minimize the risk of local extinction.

Source: WWF

Bioplastic

Unlike typical plastics made from crude oil, “bioplastics” are often made from plant matter such as corn starch, potato starch, cane sugar, and soy protein. A potentially renewable alternative to petroleum-based plastics would have the long-term benefits of reducing global warming pollution and our dependence on fossil fuels, but do bioplastics fit the bill? As they become more ubiquitous—in the form of grocery bags and disposable plates, food containers, and cutlery—numerous concerns have been raised about their true value:

• Bioplastics are designed to be composted, not recycled. The plant-based material will actually contaminate the recycling process if not separated from conventional plastics such as soda bottles and milk jugs.
  
  
• Home composting may not be an option. Some bioplastics cannot be broken down by the bacteria in our backyards; polyethylene (PE) made from cane sugar is one example. Only bioplastics that are fully biodegradable will break down in a home compost pile, and it could still take up to two years for certain items (e.g., forks and spoons). The rest require the high heat and humidity of an industrial composting plant—of which there are only about 100 in the country, and not all collect waste.
  
  
• Plants grown for bioplastics have negative impacts of their own. Bioplastics are often produced from genetically modified food crops such as corn and soybeans, a practice that carries a high risk of contaminating our food supply. Also, corn and soybean producers typically apply large amounts of chemical pesticides and fertilizers that pollute our air and water. To compound matters, the growth of the bioplastics and biofuels industries (both of which currently rely on food crops as their raw material) increases the demand for crops and the impact of agriculture worldwide.
  

Environmental advocates are calling for bioplastic production based on renewable crops (such as native wild grasses) grown without chemicals. Bioplastics could also be developed from agricultural waste. Until then, what’s a consumer to do?

• Look for the “Compostable” logo. The Biodegradable Products Institute identifies products appropriate for municipal and commercial composting facilities. To find facilities in your state, see the Related Resources.
  
  
• Opt for reusable or recycled instead. When you can’t use metal cutlery or ceramic dishes, look for recycled, dishwasher-safe products that can be recycled once they’re no longer usable.

Source: union of concerned scientist

World Meteorological Day 2009

Each year, on 23 March, the World Meteorological Organization, its 188 Members and the worldwide meteorological community celebrate World Meteorological Day around a chosen theme. This Day commemorates the entry into force, on that date in 1950, of the WMO Convention creating the Organization. Subsequently, in 1951, WMO was designated a specialized agency of the United Nations System.

This year, the theme is “Weather, climate and the air we breathe”.

Brochure

UNEP Billion tree campaign

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) has launched a major worldwide tree planting campaign. Under the Plant for the Planet: Billion Tree Campaign, people, communities, business and industry, civil society organizations and governments are encouraged to enter tree planting pledges online with the objective of planting at least one billion trees worldwide each year. In a call to further individual and collective action, UNEP has set a new goal of planting 7 billion trees by the end of 2009. The campaign strongly encourages the planting of indigenous trees and trees that are appropriate to the local environment.

Loews hotels adopt local farmers

Loews Hotels—which operates hotels and resorts in 16 cities across North America—recently announced its 'Adopt-a-Farmer' initiative. The aim is to promote local farming while providing customers with food made from ingredients that are locally-sourced, organic and sustainable.

For example, the Coronado Bay Resort in San Diego uses herbs and vegetables from its own garden, sourcing the rest of its ingredients from 12 local farming communities. The Miami Beach Hotel adds in local, farm-raised seafood. The company’s New York headquarters connected with the Old Chatham Sheepherding Company, procuring the only artesian sheep's milk made in the Hudson River Valley. Since many ingredients are seasonal, customers will have to wait until June for that strawberry tart, hopefully appreciating it all the more when it does arrive on the menu.

Furthering the brand's still made here approach, Loews Coronado Bay Resort is introducing "Farmers, Foragers and Fishermen"—a seasonal series of dinners, each of which pairs the resort's chef with a local purveyor, who dines with the guests and tells them about his or her products and methods. Although many eco-minded independent businesses already operate similar programs, it’s more unusual to see an entire hospitality chain adopt local farming. Which goes to show: size doesn’t have to get in the way of sustainability. (Related: Vacations that give back — Restaurant to close and reopen every season.)

Website: www.loewshotels.com
Contact: www.loewshotels.com/en/ContactUs.aspx

Spotted by: Raymond Kollau for Springwise

YOUR SIGNATURE CAN HELP PROTECT TIGERS, RHINOS AND ELEPHANTS

The Malaysian peninsula is home to some of the world's most amazing wildlife, including Sumatran rhinos, Malayan tigers and Asian elephants.

But these and many other species in the region are under increasing threat due to poaching and the demand for their body parts in the illegal wildlife trade.

Take action now and help protect wildlife in Malaysia.

Wildlife in Malaysia is currently protected by the Protection of Wild Life Act 1972, which is severely outdated and riddled with loopholes. As a result many species continue to be poached and illegally traded at alarming rates, while wildlife offenders often escape arrest and prosecution.

Please sign our petition and urge the Malaysian government to strengthen the wildlife law.

We will present your name, as part of the petition, to the Malaysian government in August 2009.

Thank you for your support,

Dato' Dr. Dionysius Sharma
Executive Director and CEO
WWF-Malaysia

P.S. Help us reach our target of 100,000 signatures by forwarding this message to your friends and family. Every signature counts!

Source: WWF

Eco-friendly Notebook

The venerable Moleskine-style notebook may claim the likes of Picasso and Hemingway among its past users, but an Oregon-based printing and publishing company recently launched a new alternative that offers the added appeal of eco credentials and customizability, and squarely targets (artistic) minipreneurs.

Pinball Publishing's Scout Book is a pocket-sized notebook with saddle stitching and a durable chipboard cover. Artists, designers and other minipreneurs can customize the 32-page notebook by uploading their own cover art and choosing an interior paper style—lines, grids or blank, with a choice of 18 Pantone ink colours. Both the cover and interior are made from 100 percent recycled paper, inks are soy-based, and Pinball uses renewable energy sources in its manufacturing. Minimum order is 250 notebooks, and multiple cover styles can be included in one order. Pinball specifically targets artistic entrepreneurs on Etsy and elsewhere with the Scout Book, which seems a natural for branded promotional giveaways, too.

Besides bringing one more product category into the ever-expanding realm of customizability, the Scout Book is also a testament to the growing ranks of (part-time) artistic and crafty entrepreneurs, who have become an attractive market of their own. Give them new options, make their lives easier, and they'll return your love in kind! (Related: White lines make paper stand out — Design-before-you-buy on German version of Etsy.)

Website: www.pinballpublishing.com/printing/scout-book?sec=scoutbooks
Contact: info@pinballpublishing.com

Source: Springwise

Using phones to track carbon footprint

Calculating one's carbon footprint can be a painstaking process that tests the commitment of even the most eco-minded consumer, requiring the regular input of data to achieve any kind of precise results. A new technology from UK startup Carbon Hero, however, aims to provide an effortless way for consumers to keep tabs on their environmental impact by simply carrying a GPS-enabled cell phone.

Carbon Diem, a new software package that's planned for launch next spring, runs on users' GPS-enabled mobile phones to determine how they're getting around at any given moment--on foot, by car, or on a bus, train or airplane. As an algorithm tracks the transportation mode used and distance covered, the software uses that information to keep an up-to-the-minute record of the user's carbon emissions, displaying the results in both daily and weekly terms. That, in turn, can help consumers gain new awareness of their impact on the environment and--the ultimate goal--learn to opt for lower-emissions alternatives. Companies, meanwhile, can use Carbon Diem across the organization to track and manage their employees' travel-related emissions. (Alleviating privacy concerns, the software cannot be used to record users' actual routes--only their emissions, The Guardian reported.) In tests over the past year, Carbon Diem's accuracy ranged from 100 percent when people are on planes or trains to between 65 and 75 percent when they travel by bus, company founder Andreas Zachariah told The Guardian.

Carbon Hero participates in the European Space Agency Business Incubation initiative. Its software is already Nokia N-series compliant, and currently the company seeks funding to speed its development cycle for the Blackberry platform. One to get in on early....? (Related: Visualising energy use.)

Website: www.carbondiem.com
Contact: info@carbondiem.com

Spotted by: Guardian via Maria Dahl Jørgensen for Springwise

Greener driving with Fiat and Microsoft

Helping drivers think twice before putting the pedal to the metal, Fiat has developed a new system that gives customers the insight they need to drive in more a sustainable way. ecoDrive processes driving data collected via Blue&Me, an in-car communications device developed by Microsoft. Users plug a standard USB drive into their car's Blue&Me port to gather information on acceleration, deceleration, gear changes and speed throughout the drive.

They then upload the data to their computer, where it's analysed by ecoDrive software to produce relevant tips for driving efficiency, like braking more gently into corners or maintaining a constant speed on straights. Drivers can also share their own tips and ecoDrive experiences using the ecoVille online community. Launched by Fiat in October 2008, ecoDrive is currently only available for the Fiat 500 and Grande Punto, but will work with any model featuring Blue&Me from 2009. Fiat claims the software can cut emissions and fuel consumption by up to 15%, meaning a lower carbon footprint and gas bill for drivers. An obvious improvement would be immediate feedback while a driver is behind the wheel, but we're sure that's in the works ;-)

Fiat and Microsoft's ecoDrive collaboration mirrors the successful partnership between Apple and Nike that runners can use to track and soundtrack their runs, enabling them to review their performance when they're back at their computers. As eco-awareness continues to build (and once energy prices start climbing again), consumers will become increasingly interested in tracking their personal energy use. We're confident that many other embedded eco-metric devices will follow, so if you're in manufacturing--now's the time to start researching and developing. (Related: Visualising energy use.)

Website: www.fiat.co.uk/ecodrive
Contact: www.fiat.co.uk/content/?id=3046

Spotted by: Ozgur Alaz for Springwise

Ambient Feedback for Greener Driving

After we featured Fiat's ecoDrive, one of our spotters alerted us to Honda's Ecological Drive Assist System. Called Eco Assist for short, the system gives feedback on driving techniques, aiming to help consumers save fuel. Eco Assist also helps improve fuel optimization and battery charging. Recognizing drivers' love of a good challenge, Honda moves the goalposts by rating them on the eco-friendliness of their driving style. At the end of each journey, the instrument panel displays how well they did.

One of the system's smarter features is that it gives feedback by changing colour in real time, avoiding distracting statistics and numbers. Fuel-saving, smooth acceleration and braking are rewarded with a green glow, and aggressive starts and stops are reprimanded in blue. A positive alternative to the dearth of dry save-the-planet communications, the system's ambient communication makes its message easier to absorb: helpful for those multi-taskers who spend their journeys making phone calls, revising their routes and flipping through MP3s. Honda hopes the constant form of feedback will turn drivers' good intentions into subconscious habits.

The system will be included in Honda's American Insight hybrid as of spring 2009. Given that the easiest way to save the planet is to change our behaviour, how could your business put customers in touch with their actions? (Related: Visualizing energy use.)

Website: www.hondanews.com/categories/1097/releases/4878

Spotted by: Treehugger via Casey Palmer for Springwise

Media Agency focuses on low-impact advertising

Realising that green concerns are here to stay, British media agency Curb offers nothing but low-impact advertising. Its clean advertising service (similar to Street Advertising Services and GreenGraffiti, which we featured earlier) uses rainwater to clean logos into grubby pavements, and has been joined by a four other services that are both novel and easy on the environment.

Curb creates sand sculptures of all sizes; burns patterns and logos into wood using magnifying glasses; and offers a ‘logrow’ service to cut logos as big as 30m wide into turf. Although each service is handcrafted, the agency is adamant that images are produced exactly as created digitally. Last but not least, graphics can be projected on falling sheets of water to create a memorable display. Household names have already used Curb’s services: Adidas was immortalised in grass, Volkswagen commissioned a sand sculpture and Barack Obama’s face was etched into wood.

We’re happy to see that ‘cleanvertising’ has been expanded into an entire portfolio of green(er) advertising options. Curb claim to be the world’s first and only media agency to be doing this exclusively. Which indicates that there’s space for others in different regions. Start blasting, sculpting, cutting and burning!

Website: www.mindthecurb.com
Contact: info@mindthecurb.com

Spotted by: Paul Tsannos for Springwise

Building Green Habits, One step at a time

Breaking a bad habit is never easy, but a little support can help. Much like Green Thing, which we wrote about back in 2007, Green Groove is a site that aims to help consumers create and stick to a plan to eliminate their unsustainable ways and embrace new, greener habits.

Green Groove's goal is to help consumers make "a phased withdrawal on catastrophic climate change." Toward that end, the Idaho-based site invites visitors to take three initial steps to create their own, personal withdrawal plan. First, they choose their desired plan type, length and level of difficulty, including whether it's just a personal plan or one that incorporates a household or family. Next, the site guides visitors to select specific weekly goals in four categories: auto, diet, home and lifestyle. Within the "home" category, for example, weekly goals might include replacing one old lightbulb with a compact fluorescent, or hang-drying at least one load of laundry. Third, visitors are then invited to put their weekly goals into the order they'd like to follow in accomplishing them, thereby creating their step-by-step action plan. A downloadable "Goal Tracker" widget is available both for Mac and PC, as are "Green Groove Participant" and "Green Groove Certified" website badges for those who are in the midst of or have finished their plans.

With all the many external demands on consumers' time and attention today, the need for support in making lifestyle changes seems greater than ever. Deliver that help in bite-sized portions, and you may just win some lasting support yourself! (Related: Nagging service for dieters — A public incentive to stick to one's goals.)

Website: www.greengroove.org
Contact: support@greengroove.org

Spotted by: Phillip Farris for Springwise

Home Energy Monitoring, delivered by Google

Reducing energy consumption is clearly a global imperative, but before one can reduce it helps to know how much one is already consuming. Targeting the 40 million "smart meters" now in use worldwide—and the 100 million more soon to be added—Google is testing a new gadget that will take the information such devices collect and make it more easily accessible to the consumer.

Many smart meters don't display consumption information to the user, but Google's PowerMeter prototype—now in closed beta—is designed to receive such information and provide access to it via the user's iGoogle homepage. Aiming to help users make better energy decisions, the technology taps Google's scalable, secure IT architecture and the iGoogle gadget platform to show consumers their energy use in near real-time, including an analysis of how much energy is used by different household appliances and activities. Google vows to keep all data under the user's control, and it says it hopes to work with as many utility companies as possible to deliver the technology for free to anyone with a smart meter.

Finding alternative energy sources may be the gold rush of our era, but helping the world wean itself from nonrenewable energy is just as important—and potentially just as rewarding. Google is currently seeking utilities and device manufacturers to partner with; one to get in on early? (Related: Visualising energy use.)

Website: www.google.org/powermeter
Contact: www.google.org/powermeter/contactus.html

Spotted by: Tommi Pelkonen for Springwise