Inhabitat: The Ecoist MTA clutch is a colorful and cute way to navigate city streets in sleek sustainable style. Made from 100% repurposed NYC subway maps, this wristlet clutch is perfect for urban jaunts and lightweight toting. A trash-to-treasure accessory such as this is not only an eco-friendly way to repurpose materials, but also serves as a streamline, incognito way to stash personal belongings!

Strong, sturdy, and water resistant – clutch accessories never functioned so practically while looking so chic. Crafted out of hand-folded, recycled NYC subway maps that are coated with cellophane, this zip-close and self-lined bag is perfect for a cell phone, keys, glasses, and an eco-lip balm.

SUSTAINABLE STYLE: Ecoist recycled MTA map clutch [Inhabitat]

The Wall Street Journal: TerraCycle has formed deals with large food and beverage makers to collect discarded wrappers and juice pouches and turn them into pencil cases, umbrellas and other accessories.

The small firm offered large companies a solution to their problem -- how to dispose of wrappings that are tricky and costly to break down and recycle.

TerraCycle's products are starting to appear in large retail stores. And the firm expects their sales to help boost revenue.

TerraCycle Fashions a New Life For Old Wrappers [The Wall Street Journal]

Inhabitat: Well, we just spotted some breaking greener gadget news that are sure to get Apple fans excited! Drumroll please..

Apple just filed a patent to infuse their hand-helds and computers with a thin film of solar cells, paving the way for a new generation of gadgets with battery life boosted by the sun. The patent approaches the prospect from every angle, with schematics to stack photovoltaic cells beneath the entire surface of their portables - including the screen!

The patent states a variety of possible applications: “Solar cells are typically stacked with other layers made of transparent or semi-transparent materials… Some of these layers may be used for display or input purposes, and some layers may be coated with various materials or they may be etched with product logos or other patterns.” It goes on to explain that devices could display the performance of the solar cells on their screens next to the battery bar, or even on top of the cells themselves.

It will be interesting to see if the use of photo-voltaic panels in portable electronics will contradict the current consumer trend towards smaller and smaller gadgets, since a large, flat surface is required for solar to have any degree of efficiency.

APPLE FILES SOLAR PATENT: MacBook going solar? [Inhabitat]

TrendWatching.com: Adidas Originals’ eco collection—the Grün Collection—offers a range of products, including classic silhouettes like the Forum basketball sneaker and the ZX 500 runner, all made from recycled and natural materials. More importantly, the earth tones and fabrics get the message across to other eco-conscious sneaker freaks.

Eco-Iconic [TrendWatching.com]

Trendwatching: In an ECO-ICONIC world, visibility counts, for big and small products alike. Which, in the case of cleaning products, means exposure will start the moment others check out your shopping basket or cart. Will that bottle of washing-up liquid scream 'green!'? Some examples:

New-Zealand-based Beauty Engineered Forever produces a range of environmentally-friendly household cleaning products from natural ingredients and essential oils that are not harmful to the environment and safe for consumers. The packaging has been designed to connect with the customer on a personal level with playful and cheeky pick-up lines, such as “I’ll do your dirty work” and “I’ll make it all white.” And yes, it’s different enough to be easily recognizable to visitors of one’s kitchen.

Belgium-based Ecover makes a range of domestic and professional cleaning products like washing-up liquid, laundry detergents and bleach. As a matter of policy, all ingredients are from renewable sources and of the "highest possible biodegradability."

Eco-Iconic [Trendwatching]

Guardian.co.uk: It was the perfect product for modern green consumers. For the first time, they could buy Britain's favourite fish - cod - with a clear conscience. It even had a smart, sassy brand name: No Catch. This cod was ethically farmed in the cool, clean seas off Shetland, and it was organic.

On its launch three years ago, No Catch cod, the world's first organic cod farm, was hailed as the answer to the environmental crisis brought on by the perilous fall in cod numbers in the North Sea. Leading chefs in London spoke warmly about its firm flesh and its "really nice white flake".

No Catch - which was snapped up by Sainsbury's, Tesco and Carrefour in France - came with a bold promise: it could eventually produce 30,000 tonnes of farmed fish a year, enough to meet 10% of the UK's insatiable demand for cod, despite its premium price.

World's first organic cod farm sinks into administration with £40m debt [Guardian.co.uk]

Popgadget: Fashionation's inexpensive Eco-Speakers are tiny 3.25-inch cubes and made from recycled materials. They are also lightweight, fold flat for portability, come in several colors and patterns, and need no batteries because they draw a bit of power from your iPod or MP3 player.

What's not to love? Well, Eco-Speakers are exceptionally portable because they have no amplifier. And you know what that means: less than wonderful sound.

So are you willing to trade great music sound for speakers that are ecologically sound, also cheap and snazzy? Only you can decide. Fortunately, an experiment won't set you back much. Fashionation's list price is $14.95, but a search will cut that down substantially. I've seen Eco-Speakers for as little as $9.99. They come in several patterns and colors including the inevitable pink (shown), purple, blue, aqua, red, and (of course) green.

Fashionation Eco-Speakers are green and lean [Popgadget]

One innovative company shows how consumers can be socially responsible for the things they purchase and consume. It shows how consumers can make purchases and at the same time create a resustainable environment to care for Mother Earth. Ecolibris, a green business worth supporting.

TriplePundit: I admit it. I have an amazon addiction. As a researcher and reporter, I'm committed to buying books. I try to buy used when I can, but sometimes I break down and buy new. I wish I had the option to buy the books I want on recycled paper, but unfortunately, that's not always offered. But now I can buy a planted tree for every book I buy with Ecolibris.

Ecolibris is an innovative triple p company that helps communities and the environment every time you buy a book. For a buck a book, they will plant a tree. Ecolibris has partnered with tree planting organizations in Africa and Latin America to bolster developing communities and aid in enriching their environment.

It is a sad shame that the majority of publishers today do not print their books on recycled paper. There is no logical reason why books should be printed on virgin paper that equals 20 million trees each year. I highly encourage publishers, online booksellers, and retail stores to reconsider the environmental impact of printing books on virgin paper and partner with Ecolibris.

Plant A Tree Every Time You Buy A Book: Ecolibris Shows You How [TriplePundit]

Pennlive.com: Insulation is key to keeping your house warm in the winter and cool in the summer. It's important to insulate well in order to reduce the amount of energy you use.

The fiberglass traditionally used in insulation batting can irritate your skin, eyes and airways. Traditional insulation uses formaldehyde as a binder ingredient in the manufacturing process. Foam plastic insulation contains petrochemicals. There are new alternatives that won't pollute your air quality or irritate you.

A new insulating product manufactured by Ecovative Design that should hit the market within two years. The product, called Greensulate, is fire-retardant, biodegradable and requires no petrochemicals for its production.

The product is made using perlite, a mineral that is found in potting soil. Mycelia, the roots of mushrooms, are grown to form a web throughout the perlite, forming a solid material.

To learn more about insulation materials, visit BuildingGreen.com.

New product uses mushrooms to grow insulation [Pennlive.com]

Inhabitat: What better way to usher in the New Year than with greenmuseum’s first ever environmental art calendar? Through a unique collaboration with Amber Lotus Publishers, greenmuseum.org, the not-for-profit online museum of environmental art, has created a 100% post-consumer waste recycled paper calendar, Environmental Art 2008: Contemporary Art in the Natural World. “To our knowledge, this is the first wall calendar to address the global environmental art movement,” says Sam Bower, Executive Director of greenmuseum.org.

The artworks featured in the Environmental Art 2008 wall calendar were drawn from the global archives of greenmuseum.org. The calendar provides a sampling of some of the latest developments in this field to stimulate the imagination and promote the role of art in the creation of a more sustainable world culture.

Greenmuseum’s Environmental Art Calendar 2008 [Inhabitat]

WorldChanging: There's no quicker way to show somebody that energy is abundant than taking them out to fly a really big kite. My favourite is a five metre, two-lined parafoil, and with lines only 20 metres high, ten knots of wind will throw you all around the park. Yet from a distance, the kite is merely a tiny speck on the horizon.

So imagine my delight when I learnt that the Beluga Shipping Company will use a massive SkySail to tow a 132 metre MV container ship across the Atlantic Ocean in January.

Ships are a great example of the difficulty in putting abundant energy to use. As the world's 50,000 merchant container ships cross the ocean they are constantly surrounded by energy: waves soar past, ocean currents channel massive volumes of water (and temperature) around the globe, winds swirl overhead, and of course, the sun bears down. Despite this, most ships carry and burn fossil fuels to reach their destination. Piggy-backing on the plentiful power from one of the abundant forces is an engineering dream, and constitutes an economic and environmental breakthrough.

The breakthrough is that despite being at the peak of oil extraction right now, it's already cheaper to move the 'My Beluga Skysail' vessel with wind power than it is to move it on diesel. To be precise, Beluga expects to save around $1600 on fuel every day - a saving that will have funded the system's deployment costs in three years.

Kite Powered Ships: Harnessing Abundant Energy [WorldChanging]

Triple Pundit: Surprisingly, the two largest components in a landfill are food and paper, both biodegradable substances. In fact, statistics clearly show that nearly 50% of all municipal solid waste is consistent of only food and paper products. The EPA clearly states that food waste is the #1 least recycled material.

A bright inventor and waste removal expert has developed upon an old idea and created a more simple solution for the home and office environment to eliminate food scraps the smart way.

Welcome Nature Mill, invented by Russ Cohn through a series of stinky trial and error R&D stents. The Nature Mill is an indoor composter for the unwanted pounds of food discarded daily. IT works like this: You can deposit food scraps into the unit at any time, up to 120 lbs per month. For the most efficient results only discard small pieces of food or cut it up accordingly. Freshly disposed food scraps rest in the upper chamber under a high temp composting condition. The process involves mixing air flow, moisture and heat to break down the food efficiently. The high temp conditions destroy odors, seed germination and pathogens. The compost is sifted into a lower chamber via a trap door where the waste continues to compost.

Roughly every two weeks, or when the indicator light bears its signal the cure process is completed and the removable curing tray in the sub compartment is ready to be disposed of. The composted material left over is a rich mixture of concentrated compost fertilizer for your planter or garden bed. From the initial dump into the receptacle to the cured compost discharge nearly seventy percent of the waste will have disappeared into thin air.

By by fertilizer, let your waste work for you. [Triple Pundit]

YourHub.com: All Things Renewable, located in Colorado Mills mall in Lakewood, is a one-stop shop for everything from non-toxic and sustainable housewares, toys and clothing to renewable energy systems for the home.

The products sold at All Things Renewable are made from sustainable, organic and non-toxic materials, including some products made from recycled materials. The company's motto, "Energy Independence Starts Here," reflects the owners' goal of helping consumers find products that have a small but positive impact on their consumption.

"All Things Renewable is a store for everyone," said McVay. "Shoppers don't want to make a political statement with the gifts they buy. When they shop here, they can make a difference by purchasing premium-quality products that are made sustainably."

The range of products sold at All Things Renewable is wide, from luxurious towel sets made from bamboo, a high-yield renewable natural resource, to baby clothes made from non-toxic fibers-a favorite with moms who care about the fabrics that touch their babies' skin. Students and road warriors will appreciate the store's range of solar-powered messenger bags and backpacks, which harness the sun's energy to charge iPods and cell phones on the go.

New "All Things Renewable" in the Mills & Online [YourHub.com]

Inhabitat: This the season to be jolly, and if you happen to be in New York, green! This year New York’s finest Christmas landmark is going green in the spirit of the Christmas season. For the first time in its history, the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree, will be getting a new set of energy efficient LED Christmas lights which will be fully powered by solar panels.

The Rockefeller Center Christmas tree, which attracts over 500,000 visitors during the holiday period, will receive over 30,000 LED lights instead of the standard holiday lights that it normally had. This switch from tungsten Christmas lights to LED Christmas lights will have the result of reducing the energy consumption by almost sixty percent. Not only that, but Tishman Speyer, the organizers of the event, have come up with an environmental management plan to reduce the impact of this operation and restore the land from where this tree came from.

Once the holiday period is over, it will be transformed into lumber to be used by Habitat for Humanity.

NYC Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree goes green! [Inhabitat]

Springwise: Garden watering bans are a fact of life these days, and not just in dry climes like much of Australia and the Western US. But a new Australian invention can keep lawns and gardens green without using any extra household water.

The Water-Leech, which retails for AUD 200 and up is a breadbox-sized device with a universal hose attachment that hooks up to shower or sink drains. Instead of letting grey water escape down the drain, a pump in the unit draws it into a self-contained storage tank. The pump is powered by a rechargeable battery instead of a wall plug to prevent any possibility of electric shock while its in operation. When the Water-Leech tank is full, owners simply wheel the unit outside to water their plants. (Providing biodegradable soaps and detergents are used, water from showers, baths, laundry, sinks and dishwashers is completely reusable.)

Low cost grey water recycling [Springwise]

The Cool Hunter: The newest front in the ecological war on waste appears to be denim. Hailing from the unlikely origins of India, Sharkah Chakra has appeared on the market as the answer to the organically-leaning, ecologically-savvy consumer's denim conundrum.

The company's philosophy is, "to make the world's best and only hand made denim using a simple age old concept of treating others as you wish to be treated." Using this Golden Rule as their guide, Sharkah Chakra has harnessed the Free Trade talents of indigenous indigo farmer, dyeing masters and tailors. The laudable process comes together to create an equally praiseworthy product: stylish, wearable jeans for the masses.

Sharkah Chakra - Organic Jeans [The Cool Hunter]

Springwise: The pharaohs built pyramids to help protect their mummified remains for millennia. But these days an opposite trend has taken hold: low-impact burials that enable a body to naturally revert back to the soil as quickly as possible. In the UK, for example, well over 100 special cemeteries permit the burial of the deceased in biodegradable coffins. However, critics say that unless sufficient safeguards are in place, the human remains inside those coffins can pose a hazard since they may contain toxic metals and other substances that can seep into groundwater.

Which is why various companies are promoting high-tech methods that allow cadavers to decompose while avoiding potential environmental hazards. Some of the techniques may seem strange, but they eliminate the messy embalming fluids, concrete crypts and metallic caskets used in traditional burials. Case in point: Promessa Organic. The Swedish firm’s technology begins by freezing a body to minus 18 degrees Celsius. A bath in liquid nitrogen cools the corpse even further, making it brittle. Next, vibrations render it into powder, and later the water that makes up the largest part of human bodies is evaporated by means of a vacuum chamber. Finally, ground polluting metals—such as mercury from tooth fillings—are removed, and the now-purified powder is placed in a small, corn starch casket. Once buried, casket and remains fully decompose in 6–12 months.

Freeze-dried Eco Burials [Springwise]

Iconoculture: Brooklyn, New York’s Habana Outpost restaurant combines Latin American food, environmentally friendly operations and community activism.

One of a chain of three restaurants, Habana Outpost is an avant-garde eco-eatery and gathering place for neighbors, environmentalists and artists. The solar-powered restaurant has a courtyard with recycled plastic picnic benches and uses plates made of sugar cane and biodegradable cornstarch cups.

Experts on living a green lifestyle conduct workshops before audiences enjoying Cuban and Mexican dishes. Local filmmakers show their short movies every Sunday. A Kids Corner features coloring books. A flea market takes place every Saturday.

Combining the cachet of Latino tastes with the active awareness of sustainable causes attracts an educated, upscale crowd with disposable income. Some of the most innovative businesses incorporate Latino tastes as part of their business plan.

Going green at a NYC Latino eatery [Iconoculture]

cNet News: This summer, teams from 20 universities are busy building enough homes to make an entire "solar village." The off-grid, self-powering homes will be on display for 10 days in October on the National Mall in Washington D.C., competing in the Department of Energy's 2007 Solar Decathlon.

The point of the competition is not to create new building technologies. On the contrary, entrants have to use commercially available products to demonstrate that a sun-powered home can be commercially reproduced. For a university like MIT with access to high-efficiency, NASA-grade solar electric panels, that was an unwelcome constraint.

A group from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology has already begun construction of its off-grid solar-powered home, called MIT Solar 7 and drawing in students and advisers with expertise in everything from electrical storage to mechanical engineering. It's part of an MIT-wide commitment to energy-related research to address climate change.

As the student leader on the project, Fucetola, who spends four days a week at the site, has become something of an evangelist, recruiting volunteers by asking interested passersby to get involved. "I tell people in elevators about this," he said.

The team hopes to sell off its creation as a way to fund MIT's entry in the next Solar Decathlon competition in two years. (Realtors have expressed interest.)

Energy geeks compete for coolest solar home [cNet News]

Iconoculture: Our current alternative energy source of choice is "crowd farming." That practice — which turns the energy people create as they walk, run and otherwise go about their daily activities into electricity.

The system could be installed in areas of high pedestrian traffic, placing blocks below the normal flooring that bounce and rub up against each other as they're stepped on. This movement is then harnessed and turned into electricity.

America is on the search for alt-energy sources. From wind power to crowd farming, the need to wean ourselves from standard sources of juice and find greener alternatives is inspiring innovators who hope to embrace a savvier, more sustainable future.

Crowd farming is definitely not a residential innovation, but nightclubs, fitness centers and college campuses are popping up as possible venues to harness the power of the people and throw it back into the system.

MIT hopes to "crowd farm" power from campus walkers [Iconoculture]

Trendwatching: UK supermarket Tesco plans to introduce carbon footprint labels on all 70,000 products it sells to allow shoppers to compare carbon impacts. Implementation will take a while: the company is currently investigating how to develop a “universally accepted and commonly understood” measuring system.

What works for bananas, works for eggs. Aptly naming their site wheresyoursfrom, UK-based Chippindale Foods was the first company to offer customers full egg traceability. Also check out intermediary MyFreshEgg, which aims to be bringing the same services to a host of farms and egg producers.

Life Story Labels [Trendwatching]

MercuryNews.com: The 7-in-one planters' buddy is an ingenious, trowel-like garden tool that truly multi-tasks.

Why it's cool: You'll probably find way more than seven ways to use this slick new stainless steel tool (and the fact that it could double as a weapon of self-defense isn't even one of them). The serrated edge of the six-inch blade makes quick work of opening balky bags of soil and mulch. The blade tip reaches hard-to-get weed roots. The straight edge cuts sod and a sharpened notch nips twine. The blade is embossed with measurement markings for planting depth (one to six inches), and it's a guide for plant spacing (the tool is exactly one foot long). The plastic handle has a flat end that can be used to whomp in stakes or fertilizer spikes. And this baby makes quick work of planting bulbs and seedlings.

Stuff we dig: 10 cool new products for gardeners [MercuryNews.com]

Iconoculture: Architects Mitchell Joachim and Javier Arbona teamed up with environmental engineer Lara Greden to dream up the ultimate tree house — a two-story, water-recycling, solar-powered, living crib. They're testing techniques for growing a weave of vines and trees that will form a lattice-like outer structure. Inside walls will be packed with clay and plastered.

The team is experimenting with a soy-based film for the windows that would expand as the house grew.The trio say a house would take about five years to grow. They envision tree-house farms where growing houses are tended and homeowners can pick out a finished house for transport as far as 100 miles.

Fab Tree Hab isn't environmentally friendly — it is the environment [Iconoculture]

TriplePundit: NPR has a great little piece today about the destiny of the (cue Carl Sagan) billions and billions of plastic water bottles that we go though every year, the majority of which end up in a landfill.

About 23% however, do wind up being recycled into various uses, typically carpeting or other downcycled products. Interestingly the majority of this new-found raw material is shipped to China. Although it's very interesting that China has found a way to purchase and profit from our waste, what peaks my interest most is wondering about the remaining 77% of PET bottles that are being tossed in landfills. Sound's like a monumental business opportunity to me.

The PET Bottle Glut - Looking for Solutions [TriplePundit]

Trendwatching: UK supermarket Tesco plans to introduce carbon footprint labels on all 70,000 products it sells to allow shoppers to compare carbon impacts. Implementation will take a while: the company is currently investigating how to develop a “universally accepted and commonly understood” measuring system.

Last year, footwear manufacturer Timberland started placing a "nutritional label" on each shoe box, educating consumers about the product they are purchasing, including where it was manufactured, how it was produced and what effect it has on the environment. Nice touch: messaging inside the box asks customers "what kind of footprint will you leave?" and provides a call to action for them after purchase. Hey, it takes two to tango!

Environmental Concerns [Trendwatching]

Bigfork Eagle News: Julian Cunningham started Swallow Crest Farm in 1999, a few years after moving his family to this scenic area on LaBrant Road. He taught a preschool for three years before deciding his heart was in farming -- and he wanted to grow the healthiest food possible.

Local wildlife helps him control pests, for instance. He’s put up 40 “swallow houses” to attract swallows and bluebirds, which eat almost all the insect pests that might threaten the three gardens full of vegetables and berries. Hundreds of swallows swoop through the air overhead, fearless of the humans in their midst.

“We have no mosquitoes,” Cunningham said as the birds flitted around, catching insect prey.

The fertile Creston soil is “as good as it gets” for raising produce, he said. To lengthen the growing season, he starts his cool-season crops in greenhouses and “hoop houses” that look like mini-greenhouses made of white plastic sheets draped over half-circles of plastic piping anchored in the soil. Hoop houses allow Cunningham to plant directly in the soil while providing the protection of a greenhouse.

Indeed, the hoop houses are full of mature mixed lettuces, arugula and other salad greens by early May. These are the first crops that will be delivered to more than 100 families who subscribe to the bounty of Cunningham’s farm. He and Kip Drobisch of Raven Ridge Farm in Kalispell are partners in a “community-supported agriculture,” or CSA, enterprise.

In a CSA arrangement, families and individuals pay a fee at the beginning of the growing season. Each week they receive a box full of locally grown produce harvested within hours of delivery. Deliveries start in mid-May and continue through October. Cunningham delivers in Bigfork, Lakeside, Polson and Kalispell. Most customers come to a central location to pick up their “shares.”

A 'new' way to farm [Bigfork Eagle]

Springwise: 3.5 billion wire hangers are tossed into landfills every year, and that's just in the United States. While the hangers are light, inexpensive and sturdy, they're not exactly bio-degradable. Hanger Network has developed an alternative: a dry cleaner's hanger made entirely from recycled paper. EcoHangers are sturdy and cheap. And because they're paper, they can be completely covered in full-colour advertising.

Everybody wins: Hanger Network creates a media network of up to 3.5 billion in-home 'views', and advertisers gain valuable entry into consumers' bedrooms for less than the price of a stamp. Dry cleaners get free hangers (wire hangers are about USD 0.08 each), and consumers no longer have to struggle with awkward tangles of wires. And on top of it all, it's an earth-friendlier solution. What's not to love? ;-)

EcoHangers: in-home advertising [Springwise]

Popgadget: It's true, I don't host many brunches or entertain a lot from home, but if I did, I would definitely get these biodegradable dinnerware sets, not just because they are attractive (call me boring, but I hate paper plates with designs on them, especially seasonal and holiday themes), but because they are made of 100% biodegradable, compostable sugar cane fiber, and the utensils are made of 80% potato starch and 20% vegetable oil.

Sugar cane fiber is a renewable resource, and these pieces are much sturdier than paper; thus they're "microwavable, freezer safe, oil resistant, and capable of handling hot foods and beverages." Never mind that some people consider using disposable dinnerware tacky when entertaining (maybe it's a cultural thing, but I grew up using paper plates at every family gathering), but if you'd rather use your fine china when guests are over, consider these the next time you're planning a picnic.

Biodegradable dinnerware [Popgadget]

Reader Mark Nagurski alerted us to the Ebay of dumped and useless items, Useful Garbage. From the website:

"Recycle your unwanted clutter or anything you deem as being useless- excluding your Partner! Visitors can ‘Dump’ anything they want to get rid of - for someone else to ‘find’ and take off their hands. From antiques and art to cars, TV’s and furniture - anything goes for FREE!

Connect with Dumpers and Finders of useful items by logging into MY Account or Registering. When ‘Dumping’, simply post your photos or a video together with a description of the item. If you cannot do either, just post your description. When you ‘Find’ an item, ask the dumper further questions or make an offer to obtain the item.

In turn, we all contribute to minimising landfill disposals, street and neighbourhood waste and the item is in the possession of someone who can make the most of it and use it again and again and again!"

Useful Garbage

TrendCentral: While they might resemble luxe golf carts, this dealership’s LSVs (low speed vehicles) offer Austin area residents a new alternative to gas-fueled travel. At 50 cents per charge (power for approximately 40 miles), with a one charge per day frequency, owners spend around $180 dollars/year to run their cars with a clean, renewable energy source. While this is clearly not an option for many, particularly those who spend hours a day in their cars driving over 35 mph (many LSVs can only be driven on roads with a 35MPH sign posted), it’s definitely a step in the right direction.

Enviro-friendly Autos [TrendCentral]

Daily Mail: For the first time since it started making trousers for cowboys more than 100 years ago, the famous clothing company is bringing out a pair of "sustainable" jeans to satisfy environmentalists.

The cotton is organic, the button on the waistband is made of coconut shell, there are no metal rivets, the dye is from natural compounds include indigo and the label is from recycled cardboard.

As the factory is in Hungary, the cotton will come from Turkey, the nearest available source, and other materials will come from Europe too, to cut down on long distant transport and associated fuel costs.

Not that it will stop the trendy trousers from having a hefty price tag, at least to start off with. According to reports the first pairs in the US will sell for 250 dollars each, around £140 here.

New 'green' jeans to hit the shelves [Daily Mail]

Wired: A Florida county has grand plans to ditch its dump, generate electricity and help build roads -- all by vaporizing garbage at temperatures hotter than parts of the sun.

The $425 million facility expected to be built in St. Lucie County will use lightning-like plasma arcs to turn trash into gas and rock-like material. It will be the first such plant in the nation operating on such a massive scale and the largest in the world.

Supporters say the process is cleaner than traditional trash incineration, though skeptics question whether the technology can meet the lofty expectations.

The 100,000-square-foot plant, slated to be operational in two years, is expected to vaporize 3,000 tons of garbage a day. County officials estimate their entire landfill -- 4.3 million tons of trash collected since 1978 -- will be gone in 18 years.

No byproduct will go unused, according to Geoplasma, the Atlanta-based company building and paying for the plant.

Synthetic, combustible gas produced in the process will be used to run turbines to create electricity -- about 120 megawatts a day -- that will be sold back to the grid. The facility will operate on about a third of the power it generates, free from outside electricity.

County to Vaporize Trash - Poof! [Wired]

BusinessWeek: Martin Hughes is not your typical hybrid-driving, clean-energy fanatic. Hughes and his wife, both longtime oil-industry veterans, zoom around Houston in no-compromise vehicles. His, a Nissan Xterra SUV. Hers, a zippy Volkswagen Passat.

Yet when Hughes heard last year about an environmental startup called TerraPass Inc., he was intrigued. The Menlo Park (Calif.) company sells "green tags," which cost up to $80 a year and which are designed to offset the emissions a car spews into the air during that period. After taking a small cut of each sale, TerraPass pools its members' fees and invests them in clean energy production, including wind power. Hughes checked out the service online last August and then forked over $129 for two TerraPass windshield decals. "I was impressed," he says. "It's a for-profit product that allows