Friday's links

I'm going to start compiling links that I think everyone might be interested in and posting them on Friday's so you can have some extended reading over the weekend. Enjoy!

Here is a story about a fuel cell powered bike light. Seems pretty cool. I wonder how you get the hydrogen though. It’s not like that is being sold down at 7-11 next to the Mountain Dew.

This is kind of cool way to grow herbs for use year round. Anyone have any ideas on how to save a basil plant and overwinter it? I have a fantastic basil plant in my garden that I would love to keep going all winter. Is it as easy as just repotting it and putting it in a sunny place inside? Seems too easy…

On the same topic, I need to preserve some of the basil and I'm not really interested in making pesto. Anyone have any other ideas, other than drying?

Organic milk is more healthy than other milk. In other news, the world is round.

Here is an entry about eating locally. Follow the links for some info about a farmer putting up a greenhouse and other Treehugger stories.

A Toyota Motor Company subsidiary has developed a green roof system. Looks pretty darn cool. Also, some American groups that have them are Green Grid Roofs and ELT Green Roofs. The attic space in our house in unbearable in the summer because even with insulation the heat comes through and it is stifling. Maybe having a green roof would help that…

The blue Mega Mart is trying to get people to switch to compact fluorescent bulbs. I like the initiative but I’m not sure how they are going to get people to switch. Make sure to follow the link to the actual article which was a lot more detailed and was really, really good. Currently I see more emphasis at the hardware store for these bulbs than the last time I was in Wally World. Have you switched yet? You should have. Check with your utility company. Ours gave us a rebate back up to 50% of the cost of them. You need to switch, you’re just throwing money away otherwise. If you have money to burn let me know, I’ll give you my address.

New study by Edmunds says that Hybrids pay for themselves in less than 2 years. While the numbers work (statistics are what they are) they are assuming that people drive 15K miles a year. Hey!! If you want to save money drive less. It doesn’t matter if you have a fancy hybrid or not, you’ll save money. Break out that rusty bike for the short trips around your house.

After reading Garbageland and noting in my post the other day how much industry fills up our landfill this story about Subaru recycling and reusing items in its factory was kind of a nice read. Of course, they still make cars, but it’s a start.

I think this is a great idea. All that greywater going down my drain has been bugging me for a while…I’ll have to see if they sell it in America…what Uncle Sam doesn’t know won’t hurt them... right???

I’ve been mulling this idea over for a while. One of my projects this winter is to get something like this built and running for next spring. We have an electric water heater and pre-warming the water that enters it should greatly reduce our need to heat the water up. And I’ve got a perfect spot lined up in the backyard where the logistics of the pipe runs will be fairly easy. You’ll see the information here for sure.

Why work so hard to grow non-native plants when there are native plants that are easy to grow? Jerusalem Artichokes next year in the garden me thinks. They sound good. Easy to grow and taste good. I was going to grow sunflowers to attract beneficial insects but perhaps this one can take that place instead.

Will “green” fuels work?

Need a program to reduce your carbon output on the world? Follow the PHD diet.

FGLB