A Powerful Moment of Annual Turning

In many cultures, traditions associated with the winter solstice on December 21—marking the longest night and shortest day of the year—spark celebrations. But with all the winter holiday to-dos and fewer daylight hours, this fun time of year can also be drain [ … ]

sOccket to Me A Powerful Plaything

Two Harvard undergraduate students, Julia Silverman and Jessica Matthews, have come up with a way to harness the kinetic energy of a moving soccer ball and store it as electric current in a battery inside the ball. The invention, called sOccket, collects enou [ … ]

America Rediscovers the Joy of Riding the Rails

Due in part to higher gasoline prices and frustrations associated with airline travel, long-distance rail travel has been increasing by about 20% per year. Amtrak, America’s passenger railroad, is busy improving speed and customer service, while [ … ]

More Corporations are Catering to Green Moms

Thanks to the blogosphere, interactive group websites and online social media, women are becoming increasingly educated about how to avoid what may be harmful to their families as well as how to lessen their family’s negative impact on the enviro [ … ]

USF Launches First School of Global Sustainability

The University of South Florida (USF) has become the first of its kind to establish a School of Global Sustainability. Course concentrations are expected to address issues such as water, food security and health, climate change, wetlands, m [ … ]

Decline Unnecessary Receipts

Shoppers need to be wary of receipts that come on thermal imaging paper, the kind of coated paper that faxes used to arrive on and some cash registers still routinely spit out. Many of these types of receipts are laced with bisphenol A (BPA), the estrogen-mimick [ … ]

America Moves to Overturn Obesity Epidemic

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports a dramatic increase in obesity in the United States during the past 20 years (www.cdc.gov/obesity/data/trends.html). In 2008, only one state (Colorado) had a prevalence of obesity less than 20 [ … ]