SCORE for GOLIATH on MONSANTO/ WHOLE FOODS ECO DEBACLE

"DID MONSANTO BACK 
A DELIVERY TRUCK OVER 
THE WHOLE FOODS KID?"
 --Greensburgher on Twitter

     It was a fierce twelve year struggle between the organic elite and genetic engineers with no clear winner in sight. But in the wake of the battle, it was obvious who had the bloodier ax. Monsanto emerged the victor with the help of  the U.S. Calvary--Uncle Sam. At stake were over 25,000 organic farms and ranches, the very people we have been depending on to keep our food supply uncontaminated.

     In the beginning, there was a conclave of greenies headed by Whole Foods, Stoneyfield Farm and Organic Valley who took up "the cause;" indeed the fight to keep the massive planting of a chemical and energy-intensive genetically engineered perennial crop away from John Q. Public. The crop was GE (genetically engineered) alfalfa--Round Up Ready Alfalfa-- which some, like World Truth TV, say was guaranteed to spread its mutant seeds across the nation; eventually contaminate organic animals; most likely poison farm workers, cause the use of toxic herbicides which in turn will in time will produce a super weeds, which will require even more potent herbicides to kill it.  At first blush, Whole Foods staunchly defended what they called "seed purity." but in the end it seemed they were overwhelmed by Monsanto, "the bio tech bully of St. Louis [and the government's] bio tech cheerleader, Tom Vilsack," said World Truth.

Whole Foods, however, sees it differently.

"THESE ARE TROUBLING TIMES IN THE KINGDOM"--Flo, Progressive Insurance

     "USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack recently invited representatives from agriculture, business and consumer organizations to explore coexistence between non-GE proponents and GE proponents.  It showed refreshing leadership after many years of debate that has cost farmers with contaminated crops in this country millions of dollars in litigation over the years," defended Whole Food in their blog, The Whole Story.

     Several months down the pike, they were on the defensive again pleading with the public to "get back to your scheduled shopping," comforted by these assurances:

"We have not been bought out by Monsanto... we (no way!) made a secret deal with Monsanto...Wrong again! GMO's [genetically modified organisms] have been in our food supply for as long as there have been GMOs." And even allowing that coexistence between GMO and NonGMO  "is a must!"

Two years ago, The NonGMO Project agreed stating: "...if the fields are contaminated...biotechnology companies for the first time would be held accountable and...forced to pay for the damages."

     Sigh. It would have been nice if the convincing had gone the other direction. This should have been a simple case of David vs. Goliath. In case you don't know your King James--David wins. In the bible, the mighty giant is slain by the tween with the power of the Almighty. Cool. But in this case we sense some unfair play, Monsanto may have just backed a delivery truck over the Whole Foods kid, who was probably on a bike. And they got away with it. Not cool. In the words of Flo from Progressive, these are "troubling times in the kingdom."

PIttsburgh Mayor Puts "Green" Money Where His Mouth Is

"Mayor Luke" of Pittsburgh, as he is called by both his friends and enemies, was the youngest mayor ever elected in the city's history, and one of the few nationwide in 2006 at age 26. He survived a special election, a re-election, a divorce, a series of alleged girlfriends and enough controversy to last a life time. Is it any wonder after snatching his hat out of the mayoral race in March of 2013 that he's now grazing in the calm of "greener" pastures?  No, you can't kick a man when he's up. 

Seen Green salutes Mayor Ravenstahl's "Edible Gardens" Program and his plans to "plant 10-15 edible gardens in targeted 'food deserts' throughout the City that can harvest 2,000 pounds of fresh produce for 200 families in low income neighborhoods."

It all part of the Mayor's Serve Pittsburgh Program in conjunction with the Department of Public Works fueled by a $100,00 grant from the Bloomberg Philanthropies. Here's to hoping it all works. To learn more or apply, click here.

2013 Global Warming Rate Equal To 11,300 Years Ago

Researchers are warning us again, but are we not listening again? According to recent CNN reports, the last time temperatures rose at this rate was11,300 years back. Apparently 1901-1909 were the coldest decades, and we've been on the rise ever since. This ironically neatly coincides with the invention of the "motorwagon"  by Karl Benz. in 1885, who sold 25 cars in 5 years, mostly in France. Add to that Henry Ford's efforts in 1908 with the creation of an affordable modern car that sold 10,000 it's first year and you begin to see an obvious pattern. Steel-making and industry surely didn't help. One century later, we're being told 2000-2009 were some of the hottest years, and it appears were in crisis inventing catch-up technology to manage a monster of our own creation.

Said CNN, "A century is a very short period of time for such a spike. If not for man-made influences, the Earth would be in a very cold phase right now and getting even colder, according the joint study by Oregon State University and Harvard University. Climatologist Shaun Marcott was the lead author of the report on its results." His main concerns center around our ability to adapt globally and our inability to accept needed change.

While Marcott didn't want to comment on what the would might look like in the next century, CNN reports his hopes that we can "pull out of it." 

Tokyo born artist, Naoko Ito's work speaks to the salvage heart. Here, she "preserves" nature in mason jars. Ito currently lives and works in New York. This piece is from her Urban Nature series which she has been expanding since its inception in 2008. Her credits include exhibitions in New York and the far east: The Shirey,  Soho20 Chelsea Gallery, Perry Rubenstein Gallery, The affordable Art Fair, and the Yasashii Yokan Gallery in Tokyo, Japan.
     
        

The Future of Coca Cola Is Green

From the days of "Things go better with Coke," to today's "Live Positively," the Coca Cola marketing train has never run out of ideas. Enter Kent Muhtar, son of a Turkish diplomat, and you have yet another spokesman in the soft drink's iconic PR wheel. Muhtar is the current Chief Officer of Coca Cola, but he titles himself, "Chief Sustainability Officer." 

Even while the company battles accusations from detractors, who think their product has entirely too much sugar and contributes to childhood obesity, Muhtar and his team have diplomatically moved past these complaints by offering people something they can hang their eco hats on: A broad ranging sustainability program that's integrated throughout the company's entire business plan.
 
Said Muhtar in a Forbes interview: "The [original plan] didn't have the right metrics around it. Sustainability was just a warm and fuzzy word in our corporate social responsibility report, and part of compliance. We also didn't have proper alignment with our bottling partners." 

Now Cola Cola is making constructive changes that have even their harshest critics blinking in disbelief. Some of their bolder plans involve returning as much water to the earth as they take out or becoming "water neutral"; reducing their carbon footprint by 5%, and the introduction of a "plantbottle" which is 30% plant material and 100% recyclable. Ideally, this should make the global manufacturing of their over 3,000 products a bit more palatable to John Q. Public.

Pittsburgh's Tech, Art, Eco Fest Returns for 2013

"Never perfect...Just Beautiful" is the caption for GA/GI Fest. Each year, a mixture of the quirkiest, emerging and off-beat art, eco and tech ideas get a chance to be seen and heard during April's edition of First Fridays on Penn Avenue, an art crawl known as "Unblurred." This year it's on April 5th and 6th so mark those calendars! For more info from the blog, click here.

Recyling Images: Warhol and Basquiat Olympic Art

Between 1983 and 1985, Basquiat and Warhol did a series of collaborative works. The 1984 Olympic games inspired this piece, which will be used as official art during the London games of 2012. Some say the two became somewhat co-dependent on each other during this period. As by then, Warhol's star was waning and Basquiat's was just rising. Still the interesting mix of "ready-made" iconography with oppositional graffiti was powerful. Get more-- Artlyst.

Eco Fashion: Dine in a Dress Made (YES!) From Wine

     Kudos for the University of Australia for coming up with this concept: In the future ladies, your dress may form itself right on your body without needing a stitch! And it's all thanks to a biological fermentation process that allows living microbes to produce fabric. These Aussy researchers for this process are even looking at ways to create alternate colors since they know the red color won't do for every girl. So far they have only come up with clear from beer or white wine, but they will most likely work that out as they tend to a few other "bugs. For example, unless you like a fine French "bouquet," you and your significant other won't enjoy that the fabric will smell like the vintage that created it.  And for heaven's sake don't get caught in the rain! When wet, these dresses will turn to sludge.

     On the up side, provided you do like wine aroma and live in southern Califtornia, where it hardly rains, or some other agreeable clime, this may be the (future) look for you. Says Bioalloy, makers of the--uh, stuff--they have named micro"be": "Instead of lifeless weaving maching producing the textile," it will all happen with living microbes.

     They have set out to explore, they say, the possible forms and implications of futuristic dressmaking and textile technologies.While the idea of a bacterial fermented seemless garment may seem like an alien concept, it will certainly "rupture the the meaning of traditional interactions with body and clothing."

Makey Makey: Computerize your Bananas into Bongos, Baby

...or even just piano keys.      Two 32-year graduate students--Jay Silver and Eric Rosenbaum--created the cool  Makey Makey device at the MIT Media Lab in Boston, Massachusetts.

     Their Kickstarter funding page (ending June 12) has got them 10,491 backers, netting them a war chest of over a half million at this writing!  But the pair wants their invention to be affordable, so they intend to sell Makey Makey for just around $35.

     The invention's name derives from Make + Key, and the product basically uses alligator clips, a USB connector, and a circuit board that can turn nearly anything with only a whiff of electronic charge (like gummies, cats, dogs or staircases) into a touch pad capable of typing, surfing the net, playing video games or music. Yes, you can even turn you and your friends into human synthesizers! The circuit board (which can be flipped and used on either side) is manufactured at Sparkfun, a company in Boulder, Colorado.

     Get more information click here or look on Silver and Rosenbaum's website.

Eat This / Strange Fruit

500 species of odd ball fruit reside at Miami-Dade County's Fruit and Spice Park in Florida. Bearing names that sound like characters in a future Luke Skywalker film--Antidesmas, Rollinas, and Ruskams--these plants are not only here and now, but some can be sampled on site. One to try: Black Sponte. It tastes like (not chicken ;-) chocolate pudding! If you visit the park, consider making it an all day outing; take lots of folks with you including grandma and the kids. We're talkin' 37 acres of natural weirdness, people. On your stroll, you'll enjoy over 160 varieties of mango trees, 75 varieties of bananas and other "exotic wonders." Get your marching orders from the park's visitors center. And this fruity space is the only one of its kind in the U.S.A., so don't be bashful. Get your full daily dose.

Jody Noble Choder: Raising the Roost in Pittsburgh, PA

For 2013 Info Click here!

We've all been taught about the greatest historical "movements": Civil Rights, Women's Rights, and even Beethoven's Fifth. But a chicken movement? Oh, yeah! It's the hottest, new trend and it's coming to a back yard near you. Consider the case of Jody Noble Choder, an urban chicken farmer in the Highland Park community of Pittsburgh, PA.


     Choder, has a normal job as a respected corporate attorney. She never really had it in her mind to raise chickens. However, with roots in Lower Burrell, Pennsylvania, she did consider herself a country bred girl with a dark secret.


     "To tell you the truth, when I hit my teenage years, I couldn't wait to get out to the city, " Choder admitted. "I wanted the bright lights, the wide sidewalks; all of that." And so, years later, after starting her legal career and getting married, she and her husband, Steve moved to Pittsburgh and into the Point Breeze community where after only a year into the renovation of their new home, Jody Noble Choder found a better house, a quiet place with a big yard, plenty of flora and fauna; up against the Highland Park damn. It would become the best of all possible worlds for her. 


     Said Choder, "You can take the girl out of the country, but not the country out of the girl. Well, it didn't stop there. Next thing I knew, I was watching Martha Stewart's TV show, putting in vegetable and French potager garden; building raised bed and gravel paths."


     No one can deny that Martha Stewart makes country living look more than incredible. When the lifestyle diva ran a story on raising chickens, Choder was smitten. She ran the idea of getting some young peeps past her husband. He was no instant Martha fan. He would only agree with the plan, if they built their own chicken coop, to save the expense. It was only much later that the couple realized they didn't have the carpentry skills to do it right.


     "We bought a dog house from Lowes and tried to retro fit it. The problem is we forgot about the door." The first spring their young peeps where killed by weasels, who lived near the damn. Choder refused to accept failure, but vowed not to bring another peep into the house, until they had their act together. 


     The second year, the Choders went back to To Lambert's Tack and Feed in Butler, PA, determined to get more peeps, and raise a better roost. With only a few more setbacks--young ducklings they purchased "disappeared," possibly met with foul play--the Choders soon became worthy of the title: Urban chicken farmers. They purchased a heat lamp and kept it and the young peeps on their sun porch to warm the downy birds so they could safely "feather out." They learned they had to harden them off, much like plants before the peeps could be placed outdoors. They perused every chicken raising catalogue and magazine known to man. Sure, they could build a better dog house, but it still wasn't a chicken coop. Before long, they spied an amazing Amish built chicken domicile.


     "Our chickens went from humble Section 8 housing to a five-star mansion," Choder said. The new coop had automatic doors, heated roots to warm their feet, special in-door lighting, nesting boxes, and an easy-clean floor. "Our hens must have felt like they hit the chicken lottery!"  The Choders then dubbed their feather friends with names. Now in addition to their dog, two cats and pond fish, there was Gregory Peck, a rooster; Buffy the Worm Slayer, Attila the Hen, Hillary Rodham Chicken, Princess Lay-a, and finally (who could resist it?) Mother Clucker.


     By six degrees of separation, the Choders began find other urban chicken farmers. the network grew through friends and friends of friends. By 2010 the group wanted to host the city's first self-guided coop tour. The plans were somewhat hampered when they learned the City of Pittsburgh was looking to create a chicken ordinance that required a zoning variance. However, by the next year the dust settled and the tour could be planned. And so, with four east end coops and four on the Northside, the first Urban Chicken Coop Tour was launched.


     "We expected some success, but for a first year event, the interest was phenomenal! We had over 450 people attend coming from Uniontown, West Virginia and as far away as Ohio." The numbers included a diverse range of men, women and children. At a price of only $5 for adults and children for free, the tour had great family appeal. The event even made the front page of the Wall Street Journal.


     Choder added simply: "People want to know where their food is coming from. It's an opportunity for parents to teach their kids something, and everyone wants to eat healthier." Tour-goers also got to see a variety of yard set-ups, and exchange chicken farming tips." It seemed not a single person went away lacking information.


     One of the surprise hits of the tour were the tee-shirts designed by Jason Sauer, owner of Most Wanted Fine Art, a gallery and Yoga spot on Penn Avenue. The tees were emblazoned with the caption: Chicks In The Hood. They quickly sold out. Proceeds from the the tour were donated to the Urban Food Bank.


     "Chickens are lot like potato chips; you can't have just one," explained Jody Noble Choder. Still, she hasn't gone down the crazy chicken slope, like a friend of hers (who shall remain nameless). She only maintains five chickens."The treatment of the birds by most urban farmers is very humane. The birds aren't injected with chemicals, they are free range, and we give them organic feed." The Choders raise a kinder, gentler chicken. The eggs the hens produce are given away to friends and even neighborhood restaurants like Salt, which have offered trade in return.


     "Some people are surprised by what we do, but I don't know why," said Choder. "People use to raise chickens in the city all the time, before it fell out of favor. It's such a good and holistic practice. It's nice to have some control over what you eat."

Take your Dad to see some Chicks this Fathers’ Day!

CHICKS-IN-THE-HOOD

2nd Annual Pittsburgh Urban Chicken Coop Tour

Recycling Mick Jagger is a Good Thing

While a good portion of the world was freezing it's keisters off  this winter, the White House was having a hot time in the old town with who else but--Mick Jagger! We just came out of our winter doldrums to find this little gem belatedly posted on Mick's Facebook page. We're only one of over 172,000 fans, who visits there every once in while in the hopes that Mick might give us something epic. Even the thought that he's browsing a computer from time to time is kind of surreal. But seeing the still-mighty, Mick who at 69 can still high kick and get Prez Obama and First Lady Michelle rockin' is enough to make us stand up and clap and probably lift every baby-boomer, couch potato too. Mick has made 22 albums in 45 years with the Rolling Stones--a title the band picked up from blue's man Muddy Waters-- and they earned over 437 million on their last tour earning them a place in the Guinness World Records. Mick just keeps coming back, and back and back...and bringing it!

TRASH TALK Exhibit @ The Carnegie Makes Recycled Art Sound Good

TRASH TALK/

An Exhibition of

Extraordinary Art 

from Ordinary Objects

Sept 2-30 

Gallery @ Main Library, The CARNEGIE--Oakland

Curated by C.K.C. Bethea

Artists: Sheila Ali, Dean Cercone, Bill Cousins,

Daviea Davis, LaVerne Kemp, Karen Page and Paula Weiner w/ art by Amir and 
Mr. Imagination Courtesy of Bob Ziller.

Closing Reception, Sun. Sept 25 @ 2-4:30pm 

Is Barbie-making Bad for the Environment?

Blonds have been maligned for years, the subject of ill humor and the butt of bad jokes. So what's this latest brouhaha? The plastic used to make her world famous form may not be eco-friendly. "Plastics" as many will recall from the movie "The Graduate" was the word issued by Mr. Robinson to actor Dustin Hoffman as the one material "that will save us all." Fast forward several decades and we've learned that plastic is causing our environment to pay a heavy toll by bein precisely what we expect it to be--indestructible. Sure, we are doing our best to purge ourselves of the need for plastics, but are we willing to supplant the fantasies of young girls from the ages of "3 on up" not to mention the countless collectors, many of them men, who have counted on Barbie's durability to help them sustain their lifelong addictions to the icon? We'll let the experts weigh in.

Testing the environmental safety of the doll, students in the California College Of The Arts' first ever MRA In Design Strategy program recently assessed the level of Barbie's sustainability. Their three year study revealed that each doll consumes the equivalent of 3.2 cups of oil (or 1.127 watts of energy) throughout its production, shipping, and use. Despite Barbie's 25-year life expectancy the test was set for three years, because the scientists discovered that was the life expectancy of the doll in a child's toy arsenal. Not surprisingly 90% of America's girls have at least one of these 11.5 inch dolls, but that is no indication that the average child's interest in them is deep and lasting. Sold in 150 countries worldwide, Barbie has become a $1.5 billion dollar-per-year industry -- but without plastic, she'd be another crustacean by now and it's doubtful that information of impending eco disaster will detour any true Barbie fans. More than likely, this may be one dirty (blond) cultural vice that millions will stick with, no matter the eco-consequences.

From "The Graduate"

The New Way Businesses "Meat" and Greet

After a hiatus from posting at Seen Green for a while, we found out about this little gem which  made us rush back to blab on our blog. We were trying to imagine what would happen if everyone added more meat--literally-- to their  business diet? In a world where lasting impressions are critical, you will be unforgettable if you slap a piece of  piece of beef jerky in the hand of a potential client.

Next time you need to reorder your calling card stock, forget about laser cuts, pop-ups and UV lamination. Meatcards takes 100% beef jerky and  sears it with your logo or message. Meatcards even claims your cards will last through any eco disaster, so it might be best to set a few aside a few of these life sustaining widgets for later!We just hope the people who receive these great cards have a sense of  humor and don't get too salty. Some of the best businesses in town are getting jerky. For more info: meatcards.com.

Reynolds Wrap Goes Green

When an product is an American icon, its always good to see progress since its inception which in this case is 1919. But check the history and you will soon discover that the Reynolds company is no stranger to green innovation. It's origins began in the same home town as the "Louisville slugger" baseball bat---Louisville, Kentucky. Then Reynolds went through several corporate acquisitions, make-overs, and headquarter moves, along the way buying another icon, Eskimo Pies and swathing them in foil. But it was in 1947, that the Reynolds Metals Co. used surplus aluminum from World War II to make Reynolds Wrap aluminum foil, creating its most famous product. We don't know if they went to ungreen and back to green, but we suspect that they finally get bragging rights for being on the right track. You can find the new green Reynolds on Facebook, subscribe to their e-news letter, get online coupons, cooking tips and more on their site. So if you're wondering...

From the Reynolds FAQ's:
Is Reynolds Wrap® Foil from 100% Recycled Aluminum safe to use with food? [It is!]

Aluminum foil made from recycled aluminum is as clean and safe to use with food as foil made from new, also referred to as virgin, aluminum. The process of melting down the recycled aluminum requires heating the metal to more than 1200°F, which burns off any debris in the metal. Once it turns into a molten liquid, the aluminum is sent through a filtration process, poured and rolled into thin sheets.

Get more info, click here.

The Girls Get It: Prom Dresses from Gum Wrappers, Drink Boxes and Trash

In Pittsburgh, PA the recent Geek Art /Green Innovators Festival on April 2, featured fashion attractions of trash. Five students from the Neighborhood Academy created clothing inspired by discards from their cafeteria and even bags from a local store. The Trader Joe's dress above is by "Briana." All this indisposable fashion energy comes from a new wave of stylish young ladies who are happy to help save the environment and have mothers who will be eternally grateful to them. As one spirited young lady said, "First we have to eat the trash; then throw away trash, so now we'll wear the trash."

Also shown: Blue Gum Wrapper gown created by Junior Elizabeth Rasmuson of Ganer, Iowa, who decided to make something for herself and her boyfriend Jordan Weaver. Elizabeth said, "I heard about somebody making a dress out of duct tape or something one time so I just like what's something cool and I've always liked the colors of the "Five" gum."

We think this trumps the duct tape, Elizabeth.

Tech Fields Still Prone to Health Hazzards

Think your not at risk because you're in the tech industry? 20 tech-related health issues are on the rise including electrical burns and the common flu....Click here

Green Tales from YouTube: Back to the Tap

Is it possible you dissed your faucet offerings too soon?

Blood Falls From Glacier: Has Man Killed the Earth?

"Did we really hurt the Earth?," wondered Diana Hickman, a community blogger for Greenwala. Thankfully however, the Earth is not bleeding. This is an image of Blood Falls located in Taylor Glacier, Antarctica. It seems that this five-story waterfall has a red blood like color due to a 2 million year old ecosystem of microbes that were once trapped under the glacier that are now free due to the glacier melting; creating a fissure in the glacier according to scientists.

In addition, the lake area where the glacier is located is rich in iron and has very high salinity. What seems to have scientists excited is that the microbes represent life in the most extreme conditions. Who knows what those microbes represent from a disease or nature impact something that-- according to our current sources--is not currently being studied.

100% Recycled Chair

Look at the legs on this puppy! They're made from recycled aluminum! The chair's seat and back is from recycled newspapers and corrugated cardboard. The frame is cast aluminum made of 100% recycled automotive rims. The screws came from a salvage project site. Says David Lasher on Greenwala, "We can totally upcycle the seat, back and frame into another chair or something completely different."

Diamonds Going Rough in Sluggish Global Economy

Amid rumors that the diamond industry is headed for a short-fall in "roughs," many analysts are looking at the situation very seriously. A new, productive diamond mine hasn't been discovered in the past 15 years and those planning to open, cant seem to get up the steam to keep going. According to RBC Capital Markets analyst Des Kilalea: "Diamond mining is a hugely expensive business and finding deposits and proving their commercial viability can take several years, as well as tens or even tens of thousands of dollars." Apparently, even if a plausible diamond mine were to be found today, it couldn't open until 2015.

In addition to high costs, the business of bringing a diamond operation "on line" is a daunting. "Botswana’s Orapa [an African] mine is on the surface and yet took four years to develop," Kilalea explained. "The Jwaneng mine, also in Botswana and of the size of mine needed to overcome a possible future supply shortfall, took 10 years to move from discovery to production. The Venetia operation in South Africa took 12 years. In Canada, the Ekati mine took 10 years to find and seven to prove and build. Even roads to the mines – which may open for only a few weeks a year – can cost $20 million to build."

This is the source of the problem. It appears that despite investments of hundreds of millions of dollars in global exploration, the diamond industry has thus far failed to discover sufficient commercial diamond deposits to replace existing finite mines. As a result, production is projected to remain essentially flat for at least the next decade. Even the new mines able to come on stream will not make up for the shortfall as older mines become depleted.

Said Kilalea of RBC: "The Argyle mine in Australia that used to produce 30 million carats is now down to half that amount.

The four largest producers – De Beers, Alrosa, Rio Tinto and BHP Billiton – account for 90 percent of total diamond output, while smaller players include Harry Winston Diamond Corp, Petra Diamonds, and Gem Diamonds. “A host of mid-tier and juniors kick in the rest; they are small and often not well financed,” Kilalea said. Of the more than 100 firms involved in diamond mining, fewer than 20 have “meaningful production,” Kilalea added.

Also working against productivity is the terrain. The world’s diamond mining is concentrated in a few areas which are not at all hospitable. These include Canada’s frigid North West Territories, and Russia’s equally frigid Far East. Deposits are to be found in a range of African countries other than Botswana. However, in some cases, wading through the waters of questionable governance is as difficult as cutting through glacial ice. Some forecasters believe this opens a window for style experimentation, such as cutting overall costs by dealing with diamonds in the rough. Take the excellent examples of rough-style diamond rings (pictured above) created by Sruli Recht, a self proclaimed 'nomad' with a passion for making "ugly things beautiful." Others think the possible short-fall in diamond production leaves room for the simulated market to expand, while others would argue that there is no replacement for a "real diamond."

Still, whatever the shortfalls or the pitfalls, or the prognostications or procrastinations, one thing is crystal clear: the diamond industry isn't going away. And there is good news: If production improves, the demand for quality diamonds is quite strong. Not only is it good, but its growing. Markets like India and China are clamoring for these stones!

Said diamond industry analyst Ken Gassman said, "You can't turn around a love affair [of making and buying jewelry] the human race has had for 50,000 years. "

And new discoveries are being made every day. One of the largest high quality diamonds to date was found last fall in South African by Petra at the Cullinan mine which, as luck would have it, unearthed the world's largest diamond over 100 years ago. The 507 carat stone could be worth in excess of 20 million dollars.

Sources: Elran Diamonds
Teumim Enterprise
BBC News

Don't MIss The Geotourisum Summit in DC..... If There is Still Room

Phone: 202-828-8044, Email: sustourism@ngs.org ...We're giving you the 411 right up front, because you just MIGHT (we said might) be able book passage to the hottest ticket this winter--National Geographic's Geotourism Summit on February 2, 2010! The event actually kicks off on February lst with ambassador training on sustainable tourisum, and the site says has they've added a few more slots. The activities also include a lecture with author James H. Gilmore, conversations with industry experts and U.S. Department of Commerce. There's a side visit to the Terra Cotta Warriors exhibition as well to see those incredible soldiers made 2,00o years ago to guard China's first emperor. To help you field your footing, the Geotourism site lists the closest hotels and a map.

To get there....Click here. To buy the Terra Cotta Warriors book...Click here.

The Art of Dressing in Broken Porcelain

Li Xiaofeng of China has finally come up with the definitive use for broken porcelain. Don't throw it out, he says--wear it! Xiaofeng collects and connects pieces of antique china shards with


silver thread creating one-of-a-kind dresses and men's jackets that trendsetters are sporting all over the globe. The works of recycled couture by this Bejiing artist are harvested from the selected remnants of Ming, Qing and Song dynasty vases, broken shards he grinds down, hand polishes, and then sets on pieces of leather lining. Amazingly enough, these glass outfits are not purely window dressing they are fully wearable pieces of art that celebrities like Lady Gaga have gone--well--gaga over!

Source: Linda Lucille

Pittburgh's Big Green Adventure: World Environment Day

Sure, you may be aware of upcoming Earth Day activities, or other great green happenings here in Pittsburgh, but look for the Woodstock of them all on June 5th, 2010 when our city once again goes under the global microscope to become city number #37 to host World Environment Day. We'll be joining global innovators like Bangkok, Istanbul, Mexico City, Tokyo, Beirut, and Seoul in hosting this international event, which apparently has been on the books since 1972. According to Pittsburgh's World Environment Day website....WED was established by the United Nations General Assembly at the Stockholm Conference on the Human Environment thirty six years ago. On that same day, the General Assembly adopted a resolution that led to the creation of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).

Commemorated every year on June 5, World Environment Day stimulates worldwide awareness of the environment and enhances political attention and action. With thousands of events in UNEP's six global regions, namely, North America, Latin America and the Caribbean, Africa, Asia and the Pacific, West Asia and Europe, the UN's World Environment Day is considered one of the largest environmental events of its kind....

This is more important than you might think. On the United Nations Environment Programme site, it states that scientists believe we have 10 years to change the way we live to avert depleting natural resources. This makes events like World Environment Day more a "wake-up" call than an event; still all the world will be hosting cheerful activities like street rallies, scientific forums, tree plantings and green concerts in an effort to take the edge off without negating the importance. No reason we can't have fun with environmental awareness issues. To stay in the loop go to to Pittsburgh's World Environment Day site and sign up for regular e-mails.

This Is Not Your Father's Blue

Who knew blue was difficult to make? Well thanks to a "happy accident" at Oregon University, the world now has a new blue.

Blue pigments of the past have often been expensive (ultramarine blue was made from the gemstone lapis lazuli, ground up), poisonous (cobalt blue is a possible carcinogen and Prussian blue, another well-known pigment, can leach cyanide) or apt to fade (many of the organic ones fall apart when exposed to acid or heat).
So it was a pleasant surprise to chemists at Oregon State University when they created a new, durable and brilliantly blue pigment.

What the researchers were trying to make were compounds with novel electronic properties, mixing manganese oxide, which is black, with other chemicals and heating them to high temperatures. Then Mas Subramanian (catchy name), a professor of material sciences, noticed that one of the samples that a graduate student had just taken out of the furnace was blue.
“I was shocked, actually,” Dr. Subramanian said.

In the intense heat, almost 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit, the ingredients formed a crystal structure in which the manganese ions absorbed red and green wavelengths of light and reflected only blue. When cooled, the manganese-containing oxide remained in this alternate structure. The other ingredients — white yttrium oxide and pale yellow indium oxide — are also required to stabilize the blue crystal. When one was left out, no blue color appeared.

The pigments have proven safe and durable, Dr. Subramanian said, although not cheap because of the cost of the indium. The researchers are trying to replace the indium oxide with cheaper oxides like aluminum oxide, which possesses similar properties.
The findings appear in the Journal of the American Chemical Society.

Source: The New York Times

Java the Cup Makes Good Mona

Late summer in Sydney, Australia, artists found a grand way to say "Good Morning," by creating the Mona Lisa out of thousands of cups of coffee with varying amounts of milk in them for color. Created for the Rocks Aroma Festival, it measured an impressive 20 feet by 13 feet (the acutal Mona Lisa is 31x21 inches) and took 8 people over three hours to complete. Lisa on the plaza was a monumental effort and a showcase in alfresco art... we just hope those 3,604 java cups were recyclable.

Jiro: The Tire Belt That's Picking Up Speed

Stamped on the inside not as "made" but "RE-made" in Italy, Jiro belts are as eco-friendly as they come! They're constructed of old bicycle tires, and although the tires went through a manufacturing process, the belts are truly one of a kind and can not be reproduced since each piece of rubber maintains its own unique character. The brains behind this concept is a man who prefers to be known simply as "Nero," a graphics designer from Milan, who believes we should "reclaim our primary means of locomotion: the body." And he sees "cycling is our only necessary luxury." Further comments to get Nero to hype his wonderful product went unchallenged, but he did offer that Jiro was only one of his projects. When Seen Green pressed for a reason why he created them, he simply said: "I love my bike."

Cost per Jiro belt is 30 euros or for us and other please-don't-make-me-convert-currency! folks, $45 USD. Shipping is $18. Tell Nero what you're looking for in color and he'll get as close as he can to your request. (Remember the belts are all different) If you buy a bunch (10 or more), Nero makes deals. Interested? Click here.

G-20 Bonus: Henne Helps Build Ecomonic Empowerment for Ugandan Women

If it seems uncharacteristic of a high-end retail establishment, like Henne of Pittsburgh to show heart to a small African nation, blame it on Pittsburgh's recent G-20. From the Shadyside jewelers stand point their awareness "of what's happening around the world" was raised, and they were not willing to just standby. By hosting a fundraiser for the women of Uganda through the "Bead for Life" Project, Henne is helping to raise money for medicine, income, food, school fees and most importantly---hope. Bead for Life's mission is to create sustainable opportunities for African women to lift their families out of extreme poverty by marketing the beads they create by hand of recycled paper. Henne feels an affinity for these Ugandan women through their skills of personal craftsmanship and "mutual love of jewelry."

All the items ( amazingly colorful bracelets and necklaces!) are very reasonably priced – from as little as $5.00 to $30 – but enable the women to earn an income five to seven times higher than they would otherwise receive. One hundred percent (100%)--yes all!-- of the proceeds from the Henne sale will be donated to Bead forLife, an encouraging and generous offer worthy of emulation. As Henne's PR says: "Who would think buying a beautiful piece of hand-made jewelry for so little could mean so much?"

One small step for jewelry; one big step for mandkind!

The sale starting Monday, November 2-7, 2009 with a reception being held on Thursday, November 5, from 4 to 7 p.m. with African food and music at the Henne store located at 5501 Walnut Street.

Sources: Mary Ann Miller Communications, LLC

Joyce Baucum, August Wilson Center/Women of Visions, Pittsburgh

Udate on Pittsburgh's GAGI: A Festival of Art and Technology

Subtitled Art+ Technology at it's best, the event promises to be full of geek, green and technology surprises. Get all the 411 at the Geek Arts and Green Innovators blog. click here.
The schedule of events includes a kick-off with kids activities, mid-day robotics and visual arts exhibitions as well as a car showcase, eco-tech fashion show, film and live performances A must do for the entire family! Save the date! Friday, April 2, 2010