There was Government survey in the UK that found a large percentage of peeps reckon it takes too much effort to be green. So they don't bother. (An equally large number do, though.) A reader comments, "Every time I ride my bicycle, there are shiny new hummers on the road. I turn off the light when i leave the room, but office towers stay illuminated 24/7. It's frustrating and demoralizing to be surrounded by idiots who counteract everything your do. why don't people get it?" A sentiment that many treehuggers can no doubt empathise with. But major societal change is not without it's frustrating moments. Nelson Mandela surely ruminated on this during his 27 years in prison, before he was ultimately successful against apartheid. Just because people don't 'get it' today, doesn't mean they won't tomorrow, or next week , or... TH showcases the results from people who are already on board. See below.

More Articles from Treehugger this week: 

Young Pirates, Ecology and Green Ships

Billion Dollar Thin-Film PV Market Predicted

Bio-diesel Technologies & Jatropha in Brazil

Herman Miller's Approach to Sustainable Design

10 Solutions to Save the Oceans

Solar Dehydrator for Argentine Producers

Last week we mentioned TH Radio was talking to Vinay Gupta, the creator of the Hexayurt. Now you can read a transcript of the full TH Interview or download a podcast for your aural pleasure. Vinay Gupta is half Indian, half Scottish, and residing in Iceland. An engineer at heart, Gandhi and Buckminster Fuller are two of Vinay's heroes. But the real magic is in combining Gandhi's political thought with Fuller's engineering, what Gupta calls a "curry and chips phenomenon." And, of course, you're already in the know that TreeHugger newsletters can be had packaged in cute bite sized bytes, like our Daily newsletter. And see that lil blue, left-hand link below? Clicking on it will forward this missive to your mates. If you are reading this in Azerbaijan, then we bid you "sag olun" until next week.

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a la prochaine,
Team TreeHugger

A year or so ago, finding a stapleless stapler was harder than locating a glacier that wasn't receding, but just the other day we noticed even these little guys are going mainstream, with a cute makeover that hides their metal saving tendencies beneath the visage of animals. What the hell are we talking about? Take a peek. Maybe one day we'll do a primer on stapleless staplers, but for the moment our Green Basics series continues, by looking at electric hybrid vehicles to demystify what all the fuss is about. Which just happens to dovetail sweetly with our first feature store of the week. Magic.

Articles:

Why Don't I Drive a Hybrid

Denmark's Drive to Energy Efficiency

PowerPod: Small Green Prefabs

Tool Libraries: Sharpest Tack in the Shed

Solar Powered Mouse Being Tested

Seedy People Share Their Seed 

On Treehugger Radio this week we take a look at the new film The 11th Hour, the local focus of this year's Farm Aid concert, and some oceanographic temperature-taking done with the help of seals. We also talk to Vinay Gupta, the creator of the Hexayurt, a portable survival structure for refugees. And, of course, you're already in the know that TreeHugger newsletters can be had packaged in cute bite sized bytes, like our Daily newsletter. If you're from the Democratic Republic of the Congo you may speak Lingala, our sign off language this week; "tokomonana."

a la prochaine,

Team Treehugger

Actor and environmentalist Ed Begley, Jr., has agreed to guest judge our Convenient Truths contest! Many folks know him as Dr. Victor Ehrlich from the television series St. Elsewhere or his recurring roles on Arrested Development and Six Feet Under, but we know him as the vegetarian, IZIP-riding, solar-powered-home dwelling eco-celeb. With only six days left to enter, we hope Ed's green ways serve as a little last minute inspiration for you to enter your solution to climate change. Not only will your video gain exposure in front of one of the most expert set of green eyes, but you'll have a chance to show Ed what it's like "Living with (Your Name Here)."  Ed will be selecting the Grand, Second and Third Prize winners, so get creative this weekend and capture and upload your 1-2 minute answer to reducing your personal carbon emissions. You only have until February 28th! If saving the world/having your video gain major exposure/getting in the running for $30,000 in sustainable prizes still hasn't convinced you to enter, channel your inner critic on March 1st and vote on your favorite entries here: www.truths.treehugger.com.

TreeHugger Radio is now alive and kicking on the iTunes podcast directory. Subscribe to TH Radio to get a weekly dose of fast-paced green news, as well as in-depth interviews with some of the the green movement's most forward-thinking men and women. 

Click Here to Subscribe via ITunes

With only 26 days left to enter, get creative this weekend and enter our Convenient Truths contest! Don't miss the chance to inspire your peers to take action against climate change and win our selection of sustainable prizes valued close to $30,000.

The videos continue to roll in as we move towards the Feb. 28th deadline for entering Treehugger and Seventh Generation's Convenient Truths contest. You can check out the latest entries by scrolling through the posts at the contest site; hopefully, they'll inspire you to create one of your own. Remember that any kind of action you're taking to lessen your own greenhouse gas emissions can be worthy of a contest video, and that video need not be "professional" -- capture it with a video camera, even the one on your mobile phone, and send it in. All entries have a shot at the almost $30,000 in prizes we're offering.

Some of us can change our habits through will and repetition; others need support from family, friends, or some other kind of community. As you move forward on those climate-friendly resolutions you made for the New Year, you might want to consider joining one of the social networking sites aimed at creating communities dedicated to addressing the climate crisis. One of the newest is http://www.coolmove.org Founders Andy Lubershane and Alex Kieft took their inspiration from the film An Inconvenient Truth, and invite treehuggers to join them in taking simple steps towards lessening their carbon footprint. According to their site,

We're not pamphlet-waving loonies, spaced-out hippies, or eco-terrorists. We're just two ordinary college grads who were inspired by the message of An Inconvenient Truth and felt we had to do something about it. So in addition to replacing our light bulbs and taking public transportation more often, we decided to make a website.

Our hope now is that more ordinary people like us will use CoolMove.org as a starting point for action. CoolMove.org is not a business and we don't stand to profit financially from getting a lot of people to visit. But if even just one person pledges to do a tip from our site each day, then at least we're helping one more person make a positive change.

It's clear we've received some pretty cool submissions so far (you can check them out by scrolling through the posts here) but please allow me to emphasize exactly what it is we're looking for.

While high quality videos are always appreciated, the winning videos will be selected on the content moreso than their professional look. We want this contest to be quick and simple. Don't be afraid to enter some cell phone shot entries, folks!

Like I said, most important is the content. Please show us the action(s) you're taking in your daily life to help reduce your carbon emissions. Videos can discuss various components of daily life including transportation, home and garden, work, recreation, etc. For example, are you bicycling to work? Have you lowered the thermostat in your home?

Videos that wish to be eligible for the EPIC International Prize can discuss these same components (transportation, home and garden, work, etc.) but must address issues of conscious consumerism and its relationship to global warming. Tell us, what products are you buying that help make a difference? For example, do you scrub with organic soap? Did you purchase a hybrid car? Show us on camera! Please note: All Int'l entrants should enter this category to be eligible for a prize.

The clock is ticking so enter some inspiring solutions today! (Insider tip: Increase your chances to win by entering two, three, four or more videos!)

While Christmas isn't over for everyone, and Kwanzaa is in full swing, many of us are focused on the last big holiday of the season: New Year's Day (and, of course, New Year's Eve). The changing of the year brings a mixed bag of associations: parties, champagne, and midnight kisses on the one hand; reflection and anticipation on the other. We hope that 2006 has been a wonderful, successful, joy-filled year for you, and that 2007 brings more of the same. As you're thinking about the resolutions you'll make, we hope that you'll include lowering your carbon footprint with dieting, exercise and better financial planning. There's no better time than the turning of the calendar to commit yourself to a greener, more climate-friendly lifestyle -- especially when uploading your video of your acting on these resolutions to the Treehugger Seventh Generation Convenient Truths contest could score you a phone call from a celebrity (see below the jump)! Among the options you might consider:

See Myspace Convenient Truths Contest Page!

While working to lower your personal carbon footprint is a reward in itself, the winners of Treehugger and Seventh Generation's Convenient Truths contest will receive considerably more than a warm, fuzzy feeling for their videos: the grand prize winner receives an all expense paid eco-tour for two to an Alaskan Wildlife Refuge (from Alaska Wildland Adventures), travel gear (from Patagonia), and carbon offsets (from DriveNeutral). The number two spot earns a green home makeover (from ecohome improvement), green household products (from Seventh Generation), and a full year of carbon neutrality (also from DriveNeutral), and third place snags solar bicycles (from Therapy Products), solar backpacks (from Voltaic) and a Zipcar membership.

This week, another prize package ELIGIBLE FOR BOTH U.S AND NON-U.S. RESIDENTS was added to the mix: the GLOBE Foundation of Canada and EPIC Vancouver have joined forces with Convenient Truths helping create the EPIC International Prize. This award will go to the contest video that:

...best address issues of conscious consumerism and its relationship to climate change. Videos can discuss various components of daily life including transportation, home and garden, clothing, work, recreation, etc., and in this, the subsequent actions being taken to reduce one's carbon footprint.

The EPIC International Prize will reward its winner with a cash award of $5000, a Jorg & Olif Citybike, a pair of Earthangels Shoes from John Fluevog, and a free flight to Vancouver for the EPIC Sustainable Living Expo. John Fluevog will serve as the judge for this prize.

If you're not sure about how to start buying more consciously, consider giving green, climate-friendly gifts this season. Treehugger's Green Holiday Gift Guide 2006 has a wealth of suggestions.

Learn more about the new contest category and upload your video at Truths.Treehugger.com!