Biofuel is fuel made from either plant or animal material, and while today's generation can take credit for coining the term, humans have used biofuel in various forms for thousands of years. Recent innovations in biotechnology have taken our traditional, unprocessed primary biofuels-wood, charcoal, and animal waste-to another level by allowing us to create secondary, or processed, biofuels, including ethanol and biodiesel, the ones making headlines today.
By Maggie Romuld

Garbage may be thought of as the last resort when looking for alternative sources of energy, but a new experiment may prove that wrong.
By Melissa Reynolds

Bogotá, Colombia is setting an example to the rest of the world with their relatively new B.R.T. (bus rapid transit) system. The innovative public transport system, which started in 2001, consists of long, segmented low-emission buses that are more like an aboveground subway than an assortment of bus routes.
By Ashley Bouman

HOME ENVIROSENSE

CITY & COMMUNITY EFFORTS

With the holidays fast approaching, many people are ramping up to prepare for decorating, celebrating, and, of course, gift giving. Those who are concerned about the environment have more options than ever this year to ensure that their gifts are not going to have long-lasting negative effects on the world.
By Virginia Ginsburg

Damage to the environment comes in many forms: in what people drive, what people eat, and what they wear. One of the biggest carbon footprints an individual can leave behind is in the kind of home they live in.
By Melissa Reynolds

GLOBAL FRONTIER

BACK TO NATURE

It has been called "the most ambitious renewable energy project ever conceived," it has also been called foolish, a fantasy, and a mirage. It has tremendous support, and just as much opposition. What's all the fuss about?
By Maggie Romuld

Growing your own mushrooms is an idea most people don't entertain as they think it's too much work. Not only is growing mushrooms an easy process, but it involves one of the most interesting uses for old coffee grounds.
By Karen Stephenson

GREEN LEADER PROFILE

GS PRODUCT PICKS

Rob Stewart, an award-winning documentary filmmaker, was born and raised in Toronto, Ontario. Stewart's major claim to fame is his documentary Sharkwater, which he wrote and directed.
By Ashley Bouman

Respect's Fair Trade Sports Balls

Get yours today in soccer, basketball, football, and volleyball form. A great alternative to the usual sports ball, be content knowing that when you are playing sports, your balls are sweatshop-free and eco-certified!
By Madelyn Lipszyc

TO YOUR HEALTH

ARTS/ENTERTAINMENT FOR CHANGE

More and more people are becoming concerned with what cookware is made out of and the potential health hazards from use. From the toxic chemicals that exist in non-stick coated pans, to the leaching of dangerous heavy metals into food from a variety of other types of metal cookware, there are some dangers to be aware of.
By Karen Stephenson

In North America, it is hard to imagine life without running water, plumbing, and sanitation, but it is a reality for many all over the rest of the world. What can we do? Our donations, voices, and emphasis on the issue can bring help to those who need it the most.
By Madelyn Lipszyc

BOOKS FOR THOUGHT

ECO PHOTO & WORD OF THE MONTH

In Ecoholic, author Adria Vasil seems to have found the perfect approach to providing environmental information to a generation with a Twitter-length attention span. Vasil writes the Ecoholic column for the Toronto-based NOW Magazine and over the past five years has proven she is well-equipped to summarize vast amounts of enviro-news and present it in a way readers can understand.
Reviews by Maggie Romuld

Photo Credit: Jean-Pierre Bajerski


sick building syndrome — a human health condition where infections linger, caused by exposure to contaminants within a building as a result of poor ventilation.