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Make Your Own Energy

Guatemalan farms depend largely on chemical fertilizers for crop production and firewood for household heat. Together, these two elements have significantly contributed to the poverty and environmental degradation faced by these communities. Alterna -- an organization in the city of Quetzaltenango -- is working to change that.

Their solution? A reinvention of the humble wood stove into a biodigestor system that generates energy from organic food waste. For the households that use them, it saves money, reduces harmful fumes, and provides plenty of free, all-natural fertilizer. And for the larger Guatemalan countryside, it promises to save countless trees.

Video Credit: Permacyclists.com


The Coming Green Wave

Seaweed farms have the capacity to grow huge amounts of nutrient-rich food, and oysters can act as an efficient carbon and nitrogen sink.

A Filmmaker on Urban Development and City Design

In his third and final film on the design industry -- he also created 'Helvetica' and 'Objectified' -- Hustwit provides a basic 101 in urban planning.

How Parks Make Cities More Healthy and Safe

A study from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania has found that green spaces are linked to reduced crime rates.

Can Traffic Signals Ease Congestion Without Discouraging Walking?

The best responses from this week's The Big Fix.

Can Phoenix Be Greened?

The city is ground zero for global warming emissions. But adopting a more sustainable urban planning approach will be very difficult.

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Experts say America's bullet trains will need to carry 10 million passengers to offset the environmental impact of construction.

In Arizona, Reducing Water and Energy Use Through Peer Pressure

The notion that people will change their beliefs and behavior through social norms could be a powerful tool for cities chasing sustainability.

Atlanta Beltline: the Best Sustainabilty Project in America?

The plan offers an innovative vision for combining parks and transit.

In California, a 'Bus' Without a Bus

One town is experimenting with a fitness program that encourages students to walk to school.

Drawing Clean Power From Old Oil Wells

Bob Hunt, a former nuclear engineer, is testing an innovative system for extracting geothermal energy. Can he tap the heat beneath our feet?

Educating the Next Urbanists

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How Chefs Can Help Save the World

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Refugees Put Down New Roots in Kansas

An innovative training garden outside of the oldest public housing project in Kansas is changing the way a community eats.

The Importance of Intelligent Technology Risks

The Solyndra scandal shows how unstable the tech industry can be, but in some cases failure is better than not trying.

How 'Urbanized' Challenges Us to Make Our Cities Better

Gary Hustwit presents a worldview where the car is no longer king and community priorities dominate.

A Conversation with an Environmental Lawyer

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The Last Great Plant Hunt

The Kew Royal Botanical Gardens has been storing seeds as an 'insurance policy' against the extinction of plants in the wild.

The Success of a City at Night

We know the positives that come from safety, mobility, proximity, commerce, and interaction -- perhaps it's time for more formal measures.

Food Security and Climate Change

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