Not all of us own land for farming, but even urban dwellers can grow gardens and plants. There are more and more fantastic green living concepts being designed for people who want to try out their green thumb. Here are 15 fantastically futuristic plant growing design concepts.

Speaking at a conference in Santa Barbara, CA, Shell CEO Peter Voser said that by 2050 he fully expects 40% of all vehicles in the world to be some kind of electric car. Shell has calculated that by 2050 there will be 2 billion cars in the world, up from today’s 1 billion.

Voser, contrary to what you might think (but clearly calculated to represent a marketably more caring Shell) was quoted in a Reuters article as remarking that over the next 40 years the world will also need to develop more low-carbon fuels, more efficient engines, and more hybrid vehicles to account for the remaining 1.2 billion vehicles that are not electric in 2050.

No doubt the current Olympics has and continue to dazzle people with the drama (some outside of the venues) but somehow lost amongst the sports accomplishments remains the face that Vancouver touted this Olympics as the Greenest ever. It seems that China also made that claim a couple years ago. Instead of getting into a comparison of this green aspect versus that sustainable item, we took a look at the Vancouver Convention Center West, which marks the World’s First Convention Center to Achieve LEED Platinum Rating.

What happens to all of the detritus of modern life once it has outlived its usefulness? We tend to think of it as being “thrown away” – but there is no away, and bizarre collections of outdated and broken junk are piling up around the world. Like all of those abandoned airplanes, sea-unworthy ships and busted bicycles, these 10 objects are accumulating in their very own graveyards with nobody to mourn their passing.

In the burgeoning world of carbon capture technology, all sorts of interesting things are popping up.  Here’s one from UCLA graduate student Hexian Deng and biochemistry professor Omar M. Yaghi, who have developed synthetic crystals that can be used to trap carbon dioxide.

The science of climate change is not really the question at hand anymore. Of course, there is always more to learn, but that highly accelerated climate change is real and that humans are the main cause of that are no longer questionable facts to the large majority of the scientific community. What is questionable is whether or not we will address the issue, or to what degree we will address it, and how much our children and grandchildren and great-grandchildren, etc. will have to pay the price for our late and limited action.

It’s become so common in our culture to assume we need things – a lot of things. Over-consumption is not only a strain on our bank accounts and environment, it can also be harmful to our health. Whether there’s a warning label or not (usually not), many of the things we buy have associated health risks.

How in the world could a plant know what rotting flesh looks like, what a skunk smells like or how to replicate the sex pheromones of wasps? Just like insects and other creatures have evolved to mimic their surroundings for reproductive advantages and survival, some plants have developed the amazing ability to engage in trickery and deception. From orchids that entice wasps to mate with them to opportunistic weeds that try to blend in with their more popular cousins, these 12 plants are masters of disguise.

I met several lovely chickens yesterday when I was in Oakland, and I am now quite smitten. They are truly engrossing creatures to observe; the animal’s social behavior is very complex, their vocalizations are both soothing and fascinating, to say nothing of the delicious fresh eggs they provide. More and more urban chickens are being raised in cities, as increasing numbers of people are growing their own food and trying to create a more locally-based, sustainable and self-sufficient food supply.

I was at a turf industry trade show yesterday talking to a salesperson from a company that markets Organic fertilizer to golf courses (they describe it as the “natural amino acids found in feather, blood, meat and fish meals”).  There are actually a lot of better, controlled-release nitrogen fertilizer options for turf, but I decided just to be polite and ask if they were also selling into agricultural markets.  He said that they had very good sales for “Organic Tobacco.”  Apparently this is a growing export market to the EU with some domestic sales.

Did your newborn undergo genetic testing?  The answer is yes, even without your consent, if your child was born in a hospital or birthing center.  Even babies born at home often go in for basic testing, like PKU, at two days old (mine did).

What parents don’t know, beyond the results of such genetic testing, is that many states keep your child’s DNA on file indefinitely without your consent.

Saving $0.12 on one item in the checkout-line doesn’t really ease the strain on your wallet. But saving a little bit on everything adds up to a lot over time. Here are 10 ways to jump-start your savings for 2010!

1. Prioritize Your Organics