Trees For Life is a Scottish charity that has pledged to preserve - and restore - the Caledonian forest in the Highlands.

At one time, the forest covered 1.5 million hectares; now only one per cent of that area remains. Muriel Gray, Trees For Life patron, is pictured planting the charity's half millionth tree.

The charity has joined the Billion Trees Campaign and has pledged to plant 100,000 trees in 2007. Go here to lend a hand.

Related stories: Tree art | Spuds save trees | Wood without the trees

I was pretty surprised, while watching the American State of the Union address last night, that Bush said anything admitting climate change was a problem, much less gave any airtime to biodiesel, ethanol, or other alternative fuel sources being necessary. The bad news is he only committed America to a measly 20% reduction in petrol usage over the next ten years, which is psychologically goofy as well as environmentally weenie. However, if even a hardcore Texas oilman can start to come around on the issue, pretty much anything is possible. Meanwhile, Al Gore is up for an Oscar for An Inconvenient Truth, and while he hasn't announced for president in 2008 yet, he's surely getting some heavy groundswell that wasn't present last time he was elected.  [GT]

State of the Union roundup: Climate Progress, Green Diary, Life, the Universe..., Renewable Energy Access

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Exhibiting at the London Science Museum right now is a driverless hybrid bus that you hail with your mobile.  It seats up to 24 people and follows its route based on magnets embedded in the pathway.  It uses considerably less energy than normal cars and buses, and costs half as much as a normal bus does to operate, since it has no driver - making it theoretically possible to double the number of buses available, especially in remote areas.  However, since it has no driver, there have been glitches: an unmanned bus in France ran over a sleeping dog and killed it.  Commenters have also expressed concern about vandalism, thuggery and other unsavory behaviour taking over the buses.  Can these logistical problems be solved easily enough to reap the benefits of expanded public transport at reduced environmental impact?  Vote yay or nay!  [GT]

The driverless bus you hail with your mobile [via BornRich]

[Don't forget to vote at Trashionista, Bridalwave, Corrie Blog, Kiss and Makeup, The Bag Lady, Shoewawa and Shiny Shiny too!]

WikiGreen is no more - long live Appropedia! A wiki (which means anybody-but-anybody can contribute) designed to "Reduce poverty through International Development" and "Increase Sustainability through the use of Appropriate Technology", Appropedia has swelled enormously since it absorbed WikiGreen but remains cool, green, and free information. Drop by and add your expertise! [GT]

Appropedia

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Scientists in Japan, working with colleagues in Michigan, have figured out a way to genetically suppress growth in plants, resulting in miniature versions.  If the growth hormone gibberellin, controlled by genes GAMT1 and GAMT2, is reintroduced, the offspring come out normal.  The result's been dubbed instant bonsai, with potential results ranging from real live pine trees to hang from your car mirror as a natural air freshener, to grapevines tiny enough to grow next to the sprouts on your kitchen worktop.  While genetic engineering is involved, it's quite different to splicing fish DNA into tomatoes: gibberellin is absent in dwarf plants that exist in nature already.  [GT]

Instant bonsai [in Japanese]

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A little pricey for what they do compared with most of our DIY projects, but gorgeous, and inexpensive compared to what you'd pay to have someone else custom make them, let us present Apartment Therapy's "How to Make your own Rice Paper Roller Shades".  Rice paper provides a vibrant mute on sunlight and only gets more dazzling as it bleaches with age - and this set lasted ten years before the paper needed to be replaced (whereupon it could be composted, natch).  $85 USD per shade.  [GT]

Apartment Therapy's "How to Make your own Rice Paper Roller Shades" [via Ecofriend]

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Now here's a game you can play while claiming you're just doing some virtuous homework. Climate Challenge is a strategy game from the BBC in which you play a European leader who must balance climate issues against voter response. While intended to be fun, it's also loaded with real science, so you can say it's good for you. [GT]

Climate Challenge [via MetaFilter]

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Okay, the Ultimate Hybrid Hyperbike is a bit surreal looking for somebody in my presently plaguey body and perpetually weak mind, but the concept is pretty interesting - it's basically a very slick update of the giant bicycles musclemen with handlebar moustaches rode during vaudeville.  The wheels are eight feet high and it can actually go as fast as a car in skilled hands (and feet).  Nonetheless, it has multiple controls and two brakes, making it safe as well as a full-body workout (second only, the makers say, to swimming).  [GT]

Ultimate Hybrid Hyperbike [via EcoGeek]

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The concept of Coworking is to hook up lonely telecommuters so that they can share office space, tables in cafes, work tips, long walks on the beach, litter boxes, etc. To get involved, you can join the Google Coworking group or check for Coworking chapters in your city. It's set up as a wiki, so you can easily start your own. [GT]

Coworking

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Offering organic and fair trade shirt blanks at about £5 each (minimum purchase is a ten pack; next price break is at 60 shirts), T shirt and sons is the UK's only Soil Association certified t-shirt printer. They offer everything: concept, design, artwork, proofing, packaging and distribution logistics, through to garment sourcing and the manufacture of bespoke items of workwear, uniforms and promotional clothing. Check out their limited edition shirts, including numbered wear from Kylie's Showgirl tour. [GT]

T shirt and sons

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1. Latest news from the wrecked cargo ship Napoli; 1000 seabirds covered in oil, 600 dead. [MSN]

2. Celebs: private jets and humungous carbon footprints. [Guardian]

3. An Inconvenient Truth nominated for Academy Award. Let's hope it wins. [Ecostreet]

4. Independent's anti-waste campaign gets political support. Will retailers start listening? [Independent]

More Green News.

Silverchilli brings you fair trade Mexican silver jewellery at a fair price. Take these delicious chilli earrings for example; they are just £7.50.

The Silverchilli range includes bracelets, necklaces, pendants, cufflinks and even a wedding ring service.

The company also has a commendable environmental policy - read all about it over the cut.

When just another pasty face on the campaign trail in Canada, Stephen Harper made a campaign commitment to require 5% renewable content in fuel and promote the benefits of ethanol and biodiesel. Now that he's prime minister, he seems to have forgotten, so the Canadian Renewable Fuels Association decided to run an ad with a clip from his old speech, as a gentle reminder. But when the CRFA submitted the ad for routine approval from Telecaster Canada, they were told that even though the clip came from a public appearance - one indeed intended to be preserved and promoted - that without Harper's permission (unlikely) that the ad could not run. Their heartsick mascot, Corn Cob Bob, is now on a hunger strike until the ad runs. Update: Telecaster has admitted it bungled the deal - though now 91% of those polled at Bourque Newswatch say Telecaster needs reform. The ads are now running. [GT]

Canadian Renewable Fuels Association

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Mr Clooney proves he is more than a ruggedly handsome superstar and that he has ethical leanings, too.

He has signed a deal with Hybrid Technologies to drive the Lithium Smart Car around Italy this summer. The publicity stunt is in preparation for the car's European launch.

[Via Ecorazzi]

Related stories: Ecorazzi green celebrity gift list | Venturi Astrolab solar hybrid car | Tesla Roadster

These curtain panels from DOC (Draper's Organic Cotton) are made from hemp and have a natural, uneven weave which filters sunlight gently into your room.

The tabs feature pretty embroidery and there are four colours available; natural (pictured), deep olive green, aubergine or duck egg blue.

The curtains coordinate with DOC's matching hemp table linen and cost £40 a panel.

Related stories: Hemp Hoodies | Sexy sexy hemp panties | Armani's hemp clothing