Well it’s actually 501 when this one gets published on the front page.

A couple of minutes ago, I just looked “inside” GP and I was pleasantly surprised to see that “You have 500 posts”. That’s our good deed. That’s how we try to be better stewards for our Planet, for the environment we spend our lives in.

It’s been more than half a year, and even though some will say that it’s not an important step, I’m here to congratulate the whole blogging team behind GP. Thanks Bill, thanks Sameer, and thanks to all those who read us (be it directly or via RSS) and to all those that commented on our articles.

GreenPacks wouldn’t have been here if it wasn’t for you, the one in front of the display who’s reading these words.

What will be from now on? We promise to bring you quality articles every day, and all we ask from you is to read them. Together we can do more than we do alone … See you again at 1,000.

Thank you!

Image courtesy of lucias_clay

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Global warming is one phenomenon that has pretty much grown into the biggest demon the planet is trying to get off of its back and not too surprisingly, we have not been all that successful till today.

Despite growing concerns over how the greenhouse gases must be controlled and their volume curbed, it seems the progress is either too slow or even non existent for many developing nations. Europe though is at the forefront of this movement and it is interesting to take a look at the radical few new ways that UK’s Royal Society has come up with to deal with the rising temperature.

1) Methods proposed by scientists at the Royal Society include using trillions of space ship mirrors that hover around the earth and create a shield that reflects the sunlight and forms a heat shield of sorts.

2) Then there is the idea of spraying ocean water into the atmosphere to which will increase salt content in the clouds and make them whiter. This would also act on the principle of reflecting light.

3) The most acceptable method seems to be increasing iron content in oceans which would encourage growth of algae and absorption of carbon gases. But such a method could cause havoc to the marine ecosystem.

The methods stated by John Shepherd, chairman of the Royal Society and his team of scientists are all still just secondary plan and the scientists themselves admit that our major goal must be to reduce greenhouse gases. That should make the priorities clear for all reluctant nations who still think of economic impact above environment effects.

By the way; ’spaceships with mirrors’… What is this, Fifth grade?

Image courtesy of Enzo D.

Ever heard the legendary Bruce Lee talk about how the perfect weapon is “an extension of the fighter’s mind and body”? Well, in the exact same fashion, the perfect green structure must be an extension of the planet. It must be one with the ecosystem, around it rather than stick out like a sore spot. That is precisely what The Cley Marsh Center in England accomplishes with both its ergonomic and visual structure blending it seamlessly into its surroundings.

Designed by LSI Architects, Cley Marsh is a nesting place for many birds and a delight for all bird livers in the UK. Now the nature admirers have a green retreat in the form of the Center that received Emirates Glass LEAF Awards for its superb green design. The wind energy, solar power and underground heating systems make the building stay completely off the grid, which helps reduce the carbon emissions by 80% compared to traditional structures of the same size.

Another great addition is the water harvesting system and the green roof covered by moss that gives the building a pleasurable green look. Really gets your attention at the first glance, doesn’t it? Check out a pictures gallery after the break. (more…)

It seems that after finding the highest spot on the planet - that’s Mount Everest, man is now obsessed about looking inside the crust and what actually lies under his feet. Deep shafts, natural mines and underground series of caverns and caves are not a cup of tea for everyone, places where even the most experienced climbers and adventure sports specialists can get claustrophobic in the depths very quickly.

The 3,100feet (1,026 meters) deep underground shaft discovered by an international team of cave explorers near the village of Tian Xing can really send the chill down the spines of even the very best.

The shaft with series of tunnels, underground caves and a network of passages was explored extensively for several months with the adventurous guys camping deep down for several days at a time. The tunnel looks almost like a bottomless pit, but still has some breathtaking sights hidden in its depths with waterfalls and underground rivers adding to its beauty.

If you are scared of closed places, this is not the place to be though. While its is not the deepest tunnel in the world, it no doubt figures right along with some of the deepest across the planet. It is the heights that are normally dizzy, but here are depths that can replicate the same effect. Check out the gallery below!

Photographer Robert Shone - via DailyMail

I know you guys can read, but I just feel like saying it out loud, again.

“Only when the last tree has died, and the last river has been poisoned and the last fish has been caught, will we realise that we can not eat money“

There’s so much truth in that … - via AmericansAreBrainwashed

“Recycle, Reduce and Reuse”- If the planet is what is at your heart then that is the mantra for you. Different people have various ways of recycling stuff and while some ensure that the recycled products are useful, the others make sure that they are works of art that spread the message.

The giant, shiny metal skull made from recycled kitchen utensils falls in to the latter and with Halloween around the corner, it might be a really enterprising venture. Just stick a couple of glowing red LEDs in the eyes and play a horrific laugh behind and you could make yourself a cheap Hollywood flick as well!

Crafter by Indian artist Subodh Gupta, the giant skull is simply too awesome to take a pass on, and it really is as crafted to perfection. While it may not really serve any practical purpose, it stops plenty of old metal from ending up in landfills and scrap.

Moreover, what better way to promote eco-friendly attitude among kids than by scaring the hell out of them with this and “forcing” them to recycle. Another example of recycling gone right! - via EcoFriend

Solar energy is without a shadow of a doubt, the leader when it comes to renewable energy sources. It seems that the State of California is assuming the mantle of being the new “Sunshine State” in the US with its amazing progress in utilizing solar energy to the optimum level. Even the economic meltdown that hit the country so hard seems to have been a lot kinder to California’s solar march into the future, as it showing no signs of stopping.

Designed by Ausra in mere seven months, the Kimberlina Solar Thermal Plant is the first of its kind in North America. It was built using an array of solar-thermal panels that use a technology called Compact Linear Fresnel Reflectors, that revolutionizes the traditional notion of solar power. With the Fresnel principle, solar energy is converted into thermal energy and that heat is used to turn water into steam. The working from there on is pretty common with the steam producing electrical energy by rotating the turbines.

The plant will utilize 1,000-foot long mirrors to enhance the process and produce 5MW of electricity when at full capacity.

The Bakersfield plant is also a testing prototype for a future 177MW facility set to open in 2010 in San Luis Obispo that will power more than 120,000 homes. For something so grand and involving solar power, it had to be Arnold who cut the ribbon and so he did.

The future sure looks sunny and bright for California! Check out more pictures after the break. (more…)

Summer Phoenix is a PETA activist. She has also been a vegan since birth. Additionally she is an avid supporter of several environmental and animal rights causes and charities.

She comes from a family of actors and actresses. Her brother Joaquin Phoenix was in Gladiator and Walk the Line among other films. Speaking of Joaquin, he has just quit acting to go into singing. He got good reviews for his part in the Johnny Cash film.

Two of Summer’s siblings have names that remind of us of the planet we live on. River, who sadly died of a speedball - cocaine and heroin - overdose, and Rain. Rain is also an actress.

GP is certainly not opposed to actors and actresses doing their thing. We like movies as much as the next person. We do, however, like it better when actresses like Summer get in on making the world a better place for our animal friends and make the planet a better place by just plain caring.

Image courtesy of RottenTomatoes

The Statue of Liberty is dubbed as a symbol of freedom to the shackled, a symbol of hope to the deprived, a symbol of refuge to the homeless and beyond all, a glorious symbol of human spirit and its undying faith in a better tomorrow. The planet today is at a delicate and vital turn where every move we make could make or break the future for the beautiful planet that we all call ‘Home’.

This present and the consequential future largely depends on the way we treat our planet and how well we adapt to renewable and clean sources of energy by inviting the alternate power into our homes and lives. It then seems only an obvious matter that the ‘Statue of Liberty’ should also spread the ‘Green Light’ with her eternal golden torch.

Why is the Statue of Liberty green?

First of all - and less relevant to the environment, it has a very well known green tinge largely due to the copper of the statue reacting with the elements to produce the copper salts which give its green hue. Now, it only seems appropriate that the visual green inclination is being backed up by some solid green intent. If the ‘First lady of Freedom’ cannot break the shackles of conventional power and fossil fuel, then it would surely have been indeed a shame!

Secondly, it’s because the Lady Liberty and her flaming light are now being lit up each night with wind power that is being bought by the government from a company that produces wind energy from its farms in Pennsylvania and West Virginia. Pepco Energy supplies all the energy that lights up the statue and while it looks strange that New York is not tapping into offshore wind energy that is available in plenty at such close quarters, it seems the wheels are in motion to ensure that the statue is indeed powered by green energy produced in New York.

The Statue of Liberty has always been a symbol to many of a bright future. Perhaps now she can be a symbol to all of a bright green future.

Images courtesy of 1, 2, 3, 4

Yamagata Prefecture in Japan has a wood gas-to-energy power plant powered by gas engines made by GE.

The project generates power from renewable biomass resources that are in abundance and would otherwise be treated as rubbish.

The plant which is owned and operated by Yamagata Green Power a subsidiary of renewable energy development firm Japan Biomass Development, received the Best Renewable Energy Power Plant of the Year by Asian Power magazine.

Japan wants to increase renewable energy production to 3% of the country’s overall energy supply by 2010 an the biomass fuel production which is hoped to be 330MW by 2010, will sure help.

The plant is located in Japan’s largest cherry producing region and runs completely on wood gas without and backup fuel.

A forest nearby means the facility has a steady source of wood biomass for raw fuel and makes use of the forest’s trimmed branches, which had been disposed of previously. However, the basic question - can Japan grow trees faster than they can burn them up?

Press release