Food recycling mandatory now in SF

NPR reports on the new law in San Francisco that makes recycling food scraps mandatory.

It's the first program of its kind in the nation [that requires all businesses and residences to recycle organic waste], and so far, it's a mandate San Franciscans seem to relish. In fact, many residents and landlords began implementing the law before it took effect, using their city-provided food recycling bins to separate waste.

"It doesn't smell so bad," says Linda Corso, the the Cathedral Hill Plaza apartments manager. "Our trash room doesn't stink like it used to."

That's because none of the wet garbage, the food waste, goes down there anymore, Ms. Corso says. Instead, food scraps go into sealed compost bins that get picked up by the city. Corso says the program has significantly trimmed the building's garbage costs.

"We used to have two bins picked up every day," she says. "Now we're down to one bin every day. So we've cut that in half."

Read the full story: Food recycling law a hit in San Francisco

Photo from Recology

Studying Yosemite's roadkill

NPR has an interesting report about a man named Moose Mutlow, who is a roadkill researcher and educator in Yosemite National Park.

Mutlow studies miles of highway alongside the park and records data about the animals hit - some endangered like bears or owls - by passing vehicles.

Listen to the full report: Environmental educator eyes Yosemite roadkill

Nissan to build electric cars

National Public Radio reports that Nissan will mass produce an electric car by 2010.

This is according to Nissan a strategy to become a leader in zero-emission vehicles:

"Nissan has not announced a specific model that will be mass produced. But in March, at the New York International Auto Show, the automaker unveiled an electric-powered concept car, the Denki Cube [pictured above], which runs on lithium-ion batteries."

Read or listen to the full story: Nissan builds buzz with plans for electric car

Slow travel for our 100th post

Ecotravel News is celebrating our 100th post with a story about "slow travel," the ultimate in eco-travel.

Slow travel is essentially traveling without the airplanes that everyone knows are bad for the environment and slowing down and enjoying the journey to the new country.

One man that slow traveled around the world is Ed Gillespie who spoke to NPR recently about his journey:

"'What is the purpose of travel?' [Gillespie] asks. 'Is it about a checklist of sights that we want to go and see? ... Or is it actually about the notion of just getting away? And can we experience that notion of getting away with methods that don't have the same kind of environmental impact that unfortunately flying does?'"

Listen to his interview: First slow food, now a movement for slow travel