Sierra Club Green Home

ASPEN, C0 — Once an active silver mine in the early 19th century, Aspen’s Hope Mine recently transformed from a barren, abandoned plot of land to a verdant, restored landscape, thanks to an innovative biochar initiative led by the Aspen Center for Environmental Studies (ACES).

Companies seeking venture capital to expand or launch new projects have a tough time of it, particularly green-based companies. More green entrepreneurs are turning to crowdfunding as a viable option to help them succeed.

SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA — In our grandparents’ time, it was common for anyone who had a little outdoor space to grow food. This was seen as very practical. In our time however, few of us can say we have ever made a salad from our garden, and many children grow up believing that food comes solely from grocery stores. (Photo by Sandy Austin, Flickr)

America is becoming sustainable, but not the way environmentalists had planned it. Here is how companies are slipping sustainability into our life without us even knowing it!

Some of us remember VHS – those big plastic boxes we used to record and watch movies and our favorite TV shows on. Then came DVD’s and CD’s, which allowed for more portability and higher quality viewing, although there’s still a lot of plastic involved. At the recent Sierra Nevada Innovation Challenge, a small start-up company called Flixchip may well make those devices obsolete – and put a lot more fun in movie watching.

As the Arctic region continues to experience melting sea ice, an initiative led by John Toole, Senior Scientist, at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI), is trying to gain understanding of future changes to the Arctic as societies begin to adapt to a new global climate. (Chris Linder, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution)

Inventor Dan Andreiu, New Age Hygienic Systems’ founder and CEO, created the award-winning patented Auto Toilet, which will change the fundamental design and operation of the toilet for the first time in 200 years. What makes it unique is that it utilizes only two pints or one liter of water, making it 6 times more efficient than low-flow toilets on the market today. (Photo by Our United Villages, Flickr)

This unique organization reclaims abandoned farmland that was previously clear-cut, and plants trees on it. It intentionally keeps overhead costs low, so that the majority of funds can go straight to planting and maintaining a beautiful habitat for plants and wildlife. In fact, individuals can offset their carbon footprints for as little as $10 a month. (Photo courtesy of Green Air Project)

FireWhat Inc., a start-up company founded by two firefighters and an MIT graduate, has developed a free, game-changing mobile platform for the Fire Service. Its Web site and mobile app helps firefighters get the latest information on forest fires, rather than having to depend on “updates” that can be 12 to 24 hours old. This helps save lives and, in some surprising ways, the environment. (Photo by Jake Spurlock, Flickr)

ASPEN, CO – What is more basic than food? Whether you are looking to solve the world’s environmental or economic woes, your plate is a good place to start. (Photo by freddy, Flickr)