There are two types of coffee lovers in the world: commercial café frequenters and coffee connoisseurs. If you fall into the latter category, or simply appreciate the alluring aroma of an excellent cup of Joe, this unique opportunity will surely get you percolating. Peet’s Coffee is offering a sweepstakes that will award three grand-prize winners an all-expenses-paid trip to Brazil with a guest, to get a true behind-the-scenes coffee experience at a working coffee estate. Bi-weekly prizes, including a Peet’s Tasting Journal or Peet’s Tumbler, will also be awarded beginning on January 23.

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What if generating solar energy at home required little more than mixing some grass clippings with inexpensive chemicals? That’s exactly what MIT researcher Andreas Mershin has found to be the case. The scientist says creating a solar cell could be as easy as mixing any green organic material (grass clippings, agricultural waste) with a bag of custom chemicals and painting the mixture on a roof. Once the efficiency of Mershin’s system is improved, this type of solar technology could make cheap energy available in rural places and developing countries where people don’t have access to affordable energy. Read on to see a video of Mershin’s findings.

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The Susan G. Komen for the Cure foundation apologized yesterday for cutting of funding to Planned Parenthood, promising to continue funding the group. On Tuesday, Susan G. Komen cut of funding for about 19 Planned Parenthood clinics, a move that many believed was prompted by pressure from anti-abortion groups. The news sparked an immediate backlash on Twitter and an outpouring of private donations to Planned Parenthood, including $250,000 donations from New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg and oil tycoon Lee Fikes.

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Talk about seeing the light! Made up of over 55,000 colored LED lights, the Luminarie Cagna is a massive cathedral that will be on display at the second annual Festival of Lights in Ghent, Belgium. More than 200,000 visitors are expected to visit the town from January 26th to the 29th as the city is illuminated by dazzling light shows and other LED spectacles.

 

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There are few things we love more than making use of what would have ended up in a landfill.  Mariclaro picks up the materials that they use for their ultra-durable carry-alls when they’ve already been used up by cars, bikes, and boats. When they aren’t worthy of the road or sea anymore, pieces get revamped into these awesome bags, made from 99% recycled materials.  Click ahead to check out their laptop sleeves, briefcases, messenger bags, and more!

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New York City urban planners now have an important tool to help create energy reduction plans. An interactive map of New York has been developed by the Columbia University Engineering School to show the energy consumption of individual buildings across the five boroughs. Users can select a building on the map, see how much energy it uses, and what it uses the energy for. The data will help planners initiate energy conservation programs and know exactly which buildings and areas to target.

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Fans who are lucky enough to attend this year’s Super Bowl XLVI in person will be able to nosh on farm-fresh organic food provided by Homegrown Concessions, a partnership between Farm Aid and Centerplate. Homegrown will be serving up organic chili to hungry fans, and best of all, Centerplate will donate $2 to Farm Aid for every bowl of chili sold at the Super Bowl!

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Have you ever felt like the objects you own actually own you? If so, maybe you should join Joinless, the world’s first open source brand. Joinless is based on the idea that we shouldn’t allow our obsession with possessions rule us and that we can actually be happier than we’ve ever been with less stuff. We recently got the chance to talk to Joinless’ founder Ben Davis about this fascinating anti-brand, which might be the only one ever to insist that you not spend money on them.

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When many of us thirst for a chilled drink, we think back to our science lessons and recall that when water is placed in the freezer, it turns into ice. It seems a man in Chile forgot this and has been arrested for trying to steal five tons of ice from a glacier in order to sell “designer” ice cubes to local bars. Now, I’m no expert in fraud or theft, but it seems to me that it would be easier to make ice cubes the traditional way and then lie about their origin, rather than trekking up Patagonia’s Jorge Montt Glacier and hauling five tons of ice down to sell on the black market.

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This February 14th, instead of focusing on the fact that Valentine's Day is a consumerist holiday made up by people trying to sell stuff, why not see it as an opportunity to support indie artisans who work hard to craft green goods in a sustainable way? We've been seeing a trend towards people wanting to purchase lovingly made items from small brands in the USA or from fair trade craftspeople whose handiwork is their livelihood. Check out our roundup of sure-to-please green Valentine's Day gifts that show love for your main squeeze as well as the hardworking folks who make them by hand!

 

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When it comes to clean transportation, London is charging ahead at maximum speed – not only is the city’s mayor a cycling enthusiast, but he helped to push the introduction of London’s first hydrogen fuel cell taxis just in time for the 2012 Olympics! This week The Big Smoke rolled out their first fleet of zero emission taxis, which are now making their way across the city’s busy streets.

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Unlike the beautiful Ice Hotel outside of Quebec City, Montreal’s Snow Village is an icy escape that is reachable by public transportation! Located in the Parc Jean-Drapeau on St. Helen Island, the Snow Village is an Ice Hotel, bar, and restaurant that Montrealers can enjoy for a drink, or an overnight adventure. The Snow Village is part of the first ice hotel chain, which has famed original locations in Finland and Norway. Thanks to the friendly folks at the Tourism Board of Montreal, Inhabitat enjoyed a private tour of the village, as well as an incredible dining experience at the famed ice restaurant - read on for a look inside!

 

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