HAPPY THANKSGIVING INHABITAT READERS!
Thanksgiving is a great holiday – and not only because of the delicious food and the chance to catch up with loved ones. We love it when November rolls around, because Thanksgiving reminds us of the importance of gratitude and appreciation for our lives. Despite volatile times and some bad economic news recently, we have a lot to be thankful for this year. Read on for Inhabitat’s Top Ten Things to be Thankful for in 2008!
1. THE ELECTION OF BARACK OBAMA!
The election of Barack Obama to President of the United States signifies a tremendous shift in attention towards our country’s environmental concerns. The President-elect has outlined an aggressive sustainable energy and environment policy that focuses upon green jobs, renewable energy, and clean water and air.
2. LED TECHNOLOGY
From interactive LED installations to innovative interior lighting, new applications for light emitting diodes are popping up every day. These powerful pill sized lights use just 10% the electricity of tungsten bulbs and last 100 times as long.
3. WAVE POWER
Earlier this year we saw the official opening of the world’s first wave power plant in Portugal! The commercialization of this renewable energy technology means that tidal power has finally hit the mainstream.
4. THE CALIFORNIA HIGH SPEED TRAIN
This November Californians voted in an extensive 800 mile high speed train system that will launch the golden state into a bright future of energy-efficient transportation.
5. CALIFORNIA’S NEW ELECTRIC VEHICLE INFRASTRUCTURE
California recently approved of a 1 billion dollar electric vehicle grid, marking a huge step towards the acceptance of electric vehicles as a viable alternative to those that run on fossil fuel.
6. NEW YORK’S PLASTIC BAG TAX
We couldn’t be happier to hear that New York is joining the global crackdown on plastic bags, and has approved of a surcharge of 6 cents on each bag issued at the register.
7. NEW DEVELOPMENTS IN SOLAR POWER TECHNOLOGY
Clean technologies are developing at an incredible pace, and solar power is leading the charge with new plants opening all the time and constant advancements in technology and materials.
8. KINETIC ENERGY – THE POWER OF THE PEOPLE!
From energy-generating spinning wheels to human-powered water pumps, we’ve seen some exciting advances in the field of kinetic energy over the past year.
9. THE INHABITAT WRITERS
We feel genuinely thankful to have such a wonderful and talented team! Thanks to all of our writers for their hard work and dedication in charting the field of sustainable design.
10. OUR READERS!
Thanks to all of our readers for sharing your inspired comments, conversations, and perspectives with us every day, and for building a dynamic discourse around the sustainable design movement! We feel grateful for having such a smart and savvy base of regular readers and appreciate all of your input and involvement.
Happy Thanksgiving everyone – have a wonderful holiday!
