This month, world leaders, along with thousands of participants from governments, the private sector, NGOs and other groups, will go to Brazil to attend the Rio+20 Conference and discuss how the world can reduce poverty, advance social equity and ensure environmental protection on a planet with an ever-increasing population. Among the countries attending is the United Arab Emirates, who are investing heavily in sustainable cities and renewable energy. In order to learn more about the UAE's goals at the conference, as well as their future energy plans, environmental challenges and the much-discussed Masdar City project, we spoke to Thani Al-Zeyoudi, the UAE's Directorate of Energy and Climate Change at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Read what Mr. Al-Zeyoudi had to say ahead.

 

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We've been followers of Dwell ever since they launched in 2000, and we just got another reason to keep reading - the design mag's first ever Light & Energy issue just hit newsstands this month. Like past editions, the April issue is chock full of home design eye candy, but it specifically zeroes in on two topics that are near and dear to us - green innovation and sustainability. We recently had the chance to catch up with Dwell Editor-in-Chief Amanda Dameron about what readers can expect to find in the glossy pages of the Light & Energy edition, and we even heard about some of the energy-efficient, passive strategies she uses in her own apartment. Read on for all of the details.

 

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Section two of New York City’s High Line Park opened recently to great acclaim, and Team Inhabitat were among the first to catch a glimpse of this amazing new green space! The High Line is a renovated train track that has been turned into a gorgeous greenway in the sky on the West side of Manhattan near the Hudson River. Conceived of by Friends of the High Line and executed by James Corner Field Operations and Diller, Scofidio and Renfro for the City of New York, the High Line is one of our favorite urban spaces. Check out our video for an exclusive tour of the High Line by our own Jill Fehrenbacher — which includes behind-the-scenes tidbits from the minds who created the project. Even if you’re not in New York City, our video shows you the sweeping views, gorgeous greenery and inspired design behind this incredible urban park..

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As Mother's Day approaches, Habitat for Humanity and Lowe's are offering female volunteers across the nation a chance to help other mothers while honoring their own. From May 5-13, close to 10,000 women will come out to Habitat for Humanity's sites for National Women Build Week to create affordable housing for those who need it in all 50 states. According to the Census Bureau, one in every six children in the U.S. (over 12 million kids) live in poverty, and many of them live in a home where a woman is the head of the household. If you're not afraid to roll up your sleeves, pick up a hammer and put some elbow grease in to help some folks who really needs homes, we encourage you to take part in this incredibly meaningful national event. We recently had the chance to talk to Lisa Marie Nickerson, the Associate Director of Women Build about the event and how just a little time contribution on your part can make a world of difference for a single mom or someone else who could really use it.

 

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This morning, eBay announced the official launch of their new site devoted to helping drivers research, find and buy fuel-friendly vehicles. Called eBay Green Driving, the new site facilitates the sale and purchase of electric vehicles, hybrids and other greener cars, but its other educational resources - like its fuel type comparison tool, popular green vehicles spotlight, and green driving news and reviews - are what set it apart from similar marketplace sites. The launch couldn't come at a better time since summer is just around the corner and gas prices continue to soar. To find out more about what the site has to offer, we caught up with eBay Green Driving expert Brad Berman. Read on to see his tips on how to maximize the site's features and find the green vehicle you've been looking for at great price.

 

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The Metropol Parasol was arguably the most important structure to open last year, and it has without doubt come to be one of the most photographed new architectural works of the decade. Designed by German architect Juergen Mayer, the beautiful and monumental work is the world's largest wooden structure, and has quickly become a new focal point for the city of Seville, Spain. Throwing back to the city's marketplace tradition, and paving the way for a new era of design innovation, the Metropol Parasol is a signal moment in architectural culture. Recently, our very own Editor-in-Chief, Jill Fehrenbacher, sat down with Mayer in New York City to talk about his inspiration for the design. Mayer also talks about the impact of digital technology on the architectural world, and what sustainability means for design. Hit jump to see a VIDEO of the interview, or click through our gallery above for all of Mayer's insight!

 

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There is a buzz in the air this week about the Chevy Volt thanks to an announcement by General Motors on Friday that they’ll be shutting down production of the Volt at the Detroit-Hamtramck assembly plant for five weeks. While the news media geared up to make this announcement look like the end for this highly-publicized plug-in hybrid electric vehicle, we bet that this decision to equalize supply with demand is just a Volt growing pain. So, we went straight to the horse’s mouth and asked Rob Peterson of Chevy Volt Communications about the Volt team’s take on this whole situation. It seems the feeling inside the company is decidedly positive — something you might not envision if you just listened to Google News and your television. Peterson started off the interview by telling assuring us what we already though was true, “this is just an opportunity to adjust our inventory levels, it is just temporary,” and then let us in on some insights from the Chevy crew.

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While we write a lot about a sustainable built environment, we often overlook the contribution of engineers. We recently talked at length with Greg Bentley, CEO of Bentley Systems, about the upcoming Future City design competition for aspiring middle-school engineers. Bentley elaborates on the competition’s theme, “Alternative Energy: Fuel Your Future,” and he also forcasts the next evolution of an engineer’s role while turning some long held assumptions on their head. Bentley Systems has been a key developer of CAD and BIM software, and while you may never heard of them, their software is used to design the largest architectural and infrastructure projects around the globe. Read on to see what the future of engineering may look like and how we can inspire the next generation to make a real impact.

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Inhabitat’s Jill Fehrenbacher recently hit the scene of the 2012 North American International Auto Show in Detroit, where she toured the laser-filled show to bring you an exclusive look at the world’s hottest new electric vehicles and hybrid cars! She got the lowdown on the sexiest new hybrid vehicle from Lexus as well as a sneak peek at Volkswagen’s upcoming Jetta Hybrid and the E-Bugster electric Beetle concept. She also took an inside look at the quirky styling of Smart’s For-US electric pickup truck and the brand new Ford Fusion Energi plug-in hybrid, which is sure to be a consumer favorite when it hits the streets this year. Check out our exclusive video above for the most exciting green cars at from the 2012 Detroit Auto Show!

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Oh the talking heads of the political world — what would we do without them? The latest wonderful blunder has come from one of our favorites, Mr. Bill O’Reilly. In the midst of the fist fight that has become of the Republican presidential race, the entire right-wing of American politicans have joined together to turn their wrath on the gas-saving, American-made Chevy Volt. O’Reilly is now jumping in the ring and is bad-mouthing the plug-in hybrid electric vehicle on his Fox News talk show. But a funny thing happened on the way to the Volt-bashing parade – Media Matters dug up some fun footage of the O’Reilly Factor showing the King of Fox News supporting not only the Chevy Volt, but government subsidies for GM and other car companies building alternative fuel vehicles. It seems that Bill’s got a short term memory and a penchant for following the crowd — even if it means being a documented hypocrite.

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We were seeing stars at Costello Tagliapietra’s Fall/Winter 2012 debut at New York Fashion Week, and not just because the clothes were so lovely. The brazen yet feminine line was awash with abstract prints, bold solids, and plenty of sophistication, but we also spoke to CosTag fans like Susan Sarandon and Padma Lakshmi. Check out our video above for a front-row view of the show, which dazzled crowds with everything from flowing, kaleidoscopic gowns to high-tech AirDye ensembles.

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A few months back, Christie’s Green Auction raised a whopping $1.4 million for four very worthy environmental charities — Oceana, NRDC, Central Park Conservancy and Conservation International. After the dough rolled in, the inaugural “Runway to Green” fashion show hit the catwalk and the team from Ecouterre was on the scene to get the low-down from the high-profile attendees. Watch the video above, or head over to Ecouterre for interviews with designers Michael Kors and Rachel Roy, actor Ted Danson, and philanthropists Susan and David Rockefeller Jr., about their views on eco-fashion.

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The Eco Chick Guide to Life is a roadmap to greener living for the modern girl. Author Starre Vartan covers fashion, makeup, cleaning supplies, pets, drinking, food and more in this easy-to-read guide. When it comes to transitioning into a greener lifestyle, Vartan leaves no questions unanswered. She explains food and clothing labels, breaks down the reasons to go vegetarian, and spells out every acronym. Read on to see what we thought of this comprehensive book for the green living.

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A few months ago, Inhabitat’s Editor-in-Chief Jill Fehrenbacher had the pleasure of curating a panel about sustainability and philanthropy in the fashion industry for the Afingo Fashion Forum. She brought together some of the biggest names in green fashion — including eco-model/entrepreneur Summer Rayne Oakes, fashion consultant Julie Gilhart (formerly of Barneys New York), Melissa Kushner of Goods for Good, and more — to discuss the future of eco-fashion. Hit the jump to watch our exclusive video and hear what the experts have to say.

WATCH THE VIDEO HERE >

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A few months ago, Ecouterre set up shop inside the Green Room, a carefully curated space dedicated to emerging eco-fashion labels at the Designers and Agents show in NYC. Join the Ecouterre editors and experience the fashions first hand, from breezy organic dresses to elegant jewelry made from recycled soda bottles. Enjoy!

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