Almost two weeks after the disaster started, the Deepwater Horizon in the Gulf of Mexico is still gushing up to 10,000 barrels of oil into the ocean every day. Efforts by BP and the US government to stop leakage have come up with empty hands, however it turns out one of the keys to cleanup might already exist in the now oil-infested waters. Natural microbes present in every ocean are superb cleaners, and with the addition of a bit of fertilizer they could prove successful in removing oil from the Gulf. A quick dusting would help the microbes multiply and then they would dine on oil en masse until it’s gone.

Read the rest of Naturally Occuring Bacteria Could Help Clean Oil Spill

Permalink | Add to del.icio.us | digg
Post tags: Bioremediation, BP, deepwater horizon, gulf coast, gulf of mexico, natural oil spill clean up, oil spill, oil spill clean up

Bamboo forests are beautiful things — especially when they are cleaning urban air, soil, and water AND shielding communities from industry and heavily trafficked areas. Urban Biofilter creates bamboo forests on brownfields that are fed with wastewater. The harvested Bamboo then creates income in areas that are otherwise neglected through sustainable bamboo harvesting and timber production.

Read the rest of Urban Biofilter Project Plants Bamboo Forests to Clean up Brownfields

Permalink | Add to del.icio.us | digg
Post tags: Bioremediation, brownfield reclamation, green design, green gardening, public space, sustainable design, sustainable landscaping, urban biofilter project, waste management

If you were at West Coast Green this past weekend you would have surely noticed the elegant bamboo structures along the waterfront surrounded by beautiful native landscaping. What you may not have realized unless you looked closely is that the structure was actually supporting hanging gardens of marsh grass and was a way of preventing and remediating pollution from water runoff. A collaboration of The Natural Builders, Design Ecology, Floating Islands and Bertotti Landscaping, the installation was the talk of the trade show and highlight for us at Inhabitat.

Read the rest of Hanging Bamboo Gardens Make Beautiful Biofilters

Permalink | Add to del.icio.us | digg
Post tags: bamboo sculpture, Bertotti Landscaping, Bioremediation, Design Ecology, Floating Islands International, storm water, The Natural Builder, waste water treatment, west coast green