Going further, Professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology from the University of Michigan, Philip Gingerich, joked in the article about our future climate change and stated that “we’re going to be walking around 3 feet tall if we keep going the way we’re going.” Basically, next-humans will have to become smaller and subsist on fewer resources in order to adapt to our warming climate.

Now here’s the part where Laverne, meets Shirley.

Just in time to feed the petite-humans of the warmer future, Gizmag posted, “Dwarf plants could reduce demands for water, fertilizer, nutrients and pesticides.” The article is about the work of Assistant Professor of Horticulture & Landscape Architecture, Burkhard Schulz, and how he discovered a way to treat plants with a cheap and widely available fungicide, propiconazole, that will keep them small in size without affecting their output. Not only would the treated, smaller plants need less fertilizer, water and space but they could also be sturdier due to their small size and ability to resist the weather.

So thank you wee-plants. Wee-humans of the future owe you a solid. [PopSci and Gizmag]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FncdB3qHDLs

Fulvic acid trace minerals are organic matter and are a major component of coal, peat and soil. Pure Fulvic Minerals describes fulvic trace minerals:

“Trace minerals are an essential part of any diet. Unfortunately, many people fail to get these much-needed nutrients from their everyday diet. All-natural foods often lack the nutrients we need since, modern farming techniques have brought these minerals to the surface, where they are washed away.

Sounds like dirt to me. So maybe the best way to duplicate and not purchase blk. bottled mineral water is to fill your stainless water bottle with tap water and add some dirt. I don’t recommend going this route and despite the cool packaging, I don’t recommend jumping to buy blk. bottled mineral water either. [Laughing Squid]

Florence may be teased and ostracized by the other sharks for her vegan ways but she can always get inspiration from Bruce of Finding Nemo fame. He made going veggie work and that’s why I have no doubt that she’ll eventually be fine in her own leathery skin. [Treehugger]

Here’s a video of a video of Florence the shark from ITV news:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EPs3b2F4YcU

Wendy does not play the typical architecture game of ecological apology – instead she is pro-active.

First it was art and now it’s architecture and I just don’t get it. I understand the shade and bursts of cool mist Wendy will dole out in the MoMA PS1 Queens courtyard but the “better than you” bizarro-anti eco-message seems disingenuous when it comes from a temporary, 45′ x 70′ structure. Sorry Wendy – it sounds like denial when you say you’re not playing the typical ecological apology game. [Gizmodo]

What can you do between 10pm and 6am?

1. Laundry
2. Run dishwasher
3. Charge mobile devices
4. Re-charge electric vehicle
5. Get ready for work/school

Jubbling is all about consuming less and in a way, TXU Energy’s Free Nights is just shifting energy consumption. But at the very least, it will get people to be aware of the energy their consuming during the day and probably a little more apt to cut it back. [Greentech]

I’m not 100% sure about this one but I guess every bit counts. StrawWars.org is trying to get straws out of the drinks served in restaurants and their kicking off their effort in the Soho section of London. According to their website, every day in the UK an average 3.5 million McDonald’s drinks are sold with soon-to-be discarded plastic straws. Still not sure about this or how people are going to consume their McDonald’s drinks without a straw. But then again, every bit counts, every bit counts…. [Treehugger]

Related: I did a search on Youtube for Straw Wars and I found this video. Couldn’t sit through the whole thing but maybe you can. Clever reuse?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z2w6yzXY0Aw

Designed by gardener Gail Loos, the Green Cycler is a cool idea that could make pre-composting fun. It’s a hand-cranked composting aid that speeds up the process by grinding up your plant waste before you add it to your compost pile and I could definitely use one. The compost in my Sun-Mar drum composter looks like an un-fruit salad with intact apple cores, pineapple skins and orange peels that aren’t breaking down because they’re too big. With the Green Cycler, I have no doubt that my kids would grind our compostables down and they’d even fight to be the one doing the cranking.

As useful as the Green Cycler seems, I’m not ready to shell out $139 to get one. The think the only way I could justify the purchase of a Green Cycler is if I made it a Christmas gift and gave one to my kids. [Treehugger]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8twCvJJtT0A

The Taylor’s story has been reported on other websites but we wanted to dig further and see if they broke any other records and it turns out they did.

Other records set (on a 1,626 mile, 1-tank of gas trip)

1. Longest argument for missing an exit.
2. Longest awkward silence after arguing about missing an exit.
3. Most times “we can’t stop, we’re hypermiling baby!” is said.
4. Fullest pair of Depends.
5. Longest argument over a radio station choice.
6. Most times “I’m never doing this again” is said.

Congrats to the Taylors and we hope they can one day re-break all of their hypermiling world records! [Inhabitat]