Empyrean, maker of some of the hottest pre-fab homes on the market, is one of the latest victims of the financial meltdown. Decades old, the company sold more than 20,000 homes around the world and hooked up with Dwell magazine in 2005 to launch a line of modern homes.
According to the article, Dwell was caught off guard by the announcement but vows to name a new partner for their homes.
Story from Boston.com
No longer just for urban foodies, the locavore movement is gaining steam and has even penetrated the ranks of suburban moms and WalMart shoppers. While hard rules don’t exist, many define local foods as those that come from within a 150 mile radius of where they are ultimately consumed.
Showing the strength of the movement, locally produced food was on the 2007 Hot List, farmers markets are on the rise, and CSAs are finding an increasing number of members.
Story from the Atlanta Journal Constitution
Despite the unrelenting stream of bad economic news, clean energy companies are seem unaffected. The latest is the announcement that SolFocus 
has secured an additional $47.5 million in funding to bring its lifetime take to nearly $150M.
The company is an early pioneer in concentrating photovoltaic arrays which uses mirrors and lenses to concentrate sunlight on a highly efficient solar cell.
Story from Venture Beat
According to Alex Wissner-Gross, a Harvard physicist, performing two Google searches produces the same amount of CO2 as boiling a kettle of water for tea. The emissions are the result of the massive data centers needed to power up to 200 million searches per day and the overall IT industry produces as much CO2 as the airlines.
Article from the Times Online
Taking simple foods and making them gourmet is a great business idea and has seen cupcakes (Sprinkles) and ice cream (eCreamery) evolve from simple treats into high-dollar indulgences. Taking the most basic of snacks and turning it into an indulgence is 479 Popcorn.
All products are made from organic ingredients and popcorn connoisseurs can enjoy such flavors as Ginger Sesame Caramel, Vietnamese Cinnamon Sugar, and more.
Get your wallet ready, as the caramel sampler will set you back $52.
479 Popcorn website
If you are a frequent flyer and feeling a little guilty about your carbon footprint, you can now spend a few bucks at SFO to offset your travels. The airport is working with 3Degrees to offer kiosks that allow travelers to purchase offsets based on their destination. Though prices have yet to be finalized, it appears that they will range from about $4 for a two hour flight to $36 for an international trip.
The 30% that 3Degrees keeps for administering the program seems to be a little steep.
Story from SF Gate
If you are in need of a LEED certified building and don’t have the time or budget for conventional construction, Project Frog is the answer to your prayers. The company offers a modular building solution that seriously reduces the new building timeline and does so with beautiful designs, green standards, and a price that won’t bust the budget.
Project Frog website
Following in the footsteps of Zipcar, Hertz has launched a global car sharing program with locations in New York, London, and Paris. Customers in New York pay a $50 annual membership fee and then hourly rates depending on the car. A Prius runs $10 per hour while a Mini take the price up to $14 per hour.
Connect by Hertz website
In the wake of slowing growth and lackluster consumer spending, the Organic Trade Association is gearing up for a $2.5 million marketing blitz in early 2009. Though still growing at a healthy clip, the industry has seen sales slow from the unsustainable 18% of recent years.
According to a representative from the OTA, the new campaign will be a mix of advertising and PR with the goal to educate up to 25 million consumers on the value of going green.
Story from Media Post
Situated in the hills overlooking white sand beaches is a new residential resort in the Dominican Republic that will cater to a decidedly upscale audience. With villas starting at $1.7 million, this certainly isn’t meant for the masses, but for the folks who can afford the cost of entry, the place looks amazing.
The development will be completely solar powered, each villa will use water provided by cisterns, and green roofs will appear on some villas.
Terrazas de Coson website
