The future milk bottle – made from recycled paper. The GreenBottle has developed a green solution to milk containers, to replace plastic milk bottles. The outer shell is made from recycled paper, which can be further recycled, or if left will simply decompose within a matter of weeks. Greenbottle consumes about a third of the energy used to make a plastic bottle and has a carbon footprint that is 48% lower than plastic. Now all we need is a local version… [ecolibris] via [hugg]

Plug-in hybrids the way to go? Hybrid engines like those used in the Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, or Ford Escape use a combination of petrol and electric power. Plug-in hybrids, on the other hand, use electric power for a range of thirty to sixty miles, and rely on a combination of petrol and electric power for longer trips. Chelsea Sexton, a former GM employee featured in Who Killed the Electric Car? who promoted the electric EV1 until it was discontinued, says that plug-in hybrids are "the best of both worlds" between hybrids and electric cars. [alternet]...

Amish turn to solar power for electricity. Despite their reclusion from the modern world, the plain-living Amish are leading the way when it comes to embracing solar energy. On rural back roads where plain-clothed Amish still drive their horse-drawn buggies, small black-and-purple panels have sprung up on barns and houses. [philly.com]

Solar power the energy answer for India. While the rest of the world remains preoccupied with current high oil prices and dwindling energy resources, India is taking the lead in finding solutions to meet surging global demand by developing solar power as an alternative energy source. They’re expected to rank among the top four generators of solar power within a few years and are also a major manufacturer and supplier of solar panels and related technologies. [mybroadband]

Cell phone use raises children’s risk of brain cancer fivefold. The study, experts say, raises fears that today's young people may suffer an "epidemic" of the disease in later life. Last week the European Parliament voted by 522 to 16 to urge ministers across Europe to bring in stricter limits for exposure to radiation from mobile and cordless phones, Wi-fi and other devices, partly because children are especially vulnerable to them. [independent]