Image source: Eco-Tools

Now that you've slowly updated your makeup stock to include eco-friendly and lead-free makeup, why not also update your brushes with ones made from sustainable and recycled materials by Eco-Tools. We've railed against the untested and toxic chemicals found in common makeup, but the brushes used to apply the gunk are rarely discussed. The brushes by Eco-Tools are available in drugstores across the US and are priced to not break the bank. A great gift idea for the teenager or fashionista in your life.

More images after the jump.

photo: Mike Slichenmyer

Not to belabor the point, but of all sources of renewable energy taking a beating in the current economic storm, biofuels seem to be getting hit full force. Recently the world’s largest ethanol producer, Verasun, filed for bankruptcy and predictions have it that as many as 40 more plants could be shuttered within the next few months.

What this means for farmer’s incomes, according to economist Scott Irwin of the University of Illinois, is that because many incomes (at least in the midwest) are now tied more to ethanol than food, they will be tied to swings in energy prices more than ever. Here’s how Irwin describes it:

Photo via Dave Hogg

Being a Girl Scout has come a long way from making jewelry out of tree bark and safety pins and selling cookies. And it’s a good thing, too.

Tomorrow, 25 Girl Scout Juniors and Cadettes will participate in a day-long camp focused on improving energy efficiency in buildings. They’ll learn the bulk of the lessons by performing an energy audit of the Math and Science Center and the Program Center at Camp Dellwood in Indianapolis, IN.

However, the training is intended to do more than just teach about energy efficiency.

If it were in France, this solar power installation would be receiving more money for the electricity it generates. Photo: Chris Muezer

Compared to its neighbors to the east, southeast and southwest, France has lagged behind in promoting solar power—though it has a backlog of some 400 MW of solar installations, it only has about 18 MW currently online. That’s all about to change with the introduction of a substantial feed-in-tariff for commercial solar installations. The hope is to make good on Minister for Energy and the Environment Jean-Louis Borloo’s promise to increase France’s supply of solar generated electricity by 400% (5,400 MW) by 2020.

Here’s how much solar power installations will be getting as part of the feed-in-tariff:

Getty Images

While the Internet does a lot for improving the environment – from providing ways to reduce energy, reduce consumption of physical goods, telecommuting capabilities and so on – it also creates the ability to do incredible harm to ecosystems.

With the ability to offer ways to quickly, conveniently and anonymously trade exotic animals and plants, the Internet is actually a source of harm. Thankfully, though, China recognizes the harm of wildlife trading, and the International Fund for Animal Welfare and Taobao, China’s largest internet auction site, are planning a crack down on illegal wildlife trading over the Internet.

photo: Better Place

Electric cars may not be commercially available yet in the US, and aren’t expected to be widely available much before 2012, but when they are the San Francisco Bay Area will be ready.

Palo Alto-based Better Place has announced that it plans to begin setting up a network of electric car power stations in the Bay Area, to be ready by 2012. Coulomb Technologies has also announced that it will be building a network of 40 charging stations along California highways, beginning in 2009. But that’s not all:

Photo credits: Kelly Rossiter

Children can be pretty entrenched when it comes to eating habits. We've all known kids who don't like foods touching each other on the plate, who won't eat certain textures, or who like to eat the same foods over and over again. As children get older and start moving into the world more, they can occasionally surprise us by being willing to try things they had previously rejected. Being given snacks at school, dinner at a friend's house, going away to camp all provide kids with exposure to new foods and the experience of seeing their peers eat things they have never tried.

Screenshot via Earth2Tech

xChange Point is an energy efficiency tool offered by Eps Corp, an energy management company, which supposedly will offer an immediate return on investment to manufacturing companies, thanks to energy savings and zero upfront capital costs.

The tool is a software interface and hardware that attaches to manufacturing systems and machinery. It will provide real-time monitoring of energy use – pretty much exactly how home energy monitoring systems work, only a whole, whole lot bigger.