On the eve of Earth Day 2008, it’s the 124th edition of Carnival of the Green.

It’s a particularly special occasion for us here at EcoTech Daily. Today marks our site’s official launch. Make yourself at home — and perhaps grab EcoTech Daily’s RSS feed.

We’re pleased to welcome writers from all over the green blogosphere and present a sampling of their recent work. There are some great submissions to this week’s Carnival, sponsored by the folks at Treehugger. You’re invited to explore this week’s roundup of sites. If you missed the last edition of the Carnival of the Green, you can still find it at Nature Moms.

Here’s wishing you the greenest of Earth Days. On with the show:

Digiblog: All About Water. It’s impossible to think about Earth Day without considering that about two-thirds of the planet’s surface is covered with water. Unfortunately, only a tiny portion is drinkable, and that precious commodity is under increasing pressure from population growth and a changing climate. Chad Kettner examines ways we waste water everyday.

EcoTech Daily: Five Ways to Trash Old CFLs, Not the Environment. Most hardcore EcoTechies know that LED lighting is the future. For now, though, we have energy-saving CFLs — and the trace amounts of mercury contained by each bulb. They shouldn’t be disposed with regular trash. Here are a handful of ways to safely retire old CFL bulbs.

Fake Plastic Fish: Brita - Take Back the Filter Campaign Has Begun! Beth Terry writes that this article is “probably the most important Carnival of the Green submission I’ve ever posted.” She’s launched a bid to encourage Clorox, which owns the Brita water filter brand, to make it possible to recycle old filters (as is currently the practive in Europe). Visit the campaign’s new website, Take Back the Filter, to learn more.

Go Green Travel Green: The Green Traveler’s Dilemma: Gore-Tex, Choosing Convenience over the Earth? Here’s a sticky eco-dillemma. Does the saavy green traveler opt for breathable, water-resistant Gore-Tex clothing, or a less capable fabric? Elizabeth points out that Gore-Tex doesn’t really qualify as an earth-friendly choice, since it relies on a substance that’s essentially Teflon®.

Got2BeGreen: Indian Railways Get Bio-Toilets. Lavatories on Indian trains are famously horrid, releasing waste to the tracks below. But that might be about to change. All 9,000 of the nations trains could be fitted with bio-toilets designed only to discharge treated water. Tests are underway, with deployment scheduled to start in 2011.

Jetson Green:Buzz Combines Style, Sustainability and Accessibility. Whether they’re converted warehouse space or ground-up construction, lofts are one of today’s hottest housing trends. Green building maven Preston Koerner takes a look at Buzz Lofts, a stylish and eco-friendly multifamily development in Dallas. As is usually the case with Jetson Green, Preston finds the big ideas — and some great pictures.

Lifegoggles: Earthchic Reusable Tote Eco Product Review. Joel has an interesting article on Earthchic, a Mobile, Alabama, company run by Sallye Irvine and Claire Leaman. Their earth-friendly totes are made from Earthspun, a fabric which starts life as plastic sooda bottles. Elsewhere on Lifegiggles, you’ll find details on the progress of their Great Green Giveaway.

Nature Moms: Raising Kids Who Care About the World Around Them. Tiffany writes: “I think going green is just one part of a larger issue. We need kids with character and integrity that care about the whole world around them…human and non human.” A perceptive article full of concrete advice from last week’s Carnival hosts.

OrganicMania: Thanks to the Early BPA Pioneers.This weeks’ big eco-news in green mommy circles was the release of a new study calling BPA (Bisphenol A polymer) into question and then later in the week, Canada moving to ban the substance. BPA has been used extensively in baby bottles and sippy cups. Lynn Miller thanks environmentalists who raised an early alarm over BPA for their efforts — and success.

Practical Nourishment: Confessions of a Mother. Being green isn’t just about activism or changing our lifestyles; it’s also about how we are being as we make more responsible choices. That’s the reasoning of Jessica Jones, whose article considers balancing motherhood against the broader picture of life. In this case, life manifests itself throigh gardening.

Tiny Choices: Weekly Check-In: April Tiny Challenge! Tiny Choices is all about making small changes for the good. Here’s an update on the month’s choices made by authors Karina and Jenn. Readers chime in with progress made on their goals. How are your April tiny choices coming? There are still nine days left in the month, so it’s not too late to start.

Next week, the Carnival moves on to the Natural News Network. We’ll be back the week of Christmas, here or at another one of our Vida Verde Media sites. Have a wonderful Earth Day!

Stories You Might Also Like: