Lately it seems that everyone is fixated on food — its production, its enhancement, its delivery and consumption, and ultimately our evolving relationship with it. Amidst this food frenzy, progressive designers have sought new ways to grow food easily and in tight spaces. The Urb Garden, designed by Xavier Calluaud, is a vertical garden outfitted with modular cubby holes and an integrated worm farm, making it a perfect all-in-one solution for urban gardeners. As an added bonus, when fully planted, the Urb Garden looks a lot like an attractive green wall.

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Photo by Anja Niedringhaus/AP

The end of the COP15 Climate Conference is rapidly approaching, and the web is rife with critical commentary. Delegates stayed up late last night working towards an agreement, but the 3-page draft is still far less ambitious than hoped for. Some sources say that the pledges made in the draft text would still result in a 3 degree rise, when 2 degrees will be catastrophic to many small countries. Obama made a speech this morning that reminded the delegates that the dangers of climate change can not be ignored; he re-iterated the promises that the US is willing to make, but left many disappointed. In another effort, Obama met with Chinese premier Wen Jiabao to discuss emission targets, financing and transparency. Expectations are steadily dropping as time runs out and a last-minute climate deal hangs in the balance.

Living in a land filled with perpetual snow, we can only imagine that Santa Claus has some special magic to keep him and all his elves warm all year. For the rest of us, a stay in the North Pole requires proper equipment — like this arctic mobile unit designed by 2-B-2 Architecture’s Andrey Bondarenko. The compact little unit operates off a solar battery and power generator and can keep its occupants safe and warm for 15 days, operating between -40 to +10C and withstanding winds up to 85 km/hour (about 50 mph).

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Photo by Chris Ratcliffe, Bloomberg

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton announced earlier today at COP15 that the US is ready to join other industrialized countries in offering developing nations a total $100 billion by 2020 to help develop clean technology and cope with climate change. She also noted that this money will only be available if an ambitious deal is made by the end of this week. Specifically, the AP reports that Clinton said the agreement must include “meaningful actions to cut greenhouse gas emissions and a system to ensure all parties’ actions are transparent.” As the talks have continued to stall due to the dissatisfaction of developing countries, this compromise between industrialized and developing countries needs to be accepted by all of our world leaders if an agreement is going to be reached soon.

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The climate talks continue to heat up as protesters attempted to gate crash the conference this morning in Copenhagen. The Danish police used less than friendly tactics to keep the activists away — tear gas and batons — and 250 have been arrested. Organized by Climate Justice Action and Climate Justice Now!, the rally was an attempt to bring attention to the fact that world leaders have still not settled whether industrialized countries will agree to strict limitations on carbon emissions and how these countries will help developing nations to to cope with climate change.

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Photo by Christian Charisius for Reuters

This morning in Copenhagen, the climate talks stalled as African nations threatened to walk out on the conference. Upset that industrialized nations appeared to be killing the Kyoto Protocol, the African bloc cried out that industrialized nations were short-changing developing countries.

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Today marks the end of the first week of the landmark climate talks that have been taking place in Copenhagen, and there’s already been so much news surrounding the conference on the interwebs that we thought you could use a quick refresher! While most of the major news networks have been broadcasting the main points that we’ve already gone over with you, there are also a bunch of titillating side stories and developments that we thought would pique your interest. For example, did you hear that “COP15″ hit the web’s #1 most googled term the other day? Here are some more lesser known tidbits about Copenhagen that you can use to impress your friends over Friday night drinks tonight.

Treehugger says that Gordon Brown believes that if you still think climate change is a crock, you can join the group of people who believed the world was flat. And for those of us that do believe, help create a Twitter book for Copenhagen.

Guardian reminds us that nothing important in this world can happen without it becoming a video on YouTube.

If you really want to make a personal change to help the planet, you should eat less meat and dairy — and submit a question to be asked at COP15 here. You have until December 14th!

Forbes reports that China has turned hostile on “The West.” (China also says that climate change can be fought with population control)

Grist produces the first of quirky videos featuring Eugene Mirman as he reports on all the Copenhagen happenings.

Worldchanging reminds us that those who walk, save the planet.

Since the beginning of December, riding your bike to work in New York City got a little easier, but riding through Brooklyn just got a little harder. On Monday, the NYC Department of Transportation and Department of Building announced that together, they would work to implement the Bicycle Access to Office Building Law, which will help cyclists secure parking at their office buildings and thereby encourage more people to bike to work. Strangely though, earlier this month, the NYC DOT sandblasted away a bike lane on Bedford Avenue, between Flushing Avenue and Division Street, forcing many Brooklynites to leave their bikes at home. There is certainly a large dose of irony here – why get cyclists to bike to work while at the same time eliminating a thoroughfare that, as several comments to a Streetsblog post proved, many need to gain access to Manhattan?

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Just last night, the New York City Council voted overwhelmingly to pass the Greener, Greater Buildings Plan – a package of bills aiming to reduce New York City’s carbon emissions by almost 5%, create more than 17,000 jobs, and save New Yorkers $700 million dollars a year in energy costs (via Campaign for New York’s Future). While we were disappointed with Mayor Bloomberg’s changes to the legislation (which we detailed yesterday) before it went to the City Council, we think it is important to report that the revised plan did pass and will still require smaller improvements, oversee the creation of an energy code for buildings and require building owners to offer tenants information on their individual energy use.

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Last Friday, NYC Mayor Bloomberg announced that he would be dropping a measure that was a part of the ambitious Greener, Greater Buildings Plan (GGBP) which called for buildings over 50,000 square feet to undergo audits to determine what renovations would be required to make them more energy efficient. When announced earlier this year, the Greener, Greater Buildings Plan would be the first to require existing, not just new, buildings to meet energy efficiency standards. The changes made on Friday would mean that building owners are only expected to voluntarily participate in audits, which is certainly saddening and disappointing to us here at Inhabitat.

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At Inhabitat, we’ve been showing our support for COP15 by telling our readers about the need to take action on climate change. Various Architects in Oslo, Norway has taken a different path and did what they do best – designing a concept for an ultra energy-efficient building that could help mitigate the world’s climate problems! The building features a variety of energy-saving measures including operable insulated shutters on the building’s facade, wind turbines, a green roof, and the use of local and sustainable building materials – sounds like a pretty fitting tribute to COP15 if you ask us.

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Photo by Michael Appleton

Perhaps following London’s lead, the NYC Transit recently rolled out a new electric bus that uses a turbine engine to recharge a lithium-ion battery. Also eco on the inside, the interior is lit by LED panels and has room for 37 seats and, as any veteran NYC rider knows, can have at least double that amount standing. The buses hail from manufacturer, DesignLine — and while three buses are already operating in Brooklyn and Manhattan, 87 more could arrive by the end of 2010.

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The AIA voted yesterday to award Pugh + Scarpa Architects the 2010 AIA Architecture Firm Award. We’ve featured Pugh + Scarpa’s sustainable works before here (Cherokee Lofts) and here (Solar Homes) — so we were glad to hear that this Santa Monica-based architecture firm was being honored not only for their attention to sustainable design, but for their “excellent work, including its seamless blending of architecture, art, and craft; community involvement…and nurturing of in-house talent.” Take a peek at some of their incredible work here, or head on over to their website for more.

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The United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP15) begins in just a few days! As the conference is crucial for countries to reach an agreement about how to mitigate climate change in the years to come, it is no surprise that cultural programs and changes in the landscape of the city of Copenhagen call for greener living. Yesterday, we reported about Copenhagen’s Christmas tree this year being pedal-powered and today, we have another interesting development. Thanks to architecture-firm 3XN’s Gotham luminaires and Scotia Light’s solar-powered street lamp, the path to the conference center will be lit by solar power!

This year, Copenhagen’s annual Christmas tree will light up with the help of Danish citizens’ aerobic efforts. The energy produced by the riders of 15 bicycles in Copenhagen’s City Hall Square will light up the 700 LED bulbs that adorn the 17-meter-tall evergreen. The Christmas tree is one of several features in City Hall Square that will transform the civic space into an environmentally-friendly arena called Hopenhagen Live from December 7th to December 18th. Music, exhibitions and more throughout Copenhagen will help bring attention to the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP15) occurring during the same time period.

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As the trees begin to lose their leaves, once full and leafy branches grow increasingly bare to create suddenly spooky shadows in our windows — just in time for Halloween. Halloween is tomorrow and we’ve been admiring the green and ghoulish as well as just the plain weird. Take a look below for some of the best stories on Inhabitots and Ecouterre.

We’re curious to know if you would wear these LED eyelashes as part of your Halloween costume.

Sometimes a fashion faux-pas can be as frightening as a zombie, so take a look at these six howlers that will make your blood run cold.

We are seriously disturbed by these taxidermy accessories made of preserved rat heads, guinea pig feet, pigeon feathers and whole mice.

These spooky and eco-friendly lights are the perfect thing to provide light for your Halloween journey.

If you are thinking about doing some Halloween face painting, be sure to read this article about lead and other harmful toxins in paint.

And if you haven’t already, be sure to enter our Halloween costume contest on Inhabitots. There are great prizes!

Home Farming

Pesticides. Genetic-modification. Mistreated animals. It could just about kill anyone’s appetite to hear about all the horrible news about food production. Fortunately, the emerging food revolution focuses on both health and re-establishing the connection between people and the food they eat (making it harder to abuse our food sources). Designers are both leading and answering this shift in interest. Philips Design has begun an investigation called ‘Food Probe’ that looks at current social trends and how this may affect the way that people will eat in the future — and how this will manifest in design. Their investigation includes three parts: a self-contained farm for the kitchen, a nutrition farm and a high-tech cooking device.

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Halloween is almost upon us — and we hope that your’s will be as ghoulishy green as it is delightful. Not sure how? Well then, check out some of the best in green goodies for this Halloween featured on Inhabitots.

First, the costumes: Oeuf’s bat hat is an eco-friendly costume piece that will last even after the Halloween festivities are over.

But if you are looking for more, Oeuf also creates these wildlife-inspired animal knits for the adventurous child in your life. If your tyke is still too young for those, try these adorable hat & booties sets.

If you want to keep this year’s Halloween costumes DIY, take some advice from Vickie Howell or take a peek at Alison Jenkin’s book of wacky knitted costume designs.

Dressed up in cozy and eco-friendly costumes, you’ll probably want to treat your kids (ahem, yourself) to some Halloween candy , but if you’re not crazy about chemicals and artificial additives, try these healthier Halloween treats.

These Halloween crayons, perfect for creating spooky art, are the perfect answer for a non-sugary night.

Ah, and last, but certainly not least — check out these green options for stowing away that Halloween booty: a Jack on Black Halloween fabric bucket and ghastly casette tape sculptures that could make anyone squeal if asked to reach in for their treat.

The winner of the Solar Decathlon Competition was announced today — congratulations Team Germany! We’ve been following the competition happenings all week. Our friends have been as abuzz as us, and we’ve noticed that everyone is in a flurry of excitement about solar technology and energy efficient building. Check out what we saw this week!

Treehugger annouced the architecture and market viability awards on Tuesday.

GreenOptions reports on Steven Chu’s decision to spend an additional $87 million on solar technology.

JetsonGreen, our favorite green home expert, highlights the 20 beautiful, solar-powered homes of this year’s Solar Decathlon competition.

NYTimes comments that the students are proving that solar living doesn’t mean compromising lifestyle.

Clean Technica shows us 10 solar technologies to be exicted about.

CleanTechnica also reports that California will be giving more money to small-scale solar projects.

And of course, don’t forget to check out our coverage.

Re-inventing ordinary street dividers and concrete balls, Liesbet Bussche creates larger-than-life jewelry pieces for the streets of Amsterdam. The Belgian designer makes small interventions to the street scape, a charm to a chain or earring backs to a concrete ball. However, altogether the jewelry can easily make any passer-by smile upon finding a serendipitous change in the uniform vocabulary of the urban landscape.

READ MORE AT ECOUTERRE >