The TakePart Top 10 Weekly Roundup is a compilation of the week’s most notable stories from our entertainment-meets-social-action blogging network. Check out some of our most popular stories of the week, as well as a few TakePart blogger favorites!

TakePart Gang:

Arrested in Development by Wendy Cohen

Is Google Making Us Dumber? by Blair Golson

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Nicole Hughes:

Top 5 Ways to Green Your July 4th

Greenopia: Eco-Guides For Your City

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Andy Kondrat:

Hypermiling Contest Winner Gets 124 Miles to the Gallon

Rise in Fuel Prices May Lead to Dirtier Energy Sources

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Jon Popham:

Red Tide in Yellow Sea Threatens Olympics

Mercedes-Benz Ditching Gasoline Cars by 2015

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Giulia Rozzi:

46664 Concert: Happy Birthday Nelson Mandela

Denise Richards Likes to Share

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Gina Telaroli:

Top 10 Movies for the 4th of July: For Patriots and Cynics!

The Radical and Beautiful Journey of Wall-E

Hypermiling is kind of, what’s the word…crazy? Yeah. Crazy. That’s the word. The dedication to getting as much distance out of one gallon of gas possible seems kind of strange, but when you can get results like Jack Martin, the adjective that comes to mind is merely “impressive.” In this year’s Tour to the Shore hypermiling contest, which is a real event, Martin managed to get 124 miles out of one gallon of gas in an unmodified Honda Insight. Seriously.

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The TakePart Top 10 Weekly Roundup is a compilation of the week’s most notable stories from our entertainment-meets-social-action blogging network. Check out some of our most popular stories of the week, as well as a few TakePart blogger favorites!

Nicole Hughes:

Should Drive-Thrus Be Banned?

Eco-Moms Mad About “Greenwash” Barbie

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Andy Kondrat:

Home Depot Will Recycle Your CLF Bulbs for Free

Department of Energy Predicts 50% Energy Increase By 2030

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Jon Popham:

NYC Waterfalls Installation Starts This Week

Capt. John Smith Is Back…and Running for President

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Giulia Rozzi:

Yoga Across the Border

Emile Norman: By His Own Design

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Gina Telaroli:

Silverdocs 08: A Post-Fest Wrap-Up

Human Rights Watch 08: Letter to Anna

Eco-moms are mad at Mattel’s attempt to push a new line of green Barbie accessories, claiming that the company’s dubious environmental claims are made in the interest of marketing and not in the interest of making toys safer for kids. Eco Child’s Play, a blog written by concerned parents with tips and advice on safe, non-toxic toys and clothing for children, wrote about their concerns over Mattel’s greenwashing back in May, and other online news venues have since picked up on the story. Here’s what Mattel had to say about their new “Barbie BCause” line:

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The House approved $20 billion in funds to help schools go green over the next five years, making them more energy efficient and lessening their environmental impact. The legislation goes to the Senate now after a 250-164 vote in the House.  Unsurprisingly, the White House threatened to veto the bill, stating that it was ill-conceived for the federal government to launch any new school building programs.

It should be interesting to see if this bill will make it through. Especially as supporters cite studies that green schools use 35% less energy than a conventional school, reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 40%, uses 30% less water and has better control over elements of the learning environment that influence student achievement such as temperature and lighting. [treehugger.com]

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Oh, those wacky Brits and their comically oversized wind turbines.  The Queen of England (who, if we remember our history lessons, is the Queen of Canada as well) has gone ahead and purchased the world’s largest wind turbine.  The turbine is called the Britannia, and is 25% more powerful than the previous record-holder.  It will be built off the coast of the United Kingdom, because apparently the Queen still owns the water.

From the article at treehugger.com, here’s a quote from the Director of the Marine Estates at The Crown Estate, which I gather is fancy talk for “Guy that watches over the water the Queen owns”:

This is an important step in the future of offshore wind and a great opportunity to help establish a new industrial base of activity to advance the UK’s leadership in renewable energy.”

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This Greenpeace ‘Breathe In Breathe Out’ video was brought to our attention by Treehugger, and is quite stunning in its depiction of the message that our oceans get too little credit for the amount of CO2 they absorb, and the vast quantities of oxygen they produce. In fact, our oceans produce half of the world’s oxygen. Take that, rain forests!  The video speaks for itself - check it out below:

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The TakePart Top 10 Weekly Roundup is a compilation of the week’s most notable stories from our entertainment-meets-social-action blogging network. Mother’s Day is this Sunday (don’t forget!), so be sure to take a look at some of the great posts we’ve put together in celebration of moms everywhere! Check out some of our most popular stories of the week, as well as a few TakePart blogger favorites!

Katie Halper:

Top 10 Mother’s Day E-Cards

Hillary Andrews Will Not Lick Bob Stokes’ Swizzle Stick

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Nicole Hughes:

Top 10 Green Gift Wrap Ideas For Mothers Day

Peak Oil Strip Tease

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Andy Kondrat:

Tornado Devestated Town Rebuilds As Green Model Community

Radiohead Attempts An Eco-Friendly World Tour

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Jon Popham:

Nepalese Art Photography: Rubin Museum of Art

America’s First Wind-Powered City

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Giulia Rozzi:

Women For Women International Celebrates Mothers Day

Even More on the Kentucky Derby

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Gina Telaroli:

Video Blog: The Week In Social Action

The War Now Tomorrow and Forever

We all know sex sells - bikini car washes for cancer, vegan strip clubs, and of course PETA loves throwing around a little (human) flesh for a good cause. Now peak oil is getting some sultry attention from Oily Cassandra, who is pretty confident that her oil-conservation-inspired strip tease will get you worked up and ready to take action:

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Latino voters are overwhelmingly concerned about the environment and global warming, according to a national survey conducted by the Sierra Club. Previous studies show that Latino communities in the United States are disproportionately affected by climate change and environmental pollution, with some 91% living in urban areas where polluted air increases the risk of illnesses like cancer and asthma.

The poll also showed that:

**Overwhelmingly (80%) said that energy and environmental issues have “a lot” or “some” impact on the quality of life and health of their families. These voters have a high level of exposure to toxic sites.

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