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When a truly big storm hits Northern Australia, sometimes ships are caught nowhere near a harbour.

In that situation, the ship’s captain will often seek out the nearest mangrove swamp and tie the boat up to them.

The mangroves are never wiped out in any type of weather. Trees that bond together are strong. Strong enough to protect a ship, and strong enough to build houses from.

One of the new theories about building houses is that you don’t need to kill and process the trees before you live in them.

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A Gatordade-soaked onion can charge an iPod. The beverage's electrolytes mix with the cells of the onion to create electricity. How exciting is that?

The thing that amazes me is that a standard white onion can easily absorb a cup of liquid.
Emergency onions should be sent to places of severe flooding. Once laden with water, they can be sent to draught stricken areas for squeezing, thus replenishing the land. Then they can be sautéed with garlic and made into a nice tofu curry for the masses.

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Disclaimer: This is probably not the sparkiest topic ever discussed on Earthmums. Those who prefer not to think about death please click on another story.

Have you ever wondered about the environmental impact of your funeral? I have a plan.

I would like my body to be tossed into a school of piranhas, and have my skeleton used for Science and/or television comedy/horror sketches.
The absence of materials used in the process, as well as the valuable use of my all-natural skeleton, would offset the carbon imprint created by transporting my body to the piranhas, or vice versa.

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We've partnered up with the Australian Conservation Foundation to put on a screening of the powerful documentary 'Telling the Truth'.
The documentary follows seven Climate Project Presenters as they take Al Gore's climate change message around the country.
Details are to be finalised, but here's the basics for your diary...
Where? Umalicious Cafe, Nepean Highway, Aspendale VIC 3195
When? Tuesday Dec 2nd, 2008 at 7pm
RSVP to us here at EarthMums by using our contact form. Numbers are very limited so please include how many people you are bringing along.

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If there is one thing we love to harp on about at EarthMums, it's the lack of decent family-sized hybrid or electric vehicles available in Australia.
And you know by lack, I mean NONE.
Here's a good petition though - take the time to sign up and sign it - http://www.thepoint.com/campaigns/let-s-bring-hybrid-minivans-to-the-sub...
They've got other great petitions on there too, like getting Starbucks to recycle their cups.
Now that would be cool..

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Coolgreen is offering a discount of 10.7% to anyone who purchases from their website.

Just quote the following discount code as you purchase:
S-Earthmum08

All the products have environmental value and every purchase will also raise funds to support earthmums campaigns.

The Australian Greenhouse Office calculates the average Australian home wastes 10.7% of its electricity on standby.
That's almost 40 days electricity used for keeping appliances on needlessly!

Coolgreen has some great ways to beat the standby trap.

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We continue looking at the cookware you use to raise awareness of the health risks associated with their use.

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At Sharktastic, we are currently recording our debut single "You Politicians Better do the Right Thing by Mother Earth or I'll F***cking Thump Youse All". Until this is released, get your hearing gear around these eco-tunes.

5. Rip Rip Woodchip. John Williamson. 'Stop ripping out the forests, you flaming dills!' is the message behind this one.

4. Feed the Tree. Belly. Tanya Donnelly plans to re-use herself as fertilizer when her time is up, in this indie classic. Click here to check it out on youtube.

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When you cook something, microscopic amounts of the material your cookware is made of may leach into the food and enter your body. Are some types of cookware better than others from a health perspective?

Get Up has a new campaign calling for decisive action to save the ailing Murray-Darling river system. The river is in crisis with prolonged drought and climate change precipitating (pun - ha!) record low inflows.