WebEcoist highlights the high life, literally, with a look at tree houses that will make you wish you were 7 again.  How very Swiss Family Robinson!

If you missed it, here’s a video report about the shark C-section in New Zealand earlier this week, when a routine shark fight resulted in the successful birth of 8 shark pups.

The votes are in, and PopularScience’s list of 100 Greatest Innovations of the Year is out. The grand award goes to an elegant and functional stethoscope (brr) and green winners include a mushroom-based styrofoam and the Voltree javelin, used to detect forest fires.

Are you ready to cut the cord?  The BBC examines the slow death of landlines.

A fantastic idea of a feast: British gastropubs are introducing a bring your own bounty idea, letting diners trade fresh vegetables and game for drinks. The meal will cost you, but you get to have a part in creating great and traceable cuisine!

Does winter have you looking for ways to keep out the cold and get cozy?  Here are 6 tips for “eco-nesting” without using energy or losing warmth.

The U.S. Green Building Council has issued its 2009 Green Jobs report, which predicts that the green building industry will be responsible for the creation or support of 7.9 million jobs, contributing $554 billion to the U.S. GDP, in the next four years.

And last but not least, you knew we couldn’t resist something like a homegrown sweet potato cheesecake with pecan crust, didn’t you? Of course you did. Feast your eyes!

For many, the holidays are the time to present Dad with that new television, or the season to turn the heat up in the house to keep out the cold. This year, if you’re going to upgrade, why not join more than 1 million American families and add an energy efficient bump at the same time?

When it comes to eco-construction, the two biggest names are LEED and Energy Star, standards programs that set the bar for construction and refurbishing in American homes and businesses. So it’s no wonder that this week, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced an outstanding milestone for the Energy Star program: the 1 millionth Energy Star-qualified home was completed.

The EPA’s Energy Star label has been in place since 1995 and has saved eco-minded homeowners an estimated $1.2 billion in energy bills. The benefits also include a reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by 22 billion pounds and an estimated annual savings of $270 million on utility costs. Earning the Energy Star label requires meeting energy efficiency guidelines set by the EPA including effective insulation systems, high-performance windows, efficient HVAC equipment, construction and duct standards, and high-efficiency lighting and appliances.

The Energy Star label can apply to construction standards, but it also includes high-efficiency features and appliances. Many home appliance companies offer Energy Star lines of washers, dryers, televisions, and more. If higher-efficiency heating is on your list this winter, the Energy Star site has a great guide to lowering your heating costs with energy efficient options. For home features and appliances, local stores such as Lowe’s, Home Depot, and Sear’s offer a wide range of options for heating and cooling, refrigeration, building materials, entertainment appliances, and more.

On November 11, Marriott Hotels announced it will expand its green hotels trial by 1000% in the next five years, adding nearly 500 eco-hotels across the country.

A green hotel prototype for the company will be pre-certified LEED and will be available in Spring 2010. The prototype should reduce the hotel’s energy and water use by up to 25%, savings that, coupled with green incentives, should return the LEED investment in 2 years. The first green hotels will be for Marriott’s Courtyard brand, which has approximately 160 hotels in development worldwide. The company intends to expand use of the prototype to its other lines in 2010.

Marriott was the first hospitality brand to join the U.S. Green Building Council and currently has an extensive rainforest protection program in place called Marriott Spirit to Preserve. For more information on the expansion of Marriott’s eco-hotels, see TreeHugger.com’s profile on the project. To learn more about Marriott’s current eco-minded efforts, visit the Marriot Spirit to Preserve site.