Live the green life!

Happy New Year!

2009-01-01T11:12:00.001-05:00

Make a couple of your new year's resolutions green ones! Here are just a few easy suggestions:

Actually use those reusable bags that have been hanging in your closet for the past year. I have 1 Bag at a Time bags, which are great and I highly recommend. If you have none, spring a few bucks - you can find them practically anywhere these days.
Turn your heat down a few degrees when you leave for work during the day. Ask yourself the age-old question: if the heat is down during the day when no one is home to feel it, is the house actually cold?
Replace regular light bulbs with CFLs. Yes, they are pricy, so look for sales (at Target, Home Depot, Lowes, etc.) and buy just a couple at a time to reduce the financial strain. If you are somewhat crafty, get some glass paint and create holiday ornaments out of the old bulbs.
Start thinking of a green project to take on when the weather turns: build a compost bin, plant a vegetable garden, plant a tree. Be creative!

7 New Years Eco-Resolutions for 2009

2009 New Year's Resolutions: Make Green a Habit in 2009

Anti-coal

2008-12-23T23:39:00.000-05:00

More anti-coal campaigning by the Reality Coalition:

Greening your holidays

2008-12-20T23:49:00.000-05:00

A few simple videos on how to green your holidays by the folks at Real World Green.

Terracycle

2008-12-19T07:59:00.000-05:00

Watch more NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams videos on AOL Video

Treehugger's 2008 Green Holiday Gift Guide

2008-12-12T23:49:00.003-05:00

I haven't looked through it all yet, but I wanted to post it while people still have holiday shopping to do!

Clean coal?

2008-12-12T23:26:00.000-05:00

You heard it 10,000 times during the presidential debates, but let it be clear that "clean coal" in the U.S. is a myth! As coal companies campaign to promote so-called clean coal, the Reality Coalition has launched its own campaign:

Soles4Souls

2008-12-03T20:08:00.000-05:00

Nike's Reuse-A-Shoe program only accepts athletic shoes, so if you have other shoes lying around your closets, Soles4Souls is a great place to donate. They collect both new and "gently worn" shoes, clean them (if necessary) and work with other charitable groups to distribute the shoes to people in need throughout the world. My favorite eco-friendly efforts are those that not only benefit the planet, but also help less fortunate people. Find a drop-off location near you or shipping information.

Repower America

2008-12-02T20:49:00.005-05:00

Repower America is a plan to convert America to 100% clean electricity within 10 years. Join "We Can Solve It" for periodic updates and press releases. Here is their newest ad, which launches nationally this week:

If Barack Obama stands by his word, the next 4 (or 8) years might be just the springboard this country needs to move toward more efficient and renewable energy use and cleaner electricity.

"I strongly agree with Vice President Gore that we cannot drill our way to energy independence, but must fast-track investments in renewable sources of energy like solar power, wind power and advanced biofuels, and those are the investments I will make as President."

~ President-elect Barack Obama, July 17, 2008

Recycle old sneakers

2008-12-01T23:17:00.000-05:00

(picture via nikereuseashoe.com)

You can recycle your old sneakers by donating them to Nike's Reuse-A-Shoe program, which collects used sneakers (any brand, not just Nike) and recycles them to create a material dubbed Nike Grind, which is then used to build sports surfaces, such as basketball courts, tennis courts, tracks, etc. Find a drop-off location here. If no location near you, you can also mail the shoes directly to Nike (on your dime, unfortunately). If you are involved with a non-profit or other group interested in organizing a Reuse-A-Shoe drive, APPLY HERE.

Remember, you can donate any worn-out sneaker (doesn't have to be Nike).

Breathing Earth

2008-11-30T15:53:00.004-05:00

Here's a cool site a friend forwarded to me - The Breathing Earth Simulation. It tracks CO2 emissions, birth rates and death rates for every country in simulated real-time. Simply scroll over a country and get the relevant info. Very impressive site - very disturbing data.

Say NO to Phone Books

2008-11-26T22:17:00.006-05:00

Sick of getting those enormous phone books on your doorstep that you never end up using anyway? Get yourself off the mailing list by clicking HERE and entering your information. Takes about 10 seconds. If you miss the boat and do receive a phone book, recycle it with your curbside recycling or HERE.

Read more about "Yellow Pages Goes Green". Think about it - when is the last time you used a phone book?

Change

2008-11-26T21:35:00.001-05:00

In the spirit of our new President-elect's powerful campaign buzzword, I've revamped my blog layout and hope to add content on a more regular basis going forward. I hope I can help you learn something new.

Barack Obama's New Energy for America plan purports to set our country in a new direction (the right direction) in terms of our national environmental and energy policies. It is clear that "change" is needed to cure our foreign oil dependency and to introduce cleaner energy sources into our everyday lives. Let's hope Obama will follow through.

More info on Obama's environmental policy here.

Green lawn mowers

2008-06-13T23:38:00.007-04:00

I was in need of a lawnmower and, after prolonged deliberation, I finally decided to go with this Task Force 20" Reel Mower sold at Lowes for $129.98. I have yet to give it a good test run, since my grass was way too long on the first try. Reel mowers are best for a smaller lawn cut regularly with a limited amount of weeds - reel mowers have trouble with long grass and tough weeds.

The benefits of the reel mower are obvious:

Cheap - the mower itself is less expensive and, since it runs on manpower, no costs for gas or electricity;
Clean - no engine means zero toxic emissions;
Healthy - not self-propelled, so you get a better workout;
Quiet - no engine also means very little noise;
Green - all of the above!

Other great eco-friendly lawnmowers:
Neuton Battery-Powered Mowers
Black & Decker Cordless Battery-Powered Mowers
Scotts/Great States Corp. 20" Reel Mower
Bicycle Mowers . . . really
OR
Just don't mow your lawn! Check this out!

Cool website

2008-06-07T23:22:00.005-04:00

Check out this cool website someone forwarded to my brother - Unscrew America. It's all about the benefits of replacing your old incandescent lightbulbs with CFLs (Compact Fluorescent Lights), done with cool graphics and design. It is a little difficult to navigate at first, but you'll get the hang of it.

The Human Spider

2008-06-06T13:04:00.011-04:00

I saw this on the news this morning and had to get it up here (click here for the story). This nutcase, Alain Robert, also known as "The Human Spider" for his building-climbing hobby, scaled the side of the New York Times building yesterday to display his message on global warming! Some people blog, some people climb skyscrapers to hang signs - to each his own! (Check out this guy's website - The Solution is Simple).

Apparently inspired by Robert's stunt, some other guy, Renaldo Clarke, climbed the same building only seven hours later to get across his anti-malaria message (which was printed on his t-shirt).

The Story of Stuff

2008-06-06T00:04:00.009-04:00

Check out this cool video - "The Story of Stuff" - which was featured in a recent Ideal Bite daily tip (check the sidebar on the left column of this blog - it updates every day!). This video is narrated by Annie Leonard, a scholar in the areas of international trade, development, sustainability and environmental health. Her video addresses some very interesting issues about consumerism and the so-called "American way," at times a cynical commentary on our government, corporate America and how our lives are being controlled by them. The premise is a simple yet intriguing question: where does all the "stuff" go? Aside from the 20-minute video itself, the website has tons of reading material, so browse around as well.

Reminder: Planet Green

2008-06-04T20:27:00.007-04:00

Just a reminder, the Planet Green channel kicked off tonight. Click HERE to find the channel in your local area. Click HERE to view daily and weekly listings and set up e-mail reminders for the shows you want to see!

Check it out while your network shows are on break for the summer!

I'm already recording "Alter Eco" hosted by Adrian Grenier at 10:00 p.m.!

Are you really "going green"?

2008-05-25T20:52:00.004-04:00

Green buyers beware!

Environmental survivalists

2008-05-25T20:30:00.004-04:00

Interesting article

Have a green Mother's Day!

2008-05-08T20:10:00.005-04:00

With Mother's Day around the corner, click HERE and HERE for a few of Treehugger's green Mother's Day ideas. If these don't appeal to you, just Google "green mother's day" and you'll find an endless supply of ideas.

Planet Green

2008-04-23T22:05:00.006-04:00

Starting on June 4th, you will be able to watch "green" television programming all day, everyday if your heart so desires, when the Discovery Channel debuts the first ever 24-hour eco-lifestyle network "Planet Green". Click HERE for a listing of some of the shows and celebrities to be featured.

Recycled gas station

2008-04-23T21:59:00.004-04:00

This is pretty cool - click on the picture to read about what it is.

60 Million Dollar Man

2008-04-23T21:38:00.004-04:00

Yesterday, Steve Nash released this short film - a spoof of the old TV series "The Six Million Dollar Man"- to coincide with Earth Day in promotion of his new Nike Trash Talk basketball sneaker, which I previously posted about here. A little odd, but I have to give him credit for originality.

HAPPY EARTH DAY!

2008-04-22T08:19:00.002-04:00

Earth Day events

2008-04-17T23:20:00.008-04:00

With Earth Day around the corner, there are plenty of volunteer opportunities and fun activities happening this weekend and throughout next week. Click HERE for a few events going on in the Boston area. Click HERE to search for more events in your local area. You can also check the official Earth Day website HERE. Also keep your eyes and ears open in local newspapers, commercials, etc. because there is likely something going on in your community.

(The image on the left is the official Earth Day 2008 logo created by Adrienne Lay, owner of RAZA Speaks, a clothing design company specializing in clothes featuring positive messages about the environment, children and our future. I hope she doesn't mind me featuring her logo.)

Freecycle & Craigslist

2008-04-16T21:38:00.009-04:00

Check out Freecycle - an online global network consisting of individuals who are giving and receiving "stuff" for free in their communities. It's fairly simple - sign up for free, find your local town or community group, and begin searching, or post something you want to give away. The only hitch is you need a Yahoo! account, because the whole system runs through Yahoo! Groups. It's pretty easy to create a Yahoo! account though, if you don't already have one.

Another similar network is Craigslist's "free" section. Visit Craigslist, find your state or nearest big city, and in the middle of the page in the "for sale" section, click on "free" - a place where people are giving away everything from firewood to sewing machines to ping pong tables. I've used it to get some free moving boxes and packing materials when we moved to our new house. It's a great resource if you need something, but don't necessarily need it new, and don't feel like spending the money.

The whole idea here is to reuse your old stuff (or find others who will) in order to keep that stuff out of the landfill.

Calling all shopaholics!

2008-04-16T21:10:00.004-04:00

Banana Republic announced that it will be donating 1% of all its sales from April 22-27 (up to $100,000.00), to the Trust for Public Land, a non-profit organization dedicated to preserving urban green spaces.

So if you MUST go shopping for expensive clothing next week, Banana is a good option.

We all leave our own "human footprint"

2008-04-14T21:37:00.007-04:00

Just watched National Geographic's Human Footprint. The statistics are mind-boggling, mostly incomprehensible, but really make you re-think some of your consumption habits. The Human Footprint website is a pretty cool interactive site and provides most of the information from the documentary, so if you missed it last night, check out the website. If you can find a re-run of the show on the National Geographic channel or On Demand or if you want to come to my house to watch it (I'll save it on DVR for a while), it is pretty cool seeing the 19,000+ eggs the average person eats in a lifetime drop out of a bulldozer.

More global warming effects

2008-04-12T08:50:00.004-04:00

Sorry about the lack of posts lately.

I've posted about some of the recent effects of global warming (like the collapsed Antarctic ice chunk), and you've heard about melting glaciers, rising sea levels and changing ecosystems, but this one ought to really hit home for most of my readers - CLICK HERE and HERE! Do I have your attention now?

Human Footprint

2008-04-03T23:26:00.009-04:00

A new documentary entitled "Human Footprint" airs on the National Geographic channel on Sunday, April 13th at 9:00 p.m. I actually saw a commercial for this a while ago and the project looks pretty amazing. At least one part of the documentary is about how much stuff people consume and throw away in their lifetimes - and they get the message across by literally showing you (hence, the hundreds of milk carton's lined up outside someone's home). If nothing else, the imagery alone should make it worth watching.
Set your TiVo/DVR/VCR now so you don't forget!

Get ready for Earth Day 2008!

2008-04-02T20:58:00.006-04:00

Just a quick reminder that Earth Day is April 22, 2008 (which is also my Dad's birthday!). Check the official Earth Day website for all the information you need to know!

As the day approaches, I'll try to find more events, ideas and information for you.

Phoenix Commotion

2008-03-31T20:52:00.004-04:00

Check out this video featuring the work of Dan Phillips and his unique business, Phoenix Commotion. His business plan is simple and brilliant - build homes out of discarded materials for a really affordable price (we're talking $20,000-50,000). Those discarded materials span from scrap wood to broken mirrors to wine corks to glass dishes. Phillips calculates that enough materials are thrown out in his town to build a house every week (and that's a small town in Texas, imagine what can be done with big city junk!). Phillips' houses are also available to anyone with $500, no bad credit and a steady job (minimum wage is ok). Truly amazing.

Clorox Green Works

2008-03-29T16:58:00.006-04:00

A couple months ago, Clorox introduced its line of natural cleaning products in conjunction with its new partnership with the Sierra Club. The green cleaning products are made almost entirely from plant-based ingredients and are formulated to be biodegradable (good for the Earth), non-allergenic (good for our health), and not tested on animals (good for the mice)... and they clean as effectively as conventional cleaning products (good for the neat freaks).

Amanda bought the toilet bowl cleaner and the bathroom cleaner today, so maybe she'll give you a review once I dirty the bathroom for her.

Earth Hour 2008

2008-03-28T23:23:00.009-04:00

I just came across this today, thanks to my new "Ideal Bite" widget (see bottom of this page). Tomorrow, Saturday, March 29, 2008 at 8:00 p.m. (your own local time) is Earth Hour 2008 - an event created by the World Wildlife Fund last year in Sydney, Australia, where millions of people worldwide will shut off their lights for a full hour in an effort to make a positive impact on global warming.

So if you're home tomorrow at 8 p.m. (or, for that matter, anywhere else where you can control the lights), light a couple candles and shut off all your lights and TVs and find something to do for an hour that doesn't require the use of electricity. Tomorrow, live the "dark" green life!

Antarctic ice chunk collapses

2008-03-25T18:40:00.005-04:00

Read about the huge chunk of ice (about 7 times the size of Manhattan) that collapsed in Western Antarctica today. Apparently, larger ice collapses occurred in 2002 and 1995, but this is clearly not normal. Scientists do not appear concerned that it will have an immediate effect on rising sea levels, but certainly see it as a sign of global warming. It will be interesting to see if this creates any sort of chain reaction.

A tiny home

2008-03-15T17:01:00.005-04:00

Check this out - WORLD'S SMALLEST HOUSE!

Talk about an energy-efficient home!

A Crazy Recycler

2008-03-15T14:06:00.004-04:00

CLICK HERE

Make Your St. Patrick's Day Even Greener

2008-03-12T23:28:00.006-04:00

When you think St. Patrick's Day, you think green, right? Good start. With St. Patty's Day around the corner, I thought I'd look into some green options for you.

Bottles or cans? Slate.com's "Eco-Guide to Responsible Drinking" concludes that glass bottles from a local brewery are probably the best option, though there are so many factors to consider, it is really a difficult call. Of course, whatever containers you decide to empty, make sure to recycle them.

My favorite part of this article was the last sentence: "...until then, enjoy toasting the man who apocryphally drove the snakes out of Ireland, and take comfort in the fact that puke is fully biodegradable."

Of course, you'll probably enjoy some Guinness and other delicious Irish treats this weekend, but there are many green booze options you should be aware of, including a favorite among my friends: Sierra Nevada. It appears that Sierra implements green practices wherever possible - from using fuel cell technology to supply its energy in the production stage to encouraging its employees to ride a bike to work. I guess those labels aren't the only "green" part of Sierra Nevada.
A few more general tips can be found HERE.

CHEERS!

Green Real Estate

2008-03-12T23:17:00.004-04:00

My father-in-law is a real estate buyer's agent down in North Carolina - his company is Fletcher Realty. You'll notice the "go green" link on the bottom of his webpage which has some helpful tips for future and recent homebuyers. Check it out!

It is good to see so many businesses these days jumping on the green bandwagon!

Pictures of Boston's Going Green Expo

2008-03-12T20:15:00.004-04:00

You might remember me posting about the Going Green Expo which took place in Boston last month. I came across some pictures taken at the expo and featured on Boston.com. You can check out the battery-powered lawnmower I hope to get, as well as Peak Organic beer and paper made of elephant poop (yes, really). Oh yeah, and a picture of my friend Becky promoting the company she works for, Green Restaurant Association. Enjoy!

How green is your candidate?

2008-03-06T22:43:00.008-05:00

I am far from a political junkie, but I've been reading up on the presidential candidates' stances on energy and the environment and, to be honest, I can't yet decide who has the best one. Historically, the Democratic party has led the charge in bringing environmental issues to the forefront of the political debate, but now it seems that virtually all candidates from all parties support strong environmental policy. All the information is pretty overwhelming, but I have found grist.org to be a good starting point. They feature a comprehensive look at each candidate's range of environmental and energy policies as well as a helpful comparison chart. So who is the "greenest" candidate? Honestly, I have no idea. You'll have to be your own judge of that. I'd love to hear your opinions.

Freegans

2008-03-05T21:28:00.005-05:00

Anytime you think you are sacrificing too much to help an environmental cause, just stop and think about the Freegans. What is a Freegan, you ask? Check out their website HERE. I can't imagine living the way they do. It is worth reading.

Go paperless!

2008-03-05T21:10:00.005-05:00

I'd like to give a shout-out to couple good friends of mine (actually two couples) whose weddings are approaching and who decided to go paperless with their "save-the-dates" by sending them via e-mail. Nice job, I'm proud of you guys - way to save trees!

What's Your E-IQ?

2008-02-29T14:16:00.005-05:00

Here is another short quiz at abundantforests.org, which has a great website (specific to forests, obviously). This quiz actually gives you a rating at the end and a little better information. Take the quiz HERE.

Answer the quiz honestly and see what they think of you. I'm a "Green Giant" - what about you?

How green are you?

2008-02-28T22:07:00.007-05:00

Take National Geographic's Green Guide's quick ECO-IQ TEST! It's very basic and you don't get a score, but it'll give you some helpful tips and reminders.

The Oscars Go Green (sort of)

2008-02-24T20:52:00.006-05:00

As thousands of celebrities and their millions of dollars worth of clothing and accessories amass somewhere in L.A. to celebrate themselves and how amazing they are at getting rich at the expense of, well, everyone else who is not a so-called celebrity by creating those few movies we love among the many we hate... hey, at least they are "going green" while doing it. CLICK HERE to read more about how the Oscars have gone green. Sure, it might be greener to take the millions of dollars spent to put this great night together and contribute it to charitable and environmental organizations, but then how would we all know that Katherine Heigl looks stunning in red or that George Clooney is, in all respects, the greatest human ever or that Gary Busey is still insane.

All joking aside, it is in fact great that the Oscars are making an effort to reduce their ecological footprint, and every little bit helps. There are also many celebrities who share a great passion for environmental issues and do make unbelievable contributions to this cause, so I must commend them. Also, while I am a firm believer in doing what you can to be green, I also do not think it should come at a cost of shutting down life as we know it. In other words, the Oscars may go on! We still should enjoy our passions, even if not very eco-friendly, as long as we commit in other ways to offset those guilty pleasures.

My apologies to those who love this stuff, including my wife. No offense.

Nike's "Trash Talk"

2008-02-22T22:56:00.006-05:00

A couple weeks ago, Steve Nash (of the Phoenix Suns) and Nike debuted their new basketball sneaker called the Nike "Trash Talk". It is Nike's first basketball kicks made entirely from - you guessed it - trash! You can read a little bit more about how it is made in Nike's Press Release. Nash apparently has a great passion for the environment and he has chosen to use his fame and fortune to make a difference.

This is a great idea for a great cause, but I'm confused by a couple issues: 1) The shoes apparently sell for $100 - wouldn't you want to sell these for as cheap as possible in order to maximize sales and, therefore, maximize the environmental impact? I can't imagine the manufacturing and materials costs are very high, so where is all this profit going? And 2) I couldn't find them for sale anywhere on the Internet. It seems like a wasted effort if they are not widely available to the the public at a low cost. Mr. Nash ought to steal a marketing idea from Stephon Marbury.

Review of "Six Degrees"

2008-02-18T18:29:00.007-05:00

I finally got around to watching the National Geographic special "Six Degrees Could Change the World." They continue to re-air it on the National Geographic channel, so if you missed the premiere a week ago, you can still catch it. If you're not inclined to watch it, here are some of the highlights:

With each slight increase in average global temperature, environmental impacts could become more and more dangerous to the future of our planet and the survival of human life as we know it today:

+1° = Arctic ice melts at an alarming rate; coastal communities suffer devastating floods; hurricanes begin hitting the South Atlantic; severe droughts hit the western U.S., causing shortages in global grain markets.

+2° = Greenland's glaciers begin disappearing, placing some species, like polar bears, in a struggle to survive; insects migrate in strange new directions, creating irreversible disruption in certain ecosystems; new forests emerge in Canada's melting tundra; certain Pacific Islands are completely lost in rising tides; the world's coral reefs... gone.

+3° = The Arctic remains ice-free all summer; the Amazon Rainforest begins drying out; the snow caps of the Alps have nearly disappeared; El Nino extreme weather patterns are the status quo; searing summer heat waves run through the Mediterranean and parts of Europe.

+4° = Rising ocean levels overtake deltas and coastal areas home to billions of people - Egypt inundated, Venice submerged; glaciers disappear, shutting off fresh water to billions; Northern Canada becomes a bountiful agricultural zone; the West Antarctic ice sheet might collapse, further raising sea levels; rivers are drying up; the planet is unrecognizable from the one we know today.

+5° = Uninhabitable areas spread throughout the world; major cities are drying out, displacing millions of people; "environmental refugees" create human conflict throughout the world; it is unlikely human civilization can withstand the extreme changes.

+6° = Oceans are marine wastelands; deserts cover the continents; natural disasters become common events; the world's greatest cities are flooded and abandoned; an environmental "doomsday".

Scientists predict a 1 - 6° increase in average global temperature can occur within a century if certain industrial and social trends continue. While a couple degrees seems slight, it is believed that small of an increase can jump-start an unstoppable string of events leading to, at worst, an uninhabitable planet. To put it in perspective, during the last Ice Age (some 10-20,000 years ago), average global temperature was 6° cooler than average global temperature today.

As expected, this film delivers its message by way of melodramatic music and narration (like "But a shift of only about one degree could transform cattle country into a wasteland of searing heat and relentless drought") over stunning environmental images mixed with disturbing predictions and poorly-acted dramatizations. If you can get past these production hiccups and hear the message, "Six Degrees" tells a relevant story, whether you believe it or not. Perhaps most importantly, it emphasizes that all of these catastrophic predictions are still avoidable with a massive effort by mankind to reduce carbon emissions, convert to efficient energy sources, "green" our homes and cars, and live with an environmental conscious. I think the film is worth watching and made for the average Joe, so expect broad theoreticals rather than in-depth scientific explanations. Definitely makes you think - even if these theories sound crazy, if there is even a slight chance they could be accurate, is it worth risking it?

Oh... and if the soothing, yet at the same time menacing, voice of Alec Baldwin can't get you to go green, I don't know what else will!

Recycle your iPods!

2008-02-10T16:48:00.001-05:00

PodSwap is a place to recycle your old and/or broken iPods, if you're looking to upgrade or just have no more use for that outdated iPod. Send yours in, and receive cash or credit towards another iPod product. They'll repair your malfunctioning iPod if possible for resale to another interested buyer, and if not, they make sure the parts are disposed of in an eco-friendly way.

I also discovered that Apple has its own recycling programs, including an iPod exchange - return your old iPod to any retailer to be recycled and receive a 10% discount on the purchase of a new iPod. Way to go, Mr. Jobs!

Six Degrees Could Change The World

2008-02-10T16:28:00.000-05:00

National Geographic is airing a special show called "Six Degrees Could Change The World" tonight, Sunday, February 10th at 8:00 p.m. EST.

If you happen to watch it, please share any comments!

Growing up green?

2008-02-08T20:39:00.002-05:00

How better to change the world than to get the kids to do it!

My soon-to-be-sister-in-law is an elementary school teacher in Connecticut. Her class recently enrolled in a program called Scholastic Classrooms Care, where the kids set a goal to read 100 books by Earth Day with the incentive that it will help conserve a 100-acre reserve area known as the Choco Rainforest in Ecuador. She tells me the kids also put up a "Go Green" bulletin board and came up with lists of things they can do in the classroom to keep the planet green. I'm impressed!

More "green" programs available to teachers can be found here.

As I was drafting this post, I noticed that my brother also just featured her class on his blog, Tony Spinelli Photography. He is a graphic designer turned wedding photographer. He does some pretty amazing stuff, so check it out.

Recycle your corks!

2008-02-08T19:43:00.001-05:00

One of the tricks to this whole "going green" movement is brainstorming ideas to reuse and recycle everyday materials that you would otherwise throw in the trash. Put that "trash" to good use and you've not only reused and recycled, but also reduced (less trash, less new product). It is all one big happy cycle. Reduce Reuse Recycle.

It is often difficult for the average individual, like you and I, to carry out these ideas, so when a business can run with the concept, it makes a huge difference. A materials supplier out of Missouri, Yemm & Hart, embodies this theory - they produce and sell building materials made of 100% recycled products. For example, they have a wine cork recycling program where they manufacture tiles out of used wine corks - click here and scroll all the way down to see how cool they look! I think these would make a really cool floor in a rustic kitchen or even a backdrop for your kitchen counters. You can donate your cork by mailing it to them via UPS (postage paid by them) to:
Wine Cork Recycling
Yemm & Hart Ltd.
610 South Chamber Dr.
Fredericktown, MO 63645

So, winos, save up a bunch of your corks and mail them in! Why not?

Recycle your Crocs!

2008-02-05T12:32:00.003-05:00

After the "Going Green" Expo (see last post) and all the e-mails and comments I've been getting from friends and family, I have lots of interesting material to write about, including an eco-friendly lawnmower and a delicious organic beer, so stay tuned...

In the meantime, check out SolesUnited, a new company launched by the creators of the increasingly popular footwear - Crocs. (What, you don't think Crocs are trendy? Then look here and here and here and here and here and even here!). SolesUnited collects your old, worn-out Crocs and reuses the plastic material to create brand new shoes which are then provided to people living in poor communities throughout the world who simply can't afford shoes. Not only is this a great environmental cause, but also a truly humanitarian effort to help others in need. So, for those of you on the Crocs-bandwagon, when they're worn down and you're ready to chuck 'em, return them to a retailer participating in the recycle program or mail them in, and help two good causes at the same time!

Boston Going Green Expo

2008-02-01T22:38:00.001-05:00

Amanda and I are going to check out this "Going Green Expo" in Boston tomorrow.

Interesting idea to prevent deforestation

2008-01-29T21:58:00.001-05:00

Check out this article.

Junk mail

2008-01-27T14:38:00.001-05:00

We all get junk mail - department store catalogs, credit card promotions, student loan consolidation offers, etc. Annoying, right? Not only that, but a tremendous waste of paper. It is fairly easy to weed out the junk mail and toss it in the paper recycling bin, but even better if you could stop that junk mail from ever filling your mailbox.

Think about the amount of paper consumed by junk mail, and for what? Most of it gets immediately thrown away. I'd love to see a statistic comparing the number of credit card solicitations mailed with the number that actually lead to a credit card application. I understand that companies have the right to advertise and such competition drives the economy, but it just doesn't seem right that a company can repeatedly send me solicitations if I do not wish to receive them. I digress. The goal here is to eliminate all of this unwanted, unnecessary mail, so here is a very good guide to get you started on your own. Some of the simpler ideas are:

1. When you get an unwanted catalog in the mail, find a way to remove yourself from the mailing list - check their website, e-mail them, call them, send back the mailing label with "PLEASE REMOVE ME FROM MAILING LIST" written on it, whatever it takes.

2. When you buy something online, be sure to opt out of receiving that company's catalog if you have that option.

3. Opt out of credit card offers - yes, it is possible!

Mr. Eric Rochow, author of Real World Green, provides a good video blog on stopping junk mail that you should also check out. His website is actually very informative, and I like it because he keeps his ideas simple and easy to follow.

Here are a couple of companies which sell their de-junk-mailing services at a reasonable cost. I am considering signing up for one, but first want to see what I can do on my own.
41pounds.org
GreenDimes

Eliminate disposable paper cups

2008-01-27T13:32:00.001-05:00

One of my recent efforts is to stop using disposable paper cups at work for my water and hot chocolate (I don't like coffee), partially motivated by the incredible portrayals below (original art by Chris Jordan). For those of you with a coffee machine or water cooler at the office:

Eliminate using disposable paper cups by bringing a reusable plastic cup or mug to the office!

Paper Cups, 2008
60x96"

Depicts 410,000 paper cups, equal to the number of disposal hot-beverage paper cups used in the US every fifteen minutes.

Partial zoom:

Detail at actual print size:

N.Y. passes law requiring plastic bag recycling programs

2008-01-23T23:06:00.001-05:00

Sorry to keep posting about plastic bags, but it appears to be a hot topic. Just today, New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg signed a bill which, among other things, requires large retail stores to implement plastic bag recycling programs and reduce the number of plastic bags given to customers. This new law follows the lead of other cities who are attempting to reduce plastic bag usage. At the head of the pack is San Francisco, who, in April of last year, became the first city to altogether ban the use of plastic grocery bags. I commend these cities for taking the lead in what will hopefully someday be a universally accepted idea - NO MORE PLASTIC GROCERY BAGS! I predict that in 10 years (hopefully less), plastic grocery bags will be obsolete and we'll look back and wonder what took us so long to stop using those silly, harmful things. Wishful thinking, perhaps, but we're getting there.

This article is also a good one on the topic. I like this quote characterizing the root of the current plastic bag crisis: "The mentality in America is plastic bags come from plastic bag land," said Mastny, of the Worldwatch Institute. "We don't think about where they come from and where they are going."

U.S. moves down in environmental rankings

2008-01-23T22:44:00.000-05:00

According to a recent international ranking of environmental performance for the nations of the world, the U.S. has slipped to 39th out of 149 countries and is at the bottom of the so-called "Group of 8" industrialized nations. Read more here.

Big companies promote reusable bags

2008-01-23T22:00:00.003-05:00

It is good to see some of the big dogs jumping on the green bandwagon. Some stores, like Whole Foods, even offer a small credit to your bill for using reusable bags.

Recycling

2008-01-21T21:54:00.001-05:00

Recycling can be very easy if you live in a place with a good recycling program. On the flip side, it can be quite burdensome if you have no help in figuring out what, where and when to recycle. My town (Hopkinton, MA) provides pretty good guidelines (which seems to be pretty universal) as to what you can and cannot recycle. I would suggest checking with your town/city hall to first determine if they even have a recycling program. If not, there may be a company or other organization in your area that recycles. I haven't confronted this problem, so I'm not really sure where else to look, but if I find any information, I will share. As a general rule, most plastic, glass and metal containers as well as paper/cardboard are recyclable.

Here are some more good guidelines, courtesy of my sister: http://www.coopamerica.org/pubs/caq/articles/21Things.cfm

As recycling is such a HUGE topic, it will definitely be a topic in many posts to come...

Tip of the day

2008-01-21T21:39:00.001-05:00

I am constantly appalled by the amount of paper I go through at work, so....

Instead of trashing paper you have printed on, tear it in half twice (into 4 pieces) - or more if you are so inclined - and use it as scrap paper for phone messages, notes to yourself, etc.

Green search engines?

2008-01-21T20:48:00.001-05:00

In 2005, a company called Heap Media created a website called Blackle. It is a version of the Google search engine displayed on a screen which is predominantly black. The theory: the black screen uses less energy than the typical white Google screen and, therefore, is a "greener" way to search the Internet. This is interesting, but it is unclear whether it really works to conserve energy or not. You're going to have to read up and come to your own conclusion. Some studies say that the black screen only reduces energy use if you are using a CRT (cathode-ray tube) monitor - those are the old, glass-screen monitors that you probably had with your Commodore 64 back in the good ol' days. Most monitors these days are LCD (liquid crystal display) and may actually use MORE energy to display the black screen. Blackle's one redeeming quality is their belief that, if Blackle is your homepage, it will serve as a reminder every time you open your Internet browser that you should be thinking about saving energy, and perhaps this will motivate you to do the little things to save energy and help the environment.

My opinion? Don't use Blackle (or any of its various spin-offs like Black-Google and Blackoogle) unless you have a CRT monitor, which you probably don't. And if you're reading this blog, you probably don't need the helpful reminder to save energy!

Here are just a few of the many people who have weighed in on the debate:
http://blogs.wsj.com/numbersguy/does-a-darkened-google-really-save-electricity-104/
http://realworldgreen.com/2007/08/09/blackle-does-it-really-save-energy/
http://ad1987.blogspot.com/2007/07/save-energy-with-blackle.html
http://blog.businessgreen.com/2007/07/blackle-correct.html

Some amazing art

2008-01-20T20:38:00.000-05:00

I came across this website which is referenced on 1 Bag at a Time. Simply amazing, and quite scary! Make sure you read the captions for each photo - that is the scary part.

http://chrisjordan.com/

Reusable grocery bags

2008-01-20T18:18:00.005-05:00

One of the things I'll do here is share some of the things my wife and I are doing to "green up" our life. The most recent is to eliminate (or at least reduce) our use of plastic grocery bags. We purchased these reusable bags from 1 Bag at a Time. These bags are made from 100% polypropylene (PP or plastic #5) - it is like a thin, canvassy type of material, sturdy but flexible. We used them for the first time today and they are great. They fit much more than a typical plastic or paper grocery bag, and the longer handles make them easy to carry. They are fairly inexpensive and actually look pretty nice too! There are several other companies that make these reusable bags, so shop around.

Some of the stats regarding plastic bag usage are staggering (by the way, I haven't really researched it, but apparently paper grocery bags are not better for the environment than plastic bags and may in fact be worse!). I've read several reports of how many plastic bags are used annually worldwide, some estimates reaching the trillions! Try picturing that. Most of these bags end up in landfills, where they do not biodegrade well. There is so much information about the benefits of using reusable bags out there on the Internet, I really encourage you to do some searching.

If you do use the grocery store's plastic or paper bags, instead of immediately throwing them out, find another use for them. For example, my mom had a good suggestion - she uses her Target bags as trash bags for small trash containers. That way, they get at least one more use before hitting the landfills.

Green it up!

2008-01-20T13:44:00.001-05:00

Hello and welcome to my blog!

Whether you like it or not, whether you believe in "global warming" or not, whether you care or not, you impact the Earth's environment every day. Unfortunately, most human impact is negative and it takes a deliberate course of action to reverse that trend. The current life we, as humans, have created for ourselves, especially in middle- to upper-class America, makes it quite difficult not to harm the environment. Spending, consuming and wasting have become the norm. However, with the right information, a little hard work, and the willingness to care, everyone can "green up their lives" and make a difference.

I do not wish to preach (so I hope this blog doesn't read that way!), and I am not an expert on this topic, but I come across so much useful and interesting information, I want to share some of it. I hope it makes even the slightest difference somewhere, somehow.

Your comments, questions, corrections, criticisms are always welcome.