How To Green Your City
By Anne O'Loughlin
Filed Under Green Living, The Big Picture | 1 Comment
A few weeks ago, Pippa Sorley of eCo Times, intrigued, inspired and even disgruntled readers with her announcement of the Top 5 Eco Cities In The US. Though I was indeed excited that my hometown of Boston made the list, it is undeniable that even the “Top 5’s” of the world still have a long way to go. Perhaps it’s time to consider what each of us can personally do to green our own city or town. This article explores direct actions that focus on local, manageable projects we can all do. May the force be with you!
Start At Home
If you truly believe in something, the best way to implement it is to practice what you preach. Making small changes in your daily routine will have a much larger impact than you can ever imagine. Put the car keys down and walk or bike to work. Buy a reusable bag to take to the grocery store, or reuse the ones piled up in your kitchen cupboard. Change your home appliances and light bulbs to energy efficient models. Check out the incredibly fun web game Consumer Consequences from American Public Media and Redefining Progress to find out how resource intense your personal lifestyle is. Then go to LowImpactLiving.com for great green projects you can do to lessen your impact on the planet. The list of small changes that make a big difference is massive, just choose one thing at a time and get started!
Continue reading How To Green Your City…
Posted on July 31, 2008 |
SciFri: How To Make Biodiesel
By Erin Gallagher
Filed Under Green Living, eCo TV | Leave a Comment
Ever wondered how to beat the ever-rising cost of fuel? Many people over the past few years have pioneered the use of waste vegetable oil (WVO) to make biodiesel. Since it is a recycled material, biodiesel from WVO does not have wreak havoc on the environment or global food supply that ethanol and biodiesel from virgin oil often does. This fuel can be used in modern diesel engines like the Volkswagen Jetta, and older diesels like Mercedes-Benz, with just a few minimal adjustments. The truly amazing thing about biodiesel from WVO is that you can recycle the oil from a local restaurant and make the biodiesel yourself, right in your own garage. In this video, Science Friday features the special recipe for biodiesel. If you’re a nerd at heart, push play and pass the french fries, because you could be on your way to $1 per gallon!
Posted on July 30, 2008 |
Don’t Tango With The Funk: Choose Natural Deodorant
By Jillian Polaski
Filed Under Conscious Commerce, News & Reviews | 2 Comments
Sweating is a natural part of life. It’s our body’s way of maintaining its optimum temperature. The problem is, as we all know, that sometimes along with sweat, comes a not-so-sexy odor. Over the years, people have used perfumes, powders, oils, and antiperspirants to mediate their personal aromas. Body odor is caused from bacteria interacting with our sweat, and many people these days use roll-on or stick deodorants to fend off the funk.
Sadly, many conventional deodorants neutralize your body odor with some pretty toxic chemicals. Aluminum is a common but somewhat questionable ingredient found in many conventional antiperspirants. It’s been linked to both breast cancer and Alzheimer’s disease, and the mining of it pollutes ecosystems and requires massive amounts of energy. Formaldehyde is a nasty chemical most commonly associated with the embalming process, but also found in our deodorants in the form of preservatives. There’s also propylene glycol, originally developed as an antifreeze and used in paint, dog food, floor wax, and our deodorant. If you want to feel super fresh, but also want to be kind to your body and the environment, check out these natural choices…
Continue reading Don’t Tango With The Funk: Choose Natural Deodorant…
Posted on July 29, 2008 |
Good As Gold: Alkemie Jewelry Transforms An Industry
By Jenn Breckenridge
Filed Under Conscious Commerce, Sustainable Style | 11 Comments
Baubles, bands, and beads have been crafted, bartered, sold, and stolen for thousands of years. The oldest jewelry ever discovered was a collection of mollusk shell beads from South Africa dating back more than 75,000 years. As it turns out, self-adornment is virtually as old as the human race. The word “jewelry” comes from the Latin word jocale, meaning “plaything.” And though we may think of these trinkets as lighthearted and amorous “playthings,” the negative impact from jewelry production has become surprisingly colossal in more recent years.
Jewelry designers Ashley Lowengrub and Dara Gerson were appalled to discover the disastrous effects of open pit mining, a common method of gold extraction. Open pit mining first razes the virgin forest of an area, then systematically strips the land, layer by layer, in search of suspected gold. The mined earth is broken into small pieces, then treated with cyanide and sulphuric acid to separate gold from rock. Like black magic, this process transforms a pristine natural habitat into a barren wasteland of toxic waste dumps and chemical cesspools.
Once they understood the massive impact their work could potentially have, Dara and Ashley were compelled to change their own relationships with the precious metal and gem industry. They launched Alkemie Jewelry in January of this year, transforming bullet casings collected from shooting ranges into positively enchanting art nouveau pieces. Alkemie is already sold in chic boutiques from Fred Segal to ABC Home, to cutting edge e-tailers like eConscious Market and ShopBop. The couple has recently expanded to include sterling, gold, nickel, and copper in their recycled metal blends, and makes most of their collection to order.
Continue reading Good As Gold: Alkemie Jewelry Transforms An Industry…
Posted on July 28, 2008 |
Superfood News: Sea Vegetables
By Seth Braun
Filed Under Green Living | 2 Comments
Superfood
A superfood is anything that delivers the power of several foods in one package, such as goji berries, blueberries, bee pollen, maca and cacao. They contain significantly higher levels of vitamins, minerals and other beneficial substances than regular healthy food. Superfoods are much better at filling in the gaps in our diet than vitamin supplements. Whether it is for aiding detoxification, replenishing reserves, improving immune system, increasing sex drive, or generating energy, superfoods make up for the lack of quality, nutrients, and vitality in the commercial food supply.
Sea Vegetables
Also known as seaweed (a really lousy name for such a great array of foods), sea vegetables are medicine for modern people. They are a nutrient-dense, sustainable and abundant food supply that grows around the world. There are a dozen commonly eaten sea vegetables that are not only palatable, but quite tasty. When adding sea vegetables to the diet, remember that they vary greatly in nutrients. Arame, hijiki, dulse, wakame, sea palm, nori, kombu and have taken kelp and bladderwrack make great supplements to any diet.
Continue reading Superfood News: Sea Vegetables…
Posted on July 25, 2008 |
Number 350: Your Life Depends On It
By Scott Badenoch, Jr.
Filed Under The Big Picture | 3 Comments
Bill McKibben’s got your number. He’s got every one of our numbers. At this absolutely crucial time in history, that number is 350. McKibben is one of the leading environmentalists of our time and has created 350.org to make sure that each and every one of us truly grasps why this sum matters and exactly what we can do about it.
McKibben’s position is based on the research of leading climatologist Jim Hansen of NASA, who states that the only way life on this planet can remain similar to what we know now is if there are no more than 350 parts per million of CO2 in our atmosphere. News flash: The Earth’s atmosphere currently has 385 parts per million of CO2.
Ok, the news is stark. We’re past the point of safety and we’re going to need to do an about-face, pronto. As McKibben puts it, “…it’s a tough diagnosis. It’s like the doctor telling you that your cholesterol is way too high and, if you don’t bring it down right away, you’re going to have a stroke.” The “stroke” would be worldwide catastrophes: huge rises in ocean levels, hurricanes that make Katrina look tame, rampant droughts, starvation, and worst of all, the potential creation of a modern day Ice Age.
This is not a science fiction novel or a Hollywood blockbuster. This is not a test.
Now, what does this mean for all of us laypeople? Do we give up our day jobs, sell the house and kids and run screaming for the hills? Well, not just yet. McKibben describes the white knight, “We do have one thing going for us- the Web- which at least allows you to imagine something like a grassroots global effort. If the Internet was built for anything, it was built for sharing this number, for making people understand that “350″ stands for a kind of safety, a kind of possibility, a kind of future.”
Can the human race turn things around? Is it possible to correct the damage we’ve created? McKibben makes it clear: “It’s possible. The United States launched a Marshall Plan once, and could do it again, this time in relation to carbon.” Now, it’s your turn. Begin today. Begin with talking to the people around you. Begin by living a more environmentally friendly life. Begin by making some hard decisions that go beyond changing a lightbulb and start changing the world. Whatever you do, don’t wait any longer, because “climate refugee” and “modern Ice Age” are two phrases best left to Hollywood blockbusters.
Ready to reduce our CO2 level to 350 parts per million immediately? Take action!
- Sign up to receive Action Alerts and news from 350.org
- Share your ideas on how we can reduce our CO2 levels using the wiki platform on CreativeCitizen.com
- Organize a 350 action in your hometown
- Email Bill McKibben’s article to your entire community
- Click on the green icon at the bottom of this post that says “Share This” to spread the word
- Pass on the video below to all your friends and family
Scott Badenoch is the Co-Founder and CEO of CreativeCitizen.com, the wiki for green living, where you can find over 500 Creative Solutions for living more environmentally friendly lives. Scott is a member of the steering committee for Green Business Networking as well as the LA chapter of the Business Alliance for Local Living Economies (BALLE).
Posted on July 24, 2008 |
elevision: Interview With A Treehugger
By Jenn Breckenridge
Filed Under eCo TV | 7 Comments
Waylon Lewis of mindful life media machine, Elephant Journal, picks the brain of the biggest treehugger on the web, Graham Hill. This strikingly handsome founder of Treehugger.com gives his insights on revolutionizing the paper coffee cup, being bought by Discovery Channel, and the simple joys of watching his uber-green website’s traffic go through the roof. Ah, the joys of Google Analytics.
elevision interviews Treehugger.com’s Graham Hill from alex king on Vimeo.
Posted on July 23, 2008 |
Get The Dirt On Hand Soap
By Jillian Polaski
Filed Under Conscious Commerce, News & Reviews | Leave a Comment
Mothers, doctors, chefs, and hardcore germaphobes-listen up. You like clean hands, yes? With all the options on the market today from hand sanitizer to antibacterial soaps, you’d think that this society would have the cleanest hands in history. Not so. Many of today’s soaps contain some very unhealthy chemicals and surprising animal byproducts.
Soaps are produced by combining a fat source with an alkali, and unless the package specifically states that the product contains no animal ingredients, chances are good that the fat source in your soap is pig fat. Yum. In addition, the chemicals found in soaps penetrate our skin and can cause hormonal disruptions and even cancer. After the soap makes it down the drain, it ends up in our drinking water. Triclosan, the main antibacterial ingredient in many hand soaps, has been found in many streams and rivers and can disrupt thyroid hormone function in bullfrogs. When was the last time a bullfrog did you wrong? Exactly. So what’s the best option for getting your digits squeaky clean, while not wronging any innocent forest creatures or yourself? Steer clear of the antibacterial variety and purchase an all natural version that uses vegetable rather than animal fats as its base, and that doesn’t include any petrochemicals. Here’s our favorite hand soap finds…
Amlavi Hand and Body Wash
Amlavi’s mission is to build a collection of all natural bath products that maintain a connection to the earth, air, and waterways surrounding us. They’ve accomplished that through both their products and their practices (they offer bike-to-work incentives for employees, use recycled office supplies, and use compostable or plantable materials in their product packaging, among other things). Their hand and body washes are superb. They produce three aromatic blends, citrus, sandalwood, and floral. Each blend contains between eight and twelve very pronouncable ingredients in a base of coconut, avocado, sesame, or olive oil. There are no petrochemicals, no animal byproducts, no phthalates and no parabens.
This soap is a little bit less gelatinous than a more traditional, chemical-filled hand soap, but it feels smooth and silky, doesn’t dry out your hands, and smells natural and delicious.
MSRP: $15.95/bottle
Continue reading Get The Dirt On Hand Soap…
Posted on July 22, 2008 |
Skate Or Die
By Jenn Breckenridge
Filed Under Green Living, Sustainable Style | 3 Comments
Did you see Gleaming The Cube in ‘89 and wish it could have been you instead of Christian Slater? Do you still own all your back issues of Thrasher and Transworld? Do you see those kids tic-tacing past you on the sidewalk and think, “if only I knew how to skate, my morning commute would be so much cooler?” Regardless of why you may be interested in skating, if you don’t have a board and always wanted one, there’s no time like the present. With most vehicles releasing about 20 pounds of carbon dioxide per gallon of gas used, it’s time to start getting around in a carbon neutral way. In the words of so many skaters before you…skate or die.
Three major eco skateboard companies are out there sourcing sustainable-managed wood, low-impact glues, soy-based resins and more to produce rad boards that rip with the best of ‘em. eCo Times caught up with all three of them: Dan Gesmer of Seismic Skate Systems, Jason Salfi of Comet Skateboards, and Bob Carlson of Arbor.
SEISMIC SKATE SYSTEMS///COMET SKATEBOARDS///ARBOR SKATEBOARDS
Company Founded: 1993///1998///1995
Location of Headquarters: Boulder, CO///Oakland, CA and Ithaca, NY///Venice, CA
Location of Manufacturing: San Diego, Los Angeles, Boulder, CO, and China///Ithaca, NY///San Diego, CA
Product Lines: Wheels, Trucks, Decks and Completes///Skateboards And T-Shirts///Skateboards, Snowboards, and Apparel
Company practices that need improvement: Integrating more green materials in production ///Sourcing raw materials within a 300 mile radius, green commuting by staff, using 100% renewable energy,eliminating scrap instead of just composting it///Using even more eco-friendly glues
What makes your boards eco?
SEISMIC: All of our decks are manufactured using FSC-certified woods. And we’re committed to staying on the cutting edge as green materials and processes become viable for the production of performance-oriented wheels and trucks.
COMET: 100% soy protein based resin, FSC-certified hardwoods, water based paints and inks. They are biodegradable. If you could chew them you could eat them. We compost the scrap.
ARBOR: 100% of the bamboo and wood used in our skates, including the all maple plys, is sustainably sourced and has been since we started making skates 10 years ago. We also use only water-based sealers during production. Further, all risers are made from recycled plastic. Finally, we reclaim and recycle all the wood and bamboo by-product created during construction for use in other Arbor products or by outside companies.
Continue reading Skate Or Die…
Posted on July 21, 2008 |
Art Impacts The Environment: Jeanne-Claude and Christo
By Melissa Vest
Filed Under Arts & Culture | 3 Comments
Imagine a sea of saffron colored panels blowing in the wind. They are almost as light as air, and they are in front of the trees, the sky, and the ground. They are impossible to miss. You move closer to them, and can hear them rippling over the sounds of cars, the birds, and the breeze in the trees. As you walk through each gate of panels you feel them pushing the wind across your face. Your awareness of the space you are in is heightened as you experience these panels, which reach as far as you can see.
The Gates, an artwork by Jeanne-Claude and Christo, transformed Central Park in 2005. Their work was met with a wide array of interest and speculation. No matter your opinion of the work, it certainly altered the way you would experience the surrounding environment. Jeanne-Claude and Christo’s work might be less common in a typical American home than say, the florescent light bulb, Al Gore’s “An Inconvenient Truth,” or the hybrid car, but it has nonetheless had an impact on the environmental movement.
Continue reading Art Impacts The Environment: Jeanne-Claude and Christo…
Posted on July 18, 2008 |
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