Going Green this holiday season

It is easy to save green going green this holiday season. Just check out Inhabitat.com for several green gift ideas under $50. For example, you can save green and help them save green with the Kill-A-Watt plug-in electricity meter that monitors how much energy their appliances are using and lets them know which electronics are worth leaving on and which should be turned off.

Or, if you know someone who loves olives, there is an organic deluxe gift set of three jars of the savory little orbs including lemon-citrus, garlic-stuffed, and sun-dried black olives in a reusable woven bag, plus a koa wood boat for serving!

For more green gift ideas, head over to inhabitat.com.

AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS - ZERO EMISSIONS RACE NEARING HALF-WAY MARK

The first ever Zero Emissions Race is rolling into Las Vegas, NV on November 22, half-way through the North American leg of an International road tour. The race began on August 16th, 2010 at Geneva, Switzerland, with three international teams driving electric vehicles up to 300 miles a day fueled by renewable energies. Their goal is to complete a race around the world in just 80 days of driving time.

According to Tour Director Louis Palmer, the ZERO Race aims to prove the efficiency and reliability of electric mobility: “The purpose of the race is to show that zero emission vehicles running on renewable energy use technologies that are available and reliable today. With shrinking resources and the impacts of global climate change, the ZERO Race strives to present the solutions for a better, and greener future. This is the powerful message that we want to bring to the World Climate Change Conference in Cancun at the beginning of December.”

The ZERO Race teams and vehicles are judged on speed but also on vehicle reliability, energy efficiency, utility to every day life, design and safety. Almost each day, the teams face these challenges and receive points according to their performance during each trial.

The ZERO Race is a “green” event, and participants are doing everything possible to travel in a responsible way. Any greenhouse gas emissions created from the event, including the shipping of cars and flights by participants, will be compensated by investments into renewable energy projects through myclimate. Each team has already produced enough power for their vehicle from renewable energy sources including solar and wind, and this has been fed into the grid in their home country.The race will come to an end in January where it started: at the United Nations Palace in Geneva, Switzerland.

MGM Resorts International supports the mission of the Zero Emissions Race. Created with a vision to bring a new level of environmental consciousness to the world-famous Strip in Las Vegas, CityCenter is one of the world’s largest sustainable developments, from design and construction to operations and guest amenities. The U.S. Green Building Council has awarded LEED® Gold certification to ARIA Resort & Casino’s hotel tower, convention center and theater, Vdara Hotel & Spa, Mandarin Oriental, Las Vegas, Veer Towers and Crystals retail and entertainment district. This marks the highest LEED achievement of any hotel, retail district or residential development in Las Vegas.

You can follow the ZERO EMISSIONS RACE ONLINE at http://www.zero-race.com/. The entire ZERO Race is documented with stories and photos on Zero Race Daily Blog.

ZERO RACE COMMUNITY - Join the Zero Race community for more daily updates and photos about the race. The next Zero Emissions Race is already being planned, and will take place in 2011.

November 15 is America Recycles Day!

Since 1997, communities across the country have come together on November 15 to celebrate America Recycles Day. More than a celebration, America Recycles Day is the only nationally recognized day dedicated to the promotion of recycling programs in the United States. One day to inform and educate. One day to get our neighbors, friends and community leaders excited about what can be accomplished when we all work together. One day to make recycling bigger and better 365 days a year.Small, simple, daily choices and actions make a huge difference.

By pledging to do more to recycle in your daily life, you are part of the solution! Be proud of your commitment, knowing that you stand with millions of others just like you. Be sure to tell your friends, family and coworkers to take the pledge, too!

Celebrate America Recycles Day on November 15th, but do your part EVERY day to reduce, reuse, and recycle!

A few of my favorite things...

Bambu Earth soap. So fresh and so green clean! Handmade soap is superior to the commercial soaps we typically buy because they use a cold process, which enables the soap to retain all of its naturally occurring glycerin - the humectant that draws in moisture. This leaves your skin conditioned and soft.

The other great thing about Bambu Earth's soap is their packaging! Each bar is packaged in a handmade paper label that grows basil or wildflowers. The outer label is made from recycled cereal boxes! Get some Bambu Earth soap from their website.

Go green! Get clean!

Seagull-inspired LED light merges beauty and function

The Seagull Light is a beautifully designed LED light. It has two knobs on the body - one for adjusting brightness and one for adjusting the "wings" or lighting angles.

Get one here.

Going Green when you Travel: Five Favorite Eco-hostels

by Isabel Clift

As demand for greener travel services grows, a new kind of affordable, environmentally-friendly accommodation is springing up in the form of eco-hostels.

Eco-hostels reduce the environmental damage generated by hostel stays in a number of ways, from cutting down on water-usage to recycling waste to running off renewable energy. Rural eco-hostels also help protect and sustain their local area’s wildlife.

Staying at an eco-hostel helps you lighten your trip’s carbon footprint, plus you get to save a few pennies and enjoy the fun and friendliness of budget travel. Browse the list below to discover five fantastic eco-hostels from around the world, and get inspired to plan a greener trip…

Canada: HI Montreal lets you explore all sides of Canada’s coolest city, from bar crawls through its party-central downtown location to picnics and urban bike tours. The hostel uses only biodegradable cleaning products and energy-efficient light-bulbs, and there’s Fairtrade coffee on offer in the café. It even gives you reusable grocery bags for runs to the shops!

England: A converted 17th century stable on Norfolk’s eco award-winning Deepdale farm, Deepdale backpackers sits on a gorgeous stretch of coast where you can enjoy everything from watersports to traditional pub lunches. The hostel saves energy with solar panels, low-consumption lighting and ultra-efficient roof insulation and under-floor heating, and there’s a recycling program in place. You’re also encouraged to leave the car at home and explore the local area by bike or public transport.

Ecuador: With 2000 hectares of privately-owned land surrounding the lodge, Sierr Azul Cloud Forest Reserve is the perfect base for discovering the unique plants and wildlife of Ecuador’s best-protected cloud forest. Wildlife-spotting includes spectacled bears and pumas (though you’re more likely to see their tracks!), plus over 300 bird species. Explore on horseback or go on a guided eco-trail deep into the forest, which you can take as a daytrip or a three-night camping expedition.

Italy: Part-way through renovations that’ll give it LEED certification (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Milan’s Hi Hostel Piero Rotta has grand plans to become one of Italy’s most environmentally-friendly places to stay. The checklist of what’s being installed is impressive to say the least: geothermal heat-pumps will heat the building in winter and cool it in summer, while solar panels will generate energy to run them as well as heat water for showers. Renovations are going on bit by bit so as to cause the least disruption when you stay.

Brazil: Close to Imbassai Beach, the sea and the mouth of the Imbassai River, and situated in a palm grove with monkeys and primates for neighbours, Eco Hostel Lujimba lets you discover a diverse cross-section of the Brazilian natural world. Water is heated by solar panels on the roof, and you can spot humpback whales off the coast in June and July or see baby turtles hatch on the beach from November through to March.

- Isabel Clift writes for HostelBookers, the best place on the web for booking hostels and budget accommodation. As a London-based travel writer and blogger, she’s obsessed with all things Scandinavian and has reviewed hotels from New York to Berlin to Tetbury on past travels. She also has a thing for long-distance train journeys.

Going Green with a push reel mower

A conventional gas powered lawn mower emits on average nearly 90 pounds of carbon dioxide and over 50 pounds of other pollutants into our air every year according to the EPA.

Manual reel mowers are making a comeback and have come a long way in the last few decades. Today's reel mowers are a far cry from the one your grandfather used. "Reel mowers are light, quiet, and virtually maintenance-free," notes L Hundley, Chief Gardening Evangelist at Clean Air Gardening. "The mowers are environmentally friendly, and also better for your grass.

"Rotary mowers tear the grass -- reel mowers cut grass like scissors, leaving a fine spray of clippings as mulch for your yard," he explains. They do take some effort, but they aren't any harder to push than an 80-pound gas mower that isn't self-propelled.

While it does take a bit longer to mow with a manual mower than a power mower, it is a much more pleasant experience. Instead of the roar of a mower, you hear the pleasant mechanical sound of the blades, the chirping of birds and buzzing of insects. Instead of the smell of gas exhaust, you have the smell of fresh air and fresh-cut grass.

With a reel mower, you have a lower purchase price, lower maintenance costs, and much lower environmental costs. And it saves you a trip to the gym.

Have an old C-119 airplane that you need to get rid of? Up-cycle it! That's what MotoArt is doing just that with pieces of old DC-9's, 747's and other aircraft parts destined for the scrap heap. They
even make clocks out of pistons
(internal engine parts
for those of you who
are non-mechanical).

Eco Conscious Biodiversity - Guest article from Kori Bubnack

“In other environmental issues we tell people to stop something, reduce their impact, reduce their damage,” states US Ecologist Gary Nabhan in a recent interview. Nabhan is a ethnobotanist/gardener whose promotion of biodiversity has caught the attention of many over the years. He is known for his work in biodiversity as an ethnobotanist. Since Coming Home to Eat was published in 2001, the local food movement has ignited, causing a worldwide green epidemic.

Over the past few years there has been a dramatic rise in the number of organizations and businesses that have contributed to the promotion of sustainability through conservation. The Earth Day Network has been playing a large part in bringing conservationist and green enthusiasts together, sharing ideas and discussing new ways to support the planet. Other large organizations and non-profits like Doug Band and the CGI (Clinton Global Initiative) have been working on successful emission reduction projects in the San Francisco Bay area. While climate control has continued to worsen, collaborative and individual acts are vital for any successful green campaign. As human beings, we’re constantly told to reduce our carbon footprint, consume less unhealthy foods, and spend less time in the shower! But let’s take a minute to step back and look at this from a different perspective; one that Gary Nabhan strongly suggests.

According to The United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization, only about a quarter of crop diversity is left and that a dozen species now gives 90% of the animal protein eaten globally. In accordance, just 4 crop species supply half of plant based calories in the human diet.

Nabhan suggests that eating foods that are home-grown will have a greater impact on sustainability for our planet as a whole. Otherwise known as “eat what you conserve,” is a well-established theory in that by eating the fruits and vegetables that we are attempting to conserve/save, we’re promoting the granular dissemination of various plant species.

Agriculturist Marco Contiero also mentions that “biodiversity is an essential characteristic of any sustainable agricultural system, especially in the context of climate change.”[1] According to Conterio’s theory, this would suggest that as individuals we our own crops/plants, and should make sure to purchase localized farm products at supermarkets and groceries. In the end, this condenses export/import reliance, thus reducing our carbon footprint.

Nabhan and Contiero’s theories both rely profoundly on an action oriented approach at conservation and sustainability. With an abundance of green movements following Earth Day 2010, organizations and individuals have taken a stronger following to expert opinions like the ones demonstrated by both of these highly influential agriculturalists. So remember, as the fall season approaches, be sure to visit your local farmers marketing to purchase your fresh fruits and vegetables. Also, as eco-conscious individuals, don’t hesitate to stop the next time you drive by a yard stand with fresh crops. Promoting biodiversity and localized farming is a crucial piece of the conservation puzzle.

- Submitted by Kori Bubnack

Going Green at home - saving water

Ever been camping and brushed your teeth with no running water? Why not do it that way at home? That is the reasoning behind Stop The Water While Using Me! toothpaste, shower gel and shampoo based out of Germany.

Even though the earth is 75% covered in water, only 1% is available for human consumption, and of that 70% of that goes to irrigation and 22% goes to industry. That leaves 8% of the 1% available for drinking, dishwashing, and watering your lawn. Spread evenly worldwide, that equates to 2.5 gallons per person per year. Developed countries use more than their share, however - about 100 gallons per person - and about 1 billion people currently lack access to clean drinking water.

Water conservation in developed countries can have very significant positive impacts, so if you can, stop the water!

Going Green with Dyson's new fan

Vacuum cleaner guru Sir James Dyson is inventing another innovative gadget for our home - this one to cool our home without the use of the air conditioner. A/C uses more energy, and thus generates more greenhouse gas emissions, than Dyson's new fan that operates on a modest 40-watt motor.

The fan works like a jet engine, sucking air into a cyclone accelerator, then amplifying it 15-18 times before blowing it out over these cool-looking blade-less airfoil-shapes.

Read more: Dyson's New Bladeless Fans Aim to Replace Air Conditioning

Going Green May Be Easier With New Toxic Chemical Legislation

A while back GoingGreen interviewed Erin Brockovich about her alliance with Seventh Generation and the 'Million Baby Crawl' to push for toxic chemical reform.

The good news is there is currently a bill, the Safe Chemicals Act of 2010, in the Senate and the Toxic Chemicals Safety Act of 2010 has been introduced in the House; both intending to drastically overhaul the EPA's current 1976 Toxic Substance Control Act. Under that old act, Companies currently do not have to prove chemicals are safe before putting them on the market; the government must determine when a chemical is dangerous. Both bills aim to change that.

"Industries would have to demonstrate safety rather than the government have to prove harm. That is a key concept there," said Andy Igrejas, director of the environment and health group coalition Safer Chemicals, Healthy Families.

There are more than 84,000 chemicals registered in the United States. The government needs to meet a high standard of harm to take action on a chemical, and has been unable to even ban the use of asbestos.

Eliminating toxic chemicals from the home has been a drum beaten by Seventh Generation for over 20 years. Previously refusing to sell products through Walmart, they have recently been working with the consumer giant to make environmentally friendly cleaning products available nationwide and educate customers about healthy product choices. Some of Seventh Generation's non-toxic products will soon be available at more than 1,500 Walmart stores across the U.S., and additional products will be available through on Walmart.com. Best-sellers like laundry detergent, dish soap and cleaning sprays will be in stores while diapers, baby wipes and more will be online.

Going Green in the home will now be easier! Read more here.

Go Green, Go Electric!

The Racing Green Endurance (RGE) team and Radical Sports cars have built a stunning SRZero electric sportscar. The team is driving the 400bhp twin-motor supercar the full 26,000 km length of the Pan-American Highway, from Alaska's Prudhoe Bay, to the world's southernmost city, Ushuaia. They left Anchorage July 1st and were cruising the Golden Gate Bridge July 23. The goal is to be the first electric car to travel the full length of the Pan American Highway and to communicate sustainability and adventure while educating all along the way!

Electric vehicles have the potential to realize a sustainable transport future, without depleting valuable resources for future generations. The RGE project aims to demonstrate this while pushing the boundaries of EV technology.

The team wants to help encourage the next generation of scientists and engineers through our outreach program. They plan to use the RGE project as an exhilarating example of where maths and science can take you.

The Radical SRZero aims to be the world’s most focused, fun-to-drive alternative propulsion vehicle. By taking on this epic journey, they hope to add a sense of excitement and get people interested in electric vehicles.

Follow their route here.

Environmentalists protest green energy?!?

Recent efforts to green energy and industry have raised questions if changing production method is sufficient for sustainability. For example, Earth First! activists in Maine oppose a large-scale wind farm. What?! you might say. But here are some of their reasons. What do you think?

Matt Wilkerson lists some of his reasons for joining in the protest.

• It is important to make clear that this action was not against ALL wind. It was against corporate run industrial wind projects that impact rural communities and sensitive ecosystems. We are in full support of small scale, community run wind projects.
• The wind power being built in Maine is not replacing any fossil fuel plants. It is all additional capacity, so in reality no emissions are being reduced. We would be far better off reducing consumption and improving efficiency rather than producing more electricity
• These wind farms are being built in sensitive wild areas that are home to the endangered lynx and migratory birds as well as rare alpine ecosystems. We can't ignore the impacts that industrial wind has on an ecosystem. We cannot write these impacts off as collateral damage.
• The wind farms are being built by Transcanada, a major player in the Alberta tar sands. These wind farms are not producing electricity for Maine. It is all being sold to other states. Maine residents shouldn't have to have their wildlands carved up so that an oil company can greenwash its image while turning a profit selling electricity to the grid.

Two different paths towards the same goal of raising awareness about climate change and renewable energy.

Solar Chargers!

Green Home has on sale one of our favorite products - the Solio Solar Charger. This week only, they are offering it for $75. Solio is the first, and still is the best, consumer-friendly, affordable, efficient, and stylish portable power supply for over 3,000 different hand held devices, including all cell phones, PDAs, cameras, music players, GPS devices - anything small you take with you that needs a charge! It closes up into a small portable package, then opens like a flower and lays flat. Charge your things using NO ELECTRICITY for FREE -from the sun!
MNN is giving one away during the month of July to a lucky MNN Facebook Fan. Try your luck here!

Going Green for Father's Day

Father's Day is just around the corner. Celebrate your favorite Dad with an eco-friendly, stylish green gift. I found a few cool eco-gifts on Inhabitot and The Daily Green.

Saving green with GenZ Battery Charger!

Yes, I am a green gadget girl. I like going green and I like gadgets and technology and equipment. Some of my gadgets require electricity and must be charged up daily (some, like my cell phone, twice a day. I even carry a spare charger in my purse.) As like most people, I plug in when I get home, and grab my gadget off the charger when I leave in the morning. That means while I'm away, my charger is still plugged into the electrical socket and still drawing, albeit minimal, electricity, costing money and wasting energy. So I was thrilled when GenZ came out with an eco-friendly gadget charger that shuts off the charger when the gadget is fully charged. My cat, Samantha, and I inspected the hardware and immediately sensed the uber-coolness of it. Before the GenZ Simultaneous Battery Charger, by my bedside, I have a strip for my laptop, bedside lamp, work iPhone, personal smart phone, and an external hard drive. Across the room, is the outlet for my ancient Palm pilot and bluetooth.

Upon setting up the GenZ, I immediately experienced cord relief when I could remove four cords and swap out for the GenZ Power. In addition, I am a sucker for pretty flashing lights (thus, I live in Las Vegas) and the GenZ has buttons AND lights. Yeah! There is even a great big red button to shut down the entire "bench" and green lights when something is charging.

Once it is charged, the entire "branch" shuts down and the green light goes off. So green! And saves me green by saving me electricity!

Even the box it came in did not go to waste.

You can get yours here.

Mobile Energy

As a self-professed green gadget girl, I was excited when I saw this gotta-have gadget featured on Inhabitat.com. It is a fold-up solar-powered personal wind turbine! Oh yeah!

Add it to the camping list of survival tools (OK, maybe not survival, but really cool tools) to charge up your cell phone, GPS unit or a built-in LED light. More.

Give me more Tesla!!

California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, Tesla and Toyota announced today that the two companies will be collaborating on electric vehicle development and production.

A benefit to Tesla from this deal is that it will be able to take advantage of the Toyota production system and suppliers, avoiding many of the logistical problems that hampered early Roadster production and costs.

Production of the Model S is planned to start in 2012.

More information here.

Google is so green!

In an effort to reduce their carbon footprint, Google employs goats to mow the grass in their field at their headquarters in Mountain View, provide plug-in hybrid vehicles that get charged with a solar-powered carport to employees who use alternative transportation, and compost their organic waste.

Now they are striving for 100% water recycling from data center cooling systems. On average, two gallons of water is consumed for every kilowatt-hour of electricity produced. Google is working on reclaiming dirty water, filtering the water and using it for facility cooling. According to Data Center Knowledge, at least two Google data center have these water filtering plants and a third is employing a rainwater collection system to reduce reliance on the local water supply.

Joe Kava, Google's Director of Operations, said,

“Water consumption isn’t a side thought; it’s part of our larger environmental management policy. In the future this will be at the forefront of data center operations."

Green at Interop

You can save green by going green with a pre-owned refurbished server, rack or workstation from Stallard Technologies, Inc. (STI). At this years Interop Las Vegas expo, Jeff Palmer, Vice President and COO of STI, recently explained how they refurbish equipment newly off-lease or pre-owned and give otherwise-destined-for-the-landfill IT equipment new life. And if it can't be re-used, it is broken down into components and recycled.

Greening your IT can result in saving some green. Data centers consume more energy per square foot than any other part of an office building, predominantly from servers and cooling. For example, Religare Enterprises Limited (REL), one of the leading financial services companies in India, is building three energy-efficient data centers that will reduce REL’s annual power costs by 30-35%, with estimated savings of over $250,000 a year. Associated Bank’s new data center expansion in Green Bay, Wisc., includes a new cooling system that will save the financial firm plenty of green – to the tune of $115,000 annually, reports American Banker.

But apart from STI, I noticed almost a laissez-faire attitude about green and very little mention of green or energy-efficiency in booth marketing at Interop, the leading business technology event, being held in Las Vegas, April 25-29, 2010. Maybe this is because of Forrester's survey data that states, "more energy is actually consumed by distributed IT assets in aggregate (e.g. PCs, monitors, printers, phones) – 55% across distributed IT vs. 45% in the data center. And even more so, the IT industry is only responsible for 3% of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions." Clearly green was not a focus this year.

Doug Washburn on ZDNet.com, who spoke at Interop on “The Evolution Of Green IT: Projects That Cut Cost, Avoid Risk And Grow Revenues” to help IT professionals plan for green IT’s current and future state, suggests looking beyond greening traditional hardware to services, processes, software and people. Things like energy audits and power management software can result in significant energy and money savings.

40 ways to celebrate Earth Day's 40th anniversary!

1. Pull the plug: Use a power strip to turn off televisions, stereos and computer systems when you're not using them and unplug appliances such as phone chargers, extra refrigerators, and printers until you need them.
2. Bump your thermostat: Set it to 78 degrees and open the windows when there is a fresh breeze. (In the winter, set it to around 68 degrees and turn it down even more when you go to sleep or are away.)
3. Put your fridge on a diet: If your fridge is equipped with a power-saving feature, use it. Set your refrigerator temperature at 38 to 42 degrees Fahrenheit; your freezer should be set between 0 and 5 degrees Fahrenheit.
4. Read: Walden, An Inconvenient Truth, Silent Spring, The Omnivore's Dilemma, Hot, Flat and Crowded, Go Green, Live Rich.
5. Cook green.
6. Power down your computer.
7. Turn your water heater down to 120 degrees (Farenheit).
8. Build a solar oven.
9. Test your windows and doors for leaks: Hold a ribbon near the windowsills or door jamb. If it’s fluttering, you have a leak. Caulk it up to save energy and money.
10. Fix leaky faucets and pipes.
11. Make your water multi-task: Use it more than once while grooming, cleaning, washing dishes and playing.
12. Go paperless.
13. Make a waste-free lunch.
14. Host a waste-free picnic with friends and family.
15. Buy less stuff.
16. Install a CFL or compact fluorescent light bulb.
17. Grasscycle: Leave grass clippings on your lawn (instead of bagging them up) where they will naturally decompose and hold in soil moisture, prevent freezing, and return nutrients to the soil.
18. Stop your junk mail.
19. Weigh your waste: Every night for a week, collect your household garbage and weigh it on your bathroom scale. Record your results every few weeks and celebrate your success as your trash slims down.
20. Make your own green cleaning products.
21. Try xeriscaping.
22. Start composting.
23. Plant a tree, a flower, or a garden with your children.
24. Adopt a pet from your local animal shelter.
25. Volunteer.
26. Don't drive one day a week.
27. Explore nature in your local community.
28. Purchase carbon offsets.
29. Buy local.
30. Buy in bulk.
31. Bring your own reusable shopping bag.
32. Turn trash into treasure: Get creative by using old items (such as broken gadgets, torn clothing, or plastic bottles) as art supplies.
33. Make a local green guide: Canvass local stores and businesses to find sources for green goods and then compile your research into an online community buying guide.
34. Give back.
35. Swap: clothes, toys, books, bikes, or even seeds with friends.
36. Buy organic.
37. Go meat-free, at least during the weekday.
38. Green your laundry.
39. Support renewable energy: If your local utility offers you a choice, select renewable energy or purchase green credits to offset your energy use.
40. Learn your labels (and learn how to spot greenwashing).

(adapted from MotherNatureNews.com)

Happy Earth Day Week!

Earth Day is April 22 and there are many events going on this week to commemorate its 40th Anniversary. The first earth day in 1970 brought to light the deterioration of the environment through pollution, loss of wilderness, extravagant use of our natural resources, and extinction of wildlife. It aligned political groups from all walks of life and the United States Environmental Protection Agency was created. The passage of the Clean Air, Clean Water, and Endangered Species acts were also a product of the first earth day.

To celebrate, from April 17-25, entrance fees will be waived at all 392 National Parks. Events include a demonstration garden planting at Cane River Creole National Historic Park in Louisiana on April 22; greenhouse tours at Rocky Mountain National Park on April 22 of their greenhouse full of native plants destined for restoration throughout the park; an Earth Day Festival on April 24 at Bighorn Canyon with composting demos, recycling information and free trees handed out by the Arbor Day Committee; as well as other hikes, wildlife programs and heritage celebrations around the country. A number of parks have special events for kids scheduled for April 24, which is National Junior Ranger Day. Kids who participate in walks, litter pick-ups, and other activities can earn a junior ranger patch. Head over to NPS.gov for more information and head out to a National Park this week!

Green Spring

It is almost Spring and it is almost Earth Day! (April 22) If your spring plans include freshening up with new paint, check out Yolo. The colors are beautiful and they have no odor, no harmful chemicals, no added solvents, zero-VOC's and are mold-resistant.

And you can save green by going green and taking advantage of the GreenDepot's sale on Yolo Colorhouse® paints here.

Earth Hour!

Show the world what can be done by switching off your lights for Earth Hour.

Saturday, March 27th, 8:30pm!

Register your support at www.earthhour.org.

I just watched a screening of FOOD, Inc. and am grateful for the education about how food is "manufactured" in America and the negative environmental impacts surrounding those practices. I am struck by the comment made towards the end of the movie about how 'the people' changed the tobacco industry by no longer settling for the regulatory endorsement of an adverse health product. I believe it is time to do the same for the adverse and morally wrong unhealthy food manufacturing that is occurring now.

With my heightened awareness, I reflect on the past several years of e.coli poisonings, salmonella poisonings, and now the recent recall of many products containing HVP, manufactured right here in my hometown, Las Vegas. (Incidentally, the plant, Basic Foods, is shut-down!)

To be honest, I never gave much thought to these poisonings; didn't consider it could happen to me. I think my stomach is strong as steel - I love my food super super spicy and my father's cooking didn't kill me growing up - so it must be.

But now, I wonder if most of this country's health problems stem from the crazy practices that make up our nation's food production. For example, 76 million are sickened, 325 million are hospitalized and 5,000 die each year from food-borne illnesses, a product of factory farming. And speaking of factory farming, I was disgusted at the way chickens are raised for food - in the dark, genetically modified to grow bigger breasts, making them too heavy to be able to walk, and stuck full of antibiotics to prevent disease from living in such crammed conditions.

Within Wikipedia's definition of factory farming it says:

"There is a continuing debate over the benefits and risks of factory farming. The issues include the efficiency of food production; animal welfare; whether it is essential for feeding the growing global human population; the environmental impact and the health risks."

I'll stop there - watch the movie and decide what is right for you.

Recycled metals for medals!

The Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games medals contain recycled materials! 2.05 kg of gold, 1,950 kg of silver and 903 kg of copper were used in the more than 1,000 medals. The minerals were reclaimed from CRT glass, circuit boards and other computer parts.

The LoveSac is Green?

Happy New Year!

As we reflect on 2009 and think about our goals for 2010, we consider the many exciting green technologies and services available now. A few our favorites include the Skoy cloth that is as absorbent as 15 rolls of paper towels, the Eco-Button that puts our computers to sleep with the touch of a button and then tells us how much money we saved by doing so, and the real wood USB stick made from sticks collected from the ground in England.

Looking forward, we are equally excited to see all the new electric cars coming out this year, including the Nissan Leaf, currently on tour in the United States, and visit the largest LEED project in the world - City Center in Las Vegas, and green up our kitchens with the help of Chef Mayra.

How are you going green in 2010? Leave us your comments!

Happy New Year!