Consumer News
Posted 2/1/2012
Organic Chocolates Chocolate -- how we love thee! Unfortunately, conventional chocolate production isn't good for the Earth, fueling wars in Africa, engulfing rain forests, spreading toxic pesticides and paying out meager wages (especially to child workers). But luckily for us chocoholics there is...
Posted 2/1/2012
Even Flowers Can Be Greener Flowers are the classic symbol of love, so why not make sure your gift shows love for the Earth and respect for those who made it, by choosing organic and Fair trade-certified blooms? While all the flowers may not be organic certified, "fair...
Posted 2/1/2012
Soft, silky and gorgeous, the newest intimate green fashions are made from organic cotton, hemp, bamboo, recycled fibers and other sustainable touches. Read more: http://www.thedailygreen.com/green-homes/latest/green-lingerie-organic#ixzz1l9DWnYqi
Posted 1/24/2012
10 Green Building Predictions for 2012 By 3p Guest Author | January 18th, 2012 1 Comment While the economy has not been kind to most new home builders, Earth Advantage has seen a surging interest in home energy management and energy improvement among homeowners. Those builders and remodelers who...
Posted 1/24/2012
How Greener Medical Products Can Address Health Concerns By Kathy Gerwig Published January 19, 2012 When patients are admitted to a hospital, they expect to be treated in an environment that helps people heal. They might be surprised to learn that hospitals across the U.S. use products and...
Posted 1/24/2012
Buy from Bulk Bins Packaging makes up more than 30% of all consumer waste. At health food stores like Wild Oats/Whole Foods, community co-ops and even many supermarkets, you can often get foods from bulk bins, whether that's candy, bagels, rice or honey. Choosing this option will save packaging...
Posted 1/18/2012
Sell Your Old Clothes In years past the options for getting rid of old clothes were limited: Junk it, donate it, give it to a friend or turn it into a rag. Thanks to Internet innovations, we now have moneymaking options like eBay and Craigslist (someone might pay for that retro T-shirt) and far...
Posted 1/18/2012
Get a Laptop A laptop uses as little as 10% as much energy a typical desktop computer uses, and it takes up a lot less space on your desk. In fact, if you actually keep it on your lap, it would take up no space at all! If you do have a desktop computer you feel you need, consider an Energy...
Posted 1/18/2012
Go to the Library The Internet hasn't killed print — not yet. If you're a bibliophile whose library overfloweth, or a magazine or newspaper subscriber who watches unread issues pile up on the nightstand, it may be time to reintroduce yourself to the local library. Borrowing one book at a time...
Posted 1/11/2012
Stop Receiving Junk Mail The average American household receives an estimated 850 pieces of junk mail every year — enough, as we all know, to cover our kitchen tables several times over. It's no coincidence that paper makes up one-quarter of all landfill waste, or that the junk mail...
Posted 1/11/2012
Switch to Paperless Billing There are pros and cons to paperless billing, but the pros easily outweigh the cons when it comes to both clutter and environmental impact. A paperless bill only clogs your email inbox (a topic for another day) whereas a paper bill clutters your desk. And saving paper...
Posted 1/11/2012
Get a few sturdy reusable shopping bags — and use them! The average American uses about 500 plastic shopping bags every year. If you're a hoarder, or at all concerned about the old Reduce Reuse Recycle mantra, you've probably been stuffing these under the sink, or in some closet for years, in...
Posted 1/4/2012
Make a dent in holiday waste this year. Make a dent in holiday waste this year by "recycling" your fresh Christmas tree after you are done celebrating. Instead of taking up valuable space in landfills, where decay is painfully slow because of a lack of oxygen, Christmas trees can be...
Posted 1/4/2012
Dress warmer for winter, even inside. Gone are the days (for most of us at least) when we can afford to lounge around in our underwear while it's frosty outside. Remember what we said about each degree on the thermostat costing you money? Roughly speaking, a light long-sleeved sweater is worth...
Posted 1/4/2012
Pay less for hot water by insulating pipes. That can also help decrease the chance of pipes freezing, which can be disastrous. Check to see if your pipes are warm to the touch. If so, they are good candidates for insulation. (Use the same method to determine if your hot water heater would benefit...
Posted 12/27/2011
Green Technology Expected to Help to Save the Economy Author: YaShekia King Published: December 11, 2011 at 5:32 am A rising number of entrepreneurs are delving into a sea of green – a wave of opportunities in the green technology industry that have the potential of producing millions of...
Posted 12/27/2011
The Race to Greener Bottles Could Be Long Pepsi plans to make bottles out of agricultural products. By WILLIAM NEUMAN Published: December 15, 2011 Over their decades of competition, the battle between Coca-Cola and PepsiCo has taken on many colors — brown (cola), orange (juice), blue...
Posted 12/27/2011
San Francisco Interior Designer Ian Stallings Says Green Design Choices Can Save Money and the Environment Saturday, December 17, 2011 Building on his work with the Conrad Foundation and the Gay Straight Alliance Network (GSA Network) to make public schools better and safer, San...
Posted 12/20/2011
Are Your Holiday Presents Good for the Environment? Some tips to make your holiday gifts more environmentally friendly: 1. Give gifts that cut down on packaging. Make jams, cookies or decorations. Give lottery tickets, restaurant certificates or online gift cards. 2. Give to a charity in...
Posted 12/20/2011
Be Green with Your Last-Minute Shopping When you're completing your holiday shopping, save the environment by: 1. Using your own environmentally friendly shopping bags. 2. Buying less food than you think you will eat. There are always leftovers. 3. Looking for the products with the least...
Posted 12/20/2011
What To Do With the Holiday Waste After the holidays this year, keep your green going with these easy tips: 1. Don't throw away food! Add it to a compost pile or take it to the office and share it with your friends. 2. Recycle your Christmas tree. It makes great mulch. 3. Save holiday...
Posted 12/13/2011
Believe it or not, switching to recycled toilet paper can change the world. If every household in the United States bought just one four-pack of 260-sheet recycled bath tissue, instead of the typical tissue made from virgin fiber, it would eliminate 60,600 pounds of chlorine pollution,...
Posted 12/13/2011
Electric power plants are the country's largest industrial source of the pollutants that cause global warming. By snuggling under a blanket on the couch on a snowy winter night instead of turning up the heat, or enjoying the breeze from a fan in the height of summer instead of turning up the...
Posted 12/8/2011
The Pony Express Returns! -or- Why Electronic Delivery Makes More Sense Than Ever by Ron Daly Nostalgia is bringing back some interesting things nowadays. The Smurfs are in my DVD player (my daughter's choice, not mine), the Muppets are back in theaters, and I could swear I've seen the New Kids...
Posted 12/6/2011
Green Laundry Products Gain Share Nov 28, 2011 12:00 PM, By JEFF WELLS Green laundry products are tough on stains and gaining share against the competition PRICE SENSITIVITY IN THE LAUNDRY category has been like a stain that just won't come out. According to market research firm Mintel, laundry...
Posted 12/6/2011
Christmas tree farms are havens for birds, create jobs and are sustainable. Look for trees that come from your local area, if possible. Fake trees, on the other hand, are made from petrochemicals, often come from far away places such as China and are not biodegradable once you decide to toss them in...
Posted 12/6/2011
Questions About Your Community: What steps can I take to make my holiday an eco-cool event that is both joyful and good for the earth? As we enter the holiday season, consumers flock to malls, department stores and outlets in droves to search for that perfect gift, that one card that says it all,...
Posted 11/29/2011
9 Tips To Keep Holiday Shopping Sane (and Green) These tips will help you (and not marketers) stay in control of your shopping experience – and your budget. By Dan Shapley The holidays are a joyful time, and there's little that feels as good as giving someone you love the perfect gift. But...
Posted 11/29/2011
Green Tips for Holiday Shoppers The stockings are hung by the chimney with care. But when it comes to green shopping, are consumers aware? If you eat less meat, buy local and consolidate your shopping trips, you may make it to the top of Santa's list of good green shoppers. But your ascent may...
Posted 11/29/2011
Green Holiday Wrapping Can be Reused, Recycled - and Free I love surprises, so using some kind of wrapping adds to the fun of giving the present. Otherwise, why not just throw the gift at the giftee and say, "Hope you like it!" What I hate is seeing so much beautiful paper just being...
Posted 11/23/2011
10 Ways to Eat Clean & Green Below are 10 ways to make Earth Day mean something all year long. Eat less meat. Over half of US farmland is devoted to growing food for the animals we eat. Raising animals for food generates more greenhouse-gases than all the cars, trucks, trains, ships, and...
Posted 11/23/2011
Black Friday and the Size of the Sustainable Consumption Challenge Do we really need to start the holiday shopping season on Thanksgiving night? Here's a comment that showed up yesterday on an April 2011 blog post [Best Buy CEO Brian Dunn: Sustainability is all about people] that I wrote...
Posted 11/23/2011
Americans Less Clueless About Looming Phaseout of Traditional Bulbs Americans are finally showing significant awareness of the impending phaseout of commonly used incandescent bulbs in a move toward more energy efficient lighting. Fifty-five percent of the people responding to the latest Socket...
Posted 11/15/2011
U.S. Bank Recognized by Newsweek for Its Environmental Sustainability Efforts November 09, 2011 | Business Wire, Inc. MINNEAPOLIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- U.S. Bank, lead bank of U.S. Bancorp (NYSE: USB), has once again been recognized for its environmental sustainability efforts. The company placed...
Posted 11/15/2011
If going green was a class in school, recycling would be the very first lesson. For most of us, recycling has become a piece of cake. Most communities offer easy ways to recycle at home, at work or school and out and about. You’ve probably mastered the art of recycling...
Posted 11/15/2011
It’s that time of year to do a chimney inspection! Not just because Santa will be bowling down soon, but because we’re headed into the stormy season, which may leave you powerless and in need of some serious heat. It’s a good rule of thumb to inspect your chimney thoroughly...
Posted 11/9/2011
Turning plastic bottles, old car seats, used wine corks and old barns into elegant floors By Joan Morris Contra Costa Times Posted: 11/04/2011 02:00:00 PM PDT Flooring companies, ever mindful of construction guidelines that require "green" additions in new home construction, are...
Posted 11/9/2011
Feeling a bit bottled up in the bathroom? Try switching your liquid hand soap to bar. Unlike liquid soap, bar soap typically comes a in easy-to-recycle paper box or light plastic wrap. You’ll be skipping out on the plastic bottle waste that pumps the soap – and the plastic bottles that...
Posted 11/9/2011
Door Dilemma When exiting a large store, you’re often faced with a choice: the automatic door, or the ol’ push/pull door. While most people choose the automatic door, you’re special and you realize that everything automatic requires energy to automate. Why not use your own...
Posted 11/2/2011
your biggest fan. Fans might seem like a summertime appliance, but those ceiling fans you’re lucky enough to have in your home can actually help keep your home warm during the cold weather months too. When the climate you live in turns chilly, set your ceiling fan at its slowest speed...
Posted 11/2/2011
Changing your water filter, though good for water quality can be wasteful in respect to water quantity. The instructions usually suggest running a litre or two through the filter before the water becomes taste worthy. Next time around, collect those extra jugs of waste water to quench the...
Posted 11/2/2011
cinema verde. This time of year there are more great movies to see than time and money to see them all. If you’re checking out a flick this weekend, try bringing your own water in a reusable container. Bringing your own water will cut back on waste and save you...
Posted 10/26/2011
'Green' homeownership about lifestyle as much as build standards "It ain't easy goin' green," Kermit the Frog would say about the latest green building techniques detailed in the International Code Council's 700 National Green Building Standard. But it's easier than he might think. The...
Posted 10/26/2011
The rise of the eco-concierge Will there soon be thousands of consultants on hand to help us go green? In this file photo, Len Bicknell walks from his house to his garage where his solar energy panels are mounted on the roof in Marshfield, Mass. Will "eco-concierges" soon be on hand to...
Posted 10/26/2011
Why So Green(ish)? A new survey commissioned by SC Johnson on American attitudes and behaviors with respect to the environment reveals that individuals feel as if they know more about the environment today than they did 20 years ago (yay). But they also feel less powerful to do anything to...
Posted 10/19/2011
green jobs If you’re currently unemployed or are just looking to do something new, consider working in the green sector. If you’re reading this tip, you must already have an interest in making the planet a more livable place for all of the people, animals and plants...
Posted 10/19/2011
Environmental Tips For Kids With the advent of technology and fast paced development, environment degradation has reached its zenith. The pollution of all the natural resources has become a common feature, especially in the urban areas. With the increase in population, more and more resources are...
Posted 10/19/2011
Energy-saving tips for fall As leaves keep turning orange, here's how you can stay green As autumn settles in and we set back the clock, rake the leaves and stoke the furnace, we have a lot of assumptions about the most environmentally friendly ways to proceed. But are those assumptions...
Posted 10/11/2011
Our taste for coffee has hit forests and biodiversity, but efforts are afoot to make production more sustainable. The main environmental impact of coffee results from the production of the beans – but it can be done sustainably. Photograph: Michael Jenner / Alamy/Alamy The world's second...
Posted 10/11/2011
online and on time. Cut back on your tree-dependency by switching your current calendar over to an electronic one. Electronic calendars are easy to maintain on your computer or your cell phone and feature lots of snazzy features, like automatic reminders for birthdays and important...
Posted 10/11/2011
a case of the spins. Spinning — the high-energy stationary bike classes that burn 500+ calories per session. If you’re into spinning, ask your gym to consider installing Green Revolution energy generators and monitors on its Spinner bikes. ...
Posted 10/4/2011
in your face. Were you kind to your skin this summer? The hot months are often brutal for the body’s biggest organ with sun, wind, sweat and sunscreen wreaking havoc on your epidermis. Before you stock up on a shopping cart full of cleansers, scrubs, creams and serums, consider a...
Posted 10/4/2011
meatless mid-day. You may have heard by now that one of the most drastic ways to reduce your impact on the environment is to go veg. Raising animals for human consumption takes a big toll on the environment, from water consumption and contamination to the growing, harvesting and shipping of feed...
Posted 10/4/2011
reduce, reuse, reply. We all agree that junk mail is the worst. But do you know just how bad it is? Every year, 100 million trees, 28 billion gallons of water, and $320 million in local tax money are used for the production and disposal of junk mail. Remove yourself from bulk-mailing lists, and...
Posted 9/27/2011
Green cleaning doesn’t have to end at the bathroom door; start with vinegar, baking soda By Associated Press, Published: September 20 Cleaning the bathroom can be daunting, even if you’re armed with traditional cleaners laden with bleach and strong but perhaps environmentally...
Posted 9/27/2011
keep the “e” in email. Americans discard 4 million tons of office paper every year, which breaks down to enough wasted paper per person that each of our piles would be as tall as a two-story house. Reduce your impact! At the very least, make a personal pledge to stop printing...
Posted 9/27/2011
remove the fruit before recycling. Did you know that in most places, recyclables with food stuck to them are considered contaminated and are thrown in the trash by the recycling center? You’re already doing your part by recycling, so go one step further by protecting your...
Posted 9/21/2011
ring a ding ding. If you’ve been shopping for soda and water in cans instead of plastic bottles lately, good for you! That’s a great green step. Go one step further by buying cans packaged in recyclable cardboard boxes instead of clustered together in plastic rings. Plastic...
Posted 9/21/2011
follow the straight and narrow. While you may march to the beat of your own drummer, it’s important to stick to the path sometimes. The next time you’re hiking or strolling through a park, remember to keep to the designated paths. Straying from the man-made areas can actually...
Posted 9/20/2011
Play safe: The green-toy industry The green-toy industry shows a promise of growth provided children are educated as to why they should choose such toys over the rest By Adrienne Harebottle, Features WriterPublished: 00:00 September 10, 2011 We think of children's wellbeing whenever the issue...
Posted 9/13/2011
get what you demand. Rent your movies “on demand." Many cable companies (especially if you have a digital cable service) now come with standard pay-per-view programs ready for you to enjoy instantly. Just think: if we all ordered our movies digitally, there would be less...
Posted 9/13/2011
tap out. Next time you turn on the tap take note of how much water you actually use for the task at hand and how much goes down the drain, never to be seen again. 7-12 litres of water is used up every minute the tap runs. Here are some easy tips to conserve precious water in your home: Skip...
Posted 9/8/2011
Gen Y Views Direct Deposit as Way to Be Environmentally Friendly By Jackie Stewart SEP 8, 2011 9:41am EDT New data about employees' attitudes toward direct deposit released on Wednesday found that Gen Y is more likely than other generations to use direct deposit as a means to reduce their impact...
Posted 9/6/2011
don’t forget to brush! Using a toothbrush to carefully clean hard-to-reach areas in your home (like in between tiles) is often referred to as punishment in Army movies, but it’s also a great example of reuse. Before your past-its-prime toothbrush hits the garbage, why not throw...
Posted 9/6/2011
burnin’ love. As Summer melts into Fall, you might be savoring some last-minute camp fires, or getting ready to warm up your home with the fireplace. Whether your hearth is at home or outside, be mindful of what you burn. Just because something can burn doesn’t mean...
Posted 9/6/2011
we like to flex, too. Considering ditching your car for good, but worry about the occasional trips where bags of groceries outweight arm strength while standing on a bus? Have no fear: Zipcars and Flexcars are here. Many cities have started programs to make it extremely...
Posted 8/31/2011
Green Your Back-to-School Supplies Eco-friendly choices for back to school August 18, 2011 Heading off with your child to stock up on shiny new school supplies is always a treat--new, perfect notebooks, folders, binders, pens, pencils--a metaphor for a fresh start to the school year. It is...
Posted 8/31/2011
save the trees, please. You already know about the importance of saving on paper and using recycled paper, but lots more of your daily wastage grows on trees. Non-recycled toilet paper, paper towel and tissues are made from virgin fiber, which may even come from the old-growth forests that...
Posted 8/31/2011
where’s the beef? Reducing the amount of meat you eat in a week can have a big Environmental impact. According to a study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, the production of one calorie of animal protein requires more than ten times the fossil fuel input as a calorie of...
Posted 8/23/2011
Operation handbag: Recycle everything inside BY TERRI BENNETT, MCCLATCHY NEWSPAPERSAUGUST 15, 2011 Think about all the business cards, plastic, receipts, pens, and so much more. You can actually recycle nearly everything inside and avoid dumping any of it into the trash. Most women are...
Posted 8/23/2011
are your appliances passive aggressive? You’ve gotten into the habit of switching off your out of use appliances, but did you know that many appliances enter “passive standby” mode when they are turned off (so they can start up quickly when turned back on), and continue to...
Posted 8/23/2011
skip your daily dose of iron. Whoever decided that linen and cotton were the official fabrics of summer must not have had to do their own laundry. While these fabrics help keep you cool in the hot summer months they do more than their fair share of wrinkling. The next time you find yourself...
Posted 8/16/2011
keep off the grass. The birth of what we now call the “lawn” dates back to Versailles with Louis XIV’s obsession with controlling his natural surroundings. Lawn care (making pretty shapes out of greenery) was considered a hobby to the aristocrats who believed it set them above the...
Posted 8/16/2011
from laundry to lakes. Detergents are soaps made from synthetic materials, and have a long history of being loaded with Phosphates. Phosphates help boost the cleaning efficiency of detergent, but have harmful effects on rivers, lakes, streams, and other fresh waters. Phosphorous is an...
Posted 8/16/2011
dab’ll do ya. Reduce could be the least popular of the three recycling Rs, so flex your muscle by reducing your impact in the shower. You’ve probably not read the directions on the back of your shampoo or bodywash lately (cause why would you?), but if you have,...
Posted 8/9/2011
shady business. Gasoline evaporation occurs in your vehicle when the engine is hot whether it’s running or not. Obviously nothing can be done about this when the car is on but parking in the shade can significantly lower the temperature of parked vehicles and thereby reduce the amount...
Posted 8/9/2011
double tall mulch, please. Everyday coffee is brewed worldwide. Unfortunately, millions of pounds are discarded when they could be used in the garden as mulch, compost, fertilizer and so much more. Did you know caffeine slowly releases nitrogen? Nitrogen is a fertilizer, so sprinkling used...
Posted 8/8/2011
Shopper Receipts Join Paperless Age By STEPHANIE CLIFFORD At an Old Navy store in Manhattan the other day, Fabienne Michel made a routine purchase of khaki shorts. But she left the store without something equally routine: her receipt. The sales clerk had sent it to Ms. Michel by e-mail....
Posted 8/2/2011
give flowers a break. Cut flowers are kind of like crushes: they’re fun, fleeting and usually end up nowhere. While flowers are pretty, the flower industry is not. Most cut flowers are grown in South America, Africa, and Southeast Asia in large greenhouses where underpaid,...
Posted 8/2/2011
no sweat. During the summer, heat is often the enemy; it burns your skin, frizzes your hair, makes your legs stick to the car seats and makes everyone smell a little funky. Opening windows at night to bring in the cool breeze is a great cool-down option for some parts of the globe, but...
Posted 8/2/2011
rent a hybrid. We stand on our feet for those greenies who opt for a bike or bus over a car as your means of getting around. We also recognize that once in a while you might need a set of powerful wheels to get the job done. More and more rental companies are offering hybrids for just a few...
Posted 7/26/2011
Eat less meat, especially less red meat, to improve your health and the health of the environment By Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist Eating large amounts of red and processed meats increases exposure to toxins and is linked to higher rates of cancer, heart disease, and obesity. Red meat...
Posted 7/26/2011
Green Appliance Mandates Make Consumers See Red By H. Sterling Burnett Posted on Jul. 19, 2011 The Federal Government is considering new energy efficiency mandates for icemakers. Before starting down this path it should carefully examine the differences between the rosy promises and the...
Posted 7/26/2011
Saving the Environment, One Garment at a Time By Analisa Harangozo Email the author July 15, 2011 Print&nbps;0 Comments Walking into Hesperian Cleaners in Castro Valley, don’t expect to smell carcinogenic solvents on the clothes hanging on conveyor belts. The only thing you may get...
Posted 7/19/2011
Pen, Pencil, Plate Bringing your lunch to work or school is a great way to save money, curb calories and reduce the amount of to-go packaging with your name on it. Make lunchtime even greener by stashing a durable place setting in your desk or locker. Need to reheat last night’s leftovers or...
Posted 7/19/2011
According to the American Littoral Society, in 1998 over 176 million pounds of cigarette butts were discarded in the U.S. This number has likely increased with the prevalence of indoor smoking bans and more outdoor puffing. All the little butts add up to a big problem when they find their way into...
Posted 7/19/2011
During the summer, heat is often the enemy; it burns your skin, frizzes your hair, makes your legs stick to the car seats and makes everyone smell a little funky. Opening windows at night to bring in the cool breeze is a great cool-down option for some parts of the globe, but suggest it to someone...
Posted 7/12/2011
Give Flowers A Break Cut flowers are kind of like crushes: they’re fun, fleeting and usually end up nowhere. While flowers are pretty, the flower industry is not. Most cut flowers are grown in South America, Africa, and Southeast Asia in large greenhouses where underpaid, non-unionized...
Posted 7/12/2011
An average top-loading washing machine uses 50 gallons of water per load, and 933 kWh of electricity per year. Since Americans alone wash over 35 billion loads of laundry per year, the numbers are more than a little scary. Reduce your impact by running only full loads of laundry. If you don’t...
Posted 7/12/2011
Water Water, Everywhere Usually when you think of gray water (if you haven’t thought about it, gray water is clean water used once, then re-used again for other jobs where it doesn’t need to be so squeaky clean), it means getting into the plumbing and installing a complicated water...
Posted 7/5/2011
Green Your Sunscreen If you’re ready to enjoy some hot fun in the summertime, don’t forget to protect yourself from harmful Ultraviolet Rays. While covering up with light-colored clothing and sporting a hat or head scarf is the most effective way to block the sun, you may find that...
Posted 7/5/2011
Nothing says summer like clothes drying on the line. But if you don’t have a back yard or if the bad weather won’t dry your clothes, get an indoor drying rack. Drying racks are inexpensive and you’ll make the money back in no time by saving on the electricity consumed by your...
Posted 7/5/2011
Keeping fuel consumption low is important to your wallet and to the planet. The best way to save gas is to drive less or to share your ride with someone else. If you’ve got a road-trip planned and you’ve just got to do it alone, consider your gas tank before you adjust the temperature....
Posted 6/28/2011
Flight Attentive If you should find yourself soaring through the friendly skies sometime soon, take a look down at the Earth and keep it in mind when the beverage cart rolls down the aisle. One easy way to minimize your impact is to drink your beverage straight from the can, instead of from a...
Posted 6/28/2011
Dig Deeper These days, it’s more than just being green — it’s trendy too. While we think it’s great environmentalism has gone mainstream, it also means it’s a little harder to wade through the not-so-green stuff to get to the real deal. There’s a term for...
Posted 6/28/2011
Free From The Tree One of the coolest organizations we’ve heard of lately is Fallen Fruit, a grassroots Los Angeles-based group dedicated to mapping out the public places in that city where fruit trees grow or overhang. What does that mean? It means they provide maps on their website of...
Posted 6/21/2011
If you’re growing your own tomatoes this year, you deserve a pat on the back. Growing your own produce is a great way to eat locally and reduce your impact on the environment. That said, you may find that we’re not the only ones applauding your efforts to grow your own — birds love...
Posted 6/21/2011
Sod Story Do you have fresh sod in your yard? If so, use it to start a new green habit: composting! While the sod is still in its settling-in phase, place small food and paper scraps underneath different sections of grass. All of the water and the groundworms that are present under the sod will...
Posted 6/21/2011
Beer Garden If you’ve got hostas or cabbage in your garden, chances are you’ve had a run-in or two with slugs. How do you know if you’ve got slugs? If the leaves of your garden plants start to look like swiss cheese overnight, you’ve got slimy little suckers chomping away on...
Posted 6/14/2011
"Hubway” Boston’s New Bike Share Program Beginning this July the city of Boston is launching a bike share program similar to those already existing in many major cities in Europe. The program is set to begin with 600 bikes at 61 kiosks throughout the city and they hope to grow to...
Posted 6/14/2011
la vida local. While traveling away from home, you might find yourself looking for that perfect souvenir to commemorate the trip. While that’s a great idea, be sure what you bring home helps, not hurts, the place you want to remember. As a general rule, sand, shells and other natural...
Posted 6/14/2011
BYOC. Summer time is synonymous with pool parties, campfire cookouts and backyard bbq’s. And while you might agree that the smell from a grill can spark up nostalgia, keep the memories clean and green by minimizing the disposables at your celebration. Whether you’re throwing or going to...
Posted 6/7/2011
Thaw Out Frozen food takes way longer to cook than thawed food, so defrost your food before putting it in the oven or on the stove to save energy. Sure, in a rush you could use a microwave to do the job, but to save that energy, place the food in a bowl and run it under cold water until the...
Posted 6/7/2011
The Fourth R When you invest in rechargeable batteries, you aren’t just Reducing and Reusing, you’re also…wait for it… Recharging. Recycling batteries is very important, but reducing the number of batteries we consume is even better. Rechargeable batteries are handy...
Posted 6/7/2011
Aluminum foil – you can’t beat the heat it keeps but let’s take a closer look at this wonder wrap. Aluminum comes from Bauxite, a rock that can only be extracted through strip mining – an intense process that totally taxes the environment. Tons more energy is required to...
Posted 5/31/2011
Did your washer or dryer recently bite the dust? Looking to spice up your tired laundry room? Consider investing in front loading machines as opposed to those traditional top loading beasts. Front loaders use nearly 40% less water – crazy! They also require less detergent and spin faster so...
Posted 5/31/2011
Before the 1950’s, the average toilet used a whopping 7 gallons of water per flush. That number has decreased steadily over the years but it wasn’t until 1994 that it became law in the U.S for tanks to flush no more than 1.6 gallons (6 litres). If your porcelain throne is considered an...
Posted 5/31/2011
Though not quite as bad as nails on a chalkboard, creaky, squeaky doors can still be incredibly annoying. Usually, a petroleum-based lubricant is used to silence the issue, but why not try this common household product instead?Stop the squeak with one the most versatile products in the pantry: olive...
Posted 5/24/2011
Did you know that using lids on all your pots will not only heat things up faster but also save 20-30% of energy? How about harnessing some of that heat? Next time you’re cooking with gas (or electric), turn the burner off a little early and use the residual heat to cook your...
Posted 5/24/2011
Green as a Status Symbol: Why Increased Prices May Increase Sales A commonly heard, and personally experienced, critique of the sustainability movement is the relatively high cost of green products compared to traditional products. I can spend .99 cents on a bottle of shampoo that cleans my hair...
Posted 5/24/2011
ifixit. You fix it. We can all fix it. E waste (discarded computers, electronics, televisions, mobile phones etc) is showing up in our landfills and contaminating our water, air and dirt at a rapidly growing pace. According to Environment Canada, more than 140,000 tons of E waste is thrown away...
Posted 5/17/2011
Keep your fins up Coral reefs are known as the rain forests of the ocean and a mecca for over 25% of all marine life – everything from tiny sponges to giant sea turtles. The reefs protect from soil erosion, control carbon dioxide and also bring a great deal of business to struggling...
Posted 5/17/2011
So fresh and so clean. Do you like your home or car to smell like an Ocean Breeze, an Autumn Sunset or a Fresh Baked Birthday Cake? If so, you’re probably like millions of others who use air fresheners. Do you know what’s in your air freshener? If not, don’t feel bad. Until...
Posted 5/17/2011
Framed. In the spirit of making a few changes around the house this month without buying anything new, may we suggest doing a little framing around the house? Take old frames and make them new again with a quick coat of non-toxic acrylic paint in a bright color, then frame an old letter or...
Posted 5/10/2011
Hung out to dry What’s that smell? The scent of fresh laundry has long been one of our favorite smells as we’re passing by an apartment building or house. That is, until we found out what an energy hog a traditional clothes dryer can be and that line drying clothes actually smells...
Posted 5/10/2011
Freshening Up Your Mattress All you need to do is take all the bedding off (presumably to wash it) and sprinkle baking soda over the top of your mattress. Leave it on for at least 15 minutes (longer if you think it needs it). Next, you'll vacuum up the baking soda, making sure you don't miss any...
Posted 5/10/2011
Muffin Tin Planters As spring gets underway, live plants abound both indoors and out. A neat way to plant some green in the kitchen is with a baking tool: a muffin tin! The wells in a muffin tin are the perfect size for holding small live plants directly from the nursery flat. Choose a moss as...
Posted 5/3/2011
Eliminate Outdoor Odors With Oats So you're all set to have the party of the century at your new place. You've got a great backyard and enough space to have one heck of a bash, but there's just one problem — something smells yo! We've got an easy way to banish any smell your outdoors has to...
Posted 5/3/2011
Eco-friendly Mulches Lately, I've heard a lot of confusing information about mulch. We've been told it's wise to use because it helps conserve water, fights erosion, and blocks weeds. But I've also heard there's mulch that's toxic to dogs, harmful to plants, and one where trees are harvested just...
Posted 5/3/2011
Small steps in going green can deliver big savings An environment-friendly car will save you significant gas money, but you’ll have to shell out $18,000 for the least-expensive hybrid or $33,000 for the only all-electric sedan on the market. Likewise, putting solar panels on your roof may...
Posted 4/26/2011
Okay, admit it. Straws are totally unnecessary inventions. You might say you need one to drink out of cans since those can get dirty in warehouse storage. And others might say they alleviate tooth decay for soda drinkers. But we say they just end up as garbage anyway. In 2006, the Great Canadian...
Posted 4/26/2011
How to Be A Greener Restaurant Guest It's easy to be green... 1. Pass on the water as an additional beverage. If 1 in 4 guests pass it could save 25 million gallons of water a year! 2. Skip the straws and utensils. If you don't need it, let your server know. You could help save on solid...
Posted 4/26/2011
Cornmeal: The All Natural Weed Blocker You probably have a container of cornmeal somewhere in your cupboards, but you probably didn't know it could be used in more places than your kitchen. What if we told you to take it outside? For most of us cornmeal is used in cooking and the idea of it being...
Posted 4/19/2011
From Japan, gardening in reused bottle caps Heightened interest in all things green means that gardens are popping up everywhere. We've seen them in greeting cards, we've seen them in giant bubbles — we've even seen them created on the sly in guerrilla fashion. The latest spotting? Gardens in...
Posted 4/19/2011
Old billboards repurposed into unique placemats Billboards may offer a striking way to advertise your brand, but they also come at a financial and environmental cost. They are replaced as often as once every month, with each one generating up to one hundred pounds of plastic to be disposed of...
Posted 4/19/2011
A Richer Shade of Green If you’re looking to roll your green into something greener, consider looking into green or other socially responsible investment opportunities. Of course, not all of us are in a position to play the stock market, but if you’re considering making even a tiny...
Posted 4/13/2011
MSNBC.com April 13, 2011 Wednesday 8:37 PM GMT 3 things to watch for with paperless statements BYLINE: CANDICE CHOI SECTION: NEWS; Personal finance HIGHLIGHT: Having your bills mailed to you month after month is bad for the environment. But many of us can't break the practice because paper...
Posted 4/12/2011
Paint The Town For Free Got spring fever? Spring is a great time to try a fresh coat of paint to brighten up your home. Before you do, check out if there is a recycling center near you. Some cities have recycling centers that let you drop off leftover paint in an effort to prevent paint from ending...
Posted 4/12/2011
Calcium Rich We love eggs; they’re delicious, versatile, nutritious and inexpensive. Another reason to love eggs is for how useful they can be apart from eating. Should you find yourself hard-boiling eggs for breakfast, deviled eggs or just for salads, consider using the shells for seedling...
Posted 4/12/2011
How to Make the Most of a Crawl Space Ahh, crawl spaces - those lovely subterranean areas that often consist of dirt, cobwebs and feelings of claustrophobia. Even though we may try to avoid them, improving an existing crawl space is actually an important step in greening your home....
Posted 4/12/2011
GET ON BOARD WITH SWACHA The campaign, promoting PayitGreen™ month in April and Direct Deposit and Direct Payment Month in May is set to launch on Monday, April 4, 2011 and will run through Tuesday, May 31. This is a part of SWACHA’s efforts to encourage Americans to go green by using...
Posted 4/5/2011
Spring Clean Your Air with These Eleven Easy Plants Whether you work in a cubicle, an open plan office or at home, fresh air is key to health and productivity. According to NASA research, adding at least one potted plant per 100 square feet of floor space drastically improves the air and reduces...
Posted 4/5/2011
Short Cuts Long locks got you down? Think about an update to your look this spring – and cut it off! Not only can you donate your hair to cool charities like Locks of Love, but shorter hair means you’ll be saving in the shampoo, conditioner, and water department each time you step in...
Posted 4/5/2011
Shed Some Water Weight Did you know every new pair of jeans costs nearly 3,000 gallons of water to make? It’s true! According to “The Green Blue Book” by Thomas M. Kostigen, it takes 2,247 gallons (a worldwide average) to grow enough cotton to make a pair of jeans. How? Well,...
Posted 3/29/2011
Manage Sprinkler Systems Remotely Have you ever seen the sprinklers go on while it's raining outside? Automatic sprinkler systems on golf courses, industrial parks, and large lawns aren't necessarily in tune with the natural environment. A new techy solution by Cyber Rain connects automatic...
Posted 3/29/2011
How to Stop Phone Book Delivery It seems that at least a couple of times a year we arrive home to the discovery of a big stack of phone books at the front door of our building. Unfortunately there doesn't seem to be a single person in our building who actually uses a phone book so they usually...
Posted 3/29/2011
Make Your Own Easy Eco Hair Treatment Every once in a while it's nice to pamper yourself and your hair with a great treatment. Rather than shelling out for a store bought option, which is likely full of chemically things and housed in yet another plastic container, why not try this incredibly easy...
Posted 3/22/2011
No More Wire Hangers. While most of us will do anything to avoid paying an arm and a leg to have our socks washed on vacation, sometimes the need to take advantage of hotel laundry is too great. But have you ever noticed how many bells and whistles come with this service? Socks and undies arrive...
Posted 3/22/2011
Ready to start spending some time outside? Start thinking about some garden projects, like reusing an old bucket, basket, or wheelbarrow and bump your garden decor up a green notch. We were inspired by a friend of ours made a mini-garden on wheels from an old wheelbarrow she found in a...
Posted 3/22/2011
Okay, Chef Boyargreen, we know you like to bake and cook. Next time sugar cookies call to you, do your energy bill a favor and unplug that electric mixer, get a big spoon, and mix by hand. This ancient method was used for centuries before the birth of the Kitchen Aid era – and people cooked...
Posted 3/15/2011
Green Cleaning -- Spring Cleaning Guide Take the toxic chemicals and fumes out of your spring cleaning routine with this guide to green cleaning your house from top to bottom. Green cleaning is an eco-friendly way of scrubbing down the house using natural products that don't damage the...
Posted 3/15/2011
Shape up and ship out something new with your next package. Instead of stuffing your goods with Styrofoam peanuts, corrugated paper, tissue, plastic bags of air or bubble wrap (basically filler that fills landfills), opt for something more sustainable – ExpandOS! Made from 100%...
Posted 3/15/2011
When they paved paradise and put up a parking lot, they probably weren’t thinking about how all of that concrete and cement was going to affect our waterways. It’s true: rainwater has nowhere to go when it hits pavement, so it runs down storm drains, bringing all of the dirt, oil, grit...
Posted 3/8/2011
forever in blue jeans Keeping your house properly insulated is an important way to reduce energy use and the costs associated with heating, ventilation and air conditioning. In the old days, insulation was often provided by nasty stuff like asbestos. We’ve come a long way since then, but...
Posted 3/8/2011
worm your way. Nearly 30% of waste going to the landfill is organic. Know what that means? You can easily reduce the amount of waste going into landfills. And when you do that, you reduce the amount of green space eaten up by landfills. How? By composting, of course! We all know the smell of...
Posted 3/8/2011
According to the US Postal Service, US companies sent 100 billion pieces of direct (junk) mail in 2005 – that’s more than 300 pieces of bulk mail for every man, woman and child in America. Sick! One type of junk mail you may be receiving are credit card and insurance offers. If...
Posted 3/1/2011
How Green Is Your Cell Phone? GoodGuide, a startup that ranks goods on how sustainable they are, has released its latest green rankings for cell phones. The company rated 576 cell phone products and says the top rated phones have energy efficient chargers and are made of more sustainable...
Posted 3/1/2011
Coffee’s For The Birds. You’ve probably heard of fair trade coffee but how about shade grown or bird friendly coffee? Coffee is an enormous agribusiness and therefore requires an enormous amount of land to get that morning joe into everyone’s mug. Often, precious ecosystems and...
Posted 3/1/2011
Winter air is dry, which can lead to coughing, parched skin and lips and even bloody noses. You could consider investing in a humidifier, but why spend the cash or energy when you can humidify your home naturally? The next time you take a hot shower, close the tub’s drain, allowing the...
Posted 2/22/2011
Would You Buy a $40 Light Bulb? This week, Philips Lighting said that its AmbientLED 12.5-watt bulb — which, just to confuse you, is also sold under the Philips EnduraLED brand — has qualified for a EPA’s Energy Star rating. That means that it’s an efficient and, quite...
Posted 2/22/2011
For many of us, it’s been a while since we walked the world in the hair color we were born with. You might be legally blonde, brunette, burgundy or black, but at what cost to your health and the environment? Chemical hair dye ingredients contribute to both environmental pollution and a variety...
Posted 2/15/2011
Pucker Up Did you know Hershey’s Kisses are wrapped with actual aluminum foil? It’s true! Another thing you may not realize is that all of that aluminum is recyclable! Producing aluminum, which is mined from bauxite ore, takes a lot of energy, but aluminum can be recycled over and...
Posted 2/15/2011
Draft Craft If your home is cold and you find yourself reaching for the thermostat dial, stop! You may not need to raise the temperature of your home, but instead make the most of the heat inside. The secret culprit making your space seem chilly may be a draft. Check your windows for leaky pains...
Posted 2/15/2011
Glass Half Full You’re trying to conserve water by reducing shower time, running the dishwasher only when it’s full and skipping a flush or two, right? Well, here’s a tiny way to reduce your impact: Find ways to use those half-empty (or are they half-full?) glasses of water you...
Posted 1/29/2011
Green Living Simplified Green living is easier than it sounds, and you don't have to completely overhaul your lifestyle and give up luxuries to be good to the environment. By Diana Rodriguez Medically reviewed by Pat F. Bass III, MD, MPH Do you want to have a positive impact on the environment,...
Posted 1/29/2011
unclog from catalogs. Each year, 19 billion catalogs are mailed to American consumers, using 3.6 million tons of paper from 53 million trees. To create that much paper, 38 trillion BTUs are used — enough to power 1.2 million homes per year, which contributes 5.2 million tons of carbon...
Posted 1/29/2011
go native. March is usually the month when the planting season begins, but if the turning of the new year has you feeling ambitious, why not get a jump on the planning while the iron’s still hot? If your yard is covered in snow right now, you might be thinking of how to rejuvenate your...
Posted 1/13/2011
say “stick it” to a ticket. You may have been getting away with going 5 or 10 over for years without seeing the blue & red flashes of an officer behind you, but getting a ticket is not the only reason to put less pedal to the metal. Not only is following the speed limit...
Posted 1/13/2011
use it and lose it. Let’s discuss hazardous waste. It’s kind of icky, kind of gross, and kind of dangerous. But let’s also be honest. It’s sometimes necessary. Sometimes you need stuff like antifreeze, paint, motor oil, and fertilizer. And sometimes you end up with...
Posted 1/13/2011
or here or to go? Going out to dinner is always a fun indulgence, but when you can’t clean your plate and it comes down to the time where you must decide whether to box it up or throw it out, think hard: will you really eat it later? Many of us have unknowingly trained ourselves to always...
Posted 1/3/2011
Go Green: Five green consumer trends for 2011 By Allecia Vermillion Posted Dec 23, 2010 @ 02:57 PM As more Americans become concerned with sustainability issues and eco-friendly habits, the days of specific eco-fads like reusable shopping bags and refillable water bottles have become everyday...
Posted 1/3/2011
Does Green Really Work When It Comes to Dishwashing? By Suzanne Shelton Published December 24, 2010 Email | Print | Single Page View Tags: Branding, Consumer Products, More... Branding, Consumer Products, Green Marketing 0 digg So here’s a consumer conundrum: Which is greener --...
Posted 1/3/2011
11 'Green Consumer' Resolutions for 2011 Smart, eco-conscious ways people can use their money to make Eagle Rock—and the planet— greener places. Add a comment (4 comments ) Email | Start Following | Print | | View full size PHOTOS (3) Your photos, videos & PDFs: Add To...
Posted 12/20/2010
Putting the environment on your shopping list It's getting easier to decorate, buy gifts and party in sustainable fashion during the holidays BY MATT SUTKOSKI, FREE PRESS STAFF WRITER • SUNDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2010 With apologies to Irving Berlin, a Christmas carol: "I'm dreaming...
Posted 12/20/2010
Wrap Green for the Holidays By The Green Connoisseur at Matter Network Thu Dec 9, 2010 3:56pm EST The fun and excitement of the holiday season is highlighted by the excitement of sending gifts to our family and friends. Add to that, we joy of tapping into our creativity by wrapping the gifts we...
Posted 12/20/2010
CMU's Green Design Institute Shares Green Tips for Harried Holiday Shoppers Advice Helps Consumers Determine if They're "Naughty or Nice" When it Comes to the Environment Carnegie Mellon University If you eat less meat, buy local and consolidate your shopping...
Posted 12/1/2010
Green Living: Flying Greener Posted On: November 24 I have traveled a lot this year, both within India and abroad. My personal carbon footprint on a day-to-day basis is pretty great but all this flying has made it stratospheric. Yes, I have used carbon offsets but I have several gripes with...
Posted 12/1/2010
When 9 Miles per Gallon is a Step in the Right Direction By Mindy S. Lubber Created 2010-12-01 04:00 When does 9 miles a gallon sound just dandy -- environmentally and businesswise -- to a longtime sustainability stalwart like me? No, it's not because I've sold out and traded my Camry hybrid for...
Posted 12/1/2010
lighten up. Friends have been telling us about the new LED lights they have purchased for their holiday decorating this year. The biggest question we had? “Do they look like LED lights?” You know, a little more “bright white” than...
Posted 11/22/2010
trip out. This holiday, if you’re hosting guests or cooking a big meal, plan your shopping trips ahead of time. Try making a list, checking it twice, and figuring out where to go with the least impacting route in your car (think less miles/kilometers!) before you even leave the house....
Posted 11/22/2010
hey, jute. Are all those nasty chemicals in floor rugs giving you the burn? Looking for a friendly alternative but don’t know where to turn? All we are saying is give jute a chance. Jute, a natural veggie fiber extracted from a flowering plant, is quickly making a name for itself as...
Posted 11/22/2010
’round and ’round. If going green was a class in school, recycling would be the very first lesson. For most of us, recycling has become a piece of cake. Most communities offer easy ways to recycle at home, at work or school and out and about. You’ve...
Posted 11/10/2010
Cosmetics Industry Needs a Little More ‘Green’ in their Diet LONDON—Practical sustainability initiatives for the beauty industry were extensively discussed at the Sustainable Cosmetics Summit, which came to a close in Paris at the Marriott Champs-Elysées hotel at the end...
Posted 11/10/2010
for the folks with spokes. By now you know that reducing the amount of time you spend driving your car the more you reduce the amount of nasty emissions you’re putting out into the air. If you’ve taken to riding your bike as a transportation option either frequently or...
Posted 11/10/2010
caffeinated compost. Next time you’re dropping by your local Starbucks for a cup of brew, don’t forget to ask them for a little somethin’ somethin’ for your garden too! Starbucks will happily give you their used coffee grinds to take home for your compost! Coffee...
Posted 11/2/2010
Your Guide to Real—and Fake—Green Products By KIMBERLY PALMER Posted: October 27, 2010 It turns out that many of the so-called “green” products in our homes might not be so green after all. The latest study from TerraChoice, an environmental marketing firm, found that 95...
Posted 11/2/2010
On The Money: Find a guide to green shopping By CHUCK MYERS - McClatchy-Tribune News Service The green revolution has reached well into the consumer realm, creating buying opportunities that can have a positive impact on both the environment and household budget. If you'd like to reduce your...
Posted 11/2/2010
just say no to smashing pumpkins. No, we aren’t talking about Billy Corgan and his recently reunited band that crooned their way through many of our youth days. We’re talking about your Jack-O-Lantern. You know, the one you painstaking carved into a masterpiece and illuminated...
Posted 10/26/2010
The leaves outside may be turning, but homeowners can stay green and save green by making their home energy efficient. Take advantage of financial incentives, increase the value of your home, and invest in the environment. Here's how: Green Up Your Appliances If any of your appliances are...
Posted 10/26/2010
Ten tips to green your Halloween Relaxnews Friday, 22 October 2010 On October 31 children and adults alike will be donning scary costumes, handing out sweets and partaking in other Halloween themed activities. A number of environmentally minded websites are offering advice on how to 'green your...
Posted 10/26/2010
Is there green to be made in the "green jobs" market? Discussing "green collar jobs" around here can produce a range of reactions, from optimism and encouragement to frustration and skepticism. Supporters point to the $3.2 billion that Congress included in the stimulus package...
Posted 10/26/2010
Mrs. Money: How a Vegetarian Diet Saves Money and the Environment One of the fastest ways to make an impact on your budget and lower your carbon footprint is to stop eating meat. When you stop eating meat, you help free up many resources that otherwise would be devoted to animals. Here's the low...
Posted 10/26/2010
With car owners holding on to their vehicles longer and opting to take on some of their own repairs, AutoMD.com has released a list of tips — from recycling oil to using remanufactured parts — to help DIYers keep both their environment and their wallets green. AutoMD.com's team of...
Posted 10/18/2010
Tips to help keep cars’ engines clean, environment, wallets green by The Weekly Driver News Service on Oct 11, 2010Make a Comment With nearly four in five car owners planning to drive their current vehicle for at least 50,000 more miles longer than they drove their previous car, AutoMD.com...
Posted 10/18/2010
Save Big: Five Things You Should Buy Secondhand 'GMA' Shows You How to Save 1 comment By ELISABETH LEAMY Oct. 12, 2010 PrintRSSFONT SIZE:SHARE:EmailTwitterFacebookMore Secondhand stores are booming, not despite the tricky economy, but because of it. The Association of Resale...
Posted 10/18/2010
online and on time. Cut back on your tree-dependency by switching your current calendar over to an electronic one. Electronic calendars are easy to maintain on your computer or your cell phone and feature lots of snazzy features, like automatic reminders for birthdays and important...
Posted 10/11/2010
10 Green Business Ideas to Help Get You Started October 7th, 2010 | Fancy a green business? If you are a budding entrepreneur who is passionate about going green, you might want to check out how entrepreneurs turn their love for the environment into unique and interesting businesses. Here are...
Posted 10/11/2010
when life gives you lemons… … make more than lemonade. Lemons aren’t only great for cooking but excellent for cleaning too. Before throwing away your halved, squeezed out lemon, rub it over your cutting boards to clean and freshen. Sprinkling the lemon with a bit of sea salt...
Posted 10/11/2010
push/pull When exiting a large store, you’re often faced with a choice: the automatic door, or the ol’ push/pull door. While most people choose the automatic door, you’re special and you realize that everything automatic requires energy to automate. Why not use your own...
Posted 10/3/2010
Dry Cleaners and Greenwashing By MIREYA NAVARRO Keith Bedford for The New York Times This outlet in Manhattan dry cleans with liquid carbon dioxide, a greener alternative. New York City doesn’t lack for dry cleaners, but many customers these days want their clothes not only clean but...
Posted 10/3/2010
let’s talk trash. Did you know that the average American family of four throws out $600 worth of unspoiled food each year? That’s a lot of waste, and reducing waste is the easiest way to help the environment. $600 worth of tossed food also represents trips to the store,...
Posted 10/3/2010
your biggest fan. Fans might seem like a summertime appliance, but those ceiling fans you’re lucky enough to have in your home can actually help keep your home warm during the cold weather months too. When the climate you live in turns chilly, set your ceiling fan at its slowest speed...
Posted 9/22/2010
Environmentally Friendly Self-Storage Tue, Sep 21 2010 It's not romantic, but it's something that statistics tell us at least one out of every ten American households need at one time or another: storage. Though Storage is not inherently bad for the environment, any business that involves...
Posted 9/22/2010
How to go green without buying a Toyota Prius The evidence is clear-as a society, we need to be more environmentally conscious. Whether one believes in all the claims of global warming or not, it is an indisputable fact that we need to take better care of our environment. In the last 10 years,...
Posted 9/22/2010
ream team. Want to make a super simple change at the office that can help reduce your impact? Try increasing your print margins. It sounds too easy to be true, but it’s not! The more words you can put on a page, the less paper you’ll use. Consider asking your company to set a...
Posted 9/14/2010
keep the “e” in email. Americans discard 4 million tons of office paper every year, which breaks down to enough wasted paper per person that each of our piles would be as tall as a two-story house. Reduce your impact! At the very least, make a personal pledge to stop printing...
Posted 9/14/2010
meatless mid-day. You may have heard by now that one of the most drastic ways to reduce your impact on the environment is to go veg. Raising animals for human consumption takes a big toll on the environment, from water consumption and contamination to the growing, harvesting and shipping of...
Posted 9/14/2010
berry interesting. By now you probably know that organic produce is usually better for you and for the planet, but according to a recent article in the LA Times, organic produce can actually boast more nutrients than their non-organic counterparts too. Specifically,...
Posted 9/7/2010
reduce, reuse, reply. We all agree that junk mail is the worst. But do you know just how bad it is? Every year, 100 million trees, 28 billion gallons of water, and $320 million in local tax money are used for the production and disposal of junk mail. Remove yourself from bulk-mailing lists...
Posted 9/7/2010
green jobs If you’re currently unemployed or are just looking to do something new, consider working in the green sector. If you’re reading this tip, you must already have an interest in making the planet a more livable place for all of the people, animals and plants...
Posted 9/7/2010
Were you kind to your skin this summer? The hot months are often brutal for the body’s biggest organ with sun, wind, sweat and sunscreen wreaking havoc on your epidermis. Before you stock up on a shopping cart full of cleansers, scrubs, creams and serums, consider a...
Posted 8/30/2010
iPads and Kindles are better for the environment than books (Michael Sloan For The Washington Post)By Brian Palmer Tuesday, August 24, 2010 E-readers are everywhere, even at my local library. But what about the trees? You told us about reading the newspaper online vs. getting the print...
Posted 8/30/2010
hard-boiled. The active ingredient in most drain-cleaners is sodium hydroxide, otherwise known as caustic soda or lye. It is a man-made chemical used for its corrosive properties, and corrosive it is! Not only is drain-cleaner deadly to ingest and irritating to your nose, throat and lungs...
Posted 8/30/2010
Selling Sustainability to Whiskey Drinkers By Suzanne Shelton Published August 27, 2010 If I were to say, “Quick -- name five green products!” I’m betting Jack Daniels wouldn’t be at the top of your list. It should be. I had the pleasure of touring the one and...
Posted 8/23/2010
3 Pillars of a Food Revolution A few years ago, I stumbled on a United Nations study that transformed how I think about the climate crisis. In the report, researchers pegged greenhouse gases from the livestock sector at 18 percent of total global emissions. Combine this with other aspects of...
Posted 8/23/2010
the rain in spain… The next time it rains, try collecting the drops in an easy-to-pour container for watering your houseplants. Potted plants, window boxes and indoor plants will love a healthy helping of freshly fallen rain. Another benefit? Rainwater is not only free to use, but...
Posted 8/23/2010
save the trees, please. You already know about the importance of saving on paper and using recycled paper, but lots more of your daily wastage grows on trees. Non-recycled toilet paper, paper towel and tissues are made from virgin fiber, which may even come from the old-growth forests that...
Posted 8/16/2010
a drop in the bucket. Sometimes the smallest culprit can cause the biggest damage: a tiny termite can ravage your home, a small mole could indicate skin cancer and a leaky faucet could be wasting up to 2,700 gallons of water each year. A fast drip from a faucet wastes about 265 gallons a...
Posted 8/16/2010
keep off the grass. The birth of what we now call the “lawn” dates back to Versailles with Louis XIV’s obsession with controlling his natural surroundings. Lawn care (making pretty shapes out of greenery) was considered a hobby to the aristocrats who believed it set them...
Posted 8/16/2010
drive me crazy. green is about tiny changes, big impact, and bigger initiatives. Check your basement or garage for old paint. Before you toss it in the trash or rinse it down the drain, stop! If you have old paint, your friends and neighbors might too. Consider organizing a paint drive in...
Posted 8/9/2010
August 7, 2010 Finding New Life (and Profit) in Doomed Trees By LAWRENCE W. CHEEK SEATTLE THE wooden kitchen bar in the suburban home of Richard and Donna Majer has a canyonlike crack ripping right down its middle, which is exactly what the couple cherish most about it. It’s not just...
Posted 8/9/2010
sprinkle in moderation. Water consumption doubles in the summer months, mainly due to the watering of lawns. Reduce your use by getting realistic about how much water your lawn really needs. The method is simple: don’t water grass or plants unless they show signs of needing it. Sound...
Posted 8/9/2010
air drying is cool. Nothing says summer like clothes drying on the line. But if you don’t have a back yard or if the bad weather won’t dry your clothes, get an indoor drying rack. Drying racks are inexpensive and you’ll make the money back in no time by saving on the...
Posted 8/4/2010
China overtakes US as world's biggest energy consumer Increasingly affluent and energy-hungry nation reflects the dramatic increase in the wattage of China's economy Jonathan Watts, Asia environment correspondent guardian.co.uk, Tuesday 3 August 2010 12.34 BST The LED screen at The Place...
Posted 8/4/2010
where’s the beef? Reducing the amount of meat you eat in a week can have a big Environmental impact. According to a study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, the production of one calorie of animal protein requires more than ten times the fossil fuel input as a calorie of...
Posted 8/4/2010
pen, pencil, plate. Bringing your lunch to work or school is a great way to save money, curb calories and reduce the amount of to-go packaging with your name on it. Make lunchtime even greener by stashing a durable place setting in your desk or locker. Need to reheat last night’s...
Posted 7/29/2010
how about 960 miles to the gallon?!? That’s right- a bike can travel 1600 kilometres (960 miles) on the equivalent energy of a gallon of gasoline. On your next vacation, try renting a bike instead of a car or motorcycle to get around town. You’ll be able to take in more of the...
Posted 7/29/2010
keep cool on your commute. Keeping fuel consumption low is important to your wallet and to the planet. The best way to save gas is to drive less or to share your ride with someone else. If you’ve got a road-trip planned and you’ve just got to do it alone, consider your gas tank...
Posted 7/26/2010
A Green Approach to Nail Salons SF would target 'toxic trio' of chemicals to protect workers By NGOC NGUYEN, NEW AMERICA MEDIA on July 23, 2010 - 12:00 p.m. PDT 1 CommentsPrintEmail Recommend Robert Gumpert/Asian Law Caucus San Francisco could become the first city in the country to adopt...
Posted 7/20/2010
Sorting through confusing 'green' product claims By Kate Beem McClatchy Newspapers With the Gulf of Mexico oil spill heavy on minds everywhere, taking care of the environment seems even more important. It's all a matter of choice, from deciding whether to throw away or recycle that cardboard...
Posted 7/20/2010
double tall mulch, please. Everyday coffee is brewed worldwide. Unfortunately, millions of pounds are discarded when they could be used in the garden as mulch, compost, fertilizer and so much more. Did you know caffeine slowly releases nitrogen? Nitrogen is a fertilizer, so sprinkling used...
Posted 7/15/2010
Bank of America Adds Fee for Paper Statements Charge for online account in Georgia to roll out to other markets American Banker | Thursday, July 15, 2010 By Daniel Wolfe Print Email Reprints Feedback RELATED LINKS E-Bills Help Banks Battle Merchants for Payments - May 4, 2010 New...
Posted 7/15/2010
Consumer Demand Spurring Spuds Green Marketing More potato growers are looking to expand their green marketing efforts in reaction to increasing demand from consumers, according to a report in The Packer. The Wisconsin Potato & Vegetable Growers Association in Antigo, Wis., which provides...
Posted 7/12/2010
All-Star events to have a green theme MLB continues commitment to protecting the environment By Bailey Stephens / MLB.com 07/10/10 1:57 PM ET Anaheim will be rolling out the "green" carpet to welcome players, fans and coaches to the 81st Midsummer Classic. As part of its commitment...
Posted 7/12/2010
take a drive on the shady side. Gasoline evaporation occurs in your vehicle when the engine is hot whether it is moving or not. Obviously nothing can be done about this when the car is running but parking in the shade can significantly reduce some of the emissions and vapors the car will...
Posted 7/12/2010
go go gadgets. Chris Jordan’s amazing exhibition called Running the Numbers states that 426,000 cell phones are retired each day. Sounds like a lot? Count the number of cell phones you may have had in your life and begin to multiply by population…sadly, it begins to...
Posted 7/9/2010
United States Postal Service proposed rate hike makes paperless options even more desirable ERIC FORTNEY ON 7/07/2010 11:32:00 AM | The United States Postal Service (USPS) is considering raising the cost of First-Class stamps by 2 cents to 46 cents, due in large part to decreased mail volume....
Posted 7/7/2010
Go green …at the car wash: New business reuses water to help environment Comments 0 | Recommend 0 Tuesday, Jun 29 2010, 10:28 am Olivia Neeley SHELBY — Getting your car washed can be more environmentally friendly than you think. High Tide Car Wash, whose grand opening...
Posted 7/7/2010
Auto repair 'goes green' Posted: Tuesday, Jun 29th, 2010 BY: Vicki Schuster John Maher applies a clear coat of paint to a vehicle this week at Dave' Collision Repair Center. The shop has become a leader in automotive restoration technology, being one of a few shops in South Dakota...
Posted 7/7/2010
the more the merrier. Just gotta drive? Make it a party by carpooling. Did you know that our good ol’ passenger vehicles in traffic make up a striking 40% of the pollution that contributes to the ground level ozone, most commonly known as “smog”? If there’s one thing...
Posted 6/28/2010
Raise Green Children Regardless of where you stand on the issue of climate change, I hope there is no argument that, environmentally speaking, we simply can't sustain our current path for much longer. Air pollution caused by the growing number of automobiles on the road and coal-burning...
Posted 6/28/2010
The more the merrier. Just gotta drive? Make it a party by carpooling. Did you know that our good ol’ passenger vehicles in traffic make up a striking 40% of the pollution that contributes to the ground level ozone, most commonly known as “smog”? If there’s one thing that...
Posted 6/22/2010
Green graduation: Many campuses are adopting environmentally friendly garb By LARRY GORDON Los Angeles Times Related: http://www.latimes.com/ More News Resilient ferns decorate area yard. Plant variety has survived over eons, includes many species Oil plumes invade a dark, mysterious world at...
Posted 6/22/2010
Festivals put green issues higher up the bill Page last updated at 06:16 GMT, Monday, 14 June 2010 07:16 UK E-mail this to a friendPrintable version By Simon Atkinson Business reporter, BBC News Efforts to make festivals greener carry costs - and dealing with waste is just one issue Reaching...
Posted 6/22/2010
the fifth r: repurpose. We added “recharge” to the 3 R’s and now it’s time to add a fifth: Repurpose. This one’s especially important and easy during garage sale season. Spot a group of old bowling trophies? Stick them to your wall and you have some nifty coat...
Posted 6/22/2010
free from the tree. One of the coolest organizations we’ve heard of lately is Fallen Fruit, a grassroots Los Angeles-based group dedicated to mapping out the public places in that city where fruit trees grow or overhang. What does that mean? It means they...
Posted 6/10/2010
News Articles Study: Indian Consumers Best At Making Green Choices, Americans Least Email Facebook Digg Twitter Buzz Up! ShareThis June 3, 2010 8:02 a.m. EST Topics: environmental issue, economy, business and finance, environmental politics, consumer goods, United States AHN News...
Posted 6/10/2010
Green Expectations: Green Beauty Goes Head to Head with Traditional Beauty 2 days ago0 CommentsPosted in Articles, Acne, Anti-Aging, Antioxidants, Bath & Body, Business Issues, Cosmeceuticals, Formulation, Green/Eco Friendly, Green Tea, Ingredients, Natural, Personal Care, Pomegranate, Skin...
Posted 6/10/2010
fake it. If you’re growing your own tomatoes this year, you deserve a pat on the back. Growing your own produce is a great way to eat locally and reduce your impact on the environment. That said, you may find that we’re not the only ones applauding your efforts to grow your own...
Posted 6/2/2010
Take the eco challenge 31 ways to go green in 30 days By ANNE WANGMAN June 1, 2010 1} Bring out the Bar: Keep 2.5 million pounds of plastic from ending up in landfills. That’s how much we’d save if every American household would replace one nonrenewable plastic bottle of liquid...
Posted 6/2/2010
so fresh and so clean. Do you like your home or car to smell like an Ocean Breeze, an Autumn Sunset or a Fresh Baked Birthday Cake? If so, you’re probably like millions of others who use air fresheners. Do you know what’s in your air freshener? If not, don’t feel bad....
Posted 6/2/2010
the upside of plastic. Because you’re sexy, you may have removed yourself from junkmail lists, started borrowing instead of buying books, printing double sided at work and generally reducing the amount of paper you use. Take it one step further by using your debit or credit card...
Posted 5/26/2010
Simplify your finances with online banking By Donna Fuscaldo • Bankrate.com Internet banking has been around for years, but its popularity is only now growing. Holdouts have resisted banking online because of security concerns, but there are real benefits to online banking that will...
Posted 5/26/2010
here comes the sun. Extra daylight hours are just another perk to Spring. Try using natural light as much as possible and watch your energy bills drop. Utilize shades, mini-blinds and curtains to minimize your need for artificial light. Still reaching for the ON switch? Invest in CFL...
Posted 5/20/2010
Green groups hope Gulf spill galvanizes movement By TAMARA LUSH (AP) – May 12, 2010 VENICE, La. — In the weeks after an oil rig exploded and killed 11 men in the Gulf of Mexico, worried environmental groups scoured the water for oil plumes, set up animal triage centers and stretched...
Posted 5/20/2010
become a pickup artist. Because you’re sexy, you know that litter isn’t. Why not do something about it? Picking up the little pieces of trash you walk past on your way to your car, your home or wherever else you may roam won’t hurt you, and it will make a difference. Plus,...
Posted 5/10/2010
Shoppers weigh up green premiums By Phil Black, CNN May 5, 2010 9:28 a.m. EDT Can stores profit from green premium? STORY HIGHLIGHTS "Unpackaged" grocery store in London sells green goods and services at a premium price Customers are prepared to pay extra for knowledge that food is...
Posted 5/10/2010
come to the front. Did your washer or dryer recently bite the dust? Looking to spice up your tired laundry room? Consider investing in front loading machines as opposed to those traditional top loading beasts. Front loaders use nearly 40% less water – crazy! They also...
Posted 5/5/2010
Hard on the heels of our recent story about Greenaid's guerrilla gardening project comes word of yet another seed-planting effort: the Life Box, a replacement for the traditional cardboard box that is impregnated with seeds. The Life Box can be made to virtually any dimension and used by...
Posted 5/4/2010
5 Ways to Stop Your Mailbox From Killing the Planet Posted on04 May 2010. Tags: conservation, green living, waste Reducing paper mail is an easy step towards living green. Direct mail, bills, advertisements, and catalogs consume huge amounts of paper. Here are five ways to master your mailbox...
Posted 5/4/2010
Helping to save the environment one diaper at a time Published: 12:12 a.m., Sunday, April 25, 2010 Comments (4) 12 Share Larger | Smaller Printable Version Font OTHER NEWS Wreck 'n' roll Q & A with "Wrecking Crew" director Denny Tedesco Film 'Just Like Joe' co-written by...
Posted 5/4/2010
hair to help. It hasn’t yet been two weeks since the catastrophic explosion that caused an oil spill from a BP offshore drilling rig in the Gulf of Mexico, which is currently releasing 5,000 barrels of oil per day. Efforts to manage the spill with controlled burning, dispersal and plugging...
Posted 4/26/2010
Going truly green might require detective work Updated 4d 4h ago | Comments 69 | Recommend 11 E-mail | Save | Print | Reprints & Permissions | Enlarge By Jake Roth for USA TODAY Dawn Josephson displays an assortment of products that have a lower environmental impact. JOIN THE...
Posted 4/22/2010
hot wheels. Ready to start spending some time outside? Start thinking about some garden projects, like reusing an old bucket, basket, or wheelbarrow and bump your garden decor up a green notch. We were inspired by a friend of ours made this mini-garden on wheels from an old...
Posted 4/22/2010
Sock Vases One of my favorite moments in comedy comes from Jerry Seinfeld’s early career. During one of his classic stand-up routines, Seinfeld tries to solve the mystery of the missing left sock (admit it: you know you have a drawer filled with random socks that have lost...
Posted 4/21/2010
Celebrate 40th Earth Day with 50 green iPhone apps 10:37 AM Yahoo! Buzz ShareE-mailSavePrint Share 12 4Comments Recommend Apple's iPhone would have seemed a super-futuristic gadget in 1970, when fiber optics were a new invention and Americans celebrated the first Earth Day. CAPTIONBy Paul...
Posted 4/20/2010
420. Even though industrial hemp is bred to maximize fiber, seed and oil and marijuana varieties are bred to maximize THC, they both technically come from the same plant: cannabis sativa, which makes industrial hemp an illegal crop in most of the USA. Thomas Jefferson once grew hemp and...
Posted 4/20/2010
Starbucks Tackles Green Goals Except One: Recycling By GreenBiz Staff Published April 19, 2010 Read Comments Email | Print | Tags: Corporate Reporting, Energy & Climate, More... Corporate Reporting, Energy & Climate, Marketing & Communication, Measuring, Reporting, &...
Posted 4/20/2010
Earth Day, at the Mall By Marc Gunther Published April 20, 2010 Read Comments Email | Print | Tags: Consumer Products, Consumer Trends, More... Consumer Products, Consumer Trends, Marketing, PR 10 diggs digg Somehow Americans manage to turn every holiday -- from Christmas to...
Posted 4/19/2010
The Huffington Post APRIL 19, 2010 This is the print preview: Back to normal view » Meredith LopezMothering For Your Amusement and Entertainment Posted: April 7, 2010 11:13 AM Go Green, Stay Sane Ah, April. Here in New York City the sun has finally returned to the sky after what felt...
Posted 4/19/2010
earth day coutdown: share your sole. In honor of Earth Day, the international shoe charity called Soles4Souls has organized an easy way for many folks in the US to recycle their shoes. Throughout April, over 70 shopping malls will offer places to drop shoes off. There are also 4,000...
Posted 4/19/2010
earth day countdown: go go guerrilla. Here at Green is Sexy we’re on the prowl for the best ways to celebrate upcoming Earth Day. If you’re seeking out a fun, adventurous and covert operation… try gardening! Guerrilla gardeners usually strike at night and...
Posted 4/5/2010
Okay, admit it. Straws are totally unnecessary inventions. Sipping is sexy, so who really needs a plastic straw? You might say you need one to drink out of cans since those can get dirty in warehouse storage. And others might say they alleviate tooth decay for soda drinkers. But we say...
Posted 4/5/2010
Nothing feels more like Spring than a nice evening walk with a scoop of ice cream at the end. Should the season have you hitting the local ice cream joint, consider opting for an old-fashioned cone instead of a cup. If a little voice in your head starts nagging you about calories, tell that...
Posted 3/30/2010
Postal Service’s Woes Could be Blessing for Green Banking and Billing http://www.javelinstrategy.com/blog/ March 29, 2010 | Written by: Mark Schwanhausser The U.S. Postal Service has done a fine job of delivery mail despite rain, sleet and snow – but the potent force...
Posted 3/22/2010
For years, people pulled tabs off soda cans because they were told they weren’t recyclable. If that’s still your habit, please refrain from removing them since they can indeed be recycled and they are particularly harmful to animals when ingested (not to mention humans if the tabs are...
Posted 3/22/2010
pack a light punch. Shape up and ship out something new with your next package. Instead of stuffing your goods with Styrofoam peanuts, corrugated paper, tissue, plastic bags of air or bubble wrap (basically filler that fills landfills), opt for something more sustainable –...
Posted 3/18/2010
AT&T Challenges 1 Million Customers To Go Paperless PLANTS TREES TO CELEBRATE THOSE WHO MAKE THE SWITCH AT&T Launches Promotion With The Arbor Day Foundation To Plant Trees On Behalf of First Million Customers Who Switch To Paperless Billing in...
Posted 3/16/2010
Next time someone sends you a card for your birthday or holiday, save it and try out this hot little idea: when their birthday or holiday rolls around again, write a greeting on the same card, date it, and send it. See if you can start a trend with your friend, adding to the...
Posted 3/11/2010
Hey sleepyhead, let’s talk pillows. We hate to break it to you, but conventional pillows typically contain petroleum chemicals that release VOC’s into the air in your home. VOC’s are gross enough in wall paint and furniture sealant, but your...
Posted 3/11/2010
You may have heard that consuming Omega-3 fatty acids is good for your health. It’s true! Research has shown that Omega-3 fatty acids decrease risk of arrhythmias (abnormal heartbeats), which can lead to sudden death. Omega-3 fatty acids also decrease triglyceride levels, slow...
Posted 3/11/2010
Going out to eat with a friend? Just know that the average restaurant’s food portion is 60% larger than what you’d typically serve yourself at home. Why not share the joy of eating out with a friend and split an entree? It’s more than likely that you’ll be...
Posted 3/4/2010
Greeting cards can be embellished with online attachments and crowdsourced designs, or sold through monthly subscriptions—but the fact remains that most are still just ... well, greeting cards. Not so the Postcarden, a pop-out card that transforms into a bite-sized...
Posted 3/4/2010
Some 42,000 people die each week for lack of clean water, and the majority of them are children under 5 years old. Aiming to help alleviate this problem, online wine vendor CellarThief donates 100 days' worth of clean water for every bottle of wine it sells. Launched earlier this year,...
Posted 3/4/2010
carton comforts. If you start off each morning with OJ or end each day with some warm milk, we hope it’s a carton you’re reaching for, instead of a plastic jug. Since cartons are made from paper, they’re easier on the environment than plastic. Plastic beverage...
Posted 3/2/2010
PayItGreen Member is Recognized Corporate America Family Credit Union in Oak Brook has introduced the Pay It Green promotion to help reduce the costs and environmental impact of paper statements and other conventional banking services. The credit union is teaming with PayItGreen...
Posted 3/1/2010
ties that bind. If you’re like us (and we think you are!), you want to recycle absolutely everything. But there’s one bump on the road to zero waste: the tiny twist tie. We’ve looked everywhere to figure out if these little guys can be recycled, but it doesn’t...
Posted 3/1/2010
ties that bind. If you’re like us (and we think you are!), you want to recycle absolutely everything. But there’s one bump on the road to zero waste: the tiny twist tie. We’ve looked everywhere to figure out if these little guys can be recycled, but it doesn’t...
Posted 2/25/2010
Eating ‘green’ is easier than it seems Laura Wiederhoeft/The Daily Wednesday, February 24, 2010 www.oudaily.com Marcin Rutkowski/The Daily Eating “green” has become increasingly popular with the rise of organic and natural foods, but the price of eating responsibly on...
Posted 2/25/2010
dispose of your cigarette butts correctly. Butts – they’re the most common form of litter the world over and we’re not talking booty. According to the American Littoral Society, in 1998 over 176 million pounds of cigarette butts were discarded in the U.S. This...
Posted 2/22/2010
getting steamy. Winter air is dry, which can lead to coughing, parched skin and lips and even bloody noses. You could consider investing in a humidifier, but why spend the cash or energy when you can humidify your home naturally? The next time you take a hot shower, close the tub’s...
Posted 2/22/2010
light recycling. In the past few years, the compact fluorescent bulb has become a hot commodity and an amazingly efficient alternative to out of date incandescents. The CFL consumes 75% less energy and lasts 10-15 times longer than a regular bulb. Unfortunately, the CFL has found itself...
Posted 2/15/2010
Recycle Electronic Equipment According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Americans got rid of 27 million TVs, 205 million computer products and more than 100 million cellphones and PDAs in 2007 and only 16% of that equipment was recycled. E-waste is a...
Posted 2/9/2010
Sustainable fashion: what does green mean? By Vanessa Friedman www.ft.com Published: February 5 2010 15:37 | Last updated: February 5 2010 15:37 Gucci designer Frida Giannini believes “sustainable...
Posted 2/5/2010
tissue issue. Unless you’ve gone back to the hanky, disposable tissues seem to be a real must have. But how do all those innocuous little white squares add up once they leave the waste bin? According to a Green Seal report, paper products make up a whopping 40% of the garbage in U.S...
Posted 2/5/2010
wax poetic. Now that the plastic shopping bag has been eclipsed by the reusable, cloth bag, it seems all plastic is under the microscope. Which brings us to the sandwich bag. Oh so convenient, oh so wasteful. It helps to wash and reuse the baggies you already have but if you want to slip...
Posted 2/2/2010
lower your sodium output. greenissexy.com If you live in a cold climate you’re aware that when it snows, you salt. Now salt is yummy to a point but as over salted food quickly becomes inedible and unusable, so the same applies to our environment. We know winter de-icing salt...
Posted 2/2/2010
from the heart. greenissexy.com American and British consumers purchase approximately 9 billion greeting cards each year, enough to stretch around the world 54 times laid end-to-end. While some greeting card manufacturers try to use recycled paper and non-toxic ink, they are the...
Posted 1/25/2010
Starbucks supports stronger recycling standards Starbucks encourages attendees of the U.S. Conference of Mayors to support stronger community recycling standards. Thu, Jan 21 2010 at 2:39 PM EST www.wnn.com Read more: GREEN BUILDING, GREEN BUSINESS, RECYCLING Photo: rudolf...
Posted 1/25/2010
Keep house clean and chemical-free By MARTA GOUGER Online Managing Editor January 23, 2010 12:00 AM www.pocononews.com What does "clean" smell like? Absolutely nothing. "Clean does not have a scent to it.," said Lyn Garling, who works with Integrated Pest...
Posted 1/19/2010
r2-3d ‘Tis the season to take in a Blockbuster (or two or ten) and everyone seems to be rolling 3D this year. We love 3D flicks as much as anyone else, but we can’t help but think of all those plastic glasses. Think about it: Box Office Mojo reports...
Posted 1/14/2010
for rent. www.greenissexy.com Textbooks are a necessary (and expensive) part of life if you’re pursuing higher education. Hopefully, the lessons you learn in Organic Chemistry will last a lifetime, but will you really want to hang on to that whopper of a textbook for that long...
Posted 1/11/2010
The greening of Walmart By CAROLE BRODSKY Updated: 01/10/2010 12:01:00 AM PST Click photo to enlarge www.ukiahdailyjournal.com Bag program part of larger environmental efforts The change is under way, as shoppers at Ukiah's Walmart have noticed. "We have removed...
Posted 1/7/2010
want font. www.greenissexy.com A Dutch Design firm, SPRANQ, has just released their new “ecofont” which is designed to use less ink when printed – up to 20% less, they claim on their website. The font is designed much like Swiss cheese, therefore not filling in...
Posted 1/4/2010
Survey Finds Over Half of All Americans Committing to Green New Years Resolutions by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 12.30.09 SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY WWW.TREEHUGGER.COM BUZZ UP! Photo via optical illusion A new nationwide survey by Tiller Research LLC has found good...
Posted 1/4/2010
Top 10 New Green Ideas to Watch in 2010 www.triplepundit.com By Kathryn Siranosian | December 30th, 2009 Comments As part of their end-of-year Trend Report, JWT recently published “100 Things to Watch in 2010,” an intriguing list of predictions based on the observations of...
Posted 12/28/2009
gold, frankincense and… cardboard? www.greenissexy.org If you celebrate Christmas, chances are there’s more cardboard under the tree than anything else once the wrapping comes off. Make the most of all those boxes by storing them someplace dry and out of the way (away from the...
Posted 12/28/2009
nice to re-greet you! www.greenissexy.org The holidays are over, but before you toss all of those non-photo Holiday cards into the recycling bin, consider keeping the ones you love the look of for reusing next year. It’s simple: Cut a piece of paper to fit the inside part of the card...
Posted 12/21/2009
A new, green day dawns in war-wracked Rwanda www.desmoinesregister.com PERRY BEEMAN pbeeman@dmreg.com Kigali, Rwanda — Drive even a couple of hours through the self-described "Land of a Thousand Hills" and it's hard to see this nation as an upstart environmental leader. Hungry...
Posted 12/21/2009
Eco-consultant offers tips on saving money and environment By Amanda Peterka December 21, 2009, 11:55AM www.nj.com Babs Leese/Somerset Reporter Eco-consultant Allyson Myrtetus (right) suggests ways for homeowner Tiffany Eby (left) to "green" her home. On the counter in rear...
Posted 12/17/2009
The living Christmas tree A $100 price tag doesn't slow demand BY JOSH BROWN, FINANCIAL POSTDECEMBER 15, 2009 www.canada.com Evergrow Christmas trees - Jeff with trees. Photograph by: Sean Macalister, Canwest News Service Sean Macalister is hoping for a...
Posted 12/15/2009
Make Your Holidays Greener! www.oneworld.net Twelve tips to care for the Earth over the holidays From: Earth Day Network WASHINGTON, D.C. - Earth Day Network's twelve tips to green your holiday help make every day Earth Day - even Christmas, Chanukah and Kwanza! Celebrants can keep the...
Posted 12/9/2009
Rethinking Green: Eat global, not local Kevin Libin, National Post www.nationalpost.com Mathieu Belanger/Reuters In this five-part Rethinking Green series, the National Post looks at unexpected ways to help the environment. In part four: eating global, not local: At the annual...
Posted 12/4/2009
Green shopping for teens Teaching teens to use their purchasing power to save the planet. Fri, Nov 27 2009 at 11:33 AM EST Read more: GREEN KIDS, SHOPPING Photo by Wolves Did you know that kids influence the spending of $300 billion a year, or about 1 in 3 consumer dollars spent? That's...
Posted 11/18/2009
Nike, Stonyfield Farm, Unilever Top Latest Climate Counts Scorecard By GreenBiz Staff Created 2009-11-18 06:00 www.greenbiz.com Manchester, NH — Nike has taken the top score for the annual Climate Counts scorecard for the second year in a row, but there are some companies hot...
Posted 11/9/2009
Save some green with online billing, payments BY JENNIFER DAVIES SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2009 AT 8 A.M. Going green with your finances isn’t just good for the environment — it’s good for your pocketbook, too. According to a recent survey by PayItGreen, a...
Posted 11/9/2009
You look good in green Sustainable fashion doesn't have to be intimidating, nor does it have to adhere to a hippie stereotype BY SUZANNE WEXLER, FREELANCENOVEMBER 7, 2009 www.montrealgazette.com A Lot to Say scarf, made of recycled plastic bottles ($40 at Studio...
Posted 11/5/2009
Hotel Guests Need Help Staying Green on the Road, Study Finds By Sookhan So www.greenbiz.com Created 2009-11-03 03:19 BLACKSBURG, VA — [Editor's Note: This article originally appeared on Green Lodging News, and is reprinted with permission.] A significant gap lies between...
Posted 11/3/2009
A healthy 'green' home By Kim Carlson November 2, 2009 www.startribune.com A Sexy Green Home Finding the ideal location for an apartment, condo or house is the first step in making it home. Next is decorating your home which can be fun, exciting and green too! Having a green home boast...
Posted 11/3/2009
Paying bills electronically saves money, environment By Don Walker Oct. 30, 2009 Milwaukee Sentinel Journal www.jsonline.com More and more people are paying their bills electronically. The same is true for receiving financial statements. But did you know it could help the environment...
Posted 11/3/2009
Healthy & Fit Magazine November, 2009 Greening your "green" Bills, bills, bills. No one likes the word, much less the thought of paying them. What if your dreaded pile of bills could be put to good use, even improve your health and the environment? More and more...
Posted 11/2/2009
ENVIRONMENT: Rethinking Jobs for a Sustainable Economy Matthew Cardinale* - IPS/IFEJ www.ipsnews.net ATLANTA, Georgia, Oct 31 (IPS) - The possibility of environmental catastrophe has led many leaders, scholars and average citizens to reconsider an economy based on...
Posted 10/29/2009
Tips for Greener Travels By Leanne Tobias Created 2009-10-28 21:51 www.greenbiz.com Business has taken me to San Francisco and environs several times in the last few months. (Clearly a spate of good luck!) Here's my field report on greener lodging and eco-travel options for those of...
Posted 10/21/2009
Sowing the Seeds of a Good Food Revolution By Will Allen Created 2009-10-20 22:41 www.greenbiz.com Autumn has arrived in the Northeast. The leaves are turning colors, the days are getting shorter, and the weather has a hint of the chill to come. It's a time of change in many ways. Our...
Posted 10/19/2009
Non-Profit Groups Introduce Affinity Debit Cards Non-Profit Groups Introduce Affinity Debit Cards Breast Cancer Fund, Greenpeace and Surfrider Foundation Offer New Open Loop Debit Cards Powered by Tempo emediaworld.com SAN MATEO, CA--(eMediaWorld - October 19, 2009) - The Breast Cancer...
Posted 10/19/2009
Most Canadians now see environmental irresponsibility as social faux pas BY MISTY HARRIS, CANWEST NEWS SERVICEOCTOBER 16, 2009 www.vancouversun.com Attitudes about the environment have shifted so profoundly that, in as few as five years, eco-delinquency...
Posted 10/19/2009
Target, CVS put plastic bags in the bull's-eye, pay for reusables By Bruce Horovitz, USA TODAY www.usatoday.com Just in time for the holidays, reusable shopping bags are about to go decidedly mainstream. Target (TGT), the fifth-largest U.S. retailer...
Posted 7/5/2009
You probably don't think of "saving green" when paying the bills, but a study conducted by the PayItGreen Alliance, a coalition of financial service companies, shows that switching from paper to electronic bills, statements and payments could help protect the environment. According to the...
