Stuff We Found Today - 08.31.09

Eco-friendly jewelry

Family, Kids & Health Stuff

• 16 Hand Soaps That Do Not Use Triclosan - (TheDailyGreen) "How to find soaps and other personal care products that don't use triclosan, a controversial antibacterial agent."

Food Stuff

• Global Warming = Heat Waves, Crop Damage ... and Toxic Corn Syrup? - (TheDailyGreen) "Three studies, three similar conclusions: Increasing heat from global warming will give us more illness, less food -- and more toxic food."

Home Stuff

• Sustainable Style: 12 Contemporary Green House & Home Designs - (WebEcoist) If you love green and modern, check out these drool worthy homes. Ahhh, someday...
• Cash For Clunker Appliances Coming This Fall. - (The Good Human) "Beginning this fall, a $300 rebate program under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 will encourage consumers to buy new ENERGY STAR-rated home appliances."
• How To Responsibly Dispose Of An Old Vacuum Cleaner. - (The Good Human)
• Clorox Deserves A Spanking! - (Recycle Your Day) "Their new slogan is 'useful in many ways' and suggests using bleach to clean out baby bottles!!" Are they kidding us???

Beauty & Fashion Stuff

• 25 Gorgeously Green And Eco-Friendly Jewelry Fashions - (WebEcoist) Some of these are a bit unusual, but all are green and definite conversation starters.
• TOMS Shoes New Customers Get $5 off - (EcoAvenue) See post for promo code.

Tech & Science Stuff

• The Wheel Turns: 15 dazzling New Directions for Bicycle Design - (WebEcoist) Super cool designs for those of you who prefer to pedal your way to work...or encourage the rest of us too!
• Radical Rent-a-Bikes Generate Eco-Friendly Energy - (WebEcoist) "...imagine if you could turn the energy you produce while bicycling into credits you can use anywhere else in the public transit system." Great idea!
• China Enters the U.S. Electric Car Race - (TheDailyGreen) "BYD's e6 crossover electric vehicle is coming to American showrooms in 2010, thanks in part to Warren Buffett."

Work & Business Stuff

• Telecommuting Green Jobs - August 28, 2009 - (Green Gigs)

School, College & Student Stuff

• 12 of the Greenest College Cafeterias - (TheDailyGreen) "Big-name schools are overhauling their food services by buying local and organic ingredients, catering to vegetarians, composting waste, saving energy and much more."

Nature & Environment Stuff

• Nature's Wild Nurses: 5 Caring Animal Species - (WebEcoist) Nature is so cool!
• California Fires Visible from Space - (TheDailyGreen) "California fire maps, satellite photos and a drought map show the underlying causes and extent of destruction."
• Wildlife Cancer: A New Epidemic - (TheDailyGreen) "A new warning sign, from the likes of beluga whales and Tasmanian devils, that industrial pollution threatens wildlife -- and humans."

Arts, Entertainment & Travel Stuff

• A Chemical Reaction - A documentary about lawn pesticides and it's health affects on people...see one town's fight (movie trailer in post).
• Trailer For The Film 'Burning The Future: Coal in America' - (The Good Human) "The film takes a hard look at the environmental and human effects of strip mining coal in the US." (Movie trailer in post)

Political, Social & Economy Stuff

• Fossil Fuel Industry Outspending Clean Energy By Nearly 7 to 1 - (TheDailyGreen) "As the Senate nears a debate over energy policy and a carbon cap-and-trade regulation to combat climate change, the lobbying heats up."
• Report: EPA Should Limit Fertilizer Runoff to Prevent Dead Zones - (The DailyGreen) "EPA Inspector General says the federal government is violating the Clean Water Act by failing to regulate streams in far-flung states in order to protect coastal waters."
• 7 Myths About Global Warming and Carbon Cap-and-Trade Regulation - (TheDailyGreen) "Will the U.S. lose jobs? Will energy bills skyrocket? Can the South really produce enough renewable energy to meet proposed federal mandates?"

Other Random Cool Stuff

• Save Money By Going Green - (Sierra Club: The Green Life) Check out these tips.
• All The Coal Kids Are Doing It - (Sierra Club: The Green Life) A coal industry association makes coloring books for kids featuring "superheroes with lumps of coal for heads"...WHAT??!!!
• What Are Methylparabens And Why You Should Avoid Them - (The Good Human)

Quote of the Week - 08.30.09

Keep true, decide on what you think is right and stick to it.."

~T. S. Eliot

"Keep true, decide to buy Fair Trade chocolate and stick to it."

~Coco-Zen

VIDEO: 20 Hearing-Impaired Dancers Create an Amazing Visual Spectacle

We know...this isn't really a "green" post. But seriously, this is AMAZING and we had to share. Special thanks to the blogger over at Seeing Good for posting this. From the blog...

The intricately choreographed Thousand-Hand Guan Yin dance conveys a beautiful message of compassion:

“As long as you are kind and there is love in your heart
A thousand hands will naturally come to your aid.
As long as you are kind and there is love in your heart
You will reach out with a thousand hands to help others.”

While I love the message behind this mesmerizing dance, what’s more extraordinary is that all 20 dancers are hearing impaired. With the help of trainers posted along the edge of the stage, the China Disabled People’s Performing Art Troupe created a piece that is both moving and entrancing.

So many levels of beautiful.

Happy Friday Everyone!!

Thousand-Hand Guan Yin

Stuff We Found Today - 08.27.09

Pres. Obama and late Sen. Ted Kennedy

Food Stuff

• A Grocery Star Is Born - (Ideal Bite) Produce PLU codes on there labels will tell if the item was conventionally grown, organic or genetically modified. Read post to find out more.
• Chocolate lovers to enjoy no-guilt snack - (Tweed Daily News) Cadbury's Dairy Milk to go Fair Trade in Australia (and New Zealand).
• Dark, rich and good for farmers - (Toronto Star) Cadbury gores Fair Trade in Canada, too. Hey, how about us here in the US??!!!

Home Stuff

• Breaking Down Building Energy Use - (Jetson Green) Interesting chart/graph on where are energy use at home and work goes to.

Tech & Science Stuff

• Alternative Energy Companies Want To Convert Shuttered Ford Plant - (The Huffington Post) Now that's what we're talking about!
• Solar Electric Vehicle Company Provides Free Green Rides - (EarthFirst) "Colleges, parks, museums and other institutions now have a green way to shuttle people around – for free! – thanks to the Solar Electric Vehicle Company."

Work & Business Stuff

• Virtual Green Jobs - August 25, 2009 - (Green Gigs)

School, College & Student Stuff

• GREEN U: Campus life gets a dose of eco-living - (Trend Central)

Nature & Environment Stuff

• Global Warming Could Cause Tilt in Earth's Axis - (EarthFirst) Okay...that sounds kind of scary...
• Rare Photographs of Now Extinct Beasts - (Environmental Graffiti)
• Lighthouses Vs Waves - (Environmental Graffiti) Cool pics showing the awesome force of nature.

Arts, Entertainment & Travel Stuff

• Blue Man Group Can You Hear Stop global warming! - (CTN Green News) Cool Blue Man Group video!
• International Film Festival Gives You One Minute To Save The World - (Ecorazzi) "The 1 Minute to Save the World competition is a short film challenge that’s asking you to get creative about ways to combat climate change."
• 1000 Melting Men in Berlin - (GreenMuze) "1000 tiny icemen sculptures will appear at the Gendarmenmarkt in Berlin, Germany at noon on September 2, 2009...and will help launch a campaign by WWF Germany to raise awareness about the effects of climate change in the Arctic."
• Johnny Cash's Trash Song - (GreenMuze) "In a humorous video designed to teach kids about reducing littering, Johnny Cash’s music is combined with Sesame Street characters to sing about waste reduction."
• Hollywood's next green generation - (Grist)

Website Stuff

• Earth Explore Adventures - Cool green student travel site for environmental "learning adventures".

International Stuff

• Hoarding The Rare Earth Wealth: China May LImit Export Of Rare Elements - (Gas 2.0)
• China Crashing Forward into Renewable Future - (EcoGeek) "China has just broken ground on a 500 MW wind power project and they plan to be done in 2010, and another 1000 MW is planned as a second stage of the project."
• Japan's Dead Bug Buddha - (GreenMuze) A little creepy, but interesting nonetheless. Check out the video in post (bizarre music/sound effects in the background).

Political, Social & Economy Stuff

• Great pic of Pres. Obama and late Sen. Ted Kennedy - (Obama Pics Daily) Passing of a political icon...rest in peace.
• First Family Vacay Pics at Martha's Vineyard - (Obama Pics Daily) Some great family pics.
• Ted Kennedy's Environmental Legacy - (Red, Green and Blue)

Other Random Cool Stuff

• Windshields to wine glasses: What happens to Clunkers - (CNNMoney.com) "The metal, tires, and even the oil filters from the cars scrapped in the Cash for Clunkers program will be recycled into everything from handbags and high-rises."
• Going Postal with the Largest Green Roof in New York City - (Jetson Green) "The 2.5-acre green roof sits on the Morgan Mail Processing Facility on West 28th Street between 9th and 10th Avenues."
• Is it time to get rid of hone books? - (Grist) YES!!

VIDEO: A song for all the moms out there...

For all the hard-working moms out there, here's a little something to get you through the midweek blues.

VIDEO: Captain Charles Moore & the Great Pacific Garbage Patch

"Capt. Charles Moore of the Algalita Marine Research Foundation first discovered the Great Pacific Garbage Patch -- an endless floating waste of plastic trash. Now he's drawing attention to the growing, choking problem of plastic debris in our seas."

Stuff We Found Today - 08.24.09

Amazing Handmade Eco-Friendly Homes

Food Stuff

• Fair Trade Vodka Enters Market - (Fair Trade Resource Network)

Home Stuff

• 7 Amazing Handmade Eco-Friendly Homes - (EarthFirst) These may look like fantastical renderings of a home (something a hobbit might live in), but they're pretty cool nonetheless.
• Check Out These Natural Dog Foods - (EcoFriendlyDaily.com)
• Is Your Fridge Green Enough? - (ecollo) "...average North American home 15 % of its energy will go towards powering the refrigerator." Here are some easy tip to help your fridge run efficiently.
• Carbon Negative Hemp Walls are 7x Stronger than Concrete - (Inhabitat)

Beauty & Fashion Stuff

• Back-to-School Week: Sneakers - (Ideal Bite) Check out these eco kids shoes recommended by Ideal Bite.

Tech & Science Stuff

• Smartphone Apps That Help You Live Greener - (Ideal Bite) Great list of apps for food, shopping, transportation and more.
• Peugot Plans Diesel Hybrid for Double Efficiency - (EcoGeek) "...likely be the first to combine clean diesel engines with a hybrid drive train."
• Solar-Powered Blimp: New York to Paris - (ecomatters) Hmmmm...what do you think?
• 7 Car Mods That Get 100 MPG Or More - (Gas 2.0) Ok...so, they might not be so practical in real life, but they're inspiring.

Work & Business Stuff

• Great Green Job of the Week: Forest Initiative Leader, World Resources Institute - (EarthFirst) "The World Resources Institute (WRI) is an environmental think tank that goes beyond research to create practical ways to protect the earth and improve people’s lives."
• A Few More Greener Jobs - (Jetson Green)
• Home-Based Green Job Listings - Aug. 24, 2009 - (Green Gigs)

School, College & Student Stuff

• Green College Spotlight: University of Minnesota - (EarthFirst)
• Idea Bite's Top 10 Green Things to Pack for College - (EarthFirst) "...great list of recycled, organic and otherwise environmentally friendly gear..."

Nature & Environment Stuff

• Bad News about Plastic: Degrading Poisons into Ocean Water - (Culture Change)
• The North Pacific Gyre: 100 Million Tons of Garbage and Growing - (Environmental Graffiti) Video in post

Arts, Entertainment & Travel Stuff

• Black Gold shines a spotlight on the plight of Ethiopian coffee farmers - (ecollo) Documentary on plight of coffee farmers and role of Fair Trade - movie trailer in post.
• Ronald McDonald Gets Interviewed By Jiminy Glick On FunnyorDie.com - (Ecorazzi) Some seriously sarcastic humor (not for everyone)... "Proving that even fast food can be funny, famed celebrity interviewer Jiminy Glick (aka Martin Short) gets 'Ronald McDonald' (aka Andy Dick) to open up about the cruelty involved in chicken manufacturing on FunnyOrDie.com." (video in post)
• Julia Stiles Launches Mock Green Fashion Collection - (Ecorazzi) A little comedy for a good cause. (video in post)
• 'Blue Planet' Eco-Film Fest To Bow In Santa Monica - (Ecorazzi) "The first Blue Planet Film Fest will be held from Sept. 4-7 in Santa Monica, CA. The films slated will deal with environmental and animal welfare themes."
• Graffiti Is Watching You... - (Environmental Graffiti) Whether you appreciate graffiti art or not, you'll find this impressive. Watch the video in this post and you'll see that the artist does this with just spray paint!

Website Stuff

• Go green with Guffly - (ecollo) "...go-to shopping website Guffly.com highlights the latest and greatest in cool, eco-friendly products." (video in post)
• GoodSharing.com - Came across this on Twitter... Cool website that lets you share books, dvds, cds, toys, tool, or whatever you've got with friends...or join other circles to share.

International Stuff

• EU: Nearly 4,000 Airlines Must Reduce Emissions or Face Ban - (Environmental Leader) "...nearly 4,000 companies including commercial airlines, private jet operators and air forces around the globe that must reduce their emissions or face a European airport ban..."
• Jet Li And Tony Blair Kick Off Solar Initiative In China - (Ecorazzi)

Political, Social & Economy Stuff

• The Crucial Missing Element in Media Coverage of the US Climate Change Debate: the Ethical Duty to Reduce GHG Emissions - (ClimateEthics.org) Something to really think about here...
• EPA Fails To Inform Public About Weed-Killer In Drinking Water (VIDEO) - (The Huffington Post) The European Union has even banned this use of this!
• Obama wants to set up White House farmers market - (Grist) Sweet!
• Four Ways the U.S. and China Can Start Cooperating Now to Reduce Emissions and Tackle Climate Change Together - (Global Warming Is Real)
• Badass mayor builds bridges between working class and enviros - (Grist)

Other Random Cool Stuff

• The 8 Weirdest Ways to Go Green - (EcoSalon) Haha!

From Joyce's Desk: Some Monday morning humor to kick off the week...

A friend of mine emailed this to me, and it had me laughing so hard that I thought I just had to share.

Happy Monday!
Joyce

PS - Thanks Mary! Sorry, we don't know who the original author is.

Thoughts From a Male Perspective:

• I wish Google Maps had an “Avoid Ghetto” routing option.
  
• More often than not, when someone is telling me a story all I can think about is that I can’t wait for them to finish so that I can tell my own story that’s not only better, but also more directly involves me.
  
• Nothing sucks more than that moment during an argument when you realize you’re wrong.
  
• I don’t understand the purpose of the line, “I don’t need to drink to have fun.” Great, no one does. But why start a fire with flint and sticks when they’ve invented the lighter?
  
• I totally take back all those times I didn’t want to nap when I was younger.
  
• The letters T and G are very close to each other on a keyboard. This recently became all too apparent to me and consequently I will never be ending a work email with the phrase “Regards” again.
  
• Do you remember when you were a kid, playing Nintendo and it wouldn’t work? You take the cartridge out, blow in it and that would magically fix the problem. Every kid in America did that, but how did we all know how to fix the problem? There was no internet or message boards or FAQ’s. We just figured it out. Today’s kids are soft.
  
• There is a great need for sarcasm font. (My personal favorite! -J)
  
• Sometimes, I’ll watch a movie that I watched when I was younger and suddenly realize I had no idea what the f*** was going on when I first saw it.
  
• I think everyone has a movie that they love so much; it actually becomes stressful to watch it with other people. I’ll end up wasting 90 minutes shiftily glancing around to confirm that everyone’s laughing at the right parts, then making sure I laugh just a little bit harder (and a millisecond earlier) to prove that I’m still the only one who really, really gets it. (ahem Zoolander)
  
• How the hell are you supposed to fold a fitted sheet?
  
• I would rather try to carry 10 plastic grocery bags in each hand than take 2 trips to bring my groceries in.
  
• I think part of a best friend’s job should be to immediately clear your computer history if you die.
  
• The only time I look forward to a red light is when I’m trying to finish a text.
  
• A recent study has shown that playing beer pong contributes to the spread of mono and the flu. Yeah, if you suck at it.
  
• Was learning cursive really necessary?
  
• Lol has gone from meaning, “laugh out loud” to “I have nothing else to say”.
  
• I have a hard time deciphering the fine line between boredom and hunger.
  
• Answering the same letter three times or more in a row on a Scantron test is absolutely petrifying.
  
• My brother’s Municipal League baseball team is named the Stepdads. Seeing as none of the guys on the team are actual stepdads, I inquired about the name. He explained, “Cuz we beat you, and you hate us.” Classy, bro.
  
• Whenever someone says “I’m not book smart, but I’m street smart”, all I hear is “I’m not real smart, but I’m imaginary smart”.
  
• How many times is it appropriate to say “What?” before you just nod and smile because you still didn’t hear what they said?
  
• I love the sense of camaraderie when an entire line of cars teams up to prevent a dick from cutting in at the front. Stay strong, brothers!
  
• While driving yesterday I saw a banana peel in the road and instinctively swerved to avoid it…thanks Mario Kart.
  
• MapQuest really needs to start their directions on #5. Pretty sure I know how to get out of my neighborhood.
  
• Obituaries would be a lot more interesting if they told you how the person died.
  
• I find it hard to believe there are actually people who get in the shower first and THEN turn on the water.
  
• Shirts get dirty. Underwear gets dirty. Pants? Pants never get dirty, and you can wear them forever.
  
• I can’t remember the last time I wasn’t at least kind of tired.
  
• Bad decisions make good stories
  
• Whenever I’m Facebook stalking someone and I find out that their profile is public I feel like a kid on Christmas morning who just got the Red Ryder BB gun that I always wanted. 546 pictures? Don’t mind if I do!
  
• Is it just me or do high school girls get sluttier & sluttier every year?
  
• If Carmen San Diego and Waldo ever got together, their offspring would probably just be completely invisible.
  
• Why is it that during an ice-breaker, when the whole room has to go around and say their name and where they are from, I get so incredibly nervous? Like I know my name, I know where I’m from; this shouldn’t be a problem….
  
• You never know when it will strike, but there comes a moment at work when you’ve made up your mind that you just aren’t doing anything productive for the rest of the day.
  
• Can we all just agree to ignore whatever comes after DVDs? I don’t want to have to restart my collection.
  
• There’s no worse feeling than that millisecond you’re sure you are going to die after leaning your chair back a little too far.
  
• I’m always slightly terrified when I exit out of Word and it asks me if I want to save any changes to my ten page research paper that I swear I did not make any changes to.
  
• “Do not machine wash or tumble dry” means I will never wash this ever.
  
• I hate being the one with the remote in a room full of people watching TV. There’s so much pressure. ‘I love this show, but will they judge me if I keep it on? I bet everyone is wishing we weren’t watching this. It’s only a matter of time before they all get up and leave the room. Will we still be friends after this?’
  
• While watching the Olympics, I find myself cheering equally for China and USA. No, I am not of Chinese descent, but I am fairly certain that when Chinese athletes don’t win, they are executed.
  
• I hate when I just miss a call by the last ring (Hello? Hello? Darnit!), but when I immediately call back, it rings nine times and goes to voicemail. What’d you do after I didn’t answer? Drop the phone and run away?
  
• I hate leaving my house confident and looking good and then not seeing anyone of importance the entire day. What a waste.
  
• When I meet a new girl, I’m terrified of mentioning something she hasn’t already told me but that I have learned from some light internet stalking.
  
• I like all of the music in my iTunes, except when it’s on shuffle, then I like about one in every fifteen songs in my iTunes.
  
• Why is a school zone 20 mph? That seems like the optimal cruising speed for pedophiles…
  
• As a driver I hate pedestrians, and as a pedestrian I hate drivers, but no matter what the mode of transportation, I always hate cyclists.
  
• Sometimes I’ll look down at my watch 3 consecutive times and still not know what time it is.
  
• It should probably be called Unplanned Parenthood.
  
• I keep some people’s phone numbers in my phone just so I know not to answer when they call.
  
• I think that if, years down the road when I’m trying to have a kid, I find out that I’m sterile, most of my disappointment will stem from the fact that I was not aware of my condition in college.
  
• Even if I knew your social security number, I wouldn’t know what do to with it.
  
• Even under ideal conditions people have trouble locating their car keys in a pocket, finding their cell phone, and Pinning the Tail on the Donkey - but I’d bet my a$$ everyone can find and push the Snooze button from 3 feet away, in about 1.7 seconds, eyes closed, first time every time…
  
• My 4-year old son asked me in the car the other day “Dad what would happen if you ran over a ninja?” How the hell do I respond to that?
  
• It really pisses me off when I want to read a story on CNN.com and the link takes me to a video instead of text.
  
• I wonder if cops ever get pissed off at the fact that everyone they drive behind obeys the speed limit.
  
• I think the freezer deserves a light as well.
  
• I disagree with Kay Jewelers. I would bet on any given Friday or Saturday night more kisses begin with Miller Lites than Kay.
  

Quote of the Week - 08.23.09

The purpose of our lives is to be happy."

~The Dalai Lama

"The purpose of Coco-Zen is to bring you good chocolate."

~Coco-Zen

VIDEO: Captain Planet - The Guinea Pigs

Episode recap:
In The Guinea Pigs, the Planeteers find themselves in one of the most dangerous situations they have ever been in while trying to save animals from Dr. Blight's cruel testing. With the support of a famous cosmetics line owner, a scientist and Captain Planet, can the Planeteers save the day?

Stuff We Found Today - 08.20.09

45 Colorful Uninhabited Places to See Before You Die

Family, Kids & Health Stuff

• Back to School 2009: A Guide to Green Goods - (TheDailyGreen) "From shoes and clothes to PVC-free school supplies and lunch boxes, find sources for nontoxic and sustainable products here."
• BPA, PVC and Phthalate Free Toothbrush Guide - (The Soft Landing Blog)
• Chemicals and the World's Expanding Waistline - (Environmental Working Group) "...a growing stack of laboratory research suggests that some of the chemicals used in everyday items predispose an individual to the battle of the bulge, despite normal diet and exercise."

Food Stuff

• Free fair trade candy for Halloween - (Mother Nature Network) "A program called Reverse Trick-or-Treating helps spread the word about fair trade chocolate." Order yours early before they're gone!
• Insects Believed to be a Sustainable Source of Protein Nourishment - (Green Energy News) Now, make sure you eat all your bugs before dessert! -haha!
• Every fish in America is contaminated with mercury - (Mother Nature Network) "You read that right. Mercury has been found in every fish tested from almost 300 streams over a seven year period. Where is it coming from? Coal." Let's say that again - COAL!!

Home Stuff

• The best (and safest) microwaveable dishes for kids' lunches come from kinderville - (Z Recommends) These are awesome!
• 10% off all natural grooming products from Only Natural Pet Store - use code GROOMING - (EcoAveneueLTD via Twitter)
• How to Boost Your Home's Value Before a Sale by Going Green - (TheDailyGreen) "Tips for home sellers and anyone interested in building a nest egg."
• Fur-Zoff - (ShowTheLove) "If you have a furry pet, then I would think you would be glad to know about this eco-friendly fur removal tool, Fur-Zoff."

Beauty & Fashion Stuff

• 20% off purchase @ Nimli - use code Summer09 + Free Ship over $100. - (EcoAveneueLTD via Twitter)
• New Balance Eco 70 shoes - (Sustainable is Good) "New Balance just recently launched the first shoe in its new eco-preferred collection. This new collection will feature shoes that utilize environmentally preferred materials, constructions and manufacturing processes."

Tech & Science Stuff

• Teen Scientist Finds Secret to Composting Plastic - (WebEcoist)

Work & Business Stuff

• 10 Hot Solar Jobs - (TheDailyGreen) "Discover emerging careers in solar energy. Also see hot wind jobs."
• Telecommuting Green Job Listings - 8/20/09 - (Green Gigs)
• Freelance Green Jobs - August 19, 2009 - (Green Gigs)
• Home-based Green Job Leads - August 18, 2009 - (Green Gigs)
  
  
  

School, College & Student Stuff

• Cool Schools 2009: Sierra Magazine Announces This Year's Greenest Schools - (Sierra Club: The Green Life) "...10 colleges and universities that are doing the most to make the world a cooler, greener place."

Nature & Environment Stuff

• 45 Colorful Uninhabited Places to See Before You Die - (WebEcoist) Seriously beautiful!
• 6 Deceptive Insects That Aren't What They Appear - (WebEcoist) Some pretty cool bugs...
• Man-Made Eco Disaster in the Making - (EarthFirst)

Arts, Entertainment & Travel Stuff

• Artist transforms McDonalds bags into stunning paper trees - (Mother Nature Network) This is kinda cool.
• Colbert Report presents primer on climate change - (No Impact Man) Great clip...check it out.
• James Cameron's Avatar Features Earth-Like Environmental Conflicts - (Ecorazzi)

International Stuff

• China's Air Pollution Causes Reduction in Rainfall - (EarthFirst) "Air pollution in the eastern part of the country has reduced the amount of light rainfall over the past half-century, and has also decreased the number of days of light rain by 23%."

Political, Social & Economy Stuff

• Book Review: "Cheap - The Hight Cost of Discount Culture" - (NYTimes.com) Maybe it's time we pay the TRUE cost for things...bet we'd change our consumption habits!
• Oil Lobby's 'Energy Citizens' Astroturf Campaign Exposed - (The Huffington Post) "An internal memo obtained recently by Greenpeace USA details polluting interests’ plans to launch a nationwide astroturf campaign attacking climate legislation at public events scheduled throughout the final weeks of recess before the Senate returns to debate the issue in September."
• Throwing Out the Throwaway Economy - (Sustainablog) Some serious food for thought...
• Obama's Grandmother Gets A Solar Upgrade, New Roof - (Ecorazzi)

Other Random Cool Stuff

• William Shatner and Greenpeace leave HP a reminder - (Greenpeace) "Sometimes companies need to be reminded of their environmental commitments--like HP's 2007 promise to stop putting toxic chemicals in their computer products." Listen to Shatner's recorded message in post.
• Better Than Bumper Stickers: 9 Green Vanity Plates Spreading the Environmental Message (TheDailyGreen) Thought these were kinda cool...
• Greenwash Of The Week: Exxon/Mobil Named "Green Company Of The Year". - (The Good Human) Seriously??!!!! Are they kidding?
• Free bikini car wash for hybrid drivers - (Mother Nature Network) "A new eco-site called Angry Green Girl will launch by offering free eco-car washes by green bikini-clad models." Gotta love a little tongue in cheek!

VIDEO: Vivienne Westwood talks about climate change & what we can do

Check out what this fashion pioneer has to say...she even tells us to buy less fashion but to buy "better".

Vivienne Westwood Interview, Pt. 1




Vivienne Westwood Interview, Pt. 2

VIDEO: Captain Planet - Going Bats, Man

Episode recap:
In Going Bats, Man, the Planeteers need to solve the mystery behind supposed bat-on-human attacks in order to save the animals. They team up with B.J., a bat expert, but will they still need Captain Planet to save the day?

Stuff We Found Today - 08.17.09

The First Family visits Yellowstone National Park

Family, Kids & Health Stuff

• Back-to-School Week: Desk Supplies - (Ideal Bite) "These finds have everything conventional kids' pens, notebooks, etc., have going for them, but won't tax natural resources like trees and waterways in an instant."
  
• AstroTurf Agrees to Eliminate Lead Threats to Children - (Center for Environmental Health) "The agreement is the first following from a CEH investigation of high levels of lead found in turf from dozens of artificial turf makers."
• Fewer Toxins in Toyland - (Culture Change) Woo hoo!
  

Food Stuff

• Chocolate again linked to better heart health - (Confectionary News) Woohoo...even more reason to love chocolate!
  
• Hilarious High Fructose Corn Syrup Ad Parody - (EarthFirst) After the videos, don't forget to read the post about why high fructose corn syrup IS bad for you and your kids.
  
• Bananas!* Exposes Dole’s Poisonous Practices - (EcoWorldly) Movie trailer in post.
  
• Cut plastic out with homemade yogurt - (Mother Nature Network) "Plastic pollutes and is made using oil. Here's a quick and easy way to take a small bite out of your plastic footprint." Apparently making your own yogurt is pretty easy...and GOOD!
  

Home Stuff

• Ecopaper.com: Tree-Free Paper & Envelopes - Just found this...banana, sugar, coffee and other tree-free papers and envelopes. Perfect for work and home!
  
• Showering With Plants - (GreenMuze) How'd you like to have this for a shower?!
  
• Vinyl-Free, Reusable Fabric Wall Stickers by Mae - (Inhabitat) These are perfect for kids rooms!
  
• Bargain Buy: SO chic Stainless Steel drinkware at REI - (GWG) Loving these!
  
• 7 Cool Green Homes that Float - (TheDailyGreen) Just for fun...
  

Beauty & Fashion Stuff

• Modeling Agents Scouting for the Next Green Model: Project Green Search - (Sustainablog) Calling all aspiring eco-models...
  
• Save the World with Your Underwear: Yves Behar Launches PACT - (Inhabitat) Haha...love this!
  

Tech & Science Stuff

• 6 Alternative-Fuel Vehicles Built By Teenagers - (Gas 2.0) ...by teenagers!! Awesome!
  
• Dell to cut 34,000 tons of CO2 in 2009 - (Mother Nature Network) "Dell announces big energy savings ($5.8 million worth) in 2009 and a switch to 25% renewables."
  

Work & Business Stuff

• Great Green Job of the Week: Licensee Director, Earth Advantage Institute - (EarthFirst) "Promoting the wise use of energy and natural resources in a carbon constrained world, Earth Advantage Institute (EAI) will be the nation’s leading organization in providing green building and climate solutions for clients in the building trades."
• Check Out These Greener Jobs - (Jetson Green)
  
• Green Jobs at Home - August 14, 2009 - (Green Gigs)
  

School, College & Student Stuff

• Green College Spotlight: Clark University - (EarthFirst)
  

Nature & Environment Stuff

• Documentary: “A World Without Water” - (Blue Living Ideas) "...a fascinating story about the inevitable truth that world is running out of its most precious resource." (video in post)
  
• 15 Beautiful and Endangered Places Around the Globe - (EcoSalon) "Whether the effects of global warming, deforestation, urbanization or heavy tourism are to blame, the fact of the matter is that these precious gems are rapidly deteriorating right before our eyes."
  
• 4 Million Pounds of Space Junk Polluting Earth’s Orbit - (EcoWorldly) That can't be good...
  

Arts, Entertainment & Travel Stuff

• The Green Quote: Robert Redford Doesn’t Believe In Clean Coal - (Ecorazzi) Neither do we!
• Get The Dirt On Dirt In “Dirt! The Movie” - (Ecorazzi) "Narrated by Jamie Lee Curtis, the film features a who’s who of agricultural, economic and environmental activists discussing the impact that our mistreatment of dirt and topsoil is having on the planet and what we can do to stem the tide." (trailer in post)

Website Stuff

• ZoomPool: A Social Network for Carbon-Conscious Carpoolers - (Fast Company) "The just-launched service aims to link like-minded commuters--thus making ride-sharing easier, and cutting down on the creep factor."
  

International Stuff

• Europe Leads the Way in Greener Airlines - (Environmental Leader)
  
• First Look: Heathrow's $1.6 Billion Terminal 2 Will Be Brighter, Greener, Less Ugly - (Fast Company)
  
• China’s Iconic Panda May Face Extinction in Two to Three Generations - (EcoWorldly) This would truly be sad.
  

Political, Social & Economy Stuff

• The First Family visits Yellowstone National Park - (Obama Pics Daily) Oh, just some really nice family pics...very endearing.
• Clinton's Other Congo Mission: Conflict Diamonds and Other Mined Minerals - (TheDailyGreen) "Drawing a line between your latest laptop and the rape of women in war-torn Central Africa."
  

Other Random Cool Stuff

• Mother Jones Unveils the Greenwashed Truth about Fiji Water - (EarthFirst)
  
• A Review of Sneaky Green Uses for Everyday Things by Cy Tymony - (Eco Child's Play) "...a fun and fabulous book for people that love to create their own gadgets." Looks like a perfect book for creative/crafty kids to check out...and us parents could probably learn a few things too!
  

VIDEO: Prince Charles talks about the future of the world

On the Richard Dimbleby Lecture (BBC) Prince Charles discusses "the challenges facing the world and its overconsumption of the planets resources."

Prince Charles interviewed by David Dimbleby

Quote of the Week - 08.16.09

Good fortune is what happens when opportunity meets with planning."

~Thomas Edison

"Good chocolate is what happens when cocoa meets with Fair Trade."

~Coco-Zen

Stuff We Found Today - 08.13.09

President Obama presents the Medal of Freedom to Dr. Joseph Medicine Crow - High Bird for his valiant service in World War II

Family, Kids & Health Stuff

• Children's Products from Discount Stores Found with High Lead Levels - (Center for Environmental Health) "The products include several toys for small children, a Sesame Street Elmo lunch bag, a Disney Hannah Montana charm jewelry set and several other Disney products."
• NWF’s Children’s Magazine: Wild Animal Baby - (Eco Child's Play) Great way to get kiddies interested in nature and animal...wonder if it's printed on recycled paper??

Home Stuff

• Green Cat Litter Options - (AboutMyPlanet.com)
• How to Protect Your Family’s Dwindling Clean and Available Water Supply - (Focus Organic) "...as of mid-June, more than a third of the U.S. was experiencing drought conditions..."
• IS IT GREEN?: Clorox Green Works - (Inhabitat) Hmmm, something to ponder over...

Beauty & Fashion Stuff

• Eco-Mascara: Mascarade Ball - (Ideal Bite) "...eco-mascaras, which forgo typical nongreen ingredients like parabens."
• Nail polish: We've come a long way (in 9 years), baby. - (Enviroblog)

Tech & Science Stuff

• Chevy Volt: Watch MNN blogger on FOX discussing breakthrough new electric car - (Mother Nature Network) "Will the new Chevy Volt, which gets 230 miles-per-gallon, be a game changer for General Motors the way the iPod was for Apple?"
  
• Will the Volt Really Get 230 MPG, or is it BS? - (EarthFirst)
• GM Turns its Back on Safe Mercury Disposal - (EarthFirst)
• Looking Ahead: LG’s Wristwatch Cell Phone - (Gadget Addiction)

Work & Business Stuff

• Virtual Green Job Listings - Aug. 12, 2009 - (Green Gigs)
• Green Jobs from Home - August 11, 2009 - (Green gigs)

School, College & Student Stuff

• Project Green Dorm: Too Cool For School - (ecofabulous) "The Project Green Dorm initiative is a multi-faceted effort to encourage teens around the country to make eco informed purchases as they head off to higher learning."

Nature & Environment Stuff

• The Incredible Terraced Chalk Ponds of Pamukkale - (Environmental Graffiti) An amazing natural wonder...
• Precariously Loaded Ants - (Environmental Graffiti) some cool ant pics...
• Ginormous Rodent-Eating Plant Discovered in Philippines - (EcoWordly) A mammal eating plant??... Whoa!!

Arts, Entertainment & Travel Stuff

• Eco-Instruments: Got a budding talent in the house? - (Ideal Bite) Here are some fair trad, eco-instruments for the kids.
  
• Crude, the Film, Shows Real Price of America's Oil Addiction (Hint: It's Not Just the Environment) - (Eco-Chick) "Crude is the story of a community of 30,000 tribal members in the Amazonian jungle of Ecuador who hold a corporation to bear for its crimes against their land, their livelihood, and most importantly, their lives."
• Disney Tweens Go Green With “Send It On” Eco Pop Song - (Ecorazzi) Here's one for the eco-youngsters out there.
• Documentary Movie The Cove – Shallow Water. Deep Secret. - (EcoWorldy) In case you have heard of this film, yet...
• SNUGGLES: Stay in a Modular Hamster Tunnel Hotel - (Inhabitat)

International Stuff

• Holy solar: Statue of Catholic saint will produce renewable energy - (Mother Nature Network) "Catholic saint Padre Pio will be commemorated with the world's first green, energy-producing statue."
  
• India's Groundwater Rapidly Depleting - (AboutMyPlanet.com) "...The water lost is entirely due to human use..." Something all of us should be thinking about!
• China's Super-Ambitious High-Speed Rail Plans - (EcoGeek) "The country plans to have 16,000 miles of new track in place by 2020!"

Political, Social & Economy Stuff

• Celebrating the new Justice. - (Obama Pics Daily) These pics are amazing as they represent a true milestone in US politics...can we finally get over race and gender??
  
• How dependent are we on foreign oil? - (Mother Nature Network) Nearly 40 years after the peak of U.S. oil production, black gold is becoming a black sheep.
  
• The Presidential Medal of Freedom: 2009 recipients. - (Obama Pics Daily) Inspirational people... Wonder how old Dr. Joseph Medicine Crow - High Bird is...
• Bill Clinton Suggests "Cash for EVs" - (EcoGeek) Nice!

Other Random Cool Stuff

• The Tangled History of Arsenic and Farming - (Chelsea Green) Very interesting...

VIDEO: Stephen Colbert, Pollution and Male Genital Deformation

Funny...yet, not so funny.

Stephen Colbert interviews NY Times columnist, Nicholas Kristof, who talks about "the endocrine disruptors in the water that are causing genital malformations in male animals and humans."

The Colbert Report	Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c
Nicholas Kristof
www.colbertnation.com
Colbert Report Full Episodes Political Humor Jeff Goldblum

Stuff We Found Today - 08.11.09

From thunderstorm to tornado

Family, Kids & Health Stuff

• Some BPA-Free Bottles Still Leach Bisphenol A - (TheDailyGreen) "One solution: Use a glass baby bottle."
• Study: Home Pesticides Linked to Childhood Cancer - (TheDailyGreen) "Rates of a rare leukemia are higher among children who show evidence of exposure to insect killers."
• Teen eco-heroes take care of business - (Mother Nature Network) "Action for Nation announces its 2009 Interntaional Young Eco-Hero Awards." Love activist youth!!

Food Stuff

• Deadly Delicacies: 10 Foods To Die For - (WebEcoist) Now here's some food for though - haha!
  
• Foodie-Friendly Organic Baby Food from Top Chefs at Pomme Bebe, Sprout Organic and Petite Palate - (Mommy Greenest) "Sprout Organic baby food from celeb chef Tyler Florence is so scrumptious, you’ll find it tough to resist sharing with your wee one."
• The Problem with Farmed Atlantic Salmon - (TheDailyGreen) "Chile, which provides most U.S. farmed salmon, uses massive amounts of antibiotics, endangering wild fish and marine ecosystems. That's just part of the problem."
• Why don't all students eat like the president's daughters? - (Mother Nature Network) "A new ad campaign tries to get Congress to reform school lunches by comparing the first daughters' school lunches with the rest of the country."

Home Stuff

• West Elm's got "green" products! - Looks like West Elm is moving into the green arena. They've got some very affordable organic cotton towels, and we're loving their recycled glassware...check it out!
• The energy bill meets the emoticon - (Mother Nature Network) "Sacramento residents are getting graded with smiley or frowny faces on their monthly electric bills."
• Green gear for school lunches - (Mother Nature Network) "Six eco-savvy products to green your child's lunch box." The tiffins this post mentions is just like the ones we package our Truffles-To-Give in!!

Beauty & Fashion Stuff

• 9 Natural Deodorants That Really Work - (TheDailyGreen) "Which brands really work, and how to choose a natural brand without being fooled by greenwashing." Remember, anti-perspirants usually contain aluminum compounds...not good.
• MUSE: Pamela Anderson’s New Fashion Line To Debut At NY Fashion Week - (Ecorazzi) "...eco and animal-friendly collection of swimwear, casual wear, and shoes..."

Tech & Science Stuff

• The Nissan Leaf Hits the U.S. Road in 2010 - (TheDailyGreen) "The specs on Nissan's new zero-emissions electric vehicle." The range will be 100 miles...woo hoo!
• Super-Compact Bicycle Folds Up Smaller Than a Wheel - (EarthFirst) For all you bike commuters out there, this is wayyyyyy cool!

Work & Business Stuff

• 3 Green Jobs in the Emerging Biofuel Market - (TheDailyGreen)
• 4 Emerging Green Collar Jobs in Wind Energy - (TheDailyGreen)
• Green job of the week: College dean - (Mother Nature Network) "Delaware Valley College in Doylestown, Pennsylvania is searching for a Dean of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences."
• Green job of the week: PV Installer - (Mother Nature Network) "SolarCity is hiring 100 new photovoltaic installers in Southern California and in the Greater Phoenix, Arizona area."

School, College & Student Stuff

• Sustainability Degrees Growing in Popularity - (EarthFirst) "College students are flocking to sustainability programs in droves, graduating with the knowledge they need to help guide the world to a greener, more sustainable way of life."

Nature & Environment Stuff

• 70 Viciously Twisted Tornadoes and Waterspouts - (WebEcoist) Nature's force...cool pics to look at.
  

Arts, Entertainment & Travel Stuff

• Val Kilmer’s Global Warming Thriller Worse Than “The Happening”? - (Ecorazzi) Too bad...another eco-movie gone bad.
• Eva Longoria And Friends To Build Green Mall In Portland - (Ecorazzi)

Political, Social & Economy Stuff

• US and China must fight emissions together - (Financial Times) Interesting opinion piece by John Kerry.
  
• Congress to FDA: Prove Bisphenol A Safe, or Ban It - (TheDailyGreen) "In food safety bill, the House gives the FDA a deadline to prove Bisphenol A is safe, or restrict its use in products used by pregnant women, and young children."
• The importance of a green economy - (Mother Nature Network) "Green For All's new video focuses on the importance of a green economy to help provide a pathway out of poverty for millions."

Other Random Cool Stuff

• Kleenex Will No Longer Be Made from Virgin Forests - (TheDailyGreen) "A Greenpeace campaign against the world's largest tissue maker claims success, as Kimberly-Clark agrees to forest sustainability standards."