Quote of the Week - 01.31.10

"A good deed is never lost: he who sows courtesy reaps friendship; and he who plants kindness gathers love."

~Basil

"…and he who gives Fair Trade chocolate earns good chocolate karma."

~Coco-Zen

Stuff We Found Today - 01.28.10

Earth Attends Oil-Coal-holics Anonymous Meeting ~Wend Magazine

Food Stuff

• Monsanto News Roundup - A Frankenfood Extravaganza of GMO News Articles - (Twilight Earth)
• Green and Black's to go 100% Fairtrade - (guardian.co.uk) "...pledged to switch its entire worldwide food and beverage range to Fairtrade by the end of next year..." Wow - now that's something!!
• The great KitKat debate: is it fair? - (The Independent) "Should a brand be discriminated against because of its association with poor business practices even when it is trying to be fair?" Some food... er, chocolate... to think about.
• Kraft takeover will hit Cadbury's ethical rating - (The Ecologist) ...and the debate goes on. Only time will tell how Kraft's acquisition will finally play out.

Home Stuff

• Slow Death By Rubber Duck - (book) "...reveals how the living of daily life creates a toxic soup inside each of us."

Beauty & Fashion Stuff

• H&M, Other Brands Guilty of "Organic Cotton Fraud"? - (Ecoterre) Hmmm...

Tech & Science Stuff

• How Green is Apple's iPad? - (Inhabitat)
• Philippe Starck Unveils Two Revolutionair Wind Turbines! - (Inhabitat) "... super designer Philippe Starck has just revealed two highly-anticipated wind turbine designs for home use!"

Nature & Environment Stuff

• Arachnophobia: 44 Reasons to Run Before They Jump You! - (WebEcoist) Who knew that spiders were so funny looking? ...cool bug pics.
• Tanker Collides With Towing Vessel; Thousands Of Gallons Of Oil Leaked - (AboutMyPlanet.com) Great... another spill. This one's outside of Texas.
• 15 Convincing Minutes - (350.org) "If you have friends or family who aren't sure that global warming is a problem, this 15-minute video may be useful. It comes from an old friend of ours, Ross Gelbspan, who is a prize-winning journalist and who has been covering climate change since the mid-1990s."
• Planet Green Investigates 100 Places That Will Disappear Because Of Climate Change - (Causecast)

International Stuff

• South Korea Unveils Stunning Eco Dome Environmental Center - (Inhabitat)
• Norwegian Turbine City Could Be The Next Big Eco-Tourism Attraction - (Inhabitat) "...Turbine City, houses a posh hotel, swanky spa and culturally-stimulating museum right inside the base of a towering wind turbine!"

Political, Social & Economy Stuff

• Churches Filling Pews by -Gasp!- Preaching Environmentalism! - (Twilight Earth) "Older, mainline churches approach to environmental issues are attracting younger Americans." (video in post)
• An The Top Ten Most "Sustainable" CEOs Are... - (Triple Pundit)

Other Random Cool Stuff

• Earth Attends Oil-Coal-holics Anonymous Meeting - (Wend Magazine) Haha... funny cartoon.
• RecycleBank - Get rewards for recycling that you can redeem at local and national retailers (see FAQ page for participating states/cities).

Coco-Zen's Joyce Kushner talkin' chocolate, fair trade and tryin' to be green on Celebrate Green's radio show.

Although she was a little late (mix up on the interview time), Coco-Zen's own Joyce Kushner had a blast this morning on Celebrate Green's radio show. Hosted by mother & daughter team Lynn Colwell and Corey Lipson-Colwell, the segment was all about chocolate, fair trade, and trying to be green.

Have a listen...

Celebrate Green! on Toginet Radio (01-27-2010 show: Joyce's segment starts 18min in)

Thanks Lynn & Corey for having us!

Coco-Zen Fair Trade truffles are a "Top Pick" for mom entrepreneurs... yes, mom's love chocolate!

Who says chocolate's not a necessity?...

"As a mom entrepreneur, I rely on chocolate to get me through the day. It is a much better day when the chocolate is really good. That is why I choose Coco-Zen."

~The Mom Entrepreneur

The Mom Entrepreneur's Top Picks for 2009

VIDEO: The Colbert Report - Global Warming With Al Gore

This "Formidable Opponent" segment with Al Gore is pretty hilarious...check it out.

The Colbert Report	Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c
Formidable Opponent - Global Warming With Al Gore
www.colbertnation.com
Colbert Report Full Episodes Political Humor U.S. Speedskating

My Shopping Connection features Coco-Zen Chocolate Body Treats in Valentine's Day Guide!

"Valentine's Day is the perfect opportunity to shower a woman with attention and give her just what she needs to feel beautiful, pampered and relaxed... and the Chocolate Body Gift Set is the perfect way to indulge her sweet tooth without the calories."

~ MyShoppingConnection.com

Gifts to Pamper Her on Valentine's Day

Stuff We Found Today - 01.25.10

Wanna see some funny looking sea critters??

Food Stuff

• Kraft pledges to honour Cadbury's Fairtrade sourcing commitments - (guardian.co.uk) "Fears that US food company would stop selling ethically-sourced products after a takeover allayed, but expansion of Fairtrade agreements remains in doubt..."
• London's Unpackaged Grocery Shop Eliminate Wasteful Packaging - (Inhabitat) Wish we had one of these here!
• Fairtrade KitKat goes on sale across Britain - (The Press, York) Still waiting for one of the "big brands" to go Fair Trade here in the US...
• Ecologic Sustainable Milk Container Debuts with Straus Family Creamery Organic Milk - (Sustainable is Good) Great idea, but how do you recycle this... with paper or with plastic?

Home Stuff

• Building Cheap And Stable House Out Of Recycled Bottles - (World max Travel) Check out the before and after pics...amazing.

Beauty & Fashion Stuff

• Ten-Year-Old Eco-Friendly Fashion Maven - (Sierra Club: The Green Life) Love kids that make a difference!
• Toxic Children's Jewelry: Lead and Cadmium Recalls - (TheDailyGreen) "See why authorities say you should avoid cheap children's jewelry, and check all the latest toxic toy recalls."

Tech & Science Stuff

• Eolic: A Foldable, Portable Wind Turbine - (Inhabitat)
• Apple gadgets going solar? - (Mother Nature Network) "3 new patents just filed by Apple indicate the company is getting into the clean energy business."
• EcoSnoop: Environmental Activism With Your iPhone - (The Good Human)
• GreeningOfOil.com - Big Oils Ultimate Greenwash - (Twilight Earth) Are they kidding us?!!

Nature & Environment Stuff

• Stephen Colbert on Mountaintop Removal Coal Mining - (Colbert Nation) If you didn't catch this last monday... hilarious! Gotta love the sarcasm. (video in post)
• 8 bizarre newly discovered deep sea creatures - (Mother Nature Network) Wanna see some funny looking sea critters??
• You Can All Stop Worrying About It - The Planet Will Be Fine. - (The Good Human) Hello people... the planet's not going to disappear... WE ARE!!

Arts, Entertainment & Travel Stuff

• Jean Luc Cornec's Re-purposed Rotary Phone Sheep - (Inhabitat) Cool upcycling into art... but scary to think of all those old rotary phones we grew up with that are most likely now in sitting in landfills. Does new tech just create more waste... something to think about.
• Michael Jantzen's Towering Eco-Hotel Sports a Ski Slope - (Inhabitat) Calling all skiers... this is pretty cool!

International Stuff

• Did China block Copenhagen progress to pave way for its own dominance in cleantech? - (Grist) "...unless the United States rapidly caught up, 'we are going to gradually cede this industry to Beijing and the good jobs and energy security that would go with it.'"

Political, Social & Economy Stuff

• Coal ash first real test of Obama commitment to health and safety regulation - (Grist)

Other Random Cool Stuff

• UC Berkeley Students Imagine a New Life for Old Bay Bridge Span - (Inhabitat)
• A fair trade Valentine's Day - (Mother Nature Network) "Now that fair trade certified wine has hit the market, socio-eco-conscious activists are celebrating with a triumvirate of fair trade products: Chocolate, flowers and wine."
• TerraCycle will begin upcycling pens and markers - (Mother Nature Network) First chip bags, now markers... awesome!
• NYC Cab Driver Returns $21,000 to a Passenger - (Seeing Good) This cabbie is due some seriously good karma.

VIDEO: Captain Planet - Gorillas Will Be Missed

Episode Recap:

In Gorillas Will Be Missed, the Planeteers encounter Goki, a young man from the future. The Planeteers are in the middle of saving gorilla habitat from Looten Plunder. Can Goki help them or will he prove to just be a burden?

Quote of the Week - 01.24.10

"A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step"

~Confucious

"The journey towards a kinder world can begin with a single piece of Fair Trade chocolate."

~Coco-Zen

Stuff We Found Today - 1.22.10

Image from the Guardian

Food Stuff

• Tell Kraft Not to Destroy Cadbury's Responsible Buying Practices - (Change.org: End Human Trafficking) Yup, it's official... Kraft has bought Cadbury. Time will tell if Kraft starts to reverse Cadbury's commitment to Fair Trade chocolate... or if it will embrace it.
• Cadbury takeover raises doubts over Kraft's business ethics - (guardian.co.uk) "Kraft's proposed takeover of Cadbury has raised widespread fears that the US food group will abandon a landmark deal by the British confectioner to buy only Fairtrade cocoa beans for its Dairy Milk brand."
• Goat Cheese, Fig & Honey Muffin Recipe - (Mother Nature Network) Mmmm... brilliant!
• What Does Kraft's Takeover of Cadbury Mean for Fairtrade Cocoa? - (TreeHugger)

Home Stuff

• Daily Shelter: A Kitchen Table That Transforms Into a Playhouse! - (Inhabitots) If you have kids, this is kind of cool! (video in post)
• Cool roofs: Basking in reflected glory - (Mother Nature Network) "The U.S. Energy Department wants you to save green by painting your roof white -- as long as it doesn't make your neighbors see red."
• Weatherize this: Water heater blankets - (Mother Nature Network) "Knock 4-9 percent off your winter heating bill by dressing an older model water heater with an insulating blanket."

Beauty & Fashion Stuff

• Zoe Grace Fletcher's Hand-Knit Accessories Put New Twist on Old Clothes - (Ecouterre) Gotta love an accessory!
• Super Chic Bike Helmets - (GreenMuze) These are actually kind of cute!

Tech & Science Stuff

• LG Unveils Flexible Electronic Newspaper - (Inhabitat) Kind of cool...
• Apple and Google, set to bring the (e)Waste - (Mother Nature Network) "Apple and Google are at war — and the environmental consequences could be devastating..."
• Swiss pilots aim to circle world in solar-powered plane - (Mother Nature Network) "Solar panels to absorb energy to power aircraft at day while also storing energy in batteries to run engines at night."
• Mailin' Goes Electric - (Fast Company) "...USPS is investing its resources in building an all-electric delivery truck that could save the government millions in fuel costs."
• 30-Minute EV Fast Charging Stations Coming In 3Q of 2010 - (Gas 2.0) "These stations could charge an electric car in as little as 15 minutes." Woo hoo!!!
• Personal Flying Machine - (GreenMuze) "Every kid's dream may be coming true – their very own flying machine and it is emissions free – almost."

Nature & Environment Stuff

• 2009 Warmest Year on Record in Southern Hemisphere - (Global Warming Is Real) "Data just released from NASA indicates that 2009 was the hottest year on record in the Southern Hemisphere..." (video in post)

Website Stuff

• 10 Eco-Friendly Green Websites for 2010 - (Green and Clean Mom) Yeah... we'll be keeping up on these!

International Stuff

• London's Olympic Stadium to Be Made Out of Recycled Guns and Knives! - (Inhabitat) "...confiscated weapons from the Metropolitan Police Department are being melted down into scrap metal and used to help build the stadium. That’s an anti-weapons and recycling program all rolled into one!"
• Cairo Slums Benefit From Homemade, Recycled Green Technology - (Green Living Ideas) Green tech is not just for developed nations...
• Mexico's Container City - (GreenMuze) "Created entirely from recycled shipping containers, the Container City in Cholula, Mexico..."

Political, Social & Economy Stuff

• How Sustainability Survived the Great Recession - (Fast Company) "...sustainable business is not only here to stay, it will define the next wave of prosperity." Let's hope so!!
• Obama announces $2.3 billion tax credit for clean energy jobs - (Green For All)
• Where Do We Get Our Oil? - (CleanTechnica) Uhhh... to countries we really don't want to be giving our money to... HELLO PEOPLE!!!!

Other Random Cool Stuff

• California to Shut Down State's Most Polluting Power Plant - (Green Living Ideas)
  
• Detroit: From Motor City To Urban Farm? - (Gas 2.0) "Detroit is the perfect candidate for attempting urban farming on a massive scale because all that vacant land means plenty of planting opportunities."
  

VIDEO: War For Resources Animation

Great clip from "The Age of Stupid" movie...

Stuff We Found Today - 01.19.10

Rolling Stone magazine article...

Family, Kids & Health Stuff

• Autism Cluster in California May Have Environmental Link - (EcoSalon) "Researchers at U.C. Davis are trying to connect the dots leading to 10 autism clusters in California. One theory is that those parents are using certain hazardous household products, exposing their kids to dangers linked to the neuro-developmental disorder that usually surfaces by the time a child turns three."

Food Stuff

• The Mysterious Monsanto Unmasked - (EcoMatters) Monsanto's monopoly over our food supply... hmmm, not so good!

Beauty & Fashion Stuff

• For the Guys: Best Natural and Organic Shaving Products - (EcoSalon)
• Some Dude's Mom Will Reknit Your Old Sweater Into a New Scarf for $30 - (Ecouterre) Seriously!
• 18th Century "Queen Adelaide" Gown Made From Discarded Radiator Copper - (Ecouterre) Okay... just some fun, fantasical upcycling...

Tech & Science Stuff

• Recycle Your Old Phones and Help Haiti Quake Victims - (EcoGeek)
• Sponge-Like Glass Cleans Contaminated Water - (EcoGeek) "A new glass material...has the ability to clean polluted water by absorbing contaminants like a sponge." Pretty cool!
• Cell Phone Radiation Blog Series - All In One Place - (Enviroblog) Great resource for cell phone radiation info.

Nature & Environment Stuff

• Tons of Trash: Tour America's Top 10 Biggest Landfills - (EcoSalon) A good reminder of how much we waste.
• Insects Poke Fun at Photographers - (Environmental Graffiti) Just some fun bug pics.

Arts, Entertainment & Travel Stuff

• The Cove Coming To Animal Planet This Summer - (ecorazzi) "Considered an Oscar contender in the documentary category, The Cove exposes the hidden slaughter of thousands of dolphins in the small town of Taiji, Japan — and the efforts of those determined to end it."
• Kiefer Sutherland Says '24' Staying Green For Season 8 - (ecorazzi)
• Rolling Stone Covers Enemies of Climate Change - (ecorazzi) "Rolling Stone magazine has shot back at critics of climate change with an in-depth spread titled 'The Climate Killers: 17 polluters and deniers who are derailing efforts to curb the climate catastrophe.'"
• Avatar's Super Secret Eco-Brainwashing Conspiracy Exposed! - (ecorazzi) Check out what some people are saying about Avatar... are these people kidding us??!!!

International Stuff

• All Londoners Will be Within a Mile of a Charging Station by 2015 - (EcoGeek) Hey US cities... why not us??
• Earth Hour 2010 Set For Lights Out March 27th - (ecorazzi)

Coco-Zen Chocolate Salt Scrub in Feb Issue of Vegetarian Times

The folks over at Vegetarian Times are showing us some love once again! Their beauty editor has picked our Chocolate Salt Scrub for their Valentine's Day roundup. Check out the spread in their February issue...

Eco-Beauty: Chocolate Bliss

Eco-Beautiful Wedding features Coco-Zen Party Favor Truffles

Our Party Favor truffles were recently featured in green bridal publication Eco-Beautiful Weddings. Check us out in their Winter 2010 issue, page 22.

Green Goodies

Look what they had to say about our truffles in their Daily Blog as well...

Quote of the Week - 01.17.10

"Insanity is doing the same thing in the same way and expecting a different outcome."

~Chinese Proverb

"Insanity is buying chocolate that is not Fair Trade."

~Coco-Zen

Stuff We Found Today - 1.14.10 (We're back!!)

We know it's been a while since we last posted the "Stuff We Found". It was a far busier than expected holiday season for us (yea!!!), and then we decided to take a little break to catch our breath. Well, we're back now, and here's some of the stuff we found!

**Haiti Earthquake Relief - If you're interested in donating to the relief efforts for the Haiti earthquake disaster, here are some organizations to consider...

• American Red Cross International Response Fund
• Clinton Foundation - President Clinton is the UN's Special Envoy to Haiti
  
• Doctors Without Borders
• International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
• Mercy Corps Haiti Earthquake Fund
• Oxfam America
  
• Partners in Health
• Unicef
• UN World Food Programme
• Yele Haiti
• The Goods Store (Causecast & The Huffington Post) - If you want to buy needed supplies that will go directly to aid the disaster victims rather than donate money, check this site out.

Family, Kids & Health Stuff

• 6 Major US Manufacturers of Baby Bottles Agree to Stop Using BPA - (Greenwala) Great news!!

Food Stuff

• Monsanto's GMO Corn Linked to Organ Failure, Study Reveals - (Yahoo! News: Huffington Post)
• Michael Pollan Talks Food Rules with Jon Stewart - (EarthFirst.com) "Food Rules: An Eater’s Manual offers 64 tools for eating well, including this gem: 'avoid edible foodlike substances.'" Haha!! (video in post)

Home Stuff

• IKEA Unveils New Line of Solar-Powered Lighting - (Inhabitat) Fun, affordable and earth-friendly!
• Energy Efficient Appliances Program To Begin In USA - (AboutMyPlanet.com) A "Cash For Clunkers" type program for household appliances is coming this year.

Beauty & Fashion Stuff

• Mr. Larkin Organic Clothing Made From Milk - (EcoStiletto) His gowns may be a little out of reach for our pocket books, but... ohhhhhh so gorgeous!!

Tech & Science Stuff

• Toyota unveils pint-sized hybrid concept car - (Greenwala News) "... smaller than the Prius and geared toward younger buyers..."
• Top 5 Greener Gadgets Unveiled at CES - (Inhabitat) From video projectors, to laptops to smartphone bracelets (yeah, that's right!) check out these picks from the Consumer Electronic Show in Las Vegas.
• NASA Grace Satellites Track Groundwater Levels from Space - (Blue Living Ideas) ...and the news is not so good...

School, College & Student Stuff

• College Students Seek Out More Green Classes - (EarthFirst.com)

Nature & Environment Stuff

• Global Warming Effects: 10 Startling Facts from 2009 - (Environmental Defense Fund)
• Frog Devours Snake in Bizarre Food Chain Twist - (EarthFirst.com) Oh... wacky nature...

International Stuff

• Wall of Trees Hopes to Stand Ready Against the Sahara - (AboutMyPlanet.com) "A green barrier could be the only defense against the marching sand dunes of the Sahara..."
• 'Green pope' again speaks out for environment, slams world leaders - (USAToday.com)

Political, Social & Economy Stuff

• Coal Ash is So Safe, I'd Eat it on Cereal, Doctor Says - (EarthFirst.com) "...according to the GOP’s star witness at a December 10th hearing on “Drinking Water and Public Health Impacts of Coal Combustion Waste Disposal”, arsenic-packed coal ash is so safe, he’d eat it on cereal." Say what??!!!!! (video in post)

Green Resolutions... Hello 2010!

A new year... new resolutions. Of course, we're always thinking about ways we can green up our act, and our our friends over at Celebrate Green have some great suggestions on how to make all of life's celebrations, big or small, a little more friendlier to planet and people.

*****************************************

Resolved: To green up every celebration in 2010, from anniversaries to Valentine's Day

The great thing about this resolution is that it's so easy to follow! Just start with these tips and you'll be on your way to celebrating in ways that are better for the planet and people too. An added bonus? You're likely save save a bunch of cash as well.

1. Plan. Take advantage of the new year to get a calendar and fill in the dates for every event you think you'll celebrate this year. Include birthdays, anniversaries, baby showers, weddings, graduations, family reunions, even office parties, then add every holiday you celebrate in any way big or small.

Now make a list of items you'll need, i.e. tableware, decor, gifts, food etc.

Check off what you already own. Then list what you need to beg, borrow, exchange or purchase.

Print out the list (on recycled paper of course) or put it in your phone, PDA or calendar you carry with you.

When you're at the thrift store or a garage sale, or see a great local sale, check the item off your list. Or, if you're into setting up an exchange, one month before the event on your calendar, add in a date for a neighborhood get together to trade costumes, decor, plates or anything else you come up with.

2. Shop local and handmade. Shipping long distances is a no-no when you're trying to live in a more eco-friendly way. So it's always preferable to seek out items you're going to buy locally.

If you've planned ahead (see tip #1), then buying organic berries in the summer from your local farmer's market and freezing them for the blueberry pancakes you'll make your love on Valentine's Day makes the process easy and fun.

3. Throw no-waste celebrations. No waste doesn't mean no trash (unfortunately). It means that everything purchased around a celebration can be recycled, composted or reused. Planning ahead (see tip #1) helps a lot.

Here are a few ideas to make it easier still:

• Be sure to have labeled bins available.


• Ask guests to bring unwrapped gifts, then hide them (the gifts, not the guests) and have the recipient hunt for them.


• Collect glass jars, decorate them if you like and have them available for guests to take home leftovers.


• Resist purchasing throw away decor--plates, cups, tablecloths etc.--no matter how cute or how well they match your theme.

4. Make gifts and decor from items you already own, can collect, trade with friends or re-purpose. Some people consider themselves crafty and some don't. If you're in the latter category, it's not a crime, but how about giving it a try in 2010? By planning ahead (see hint #--OK by now you know what we're referring to), you'll have plenty of time to assemble the needed items, instructions or even take a class. This could be the year to learn to take old sweaters and turn them into gifts by learning how to needle felt. Or make an eco-friendly holiday tree, recycled jewelry or cook up green tomato preserves!

There are instructions for anything you'd like to craft online. Instructables and Craftster will get you started, but simply by typing in what you want to make plus the word, "instructions," you'll be on the road to DIY stardom.

Also, before throwing anything away, ask yourself whether it can be turned into a gift or decor item. Once you start looking at "trash" this way, you'll be amazed how often the answer will be, "Yes!"

5. Think about how to minimize energy waste before, during and after events.Plan parties during the day to minimize need for heat (depending on where you live) and lights.

• Keep the temperature down if you're celebrating in the winter with masses of people. Body heat may suffice.


• In summer, try using a solar oven for cooking instead of heating up the kitchen.

Top picks for celebrating green all year

• Gazillions of ideas in the book, Celebrate Green! Creating Eco-Savvy Holidays, Celebrations and Traditions for the Whole Family and from the website www.CelebrateGreen.net.


• Earth-friendlier party goods from www.GreenPartyGoods.com and www.GreenPlanetParties.com.


• For handmade gift, food and decor ideas, check out www.Etsy.com.

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Lynn Colwell and Corey Colwell-Lipson are mother and daughter and co-authors of Celebrate Green! Creating Eco-Savvy Holidays, Celebrations and Traditions for the Whole Family, available at www.CelebrateGreen.net.

Quote of the Week - 01.10.10

"The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams."

~Eleanor Roosevelt

"The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of Fair Trade chocolate."

~Coco-Zen