VIDEO: The Story of Bottled Water

"The Story of Bottled Water, released on March 22, 2010 (World Water Day) employs the Story of Stuff style to tell the story of manufactured demand—how you get Americans to buy more than half a billion bottles of water every week when it already flows from the tap. Over five minutes, the film explores the bottled water industrys attacks on tap water and its use of seductive, environmental-themed advertising to cover up the mountains of plastic waste it produces. The film concludes with a call to take back the tap, not only by making a personal commitment to avoid bottled water, but by supporting investments in clean, available tap water for all."

Quote of the Week - 08.29.10

"Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity."

~Darrell Royal

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

~Coco-Zen

Stuff We Found Today - 08.26.10

"Living" Dress - Ecouterre

Family, Kids & Health Stuff

• Egregious Packaging Hall of Fame: Oral B Pulsar Toothbrush - (Inhabitat) Seriously??? A DISPOSABLE electric toothbrush (batteries and all)?? Should they be rechargeable?
• EWG's Back-To-School Guide - (Environmental Working Group) In the market for non-toxic school supplies?... check this out.
• High Lead Content Found In Bounce Houses - (CBS5.com) Be safe...wash hands and change kids clothes after jumping in the bouncy house.
• President's Cancer Panel: Eat Organic, Avoid Plastics - (Organic Consumers Association) "...the idea of reducing exposure to environmental toxins—like chemicals used in farming and in plastics—to reduce the risk of cancer." Hellooooo...people!
• The Cheyenne Children's LEED Platinum Village Garden is a Place to Grow - (Inhabitots) What an awesome place to take kids!

Food Stuff

• Make sure your wheat bread is worth it - (Mother Nature Network) "Not all wheat breads are created equal. What should you look for to get the most nutritional bang from your brown bread?" Some good info here about "whole wheat" versus "wheat" bread.
• Responsible liquors from around the globe - (Tasting Table) Fair Trade vodka, goji berry liqueur and coffee liqueur... we see some new truffle flavors in the making!
• Monsanto & Cancer Milk: Fox News Kills Story & Fires Reporters - (YouTybe) You gotta see this...especially if you're giving your kids regular milk.

Home Stuff

• Extraordinary Japanese Micro-Home Built From A Grid Of Boxes - (Inhabitat) Oh, those Japanese and their super cute little homes.
• Why You Shouldn't Use RoundUp (or Trust Its Labels) - (Generation Green)

Beauty & Fashion Stuff

• Top 7 Solar-Powered Bags for Back-to-School! - (Inhabitats) Keep your gadgets charged with green energy!
• Jane Bowler's Space-Age Raincoats Make Fantastic Use of Recycled Plastic - (Ecouterre) OK...so these may be a bit too fantastical for the typical person to wear, but they're sure cool to look at!
• "Living" Dress, made From Recycled Inner Tubes, Changes Every Season - (Ecouterre) Who says you can't take your garden with you?

Tech & Science Stuff

• Sonnenschiff: Solar City Produces 4X the Energy it Consumers - (Inhabitat) "...solar city in Freiburg, Germany is very much net positive." Awesome!
• Are e-mail attachments bad for the environment? - (Mother Nature Network) Hmmm...something to think about here...
• French Engineers Design a Pedal-Powered Submarine - (Inhabitat) Hmmm...new toy for wealthy eco adventure seekers? Wonder if Richard Branson has one...

School, College & Student Stuff

• Enter Inhabitat Green Back-To-School Contest - (Inhabitat) Win cool backpack, binders, etc...check it out!
• 9 Green Architecture Student Projects That Make the Grade - (Inhabitat) Some of these are pretty cool...go green students!

Nature & Environment Stuff

• 7 U.S. cities with the worst air pollution - (Mother Nature Network) Not too many surprises here.

Political, Social & Economy Stuff

• Fixing a World That Foster Fat - (NYTimes.com) "Fast-food restaurants can charge lower prices for value meals of hamburgers and French fries than for salad because the government subsidizes the corn and soybeans used for animal feed and vegetable oil... We have made it more expensive to eat healthy in a very big way..."
• Why conservatives are bad on energy - (Mother Nature Network) "...the one-sided logic employed by conservatives to dismiss solar power."

Other Random Cool Stuff

• Downsizing an XL water footprint outside the home - (Mother Nature Network) "According to a National Geographic Water Footprint Calculator, effectively curbing the amount of H2O you use may not lie in tweaking habits at home but in taking a closer look at how you shop, eat and travel." Definitely something to think about.
• Suitcase beds for pets - (The GirlieGirl Army) Okay...this is cute - especially if you make it yourself.

VIDEO: Ocean Acidification... in a nutshell (by Greenpeace)

Great little animated video...

"Our emissions of carbon dioxide threaten to alter the very chemistry of sea water and change life in our oceans within the span of a single human lifetime."

Quote of the Week - 08.15.10

"Happiness never decreases by being shared."

~Buddha

"Share a little happiness…share some Fair Trade Chocolate."

~Coco-Zen

Stuff We Found Today - 08.11.10

Awesome kids!

Family, Kids & Health Stuff

• 8 Inspiring Green Kids and Their Eco-Innovations - (Inhabitat) Awesome kids!!
• Study Links BPA to Low Sperm Counts and DNA Damage - (Inhabitots)
• Chemicals and Obesity Speeding up Puberty in Girls (cartoon) - (Mean Joe Green Cartoons)

Food Stuff

• Giant Toasted Leafcutter Ants - OMG, these are being sold like a snack food (in a pouch) online from England...really??? Maybe we should try covering them in chocolate...not.
• Cocoa Journalists in the Ivory Coast locked up - (Stop The Traffic Blog)
• Floating Dining Room Sets Sail on 1,672 Bottle Raft in Vancouver - (Inhabitat) Cool pop-up restaurant in Vancouver.
• USDA wants us to 'know your farmer, ' FDA wants us to stay home - (Grist) Interesting read...

Home Stuff

• Lucky Drops is a Lantern-Like Japanese Micro Home - (Inhabitat) Cool looking, but could you live in a space like this?

Beauty & Fashion Stuff

• The End of Leather - (The Discerning Brute) Trippy...clothing made from organic, cellulose-based leather that's grown from green tea.
• Industry-Wide "Eco Index" Will Offer Energy Star-Like Rating for Apparel - (Ecouterre) "...could eventually be used as a comparison tool for shoppers to determine if, say, Keds are greener than Vans..."
• Vogue Italy Uses Oil Spill For Fashion Shoot - (Ecorazzi) Ok...seriously, this is not cool.

Tech & Science Stuff

• Top 6 Designs That Harness the Power of Play - (Inhabitots) Harnessing the kinetic energy of kids playing to generate power...neat!
• Scientists Produce Spider Silk From Metabolically Engineered Bacteria - (Ecouterre) Silk from bio-engineered E. Coli... hmmm.
• Volkswagen to Unveil Hybrid Beetle Next Year - (Inhabitat)

Nature & Environment Stuff

• Malibu to be declared a World Surfing Reserve - (Surfline.com) Awesome!!
• 8 of the creepiest trees on Earth - (Mother Nature Network) Cool tree pics.

Arts, Entertainment & Travel Stuff

• Guerra de la Paz Turns Discarded Clothes into Mind-Blowing Sculptures - (Ecouterre) "...recover landfill-bound clothing and render them into subversive art installations." Cool!

International Stuff

• Gigantic Grassy Lawn Lounges Sprout Throughout England! - (Inhabitat) Cool!!.. how fun would it be to lounge out on one of these?!!

Political, Social & Economy Stuff

• Veterans find peaceful new lives as sustainable farmers - (Mother Nature Network) "Programs like 'Combat Boots to Cowboy Boots' aim to give veterans a new sense of purpose and make them a driving force in the green economy."
• A food bill we need - (The Washington Post) Written by Michelle Obama about kids and food... go FLOTUS!!

Other Random Cool Stuff

• Super Long Seaside Bench Made From Reclaimed Wood - (Inhabitat) Neat! Bet the kiddies would love to play on this!
• BP's Getting All Cap-Happy (cartoon) - (Mean Joe Green Cartoons) Haha - funny!

Eco-Friendly Back-To-School Ideas...And Wallet-Friendly!

Our friends over at Celebrate Green have some great ideas for Back-To-School that's not only easy on the planet, but easy on your wallet too!

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Celebrate back-to-school with better-for-the-planet choices that can save money too

The new school year is just around the corner and that means shopping. Kids not only want/need new clothes, but want/need to be re-supplied with everything from backpacks to lunchboxes, paper, pencils and, depending on age, electronics.

And while living an eco-friendlier lifestyle means buying less (and spending less), it also means buying smarter if you're going to purchase. Here are some tips for making better-for-the-Earth choices when it comes to schools supplies.

1. Before setting foot in the store or clicking on your favorite store's website, make a list of every item your kids need/want.

2. Next, have your children go on a hunt through the house for items on the list. (Checking with grandparents, neighbors and friends is encouraged.) If you're like most families, you've already got dozens of pens, highlighters, notebooks and other sundry items that you don't need to buy. Set a timer for 10 or 15 minutes and if you like, reward the family member who comes up with the most usable items.

3. Discuss with children who are old enough, why it's important to use what you have and avoid spending money and creating more waste. Perhaps you can come up with a challenge. Ask your kids to keep track of expenditures. If they can get everything for an amount you set, the family does something they enjoy together as a treat.
4. Set up a swap. This is a great way to save money as well as recycle not only clothing, but all sorts of school necessities. If parents are enthusiastic, most kids will be perfectly happy with new-to-them items!

5. Prior to heading to a store where you'll buy new, stop by one or two local thrift shops. You're likely to find lightly used three-ring binders, pads, scissors, desk lamps, back packs and electronics like calculators and of course clothes and shoes as well. Buying used means no packaging and no "gifts" for the landfill.

6. When buying new, seek out eco-friendlier alternatives. Even big box stores are carrying 100 percent recycled paper, recycled binders and notebooks, but you might need to seek them out. And if your local store doesn't have these goodies, be part of the solution by asking the manager if she would consider ordering some. Have favorite brands you usually buy online? Pass on the names to the manager.

7. Buying online makes choosing eco very easy. Do a search for an eco-friendlier option for any school supply. Here are just a few examples of what you'll find: Ecojot, carries awesome recycled journals and notebooks. ReBinder has 3-ring binders, Recyled Products offers lots of recycled pen and pencil choices, and backpacks made from recycled soda bottles can be found at many sites.

8. Get those coupons! Many people believe that eco=expensive. Sure, that can be true. But the fact is, coupons and deals abound. Google the name of the product or store plus the word "coupon" or "deal." Shopping in a locally-owned store? Contact your friends and get their lists, then ask the manager if you can get a discount for buying in bulk.

9. Buy only what you need. Those 12 for-the-price-of-6 notebooks are not a bargain if your kids never use them.

10. On the other hand, buying in bulk can save on packaging, so if you can buy a bunch for less, then split among friends, you'll not only save money, but help the Earth as well.

11. If purchasing new, according to the Center for Health, Environment and Justice, you will want to:

• Avoid backpacks with shiny plastic designs as they often contain PVC and sometimes, lead. (Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) is unique among plastics because it contains dangerous chemical additives used to soften or stabilize it. Federal law has banned the use of phthalates one additive in PVC, in children's toys, but not school supplies.)
• Choose cloth or metal lunchboxes. Many lunchboxes are made of PVC, or coated with it on the inside-and don't forget cloth bags to hold sandwiches, cookies and fruit.
• Choose cardboard, fabric-covered, or polypropylene binders. Most 3-ring binders are made of PVC.

And when the gathering/swapping and/or buying is done, have some fun. Celebrate this year's eco-friendlier (and money-saving) choices with a family fashion show/demo or an old-fashioned ice cream social.

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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.

Video: Brian Williams Slow Jams The News With Jimmy Fallon - Gulf Oil Spill

from Ecorazzi.com

This was on "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" a little while back...freakin' hilarious! Brian Williams slow jams with Jimmy Fallon about the Gulf oil spill and alternative energy.

Quote of the Week - 08.01.10

"To love oneself is the beginning of a lifelong romance."

~Oscar Wilde

"To love Fair Trade chocolate is the beginning of a lifelong romance."

~Coco-Zen