Stuff We Found Today - 03.28.13

Do The Green Thing: The Same As Oil by Andrew Rae 16/23
Artist and illustrator Andrew Rae wanted to convince people to choose tap water by highlighting the sheer madness that is mineral water. 

Family, Kids & Health Stuff

• 4 activities to wean your kids off TV - (Mother Nature Network)  Love the arts & crafts corner filled with "stuff" that kids can use to make whatever.

Food Stuff

• Industry pledges reach $10m on cocoa child labor but ‘job is not done’ - (ConfectioneryNews.com) Hershey is once again way behind the other chocolate companies when it comes to child labor/slavery in the cocoa industry.
• HOW TO: Make Vegan, Organic Marshmallow Peeps for Easter - (Inhabitots) No questionable (artificial) ingredients here!
• World's largest indoor vertical farm opens in Chicago - (Mother Nature Network) "FarmedHere, a new 90,000-square-foot indoor farm, just opened in the suburbs of Chicago and is now the largest facility of its kind in the world."
• 'Honey laundering' an international scandal - (Mother Nature Network) "Food experts have found that much of the honey sold in the U.S. is a concoction of corn or rice syrup, malt sweeteners and a small amount of genuine honey."
• Use baking soda for easy-to-peel hard-boiled eggs - (Mother Nature Network) Great tip...just in time for Easter egg making season.
• DIY Diva: Natural food dyes for Easter - (Mother Nature Network) "Fruits and vegetables give Easter eggs and foods safe, healthy color."

Home Stuff

• EWG's Guide to Healthy Cleaning - Great guide to check on all those cleaning products we use at home. Interesting...not all "green" product rate well.
• 5 Materials from Your Home Repair You Should Recycle - (Earth911) Good to know as you plan for this summer's fixit project.

Beauty & Fashion Stuff

• Will At-Home 3D-Clothing Printers be the Future of Fashion? - (Ecouterre) Whoa...that could be pretty cool! Even cooler - "Unwanted garments can be returned to the unit to be cleaned, broken down, and recycled, eliminating waste."
• Marc Jacobs Faux Furs Revealed To Be Dog - (GirlieGirlArmy) Nasty.

Tech & Science Stuff

• Scientists Develop Robobees To Pollinate Flowers As Bee Populations Decline - (Inhabitat) Cool... but sad that this even needs to be done.
• 17-Year-Old Builds Algae Biofuel Lab in Her Bedroom to Win $100K Intel Science Talent Search Prize - (Inhabitat) Smark kids rock!
• Scientists Develop Wonder Nanomaterial that Can Produce Energy, Clean Water and Hydrogen - (Inhabitat) Hmmm, interesting stuff.
• Detroit Electric to Debut Battery-Powered US-Made Sports Car Next Month - (Inhabitat) Another new sexy electric car coming our way??

Nature & Environment Stuff

• Monster mosquitoes about to invade Florida - (Mother Nature Network) Watch out... "Gallinippers are 20 times the size of normal skeeters and their bite feels like you're being stabbed."
• Starfish rush hour: Delightful video shows traffic jam at bottom of the ocean [video] - (Mail Online) Super cool video!

Other Random Cool Stuff

• New Flood-Proof, Prefab Beach Buildings NYC Plans to Roll Out This Summer - (Inhabitat)
• 7 Creative Ways to Decorate Easter Eggs - (Inhabitots)
• 39 Insanely Cool Vertical Gardens - (BuzzFeed)
• Upcycle a Dinosaur Toy into a Succulent Planter - (Inhabitot) Cool idea...can see these lining the wall of an office cubicle too.
• 10 Things You Can Recycle Through the Mail - (Earth911) Wow...who knew?!

Spring chocolate critters are here...and save 20% on Easter pre-orders!

Butterflies, bunnies and chicks...adorable little critters will warm your heart and help thaw the winter chill. Made from organic & Fair Trade Certified chocolate, these treats are both good for planet & good for people!

Pre-order your Easter treats by Sun 3/17 and save 20% off your entire order. Use promo code PREEAS2013.

*Orders will ship week of Mar 25th.

Stuff We Found Today - 04.15.12

Dew-soaked damselfly

Food Stuff

• Color Eggs Naturally - (Whole Foods) East steps to color eggs with food ingredients instead of conventional dyes.
• Fair Trade Easter and Passover - (Global Exchange) "Easter and Passover are two of the BEST times to ask Hershey to eliminate child and forced labor from its supply chain, and start sourcing Fair Trade."
• Chocolate-Covered Matzo Bark - (Whole Foods) You don't have to celebrate Passover to enjoy this yummy treat...we love it with pistachios.
• 6 Incredibly Gross Additives in Everyday Foods - (Inhabitots) Ick!
• Stop Agent Orange Frankencorn! Don't Let the USDA Approve Dow's 2,4-D-Tolerant Corn! - (Organic Consumers Association)
• Still drinking diet soda? Don't be a fashion victim - (Grist) "Diet Pepsi consists of artificially blackened water tarted up with synthetic chemicals."

Home Stuff

• South Korean Home Blanketed in Greenery and Solar Panels - (Inhabitat) Cool, modern and green...love!
• IKEA's Beautiful New SOLKULLEN LED Lamp Floats Like a Paper Jellyfish - (Inhabitat) Pretty...
• Water Footprint Calculator - (National Geographic) See what your water footprint is...it's easy!
• Repurposed Robot Prints "Endless" Furniture From Recycled E-Waste - (Inhabitat)

Beauty & Fashion Stuff

• Guess What? Crushed Red Bugs Are in Your Lipstick, Too - (Ecouterre) Ewww...didn't know that!

School, College & Student Stuff

• Features of Great Green Public Schools + Find a Green School Near You - (Inhabitots) Healthier for the kids...not just the planet.

Nature & Environment Stuff

• Indian Man Single-Handedly Plants 1,360 Acre Forest - (Inhabitat) Wow!
• Sun, Sea, Sand, And... Small Appliances? New Marine Trash Report Reveals Sorry State of World's Beaches - (TreeHugger) Very sad indeed...see what trash is washing up along our coasts.
• Harvard Study Links Pesticide-Laced Corn Syrup to Bee Colony Collapse - (Inhabitat) Hello...pesticides!
• Extreme Close-Ups:m 16 Mind-Blowing Macro Nature Photos - (WebEcoist) Very cool pics.

Arts, Entertainment & Travel Stuff

• Thailand's Lush Beach Resort Soneva Kiri Offers a Retreat to Eco Paradise - (Inhabitat) We can dream, can't we?
• Mad Men Mom January Jones Eats Her Placenta In Pill Form - (Inhabitots) Uhhh...what do you think?
• Amazing Book Sculptures Pour out of Window and Into the Streets - (Inhabitat)

International Stuff

• Denmark Announces Plans to Produce 100% of its Energy From Renewable Sources By 2050 - (Inhabitat) Oh, those crazy Danes...more power to them!

Other Random Cool Stuff

• All I Own: Swedish Students Photographed With All Their Possessions Show How to Live With Less - (Inhabitat) Makes you think about our own consumerism.
• April 11, 2022 - Monsanto Saves the World! - (Elephant Journal) NOT!! "A Humorous Look at Monsanto’s Future... A Scary Look at Monsanto’s Past."

Shop early... Save 20% off Easter chocolates & more!

Pin It

Pre-order your Easter gifts by Mar 25th and save 20% on your entire order.

Use promo code BLPREEAS12 during checkout.

Guidelines:

• Promo is valid through 3/25/12 at www.Coco-Zen.com only.
• Only one promo/voucher code may be used per transaction (cannot be combined).
• All Easter pre-orders using this promo will ship the week of 4/2/12 to arrive by Easter.
• Promo may not be applied towards a previous purchase.

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For delivery by Easter, order by 9pm PT:
Sun Apr 1st - Priority Mail
Tue Apr 3rd - Express Mail

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Stuff We Found Today - 03.21.11

Intricate cardboard columns
Family, Kids & Health Stuff

• hopscotchkids nail polish - If your little girls are into polishing their nails, here's a great non-toxic polish to try.

Food Stuff

• Just Eat Organic {video} - (EcoPlum) Cutesy little video here... with an important message!
• Will Your chocolate Easter Bunnies Contain Child Labor? - (Change.org)

Home Stuff

• Level Architects' House With Slide is the Ultimate Fun House - (Inhabitots) Wow...what kid wouldn't love to live in a house like this?!!
• Compact Fluorescent Bulb Wins Design Award - (EcoGeek.org) These are pretty cool looking.

Beauty & Fashion Stuff

• Vintageous - This is probably one of the best vintage clothing/accessory shopping sites... Thanks GirlieGirl Army for posting this!

Tech & Science Stuff

• Pee Power: Scientists Discover a Cost Effective Way to Produce Hydrogen from Urine - (Inhabitat) From human waste to useful energy... perfect!
• Samsung Unveils Solar-Powered Zero Energy Transparent TV - (Inhabitat) Ooooh, this is kinda cool.
• Volvo V60 is All-Electric, Plug-In Hybrid and Diesel Vehicle All in One - (EcoGeek.org)

Nature & Environment Stuff

• 14 amazing camouflaged animals - (Mother Nature Network) Some pretty cool nature pics.
• 10 Deadliest Lakes on Earth - (Environmental Graffiti) What's sad is that some of these lakes are "deadly" because of man.

Website Stuff

• Five green apps for your iPad - (Mother Nature Network) For all you iPad users out there...
• Google Maps Now Indicated Electric Vehicle Charging Stations - (Inhabitat) Awesome!!!

Other Random Cool Stuff

• Incredibly Intricate Cardboard Columns Are the World's Most Complex Architecture - (Inhabitat) Hmmm... cardboard architecture, intersting. Wonder if it could really hold up.
• 15 bizarre green inventions - (Mother Nature Network) Actually think the "pencil printer" would be pretty neat.
• 5 Environmental revelations from WikiLeaks - (Mother Nature Network) Some interesting & surprising revelations here...
• The Virtuous Consumer: First, buy less {book review} - (Mother Nature Network)
• Recycle Used Plastic Bags (Even Ziplocs) - (The Daily Green) "Who knew? Plastic sandwich and kitchen storage bags can be recycled along with plastic shopping bags in supermarket recycling bins."

Stuff We Found Today - 04.02.10

Egg-Shaped Architecture & Art - in honor of Easter...

Family, Kids & Health Stuff

• BecoPotty - This is so awesome... finally a biodegradable potty! Think of all those discarded plastic potties out there sitting in landfills. Plus, this one has a high front which is perfect for training little boys! Thanks to our friend Mary for the tip!!
• Syntheic fibers and breast cancer - (Mother Nature Network) "A study links post-menopausal breast cancer to working with synthetic fibers and petroleum products when younger."

Food Stuff

• Shocking! This 'Tequila' Sweetener is Far Worse than High Fructose Corn Syrup - (Mercola.com) Interesting...
• Clicklist of April Fool's Food Gags - (green LA girl) OK, so we missed posting on April Fool's Day, but thought these were hilarious and worth sharing.
• Natural food dyes for Easter - (Mother Nature Network) "Fruits and vegetables give Easter eggs and foods safe, healthy color."
• Trader Joe's Vows to Sell Sustainable Seafood - (Sierra Club: The Green Life)

Home Stuff

• A sky-high garden shed - (Mother Nature Network) "New Zealand's Plant Room is a prefabricated 'clip-on' garden shed/greenhouse designed for high-rise apartment buildings and condos."

Beauty & Fashion Stuff

• Sustainable Fashion for Spring 2010 - (TheDailyGreen.com) A slide show of the Green Shows in NY last September...

Tech & Science Stuff

• 10 Incredible Green Technologies That Could Shape The Future - (Twilight Earth)

Nature & Environment Stuff

• Risk Is Clear in Drilling; Payoff Isn't - (NYTimes.com)
  
• Bugging Out: 7 Amazing Extreme Insect Close-Ups - (WebEcoist) Some neat bug pics...
• Bizarre BFFs: Unlikely But Awwwsome Animal Friends [PICS] - (WebEcoist) Some of these animal friends are pretty amazing... maybe we can all just get along, hmmm...

Arts, Entertainment & Travel Stuff

• Egg-Shaped Architecture & Art From Amazing To Bizarre - (WebEcoist) In honor of Easter...
• Earth Believes in Global Warming (cartoon) - (Wend Magazine)

Political, Social & Economy Stuff

• Fair Trade Chocolate: Fair Prices for International Chocolate Sellers - (Suite101.com) "Sales of fair trade products have continued to grow despite global recession..."

Other Random Cool Stuff

• Shopping online: Greener than buying local? - (Mother Nature Network) "Shopping locally may not always be the greenest option. A new study by Carnegie Mellon University's Green Design Institute gives a thumbs-up to buying online."
• Puddle Jumping Welcome: Stunning Stormwater Park Concept - (WebEcoist) Cool idea...

Putting the Eco into Easter Fun

Our friends over at Celebrate Green have some great tips on how to add a little eco into your Easter celebrations.

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5 Egg-cellent Eco-Friendly Easter Egg Ideas


1. You may have heard the not-so-great news that dyes used for Easter eggs, even though labeled non-toxic, may not be so healthy. Seems some of the dyes contain coal tar and other petroleum products.

Why purchase these kinds of products in the first place, especially when it's so simple, fun and educational to dye eggs using items from your fridge or pantry?

Dyeing eggs with fruits and veggies is not much more complicated than using store-bought dyes. Choose brightly colored fruits and veggies (though sometimes a not-so-bright item, can yield amazingly vibrant results, onion skins being one example) and give it a try. Here are instructions for both hot and cold methods.

2. Hunting for colorful fruits and vegetables not your style? Check out the brand new eco-frendly tablets in the Eco-Eggs Easter Egg Coloring Kit where the colors come from purple sweet potato, paprika, beta carotene, red cabbage and blueberries. For $10, you get enough dye for two years.

3. If you hurry, you still may be able to pick up some souvenir eco-friendly wooden eggs that commemorate the annual Easter egg roll on the south lawn of the the White House. These commemorative eggs are made in the U.S. from FSC certified hardwood.

4. When it comes to candy eggs to hide or give in a basket, you're in luck. There are more eco-friendly choices available now than ever. Check your local natural food store(s). If you're lucky your local grocery or even big box chain might carry organic or Fair Trade chocolate eggs. If not, further the cause by letting the manager know you'd like this choice and that if she stocks them, you will buy.

5. Avoid buying new plastic eggs. But if you've held on to old ones or find some at a garage sale, give them new life! Cover with paper mache (made with flour and water); or glue on bits of yarn; or cover in glitter made from old piece of silver foil. You get the idea, bring out a box filled with odds and ends and let the kids have fun using eco-friendly glue of course, fill with healthy, green goodies.

(Don't store unwrapped candy in plastic eggs because the eggs may contain chemicals that can leech into the candy, especially if left in the heat. Kids have been known to discover hidden eggs months after Easter and devour the contents.)

For more eco-Easter ideas, visit www.CelebrateGreen.net/blog

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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.

Fill their baskets with good chocolate!

Our seasonal Chocolate-On-A-Sticks come in fun Easter holiday shapes the kids will love. All shapes come in your choice of milk chocolate or 72% dark chocolate.

Made from organic & Fair Trade Certified chocolate, these treats are good for planet & good for people!

Hurry, hurry... Easter is Sunday, April 4th
Get 50% off Priority Mail shipping on orders of $50 or more.* Enter promo code HURRY at checkout.

*per recipient, up to $250 - additional fees apply for shipments upgraded to Express Mail

VIDEO: Story Time With President Obama & Family

The Prez reading Where the Wild Things Are to kids at the White House Easter Egg Roll...yes, it's on video thanks to C-SPAN. Gotta love it when he gives the kids the Wild Thing stare.

VIDEO: Green Easter: Jesus is Comming... Look Green! - ZapRoot

"Make this Easter a Green one. 700 new chemicals are untested for toxicity. Check out the new batch of Alternative Autos."

Stuff We Found Today - 04.08.09

Umbrellas in Battery Park, New York

Home Stuff

• Would You Live in a Hemp House? - (Fast Company) "...hemp bound together with a lime-based adhesive creates a building material with a "better than zero" carbon footprint." Hmmm...interesting.
• 10 Air Purifying Plants For Homes & Offices - (WebEcoist)
  

Tech & Science Stuff

• Recycle 100 Million Cell Phones, Power Almost 20,000 Homes - (Red, Green and Blue) "...the EPA estimates that only 10 percent of all unused cell phones were recycled, and if all 100 million unwanted phones were recycled now it would save enough energy to power 18,500 homes for one full year."

Work & Business Stuff

• Green Job Listings - April 7, 2009 - (Green Gigs)

Nature & Environment Stuff

• Wilkins Ice Shelf in West Antarctic "On the Brink of Collapse" - (Global Warming Is Real) Not so good, folks.
  

Arts, Entertainment & Travel Stuff

• The eco-saints and eco-sinners of Hollywood - (Celebs Gone Good) Just for fun...there's a video in the post, too.
• Jessica Alba, Alex Baldwin Join Other In Helping Raise Money For Green Charity - (Ecorazzi) Bid on a chance to win a celebrity autographed bag, and proceeds will go to The Nature Conservancy's Plant a Billion Trees campaign.
• 18 Incredible Umbrella Art Installation From Around The World - (Environmental Graffiti) Pretty cool!

International Stuff

• Rare Megamouth Shark Caught, Then Eaten - (EcoWorldly) "Fishermen based in Donsol, the Philippines, caught one of the world’s rarest sharks..."

Political, Social & Economy Stuff

• From Rust Belt to Green Belt: The Renewal of Pittsburgh - (Chelsea Green) Video in post.
• Stimulus Breakdown from United Green - Episode 2: Weatherization - (Green For All) "This is the second in a series of videos...to explain specific aspects of the Economic Recovery Act."

Other Random Cool Stuff

• For Your Honey-Bunny - (ecofabulous) Just in case you've decided not to go the chocolate bunny route this Easter, these adorable cookies are organic and made from Fair Trade cocoa!
  

Stuff We Found Today - 04.07.09

Project P.U.M.A. - Electric "enclosed" scooter that drives itself.

Food Stuff

• The 10 Easiest Vegetables to Grow at Home - (EcoSalon) Maybe we'll finally start our own veggie garden!
• Grow Easy: 15 Foolproof Plants for Organic Gardens - (WebEcoist) ...and here's another list of easy to grow veggies (some overlap with previous post).
  

Home Stuff

• A Green Wind for your Window: Eco Astor Recycled Cotton Magic Blinds - (Green Your Decor)
• Off The Grid Ecopod - (GreenMuze) Maybe one of these can be placed in the backyard for a "guest home"?
• Worm Factory Compact Composting Kits - (Inhabitat) "The Worm Factory promises odorless year-round operation, and with its compact footprint, it can even be used in apartments."
• VOTE NOW in the Spring Green Design Competition! - (Inhabitat) Some neat designs for the home here...we kinda diggin' the "Phone Book Coffee Table".
  

Beauty & Fashion Stuff

• Ethiopian Eco-Shoes - (GreenMuze) "The soleRebels Collective makes some of the most stylish and green footwear on the planet."

Tech & Science Stuff

• Project PUMA (Personal Urban Mobility and Accessibility) - eclectic electric richshaw. - (CTN Green News) Made by the guy who brought us the Segway, this "enclosed scooter" is "intended to drive automatically — almost by themselves — allowing human passengers to relax and sit back while their P.U.M.A navigates traffic." What...by itself??!!
• Zero S Electric Motorbike Available for Purchase - (EcoGeek) "...you can get yourself an electric motorbike with a top speed of 60 mph, 32 horsepower and 62 ft lbs of torque for less than $10,000."
• It's On! Portland and San Francisco Battle For Electric Car Domination - (Gas 2.0)
  

Work & Business Stuff

• Wind Officially Employs More Than Coal Industry - (EcoGeek)
• Green Job Listings - April 6, 2009 - (Green Gigs)
• Green Jobs for War Veterans - (Live Earth) "Green jobs are truly the way of the future and Veterans Green Jobs has taken this and run with it by providing career training for military veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan." Video in post.
• Green summer jobs for youth in D.C. - (Mother Nature Network) "What better way to break into the green collar economy than with a green collar job for the summer?" We should have this everywhere...keeps kids occupied over the summer break and do something green!
  

School, College & Student Stuff

• Green College Spotlight: University of Colorado at Boulder - (EarthFirst) "The University of Colorado at Boulder has one of the top environmental studies programs in the country, and it’s also one of America’s greenest schools..."

Nature & Environment Stuff

• 20 Incredible Picture Of Rice Terraces From Above - (Environmental Graffiti) Just some really cool pics.
• 10 Animals on the Brink of Extinction - (EcoWorldly) Sad...
• Green Apple Festival - (showtheLOVE) "...Earth Day is right around the corner, providing lots of opportunities for us to be a good earth citizens, and teach our kids about volunteering. Green Apple Festival, April 17-19 is a great place to start."

Arts, Entertainment & Travel Stuff

• Musicians Align to Protect Appalachians from Mountaintop Removal - (EarthFirst) "Sheryl Crow, Emmylou Harris, Kathy Mattea, Big Kenny Alpin and other musicians are coming together in a new campaign called Music Saves Mountains..."
• The Top 10 Eco-Friendly Hotels - (Fast Company) "...TripAdvisor has put together a list of the top 10 eco-friendly accommodations as selected by the site's editors and members."
• Cool Globes keep rolling - (Mother Nature Network) "Cool Globes, a big eco-awareness art exhibit, is still rolling after two years. Next stop: Los Angeles for Earth Day."
• MasterPEACE.org - "Artwork made by children to help save the children." Started by the son of our good friend Jen at showtheLOVE, this site shows us just how amazing kids can be.

International Stuff

• What Was - and Wasn't - Achieved at the G20 Summit - (Chelsea Green)
• The World's Greenest Roller coaster is Pedal-Powered - (EarthFirst) "It’s frightening enough to imagine taking a ride on a man-powered ferris wheel. However, a pedal-powered roller coaster takes the whole “eco amusement park” thing to new heights – literally."
• Olympics, Economy Give China Cleanest Air In A Decade - (The Huffington Post)
  

Political & Social Stuff

• Key bill for Clean Energy Corps passes: Serve America Act - (Green For All) "This historic legislation will dramatically increase service opportunities in the U.S., and will deploy service as a strategy to address our nation's toughest challenges..."
• Van Jones, Re:visionary - (The Inspired Economist) "In a recent interview...Van spoke of the need to revision the way we do things. He spoke of soul level redemption. And he spoke of the need for human recovery. Listening to him you can’t help but be caught up in his articulate passion and belief that there is a better way out of this mess we’re in." Video in post.
• Surprise Visit to Iraq, Pt 1 & Pt 2 - (Obama Pics Daily) Once again, the comments on these photos are hilarious.
• Energy politics shouldn't depend on whether you're Republican or Democrat, says Chu - (Grist) Here, here!!
  

Other Random Cool Stuff

• Empire State Building Going Green - (AboutMyPlanet.com) "In New York City, the majority of greenhouse gas emissions come from the buildings, 78 percent of the emissions to be exact. Twenty-five percent of these emissions are from commercial buildings--with electricity being the major reason."
• Spreading the Wealth Without Spending a Dime: Donate sprots equipment and bicycles - (Living Green Below Your Means)
• Preparing Plastiki - (Oceana) "British adventurer and environmentalist (and hunk) David de Rothschild is set to lead an expedition this summer across the Pacific Ocean in the Plastiki, a 60-foot vessel made entirely out of recyclable plastic -- mostly bottles." Video in post.
• Recycling plastic gift certificates - (Mother Nature Network) "...Earthworks, an eco-friendly manufacturing and recycling company, recently launched its Retailer Gift Card Return Program. It allows retailers and consumers to send in cards for recycling so that the gift of these cards can live on and on."
• Eco Easter Eggs - (Mother Nature Network) "DIY your dye" by using stuff from your kitchen.
• Love to your mother: Earth Day facts and figures - (Mother Nature Network) Just some interesting info...
• Why can't I recycle pizza boxes? - (Mother Nature Network) "Food, it turns out, is one of the worst contaminants in the paper recycling process." This is why we package our chocolates in tins and not paper boxes.
  

Stuff We Found Today - 04.01.09

Obama Supports $10,000 Tax Credit for "Free" Vasectomies...April Fools!!

Food Stuff

• Cozy on (C)up - (ecofabulous) Here's a reuasable alternative to disposable coffee cup sleeve...for the occasions when you forget to bring your own travel mug to the coffee shop.
• There's Good Chews, and There's Bad Chews - (Ecosalon) We're talking about chewing gum. "Modern gum is mostly made up of petro-based polymers. Essentially, you’re chewing plastic...a better option: Chicza, an organic, biodegradable, agave-sweetened gum made completely from chicle tree latex, the old-fashioned way."
• Organic is Not the Answer (by itself!) - (Eco Child's Play) Because "junk food is junk food"...even if it's organic.
• Ben & Jerry's 'fools' us into taking action - (Mother Nature Network) "Ben & Jerry's revealed today that they were behind a website that touted 'perfect milk from perfect cows.' It was there April Fool's joke with a serious message behind it."

Beauty & Fashion Stuff

• Green Fashion Show Opens Miami Fashion Week - (Eco Fashion World)
• BiCoastal Style Gone Green: Doie's Spring 2009 Collection - (Eco-Chick) Lovin' the dresses in this collection.
  

Tech & Science Stuff

• MIT Scientists Build Virus-Powered Batteries for Your Next Electric Car - (Fast Company) is this for real or an April Fool's joke?
• The Electronics Recycling Superguide - (Sierra Club: The Green Life) What to do with your old gadget once you've upgraded to the latest and greatest.
  

Nature & Environment Stuff

• Blue Planet Expedition: Alexandra Cousteau's Study of Water Issues Around the River Ganges in India - (Blue Living Ideas) "This is the the second post in a six post series that follows Alexandra Cousteau’s Blue Planet Expedition, a 100 day journey to 5 continents to study the interconnectivity of water." (video in post)
• How Cigarette Butts Harm the Environment - (EcoWorldy)
• Convenient truths: Climate, scarcity and abundance - (Mother Nature Network) "Al Gore, step aside. Saul Griffith has a slideshow that makes 'Inconvenient Truth' look like a warmup...an accurate model of an individual's contribution to climate change, and how to solve what is clearly humanity's greatest challenge." Video definitely worth watching!
  

Arts, Entertainment & Travel Stuff

• Robert Redford, NBA, And NRDC Team Up For First-Ever NBA Green Week - (Ecorazzi)
• First Look: DiCaprio's TAG Heuer Ads Benefiting Green Charities - (Ecorazzi)
  

International Stuff

• Crazy LED disco: Hight style, low energy - (Mother Nature Network) "Club NOX in Brazil redefines disco style using computer-programmed LED's." For all you international clubbers!
  

Political & Social Stuff

• Reception with the Queen - (Obama Pics Daily) Queen Elizabeth looks so little next to everyone...lovin' Obamas huge ear-to-ear grins in all the pics.
• From United Green: Stimulus Breakdown Episode 1 - Green Jobs Act - (Green For All) Here's series of YouTube videos that helps explain various aspects of the Recovery Act. Great info for everyday Americans.
• Obama Supports $10, 000 Tax Credit for "Free" Vasectomies - (Eco Child's Play) We've been trying most of the Apr Fool's blog posts out there, but this one was just too funny to us - haha!
  

Other Random Cool Stuff

• Eco-easter series: green gifts for under $10 - (Celebrate Green)
• Pauline Tiffen on the Challenges of Fair Trade - (Change.org: Fair Trade) Pauline Tiffen is a Fair Trade consultant and discussed the idea of Fair Trade ownership at debate that took place at the London School of Econmics. (video in post)
• San Fran Quits Junk Mail - (GreenMuze) "...he first city in the USA to give junk mail the boot."

Greening Up Your Easter Fun

Easter is fast approaching, and if you have little ones, you know first hand how excited they are to go Easter egg hunting (translated as candy hunting). Well our good friends over at Celebrate Green have got some great tips on how to make this holiday's festivities not only good for the kids, but good for planet & people, too.

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Easter brings thoughts of spring and rebirth, so there's no reason not to celebrate it with the Earth's best interest at heart. Since for many families, Easter wouldn't be the day without the basket, here's how to transform this traditional hit, into a gift that truly is worth celebrating.

Instead of buying a new plastic or woven basket made in a country far away, this year, how about using your imagination? Choose an item that can hold the goodies, decorate if you like and you've got a unqiue, no-cost container. How fun would it be for your kids to go on the hunt with one of these?

• A purse
• A backpack
• A scarf tied to a hobo stick
• A decorated paper bag or shoe box (add a handle if you like)
• A fabric bag of any kind
• A pot (decorate by drawing on a strip of paper the height of the pot, then fasten with tape)
• A boot (Kids rain boots are especially cute. Tuck some fabric inside to keep goodies clean.)
• A paint can (again, add fabric inside if you like)
• Make our simple fabric basket. Instructions here.

If you're the traditional type and like the look of grass, instead of buying the plastic stuff, why not try:

• strips of fabric
• real grass, either wheat grass or grass from your yard
• shredded recycled paper
• green scarf
• strips of organic nori (seaweed availbalbe in paperlike sheets)
• green napkin, washcloth or dish towel

As for filling the basket, you're probably aware that Easter is the second biggest holiday for candy sales next to Halloween. Sweet treats are fine, but how about choosing high quality over quantity? And just one over handfuls? Fortunately, this year, there are many great Easter treats that are better for kids and the Earth. Here are just a few:

• Organic vegan bunny and eggs from Allison's Gourmet
• Organic jelly beans from Nuts Online
• Baking your own cookies? Pick up organic food colors from the Natural Candy Store which also carries loads of other sweet Easter treats like Easter eggs filled with organic candy

Once the candy is taken care of, you'll most likely want other items to fill the basket. Considering the economy, you might come up with activites you can do with your child that cost nothing, write them on slips of paper and add to the basket. We bet if you ask your children in advance, what special activities they might enjoy, you'll have enough for months of fun. Suggestions:

• Stay up late with you one night.
• Bake something special together.
• Make up a game.
• Make popcorn and enjoy a movie on TV.
• Sleep outside under the stars.
• Have a tea party
• Create a mural
• Create and enjoy an "art" day using only items you have on hand

If you do want to purchase some special items for the basket, instead of heading to the dollar store, consider whether spending $10 on plastic toys that will break quickly is better than spending the same amount on one quality item that your child might enjoy playing with long after the holiday has passed. If you're with us that the latter is worth investigating, here are a few ideas:

• Seed packets and a garden implement or two
• Felted egg kit from A Child's Dream Come True
• Fair trade egg shaker from Down to Earth Toys
• Wooden play eggs from A Toy Garden
• Paper mache nesting eggs from Magic Cabin
• Organic finger puppets from I Play Baby Wear
• Handmade decorative eggs from you or Etsy
• Seeded paper or cards that can be planted from Botanical Paper Works

More ideas for Easter baskets and festivities are available at www.CelebrateGreen.net/blog

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

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

Stuff We Found Today - 03.31.09

LaughFirst cartoon from EarthFirst.com

Family, Kids & Health Stuff

• Wish the rain, rain would go away? - (Ideal Bite) "...keep kids dry with eco rain gear....coats, boots, and brellies that aren't a puddle of PVC, plus sources for used stuff that won't soak you for cash."
• Green baby clothes on a budget - (Mother Nature Network)
  

Food Stuff

• Is Eating Fish Good For The Environment? - (AboutMyPlanet.com) While fish is good for us healthwise, not so good for the planet at our current consumption rates...and there lies the dilemma.
• Al Gore Announces New Line of Organic Vegan Frozen Foods - (Ecorazzi) Seriously?!! Haha...is this an April Fool's joke?!
• McDonald's Moves Closer to Pesticide-Free French Fries - (Fast Company) Could it be that the symbol of fast food is beginning to think green???
• Oh nuts! Pistachios join the recall list - (Mother Nature Network)
  

Home Stuff

• Architects Are Creating 'Killing Machines' - (Jetson Green) "so much focus on carbon, yet [architects are still] using toxic materials ... It's a nightmare -- you're effectively delivering a killing machine. We have to put as much focus on materials as on energy."
• How to find an eco-friendly water heater - (Green Living Ideas)
  

Beauty & Fashion Stuff

• ecofabulous Exclusive Interview: Ali Hewson - (ecofabulous) Just in case you're an eco-fashionista and you missed last week's opening night for Edun's Pop-Up Shop at Clary Sage Organics in SF...and if you love Edun and it's founder as much as we do.
• Vegetarian Superstar Pamela Anderson Designs Eco-Friendly Fashion Line - (Ecorazzi) "...the outspoken green babe is kicking it up a notch by teaming up with couturier Richie Rich..."

Tech & Science Stuff

• Detroit Electric Will Offer All-Electric Sedan By Next Year - (EcoGeek) This is coming from an auto company that was making electric vehicles way back in the early 1900's.
• Chinese Electric Cars Coming To Costco, Wal-Mart - (Gas 2.0) No...this is not a joke!
  

Work & Business Stuff

• Green Job Listings - March 31, 2009 - (Green Gigs)

Nature & Environment Stuff

• Hanging-ten to save the waves - (Celebs Gone Good) "Project Save Our Surf is putting surfers and non-surfers to the test this weekend to work together to save the wild waters."
• Pharmaceuticals Now Showing Up In Fish? - (EcoFriendlyDaily.com) "Fish caught near wastewater treatment plants...had residues of pharmaceuticals in them, including medicines used to treat high cholesterol, allergies, high blood pressure, bipolar disorder and depression..."

Arts, Entertainment & Travel Stuff

• Joaquin Phoenix Narrates new Audiobook Version of "Earthlings" - (Ecorazzi) "...In an effort to reach out to those who might want to hear the message, but not necessarily see the images...present this sensitive issue in a way that educates its audience without alienating or overwhelming them..."
• Can NBC Brand itself as the Green Network? - (Fast Company) Intersting...will it matter??
  

International Stuff

• Venice to Use Algai for 50% of Its Electricity - (EcoGeek)

Political & Social Stuff

• Pres & First Lady Off to Europe for the G20 Summit - (Obama Pics Daily) Wow...Michelle looks amazing as she steps off the plane in London!
• Obama Seeks to Out-Do Clinton in Greening the White House - (EarthFirst) Wow...50%!!!
  

Other Random Cool Stuff

• Waterborne Disease: A Common Issue in Many Parts of the World - (Blue Living Ideas) Video in post.
  
• Eco-Easter Series: Goodies! - (Celebrate Green) "In a previous post we discussed ideas for greening Easter baskets - now lets get to the good stuff: what’s inside."
• Gifting Green: Think Mother's Day! - (KATU.com: AM Northwest) The ladies of Celebrate Green featured Coco-Zen's Chocolate Soap and Chocolate Lotion on this past weekend's TV segment...woo hoo! Thanks Lynn and Corey!!
• Greenwash Alert! Pepsi's 'Eco-Fina' Bottle - (EarthFirst) "IT’S A PLASTIC WATER BOTTLE. It’s not green." Hello...exactly!!! (video in post)
  

Stuff We Found Today - 03.26.09

Family, Kids & Health Stuff

• Study: BPA impairs brain function - (Safer States) Great.
• Is Hand Snitizer Poisoning Your Kids? - (showtheLOVE)
  

Food Stuff

• Cadbury on the Radio - (Change.org: Fair Trade) "Public Radio International covered the Cadbury's news about going Fair Trade and even posted a slideshow of the report." Video in post.
• Trading Veggies - (GreenMuze) "Veggie Trader allows gardeners to sell or trade their excess veggies and fruit, or purchase from other people in their community. Brilliant and free." Maybe we can finally find someone who wants all our backyard apples!
• Trinidad Chocolate: Bean to Bar - (World Cocoa Foundation)
  

Home Stuff

• Looking To Eco Bathroom Tissue - (EcoFriendlyDaily.com) Personally, we like the Seventh Generation stuff.
• Waste Basket Wonder - (GreenMuze) "The world’s first waste-less waste paper basket, constructed of 100% recycled cardboard..." These are great for an office or dorm room!
  

Beauty & Fashion Stuff

• Tonight: Spring Has Set-up Shop! - (ecofabulous) "If you’re in the Bay Area make sure to join ecofabulous at Clary Sage Organics tonight for the opening of Edun’s Spring/Summer Pop-Up Shop and a sneak peek of the Fall/Winter Collection!" Edun founder (and wife of Bono) Ali Hewson will be there!
  

Tech & Science Stuff

• High Resolution Tesla Model S Gallery - (EcoGeek.org) "Tesla has officially unveiled the Model S..."
  
• Top 5 Greenest Laptops - (EcoGeek)
• Google and the Grid - (ecomii) "Google has teamed up with GE to bring us up-close and personal to the smart grid. They’re developing a personal energy information application called the Google PowerMeter that will show us our energy consumption in near real-time."
• The F-CELL Roadster - (GreenMuze) "Looking like a cross between a modern Mercedes-Benz and an old fashion roadster, the Daimler AG trainees at the Sindelfingen Mercedes-Benz plant have built a good-looking vehicle using a hydrogen powered fuel cell with zero emissions."

Work & Business Stuff

• Green Job Listings - March 25, 2009 - (Green Gigs)

Nature & Environment Stuff

• A Sea Change: Documentary Shows Harsh Truth of World Without Fish - (Blue Living Ideas) "...a new, hard-hitting documentary that draws public attention to this urgent but little-known crisis threatening over 1,000,000 species with extinction—and with them, our entire way of life."
  
• Three Mile Island Killed People / Nuclear Industry's Despicable Regulatory Record - (Culture Change) An interesting but very sobering article.
• Watching the Climate Crisis Unfold - (Al Gore) Looks like Al's blogging again... "In 2006, James Balog and National Geographic, attempted to photograph the effects of global warming as they unfolded. The result is the Extreme Ice Survey."

Arts, Entertainment & Travel Stuff

• Watch The Lorax Animated Cartoon Here! - (Eco Child's Play) Loved this book as a kid.
• Cassette Tape Portraits - (GreenMuze) Wow...kinds cool artwork!
• DiCaprio's Nickelodeon Award - (GreenMuze) "Green-guy Leonardo DiCaprio is set to receive the first ever Big Green Help Award at the Kids' Choice Awards..."

International Stuff

• Stunning Green Buildings in China: A Slideshow - (TreeHugger)

Political & Social Stuff

• House Votes to Expand Winderness in 9 States - (The Huffington Post) Post includes roll call list of who voted and how.
• Global Warming Is Bad for You, Says EPA - (EcoSalon) "...the Environmental Protection Agency appears to have designated greenhouse gases (the most infamous being carbon dioxide) as a danger to human health, opening the way to regulating these gases under the Clean Air Act."
• Egg A Politician - (Divine Chocolate) We came across this from green LA girl - "Aim your egg at one of the five leaders — Barack Obama, Nicolas Sarkozy, Gordon Brown, Manmohan Singh or Wen Jiabao — attending the G20 summit, then send an email to the politicians asking them to keep fair trade on the G20 agenda."
• Obama Supports Turkish Mortgage Customers? - (The Art of Obama) Around the world, Obama's cache is so great that they're using his image on mortgage ads!! LOL
  

Other Random Cool Stuff

• Eco-Easter series: Eggscellent eggs - (Celebrate Green) Some eco-friendly options for plastic-free Easter eggs.
  
• Fair Trade Resource Network Fundraiser - (Change.org: Fair Trade) If you're interested in learning more about Fair Trade and happen to be in the Portland, OR area...check this out.
• It's Official: Urbanites Produce Less CO2 than Rural Residents - (EarthFirst)
• How to Recycle Your Old Stuff - (Focus Organic) some tips on how to recycle various items.
• Who Owns the Rain? - (Ecolocalizer) Can you believe it's illegal to collect/harvest rainwater in some states...what??!!
• Faith Communities, The Environment, and Tales of Responsibility - (New Dream Blog)