Stuff We Found Today - 04.23.13

Deep Dark Chocolate Tart Recipe - gluten-free and vegan!

Family, Kids & Health Stuff

• 5 Amazing DIY Forts! - (Inhabitots) These are pretty cool.
• How nature can help us heal from grief - (Mother Nature Network) "It's no accident that many children's books on grieving follow nature-based themes." A timely article in the wake of recent tragedies.
• 3D Ultrasound That Reveals a Baby in Utero Like Never Before - (Inhabitots) How cool is this?!!! Anyone having gone through pregnancy, how much would you have loved to have had this technology when your kid was in utero???

Food Stuff

• Regular cocoa flavanol intake could help maintain brain health - (ConfectioneryNews) Hmmmm...would that make us chocoholics smarty pants??
• Deep Dark Chocolate Tart Recipe - (Mother Nature Network) ...and it's gluten-free and vegan!
• Mediterranean comfort food recipes - (Mother Nature Network) Love the "Chicken with Orzo Pasta" recipe...great way to use up leftover rotisserie chicken.
• Frankenapple: Bad News No Matter How You Slice It - (Organic Consumers Association) New GMO apple that won't turn brown expected to be approved by USDA
• The Easiest Beet Chips You'll Ever Make - (MindBodyGreen) Seriously, this is that easy.
• EWG's 2013 Shopper's Guide to Pesticides in Produce - (Environmental Working Group) Yes, there's a smartphone app too...perfect to take to the grocery store with you.

Home Stuff

• What's in a home? Our housing choices and the environment - (Mother Nature Network) "... the United States' obsession with big houses and the general lack of concern of what impact that has on the community." Very interesting read.
• Natural and Innovative Materials at the 2013 Milan Furniture Fair - (Inhabitat) Especially love the Gu Paper Chair and the coconut fiber material that can be used for food packaging.

Tech & Science Stuff

• 3,587 MPG Hypermiling Vehicle Wins 1st Place at the 2013 Shell Eco-Marathon! - (Inhabitat)
• New, Cheaper Tesla EV to Hit the Market by 2017, Says Musk - (Inhabitat) Hmmm...how much cheaper??

Nature & Environment Stuff

• Storm hits Mayflower, Arkansas site of Exxon oil spill. Contaminated water pumped into Lake Conway as citizen journalists report live. - (TreeHugger) Gotta check out the video in this article.
• CICADAPOCOLYPSE: Billions of Red-Eyed Cicadas to Swarm Tri-State Area - (Inhabitat) This should be quite the event for bug lovers!
• Inhabitat: 12-Year-Old Girl's Letter to Mayor Helps Save a City Forest in Canada - (Inhabitat) Love acitivist kids!

Arts, Entertainment & Travel Stuff

• San Francisco's Exploratorium Reopens as the Country's Biggest Net-Zero Energy Museum - (Inhabitat) We've always loved the Exploratorium... now even more!

Other Random Cool Stuff

• Boston Marathon: Good Samaritans shine in time of tragedy - (Mother Nature Network) As the city reels from the marathon bombings, an outpouring of love and altruism prevails.
• Trash Cafe: Newcastle Students Unveil Pop-Up Coffee Shop Made from Recycled Cardboard - (Inhabitat) "...cafe will be dismantled and flat-packed at the end of the week to be moved to other locations..." Cool!

Stuff We Found Today - 09.17.12

National Geographic: Miniature Chameleon from Madagascar

  Food Stuff

• McDonald's to open its first vegetarian restaurant in India - (theTelegraph) Would be neat to have one here...or at least some of the menu options.
• A Cookie Coffee Cup That's Easy To Recycle: Just Eat It - (Fast Company) Love it!!

Home Stuff

• 7 Smart and Easy Tips to Green Your Kitchen - (Inhabitat)
• DuffyLondon's Awesome Swing Table Suspends Guests From Swaying Seats - (Inhabitat) OMG...how fun is this?!! Made from ethically sourced wood too!

School, College & Student Stuff

• Surfrider's QUAD Youth Service Program - (Surfrider.org) Hey students...start a Surfrider club or project at your school!

Nature & Environment Stuff

• Gulf Oil Spill Remnants From Hurricane Isaac Wash Up Years After Disaster - (Huffington Post) Just lovely...
• Photos: Rare Deep-Sea Anglerfish Recorded - (National Geographic) Cool looking fish!
• Miniature Chameleons Discovered - Fit on Match Tip - (National Geographic) Cute!
• Study: Overfishing has cost millions - (USAToday.com)

Arts, Entertainment & Travel Stuff

• Full Scale Model of NYC's LowLine Underground Park Unveiled on the Lower East Side! - (Inhabitat) Love HighLine Park...can't wait to go back and visit NYC when the new LowLine Park is done!

Website Stuff

• Vegan Cuts: Online market place for vegan items - (GirlieGirl Army) Plus, GirlieGirl Army has a 15% discount for your first purchase on Vegan Cuts.
• Surfrider's new "Ocean Illness" reporting site - (Surfrider) Crowd sources information to monitor and track surf and water related illnesses.

Other Random Cool Stuff

• Watch One World Trade Center Go Up in This Beautiful September 11th Anniversary Time-Lapse Video - (Inhabitat) Pretty neat to see.

Stuff We Found Today - 01.23.11

GM's EN-V Car of the Future

Family, Kids & Health Stuff

• 5 Kids Tech Projects that Foster Creativity & Critical Thinking - (Inhabitots) Uhhhh... something us grownups could use more of!
• NEW STUDY: Most Pregnant Women Carry Harmful Toxins - (Inhabitots) "A new study published at The University of California, San Francisco, (UCSF) shows that virtually every single pregnant woman in the United States carries multiple harmful environmental chemicals in her body - some that have been banned for years."

Food Stuff

• 'American Wasteland': Why so much food becomes trash in America - (Mother Nature Network) "Author Jonathan Bloom documents how America throws
  away nearly half of its food — and provides ideas for wasting less and enjoying more."

Home Stuff

• Rip + Tatter Kid's Chair by Pete Oyler - (Inhabitots) Cool kids chairs... we know some little boys who would love to go to town on these!
• How I brought my electricity bill down to $5 - (Mother Nature Network) Totally awesome!!
• Ubabub's Modern Eco Pod Cot Grows With Your Child - (Inhabitots) Not the cheapest bed (yeah, it's pricey), but pretty darn cool looking.

Beauty & Fashion Stuff

• Meet "Herself," the World's First Air-Purifying Dress - (Ecouterre) Hmmm... really?? This could be quite innovative.
• Electricity-Generating T-Shirts Could Someday Power Your iPhone - (Ecouterre)

Tech & Science Stuff

• GM Shows Off Their EN-V Car of the Future at the Detroit Auto Show - (Inhabitat) Cool! Hey city drivers who can't ever find parking...this is the car for you!
• The top 5 Greenest Gadgets from CES 2011 - (My Life Scoop) Oh how we love our green gadgets...
• Top 6 Wind Powered Gadgets - (My Life Scoop) Kind of diggin' the foldable, portable wind turbine.

School, College & Student Stuff

• Fourth Annual National Valentine's Day of Action - (Global Exchange) Calling all teachers... win prizes for teaching about Fair Trade Cocoa!!

Nature & Environment Stuff

• 12 Weird Animals And Unearthly Creatures - (WebEcoist) Ahhh... nature at it's most interesting and unusual.
• Scientists Discover Solar-Powered Hornets - (Wend Magazine) Wish we could harness solar power to give ourselves a little energy boost...goodbye coffee addiction!
• Striving to Preserve Coral Reefs - (Palisades Post) Cool story about 12yr old fighting to save coral reefs and educating others about it.
• Free Entrance Days in the National Parks - Get out there and enjoy the outdoors... here's list of days where entrance fees will be free. Yosemite anyone??

Arts, Entertainment & Travel Stuff

• Sleeping in Trash, Trains & Drains: 14 Recycled Hotels - (WebEcoist) Most of these are real...and pretty cool.

International Stuff

• Tianjin Eco City is a Futuristic Green Landscape for 350,000 Residents - (Inhabitat) So interesting... China is a dichotomy of industrial pollution and eco innovation.
• Prince Charles To Build Massive Eco-Village In India - (Ecorazzi) "...and epically awesome badass..." Haha, love it! Or should we say "eco-badass"?!!
• Elderly Madrid Man Builds Incredible Spanish Cathedral Entirely From Trash - (Inhabitat) Rather impressive...

Other Random Cool Stuff

• Winter Fun: Homemade Bubble Solution - (Recycle Your Day) Do we really need to spend money on little plastic bottles of stuff we can easily make in 5 min??

Stuff We Found Today - 06.04.10

Oil soaked pelican in Louisiana

Family, Kids & Health Stuff

• EWG's 2010 Sunscreen Guide - (Environmental Working Group) Just in time for summer outdoor fun!

Food Stuff

• Genetically Modified foods Could Cause Long-Term Sterility - (Organic Consumers Association) "...one of the most obvious clues about the danger of GMO foods are that just about EVERY species of animal that is offered a GMO food versus a non-GMO food will avoid the GMO one." Hello!!!
• McDonald's 4 Year Old Cheeseburger Video - (YouTube) OMG...everyone needs to see this!!! Even the cheese doens't have mold on it...WHAT?!!!! Do we really want to be giving our kids this?
• The World's First Bionic Burger - (YouTube) ...and here's another video "about a man who's been saving hamburgers, cheeseburgers, and Big Macs from McDonalds for over 18 years... and they look EXACTLY the same!"
• Dark Chocolate Guards Against Brain Injury - (Mercola.com) Woohoo... another reason to eat chocolate (Fair Trade, that is).
• The Organic Food Solution - (Organic Consumer Association) New book detailing why buying organics might be the best thing you can do for your body & the planet.

Home Stuff

• Plastic Lamps made from Recycled Six-Pack Rings - (Inhabitat) Very cool looking!
• Children's Paper Tube DIY Eco-furniture is Customizable and Fun! - (Inhabitots) These are perfect for classrooms or home playrooms... so fun looking!
• Hill-Shaped French Eco House is a New "Wave" in Green Building - (Mother Nature Network) Cool looking house!

Beauty & Fashion Stuff

• FEED Project's "Guatemala" Bags Provide Nutrition for Malnourished Kids - (Ecouterre) FEED was founded by Lauren Bush!
• Wal-Mart Knows Miley Cyrus's Jewelry Is Toxic But Continues to Sell It - (NYMag.com)
• Handbags Hazards Continue at Wal-Mart - Tell the Retailer to Get the Lead Out! - (Center for Environmental Health)
• Eco-Fashion: Going Green - (Fashion Institute of Technology) Eco-fashinistas will want to check this exhibit out at the FIT Museum in NY.
• Reveal: "Vegan Superstar" Handbag - Super cute!!! Diggin' it in the light charcoal and ruby!

Tech & Science Stuff

• Sony Unveils Flexible OLED Thinner Than a Strand of Hair - (Inhabitat) Think of the things they could make...
• IBM's Traffic Lights Can Remotely Halt Your Car Engine - (Inhabitat) "...'A System and Method for Controlling Vehicle Engine Running State at Busy Intersections for Increased Fuel Consumption Efficiency' prevents cars from running red lights by–get this–remotely stopping vehicle engines." What, really????

Work & Business Stuff

• Top 10 cities for new grads seeking green jobs - (Mother Nature Network)

Nature & Environment Stuff

• Oil reaches Louisiana shores - (The Big Picture: Boston.com) Pictures speak louder than words...
• What BP does not want you to see - (Repower America) "Check out what BP does not want you to see. And please share this widely -- every American should see what's happening under the surface in the Gulf" ...and sign the petition!
• Dead Dolphins Wash Up On Coat; Oil's Role Unclear - (Greenwala News)
• Dolphin gets an iPad - (Mother Nature Network) "Merlin the dolphin is the first animal to get an iPad, and he's using it to teach humans about dolphin communication."

Political, Social & Economy Stuff

• 1st Lady Michelle Obama works out with students on South Lawn of the White House - (Obama Pics Daily) FLOTUS rocks!! Awesome pics!
• Free Trade vs. Fair Trade: The Struggle for Responsible Globalization - (POLS 405.1) A good read... informative. We believe that Fair Trade can exist within "Free Trade" as long as consumers are educated as to what the products are that they're buying.

Other Random Cool Stuff

• GOOD Instructions: Things You didn't Know Were Made of Oil - and How to Avoid Them - (GOOD)
• The True Cost of Chevron... What has Chevron given to you? - Interesting site...see the environmental and social impact that the oil giant has made around the world.
• What are the easiest, most important things to recycle? - (Mother Nature Network) Top 3 items to keep out of the landfill... and they're no brainers!

Planet & People Friendly Tip: Spring Cleaning? Donate Your Unwanted Stuff!

With spring right around the corner, it's time to clear out the clutter. If you're a "pack rat" like us, you've probably got things laying around or tucked away that you haven't touched in years. Well, instead of throwing them away, consider recycling or donating your items...surely there's someone out there who can get some use out of your stuff!

Here's a list of different ways to donate or recycle just about everything:

Art supplies: Donate to schools, churches and day cares for use in student art projects.

Packing peanuts: Take them to shipping stores (Mailboxes Etc., UPS), who will gladly take them off your hands.

Books: Donate them to the library for used book sales. Sell or offer them on resale and community sites.

Amazon.com

Ebay.com

Half.com

Craigslist.org

Freecycle.org

Building Materials: Check and see if there is a Habitat For Humanity ReStore in your local area, so people like me can buy your excess/used stuff and the money goes to Habitat.

Cellphones & Ink Cartridges: Usable cellphones can usually be donated to women's shelters to be programmed for 911 calls. Ink cartridges and old cellphones can go to some retailers for recycling, or you can put them to even better use by donating them to a program like Cure Recycling, which helps cure childhood cancer.

Clothing: Along with the usual suspects of Goodwill and the Salvation Army, you might want to consider something like Dress For Success, which assists low-income women looking for employment.

Computers: Schools will oftentimes take used computers, just be sure to call them first. If your local schools don't want yours, try the National Cristina Foundation or Goodwill.

Food: Canned goods (say you bought too much) can be donated to homeless shelters or food banks as long as the expiration date has not passed.

Formal Dresses (Prom, Wedding): You'll probably never wear these again. Donate them and let help out a young lady or bride-to-be that maybe can't afford one.

Glass Slipper Project

Prom Spot

Donate My Dress

Making Memories

Furniture: Try local shelters, disabled veterans associations, The Red Cross, the AARP, or local churches.

Magazines: Instead of your latest copy getting a single read and heading straight for the recycling bin, see if you can give them to schools, hospitals, senior citizen homes, jails, YMCAs, libraries, or local coffee shops.

Prescription or Sun Glasses: These can be expensive! Help out someone who maybe cannot afford them by donating.

OneSight.org

LensCrafters

Lion's Club (local chapter)

Shoes: Approximately 300 million kids around the world don't have shoes, so don't let your slightly used ones go to the dump - donate them!

Soles4Souls

Shoe4Africa

The Shoe Bank

Sports Equipment: Your kids stopped playing soccer years ago, so why keep their stuff in the garage getting moldy? Instead, donate your sports equipment to Sports Gift.

Wire Clothes Hangers: Give to local dry cleaners for reuse.

Here are even more ways of donating or recycling your unwanted stuff:

• Excess Access - They link donations of business and household items with the wish-lists of nearby nonprofits that can provide pick-ups or accept drop-offs.
• Dump & Run - They desire to reduce the amount of waste generated at Colleges and Universities by extending the useful life of items no longer needed by the student community at years end.
• Recycle.net - Established to promote the trade of scrap & waste materials
• Throwplace.com - A site where users may list goods they wish to give away to others. Charities, Businesses or Individuals that are registered are able to search the site and make requests for items of interest.

Giving credit where credit is due... We came across this list on one of our favorite blogs - The Good Human. To read the original article, click on the link - Where To Donate All Your Unwanted Stuff.

Stuff We Found Today - 07.02.09

The Terrafugia Transition car/plane in Greenwich

Family, Kids & Health Stuff

• Doctor explores link between toxic chemicals and autism - (Safer States) "One of America’s leading pediatricians is asking whether hormone-disrupting chemicals like bisphenol A, phthalates and flame retardants are to blame for the rising tide of autism."
• EWG's 2009 Sunscreen Guide - (Environmental Working Group) 'Cause it's time for summer fun in the sun!

Food Stuff

• If the U.S. won’t ban dangerous pesticides in our markets, it’s up to us to ban them from our homes - (Shine: Parenting)
• Healthier Sodas; Ready to commit to a new thirst quencher? - (Ideal Bite) "Most pop's loaded with caffeine and artificial sweeteners. These tasty drinks satisfy your kid's cola cravings in a healthier way. Yes!"
• Taco Bell goes green - (Mother Nature Network) "Could it actually be true? Taco Bell goes all out for the environment? See for yourself." Check out this funny video from The Onion News Network...yes, it's just a spoof!
• Sustainable seafood in supermarkets - (Mother Nature Network) "Greenpeace graded grocery stores on their commitment to sustainable seafood. Sadly, Trader Joe's got an F."

Home Stuff

• Little Works - These guys have gorgeous handmade greeting cards from South Africa. % of proceeds donated to Deep Roots & 1% for the Planet...love it!
• Uroko House Book Igloo is a Book Lover’s Dream Bed - (Inhabitots) How cute is this for your little bookworm?!

Beauty & Fashion Stuff

• Best Brain-Damage-Free Mascaras from Couleur Caramel, Lavera and Jane Iredale - (EcoStiletto) Great lineup of toxin free mascaras.
• www.zosimosbotanicals.com - Exclusive line of handcrafted mineral makeup and natural skincare in a 100% wind-powered workshop. Great affordable prices too!
• Simple Shoes Clearance Sale - Now 50-85% Off. - (The Good Human) A few of the styles are little too "granola" for us, but sneaks are awful cute...especially the peep toe ones!

Tech & Science Stuff

• Electric Cars Run on Coal, But are They Cleaner than Gas? - (Twilight Earth) "In order for a car to run, something has to be burned. Is it Coal, Gas or the Environment? Should we burn it under our hoods in power plants?" Hmmm...something to think about...
• Big Dreams for New Cars That Fly, Run on Air and Reinvent Internal Combustion - (TheDailyGreen) "From the Terrafugia Transition to Zero Pollution Motors and split-cycle Scuderi engines, which alternative technology has the most promise?" (video in post)
• The Solar (Geek) Vest - (GreenMuze) "The four solar panel vest lets you charge your gadgets while working or walking in the sun." More geek than chic in our opinion.

Work & Business Stuff

• Video: Van Jones on MSNBC - (Mother Nature Network) "White House special advisor and green jobs guru Van Jones discusses the president's meeting with business leaders, as well as Obama's energy reform bill."
• 10 Great, Cheap, Green Office Supplies - (Ecopreneurist)
• Green Job Listings - July 2, 2009 - (Green Gigs)
• Great Green Job of the Week: Associate Creative Director, EnviroMedia Social Marketing - (EarthFirst) "EnviroMedia Social Marketing (Austin, Texas) is seeking a rising creative leader ready to use his or her powers to do some good in the world."

Nature & Environment Stuff

• Arctic Sea Ice at Lowest Point in 800 Years - (TheDailyGreen) "With the summer melt trending toward another record-low, a new study shows how global warming has produced unprecedented conditions in the Arctic."
• Close Encounters of the Crab-Ball Kind - (Environmental Graffiti) Who knew that crabs were such creative artists?! (video in post)

Arts, Entertainment & Travel Stuff

• The Digestive Tract Hotel - (GreenMuze) Okay...this is just a little weird, huh??
• Movie Review: Food Inc. - (EcoSalon) Everyone needs to see this movie!

Website Stuff

• Oceana: Creature Corner - Have a kid who loves sea animals (dolphins and sea turtles are soooo cool)? Have you little one check out this site from Oceana.org... "The ocean is home to thousands of species, from the familiar to the bizarre. Now you can learn about the creatures of the deep in Oceana's online encyclopedia."
• FreshandGreen.com: fresh ideas for green living - One stop shop for all eco products that are good for you, your family and the environment.
• New EPA Site Lets You Investigate Your Local Environment - (Sierra Club: The Green Life) "The EPA's new MyEnvironment tool provides a great range of information about local environmental conditions, from air quality to cancer-risk levels."
• www.NubiusOrganics.com - Check out this site for a fabulous selection of innovative products, information & ideas for eco-conscious living.
• How Your Internet Searches Can Fund Forests - (EcoSalon) A search tool like Google, "Click 4 Carbon is a for-profit business based in the UK that aims to raise money for forestation projects in Asia."

Political, Social & Economy Stuff

• EPA Approves California Waiver to REgulate Tailpipe Greenhouse Gas Emissions - (Global Warming Is Real)
• Obama Administration Gives Thumbs Up To Mountaintop Removal Mining - (EcoMatters) Nooooo!!

Other Random Cool Stuff

• We Want More from Our S'mores! - (Global Exchange) "This summer, the S’mores are speaking out…for Fair Trade!!!" Check out this fun Fair Trade campaign that you can participate in no matter where you are...and invite friends...s'more to share! (Sorry, couldn't resist.)
  
• 40 Facts About Water - (GenGreenLife) Did you know... "Less than 1% of the world’s fresh water (or about 0.007% of all water on earth) is readily accessible for direct human use."
• Study Documents the Many Environmental and Health Effects of Plastics - (TheDailyGreen) "Plastics are everywhere -- literally -- from the most remote oceans to the tissues inside our bodies. A new landmark study documents the pervasive impact of the most common consumer material."
• Just one word: Plastics - (Mother Nature Network) "It's hard to know what to do with a material that at once makes our modern lives possible while at the same time polluting the bleep out of the environment."

Stuff We Found This Weekend - 05.31.09

Wow!

Family, Kids & Health Stuff

• Eco Day Camps: Want kids to head outside this summer...? - (Ideal Bite) "Just sign up your squirts for eco day camp. They'll learn about nature, farming, science, and sustainability - and have some kitschy fun while they're at it." Some great suggestions in this post.
• Solar-Powered 6-in-1 Robot Drives, Flies and Floats - (EarthFirst) "For $21 you can distract your kids – or amuse yourself – with a fun kit that can be transformed into six different solar-powered robots."
• Modularean Eco Prefab Dollhouse - (Inhabitots) Looking for a dollhouse for your little one? This has got to be the coolest we've seen (and it's made from sustainable materials)...wouldn't mind having one of these in full-size!
• Parenting for a peaceful world - (Mother Nature Network) "Does your parenting style affect society as a whole?...an interesting book that delves into how child-rearing customs have shaped societies and major world events."

Food Stuff

• Massaged Kale & Current Salad with Gorgonzola - (Cookus Interruptus) Massaging your food...this looks like a fun recipe to try!
• Best-Selling Author John Robbins Gives The Low Down On Meat-Free Diets - (Ecorazzi) Warning - video in this post is graphic and difficult to watch.
• The Green Review: New Documentary "Fresh" Inspires Food Reform - (Ecorazzi) "Fresh featured a cast of real life characters who literally spend every minute of every day inspiribg the world to change our relationship with food."
• The unhealthy truth - (Mother Nature Network) Book - The Unhealthy Truth: How Our Food is Making Us Sick – and What We Can Do About It - "...modern developments in our food system very well might be the reason that so many children in the United States are disproportionately sick..."

Home Stuff

• Growing Chair: From the Forest to Your Living Room - (EarthFirst) This could be cool as backyard furniture so that it can keep growing as stay green.
• Helpful Tips On What To Do With Baking Soda - (EcoFriendlyDaily.com) Who knew you could do so much with baking soda...okay, well maybe our grandmas...
  
• Salvaged Dreams: Recycled Plates & Bowls by Fox & Clover - (Green Your Decor) These are gorgeous, handpainted plates and bowls made of recycled/repurposed glass.
• 32 amazing Examples of Recycled Furniture Art - (WebEcoist) Some of these are a bit odd, but some are pretty cool.

Beauty & Fashion Stuff

• Reviving Vintage Bags - (GirlSustainable.com) We love vintage, and these reworked bags are gorgeous.
  
• Berries - Ingredients in Anti-Aging Skincare - (Green Living Ideas) You can even make your own skin toner - see post.

Tech & Science Stuff

• Concentrated Solar Power Could Generate 25% of the World's Electricity by 2050 - (CleanTechnica) "...study from Greenpeace, the European Solar Thermal Agency, and the International Energy Agency’s SolarPACES Group..."
• General Motors First Hybrid: from 1969! - (Gas 2.0) Just imagine where we could be today if we actually made and bought hybrids back then.
  
• Google's new formula for energy independence - (Mother Nature Network) "Google lays out a plan to make renewable energy cheaper than coal."

Work & Business Stuff

• Great Green Job of the Week: Communications Director, Amazon Watch - (EarthFirst) "Join Amazon Watch, a dynamic organization that has led the way to ground breaking victories for indigenous peoples’ rights and the environment..."
• Green Jobs From Home - May 30, 2009 - (Green Gigs)
  
• Choose a green career - (Mother Nature Network) Now there's an Idiot's Guide to Green Careers!

Nature & Environment Stuff

• Climate Change Kills 300,000 A Year - (AboutMyPlanet.com) "Former United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan led a think-tank study which...found that climate change related deaths number around 300,000 a year.
• Can Desalination Projects Remedy California's Drought Problem? - (Blue Living Ideas) Possible in the short run...but bad in the long run?
• Carbon Emissions in U.S. Make Biggest Decline Since 1982 - (Global Warming Is Real) Just too bad that it took a dive in the economy for this to happen.
  
• Agency says climate change amplifying animal disease - (Grist) "Climate change is widening viral disease among farm animals, expanding the spread of some microbes that are also a known risk to humans, the world’s top agency for animal health said on Monday."
• Global Warming Will Harm U.S. Poor Disproportionately - (TheDailyGreen) "Study highlights risks of climate change to poor and minority populations within the U.S."

Arts, Entertainment & Travel Stuff

• Why Cate cares about climate change - (Celebs Gone Good) "She traveled to Copenhagen on Monday to participate in the World Business Summit and give business leaders a piece of her mind."
• HOME - a date with the planet video - (CTN Green News) "Spectacular Videography of the Planet, in a Film by Yann Arthus-Bertrand. THIS FILM IS STUNNING. We all have the power to change … so what are we waiting for?" (trailer video in post)
• Prius Stars in Casual Mafia's Rap Video - (EarthFirst) this is funny.
  
• ECO ART: Plastic Bottle Installation in NYC - (Inhabitat) "Sometimes it is hard to truly grasp how much waste we create as a society. That’s why NYC-based graphic design agency, MSLK is creating an installation that is an in-your-face visual of the amount of water bottles consumed in the United States. " (video in post)

International Stuff

• China to Impost Stricter Gas Mileage Rules Than U.S. - (EcoGeek) "While China still has a long way to go in cleaning up their technologies, they've repeatedly shown great ambition and advancements in areas like electric cars and renewable energy."

Political, Social & Economy Stuff

• The Prez hits up DC's "Five Guys" restaurant for lunch - (Obama Pics Daily) Fun pics.
• The FLOTUS @ Bancroft Elementary School - (Obama Pics Daily) Kids just seem to love her.
• Photos from Obama's Great-Uncle - (Obama Pics Daily) Kind of neat to see...
  
• The Military responds to Global Warming - (Change.org: Stop Global Warming) "Could the U.S. military help lead the nation into a clean energy future?" Could be the best way to get naysayers to realize how important this issue is.

Other Random Cool Stuff

• Activist Nuns convince Chevron to Track its Carbon Footprint - (EarthFirst) That's what we call "good sisters".
• The Butts Remain - (EcoSalon) Cigarette butts, that is... "Cigarettes might go up in smoke but the butts remain and account for 1.7 billion pounds of non-biodegradable trash."
• Global Warming's Six Americas 2009: An Audience Segmentation -(Goerge Mason University: Center for Climate Change Communication) Interesting report on on how Americans are divided on their perception of global warming...eye opening. This is a PDF file to download.
• Blowin In The Wind - (Ecopreneurist) Funny cartoon.
• Trade this for that: Compact discs - (Mother Nature Network) "CD-Rs are wasteful. Why not try CD-RWs packaged in recycled plastic?"
• Ka-ching, ka-green - (Mother Nature Network) "Save the planet -- one credit card purchase at a time."

Stuff We Found This Weekend - 05.24.09

Beautiful, gorgeous, awesome Mrs. O

Family, Kids & Health Stuff

• New Books About the Planet: Wanna keep kids hooked on reading through summer? - (Ideal Bite) A great list of children's books on green living.
  

Food Stuff

• Guide to Good Food: Hormones - (TakePart Social Action Network) Hormones in our beef and dairy...do we really want this??
• Gas or charcoal - which is the greener grill? - (Mother Nature Network) "Is your grill gas or charcoal? Do you know which one is greener? Don't worry too much about having the 'wrong' one - this video shows you how to make either greener." Just in time for Memorial Day BBQs. (video in post)
• Ample Harvest: Connecting Gardeners with Food Pantries - (Living Green Below Your Means) Got extra food from your garden. Check out this site to find a nearby food pantry/bank to donate to.
  

Home Stuff

• The pick of the litter box - (Mother Nature Network) "Complete with "rooftop access" and a reusable tarpaulin liner, the ModKat Litter Box is a stylish place for kitties to do their biz." It's a bit pricey, though. Is it worth it??
• Kick litter: Potty training for cats? - (Mother Nature Network) "...Kick Litter: The Nine-Step Program for Recovering Litter Addicts is a hilariously written book that follows the exploits of two cats (Moxie and Cooper) and their owner as they attempt to kick the kitty litter habit."
• $75,000 Clayton "I-house" - (Inhabitat) Check out this supercool AND affordable prefab home...it'll make you rethink mobile homes.
• Our Roundup of the Best Kids Design @ ICFF - (Inhabitots) Some super cool eco-friendly home designs for kids...we especially love the Greenplay airplane seating piece.
  

Beauty & Fashion Stuff

• 30% Off Buddiwear Organics - Great line of super comfy organic cotton clothing with cool graphics. Plus, they plant a tree for every garment sold...how cool is that! To get get 30% off your entire order, use coupon code: MEMORIAL.
• Amazon Sandals - Recycled Tires for Your Feet - (Twilight Earth) Cool flip-flops made from recycled tires.
• Memorial Day weekend eco-fashion sales - (Mother Nature Network)
  

Tech & Science Stuff

• Power your car... with termites? - (Mother Nature Network) "The pesky termite could hold the key to creating a green energy future."
• Who can make the greenest rocket? - (Mother Nature Network) "As private space tourism nears launch, some companies are climbing to new heights for less-polluting rockets." Private space tourism?!!! Do people really have that much money to blow??
• iUnika Unveils Lutralight Cheap Solar-Powered Netbook - (Inhabitat) It's only $180!!! ...and it's solar powered!
• L1 Most Fuel Efficient Car - (GreenMuze) It's tiny...but kinda cool.
  

Work & Business Stuff

• Planting green moles in corporate America - (Grist) "...the Climate Corps...MBAs on a mission to infiltrate the Fortune 500 and help them save ... money (and the planet too) by rooting out energy inefficiency and developing strategies to cut corporate carbon budgets." Changing the mindset of big business?? -that would be HUGE!
  

School, College & Student Stuff

• Green course for high school grads - (Mother Nature Network) "Green entrepreneurship course at SUNY-ESF teaches high school seniors and grads new approaches for going green." Perhaps after a generation of kids have been exposed to green education, we'll see more happen...question is: can we wait that long?
  

Nature & Environment Stuff

• California beaches get graded - (Mother Nature Network) "The popular Santa Monica beach got an F for water pollution -- but 85% of California beaches nabbed As and Bs."
• Top 10 tornado videos - (Mother Nature Network) Wow...these are crazy! (videos in post)
• The Mediterranean's Most Dangerous Species - (Twilight Earth)

Arts, Entertainment & Travel Stuff

• ABC's The Goode Family Pokes Healthy Fun at Green Living - (TheDailyGreen) "The new animated TV show from King of the Hill creator Mike Judge looks playful and thoughtful." Can't wait for this to start - Wed at 9pm! (video in post)

International Stuff

• Illegal Electronic Waste Smuggled from Australia to China - (Twilight Earth) Makes you wonder what other developed nations are doing the same...including our own.

Political, Social & Economy Stuff

• "The Meaning of Michelle": TIME's Behind-the-Scenes feature - (Obama Pics Daily) Beautiful, gorgeous and awesome Mrs. O.
• The Perfect, the Good, the Planet - (NYTimes.com: Op-Ed Columnist) In our opinion, this is a realistic and pragmatic view of the Waxman-Markey Climate Bill...for now. What do you think?
• U.S. Will Still Lag Far Behind World in Fuel Efficiency - (TheDailyGreen) ...and we thought we were doing so good with our new fuel efficiency standard.
• Fair Trade, Diversification and Structural Change: Why the standard macro-economic critique of Fair Trade needs to be questioned - (Shared Interest Blog) "One of the most persistent critiques of Fair Trade argues that by paying a guaranteed minimum price, Fair Trade encourages producers to continue in a livelihood that is not beneficial in the long term... This thought piece offers alternative economic analysis which hypothesises that such a critique is both simplistic in its theoretical approach as well as empirically questionable."
• Connecticut: Senate passes BPA ban - (Safer States) "Connecticut’s Senate has passed a bill that will ban bisphenol A from baby bottles and reusable food and drink containers with a nearly unanimous vote of 35-1."

Other Random Cool Stuff

• Creative Ways to Give Old Beer Cans New Life - (WebEcoist) Some pretty cool ways to upcycle your beer cans.
• The Beauty of Recycling - (TakePart Social Action Network) Philly recycling trucks get artistic makeovers...cool!
• Gasping for air... in style! - (Mother Nature Network) "Haute Couture gas masks beg the question: Can you ever be truly wealthy in a polluted world?" Here's a little editorial food for thought.
• Green States: Keeping score - (Mother Nature Network) "Numbers don't lie. Unfortunately. Peter Dysktra looks at some startling eco-statistics."

Stuff We Found This Weekend - 03.29.09

T-Shirt concepts by the Chop Shop

Family, Kids & Health Stuff

• Want your youngun to fraternize with a better toy? - (Ideal Bite) Here's a great list of eco stuffed animals made with organic or recycled materials..."just as cuddly, but won't put your kid, home, or the planet in a chemical haze from synthetic textiles and fillings."
• Fast Food May Be Causing Kidney Stones in Children - (Eco Child's Play)
• Are Food Additives Altering Our Hormones? - (TheDailyGreen) "With 3,000 food additives in use in the U.S., a study raises questions about the safety of estrogen 'cocktails'."

Food Stuff

• Raising the Bar - (ecofabulous) Gustorganics in New York City is the first USDA certified bar in the world.
• COOKING WITH CHEF A: Chickpea and spinach soup in under 30 minutes - (Mother Nature Network) Lovin' chef A! Video in post.
• Restaurant charges customers for wasted food - (Mother Nature Network) Best way to change behavior is to hit 'em in the wallet!
• Built w/Food: 10 Works of (Incr)Edible Architecture - (WebEcoist) Just fun to look at.
  

Home Stuff

• Umbra Explains Where to Recycle Batteries - (EarthFirst)
• DIY projects: Urban Homestead Garden - (ecollo) Think you can't have your own garden because you live in an apartment or condo? Think again!
• Cardboard Furniture: Grom Cheap to Artsy - (Low Impact Living) These are actully pretty cool...the kids toy stuff is a must.
• Granite Showrooms Continue Selling Radioactive Granite - (Green Building Elements)
• Tip: Convert Your Existing Toilet into a Dual-Flush System - (Green Living Ideas)
  

Beauty & Fashion Stuff

• Kim White Handbags - Super cool bags made from vintage car fabrics of the 70's & 80's...and each bag is "tagged with the year and make of the fabric, so you know exactly what car your bag comes from (i.e. 1983 Camaro or a 1978 Ford Mustang)."
• Lauren Bush Debuts New Eco-Friendly Lauren Pierce Collection - (Ecorazzi) Hmmm...wondering why she's not using her last name...
• Every Man Jack: Eco-Products for teh Guy in Your Life - (Eco Child's Play) Eco-guys rejoice! Best part is...you can buy it at Target (or online)!
• Fashion Conscience: Sexy Aaron Chang Bikinis - (Feelgood Style) Super cute swimwear made from recycled plastic bottle fiber.
  

Tech & Science Stuff

• Benefits and Flaws of Hybrid Cars - (AboutMyPlanet.com)
• Air Force Developing Solar Powered, Hydrogen Fuel-Cell Blimp - (Red, Green and Blue)
• World's Top 10 Fastest Electric Cars - (Gas 2.0) For all you speedsters out there!
• World's Largets Battery-Powered Truck Comes to U.S. - (Gas 2.0)

Work & Business Stuff

• Great Green Job of the Week: Project Leaders & Restoration - (EarthFirst) "SCA, America’s #1 conservation service organization seeks qualified individuals to lead volunteers in trail building and habitat restoration projects."
• Green Job Listings - March 27, 2009 - (Green Gigs)
• Green Job Listings - March 29, 2009 - (Green Gigs)
  

School, College & Student Stuff

• Is Your School America's Greenest Campus? Win up to $20,000 to Green Your Campus! - (EarthFirst)

Nature & Environment Stuff

• 5 Animals We need To Survive - (Finding Dulcinea) "if we do allow animal populations to suffer, we’ll also be hurting ourselves. Here are five animals that humans can’t live without."
  
• Oldest Living Creature Discovered at 4,265 Years Old - (EcoWorldly)
• Global Water Challenge: Universl Access to Clean Water - (Blue Living Ideas)
• The Water Rights Grab: Big Business, Investors Push for Privatization - (Global Warming Is Real)
  
• Experts Say Ocean Acidification is a "Planet Changer" - (Planetsave) "Leading experts at the 2009 Aspen Environment Forum...predicted that all coral in the ocean would be in danger of dying off by mid-century if we continued to burn fossil fuel at our current rate."
• Toxic coal ash pond bursts and floods Tennessee town - (Mother Nature Network)
  

Arts, Entertainment & Travel Stuff

• Madonna's Malawi Documentary Now Available For Free On Hulu - (Ecorazzi)
• Gyneth Paltrow Launces New Clothing LIne To Benefit Children's Charity - (Ecorazzi)
  

Website Stuff

• Green dating site makes matches, saves trees - (Mother Nature Network) "DateForTrees.com, which launched last June, pledges to donate a planted tree for each of the site's daters every month of their paid membership."

International Stuff

• Amsterdam: Only EVs Allowed by 2040 - (EcoGeek)

Political & Social Stuff

• Obama, Biden and Clinton T-Shirt Designs by the Chop Shop - (Obama Pics Daily) These are actually kinda good...diggin' the Airforce One design.
• United States Fuel Efficiency Standards Announced - (AboutMyPlanet.com)
• Pentagon looks at green options - (News.com.au)
  

Other Random Cool Stuff

• What is Fair Trade Part II - Who OWNS Fair Trade? - (Change.org: Fair Trade)
• The Next Ten Years: What They Will Look Like - (Culture Change) A sobering and very interesting view point.
• Enter the Instructables Energy Efficiency Competition & Win a Mac Book Pro - (EarthFirst) "Want to help improve energy efficiency, and win yourself a brand new 15" MacBook Pro from Apple? Create an energy-saving Instructable and explain why or how your project saves energy..."

Stuff We Found Today - 03.18.09

"Hundreds of snowmen exercised their constitutional rights to gather publicly and protest against global warming." - Consumer Energy Report

Family, Kids & Health Stuff

• #6 Plastic is Shrinky! A Kid-Friendly Re-use Project - (Eco Child's Play) What a great project to do with the kids...especially on those rainy Spring days.
• Teflon chemical linked ot poor semen quality in young men - (Safer States)
  

Food Stuff

• World Hunger: Climate Change, Food Waste and Elegant Solutions - (EcoSalon) Did you know... "Over half the food produced today is wasted or discarded. In the US these losses are as high as 40-50 percent, with up to one quarter of all fresh fruits and vegetables in the US lost before they ever get to your refrigerator."
• Can Burgerville Bring the Local Food Movement to the Masses? - (Fast Company) Wish we had one here!
• Locavore app for iPhone - (Mother Nature Network) "A new application for the iPhone locates where you are, then locates local, in season food near you." Sweet!
  

Home Stuff

• Super cool kiddie rocking chairs - (Ideal Bite) These are some NICE looking rocking chairs sized just for the little ones, made from sustainable woods and eco finishes. Although a bit pricey, the Iglooplay Mod Rocker will look pretty darn nice in any mod home!
  

Beauty & Fashion Stuff

• Calling All Couture - (EcoSalon) Looking for some eco-couture?? Check out this line up of green indie designers.
• Timberland Reuses Car Tires for Shoe Soles - (Fast Company)
• Threadless Loves Green: Design eco T-shirt, win $2000 and green prizes - (green LA girl) Calling all budding green designers!
  

Tech & Science Stuff

• All the cool Kids Use Hand-Crank Gadgets - (EarthFirst) OK...so, most of these things you may not want to use all the time, but they're perfect when no electricity is available.
• 'World's Most Power-Efficient Netbook' Unveiled - (EarthFirst) "The U110 ECO Wind Netbook can run for 9 hours per charge without showing a noticeable effect on the performance of the system."
• Get Ready for the First Hybrid Car Priced Under $20,000 - (Planet Green) "On March 24th, Honda will introduce its Insight with a sticker price of $19,800..."
• US Lagging in Solar PV - (EcoGeek) Interesting info here. Check out the pie chart...it may surprise you.
• AT&T Hops on the Smart Grid Train with SmartSynch - (Fast Company)
  

Work & Business Stuff

• Green Job Listings - March 18, 2009 - (Green Gigs)

Nature & Environment Stuff

• And the Country's First Carbon Neutral City Will Be... - (EcoSalon) Pheonix, AZ plans to cut "greenhouse emissions by about 70% within three to four years."
• Researchers from Scripts Institute of Oceanography Discuss Ocean Acidification - (Global Warming Is Real) "...how an overload of carbon dioxide is acidifying seawater, posing a subtle but profound threat to marine invertebrates."
• The 'Big Melt' documented by time-lapse photography - (Mother Nature Network) "A new PBS show called 'Extreme Ice' will document frame by frame a vanishing landscape." (video in post)
  

Arts, Entertainment & Travel Stuff

• 7 steps to green travel - (ecollo)
• David Stark's Indredible Recycled Cardboard Creations - (Inhabitat) There's furniture, home accessories, artwork and more...take a look!
• Hilarious eco-parody of the song Sarah Silverman made famous - (Mother Nature Network) "Check out this eco-themed Sarah Silverman parody: 'I'm Flicking The Lights Off.'"

International Stuff

• Spain Sets World Wind Record - (EcoGeek) "Last week, during a spell of particularly strong wind gusts, Spain set a world record by having 40 percent of their energy requirement generated by wind power."
• China's G20 Summit Performance Likely to Affect Climate Treaty Outcome - (Sustainablog)
• African Diamon Miners Choosing Carrots Over Carats - (EcoWorldy) "As the price of rough diamonds plummets in Africa, miners throughout the continent are instead turning toward a future in agriculture." Perhaps we'll finally see a decline in blood diamonds.
  

Political & Social Stuff

• World Water Day 2009: Shared Waters, Shared Opportunities - (Blue Living Ideas) "More than 1 billion people world wide lack access to clean, safe drinking water. That’s about 20% of the Earth’s population." Videos in post.
• White House to Plant Organic Vegetable Garden - (Sustainablog)
  

Other Random Cool Stuff

• How Much Water Does It Take To Make One Latte? - (The Vibe) Video in post.
• Student Design Biodegradable Packaging for McDonald's - (Inhabitat) It's actually a pretty cool bag, but we have to agree with the last line in the post..."The best solution? Stop eating fast food."
• Hundreds Attend Global Warming Protest - (Consumer Energy Report) "Hundreds of snowmen exercised their constitutional rights to gather publicly and protest against global warming." (see pic up above)
• The green cigarette? - (Mother Nature Network) "How one US tobacco company is trying to make users forget that its product can kill them."
• Do One Thing: Buy Checks Made From Recycled Paper & Printed With Soy-Based Ink. - (The Good Human) ...and, pay your bills online when possible.