Gadgets Creating the Paperless Home
(click image for full size rendering) I missed this one in the The New York Times but caught it over at TreeHugger, it’s the paperless home and all the digital gadgets that are replacing print and production. I work paperless and most everything I do is digital these days so the trend is intriguing to me.
The downside of paperless, mentioned by Lloyd over at TH and NYT, is that the trade off for consuming less natural resources for paper production is an increase in energy required to run all the digital gadgets like laptops, digital cameras and digital picture frames. More food for thought, an increase in consumer electronics use brings up other issues, like e-waste.
An interesting note is that the NYT reported that homes are going paperless faster than businesses. I would think it would be the opposite but apparently not. Do you go paperless? If so, is it at home or at the office?
Did you miss the Greener Gadgets conference? Catch the highlights here.
Via TreeHugger Via New York Times
Resources on Healthy, Sustainable Seafood
I’m on a food kick this year, as in trying to kick bad habits and get a healthier, more sustainable food lifestyle going. In that, I’ve been doing a lot of research. More a re-search on ideas and facts that I’ve let fall out of my daily food routine. Part of this is related to fish. I’ve always tended to eat more fish than other meats and I do enjoy seafood.
However, the oceans are in turmoil and over fishing, pollution and some nasty facts about farmed fish make this part of a healthy, sustainable diet hard to swallow. The truth is that when it comes to seafood it’s buyer beware. However, there are some great resources on how to make good seafood choices. Here are a few to get started:
Environmental Defense: This site breaks it down into three categories: eco-best, eco-ok, and eco-worst. It doesn’t get much simpler. Find out what tuna is safe to eat, what to look for when buying fish, how to avoid “fish fraud” and how to substitute sustainable picks that fit your recipe. Lots of great info here and a free download Sustainable Seafood Selector Pocket Guide. Online here.
Marine Stewardship Council: MSC-labeled fish is certified according to responsible fisheries management and practices. They are an independent non-profit set up to find a solution to the problem of overfishing. Choosing fish with the blue MSC label is an easy way to make sustainable choices at the store and the organization keeps a handy list on their site where consumers will find these products worldwide. Online at Marine Stewardship Council: Where to Buy.
Audubon’s Living Oceans: Audubon has a free Seafood Lover’s Guide available in a handy wallet card. This is a great quick reference to take on the go to stores or restaurants or stick on the fridge. Available here.
Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch: Seafood Watch’s mission is to empower consumers and businesses to make choices for healthy oceans. On this site consumers can learn which seafood to buy, and why. There are regional guides and printable quick reference resources. There is also plenty of info on why your choices matter and how your choices affect your health. This is a great site for consumers, retailers and educators. Online here.
Kid-Friendly Fridays: Cool Solar Powered Toys
Solar power is cool and Select Solar makes solar toys that are fun and teach kids about the power of the sun. This company has everything from solar-powered airplanes - modern and classic varieties - to solar robots, wind turbines, and the classic solar-powered summertime favorite the hat fan.
There’s solar-powered race cars, hoppity frogs, crazy crickets, radios, flashlights and just about everything else a budding solar-power enthusiast could wish for. They’ve also got experiment kits for kids of all ages, even college age. And executive toys, which is where the aluminum solar-powered flyer above fits in. Check them out online at Select Solar.
Using Recycled Materials for Seed Starters
Hey gardeners, Planet Green (from Discovery and TreeHugger) has a great article on getting a jump start on the garden season and doing it with recycled materials. Make Seed Starting Pots from Recycled Materials has some great ideas using materials that you probably already have lying around and links to other great sites for more do-it-yourself eco-friendly gardening tips.
Online here.
Life on a Miniature Earth
One of the obstacles in overcoming global environmental and social problems is the sheer scale of everything, it’s overwhelming. The Miniature Earth takes a look at the world and compacts it into a comprehensible size, a small community made up of just 100 people. The percentages translate to representative numbers, like if the world population was 100 people 61 of them would be Asian.
The site goes through the planet in these terms, bringing massive numbers to a smaller scale and putting things in perspective. This small project can make a big impact. It’s intent is successful, it makes you appreciate what you have. This is why I think it’s green, it is a remedy for over consumption. Check it out online at The Miniature Earth.
Wildlife Bridges Connect Habitats in Mass
Wildlife doesn’t stay in one place and when creatures migrate they are increasingly boxed in by highways, cities, developments and other human built obstacles. There is a solution that is catching on: wildlife bridges. Recently, towns near Thoreau’s beloved Walden Woods have proposed building a $2-3 million overpass that would give wildlife safe passage over Route 2 in Massachusetts.
The Christian Science Monitor has the scoop from Concord, MA, on the proposed project:
The passage, a rarity in the United States, will be covered with earth and planted with native trees and grasses, providing a scenic footbridge for humans by day and an animal-friendly wooded corridor by night.
You can read more on this project here or check out some similar ideas around the United States like over at Restore the Rockies where Colorado’s first vegetated wildlife overpasses, or wildlife bridge, is being proposed on I-70, just west of Vail Pass (pictured above). Or more on how wildlife corridors help people and animals at Earth Ministry. Or head on down to Florida to see other great examples at Florida Habitat.
Why are these projects important? CS Monitor gave a great summary in A Wildlife Bridge that Thoreau would love: By recreating or protecting links between disparate habitats, wildlife corridors provide animals with access to food and mates that might otherwise be obstructed by roads, housing, or other human developments. This increased interconnectivity helps preserve biodiversity and boosts the sustainability of ecological communities by repairing fragmented “islands” of undeveloped land.
What's the Best Recycled Toilet Paper?
Not all of us are prepared for Sheryl Crow’s proposal of one square per visit but we still want to keep the earth in mind, even in the loo. Recycled toilet paper is an easy green choice but which one is right for you? And do you want to spend your hard earned dollars finding out?
Well, there’s no need to experiment. Grist has done the work of testing different recycled toilet paper brands and have the results available online at The Wipe Stuff: A review of recycled toilet paper brands. So have no fear, head over to Grist for the lowdown on the down low behind closed doors.
Kid-Friendly Fridays: eNaturalist for Nature Questions
eNaturalist is a great place to meet different animals, like this fawn, and learn about why they do the things they do. Naturalists are people who help others learn about the natural world through talks, nature walks and, with eNaturalist, answering questions about nature online.
This site, part of the Roger Tory Peterson Institute of Natural History, is where kids can get help identifying plants and animals they’ve met or see what other kids are curious about in the natural world.
Questions might be about how insects feed, how and where birds fly or what to do when you find an injured wild animal. Participants write and send in photos related to their questions and eNaturalist helps find answers that can be shared and help everyone learn more about the environment. Check it out online at eNaturalist.
Living Green in the city with Garden Girl
I love to find resources for green city living because urban life can be just as green as anywhere else. Garden Girl is a website devoted to Urban Sustainable Living and it’s great! Patti the Garden Girl has the ultimate green thumb and an amazing collection of resources for anyone who wants to learn about living a more sustainable lifestyle. She’s got how-to videos that can help you with organic gardening, conserving resources, saving money and living healthier. There’s nothing Patti can’t grow and she’s sharing her all her ideas and knowledge so everyone can grow a little greener.
On the website is a great list of resources with books on everything from raising rabbits to growing heirloom tomatoes. And, because there’s nothing like digging in the dirt, you can visit Garden Girl in Boston. Garden Girl’s Urban Farm is open to the public for tours, tastings, and workshops. Kids and adults are welcome at the farm to see, smell and touch all the wonderful things that are growing there. Lots of schools have visited and used Garden Girl’s farm as a place to learn about animals, plants, vegetables, aquaculture, elementary science, environmental science,and biology.
And, this spring Garden Girl’s Farm Stand will be open for business! The Farm Stand officially opens to the general public May 2008 thru July 2008. In the meantime, visit online at Garden Girl.
Don't Mess With Texas...or its Big Carbon Footprint
Texas is big and so is the state’s carbon footprint. TIME magazine just reported that Texas is the biggest carbon polluter in the nation and would rank seventh in the world if it was its own country.
What makes this state’s carbon footprint so big? 19 coal-burning power plants, lots o’ refineries and chemical plants, poor mass transit, and a lot of SUVs.
Now before you say aren’t they producing energy for the rest of us? consider this: (according to TIME) Texas consumes more coal than any other state. And its per-capita residential use of electricity is significantly higher than the national average.
So, to be fair, here’s a little challenge to all my Texas-based readers: what are you doing about this? I don’t like to generalize so here’s your chance to break the stereotype set by this news. Let us know how you’re living green in the Lone Star State and set the record straight.
Texas is Biggest Carbon Polluter at TIME
Daily Detox: Working at the Car Wash
When it’s time to wash the winter off of your car consider this: it’s better for the environment if you go to the car wash rather than washing your car at home.
Commercial car washes are required to drain their wastewater properly. This means the runoff from your car - which can contain all sorts of nasty contaminants - heads to a wastewater treatment facility instead of the nearest stream or groundwater source.
Washing the car in your driveway can send chemical soaps, toxins and other unmentionables directly into the environment and damage ecosystems.
Some car washes even recycle rinse water and many use water conserving fixtures like special nozzles and pumps to further reduce water consumption. So the next time your car says clean me gather up the quarters and visit a commercial car wash - one small thing that can make a world of difference.
Starfish Threatens Great Barrier Reef
A few weeks ago I mentioned how millions of tiny crustaceans were eating up a Japanese island. The cause was a rise in ocean temperature that increased the plankton in the water.
Scientists in the Great Barrier Reef have found another change in an ocean ecosystem that is likely the cause of human activities. This time its an increase in the population of the crown-of-thorns starfish in the Great Barrier Reef which is affecting the health of the coral.
This starfish, which can grow to 40 cm in diameter,
“devours coral reefs by climbing and extruding their stomach over them in order to excrete a digestive enzyme which transforms the reef into consumable, liquefied tissue. Though the reason behind this current starfish outbreak is not entirely clear, it is believed that it could be linked to agricultural runoff, which increases algal blooms that nourish the starfish larvae.” - TreeHugger
So the ecosystem around these beautiful creatures is changing with a decrease in the starfish’s natural predators, water salinity, temperature and impact from human activities. The starfish haven’t changed but have increased in number throwing the delicate ocean ecosystem out of balance. The researchers noted there was hope for the coral and the best way to handle the “outbreak” was to decrease human activities that impact the habitat.
Via TreeHugger
Image: Jon Hanson
Lucha Libre Wrestler Fighting for the Environment
He is the spokesperson for Wildcoast Costasalvaje, a conservation efforts volunteer and recently received the Hero of the Environment award from the Monterey Bay Aquarium in California for his efforts.
Read more on this luchadore for the seas at Plenty!
Kid-Friendly Fridays: Bioluminescence at Lights Alive!
There are lots of cool creatures deep in the ocean and many are capable of bioluminescence or the ability to glow like fireflies do. Bioluminescence means “living light”.
In the sea, there are lots of animals that make light with chemical reactions. The colors vary and can be seen from violet to red with the most common in blue.
There are many reasons that animals give off bioluminescence. Some use it as a scare or escape tactic while others attract mates and prey with their glowing light. Lights Alive from the San Diego Natural History Museum is a great website devoted to all the awesome facts, animals and wonder of bioluminescence, get glowing online at Lights Alive.
The Food Revolution: Making Healthy, Environmentally Sound Food Choices
Celsias has a great article on food, health and environment. Our Food, Our World is part of an ongoing series by John Robbins who is author of the book The Food Revolution: How Your Diet Can Help Save Your Life and Our World
While there are many authors and experts who have valuable insight into how food affects our bodies, our minds, our families and our environment, Robbins has a unique view. He is the son of Irv Robbins and nephew of Burt Baskins, the founders of Baskin Robbins 31 Flavors.
His perspective on food, health and environment is both as an insider to the industry and as someone who walked away from what could’ve been a very lucrative future to be an advocate for people and the environment.
The book and correlating articles on Celsias have been called an “environmental manifesto” and a “food bible” that will change the way you think about food and the way you eat. Plot spoiler: it is not for meat lovers. Instead it takes a hard look at the health benefits of a plant-based diet, the dangers of GMOs in food, dietary and environmental causes of cancer, how to avoid food-borne illness and solutions to world hunger.
If you are thinking about a vegetarian or vegan lifestyle, this is the book that will push you over the line.
- Our Food, Our World
- Celsias website
- The Food Revolution website
Organic, Biodegradable Window Garden from Potting Shed Creations
This time of the year is actually my favorite time to scope out gifts because there’s not a lot of pressure. And there are plenty of upcoming springtime holidays to celebrate. Plus, gifts that say “spring is coming” are my favorite kind of present.
This product from Potting Shed Creations is just the kind of thing I love to stumble upon. These are a complete organic garden made from 100% biodegradable rice hulls! (rice hulls are an abundant agricultural byproduct). The containers come ready-to-grow with flowers and herbs like butterfly amaryllis, garlic chives, lemon basil, parsley, or paperwhites. Affordable (starting at $15.50), USDA certified organic and super cute, these just might be the perfect gift.
Website Wink: The Ocean Channel
I’m enjoying exploring the ocean over at the Ocean Channel. This site is filled with amazing photography, videos, news and features that make me want to become a marine biologist.
The Ocean Channel is a new-media corporation out of California dedicated to providing high quality, educational, and entertaining ocean programming. It is a portal to the underwater realms that enchant us and inspire efforts to protect them. There are ocean documentaries, educational films, travel logs, and adrenaline sport films are all available online. There is a critical eye on presenting conservation issues which face the global oceans and mounting pressures on the oceans.
President and co-founder Michael Hanrahan leads a dedicated team of photographers, advisors, journalists and documentary film makers. Hanrahan is also involved with developing a web encyclopedia of marine creatures for NOAA’s National Marine Sanctuary Program and UC Santa Barbara’s Marine Science Institute on French Polynesia. He is also collaborating with The Nature Conservancy to produce a documentary film about their restoration work on Santa Cruz Island off of Southern California and is the creator of the Santa Barbara Ocean Film Festival (SBOFF), an annual fundraising event for local environmental groups. Contributors to the Ocean Channel are recognized as leaders in ocean films, photography and documentaries.
There’s so much to see and learn about the world’s oceans and The Ocean Channel is a great place to dive in.
Change the world, Change your coffee
Did you know that coffee is the second most traded commodity next to oil? But there is a severe market inequality that affects the lives of 25 million coffee farmers worldwide. There is a difference between free trade and fair trade and the distinction is that fair trade sustains a fair economy and healthy ecosystems.
The consumer choices we make ripple out into the global community. We may think nothing of spending $3 on a cup of coffee to go but choosing a fair trade coffee makes all the difference in the world.
Fair Trade is about sustainability and involves the following principles (from Global Exchange):
- Producers receive a fair price - a living wage. For commodities, farmers receive a stable, minimum price.
- Forced labor and exploitative child labor are not allowed
- Buyers and producers trade under direct long-term relationships
- Producers have access to financial and technical assistance
- Sustainable production techniques are encouraged
- Working conditions are healthy and safe
- Equal employment opportunities are provided for all
- All aspects of trade and production are open to public accountability
Shop for Fair Trade Coffee:
See how colleges are making a difference at United Students for Fair Trade. There is a great series called Natural Heroes which has a video called Coffee to Go - watch it here.
*photo: Didier Gentilhomme via FairTrade.net
Climate Change Causing Increased Growth of Poison Ivy
As if we needed we haven’t got enough to handle… apparently increased carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is causing more poison ivy vines to grow.
This hits home for Savannah residents especially as the study that brought us this itchy news was done along a Savannah River site in Georgia.
Yes, Toxicodendron radicans, our summertime nemesis also known as poison ivy was documented to be increasing 10-fold in recent years, according to a study by Bruce Allen, a post doctoral researcher at the University of Georgia’s Department of Biology.
Vines dig carbon dioxide. It accelerates growth and increases water efficiency, according to a Savannah Morning News article. Allen told the SMN, “Over time, this pattern could change the landscape of our forests.”
Via SMN
Kid-Friendly Fridays: Every Day is Earth Day
Kids have a way of making everything more fun and that can include activities with the Earth in mind. Even things which might seem mundane can be made fun with the right attitude. So, even though Earth Day is only once a year, there are plenty of fun environmental activities for kids year round. Here’s a few ideas…
Composting
Worms and dirt are fun! Getting your kids involved with composting is a great way to have some fun and learn about natural processes. And it teaches kids that “garbage” can take on a new purpose. Here’s a great tip from the Green Guide:
As a science project, kids can plant fast growing seeds, like calendula or tomatoes, comparing the growth rate, health and size of the plants with and without compost. The America the Beautiful Fund distributes free seeds to school groups. Send a self-addressed, stamped envelope to 1511 K. Street, NW, Suite 611, Washington DC, 20005-6629, for an application.
Recycling
Recycling has so many benefits for the environment. It reduces waste that goes to landfills, saves energy and helps reduce pollution. Kids can get involved with recycling in lots of ways:
- The Imagination Factory at Kids at Art has lots of arts and crafts projects for kids that use reused or recycled materials.
- Kaboose has 6 Recycling Craft Ideas here.
- HGTV has an endless list of Recycling Craft ideas here, endless!
- And Recycle Works has a Kids Section with lots of great info, graphics and ideas for recycling materials.
Just a few ideas, got more? Share them with us in the comment section!
photo: School Kids Celebrating in Nepal (AP)