Do you feel for the silk worms?

If you think raising and killing silk worms so we can have the luxurious and durable fabric that is silk, you now have an option. Ahimsa Peace Silk makes Mufflers, Scarves, and Shawls from the cocoons of silkworms that have already left their cocoons.

Their stuff is available through Organic Avenue

http://www.organicavenue.com/products/product_info.php?products_id=2892

Lifekind Products

I guess I'm officially on the Organic Lifestyle mailing list...I got a catalog in the mail on Friday from Lifekind - Organic and Naturally SaferTM Products & Catalog with Hazardous Ingredients Glossary.

It's full of things like Organic Bed Linens, Natural Rubber Pillows, Mattresses, Hepa filters, Naturally Safer Cleaning and lundry products, Organic Baby products, Water Declorinators, and much more.



I'd like to buy the Natural Rubber hide-A-Bed Mattress, for my vintage sofa bed but it's a little pricey at $1,095.

www.lifekind.com

Carnival of Green Living

http://www.21st-century-citizen.com/2007/09/05/carnival-of-green-living-04/

Recycling your Christmas tree

If you don't have curbside pick-up and don't know where to bring your tree, check this site out. http://www.christmastree.org/recycle_program.cfm

Vegetable Garden Planning

I'm trying to figure out what to try this spring as far as vegetables go. Last year I tried zucchini, cucumbers, butternut squash, watermelon, tomatoes, spinach, carrots, lettuce, and radishes. All pretty much failed, mostly because I used containers that were too small. but I think I figured out what I did wrong for each of them, so I'll probably try again.

Last year I also purchased a lot of my veggies already started, but after experimenting with seeds in the late summer/early fall, I think I will try all the veggies from seed.

This winter I'm attempting to break up the compacted clay soil and add nutrients with a patch of fava beans. In the spring, I will either build a raised bed over the same spot, or just plant directly in the ground.

save an ocean creatures - get a cookie cutter

https://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/209/t/3790/content.jsp?content_KEY=3357&tag=keyed_in/

Bay-Friendly Landscaping & Gardening Conference

Berkeley, CA Feb 29 $75

http://www.stopwaste.org/home/index.asp?page=787

if you live in L.A., check out TreePeople

They host warm-weather full moon hikes, reuseable bag programs, and will take the extra fruit from your tree to feed the needy.

http://www.treepeople.org

Guilt-free Diamonds

Certified conflict-free diamonds from the Canadian Arctic
Fair labor and eco-friendly practices
5% of profits donated to help local African communities

http://www.brilliantearth.com/

Make your own microwave popcorn

microwave popcorn:
1/2-cup unpopped popcorn
2-3 tbsp melted butter
Salt to taste
1 tbsp nutritional yeast (optional)
Paper lunch bag
Large bowlDirections
Pour the popcorn in the paper bag and fold the top of the bag twice, so it's closed.
Put the bag in the microwave and cook on high for 2-3 min, or 'til the pops are 5 sec apart.
Take the bag out and pour the popcorn into a bowl and drizzle it with butter, then toss it with salt and nutritional yeast, as desired.

info from Ideal Bite

CFL's vs. LED's

A video explanation of CFL's vs. LED - very scientific

http://www.21st-century-citizen.com/2007/09/13/youtube-video-compare-led-lights-and-cfl-light-bulbs-energy-savings/

Local Christmas tree farms

keep the impact of your tree to a minumum.

http://www.greenpromise.com/resources/organic-christmas-trees.php

Paper Log maker

Smash your newspapers into logs for your fireplace. This neat tool is only $30 and provides you a handy way of getting rid of your newspapers and providing a warm fire at the same time.

http://www.taylorgifts.com/prodetail~itemNo~27931.asp

Global Green

http://www.globalgreen.org/sf/

$0.00 9/10 per gallon

A movement to encourage transportation using non-petroleum sources.

http://zeropergallon.com/

Greening up your snowboarding trip

First off don't meet your buddy up there, carpool! or better yet, go on a ski bus!

Second, if you need a new board, buy a used one, or if you must buy new, try one of these arbor board made of sustainable woods:http://www.backcountry.com/store/subcat/49/c/b100000000/Arbor-Snowboards.html

Third, Use a non- petroleum based wax such as this Terra Nova universal ski wax from Ethica:

http://www.hillbillywaxworks.com/ethica/Products.cfm?ID=3

Get a tote...

From method cleaning products with any $20 purchase of Method products until Dec 31, 2007.

http://givegreener.com/

Music & Green Living Blog

There's a great resource secction for musicians where you can find sustainable instruments, CD packaging, etc... http://green.jambase.com/2007/05/getting-to-know-your-guitar-interview.html/

Solar Roasted Coffee Beans

http://www.solarroast.com/

Info on Vinyl

Info on what makes certain vinyls bad from Heathy Building...

http://www.healthybuilding.net/pvc/SortingOutVinyls.html

green Stocking Stuffers List

From Inhabit

http://www.inhabitat.com/2007/11/26/gift-guide-green-stocking-stuffers/

thanks to Jamie for the link!

canvas bag for shopping

Lazst weekend my friend monica invited me to her place and we decorated canvas bags for shopping. I think mine came out good!

Plastic Bag Ban Bash

bring you idea for plastic ban re-use to this party in SF

http://flavorpill.com/sanfrancisco/events/2007/11/20/plastic-bag-ban-bash

Sierra Club Green Life Blog

http://sierraclub.typepad.com/greenlife/

Recycled Candy wrappers make handbags

http://www.unicahome.com/p29514/everything-anything-hand-made-recycled-candy-wrapper-handbags.html

Energy Blog

http://thefraserdomain.typepad.com/energy/

blog

A green energy pact between Europe and Africa. Some very interesting articles...

http://biopact.com/

Collecting Rainwater

We are experiencing drougts all around the country, so collecting rainwater is an especially timely topic...I remember on a trip to Bermuda how great I thought it was that all the homes there collected rainwater and had their own cisterns. Why don't we do this in the US I thought?

Here are two sites that provide helpful tips on collecting and using rainwater.

http://www.rainwaterharvesting.org/Urban/Components.htm
http://heartspring.net/water_filters_guide.html

Chickens

Chickens are a big help in the garden, they eat all those pesky bugs that eat your veggies. and there poop fertilizes your plants. Plus you get fresh Eggs! But where on earth do you get them?

I saw these suggestions on an organic gardening mailing list:

Try http://www.mcmurrayhatchery.com/ If you find that to overwhelming try Meyer
Hatchery. You can order day old chicks from them in the spring there
are alot of choices you should start slow another good site is
Backyardchickens.com

Blog Round-up

Blogger's list of environmental blogs...http://buzz.blogger.com/2007/10/environmental-blog-roundup.html

Backyard Gardener

An awesome gardening site with tons of references.

http://www.backyardgardener.com/

organic approval

link to an article at Lime.com about products finally having an official organic approval process.

http://www.lime.com/blog/savasthi/2007/10/19/organic_beauty_certified_last

get a plaque for your lawn

Tell your neighbors that you refuse to use pesticides, and also that it's important not to use them. You can purchase this sign at the link below, or your local municipal distric may have a program like this one in Alameda County where you can get a sign for free.

http://www.beyondpesticides.org/pesticidefreelawns/pfzsign/index.htm

BTC Elements "Be The Change"

lots of products including this recycled billboard messenger bag...

http://btcelements.com/product_info.php?cPath=26&products_id=97

Electric Car Conference

http://cleantech.berkeley.edu/

A collaboration between Standford and UC Berkeley presents a series of conferences on clean energy.

First Conference: Electrification of Vehicles
November 19th , 2007 1:00 – 7:00pm

Location
UC Berkeley – Clark Kerr Campus
2601 Warring Street Berkeley, CA 94720-2288


also coming up are two more conferences on:

- Clean Energy Generation
- Clean Energy Storage/Distribution

It's always greener to fix it...

Here's a site that shows you how to fix your household eletronics so you don't have to dump them.

http://www.fixya.com/

If these fixes are too much for you, or if they just don't work, please find an electronic waste recycler instead of bringing your household electronics to the dump.

The Backyard

I decided to tackle the lifeless backyard this year by planting a cover crop this winter to bring some nutrients to the soil. I waited until the first rains fell to plant so I could avoid watering the seeds to get them started.

When it is time to turn them under, I will add compost and mulch, and maybe a raised bed for veggies in the spring. then hopefully the ground will be a bit more fertile.

I chose Fava beans for where I think I will put the raised bed, and crimson clover and hairy vetch for the rest of the yard. I had also ordered some garbanzo beans and rye, but I may give those to my dad for the hill behind his house along with what's left of the hairy vetch and crimson clover(as my yard is very small and I ordered a pound of each type...

Books

The Lazy Environmentalist written by founder & CEO of Vivavi eco-friendly furniture & home furnishings, Josh Dorfman.

I have not actually read this book, but it seems like it would appeal to me, except for the fact that it seems like he's pushing the book to much as advertisement for his company.

http://www.lazyenvironmentalist.com/

Driving Sustainably Conference

The Driving Sustainably Conference was held this year in Iceland. Go to the link below to see the presentations from the conference.

http://www.driving.is/driving07.html

Lime Radio sponsored by gaiam

http://www.lime.com/

There is a sirius station dedicated to this and you can also get it by podcast on itunes. I can not vouch for it yet, but I will subscribe and get back to you...

SolarSheat

http://www.yoursolarhome.com/solarsheat1500G.html

These are solar "sheets" (notice the play on words that they've used for their name...) that are used like space heaters. They are pretty expensive space heaters, $1500+ for one, but if your need to be solar powered is greater than your need to not speand money, these are for you...Oh, did we meantion that they do not work at night? Seems like you should be able to create your own version for less $$$.

Cork

I've been wondering what makes cork eco-friendly.... and found this link
http://blogs.move.com/do-it-green/index.php?tag=cork

Build it Green

This local SF Bay Area site has many resources for builing or remodeling your home in the most environmentally-friendly way you can.

there are resources, such as a downloadable brochure on green building guides, examples, and even an "ask the builder" feature where you can get an experts point of view. Also look for upcoming events...

http://www.builditgreen.org/

Chemicals in your Cosmetics?

Here's an interesting article on the most common chemicals found in cosmetics and their impact on us.

http://www.thegreenguide.com/doc/122/dirtydozen

also check out this artile on the safe cosmetics database that we wrote a while back:
http://livingmoregreen.blogspot.com/2007/06/safe-cosmetics.html

Organic lawn care

An excellent article on organic lawn care from The Green Guide

http://www.thegreenguide.com/doc/121/lawn

Bay-Friendly Gardening

I went to a couple of classes put on by these people, they are interesting, if you live in Alameda County sign up for whichever ones youare interested in or the whole series! They teach you how to garden in a way that is healthy for the bay.

www.bayfriendly.org

National Solar Tour

This saturday there are a ton of solar tours happening around the country! Find one near you at this link: http://www.ases.org/tour/index.htm

here are some in Cali:

Solarecity Electric Tour
Date: 10/6/2007
Taking Place In: Lincoln, California
Presented by: Solarecity Electric
For More Information: Erika Schweickert, 916-624-0535, erika@solarecity.com
Tour Description: Come see and talk to home owner's in your neighborhood that have chosen to implement solar electrical systems.
Tour Fee: Free
How to Take this Tour: Call for details

Half Moon Bay
Date: September 15, 2007 Time: 11 am to 5 pm
Taking Place In: Half Moon Bay High School and coastside homes
Presented by: NeighborShare
For More Information: Dennis Paull, 650-712-0498, dpaull@svpal.org
Tour Description: There will be an Eco-Energy Expo with about 20 vendors and 12 non-profit organization display booths. The hours are 11 am to 3 pm. Lunch will be available for purchase. The self guided Home Tour will include about 12 homes and businesses with all tour info available at the Expo and on-line. The Tour runs from 2 pm to 5 pm. There will be a dozen presentations by selected vendors and non-profit groups.
Tour Fee: Free
Expo, including parking: Free
How to Take this Tour: More information is available at:www.eco-energy-expo.org.

Acterra's Solar Homes Tour
Date: Saturday, October 6, 2007
Taking Place In: Palo Alto
Presented by: Acterra
For More Information: Emily Juan, (650) 962-9876 x316, emilyj@acterra.org, www.acterra.org
Tour Description:
10:00 am - Noon: FREE Workshop on Solar Energy Basics - Learn about solar energy equipment and economics of installation, including available rebates
11:30 am - 2:00 pm: Vendor Fair - Meet with local solar energy providers to determine what system is right for you.
1:00 pm - 4:00 pm: Palo Alto Solar Homes Tour - This self-guided tour offers a variety of both PV and solar hot water systems.
Tour Fee: $10 per person in advance; $15 onsite
How to Take this Tour: Tour is from 1:00 pm - 4:00 pm
Tour materials will be available for pickup on October 6 at the starting location: Palo Alto City Hall Plaza, 250 Hamilton Avenue, Palo Alto, CA 94301.
For more information, go to http://www.acterra.org/solartour/index.html


Roseville Electric Self Guided Solar Tour
Date: Saturday, October 6, 2007 from 8:00 a.m. to 12 p.m
Taking Place In: Roseville, California
Presented by: Roseville Electric
For More Information: Matthew Davis - Community Relations, 916.746.1660, mdavis@roseville.ca.us, www.roseville.ca.us/electric
Tour Description: Roseville Electric is hosting a self-guided tour around the city to view various solar projects, city facilities, solar and passive residences, etc.
Tour Fee: FREE
How to Take this Tour: Interested participants will meet at the Roseville Civic Center located at 311 Vernon Street, Roseville, CA at 9:00 a.m. for the tour, 8:00 a.m. if they are interested in the free educational class before the start of the tour.

Annual SLO Green Building Tour
Date: Sunday, October 7th
Taking Place In: San Luis Obispo
Presented by: The Mothers for Peace
For More Information: Rachel Aljilani, 805-438-4452,
Tour Description: Two environmental initiative award winners, the SLO Botanical Garden and Congregation Beth David's Synagogue will be featured this October 7, 2007 along with multiple green residences utilizing passive solar design, solar electric, solar water heating and extensive use of green materials.
Tour Fee: $15 Adults / $10 Student
How to Take this Tour: Details coming soon - please check back later.

Recycled Rubber bags

get an awesome dom rep by carting one of these around...made from discarded truck inner tubeshttp://btcelements.com/product_info.php?cPath=22&products_id=82

Your Ecological Footprint

If everyone lived like me we would need 7.2 planets the size of the earth to live on

http://www.myfootprint.org/

EcoTality

site states that it is "Informing and challenging the world about energy solutions"

http://www.ecotality.com/blog/

Bag Washer accesory

I thought this was kind of a clever invention, though it seems like it takes up a lot of space in the dishwasher...

http://www.bag-e-wash.com/

battery recycling

We really should all be using rechargeable batteries by now, but if you have any leftover standard batteries that are dying out, recyle them. Here's a link to a program in California:

http://www.wastediversion.org/battery-recycling-program.htm

Green Light Magazine

online subscriptions are free, and are in a magazine reader format that works great and doesn't use any paper products at all!

The only lame part is the stupid pop-up ad that comes up on every single page.

http://www.greenlightmag.com/index.php

Cascadia Green Building Organization

The oregon Chapter of the U.S. Green Building Counsil
http://www.cascadiagbc.org/about-us

Organic products

https://oneseason.mionegroup.com/home

From the website "The average adult uses 9 personal care products daily exposing them to 126 chemicals every day"

personal observation: doesn't everything on the planet have chemicals in it, and aren't chemicals naturally occuring?

Reware Store

Go here to find solar backpacks by Juice Bag ($$$) and other fun environmentally-friendly items

http://www.rewarestore.com/index.html

Mercury Remover for Florescent light bulbs

photo from Heather Walton/Scottsdale Republic

Here's a story about a mercury remover...http://www.azcentral.com/community/scottsdale/articles/0311sr-compactor11Z8.html

The standard fluorescent lamp contains approximately 20 milligrams of mercury. While there are no known health hazards from exposure to lamps that are intact, improper disposal of fluorescent lamps can contaminate the environment. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that over 800 million lamps are produced each year to replace 800 million lamps that are then disposed. Since 1 gram of mercury is enough to contaminate a 2-acre pond, there is enough mercury in those lamps to contaminate 20 million acres of water.

Mercury Vapor Lamp Compactor http://www.lampcompactor.com/

Awesome Lamp

I really love the design of this light, it doesn't look like it's in production, so you can't purchase it. I emailed the designer, who has a portfolio on coroflot where you can see more images of this thing, but he hasn't replied.

I also love the idea of the LED lights. I wonder why there is a push for these florecent lights to replace incandecent light bulbs, whe the florescents are coated with mercury. THe push to switch is completely ignoring the fact that there is a huge percentage of our population who doean't pay attention at all to details and who will throw these things in the regular trash instead of recycling them properly. This push will poison us all.

Re-useable Sandwich Bag

not that all sandwich bags aren't re-useable...but this one might make it easier for you to not throw it away.

http://www.reusablebags.com/store/wrapnmat-p-2.html#

Sept 15 coastal cleanup day

http://www.coastal.ca.gov/publiced/pendx.html

Plan now for next weekend!

Too much harvest?

If you grow fruits or veggies, and have too much of a good thing, donate your leftovers!

http://www.villageharvest.org/

Bag Re-Use

There have been a lot of articles and attempted laws surrounding this issue lately.

The City of SF is trying to enforce a law that you must BYO Bag.

"As originally written, the legislation would have affected only grocery stores doing more than $2 million in sales a year.The law, if passed, would make San Francisco the first U.S. city to require merchants to offer customers only bags made of recyclable paper, plastic that can be turned into compost or sturdy cloth or plastic that can be reused."

http://cbs5.com/local/local_story_068000200.html

They have also tried to tax people for using new bags

"It could cost grocery shoppers 17 cents a bag if they want paper or plastic in San Francisco, one of the first U.S. cities to attempt a grocery bag fee aimed at helping the environment.
City officials are considering a proposal that would put a tax on supermarket bags, and it's likely that many stores would try to pass the extra cost on to consumers. The measure is primarily being pushed by environmentalists who view plastic grocery bags as a menace, not as a modern marvel of convenience. "

http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2004-11-22-sf-grocerybags_x.htm

The BiteHow 'bout neither. We use shopping bags for a few hours, but they can take lifetimes to decompose. New foldable nylon versions make it easy to BYOB wherever you go-whether it's clothes shopping, grocery shopping, or a drugstore impulse buy.
The Benefits
Oil and tree savings. In the United States, 12 million barrels of oil and 14 million trees go to producing plastic and paper bags each year.
Discounts. Stores like Safeway and Whole Foods offer a five-penny discount if you bring your own.
Being a role model. Other shoppers'll watch and learn.
Safety for sea creatures. Plastic bags are the fifth most commonly found item in coastal cleanups.
Personally SpeakingJen's brought her own since the days when loading up a canvas bag at the store wasn't so popular. She still gets weird looks from other shoppers, but that's for other reasons...
Wanna Try?
ACME Bags Workhorse - superlight nylon bags that fold into a tiny attached pouch, in four colors ($10).
Ecobags Organic Cotton String Shopping Bag - these simple bags fit in your purse or pocket. Also: reusable produce bags ($3-$7).
Posch - stylish bags created from vintage sheets and pillowcases ($40).
Biter Bag - our very own bags, made from recycled plastic bottles ($20).
"I'm Not a Plastic Bag" Bag - this bag spells it out for those who are slow on the uptake ($15).
If you must use a plastic bag, reuse it as long as you can, then tie it into knots before you toss it to keep it from ballooning up into the air and ending up as litter.

mocoloco

http://mocoloco.com/

some of the items on the design blog will help you live more grren...like this herb saver available through sur la table... though at the time of this post, it was posted as 14.95 and comes up as 29.95 when you order it.

http://www.surlatable.com/product/566398.do

Clean Air Gardening

http://www.cleanairgardening.com/

MTV and the green world

The Real world this season is going green...

http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6467245.html

and you can decide who get's on the show...http://realworldcasting.mtv.com/

sierra club radio

http://www.sierraclubradio.org

offers tips and tells stories we can use to make responsible choices...

Electronic Waste recyclers

E-cycle Envoronmental
These guys will pick up and the host ecylcing events all over. They even pay to offset the carbon their trucks use! also they offer Hard Drive Shredding which
guarantees physical destruction of all hard drives. There is also the option to go to the plant and personally witness the destruction of your hard drives.

http://www.ecycleenvironmental.com/index.html

TerraCycle

I'm very excited about this product, It actually has a negative environmental footprint, meaning the contents are fully recycled as well as the packaging. They use old plastic soda bottles!

Organic gardening Tips

http://www.organicgardentips.com/

this place is full of good information on organic gardening.

Groovy Green Blog

http://groovygreen.com

based out of Ithaca, NY, this blog is a wealth of information about all things green.

For those of you with canine companions....

Quick-biodegrading doggy doo bags from PlanetDog.com

http://www.planetdog.com/for-home.asp?ID=1648

Twist Cloths

A reusable alternative to paper towels, but not quite a washcloth...as it's biodegradable(I'm not sure what that really means, cotton washcloths are biodegradeable too...it just takes a little while).

http://www.twistclean.com/eurocloth/

look for it at Whole Foods.

Small Farms

stories and pictures of real people and real food

http://www.smallfarms.typepad.com/

24 boxes

from the intro on the site: 24 Boxes is a blog devoted to seasonal cooking with fresh, local vegetables from Angelic Organics, a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) farm in Rockford, Illinois.

http://24boxes.blogspot.com/

Resources and information from the EPA

http://www.epa.gov/epaoswer/osw/index.htm

Earth 911

http://earth911.org/

Zero Waste

http://www.zerowaste.ca.gov/

World Water Week Aug 12-18

Held in Stockholm, world water week deals with international processes and programmes in water and development.

http://www.worldwaterweek.org/

sierra club blog

http://www.sierraclub.org/compass/

The Green Guide

from National Geographic

http://www.thegreenguide.com/

True Food Now

A resource to help you figure out what foods are genetically modified.

I'm still not sure how that differs from Hybridization.

http://www.truefoodnow.org/

On Vacation...

I'm on a Road Trip and will come back soon, in the meantime, here's some info on BUg repellent:

Researchers at Iowa State University found the essential oil in catnip to be about 10 times more effective at repelling mosquitoes than DEET, the widely used synthetic repellent. Simply crush the leaves of any of these plants to release their scents and rub them on your exposed skin.

I thought the first myth was funny...

Organic Myths
Source: Organic.org

Myth: Organic food tastes like cardboard.

Fact: This may have been true of processed foods at one time—take crackers or pretzels for example—but this stereotype is as outdated as the hippie connotations that follow it. Today many organic snack foods taste the same as their conventional counterparts, while most people agree that fresh, locally grown organic produce does not compare to the alternative. Even organic produce that is not in season and has been shipped thousands of miles to reach our grocer’s shelves cannot compare to the produce found in our own back yard or at farmers markets. Taste is certainly an individual matter, so give organic a try and let us know what you think!

Try baking a couple batches of cookies or prepare a couple of bowls of fruit or vegetable salad; use organic ingredients in one and conventional ingredients in the other. Which tastes better?


Myth: Organic food is too expensive.

Fact: In general, organic food costs more than conventional food because of the laborious and time-intensive systems used by the typically smaller organic farms. You may find that the benefits of organic agriculture off-set this additional cost. At the same time, there are ways to purchase organic while sticking to your budget. Consider the following when questioning the price of organic:

Organic farmers don’t receive federal subsidies like conventional farmers do. Therefore, the price of organic food reflects the true cost of growing.
The price of conventional food does not reflect the cost of environmental cleanups that we pay for through our tax dollars.
Organic farming is more labor and management intensive.

Myth: Eating organic food is the same as eating natural food.

Fact: Natural foods do not contain additives or preservatives, but they may contain ingredients that have been grown with pesticides or are genetically modified. In other words, the ingredients in the ingredient panel will look familiar, but they have not been produced organically. Natural foods are not regulated and do not meet the same criteria that organic foods do.

organic fruit snacks

I like the slogan for this organic company
Organic Smooshed Fruits
http://www.fruitabu.com/

Native Plant Resources

These are mostly for Northern California:

California Flora Nursery
Fulton, CA
707-528-8813

Cornflower Farms
Elk Grove, CA
916-689-1015
www.cornflowerfarms.com

Larner Seeds
Bolinas, CA
415-686-9407
www.larnerseeds.com

Mostly Natives Nursery
Tomales, CA
707-878-2009
www.mostlynatives.com

Native Here Nursery
Berkeley, CA
510-549-0211
www.ebcnps.org

Saratoga Horticultural Foundation
San Martin, CA
408-779-3303
www.saratogahortfoundation.org

Seedhunt
Freedom, CA
www.seedhunt.com

Yerba Buena Nursery
Woodside, CA
650-851-1668
www.yerbabuenanursery.com

Also ask your current nursery – they’ll supply
more local CA natives if they know of the
interest.

stopwaste.org

Alameda county is all over this green stuff:

You can get some brochures/pamphlets on a variety of topics such as bay-friendly gardening, recycling guides, tips on friedly janitorial supplies and landscaping tips.

If you live in the county you can order the printed versions free, if you live outside the county, you can still download the .pdf free or order copies for a small cost.

https://www.stopwaste.org/AlamedaCommerce/ProductList.aspx

A Safer Stripper?

From Molecular-Tech Coatings Inc. in Canada...

http://www.m-tc.com/efs2500_home.htm

some product details:

2. Product Name
EFS-2500

3. Product Description
Specially formulated for environmentally friendly paint stripper. To replace chlorinated solvent, and prevents localized breakdown of the passivating oxide film. No activated acid and no HAP. Formulation contains no Methylene Chloride, no Formic Acid, nor Carbonic Acid, and no N-MP (N methyl Pyrolidone).

4. Vehicle Type
Ethyl cellulose

5. Pigment
None

6. Use
Paint stripper for aerospace aircraft paint, epoxy primer, fiber glass boat, gel coat, wood, metals.


7. Product Information
Color Milky
Gloss None
Dry Films Thickness 30-40wetmil
Volume Solid 1
Immersion Corrosion No Effect
Sandwich Corrosion No Effect
Hydrogen Embrittlement No Effect
Density 1.0313 kg./lt.
PH 5.7-6
Sag 30-40mil.
Viscosity 80-100 KU @77°F


8. Application
Application Spray On, Brush On, Roller On
Application Temperature 39-100°F
Recommended Thinner None
Recommended Cleaning Cold Water
Lift Time Overnight
Substrate Aluminum, Magnesium,
Steel, Gel Coat, Wood



9. Dry and Handling
Dry and Handling Not Applicable


10. Storage and Handling
Packaging/Shipping Weight 1.0313kg/lt. and Container Weight
Flash Point P-M Closed 212°F
Shelf Life Manufacture Date 6 Months Subject To Inspection
Recommended Storage 39°F to 77°F


11. Preparation
Scrape the paint film off with plastic scraper or pressure wash then rinse and neutralizes with Soapy water. Separate the solid paint and residue from the liquid. Then contain the solid in a drum for disposal.

12. Application Condition
Room Temperature

13. Application Equipment
Air spray with a wide open nozzle, brush, roller.

Organic Wine

From Radish Magazine

Green is for grape: What's up with organic wine?
Comment on this article

from the Editors of E/The Environmental Magazine

Dear EarthTalk:
I’ve been noticing a lot of organic wines lately in the supermarket. Is this going to be a continuing trend? -- Peter Toot, via email

The recent upsurge of interest in organic foods has indeed not escaped the wine business and, yes, organic wines are more popular and more readily available than ever.
According to the Organic Trade Association, an industry group representing organic food producers and distributors, U.S. sales of wines made with organic grapes reached $80 million in 2005, a 28 percent increase over the previous year. Such sales represent little more than one percent of the total U.S. domestic wine market, but the association expects organic wine sales to grow about 17 percent a year through 2008, mirroring growth across all sectors of organic agriculture.

There are two types of organic labeling on wines. The vast majority of wines made with organically grown grapes do not qualify for the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA’s) white-and-green “certified organic” label. This is because, like many conventional wines, they include added sulfite preservatives to prevent oxidation and bacterial spoilage.

While trace amounts of sulfites occur naturally in wines during the fermentation process, most producers add more, later in the winemaking process, to prolong shelf life. An estimated one percent of consumers, primarily those with asthma, report sensitivity to wines with larger amounts of sulfites. Symptoms can include a quickened pulse, lung irritation, skin redness and rashes. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) banned the use of sulfites on fruits and vegetables in 1986 after 13 consumer deaths were linked to them.

Current USDA rules allow wines containing fewer than 10 parts per million (ppm) of sulfites and made from organic grapes to carry the “certified organic” label. But organic wines may only advertise that they are “made from organic grapes” if they contain more than 10 ppm and up to 100 ppm of sulfites. Some organic grape growers consider it unfair that the addition of sulfites—which occur naturally and are not synthetic chemicals—should disqualify their wines from “certified organic” standing.

Moving beyond organic, a handful of vineyards have adopted so-called “biodynamic” (BD) grape growing methods, adding to organic methods the practice of cultivating, pruning and harvesting on a strict calendar in sync with lunar cycles. Many view such practices skeptically; nonetheless, proponents claim that BD wines taste better and remain drinkable longer. The website Wine Anorak (“anorak” is British slang for “geek” or “nerd”) lists biodynamic wine labels from around the world.

Some leading organic (and low-sulfite) wines include varieties from Ceago, Frey, LaRocca, Bonterra and Organic Wine Works. Meanwhile, the California-based Organic Wine Company sources and distributes organic wines from around the world. Additionally, California Certified Organic Farmers (CCOF), a trade group representing that state’s organic agriculture industry, provides a free online directory of California organic products and services, including the state’s many purveyors of organic and biodynamic wines.

Contacts: Wine Anorak; Ceago; Frey Vineyards; Bonterra; Organic Wine Company; CCOF Organic Directory.

Building Green

http://www.buildinggreen.com/

their top ten producucts of 2006

Polished concrete system from RetroPlate
Underwater standing timber salvage by Triton Logging
PaperStone Certified composite surface material from KlipTech Composites, Inc.
Varia and "100 Percent" recycled-content panel products from 3form, Inc.
Recycled-content interior molding from Timbron International
SageGlass tintable glazing from Sage Electrochromics
Water-efficient showerhead with H2Okinetic technology from Delta
WeatherTRAK smart irrigation controls from HydroPoint Data Systems, Inc.
Coolerado Cooler advanced, indirect evaporative air conditioner from Coolerado, LLC
Renewable Energy Credits from Community Energy, Inc.

Because Mother Earth Is a Woman

I'm not sure what her tag line really means, but sometimes this blog is interesting.

http://eco-chick.com/

Kitchen Gardens

their tag line:
promoting the "localest" food of all, globally



check out their "GrowoffShowoff" contest

http://www.kitchengardeners.org/

clothing re-use

Some links to places that re-use clothing

http://www.junkystyling.co.uk/

http://www.edun.ie/

http://www.antiapathy.org/

The Natural Store

UK-based shopping site

http://www.thenaturalstore.co.uk/

Green Travel

In searching for a flight to mexico, I noticed that Travelocity is encourging customers to Travel green by buying carbon=offset credits. They've even created a little cartoon rabit to make it more appealing...

http://leisure.travelocity.com/Promotions/0,,TRAVELOCITY|3689|vacations_main,00.html

wood wise

assists magazine publishers by hosting workshops, publishing print and Web-based resource materials, and working directly with them to help find environmentally preferable paper sources and production processes.

http://www.coopamerica.org/programs/woodwise/about/index.cfm

Map of Solor locations in SF

http://www.sf.solarmap.org/

bags for produce

keeping your produce in these bags supposedly keeps them fresh for 3-10x longer...

http://www.reusablebags.com/store/evertfresh-green-bags-pack-medium-p-27.html

Recycling Old Cell Phones

Check out this article from Mother Earth Living on where to recycle your cell phones.



http://www.motherearthliving.com/issues/motherearthliving/nature/How-to-Recycle-an-Old-Cell-Phone_456-1.html

ride sharing - LA

http://goloco.org/greetings;guest

SF Environment

everything you need to know about environmentally friendly in San Francisco.
http://www.sfenvironment.org/index.html

and their links page:
http://www.sfenvironment.com/links/

Kate Sheppards blog

good writing, interesting topics, green gal

http://katestopglobalwarming.spaces.live.com/

I M Organic

http://www.imorganic.com/

The mission of I'm Organic™ is to spread the organic message. I'm Organic, Inc. was founded in 2006 by mother-daughter team Judy Pezdir and Jill Palermo. Judy and Jill are both artists and entrepreneurs.

Wind turbine for your home

http://mag-wind.com/

also the intersate renewable energy council for info on connecting to the grid

http://www.irecusa.org/

Sustainable lingerie

UK Lingerie and clothing company Enamore



From the site: "Enamore is a creative fashion label producing beautiful clothing, lingerie and accessories from organic and sustainable fabrics. Our collections are currently produced in the UK from the finest hemp, cotton, peace silk and vintage fabrics..."

http://www.enamore.co.uk/onlineshop/

living green

http://www.greencitylofts.com/

or, find one near you with:
http://moderngreenliving.com/

Doggy Bags of a different sort

S.F. may harness power of dog waste
San Francisco weighs effort to harness the power of methane in doggie doo

The Associated Press
Updated: 5:04 p.m. PT Feb 21, 2006
SAN FRANCISCO - City officials are hoping to harness the power of dog doo. San Franciscans already recycle more than 60 percent of their garbage, but in this dog-friendly town, animal feces make up nearly 4 percent of residential waste, or 6,500 tons a year — nearly as much as disposable diapers, according to the city.

Within the next few months, Norcal Waste, a garbage hauling company that collects San Francisco’s trash, will begin a pilot program under which it will use biodegradable bags and dog-waste carts to pick up droppings at a popular dog park.

The droppings will be tossed into a contraption called a methane digester, which is basically a tank in which bacteria feed on feces for weeks to create methane gas.

The methane could then be piped directly to a gas stove, heater, turbine or anything else powered by natural gas. It can also be used to generate electricity.

Methane digesters are nothing new. The technology was introduced in Europe about 20 years ago, and more than 600 farm-based digesters are in operation there. Nine are in use on California dairy farms, and chicken and hog farms elsewhere in the United States also use them.

Neither Norcal Waste spokesman Robert Reed nor Will Brinton, a Maine-based recycling and composting consultant, knew of anyone in the United States who is using the $1 million devices to convert pet waste to energy. But Brinton said some European countries process dog droppings along with food and yard waste.

Challenge: Getting other cities to follow suit
“The main impediment is probably getting communities around the country the courage to collect it, to give value to something we’d rather not talk about,” Brinton said. “San Francisco is probably the king of pet cities. This could be very important to them.”

San Francisco — the city named after Saint Francis, patron saint of animals — has an estimated 240,000 dogs and cats.

Some experts believe methane digestion must become more attractive economically before it gets popular. Landfill space is relatively cheap, and natural gas and electricity also remain fairly inexpensive.

Reed points to San Francisco’s groundbreaking food composting program, which began 10 years ago, as proof an unusual idea can work in this forward-thinking city. A Norcal Waste subsidiary collects 300 tons of food scraps per day from homes and restaurants and converts it into a rich fertilizer sold to vineyards and organic farms.

“Now, the city’s asked us to look at dog waste specifically,” Reed said.

Because animal waste contains disease-causing germs, composting it at home with yard waste and food scraps can be unsafe.

© 2006 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
URL: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/11488372/

Greentime

Video cast of a couple trying to live more green
http://www.weatherlight.com/greentime/

Soybean Crayons

https://secure.pencilnet.com/dixonusa/index.cfm/fuseaction=shop.product/prdIndex=125?

I'm not sure if these are really any more environmentally responsible than wax. I'll have to do a little research...

Pricegrabber Green Verison

http://shopgreen.pricegrabber.com/?mode=tpgreen&

from their home page:

"Shopping and living green doesn't have to mean sacrificing quality or paying more. This site highlights products that promote smart, sustainable, eco-friendly living. We're also giving 5% of all profits to a green charity of your choice!"

Who says Texas don't care?

This guy recycled all his beer cans into his home!

http://www.orangeshow.org/beercan.html

Water Bottles and Plastics

What's in these plastics anyway?

Some plastics are not food safe, so watch what kind you put your food in, and especially what kind you heat your food in.

http://www.americanchemistry.com/s_plastics/bin.asp?CID=1102&DID=4645&DOC=FILE.PDF

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/05/04/BUGUSPKP6D1.DTL&hw=lazarus&sn=004&sc=214

Nude Bicycle Riders in Vancouver

There were 50+ bike riders in Vancouver this weekend biking nude in protest of burning fossil fuels.

Interesting blog

http://kentuckyhollers.blogspot.com/
Find out what happens when a big-city girl moves to a homestead in the country.

Clorine-free pools

http://www.chlorfree.net/

http://www.sigmawater.com/index2.html

http://www.nature2.com/

garden pest book

I'm hoping this has some organic ways of dealing with bugs

http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/IPMPROJECT/ADS/manual_gardenfarms.html

Organic Veggies

http://www.localharvest.org/farms/M4022
http://www.westsideorganics.com/index.jsp
http://www.diamondorganics.com/prod_detail_list/26
http://www.greenpeople.org/HomeDelivery.html
http://www.eatwiththeseasons.com/
http://www.localharvest.org/csadrops.jsp?id=4022
http://parents.berkeley.edu/recommend/where2buy/produce_delivery.html#box
http://www.planetorganics.com/

Fruit for your work
http://fruitguys.com/

Slow Food?

http://www.slowfoodusa.org/index.html

Greenfest & Veggies recieved!

Go to the show in SF in November or check out when it will be near you...

http://www.greenfestivals.org/content/view/626/281/

Also - I got my delivery of Fruits and Veggies today from Westside Organics. I was hoping that the fruits would be more ripe than the ones you find in grocery stores, but they were not. I'm not sure that it's worth it to continue with them.

GM addresses the Volt

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RNbNwst3_C4

recycling

To find where to recycle things any where in the country go here
http://earth911.org/

California Recycling Program
http://www.bottlesandcans.com/

gardening

http://www.cleanairgardening.com/
http://www.compostguide.com/links.html

safe cosmetics

http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com/

I'd like to try to replace whatever I'm currently using with things that rate a 0 or 1 on the skin deep cosmetics database. I think unless what I'm using scores very high, I will just replace as I run out, otherwise I'll be spending a lot of money on toiletries.

links to places that are supposed to have good cosmetics

www.ahhhbathworks.com
www.organicrhinofamily.mionegroup.com
www.biogreensystems.com/freetobe
www.sacredshowers.com
www.lush.com

Trashion

Saturday, June 9, 2007 more on this date
11:00 PM
Location: 550 BARNEVELD
550 barneveld
sf, ca view map
More Info: www.space550.com
It's T r a s h i o n !

FEATURING ALL-SALVAGE DESIGNERS:
DOMINI www.clothingarchitect.com
Patchwerk Press Trinity Cross + Remade in America www.rahrahrah.org/fieldday www.ReMadeInAmerica.org
miss velvet cream with headpieces by ESTAR www.missvelvetcream.com
Upcycling by Lucid Dawn www.lucidawn.com
Bad Unkl Sista www.badunklsista.com
SHOW TIME : 11PM!

Organic gardening delivered to your door

Since it's becoming obvious that I will not find my way to the farmers market anytime soon, I signed up for this today. The first delivery comes next week. We'll see how I like it, or if it's worth it.

westsideorganics.com

stop Junk Mail

Web sites such as GreenDimes.com and 41pounds.org can remove your name from direct mail advertisers’ lists for a fee ($36 for one year; $41 for five years, respectively). Less pricey alternatives and a few simple tips also can significantly reduce the amount of junk mail sent to your home.

DirectMail.com compiles a list of people who indicate that they don’t want to receive advertisements in the mail. Registration for the list is free, and the Web site then supplies the list to mass mailers, which can choose to check it with their mailing lists and remove names that appear on both.


For a $1 processing fee, the Direct Marketing Association can add your name to its “do not mail” list. The DMA requires its more than 3,600 member companies to match their marketing lists with the “do not mail” list. You will see junk mail decrease about three months after your name gets on the list, which is updated four times a year.

Both services assure that they do not pass along your name or address to any mailing lists. Both work only for home addresses, not business addresses. Neither can guarantee a complete stop to junk mail, and be aware that registering for either list can also prevent you from receiving mail you might want, such as coupons, catalogues, and mail from nonprofit and charitable organizations.

To specifically stop credit card and insurance offers, call (888) 5-OPTOUT [(888) 567-8688] or register at optoutprescreen.com, which removes your name from major credit agencies’ marketing lists for five years, or permanently if you complete a mail-in form.
Don’t be afraid to sign up for things you want. If you’re concerned that your name and address will be added to other mailing lists, write a variation of “please do not sell or trade my name or address” next to your information when making a donation, placing an order, or filling out a form for a warranty, subscription or even for a drawing. That way you’ll get what you want, but nothing more.
When you receive an unwanted solicitation from a specific company, call its toll-free number to directly request removal from its mailing list. Businesses should be accommodating because sending mail only to interested customers saves them money. If you want to minimize the amount of mail you receive from charities you support, ask them to only mail materials to you once a year or under special circumstances. Then reward them by donating when you’re ready.

excerpt from Mother Earth News Article

green auto blog

http://www.autobloggreen.com/

links

http://www.splendora.com/hautenow/ecostyle/greenlinks
http://www.ecosherpa.com/gardening/terracycle-challenge/
http://100milediet.org/
http://www.lime.com/
http://www.hugg.com/
http://sustainablestyle.freepledge.com/

Reusable Bags

It's very trendy and very good practice to use reusable bags for shopping instead of all the plastic ones they end up giving you at the grocery store...but I'm not sure that it's better to buy one, there are so many bags out there, go to the thrift store and get a giant tote bag there...or better yet, use that one they gave you at the last conference you went to. But if your bag must be trendy and new, go here:

http://www.reusablebags.com/

These Come from trees stickers

get some and put them everywhere there are products made from trees.

http://thesecomefromtrees.blogspot.com/

recycle your packing peanuts!

http://www.loosefillpackaging.com/pages/hotline.htm

this place is based out of Oakland, CA but there are only 3 places listed for Oakland, and none listed in Berkeley(supposed capital of recycling). It seems like they need a little more work...

update: apparently, mailboxes etc takes your packing peanuts for re-use (what wouldn't they right? free materials for them...), thanks Jamie!

Cleaning green

from treehugger.com
and article on greener cleaning

http://www.treehugger.com/files/2007/01/how_to_green_your_cleaning.php



and a list of products

http://www.treehugger.com/files/2007/01/how_to_green_your_cleaning.php#getit

build a cart for your bike

need to tow around some stuff with your bike, but don't have a cart? build one!

http://www.motherearthliving.com/issues/motherearthliving/diy/DIY-Bike-Trailer_443-1.html

River Wired

Live Green. Do Good. Be well. is the catch phrase for Riverwired. sign up for your own account and network. This is a beta version, I have not found it to be a useful site yet, but will update this post if I find differently.

http://www.riverwired.com/

Shopping...

most of the clothing from NAU is from 100% organic cotton grown in Thailand.

I wonder how it got to the US though? I'm sure that wasn't a eco-friendly process.

https://www.nau.com/homepage/index.jsp?cid=[email]_[idealbite]_[naulink]#/homepage/index&0

UK Eco blog

http://www.ecostreet.com/

greening your kitchen

http://www.chow.com/stories/10542

hmmm cork flooring, isn't that on the "don't use if you want to be green" list?

Green Museum

online museum of environmental art

http://greenmuseum.org/

Home made fly/yellowjacket traps

Organic Home Made Fly Traps
Posted by: "genny_y2k"
Wed May 16, 2007 10:01 am (PST)
Make your own orgnic fly traps using a funnel bought or made from heavy brown paper bag. Any size jar that the funnel will fit into. In the bottom of the jar place any combination of over ripe fruit and yeast. Banana's work great. You can also use spoiled meat as a bait.Flies get trapped in the jar and can't find their way out of the small opening of the funnel.++++++++++++ +++++++++ +++++++++ +++++++++ +++++++++ +++++++++ +++++++++ ++++==Make organic sticky fly trap strips by cutting a strip of brown paper bag and coating it with molassas or an inexpensive syrup. Hang or place a distance from patios, yards or corrals so you attract flies 'away' from these areas.Deanna in Colorado

Re: Organic Home Made Fly Traps
Posted by: "Katie M"
Wed May 16, 2007 10:15 am (PST)
This type of fly trap will also draw and trap yellow jackets. You can also make them out of liter size soda bottles. You cut arount it 2/3 of the way up and invert the top into the bottom. Katie

Design Can Change

this site is way more design-y then it is change-y but it's got a few good resources.

http://designcanchange.org/#resources/downloads

Consumption

bottles

art to make you think...

http://www.chrisjordan.com/current_set2.php?id=7

Carpooling

Today I carpooled in with Jim. I'm going to try to do it all week. I'm low on cash this week, so it's motivating me a bit. I think if Jim and I got in the habit of carpooling together, we could save a lot of moolah. plus, ya know.. it's good for the environment and all ;-)

back woods home magazine

http://www.backwoodshome.com/

maybe green, but probably not all that much

I'm not sure how green these good are... neckaces from a rare palm nut, and an encourgaement to get off the computer and write hand-written notes? hmmm...

http://www.greatgreengoods.com/

fabulous Eco prodcuts

sustainable. sexy. Stuff. for more shopping pleasure:
http://www.ecofabulous.com/

go green stay stylish is the motto of this shopping site
http://www.greenwithglamour.com/

Ripple.org

A site that lets you contribute to some austrailian non-profits simply by clicking or using their search engine.

http://www.ripple.org/

shopping green?

this ecostyle section of Splendora is sponsored by Aveeno, are they known for being green?
http://www.splendora.com/hautenow/ecostyle


I love the graphic design used on this site...they also offer hemp and other sustainable fabrics http://www.stewartbrown.com/index.php

Googling economically

If you are still using a CRT monitor, here's a way to save some energy while you surf...

Back in January 2007 someone from Treehugger.com posted a blog that said if google search changed it's background to white - it could potentially save a ton of energy because it take less to show a black screen then an all white screen.

Well, google just launched the search window http://www.blackle.com/ check it out, and if you use google to search, try this out instead and save some watts.

Full story....
http://www.treehugger.com/files/2007/05/black_google_sa.php

(taken from an email from Jamie W)

Recycled Aluminum Foil

http://store.greenfeet.com/itemdesc.asp?ic=6008-00008-0000

used building material

http://www.build.recycle.net/

Veggie Van

Converting your diesel auto to run on Vegitable oil
http://www.veggievan.org/

also:

http://www.biodieselamerica.org/

Local Harvest

Know where your food comes from and who's growing it! Find local farms and food suppliers here:

http://www.localharvest.org/

soda can solar

I love that this came from an automotive blog as a way to keep your cars warm in the winter!

http://blog.hemmings.com/index.php/2007/04/26/almost-free-garage-heat-just-drink-a-lot-of-soda/

OTHER LINKS TO SELF-MADE SOLAR HEATERS:

http://www.motherearthnews.com/Alternative-Energy/2006-12-01/Build-a-Simple-Solar-Heater.aspx

http://www.instructables.com/id/EMU06ULZ1MEY95WRNU/

Tried Insect soap for trees

I bought some insectisidal soap for the fruit trees, it's supposed to be safe for both environment and plants. It says to use every other week, but other places I've read about it say that it only work while it's wet, once it dries it's ineffective. We'll see... I sprayed the Cherries, apricots and blueberry plants with it, both tops and bottoms of leaves.

Enviroblog

Environmental connections to public health
http://www.enviroblog.org/

Ideal bite Blog

slightly irreverent thoughts about eco-living tips
http://www.idealbite.com/blog

Something's Eating my Cherry Tree!

I found this on it, but I'm not sure if it's eating the tree or if it's eating whatever is eating my tree. The other tree is doing fine so far, but I'm sure it will spread. I want to find a way to control the pests as the cherrys are no longer growing.

cosmetics

check to see if your favorite cosmetics contain carcinogins.

http://www.ewg.org/reports/skindeep2/index.php

PBS Quest Earth Day special

http://www.kqed.org/quest/television/view/227

Dr. Bronners Soap

http://www.drbronner.com/index.html

landmines that turn into manure?

It seems the warmongers are trying to keep up

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/6081486.stm

Make your own newspaper pots

step-by-step instructions with photos on how to make newspaper pots for your plants.

http://www.wizer.co.uk/?p=29

australian Eco store

http://www.neco.com.au/default.asp

green as a thistle blog

http://greenasathistle.com/