Living More Green

Bikes on demand in SF

2011-03-23T13:12:00.000-07:00

Zip car is awesome, and now a similar dervice for bikes is being offered from the Metropoltan Transportstion Commission

http://www.7x7.com/travel-active/transported-bike-sharing-coming-sf

Aloe Vera

2011-01-17T16:07:00.000-08:00

I bought a pathetic-looking aloe vera plant with three little damaged spikes at my local home depot last summer for something like $1.49. I was excited about having this plant around for it's medicinal uses, I've never been very good about putting sunscreen on, and having an aloe vera plant around the house will keep me from having to buy a container of it every spring.

Over the winter, it has sprouted new growth and it has many fat happy spikes. I checked the roots, and they are only using about half the depth of the container, so this plant can stay where it is for now. but I expect to either rot it or plant it in the ground in a sunny, hot spot by next year.

Also, it's starting a new little plant at it's base, when it gets a little bigger I'll be able to separate that off and have two!

Aloe Vera info:
hardy to 9B
sunset zones 8,9, 12-24
Medicinal plant used to treat burns, bites and inflammation.
1-2 feet tall, but flowers appear in a dense stalk 3ft tall
survives without extra water, but looks better with some
mulch with gravel

Disposing of Medicine Properly

2011-01-12T11:09:00.000-08:00

http://www.wisegeek.com/how-do-i-dispose-of-expired-medicine.htm

Year of Living Simply

2011-01-10T23:05:00.000-08:00

Part of living more green, is living simply. Not consuming more than you need to sustain yourself and the environment around you. here is a great new blog describing one woman's journey into living simply.

http://yearoflivingsimply.blogspot.com/

Greener refrigerant debuts in shipping containers

2010-12-06T16:02:00.000-08:00

http://www.container.carrier.com/Carrier+Brand+Sites/Carrier+Transicold+Container/Carrier+Transicold+Announces+Breakthrough+Natural+Refrigerant+Container+Technology

http://ecoseed.org/en/business-article-list/article/1-business/8545-new-natural-refrigerant-system-makes-container-refrigeration-greener?goback=%2Egde_38832_member_36835001

Why Recycle Glass?

2010-11-24T14:38:00.000-08:00

http://1800recycling.com/2010/11/facts-glass-recycling/?goback=%2Egde_38832_member_35436993

No-Energy Winter Rerigerator

2010-11-01T10:32:00.000-07:00

If you live in a climate where the weather is routinely below 35 - 38 degrees F. Use natural cooling to keep food refrigerated without wasting energy to do it. Build yourself an insulated box that's going to attach to the outside of your house for the winter months.

More info on how to build this found here:

http://www.thedailygreen.com/green-homes/blogs/diy-hacks/hack-energy-efficient-refrigerator-460215

eco-Remodel

2010-10-26T11:52:00.000-07:00

King County in Washington state has put together cool tools to help folks renovate in a way that is friendly to the environment.

check it out here:
http://your.kingcounty.gov/solidwaste/greenbuilding/eco-remodel.asp

Recycling Clothes

2010-08-18T12:47:00.000-07:00

This awesome blog is following a lady who is making a new dress each day for $1, using recyled clothing and her own inguinity.

http://newdressaday.wordpress.com/

How to get 99 mpg from your geo metro

2010-06-14T14:20:00.000-07:00

The fifth annual Green Grand Prix expo and fuel economy rally in New York produced this pontiac firefly (geo metro) capable of 99 mpg, built by Darin Cosgrove. Read more about exactly how he did it...http://jalopnik.com/5558345/how-to-get-997-mpg-from-a-geo-metro

The Dirty Dozen

2010-05-16T09:46:00.000-07:00

The Environmental Working Group has developed a list of how different fruits and vegetables rank as far as the amount of pesticides are still on the food when we eat it. They used the US Department of Agriculture Pesticide Testing Program to create their list.

Not surprisingly, foods with a thick rind, or shell, like corn or cantaloupe, give us less exposure to these chemicals, where fruits and berries, like peaches and blueberries, give us high exposure.

Download a pocket-friendly list of the dirty dozen and safe 15 at their site or look at the full list to see where your favorite foods rank.

http://www.foodnews.org/

Public transportation sucks

2010-05-15T14:10:00.000-07:00

...but I still use it. Got kicked off of one train then waited 15 minutes for the next which took us one stop and then told us we'd have to wait there another 15 minutes. Thanks BART for taking a half hour of my Saturday.

Seed Bomb dispensers

2010-04-29T21:36:00.000-07:00

Seed bombs are all the rage in gorilla gardening. This group on SO Cal, had the ingenious idea of taking some old candy machines and making seed bomb dispensers out of them.

http://www.urbangardensweb.com/2010/04/11/sweet-idea-for-seeding-urban-gardens/

Sustainable Treehouses

2010-04-19T10:22:00.000-07:00

What is more awesome than a treehouse? A sustainable treehouse!

O2Treehouse
Based out of LA and Minnesota, O2Treehouses builds beautiful high-end but sustainable treehouses, mostly in the backyards of private homeowners, but some other locations as well.

check them out:
http://www.o2sustainability.com

or read their blog
http://o2treehouse.blogspot.com

Recycled Bird Bath

2010-04-18T15:24:00.000-07:00

Today we put up a birdbath made out of an old satellite dish that was otherwise destined for the dump. I got the idea from instructables

What's reat about the bird bath is that now there is a use for the old stump in our backyard.

Portland Central Library RoofTop Garden

2010-04-14T11:38:00.000-07:00

See more of Bay Area Tendrils report on the Portland Central Library's Rooftop Garden...

http://bayareatendrils.blogspot.com/2009/08/living-carpet-of-texture-color-eco-roof.html

Rewards for Recycling

2010-04-12T11:36:00.000-07:00

Greenopolis Kiosks can be found at many Whole Foods locations around the country, as well as other locations.

Each time you use the greenopolis recycling kiosk, you receive a receipt indicating the number of items recycled and a deposit statement with a prize code redeemable for points at greenopolis.com.

Go to the link below to find your closest Greenopolis Kiosk
http://greenopolis.com

Cat Collars Made from Bottles

2010-04-09T11:49:00.000-07:00

I saw these in my local Petco - cat collars made from recycled plastic bottles, which is cool in itself, but not only that - they are made with appealing designs AND come in a variety of colors! Go Petmate!

Stainless Food Containers

2010-04-08T08:05:00.000-07:00

I love these they are durable, washable and recyclable.

http://www.territorialseed.com/product/12128/177/?r=APR2010-1_4

Recycle your Formal Dresses

2010-04-02T10:02:00.000-07:00

Do you have a formal dress or 15 in your closet that you bought for that one occasion and have never worn again? Here's a way to free up some space in your closet and feel good about yourself.

Donate it to the Pricess Project - an SF organization that gives them to girls who might not otherwise be able to afford a formal dress for their prom.

The Princess Project holds its Giveaway Events each spring in preparation for prom season, usually in March or April.

Do you live elsewhere? Check out their site for other programs around the US and Canada.

http://www.princessproject.org

Zero Charger

2010-03-17T11:36:00.000-07:00

AT&T is releasing a USB charger (hello iPhone users), called the Zero Charger that shuts itself down to stop vampire draw. Sign up at the link below to hear when it get released.

http://www.wireless.att.com/cell-phone-service/cell-phone-sales/promotion/zero.jsp

Green Waste Recycle Yard

2010-02-10T10:16:00.000-08:00

These guys at Green Waste Recycle Yard take trees being cut down in the urban SF Bay Area and mill them into lumber flooring tabletops and much more...

http://www.greenwasterecycleyard.com/

Cardboard high chair

2010-02-08T22:01:00.000-08:00

What an awesome idea from Australian company Belkiz, portable, recycled and recyclable.

thanks to:http://www.inhabitat.com/2010/02/06/portable-flatpak-high-chair-made-from-100-recycled-cardboard/

Top 8 Green Breweries

2010-01-30T20:49:00.000-08:00

As selected by the Huffington Post:

New Belgium Brewery, Fort Collins, Colorado
The Fish Brewing Company, Olympia, Washington
The Alaskan Brewing Company, Juneau, Alaska
Full Sail Brewing Co. Hood River, Oregon
Brooklyn Brewery, Brooklyn, New York
Great Lakes Brewing Co., Cleveland, Ohio
Sierra Nevada Brewery, Chico, California
Lakefront Brewery, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

for more info on each brewery check out the article:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/08/11/top-8-green-us-breweries_n_256368.html

Vast Recycled Pavers

2010-01-27T21:26:00.000-08:00

If you have a paver project coming up, like a deck or a driveway, you might want to look into these recycled, permeable pavers from VAST.

Info from the site:

Vast pavers are 95% recycled material
Can be cut with a regular wood saw
Every 1,000 square feet of VAST Composite Pavers saves 500 scrap tires and 15,000 plastic bottles from landfills
Manufactured with zero toxic or harmful emissions and zero waste
100% of all VAST Composite Pavers can be removed and recycled into new pavers
Gets you leed points!

Use their building tool to see what your patio would look like with the different paver combos.

Peak Season for Food

2010-01-07T14:55:00.000-08:00

Eating food that is in season locally, reduces the amount of food that needs to be flown and trucked into your local grocer from other parts of the country or world.

Check out this cool interactive map from Epicurious that tells you what is in season in your part of the country for any time of the year!

I also found this great seasonality chart, published in the guardian which is specific to the UK. One thing I really like about this chart, is that it includes seasonal meat, which Is something I don't think we in the U.S. have any concept of anymore.

Old Bike Tires?

2010-01-06T23:18:00.000-08:00

I need some ideas on how to reuse these old bike tires.

I can recycle them at any tire shop, but they seem like they might be useful for some other purpose. Any ideas?

Coroplast (Election Sign) Bike Panniers

2010-01-05T21:41:00.000-08:00

find step-by-step instructions here:

http://kentsbike.blogspot.com/2007/01/tobys-coroplast-panniers-fenders.html

Lawn Alternatives

2009-10-07T11:40:00.000-07:00

http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifLawns are wrong - especially out here in the west where we should have a beautiful golden straw colored-environment during the summer months. All these transplants from greener places are trying to recreate the green-ness that they are used to, in an environment that it does not belong in. Why can't they enjoy the green in the winter, and enjoy our golden California summers?

Out here in the west, they use up all of our fresh water, polute run-off with harmful chemicals and honestly, in my opinion, just do not fit into a California/southwest landscape. Sure they have their uses, soccer is a little hard to play on gravel... but the amount a typical lawn owner actually uses their lawn doesn't justify the harm they cause.

If you have a lawn - and just can't let go of the green sea, replace it with more water-friendly alternatives.

Better Lawn

If you absolutely need a turf area in your yard, really analyze how much of that lawn you actually use, and replace the outer sections that you aren't using with some planting beds for native plants that use less water.

Another way to keep your grass green and healthy is to not cut it shorter than 3", cutting it too short can strain the lawn and cause the tips to brown or to die back completely.

There have been great advances made in turf grass itself, with types that use less water, and are more adapted to dry environments. Check out some of these new grasses http://www.lawncare.net/drought-resistant-grass/

here are some great tips for healthier, greener, eco-friendly lawn care http://www.grinningplanet.com/2006/03-07/lawn-care-tips-article.htm

Visual "Lawn"

If you don't use your lawn a whole lot but want the look of a lawn without using water-sucking turf grass, use a ground cover to create the visual effect of a lawn. The great thing about this option, is you have a lot of flexibility with color and seasonal color - many ground covers flower so You'll have a punch of color at one point of the year, here are some ideas for ground cover.

Thyme - many kinds often strong scents
Sedums - Baby Tears is a perfect example
Herniaria - otherwise known as'Green Carpet'
Leptinella Platt's Black - Brass Buttons

here's link with a huge list of ground covers
http://www.datsplat.com/groundcovers-for-lawns-paths-and-walkways/
You can buy ground covers at any nursury or place online like here http://www.stepables.com

Xeriscaping

Chandler AZ, Xeriscape Demonstration Garden

A totally lawn-free alternative - xeriscaping utilizes gardening in ways that reduce or eliminate the need for supplemental irrigation.

Using plants that are native to the area, and allowing plants to go dormant when they naturally do, you can still create a garden that is beautiful.

Some links to get you started:

http://www.lawnreform.org/

http://www.lowimpactliving.com/

http://www.floridayards.org/

oyster bucket panniers

2009-09-23T13:36:00.000-07:00

Using a standard container in the manufactured food industry, a #2 tub -- not recycle-friendly because of a strength additive required to give it rigidity. Cobbworks offers an alternative to the landfill.

http://www.cobbworks.com/

Recycled Dog Beds

2009-08-07T16:54:00.000-07:00

Recycle your old linens and clothes into a new dog bed for your pooch. get a stuff sac from MollyMutt, and fill it with all those items goodwill won't take - stained undershirts, ripped towels, etc...

http://www.mollymutt.com/dog-duvets/stuff-sacks.html

Ray watch from Quicksilver

2009-07-29T21:01:00.000-07:00

Quicksilver is claiming this as a green watch since it's made of ebony wood from a sustainable source. They also only made 100 of them and are charging $450 dollars for it.

Kid-centric paper company

2009-07-22T20:05:00.000-07:00

If you love tactile paper products but also love being ecologically responsible then you'll love Jacki Paper. They make fun, unique items for both kids and adults. We love their philosophy - check out this info from the site:

green is one of our favorite colors.
we try to make green choices wherever we can. we letterpress with natural, soy-based ink. we package our cards in biodegradable sleeves made from corn. our marketing materials are printed using 100% wind power. and we eat our veggies.

http://jackipaper.com/

Green My Scene

2009-07-14T13:36:00.000-07:00

This site has a lot of potential, with videos on making your own salads from you garden, and other topics... but there are not very many posts yet, I hope they keep up with it.

http://www.greenmyscene.com

Green fireworks

2009-07-02T17:54:00.001-07:00

photo by Grundlepuck on flickr

Green fireworks

Posted using ShareThis

Recycled Artwork

2009-07-01T22:10:00.000-07:00

Like Etsy for Recycled Art, find or sell recycled artwork.

http://recycledartwork.ning.com/

Green up your Wedding registry

2009-06-24T14:37:00.000-07:00

Some of you have already gathered all the tools you need to live comfortably by the time you get married, and just don't need all the stuff a traditional wedding registry provides. A registry for your honeymoon, life events, or even donations to causes important to you is a green way of providing your wedding guests a way to give you a gift that you need with out the sometimes awkward gift of cash. There is no driving to the store on their side, and no wrapping paper.

http://www.weddinggreen.com/registry/
http://www.thebigday.com/ViewSharedRegistry.asp?list=85932&br=100

Recycled Dog Collars

2009-05-11T11:45:00.000-07:00

Who's That Dog recycles fancy leather belts to use as dog collars. there are two sections on the site collars and naked collars. I'm not really sure what the difference is other than the naked collars seem to be unpainted. They are a little pricey($60-65), especially for a recycled product, but are good quality.

http://www.whosthatdog.net/collars.cfm

Natural Sponges

2009-05-04T10:50:00.000-07:00

Today I was at Wal-mart (don't judge - I needed some storage containers and didn't feel like spending a thousand dollars on them). But I picked up some sponges while I was there, and found these - Natural Sponges from Scotch Brite. They jumped out to me because they were not dyed crazy bright colors like all the other sponges on the shelf.

The packaging says they are created from 50% natural agave plant(instead of petroleum based fibers for a portion of the scrubbing fibers), have recycled paper content(website says 23%), and are 100% natural. I'm not sure about the addition of the scrubbing side to the sponge - does that involve some kind of glue?

The website pushed that they are biodegradable, but doesn't give any other detail, and though it does claim that agave replaces a portion of the scrubbing fibers, it does not specify that no petroleum based fibers were used.

Reynolds Wrap recycled alumninum foil

2009-04-17T14:02:00.000-07:00

This is awesome, I was just useing some alumninum foil and wondered if there was a recycled option, then I saw a commercials for this!

Reynolds Wrap Foil from 100% Recycled Aluminum. The website says it is made from a combination of pre and post consumer waste, but does not give percentages.

The packaging and core are also recycled - made from 100% recovered paper ( this also does not specify post-consumer waste) and the inks used on the product packaging are water-based.

For Earth Day Reynolds is offering a Rebate on the new recycled foil!

Go here on Earth Day http://www.reynoldsrecycled.com to get a rebate coupon for a free roll.

Green Baby Supplies

2009-04-13T00:16:00.000-07:00

Eco Rattle points you in the direction of some awesome green items for your baby.

http://www.ecorattle.com/

SF Bay Area Greenbelt Alliance

2009-04-06T09:07:00.000-07:00

Since 1958, Greenbelt Alliance has been the San Francisco Bay Area's advocate for open spaces and vibrant places.

http://greenbelt.org/index.shtml

Green Nail Polish

2009-04-04T11:03:00.000-07:00

Canadian company Suncoat has made a water-based nail polish which is safer for you and the environment.

http://www.suncoatproducts.com/index-polish.htm

Available at natural foods stores around the U.S.

How Toxic is That Flea Medication?

2009-04-03T00:02:00.001-07:00

If you'd like to see where your current flea medication is ranked as far as toxicity goes, visit this site that the National Resources Defense Council put together on the topic:
http://www.greenpaws.org/products.php

You can also download their pocket guide to safe chemicals for pets.

Electric Bike

2009-03-31T18:01:00.000-07:00

http://sanfrancisco.goa2b.us/products/a2b

Thanks to Christina for sending a link...

Honda FCX Clarity

2009-03-23T18:18:00.000-07:00

This Hydrogen/Electric Zero Emission Car is available only in CA (mostly SoCal) and only by lease (at $600/month - ouch!). The range of 280 miles per fill up is respectable, but falls a little short of ideal.

You're also going to have to do some research on where to find hydrogen filling stations near you, OR... Honda offers a home filling station - but doesn't list it's price, which makes me think you'll need to take out a second mortgage to afford it.

Sustainable coffee

2009-03-22T23:47:00.000-07:00

Here's an easy way to find out if that coffee you're about to buy is contribution to rainforest deforestation or not. Look for the Rainforest alliance frog to show that your coffee was grown sustainably.

http://www.rainforest-alliance.org/

Green Shoes

2009-03-20T11:35:00.000-07:00

Simple Shoes takes a lot of time and effort to make sure everthing used to make their shoes is as green as possible.

http://simpleshoes.com/

rebates on water-saving purchases

2009-03-17T10:34:00.000-07:00

Many Water districts offer rebates on washers and toilets Like these from Santa Clara Valley in California

on washers:
http://www.valleywater.org/Water/Water_conservation/In_the_home/Washer_rebates.shtm

on toilets (dual flush):
http://www.valleywater.org/Water/Water_conservation/In_the_home/High_efficiency_toilet_rebates.shtm

water saving plants:
http://www.valleywater.org/Water/Water_conservation/In_the_home/_Water-wise_plant_list.shtm

Cut back emmisions from cars at your next event

2009-03-15T23:08:00.000-07:00

To help people find a ride share their car to your event, use this service...
http://www.spaceshare.com/

Awesome Companies...

2009-03-10T00:53:00.000-07:00

Terracycle really goes the extra step to make sure they create products that are completely made of waste. You can even go to heir site and send in items to be recycled like drink packets (Capri Sun style), and cookie and chip wrappers...

Here's just one product of many where they have found ways of using non-recyclable items like wax paper (milk cartons, etc..)

http://www.terracycle.net/

Hiking Vacation

2009-03-05T10:50:00.000-08:00

Ever thought about a hiking vacation?

This fabulous site helps you plan a hike along the Pacific Coast Trail, which goes from Mexico to canada along the Sierra Nevada Mountains.

http://www.pctplanner.com

Recycling plastic bags - small things

2008-12-29T18:13:00.000-08:00

I watched a friend of mine's dogs for a few days, and she provided their food rationed out in plastic ziplock bags. When It was her turn to watch my dog, I reused those baggies to provide my dog's food.

Use the heat from your dryer to heat your house

2008-12-21T20:46:00.000-08:00

Why waste all that energy you're using to dry your clothes? Divert the hot air from your dryer into your house with an inexpensive and simple to install diverter.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00004YWK2?tag=tidbandstuf-20&camp=14573&creative=327641&linkCode=as1&creativeASIN=B00004YWK2&adid=02NKFDYR76ERR0BAQ4CE&

Plant a Row for the hungry

2008-11-28T09:22:00.000-08:00

http://www.gardenwriters.org/Par/

Shade-grown coffee

2008-11-25T21:47:00.000-08:00

keeps rainforests from being torn down to grow coffee unsustainably.
http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif
more info here: http://www.shadecoffee.org/shadecoffee/

Mercury thermometers and medicine disopsal

2008-11-10T10:17:00.000-08:00

if you're in the SF Bay area, go to this site to find out what to do with your old medicines and mercury thermometers... http://baywise.org/

Hydroponic Garden Pots

2008-10-01T19:44:00.000-07:00

These great pots use a soil-less potting medium and feed the plants hydroponically, allowing the roots to gather nutrients without using a lot of soil to do so, and allowing the gardener to grown a large amount of plants and veggies in a small space.

http://www.cleanairgardening.com/hydroponic.html

send your #5 plastics here...

2008-09-28T14:36:00.001-07:00

http://www.recycline.com/

National Renewable Energy Laboratory

2008-09-03T22:27:00.000-07:00

the US government's energy laboratory site, there some interesting info here...

http://www.nrel.gov/

Recycled glass products

2008-09-02T22:29:00.000-07:00

Based in Seattle, WA this place takes your old glass and makes cool glass tiles, tumbled glass, and art glass.

http://www.bedrockindustries.com/

Human-powered Gyms

2008-08-28T16:20:00.001-07:00

http://cleantechnica.com/2008/08/27/green-gym-uses-human-powered-energy/

Green Tech Log

2008-08-25T21:24:00.000-07:00

blog about technology

http://greentechnolog.com/

2008-08-10T21:05:00.001-07:00

http://earthfirst.com/

Recycling Rechargeable Batteries

2008-07-31T22:03:00.001-07:00

They are in your phones, laptops, drills, when you replace these items, please be sure to recycle the rechargeable battery that came with it...

http://www.rbrc.org/

Eneloop Batteries

2008-07-30T22:20:00.000-07:00

http://www.eneloopusa.com/eneloop.html

lazy gardening

2008-07-28T22:27:00.000-07:00

use any land you may have in the city to grow food.

Someone else does all the work, you get fresh veggies...

http://www.myfarmsf.com/about.html

Resources for green business Leaders

2008-07-27T17:34:00.000-07:00

http://www.sustainableindustries.com/

Huddler green home

2008-07-26T13:04:00.000-07:00

Online Green Community

http://greenhome.huddler.com/

Eco Promotional Items

2008-07-25T12:41:00.000-07:00

This company, Eco Imprints, specializes in ecologically-friendly promotional items and logo-wear such as these Recycled pencils made from 50% recycled paper.

http://www.ecoimprints.com/

Make your large conferences green...

2008-07-24T12:53:00.000-07:00

from the site: Use the MeetGreen® Calculator to track your conferences' environmental practices, benchmark the progress and discover areas for improvement. This innovative tool will give you valuable information about where your meeting practices are currently and how to make your meetings even greener in the future.

https://www.meetgreen.com/

if the steep cost of the test, certificate is too much... they also offer a book for $30

Green Hotel Chains

2008-07-22T17:39:00.000-07:00

Starwood Hotels & Resorts this week opened the doors of its first Element brand hotel in Lexington, Mass. The goal is the have a chain of eco-friendly hotels. also Starwood will open the "1" chain of hotels as well. The firm plans to build all its “1” hotels to meet LEED standards. The level of LEED certification it hopes to achieve will vary from building to building, says Starwood spokesperson Tom Johnson.

Plans for other “1” hotels are underway in Mammoth Lakes, Calif.; Scottsdale, Ariz.; Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.; and Paris, France.

Eco Metro Guide

2008-07-21T17:24:00.000-07:00

At Andronico's grocery in Berkeley today I saw this Eco Guide which essentially a entertainment guide for the eco-friendly world. It costs $20 but is full of coupons and info for local communities. They are avail for the East SF Bay area, Portand, Eugene OR, Twin Cities (Minneapolis/St.Paul), and Seattle. Get yours here:

http://www.ecometro.com/

3 Floors down

2008-07-16T20:16:00.000-07:00

Today as I was leaving work, I had to use the restroom, but the one on our floor was being cleaned so I stopped 3 floors down to use theirs. First, The bathroom itself was SO much nicer than the one on our floor...but the other thing I noticed was that they installed dual flush handles on their toilets...they are made by Sloan.

http://waterefficiency.com/products.html

RiverKeeper Kayak Trips

2008-07-14T11:38:00.001-07:00

Riverkeeper is hosting some summer kayak trips down the Hudson River where you can learn about the history of the river and it's environment, and get some summer kayaking in...
http://www.riverkeeper.org/events_story.php/1523

More info on RiverKeeper: They have been making sure the watersheds that feed into the Hudson are not polluted and keep the drinking water safe. I'm glad to see someone is out there making sure NY doesn't turn into a cesspool...

http://www.riverkeeper.org/

Precision Watering

2008-07-10T13:06:00.000-07:00

One way to reduce your water usage (especially in California where we are experiencing drought conditions) is to use this awesome little sprinkler head that allows you to water oddly-shaped planting areas without waste.

Get one here:
http://www.noodleheadsprinkler.com/product_options_for_the_noodlehead_sprinkler_systems.html

Green Pots

2008-07-02T13:24:00.000-07:00

My mom sent me a cooking pot set that is supposed to be healthier for you to cook with and eat from than Teflon.

They are big in the UK, and only avail through the HSN in the US, here's a writeup about them from http://www.blogger.com/img/gl.link.gifKitchenCritic

Get Paid to Recycle

2008-06-21T12:58:00.000-07:00

A guy in PA was frustrated that we had maxed out our recycling out of the goodness of our hearts (or guilt), and decided to take it to the next level by paying your for your garbage. And so started RecycleBank.

So far, they are available in NY, Philly and Ontario...There are rumors of expansion to the West Coast.

http://recyclebank.com/

Building reuse directory

2008-06-20T12:54:00.000-07:00

Find a building salvage yard near you using the Building Materials Reuse Association diretory.

http://www.buildingreuse.org/directory/

Nellie's has a new site...

2008-06-19T11:14:00.000-07:00

Nellie's, makers of non-toxic detergents and those awesome dryer balls, have redesigned their site, and it's worth a visit...

http://www.nelliesallnatural.com/

Lawn info

2008-06-18T09:46:00.000-07:00

Great anti-turf lawn site... "the art and science of the american lawn" lot's of info on lawn maintenance and impacts to our greatest natural resource, fresh water.

http://www.naturemuseum.org/lawn/

mindset car

2008-06-17T23:11:00.000-07:00

Swiss company Mindset have a concept car, designed by former Volkswagen designer Murat Guenak that they are aiming to have in production soon... a hybrid with solar back-up.

http://www.mindset.ch/

Green Toys

2008-06-16T12:42:00.000-07:00

Made from recycled milk cartons, and made right here in California, these are a great alternative to the plastic toys made out of the country.

http://www.greentoys.com/

"Green" billboard

2008-06-15T12:53:00.000-07:00

This is kinda cool...McDonald's made a living salad billboard...it grew over 16 weeks, so the message appeared slowly on the billboard. I wonder if they composted it when it came down?

http://www.foodfacts.info/blog/2007/10/mcdonalds-living-salad-billboard.html

All recycled Office supplies

2008-06-07T07:29:00.000-07:00

Find nothing but recycled office supplies at this site:

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

Biobling

2008-06-06T10:42:00.000-07:00

A service that connects people to green cars and the fuel that runs them.

http://biobling.com/

also find biofuel here: http://www.nearbio.com/

Algae-Powered Van

2008-06-05T10:55:00.000-07:00

Check out the story at Jalopnik:

http://jalopnik.com/394479/sears-tower-or-bust-my-algae+powered-car-adventure

Chevy Volt Gets Green Light?

2008-06-04T10:51:00.000-07:00

It's rumored that The Board of Directors gave the green light to funding the Chevy Volt. My main question is why does GM have such a micro-managing Board of Directors? Don't they trust their employees to make smart decisions? This is probably the source of GM's tumble from the top.

Diesel Hybrid

2008-06-03T08:57:00.000-07:00

http://www.lincvolt.com/

This guy is my hero, he's taking a 1959 Lincoln Continental Mk IV convertible, and putting a diesel-electric hybrid powertrain in it.

It's been a pipe dream of mine to do the same with one of my Cadillacs (well maybe not exactly a diesel-electric hybrid, but you know, something similar). Icant wait to see how this turns out.

http://www.lincvolt.com/

Hybrid cars

2008-06-02T10:09:00.000-07:00

There's a whole slew of hybrids coming onto the market, so the "unique" styling of the Prius, or the crappy little Civic are no longer your only options to be greener... check out this site for a list of the options.

http://www.hybridcars.com/shop-by-technology/hybrid

Less toxic Coolant

2008-06-01T22:15:00.000-07:00

Today while buying supplies for my car, I paid the extra dollar for the less-toxic coolant. It's supposed to not kill your cat or dog if they happen to drink it, and be slightly more friendly to the enviornment.

Five great things you do when you buy organic cotton

2008-05-22T15:20:00.000-07:00

Protect our fisheries
Runoff containing pesticides from cotton fields killed 240,000 fish in Alabama in 1995.

Prevent chronic health problems in Egyptian cotton workers
In the 1990s, fifty percent of Egyptian cotton workers suffered from chronic pesticide poisoning, including neurological and vision disorders.

Prevent health disorders in some of the poorest workers in the world
Chances are that famous-label tee shirt you're wearing was made in Bangladesh where ninety-one percent of Indian men working in cotton eight plus hours/day suffered illnesses related to chromosonal aberrations and cell death.

Save American lives
Each year, more than ten thousand Americans die from cancer associated with pesticides.

The life you save may be your own
A third of a pound of fertilizers and pesticides are used in the growth and production of every cotton t-shirt you pull over your head.

Green Phones?

2008-05-21T21:49:00.000-07:00

I can't wait to fins out more about this...

Nokia is planning to launch around 40 new green phone models this year — each comprising biodegradable components that can be easily recycled.

Recycled office supplies

2008-05-02T19:45:00.000-07:00

I started a new job and needed to order some basic office supplies...When I got to the sizzors, I was happy to see an eco-friendly alternative.

Recyled Door Pulls

2008-04-20T21:21:00.000-07:00

100% recycled Glass door pulls and lead-free pewter from Spectra Decor.

http://www.spectradecor.com/

Portland Bike Routes

2008-04-17T15:22:00.000-07:00

http://bycycle.org/regions/portlandor

If you are in portland, this is a great site to figure out what are the best routes for you to take on your route. Hopefully, this will be available to other cites soon.

The Twike

2008-04-16T11:42:00.000-07:00

From the site: human-electric hybrid vehicle, designed to carry two passengers comfortably through any weather with speed and style, and without harmful emissions of any kind.

http://www.twike.com/

The Daily Dump

2008-04-11T17:36:00.000-07:00

sounds like something your doctor would reccommend, but It's really a composting company...

http://www.dailydump.org/products.htm

Electric ATV

2008-04-08T16:01:00.000-07:00

Get your mud on without the CO2
http://www.barefootmotors.com/index.html

Rainwater Hog

2008-04-07T12:46:00.000-07:00

Avail at Design Within Reach...

Catch your rainwater for use later... One unit holds 47 gallons of rainwater collected from a downspout, and if a larger capacity is needed, simply attach another Hog. A percentage of the sales of this $650-dollar raincatcher goes to the nonprofit Water Aid. Also in keeping with the eco-conscious Hog, it ships without packaging. Other than a small box holding an Elbow Vent and Connector taped to the unit, the Hog arrives unwrapped and unboxed. 71"x20"x9" this low profile rainwater collector fits easily under a deck or mounted on a wall...

http://www.dwr.com/category/rainwater-hog.do?utm_content=rainhog-040408&utm_campaign=History%2FEducation&utm_source=iPost&utm_medium=email