The Eco-Urbanite

Clean Water for Everyone

2010-10-12T21:43:00.001-07:00

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Closet Full of Running Shoes

2010-06-13T09:25:00.000-07:00

My love affair with running began six years ago when a friend of mine asked me to join a local running group training for the Los Angeles marathon. At the time, the thought of running 26.2 miles seemed like a joke. I told friends I was doing it just to get back into shape with the hopes of being able to run a 5k.

What started as an impossible thought turned into reality as we added a mile or two each week. Just like The Beatles sang, I too was able to get by with a little help from my friends. For, really, without them, I'm sure I would have quit after that third mile. My friends kept the hours of running interesting -- from the long detailed stories to the times we had to sit down from too much laughter.

I became a running addict. And, though I'll never run another marathon (so say my knees), I do count myself among countless amateur runners everywhere. I buy my shoes at a running store and where specially designed clothes that wick away moisture (sweat).

Which brings me to the purpose of this post, the shoes. When running regularly - two to three times or more per week - your shoes are of vital importance. They help correct foot pronation and provide much needed cushion. Though my knees protest a bit now, running would have been just plain painful without proper shoes. Unfortunately, the right shoes don't last that long. For with all that pounding on the pavement, you need to replace your running shoes every 6-12 months, depending on how many miles you log.

Not wanting to throw them out, my closet started to fill up with old pairs. Some were donated to my local Goodwill. And, then I heard about a program called Soles4Souls.

"Soles4Souls is a Nashville-based charity that collects shoes from the warehouses of footwear companies and the closets of people like you. The charity distributes these shoes free of charge to people in need, regardless of race, religion, class, or any other criteria. Since 2005, Soles4Souls has given away over 10 million pairs of new and gently worn shoes (currently donating one pair every 9 seconds.) The shoes have been distributed to people in over 125 countries."

It was incredibly easy to do - I found a drop off location on the Soles4Souls website, went to the local shoe store that accepted the used shoes, and dropped them off.

Of course, I have to hope that the store does due diligence and that the shoes actually end up being used as described above. But, all of these programs require that I put away my inner cynic and just take that leap of faith.

Other Shoe Recycling resources:

Recycled Runners
Runners World

What a Difference

2010-05-18T08:29:00.001-07:00

I still can't believe we lived through 8 years (8 years!) of you-know-who. Meanwhile, though his presidency hasn't been without a few bumps along the way, the following information released from the President's Cancer Panel just proves we are in a different era. I hope it lasts for more than another two years...

For those of us who have already been limiting our exposure to chemicals and toxins, this is welcome news - the more this kind of thinking becomes mainstream, and the more science behind it - the easier limiting toxins will be (as demand for toxin-free cleaning products, etc. increases, chain grocery stores will carry more of these products, making all our lives easier).

Parents and those who care about avoiding cancer, please take the time to read this - and make your own decisions (reports of this kind are best taken with a grain of salt). Reprinted here from a May 12 item in The Atlantic by Marion Nestle:

"President's Panel: 'Eat Organic Ward Off Cancer'

Thanks to Nicholas Kristof of the New York Times ("New alarm bells about chemicals and cancer") for telling readers about a report on chemicals and cancer released last week by the President's Cancer Panel.

I had never heard of this panel—appointed during the Bush Administration, no less—and went right to its 2008-2009 annual report.

The Panel says that the "risk of environmentally induced cancer has been grossly underestimated," that "nearly 80,000 chemicals [are] on the market in the United States, many of which are ... understudied and largely unregulated," and that "the public remains unaware ... that children are far more vulnerable to environmental toxins and radiation than adults."
evidence suggests that some environmental agents may initiate or promote cancer by disrupting normal immune and endocrine system functions. The burgeoning number and complexity of known or suspected environmental carcinogens compel us to act to protect public health, even though we may lack irrefutable proof of harm.

I'm guessing this report will cause a furor. Why? "Lack irrefutable proof" means the science isn't there. In this situation, the Panel advises precaution. Check out these examples selected from the recommendations:

• Parents and child care providers should choose foods, house and garden products, play spaces, toys, medicines, and medical tests that will minimize children's exposure to toxics. Ideally, both mothers and fathers should avoid exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals.

• It is preferable to use filtered tap water instead of commercially bottled water.

• Exposure to pesticides can be decreased by choosing ... food grown without pesticides or chemical fertilizers [translation: organics] and washing conventionally grown produce to remove residues.

• Exposure to antibiotics, growth hormones, and toxic run-off from livestock feedlots can be minimized by eating free-range meat [translation: don't eat feedlot meat].

Expect to hear an uproar from the industries that might be affected by this report. The American Cancer Society (ACS) doesn't like it either (see Denise Grady's take on the report, also in the New York Times), since the report implies that the ACS hasn't been doing enough to educate the public about this issue.

The ACS said in a report:

Elements of this report are entirely consistent with the recently published "American Cancer Society Perspective on Environmental Factors and Cancer" ... Unfortunately, the perspective of the report is unbalanced by its implication that pollution is the major cause of cancer, and by its dismissal of cancer prevention efforts aimed at the major known causes of cancer (tobacco, obesity, alcohol, infections, hormones, sunlight) as "focused narrowly" ... it would be unfortunate if the effect of this report were to trivialize the importance of other modifiable risk factors that, at present, offer the greatest opportunity in preventing cancer.

ACS says the Panel does not back up its recommendations with enough research. Maybe, but why isn't ACS pushing for more and better research on these chemicals? However small the risks—and we hardly know anything about them—these chemicals are unlikely to be good for human health. Doesn't precaution make sense? I think so."

Green Cat Litter 2.0

2010-05-13T15:38:00.000-07:00

An update on my post from a year ago regarding trying to find a cat litter that doesn't use strip mined clay.

I went to my local pet store, Centinela Pet & Feed Supply, and found they had a litter I'd never tried before: Green Tea Leaves Clumping Cat Litter.

Of the "greener" cat litter options, this one is, by far, the best. I've been using it for six weeks or so and it has greatly reduced the odor, not to mention leaving me feeling a bit better about the non-eco friendly side-effects of pet ownership.

From the Next Gen Green Tea Cat Litter website:

"Green Tea Leaves is an all natural wood based cat litter [with added] green tea leaves. Green tea naturally contains an astrigent called catechin, with antioxidant properties that works as an effective deodorant and anti-bacterial agent. In the cat litter box, the green tea works with the wood to suppress the growth of bacteria which is the primary source of cat box odors. The wood we use is carefully selected clean recycled wood scrap from factories that make furniture and / or musical instruments."

My cats took to it right away, unlike the Feline Pine, which I tried once years ago, and they hated. It has a not unpleasant sawdusty smell, and as long as you clean it out every day, that's the only smell it has. It produces less dust than clay cat litter, though the little nuggets still get stuck in my cat's paws and distributed around the room. But, there's really no way to avoid that (unless I put little mittens on my kittens, but then I'd be a crazy person).

It says on the bag, that one 10 oz bag will last for four to six weeks for one cat/catbox. I found that after three weeks of scooping out clumps of cat urine, etc., there wasn't really enough litter in there to suffice. Still, this is a HUGE improvement over the clay litter.

Happy Earth Day - Welcome to my Mountain

2010-04-22T11:09:00.000-07:00

Happy Earth Day! As you are probably already aware, today marks the 40th anniversary of Earth Day. For most, the day will pass like any other. Kids are still in school. Most everyone will still go to work. Perhaps some will walk or bike instead of drive.
My email inbox is full of suggestions for how to part with my money or otherwise spend the day doing something beneficial for the environment and/or celebrating the earth. Yet, as busy as I have been, I haven't made any special plans for celebrating Earth Day. Except, perhaps, posting here and spending some time in my garden.
What I wanted to share, though, is a story about my mountain. Well, it's not really a mountain. And, it's not really just my mountain. What it is is a hill that is part of the Baldwin Hills in Culver City, CA. On the top of this particular hill, which is part of the Kenneth Hahn State Park, stands a scenic overlook/observation center. And, to get there, you can climb the Machu Picchu-like stairs. Or bike up. Or, if you really must, you can drive to the top.

So, why do I call it a mountain? Well, that's my daughter's moniker. And, to her four-year-old little legs, it is a mountain.
I thought I'd share some photos of a recent excursion up our mountain. We've been going once or twice a week for months now. Sometimes we picnic at the top. Lately, due to the plentiful rains we've had this winter, we've delighted in the numerous exhibits of flora and fauna. There are all kinds of beautiful wildflowers, daisys and California poppys are a few that I know the actual names of. And all sorts of interesting little creatures greet us on our visit, such as swirl-shelled snails, birds, bees, and lizards galore.
Spring in Los Angeles is my favorite time of year -- everything is green and the winds usually blow the smog out of the basin so the views of our gorgeous city are spectacular. Up until the steps and observation center were built, I've just enjoyed the Baldwin Hills as a pretty backdrop at the end of my street (well, pretty in the winter and Spring, when they're green - they turn brown during the summer months). And, it's one thing to drive by a patch of wildflower along the side of the road. It's quite another to find yourself submersed in amongst the wildflowers, which have grown taller than myself, and are abuzz with bees gathering nectar. It's a bit intoxicating. And, it isn't just me that's noticed. Every day of the week, you'll find people leaving their cars behind to huff and puff their way up to the top of that hill.
Living in a metropolitan city like Los Angeles is exciting. But, we are creatures of the earth, who still long to connect with nature. It has a calming effect. Tranquility can be achieved and is just a few short steps away. We just have to set aside the time from our busy schedules to seek it out.

Egg-Farm Video

2010-04-08T07:33:00.000-07:00

Read an article in the LA Times today about a Humane Society undercover video of inhumane treatment of chickens at Iowa facilities owned by Rose Acre Farms and Rembrandt Enterprises.

Whenever I see stuff like this, what disturbs me most is thinking about the people behind these decisions. Someone at Rose Acre Farms or Rembrandt Enterprises thought it was okay to cram chickens "into cages so crowded that the animals couldn't move and their talons couldn't touch the floor," held above manure pits that are not regularly cleaned. Yeaah. That's so not okay.

I guess I get it if you are an employee at one of these companies and you just need a job and this is your only option. But, that still doesn't make it okay to slam birds into metal bins.

The Humane Society claims "We're not asking for an end to the confinement of animals in buildings. We're asking they not be crammed into cages and crates barely larger than their bodies." Well, duh. That seems so obvious as a basic necessity for any living thing. Who wouldn't innately get that?

I say, bravo to the Humane Society. If people are lacking any sense of a conscience, than clearly we need public pressure to force them to treat animals better.

I'm sure these same executives wouldn't scratch their butts or pick their noses during a board meeting. Why? Because they live in a society where that is not acceptable behavior. The same sense of decorum should apply when it comes to putting greed ahead of humane treatment of animals (and their employees).

I think we can all agree that cruel treatment of animals is, umm, wrong, no matter how ugly the animals, or how delicious they happen to be once cooked.

A New One...the Compost Toilet

2010-03-10T14:33:00.001-08:00

I've been called a Smartass. And, I've been known to utter the phrase: "I've seen it all." Well, my friends, this last bit, at least, would be inaccurate. I just returned from a weekend in Las Vegas and saw something there that I have never seen before.

While in Vegas, I went on an excursion with family to the Springs Preserve. The Springs Preserve is located on the site of the natural springs that gave Las Vegas (meaning The Meadows) its name. Seems that a long time ago, water that had collected in an underground aquaduct, sprung a leak and created a desert oasis. This soon became a bustling town and popular train stop for travelers on their way from Los Angeles to Salt Lake City. Because the water was squandered (no surprise), the spring dried up within a few years.

The Springs Preserve serves a dual role of enlightening its patrons on Vegas' nifty history, while also promoting a sustainable lifestyle. In addition to having a large outdoor garden section with native, water-wise plants, the Preserve has a cool kids section exploring native animals, interactive games and exhibits (including one that gives the experience of being in a flash flood, without all of the danger), and a building with innovative ideas on how to transform your house into a lean, mean, green abode.

It's the latter where I saw the compost toilet. Now, quite a while ago, I had seen a television program that featured an outhouse type of composting toilet that just seemed, well, impractical to all but the the hardiest and most granola greenies out there, and those with plenty of land, or at least a large yard. However, what I saw at the Springs Preserve looked like a normal toilet, so I thought it something that seriously could catch on and cross over into the mainstream.

As a matter of fact, doing a quick google search, leads me to discover that a composting toilet can be purchased at Sears, Home Depot & Amazon. If that isn't mainstream, I don't know what is...

A list of makers of Composting Toilets follows:

SunMar
Envirolet
Biolet

Visit Oikos or CompostingToilet.org to learn more about, well, you know.

I'm not sure if I'll run right out there and replace my toilets with above, but it will definitely be something to consider next time replacing them is in order.

And, next time you're in Vegas and get tired of the slots, check out the Springs Preserve.

Apartment Composters

2010-02-10T16:44:00.001-08:00

I had my good friend over for lunch on Sunday. We laughed, we noshed and, yes, we briefly talked about compost.

I'm going to take a big guess that this kind of thing doesn't happen at everyone's house. But at my house, especially if I'm cooking, it's kind of hard to avoid noticing -- I have a compost pail under my sink for collecting food scraps. Once a week (or two depending on how lazy I am), I dump the collected food scraps into the compost tumbler on my back patio.

My friend is a busy business owner, who doesn't have the kind of time, or the space, I have devoted to composting. But, like many an aware, intelligent, progressive individual, he wants to do more to live more sustainably. Thus, the conversation about compost bins.

For those folks who don't have a large patio or back yard, there are options.

First, and foremost, I'd recommend taking the time to write to your city councilperson and express an interest in city-wide compost programs. San Francisco has such a program and Los Angeles began a pilot program in certain parts of the city this past Summer.

Here are a couple, compact composting options that are easy to maintain and can fit under your kitchen sink:

1. Worms or Vermicomposting. Yep, I am hereby proposing that, if you have the stomach for it, you keep worms in your kitchen. It's true, the thought of them in your kitchen is not at all appetizing. But the fact is, Red Worms, if taken care of properly, do quite well in a small bin, where they eat your food scraps, reproduce and poop. The latter creates worm castings, which are an excellent fertilizer for your plants.

I found some very helpful websites, and a blog, that detail how to make a worm compost bin for your kitchen, with hints and troubleshooting info:

Worm Composting Blog
Vermiculture Manual.com
City Farmer.org
What.com

If you don't want to make your own, there are vermicompost bins that would fit on a patio or balcony (or large under-sink cupboard). And, at Uncle Jim's Worm Farm, you can get the worms, and the outdoor bin.

2. Bokashi Composting. Bokashi is an additive you sprinkle on your food scraps that speeds up the composting process. You can buy a kit to get started and then you'll have to continue to purchase the Bokashi itself.

According to the Isabella website, though, once the small under-sink bin is full, you need to let it sit for two weeks, and then bury it in your garden. If you live in an apartment building, this could be problematic. If you don't have a shared garden where you live, do you then drive around until you find a piece land and when no one's looking, bury it? Hmmm... Do you bury it in someone else's yard, a friend or neighbor? I guess this might be an option, though I'd recommend asking first.

A final note...why compost? 'Cause it's smart, dummy! Those of you are still on the fence, read this:

"Food scraps comprise as much as 20% of the waste sent to landfills. The methane produced by food scraps in landfills is quickly released into the atmosphere. In fact, it only takes between 28 and 100 days for landfilled food scraps to release methane — long before [a methane gas] collection system is required to be in place. For every 1 ton of food scraps separated from the trash before it gets to the landfill, the equivalent of 6 tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) is prevented from being released into the atmosphere." -- Zero Waste Inc./Environmental Protection Agency

Axis of Food Evil

2010-01-15T20:14:00.000-08:00

If we were to name an Axis of Food Evil (yes, I'm stealing a catchphrase from W, a turn of phrase which I found both dangerously inflammatory yet funny at the same time), I would put Monsanto at the top of that list.

First really heard of Monsanto in Omnivore's Dilemma, then got the David v. Goliath story in Food, Inc., and now, just read a disturbing article on Food Freedom about a study that strongly urges more research into the effects of Monsanto's GMO corn. The study links it to organ damage. Yay!

Good article on Mindfully.org about some of Monsanto's common practices.

As illustrated in Food, Inc., because they use high powered attorneys and spies, and due to the nature of wind, bees, birds, etc., it's nearly impossible for farmers not to use their proprietary seed.

Never mind about Kim Jong-il, companies like this scare the bejeezus out of me...

Save the Planet

2010-01-02T22:27:00.000-08:00

So, I was in the shower this morning, thinking about how most shampoos come in smallish bottles and how wasteful that is (especially if you've got hair like mine, ha!). And, I was thinking how cool it would be if more companies adopted the Method formula: i.e., you can buy one of their pump bottles of hand soap, and that's it...the refill soap can be purchased in a plastic bag. It's great...and uses much less plastic.

And, I was thinking how I would write about this on my blog. And, then I read John Amato's Crooks and Liars blog post from today and I thought, how useless is my idea -- I mean, yes, it's a good idea and I do really wish more companies would adopt this, but also I realize this will have little, no really, zero, impact on global warming.

So, please, take a few minutes and read this...yes, it's a little disheartening, but then, also inspiring.

Happy New Year...Here's to changing the course of the planet...

I get by with a little help from my friends...

2009-12-29T08:58:00.000-08:00

Wanted to give a shout out to a couple of my cool friends and the ways in which they are living more sustainably.

My friends Mike & Ali rented their Christmas tree. Yes, rented. I first heard about this on NPR, and then was delighted to learn that my friends decided to try it out. The Living Christmas Company delivers a live, potted tree to your house and then collects it once all the gifts have been unwrapped and the nog drank. They bring it back to their nursery and, unlike my sadly unsuccessful attempt one year (poor dead tree), will actually keep the tree alive until next year. Prices are comparable to buying freshly cut trees from a lot. Only, you don't have to strap this puppy to the roof of your car.

And, by the way, I'm fully aware that I'm sharing this information here after Christmas. Yes. Sorry 'bout that. But, hey, at least now you know about it, and hopefully by next year the company, or companies like it, will be in other cities across our fair nation. Because, right now, Living Christmas Company only provides rented Christmas trees in Los Angeles.

Gotta also give props (can a white, 30-mumble-mumble-year-old woman say that? Ah, heck, why not.) to Ali & Mike for installing a rain barrel. A rain barrel collects water from your rain gutters. Water that would otherwise go into the street or in the ground, collects and can then be used when it's not raining to water your plants. Most rain barrels come with a hose hook-up or a spout for filling up your watering can. Ali told me theirs filled up within the first two hours of a recent downpour.

There are many different rain barrel options (from old wine barrels to plastic 50 gallon drums to large ceramic pots). Just type rain barrel into google if you're interested...

Lastly, want to talk about my friend and neighbor Kristi. She stopped by yesterday and dropped off a couple of Christmas gifts. My gift included hand salve and nail polish from the company she works for, SpaRitual.

"SpaRitual is committed to creating eco-friendly products and packaging perfectly crafted for the enlightened consumer. We use Vegan ingredients from around the world, including many specially sourced and selected plant essences that are wildcrafted or organic. The formulations are naturally colored and free of synthetic dyes."

SpaRitual has partnered with Trash 4 Teaching to package their products. The Handprint hand salve Kristi gave me was packaged in a repurposed cardboard tube. "Trash 4 Teaching promotes environmental awareness through creative reuse. Available to schools, our materials help bridge the gap between excess waste created in manufacturing and the lack of materials in education."

All in all, a good Christmas.

Urban Farm Magazine

2009-12-04T16:01:00.000-08:00

A friend, and fellow gardener, turned me onto this new magazine: Urban Farm. It's pretty cool, for those of us who are interested in living more sustainably - or should I say, for those of us who want to grow more food even though we live in the city, and who actually consider (like I have been doing lately) how crazy but cool it would would be to keep bees...

Urban Farm debuted in November and features articles ranging from how to turn your lawn into a garden, keeping bees in your back yard, recipes for eating all those vegetables you've just grown and are loathe to throw away, and the benefits of hiring a professional vegetable grower (someone who comes in and sets up your garden and maintains it for you).

I am looking forward to future issues, and I'm glad to see a new magazine join the fray. Others I've been regularly checking out include:

E! The Environmental Magazine (I've subscribed both in print & now, just online)
On Earth (published by Natural Resource Defense Council)
Sierra Magazine

The Green Guide (published by National Geographic)

I've also gotten great Green advice from magazines such as Sunset Magazine, Edible Los Angeles, Harper's Magazine (where I first read about The Peak Oil Theory) and many other online sources.

A few more worth checking out: Green Living, Sustainable Living Magazine and SDS Style - Sustainable Lifestyle Magazine.

There. Now, you don't even need to read my stuff. Not that I want you to stop...

Mass Transit

2009-11-16T13:04:00.000-08:00

Greetings! I'm glad to be back from hiatus. I've really no reason for taking a mini-break from writing here, other than, well, life gets in the way sometimes. You understand.

Meanwhile...work has been progressing at breakneck speed (if you can call construction work speedy, the concept is rather oxymoronic) on the Expo Line. This is a light rail that will connect my hood in Culver City with downtown Los Angeles. The stop will be a mere 1/2 mile from my house. Can't wait to be able to hop on the train to downtown.

I brought my camera with me the other day as I walked to where the stop will be, and thought I'd share some photos here. Because we're so close, we can hear the construction (sometimes very early in the morning - distant yet audible), but since I'm looking forward to the outcome, I don't mind quite so much.

This city, like most in the U.S., needs to do a better job with mass transit -- it's the best way to lessen our dependence on oil. And, clearly people want more mass transit, as yesterday's opening of the Goldline extension to the Eastside of Los Angeles proves -- 50,000 people participated in the celebration.

In a city that spans more than 490 square miles, with daily gridlock on the freeways, it's pretty ridiculous that it's taken this long to bring trains/light rail back to LA. Yes, back...there was an extensive trolley system, called the Red Line, that Angelenos used to use to traverse the city. The last Red Line operated in 1961, and it took until 1990 for the first modern metro rail line to open - the Blue Line, connecting downtown to Long Beach. That's a lot of needless air pollution.

Despite California's budget crises, money was already allocated and is being spent on the Gold and Expo lines -- two projects that will provide relief for Los Angeles drivers, much needed local jobs, and in the end, will make our city a greener and better place to live. And, there are more rail lines in the works. I just hope the momentum continues...

Solar Cooking

2009-09-14T21:24:00.000-07:00

Interestingly enough, I have had several conversations with various friends over the past year about solar ovens. Seems this is a hot topic for developing nations - a great way to cook food without having to hunt for firewood or use dung.

According to CharityGuide.org: "In developing countries, greenhouse gas emissions from cooking originate from sources other than fossil fuel, especially fuel wood. In recent years, several organizations have been setting up solar ovens for families in Africa, Asia, Mexico, and Central and South America, where people have long depended on the now rapidly vanishing firewood supply. Solar power cooking has significantly improved the lives of tens of thousands of people, allowing them to not only prepare nutritious food for their families but to purify drinking water, treat infectious medical waste, and preserve (dry) food."

I was recently talking with a guy from the Philippines about the smoky air caused by the Station Fire out here in California, and he remarked that it reminded him of what it was like every day back home.

The most recent one I learned of is the Solar Cooker Project, which was developed to help prevent rape and violence against the female survivors of the genocide in Darfur who live in Sudanese refugee camps. Apparently, women are tasked with finding the firewood to cook with and must venture outside of the safety of the camp in order to collect said wood.

Details of the Solar Cooker Project:

• Solar cooking reduces the need for frequent firewood collection.
• Two solar cookers can save one ton of wood each year.
• There is no need to tend to a fire so women are free to do other tasks.
• Manufacturing solar cookers at the camps provides income opportunities for female refugees.
• The CooKit (the name for the solar cooker) is easy to manufacture because it is made out of cardboard and aluminum foil and can be easily assembled by hand.
• It is light, small, and fairly inexpensive.

Pretty cool. $30 donation to Jewish World Watch buys two and provides funds to help train women to make them.

At the Solar Oven Society, they sell solar ovens for about $165, which includes, pots, thermometer, water pasteurization indicator, and shipping.

"To use, simply place the food in the pots provided, place the Sport facing the sun and forget it. The sun does the rest. You don’t have to worry about burned food because the cooking temperatures are mild – it’s sort of a solar crock-pot.

The Sport roasts meats; bakes fish and chicken; steams vegetables; bakes breads, cakes, and cookies. It even cooks rice, beans, lentils and pastas, with only solar energy. Using the natural moisture in meats, fish, and vegetables, the Sport cooks without additional water so all the natural vitamins and minerals are retained, giving food a wonderful rich flavor."

This is something that adventurous environmentalists could try for themselves...

Want to build your own? Of course you do. Visit this website.

Even better, at Solar Now, you can learn how to make a solar oven out of a pizza box. Yep, a pizza box.

Nika: Eco-Friendly Bottled Water

2009-08-27T22:06:00.000-07:00

Happened to be getting a cuppa joe from a coffee shop near my Wednesday class, when a couple of young men walked in asking to talk to the owner. The owner wasn't there, but they proceeded with a proposal: that the shop sell Nika - an eco-friendly bottled water that donates "100% of its profits to alleviate global poverty."

The barrista wasn't the owner, so didn't want to take their info, but I did. Couldn't resist -- my rants against bottled water aside, it is convenient. We are a forgetful species, after all.

Some info from their website: "Through the sale of our premium bottled water, NIKA hopes to bring a voice to the world’s poor who suffer without the basic right to clean water and simple sanitation. And by donating 100% of our profits to support clean water projects in impoverished countries, NIKA will provide the basic tools and critical assistance to help thousands of families improve their lives in a meaningful way and end the cycle of poverty.

Mindful of our duties as stewards of the Earth, NIKA has been certified as the only carbon neutral bottled water in the U.S. by Carbonfund.org through our investment in carbon offsetting programs such as a reforestation project in Nicaragua. In addition, NIKA has developed a very unique recycling program where we pay high schools around the country a small fee for each plastic bottle that the school collects and recycles. Through this "One-for-One Recycling Program," our aim is not only to be plastic bottle neutral but an advocate of the importance and simplicity of basic recycling as well."

If I had a business that sold bottled water, I'd certainly start selling Nika water (Whole Foods should jump at the chance...it would certainly be better PR than they've been getting lately). Kudos to the insightful and mindful people who put this company together. I hope it works.

Organic Gourmet Ice Cream Truck

2009-08-18T18:56:00.000-07:00

I'm not in a very serious mood, and there's so much serious, serious news out there...every day I read about about a new species in peril, a new global warming threat that I truly, sometimes, well don't we all need to take a break?

So, on to a topic very close to my heart: ice cream. Well, who doesn't love ice cream? It's refreshing, creamy and just plain yummy. I suppose there are a few curmudgeons out there but, well, they can bugger off for this particular post.

All you have to do is look at my job history to see how much I love ice cream: I spent two and a half delicious years working at a Dairy Queen in Ohio. Oh, there's nothing like Dairy Queen's soft serve and I fail to see why there are so few of them out here in sunny Southern Cali.

Which brings me to the very nature of the city I call home...like most coastal cities in this huge country, Los Angeles is populated by many left-leaning environmentalists, many of whom also happen to be foodies. Los Angeles, however, is also a city that thrives on celebrity, exclusivity and hipness, to the point of being somewhat annoying.

In this fabulous, contradictory city of mine, there are gourmet and organic hot dog carts, gourmet and organic roach coaches, ahem, I mean "lunch trucks," so where, I ask you, is my gourmet and organic ice cream truck? If there are gourmet donuts, you know the gourmet ice cream truck can't be far behind.

This question posed itself to me the other day as I was out walking and a local passed by pushing an ice cream cart. He asked if I wanted an ice cream. It was a rather mild day, yet saying no to ice cream isn't something that's easy to do. Until I thought about what kind of "ice cream" was in his cart -- the kind we ate as kids: filled with preservatives, artificial colors and flavors and, well now anyway, high in fructose corn syrup. I knew it wasn't going to be a satisfying experience.

And, so I'll continue to wait for some enterprising young upstart to annoy me with their gourmet ice cream truck/cart filled with all natural, organic delectables. Bring it on...

P.S. I did find a gourmet ice cream truck of sorts...it's a gourmet ice cream sandwich truck called Coolhaus that travels around Los Angeles. I'm not sure if it has the funky, creepy music from the ice cream trucks of my childhood, but might be worth checking out...though that means I'll have to stop being an old person and learn how this twitter thing works.

Ruminations in an Office

2009-08-04T14:31:00.000-07:00

What to write? Well, I'm sitting at my friend's office answering phones for a few days with some time on my hands. Burning question: what to write about?

Okay, how about my friend? He's just started his own company, handling public relations for art-house flicks. And, no, I'm not talking about a small, home-office type of business either. He's got a suite in the House of Blues office building in Hollywood, replete with views of the Hollywood sign and downtown.

So, being the eco-minded person that I am, the first thing I noticed when I started filling in for his out-of-town receptionist was that the building recycles. Well, paper anyway. The building management has provided little boxes throughout the office marked "Paper Recycling." This is great. And, oh, so 1993 (the first year when more paper was recycled than ended up in landfills, according to the Robert C. Williams Paper Museum).

So I thought, hmmm..., maybe it would be worthy to revisit some of the easy ways you can green your office (read my 2008 post on this subject), and add a few new ones:

a. If you are opening your own business - make sure you use low-VOC paint and energy efficient appliances (those two are easy) and where possible purchase FSC-certified furniture and eco-friendly flooring. And, if you've really got the bucks and time, and are, say, building your own building, consider opting for LEED Certification.

b. Don't forget to plug everything into a smart power strip to cut down on vampire electricity when you're not in the office. So, it goes without saying, or I guess since I'm going to say it, it should go without saying, to turn everything off, except the phones, when you leave for the day.

c. Provide filtered water for your employees and clients instead of bottled water (that one was on the other list but it bears repeating).

d. When possible, let your employees telecommute.

e. Save time and gas, have a conference call instead of a face-to-face meeting.

f. When your employees do need to come in to the office, and especially if you have a larger company, help your employees get to know one another better by recommending they carpool.

g. Let information technology save some trees - by making easily emailable PDFs and scanning your documents (these new fangled printer/scanner/copier combos like the one in my friend's office come in handy for this), you can opt not to print everything out - thus not needing to recycle all that useless paper. And, with the advent of ebook readers, such as the Kindle, it's easy to take all of these electronic docs with you.

A couple of great things my industrious and talented friend has already gotten right: all of the lighting is fluorescent; he's providing filtered water and organic coffee; he's planning to stock the kitchen with ceramic cups, glasses, plates, etc; some of the furniture is antique; most docs are emailed rather than printed and conference calls happen a lot.

Sustainable & Recycled Artwork

2009-07-28T17:05:00.000-07:00

I was raised by two visual artists...during the '70s too, and somehow my name did not end up Flower or Sunshine...go figure! Lucky, I guess.

To some, the smell of fresh apple pie might bring them back to their childhood -- for me it's the smell of turpentine and acrylic paints that does it.

As a result of these formative years, I display as much artwork on my walls as possible. In addition to showcasing the work of my parents - paintings by my mom and steel sculpture by my Dad - I've managed to buy a few pieces over the years. It's sometimes hard to do on a small budget, but getting in on the ground floor and buying direct from artists that you meet are great ways to start a collection.

I'm writing about this because The Sierra Club has focused this week's Green Life enewsletter on purchasing recycled and/or sustainably-made artwork. While not everyone is into purchasing original works of art, those that do, do not do so lightly. So, it makes sense to fold in how the artwork was made and what it was made out of into your decision-making process.

Making artwork from recycled materials is not a new concept. My Dad does it with his steel sculpture. There are loads of fine artists and artisans who make collages, sculpture, jewelry, etc. out of recycled and found materials.

The Sierra Club enewsletter highlights a few fine artists who use recycled materials to create their artwork. Here are a few other cool sites I found:

Recycled Art is "a place to find, discuss and promote art made from recycled materials."

Check out Eco-Artware - a website featuring handcrafted jewelry and gifts using recycled materials.

At Imagination Factory, kids and their parents can learn how to make artwork using recycled materials.

Last, but not least, buy local: check out your local art fair or festival. You'll get to meet the artist, stimulate your local economy and help the environment.

In order to purchase artwork made from sustainable and nontoxic materials, artists have to use these materials. That seems like an incredibly obvious statement. But, the reason I say it is that, well, there's a cool group called Arts: Earth Partnership whose focus is to help artists do just that. An exhibition and performance space located in Venice, California called The Electric Lodge, that went "green" a few years ago, and decided to start a collective - "a partnership between artists, cultural facilities and the Earth we all share" to help artists and cultural institutions move toward a greener existence."

A few other resources for artists:

- Eco-Art Supplies, and Eco-Art Works are sources for safe, earth-friendly art supplies.

-An article on the Green America website lists labels to look for (regarding toxicity), where to buy nontoxic supplies and how to make your own.

-Stubby Pencil Studio: offers "eco products for creative kids."

-Rex Art Supplies has a big selection of green supplies.

If buying posters of famous artwork is more your scene, check out Art.com's selection of eco-friendly art (All Posters.com has joined with Art.com, so they have a huge selection of green artwork as well, I think it's probably the same inventory).

Cash for Clunkers

2009-07-26T20:48:00.000-07:00

Catchy name for a government program that actually should help the environment. Though, part of me remains skeptical...maybe it's that part where it seems our whole economy is based on us buying more and more stuff.

Nonetheless, if you own a car that gets a combined miles per gallon of 18 mpg or less, and your car is not more than 25 years old, AND you are in the market to buy a new car (2008 model or above), you will get a credit off the sticker price from the government to the tune of $3,500-$4,500, depending on how much of an improvement in miles per gallon you are choosing to make (i.e., your old car only got 12 miles per gallon and your new car gets 24 miles per gallon so you get a $4,500 voucher).

There seems to be a bit of paperwork involved, and the car has to have a free title and not be worth more than $4,500, but it might be a good incentive for some to trade up and get their gas guzzler off the road.

If you are such a person, there are two websites worth checking out:

1. the official government one: Cars.gov;
2. and Cash for Clunkers Facts.com, a "Consumers Helping Consumers with the Car Allowance Rebate System" website.

If you're interested, don't delay, the new car must be purchased before Nov. 1, 2009.

Food, Inc.

2009-07-13T14:54:00.000-07:00

Went to the movies this weekend. Haven't been in awhile, so you'd probably guess that I went to see the latest Summer blockbuster? Nope. Did not go see Star Trek. Saw Food Inc. at my local art house movie theatre.

Even to me, this is weird. I am really not this big of a fanatic. However, when my friends suggested it, I checked it out, and was thoroughly intrigued. So, I'm glad I went.

Treating our fellow man, the animals we eat and the environment with respect is a way of living that I have really gotten behind in the past few years. That is the central message of this movie.

The film, with special consultation by Michael Pollan, is, in large part, a filmed version of his book The Omnivore's Dilemma. It touches on many of the aspects in the book, Michael is heavily featured, and they even do a big segment at Polyface Farms.

I love reading books, but there is truly something so much more powerful when you see something on film. In this well-done documentary, you see, first hand, the way the animals are treated and why it is unhealthy for them, and for you (the proliferation of Salmonella and the dangerous strain of E-coli, for instance). I have gotten a bit lax lately...good to be reminded why not to eat just any old chicken, pork or beef.

The film goes farther than the book -- it focuses on eleven related issues. A couple of them that stood out to me: 1) An interview with a woman who's two-and-a-half year old son was killed from a tainted hamburger. This is heart wrenching , of course. She's now an activist trying to get a law passed - aptly called Kevin's Law - that sets higher standards for food safety and gives the USDA the ability to shut down plants that are repeat offenders (they can't do that now, if you can believe it). 2) An interview with a low-income family who wants to eat healthier but when comparing the price of a head of broccoli ($1.29 a pound) to buying a hamburger at McDonald's for $1, is forced into eating unhealthily. There is a scene in the grocery store where the youngest daughter, a candidate for early-onset diabetes, wants to buy some pears, but because of the cost, is told to put them back.

This truly is a film I wish everyone would see, though it was hard to take in the movie theatre - the information and imagry are so heavy, I really wanted a break. (I'd recommend watching on DVD, and not because it isn't wonderfully done or with spending $12 on.) If more people could see how damaging it is to raise our livestock this way, they would stop buying this cheap meat and demand that the CAFOs and large slaughterhouses be shut down.

If you do not think you will watch Food, Inc., then at least visit the website and read the 10 Simple Things You Can Do To Change Our Food System.

I wish we had some representatives in government with the balls to stop the government policy that cow-tows to Iowa Corn-Belt farm demands and stops subsidizing corn and soy beans and start subsidizing small organic farmers so that healthy produce and meat can become more affordable to everyone. (I'm all for taking away Iowa's right to be first in the presidential primary race -- I bet this, in itself, would make a huge difference.) Anyone out there with the chutzpah to do effect this change? Anyone?

Garden Bounty

2009-07-05T13:12:00.000-07:00

Got to spend the morning gardening, which was very peaceful and fun.

Have included some pictures of the current state of our community garden. As you can see, it is coming along nicely.

My loot so far this season has included tomatoes, cucumber, lettuce, spinach, herbs, strawberries and green beans. Others are growing corn, sunflowers, watermelon, pumpkins, canteloupe, green onions, and more.

Only problems I've encountered have been a virus on my tomato plants (curls the leaves, with purple veins underneath and leaves lower to the ground turning yellow, then brown), though the hardier ones continue producing fruit; and slugs. I've found the easiest solution to the slugs is picking them off at 10:00 in the evening. Perverse fun.

While I was on a recent trip to Seattle, I noticed in many a front yard, tomato plants instead of roses. My aunt and uncle, whom I was visiting, have quite the prolific garden themselves. In addition to the veggies in their garden beds, they also have tayberries, a blueberry bush and an apple tree.

Speaking of fruit, since I am gardening more than one plot, that means that I'm using a neighbor's plot (she's not interested in gardening). So, once my tomatoes started coming in, I dropped some off at her front door. In exchange, she left me a bag of lemons from her lemon tree (which were then used to make some yummy lemon bars, which we then shared with her). I like this...

Microorganisms Bred to Eat Plastic Faster

2009-06-27T13:58:00.000-07:00

Sounds a bit mad-scientist, but appears to be true - microorganisms have been bred to decompose plastic in six weeks instead of 1,000 years. Worth reading about, for sure - check out the article by Karl Burkart on Mother Nature Network.

Plastics do play an important role in much of our lives, and as it's just the waste we're concerned about, there are some issues, and further research that needs to be done (would be rather inconvenient if the plastic currently in use started decomposing, for instance). All of which is discussed in detail in the article.

And, when I say "just the waste," I do not mean to minimize the enormity of this problem. Reducing our use of plastics should be the first step. Decomposition is not the only problem - production of plastic requires petroleum and creates toxic pollution.

Water Footprint

2009-06-21T18:43:00.000-07:00

I have been a supporter of World Wildlife Fund since college. Some brilliant marketing campaign using gorgeous and endangered tigers did me in and I've been hooked ever since.

In their bi-monthly newsletter, they had a blurb on the water footprint of some common items - stuff we eat, drink, wear, etc. How much water is used to grow and process each item is its water footprint. Here's a brief listing (I was pleased to note, that one of my favorite things to drink - beer - has one of the lowest footprints, so yay for Beer!):

1 Latte = 55 gallons
Glass of milk = 53 gallons
Glass of beer = 20 gallons
2 lbs of cotton textile = 2,900 gallons
glass of orange juice = 45 gallons
1 egg = 53 gallons
1 hamburger = 630 gallons
apple = 16 gallons

Want to read more? Visit the Water Footprint Network.

What do we do with this information? Well, I guess if this is a hot button issue for you, it seems the most reasonable action to take on this is just to eat less processed foods - more fruits and vegetables, esp. ones that are in season and grown locally. And, to drink more plain water.

Speaking of orange juice, there's a tell-all book out by Alissa Hamilton that debunks the fresh and natural orange juice myth. I heard about this only recently though I think the book's been out for a while.

A quote from a Boston Globe interview explains, "It's a heavily processed product. It's heavily engineered as well. In the process of pasteurizing, juice is heated and stripped of oxygen, a process called deaeration, so it doesn't oxidize. Then it's put in huge storage tanks where it can be kept for upwards of a year. It gets stripped of flavor-providing chemicals, which are volatile. When it's ready for packaging, companies such as Tropicana hire flavor companies such as Firmenich to engineer flavor packs to make it taste fresh. People think not-from-concentrate is a fresher product, but it also sits in storage for quite a long time."

Just interesting factoids...

Dry Greening

2009-06-11T20:54:00.000-07:00

I just found this on Facebook (see, it is good for something!)...

The Dry Greening, recycled content bag, accepted at dry cleaning stores, converts from a tote to a garment bag.

"With one bag, you can do all of the following:

In Tote Postion - store dirty clothes by folding the sides of the bag in and then transport to dry cleaners using the sturdy handles.

In Garment Position - your clean garments will be placed into your Dry Greening™ Bag eliminating the plastic bag altogether. Additionally store/protect seasonal clothing while ridding your closet of plastic bags."

So, awesome!

City Chickens

2009-06-08T13:35:00.000-07:00

Decided to write about keeping chickens... Aww, shucks, even city folk can do it. Yessiree, Bob.

Seriously, though, if you are interested in fresh eggs, and living sustainably (chickens are great for weeding your garden, eating bugs and providing free fertilizer), and you happen to have the room (each city has its own ordinances on this matter), having a few chickens in your backyard may be the right option for you.

It works for my Father-in-law, though he's currently living on 17 acres in rural Texas. On a recent visit, we collected our eggs straight from the coop, prior to frying and eating them, and they are, admittedly, quite delicious when that fresh.

Before you get cracking on this project, though, you'll want to do some research... I loved the article by Lucy Lean in Edible LA -- very well researched with many helpful tips.

In addition to recommendations on where to get the chicks and coops (check out Omlet, MyPetChicken and HenSpa), she also recommends Keeping Chickens: the Essential Guide by Jeremy Hobson and Celia Lewis.

Want to find out if it's legal to keep chickens in your back yard? The City Chicken (another great resource) has created a website just for you!

I also found Green Chicken Coop - another option for coops.

Lastly, on Urban Chickens, I found a blog post with some helpful etiquette to follow - basically how not to piss of your neighbors with your chickens. Now, that may be your intent (or an added bonus), but angry, motivated neighbors could very easily put an end to your clucking adventure...

Me? No backyard here. Will continue picking up my eggs from my local Farmer's Market...just about the closest a city gal can get to fresh eggs without having a few feathered pets of my own.

Carbon Bank

2009-06-01T15:24:00.000-07:00

Wading through all the bad news in my local newspaper, and boy it was thick with it today, I was relieved to find an article that held in it a glimmer of hope. Hope, in the form of enterprising foresters who are restricting logging and managing their forests for the sole purpose of selling carbon offsets. Turns out global warming guilt is profitable business. The church has known the value of guilt for a millennia, so why not organizations whose work benefits the planet instead?

I wrote about carbon offsetting in 2007, once as a way to offset travel, and again in response to another LA Times article about the lack of regulation with regard to the organizations that sell carbon offsets.

If you'd like to avoid some of the controversy, and keep it local, buying carbon offsets in your home state may be the way to go. California's Air Resources Board has some rules being reworked that should help prevent fraud (though, we all know, there's no way the government can stop fraud - they might as well try to stop the wind from blowing). Also groups like the Environmental Defense Fund and Nature Conservancy are working to make sure the management of these forests goes above and beyond normal forest practices - i.e., allowing trees to grow larger than they do when they're logged - bigger trees store more carbon.

It's fabulous that landowners might start allowing their forests to be, well, forests. Now, if only we can make it just as profitable for the tropical rainforests still being cut down at alarming rates. Of course, in the end, a balance will have to be struck between logging for the purposes of wood and paper products, providing enough arable land for food crops, and leaving forests in their natural state for carbon capturing.

Garden Porn

2009-05-26T20:28:00.000-07:00

So, you've heard of food porn - gorgeous photographs and video of yummy food that makes you drool. The Food Network purportedly has hired many an ex (current?) porn filmmaker/ cameraman for just this purpose.

And, I'm assuming you're familiar with porn porn. Who isn't? Okay, maybe my 92-year-old Grandpa.

Well, welcome to Garden Porn!

I just love my garden so much, I thought I'd share some photos... I guess to inspire you're own green thumb. So, enjoy the free peep show...

Texas Beef

2009-05-19T19:11:00.000-07:00

I visited Texas for the first time this past weekend. While it's true I've driven through the northern panhandle a couple of times on my way out West, I've never stayed for any length of time. I've never had a reason to.

Enter my Father-in-law, who lives on 17 beautiful acres in Smithville, Texas, about 40 miles East of Austin. The countryside is replete with wildflowers, luscious trees, rivers and lakes, and all sorts of natural wildlife. It reminds me quite a bit of rural Ohio, where I spent the better part of my junior high and high school years.

I'm writing about this because, well, as we drove around the area, I noted a number of cattle lazing their days away, munching on grass in these beautiful pastures. I didn't see any large herds of cattle, I don't know if you can even call what I saw herds, since their numbers were usually between 20-30 per plot of land. What I did not see were what one might imagine if one were to put the words cattle and Texas together -- no herds numbering in the hundreds and no CAFOs (large-scale industrial farms that house the cattle inside and feed them grain).

I'm not a cattle expert, but according to Michael Pollan, who's Omnivore's Dilemma I enjoyed quite a bit, the life of a young steer begins by spending six months in pasture, eating grasses, like he's meant to do. I don't know if the cattle in these pictures are less than six months, or if this is, in fact, a grass-fed, sustainable operation (yes, they do exist, even in Texas).

However, the trip and seeing all of these happy cattle did peak my curiosity. I've been regularly buying beef and bison from a few sustainable, grass-fed sources here in California. Lindner Bison, J&J Grass-fed Beef and Rocky Canyon Farm -- all three sell their goods at Los Angeles area Farmer's Markets. Besides that you get a chance to interact with the farmers themselves, who are often manning the tables, you know that you're buying better meat -- better for your body, better for the animals, and better for the planet.

What I'd like to do now, though, is actually go and personally visit these farms, if they'll let me. I think it's the natural next step in my quest to get a closer connection to the food I'm putting into my body (I know, what's next, going out on the fishing boat?). Yet, I think my curiousity is going to get the better of me this summer...

Meanwhile my garden continues to thrive...

Green Cat Litter?

2009-05-07T11:10:00.000-07:00

I love my cats. Not so much their cat litter.

I've always used clay, non-clumping, cat litter, and the cats have never complained. It seems fairly natural, so I didn't really give it a second thought until I read this bit in Sierra Magazine:

"...more than half the litter in the United States is made of bentonite--a stripmined clay that leads right to Dick Cheney, which may explain why he raked around in Iraq like it was his personal litter box. Halliburton, where Cheney was CEO, produces about one-sixth of the 3 million tons of bentonite sold each year, of which 1.7 million tons go into cat litter. Quite a waste of a substance that can be used in iron smelting, environmental cleanup, and wine clarifying." - Mr. Green

In fact, it turns out that clay litter, especially clumping litter, is quite harmful - "the sodium bentonite that acts as the clumping agent can poison your cat through chronic ingestion through their fastidious need to groom," says Planet Green.

The most eco-friendly options for litter, according to Mr. Green, are: "recycled paper, followed by sawdust, wheat chaff, oat hulls, or other biological materials."

There are quite a few green cat litters on the market now. How well they work is another story.

What didn't work for me was Yesterdays News (Purina's newspaper-based cat litter); and Swheat Scoop. The problem is the odor control. We don't have a laundry room to stash these smelly boxes, so they end up stinking up the office something awful. Makes it rather hard for my husband to work. After a few days, the Swheat Scoop had a really unpleasant, rather yeasty smell to it.

I haven't yet tried the sawdust or other biological materials, not sure what those might be. I found a couple of websites, like this one, that have instructions on how to make your own newspaper litter. Yeaah, right. Given all the time I spend gardening, composting, cooking meals instead of eating out, riding my bike to the market, etc., how much time do I really have to make cat litter from scratch? None. Okay, rant done, let's move on to other options.

If you have fur balls and don't live in a coastal city, you can teach your cat to use the toilet. (Cat poop can contain Taxoplasma gondii, which if it ends up in the ocean can kill seals, etc., so don't do this if you live in a coastal city.) And, just think of all the hours of amusement. Based on my experience with these tempermental creatures, though, I'd recommend only taking on this project if your felines are still somewhat young. Interested? Check out the CitiKitty website.

I guess next on my list to try is World's Best Cat Litter. The name says it all. It's made from corn, which makes me pause... does that mean I'm supporting monoculture agribusiness? Well, if this isn't the lesser evil, at least it scores a bonus point for being healthier for the cats themselves. The true test will be how it holds up to the odor test. More to come...

More on Water Tips

2009-04-27T20:38:00.000-07:00

Well, it's official. We've been put on notice.

"The Los Angeles City Council on Tuesday approved new water conservation measures that will restrict the use of lawn sprinkler systems to Mondays and Thursdays for all Department of Water and Power customers." -- Los Angeles Times

I don't actually live in the city of Los Angeles proper, but, still it's a good sign that someone is paying attention. It's funny, though, that it takes three years for something to happen, other than public awareness campaigns to ask people to turn off the water while they are brushing their teeth (as if that's all that we're capable of doing).

I had a part one on water conservation tips a couple of months ago. I guess this would, then, be part two.

I think I might have covered all of the easy stuff in my last post. So, perhaps, this one is only for those hard core eco-enthusiasts...

If you have a house, the biggest impact you can have on your water usage is to recycle it. I'm alluding to installing a gray water system, which uses the water from showers and tubs, bathroom sinks, and washing machines to irrigate your lawn or garden.

This may be easier said than done, at least in California, where, not for the first time, some well-meaning (I'm being generous here) politicians created a permit code that makes it cost and logistically prohibitive to legally install such a system. To read more about this debacle and the efforts to fix it, read Marc B. Haefele's Op-Ed. To figure out how to install one at your house, check out this website.

A cheaper way to get free water for your plants is to use a rain barrel. This is just what it sounds like - a barrel (you can buy recycled wine or beer barrels or plastic ones) that are properly placed to catch the water coming from the downspout out of your gutter system. Normally, this rainwater is diverted away from your house and is soaked into the ground. A rain barrel catches that rainwater, storing it for use when it's not raining. Rain barrels are equipped with a spout for easy access. Here's a great website, or you can make your own. For a recycled bourbon barrel (my favorite), go to Kentucky Whiskey Barrels.

Since this seems to be a post devoted, mostly, to ways to conserve water if you live in a house, let's continue down that road with the third idea: switch out your thirsty plants/lawn for drought resistant ones (native is best). Apparently, this is called xeriscaping (who knew?). Just make sure your local municipality or homeowner's association doesn't have any rules/ordinances barring this type of landscaping (I'm talking about you Glendale, CA). If so, don't give up...work to change it.

My first experience with the Southwest - I'm from Ohio - was a trip to Lake Havasu City when I was 17. My grandparents had decided to retire there after years spent living in Seattle, where they must have been tired of the all the rain as they couldn't have picked a drier place to live. It was beautiful, and the desert sage made the whole area so aromatic, I can still smell it.

Now, if you look at communities in the drier climates of the Southwest, such as Las Vegas or Phoenix, you'll find very few grass lawns. However, out here in sunny Southern California, we like to pretend we're living in a tropical paradise. Which we are not. City officials, and the residents who live here, will have to make many more dramatic changes if we are to realistically address the future of our water usage.

Happy Freakin' Earth Day Everybody!

2009-04-22T14:53:00.000-07:00

Well, at least I didn't forget this year... And, I think I can safely say I've been a bit greener than I was at this time last year.

Senator Gaylord Nelson, the founder of Earth Day, wrote a nice piece about its inception, which believe it or not, was 40 years ago today.

An unfortunate side affect of the increased awareness of Global Warming has caused Earth Day to come down with a bad case of commercialization. Businesses of all sorts and sizes are jumping/have jumped onto the green bandwagon, which is good, of course, unless they haven't really made any significant changes to become more sustainable and are just using it to make money. What? A businessman/corporation that unscrupulous? Never!

"A new report released last week by consulting firm TerraChoice Environmental Marketing found that just 2% of the self-proclaimed “green” products on shelves in big box stores across North America live up to their sustainable claims. The firm accuses the manufacturers of the other 98% of so-called “green” consumer items tested to be guilty of “greenwashing,” that is, misleading consumers about the environmental benefits of their products and/or practices." - Emagazine.com

The report has lots of charts and graphs and is full of interesting findings, like: "‘Natural’ is a powerfully resonant term. It appeals to us at a fundamental level and its frequent use by marketers is clear evidence of its popularity. It can also be dramatically misleading, and can contribute to greenwashing, since most consumers assume it to mean ‘safe’, ‘good’, or ‘green’. Arsenic is natural. So are cyanide and mercury and formaldehyde. All are hazardous."

The harm of claiming that a product is "green" when it is not, is that it misleads consumers, obviously, and once these consumers find out they've been duped, they are less likely to trust that green products are really what they claim. It takes a lot of effort to change, so asking someone to take a leap of faith to try a green product, then making them feel like a dummy for doing so hurts the movement as a whole.

The report lists third party groups whose seal of approval on a product is worthwhile. Eco-labels you can trust include: EcoCert, EcoLogo, Forest Stewardship Council, Green Seal, Green Guard, Sustainable Forestry Initiative, USDA Organic (well, sort of, in my opinion - probably better now under new Administration) and WaterSense.

And, definitely worth checking out is the Greenwashing Index, a list of most authentic green companies, along with a list of the worst offenders of greenwashing.

Yes, it seems this holiday is becoming just another excuse for us to be good little consumers, much like Memorial Day, Labor Day, President's Day and all the rest... Ah, well, at least I can get my organic products on sale today...

Garden 2.0

2009-04-10T16:10:00.000-07:00

Just came back from the garden (photo was taken today too), where I was spraying the aphids off of my brussels sprouts plants with a strong spray of water (works as well as pesticide, or so my organic pest control book tells me). This is not one of my favorite things to do in the garden - eating freshly picked vegetables is probably my most favorite thing, of course - but since I feel a sense of ownership over these plants, there is satisfaction to dislodging the interlopers.

Thought I'd write a quick garden update. Had a first good crop of pumpkins, herbs, lettuce, cauliflower and beets. Still have some carrots, brussels sprouts and broccoli romanesco coming in. A couple of weeks ago, I planted tomatoes (though my friend and fellow gardener Pat thinks I am a bit premature, we'll see...), herbs, bush beans and cucumbers. In a few more weeks, will plant more lettuce and...what else I have not figured out yet.

Thinking back to how our little community garden was created - more than a few weekends of hard labor building beds and hauling soil - I thought I'd write about some companies I came across recently that offer to build your garden bed for you.

One is called MiniFarm Box (Los Angeles) - for $289 they deliver and install a 4'x4'x12" hand-crafted garden bed, including gopher-screen, soil, and three varieties of heirloom seeds.

Heartbeet Gardening (Los Angeles) will design, install and maintain your organic vegetable garden, in any shape you want.

At Gardens-to-Gro and Eartheasy Shop, you can order a pre-fabricated kit for the raised bed, but does not include soil, seeds or assistance growing.

More of a do-it-yourselfer? Here are a few websites with ample advice on how to build your own:

Sunset Magazine - Ultimate Raised Bed & How to Grow Vegetable

About.com

Better Homes & Gardens

Earth Day is coming up pretty soon (April 22), and what better way to celebrate the earth than installing a sustainable vegetable garden... A small garden can be installed in any sunny area, really, so don't let the fact that you don't have a backyard deter you. Get creative!

Dish Soap Smugglers

2009-04-06T14:24:00.000-07:00

I just read the oddest article in the Los Angeles Times. Apparently, Spokane County, Wash. banned regular dish soap & dishwasher detergent because the water-softening phosphates were a problem for the Spokane River (deprives it of oxygen, smothering the fish).

So, now people who live in Spokane are driving to Idaho to get their fix. Here's the quote I can't get out of my mind:

"With the 'green' stuff, the dishes come out with a real slippery texture -- like somebody poured a cup of grease in some dishwater -- and a white film. Just really gross," said Patti Marcotte.

Hmmm...really? Well, I've been using the "green" stuff for a few years now, and once I run the dishes through the dishwasher, they come out...oh, what's that word you use for something that's been washed with hot soapy water? Oh, yeah...clean.

I have noticed that the dry crystals work better in the dishwasher than the liquid. So, perhaps Patti just needs a lesson in how to use her dishwasher, so that she can get with the program and think about her impact on the planet instead of just herself:

1. Get your head out of your ass. Okay, now you are ready to listen to the other steps.
2. Don't buy liquid dishwasher soap. Any of the "green" dry dishwasher soaps work great - Seventh Generation, Ecover, etc.
3. Make sure the water is hot before turning on your dishwasher. (In my house, the kitchen is the furthest point away from the hot water heater - so this, for me, is an issue.)
4. Make sure you dishes are facing the sprayer.
5. Don't let your dishes sit around in the sink with food caked on them for several days. And, if you do, be prepared to scrape and rinse them before loading in the dishwasher.
6. Use a liquid Rinse Aid, per your dishwasher's instructions. And, yes, there are "green" options for this too.

As for "green" dish soap, I've used Trader Joes, Ecover, Seventh Generation and others, and never found a problem.

Why care about phosphates? "Scientists say phosphorus -- a nutrient that is an essential component of living cells, as abundant in human waste and yard fertilizer as it is in detergent -- is one of the biggest threats to lakes and rivers whose waters take in a constant stream of phosphate-laden wastewater discharges, agricultural runoff and storm-water flows. Acting as a fertilizer in the water, phosphates promote the uncontrolled growth of often-toxic algae blooms that, when they die back, nurture bacteria. That bacteria rapidly consume much of the oxygen in the water, leaving little for plants and fish."

The good news, Patti and her outlaw friends' days are numbered: "The detergent industry has pledged to make every automatic dishwashing soap sold in the U.S. and Canada nearly phosphate-free by mid-2010."

China is the new Japan

2009-04-02T13:24:00.000-07:00

Interesting article in today's New York Times about China's desire to be the world leader in electric and hybrid cars.

"To some extent, China is making a virtue of a liability. It is behind the United States, Japan and other countries when it comes to making gas-powered vehicles, but by skipping the current technology, China hopes to get a jump on the next."

To this, I say, kudos! This is excellent forward thinking. I wish China had used this approach in regards to electricity (dirty coal), water (China has some of the most polluted waterways in the world), and food production (melamine additive).

However, I was disturbed to read: "The goal, which radiates from the very top of the Chinese government, suggests that Detroit’s Big Three, already struggling to stay alive, will face even stiffer foreign competition on the next field of automotive technology than they do today."

News like this just piles on more concern for the U.S. worker, especially with the current climate of high unemployment and the move during the past 20 years from manufacturing jobs - which used to be a much more stable middle class job choice - to service sector jobs - which don't provide much in the way of decent wages or benefits...

The Curious Case of Overpackaging

2009-03-30T10:30:00.000-07:00

I was at my friend Pat's house recently. Pat was instrumental in inspiring our small complex of townhouses to start a community garden last summer. So far, in our small plots, we've collectively grown some truly yummy and fabulous lettuce, herbs, swiss chard, carrots, radishes, pumpkins, sweet peas, tomatoes, cauliflower, broccoli, brussel sprouts and beets.

More on the garden, later... As I was saying, I was at my friend Pat's house when he happened to receive a box in the mail from Park Seed Co. He had ordered a bunch of seeds, along with a book about canning and preserving.

Pat was sorely disappointed upon opening the box, however, as the only thing he received that day was his book. I've attached photos so you can see the ridiculousness of the packaging of the book -- it was in a rather large box, filled to the brim with packing peanuts.

This led Pat and I to wonder: did Park Seed think the book was so fragile that it merited such tender care in packing? Were they afraid the book would somehow break in transit? The way they sent the book is how I might send a delicate piece of china. Somehow, I think Pat's book would have survived just fine in a padded envelope, which is what they used when the did finally send Pat his seeds.

Unfortunately, this type of over packaging is not a rare phenomena. I've seen this so many times before, and it makes me wonder if these companies do it in order to justify charging as much as they do for shipping and handling. Not only is it wasteful in materials and thus bad for the environment, it's costly.

The truly ironic thing was that the offender in this case was a seed company, a company whose sole mission should be preserving and sustainably maintaining the earth. In an effort not to single Park Seed out solely, I will say that I'm sure they are not alone. For instance, I am slowly getting my seeds, one pack of seeds at a time, each in its own envelope, from Seeds of Change. Really, they're run like most other businesses: inefficiently.

In case you've been plagued with more packing peanuts than you know what to do with (I usually just save mine in the garage to use for sending something that is, yes, fragile, and no, not a book), you can call this company to find out where to recycle them: Plastic Loosefill Council at (800) 828-2214

Petrochemicals in my Shampoo

2009-03-25T10:13:00.000-07:00

Oh, it's so confusing. Why?

On the one hand, the Organic Consumers Association (OCA), an organization I trust, tells me that my Avalon Organics beauty products aren't truly "organic."

But, on the other, Avalon Organics claims on their website: "We only use ingredients that we trust, knowing that they can be absorbed directly into the body through the skin. We relentlessly seek out and use ingredients that are purer, more natural or organic, creating products that are safer to use."

What to do, what to do? The dilemma, of course, is that I love Avalon Organics products. I use the hair, facial cleansers, lotions, etc. and they work great. They look organic. And, with ingredients like organic lavender, organic chamomile and organic arnica, they seem organic.

The dispute stems from an ingredient used in Avalon's cleansing products - Cocamidopropyl Betaine - which OCA claims "contains conventional non-organic agricultural material combined with the petrochemical Amdiopropyl Betaine."

OCA has been working for the past five years to ensure that the companies that claim to be natural or organic are really that. Their biggest beef is the petrochemical carcinogen 1,4-dioxane in personal care and household products.

In March 2008, OCA and Dr. Bronner's Magic Soaps called out some of the worst offenders in a Cease and Desist letter. Yup. Avalon Organics was on that list.

OCA just released an update on their Coming Clean Campaign, a campaign to clean up the natural and organic personal care industry, which revealed improved levels of that nasty 1,4-dioxane. Turns out those companies didn't like being called out.

"Brands whose products showed significant improvement since the last study include: Earth Friendly Products, Ecco Bella, Giovanni, Jason, Johnson & Johnson, Kiss My Face, Life Tree, Method, Nature's Gate, Planet Ultra, and Seventh Generation. Three companies named in a lawsuit filed in June 2008 by the California Attorney General based on previous high levels of 1,4-dioxane in their tested products have reformulated and their products tested clean or nearly clean in the current study: Alba (Avalon), Citrus Magic, and Nutribiotic."

So, yay? That seems like a bit of good news. Yet, upon looking at the ingredients in the Avalon Organics shampoo and facial cleanser, cocamidopropyl betaine is still listed. Argh!

Also worth noting in this new study, is the serious offenders: "Some of the leading brands with products testing at the highest levels for the carcinogen 1,4-dioxane were Dial, Palmolive, Head & Shoulders, and Body Essence. Mrs. Meyers Clean Day Liquid Dish Soap had the highest levels of the carcinogen at an alarming 204 ppm (parts per million)."

I appreciate and wholeheartedly support OCA's Coming Clean Campaign. Because, what I'd really like to see are more conventional products made without harmful toxic chemicals. I've had my ups and downs trying out various organic hair and beauty products. The results are usually not as satisfactory as I'd like them to be. Avalon Organics is the closest I've gotten to satisfying both my vanity and my conscience.

If you want to make absolutely sure that your products are 100% free of 1,4-dioxane, look for the USDA's Organic Seal. OCA has a handy list of products that have earned this seal.

Congress to Ban BPA from Food & Beverage Containers

2009-03-17T21:49:00.000-07:00

This is the most awesome news: Congress Moves to Ban BPA from Food & Beverage Containers. Quite surprising. It's always refreshing when your legislators do what they are supposed to.

A brief quote from the article: "Leaders from the House of Representatives and the Senate have just announced legislation to establish a federal ban on bisphenol A in all food and beverage containers. Rep. Edward Markey (D-MA) and Sens. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) and Chuck Schumer (D-NY) plan to introduce bills that will greatly expand efforts to limit use of the chemical in products for babies and children."

If you are unaware of this issue, I wrote about it here, here and here. As a mother of a young child, I am very happy that finally, after much pressure from ordinary citizens - see you can make a difference - companies and congress are doing the right thing.

EPA to Reconsider Clean Air Waiver

2009-03-12T16:16:00.000-07:00

Remember the bone-headed move by the Bush EPA denying California, and 14 other states, a waiver so they could enact stricter clean air regulations? Well, good news.

According to Sustainable Business: "President Obama ordered the EPA to review the decision, and the agency is reportedly working together with the Department of Transportation to determine a single emissions and mileage standard."

According to the Sierra Club, the EPA is welcoming comments from citizens, so now's our opportunity to tell them to get on the stick, as my Dad likes to say.

According to the email I received from the Sierra Club: "Clean car standards are technically and economically feasible and will cut greenhouse gas pollution spewing from automobiles. California and thirteen other states have also adopted California's standards, representing 40 percent of the U.S. auto market. Implementing clean car standards in California will lead to improvements in air quality and consumer savings at the pump."

So, take a second, and write to the EPA. Maybe, under this new administration, they'll actually listen and do what we know has to be done.

Green Dry Cleaning

2009-03-11T20:58:00.000-07:00

I went to the dry cleaners the other day. And, well, the mess you see in this picture is the result.

Now, I know dry cleaning is not the greenest of options for cleaning clothes. However, there are times when you just have to go. Not everything, business suits for instance, can be hand washed. And, I know there are alternatives, but I don't have a lot of money to waste replacing clothes, so this is one area which I tend to see as a necessary evil.

Not that it has to continue to be so. Dry cleaning companies have become cleaner due to clean air regulations, especially in California. In fact, in 2003, the California Air Resources Board did a study that found that regulations enacted in 1993 naming Perc (Perchloroethylene), the nasty chemical used in dry cleaning, as a toxic air contaminate, has resulted in a 70% decrease in Perc emissions. California's clean air Board did not stop there, however, and has mandated that by 2023, the industry phase out the use of Perc dry cleaning machines. Hopefully, this will inspire other states, and/or the new administration's EPA to follow suit (no pun intended).

There are alternatives in the industry, the most prevalent it seems is a process called wet cleaning, which makes me think, duh, that's what my washing machine does. Yet, the dry cleaning "wet" process is different. Wet cleaning machines are cheaper, use less energy, are nontoxic and, according to some, work just as well or better.

Another option dry cleaners are switching to is Green Earth, a liquid silicone (sand)-based cleaning process. Check out their website for more info and to find a dry cleaner near you who uses their product.

Dry cleaning aficionados outside of California should beware of dry cleaners purporting to be organic. According to the New York Times, there is little regulation and many of these cleaners are using a Hydrocarbon solvent instead of perc. This solvent releases toxic VOCs into the atmosphere and is petroleum-based.

Perc has been identified as a cancer causing toxin, so it's worth it to ask your dry cleaner what methods they use. And, while you're at it, might as well bring up those plastic bags and hangars. While they may not advertise it, I've heard that many dry cleaners appreciate returns on hangars. As for the plastic, this requires a bit of vigilance: teach yourself to get into the habit of asking your cleaners to leave off the bags.

Of course, there is simply the option of being a rebel, ignoring the recommendations on the tag of your cashmere sweater or silk blouse, and hand washing the lovely thing yourself.

When it comes to clothing, using the three RRRs (reuse, reduce, recycle), may mean that you are buying used/vintage clothing, and that choice may send you to the dry cleaners. However, if you are buying new, being mindful when shopping will help you eliminate the dry cleaning dilemma entirely.

Pedal Power

2009-03-05T12:31:00.002-08:00

I rode my daughter to the park this morning on my bike. It was a perfect day for it. I just have a beach cruiser, so I don't usually go for long rides - just around town. Which, considering I'm carrying an extra 30+ pounds on the rear of my bike (no, not my tush, my daughter in her bike seat), not to mention anything in my front basket, short rides suit me fine.

I also have a stationery bike, which I use fairly often, especially in the rainy months. Every time I ride my stationery bike, though, I think about how it should be generating electricity, rather than using it.

I came across a tool that converts your regular bike to do just that. Yes, you too can feel like Ed Begley Jr., and use your bike to power your toaster. It's called the Pedal-A-Watt by Convergence Tech, and supposedly, it will generate 175-300 watts of electricity that can be stored on a bank of batteries.

Another cool tool Convergence Tech makes is the Cycle Charger, which allows a bicyclist to charge a cell phone, ipod or other hand-held device (anything that has a car-cigarette lighter plug).

If you are the DIY-type and want to make your own generator for your bike, check out the Science Shareware website.

And, this website has instructions for how to turn a bike, or a stationery bike, into a generator.

Lastly, while tooling around on the net looking for generators, I came across the World Naked Bike Ride website. Pretty hilarious and yet inspiring. As with most counter-culture groups, they've got a great mission: "World Naked Bike Ride’s purpose is to draw attention to oil dependency and the negative social and environmental impacts of a car dominated culture. "

So far, it doesn't look like they've had an event in Los Angeles, though I hope they do someday soon.

Rant about Obtuse Shoppers at Trader Joes

2009-03-02T14:31:00.000-08:00

I continue to be amazed every time I go to the grocery store. Particularly when I shop at the Trader Joes near my house.

I don't know why I have this expectation, or where it came from, but it seems that I expect Trader Joes' shoppers to be as enlightened to the global warming crises as, say, the shoppers of Whole Foods or my local health food store. Not so.

Maybe it's the very uniqueness of Trader Joes - from the way the store is set up, to the tongue-in-cheek newsletter, to the Hawaiian shirts - that makes me have this expectation. I connect this novel business approach with progressive shoppers. It is an assumption that continues to vex me.

From the Trader Joes' website FAQs: "How is shopping at Trader Joe's different from what you may be used to in a supermarket? At Trader Joe's, you won't find a lot of branded items. Instead, you'll find unconventional and interesting products in the Trader Joe's label as well as everyday basics. We buy products we think are winners and that’ll find a following among our customers."

So, from this day forth, I shall stop all assumptions and stereoptyping. For, it has become clear to me that while the shopping experience may be different, Trader Joes' shoppers are no different from shoppers of any large grocery store.

They are the same because they continue to shop without using reusable cloth bags, even though the store they are buying their groceries from provides cheap, colorful options for sale, right next to the check-out line. To go a step further, my Trader Joes (I don't know about all of them) holds a weekly raffle for free groceries and the only way you can enter is to bring your own shopping bags (reusing paper or plastic bags is okay too).

They are the same because every time I go, I see shopper after shopper walking away with a mega-case of bottled water. Now, on this count, Trader Joes could and should do more. They should design their own SIGG water bottle for sale alongside the cases of bottled water, thus encouraging the greener option. (Hmmm...this is a good idea. I think I will write to Mr. Joe and request he look into this.)

Seriously, I know I am being elitest in assuming that shoppers of major-chain grocery stores can't be enlightened. And, I know stereotypes are bad. Judging is bad. Assuming is really bad. I know. However, every time I see someone in front of me in line with their giant case of petroleum-encased water, putting their groceries into bags made from trees or petroleum, I have to practically gag myself to stop from saying something or just screaming out loud in frustration.

These two simple things aren't going to save the planet by any means. But, if we can't convince people to change in these two small ways, how are we are going to convince them to make the really tough changes that we will need to make to save our planet?

Water Conservancy

2009-02-28T14:40:00.000-08:00

I've been thinking about this topic for about a couple of months....I think since I saw "Slumdog Millionare."

Why did "Slumdog Millionare" inspire me to think about water conservation? Well, I think it was the scenes in the shantytown in the beginning of the film...something about that stuck with me when I was taking a shower. It dawned on me how much of a luxury (though in America, we think of it more of a right) a long, hot shower is. I know it is something that I depend on to get me through my day.

So, not only is a long, hot shower a luxury of first world nations, it is, even as such, potentially a luxury of times when we are flush with water. Which, for California, is about to become a thing of the past. The Governator's speech yesterday sounds like a harbinger of the news I discussed here a few weeks ago: California is in a drought and now it's starting to get serious.

How serious? Very. "The lack of water would cause an estimated $1.15 billion dollar loss in agriculture-related wages and eliminate as many as 40,000 jobs in farm-related industries in the San Joaquin Valley alone, where most of the nation’s produce and nut crops are grown."

Yet, once again these politicians pussy foot around, for my taste anyway. For instance, the Governor declared drought, but only "encouraged water agencies to reduce water use by 20%." What does that mean?

"Encouraged." Please. Let's get real and enact some laws that stipulate, for instance that grass lawns in areas that require irrigation to sustain said lawn should be outlawed. And, all toilets and shower heads need to be retrofitted.

First, and foremost, a better campaign to get the public engaged should be the first order of business. Putting something in people's water bills is cute and for some, perhaps effective. But, until we're reaching more people on television and in the TV news, no one's going to change their daily habits.

If you're reading this and you'd like ideas on how to reduce your water usage, here are a few that pertain mostly to your shower. More household conservation tips to come in future posts:

1. Bookmark this website: Water Saving Tips.

2. Buy this water conservation kit, which includes an earth massage shower head, leak detection tablets, kitchen and bathroom faucet aerators and a toilet tank bank (which is the cheap way to get your toilet to use 1.6 gallons of water per flush or less).

3. Buy a shower timer to help you get a gauge on how long you spend in the shower. Water conservationists recommend no longer than 5 minutes (which, if you have to wash longish curly hair, can be almost impossible, but I'm working on it).

4. Use a bucket in your shower to catch the cold water in the shower. What am I talking about? Well, while you're waiting for the water in your shower to get hot, you're wasting a lot of good, clean water. Use a bucket to catch that water, once the water is hot, remove the bucket and use it later to water plants, etc. I had seen a really cool collapsible, fabric bucket for just this purpose at the Green mini-Expo that was part of the play I produced last fall, but haven't been able to find it online since. If anyone's reading this and has a lead on it, please comment.

5. Consider allowing yourself to be dirtier. What I really mean is: I, for instance, don't wash my hair every day, and sometimes don't take a shower everyday. By not washing my hair every day, I'm conserving water, and really, how dirty is it getting in one day, I'm not rolling around in the dirt, after all (well not most days anyway)? The Europeans, and all third world countries, have this one on us. Maybe it's our Puritan roots, but this country is a bit obsessed with being clean. Let's all invest in some good perfume (patchouli anyone?) and save a little water.

6. If you don't already have a low-flow shower head, buy one. There's probably one for sale at Bed, Bath and Beyond, right now. Go!

Electrolyzed Water

2009-02-23T14:28:00.000-08:00

Have you heard of this? Because I had not. Not until today's article in the Los Angeles Times anyway.

Apparently, you can mix salt with tap water, add an electric charge, and presto chango, you have a degreaser and sanitizer that is safe, powerful and nontoxic. Very MacGyverish. How does this work, exactly? Something to do with sodium ions and salt molecules -- I wanted to include the little diagram that was printed in the article here, but wasn't able to get it to work -- so read the article for more and better details.

According to the Times, the Japanese and Russians have been using this for years and in the U.S., this all-natural solution is already in use at a local hotel (the Sheraton in Santa Monica), a Minnesota grocery store and a New York poultry processor, among other places. Go figure.

I'm curious, dubious and hopeful all at once. Mostly, I hope that if it is all that it claims to be, businesses start using it more, and toxic chemicals less.

Green Cards

2009-02-20T11:00:00.000-08:00

Two of my aunts share the same birthday (conspicuously 9 months after my Grandparents' wedding anniversary, hmmm...). Gift shopping for loved ones you don't see as often as you'd like can be tricky. So, I walked over to check out a new gift shop that opened up in downtown Culver City, called Lundeen's.

Besides being stocked with unique gift items, Lundeen's proprietor has smartly chosen to stock a wide array of eco-friendly greeting cards. Now, of course, the most eco-friendly thing I could have done would have been to donate money in my Aunts' name to some worthy cause, and then send an ecard. But, I am a bit of a traditionalist about some things.

The cards in Lundeen's selection that I was most taken with were made by a company called Positively Green Cards.

Others worth checking out:

Night Owl Papergoods - for an interesting use of wood.

Pleasant Trees - for a wide selection.

And, then there is Mr. Ellie Pooh. A friend sent me this link. This has to be the most inventive way to make a card, and perhaps the most environmentally friendly, to boot.

"Mr. Ellie Pooh’s paper products are 100% recycled. They are made up of 75% elephant dung, 25% post consumer paper. There are no toxic chemicals used in our paper making process. Natural vegetative binding agents, along with water-soluble salt dyes for coloring are used. Mr. Ellie Pooh’s papers are handmade, acid free and as organic as it gets."

Laugh yes, but think how much you'll be contributing to to the planet. And, you couldn't ask for a better conversation starter.

If Mr. Ellie Pooh's statistics are right, that "50% of the world's forests have been cleared or burned, and 80% of what's left has been seriously degraded. Compared to using virgin wood, paper made with 100% recycled content uses 44% less energy, produces 38% less greenhouse gas emissions, 41% less particulate emissions, 50% less wastewater, 49% less solid waste and -- of course -- 100% less wood", than, isn't it worth it to have our laugh, and then buy some dung cards?

iPhorest and greenMeter

2009-02-15T15:58:00.000-08:00

A friend, and i-phone user, forwarded me a thing on the iPhorest...

iPhorest is an application for iphones whereby you grow a virtual tree, and can give seedlings away to other iphones. Though it sounds as pointless as the virtual pets (remember those?), because this app is partnered with The Conservation Fund, for each tree grown, the Fund plants a real tree. The iPhorest isn't out yet, but you can sign up to be notified of its release.

Another app eco-iphone users should add is greenMeter. "greenMeter is an app for the iPhone and iPod Touch that can compute your vehicle's power and fuel usage characteristics, and help evaluate your driving style to increase efficiency, reduce fuel consumption and cost, and lower your environmental impact."

I'm not an iphone user, but that's really just because I don't like AT&T (personal reasons, don't ask). However, I think the phones are cool, and despite the flack the phone got in 2007 from Green Peace, would buy one in a hot second if Steve Jobs made a deal with a different cell phone carrier.

So, iphone users: check it out.

I (Heart) My Mattress

2009-02-13T13:31:00.000-08:00

Who cares about Valentine's fair-trade and organic sweets & flowers? Well, okay, I do. But, that's been covered, by me and many others.

Isn't it sexier, and more apropos, to talk about mattresses? Sure, why not.

I've read about organic mattresses for some time. But, I have yet to make the switch. My biggest hesitation, besides trying to practice the three RRRs (reduce, reuse, recycle), is that there aren't a lot of advertised deals on organic mattresses, which can tend to be a bit pricey.

I take buying a mattress pretty seriously. I guess it was all the back aches I had in my early 20s, while sleeping on what probably was one of the cheapest mattresses one can buy.

Everyone has heard that you spend 1/3 of your life sleeping (not to mention the other stuff that may go on in there). So, if you are going to invest in a comfortable new bed, you may as well do yourself and the environment a favor and get an organic mattress.

Why organic?

There doesn't appear to be a lot of conclusive research on the health benefits of organic mattresses. I briefly hunted online and was unable to find out what specific chemicals are even in mattresses. My guess is that it varies depending on the manufacturer. According to the sites that sell organic mattresses, conventional ones contain petrochemicals, and federally-mandated flame retardant (due to all those, pre-1970s pesky smoldering cigarette butts). And, vinyl-based water-proof mattresses off-gas toxic phthalates.

On the other hand, according to the Safe Products Safety Council, "there is no evidence to suggest that exposure to flame retardant materials used in some mattress components would contribute to or exacerbate allergies, asthma or multiple chemical-sensitivity in consumers. The CPSC found that the flame retardant materials ... are generally non-volatile."

But, if you care about the environment, buying an organic mattress is the eco-friendly choice. According to E The Environmental Magazine, conventional mattresses "are made up of a half dozen intricately interwoven materials making them extremely difficult to break down or recycle. They usually end up stacked in landfills, where they hog space and leach chemicals, and many landfills have refused to accept them in response."

My feeling: given that we spend as much time as we do in our beds, and in such close proximity, buying a bed that does not have a bunch of chemicals seems like a wise choice. And, choosing the option that is not derived from petroleum is always a big plus for me.

Organic mattresses use sustainable wools, which apparently are a natural flame retardant, organic cotton and natural latex.

Some places to check out:

The Organic Mattress

Lifekind

A Happy Planet

Keesta

Tomorrow's World

Green Fusion Design Center

Wait, before you throw out your old, conventional mattress...E Magazine, reports there is an eco-friendly way to recycle it. Contact Conigliaro Industries, which has a national recycling program for mattresses, box springs and upholstered furniture. According to their website, "Conigliaro Industries is the only commercial used mattress, box spring and furniture destruction and recycling company in the United States. We guarantee complete destruction of each unit and the recycling of the constituent parts. Our recycling rates exceed 90%."

Happy Valentine's!

Global Warming Out of Control

2009-02-06T14:16:00.001-08:00

This is from Tuesday, just catching up now...

Obama's new Secretary of Energy Steven Chu (who is [gasp] a scientist!), made some very sobering predictions in his first interview. He basically says that in a worse case scenario, by the end of this century, California is not going to be able to continue farming and producing wine because the snow pack will disappear.

I love my fresh local produce almost as much as my California wine, so I took his comments very serious.

"I don't think the American public has gripped in its gut what could happen," Chu said. "We're looking at a scenario where there's no more agriculture in California." And, he added, "I don't actually see how they can keep their cities going" either.

This would affect the entire nation, of course, because out of our 50 states, California is first in total agricultural and crop production. And, only Texas surpasses California in livestock production.

This interview comes on the heels of another study that says that even if we made dramatic changes and stopped producing CO2, we still would not be able to stop the effects of Global Warming. The planet and all its creatures will continue feeling the effects of the past, irresponsible 200 years (since the start of the Industrial Revolution) for at least the next 1,000. Oh, joy!

While it may be tempting to throw up our hands in surrender and start living la vida loca, in anticipation of "the end," it's important to remember that human beings are very resourceful. How else would we have come to dominate all other species on the planet? We will adapt. We must, to survive. Hopefully, we'll learn from our past mistakes and become better stewards of this beautiful blue orb we call home.

'Course that all depends on global political wrangling, compromises, how information is dissemated to the peoples, and whether we can keep wars and corporate greed in check. Hmmm...on the other hand...

My grocery bill is out of control!

2009-01-30T14:45:00.000-08:00

So, I was at the dentist the other day, and my Hygienist was talking to me, while cleaning my teeth, about Whole Foods. She had realized that she was spending $900 a month on groceries.

Wow, I thought. $900, now that's a lot. I'm glad I'm not spending that much. Hmmm...yeah. Turns out I have been.

Like many in America, we have been squeezed by the free-fall economy. So, I had to create a budget for us to get our spending under control. And, turns out, in 2008, we spent an average of $972 a month on groceries. Excuse me while I choke on my smugness.

While I could wax rhapsodic about the many wonderful aspects that make shopping at Whole Foods a joy, there is nothing wonderful about how much my grocery bill is.

Being forced to tighten our spending is a good thing, though. It's forcing me to rethink the wastefulness of our food buying:

a. Instead of weekly deliveries from our local CSA, I switched to bi-weekly. This means I won't have to worry about eating quite so many turnips.

b. I am already planning my next crop of veggies & fruits for the garden plot. Along with the lettuce, spinach, broccoli, cucumbers and herbs, I am also planting heirloom tomatoes & artichokes - two expensive grocery items, even at the Farmer's Market.

c. I plan to curb impulse buying at the Farmer's Market and Whole Foods. Sometimes the fresh food all looks so good, I get a lot of great ideas. Then, reality sets in... I forget about left-overs or dinners planned at a friend's house or the nights I'll be cooking for one, and all that fresh food becomes expensive compost. Meal planning is the best way to cut down on wasting food -- freeze what you don't think you can eat for left-overs. Only buy fresh what you are going to use within the next week.

d. I will no longer purchase expensive skinned, boneless chicken breasts from Whole Foods, no matter how convenient they are. Meat, Poultry and Fish purchases are what can really drive up my WF bill - and it's no wonder, it's grass-fed, organic and sustainably harvested. What I plan to do more of, besides eating less meat in general, is buying a whole organic, humanely-raised chicken from the Farmer's Market, and cutting it up myself, or roasting it whole. One whole chicken from the Market costs the same as two boneless breasts from WF.

e. I plan to purchase more of my organic food items from Trader Joes and the grocery store -- these tend to be lower in price than Whole Foods, though you really do need to compare. Sometimes, because of WF's buying power, they are able to negotiate better prices than the grocery store, esp. on food with their brand. On the other hand, I like to support the chain grocery store because by buying the organic items, I'm sending the message that this isn't just a niche market.

It's only been a few weeks, but already I have seen a difference both in spending -- $507 for January -- and in how much food is wasted (very little). Now I just have to stick with it...what is truly the hardest part.

New Energy Policy...it's about time.

2009-01-26T11:56:00.000-08:00

This today from our new, forward-thinking President: "It will be the policy of my administration to reverse our dependence on foreign oil while building a new energy economy that will create millions of jobs."

It's amazing what can happen when an intelligent, pragmatic person takes over running the country. It's so nice to see that he is hard at work reversing the destructive policies put forth by the previous self-serving a-holes, [cough] I mean administration.

There's a nice article about the new policies in the Washington Post.

It's the dawning of a new age... I'm looking forward to seeing what solutions good old fashioned American innovation can create. Now if only someone would tell those yahoos at Fox "News" that this is a good thing.

Less Trash, Great Suits and a Cruise?

2009-01-25T19:59:00.000-08:00

Interesting articles in today's Los Angeles Times. One was about one of the benefits of an economic downturn: less trash is going into landfills. Great. The second was an article on where to buy designer suits at thrift stores across the city. Also great.

The third was an article about cruise lines offering cheaper fares. ??? This last one, which I would dub, umm..., not great, seemed a bit out of touch with reality compared with the other two. Not only that, suggesting that we should spend our vacations traveling in what has to be one of the most wasteful styles, seems downright irresponsible.

I hope other benefits this downturn might bring include:

1) more use of carpools, buses and bikes to get around;
2) more food grown in back yards, community garden plots or in balcony pots;
3) more tap water, less bottled water;
4) as the LA Times article suggests: less spending on consumer goods we know we don't really need, and less eating out; and
5) buying more of our stuff used.

For certain, I know I will be eating out less, buying less wine (oh well maybe not less, but cheaper anyway), and buying less frivolous items. I might even start hunting for unique finds at some of the well-stocked LA thrift stores again -- it's a great way to recycle, without all the cans.

Go Green Expo in LA this Weekend

2009-01-22T15:03:00.000-08:00

If you're in LA this coming weekend (Jan. 24-5), check out the Go Green Expo at the LA Convention Center.

Looks like there will be panel discussions, a film screening and, I'm sure, tons of booths offering all sorts of interesting eco-wares and services. No surprise...Ed Begley Jr. is the Keynote speaker on Saturday.

I hope to check it out...

Edmunds Article on EV Parade

2009-01-22T15:00:00.001-08:00

More details about the recent EV Parade on Danny King's Green Car Advisor blog on Edmunds.com. Don't know how it happened, kismet I guess, but he interviewed me as a "parade attendee."

EV Parade Pics

2009-01-18T07:32:00.000-08:00

Went to the Electric Vehicle Parade yesterday. The day was gorgeous -- hot, sunny. I missed the Plug In America press conference, but thoroughly enjoyed seeing all the various electric vehicles in the parade. Of course, there were many of the Rav4 EVs and a few Teslas (which you can see mostly in the video), but there were also quite a few converted vehicles, an electric bus, some motorcycles and a prototype for an electric Semi truck. Also present were a couple of cool pick-up trucks from Phoenix Motorcars. The crowd was enthusiastic and it was cool to see how many folks were inventive with transforming their regular gas-guzzler into a battery-powered one. Looking forward to some day having my own electric vehicle.

Water Bottle Temptation

2009-01-16T14:33:00.000-08:00

I went down to the beach for a run this past Sunday and I thought I was going to die.

Okay, that's a complete dramatic exaggeration -- what happened was I got really, really thirsty.

First, it was hotter than Hades -- oops, sorry, tall tales again -- what I mean is that it was a lot hotter than it should have been for January, even in Southern California. To be fair, part of my problem was that I started my run at Noon, where normally I like to be down there by 7:00 am. While the day was gorgeous and the only-in-LA beach scene was highly amusing, the low '70s temp was too hot for my tastes - while running that is.

I know what you're thinking, and yes, I did bring water. But, I'm telling you it was hot, which means that I drank it all long before I was done running. Near the end of my run, with a sizable hill still ahead of me, I saw a vendor selling bottles of water.

Who cares if I had just pledged not to buy plastic bottled water just the week before? It was hot and I was thirsty. Thoughts of "dehydration" and "heat stroke" feverishly ran through my brain. A cold bottle of water sounded so good.

Still, I couldn't do it. It was hard. Really hard. But, I made it up the hill without passing out and within 20 minutes, I was home drinking a nice cold glass of water.

Though tempted, I'm glad that I didn't break my promise, and if I hadn't made the pledge, I would have bought that water without thinking about it twice. I'm sure I will break down at some point, I'm not perfect. But, it's nice to know I can make it two weeks. Next time, I'll plan ahead and bring an extra container of water in my car.

EV Parade Update

2009-01-16T14:27:00.000-08:00

This is from Plug In America regarding tomorrow's EV Parade in Santa Monica:

"First things first. Our previous email had some typos in the street address and ZIP. The correct address is 1855 Main St., Santa Monica, CA 90401 (Google Map). The press conference is at 9:30am and the parade is at 10am. Plan to arrive at 9am and we'll have some donuts and coffee."

Go HERE for the dedicated website about the event.

EV Parade in Santa Monica on Jan. 17

2009-01-10T19:02:00.000-08:00

Southern California locals: Plug In America is hosting the first EV Parade, Saturday, Jan. 17 in Santa Monica.

"Plug In America's Inaugural Parade

Plug In America will jump start the nation's presidential inaugural celebrations with our own "Inaugural Parade West: Plug In, America!" The event will take place on the morning of Saturday, Jan. 17 from 9:30am to 11:30am at the Santa Monica Civic Center. We'll start with a press conference, featuring California Sen. Fran Pavley, to send a message to Congress, Detroit, and Barack Obama: America wants plug-in vehicles, the cleanest cars in the world. Plug In America wants one million plug-in cars by 2012, 10 million by 2016. Then we'll parade through Santa Monica with over fifty plug-in vehicles..."

I'm going to check it out...

It's a New Year

2009-01-08T14:14:00.000-08:00

It's a new year. Same old problems though. Yeah, I know, that sounds awfully pessimistic for the beginning of the year, especially given we have a new Prez. What can I say? I'm a realist sometimes. So many problems, so little money.

So, okay, what do we do? How do we make a difference with what spare time/energy we have? I've gotta think it's the simple things. Stuff we've all heard before.

Here are a few easy pledges you can make for the new year. Stuff you know you should be doing but maybe aren't yet. Feel free to print this list and tape it to your bathroom mirror, fridge or forehead.

"I pledge to...

1. ...stop buying bottled water." Yes, you can recycle the bottles. But, think about how much petroleum it takes to create the bottle in the first place, and hopefully that will stop you next time. Don't be afraid to drink the tap water (filtered, of course), even at a restaurant. Well, okay, maybe you shouldn't drink from the tap if you happen to be eating at a restaurant South of the border. Otherwise, it's not going to kill you. I promise.

2. ...stop buying so much stuff." Do you really need it? No? Then, don't buy it. Your wallet will thank you (though the stores won't). If you really do need it, try to buy it green, local, or used -- I've bought many second-hand items in my life and enjoyed the heck out of them. You don't have to go to the Goodwill, there are consignment and antique shops all over, not to mention Craig's List and Ebay. Or, here's a novel idea, maybe it's something that you can borrow from a friend. Just don't break it. Itunes is the perfect exception to this rule.

3. ...stop throwing my stuff out." If it's still in good condition, keep it, or sell it, or donate it, or lend it to your friend. Yes, it's easier just to chuck it. But, that kind of disposable thinking is what got us into this mess (well part of it anyway), in the first place.

4. ...use less energy." If you haven't replaced your burnt out lightbulbs with compact fluorescents yet, what are you waiting for exactly? How about those power-hungry computers, TVs, and appliances? Are they plugged into power strips you can turn off at night? Don't forget your cell phone charger. It might only suck up a watt of energy when not in use, but those watts add up. If you think it's no big deal, and you can afford the extra amount on your electricity bill, think about how many people there are, how many more gadgets they come out with all the time, and then think about how all the energy companies, needing more power, want to build more dirty coal and scary nuclear energy plants.

5. ...use less water." Same rules apply as to energy: more people, not enough resources. We're lucky we have access to so much to water our beautiful, useless lawns. About a billion people on the planet are not so lucky. Not that guilt should be the factor that makes you conserve more. If you live in the Southwest United States, like I do, you should rather think about global warming, drought and the damage to the environment as we draw more and more water away from natural resources.

6. ...use my car less." There was a challenge that Clif Bar did recently, asking folks to ride a bike or walk for trips under 2 miles. According to them, "40% of U.S. urban travel (I hope they mean car trips, specifically) is 2 miles or less." I'm not asking you to sign up. But, I do think it is a great idea. Walking or biking to Trader Joes might limit the amount of stuff you can buy at one time. But, then again, this style of living may just cut down on the amount of food you waste too.

7. ...cook more often." Again, this is one of those things that does not help the economy. But, then, having a consumer-driven economy is pretty much at odds with caring for the environment. Well, it is starting to be less so as the green movement takes off. Nonetheless, while your waiter friends won't like you as much for eating in or bringing your lunch more, you will consume considerably less, unless you've been eating out of disposal Styrofoam containers with plastic forks at your house. In which case, ummm, stop.

8. ...buy local, buy green." When you do get around to buying some stuff, be smart with your purchases. While it may be easier to get a gift for someone by shopping at Amazon or, shame on you, Wall-mart. You might surprise your friend instead with a hand-made something that you purchased locally. Yes, it might cost you a bit more. But, you've done something to support your local economy, rather than supporting the Wall-martization of goods bought and sold around the World. Don't have a local, cool artisan shop near you? Type "fair trade" or "green" next to whatever you are looking for into google.

9. ...buy organic." This one can be tough when it comes to living on a budget. I regularly curse Whole Foods when I'm at the check-out. Yes, I love the selection of organic and wholesome items they have in their store. But, man do I pay dearly for this privilege. I don't go as often as I used to now that I'm trying to grow my own stuff and buying more meats and cheeses at the Farmer's Market. Which leads me to another point, you don't have to buy your organic food from Whole Foods or other high-priced, niche store. I've noticed that the big grocery chains all have organic sections now. When you buy organic, while it will still cost you a bit more, you are telling these stores that there is a market for it, which means they'll continue to stock more organic items. The more demand, the more supply. The more demand for organic items, the easier it is for these companies to stay in business. It's not a perfect system, but it is certainly better than drinking pesticides and growth hormones with your milk.

10. ...donate and volunteer more." There are many, many great groups out there who are in the trenches, making sure our government doesn't weaken the Clean Air Act, that the EPA does its job, that the Food & Drug Administration doesn't let non-organic produced products be labeled as organic, and, perhaps, most importantly, making sure that our politicians pay attention to these issues. These groups deserve our support, monetary or otherwise. Even $10 goes a long way, when its hundreds or thousands of people sending each sending it in.

There are many more things one can do of course, grander in scale maybe, but just as important.

My personal pledge for 2009: Devote more time to this blog, condensing the mass loads of green info and helpful tips out there to make it easier for my readers (all 10 of them). Happy New Year!

Green Mini-Expo this Sunday in LA

2008-12-04T13:08:00.001-08:00

The play I am producing, Song of Extinction, is a simple story of a family in crisis. And, yet it explores larger themes, including, not surprisingly, the extinction of species. Besides feeling cathartic after watching the play, you leave the theatre with some nuggets of information...

Like: "T.L. Erwin says there are maybe... forty million different species of animals and plants on earth right now. Normal extinction level, background level, is one species gone every four years. Right now? Thirty thousand species disappear every year. Become extinct. Thirty thousand species. Every year."

Because I've been interested in leading a more sustainable life, I was happy that Moving Arts, the theatre company presenting the play, jumped on board with making the production as eco-friendly as possible. From using as many recycled materials as possible, to choosing eco-friendly lumber, to using compostable cups (and actually collecting compost) for concessions, our little troupe has done well.

This Sunday, we go one step further. Expanding on the themes brought up in the play, Moving Arts is hosting a Green Mini-Expo from 1-7:00 pm at the theatre. Below is the info. Stop by if you have time. Should be fun and informative (and there will be food).

VENDORS:
The Center for Sustainable Practice in the Arts
All Shades of Green
Jenneration Fix
Earth Resource Foundation
Large Marge Sustainables
Smart Car

There will be a free panel discussion with a diverse group of local, green professionals. Among the panel participants will be Ian Garrett from The Center for Sustainable Practice in the Arts, Jessica Aldridge, Zero Waste Event Coordinator/Consultant and Natalie Freidberg of All Shades of Green.

GREEN MINI-EXPO SCHEDULE
1pm-7pm Expo Open to Public
3pm-4:30pm Matinee Performance of Song of Extinction
5pm Moving Green - Panel Discussion on How to Live a Greener Life (45 minutes)
7pm Song of Extinction Pay-What-You-Can-Performance

Food is offered for sale by Large Marge. Take advantage of the serene Edison Plaza (pictures here) -- the theatre is situated in a gorgeous park -- get some sustainably yummy food, learn about living a greener life, and enjoy the outdoors.

If you'd like to buy tickets to the show, go to the Ford Theatres website, or call 323-461-3673.

Happy Turkey Day!

2008-11-27T05:47:00.000-08:00

Well, as you can plainly see, this is not coming to you in time for helpful suggestions on how to have a "greener" Thanksgiving. However, based on some of the suggestions I've received, such as going turkeyless for Thanksgiving, you might want to thank me.

Assuming that you are doing a traditional Thanksgiving with all the trimmings, I thought I'd offer a few suggestions for how to make this holiday more sustainable.

1. If you're like me, you like to have your turkey with all the trimmings. My problem has always been cutting down on all the waste. I hate to throw away food. So, since you can't eat it all, unless you want to turn into a butterball, invite more people over to share in the bounty. Growing up, my Grandmother always cooked enough for an army. And, often an army came -- of family and friends that is. The house was always so full of cousins, aunts & uncles, friends and neighbors that we did very well eating all of her delicious food.

2. Get creative with the leftovers and don't be afraid to ask your neighbors over to help you eat them. Last year, we took our leftover turkey and made a turkey pot pie. Problem was, it was a huge turkey pot pie. And since I couldn't face having leftovers of leftovers, I called my neighbors and they helped us eat the whole thing. Don't be afraid to call at the last minute -- I mean, how many times have you stood in front of the fridge 1/2 hour before you'd like to be sitting down to dinner?

3. Compost. I know, you may think I have an obsession. But, there's nothing more satisfying than turning food scraps into something useful. Of course, you can't compost the turkey or mashed potatoes. But, you can the potato peels and the all the other vegetable matter. Don't have a compost? Some cities are starting to collect compost. If yours doesn't, you might have a neighbor who gardens and/or you might want to check into your local community garden.

4. Instead of watching TV all day - go outside. Yes, I know for some this may seem like a foreign concept. Trust me, the game can wait a half hour. Go enjoy the beautiful fall weather. Your body will thank you. Your dog will thank you. Bring your family - it's fun! Cold weather is no excuse -- they have these amazing things called coats and boots for just such occasions.

5. Turn off the electronics and play a board game. I love the Wii as much as the next person, but there are other low-tech options that are just as fun. Believe it or not, it was possible to have fun with your family with something as simple as a deck of cards.

6. Offset your trip. Did you drive eight hours to spend the holiday with Aunt Mary? Did you spend a fortune and fly home? Perfectly understandable. It is a holiday after all. And, this bloody country is so huge and our families are all spread out all over it, that no one could blame you for wanting to be with your loved ones. Carbonfund can help ease some of that guilt by using your money to plant trees.

7. Resist Black Friday. I know it's hard to resist what could be the most amazing sale you've ever seen. But, I've somehow managed to do it most of my life, and so can you. It may not be the most patriotic thing you've ever done, but it will help save the planet.

We need to shift from being a consumer society to being a conserving society. We used to be a nation that built things and now our economy thrives or fails based on how much debt we can maintain. I just read in the paper yesterday that our government wants to make it easier for people to get credit cards. Yes, that's the answer. Don't focus on the real problems of why people can't afford to buy their groceries, just help them wrack up more debt so that your local conglomerate bank can earn money on the fees and interest and pay their executives exorbitant sums of money.

Congress is useless, we need someone with real vision and the guts to reshape our country. Hopefully, we've just elected that someone. I have hope.

That's it. That's my spiel. Go get stuffed.

Vote your Conscience

2008-11-03T20:08:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow is probably one of the more momentous elections we've had in awhile. Though, it seems to me that every presidential election is momentous since certain rat bastards like to remake the country in their neocon image. Anyway...

If you care about the environment as I do, you might be interested in checking out the Sierra Club's endorsements. Or, check out the League of Conservation Voters.

Also, if you live in California and care about animal rights, please vote Yes on Prop 2. You can read more about it here. (This is off topic, but if you live in California and believe in equal rights for human beings too, please vote NO for Prop 8.)

Tell your friends, family, loved ones, enemies, strangers, neighbors -- just everyone -- to go to the polls, rain or shine, and vote. It's too important not too. Over the past eight hellish years, we've lost too many rights, invaded a country for oil, allowed big oil and fat cat corporations to run wild and done very little to stem the tide of global warming (boy, do I sound like a lunatic liberal or what?!).

Vote for real change! Send McSame and his evil sidekick from Alaska home in shame.

Song of Extinction

2008-10-15T23:25:00.001-07:00

Insomnia has brought me here at this late hour. But, since I've been neglecting the Eco-Urbanite, perhaps that is a good thing.

What has been keeping me busy is a play that I am producing. It's called "Song of Extinction" and it opens in Los Angeles on November 7. I have a background in theatre, but haven't been this involved in several years...very time consuming endeavor which is a challenge with a little one running around. Yet...

Yet, this play is being produced by the theatre company I've been proud to have called my theatrical home for these past 8 years and it was written by a friend and playwright I respect and admire. Moving Arts is the theatre company and EM Lewis the writer.

The reason I mention all this, besides explaining why I'm not writing about how to green your shoes, or whatnot, is that the play itself, actually has a rather "green" message.

"Song of Extinction" tells the tale of the musically gifted Max Forrestal, who is going to fail Biology if he doesn't complete a 20-page paper on extinction by Tuesday. But his mother is dying of cancer, and school is the last thing on his mind.

His father, Ellery, a biologist obsessed with saving a rare, threatened Bolivian insect, is incapable of dealing with his wife’s impending death, or his son's distress. You see, 12 years ago, Ellery discovered a unique subspecies of a rather unattractive yet fascinating insect that only exists in a particular region of Bolivia. When he learns that a land developer wants to clear-cut the rainforest in this region, Ellery fights to preserve it.

Max's biology teacher, Khim, tries to figure out why Max is failing his class. Helping Max, however, pushes Khim into a magical journey of his own – from the Cambodian fields of his youth into the undiscovered country beyond.

“Song of Extinction” is a play about the science of life and loss, the relationships between fathers and sons, Cambodian fields, Bolivian rainforests and redemption.

Because of the ecological issues brought up in the play, we are attempting to make the production as eco-friendly as we can. It's a choice that is impacting everything from low VOC coating on the postcards, to FSC certified paper for the show programs, to recycling, to choosing locally produced, sustainable wine & beer for concessions, to the recycling and proper disposal of scenic elements. We're borrowing as much as we can so that we don't have to buy new. We're even working with a "green" consultant. It's more work but, I think, the rewarding kind.

Well, I'm off to try to get some rest. A post with an update on the garden, including photos of my little, or not so little, plants, will be forthcoming...once the play opens.

BPA: Your Days are Numbered

2008-09-17T07:45:00.000-07:00

This is the headline from the front page of the LA Times that greeted me this morning:

"New alarm bells for chemical in plastics"

Well, it's about time, is all I have to say. We've been ringing the alarm bells for the past year or more, so I'm glad that the mainstream press and congress are starting to pay attention. The study published in the Journal of the American Medical Assn. should help the cause.

I hope the plastics industry is shaking in its boots, but the cynic in me thinks their lobbyists are going to weaken any proposed new legislation on the matter. As is always the case.

What's most disturbing is that they've really known about this for a long time, but since the FDA is in the industry's pocket, it takes public pressure, and a British study to make it a "real" issue.

The Summer of the Garden

2008-09-07T08:29:00.000-07:00

This is the story of the community garden that we built.

Here's how it all started. Last year, I longed for a closer connection to the food that made it to my table. Around that time, some good friends of mine who share that desire happened to buy a townhouse in our complex.

Our small complex was built on what used to be a grove of trees -- it was part of the old MGM backlot, back when most of Culver City was part of the MGM backlot and during the time when The Little Rascals and Gone with the Wind were filmed -- and the trees were used for filming.

Only 13 townhomes were built on our lot, a small pool, and behind it a triangular shaped plot of land that was never developed. Over the years, the Eucalyptus trees and weeds were cut down. When that happened, we began to dream of what we could make of the now empty lot. The idea that attracted most of the owners was to build a community garden.

My friend Pat, who had gardened at the famed Santa Monica community garden, engineered the whole project, laying out where the beds would go (we decided to build beds after doing a test sample of the soil). While only about 1/2 of the owners were interested in actually gardening the area, almost every single homeowner pitched in to help.

Pat did some research, and decided that we could run our own irrigation pipes. Over the course of a weekend in May and with some help from a few others, including someone's Dad, trenches were dug, pips laid and hose bibs installed.

After the pipes were in, we estimated, a bit foolishly, that we'd be done within a month. Oh, how wrong we were.

After much debate, we decided to go with redwood for the garden beds. Though more expensive, it lasts longer and is naturally insect resistent (so it is not treated with chemicals that can leach into the soil - and thus the vegetables). Pat figured out how many board feet we needed and ordered the wood. It took about four weekends to build thirteen 12" beds. While I've done my fair share of drilling screws into walls and building IKEA furniture (who hasn't put together at least one IKEA bookshelf in their life?), this was certainly more ambitious. With some help, I became proficient in the radial saw and now take proud ownership of the bed I built completely by myself.

After all the beds were done, I ordered the soil -- all 24 cubic yards. In case you were wondering, 24 cubic yards of soil takes two very large dump trucks to deliver and is a seriously huge amount of dirt. The soil was a mixture that included nitrogen-rich compost and some sand (for drainage). Because the lot is tucked away behind the pool, we had the trucks dump the dirt in the driveway and planned to haul it back one wheelbarrow at a time. Hundreds of wheelbarrow trips, three weekends and many blisters later, we had the beds filled and were ready to plant.

Well, almost. A Garden Agreement was created for all to sign, laying out some garden rules -- things like not neglecting your bed, and helping to maintain the space. And, then we pulled numbers from a hat, so that every homeowner was assigned one plot. Those who didn't want to garden, put their plots into a pool, from which avid gardeners were allowed to pick again so that they could garden more than one plot.

Lastly, my industrious friend Pat decided to wire our beds with drip hoses on a timer. After he rigged my bed, I planted a few seeds, lettuce, carrots, squash and pumpkin, that I figured would do okay without starting seedlings. The others, tomatoes, herbs and broccoli, I am seeding in a flat indoors. It's only been about 10 days, but the seeds I planted in the beds have already sprouted.

It was a lot of work. It took the whole summer. But, our meals will be ever sweeter knowing how this delicious food made it to the table.

Latest Solar News

2008-08-21T04:19:00.000-07:00

Wanted to pass on some interesting solar tidbits I've gotten lately:

Interested in finding out what your solar potential is? Roof Ray has a very cool website that will locate your house via satellite and calculate your roof's solar potential, factoring in the angle of the sun, the longitude & latitude, etc. It then applies that to a cost analysis which will give you an estimate on how long it will take to repay your solar system. I discovered it would take me approximately 25 years of net metering to start seeing any returns. And, if I knew I was going to live in my house for the next 30 years, that would be pretty much okay. Since I'm not, it reinforces how much prices need to drop on these babies before more people invest in them.

If you think that day may never come, take heart, Clean Tech reported that "Sweden's Ikea may need to super-size its shopping carts. The furniture retailer unveiled an investment group today to put €50 million into cleantech startups over the next five years, with the eventual goal of seeing solar panels and other clean technologies on sale in its stores or used by Ikea suppliers." It makes perfect sense, really. Though, it does leave me wondering...given how labor intensive it is to build an Ikea bookshelf (we've all done it), I wonder how many bags of tiny screws come with the solar panels.

Lastly, Renewable Energy World.com reports that "MIT researchers believe they have overcome a major barrier to large-scale solar power: storing energy for use when the sun doesn't shine." According to the article, their discovery is based on photosynthesis and is inexpensive and easy to set up. Of course, this discovery would make solar panels a much more efficient option for energy - I wonder if you'd even still need to be tied to the grid.

I love this quote from the article "Sunlight has the greatest potential of any power source to solve the world's energy problems, said Nocera. In one hour, enough sunlight strikes the Earth to provide the entire planet's energy needs for one year." I hope these innovators can truly harness this energy, and quick, because governments and companies are salivating over which pristine natural wonder to destroy next to satisfy the world's unquenchable thirst for oil.

The Plastic Bag Conundrum

2008-07-27T13:52:00.000-07:00

Plastic Bag Conundrum

I've got my cloth bags
I use 'em, how I use 'em.
Plastic bags be gone.

Poopy diapers, eh?
Don't forget kitty's litter.
Let's go to the store.

Yes, as my somewhat lame attempt at poetry illustrates, I've been using grocery bags for small trash can liners and poopy cat litter receptacles for years.

However, since plastic bags stick around for a long time and since those that don't make it to a landfill can end up in the ocean, breaking down into small, toxic pieces where they are mistaken by marine life as food and/or add to the great ocean garbage heaps, I'm trying to kick my plastic bag habit. And, while I'm pleased to report that I've managed to do pretty well, it has created somewhat of a dilemma.

First, how to cut down your plastic bag usage:

1. Start a collection of cloth bags, the more the merrier. Keep a couple in your car -- helps when you're forgetful, which I often am.

2. Ladies, put that fashionable big purse to use when shopping for one or two small items at the drug store or the mall. You'd be surprised what I can fit in my purse (well, when it's not full of my toddler's periphenalia anyway). It's kind of like my own little magic act. The day I can pull and elephant out of there is the day I get my own TV special. Watch out David Blaine!

3. When you are out shopping, stay alert. If you zone out for even a moment, some "helpful" sales clerk will have put your items into a plastic bag, mostly likely two. They're squirrelly these clerks. They train for hours and can bag your items so fast you barely have time to say "no, thanks." I've actually made a few clerks take my items out of the plastic bag and put them into the cloth bag I actually remembered to bring. The most surprising and fanatic of these helpful folks can be found at your local farmer's market. They have plastic bags aplenty and aren't afraid to use 'em.

And, while grocery stores capitalize on selling you reusable cloth bags with their logos on them, drug stores, toy stores, home stores, etc. have yet to jump on board. These other stores act like their bags don't contribute to the problem.

4. If you'd like to cut down further on your use of plastic bags at the grocery store or Farmer's Market, pick up some of EcoSac's GardenSac. It's a small, cloth mesh bag that works great for produce. I found mine at Whole Foods.

What do I do with my produce when I get home, you ask? Well, some items like avocados and tomatoes do better when left out - I put mine into a bowl on the counter - and others, like cherries, etc. can go into a plastic container and then into the fridge. A plastic container does just as well as a plastic bag, but it's infinitely more washable and reusable. And, since you're putting a room temperature item into the container and then into the fridge, there shouldn't be any BPA leakage to worry about. My grandmother had a set of Tupperware that she used for everything from celery to lettuce.

5. Lastly, if you forget your cloth bag and, like me, are loathe to use a plastic bag, do what people did for thousands of years before they had plastic bags, carry your items using your hands. Old fashioned, I know. Of, course, this only works if you are buying a few items...

**********

So, now that you no longer have grocery store bags to use as small trash can liners and dog poop bags, what do you use? Well, I've got two solutions (I'm sure there are more out there):

Dirtworks - biodegradable plastic bags. Depending on which bags you buy, and the conditions of their disposal, Dirtworks plastic bags biodegrade completely within 6-36 months. And, they have doggy bags! I'm using their trash bags right now and they work just as good as any other. I highly recommend this product! I ordered them direct from their website and they came within a week.

Perf's Go Green - I read about these bags in Parenting magazine, of all places. According to a cursory online search, they are or will be selling these bags in major chains like Walgreens, CVS, Wal-Mart, etc. I found them at Drugstore.com, and the description of the product says they biodegrade fully within 1-2 years.

As for all of the other little plastic bags: sandwich bags (I picked up a sandwich-size plastic container at Target that works great), freezer bags (I reuse mine a few times - just wash and dry), the bag your paper comes in, the bag your loaf of bread is packaged in, etc. -- I've been more diligent with cleaning those bags out and recycling them at the grocery store. I have no idea if they are, in fact as recyclable as grocery store bags, but it's usually my motto to try anyway. Also, those small bags, like the bread bag, come in handy for those times when I'm out of the house and changing a diaper. Even if you don't have a pooping machine like I do, I bet you could still find another use for them.

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

The wife of a friend from college wrote her Master's thesis on "Viable and Preferred Alternatives to Plastic Bag Usage in Colorado." Her blog is worth checking out...

For some fascinating facts (this is a industry website, so I'd take these facts with a grain of salt) on plastics and garbage, including "In a lifetime, the average American will throw away 600 times his or her weight in garbage. This means that each adult will leave a legacy of 90,000 lbs. of trash for his/ her children." visit Mountain Valley Recycling.

EV Update

2008-06-17T15:14:00.000-07:00

I'm still chanting my mantra "I want my, I want my, I want my EV," in the hopes that the car gods will hear and start producing them for consumers like myself. Well, it appears they were listening. Okay, yes, I know that it isn't my charm that's won them over. Maybe it was the over-the-top cost of gasoline, their competitors and and the millions of angry consumers that finally clued the car companies into realizing that there's money to be made in them thar electric cars.

Whatever it is, all I have to say is, umm...yay! Who cares that this could have, should have been done thirty years ago. Water under the bridge. Just let us have an option that is better than $5 per/gallon bio diesel that was harvested by cutting down tropical rain forest by slave labor.

Read this hopeful article by John Addison of Green Options on two of the latest EV offerings on the horizon, to be manufactured by Nissan and Mitsubishi and available in 2010. I'm partial to Mitsubishi's i MiEV (Why all the lower case "i"s?? Maybe because it looks like a car Apple would design to match your ipod.).

Also on the horizon is the Think City by Norwegian automaker Think Global, to be sold by the end of 2009. I read about it in the LA Times. It looks cute and sporty, if a little small.

Now that the car companies are finally getting a clue (Sorry, guys, we're not going to see $1.99 gasoline anytime soon. So sad, too bad, Mr. Hummer.), I'm sure there'll be more announcements like these to come. I can't wait.

A Czar for the 21st Century

2008-05-30T11:45:00.000-07:00

Look, whoever takes The Whitehouse in November (and if it's John McCain, I'm going to move to Canada or France), I'd like to make a request:

We need a new Czar.

Remember when congress appointed a Drug Czar in the 80s? We need a We're-F***ing-Up-The-Planet Czar and pronto! Joining the Kyoto Protocol is just not going to cut it. We need someone who can inspire Congress to make some bold, new and most likely unpopular laws; work with other nations to ensure that our last remaining tropical rain forests aren't cut down for biodiesel crops, reign in corporations that pollute and encourage new, green technology; regulate the solar panel market, and start a public service campaign to spread the word that we all need to do our part to consume less. (Ha! What a concept! Right now our government is sending out checks to every man, woman and child asking them, nay begging them, to save the economy by consuming more. More, more, more!)

The best thing we can do for the planet is to cut back on spending on all fronts. Yes, maybe some companies would make less. But, then we'd all be spending less so we could maybe all live on a little less money. This line of thinking has been accepted and adopted by the American public before, quite successfully I might add. If people weren't frugal before the Depression, they certainly learned how to be during it. During WWII, the government required people to cut back. Everyone was asked to do their part. And, they did. Willingly (or so it seems to me, not having lived during that era). It was the Patriotic thing to do. Quite the opposite from today's line of thinking.

I look around my house at all of the stuff (read: junk), at all of the plastic and I just think, wow, how can we cut back? Here are a few ways, just off the top of my head:

1. Eat in more. The voluminous amount of waste that is generated from eating out is shameful. I don't know why those thoughtful people who got McDonald's to switch to cardboard Big Mac boxes stopped in their quest. If San Francisco can outlaw plastic grocery bags, then Congress should make it illegal for restaurants to package food & beverages in styrofoam and plastic containers. Chinese restaurants and pizza parlors have been getting along fine with cardboard for decades.

One of my biggest pet peeves about ordering take out is the utensils. Who is eating Thai food in their car? How many people get take out and go on a picnic at 8:00 in the evening? Nobody! Restaurants, take note. You'll save money and the planet by stopping this practice. We civilized folk have silverware at home. And, if we don't, well, we're not civilized and we can eat with our hands. I try to remember to tell the person taking my order not to include utensils, but most of the time I forget.

Plus, by eating in, you'll actually eat the food in your fridge. I am ashamed to admit how much food gets thrown out in my house (a lot gets composted now that I have a composter, but still). Brown bagging your lunch will save you money and you'll be able to use your own, reusable containers.

2. Eat less. All the talk shows and magazines love to talk about the percentage of people who are obese in this country.

Our happy, successful country has been on an eating binge since the 1950s. Two big factors play into this: 1. The average person's prosperity increased after the war while their activity levels decreased. My 92-year-old Grandfather loves to regale us with stories of what used to constitute his breakfast growing up: pancakes, eggs and bacon every day. But, he lived on a farm, and farming is hard, physical work. According to the USDA, "Early 20th century agriculture was labor intensive, and it took place on a large number of small, diversified farms in rural areas where more than half of the U.S. population lived."; and 2. Instead of eating food made at home, a lot of people, especially low-income people, eat fast food because it's cheap and easy. Poor education about nutrition only compounded this problem, though it is getting better.

If we ate less, we'd be healthier (heart disease, cancer, diabetes and other diseases are more prevalent among obese people), we'd consume less natural resources, create less waste and we'd spend less money. I don't think we need to go crazy like Oprah, and go on a Vegan diet. She has a personal chef to cook her delicious Vegan meals. The ordinary, average person doesn't have this luxury and by simply eating less hamburger, will be helping the environment.

3. Think before you buy. I'm not a compulsive, casual shopper by nature. Usually, I go to the store with something in mind. But I have been known to resort to retail therapy on occasion. The hardest thing for me is stopping myself when it comes to buying stuff for my daughter. Everything is so cute and usually inexpensive. Yet, I'm contributing to the problem by buying cheap plastics and cheap, non-organic clothing probably made in sweat shops.

Before you make you way to the cash register with your shiny new object, ask yourself, and really be honest, do I need this item? I bet at least 1/2 the time, the answer could be no.

4. Buy used/vintage. This is the best form of recycling, I think. I read recently that the greenest car is a used car. "As Matt Power notes in this month's issue of Wired, hybrids get great gas mileage but it takes 113 million BTUs of energy to make a Toyota Prius."

5. Recycle as much as you can. Yes, it's a pain. Yes, it takes time. But, you can and should do it.

This includes things like clothing and your other junk. Don't just throw your stuff away! Some thrifty person might love your old purse or might be able to find a new use for your old TV. If you're not sure if you should recycle something at an electronic waste center or give it to someone, put it on Craig's List or Freecycle. You'd be surprised how great it feels to give, not sell, something to a complete stranger. Just because you don't value your green lava lamp anymore doesn't mean someone else won't treasure it.

Solar Options

2008-05-14T03:32:00.000-07:00

If you are interested in solar options, you may want to check out this article from Renewable Energy World.com on financing options:

Residential Solar Embraces Leasing, Power Purchase Agreements

"The use of power purchase agreements (PPAs) and similar leasing instruments to finance residential solar power installations is poised for a boom this year..."

Since the solar market is pretty much unregulated, my concern lies with how much the solar distributors are charging. I'm no economist, but it seems to me that increased demand should eventually lead to more companies getting into the market and the resulting competition should drive down costs. Instead, it appears as though the companies making the solar panels are contracting with regional distributors, who are not in competition with each other, and can therefore keep the price high.

If we want to get serious about renewable energy, forget tax credits, forget leasing options. Let's regulate this puppy. A solar market that is not held back by price-fixing and monopolies will allow ordinary homeowners, not just rich folks and celebrities, to install them on their homes.

And, in our DIY society, shouldn't we be able to go to Home Depot or Lowes and purchase solar panels, etc., and hook it up ourselves? Actually, I just looked it up, Home Depot does sell solar panels, contracted through BP Solar - who install it for you. And, to help you shell out the $30,000 (I'm guesstimating) to pay for the panels, Home Depot has convenient financing options available.

A Van Helsing Power Strip

2008-05-03T11:45:00.000-07:00

A worthwhile solution to trying to remember to turn everything electronic off at night... Check out this awesome device, written about in David Pogue's New York Times technology newsletter (brief excerpts reprinted below):

"'Vampire power' has been bugging me ever since I first heard of it.

It's the juice consumed by electronic gadgets even when they're turned off (also called phantom loads, standby power or leaking electricity). They just sit there, plugged in, sucking electricity, at a cost to you and to the environment. According to the Energy Department, 25 percent of the power used by home electronics is consumed while they are turned off.

Nonetheless, vampire power has gone off the rails. Cumulatively, these gadgets cost us, our country and our environment way too much for what they give us.

The eco-magazines cheerfully suggest that we go around our houses unplugging everything every night. That, obviously, is not a suggestion that the masses will be adopting anytime soon.

But come on. If they can put a man on the moon, surely they can come up with an *automatic* solution to phantom power.

APC has taken a healthy step in the right direction with its Power-Saving SurgeArrest surge protector power strip. You plug your computer into the master outlet, and you plug your external gadgets (speakers, printer, external hard drive, scanner, monitor) into the three outlets labeled 'Controlled by Master.'

You can probably see where this is going: when your computer turns off, the strip cuts power to those secondary outlets as well."

5:00 AM Musings on Being a Bad Eco-Urbanite

2008-04-25T05:06:00.000-07:00

I've been a bad eco-urbanite. Or, uh...what are they calling us now? Oh, yeah, Scuppies. I've been a bad Scuppie.

First, let me say how loath I am to be labeled in such a manner (though, it appears that the guy who coined the phrase is one himself, and proud of it). And, secondly, if you are one of those people out there who is proud of being called a Scuppie, a Socially Conscious, Upwardly-mobile Person, then be prepared to be ridiculed. If I do fit into that category, though I think the label Socially Conscious, Upwardly-mobile Asshole fits better (although does not make a better acronym), I find even myself annoying. Let's get off our high-horses and get down to the brass tacks of helping everyone be socially conscious, not just the upwardly-mobile know-it-alls.

Moving on, I did nothing, nothing, to celebrate Earth Day. I suck. I know it. What can I say? It happened to coincide with a mini-vacation I took from my life. The only eco-conscious thing I did that day was to go for a run. Does that count? Yeah, I didn't think so.

The other, perhaps more significant way I've been bad, is ignoring all of the newsletters, emails, magazines, etc. that I get from all of the worthy organizations out there helping me learn how to live greener. And, as a result then, ignoring this blog.

What can I say? April has flown by -- what with taxes (including being audited), family birthdays and other shtuff, there has been no time to devote to the environment. However, I have had a few moments of clarity this month, and have come to the conclusion that to continue this blog, it will have to become more of a monthly endeavor, rather than a weekly or bi-weekly one. This is a result of two things: a change in focus -- time for me to grow up and figure out what I'm going to do with the rest of my life, career-wise that is, and the simple fact that the movement has exploded and become so mainstream that you don't have to be a Sierra Club member or donate to NRDC to be aware of what's going on around the globe. I think the changing weather and jump in gas and food prices have sufficiently brought the looming crisis home to many people and much of the media.

I still have a viewpoint and info to share though, so I'm not quitting altogether.

Speaking of sharing: let's talk more on the subject of personal care products. I continue to read alarming articles on the bevy of cancer-causing ingredients in our personal care products, even those labeled organic. I have found that probably the safest products, those that you purchase directly from a health food store and/or order online, stuff that has the odor and texture of food, is the least effective. Unfortunately for me, and perhaps for many, this may be one area of sacrifice we are unwilling to make.

In my quest to go organic, I have tried some funky stuff. Mostly on my hair. As a result, I think of 2007 as a bad hair year. Yet, I have finally, perhaps, found a compromise. Shampoo, for instance -- I'm currently using a very yummy smelling product made by MiEssence Organics that does an pretty good job. And, as for everything else that goes in my hair, it is traditional, probably toxic, and effective.

Other personal care products that can be organic and effective: body lotion (especially if you have normal skin), soap and deodorant. There are some organic make-up options out there, but...well, ladies, you know. Once you find something that works, it's hard to stop using it, toxins or no.

If you'd like to read the most recent news (and by most recent, I mean March 2008) on toxins in personal care products, read this and that.

Personally, I feel that it may be going too far to ask consumers to risk bad hair or bad skin by switching to organic, non-toxic products, especially since the truly organic stuff can only be found online or at local health food stores. We have lives. We work. We need to look well-groomed for these endeavors. I think, instead, what we should be doing, is contacting the companies that make the products we love, and have come to depend on to make us look civilized, to get with the program and start replacing the toxic ingredients with healthier alternatives. These larger companies have the R&D to make sure the stuff you are putting on your hair and skin will do what it says (for the most part). Now, they just need to do the R&D to make sure the stuff you are using doesn't kill you or the planet.

Corn, the Bane of Our Modern Existence

2008-04-01T13:23:00.000-07:00

For all of you fans of Michael Pollan's "The Omnivore's Dilemma": today's LA Times article Weaker Corn Crop Forecast Plants Fears may give us hope that corn may not always reign supreme. A brief quote from the article:

"Corn prices jumped on news that farmers would be planting fewer acres. Farmers intend to plant 86 million acres this year, 7.6 million acres less than 2007. Food producers are worried about the decline because corn is a building block for a wide range of foods.

It is feed for dairy cows and egg-laying hens. It fattens cattle, hogs and chickens. Corn syrup is the third-largest ingredient in Heinz ketchup and is the sweetener that goes into soda pop and hundreds of other food items.

Federal officials said corn plantings have fallen as prices have soared for wheat and soy.

The acreage also has dipped because of the high cost of the petroleum-based fertilizers and agricultural chemicals that are used to grow corn as well as the standard practice of rotating crops to sustain farmland."

Of course, the problem in the short term is that this is yet another component causing food prices to rise. And, until we figure out how to balance food production with the potential for biodiesel (though I am not a proponent of corn-based ethanol, even using switch grass or palm oil or hemp or whatever is going to take farmland that would have been used to grow food for consumption), this problem is going to grow. Will the high cost of food and fuel lead to inflation? Can our economy handle it? Am I asking too many alarming questions? I wish I could say that the answers would be revealed tonight at 7:00, but I'm fresh out.

Doing the Dishes by Candlelight

2008-04-01T12:37:00.000-07:00

I participated in Earth Hour on Saturday night. This just proves how old I am that I was home, alone on a Saturday night. But, anyway...

According to the World Wildlife Fund, who organized the global event, Earth Hour was a symbolic way for us to join together in recognition that our modern way of life is causing global warming. You can read more about it on ABC News.

It was an interesting experiment to turn off all lights and power strips and sit quietly in the dark, no TV, no music playing. I only did it for an hour, so it really wasn't that difficult to do. And, yes, I did the dishes by candlelight.

Since it was just for an hour, it was truly just a symbolic act, but maybe in the future we'll celebrate earth day by doing the same (and no driving or flying either). Of course, the economic impact of having businesses across the world shut down for a day might give one pause, but I think we could do it.

Quick Fuel Tid Bits

2008-03-28T15:20:00.001-07:00

Just sharing some quick tid bits I just received from the Organic Consumers Association (if you get their newsletter and are thus getting this twice, my apologies...), edited by yours truly:

QUICK FACTS OF THE WEEK:

Fuel prices have nearly doubled the expenses of commuters over the last year. Recent polls show a strong majority of U.S. citizens are in favor of allocating a larger portion of the federal budget for mass transportation.

In contrast, the amount of federal money earmarked for mass transit projects (example: rail and bus) has been reduced by nearly 70% since the Bush Administration took over in 2001.

Since 2001, the top five oil companies have increased their annual profits by an average of 500%.

Source: http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_11013.cfm

__________________________________

SUSTAINABILITY TIPS OF THE WEEK:
ON THE EVE OF PEAK OIL- HOW TO CUT FUEL COSTS

Obviously driving less, using mass transit, biking, walking or purchasing a fuel efficient vehicle are the best ways to cut your fuel consumption. But for those times where driving a car is a necessity, here are some tips:

Don't be a jerky driver: Jumpy starts and fast getaways can burn over 50 percent more gasoline than normal acceleration. Use cruise control once accelerated.

Drive slower: According to the U.S. Department of Energy, most automobiles get about 20 percent more miles per gallon on the highway at 55 miles per hour than they do at 70 miles per hour.

A well maintained car (oil change, fuel filters, tire pressure, alignment) gets an average of 10 percent better fuel efficiency.

Turn off your engine if you stop for more than one minute. This does not apply if you are in traffic. Restarting the automobile will use less gasoline than idling for more than one minute.

Decrease the number of short trips you make. Short trips drastically reduce gas mileage. If an automobile gets 20 miles per gallon in general, it may get only 4 miles per gallon on a short trip of 5 miles or less.

Regarding that last tip, if you walk or bike to those shorter destinations, just think how much healthier you'll be! It's true, sometimes it takes longer and we think we don't have the time, but the fresh air and not having to deal with bozos in traffic will leave you calmer by the time you get back, plus you'll discover new things about your neighborhood, things you can't see while speeding by in your car.

BioFuel is Out - at Least for Now...

2008-03-25T19:47:00.000-07:00

The idea of buying a car that runs on biofuel is out for me, at least for the foreseeable future.

Last week, I received the following from Avaaz.org:

"Each day, 820 million people in the developing world do not have enough food to eat. Food prices around the world are shooting up, sparking food riots from Mexico to Morocco. How are the wealthiest countries responding? They're burning food.

Specifically, they're using more and more biofuels--alcohol made from plant products, used in place of petrol to fuel cars. Biofuels are billed as a way to slow down climate change. But in reality, because so much land is being cleared to grow them, most biofuels today are causing more global warming emissions than they prevent, even as they push the price of corn, wheat, and other foods out of reach for millions of people.

Not all biofuels are bad--but without tough global standards, the biofuels boom will further undermine food security and worsen global warming."

And, then today, there was a big article in the Los Angeles Times about the UN's World Food Program which has launched an "extraordinary emergency appeal" due to a "funding gap of more than $500 million." The cost of the World Food Program's "food purchases has risen 55% since June 2007 and an additional 20% since Feb. 25. Food commodities are becoming more expensive because of rising demand in developing countries, natural disasters and climate change, and the shift of millions of tons of grains to the production of biofuels."

So, until I know that people are not going hungry because biofuels are driving up the cost of food, and that the biofuel industry is not adding to the global warming problem by cutting down tropical rainforest, I will keep looking for a better alternative. Where's my EV?!?

Easy Recycling Through USPS

2008-03-24T14:16:00.000-07:00

This has been all over the news, so I'm going to assume you've heard about the U.S. Postal Service's new recycling program. Here's a brief excerpt from their website:

"The 'Mail Back' program helps consumers make more environmentally friendly choices, making it easier for customers to discard used or obsolete small electronics in an environmentally responsible way. Customers use free envelopes found in 1,500 Post Offices to mail back inkjet cartridges, PDAs, Blackberries, digital cameras, iPods and MP3 players – without having to pay for postage."

I guess I'm feeling a bit cynical today, because my response to this is "humpf." Yesss, this is a great program -- any program that makes it easier for consumers to recycle is great.

So, why the cynicism? Well, maybe it has something to do with all of the precious metals that can be found in these electronic devices, and since the USPS is always crying poor, I'm guessing this offer to recycle our stuff has nothing to do with altruism and is purely about cold hard cash. "[Cell phones] are the most valuable form of e-waste. Each one contains about a dollar’s worth of precious metals, mostly gold." -- New York Times

I posted in January about a NY Times article on how many cell phones are generated and tossed each year and how damaging that is, along with a helpful site called Wireless...The New Recyclable that helps you figure out what to do with your old cell phone, assuming you haven't already chucked it.

It's kind of a no-brainer that we should be recycling our old cell phones and other small electronics. Besides the fact that by doing so we're not adding to the trash heap, recycling reduces the amount of toxic chemicals, like lead and mercury, that find their way into the atmosphere and ground water.

Here are a few more options I dug up:

a. You can sell your old cell phone. I found a number of websites, such as: Cellforcash.com and Second Rotation (you can sell small electronics here).

b. You can donate your old electronics. At Recycling for Charities, a nonprofit organization, old ipods, pdas, cell phones, etc. are recycled and the money is donated to the charity of your choice. This is a tax-deductible charitable donation.

c. Another great option is Collective Good, which re-uses and recycles mobile phones, pdas, etc. "Our low-cost, refurbished mobile phones are usually used to provide affordable wireless service throughout the Caribbean, Latin America, Eastern Europe and India." If the item cannot be reused, it is recycled and properly disposed of. This is a tax-deductible charitable donation.

d. And, at Earth 911, you can type in the item you want to recycle and your zip code and it will find you a recycling or re-use location.

The absolutely easiest way to make sure all this stuff is recycled is through all of the big box and electronic stores. (According to PC World, "Each of the five nationwide carriers offers a recycling program of some sort.") If, when you purchased your brand spanking new iphone, you were encouraged to recycle your old cell phone/pda/camera right then and there (maybe for a discount?!?), more people would be doing it. Easy, peasy.

Green Power Blast

2008-03-08T14:13:00.001-08:00

I've been getting a lot of announcements about alternative energy options on the horizon, so thought I would share:

There's a very comprehensive article from Fine Home Building called The New Age of Photo that gives insight into which areas of the country are good for solar-powered electricity, which states offer the best incentives, info on what's new in photovoltaic panels, as well as a great overview of how they work. If you are looking to rent or purchase solar panels for your house, this is a great place to for more in-depth info.

The New York Times ran an article on solar thermal plants which is pretty fascinating. It gives one hope that renewable energy "from the grid" is going to become more prevalent, even in states without non-stop sunlight.

There are a couple of interesting alternatives to solar and wind power. One is "recycled energy." I had never heard of this before I read an article on it in E Magazine (a portion reprinted below):

A recycled energy plant is a "combined heat and power (CHP) electricity plant that recycles its exhaust. CHP technology is also referred to as cogeneration or distributed generation and, increasingly, as “recycled energy.” The principle is the same—convert unused energy waste streams from a given source, often fossil fuel, into electricity or useful thermal energy. Furthermore, do it locally to eliminate the energy loss from costly transmission. The result is little or no increase in fossil fuel consumption and significant cuts in carbon emissions. A recent Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) study examined 16 major industries and found enough waste energy to support 96 gigawatts of new clean power capacity and generate 19 percent of the country’s electricity. Tapping available waste energy could replace 190 coal plants, power 48 million homes and slash U.S. greenhouse emissions by 17 percent. "

This may not be as sexy as solar or wind, but anything that can reduce the number of dirty coal plants is a good thing. (Which, by the way, I just heard on NPR that China's carbon emissions have surpassed the U.S. as of last year, and a big part of that problem is the ridiculous number of coal plants opening every week there.)

Further out on the horizon is wave power. I saw a thing on TV about this last year -- they were installing turbines in London's Thames river. The potential is great but apparently, they've been running into problems. According to this article on C/Net News, the strength of the currents in New York's East River wreaked havoc on the turbines, "shearing the tips of the rotor blades and bending some of the bolts that hold on the blades," and the buoys described below took on water and sank during a demonstration.

Another way companies are harnessing wave power is through the use of buoys (see pic here). "Finavera makes a device called the Aquabuoy, a buoy connected to a long underwater piston. As the buoy bobs up and down on the waves, it pushes the piston, which pressurizes a chamber filled with seawater. The pressure cranks a turbine and electricity is made."

And, lastly, I read about geothermal electric plants making another resurgence.

"Geothermal energy is derived from the heat naturally produced in the Earth's interior. This heat can be used to produce electricity using steam turbines or to directly heat and cool buildings. In the U.S., there are approximately 70 electricity generation plants, most based in California, Nevada, Utah and Hawaii. Geothermal energy is advantageous because of its low emissions, high availability, and lack of fuel costs. It produces no combustion by-products such as nitrogen oxides and very small amounts of carbon dioxide and hydrogen sulfide. Unlike many forms of renewable energy, geothermal energy has a very high capacity factor and is available throughout most of the year." -- Green Power Market Development Group

Geothermal energy has been harnessed since the 1880s, and there was significant growth in these types of power plants in the 1980s as a result of the oil crisis in the decade prior. This dropped off in the '90s due to competition from natural gas. However, now that everyone and their brother is looking for green alternatives, this is yet another option that is cheap to build and maintain.

Not sure where your electricity comes from? Ask your provider. And, write/call/visit/harrass them to go green!

Green Car List 2008

2008-02-29T12:51:00.000-08:00

At breakfast recently, my friends and I discovered that we had all made a vow that our next car purchase would be a hybrid or some new technology that is cleaner, greener and gets better gas mileage.

The Prez may not see the writing on the wall, but I think a great many of us have known for a while now that gas prices are only going to go in one direction: up. Coupled with the ever surmounting evidence that we humans are contributing to global warming, more and more people are choosing greener alternatives when purchasing their automobiles. (Though, we all, too, need to support mass transit and get on our bikes or walk a bit more often to really make a difference.)

Two helpful lists of 2008's top green automobiles have recently been published. The first can be found at Greenercars.org - the official website for the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy's (ACEEE) Green Book, "a unique consumer resource providing Green Scores rating the environmental friendliness of every vehicle on market." ACEEE's list includes the top green cars as well as the meanest cars (for the environment) on the road.

Another helpful list was published in an article entitled Green My Ride in the March/April issue of Sierra, published by The Sierra Club.

My husband and I are still considering buying a car that can take biodiesel (the VW Jetta Sportwagen coming out in Sept) versus a hybrid, though we still haven't made a decision. There have been some negative pieces in the media recently about the damage that growing crops for biodiesel can do if they are not planted in the right part of the world (for instance, if tropical rainforest is cut down to plant corn), plus there is the fact that the particulants exhausted from diesel engines are particularly bad (though VW claims to have built a "clean diesel" engine - not really sure until tests are done how clean the exhaust is). I'll guess we'll continue to wait and see and in the mean time try to reduce the amount of time we spend in our cars.

Scary Beef

2008-02-20T19:42:00.000-08:00

It's the end of a long day and only 1/2 way through a long week, but I had to sit down and just express my complete and utter disgust with the meat and meat-packing industry. In case you have been asleep for the past couple of weeks, I am referring to the undercover slaughterhouse video released by the Humane Society that caused a huge recall in beef. If you are interested in viewing the video (and it's not easy to watch) and signing a petition, go here.

Firstly, it's so completely inhumane and just points to how dehumanizing jobs like these are that these people would even consider treating an animal like that...and that they would go to the apparent lengths they are willing to go to to hide their practices from the USDA inspectors.

Secondly, to those people in the video: WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU?!? Seriously.

Thirdly, I can't remember the last time I had beef, and I'm so thankful that it has been a while. And, I love beef. But, the last couple of batches of ground beef we got from Whole Foods just didn't taste right to me, not sure why. So, since then, I haven't had any and have been getting by with grass-fed, humanely raised Bison (which I really like and highly recommend) for those recipes that call for beef.

I predict this scandal is going to continue and that more painful truths are going to come to light. I don't watch the evening "news" so I don't know how it is being covered in the media other than what I read in the newspaper, but I will say it doesn't seem that there is much of an uproar from the general public over this. I guess people don't care about Mad Cow Disease (and by the way I read that the incubation period of BSE or Mad Cow Disease is 5 years so the claim that he meat is harmless is questionable), not to mention the treatment of the animals.

I am just disgusted.

You Can't Carry a Blog in Your Pocket

2008-02-13T19:47:00.001-08:00

Since you can't carry The Eco-Urbanite or any of the myriad of nifty eco-conscious blogs & websites out there in your pocket, check out Greenopia.

Says Greenopia: "We’re passionate about helping you make daily choices to live a greener life. We provide comprehensive lists of local businesses that offer eco-friendly products and services. Each business is independently researched by Greenopia and given a leaf award rating based on the level of organic and sustainable products or services offered. You can browse [online] our lists of leaf rated businesses for the San Francisco Bay Area and Los Angeles or purchase a paperback guide."

A New York Greenopia guide is scheduled to be released this spring. Until then, check out The Big Green Apple, Your Guide to Eco-Friendly Living in New York City.

Other helpful books to check out (in no particular order):

The Lazy Environmentalist: Your Guide to Easy, Stylish Green Living

The Green Book: The Everyday Guide to Saving the Planet One Simple Step at a Time

Living Green: A Practical Guide to Simple Sustainability (It appears there's no website for this book, so as not to choose a bookstore for you, I didn't provide a link.)

Raising Baby Green: The Earth-Friendly Guide to Pregnancy, Childbirth and Baby Care

Green Zebra - Local Savings for Sustainable Living (a coupon book/directory for the Bay Area

I'm sure there are more out there...

Oh, one last thing -- a note to the people who live in San Francisco/Bay Area: I know you live in a great city and all that, but really, stop hogging all the eco-friendly stuff. I'm sick of hearing about something cool only to find out that it's only for the privileged few who live in the Bay Area. We get it, okay? You looovvve the planet more than anyone else. Stop rubbing it in our faces. (Boy, do I sound bitter or what?)

One more thing -- a note to everyone else: Let's get with it, people!

Green Weddings

2008-02-11T13:42:00.001-08:00

In the spirit of the week, I thought I'd forward on some tips I got from Annie's Green Living Newsletter on how to have a more eco-friendly wedding. Of course, the first answer for that would probably be to elope. Ha! Or, to have a small event. But, if you're committed to a big affair, these tips may help (summarized for your convenience -- full details here):

Invitations -- use "non-chlorine-bleached paper with at least 30 percent post-consumer waste. Reduce the number of sheets per invitation, and provide information for an e-mail RSVP."
Registry -- register at a store in line with your viewpoint or have your guests make donations to your favorite charity.
Rings -- "Go heirloom or vintage." If you want new rings, there are eco-friendly, non-blood diamonds available. (my V-day blog listed a couple of options.)
Flowers -- local, seasonal and fair-trade.
Dress -- choose one with natural fibers (yes, you could even consider a dress made from hemp).
Libations -- choose a local brewery, if possible and/or pick organic wine.
Location - getting married outside uses less energy and resources.
Travel -- hold your wedding in a location that is closest to the majority of your guests (if that's possible).
Favors -- ideas include something locally produced, something consumable or a donation to a favorite charity.

And, I'm going to add a couple more:

10. Choose a restaurant and/or caterer willing to use locally grown food - where possible - that is organic and seasonal. Organic teas and coffees, organic chocolate, an organic cake -- go all out!

11. Off-set your wedding with carbon credits.

12. Instead of renting a stretch limo, rent a hybrid. Most rental car companies have hybrids in their fleets. Just be sure to specify no substitutes.

13. Select dresses for yourself and your bridesmaids that can be worn again. Same for the guys' suits.

14. For your honeymoon, choose a locale that doesn't send you to the ends of the earth and that incorporates your passion for nature (if you have one). Picking a honeymoon site that's special to you and your partner doesn't mean you have to take three flights and a cruise (I can't think of anything more un-eco-friendly than a cruise) to get there. It could be as simple as renting a cozy cabin where you can spend what time you do manage to get outside hiking and enjoying the local scenery (and each other).

15. Lastly: check out Portovert - The Gateway to Greener Weddings -- a very cool site.

Plastics Invade the Ocean

2008-02-05T15:29:00.000-08:00

This is truly digusting and I am sitting here wondering why the hell our government, or for that matter, any of the world's governments haven't done something about it. It never fails to amaze me how we can trash our planet with seeming ease and lack of remorse.

To read the full article, go here.

I've reprinted part of the article:

The World’s Rubbish Dump: A Garbage Tip That Stretches From Hawaii to Japan by Kathy Marks and Daniel Howden for Common Dreams

A “plastic soup” of waste floating in the Pacific Ocean is growing at an alarming rate and now covers an area twice the size of the continental United States, scientists have said. The vast expanse of debris - in effect the world’s largest rubbish dump - is held in place by swirling underwater currents.

This drifting “soup” stretches from about 500 nautical miles off the Californian coast, across the northern Pacific, past Hawaii and almost as far as Japan. Charles Moore, an American oceanographer who discovered the “Great Pacific Garbage Patch” or “trash vortex”, believes that about 100 million tons of flotsam are circulating in the region.

Marcus Eriksen, a research director of the US-based Algalita Marine Research Foundation, which Mr Moore founded, said yesterday: “The original idea that people had was that it was an island of plastic garbage that you could almost walk on. It is not quite like that. It is almost like a plastic soup. It is endless for an area that is maybe twice the size as continental United States.”

Curtis Ebbesmeyer, an oceanographer and leading authority on flotsam, has tracked the build-up of plastics in the seas for more than 15 years and compares the trash vortex to a living entity: “It moves around like a big animal without a leash.” When that animal comes close to land, as it does at the Hawaiian archipelago, the results are dramatic. “The garbage patch barfs, and you get a beach covered with this confetti of plastic,” he added.

The “soup” is actually two linked areas, either side of the islands of Hawaii, known as the Western and Eastern Pacific Garbage Patches. About one-fifth of the junk - which includes everything from footballs and kayaks to Lego blocks and carrier bags - is thrown off ships or oil platforms. The rest comes from land.

Mr Moore, a former sailor, came across the sea of waste by chance in 1997, while taking a short cut home from a Los Angeles to Hawaii yacht race. He had steered his craft into the “North Pacific gyre” - a vortex where the ocean circulates slowly because of little wind and extreme high pressure systems. Usually sailors avoid it.

He was astonished to find himself surrounded by rubbish, day after day, thousands of miles from land. “Every time I came on deck, there was trash floating by,” he said in an interview. “How could we have fouled such a huge area? How could this go on for a week?”

Mr Moore, the heir to a family fortune from the oil industry, subsequently sold his business interests and became an environmental activist. He warned yesterday that unless consumers cut back on their use of disposable plastics, the plastic stew would double in size over the next decade.

Go Wild on Valentine's Day

2008-02-05T09:02:00.000-08:00

Another option for adopting an animal for Valentine's Day: World Wildlife Fund.

As stated on their website:

"Express your love this Valentine's Day with 200+ meaningful ways to help protect wild animals and preserve wild places. Your sweetheart will be tickled pink by your generous donation made in his or her name to help safeguard some of the world's most imperiled species from the global forces that threaten their future."

10 Days and Counting 'til Cupid's Day

2008-02-04T14:02:00.000-08:00

Valentine's Day is around the corner and I have to admit, this is one of my favorite holidays. What's not to love about it? Flowers, chocolate and sex. A fabulous combination!

So, I thought I'd post again about fair trade chocolate and flowers. I find it's nice to celebrate this day of love without contributing to poor working conditions and child slave labor, no?

I was doing some research on fair trade chocolate and found two great resources:

Check out Money & Values, a blog post by Penny Nickel is chock full of great ideas on how to find fair-trade chocolate and flowers. Thanks Penny!

For those of us who live locally in Los Angeles, I found Fair Trade LA, which has a list of fair-trade chocolates and where you can buy them.

Of course, I've extolled many times the virtues of buying local, so if you have a farmer's market near you, pop over and buy your flowers fresh (and seasonal).

This year, you could do something really unique for your sweetheart and adopt a wolf, penguin, snow leopard or polar bear from Defenders of Wildlife.

If bling is your thing, I found a couple of very cool sites:

Brilliant Earth is a conflict-free diamond and precious jewelry store, that also offers recycled gold and platinum.

Renaissance Diamonds specializes in cultured diamonds (who knew?). Their website literature is a bit lacking, however it seems it is a more eco-friendly choice since there is no mining involved and they have partnered with Earth Share. Still not quite sure exactly how they are making the diamonds, but I'm sure if we knew, everyone and their brother would be doing it.

Of course, in this, our consumerist society, true earth lovers should perhaps resist the urge to buy, buy, buy and just spend a quiet evening at home making love by the fire (burning an eco-friendly log, of course).

Factory Farm Map

2008-02-02T14:32:00.000-08:00

I found this pretty fascinating... Food & Water Watch created a map of Factory Farms Pollution in the United States. California's at the top of the list for the number of dairy factory farms... Well, I shore do likes my cheese.

The Story of Stuff

2008-01-26T12:46:00.000-08:00

I just watched Annie Leonard's The Story of Stuff.

I had received the link from a couple of different sources last month but it took me a bit to clear out my email inbox and finally commit to watching the 20-minute piece. I know what you're thinking: "20 Minutes?!?" It's worth it, trust me. Just watch it.

Easy Ways to Green Your Office

2008-01-25T13:50:00.000-08:00

I'll admit, it's been a while since I've worked a 9-to-5 job in an office, but I do remember how wasteful it can be (and, ha, I don't just mean wasteful of your time).

When I started my first job out here in LA, I worked for a public relations company called Clein + White (they're no longer in business but it used to be the company for representing independent films). We had subscriptions to every newspaper and magazine published, practically, and yet the company didn't recycle! That just didn't jive with me, so I found a company that recycled all of our goods (since the city wouldn't). This was back in the '90s, so I hope by now, most companies are already recycling, but if not, get your company on board!

Here are 10 tips to "Green Your Office" I'm passing along to you from Low Impact Living (click on the link for more info):

Make sure you’re recycling paper, bottles, and cans.
Make sure you’re using compact fluorescent or LED lights throughout the office.
Get lighting motion sensors for offices, conference rooms and bathrooms.
Just like mom said, turn off the lights when you leave. And shut down your printers, faxes and computers.
If possible, use laptop computers rather than desktop computers. Energy Star models use up to 90% less energy.
Ditch the bottled water habit.
On the same theme, stock your office’s kitchen with reusable ceramic plates.
Use recycled/recyclable office papers and other office products.
Get a programmable thermostat. (this is a good idea for your home too)
Investigate green power options.

And, My #11: Green your office with some greenery! Read my blog posting here that lists NASA's top 11 plants for healthier office air.

I love my composter, but...

2008-01-18T14:31:00.000-08:00

What I really should say is that I love the idea that I am composting. But, the work thus far has been, shall we say, less than glamorous.

First, there is the tea. They make it sound so easy and wonderful. And, it is wonderful...for your plants. But, it is one heck of a foul smelling thing, this "tea." The tea I speak of is essentially the juices from all of the decomposing fruit and vegetable matter, that in my case collects in the container situated underneath my rotating compost bin. A lot (most?) compost bins that are used in more suburban/farm areas have open bottoms so that the liquid matter drains right into the soil, providing nutrients in that way.

Since I collect my tea, I can, and do, use it as a liquid fertilizer on my plants. By the way, I think they call it tea because it is a brownish liquid resembling a very dark English Breakfast. Though, I think you'd gag, at best, if you drank a cup of this tea.

Beside the fact that the tea comes with quite a nasty smell, the container that I have has a spout that has a tendancy to, ummm, leak. Yay!

Second, there is the issue of the fruit flies. Of course, this may be all my fault. In fact, it is all my fault. I admit that I did not read the composting guide book before I started composting. And, it is clear to me now that this is one of those instances where I should have taken the time to read the instructions.

What happened is this: I didn't put a layer of dead, brown leaves on top of the vegetable and fruit scraps each time I added them to the bin. Doing this left an atmosphere that allowed fruit flies to thrive. I have learned the error of my ways, but I fear it might be too late. I must have hundreds of these little buggers in and around the bin. And, I am afraid no amount of brown leaves is going to mitigate this. Yay!

I was heartened today to see some of the "black gold" that is so prized by gardeners in my composter, even though I've only been composting since Thanksgiving. So, at least I know my composter is working and that soon I'll have compost material that I can use as fertilizer.

Becoming acquainted with this type of gardening makes one appreciate the wonder that is the cycle of life, something that us urbanites rarely experience up close and personal.

Cell Phone Bonanza

2008-01-14T20:24:00.000-08:00

There is an amazing article in The New York Times Sunday Magazine called The Afterlife of Cellphones about the enormous amount of waste we generate by throwing away our old cell phones.

I've included an excerpt here (and a photo), though it's worth reading the whole article:

1. Cellphones in Hell
Richard Barnes for The New York Times

"Americans threw out just shy of three million tons of household electronics in 2006. This so-called e-waste is the fastest-growing part of the municipal waste stream and, depending on your outlook, either an enormous problem or a bonanza. E-waste generally contains substances that, though safely sequestered during each product’s use, can become hazardous if not handled properly when disposed. Those products also hold bits of precious metals like silver, copper, platinum and gold."

In the past, I have recycled my old cell phones, either using them as props in various plays I've been involved with, or donating them (I used to donate mine to Bath & Body Works. I just dropped mine off at a local store, they donated it to a women's shelter and gave me a receipt. I do not know if they still do this, there is nothing on their website about it.)

I found an awesome website called Wireless...the New Recyclable that makes figuring out what to do with your old phones very easy. The website will "help you locate a local donation center, find a charity you want to support, direct you to a mail-back program or direct you to an on-line auction where you can sell your old mobile phone(s)."

Invest Green

2008-01-10T13:57:00.000-08:00

We all know it's coming, especially after last year's what-you-don't-know-about-global-warming-will-kill-you! media blitz. Venture capitalists and any Joe Schmoe with an idea are joining the old school environmentalists with new inventions and new companies all designed to help the planet.

While this is, of course, good news (I mean, innovation got us into this mess, it oughtta be able to get us out), as with the internet boom of the '90s, investing in these ventures will prove to be somewhat risky.

And, yet, while you may make more money investing in Chevron, for now anyway, you'll wake up in the morning feeling so much better after you've invested in a company that's actually trying to do some good. Of course, there are so many unscrupulous people out there, I'm sure there will be many a company that is merely set up to cash in - so invest wisely.

According to my investment broker, eco-friendly mutual funds are called Socially Conscious funds. While he wasn't too keen on their performance, in comparison to others, I still want to look into it. I think it's time to put my money where my mouth is.

I found a cool website: Soyouwanna Be a Socially Responsible Investor? which is chock full of helpful advice, and has a list of Top Five Mutual Funds.

Also, if you go to the Investor Ideas website, they have whole sections on Renewable Energy stocks and Environment stocks.

Winslow Green Solutions Fund places ads in publications like On Earth and Sierra, and from their website, they look interesting.

Or, if you just happen to like a company, a publicly traded one, anyway, you could always just buy some of their stock. That's how my husband and I ended up with our Apple stock. Supporting the companies we feel strongly about helps to keep them solvent and, in the end will hopefully pay out some dividends in return.

I love LA!

2008-01-07T10:16:00.000-08:00

Okay, maybe it's just my runner's high, but man is it gorgeous out today! I love the smell that comes after a good rain: everything smells clean and fresh. The smell of wet pine needles permeated the air this morning as I went for my run. The wind was blowing - that kind where it feels like it's blowing right through you. I love it when the wind blows out the smog and haze. I can actually see the beautiful, newly snow-capped San Gabriel mountains from my house.

What does this have to do with being an eco-urbanite, you ask? Well, I guess I'm just appreciating my city and what nature can do to bring beauty wherever we live.

Happy New Year!

2008-01-04T13:03:00.000-08:00

Glad to have a moment, finally, to write here. Am still playing catch-up after the holidays. Looking back, we had fun and hope you all did too. I would have liked to have been better ecologically, regarding gifts, wrapping, etc. Onward and upward...

Now, to a dilemma I have been struggling with since "Fast Food Nation," the movie, changed the way I eat. At first, I took a hiatus from eating meat. When I returned to being a carnivore again, I vowed to only eat meat that had come from animals who were humanely raised and killed.

This required a bit of research and has made for some expensive meat purchasing (they don't call it Whole Paycheck for nothing).

However, I still haven't solved the issue of eating meat when I am at someone else's house for dinner. It's not easy to ask someone who invites you over to be conscious of their selection of meat for your sake, especially when that means shelling out more dough (and, yes, I have offered to bring my own).

So far, I have gone on a case by case basis, choosing at times to make exceptions to my rule in order to be polite. Other times, I have felt deeply honored that my friends have gone out of their way to accommodate me.

The question plaguing me is this: am I compromising too much? Is it too easy to say, sure, what the heck?

I care about animal welfare. This may seem hypocritical considering my carnivorous appetite. But, I don't believe it has to be. As humans, we have adapted over the years to become meat eaters. However, while in our care, there is no reason why the animals in question should not be treated humanely. And, I believe that smart animal husbandry can be beneficial to the soil. I just cannot be a party to the inhumane practices of the corporate meat industry anymore.

I understand the vegetarian's plight a lot more now than I ever did before. Becoming a vegetarian is not an easy path and yet all of the vegetarians I know take it on with seeming ease and delight.

I have found it's not so easy to straddle the fence, occasionally hopping down for the sake of sparing someone's feelings.

Happy Christmas and all that!

2007-12-22T14:50:00.000-08:00

You know, I thought about, briefly - very briefly, passing along some ideas on how to be more "green" for the holidays.

I have received many well-meaning emails chock full of ideas for things like making gifts, making wrapping paper, using less tape, using pine cones instead of bows to decorate gifts, or how to just not be a consumer at all this Christmas.

But, then I came to my senses and realized, where is the fun in that?

Deep down, I know that virgin forest is being chopped down to wrap and box our gifts. I know that we're burning extra coal electricity to light our Christmas trees and houses. I know that we're using extra gas driving to and fro buying up gifts that were made in China and could possibly be lead-filled death traps. I know.

But, do I care? No. Not right now. I just want to have Christmas the old fashioned way: blissfully free of the worry and stress that caring for a planet in trouble entails. I know this is not a very "green" way to behave. But, I gotta say that I just need a couple of weeks of being a normal, gas-guzzling, electricity-using, normal-wrapping paper-using consumer.

Come January 1, I promise to hop back on the wagon and get with the "save the planet" agenda that is sweeping the nation and parts of the world. But, right now, I'm going to sit back, sip some real egg nog (you know, the spiked kind, made with real, raw eggs), eat my non-organic cookie and my fudge made from chocolate that's been harvested by child labor, listen to some Rat Pack Christmas tunes by the wood fire and watch the lights flicker on my fake Christmas tree.

Happy Holidays everyone!

The Eco-Urbanite Gift Guide

2007-12-09T15:04:00.000-08:00

I know, I know. It's already December 9. I'm horribly behind with everything, but I am slogging ahead to catch up.

So, if you haven't already bought all your gifts and/or are stumped on one or two people, maybe this'll help.

The Eco-Urbanite Digest of Green Giving Lists (in no particular order):

One consistent thread on these lists is that the true way to be green this holiday season is to spend less, consume less and create less waste.

I don't know if making gifts for someone is a way of doing this, since you are buying the materials to make the gift. But, a homemade gift, whether it's chocolate truffles (something I'm making this year) or a scarf you knitted yourself, the giftee will think the gift is that much more special since you spent some of your hard-earned time on it. Or, they might just smile politely and put it in the "what do I do with this?" pile. Who cares? Either way, you'll feel great.

One way to consume less and still spend money is to donate to your favorite charity in honor of your friends/family. Most charities have this option, and many will send a card to your giftee letting them know that you cared enough to make a donation in their name. These aren't as much fun to open as, say, a nice bottle of wine or a new shirt (unless you do an animal adoption - a cute stuffed animal comes with the donation), but, hey, it's the thought that counts right?

Here's a list of some of my favorite charities, in case you needed a few ideas:

Happy Shopping!

Those Crazy Danes & Their Bikes

2007-12-02T19:36:00.000-08:00

Check out this cool video that my Danish friend Ninna forwarded to me.

This would be excellent public policy here in America. Something that would kill two birds in one stone: global warming and obesity.

Will that happen here? Public policy like this does well when created on the local government level. Anyone can get involved with city council (and out here in LA, we also have an even smaller level - neighborhood councils).

The power lies with us...as long as we're willing to give up some of our creature comforts. Yeahh...I didn't think so...

From Farm to My Table

2007-12-02T10:17:00.000-08:00

Before I post on green holiday gift ideas (and yes, I know, it's getting late...I'm a bit behind), I wanted to do a quick update.

How we get our food and what we do with it has changed for us. First, we started receiving our first shares from the Tierra Miguel Farm. Tierra Miguel is part of CSA (Community Supported Agriculture - something I wrote about here). We joined with friends/neighbors of ours so that we could split the food share each week. We both have small families and so far this is working out just great.

We pay quarterly to support the farm, becoming a partner of sorts. Then, each week we pick up our share of the crops grown. Tierra Miguel is located in Pauma Valley, so they have several drop off points across Los Angeles (as well as San Diego, Orange County & Riverside).

We don't choose which vegetables are in our share, which has made us get creative when cooking. It has expanded our palate by stocking our fridge with such interesting greens and vegetables as Tatsoi, Turnips, Chinese Cabbage, Kale, Delicata and Red Kuri squash and watermelon radishes. We also get lots of very fresh lettuces and carrots. The whole thing is helping us eat healthier and more seasonally.

The other big change is my Envirocycle compost bin. I purchased it online from Green Culture a while ago and it surprised me by coming the day before Thanksgiving. I was so excited, I immediately went to work filling it part way with brown, dead leaves from one of our trees and flowers from my rose plant. Then, it was so satisfying to be able to add to it later that day with the apple skins from the apple pie I made. It takes a little getting used to -- I still find myself throwing away fruit and vegetable scraps before I remember, oh, yeah, I should compost that.

For those who don't know (and if you are a true urbanite, it makes sense that you wouldn't), composting creates an awesome fertilizer and this stuff they call "tea" that you can use as a liquid fertilizer on your plants. It takes time to break down, but the compost bin I have helps to speed the process. I don't have a big back yard, but I was able to find a small, rotating compost bin that fits neatly on our patio.

So, even though we live in Los Angeles, and have more concrete surrounding us than green space, with a little effort, I feel like we've brought a little bit of the farm to us, bringing with it a stronger connection to our food.

More on Biofuel

2007-11-21T16:54:00.000-08:00

So, of course, the day after I post about biodiesel I find an article in an old Sierra magazine. The article is: Bio-Hope, Bio-Hype, A User's Guide to Biofuels. I highly recommend anyone who is interested in biofuels read this article.

Here's a link to the article. When you are reading the website, be sure to click on the Chart: Comparing Biofuels (right under the byline). The chart downloads as a PDF onto your computer. In the chart, it compares Gas/Diesel, Corn Ethanol, Sugarcane Ethanol, Cellulosic Ethanol, Soybean Biodiesel, Cooking Grease Biodiesel and Algae Biodiesel by such things as how much it costs, how much land would it take, the pros and cons and how much it would reduce greenhouse gases.

One of the considerations with regard to growing our fuel, is how much land is taken up, how many trees are clear cut, how much wildlife is displaced, not to mention how it will drive up the price of food. I hope, we can find a balance, because this does seem like a very promising alternative fuel.

Sierra, by the way, is the magazine put out by The Sierra Club, a pretty cool organization. I've only been a member for a couple of years, but if you care about environmental causes, good stewardship of the planet and just enjoying the outdoors, this is a worthy group to look into.

Hybrid or Biodiesel?

2007-11-20T10:18:00.000-08:00

My husband and I took our daughter to the Los Angeles Auto Show yesterday. Okay, so this isn't exactly the perfect toddler activity. Nevertheless, she had fun running around, playing with car engines and pretending to drive, and we got the chance to check out a bunch of cars without being hassled by car dealers.

Our plan is to ditch our two four-door sedans for one car that has more cargo space. Before arriving, we researched on the VW Passat wagon (which has a ton of cargo space) and the Honda CRV, one of the nicer of the sub SUVs out there.

However, once there, we had a change of heart -- or at least I did and I'm this close to convincing my husband.

First, we looked at the Saturn Vue, which has a new version of this hybrid SUV coming out in Sept. My problem with the SUV hybrids is that, yes, they get better gas mileage, but that just means that now they're getting gas mileage comparable to a regular car.

We forgot all about the CRV and the Saturn Vue when we got to the VW booth. We were wowed by the Jetta Sportwagon, which is coming out next September with a 2.0L TDI Clean Diesel engine that can run on biodiesel. It is estimated to get 45 miles per gallon in the city and 55 mpg on the highway (though, this is probably inflated). This is a sharp looking car, and with only slightly less cargo space than the VW Passat wagon, yet more cargo space than either the Saturn Vue or the Honda CRV, it is currently one of our top two options.

My only concern: how clean is biodiesel? Old diesel cars/trucks are some of the worst polluters. You get great gas mileage on diesel fuel, but the particulates that are released are particularly nasty, causing all kinds of health problems.

However, according to the VW website, they have created a new diesel engine that is cleaner and more fuel efficient. VW is promoting this with their Dieselution Tour (kind of silly, but what can you expect from a car company?).

The VW spokeswoman at the autoshow claimed that the Jetta Sportswagen engine could take biodiesel. According to the US Dept. of Energy website, all diesel engines can take low-level biodiesel. Low-level biodiesel blends are B2 and B5. For instance, B5 is 5% biodiesel mixed with 95% regular diesel fuel. According to what I've read, even this small percentage makes a difference in emissions.

I also read that there is a B20 blend out there. It is not clear, though, what blend the Jetta Sportwagen Clean Diesel will take.

Of course, biodiesel is not offered at every gas station. However, Nearbio.com and the Biodiesel.org list gas stations where you can get biodiesel in your city.

Our other option: a Toyota Prius. Of course, we'd have to put up with our friend Steve's scorn and ridicule (not enough horse power), but I have to say, now that I've actually sat in a Prius, there's a lot more room in those things than I thought. And, since it's a hatch back, there's actually a decent amount of cargo space. We're going to rent one for a day to see how we like driving it, and to see how it actually functions with baby seat, etc.

Sponge Me

2007-11-15T12:57:00.001-08:00

I am a bit of a clean freak (and to that, my husband would say "a bit?!?"). Let's just say, I like a clean house. In the kitchen, my favorite necessity is the sponge.

I've always been partial to Scotch-Brite scrub sponges - the ones with the "no scratch" scratchy part on one side. They fit in my hand well, absorb a lot of mess and rinse out easily. When they start to get that "off" smell, I just toss them in the trash and replace with a new one.

Recently, as I was rinsing out a new sponge and watching the blue dye run down the sink, I started examining my very non-eco-friendly practice and realized that this sponge that I love is not the best choice I could be making. On 3M's website, they say: "The sponge is made of ground wood pulp; the scouring surface of nylon fiber." Question: where do they get the ground wood? Is that from virgin trees? What about the antibacterial solution?

According to Annie's Green Living: "Almost every sponge now sold in U.S. supermarkets is impregnated with a synthetic disinfectant—usually triclosan— that has been registered as a pesticide with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Not only should we be concerned about washing our dishes and counter tops with triclosan, but common disinfectants may contribute to drug resistant bacteria just like antibiotics."

From what I've been reading, triclosan does not actually do much in the way of killing the bacteria found on your kitchen counters, etc. (though, it appears to helps keep the sponge smelling clean).

I've started the hunt for more eco-friendly sponge options, because I just cannot do the dish rag, sorry folks. No matter what the researchers say, they start to smell after a few days of use and they don't fit in your hand as nicely.

Natural celluose sponges that have not been treated with anti-bacterial disinfectant options:

All the green websites and blogs are agog about Twist. Looks interesting. I haven't checked yet at Whole Foods or Target (and, by the way, kudos to Target for carrying more alternative cleaning products like Seventh Generation and Method). But on their website, they list 394 online and local locations (such as the Sunflower natural foods chain - which is an awesome store, if you have one near you, I wish we did) where their products are sold. "At TWIST, we take special care to make sure 99.97% of all our waste is reused in production. And, our cellulose is sourced from renewable tree farms. We are committed to continually improving our production process to minimize our effect on the environment."

I read somewhere, can't find it now, that hardware stores are a great place to find cheap, pure cellulose sponges (though, unlike with Twist, no telling where the wood fiber was obtained). I just found an online resource as well: DoItYourself.com.

I gotta say, finding pure cellulose sponges is not that easy. I'm not sure why companies like Seventh Generation, Ecover, etc. haven't jumped at the opportunity to offer an item so complimentary to their products.

Tips for keeping your non-antibacterial-treated sponge clean:

Scientists did a study and found that microwaving your sponge for 1 minute kills 99.999% of bacteria. Another easy and equally effective option is to pop it into the dishwasher.

Since using commercial bleach is not an option, you could soak your sponge overnight in vinegar. I tried this after posting about it, and you know what, it worked. After I rinsed it a bit, the vinegar smell went away and the sponge no longer emitted that tell-tale bacterial odor either. You could also boil your sponge for 5 minutes.

Lastly, I will not recommend using a sea sponge. Yes, the shape is cool and it is natural. But, you are killing a living thing and aren't we already taking enough from the ocean?

Recycling Jewel Cases

2007-11-11T16:11:00.001-08:00

Just for the record: this is not my original post. I edited it because I am tired of all of the off-topic comments.

To solve our cd storage problems (we have quite a few), I bought some of those cd storage books. They work fine, though I'm not a huge fan of them as the design could be better. The envelope for the cover artwork/booklet is so small you have to break your fingers to jam it in there and there's never an option for what to do with those cds that are packaged with unfolding heavy paper (it's hard to explain with words, but I've included a photo so you'll know what the heck I'm talking about). They really need to make a pouchy pocket thing on the one side for these. Otherwise, you end up destroying the cover or you split up the collection (for instance, two of my Nine Inch Nails cds are on the shelf because I wasn't willing to destroy the paper holders -- sentimental I know, but I like the cover artwork). Once you do get the cds and the artwork in, it's actually a much better way to store, organize and find your cds.

Anyway, if you're still reading this, you're probably sitting there wondering why I'm going on about this. But, wait, don't go yet! Here's why: I had to figure out what to do with all of the empty cd jewel cases.

I was going to just chuck the jewel cases into the recycling bin that the city picks up but then I remembered reading that they aren't so easily recycled.

"Jewel cases are made out of polyvinyl chloride (PVC), a petrochemical-based plastic that is notoriously difficult to recycle and has been linked to elevated cancer rates among workers and neighbors where it is manufactured. Also, the lead often added to strengthen PVC can contaminate water, soil and air around PVC manufacturing sites.

Worse yet, because it contains a variety of additives and lacks a uniform composition, PVC is far less recyclable than other plastics. Its quality degrades after only two or three "cycles." Greenpeace has identified PVC as the least recycled of the six major common plastics. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that less than one percent of total post-consumer PVC is recovered or reprocessed.

As a result, most municipal recycling centers do not accept PVC products, meaning that millions of CD jewel cases either take up room indefinitely in landfills, where they won't biodegrade, or are incinerated. And unfortunately, the burning of PVC creates airborne dioxins." -- E: The Environmental Magazine, Nov-Dec, 2005 by John O'Dwyer, Bianca Hoffman

A little research brought me to Green Disk. For $6.95 per 20 pounds (you pay for shipping -- any method you want), Green Disk will recycle your jewel cases. I've got my first box of empty jewel cases ready to go. It weighs in at 21 pounds -- not bad for my first go around.

Green Disk will also recycle other electronic equipment and odds and ends. They print out a label for your box, or if you don't want to go through the trouble of providing your own box, they have other, more expensive, options. So, check them out.

What you gon' do with all that junk? All that junk inside your trunk?

2007-11-05T12:35:00.000-08:00

I hate junk mail. I know, I'm not admitting some deep dark secret here. But, when I say I hate it, I mean, I really, really hate it. Over the years, I have gone to great lengths to remove myself from mailing lists.

I hate the amount of waste generated by junk mail. I already generate enough (waste and guilt) with my magazine and newspaper subscriptions. I don't need or want the flyers, coupons, catalogs, credit card offers, post cards, Realtor tchotchkes, internet software, etc.

The ones I hate the most are the credit card offers. After we bought our new house, my husband and I were inundated with offers. The worst, though, was Citibank (can't say I'm too sad to hear about their recent misfortune). We were getting credit card offers in the mail every other day. Each of us. Separately. It took me three phone calls and about eight months before they finally stopped. It felt like harassment.

Actually, now that I think about it, they aren't even the worst. The worst mailbox polluters are the ones you have no control over -- the flyers and neighborhood business coupons that show up in your mailbox courtesy of the US Post Office. I never even look at them, they go right in the recycle bin.

I don't think anything can currently be done about the flyers distributed by the Post Office, since that's a pure money maker for them. All we can do is lobby for laws preventing it, and really, with all the stuff going on in the world, I think we can all agree there might be more important things to lobby about.

However, there is a new service called Catalog Choice (just read about it in my Sunday LA Times) that "allows people to compile a list of catalogs they do not want to receive. The service then contacts the retailers with a request to take the person's name off their mailing lists or makes a file available for download that merchants can feed into their mailing database."

To stop receiving (or minimize anyway) the number of credit card offers:

Go to this opt out website or call 1-888-5 OPT OUT (or 1-888-567-8688).

Everyone should know about the Do Not Call Registry, but just in case follow the link or call 888-382-1222.

For one lonely dollar you can register with the Direct Marketing Association's Mail Preference Service. It's worth it.

When companies you are affiliated with, like your bank or your actual credit cards, send you their privacy policy, make sure you take advantage of the option not to have them share (or sell) your info.

A difficult one for me was the charity organizations. I understand the need to share databases, but I already know which organizations I want to support. So, when I get unsolicited donation letters, I send them back and request they take me off their mailing list. Doing so stops them from wasting more money on me. I always pay for postage (Sending back an envelope that says "postage paid" means that when it goes through processing at the post office, the organization is billed for that letter.). And, I try to write a nice note of explanation. I ran a nonprofit for three years, so I know what it's like just to get a response asking to be removed from the mailing list with no explanation.

Here's a great website with plenty of other ideas.

Save some trees. Stop the junk.