Environment

Every so often I see a parenting scenario that I remember to tuck in my feeble mother memory bank. These situations end up usually as parenting lessons for me – ones that I must remember to do, or ones that I really need to remember NOT to do. read more »

Sometimes when in search for something, such as the remote control, what you find instead: your lucky pair of frog socks, 2 dollars worth of quarters and an unexpectedly good poem you wrote several years ago, makes your search all worth while. Whether you find what you were looking for in the first place or not it feels good to know that your search still lead you to something more exciting and possibly more valuable. A few days ago my day kind of went like that.

Reading from the About My Planet online green news, I came across a strange and funny picture of a person dressed in a Selk Bag. A Selk Bag is a wearable sleeping bag. read more »

The Solar Keyhole Light is solar powered as the name suggests.

Small and compact it can be used to light up key holes, door handles or entrances.

No more fumbling in the dark, no dropping all the shopping, no putting down the baby while trying to open the door. read more »

What's the worst part of relying on WiFi to run your business? The unpredictability! Many stores and restaurants advertise as being WiFi-ready, but you never know until you show up whether or not it actually works the way you need it to, or worse, whether or not you have to pay! Enter FON, a Spanish company backed by the likes of Skype and Google to develop a community-based WiFi network that literally spans the globe. And with limited penetration in the U.S., FON presents a unique opportunity for enterprising minds looking to make a little money on the explosion of wireless connectivity. read more »

Last month, in an attempt to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases, the Australian government announced that it will begin a nationwide phase out of incandescent light bulbs. Incandescent bulbs, introduced more than 125 years ago, convert the majority of used energy to heat rather then light. In view of this, Australian environment minister, Malcolm Turnbull, plans to work with the states to ban incandescent bulbs by 2010. Which means, in about three years from now, lightbulbs that do not meet energy efficiency standards will no longer be available for sale in Australia. Some exceptions include: medical lighting and oven lights. read more »

If you haven't heard about the Virgin Earth Challenge
yet, announced two weeks ago (2/9/07), by Sir Richard Branson, now's your chance to get in on the action, find a way to save the world and win millions in the process.

The challenge: to come up with a way of removing one billion metric tons of lethal carbon dioxide from the earth's atmosphere every year for 10 years without further harming the earth. The winner (individual or group) will make history, earn $25 million and have the pure satisfaction of making the world greener place to live. read more »

Just imagine instead of the usual scenario, shoes bringing dirt into the house, shoes that are made for cleaning up the dirt instead, as you walk around the house. Electrolux imagined it and came up with a concept for a nice clean pair - a definite "must have" for cleaning fanatics or the shoe obsessed. read more »

Boy, have I got a good scoop. It's about poop. And pee. Think diapers. Think flushable. Think compostable. Think gDiapers - a new choice that offers fashion and function for the most adorable tush on the planet - your kid's! read more »

For some people, gardening comes naturally. They have what's known as a "green thumb". For others...not so much and inadvertently kill plant after plant until they quit trying to ever garden again.

What if there was a way to build a relationship between a plant and its owner and help turn the owner's "death thumb" into a green one? read more »

Pets are part of the family too, right? Right! But, until recently, environmentally friendly products for pets didn't even cross my mind. Then this winter season a nine week old puppy came into my life and before I could turn away from his big sad brown eyes I was hooked and the search for safer and environmentally friendly pet products began. Here are just a few of them below. From chew toys, to pet beds, cleaner litter, healthier bath time and food- pets of all kinds can live green right along with us. read more »

If you are looking for ways to go green as a family, in my opinion, recycling and charity are the best ways to start, but if you need a little motivation to get you going, below are a few green items to consider on your journey there. read more »

In my last gift guide, Green Gifts for Lovers, I introduced you to gifts for couples. Today I am excited to add theses environmentally friendly gifts for children. From the awesome H-car fueled by hydrogen to the education bamboo-made game that takes speed and coordination to win, kids can continue to have fun and you can sleep well at night knowing that while you protect your kids from harmful chemicals and toxins you are also helping the environment. read more »

What do dresses, condoms, AIDS and charity have in common? A talented 35-year-old Brazilian artist (once Greenpeace activist) named Adriana Bertini. In an attempt to raise AIDS awareness and inspired by HIV-positive children she met while volunteering at an AIDS prevention group (GAPA), she has designed, -over the span of ten years- dresses, skirts and suits made entirely of quality test rejected condoms.

What's her message? "Condoms must be basic like a pair of jeans and so necessary like a great love". read more »

If you've ever thought that being green is a complete waste of time, the SolarAid might change your mind. The SolarAid is a hearing aid created to make low-cost hearing aids for people in impoverished regions. Godisa Technolgies, a Botswana company, designed and built this eco-friendly little device that sells for less than $100. read more »

As much as many of us hate to admit, money is important to us and it helps motivate us to do things that we would otherwise not normally do. A garbage-man, for example, very likely didn't pick his career out of the desire to keep the streets clean. He needed a job to make money. What does money do? Money helps us pay our bills. It helps keep roofs over our heads and food on our tables. It gives us luxuries we would not normally have without it and, in a materialistic way, money really does make us happier people. So why not pay money to motivate us to recycle more? read more »

This holiday season, when you look at your reflection do you see Ebenezer Scrooge staring back at you? Chances are your probably aren't a Scrooge, but the holidays can sometimes really bring out the "Buhumbug!" in you. Greed, work, family, commercialized holidays, lack of time, wrapping paper and dead trees adding to the landfills...whatever your stressors are, they have you upset and you are just not in the mood to celebrate the holidays this year. Traditions and family are a wonderful part of your life, but sometimes a change can be a good thing too and you need a change. You need to go somewhere where you can get a way and relax for awhile. Lucky for you, the Ghost of Green is here to lead the way. read more »

Star on StakeIf you love decorating for the holidays, but would like to decorate a little more green this year, solar decorations are an option. Eco-friendly wreathes, icicles, stars, snowmen, santas, globes and even string lights are all available and ready to light up your home and garden. You won't have to mess with wires and in the long run, you will save money on your electric bill.

Take a look below at the list of solar powered decorations available.

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How do you get a garden from a soap box (yes, I am talking about the box your soap comes in)?

By soaking one of Pangea Organics' (an organic skincare line) biodegradable and plantable soap boxes in water for about a minute. Then plant the box in the dirt about 1 inch deep. The box will begin to decompose and within a few days you will see it grow into a flowering Amaranth. read more »

Everyone knows Santa drives a sleigh. And, while I’m sure it’s a very nice sleigh, if he and the missus are on holiday in Monaco, Miami, or Melbourne they’re going to need something a little more practical. A little elf told me Santa’s got his eye on the Los Angeles Auto Show’s Design Challenge for a lean, green, urban machine. Santa’s naturally concerned about the environment (global warming’s not so good for the poles), and the sleigh’s speed and agility have raised the bar for how he expects an automobile to perform. Nine innovative auto company's design teams won’t disappoint the big guy. From companies known for their environmental edginess to the makers of gas-guzzling monstrosities, L.A. will provide the backdrop for them to unveil their greenest conceptions on November 30. For a sneak preview, read on. (Gloria Campos wrote about two of the nine in her article, “Lean, Green, Driving Machines”. To read that article, click here .)
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RecyDo you ever wonder what we will be driving in the future? What we will use to fuel our cars? Will we still be using gasoline or is there hope for something cheaper, better, and more environmentally friendly?

 

Yes! There are alternatives and today we can already use some of them. Electricity, solar energy, and even algae are just a few of the many options. The green doesn't just stop at the fuel tank either. Even the exteriors of vehicles are getting green makeovers. Take a look at my list below and see what I mean. read more »