Earth Mothers and Moms: Mutually Exclusive?

ckane — Mon, 12 May 2008 23:18:30 -0400

Many moms have famously claimed that having children has made them more conscious of their impact on the planet, like Julia Roberts, Cindy Crawford, Soliel Moon-Freye and now Jessica Alba. But the question has been raised as to just how eco it is to even have a child.

Last November, the Daily Mail published an article called, "Meet the women who won't have babies--because they're not eco friendly," featuring a 35-year old woman, Toni Vernelli, who had an abortion then got sterilized at aget 27 to reduce her carbon footprint, with no regrets. Another woman made the choice to not have children for the same reason, which ended several of her relationships, and she's now with a man who's had a vasectomy.

Then in March, Treehugger mused on "Why Eco-Activists Still Have Children." It links to a piece in The Guardian weighing the pros and cons of bringing extra little consumers and potential destryoyers into the world.

Here's another view on it, from the author of Gross National Happiness, which takes a whole different analysis, considering the measured happiness of couples with children vs childless couples, and weighing that against how rewarding it is to have raised someone well in a world that needs more good eggs in it.

Image: Toni Vernelli, from the Daily Mail

Green Porno? Isabella Rossalini Explains How Bees Do It -- See It Here!

ckane — Mon, 05 May 2008 21:22:15 -0400

Soo...Isabella Rosselini teamed up with Sundance channel to make short humorous films about the sex lives of insects and other critters like the earthworm. I know, not this old story again, right? Just kidding. The series of eight one-minute-long films are written, directed by, and starring Isabella Rossellini as a bee, dragonfly, praying mantis, and more.

"I was always fascinated by the infinite, strange, and 'scandalous' ways that insects copulate," Isabella said in a press release.

The simple, colorful, cartoonish look of the series was created by Sundance especially for viewing on mobile phones, iPhones and iPods--the "third screens," but the movies can also be watched on your old-fashioned computer monitor here.

Exactly what the green connection here is less clear, other than insects being part of the natural environment of which people are now more consious. "That was my green intervention. It was to make people more aware of animal life," Isabella said.

Oh-kaaay.

Image: Sundance

reproduction

Earth Mothers and Moms: Mutually Exclusive?

Green Porno? Isabella Rossalini Explains How Bees Do It -- See It Here!