nature

10 Products that Get a Tree Planted

HunterGreen — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 23:20:04 -0400

“Going Green” has turned into big business for many. With the world consciousness becoming more aware of our destructive direction as a society, more businesses are turning to eco-friendly solutions to not only help the world, but also to help their reputation.

This article at We Heart World talks about buying products from companies that plant trees when you make some sort of purchase. It is an excellent way for people to do just a little more for the environment by supporting these companies in their initiative.

It shouldn't always be about price and convenience. We have the power to show confidence and consideration to those companies who are trying to make a difference.

Here are links to the companies in the article that DO make a difference. If you have any interest in buying the types of products that they sell, please stop by and compare. All things being equal, it makes sense to do the secondary things that make a difference such as showing your support with your purchases.

Computers: Dell

Plant a Tree for Me

Connectivity: IOGEAR

Road to a Million Trees

Maternity T-Shirt: UnButtonedMaternity

Plant a Tree Mommy

Surfboards: Loose Fit Surf Shop

Surf and Trees Campaign

Boots: Blundstone

Plant yourself in Blundstones. Plant a tree in Canada

Soap: JustNeem

Neem Tree

Shaving Oil: Pacific Shaving

Plants a tree for every bottle of shaving oil sold

Strollers: Baby Rain Inc.

Planting a tree for every stroller purchase.

Handbags: Ecoist

Plants a tree for every handbag

Books: Eco-Libris

Buy a book from them, they’ll plant a tree

Read more about businesses that help the environment on my blog.

Lenny Kravitz Hearts The Brazilian Jungle

kbutler — Fri, 23 May 2008 01:00:00 -0400

In yet another reason to stop the de-forestation of the Brazilian jungle – Lenny Kravitz has been living in it! Recent reports revealed that Kravitz apparently wanted to “get away” after his last album failed to do as well as he hoped. So, after performing in Rio, he stayed for four months on a remote farm and was tempted to stay for good.

But, luckily, the beauty and allure of the Brazilian jungle proved to be just what Lenny needed, and he returned to his old life “with a fresh outlook.” The Brazilian jungle, however, remains heartbroken and prays for a quick reconciliation with the ultra-dreamy rocker.

RW Readers Show What They Did on Earth Day -- How About You??

RiverWired.com — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 10:36:20 -0400

Send us your photos to add to our Earth Day collection! We want to see what you did to celebrate.

As I was riding my bike through Central Park in NY, I saw another biker, catching some zzzzz's -- why didn't I think of that?

I liked the green-leafed Park Flag flying next to the red, white, and blue.

Kids always know best how to have fun.

I brought some bags to clean up litter -- but I was amazed at how respectful everyone was being of the park grounds -- I couldn't find a single scrap -- OK, maybe one or two, but really, you could just sense that something new was going on here -- people dedicated to living clean and green.

-- Susan Seliger, Editor-In-Chief, RiverWired.com

At 39 weeks pregnant, my contribution is necessarily modest. I'm making my own yogurt to avoid having more plastic containers to recycle.

When I was in college, I had a friend whose parents were from France and I had homemade yogurt at their house for the first time and it was incredible. Ours is just as good. We have tried vanilla-flavored, coffee-flavored and plain and they're all good. Plus the little 4-oz glass containers are too cute.

The unit costs about $24 at the Park Slope Coop and uses about 13 watts of power per 32 oz batch (8- 4 oz. servings) and best of all...no plastic yogurt containers hanging around.

-- Ellen Honigstock, Architect PC, RA, LEED AP

Top 10 US National Parks

Marcus — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 01:00:00 -0400

With the advent of Spring comes a strong desire to experience the great outdoors (for me, at least). That said, what better way to commune with nature (and have a low impact vacation to boot) than to visit a national park? The following list is a collection of some of the most impressive natural wonders in the United States. So, pack up your rucksack, hop in your fuel-efficient vehicle, and get ready to camp out in the best national parks this country has to offer.

1. Yosemite National Park – California

Breathtaking views, enormous waterfalls, massive granitic rocks, and over 2,000 varieties of plants and animals make Yosemite an absolute must on the National Park circuit.

2. Yellowstone National Park – Wyoming

Yellowstone was established in 1872, making it the country’s first national park. While it’s located primarily in Wyoming, the park stretches into both Montana and Idaho, and is home to a large variety of wildlife including (but not limited to) grizzly bears, wolves, bison, and elk. Also, be sure to check out Old Faithful and the stunning assortment of hot springs and geysers.

3. Glacier National Park – Montana

With over 700 miles of hiking trails, lush forest, rugged mountains, and spectacular lakes, Glacier National Park is considered one of the country’s most beautiful destinations.

4. Acadia National Park – Maine

The first national park founded east of the Mississippi River, Acadia is home to the tallest mountain on the Atlantic coast. Whether you enjoy hiking, biking, or just sitting back and taking in gorgeous scenery, Acadia provides an experience you’re not likely to forget.

5. Grand Teton National Park – Wyoming

The most impressive aspect of this northwestern Wyoming park is the striking contrast between the jagged, rocky Teton range and the placid, pristine valleys and glacial lakes that lie below it.

6. Denali National Park – Alaska

Formerly known as McKinley National Park, Denali boasts North America’s tallest peak, the 20,320 foot Mount McKinley. A landscape peppered with striking mountains and glaciers, combined with a rich sub-arctic ecosystem that includes grizzly bears, wolves, sheep, and moose, make Denali National Park a destination not be missed.

7. Grand Canyon National Park – Arizona

You have to visit the Grand Canyon. Period. I was at first skeptical about just how impressive a giant hole in the ground could be. But, let me tell you, it is darned impressive.

8. Carlsbad Caverns – New Mexico

Located in the Chihuahuan Desert and Guadalupe Mountain range in southeastern New Mexico, the Caverns are comprised of 113 of the largest underground caves in North America.

9. Mount Rushmore National Memorial – South Dakota

Although this is technically a monument rather than a park, I’ve included it in the list for a couple of reasons. First off, the monument itself, carved into a massive granite face, receives almost three million visitors a year, and has become incredibly recognizable as a symbol of America. Second, it’s located in an incredibly lush, forested area of South Dakota (there’s plenty of camping nearby). Finally, if you didn’t get enough of a park experience at Mt. Rushmore, check out the nearby Badlands National Park to complete your experience.

10. Great Smoky Mountains National Park – Tennessee and North Carolina

A diverse terrain that includes jagged mountains, rolling hills, sweeping valleys, and thick forests, combined with a rich cultural history that extends back thousands of years – from prehistoric Paleo Indians to early European settlers – make the Smoky Mountains the last, but certainly not least, must see park on the list.

Well, what are you waiting for? Hit the road already. Happy trails.

Program Calculates How Your Trees Will Help Fight Climate Change

jplatt — Wed, 02 Jan 2008 09:00:00 -0500

One of my favorite charities is American Forests. Every dollar you donate results in the planting of a new tree. But have you ever wondered how much good a single tree will do for the environment?

Now you can find out. The free Tree Carbon Calculator from the U.S. Forest Service and the Center for Urban Forest Research lets you find out all kinds of cool things about your trees:

How much carbon will it sequester over the year, or over its lifetime?
If it's a shade tree, how much energy will you save thanks to it? And how much carbon dioxide will you avoid as a result?
What are the future benefits of any new planting project?

There is a catch (isn't there always?). The calculator is calibrated to California climates, so it's not 100% accurate elsewhere, but you'll probably be able to find a setting that's pretty close to your own neck of the woods.

The program was designed for Excel 2003 on Windows XP. It definitely won't work on a Mac, but it may work with other version of Excel or Windows.

But hey, it's free, and it's good information, so download it and give it a tree. I mean, give it a try.