going green

Is Your Favorite Actor Green?

jchatraw — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 06:00:00 -0500

Much for the same reason I turn off the radio when Chowder Head from Boston calls in to a sports talk show to weigh with his take on why the Red Sox are winning, I tune out most actors and pop stars when they start talking about anything other than their art or craft. Fine, you starred as half man, half human in a $150 billion summer blockbuster, but I seriously could care less who you think would make a great president.

However, I will pause to listen when they use their star power to promote a worthy cause, whether it actually means something to them or not. In Elizabeth Rogers and Thomas M. Kostigen's The Green Book: The everyday guide to saving the planet one simple step at a time is a great collection of interviews and stories from celebrities who are going green and living to tell about it. Stars such as Ellen DeGeneres, Robert Redford, Will Ferrell, Jennifer Aniston, Faith Hill, Tim McGraw, Martha Stewart, Tyra Banks, Dale Earnhardt, Jr., Tiki Barber, Owen Wilson, and Justin Timberlake all weigh in on the subject of green living. It's full of practical tips and fun insights into the stars' lives.

Here's a glimpse into Cameron Diaz's green upbringing:

“My grandmother raised her own livestock in her backyard, her own vegetables in her backyard. And it was just here in the Valley next to Glendale, next to where the California Pizza Kitchen is right now. It was a different era and a different mentality. She raised her first four children there.

“I watched my grandmother reuse tinfoil and plastic bags. And when she was finished with a loaf of bread, she kept that plastic bag and she would use it for something else. She would make soap out of the fat drippings off of the meet she cooked. Nothing went to waste. Everything was reused and recycled. So I had that as an example.

“I don’t think that example exists for the generation right now. My grandmother lived a true sustainable existence. Everything she took from the land, she put back. Everything that she put back, she would take out again. It was a continuous cycle. And I witnessed that, and I was influenced a lot by that. My mother was influenced by that, and she passed it on to me. We need to be the examples now.”

From Consumerism to Sustainablility

jchatraw — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 06:00:45 -0500

My toddler's first sign language word wasn't "mama" or "dada"--it was "more". Yes, more. Now instead of it being signed, it's spoken incessantly as, "I want more, daddy." Whatever it is, she can't get enough of it.

We're OK with her unquenchable thirst for all things green and vegetable in nature. But it's the more regarding the potato chips she recently discovered that has me somewhat concerned.

However, it's our culture in general that has a disconnect when it comes to more. Our solution for everything is more. If we're in tough economic times, we see the answer as people need to buy more. If we're feeling unfulfilled, then the answer must be that we need more of ... something.

John R. Ehrenfeld's book Sustainability by Design: A Subversive Strategy for Transforming Our Consumer Culture takes a look at some of the problems regarding our society's systematic thinking when it comes to regarding things we need and want--or things we think we need when really we just want them ... and more of them:

“Our actions do not correspond to what we seek in life. This term values is as elusive for me as is the concept of need, which I will explore later. Langdon Winner, another critic of modern technology, has pointed out the inadequacy of this term, noting that values is a useful catchall term for ‘cares, commitments, responsibilities, preferences, tastes, religious convictions, personal aspirations, and so forth.’ I believe that all of these collapse into the notion of Being, which frames much of this book. All are manifestations of our humanness.”

10 Simple and Cheap Ways to Go GREEN

greenbabe — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 09:56:22 -0400

I am fortunate enough to get to blog about pretty much anything I want at my internship so I chose to write about the top 10 simplest ways to go green for my latest blog post. Please check it out! There are lots of links to other websites so you can discover green products, services, and changes you can make to your lifestyle! Here's a link to the post:

http://collegejolt.com/college-life/10-simplest-ways-to-go-green/

Going Green at Wal-Mart?

jchatraw — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 01:17:52 -0400

If you're in the business world, you've undoubtedly seen a memo passed around your office regarding some green initiative. You may only know about an effort to recycle paper or save energy, but the truth of the matter is businesses are looking deep within to discover ways they can contribute to solving America's energy dependency problem ... and increase their bottom line at the same time.

As I've experienced this in my own business, I've also grappled with what it means to shop at stores I have judged as not very eco-friendly. One such company was Wal-Mart. I emphasize was because Wal-Mart is actually doing something that truly contributes to the green to go green, even if it is driven by profit. With Wal-Mart, you take what you can get. It even spurred me to temporarily cease my personal boycott of the giant retailer.

Daniel Esty and Andrew Winston explore this topic and many others in their book Green to Gold. It's a must-read for those interested in staying on the cutting edge of business for the future. Here's what they had to say about giant corporations, particularly Wal-Mart, making the shift to green:

"Bentonville, Arkansas: In a speech to shareholders, Wal-Mart CEO Lee Scott lays out his definition of “Twenty First Century Leadership.” At the core of his new manifesto are commitments to improve the company’s environmental performance. Wal-Mart will cut energy use by 30 percent, aim to use 100 percent renewable energy (from sources like wind farms and solar panels), and double the fuel efficiency of its massive shipping fleet. In total, the company will invest $500 million annually in these energy programs. Moreover, in a move with potentially seismic ripples, Wal-Mart will “ask” suppliers to create more environmentally friendly products: some of the fish Wal-Mart sells will have to come from sustainable fisheries, and the clothing suppliers will use materials like organic cotton. “We believe that these initiatives will make us a more competitive and innovative company,” Scott emphasizes. …

"What’s going on? Why are the world’s biggest, toughest, most profit-seeking companies talking about the environment now? Simply put, because they have to. The forces coming to bear on companies are real and growing. Almost without exception, industry groups are facing an unavoidable new array of environmentally driven issues. Like any revolution, this new “Green Wave” presents an unprecedented challenge to business as usual."

Go Green ... and Get Rich Trying

jchatraw — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 06:00:00 -0400

One morning as I opened a kitchen cabinet door, four water bottles came tumbling out onto the floor. If I was on the TV show Heroes, my talent would be collecting water bottles, ensuring that no one on our superhero team would ever be parched. It's like water bottles seek me out--and I have my entire collection without ever filling out a credit card application to get one.

However, I started reflecting upon my eco-friendly lifestyle and wondering if a) the plastic was actually good and b) buying products made in China that needed to be transported here using gallons of petroleum was actually necessary. That's when I discovered SIGG water bottles. Our Riverwired editor Susan Seliger actually featured SIGG and plastic products that are BPA free in a recent post.

So, when I stumbled upon David Bach and Hillary Rosner's book, Go Green, Live Rich: 50 simple ways to save the earth and get rich trying, I was elated to find out I was one step ahead of the curve: Bach recommends buying SIGG water bottles. This book has some great tips, seamless weaving together eco-living with saving money.

Here's a snippet from one of their tips:

Find your Litter Factor. Maybe you have heard of "The Latte Factor." It is a phrase I created as a metaphor for all the little things we spend money on over the course of a day without giving it much thought. The phrase applies to buying not only fancy coffee but also fast food, cigarettes, bottled water—you name it. I have long encouraged my readers to identify their "Latte Factor" and eliminate it to start saving money. But small changes such as not buying coffee in a disposable cup or water in a plastic bottle not only are good for your wallet, they actually better the planet. In the same way that "little things" add up to drain your wealth, "small things" add up to make a big difference for the Earth.

Go Green Action Steps

Get a reusable water bottle and fill it with water from your tap. The newest generation of reusable water bottles, like those from SIGG are made of lightweight aluminum.

If you have concerns about your tap water, it can easily and cheaply be filtered and purified. Visit www.waterfiltercomparisons.com to compare the leading brands and find one that's right for you.

Arizona Tour Company Reduces Their CO2 Imprint

wrldadventurer — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 19:17:19 -0400

Upon looking for a touring company that used green principles in Arizona I found Open Road Tours. I called around to several tour companies and many acted as if I asked them when the next spaceship was landing; however, upon contacting Open Road Tours I was informed that they have been practicing green principles for over ten years. They informed me that they use Energy Star equipment, earth friendly cleaning supplies, perform regular emissions testing, reducing idling and in their office they recycle and use remanufactured printer cartridges as well as recycled printing paper. They even give discounts to Better World members.

I decided try out this service to the Grand Canyon and I was very pleased with their detail to service. Their fares were priced according to market; I have found that I typically have to pay a little extra for such attention to the environment and I am happy to say that the prices were fair and they were very candid in what they do and have done to be green.

I do recommend their service: www.openroadtours.com.

Small Footprint, Big Handprint

jchatraw — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 00:31:40 -0400

In his first book on the environment, evangelical pastor Tri Robinson presented a succinct argument as to why the church should care about the environment and how it can get involved. In his latest book, Small Footprint, Big Handprint, Robinson plunges deeper into the world of simple living with the hope that with all the things we simplify in our lives we will now go out and make a bigger difference in the world.

Here are some green nuggets from this book that hits the shelves this month:

"The thing about a footprint is that it disturbs the peace of something in its environment--the bigger the footprint, the bigger the disturbance. Footprints sink deep into the ground without regard for the land on which they leave a lasting impression. It's merely a way to travel from one place to another. It's not creative; it's not thoughtful. It's nothing more than a big stamp of your presence that isn't positively memorable or helpful to others.

"Likewise, we make a big footprint with the rest of our lives when we get involved in too many activities to really enjoy any of them or busily scurry about to make ends meet because we have too large of a mortgage payment or decide to acquire more possessions just because we want them. The wake of our lives is far-reachng, but more often than not, it's not in a positive way. We are seemingly everywhere but truly present nowhere. ... A smaller footprint can only occur when we make a concerted effort to live more simply."

In calling an audience that largely ignores the impact their church buildings make or how their lives disconnect with this call to a simplified life, Robinson is doing anything but preaching to the choir. However, for those who want a purpose to go green, Robinson presents one clearly, concisely and with all the conviction of a man who is personally building a sustainable eco-friendly home.