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Challenge Idea: Find News Online Or Swap Paper Editorials Friday, February 26th, 2010 It’s nice to be on the email lists of various bloggers.  Reduce Footprints, which I have mentioned in previous posts, is one of my favorites.  Many of the “green” sites today can have a pompous air, but Reduce Footprints is humbled in its approach.  It provides its readers with a doable weekly challenge cleverly dubbed, Change The World Wednesdays. Last week, I came up with a Challenge idea based on one of Reduce Footprints’ interesting posts.  They liked it so much, they took advantage of it: This week’s challenge was suggested by our bloggy friend Heather, from Earth Promise, after reading Monday’s post on books. I think it’s a fantastic idea! Here’s her challenge: Think of all that we read on a daily basis, whether it be magazines, newspapers, books, etc. I propose that for one week we do not purchase a newspaper, magazine, book, but rather swap with someone or find your news online…… It’s a wonderful challenge! Thanks, Reduce Footprints!  Here are just a smattering of the responses received: • Maurie Kirschner accepted the challenge but then, the current issue of Vegetarian Times came out … and well … she caved! However, she did a few other Eco-friendly activities that day which you can read about HERE.  Maurie says she failed and succeeded, all in less than an hour. I think the successes won! • EcoGrrl  joined us. Once she realized that it took her 10 minutes to get through a $5.00 magazine, she decided to stop buying them. She’s also tired of receiving those unwanted news supplements so she’s calling the Oregonian and asking them to stop delivering them. • Ange  found a blog that swaps magazines. She received two vintage Martha Stewart’s in exchange for a couple of French magazines … and she is offering to swap French magazines with anyone who is interested. How cool is that! She also suggested putting up a sign in a local café to start a book swap club … members swap books and hold occasional meetings to discuss what is being read. Great idea … and sounds like fun! To read all of the fabulous comments and ideas received on Reduce Footprints, click here. Here is a peek at the next Challenge: Let’s jump right into this week’s challenge! We’re going to do one more paper-reducing challenge and then, we’ll move onto something else next week (I can hear you cheering … lol). Here you are:  Receiving and paying paper bills is a lot of paper and a lot of waste … not to mention resources getting the bill to and from one’s home. So, this week sign up to receive at least one paperless bill and pay it online. If you’re not sure how to do this, contact the biller for instructions. Or … If this is something you already do, please write a post about all the benefits of paying bills online. Are you willing to give it a go? Tags: carbon footprint, CFLs, change, changes, climate change, disposal, earth, earth promise, earthpromise, eco-blogger, eco-friendly, energy, environment, environmental, environmental footprint, environmental issues, global warming, green, green challenge, green changes, green future, green living, green practice, green practices, green revolution, green tips, mercury, nature, organic, recycle, reduce, reduce footprints, reuse Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Comment »

Lights Out on March 27, 2010 Wednesday, February 24th, 2010 Just imagine: everyone globally taking part in an effortless task that makes a noble statement.  Simply turning out the lights for one hour.  This bold gesture sheds light on the draconian effects of climate change: rising global temperatures, more frequent droughts and flooding, rising sea levels, glacier meltings, change of ecosystems, etc .  Everywhere around our big blue marble on March 27th, from 8:30 to 9:30pm, make a stand and take part in Earth Hour and flip the switch.  Earth Hour began three years ago capturing the world’s attention “ Nearly one billion people turned out for Earth Hour 2009 – involving 4,100 cities in 87 countries on seven continents.”  Prominent landmarks around the world took part in 2009’s Earth Hour raising awareness about the devastating effects of climate change.  Here are some of the familiar sights that participated: • Empire State Building • Brooklyn Bridge • Broadway Theater Marquees • Las Vegas Strip • United Nations Headquarters • Golden Gate Bridge • Seattle’s Space Needle • Church of Latter-Day Saints Temple • Gateway Arch in St. Louis • Great Pyramids of Giza • Acropolis and Parthenon in Athens • Christ the Redeemer Statue in Rio de Janeiro • St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City • Big Ben and Houses of Parliament in London • Elysee Palace and Eiffel Tower in Paris • Beijing’s Birds Nest and Water Cube • Symphony of Lights in Hong Kong • Sydney’s Opera House So mark it on your calendar: March 27th, 8:30pm.  Enjoy the darkness knowing you are part of the global effort to raise awareness about climate change. For more detailed information on how you can get your city involved in Earth Hour, visit, My Earth Hour. Also let your children in on the global action.  Earth Hour Kids   invites children and teens to participate in this climate changing event as well. Tags: 2010, carbon footprint, change, changes, climate change, community, earth, earth day, Earth hour, Earth Hour Kids, eco-friendly, ecological, energy efficient, environment, environmental, global, global warming, green, green changes, green living, green practice, green practices, green tips, March 27, promise Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

Special Interview with Nathan Winters – Riding Across America Tuesday, February 23rd, 2010 Around Earth Day 2009, Earth Promise conducted a series of interviews asking people from a number of areas questions about the environment, what they are doing to help, their thoughts on the direction government, business and organizations are going in.  For all the Earth Day 2009 interviews along with others since then, click here and enjoy. One of the people we had the privilege to interview was Nathan Winters.  Not an actor, a politician, musician or movie director.  All he did was ride his bicycle across the United States to raise for the Nature Conservancy and increase awareness regarding our environment and the importance of protecting it and caring for it.   To read more about Nathan and his amazing journey, visit his site at www.FollowNathan.org.  Ten months after our first interview and since he has completed his ride, we were able to interview him again and see how the experience was.    Earth Promise: So 4,300 miles later…. First off, it is an amazing accomplishment.  My wife, who is an avid rider, is very jealous!  As a recap, can you tell the readers again about the ride and why you did it? Nathan Winters: During the spring and summer of 2009 I took the notion of riding my bicycle across America. I would travel 4,300 miles over the course of 5 months.  It was done with a very nomadic spirit and documented through social media and a very personal journal. Throughout this journey I carried a piqued curiosity into agriculture, food systems and environmental issues as I conducted a research project. I would stay, meet with and interview a very diverse group of individuals, experts and organizations from various regions across our nation. I engaged with and captured the opinions and thoughts of as many people as possible through in-depth conversations. EP: Tell me about the ride?  What states did you go through? NW: I decided on the northern route in an effort to visit a few states I had not visited prior to this trek. All in all I would touch 14 states including ME,NH, VT, NY, PA, OH, MI, WI, MN, SD, ND , MT , ID, WA EP: On average, how many miles would you ride a day? NW: It varied greatly depending on who and what was in the area. For instance, when I was in the north east I found many of the communities to be fairly close to one another and often rode less than 30 miles in a day. When I was in the plains towns were often 60 miles apart and I had no choice but to ride that distance. For me a great day on the bike was 50 miles followed by good conversation and a cold beer. It is also important to note that given my nomadic spirit I would often times stay within a community for several days. So there were also plenty of times in which I would not be on the bike but rather conducting my research. EP: Tell us about some of the highlights. NW: There are honestly so many of them. I stayed and met with endless types of individuals, families and organizations. For me the biggest highlights were the times I spent on the farm. I stayed on a variety of types of farming and practices that truly allowed me to get a strong understanding for what was going on with agriculture, food and how politics, science and marketing were shaping the food chain. I can hardly describe to you how vastly different having lunch with an Amish family in comparison to doing shots of crown royal in a honky tonk with a cattle rancher. EP: See some odd things along the way? NW: There was certainly more than enough interesting encounters with people along the way. I think most of the “odd” things I had witnessed were the homemade signs that people made and planted in their front lawn. You would be surprised what people are willing to share and illustrate with a piece of plywood and a can of spray paint. EP: You did this to raise money and awareness for the Nature Conservancy.  Was this a success? NW: It was a success. All of the donations were very much appreciated, collected through First Giving and went directly to the nature Conservancy. I didn’t have to handle any of the monetary responsibilities. In my eyes, giving a few thousand dollars to an organization that does wonderful work protecting the worlds ecosystems was a huge success. EP: What were some of the key concerns that people discussed as it relates to the environment? NW: I think that the major concern at this point is finding ways to go beyond the things we do in our daily life such as recycling and composting. While these small steps are helping us move forward in our daily lives the reality is that we need to change an entire paradigm in terms of the way we operate on a global scale. Many of the experts that I met with were not afraid to speak of a small window of just a few short decades before we start dealing with the consequences. That to me is alarming. EP: Any conversations really stand out? NW: So many of them touched, and influenced me. My greatest inspiration came from a man by the name of Greg David in Jefferson, Wisconsin who spoke about things I had never considered prior such as restorative agriculture and social capital. I left that visit knowing and believing that we need to put the ethics back into capitalism, create ecological capital, perform honest accounting in regards to the cost of production of goods and get involved as a community to build social capital. These are the things I now hold true to my values and hope to see become a reality as our nation and world moves forward. EP: Thinking of the environment and how people care about it, did you see differences as you went across the country?  Where were some of the most environmentally conscious people you encountered? NW: Naturally, you are going to see a wide variation in the mindsets as you move across America. One thing that I found to be consistent was the influence of academia surrounding these communities. It was very interesting to see the influence in how these places developed socially, politically and economically. I witnessed a lot more compassion for mother earth and a desire for local and sustainable agriculture. These areas are places such as Burlington, VT, Ithaca, NY, Ann Arbor, MI and Missoula MT to name a few. These folks are what I would consider to be on the “tip of the antenna”. Please don’t get me wrong however. I found many hidden gems in all of the communities I visited from coast to coast. EP: I loved following your progress as you did it and the TwitPics you posted.  Is there a place where all of these can be viewed? NW: The majority of the content is online at http://www.follownathan.org While I have a plethora of content that I need to add to my current platform there is more than enough on my website to keep one busy. EP: Now that the ride is over, any next steps relating to this ride? NW: I have decided to write all of this down and compile a book. I started my manuscript and I am well over halfway. This is an excellent way for me to not only share my experiences and what I learned but also a tremendous way for me to relive my journey every day. I am currently working diligently to seek out a potential publisher that would be willing to share this Endeavour with me. I am also looking into creating an innovative digital book format that would incorporate all of my video, photos and audio, giving readers the full experience from the convenience of their own home. Lately I have been participating in various press opportunities and engaging online through social media in an effort to bridge gaps between those with a difference in opinions or outlooks. EP: I asked you this before your ride and definitely interested in the answer.  How did you get home?  Assuming it was a little quicker than the trip out west! NW: I did in fact take an emotionally draining flight back from Seattle where I was greeted by amazing friends and followers alike. It was odd to think that I could bike for 5 months from one end of the country to the other only to fly home in 5 hours. EP: Any future rides planned?  Europe?  NW: I would always be on the lookout for another @follownathan journey. EP: What is the one key message that you wanted to pass along to the people you encountered on this trip as well as moving forward? NW: This is an amazing country with wonderful people who want to make this planet a better place. Please remember that it is not about you and it is not about me. It is about all of us and the tide is turning. EP: Thank you very much.  Please keep us posted on your future plans. Tags: biking, change, changes, climate change, conservation, earth, earth promise, earthpromise, eco-friendly, environment, environmental, environmental footprint, follaw nathan, follownathan, global warming, green, green changes, green interviews, green living, interviews, Nathan Winters, nature, nature conservancy Posted in interviews | No Comments »

A Question For You Thursday, February 11th, 2010 Earth Promise would like to hear from you: “What do you do on a daily basis to help eliminate waste and to protect your environment?” Tags: change, changes, climate change, earth promise, earthpromise, environment, environmental, environmental footprint, environmental issues, global warming, green, green changes, green living, recycle, recycling, reduce, reuse, the onion, water bottles Posted in Uncategorized | 4 Comments »

FLOW:For Love of Water Tuesday, February 2nd, 2010 “This notion that we will have water forever is wrong” “It’s not a democratic issue; it’s not a republican issue; it’s a people issue…” “CAN ANYONE REALLY OWN WATER?”   FLOW (For Love of Water), a poignant documentary that opened back in 2008, is now available on DVD.  FLOW highlights not only the impoverished nations and the corporate take-over of their water systems, but  also the effects it has on wealthy nations.  Access to clean drinking water needs to be (again) everyone’s fundamental right.  Unfortunatley, still today people are being told that water is “safer” if bottled (by the big corporations).   Irena Salina, a French native and documentary filmmaker, builds a case against the growing privatization of the world’s dwindling fresh water supply with an unflinching focus on politics, pollution, human rights, and the emergence of a domineering world water cartel.   To learn more about Salina’s inspired, yet unsettling documentary, visit http://www.flowthefilm.com/ To watch the tailer, click here Tags: bottled water, carbon footprint, change, changes, clean water, climate change, earth day, earth promise, earthpromise, eco-friendly, energy, energy efficient, environment, environmental, FLOW, flowthefilm, global warming, green, green changes, green company, green living, green practice, green practices, green tips, water, water bottles, water conservation, water pollution Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

Coffee: Not Just For A Jolt Anymore Wednesday, January 27th, 2010 There is nothing more satisfying than finding new ways to use everyday products.  I try to think about the items I use on a daily basis that are then tossed away.  We need change our ways of thinking about what is truly waste, and what doesn’t need to be deemed as such.  I’ll start with my early morning routine:  after my pre-sunrise workout, I head home for my morning jolt of caffeine.  Ahhhh, coffee.  Nothing like the feeling of that first sip of hot coffee being fed into my bloodstream!  But what to do with the remains? Now there is a product that can have many lives.  Daily, I take my coffee grounds and dump them into my bushes and flower pots. ( I used to attempt to throw my grounds into the trash, but much of it would end up on the floor.)  As I was looking for other coffee grounds uses, I came across,  My Zero Waste, where they suggest how to reuse these precious dark brown granules.  Here’s a sampling of their fabulously handy ideas: • Eco exfoliant Used coffee grounds are a great natural exfoliant for the skin! Simply apply, massage onto the skin and rinse. • Because you’re worth it Who’d have thought it? Coffee actually makes a great hair rinse! If you have darker hair, use leftover coffee as a final hair rinse to add super shine. • Slugs and snails Used coffee grounds can you help keep bugs at bay by acting as a repellent for snails and slugs. • Furniture care Now you see it…now you don’t – remove small scratches on furniture with wet coffee grounds. To read the blog in its entirety, click here. If your daily pot of coffee doesn’t produce enough grounds to fill your garden to your liking, stop by your local Whole Foods where they (may) offer free bagged coffee grounds to take!   DIY Life recommends: “You can make brown dye for clothing, paper, or even eggs for Easter by steeping grounds in hot water. To find out how to dye your clothing, read this” Essortment.com suggests: Make some fun play dough for your kids out of those old coffee grounds. Just mix a couple of cups of dried coffee grounds with a half a cup of salt and 1 to 2 cups of corn meal. Add in enough warm water to get the dough to the consistency you like. Kids will like the different texture and they can model it just like clay. Rid your pets of fleas with old coffee grounds. Shampoo your dog or cat as usual and when they are wet rub their fur down thoroughly with coffee grounds. Massage the coffee grounds all the way to their skin and work them in. Rinse the coffee grounds away and your pet’s fur will be soft and clean and the fleas will disappear. Eureka Alert wrote back in 2008, “Researchers in Nevada are reporting that waste coffee grounds can provide a cheap, abundant, and environmentally friendly source of biodiesel fuel for powering cars and trucks.” Tags: biofuel, change, changes, climate change, coffee, coffee grounds, compost, earth promise, earthpromise, environment, environmental, environmental footprint, environmental issues, global warming, green, green changes, green living, recycle, recycling, reduce, reuse, waste, zero-waste Posted in Uncategorized | 2 Comments »

World Water Crisis Thursday, January 21st, 2010 It is so easy to take everyday essentials for granted:  I am fortunate to be able to wake up in my own bed, with a roof over my head; there is fresh food in my refrigerator and I have plenty of clean water to drink and bathe with.  As of recently, we are reminded daily (hourly?!) of these necessities to live; especially following the shocking earthquake that has turned Haiti upside down.  (The other day Earth Promise posted  how we can help Haiti after the devastating earthquake that occurred.) Let’s take something as indispensable as water, whether it be for drinking or bathing.  I was listening to NPR early this morning and one company, Shelterbox.org, sponsored by service clubs such as Rotary Clubs, has been sending large sealed boxes containing various contents (depending on the disaster ) to Haiti. The Shelterboxes are providing Haitians with such items such as tents, blankets, mats and water purifying tablets.  Although each item included in the Shelterbox is greatly appreciated and used, the water tablets are invaluable. “water purification tablets or a water purification kit; and one 5 gallon flat-pack water container (Each tablet will purify a full container of water providing 1,800 gallons of clean drinking water which should be sufficient for a family of ten for up to three months).” It is difficult to fathom that a first world countries’ water supply is waning.  It is easy to push these gloomy thoughts to lesser developed countries, like Haiti, Africa, or India.  Although we constantly hear that three quarters of the earth’s surface is covered by water, you would think the process of the water cycle would allow the balance of water on the earth to remain constant.  The big problem is that we are consuming and utilizing water faster than Mother Nature can replenish for us. Over the past years, the environmental movement has focused more on the emissions of greenhouse gasses, air pollution, pesticides in our food, and trying to eliminate plastics from our daily routine compared to our dwindling water supply.  But if you do some research, water is inextricably linked to all of the above.  We need to stop using more water and take the time to figure out how to use less. Here are some water crisis activists that we admire.  Some have even been featured on our Earth Promise blogs and interviews: Christopher Swain,  who is creating a healthy ocean planet through education.   Change Agent, Denise Russo produces events and concerts that raise $$ and awareness for the global water crisis. Alexandra  Cousteau “a globally recognized advocate on water quality and policy, continues the work of her renowned grandfather Jacques Yves and father Philippe Cousteau. At 32, she has already mastered the remarkable storytelling tradition handed down to her through the generations, and has the unique ability to draw audiences into the weighty issues of policy, politics, and action.  Alexandra is a National Geographic Emerging Explorer and a CNN International Principal Voice, a graduate of Georgetown University, and a lifelong explorer and activist. She established Blue Legacy in 2008, an organization dedicated to inspiring people around the world to take action on critical water issues.” A young student from Dubai International School travelled to the India-Bangladesh border to raise awareness about water conservation.   He made a short video clip illustrating, via photos, the devastating effects of un-sanitized water.  His goal is to make people empathize through his captivating photography.  He states, “They bathe, they drink, they excrete and they urinate in the exact same pond or lake…” Unfortunately, the photos this young student took could have been in any one of the many poor countries in the world.    It is time to truly look at how we use (or shall I say, waste?) water.  How long are we in the shower?  By now, it should be second nature to brush our teeth without the faucet running.  What do we do with that half consumed water bottle?  Are your sprinklers on a timer? Try to imagine your life without a clean water supply: how will you flush your toilets, bathe, wash dishes, water your plants? Earth Promise offers a plentitude of simple ideas  on how you can reduce your water consumption. But more needs to be done.  The disaster in Haiti has given a new focus to our water crisis. Time to do your research: not only make an effort to lessen your water consumption but see how you can participate in creating safe water supplies in developing countries.   Below are some sites that offer such information:   Global Water   The Water Project Water Missions International   Charity: Water Tags: air pollution, american red cross, AmeriCares, carbon footprint, change, changes, clean water, climate change, Direct Relief International, Doctors Without Borders, donations, earth, earth day, earth promise, earthpromise, earthquake, eco-friendly, energy, energy efficient, environment, environmental, global warming, green, green changes, green company, green living, green practice, green practices, green tips, greenhouse gasses, haiti, helping haiti, International Medical Corps, Operation USA, renewable energy, Save the Children, Shelterbox, sustainable, The Salvation Army, U.S. Fund for UNICEF, water bottles, water conservation, water pollution, World Food Programme, Yele Haiti Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Comment »

How Bad For The Environment Can Throwing Away One Plastic Bottle Be? Thursday, January 21st, 2010 We usually do not simply copy and paste an article at the Earth Promise blog but today has to be an exception.  The Onion posted a story that fits in perfectly with what Earth Promise is about.  Yes your little action does make a difference.  Thanks to the Onion for this one.  Enjoy!   ‘How Bad For The Environment Can Throwing Away One Plastic Bottle Be?’ 30 Million People Wonder WASHINGTON—Wishing to dispose of the empty plastic container, and failing to spot a recycling bin nearby, an estimated 30 million Americans asked themselves Monday how bad throwing away a single bottle of water could really be. “It’s fine, it’s fine,” thought Maine native Sheila Hodge, echoing the exact sentiments of Chicago-area resident Phillip Ragowski, recent Florida transplant Margaret Lowery, and Kansas City business owner Brian McMillan, as they tossed the polyethylene terephthalate object into an awaiting trash can. “It’s just one bottle. And I’m usually pretty good about this sort of thing.” “Not a big deal,” continued roughly one-tenth of the nation’s population. According to the inner monologue of millions upon millions of citizens, while not necessarily ideal, throwing away one empty bottle probably wouldn’t make that much of a difference, and could even be forgiven, considering how long they had been carrying it around with them, the time that could be saved by just tossing it out right here, and the fact that they had bicycled to work once last July. In addition, pretty much the entire states of Missouri and New Mexico calmly reassured themselves Monday that they definitely knew better than to do something like this, but admitted that hey, nobody is perfect, and at least they weren’t still using those horrible aerosol cans, or just throwing garbage directly on the ground. All agreed that disposing of what would eventually amount to 50 tons of thermoplastic polymer resin wasn’t the end of the world. “It’s not like I don’t care, because I do, and most of the time I don’t even buy bottled water,” thought Missouri school teacher Heather Delamere, the 450,000th caring and progressive individual to have done so that morning, and the 850,000th to have purchased the environmentally damaging vessel due to being thirsty, in a huge rush, and away from home. “It’s really not worth beating myself up over.” “What’s one little bottle in the grand scheme of things, you know?” added each and every single one of them. Monday’s plastic-bottle-related dilemma wasn’t the only environmental quandary facing millions of citizens across the country. An estimated 20 million men and women wondered how wasteful leaving a single lightbulb on all night really was, while more than 40 million Americans asked themselves if anyone would actually notice if they just turned up the heat a few degrees instead of walking all the way downstairs and getting another blanket. Likewise, had they not been so tired, and busy, and stressed, citizens making up the equivalent of three major metropolitan areas told reporters that they probably wouldn’t have driven their minivans down to the corner store. “Relax,” thousands upon thousands of Americans quietly whispered to themselves as they tossed two articles of clothing into an empty washing machine and turned it on. “What are you so worried about?”  http://www.theonion.com/content/news/how_bad_for_the_environment_can Tags: change, changes, climate change, earth promise, earthpromise, environment, environmental, environmental footprint, environmental issues, global warming, green, green changes, green living, recycle, recycling, reduce, reuse, the onion, water bottles Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

Wrap-n-Mat Gets a Thumbs Up! Wednesday, December 9th, 2009 For as long as my girls have been in school, I (on occasion they, too) pack their lunches.  Over the years, I have purchased diverse types of reusable containers and yes, I’ll admit, even used the Zip Lock baggies.   The first of my reusable purchases was this fabulous cube-like contraption from the Container Store called the Klip Lunch cube . I bought mine over 4 years ago, which only came in a clear color.  Now you can choose from a variety of colors and it touts that it is BPA free.  It is a bit bulky, so finding the right lunch box can be a challenge.  Also, with the worry regarding plastics, this may not be an option for you.   I have done some hands-on research and used a myriad of bags, containers and water bottles for my girls’ lunches.  Back in August of this year, I blogged about Zero-Trash Lunch Concepts  and was intrigued by the Wrap-n-Mat.  Wrap-n-Mat  is just what is says: a reusable place mat that doubles as a wrapper for your food.  Sometimes even the small reusable containers may be too cumbersome in your child’s lunch bag.  This money-saving, washable food wrapper is perfect for those multi-portioned lunches.   I contacted the company as I wanted to test out their wares.  Quickly, I was mailed one eco-designed wrapper, perfect for sandwiches and one dark green pouch  ideal for snacks such as pretzels, crackers, or an apple.  Both Wrap-n-Mats are lined with a clear plastic barrier to keep the cloth from getting soggy and  the site claims “that (the mats)clean up completely without any fabric weave or pores that can harvest bacteria.”  My girls were excited and began to squabble over who was getting what wrapper in their lunches.  Since my older daughter was an avid peanut butter-banana-and honey sandwich eater, she was the lucky winner of the larger sandwich wrapper.  It was easy to fold:  fold both sides in, then fold the bottom up and seal with the Velcro.  My younger daughter liked the idea of using pretzels for her Wrap-n-Mat Pouch since the website uses them in their demonstration.  The closing was not as easy.  According to the presentation on the site, the sides are to fold in forming a nice pouch, where no small snack pieces can escape.  Mine left small gaps at the bottom corners.  No matter how I tried to refold it, it wouldn’t close completely.  We opted to use it for an apple.  The Wrap-n-Mat Pouch can be used for smaller sandwiches or larger snacks, but for items such as oyster crackers or goldfish crackers, this may not be the best item to use. Clean up was easy!  The few crumbs (and crust) left in the Wrap-n-Mat were tossed (into your compost if you have!) and then with a wet cloth wiped clean.  Viola! My girls and I really love the Wrap-n-Mat.  Not only is it perfect for school lunches, but also for the beach, picnics or wherever you bring your lunch or snacks.  This dual purpose product (reusable food container–good for the earth and placemat—good to keep germ-free) is perfect.  What a safe feeling knowing your child’s lunch is not sitting directly on his/her desk or lunch table! For more information, visit Wrap-n-Mat Tags: BPA free, carbon footprint, change, changes, climate change, earth, earth day, earth promise, earthpromise, eco-friendly, energy, energy efficient, entrepreneur, environment, environmental, global warming, green, green changes, green claims, green company, green living, green practice, green practices, green tips, lunch, money-saving, placemat, renewable energy, reusable, sustainable, waste, waste-free, water bottles, zero-waste, zip lock Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

Waste-Free Lunch Gift Ideas With A 15% Coupon Monday, December 7th, 2009 Kids and their parents are becoming more aware of the amount of waste produced via school lunches. My daughters’ school has set up recycling bins in the cafeteria for water bottles.  There are even Terracycle  bins accessible so the children can keep chip bags, cookie wrappers and juice pouches out of the landfills.  A big challenge with many school’s are the polystyrene lunch trays. They are damaging to the Earth since they are made from oil, and when they are thrown away, they usually end up in landfills. Some schools may recycle these trays, but then they are made into other products that end up getting tossed into landfills anyway. Let’s think about the amount of school children who bring their lunches to school.  The magnitude of waste can be staggering.  According to Kids Konserve, an informational website dedicated to waste-free lunch kits and other reusable products: • Children’s lunches create 3.5 billion pounds of garbage each year • 18,760 pounds of trash is generated annually from one average elementary school • 80% of the 31 billion single serving plastic water bottles Americans use each year end up in landfills • It takes a 15 year old tree to produce 700 brown paper bags Below is an impressive list from KidsKonserve  containing useful and eco-friendly gifts for those lunch toting children (and adults, too!).  Be sure to visit their site as it is filled with other reusable products to purchase, educational facts about plastics , and contests for kids. For our special Earth Promise readers, Kids Konserve has set up a 15% coupon code “promise” valid until 12/31/09.   Think Non-Toxic and Sustainable For All Holiday Gifts this Season!   Put meaning in the greening this holiday season.  Want to make this a truly eco-friendly holiday for your family and friends?  Our Kids Konserve’s gift guide features the season’s best non-toxic and sustainable gifts.  Whether you are the green guru of the house, or you’re struggling to find a gift for one, you’ll find selections that you can be proud to give.    Hostess & Teacher Gifts:  Thinking about what to give to the hostess of the party, your child’s teacher, hairdresser, neighbor gift, what to bring to the cookie/gift exchange….  Tired of giving out candles?  Here are some great ideas hanging from the tree (below) at great prices.   As seen in Entrepreneur Magazine: The Greening of Lunch/Greening of Holidays                                            The Kids Konserve 2009 Gift Guide – 12 Earth Friendly Holiday Solutions    1. Set of 304 Food Grade Leak-Proof Stainless Steel Containers for life. 2.  Reusable Party Pak for the Classroom.  Take the trash out of the bash! 3.   Nesting Trio Leak-Proof Stainless Steel Containers, all the right sizes                     and easy to store! 4.  Cotton Napkins – Save a tree and use these at your family dinners. Pick                      from squiggle, caterpillar, or butterfly patterns. 5.  Food Kozies - The reusable wrap for homemade cookies, peanut brittle,                      or brownies. 6.  Waste-Free Lunch Kits – Give a Kid a Kit (choose your style, pattern, or                      create your own). 7. Bottles – No Liners! Non-Toxic Stainless Steel bottles.  One for everyone in the                      family. 8.  Minis – From nuts to jelly beans, you can always find something to put in these! 9.  Drawstring bags – Great gift wrap, for a bottle of wine or on the go snacks, or                      a great anytime bag. 10.  Snack Paks - Perfect for light lunches and on the go snacks. 11.   Green Cleaning – Greenwood Naturals!  Biodegradable and Non-Toxic! 12.  12 oz. Insulated Thermos - Going beyond the Sandwich! Endless options! Kids Konserve featured on View from the Bay!   Kids Konserve wishes you a very Happy, Green, and Eco-Friendly Holiday! www.kidskonserve.com Don’t forget the generous 15% coupon! Be sure to type in “promise” when it asks for the coupon code. Tags: carbon footprint, change, change the world, changes, children, climate change, disposal, earth, earth promise, earthpromise, eco-blogger, eco-friendly, energy, environment, environmental, environmental footprint, environmental issues, global warming, green, green challenge, green changes, green future, green living, green practice, green practices, green revolution, green tips, kids, landfills, lunch trays, nature, organic, recycle, reduce, reduce footprints, reuse, school, school lunches, Terracycle, waste, waste-free lunch kits Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

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