Posts Tagged ‘energy efficient’

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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 »

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 »

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 »

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 »

Upcoming Eco-Event:WILD9 Conference Monday, October 12th, 2009 A remarkable global conference WILD9, organized by the esteemed environmental organizations, The WILD Foundation and The World Wilderness Congress , will take place November 6—13, 2009 in Merida, Mexico.  This eco-forum will focus on timely and critical environmental issues, workshops and will celebrate wild-nature.  WILD9  is a public event where enviro leaders from science, politics, business, indigenous communities, and the arts will gather. The esteemed list of guest lecturers is astounding.  Here is just a sampling:   Dr. Jane Goodall DBE, World Renowned primatologist, founder of the Jane Goodall Institute and UN Messenger of Peace. Jim Prentice, Canadian Minister of the Environment. Tim T. Kelly, President and CEO, Global Media Group; President and CEO, National Geographic Ventures.  Jane Smart, Director of IUCN’s Biodiversity Conservation Group and Head of the Species Programme.  Mario Molina, Nobel Prize laureate. Molina was awarded the 1995 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for his research on the ozone layer. To see the complete list of Wild9 personalities and their bios, click here . If you would like to be a part of this honored eco-event, visit the WILD9.org to get all the information needed to register.  Under  Register Today! on the left hand side of the home page, there are details on how you can become a volunteer or receive scholarship monies. If you are unable to attend, but want to be a part of this global event, there are numerous social media elements that will accompany this conference.  There will be the standard blogging and tweeting as well as established channels on Qik  and  USTREAM  so that individuals can watch the events from a Smartphone or computer. Tags: carbon footprint, change, changes, climate change, conservation, earth promise, earthpromise, eco-friendly, energy, energy efficient, environment, environmental issues, environmental movement, event planning, evite, global warming, green, green changes, green economy, green future, green living, green practice, green practices, green revolution, green tips, indigenous, Merida, Mexico, Qik, social media, The World Wilderness Congress, Thw WILD Foundation, USTREAM, WILD9, WWC Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

Paperless Stationary: A Sophisticated Alternative Tuesday, October 6th, 2009 It takes a giant leap for some to go completely paperless.  At work, some may begin to scan all their colleagues’ buiness cards into their computer; others may invest in an electronic records retention system.  What about at home?  I am constantly battling the endless paper that accumulates.  Many of us now pay our bills electronically.  Even schools are joining the bandwagon and emailing families about upcoming events in lieu of constantly sending children home with flyers.  These are all great steps into the eco-friendly world.   What about  invitations?  Yes, there is the ubiquitous Evite that many of us have received for baby showers, Tupperware and jewelry party gatherings.   There are a slew of sites to e-send holiday cards.  When it comes to momentous events, though, what is the proper mode nowadays?  Is it considered less personal to receive an invitation via email?  Do these big life altering events excuse us from saving the trees?  There are numberous companies that offer recycled paper options; but that can be quite costly. PaperlessPost  offers the exquisiteness of well designed invitations without depleting our natural world.  The brother and sister team, Alexa and James Hirshfeld, created this membership-based site where you can design, send and track invitations. You don’t have to sacrifice style and beauty for convenience and being green.  Planning big events can be a huge expense and these beautiful invitations are a fraction of the cost, starting from $5 for forty invitations.  By purchasing virtual stamps (which are a fraction of the cost of real stamps which, by the way, are a whopping $.44), you can save lots of money.  Just do the math: imagine mailing out 200 wedding invitations?! Members have a chance to earn more stamps by inviting more people to join. For each person that enrolls from your invite, you earn 5 stamps.    Once you have personally designed your invitations, PaperlessPost then sends them to your guests who can “open”  the envelopes and actually witness the customized details.  You can even choose the inside liners on the envelopes.  Members can track who has received the invitation and manage their replies; all without the paper clutter! “At Paperless Post, we seek to redefine the tradition of paper stationery so that people can send custom, personalized invitations and announcements with the same thought and care as previous generations, but the way we communicate today: online. Paperless Post stationery is as tasteful as its tangible counterpart, but it also makes life simpler. In minutes, members can send out invitations for any occasion- dinner parties, anniversaries, save the dates – whenever they want to send something more personal than a simple email or awkward PDF. After sending, they can then monitor as guests receive and reply to their invitations.”       So, if you are planning a big shin-dig, or just want to send a sophisticated “save the date” be sure to go paperless and sign up for PaperlessPost.  Every new member will receive 25 free invites, so start designing! Tags: Alexa Hirschfeld, Bar mitzvah, carbon footprint, change, changes, climate change, conservation, earth promise, earthpromise, eco-friendly, energy, energy efficient, environment, environmental issues, environmental movement, event planning, evite, global warming, green, green changes, green economy, green future, green living, green practice, green practices, green revolution, green tips, invitations, James Hirschfeld, paper, paperless, paperless post, parties, stamps, stationary, weddings Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

Green Game Changers Friday, October 2nd, 2009 Huffington Post has posted some great information about key green leaders who are making a difference in a number of fields.  While Al Gore and other high level officials are driving many areas regarding the environment, here we can read about some people you may not have heard of and see what important things they are doing in this field.  Huffington Post’s Game Changers celebrates 100 innovators, visionaries, and leaders in 10 categories who are harnessing the power of new media to reshape their fields and change the world. They picked 10 people who are changing the game in Green. Here they are honored. In addition, Huffington Post ask that you rate each one (scale of 1-10) to help them pick the Ultimate Green Game Changer who will be revealed in November.   Read and vote at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/10/01/huffpost-game-changers-wh_n_302959.html Tags: carbon footprint, change, changes, climate change, conservation, earth promise, earthpromise, eco-friendly, energy, energy efficient, environment, environmental issues, environmental movement, Game Changers, global warming, green, green changes, green economy, green future, green living, green practice, green practices, green revolution, green tips, huffington post, Ultimate Green Game Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

An Important Reminder About Mercury Levels Wednesday, September 16th, 2009 Kudos to my blogging comrade, Stefani Newman, who now writes for Seventh Generation’s 7Gen Blog . I have purchased some of the Seventh Generation eco-products,  but I must admit, I have never visited their site or blog.  In Pregnancy’s Fishy Waters, Stefani provides an informative reminder to everyone (and a special awareness to those who are pregnant) about the mercury levels in various fish.  According to the American Pregnancy Association , mercury, which can be found in fish, is a toxin that can affect brain development and the nervous system.  Yikes!  Everything in moderation, is the common motto we hear; but if you are pregnant, the following list (provided by Stefani’s doctor) should be considered the neo-natal gospel:   Stay Away! (High Mercury Levels) Shark Mackerel Tilefish Swordfish Grouper Marlin Orange Roughy   Once in a While! (Less Mercury Levels) Canned tuna fish Cod Sea Trout Lobster Bluefish Crab Snapper Herring   Go For It! (Minimal Mercury Levels) Salmon Tilapia Shrimp Freshwater trout Anchovies Calamari Flounder Scallops   Please visit Stefani’s newest blog, Pregnancy’s Fishy Waters  and be sure to include cutting down on fish consumption as one of your Earth Promises Tags: 7gen blog, American Pregnancy Association, carbon footprint, carol browner, change, changes, earth, earth day, earth promise, earthpromise, eco-friendly, energy, energy efficient, environment, environmental, fish, green, green changes, green living, green practice, green practices, green tips, mercury, neonatal, pregnant, seventh generation, sustainable Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Comment »

Basic Human Right in a Bottle Tuesday, September 15th, 2009 It is frightening to think that one individual in the FDA is in charge of overseeing all regulations for bottled water in our country.  Environmental documentary, Tapped, from director Stephanie Soechtig, combines maddening and excellent footage. From the producers of Who Killed the Electric Car and I.O.U.S.A., this film focuses on the disconcerting water bottle industry.  Soechtig scrutinizes the production of  our bottled ”basic human right” and its devastating effects on our health, climate change, pollution, and our reliance on oil. Be sure to watch the trailer and let us know your thoughts on the bottled water industry. Tags: carbon footprint, change, changes, climate change, conservation, earthpromise, eco-friendly, energy, energy efficient, environment, environmental, environmental footprint, environmental movement, global warming, green, green economy, green future, green living, green practice, green practices, green revolution, Stephanie Soechtig, sustainable, water, water bottles Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

The Next Industrial Revolution – Is It Green? Thursday, September 3rd, 2009 Genuine sustainable packaging is becoming the shipping and distribution eco-solution.  Not only does it show that your company cares for the environment, but it will be more economical in the end. A double whammy for a growing or already established business in this recovering economic climate.  It comes down to producer responsibility.  Product design, packaging, and recyclability  together will exemplify the companies’ ethics, economics and environmentalism. Since consumers are getting more environmental savvy, it will be those companies (who are not green-washing), but actually making a conscious effort to better their system:  rethinking their entire production process from the top down.  It may take the government holding businesses accountable for their waste for them to start making some changes. A great article in Media Post details the importance of sustainable packaging. Tags: carbon footprint, change, changes, climate change, conservation, earthpromise, eco-friendly, energy, energy efficient, environment, environmental, environmental footprint, environmental movement, global warming, green, green economy, green future, green living, green practice, green practices, green revolution, President Obama, sustainable Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

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