got green?

solar rain barrel irrigation system

2011-08-01T21:43:00.002-04:00

cruelty free cosmetics

2011-03-09T18:27:00.002-05:00

have yet to figure out why we still need to test crap on animals... but some products don't- mary kay cosmetics is one and paul mitchell in the salon only! is another... it takes effort but the leaping bunny has compiled an entire website devoted to linking others to companies and products not tested on animals...

heirloom seeds

2010-03-08T10:08:00.000-05:00

good info here

just an fyi

2010-01-17T13:33:00.000-05:00

i stumbled upon the usda household products database- thought i'd share...

al gore's new book out tomorrow

2009-11-02T18:57:00.002-05:00

i had no idea- as i have been out of the loop- but if you are interested in what some of the solutions that are going to be talked about by leading nations over the short term- read this article

stuff i don't know very much about- concentrated thermal power versus pv (photovoltaic) and lots of other interesting ideas that sound pretty feasible.

provided of course that folks can agree and we can get started

expanding the three 'r's

2009-10-29T10:13:00.002-04:00

reduce, reuse, recycle- and added to the mix- refuse. plastic is forever and it's probably one of the most toxic substances on the planet to entire ecosystems. we know now that it's harmful to us- especially when heated.

also, an fyi- forests in asia are being illegally logged to make children's books.

recycle scotch tape rolls

2009-10-20T08:19:00.001-04:00

information here

i have been very neglectful about blogging recently. sorry.

learn to cook- novel idea

2009-09-14T23:29:00.000-04:00

"American cuisine co-opts other cultures' cuisines with the eye of the entitled: special-occasion foods turn into everyday staples, center cuts take center stage. There's nothing inevitable about that, and very little that's delicious. Good cooking gives a voice to these disenfranchised parts. Democratizing the carcass should be the future of food."

alternet

who knew?

2009-09-14T19:49:00.002-04:00

going green works. imagine that :)

and clara is back with her own channel on youtube- check it out- depression cooking with clara. she's a gem and a treasure.

interesting stories

2009-09-05T09:00:00.002-04:00

the pope blames athiests for global climate change

“Is it not true that inconsiderate use of creation begins where God is marginalized or also where his existence is denied?"

well, i am a rabid environmentalist and a devout athiest. many of the 'christians' i know drive big cars; live in big houses and insist on shopping, shopping, shopping. so, no, your popeness- i am going to say 'no.'

swine flu prevention tips- listen, they don't have a magic cure for swine flu. around here, they treat the swine flu the same as any other flu- so, don't catch it to start with and you'll be better off.

and, one more case for making homemade food- less chance of getting listeria or salmonella or any of the other toxic bacteria

7 cosmetics ingredients to avoid

2009-09-02T22:49:00.002-04:00

lots of nasty stuff in makeup- big reason i don't wear it anymore

not good

2009-08-17T20:32:00.001-04:00

exploding populations in places that can ill afford more folks- well, it spells trouble. mix it with global climate change and unbridled capitalism- well, it spells big trouble:

asia facing unprecedented food shortages

avoiding toxins in your food

2009-08-12T08:14:00.002-04:00

13 toxins and how to avoid them

i am switching over to glass and i don't eat fish anymore. i recently found a local poultry raiser and lamb- and i can't justify snacks in the house anymore. aside from the empty calories- they really can kill you.

neat idea

2009-08-08T14:45:00.001-04:00

recycle cans into flower pots

could partially explain changing weather

2009-08-08T10:26:00.002-04:00

glaciers melting faster than predicted

good for big oil- not so good for the rest of us

product review

2009-08-05T11:53:00.002-04:00

tried out the yesterday's news cat litter by purina- no go. the cats were not pleased and the little one pooped on the bathroom rug and covered it up there. sigh. at least they peed in the box. they grew up on clay litter so perhaps training a new kitten to the paper pellets would work. but, and this was the other deciding factor, the paper pellets smell funny. the clay is not the best option but it cuts the odor and my cats will actually use the box.

seafood soon won't be see food

2009-07-31T08:11:00.001-04:00

life's journey: eviro news

overfishing and fish farms are scarring the world's oceans

remember starbucks?

2009-07-30T20:09:00.000-04:00

last time i looked- pressure from people globally forced starbucks to change its system of wasting water. there is no excuse for ben and jerry's to continue their policy. boycott ben and jerry's until they commit to changing their system. water is too precious to waste-- anywhere. especially on something as frivolous as ice cream.

fyi

2009-07-30T17:33:00.001-04:00

dr. bronner's soaps is certified fair trade and has been around for 60 years. and hasn't gone corporate. if you are looking for good holiday gifts- perhaps a fair trade basket?

recycling cell phones

2009-07-30T08:06:00.001-04:00

deb always has a good post up- and this one is so relevant in the techno age.

cool deal

2009-07-22T13:19:00.002-04:00

i recently joined etsy and started my own shop to sell crocheted items. i am currently trying to use up my stash of yarn so that i can try out the new eco friendlier brands- like organic cotton and wool and especially the recycled fibers made from tshirts and recycled plastics. i ran across a really cool shop that makes items out of recycled plastic bags- check her out and give her a shout:

sabledi's shop

more reason

2009-07-16T19:07:00.000-04:00

to eat locally or grow your own

and not eat seafood.

mid summer check in

2009-07-15T08:30:00.003-04:00

head's up if you use hay or straw- herbicides are being passed through animals into manure into compost into....

i found this article a bit helpful- i am a first time potato grower and i had no idea when to harvest

reduce, reuse, recycle

2009-07-10T23:48:00.000-04:00

and precycle

• Push your shopping cart past the individual bottled waters and juice boxes. Instead buy large containers and sturdy, refillable bottles.

• Buy loose fruits and vegetables, not prepackaged containers with unnecessary Styrofoam and plastic.

• On the laundry aisle, buy cleaning products in bulk or concentrate.

• As you compare sizes, prices and brands, go for the product with the least packaging and best potential to reuse, refill or recycle.

• In the kitchen, use washable plates, cups and silverware, not paper or plastic.

the skinny on stinky

2009-07-10T23:43:00.002-04:00

or not stinky- deoderants

fyi

2009-07-09T16:17:00.001-04:00

is that food in your fridge still good?

still tasty

wasted food

10 dangerous household products to avoid

2009-07-09T08:19:00.003-04:00

westerners are hugely concerned about smell. we attempt to cover everything up with floral scents and disinfect everything down to its bare components. it isn't necessary. we've just been told it is. as for non stick, well, a bit of water in a pan on the stove takes the scrubbing away. without non stick coatings or ajax or any of those toxins.

really.

egocentricity

2009-07-09T08:16:00.002-04:00

"Would any sane person think dumpster diving would have stopped Hitler, or that composting would have ended slavery or brought about the eight-hour workday, or that chopping wood and carrying water would have gotten people out of Tsarist prisons, or that dancing naked around a fire would have helped put in place the Voting Rights Act of 1957 or the Civil Rights Act of 1964? Then why now, with all the world at stake, do so many people retreat into these entirely personal “solutions”?'

because derrick, most people don't really give a damn. there aren't enough of us out here to actually effect any change. most folks aren't interested in even changing their lifestyle let alone giving a shit about the rest of the planet. wake up derrick. i agree that we should all be out in the streets demanding change- but we don't even do that to save our civil liberties- why would we bother for saving the planet?

another reason to grow your own

2009-07-06T21:09:00.001-04:00

and barring that- go vegan

i have nothing good to say about corporates- big pharma, big agri, big anything- signals greed, greed, greed

food shortages and starvation coming up

2009-06-20T08:28:00.001-04:00

having the information in vivid color really drives the point home- our way of life is not sustainable

plastics

2009-06-18T08:30:00.002-04:00

plastics have revolutionized the world. without it, i wouldn't be typing on this keypad. however, humans often rush into things without thinking about the ramifications down the road- and plastics, well, i realize they have been around forever- but so has the oil it's based on.

anyhoo, there is increasing evidence that plastics are not as innocuous as once thought.

fantastic

2009-06-11T15:59:00.001-04:00

recycled materials radioactive. is there anything that isn't tainted these days?

milk news

2009-06-11T15:55:00.002-04:00

america has a dairy crisis- or rather dairy farmers have a dairy crisis. as always, big corporates screw over regular folks and everyman farms- and greed trumps all.

(original article here)

geothermal power

2009-06-11T08:21:00.001-04:00

got this via my other blog- it's interesting

peruvians massacred protesting

2009-06-09T09:00:00.001-04:00

i would like to hope that we weren't involved some how. given our history as a country in that region- it's probably naive.

not good

2009-06-08T08:07:00.003-04:00

the declining bee and bat population has had me concerned and worried for years. it doesn't matter if you have heirloom or gm seeds- you need these critters to pollinate plants. without them- well, things are going to get pretty grim pretty fast.

recycling brita filters

2009-06-06T16:11:00.000-04:00

life's journey: sharing good news

recycling brita filters

national geographic is always a treasure

2009-06-05T18:13:00.002-04:00

and they have started 2009 out with a bang- every issue, starting with january, has at least one article on global climate change, energy, eco movements, etc. if you don't subscribe, seriously consider. those dollars are well spent. i read in a recent issue about coral reefs- blew me away.

of course, not all is upbeat and hopeful- they do mix reality in with the good news. for example, cheap food is over. our ability to produce enough food for the entire planet- well, that's a fantasy. there are millions starving around the world so that we, the wealthy western world, isn't. on a brighter note, the green roof movement is taking off slowly here in america. somehow, we always seem to be behind the curve. with monies allocated for homeowners in the form of federal tax incentives- and grants for state and local areas- perhaps we can start getting more energy efficient.

not because we are being told to- but because it's logical. it will save us money- and is better for the environment and peoples around the world.

good news for summer parties

2009-06-05T18:09:00.001-04:00

some of the big name beer companies are starting to reform and get more enviro friendly

interview with dr. mark serreze

2009-06-05T18:05:00.002-04:00

"I find little room for optimism here."

he's the new director of the NSIDC- The National Snow and Ice Data Center. looks like the arctic will be ice free by 2020 or so. yep.

global climate crises looms closer to the abyss

2009-06-03T13:39:00.001-04:00

we are in trouble folks

"The fall of the Roman Empire was due to a large extent, writes the historian Adrian Goldsworthy, to a system of government that became inward-looking and weakened by internal dissent. Gone was the singular focus from the golden days of the Republic, when a small, trusted coterie of around 1,000 administrators ran the whole empire efficiently.

In its place was a bloated, inefficient and suspicious bureaucracy of 35,000, seeking power and personal advantage. Worst of all, gripped with self-obsession, they took their eyes off the Goths at the gates, and paid a devastating price. Any similarities to actual people alive today and current political circumstances are, of course, entirely unintended and circumstantial. Goldsworthy points out that every age can project its own experience onto the Romans, which just goes to show how much they did actually do for us."

yep.

new report out

2009-05-29T11:10:00.001-04:00

climate change crisis- 'catastrophic'

"The first comprehensive report into the human cost of climate change warns the world is in the throes of a "silent crisis" that is killing 300,000 people each year."

not to sound hard hearted- but the earth is overly populated with humans. we need to get serious about contraceptives and limiting births if we are going to survive as a species. seriously.

i am a convert

2009-05-29T09:21:00.003-04:00

i have taken it upon myself to try out some of the 'green' products i found on the listing website. i love burt's bees milk and shea butter soap. yep. love it. don't know how i feel about the shea butter usage though. i guess it depends on where they get their shea butter. many multinationals have stepped in to make a profit- but some folks are fighting on behalf of the women of africa to get them fair trade and wages.

anyhoo, i won't buy more until i find that out- but i do really love the soap. i also tried dr. bronner's lavender soap- also an excellent soap. it's a fair trade, organic soap and it has a nice scent and texture. i intend to get my hands on a bar from tom's of maine too. i tried the deoderant and it works great! i got lavender for me and unscented for hubby. trying out the toothpaste- i actually got the paste instead of the gel- by mistake. but it tastes fine and works great. i got the mint.

these items are a bit pricey, i am sure, for the average household. the bars of soap go further than the body washes and are actually more enviro friendly. i haven't tried the shampoo yet- as i don't know how i feel about pomegranate and some of the other scents. plus, all of the 'green' shampoos and conditioners are a bit pricey. dove and suave got middle scores and i will try some of the other shampoos along as i can work them into the budget. going green takes working in steps :)

researching green building and upgrades

2009-05-25T07:51:00.002-04:00

wanted to see what we could switch to 'green' and get help subsidizing under the new stimulus plan. apparently, you get a big, fat tax incentive to 'go green' under the stimulus package. if you couple this with your state and local incentives- might not be a bad deal. i live in new york state and it looks like NYSERDA is the place to go for the money. you can check out energy star and the epa website too for products and tax info.

gardening 101

2009-05-21T08:39:00.000-04:00

i posted pics and my gardening adventure at the sirens chronicles

impacting the environment

2009-05-18T09:15:00.002-04:00

daniel goleman on bill moyers

about daniel goleman

'ecological intelligence'

good guide

skin deep

michael pollan, 'in defense of food'

2009-05-15T08:05:00.002-04:00

"So, I’ve had to update my rules. And with all this new marketing based on these ideas, my new suggestion is, if you want to avoid all this, simply don’t buy any food you’ve ever seen advertised. Ninety-four percent of ad budgets for food go to processed food. I mean, the broccoli growers don’t have money for ad budgets. So the real food is not being advertised. And that’s really all you need to know. ...

You know, another piece of advice from In Defense of Food is, don’t eat any food that comes with a health claim. It sounds counterintuitive, but if you’re worried about your health, that is not the healthy food. The healthy food is in the produce section. It’s sitting there very quietly, without budgets to do this research, without budgets for marketing, without packages to print health claims on. So just kind of tune that out. ...

Well, the reason we have a School Lunch Program, you know, it began as an effort really to get rid of this incredible overproduction of American agriculture. I mean, we’re using our children as a disposal for excess, you know, cheap ground beef and cheese and all these corn products, and that the—you know, under the School Lunch Program, we feed our kids chicken nuggets and tater tots in school. We’re using the School Lunch Program to teach them how to become fast-food consumers. So, it’s not about health, and it needs to be about health."

with amy goodman

fair trade

2009-05-13T09:57:00.004-04:00

i try to buy fair trade products when possible- because i don't believe in rewarding big corporates for slave labor. however, just as we need to be careful of 'greenwashing' and consumer products here- we need to be aware that corporates will work around unions and other systems designed to protect workers and wages.

case in point- tea. i had been searching for a brand to buy that i could get locally- and who had a decent reputation for ethical treatment of the workers. alas, more difficult than i could have imagined. remember nike and the sweatshops? kind of the same thing. apparently, the corporate overlords don't want to get away from the european model of colonial plantations. wouldn't do to cut into mega profits.

the bottom line- do as much research into the foods and beverages you purchase- and realize that everything you do buy- has a consequence for another family on the other side of the globe.

fair trade- north america

transfair, usa

flip the coin- the bitter taste of tea

heinemann media

information hotline

2009-05-13T08:28:00.002-04:00

fear the cul-de-sac- new movie in the works

'What's the greatest threat to our planet? Eco-filmmakers say the problem comes down to cul-de-sacs.'

don't drop the bar soap- why bar is better than liquid

organic iced tea- check out the fair trade brands

looking back to see forward

think green thursday

2009-05-07T07:52:00.000-04:00

The Pagan's Eye: Think Green Thursday for May 7, 2009

gina has got something cool going on at her place

all about sustainable gardening

2009-04-30T16:25:00.001-04:00

neat site i ran across while trying to find information on what to do with a pretty useless plant- sustainable gardening with susan harris. packed full of info on a variety of topics. check it out.

binghamton, ny named 'tree city usa'

2009-04-22T16:47:00.002-04:00

for the second year in a row- the arbor day foundation named binghamton a 'tree city'- pretty cool

personal responsibility meets civic action

2009-04-22T16:44:00.002-04:00

10 really big things we can do to save the planet

green tips to help change the planet

2009-04-22T16:00:00.003-04:00

and your life.

54 tips for green living

big pet peeve of mine- take- out styrofoam. it has effectively ended our take out.

15. To avoid use of “to-go” packaging, sit down, have your coffee at the coffee shop and ask them to use a mug instead of a paper cup. It will give you a nice break too!

couple of newsy links

2009-04-15T18:19:00.001-04:00

70 percent cut in co2 emissions could stabilize climate

earth day: the ultimate empty gesture

japanese beetles and milky spore

2009-04-15T17:33:00.003-04:00

so, i spent some time (very little actually) spreading milky spore on my lawn and my family's over the last week. i have a seed spreader so it goes on quite nicely. i bought a 20 lb. bag at my local agway store- and it has been the only place i have found it so far. you can mail order it too- from the company and gardener's supply. i am sure other mail order sites have it too.

if you have large brown patches on your lawn- and you live east of the mississippi, you probably have an infestation of grubs- of the japanese beetle variety. they spread from yard to yard- and so does the milky spore. from what i understand, it is a natural bacterium found in japan that keeps their beetles in check. well, doesn't happen naturally here- so the beetles went nuts and now they are pretty much everywhere. if you treat your lawn with chemicals, you have to do it every year. the beetle traps- don't bother. they are pheremones designed to attract beetles and there you are. it will call any beetle within a hundred miles- to your yard. then, you have a bigger issue.

the milky spore takes about 3 years to fully take hold in colder climates- less in warm. you put it on 2-3 times a year- and the grubs ingest it and eventually explode- releasing more spores. a really good way to get rid of infestations is to involve your neighbors if you can. if a block of folks did this, well, it spreads and spreads. it doesn't hurt the birds who eat the grubs or other backyard animals like pets or wildlife. i generally put mine on the yard now, in spring, and again at the end of august when the grubs start to hatch (the new crop). in the meantime, i go out in the morning when the adults are sluggish and pop them into a container of dishsoap and water. gross, but effective.

i intend to plant rue and garlic with the roses and other tasty veggies. and it will also keep neighborhood cats out of the flower and veggie beds.

to breast or not- not my issue

2009-04-13T17:07:00.001-04:00

but it will be my sister-in-law's within the next couple of months

some folks say definitely- others say no- but we cannot deny that breast milk happens for a reason and no matter what the formula folks say- natural is better. especially when everything we eat or drink is contaminated with something.

monsanto

2009-04-12T09:16:00.000-04:00

Spark of Freedom: Video: The World According to Monsanto

speaking of genetically modified...

another reason not to eat meat

2009-04-12T08:59:00.001-04:00

center for food safety reports that the fda is allowing cloned meat for sale. i don't do genetically modified veggies either.

healthy living

2009-04-12T08:50:00.000-04:00

"People didn't need diets or weight loss programs or special shakes, pills, or frozen dinners before now. We evolved to regulate our weight without any special science or diet program. But we also evolved alongside whole foods, not the processed stuff available today."

la vida locavore- review of health at every size

depending on where you live

2009-04-10T19:29:00.001-04:00

the municipal water supplies may be drying up. just an fyi-

california drought enters 3rd year

mexico city turns off taps

this explains alot

2009-04-07T22:20:00.001-04:00

i love chocolate- and i know that i am addicted to it. also, i must have sugar in my coffee and on my cereal. sigh. i don't eat or drink as much as most- but i think it's safe to say i am addicted.

study shows sugar addictive

"Our evidence from an animal model suggests that bingeing on sugar can act in the brain in ways very similar to drugs of abuse," lead researcher Bart Hoebel, a professor of psychology at Princeton University, said."

food and water issues

2009-04-07T22:04:00.003-04:00

global climate change along with population growth and pollution are going to cause great hardships and even the death of millions of folks worldwide. here are some informational links about what is really going on:

rich countries land grab for resources

what happens when we run out of drinking water?

our water problems are a crisis of management

what global warming means for food

is america on the brink of a food crisis?

the stuff of life

snow study shows california faces record drought

nobody knows how dry we are

why some cities are getting drier as skyscrapers rise

antarctic ice shelf breaks off and melts

2009-04-06T17:17:00.000-04:00

'jamaica sized' ice shelf breaks off

going green in hard times

2009-04-03T20:28:00.000-04:00

this chick writes about going green without much money- paring back and not consuming is the best way to go- but we all know that we have to buy stuff at some point. i find it ironic that living a healthier, more natural life costs so much more. there are little things all of us can do to live a more conscious life- and much of it has to do with scaling back and using less. we are all spoiled. are organic shampoos better for you? undoubtedly- so buy them and use less. shampoo only 2 or 3 times a week. can't replace the toilet to a low flow? 'when it's yellow, let it mellow.' flush every other time. can't replace to low flow shower heads? take a 10 minute shower instead of 20. it isn't easy and i am not there yet either.

i have gotten my garbage down to one bag to the curb a week- unless we have company. that's household non compostables and cat litter. i have to recycle glossies- and for reasons unknown to me credit card companies use glossy paper. irritating. my biggest suggestion is just reduce, reuse and recycle as much as possible and really think before you purchase. second hand is new to you- so who else will know if you go to the goodwill or salvation army to get new school clothes for the kids or work clothes for you? and it helps a good cause.

i tried hard to find fair trade tea. not because i am hoity toity- but because i believe that folks deserve to be paid a fair wage for their efforts. the biggest area i stumble in are the toiletries. haven't switched out shampoos, deoderants, etc. haven't had time to figure out which ones are the best. cleaning supplies- vinegar, salt and baking soda. seriously. and less is more. you don't have to kill every bacteria in your home. you don't. most sickness and disease is caused by viruses anyway. so, live the best life you can live and do the best you can with what you have. that's all we can do at this point.

the maker movement

2009-04-03T19:51:00.000-04:00

mom wanted me to check out nightline- as it had a story about folks fixing stuff and reusing. so, i will pass it along here. the maker movement is apparently gaining momentum and i think it's great. they have a magazine and the new york times did a write up about them.

“We’ve been told by corporate America that we cannot fix the things we own,” says Mr. O’Hare, who goes by Major Catastrophe and works as a fabricator for the stage and businesses. “All we can do is buy their stuff and like it.” Cars have become too complex to work on under a shade tree, and people have no idea what is inside their cellphones and cameras. “All this technology, and it’s not ours. It’s somebody else’s,” Mr. O’Hare says. “ Make is about taking that back off and making it yours.”