Arlington, Massachusetts Named Green Community

The Governor has picked my hometown, Arlington, Massachusetts, as one of the thirty five towns in the state listed as Green communities. These towns are striving to make a difference in the environment and although I don’t live there anymore, it is still a proud moment to read about Arlington’s achievement. Way to go!


Following is part of the article from boston.com from May 26.

“ According to the Governor’s office, Arlington qualified as a Green Community by meeting five clean energy benchmarks, including the adoption of the stretch energy code which Town Meeting approved on April 28. The other four benchmarks met by the town are: ”

• Adopting local zoning bylaw or ordinance that allows "as-of-right-siting" of renewable energy projects;
• Adopting an expedited permitting process related to the as-of-right facilities;
• Establishing a municipal energy use baseline and a program designed to reduce use by 20 percent within five years;
• Purchasing only fuel-efficient vehicles for municipal use, whenever such vehicles are commercially available and practicable.

Arlington is in good company with towns such as Cambridge, Northampton, Athol, Mashpee, Lexington, Acton, Springfield, Worcester, Salem, Pittsfield and, oh yeah, my current town of Medford (hooray!) making the cut, there is a nice balance of small town and larger city and literally towns stretching throughout every corner of the state.

So, high five Arlington, as well as the 34 other Green towns, for making the positive initiatives that helped to provide a Big Belly solar trash compactor and potential grant funding for your towns. Go Green!

Note: The photo above was taken by me in April 2008 in Arlington center. I loved the way the bikes and recycle / trash bins looked together and thought it was a nice touch to make the bins so much more decorative than average.

Washington Nationals’ Stadium Goes Green!

Over the past couple weeks our little family has done an awful lot of traveling far and wide to visit with family and friends. Last weekend we spent a few days with one of Matt’s best friends, Dan, who lives in the Washington D.C. area, and since all of us are big baseball fans he started looking into getting tickets so we could enjoy a game while in town.

The Baltimore Orioles were on the road so we landed at Nationals Park, home of the Washington Nationals. Before we even got to DC, Dan had sent me a link to some information on the park and it turns out the ball park is one of the most environmentally conscious in the country! I was excited to have a first hand look at their efforts.

Construction on the structure was completed in time for the start of the 2008 season and it is the very first LEED Silver Certified professional sporting venue in the country so the two year project was quite a big deal!

Some of the efforts completed include:
- Location chosen to be accessible by the Metro (public transportation)
- Low VOC materials
- Materials consist of a minimum 10% recycled content
- LED lights used in scoreboard/electronic banner displays
- Massive reductions in water and energy consumption (3.6 million gallons annually / 21% over standard field lighting)
- Drought resistant plantings
- Reflective roofing materials
- Locally produced materials specified in construction
- Over 5,500 tons of waste was recycled upon completion of the project

We had a blast at the park, which is also one of the cleanest facilities I’ve ever been to! Here are a few photos I took the day we watched the Nats beat the Florida Marlins.

Thanks for blazing the trail toward a Greener way of thinking, Washington Nationals, while still allowing us to have a truly enjoyable baseball experience!

Lunt Solar Systems Has Revolutionized the Way We Look (Directly) at the Sun

Remember when you were a kid and adults said not to look directly at the sun because you could burn your eye balls? Some of us said ‘okay’ and went on our way, but people like Andrew Lunt, Owner of Lunt Solar Systems, never quite gave up the hankering for staring directly at the sun. He spent twenty years developing, testing, assembling and perfecting Lunt Solar System’s line of telescopes and filters made specifically for doing just that.

Okay, I know what you’re all thinking…“How cool is that?”

I felt the exact same way!

Based out of Tucson, Arizona, Lunt Solar telescopes and filters are carried in shops in nine states across the United States including California, Idaho, Oklahoma, New York and Georgia among others, and there are worldwide dealers in twenty seven other countries across the globe. Each ‘scope is created upon order, tested for performance and safety and then shipped out to the client individually. This means lead time is longer but the quality of the piece is greatly enhanced as it was not a model pulled from stock.

Andy is married to my sister’s best friend so I got some first hand info on some of the amazing achievements he has had in the past year alone. In 2009 his LS60 Pressure Tuned Telescope was awarded the prestigious honor of being named one of Popular Science’s Hot Products for the year. Right on! Plus he was filmed as part of a documentary on solar eclipses and what one can use to watch them safely.

I am no scientist and much of the technical, scientific aspects of his ‘scopes go way above my limited knowledge of wavelengths, nanometers, spectrums and other related terms defined by light but I do know that by spending a little extra time over at the Lunt Solar Blog or viewing the details of either the Visual Package or the Imaging Package I would gain a world of knowledge essential to any budding solar viewing enthusiast!

We over here at GLR love to dive into researching the truly Green, geeky, cool, funky and unique and Lunt Solar fits just about all of those categories with ease. Much time will be spent doing research! Congrats Andy, here’s to many more years of innovative developments in the realm of seeing the sky and its biggest star from a different angle!

California Knows How to Party, Green!

When we first arrived in the desert region of Palm Springs for Christmas I was completely blown away by the number of enormous vehicles on the road. It seemed for miles the only things I saw were Hummers, Suburbans, Minivans and a slew of other SUV’s. I started to wonder how the emissions in this country were based on standards set by this state.

Where were the Smart Cars? How come there were not more Hybrid vehicles or even things like Mini Coopers all over the place? It was shocking!

Here in the northeast Smart Cars took off like wild fire because parking and accessibility is always at a premium in our very congested region of the country. Sometimes even my Corolla just can’t squeeze into the only available street space and there is an old saying in Boston “Grab the first parking spot you see because it will also be your last”. Unless you go to a garage this mantra really does ring true.

Anyway, my hope that California would blow me away with its eco consciousness was starting to diminish as we rode the freeways in our rental Hyundai Accent and all manner of (as Matt & I sometimes refer to them) Earth Stompers zoomed past us getting only 15 or so miles to the gallon.

We hit a drug store so I could pick up some body lotion (man is it ever dry in the desert! Even drinking 102 ounces of filtered tap water every day wasn’t cutting it on my sensitive skin!) and suddenly my faith in the Green efforts of my favorite state in the union were restored as there were two of these spaces right next to the handicapped spaces in the CVS parking lot in La Quinta:

Hooray!

Now I’m not at all sure if this is something all of the CVS stores out there do as this is the only one we visited but this was a great sign; both literally and figuratively of course!

Suddenly I started to notice that the sea of mountain sized vehicles parting to reveal that the lower emissions and Hybrid type vehicles were simply hidden behind them. They were there, just not in the droves I see back here. Yet.

But this sign is not at all something we have here so it was encouraging to watch innovation take shape. Way to go CVS in LaQuinta for thinking creatively and encouraging a Greener lifestyle for your patrons!

Silly Sunday Fun

Good morning friends! Snowing like mad here in Boston, Massachusetts and I am planning to just relax with some tea and my manuscript all day so I can stay warm and cozy indoors. But I couldn’t very well leave everyone hanging with nothing on this fine Sunday morning now could I?

I received the following message from quite a few people and it is definitely something to consider, especially today in the northeast quadrant of the United States. I think after our storm is over there will be a whole lot more joining this cause.

Hundreds are gathered to discuss climate change and fight back against global warming!

Wherever your travels take you today I hope that you have a nice laugh, smile and think Green!

Musician Seth Glier Gets a Little Green on Tour

Everyday more and more musicians are getting on board with the fact that touring Greener is not as tough as one might think so when I read about Seth Glier making the jump I was totally excited to feature his story.

My mom turned me onto Seth’s music some time ago after seeing him in Marblehead. My mom played his cd Space for me in the car and I was blown away. Not a chance this kid was only about seventeen, his voice was amazing! I became an instant fan and started following him on Facebook right away.

About a week ago I saw his update that he was about to kick off this tour dubbed G3 - Glier Goes Green: Offsetting the Trouble Tour. I was completely intrigued and looked into it. Turns out, not only is Seth doing all he can to create a 100% carbon neutral tour, he is asking his concertgoers to do the same.

Some of the awesome initiatives include:

☼ Using recycled or sustainable papers for marketing materials
☼ Soy/veggie inks and sustainable fabrics (organic cotton, hemp, bamboo) for all tees
☼ Purchasing energy credits (wind power) to offset his carbon emissions
☼ Using email as opposed to paper
☼ Touring in a Hybrid vehicle
☼ Reusing cups/plates/utensils instead of disposable options
☼ Visiting Farmer’s Markets and other local produce vendors at every stop on tour
☼ Guiding concertgoers to a forum where they can discuss carpooling to shows
☼ The Trouble Makers (street team coming soon) meeting with fans to plant trees locally

In addition to these solid efforts Seth and his street team kicked off their Green tour in Athol, Massachusetts by literally getting a down and dirty by planting trees, flowers and shrubs in Fish Park. He invited his fans to bring their own shovel and plant of choice then pitch in to not only beautify the town but to add some oxygen into the air. Hooray!

This tour continues through, well it appears next year on his website! He has tour dates posted all the way up through the 2010 South by Southwest (SXSW) Festival in March.

I hope that the Green efforts Seth and all are initiating this month as they hit the road to rock this amazing country will continue on every day. Thanks for being a forward thinking member of the musical community Seth, I greatly look forward to checking out the show this fall at one of your many Massachusetts locations!
♥love♥

On the Move with NorthStar Moving Corporation

Almost all of us have done it, Matt and I personally joke we are professionals now, college kids are about to do this en mass - moving. Most of us think of moving as a hassle or a headache and many of us also understand the environmental impact this activity can have on the planet due to emissions alone, never mind the lifecycle of boxes or the trucks, and even Greenies may not be thinking of the impact the facility itself will have. So who do we turn to in this stressful time to ensure not only that we remain calm and cared for, but that our planetary impact is low? Well NorthStar Moving Corporation may drive bright red trucks but look closer and all you will see is Green!

Based out of Los Angeles, California, NorthStar Moving is in a prime location but do not let the Southern California address fool you! Although their primary geographic focus is moving folks from the Los Angeles area, they are looking to expand their service in order to move anyone, anywhere. Oh, and they are doing it all in trucks that run on biodiesel.

After the conversion, and once it became clear that the old trucks were harmful to the planet, yet impossible to convert because of their current age and wear, NorthStar Moving hooked up with E-Cycle Environmental to break down and recycle the oldest trucks. E-Cycle also assists by offering a more eco friendly option for folks who are moving and getting rid of bulky, potentially harmful items (such as televisions, computers, etc).

Additionally all the new trucks were outfitted with lift gates that run on battery power as opposed to the engine. Emissions can be further reduced as the truck does not need to be running constantly during a move, the lift will operate while the truck is off. This is a very cool innovation and one I believe is exclusive to NorthStar as I can not find another company that indicates they do this yet.

Of course the awesomeness does not stop at the trucks and their fuel source.

All of the boxes the company sells are created from recycled materials but get this, they will also grant a 25% discount if you bring your boxes back to be recycled. Then the next person can re-purchase those boxes also at a 25% discount. Taking advantage of both moving boxes are sold at a 50% of rate, sweet!

The storage facilities utilize wooden storage compartments (made from recycled materials!) that are stacked in order to save on need for space as well as materials and the warehouses take advantage of natural light (through use of skylights) which helps to save on electricity as well.

All this is well and good but without strong customer service and attention to the client’s needs even the most eco-friendly company will not last very long. NorthStar has been in business for about 15 years and they not only offer a basic door to door moving service but also literal Red Carpet, luxury moving service. These folks have moved everyone from budget conscious college students to Hollywood heavy hitters like Angelina Jolie, Chuck Norris and Eva Longoria.

Not to mention their work with Hollywood Green Team, Sustainable LA** and the pre Oscar Green Carpet party this year. These services truly set them way apart from any other Green moving company out there never mind the fact that they treat everyone the same no matter what their moving budget is.

I spoke with a company representative to see what types of offerings they have at this time and for those in need of a storage solution now is an excellent time to take advantage of NorthStar’s services because in addition to their deal of $49.00 per month for a 5' x 7' x 8' high unit, you are also going to get the first month free. Yippie!

I am completely impressed with the company model that NorthStar is structuring here and like I said, since Matt and I move more often than the average family it is pretty safe to say I will be utilizing these services at some point in the not too distant future myself.

With such an innovative approach and strong planetary focus NorthStar is well deserving of a Four Leaf Rating!

Keep up the amazing work!
♥love♥

** The Downtown Film Festival runs from August 12 - 22 primarily located at the corner of 7th & Figueroa. Sustainable LA is a full day of Green awesomeness that includes speakers, films, parties and advice (all free!) and it takes place on Thursday August 20 from 10AM - 11PM at the Ernst & Young Plaza. If you’re in the area I highly recommend checking it out!

Going Back to the Beginning

A lot of you have probably noticed that there have been a whole slew of new reviews here at Green Leaf Reviewer. After an extended hiatus from the original purpose of this website -- to find, review and grant Leaf Ratings to as many purported ‘environmentally responsible’ items as I could find -- I have decided to get back into the swing of it again.

The desire to do this has both waxed and waned in recent months but I am greatly looking forward to this new wave of opportunity in the realm of Leaf Rating reviews for many cool products and services that I have had the pleasure of having sent to me of late.

Many companies have been very cool about sending products and all subsequent information so I can properly review the item and I have been so blessed to have this opportunity; to use their phenomenal products and truly give non-biased personal opinions as to their ecological impact. Thank you so very much, I have enjoyed working with all of you and can not wait to see who is up next!

As the one year anniversary of Green Leaf Reviewer approaches this fall I am reminded of all the people, companies, causes, services, etc. I have featured over the past year. The blog has sure come a long way from where it began but it is also more on track than ever as I have this amazing opportunity to write full time and I thoroughly enjoy dedicating oodles of that time to the research necessary to bring my most awesome and loyal readers interesting little Green gems on an almost daily basis.

The blog as of the past few months has become a Sunday through Friday endeavor and has been kind of nice to take off a weekend day that I can spend with Matt, family or friends. In addition it gives an extra day of top post exposure to the Eco Fashion Friday featured designer. With that recurring theme my eyes have been opened to many designers and I wholeheartedly look forward to continuing that series.

Melissa, my sister in law and guest blogger, has been a wonderful resource and although she has not posted a whole lot her own Green fire has been lit and she is blazing her own trail on a more eco path by joining up with lots of local community organizations and even jumping on the board of one! Way to go Melissa!

In addition to her great contributions so many of you have emailed me links, stories, photos, information and even your own stories and I am really grateful you all think of me when you come across something environmental. If it hasn’t been featured yet never fear, there is no doubt it will be soon!

I just wanted to give a quick hey to everyone and keep you up to date on the behind the scenes action as well as to say thank you for all that you do to make Green Leaf Reviewer the cool little spot on the web that it is. Please feel free to share this site with your friends and spread the Green love and if you have a product or service you would like me to review do not hesitate to get in touch with me so we can chat about it!

And now…back to the reviews!

♥love♥

It’s Not Easy Bein’ Green

Kermit the Frog shared with us forty years ago just how awesome it is to accept ourselves unconditionally, and he encouraged us to see the rest of the world through those same tolerant eyes. Kermit is green and he at first is unhappy that he is the same as the trees or mountains, unhappy that he can blend in so easily with the rest of the world to be potentially passed over.

There are days when all of us feel green, in the sense of this concern with being ordinary, but in the end Kermit accepts that being green makes him the perfect version of who he is. Enjoy your own green today!

Greening Up a Summer Camping Trip Part II

When I first posted all of those awesome Green goodies for camping I had promised to also give some information on the other necessities for a successful camping experience such as tents, sleeping bags and convenience accessories. Surprisingly, the toughest item to find was the one I had thought would be easiest -- the tent -- but there is a world of amazing gear out there for the eco conscious camper, it is all a matter of tracking it down!

I found this super cool tent from Green Outdoor made from a double layer of protective canvas. The outside is made from a blend of hemp and cotton and they have made it waterproof so no additional treatment is required to protect the inhabitants from the elements. The company has taken advantage of recycled guy lines, buckles and webbing as well as use bamboo for their pegs and lightweight aluminum for the poles. The inner liner is also cotton and has a sturdy ground sheet to ensure a comfy experience. The tent is an Earth friendly tan color and is in a popular pyramid style.

When laying under the stars it is nice to feel the comforts of home, well at least I think so! In order to do that a sturdy, warm and comfortable sleeping bag is the first order of business. For me, warmth is also key so when I came across the Battle Mountain bag by Big Agnes rated for temperatures as low as -15 degrees I was in love! With some bamboo fiber fill created from synthesized bamboo charcoal and the remaining fill from goose down this bag was rated as Green Gear of the year in 2007.

If you are like me and truly desire additional comfort while sleeping on the ground then the Eco Thermo 6 Sleeping Pad is just the thing to provide sweet carbon neutral dreams. Yes that’s right, I said carbon neutral. Making use of bamboo fiber, bamboo charcoal insulation and recycled aluminum was not enough for this company. They also went out and started buying up a whole bunch of carbon offset credits to neutralize the CO2 used in manufacturing and shipping the product. Cool!

Making use of these items is a great way to go green but for the casual camper why not consider either renting already existing gear or borrowing from someone else. Forgo the “buy it to use it once” syndrome and check around town. I can not say enough about REI as they will even rent a camping stove and this service is available in 28 states. Availability is definitely limited on this though so be sure to book it well in advance.

Then come on over to our campsite and share a beer and a ‘smore.

See you on the trail!

Beauty through the Rain, Mother Nature Shares the Sweetest Gifts

A few weeks ago on the way to our Bennetts Brook Green Group meeting the sun was just setting but the sky was also doing the spring rain in New England quick burst downpour. As soon as we got off the highway my eyes opened wide and my jaw even more so when we rounded a corner to see this sky. It was so beautiful we pulled into a parking lot simply to snap a few photos.

Just three weeks later it was yet again pouring, providing sustenance to all the thriving greenery and incredibly tall lawns. As I sat in my office typing up a post with the slider door open, listening to the shower, it suddenly occurred to me that the sun was streaming in through the window. With fingers crossed I grabbed the camera and stepped out on the balcony to see this beautiful gem emblazoned across the sky.

Whenever I am sad about something such as the extreme impact we are imparting on our planet with all of our many luxuries, this is just the thing to remind me that sometimes all it takes is an outlook in an upward direction to change my attitude. Beauty-full!

President Calls for Higher MPG and Lowered Emissions

Yesterday President Barack Obama stood out on the White House lawn and addressed members of his cabinet known as his “Energy Green Team”, representatives from the auto industry, environmental advocates, key Governors from a few states, the residents of this nation and others.

He made the announcement that for the first time in our nation’s history we will now have a policy in place for all new cars and trucks to increase fuel efficiency by an average of 5% each year from 2012 - 2016 to a new national standard of 35.5 mpg (average) and a decrease in emissions which would be equal to taking 377 million cars off the road over the next six and one half years. Taking California’s stringent requirements, working with members of the auto industry and environmental leaders this policy will be fully enforced on US auto makers by the year 2016.



HOORAY!

Unconventional and Eco Friendly -- Animals

From art to clothing more and more people are surfing the environmental wave and locating products that are a benefit to the planet. My research on all things Green always leads me down some truly fun paths with amazing discoveries that I love to share with everyone here. In the past couple days I have come across some truly wild finds as related to animals in both the art and clothing categories. Prepare to be amazed!


Yes the gal in the photo above is indeed wearing a fur coat. Yes it is an environmentally viable solution. How is that you might ask? The fur is reclaimed hair from the pet standing next to her. Oh yes, I am quite serious.

I came across an old article on the blog If Its Hip, Its Here with regard to owners saving the hair that their pets shed and then sending it out to be cleaned and spun into yarn then turned into all sorts of clothing items. A couple of the ladies featured on the blog make hats, scarves, wraps, jumpers, sweaters, coats, anything conceivable that can be worn.

I would ask my Vegan friends and readers to please let me know if this is something that would be within the realm of possible for your lifestyle. Please feel free to discuss in the comments.

Known as Buck Jr., these laser cut deer heads are created from cardboard. But not just any cardboard; 100% recycled material for the added environmental benefit. The item is extremely lightweight and a fun, kitchy alternative to actually going out and knocking off a real deer.

Cardboard Safari does not just carry flat packed, ready for assembly deer heads however. The shop is chock full of moose, bison, trees, wreaths, full rhinos and a myriad of other funky recycled trophies for your wall or desktop. Talk about a conversation piece! The prices are extremely reasonable but just remember this is a do it yourself kit which they ship to you with all cut pieces included.

Housecleaning and a Question for Readers

Good morning friends of GLR! Those of you who stop by frequently will notice a few changes over here, specifically over in the right sidebar. In an effort to add to the growing list of links that I love to visit, (and hopefully you do too) I have removed all thumbnails in favor of a link list. It looks cleaner and to me seems easier to navigate since it is now in alphabetical order.

The next change I am thinking of making is beginning to sell advertising space. This amazing blog has definitely been steadily growing for the past six months and although it is great fun, there is definitely a good deal of work involved to keep it going daily. So with that said I have put a little poll over on the right regarding thoughts on cost of advertising. If everyone would be so kind as to click a selection over the next week I would greatly appreciate it! Also, if none of those numbers sound reasonable I would love a comment to let me know what might work better and why.

The final bit of news is still in the works and I do not want to jinx it. But…I assure you it is pretty cool and I will be revealing all in short order!

I hope everyone is having a lovely day and has a chance to answer the poll! Thanks everyone you totally rock!
♥love♥

New Cool Toy

I am a sucker for things that scroll and look awesome so when I discovered this website that allows creation of widgets with pictures and banners and fun little scrollie things I was hooked immediately! The first one I created is a brand new term for me, its called a Blidget as it is a widget intended for a blog. What do you think?



If you like it and want to play around with creating your own get on over to Widgetbox and go through their incredibly quick registration (name, password, email) and their super easy widget wizard, which allows you to pull from images already on your blog / website, use custom colors, size and information.

I am now off to create widgets for everything, hope to see your widget sometime soon!

Fun and Funky Jewelry from Artwork by KD

Recently I chatted a bit with Kathy DellaValle, fellow Team Eco Etsy member and owner of Artwork by KD located in Susquehanna, PA, because her super funky jewelry really caught my eye as a fun and fresh approach to a hip retro style. Her use of bold colors and large shapes seem to scream hey check me out! Oh and did I mention all the materials used in her fashions are completely recycled or upcycled? She was willing to share a little bit of what encouraged her to pursue a career with an eye on both the planet and funky fashion.


How long have you been creating jewelry from recycled/upcycled materials?

A little over 1 year.

Where do you acquire the materials that go into your pieces?

I collect on a daily basis in my house (some kind of container is always being emptied) and I also receive lots of donations from friends and family!

What inspires you to create a piece?

I am inspired by colors big time!! They are usually my first inspiration. I love creating color combos that just make you stop in your tracks. Or a really rich color all on its own! Colors make me happy! Shape/texture come next.

Do you wear your own jewelry? What kind of reactions do you get from people on the street?

I wear my jewelry all the time! I had a post mistress that would order just about every pair of earrings I wore to the post office! It's great to get compliments from people in public. It makes me morph from artist to business woman; I then flash a business card and a smile ;-)

When did you become interested in protecting the environment?

Ever since I could walk! I always wanted to reuse things; it made me feel like I was hurting it's feelings to throw something away. Here's an embarrassing fact: When I was a little girl, after using a paper napkin I would keep it in my hand and call it my little napkin dog (I also did that with small brown paper bags too!). You can imagine the sadness when little paper dog went in the trash!

Are there other ways you are Green?

I recycle everything I can. Even tiny pieces left over from making things are sent to the recycle bin. I'm also a big conserver of water and electricity (I don't let the water run, I turn off lights when I'm not in a room, etc.). I enjoy picking wild apples and berries when they're around and making things from scratch. I park in a central location and walk to where I have to go and I also plan errands on the same day to avoid driving to town every single day.

What is one thing you do everyday that is considered Green?

Making wearable art from disposable objects and containers!

Do you have a tip for artists that are new to their industry?

Live by the 3 P's:
Passion - Love what you make/do so much that even if you don't make a dime for 3 months you still can't wait to wake up in the morning to get to work again.

Patience - Typically a successful business does not happen over night, maybe not even in a year! But you get what you put into things, so be patient and know success does not come fast or easy.

Lastly, Persistence. You need to have a daily plan and be aggressive every single day. Persistence in promotion, and in art making. Constantly try and make your work better, and think how you can reach more people. Sell at lots of shows. Don't give up! Everyday is a new chance.

Where can we find your items?

Web:
Artwork by KD Etsy Shop
Artwork by KD Artfire Shop

Brick and Mortar Locations:
Greenbeing in Scranton, PA
Earth and Wears in Dallas, PA
Pure Pennsylvania in Great Bend, PA
L'aveggio Roasteria in Binghamton, NY
Sea Hag Soaps and Art Mercantile in Brackney, PA

To keep up with the happenings of Kathy and her latest creations or show appearances you can also stop by her Artwork by KD blog which she updates frequently. She is running featured artist spots as well (I will be one of them in a few days too, thanks Kathy!).

Cast Your Vote for Earth Hour

Two of my loyal blog readers, Charmaine and Julie, both asked me within the past three weeks to discuss Earth Hour and although the date is still a couple weeks out there is no harm in planting the virtual Green seed now then discussing it again closer to the date and time of the event.

So what is it, when is it and how do we all get involved?

The first Earth Hour was hosted by Australia in 2007 as a way to reduce electricity consumption by requesting that residents of the country simply turn off their lights, unplug their non-use appliances and live as electricity free as possible for one short hour. In 2008, a remarkable 35 countries jumped on board to take part in this phenomenon and significant reduction in electricity was achieved across the globe. Many of you may remember seeing announcements (some featuring Anderson Cooper of CNN) discussing this global call to action on the last Saturday in March. Here is a video from last year’s campaign discussing the issues from Australia’s World Wildlife Fund (WWF), a supporter of the initiative.



This year more than double 2007 numbers, over 80 countries representing over 900 cities worldwide, will take part. Now that is a growing global awareness! Earth Hour hopes to receive 1 billion votes from individuals for this year’s event. So the question is -- what constitutes a vote?

A pledge to turn our lights off and unplug appliances from 8:30 - 9:30 PM on Saturday March 28 is all it takes!

I strongly encourage everyone to get over to the Earth Hour website and sign up to take part in this amazing global initiative. In addition, there is Facebook Group dedicated to Earth Hour with almost 150,000 members and they are also on Twitter, Myspace, YouTube and Flickr so no matter what networking means we are attached to we can find and join them.

Together we can effect real change so let’s spread the word now and get as many people on board this March 28th ride as we can!

Spring in New England

New England is an interesting place when it comes to weather, most of us use the quote “if you don’t like the weather, wait five minutes” as a mantra. March is a month where this is a very accurate statement as the temperature on this day in 1989 recorded a low of 9, but conversely, a high of 68 in 1946. Throughout my life I remember the weather being just about everywhere in between during this transition month. Yes technically it is still winter for a couple more weeks, this I am aware of as another potential snow storm looms for Monday, but this weekend is supposed to be anywhere from 40-62 degrees depending on geographic location and that is good enough for me to call today a Spring day!

Since it is rare to see such warm, sunshine skies in early March, I am pulling the flip flops out of the back of the closet and heading outdoors to take advantage of the free heat that the sun provides. It will be nice to get some exercise and fresh air after being cooped up indoors for the entire winter. While we are out on our journey the windows to our apartment will be open wide letting in some much needed air circulation to ensure we avoid further illness. It is easy being Green when the skies are clear and the weather is nice.

Spring fever is setting in so I can not wait to stop talking about issues with rock salt and instead start discussing SPF or tasty, vegan summer treats. I hope the weather in your neck of the globe is just as lovely today and you all take advantage of the spark of magic in the air then get outside to enjoy the temperatures with a smile!

It’s, It’s An Email Blitz!

In the past forty eight hours I have received a bunch of emails and many of them are related to causes that are dear to my heart -- The Environment and The President. In fact two emails in particular not only show support for one or the other but managed to combine both the environment and President Barack Obama into one message. Now that is something I can sure get behind!

Let’s start by talking about 1Sky. This is an organization dedicated to creating alliances with politicians to effect real change in the realm of fighting global warming on a larger scale. Yesterday they sent all of us supporters a message to let us know that when President Obama signed the recovery plan into effect it included $87 billion in green investments. From what they have indicated this is the largest expenditure the government has ever made in the area of clean energy. Hooray!

Of course 1Sky was not simply letting us know about this wonderful turn of events, they have asked us to please send a thank you note to Congress and President Obama showing our willingness to continue to support the efforts they are standing behind with this package. The great news is they made it easy to express our gratitude! Simply go to http://www.1sky.org/green-recovery-thankyou and enter your zip code. A pre-written message of thanks (and thumbnails of our local Senators) will pop up. Enter the required information (name, email, zip) and hit submit. Then please pass this link on to as many people as possible. Showing our support for their support ensures the gratitude loop for positive change keeps revolving!

Speaking of change…

Is it time to change that old, worn out T-shirt yet? Well perhaps I could interest you in one of these:

Jason Mraz and Rock the Vote have partnered up to bring us this 100% Organic cotton t-shirt in two fun colors. As if that wasn’t enough the inks are water based and all solvents are environmentally safe. Considering all of these factors, the shirts are not expensive like many tend to be -- small to XL, men’s or women’s, silver or blue will not cost you more than $25.00 (plus shipping -- please note that I found the shipping cost to be a bit pricey but I feel the cause is worth it!). They will ship within the next couple weeks and 50% of the purchase price proceeds will go directly to Rock the Vote efforts.

That gives a whole new meaning to ‘Rock On’ as these folks spend countless hours educating and encouraging voter registration. Plus how cool will it be to walk down the street with the caricature version of President Obama emblazoned on the front of a shirt?

What Is the Harm In Dumping My Expired Medication?

After posting my findings on how awesome Tropicana is to do their little part to get Green, I was surprised to read a comment from Julie regarding my disposal of the expired medication cluttering up my bathroom.

“You haven't been dumping them down the toilet or into the trash, I hope. Old meds, be they prescription or OTC, should be taken to a pharmacy/drugstore to be properly disposed. Otherwise, they'll more likely end up back in our water supply or "infecting" our soil. Just a PSA!”

As a kid we were always taught not to take any medications that had expired as they could be dangerous and/or not even work to help with the problem we were facing. I have always thrown away anything that was old or washed it down the sink, as I’m sure a lot of people out there have, because it was what I had always done when replacing with a fresh bottle so Julie’s comment woke me up. Because I am a gal who likes to have all the facts in order before I either debate or take the advice of someone else, I decided to do some research into what Pharmacies do with expired medications once we return them into their capable hands.

There are a slew of websites out there who all offer the exact same advice -- do not flush any medications down the toilet as waste treatment facilities do not have the capacity to handle filtration of every type of drug and those drugs could end up back in the public water supply so a local pharmacy, doctor or hospital should be contacted to retrieve and properly dispose of the medications. It was just as Julie had recommended!

My first stop was directly to the Walgreens website as this is the most prevalent local pharmacy in the area. I was surprised to learn the Federal government released drug safety disposal methods almost two years ago. Please feel free to visit the page where I gained the information that various governmental agencies endorse. In the end I visited approximately six online sources and discovered that most pharmacies who do accept these drugs end up sending them out to be incinerated.

Through this research I did come across some information that raised my red flag meter -- “don’t believe everything you read”; each of us needs to use our best judgment to dispose of old medications in the safest way possible for both the environment at large as well as our own personal environment. Two examples of scary information follow. I will point out however that not everything was scary, these websites also contain exceptional tips. Again, listen to your gut.

☼ “there are organizations that donate expired medicine to third world countries. Even though your medicine may have expired, it may still be good long past the printed date. (Only professionals can determine this.) Rather than have it waste away in your medicine cabinet, why not donate it where it will be put to good use?” From wiseGEEK. I believe that redistributing expired medications, prescription or not, is completely illegal so this is something I would love clarification on if anyone has additional information.

☼ “If you're tossing liquid medication, you can minimize the chance that a child will drink it by putting something terrible-tasting in it, like cayenne pepper.” From Baby Center. This is a tip for how to prevent little ones from getting their hands on medications and it sounds a little odd to me. Yes cayenne pepper is a strong flavor however the child would have to drink the liquid to know this was in there. Unknown ounces might be ingested before they stop tasting it.

The best suggestions I came across today came from About.com as they seemed rational, logical and truthful. I am not endorsing any one method over another but I will certainly do my best to be mindful of the local and global environmental impact my drug disposal has in all future instances. Again, we all make personal choices in these matters so the more information we can be armed with on all sides, the better.