Earth Day Newsletter April 2008
The future is now. Let’s live it up.
This has been a progressive year for the Earth. Green awareness is rising and I had a huge pool to choose from for this year’s newsletter. Here are a few selections for your enjoyment.
new news
Welcome, National Geographic Green Guide!
Written for general consumers, Green Guide is full of simple, useful ideas, broken down into achievable steps that make "going green" a gradual and affordable process rather than an all-or-nothing plunge. It’s the resource for consuming wisely.
Find practical advice, like where to recycle broken compact fluorescent light bulbs (http://www.earth911.org/) and stories that vibe with your sustainable lifestyle, even if you just dabble in green.
Visit: http://www.thegreenguide.com/
Go in Peace, Sunflower Market…
What a fantastic place to shop this was! Great staff, great meal ideas and all organic. Smaller than Whole Foods, every item went through a taste test before hitting the shelves. We loved that fact that we could find all our favorites and try new things without breaking the bank.
Well, all things must come to an end, and we hope that now there is more room for similarly-minded groceries. But for now, we will bounce around the organic kiosks at the supermarket and scrape up pennies to frequent the old stand-bys.
Revolution in Residential Design?
John Nastasi is revisiting a great concept: working with nature to build our homes. His use of parametric modeling and site analysis ensure that building is sensitive to the environment and energy efficient for home owners.
Not only does analysis ensure that the build “treads lightly on the Earth,” use of prefabrication reduces labor costs and errors. Make your next home project site-specific. Nastasi is training the next generation of architects at the Product-Architecture Lab program at the Stevens Institute of Technology.
Read more at dwell.com or read my report on the subject at www.lauriebillen.com/NastasiDesign
travels…san francisco
smart car!
smart® has arrived in San Francisco! Open your mind with the smart fortwo®. Fuel economy is a hot topic, and better engineering allows us to make safe cars smaller than ever. smart is a car that offers maximum comfort, agility, safety, ecology and driving fun.
Here is the stated smart Environmental Policy: "With our products, we are setting a milestone for environmentally-compatible individual mobility. Every day, we live an efficient and dynamic environmental management system that is aligned towards on-going improvement."
smart is dedicated to protecting the environment with future focused recycling and a strong environmental policy. The smart fortwo is also classified as an Ultra-Low Emission Vehicle (ULEV) on account of its extremely low exhaust emissions. The catalytic converter is positioned close to the engine for a quick response. An electric pump blows fresh air into the exhaust port when the engine is cold to almost completely oxidize the carbon monoxide (CO) and hydrocarbons (HC) and render them less harmful.
Thanks, smart, for leading us into an adorable future!
Michelle’s Naturally
What’s absolutely the best after wandering the hills of San Francisco in the rain? Delicious vegan cookies! I found some spectacular ones made by Michelle’s Naturally. Michelle uses only the finest, freshest ingredients and adds no preservatives in her baking. She works with certified organic growers whenever possible, and takes great care in selecting ingredients for her vegan cookies.
Buy: http://www.michellesnaturally.com/
here in chicago
Rancho Verde
Across the street from the fantastic Center for Green Technology is Christy Weber’s green headquarters, the capstone of a 12.5 acre eco-industrial park named Rancho Verde. The building has received LEED Platinum rating from the US Green Building Council (USGBC).
Among the impressive list of sustainable technologies used in the build are bioswales, green roofs, automated lighting, rainwater cisterns, geothermal heating and cooling, energy recovery systems, solar thermal wall panels, and a wind turbine.
I could probably go on for some time about how impressed I was with the tour, but you should check it out for yourselves! It’s great to see local businesses stepping up to the plate.
For further information please visit: chicagogreenworks.com and http://www.christywebber.com/
progressive products
Chico bags
Ugh! Do we all have the drawer, cabinet or closet full of single-use plastic bags? Does it drive you mad when you stop to pick up something and don’t have your reusable grocery bag with you? While unfortunately single-use bags are still the cheapest option for most retailers, shops are wising up to the use of eco-friendly bags. These little numbers are great because they can be condensed when not in use and are light enough to carry on your keychain.
Buy: http://store.chicobag.com/
Label Once
If you love to re-use but like to stay organized, Label Once labels can keep you from losing your marbles. Write on them with your favorite color marker, and erase and rewrite when you replace the contents. The labels stay on, even in the dishwasher, to keep you and your items sorted.
Buy: http://www.labelonce.com/
Hint Mints
Have you ever tried to find mints or gum without complex chemical additives or animal by-products? Well, it’s damn near impossible. That’s why I was so excited find Hints Mints at my favorite Michigan restaurant and shop, Food Dance. They have 3 ingredients that I can live with and taste great! What more could I ask for in a mint? Well, they look cool too, so there you go!
Buy: http://www.hintmint.com/
quotable…
“Before eating, always take a little time to thank the food.” ~First Nations Proverb
Have a fabulous Earth Day! Thanks for reading!
