Blogs

Automated parking saves space, fuel, and time

Peg Fong — Thu, 15 May 2008 11:04:17 PDT

This video explains the whole process, but I sugest you turn off your speakers unless you want to have the most awkward dance party ever.

Driving aimlessly is bad enough, so the only thing that could be worse is driving in circles looking for a parking spot. Then there are those drivers who deserve a special reserve space in hell for idling their cars waiting for a spot closer to the mall entrance because they can't be bothered walking a few extra feet.

A South Korean company may have a partial solution to this parking problem. There are more than enough cars on the road, but even so, there are even fewer parking spaces, especially in cities.

Automatic parking systems, which have been used for years in Europe and Asia because of space constraints, are beginning to be considered in theUnited States.

MP Systems designed the software and technology that makes parking simpler and easier by letting computers do the work. The system can fit twice as many cars in the same amount of space and eliminate hours of combined engine use every day so drivers don't have to drive around searching for that elusive space.

Drivers pull into a platform, and technology does the rest. When drivers want to retrieve their cars, each one enters a code and the car is delivered back via the platform.

There's also another bonus. With automated parking, the physical footprint of parking lots are smaller and there are cost savings in the maintenance of these facilites.

When people are out of the equation, it also eliminates the need for climate control, walkways, elevators, and lighting.

Sweet tooth truth

Trystan L. Bass — Fri, 02 May 2008 16:15:07 PDT

Rich and creamy, chocolate started as the food of the gods. Now it's the ideal gift for every special occasion. But behind the dark, delicious morsels lay some unfortunate environmental truths.

If you want to give your loved one a treat that's sweet to the planet, here's some background info and recommended sources.

First, you should know that 70% of the cacao beans used to make chocolate are grown in Africa, mostly in CÃ´te d'Ivoire and Ghana. Some cacao is grown in South America, the Caribbean, and Indonesia as well. In all of these places, child labor is a big problem.

In 2002, the International Labour Organization released a series of studies about cacao farming in CÃ´te dâIvoire, Ghana, Cameroon, and Nigeria. This group found that 284,000 children were working on these farms, frequently in unsafe conditions.

Children were handling toxic pesticides, wielding machetes, and working long hours. In CÃ´te dâIvoire, a third of kids ages 6 to 17 who lived in cocoa-producing households had never attended school.

Plus, these operations are damaging rainforests. According to the World Watch Institute, cocoa farming has destroyed 13% of the original forest in CÃ´te d'Ivoire. Global Exchange (PDF) notes that deforestation has reduced habitat for birds. And overuse of pesticides can backfire and create more virulent pests.

The chocolate industry has taken steps recently to address child labor and environmentally harmful farming practices.

The World Cocoa Foundation created programs with farmers to encourage more sustainable farming and safer working conditions. They partnered with various non-governmental agencies, as well as TransFair USA and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. But the industry still has a long way to go.

If you want chocolate that's guaranteed eco-friendly, your best bet is to look for a fair-trade certification. This means a neutral, international system has certified that the farmers received a reasonable minimum price for their goods. Fair-trade also prohibits child labor and promotes sustainable farming practices that are similar to organic farming.

The inspection and certification process does cost money for a business, so this can increase the price for the consumer, in addition to the higher living wage the farmer receives. But you're getting a product that's been raised under better standards -- as the old saying goes, you get what you pay for.

TransFair USA certifies cocoa and lists quite a few retail chocolatiers. It's also worth looking for USDA organic certified chocolates; some manufacturers may not get both certifications due to the cost or beauracracy.

Theo Chocolate, Sweet Earth Organic Chocolate, Equal Exchange, and Shaman Chocolates are all organic and fair-trade certified.

I especially like Divine Chocolate. It's well named because the taste is divine, and it's fair-trade.

For more fair-trade chocolates, take a look at Nirvana Belgian Chocolates, San Francisco Chocolate Factory, and Alter Eco.

For organic chocolate, visit Lillie Belle Farms and Sjaak's Organic Chocolates.

Another personal favorite is Dagoba Organic Chocolate (I love the Latte Mocha bar!). These sweets are certified organic and sustainably grown, plus all of the dark chocolates are vegan.

If your loved one loves animals too, maybe an Endangered Species chocolate bar would be a great gift. These yummy bars are made of ethically traded, shade-grown chocolate, and 10% of profits go to different conservancy organizations.

While all of the ones mentioned so far are available online, some types are available in stores too. Newman's Own Organics has several flavors of chocolate bars and peanut butter cups sold in natural food stores and markets like Whole Foods.

The luxury UK brand Green and Black's Organic chocolate is highly acclaimed for its dark chocolates. Use the store locator on the website, and you may find this sweet delight at a Whole Foods or Target store in your neighborhood.

We've come a long way, baby

Trystan L. Bass — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 16:43:56 PDT

Earth Day is like the environmentalist's Christmas, New Years, Valentine's Day, Mother's Day, and Fourth of July wrapped up in one.

Some may poo-poo Earth Day as having lost its true meaning, but like Charlie Brown, we can always rediscover the heart and soul of the day.

Stripped of the recent commercialism, the whole point of this day has always been to bring attention to our environment and what we need to do to clean it up.

So what better time than Earth Day 2008 to look at how far we've come in the past 12 months, and to think about what we can do to make our planet a cleaner place in the future.

Top five signs we're on the right track

Al Gore won the Nobel Peace Prize -- Gore and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change were recognized for their work to spread the word about man-made climate change.

The Nobel Committee made clear the devastating effect global warming will have on human lives and security. For peace in our times, we have to reverse climate change. And thanks to Mr. Gore's work, millions of people are aware of this.

Prius sales topped 1 million -- The icon for green driving, Toyota's Prius hybrid car, hit a million cars sold worldwide in June 2007. Over half of those cars are zipping around the U.S.

The Prius is Silicon Valley's car of choice -- as evidenced by the dozens in Yahoo!'s own parking lot (and my own driveway). Other carmakers are jumping on the hybrid bandwagon every model year.

Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 signed into law -- This U.S. legislation, while far from perfect, has huge potential to increase our country's energy efficiency.

It raises standard gas mileage for cars and light trucks (aka SUVs) for the first time ages to 35 mpg by 2020. And this act bans the sale of most incandescent lightbulbs by 2014. We should see more Energy Star-rated appliances too.

The Vatican called pollution a sin -- When even the Catholic Church is going green, you know the message has spread. Church official Monsignor Gianfranco Girotti said, "You offend God not only by stealing, blaspheming, or coveting your neighbor's wife, but also by ruining the environment."

Rev. John Wauck from Rome's Pontifical University of the Holy Cross added that protecting the environment is implied in the Bible's Book of Genesis. Pollution is a variation on the mortal sin of gluttony or selfishness.

Wal-Mart went green -- Surprisingly, the world's biggest retailer has jumped on the sustainability bandwagon. How much of this is green-washing is debatable, but it's true that the mega-store has made some big eco-friendly efforts.

Wal-Mart sold more than 100 million compact fluorescent light bulbs in 2007, introduced fair-trade certified coffee in April 2008, and buys 10 million pounds of organic cotton annually.

Considering the company expects 90% of American households will shop at its stores this year, I think it's pretty important that Wal-Mart is doing something green.

We're more aware of climate change than ever before. We know something about how our choices in energy use, travel, and shopping affect the planet and our own communities. Let's pat ourselves on the back... then let's get back to work.

Top five things still we need to work on

Drive less, carpool more, use public transit -- Gas is climbing to $4 a gallon, so really, who wants to drive more anyway? If the nasty emissions don't make you want to share the ride or get out of the car entirely, the cost should.

Start small by carpooling to work a couple days a week. This really isn't that hard for most people, since statistically our commutes aren't long in distance. It's the time spent sitting in traffic that stretches our workday -- but if your city has carpool lanes, you'll zip to the office and back home easily.

Be a conscious consumer, reduce the stuff you buy -- The first step in "reduce, reuse, recycle" is often forgotten, but it's the most important one. The less junk we buy, the less we need to reuse or recycle. We're nipping the problem in the bud.

Do I really need the latest cell phone when I renew my plan? No, even if the company is giving it to me free. The old phone works fine, so why add it to the landfill?

Now personally, I love fashion, but when I feel like having new clothes, I hit the thrift store or look for vintage garb on eBay. At least then I'm not requiring new resources to be used simply for my pleasure, plus I'm keeping stuff out of the garbage.

You don't have to abandon all your possessions and live off the grid, but we can all think a bit more carefully about what we do buy, consider where it comes from, and what we'll do with it after we're finished with it.

Avoid toxic plastics -- We're starting to learn that some very common plastics leach toxic chemicals into our bodies, and these chemicals have been linked to cancer, reproductive problems, and other health dangers.

Two biggies to watch out for are Bisphenol A (also known as BPA) and phthalates. BPA is often found in plastic water bottles and baby bottles -- these containers usually have a #7 in the 'chasing arrow' symbol on the bottom. Phthalates are found in PVC and soft vinyl goods plus in personal-care products like shampoos and lotions. Look for any ingredient with "-phthalate" in the name.

Conserve water -- According to the United Nations, 41% of the world's population lacks access to clean water. The U.S. southeast was hit by a devastating drought last year, and global climate change will continue to screw with weather patterns.

It's always wise to conserve the water we have, and it's easy too. Fix leaks around the house, install a low-flow showerhead, consider drought-resistant landscaping, heck, even let it mellow if it's yellow. I've heard some famous people even do that.

Tell elected officials the environment matters to you (and vote accordingly) -- Our individual actions help a lot. But to make the biggest impact possible, we need our government to act.

Legislation ensures that corporations don't pollute the skies and oceans or use up all our natural resources. Our government can influence other countries to clean up their acts too.

So remind your representatives at the state and federal level that you care about our environment and want them to act with the planet in mind. And in November, when you have a chance to vote for a new president, consider the candidates' views on climate change too.

Inside 'The Story of Stuff'

Trystan L. Bass — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 16:35:52 PDT

If you're like most Americans, you have a lot of stuff. Jeans, MP3 players, kitchen gadgets, DVDs, shoes, TVs, kids' toys, T-shirts, cell phones, sports equipment ... you know, stuff.

We buy it all the time, in stores and online. We're the shopping-ist country on the planet. And our government wants us to shop more to boost the economy -- that's why some of us are getting rebate checks in May. Stores can't wait to help us spend that money too.

While we see the shiny, new gadgets in our hands and the growing clutter in our homes, what we don't see is the series of events that created that stuff and brought it to us. Sustainability expert Annie Leonard has traveled to over 30 countries and looked at factories and dumps. She's investigated the waste we export back to the Third World.

All this experience lead her to create the short film The Story of Stuff, which she launched online in December 2007.

With clever animations and straightforward talk, Leonard makes huge economic concepts approachable. She explains how the things we buy in the store are made from often-toxic chemicals and how factories use up natural resources and harm local communities. Leonard even points out that America's consumer culture is a relatively new phenomenon, created by post-World-War-II economists.

When I interviewed Leonard recently, she admitted that the movie happened because, "I realized I was too deep into this that I couldn't talk about it like normal people talk about it." Fellow activists challenged her to explain these issues so that they could understand her and maybe even so the rest of the world could too.

But Leonard says, "I was not making it to convert anyone, and I was not making it for the general public who was totally new to these ideas. I was making it for my peers who were familiar with these ideas but who didn't see the connections and the systemic nature of the problems."

Still, in four months on the Web, the movie topped 2.5 million views, and in March, it won the SXSW Interactive Award as an educational resource.

She's been surprised by the interest the film's received. Leonard put it online, "because we wanted to make it free. We're not doing it to make money. And we never expected that many people to watch it!"

In response to the buzz, she's also made DVDs available to those without high-speed net access. "We've distributed 6,000 DVDs to Third World countries, to India, China, Russia, Taiwan, and places are using them in their outreach programs," Leonard notes. "Public schools in the U.S., Native American reservations, churches have all asked for DVDs. We give discounts to anyone who asks." Sponsors like Ben & Jerry's have helped her small team support these efforts.

While the film doesn't prescribe specific actions to solve the problems it exposes, Leonard does suggest that we tackle an area we feel strongly about.

"One of the things I think is so important is rebuilding our sense of communities and a sense of engagement," Leonard says. "I think our greatest sense of joy in our lives is from coming together around a shared interest, whether itâs a book club or getting a bike lane in your town."

To encourage this kind of involvement, each section of the movie has a tab at the top of the website with a "Learn More" link. For example, click on "Consumption" if you want a sampling of groups dedicated to helping consumers be more sustainable. Or check the full list of recommended resources.

Deeper involvement is key. She's a little critical of a '10 simple steps' approach to changing the world. "It's better to change the structure and system so that the default is the right thing," Leonard advocates.

"I think the individual actions are absolutely important, but we shouldn't confuse that with political actions," she continues. "We should always choose the least toxic, most socially responsible option possible. But not because that'll bring about change -- it simply brings our day-to-day actions into congruence with our real values."

The 'grumpies' who comment on the movie often say that "they get the problem, they get the personal cost, the cost to happiness, but they don't know how to unplug from the system," Leonard explains.

"People express concern that if we reduce our consumption how will it affect our economy?" she adds. "This is a valid concern. If we seriously transform our society, it'll involve a lot of hard work. We need to be intentional, strategic, and figure it out. Let's start planning ahead instead of kicking and screaming until the last second."

In this case, knowledge really is power. "The more we can see the connections between these issues," she says, "we can be more transformative, instead of tinkering at the margins."

'The Story of Stuff' is making those connections happen. Leonard has received more than 20,000 emails from people all over the world -- and the vast majority have been very positive. She may not have set out to change minds, but she is. One comment was from "an SUV-driving, die-hard Republican who emailed and had just never considered any of this."

Schools from elementary level through college are using the movie. A fourth-grader in the Midwest saw the film and emailed saying it was "awesome" with lots of smileys. An Oxford professor used it his class.

Watch the movie, and you may not look at your own stuff the same way again.

Same thrill, no bill

Sam Silverstein — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 16:02:07 PDT

I'm sure my family would enjoy our backyard campfires just fine if we'd paid for our fire pit. But the fact that the hammered-copper disc landed in our backyard for free adds luster to those starry evenings. I also get a warm feeling when I see the same model for sale at Smith & Hawken for $300.Â

Getting stuff through a Freecycle group is satisfying that way. It's like a shopping buzz without the hangover â or bill. You get the same thrill of the chase, the same satisfaction of telling the story behind your discovery. Each Freecycle item is one less deposit to the local landfill, which is good.Â

And it's free. All that's required is effort. And not much at that.Â

Instead of throwing out unwanted furniture, dishes, bikes, or electronics, people in "reuse groups" give them away to other people in their community who want them. The givers and takers find each other online. The first step is to sign up for the reuse group nearest you (minimizing travel time when spot something you want).Â

The granddaddy of all reuse groups is Freecycle.org, with more than 5 million global members the globe and counting. Search here to find the Freecycle group nearest you.Â

Other reuse groups are less well known, but are just as successful in putting perfectly good stuff in people's happy hands. Yahoo! has compiled a master list of reuse groups around the world and plotted them on a map. Use it to find a reuse group near you.Â

The next step? Check your email.Â

Stuff you want to give away, you post as "offered." Whoever wants it responds to you directly, and off you go.Â

For stuff you see offered and want to go get, it's the same process in reverse. Let the giver know you're interested, and set up a time and place to make the handoff. Yes, the whole thing is based on trust. It also works.Â

Reuse groups keep an estimated 300 tons of waste out of landfills every day, according to a University of Iowa study. This profile of Freecycle founder Deron Beal further illustrates the power of the idea in words and pictures.Â

In our own home, we've given away golf clubs, children's toys, and outgrown bicycles, clearing space in our garage. We've added: the fire ring, a garden hose, and a guitar that works fine but sounds awful. Talent is harder to pass around.

Sam Silverstein is the editor of Yahoo! Green.

Should you wait until 2010 to buy a new car?

Hank Green — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 23:13:11 PDT

I get emails pretty regularly from people asking which car, from my perspective, is the greenest. If you're one of the thousands of people wandering around the Internet, convinced that there's got to be a greener option for you than your current car, then I've got some good and bad news for you.

The good news is that, no matter what kind of car you're looking for, there's a green version out there. The bad news is, it might not be 100% available just now -- in fact, you're almost certainly going to have to wait.

There is simply no new technology that, in my opinion, is worth investing in. Even if you don't have a hybrid, you will save so much more gas with the next generation of plug-ins and full-electrics that it really isn't worth upgrading now.

So, hold onto that junker this Earth Day. Take her in, get her a tune up, and bide your time. Two years from now, it'll be easy pickens from the green car tree. Here's a taste of what's on the horizon.

ZENN, a little Canadian electric vehicle company, is planning on selling its first highway-capable car in 2009 ... with plans to scale up production in 2010. The car will have a range of 250 miles and a top speed of 80 mph.

We'll also have EVs from mainstream companies. Mitsubishi's iMiev is already on sale in Japan, but it has promised to bring the two-seater, all-electric vehicle to Europe and the U.S. by 2010.

Nissan has also promised to be selling a full EV in the U.S. and Europe by 2010. Though, we haven't seen a final design, it's likely to be based on the sporty two-seater Mixim concept.

The 2010 Prius: Finally upgrading from nickel to lithium, the Prius's battery will soon be both greener and much more powerful. Add to that a plug-in option, and the Prius could be in the 80 mpg range.

Unfortunately, this might have you waiting till 2011 ... as Toyota isn't sure if this'll be a production-level car until after a year of testing. We're still waiting for specifics on the third-generation Prius, but it's right on the horizons, and there have even been mumblings of triple-digit fuel economy.

And if you really want an alternative vehicle, MDI's compressed-air powered car is scheduled to go on sale (with a top speed of 95 mph and emissions of pure air) sometime in 2010. Just imagine being the first person on your block with one of those babies!

GM will also be ready with the a plug-in hybrid version of it's Saturn Vue SUV. For the EcoGeek who needs space for the kids, this will be the first truly green SUV on the road.

And, of course, the holy grain of near-term green cars should be hitting dealerships at the end of 2010. The Chevy Volt will be the world's first large-scale production run of a range-extended electric vehicle.

The car will go 40 miles without ever burning a drop of fuel, but you won't sacrifice any of the space, performance, or range that we've come to expect from gasoline vehicles.

So, I hope you'll take the chance this Earth Day to treat your old car like she's new. Give her the love she deserves ... just don't tell her that you're biding your time and saving your dollars till 2010, when real green alternatives will be in dealer lots.

Big green meet 'n' greet

Trystan L. Bass — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 16:31:53 PDT

Folks looking for eco-fun are converging in Seattle, Washington, this weekend for the first Green Festival of the year.

This project of the Global Exchange and Co-Op America features environmental speakers and businesses. Attendees can learn more about issues, shop for new products, enjoy great food, and generally get down with their green selves.

The next ones are in Chicago in May, in Washington DC in November, and in San Francisco in November. Check the website for details.

Seattle this weekend will feature speakers like Amory Lovins from the Rocky Mountain Institute (we hope to get a first-hand report from RMI next week) and Annie Leonard, creator of the short film, The Story of Stuff.

Some of the vendors to watch for include:

Better World Club - The nation's only environmentally friendly auto club.
ChicoBag - Ultra-compact reusable bags.
Planet - Certified biodegradable household cleaning products.
Honest Tea - Organic ready-to-drink teas.
gDiapers - Eco-friendly diapers.

I went to last year's Green Fest in San Francisco, and it was a blast. I talked to the CEO of the GreenOptions blog site, plus I heard about Discovery Networks' upcoming Planet Green TV channel. The organic, sustainable food was delicious, and I received a bunch of free samples of fair-trade chocolate! Can't wait for the next fest.

Even if the event isn't coming to your town, take a look at the website to learn about earth-friendly businesses you might not have heard about.

Cracking the produce codes

Jay Weinstein, Forecast Earth Food Correspondent — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 09:44:51 PDT

Have you ever looked at two bins of apples, one labeled "organic," and the other "conventional," and wondered if the apples might not be the same? I have. And since discovering a little secret of the produce industry, I've found that you really have to be a detective in the aisles these days.

The secret is the price look-up (PLU) codes. They're an international numbering standard that identifies each type of produce, so that computerized cash registers can ring up the cost of fruits and vegetables automatically. They're also a powerhouse of information for savvy shoppers. The code indicates whether the item is a conventional, organic or genetically modified (GM) crop.

The codes are based on four-digit numbers for conventional produce, to which an extra digit is added to indicate organic or GM status. If the number is five digits beginning with a 9, then the item is organic. If the item is five digits beginning in 8, then it is a genetically modified crop.

For example, the PLU code for bananas is 4011. If the PLU sticker on the banana bunch reads 94011, then they are organic bananas. If the PLU sticker reads 84011, then the bananas are a genetically modified variety.

There are PLU code stickers on virtually every piece of fruit, banded around every head of lettuce or bunch of spinach, and stamped onto the bag of every bag of organic salad greens. But that doesn't prevent certain confused grocers from mislabeling them. I've discovered conventional Fuji apples (4129) in the "organic Fuji apples" (94129) bin many times. It's strange that I've never found organic apples in the conventional bin.

In any case, knowing the codes will ensure that you get what you intended to get every time you shop.

Jay Weinstein's blog posts are provided by LifeWire, a part of The New York Times Company.

Undies for the earth

Trystan L. Bass — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 14:32:59 PDT

Thank you Grist for tackling the really important issues â¦ how green is your presidential candidate ... achieving social justice with green jobs ... and earth-friendly underwear ...

Yep, you heard that right. Environmentalists finally have a comprehensive guide to a carbon-neutral lingerie drawer. Who says being green is all work and no play?

Buy organic cotton or hemp briefs, since tons of pesticides are used on regular cotton and nylon production is messy. Go commando every so often -- it's good for the planet (and maybe your love life!).

Look for eco-friendly detergents to wash your skivvies. Make everything smell pretty with natural sachets. And consider upgrading to a sustainably-made dresser to store all your new boxers or camis.

About "fair trade" and why it matters

Trystan L. Bass — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 10:12:24 PDT

You look for the USDA organic label. You figured out what "locovore" means and shop accordingly.

But what about "fair trade"? Seems like there's always another thing to figure out before buying food and products if you want to be kind to the planet. What's this one about?

G Living has a handy primer on the fair trade system and even covers the economic side.

Basically, the fair-trade movement focuses as much on the people producing products as on the products themselves. Some crops -- like coffee beans and the cacao in chocolate -- are farmed by people living in wretched conditions. Young children sometimes have to work in fields instead of going to school. Corporations encourage careless pesticide use that makes farm-workers sick. And after suffering through all this to bring a crop to market, the impoverished farmers don't get a decent price for their goods.

That's where fair-trade certification groups like Transfair USA come in. Working with a network of third-party verification groups, Transfair certifies things like coffee, chocolate, rice, and flowers.

Fair-trade products must meet minimum standards for labor conditions, community development, and environmental sustainability. Fair-trade goods might cost a little bit more to the consumer, but that's so the farmer who produced the crop actually gets a decent price.

Fair-trade certification is also available for some manufactured goods, so you can avoid sweatshop labor. Look for the fair-trade logo on products at your local grocery store, specialty shops, and online.

Huddler's new green shopping community

Hank Green — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 16:37:35 PDT

There are a lot of product recommendation engines in the world. In fact, one could make a pretty good case that there are too many. But Huddler may have actually gotten it right this time.

It's launched a service with a green spin at greenhome.huddler.com. The site is a blog, a social network, a wiki, and a recommendation system all rolled into one. I've spent the last hour on it, enjoying myself tremendously.

I've written reviews of a few green products I own (like the Earth LED CL-5), and I marked a few items as things that I very much want to own (like the Chevy Volt).

The system is extremely simple to use, not to mention pleasing on the eyes. There seems to be a pretty good community growing up inside of the site, plus a huge amount of information on thousands of green products. You can subscribe to users, discussions, topics, anything! It's a joy to use.

Of course, like all social sites, there is a battle to be fought for participation. It will only be a truly enjoyable and robust platform if a large community adopts the site. In order to entice folks, they've got a giveaway going on right now, which you enter yourself into every time you do anything on the site. So that's nice.

But we'll have to wait and see if Huddler can somehow create a chicken without an egg.

Living lighter with Aveda

Trystan L. Bass — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 13:56:12 PDT

Beauty products company Aveda is celebrating Earth Day during the month of April, which its done for the past decade. This year's campaign supports organic farming and clean water.

Known for using sustainable ingredients and renewable energy, now the company is selling a limited-edition candle with organic lavender. All proceeds will go the Global Greengrants Fund to protect clean water around the planet.

If you're going into an Aveda store, make sure to bring your old bottle caps -- the plastic ones from soda bottles, laundry detergent, cleansers, shampoo, etc. Most of these aren't recycled by standard recycling systems, so they're tossed into the garbage.

Aveda and Shape magazine have teamed up to get those caps back. Through May 10, 2008, Aveda stores will collect hard plastic bottle caps. The company will use them to make caps for a 30th-anniversary shampoo coming out in September.

You can even get a free sample of Aveda's hair or body-care products when you bring in 25 or more caps. If there's no Aveda store nearby, you can also mail the caps in. Read all the details on Shape.com.

GE's new water heater could kill 30 coal plants

Hank Green — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 14:42:14 PDT

Until today, Energy Star didn't regulate water heaters at all. They're the most energy-hungry single appliance in the home and are responsible for about 17% of residential energy use. But because of a lack of consensus on how they should be regulated and resistance from industry, their efficiency went completely unregulated.

Well, that all has changed. Along with the announcement that the new standards will save Americans hundreds of billions of dollars per year, here comes two new water heaters from GE that will, of course, meet the new standards.

The first is available now. It's a tankless heater that provides hot water only when you need it. The result is an unlimited supply of hot water and about 25% less energy use per gallon of hot water produced.

The second is even more exciting, though, it won't be available until 2009. GE is calling it a "hybrid electric" water heater, I suppose hoping to capitalize on the excitement surrounding hybrid electric vehicles. But it is a kind of hybrid. The water heater first uses a heat pump to bring the water up to the temperature of the ambient air. Then the electric water heater takes over, bringing the water up to 140 degrees F.

This new design is 50% more efficient than previous water heaters. If every home in America had one right now, we would need 30 fewer coal-fired power plants! Every home that installs one will see its yearly power bills drop up to $250.

Because the new device uses a heat exchanger, it will actually make your furnace work harder during the winter. But in the summer and in warm climates, it will actually help cool your house.

This is exactly the kind of technology we until renewables take over for coal. GE's got a video featuring the new devices, if you'd like to check it out.

Possibly the biggest eco-giveaway ever

Magnus Hølvold — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 12:32:35 PDT

There's no shortage of giveaway contests on the Internet, but the popular tester of green products, Lifegoggles, now wants to give EcoGeeks a contest of their own.

Up for grabs is an ever-growing stack of gadgets and other products that has so far reached 69 prizes, all of which are of the "green" persuasion.

You can enter the contest in five different ways, all of which lead to varying amounts of exposure for the Lifegoggles and, consequentially, more exposure to various green gadgets and beauty products and the green movement in general.

The news is also good for people not of the United States, as quite a few of the prizes are available for international contestants.

So get your hands on those EcoGeeky gadgets, widgets, and gizmos! Check out the Great Green Giveaway for the list of prizes and how to win.

Shoes and your carbon footprint

Trystan L. Bass — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 16:30:56 PDT

Did you know that America has more than seven pairs of shoes per person? (If you're female and anything like me, you may have triple that in your own closet.) Did you realize that 84% of those shoes were made in China?

Sustainablog does the math and wonders about the environmental impact of all this footwear. Leaving a small footprint isn't easy when your very soles are steeped in sweatshop labor and unsustainable materials.

According to the Green Guide, everything from the leather to the glues holding our Nike cross-trainers and Manolo Blahnik stilettos together are rather toxic. Shoe factory workers get sick from the chemicals. Production waste is dumped into rivers and delicate ecosystems.

If your shoes are made of synthetic materials, the impact is just as bad. Faux leather and vinyl are made of PVC, and making this plastic creates environmental problems.

So do we have to walk barefoot if we really want to live lighter on the earth? Not necessarily.

Walk on
Ecolocalizer points out that we can start by taking better care of the shoes we do buy. Don't throw 'em out if they get a little scuffed -- repair those Jimmy Choos! I've been doing this for ages because once I find shoes I like, I want to wear them as much as possible. Getting a new sole, capping old heels, or repairing a buckle doesn't take long at a cobbler shop, and the cost is certainly less than new shoes.

Buy green
If those loafers have truly loafed their last, replace them with eco-friendly brands. Lime has a guide to stylish green shoes -- Birkenstocks are no longer the only option.

MooShoes, a vegan shoe boutique in New York, sells more than 100 styles. Hear store owner Erica Kubersky's perspective on "fashion with compassion" in this video interview.

Want something a bit more rugged? Timerland's Earthkeepers line of shoes are made of organic and renewable materials. The company is working with its suppliers -- especially leather tanneries -- to be more sustainable. You can even see the environmental footprint those hiking boots will leave, thanks to Timerbland's nutrition label on the box.

For casual kicks, Simple Shoes sells sneakers, sandals, and more made of materials like hemp, organic cotton, and recycled car tires.

And if you're a real Carrie Bradshaw type (with a green streak), step over to Great Green Shoes for almost-daily recommendations of vegan and earth-friendly shoes.

Leonardo endorses green credit on a green card

Don Willmott , Forecast Earth Correspondent — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 16:22:57 PDT

Over in Asia, megabank HSBC has come up with yet another way to get more people to use more credit cards: with a feel-good green message.

The card itself will be made of PET G, a chlorine-free material, and the welcome pack for new cardholders and monthly statements will be delivered electronically to save a few trees. Cardholders will also enjoy discounts when using the card at designated merchants that offer environmentally friendly products or services.

HSBC also plans to donate the equivalent of 0.1 percent of cardholder spending to a program to install environmentally friendly green roofs at a number of Hong Kong schools. Leonardo DiCaprio was a guest at the card's official launch and commented, "What if every time we used our credit cards we did something good for the environment? HSBC's new green card allows people to do just that by leaving... a green mark every time they use the card.

"It is heartening to know that HSBC, as one of the leading banks in the world, is doing something for the future of our planet."

Sounds like he had some help from the bank's PR department when he said that.

Cynicism aside, I should note that HSBC claims it was the first major bank to achieve carbon neutrality in late 2005, and in May 2007 the bank launched a five-year, $100 million HSBC Climate Partnership with several organizations, including the World Wildlife Fund, to reduce the impacts of climate change.

Take a look. The program is actually quite impressive.

71% of Americans are EcoGeeks!

Hank Green — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 15:26:04 PDT

That's right, according the 2007 National Technology Readiness Survey, 71% of American adults are EcoGeeks! Or at least, they're interested in the possibility of becomming EcoGeeks.

In a random survey of over 1,000 people, people were interested in buying technology in 11 product categories that would decrease their impact on the environment, regardless of whether it provided other benefits.

That tremendously underserved market could be worth $100 billion per year. About half of that comes from the automotive sector, but we imagine electronics and housing were also big players.

Honestly, I wish housing had won out over automobiles, since that has a greater benefit to owners and the environment, but people see cars as their big opportunity to go green.

Via Greener Computing

Clean, green sweep

Trystan L. Bass — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 15:25:50 PDT

So you're throwing open the windows and beating the winter blues out of the house. Spring cleaning is under way -- why not do it in an eco-friendly fashion this season?

Many of the cleaning products found in the kitchen and bathroom are full of harsh chemicals that are toxic for you and your family plus the planet.

The Union of Concerned Scientists notes that most cleaners contain petroleum products, phosphates, phthalates, or chlorine. These ingredients are either nonrenewable resources, polluting to the environment, or harmful to our health. Bad news all around!

And frankly, they're not necessary to get stuff clean. Our grandmothers kept the homefront spotless with good old-fashioned ingredients like baking soda, vinegar, lemon juice, borax, and plain soap. If you want a fancy scent, add a natural essential oil. Planet Green has a bunch of easy recipes to make your own green cleaners.

If you don't have time to mix your own stuff, look for certified biodegradable products, such as Planet brand. The EcoLogo certification is a globally recognized environmental certification worth looking for on cleaning products too.

Seventh Generation has an excellent guide to getting the toxins out of your home, and this brand of papers and cleaners lists all of its product ingredients on its website.

Even eco-celeb Ed Begley Jr. has weighed in on green cleaning with his own line of products called Begley's Best. The cleaners earned a Crade-to-Cradle certification, which means the product is not only environmentally safe but the design itself is efficient and the company is socially responsible.

Lastly, when you do get rid of any toxic cleaners, be careful. Don't just pour them down the drain. Check this saftey info about disposal, and contact your local hazardous waste department (check your phone book), if necessary.

Wal-Mart pushing China to go green

Hank Green — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 15:36:12 PDT

No one can tell China what to do. It's an autonomous nation with a proud history and an unquenchable desire to pull itself up by its bootstraps -- international regulations be damned!

Oh ... that is, unless it's Wal-Mart doing the asking.

Next fall, Wal-Mart will meet with thousands of Chinese suppliers and give each of them little hints about how (and why) to go green. Their first priorities will be waste disposal and greenhouse gas emissions.

But Wal-Mart is also hoping to spread initiatives that it began in the U.S., like asking suppliers to reduce the amount of packaging they use and pressuring them to build electronics that are more efficient and easier to recycle.

Of course, the task is enormous. Every supplier has to be monitored and inspected sepeartely. Wal-Mart is already partnering with a large consulting firm and several NGOs to help in the greening of China.

Welcome to the future. There's no way to regulate anyone, except through the power of the world's biggest buyers. If it's going to be the international government...then at least we can be happy that it's got the environment on its list of concenrs.

Via Reuters

Bamboo computers

Hank Green — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 01:33:46 PDT

The Asus EcoBook was the first computer concept I'd ever seen clad in bamboo. But since then, the idea has looked like it might take off. The highly treated bamboo is non-flammable, lightweight, and, unlike every other computer out there, not made from petrochemicals.

Unfortunately, there have been some questions raised recently about whether bamboo is indeed greener than plastic. But there's no doubt that, just by virtue of its natural look, it appears green.

The good news is that Asus is looking at more than just its materials when trying to green its products. The innards of their new computers are labeled for easy repair and recycling, and they're some of the first laptops that are truly upgradeable, instead of being semi-solid slabs that are all-but-impossible to upgrade and self-repair.

The bamboo, it seems, is pretty much a symbolic statement. Though, I have to admit, it's a nice one.

Via Engadget

Sneaky CFL replacement

Hank Green — Sat, 01 Mar 2008 14:09:52 PST

I just don't know quite how to feel about this! After a few years of seemingly logical replacement of hotel and office lighting with compact fluorescent light bulbs, a problem has arisen.

It seems that demand for the bulbs, while slacking in store sales, goes way up when the bulbs are just a few twists away.

Office and hotel mangers have begun to complain about CFL theft in a big way.

While the bulbs save a ton of money over their lifetime in energy costs, they don't save money when they disappear after a few months and need to be replaced.

The alternative, it seems, is to either stop using CFLs or use theft-proof fixtures that need a special key to be replaced. We assume the key is only held by the maintenence staff.

It's good that we've got these solutions now, since LED bulbs, just around the corner, promise to be even more expensive, while saving more energy in the long run.

The good news is, the more CFLs offices and hotels buy, the more CFLs there are in the world.

However, it seems odd that hotel-goers and office workers, not known for their levels of extreme poverty, are the ones stealing the bulbs. It seems to me that they could afford to save money the old-fashioned way: by making a modest investment in slightly more-expensive bulbs at WalMart.

Via MT.GOV

iPod case re-used for iPod speakers

Billy Shih — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 14:41:02 PST

While we debate the greening of Apple's products, Bird Electron has created some speakers that bring some green to, at least, the Apple packaging.

Using the plastic box that iPod Shuffles come with, you attach the speakers to the back, creating a speaker box. Then simply plug in the supplied cord to your Shuffle and the speakers and you have a set of new speakers.

The speakers retail for $40 and work for the 1st/2nd gen. iPod Nano and 2nd/3rd gen. iPod Shuffle plastic cases. I just hope that iPod owners kept their boxes and didn't recycle them quite yet.

Via Gizmodo

How to pick a better bulb

Sheryl Canter — Fri, 11 Jan 2008 10:59:55 PST

This post is by Sheryl Canter, an Online Writer and Editorial Manager at Environmental Defense.

The New York Times recently ran this story about light bulbs. If you only read the beginning of the article, you might think it was saying that compact fluorescent lights (CFLs) have poor-quality light. But in fact, its conclusion -- after testing a wide array of bulbs -- was that some are better than others.

Itâs true: Some are better than others. For information on CFLs and how they differ, check out our online guide, How to Pick a Better Bulb.