Yahoo! Green Picks Blog

Green your desk

Kastle Waserman — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 15:12:25 PDT

(Photo: Diego Cosenza / Wikimedia)

You may do all the right things to green your home, but what about the place you spend 40-50 hours a week -- your desk? Whether or not your company makes efforts to be environmentally friendly, there are ways you can green your time at the office.

Drink from reusable cups. Few companies realize that Styrofoam takes 100 years to break down and plastic cups take 450 years to fall apart in landfills. Why do that when it's much more comforting to drink your hot drinks from a big friendly cup you've brought from home?

This can also be a way to express your personality, even in the most conservative office. Or have some fun with the ceramic paper cup spoofer "I Am Not a Paper Cup" that looks like paper/plastic lid coffee-to-go model. For water and cold drinks, you can't go wrong with Sigg bottles or Kleen Kanteens, available in different colors and designs.

Bring your lunch. You'll never have to guess the source of the food in your office cafeteria or surrounding eateries if you bring yours from home. You can go as vegetarian and organic as you want to be, and you'll be surprised the money you save!

Instead of using plastic throwaway utensils, eat with your own reusable cutlery like this portable set made from bamboo. Dab away crumbs off your mouth with a cloth napkin instead of reaching for a paper towel, such as the cheeky set embroidered with "I Am Not a Paper Towel."

Breathe fresh. Purify the air around you and help avoid those nasty flu bugs by putting a plant or two on your desk. The Peace Lily is one of the best oxygen-producing plants and is the perfect size for the cubicle desktop. It features full green leaves and blooms a lovely white flower.

Dress the part. No matter how casual or business-like your office is, you can make a green fashion statement with what you wear. Shop at stores that give clothes a second life -- such as consignment shops where you can find suits for half the price as new and vintage stores for some unique accent pieces. You'll save some of that hard-earned money you're making too!

And don't forget that thing you use most on your desk -- learn how to enable power save on your computer.

World naked bike ride goes north

Lori Bongiorno — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 10:46:50 PDT

Thousands of bike riders are shedding their clothes throughout the Northern Hemisphere on June 13, 2009. Their goal is to get us all to stop and think about the negative effects that cars (and the pollution they create) have on people and the planet.

The list of cities participating in World Naked Bike Ride is long: New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, Washington D.C., Vancouver, Toronto, Montreal, London, Mexico City, and many more. This year's event officially kicked off on March 7 in the Southern Hemisphere.

It's certainly a powerful way to make a point, but what does it feel like to ride nude? According to past riders: "Just like it does with clothes, but a bit cooler." And, apparently, it's not any more uncomfortable than riding with clothes on. See more answers to other popular questions.

One big question, though, is whether it's legal. The answer: In most places riding your bike naked is against the law. However, only one arrest has ever been made at one of these events (in 2005, the year of the first naked bike ride). Some bikers use body paint and other creative ideas to cover up, and others choose to ride with a minimal amount of clothing.

Anything goes, even the choice of wheels (within reason). The organizers say any alternative body-powered transportation is welcome: skateboards, rollerskates, and more. In fact, several events have had people riding on unicycles, chopper bikes, and rickshaws.

Want to embrace the message of alternative forms of transportation and fuel, but aren't up for something as wacky as taking your clothes off in public?

Bike (with your clothes on, of course) or walk instead of driving whenever you can. Find out how walkable your town is.

While the organizers of the protest want to promote life without cars (and likely wouldn't approve of any suggestions that involve the use of oil), anything you can do to cut back on driving will help the planet. Some suggestions:

Take the bus, subway, or train. Find out about nearby public transportation options and calculate potential money savings.
Carpool when you can. Use the Internet to connect with potential car-mates. Start with ZimRide, GoLoco, Facebook, or find links to regional options at this rideshare directory.
Even just bundling your errands instead of making separate trips to the store or even shopping online can help.

Or how about this? Next time you grab your car keys, picture thousands of naked bikers, and ask yourself if there's an alternative.

Wanted: Green DIY ideas

Lori Bongiorno — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 11:44:27 PDT

Do you have an idea for a product that will improve people's lives or help the planet in some way? If so, now is your chance to get that product on store shelves.

Yahoo! and Edison Nation created the Make It Green program to help you to get your ideas in front of experienced people and possibly turn them into marketable products. All you need to do is submit an idea by the June 30 deadline.

If chosen, you'll get paid a $2,500 advance and a percentage of sales. You may even have the opportunity to appear on the TV show Everyday Edisons.

Intimidated? Don't be. Your product doesn't have to solve a major environmental problem. A green idea is anything that is good for people or the planet. Ideas that help save resources, reduce waste, reuse materials, reduce the impact of harmful chemicals, get people outside, find a better way to get rid of unwanted stuff, and many more are all fair game.

Here are some examples of the cool green ideas that have been submitted so far:

An ultrasonic mosquito repellent. (The small iPod-sized device scares away mosquitoes with a high-pitched sound humans can't hear.)
A decorative weather-vane that doubles as a wind turbine.
A car wash solution that doesn't require water.
A way to keep your personal info safe when you recycle your old prescription bottles.
Re-purposed wrapping paper made out of recycled cookie, potato chip, and pretzel packaging.

Check out more great ideas, and while you're at it, vote for your favorites.

So far, a biodegradable diaper made from plant fibers is most popular, but that may change as you and others submit innovative ideas and cast your votes.

Top 10 green gifts for Dad

Trystan L. Bass — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 10:19:02 PDT

Fathers are notoriously hard to shop for, and what if your dad is an eco-friendly guy who prefers to live light on the planet instead of pile up more plastic clutter around the house?

Look for gifts that use recycled materials or gadgets that help the big guy further his favorite green activities. Here are some of our faves...

Black & Decker power monitor

For the father who loves to tinker around the house, this little device is the perfect companion. One part attaches to the home electric meter, and the handheld monitor wirelessly gives real-time data about home energy consumption. If your dad's the type who always reminded you to turn off the light, he'll appreciate knowing exactly where power is being used and what he can save thanks to this gadget.

Bamboo cutting board

Is Dad a kitchen whiz? He'll appreciate a brand new, bamboo cutting board (or even better, a whole set!). This sustainable wood is 16% harder than solid maple, but cooks swear that it's gentler on high quality knives. Bamboo is far more renewable than plastic, and it's low maintenance -- just clean up with a quick rinse.

Furniture made from sports equipment

Want to spoil a sports nut? Get him a bench made from snowboards or a coat rack constructed of hockey sticks. How about an Adirondack-style chair made of water skis? These one-of-a-kind pieces are built from recycled hockey sticks, snow and water skis, wakeboards, and snowboards.

Ankle solar bike light

For the active dad, this solar-powered light is a great addition to his workout or commuting gear. Bike in the morning with the lightweight light (it doubles as a pant-leg clip), and if it's dark on the return trip, he'll have a fully-charged safety light. It's also great for jogging and walking the dog. No batteries needed.

Vintage transit token cuff links

Thank Dad for using public transit and remind him of a favorite city at the same time. These cuff links are made of vintage transit tokens from Chicago, Honolulu, Los Angeles, New York City, San Francisco, and Washington D.C.

GreenSmart commuter laptop bag

This isn't an ordinary laptop bag. It's not just rugged and stylish; the material is made from 100% recycled plastic bottles. Your father is ready for business with a computer bag that protects his gear and the planet.

Stainless-steel lunch carrier set

Give "take-out lunch" a new meaning with this handy reusable lunch system. Perfect for fathers to take to the office or on the road, these lightweight yet durable sets can store hot or cold food. Add in a cloth bag and bamboo utensils and Dad can easily brown-bag it every day.

Rain watering wand

If your father loves to garden, he'll want to treat his plants right with an accurate watering wand. With adjustable settings and a telescoping reach, the wand waters exactly where it's needed and doesn't waste water.

Bottle lamp DIY kit

Did pops sing "100 Bottles of Beer on the Wall" during long car trips? Recycle those memories and six empty glass bottles to create this unusual lamp. The kit contains a frame and base to hold both a light bulb (CFL, of course) and the bottles. Dad's choice of beverage is not included.

Handmade necktie

Put a twist on the traditional Father's Day gift by searching for ties made by one of the many artisans on Etsy.com. Search for Dad's favorite color or search according to his hobbies. Maybe he'd find a Ms. Pac-Man tie funny. Sailing buffs might like this navigation print. And there's always a classy red silk tie.

Not enough ideas? Check out our all-season gift guide, plus past tips from our pals at Huddler Green Home and EcoGeek.

Swingin’ on a train

Trystan L. Bass — Tue, 19 May 2009 12:06:58 PDT

(Photo: neiltron / Flickr)

The daily commute can be such a bore. Driving solo leads to road rage, plus it's expensive and polluting. If you took the subway or train, you could read a book, listen to your iPod, or get some work done.

Or you could swing around!

Some San Francisco commuters got to enjoy a childlike swing session recently, thanks to playground equipment installed on a Bay Area Rapid Transit train one evening.

Three bright red swings were attached to the inside rails of a train running through the city so passengers could have a little fun on the way home. And people did. There's a whole Flickr pool full of photos showing commuters swinging the ride away.

(Photo: Audrey Penven / Flickr)

(Photo: neiltron / Flickr)

(Photo: Audrey Penven / Flickr)

While such antics aren't an everyday occurance (due to safety), commuting by public transit is still a better idea than driving by yourself. You'll save money and make better use of your time.

Who knows, you might experience a little quixotic fun, depending on how inspired your fellow commuters are. This isn't the first time subway riders have swung into action. Performance artist Caroline Woolard designed a portable swing that folds down into a stylish purse, and she swung inside the New York City subway system back in 2006.

Check out this YouTube video of her commute swing:

Go meatless just one day a week

Trystan L. Bass — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 11:43:41 PDT

Most Americans love a burger (or bacon), but we also know there can be too much of a good thing. Studies continually point out that eating a lot of meat leads to heart disease and cancer. Plus, worldwide livestock farming creates 18% of all greenhouse gas emissions -- that's a little bit more than the world's transportation emissions. But it's pretty easy to improve our health and the planet's and still enjoy our food.

The Johns Hopkins School of Public Health suggests we go meatless on Mondays. Just one day a week without meat can reduce your consumption of saturated fat by 15% and reduce your chances of heart disease. Scientists estimate that if every American lowered meat consumption by just 20%, it would lower greenhouse gasses as much as if everyone in the country switched to driving Toyota Priuses (and think how much cheaper and easier eating less meat is!).

The Meatless Monday website is chock full of tasty recipes and tips for making healthy meals based around vegetables and grains. You'll find tons more recipes online to suit every palate and price range. Some wonderful ethnic foods (even at restaurants) are often vegetarian too. For example, consider Italian pastas heavy on tomato sauces and veggies or spicy Indian curries served over rice.

An extra bonus is that cooking with meat less often saves you money. Fresh, canned, and frozen vegetables are almost always less expensive than meat at the grocery store. Grains, rice, and pasta are affordable, especially when bought in bulk.

Need more inspiration to start your week off without a steak? Watch the Meatless Mondays video:

Most walkable U.S. cities

Trystan L. Bass — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 15:11:51 PDT

Who wouldn't enjoy a short commute to work, a convenient grocery store, nearby schools for the kids, and green parks to relax at on the weekends? Where can you live in a place like that?

Try the top pedestrian-friendly American cities, as ranked by WalkScore.com. Combining U.S. Census data, real estate information, and Web technology, this site plots over 1 million locations in over 2,500 neighborhoods across the country. You can even plug in your own address to see how walkable your neighborhood is.

The current top-10 rankings feature some expected metros and a few surprises:

Sure, big cities with lots of public transit like San Fran and NYC are walkable, but a sprawling Southern California ‘burb like Long Beach and the tangled freeway mess of Los Angeles? Yep, those aren't typos -- even these areas have plenty of neighborhoods that are great for walking.

WalkScore.com bases the ranking primarily on mixed density. This means a city must have a useful mix of housing, jobs, shopping, schools, and parks. If you live there, you should be able to easily walk to all the everyday services you need. Also, the streets have to be equally safe for pedestrians and bicyclists as they are for cars.

Many newer suburban developments have been built around cars, not people. Ultra-wide streets encourage speeding, intersections don't have crosswalks, and distances between shops and parks are vast. That's why older, big cities tend to rank higher on walkability.

But Southern California proves that pedestrian pockets can exist most anywhere, thanks to careful city planning. And many people can add some walking into their lives with a little planning of their own.

Find just one shop or park near your house (use WalkScore.com or another map tool), and make a point of walking there instead of driving. If you usually drive your kids to school, encourage them to walk once a week. Try walking or biking to work when the weather's clear. Or if the office is too far, take public transit so you only have to walk a few blocks.

Walking is great for your health, it's cheaper than a gym membership, and it reduces pollution. Plus, you'll see a side of the neighborhood you usually miss when sitting in a car.

Parties for the planet

Trystan L. Bass — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 13:40:58 PDT

Every day should be Earth Day in spirit, but April 22 really is, so why not kick up your green heels a little bit? Celebrate the environmental acts you've already done, learn about new stuff you can do, and meet like-minded people at events in your town.

Search online for Earth Day fairs, concerts, recycling events, film fests, art shows, fun runs, lectures, beach clean-ups, nature walks, flea markets, and more across America.

Recycling is a common theme at many Earth Day events. For example, Mercury Technologies offers free recycling of CFLs and e-waste at participating retailers in Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Illinois (PDF).

In Virginia Beach, at the appropriately named Mount Trashmore Park, the Earth Day fair offers both e-cycling and plastic bag recycling. Savannah's Earth Day festival features ‘RecycleRama,' where a variety of difficult-to-recycle items will be accepted.

Volunteering to help the planet is another popular activity. The Green Apple Festival is a combination volunteer event and free concert series happening in Atlanta, Austin, Boston, Chicago, Denver, Los Angeles, New York City, San Francisco, Seattle, and Washington D.C.

Sign up on the website to help with project such as tree planting in a park or retrofitting school for energy efficiency. Then you'll be rewarded with a free concert by an act like country star Travis Tritt or rockers Los Lobos.

How about a movie? Disney premieres a nature story simply titled "Earth" in theaters nationwide on April 22. This live-action film follows three animal families -- polar bears, African elephants, and humpback whales. When you buy a ticket, Disney claims it will plant a tree in your honor.

Document the natural world yourself and send photos or video to the Environmental Protection Agency's Earth Day Photo Project. The EPA wants to see how you would express the idea of protecting the environment.

Post your photos on the EPA's Flickr groups, and submit 90-second video entries to the EPA's groups on YouTube, all between now and April 30. Each day, one photo and video will be featured.

There are deals to be had in honor of Mother Earth too. The ‘Show Me State' of Missouri has a ‘Show-Me Green' sales tax holiday from April 19 to 25 if you buy Energy Star appliances. In addition to state sales tax, nine counties, 58 cities, and eight special districts are waiving their local taxes too for these purchases.

In Los Angeles and Orange County, CA, homeowners can get a sizable discount on a home-energy audit from Sears. TreeHugger reports that the usually $550 audit will be $99 if you register between April 20 and 26, in honor of Earth Day. A professional home-energy audit can pinpoint where your house leaks so you can see how to lower your power bills.

Get out there and party for the planet by cleaning up, chilling out, or getting a deal. And then celebrate the earth every day by keepin' green.

Cardboard solar oven wins first prize

Lori Bongiorno — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 12:16:12 PDT

(Photo: Kyoto Energy)

Can a couple of cardboard boxes, black paint, tin foil, and an acrylic cover help solve major environmental and social problems? Forum for the Future certainly thinks it's possible.

The Kyoto Box, a surprisingly simple solar-powered cooker, won a $75,000 first prize in the sustainability group's climate competition.

Jon Bomer, the Kenya-based entrepreneur who invented the cooker, set out to transform the lives of villagers in developing world who use firewood to cook. What's more, the cooker costs about $6.60 to make, so it can actually benefit the people who need it most.

"We're saving lives and saving trees," he says in a press release. "I doubt if there is any other technology that can make so much impact for so little money."

Ironically, the Kyoto box uses the "greenhouse effect" to help the planet. An acrylic cover set atop two cardboard boxes (one inside of the other) traps the sun's energy. Black paint and silver foil help to concentrate the heat. A layer of newspaper or straw placed in between the two boxes provides insulation.

Here are just some of the ways this brilliant invention can make an impact:

Decreases carbon emissions created from burning firewood.
Slows down deforestation by curbing the need for firewood.
Removes indoor smoke pollution and the health problems associated with it.
Lowers the cost of energy since fuel from the sun is free.
Allows families to easily boil water so they can have access clean drinking water.
Eliminates the need for children to spend time looking for firewood so they can spend that time in school.

This just goes to show that sometimes less is more.

See how the Kyoto Box will work in Africa in this video:

Flick your switch off for Earth Hour

Trystan L. Bass — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 16:10:04 PDT

Do you want to show you care about energy conservation? Simply switch off your lights on March 28 from 8:30 to 9:30 p.m., local time.

This is Earth Hour, and Saturday is the third annual worldwide event. Earth Hour is both a symbolic act and the start of a practical habit.

Millions of homes and businesses and hundreds of major landmarks will go dark for one hour to show that energy conservation is important and to send this message to political leaders attending the United Nations Climate Change Conference in December 2009.

At the same time, Earth Hour reminds each of us how easy it is to conserve -- just turn off non-essential lights and electronics to reduce our own power consumption.

Lighting accounts for about 11 percent of a typical American home's energy bills, while computers and electronics add another 9 percent. So by shutting off these things when we're not using them, we can lower our load significantly.

Get into the habit this weekend with one hour in the dark. Make it fun by having dinner by candlelight, taking a stroll under the stars, or playing card games by a fire. The Daily Green has a few entertaining ideas for consenting adults too.

Earth Hour started in Australia and is sponsored by the World Wildlife Fund. Anyone can participate -- check out the website for details. At last count, 2,400 cities across 82 countries have officially signed up. 195 of these cities are in the United States.

Some famous buildings will be going dark on Saturday including: The Empire State Building in New York City, the Eiffel Tower in Paris, the St. Louis Gateway Arch, the Sydney Opera House, the Sears Tower in Chicago, Seattle's Space Needle, the Great Pyramids and Sphinx in Egypt, the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, and Broadway theater marquees in New York City.

Even the flashy Las Vegas Strip will turn dark for an hour. Of course, the slot machines inside casinos will stay on, but almost all of the buildings and marquees on the Strip itself will be dark during Earth Hour.

For the very first time, the famous "Welcome to Las Vegas" sign will go off. Spokespeople say that Vegas lights have dimmed for a minute when a local celebrity dies, but the Strip and the sign have never gone dark for a full hour.

Other businesses are flicking the switch too. The golden arches at McDonald's in New Zealand and Canada will go dark, saving more than 10,000 kilowatt-hours for our neighbor to the north. The Canadian chain says it has also saved 3.1 million kilowatt-hours of energy through improved lighting, heating, and ventilation.

Both Nashville and Los Angeles are U.S. sponsor cities, so the Nashville Predators and the L.A. Kings hockey teams agreed to reschedule their game in Nashville to 5 p.m. The game should end around 7:30 p.m. with plenty of time for the arena to turn off the lights.

Blackberry addicts can log on before Earth Hour to a special website from Research in Motion. The company is encouraging fans of the mobile device to log-off for an hour and enjoy the silence.

You can even download a free iPhone game to remind you -- in advance -- to turn off the lights on Saturday. Anything to get the idea across, right?

Auto insurance company Esurance will offset your car's CO2 emissions at no extra cost if you buy an auto policy before Earth Hour. Of course, the kindest thing you can do for the planet is to drive less often.

Check out these tips for saving energy all year.