Green Options

The City of Seattle, heralded in environmental circles for its planned phase-out of styrofoam containers in restaurants and proposed fees on disposable shopping bags, will let the voters decided if the bag fees should go forward. Citizens and paid workers gathered well over the 14,000+ signatures needed to get the ban on the next eligible city election, which will not take place until the August 2009 primaries.  The fee levy will be held in abeyance until the voters decide.

I can see the Freecycle post now:

OFFER: I have six million carp, good condition. Nothing wrong with them; just have more than I need. You must pick up.

The State of Utah might just be posting like this something soon. Apparently, they’re in the market to unload a few carp–approximately six million–that are tearing up the bottom of Utah Lake, destroying habitat for an endangered species.

Just in time for thousands of delegates, press, politicians, staffers, and protesters descending on the city, Denver’s Metro Convention and Visitors Bureau (DMCVB) last week launched an online carbon calculator to help those coming to the Mile-High City figure out just what the environmental impact of their visit might be. The Carbon Calculator and Offset Program allows travelers, tourists, and event planners an easy way to calculate the tons of CO² emissions their trip will produce, determines the amount of carbon credits necessary to offset their trip, and directs users to a website where they can purchase the recommended amount of offsets.

Knitters and crocheters: looking for a social networking program that’s all about yarn-lovers? What about one with groups specifically for eco-minded crafters? Look no further than Ravelry.

I joined Ravelry in April, and since then, it’s my go-to place for (free!) knitting patterns and ideas. Just like Facebook or MySpace, users have a profile, make friends, and can join groups. It’s also got handy organizing features, such as a queue for projects you are working on or patterns you’d like to try, or cataloging features for your yarn stash or needle supply. It will also link to my blog and update my friends and my profile whenever I post there. It’s incredibly user-friendly–I’ve never had a technical problem using it.

There are several green-themed groups on Ravelry, each with a message board with tips for green crafting.

Have a favorite green company or product that you want to spread the word about? The folks over at Ideal Bite have created a way to recognize the best of the best in green products with their first-ever Best In Green (B.I.G.) Awards. You guys know Ideal Bite, right? They’re the ones sending you those simple tips to greening your life direct to your e-mail. They’ve gathered info on all the products and companies they’ve recommended during the life of Ideal Bite, and all those folks will automatically be considered for B.I.G. Awards, along with reader submissions. Details after the jump…

The Democratic National Convention Committee touted the 2008 Convention as being the “most environmentally sustainable political convention in modern American history”.  Indeed, the DNCC has drawn press for its efforts, namely the initial ban on fried foods, now overturned.  But are these efforts actually working?