“This is the real smell of California’s central to southern coasts. Mild and gentle, this vegetable based soap is loaded with shea butter for extra moisturizing in a base of saponified oils that give a luscious, rich lather. Made with real leaves of the sage plants that blanket the precipitous hillsides of the coastal mountains from
The San Jose (Calif.) City Council has unanimously approved Tesla Motors’ new electric car manufacturing plant. The plant will produce the $60,000 electric sedan that the 5-year-old company currently has in development.
One of the scariest things about the world we live in, at least to me, is the amount of chemicals that we put into our bodies every day. And though most people assume that all of these chemicals are safe that may not be the case. The EPA screens new chemicals for safety, but issues that arise from long-term exposure to a multitude of chemicals won’t show up for years. Remember DDT?
Fortunately, the state of California has launched a Green Chemistry Initiative designed to reduce or eliminate hazardous chemicals in products and the environment. Until now, chemicals of concern were dealt with individually – a time consuming and often litigious process.
With the passage of AB 1879, the Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) now has the power to address this issue by creating a process to identify and prioritize “chemicals of concern” for review. Chemicals may be banned as a result. DTSC is also tasked with developing methods for finding less hazardous alternatives.
San Francisco’s Prop H is the answer to Al Gores energy challenge! It makes San Francisco the first major city in the world with 100% clean and renewable sources of energy.
Can you shop at any large retailer today without seeing a display of reusable shopping bags for sale at the checkout aisle? Seems like a good thing, right? Buy a cloth tote and prevent a lot of one-use plastic bags from entering the landfills.
But the thought occurred to me recently that it might not be a good thing if lots and lots of people are buying reusable bags but not reusing them. Apparently, I’m not the only one who’s started worrying about that.
Almost like a second spring, fall brings the promise of a fresh start because as leaves fall and dance with our feet, branches create new patterns in the sky. In this spirit, wear this surplus pressed wool felt pattern on your beautiful branches:
UMs totes developed from two creative challenges: The first, to make use of the unique properties of pressed wool felt, and the second, to transform a flat surface into a volume using only the simplest of operations. When unzipped, UMs lay completely flat for cleaning and easy storage — and when zipped, they become inspired forms with inherent functionality.”
With the driest year on record still visible in our review mirror (at least for now) it makes sense that people in Los Angeles and Orange Counties are concerned about their water supply. Meant to measure support for a proposed Huntington Beach desalination facility, a recent poll shows just how concerned they are.
Of the 500 Orange County voters surveyed, only 6.8% believe that there is enough water to supply the county’s needs. Compare that to the 41.2% that realize that there is a water shortage, and that officials need to find new sources of water, pronto. 46% replied that OC has enough for now, but will need to tap more sources to meet future needs.
The survey, sponsored by the Orange County Business Council and the LA/Orange County Building Trades Council, goes on to show that:
33% would support seawater desalination as a means of ensuring adequate water supplies
31% would support conservation measures as a means of ensuring adequate water supplies
12% would support recycled or treated “waste” water
That last one is funny, since they already have a water recycling program. It’s not exactly “toilet to tap” as nay-sayers call it, because the water is purified, then pumped back underground to replenish aquifers. Mother Nature purifies it further, at which point it reenters the fresh water supply and is sent to homes. Disgusting, right? Of course not.
The head of the EPA lied to Congress about his rejection of a request from California intended to curb global warming emissions, according to one angry U.S. Senator.
Westport, Connecticut, recently joined a small but growing number of communities to ban the use of free plastic shopping bags within its borders. The new ordinance, which goes into effect early next year, would impose a $150 fine on any store that offers such bags.
WestportNow.com reports that citizens attending the Representative Town Meeting (RTM) vote on the ban overwhelmingly supported the measure. The RTM eventually voted 26 to 5 (with one abstention) in favor of the ordinance, and also rejected a proposal that would have made the ban effective only through Sept. 19 of next year.
Just how green California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger is is definitely up for debate. He has his moments of somewhat progressive policy, which he then dilutes with moments of complete and utter ignorance.
Have you ever felt the California coastal breeze crisp with the scent of fresh wild growing sage? Well if so, you will appreciate this ~
