Green Options » EC

Inspired Economist Pick of the Week

Reenita Malhotra — Sun, 31 May 2009 20:49:43 +0000

This column highlights the top economic stories of the week.

There is no gold left in California. Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger is threatening to layoff fire, police, and teachers. All of this is certain to further increase unemployment and foreclosure rates. Schwarzenegger is now considering releasing nonviolent prisoners, shortening the school year, legalizing and taxing marijuana. Fred provides a unique perspective on the sorry state of California.

The Economist says that in America and Europe, new rules relating to the banking sector overhaul are facing stiff resistance , mostly from regulators themselves.

Tim Geithner plans to unveil a comprehensive regulatory overhaul by mid-June. The European Commission on the other hand, unveiled a blueprint for reform of financial supervision. It will create two new institutions aim to correct a fundamental flaw in European bank regulation and supervision; namely, that although banks are free to operate across borders, they are supervised only by their home countries.

And as GM, the nation’s largest automaker and for decades an icon of American manufacturing, teeters on the brink of bankruptcy and a de facto government takeover, President Obama prepares to address the nation at 11:30 a.m. ET on Monday to explain the rationale for the filing and his hopes that this is the best route for a turnaround. It’s the end of America’s great auto era.

Meanwhile on the renewable energy front, a new study from Greenpeace, the European Solar Thermal Agency, and the International Energy Agency’s SolarPACES Group has shown that concentrated solar power (CSP) could generate a quarter of the world’s energy needs by 2050–and create thousands of new jobs and prevent millions of tons of CO2 from being released. But, while basic renewable energy research is being conducted at numerous institutions around the world and much of this technology remains trapped in labs for want of commercialization know-how and funding.

So, while the worl economy continues to paint a dark picture, Bill Maher throws shares humor by highlighting his “new rules” for America covering everything from the disappearance of bees, greed and health care, to climate change, war profiteering and Ronald Reagan. Enjoy!

Baby Essentials That Aren’t, Part 4: Diapers

Heather Dunham — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 19:38:47 +0000

Open any pregnancy or baby book, and you’ll find that list: the baby essentials, the things you absolutely cannot live without. While many accessories are easily recognized as frivolous, certain items are truly indispensable: the basic necessities for life with a baby.

Or are they?

In this weekly series, we’ll be looking at several baby essentials that really aren’t. They may be useful in certain situations, but if money or space is tight, or if you’re just looking to simplify and reduce consumerism and waste, here’s how to get along just fine without these so-called “essentials.“

In Part 1, we questioned the crib. Part 2 bemoaned the bucket. Part 3 scrutinized the stroller. This week, let’s ditch the diapers!

Diaper Your Natural Baby

Jamie Ervin — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 16:54:47 +0000

There is a lot of discussion revolving around diapers. Cloth, disposable, hybrid or diaper free? What is the best choice?

For the Earth, a diaper free baby (Elimination Communication or EC) is the absolute best choice. This method requires complete dedication for the parents (as the parents must watch for cues and put baby on the elimination pot when needed). It works wonderfully for many families and there is no “potty learning”, the children make a natural transition to being able to recognize cues and go to the potty.

If going diaper free isn’t for you, then cloth diapers are the way to go. In order to keep this as environmentally sound as possible, some precautions need to be taken.

Reusable Swim Diapers Make Pool and Beach Time Greener

Kristen Chase — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 15:33:01 +0000

The advances in cloth diapering over the last few years, not only in availability of handy diaper services, but also the quality and simple use of the diapers themselves, have converted many a disposable diaper user to “greener” ways. But while many cloth diaper enthusiasts and flushable diaper users have strong opinions about which cloth diapers work the best, I’ve yet to see commentary on reusable swim diapers.

If you’re already a cloth diaper user, than the concept of using a resuable swim diaper is probably not a far stretch. But if you use disposables or ’sposies, then you might be glad to know that reusable swim diapers are a fantastic budget conscious choice, particularly since disposable swim diapers are super expensive.

Truth be told, disposable swim diapers are more for easing our minds and less about containing bodily fluids and bowel movements. Basically, they just don’t contain all the chemicals that regular disposables do, therefore keeping them trim and less saggy when they hit water. But, they certainly don’t hold urine well. And, while they might hold a bowel movement for a good five minutes, you do not want your kid swimming around with a swim diaper full of poop.