Green Options

Worldwide there has been a growing solidarity with the people of Iran, and their brave local activism protesting against their increasingly repressive government. This photographic tribute to the Iranian people is accompanied by a partly Farsi cover of the Ben E. King classic “Stand by Me“; it was recorded by

The international campaign 350.org is coordinating a day of action on October 24, 2009.

Leading scientists agree that 350 parts per million (ppm) is the absolute maximum safe amount of CO2 in our atmosphere. According to the NOAA, we’ve reached almost 390 already this year. 350.org is an international campaign dedicated to raising awareness about this pressing issue and working towards an international agreement to get us back on track.

Now, they’re organizing a day of of international climate action to spread the word and support “real climate solutions.” You can check out their video and learn about how to get involved right here:

Between June 20th and 28th, folks all over the world will be holding vegan bake sales to raise awareness about awesome vegan food and raise money for the causes of their choice!

[Vegan Green Tea Cupcakes. Photo (and cupcakes!) by Becky Striepe]

Meat production has gotten a lot of coverage for its impact on the environment lately, but what about all those dairy cows? Whether they’re slaughtered for meat or milked, we’re still talking cows and all the impacts that go along with raising them. The Worldwide Vegan Bake Sale organizers strongly feel that veganism is better for the planet and its inhabitants. Check out their intro to veganism to learn about the story behind animal products like eggs and dairy.

From New Zealand to Nigeria to New York, groups around the world are holding vegan bake sales during the last two weekends of this month. They’re encouraging both vegan and non-vegan groups to hold events, as long as the baked goods at the sale are completely vegan. To help facilitate, they’ve set up a page of vegan baking tips and vegan recipe resource guide. Each participating group is working to benefit a cause that matters to them. Check out some of the participating groups:

In this 24 second animated short Elizabeth Press, one of the clever folks at Streetfilms, explains the beauty and simplicity of traffic calming by the utilization of chicanes, a series of constructed curves that slow car traffic, and make our streets safer and more livable.

This week Bill Maher’s “new rules” for America cover everything from the mysterious disappearance of bees, greed and health care, to climate change, war profiteering and Ronald Reagan.

Actor and activist Matthew Modine recently posted a very inspiring essay celebrating his love for the bicycle on the Huffington Post website. He explains that:

Just as tobacco has killed millions with different forms of cancer, the automobile industry and the pollution that has spewed from exhaust pipes ever since Henry Ford’s Model ‘A’ rolled off the assembly line, must be looked upon as a carton of cigarettes and a cancer to civilization. The automobile industry should not be bailed out so it can continue to manufacture the same product. The automobile industry should be transformed into an industry that builds non-combustion engines. They should be given contracts to build new light rail trains that can carry passengers comfortably and safely. And the light rail cars should have bike racks so passengers can get home from commutes too long to be made by bicycle. Imagine how many jobs could be created if the US supported light and heavy rail systems. The car is a mode of transportation that cannot propel itself or our country into the future. The burning of fossil fuels and the internal combustion engine is dead. Raise your glass to self-propulsion! Long live the bicycle.

Phish is teaming up once again with Reverb Rock to lighten their summer tour’s carbon footprint!

[Phish at Hampton Coliseum, 2009. Creative Commons photo by Bryan Sereny]

Portland, Maine-based Reverb is a non profit organization that helps bands reduce their tours’ impacts through education and action. They’ve worked on over 70 tours and 1000 events since their launch in 2004, saving 62,608 tons of CO2 and reaching over 8 million fans! They helped Phish reduce the impact of their Hampton Coliseum shows earlier this year, and now they’ve announced some exciting initiatives for the summer tour!

[Creative Commons photo by gregor_y]

Conventional pesticides are pretty nasty. In Australia, pesticide runoff turned out to be responsible for some terrible fish mutations. Many conventional pesticides are proven carcinogens and groundwater contaminants. Instead of spraying these questionable chemicals, here are a few alternative ways to keep those pests out of the garden!

In the continued effort for San Francisco to stay ahead of the green curve as well as the technology curve, the San Francisco EcoMap comes to a computer near you. Although still in “preview” stage the real deal launches in a couple days.

The EcoMap gives San Franciscans the ability to see the collective results of their individual footprint but also offers up nifty comparison of other zip codes so we can all spy on how Pac Heights compares to Potrero Hill. How many of the Marina crowd pours CO2 into the air from transportation, energy and waste versus their Russian Hill neighbors? With this map it’s easy to check out the various carbon footprints of the various ‘hoods.

I just finished watching the documentary The Future of Food. The film goes into the safety and ethical issues behind patenting genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and introducing them into our food supply. Check out the trailer:

If you want to watch the whole film, it’s available for free on Hulu! The facts about Monsanto and the GMO industry are pretty infuriating, but the film ends with an optimistic call to action. We can combat companies like Monsanto by voting with our pocketbooks and making our voices heard!

The “Story of Stuff“, with Annie Leonard, is another great educational short film from Free Range Studios, who also brought us an informative, witty and horrifying tour of factory farming in  “The Meatrix“.

This creative agency explains that they do not “work to sell products, they create work that sells ideas that build a more just and sustainable world”; and they are driven by a belief that “the right stories told in revolutionary ways can transform society“.