The seemingly innocuous question comes with all sorts of ethical baggage these days: for many Americans, recycling is not just an initial step into a greener life, but also an activity suffused with moral weight. While many will argue about the significance of individuals and families recycling items they might otherwise throw away, there’s no doubt that creative and innovative reuse of materials is critical for the health of the planet… and the people who reside on it (along with all of those other species). Tonight, the Sundance Channel’s Big Ideas for a Small Planet goes beyond the blue bin many of us place on the curb, and looks at three organizations that are taking recycling in some interesting, and effective, directions.

Ever been to the dump? If so, it probably didn’t look like Sonoma County, California’s, which manager Ken Wells (pictured on the left) describes as a “mining operation for the trash of your life.” Yes, there’s a landfill, but there’s also a composting center, an organic garden, a reuse store, and a power plant that creates electricity from landfill gas (enough to power about 7000 homes). Accessory design shop Ecoist, in Miami, definitely looks more upscale, but they’re also reusing materials that would otherwise go to waste: in this case, misprinted or otherwise flawed packaging, and movie billboards. And Baton Rouge, Louisiana’s Capital Area Corporate Recycling Council (CACRC) gathers used computers on a massive scale, “dematerializes” those that aren’t in working condition, and repairs those that are to sell cheaply or donate to public school programs. As in earlier episodes, many of the “big ideas” presented come from ordinary people (well, ordinary people with extraordinary imaginations). And, of course, folks known for their own big ideas provide commentary: David Suzuki, Allen Hershkowitz of the Natural Resources Defense Council, Anne Reichman of Earth 911, and Sundance’s own Simran Sethi.

Following Big Ideas, the Sundance Channel presents the eco-documentary Burning the Future: Coal in America. According to press materials,

This timely documentary takes us to the Appalachian Mountains of southern West Virginia to explore the political, economic and environmental issues surrounding coal, the source of more than half of U.S. electricity. At particular issue is the controversial above-ground mining technique known as mountaintop removal, which is defended as safe by the coal industry but opposed by a growing number of residents who believe it is a threat their land, their health and their unique way of life.

If you liked Big Coal, this sounds like one you won’t want to miss.

Finally, keep in mind that there’s Sundance schwag to win: Sundance’s own “What’s the Big Idea?” contest is still taking entries, and we’re giving away a Sundance giftbag to one lucky subscriber to our biweekly newsletter.

Images courtesy of Special Ops Media 

When greenwashing is aimed at adults, environmentalists generally find it annoying and sometimes — if it is sufficiently transparent — amusing. But when children are the targets, the environmentalists find it infuriating. So when Mattel recently issued a news release promoting its new line of Barbie BCause accessories for the doll — hats, handbags and the like — it was too much for the blogger on Eco Child’s Play, Jennifer Lance.

The piece that caught the NY Times’ attention is
The Ultimate Greenwashing: Barbie Goes Green.

Editor’s note: We’re pleased to welcome Max Gladwell, of MaxGladwell.com, as a regular guest writer on sustainablog. Max Gladwell covers the nexus of social media and green living. We feel that these two trends and technological developments hold tremendous promise for improving quality of life for everyone on the planet.

If you’re reading this blog, then you’re on board with social media. There’s a good chance you belong to social networks like Facebook or MySpace. It’s likely that you Digg stories and even possible that you Twitter. These technologies and services, together with a growing number of others, make up the social web. It’s much like the regular web, but more interactive. More…social. It invites and even demands active participation from everyone. It has a global reach with viral capacity, and yet it’s bringing local communities closer together. It enables people to connect, organize, and make a difference as never before. Indeed, social media is a powerful force, one that the world’s CEOs are starting to acknowledge and take seriously.

Many entrepreneurs, activists, and marketers are leveraging the social web for positive change. In the process and by its very nature, they are giving each of us the tools to change the world and make it a better place. There are thousands of examples, which is precisely why Max Gladwell exists. Here are 10 worth exploring.

1. Do-Good Widgets: If you’re Facebook page was a car, these would be your bumper stickers. Only these do more than spread the message. Widgets are standalone web applications that can run inside any web page. They take many forms, ranging from the absurd to the truly useful and socially valuable. The best ones engage us in ways that lead to action, awareness, and even fund-raising. Facebook was the first to offer them, and MySpace recently followed. Other social networks offer widgets, but these two have a scale that gives them unrivaled potential. Causes is the 800-pound gorilla in the do-good widget space with millions of daily active users on Facebook alone. If you support a cause, chances are you can find it in Causes. We support 14 ranging from “Recycle not Waste” to “Ride Bikes” and “GREEN“. Each Cause enables you to recruit others and make donations.

A new suite of widgets from Dank Apps called Social Change offers widgets for three main initiatives: Stop Climate Change Now, which raises funds for The Nature Conservancy; Earn For AIDS, which raises funds for the Clinton HIV/AIDS Initiative; and Earn for Breast Cancer, which raises funds for the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. Each of these allows you to send karma points to friends and play games, all of which generate donations from sponsors.

I’m sure I’d get hate comments if I didn’t also mention Lil Green Patch, which has helped to save over 20 million square feet of rainforest.

2. Get a Green Job: The business networking space is currently dominated by LinkedIn, but JustMeans has a new social media platform that “rallies both companies and individuals around social responsibility.” As you make your way through the registration and profile-building gauntlet, you are posed with two unique questions: What kind of change do you want to create in the world over the next 12 months? How do you plan on creating this positive change? The site encourages networking between members by recommending matches based on shared interests. Plus, you can network with companies themselves as “stakeholders”. Companies as well as nonprofits set up their own profiles, similar to Facebook Pages, where they can post content about initiatives and CSR efforts. An entire section of the site is dedicated to job listings. This is business networking with a purpose.

3. Greenstream: Twitter is a way to stay in touch with friends and keep up with breaking news. It is a source of both cutting-edge news and unchecked banality. It all depends on how you want to use it. You can follow CNN, BBC, GreenOptions, and MaxGladwell as “micro-blogs”, where you receive bits of news and links in 140 characters or less. Or you can track the musings of iJustine and Aubs for pure entertainment value. Recently, we started a new Twitter channel called the “greenstream.” Whereas Twitter asks, “What are you doing”, this adds “that is green?” So if you’re shopping at a farmer’s market, drinking fair trade coffee, or carpooling to work, these qualify as Tweets for the greenstream. Just tag your Tweet with “#greenstream”, and it will be indexed for viewing by all. Alternately, if you want to Twitter a green tip, just enter “#greentip” and check the index page for those.

4. Hugg a Story: Hugg.com is the green counterpart to the wildly popular Digg.com. These are social news sites that enable users to vote and comment on what’s important (and what’s not). This process places the power in the hands of real people who, collectively, determine which issues get attention, rather than leaving it up to the major news organizations to tell us what’s important. The great thing about them, though, is that they get better and more accurate as more people participate. So it’s your civic and social duty to Hugg and Digg stories that matter to you.

5. Join the “Make The Difference Network“: Actress Jessica Biel, in a collaboration with her father and brother, just launched a social network that connects people and businesses with charitable organizations. Make The Difference Network already has a number of prominent celebrities signed up as members, complete with their favorite causes. Each of the site’s constituencies has a profile platform, and it’s free for all to participate. The “Find Your Wish” section gives people some direction in matching their personal interests or passions with charities ranging from addiction and animals to labor and literacy.

6. Go Shopping: Your purchasing decisions matter. Though presidential elections come once every four years, you vote with your wallet every day. Combined with the tools of social media, you get social shopping. Alonovo describes this as “the power of millions of informed, aware and caring people acting in concert. For a better world.” The company provides a platform in which to interact with fellow conscious consumers, to research products based on a range of social and environmental criteria, and ultimately make informed purchases through Amazon.com. You choose a charitable benefactor, and 50-100% of the commission paid to Alonovo is donated on your behalf.

OsoEco, which is currently in private beta, takes a different tact. Using a bookmark feature for the Firefox browser, you can pull products from any retail site and import them into OsoEco with one click. It’s much like a wiki in this way (more below). Then you review the product for others to see and rate. According to the company, they “created OsoEco to answer our own questions about what’s green, what’s sustainable, and what kinds of things we should buy and do that are good for our communities and, not to sound completely cheesy and cliche, our world.”

7. Contribute to a Wiki: Most are familiar with Wikipedia. It’s a fantastic resource for information and an even more incredible phenomenon of collaborative creation on a global scale. What’s incredible to consider, though, is that it’s just the beginning. As author Clay Shirky points out, it’s a drop in the well compared to the untapped potential of our cognitive surplus. PlayGreen.org is one example of how wikis are being built for specific topic areas. Anyone can contribute or edit articles such as How to build a green PC and RecycleBank. Imagine an entire Wikipedia of knowledge and human experience dedicated to specific issues like global warming, cancer, autism, and renewable energy. That’s where we’re headed.

8. Start Your Own Social Network: Ning has made starting a social network as easy as signing up for an email address. For an example, see the Max Gladwell network or any one of more than 100 networks tagged with “green”. The platform guides you through the customization process, where you can add features like a blog, news feed, videos, calendar, and assorted gadgets (widgets) to give it more utility. This is perfect for organizations on a tight budget that want a place to aggregate information, organize, and keep its members connected. With a bit of coding skill and a premium account, you can customize however you’d like and integrate your own sponsors or advertising.

9. Get Sponsored: SocialVibe is leveraging the traffic we generate from our social networking pages to fund various causes. It works quite simply. You sign up and select from a list of sponsors to endorse, ranging from PowerBar and Cherry Coke to Adobe and Apple. Next, you select a cause to support. We picked an environmental index of sorts that includes “water quality, global warming research and preventative measures, wildlife, agriculture, rainforest preservation and sustainable production of food and building materials.” SocialVibe places your ad on your social networking pages and can also generate code that you can embed most anywhere. When it’s viewed, you generate donations for your cause and also earn points and other perks for yourself.

10. Broadcast Your Message: The cost of web broadcasting (webcasting) has effectively dropped to zero. A number of new technologies are making it possible for anyone to have their own live online TV channel. Indeed, signing up for Ustream.tv is like renting your own production studio. While you’re broadcasting live, viewers can communicate with you and other viewers through a chat interface, and you can even add a co-host. Your “shows” can be archived for later playback, and you can post them to YouTube or your personal pages for further distribution. Ustream also provides a social networking platform and a number of ways to promote your shows, such as through Twitter alerts.

Seesmic has a much different approach with “video conversations”. It’s similar to Twitter in many ways, only instead of posting text entries you record video clips. Other users respond, which forms a thread of video clips that become a video conversation. These clips can be embeded anywhere you want, such as your MySpace page or blog. In fact, Seesmic offers a plugin feature for blogs where you can leave video comments. While there’s nothing particularly green about these video technologies, they represent a next step in communications and an efficient means for producing and distributing green messages.

Read more about green social media and web tools:

• Top 15 Charity Search Engines: Donate to Charity for Free
• Five Electronics Fixes: Keep Them Running and Out of the Landfill
• Flock Eco-Edition Provides Easy Green Browsing… and Blogging

Tonight was the Time 100 Gala, where Time Magazine celebrates 100 of the most influential people in the world today. This year, three religious leaders are included.

What Richard Cizik, Patriarch Bartholomew I, and the Dalai Lama have in common is that they’ve all made headlines from leading green movements within their respective faith traditions.

Richard Cizik

Cizik, an ordained Evangelical Presbyterian miniser and head of the Office of Governmental Affairs for the National Association of Evangelicals fights global warming by quoting the Bible and calling on congregations to practice “creation care.” Cizik challenges conservative evangelicals to recognize climate change as a serious threat to the health of the planet.

Cizik also makes friends with scientists such as Nobel Peace Prize winner Eric Chivian, ignoring a once perceived barrier between the religious and scientific communities.

Patriarch Bartholomew I

The leader of Eastern Orthodox Christians appeals faithfully to his ancient religious tradition to claim that ecological questions are essentially spiritual ones. Bartholomew appeals to the theology of his revered predecessors, claiming that creation bears the glory and revelation of God, to call for greater environmental responsibility among Orthodox Christians.

Rowan Williams, the head of the Anglican Church, writes, “Probably more than any other religious leader from any faith, Patriarch Bartholomew has kept open this spiritual dimension of environmentalism.”

The Dalai Lama

The Dalai Lama’s infectious laugh in spite of chaos and oppression has puzzled some and inspired many. Under this surface, however, is a desire for a more peaceful human existence. This includes a more holistic approach to how we spend our time on the planet.

“We are the superior species on Earth but also the biggest troublemakers,” he once told Deepak Chopra.

Chopra recalls a piece of advice the Dalai Lama once gave him: “Without relying on religion, we look to common sense, common experience and the findings of science for understanding,”

Imagine this level of calm compassion practiced by all.

More on the Cizik, Bartholomew, and the Dalai Lama:

• Candidates Jump Through the Hoops of Religious Voters
• “Green Patriarch” Celebrates Leap Year Birthday
• Americans are Stupid When it Comes to Global Warming

Photo credit

Code Pink shares the mothers day inventor from 1870~Julia Ward Howe’s Mother’s Day Proclamation Arise then…women of this day! Arise, all women who have hearts..

Last year Code Pink reclaimed Mother’s Day with powerful actions in Congress, a Women’s Congress at our DC Activist House, a Children’s Peace Festival across from the White House in DC and beautiful actions around the country- from coast to coast! This year they need your support to help suffering mothers and children of the war we wish would end. It feels good to give on Mother’s day!

For more information on the projects, Code Pink is partnering with the Collateral Repair Project.

[kml_flashembed movie="http://www.youtube.com/v/C3LDLoGMJSU" width="425" height="350" wmode="transparent" /]

In addition to Del Forte, tonight’s episode features outerwear company Nau, which, unfortunately, has announced that it’s going out of business. Given Nau’s very sustainable approach to both garment design and retailing, watching this portion of the show felt bittersweet: let’s hope that their ideas for producing and selling greener fashion survive them.

Of course, fashion has environmental impacts after the sale, and the third “big idea” presented in tonight’s episode involves product care. Denver, Colorado’s Revolution Cleaners is one of many professional cleaning operations that have foregone the traditional “dry cleaning” process (which involves some pretty nasty chemicals) in favor of less toxic alternatives. Revolution uses liquid CO2 as a cleaning agent, and is implementing other practices such as hanger and plastic bag recycling.

In addition to the stories of these innovative companies, Big Ideas for a Small Planet has the usual mix of expert commentary: tonight’s contributors in include designers Linda Loudermilk and Carson Kressley (yes, that’s Carson from Queer Eye for the Straight Guy), Ecofabulous blogger Zem Joaquin (go bloggers!), Rachelle Carson-Begley, and Simran Sethi.

Following Big Ideas for a Small Planet, The Green present the documentary film Escape from Suburbia. Gregory Greene’s film

…considers the possibilities as it examines the burgeoning grass-roots movement to “power down” from energy-intensive habits. Mixing the stories of ordinary citizens with expert analysis, the film offers an inspiring look at how people are changing their lives and their communities by pulling up stakes, organizing conferences, and even re-thinking local economies.

Another great night of green TV. Of course, you can still enter The Green’s “What’s the Big Idea?” contest — the entry period runs through May 20th. And keep an eye out for another contest announcement right here at sustainablog… I’ll have that up shortly. And, finally, if you want more green fashion, stop by Feelgood Style.

I took the time to sit down and watch “Food” last night, and, as with previous episodes of Big Ideas for a Small Planet, found it compelling and thoughtful. Amy’s Kitchen founders Andy and Rachel Berliner tell the story of founding their family-owned company, and holding firm to their commitment to using only fresh, organic food (which is largely processed by hand) in the pre-packaged meals they sell. Viewers go with them to one of the organic farms from which they buy, and get some insight into the process of growing vegetables without chemicals. From there, the show moves to Twin Buttes High School in New Mexico, where students (who are all Zuni tribe members) didn’t just reject their school lunches: they started a garden to grow food for the cafeteria, and even won a grant to build a greenhouse. Finally, the episode takes viewers to Sonoma Valley, California, where the Benzinger Family Winery produces its award-winning vintages from biodynamically-grown grapes. These stories are interspersed with commentary from a range of experts, including David Suzuki, Anna Lappé, and Simran Sethi.

While Sundance provides preview copies of Big Ideas for a Small Planet to the press, that’s not the case with documentaries, so I haven’t yet seen All In This Tea. According to their press materials, the film profiles David Lee Hoffman, the founder of Silk Road Teas:

All In This Tea looks at the history, traditions and intricacies of tea and joins Hoffman on a buying trip to China, where he seeks out small, artisanal growers and tries to persuade Chinese officials to turn away from industrial production in favor of handcrafted, environmentally sustainable tea farming.

Looks like another night of must-see TV on the Sundance Channel. If you’ve missed any episodes of Big Ideas for a Small Planet, don’t fret: they’re all available on ITunes after they air ($1.99/episode). And if you’ve got big ideas of your own to share, don’t forget about the “What’s the Big Idea?” contest, sponsored by Lexus Hybrid Living.

Still interested in food issues? The stop by Eat.Drink.Better for your daily taste… and jump into the GO Discussion forum if you want to talk about The Green…

I’ve always liked Flock for its focus on integration of social media functions into the browser itself: right now I’ve got one-click access to Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, etc. The Eco-Edition adds a one-stop shop for green news and blog hounds: the “Green” page that loads when the browser starts features feeds from most of the web’s top destinations for information and opinion on sustainability and environmentalism (including sustainablog — thanks, Flock!). The refresh button even features the ubiquitous recycling symbol — a nice touch! As our friend Michael d’Estries at Ecorazzi noted, this creates a seamless experience: the best of the green web is right at my fingertips. Combined with Flock’s integrated social media and blogging tools, the Eco-Edition provides an efficient interface for all of the steps we green bloggers go through in writing, publishing and promoting our work.

I will say that I still tend to stick to Firefox simply because I’ve had some issues in the past with Flock locking up or slowing down: it clearly uses a lot of memory (though I freely admit this may be more of an issue on my end than with the browser itself). But I’m writing this post right now in Flock, and, so far, the experience is acceptable — I’ll likely give it another go as my default browser, both for the stellar combination of features, and the fact that they’ve taken the time to create an edition that addresses my specific needs as a green blogger. Finally, Flock will donate 10% of search proceeds to an environmental charity chosen by Eco-Edition users at the end of the year.

I’ve still got some features to try out, and will report back on them in due time. If you’re not that patient (and no reason you should be), check out other reviews of the browser at Lorna Li — Green Marketing 2.0, Earth & Economy, Max Gladwell, and EcoTech Daily.

See also:

Green Options: Weekday Web Review: MakeMeSustainable.com

Green Options: Real Energy Savings in the Virtual World

Music for a Green Planet takes many traditional children’s songs, as well as other popular classics, and changes the lyrics to reflect a green message. I have probably listened to this cd a dozen times in one day, as my children absolutely adore it, and I do too.  The first track is a version of  “She’ll be Comin’ Round the Mountain” only she’s driving a hybrid and using biodiesel.

We’ll be driving biodiesel when she comes
We’ll be getting cleaner mileage when she comes
We’ll be a part of the solution
Cause we’re making less pollution
We’ll be driving biodiesel when she comes

My three-year-old son got so excited the first time he heard this song, as he knows his daddy runs B99 in his truck.  My daughter’s favorite tune is “Fiddle Dee Green”, and I caught her singing it as she got ready for bed last night.  My favorite song is “Turbine” sung to the tune of “Edelweiss”. I know, I know, it sounds like a stretch, but it really works.

Turbines, turbines
The wind can make them go round and round
Turbines, turbines
Breezes can make them go round

Do you want to make your own green music?  Children can be given tape recorders and sent outside to record the sounds of nature. They can then mix these sounds into their own music for a green planet, as well as be inspired to create sounds with musical instruments that mimic these sounds. How would you replicate the sound of rain, the sound of leaves under foot, the sound of birds chirping? Nature can be inspiration for the arts, which is one way we can honor and celebrate our mother planet.

Gorilla  in the Greenhouse, an episodic show premiering today, doesn’t preach at kids, but instead engages them on their terms and empowers them to take action. Animated by the people behind such web classics as The Meatrix, it features four smart kids and a wise green gorilla, facing the big green challenges of our day, with inventiveness, action, and most importantly, a rockin’ song.

Not many people could pull off making a catchy tune about a garbage island in the Pacific Ocean, but in the first episode, “The Great Pacific Garbage Patch,” they show otherwise. With people such as Ralph Guggenheim, one of Pixar’s founders producing, this moves beyond merely being entertainment to being a bridge to further conversation with your children about things happening in the real world, and what can be done about them.

As Eli Noyes, director of the show puts it, “It is by nature interactive, because kids can do in the real world what they see our virtual kids doing. Every imaginary character and action in the show has an analogous real life counterpart.”

For example, in the first episode, the kids overcome a plot by Dr. Morlon Huffelbot to create a trash bag island (sound familiar?) They go undercover at the plastic bag factory, get out their positive green message to counteract Huffelbot’s actions through their social networks, rally cities to ban plastic bags and then create their own eco friendly alternative.  And, in a nod to how times have changed since we watched Schoolhouse Rock, this time it’s the kids making the music, in their band The Greenhouse Gang.

Giving structure and resources to build on your child’s enthusiasm, they’ve created a curriculum to go along with each episode with actions to take, and additional videos to deepen their knowledge. Beyond the garbage island, future episodes will cover sustainable food production, deforestation, global warming, and energy efficiency.

Readers: What other ways do you know of to creatively and actively engage your kids in greening the world?

More Resources:

From Inspiration to Action: 18+

Plastic: Your Worst Nightmare

Children’s Music Parents Can Enjoy

Two weeks ago Eylon Israely conducted an interview with King Corn’s Director and Producer, Aaron Woolf . Today we’ve got interesting updates on the film and its creators.

Firstly, If you haven’t seen this documentary yet, here’s your chance - King Corn airs on PBS on April 15! So mark it down in your calender.

And there’s also a new film from the creators of King Corn - The Greening of Southie. The film will have its world premiere on the Sundance Channel on Earth Day, April 22 at 9:40PM. This time, the filmmakers explore green building, and they’re focusing on the first green residential project in one of the favorite neighborhoods: South Boston, or Southie as everyone calls it. Here’s a little bit more about it:

The Greening of Southie goes behind the scenes and onto the scaffolds to follow the construction of Boston’s first green residential structure, a luxury condominium complex called the Macallan Building. Located in the city’s storied working-class neighborhood, South Boston, Macallan was conceived with the ambitious goal of securing a LEED Gold rating from the U.S. Green Building Council. Moving between the idealistic young development team, distant suppliers, and the salty union construction crew, The Greening of Southie maps each step––and misstep––on the road to move-in day.

At 9 pm EDT, Big Ideas for a Small Planet will focus on the theme “Decorate.” The press materials from Sundance note that “it IS possible to have stylish furnishings without messing up the planet,” and will feature some of the designers that are working within this context. sustainablog and GO readers know this, of course, but I have no doubt we’ll all learn new things from this show.

At 9:35 pm, the aesthetic focus will continue with the documentary Manufactured Landscapes. The film profiles photographer Edward Burtynsky, and his work documenting China’s transition to an urbanized society (and the environmental costs associated with it). Ansel Adams he ain’t: think mines, factories and lava flows vs. stunning natural vistas.

To my co-workers: don’t try to catch me online during The Green: it’s my must-see TV… As these shows provide plenty of food for thought, stop by the discussion forum I’ve created for the series, and let us know what you thought.

Many thanks to Special Ops Media for the images.

I’m not sure what it is about these ads that have captured the nation’s imagination; John McCain has his own version of it, and, of course, it inspired scores of parodies on YouTube and among late-night talk show comedians.

Still, I wonder if the candidates will get around to making one of these ads about the environment.

It’d be really easy to do, actually. All you need is a ringing phone…and no one to answer it.

That’s because the environment has somehow become a non-issue during this campaign season. All three candidates have fairly progressive views when it comes to addressing climate change, and they all tout the benefits of weening ourselves off foreign oil, so we’ve basically been told by the media that there’s nothing more to discuss on the topic.

The only problem is that voters WANT to discuss it.

According to a recent Gallup poll:

Americans continue to say (by a seven percentage-point margin, 49% to 42%) protection of the environment should be given priority even at the risk of curbing economic growth.

In all fairness, the story goes on to say that the gap between those favoring the environment over the economy is closing rapidly. Of course, some of us happen to think that the two are not mutually exclusive, but that’s a topic for another day.

With that much support for environmental issues, you would think that the media would respond. Quite the contrary. Check out this depressing content analysis conducted by the League of Conservation Voters:

Total for 5 Top Political Reporters* updated 2/18/2008

Number of Interviews & Debates: 190
Number of Questions: 3,201
Questions That Mention Global Warming: 8
Global Warming Related Questions: 29

*(CNN’s Wolf Blitzer, NBC’s Tim Russert, ABC’s George Stephanopoulos, CBS’s Bob Schieffer, and FOX News’s Chris Wallace)

As a graduate student in journalism, I’m inclined to say that this is a classic case of The Agenda-Setting Theory, which basically states that the media doesn’t tell us what to think, but what to think about (we can end with prepositions in journalism…)

Can that really be the case? Is the media a monolithic beast with a well-planned agenda? Yes and no. There may not be a singular voice dictating what subjects get covered, but there clearly is a follow-the-mob mentality when it comes to chasing stories.

So while the mainstream media is busy focusing on the sermons of a Chicago preacher who isn’t even running for president, or whether some secret society of superdelegates will ultimately influence the nomination, we’re missing valuable opportunities to discuss the differences in the candidates’ environmental platforms. How exactly will they create “green” jobs? How will they interact with the rest of the world on climate change protocols? What sort of incentives will they offer for sustainable construction, renewable energy, hybrid cars?

How we get the mainstream media back on point is, of course, the $64,000 question. It starts with confronting outlets directly with this lack of environment-related campaign coverage. Emails to talking heads, newspapers, TV stations, radio hosts…believe me, if all it took was an email campaign to keep “Jericho” on the air, they’ll definitely listen to us.

But keep in mind that the media is rarely proactive, it’s mostly reactive, so in many ways this is as much a problem caused by the candidates as it is by the media. If we really want to improve coverage, we must demand that our candidates address the issue more frequently and with more depth. The more they address it, the more media will have to cover it.

Yes, the three candidates have fairly similar views on the major environmental themes, but there are distinct differences. We, as voters, deserve to have easy access to those differences.

Besides, I’ll be damned if the best discussion over climate change this election comes from an animated snow man during the YouTube debate.

illustration courtesy of Roberto Rizzato

While cleaning my home recently, I realized just how much paper this leads to each month, and my green guilt set in. Unfortunately, I really, really love both magazines and the daily newspaper. It’s something I am reluctant to give up. Fortunately, there may be a solution that seems almost plausible to a printaholic like me. ReadyMade, a design/home solutions magazine for the DIY set with a sustainable sensibility, is now providing readers with a digital version of its print form. You can see every page, just as it appears in print, in its entirety, starting with the current issue #34, their green design issue.

ReadyMade is no stranger to all things green. It’s been part of their focus since its inception in 2001, and although they’ve been doing “green” issues since before it was trendy, almost all of their issues make mention of green practices or sustainable design. Their print issue is done on 50% post-consumer recycled paper that’s FSC certified. It honestly doesn’t surprise me that their the first of the mags I read to go digital; as champions of efficient design with a built-in eco-audience, it’s a pragmatic approach.

The digital edition is fairly user-friendly. Readers can customize how they view the pages, and can easily jump around using the page index or table of contents. Zooming in and out was a breeze, and graphics and photos are high-res. There’s also a handy option to view any links that appear in the text, either by page or throughout the entire issue. I like this because I’m always dog-earing links I want to look at after I read a magazine. I got really excited when I saw a little bookmark icon, hoping it would be a way to digitally tag or annotate things I wanted to revisit. Disappointingly, it was only a way to bookmark a particular page using your browser’s bookmark function. That’s only a minor quibble, though. I can honestly see myself able to make the switch from print to digital if magazines looked and operated like ReadyMade. For me, that’s a very big deal.

Best of all, you can check out the inaugural digital issue, in its entirety, for free. And, the more people that read the digital issue, the more money sustainable clothing company Nau will donate to carbon offset partner Climate Trust. My only complaint is that I’m unsure as to whether or not subscribers will be able to “opt-out” of their print subscription, and if so, can they get a discount on their subscriptions? ReadyMade’s website lacked details about this, but implied that future digital subscriptions would be subscriber-only. Added reason to check out this issue? Longtime GreenOptions writer Victoria Everman is a contributor this month.

Following that, Sundance will air its original documentary Garbage Warrior. I got a chance to screen this film a few weeks ago as part of a package I received from Earth Circle Cinema, and it’s well worth staying up past your bed time (if that’s an issue). Garbage Warrior tells the story of architect and Earthship creator Michael Reynolds, and his thirty-five+ year quest to create self-sufficient, sustainable buildings made from natural materials and society’s “waste”: “tires, beer cans, glass, and plastic bottles.”

Filmmaker Oliver Hodge frames Reynold’s story as a true “David and Goliath” epic: after years of developing an Earthship community outside of Taos, NM, the architect and the community he’s created come up against “the Man,” in the form of building and planning regulations well out of step with Reynold’s vision of low-impact housing. Garbage Warrior shows the prices Reynolds paid in challenging the system (particularly the loss of his architecture licenses and certifications for most of the 90s), and the battle he takes on with the state legislature to change laws that ultimately dampen creativity, and discourage building professionals from experimenting with more sustainable forms of construction. Does he win? Well, you’ll have to watch to find out…

Perhaps the most moving element of the film, though, involves Reynolds and team going to the Andaman Islands after the 2005 tsunami. While politicians dither in Santa Fe, the Earthship team provides housing for victims of the disaster. Hodge, and Reynolds, play up on the irony: politicians the world’s most developed nation just can’t wrap their head around what Reynolds is doing (or choose not to), while tsunami victims in the developing world are not only grateful for his work, but immediately understand its relevance to their living situations.

This doesn’t mean, though, that Reynolds promotes a step backwards in living spaces for the developed world; rather, as the film shows consistently, his Earthships are not only built for sustainable use of resources, but also for comfort. Hodge’s frequent shots of the buildings demonstrate that they’re also aesthetically pleasing… a “win-win-win” for a “modern” society.

I’ll put some links up to Reynold’s concepts in the discussion forums for… well, discussion. Garbage Warrior is a really well-made film… but, given the compelling nature of its subject, I’m guessing Hodge and team found that the story told itself.

Let us know what you think about the first offerings of ’08’s The Green… I know I’ll be watching.

Many thanks to Special Ops Media for the images.

UPDATE: Rather than creating a forum on Reynolds, I’ve done one on The Green itself… but always interested in discussing Reynolds and his work.

Here-here to that, sister! Though it is tough to get away from cleaning the bathroom and doing laundry, most “modern” inventions and products end up making our lives more cluttered and complicated instead of relieving us of senseless stress. Keeping things simple (or at least progressing them towards that end of the spectrum) is the overall theme of Body+Soul Magazine’s April 2008 issue - right in time for Earth Day, of course.

Learning how to kick back and take things in stride is the theme of this issue’s Reader to Reader column (page 20) . In celebration of the premiere of Sundance Channel The Green’s second season on April 1st, Body+Soul is giving away a luxury goody bag (worth over $2,500!) to one lucky reader. All you have to do is reply to this month’s Share Your Wisdom - “When’s the last time you did something out of character, unplanned, or spontaneous? What effect did it have, and what surprise you about the act - or results?” Selected responses will be printed in the August 2008 issue. Visit the Body+Soul website to enter and for more details.

One of my own favorite stress busters is to bake (and eat) cupcakes. Not the healthiest habit for my body, I’m sure, but it is fun! The Naturally Sweet article (page 58) gives details on tasty alternative to traditional sugar. When it comes to desserts, nothing is perfectly healthy. This piece tells both the pros and cons of alternative sweeteners, including agave nectar, stevia, maple syrup and more. It is highly likely that I will never have truly stable blood sugar since cinnamon crumble muffins and chocolate brownies will forever call my name. Even despite this, I’m open to experimenting with other natural sweeteners … how about you?

Sweet treats are also a first choice for many who are going through painful break-ups - the topic of Susan Piver’s Love Lessons: Heartbreak article (page 90). Susan shares a wonderful, though difficult, past experience that reveals a healthy mental process that benefits all areas of life. “100 percent of my emotional pain was attributed to my own thoughts. There is a good Buddhist teaching that illustrates this principle: When your throw a stick for a dog, he runs after it. But throw a stick for a lion, and he turns around to see who threw it. Now when a strong emotion comes up, I try to act like a lion; instead of assuming the feeling is worth chasing, I look to its source.” Taking the time to truly stop and think, instead of getting overwhelmed with whatever our minds churn out, would make anyone’s day flow smoother.

Other swank highlights from the April issue: What’s on Your Life List? (page 124); Eco Chic on the Cheap: 25 Ways to Go Green for $25 or Less (page 98); Food for Thought (page 142) - I reviewed author Christie Matheson’s latest book, Green Chic: Saving the Earth in Style, recently as well; 10 Best Stress Busters (page 116); Beauty Basics: Label Lowdown (page 48)

Well, the video is a little hokey, and the band a little odd, but this is one of my preschool students’ favorite songs.  We sing it a lot! The Banana Slug String Band’s songs are filled with messages of conservation and connectedness to nature, like “Dirt Made My Lunch”.

The Banana Slug String Band is committed to educational entertainment for children and families through interactive music and performance. We are dedicated to fostering positive attitudes about the environment, providing accurate information about natural history and science, promoting music appreciation, building self esteem in children, honoring creativity, supporting the arts in education and sparking in people a joyful sense of wonder. Through the production of tapes, CD’s, videos, songbooks, picture books, curriculum, activity guides, teacher workshops and concerts, we hope to make these values accessible to an increasingly wider audience. We endorse and support collaboration with other individuals and organizations that promote the well being of children, family and the environment. We believe that music is a powerful instrument for honoring diversity while uniting people for the common good.

Banana Slug String Band even performs at schools!

So far, our Healthy Children, Healthy Planet discussion group has tackled family dinners, consumer-free holidays, the over-programming of children’s activities, advertisements, and whether parents deserve a Bill of Rights, and what kind of moments can be used to pass down values. This week, the conversation turns to everyone’s favorite enemy: junk food.

Ah, junk food. It’s true what they say: we have become a junk food nation. We are a nation of processed food, of food in boxes, of omnipresent vending machines, of gas stations that stop selling gas, because the real money is in snacks.

You guys are smart, right? You don’t need me to tell you that some artificial food additives appear to cause hyperactivity in kids. Or that a sugar-filled diet is linked with asthma. Or that junk food causes learning disabilities and behavior problems. Or that it increases the risk of diabetes. Or that it rots their teeth. Never mind that, oh yeah, it makes them overweight; since I was a kid, for example, the number of overweight kids has doubled. Thanks to these factors, this generation of children is the first in all of American history to have a lower life expectancy than their parents — a dubious honor if I’ve ever heard one.

What struck me as we talked about the issues, though, is how alone we have all felt in tackling them. For many of us, it literally feels like Lone Parent vs. The Rest of the World, because junk food is just so ubiquitous. First graders do math with skittles. Kindergarteners are given M&Ms as rewards. Well-meaning other parents bring in cupcakes for no reason. And have you noticed that every single holiday — not just Halloween and Easter, but holidays like St. Patty’s Day and Thanksgiving — all have candy attached to them.

Meanwhile, all of us — every single one of us — has felt like that parent. The crazy parent, the unreasonable, hysterical one. The Food Freak. Because, you know, we think that an apple is an appropriate snack.

Which is one of the reasons that this discussion group has been so great. Because we can look around, see other people who look normal, who seem smart, and we can say, “Oh, you mean this bothers you, too?” And then we start jumping up and down, screaming like a couple of 13-year-old girls, because suddenly we don’t feel quite so alone. Now, for the first time, we can point another parent who offers grapes before an Oreo, or who bothers to wonder “is trans-fat laden cookie dough an appropriate fundraiser for the school?”

Now, it’s a Handful of Us vs. The Rest of the World. It’s not just me. It’s me and a room full of friends. A small room, admittedly, but a room nonetheless. We’re short of an army, but I feel a little less like I’m shouting into the wind. For that alone, it’s worth it.

Related posts:
Healthy Children, Healthy Planet Week One

Consumerism vs. Family Ritual: Healthy Children, Healthy Planet 2

Do Ads Hurt Families? (And If So, What to Do?): Healthy Children, Healthy Planet 3

I’ve done my best to keep the Disney Princess invasion at bay. We have none of the movies or, uh, “books” which are just ads for the movies, and none of the merchandise or apparel or personal care items that feature the Royal Threat. Except. We do have one Disney Princess ball. No, not the kind with music and party dresses. The kind you can kick.

It was an Easter egg hunt prize, and as hard as I try to “lose” it, it keeps getting found. Lately, my preschooler has taken to asking me what each princess is named.

“Mommy, who’s that?”

“Snow White.”

“Oh, she’s pretty. Who’s this?”

“Sleeping Beauty.”

“Sleeping Booty?”

“Yeah, something like that.”

Not one of my mom friends is a fan of the Princess Pack. Some helpless woman, lying around, waiting on the man to rescue her just doesn’t cut it for a role model. And, yet, all of us with girls around the ages of three to six are facing the fascination our daughters have with all things pink, fluffy and Disney.

Where does this come from, this whole princess thing we work so hard to shut out? In the beginning — just like all the colds, stomach flu and communicable diseases — they get it from their friends. As an observer-type, I’ve also noticed a strong correlation between the onset of the princess phase and the first bout of backtalk and experiments with “We don’t like (this girl) …” and other irritating behaviors associated with girlhood. Coincidence? I don’t think so. Rapunzel may have been shut away in that tower for good reason. By her real mother.

The best thing about this whole phase is that it is normal and temporary. But for Disney, the phase is like money in the bank. For at least three years of each young American girl’s life, Disney can count on raking in some bucks. It’s a marketer’s dream, the sure payout.

It is not, however, quite like hitting the lottery. That title belongs to Disney properties like Cars, a movie released several years back that is selling more merchandise now than when the film was first released. So successful is this particular property, that it will be given it’s own theme park.

The thing is, the movie doesn’t even have to be great, as long as the merchandise and concept take hold in kids’ minds. Ratatouille won an Oscar, but cookbooks and cooking tools aren’t exactly high-demand items. Don’t expect a Remy theme park or even a video game anytime soon.

It works like this, after the release of a movie — with the minimal amount of merchandise on hand — Disney looks at the audience response and the likelihood of the “property” being successful across all of their businesses. This is everything from apparel and toys and consumer packaged goods to books, food, breakfast cereals (note, these were NOT included in food), video games, spin-offs, television, DVD release, online properties, amusement parks, events, live shows on- or off-ice … and so forth until the cash registers ring eternal with your child as their golden instrument.

And, that’s what gets me most. I could handle the princess years easier if it were just entertainment; a few fairy tales, or a DVD on a rainy night and a one-time Halloween costume at most. It’s gone way past entertainment into a new kind of advertising scheme where the movie is just a sales tool, a great big entertaining commercial that fuels demand for merchandise — merchandise that fills every aisle of the store because the branded character is used as a shill on every shelf. There is no escape as the crush of marketing permeates even the most princess-proof home. And that, most of all, is a royal pain in the butt.

Stock Photo © Maureen Rigdon | Dreamstime.com