Green Options

[image by Quinn Dombrowski]

The Center for a New American Dream is asking folks to spread the word about bottled water, and they need our help! They want us to talk about, blog about, email our friends and family about this pledge. It takes 900,000 tons of plastic and emits more than 2.5 million tons of CO2 to manufacture the number of water bottles that Americans purchased and then pitched in a single year. Not to mention that bottled water costs 1000 times what tap water does. Check out some more scary bottled water facts and The Center for a New American Dream’s pledge after the jump.

[image via Jasoon]

The letter below reminds me a lot of something that happened to me.  I was riding down 10th Street in the right hand lane.  Rather than pass me in the empty left lane, a giant SUV swerved towards me, nearly running me into a ditch.  At the next light, the driver rolled down the window to shriek that I should be riding on the sidewalk (untrue/illegal), and he knew because he was a cyclist, too!  I guess he was a cyclist with no belief in Karma?

Colin Beavan, aka No Impact Man, had a run-in today with a NY state senator today.  Or, I guess, you could call it a near run in?  Here’s his open letter to Senator Jeff Klein:

Apparently, No-Impact Man Colin Beavan was riding his bike in New York City when he was almost sideswiped by a Mercedes.  When he knocked on the window of the car to alert the obviously-unaware driver of his presence, the driver rolled down the window and said, “Get your hands off my car, you f***ing a**hole.”

The driver?  New York State Senator Jeff Klein.

So you’re telling me you’re not going to [...]

The Energy Star Washing Machine vs. The Wonderwash vs. The Basin vs. The Future of Home Dry Cleaning

In this 4-way battle royal to earn the title “The Best Washing Machine for You and the Earth According to Joe”, a variety of factors need to be considered. Water use, electricity use, size of family, and–of course–convenience all need to be given a good look. And even though I am of the mindset that we have way too many unnecessary conveniences in our society, I am aware that some conveniences have proven to be beneficial time savers.

In reading for this post I had to turn to No Impact Man to see what his thoughts were on the subject, because, unlike my familiarity with the reel mower, I have never used an alternative to the washing machine. I was surprised to learn his thoughts.

The laundry machine is the one appliance I believe makes the difference between a life of drudgery and not. If cars are the Devil, as I think they are, then laundry machines are God.

Mother’s Day began when social activist and poet Julia Ward Howe wrote the original Mother’s Day Proclamation after the Civil War in 1870.

In the name of womanhood and humanity, I earnestly ask
That a general congress of women without limit of nationality,
May be appointed and held at someplace deemed most convenient
And the earliest period consistent with its objects,
To promote the alliance of the different nationalities,
The amicable settlement of international questions,
The great and general interests of peace.

This day began as a call to action, and it is only fitting this Sunday on Mother’s Day families take action on climate change and let their voices be heard.  1Sky is asking mothers and their children to create images to send to Congress urging them to remember the implications of climate change on the next generation.  The images will be compiled and be taken to DC to be displayed and given to Congress.

There's a little experiment going on in New York City near Washington Square Park. Colin Beavan, his wife Michelle, their two-year-old daughter Isabella and dog Frankie are trying to live a no impact lifestyle.

What began in November 2006 as a one week trial run turned into a year long experiment phased in through different stages along the way. Some think he's crazy for getting rid of toilet paper

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