Green Options

In an effort to drum up attention and support for their algae-based biofuel, Sapphire Energy has announced they will conduct a coast-to-coast journey in their “Algaeus” plug-in hybrid. Part electric hybrid, part biofuel vehicle, Sapphire claimes the Algaeus will get 150 miles per gallon from its hybrid/biofuel drivetrain.

The Algaeus will visit 10 cities, starting in San Francisco on September 8th and ending in New York City on the 18th.

For years and years parents have taken their children to zoos to see exotic animals, animals that they don’t get to see everyday. They want to see lions and tigers and bears. Oh my! High on the the list of animals to be seen are elephants, nature’s gentle giants. These cute, (hardly) cuddly animals are the largest of the land mammals. But all of that could change. Elephants could be removed from zoos forever if In Defense of Animals (IDA) [...]

There is nothing earth-shattering about what is going on at the Attorney General’s office in Salt Lake City, Utah. It’s quite the opposite. The Utah AG’s office is taking a small step in the right direction to save, not shatter, our planet.

If you think it’s tough to help fight climate change by riding your bike to work instead of driving, Utah resident Apa Sherpa will probably make you feel like a wimp. That’s because he’s just climbed to the top of Mount Everest to unveil a banner reading, “Stop Climate Change, Let the Himalayas Live!”

A resident of Salt Lake City since 2006, Apa, 49, has now climbed Everest a record 19 times since 1990 — including twice in 1992. His most recent ascent was part of a WWF Nepal campaign to raise awareness of how climate change is impacting the Himalayas.

Would you be willing to promise to use something other than a car to get around town at least four times a month? Would the offer of free and unlimited public transportation sweeten the deal?

That’s the pitch Westminster College in Salt Lake City is making to its students: sign a pledge to use alternative transportation four or more times a month, and we’ll give you a free pass to use the Utah Transit Authority (UTA) as much as you like.

Hats off to the Salt Lake Tribune, which published an excellent editorial this week on the folly of having lawns in Utah.

“We live in a desert,” the editorial reads. “Precipitation is sparse. And still we try to make Utah yards look like lawns in Ohio … Ultimately, our attempt to paint the desert green is unsustainable.”

Our family traveled through Salt Lake City, UT, during our National Parks Extravaganza this summer on our way between Grand Teton National Park and Grand Canyon National Park. As always when we travel, we try to find local independent restaurants that source locally. Generally this is easy to do by looking for foodie blogs in a target area and either searching their posts or asking them directly for recommendations. I found the very helpful Gourmand Syndrome, who suggested Tin Angel Cafe.

The Tin Angel Cafe is right across from Pioneer Park at 365 West 400 South. (Addresses in Salt Lake City and in much of the rest of Utah, after some initial confusion, are incredibly helpful — an address actually provides directions to the location.) The funky ambiance manages to avoid both kitsch and preciousness, not a mean feat. The outdoor patio is a fun space overlooking the park across the street, but temperatures were in the 90s at 8:30 on a mid-June evening, and we opted to sit inside.

(This is another installment in this week’s “Walk This Way” series on walkable neighborhoods in the U.S.)

Here’s a shocker (not really): living in a walkable neighborhood reduces your chances of being overweight.

It should seem obvious, but a new study from the University of Utah has tracked the connection between walkable neighborhoods and weight statistically. The researchers found that the average guy living in a walkable neighborhood weighed 10 pounds less than his more car-dependent counterpart, while the average woman weighed six pounds less.

With the continuing onslaught of Chinese toy recalls, it is no wonder that parents are searching for toys made in the USA. Down to Earth Toys makes this search easy, considering over 90% of their natural and wooden toys are made in the United States! The company states:

We feel that protecting your child, while also supporting America’s economy, are of utmost importance.We know that toys made in America are constructed with safe materials and built by fair labor practices.

One of our family’s favorite toys from Down to Earth Toys is the Lunastix Enchanted Juggling Sticks. If you have ever been to an outdoor concert, you have probably seen someone playing with Lunastix. The kid size version of the juggling sticks is fun for children to play with and master, and they are great for hand-eye coordination. Children’s (and parents’) dexterity, balance, focus, and perseverance improve as they learn to do tricks with the sticks. Let me tell you, it is not as easy as it appears.

Let's pretend for a moment that Global Warming is truly a natural act that we have no control over. If the consensus gelled with the science, would we still not act on the pollution choking our lungs? Would we ignore the damaging waste fed into our rivers, the mercury ingested by our children, or the garbage clogging our landfills? These very issues harbor just as much danger as global warming. Climate change is simply

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