Green Thinking Blog

I was surfing the net today when I went to my favorite search engine, Google, and I was brought to a black screen. If you have ever been to Google, you would know, they usually change up their letters for the seasons, but not the background. I was intrigued. Turns out Google has blackened their screen in support of Earth Hour, taking place around the world today, March 29, from 8 p.m. - 9 p.m. Google believes in combating climate change, though this was an event anyone could participate in, and they did something about it (an excellent process to live by).

So, what is Earth Hour? It is an event that was created in Sydney, Australia in 2007 by the World Wildlife Fund to inspire people to take action on climate change. Picture this: March 31, 2007, Sydney, 2.2 million people and 2100 businesses turn out the lights. Weddings are conducted by candlelight, the Harbour Bridge goes dark, and a difference was made. If everyone in Sydney turned off their lights for one hour every day for a year it would be equivalent to taking 48,616 cars off the road for a year! Imagine if you did this in your home town, and everyone did it in theirs!

The site also gives you great ideas of things to do in the dark…not those things…but things like:

• Chill OUT (my fave) - Take this hour for you. Reflect, Read, Ponder, Converse. Get back in touch with humanity vs. your hand-held devices or your romance with the television.
• Clean Up the ‘Hood - Go outside, walk down your street, & pick up garbage. Simple, close to home, and contributing to society—plus, people take notice.
• Turn Down the Heat - Take this opportunity to lower your thermostat (home and ‘fridge), by two degrees. You won’t even notice and it makes a huge difference.

Join today, the countdown is on!

Are you looking for a quick and easy way to lead an eco-friendly life? If you’re like us, you’ve noticed that many green lifestyle changes can be a burden or are difficult to implement on a regular basis. Luckily, you have some easier options if you know where to look.

TerraPass.com sells carbon offsets for the driver, the flier, the business, the bride and groom, the student, or the homeowner. Using the carbon footprint calculator, you can determine the amount of carbon dioxide emissions you are putting into the atmosphere every year. So, what is a carbon offset anyway? “A carbon offset is a certificate representing the reduction of one metric ton (2,205 lbs) of carbon dioxide emissions, the principal cause of global warming.” (Terrapass FAQs)

You can purchase a TerraPass for yourself or give it to someone else as a gift. All your money goes toward green projects that reduce carbon emissions. With your purchase, Terrapass sends you a clear, attractive window decal for your car or home window. If you’re a frequent flier, you’ll get a luggage tag to show off (it will also be easier to find your bags at baggage claim). If you offset a wedding, you’ll get a framed certificate to display for guests.

Last Christmas I bought my friends and family Road TerraPasses for their cars and they loved it! The window decal is small and tasteful. They are nothing like the tacky bumper stickers you see on the roads so often. Prices vary depending on your engine and miles traveled (hybrids/low mileage $29.70, compacts/efficient $39.60, standards $59.40, large cars/trucks $99.00).

Have questions? Head over to the Terrapass FAQs for a ton of helpful information.

Uh huh—you are guilty. Yes, you, who habitually forgets to bring your canvas tote to the grocery store. Or even worse, you, who doesn’t even ever think about using a canvas tote when going to the grocer! Okay, don’t feel too bad, we have all done it before, or have recently adopted the idea of reusable grocery bags. The good news is that you can start being green on your next grocery adventure!!!

Reusable grocery bags have become a way a life that we are reminded of every time we are standing in the check-out lane. Target, Publix, and Whole Foods all offer green totes at their check-out. My personal favorite reusable bag comes from IKEA. Purchased for five cents at the check-out with proceeds given to saving forests, it is large enough for my entire grocery load, laundry load, beach bag, or whatever I want! Plus, it is bright blue with excellent handles (extremely important) and it can’t be missed. Everywhere I go I am a walking reminder to all my fellow shoppers, laundry mat attendees, or beach bums to be green.

The craze is so huge that some locations of Whole Foods have adopted the idea of being “bag” free. My local Whole Foods store will be joining this multitude come Earth Day 2008, and they are to be commended. According to the organic market’s website, plastic grocery bags take up to 1,000 years to decompose! I know what you are thinking, “Yea, but I re-use my plastic bags for garbage bags and pooper scoopers for dog walks.” Both are excellent ideas, but your lucky bags are only .6% of all 100 billion+ bags that are recycled every year. The Environmental Protection Agency says plastic bags are not only an endangerment to wildlife, but they pollute our land and water. I know my car has fallen victim many a time to the bag collection on the pollute pipe simply driving to work.

Okay, so I have chastised you, I have praised your efforts, but I have yet to indulge your stylish side. Grocery bags can be completely chic! Check out Ecobags.com or Peaceful Company for stylish, reusable options. They have Totes with Quotes, natural canvas, fade-resistant graphic prints, and even lunch sacks for everyday use.

The bags shown above are available at PeacefulCompany.com.

Looking to add something sustainable to your wardrobe? Try the unbelievably soft, organic cotton and bamboo t-shirts from Tees for Change. They offer a variety of colors, styles, and positive mantra statements to choose from.

Tees for Change make a great present with prices from $28-$32. The high-quality material of their shirts is so soft! In addition, Tees for Change has a partnership with American Forests’ Global Releaf and promises to plant a tree for each shirt you purchase.

We were happy to receive an email from Tees for Change on Monday which announced the arrival of their Spring/Summer 2008 collection. New colors of tees have been added including: eggplant, chocolate, cherry red, midnight blue, pomegranate, and avocado. Also, they now have 12 different mantras to choose from. Check them out below:

Breathe deeply
Chase dreams
Choose happiness
Embrace change
Live passionately
Laugh often
Live fully
Live mindfully
Practice kindness
Practice yoga
Seek balance
Today matters

We are loving Tees for Change and their motto: “Sustainable Tees on a Mission.” Try them out and let us know what you think!

When driving down the green-way of life, don’t overlook the smallest room in your house—the bathroom. There are plenty of ways to convert your potty to that of an eco-friendly environment through the basics: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.

Reduce: Something as simple as cutting down on one square of t.p. per meditation period could reduce how much packaging is wasted because it will cut down how much toilet paper you have to purchase. Grocery saving: BONUS!

Reuse: While we don’t recommend reusing those squares, look at incorporating a plastic, washable cup for your toothbrushing routine instead of purchasing Dixie cups.

Recycle: Save those cardboard rings and either use them for arts-n-crafts with the kiddies, throw them in your hamster cage, or place them in your neighborhood recyling pick-up. A double use makes scraps that much more useful.

A not-so-basic investment: a hemp shower curtain. You may not have ever thought the thin plastic lining of your shower curtain could create so much waste—and a waste that can last a lifetime! Hemp is naturally resistant to mold and bacteria, is quick drying, and will bring a natural feel to your bathroom. It will get wet, but the water will not go through the fibers, so no liner is needed: BONUS! I am not going to lie, it is a little bit pricier than your average $11 shower curtain from Bed, Bath, & Beyond, but wash wisely and you won’t need to buy another one again.