Green Thinking Blog

Man, I guess I am on a Pickens kick. 

This time though, the focus is on T. Boone Pickens, the oil tycoon turned renewable.  He has launched a nationwide campaign to promote alternative fuel sources to help America quit its addiction to foreign oil.  You may have seen his commercials aired on the television. 

He is currently in hot pursuit of wind energy and is in the midst of creating the world’s largest wind farm in Texas.  The farm near Sweetwater, Texas, will produce 4,000 megawatts of wind power, enough to double the United States’ wind energy output. 

Pickens Plan is to find enough renewable energy sources to bide time while we create better technologies for fuel sources.  If we better utilize our natural gas and create wind generation facilities, we will have the opportunity to replace 1/3 of foreign oil in ten years.

T. Boone plans to take this campaign to the new President of the United States and to make sure the voices are heard within the first 100 days of his presidency.  He is calling for your help to be heard, click here to read more.

I recently posted 10 inspirational nutrition quotes on my health food blog, so I figured that green thinking blog needs its own list too. Here are my top ten quotes on being green, loving Planet Earth, and doing something to save it. Got quotes of your own? Drop us a comment.

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtfully committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.” – Margaret Mead

“Problems cannot be solved at the same level of awareness that created them.” – Albert Einstein

“There are no passengers on spaceship Earth. We are all crew.” – Marshall McLuhan, 1964

“You must become the change you wish to see in the world” – Mahatma Ghandi

“If the future of all human civilization depended on me, what would I do? How would I be?” – Buckminster Fuller

“I recognize the right and duty of this generation to develop and use our natural resources, but I do not recognize the right to waste them, or to rob by wasteful use, the generations that come after us.” – Theodore Roosevelt, 1900

“We are the most dangerous species of life on the planet, and every other species, even the Earth itself, has cause to fear our power to exterminate. But we are also the only species which, when it chooses to do so, will go to great effort to save what it might destroy.” – Wallace Stegner

“It is our task in our time and in our generation, to hand down undiminished to those who come after us, as was handed down to us by those who went before, the natural wealth and beauty which is ours.” – John F. Kennedy

“I think the environment should be put in the category of our national security. Defense of our resources is just as important as defense abroad. Otherwise what is there to defend?” Robert Redford, 1985

“How many generations in human history have had the opportunity to rise to a challenge that is worthy of our best efforts…that has a challenge that can pull from us more than we knew we could do? I think we ought to approach this challenge with a sense of profound joy and gratitude that we are the generation, about which a thousand years from now philharmonic orchestras and poets and singers will celebrate by saying “they were the ones that found it within themselves to solve this crisis and lay the basis for a bright and optimistic human future.” Let’s do that.” – Al Gore, 2008

Pangea Day was on May 10th. It was “a celebration of the power of film. It featured films that were funny, sad, gorgeous, stark – and powerful. Voices that had never been heard before. Things many had never seen. Scenes from worlds few had visited. A cross-section of our amazing, complicated, noisy, beautiful world” (pangeaday.org). If you didn’t get a chance to watch any of the short films on TV or online that day, the good news is that you can still watch the full program, or any of the videos on their own, at the Pangea Day website.

I’m so glad the films and powerful interview clips are still available for us to watch online. Whenever you get a few minutes, watch some of them and share how they made you feel. Personally, I was really inspired by the films, and I learned so much myself and other people in the world. But, the best thing Pangea Day did for me was remind me of the universal themes among humans. It reminded me of our commonalities instead of the differences that cause so many problems.

Here are a few of my favorite short films from the four-hour program:

Elevator Music, directed by Serdar Ferit, U.K.

Papiroflexia, directed by Joaquin Baldwin, Paraguay (LOVE this one for green thinking!)

Combatants for Peace, directed by Jehane Noujaim, Egypt/U.S.

The Americana Project: Cuba, directed by Topaz Adizes, U.S.

You can also watch Pangea Day by specific segments such as Love, Fear, Universals, Laughter, Tears, Anger, and Reconciliation. Nokia gave several hundred mobile cameras to people all over the world in places such as schools and refuge camps where people don’t have the funds to buy cameras to make their own films. Some amazing footage came back and was featured on Pangea Day. Click here to view the program by segments.

Fresh off our experience at the 2008 Green Earth Expo, Kate and I are bursting with ideas for simple and functional green products. After some extensive research, we tried to pick things that are affordable and easy to add in to your lifestyle in the near future. Read on for our top ten green products to buy now.

1. Stainless Steel or Aluminum Water Bottle - Cut down your waste and avoid sending more plastic bottles to our landfills (those suckers take hundreds and hundreds of years to decompose). Try out a reusable bottle and make sure to buy a skinny scrub brush so you can thoroughly clean it. Many grocery stores are selling their own bottles, or you could try one of these: Sigg Silver Traveler Water Bottle or Klean Kanteen Water Bottle. Bring it to work, bring it to school, or anytime you leave the house.
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2. Green Cleaning Products - It’s spring time and you’re probably doing lots of cleaning. Why not clean with some products you can feel good about (those which are environmentally safe, made from natural cleaning agents, free of toxic chemicals/phosphorus/bleach, and hypo-allergenic)? Kate and I tried Clorox Green Works products and we love them so far ($2.99-$3.39). Choose from All-Purpose Cleaner, Glass & Surface Cleaner, Toilet Bowl Cleaner, Dilutable Cleaner, and Bathroom Cleaner. We also like Seventh Generation products, though I don’t recommend the Automatic Dishwasher Gel. It’s just too gentle and it fails to get your dishes really clean.
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3. Reusable Shopping Bags - If you haven’t done it already, its really time to get some reusable shopping bags to cut down on our plastic waste. You can read Kate’s post on canvas tote bags where she talks about some fabulous, fashionable bag options. Or try out Baggu — they come in 19 different colors at $8 for one, $22 for three, or $38 for six.
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4. Natural Skincare - Not only do we have to protect our impact on the environment, we’ve got to protect our own bodies and reduce the amount of chemicals and toxins we absorb. Skincare is so important and its a topic we think a lot about here in sunny Florida. Try these or look for natural products free of parabens, perfumes, colorants, alcohols, and preservatives: Burt’s Bees Chemical-Free Sunscreen SPF 15 Burt’s Bees Radiance Lip Shimmer (LOVE this stuff!) L’Occitane Shea & Organic Cotton Cleansing Milk
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5. Energy Efficient Light Bulbs - We know you’ve heard about these before, but have you switched out ALL of your light bulbs yet? Compact florescent bulbs (CFLs) help you save on your electric bill, they use about a quarter of the energy that traditional bulbs do, and they can last for years! Visit Energy Star’s website and click on their “Choose a Light Guide” to help make a list of which bulbs you need for your home.
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6. Rain Barrel - Get a rain barrel made from recycled plastic and catch some clean, healthy water during the rainy months. Your garden will love you for it, and you’ll cut down your water usage. Clean Air Gardening has a 50 gallon barrel designed to blend into your landscape. They have a cheaper 60 gallon barrel too, but it’s bright blue. If you’re clueless, read this Rain Barrel Guide for help.
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7. Energy Saving Power Strip - Pick up one of these power strips that will automatically switch off power to your devices when you’re not using them. Energy-efficient power strips are a great option for those of us that just can’t take the time to unplug and re-plug everything day in and day out. We read great reviews of the USB Ecostrip, but it’s currently sold out in the US. Smart Strip is another good brand.
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8. TerraPass - If you can’t afford a hybrid or flex-fuel vehicle just yet, opt for the TerraPass to offset your carbon emissions. You can also offset your flights, wedding, home, or office. Read our post here for more info. TerraPass’ profits fund clean energy and efficiency projects like wind farms.
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9. Low Flow Showerhead - Switch to a low flow showerhead to cut down your water usage by half. The Roadrunner has ShowerStart™ technology that shuts off flow to a trickle once the water heats up. When you’re ready to get in, just switch on the valve to enjoy your shower. You can also get regular showerheads at Home Depot with easy switches on the head to turn water flow on and off while you’re soaping up.
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10. Organic and Local Food - We know it’s not practical or affordable for most of us to buy ONLY organic food, but every little bit helps. Organics are not only much healthier for you, but organic practices are healthier for the environment and animals too. They reduce the amount of toxins, pesticides, and pollutants that seep into the ground and air supply. Restaurants and grocery stores are carrying more organic foods as each day passes, so try them out when you can. A few easy options: Amy’s Natural and Organic Frozen Meals Stonyfield Farms dairy products Grow your own veggies (ex. hanging tomato plant) Also, purchase local produce whenever you can. Check out our post on farmer’s markets and local co-ops here.

The Green Earth Expo was really impressive. We took home a ton of information and made out with some freebies too. Some of the highlights for me:

• Seeing the latest and greatest hybrids and flex-fuel vehicles from all the major car companies
• Scoring four free issues of the Nature Conservancy’s monthly magazine
• Receiving business cards that become flowers if you plant them in your yard
• Hearing about new local green and/or organic shops and restaurants

Is there a green expo coming to your area? Many cities have already hosted eco-friendly expos this year, but I found a few that are coming up.

West Coast Green - San Jose Convention Center, CA on September 25-27, 2008

Connecticut Green Expo - Southern Connecticut State University on September 14, 2008

Tree Hugger’s Ball - Baker Canyon in California on June 21, 2008

GreenBuild 2008 - Boston, MA on November 19-21, 2008

A study conducted by the League of Conservation voters looked at all of the major debates and interviews in 2007 that involved the presidential candidates. They logged the number of times “global warming” was mentioned by some of the top political reporters. Their findings are truly scary. Only a couple out of thousands of questions even mention global warming. Check out this “Get the Facts” page to view the data.

Want to take action? You can sign one of these petitions to urge the media outlets to start asking the right questions about global warming and make it a priority for interviews in the 2008 election season.

http://wecansolveit.org/page/s/presspetition

http://www.whataretheywaitingfor.com/sign.php

You might also want to check out this video filmed in March 2008 for TED: Ideas Worth Spreading.

About this talk from TED.com:
“In Al Gore’s brand-new slideshow (premiering exclusively on TED.com), he presents evidence that the pace of climate change may be even worse than scientists were recently predicting, and challenges us to act with a sense of “generational mission” — the kind of feeling that brought forth the civil rights movement — to set it right. Gore’s stirring presentation is followed by a brief Q&A in which he is asked for his verdict on the current political candidates’ climate policies and on what role he himself might play in future.”

Happy Earth Day!

Show some earth day love with one or all of these easy ideas:

• Look at the winners of the EPA’s Earth Day Photo Contest.
• Plant A Billion Trees (or just one tree for $1.00).
• Read about the History of Earth Day.
• Check out what other people are doing on Google’s What will you do for Earth Day ‘08?
• Post Ideal Bite’s “Green Your Office” flyer in the break room.
• Add some “green” DVDs to your Netflix queue (Planet Earth, The 11th Hour, An Inconvenient Truth, Planet in Peril, etc.) and watch them with your family and friends.
• Print out the Horton Hears a Who! “You Can Be An Energy Star” activity book on recycled paper for your kids or students.
• Visit LocalHarvest.com and finally know where local organic farmers are selling those yummy crops.
• Plant some flowers in your yard or in a clay pot on your porch or rooftop.
• Figure out your personal ecological footprint with this calculator.

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!