tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-67683163866272341052024-10-04T22:09:53.629-04:00Mike Kramerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17762228801255268518noreply@blogger.comBlogger68125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6768316386627234105.post-26251912717065097692009-04-22T16:01:00.006-04:002009-04-23T10:28:29.680-04:00

Next time you mail some bad news, you can still come out smelling like roses. Or at least like a Snap Dragon.Plantable paper from Botanical Paperworks is embedded with wildflower seeds and made of 100% recycled material. When you're done with the paper, you simply drop it in soil, water it and wait for the color.So you can help the paper return to its roots - literally - while getting your point

Mike Kramerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17762228801255268518noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6768316386627234105.post-44235786936922008692009-04-22T13:18:00.001-04:002009-04-22T13:19:14.502-04:00

No soapbox. Day speaks for itself. Now go out and try not to do too much damage.HOW NOT TO MARKET EARTH DAY TO KIDS.

Mike Kramerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17762228801255268518noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6768316386627234105.post-3602816227622163042009-04-10T16:35:00.003-04:002009-04-10T16:40:01.892-04:00

Are you using enough coconut alcohol ethoxylate when cleaning your house? Or maybe too much? Who knows what chemical concoctions swirl around in those canisters, casks, jugs, jiggers, buckets and bottles we stuff under the sink. I assume the lab coats do. Maybe.Even if you can pronounce names on the ingredients list, you're irritated by a cloudy stink of "what the heck is that?"

Mike Kramerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17762228801255268518noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6768316386627234105.post-23777347088462360452009-03-26T15:22:00.006-04:002009-03-26T15:41:44.517-04:00

Besides your socks, your hair and the occasional significant other, some changes can affect your life more than others can.According to the Better World Shopping Guide, diligent decisions are doubly divine when buying these product categories. They have the biggest impact on people and the planet:BankGasolineSupermarketRetail StoresCarSeafoodChocolateCoffeeCredit CardsCleaning Products

Mike Kramerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17762228801255268518noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6768316386627234105.post-91397724402765323352009-03-13T11:32:00.003-04:002009-03-13T11:45:50.385-04:00

Thousands of years ago, Roman coins could have passed through some unsavory hands. Tax collectors, corrupt senators, pirates, slave owners - even this guy. How ironic is it that today these same coins could save the lives of children?This is just plain cool: At the Child Health Site Store, you can buy an ancient Roman coin for $10. Each coin you buy funds health services to save or improve the

Mike Kramerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17762228801255268518noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6768316386627234105.post-16727317398261572032009-03-10T13:43:00.007-04:002009-03-10T14:25:20.110-04:00

Who knew that a Ugandan caterer was a better investment than my 401k? About a year ago, I joined my first Kiva loan, to Zaituni Mudoobi's group of caterers in Kireka, Uganda. 44 of us made a total loan of $1,350 (my share was only $25). At the time, I wondered if it'd really be paid off. A year later, I have my answer. Yep.My own house payments were never this regular. The last payment of $112.50

Mike Kramerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17762228801255268518noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6768316386627234105.post-90372758303521599922009-03-06T14:16:00.003-05:002009-03-06T15:18:28.357-05:00

I like my toilet paper fluffy and my tush pampered. None of that rest-stop rag in my house, not when I can freshen up with silken pillow clouds while cottony cherubs massage my delicate skin. But how much is that little extra comfort worth?The public's perception problem with recycled toilet paper isn't so much the cost as the causticity. Fiber from live trees can be fluffed more and softened up.

Mike Kramerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17762228801255268518noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6768316386627234105.post-53589787344364401682009-02-24T15:25:00.005-05:002009-02-24T16:08:10.151-05:00

Organic Valley Family of Farms produces batches of gourmet butter that win awards all over the world. It's completely organic and part of a small family farmer-owned cooperative. Now, I know what you're thinking: "They give out awards for butter?"I guess when you take extra care to raise dairy animals the right way, with organic feed and pastures, your product is going to contain extra yum. The

Mike Kramerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17762228801255268518noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6768316386627234105.post-78902897349287954092009-02-13T09:29:00.003-05:002009-02-13T10:21:15.948-05:00

Here's your good turn for today: share this site with a bunch of your friends. See that little green icon in the right sidebar that looks like conjoined tadpoles? It's a ShareThis button. It's under the the subhead that says "Share a Good Turn with a Friend." (Well, you might not see it I guess. For some unexplained reason, it simply doesn't show up sometimes. Kind of hit or miss. It's the

Mike Kramerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17762228801255268518noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6768316386627234105.post-50962993710628143412009-02-12T15:59:00.009-05:002009-02-12T16:38:03.420-05:00

Speaking of chocolate... found a captivating slideshow that tells the story of much of the world's chocolate. Stripped of romance, it's a cutting reminder that we need to make sure the entire chocolate chain is doing their best to improve working conditions.See "Chocolate's Not-So-Sweet Side" at msnbc.com.West Africa produces the biggest pile of cocoa in the world - 40% comes from small farms in

Mike Kramerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17762228801255268518noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6768316386627234105.post-6596210423356016652009-02-06T14:37:00.007-05:002009-02-06T15:54:54.500-05:00

I'll spare you the dog-tired, extra-toothy Valentine's Day carnival schtick ("It's that time of year again guys!" or "Love is in the air" or "Cupid is aiming his arro -- okay, make it STOP!!!)Let's just get straight to the point, because you're busy and... well... your lady is serious about chocolate. Very serious. Here's how it works:Chocolate = yummyGood chocolate = Good timesExtra good

Mike Kramerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17762228801255268518noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6768316386627234105.post-86007079837459625762009-02-04T16:46:00.005-05:002009-02-04T17:01:27.965-05:00

Meat, for lack of a better word, is good. Meat is right. Meat works. Can you tell I like meat? I'll never be a vegetarian, but they may be onto something. Eating LESS meat may be good too. Good for the land. Good for the gut. Good for poor people around the world.Here are some recipes that do more flavor-packing than meat-packing. They all include meat. They just include less.Take my beloved beef

Mike Kramerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17762228801255268518noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6768316386627234105.post-88480704959512139492009-01-22T14:57:00.002-05:002009-01-23T14:27:16.785-05:00

No finished basement is complete without some sort of dead animal parts, right? A skin, a head, a fish, a tooth, a paw, a tusk, or even your beloved Bowser stuffed on the hearth.If you're looking for that finishing piece for the wood panel - but aren't too keen on hunting - might try a 3D rhino head puzzle from Cardboard Safari. Or deer. Or bison. Or moose.Every puzzle is made from 100% recycled,

Mike Kramerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17762228801255268518noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6768316386627234105.post-47553300571456411602009-01-16T16:23:00.001-05:002009-01-16T16:27:39.023-05:00

Broken glass can do more than help celebrate Jewish weddings or bloody up Bruce Willis' bare feet while he strafes bad guys in an LA highrise. Broken glass can help you eat. And it can do it beautifully.It's been said that a glass bottle takes about 1 million years to decompose. May or may not be true, but the point is that glass would be much more useful on your kitchen table than on the side of

Mike Kramerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17762228801255268518noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6768316386627234105.post-82928209108212759572009-01-13T12:05:00.002-05:002009-01-13T12:06:44.504-05:00

When we give to a non-profit or charitable program, we like to know that it's on the up and up. People don't want to feel used or perpetuate the problem - is the money really going to buy rice for those barefoot kids or am I just funding a new Bentley for their "leader"? Personally, I also like to know whether the program works or not. Here's the problem: cynicism in many cases can cost lives.

Mike Kramerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17762228801255268518noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6768316386627234105.post-47494112064611477942009-01-09T10:08:00.002-05:002009-01-13T12:09:53.541-05:00

If you want something that an elephant produces to hang on your wall, it'd normally involve ivory or something a little smellier. Maybe a lot smellier.But at a special camp in Thailand, rescued elephants learn to paint, and you can pick up a print of your own. At the very least, you have to watch the video of one elephant in action. Amazing.Proceeds are used to keep their native habitats as well

Mike Kramerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17762228801255268518noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6768316386627234105.post-72531984022267858812009-01-08T15:37:00.002-05:002009-01-08T16:10:21.493-05:00

Six months of procrastination - check. Glad I got that over with.Calling it a sabbatical is so much more impressive than calling it laziness. Fact is, I haven't posted in six months. It wasn't a case of burnout as much as it was simply not having two-hour windows to devote to each post. Yes I know I write slow, but I am what I am. It just got too easy to put off posting until tomorrow or next

Mike Kramerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17762228801255268518noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6768316386627234105.post-75071068384335487832008-07-12T21:52:00.003-04:002008-07-12T22:07:13.757-04:00

We're almost halfway there! Another payment of $113 was posted on our microloan to Zaituni Mudoobi and her catering group in Kireka, Uganda this week. The loan is now 42% paid off and every payment has been on time.Even better, with some smart shopping and a few gift certificates, I've been able to help spread the genius of Kiva. Now I feel responsible for not just one business, but three.My

Mike Kramerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17762228801255268518noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6768316386627234105.post-27367267419606679742008-07-11T15:32:00.001-04:002008-07-11T17:08:29.645-04:00

THE ISSUE:Don't hate me because I'm tan. Don't resent me because I'm relaxed. Don't mock my souvenir T's or wish hot death to rain down upon my sea-sponged shoulders because I seem to have forgotten what a hectic, horrible, dangerous, filth-ridden, mean, harsh, unhappy, back-breaking toilet the world really is - not to mention the rancid meatheads who occupy it. I'm simply too at peace to argue

Mike Kramerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17762228801255268518noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6768316386627234105.post-6950479690033803982008-06-18T12:53:00.000-04:002008-06-18T12:54:13.709-04:00

While US companies and Asian society catch most of the blame, child labor is a global issue in every sense. The list below offers up just a few of the product categories - and sources - that have been accused of exploiting or abusing children. Of course, it's not a complete list and just because you see "Made in Bangladesh" on the label, it doesn't mean your shirt was weaved by tiny exploited

Mike Kramerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17762228801255268518noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6768316386627234105.post-44920898808189500592008-06-16T16:29:00.000-04:002008-06-16T16:30:13.451-04:00

THE ISSUE:Cars drove out the horse and buggy for good reason. They were faster than horses, easier to control and (except for my brother's car) smelled better. But they haven't beaten the bicycle. Bikes were around long before the Model A ruled the 30's and will be around long after the last 280Z finally succumbs to seagull droppings. If anything, cars are starting to lose the battle. In 1965,

Mike Kramerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17762228801255268518noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6768316386627234105.post-58612728414972619132008-06-11T10:05:00.004-04:002008-06-12T08:44:31.296-04:00

THE ISSUE:This is one campaign I can really throw my weight behind. All 200 pounds of beer belly momentum. This summer, for every Miller Lite bottle cap collected, the brewer will donate 10 cents to the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA). The MDA fights more than 40 neuromuscular diseases - including Lou Gehrig's Disease - that attack millions of people. Most people my age (38) grew up watching

Mike Kramerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17762228801255268518noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6768316386627234105.post-67854021964760241422008-06-09T21:56:00.008-04:002008-06-11T09:38:50.614-04:00

Here's a fun little eye-opener quiz:How long does it take these items to biodegrade? Put them in order from shortest time to longest time. Go ahead, I'll wait...- Tin Can- Disposable Diaper- Plastic 6-pack Holder- Paper- Wool Cap- Aluminum Can- Glass Bottles- Rubber Boot Sole- Banana Peel- Cigarette Butt- Hard Plastic Container For answers, go to the Mothers Fighting for Others site.

Mike Kramerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17762228801255268518noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6768316386627234105.post-73342973746447979492008-06-07T17:09:00.005-04:002008-06-07T22:52:03.789-04:00

THE ISSUE:Nothing says "love" like a diamond. And apparently, nothing says "soulless, worthless piece of crap" like not having a diamond. But not all ice is clear. Some of it's badly stained.You've probably heard of "conflict-free" diamonds. It means the UN vouches that the country of origin doesn't use diamond funds to pay for civil wars or other conflicts. It's a good start, but not good

Mike Kramerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17762228801255268518noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6768316386627234105.post-14301393317729439432008-06-04T13:17:00.000-04:002008-06-04T13:18:29.636-04:00

I'm not a vegetarian by any stretch of the imagination. And you know what? That's okay. I've made my peace with it. Because I know that we all - carnivores and herbivores alike - share one belief in common: that cows have the innate right to fight for their own freedom.This is the most inspiring piece of bovine propoganda I've ever seen. After watching it 3-4 times (like I did this morning),

Mike Kramerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17762228801255268518noreply@blogger.com0