Ecohip - An Eco Friendly, Organic Blog

Treating Flu the Natural Way

2009-07-30T08:57:00.000-07:00

Now swine flu has become a pandemic it is important to know how to aid recovery quickly and naturally. These methods can be used for all types of flu.

Rest, rest and more rest.
Get as much sleep as possible and do not rush back to work. Eat fruits that are high in Vitamin C. These are generally the acidy ones like oranges and lemons.

Try and keep the blood alkaline by taking mineral salts. These are depleted by flu.

Flu Fighting Shopping list:

Orange, yellow or red – tomatoes
Paprika add this to chicken soup
Swedes
Pumpkins
Squashes
Oranges
Grapefruits
Kiwi Fruit
Lemons
Pineapples
Limes
Garlic (antiviral & antibacterial)
Drink honey, lemon, and fresh ginger in hot water

Flu ToDo List
Try and eat a juice diet to give your digestion a rest and if you eat whole foods go for raw uncooked food to benefit from the nutrients. This type of detoxing will be beneficial for your all round health.

Drink plenty of water and try aim for 2 litres or even more.

Take Echinacea as a herbal tincture, suck zinc lozenges available at ecohip.org. Zinc is a powerful immunostimulant that feeds the cells.

Take vitamin c powder.

If you develop a cough choose a homeopathic remedy that best suits the cough.

Use Pine and Lavender essential oils as a chest rub or Olbas oil.

If you get an infection (earache, chesty cough) try colloidal silver.

Once you start feeling better switch to high protein food.

Wash hands regularly with organic soap. Ecosoapia from www.ecohip.org is the best and most natural one. Regular hand washing could stop you from getting flu in the first place.

Green weddings

2009-05-04T08:50:00.000-07:00

And now for some good news...
This weekend I was invited to a wedding. A cause for celebration – especially as Sarah and Trevor are having a ‘green’ wedding.

My friends are part of a growing trend towards swapping the frou-frou dress, the mile-long guest list and the expensive honeymoon for something simpler and more meaningful.

No, they won’t be saying their vows in hemp and Birkenstock sandals, but they will try to scale back a bit, and keep it ethical. I think their day will be a great way to shows that they care about the world as much as they care about each other.

Sarah’s already got her dress sorted: an heirloom from her mum, so it has perfect green credentials.

For those who haven’t got their mother’s frock to step into, there’s a thriving business of restoring and selling vintage wedding dresses from Grace Kelly 1950s numbers to 1920s silk flapper dresses.

There are also eco-friendly wedding dress designers, some working in organic fabrics, so you know your dress won’t have been made in a distant sweatshop and then clocked up air-miles getting to you.

They are also going to source flowers locally rather than flying in hothoused exotics, while dried rose petals will make the easiest, most eco-friendly confetti around.

The rings are going to be from an ethical jewellers who use gold from ethically run Colombian mines.

As for the honeymoon, no airmiles needed – and they should have a great time in Cornwall if the current weather forecasts for a hot summer hold true.

I'm very happy for them, and I can’t wait to help them celebrate in true green style (with the odd wedding gift from www.ecohip.org, of course...)

Better food, less waste

2009-04-03T02:22:00.000-07:00

Did you know that in the UK, each household throws away around £420 worth of food a year? Not only is this a terrible waste – of food, resources and energy – but plain immoral when other people are going hungry.
A possible small benefit of these economically tough times is that more of us are thinking twice about waste and throwing away our hard-earned cash.
Here’s EcoHip’s top 5 ways to cut down on food waste.

1 Bulk buy
Stock up on staples and things that can be stored for ages (eg, rice, pasta, tins and cartons of orange juice) and then shop as locally as possible for fresh produce. You’re less likely to end up with uneaten 3-for-2 packs of meat and fish or more mandarins than you can humanly eat if you buy what you need, when you need it.

2 Make friends with your freezer
Frozen food doesn’t have to mean oven chips and ice-cream. Do a big home cook-up and then freeze portions of meals, from soups to pasta sauces. If you can tell you’re not going to get through a loaf of bread before it goes stale, bung half in the freezer – especially if it’s already sliced.

3 Help food last longer
Top and tail carrots as soon as you buy them; keep apples in the fridge and store olive oil somewhere cool and dry. A nifty and cheap way to extend the lifespan of fruit and veg in your fridge is buying an EGG, which stands for Ethylene Gas Guardian.
Many fruits and vegetables give off ethylene gas as they ripen, and if they’re in the fridge this gas gets trapped, so the produce starts to rot. The EGG cuts ethylene levels in your fridge, so produce lasts longer. If you're curious about the EGG, it's that stylish blue eggy thing nestling among some fruity friends in the picture above! You can buy yours from EcoHip (www.ecohip.org).

4 Make meal plans
Previous generations used to have fish on Friday; roast on Sunday. You don’t have to be rigid, but planning ahead means you won’t have that feeling when you get back from the shops of having lots of ‘stuff’ but nothing that makes a meal. You’re also less prone to distracting offers.

5 Love soups
Even in the spring, a hearty soup can hit the spot. And it’s the perfect way to use up bottom-of-the-fridge veggies or chicken leftovers. Stock up on fresh herbs and spices, or ingredients like coconut milk, to vary flavours. What’s more, making a soup is as quick as waiting for a ready meal to cook. The www.lovefoodhatewaste.com site has plenty of ‘rescue recipes’ for leftovers.

Got any similar tips? Let us know - we'd love to hear your waste-saving ideas.

Put People First

2009-03-30T08:46:00.001-07:00

Saturday saw the biggest public demonstration since Britain hit this current financial mess.

What I found heartening was that groups with very different agendas could find common ground to come together for the Put People First march.

Hardened trade unionists, traditional church groups and a huge variety of charities, from big names like ActionAid to smaller environmental campaigners, all walked together to press the G20 leaders to turn their minds to ‘jobs, justice and climate’.

Less peaceful protests are feared for later this week, but at least for this one day ordinary people had the chance to turn out and show that grassroots action is still alive and well.

We in the UK still have the right to march, shout and protest.

And even if you feel cynical about how much effect waving banners or chanting has, that right isn’t to be taken lightly. It’s something that people in many countries are denied.

Watching Saturday’s protest, and the daily news headlines, makes us all wonder what’s to come.

It’s a time of confusion, from wondering what hope there is for the global economy and the environment to whether your job will be there tomorrow morning.

Some would say it’s the end of an era, and we are all being dragged into a very necessary world change, that could be the next stage of evolution.

It is possible we are witnessing the birth of a largescale shift in economic and political cultures. But in such times of change, we all need to hold fast to some things, to reassure ourselves and shore up good feelings for harder times to come.

A good start is doing small things that make our lives more meaningful and positive. That could mean something as simple as doing a good turn for a neighbour, putting something on Freecycle or teaching your kids about Fairtrade or climate change.

Small steps are all part of building a more positive future for ourselves and others, and what better place to start than with our homes, workplaces and families. Then, we'll be in an even better, more informed position to take to the streets to call for wider change...

Picture: Kristian Buus/ActionAid

Maternal instincts

2009-03-19T04:26:00.001-07:00

This Sunday, mothers up and down the country will sit back while someone else washes up the dishes - a popular way to give mum a rest on Mother's Day.

I'm counting on a card or two (plantable ecohip ones, if they've been listening to my hints).

If only because a few years ago, my husband 'forgot' and the fallout meant that he now has the date hardwired into his brain.

But I've also been thinking about what the concept can stand for.

In many ways, it's easy to dismiss Mothering Sunday as yet another marketing ploy, an opportunity for shops to set up big displays of presents, from chocolates to bubble bath.

I used to be pretty cynical about it, and even more about the American invention of Father's Day.

But is it really such a bad thing?

What is wrong with celebrating the role of nurturing and bringing up a family - in both women and men?

In Europe, Mothering Sunday dates back to Roman times, when the mother goddess Cybele was celebrated in mid-March. The day later became incorporated into the Christian calendar to honour the Virgin Mary and the 'mother church'.

In the 16th century it was a chance for people to return home to see family (it was called 'to go a-mothering') or attend their 'mother' church. In later times it was a rare day off for domestic servants.

Today, many people are more likely to head for a pub lunch than a church pew. But if we hold on to the original impulse rather than give in to rampant consumerism, it's still as valuable as ever.

The impulse to nurture and care is more important than ever, and ties up with being 'green' and aware of our environment.

Just as mothering/parenting isn't easy (and often a million miles away from the idealised image we start out with), caring about the planet gets more complicated the longer you do it and the more you know.

But when it comes to how we to bring up our children and choose to live our lives, thinking things through, sometimes making difficult choices, is what counts.

As any parent who has spent today with a toddler or a teenager knows, life isn't like the movies. And just as mothering can't be summed up by a box of chocolates, caring for the wider world extends beyond re-using the odd carrier bag.

But as long as we keep trying to do the right thing, and learning along the way, that's got to be a good thing - right?

Picture: freeimages.co.uk

Germ warfare

2009-03-05T08:44:00.001-08:00

Ever wondered what goes into those antibacterial handwashes?

Those wise people at the Ecologist recently revealed the truth about how harmful they can be.

Their message is: should you wash your hands? Yes. Should you use an antibacterial handwash? No.

Some soaps and handwashes are not just harmful to our skin, but they also contain antibacterial chemicals like Triclosan, benzalkonium chloride or chlorohexidine.

These work in the same way as antibiotics and can contribute to bacterial resistance at home and in the wider environment.

Triclosan, in particular, is bad news because it breaks down into a carcinogenic dioxin compound in our rivers and streams.

When we wash our hands with soap and water, it doesn’t kill ‘germs’ – instead it creates a slippery surface so they ‘slide off’.

However, while antibacterial handwashes do kill bacteria and viruses, within 90 minutes there is generally no difference in the number of bacteria and viruses on your hands.

Many handwashes contain ‘parfum’, made up of dozens of chemicals, which have been linked to asthma, plus the fragrance ingredients citronellol, linalool and limonene – which produce a high rate of allergic reactions.

Not all handwashes contain the dreaded Triclosan, but alternatives like methyldibromo glutaronitrile can cause skin rashes.

Then there’s preservatives such as tetrasodium EDTA, a chemical that binds with heavy metals in lakes and streams.

Sodium Laureth Sulphate, a common ingredient, is a detergent that can cause skin dryness and eye irritation.

If all this sounds offputting, there is an alternative. I’ve used Ecosopia handwash in my home for ages, and both my kids have suffered from dry skin and eczema in the past.

With Ecosopia, there’s never been a problem.

And there’s a reassuringly short list of natural ingredients, including organic oils and plant extracts (plus my daughter’s happy because they are not tested on animals and contain no animal ingredients).

If you’re worried about bacteria, the advice is to use normal soap and wash your hands (or your kids’ hands) ‘properly’ - covering the hands with soap and rubbing them vigorously together for 15 seconds before rinsing.

Job done.

Image: www.freeimages.co.uk

Fair's fair for everyone

2009-02-24T03:47:00.001-08:00

As I mentioned a few weeks ago, if we are feeling the pinch, you can bet someone who grows crops on a smallholding several thousand miles away is being hit far harder.

The next two weeks are set aside as Fairtrade Fortnight, but buying coffee, bananas or tea with the Fairtrade mark isn't just about 'doing your bit' and feeling good about buying 'the right thing'.

There's a bigger picture, too.

The Fairtrade Foundation points out that the smallholders like Conrad James, pictured above, from St Lucia, could actually teach the rest of the world a thing or two about solving the food crisis and tackling poverty.

In villages like Conrad's, smallholders are often at the centre of community action and feeling. It's a very different scenario to bigger farms, where low-quality crops are sold straight from the field to impersonal middlemen and on to the West for a criminally low price.

In smaller-scale Fairtrade cooperatives, from Caribbean banana producers to Rwandan coffee growers, local people have more secure jobs and, if the crop (eg coffee) starts being processed on-site, the chance to learn different skills.

Small-scale cooperatives are also known for being innovative farmers. They want to know how to do things better, make things taste better. They have a vested interest in constantly researching new ways to improve productivity, such as making organic compost, or to add value, such as roasting coffee beans using traditional techniques.

Small organic farms have the power to turn around the economic fortunes of a village or an area, which then slowly spreads to more children going to school and more small businesses and shops springing up.

It's a model of economic revival that, with the right support, could have a worldwide knock-on effect. And these smallholders aren't small fry: some 450 million farming households cultivate two hectares or less, and with their families they make up a third of the world's population.

They count, and what they stand for counts, too.

Buying thoughfully benefits everyone, including ourselves. And it doesn't stop at bananas.

That's why I love the stuff at www.ecohip.org.

Steve and Gabrielle, the couple behind the site, have thought carefully about what they select: everything there, from shampoos to tea, is from small companies that care, too.

They are organic, eco-friendly and as close to nature as you can get.

Shame they don't sell bananas, too...

Photograph: Simon Rawles/Fairtrade
Visit www.fairtrade.org.uk for more on Fairtrade Fortnight

Cut off

2009-02-09T09:28:00.000-08:00

It's official: snow has the power to bring the country to its knees.
Last Monday, like many people, I couldn't make it in to the office. No trains, full stop.
The kids headed for the park with sledges; I headed for the computer for some remote working.
A few hours later, a rogue piece of spyware sneaked in and hijacked my screen - which promptly went blank.
And stayed that way for the rest of the week.
The next day, the roads were clearer, but disaster number two struck. For the first time ever, our boringly reliable car wouldn't start.
I felt like I was undergoing a modern-day Luddite experience: no computer, no car, pavements still skiddy and icy so couldn't venture too far too fast.
Everything was being stripped back. After a while I just gave in to fate, and it was oddly comforting. No emails, no urge to Google useless websites, no deadlines to worry about.
It reminded me of powercuts when I was living abroad a few years ago. In the Pacific country where I spent three years as a teacher, 'blackouts' were regular occurance, especially during tropical storms.
Again, you'd suddenly be left with no computer, no lights, no TV, no CDs.
Plenty of candles and books, though. And the Guardian Weekly crossword, which could keep us going for days.
Returning to the West's full-on barrage of multimedia sensory overload, our candlelit crossword sessions seem quaint and a little antiquated. But they served a purpose at the time.
And they were a reminder that, sometimes, less is more. Simple can be good. If you've got less, less can go wrong.
This week, the computer is repaired. The car is fixed. But it's got me thinking about scaling back - not just economically but in terms of what we accumulate, sometimes without even thinking about it.
These days, there's all the more reason for making meaningful, informed choices about what we buy for ourselves and our homes.
That's why I love Ecohip's pages (www.ecohip.org): it's all good, useful stuff that you can buy with a clear conscience. Some things are fun, but not frivolous. I'd prefer to spend a tenner on something gorgeous and ecologically sound from there than run-of-the mill stuff from Boots.
I guess being back online isn't such a bad thing after all...

picture: http://www.freeimages.co.uk/

Say it with flowers

2009-01-19T02:19:00.000-08:00

On the wooded common a short walk from our place, the first shoots of snowbells are starting to come up, and the ground is dotted with patches of vivid rich green moss.
Come spring, a sheltered bank of the woodland will be covered in a vivid haze of bluebells.
Scenes like this represent British nature at its best: wild flowers growing where they have for generations, for all to admire (without picking them).
But walk for 15 minutes in the other direction and you come to a petrol station. On the concrete forecourt there is a line of buckets containing bunches of luminous pink, yellow and red flowers wrapped in cellophane, looking exotic and out of place.
The West has an insatiable desire for out-of-season cut flowers, and Britain leads the pack. A third of the flowers we import are flown in from Kenya, racking up C02 emissions. Local activists have also reported that large-scale flower growing has damaged the Kenyan environment and village communities.
Human rights groups reported that valuable river water has been diverted from local villages to feed the West’s desire for year-round blooms.
In 2006 and 2007, journalist John Vidal wrote in The Guardian about how flower companies were accused of diverting water from the Ngiro river and lakes. It was conservatively estimated that at least 20,000 cubic metres of water a day were taken for flower farming.
A survey by a Kenyan school found that the maximum depth of one lake was just 3.7 metres - more than three metres below what it was in 1982. Combined with climate change, this was having a serious impact on the lives of local farmers.
Another big flower producer is the Netherlands - but buying Dutch blooms isn't much better from an environmental point of view. A study at Cranfield University compared the energy used in hot-housing Dutch flowers and flying in Kenyan ones. It concluded that, including the altitude effect on CO2, Dutch CO2 emissions were about 5.8 times larger than Kenyan CO2 emissions.
If this hasn't already wilted your desire for a Valentine's Day bunch of roses next month, read more about the nasties of flower farming, like pesticides and slave wages, in The Ecologist(http://www.theecologist.org/pages/archive_detail.asp?content_id=230).

But if you'd prefer a bit of feel-good relief, the good news is that there is an ethical, eco-friendly way to say it with flowers this Valentine's Day.

Ecohip has a stylish range of cards made from recycled paper that are infused with wildflower seeds - including one especially for Valentine's Day. When your loved one has finished displaying their card, all they have to do is put it in a sunny spot, spread a thin layer of soil on top and water it well. In 6-8 weeks a mini-bed of wildflowers will grow, serving as a lasting reminder of the blossoming love between you.
Brilliant: a Valentine with the kind of message you want to send. And it goes without saying that no flowers were picked or force-grown in the making of this card.
And aside from the eco benefits, sending a plantable card is so much more original and stylish than grabbing a bunch of gaudy flowers from the supermarket or petrol station forecourt... Check them out at http://www.ecohip.org/

Bluebell picture: http://www.freeimages.co.uk/

It's crunch time

2009-01-12T06:45:00.000-08:00

You can't turn on the radio or open a newspaper these days without more news of redundancies. For anyone directly feeling the effects of the recession - and we're having to accept it is a recession rather than the rather more sound-bitey, touchy-feely phrase 'credit crunch' - it's a terrifying and potentially devastating prospect.

But without wishing to sound heartless, could the forced mass exodus of people from city centre jobs have a silver lining for the environment?
Of course, no-one forced out of their job or home is going to be rejoicing or, probably, giving a damn about global warming or carbon emissions. That's not their main priority right now. But if we take a more detached, big-picture view, the global recession could be an opportunity for a major rethink about the world of work and its impact on our lives - now and in the future.
Until recently, the message we've all been sold and have willingly bought into is that making money is what it's all about. As Gordon Gekko says in that Eighties classic Wall Street: "Greed is good."
Don't think about your carbon footprint as you drive your air-con pumping, fuel injected, gas guzzling 4x4 into the city centre every day. Don't think about those short-hop flights (after all, time is money) for work or weekends away. Don't even trouble yourself about the fast-disappearing green fields as you shut yourself behind the gates of your executive estate in commuterland.
We were all encouraged to just concentrate on the rewards: the status car, the exotic holidays and the 'dream' home. And if we got a bit stressed out in the process, or never saw our partner or kids, it was a small price to pay.
Except now, we're all living through the proof that greed isn't quite so good.
Either by circumstance or by choice, many of us actually have the opportunity to rethink our life priorities. Whether we like it or not, more of us will be spending more time at home, from those whose hours are cut to freelance home workers. But couldn't this be a chance to think about reintegrating into our communities, rather than dashing between home and office without exchanging words with our neighbours?
Plenty of people will have to cut their two-car-family habit - but might that not mean we'll all benefit from a reduction in carbon emissions and less traffic clogging up our streets?
Slashed incomes will probably rule out overseas holidays for many this year. But couldn't this be a chance to rediscover the wild countryside and culture on our doorsteps? OK, plenty of Britsh B&Bs have a way to go before they will rival hotels abroad, but there's a whole world of low-emission destinations out there, from wild Cornish beaches and Scottish islands to city gems like Canterbury and Edinburgh.
And counting the pennies could even mean that instead of buying air-freighted food from giant supermarkets (and then throwing away a third of it), more of us might support local shops. Heck, some are even planning to grow their own veg this year and councils report that applications for allotments are on the rise.
Suddenly, shopping and 'value' start to take on a different meaning. Buying eco-friendly products that genuinely work from small-scale companies (like the ones you see at www.ecohip.org) makes more sense (and gives a clearer conscience) than scooping up 3 for 2 factory-fodder piled high at the supermarket.
Those with kids who find themselves too stretched to fork out for a Wii or the next must-have gadget could even end up showing their offspring how to get back to basics, too - climbing trees in the woods, making bows and arrows or playing tennis in the real world instead of being wired up to a virtual world while slumped on the sofa.
Maybe this is utopian dreaming. Or maybe it's an opportunity to genuinely rethink our priorities and rewrite the rules. Out with a world that puts its faith in a morally bankrupt economy and in with one that actually gives a damn about people and the world we live in.

Picture: www.freeimages.co.uk

Can fashion have a conscience?

2009-01-05T10:15:00.000-08:00

What's the mood on your local high street? Ours is looking a bit the worse for wear after the Christmas binge. For a start, Woolies, that stalwart of the British high street, now stands dark, empty and rather sad. Meanwhile, all the clothes shops scream ‘SALE’ and ‘UP TO 75% OFF!’ from their windows. It’s all a bit desperate.
So far, I’ve steered clear of the clothes sales. It’s not just credit crunch – I’m having a bit of a rethink on the fashion front.

A fashionable friend of mine once made a new year’s resolution not to buy new clothes for a year. She became an expert at spotting charity shop bargains, swapping dresses with her sister and digging deep into the back of her wardrobe for forgotten cast-offs. And I didn’t even notice: for the full 12 months she was as well turned out as ever.
I’m not planning on going completely cold turkey, like her. I will probably succumb to a new pair of boots this January (well, it is snowing as I type this) and treat myself to feel-good beach dress when summer finally comes around. But I’m going to try to stick to ethical and organically produced items - and steer clear of sweat-shop fodder.
I confess, I’ve done the Primark thing: come home with armfuls of fluffy sweaters without really questioning how they sell them so cheaply. Because, even though high street shops and supermarkets have now been forced to look more carefully at their suppliers’ working conditions, there’s no getting around the fact that these days, clothes are valued for being cheap and disposable.
Whether it’s a T-shirt or a pair of bootleg jeans, the high street gives you a fast fix – something to wear once or twice and then consign to the landfill. So much so that the Environment Select Committee tells us that in the last five years, the proportion of textile waste at council tips has risen from 7 per cent to 30 per cent.
But for a good few years now, ethical and organic clothes companies have slowly but surely been telling a different story. Finally, they are making an impact. And if you suspect I’m talking about shapeless hemp shirts rather than on-trend clothes, take a look at the likes of People Tree (www.peopletree.co.uk) or Howies (right, www.howies.co.uk).
These clothes don’t just look good – they are good news for everyone. The suppliers get paid a fair wage for their product and don’t have to work with hazardous dyes, bleaches or production processes. And, even if the clothes cost a bit more than a supermarket bargain, there are good reasons why. Clothes made from quality, fairtrade-certified fabrics will keep their shape and last far longer than one season.
For more and more of us, fashion in 2009 is going to be about buying thoughtfully. About choosing two key investment pieces that will last several years, rather than eight slightly dodgy items that don’t make it into 2010.
That’s my resolution anyway. Even if Primark doesn’t notice I’ve gone (after all, they take up to £600,000 a day at their Marble Arch store alone), change has to start somewhere. And while I might feel the pinch in 2009, you can bet that someone working in a clothes factory in Bangladesh for 7p an hour will be feeling it far more.

For more information, the Guardian has an ethical fashion directory at www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/page/ethicalfashiondirectory.

Pictures: People Tree and Howies (T-shirt)

Don't throw out the baby with the bathwater...

2008-12-08T07:27:00.000-08:00

Eco-awareness can strike at the most unexpected times. This weekend, I emailed my friends Chris and Denise, who are expecting their first baby in four weeks. I wished them luck – and added, as an afterthought: "PS: Whatever you do, don’t bother buying a baby bath. "Everyone does, but you don’t need one. They are big, ugly and plastic and just get in your way and you’ll never need it."

Chris emailed me back within five minutes: "Thanks for the great advice. Sadly, a large yellow baby bath is one of the first things we bought. I’m already banging my knee on it every time I get out of bed…"

I confess I was just the same when I had my first baby – and probably committed more eco sins that I care to remember. You make your way from shop to shop, clutching a list of ‘must-haves’ that ranges from cumbersome pieces of changing equipment to itty-bitty clothes and mysterious lotions and potions.
The driving force is partly hormones – that famous ‘nesting’ instinct, which hits men as well as women. It turns even the most laid-back shopper into a frenzied consumer, as if your life depends on finding a changing mat with a hopping bunnies motif or a musical mobile that promises to lull babies to sleep. Think panic buying on Christmas Eve to the power of 20.
But it’s not just hormones to blame for this mass spending spree. From the moment that magical line appears on a pregnancy test, you are bombarded with messages that you must spend, spend, spend. This is before your baby has even uttered its first cry, let alone learned to say "I want" (which leads you on whole new adventures in consumer land…).
Yes, there are accessories that make life easier (My Baby Bjorn sling became like a second skin) and products you couldn’t do without (Green Baby’s Petroleum Free Jelly zaps nappy rash – and feels a whole lot better than smearing a byproduct of the oil industry on your baby’s bottom). But there are a truckload of unnecessary things on offer that just clutter up your life.
For me, buying a baby bath was a classic case of us putting consumerism before what really matters when you have a baby. In the end, both my babies were fine - and felt far more safe and reassured - sitting between a parent’s knees in our big bath. What’s more, shelling out for these throwaway items (often made from non-recyclable plastic) not only empties your pockets, it also has an impact on the environment - and your baby certainly isn’t going to thank you for that.
But the good news is there are plenty of ways to be an ecohip parent, without sacrificing style – or the planet. All it takes is rethinking a few ideas, and you’ll all be richer in every sense.
Oh, and don’t let yourself feel guilt about not giving your baby ‘the best’. If you’re parenting with care, love and consideration, that’s the real deal, not buying up half the stock of ToysRUs.

Ecohip’s top 5 ways to be a green parent:
1 New isn’t always best
Suddenly your home will be full of ‘stuff’, from cots to car seats, buggies to baby carriers. Before you shell out, try NCT sales (see www.nct.org for branches), eBay (www.ebay.co.uk) Freecycle (www.freecycle.org) or My Skip (www.myskip.com) to give a nearly-new item a new lease of life. If you want to buy new, go for furniture (eg high chairs) made out of sustainably forested wood rather than plastic. The only things you are recommended to always buy new are car seats (there’s no way of knowing if it’s been in an accident) and cot mattresses (there’s a possible link between second-hand cot mattresses and sudden infant death syndrome).
2 Buy feel-good clothes
A lot of high street clothes for babies and children are made out of synthetic fabrics that can trigger allergies, use potentially toxic dyes and are sourced from sweatshops overseas, where workers (often children) are paid a pittance. Go for organic cotton clothes or fairtrade items. Quality items will often last longer (or can be passed on to someone else) than ‘cheap as chips’ brands. Charity shops and nearly-new sales often yield great items that have barely been worn.
3 Play safe
Old-fashioned wooden toys or soft toys made out of organic material get our vote. After all, the first thing a baby does with a toy is put it in their mouth to test its texture. And what would you prefer your baby to chew on: organic wool or a plastic Fimble? When they get to the toddler stage, swap toys between friends or join a toy library to cut down on crowding out your house with huge items that only get played with once.
4 Cook in bulk
Keep shop-bought organic jars and pots of baby food for when you’re on the go. At home, bulk cook favourite veggie and fruit purees, and freeze in ice trays.
5 Pass it on
If you’ve finished with something that was really useful, pass it on to a friend or put it in a nearly new sale (NCT ones are well organised, and you just donate a percentage of the money you make). But I’m not making any promises you’ll be able to get rid of that hulking yellow baby bath…

What was the most unnecessary thing you bought for your baby – or the one thing you couldn’t do without? Let us know…

Image: http://www.freeimages.co.uk/

What Everybody Ought to Know About Earwax

2008-09-23T08:33:00.000-07:00

Earwax to keep or not to keep that is the question? The feeling of putting a cotton bud or Q-tip in the ear to remove earwax can be described as comforting, but are we doing any good?

The answers is not really as the earwax can be pushed down the canal and form a blockage. This can cause pain, pressure, itching, odours, ringing, ear discharge and hearing loss.

As earwax is not formed near the eardrum if one gets a build up there it can only be from probing.

Earwax should migrate outwards, its purpose is to carry dirt and debris with it, so using a Q-tip will just push this dirt back in which your body is trying to remove. It is therefore a important secretion to protect your ear.

Water can get in your ear canal -- whilst say swimming or taking a shower, for example.

Earwax As a Part of Our Protection System

The function of earwax will cause the water to bead up and move
away from your eardrum. Then the slipperiness of the wax encourages the water to run out of the canal.
Earwax is slightly acidic, which reduces bacterial or fungal growth in the moist, dark ear canal. Less earwax = more ear infections.

It's part of the body's self-cleaning system. No maintenance is required at all, except as earwax slowly migrates towards the opening of the ear canal and comes off.

Removing Earwax

If you want, you can take a washcloth and, using your finger, gently wash the opening of your ear.

So don't poke a cotton swab into your ear. A swab may remove a little wax, but it's also likely to push some deeper into the ear canal which is hourglass-shaped, and can create a plug that won't come out on its own.

So the problem is created by Q-Tips that send millions of people each year to the doctor.

Some people do produce large amounts of earwax. If your ear canal keeps getting clogged, you may need to see your doctor and have it removed.

This will most likely be removed with jets of carefully-controlled water to rinse out the ear canal and remove impacted wax. Ear specialists use a magnifying scope and a small instrument to remove wax.

How To Clean Earwax

There are some kits containing wax dissolving drops and a rubber sucking syringe that you can buy in the pharmacy but please follow directions and under supervision.

What We Gonna Do When Sh*t Hits The Fan

2008-03-18T09:10:00.000-07:00

The last time I visited a supermarket I was thinking of our lost skills. How much we indeed lost in the course of civilization. We have lost touch with nature. Most of us are very good at tracking the lowest prices on the Internet, and perhaps frozen food in a supermarket. But would we be able to understand animal tracks in the wild.

No doubt we lost surviving skills, but what’s more frightening is most of us don’t think we still need them which is hopefully true but what if we do ………

We run out of food

The climate is getting warmer. Polar ice caps are melting, oceans are rising, coasts are eroding, and weather patterns may be shifting. Scientists are predicting increased droughts, floods (not a contradiction), wildfires, a massive disruption of agriculture and the food chain, and more severe storms—especially hurricanes. The sea level might rise by several feet in this century alone. The best-case scenarios look pretty awful.

The problem is that each tiny increase brings on a cascade of effects in weather, crops, migration, species interdependence, and so on. More rain here, less rain there. Hotter, drier earth means fewer microscopic worms fertilizing the soil, lower crop yields, and on and on and on. One quick glimpse at the minimum of devastation: The British government's chief scientist recently estimated that an increase of 3 degrees Celsius (5.4 degrees Fahrenheit) was the minimum we could hope for, even if we managed to stabilize carbon dioxide emissions in the near future, and that this temperature increase would result in a decrease of 200 million to 400 million tons of grain production throughout the world—and subsequently threaten starvation of 400 million people.

In this scenario some of those 400 millions people could have an advantage if they knew how to survive, and used their survival skills that their ancestors knew about. And it’s not far from reality, is it?

We run of the water

Another thing is, how we treat the water. In the past many tribes treated water as a god. Since water means life, it was of utmost importance to them. And now what’s our relation to water?

We constantly waste it, either by over consumption or by polluting it. What about collecting rain water? How many of us do collect it? Perhaps you might if you knew what the future holds in available freshwater!

Further, global warming has already negatively impacted bio systems and conditions for several species. What's more, if the temperature rises further still we are looking art 400 million and 1.7 billion people won't be able to get enough water, allergic pollens will increase, and some amphibians will go extinct.

It doesn’t sound good, does it?

Get in touch with Nature

With all of the environmental changes we're experiencing, mass extinction - according to scientists - is a real possibility. It's important that as a society we begin to realize how everything in our world is connected, just like if I was to pull a hair on you leg your eyes will water.

So consider this as you make your daily decisions. It might be necessary for your survival. Learn how to collect water, save energy, grow vegetables and food, swim, and build a shelter. Learn from our friends the animals, as they don't go to supermarkets.

Learn how native tribes dealt with the world around them. You may consider them as primitive, but they had more wisdom how to treat the Nature. It also is a good fun and will get you prepared for any disaster.

Stay tuned to our next post for these survival tips.

The Coolest Way To Get From A To B Without The C

2008-03-14T10:24:00.000-07:00

Who said that green vehicles couldn’t be cool? We gathered the coolest ones that many of us want to have. Our favourite: Venturi Fetish, PoweriZer, Zero Bike and Worn Again. Check them out and tell us what’s yours.

Coolest Green Cars

Venturi Fetish

980kg carbon-fibre and aluminium constructed sports car with top speed 100mph. It accelerates 0-62mph in less than 5 seconds. Venturi Fetish is powered by an 180kW motor with its energy supplied by lithium-ion battery. Venturi claims its Fetish will take you 155 miles and those batteries should last around 2,000 charges – or 10 years. To recharge it’ll take 1 hour with the external charger, or if you’re out and about and need to use one of the internal chargers it’ll take 2-4 hours.

Honda Dream II
This electrical oddity might look like it’s from the future, but it’s actually more than 10 years old. The Honda Dream II was built to compete in the World Solar Challenge in 1996, a race, unsurprisingly, for solar powered cars taking place between Darwin and Adelaide. Honda entered the race in both the ’93 and ’96 - this Dream II taking part in the second event. Its inclusion gave the event a huge boost in coverage, the Honda effort shattering previous records by covering the 1866 miles in just over 4 days with an average speed of 55.8mph.

GM EV1
Perhaps the most notorious electric vehicle of them all General Motors EV1 has sparked a huge conspiracy debate that car manufacturers don’t really want to produce electric vehicles. And General Motors has certainly given the conspiracy theorists reason to believe there’s something not right. That’s because the EV1 was universally praised by the 465 people who leased it from the American automotive giant. Not a pretty car admittedly, but its wind cheating shape allowed it to cruise at speed in near silence and maximise the energy from its batteries.

Tesla Roadster
Tesla Roadster is the latest electric sports car to wow drivers with an environmental bent. Its performance matches its looks, the Roadster able to reach 60mph in around 4 seconds – all from a motor that Tesla describes as being ‘the size of a watermelon’. The batteries take up a bit more space, though the lithium-ion ESS (Energy Storage System) is able to run the Roadster for 250 miles without a recharge. Oh, and Tesla claim a top speed of more than 130mph.

Tesla is using Lotus’ strong and lightweight extruded aluminium chassis to underpin its electric sports car. Lotus are involved too in the Tesla’s development.

Smart EV
The Smart’s drivetrain has been developed by the Zytek Group in the UK, its electric motor and batteries giving it a 30kW output and a potential top speed of 70mph. Smart quotes a 0-30mph time of 6.5 seconds, which is reasonable, but suggests the performance after that isn’t up to much… Still, it’s a city car, and it should be quick enough to dice with town traffic. Smart claims a range of ‘up to’ 72 miles. It’s not much but well…

Coolest Bikes

Zero Bike
The bike is a hubless and very lightweight bicycle powered by cranking magnetic pedals which rotate the tires suspended between other magnets. Designed by Makota Makita and Hiroshi Tsuzaki from Tokyo.

Biomega AMS Bicycle
This multi-purpose town bike uses shaft instead of a chain, requiring less maintenance, and leaving fewer oily trousers and tangled evening dresses. A hub dynamo, 8-speed hub gear, shaft drive, and clean, deco design are well integrated on this bike.

Coolest Eco Shoes

Worn Again
Their shoes are made of everything - from bicycle tires, car seat belts, e-leather and reclaimed jeans – yet their shoes are stylish, eco and cool.

Ecolution
They are made of hemp and are vegan, substantial, durable and long-lasting shoes. The upper is constructed with the finest organic hemp fibers with the natural rubber outsole. Great and giving you the peace-of-mind that such an environmentally-positive footwear statement can afford.

Simple Shoes
Simple Shoes are made of recycled car tires, hemp and bamboo - the best combination for eco-aware people.

…And Now For Something Completely Different

PoweriZers
PoweriZers are super-muscles that enhance your natural strength. Curved springs attach to the bottom of the PoweriZers and harness the gravitational energy that is created when you put your weight down. The super-charged springs push back, giving you the ability to run and jump incredible distances!

Is Your Cell Phone Killing You?!

2008-02-29T09:47:00.000-08:00

Can you picture the life without a cell phone? I can’t, since it’s very handy. I can rely on it like on a good friend. But my friend has two sides of which I have not been fully aware.

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
I knew there might be some affects on my health, but I didn’t realize that there are so many.

I quickly did a research what bad things mobile phones may cause. The results were horrifying.

Cell phone may:
- Affect Protein Expression
- Affect Human Skin
- Affect Living Tissue
- Increase Risk of Mouth Cancer
- Harm Blood Cells

It turns out that my good friend morphed to the monster.

Looking for more details I discovered that the list of illnesses is not complete. I added another ones:

- Nausea, Headaches
- Brain Tumors
- May trigger Alzheimer's disease
- and…

…Acoustic Neurona (along with Brain Tumor)
If you have used your mobile phone for more than 10 years, you might have increased your risk of developing acoustic neuroma, a benign tumor on the auditory nerve.

Interestingly enough, studies found that the risk was confined to the side of the head that was used most often while talking on the phone. As a matter of fact, the risk of acoustic neuroma was nearly four times greater on the side of the head that the phone was most frequently held compared to the other side, which appeared normal.

Protein Expression, Living Tissue and Skin Disease
According to Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority (STUK) study, “small area of forearm's skin in 10 female volunteers was exposed to RF-EMF (specific absorption rate SAR = 1.3 W/kg) and punch biopsies were collected from exposed and non-exposed areas of skin. Analysis has identified 8 proteins that were statistically significantly affected (Anova and Wilcoxon tests). Two of the proteins were present in all 10 volunteers.

This suggests that protein expression in human skin might be affected by the exposure to RF-EMF. The number of affected proteins was similar to the number of affected proteins observed in our earlier in vitro studies.”

Taking a stock mobile phone radiation might alter protein expression in human skin.
▪ Physiological significance of this change is not known and requires further study.
▪ Larger human volunteer study will be needed to confirm results of this pilot study.
▪ Proteomics screening is valid method for search for molecular targets of mobile phone radiation. Without this approach the identification of the proteins responding to mobile phone radiation would not be reasonably possible.

"Mobile phone radiation has some biological effect. Even if the changes are small, they still exist", says Dariusz Leszczynski, Research Professor at STUK.

According to Leszczynski it is much too early to say will these changes induced by the mobile phone radiation have any effect on health.

"The aim of this project was not detecting any possible health effects, but to find out whether living human skin responds to mobile phone radiation and whether proteomics approach is useful in sorting out this issue", he states.

Mouth Cancer
A recent research has shown that chatting on a mobile phone before bedtime would cause you insomnia. The team from Sweden's Karolinska Institute and Wayne State University, in Michigan, found that mobile phone radiation of 884 MHz provokes insomnia, headaches and concentration difficulties.

But these are short-term effects, and many cancers have a 10-to-20-year latency period. Still, one cancer risk has just been detected by a team at the Tel Aviv University. The new research published in the "American Journal of Epidemiology" shows that people using cell phones for many hours daily are 50% more likely to develop mouth cancer, than individuals who do not use cell phones at all. Moreover, cell phone users in rural areas could be exposed to a higher risk for cancer because cell phones have to emit higher levels of radiation for picking up the signal of the fewer available antennas.

Blood Cells
According to New Scientist:

“A study has shown that radiation from mobile phones may cause a substantial increase in the forces that living cells exert on each other. Experts said this research could be critical to providing answers to the question of whether radiation from mobile phones is linked to cancer and other health problems. Although several researchers believe this to be the case, they have been unable to come up with ways that radiation could produce this affect and harm biological tissue.

Future studies will be conducted to check the dielectric properties of various types of biological tissue during exposure to radiation across the range of frequencies normally used by mobile phones.”

Nausea and Headaches
Radio signals for the next wave of cell phones--third generation (3G) phones that transmit high-speed Internet data--caused headache, tingling sensations and nausea among participants in a research study.

The side effects occurred after participants were exposed to radiation from 3G base station signals. No side effects were noted from current mobile phone base stations.

Base stations transmit constant signals, exposing everyone within range, while cell phone handsets emit stronger levels of radiation to the user.

Government officials say further research is needed to confirm findings and explore long-term health effects.

Triggering Alzheimer's disease
After digging the BBC website I found something on Alzheimer’s disease. The study was carried out on rats.

Rats aged between 12 and 26 weeks, whose brains are thought to be in the same developmental stage as teenagers, were exposed to two hours of radiation equal to that emitted by mobile phones.

Upon examination 50 days later, researchers found an abundance of dead brain cells in rats that had been exposed to medium and high levels of radiation.

They hypothesized that in people whose neurons are prone to Alzheimer’s disease, radiation from mobile phones may trigger the disease earlier in life.

How to fight the radiation. Some tips
Surely the best way to avoid mobile phone radiation is to give up using cell phone. But this might hard for most of us. So I prepared other tips which easy to employ.

- Switch off your cell phone when you are not going to use it.

- Don’t use wireless mobile phone headset, as they make matters worse.

- Make sure that you are not talking on cell phone unless you are using a speakerphone or headset specifically designed to reduce radiation. Headset may reduce the cell phone radiation even up to 90%.

- Keep your mobile phone as far from your body as possible.

- Use Mobile Phone Bio-Shield which helps to relieve conditions associated with cell phone radiation.

Waste Less, Be Creative. Part II

2008-02-22T09:20:00.000-08:00

In part II I’d like to focus on creative part of being green. Certainly we can’t buy all eco, organic and green stuff. What to do in those cases? Well, as an eco person I found myself rather creative in finding new ways for non-recyclable things.

Let’s have a look at some creative ideas.

Paper
Protect car seats from muddy or wet clothing (it’s good for newspapers, as recycling them it’s not recommended).

Stuff in leather shoes to preserve shape (it’s better than using shoe trees made of wood, or plastic. Newspaper is also a good deodoriser).

Stuff in wet shoes overnight to dry and deodorize.

Crumple and place in suitcase for couple of weeks to remove stale odours.

Stuff hats to keep their shape.

Stuff leather handbags in storage.

Wrap around candle bottoms so they'll fit holders tighter.

Cover store windows when remodelling.

Dampen and spread over window-panes before painting.

Use to dry and polish window after washing.

Stuff under doors and in cracks to stop cold wind fromcoming in.

Use as a bounce reflector when taking flash photographs or use to reflect sunlight into shadow areas.

Sharpen pencils by rubbing the point on newspaper.

Spread out between garden rows to discourage weeds.

Use to wrap green tomatoes to ripen.

Cover plants during a frost.

Use as a mat for wet darkroom photographs.

Put under car wheels when stuck in snow, mud or sand.

Shred and use for packing breakables.

Wrap and store Christmas tree ornaments.

Crumple (no colours) and place in plastic containers to eliminate odours

Other everyday objects
Transform a plastic ice cream tub into a flowerpot.

Turn used tires (not steel-belted) into children's swings or other playground equipment.

Plastic soda bottle uses: Make a disposable funnel from the top half Cut a scoop from the bottom half, Or use the bottom half as a plant "greenhouse."

Other eco using
You can even make your own packaging peanuts! Use real popcorn, and the recipients can sprinkle it in their garden for the birds.

Plastic grocery bags make excellent small trash can bags and are great to take with you for cloth diaper and/or accidents for babies and toddlers.

Paper grocery bags are a cheap way to cover schoolbooks.

Toilet paper rollers make great craft items.

Good heavy foil can be washed and reused time and time again.

Worn out clothes can be used as rags or saved for quilt squares.

Newspaper is great for cleaning windows and mirrors. You can also use newspaper if you have indoor pets.

Leftovers: Stop throwing them out. If you don't want them the next meal, freeze what is left after a meal. Use on those days you don't feel like cooking, or make a soup or stew.

Boxes make great storage containers, mailers, and play towns for the children.

Plastic milk jugs can be used to store water in for sudden power outages, water for plants, etc.

Small plastic water or soda bottles are great for freezing water in and taking with you on a shopping trip. This saves a lot of drink purchases while you are out.

Old mouse pads can be cut into sections to make coasters.

Last words
Only the imagination is the limit, but I’m pleased to hear other tips for converting non-recyclable things into eco stuff. Feel free to post the as a comment.

Set yourself a challenge of not how much you can recycle but rather how little you can throw away. Remember how resourceful the older generations were in wartime collecting piece of string and anything they can put to good use.

The point I'd like to add is, don't be afraid to take packaging back to the shop or supermarket where they came from. This is a real pain for the store but it will send out a message that they really need top think about reducing waste and excess packaging.

Waste Less, More Create Or The Old Shoes Story. Part I

2008-02-15T08:36:00.000-08:00

One thing about green lifestyle is that you need to be creative; you need to look at stuff from different angles. But before I explain that, let me tell you a short story that happened to me some years ago.

The Old Shoes Story
During my travel to South Africa I met a poor guy who had no shoes. I thought I had a spare pair (by this stage I had done a lot of travelling so the shoes were poor condition). I brought the shoes and gave it to him. He accepted the gift with the enthusiasm of a kid.

The next day I returned to meet the poor man, I asked him where he got the new pair of shoes he was wearing. He exclaimed they are the ones you gave me. He had cleaned them up and fixed them and they now looked brand new. Although I was please for him there was a part of me that wanted my shoes back

Reuse? Why reuse and how?
Since the earliest civilisations man has produced waste and disposal by landfill has been the main way of dealing with it. In modern times growing industrialisation and consumerism have transformed the types and quantity of waste we generate in our every day lives. As a result, the ways in which we manage this waste have had to change dramatically over a relatively short period of time.

It has been said many times on this occasion that we should reuse whatever is possible. Actually we can reuse almost anything we want. Below are some easy non-creative tips:

Old Electrical Equipment
Donate old electrical equipment to schools or community centres so that others can reuse them.

Old Clothes and Books
Other people can reuse your unwanted clothes and books when you donate them to charity shops.

Car-boot Sale
Have a car-boot sale and get rid of some unwanted items. Other people may find a use for them, plus it gives you the opportunity to earn some extra cash.

Rechargeable Batteries
Rechargeable batteries can be reused many times before they need throwing away, opposed to regular batteries that create unnecessary waste.

Build a Compost Bin
You can reuse many waste items, such as eggshells and old tea bags, using a compost bin. This waste then degrades and turns into compost that can be used to help your garden grow.

Grass Cycling
After mowing your lawn, instead of throwing the grass cuttings away, leave them in your garden. The nutrients from the cuttings go back into the soil and act as a fertiliser.

Refill
Try to buy things that you can easily refill, like Aquaballs for laundry. Similarly you can refill ink cartridges for your home or office printer.

Use paper wisely
Recycling old newspapers is a good thing, but it’s still not the most efficient. You can use paper more creatively like using it to clean up after your pets, or bury it (layered newspaper, covered over with mulch, slowly converts a patch of earth into a bad of prime potting soil - perfect place to plant your geraniums).

Going green you not only save the planet, but also save your pocket.

In next part I will post some creative ideas how to reuse everyday objects. If you have any other good ideas, poste them as a comment.

The story of stuff

2007-12-11T06:06:00.000-08:00

Sources:
The Story of Stuff with Annie Leonard

Opponents tried to kill me in row over Indian eco-trail, claims doctor

2007-11-26T07:41:00.000-08:00

Third runway noise will hit north London

2007-11-26T06:31:00.000-08:00

San Francisco's plastic bag ban goes into effect

2007-11-23T03:50:00.000-08:00

As of yesterday, is it now illegal for large grocery stores in the San Francisco to offer their customers plastic bags in which to carry home their purchases. The ordinance, which was passed earlier in the year, will be enforced starting on December 1st. However, this doesn't mean the end of all plastic bags, as the policy states that smaller grocery stores and retail businesses will still be permitted to use the bags.

Stores are allowed to use plastic bags that are compostable as well as paper bags that are made of at least 40 percent high-grade recycled paper. The compostable bags must be clearly labeled as such and should be disposed of in the city's green waste bins and not the regular garbage. The city is encouraging the use of reusable canvas bags in place of plastic and hopes that this move will make a difference in the number of plastic bags that are thrown away each year.

By Marisa McClellan

Clinton library gets "green" roof

2007-11-23T03:43:00.000-08:00

Bill Clinton's Presidential Library, which has already earned platinum LEED certification, is now taking the next leap into green, the roof.

More than four truckloads of soil have been brought onto the roof, which will be covered with strawberries, ferns and grass. The garden will surround his penthouse apartment atop the library. But the garden is not just for pleasure; it will provide insulation and capture rainwater, controlling runoff. There will be no pesticides or non-organic fertilizers used for the plantings.

In honor of Clinton's mother, Virginia Kelley, there will be plenty of yellow roses, her favorite flower.

Sounds really cool. Unfortunately, visitors will not be able to access the garden, although exhibits are planned about it.

By Patricia Mayville-Cox

Going Green: A Truly Visionary Concept, And The Most Annoyingly Overused Phrase Of 2007

2007-11-15T09:16:00.000-08:00

Although we can’t always shake the nasty habit of writing in the royal we, occasionally one of our editors decides to shake off the cloak of anonymity to write a short, pithy statement long, rambling diatribe about a topic of their choice. Today, Debbie Newman is that editor.
Recently, CNN producer David Doss informed sexually ambiguous anchorperson Anderson Cooper that the network’s highly lauded miniseries “Planet in Peril” would most likely become a regular feature on AC360. Cooper’s angry (and, presumably, unfiltered) response? He groaned, “Jesus Christ! We really need to solve this whole environmental thing quickly, because I really don’t want to do it again.”

Naturally, I sprung into action, making light of Cooper’s apparent hypocrisy with the help of a superfluous, but well-timed Sesame Street reference (”Kermit was right, it ain’t easy being green!”) and denouncing him for wanting to see “this whole tiresome ’save the planet crusade’ to come to an end.” Afterwards, I mentally wrote the man an apology. It read something like:
“Dear Coop. I know exactly how you feel! (About the environment, I mean, not about all those persistent rumors questioning your sexual orientation). Friends?” Not surprisingly, I never heard back.
Now, don’t get me wrong, I’m all in favor of conserving our planet’s natural resources, phasing out the use of coal fired power plants and all the rest of that “save the environment” crap. In fact, I’ll have you know that, in my own emotionally detached way, I truly am concerned about the long-term effects of global warming, the depletion of the ozone layer and the melting of the polar ice caps—particularly the latter, since it applies to impossibly cute polar bear cubs just like the one German animal rights’ activists are petitioning to kill. It’s just all the alarmist statistics (Fact: “Worldwide water use is doubling every 20 years – twice the rate of population growth”) and scary predictions are, well, kind of a downer. You know, much along the same lines as Darfur, the New York Yankees and the U.S.’ occupation of Iraq.
Sure it’s important to think about all those things from time to time, but does it really have to be so all-consuming? Why must environmentalists—like most individuals who work full-time at non-profit organizations, and Jewish mothers—be so proficient in the art of passive aggressive discourse? The aforementioned being a technique invariably used to make the rest of us experience the sudden onset of guilt or general inadequacy, as in the following example.

Environmentalist: How was your day?Me: Pretty good, actually. Pretty good. Let’s see…I got to reference the unibrow baby from The Simpsons, so there was that. Plus, you know, I had that really funny one-liner in Jiblets? Oh, and, um, I just finished writing this amazing editorial for tomorrow about Britney Spears’ vagina’s Christmas wishlist. You?Environmentalist: Oh, you know, the usual. Advocating the sustainable management of resources, and the protection—and restoration, when necessary—of the natural environment through changes in public policy and individual behavior.Me: Oh, right. That. (Awkward pause).
Besides, there are plenty of small-scale ways we can all contribute. For instance, when I’m accosted by Greenpeace volunteers on the street, I generally let them get through at least the first 30 seconds of their prepared speech before politely interrupting them with “Sorry! I have a meeting.” Plus, whenever I barbecue, I always make sure to have some of those crappy organic Trader Joe’s veggie-burgers handy to accommodate my small percentage of non-meat eating guests. In fact, some of my very best friends are vegans! And I’ve even deigned to meet them for dinner at trendy, meat-free establishments on more than one occasion. Also? As a lifelong New Yorker, I technically can’t drive or operate any motor vehicles but as soon as I get my license, I fully intend to break for animals. And to purchase a solar-powered car—just as soon as they make one that doesn’t have a battery life of 45 minutes and max out at 35mph.
See what I mean? Look, I’m not saying we shouldn’t all pitch in whenever we can, but we don’t really need to be inundated with “organic” this and “ecosexual” that 24/7 anywhere, do we? These days, you can’t even pick up the newspaper without reading about Sheryl Crow lecturing you on how much toilet paper you’re wasting or Larry David’s wife making you feel like a jackass for occasionally flipping on the light switch or (God forbid!) flushing the toilet every now and again.
Because, despite being predominantly lazy and self-involved myself, I have nothing at all against the concept of “going green.” I’m thrilled Al Gore made a long, boring but extremely informative documentary to help raise awareness for global warming and make environmental consciousness trendy again.* No, it’s the gimmicky nature of it that’s driving me crazy. The innumerable celebrities who flew halfway across their world in their private jets to arrive at their respective Planet Earth concerts in time to perform. The waiter at the organic vegetarian restaurant who rejects your polite request for a club soda because, as he tersely phrases it, “We don’t do carbonation.” The fashion magazine that went green for an entire issue before it went back to destroying the rainforests for the sake of raking in more ad dollars and churning out must-read articles about the return of the high-waisted pant.
And it never ends. One of the top stories on Mediabistro today? “November 8th, the Peacock goes fully green as the entire Thursday night lineup - “The Office,” “My Name Is Earl,” “30 Rock,” “Heroes” and “Deal or No Deal” gets an eco-theme.”
Call me pessimistic, but somehow, I find it hard to believe that NBC’s one night of environmentalist propaganda will drastically change the minds of either the people watching at home or the suits in the corner offices over at the powerful (and electricity hemorrhaging) headquarters of 30 Rock. Unless, of course, the briefcases of cash being handed out on tonight’s episode of Deal or No Deal contain packets of hundred dollar bills printed exclusively on recycled paper. In which case, I humbly stand corrected.
*I even sat through most of it.

The Good Life

2007-11-12T04:36:00.000-08:00

A holiday in the Lakes is 40 times greener than one in Miami..