Our Daily Green

from the Campaign for a Commercial Free Childhood...

noreply@blogger.com (FreshGreen Kim) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 13:22:44 PST

Take Action to Stop School Bus Ads

The new legislative season brings new attempts to turn school buses into traveling billboards. Florida, Kentucky, Missouri, New York, Rhode Island and Washington are all considering bills that would allow ads on school buses for everything from junk food to violent and sexualized media. We are enormously sympathetic to the financial plight of schools, but commercializing schools and school buses is not a good solution. That’s why we’ve created our School Bus Ad Action Center, where you can find out the status of legislation in your state and what you can do to keep buses commercial-free. If you live in one of the states listed above, please visit the Action Center to tell your legislators to vote “No” on school bus ads.

There was some good news this week: Indiana legislators removed a provision allowing school bus ads from a school funding bill and a Rhode Island bill is being held for further study after a Wednesday hearing. Unfortunately, Florida took a step towards commercializing its buses when the Education Committee approved a bill to allow school bus ads. House Bill 19 now moves to the house floor for a vote. (If you live in Florida, click here to take action.)

Eight Tips To Boost Your Energy Level (guest post)

noreply@blogger.com (FreshGreen Kim) — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 05:19:11 PST

This is a guest post by Patricia Wright, Chief Savings Officer at Rollback. Patricia's website offers free coupons for over a million stores. Our Daily Green has featured coupon sites previously and what we like about Rollback is how comprehensive their information is. Remember, living green is about keeping more green in the wallet as well as our planet. Thank you, Patricia for sharing this article.

The key to a successful and happy life is feeling energetic. When you're energized, you feel a power within yourself to achieve anything.

Here are some tricks to constantly stay in that "I can do anything in life" mode.

1. Take Power Naps

When you enter the "zoned-out zombie" mode at work, take a 10 minute power nap. By nap we don't mean snoring like Godzilla at the office. Just lean back, close your eyes, and think of nothing.
Forget everything while you power up. Take deep breaths.

2. Talk To Friends

Whenever I run into a friend on the street, I walk away feeling a lot more energetic. So reach out to a friend if you need a boost. Call up a good friend for 2 minutes for a quick recharge.

3. Listen to Active Music

When you're feeling slow, forget Cold Play and Frank Sinatra. Bring out the Black Eyed Peas and Deadmou5! But don't get carried away. 2-3 songs are enough to get you back in action.

4. Sleep Early and Enough

Best time to sleep is 10pm to 6am. If your alarm blasts you out of bed every morning, it's time to change your late night routine. Get enough sleep.

5. Morning Walk

Even a quick 10 minute walk in the morning will boost your energy. But an evening walk is drastically different. Your day will be happier with an early morning stroll.
This is a big one. Try it!

6. Act Energetic

Studies have shown that when you move faster, your metabolism kicks into high speed. Acting energetic makes you feel energetic!

7. Finish Small Tasks

Checking off a chore from your to-do list gives you a rush of energy. For a surge of power, organize your closet! You'll be surprised how great you feel when it's done.

8. Don't Misuse Food

When you're feeling down, stay the heck away from that carton of ice cream! All those extra calories just drag you down even more. Go outside for a short walk instead.

Saving Money with Rollback.com from Rollback on Vimeo.

Our Daily Black

noreply@blogger.com (FreshGreen Kim) — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 06:36:23 PST

Rarely does Our Daily Green turn Black

This matters and we stand with our fellow communicators in protest

Bar Shampoo Green

noreply@blogger.com (FreshGreen Kim) — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 06:18:49 PST

Approximately a year ago, Our Daily Green wrote about our decision to use solid soap as often as possible. We choose not to pay for water or generate the additional waste associated with plastic packaging and are absolutely thrilled with the results. Believe it or not? We still have the same bar (albeit quite a bit smaller) of soap next to the kitchen sink nearly a year later! It's been truly eye opening to contrast how many liquid soaps we've refilled at other sinks in that same time frame. (Prior to our bar soap conversion, we had a plethora of liquid soap and nothing is more wasteful than not using it up).

In addition to the environmental concerns, liquid soaps are very inconvenient when traveling. The additional weight and potential for liquids to leak makes solid soap an attractive alternative. Now that airlines penalize for overweight bags, not to mention the inability to carry any liquid over 3 oz. onto a plane, we prefer to save suitcase room for something besides liquids. Even if not traveling by plane, it's nice to travel lighter and not worry if the bottle of shampoo or soap would leak.

The solution to this problem was as close as a fellow blogger. Several of you may remember our popular guest post about how to make Wool Dryer Balls by Alicia over at Eco Friendly Homemaking. Turns out that Alicia and her husband have their own natural soap and shampoo business.

We contacted Alicia to ask if she could send us a sample of the bar shampoo to try. Not only did she share an entire bar of their wonderful shampoo bar, but she also included two lip balms and a luxurious body butter. What a pleasant surprise that was!

What I really appreciate about dealing with fellow eco-minded friends is their true commitment to our health and our environment. As I read their mission statement a little more closely, I realized how truly in accord their company is with my personal green mantra.

We, the American public have become the unwitting subjects of a massive toxicological experiment from personal care products. It’s ironic that in a day and age when so many have a heightened fear of terrorism and infectious diseases, few are aware of the harmful health risks coming from soaps, shampoos, shaving creams, deodorants, toothpaste, skin creams, cosmetics, hair sprays, laundry detergents, dish washing products and household cleaners. Billions of people every day are being exposed to ingredients that are proven carcinogens, toxins, neurotoxins, hormone disrupters, skin irritants, allergens, and respiratory disrupters. Some of the ingredients being used have even proven to be deadly to laboratory animals yet they have declared these same products safe for use with humans.

I've used the shampoo bar for about a week now and can attest to not only its effectiveness, but also a wonderful lather, terrific natural scent and healthy ingredients. What is really exciting is that so often a company will have a great idea, but their product isn't always as good as the idea. This is not the case with Eco Natural Soap. They are a small operation, without a flashy website or fancy commercials, but just a husband and wife who are sincere about living as naturally as possible and in harmony with our planet. As a side note, not only did I love the shampoo, but I also loved the bonus the body butter and lip balms.

Eco Natural Soap offers free shipping on every order as well as a complete refund on anything you're not satisfied with. I highly encourage you to try a shampoo bar! You'll be amazed with the results.

Thank you again, Alicia, for your generosity and camaraderie!

Shampoo ingredients: 5% Superfatting mixture of; Camellia Seed Oil, Grapeseed Oil, Flaxseed Oil, Shea Butter, Neem Oil, Sweet Almond Oil, Jojoba Wax, Apricot Kernel Oil, Castor Oil, Sunflower Oil, Virgin Coconut Oil, Sesame Seed Oil and Horsetail Grass, Dried Basil, Burdock Root, Dried Mango, Sodium Lactate (sugar beets) and Triple Pressed Vegetable Stearic Acid from palm added to a base of; Coconut Oil, Soya Bean Oil, Filtered Water, Sodium Hydroxide. “Purpose Blended” Essential Oils of: Lemon, Tunisian Rosemary, Sweet Orange and Tangerine.

Meatless Monday Meal: Broad Noodles with Lentils

noreply@blogger.com (FreshGreen Kim) — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 17:46:51 PST

Adapted from: Broad Noodles with Lentils: Sagnatiellie Lenticchie on the Food Network

Broad Noodles with Lentils: Sagnatiellie Lenticchie
by Mario Batali, 2002

This recipe is a twist on the Mario Batali recipe lined above. We've highlighted some of our favorite ingredients. Our Daily Green has begun to utilize coconut oil much more frequently in recipes. In addition to the incredible aroma (like being at the beach on a cold winter day!), coconut oil is an excellent source of lauric acid which helps the body fight viral and bacterial infections as well as increasing HDL (the "good cholesterol") more than any other fatty acid. We also were thrilled to still be able to pick fresh rosemary (in January!) from our herb garden, as this winter has been quite mild. We hope you enjoy this recipe.

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups lentils
2 bay leaves for lentils, plus 1 bay leaf for sauce
3 tablespoons coconut oil
1 onion, chopped
1/4 teaspoon of red pepper flakes
2 teaspoons thyme
1 sprig rosemary
3 cloves garlic, whole
Salt and pepper
1 (32-ounce) canned tomatoes and their juices

12-ounce package of egg noodles, cooked al dente

Directions
Place the lentils in a large pot, add the bay leaves, and water to cover and rise 2 inches above the solids. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook about 40 minutes.

In a heavy-bottomed skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and red pepper flakes and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes, until onion softens and begins to color. Add the bay leaf, thyme, rosemary, garlic, salt, and tomatoes. Stir the tomatoes and break them up with a wooden spoon and cook until the tomatoes are cooked and dark rust in color.

Add the lentils to the tomato mixture. Season with salt and pepper, remove the herb sprigs and garlic cloves and serve over noodles, divided evenly among 6 warmed pasta bowls.

Enjoy!

TakePart: 30 Ways in 30 Days

noreply@blogger.com (FreshGreen Kim) — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 08:09:23 PST

TakePart is the digital division of Participant Media, which includes the documentary Food, Inc., which we have written about numerous times. From TakePart's mission statement:

TakePart produces a website, with a daily cycle of original articles and videos that inspire people to get involved. We believe that compelling stories and provocative information creates curiosity, builds awareness and propels people to make positive social change in their everyday lives.

As part of that mission, they've compiled a fantastic calendar for the month of January, called 30 Ways in 30 Days, and it's filled with informative links and ideas to effect change in your own world. For example, today's suggestion is to Give Blood during National Blood Donor month. Yesterday's was to pledge to exercise 30 minutes, daily, and included apps to help with motivation. At the bottom of each action is an entry form to a Sierra Club Giveaway, that includes one Sierra Club outdoor adventure and a one-year membership.

We encourage you to look at some of the ideas on the 30 Ways calendar and adopt a few of them. Let 2012 be the year you make a difference. Our Daily Green will be showcasing some of these tips throughout the month. We'd love to hear from you with your favorite ideas or tips.

A Clean Green New Year

noreply@blogger.com (FreshGreen Kim) — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 03:32:58 PST

WE HAVE A WINNER!

Comment #5, belonging to Bell!

You have 48 hours to respond with your information to the email.

If we've not heard back from you by then, we will select another winner.

Congratulations and thank you everyone for your interest.

Please return for our next giveaway.

A few weeks ago, Our Daily Green was invited to participate in a panel survey about favorite green cleaning products. Circle of Moms chose our answer in their year-end column. I was so excited to have my answer chosen that I contacted the company. As a result, they have offered to sponsor a giveaway on Our Daily Green. (details of the giveaway at the bottom of the post).

You're all wondering what this miracle product is, I'm sure. One of my favorite cleaning products is the powdered cleanser, Bar Keepers Friend. The origin of this cleaner is quite interesting. In 1882, an Indianapolis chemist noticed how clean his pot was after cooking rhubarb and did several tests and experiments to determine that oxalic acid is the plant based ingredient responsible for the shiny pot. Oxalic acid is also found in spinach, chives, and parsley. Since that discovery, the American company, Bar Keepers Friend has been manufactured in Indianapolis for the past 127 years.

What I have always liked about this gentle cleaning product (as a loyal customer for many years) is the ease of rinsing it away without residue, the ability to clean my smooth cooktop without scratching, and the lack of fumes. So many cleansers contain harsh chemicals that I prefer not to clean with.

Bar Keepers Friend is endorsed by several major cookware and kitchen companies, but one of the most interesting endorsements we discovered was US Markerboard's, which as you can tell by the photos, restored our stained dry erase board.

a little powder on a damp rag

a little elbow grease

Some of their products

BKF keeps our cooktop shiny and Copper Glo works wonders on our tea kettle

Bar Keepers Friend has generously offered a basket of their products to one of Our Daily Green's readers. To enter the giveaway:

1. "Like" Bar Keepers Friend on Facebook
2. "Like" Our Daily Green on Facebook
3. Leave a comment on this post. Please add your email or some other way to contact you in the event you win. THAT means leave a comment below this actual post, not on Facebook, because we use a random number generator to choose the winner from the number of comments. Then we verify that you've liked the pages on Facebook. But if your comment is not here, you do not have an entry.

This giveaway offer will end on midnight January 13th, Eastern Standard Time. Must have a US mailing address to win.

*In accordance with FTC disclosure laws, we received a package of the products to test for our review*

Do you have a green product you want us to feature in a future post?

Being Married

noreply@blogger.com (FreshGreen Kim) — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 13:35:44 PST

Guest post from: Natalie Walter

Being married is hard enough without having completely different politics. My husband and I are on opposite ends of the spectrum so we’re usually able to avoid confrontation by just not talking about certain things but at the end of the day sometimes we have to deal with issues that affect our everyday life. For example, I’m all about the environment (he calls me a “hippy”) and I’ve started looking into ambit electric green initiatives and even a compost pile for the backyard. He on the other hand can’t even remember to turn off a light when he leaves the room which drives me absolutely up the wall. These things are pretty small but I wish they weren’t issues at all. It would definitely be easier for us to be happy if we didn’t have these fights but you know, at the end of the day we really love each other and that’s all that really matters, right? I can honestly say that’s true.

In accordance with FTC disclosure regulations, the preceding post was commissioned by a sponsor.

Year End Accounting of Green

noreply@blogger.com (FreshGreen Kim) — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 05:53:45 PST

For those of you who followed Our Daily Green the past few years, you may recall that we pledge half our advertising earnings to charitable organizations. It's our way of underwriting our blog as well as supporting organizations that are making a difference in this world. It's also our way of thanking our readers for indulging our advertisements.

This past year, Our Daily Green cut back on some of our side ads, but accepted more sponsored posts. The difference is that the advertiser pays us to link to their site within a blog post, versus a permanent ad on the main blog page.

Our posts earned about $50 in sponsorship and we also received approximately $500 in free merchandise. We gave away approximately $400 in like merchandise, leaving us with a surplus of $150, which translates to $75 in donations. We've chosen one organization, Community Greenhouse Partners in Cleveland, Ohio and would like nominations for two more.

Community Greenhouse Partners mission includes:

Improving the quality of life of those around us by growing vegetables year round and selling them at low cost to urban families, employing local residents and teaching sustainability and earth science to young people. Community Greenhouse Partners is a sustainable urban farm that applies ecological design principles and engages community participation to grow wholesome food year-round that is provided at low-cost to the neighborhood, improving personal health while generating training, mentoring and employment opportunities.

(Guest Post) Coupons and Organic Food: Eating Healthy on a Budget

noreply@blogger.com (FreshGreen Kim) — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 14:24:13 PST

Guest Post: This post was written by James Lander of Couponing. This website offers deals as well as tips for becoming a savvy couponer.

In recent years, buying and eating organic food has become a major priority for a growing number of American consumers. As more and more people consider where the food they put into their bodies actually comes from – and as access to local, organic, and sustainably-produced goods increases– the demand for these products has exploded across the country. The drawback to this fervor? Organic foods can often come with much higher price tags than their factory-produced counterparts. Many people feel excluded from the organic movement simply because the prices for organic fruits, vegetables, and other goods often seem so much higher than their existing grocery budget can allow.

However, there is relief for organic shoppers looking for a deal. As decades of savvy shoppers have done before them, organic consumers can take to the world of couponing where deep discounts and pricing deals can be found if one is willing to search for them. These days, couponers find most of their deals online rather than in the newspaper; many keep a list of sites to check regularly, and some even have deals and updates sent directly to their email each day.

Organic groceries are a growing niche of the online couponing community; retailers and food producers alike now regularly provide discounts, coupons, and special offers to website visitors and email subscribers. There are also entire third-party websites dedicated to compiling these deals and presenting them to consumers who visit their site. These third party sites are an excellent resource for couponers willing to do their research. On a blog like Frugal Dad, for example, you can access dozens of grocery and food coupon codes to use when shopping for organic products. Visitors can view a wide variety of retailers to see who is offering the deepest discounts on the organic products they want most. This method takes time, but dedicated deal-seekers can compare and contrast discounts and make educated decisions about how to spend their money.

Alternately, if you’ve got a favorite brand, many companies will offer special, usually limited-time deals on their websites or to customers who have signed up to receive email offers and updates. Coupon shoppers can apply these exclusive offers to get serious discounts on their favorite products, especially if they can be combined with discount codes from some of their other coupon sites. Again, sorting through the many emails and offers that inevitably come through your inbox can be a time-consuming job that many customers choose to skip. Some may find it simply too tedious to sort through the various offers and find the best deal; others may find the daily influx of deals too tempting and end up spending more than they would have otherwise – which defeats the whole purpose of couponing.

Remember: do not let the coupons completely dictate your shopping experience. If you have a “buy two, get one free” coupon for a food that no one in your home will eat, you’ve essentially paid double to let something sit in your cabinet and be thrown out uneaten. Although coupons can offer significant savings to savvy customers, their attractive discounts can also cause passive shoppers to waste money on items they don’t really want or need. Compile all of your coupons and discount information (offer expiration dates, etc.) into one place where you can look at it all objectively, determine the best value, and make your purchases.

If you are committed to feeding your family organic food whenever possible, you can absolutely work it into your existing budget by committing to couponing and discount shopping. Successful couponers are diligent about their work and realistic about their needs, and for that their payoff can be huge: feeding their families healthy, organic food without breaking the bank.

Fitness Green

noreply@blogger.com (FreshGreen Kim) — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 05:25:35 PST

One of the most chemical free ways to stay healthy and live better is to exercise on a regular basis. According to the Mayo Clinic, regular physical exercise relieves stress and anxiety. As one year ends, and the world gets ready for a new year, many folks make a resolution to exercise more. Our Daily Green began that resolution early. With so many headlines talking about the prevalence of prescription drug use rising to treat depression and anxiety, and concerns about chemically altering our body on a daily basis, we wholly endorse a regiment of more natural choices, including healthy diet and regular exercise.

Exercise need not involve a drive to a gym or an expensive membership to a health club. The irony of getting in a car and driving somewhere to move the body is not lost on us. But in the winter, when we become more sedentary, getting an extreme body workout can be as easy as getting off the couch and moving while watching an exercise video. To combat the winter blues, dreams of having a beach body can be realized from the comfort of your own home. Inclement weather doesn't need to thwart your plans to regularly exercise and stay fit.

In fact, 30 minutes of some sort of physical activity daily has benefits that include weight loss, better sleep, improved mood, and more energy. Some programs offer a 90 day review to measure results, although the ways we can improve our lives in three short months with a commitment to exercise are immeasurable. There's no need to wait until the new year to live better today. Make a promise to yourself to swap 30 minutes a day of sedate activity with a more physical activity. Stop looking for a solution in a bottle or pill and consider a more holistic approach. To a Happy and Healthier New Year!

(Our Daily Green has received compensation for this post but we would not share anything we didn't believe would benefit our readers).

This is a guest post provided by Fitness Alliance.

There's a Green App for That!

noreply@blogger.com (FreshGreen Kim) — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 10:29:29 PST

As the year wraps up and folks say out with the old, that "old" does not need to wind up in landfills. But it can be a daunting task to know the proper way to dispose of things. Can it be separated with the recycling bins? Does it need special handling? What does my municipality accept?

Many folks opt out of recycling simply because it is too confusing to know where to throw what out. But it need not be as complicated as that. Earlier this month, we had one simple recommendation for greeting cards, send them to St. Jude's Children's Ranch where they recycle them and sell them to support their mission. However, that only takes care of the greeting cards.

photo by: Justin Ritchie, courtesy of Creative Commons license

What about the gift packaging, the cardboard, the extra bottles, the burned out lightbulbs, the obsolete electronics? Finding a solution is as easy as downloading an app on a smart phone. (or if you don't have a smart phone, as Our Daily Green does not, it's as easy as going to the 1-800 Recycling website!)

There is no reason to fill up our landfills when the solution is a touchscreen away. Available for both Android and iPhones.

Recycled Card Program Green

noreply@blogger.com (FreshGreen Kim) — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 09:22:38 PST

'Tis the season for cards to come in... and they are a wonderful reminder of loved ones, but once the holiday is past, what then? What if you knew you could not only feel the love you get when you open a card, but also put that same love to charitable use? What if you knew you could recycle those cards and make a difference?

St. Jude's Ranch for Children was built to be a place for neglected children to find a safe home with the vision to break the vicious cycle of child abuse and provide help and hope to children and families. Read on to see one of the ways they fund themselves as well as provide opportunity to the children on their ranch. Save your cards and send them in!

As a side note, if you are going to stay in the Tampa/Clearwater, Florida area before the end of the year, The Sandpearl Resort at Clearwater Beach will give you up to $50 credit at their hotel in exchange for cards. In fact, that is where Our Daily Green first learned about this initiative.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
WE NOW ACCEPT USED, ALL-OCCASION CARDS YEAR ROUND!!

Over thirty years ago, wishing to show our donors appreciation for making St. Jude’s Ranch for Children possible, the idea was conceived for turning the previous year’s Christmas cards into “new” cards for the coming season. The recipients were so delighted with their unique “thank you,” they requested the children sell them the special cards. And so, the St. Jude’s Ranch Recycled Card Program was born. Since then, the program expanded to include all occasion greeting cards…just about anything that starts with a used greeting card. People from all over the world have sent us their used cards!

Operated by Kids’ Corp., a program for the children at St. Jude’s Ranch to learn entrepreneurship skills, the children participate in making the new cards by removing the front and attaching a new back. The result is a beautiful new card made by the children and volunteers. The benefits are two-fold: customers receive “green” holiday cards for use and the children receive payment for their work and learn the benefits and importance of “going green”. The ongoing support for the Recycled Card Program has been overwhelming! The Program grew and soon we were receiving over one million cards. We have since redesigned the process to more efficiently manage the increased production from the increased volume and we welcome your submissions!

NOTE: We currently have an increased need for both Birthday and Thank You card submissions.

To Purchase Cards:
Cards are sold in packets of 10 for $10.00 and are available in the following categories:

General Christmas Cards

Religious Christmas Cards

Easter Cards

Birthday Cards

Thank You Cards

All Occasion General Greeting Cards

Orders may be placed by any of the methods below:

By Phone:
1-877-977-SJRC (7572)

By US Mail:
Send your request and donation to:
St. Jude’s Ranch for Children
ATTN: Donor Office
P.O. Box 60100
Boulder City, NV 89006-0100

To Donate Cards: We welcome your donation and ask that you please review the below tips before sending your donation. Currently, we have found the least expensive way to mail large quantities of card donations is through the USPS in a Flat Rate Box which holds up to 70 pounds (available at the Post Office).

Card Donating Tips:

All types of greeting cards, including Christmas are used.

Only the card front can be used (please check to be sure the back side is clear of any writing, etc.)
We can not accept Hallmark, Disney or American Greeting cards. (editorial comment from the owner? the easiest way to solve that issue is not to buy their products).

5″ x 7″ size or smaller is preferred.

send to:

St. Jude’s Ranch for Children Recycled Card Program
100 St. Jude’s Street
Boulder City, NV 89005

Thank you!

Smaller House Green

noreply@blogger.com (FreshGreen Kim) — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 07:36:02 PST

Several years ago, Our Daily Green first saw the homes from Tumbleweed Tiny House Company and found ourselves absolutely fascinated. Company founder Jay Shafer's innovative design ideas captured our attention. His practical utilization of space maximizes every inch at the same time it proves that bigger is not always better.

Over 5 million US homes have been foreclosed in the over three years since the bank bailout. Bank lending policies focused on a market for larger and larger homes, encouraging consumers to spend more and more on housing.

In the year 2000, the Chicago Tribune ran a piece on how home ownership had changed over the past 100 years. In 1900, an average home was about 700-1200 square feet, while in the 1950s, ranch style homes such as those popularized in Levittown averaged 1000 square feet. By 2000, homes were about the same square footage as the year, 2000, with additional bedrooms and bathrooms, effectively doubling the living space. In a statement filled with irony eleven years later, the article continues,

But bigger homes haven't meant fewer homeowners. While only 46.5 percent of the U.S. population owned its own house in 1900 and 53 percent in 1950, it is estimated that at the end of this year more than 67 percent of American households will own. Why? Because we can afford it.

According to the National Association of Home Builders,

Build your own Tiny House!

... approximately 246,000 U.S. households [are] priced out of the market for a median-priced new home when the price of the home is increased by [only] $1,000. (brackets and bold are author's).

Since the crisis, major builders such as KB Home in Los Angeles, are shrinking the sizes of their homes in an effort to compete with the foreclosed homes on the market. Their average new home size is now half the 3200 square feet during the housing boom to 1600 square feet today.

Small Home Jay Shafer from Tumbleweed Small Homes is going to highlight his concerns about large homes in a event at Occupy Wall Street on December 13th, 2011, where he will take one of his small homes to the venue. He believes OWS is the world's largest stage to bring awareness to the alternative and encourage smaller homes.

(Guest Post) The Dangers of Crying Wolf in the Green Movement

noreply@blogger.com (FreshGreen Kim) — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 11:40:45 PST

Guest Contributor Brittany Lyons aspires to be a psychology professor, but decided to take some time off from grad school to help people learn to navigate the academic lifestyle. She currently lives in Spokane, Washington, where she spends her time reading science fiction and walking her dog.

One of the major obstacles that the environmental movement faces is presenting global ecological problems to the public without making change seem impossible or the situation seem hopeless. This is a big challenge since usually once environmental problems are identified there is a lot of work to be done that no one wants to tackle. Luckily, there are ways the green movement can manage the presentation of these issues that makes the threats real without taking away all hope for the future.

A major issue within environmental reporting is the exaggeration of the results from studies. This not due to scientific error or propaganda on the scientists' part, but from distortion or misinformation from the media. This often is simply a technique reporters use to increase readership. After all, more people are likely to read an alarmist article than a mediocre report, even if the effects of such reporting are detrimental in the long run. In order to prevent reports from containing false information, scientific environmental studies need to be interpreted by the researchers (i.e. those who have PhDs in the field) who understand the data as well as possible biases and mistakes. With the exaggeration of negative environmental reporting, the public discredits scientists and begins the mistrust the whole scientific process.

Not only does exaggeration spread false information about the state of the planet, but it also often causes the public to think there is no hope in saving the environment. In this scenario, people revert to their old destructive behaviors thinking that no matter what they do nothing will change. With doomsday prophesying and Chicken Little scare tactics, environmentalists seeking to influence the public to change their ways will get no where. Instead a different approach must be used. The media needs to report realistically, but point out that disaster can be prevented or overcome if people make the effort to turn things around now.

Another way to lighten the gloom of environmental reporting is to put it in terms that the public understands. Instead of using technical and scientific jargon, frame environmental issues in a way that connects them to the average person's life and lifestyle. In coastal eastern North Carolina, for example, conserving wetlands received a lot of attention and support (from seemingly opposing parties) when the wetlands were identified as the nursery grounds for local seafood.

When it comes to heralding the public to take proactive measures to save the environment, the most important thing to remember is that drastic changes are unlikely. The mantra for the early green movement in the '60s and '70s was to "use much less," which the public interpreted as "don't shower, don't eat, don't drive a car" and very few people joined up as a result. Those who did were often stigmatized as "dirty hippies," a name that sticks to this day. A modern synthesis of psychology and environmentalism today recognizes that in order to affect positive changes, the new mantra needs to be "use less with more efficiency", or put simply - sustainability. This idea is rewarding in the sense that those who subscribe to it use natural resources in a smart way. Efficiency means less waste, and a better future for our planet.

Conglomer-ATE infographic

noreply@blogger.com (FreshGreen Kim) — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 04:09:52 PST

thank you to Jason over at Frugal Dad for sharing this eye opening graphic

Conglomer-ATE: The Consolidation of American Food (Infographic)

Posted on November 23, 2011 by Jason (Frugal Dad)

Bricor Showerhead Green

noreply@blogger.com (FreshGreen Kim) — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 04:09:01 PST

first aired on February 15, 1996

The low flow shower-head industry suffers from old perceptions, in part based on the famous Seinfeld episode, The Showerhead. During that episode, Jerry, Kramer and Newman are in misery after their building replaced all their shower-heads with low-flow heads, leading them to buy shower-heads on the black market.

Since that episode first was broadcast over 15 years ago, there have been some fabulous innovations with low-flow plumbing products, especially from Bricor Analytical which offers a:

... patented VACUUM Flow Restriction Technology to significantly reduces water, gas and electrical consumption while simultaneously improving the quality of the shower stream. How do our shower heads work? Water enters our patented VACUUM flow "booster" valve where it is aerated and compacted under pressure. Due to the intense force of the vacuum chamber, the aerated water "explodes" as it exits the shower head, creating a powerful shower stream at a very low flow rate (1.5 gallons per minute or less).

Fortunately, Bricor's product eliminates the need for consumers to resort to illegal activity to get a powerful, yet water conserving shower. Our Daily Green was introduced to Bricor last year when they sponsored a giveaway. Since then, we have used their product in our master bath shower. When we were approached again this year to conduct another review and giveaway, we were thrilled!

Low Flow hand held Bricor Showerhead

We chose the low flow hand held showerhead, which comes in a chrome finish and has two shower settings. According to Bricor, this showerhead has the lowest flow rate in the industry for a hand held shower head at only 1.125 gpm. Honestly, based on usage, we'd never guess it was a low flow head at all. The pressure is amazing for a shower-head that has less than half the federally mandated 2.5 gallons per minute flow.

Bricor Showerheads

Bricor has generously agreed to partner with Our Daily Green to give one of our lucky readers a hand held low flow shower-head, a retail value of $89.99. Independent tests show that Bricor's shower-heads will pay for themselves in water and utility savings in 150 days.

To enter our drawing, share your low flow story in the comments section below.
For additional entries:

Tweet this giveaway
Share it on Facebook
Like Our Daily Green on Facebook
Follow Bricor on Twitter
Follow FreshGreenKim on Twitter
Write your own blog post about this giveaway

Please leave a separate comment for each action as the drawing will be randomly chosen by comment number. We reserve the right to verify each action and delete any invalid entries. Entries accepted until December 11, midnight EST. The winner will be announced on Our Daily Green's December 12th post.

WE HAVE A WINNER!

Nola727, you have until December 14th to contact me with your shipping information. I will draw another winner if I've not heard from you by then. kim@writeonenterprises.com
Thank you everyone for participating!

Carbon Reduction

noreply@blogger.com (FreshGreen Kim) — Sun, 27 Nov 2011 04:05:44 PST

From businesses to households, often the quickest and easiest way to trim expenses is to implement a carbon reduction strategy. This is not nearly as complicated as it sounds. A carbon reduction strategy is simply a plan to use less energy.

Tips to use less energy are applicable from small homes to large scale corporations. Specialists will visit a company and make recommendations ranging from switching to energy efficient lighting to encouraging company-wide carpools. For example, an energy efficient lighting system run 3 times longer for the same cost as an inefficient one. One of the biggest concerns consumers and businesses have is cost implementation. If the initial cost is too high to switch to a more efficient system, there will be resistance. Expert consultation can make the transition painless to the bottom line and in fact improve it over time.

While a personal home may not need experts consultation, a room by room assessment of the ways to save energy in each area of the home could prove beneficial. From the kitchen, where using an instant hot water heater instead of a stove to heat water to the bathroom where low flow fixtures save both water and the cost of heating it, to the garage with bicycles for short commutes, every tip can be applied on a larger scale as well. Saving energy can start at home, but should not stop there. Anything done at home can be applied to the business world as well and the savings will multiply exponentially.

The preceding article was brought to you by our sponsor. Click here to advertise on Our Daily Green.

Preserve™ the Green

noreply@blogger.com (FreshGreen Kim) — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 12:42:58 PST

One of the great things about having the Our Daily Green blog is the opportunity to hear from companies that are doing something interesting on the environmental front. Usually after we hear from them, they offer us discounts and the sort as well. Our Daily Green has been following along with Preserve for quite a while now, in fact, they were our very first giveaway, in February 2010.

We chose their company because as we learned more and more about what the different numbers on plastics mean, we discovered that Preserve is one of the few companies that actually recycles #5 plastics. #5s usually are things like lids from containers,straws, yogurt cups, and toothbrushes. They are a more rigid plastic because they are molded, not blown. The chemical reaction of the polymers used to make #5s make them quite a bit more difficult to recycle, but that did not deter Preserve. Since we are such big fans of Preserve, when we received their email today for 30% off, we wanted to share it with you!

Check out their products, save some money, get yourself or someone you need to give a gift to some fun kitchenware. It's impressive what they are doing!

Worker Co-ops: reprint from YES! Magazine

noreply@blogger.com (FreshGreen Kim) — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 06:17:36 PST

YES! Magazine encourages you to make free use of this article by taking these easy steps. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License

Best Job in the Neighborhood—And They Own It

How worker co-ops are expanding despite the rust-belt economy.

posted Nov 10, 2011

TAKE A PEEK INSIDE THE FALL 2011 ISSUE OF YES! MAGAZINE

“I can tell you before Evergreen, we felt like there was nothing left for us,” says Tim Nolen. He and his fellow Evergreen Cooperative worker-owners live in Cleveland’s Greater University Circle community, where the unemployment rate exceeds 25 percent and the median household income is less than $18,500. “Evergreen grabbed ahold of us and said, ‘Let us help you out.’ It is a great feeling when you have given up hope and someone gives you that hand and says, ‘You don’t have to feel worthless. Here, let’s give you a sense of self-worth.’”

In the heart of an inner city ravaged and abandoned by the global economy, the Evergreen Cooperative has emerged as one of the country’s most promising models of locally based wealth-building. Evergreen grew out of the Greater University Circle Initiative, an unusual collaboration spearheaded by the Cleveland Foundation and including the City of Cleveland, the Ohio Employee Ownership Center, and local institutions (principally Case Western Reserve University, the Cleveland Clinic, and University Hospitals).

“Sustainability in the broadest sense can only be created if you can stick capital where it won’t get up and leave.”

In December 2006, Ted Howard,co-founder of The Democracy Collaborative, outlined for civic leaders the catalytic role that the spending of “captive” anchor institutions like hospitals and universities could play in community wealth generation in Cleveland. He talked at length with local civic leaders about how an anchor-institution-based, worker-cooperative business model might be the engine for the sustainable job creation and wealth-building that had thus far been elusive in Greater University Circle. Democracy Collaborative researchers determined that Case Western Reserve, the Cleveland Clinic, and University Hospitals alone spent more than $3 billion a year on goods and services—but they spent it almost entirely outside the community.

Howard and his fellow strategists began sketching out a compelling framework for what was to become the Evergreen Cooperatives. The business model involved supplying the needs of the anchor institutions to create steady revenue for a network of worker-owned, local businesses that would be built to be the greenest in their sectors. “Sustainability in the broadest sense can only be created if you can stick capital where it won’t get up and leave,” Howard explains. “You can think of Evergreen as an anchor institution designed to capture the capital flows of other anchors and circulate them locally.”

Ohio Cooperative Solar began turning a profit within the first five months of operation.

The First Evergreen Cooperatives

Evergreen’s first two cooperative businesses—the Evergreen Cooperative Laundry and Ohio Cooperative Solar (OCS)—were launched in October 2009. A not-for-profit community newspaper, The Neighborhood Voice, was established to communicate the Evergreen vision. A fourth project, Green City Growers, started up operations in the summer of 2011.

Housed in a Certified Silver LEED building, Evergreen Laundry was engineered to consume far less energy and water than its competitors. Although the laundry is not yet operating at capacity, new clients are signing up every month and its first two customers, both nursing homes, have turned out to be the co-op’s de facto marketing arm. “They say, ‘If you need a reference, just have them call us,’” says Nolen, who was the laundry’s first worker-owner to earn a linen management certificate. “These guys want us to succeed. This is what it can do for you to have the community and businesses in it looking out for you.”

Meanwhile, OCS worker-owners have been busy installing solar panels on the rooftops of Case Western Reserve, the Cleveland Clinic, and University Hospitals. OCS retains ownership of the solar panels, services them for the host institutions, and sells them the electricity the panels generate. The co-op does home weatherization and began turning a profit within the first five months of operation. At the end of the 2011 fiscal year, $7,300 in profits were transferred into each OCS worker-owner’s capital account—on top of the living wage each earned during the year.

Green City Growers—a 4.1-acre, year-round hydroponic greenhouse and packing facility that utilizes the latest water- and energy-saving technologies—will soon be producing 5 million heads of lettuce and 300,000 pounds of herbs annually. It expects to harvest its first crop in the spring of 2012 and will employ between 30 and 40 workers year-round. Produce will be sold to the local food-service industry, local grocers, and Greater University Circle anchor institutions, allowing purchasers to reduce their food-related carbon footprints substantially and to purchase produce with a longer shelf life.

Nurturing the Evergreen Vision

"Workers have lived in these neighborhoods and seen the degradation, and they are beginning to express themselves as leaders of renewal, as working for something that is inspiring hope.”

Evergreen recently established an umbrella organization, the Evergreen Cooperative Corporation (ECC), to be the keeper of the cooperative vision. A central financing mechanism, the Evergreen Cooperative Development Fund, will operate under the ECC to attract capital for expansion of existing co-ops and funding new ones. A portion of each co-op’s profits will be paid into this fund.

To shield the community and the cooperatives from speculators, the Evergreen Land Trust has also been established under the ECC to acquire land for existing and future Evergreen Co-ops, starting with the land under the laundry and greenhouse. The Land Trust will lease land for a 99-year term to cooperative businesses, protecting the Evergreen enterprise as a whole from individual co-op failure or attempts by a co-op to break away and become a separate corporation.

Benefits for Worker-Owners and the Community

: The Cooperative also started a nonprofit community newspaper.

Many Evergreen worker-owners were formerly unemployed long-term, have prison records, or have struggled with substance abuse. “We are given a second chance here to get back into society,” says Loretta Bey, OCS’s office and inventory manager.

Evergreen worker-owners have a real day-to-day say in how their companies operate. “They don’t just make decisions without us,” says Bey. “We get to take a vote.” Worker-owners receive free health care, attend monthly open-book financial management discussions, and are offered courses in personal finance and job-related skills training. When workers are paid a share of a co-op’s profits, 20 percent is paid in cash and 80 percent in “capital credits.”

Worker empowerment arises not only from building financial wealth, finding a voice as business managers, and acquiring new work and life skills, but from a sense that they are rebuilding their community. “They get what this is about,” says Howard. “They have lived in these neighborhoods and seen the degradation, and they are beginning to express themselves as leaders of renewal, as working for something that is inspiring hope.”

Evergreen’s Economic Impact

Evergreen envisions incubating up to 10 new, for-profit cooperatives over the medium term with the goal of employing about 500 residents of Greater University Circle. The longer term target is 25 to 50 co-ops employing up to 5,000.

Co-op leaders say it is really too early to quantify Evergreen’s impact on the Greater University Circle community, but, says Howard, “the truth is that in the neighborhood where we are creating jobs, literally nothing else is going on.” Jim Anderson, CEO of Evergreen Laundry, reports that he senses a palpable surge of pent-up optimism: “We have over 500 applications in our queue, and everyone who walks by the building asks, ‘Are you hiring?’”

Medrick Addison, operations manager of Evergreen Laundry, has seen tours of the facility by delegations from all over the country, including the deputy director of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and his entourage. “We have to make this work. The eyes of America are upon us,” Addison says.

Not Just a Poor People’s Strategy

Communities and cities outside of Cleveland are already latching on to the Evergreen vision. Howard reports that the Democracy Collaborative is working with civic leaders and foundations in Atlanta, in the greater Washington, D.C., metro area, and in the city of Richmond, Calif., to brainstorm anchor-institution-based cooperative strategies that are variations on the Evergreen theme.

Replicating the Evergreen model in the disinvested, low-income neighborhoods of this country, where more than 40 million people live below the poverty line, would have a huge impact, not just on employment levels and the wealth gap, but on civic life. But the Evergreen model is not limited to poor neighborhoods. It can be used anywhere to build the new economy.

Green Jobs CallingThe citizens of two cities are finding the customers, finances, and skills to put together green jobs.

“Evergreen is about building your community with the assets you already have in place, leveraging them, doing import substitution, and being mindful of the environmental consequences,” says Howard. “All of this is relevant to any community. This is now our work, to prove that it can first be done in Cleveland.”

Sharon Kaiser, a supervisor and worker-owner at Evergreen Laundry, reports that her friends and family are eager to hear about what is happening inside Evergreen. “They want to know what they can do to be part of this,” she says. “It is a very positive thing for the community.” This expressed longing to participate in Evergreen’s model of sustainable wealth-building should not be underestimated. As Howard describes it, Evergreen is unleashing a powerful force: “the energy of people to become actors in history in their own lifetimes.”

This article was adapted for New Livelihoods, the Fall 2011 issue of YES! Magazine, by the author from a case study for Capital Institute’s Field Guide for Investing in a Resilient Economy.

Live Interview About Urban Farming and The Urban Conversion

noreply@blogger.com (FreshGreen Kim) — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 07:03:18 PST

Kids and Me

noreply@blogger.com (FreshGreen Kim) — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 07:30:29 PST

I appreciate the guest post, Ignacio Phillips

My kids and I decided to have a really frank talk about getting green at home after then had a little global warming lesson in class. The teacher apparently asked them "What uses the most energy in your house?" That led to a whole conversation when they got home about where we could cut back to make things better for the environment. We decided to start by changing all the lightbulbs to more energy efficient ones and we’ve begun composting, too, to start up the vegetable garden we’ve got in the back. I love that they’re interested in doing what’s good for the environment but you know, I can only imagine what it’s going to be like when they get older. I love that they’re responsible though and that’s why I send them to a progressive school – it’s great the way they come home with thoughts and questions that need picking at further. They’re smart kids and they’re only getting smarter!

In accordance with FTC disclosure regulations, the preceding post was commissioned by a sponsor.

Amazon Rain™ Green

noreply@blogger.com (FreshGreen Kim) — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 05:00:08 PST

TWO CHANCES TO WIN: Captain Coupon or Having Fun Saving

Our Daily Green had the opportunity to review a skin care line from Amazon Rain™, a subsidiary of the Amazon Herb Company founded by "Amazon John" Easterling, husband of musician and actress Olivia Newton-John, who is probably most famous for her role as Sandy in the hit movie musical, Grease.

While Our Daily Green is not necessarily excited by celebrity driven products and endorsements, having personally met Newton-John and seeing the healthy glow of her complexion is quite a personal endorsement for the product and we couldn't wait to review it. The temptation to burst into song and hope for a bad-boy Danny Zuko to appear in a lettermen's sweater was pretty strong. While that didn't happen, we are happy to report that Amazon Rain™ lives up to its billing.

The author with Olivia Newton-John in 2006

Olivia has moved forward from her days portraying a 1950s Rydell High School cheerleader, even if she appears not to have aged. She has received numerous awards and honors in the area of environmentalism, including service as the United Nation's Goodwill Ambassador for the environment. Her sincere commitment to caring for our planet and ourselves speaks volumes.

Amazon Rain™ sent Our Daily Green full sized samples of their skin care essentials to review (FTC disclosure); botanical cleanser, camu c serum, and replenishing moisturizer.

The company uses either organic or wild-crafted ingredients. Wild-crafted means the botanical ingredients are harvested wild in their natural environment, collected by hand in an ecologically-sustainable manner. Either way, they are never treated with pesticides, herbicides or chemical fertilizers.

SAFE (Stroud Award of Freshwater Excellence) Water Award

Portions of the company's profits go directly back to supporting indigenous communities in the Amazon. In fact, the couple recently received a SAFE Water Award for their continuing work in the Peruvian Amazon. Amazon Rain™ also supports The Prince's Rainforests Projects and the Amazon Center for Environmental Education and Research (ACEER).

After using the products for a full two weeks, we are happy to report a healthy glow from an environmentally responsible product but we're still waiting for Danny Zuko to show. A special thank you to our friends at Amazon Herb and Rain for your commitment to earth friendly living.

Honoring Camouflage Green

noreply@blogger.com (FreshGreen Kim) — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 05:06:46 PST

Today, Our Daily Green paints our space with camouflage in honor of the Veterans who have served and those who still are serving.

Reflexively, we want to organize drives or collections for our military with the holidays approaching. However, this may not be the best time or the most efficient way to support our soldiers. From the AnySoldier.com website:

We want to show our support to the folks who are far from their families fighting this war and we want to do all we can to show them that they are not forgotten. We realize how cool it would be to coordinate a huge drive to collect tons of stuff and money to send to all 50,117 of them to feel better during the holidays.

And we can do it! But maybe we shouldn't.

We learned a lot of lessons in the last 8 years, 2 months and 16 days, and we strive to do things better. Please read on.

This is really a tough call. Every year so many folks wait until the holidays to send their packages that units are buried, not to mention the APO/FPO. Please keep in mind that most units have no place for massive amounts of packages, nor the means to move them. So, what are you supposed to do? Simple, really.

You should never send more then 5 packages to the same address at the same time. Actually, 1-2 a day is best. Chances are you are not the only person sending something and the soldiers will have to deal with the packages on their 'down time', which I can tell you isn't much at all.We can't stress this enough:

NO large shipments at the same time to the same address. Ever. Send early. OK, you knew that. Holiday shipping dates from the USPS are posted on this web site as soon as we get them.

Keep the packages SMALL!!! Remember, this is about support, not just stuff. Think about this: Mail call, the Soldier hears his/her name called out, with joy he/she gazes toward the box that the mail clerk points to. Friggin box is bigger than the tent he/she lives in. Weighs more then a Battalion Commander! Not cool...

Are we saying don't do anything? No, we are asking for you to realize that you can be part of the solution. The many wonderful folks who have participated in supporting our service members have been simply outstanding in their generosity. There is no doubt you will continue.

Many, many people will not know about this and with good intentions actually help cause a huge log jam. I am asking for all the folks involved with the Any Soldier Inc. web site and effort to not do big drives this holiday, or at least really think how what you will do effects the folks you are trying to support.

Help them all year, not just the holidays.

Another idea is a charity I wrote about a few years ago, and it's still going strong. Games for Heroes was founded by two young men in New York who realized the soldiers are just a few years older than they are. They collect handheld video game units and game cartridges to send to the soldiers so they have some portable entertainment. So if you upgrade your handheld video games over the holidays, send the old ones to Games for Heroes in January.

If you have other electronics you wish to recycle, Recycle for Soldiers is an excellent organization. They accept: cell phones, PDAs, inkjets, iPods, laptops, and digital cameras.

Groupon Deal on Coffee

noreply@blogger.com (FreshGreen Kim) — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 12:05:14 PST

From time to time, our affiliates offer special deals for us to pass along to our readers. Today's deal on organic coffee was fabulous and we wanted to share it with our coffee loving friends. (as previously documented, we are serious about our coffee here [One Hundred Things Green Aug 05, 2010 #8: I could drink plain, black coffee by the potful.]

According to their site:

Our History:

Established in 2007, The Bean Coffee Company—a family-owned and oriented business—began its journey in farmer’s markets in Southern California before expanding to Marin County and beyond. The overwhelmingly positive response encouraged the founders to expand into community events, markets and local eateries. Enjoying exponential growth in early 2008, The Bean, with the acquisition of our roasting facility in Southern California, has combined 28 years of roasting experience with our innovative commitment to Great Taste, Quality and Health!

$45 for 6 one-pound bags of organic, whole-bean coffee from The Bean Coffee Company ($90.70 value)

Our Daily Green

from the Campaign for a Commercial Free Childhood...

Eight Tips To Boost Your Energy Level (guest post)

1. Take Power Naps

2. Talk To Friends

3. Listen to Active Music

4. Sleep Early and Enough

5. Morning Walk

6. Act Energetic

7. Finish Small Tasks

8. Don't Misuse Food

Our Daily Black

Bar Shampoo Green

Meatless Monday Meal: Broad Noodles with Lentils

TakePart: 30 Ways in 30 Days

A Clean Green New Year

Being Married

Year End Accounting of Green

(Guest Post) Coupons and Organic Food: Eating Healthy on a Budget

Fitness Green

There's a Green App for That!

Recycled Card Program Green

Smaller House Green

(Guest Post) The Dangers of Crying Wolf in the Green Movement

Conglomer-ATE infographic

Conglomer-ATE: The Consolidation of American Food (Infographic)

Bricor Showerhead Green

Carbon Reduction

Preserve™ the Green

Worker Co-ops: reprint from YES! Magazine

Ohio Cooperative Solar began turning a profit within the first five months of operation. The First Evergreen Cooperatives

Nurturing the Evergreen Vision

Benefits for Worker-Owners and the Community

Evergreen’s Economic Impact

Not Just a Poor People’s Strategy

Live Interview About Urban Farming and The Urban Conversion

Kids and Me

Amazon Rain™ Green

Honoring Camouflage Green

Groupon Deal on Coffee

Ohio Cooperative Solar began turning a profit within the first five months of operation.

The First Evergreen Cooperatives