EcoHearth.com Global Feed

Green Home Glossary: Your Guide to Eco-Home Terminology, Ideas and Definitions

EcoContact@EcoHearth.com (Maggie Baxter | Article) — Fri, 25 Sep 2015 05:00:00 +0000

If you are looking to buy a green home, you likely will run into terms like passive solar, active solar, water catchment, LEED certification, xeriscaping, Earthship, pervious concrete, daylighting, etc. As sustainable architecture continues to grow in popularity, so does the vocabulary associated with it. Whether you’re searching for a new house with eco-friendly features or you’re interested in making some green upgrades to your current home, you may find the options and terminology overwhelming. To clear up some of the confusion, here are definitions of today’s most used environmental-home terms and buzzwords: {readmorelink}Read on…{/readmorelink}

Airline Food: Staying Healthy and Eco-Conscious at 30,000 Feet

EcoContact@EcoHearth.com (Tonya Kay | Blog Entry) — Thu, 24 Sep 2015 05:00:00 +0000

So you fly a lot, as I do, and you have successfully navigated eleven countries, all fifty states and the realization that "just because it's free does not mean I'm hungry," saving your already time-zone interrupted, altitudinally exposed and frequent-flier seat-restricted digestive tract from thousands of roasted peanuts, cheesy goldfish and unidentifiable thrice-heated meals. Then you are off to a good start as far as staying healthy as you trot around the globe. {readmorelink}Read on…{/readmorelink}

Leveraging the Sun: Daylighting and Passive Solar Heating

EcoContact@EcoHearth.com (Alison Pruitt | Article) — Wed, 23 Sep 2015 05:00:00 +0000

The sun is the source of 99.98% of all energy on Earth. Even the power in fossil fuels is just solar energy stored over the course of eons. Unfortunately, fossil fuels are costly to extract, cause global warming when burned and take the Earth millions of years to replace.

A better solution is to tap the energy in sunlight just as it reaches the Earth. Even without solar panels (which put a strain on our environment, though less so than fossil fuels), you can supply the lion’s share of your lighting and heating needs this way. Through thoughtful building design or retrofit, based on techniques known as daylighting and passive solar heating, it’s easy to save money and reduce your carbon footprint by leveraging the abundant, easily accessible and free solar energy flooding the planet daily. {readmorelink}Read on…{/readmorelink}

Planet Sludge: Millions of Abandoned, Leaking Natural Gas and Oil Wells to Foul Our Future

EcoContact@EcoHearth.com (Steven Kotler | Investigative Report) — Tue, 22 Sep 2015 05:00:00 +0000

Major oil spills and natural-gas leaks certainly capture our attention. And in recent decades there have been many. They include accidental releases of fossil fuels into the environment (with millions of gallons noted in parentheses) in Kuwait during the Gulf War (240-336); Bay of Campeche, Mexico (140); Trinidad and Tobago, West Indies (88.3); Fergana Valley, Uzbekistan (87.7); Nowruz Oil Field, Persian Gulf (80); Angolan coast (80); Saldanha Bay, South Africa (78.5); off Brittany, France (68.7); off Nova Scotia, Canada (43); Genoa, Italy (42); Exxon Valdez spill off Alaska (11); and BP's Deepwater Horizon platform leak in the Gulf of Mexico (205). Yet, thanks to millions of unsupervised, abandoned, improperly capped wells, these represent just a small percentage of both the number of leaking wells and the amount of oil and gas released. {readmorelink}Read on...{/readmorelink}

Ten Steps to Socially Responsible Investing

EcoContact@EcoHearth.com (Guest Contributor | Blog Entry) — Mon, 21 Sep 2015 05:00:00 +0000

You want to meet your financial goals, but want to do so without harming others, and in a manner that promotes the public good. This is a loose definition of socially responsible investing (SRI).

If you are opposed to pollution, war and worker exploitation, you wouldn't want to buy stock in a company that profits from one or more of these. If you think the use of fossil fuels causes global warming, you might choose to invest in the alternative energy sector, for example. It's not difficult to put your money where your beliefs are. Here are ten easy steps to get you on the road to to socially responsible investing. {readmorelink}Read on…{/readmorelink}

Family Bird-Watching: Bringing Parents and Kids Closer to Nature

EcoContact@EcoHearth.com (Willow Lune | Article) — Sun, 20 Sep 2015 05:00:00 +0000

As my six-year-old son careened down the path in skates, he stopped to pick up a piece of trash along the way. He remarked that garbage along pathways could be dangerous for birds and other wildlife, then suddenly changed gears and pointed excitedly to a flock of cedar waxwings flying overhead. We paused to take in that beautiful sight. Our intention on this particular trip was not for bird-watching or trash collecting. It was solely for skating. So what happened? {readmorelink}Read on…{/readmorelink}

Sprouting at Home: Always Fresh, Always Local

EcoContact@EcoHearth.com (Rhiannon Bernice | Article) — Sat, 19 Sep 2015 05:00:00 +0000

Winter in the northern hemisphere can be rough if, like me, you love to eat salad twice a day—sometimes even for breakfast. While there are lots of live salad-type greens for sale at my local co-op and other health-food stores, these aren’t at the top of my list of favorite things to buy this time of year. Since most are shipped in from warmer climates, they require a lot more energy to get from Mexico (or wherever) to me, and I just can’t get down with the idea of making a huge carbon footprint just to get my daily dose of vitamins and roughage. {readmorelink}Read on...{/readmorelink}

The Journey Is the Destination: Traveling the Unbeaten Path

EcoContact@EcoHearth.com (Rich Bard | Blog Entry) — Fri, 18 Sep 2015 05:00:00 +0000

Hiking off the trail is the physical equivalent of free association. Think jazz with your daypack on. Jackson Pollack in hiking boots. With each step, you have 360 degrees to choose from. You have no agenda, no destination, no appointments to keep. You're out for a hike (or snowshoe in the winter), open to seeing what you see, making it up as you go. Now that's my kind of hiking. In fact, it's such an integral part of my life that I named my blog after it. {readmorelink}Read on…{/readmorelink}

Meltdown or Mother Lode: The New Truth About Nuclear Power

EcoContact@EcoHearth.com (Steven Kotler | Article) — Mon, 01 Jun 2015 05:00:00 +0000

Is nuclear energy safe? To some, atomic reactors are the face of the future; to others, the ticking time bombs of the past. Japan's 2011 Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster in particular has led to a renewed interest in alternatives and next-generation nukes.

Here Steven Kotler examines the evolution of nuclear technology and explains how the new wave of atomic reactors is cleaner, safer and less vulnerable to both terrorist attack and natural disaster. Some people even think they could solve both our energy crisis and global warming in one fell swoop. {readmorelink}Read on...{/readmorelink}

Know Your Lifeboat: An Interview With Permaculturist Brock Dolman

EcoContact@EcoHearth.com (Marita Prandoni | Interview) — Mon, 01 Jun 2015 05:00:00 +0000

Brock Dolman is a permaculturist at the Occidental Arts and Ecology Center (OAEC) based in Occidental, California. He is a member of the Sowing Circle Intentional Community and is Director of the OAEC’s WATER Institute (Watershed Advocacy, Training, Education, & Research) and Permaculture Design Program. He also co-directs OAEC’s Wildlands Biodiversity Program. {readmorelink}Read on…{/readmorelink}

Greening Your Bathroom for Both Personal and Planetary Health

EcoContact@EcoHearth.com (Willow Lune | Article) — Mon, 01 Jun 2015 05:00:00 +0000

These days, it’s hard to go anywhere without hearing something about going green or becoming eco-friendly. With the world’s population and consumption both rising at an alarming rate while the world’s natural resources remain fixed, it may all seem quite daunting. So why not start with something simple? Perhaps you could green one room in your home. Here are some simple steps that you can take today to make your bathroom safer—not only for the environment, but also for your family's health. {readmorelink}Read on…{/readmorelink}

Natural Insect Repellent—Safe for You, Safe for the Planet

EcoContact@EcoHearth.com (Tonya Kay | Article) — Fri, 15 May 2015 05:00:00 +0000

I refuse to spray DEET or other insecticides or insect repellents on my precious skin. Or stand next to you while you're spraying it. People, what are you thinking? The labels have warnings, but we all should already know: DEET is a neurotoxin that "may cause" mental confusion, mood disturbances, seizures, loss of muscular control, paralysis and death by asphyxiation—which is why it's used as a pesticide. If you are trying to eat and grow organically, then why would you spray pesticides directly on your skin? Or next to someone you love? So what does a natural girl, who doesn't want to be bitten by mosquitoes in the great outdoors, do? Here's my guide to keeping insects at bay without harming yourself or the Earth. {readmorelink}Read on…{/readmorelink}

How to Plant a Vegetable Garden

EcoContact@EcoHearth.com (Marina Hanes | Article) — Mon, 04 May 2015 05:00:00 +0000

If you've ever tasted fresh-off-the-vine tomatoes or other home-grown vegetables, you'll likely never forget the flavor. Maybe you've thought about starting your own vegetable garden--in your back yard or as part of a community plot—but you worried you didn't know enough to make it worth your while. Well, it's not as hard as you think. With the information provided in the following primer, even if your thumb is some color other than green, you can soon be harvesting delicious, nutritious and safe food for your family, friends and yourself—and saving money in the process. {readmorelink}Read on...{/readmorelink}

Jack Johnson: Music to the Earth’s Ears

EcoContact@EcoHearth.com (Francisco Ramos | Article) — Thu, 12 Mar 2015 05:00:00 +0000

At a time when going green is a new fashion trend among celebrities and those who aspire to be like them, there are few who serve as true catalysts for the cause. Hawaiian native and recording artist, Jack Johnson, is one of them. He has become not only a symbol of laid-back acoustic music, but also an eco-conscious artist/businessman. By transforming the way his music is created and enjoyed by people all across the globe, he has taken his pro-environmental words and made them into reality. {readmorelink}Read on…{/readmorelink}

The Best Documentaries About Nature and Ecology

EcoContact@EcoHearth.com (Rick Theis | Article) — Mon, 02 Mar 2015 05:00:00 +0000

There are many great environmental documentaries besides Al Gore’s informative and Academy Award-winning film, An Inconvenient Truth. To see the best, check out the brief environmental, ecology and nature movie reviews presented below from A to Z. If you are in the mood for some ecology related "edutainment" in the form of a motion picture, you'll be hard-pressed to top them. {readmorelink}Read on…{/readmorelink}

Build a Solar Food Dehydrator—Easy, Inexpensive, Detailed Plans

EcoContact@EcoHearth.com (Tonya Kay | Article) — Mon, 02 Mar 2015 05:00:00 +0000

Who doesn’t love dried fruits and vegetables? There’s the extra sweetness and concentrated flavor. They can be eaten “as is” or reconstituted with water. They’re lightweight—easy to carry to class, to work or even around the world. And don’t forget their environmental friendliness: they can be stored nearly forever without refrigeration, they don’t need to be cooked to be enjoyed and, unlike so many other foods, they don’t come wrapped in excessive packaging (especially if you make them yourself).

Under the right conditions in the right climate, certain foods dehydrate naturally. But you can build your own food dehydrator to create favorable conditions wherever you are with the free plans below. {readmorelink}Read on…{/readmorelink}

How to Make Kombucha: My Raw Kombucha Recipe

EcoContact@EcoHearth.com (Tonya Kay | Blog Entry) — Mon, 02 Mar 2015 05:00:00 +0000

As promised, I'm going to tell you how to make kombucha, but not just any kombucha. Here’s my top-secret, uber-economical, super-green and wildly delicious raw kombucha recipe developed over years of toil and research (aka: learning to get out of nature's way). To start your own home raw kombucha fermentation project, I recommend first doing three successful test runs on cane sugar. Then once you have the standardized fermentation process down, you can start having some fun by varying my raw kombucha recipe. {readmorelink}Read on...{/readmorelink}

Genetically Engineered Microorganisms: Small Creatures Vs. Our Biggest Problems

EcoContact@EcoHearth.com (Aaron Lada, Ph.D. | Article) — Sat, 28 Feb 2015 05:00:00 +0000

Solutions to the global problems of cleaning up pollution and finding new renewable energy sources may be found by looking to microorganisms. Bacteria, algae and other such minute creatures form the base of the food chain in most ecosystems, decompose material that returns valuable nutrients to the environment and are capable of producing ethanol, methane gas and other bio fuels. Utilizing their natural abilities to clean up after other organisms and to produce energy from a variety of sources is certainly promising. {readmorelink}Read on…{/readmorelink}

Celebrity Environmentalists: The Top-Ten Green Stars

EcoContact@EcoHearth.com (Rick Theis | Article) — Fri, 27 Feb 2015 05:00:00 +0000

With privilege should come responsibility. And in the case of the following show-business celebrities, it has. They are using their visibility, popularity and wealth to promote important ecological awareness and initiatives among their fans—and anyone who consumes the media their stardom generates. Not only that, these rich and famous advocates of environmentalism actually practice what they preach. Below is EcoHearth’s countdown of the top-ten eco-celebrities. {readmorelink}Read on…{/readmorelink}

Welcome to the Anthropocene Era

EcoContact@EcoHearth.com (Marita Prandoni | Blog Entry) — Thu, 26 Feb 2015 05:00:00 +0000

Since the advent of the industrial revolution, human activity has significantly altered natural environments—to the extent that the time dating from the steam engine’s invention in 1784 to the present is considered a new geologic period. It is known as the Anthropocene Era, a moniker coined by 2000 Nobel Laureate and atmospheric chemist, Paul Crutzen. {readmorelink}Read on...{/readmorelink}

The Best Feature Films With an Enviromental Theme

EcoContact@EcoHearth.com (Ryan Miga | Article) — Wed, 25 Feb 2015 05:00:00 +0000

As people become increasingly concerned about our ecology, we're seeing more movies centered around green issues or with environmental themes. Filmmakers are using a broken Earth as the ready-made “villain” for the 21st century. During the Cold War, movie heroes constantly fought against evil Russians; these days, film stars struggle against environmental collapse. Here are capsule reviews of the top—recent and classic—fictional environmental films for children and adults: {readmorelink}Read on...{/readmorelink}

No Car Required: The World’s Top Public Transit, Pedestrian and Bike-centric Cities

EcoContact@EcoHearth.com (Evan Miller | Blog Entry) — Mon, 23 Feb 2015 05:00:00 +0000

With global warming a growing concern, anything that spews CO₂—a major cause of climate change—is a no-no. Cars are responsible for about 35% of all CO₂ emissions, so it’s fortunate that some forward-thinking cities have used urban planning to provide attractive alternatives to the automobile—primarily transport by foot, bike, bus and train. Not only are these better for the environment, but they make us healthier, save time and increase our bank accounts. {readmorelink}Read on…{/readmorelink}

All About Wells: A Guide to Your Own Personal Water Supply

EcoContact@EcoHearth.com (Aaron Lada, Ph.D. | Article) — Tue, 10 Feb 2015 05:00:00 +0000

Approximately 15% of Americans rely on private wells for their drinking water and other water needs. These wells are essentially the same as the early versions humans have depended upon for thousands of years. While wells can access clean, naturally filtered water, well owners must be vigilant in monitoring for contaminants and protecting their personal water supplies. Here is the information you need to do just that—plus nearly everything else you've always wanted to know about water wells.{readmorelink}Read on…{/readmorelink}

Organic, Biodynamic and Sustainable Eco Wines, Part 7: Why Eco-Consciously Produced Wine Is Best

EcoContact@EcoHearth.com (Tonya Kay | Blog Entry) — Mon, 09 Feb 2015 05:00:00 +0000

Some select the foods they eat solely on the basis of taste. Some are trying to affect their body's health or shape. Others make food choices based purely on convenience. Children often don’t get to choose at all; they eat what they are given by the adults in their lives. The reasons for food selection are as numerous as the stars in the sky. One thing is certain: to those of us living in the United States, at least, it usually is a choice. {readmorelink}Read on…{/readmorelink}

Choosing Energy-Efficient Lighting: CFLs, LEDs and Solar

EcoContact@EcoHearth.com (Alison Pruitt | Article) — Thu, 05 Feb 2015 05:00:00 +0000

If you’re like a lot of people, you want environmentally friendly lighting, but you’re not sure what kind to choose. If you’re looking for something beyond the traditional, energy-inefficient incandescent bulb, these days you have a wide range of choices, including Compact Fluorescent (CFL), Light-Emitting Diode (LED) and solar-powered lights. Although all are better than incandescents, each has its limitations and advantages. Here is a quick guide. {readmorelink}Read on…{/readmorelink}

Closing the Food Gap: An Interview With Mark Winne

EcoContact@EcoHearth.com (Marita Prandoni | Interview) — Wed, 28 Jan 2015 05:00:00 +0000

Mark Winne is a community food advocate and former executive director of the nonprofit Hartford Food System, based in Hartford, Connecticut, where he worked for 24 years. While there he helped to develop commercial food businesses, farmers’ markets, a food bank, nutrition education programs and a community-supported agriculture (CSA) operation on a 25-acre farm. {readmorelink}Read on...{/readmorelink}

‘The Eco Tourist’ Web Series: Great Travel Tips for the Eco-Conscious Globe Trotter

EcoContact@EcoHearth.com (Tonya Kay | Blog Entry) — Sat, 24 Jan 2015 05:00:00 +0000

It doesn't take a cast of thousands or a studio budget to produce media anymore. As soon as I switched to a Mac computer, I became a media mogul. I joke to myself sometimes that "I was born content"—in other words, I was born with an adventurous spirit, a desire to communicate and the talent to entertain. With such user-friendly creative tools on the computer nowadays, nothing holds me back from sharing the entertaining and hopefully thought-provoking content that is my life. {readmorelink}Read on...{/readmorelink}

One Nation Under Drugs: Big Pharma Is Sabotaging Your Health and the Earth's

EcoContact@EcoHearth.com (Shane Ellison, M.S. | Commentary) — Wed, 14 Jan 2015 05:00:00 +0000

As a medicinal chemist, I tried to ignore my suspicion that an insidious and deliberate conspiracy to get each and every American hooked on drugs, while at the same time bankrupting them, existed between Big Pharma and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

I enjoyed my work. Drug design paid well and kept me comfortably isolated in a high-tech lab, fully equipped to help me bend and twist matter at will. The last thing I wanted to think of was a plot designed to sabotage health and wealth—while causing untold ecological damage—using my chemistry skills. But over time, experience confirmed my suspicion as fact and revealed something even scarier. {readmorelink}Read on…{/readmorelink}

LA: When It Rains, It Pours

EcoContact@EcoHearth.com (Joe Donnelly | Commentary) — Sun, 04 Jan 2015 05:00:00 +0000

Seems it never rains in Southern California
Seems I've often heard
that kind of talk before
It never rains in California
But, girl, don't they warn ya
It pours, man, it pours.
- Albert Hammond, “It Never Rains In
Southern California,” 1972

It’s true, it seems it never does rain in Southern California, or at least not in the past four years during which we’ve seen a record-breaking dry spell. It’s been so dry that during one year-long stretch, from July 1, 2006, to June 30, 2007, it rained only 2.43 inches in Los Angeles. It’s been so bad that Governor Schwarzenegger (and it’s a sign I’ve been here too long that I don’t have to look up how to spell his name) recently declared a state of emergency over the ongoing drought. {readmorelink}Read on...{/readmorelink}

Does Intentional Eating Require Relocation to a New Climate?

EcoContact@EcoHearth.com (Jessica Dallas | Blog Entry) — Sat, 03 Jan 2015 05:00:00 +0000

The average consumer’s eco footprint comes largely from his food. I choose not to eat meat, dairy and processed food as it tends to leave a big carbon footprint. I encourage my kids and my spouse to do the same.

We juice and get creative with what goes in our bodies. We tend to look at food as nourishment rather than entertainment. This is not to say that our food isn’t exciting, colorful and tasty. The wonderful thing about raw foods is the abundance of gorgeous ingredients from the world over. However, a primarily raw-foods diet and reducing one’s carbon footprint can be contradictory. {readmorelink}Read on…{/readmorelink}

Of the Earth, Not on the Earth: The Human Superorganism

EcoContact@EcoHearth.com (Steven Kotler | Commentary) — Fri, 02 Jan 2015 05:00:00 +0000

Lift up your arm. Hold it in front of you. Look at the distance from the elbow to the finger tip. Feel that weight and heft. Now, imagine that this mass of your body actually belonged to someone else.

Literally. You owned all the other real estate, but that stretch of arm was actually not you. Because that’s exactly the truth.

Genetic analysis of our gastrointestinal tracts find it home to more than a hundred thousand billion (that’s a ten with fourteen zeroes) individual microorganisms from more than 36 species.

And this is just the beginning. We now know that more than 90% of the cells in our bodies are nonhuman. Added together, in mass, these cells would stretch from elbow to fingertip. But their real power extends even further. {readmorelink}Read on…{/readmorelink}

Land Trusts: Grassroots Conservation at Its Best

EcoContact@EcoHearth.com (Rich Bard | Blog Entry) — Fri, 02 Jan 2015 05:00:00 +0000

Who owns your favorite hiking trail? Who is responsible for the pristine mountain, valley, lake or stream that you see every day on your way to work, or where you go to get away from it all on the weekend? In the American West, the government owns millions of acres of public land, but in other parts of the country, most of the land that we use for hiking, scenic vistas, camping, fishing, birding, boating and generally rejuvenating the human spirit, has been preserved by land trusts. They also conserve historical sites, important wildlife habitats and even family farms. Do you know what land trusts have done to preserve land where you live? {readmorelink}Read on…{/readmorelink}

Eco Tube: What's Your GREEN New Year's Resolution?

EcoContact@EcoHearth.com (EcoHearth) — Thu, 01 Jan 2015 05:00:00 +0000

EcoHearth took its video crew down to Times Square, New York City, and asked passersby what they plan to do during the next twelve months to be better stewards of the Earth. To see the video containing a representative sample of their responses, click here.

An Achievable New Year’s Eco Resolution: 'Not-Doing'

EcoContact@EcoHearth.com (Marita Prandoni | Blog Entry) — Tue, 30 Dec 2014 05:00:00 +0000

I’ve never made New Year’s resolutions. They can end in feelings of guilt and drudgery. Sometimes they lead to consuming more, like buying exercise equipment—when getting outdoors for regular walks might have a more lasting effect.

I propose a different strategy for next year: Be less ambitious and, in Carlos Castaneda lingo, practice “not-doing.” This will shrink our impact on the resources and ecosystems that make it possible for us to survive. {readmorelink}Read on…{/readmorelink}

Happy Holidays From EcoHearth

EcoContact@EcoHearth.com (EcoHearth) — Wed, 24 Dec 2014 05:00:00 +0000

EcoHearth wishes you and yours a wonderful holiday season and much happiness in 2015. Please visit the site often for new ideas on how to be happier, healthier and a better steward of the Earth. To enjoy more beautiful and thought provoking photos like this one, visit Jennifer Esperanza's EcoHearth blog called Planet Esperanza Photos.

How to Celebrate Winter Solstice: The Ultimate Eco-Holiday

EcoContact@EcoHearth.com (Kim Ridley | Blog Entry) — Thu, 18 Dec 2014 05:00:00 +0000

The way our culture has come to celebrate the December holidays often leaves me feeling more miserable than merry. All of the shopping, the stuff and the stress seems to crowd out the anticipated joy of the season.

So, refusing to let cynicism prevent me from seeking the sacred, I decided to start a new tradition: honoring the original December holiday, the winter solstice. {readmorelink}Read on…{/readmorelink}

Christmas Is Trying to Kill Me

EcoContact@EcoHearth.com (Tonya Kay | Blog Entry) — Wed, 17 Dec 2014 05:00:00 +0000

Whoa, what has happened to my world in the last three weeks? Just when I thought Los Angeles traffic couldn't get more ridiculous, parking structures more cumbersome, or drivers grumpier and less safe, the holiday season began.

I'm driving to an audition, which is a usual part of my day, and suddenly there are three cars in front of me making dangerously bad moves and screaming out their windows about who is 'right'—like children... like jerks. I wonder if they even realize how miserable their holiday cheer has become? {readmorelink}Read on…{/readmorelink}

Eco-Friendly Winter Craft Ideas for Kids

EcoContact@EcoHearth.com (Erica Mukherjee | Article) — Tue, 16 Dec 2014 05:00:00 +0000

Even though the weather outside may be frightful and the proverbial fire delightful—with a house full of children home for a snow day, on the weekend or over the holidays, wouldn’t it be nice to have some fun and educational nature activities lined up? Unfortunately, in most parts of the country, kids can play outdoors in the middle of winter for only so long. And then what? No worries, you can use some of these eco-friendly winter craft ideas to keep them gainfully occupied for hours. {readmorelink}Read on...{/readmorelink}

The Importance of Handmade Gifts

EcoContact@EcoHearth.com (Charleen Touchette | Blog Entry) — Tue, 16 Dec 2014 05:00:00 +0000

When I was a girl, soon after the fall harvest I began making holiday gifts for my family, friends and teachers. Using whatever handwork or cooking skills I learned that year, I would knit, sew, embroider, bake, paint or sculpt homemade presents. As a young mom, the presents were jars of preserves, bottles of wine or dried herbs and sachets made from the gifts the Earth gives throughout the seasons. One year, I sewed placemats and napkins out of cloth remnants for each family member, and the children made punched tin napkin rings to go along. The joy we felt giving these gifts was deepened by the many hours we spent making them. {readmorelink}Read on...{/readmorelink}

How the Poinsettia Became a Christmas Plant

EcoContact@EcoHearth.com (Krista Fuentes | Blog Entry) — Wed, 10 Dec 2014 05:00:00 +0000

Glance in any direction this time of year and you're sure to spot a poinsettia. The lush plant with broad green and red leaves has come to signify the holiday season... but why?

It's certainly not due to a natural preference for cold weather. In fact, the euphorbia pulcherrima is a tropical plant, originating in Mexico, that does not do so well in temperatures below 50 degrees. Rather, like I do, it thrives at a sunny un-Christmas like 72 degrees. {readmorelink}Read on...{/readmorelink}

A Creative and Environmental Giftwrap Alternative

EcoContact@EcoHearth.com (Krista Fuentes | Blog Entry) — Sun, 07 Dec 2014 05:00:00 +0000

Don't buy so much (or any!) wrapping paper this holiday season. There are many alternative ways to decorate the birthday, anniversary, holiday and other presents you pass around.

One of my favorites is to wrap gifts in the pages of discarded fashion magazines. The photos and illustrations are often colorful and stylish—and they make attractive patterns when folded around a box. You can even make "bows" out of the same magazines by cutting them into snowflake or other patterns and layering them on top. {readmorelink}Read on…{/readmorelink}

The Greenest Consumer Is the Non-Consumer

EcoContact@EcoHearth.com (Tonya Kay | Blog Entry) — Sat, 06 Dec 2014 05:00:00 +0000

Bless the well-intentioned consumer. The biodegradable soap, the hemp briefcase and backpack, the energy-efficient light bulbs—and all of the other "guilt-free" end products of conscientious consumption—are becoming increasingly popular and make us feel much better about ourselves. But in the final analysis, just how much better, really, are these purchases for the environment? {readmorelink}Read on…{/readmorelink}

Eco Tube: What Would You Give Up to Help the Environment?

EcoContact@EcoHearth.com (EcoHearth) — Wed, 03 Dec 2014 05:00:00 +0000

EcoHearth took its camera crew outside the Tiffany & Co. store near Wall Street in Manhattan to ask passersby, "What possessions or activities might you forgo to help the environment?" To see the video containing a representative sample of the responses, click here.

Does All This Environmentalism Really Matter Anyway?

EcoContact@EcoHearth.com (Tonya Kay | Blog Entry) — Sun, 30 Nov 2014 05:00:00 +0000

There it is—right there! And even more over here. In fact, kale is all around. So, why can't I eat it for a salad today?

Catering on the set of this television show has oodles of kale—underneath the turkey slices, garnishing the deviled eggs, and floating wearily amidst melting ice under the serving bowls that hold… the iceberg salad option. Is my world set up to work against me? {readmorelink}Read on…{/readmorelink}

Eco Tube: An Environmental Thanksgiving

EcoContact@EcoHearth.com (EcoHearth) — Mon, 24 Nov 2014 05:00:00 +0000

EcoHearth took its camera crew to the farmer's market in downtown Brooklyn, New York, and asked passersby, "Environmentally speaking, what are you most thankful for this Thanksgiving?" To see the video containing a representative sample of the responses, click here.

Sprouting Seeds, Activating Nuts and Germinating Legumes

EcoContact@EcoHearth.com (Tonya Kay | Blog Entry) — Wed, 12 Nov 2014 05:00:00 +0000

Those who control seeds control the world. If you have the power to grow a plant that will nourish and feed you and your family, you have freedom. You do not have to accept rationing, insure yourself for medications, believe what they sell you or starve, so long as you possess food plant seeds and know how to grow them. {readmorelink}Read on...{/readmorelink}

Peat Forests: The Green Gold of Central Kalimantan, Indonesia

EcoContact@EcoHearth.com (André Oosterman | Blog Entry) — Sat, 08 Nov 2014 05:00:00 +0000

About eight years ago, I worked for several weeks in Palangka Raya, a small provincial capital in Indonesia. My job was to help the provincial government prepare a master plan for the rehabilitation of the world’s largest peat-forest area. On the day of my arrival, the local newspaper ran an article about the “Green Gold of Central Kalimantan.” I soon discovered that the newspaper was talking about an intangible form of gold. By rehabilitating its peat swamp forests, the provincial government of Central Kalimantan hoped to reduce CO₂ emissions from these forests, and sell these reductions to overseas buyers through REDD (Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation). REDD is a carbon finance mechanism that is under development by the international community. What follows is a short lesson in modern alchemy: how to turn improved peat-forest management into gold. {readmorelink}Read on…{/readmorelink}

The Joy of Fermentation

EcoContact@EcoHearth.com (Guest Contributor | Blog Entry) — Sat, 08 Nov 2014 05:00:00 +0000

I’m addicted to fermentation. It started innocently enough—my boyfriend’s mom gave me the old yogurt maker that had been sitting unused in her cupboard since the 1970s. I simply had to plug it in and leave some milk (and a little yogurt culture) to incubate for six hours, but I soon realized the vast potential for experimentation. What if I tried a different kind of milk? Or left it out for 12 hours instead of six? I could make it sour or sweet, thin or creamy. With little tweaks to the process, I could sculpt a unique creation that precisely fit my tastes. Or it could surprise me! {readmorelink}Read on…{/readmorelink}

Smudge: The 'Clean Coal' Ad Parody

EcoContact@EcoHearth.com (Rick Theis | Commentary) — Fri, 07 Nov 2014 05:00:00 +0000

In a direct challenge to the coal industry's ubiquitous "Clean Coal" campaign, The Reality Coalition has issued a counter ad. The hilarious spot, called "Smudge," is a devastating parody of the shameless greenwashing efforts of Big Coal—helped along by many Republicans and even some Democrats from coal producing states. It also reflects poorly on disingenuous green advertising in general, like that of fellow environmental villains, Big Oil.

The ad drives home the point that "clean coal" is a myth. In fact, some 600 coal-fired power plants in the US cause a third of our carbon dioxide emissions, a major contributor to climate change. And presently not one of these plants captures and stores its global warming pollution. This is not likely to change anytime soon because the coal conglomerates and their front groups are spending more on "clean coal" propaganda than on research into how they might actually rein in coal plant CO₂.

See the "Smudge" commercial parody here

See other eco-themed videos in our Eco Tube secton

How to Stop Buying, Find Eternal Happiness and Save the Earth

EcoContact@EcoHearth.com (Steven Kotler | Commentary) — Sat, 01 Nov 2014 05:00:00 +0000

When presented with a wild idea, at least if it’s a good one, many scientists tend to say about the same thing: ‘I don’t know if it’s true, but it’s a good metaphor to think with.’

Punctuated Equilibrium is a good metaphor to think with.

It’s one of the ideas evolutionary biologists use to explain why most sexually reproducing species see very little evolutionary change throughout most of their history, but this stasis is punctuated by periods of intense fluctuation.

The Punctuated Equilibrium theory says that life likes stasis and that when evolution does occur—when stasis is upset and a species splits into two—it happens in localized, rare and rapid events. {readmorelink}Read on…{/readmorelink}

Eat Life = Receive Life: Eating a Diet of 'Living Food'

EcoContact@EcoHearth.com (Tonya Kay | Blog Entry) — Thu, 30 Oct 2014 05:00:00 +0000

Raw foodists ideally try to eat actual living foods as the bulk of their diet. "Eat life = receive life," that's how I think of it.

So what's the easiest way to tell if a food you intend to eat is still alive? Go for the rot! That is, if your food continues its life process by fermenting and eventually composting, it still has life in it. If it sits in a can, box or bag in the middle aisles of your grocery store without changing much, it's a dead food. Simple as that! {readmorelink}Read on...{/readmorelink}

Enjoy Life and Still Reduce Your Carbon Footprint

EcoContact@EcoHearth.com (Tonya Kay | Blog Entry) — Thu, 23 Oct 2014 05:00:00 +0000

I met a woman from Spain while staying at an organic farm/hostel at the base of Japan's Mount Fuji. She said that humans (specifically, she was speaking of Spaniards) are leaving very deep footprints on the world. She, like me, obviously wishes to leave lots of footprints all over the world through travel, but perhaps prints more like those from snow shoes over freshly fallen winter powder. Or, better yet, like sandy beach prints washed away entirely by the next tide. {readmorelink}Read on…{/readmorelink}

Hyper-Individualism: Bad for Children, Bad for the Earth

EcoContact@EcoHearth.com (Marita Prandoni | Blog Entry) — Wed, 22 Oct 2014 05:00:00 +0000

A recent BBC story by Mark Easton called “Selfish Adults ‘Damage Childhood’” piqued my interest, especially when it cited too much competition in education as a key reason. Easton summarized a three-year study by the Children’s Society called “The Good Childhood Inquiry” in which the panel concluded that children’s lives in Britain have become “more difficult than in the past.” It cited “family break-up, unprincipled advertising, too much competition in education and income inequality” as key reasons. The report also says that individual freedom and self-determination have been good for society, but that too much of this can lead to the decline of emotional health in children. {readmorelink}Read on...{/readmorelink}

The Five-Year Baby Ban

EcoContact@EcoHearth.com (Steven Kotler | Commentary) — Mon, 20 Oct 2014 05:00:00 +0000

I’m about to ask you for a favor. It’s a big favor, maybe the biggest favor you’ve ever been asked for. Most likely you’re not going to want to grant it. Perhaps you won’t like me for asking. So before I begin, I’d like to tell you a little about why I’m asking.

A couple of years ago, I was talking to a friend about the $2 billion that the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is spending to eradicate diseases plaguing the Third World. This number is not small change. The $800 million the Foundation donates each year for global health equals the total budget of the United Nations World Health Organization, comprised of 193 nations. “But you know the worst part?” my friend asked. “Most of that money is for fighting diseases in children. And unless something changes, we better hope they fail.” {readmorelink}Read on…{/readmorelink}

'Lacto-Fermented Root Beer' Recipe

EcoContact@EcoHearth.com (Guest Contributor | Blog Entry) — Thu, 02 Oct 2014 05:00:00 +0000

As I will freely admit, I adore fermentation. I wrote about my fascination with it in a recent blog entry on this site. What's so great about fermentation? Well, it's fun, healthy, saves money and connects us intimately to our food. And, as I mentioned in my blog entry, "nothing beats the feeling of accomplishment I get from the sour-tangy taste of well-fermented food." You'll find plenty of fermentation recipes scattered across the Web, but one of the easiest and most delicious that I've found is for lacto-fermented root beer. {readmorelink}Read on…{/readmorelink}

Hocma for Spaceship Earth: The Time Is Now, the Choice Is Ours

EcoContact@EcoHearth.com (Steven Kotler | Commentary) — Wed, 01 Oct 2014 05:00:00 +0000

“Spaceship Earth” is a phrase not used much any more, but it’s been around for a while and seems worth revisiting.

Everybody’s best guess at an origin dates back to Henry George’s 1879 book, Progress and Poverty, and the line: “It is a well-provisioned ship, this on which we sail through space.” It popped up again in 1965, when Adlai Stevenson said, “We travel together, passengers on this little ship, dependent on its vulnerable reserves of air and soil.”

But it was Buckminster Fuller’s 1969 Operating Manual for the Spaceship Earth that firmly cemented it into our consciousness. When he used the phrase, he meant it literally: we are literally surrounded by a vast and hostile universe. The average temperature in intergalactic space is three degrees above absolute zero. The nearest source of warmth is usually several hundred million light years away. {readmorelink}Read on…{/readmorelink}

Eco Baby: Green Nursery and DIY Mobile Project

EcoContact@EcoHearth.com (Jessica Dallas | Blog Entry) — Tue, 30 Sep 2014 05:00:00 +0000

Having a baby can be an amazing time. Full of ups and downs, preparations and discoveries. It is also a time when we call to mind our basic values and decide what should be passed on and what can be left behind.

I wanted to perpetuate a greener environment and a greener nursery with the birth of my child. The best way I saw fit to follow these principles was through a simple nursery design with elements that reflected what was reasonable for our economic bracket and conservationist values. {readmorelink}Read on…{/readmorelink}

Save a Tree, Hug a Highrise?

EcoContact@EcoHearth.com (Angie Hacker | Article) — Tue, 02 Sep 2014 05:00:00 +0000

A few thousand years ago, man discovered how to store surplus supplies of food and how to transport water, leaving him free to move from the farm to the city (long story short, of course). Since then, two opposing schools of thought have remained at loggerheads in community development circles: urban verus non-urban living.

This debate on the merits of these lifestyles has been generally characterized by personal preferences, such as access to trade, culture, space and nature. Today, new considerations for environmental sustainability and the urgency associated with global climate change suggest that where one lives is also a moral decision—one that will ultimately affect the ability for current and future generations to sustain themselves with adequate, clean resources. {readmorelink}Read on…{/readmorelink}

Watch those Carbs: Join the 350 Club!

EcoContact@EcoHearth.com (Fiona Sinclair, Ph.D. | Commentary) — Fri, 01 Aug 2014 05:00:00 +0000

The 100-watt light bulb has officially been turned off in Europe. Nearly two hundred years of high-illuminating incandescence has reached its final demise. As we turn into the ninth year of the 21st century, this evildoer of carbon emissions is relegated to the dustbin of history.

This is just a step though, a baby step. For every hour the 100-watt light bulb has lit the faces of dreamers, it has drawn on about 1/10th of a kWh (kilowatt-hour) of energy, most likely forced from its source in coal, gas or atomic fission and leaving a cloud of carbon or a mile of half-lives in their wake. {readmorelink}Read on…{/readmorelink}

Debunking Soy’s Superfood Image

EcoContact@EcoHearth.com (Marita Prandoni | Blog Entry) — Sun, 27 Jul 2014 05:00:00 +0000

I have a beef with soy. The Archer Daniels Midland (ADM), Dow Chemical, DuPont, Cargill and Monsanto corporations don’t want me to tell you this, but soy could be hazardous to your health—and it is certainly brutalizing the Earth’s ecosystems.

Many vegetarians and vegans are under the impression that soy-based foods provide a beeline to a high-protein longevity Mecca. Though I don’t argue that there are excellent plant foods that can supply our bodies with sufficient protein, soy is at the bottom of my list. {readmorelink}Read on…{/readmorelink}

Parallel Teachings from Youth and Nature: Sharing, Reciprocity and Accepting Limits

EcoContact@EcoHearth.com (Marita Prandoni | Blog Entry) — Sat, 26 Jul 2014 05:00:00 +0000

Once weekly, I tutor Spanish to a 15-year-old girl from Tesuque Pueblo, New Mexico. The extra hour is aimed at boosting her competence in grammar, vocabulary and listening comprehension. But this spirited young lady—I’ll call her Leticia—prefers not to jump right into the lessons at hand. She likes to shoot the breeze, chew gum, doodle—anything to delay studying Spanish. Then, in the last 15 minutes or so, she launches into the homework, probably hoping I’ll give her the maximum amount of help to finish up, having already extracted the maximum amount of fun. {readmorelink}Read on…{/readmorelink}

Avocados: Nature’s Perfect Food for Baby, Mom and… You

EcoContact@EcoHearth.com (Jessica Dallas | Blog Entry) — Fri, 18 Jul 2014 05:00:00 +0000

Avocados are celebrated by raw-foodists the world over. Their bumpy green exterior disguises an internal delight that—once “cracked open”—is the fruit equivalent of butter… the creamiest and dreamiest base to build decadently raw treats upon.

Avocados are also a great staple to carry with you as a parent. They require no tools to prepare other than a spoon to remove the pit and a fork to mash the contents. And, by eating them, your kid will be magically transported to the land of omega 3s. “Happy baby, happy mama,” I like to say. {readmorelink}Read on…{/readmorelink}

Shorebirds: A Miracle in the Flesh

EcoContact@EcoHearth.com (Rich Bard | Blog Entry) — Thu, 17 Jul 2014 05:00:00 +0000

Albert Einstein said, "There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle."

Personally, I believe we are able to flip back and forth between these two extremes, though we tend to take most of the natural world for granted most of the time. Predictable natural phenomena, like gravity, the homing instinct of a honeybee and a six-year-old boy's fascination with butts become hum-drum, everyday occurrences. Every now and then, though, we hold up one of these miracles to the light, take a good look and become lost in the vast mystery of our natural world. {readmorelink}Read on…{/readmorelink}

How Your Business Can Put the Green in Christmas

EcoContact@EcoHearth.com (Steve Graham | Blog Entry) — Fri, 11 Jul 2014 05:00:00 +0000

Christmas can really separate the grumpy, green, Grinch-like environmentalists from the festive, red-and-green, Earth-loving elves of generosity among us. The Grinch is the one calculating the elf’s coal use while watching him string up Christmas lights (you’ll see which one I am below). As a business owner, you’ll certainly want to celebrate Christmas with your employees and customers. Fortunately, there are plenty of ways for businesses to get into the holiday spirit sustainably, inexpensively and merrily. {readmorelink}Read on…{/readmorelink}

Solar Cookers: How You Can Cook With the Sun

EcoContact@EcoHearth.com (Jessica Keith | Article) — Wed, 09 Jul 2014 05:00:00 +0000

Prior to 2005, the women of the Iridimi refugee camp in Chad, Africa, had to walk long distances through dangerous terrain to collect wood for cooking. Utilizing a traditional three-stone fire, they inhaled unsafe amounts of smoke as they prepared daily meals and were on a fast track to severely deplete an already limited wood supply. Then solar cookers were introduced to the camp. {readmorelink}Read on…{/readmorelink}

Masdar City: Beacon in the Desert, Glimpse into the Future

EcoContact@EcoHearth.com (Guest Contributor | Blog Entry) — Mon, 07 Jul 2014 05:00:00 +0000

Even though the fallout from Japan's Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power station disaster has almost completely disappeared from the headlines, catastrophe-proof renewable energy continues to be thrust into the spotlight as a safe, long-term energy alternative. And, as if on cue, on the edge of the Arabian Desert, an experiment is unfolding with a grand vision for a clean-energy future: It’s called Masdar City and it seeks to be the most sustainable city in world history. {readmorelink}Read on...{/readmorelink}

Eco Crime: The EPA’s 'Most Wanted' List

EcoContact@EcoHearth.com (Marc Muir | Article) — Mon, 30 Jun 2014 05:00:00 +0000

Their names and faces most likely won’t show up on television shows, like John Walsh’s “America’s Most Wanted” program. They’re not going to be hanging on Post Office walls, like those on the FBI’s most-wanted list. Nevertheless, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is doing its best to get the word out. To this end, it has set up a website to publicize its list of the country's most-wanted environmental fugitives.

Among the 23 men on the EPA list is Mahmoud Almhchie, a 49-year-old Syrian charged in California with smuggling more than a hundred 30-pound cylinders of “ozone depleting contraband.” He fled the US to avoid prosecution and is believed to be back in Syria. {readmorelink}Read on…{/readmorelink}

The One Gift You Should Absolutely NOT Give Your Kids This Christmas

EcoContact@EcoHearth.com (Joy Nicholson | Blog Entry) — Sat, 14 Jun 2014 05:00:00 +0000

No more Chihuahuas for Christmas!

Yes, they are cute. Yes, they are small and helpless. Yes, they make a fabulous huge-eared captive, adoringly wiggling in a fuzzy Christmas stocking—if you are that sort of human. But it’s uncool. Immoral even.

No one likes to talk about the actual ethics of Christmas presents—and I don’t either—but let’s just say giving a cute, wiggly, live photo-op is, well, evil. {readmorelink}Read on…{/readmorelink}

Eco Homeowner: What You Need to Know About Low-VOC Paint

EcoContact@EcoHearth.com (Steve Graham | Article) — Wed, 04 Jun 2014 05:00:00 +0000

Despite having a name that includes the word “organic,” volatile organic compounds are a far cry from pesticide-free vegetables. VOCs cause health and environmental problems, which may be amplified in an energy-tight home. They are in thousands of common products, but some of the most dangerous are in paint, which is literally spread all over your house. Most paint companies now offer products with smaller quantities of VOCs. However, choosing and using a low-VOC paint can be complicated. {readmorelink}Read on…{/readmorelink}

Bangladesh Confronts Climate Change With Eco Innovation and Floating Communities

EcoContact@EcoHearth.com (Marita Prandoni | Commentary) — Fri, 23 May 2014 05:00:00 +0000

In early June, a heavy cushion of wet air hangs over the isolated backwaters of Chalan Beel in northwestern Bangladesh, signaling the start of the seasonal, torrential monsoons. As the skies darken, Ratna Khatun and her cousins Shakila and Rupali file up a plank and into a sheltered deckhouse, several other enthusiastic children scurrying behind. The girls take their seats in the front row, which has been reserved for the most studious. {readmorelink}Read on…{/readmorelink}

Steady State: A Sustainable Economy for the Southwest

EcoContact@EcoHearth.com (Steven Kotler | Commentary) — Thu, 22 May 2014 05:00:00 +0000

In 1991, George Bush Sr. was President, something called “grunge” was beginning to ooze out of the Pacific Northwest, and I had just moved to Phoenix, Arizona.

Back then, the city was mostly empty space. There was a meager downtown, a few fringe settlements and nearby Scottsdale—which was the real boom town. But mainly the area was open desert: dry and bare and beautiful. {readmorelink}Read on…{/readmorelink}

Backyard Biodiversity: How to Set Up Your Own Nature Reserve

EcoContact@EcoHearth.com (Marina Hanes | Article) — Wed, 21 May 2014 05:00:00 +0000

The bobcat, timber rattlesnake, trumpeter swan, cave salamander and pirate perch. No one would blame you if you assumed these species reside only in zoos. Actually, they are some of the endangered species native to Ohio. But whatever state or country you live in, chances are there are nearby species struggling for existence.

Although you could search high and low to witness creatures like this in action, they may be closer than you think. By becoming familiar with the endangered species in your area, you can help protect both them and their habitat—maybe even provide them a sanctuary, literally in your own backyard. {readmorelink}Read on…{/readmorelink}

Israel's Disappointing Brand of Environmentalism

EcoContact@EcoHearth.com (Shira Siegel | Blog Entry) — Wed, 21 May 2014 05:00:00 +0000

For a young country that has transformed itself, despite scant resources, from proverbial no-man’s-land to thriving slice of the Middle East in 60-odd years, Israel and its people place environmental concerns and recycling surprisingly close to the bottom of their priority lists. Israel is a politically fragile state; people are more concerned about security, religious politics and whether or not they’ll be blown to pieces in a suicide bombing or rocket attack than about lobbying their municipalities for recycling collection or composting. {readmorelink}Read on…{/readmorelink}

‘Got Raw Milk?’: The Pasteurization Scam

EcoContact@EcoHearth.com (Guest Contributor | Commentary) — Fri, 16 May 2014 05:00:00 +0000

Rather than bow down and revere raw milk as ‘a holy nectar of the gods’ (as many of its hundreds of thousands of consumers do; 40,000 in California alone), I would like to more objectively examine the process of pasteurization and its broader role in conscientious living. Pasteurization, a process developed in the late 19th century by (quelle surprise!) Monsieur Louis Pasteur, exposes milk to brief stints of high heat, in order to kill off all bacteria and enzymes. And no bacteria means no scary germs, right? That’s what officials and dairy-industry moguls would like you to believe. But in actuality, raw milk, teeming with friendly bacteria, has many proven health benefits. {readmorelink}Read on…{/readmorelink}

A Sweet Alternative: In Brazil, Cars Run on Ethanol from Sugarcane

EcoContact@EcoHearth.com (Victoria Cho | Blog Entry) — Fri, 16 May 2014 05:00:00 +0000

Brazil has become the first country to incorporate sustainable fuel on a national scale and as a result is nearly energy self-sufficient. By capitalizing on its indigenous cane sugar crop, it has minimized carbon emissions and alleviated its dependence on oil. Currently, the country mandates that all fuel blends incorporate at least 20% of the sugar-derived ingredient. These strict regulations maintain Brazil’s leadership in the biofuel movement and draw admiration and envy from other countries, including the oil-addicted USA. {readmorelink}Read on…{/readmorelink}

When Is a Coyote Not Just a Coyote?

EcoContact@EcoHearth.com (Rich Bard | Blog Entry) — Mon, 12 May 2014 05:00:00 +0000

What exactly is the creature that roams the forests and fields of the northeastern US and eastern Canada under the name “coyote?” Can it be the same species as that found in the western US, an animal half the size of its eastern counterpart? Is it a completely different animal? Or is it some combination of coyote mixed with dog or wolf genes? I’ve written about coyotes a few times now and, based on the comments I get, people want to know more about this mysterious creature. {readmorelink}Read on…{/readmorelink}

Pro Adoption Is Pro-Creation

EcoContact@EcoHearth.com (Joy Nicholson | Blog Entry) — Sat, 10 May 2014 05:00:00 +0000

One thing the planet has no shortage of is human life. That’s why I’m always puzzled when people celebrate octuplets, and become irate that people like me don’t have—or intend to have—kids.

“If you didn’t rescue animals, you could be doing something truly meaningful,” I often hear. Translation: “If you were a kind, lovely woman, you would be having children.” {readmorelink}Read on...{/readmorelink}

Sacred Earth Is Not Dirt: An Interview with Ohki Siminé Forest

EcoContact@EcoHearth.com (Guest Contributor | Interview) — Fri, 09 May 2014 05:00:00 +0000

In Native thought, dreaming or “visioning” is the first step to realizing a goal. And as native traditions have continuously viewed our human existence through the lens of whole systems, it is customary to confer with Mother Earth before carrying out a plan. Ohki Siminé Forest, a spiritual teacher living among the indigenous Maya in Chiapas, Mexico, since 1985, refers to this careful thought as “Earth Medicine Ways.” {readmorelink}Read on…{/readmorelink}

Eco Mother’s Day Gifts: Showing Love for Your Mother—and Mother Earth

EcoContact@EcoHearth.com (Jennifer Zhang | Article) — Thu, 08 May 2014 05:00:00 +0000

Mother’s Day is soon approaching and so is the search for this year’s perfect gift. Will it be the obligatory greeting card and flowers or will you go with something more creative and offbeat? Either way, we hope you make it green. To help, we’ve narrowed down the list to a few eco-friendly suggestions in the categories of bath, beauty, fashion and chocolate. There’s even a cool and comical flower alternative for the steadfast flower-loving mom. These are all gifts that will please both your birth mother and your Earth mother. {readmorelink}Read on…{/readmorelink}

Questioning the Sacred Cow of Cultural Sensitivity in the Name of Animals, Part 1

EcoContact@EcoHearth.com (Joy Nicholson | Blog Entry) — Thu, 08 May 2014 05:00:00 +0000

In visiting many, many other countries and cultures, over many, many years, I’ve been offended by only one thing.

I don’t care about the ‘wiping with the left hand and a squirty bottle of water thing’ instead of toilet paper, and I don’t care about sleeping on a straw-y-mattress thing, or the sleeping-on-a-slab-thing, or even the sleeping-on-buffalo-dung thing. (I don’t even care about the closets the Italians rent out in Rome as actual ‘hotel rooms.’) {readmorelink}Read on…{/readmorelink}

'Creamy Cheesy Dipping-Sauce' Recipe

EcoContact@EcoHearth.com (Guest Contributor | Blog Entry) — Thu, 08 May 2014 05:00:00 +0000

This creamy, dreamy cheese sauce is so good that you won’t guess it is raw and vegan—unless you know what’s in it! With hemp and cashews for protein and minerals, bell pepper and nutritional yeast for vitamins, and garlic and onions to boost your immune system, cheese dips have never been so delectably healthy! {readmorelink}Read on…{/readmorelink}

France's Waterwheel: Industrial Boon or Environmental Disaster?

EcoContact@EcoHearth.com (André Oosterman | Blog Entry) — Tue, 06 May 2014 05:00:00 +0000

In modern history, most countries have lost the vast majority of their forests. Japan is a well-known exception. In the 17th century, the Tokugawa regime outlawed logging on penalty of death. The ban was successfully implemented, partly because Tokugawa controlled an island nation effectively isolated from the rest of the world. Nowadays, almost 70% of Japan is covered by forests. A much less-known exception is France. {readmorelink}Read on…{/readmorelink}

'Tahini and Fruit Spread' Recipe

EcoContact@EcoHearth.com (Guest Contributor | Blog Entry) — Thu, 01 May 2014 05:00:00 +0000

My dad used to make me tahini and jam spreads all the time growing up. For a raw jam, blend fresh fruits with agave nectar until sweet and of a consistency similar to cooked jam. It's nutricious, delicious and so easy. {readmorelink}Read on…{/readmorelink}

Pregnant Yoga: Lessons for Life and the Environment

EcoContact@EcoHearth.com (Jessica Dallas | Blog Entry) — Thu, 01 May 2014 05:00:00 +0000

I’ve been a yoga practitioner for about ten years. It’s an on-again, off-again love affair marked by the usual drama found in dysfunctional relationships. I grow in my practice, take a few steps back, grow some more and then kick my mat into the basement for a spell.

I was schooled in ashtanga yoga, which is a fairly vigorous form. Ashtanga and pregnancy don’t play well together, due to increasing weight gain and the inability to jump in and out of postures with one’s usual ease and grace. {readmorelink}Read on…{/readmorelink}

Earth Day: Not Just for ‘Greener Than Thous’

EcoContact@EcoHearth.com (Marita Prandoni | Blog Entry) — Thu, 17 Apr 2014 05:00:00 +0000

"If we could tap into the environmental concerns of the general public and infuse the student anti-war energy into the environmental cause, we could generate a demonstration that would force the issue onto the national political agenda.”
- Sen. Gaylord Nelson, Earth Day Founder

When Gaylord Nelson launched Earth Day 42 years ago, he envisioned it as a grassroots teach-in to make Washington aware of growing public concern over the state of the environment. Historically, our lawmakers have been more concerned with the Gross National Product—maintaining economic growth at any cost—than the ecology. It’s odd that the environment should take a back seat to the economy. The environment is the economy. {readmorelink}Read on…{/readmorelink}

Celebrating the Environment With Your Kids on Earth Day—and Every Day

EcoContact@EcoHearth.com (Jessica Keith | Article) — Mon, 14 Apr 2014 05:00:00 +0000

You do your part. You buy green products, recycle religiously, conserve water, save for a hybrid car. You hope your kids will notice and become stewards of the Earth as well. This year, you can make Earth Day a life-changing experience for you and your children!

Let's face it: our kids are going to inherit a less-than-perfect world. Climate change, overpopulation, pollution, water and energy shortages, and loss of biodiversity are just some of the major problems awaiting the next generation. In order to prepare today’s youth to tackle these issues, we must educate, motivate and, of course, demonstrate. Here are some ideas how. {readmorelink}Read on…{/readmorelink}

Eco Art: Simple Nature Crafts for Kids—or Anyone

EcoContact@EcoHearth.com (Willow Lune | Article) — Tue, 01 Apr 2014 05:00:00 +0000

Would you believe me if I told you that there is an eco-friendly and renewable craft store in your very own neighborhood? Yes, yours. I’d like to invite you to a craft store that can be found wherever you are and will not charge you a dime. Just walk out your front door and scan the ground for fallen leaves, a beautiful rock or a bird’s feather. With a little imagination, simple everyday nature objects such as these can be transformed into fun craft projects for kids and adults alike. {readmorelink}Read on…{/readmorelink}

Effective Microorganisms: Using Bacteria and Yeast to Create Sustainable Agriculture

EcoContact@EcoHearth.com (Aaron Lada, Ph.D. | Article) — Fri, 21 Mar 2014 05:00:00 +0000

An intimate understanding of the local ecology is necessary for successful agriculture—and it may be important to extend this knowledge to the smallest of lifeforms. According to Dr. Teruo Higa, a proponent of natural, sustainable, chemical-free farming, soil treated with beneficial microorganisms can produce healthier, more productive plants. To this end, he has created a proprietary mixture of beneficial bacteria and yeast called Effective Microorganisms (EM). Although the scientific jury is still out on its effectiveness, its potential is great for vastly increasing food yields while reducing chemical pollutants in the environment. {readmorelink}Read on…{/readmorelink}

Green Home Buyers’ Guide: How to Buy an Eco-Friendly House

EcoContact@EcoHearth.com (Maggie Baxter | Article) — Mon, 17 Mar 2014 05:00:00 +0000

Deciding to purchase a house is one of the biggest financial and emotional decisions of anyone’s lifetime. As an eco-conscious consumer, in addition to making a sound fiscal choice, you’ll also want your purchase to reflect your environmental convictions. Factors to weigh as you begin your quest include types of green features most important to you, best locations for an eco-home, green home financing and choosing a realtor who knows about the green real-estate market. {readmorelink}Read on…{/readmorelink}

Green Home Sellers’ Guide: How to Sell an Eco-Friendly House

EcoContact@EcoHearth.com (Maggie Baxter | Article) — Sun, 16 Mar 2014 05:00:00 +0000

Spend just one evening watching shows on a home-improvement cable channel and you’ll get lots of advice on how to quickly sell your home for top dollar. Such advice includes hiring a realtor knowledgeable about your area, competitive pricing and staging to sell. But what about selling a green home? Here are some things to keep in mind when trying to sell eco-friendly real estate. {readmorelink}Read on…{/readmorelink}

Step Lightly: Reduce Your Carbon Footprint During Business or Pleasure Travel

EcoContact@EcoHearth.com (Jessica Keith | Article) — Tue, 04 Mar 2014 05:00:00 +0000

Energy-efficient transportation can be easy to obtain on your home turf. Drive hybrid car–check. Ride bicycle–check. Hop on bus or subway train–check. But maintaining normal environmentally responsible travel routines on vacation can be a struggle. It is possible to avoid chucking your low-energy-consumption values out the SUV window, but you may have to do some planning before setting off. Here's a look at the preparation you'll need in order to stay true to your green self while on the road. {readmorelink}Read on…{/readmorelink}

Water: Making Every Drop Count

EcoContact@EcoHearth.com (Julie Colley | Article) — Tue, 25 Feb 2014 05:00:00 +0000

Water is an essential component of all life on earth and so one of our most precious resources. Yet daily it faces threats from a plethora of dangers including overuse, pollution and drought. With our personal health and that of the environment at stake, it makes sense to take the steps we can to preserve and protect our water supply. Here are ten easy things you can do now to help make every drop of the planet’s water count: {readmorelink}Read on…{/readmorelink}

Winter Is When All Great Vegetable Gardens Begin

EcoContact@EcoHearth.com (Amy Kaplan | Article) — Mon, 24 Feb 2014 05:00:00 +0000

Growing your own food is one of the easiest and most enjoyable ways of living a more environmental existence. Vegetable gardening allows you to forgo chemicals and use time-proven natural methods for producing the most organic food possible. Through composting and mulching you can recycle portions of your and your neighbors' household waste to the benefit of your garden.

When harvest time comes, you will have the opportunity to enjoy, preserve and even share your bounty; believe me, you will have surplus! One of the joys of gardening is learning about Mother Nature’s generosity. {readmorelink}Read on…{/readmorelink}

Eco Presidents' Day: Which Were the Most Environmental US Heads of State?

EcoContact@EcoHearth.com (Ryan Miga | Article) — Mon, 17 Feb 2014 05:00:00 +0000

Environmentalism has been a key talking point in US politics for decades. Every person who steps into public office is compelled to at least fake an interest in protecting the natural world. Pledges to save the trees and endangered species are standard-issue campaign rhetoric. So politicians must be judged on their policies, not just their stump speeches. We think the following presidents demonstrated at least some sincere concern for environmental issues. None of them are perfect when it comes to ecology, but overall they’ve shown enough green concern that they rise to the top of the presidential crop. {readmorelink}Read on...{/readmorelink}

Which US Presidents Were The Worst Protectors of the Earth?

EcoContact@EcoHearth.com (Ryan Miga | Article) — Sun, 16 Feb 2014 05:00:00 +0000

Environmental policy has always been complicated. It’s not easy to find a balance between using natural resources to provide the things people need—like jobs, food and housing—and protecting the natural world for its own sake. But some White House residents were downright anti-green. Here are EcoHearth's picks for the least ecological presidents. (Two of them, incidentally, appear in the photograph that illustrates this piece.) {readmorelink}Read on...{/readmorelink}

Eco Passion: A Green Seduction Guide

EcoContact@EcoHearth.com (Lauren Caggiano | Article) — Tue, 11 Feb 2014 05:00:00 +0000

Have you ever thought about your sex life’s carbon footprint? Probably not. Yet soy candles, bamboo bed sheets and hemp-silk negligees are giving a new—and much more flattering—meaning to being green in bed. From flirting to post-coital cuddling, not to mention the other fun stuff in between, there are many ways to please both your partner and the Earth. Here are a few of EcoHearth's favorite green sex tips and seduction secrets that might surprise even Cupid. {readmorelink}Read on…{/readmorelink}

Eco Romance: How to Have an Environmentally Friendly Valentine’s Day

EcoContact@EcoHearth.com (Julie Colley | Article) — Sat, 08 Feb 2014 05:00:00 +0000

What’s the color of love? Most people would probably say red. But it could be green—if you and your date are as sweet on the planet as you are on each other. When planning your Valentine’s Day celebration, consider doing something together that’s not only fun and romantic, but also beneficial to the environment. Here are a few suggestions for an Eco Valentine’s Day date: {readmorelink}Read on...{/readmorelink}

'Fertility Goddess Smoothie' Recipe for Valentine's Day

EcoContact@EcoHearth.com (Guest Contributor | Blog Entry) — Fri, 07 Feb 2014 05:00:00 +0000

A true fertility potion, this smoothie features maca and Brazil nuts, both known for increasing fecundity in men and women. An added attraction are the strawberries, a treat for the tongue and rich in PEA, which is also known as the "molecule of love." This drink is the perfect beverage to serve with a piece of raw chocolate to the object of your desire on Valentine's Day—or any other day of the year! {readmorelink}Read on…{/readmorelink}

Mother Nature In Poetry

EcoContact@EcoHearth.com (Marina Hanes | Article) — Mon, 03 Feb 2014 05:00:00 +0000

Nature is right outside our windows and doors. It’s what sustains us and teaches us the cycle of life and the bitter reality of impermanence. Like a good teacher, Mother Nature can be kind and patient, but she can also be harsh and stern. From the lowliest creature on earth to the nebulae and stars above, this universe evidences the utmost attention to detail and balance. The sense of awe we feel while peering out over her landscape is powerful; it’s no surprise that we have relied on nature to be our eternal muse. {readmorelink}Read on…{/readmorelink}

Groundhog Day: Punxsutawney Phil’s Cousins May Be Forecasting a Fate Worse Than a Long Winter

EcoContact@EcoHearth.com (Marita Prandoni | Blog Entry) — Sun, 02 Feb 2014 05:00:00 +0000

Prairie dogs are the eyes of the community.
- Terry Tempest Williams

Groundhog Day is most famously celebrated in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, where almost always, Phil retreats, forecasting six more weeks of winter. But it is west of the Mississippi where Phil’s cousins, the prairie dogs, may well be offering a more dire prediction—about the fate of humanity. This is why there have been efforts to establish Prairie-Dog Day to bring attention to the plight of these creatures, under attack by ranchers and developers who consider them pests. {readmorelink}Read on…{/readmorelink}