Green Options

Green in Fort Collins: Rocky Mountain Sustainable Living Fair

Derek Markham — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 03:58:34 +0000

Get out your calendars right now and reserve the weekend of the 20th and 21st of September!

Plan to be in Fort Collins for the premier green festival of northern Colorado, the Rocky Mountain Sustainable Living Fair.

The Sustainable Living Fair is a solution based, hands-on, family oriented event designed to educate people of all ages and backgrounds about Sustainable Living Practices, Renewable Energy, Environmental & Social Responsibility, Natural Health, Green Building, Alternative Vehicles, Organic Agriculture, Local Economies and more.

This event draws thousands of people every year for a weekend of green education, community building, and inspiring speakers. For five bucks you can take your pick from over 50 workshops and learn about local food, sustainable agriculture and green living from hundreds of exhibitors.

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A Big Soapy Greenwash From Dawn Dish Soap

Katy Farber — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 02:35:23 +0000

As I washed dishes in a house we rented with friends in Maine this summer, I pondered the dish soap (yes, I know many of you are avid label readers, too– what else is there to do when you wash dishes?).

It was Dawn dish soap, and on the label it had a picture of a mallard duck flying. It read, “Rescuing Wildlife for 25 years.” As I searched the label, I found no information about exactly what wildlife they were supposedly saving. Not even a link to a website for more information.

Apparently, us consumers are just supposed to see the wildlife, sigh, and think happy thoughts as we buy Dawn soap to use on our dishes. When in reality, Dawn dish soap is poisoning the very wildlife it is supposedly saving.

How? Dawn antibacterial dish soap contains the chemical Tricolsan, which is in everything from toothpaste, to hand soap, and many, many other household and personal care items, is toxic to both humans and the environment (according the Environmental Working Group).

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Obama on Hurricane Gustav and Wetlands Restoration - Wonk Style

Timothy B. Hurst — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 01:00:56 +0000

What I have come to appreciate about Democrats is that they like to talk about the specifics of policy. Dare I say, the Democratic Party is the party of wonk? Sure, I’m painting with a broad brush, but I’m going to take that liberty because it segues nicely with this video I want to show you of an interview CNN’s Anderson Cooper did with Sen. Barack Obama. What I liked about what it was that Obama doesn’t focus on the failures of this or other administrations, but rather he emphasizes restoring wetlands on the Gulf Coast.

The vanishing wetlands provide a valuable ecological service by absorbing the powerful leading edge of hurricanes and limiting the flooding potential of storm surges. Anyone can talk about courage, resolve, values, leadership, etc., but I’d much rather have the minutiae of environmental politics and wetlands restoration any day of the week. Read more about the wonky specifics of Obama’s environmental policy.

This story contains additional media. Click here to view the media.

Ecopreneurs Practicing “Intelligent Fast Failure”, like Green Biodiesel LLC

John Ivanko — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 00:55:23 +0000

Civil and environmental professor and ecopreneur-inventor Jack V. Matson, PhD.
dedicates his life to practicing “intelligent fast failure,” an expression he coined to capture the essence of innovation. It’s captured in his irreverently titled book, Innovate or Die: A Personal Perspective on the Art of Innovation. As an ecopreneur, he started an environmental design firm, Matson & Associates Inc., housed in a green office building and personally holds two patents on water purification products.

In Innovate or Die, Matson suggests that the goal with intelligent fast failure is to move as quickly as possible from new ideas to new knowledge by making small and manageable mistakes — intelligent failures. By moving quickly, we can determine what works, and what doesn’t, without draining the bank account and energy devoted to developing the idea. With the increasing variability in climate and rapidly changing global marketplace and social fabric, ecopreneurs are creating new business models, products and services that defy common conventions. Some will fail. The key is to keep learning and try to avoid letting your intelligent failures negatively influence your emotions and self-esteem. And by all means, fail falling forward.

Given the widespread interest in producing biodiesel domestically, Matson launched the Green Biodiesel, LLC, a spinoff venture of Matson & Associates Inc., seeking to develop a new biofuel production process that relies entirely on nontoxic materials to produce a clean-burning alternative fuel from renewable resources in the US. One of the problems facing biodiesel producers and users is that the conventional biodiesel production process uses a number of toxic chemicals to convert vegetable oil feedstocks into a usable fuel. Methanol and sodium hydroxide, two toxic industrial chemicals widely used in the transesterfication process to produce biodiesel, are potentially dangerous to humans and the environment. In order for biodiesel to be a truly environmentally friendly fuel, current and future producers need an alternative process that does not use toxic chemicals or produce significant waste products.

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First Fuel Cell-Powered Passenger Ship Launching Later This Year

Ariel Schwartz — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 00:49:46 +0000

When you think about fuel cell-powered transportation, you probably also think about automobiles. But Proton Power Systems might just change your perspective. PPS claims to have launched the world’s first fuel cell-powered passenger ferry. The ferry marks the first use of fuel cells in marine passenger transport.

The Zemship runs on a hybrid unit consisting of two 48 kW fuel cell systems and a lead gel battery�?? a combination that has twice the fuel efficiency of a diesel engine.

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Your Children: Green Super Heroes

Jamie Ervin — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 23:36:17 +0000

As the mother of FIVE, (Yes, I know what causes them. That’s why we have so many.) I am constantly on a mission. My purpose in life is to raise responsible and socially conscious children. After all, the children of today are the future of this place we call home. I might have five children, but we have only ONE Earth. As such, it is vitally important with each passing day that we learn how to best care for and nurture our planet.

Every family has different methods for motivating their children. Our kids all know the why and how of what we do and I have discovered this to be vital in their training. I also strive to make things fun. For without fun, what holds the child’s interest? Our most recent find is, Michael Recycle by Ellie Bethel. Kids love Super Heroes and often want to be one. Why not encourage your child to be a Green Super Hero?

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Organic Beauty Oxymoron :: Natural Fake Tan.

Emma Pezzack — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 23:08:42 +0000

Two notably unsuited words to be found in the same product title, but this line of natural fake tan products from Lavera is not your average fake tan. Having spent more than my fair share of time exposed to UVA & UVB over the years (and doing my part to hold up the share price of coconut oil companies in the process), I decided years ago that’s enough! Not normally comfortable with being referred to as engaging in fake anything, this is one instance where I’m actually proud of the fact. Understanding more about the dangers of sun exposure and not being able to deny any longer that this can actually kill you, while being unwilling to be pasty white for the rest of my life, it became a mission to find the best natural fake tan. Here it is … a sunless tanning solution for all you savvy girls who are no longer sun worshippers, but don’t want to give up looking like you went to Ibiza for the long weekend!

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My Private, Sustainable Mini Mart: Go Green with a Stocked Pantry

Lisa Kivirist — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 22:40:24 +0000

When I moved from my Chicago apartment to a Wisconsin farm, I traded convenience for countryside. No more quick runs to the mini mart store at the end of the urban block for a missing ingredient. With civilization now a fifteen minute drive away, I�??ve evolved to have all the necessities to do anything from feeding a round of B&B guests to whipping up multiple pear pies.

So here�??s the simplest route to sustainability: keep a stocked pantry. Save money, time and fossil fuel �?? not to mention upping nutritional value — by dining chez you. Maybe not as sexy an eco initiative as backpacks with PV panels, but keeping an organized, stocked pantry goes a long way in creating a self-reliant, green kitchen and household.

Stocking the pantry saves time and money �?? two non-renewable resources and drains on greening our lifestyle. With a little planning and organization, your pantry will never let you down. I recently gushed about my pantry passion in an article for Hobby Farm Home magazine, going into more detail on stocking the kitchen.

Here�??s a few starter tips:

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Pump Up Your Pantry: Three Tips to Stock Up and Save Money

Lisa Kivirist — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 22:39:47 +0000

Artists keep stocked with paint, pencils and other supplies so they can craft a masterpiece whenever the creative muse hits. Likewise, as someone passionate about food and cooking, your palette is your kitchen. Keep it stocked with the core ingredients necessary to whip up anything from bag lunches for the kids to an impromptu dinner party.

Here�??s a few starter tips:

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Eco-Rigs Will Provide Power and Food to Japan

Ariel Schwartz — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 21:58:50 +0000

Desperation often yields innovation. In Japan, fear of rising food prices and low fish stocks has led scientists to create the “eco-rig”.

The eco-rig, which is actually a giant floating generator, uses solar and wind power to produce approximately 300 MWh. Though some energy is lost moving the electricity onshore, the effect is the same as with a nuclear power station.

And the eco-rig does more than just produce power.

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Green Options

Green in Fort Collins: Rocky Mountain Sustainable Living Fair

A Big Soapy Greenwash From Dawn Dish Soap

Obama on Hurricane Gustav and Wetlands Restoration - Wonk Style

Related:

Ecopreneurs Practicing “Intelligent Fast Failure”, like Green Biodiesel LLC

First Fuel Cell-Powered Passenger Ship Launching Later This Year

Your Children: Green Super Heroes

Organic Beauty Oxymoron :: Natural Fake Tan.

My Private, Sustainable Mini Mart: Go Green with a Stocked Pantry

Pump Up Your Pantry: Three Tips to Stock Up and Save Money

Eco-Rigs Will Provide Power and Food to Japan