Green Unlimited

Dare to Care

2010-03-10T08:20:00.003-05:00

Care2 lets you send an ecard for any occasion while helping charitable organizations. If you become a member, you can earn "butterfly" credits to give gifts like carbon offsets, safe drinking water, food and toys for animal shelters, oral rehydration salts, mosquito nets. It's a great way to save trees and make a difference in other people's lives.

Signature Smiles

2010-03-07T12:08:00.012-05:00

A dental office isn't exactly the place you'll first think of when it comes to being eco-friendly, but Signature Smiles in Woodinville, Washington is working hard to be green. Signature Smiles is actively taking part in recycling and also purchases alternative fuel, and has also obtained a 5 Star Status from Envirostars.

Eco Donsol

2010-03-05T02:33:00.016-05:00

Here in the Philippines, Donsol, Sorsogon is the place to be if you want to encounter whale sharks, or butanding as it's known here. Eco Donsol Travel offers packages for people who want to see this gentle giant up close. Travel packages include the whale shark encounter, firefly watching, and even a look at the Mayon Volcano.

Million Baby Crawl update

2010-03-04T23:23:00.003-05:00

The chemical industry has apparently been very busy lobbying to block the U.S. Congress's attempt to reform the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). Visit Safer Chemicals, Healthy Families Coalition to tell legislators to phase out Persistent, Bioaccumulative Toxins or PBTs.

Koyaanisqatsi

2010-03-03T01:58:00.000-05:00

I was only able to watch Koyaanisqatsi: Life Out of Balance recently. The film was released in 1982, but took around six years to make, so the scenes in the film were shot in the 1970s, and it just made me wonder: If one can consider life out of balance back then, what more today?

Make that Call!

2010-03-02T18:52:00.004-05:00

From Anna Aurilio:

"The U.S. Senate has stalled on President Obama's major priorities, including repowering America with clean energy and stopping global warming. We know there's no time to waste, so we're organizing a nationwide effort to tell the Senate to act now.

Today, we are joining with dozens of organizations to call on the U.S. Senate to pass clean energy and global warming legislation that will jumpstart our economy, foster innovation in new, cleaner technologies, and create millions of jobs -- all while protecting our environment.
Please click here to tell your senators to pass clean energy and global warming legislation now.

We want to flood Capitol Hill phone lines for 72 hours, from March 2 through March 4, with calls from thousands of clean energy supporters across the country. Please click on the link below and call today.

We want our senators to hear from people from all walks of life -- from moms and dads who understand that wind and solar power mean less pollution and a more secure future for their kids; veterans who want to reduce our nation's dependence on oil; farmers, hunters and anglers who are concerned about the effects of global warming on our land and waters; entrepreneurs and workers who understand that clean energy can help jumpstart our economy and create millions of new jobs.

I've seen the oil and coal industry lobbyists swarming Capitol Hill in recent weeks. I know your senators are hearing from them on this issue. Now they need to hear from you."

Green Olympian with a Heart of Gold

2010-02-25T21:38:00.012-05:00

US snowboarder and Olympic champion Hannah Teter is one cool dudette. She donates all her winnings to support the Kenyan village of Kirindon. The Vermont native founded Hannah's Gold, selling maple syrup to provide safe drinking water, support sustainable farming and build schools in the village, among other initiatives. Ben and Jerry's named a flavor after her, Maple Blondie, with a portion of sales going to the charity. The athlete has raised funds for Darfur and is a spokesperson for Boarding for Breast Cancer.

Since the Haitian earthquake, she's donated prize money to the relief effort. During these Vancouver Olympic Games, Hannah has been selling underwear for Doctors without Borders. Ms. Teter has also been sleeping under an AMP energy quilt to be auctioned off at the end of the Winter Games. In addition, AMP will donate $20,100 to her charity. The 2006 gold and 2010 silver Olympic medalist helped design the quilt, which has bamboo buttons and is made from all organic material.

Ms. Teter is a vegetarian and plans to go off-grid and move into her parents' yurt when she returns home. Kudos to this young lady! She is a champ, on and off the halfpipe.

(photo from Yahoo! Sports)

Child's Play

2010-02-21T08:36:00.007-05:00

The American International Toy Fair just concluded this past week. Here are some eco-friendly and socially conscious toys.

Drip Drops are stuffed toys that teach kids about colors. Manufactured by TCKL, they have partnered with the Grossman Burn Center and the Circle of Care Foundation to help children burn survivors.
Karito Kids are dolls that represent other cultures. 3% of each purchase is donated to Plan USA, a global kids' charity. The games on the interactive website also allows players to rack up "World Change" points that gets converted to real currency that also goes to Plan USA.
Xeko is a collectible trading card game that features the world's endangered animals. Materials, ink and packaging are made from recycled or recyclable materials. 4% of Game net sales are donated to Conservation International. They also offer Xeko Pals, plush toys made from organic and soy materials.
Sprig Toys are made from sprigwood, a bio-composite of recycled plastic and bits of reclaimed wood. The products are paint-free and battery-free.
My Natural Toys by Hosung are 100% all natural cotton stuffed toys made from non-toxic materials.
Imagiplay wooden toys are made from non-toxic, plantation-grown rubberwood from Indonesia.

It's all fun and games, and NOBODY gets hurt!

Tolkien would Approve

2010-02-20T13:12:00.003-05:00

I happily stumbled upon this article about a low-impact hobbit house in Wales! It was built by Simon Dale and his father-in-law. Read here to see how they built it.

A cabin for your cat

2010-02-18T09:28:00.018-05:00

Check out this adorable cardboard cabin for cats! Loyal Luxe is the company responsible for this nifty little house that has both your cat and the environment in mind. It's made out of 100% recycled cardboard and is shipped flat, so this needs a bit of assembling. If your cat likes to gnaw and claw a lot, the cabin is strong enough to take whatever your kitty can throw at it. Just don't use it outdoors or put water bowls in it; it can get damaged from that. But otherwise, this looks like a nice, functional home.

The Curious Case of the Disappearing Bag

2010-02-17T10:15:00.002-05:00

I love Sun Chips, and kudos to them for coming up with a compostable bag.

explore the world

2010-02-17T09:11:00.000-05:00

Ever wanted to see other people take on the world's problems and start working towards good solutions? explore gives you a peek at pictures and video clips of these people in action. Just take a look at the video below for a quick sample.

Boy, I hate Sony Ericsson

2010-02-10T09:07:00.009-05:00

But you all know it's the kind of "I hate you" that's said with a little giggle and a playful slap on the arm. So what did Sony Ericsson do this time? Oh, they just came up with a splendid new GreenHeart phone called Aspen. MobileBurn reports that the new model boast the following features:

The 117mm x 60mm x 12.45mm (4.6in x 2.3in x 0.49in) Aspen is available in two colors: iconic black and white silver. It sports a 2.4-inch touch screen 320 x 240 resolution display, a 3.5mm headphone jack, aGPS, and WiFi connectivity. The Aspen also comes equipped with a 3.2 megapixel camera.

In short, the qualities I look for in a phone. Aargh. It's a lovely piece of work and it's a good thing that green phones are really getting in shape, looks- and features-wise. Now mobile phone manufacturers have no excuse for making crappy-looking phones with shoddy features.

Introducing the EcoGreen F3EG

2010-02-10T07:32:00.007-05:00

Cez has recently been in need of a portable hard drive for her photography business, so this might be something that she'll find interesting. Samsung has unveiled the EcoGreen F3EG, an upgrade from last year's EcoGreen F2EG. So what's so green about this 2TB beauty? For one thing, it doesn't use any brominated flame retardants or halogen compounds and for another, it consumes 40 percent less power in idle mode and 10 percent less in read/write mode. The HDD will be for sale soon with a price tag of $179.99.

Eco-urinals?

2010-02-08T08:22:00.000-05:00

One of the more...interesting innovations launched by the Metro Manila Development Authority in the Philippines is the urinal, with several of those scattered in unexpected locations all over the city in an attempt to address the...needs of men who just can't hold it in any longer. But now, the urinals are not just for men. The MMDA has also begun constructing these for women, with three of them opened just recently. Apparently, the green thing about this urinals is not just their color, but also their waterless toilets and translucent roofs that make good use of sunlight. Probably worth checking out, eh?

Emma Watson debuts People Tree line

2010-02-08T07:40:00.003-05:00

The lovely Emma Watson, who we're pleased to see isn't going down the typical destructive Hollywood road, has been a busy bee, making a name for herself as an actress, a fashion icon, a model, and is also currently a student at Brown University. She has also begun trying her hand at becoming a designer, and her efforts haven't been in vain. She recently teamed up with People Tree, a fair trade fashion company offering organic clothing. Check out her clothing line right here.

Sun Life Philippines HQ to go green for Gold

2010-02-04T09:08:00.014-05:00

I was about and about yesterday and spent sometime in Bonifacio Global City, where a lot of buildings are being constructed, and I spotted a sign proudly proclaiming that Sun Life Financial is setting up house there--and that their future building is shooting for LEED Gold certification! The building is set to rise in 2011, and it'll be interesting to find out what is being done to meet LEED requirements.

The ECOsack

2010-02-03T09:23:00.000-05:00

I could've just bought any old reusable bag out there, but the ECOsack called to me yesterday and I responded happily. The bag is made of organic canvas and comes in three different styles: a tote, a body bag, and a foldable bag that tucks neatly into a little pouch, which also serves as the main bag's pocket when it's unfolded. I purchased my ECOsack at Sesou in a nearby mall, along with Messy Bessy's dishwashing liquid. If you can't tell, I'm positively thrilled about the presence of more green products here in Manila.

Kudos, Sunday Inquirer Magazine

2010-02-01T07:18:00.000-05:00

I rarely get a chance to read an actual, physical newspaper these days, but I was able to flip through Inquirer's Sunday issue, which comes with a weekly magazine. I was pleased to find out that they print it with mineral-based inks on recycled paper. Great job!

Green Valentine's day ideas, anyone?

2010-02-01T05:19:00.000-05:00

Instead of dishing out tips on having a green Valentine's day, we want to know how you spend Valentine's in an eco-friendly manner. E-mail us at greenunlimited101(at)gmail.com and share your stories and suggestions!

Omega-3 Man

2010-01-31T19:57:00.004-05:00

I happened upon a headline that the demand for Omega-3 fish oil tablets is adversely affecting fish population. I searched for alternatives and found this, Cardiotabs Ocean Safe Marine Oil supplement. It is made from calamari instead of fish.

Be a Green Explorer with Nokia

2010-01-29T12:50:00.021-05:00

Need tips on living a greener life and a guide for eco-friendly travel? Who'd have thought that you can turn to Nokia for that kind of advice? They recently launched Green Explorer, perfect for anyone who wants to see more of the world. Green Explorer also comes as a widget for several of Nokia's phones. This is still an experimental project from the looks of it, and they're even on the lookout for more writers and photographers. Hopefully, it catches on and that Nokia also begins to do even more for the environment.

Protect the Hudson

2010-01-28T22:10:00.004-05:00

From PIRG's Anna Aurilio:

"The Hudson River is one of New York's treasures -- a home to wildlife, a place to enjoy with our families and an asset to our economy.

Unfortunately, polluters have been given a free pass to pollute in the streams that feed the Hudson and many of the rivers, lakes and streams across our state.

It's time to protect the Hudson and all of New York's waters. Click here to join me in telling Congress to take tough action now.

We know why our rivers and streams are threatened. Recent Bush-era rollbacks to the Clean Water Act have swept away 30 years of protections for streams, lakes and wetlands across the country.

We know that polluters are taking advantage of the loopholes in the Clean Water Act. Right now, industrial facilities are dumping in our rivers and paving over our wetlands.

Fortunately, the answers are just as clear: Congress needs to step up and finally reverse the rollbacks to the Clean Water Act as soon as possible. Without timely action, the EPA estimates that 20 million acres of wetlands across the United States could lose protection.

While the Senate has introduced legislation to strengthen protections, our leaders in the House still need to stand up for America's waters."

Thank you for taking action.

A green residential building: Arya Residences

2010-01-28T09:45:00.016-05:00

I received an e-mail a couple of days ago from a real estate professional exhorting me--and probably a dozen other people--to check out Arya Residences by ArthaLand. Since I'm always ready to sneer, I was just about to do so until I came upon this portion of the e-mail:

Setting a new standard at the prestigious Bonifacio Global City, Arya Residences gives its future residents the chance to Live Well, enjoying the comforts of gracious living, and to Live Right, leading a greener, healthier and more cost efficient lifestyle.

We are the first environmentally sustainable high rise residential in the Philippines registered with the USGBC'S LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) program with a certification goal of Gold.

Okay, now I'm impressed. That's Gold, people. They must have really pulled out all the stops on this one. Completely unrelated: The same day I received the e-mail, I came across a full-page ad for Arya Residences in the newspaper. A sign that I should invest in a unit? Nah, probably just a reminder for me to check it out myself and learn more about how they made it green.

Buttermilk Spa

2010-01-22T08:26:00.009-05:00

I was looking up information on medical spas the other day and found Buttermilk Spa in New York's Hudson Valley. Now how cool was it that I found an eco-friendly medical spa? Because that's what Buttermilk is. Not only do they use organic and natural products--obsessively organic, in their words--but they also use renewable energy. Solar and geothermal energy are toiling hard to heat the sauna, steam room, and mineral pool. The best part is you get to enjoy luxurious services and even have access to hiking trails, the nearby waterfalls, and the gardens of the Buttermilk Falls Inn, and even enjoy organic cuisine. Sounds like it's got the ingredients of a perfect weekend getaway.