The Chic Ecologist

Solio Mono-i Solar Charger

Mohammad Mufti — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 05:19:48 +0000

As we’re entering Spring, even in Seattle, we ought to start seeing a bit more sun. And nothing would show our gratitude for the change in weather than for us to actually harvest it’s potential with a solar charger. Sold in a variety of makes and models, these little gadgets collect energy from the sun for [...] Related posts:

Reduce. Reuse. Recycle.

Dean — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 04:11:42 +0000

Our landfills are filling up faster than ever, and the garbage problem, is only getting worse. Recycling the obvious cans, bottles, and cardboard are the first step. Beyond that, it’s our job to develop green shopping habits that will help us lead a more sustainable lifestyle. I’ve listed some of the eco-friendly shopping tips that [...] Related posts:

Eco-Development and Sustainable Renovation

Rachel — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 23:35:19 +0000

I’ve noticed an interesting trend lately. The renovation of old buildings. Gorgeous old buildings gutted and rebuilt from the inside-out, as green and sustainable new structures. An exciting (and well-publicized) example of this is the Sanctuary development on Capital Hill in Seattle. The original church was built in the early 1900s and has been a distinctive landmark [...] Related posts:

Biosolids and Compost

Dean — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 08:04:21 +0000

Last week, the Organic Consumers Association took a stand outside the mayor’s office in San Francisco to protest the city’s recent free composting program. (Read the article from their site here). It might sound like an odd thing to protest, especially with all the amazing benefits of composting. The national group chose San Francisco to [...] Related posts:

Eco Labels and Logos

Jean-Paul — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 19:53:35 +0000

Eco Labeling can be confusing, and with so many different green logos out there, who do you trust? Luckily, many of the statements, such as Organic and Fair Trade, are regulated to some degree, so you can feel safe knowing that it isn’t ambiguous. With all that greenwashing out there, others can be a bit [...] Related posts:

An Alternative to Lead-based Solder

Mohammad Mufti — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 23:34:12 +0000

Anybody with a rudimentary understanding of electronics, especially the person that habitually tinkers with and “fixes” the various appliances at home will know how regularly solder is used and needed, even more so for those in the industry. Up till just recently though, solder wasn’t exactly a milestone of technological achievement. Rather, the basic premise behind [...] Related posts:

Eco Biofuel From Biodiesel B5, B20 and B99 to Flexfuel E85 – The Future of Alternative Fuel?

The Climate Change Argument

Rachel — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 21:02:45 +0000

Last week I quite literally found myself in the middle of one of my favorite arguments, climate change. Let me set the stage for you. We were at a public talk on astronomy; the lecture was going well, proving to be both informative and engaging, when the speaker threw out a passing comment questioning the legitimacy [...] Related posts:

USGBC’s Green Home Guide Beta

Dean — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 09:03:20 +0000

Many of us are familiar with the LEED rating system from the United States Green Building Council (USGBC), which is a third party green building rating system for commercial and residential buildings. The LEED rating system has been adopted by the U.S. government and is used with all new construction and major renovation of federal [...] Related posts:

Worlds Largest Solar Powered Yacht – PlanetSolar

Jean-Paul — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 23:17:31 +0000

Just unveiled in Germany, this Swiss built catamaran dubbed PlanetSolar is the largest of its kind with over 5,000 sqft of solar paneling covering most of the surfaces. With a top speed of 15 knots (17 miles per hour), this 66-ton boat carries 50 people with its crew of two. It’s 38,000 newer generation photovoltaic [...] Related posts:

Antioxidants and The Greatest Health Discoveries

Jean-Paul — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 23:01:37 +0000

Super foods and Supplements are like the stock market – you want to invest over the long term and diversify for best results. With all the attention given to the ‘newest’, ‘greatest’ and ‘exotic’ super foods with mega antioxidants like acai, goji berries, pomegranate and blueberries, you may get sucked into the marketing hype and [...] Related posts:

Healthy Morning Blender Breakfast

Is Organic Food Really Better For The Environment?

Dean — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 05:45:43 +0000

I eat a lot of organic food. In fact, about 80% of the food that goes into my body is organic. I cannot tell you how many times I get teased about eating “dirt” from many of my friends, and even my family. A friend recently quizzed me about my reasons for eating organic. I [...] Related posts: