The Impact of Plastic Bags

My fabulous friend Samantha emailed a great link to me today - remember to be conscious when you use those eco-icky bags and watch this!

It's very important to understand what plastic bags are doing to our environment and the health of the planet. When you watch this link and you will be amazed...We need to kick the plastic bag habit!

I know many of our blog readers are already "converts" and try to no longer use plastic bags, but we can always have further convincing...

Many countries around the world and some cities in the USA have banned the use of plastics bags. If your town doesn’t have a ban, get one!!!

Please forward these photos and information on the damage to our earth and its life caused by plastic bags (made from an oil by-product).

4 Ways to Reduce E-Waste

Co-Op America emailed out a GREAT checklist on easy ways to reduce e-waste!

1. Check your television. – Many TVs made after 2003 were equipped with digital tuners. Look for a label that says "Integrated Digital Tuner," "Integrated Digital Receiver," "Digital Receiver Built-in," or "Digital Receiver Built-in." If you have a digital tuner already, you're all set.

2. Use a converter box. – If you don't have a digital tuner, a set-top converter box can still keep your TV from becoming e-waste. Each household is eligible to receive two vouchers, valued at $40 each, to use toward purchase of a converter. Check out www.dtv.gov for more information.

3. Recycle your television – If you must purchase a new television, make sure your old one isn't simply carted to a landfill. The Basel Action Network provides a list of recyclers who have pledged not to export hazardous e-waste. Also, Sony is offering a free take-back program for all Sony electronics in the US.

4.Speak out about the e-waste nightmare -- Finally, take our action to tell the FCC that you're concerned about the coming deluge of e-waste that may be triggered by the digital switch. Tell the FCC to require manufacturers to follow Sony's lead and take responsibility for their products throughout their entire life cycles.

BONUS ENERGY-SAVING STEPS: If you must purchase a new television, look for an LCD (liquid crystal display) model, marked with the Energy Star label. LCDs use six times less energy than plasma screen models. You can cut your energy use further by unplugging your TV (and its attached appliances) when you're not watching it; this prevents your electronics from consuming electricity even while not in use.

Please forward this blog post to all your friends and family. We need as many people as possible to understand how to reduce the impact of the digital switch, and we need a groundswell of pressure on the FCC and the electronics companies to manage the e-waste problem better.

Send an e-mail to the FCC today and visit our Responsible Shopper.org to find contact information for major electronics manufacturers, and links to the TV TakeBack campaign.

WATER BOTTLE CHALLENGE

Laurie David, one of our eco-heroes and founder of www.stopglobalwarming.org, sends a superb enewsletter (if you are not on the list go to www.stopglobalwarming.org and get on it)

One of her email topics was proposing that we commit to NOT USE WATER BOTTLES between now and Earth Day. The following is straight from Laurie's email:

"Inspired by our friends at Brooklyn Green Team, who are running their own "No Disposable Water Bottle Challenge," we would like to challenge our virtual marchers to give up disposable water bottles. Start with a commitment not to purchase any plastic bottled beverages between now and Earth Day (April 22).

Every year, Americans throw away over 22 billion plastic bottles, the majority ending up in landfills. Across the country, only 10 percent of plastic water bottles are recycled, says a report from the New York state Department of Conservation. Bottle production requires millions of barrels of oil, and the bottles create toxic air pollution as they are incinerated with regular trash. As the Brooklyn Green Team puts it, it's time for us all to "kick the disposable lifestyle."

I am ready to try this out...it's just me and my aluminum bottle baby! Anyone else who is in, please post a comment to this blog. If we get a strong response, we'll donate free online greeting card memberships as prizes to support the No Disposable Water Bottle Challenge!

I want to see some support!!!!

Give the gift of Green Clean this holiday!

One of my best friends on the planet is expecting her second baby and the first friend words out of my mouth at lunch last week were questions about the products she uses to clean her house for her 3year old and baby-on the way.

Homes are the MOST TOXIC environments, mainly due to the crap (TOXIC CRAP) that we use to "clean" our homes. Chemicals weaken immune systems, especially infants, kids and seniors (folks with weaker systems)

So, instead of giving a silly gift this year, give the gift of green clean - healthy cleaning products! It's creative, caring and makes a difference.

I lovelovelove www.livingreen.com owned by Ellen Strickland, green pioneer and healthy living advocate extrodinaire. She has stores in Santa Barbara, Montecito and Culver City and now you can shop healthy cleaning products online with them.

Give a great gift this year - help make healthier homes!

Bags of Change

A fellow conscious spender referred me to Bags of Change (thank you for your great feedback!) a way to help alleviate all the plastic bage wastola AND support/get deals at organic, fair trade stores.

You can support your local shops and say no to plastic bags forever with Bags of Change. Even better, their organic hemp-cotton bag award you discounts on local, organic and Fairtrade goods at participating stores.

The organic, Fair trade stores are UK based.

Happy shopping!

Happy Thanksgiving!

It's a day of rest and thanks, so all I have to post is this goofy photo (dare me to bake it???) and overwhelming feelings of gratitude. I am thankful for my great friends and amazing family, health and wonderful work partners. I feel hopeful for the planet and the future. Spend time with children, they are the reason we need to be conscious and caring and make better choices so when it's their time to cook Turkey dinner, they can do so in a healthy planet.
Happy Thanksgiving!