Earth Day 2009

On 22 April 2009, watch Disney's Earth, a full length documentary from the creator of the Planet Earth series. It is the first feature from Disneynature.

Delving into green search engines

We've mentioned green search engines quite a number of times--Blackle, Ecocho--and we love how the simple act of using a different search engine could make a difference in the environment. Other search engines offset their CO2 emissions and Blackle in particular swapped the usual white background to black, saying that white uses more energy. But can they really give the planet a greener boost? This article shows both sides of the argument.

What can you do with old sports stuff?

Do you have old sports equipment lying around in your garage, storage room or even your own bedroom?

Fear not, there's hope!

Option 1: Sports Gift collects used sports equipment and donates these to needy children all over the world.

Option 2: Play It Again offers three choices on what you can do with your used gear - you can get cash for it, trade it or donate it. Simple!

Now go out there and gather your used equipment. Give it a new lease on life.

Building a green world for kids

In a recent press release, EcoBabyWorld shares that Matthew McConaughey and his girlfriend Camilla Alves received a fantastic gift basket containing eco-friendly baby products. These products are exactly the type of thing EcoBabyWorld's CEO needed when she had to take care of her own newborn's dry skin.

EcoBabyWorld's carries various eco-friendly baby products, from bath items to toys to clothing, all guaranteed to be good for the planet and perfect for babies' health too.

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A green day care center is opening up in Chicago this year! The Little Green Tree House is still under construction and is set to open in the spring.

...the Little Green Tree House will feature non-toxic paints, Energy Star appliances, PVC- and phthalate-free toys, and an all-organic, locally sourced meal plan.

Action needed

From Environment New York:

In the next few days Congress is going to vote on the economic recovery package that everyone's been talking about for the last two months. For the environment, the big question remains: Will Congress vote to create a stronger, more sustainable economy by investing in green jobs and a green economic recovery?

The answer: Not without your action this week.

Click here to urge your member of Congress to support green jobs and a green economic recovery.

Increasing energy efficiency, expanding public transportation, deploying renewable energy technology, and reducing the pollution that causes global warming are the key elements of a strong, green economic recovery package.

Our research shows that we could reduce the pollution that causes global warming by 10 percent and replace the power equivalent of 170 dirty, coal-fired power plants with clean energy if we make the right choices for stimulating the economy.

Your member of Congress is about to vote on Obama's economic recovery bill -- hopefully in the next few days -- and our staff in Washington, D.C., has told me that the bill contains many of the specific recommendations we made to the Presidential Transition Team.

Just imagine: If Congress approves the Obama recovery proposal, we could quickly put Americans to work building more wind farms, installing millions of solar roofs and weatherizing millions of homes while allowing new clean, green industries to take hold in a strengthened economy.

Pixxlz's new paper is made of crap

Literally. Pixxlz prides itself on printing green, using soy- and waterbased ink and recycled paper. But it's going to get even greener thanks to their purchase of Sri Lanka-based Mr. Ellie Pooh paper, which is--dun da dun--made of elephant dung. The paper is not made from trees in any way, and the company's president Lindsey Burkhardt jokes that the papers are made from Post Elephant Waste (PEW), assuring customers that the papers don't smell at all. Whew!

Green your home office

I think I've mentioned so many times before what a big fan I am of telecommuting, which has been said is a greener way to do work. Of course, if you work at home, you have to make sure that you're doing everything in an eco-friendly way as well. Shops like The Green Office Store has an incredible selection of eco-friendly office supplies, from post-it notes to copy paper to laptop bags and desk accessories. The Green Office Store also supports environmental causes by giving back 1% of orders over $50 to environmental organizations.

Working at home and avoiding the daily commute + eco-friendly office supplies = excellent. All you will need to do is make sure that you're not using up too much electricity!

Vacation cabin gets gold LEED rating

Arb and Andrea Rylant have given their son Mark free rein in building their vacation home--and he did it, creating a lovely little cabin that's also eco-friendly. In fact, it has been given a gold LEED rating. Mark Rylant is one of the founders of Method Homes, which specializes in sustainable building.

The home was built in sections in a Seattle warehouse using Forest Stewardship Council-certified Douglas fir framing, as well as reclaimed fir trim and cedar siding. The Rylant home earned a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design gold rating, given by the U.S. Green Building Council's LEED program, which requires builders to meet strict sustainability standards.

Bite into a green hotdog

Let's face it, hotdogs have never been known for being healthful food items, and the kind being sold on streets is the target of much suspicion when it comes to how sanitary they are. Let's Be Frank Dogs, the brainchild of Sue Moore and Larry Bain, changes the seedy image of hotdogs with its uncured beef franks that are rich in omega-3. The meat they use comes from grass-fed cows and is not pumped full of hormones and chemicals. Read more about their commitment to health and the environment.

Get to know Christine Marchuska of green clothing brand cmarchuska (part 2)

Here's the second part of our interview with cmarchuska's Christine Marchuska.

How do you come up with styles and designs?
I come up with styles and designs through the influence of my friends and family. I am always around these incredibly stylish women and I often get inspiration by their personal style along with my own. I used to hate to spend money on work clothes that really couldn't be worn out at night so I also try to make all of my pieces versatile such as the christine dress or upcoming lindsey dress which could be dressed down for the office and then dressed up for night.

Do any particular designers inspire you?
Many designers inspire me - Rogan, Tom Ford, DVF are a few at the top of my list.

How eco-friendly is your lifestyle?
My lifestyle is pretty eco-friendly. Some of the ways I try to practice being green at home are the following: Unplugging cell phone chargers and appliances when they are not in use, recycling, conserving paper and energy by sending documents/look books online vs printing them out, reading newspapers/magazines online, taking very short showers and limiting water usage.

Where is cmarchuska headed next?
cmarchuska is headed to ECOCOLLECTION which is part of the huge MAGIC trade show in Vegas on February 17-19. I cannot wait to get my line out to boutiques and stores all over the world. It should be an exciting show with lots of new, up-and-coming sustainable designers. I can't wait!

Any advice for aspiring eco-fashion designers?
My advice is do your research and then to go for it. Now is the time to get involved in eco-fashion. It isn't going away - it's only getting bigger and better.

Any tips for people on living eco-friendlier lives?
Always think about the mantra that less is more. Make sure to monitor the waste you generate and think of some easy ways on how to reduce it such as recycling, reading publications online, e-mailing instead of sending snail mail, etc.

How hard is it to go green in the fashion industry?
It is pretty tough because most of the sustainable fabrics out there are knits so you have to be creative on how to make high-end stylish clothing with the current fabrics available. However, I think this is going to change as mills continue to create more advanced fibers and fabrics.

Let your fingers do the walking

If you are tired of coming home and finding yet another phone directory on your doorstep, walk your fingers over to Yellow Pages goes Green. You can sign up to stop receiving unsolicited phone books.

Get to know Christine Marchuska of green clothing brand cmarchuska (part 1)

We recently got wind of cmarchuska, a clothing line that is both stylish and eco-friendly, and we got in touch with Christine Marchuska, the brand's co-founder.

First of all, how's life in the sustainable fashion business compared to life on Wall Street? What pushed you to make the switch and how did you adjust, initially?
Life in the sustainable fashion business is very different from life on Wall Street. For one, I spend my days running around the city, primarily the garment district, versus sitting in front of a computer on a trading floor all day. But in general it is a great experience in terms of the amazing people I am meeting along with the incredible things I am learning about sustainability and fashion. I think the fashion industry is such an exciting and interesting area and I love being a part of it. Getting laid off in May '08 was the push I needed to go after my dream job of starting an eco-friendly clothing line.

How and why did you specifically choose to get into sustainable fashion?
I chose to get involved in sustainable fashion because I care deeply about the environment and the world. I want future generations to be able to experience the beauty of this planet so preserving the Earth is very important to me. Less is more with eco-friendly and sustainability so I wanted to make sure the fabrics and processes used for my line are made with the least amount of waste with Earth-friendly methods. How? I focused on making contacts with different mills and contractors where I could feel comfortable with how fabrics and clothing were manufactured.

What sets cmarchuska apart from other eco-friendly clothing lines?
My line, cmarchuska, focuses on chic and sustainable clothing that is still affordable which I think is difficult to find with the current options in the eco-friendly clothing realm. I wanted to get away from the traditional stigmas attached to eco-friendly/green clothing by making my line stylish with an extremely flattering fit. Also, many of my items may appear to be basics, but they also work well with transitioning from day to night such as the christine dress which can be worn to the office with dress pants and then paired with tights for night.

How do you strive to make sure that cmarchuska is truly a green clothing line?
I am completely hands-on with my line to ensure that it truly is a green clothing line. I can be found daily at my manufacturer's facility in New York City so I know exactly how things are being made. I get my fabrics from reputable mills which have been referred to me by showrooms and merchandisers that vouch for the mill. But I want to take my business a step further and hopefully become a corporation in the upcoming months.

What are the biggest challenges in having a green clothing line? Did you have to battle any stereotypes or negative attitudes regarding sustainable fashion?
The biggest challenges are finding fabrics that are eco-friendly yet reasonable to work with, ensuring that processes are in fact green and finding the resources needed to get the clothing made. The biggest stereotype/stigma attached to eco-friendly/sustainable clothing is that it is crunchy granola clothing and cannot be stylish. I think though that this stereotype is slowly dissipating as new stylish sustainable clothing such as cmarchuska enters the market.

Tomorrow: part 2 of our interview with Christine Marchuska! Don't forget to check out cmarchuska to take a look at all their great clothes!

Garmin's a green companion for the road

We all know that we should do what we can to make the way we drive as green as possible, and Garmin is helping make that easier with a new feature called ecoRoute. The ecoRoute maps out the best, most fuel-efficient way to get to your destination. It also provides you with Fuel and Mileage Reports.

Dawn of a New and Green Day

Good luck Mr. President Barack Hussein Obama! May your presidency be blessed.

The search for a "green" dishwashing liquid is on!

We ran out of automatic dishwashing liquid today and ended up buying Seventh Generation's Automatic Dishwasher Gel.

I checked online for options. I'm even planning to buy all of them to give them all a fair trial and then post my reviews here. We'll see how it goes.

However, I'd still like to hear from all of you who have tried any or all of the following products below. If you know of other products that are not listed here, it would be great to hear about them as well.

Seventh Generation Automatic Dishwasher Gel, Lemon Scent, 45-Ounce Bottles (Pack of 6)
Pack of 6 from Amazon.com = $24.42

Bi-O-Kleen Automatic Dish Gel, 64-Ounce (Pack of 6)
Pack of 6 from Amazon.com = $60.87

Citra Dish Automatic Dishwashing Detergent, Gel, Fresh Grapefruit, 75-Ounce Bottles (Pack of 6)
currently not available in Amazon.com

Mrs. Meyer's Clean Day Automatic Dishwashing Liquid, 48-Ounce Bottles (Pack of 6)
Pack of 6 from Amazon.com = $43.86

Earth Friendly Products Wave Auto Dish Gel High Performance, Lavender, 40 Ounces (Pack of 8)
Pack of 8 from Amazon.com = $34.29

Attitude 2x Automatic Dishwasher Liquid Detergent, Tea Tree & Lime, 26 Loads, 35.2-Ounce Bottles (Pack of 6)
Pack of 6 from Amazon.com = $32.74

Planet Ultra Dishwashing Liquid, Case Pack, Twelve - 25 Fluid Ounce Bottles (300 Fluid Ounces)
Pack of 12 from Amazon.com = $39.42

Shaklee Dish Wash Automatic Concentrate
$11.20

The Cacao Pearl - an upcoming eco-resort in the Philippines

I was happy to read this news from HotelsMag.com: "Non-Profit Eco-Resort Planned For Palawan"

"The Cacao Pearl will occupy an entire private island, with 124 acres of lush rainforest and towering coconut trees fringed with over a mile of pristine beaches, according to its operator, Cacao Resorts. This new approach to resort-communities is nestled within the eco-tourism destination of Palawan - Philippines, a stunning eco preservation area within sailing distance of two UNESCO World heritage sites & four marine reserves. The Cacao Pearl is an eco-chic low-density boutique resort concept promising sustainable development and sustainable enjoyment — designer homes with zero carbon cost, 5 stars service, an infinity pool, wreck & reef diving, a secluded destination spa, organic gardens & bar, restaurant, private media rooms and enough delicious design details to delight the most discerning guest."

According to the article, The Cacao Pearl in Palawan is "the world's first non-profit and luxury eco-resort community". Non-profit AND luxury? Let's see how that works out. If and when I go to the Philippines again, I should definitely include Palawan in my must-see list.

A reader shares his duct tape bag experiment

From our reader, Chris:

I used a tie-dye shirt for one and have a few pictures of it. I also made one from an Adidas tee shirt and it did not turn out as well. The bottom is not as good, the handles (shoulders) are a little thin and the logo is on the end. It looks like I am carrying a tee shirt. I think the main things to try (without buying the book) are to make sure you leave enough width for the shoulder straps. When you staple the bottom you should then cut the shirt off below as close to the staples as
possible (but not too close). Then spread the seam to each side so it isn't as bulky. Taping everything after stapling makes the staples undetectable. No one knew that it was stapled. Of course, next time I do this I will also work hard to tape the shirt down smoothly. For now I contend that the wrinkles create texture and personality :)

Motorola unveils the Moto W233 renew

We're about a week into the new year and mobile phone manufacturers are already coming up with green products. We hope this will be a trend that keep on going for the rest of the year.

A few days ago, Motorola launched its eco-friendly phone, the Moto W233 renew. The phone is made with plastic from recycled water bottles and its packaging will also be made from recycled materials, too. They have also included a postage-paid envelope which will allow people to send back their old phone for recycling.

Warm all over

During a slow, wintry day at work this week, we were cleaning out our facility and my boss said I could take the towels we don't use anymore and use it as rags at home or something. I remembered Cecile mentioning before that animal shelters are always in need of towels, blankets, and other items. You can call your local shelter and ask what items they will accept.

The US Humane Society also has a take-back program for old fur coats and other apparel. So let's keep our furry friends warm and our used clothes and linen out of landfills.

Tooth Fairy Beware

I saw this on The Doctors yesterday. Apparently, you can save your baby's umbilical cord so they can harvest the stem cells for future illnesses in your family. If you didn't do that at birth, a pulled tooth can also be a source for the precious stem cells. A company called Stem Save has a kit that will let you preserve the tooth, and they'll store it for you. The plastic surgeon in the show said that fat removed during liposuction also has stem cells.

Clean your camera lenses the greener way

I recently acquired a new camera and have been pretty obsessed about keeping it in tip-top condition all the time, so this particular find is very interesting. Purosol is said to be an eco-friendly lens cleaner, described as

...an advanced cleaning formula that was originally developed for NASA and the U.S. military to safely clean their lenses and high-end electronic displays. Unlike ordinary lens cleaners, which contain alcohol, ammonia and other harsh solvents that can strip away at your lens surface, Purosol is made with a proprietary blend of organic plant extracts so it is completely safe, non-toxic and hypoallergenic. It does not use solvents, detergents or soaps of any kind in its formula so it will not leave anything behind that can further damage your equipment, or the environment.

The green bubble won't be popping this year

For a while now, some people have been predicting that the eco-bubble is sure to burst pretty soon, much like the dot-com bubble of the early 21st century. For 2009, though, the outlook for the eco-movement is still pretty positive. Read more.

The eco-friendly homebody

Gas prices may be lower than it's been the past several months, but thanks to the worldwide recession, more people are opting to stay in most days rather than go out--keeps them from using up gas and blowing money on stuff they don't really need that much. Staying in sounds like the eco-friendly way to go, but an article on The Observer highlights the high costs of staying in. After all, when people stay at home, they do avoid using fuel, but they end up using a LOT of power nonetheless, thanks to TV, game consoles, and heating, among others.

I spend most of my time at home, and I have to admit that I'm most guilty of having an electric fan and my computer turned on for a good chunk of the day. Sometimes, I leave the TV on when I feel it's gotten too quiet.

If you stay at home a lot and find that you tend to use too much electricity, then make a conscious effort to keep it down. Try not to channel-surf aimlessly if there's really nothing on TV that catches your interest. Unplug all appliances that you're not using. Turn off absolutely everything that you don't need to use and just curl up with something good to read. If you have to use any gaming consoles, then...yeah, it sounds hard, but try to limit your use to a couple of hours (hey, I'm not unreasonable, and I know a mere hour flies by quickly when playing games).

Gimme bread!

Guess who discovered Vermont Bread Company yesterday?

You got that right...me!

We were buying our groceries yesterday. We needed bread, but I wanted to try something new. Good thing I saw Vermont Bread Company's Organic Wheat Bread. In case you're wondering, its ingredients are all easy to pronounce...

"INGREDIENTS: Water, Organic Whole Wheat Flour, Organic Wheat Flour, Organic Evaporated Cane Juice and/or Organic Cane Sugar, Organic Molasses, Culture Wheat Starch, Salt, Yeast, Ascorbic Acid, Organic Soy Flour.

"Contains Wheat, Soy.

"May Contain Sesame Seeds."

Nice huh! We'll try their other organic breads once we're finished with the current batch.

My green resolutions for 2009

My sister just posted her go-greener resolutions for this year, and while I told myself I wouldn't make resolutions for 2009, making an effort to be greener is a pretty good idea. I didn't get to achieve some of my resolutions for 2008, so for 2009, I'll work on the ones I failed to do as well as

• use less air conditioning (it has been spectacularly easy to do this lately because of the much cooler weather we're having in the Philippines, but it will be a challenge some the scorching summer months)
  
• start recycling plastics (many thanks to Papemelroti's list of recycling centers)
  
• be more vigilant about plugged-in appliances around the house
  
• always keep a reusable bag in the car
  
• make an effort to reach out to local supermarkets and suggest that they start allowing the use of reusable bags
  

My green resolutions

Here are my green resolutions for 2009. Some are really easy to do, which makes me wonder why I haven't really implemented it.

1. Use our car more efficiently. Keep tires properly inflated. Keep trunk clean. Plan trips wisely.
2. Dispose of old cellphones.
3. Set my laptop to either hibernate or standby, if I can't turn it off (goodness knows why not!).
4. Start using eco-friendly dishwashing detergents (once I've determined what to use).
5. Shower quickly.
6. Bring our reusable bag when we go grocery shopping. (I keep forgetting!)
7. Return the grocery plastic bags to grocery stores for recycling. (yes, they offer that option.)
8. Be vigilant in reminding companies not to excessively wrap/package their items. Maybe a simple e-mail will do.
9. Get rid of household cleaning items that are bad, bad, bad.
   
10. Start using organic shampoo, hair conditioner, body wash, etcetera.

If you care to share your 2009 green resolutions, e-mail us here at Green Unlimited or leave a comment.