World Vegetarian Day

Mark it on your calendars: October 1 is World Vegetarian Day! It kicks off World Vegetarian Awareness Month.

(photo from here)

A Day at a Time

Tomorrow, 23 September, is World Wildlife Fund's "What a Difference a Day Makes" global online event. If you twitter, post a message to Twitter with tag #wwf24 to let everyone know what you're doing to help Mother Earth.

Clean waters

I was happy to see this poster at my local pharmacy yesterday. I had asked them before if they took back expired or unused medications, and they didn't. It's good that New York is stepping up its efforts to keep the water supply clean.

For more information, visit the Department of Environmental Conservation.

Broadway going Green

The newly renovated Henry Miller's Theatre is home to this season's Roundabout Theatre Company's revival of the musical Bye Bye Birdie. The show is now in previews with opening scheduled for 15 October 2009.

Why is this news for Green Unlimited you ask? Only because it is Broadway's FIRST and ONLY green theatre. According to Gothamist:

"The owners (The Durst Organization and Bank of America) are applying for an LEED Gold rating for the theater, which was built behind the preserved and restored neo-Georgian façade of the original 1918 theater. The theater's publicist stated that 25 percent of the construction materials was locally sourced (originating within a 500-mile radius), and a minimum 85 percent of construction and demolition debris was diverted from landfill and instead was recycled."
And for the women used to long lines at the restroom, the ladies bathroom has...wait for it...*drumroll*...22 stalls! This is 3 times the code requirement! (The men's room sports waterless urinals.) "And 95% of the air is filtered, with carbon dioxide sensors to maximize fresh air supply."

The downside? I want to see a show in this theatre, but not Bye Bye Birdie. Especially not with John Stamos and Gina Gershon. We'll see what the next offering will be.

If you want to stay informed on how the Great White Way is trying to go green, visit The Broadway Green Alliance.

The Green City

I was in Chicago this past Labor Day weekend and while walking around the Millennium Park area, saw a solar-powered trash compactor. The city first started using them in the beaches. Called Big Belly, once trash reaches the top of the cans, it breaks an electronic beam that triggers a motor to mash the trash. The device doesn't need direct sunlight. They cost almost $4000 each.

Chicago currently has 90 of these compactors. Kudos to Mayor Richard Daley for continuing his efforts to make the Windy City the greenest city in the U. S.

(We were in too much of a hurry to stop and take a picture so this photo is from here)

Natural beauty

If you're looking for beauty products without the toxic ingredients, here are some websites you can check out:

• RMS Beauty
• Revolution Organics
• Safe Cosmetics