New Life in Plastic, It's Fantastic!

I always reuse plastic bags but I haven't really thought about recycling them until recently. Even though I see drop off bins at my local supermarkets. The bags get converted to post-consumer resin in pipes, pallets, bags, crates and other containers. They also find new life as lumber used in building and construction materials.

According to Plasticbagrecycling, DO bring in:

• Grocery bags
• Retail bags (hard plastic and string handles removed)
• Paper towel and toilet paper plastic wrap
• Plastic newspaper bags
• Plastic dry cleaning bags
• All clean, clear bags labeled with a #2 or #4

DON'T bring in:
NO food or cling wrap
NO prepackaged food bags including frozen food bags
(e.g., prewashed salad bags)
NO film that has been painted or has excessive glue
NO other bags or films
NO bio-based or compostable plastic bags

Earth Hour 2010 in the Philippines is done

Okay, I admit that I and our mother didn't get to do Earth Hour properly this year, since we were out to dinner. During our drive home, one can't really say we were in serious darkness. There was still plenty of light, although some did make an effort. Some billboards weren't illuminated, Quezon Memorial Circle was completely dark, two malls (SM North and Trinoma) were relatively dim, and the main building of GMA 7 was dark all over, save for a couple of billboards. The picture you see on the left was taken across SM North EDSA, and the lights at the bottom come from the vehicles rushing down EDSA. A note was passed around our neighborhood reminding everyone about Earth Hour, and while most people complied, one house in particular didn't, since the people living there were having a big party. I'd say whatever power we didn't use, they made sure to make up for it with their event.

AT&T offers the ZERO Charger

A lot of people tend to forget that leaving their chargers plugged in even without their phones still uses up a bit of power. AT&T is offering a balm for this forgetfulness with the ZERO Charger, which will be released soon. The ZERO Charger is said to "outperform" other chargers by shutting down automatically when it's not in use, so you'll "never have to unplug your charger again!"

It means well, but why would you ever leave your charger plugged in the first place? Of course, I'm speaking as someone who obsessively unplugs everything after use.

World Water Week

It's still World Water Week. To support the UNICEF Tap Project, Giorgio Armani Parfums will donate $1 for everyone who becomes a fan of Acqua di Gio's Facebook page. This will provide 40 days of clean water to a child. You can also make a donation on UNICEF's website.

Earth Hour 2010

Earth Hour is upon us! Lights off this Saturday, 27 March from 830 to 930 PM, earthlings!

Gisele Bundchen launches Sejaa

It came as a surprise to me to find out that supermodel Gisele Bundchen is actually a UN ambassador for environmental issues, but I applaud her; using your fame for good causes is always admirable. One of her recent ventures is the launch of her skin care line called Sejaa, which offers "skin care as pure as the earth and rain." The name Sejaa comes from the Portuguese seja, which means "to be," and promises to use natural ingredients in its products, which are then placed in packaging made from post-consumer waste paper and printed with soy-based VOC-free inks.

Sejaa currently offers three products: a day cream, night cream, and a mud mask, and you can get all three in one skin care kit.

The 12th Tour of the Fireflies is on April 18

Every year, The Firefly Brigade holds The Tour of the Fireflies to promote the bicycle as a transportation alternative here in Metro Manila and also to raise awareness about pollution and the environment.  What do fireflies have to do with this? Decades ago, fireflies were a pretty common sight in the metropolis. But these days, you rarely get to see them, since they've fled the city in search of cleaner air.

This year's Tour of the Fireflies is taking place on April 18, and it's going to be a 40-kilometer ride across seven cities. Registration runs until March 31, 2010.

World Water Day - March 22, 2010

Mark your calendar, greenies, World Water Day's right around the corner, specifically on March 22, 2010.

This effort came about thanks to the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) in Rio de Janeiro. As former United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan wrote, "(w)ater is essential to life." We need potable water to survive. We need it to stay clean. We use it for cooking. Even our industries are heavily dependent on water. Heck, the entire planet is mostly water.

So go out there and join the events on World Water Day. You can even organize your own event, if you want.

The Write Stuff

PaperMate now has environment-friendly pens! The corn-based material that makes up the casing biodegrades in one year. You do have to disassemble the pen but the instructions come with the packages. They have also partnered with Terracycle to collect old writing instruments to raise funds for charitable organizations. They will upcycle or recycle the used pens and pencils. Sign up now!

Check it Out

Are you still hesitant about online payments? Checks Unlimited offers an eco-friendly alternative. They use recycled paper to make these checks.

Eco-water

We all know how those ubiquitous petroleum-based plastic water bottles end up in landfills if we don't recycle them. Burning them with regular trash releases toxic fumes. And yet, the recycling rate has held steady at 27 %. Then we heard about a compostable bottle: Re:newal.

They are made from PLA (polylactic acid), a polymer derived from corn. The bottles can be sent for recycling, or if thrown in trash, will biodegrade within 90 days. Even the label is made from this plant starch. The water comes from privately owned Kelley Springs, a natural spring low in impurities. Even the Cancer Treatment Centers of America started distributing them in their hospitals.

What did I think about it? The water is tasteless and odorless, the way water should be. I also like the neat packaging. Even the font is unobtrusive. So if you don't have BPA-free reusable water bottles, Re:newal is a great alternative. Let's hope grocery stores start carrying them soon.

Save the Clean Air Act!

From Environment New York:

"Last May, President Obama decided to improve the nation's gas mileage standards and require big cuts in tailpipe emissions of global warming pollution.

Now, with the EPA moving to finalize this new rule by April 1, Alaska Senator Lisa Murkowski wants to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. The government warns that her Dirty Air Act "would have serious, adverse consequences for the nation's economy, its energy independence and security, and public health and welfare."

The Senate could vote within days on her Dirty Air Act, which would, among other things, block EPA's new clean car standards. Click the link below to make your voice heard and sign the petition.

http://www.environmentnewyork.org/action/energy/dirty-air-act?id4=ES

The petition tells our senators:

Congress must defeat all attempts to block or freeze enforcement of Clean Air Act limits on global warming pollution.

We've been fighting to cut global warming pollution from cars for nearly a decade. In 2002, our colleagues in California helped pass the Clean Cars Program. Since then, our researchers, advocates and supporters have helped convince lawmakers here in New York to follow suit -- as well as in Connecticut, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington.

These victories helped set the stage for President Obama's decision last May to extend the program across the entire nation. The end result will save twice as much oil as we import each year from the Persian Gulf -- but not if Lisa Murkowski has her way.

As you know, victories are hard to come by in Washington these days. Please sign our petition and help secure a victory that will put us on the road to a new clean energy economy and cleaner, healthier air."

Anna Aurilio
Environment New York Federal Legislative Director

Dare to Care

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

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

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

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

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!

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."