Fresh Greens
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The Super Bowl is Green - Here are 5 Ways to Celebrate Accordingly
Continue reading… 2 CommentsThe NFL has been on a crusade for the past 14 years to reduce football's impact on the environment, and has quietly taken a lot of ecofriendly steps. Sunday's game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Arizona Cardinals will be powered by renewable energy and offset by tree planting. The venues will also recycle, donate leftover food to Tampa area food banks, and donate office supplies, decor, and construction materials to area nonprofits. So how do you celebrate a sustainable Super Bowl? Here are five ways.
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No Delay for Digital TV: Here's How to Prepare
Continue reading… 3 CommentsCongress voted yesterday against delaying the transition to digital TV, despite the fact that many people have not received coupons to purchase equipment for the switch and will be left without a signal come Feb. 17. More than three million people are still on a waiting list to receive a coupon for a digital converter box after the program that subsidized the funds has come up short.
This news may inspire may people to throw away their old analog TV set in favor of a newer model, which presents environmental problems - old TVs that will still work, with the proper modifications, will be disposed of irresponsibly, while newer, energy-sucking TV sets will be purchased in their place. Here's how to manage the digital transition in an eco-friendly way.
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Mercury Found in High Fructose Corn Syrup
Continue reading… 105 CommentsQuantities of mercury have been found in high fructose corn syrup, the ingredient that has replaced sugar in many of our processed foods. Reports have also come out that the FDA knew about traces of the toxic substance in food, and sat on the information. This news comes out just as we've learned that the peanut butter factory responsible for the salmonella outbreak has a storied history of health violations. What a week for food safety.
Mercury in high fructose corn syrup affects many of the most popular foods in America, including yogurt, soda, candy, juice and jelly. Even a small amount of it can be seriously unhealthy.
"Mercury is toxic in all its forms,” said IATP’s David Wallinga, M.D., and a co-author in both studies. “Given how much high fructose corn syrup is consumed by children, it could be a significant additional source of mercury never before considered. We are calling for immediate changes by industry and the FDA to help stop this avoidable mercury contamination of the food supply."
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Hot PETA Ad Banned From Super Bowl: Sex Doesn't Sell
Continue reading… 186 CommentsA PETA commercial promoting vegetarianism has been deemed too explicit for the Super Bowl by NBC, which banned the ad. The spot shows a bevy of models who really like their vegetables, if you catch my drift, and ends with the phrase "Studies show vegetarians have better sex" (the study they're referring to is unclear).
"Sex sells" has always been PETA's modus operandi ever since the famous "I'd rather go naked than wear fur" ads. The organization is also adept at creating controversy - I wouldn't be surprised if the creators of the spot deliberately exceeded network decency rules, wisely knowing that the ban of the ad would create more news. Among NBC's complaints: "Rubbing pelvic region with pumpkin," "licking eggplant," and several other, more graphic acts (you can see the full list here). I've embedded the video of the ad below -it may not be the best idea to watch it at work!
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The Printed Blog Newspaper: Really?
Continue reading… 11 CommentsThis story could have run in the Onion, but instead it's in the New York Times: An enterprising publisher is trying to resurrect the newspaper industry by printing blogs on newspaper, to hand out for free in Chicago and San Francisco. The Printed Blog is receiving its content for free from blogger volunteers, and is edited by volunteers as well. It will earn revenue from ads.
I don't think I even need to go over why this is not good for the environment. A blog has a small carbon footprint, using energy to host the site and power the computer it's written on. Take that blog and add ink, reams of paper, energy consumed in the printing process and emissions from transporting the finished product, and it's pretty obvious that it won't be a publication where any die-hard eco-bloggers will deign to submit their work (though the first issue features content from EcoGeek).
But let's get to the Printed Blog's mission: changing the way we consume media, and saving journalism (a goal that I, along with every other journalist with an interest in self-preservation, obviously support). "We hope to play a pivotal role in reversing the fortunes of the sinking newspaper industry with this new-media project," says the company's site. The Printed Blog will be hard-pressed to meet those goals for several reasons.
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The Recycling Bin: Obama's Green Orders
Continue reading… 1 CommentYesterday, Obama took action on a request by 14 states to waive national emissions rules in favor of stricter standards. The move was considered the president's first step towards fulfilling green campaign promises. Here's what people across the Internet are saying about the decision:
- The New York Times' editorial board calls the move "a wonderful start." "Mr. Bush began his tenure by breaking a campaign promise to regulate carbon dioxide and by withdrawing the United States from the Kyoto agreement on climate change. Mr. Obama begins his with a clear signal that he will not hesitate to use the regulatory levers provided by the Clean Air Act and other federal statutes to fight global warming."
- Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.) called the move "environmental thuggery."
- Detroit Free Press columnist Tom Walsh wonders what the move will mean for struggling Detroit. "Is the new president merely softening up Detroit with silky rhetoric before he shoves crippling new regulations down the auto industry's throat? Or is he serious about the hard work and politically risky decisions inherent in forging a comprehensive energy policy?"
- Arnold Schwarzenegger: "For too long, Washington has been asleep at the wheel when it comes to the environment." Watch his full remarks here.
- The L.A. Times editorial board is "doing cartwheels" over the decision, but regrets that a gas tax is not yet in the picture.
- Representative Mike Rogers (R-Mich.): "We have an absolute crisis in the American auto industry and today's decision to pile on new regulations without any substantive help is a cruel blow to Michigan workers and their families."
- General Motors: "We're ready to engage the Obama administration and the Congress on policies that support meaningful and workable solutions and targets that benefit consumers from coast to coast."
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Anthony Bourdain: "Alice Waters Annoys the Living [Expletive] Out of Me."
Continue reading… 17 CommentsNo Reservations host Anthony Bourdain has a bone to pick with Chez Panisse chef Alice Waters. Though Bourdain has stated in the past that he cooks organic food for his family, it seems that Alice Waters' philosophy is, to him, unrealistic in our current economic climate.
In an interview with DCist, Bourdain said:
"Alice Waters annoys the living [expletive] out of me. We're all in the middle of a recession, like we're all going to start buying expensive organic food and running to the green market. There's something very Khmer Rouge about Alice Waters that has become unrealistic. I mean I'm not crazy about our obsession with corn or ethanol and all that, but I'm a little uncomfortable with legislating good eating habits. I'm suspicious of orthodoxy, the kind of orthodoxy when it comes to what you put in your mouth. I'm a little reluctant to admit that maybe Americans are too stupid to figure out that the food we're eating is killing us. But I don't know if it's time to send out special squads to close all the McDonald's. My libertarian side is at odds with my revulsion at what we as a country have done to ourselves physically with what we've chosen to eat and our fast food culture. I'm really divided on that issue."
He later backtracked, saying, "I respect Alice Waters' enormous contribution to changing the way we eat and cook today. No one can take that away from her. No one should try."
Do you agree with Bourdain?
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Obama to Permit States to Tighten Auto Emissions and Fuel Efficiency Standards
Continue reading… 5 CommentsPresident Obama directed federal regulators to act on a waiver that would allow 14 states including California to regulate their own auto emissions and fuel efficiency standards strictly. The move forces automakers to produce more efficient vehicles, bringing the average miles per gallon of a new car or light truck to be sold in those states from the current average of 27 mpg to 35 mpg. Auto emissions cause more than one-fifth of all greenhouse gases.
The move was a rejection of Bush administration policy, which had denied the application because it would create "an unenforceable patchwork of environmental law," according to the New York Times. The auto industry has also lobbied against the move in the past, stating that the waiver would require them to make two sets of cars with separate standards. Though Obama is mindful of the auto industry's troubles, the move would require fast action on the part of Detroit - more efficient vehicles have to make it to the market by 2011.
The states affected by the waiver are Arizona, California, Connecticut, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington and New Jersey, as well as the District of Columbia. Obama also ordered the Department of Transportation to draw up rules for a 2007 law that required a 40 percent improvement in gas mileage for vehicles by 2020, a step the previous administration did not take. Said Obama, his orders would "ensure that the fuel-efficient cars of tomorrow are built right here in America."
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Maroon 5: 'Harder to Breathe' Is a Song About Coal. Just Kidding.
Continue reading… 9 CommentsLots of musicians have jumped on the green bandwagon this year, but Maroon 5, who performed at Al Gore's Green Ball, has been ahead of the trend for a while. "There was a groundswell of awareness in the early aughts about these issues," said James Valentine, the band's guitarist, on the green carpet. "But Jesse [Carmichael, keyboardist] was always way on it, he was a leader of getting stuff ready for the band."
Jesse told me about the band's transportation: "We offset everything we do. We don't ever take a flight without offsetting it." he added, however, that his transportation to Washington was a jet. "That conflict of interest is big."
Members of Maroon 5 (from left): James Valentine, Adam Levine, Jesse Carmichael, Michael Madden, Matt Flynn. Far right: Paulina Rubio.
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Michael Franti and Family Go Green by Playing Uno
Continue reading… 1 CommentMichael Franti, who opened Al Gore's Green Ball this past Monday, has been known for his activism as long as his music. An advocate for peace in the Middle East as well as green causes, Franti, who is a vegan, spoke with me about how he and his band Spearhead are green.
"Our band has gone over a greening process over the past 5 or 6 years," said Franti. "We converted our bus to a biodiesel bus, we don't have any plastic bottles in our dressing room or onstage, and we require that the venues we play have recycling and composting. We put on a big festival in San Francisco every year called the Power to the Peaceful festival. We green it more each year."
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Wall-E Earns 6 Oscar Nominations, Ties Record
Continue reading… 12 CommentsWall-E, the little robot who saved Earth, is having a big day - six Oscar nominations have been bestowed upon the film for Best Animated Feature Film of the Year, Original Score, Original Song, Sound Editing, Sound Mixing, and Original Screenplay. These six nominations tie the film to Beauty and the Beast, long considered the best animated film of all time, and the only animated film to have ever been nominated for Best Picture. I wrote a review of Wall-E last June, and discussed its environmental ramifications.
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Will.i.am Debuts Climate Change Song and Video at Al Gore's Green Ball
Continue reading… 3 CommentsWill.i.am of the Black Eyed Peas' "Yes We Can" video was a viral video sensation for the Obama campaign, but now that the president is in office, the singer is turning his attention and songwriting chops to another area: climate change. At Al Gore's green inaugural ball on Monday, Will.i.am debuted a new song called "Take Our Planet Back," which addresses our need to get off of foreign oil, use renewable energy sources and hold politicians accountable for enacting enviromental reform.
Entering the event on a green carpet, Will.i.am was asked by reporters how he is green in his personal life. The singer drives an electric car, which he references in his song. "I know we all as a people know that our dependence on fossil fuels - it's tired, it's old," he said. "The technology is there for us to run cars off of electricity. I'm living proof."
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Audio: Green Tips for Inauguration
Continue reading… 0 CommentsObama's doing his part to keep this inauguration green, so if you're coming to D.C. this weekend, here's how you can do yours. I recently talked to WTOP radio in Washington about ways to go green for inauguration. You can find my full list of tips in the Thrifty Green Inauguration Visitor's Guide to Washington, D.C.
LISTEN NOW: A Green Inauguration Visitor's Guide
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Inauguration Getting Greener and Greener
Continue reading… 0 CommentsIn the nearly sysiphean effort to make Obama's inauguration, which will be attended by millions, the greenest ever, new festivities and details keep coming. Earlier this week, I pulled together a thrifty green inaugural visitor's guide to D.C.
- The first of two green inaugural balls is tomorrow, and in addition to a featured performance from Wyclef, there will be a green "Trashion" show from designer Nancy Judd. The centerpiece of the show will be a men's coat made from Obama fliers.
- Speaking of coats - it's freezing here today. Good thing PETA is distributing used fur coats to the homeless in D.C.
- Al Gore's green inaugural ball has confirmed that Melissa Etheridge, will.i.am, Maroon 5, John Legend and Michael Franti will perform.
- If you have the cash for some green pampering, book a room for the weekend at the Fairmont. The D.C. Hotel's eco-inaugural package includes a Lexus hybrid complete with driiver (good luck getting around, though), organic food, a suite made of sustainable materials, and a Linda Loudermilk designer dress.
- For 150 guests at the Philips Collection, famed chef Alice Waters will prepare a locally-sourced meal of oysters, lamb, rockfish soup, saffron tomato and apple tart. The dinner, which cost $500 per guest, benefits area soup kitchens.
- If you can't make it to a ball, Live Earth offers tips for hosting your own green inaugural party.
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Bird Strikes That Caused U.S. Airways Hudson River Plane Crash Are Transportation, Environmental Problem
Continue reading… 43 CommentsA U.S. Airways Flight out of LaGuardia crashed into the Hudson River today after it was struck by birds - a simple, but extremely dangerous hazard for aircraft around the world. The plane is still in the water, but all passengers are reported to have escaped into rescue craft.
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'Cash for Clunkers' Introduced in Congress
Continue reading… 54 CommentsGot an old gas-guzzler in your driveway? Legislation that was introduced yesterday may soon allow you to trade it in for cash - up to $4,500, depending on the car. Said Sen. Charles Schumer, "This is an even better trade-in offer than they could get from any car dealership."
"Cash for Clunkers," as the program is being called, aims to get millions of fuel-inefficient vehicles off the road to help lower our reliance upon foreign oil, and reduce emissons and pollution. According to the Associated Press, by its fourth year the program would save between 40,000 and 80,000 barrels of fuel a day. The estimated cost of the program is between $1 and $2 billion.
The newer the vehicle, the more cash you'll get for it. If your vehicle was made before 1998, you'll get $2,000, while vehicles from 1999-2001 will get $3,000 and any vehicles made after 2002 will get $4,500. A person can also claim the equivalent dollar amount in public transit fares. The cars must be driveable, and must have a fuel economy rating of less than 18 miles per gallon. Once turned in, the old vehicles would be taken apart for scrap.
Find out all the FAQs on Cash for Clunkers from U.S. News' Rankings and Reviews.
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A Green Inauguration Visitor's Thrifty Guide to Washington, D.C.
Continue reading… 2 CommentsWelcome to Washington, if you can squeeze in here. We're expecting it to be packed. The White House has even declared the city in a state of emergency for the event. The massive influx of people certainly won't be good for our carbon footprint, that's for sure. And though the weekend is bound to be a wasteful one overall, there are small things you, as an eco-friendly consumer can do to help when you're visiting.
The inaugural planners are on board, according to the L.A. Times. "Not only are we committed to holding an inauguration that is the most open and accessible in history," said Linda Douglass, chief spokeswoman for Obama's inaugural committee, "but we are also committed to making sure that it is as environmentally friendly and sustainable as possible." The Environmental Protection Agency is advising the committee on best practices. And I'll be doing the same for you, the visitor—along with some tips for fun green stuff to do while you're here.
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Google Dispels Energy Usage Claims
Continue reading… 8 CommentsA story in the UK's Times Online set the green blogosphere ablaze with a simple statistic: Physicist Alex Wissner-Gross said that a single Google search emitted seven grams of CO2. Like many other bloggers, I wrote about the findings, and included a few eco-friendly search alternatives.
Google has since disputed the claim. According to the Google blog, one google search releases 0.2 grams of CO2, instead - a huge difference. Here's what Google has to say:
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Mermaids, Aliens and Bigfoot Want You to Believe in Clean Coal
Continue reading… 4 CommentsLast week, a British paper reported that aliens were interfering with one town's clean energy. Now Sasquatch and a mermaid have joined the mix. The Reality Coalition, a group dedicated to clearing up misconceptions about clean coal, has put
up a clever ad campaign in D.C.'s Metro Center, where mythical creatures tell public transit riders that clean coal is just a big greenwash. Just in time for the onslaught of tourists who will be passing through the station on their way to president-elect Barack Obama's inaugural parade, the Coalition hopes the Reality Campaign ads will help people realize that clean coal is no more a present reality than the alien, bigfoot and mermaid pictured holding big chunks of it. More photos below. -
Green Alternatives to Google Searches
Continue reading… 8 CommentsIt's just a few clicks a day, but Google searches have an environmental impact too - 7 grams of carbon each, according to a recent study. To put it in visual terms, for every two Google searches you do, you've used the equivalent amount of energy as boiling water for a cup of tea. When you think of the massive amount of searches we do each day on Yahoo, Google and MSN, it adds up to a lot of energy consumed.
All search engines are not created equal, though. Green search engines donate money to environmental causes each time you click - and they're powered by the major search engines, so your results are comparable to a typical Google search. Here are two to try:
