Not to scare you...

but this article will scare you.

http://health.yahoo.net/rodale/WH/is-your-health-on-the-line

Get rid of unwanted circulars!

I have a P.O. box which I have to admit I don't check often. When I do, it is just crammed full of grocery store circulars that go directly into the recycle bin. I asked the mail carrier behind the counter how I could stop getting these stupid things and he gave me a phone number.

1-800-437-0479
It's very easy. Just follow the directions and it will connect you to someone who will take you off the Red Plum list.

Or, go here.
http://www.valassis.com/1024/Contact/consumersupport.aspx

More laziness.

Just because it's biodegradable doesn't mean you should.

I have always been Pro-Bacteria...

I'll just let Discover explain all the technicalities. :) Yay to bacteria! It's not going to be the only solution, but it sure does help!



http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/notrocketscience/2010/08/24/oil-eating-bacteria-have-started-to-clean-the-deepwater-horizon-spill/

Help RAIR!

One of our bloggers, Fern, is the Co-Founder of RAIR - Recycled Artists In Residency. RAIR is a group of dedicated individuals working to connect art and sustainability in Philadelphia. They provide artists with salvaged materials and comfortable workspace while increasing awareness about the waste stream.

For more information on RAIR, visit the website, find them on facebook, or watch this great video to see the kind of work that can be made with recycled materials.

Right now, we are asking you to go to the Pepsi Refresh website and vote for RAIR. If RAIR is ranked #1, they will be awarded $50,000 which would help them progress and expand RAIR to it's full potential. You can see on the Pepsi Refresh website how the money will help the organization. You can vote for the project every day during the month of August.

You can vote online through the Pepsi Refresh site or facebook: go to http://www.refresheverything.com/rairphilly and click "Vote for this Idea." It will bring you to a screen where you can sign-in through the Pepsi site or with facebook.

Or, you can vote by Text: Text 101584 to Pepsi (73774) (*standard messaging rates apply!)

Ads for Charity

I've decided to put ads on this blog.

My goal is to generate enough money so that hopefully at the end of each month [or for now, lets be realistic, 6 months perhaps], there is enough money to donate. Once there's enough money we'll have a poll on the blog to decide which charity the money goes to.

Please comment and let me know what you think, any ideas, suggestions, or idea for the future on who to donate to.

Trashy

I went to a 4th of July concert and saw lots of people and lots of waste! I was happy to see recycling bins in most places, but I thought this shot summed up the waste management at the event: good intentions, poor planning.

another positive oil spill link

People are figuring it out!

Check out the DIY mapping of the oil spill on the coastline since mainstream media won't cover it or release the photos we really want to see: "How bad is it?"

http://grassrootsmapping.org/

Doing what we can...

Oil Spill timeline

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2010/05/01/us/20100501-oil-spill-tracker.html?ref=us

hey folks, I don't have much time to write now but I thought I would share this link I found.

It shows the progression and spread of the oil spill in the Gulf.

A positive note is that Kevin Costner (yes the actor) actually has created a centrifuge-type of machine that takes the contaminated water and spins out the oil. I think I read it is 98% effective in removing oil from seawater. And BP has actually already bought 32 of these machines to use in the Gulf spill! THINGS CAN CHANGE!

This is a huge deal, as we all know. I am trying to focus on the possibility of a positive outcome from this disaster. Maybe the world/the US will finally, FINALLY seriously look at ending big oil's reign of terror on this planet.

Pray.

Hope.

but most importantly,

Love.

Choices

Let's face it - life is overwhelming. In the age of the internet and modern technology, we are being bombarded with more information than ever. A lot of it is contradictory, some of it is just bad, but there's good stuff out there too. This is certainly true for the quickly emerging world of sustainability. Should I choose bamboo floors because they're a rapidly renewable resource, or something else that's harvested and manufactured locally? How worried should I be about global warming? Which one of the fifteen new "green" cleaning products on the shelf is best? Believe it or not, there is no perfect answer to these questions or the countless others that fill our heads each day. More and more people want to live sustainably, but without a clear solution it's easy to understand why we tend to choose to do nothing rather than make positive changes. This is a big problem. In my opinion, the only way humans can get back to a healthy relationship with the planet (and themselves) is through behavior change. But before change can occur, we have to become more aware of the issues so we can make the best decisions for ourselves.

Taking on one more thing in your already busy schedule may seem intimidating, but don't let it be. It's only as hard as you make it seem. You can start by thinking about what's important to you and doing some research - any amount of self-education will help you make informed choices! Then, set a goal and move towards it. Don't feel like you have to do it all at once either. For example, waste reduction is really important to me. I'm an avid recycler and I've become accustomed to bringing my reusable bags to stores. Now I'm ready to do more. I've started buying some food items in bulk to reduce packaging waste, and I'm about to implement a composting system at home. It may take a little bit of time before these steps become routine, but I don't expect them to take away from my quality of life. In fact, it will improve it! Buying in bulk saves money, and composting will give me good soil for my garden. Seems like a win-win for me - but not until I make the change.

What choices will you make to bring you closer to your goals?