New Year’s Resolutions

By: Melinda Toussaint

Around this time of year many of us sit down and make a deal with ourselves to loose weight, save money, or to quit smoking but a month into the next year most of us have broken down. This year I urge you to add living green to your list of New Year's resolutions.

But living green is a very broad idea so I suggest choosing ways that are actually attainable for you. To recap our group's blogs from this semester here are ten ways to fulfill your green resolutions:

1. Use reusable shopping bags. Buy a couple and keep them in your purse or your car so you never forget them.



2. Keep your shower under two minutes. "Every two minutes you save on your shower can conserve ten gallons of water," according to The Green Book by Elizabeth Rodgers and Thomas M. Kostigen.



3. Buy a Brita water filter to eliminate buying bottled water. Bottled water not only takes up fridge space but it puts more plastic into the environment.



4. Switch to organic health and beauty products that will be better for your skin and the environment. Buy makeup, body wash, facial cleansers that were organically made which have become easily recognizable at your local drug store.



5. Look into shopping for organically made clothing. It may be hard to find a variety in organic clothing but the more you support the cause the more products will come. Visit www.factorygreen.com for a start.



6. Make a composting jar to recycle all your homes scraps. Everything from egg shells to coffee grounds is recyclable. And when it's full sprinkle it over your garden to help it grow. Soil can get a lot of nutrients from the scraps you put in your composting jar.



7. Reduce your dependency on electricity and gas. Make notes if necessary to remember to turn all lights, televisions, and especially your computer off at night or when not in use. A computer on standby wastes a lot of energy so turn it off and wait the extra minutes it takes to turn on in the morning. If you do this enough you'll notice on your electricity bill.



8. Recycle everything possible. Don't just stick to plastic and aluminum. Buy a couple more recyclable containers to separate your recyclables into plastic/aluminum, paper, and electronics. This will make it really simple for you to recycle everything from your bills to batteries.



9. Eliminate all unnecessary consumption. When you are shopping ask yourself 'Do I really need this?' 'Can I live without this?' Most of the time the answer should be that you don't need it. This will save you money and the environment in the long run. Cutting out cost for clothing, accessories, and food that you don't need creates a lower demand for that product and eventually the company won't have to produce as much.



10. Visit www.treehugger.com or www.thegreenguide.com to keep updated on new green ideas and keep you inspired to stay true to your green resolutions.

Don't set yourself up for failure by setting goals that you can't meet. Keep it simple and abide by your goals you've chosen everyday. These next couple decades are crucial to saving the environment so everyone has to do their part. Make 2009 a very green year and make this the year that your resolution sticks! If you get this down, who knows? Maybe loosing weight or quitting smoking aren't that far behind.

Climate Talks Stall as UN Ponders: Who’s Rich, Who’s Poor?

By Christopher Forestieri

The last decade has seen the notion of man-made climate change evolve from a liberal “myth” to a widely accepted scientific fact. Well, OK, there are still some who disagree, but regardless of its cause, there seems to be a consensus that global warming is a condition which must be addressed. But how?

While there has been a lot of talk (and action) in Europe and the US about lowering emissions, creating alternative fuels and reducing our carbon footprint, the fact remains that there is still a significant portion of the world which is either financially unable or unwilling to address climate change.

Recently in Poland, the current site of UN’s annual climate negations, talks have stalled due to a disagreement between rich and poor countries. Essentially, wealthy countries like the U.S. are putting pressure on less developed nations to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions which is vital for any kind of realistic solution to our current climate crisis.

The problem is not a new one -- the countries in question do not have the resources to lower emissions and want richer countries to foot the bill. But there may be an even bigger obstacle?

According to Michael Levi’s recent article on Slate.com, “the list of who's rich and who's poor that would be used for any final agreement is hopelessly out of date.”

The list, created in 1992, is just another example of how the products of bureaucracy can impede any prospect of real change. The list puts Ukraine (which at the time of the list’s creation was part of the Soviet Union) as a rich country. At the same time it has Singapore listed as a poor country. The problem is, Ukraine now is ranked 97th among the world’s wealthiest countries while Singapore now ranks 6th.

Levi says, “Unless the climate regime overhauls its wealth labels, a country like Singapore could reap the benefits of financial aid, while Ukraine would be burdened with emissions caps. Needless to say, that kind of nonsensical setup won't get you very far in international talks.”

If there is ever to be a viable method of curbing global warming, a significant portion of the world must get on board. While counties such as the U.S. do emit a large amount of greenhouse gases, many poor countries which cannot afford to take even small steps, such as getting old, poorly functioning vehicles off the road, make a very significant impact.

While my hope is that the UN is ultimately able to solve this problem, the situation they are currently facing reinforces my belief that we should be looking to entities in the private sector with no government ties for a viable solution . . . at least while the leaders of the world figure out what they’re doing.

A New Resolution

By Rachel Tanis

When we consider what we should do to save the environment we have three options: the first is to do nothing; the second is to do everything; the third is to make small changes and then continually improve. Under the first option, one takes no responsibility and completely turns his or her back on the environmental issue as a whole. Even those that aren’t so sure that they believe in global warming must admit that doing nothing to make the world a better place for its future inhabitants is irresponsible. Under the second option, radicals work to change their entire lives. This would mean that we have to go back to the days of horse and buggy, no electronics, no batteries, all wind power, no real quality of life that we enjoy today. Clearly this is not a viable, nor sane, option. So, that leaves the third option. Under the third option, we all have to work – making concessions – toward a better world. This means that we have to sacrifice some things, give up products that we’ve become accustomed to, and perhaps even change our lifestyles. Those who are genuinely concerned about the environment are usually on this third path. They are somewhere along the path – maybe they have just decided to switch to cloth or canvas reusable shopping bags instead of throwing away the plastic ones after each shopping trip. Perhaps they are much further down the road and they are now contemplating moving so that they can reduce their travel to work, thus reducing their carbon footprint. But, no matter where you are on the path, you can never stop making improvements. You can never stop working to make your life greener.

Take steps this New Year to commit to positive changes for the environment. If you are at the beginning of your path to a greener world, start with baby steps. Make a commitment that you can and will actually keep. In other words, don’t decide that you will reduce your carbon emissions to zero within twelve months if you have previously made no other changes to help the environment. If you are a little further down the path, consider stepping up even more in 2009. Maybe that means relocating, maybe it means something as radical as changing your career so that it aligns with your environmental beliefs.

One of the worst things to come out of 2008 are corporations which sell a package that claim to offset your carbon footprint. In other words, these companies tell you that if you are too busy or too selfish to make changes yourself, they will make them for you – for a nominal fee, of course. These companies plant trees, subsidize windmills and generally work to improve the quality of our environment with the monies that they receive, which all sounds wonderful. However, they do more harm than good by allowing people to skirt around responsibility and continue in their excessive, environmentally-harmful lifestyles.

2009 is sure to be a historic year with many changes to come. Be a part of history and take a stand for a better, greener world. Do it yourself for two reasons: you will feel like a part of the good and you never know who will be moved to action by your good example. Happy Holidays!

Winter Break Can Be Green

By: Melinda Toussaint

The end of school means packing up, finishing term papers, and completing finals but it can also mean something green. The end of the semester is stressful enough so do something good for the Earth that will make you feel good as well.

Recycle. Instead of throwing out all your old school supplies make sure to use them completely and then recycle them. Most people throw out their notebooks and folders when that class is done- but if it’s not filled up, use it next semester. You’ll save paper and money by using every piece of your notebook. Also ask your professors for your papers or projects back so that you can recycle them. So much paper is wasted by assignments done by students, so better yet suggest to your professors that all assignments be sent electronically through email. It is harder for them to read and grade yes, but it means that paper is not wasted. Imagine if all college students in the country eliminated hard copies of their papers? Just how many trees would be saved? I can not provide you with the number but the impact would be outstanding.

Clean Up. By cleaning up your apartment for Winter Break you might realize that you don’t need to buy some supplies. You might just find pens, note cards, or folders that you didn’t even know you had. Save money by looking before buying. Why stop there with your cleaning? Take it a step further and clean out your closet, drawers, and bookshelves. Any clothes, accessories, and/or electronics that you haven’t used or didn’t even know you had you can probably live without. Donate them to friends or family or better yet Goodwill. Someone in the world needs those things more than you do, so let go. Every break from school is a great time to clean up your life and start fresh.

Volunteer. It’s also a great opportunity to give back to the community by volunteering or working for companies that care. You’ll be rebuilding the Earth and building your resume. Do job searches for volunteer opportunities in your town. Visit http://www.volunteerinamerica.org/ and search for jobs in your state and in your area of interest. Other helpful sites are http://www.volunteermatch.com/ or http://www.smartvolunteer.org/. Or if you can’t afford to just volunteer visit http://www.jobs.care2.com/ to find a job with a company that is socially responsible. Spending time giving back to others means a great deal and perhaps it will provide you with a new perspective on your life. Hopefully when you go back to school you can appreciate everything you have and realize what you can live without. Giving up things you don’t need is a great start to a greener life.

So when you are preparing to say goodbye to school and hello to family, friends, and holiday fun think about ways to make a green impact as well. If winter break isn’t the right time, sit down and plan out ways to make next semester the greenest one yet. Join a club, cut back on your spending, or start your own blog or project to share your green ideas. Help yourself and the Earth by inspiring others around you to do the same. You are affected by many people in college and in turn you change… make that change a good one… a green one. However you decide to green your winter break, now is the time to do it.

“Be the change you see in the world!”

Addicted to Oil?

By Christopher Forestieri

When President Bush remarked, during his 2006 State of the Union address, that America is “addicted to oil,” many took it as a bold statement, especially from an oil man. In fact, just last week on CBS’s 60 Minutes, correspondent Lesley Stahl discussed that very phrase with Saudi oil minister Al-Naimi.

“Politicians use this all the time that. We're addicted, addicted to foreign oil. And addiction has a dark connotation, because if you’re addicted, there’s a suggestion that there’s a drug dealer who’s trying to keep you hooked. And it’s in the air that you want to keep us hooked. Even President Bush, who's an oilman, even he has said we're addicted to this, and we have to get off this oil," Stahl noted.

Al-Naimi responded “There is nothing addictive about oil. If you look back 100 years, what would the world be without it?"

Maybe he has a point.Sure, if you look back in time you could point to many benefits the extraction and refining of oil has brought the developing world. But, aside from that, is oil addictive?

Stahl also makes a good point; the notion of addiction implies that the responsibility lies, at least in some part, with someone else. When you think of it that way, it is not such a bold statement, but a typical statement from an oil man who has been forced to recognize that his country is ready to move on and explore alternatives to oil.

When it comes down to it, America does have a national addiction: convenience. It’s not that we get a rush every time we fire up the transmission (motorheads excluded), it’s the fact that we want to get where we’re going when we want to go there, without exception.

But even seeing that as an addiction is problematic. The notion of an addiction, in a sense, is shield to hide behind. It’s not our fault, we got hooked. No responsibility need be taken. They offered us something that was addictive and we can’t help it if we can’t stop.

The fact is, refined oil was a pretty great development, at face value. It helped us mobilize and gain access to otherwise remote corners of the world. It helped transform infrastructure, provided light and heat for many, and presented countless opportunities which would not have otherwise been available.

The fact is we abused it. It wasn’t enough to just drive 15 miles to work and back, we had to drive down the street to McDonalds, and we had to do it in an SUV.

We didn’t get addicted, we got greedy.

Beat Wall Street, Go Green!

By: Rachel Tanis

If the ever discouraging economic headlines has you feeling blue, change your tune and go green! It can seem overwhelming to hear all about the perils and woes of our economy, especially if you are in the job market or new to your company. However, going green can actually save you some serious coin. Consider these green solutions and watch your savings climb, even if Wall Street’s isn’t…

-Bundle Up! Turn the thermostat down and bundle up. Nothing is more romantic than snuggling with your special someone under a pile of blankets, while the snow outside blankets the ground. Take advantage of the season and turn down your costly (and un-eco-friendly) furnace. If you can’t admit that you’re doing it for the environment, blame it on your love-life!

-Share! Remember the saying that everything you needed to know you learned in kindergarten? In economically challenging times, the saying couldn’t be truer. Begin a program at work or school in which you and your colleagues bring in books, CD’s, DVD’s, even VHS tapes and exchange them. Not only is the service free but it’s also eco-friendly since there is no added miles to run to the video store.

-Stay Home! Want to impress your boss? Approach him or her with an ingenuous idea, as long as it suits your line of work. Ask to have a day when you and your colleagues work from home. This can be as often as everyday or as little as one day a week or month. The company saves money since the doors are closed and lights and heat are off, while helping employees reduce their carbon footprints by shutting down the commute. Plus, who doesn’t want to go to work in the pajamas?

-Pack It! If you’ve ever worked in a cafeteria or the food service industry you know just how much plastic and preservatives it takes to get a meal from the supplier to the kitchen to your table. The same is true of your lunch. So, pack your lunch in re-usable containers that cut down on your waste and the un-green chemicals. Not to mention, packing your lunch will make your wallet much greener!

Green Computers

By: Melinda Toussaint

With Christmas, the New Year, and the switch to digital in February many are contemplating buying their first or new laptop. Now is a good time! Technology has caught up to the eco-friendly community and has provided green alternatives.

Apple is at the forefront of the eco-friendly computers with their new Mac Book. The “greenest notebook ever” is helping the Earth in four major ways:
1. Energy Efficient:
-made to have hardware and software work together earning the Energy Star certification
- Hard drive and processor spin down when not in use
-LED backlit display uses 30 percent less power
2. Harmful toxins removed:
- Mercury-free LED technology
- Arsenic-free glass
- removed brominated flame retardants and PVC from computers’ parts/cords
3. Recyclable:
-made from one solid piece of aluminum
-recycled glass used for display
-all other raw materials are removed
4. Reduced Packaging:
- 41% smaller
- 25% more computers able to be shipped reducing CO2 emissions


Dell Computers are also helping the green cause by making 2/3 of their products have LED (light-emitting diode) backlit standard by Dec. 15th, 2008 with 100% of the computers with LED backlit displays by 2010.

No matter what computer you buy you can also consider giving back through a company called Powered Green. They take money (sponsorships) given to them and use it to buy new wind turbines to produce the same amount of energy used by your computer. Clean renewable energy offsets polluting energy (caused by fossil fuel plants) causing more than 1,000 pounds of CO2 never to reach the atmosphere.

You can make your computer “carbon neutral” by spending $16 for 690 kilo-watt hours of certified renewable energy. This energy will offset the lifetime energy consumption of your computer. Co-founded by Ted Durkee and Brandon Gador this initiative will offset our community’s attachment to energy consuming technology. To learn more or sponsor their efforts visit http://www.poweredgreen.com/.

So when you are shopping for a new laptop, think about your contribution to the environment. Paying more money for a computer that is helping the Earth is a great investment to make. Visit http://www.apple.com/ and http://www.dell.com/ for more information.

Gifts for a Green Holiday

By: Rachel Tanis

Before you head out to finish up your holiday shopping this year, keep in mind that you can make eco-friendly choices in this consumer-driven season. Before buying a gift consider how it will impact the environment. This is often easier than you might think. Take, for instance, one of the hottest buys this year: a digital camera. Digital cameras are great for the environment. Remember the old 35mm’s? You know, the kind were you actually had to get the filmed developed before you could see the picture that you’d taken? Think about all of the waste that created! Now, you can click away and only keep the pictures that you want. What’s even better are some of the accessories that go along with it, such as rechargeable batteries and digital photo frames (which means no printing at all!). Thinking these sorts of things through can help you to make better buying decisions. In case you are short of ideas, here’s a few that are on my holiday shopping list this year:

1. SIGG Bottle: Okay, these are so hot that they can be difficult to find, and may even be backordered, but you don’t have to have this brand to have the same impact. This reusable water bottle is not a new concept. I have seen similar items for sale at Wal-Mart and Kohl’s for under $10! The idea here is that the user will stop purchasing and then throwing away plastic waterbottles and will instead use this dishwasher-safe model again and again.
2. Bulbs: Energy-efficient lightbulbs are great, but they're not the type of bulbs I am talking about here. For my garden-loving friends, and those that are aspiring green-thumbs, I plan on buying inexpensive bulbs to be planted in the spring. Now that’s instant green!
3. Bamboo Cutting Board: Bamboo is a green-lover’s dream. It is easy and cheap to grow. It is also very easily replenished. Buy the foodie in your family a bamboo cutting board and tell them to quit buying the plastic ones!
4. Virtual Magazine Subscriptions: Just about every mainstream magazine these days has an electronic version available for purchase. The same goes for newspapers. If someone on your list wants a gift subscription, call or email to inquire about virtual ones.
5. Cloth Shopping Bags – Okay, it might not be the perfect gift for everyone, but it might just be the perfect way to wrap everyone’s gifts. Fabric, reusable shopping bags can be purchased from nearly every retailer these days from Target to Home Depot.

Happy Shopping!

My Reusable Bag Payday

By: Christopher Forestieri

I have been bringing my own bags to the store for the last few years. It’s paid off in many ways. First of all, I no longer have mounds of plastic bags piling up in cabinets and drawers around the apartment.

Also, with the extra durability the canvas bags provide, I am able to carry all of my groceries home from the store in just a few bags without the fear of leaving a pile of eggshells in a puddle of milk on the sidewalk.

There are many other reasons for bringing your own bags to the store. Of course, you will eliminate a large amount of waste. Not only will your shopping habits be less taxing on landfills, but you’ll also be saving oil.

That’s right, plastic is a petroleum byproduct and by using less of it, we are able to lessen the amount of petroleum consumed.

There is also the simple fact of durability and convenience. As I mentioned before, plastic bags are not durable whatsoever. They may, in fact, be the most worthless way to carry heavy items such as orange juice containers or milk cartons. One small tear can lead to a lot of wasted groceries.

Canvas bags allow you to carry more in one trip. Years ago I lived on the third floor of an apartment. I used to make at least three trips up with my many half-filled plastic bags, and usually something would rip or fall out. With canvas bags, I could have carried all my groceries up in one trip without disaster.

Now, after a few years, I have finally been rewarded for my use of reusable canvas bags. Trader Joe’s, a grocery store which I go to often, has a weekly raffle for a $25 gift certificate. To enter, you must bring reusable bags. This week, I finally won. So tonight, when I return from the store, armed with my full canvas bags, I’ll be eating for free . . . at least for a few days.

Recharge Your Holiday Season: Say No to Old Batteries

By: Rachel Tanis
There are lots of ways to green your holiday season this year. You can opt for recycled wrapping paper, and then take what you use to be recycled. You can save gift bags, ribbons and bows to be re-used later on. Better yet, instead of using paper or plastic gift bags, you can “wrap” all of your holiday gifts in reusable fabric grocery bags. They won’t be hard to find either. It seems that everyone from Home Depot to Wal-mart is selling them near the checkout this year.

But, if you choose to adopt just one earth friendly change for this holiday season, I’ll like to suggest a good choice. This is the time of year when everyone goes crazy snapping up pictures of family and friends. The poses will be everything from candid gift opening frenzies to posed family portraits in front of the fireplace. Yes, this is the season of flashbulbs. It is also the season for purchasing camera batteries. Wander into the corner pharmacy or mega box retailer and you will find, situated somewhere near the entrance, a mountainous display of batteries. I don’t know about yours, but my camera battery runs over ten bucks. They aren’t cheap. Nor do they last very long. So this year, save yourself some cash and do something good for the environment. Buy a rechargeable battery for your camera. Costco and Sam’s Club both have great deals on boxed sets of rechargeable batteries in all different sizes, along with the recharging station.

Batteries are terrible for the environment. They don’t decompose like other household does, such as toilet paper or banana peels. Plus, the materials inside of a battery can be harmful to water supplies, soils and human exposure. Dealing with battery waste is a major issue for environmentalists and waste management companies alike.

So, of all the decisions you have this year, choose to keep one more pair of AAA’s out of the landfill, and buy rechargeable batteries for your camera.

It's Time to Give Back

By: Melinda Toussaint

This time of year is dedicated to giving, but what about giving back? Every day the world and its' inhabitants are suffering from harsh living conditions and many of us feel helpless to change that. But what if buying a cup of coffee, or cards, or a tube of lipstick could change that? Well… maybe it can.

We don't all have the money or power to cure AIDS or fight global warming but supporting the companies that do is important. The following companies are just a few of the big names that have been doing their part to protect the Earth and us.

Starbucks: I know it seems crazy to spend $4 per day on your specialty latte but in the long run you are doing a lot for the environment. Since 1998 Starbucks has partnered with Conservation International to help protect the land and farmers in which they derive their coffee. Since that time they have increased their farmers income by 40 percent (on average), created Coffee and Farmer Equality – C.A.F.E.- guidelines in which 60 percent of their suppliers are following as of 2007, and in March of 2008 they have renewed a five-year agreement to address global climate change. Maybe splurging for Starbucks isn't so bad after all?! Visit www.conservation.org or www.starbucks.com to learn more.

M.A.C. Cosmetics: Not only has M.A.C. provided longer lasting eye shadow and clump-free mascara, but they have worked to fight AIDS with their makeup. M.A.C. Cosmetics started their AIDS fund in 1994 the same year they introduced the Viva Glam lipstick line. Thus, 100 percent of Viva Glam Collection purchases go directly to fighting AIDS. So far they have donated a total of $128 million. Visit www.macaidsfund.org to find out how to help.

Coca-Cola: The Coca-Cola Company has been one the world's largest consumer companies for a very long time and it's a good thing too. The Coca-Cola Company, among many other things, is a proud sponsor of the World Wildlife Fund (www.worldwildlife.org). They have been trying to improve water efficiency, reduce carbon emissions, and sustain agricultural practices. Together they are helping to conserve seven of the world's most important freshwater river basins. So far they have contributed $99 million to charities, have begun more than 120 water projects in over 50 countries and they have extended their partnership until 2012. Go to
www.thecoca-colacompany.com and click on Sustainability to read more.

Pier 1 Imports: Pier 1 has been a proud partner of UNICEF (United Nation's International Children's Emergency Fund) since 1985 and has since raised $28 million to provide food, water, shelter, and medical attention to children in need across the globe. Pier 1 Imports has raised money through four events but currently if you purchase the UNICEF holiday greeting cards (in stores now) 100 percent of the proceeds will go directly to UNICEF. If one Pier 1 location sells just 9 boxes of UNICEF cards it will provide water for over 2,000 children for the whole year! Visit www.unicef.org or www.pier1.com to help!

I know we all think that to be green we have to spend less and conserve more but by spending wisely your money will go a long way. Opt for Starbucks just once a week, or buy Coke instead of the competitor, or choose a greeting card made by a child…. if you do… it could make a difference. Buying products made by companies who care empowers them to change the world… for all of us.