According to a recent survey conducted with Harris Interactive, only 22% of recipients recycle when disposing of them, which explains why approximately 165,000 tons of waste end up in landfills. In addition, a survey whitepages.com shows that almost 75% of consumers are completely unaware of the environmental and financial impact in printing, delivering and recycling these books. Given that you likely use online directories, social networks and mobile phone applications to find the contact information you need, it simply does not make sense to have the white pages phone books forcefully delivered to us every year.

This infographic, called “Death Becomes the Phone Book,” comes from the people at whitepages.com a group which is behind the Ban the Phone Book campaign to support telephone companies and consumers who want to curb unsolicited (and unnecessary) printing and delivering of white pages phone books. While it only focuses on the USA, it highlights the environmental impact of phone books which is a problem that affects almost every country in the world. Can the world move towards a paperless future?

Image © Tim Welch

There is no doubt that we are living through a transition towards a green era of sustainability and environmental responsibility.

Increasing energy prices, concern about climate change and occupant health-consciousness are influencing people around the globe to take decisive action to make buildings and societies greener and more sustainable. Architects, Engineers and Designers worldwide are increasingly concerned about the current state of energy consumption and carbon emissions and are looking more and more into sustainable design to keep up with increasing demands by governments, building standards and users who are screaming  for a stark redirection of current design and construction approaches.

In the UK the focus of legislation and the construction industry seems to be about developing zero carbon homes.

Why?

Because, Some 26% of UK’s carbon emissions come from homes, making it a significant area for reducing emissions overall according to UK Green Building Council and WWF.
This target is without doubt amongst the most challenging in the world.

According to the UK’s Zero Carbon Hub an average home built in 2006 emits 3.2 tons of carbon a year and a typical 100-year-old home emits about six tons. By 2016, it is expected that all new homes will have zero carbon emissions over a year. This will be a minimum requirement for homes to even gain planning permission, which in the UK is the permit necessary to build anything. This is a very challenging target which according to many experts will be unattainable. To top it all off, the focus of these targets does not include existing homes, which will also need to be made more energy efficient. This represents an even more challenging target to achieve given that the vast majority of the housing stock required in 2020 is already built and the techniques for improving homes is also falling behind those of new build projects.

Today, despite economic meltdown worldwide, The UK government is still setting strict and very demanding targets in an effort to tackle this problem. In five years time, all new homes built in the UK will be required to be zero carbon.

What exactly does zero carbon mean?
Zero carbon homes means that the building when occupied will have zero net carbon emissions over the course of a year. Energy use will be minimised by use of thermally efficient building materials and insulation. All the energy used to heat and light the home and run its appliances will need to be off-set using zero carbon technology such as wind turbines, solar panels and ground source heat pumps. The problem is that when the target was originally set in 2006, it was envisaged that all this renewable energy would be generated on-site which would get the homes to be self sufficient and sustainable.

However, in 2008 it was decided that to be realistic, the definition needed to be relaxed to allow contributions to off-site renewable energy schemes. This would allow house-builders to make payments into new community energy schemes to off-set the carbon emissions of their homes. Today, the shift is moving back to micro-renewables and on-site energy generation as the government subsidy programme or feed-in tariffs, became the catalyst for the majority of installations of solar panels in the UK since its inception in 2009.

How is Carbon Measured in Homes?
The UK has a Code for Sustainable Homes (CFSH), where the highest level 6 is zero carbon. Regulations will require homes to move gradually up the scale before 2016. The Code for Sustainable Homes is now the new mandatory scheme for all new residences in England, and is divided into 6 different levels. Whereas a house trying to meet Level 1 requirements would need to have a 10% improvement over current regulations, a Level 6 residence has to meet a zero-carbon emission rating. Level 6 is expected to be mandatory by 2016. Again, the gap to fill is still on the existing homes as there are two things that CFSH does not address, which is refurbishment and post occupancy evaluation which in the UK currently there aren’t any formal assessments that specifically address these stages of a buildings life. There is a possibility however to certify existing homes with Passivhaus standard improvements, but again this is far from being mainstream and most experts believe building regulations in the UK are heading toward Passivhaus standards even if the government doesn’t admit it.

RuralZED diagram showing different enhancement requirements for achieving different code levels. Image © ZEDFactory

How does the UK’s target compare with others worldwide?’
Many believe that while countries such as Germany, Sweden and China have already produced more zero carbon homes than the UK, nowhere else can rival its ambitious target for 2016. It is also worth mentioning that most countries in Europe measure the environmental impact of homes using energy efficiency and not carbon emissions. Germany and Scandinavia have historically had better building standards and some countries have decided to tackle the commercial building stock first. Either way, the goal remains the same.

How many zero carbon homes have been built so far?
Very few. In 2010 the UK government announced tax relief on zero carbon homes and so far only about 25 homes have qualified, according to the UK Green Building Council.
However, this tax relief was based on the definition that all off-set energy had to be produced on site, a definition which has since been considered unrealistic. The challenge remains as most developers still remain unconvinced that spending on average 5-10% more in construction costs towards zero carbon improvements could end up saving them triple that amount in energy savings throughout the building’s entire life.

So are Zero Carbon Homes the solution?

When speaking about A solution to all the housing needs,  there are many variables which need to be taken into account beyond the new build’s ecological footprint and energy efficiency. If not planned correctly or in the right context, zero carbon  homes will become nothing more that feeders to an already disconnected suburban society and if not connected to a sustainable urban community network they could become part of the problem and not the solution. Sustainable cities and neighbourhoods are the key to making zero carbon homes a successful experiment.

Of course, reducing energy usage and looking at carbon reduction in homes is a great way forward, but again, millions of homes worldwide need a comprehensive and coordinated approach to tackling the problem. Currently, different  countries have different approaches to defining low and zero carbon buildings. This has led to a variety of terms to describe such buildings, including low energy, low-carbon, zero carbon, Passivhaus, high-performance, energy positive, eco-homes, sustainable homes and green homes.

This diversity of terminology and definition is not surprising, given the range of climatic and regulatory conditions across countries, as well as differences in housing stock, energy sources and cultural influences. One of the main factors influencing carbon emissions is the carbon intensity of the grid, which is dependent on the mix of fuels each country uses to generate energy.

The recommended standards, as well as the way they are expressed and measured, are different from country to country and the pace in which the global response is evolving does not leave much room for coordination worldwide. The truth is that no matter how many energy-efficient homes are built today, construction supply chains and methods remain the same, manufacturing processes are getting more efficient but still rely of fossil fuel for transport and implementation. All of these factors need to be addressed if a global coördinated response were to be implemented.

All of this construction issues also pale in comparison with problems of over consumption, water shortage, contamination, and over reliance on fossil fuels. Reducing carbon emissions in construction and usage in buildings is an important piece of the puzzle in this complicated game of global sustainability, but if a change in attitude and culture through a global coördinated approach to sustainability is not adopted, zero carbon homes run the risk of being left standing in the near future as really efficient suburban reflections of a culture obsessed with high tech and consumerism.

 Sources:

UK Green Building Council : http://www.ukgbc.org/

Zero Carbon Hub : http://www.zerocarbonhub.org/

Zero CArbon Compendium: http://www.lowcarbonhomesworldwide.com/

WWF : http://www.wwf.org.uk/

RuralZED : http://www.ruralzed.com/

Climate change is happening, can we now finally stop talking about it and start doing something about it?

“I found out about climate change and said, ‘if this is a problem, what are the solutions?’…So I found out the solutions. The great thing, is you don’t have to even believe in climate change for this movie to work for you.”
- Peter Byck / Director

Carbon Nation is a feature length documentary about climate change SOLUTIONS. Even if you doubt the severity of the impact of climate change or just don’t buy it at all, this is a compelling and relevant filmthat illustrates how SOLUTIONS to climate change also address other social, economic and security issues.
‘Carbon Nation’ is an optimistic discovery of what people are already doing, and look at what the United States could be doing as a nation and what the world needs to do to prevent (or slow down) the impending climate crisis. We already have the technology to combat most of the worst-case scenarios of climate change, and it is very good business as well.

The Film is full of facts and interesting “non-bussiness as usual” solutions for this generation. It also showcases some real-world examples of the solutions working in practice. In one chapter he focuses on fuel consumption by the US army. Their consumption far surpasses any other sector. BY going green the military can shift a pattern of fuel consumption almost overnight, however the astronomical cost of getting fuel to the troops spread around the world would be nothing in comparison to the cost of retrofitting all those troops to run on clean energy. It almost makes pray for peak oil to come as soon as possible if only for the very reason of disabling all the world’s military power.

No oil = paralyzed armies.

This kind of off-track optimism is at the core of this film. Entrepreneurial ideas to tackle global warming and impending food and energy shortages through simple creative green solutions that work economically and socially.

Director Peter Byck says: “In 15 months of presenting the film to very diverse audiences, we have come to the realization that we are not a polarized country, as many on TV will tell us, and many in Washington play out. Rather, there is great consensus among a large and varied group of Americans: renewable energy sources and using less energy are great ideas – whether to boost the economy, increase national and energy security and promote health and a clean environment. As it stands now, good Americans are being lied to, told that we are polarized, and then many act out as if this were true, creating a self-fulfilling crash. It’s a storytelling problem.

carbon nation team top tips for reducing your co2 footprint

Energy Efficiency

• Weatherize your house – if there’s a draft, there’s a leak.
• When your roof needs repairs, paint it white at the same time.
• Unplug DVD players, coffee makers, phone chargers – anything not in use.
• 5-minute showers are much better than baths.
• Raise your kid’s allowance if they help reduce utility bills.

Clean Energy

• Buy your utility’s green energy option.
• Solar Hot Water Heaters = huge CO2 reductions.
• Wind – can your home or office use a small turbine?
• Geothermal – can you install a home geothermal heat pump?
• Seek out community purchasing groups to buy & install solar panels in bulk,
• like lbog.org.

Land Use

• Meatless Mondays – eat meat one day less a week.
• Eat local food, efficiently delivered.
• Use only Forest Stewardship wood products.
• Use a push lawn mower.

Leadership

• Elect clean energy public servants.
• Demand tough energy efficiency building standards.
• Take mass transit at least once a week.
• Video conference instead of travel.
• Invest in companies promoting clean energy.
• If you’re a student, become an engineer.
• Share all this great info with your family, friends and co-workers.

Available on DVD & On Demand Everywhere
For more info visit:
www.carbonnationmovie.com
facebook.com/carbonnationfilm
twitter.com/co2nation
youtube.com/carbonnationfilm

See below for extended preview clips of the film.

Can we bring upon a future of free and renewable energy?
This brief presentation makes us think that not only it is possible, but the change is already happening.

Tzeporah Berman, co-head of the climate and energy campaign at Greenpeace International, gives a TEDx talk about the solution to our current and future energy needs.

The Energy [R]evolution

The Energy [R]evolution is the practical solution to our energy needs. It offers a sustainable path to quit dirty, dangerous fuels by transitioning to renewable energy and energy efficiency.

Buildings designed and engineered today will still be standing when climate change bites. By 2050, it is estimated that global temperatures may have risen by 2ºC and by 2100 perhaps as much as 4ºC. Once triggered, the rise is exponential. Not only will there be an increase in temperatures overall but by incidence of storms and heavy rainfall will increase.  There will be pressure on building systems, on the building fabric itself, on land settlement patterns and on transportation, but in a world where development and construction is married with the most economic business models and market trends, the most environmentally friendly construction and materials are a hard sell to say the least. Today despite major concerns and evidence worldwide about impending climate chaos and economic turmoil construction methods are slow to react; however, green buildings are achieving rapid penetration in Construction markets. Sustainable development and a world of sustainable environmental equilibrium is a lot more that green buildings, it accounts for urban planning and a worldwide network of freedom and balance of resources, but it is impossible to achieve without green buildings.

Green buildings can marry the best features of conventional construction methods with emerging high-performance approaches and in my opinion will be the greatest tool to fight climate change and if enough get built worldwide, it could be the best ‘grass roots’ approach towards a sustainable planet. But can green buildings and sustainable construction cope in a world of climate and economic instability?

Here are three reasons why they will not only cope, but will make sense in the long-term regardless of which climate change and environmental doom scenario you choose to believe in.

1. Sustainable construction techniques provide an ethical and practical response to issues of environmental impact and resource consumption. Sustainability assumptions encompass the entire life cycle of the building and its components, from resource extraction through disposal at the end of the materials’ useful life. Conditions and processes in factories are considered, along with the actual performance of their manufactured products in the completed building. High-performance green building design relies on renewable resources for energy systems; recycling and reuse of water and materials; integration of native and adapted species for landscaping; passive heating, cooling and ventilation; and other approaches that minimize environmental impact and resource consumption.
2. Green buildings virtually always make economic sense on a life-cyclecost (LCC) basis. Though they may be more expensive on a capital, or first-cost, basis. Sophisticated energy-conserving lighting and air conditioning systems with exceptional response to interior and exterior climate will cost more than their conventional, code-compliant counterparts. Rainwater harvesting systems that collect and store rainwater for non-potable uses will require additional piping, pumps, controls, storage tanks, and filtration components. However, most key green building systems will recoup their original investment within a relatively short time. As energy and water prices rise due to increasing demand and diminishing supply, the payback period will decrease. LCC provides a consistent framework for discerning the true economic advantage of these alternative systems, by evaluating their performance over the course of a building’s useful life.
3. Sustainable design acknowledges the potential effect of the physical structure, including its operation, on the health of its human occupants. A 1984 World Health Organization report suggested that as much as 30% of new and remodelled buildings worldwide may generate excessive complaints related to indoor air quality. Estimates peg the direct and indirect costs of building-related illnesses, including lost worker productivity, as exceeding $150 billion per year. Conventional construction methods have traditionally paid little attention to Sick Building Syndrome (SBS), Building Related Illness, and Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS) until prompted by lawsuits. In contrast, green buildings consistently utilize several approaches that promote Occupant health. Including but not exclusively protecting ductwork to avoid contamination during construction, specifying finishes with low to zero volatile organic components to prevent potentially hazardous chemical ‘off gassing’, more precise sizing of heating and cooling components to promote dehumidification to reduce mould, and the use of ultraviolet radiation to kill mould and bacteria in ventilation systems.

It is time we start to consider the long-term implications of our actions and stop to rely on economic models that will enrich some in the short-term but will eventually leave everyone without a home. Lets embrace green building construction!

Image © laurenatclemson

What is ‘Sustainable Construction’?

The terms green and sustainable construction are often used interchangeably; however, it is the term sustainable construction that most comprehensively addresses the ecological, social, and economic issues of a building in context of its community. In 1994, the Conseil International du Batiment (CIB), an international construction research networking organization, defined the goal of sustainable construction as “…creating operating built environment based on resource efficiency and ecological design.” The CIB articulated Seven Principles of Sustainable Construction, which would ideally inform decision making during each phase of the design and construction process, continuing throughout the building’s entire life cycle. These Factors also apply when evaluating the components and other resources needed for construction.  These seven principles apply across the entire life cycle of construction from, from planning to disposal.

Sources:

1. Report “The cost and Benefits of Green Buildings.” California Sustainable buildings Task Force.

2. Indoor Air Pollutants: Exposure and Health Effect,” World Health Organization EURO report. 1983

3. Sustainable construction : green building design and delivery. Kibert, C. J. (2005)

Cradle to Cradle Design (sometimes abbreviated to C2C, or Cradle 2 Cradle) is a biomimetic approach to the design of systems. It models human industry on nature’s processes in which materials are viewed as nutrients circulating in healthy, safe metabolisms. It suggests that industry must protect and enrich ecosystems and nature’s biological metabolism while also maintaining safe, productive technical metabolism for the high-quality use and circulation of organic and synthetic[clarification needed] materials. Put simply, it is a holistic economic, industrial and social framework that seeks to create systems that are not just efficient but essentially waste free.[Wikipedia] The model in its broadest sense is not limited to industrial design and manufacturing; it can be applied to many different aspects of human civilization such as urban environments, buildings, economics and social systems.

In this brilliant episode of TED:Talks; William McDonough talks about the concept of “Cradle to Cradle” Design. He believes that green design can prevent environmental disaster — while also driving economic growth. The Green-minded architect and designer asks what our buildings and products would look like if designers took into account “all children, all species, for all time.”

Enjoy.

Forests are as essential to our existence as water. In fact even water wouldn’t exist in its purest form if it weren’t to some extent for vegetation. Unfortunately for the planet and forests, over the past 60 years, Humans have developed a constant and devastating lifestyle that will eventually need more resources than those our planet is able to provide. We are living as if there were three or four planets available, and If you think about it, in some way or another every item you see around you has been the result of some deforestation somewhere. Deforestation is a real problem that is only going to get worse. To raise awareness about this issue globally, 2011 has been designated by the United Nations as the International Year of Forests, a worldwide project to highlight the fragile state of the worlds forests and to promote action to save what is left of our natural world.

“Without our forests we would simply not exist…The destruction of forests will continue as long as we fail to understand that living trees are worth more than felled trees, that animals are essential to the equilibrium of forests, that the time scale of forests covers centuries and millenniums, not years or even decades. The future of Earth and the human race depends upon our forests. And the protection of forests depends upon us.” – Yann Arthus-Bertrand

Yann Arthus-Bertrand is a world-famous French photographer, filmmaker and environmentalist who has always had a passion for nature. To celebrate 2011 as the International Year of Forests, the United Nations approached the photographer and asked him to produce the official film for the International Year of Forests campaign.

2011 : International Year of Forests

Mostly shot from the air, it follows the continuing theme of the critically acclaimed first film HOME which was eventually seen by 400 million people, the photographer began producing this environmentally conscious short 7-minute film on forests and the ailing relationship with have with our planet’s forests. The short film is made up of aerial images from Home and the Earth from Above television programmes.

Find out more about the film here : http://www.offorestsandmen.org/

More about the campaign »

‘UN INTERNATIONAL YEAR OF FORESTS’

Thought provoking and compelling environmental film about modern consumerist culture narrated through an evolutionary viewpoint. The film explores how evolution and psychology underpin a narrative of our times, constantly locating man at its centre with an unhealthy dose of pathos.

Consumerism is all around us and it is killing our planet. 

The basic nature of our modern society is based upon the principle of consumerism; we have let ourselves get trapped by a daily dose of suffocating luxuries and advertising…and we know it. We are all too aware that we’re being constantly sold things we don’t need, yet it is increasingly difficult to do something about it.

Individually and collectively we have been driven to a psychological state of ‘consumer’ evolution that is undeniable. When businesses and markets evolved from ‘local’ to ‘global’, our planet entered an era of life where consumerism is now the blood that pumps through modern culture’s veins. We have squeezed our planet to the limits of what it can provide to feed our lavish lives and feed the stubborn flow of consumerism.

But how did we get to where we are? How do we react? Can we save our planet and survive our own culture?

These are the kind of questions that  keep popping into your head as your watch “Consumed: Inside the belly of the beast.” This crafty film filled with interesting archive footage and insightful interviews packs a serious psychological punch. It will leave you regretting buying all that useless stuff over the years and will definitely make you re-think your next purchase.

It is a must-see environmental film for anyone serious about our planet and making a change. The film convincingly leaves you contemplating the premise that a basic human urge has been tampered with; children have now become potential ‘consumers’ and possessions have been transformed into props for social superiority.

Only evolution can tell how we are eventually going to survive our own culture of excess, but at least beautiful documentaries like this will survive as evidence that shows future generations how some at least tried to get the message across and positively change the way we live for the benefit or our on existence.

Now, I am off to make sure everyone I know sees this film… 

© Slackjaw Films 2011

Thanks to Richard Heap for making this great documentary and for sharing it with Sutmundo.com and the world.

This new environmental film is a must see for anyone interested in making a change.  On December 2005, Daniel McGowan was arrested by Federal agents in a nationwide sweep of radical environmentalists involved with the Earth Liberation Front– a group the FBI has called America’s “number one domestic terrorism threat.”

For years, the ELF—operating in separate anonymous cells without any central leadership—had launched spectacular arsons against dozens of businesses they accused of destroying the environment: timber companies, SUV dealerships, wild horse slaughterhouses, and a $12 million ski lodge at Vail, Colorado.

With the arrest of Daniel and thirteen others, the government had cracked what was probably the largest ELF cell in America and brought down the group responsible for the very first ELF arsons in this country.

IF A TREE FALLS: A STORY OF THE EARTH LIBERATION FRONT tells the remarkable story of the rise and fall of this ELF cell, by focusing on the transformation and radicalization of one of its members.

Part coming-of-age tale, part cops-and-robbers thrilller, part environmental film, it interweaves a verite chronicle of Daniel on house arrest as he faces life in prison, with a dramatic recounting of the events that led to his involvement with the group. And along the way it asks hard questions about environmentalism, activism, and the way we define terrorism.

Drawing from striking archival footage — much of it never before seen — and intimate interviews with ELF members, and with the prosecutor and detective who were chasing them, IF A TREE FALLS explores the tumultuous period from 1995 until early 2001 when environmentalists were clashing with timber companies and law enforcement, and the word “terrorism” had not yet been altered by 9/11.

“It’s a wildly successful and engaging documentary.”

-Jon Reiss, NY Press

“This summer’s most urgent documentary…. The vibe alternates between an early Clash concert and a dark, dark twist on Ocean’s 11.”

- Abe Streep, Outside Magazine

“The film sweeps us up like a thriller… a fantastic moral ambivalence.”

- Owen Gleiberman, Entertainment Weekly

“A true life outlaw tale, as stirring as it is tragic, the story of the Earth Liberation Front offers a DeLillo-flavored draught of high-proof righteous excitement.”

- Michael Atkinson, The Village Voice

“A compelling doc about radical environmentalism… informative, compelling.”

- Justin Lowe, Hollywood Reporter

“This is a sterling example of journalistic documentary, clearer, fairer and more engrossing than any of the sensationalistic newspaper or magazine stories about the ELF.”

- Andrew O’Hehir, Salon.com

“An intriguing and important environmental film… As director Marshall Curry said at his Sundance post-screening Q&A: “The film has a point of view, but a grown-up point of view that acknowledges the complexity of the situation.”

- Stewart Nusbaumer, Filmmaker Magazine

“5-stars: [The] filmmakers raise questions and stir public debate about the definition of terrorism, especially in the post 9/11 security environment…very compelling. ”

- Jennifer Merin, About.com Documentaries

“If a Tree Falls’ is nothing if not troubling, complicated and thought-provoking… [the film] provided a common text from which everybody — radical or moderate, liberal or conservative — was able to work, interpret, converse. This common ground paired with the power of narrative establishes a strong ally for the environmental community and a bridge across divided ideologies and hopes.”

- Dylan Walsh,, Yale Daily News

“The film’s sobriety and carefully balanced arguments make it an exemplary piece.”

-Stephen Holden, New York Times

“One of the more personal and intimate environmental docs in recent memory…. It’s a powerful tale; one guaranteed to generate heated discussion.”

-Steve Ramos, Box Office Magazine

“It gains much of its considerable power because of its ability to illuminate the complexities behind the actions.”

-Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times

“Manages to not only provide extraordinary insight into this formerly clandestine group, but illuminates the group’s actions without excusing them.”

- Neal Morris, Independent Weekly

We have recently posted trailers for two (1& 2) very good documentaries which focus on promoting alternative green thinking and eco-creativity through the power of film. This year, all the conversation amongst green circles seems to be focusing not only on policy and energy consumption but on recent man-made and natural disasters as well. The list below reflects these current concerns in a creative way through the medium we know best, TV & Film.

“Without the entertaining and/or compelling view points of artists, entertainers and filmmakers, many important messages of advocacy would never be heard,”-Kathleen Rogers, President of Earth Day Network.

If you have the pleasure and wit to get a hold of these wonderful films and series, we hope they at least inspire discussions at the dinner table, in the classrooms and in forums and prove to be catalysts for both thought and action.

Read the full story

In honor of Earth Day, the folks at WordStream have done a little digging around to find out just how bad (or good) the Internet is for the planet. Below is yet another catchy infographic depicting their findings

This past Earth Day Saw the organizers call for ‘A Billion Acts of Green’

In an effort dubbed “A Billion Acts of Green,” organizers encouraged people to observe Earth Day 2011 by pledging online athttp://act.earthday.org/ to do something small but sustainable in their own lives to improve the planet’s health — from switching to compact fluorescent light bulbs to reducing the use of pesticides and other toxic chemicals.

“Millions of people doing small, individual acts can add up to real change,”
- said Chad Chitwood, a spokesman for the umbrella group coordinating efforts.

There was hundreds of rallies, workshops and other events around the United States, where Earth Day was born, and hundreds more overseas, where it was celebrated in 192 countries.

In the United States the activities ranged from the premiere of the new film from the director of “Who Killed the Electric Car?” (it’s called “Revenge of the Electric Car”) at the Tribeca Film Festival in New York to a discussion about creating a green economy in 12 cities along the Gulf Coast, where this time last year residents were reeling from the effects of the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

After another successful year for Earth day organizers, 41st Earth Day Exceeded 100 Million Green Acts! http://t.co/rulpZYv

by Laetitia Mailhes

We all know about the egg industry’s appalling record in terms of environmental and animal welfare management. Now, let’s not kid ourselves: overcooking eggs does not address the risk of salmonella infections. Neither does buying “organic” eggs. Salmonella is but the tip of the iceberg. Our responsibility, as consumers, is to pay close attention to the origin of the eggs we buy and to educate ourselves about the producer’s operations.

First off, don’t let an organic egg fool you: “organic” refers to the quality of the feed given to the hens but says nothing about their condition of living.

Which leads us to the second essential point: a battery-cage egg is not a cage-free egg is not a free-range egg is not a pasture-raised egg. These classifications have real implications for our health and the environment. To find out why, check out Rodale.com editor Leah Zerbe’s cue cards.

The great news is that the consumer is not alone anymore when having to choose between egg crates with various cryptic labels and statements: after a year of research, the Cornucopia Institute published its Organic Egg Report and Scorecard in the wake of last summer’s egg recall. Close to 70 brands are listed and ranked.

Another good news for the consumer: the new egg safety rule implemented by the FDA last July “requires the egg industry to take specific preventive measures to keep eggs safe during their production, storage and transport. Egg producers will also be required to register with FDA and to maintain a prevention plan and records to show they are following the regulation.”

The rule does not apply to egg producers who manage a flock of fewer than 3,000 hens or who sell their eggs directly to consumers.

This is good news long-term, one hopes, AND it should not give us an excuse to forfeit our responsibility in the kind of egg industry we choose to support with our money. Our health is at stake, as is the health of our planet. And not just our physical health, by the way: I would assert that supporting corporations that exploit workers and animals has a subtle, yet real impact on our overall well-being.

Finally, I don’t mean to ignore the fact that the most wholesome, nutritious, delicious eggs available command a steep price premium. My personal choice is to eat eggs only occasionally as a treat, and to favor healthy, protein-rich alternatives like sprouted lentils and quinoa.

These are among hundreds of tips you can adopt to “green” your lifestyle and contribute to a healthier planet. Take your free assessment onGoingGreenToday and receive your customized plan of action tailored to your household, with tips, links and easy access to a wealth of resources.

Did you know that within a year after the release of the movie “The Graduate”, plastics manufacturing companies experienced a boom? The actor who said the line “Just one word…plastics” told his nephew later he wished he’d invested in plastics had he known the effect that one simple line would have. Today, it is evident that plastic pollution is a real problem.

In fact, plastics have SO pervaded our lives, most of us don’t even think about it anymore. In researching this subject, I was shocked to realize how many ways and how many places I still use plastic in my own life! …For food storage, of course, but also my headband, toothbrush, comb, watering can, soap dispenser, laundry soap scoop, straw for my morning beverage, the TV remote, DVD cases. It is *everywhere*!! Look at bottled water: around 636 thousand tons of plastic beverage bottles were recycled nationwide in 2006, but more than three times as much was *wasted*, as in 2 million tons.

Every bit of plastic thats ever been produced over the past 100 years is still sitting somewhere in our planet

Truly, plastics have provided many positive conveniences. But after half a century of using these petroleum products, we are now discovering inherent dangers: from leaching dangerous chemicals into our food and beverages (especially when heated) to the problem of non-biodegradable plastics filling our landfills and littering our planet forever. With these concerns in mind, many businesses and individuals looking for ways to save the environment and promote positive change have developed innovative alternative products.

1. Recycle/Reuse Plastic

Since so much plastic already exists in our world, recycling and reusing it is now becoming more popular and cost-effective due to higher demand and an increasing number of recycling facilities nationwide.

2. Use recycled multi-use grocery bags

made popular after many states passed bans on plastic bags…you just have to get into the habit of remembering them as you leave for the store!
often made from recycled plastic bottles.

3. Reuse plastic jugs and bottles:

Refilling stations for water bottles are becoming more popular and are often found near or inside supermarkets.
A company called Terracycle sells organic fertilizer and household cleaning products in familiar packaging: used gallon milk jugs and soda bottles!
Artists have joined the recycle/reuse revolution, using plastic bottles to create: handbags,clothing, light fixtures, bicycle frames, evenboats, houses, and a floating island!

4. Use non-petroleum Plastic

As the price of oil continues to rise, we are seeing a definite shift in the plastics market. In fact, the first plastic ever created was derived from cotton, and now many other plant-based plastics are being developed:

Corn - While already being widely used to make bioplastic drinking cups and biodegradable plastic bags, it is a crop that is not sustainably grown, so it is not a preferable substitution.
Corn Starch – a completely biodegradable substitute for styrofoam packing peanuts!
Wheat Straw – currently used for parts in Ford’s new “Flex” hybrid car, wheat straw is a waste product of wheat that is in surplus, and therefore an ideal option.
Soy – used as an insulating foam for seat cushions and buildings.

When buying plastics with the label of “biodegradable”, as this labeling is not well-regulated or certified, be sure to get the green facts about that product,. Some companies who claim their product is biodegradable may be stretching the truth, as it may take hundreds of years for the plastic to break down, and moreover, only under certain conditions! Make sure you are an educated consumer before getting sucked in by marketing ploys.

5. Use Composite Materials

Mostly used in building and construction, there are now products called Wood-Plastic Composites (WPC’s) that are created using a mixture of wood fiber (a “sawdust flour”) and recycled plastics. While the up-front cost is still a bit prohibitive, this WPC “lumber” is much more durable than regular lumber and doesn’t require annual applications of stains or other chemical coatings or treatments. While WPC’s can be cut and shaped using normal wood-working tools, they have the added advantage of being moldable to specific shapes and sizes, as well as moisture-resistant, making them a perfect choice for outdoor projects such as decks.

Not just another nature film

Just what do terms like biodiversity, the Ecological Footprint and ecosystem services actually mean, and what do they have to do with our daily lives?

The film was produced by WWF for the launch of the 2010 Living Planet Report and narrated by British and actor and comic Stephen Merchant, takes a lighthearted look at a serious problem and reminds us why we need to play nice.

Read the full story

Our oceans are an absolute marvel, but they are also in a deep, deep crisis.

If we don’t act fast, our oceans will continue to deteriorate and vital food sources and essential functions provided to our planet and its people by the oceans could be lost forever. Since healthy oceans underpin our very survival, Greenpeace has released an “Emergency Oceans Rescue Plan” aimed at world leaders, which sets out the best way to save our oceans- something that can and should be done at the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) which takes place later this month in Japan.

Read the full story

Sustainability is a trendy term these days usually associated with a perceived notion of ‘green’ design. The Brundtland Commission (1987) defined sustainable development as : “development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” I can confidently say that modern Architecture almost never addresses this issue directly.

Read the full story

Greenpeace have mapped out a worldwide plan to switch the world to a completely fossil-fuel free society and expand to include the 2 billion people worldwide that are now left without power in this current fossil-fuel based energy system. The plan is ambitious but simple and aims to transform the world into a ‘dear green place’ by 2050, when the world will be 95% on renewables. Since we love to promote things that are green + simple, we are loving The Energy [R]evolution. A practical solution to our energy needs. It offers a sustainable path to quit dirty, dangerous fuels by transitioning to renewable energy and energy efficiency.

Read the full story

About a year ago I was watching the news and struggling to understand the aftermath of the Copenhagen summit. It was obvious that it wasn’t a great success but I was missing the ‘why did this happen’ bit. Don’t world leaders worry about this, our only Planet?

I understood that it wasn’t the Copenhagen summit that failed but it was all the world leaders and the countries they represent. They failed to reach an accord and we were left to wonder for another who-knows-how-many-years. Then I realized that it was the governments and their own officials (fueled by their own agendas) who were at fault. Not the ordinary citizen. It wasn’t the fault of the citizens of any country as a whole, but rather their political leaders (which we hope in most cases were peacefully and democratically elected). This is when I decided that there had to be a channel on the net which uses all the tools available to us (provided by this recent web 2.0 phenomenon) to bring useful information to the common citizen so that locally and collectively the world can eventually make expensive summits like the one in Copenhagen redundant. Get as many people off the grid and living sustainably as quickly as possible. Knowledge is power, and if the right knowledge is spread through the world the results can startle even the strongest skeptic. The result of this ‘epiphany’ (if you can call it that…) was this website.

Read the full story