(thanks to OZO Life)
Get bamboo, not bamboozled, the next time you're on the market for new furniture. There are many eco friendly options out there but the best type of furniture for you remains the kind made from the quick-growing, air-purifying mighty bamboo plant. Unlike other comparable hardwoods, bamboo emits 35 percent more oxygen. That means less carbon dioxide in your home, more room for you to breathe. For those seeing flashes of ugly wicker-looking furniture in your future, don’t panic until you've checked out the fine bamboo pieces by Washington-based Greenington. From clean and simple dining sets to Zen-inspired end tables, each piece is made using maturated Moso bamboo that is 20 to 100 percent more durable than oak. Furniture that will not only make you feel better but actually last longer is definitely something to breathe easy about.
Even more info about bamboo furniture can be found at: http://bambooathomes.com/
Showing posts with label recycle. Show all posts
Showing posts with label recycle. Show all posts
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Saturday, December 13, 2008
Did You Know the Huntington Beach Independent is 'Green'?
What is green and black all over? The HB Independent with help from its parent company, The Los Angeles Times. They are an industry leader in recycling. In fact, the Los Angeles Times has won several honors including a national Environment and Conservation Challenge Award for its recycling efforts and other programs.
According to the California Environmental Protection Agency, The Times is the largest user of recycled newsprint. More than 70% - about 216, 360 metric tons – of all newsprint used by the Times contained a recycled fiber content of at least 40%.
They were the first U.S. daily newspaper in 1992 to transition entirely from petroleum based black ink to water soluble soy based ink. The soy based ink is highly resistant to rub-off; it significantly reduces the airborne release of volatile organic compounds and the issues that arise from recycling newspapers that are printed with petroleum-based ink. Almost all of the ink used at their printing facilities is returned back into the production cycle for reuse. The South Coast Air Quality Management District Clean Air Award was given to the Los Angeles Times for this particular initiative.
Their Aluminum plates they use to print onto the paper are also recycled, in fact, they usually come back to consumers within two weeks as a soda or beer can. Good thing they use the soy based ink so they can be environmentally friendly to your stomach.
As a company they are committed to their readers, advertisers and our environment. Just thought it was worth passing on this information!
According to the California Environmental Protection Agency, The Times is the largest user of recycled newsprint. More than 70% - about 216, 360 metric tons – of all newsprint used by the Times contained a recycled fiber content of at least 40%.
They were the first U.S. daily newspaper in 1992 to transition entirely from petroleum based black ink to water soluble soy based ink. The soy based ink is highly resistant to rub-off; it significantly reduces the airborne release of volatile organic compounds and the issues that arise from recycling newspapers that are printed with petroleum-based ink. Almost all of the ink used at their printing facilities is returned back into the production cycle for reuse. The South Coast Air Quality Management District Clean Air Award was given to the Los Angeles Times for this particular initiative.
Their Aluminum plates they use to print onto the paper are also recycled, in fact, they usually come back to consumers within two weeks as a soda or beer can. Good thing they use the soy based ink so they can be environmentally friendly to your stomach.
As a company they are committed to their readers, advertisers and our environment. Just thought it was worth passing on this information!
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
Have a Green Halloween
(From Journal Newspapers, WA area)
The fall and winter holiday season is upon us. Beginning with Halloween and culminating with a new year, it's a time when most American households celebrate in some way. But celebrating, unfortunately, often means increased wastefulness and a slacking off from regular health habits. But it doesn't have to be that way. In fact, according to the authors of the newly released book Celebrate Green, Corey Colwell-Lipson and Lynn Colwell, holidays are the perfect time to step up your focus on good health and Earth-friendly practices.
Corey, a local mom and founder of the Green Halloween movement, says parents who try to instill healthy habits in their kids throughout the year often become anxious during holidays, knowing that, especially Halloween, is all about the candy. "What else do you do? Not celebrate?" asks Corey of the dilemma parents face. There's no need to steal the fun from holidays like the Grinch - just add a little creativity to the mix and you'll have as much fun, if not more - making the holidays a little greener.
The inspiration for Green Halloween, a nonprofit, grassroots effort to promote child- and Earth-friendly festivities, came in 2006 while Corey was trick-or-treating with her two children. "A couple of houses were handing out non-candy items," recalled Corey, whose kids were thrilled with the trinkets. "It struck me that kids are overexposed to traditional candy, and maybe that's why something different gets them excited." The thought stuck in her mind, and, at the urging of her friends, Corey decided to approach several natural food stores about offering eco-friendly, healthy Halloween treats for parents who were interested in alternatives to candy. The store managers she spoke with loved the idea. Corey also shared the idea with her mom, Lynn, who had raised Corey with green practices long before they were hip. "We had a choice: Do we jump through the window when it's open, or let [the stores] handle it?" she said of her decision to create Green Halloween. "My mom and I are 'jump through the window' kind of people."
The pair had no trouble getting community involvement and support for the idea. In 2007, they chose Treeswing, an organization dedicated to improving the health and wellness of children - especially reversing the childhood obesity trend through physical activity and exercise - as their founding partners. "They helped us sculpt this, and Green Halloween is an official program of theirs this year," said Corey.
Thanks to some great national press coverage, Green Halloween is catching on in other cities around the country this year, including San Francisco, Los Angeles, Phoenix, Daytona Beach and Canton, Conn. Although Corey and Lynn encourage buying less "stuff" in general during all holidays, they realize it's more realistic for some to consider smaller, more affordable purchases of products that use less packaging or are otherwise more eco-friendly. The Green Halloween Web site, www.greenhalloween.org, offers hundreds of ideas for food, decorations, costumes and other new ways of celebrating this year.
With the release of Celebrate Green on Oct. 1, the principles for Green Halloween are applied to celebrations throughout the year, including birthdays, family reunions, office parties, baby showers, weddings and other momentous occasions. "The idea behind the book is really creating meaning versus buying all this stuff," said Corey.
Lynn, who has experience as a published writer and public relations professional, and currently coaches others to follow their dreams through her life coaching business, was the perfect partner for the book project. In fact, when the publisher went out of business, Lynn took over publishing and collaborated with graphic designer Jeff Duckworth to get the book out on schedule this fall. The result is a colorful guide filled with low cost, waste reducing, eco-friendly and healthy recipes, activities, games, traditions and tips for any celebration, printed on (of course) FSC certified paper. A portion of the proceeds from the book will go to Treeswing.
"People don't think about how often we celebrate in this country. The occasions are endless," said Lynn. "People may have thought about recycling, but when it comes to birthdays, they're still getting bottled water. We're realists. We want people to take the first step, look at the book, pick out one or two ideas and say, 'I'm going to try it this year.' Once that kind of things starts, it will be a groundswell."
Corey echoes that small shifts in thinking or behavior are what generate habits. "Once people start doing things green, they don't go backwards. Nobody starts recycling and then stops," she said. "We hope to be working ourselves out of a job. In a couple of years, what will we need Green Halloween for? It will be, 'of course.'"
The book is all about simplicity, says Corey. "The holidays are a perfect platform to talk about these issues and keep it fun. We try to make it fun and interesting. Being positive works."
The fall and winter holiday season is upon us. Beginning with Halloween and culminating with a new year, it's a time when most American households celebrate in some way. But celebrating, unfortunately, often means increased wastefulness and a slacking off from regular health habits. But it doesn't have to be that way. In fact, according to the authors of the newly released book Celebrate Green, Corey Colwell-Lipson and Lynn Colwell, holidays are the perfect time to step up your focus on good health and Earth-friendly practices.
Corey, a local mom and founder of the Green Halloween movement, says parents who try to instill healthy habits in their kids throughout the year often become anxious during holidays, knowing that, especially Halloween, is all about the candy. "What else do you do? Not celebrate?" asks Corey of the dilemma parents face. There's no need to steal the fun from holidays like the Grinch - just add a little creativity to the mix and you'll have as much fun, if not more - making the holidays a little greener.
The inspiration for Green Halloween, a nonprofit, grassroots effort to promote child- and Earth-friendly festivities, came in 2006 while Corey was trick-or-treating with her two children. "A couple of houses were handing out non-candy items," recalled Corey, whose kids were thrilled with the trinkets. "It struck me that kids are overexposed to traditional candy, and maybe that's why something different gets them excited." The thought stuck in her mind, and, at the urging of her friends, Corey decided to approach several natural food stores about offering eco-friendly, healthy Halloween treats for parents who were interested in alternatives to candy. The store managers she spoke with loved the idea. Corey also shared the idea with her mom, Lynn, who had raised Corey with green practices long before they were hip. "We had a choice: Do we jump through the window when it's open, or let [the stores] handle it?" she said of her decision to create Green Halloween. "My mom and I are 'jump through the window' kind of people."
The pair had no trouble getting community involvement and support for the idea. In 2007, they chose Treeswing, an organization dedicated to improving the health and wellness of children - especially reversing the childhood obesity trend through physical activity and exercise - as their founding partners. "They helped us sculpt this, and Green Halloween is an official program of theirs this year," said Corey.
Thanks to some great national press coverage, Green Halloween is catching on in other cities around the country this year, including San Francisco, Los Angeles, Phoenix, Daytona Beach and Canton, Conn. Although Corey and Lynn encourage buying less "stuff" in general during all holidays, they realize it's more realistic for some to consider smaller, more affordable purchases of products that use less packaging or are otherwise more eco-friendly. The Green Halloween Web site, www.greenhalloween.org, offers hundreds of ideas for food, decorations, costumes and other new ways of celebrating this year.
With the release of Celebrate Green on Oct. 1, the principles for Green Halloween are applied to celebrations throughout the year, including birthdays, family reunions, office parties, baby showers, weddings and other momentous occasions. "The idea behind the book is really creating meaning versus buying all this stuff," said Corey.
Lynn, who has experience as a published writer and public relations professional, and currently coaches others to follow their dreams through her life coaching business, was the perfect partner for the book project. In fact, when the publisher went out of business, Lynn took over publishing and collaborated with graphic designer Jeff Duckworth to get the book out on schedule this fall. The result is a colorful guide filled with low cost, waste reducing, eco-friendly and healthy recipes, activities, games, traditions and tips for any celebration, printed on (of course) FSC certified paper. A portion of the proceeds from the book will go to Treeswing.
"People don't think about how often we celebrate in this country. The occasions are endless," said Lynn. "People may have thought about recycling, but when it comes to birthdays, they're still getting bottled water. We're realists. We want people to take the first step, look at the book, pick out one or two ideas and say, 'I'm going to try it this year.' Once that kind of things starts, it will be a groundswell."
Corey echoes that small shifts in thinking or behavior are what generate habits. "Once people start doing things green, they don't go backwards. Nobody starts recycling and then stops," she said. "We hope to be working ourselves out of a job. In a couple of years, what will we need Green Halloween for? It will be, 'of course.'"
The book is all about simplicity, says Corey. "The holidays are a perfect platform to talk about these issues and keep it fun. We try to make it fun and interesting. Being positive works."
Sunday, August 10, 2008
Wal-Mart Strives To Be More Green
Wal-Mart Stores Inc. is telling its suppliers that it's not enough to simply provide eco-friendly products. The world's largest retailer wants to be able to tell its customers the stories behind the products, of how they came to be and how sustainable they are. The company has a strategy with four points of emphasis for its sustainability marketing. Wal-Mart wants to promote waste reduction and recycling, natural resources, energy and social or community impact.
Wal-Mart has been putting increasing emphasis on ways it can be environmentally friendly and ways that sustainable methods can lower costs. From motion detectors that turn on lights only when customers are in the aisle to fuel conservation to innovations in packaging, the company has been approaching the effort from multiple angles.
Wal-Mart has given buyers an Aug. 18 deadline to submit products for possible placement the company's “Earth Month” promotion next year. They will pick products based on marketing potential, sustainability impact and business relevance.
The company highlighted Earth-friendliness of 50 products, including compact fluorescent light bulbs and Coca-Cola branded T-shirts made from recycled plastic bottles. They want products with stories to tell like SunChips, which has an all-solar plant in Modesto, Calif., and Majestic Rubber Mulch, which is made from recycled tires from Wal-Mart stores.
Consumers are growing very suspicious of green labels. Terra Choice Marketing recorded more than 1,000 products from six retailers last year, each with eco-friendly claims. He said all but one made unsubstantiated claims. Wal-Mart is taking this stuff very seriously and have set serious goals. The challenge now is, how can they meet their goals. Wal-Mart wants to provide suppliers with more information on how to produce a sustainable product and provide support in developing those products. The company wants to avoid hidden trade-offs in how products are produced and help companies show proof of green claims.
Wal-Mart has been putting increasing emphasis on ways it can be environmentally friendly and ways that sustainable methods can lower costs. From motion detectors that turn on lights only when customers are in the aisle to fuel conservation to innovations in packaging, the company has been approaching the effort from multiple angles.
Wal-Mart has given buyers an Aug. 18 deadline to submit products for possible placement the company's “Earth Month” promotion next year. They will pick products based on marketing potential, sustainability impact and business relevance.
The company highlighted Earth-friendliness of 50 products, including compact fluorescent light bulbs and Coca-Cola branded T-shirts made from recycled plastic bottles. They want products with stories to tell like SunChips, which has an all-solar plant in Modesto, Calif., and Majestic Rubber Mulch, which is made from recycled tires from Wal-Mart stores.
Consumers are growing very suspicious of green labels. Terra Choice Marketing recorded more than 1,000 products from six retailers last year, each with eco-friendly claims. He said all but one made unsubstantiated claims. Wal-Mart is taking this stuff very seriously and have set serious goals. The challenge now is, how can they meet their goals. Wal-Mart wants to provide suppliers with more information on how to produce a sustainable product and provide support in developing those products. The company wants to avoid hidden trade-offs in how products are produced and help companies show proof of green claims.
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Portions taken From PR Newswire (http://sev.prnewswire.com/retail/20080716/CLW01516072008-1.html - for full story)
The spotlight continues to shine on an innovative trio of eco-friendly characters called Idbids - Scout the cloud; Lola the flower; and Waverly the water drop - who teach children "iddy biddy" steps to keep the Earth happy, healthy and green and how to have fun while doing it.
"We believe eco-friendly toys like Idbids can bring to life the idea that going green is fun, even for children as young as 3 years old," says Sarah Alvarez, co-owner of Idbids. "The combination of plush, huggable characters with beautiful, vibrant colors and supporting storytelling components help the concept of going green become an exciting, imaginative adventure."
The eco-friendly Idbids engage children in going green through colorful characters and simple activities that cleverly simplify a complex issue into something a child can understand. Scout, Lola and Waverly each have green feet and distinct personalities, and each is dedicated to a particular environmental element. Scout, a soft, fluffy white cloud, is knowledgeable about the air and becomes a bit cranky when he thinks about air pollution. Lola, the flower of the bunch, teaches children about trees and plants. And Waverly, a bright blue water drop, cares deeply about the oceans, seas, rivers and lakes.
Along with a storybook, field guide and an organic fabric cinch sack for the child to wear, the eco-friendly Idbids take children on a journey of discovery to learn the iddy biddy steps to protect the environment, from turning off the water when they brush their teeth to picking up and disposing of trash - and remembering to wash their hands! When children finish all of the Earth-saving activities listed in the field guide, they, along with a grown-up, visit www.idbids.com to be rewarded with an Idbids Certificate of Completion.
The Idbids, through toys and licensed children's products, are designed to create awareness and inspire action. Their motto is "iddy biddy steps make a biggie big difference in keeping our Earth happy, healthy and green." Idbids strives to make its products using organic, recycled or eco-friendly materials. For more information, visit http://www.trafficresults.com/click-rabbit.php?acctid=vJdXkCq9w9Y=&docid=CLW01516072008-1&redirect=1&url=http://www.idbids.com, or call 1-877-4IDBIDS (1-877-443-2437).
Monday, July 7, 2008
Rainbow Disposal Stop & Shop
Did you know Rainbow Disposal has a Stop & Swap where you can drop off your household, yard and car care products you no longer need and pick up others you can use? It's free and available here in Huntington Beach at 17121 Nichols St. (between Bothard and Beach), open Tuesday through Saturday from 9am to 3pm.
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