Green Expo in Huntington Beach is right around the corner!!

Do you have the Huntington Beach Green Expo on your calendar yet? If not, here you go: September 18, 10am-4pm. This year we will be at the Huntington Beach Pier. We expect a great turnout being at the beach. Plus there will be live concerts during the event for your listening enjoyment. If you'd like to be a vendor at the expo, please visit the expo website at www.HuntingtonBeachGoesGreen.com . All the info about the event as well as the vendor application can be found on the website. I know some of you expressed an interest in being part of the expo this year, if you are one of those folks, you can either email me back your contact info and someone from the chamber will get in touch with you or fill out the vendor application on line and email it in.

Huntington Beach - are you green?

Coming up in September is the Huntington Beach Green Expo. 9/26, 10:00 am to 4:00 pm at the Central Park Library parking lot.

This expo expects to have around 100 vendors and thousands of visitors. If you feel you are a green business and would like to have a vendor booth, visit www.huntingtonbeachgoesgreen.com to get all the information. Or if you are just interested in how to be green, come give the expo a visit. Last year was the first year for this expo and it went over VERY well. We expect this one to be bigger and better.

Also check out the online green guide for Huntington Beach at www.HuntingtonBeachGreenGuide.com. on the site you will find how to tips, calander of green events, rebate & tax credit info and local business resources that are eco-friendly!

An eco-friendly 'green' Easter

(from the starpress.com)
The Easter Bunny has gotten an eco-friendly makeover. Before you hide any chocolate eggs, Jodi Helmer, author of The Green Year, suggests making a few changes to "green" your Easter celebrations:

• Make eco-friendly Easter egg dyes: Use common kitchen ingredients, such as vinegar and grape juice to dye Easter eggs. (Choosing eggs that are free-range and organic makes the activity even more environmentally friendly).
• Hide organic chocolates.
• Skip plastic eggs and basket fill, which can contain BPA and PVC and opt for natural materials instead.
• Celebrate locally: Take the kids to the Easter egg hunt in your neighborhood instead of driving across town.
  The Green Year ($14.95, Alpha Books), provides 365 simple and inexpensive eco-friendly ideas for each day of the year. Organized by date, the green living tips suggest small changes and environmentally friendly ideas that make a big green impact.

Consider Bamboo Furniture for Your Home!

(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/

Eco-Friendly Office

(Story thanks to: Caymanmama.com - green News)
At work, are you the token eco-friendly co-worker? If not, you should be! Going green at the office will not only preserve the environment, it can help to save money and time in the end.

There are many simple ways to be a greener worker at the office. One option is to use recycled printer labels. These labels are a great option to go easy on the environment and are 100% recycled and whitened without chlorine bleach, which releases carcinogenic dioxins into waterways during production.
Another great idea is to sort the trash with recyclables. It’s amazing how much trash can actually be recycled! In fact, the recycled printer labels can be recycled again as well as the packaging they come in, too.
Junk mail is a drag, so when random charities send your company free address labels in an attempt to collect a donation, use them if possible or take then home to the kids to play with instead of throwing them away.

Be eco-friendly and recycle at Rainbow Disposals 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.

Tips on having a "green" Christmas: both eco-friendly and money wise

A "green" Christmas can be good for your wallet as well as the Earth, according to environmentalists who advocate doing more with less."We're suggesting cutting back 20 percent. Twenty percent in gifts, 20 percent in greeting cards, 20 percent in gift wrap, 20 percent in miles traveled," says Peter Sander, co-author of Green Christmas: How to Have a Joyous, Eco-Friendly Holiday Season. The result would be a trimmer holiday budget.
Read the rest of the story HERE.

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!

Free online conference for green building and renewable energy

www.VirtualEnergyForum.com is offering a FREE online conference and trade show for green building and renewable energy professionals. At this event you will be able to view live presentations; network and share contact information with other attendees, and browse virtual booths of energy innovators. Present will be Fortune 500 energy executives, public policy leaders, & innovators of energy products & services.

Topics: Sustainability, alternative energy, clean technologies, green buildings & manufacturing & more.

Questions answered via live video by 40+ energy leaders, such as:· Joseph T. Kelliher, Chairman, US Federal Energy Regulatory Commission · James E. Rogers, CEO, Duke Energy · David J. Manning, Chief Environmental Officer, National Grid · Senior executives from Delta Controls, Hess, Johnson Controls, Pacific Gas and Electric, Siemens, Staples, Steelcase, Yale University, and more.

The date is Wednesday December 10th and Thursday December 11th, 9 am to 7 pm EST. It all happens online at www.VirtualEnergyForum.com . Register now , then return & Login December 10 & 11, 2008 to experience this live, interactive event, all from the ease of your PC!

Have a Green Thanksgiving

(By Mary Beth Breckenridge Beacon Journal staff writer)

We usually associate Thanksgiving with brown, gold and orange, the hues of fall. But maybe the holiday's color should be green.
After all, Thanksgiving celebrates the bounty of the earth. Why not show our gratitude by demonstrating we care about our planet?
We've gathered some ideas for making your holiday a little more environmentally conscious. Mother Earth will thank you.

For the full story, click HERE.

Learn about the use of biodiesel fuel for vehicles

November 5, 6:30 pm, will be the formation meeting for the Orange County Biodiesel Co-op. They will be organizing a group of folks in order to coordinate the collection of waste vegetable oil (WVO) for the use of making biodiesel motor fuel. Learn how and where to get WVO and how to process it to be used as a fuel itself and also how to make it into clean burning biodiesel. They will be discussing what types of cars and trucks are best suited for the use of vegetable oil and biodiesel for fuel. Many members of the group already have diesel vehicles that are running on biodiesel. Come check it out. Location: Great Earth Vitamin Store, 7164 Edinger Ave. (east of Goldenwest). More info: 714-552-5533

Make Your Kitchen Green

(From newsday.com)
You don't have to spend a lot to go green--it can be as simple as screwing a $3 gizmo onto your faucet--but it's easy to make costly mistakes if you don't do your homework. There are no federal regulations for items marketed as eco-friendly so some green products might not be as green as you think.The November issue of ShopSmart, from the publisher of Consumer Reports, spent months sizing up fridges, running dishwashers, burning light bulbs, and punishing faucets to find the best green kitchen products. Five tips to complete the recipe for a green kitchen that will save you money and give you a fresh new look can be found with the rest of the story HERE.

Sustainability Conference to be held in Long Beach, CA

Upcoming Sustainability Conference in Long Beach, CA
Potable Reuse for Water Supply Sustainability Conference: Critical Today, Essential Tomorrow
November 16-19, 2008
Hyatt Regency Long Beach, Long Beach, CA

The WateReuse Association and the International Water Association will present a specialty conference with the theme "Potable Reuse for Water Supply Sustainability: Critical Today, Essential Tomorrow" on November 16-19 in Long Beach, CA. This conference will bring together leading experts from around the world to discuss critical factors in the success of potable reuse projects, including meeting regulatory hurdles, demonstrating environmental and economic viability, and enhancing public understanding and acceptance.

CONFERENCE HIGHLIGHTS:· Presentations on success stories and lessons learned from Arizona, California, Colorado, Texas, Singapore, Australia, Europe, and Africa
· A panel discussion on environmental drivers and opportunities
· Presentations on policy and perception, regulations and research, technology and nature, and energy and economics
· Tours of the Orange County Water District’s Groundwater Replenishment System and the West Basin Municipal Water District’s Edward C. Little Water Recycling Facility
View the Updated List of Sessions

Register today and save up to $100 on the registration fees! (Full payment must accompany your registration to qualify for the early-bird discount rate.)Online Registration(You will be asked to login or create an account. If you are a member or past attendee, you already have an account established. Your username is your e-mail address. To get your password, click here. To register another person, you must login using his or her WateReuse username and password.)Download a Printer-Friendly Registration FormView the Conference Brochure.

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."

Huntington Beach Green Expo a Success

Huntington Beach: Surf City hosted it first Green Expo this past weekend (Sept 20) at Central Library and what a success it was. The free event has speakers, product demonstrations, samples, workshops and information booths. Issues discussed were water reduction, energy efficiency, solar energy, water conservation, recycling materials, reducing greenhouse gases and organic products. Many folks are already looking forward to the next event! To see the list of participating vendors and photos from the event, check out: www.HuntingtonBeachGoesGreen.com