Green goods, tips, news, and more

  • Human Polar Bear

    (photos from the Daily Mail) For twenty years, Lewis Gordon Pugh has been swimming in the world’s five oceans to draw attention to climate change. On 15 July 2007, the lawyer -turned-World Wildlife Fund ambassador became the first person to swim long distance at the geographic North Pole in minus 1.8C waters. He swam 1…

  • Reading Labels

    I was watching The Today Show this morning and there was this segment on deciphering eco-friendly labels. If you are searching for earth-friendly forest products like lumber and paper, look for the FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) logo. The FSC is a non profit organization that certifies timber companies that meet standards for sustainable forestry. Home…

  • Lovingly hand-washed plastic bags

    Casa Sugar has a green tip right now that made me laugh out loud when I saw it: wash and reuse your plastic bags! I’m not laughing in a disparaging, derisive way, it’s just that it’s something my mother has always done, and which I’ve done a few times myself. And why not? If your…

  • 24

    Kiefer Sutherland announced that his tv show “24” is making a commitment to fight climate change. They hope to have a carbon neutral season. The storylines may include global warming and the actors will appear in PSAs regarding reducing carbon emissions. Production will use hybrid vehicles and “green power”. The set will be rewired to…

  • Don’t pooh-pooh it

    Make a difference while shopping. You can log on to Buy Change and purchase items like soap from Afghanistan, salad dressing created by inner city children, handbags made by women and children who have escaped or have been rescued from sexual exploitation and slavery. The most interesting is the paper made from elephant poo. Due…

  • Save energy while cooking

    Be oven-wise. Stop opening it to check food. Heat escapes, wastes energy and slows down cooking. Switch it off before your meal is ready. The temperature in the oven would still be hot enough to finish cooking the food. Put a lid on it. Saucepans, I mean. It’ll heat the food quicker and you’ll use…

  • Of pens, pencils and highlighters

    At work, we have a container of used pens, pencils and other writing supplies. Some of them were left behind by those who left the company. Others were randomly found in the office. I try to be good. I don’t go for the new supplies. I use black, blue and red pens (one each), one…

  • WWED?

    For fans of the musical “Wicked”, Elphaba the green-skinned Wicked Witch of the West has these tips for living a greener life. And to celebrate the show’s 4th year anniversary, the Broadway company, in cooperation with the New York Restoration Project, is making a Wicked garden in Manhattan. The garden is scheduled to open on…