Super Eco

Photo credit: white lion, SXC

It's events like the recent death of a Sea World trainer who was drowned by a killer whale that make me doubt whether animals and humans really belong together. Even the casual observer can see that it's neither humane nor safe to keep oceangoing animals unnaturally confined for our entertainment. But how does this idea trickle down to, say, pets? When should humans leave well enough alone? Are pets and people a mix?

According to a new book from documentary writer Meg Daley Olmert, animals and people are in fact Made for Each Other. "The face that wolves stopped stalking us and we took them into our caves proved to be a miraculous leap of faith that changed our world forever," she writes. Her theories are far from sentimental. Drawing on behavioral psychology, neuroscience, anthropology and more, Olmert delves into how this bond developed in the first place and questions what happens when these ties are cut.

"Contrary to the romantic myth, these stunning emotional and therapeutic effects are not the product of our pet's 'unconditional love' for us," she writes. "The research described in this book pulls back that sentimental curtain to reveal the very real and even more wondrous science behind it—the physiological reality of why animals can love us, why we can love them, and why that love is so good for everyone it touches."

You want ride your bike, but you simply have no idea how to go about finding a safe route. Sound familiar? Google is coming to the rescue with new Google Maps options deliver optimized directions for bicycles.

The new feature does more than simply connect Point A with Point B. The software selects routes based on the availability and safety of routes specific for bicycles. First, it considers bicycle-only paths that are off-limits to cars. If there are no bicycle routes available, the software looks for roads with demarcated bike lanes. It also gives preference to flatter routes over steeper ones. The service also helps you discover new bike paths, which it highlights in (appropriately enough) green.

Still thinking that bicycle commuting sounds impractical? Allow us to help!

• Spring bicycle tuneup Dig your faithful wheels out of storage now for a pre-spring tuneup, so you'll be ready to roll at the first hint of sunshine.
• No-sweat bicycle commuting What you need to boost you along to your destination (minus the sweat) is a little motorized nudge.
• 5 ways your city can be bike-friendly What can communities like mine do to ensure they're friendly to bicycle commuters? The League of American Bicyclists makes it simple with its 5-E rating system.
• Super-size your bike Bikes for plus-sized and large people easily support more weight, feel more comfortable and safe and can inspire larger people to exercise. It's size with attitude—that, plus fitness and mobility.
• 5 ways to use your bike to carry stuff You're committed to the environment and you're doing your part by riding your bike more places. Great! Only problem: what to do when you need to carry stuff?

Photo credit: Gizmo1408, SXC

If you're like us, you feel better knowing where your food comes from. Did you know that you can trace the origin of your milk from a code on the carton? More than likely, there's a handy little code on your carton of milk or tub of yogurt that tells you exactly where it's from. Run to the fridge for a peek at the code—we'll wait right here—and then look it up on Where is My Milk From?.

Bonus tip: identify your produce

Before we go, let's run through a quick refresher on how to tell if your produce is organic, conventional or genetically modified. Take a look at that annoying little sticker you normally peel off and flick into the trash. You're looking for the Price Look Up (PLU) code, which is set by the International Federation for Produce Standards.

• Organic produce 5-digit PLU number beginning with 9
• Conventional produce 4-digit PLU number beginning with 4
• Genetically modified (GMO) produce 5-digit PLU beginning with 8

Photo credit: InformationIsBeautiful.net

Snake oil or science? Food for a healthy life ... or merely food for thought? End confusion over contradictory research with this balloon chart showing the scientific evidence for various health supplements. You may see some of your own bubbles burst as you spy your favorites bobbing just below the "Worth It" line (or worse still, sinking below "Conflicting" into oblivion). Sort by compounds, enzymes, minerals, plant/herbs and vitamins in relation to overall health or specific conditions such as cancer, mental health and even sex.

The source information appears credible enough. The chart is generated from this Google doc, which updates the balloon chart automatically when new research results come in. Sources include PubMed and Cochrane.org, considering only large human blind-placebo controlled trials. And if you're still skeptical about natural remedies, you can do the footwork yourself with these objective, scientifically verified sources on complementary and alternative therapies.

Of course, there's no discounting the possibility of the placebo effect. NPR just published a curious story showing that scientists are finding signs that the placebo effect is getting stronger over time. Talk about the power of positive thinking ... Now that's a balloon we'll gladly hitch to our stars!

Photo credit: blmurch on flickr

March 8th is International Women's Day  a day on which hundreds of events that celebrate women occur all around the world.

For so many women green is the color of choice, the color of hope. Green initiatives offer a way out of poverty and oppression for women and cast a new light upon their role within the nuclear and Global family.

2010 being declared the International Year of Biodiversity, makes this year's celebration of women more poignant since biodiversity is key to the survival and livelihood of so many women worldwide.

The green movement has so many incredible women achievers to celebrate. Here are just a few interesting sites that celebrate women and the environment:

1. Going Green: Women and the Environment at Women Make Movies films by and about women.
2. The Green Women listing at Best Green Blogs
3. The Green Belt Movement whose mission it is: "to mobilize community consciousness for self-determination, equity, improved livelihoods and security, and environmental conservation."
4. The Eco Mom Alliance "a global organization of mothers working collectively to reduce global warming and propel an environmentally, socially and economically sustainable future.
5. Audubon Women In Conservation Program "was created for girls and women to discover the world of conservation and connect with the best and brightest women leaders in the environmental movement."

Happy International Women's Day 2010!

Photo credit: ms.lume on flickr

In 1894 John Muir wrote: "When California was wild, it was one sweet bee-garden throughout its entire length, north and south, and all the way across from the snowy Sierra to the ocean."

He continues by describing the immense biodiversity before him: "The great yellow days circled by uncounted, while I drifted toward the north, observing the countless forms of life thronging about me, lying down almost anywhere on the approach of night. And what glorious botanical beds I had! Often-times on awaking I would find several new species leaning over me and looking me full in the face, so that my studies would begin before rising."

This sounds like a beautiful dream, a beautiful impossible dream. But biodiversity because of its very nature is still within our reach. Favoring  biodiversity over monoculture, that is the crucial task at hand.

Here are some simple ways we can all foster green biodiversity:

1. Become informed about the historical biodiversity of where we live. Find out about local organizations that aid in the preservation of local endangered species, habitats and watershed. Learn what efforts are being attempted to restore these habitats and how we can help. Get the whole family involved.
2. Support worldwide conservation efforts whenever we can.
3. Research threatened and endangered plants species and provide some space in our landscape for them whenever possible.
4. Remove invasive species that may be choking out biodiversity on our small or large acre. Buy our seeds and plants from ethical organic sources. Plant heirloom varieties. Kick the pesticide/herbicide habit!
5. Support our local birds, they are great sowers of seed and plant a  butterfly/bee garden. Compost everything that you can.
6. Dedicate a "wilderness" area on our property where beneficial insects, birds and small wildlife may shelter and thrive. Plant a hedgerow habitat.
7. Buying our meats and produce from local ethical and organic farmers and markets whenever possible is so important.
8. Dialing back our fast food consumption sends an important message to companies that thrive on the devastating practices of monoculture.
9. Buy less stuff: use it up, wear it out, donate it, gift it. Reduce, reuse, recycle, upcycle, repeat!
10. If you are going to buy things, buy handmade things that support local economies, cottage industries and craftsmanship.
11. Whether we live in an urban or rural setting learning what we love about where we live is so important. Taking a walk in nearby nature, noticing that life is happening all around us, becoming connected, breathing...

Have a beautiful green day!

Photo credit: Stephen Cummings, flickr

Looks like there's something fishy about some of the most popular brands of fish oil supplements. A lawsuit filed in California earlier this week claims that many leading fish oil manufacturers are peddling products packed with toxic polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) compounds, despite labeling that states the products are "treated" and are safe from PCB contamination. Eight companies are on the hook: CVS Pharmacy, Inc.; General Nutrition Corp. (GNC); Now Health Group, Inc.; Omega Protein, Inc.; Pharmavite LLC (Nature Made brand); Rite Aid Corp.; Solgar, Inc.; and TwinLab Corp.

Polychlorinated biphenyl (PCBs) are persistent organic pollutants that continue to be a significant environmental hazard despite having been banned since the 1970s. PCBs are classified as a probable human carcinogen. Exposure has been linked with liver cancer, skin rashes, liver damage, irregular menstrual cycles, lowered immune response, fatigue, headaches, coughs and poor cognitive development in children.

Photo credit: sundaykofax, flickr

We've talked recently about companies who dump surplus stock with no thought to the social and environmental consequences. Now, here's the flip side: teams that glean unused fruit from privately owned trees and get it into the hands of food banks and charitable organizations. Traditional gleaning groups like the Gleaning Network coordinate tens of thousands of volunteers to glean leftovers from farmers' fields. Now, urban gleaning efforts are picking off the low-hanging fruits in residential areas and passing them along to food assistance programs.

"I'm such a sucker for efficiency," gleaner Matt Jurach told Alternet.org. "It kills me to see all the effort people put into a tree and it produces all this fruit, then it falls onto the ground and rots. It's understandable, because we're busy people. But when you have a group, we complete the last step."

Groups like Harvest Sacramento in California have already harvested nearly 10,000 pounds of produce since the beginning of the year. The typical residential fruit tree bears some 200-300 pounds of fruit a year. That's a free source of healthy, seasonal produce—a virtual gold mine for food banks that rely on inexpensive, pre-packaged staples. 

Gleaning groups send out teams of trained volunteers to identify homes with fruit trees and convince homeowners to donate their harvest. Harvest teams visit a handful of homes during a typical harvest event. Volunteers keep bruised produce and fruit that appears likely to spoil quickly, then sorts and transports the rest to local charities. Gleaning groups exist in Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Hawaii, Massachusetts, Florida, Kentucky, Pennsylvania and California.

Photo credit: Plutor, flickr

When it comes to hitting the books, college students prefer to keep hitting the books—this, according to a new study on replacing traditional textbooks with e-readers. Students using Amazon Kindle DX e-readers at several major universities missed the ease of use in flipping through and taking notes in traditional textbooks.

Students' main concern was not being able to open more than one text at a time. According to a report at USA Today, "Students whose curriculum requires them to organize information culled from many different sources are particularly concerned with being able to navigate multiple documents at once, said Michael Koenig, director of operations at Virginia's Darden School of Business, which also ran a Kindle DX pilot program last fall. 'At the point where you need to highlight and notate in a fairly high-paced classroom—to be able to move back and forth between business cases, class readings, your own notations, your own highlights, your own analysis—it's just not as flexible or nimble as having your paper notes or your laptop right there,' he said, adding that the Kindle was 'not quite ready for prime time."

Old-fashioned note-taking techniques also proved hard to duplicate. With backpacks traditionally bristling with neon-colored highlighters for color-coding different types of information in different texts, students were unhappy with the difficulty of highlighting text. They also disliked the clunkiness of typing notes on the Kindle's keypad. "Many users thought that the addition of a touch screen and stylus would make for a much better device," wrote Princeton researchers.

Far from being a disappointment, the research results appear to confirm that Amazon has hit its mark with the Kindle. The e-reader was designed specifically for recreational use rather than hardworking study or professional applications. While 75% of the Darden students said they wouldn't recommend the Kindle for other students, about 90% gave it a thumbs up for casual reading. Whether or not it's a greener choice—now that's a topic for another day!

Photo credit: ms.lume on flickr

If a small plot is your plight, fear not for, it's pocket gardening to the rescue!

Taking a lesson from good old mother nature, who can send up a shoot of something green through the cracks in almost any parking lot, some clever folks have come up ingenious green ideas for small gardens.

This new spin on window box gardening has people growing their own green vegetable bounty in the most unlikely places and containers. Pick a pocket, plant a packet and watch your garden grow.

Here are a few really great ideas for pocket and container gardens:

1. Handmade in the USA from recycled plastic bottles Woolly Pocket soft-sided garden containers are suitable for indoor or outdoor usage. Their breathable sides release excess moisture to aerate the soil and their waterproof lining helps keep walls and floors dry.
2. Upcycling an old colander or salad spinner for indoor lettuce and herb growing is a great idea.
3. Create your own attractive DIY hanging pocket garden by upcycling any number of beautifully designed and sturdy coffee or juice bags. Macrame some jute or twine to hang them on.
4. Stylish recycled tire planters are attractive, relatively lightweight and much easier to move around than heavy flower pots. The large handles are really convenient.
5. Eco-friendly and really quite attractive biodegradable rice hull pots and planters are great for green windowsill gardening.
6. Repurpose an old wheelbarrow by drilling drainage holes in the bottom and filling it with soil. This makes a great portable outdoor garden that can be repositioned easily to optimize sunny or shady spots around the garden.
7. Old teapots hung by their handles so that the spout is pointing downwards make great outdoor hanging planters. They usually have a strainer built into the spout to trap tea leaves but if their is no strainer a small piece of screen works just as well. Fill with enough soil so that it does not spill out and plant a hanging thyme, rosemary or other creeping herb and drape it out through the top of the pot.
8. A festive and colorful tin can garden can be made by upcycling large restaurant sized cans. Drill a few holes in the bottom and add some small stones or gravel to provide suitable drainage. Be sure to set these on a tray of some sort as tin cans tend to rust.
9. Always use a good quality organic planting medium to ensure good growth. Well begun is half done.

Don't be shy, if you plant it it will grow! Happy planning, happy planting and please feel free to share your favorite small space garden ideas with us.