Green Daily

In some cases the efforts we make to become more efficient and "green" may actually have a little backlash. Like sealing up buildings better to improve heating and cooling efficiency can backfire by preventing indoor pollutants caused by things like computers and copiers (and even your coworkers cologne and hairspray) from escaping.

So what to do? Well we all know plants can do a lot to clean the air, and here's a stylish way to get their help: a plant chandelier. It's great because it not only helps clean the air but it also helps to light it via a solar powered LED light.

The Solar Chandelier doesn't come cheap (it costs a whopping $6000) and it's still fairly exclusive (only 50 have been made), but its creators say it's really part of a bigger picture and should be considered an investment. What do you think? It sounds good to me, but I have to admit that although I do think it looks cool I don't know if it looks $6000 cool...

Loss of habitat due to global warming isn't the only threat to animals species in the world. The Congo, for example, is a war zone and innocent silverback mountain gorillas, of which only 700 remain in the world, are getting caught in the crossfire.

Of the 700 gorillas in existence about half live in the eastern Congo in Virunga National Park, and although living in a protected habitat may sound like a good thing sadly it's not: fighting recently took over the last protected area in the park. Hundreds of gorillas have been killed and some are missing, all guilty of simply being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

What a horrible and sad situation.

Looking for the perfect holiday gift for a nature lover? Here's an idea: adopt them their very own olive tree. Nudo is an olive grove in Italy that farms in earth friendly sustainable ways (not in the soil-eroding highly mechanised methods used by many large farms) and you can have your own little tree in their grove. For £65 you get a one year adoption which includes: an adoption certificate and booklet about your tree, a Spring Package of all the extra virgin olive oil your tree produced, and an Autumn package of lemon olive oil and handmade soaps.

You can even pick out your exact tree if you want, and they encourage people to come visit the grove to see how it works and give their tree a hug.

Which causes more deaths: Car accidents or Air pollution?

If ever there was a group of events that could generally be described as not eco-friendly weddings would fit the bill. The general idea of a wedding for most people is to have a big lavish party full of extras, indulgences, and luxuries. Really the whole thing is completely unnecessary. But don't worry, there's no reason to feel guilty or to do away with tradition altogether in the name of the environment -- by just making some tiny tweaks and adjustments you can still have a beautiful and fun event without the guilt.

• Get married using heirloom rings that you've had resized and even redesigned, as opposed to buying new.
• Use your mother's wedding gown or shop vintage. Have it tailored and customized and it will feel completely yours.
• If a new dress is a must choose one made of natural organic fibers.
• Send simplified invitations without all the inserts and encourage guests to RSVP online.
• Choose flowers that are in season and local to your area.
• Have everything in one location to minimize additional driving by guests.

Are you getting a little skeptical and burned out on hearing about all the global warming hype? Bjorn Lomberg, author of the new book Cool It: the Skeptical Environmentalist's guide to Global Warming, certainly is. He's skeptical not about whether or not global warming is a real thing, but more about how everybody is handling it and exactly what they're doing about it. He's all about getting real, getting serious, and backing up our words with action. I haven't had a chance to read the book (yet!) but it kinda sounds like global warming minus all the messy politics, and I'm all up for that.

Travel in the off season.

One of the biggest, and simplest, ways we can all start going green is to start eating greener. It's nice because there are so many options, but that very fact is also what makes it so intimidating and difficult if you're new to the whole idea. But don't worry, baby steps work! Here are some super easy ways to eat greener:

• Coffee Look for the following "seals of approval": the Fair Trade seal, the Rain Forest Alliance seal, the Bird Friendly seal, and the USDA Organic seal.
• Fruits and veggies Buy organic whenever possible, try to stick to locally grown and "in season" varieties, and remember that you don't have to put each different kind in its own separate plastic bag.
• Chocolate Look for the Fair Trade seal and the USDA Organic seals (chocolate can be more likely than other foods to use forced labor and pesticides).
• Salad Dressings Look for the USDA Organic seal and avoid synthetic fats like soybean oil and partially hydrogenated anything.

Have any easy suggestions of your own to add to the list?

Some elements of being environmentally conscious are suggested quite often yet nobody seems to be doing them -- like reducing carbon emissions by riding your bike to work for example. How many of you have heard this suggestion before? How many of you have actually tried it or are doing it?

Well I work from home but even if I didn't I can honestly say I wouldn't seriously consider pedaling to work as an option. I wouldn't mind being out in the elements on nice days (my hair is always a bit crazy anyway) and in theory the exercise would be great, but who wants to leave that much earlier in the mornings only to show up all tired and sweaty from the trek? No thanks, not me.

So that's where this Electrobike Model Pi comes in. It's a nice cross between a bike and motorcycle, so it's both environmentally friendly and career-friendly. You'll get there faster and you decide how hard you work. After it charges up electrically at your house you then have the option of pedaling or cruising (at a cool 20 mph for up to 30 minutes). Now, considering the price tag of $8,000, this is only for those who will seriously use it -- in which case more *power* to ya.

Ugh! Politics are sooooo frustrating. So much money and time is spent to get politicians and world leaders together and then it seems like nothing happens. Recently the U.N. met to discuss climate change, and the biggest achievement that seemed to come out of it was the fact that pretty much everybody agrees that global warming and the environment is a big deal. Duh.

Well at least the whole thing was carbon neutral, with the 5,000 tons of carbon dioxide created by flying everybody in and by the meeting being by $15,800 invested in a hydroelectric project in Honduras.

Now what about all the money they spent? Can we get that back too?

This water powered alarm clock is lucky it has the 'environmentally-friendly' thing going for it because it sure doesn't have much in the way of looks. But even though it isn't pretty it is interesting, with its water "battery pack" sticking visibly on the side and powering the clock for several months at a time. Need more juice? Simply add more water right from the tap. Features include the time, an alarm, a countdown timer, the temperature, and a gravity sensor that lets you switch from function to function just by changing the clock's position. Plus the whole thing is recyclable and you'll never have to buy batteries again.


[via Shiny Shiny]

Did you ever think of eating your food with food? And no, I'm not talking about eating peanut butter with a stick of celery, but about using biodegradable and environmentally friendly disposable cutlery made from potatoes. It's called Spudware, and apparently it's just as tough and heat resistant as any plastic silverware you're used to. Made from 80% potato starch and 20% soy oil they're made to biodegrade in just 180 days -- they even come with a "Certificate of Compostability" (that cracks me up!).

Plus they're washable and reusable, which makes the $20 price tag for 150 pcs (50 each fork, spoon, and knife) pretty reasonable.


Via Wists

There used to be just "white collar" and "blue collar," but now we've got "green collar" thrown into the mix too. What is a green collar job? Any number of things people do that center mainly around environmental, global, and energy saving issues -- basically any job that involves helping people or companies be greener. A good example is a consultant that you might have come into your home to advise you on ways to save energy costs.

Green collar jobs are in such demand that The U.S. Green Building Council was actually formed about 7 years ago to help regulate and educate 'green' professionals. They offer LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Development) certification and over 38,000 professionals to date have acquired it.

With the environment and 'going green' being such a hot (and permanent) topic I'm really not surprised that the term "green collar" has cropped up -- I'm sure they're going to be in big demand for a long time!

Plantable packaging, which is exactly what it sounds like, is not just plain 'ol biodegradable: when it breaks down in the earth it sprouts fragrant herbs and beautiful wildflowers. Embedded with seeds that sprout after a few weeks, plantable packages give a unique spin and motivation to use recycled post-consumer fiberboard -- which can save millions of trees per year if more companies would jump on board with it.

I really like the idea of buying something for myself (or giving a gift) that isn't only eco-friendly but also comes with the option of some blooms and greenery!

Leonardo DiCaprio has been a celebrity voice for the environmental effort pretty much since celebrities started getting involved, and he's not showing any signs of slowing down. His latest project, and it's not a small one (is it ever with celebrities?), is the creation of a green hotel in coordination with The Four Seasons on land he owns in Belize. The exact details on how the hotel will be environmentally friendly haven't been released yet, but rumors say DiCaprio hopes to start building sometime early next year.


Via Luxist