Monday, August 31, 2009

Green Tip from the Sierra Club: Tees

Today's Green Tip from the Sierra Club !

A few months ago, we gave you advice about how to green your wardrobe. This week’s tips, about how to green your fashion sense, are different in that they recommend specific brands in specific fashion categories.

Tip #1: Tees

Everyone needs a few good t-shirts. An indie brand called Holiday Matinee sells tag-free organic-cotton ones printed with hip designs. The best part? For every shirt purchased, 20 trees are planted; 100 percent of proceeds go to Plant-It 2020. Other good-for-the-earth brands include Thomas Hillman, Revenge Is…, Tees for Change, and Gramicci.

Thursday, August 27, 2009

Newsletter: Three Simple Actions to Make a Difference

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How to change the world 5$ at a time? FIVE Accessories is a fair trade online shop with socially conscious handbags and jewelries from Bali, Guatemala, Honduras, Cambodia, India and at need areas of the US. The company supports grassroots efforts around the globe to aid under-privileged children by donating Five dollars from each... Read the article and help!

Carbon offsets: a tool in the fight against global warming The science is clear: human-caused global warming is a reality. Now it’s time to focus on solutions. Carbon offsets are becoming an increasingly popular way for individuals, businesses, and even governments to reduce their impact on the environment. But what are they? David Suzuki explains..

Hyundai Canada unveils industry-leading clean air commitment As part of its environmental goal to help clean the air we breathe today and into the future, Hyundai Auto Canada Corp. announced last week the Clean Air Commitment - a financial top-up of up to $1,000 if you get rid of your... Read entire article.

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Wednesday, August 26, 2009

A Sea Change Movie: Imagine a world without fish.

By Joanie Bergeron Poudrier

“Imagine a world without fish” is the first thought introducing A Sea Change movie trailer.

If this phrase doesn’t make you think, react, or press play to watch the film preview, either you’re just cold-blooded or maybe you just didn’t think it through. (Hoping you choose the second answer).

Take a few minutes to imagine how your life would become without fish or sea mammals. For me, this would be catastrophic!

Why would we be diving or snorkeling for, if there were no fish to observe?

Whale watching expeditions would become pointless.

When on vacation, swimming with dolphins would no longer be possible.

A feast of freshly cut, lobster or shrimps, wouldn’t be on the menu anymore.

And the list of things that would change goes on and on…

Synopsis:

"This film is both a love letter to the planet and an urgent plea to its citizens."
—Justin Berton, San Francisco Chronicle

A Sea Change follows the journey of retired history teacher Sven Huseby on his quest to discover what is happening to the world’s oceans. After reading Elizabeth Kolbert’s “The Darkening Sea,” Sven becomes obsessed with the rising acidity of the oceans and what this “sea change” bodes for humans. His quest takes him to Alaska, California, Washington, and Norway as he uncovers a worldwide crisis that most people are unaware of. Speaking with oceanographers, marine biologists, climatologists, and artists, Sven discovers that global warming is only half the story of the environmental catastrophe that awaits us. Excess carbon dioxide is dissolving in our oceans, changing sea water chemistry. The more acidic water makes it difficult for tiny creatures at the bottom of the food web to form their shells. The effects could work their way up to the fish 1 billion people depend upon for their source of protein.

A Sea Change is also a touching portrait of Sven’s relationship with his grandchild Elias. As Sven keeps a correspondence with the little boy, he mulls over the world that he is leaving for future generations. A disturbing and essential companion piece to "An Inconvenient Truth", A Sea Change brings home the indisputable fact that our lifestyle is changing the earth, despite our rhetoric or wishful thinking.

A Sea Change is the first documentary about ocean acidification, directed by Barbara Ettinger and co-produced by Sven Huseby of Niijii Films. Chock full of scientific information, the feature-length film is also a beautiful paen to the ocean world and an intimate story of a Norwegian-American family whose heritage is bound up with the sea.

Watch «A Sea Change» trailer now!









Alarming Facts

What is "ocean acidification"? All of the pollution in the atmosphere from cars, power plants and other smokestack industries--doesn't stay there. Much of it is absorbed by the oceans, where it becomes carbonic acid, with effects potentially as catastrophic as those of global warming.

What are the potential long-term consequences? Ocean acidification threatens over 1,000,000 species with extinction--and with them, our entire way of life.

Can the scenario really be this grim? How come I never heard of it before? There is so much effort taking place to decrease the effects of climate change on the earth surface, that the menace for our oceans was unnoticed. Ocean acidification is a big threat and A Sea Change is there to bring awareness and to inspire people to take action around this issue.


For dates and listing of the screenings.

For more info about what you can do to help.

Meet the producers and the crew of A Sea Change.

Photo legend:Sven and his grandson walking on a California beach

Tuesday, August 25, 2009

How to change the world five dollars at a time?

By Joanie Bergeron Poudrier

FIVE Accessories is a fair trade online shop with socially conscious handbags and jewelries from Bali, Guatemala, Honduras, Cambodia, India and at need areas of the US.

After an inspiring trip to Bali, Christine Hutchison and her husband Wells, decided to found Five. During their stay, a Balinese tour guide told them he received 5 $ a month from a satisfied tourist during many years and it enabled him to stay in school, to improve his English and then to send his children to college.

While admiring the beautiful handbags and jewelry made by local artisans, the couple had the idea to start five, a company that embodies both their entrepreneurial and philanthropic zeal.

The mission of the company is to:
*create income generating programs for individuals in need,
*donate a large portion of its sales to worthy charitable causes,
*foster the use of sustainable material in fashion.

Five ACCESSORIES supports grassroots efforts around the globe to aid under-privileged children by donating Five dollars from each handbag sale and 15% from each jewelry sale.

Depending on where the handbag is from, the donation will go toward a different foundation.

If you buy a coconut shell bag from Bali, you’ll support under privileged school children to help them continue their education.

If you opt for a recycled rice bags from Cambodia, it will support a grassroots organization in Cambodia that aims to help women and children who are victims of human trafficking and sex slavery; the Ivory Coast Women and Children www.ivorycoastaid.com.

So no matter what you buy, you’ll give back to the communities who created those amazing and unique accessories.

Visit www.fiveaccessories.com and shop while helping under privileged kids around the world!

Photos from top:

1-Children in Cambodia being helped by Ivory Coast Women and Children.

2-Some of Five Eco-Friendly Bags are made by recycling potato chip bags that litter the communities of Honduras. Here, Honduras inhabitants weaving recycled potato chips bags.

3-Bag from Bali (right).

4-Cambodia messenger bags made out of repurposed mosquito netting.

Carbon offsets: a tool in the fight against global warming

By David Suzuki with Faisal Moola

The science is clear: human-caused global warming is a reality. Now it’s time to focus on solutions. We need strong leadership from our governments in setting firm greenhouse gas reduction targets, and we need to look at a range of policies and practices. There’s no legitimate argument about whether the problem exists, but there is still some debate about the best ways to tackle it.

Take carbon offsets. Some people compare them to “indulgences” granted by the church allowing sinners to avoid punishment for some transgressions. Others argue that offsets can be one of many legitimate tools used to tackle climate change, and that high-quality carbon offsets can result in real reductions in greenhouse gas emissions.

Carbon offsets are becoming an increasingly popular way for individuals, businesses, and even governments to reduce their impact on the environment. The “voluntary” carbon market, made up of all these purchases of carbon offsets, increased in value globally from $305 million in 2007 to $460 million in 2008. If you add in the offsets that are used in national and international regulatory programs, such as the Kyoto Protocol and European Emissions Trading System, the total carbon market now approaches $139 billion a year.

So carbon offsets are here to stay. But what are they?

Well, a carbon offset is a credit for a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions generated by one project, such as a solar-power installation, that can be used to cancel out the emissions from another source. Carbon offsets are typically measured in tonnes of CO2 or their equivalent. Those who buy offsets are essentially investing in other projects that reduce emissions on their behalf, either because they are unable to do so themselves or because it is too expensive to make their own reductions.

One thing to note is that not all carbon offsets are created equal. Because the market is new and largely unregulated, some offsets are unlikely to have any benefit for the climate. This is one reason why carbon offsets have gotten a bad rap.

So, what makes a good offset? Opinions vary on some of the finer points, but most experts agree that several conditions are necessary. Good offsets are “additional”; that is, they result in greenhouse gas reductions that wouldn’t have otherwise occurred without the incentive of carbon offsets. For example, if a company is required by regulation to install technology to reduce emissions from its factory, the resulting emission reductions should not be sold as offsets.

A good carbon offset should also result in “permanent” reductions in greenhouse gas emissions. This is one reason why some organizations, including the David Suzuki Foundation, recommend against using tree-planting to generate offsets. Although trees have many benefits for the environment, they make risky carbon offsets because they are susceptible to fire, logging, and insect infestation – any one of which can release the stored carbon back into the atmosphere and render the offset worthless.

Good carbon offsets should also be verified by qualified auditors to ensure that the reductions have actually taken place.

Carbon offsets that are real, additional, and permanent can have a direct, positive impact on the climate. And they can create some other important benefits. They provide money for much-needed renewable-energy and energy-efficiency projects, which can help move society away from fossil fuels and toward a clean-energy economy. Buying carbon offsets can also help to deal with emissions that aren’t currently covered by government regulations, such as international air travel. Carbon offsets can also put a value on carbon, and help to educate businesses and consumers about the climate impact of their daily decisions, and where they should target their own reduction efforts.

Of course, people should do everything they can to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions, but when that isn’t possible or feasible, buying high-quality offsets at least ensures that an equivalent amount of reductions is made elsewhere.

Carbon offsets alone won’t solve climate change. We still need to find ways to make deep reductions in our own emissions. But the problem of climate change is so massive that it requires a whole range of solutions, and offsets can be part of that.

For additional help in guiding your decisions about carbon offsets, my foundation and the Pembina Institute have just released a guide, Purchasing Carbon Offsets, available at www.davidsuzuki.org

Take David Suzuki’s Nature Challenge and learn more at www.davidsuzuki.org

Hyundai Canada unveils industry-leading clean air commitment

First car company in Canada to top-up government vehicle scrappage program

As part of its environmental goal to help clean the air we breathe today and into the future, Hyundai Auto Canada Corp. announced last week the Clean Air Commitment - a financial top-up of up to $1,000 on the federal government's scrappage program whose aim is to get the oldest, worst-polluting vehicles off the road and encourage Canadians to select more sustainable transportation alternatives.

This is so easy, you only need to get rid** of your registered and insured 1995 model year or older vehicle (in running condition) and Hyundai will top up any available government incentive with up to $1000 in additional Clean Air Cash on a fuel-efficient new vehicle.

Hyundai is the first auto manufacturer in Canada to launch such a top-up program.

"Hyundai is committed to clean air in Canada," said Steve Kelleher, president and CEO, Hyundai Auto Canada Corp. "Our Clean Air Commitment is about our responsibility to deliver a harmonious balance between vehicles and the environment; it's about clean air now and for the future. Reducing vehicle emissions has a direct impact on the air we breathe, so helping to remove older, more-polluting vehicles from the road just makes sense. It's something we can do today to immediately impact our environment. We think that's pretty smart."

Did you know?

*1995 model year and older vehicles produce 19 times more smog-forming pollutants than 2004 and newer models?

*By recycling your old vehicle with a government program, you’re keeping it out of landfills and preventing dangerous toxins from being released into our air, ground and water.

*75% of an average car's content by weight can be recycled? This means it is extremely important that vehicles are recycled responsibly.

**To learn more about the government incentive program and delivery partners, please visit www.retireyourride.ca

To learn more about the program and see if your vehicle qualifies visit Hyundaicanada.com

Green Tip from the Sierra Club: Save Leftovers

Today's Green Tip from the Sierra Club !

Going green doesn’t just save the outside world; it also can save the hard-earned money in your bank account. This week, we’re dispensing advice about one of the more self-interested aspects of being green: keeping your cash.

Tip #1: Save Leftovers

Dining out can become an expensive proposition. To get your money’s worth, and since portions come so large nowadays, eat only half of what you’re served, then take the leftovers home in a reusable container that you had the foresight to bring along. Voila! A “free,” restaurant-made meal for later. Wasted food comprises 12 percent of the U.S. waste stream (30 million tons per year!), 98 percent of which lands in landfills where it stinks up the atmosphere with methane, one of the most potent greenhouse gases.

Tell us: How do you save money or go green while eating out?

Photo Credit: Marshall Astor - Food Pornographer on Flickr.com.

Friday, August 21, 2009

Today’s Green Tip from the Sierra Club: Buy Recycled

Today's Green Tip from the Sierra Club !

Summer vacation is winding down, which means it's time to prepare for new teachers, new classes, and new friends. This week we'll provide green tips for going back to school.

Tip #3: Buy Recycled

Earlier this week, we encouraged you to reuse the supplies you already own. When it's time to buy new items, make sure those "new" paper and pens have a history. Look for paper with a high percentage of post-consumer recycled content. Bargain hunters might want to check out New Leaf's back-to-school sale. Other fun items on the market this year include Greenline's Zebra Eco Gel Pen, which is made from recycled CDs and cell phones. Fleurville's Re-Run Beta Binder is made from plastic bottles.

Share your tips: Where do you buy recycled school supplies?

Up to Kilimanjaro in aid of UNICEF

UNICEF is an organisation that does a lot of great work all around the world. In Africa, they help children receive the support, healthcare and education they need to survive the threats of childhood poverty. They strive to protect children from violence and abuse, and from exploitation through child labour or trafficking. They are decreasing the spread and effects of AIDS through better education and medicine. They also clear the ground of landmines left over from years of war and help children who have lost their limbs to mines live a better life.

“My fundraising”, is a new section of the UNICEF UK website. It provides a easy-to-use system so you can set up your own personal fundraising web page for UNICEF, or pledge/donate to a friend’s fundraising event through their personal web page.

In October, in aid of this very deserving charity, Jacqueline McPherson, is going to attempt to climb Kilimanjaro, the highest mountain in Africa. She is looking for all the support she can get as a little money will help change peoples lives for the better. Anyone who is interested in making a donation can do so via her personal fundraising page.

UNICEF is unique within the UN family, the organization rely on donations, as it does not receive any funding from the United Nations. The money goes directly to Unicef and where it is needed most.

Wednesday, August 19, 2009

Functional, Stylish Recycling: 6 Ways Vintage Can Work for Your Family

If you’re not a hardcore greenie who can afford to spend money on solar roofing, organic vegetables for every meal, or high-end eco-friendly soaps and detergents, you can still find a way to completely change the way your family impacts the environment: recycling. You may already recycle newspapers, plastic bags and soda cans, but unless you’ve embraced a “vintage” lifestyle, you’re probably missing out on the best that recycling has to offer. From vintage clothes to hand-me-down patio furniture to garage sales, vintage living offers your family lots of opportunities for helping the environment and saving money.

1.Buy vintage clothing. You don’t have to shop old t-shirts at Goodwill (though you’ll find lots of great stuff there, too). Shop high-end vintage boutiques and websites for designer clothes at discount prices. You can also pass down clothes to younger siblings, cousins and neighbors to encourage others to go vintage, too.

2.Shop eBay and used bookstores, etc. Besides being good for the environment by cutting down on waste, you’ll find much better deals on items that are still in good condition when you shop on eBay and at other used stores.

3.Turn vintage treasures into practical, everyday items. Use blank postcards from your grandmother’s collection for birthday cards or polish up your uncle’s childhood tricycle for a new toy for your own child.

4.Host a garage sale. Your own hand-me-downs and leftovers may be a cool, vintage find for one of your neighbors or friends, so instead of throwing everything away, host a garage sale. 5.Everything is fair game: You might be wary of a used mattress or underwear from a stranger, but practically everything else is fair game: cameras, patio furniture, accessories, cars, bikes, toys, and even dishes can be polished up to look like new. Turning something into your own special piece is also a fun way to get your family involved, through painting, sewing or reassembling.

6.Be influenced by the past: Living a vintage lifestyle doesn’t just refer to tangible things. Start balancing your modern lifestyle with influences from the past, like buying smaller homes, taking low maintenance vacations, and cooking your own meals rather than going out all of the time.

This post was contributed by Britney Wilkins, who writes about the online bible colleges. She welcomes your feedback at BritneyWilkins81 [at] yahoo.com

Today’s Green Tip from the Sierra Club: Cut Back on Packaging

Today's Green Tip from the Sierra Club !

Summer vacation is winding down, which means it's time to prepare for new teachers, new classes, and new friends. This week we'll provide green tips for going back to school.

Tip #2: Cut Back on Packaging

If you're planning to send your son or daughter to school with a packed lunch, consider what's going to end up in the trash. According to Mother Jones, the average child throws away 90 pounds of leftovers and packaging per year. Avoid single-use snack items and processed foods. To reduce waste, buy staples in bulk, then pack sandwiches, side items, and drinks in reusable containers .

Share your tips: How do you reduce lunch waste?

Tuesday, August 18, 2009

Easy, Breezy, Beautiful

From lining our eyes, to coating our faces to glossing our lips, we all love our makeup… but as some of you may know makeup can pose some serious environmental and health threats.

Putting loads of chemicals on our skin, some of which are absorbed and can enter our blood stream, is not always a good idea. Chemicals such as petroleum, sodium, propylene glycol and unnatural colors are not only harsh on the skin, but also unnatural. Exposure to these ingredients can cause skin rash, headache and may also be linked to other illnesses.

Environmentally- speaking, a lot of makeup is not very friendly and comes with excess packaging and non-recyclable containers. But does this mean we should put down our brushes and go bare? No not at all… luckily for us eco-friendly makeup products are becoming more and more popular!

When choosing your makeup products, do your research before making any purchases ? Find out which companies offer products that are not only natural and good for your skin but also earth-friendly. Do some trials with the eco-friendly products, see what works on your skin and what doesn’t...

Read the entire article on www.simplegreenaction.ca

Monday, August 17, 2009

Today’s Green Tip from the Sierra Club: Avoid Impulse back-to-school Purchases

Today's Green Tip from the Sierra Club !

Summer vacation is winding down, which means it's time to prepare for new teachers, new classes, and new friends. This week we'll provide green tips for going back to school.

Tip #1: Avoid Impulse Purchases

Before you're dazzled by a super-sized pack of highlighters (on sale!) or a fancy eraser set, take stock of the school supplies you already have. Sturdy items like folders and backpacks can often be reused for several years. And chances are, you already have an ample supply of pens and pencils in your family's catch-all drawer. Come to the store armed with a list so you won't be tempted to buy things you don't need.

Share your tips: How do you get extra mileage from old school supplies?

Thursday, August 13, 2009

Newsletter: Three celebrities taking a stand for animals

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Stella McCartney is a Green Trouper Stella McCartney, a lifelong vegetarian, has proven her love for animals by promising not to use any fur or leather to create her clothing collections. As well as supporting many charities, she also gives us some Eco Tips for a sustainable lifestyle... Read Stella's Eco Tips

Heath Ledger against whale hunts In 2007 Heath Ledger started directing the music video of Modest Mouse an Australian group, but never had the chance to finish it. The highly anticipated music video was released last week! With this video, the late actor wanted to raise awareness about a cause he believed in deeply: illegal commercial whale hunts. Read full article

David Suzuki: Doing the right thing for whales The number of North Atlantic right whales left in the world is not above 400. Because they're large, swim slowly and close to shore, they used to be hunt by whalers who considered them the “right” whale to hunt. David Suzuki explains what are the actions we should take to save our whales. Learn how to save our whales

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Are you the next green girl?

Project Green Search (PGS) is launching its 2009 Green Model Search.

PGS is a nationwide campaign aimed at inspiring people to think about how to align their careers with the environmental, social and humanitarian ethics, serving as a platform to connect mission driven people with sustainable businesses and organizations in the modeling, spokesperson, design, fashion, talent, entertainment and arts arenas.

Project Green began as Greenloop’s education, outreach and fundraising arm. Greenloop’s mission from the start has been to use fashion as a vehicle for environmental advocacy and industry-wide change. A model search and competition is a natural and exciting expression of the Project Green Search mission, given the influential role beauty and fashion play in society.

Are you the next Green Girl?

Can you take a stand? Can you align your modelling endeavours with your personal beliefs? Are you an advocate for the environment, animal welfare, fair trade, and human rights? If you answered yes to all these questions, you may be the next green girl!

Remember! You have until September 16 to submit your entry.

More details at www.projectgreensearch.com