beSMARTbeGREEN

Green Corner: A Parking Space

2011-07-15T10:55:00.000-07:00

Green corner is a spatial artwork consisting of lawn that is installed on a parking space. The lawn is equipped with some comfortable garden furniture, to provide a relaxing break in the middle of the hectic urban space. The work raises questions about public space in general; to whom it belongs and what can be done with it. [...] The project functions also as an invitation to a workshop taking place in June. The workshop explores the public spaces in Kallio [a neighborhood in Helsinki] and the future prospects of the area.

* Source

The Carpet Recyclers Opens First 2 Facilities in Northern & Southern California

2010-10-06T15:14:00.000-07:00

Over 6 Billion Pounds of Old Carpet Disposed in U.S. Landfills Annually

FULLERTON, CA--(Marketwire - October 06, 2010) - The Carpet Recyclers has opened its first two carpet recycling facilities in Oakland and La Mirada California to serve Northern and Southern California. The company will utilize state-of-the-art carpet recovery equipment which recycles both residential and commercial carpet with zero waste going to landfills. GF Industries, the parent company of The Carpet Recyclers, has secured exclusive rights to the equipment for the western U.S.

"Since 1992, GF Industries has been turning waste into resources through our innovative waste recovery, beneficial reuse and recycling solutions that reduce costs for our customers and help the environment," said Larry Fink, GF Industries' President. "We are excited to add our expertise to carpet recycling with the opening of our first two 'The Carpet Recyclers' facilities and creating 50 green jobs."

The 1.3 billion pounds of old carpet presently going to California landfills comprises 3.2% of all waste disposed in the State. As most carpet is made from petroleum, recycling carpet not only reduces landfill disposal, it also saves oil. The Carpet Recyclers initial operations will have the capacity to recycle 400,000 pounds of carpet per day which is the equivalent of saving 932 barrels of oil according to Carpet America Recovery Effort (CARE) which The Carpet Recyclers is a member.

Recycling carpet in California also has the potential to eliminate over 9 million metric tons of greenhouse gases from the atmosphere. Products made from carpet recycling include new carpet, carpet padding, a wide range of building products and high-energy fuel. Governor Schwarzenegger recently signed a California carpet recovery bill which established the nation's first comprehensive, industry-financed and supported mandatory carpet recycling program.

See www.TheCarpetRecyclers.com and www.GFIndustries.net for more information or contact Gail Brice at 562-592-5989 or gail.brice@TheCarpetRecyclers.com

The Story of Cosmetics

2010-07-22T10:39:00.000-07:00

The creators of The Story of Stuff now bring you The Story of Cosmetics and if it isn't enough to start seeking newer, safer products, then I don't know what is. My only question is, why on earth wasn't it safe to begin with?

Take Action Now!

Follow them on Twitter

Poor Little Trees

2010-06-29T00:45:00.000-07:00

"Made by Steven Burke with Acrylic on dead wood, variable dimensions.
South West of France, they don’t exist anymore." Poor Little Trees

. . .

This makes me sad. Why oh why can't we stop cutting trees down and instead grow hemp to make paper? Why? Oh yeah, money. Politics. Government. That's why. Humans = Destruction. Poor little trees.

Apple = Globe

2010-06-28T00:12:00.000-07:00

via : Kevin Van Aelst

Entirely Eco Living

2010-06-26T00:01:00.000-07:00

via : Cobworks

via : Neil-san

via : Gerry T

Clean, green, natural buildings smoothed from dirt, straw, clay, & loads of ingenuity ...utterly amazing.

Shiny Suds, Shiny Suds ~ in your cleaners

2009-11-18T14:05:00.000-08:00

Bog Action Day 2009

2009-10-14T09:32:00.000-07:00

Are you going to participate?

Green Garters! Environmentally friendly, mix-n-match wedding garters

2009-10-07T12:38:00.000-07:00

The first-ever, green garters are environmentally friendly (and chic) wedding garters made from recycled plastic bottles. the background and accent colors can be mixed and matched to find your perfect style. so, be you and be green!

Check out Juliann Smith's Green Garters HERE

GUERRA DE LA PAZ

2009-09-17T14:16:00.000-07:00

Cuban born artists Alain Guerra and Neraldo de la Paz are the creative forces behind the name GUERRA DE LA PAZ and through a common aesthetic create works with a universal message.

"Using recycled objects as our medium and the guidance of the unrelenting amounts of information that fuel today's mass consciousness and it's subversive parallels. Allowing us to explore ways to reinvent historic themes and classic icons while still commenting on contemporary culture.

. . .Gaining access to an overabundance of discarded clothing - relics that once helped define an individual's personality and communally speak of environmental issues, mass consumption, and disposability - opened the doors for us to working with garments as a material. We often see ourselves as vehicles guided by their essence and silent histories."

They also have a blog

Happy Birthday Plantable Card

2009-09-13T12:49:00.000-07:00

from RetroWhale

This plantable card is made from recycled paper and is embedded with wildflower seeds. Card comes with planting instructions, an envelope, and is packaged in a 100% biodegradable clear bag. Card is blank on the inside so you can write your own personalized message.

10% of proceeds from plantable cards go to a wonderful charity that is definitely worthy of your help.
Ace of Hearts-www.aceofheartsdogs.com/index.html

Miss Rio Ottoman

2009-08-14T12:53:00.001-07:00

Tthe Miss Rio Ottoman (2003) is an eco-friendly design crafted out of a soft rubber made from recycled flip flops. In addition to keeping industrial leftovers out of landfills, Miss Rio repurposes the soft rubber without any further manufacturing. The raw material is used as is.

A smart, ecological design, Miss Rio provides comfortable, firm seating and is suitable for outdoor use (although colors may fade if exposed to sunlight for extended periods).

Together with the Gueto Company, Karin Wittmann Wilsmann's design is manufactured by social organizations that provide work for otherwise unemployed craftspeople from the local community.Honored as a finalist for a 2004 Premio Planeta Casa, or Home Planet Award, granted by Casa Claudia, a leading Brazilian magazine for architecture and interior design. Miss Rio was also recognized as a finalist for IF Design Award 2004, as well as the 2003/2004 Ecodesign Award sponsored by Fiesp/Ciesp, which encourages the use of design as means to conceive environmentally friendly products. Because the strips of EVA can be pulled out, caution is recommended for use around small children. Made in Brazil.

I love this! ...and it's on sale ...from $350 to $175 Here @ Design Within Reach

TreeLife Australia - Summer 2010

2009-08-09T01:50:00.000-07:00

We are excited to announce that our first offline event, TreeLife by The Cool Hunter, will be unveiled in Australia before touring the globe.

This event will showcase innovative and creative sustainable architecture, and illustrate that green can co-exist with urban city life.

The world's first major public exhibition of 'green design' treehouses, TreeLife will bring the biggest names in international architecture, design and art into the one public place for the first time, showcasing cutting edge green and sustainable design.

TreeLife launches in Australia - Summer 2010 >

Eco-Friendly Cascade House | Paul Raff

2009-07-26T22:43:00.000-07:00

The multi-Award winning Eco-Friendly Cascade House by Canada-based architect firm Paul Raff Studio, is equipped with solar design systems.

"We always start from first principles of human scale and flow, and in search of opportunities to engage light and landscape, once we began to work with glass and slate, the house became characterized by a powerful material presence that is activated as these materials come alive in response to natural light.

Architect Paul Raff

VERTICAL VEGETABLES ~ A Shoe Pocket Garden!

2009-07-26T00:34:00.000-07:00

Amazingly Clever.

Vertical Veggies: Grow a Garden in your Shoe Organizer

''How to solve a problem like cats digging and toileting in the vegetable patch, and growing veg in a very small garden. I needed a solution and the answer occurred to me after watching The CheIsea Flower Show on TV and seeing walls of flowers and herbs. The only thing I had to hand was a hanging pocket shoe store and I decided to use it to grow my plants in. I have included the dates I took the photographs to give readers an idea how quickly the veg grew.

Happy Earth Day 2009!

2009-04-22T10:45:00.000-07:00

Ali G on the Environment - watch more funny videos

What easy steps have you taken since Earth Day 2008 to help erase your carbon footprint and make a better world for our children?

* Earth Day Tote Bag Giveaway *

2009-03-25T10:53:00.000-07:00

In honor of Earth Day 2009, which falls on Wednesday, April 22, 2009 this year, I am delighted to try to get more of you to use canvas totes instead of throw-away retailer bags ...on every shopping trip, not just the grocery store ...by giving away beSmart beGreen eco canvas totes bags.

There will be THREE WINNERS!!

FIRST WINNER RECEIVES 3 TOTE BAGS OF CHOICE

SECOND WINNER RECEIVES 2 TOTE BAGS OF CHOICE

THIRD WINNER RECEIVES 1 TOTE BAG OF CHOICE

Contest ends on Wednesday April 1st {lol} ...so I have enough time to get the bags to you so you can at least use them on Earth Day {but I'm hoping you'll use them year round!}

* RULES *

YOU CAN ENTER AS MANY TIMES AS YOU'D LIKE!
Entries I will include:

1. Followers {on ...love Maegan}
2. Comments
3. Comments on SmartGreenBlog.com
4. 5 extra entries for anyone who steals this image, blogs about it and links to either www.loveMaegan.com or SmartGreenBlog.com

There is no need to include your email addresses in the comments, if you win, you can email me your info then ...{if you prefer anonymity, you may comment anonymously but include something you can remember yourself by if you win.}

* Good Luck *

Extend The Life of Our Earth ~ Earth Hour 3/28/2009 ~ 8:30pm

2009-03-15T11:37:00.000-07:00

Take Action by CLICKING HERE ...and, Turn Off Your Lights!

Eco-Celebs: Reusable Eco Totes

2009-01-11T00:33:00.000-08:00

Jennifer Garner, Sarah Michelle Gellar and Keira Knightley all with their re-usable shopping totes in hand.

via: here

Eco-Celebs: Sheryl Crow

2009-01-09T00:01:00.000-08:00

Sheryl Crow and Whole Foods Market have teamed up to create a limited-edition reusable shopping bag, called "A Better Bag".

"I am a big believer in doing what you can, even if it's something as small as reducing the amount of plastic we each use daily that ends up in landfills, whether it is plastic bags, water bottles or product packaging," Crow said.

The bag design features a charcoal sketch of a tree with words written by Crow for the project.

The bag is made from 80% post-consumer recycled plastic bottles.

Whole Foods said it hopes the bag launch will also raise awareness of the Natural Resources Defence Council's Simple Steps programme, which calls on people to make small changes to help the environment.

via: here and here

Eco-Celebs: Hayden Panettiere

2009-01-08T00:05:00.000-08:00

Hayden Panettiere spotted using eco friendly reusable totes at Whole Foods in Los Angeles, February 2008.

image via: here

Eco-Celebs: Reusable Tote Bag Love

2009-01-07T00:10:00.000-08:00

via: here

Eco-Celebs: Diane Lane

2009-01-06T00:10:00.000-08:00

"I'm getting there, I have made the transition and it's good," she said. "I keep my reusable bags everywhere. I'm known as the bag lady and I don't care." ~ Diane Lane

image via: here

Plastic Recycling

2009-01-05T00:10:00.000-08:00

image via Weird Asia News

Eco-Celebs: Gwyneth Paltrow

2009-01-04T00:41:00.000-08:00

I'm a little late on this one but apparently in August 2008, PETA slammed Gwyneth Paltrow for wearing fur in a Tods campaign ad. Here's my question, why all the uproar over the fur but not the GIGANTIC LEATHER BAG sitting in front of her?

Eco-Celebs: Jennie Garth

2009-01-03T00:57:00.000-08:00

Jennie Garth spotted leaving Target with her reusable bags. Love that.

. . . and then I found this.

images via: here

A Day Without A Bag ~ December 18th

2008-12-17T09:41:00.000-08:00

Our holiday gift to the environment! Join thousands of shoppers in L.A. County in giving up disposable bags in favor of reusable totes for 24 hours.

A Day Without a Bag is an education and grassroots event coordinated by Heal the Bay that involves businesses and individuals throughout Los Angeles County. On this day we ask holiday shoppers and retailers to forgo single-use, plastic shopping bags in favor of reusable bags. Held the third Thursday in December, Heal the Bay’s second annual A Day Without a Bag will be December 18, 2008.

By raising consumer awareness about personal choices, A Day Without a Bag focuses on education, rather than advocacy. The event’s short-term goal is to educate Southland shoppers to adopt more sustainable practices during the holidays and coming year. The event’s long-term goal is to reduce the use of single-use plastic bags throughout California by empowering shoppers, and the community at large, to take simple and direct actions to eliminate unsightly debris and save taxpayer dollars.

More than 6 billion plastic bags are used in L.A. County each year. Disposable bags cost our fiscally strained cities up to 17 cents per bag for disposal (this does not even include the environmental costs). Plastic bags are made from fossil fuels. Americans use over 380 billion bags every year, throw-ing away this precious, non-renewable resource.

Get yours here besmartbegreen.com

or here Bags on sale until 2009!

Set in Stone ~ Living Jewelry

2008-11-21T23:11:00.000-08:00

'A tiny tuft of faux moss

. . . springs forth from a sterling bezel cup within the clay.'

h e r e

"A little clump of faux moss has been planted into this faux stone.

Easy to care for as this moss has no need for sunlight or water!"

Obama Saves the Dogs

2008-11-19T01:07:00.000-08:00

Much has been made lately of the Obama's pursuit of a puppy for their daughters. As we all wait to finally put an end to the national disgrace that is the George W. Bush presidency, a little distraction from the doom and gloom is more than welcomed by a giddy American populace anxious to move on.

The above photo shows Obama with "Baby," a three-legged dog that lost its fourth limb following years of mistreatment at a California puppy mill. The toy poodle spent much of its life locked in a small wire cage. The breeders cut out Baby's vocal chords so that they would not have to hear her cries. In cages next to her, other dogs literally went insane, spinning repetitively with blank stares. Still others were gravely ill, maimed and had filthy, matted coats. A number was tattooed on the inside of Baby's ear, marking her as just one of many dogs at the mill.

Barack Obama posed for this picture for Jana Kohl's book A Rare Breed of Love. Obama has co-sponsored Dick Durbin's Bill to crack down on abusive puppy mills, and has earned the first ever presidential endorsement from the Humane Society.

The Obama's desire to get a shelter dog has inspired great interest in animal advocacy sites such as Petfinder.com and the ASPCA.

found here

America Recycles Day

2008-11-15T11:37:00.000-08:00

Organized by the National Recycling Coalition (NRC), the largest national nonprofit organization dedicated to the advancement and improvement of recycling, waste prevention, composting, and reuse, November 15 {a nationally recognized day} is dedicated to encouraging Americans to recycle and to buy recycled products.

Check out the NRC website to take the recycling pledge.

Urge EPA to Fight Global Warming

2008-11-12T09:23:00.000-08:00

One of the first, defining decisions facing President-elect Obama's Environmental Protection Agency is whether to heed the Supreme Court and regulate global warming pollution under the Clean Air Act.

We have an opportunity right now to shape that decision.

Click Here to send an email to the EPA today supporting strong action under existing law to protect human health by reducing global warming pollution.

More Background

EDF is pushing hard for comprehensive climate legislation as an essential step in slowing, stopping and reversing the catastrophic threats of run-away global warming.

Crafted properly, such legislation would cap and reduce America's global warming emissions and create economic incentives to spur green energy innovation that would grow the economy and create jobs.

Passing global warming legislation is critical, but there's another way to get action:

The EPA can use the tools it already has under the Clean Air Act to start reducing global warming pollution right now.

The Supreme Court has already ruled that carbon dioxide is a "pollutant" under the Clean Air Act. Way back in April 2007, the Court told the EPA to get to work on regulating carbon dioxide.

But under pressure from the White House, the EPA has taken a go-slow approach.

After months of foot-dragging, the EPA is now asking for public comments. That's where you come in.

Click Here to send an email today: Urge the EPA to use existing law to reduce America's global warming pollution.

The public comment deadline is November 28, 2008, so please act now.

Opponents of global warming action are flooding the EPA with comments opposing action. We can't let them get the upper hand.

The EPA needs to hear from you that it should take strong action under existing law to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases.

VertiGro - Is Algae our Answer to Oil Dependency?

2008-10-25T19:12:00.000-07:00

interesting.
click here if video doesn't load

Are you still using plastic bags? Not cool!

2008-10-17T09:53:00.000-07:00

beSmartbeGreen.com to see all bags

...and the $14.99 price is extended until 2009!

Get the "DO IT" bag now

Seriously people, it's time we stop effing around!

Vote YES on Prop 2

2008-10-10T13:20:00.000-07:00

Hemp Could Save The World

2008-09-30T07:06:00.000-07:00

"If hemp is cultivated on 12% of the European landmass, it can meet the entire world demand for paper, and thus eradicate the need to cut trees for paper. Hemp pulp, from which hemp paper is made, is as durable as wood pulp, and it needs only one quarter of the land required for producing wood pulp. While chlorine is used for bleaching in the wood-pulp manufacturing process, hemp pulp can be produced using the ASA pulp method, which hardly produces any pollutants."

On that note* Legalizing marijuana would most definitely help {or solve} our financial situation in the US. It could be what our economy needs and what our environment needs as well.

So why is everyone still so afraid of it? Will it take too much profit out of cutting down trees to make paper? If money is the sole answer, which I believe it to be, then the US is even sadder than we think.

The Honest Kitchen - Feed Green!

2008-09-08T09:23:00.000-07:00

*Embark and Force are my doggies' favorites!

Also try using code BLOGGERMT for an extra 15% off!

Go to The Honest Kitchen now

Babies & Environmental Impact

2008-08-07T13:51:00.000-07:00

As I embark on the next phase of my life, baby making, many normal fears and worries arise about being a mom but now I also have worries about the environmental impact of my children. Their tiny foot creates a rather large carbon footprint.

So I started searching for alternatives and was excited to find that Seventh Generation has a great line of diapers and wipes that are not only safe for the earth, they're safe for the little ones too!

go to seventhgeneration.com for more info and products

What I may be a bit MORE excited about is gDiapers which consist of a washable, cotton outer “little g” pant and a plastic-free flushable diaper refill. They are made of breathable material just like sports clothing. So, babies stay dry and happy and are far less likely to get diaper rash. PLASTIC FREE TOO?!?!?!

FLUSHABLE DIAPERS!!?!?!? These may solve all my problems! {their little g covers are so freakin' cute!} click here

For more great info go to www.gdiapers.com

The Honest Kitchen

2008-07-30T12:16:00.000-07:00

In early March 2008, I just happened to find the following video on youtube about what's in commercial dog food ...and I was horrified. Remember this post? where I was determined to get my dogs off this disgusting food? Please watch -even just a minute of the video below- so you can understand how disgusted I was by what I was feeding my dogs.

If you are interested in seeing more horror stories and more truths about commercial dog food, click here

So after seeing this, I decided I had no other choice than to feed my dogs an all raw food diet that I prepared myself. I immediately went to amazon.com and found 3-4 dog food cookbooks and awaited their arrival. When I did get the books and flipped through them, I realized that not only did I not have extra time to prepare gourmet dinners for my dogs {I barely cook for us} but that I was going to have to do far more research in how to ensure my dogs were getting the right nutrients.

My brother {who owns and runs a dog-walking/sitting business} came over one night and I explained our situation to him and he said that many of his clients' dogs eat this awesome human-grade food that's dehydrated and you basically just need to add water and stir.

WHAT?!?!?!? THAT SOUNDS AMAZING!! I yelped. He said it's a bit expensive but it's worth it. I told him that with LeRoy's skin condition, we were spending a fortune {anyway} on what we thought was holistic dry food combined with vet approved Eukenuba {made by the grossest pet food company, Iams} skin formula {along with about $200month on vitamins and meds}.

Intrigued, I went directly to our nearest pet store {NOT PetCo - because they only sell shit} but Maxwell dog in Studio City and asked the lady there about dehydrated food. She said it's called The Honest Kitchen and it's amazing and her dogs eat it and LOVE IT. I was sold.

I picked up the chicken first to try it out and the dogs LOVED IT. So, I went online to thehonestkitchen.com and did a bit more research and found out just how awesome this food was. {and placed an order}

They use 100% organic grains, hormone/antibiotic-free meats and non-GMO produce. All ingredients are guaranteed 100% Human Food Grade. {that means, we can eat it!} All you do is add warm water {from the Brita filter}, wait a minute, stir {it looks like green or brown oatmeal} and serve. Sometimes I add carrots or apples or rice or meats but you don't have to, that's just extra. Also, you can see all the real food in it; bananas, chicken, apples, sesame seeds. It's really amazing AND their poop pretty much looks like the food {but nice and solid} AND it barely smells at all!!!! Organic poop! I'd say that's better for the environment too!

I wanted to wait a while to make sure I was in love with this product before blogging about it just in case I changed my mind. But I haven't and LeRoy's skin and coat look better, he barely has the farts anymore and I can rest assured that our dogs are getting the best nutrients any pet could get. {they have Prowl for kitties too} The main products we use are Force, Embark, Sparkle {herbal additive for coat} and Pecks {which the doggies die for}

go to thehonestkitchen.com for more info and if you decide to get some for your babies, use this code *BLOGGERMT* to get 15% off! Then, come back here and tell me how great you think it is.

You can also check out their blog here

The Human Footprint

2008-07-26T14:39:00.000-07:00

The Human Footprint originally aired in April and we've had it saved on our DVR ever since. Today, we decided to watch it and not even ten minutes into it, the questions are already swirling.

1. What did they do with all the stuff after using it to demonstrate how much "stuff" Americans use? All those diapers? All those half gallons of milk? ...it just seems pretty wasteful and not very smart or green.

click here if you have no idea what we're talking about.

Organic Express = Spud.com

2008-07-24T22:07:00.001-07:00

what used to look like this:

now looks like this:

Every other Friday I come home to a box full of fresh, local, organic produce and groceries - delivered right to my front door!

What was once a small eco business called organicexpress.com is now {after merging} called Spud.com, an organic home grocery delivery service, supporting local, small-scale farmers and suppliers offering a variety of delicious organic fruits and vegetables that are tailored by you to your unique preferences. You can select individual items from the organic produce category for each delivery, or you can create your own Fresh Harvest Box for a grand total of $29.06 {$58.12mo}. Other plans are available as well. They also have organic groceries {other than produce} you can add to your Fresh Harvest Box only when you choose to. Really, it's awesome!

What's groovy too is that they donate money on your behalf to the SPUD community fund. So far, I have donated a total of $1.09 {I know, huge} but still, I am part of the climate change solution! ...and the food {not to mention the convenience of it} is delish too.

click here for their delivery locations

I'm not getting paid to talk about how great spud.com is, HOWEVER, I just noticed at the bottom of my receipt a coupon code CR5-993812 that will save YOU {new customers} $25 over 4 deliveries for signing up. So, do it, it's awesome!

Girl Scouts Marijuana Farm {maybe that's why their cookies are so good}

2008-07-22T11:33:00.000-07:00

5000 Marijuana Plants Found on Girl Scout Farm

Warsaw, IN - Two Goshen, IN locals were arrested after police found a hidden marijuana farm where about five thousand plants were growing - mostly on the land belonging to a Girl Scout camp. The mostly wooded swampy area was only accessible by wading through mud or traveling by canoe. click here for full story

I wish they were growing it to produce hemp to make rope and other goods. Now THAT would be the Girl Scout way!

Plastic - Do Something

2008-07-21T07:25:00.000-07:00

Going To Extremes: Voz-Island (Vozrozhdeniya)

2008-07-19T07:25:00.000-07:00

Part II

This is horrifying.

Toxic: Garbage Island - Part 1

2008-07-18T12:04:00.000-07:00

It's so unbelievable that people still are not bringing their own bags to go shopping - at the grocery store or any store.

Thanks Alison!

Design+Technology = Elena Corchero

2008-07-01T12:01:00.001-07:00

"A collection of fashion accessories that explores delicate ways of incorporating organic solar cells into textiles in which technology meets tradition. The pieces are charged while used outdoors during the day. When brought indoors in the evening they transform into a decorative ambient light display for the home, powered only by energy stored earlier.

Electronic components like solar cells, resistors, and LEDs are integrated directly into the textile and wired together into working circuits using conductive thread. Organic prints and embroidery motifs recall endangered birds."

HOW AMAZING! ...right?

I have an idea for her - tell me what you think: Do you see the fan in the upper left photo? Well, what if one of the [pieces of the fan] were actually a book mark? Then, it would double as a book light!?! genius, I know :)

click here to check out her beautiful website.

Eco-Celebs: Julia Roberts

2008-06-27T12:38:00.001-07:00

Yay for celebs doing their part! More should follow suit! Everyone knows that once a big name celeb does something, the rest of the world follows!

I was happy to find this photo of Julia Roberts (which I just stole from perezhilton.com) pushing her cart out of Von's full of reusable bags instead of plastic or paper. Way to help out!

Now, if only they were beSmartbeGreen bags! Anyone know how to get in touch with Julia?

Happy Friday!

Can you hear me now?

2008-06-17T14:04:00.000-07:00

"But I think we’re the ones suffering from Colony Collapse Disorder. Because although nobody really knows for sure what’s killing the bees, it’s not al-Qaeda, and it’s not God doing some of his Old Testament shtick, and it’s not Winnie the Pooh. It’s us. It could be from pesticides, or genetically modified food, or global warming, or the high-fructose corn syrup we started to feed them. Recently it was discovered that bees won’t fly near cell phones — the electromagnetic signals they emit might screw up the bees navigation system, knocking them out of the sky. So thanks guy in line at Starbucks, you just killed us. It’s nature’s way of saying, 'Can you hear me now?'"
-Bill Maher

Green Team!

2008-06-13T13:21:00.000-07:00

Happy Friday!

beSmart beGreen on Retail Therapy

2008-06-11T09:36:00.000-07:00

beSmart beGreen is honored to be spotlighted on Retail Therapy and it was just the inspiration we needed to get motivated again at trying to save the world! ...well, one bag at a time anyway.

They've posted a really great blog about us too. Here as a featured profile.

Don't forget, bags are on sale till the end of summer, so get em while they're hot!

Peace Day - the 21st of September - a day to remember

2008-05-21T09:03:00.001-07:00

THis is amazing. It definitely brought some tears to the eyes.

Watch this quick video to be inspired to make Peace Day, September 21, memorable for all.

For more info, go to www.peaceoneday.org

California Bike Week

2008-05-06T21:25:00.000-07:00

May 12 - 16 is California Bike Commute Week! So hop on your bicycle and ride to work instead of driving. Let's just hope you have showers at your work!

Don't forget, the entire month of May is National Bike Month; a time to remember that bicyclists and drivers share the "same road, same rules, same rights".

To help cyclists learn the rules of the road and gain confidence on two wheels, The League of American Bicyclists has certified League Cycling Instructors teaching a series of courses and seminars on bike safety.

So, for a new perspective on your way to work in the morning, take two wheels instead of four ...and don't worry about the b.o. - you can tell your co-workers that you're saving the world and then rub your armpit in their face.

BAG THE BAG

2008-04-23T09:48:00.000-07:00

Paper or Plastic? Edward Norton describes a simple easy step everyone can take to help clean up the environment.

Meat Is the No. 1 Cause of Global Warming

2008-04-22T07:38:00.000-07:00

Learn more about how eating meat is worse than driving an SUV here.

Happy Earth Day.

What changes have you made since Earth Day 2007?

Message in a SIGG Bottle

2008-04-14T14:09:00.000-07:00

SIGG joined forces with ELLE magazine who sent them to fashion's elite to personalize the awesome aluminum bottles for an auction benefiting Stopglobalwarming.org

You can get one too! To bid, visit Elle.com. Auction ends April 24, 2008.

April = Earth Month @ beSmart beGreen! ALL BAGS ON SALE $14.99

2008-03-31T13:21:00.000-07:00

As a Thank You for all your support, and to celebrate beSmart beGreen's 1st Birthday, and in honor of Earth Day (April 22) 2008, we're slashing all bag prices to $14.99 (from $24.95) for the ENTIRE MONTH OF APRIL!

Check out other eco gifts too!
TAKE ME TO THE BAGS!

Kicking the Water Bottle Habit!

2008-03-27T09:31:00.000-07:00

In an attempt to kick our major water bottle habit we installed the Brita Filtration System on our faucet, have the Brita pitcher in the fridge filled with icy cold water and are using the reusable SIGG water bottles. I have to admit though, it's not that easy!

When I was a kid, all we drank was water from the tap. Then, in the early nineties, when I was in high school, there was some sort of water scare in Los Angeles that drove all of us to drink bottled water only. Now, that scare could have been a sales tactic by the Evian and Arrowhead big shots, but it worked! Since then, it's been bottled water all the way. My dentist has informed me that it was a bad move because bottled water doesn't have the fluorine/fluoride to protect our teeth - which have all gone downhill since. There is also the issue now with phthalates (thalates) and plastic toxicity and carcinogens - and that is a great reason to ditch the water bottle all together - but there are phthalates in so many products it's hard to imagine ridding the body of them.

So, now, trying to live an eco-friendly lifestyle, we're back to the tap - but filtered.

The Brita system is awesome (and easy to install) but the faucet is kind of drippy now. The pitcher is great because the water is so deliciously cold! But it's hard to constantly refill when I know I can grab a bottle of ready-made water. It's a hard habit to break (thank you Chicago).

I LOVE the SIGG bottles - however, they're more like canteens because they are aluminum and really light. They come with either a screw on/off lid or a flip lid you can drink from - but the water tastes the best directly from the SIGG. Here's more info on the SIGG bottles. The only drawbacks are that they come from Switzerland - which adds to the carbon footprint and they're kind of expensive. But if they cut down the plastic bottle waste (Americans add over 30 million plastic water bottles to our nation's landfills – everyday!) then it's worth the extra miles they have to travel and end up saving you money in the end.

Happy Easter

2008-03-23T10:35:00.001-07:00

The reusable bags get all the hot dates

2008-03-22T17:52:00.000-07:00

Santa Monica Plastic Bag Monster

Milk Gone Wild!

2008-03-20T11:17:00.000-07:00

Watch 'Milk Gone Wild 2: At the Carwash'
Watch more videos at MilkGoneWild.com.

"Green" Easter Eggs

2008-03-19T12:20:00.000-07:00

This Easter, instead of store bought easter egg dyes (known carcinogens, and derived from coal tar), try something new! Natural egg dyes that you make at home offer a safe and unique way to color your eggs - and you can brag about how green you are to all your friends!

Natural Easter Egg dyes
Combine the color food source that you want to achieve (see below) with 1/2 Tablespoon of vinegar and cold water (enough water to cover the eggs) in a saucepan. Add raw eggs and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer 10 to 15 minutes. The longer you boil, the darker the color will be. Boil eggs at least 8 minutes to cook thoroughly.

To make colors:
Red: Beets, cranberries
Orange: Outer skins of onions
Light Yellow: Carrot tops, orange or lemon peels
Dark Yellow: Turmeric
Blue: Blueberries, red cabbage leaves
Beige or brown: Coffee or tea

Marbled Easter Eggs
Wrap uncooked white eggs in onion skins (white and purple), spinach, or fresh saffron. Use white string to secure the wrap and place the eggs in the foot of an old nylon stocking and tie a knot. Gently place the stocking in a saucepan (with enough water to cover the eggs + 1/2 tablespoon of vinegar) - for at least 8-10mins. Remove eggs and leave wrapped up till cooled and dry. Unwrap for a nice marbled effect.

Sources:
foodadditivesworld.com color chart
amazingmoms.com
greenissexy.org

*Egg Scare: Beware of the plastic easter egg that you fill at home. Apparently they all exceed the government paint standard of 0.06 percent LEAD content (which can cause severe nerve damage, especially in children). So, I guess as long as children don't put them in their mouths, they're fine? What doesn't a child put in their mouth?

Let's have a Green Green Day

2008-03-17T11:11:00.000-07:00

The Sierra Club posted an article this morning about drinking green-green beer to celebrate St. Patrick's Day with. They listed a handful of companies that are creating a "greener" beer to help cut their carbon footprint. I support any company or any one trying to cut their emissions but what the article did not mention (but made clear by the commenters) was that we should be trying to buy from local breweries and microbreweries to help erase our footprint.

If a beer is manufactured to be "green" but has to travel across the world to get to me ...is it really "greener"?

Here's a recipe to make your own festive green beer.

Have a happy, fun, and SAFE St. Patrick's Day!

The Web of Life - a reminder

2008-03-09T21:26:00.001-07:00

"We are connected to everything that is alive. Trees, plants, rocks, clouds, rivers, oceans, humans, animals, and insects are all part of one organism, interdependent, and we are related to all of these life forms, not just to other humans. The energies of all of life link together into a web of life. A change in one part makes a change in the entire web.

Here's an example. Let's say in the area where you live there is a species of bird that eats a certain insect. If this bird becomes extinct, there will be no way to control the population of this insect. The whole ecosystem where you live will suffer.

Or think of it this way. Bees are responsible for pollinating flowers. As the environment changes due to the actions of humankind, bees are now being endangered. The environment in which they live is polluted and this is affecting their health. Without bees the sources of food for humans will also be in danger. There has always been a partnership between pollinators and plants; one third of all the food we eat comes from crops that require animal pollinators, a role often filled by bees.

These are physical examples of how the web of life works. But indigenous cultures also teach about our connection to an unseen web of life in which we are all connected energetically to one spiritual force. We give this force different names, depending on what religious or philosophical traditions we follow, but by any name it is the source of life.

You can use your body to understand how our connection to our source works. If you break one of your arms, it is not just your arm that is hurt. Your arm is not isolated from the rest of your body. Your whole being is hurt. Every cell in your body is impacted. In the same way, we are part of a whole organism, and every action we take in life affects that organism. Every change we make in our consciousness ripples through the entire web of life. When we project toxic energy, it hurts all living beings. When we feel peace, it helps bring all beings peace."

an excerpt from "How to Heal Toxic Thoughts" by Sandra Ingerman

Claymation animals show humans how to be environmentally friendly

2008-03-03T11:16:00.000-08:00

From the makers of Wallace and Gromit and Chicken Run, comes a series of ten animated short films produced by the Oscar winning studio, Aardman Animation, which depict animals in their own habitats living an environmentally friendlier life and are intended to show human beings how they can adapt in order to save the planet.

Adorable!

thanks dailymantra.com

The Truth About Commercial Dog Food

2008-03-01T14:24:00.000-08:00

Can't trust human food producers. Can't trust dog food producers. Organic labels aren't strict enough. "Healthy" labels are not actually healthy. Is raw food that we grow ourselves our only choice for survival? It's all about the dolla dolla bills, yo! Any way you look at it.

Here is the link to "Dog Food Secrets". You'll find more info on commercial dog food poisons and more.

note* I went to amazon.com and just bought three different natural dog food recipe/info books. I will let you know how it all turns out. here is where you can DOWNLOAD the book - if you want it.

Our French Bulldog suffers from severe skin allergies and this is my final hope to get him off medications and get his immune system in check. I've half-heartedly tried before to cook for both of our dogs and just got too lazy (and uninformed) to really commit to it. After seeing the vid above, I have no excuse.

note* One of my childhood dogs, Rikki Sweatinose, was diagnosed with kidney failure a couple years ago and within a month passed away from it. He was only eleven and was seemingly healthy until then. I know that he was fed regular old (cheap) commercial dog food - because that's just what people did. I now almost 100% believe that it was caused by the food we fed him. :(

10 Secrets Pet Food Companies Don't Want You to Know a little more info from a different source.

How "fresh" is air freshener?

2008-02-22T13:31:00.000-08:00

My husband is OBSESSED with cologne and air fresheners. He walks into the other room to spray his cologne in the morning so he doesn't have to hear me complain about the fumes. Just so you really understand the amount he uses: 10 or more spritzes go on directly out of the shower then after he is dressed, another 5-10 of a different scent go on. The first toxic scent that makes it's way to my nose usually sends me running to the closest window and prying it open as fast as humanly possible so I can breathe the fresh air. Watching this act, my husband is left thinking that not only am I a freak, but a drama queen as well.

But here's what he doesn't know:

A study released by the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) evaluated 14 air fresheners and found that 12 contained variable amounts of substances called phthalates (pronounced THAL-ates), a group of chemicals that are used to dissolve and carry fragrances, soften plastics and also as sealants and adhesives. Phthalates are commonly found in a variety of products, including cosmetics, paints, nail polish and children's toys — and have long been at the center of a larger international controversy over their health effects.

Studies involving rat and human subjects have suggested that high exposures to certain kinds of phthalates can cause cancer, developmental and sex-hormone abnormalities (including decreased testosterone and sperm levels and malformed sex organs) in infants, and can affect fertility.

The fragrance portion of the product may be made up of a hundred or more different chemicals. Fragrance formulas are considered trade secrets. This means companies do not have to tell anyone, including the FDA what is in those formulas. So these individual ingredients that make up the fragrance portion on the formula only has to be listed in the ingredients as "fragrance".

NOTE: Formaldehyde, which deadens the sense of smell, is also a common ingredient in fragrance and fresheners - and the plug-in versions are just as bad.

*The two air fresheners that the NRDC found virtually free of phthalates were Febreze Air Effects Air Refresher and Renuzit Subtle Effects.

I would opt for oil-based fresheners, aroma sticks, soy candles, or non-aerosol, natural sprays like the one (shown) from method. Don't forget about baking soda and lemons. But mostly, I usually opt for opening all windows for some real fresh air.

*I must confess that when my husband comes home at the end of the day, he smells delightful - but if I kiss him anywhere but the lips, my lips are left with a chemically/rubbing alcohol taste that I cannot seem to get rid of.

Flower Power - don't sniff too close

2008-02-20T13:43:00.000-08:00

More than half of all cut flowers in the US are imported from other countries. To raise ravishingly red roses and other flawless flowers in controlled environments, many greenhouses rely on large quantities of pesticides. While other countries have fewer restrictions on pesticide use while growing, the flowers are often dipped or doused with more chemicals to pass through US borders.

While floriculture work has opened up employment opportunities for about 190,0000 people in countries like Colombia, Mexico, India, South America, Taiwan, and Israel, prodigious pesticide use in gigantic greenhouses, where they process tons of flowers each year, threatens worker health and safety, jeopardizes the environment and could impact consumer health.

Our Planet: From cut flowers to retail stores, flowers travel and average of 1,500 miles, creating a large carbon footprint which adds to global warming and pollution. When flowers die, we toss them out to rot in our garbage or compost subsequently polluting and infecting our water table with pesticides.

Next time you're thinking of sending flowers to someone, think again - or pick them out of your own garden.

Source
More
and MORE
and even more

Dog Poop

2008-02-18T09:47:00.000-08:00

Ah, the dog poop disposal dilemma.

I've been getting questions in response to the Santa Monica plastic bag ban regarding dog poop disposal and I have to say, I've struggled with the same questions.

Many of us in Los Angeles have pets. Many of us live in apartments or condos where we must walk our dogs for not only pleasure but for potty function as well. In my quest to rid my household (and the rest of LA) of plastic bags, I decided that picking up dog poop in a plastic bag, then knotting it and dumping it was a horrible decision when poop is fertilizer. I opted to leave it on the lawn. However, that makes for a new problem and not only with the neighbors.

Here are some stats:

• 4 million tons – It is estimated that dog owners do not collect over 4 million tons of dog waste annually.

• 20-30% of all pollutants in waterways attributed to dog waste - Pollutants originating from rainwater run-off via sewer systems, and dogs pooping near watersheds or beaches. Overall, it is believed dog waste is third or fourth on the list of contributors to bacteria in contaminated waters.

So, I decided to do a little research on-line for THE BEST biodegradable dog poop bags - since my local pet store isn't very informed - and this is what I found:

poopbags.com

urbanleashandtreat.com

ecoproducts.com

biobagusa.com

dirtworks.net

Don't forget to get biodegradable bags for the kitchen too!

It's Time For Santa Monica to BAN the Bag — Attend the Hearing on Feb 19th!

2008-02-15T07:11:00.000-08:00

The City of Santa Monica has the opportunity to move forward by drafting a precedent-setting ban on plastic single-use bags.

Please attend the rally and hearing on Feb. 19 to urge the Santa Monica City Council take the right action — BAN the BAG!

During their February 19th hearing, the Santa Monica City Council is scheduled to vote on drafting an ordinance to ban plastic bags in the city. The ban that is being considered (which is recommended by the city's staff), is a far-reaching and comprehensive approach to the problem of single-use plastic and paper bag consumption:
Santa Monica's bag ban would:

* Ban the free distribution of single-use plastic (including biodegradable plastic) carryout bags.
* Require all retailers to charge a fee on single-use paper bags.

In the past months, China, Australia, and cities throughout California have proposed or adopted plastic bag bans. It’s time for Santa Monica to take its place at the forefront of addressing this devastating environmental problem.

Now is the time for the public’s voice to be heard! Please help us by attending the Santa Monica City Council hearing on February 19th. In addition, whether attending the hearing or not, please send a citizen letter (or a send a business letter if you own a business) so we can further demonstrate to the Council that the public wants this groundbreaking ban on plastic bags.

February 19, 2008 - 8PM
Santa Monica City Hall
1685 Main Street
Santa Monica, CA 90401

Full Story + more info: click here

Plastic bags, plastic bags, plastic bags

2008-02-13T12:44:00.000-08:00

Plastic bags were everywhere during Coastal Cleanup Day 2007 in Compton Creek...even hanging from trees. Let's "Bag the Bag" and reduce plastic pollution! Videographer: Steve Rocha.

Biofuel Crops Increase Carbon Emissions

2008-02-13T09:22:00.000-08:00

The rush to grow biofuel crops -- widely embraced as part of the solution to global warming -- is actually increasing greenhouse gas emissions rather than reducing them, according to two studies published Thursday in the journal Science.

One analysis found that clearing forests and grasslands to grow the crops releases vast amounts of carbon into the air -- far more than the carbon spared from the atmosphere by burning biofuels instead of gasoline.
"We're rushing into biofuels, and we need to be very careful," said Jason Hill, an economist and ecologist at the University of Minnesota who co-authored the study. "It's a little frightening to think that something this well intentioned might be very damaging."

Even converting existing farmland from food to biofuel crops increases greenhouse gas emissions as food production is shifted to other parts of the world, resulting in the destruction of more forests and grasslands to make way for farmland, the second study found.

The analysis calculated that a U.S. cornfield devoted to producing ethanol would have to be farmed for 167 years before it would begin to achieve a net reduction in emissions.

Federal legislation passed last year calls for production of ethanol to more than double over the next decade. In California, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's proposal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions relies heavily on biofuels.

Food crops such as corn, palm oil, sugar cane and soybeans have so far been the main source of biofuels because they are already grown in abundance and are relatively easy to convert.

The fuels are environmentally attractive because, unlike fossil fuels, they are theoretically carbon-neutral. Carbon is released when the fuel is burned, but a similar amount is absorbed from the atmosphere as the crops grow.

The biggest source of emissions, by far, comes from land-use changes associated with biofuels, the new studies showed.

Hill's analysis looked at the amount of carbon in forests and grasslands that is released into the air when soil is overturned and existing vegetation rots or is burned away.

Sources:
Full Story: LATIMES.COM
see also: ENN

The Country's First Green Gas Station!

2008-02-07T12:52:00.000-08:00

...right here in Los Angeles! (Olympic Blvd. @ Robertson)

Designed by Boston Architect Nader Tehrani of dA with Johnston Marklee & Associates and sponsored by BP, the station's energy-saving futuristic canopy is made of recycled steel, motion-sensor lights, solar panels, farmed wood, recycled glass embedded in concrete and bins for recycling. Unfortunately, it pumps regular gas. Hopefully alternative fuels will be offered in the near future.

photo by: Eric Staudenmaier

We are the generation who gets to save the world!

2008-02-07T11:03:00.001-08:00

We are the Generation.

"Hemp For Victory" - USDA 1942

2008-02-06T11:49:00.000-08:00

"Hemp For Victory" - USDA 1942

In 1942, five years after the federal ban on domestic cannabis production, the government does an abrupt 180 and insists that patriotic farmers must grow it for the war effort. After the war ended the government outlawed hemp again. Now the rest of the world benefits from growing this drug-free industrial crop, while we arrest close to a million people a year for cannabis, and marijuana is still America's Largest cash crop. If its the #1 Cash Crop anyway, let us farm it so we can replace OIL, TIMBER, COTTON, and use it for food and medicine!

There is only one known annually renewable natural resource that is capable of providing the overall majority of the world's paper and textiles; meet all of the world's transportation, industrial and home energy needs, while simultaneously reducing pollution, rebuilding the soil and cleaning the atmosphere all at the same time... That substance is the same one that has done it before . . . CANNABIS/HEMP/MARIJUANA!

Jack Herer, Author of the "The Emperor Wears No Clothes"

www . jackherer . com

L.A. Sets Bad Precedent w/ Plastic Bag Law

2008-01-29T13:09:00.000-08:00

Split 3-2, Board of Supervisors caves to industry lobby and enacts weakened measure.

Los Angeles, CA (Tuesday, January 22, 2008) -- Marking a significant blow to the Southland environment and economy, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors today approved a half-hearted measure to curb plastic shopping bag use in the Southland.

Despite strong support from Supervisors Zev Yaroslavsky and Gloria Molina, a majority of the board ignored its staff recommendation to consider a stronger measure that would ban plastic bags in unincorporated areas if aggressive recycling targets were not met.

Following 11th hour lobbying efforts by associations representing grocers and bag manufacturers, Supervisor Yvonne Burke voted to support an amendment by Supervisors Mike Antonovich and Don Knabe that delayed implementation of a possible ban until 2010. It also reduced recycling requirements for local retailers that hand out single-use plastic bags.

After months of good-faith negotiations with the board, its staff and various stakeholders, Heal the Bay and other environmental groups last week had agreed to a compromise measure that would impose tighter deadlines and more aggressive triggers of a ban.

“Today, the board voted to protect the interests of the polluters, not the citizens they are sworn to protect,” said Mark Gold, president of Heal the Bay. “It’s a sad day when we have to look to China for environmental leadership and resolve.”

The Chinese government last week adopted an outright ban on the distribution of plastic shopping bags, citing the environmental and economic damage caused by the proliferation of one-use bags. More than two dozen nations and metropolitan areas have enacted similar bans, including San Francisco and Paris.

Separately, the Whole Foods market chain announced today that it would be phasing out all plastic bags in its North American stores by May. The IKEA home furnishings chain also has moved to eliminate plastic bags at its stores.

Heal the Bay remains steadfast in its belief that an outright ban is the most effective way to protect marine life, reduce blight and save taxpayer dollars. Voluntary and industry-overseen recycling programs that form the basis of the board-approved measure simply do not work. The state of California spends more than $25 million annually to collect and dispose of plastic shopping bags.

“In Los Angeles County alone we use 6 billion bags a year, so even if 30% are recycled that leaves more than 4 billion bags littering our public places and oceans,” said Gold. “That’s simply not acceptable.”

Moving forward, Heal the Bay is continuing to actively work with progressive cities in the county and state to develop more decisive and measureable legislation than that adopted by the board today.

Contact: Matthew King, Heal the Bay, (310) 451-1500, x 137

healthebay.org

Los Angeles can do it too!

2008-01-29T10:07:00.000-08:00

From Heal the Bay

The Energy Tree

2008-01-28T11:27:00.000-08:00

Yanko Design - the Energy Tree. Apparently in an effort to truly unite technology with the physical environment, designer Ben Arent has created a system that contains a real tree connected to a microprocessor. The device controls the watering and feeding of the tree depending on your energy usage, and also monitors your appliances, heating/cooling, and recycling habits. It uses this information to feed and water the tree, but only if you are efficient with your energy use. If you aren't, the Energy Tree will poison and malnourish the tree, eventually killing it.

The system will also be online, using something known as "the collector." The collector is there to encourage people to recycle; Once at the depot the collector unit will be radioed indicating that you did your job. This system has the added benefit that someone can take your recycling to the facility, while you can still get the credit. You know, to keep your tree alive.

It's a visceral idea, and (natch) still on the drawing board. According to the article, "The EnergyTree will change the perception and view of how power is being used, implementing a complete system looking at device consumption, home consumption and long term sustainability." If you got this far, I think it just did that.

Source [treehugger.com]
Product info [benarent.co.uk]

Virgin Airlines

2008-01-28T11:03:00.001-08:00

Source

Is Plastic Making Us Fat?

2008-01-24T11:34:00.001-08:00

Researchers are exploring whether exposure to common chemicals during early development could set us up for a lifetime battle with the bulge

Being overweight has long been seen as a personal problem, fixed only by struggling against the proliferation of fast food restaurants, unlucky genes, and a sedentary life.

But could something in the environment also be making Americans fat in epidemic numbers?

Animal studies in recent years raise the possibility that prenatal exposure to minuscule amounts of common chemicals - found in everything from baby bottles to toys - could predispose a body to a life of weight gain. The chemicals, known as endocrine disrupters, mimic natural hormones that help regulate, for example, how many fat cells a body makes and how much fat to store in them.

These findings have led some scientists to put forth a provocative argument: They say diet and too little exercise clearly are key reasons for the worldwide rise in obesity in the past 20 years, but they may not be the only ones. Food intake and exercise just haven't changed that much in that period, they argue. And while genetics obviously play a role - just think of someone you know who can eat three Big Macs a day and never gain an ounce - these researchers say it would be impossible to see such widespread genetic change in just two decades, giving them more reason to suspect the environment.

"This is a really new area . . . but from multiple labs on multiple levels we are getting preliminary data that all say the same thing: Chemicals can play a role," said Jerry Heindel, a program administrator for the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences. "We know that nutrition and exercise are very, very important, but underlying that could be environmental exposures during development that alter your physiology, including how you respond to food and exercise."

Thousands of chemicals have come on the market in the past 30 years, and some of them are showing up in people's bodies in low levels. Scientists studying obesity are focusing on endocrine disrupters - which have already been linked to reproductive problems in animals and humans - because they have become so common in the environment and are known to affect fat cells.

One key researcher in the field, Bruce Blumberg of the University of California, Irvine, has even coined a new word for chemicals that can make you fat: Obesogens.

A recent US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study found that about 93 percent of the US population had bisphenol A, a chemical that can be found in canned goods and in hard, clear plastic items such as baby bottles and hiking containers, in their body. A study at the University of Missouri-Columbia showed that mice fed bisphenol A during early development - at lower amounts than what would have resulted in the levels found in most people in the CDC study - become markedly more obese as adults than those that weren't fed the chemical. Tufts University scientists observed similar phenomenon in rats. more

By Beth Daley
Globe Staff / January 14, 2008

Source

Whole Foods to end use of plastic bags

2008-01-23T10:51:00.000-08:00

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Whole Foods Market Inc said on Tuesday that it will aim to end the use of disposable plastic grocery bags in all of its 270 U.S., Canada, & United Kingdom stores by April 22, Earth Day.

The grocer, which features natural and organic foods, said it hoped shoppers would bring their own reusable bags, but it would offer 100 percent recycled paper grocery bags when needed.

(Reporting by Ritsuko Ando; Editing by Valerie Lee)

Betta Fish at PetCo

2008-01-06T14:14:00.000-08:00

I made a stop at PetCo the other day to pick up some disposable poop bags and decided to get a second Betta fish to give our #1 Betta something to look at. I wandered over to the fish section and realized they were out of Betta's. "Are you out of Betta's?", I ask. The kind lady assured me that they just hadn't put them out yet. I decided to wander around until they did stock the fish on the shelves when I noticed a small sink in the corner with empty Betta containers scattered around. All employees were preoccupied so I did a little investigating of my own. As I got closer to the sink, I realized that all the fish were indeed on the counter awaiting their new foster homes. In a large plastic bag (about) 20 little plastic bags, approx. 2x3 inches in size, filled half way up with a bright turquoise blue "water" lay the tiny living beings.

My mouth now wide open in amazement (and shock), I began picking each one up to examine the tiny fish inside. An employee finally noticed me rummaging through their inventory and walked up to help me. She informed me that the fish on the counter were females and didn't have pretty tails like the male fighting fish. She bent over to a small box on the floor (which I hadn't noticed) and ripped open another large plastic bag. One by one, she picked up a tiny fish bag to show me the male fish inside. At that point I finally said "I really can't believe they come in these tiny bags!". Dropping a fish bag back down into the box she said, "This is how they are shipped to us. They were FedExed this morning".

Are they "just fish"? Should they be treated better or is this humane?

note* The fish now goes by "FedEx"

This seems redundant but ...

2008-01-04T13:53:00.000-08:00

Offset 1 pound of Carbon - per day!

2007-12-14T13:06:00.000-08:00

Click HERE to offeset one pound of Carbon per day and help stop Global Warming.

A Day Without a Bag — December 20th

2007-12-13T09:33:00.000-08:00

Our holiday gift to the environment! Join thousands of shoppers in L.A. County in giving up disposable bags in favor of reusable totes for 24 hours.
Los Angeles County residents use 6 billion plastic bags each year and recycle only 5% of that total. Instead, they become part of the plastic-dominated litter stream, putting added pressure on scarce landfill, fouling our public spaces, degrading already weakened watersheds and threatening marine life.

Help reduce plastic bag usage this holiday season — and year-round — with the A Day Without a Bag campaign!

1. BYOB
Show your support for A Day Without a Bag by shopping exclusively with reusable totes. Join us on Thursday, December 20th at participating retail locations (see sidebar at right) to receive a free reusable bag.

If you miss the free giveaway, you can purchase reusable bags online (see "Buy Reusable Bags" sidebar at right). Then, make it a habit to BYOB (Bring Your Own Bag) when shopping anywhere, anytime!

2. Get Informed
Discover why we should make every day A Day Without a Bag. Come to one of our bag giveaway sites and find out how to reduce plastic bag consumption and adopt sustainable practices year-round, or learn more now (see "Learn More" sidebar at right).

3. Spread the Word!

from Action Alerts Heal the Bay

For super-cute alternatives to this reusable bag go to: besmartbegreen.com

Free Clicks

2007-12-13T07:07:00.000-08:00

Save The World - One Click At A Time!

On each of these websites, you can click a button to support the cause -- each click creates funding, and costs you nothing! Bookmark these sites, and click once a day!

Click here to post this on your page or 'blog

Free Rice!

2007-12-11T09:51:00.000-08:00

For each word you get right, they donate 20 grains of rice through the UN to help end world hunger.

It's free, easy, fun and helpful.

go to www.freerice.com

Stoned Reporter

2007-12-04T09:27:00.000-08:00

stoned reporter

a hilarious and quick little piece of funny

It's in the Bag

2007-11-13T13:46:00.000-08:00

The film “American Beauty” featured a plastic bag poetically swirling on an eddy of air and went on to win five Academy Awards. Even so, I still can’t think of those bags as beautiful. But just as a pathologist can admire the structure of a particularly virulent and contagious virus, I must admit that I feel a strange attraction to them.

According to a 1997 study, 58 percent of Americans prefer paper bags to plastic ones; yet a 1998 report by the Film and Bag Federation found that four out of five grocery bags we use are plastic. How to explain the discrepancy? Supermarkets have made it difficult to choose anything but plastic.

Stores have a financial interest in keeping their checkout lines moving smoothly, and having more than one option at the end of the line slows things down. A spokesman for Ralph’s, one of California’s large supermarket chains, would not admit to any company bias other than “customer choice,” but a checker I spoke with at one of their stores told me that employees were explicitlly instructed to use plastic if the customer expressed no preference. As you might expect, the issue is cost. Plastic bags cost about four cents each, while the average paper bag costs twice that amount. Paper bags hold between two and three times as much as plastic ones, but when all the numbers are crunched, supermarkets still save by pushing plastic–especially when you factor in all those “single-bag” orders in which a customer’s entire purchase fits into a single sack.

Nothing epitomizes the mindless profligacy of our consumer culture like these cheap, flimsy, yet depressingly indestructible little bags that get caught up in our trees, litter our streets, and wash up on our beaches.

Americans throw away 100 billion polyethylene bags a year. The bags choke thousands of marine animals annually; the inks used to print all those smiley faces break down in landfill space, estimates on how long they take to decompose range from 100 t0 1,000 years.

...which is why this homely bag has finally entered the international political spotlight. Taiwan last year banned the free distribution of plastic bags in supermarkets and other stores. Bangladesh began enforcing its own ban after discovering that discarded bags were clogging drainage and sweage lines, which increased flooding and the incidence of waterbourne diseases. In South Africa, flimsy plastic bags dominated so much of the country’ s landscape that South Africans began to call them their national flower. Today that country’s government prohibits all plastic bags under 30 microns thick (typical grocery bags are 18 microns) in the hope that customers will reuse the sturdier bags.

The United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand are all considering imposing a tax on plastic bags similar to the one Ireland instituted in March 2002. The 17-cent-per-bag tax has reduced bag use by 90 percent. Grocery stores complained about having to collect the tax, which requires them to ring up bags as additional purchases. But as a spokesman for an Irish supermarket chain explained to the London Independent, “Eventually, most people said, 'Yes, it's the right thing to do. We just needed to be pushed into it.'”

–L.J. Williamson

Excerpted from OnEarth (Summer 2003), an environmental magazine that keeps one eye on the nation’s natural treasures and the other on certain lawmakers with a compulsion to loot them.

from stoplittering.com

Stop Using Plastic & Paper bags - Reuse!

2007-10-15T19:49:00.001-07:00

Plastic? Paper? Both Suck! Our only choice is to create less waste in the first place.

Support Plastic Bag Ban in California!

2007-10-15T19:22:00.000-07:00

Help encourage the L.A. County Board of Supervisors to take immediate action on a staff-proposed plastic carryout bag ban.

An estimated 19 billion plastic bags are used in California each year, with more than 6 billion plastic bags used in L.A. County alone. Designed for single-use, they foul our public spaces and put added pressure on scarce landfill. Worse, less than 5% of plastic bags consumed in California are recycled. Instead, they become part of the plastic-dominated litter stream, where they damage already weakened watersheds and threaten marine life.

Have you signed the petition yet - IT'S SO EASY!

We need 10,000 signatures and we're only up to 1,941!

To Support a Plastic Bag Ban in Los Angeles County click the link below & sign

(it's easy, really)
www.thepetitionsite.com

Thanks! Please pass this to your friends and get them to sign!

New Bag Design!

2007-09-25T12:36:00.000-07:00

*BUY NOW*

*see all bags*

Charm School

2007-09-19T11:35:00.000-07:00

Plastic Ain't My Bag

2007-09-19T10:07:00.000-07:00

Thanks to dailymantra.com

* click image for fullsize *

Myspace Deleted Me!

2007-08-30T21:52:00.001-07:00

They wiped out my entire profile, login, user info...all of it...with no explanation, no email...no nothing. So, I created a new one (actually it was an old one I didn't even know still existed from 3 years ago).

Here's my new myspace URL
www.myspace.com/besmartbegreen

Tom keeps messaging that we're not losing friends...but I lost everything!

Plastic Planet

2007-08-30T21:46:00.000-07:00

Plastic Planet: The Curse of the Carrier Bag

Description: A 10 minute film about the ubiquitous plastic bag.
Nasa even found one floating in space recently!

The Tree of Life

2007-08-13T10:58:00.001-07:00

Tree of Life

The wonders of Hemp! There are truly so many uses of this wonderful plant that would benefit our earth and our lives...if only the government weren't so money-hungry, we might be able to repair our world...if only.