LED Savings Data Here are a couple of examples of savings of an LED bulb vs. an incandescent bulb. MR16-3W 35W Replacement Bulb SAVINGS Incandescent 35 Watt MR16-3W LED Halogen Bulb Life of Bulb 2000 Hours 50000 Hours Number of bulbs used 25 1 Unit Cost $6.47 $31.95 Cost to Buy Bulbs $161.75 (25 X $6.47) $31.95 Total KWH Used 1750 KWH 150 KWH Cost of... read more
Is there such a thing as a green tattoo? According to Planet Green, The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not approved “Any tattoo inks for injection into the skin, and many ink pigments used are industrial strength colors suitable for printers’ ink or automobile paint.“ The eco-quality of your tattoo can also depend on color. Treehugger notes the following... Quote: Heavy metals are used to give tattoo pigments their permanent color. The specific ingredients that are used in the pigments differ by color and by brand, but may include not... read more
It's never too early to start planning your New Year's Eve (okay, that's not true, but it's certainly not too early to be thinking about it now). Here are 10 drink recipes (plus two bonus ones) to get your celebration on! 10. Sparkling Pomegranate Mocktail Ingredients: 3/4 c. organic sparkling juice (R.W. Knudsen sparkling cranberry is great) 1/4 c. R.W. Knudsen Organic Pomegranate Nectar Directions: Pour ingredients into a tall glass with ice. Garnish with a lime or something fun. Result: If you're the designated driver of the night or if... read more
A frequent argument made by people who are unconvinced that humans are causing global warming is that there's no evidence that the warming is anthropogenic (man-made). Many people will acknowledge that the planet is warming and that by increasing the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, humans are contributing to the warming to some degree. But, the skeptics argue, for all we know the human contribution is small. As it turns out, there is overwhelming evidence that humans are causing the vast majority of the current global warming. For starters, the... read more
By Bill McKibben Dear Friends, The last two weeks have been spectacular. In Washington DC, phase one of the tar sands campaign has just come to an end, and 1,252 North Americans have been arrested in a massive civil disobedience campaign. This historic groundswell was focused on stopping the proposed Keystone XL oil pipeline -- but it also sent a larger message that people everywhere are willing to take bold action to move our planet beyond fossil fuels. The courage on display in DC has been inspiring, but I’ve been just as cheered... read more
In a kickoff segment, we introduced three types of eco-friendly beauty products: natural, vegan, and organic. In this article, we go into more detail about organic cosmetics and suggest organic brands and products for the curious or full-on organic lifestyle. Photo by Lauren Hammond, courtesy of Flickr.com Here’s the skinny on “organic”: Organic beauty products come in all shapes and sizes. Some are 100% organic, while others are partially formulated with organic ingredients. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not regulate organic... read more
The EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) has written extensively about indoor air pollution. Visit www.epa.gov, and you’ll find a section dedicated solely to concerns about what we’re breathing indoors. Much of this material was produced in collaboration with the Consumer Product Safety Commission. According to the EPA, there are three ways to approach the problem: Source control. “The most effective way to improve indoor air quality is to eliminate individual sources of pollution or to reduce their emissions.” Ventilation. “…increase the amount of... read more
Nigiri. Maki. Sashimi. If you’re one of the millions of Americans who have jumped on the sushi bandwagon, then you know exactly what these Japanese delicacies are. Sushi has quickly become one of the most convenient, hip and healthy ways to grab lunch or dinner, and everyone from college students to business professionals can’t get enough of it. Even though it’s recommended that we eat fish at least twice a week because it’s rich in omega-3 fatty acids (which helps blood circulate in our bodies and reduces blood pressure), there’s definitely a dark side to eating... read more
We can listen to experts rattle off the merits of this product or that product till they’re blue in the face. But what about the real people? Here are the top five hand dishwashing soaps being used right now by folks just like you. The Huddle has spoken. As of July 1, 2008... 1. Seventh Generation Free & Clear Dishwashing Liquid Average user rating - 4.5 What people are saying: "This detergent works wonderfully. You don't need to use a lot, the dishes get clean, it doesn't make my hands sore. And I love the quote on the bottle about how much oil is saved from... read more
"No material brings nature indoors better than wood. At the same time, almost half of the world's original forests have been cut down (approximately 7.4 billion acres), and an average of 39.5 million acres are added to the loss column each year. The destruction of forests releases tons of carbon dioxide, the main greenhouse gas and culprit behind global climate change, into the Earth's atmosphere. Deforestation also reduces the diversity of plant and animal species in these rich habitats. "The U.S. leads the way in wood consumption, representing almost one third of the... read more
