Eco News

From the December 2008 Body + Soul magazine -  

Three cities are elevating recycling to the next level - San Francisco, Minneapolis and Toronto all accept leftover food and yard clippings and turn them into compost.  

Two reusable bags that are not only collapsable for easy carrying, but they are also made from recycled materials.  CarryEco from TokyoBay and Trek Light tote.  The CarryEco is made from recycled plastic and the Trek Light tote is made from leftover hammock materials.  

Next time you need to ship something, instead of using styrofoam peanuts or any other environmentally-unfriendly packing material, consider these natural alternatives - 

edible peanuts in the shell, air-popped popcorn, tattered t-shirts or any worn-out fabric, and any hard candy in wrappers.  

University of Washington scientists tested six top-selling laundry products and air fresheners and determined that each product contained one or more chemicals that government agencies deemed toxic or hazardous (such as acetone, limonene, acetaldehyde, and 1,4-dioxane).  The study, which did not disclose the names of the products, also found that the chemicals were not listed on the labels. For a list of independently screened nontoxic household goods search for "cleaning products" at Co-op America's National Green Pages.        

Eco News

From the Nov./Dec. 2008 E: The Environmental Magazine - 

Save money on gas and reduce carbon emissions by carpooling. Some web sites with free resources to check out: 

Carpool CREW: Matches people based on many criteria.

DivideTheRide: People can organize carpool calendars with people they know.

eRideShare: Connects commuters traveling in the same direction.

If you are a Facebook addict, and many are, check out their Carpool application.

Real Christmas trees are actually better for the environment: Artificial trees are likely to be from China and contain both lead and PVC, and can even cause an allergic reaction.  Real pine trees are crops. When farmers cut down a tree, they plant a new one.  And if you can find a local tree farm that does not use chemical pesticides, so much the better.  After Christmas, recycle your tree or even plant it in a barrel for next year. 

From the November 2008 Body + Soul magazine -  

In 7,100 US communities, residents can no longer afford to ignore their eco-footprint.  The waste-reduction program known as Pay-As-You-Throw has helped to eliminate from 4.6 to 8.3 million tons of solid waste each year.  PAYT programs lead to reductions in greenhouse gas emissions as well-up to 3.8 million metric tons of carbon equivalents annually-as a result of lower overall processing costs.  To find out more, visit the EPA's web site.  

Ways to reduce your solid waste: Recycle, Compost, Buy Used or Barter for things you need.

Something stinky lurking in those air fresheners: For the estimated 75% of American households using air fresheners, the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) found that 12 out of 14 common air fresheners (including those marked "all natural" or "unscented") contained hormone-disrupting chemicals.  

For a more natural breath of fresh air, try opening your windows.  Or try an essential-oil spray you can make yourself by combining 30-40 drops of up to 3 different oils with 1 cup of water in a spray bottle and shake well before use.  

Stationery you can feel good writing home about:

Crane & Co. uses textile waste for its 100% cotton stationery and note cards. 

Smock uses sustainable bamboo paper printed with vegetable, low-VOC inks for its letterpress stationery.

Great Elephant Poo Poo Paper Company uses elephant dung to create stationery sets and notebooks.