Take the Polar Bear Plunge!

The National Polar Bear Plunge, on January 10, 2009.

Who says fighting global warming can’t be fun? You're invited to join us all on Saturday, January 10th for a quick plunge in freezing water as part of the National Polar Bear Plunge. Never done something like this before? Don’t fret - it is loads of fun, a real peak life experience. 

You know how serious the situation is. EcoDeaf has made great strides nationally through our advocacy and educational efforts, including last year's 30+ Deaf/ASL folks jumping into the Chesapeake Bay (click here to go to last year's vlog!)!

We need your help to keep the momentum going. Please join us in making our Polar Bear Plunge a great event, and raising awareness – and money – to step up our fight against global warming. Take the plunge with me, or support others who are with your pledges – and let your friends and family members know, and encourage them to jump as well!

We look forward to sharing a brisk, climate-saving dip with you and a celebratory cup of hot chocolate on January 10th!

Find your plunge location at www.keepwintercold.org

Sincerely,

EcoDeaf

HVAC Filters - Washable & Reuseable

by EcoDeaf contributor, Katherine

For last four years I have been using disposable filter. In wintertime, it is recommended to replace filter monthly. Today I went to the store to get a new filter, I discovered there is now a eco-friendly washable, reusable filter! It is called WEB (washable electrostatic filter). It lasts for 10 years and would save us 120 disposable paper filters! Isn't it amazing?

I got mine from Home Depot - a bargain, considering they're reusable (saves you trip to the store to buy more filters, and saves money over time)!  Check your local hardware store - they might carry those!

Click here to go to Washable Electrostatic Filter website

By EcoDeaf contributor, Katherine

Use Lemons for Cleaning?

picture: here

Lemons are useful for eco-friendly cleaning and other purposes.
For example, lemons are great as ant deterrents.

Visit Handy Lemon Tips for 24 tips

on how to use lemons for multiple uses.

Happy Tofurkey Day for Vegans/Vegetarians!
(Picture retrieved from: http://www.tofurky.com )

Top Green Thanksgiving Day Tips

1. Know your guests
For most families, tradition sets the precedent for who shares the Thanksgiving meal and a clever Evite can set the tone for a truly special event.  Make sure you determine any special food needs your guests might have. Are they vegan? Vegetarian? Pescetarian? Do they have food allergies? Timeline: Two weeks out.

2. Plan your meal
Write down your selections, then make a shopping list, separating it into items that you can shop for in advance, and those you need to buy the day before. If you want a heritage and/or organic turkey, make sure you get your order in before they sell out. Timeline: Two weeks out.

3. Shop for your staples and non-perishable items
Thanksgiving is a wonderful opportunity to hit up your local farmers' market for organic, locally-sourced produce. Since these traditional recipes typically rely on food that's in season, you can pretty much find everything you need in the way of root vegetables (carrots, potatoes, sweet potatoes, yams) as well as specialty items like honey or even beeswax candles to adorn your table. Timeline: One week out.

4. Clean house
Using non-toxic cleaners can make your house sparkle without chemicals. Run out of sink or tub scrub? Mix up some baking soda and water (here's a recipe we like). Wondering how to get your windows squeaky clean? Try vinegar and newspaper.  Timeline: The day before.

5. Decorate lightly
Eschew the traditional wreath in favor of one made from living, organically grown succulents and cacti. Recycle old wrapping paper or the funny pages and cut them into snowflakes to put in the window or hang from thread over your table. Make your table arrangements from organic flowers, or collect bouquets from your yard or neighborhood (adding herbs like rosemary and lavender make for gorgeous, fragrant bouquets).  Timeline: The day before.

Curiosity piqued?  For the remaining 5 tips, including the Big Day, click here!  

Source: http://planetgreen.discovery.com/go-green/thanksgiving-day/thanksgiving-day-tips.html

EcoDeaf's Suggestion:
Google to find more Go Green Tips
for Thanksgiving day.
Enjoy! Have fun! Be Safe!
Namaste!

Let's Precycle!

What is Precycling?

(A woman shopping at Unpackaged, a shop in London. Photograph: Frank Baron/Guardian)

"Recycling is good, but precycling - cutting out packaging in the first place and buying only what you need - is better. Tanis Taylor tried it for a month..." Read more: Waste Not, Want Not

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation provides good hints on how to precycle: Let's Precycle!

How to Start Precycling?

• bring traveling coffee mug
  
• bring tote bags for grocery
• bring empty jars for bulk items
• bring spork for eating food
  
• read local newspaper articles on the internet

Do you have an idea or suggestion on precycling that you would like to share with us? Leave a comment.

The Green Festival Experience

Thank you, EcoDeaf, for posting the Green Festival event on your website over the summer.

The Green Festival experience was a whirlwind and magical journey that I will never forget. It was rather spontaneous, hectic, and all the last minute plans were done through synchronicity. I found out about the Green Festival event when I was volunteering at Camp Mark Seven. J.J. who I worked with at the camp encouraged me to sign up for it and so I did.

When the Green Festival weekend was approaching, I almost forgot about it. I made the last minute request to have that weekend off from work. Then I drove down from Buffalo, New York to Washington D.C. with my housemate Mike on Friday evening. We stayed at Hilltop Hostel on the first night then we couchsurfed at a friend's house on the second night that we met through www.couchsurfing.com. I would highly recommend Hilltop Hostel if you are planning to stay in Washington D.C. Wonderful services and people, too. In the morning, we took the metro train, which was right around the corner from Hilltop Hostel, from Takoma Station to the Mount Vernon Square/7th Street–Convention Center. It was a nice green feeling that we curbed our emissions by not using the car at all as we hopped on metro trains, a bus, and a cab during the whole weekend.


The first day at Green Festival was exciting. I did not have the time to look at different tables on that day. Mike went off taking notes from different presentations. During the afternoon, I volunteered by collecting recyclable items placed in bio-degradable bags and I brought the bags to the back room where items were sorted out in categories by other volunteers. The festival was very crowded with eco-friendly people. I was feeling exhausted by the end of the day, but I felt spiritually great after traveling to Washington D.C. and volunteering at the Green Festival, too.


During those two days at the Green Festival, I listened to Madeline Kunin, Amy Goodman, Barbara Ehrenreich, and Carolyn Casey. I was inspired by all of those speakers. I was really impressed with the ASL interpreters. They did wonderful jobs during those presentations. Thank you, interpreters!


It was nice to meet old and new deaf friends from Washington, D.C. and it was a pleasure to sign with each of you. I thought it was awesome to see a group of people from Green Gallaudet volunteering at the Green Festival on Saturday evening. That was amazing and I would like to join them next time. Also, it was great to meet down to earth and caring people and drummers from www.onecommonunity.com , too.

Was the Green Festival an 'earth-riching' experience? Absolutely!

Namaste,
Anthony Brucato

GreenFestival in San Francisco

November 14-16

This weekend at the Concourse (8th and Brannon) in San Francisco, the sixth annual Green Festival will showcase the best of the green economy. Learn about renewable energy, organics, Fair Trade, sweatshop-free clothing, recycling, and more, as you browse the booths of hundreds of green businesses, and sample snacks from the vegetarian and organic food court.

Also, we will be offering ASL interpretation for our Friday night party, "Word to the [Earth] Mother," featuring Chuck D, Mutabaruka, Rev. Lennox Yearwood, Jahi, Crew Grrl Order, Drew Dellinger. On Saturday, we will have roaming interpreters available throughout the day, and on Sunday, we have a full day of ASL-interpreted main-stage speakers, including Amy Goodman, Van Jones, and Winona LaDuke.

Any questions, please write to andrew@coopamerica.org, and visit www.greenfestivals.org for more information.