2007 Recycle Santa Fe Festival

submitted by cassandra perez

The 2007 Recycle Santa Fe festival is shaping up to be the best ever. It is the perfect time to start your holiday shopping.

WHEN:
November 16-18, 2007

WHAT TIME:
Friday : 5 PM to 9 PM
Saturday: 8 AM to 5 PM
Sunday: 10 AM - 5 PM

HOW MUCH:
$5 Friday night Art Market Admission and $10 Art Market andTrash Fashion Show premier seating area admission. Enjoy Friday evening premiere shopping moments.

Free on Saturday & Sunday! Children under 12 free all weekend.

WHERE:
El Museo Cultural
Santa Fe Railyard
1615 Paseo de Peralta
Santa Fe, New Mexico 87501
505-992-0591

http://recyclesantafe.org/

Meditation the Deaf Way

Check this out: www.deafmeditation.com

Want to learn how to meditate? Most meditation techniques are taught live (through a speaker), or through an audio-tape or a DVD, and they require you to close your eyes.

How do we do that when we need to read the next instructions the speaker gives on the TV screen?

Worry not. This $25 deaf-friendly DVD signed by an hearing interpreter, Pam Cavazos, with 20+ years of interpreting experience shows you how to meditate with your eyes open!


She signs in ASL and her DVD includes subtitles. Currently this DVD is on request with the Gallaudet Library for ordering, so it will be at Gallaudet sometime soon so you can see for yourself! I'm curious myself!

Yo Deaf Peeps! Got a Broken Pager?

Name five deaf people that don't own a pager. Can you? I know I can't!

My pager broke recently (probably my 4th or so by now), and I've been struggling with disposing it in the trash. I would walk up to the trash and somehow my hand would refuse to just let it go. It's BROKEN! Who cares, right? Where else would it go than to the landfill? How many of our deaf friends have thrown their broken pagers in the trash? Probably all of 'em.

BUT - there's a way to dispose of them eco-responsibly... - and it's FREEEEE! And this is considered a charitable donation... so you can feel good about saving the Earth and the cell phone/PDAs/pagers will be taken apart and reused for the developing world. And you even get a free SHIPPING label. You don't even have to pay for shipping. How COOL is this????? Tell all your deaf friends (and hearing ones!)


Click here: Mobile Phone Recycling

Now I believe cell-phone reincarnation. Converted yet? :)



I'm mailing mine off in a few days... any of you in DC metro area want to throw yours in my box, do email me below!

....................raychelle at mac dot com

Need a Laugh? Here's a Eco-Comic Strip!

Check Out Environmental Comics!


Find them at: www.rustletheleaf.com

or at the bottom right of this blog - click on it and you'll get the comic of the week!

TEACHERS this site also provides free monthly lesson plans for you and your class! Check it out at: http://www.rustletheleaf.com/lessonplans.html

raychelle

FIGHT CLIMATE CHANGE, NOT WARS FOR OIL

From October 21-23, 2007, join a global movement rising up against war and global warming by participating in a massive intervention in Washington DC or your own community.

We need to take immediate action to:
STOP the war in Iraq and future resource wars by ending our addiction to fossil fuels.
SHIFT government funding to rebuild New Orleans and all communities suffering from racism and corporate greed.
GO green and promote environmental justice with new jobs in a clean energy economy.
Find out more at the website, http://www.nowarnowarming.org.

Thanks to Caroline Solomon who posted this on the Gallaudet University Sustainable Campus group bulletin.

Become a Polar Bear: Jump in Cold Water!

I'm jumping in the Chesapeake Bay on December 8th at 11 am. Join me!
Or join another plunge elsewhere in the United States.. such as New York, Massachusetts, Colorado or Oregon!
If there's none in your area, you can set one up following the simple process listed on this website:

www.keepwintercold.org

National Polar Bear Plunge; 12/8/07; Annapolis, MD

USCEC and the Chesapeake Climate Action Network, are organizing a National Polar Bear Plunge on December 8th. The plunge is a way to have fun, raise awareness, and raise money for your local climate group. CCAN has done Polar Bear Plunges the past two winters, and because they have worked out so wonderfully, we are organizing it nationally this year. Everything you need to know is at our new website, http://www.keepwintercold.org. If there isn't an action planned in your area, we heartily encourage you to organize it. A small plunge is very easy for one or two people to organize, you will reap great benefits, and we are set up, based on past experience, to help you along every step of the way. You can contact the Plunge Coordinator Gordon Clark at gordon@chesapeakeclimate.org. The plunge is part of the International Day of Climate Action so by organizing a plunge near you on that day you will be joining worldwide efforts to raise awareness of global warming!

Thanks to Caroline Solomon who posted this on the Gallaudet University Sustainable Campus group bulletin

-raychelle

More Tidbits on Water

Do you realize 24% of our bottled water is just tap water repackaged as bottled water thanks to Pepsi and Coca-Cola....

Here's more interesting information below:

"In San Francisco, the municipal water comes from Yosemite National Park. It's so good the Environmental Protection Agency doesn't require San Francisco to filter it. If you bought and drank a bottle of Evian, you could refill that bottle once a day for 10 years, five months and 21 days with San Francisco tap water before that water would cost $1.35. Put another way, if the water we use at home cost what even cheap bottled water costs, our monthly water bills would run $9,000.

Except for this: Bottled water is often simply an indulgence, and despite the stories we tell ourselves, it is not a benign indulgence. About 1 billion bottles of water a week are moved around in ships, trains and trucks in the United States alone. That's a weekly convoy equivalent to 37,800 18-wheelers delivering water. (Water weighs 8 1/3 pounds a gallon. It's so heavy you can't fill an 18-wheeler with bottled water -- you have to leave empty space.)

Worldwide, 1 billion people have no reliable source of drinking water; 3,000 children a day die from diseases caught from tainted water."

All the more reason to start drinking your tap water... saves you money and Sarah Jessica Parker drinks it too!

http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/Investing/Extra/BottledWaterARiverOfMoney.aspx

Did you know the mayors of San Francisco, Salt Lake City, and Minneapolis have prohibited their state employees from using state funds to purchase water? They also proposed the following resolution at the recent US Conference for Mayors... Read on:

The Honorable Gavin Newsom
Mayor of San Francisco
The Honorable Ross 'Rocky' Anderson
Mayor of Salt Lake City
The Honorable R.T. Rybak
Mayor of Minneapolis

IMPORTANCE OF MUNICIPAL WATER

1. WHEREAS, the United States' municipal water systems are
among the finest in the world; and

2. WHEREAS, high quality, safe drinking water is already
available at most public locations; and

3. WHEREAS, mayors are responsible for delivering safe and
affordable water to our citizens; and

4. WHEREAS, local governments invest approximately $43 billion
a year for pure drinking water and treating wastewater; and

5. WHEREAS, US consumers spend more than $11 billion a year on bottled water; and

6. WHEREAS, bottled water costs more than an equivalent volume
of gasoline, equivalent to 1,000 to 10,000 times more than tap water; and

7. WHEREAS, more than a quarter of bottled water is sourced from municipal tap water; and

8. WHEREAS, bottled water must travel many miles from the source, resulting in the burning of massive amounts of fossil fuels, releasing CO2 and other pollution into the atmosphere; and

9. WHEREAS, plastic water bottles are one of the fastest growing sources of municipal waste; and

10. WHEREAS, in the U.S. the plastic bottles produced for water require 1.5 million barrels of oil per year, enough to 250 generate electricity for 250,000 homes or fuel 100,000 cars for a year; and

11. WHEREAS, we applaud The US Conference of Mayors for its National City Water Taste Test, which recognizes all of the great work municipal water systems do for its residents on a daily basis, year after year; and

12. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that The US Conference of Mayors conduct a detailed study of the importance of municipal water and the impact of bottled water on municipal waste.

http://www.waterjustice.org/?mi=16&news_id=140

Stop buying bottled water, your body and wallet will thank you!!!

Do You Really Know What's in Your Water?

by raychelle

First of all, I'm no water expert :) But I do enjoy learning ways to stay healthy and at the same time, reduce my impact on earth... and all below are thanks to Miss Google!

Here are some general statements about water.

1. Bottled water is often just filtered tap water. Approximately 25% of our bottled water are actually unfiltered tap water (http://www.nrdc.org/water/drinking/qbw.asp)

2. Bottled water are inconsistent in their purity. Out of 1,000 bottled waters, 22% of the bottles contained chemical contaminants at levels above strict state health limits (http://www.nrdc.org/water/drinking/qbw.asp). In another test of 57 different water bottles, 15 bottles had significantly higher bacteria levels than tap water, more than twice as high as the most contaminated tap water sample (http://www.case.edu/pubaff/univcomm/water.htm).

3. Plastic is the worst kind of material you can store your water (or food) in. Only after 10 weeks in a plastic bottle, it releases phthalates which disrupts testosterone and other hormones http://www.nrdc.org/water/drinking/qbw.asp

Just a tidbit I learned - EPA oversees tap water, which is under more stringent testing and criteria... FDA oversees bottled water, and bottled water companies are not required to submit their water for third party/independent testing.

Personally, I drink DC tap water through a ceramic water-filtration system with a biodegradable 'cartridge' made from clay that removes all but .01% of the pathogens in the water... www.grist.org

I review my experience with that ceramic crock in an earlier post on this site under Eco-Product Reviews, click here to go there.

Want to read some more? More interesting, although not recent - research statistics can be found here from Natural Resources Defense Council:
http://www.nrdc.org/water/drinking/bw/bwinx.asp

Turn Off Your Garbage Disposal!

shared by raychelle from NSF International at www.nsf.org

The average garbage disposal uses about one gallon of water per minute. To help conserve water, try to reduce your use of garbage disposals. Instead, consider starting a compost pile, especially if you have a garden. By combining foods scraps, including vegetable trimmings, eggshells, coffee grounds and tea bags, with vegetation such as grass clippings or leaves, homeowners can create a rich organic mixture that can be used in their garden.

shira: a willing worker

by shira grabelsky
[originally written for www.discoveringdeafworlds.com]

I packed up my bags and flew to New Zealand to work on farms. I didn’t spin a globe, close my eyes, and pick New Zealand. Nothing romantic like that - I’d just heard it was beautiful, so I decided to go. I joined WorldWide Opportunities On Organic Farms (WWOOF), also known as Willing Workers on Organic Farms by paying a measly $40 for membership, and getting so much in return (www.wwoof.org).

I did not grow up on farms, or any swath of land near a farm. However, I wanted to connect with a part of myself that had a yearning to do physical labor to support self-sustainability and to learn organic growing techniques. With only the internet and a little green WWOOF book to guide me, I set off on a bus. I started on the North Island and made my way south and found myself back up in Auckland two and a half months later.

Between March and May of 2005, I build a house, harvested rhubarb, trimmed garlic, cleaned a pumpkin patch, picked pears, mowed lawns, cooked apple cakes, painted a roof, removed strangler vines, and engaged many more other satisfying work. I slept on the floor of a tiny house, in a makeshift home, in trailers, in my own cottage, showered outside, bathed in a coal-heated claw bathtub, or didn’t shower at all. I cooked ramen, drank wine, picked fresh lettuce and eggs for my lunch, tasted the delicious kumara and casimiroa. I woke up in the wee hours on some mornings, sidestepped cow dung and picked delectable mushrooms with a 92-year old man.

I traveled by bus, stopping in cities and towns that lay in between farm locales. I made every cent of my bus pass carry me to the next location. I designed an almost “figure-eight” traveling itinerary throughout the country and stopped where I pleased. In between farm stays, I climbed the Fox Glacier, hiked in the Abel Tasman National Park, sea kayaked in fjordland, carved a jade necklace, got an ear piercing, volunteered at a Deaf Youth Camp, skydived, and ate ostrich meat.

During my travels, my reading list accumulated and my journal thickened with the marks of excited commentaries, a few recipes shared by my hosts, and learnings about planting, harvesting, and permaculture. Permaculture is the agricultural practice (permanent agriculture) that utilizes environmental resources that are readily available, mimicking the natural structures and relationships that exist. Permaculture farms are so designed that everything has a symbiotic relationship with one another. Perhaps a portable chicken home will be set up so that chickens can eat the grass and weeds on which they live and thus fertilize it, and be moved when the next batch of grass needs the help of chickens. Permaculture design focuses on integrating different elements in the environment, sustainable living through conserving energy and minimizing waste. I so enjoyed my experience that I extended my stay for another week and a half so that I could experience at least one more farm. At least one more out of the hundreds listed in the little green book.

This book was replete with resources and fun. It helped me connect to my roots, roots that were detached from me for so long, perhaps because they were inaccessible in the environs in which I grew up. Now that I am back in the states, and remaining in one place, at least for the upcoming year, I’m determined to make sure my roots keep growing strong by starting a garden and leading a self-sustainable lifestyle where possible. Join the organic growing movement, log onto www.wwoof.org and get out on the land.

No Child Left..... INSIDE! Article from Grist.org

No Child Left Inside
A chat about Congress' effort to restore environmental education funds
BY AMY LINN
Retrieved from Grist.org on 26 Sep 2007

"Go outside and play!" It's a simple enough command, but as a nation of teeth-gnashing parents and teachers will tell you, not enough kids want to unplug or log off long enough to heed it. Enter Congress.

Amid growing evidence that learning about nature and actually experiencing it can help children become healthier, happier, more engaged citizens, Sen. Jack Reed (D-R.I.) and Rep. John Sarbanes (D-Md.) introduced the No Child Left Inside Act in the Senate and House this summer. The goal of the legislation, treading the path forged by author Richard Louv and his acclaimed 2006 book Last Child in the Woods, is to restore environmental education in American classrooms. Such lessons, the evidence shows, can help boost grades across the board, while also preparing students for the myriad challenges ahead: accelerated climate change, pollution, depleted resources, and vanishing flora and fauna, to name a few.

Supporters of the legislation include more than 70 organizations, from the Chesapeake Bay Foundation and the Sierra Club to the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and the National Education Association. Among the bill's driving forces is the North American Association for Environmental Education. Grist checked in with Brian Day, executive director of NAAEE, to find out what inspired the bill -- and why on earth it matters.

Might as well start off with the rude question: Why do teachers need Washington's help to get kids outside? Can't they just shoo them out for recess -- mission accomplished?

For the rest of the article, click here! Grist.org on 26 Sep 2007

ASL Vlog: Think Saving Energy is Hard?

Think saving energy is hard? Lauren Ridloff explains some simple ways everyone can make a difference.

Check out her ASL Vlog here!

Welcome to EcoDeaf!

Hello, welcome to EcoDeaf! We are delighted your eyes are here!

This blogsite was created to raise consciousness within the Deaf community about environmentally conscious ways of living as well as the growing field of experiential, or hands-on, education. It is also a site to develop connections and a sense of unity among people who share common interests in living with and learning from our environment as opposed to merely living in it.


In fact, that is how this blogsite was created. Before May of 2007, Raychelle, Shira, and Summer had never been in the same room together; Shira and Raychelle had never met each other. Having discovered our mutual interests in experiential education and what people often call the “alternative” lifestyle, we wanted to expand our sense of community by creating a place through which Deaf community members can share their ideas and resources about experiential education and the environment, as well as connect with each other on a more personal level.
This site has several different components as you can see on the right under "categories" →
EcoDeaf Bios:
Bios of people interested in the issues contained in EcoDeaf and interested in networking with others.
EcoDeaf Contributor:
Articles and entries written by EcoDeaf readers.
Eco-Websites:
Links to various websites related to experiential education, “green” businesses/organizations that are Deaf-owned, eco-related websites and articles of interest, and the outdoors.
Eco-Events:
What’s happening around the nation. Perhaps you can organize people in your area to go to these events together!
EcoDeaf Vision:
Information about EcoDeaf and FAQs (such as how to subscribe or have something posted).
EcoVlogs:
Vlogs created by EcoDeaf readers about issues pertaining to EcoDeaf.

This blogsite is made possible with your contributions. We want to know who you are: submit your bio, articles and/or resources to ecodeaf@gmail.com.

Please note the ASL vlogs above are not a strict translation of the English portion on this blog.

EcoDeaf Vision

EcoDeaf Mission and Vision

Mission
EcoDeaf is a space for people within the Deaf community to convene to share ideas and resources about eco-conscious living and experiential education.

Vision
Through contributions made by EcoDeaf readers, the community of Deaf/ASL people sharing common interests in ecologically sustainable lifestyles and learning-by-doing becomes more unified. Through this unity, green Deaf businesses and organizations are supported, lifestyles in harmony with the environment continue to be supported, and opportunities for educating our youth through experiential education are created.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is EcoDeaf?

EcoDeaf is a place for like-minded and like-spirited people to convene to share ideas and resources about experiential education and environmentally sound lifestyles.

How do I join? Is there a membership fee?

Very simple!

Do you feel passionate about the well-being of our environment and ensuring its sustainability through environmental stewardship?

• Do you deeply and thoroughly enjoy the outdoors, whether it be a walk in the woods, summiting a peak, bouldering, kayaking, or anything in between?
• Are you interested in experiential education -- hands-on-learning, and learning-by-doing?
• Do you pursue aspects of holistic living?
  

AND

• Desire to learn more about the above, to connect with people who share similar values, and to allow others the opportuniy to experience the above because you feel it is beneficial for everyone?

If so, you certainly are a part of the EcoDeaf community!
Contribute what interests you on the topics covered in EcoDeaf. There is no fee for sending in contributions!

What can I contribute? How can I contribute?

EcoDeaf is made possible through the contributions of its readers. You can post eco-discusions (either supplementing an already-existing thread, or creating a new one), events, pictures, or discussion topic.

How? Send an e-mail to ecodeaf@gmail.com with subject line identifying the content. For example:

EVENT: Santa Fe Organic Conference
or
BIO: Jane Doe
or
ARTICLE: Al Gore Goes Green
or
LINK: www.beinggreenisawesome.com

What is a Bio? What should I include in mine?

Are you Eco-Deaf/ASL? Join us!

Do send EcoDeaf@gmail.com your name, location, occupation, eco-skills, eco-interest, contact information and blog/website if any - as well as a photo or a vlog of yourself! See the EcoBios section for examples.

Can I send in a Vlog?

Absolutely!

We want to post vlogs within EcoDeaf so please send to ecodeaf@gmail.com the “embedded html” of your vlog. You will see "Embed HTML" after you've finished filming your vlog. Copy and paste that into the body of your e-mail to EcoDeaf.

Review of "Last Child of the Woods" by Richard Louv

"Last Child of the Woods"- (2005) Richard Louv
Today's kids are increasingly disconnected from the natural world, says child advocacy expert Louv (Childhood's Future; Fatherlove; etc.), even as research shows that "thoughtful exposure of youngsters to nature can... be a powerful form of therapy for attention-deficit disorder and other maladies." Instead of passing summer months hiking, swimming and telling stories around the campfire, children these days are more likely to attend computer camps or weight-loss camps: as a result, Louv says, they've come to think of nature as more of an abstraction than a reality. Indeed, a 2002 British study reported that eight-year-olds could identify Pokémon characters far more easily than they could name "otter, beetle, and oak tree." Gathering thoughts from parents, teachers, researchers, environmentalists and other concerned parties, Louv argues for a return to an awareness of and appreciation for the natural world. Not only can nature teach kids science and nurture their creativity, he says, nature needs its children: where else will its future stewards come from? Louv's book is a call to action, full of warnings—but also full of ideas for change. -from Publisher Weekly

Book Lists

The following are books recommended by EcoDeaf readers:
(more recent recommendations will be posted on top)

"read voraciously! there are many wonderful authors and books out there (some old school!)" -EcoDeaf Reader

Authors

-- Helen and Scott Nearing (The Good Life series)
-- Eric Sloane ("his books are some of my most favorite ones")
-- Gene Logsdon
-- Rebecca Wood (The New Whole Foods Encyclopedia, Splendid Grain)

Books

The Elves of the Lily Hill Farm by Penny Kelly
The Secret Life of Plants by Peter Tompkins and Christopher Bird
Perelandra Garden Workbook: A Complete Guide to Gardening with Nature Intelligences by MacHaelle Small Wright
What on Earth are We Doing? (1976) by D.H. Keen and G.E. Simmons, Illustrated by Pat Oakley (What on Earth: scanned book online)
Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver ("thought this would be a good resource for local food/farmer's market vs. the general food production...it's about her family living for a year almost entirely on local produce and their garden")
Omnivore's Dilemma by Michael Pollan
Rodale's All new Encyclopedia of Organic Farming ("pretty darn good)
The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein ("this one is a CLASSIC")
The Geography of Childhood (1995) by Gary Paul Nabhan
The Last Hours of Ancient Sunlight by Thom Hartmann
A Sand County Almanac by Aldo Leopold
Healthy Aging by Andrew Weil, M.D.
The Botany of Desire by Michael Pollan
Ishmael by Daniel Quinn
Last Child of the Woods (2005) by Richard Louv (see review posting)
The 80/10/10 Diet: Balancing your health, weight, and your life, one luscious bite at a time by Dr. Douglas N. Graham (raw food book)

Donald E. Clupper

"Don" for short
Gallaudet campus :)
UG student of Gallaudet University, a proud father of two kids

ecoskills Volunteer Deaf-blind interpreter and member of Green Gallaudet
ecointerests Keeping Earth clean and healthy and improving our lives
contact sdclupper at yahoo dot com or dclupper at tmail dot com

Eco-Websites

Green Deaf businesses & organizations
Living Food Farm (organic farm owned by Deaf family in Minnesota)
Alternative Solutions Center (Deaf owned therapy service)
Deaf Holistic Retreat (last one in 2005, hope more will come!)
Deaf-owned/ASL online spiritual resources - Rev. Jill Lestina
Deaf-managed Organic/Natural Bed & Breakfast

Deaf Animal Row (adopt deaf animals on death row!)
dazzlingraw.com (Alynn Davis' raw food website)

Holistic Living
Beverly Hanyzewski - Deaf Certified Yoga Teacher
May Wille - Deaf Massage Therapist
Deaf Shaman in New Hampshire
Dorothy M. Wilkins - Deaf Yogi in Rochester
Kitchen Dakini - Rebecca Wood & macrobiotics, whole foods, and grains..check out her books!

Outdoor-related
WildlifeTrackers (Elbroch is fluent in ASL)
Heidi Zimmer - Deaf Mountaineer
John Wilcox & Dave Smaldone: Deaf Sailing Adventures
Worldwide Dive and Sail - Deaf/HoH Group

Eco-Education and Experiential Education
Association for Experiential Education
Expeditionary Learning Schools - Outward Bound
Minnesota State University - Mankato - Oldest Graduate Program in Experiential Education
National Society for Experiential Education: Learners in Action
Prescott College: For the Liberal Arts and the Environment
Eco-related
Ecorazzi (eco-Hollywood)
IdealBite (tips on living sustainably)
The Grist
TreeHugger
Green Energy TV (online tv channel dedicated to airing green videos)
WWOOF (WorldWide Opportunities on Organic Farms)
Organic Consumers Association (and Organic Bytes, to get the e-mail publication)
Ecolect: a sustainable materials community
Ready Made Mag (A Bimonthly Print Magazine for People who Like to Make Stuff)
Do the Green Thing

Deaf-related
National Association for the Deaf
World Recreation Association for the Deaf
Discovering Deaf Worlds (Follow Christy Smith and Dave Justice as they travel around the world documenting the Deaf communities that they befriend)

Cassandra Perez

Santa Fe, NM

ecoskills Reduce, Recycle and Reuse things (reuse every plastic bag, reuse every contanier like, yogurt containers, etc), sewing clothes, creating arts out of recycled stuff, and whatever is art!
ecointerests hiking with my dog, taking pictures of our mother earth, educating people about the 3 R's (reuse, recycle, reduce), shopping at Whole Foods Market and Wild Oats and eating organically! I support local farmers, so buy food from farmer's markets! Attending Santa Fe's annual Recycle Fashion and Art show, swimming in rivers and lakes, and sleeping outside :)
contact cassandrasirena at gmail dot com

Fall Deaf Yoga Retreat

by Shira Grabelsky

Fall Deaf Yoga Retreat
October 11-14, 2007
Sivananda Ashram - Woodbourne, NY

"Four days, four teachers, four styles" is a yoga retreat designed to inspire and introduce the deaf community to yoga. This retreat, taught in ASL, is a rare gift offering community, Self-discovery, health and healing. For more information, please visit
http://www.deafyoga .com/nyretreat.
Spaces are filling quickly, pre-registration required. Registration deadline October 1, 2007.

Jeffrey Roberts

Prescott, Az.
A Student of Life

ecoskills Adventure Education/Experiential Learning
Hayduke Lives!
contact TheDeafJeff at yahoo dot com
v/blog: thedeafjeff.blogspot.com

Earl Terry

Location: Washington, DC

Occupation: Gallaudet University Undergraduate Student

ECO-skills/interests: create movies; energy-saving; recycling; shop products (organic/animal-free); researching; mass-transit; enjoy anti-war/anti-earthdestroyer movies, strong bond with mother earth; participate in fitness activities; camping; astrology; space-voyager-wannabe; subscribe Popular Science magazine; read blogs; lacto-ovo-vegetarian; member of Green Gallaudet Environmental Organization; eco-techonologies; dreadlocks (braiding and locking many long hair from the scalp); tree-hugger; animal-lover

Contact: im3arl at gmail dot com / clifford dot terry at gallaudet dot edu

Blog: 3arl.blogspot.com

Ron Popowski

contact ronpopowski at yahoo dot com

How we define ourselves

By Summer Crider

I came across this wikipedia site- when I was trying to find a word that could describe how much I loved a specific thing....
Enhance your eco-vocabulary! You can start by saying how this blogsite community is made up of many "biophiliacs"... which means lovers of nature. :) Another example is, Shira is a geophilic! See below to find out what that means.

anthophilia / anthophile / anthophilic: Attraction to flowers.
anthrophile / anthrophilic: Attracted to humans (e.g., parasites).
cryophilia / cryophilic / cryophile: Preference for cold environments, climates, objects and low temperatures; e.g., Protea cryophila (Snow Protea).
dendrophilia / dendrophilic / dendrophile: Preference of trees or other plants.
extremophilia / extremophile: Preference of living extremal conditions for some microorganisms.
geophilia / geophilic / Geophile Referring to organisms that prefer the soil.
halophilia / halophile: Attraction/attracted to salt or salt-water.
heliophilia / heliophile: Attraction/attracted to sunlight.
hydrophilia: Attraction to water.
hyperthermophilia / hyperthermophile / hyperthermophilic: Describing organisms that thrive in extremely hot environments.
limnophilia / limnophile / limnophilic: Preference of ponds or marshes.
lithophilia / lithophile / litophilic: Preference/affinity to stones.
myrmecophilia: in names of orchids of genus myrmecophila, "love of ants"
nemophilia: Love of the woods/forests, in the name of the genus Nemophilia of flowers.
nyctophilia: A preference for darkness or night.
ombrophilia / ombrophile: Affinity/affined to large amounts of rainfall.
petrophilia / petrophile / petrophilic: Preference of living or spending time in rocky areas.
photophilia / photophile / photophilic: Preference of living or spending time in lighted conditions.
psychrophilia / psychrophile: Preference of cold temperatures.
rheophilia: Preference of living in running water.
rhizophilia: Preference of living on roots.
thermophilia: Love of high temperatures; thriving in high temperatures (e.g. microbes).
tropophilia / tropophile / tropophilous: Preference of seasonal extremes of climate.
xerophilia: Love of living or spending time in very dry conditions.
xylophilia: Love of wood.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/-phil-

Mark Elbroch

Mark Elbroch
Woodland, California (nr Sacramento)
Cougar biologist/Grad student

ecoskills Wildlife tracking
ecointerests Hiking, backpacking, anything to do with wildlife
contact markelbroch at yahoo dot com
website wildlifetrackers.com

Building Earthships for our Eco-Deaf community!

By Summer Crider

Can you imagine a dream home being created from other people's trash? Yep, it's possible.

I took a workshop at the University related to creating a vision for the future, and I had to create a powerpoint that would convince the board to give me a grant for my dream project. I will give the same presentation to you on this blogsite.
Here begins my idea:

You know how many children of today are obsessed with video games, hooked on watching TV, and getting themselves attached with technology gadgets- before we know it, babies would be born their tiny ears implanted with white iPod headphones, calluses on their tiny thumbs from Playstation's wee-PSPs, and eyes magnetized by the glare of television screen. Richard Louv (2005) says these kind of children have what he calls a Nature Deficit Disorder. We don't want that to happen to our children, do we?
So I got the idea of creating an ecologically-focused summer camp for the children of the sign language community- and that camp functions in an Earthship*.
*If you're not yet familiar with what an earthship is, it's not a space ship or anything sci-fi (although it should be, that is, if we decide to move to another planet, but alas, I digress)

Basically, an Earthship is an sustainable housing method that uses all natural resources for functioning as a home. The main frame is usually built from old tires, glass bottles, and recycleable materials. There are solar panels installed on the roofs to provide light and energy, rainwater is collected and stored in a cistern, and basically, there are no public utilities required (of course, if we decide to detach ourselves from internet cable). It costs under 60,000 dollars altogether to build this and it's usually built by an community of people who believe in this concept.

The community would consists of staff members who are involved in the children's camp... each "Earthship" would be a cabin. The children would learn its functions, understand how the building heat and cool themselves all the while utilizing the discarded materials of our society. They could also learn how the the Earthship cabin produces its own energy, water, sewage management, bio-diesel, and the children would also learn how to grow their own food in a garden adajecent to the cabin.
This is really a great example of a non-destructive existence that removes stress from the lives of people and the planet.
It would be a great ecological camp experience for them, wouldnt it?

I imagine back in the 1960's when my own father had gathered his hippie friends and began to build his cypress dream home on the shore of a lake- because of what he and his friends did, I was fortunate to be raised among alligators, raccoons, otters, deer, and wriggle my toes in the nutrient rich muck. This could be our dream home for our children, and we all can contribute to making this Eco-deaf community!

EarthShip Photos! The Tires

by Shira Grabelsky

I worked on an earthship in New Zealand in 2004. This was the first earthship made in NZ.
-shira.

Rachel & Ray

California
Professor & Retired

ecoskills Recycle about everything, give away used stuff not in use for a long while to the needy Deaf ones (not to be sold for profit!)
Owners of Hybrid cars -Prius and Highlander
contact rachels at sprint dot blackberry dot net
raypharris at aol dot com

Wanna be festive? Go to a Greenfestival!

By Summer Crider

Pay Attention EcoDeafies, if you're living in DC, San Francisco, Seattle, and Chicago areas!
Why? Because there is a greenfestival coming to you!
What is a greenfestival? Oh, it's the best way to gather information related to environmental activitism, you can see famous peope speak about the importance of being Green (sign language interpreters guaranteed at DC location), taste organic products, and buy organic supplies (clothes, books, pillowcases, baby diapers, you name it!)

DC's Greenfestival happens October 6 + 7th, 2007
San Francisco's happening on November 9, 10, 11, 2007
Seattle's happening on April 12 + 13, 2008
Chicago's happening on May 17 + 18, 2008

Greenfestival's website describes what you'll see at their festivals:
"You'll enjoy more than 200 visionary speakers and 400 green businesses in each city, great how-to workshops, green films, yoga and movement classes, green careers sessions, organic beer and wine, delicious organic cuisine and live music."

You can volunteer there too, they'll give you free organic t-shirt, membership to Coop America and Global Exchange, and a free pass to the festival. If you ride your bike to the festival site, you get a discount on your ticket. Save your money and our earth from gas emissions!



Go on the website www.greenfestivals.org for more information.

Hope you can go and gather information, freebies, and revamp your eco-vibes!

Five Ways to go Green from Al Gore

http://www.cnn.com/2007/LIVING/wayoflife/08/23/o.green.gore/

Contributed by Katherine Feldmann

Five things you can buy

1. Compact fluorescent lightbulbs

These energy-efficient bulbs cost less than $4 and are produced by major corporations like GE. If every household in America switched five regular light bulbs for five fluorescent bulbs, it would be the equivalent of taking 1 million cars off the highways for a full year.

2. Outdoor solar lighting

These yard or patio lights cost less than $20, and they don't burn any electricity or produce any CO2.

3. Programmable thermostats

Though these thermostats cost from $50 to $100, they can actually cut your heating and cooling costs. Set the setting so it's a little bit cooler in the winter and warmer in the summer when you're not in the house. A difference of 2 degrees can reduce a home's CO2 emissions by up to 9 percent over the course of a year.

4. Air filters

Changing the air filters in your heating and cooling systems regularly can knock 2 percent off of your CO2 output each year.

5. Electric water heater blanket

Water heaters use a lot of energy and generate a lot of CO2. A blanket costs less than $18 and can cut your home's CO2 emissions by almost 4½ percent.

Keep green in mind!

Gore says that when you're shopping for major home appliances, look for the Energy Star label. "This is a signal that you're getting an environmentally efficient appliance that's going to save you money at the same time," he says.

During a simple trip to the grocery store, you make hundreds of decisions that can have real environmental impacts. With just a few easy changes, you can make a positive difference in the world.

Instead of regular aluminum foil or plastic wrap, buy recycled aluminum foil. It uses just 1/20th of the energy needed to produce regular foil.

Look for items without extensive packaging. Most food packaging material uses some petroleum-based plastic. There are several ways to cut down on the energy and waste this produces. Look for minimally or unpackaged items instead. Experiment with bringing your own packaging or buying in bulk. Purchase brands that use bio-based instead of petroleum-based plastic. Recycle or reuse packaging materials you end up having to buy.

Bring a cloth bag to the grocery store instead of using its plastic bags. An estimated 500 billion to 1 trillion plastic bags are consumed worldwide each year. That's 1 million bags used per minute.

And, according to the EPA, more than 380 billion of those are discarded in the United States. Less than 1 percent of those are actually recycled. Instead, these bags will clog landfills, create litter, choke streams and harm marine wildlife, like whales, seals and sea turtles.

Buy local and organic. Buying seasonal, locally produced food helps in a number of ways. Most food travels 1,500 miles from "farm to fork." But buying local food drastically reduces the energy spent on food shipping. Local goods also tend to use minimal packaging, are fresher and come in more varieties.

The best place to track down local food is at your local farmers' markets or through the Community Supported Agriculture Department. Farmers who grow produce organically use less fossil fuel and release fewer greenhouse gasses into the atmosphere. Organic farming is better for the land, for the farmers and for the consumers.

Anne Grace

anne grace
boulder, colorado
student

ecoskills reduce it
ecointerests green architecture, avalon organics, alternative energy system, yvon chouinard
contact annegrace dot donatucci at gmail dot com

Lauren Ridloff Vlogs about Going Organic!

Lauren does an ASL vlog on i711 site about Organic Foods and Resources on September 19, 2007.  Click here to go to her vlog & list of websites.  

Recycle? Cool. Reuse? Champ. Reduce? Even better!

Reposted from raysofraychelle.blogspot.com
By Raychelle

I used to think recycling like mad was enough. But we now know that recycling (which is great) is also energy-earth-consuming (the amount of energy and water that goes towards recycling paper, plastic, etc).

So what simple things can we do on a daily basis that will make a huge difference? Here's my top ten, er, well, eleven :)

1) Don't buy soap dispensers in plastic bottles. Buy (or make) soap bars. They require much less packaging and there's no plastic bottle at the end to recycle.

2) Quit the Q-Tips! First of all, they're not healthy for your ears! And billions of them end up in the landfills. How gross is that?! Simply use your cloth towels to clear your ears, some use water, and I vouch for ear candles!

3) Ditch the plastic zip-lock baggies. Try to use reuseable containers instead of baggies, and at the last resort, use aluminum foil (which can be recycled).

4) Take the metro. Walk. Bike. I find myself using my car less and less, and boy, I'm saving a lot on gas & car maintenance! And getting fit instead of sitting in my car!

5) Get dreads! (Or have short hair, or simply just shower less). Much less of a water bill to pay and we use less shampoo/conditioner/soap, etc, saving money on that too!

6) Use deodorant balls (or go without deodorant). The plastic thing that the deodorant comes in is just completely unnecessary and only fills up our landfills. This also applies to whatever you put on your lips - if you can, use small cups that hold vaseline or whatever you like to put on your lips, and refill them instead of disposable lipstick containers. Or go Aveda, they refill most of their containers.

7) Go electronics instead of paper. Need directions to a particular place? Email it to your pager instead of printing it out.

8) Unplug everything, and plug in only when using. You save loads of money this way!

9) Say no to receipts (ATM, gas station). Just say no and you'll be protecting yourself from possible on-line theft.

10) Refill & bring your own hard plastic container for your coffee/water instead of buying disposable water bottles.

10) Lastly, say NO to all the plastic/paper bags thrown at us at every store counter. I was buying gum at a gas station and they actually tried to put it in a bag!

AND Check out www.idealbite.com -- they have excellent simple ideas we can do everyday to reduce our footprint on earth :)

And of course, go organic, that applies to food and clothing! More ideas? Do share!!

Rhea Yablon Kennedy

Rhea Yablon Kennedy
A kitchen in Washington, DC
writer and chef







ecoskills writing a blog about eating sustainably, awareness of ways to eat sustainably (cooking from scratch, buying locally, etc), ways to live greenly while saving green, ways to be eco-friendly without looking or smelling like a hippie (unless you want to)
ecointerests learning more about all of the above, getting involved with the cooperative housing movement, making re-using cool and curbing the culture of Must-Have-It-New, fighting for tax incentives and legislatives favoring alternative energy
contact theschmea at gmail dot com / rhea dot kennedy at gallaudet. dot edu (work/pager) / 202.669.3602 (cell)
v/blog www.youaredelicious.net {Musings, tips, and recipes for a sustainable eating and a tastier you}

Do You Live in a Fat State?

Reposted from raysofraychelle.blogspot.com
by Raychelle Harris

Check out CNN's study of obesity in the US from 1984 to 2004... Which state are you?

All I can say is two factors contribute to this:

1) the processed food craze (fast foods and instant dishes)... that, we all know already...
and
2) our middle-class obsession with doing things easier and faster by using gadgets - instead of manual labor like our ancestors did - are simply making us fatter.

take the stairs instead of the elevator or escalator
walk & bike instead of drive
stir by hand instead of using a mixer
chop instead of using an auto-chopper
scrub the floor instead of mopping
brush ur teeth instead of using electronic brushes
cook instead of microwaving
wash dishes by hand instead of using the dishwasher
air dry your laundry instead of using the dryer
garden instead of shopping
read instead of watching tv (yes, turning pages is better exercise than pressing the remote!)
if you gotta drive, then drive a stick shift instead of an auto

can you think of more?????

Summer Crider

District of Columbia
Full time graduate student and biophile (lover of nature)

ecoskills Movie-making, bicycling, traveling, familiar with southeastern US wildlife (born n' raised in swamp with a wildlife biologist for a dad), experience in camping (both nature, family, and summer camps) and creative living situations.
ecointerests Mingling with my tree-hugging buddies and animals. Activism. Philosophizing about nature. Bike rides. Hiking. Giving kids exposure to nature and learning along with them. Discussing biology, zoology, native american traditions, subsistence living, yoga, organic food, outdoor recreation activities and the like.

In the next several years, I see myself: Being one of the teachers at Eco-Deaf charter school. Cycling across America- for the Environmental cause. Creating several documentaries about why we need to heal our EYEth. Building EarthShips (EYEthships, i mean) to live in.

contact SuCrider at mac dot com. Mac recycles!

To Be Organic or Not To Be. What’s the Question?

Reposted from DeafDC.com
By Liz Stone on Mon 2 Jul 2007

Thanks to Shakespeare, we all think often about the question of being. For me, it is especially about sustainable living. It’s a no-brainer. We all know that global warming has gotten its own hot place these days-everyone knows we have to do something to save our planet.

So, what should we do? What can we do? The good news is that the eco-revolution is happening. Thousands of earth-saving ideas are popping up left and right. Food gets the spotlight for now. Many restaurants are now serving dishes loaded with locally grown produce and meat. Vegetarian and “good-conscience” meat selections are on the rise. Even generic stores like Safeway, Giant, and Harris Teeter are starting to offer organically-produced food and household products. Trader Joe’s is vigilant about presenting a wide variety of fair-trade goods. It’s not just Whole Foods or Wild Oats anymore.

Even so, be cautious. Companies are riding on the eco-revolution boom. It’s the next money-making business since the rise of Silicon Valley. Labels are what they are, misleading and mystifying. Just because a product is “natural” doesn’t mean it’s organic. A product that is organic doesn’t mean it’s certified organic. Confused yet? Well, that’s part of green education. Lucky for you, I’ve typed up an at-a-glance guide.

When you make a decision to buy an earth-friendly product, here are a few questions to ask yourself:

1) Is it certified organic? Is there a difference between natural and organic? Cage-free? Farmstead? Or even beyond organic?

Check out this awesome slideshow link. How to Tell It’s Organic Slideshow

2) Where was it made?

Part of sustainable living is buying local produce. With the big-name stores entering the organic market (read: Wal Mart, Target, Safeway, etc), local produce is now the “new organic.” People want to know where their stuff is from. If there is a choice between West Virginia apples at a local farmers market and Washington state organic ones, I’d pick the former, hands down. Just think of how much fossil fuel it takes to bring the organic apples to get to my nearest organic market that is only a mile away. At least, I know more precisely where my apples are from.

3) How is it made?

Look at the ingredients. If you don’t understand half of the ingredients, the product is full of fake synthetic evil stuff. Peanut butter with hydrogenated oils is as outlandish as eating cotton candy when it’s basically high fructose corn syrup in its fluffy state. You can grind peanuts into a creamy state. You don’t have to add any fancy stuff. And yes, I’ll someday post a blog for the best tasting organic PB.

4) How expensive should it be?

Pay attention to the price. Wal-mart organics may be cheaper, but their suppliers are using large-scale production practices that go against the small-business practices. Quoted by GreenOptions.com, “The real question is not how expensive sustainable products are, but how our purchasing habits affect the global population and environment.” In a nutshell, sustainable living may be expensive, however, by doing more damage to our natural habitat, our health, and environment is much more so. I’ll post a blog about ways to save money on green living. Hang on for that.

Last question and this is more of a fundamental question:

5) Should I care?

YES!

We could have saved the Earth but we were too damned cheap. ~Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.

Sarah C. Hafer

Davis, CA
ASL linguist/specialist @ Center for Mind & Brain and instructor at Berkeley City College, American River College, and California State Univ., Sacramento



ecoskills recycling... ;) seriously, bits of rudimentary skills here and there such as composting, gardening, sewing, shopping for earth-friendly products including clothes, using energy saving bulbs...
ecointerests all that are available out there!
contact charityh at comcast dot net
v/blog www.myspace.com/sarahthelifedrooler & http://profile.to/sarahthelifedrooler

Religion Going Green?

Reposted from DeafDC.com
By Liz Stone on Wed 18 Jul 2007

Right now, nothing is more controversial than science and religion. Much of the world’s politics are driven by religious beliefs and ideals. Religion going green is a paradox. Is marriage between these two possible? A union between fact and faith? Why not? Science gives us definitions of what things are and why; religion gives us a meaning for life on Earth. There are plenty of issues that show the clashes between these two, including homosexuality, evolution and environment, but with a little out of the box thinking they can come together.

Let’s take the environment: The conservative movement finds plenty of blasphemy with the scientific methodologies used to declare the existence of global warming. Conservatives, by nature, practice caution. Defense and military spending are heavily supported by the conservative party (the major names in the conservative movement: Dick Cheney, Pat Buchanan, Trent Lott, Ann Coulter — are all big on this). This is the same movement that supports pro-life activism, refuses to recognize same-sex marriages, and blocks stem-cell research from making the next medical breakthroughs. There are so many stances that go against the ideals of liberals who champion environmental awareness, human equality and freedom of choice. On the environmental side, the conservatives say there isn’t enough proof that the global climate is in danger. Many say the planet is just dandy. They’re practicing caution once again by not making the leap of actually caring about it.

But hold that “Yarg!” Even with all this happening, due to the overwhelming scientific evidence that global warming is a reality, the “progressive” conservatives (another paradox here) are now using that caution to embrace ways to protect the planet. According to the blurb on Grist (great on-line environmental news) from LA Times in an article about big corporations tackling this problem by becoming green and continuing to make a profit, “Both business leaders and enviros described a sea change in corporate strategy that is expected to transform a corporate villain into a leader for the environmental cause.” A villain into a leader for the environmental cause? If corporate culture, notorious for its Republican leanings, is taking the helm on environmentalism, then just maybe there’s hope!

Another example comes from a Post article on the eco-kosher movement in the Orthodox Jewish community, which is basically combining Jewish dietary laws with new concerns about industrial agriculture, global warming and fair treatment of workers. “Eco-kosher is part of the greening of American religion—the rapid infusion of environmental issues into the mainstream of religious life.” This article also mentions the vice president of the National Association of Evangelicals driving a Toyota Prius and more than 50 other evangelical Christian leaders pledging to reduce energy consumption. Suddenly, I’m imagining Ann, Dick, Trent, Pat, and Joe Lieberman walking around in bright orange Crocs. Seems like I just woke up from a dream where the religious fanatics are hugging the hippies of yesteryear.

All of this reminds me of a quote that reconciles the two forces beautifully. Years ago, I struck up a wonderful friendship with this person who is now a professor of biology at Gallaudet. One of our earliest conversations was about religion and science.

She shared this simple quote, from the D’var Torah (commentary on the Torah portion) at her cousin’s bat mitzvah. It left me stunned, even years later.

God gave us the earth to take care of.

Simple. Rings true. And how righteous, no matter if you’re seeing it from a scientific, political or religious standpoint. Whether you are a liberal or conservative, Republican or Democrat, atheist or religious fundamentalist, the truth is self-evident: It is our responsibility to take care of our environment.

Hmm…that’s food for thought.

Daniel Veit

Gaithersburg, MD
Internship/Employment Advisor, Gallaudet Univeristy

ecoskills Alternative building such as adobe, strawbale, rastra, and earthship and passive solar design etc.
ecointerests Alternative building, Greywater system, Drip system, rainwater harvesting, anything related to conserving water, renewable energy, reducing people's waste and at the same time reusing materials in all possible ways.
contact dpveit at msn dot com

America, the Beautiful (cough cough)

Reposted from DeafDC.com
By Liz Stone on Tue 3 Jul 2007

“Oh Beautiful for smoggy skies, insecticided grain,
For strip-mined mountain’s majesty above the asphalt plain.
America, America, man sheds his waste on thee,
And hides the pines with billboard signs, from sea to oily sea.”
~George Carlin

This Carlin fella may be funny, but he’s talking about some serious issues. The signers of the Declaration of Independence probably never dreamed that America would become the powerful force it is today. If they were alive nowadays, they’d no doubt change that famous line to say, “…life, liberty, the pursuit of happiness, and a thriving global environment.”

In that spirit, honoring the 7 of this year and month, I give you…

Seven tips to be the (green) life of the party for July 4th:

Be a super saver — use recyclables and reusables.
Share gas–carpool. Or better yet, use Metro.
Indulge in happy cows and chickens — look for cage-free, hormone-free, antibiotic-free, grass-fed, and/or free-range meat.
When choosing your summer recipe, keep the environment and health in mind– buy and eat local; get the real thing, not the fake processed stuff; try a new recipe that’ll impress your carnivorous and herbivorous friends alike.
BYOC–Bring Your Own Cup. It’ll never get lost and will never get mistaken for someone else’s drink.
Clean up greenly — designate a trash area where there are several containers labeled for different kinds of trash such as: compostables (think: food waste, yard waste, anything that’s biodegradable but not recyclable), recyclables (cans, bottles), paper (paper plates, cups, newspapers, etc.), and trash. It’s a great way to get guests thinking about waste reduction.
Go nocturnal–consider hosting a party in the evening so you can light pretty candles to reduce the use of electricity, go easy on the AC, and see the fireworks!
Creating a thriving global environment ain’t no laughing matter, and for the spacious skies, from sea to shiny sea, we need it. These little tips go far in making a difference. This is also a day to remember all the Americans that fought for our country. For whatever political beliefs we have, let’s take a moment to wish those soldiers in Iraq a safe trip back home. I’m going to take the liberty of borrowing these words from my friend, a food writer, “May there be peas!”

Happy July 4th!

Kathleen Roberts Jarashow

Kathleen Roberts Jarashow
Gallaudet University
Student

ecoskills Eco-crafts and spider-wrangling.
ecointerests Kayaking, hiking, snorkeling, wildlife observation, animals.
contact aukauk at aol dot com

Filtered Water from a Ceramic Crock

By raychelle

What kind of water drinker are you?

The Britas:  People who buy disposable filters for their water pitchers add so much more to the landfills with their disposable plastic filters.  Not a good option.

The Coolers:  Ok, I admit it, I was a Cooler.  I used to have bottled water delivered to my place.  Research has shown that plastic harbors millions of germs and basically should never be used for anything, from baby toys to kitchenware, and not only that, the gas emissions from delivering bottled water to millions businesses and households is incredulous.  Scratch this.

The BottleLESS Cooler:  Definitely a step better than The Coolers.  Using the existing water system, filtered by the cooler itself, comes with hot and cold water and so on, just like a Cooler.  But it's still in a plastic cooler machine, and we know plastic isn't good.  Also, the electricity used up by this cooler is a no-no (it's plugged in 24/7), and the filtration system is also plastic and adds to our landfill.  Ditch this option.

The Tap Waters:  I applaud this group of people, which include my sister and Sarah Jessica Parker (the poster child of New York tap water).  This is actually the best way to go because simply put, we have one of the best tap waters in the world and ironically enough, we consume the most plastic water bottles in the world.

But what if you're like me, living in an old apartment building, and you don't trust its pipes.   What do we do?

I recommend this lifesaving ceramic crock which costs $169 (expensive, I know...but we're used to the expensive eco-lifestyle, aren't we?).  

The entire thing is made of ceramic except for the spout and top which is plastic (augghhhh, why not metal like this picture???) and gives off a clay taste for the first few weeks of using this crock, which didn't bother me - but didn't go too well with my brother-in-law's taste buds.

It is filtered by a biodegradable charcoal filter made from coconut shells and a KDF media (what's this?  hmm).  This removes 95% of chlorine, pesticides, iron, aluminum and lead as well as 99% of cryptsporidium, giardia and sediment.  Filter lasts 6 months and costs $59 each (ouch!).  Best of all, it requires no electricity and you're not adding anything to the landfill :)

Like Grist cheered, "What a crock!"  :)

Click here to read Grist's raving review of this crock...