The Greenwashing of America

Reposted in part with permission from a blogger in the Deaf community, Paotie. For original post, click here.

Colorado Springs - I received a couple emails yesterday from a friend in New Mexico, pleading for people to protect the environment. I got the impression that my Deaf friend had suddenly understood the light that is clouded by pollution around the world. It was his newfound passion dripping through in his many emails about the environment and what’s being done (or not) to save our Earth that compelled me to write about greenwashing.

At first, I wanted to email my Deaf friend back and explain to him that not everything is what it seems. Ethanol, many Americans seem to think, is a cure-all to our country’s dependence on oil. That may seem logical to think, but what many people don’t understand is the fact that ethanol producers tend to grow corn, and of all the crops currently utilized for production of biofuels, corn generally encourages more pollution (think of all the fertilizer that farmers require; think of the water resources needed to grow corn; think of all the gas/diesel that tractors require; and all that to make what is essentially moonshine.)

For the rest of the article, click here!

Photo from http://davidreport.com/blog/200708/the-greenwashing-trend/

Event: Energy Efficiency Global Forum and Exposition

Shared by Carrie Solomon...


The Energy Efficiency Global Forum and Exposition will take place
from November 11-14 at the Washington D.C. Convention Center.

For more information, check out this website:
http://www.eeglobalforum.com/

What people are saying about EcoDeaf

This is for you:



please continue to send in your thoughts, articles, reviews, and discussion threads related to eco-conscious living and experiential education as they relate to the deaf community!

EcoDeaf Readership Statistics

Who are EcoDeaf readers? Other than word-of-hand, how do they find EcoDeaf?



Statistics are from Google Analytics, looking at date range of October 12, 2007-October 21, 2007

27 EcoDeaf Bios
37 Subscribers

2,604 views 70% new visits

36% of people find our page through deafread
24% go straight to our site
10% find out page through googling the words:
"organic", "deaf eco", "eco deaf", "ecodeaf", "earthship photos", "green gallaudet"

*Readers are from...
usa = 1,345; canada = 45; united kingdom = 8; germany = 3; cyprus = 3; australia = 2;
ireland = 2; poland = 2; phillipines = 1; italy = 1

*Readers within the USA...
1. new york with 309
2. california w 191
3. maryland w 131
4. dc with 68
5. pennsylvania with 65
6. florida with 64
7. virginia with 42
8. arizona w 40
9. texas w 38
10. colorado with 34

(update: as of Oct. 26th, EcoDeaf has 59 subscribers and 28 EcoDeaf Bios)

Rylyn Lennox

Alberta, Canada
graphic designer/press(wo)man

ecoskills Nature photography, wildlife obeserving and identify animal trackings, recycling, perserve the wildlifes and natures, tell people about environments.

ecointersts Backcountry Hiking, Backpacking, Kayaking, travelling, photography, skiing, snowshoeing, animals, perserve the grizzlies bears (only 500 left in Alberta, Canada), perserve the forests, environmental educations and 3 R's.

contact rylynlennox at yahoo dot ca

Five Easy Ways to Go Organic

Shared by EcoDeaf reader, Liz Stone from New York Times, October 22, 2007

Switching to organic is tough for many families who don’t want to pay higher prices or give up their favorite foods. But by choosing organic versions of just a few foods that you eat often, you can increase the percentage of organic food in your diet without big changes to your shopping cart or your spending.




So how do you make your organic choices count? Pediatrician Dr. Alan Greene, whose new book “Raising Baby Green” explains how to raise a child in an environmentally-friendly way, has identified a few “strategic” organic foods that he says can make the biggest impact on the family diet.



This article ends with a list of FIVE EASY WAYS TO GO ORGANIC... Starting with MILK, POTATOES, PEANUT BUTTER, KETCHUP and APPLES. Intrigued? Click here to go to the article.

THANK YOU: readers, contributors, and supporters!

EcoDeaf deeply thanks its readers, contributors, and supporters for making EcoDeaf possible and useful. Your involvement in and support for EcoDeaf indicates that there is indeed a growing EcoDeaf community. See future vlogs for information about who reads EcoDeaf and what people are saying about EcoDeaf!

Thank you!

Ready Made Mag

Shared by Cassandra Perez

Ready Made: A Bimonthly Print Magazine for People Who Like to Make Stuff

http://readymademag.com/store/

This link will bring you to ReadyMade Store. It's great place when you are looking for ideas to build something without buying from stores. You can order ReadyMade book for $25 or subscribe bimonthly magazines. I've bookmarked this as my favorite page.

Enjoy!

NZ Deaf Scientist Involved in Nobel Peace Prize Award

Shared by Carrie Solomon

From the DeafAcademics Listserv:



Press release:

The Norwegian Nobel Committee has awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for
2007 between the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and Al Gore for their efforts to build up and disseminate greater knowledge about man-made climate change, and to lay the foundations for the measures that are needed to counteract such change.

What is IPCC?

The IPCC was formed in 1988 to provide scientific advice on climate
change and assesses current knowledge. There are three "Working
Groups" of the IPCC, and each produced their own massive reports on a
six-yearly basis. The Working Group 1 is called "The Physical
Science Basis".

Dr Andrew Manning, a Deaf scientist was one of the contributing
authors to Chapter 3 of the Working Group 1 Third Assessment Report
(2001) and Chapter 2 of the Working Group 1 Fourth Assessment Report
2007 Changes in Atmospheric Constituents and in Radiative Forcing.

Summary of Dr Andrew Manning's work:

In his work, he makes measurements of both carbon dioxide (CO2) and
oxygen (O2) in the atmosphere. Carbon dioxide, produced from
burning fossil fuels, is the most important greenhouse gas
contributing to climate change. These measurements help us to
understand the global carbon cycle, and this information can then be
used by climate scientists to help predict future climate change.
Then the results of his research can be used by the governments of
the world to hopefully make the right decisions for maintaining a
healthy planet that our children will inherit from us.

Andrew currently works at the School of Environmental Sciences,
University of East Anglia, United Kingdom For more information
about Dr Andrew Manning and his work, see the webpage:

http://www1.uea.ac.uk/cm/home/schools/sci/env/people/facstaff/Dr%2BAndrew%2BManning

Incidentally, his father, Dr Martin Manning is Head of Technical
Support Unit, IPCC Working Group 1 and his Deaf sister, Victoria was
the driving force behind the New Zealand Sign Language Bill to grant
NZSL official language status in New Zealand in 2006, the first of
its kind in the world.

The IPCC website is located at http://www.ipcc.ch/index.html


Dr. Andrew Manning
(image from University of East Anglia website)

Raw Food Potluck & A Recipe!

A brief glimpse of a deaf gathering in Bethesda, Md with a variety of luscious raw food dishes. And Fatimah shares in ASL her delicious Key Lime pie recipe! (1 min 47 seconds)

Deaf Read goes Green (literally)

DeafRead is now experimenting with colors for it's front page, and green is the color for today! But wait, they're not simply just colored green, DeafRead is also jumping on the eco-green bandwagon... see part of their post below:

DeafRead upgraded to a new processor chip and also increased the amount of RAM (Random Access Memory) from 1gb to 2gb. The new processor chip is a two core chip, which consumes less electricity, thus produces less heat. A cooler chip means it can run faster and consistently; additionally, the server room doesn’t have to be kept as cool saving on A/C costs. Our move to a Core 2 Duo chip is a statement: we are conscious, or “green”, about our environment. 

For the full post, click here

DeafRead sets a good example of how every decision we make, every day, makes an impact on Earth. Every decision, from blowing your nose (in tissue or cloth?) to selecting a green server is crucial. Think about your decisions and going green is always the right one :)

http://www.deafread.com/blog/?p=163

Solar-powered hearing aids? It's possible!

Do you find yourself often wondering where to recycle hearing aid batteries or complaining about how difficult it is to find eco-friendly or recycleable kinds? Do you ever wish that your hearing aid batteries weren't so much hassle- searching endlessly for 675 zinc or size 13 batteries in pharmacy stores?
Worry no more! Solar-powered hearing aids and batteries have been invented by Godisa... it all started in Africa, more specifically Botswana. SolarAid workshops initiated in 1992 with the mission of creating a hearing aid for deaf people in developing countries to use, that is powered by the free energy of the sun!
Here is the excerpt from Josh Swiller's website (he's the one who told me about this):
"Godisa has developed a cheap hearing aid made specifically for hot and humid conditions that runs on solar charged batteries. Most notably, they are doing everything possible to enable anyone who needs their hearing aid to get it free. They have declined to pursue a patent, have offered their technological expertise to anyone who’s interested and are relying on donations to cover the cost (about $100) of each aid. Also noteworthy – most of Godisa’s technicians, salespersons and other employees are deaf themselves. Truly an amazing undertaking that deserves more attention and support. You can read more about it here and here." -www.joshswiller.com/getinvolved.html
The good news is, there's a Godisa distributor here in the USA- check out their website:
www.godisausa.org.
Happy solar listening!
--Summer

Bethesda, MD: Raw Food Potluck

Hi all,

For these curious, experienced, or merely amateur individuals out there in the Maryland, Virginia, D.C., and Pennsylvania (and for these out there as well), our monthly raw food potluck luncheon will be held this Sunday, October 21st, at Barbara Morris' Bethesda spacious home, with enough room for everyone to mingle, sample, and partake in simple yet wonderful presentations about fasting and oral hygiene.

RSVP information: Please contact May Wille at Maywille at yahoo dot com to reserve a spot and to find out what to bring.

Address: 7600 Savannah Drive, Bethesda MD 20817-1432

Date and Time: From 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. on October 21 (Sunday)

Content of event: Besides chumping on raw food, and mingling, Karen Schettle will give a talk about oral hygiene and its role in preventing gum disease as well as how gum disease creates more diseases within your body. Additionally, Barbara Morris will share her fasting retreat experience in Panama.

If there are any questions or ponderings, May Wille will be happy to answer any additional questions/comments.

Namaste,

Dina

Cheers, to raw food

shared by Dina Raevsky, EcoDeaf reader...

Cooked Food is Dead...

Raw food is alive...

Raw food heals...

Cooked food makes you sick...

These words bombarded my retinas and registered in my brain as I read the Raw Food newsletter sent out to a group of us Marylanders by a long time raw foodist, May Wille. Thus, began my journey into Raw Food, starting with a purchase of a raw food book, a book about the benefits of raw food against degenerative diseases, and finally Alissa Cohen's book, which I swear by.

Although a fan of organic food (heck, I was raised in Israel - all fruits and veggies are organic there), and a user of solar water heater in my youth, watching my daddy turn the switch on to activate the heating mechanism, raw food did not come into my life until last fall, specifically this month of last year 2006.

Twas was the first year I bought my own home in historic downtown Frederick, enabling me to garden,

Twas the first time I no longer was simply a daughter, but now caring one to my dad, whose illness necessiated him living with me,

Twas was the first year, I really paid attention to my dad's eating habits due to his diabetic tendencies, cognetive heart failure and such,

Twas the first year I met May Wille through her daughter-in-law and sampled a delicious Date Torte cake decorated with Kiwi and strawberry (raw, of course),

May offered to show me some recipes, and I fell in love with them. I saw my energy increasing, my skin glowing, and even though I lost some additional pounds (unintended, I assure you), I still feel and look great. My dad stopped having dates with the hospitals, and now sticks to doctors for check ups. He looks great, even though heart failure is not curable.

Frederick is blessed with CSA farms, which provide organic vegetables and fruits to farmer's markets (plentiful here), organic food stores (plentiful here), and this...simply...added...to...the...allure.

I make raw food daily - for instance, I made irrestitible carob fudge balls today, which are a necessity for a teacher like me, running out of energy, after standing and walking among my dahling students. It prevents me from slamming down on them Hershey bars located in Academic Support Center located in the room above me, due to lack of calcium, burnt out in my whimsical moments of energy bursts. Also, I have sweet tooth for chocolate, and only chocolate. Fudge balls ensure that my sweet tooth sticks to these yummy, enriching raw balls of carob, almond butter, and dates (feel free to buzz me for recipe if needed, otherwise just buy the book by Alissa Cohen).

Raw food does not necessarily mean that you have to metamorphize into cows, goats, or other herbivores, munching on salad greens; but with the usage with food processor, knives, blender, dehydrator, and your precious god-given hands, you can create anything from salads to carrot burgers, and not to forget, delicious deserts to die for.

Often I face questions by athletes about needing more protein. I am a runner and require a lot of food intake too. Raw food gives me all the nutrients I need and yet, I do not get tired after eating it. This is totally the opposite of eating cooked food and feeling tired afterwards. Nuts ensure that I maintain my energy, rather than eating meat and chicken. So instead of saying, "Polly wants a cracker!" I stick to "Polly wants nuts!"

I also like to go out, and face the dilemma of watching cooked food being served to my friends' tables and observe my dear buddies chew with glee. What I do is eat beforehand at home sweet home, then order a salad for appetizer. Nonetheless, I came to find that I prefer my own food over a restaurant's. To reduce the eating out syndrome, I simply invite friends to my home to enjoy my home made meals and to spread the power of raw food to people who go, "hmm... good!" between bites. Nonetheless, I am guilty of still loving sushi and ahem... if I do go to a sushi place, I just have to have these chopped up rolls of seaweed, tuna, salmon, and eel, however, stick to the raw ones, not the cooked ones. Cooked eel, eew!

The state of Maryland is blessed to have individuals like Clark, Wille, Gore (nope, not Al Gore), and others that spread the word of raw food eating within our deaf community. We have a monthly potluck/presentation/gathering at various locations in Maryland, especially in Frederick. The one coming up is in Bethesda. For further information, feel free to contact me.

And, to these who know me, yes, I plan to cycle 46 miles, with a great cycling and running pal, to Bethesda this Sunday for the gathering, then enjoy the sumptious meals, presentations, and joyful banter, while nursing my poor legs before riding back to Frederick in a friend's vehicle.

To raw food,

Cheers,

Dina

(check out her bio for contact information)

Michael Stultz

St. Augustine Beach, Florida
University of North Florida ASL Professor

ecoskills composting, butterfly gardening, wildlife photography, wildlife observing and identifying, animals tracking, eco-touring, nature-related storytelling, nature journaling, teaching people about nature

ecointerests kayaking, hiking, backpacking, science-related reading, snorkeling, self-sustaining, beach & stream cleaning, organic farming

contact (work) Michael dot stultz at unf dot edu
(pager) natcraz at tmail dot com

Dina Raevsky

Hailing from Frederick, MD

Teacher - Biology and Environmental Sciences

ecoskills Decomposing materials into rich topsoils, recycling raw fruits and vegetables into slow releasing organic fertilizers, organic gardening, raw food preparation, recycling of various materials, cycling and running, building mini green houses (am still on my first), environmental consciousness education, botany, and nutrition sciences.

ecointerests Organic gardening, global warming, green activism, green products for home, botany, disappearing into the great outdoors, skiing, cycling, running, meditation, nutrition, raw food prep, home projects that are eco-friendly, dogs, orienteering, kayaking, teaching, aquaculture, apiaries, agriculture and biotechnology, and volunteering at the local animal shelter.

contact dinaraevsky at comcast dot net

Quick Peek at GreenFestival

For those who want to see a quicker combined ASL vlog of the Greenfestival in Washington DC- click play!
This video clip is 4 minute 30 seconds long and includes shortened clips from the vlogs posted earlier: Green Gallaudet volunteers, EcoProducts, and Deaf Faces at the Greenfestival. Enjoy!

Deaf Faces at Green Festival

An ASL vlog collage of many different deaf people at Green festival! The vlog in its entirety is 5 minutes 5 seconds.

There were many more deaf people there, but for some reason they couldn't be convinced the camcorder wasn't a ray gun in disguise!

Green Festival Products Reviewed by Deaf People

Check out what the Green Festival had to offer all of us who went. Different deaf people review eco-products such as Elephant Dung paper, a wrap you can swing in, and vegan chocolate ice cream in this vlog. Also, a short clip of Ralph Nader presenting at the festival, some t-shirt slogans and posters are peppered throughout this vlog (4 minutes, 13 seconds).

VP-200 or web-cam?

      Discussion begun by Rene Visco...


Sorsenson VP-200 requires two plugs and one internet line.  Having a 
web-cam will use the PC/Mac's existing infrastructure like internet 
and power.  That's the big issue being discussed.  [At work the] IT supervisor
prefers the webcam (he knows it saves power and require minimum 
needs) while the Deaf administrators prefer VP-200.

Now, my question is will deaf people give up VP-200 for a web-cam for 
the sake of leaning toward a carbon-neutral environment?

Gallaudet Volunteers at Green Festival

Meet the president of the Green Gallaudet organization, Leala Holcomb, and their faculty sponsor, Carrie Solomon as well as Gallaudet volunteers at the Green Festival last weekend in DC. And get a brief glimpse of what the volunteers did... (2 minutes and 13 seconds)

Want to Work a Sailboat with Two Deaf/ASL Sailors?

From a EcoDeaf reader, check this out: www.deafsailingadventures.com


"We provide exciting sailing excursions for deaf adventure seekers. Sailing, where you are not only a passenger enjoying a wonderful fun-filled vacation, but where you are involved and immersed in the everyday activities of yachting, appreciating the environment, and experiencing island cultures first hand."

No Wall Outlet to Recharge Your Pager? Let the Sun Do It!

vlog by Summer Crider who found this product the Green Festival last weekend in DC


Imagine the possibilities...

....you're backpacking for days or weeks at time
....going to the beach for the day
....sailing at sea
....pinicking
....walking your dogs
....parked your car somewhere for a while
....taking long biking trips
....a power outage in your neighborhood...
....or you just want to reduce your use of electricity at home...

Simply buy a foldable, compact solar panel that can charge your pager and laptop when you're not close to a wall outlet. Also, when you plug it in your parked car, you can keep the electrical system for your car fresh.
www.rewarestore.com
If any of you do buy it, let us know what you think of it!

How To Cut Your Carbon Paw Print

shared by Anne Grace
from Newsweek - for the full article, click here: Carbon Paw Print

Instead of plastic bags for waste, try biodegradable waste containers like the Skooperbox ($11.99 for a pack of 30; skooperbox.com) or PoopBags' litter-box liners ($18.40 for 20; poopbags.com). Use environmentally friendly cat litter, which avoids clay-based litters that are produced through strip mining (learn more at worldwise.com). To find dog and cat toys made out of earth-friendly products like recycled plastic bottles or hemp, log on to ecoanimal.com. Your dog can even make a fashion statement with a 100 percent organic cotton kimono ($22.90 at sckoon.com). With all that newfound social consciousness, your pet deserves a spa treatment. Look no farther than Cain & Able (cainandablecollection.com), a line of all-natural dog shampoos and sprays that, in truly Orwellian fashion, were first tested on humans.

Brian Berlinski

Berkeley, California
Art Therapist and Advocate for Domestic Violence Survivors

ecoskills 3Rs, turning junk into found art treasure, energy conservation, water conservation, walking, taking public transportation, zero television in the home, making the best of natural sunlight and compact flourescent bulbs, keeping my houseplants happy

ecointerests travel wherever there is enough air to breathe, sustainable design / green design, sustainable agriculture, organic/local farming, Green political party, EcoVillages

contact brianberlinski at gmail dot com

website http://www.blinklist.com/DeafArtTherapist

John Wilcox

Teacher of the Deaf
Outward Bound Instructor
Landscape Designer









ecoskills Outward Bound instructor specializing in mountaineering and sailing courses, rock climbing, ice climbing, whitewater and sea kayaking, sailing, kiteboarding, surfing, backcountry skiing, organic gardening, Ashtanga yoga and meditation.

ecointerests Japanese and Zen gardening, working with nature intelligences (Perelanda and Finehorn approaches), Garden Conservancy, Appalachian Mountain Club and their Youth Opportunities Program, world eco-travel and adventures.

contact wilcoxjohn at rcn dot com

website www.deafsailingadventures.com

Laura Smith

aka LS
Viginia Beach, VA
Faculty at TCC

ecoskills/interests Unlearn and relearn about myself as human-conscious and concern for our mother earth. Use cloth shopping bags, shop organic at locals. Use eco cleaning supplies and personal hygienes, tree and animal lovers. hiking and beach. essence oils. homeopathy user. spirituality-seeker. give away stuff and clothes instead of throw away.

contact maejake at yahoo dot com

Outward Bound Wilderness

contributed by shira

Outward Bound Wilderness is an expeditionary education program with the wilderness as the proverbial classroom. Teachers are Mother Earth, trained Outward Bound instructors, other participants, and yourself. Its adventure-based courses range from canoeing in Maine to backpacking in Colorado, from Desert Backpacking in the Southwest Canyons to Sea Kayaking in Costa Rica, and numerous other courses in between.

For many years, Outward Bound (OB) has had open enrollment courses designed for Deaf/HoH participants. These courses, primarily backpacking courses in Colorado, bring together Deaf and HoH people for 2-3 weeks of backcountry travel with the guidance of OB-trained instructors who are Deaf or ASL-fluent.

Participants, regardless of skill and experience level in backpacking, will find a certain degree of contentment from the course. The thrill of navigating through brush, smelling mountain air, eagerly anticipating afternoon thunderstorms, and watching the moon and sun switch places early in the morning, is shared by those who readily embrace these types of sensations. Participants learn rope-knotting techniques, map-reading skills, the art of setting up tarps below rolling grey clouds, while practicing Leave No Trace (LNT), which are codes of environmental stewardship that everyone should follow. You might begin a course in which you know nobody, or perhaps one or two people (or know of some people, as is common in the Deaf community), but in the end, after daily check-ins and group discussions about the day that has passed and the days that lie ahead, you leave the course knowing what makes you tick, and what makes everyone click.

OB has had difficulty maintaining enrollment for this course, and thus cancelled the Deaf/HoH open enrollment course last summer, much to the dismay of many. OB presented reasons for this cancellations which range from low enrollment numbers, lack of funding, and the trend of uncompleted courses by participants who are supported by OB scholarships.

OB also has “contract courses” in which they custom-design a course for those who’d like a course for their organization or school. For many years, schools such as the Rochester School for the Deaf have taken advantage of individualized and tailored course for their students. Students learn how to work together through several group challenges, both planned and unexpected, but always real, and how to safely travel through the mountains or through a high ropes course.

Opportunities for backcountry travel don’t present themselves very often in many of our lives – OB becomes the means by which people can connect with the wilderness and learn the value of “oneness” among other people and nature under the guidance of skilled instructors. There are qualified Deaf instructors out there who are ready to impart their knowledge about the wilderness and to ignite a fire of passion about the wilderness in each person they meet. Such instructors are Jeffrey Roberts and Jesse Woosley whose bios are posted in EcoDeaf. Simply put, OB becomes a valuable employer and a valuable resource for those who want to engage in adventure education.

Contact OBW to get them to reinstate their open enrollment course, hire Deaf instructors, and to request a “contract course” for your organization or school. Everyone wins in the long run – most importantly, your soul wins.

www.outwardboundwilderness.org

Where does your congressperson stand on climate change?

shared by an EcoDeaf Reader

"If you want to know where you congressperson stands on climate change, invite him/her to the Step It Up Rally"

here's how:

http://www.alternet.org/environment/64572

Conrad Strack

New Gloucester, Maine
Educational Consultant/ Teacher

ecoskills/interests Green house building, Passive Solar Heating, Organic Farming, Conservation, Backpacking

contact conrad.strack at gbsd dot org

Hack Your Friends' Toilets!

shared by Katie Spiegel from http://www.rethos.com/news/view/131-Abuse-Your-Friend-s-Toilets

If you have ever taken the lid off of a toilet, you know that there is a float ball in there that attached to a thin metal rod. This float balls level determines the water level within the toilets tank. Get in there, grab that rod, and bend it downward a little. Next time the toilet is flushed and the tank refills the water level is forever lowered (unless it is bent back of course).

Think about all of the water that could be saved with this trick. Toilets get flushed a hell of a lot. If one gallon of water is saved per flush, and that toilet is flushed six times a day, you will be responsible for saving over 2,000 gallons of water per year. Abuse five of your friend’s toilets and you will save close to 11,000 gallons with a six flush daily average.

Let’s start abusing shall we?

Black Bears Playing in Your Hammock

shared by Ron Popowski

Check this video on CNN.com of black bears in someone's backyard. A New Jersey homeowner videotaped three bears' bouncing good time from a safe distance!

http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/offbeat/2007/09/19/backyard.bears.NJ12

Endangered Species Bulletin

shared by Ron Popowski


This is a good resource on success stories, updates and more related to endangered species. In this edition, focus is on the progress that the Fish and Wildlife Service and partners are achieving in the recovery of the Nation's threatened and endangered plants and animals.

Check their recent issue and back issues out here! http://www.fws.gov/endangered/bulletin.html

Stephanie Gasco Roberts

ecoskills recycling, giving back to Mama Earth: conserving water, reducing electricity usage, shopping locally and naturally, aspiring to inspire others towards living more Green

ecointerests fresh air, seas (natural bodies of water), animals, plants, herbs, natural clothing, fair trade coffee and items, involving my children in loving and honoring our beautiful home Mama Earth, doing and discussing art, Trader Joe's, little organic-enough cafes, living in moderation, advancing my Green abilities

contact koliekai at aol dot com

Jehanne Celeste McCullough

North Bethesda
Maryland School for the Deaf middle school student, Frederick Campus

ecoskills/interests stream-cleaning, volunteering at Horse Rescue Center, walking my favorite neighbor's dog, vegetarian since birth, was born at home in my own bedroom, have my own "recycle bin" in my bedroom, truly an animal lover, out-going, eating organic food, renovating our backyard to be more nature properly, and am against George W. Bush because he definitely is not Eco-friendly president (Hillary Clinton will be eco-friendly!)!

contact jehanneceleste at aol dot com

blog/website http://jehanne.wordpress.com

Plastics to Avoid: 3, 6 and 7

from Mother Jones, "Practical Values: Hard to Break"

You've found the recycling code on your plastic container, but now what? The Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy's "Smart Plastics Guide" has this handy reminder: "With your food, use 4, 5, 1 and 2. All the rest aren't good for you".


To put a long article short, plastics has been linked to birth defects, obesity, interferes with metabolism and hormones/sex organs...Click here for the rest of the article

Trudy Carson

Frederick, MD
Hood College graduate student





ecoskills/interests recycling, support health stores by buying their products, vegetarian/vegan, tree-hugger, animal lover, hiking, being in nature, closer to mother earth, astrology, new age, crystals, national parks, mind-body-spirit, environmentalism and meet new people with same interests/philosophy.

contact peacelove321 at gmail dot com

Target... Selling Organic Bed Sheets & Bamboo Kitchenware?!

shared by raychelle:

Today I went to Target and several things caught my eye - organic bed sheets and bamboo kitchenware. Like a young'un in a candy store, I giddly bought these, but I just had to go home and make sure I wasn't dreaming...

From the Target website - http://sites.target.com/site/en/corporate/page.jsp?contentId=PRD03-001095

"We recognize that we have a responsibility—as team members, as a company, and as global citizens—to minimize our environmental footprint. So we've sought ways to reduce waste, use energy more efficiently, and operate more sustainably. We're proud of our accomplishments and we're continually improving, one store at a time.

One way we're improving the quality of our buildings and reducing their impact on the environment is by following the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®) Green Building Rating System for some new Target stores.

Everything from raw materials to packaged products as a valuable asset to protect. Through our comprehensive recycling and reuse programs, we've cut our waste by 70%. We're encouraged by our success and continue to seek out opportunities to expand our programs.

In 2006, Target:

Reused 385 million garment hangers and recycled 2.1 million pounds of plastic and 153,000 pounds of metal from broken hangers.
Recycled 911.1 million pounds of cardboard, the largest portion by weight of our recycled materials.
Recycled 4.3 million pounds of shrink wrap at our distribution centers.
Recycled 10,400 pounds of rechargeable batteries collected from guests. This program provides a safe and convenient option for Target guests to dispose of batteries containing hazardous components.
Recycled or refurbished 47,600 broken shopping carts.

Target puts tremendous focus on designing and operating energy-efficient stores and facilities. We also track and report our annual greenhouse-gas emissions, as part of our involvement in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's voluntary Climate Leaders program. Here are some ways that Target conserves energy:

Energy-efficient fluorescent lamps are used throughout our stores, a first in the retail industry. We are currently changing our sales floor lighting from a three-lamp to a two-lamp fixture, which will reduce our energy consumption by 22 percent.
Motion-sensor lighting in our stockrooms keep areas lit only when needed.
Energy use for lighting, refrigeration equipment, heating and cooling is carefully monitored to be as efficient as possible.
When economically feasible, energy is purchased from renewable sources.
We are in the process of switching our exterior neon signs to LED, which will increase energy efficiency by 78 percent.
Four stores in California draw 20 percent of their annual electricity needs from their own rooftop solar-panel systems. In 2007, Target will retrofit 14 more California stores to operate on solar power.
Since the early 1990s, we have used white membranes on our store roofs, which reflect the sun's heat, helping to reduce the heat-island effect of the store."

I'm impressed! Honestly I've never been for big-name, sprawling corporations... but when they go GREEN, should we support them? Some SuperTarget stores are now selling local organic fruits and vegetables. I've always believed we should support those little stores on the street - the mom and pop stores, the farmer's market, etc, but now with Target (and Wal-Mart) jumping on the Green bandwagon.. what do we do as consumers? What do you think?

When I watched Julia Butterfly Hill give her presentation in 2003, what she repeatedly emphasized was our power as consumers. As consumers, we can make all the difference in the world we want to see. We control the flow of our money and our money influences the supply and demand. Buying things that aren't good for the Earth, we increase the number of products that damages Earth, and when we buy things that are good for Earth, we increase those products (and make them cheaper for many others who want to purchase them as well).

Your Thoughts on Target?

Experiential Education Catharsis

contributed by shira grabelsky

a post dedicated to Outward Bound is forthcoming, because many people have participated in their programs, and many others are intrigued and interested in joining.

below is a poem i wrote after doing an Outward Bound Wilderness program in the the summer of 2006. i doubt the excitement or satisfaction i experienced in the mountains would emerge in a classroom setting....

on this day so fine
meet me above treeline
on the shoulder of the giant
leave your passport behind

say adios to the border patrol
you’re in control
tie up your bandanna, roll up your sleeve
fasten your gaiters, take your leave

look north, south, east, west
up at the moon’s rest
listen to your insides and our Mother
‘cause you’re in a world like no other

its time for your shift
give yourself a lift
tie up and climb on

put some sweat on your back
a little something in your sack
fill up that nalgene
come up with me to that place
we’ve always been
with the clouds we’ll set the pace

when the going gets technical
or you’re thinking a different kind of analytical
trust your knot and your carabiner
not life’s old veneer

scrambling or sidestep, whichever you choose
you have nothing to loose
who cares about your worldly stuff
the path you take may be tough
you’ve got your rain pants and helmet
you know the higher you go, the higher you get

its time for your shift
give yourself a lift
tie up and climb on

sure, a little peanut butter
might be handy, so would a swiss army knife
or a dash of chocolate
everything else: to the gutter!
cause look at your plate
what a tasty life!

tie up and climb on!

--shira grabelsky, august 2006

Jesse Woosley

Durango, CO
Seasonal Worker, Outdoor Instructor/Guide, Artist

eco-interests/skills Rock Climbing, Mountaineering, Backpacking, Ski/Board, Rafting, Outward Bound, Inspiring Youth, ASL in Community, Sustainable Living, Earth Sense

contact woosley at tmail dot com

Solar Decathlon

submitted by caroline solomon

The Solar Decathlon is a competition in which 20 teams of college
and university students compete to design, build, and operate the
most attractive, effective, and energy-efficient solar-powered house.
The Solar Decathlon is also an event to which the public is invited
to observe the powerful combination of solar energy, energy
efficiency, and the best in home design.

The event takes place on the National Mall in Washington, D.C.,
October 12 - 20. The team houses are open for touring everyday,
except Wednesday, October 17, when they will close for competition
purposes. An overall winner is announced on Friday, October 19 at 2 p.m.

Teams of college students design a solar house, knowing from the
outset that it must be powered entirely by the sun. In a quest to
stretch every last watt of electricity that's generated by the solar
panels on their roofs, the students absorb the lesson that energy is
a precious commodity. They strive to innovate, using high-tech
materials and design elements in ingenious ways. Along the way, the
students learn how to raise funds and communicate about team
activities. They collect supplies and talk to contractors. They build
their solar houses, learning as they go.

The 20 teams transport their solar houses to the competition site on
the National Mall and virtually rebuild them in the solar village.
Teams assemble their houses, and then the active phase of the Solar
Decathlon begins with an opening ceremony for students, media, and
invited guests. The teams compete in contests, and even though this
part of the Solar Decathlon gets the most attention, the students
really win the competition through the many months of fund raising,
planning, designing, analyzing, redesigning, and finally building and
improving their homes. The public is invited to tour the solar homes
and event exhibits during much of the competition.

For more information, check http://www.solardecathlon.org/

How Walkable is Your Neighborhood?

reposted from WalkScore and raysofraychelle

Why Walking Matters

Walkable neighborhoods offer surprising benefits to our health, the environment, and our communities.

Better health: A study in Washington State found that the average resident of a pedestrian-friendly neighborhood weighs 7 pounds less than someone who lives in a sprawling neighborhood1. Residents of walkable neighborhoods drive less and suffer fewer car accidents, a leading cause of death between the ages of 15 - 45.
Reduction in greenhouse gas: Cars are a leading cause of global warming. Your feet are zero pollution transportation machines.
More transportation options: Compact neighborhoods tend to have higher population density, which leads to more public transportation options and bicycle infrastructure. Not only is taking the bus cheaper than driving, but riding a bus is ten times safer than driving a car2!
Increased social capital: Walking increases social capital by promoting face-to-face interaction with your neighbors. Studies have shown that for each 10 minutes a person spends in a daily car commute, time spent in community activities falls by 10 percent3.
Stronger local businesses: Dense, walkable neighborhoods provide local businesses with the foot traffic they need to thrive. It's easier for pedestrians to shop at many stores on one trip, since they don't need to drive between destinations.

In July, my neighborhood had a Walk Score of 69 out of 100. I found stores and places that I never knew my neighborhood has. Then just now, in October, I retested my neighborhood's Walk Score and got a 71. A few new businesses sprouted on H street near my apartment.

This website is also useful when you're traveling. You can find out the nearest drugstore and grocery store then feel at home when you're there instead of always asking around where this or that is. If you're buying a new place, use this to decide if that's the kind of neighborhood you want to live in.

Just click on this URL below and feed in your address and check out your neighborhood!

Walk Score website

What’s your walkscore? Click on the arrows to see the drop down menu of more stores and places in your neighborhood.


this is my neighborhood :) (yes I live right across the street from Gallaudet!)