Interview with Jamie Michaels, owner of Exotic Green Home Furniture, at the San Francisco Green Festival, November 2010 – via Vania Benavides – Vab Media
Archive for February, 2011
“Several solar thermal power plant projects to be constructed on public lands are on hold pending lawsuits by environmental groups, including Sierra Club, and Native American tribes. The Sierra Club petitioned the California Supreme Court to overturn the license for the Calico Solar Energy Project because it would harm desert tortoise and other wildlife. California Unions for Reliable Energy, a labor group, filed a similar petition. Calico is a 663.5 megawatt (MW) solar power project.”
Green On Green “Violence” in California via Gina-Marie Cheeseman – Triple Pundit
SANTA CRUZ, CALIFORNIA – FEBRUARY 23, 2011 Synergy Clothing Inc, a local Bay Area women’s organic clothing company, will be exhibiting their clothing brand at the upcoming San Francisco Green Festival on April 9 and 10th. With a contemporary fashion forward design style, Synergy makes all of their clothing out of GOTS certified organic cotton that is dyed with low impact dyes. Synergy makes clothing that combines sustainability, with modern yet timeless design.
Synergy is based in Santa Cruz, California and is run by wife and husband team Kate Fisher and Henry Schwab. Together they have successfully built an eco friendly clothing brand by integrating her interest in textile and fashion design, with his experience of working for GreenPeace and The Waterwheel Foundation. With a shared vision of a sustainable business model and respect for the Earth, they are bringing Synergy into the future.
Synergy looks to the world around in its approach to design, with a respect and awareness for the natural world combined with both modern and ancient cultural influences. Their clothing is hand made in Nepal according to fair trade practices, verified by their long-term relationships with their manufacturers. They specialize in making clothing with applique hand-work details, that gives the Synergy line a signature look. The appliqué work is done by Nepali women, who work for fair wages in the convenience of their homes, thereby creating employment opportunities in Nepal.
With a commitment to a sustainable business model, and an emphasis on community, the Green Festivals have proven to be an ideal environment to showcase Synergy’s products. The Green Festivals bring together a community of like-minded environmentally aware people, who are the quintessential Synergy customer.
Synergy is sold online and in over 300 stores in all 50 states, in addition to being sold in their first retail store that was opened in Santa Cruz, California in 2010. With an ever- growing fan base, Synergy’s goal is to make women feel good when they wear their clothing, while feeling good about the way it was made.
For more information about Synergy visit their web site http://www.synergyclothing.com/ or on Facebook .
Photo Credit: Olivia Hearley
“You shop at the farmers’ market religiously and buy all the right greens and veggies to make a meal bursting with vitamins and minerals for your family. But it’s not always easy raising a child who loves fruits, veggies, and salads—so consider adding a fascinating science lesson to your tactics. All you need is a few thousand wiggly worm friends to eat your kitchen scraps—waste that would normally go into the trash and, ultimately, the landfill. For kids, worm composting gives food preparation a special mission: The worms must be fed!”
Worm Composting Is a Hit With Kids via Jessica Iclisoy – Eucalyptus Magazine
“Ford launched a new mobile app at CES earlier this year to help drivers remotely manage energy consumption in the automaker’s upcoming Ford Focus Electric vehicle. The software, called MyFord Mobile, allows users to remotely monitor the car’s battery level and to plan trips with recharging stations in mind.”
VIDEO: Ford’s New Mobile App for Electric Cars In Action! via Katie Fehrenbacher – Earth2Tech
“Demand is on the rise for organic produce. A survey by theOrganic Trade Association found that sales revenue from organic food in the U.S. had exploded to $25 billion by 2009 – twenty-five times that of 1990.
Organic farmers can’t use the same technology as conventional farmers – like pesticides and genetic engineering – to increase yields. There’s a misconception that they stubbornly shun technology, preferring age-old tradition over modern methods. But it’s not true. These farmers can use their understanding of natural processes – the mating habits of pests, for example – to optimize yields and care for their crops. The surprising results can make you wonder where to draw the line between technology and nature.”
How Do Organic Farmers Use Technology? via Hunter Richards – Triple Pundit
San Jose, CA – February 22, 2011 At The Takeout Store, disposable tableware products made from Bagasse and Corn Starch are leading the way in replacing wasteful Styrofoam and Plastic disposable tableware to reduce waste on America’s growing landfills.
Bagasse is a byproduct of the sugarcane refining process. It is what is left over after the sugarcane stalks are crushed to extract the juices. Since bagasse comes from the earth it is easily converted by nature into simple, stable compounds that are absorbed back into the ecosystem. One of the many attractive qualities of bagasse is that it is both biodegradable and compostable. Future generations will not be burdened by excessive waste from takeout materials that take thousands of years to break down.
Biodegradable means that the product will break down into water, carbon dioxide, and biomass in a short amount of time. When something is “compostable”, it means that it is made of organic matter that will break down in a compost system or land fill.
Bagasse biodegradable food containers are quickly being recognized as a great eco-friendly alternative to traditional Styrofoam clamshells and plastic plates.
Eco-Forward Convenience
The Takeout Store is proud to be a green promoter in providing biodegradable options and convenience to the local and national community. Supporting and sponsoring local charity events with biodegradable disposable tableware is a vital element of dedication towards keeping the community green.
“Our mission is to reduce environmental waste and promote sustainability while providing the highest quality biodegradable products available.” says company owner, Eddy Yee. “Striving to become a zero waste society is an important goal, and biodegradable disposable tableware products play an essential role.”
For more information or to contact The Takeout Store, visit http://thetakeoutstore.com or connect via Facebook and Twitter.
“AUSTIN, TEXAS — Five years ago, energy prices were climbing, President George W. Bush declared that the United States had to break its addiction to Middle Eastern oil, and “An Inconvenient Truth” — Al Gore’s movie about climate change — hit the theaters.
Journalists spotted a trend and responded with enthusiasm. Articles about the burgeoning “green” movement proliferated. Wineries were adding solar panels, the U.S. military in Iraq wanted wind turbines, andHarvard University was installing waterless urinals. HSBC was buying carbon offsets for executives’ flights.
This type of story is now nearing extinction. Journalists are a little less wide-eyed, and a little more picky. The cutting-edge coverage today does not typically revolve around the greening of fill-in-the-blank company. Instead, topics like “Who’s not going green?” and “What are the difficulties of going green?” are being seen more frequently.”
Coverage of Green Issues Becomes More Specialized via Kate Galbraith – NY Times
“Mark Hertsgaard has posted a piece defending his push against “climate cranks,” including an apology for his errant description of his relationship with Politico.]
Mark Hertsgaard, a journalist and author long focused on the environment, has a new book and a related environmental campaign. The book, “ Hot,” focuses on building resilience to climatic and related challenges looming in the next 50 years. I’ve just started reading it this weekend.
This post is not focused on the book. This week, Hertsgaard took his “ Generation Hot” campaign to Washington to confront lawmakers fighting restrictions on emissions of greenhouse gases. He calls such politicians “climate cranks.” You might also call them “Generation Coal.”
Generation Hot Meets Generation Coal via Andrew Revkin – NY Times DotEarth