be green

i use pal talk alot and i really want to get a green name can you please help me ?

At work, we waste so much paper!
It’s unbelievable really.
We have reports we print at the end of the night and like 4 or 5 people print the same one. I’ve started to just use the info right off the screen instead. It’s a small step now but it will add up. :)

I’ve been trying to do this for awhile now.
I’ve expanded to trying to teach my children as well.
It amazes me how wasteful I’ve been.

but there is always room for improvement, i suppose. and my most un-green thing is my travelling…i shudder to think of how many carbon credits it would take to offset my lifestyle. sigh.

I am happy to hear that President Bush signed that energy bill. That’s one of the few good things he has done for the environment. It raises fuel efficiency standards to 35 mpg, and it will get rid of incandescent light bulbs. The bill could have been better if it included the increase in renewable energy (it got cut out of the bill), but it is still a big step forward. It’s not the last step in making this country green, but it is a nice first step.

Here is a link about the law if you don’t know much about it:
http://money.cnn.com/2007/12/19/news/economy/energy_bill/?postversion=2007121916

just found out that simple green is toxic and non-biodegradable and 7th generation is made with petroleum products. makes me wonder how many green, organic, or fair trade products really are green, organic, and fair trade.

one of my favorite ways to be green! i buy 90% of my clothes (most everything but my undies, running/outdoor gear and some shoes) at crossroads trading company. they are very picky, and since i don’t have the best fashion sense, it helps me find my groovy style.

http://www.crossroadstrading.com/cm/Home.html

i’ve never been such a fan of bottled water. the water here tastes perfect. but i will drink it if it’s there (like at a party). i think it’s time to re-think this, and actively avoid the bottle whenever possible. at home, i use a fancy glass bottle in the fridge, so i always have access to yummy, cold water. the container (i admit it’s a trendy voss water bottle, but it’s been re-used at least 20 times already) makes me feel extravagent, even if i’m not.

alice waters (chez panisse), the cities of new york and san francisco are no longer supporting the industry. here’s some things to think about:

• there is no proof that bottled water is any safer than municipal supplies (outside of the flouride controversy, which i don’t buy into).
• waste. i found an article that said that last year, americans drank 8 billion gallons of bottled water, in 38 billion containers, and only 10% of these containers were recycled. ouch.
• oil. plastic bottles are made from petroleum, not to mention the fuel needed to transport these products.
• and maybe the most important reason….water is being marketed as a commodity, not as the basic human right that it should be. we are seeing more and more brands and competition for water products. shouldn’t water be free?

here is an interesting resource on the cochabamba water war in bolivia: http://www.democracyctr.org/bolivia/investigations/water/

and here is an editorial from the sf chronicle…http://www.commondreams.org/views07/0218-05.htm

we have a group of five of us that alternate driving for our monday night run in the city.

it’s more social, less expensive, and now we don’t have to worry about drinking that extra pint…someone else is getting us home safely.

some fun steps in the right direction. farmer’s markets, biodiesel, local fruit, recycled clothing, carpooling to the city for the hash.
i think the fact that both the house and the office are near everything i might want or need, makes a huge difference. i am more interested in local businesses and not doing a lot of running around.