by Megan McLaughlin
Just about everyone uses computers and a large percentage of those who do are definitely using the internet. Many people also have websites, whether for personal or business purposes, but not everyone has a Green Certified website! CO2Stats is out to change that.
Now that you're reading this, you may begin to notice this little bug on many of the web pages you usually browse. CO2Stats offers green site certification by calculating the combined electricity used by computers visiting a site, the servers providing it and the networks that connect them. CO2Stats then helps to make a site more energy efficient (and load faster), and purchases renewable energy to neutralize the carbon emissions due to generation of that electricity. Pretty cool, huh?
According to the CO2Stats site, "it is an easy-to-use service that makes your website carbon neutral and energy-efficient, and that provides certification that you have taken steps to make your site environmentally friendly." So if you haven't already found ways to make your website more eco-friendly, check out CO2Stats and get your site Green Certified! Its an interesting, fun way to care for the environment while bringing some green appeal to the web!
For more about websites and web design, check out these links:
How a Website Comes Together
90s Web Design
Are You Green Certified?
Get Naked!
by Megan McLaughlin
You haven't lived until you try Naked Juice! It is delicious and its creators are committed to making the world a greener place!
"From fruit to blender to bottle to gulp, Naked Juice is dedicated to making it easy for you to contribute to a greener world." And just how are they doing this? They use recycled plastic bottles that can be recycled again and again. They also have big plans for the future...
By 2010, they are planning to reduce their oil consumption by 57,000 barrels a year, which, in turn, will cause them to use 48% less energy in the process!
Now for the best part - the juice: 100% all-natural, 100% juice made from the best fruits and vegetables, they never add sugar, preservatives, artificial colors or flavors! Each of their bottles contains over 3 servings of fruit and they are oh-so-delicious.
Do yourself a favor and give Naked Juice a try! You'll be helping Mother N. out as well! Look for these guys in your local grocer...
(Pre) Winter Green
by Megan McLaughlin
For many of us across the U.S. and even in other parts of the world, it seems as though we have skipped right over fall and found ourselves in the middle of winter! The lack of an Indian summer has left many of us longing for warmth again already, but for others, it is a cue to start gearing up for the winter season. For plenty of people, winter means hibernation, and for sports enthusiasts, it means skiing, snowboarding and all sorts of outdoor, snowy activities.
Greenzer.com provides a very informative list of ways to think green when planning winter activities. As usual, the number 1 tip involves staying local! Transportation to and from winter sport destinations like ski areas can be very costly. If you are fortunate enough to live close to winter sport destinations, keep within the area. If you need to travel further to find what you're looking for, do it wisely!
The article also makes an interesting suggestion; consider the amount of carbon emissions expended to run a ski lift and to groom the trails...it would be greener to try snowshoeing and cross-country skiing! But if you just need the thrill of the slopes, be mindful of your actions and think green at all times!
No matter what you decide this winter, make sure you always consider what you can do to make your life a little greener.
Some people tend to spend more money in the winter. If that's you, check out this article: Winter Time Spending
Everyone hates being sick, especially during the cold winter months. Read this article about battling the "winter sickies."
And here are some interesting suggestions about snow removal!
Fall for Eco-Friendly Fashion
by Megan McLaughlin
What do your clothes say about you? Are you always style-conscious and fashion-forward, or do you just grab the first thing you see when you wake up in the morning? Whatever your style method may be, this fall, consider adding some eco-friendly fashions to your wardrobe.
For women, She-Bible and Kelly B are great places to find, organic styles. Most of their fashions are made right here in the U.S. of A. and from 100% organic cotton and other natural fibers. And if you don’t already know about it, Etsy is a great place to find handmade, eco-friendly or vintage/recycled clothing, accessories and etc. Check out this neat scarf, for instance, from RagingWool on Etsy…
It is made of cashmere, from recycled sweaters and it is fab for fall (and winter, of course)!
US News had a great article about 5 Ways to Green Your Fall Clothes Shopping. Their #1 tip: “Fashion is cyclical, and that means that hand-me-downs are back in style.” This couldn’t be more true! Shop recycled/vintage and dig up some great finds by rummaging through your parents’ old threads. US News also suggests – try just not shopping at all, which is a great way to save money, too!
For more fall fashion tips, check out this article about dressing green. Or this article about being fashion forward in an eco-friendly way!
Eco Tourism
by Megan McLaughlin
Fall is here and the summer season has left us for good. No more trips to the beach or summer BBQs by the pool. It is bitter sweet. The warm and inviting glow of summer ends, but as the crisp, clean colors and scents of fall usher in you are still longing for a weekend getaway or a pre-holiday season retreat. Plan a fall getaway in eco-friendly style.
A great place to start researching a wonderful trip is EcoTour, "your source for planning an eco holiday." Whether you're looking for a big vacation or a little 3-day weekend road trip, you can get some great ideas from EcoTour!
So what is Ecotourism? According to EcoTour, "The aim of our Ecotourism Resource Centre is to act as an informative guide for users about the concept of Ecotourism. In addition, useful resources have been provided to further increase understanding & provide guidance for ecotravel." For EcoTours, many activities include getting in touch with nature; hiking, biking, mountain climbing, camping. These are some eco-friendly ways to reduce your carbon footprint while taking a break from the everyday. Even if its just for a weekend or even a day, take a quick trip to immerse yourself in some of the beautiful fall foliage the earth has to offer!
Check out this site for some great, eco-friendly camping advice!
Take a look at this Experience blog about Five Ways to Travel Green
Or this one about a Greener Vacation
Thinking Green for Halloween
by Megan McLaughlin
I bet you never thought there were ways to go green for Halloween, did you? You probably just weren't thinking about how easy it can be! There are several small things you can do to ensure that you and your friends are enjoying this holiday in an eco-friendly way!
Try buying healthy, organic and Fair Trade treats! All of your favorite stores that sell organic and Fair Trade products should be selling these goodies. Some popular treats are, Bug Bites and Yummy Earth lollipops and other candies.
You may be a little too old to go trick-or-treating, but these eco-friendly Halloween tips apply to everyone:
Tell your younger siblings, nieces, nephews and neighbors to ditch the paper and plastic and do it the old-fashioned way...use pillowcases to stash your treats!
Don't buy plastic costumes!
If you're going out, bring an LED flashlight, and if you're staying in, use LED light decorations instead. In addition to saving the earth, you will be saving money!
Last but not least: Don't Litter! This is the easiest way to reduce your carbon footprint and its a no-brainer!
For some green costume ideas, follow this link.
And to learn how to properly dispose of your aging Jack-O-Lanterns, check this out!
Great Green Pets
by Megan McLaughlin
Whether you have a four-legged friend or not, its great to know that there are eco-friendly pet supplies out there to satisfy everyone's pet care needs.
"GreatGreenPet is a shopping blog devoted to the green, eco-friendly, pet owner. We comb the web and find environmentally friendly products for you and your pet." At GreatGreenPet you can read about pet toys, treats and pet supplies that are good for the environment and our furry friends. Their topics and product reviews aren't just limited to dogs and cats either! GreatGreenPet has advice about eco-friendly pet supplies, food and toys for rabbits, reptiles, mice, hamsters and horses, too!
One of their latest blog posts highlights a recycled chew toy for dogs. According to the blog, "Planet Dog makes this recycled chewbone from materials left over from manufacturing other products. It is non-toxic, and you can recycle the scraps when your dog is done with it." Sounds like a great way to make your pooch and Mother Nature happy!
GreatGreen isn't just limited to pets... they also have other blogs about shoes, travel, gadgets, baby and more where they offer advice on which great green products you should buy and where you can find them! These blogs serve as a constant reminder that its great to be green!
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