Archive for September, 2009
Tuesday, September 22nd, 2009
Well, its almost that time again: Halloween. I love the holiday. There’s nothing better than watching kids throwing candy wrappers on the ground, and seeing rows of our neighbors’ houses wrapped in toilet paper and silly string. There are the cavities, the dirty costumes… oh, and don’t forget the wasted decorations in the garbage the next day. Sounds like a good holiday, right?
I don’t know about you, but that’s not exactly my favorite way to celebrate the season. But, in the name of all things good and nostalgic, there are definitely ways to avoid being wasteful around this time of year. In fact, we could all get our fill of spook and sugar if we all took the time to do the holiday right!
Here’s are a few tips I follow to make sure I stay as Green as I can be:
1. I buy and carve my pumpkins on Halloween. They last a bit longer throughout the season,
and by the last day the price is very reasonable. And to avoid being wasteful, I use all the fillings to make roasted pumpkin seeds, and pumpkin pies… what’s not to love about that?!
2. I don’t buy paper decorations. Instead, I try to reuse what I already have. For example, I’ve used old thread as spider webs! If I’m really itching to make something with paper, I’ll make sure it’s recycled.
3. For costuming, I frequent second hand shops, and used clothing stores. One person’s junk is another person’s masquerade!
4. I go to organic candy stores, such as Yummyearth.com, were they sell safe, natural and healthy candies and treats.
5. Most importantly, I line my street and the neighboring streets with garbage cans. It really limits the amount of candy wrappers and garbage left on the ground the next day.
With just a bit of effort, and just as much fun, we can all be sure to add a little Green between our Orange and Black this year! Staying eco-friendly is always fun, even if the holiday is a bit frightening.
-Cassie
Tags: Cassie, Green, Halloween, recycle
Posted in Green Trends, Healthy Living, The Big Green Blog | 4 Comments »
Monday, September 14th, 2009
Most people choose to light their homes with wind-powered energy and technology in order to lessen, or eliminate, their use of fossil fuels and thus to lessen their impact on our environment. Well, that, and to save money on their electric bill, of course. However, what happens when the companies we use charge you more money than the cost of the machines and labor? Alternative energy stops being innovative, and just becomes a revolutionary rip-off.
I come from a household of local farmers in central New York State. We set up the farm to produce the best organic foods, so that our bodies and minds would be as healthy as possible. So, in order to truly feel progressive in our desire to be healthy and planet-friendly, our next step was to stop using coal and oil to heat our home.
We started researching companies and came across one New York-based company that boasted of having the most established systems, with a five year warranty to boot. They also claimed that the windmills were capable of resisting cold temperatures and high winds. It sounded like a dream come true! We set up meetings and soon found ourselves in the process of starting the ground breaking. However, even as they began to do work on our property, they never gave us an exact price. When they finally gave us an estimate, it was a whopping $95,000! On top of the astonishing price, they refused to provide us with an itemized report.
Needless to say, we were a flabbergasted, and decided to take the matter into our own hands. After doing some research on their equipment and pricing, we discovered that it would only cost the company an approximate $47,000 to do the job: the turbine itself would cost $27,000 and the tower and foundation would cost $20,000. So, we wondered, where was the other half going?
We figured their response would claim that it was the cost of labor, but it was hard to believe that an entire $50,000 would be funding the workers alone. We asked the company that very question, and are still waiting for an answer.
If you’ve been considering installing your own wind-powered energy system, don’t make the same mistake! The best way to protect yourself from potentially fraudulent companies is to do your research ahead of time, and do it well. If you want more information on alternative energy in NY State, visit the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority site, or check if your State or County has their own site to cover your area. Then check for Renewable Energy equipment providers in your area, and make sure to ask all the right questions from the start.
The up-front cost of installation may seem high, but the price we’ll pay for conventional energy will be astronomical later. But this doesn’t mean we should be taken advantage of! Just as we continue to fight for our environment, when it comes to providing yourself with renewable energy, find an honest, reasonable company, and don’t settle for less.
- Cassie
Posted in Green Trends, The Big Green Blog | 5 Comments »
Sunday, September 13th, 2009
Dear Big Green Readers,
We’d like you to welcome a new writer here on the Big Green Blog, Cassie! Cassie recently joined the Big Green Cart team. She’ll be bringing her own unique perspective on the various ways we can improve our lifestyles, because, as is her motto when it comes to being Green, each eco-responsible step we take along the way adds up to big, carbon-free footprints at the end of the day.
Three years ago, Cassie and her family moved from New York City to New York State, starting their own farm and deciding to adopt a brand new and earth-friendly lifestyle. Now, they are nearly 80% self sufficient! In Cassie’s words:
“Our journey was a long road, and it has lead me to realize what an effect we make on our environment. That is why I’m involved in being Green, because working so close with the land and animals really changes people. It has certainly made me more aware of my actions and the actions of others.”
Look for Cassie’s first blog, outlining her words of advice on alternative energy, this upcoming week.
Posted in Behind The Cart, The Big Green Blog | 1 Comment »
Sunday, September 6th, 2009
Reusable water bottles, in their own right, have become quite the eco-trend. I’d argue they’re one of the few things even non-Greenophiles have latched on to, saving them time, money, and a trip to the trash can each day. And their popularity has undoubtedly skyrocketed, with stores from Old Navy to Pottery Barn, and everywhere in between, selling their own take on the product.
With this rise in popularity also came the rise in awareness concerning the bottles’ ingredients. And, as certain plastics and harmful metals were pushed into the gutters as harmful, unhealthy and un-friendly prospects, with chemicals leeching out of their pores and into the water inside, one company has always stood tall above the rest: Sigg.
Sigg bottles, now widely sold all across America, are known for their laser-cut, leak-proof threading, unbreakable body and seemingly harmless contents. And, as the brand grew, the aesthetic exterior options became increasingly trendy and appealing to a limitless variety of tastes.
But it was recently revealed, as they debuted their new EcoCare lining, that past versions of the bottle were not purely Green! Could it be, the Angel-child of Green water drinkers had been pulling the cruelty-free wool over our eyes this whole time?
It seems that one year ago, as competitors’ bottles were being tested for levels of BPA (Bisphenol-A, a harmful substance found in many plastics that can cause cancer, among other health issues), the Sigg bottles passed the examinations with ease, showing 0 parts per billion of BPA in the water that had been stored inside of them.
However, with the new lining boasting that it contains absolutely no BPA, consumers began to wonder if the previous version had had them duped! And, as it turns out, Sigg CEO Steve Wasik ‘fessed up to trace amounts of BPA being used in the production of the previous lining.
As he pointed out during an interview with Treehugger.com , the world of BPA safety has changed. When the bottles were being tested, scientists and consumers were only concerned with the amount of BPA they could be consuming in the water that had been sitting inside the Sigg bottle. Now, with heightened alarm about the multifold dangers of BPA, people dont want anything to do with it at all.
Perhaps because they are a decent company after all, Sigg has started a voluntary exchange program, for those of us who would like our water bottles to be sans-BPA. If your Sigg was manufactured before August 2008, it will most likely contain trace amounts of the substance, which they will be glad to exchange for a new version of the same bottle. It has also been rumored that Sigg retailers, including Whole Foods, will be exchanging the bottles in-store for free (as opposed to the consumer having to suck up the cost of inbound shipping, as one does when they use Sigg’s direct exchange program ).
With BPA still being removed from the actual liquid you’re keeping inside your Sigg, it all comes down to a matter of preference. Science’s vote is still out regarding the actual danger of such trace amounts of BPA, so the former liner may not be harmful at all. Plus, the company still ranks at the top of the charts when it comes to safe, durable and portable Green drinkware, and is dedicated to continued transparency regarding the contents of their products. So if the thought of BPA reaching your lips gives you the heebie-jeebies, trade that old model in for the new and improved Sigg. But if you’re just fine assuming it wont be making its way into your body, then bottoms up, my friend!
Posted in Healthy Living, The Big Green Blog | 3 Comments »
Friday, September 4th, 2009
I have to admit, hesitantly, that I am a sucker for good packaging; give me a set of vivid jewel tones and a hip, graphic design and I’m all on-board. This, of course, is problem-causing in more ways than one: first of all, I’ve ended up with a lot of terrible smelling, ineffective shampoos lingering around my shower. But more importantly, it has called to my attention a modern-day business tactic called Greenwashing.
In an increasingly environmentally-conscious era, many companies have begun to market their products as “Green”, “Organic”, and… best of all… “Natural”. But the skeptical consumer knows that many of these claims are, in fact, unsubstantiated, and mislead the average buyer into believing that they are superior to the other products on the shelf. Aside from mis-labeling their products, Greenwashers also make sure that their packaging is particularly earthy, attractive and might lead one to believe that the product inside is planet-friendly and carcinogen-free.
Unfortunately, this is not the case. Many drug-store regulars have long been touting an earth and body friendly image that does not accurately represent the range of chemicals and non-natural ingredients their products contain.
Beyond beauty products, the most frequently greenwashed items include house cleaning products, fabrics for clothing and linens, and paper goods. Thankfully, there are a wide variety of legitimately Green products to replace the greenwashers, and there are a few primary ways you can steer clear of these dangerous chems; avoiding greenwashed product does take just a pinch of research and attention, but it’s certainly not impossible to treat your body well with truly Green, natural products.
My favorite technique is a simple read-through of the ingredients list– pick up a bottle and take a moment to check out the labeling. Can you pronounce any of the chemicals? Does ANYTHING even look remotely Green? If so, keep some of the following tips in consideration and combat Greenwashing with ease:
Familiarize yourself with the common ingredients, aside from the more widely-known toxins like Sodium Lauryl Sulfate and Parabens, to become a true eco-whiz and spot the bad guys before they make their way onto your skin. In life, and in beauty, simplicity is often the best route. By just heightening your awareness about the harmful, and beneficial, ingredients out there, you’ll be able to go with your instinct and easily discern with eco-X-ray vision which products are truly good on the inside.
There are also a few seals companies are allowed to use that will help you find truly Eco-Friendly, healthy items. Certifications provided by the Biodegradable Products Institute (BPI) on bio-degradable plastics will let you know that they are legitimately Green products. And, if a plastic is labeled as being compliant with American Society for Testing and Materials standards D6400 and D6868, it is likewise a truly eco-friendly material and will biodegrade safely.
Green Cleaners should carry an EcoLogo and/or Green Seal certification, which will tell you that the product has been third-party tested and is safe according to international standards for eco-responsible items. The trick here is to judge your own eco-ethics: some commercial cleaners are accepted as Green Seal-approved, meaning the specific products they have created to fit eco-standards are certifiably earth-friendly. However, if you do not want to support large companies that are otherwise irresponsible and may also produce non eco-friendly lines of product, steer clear of these purchases and head for totally conscious companies.
Beauty and Health products can carry the Organic logo to prove that they contain organic materials, but beware, as some will contain only one or two Organic ingredients, and can still certify for the seal. Check through the ingredients list to verify that the product, as a whole, is eco-friendly! And, before you even get to the store to make your purchase, you can use tools on the internet like Cosmetics Database to find out the potential health risks of your current, and prospective, products.
As for me, I’ll be clearing my bathroom of all those eye-catching, toy-like bottles and jars, and opting for the equally aesthetically pleasing packaging of pure and natural products that are as nice on the inside as they are outside. Three cheers for a healthy beauty that radiates from within!
Posted in Fashion & Beauty, Healthy Living, The Big Green Blog | 5 Comments »
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