Posted on July 2nd, 2008
Whether from being sick, having allergies, or generally being a snotty person, chances are you've needed a Kleenex sometime in your life. Think of the waste created by all those wads of nose TP you've used over the years. One greener option is the trusty handkerchief. Not only is it reusable, but it provides a sturdier and stylish alternative to disposable tissues. Prove your fashion-forwardness with a chicly patterned kerchief, or show your love for the Earth and make it green. Just be sure to throw it in the wash every once in a while; being green needn't be diametrically opposed to being clean. Handkerchieves: a classier, greenier way to dispose of phlegm.
Thanks to Dylan Romero for suggesting ...
Posted on June 30th, 2008
Most airlines have resorted to charging for a meal or snack these days and the options are slim, but the most disheartening part is the amount of waste that that these packages contain. Each snack pack typically contains 5 or 6 individually wrapped goodies, most with more packaging than snackaging inside. Prep for an upcoming flight by throwing a couple of apples in your bag or
use our recipe for Road Grub to fight off any snack attack and keep those containers out of the garbage.
Posted on June 27th, 2008
That’s right- a bike can travel 1600 kilometres (960 miles) on the equivalent energy of a gallon of gasoline. On your next vacation, try renting a bike instead of a car or motorcycle to get around town. You’ll be able to take in more of the scenery and enjoy the local environment, all the while protecting it from greenhouse gas emissions. Opting to take a bike instead of a car for all your local travels can have the same effect as planting up to 170 trees! Plus, the workout certainly helps to burn off all those daiquiris...
Posted on June 25th, 2008
...but if that doesn't work, reuse the same ones you last bought by refilling them. Going on a vacation? No need to purchase travel sized toiletries - reuse small bottles you've used before. Feeling extra sexy? Use bulk shampoo and conditioner in gallon-size jugs you can keep under the bathroom sink (which can also be refilled at certain green grocery gurus). Now you can really get to know your plastic containers.
Posted on June 24th, 2008
There are more than 50,000 commercial airplane flights per day worldwide. Considering that the average plane holds about 250 people, we can assume that more than 12 Million people soar through our skies each day. If each of those travelers drives just 20 minutes to get to the airport, they’re emitting 1,200 lbs of CO2 into the atmosphere. If you multiply 1200 times 12 million people, that number is too big for our calculator – and that’s just for one day! Multiply that by 7 days or 30 days or 352 days and hold onto your hat! Should travel season find you headed for the airport, consider taking public transportation, driving a short distance ...
Posted on June 22nd, 2008
We stand on our feet for those greenies who opt for a bike or bus over a car as your means of getting around. We also recognize that once in a while you might need a set of powerful wheels to get the job done. More and more rental companies are offering hybrids for just a few extra bucks a day (the gas savings will help balance out the price). And if a hybrid option isn’t available, go for a smaller compact or economy vehicle. You’ll save on gas and rental fees and stress less about parallel parking. If you are thinking of purchasing a car – and can’t afford an eco option, ask yourself ...
Posted on June 21st, 2008
If you should find yourself soaring through the friendly skies sometime soon, take a look down at the Earth and keep it in mind when the beverage cart rolls down the aisle. One easy way to minimize your impact is to drink your beverage straight from the can, instead of from a little plastic cup. Since the beverages are already chilled, you won't be nursing a tepid drink, you'll just be passing on plastic. Should you choose to drink from a cup, hang on to it until the end of the flight. Should the flight attendents offer you another chance to wet your whistle, you won't need to take another one. Feeling extra sexy? ...
Posted on June 21st, 2008
Carbon offsetting is a somewhat controversial subject these days. The idea is good: calculate your carbon footprint, then offset it by purchasing renewable energy credits to reverse the damage. To some however, carbon offsetting seems like an excuse or a permit to pollute. We haven’t seen enough evidence to push us over the fence either way, so we do our best to reduce our footprint all the time, and to offset some unavoidable carbon expenses, such as flying for business. Interested in carbon offsetting? Buy a TerraPass! (http://www.terrapass.com/index.html) TerraPass helps you calculate how much carbon is emitted during your commute to work, your flight home for the Holidays and even ...
Posted on June 20th, 2008
Should travel season find you popping a squat on some strip of beach somewhere, try acting like a beach bum instead of a beach bummer. Because you’re sexy, you know that litter isn’t. Why not do something about it? Picking up the little pieces of trash you walk past on your way to and from your towel won’t hurt you, and it will make a difference. If trash isn’t properly disposed of, it ends up in the ocean. Animals may mistake the items of litter floating in the water as food and could choke on them. Even if the animals don’t try to eat the litter, they may get entangled in it. It is estimated that ...
Posted on June 19th, 2008
Planning a trip that requires a few hours or more of sitting idle? You’ll probably be needing something to read. While airports and train depots make it easy for you to grab a mag at the last minute, consider raiding your friends’ supply in advance instead. U.S. magazine production uses more than 2.2 million tons of paper per year and mags are printed almost exclusively on papers made from virgin fiber, resulting in more than 35 million trees being cut down annually. It’s true: less than 5% of magazine paper has any recycled content, and even these recycled content papers generally contain only 10-30% recycled fiber. Almost all magazine papers have been bleached with chlorine or ...
